Mr. Thomas Wadsworth's Last warning to secure sinners being his two last sermons concerning the certainty and dreadfulness of the future misery of all impenitent ungodly sinners : to which is prefixed an epistle of Mr. Richard Baxter's.

1 Peter III. the later part of the 20 Ver.

—While the Ark was a preparing: wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

IN the former words you have an account given you of the Destru∣ction of the old world by the flood. They were all drowned, Men, Wo∣men, and Children. God neither spared the grey-headed-sinner; no, nor the sucking-infant; children of wicked and Rebellious Parents, he drowned them all. The reason of this wrath of God that was poured out upon them, was their Disobedience; their disobedience to the Spirit of Christ, by which Noah Preached to them. What did he Preach? He Preached to them Repentance, called them to repent and reform their lives; and if they would not, God would

drown them all. Why what were their sins? Why, the very thoughts and ima∣ginations of their hearts were evil, and that continually. They were men of wicked hearts, they were devising no∣thing but mischief, they thought of nothing but the satisfaction of their lusts. I wish it be not the case of some here. I am sure it is the case of every unconverted sinner, the imaginations of his heart are evil, and that conti∣nually; for he does defile even his good thoughts with unbelief.

And their sin was likewise the sin of their lives. Their hands were full of violence, they were oppressors, they were cruel, they were bloody; and besides this, they were secure and wanton, and they minded nothing but eating and drinking, and marrying, and giving to marriage, their whole hearts were taken up in these things. No man enquired after God, no man regarded the voice of God in his ser∣vant Noah. God waited upon them,

(after he had sent Noah, and fore∣warn'd them) above a hundred years; (and that while, was Noah a building his Ark), but they despised the long-suffering of God, which should have led them to repentance: and at length the threatned Judgment came upon them, and they were drowned, all, but eight persons. This is not all, God did not only destroy their bodies, but like∣wise (we read here in the Apostle Pe∣ter) their Spirits were laid in prison, in the infernal Prison of Hell for their disobedience to the voice of Christ. Having already spoken to this; The Doctrine that I raised from this was, That those wicked men (while they are in their bodies) that will not obey the voice of Christ in his Ministers, but live and die impenitently, their souls by the righteous judgment of God shall be condemned unto the prison of Hell: For what is said of this old world, will be verified of every impenitent sinner here, that dieth in his impeni∣tent

state; Lord, who is it that does be∣lieve thy report? Few sinners (the Lord knows) do regard it. God knows his word is little believed. We do as little believe these things now, as the old world did: and as the flood came upon them before they were a∣ware, so the spirits of some here (God knows, as Jeremy said, I do not desire to see that evil day) may be in these Prisons before they believe them. Death (sinners) is coming, which will drag you to the Tribunal of Christ; and assuredly Christ will do you justice: I say, he will do you ju∣stice. He that will be faithful to his promises that he makes to belie∣vers that obey the Gospel, he will be faithful to do justice to those that are disobedient. He will give you all your Mittimus's, he will lay you fast enough; and when he hath laid the Chains on, take them off if you can. I know (through your unbelief) what I say, seems to you but as a Fable:

So did the drowning of the world ap∣pear to be; but they found it true, and so will you, if ye repent not. It amazeth me, my Brethren (when my faith at any time is but raised to the close of these truths of God; it ama∣zeth me) to look upon your faces, to see how indifferently you look, how carelesly you look; you look up-and-down this place as if these things did not concern you: but the reason of it is, you do not believe, your un∣belief ruins you, and will ruin you for ever. What man that really was in his wits, and did believe a Hell, would venture upon those sins that will certainly bring him thither? But you slatter your selves in your unbelief, that there is no punishment to the wicked, nor reward to the godly; and so you go on in sin: These things are true (my Brethren), your Consci∣ences must bear me witness they are true. No man or woman that are in their wits, and did really believe an

eternal Torment that is laid up for the disobedient to the Gospel, but they would obey be-times, they would not go on hardening their hearts a∣gainst God: but you do not believe. We shall presently make some enquiry into the reasons of it.

We come now to the other part, wherein you have an account of a few that are saved. A few! Lord, What a few! Eight persons out of a world of men and women. I do not know but the world at that time was as full of men and women as it is now; for the world was at that time about Fifteen hundred years old, and they lived many years: so that it is likely that there was a very numerous com∣pany of people; and that there were great Cities, and great Kingdoms up∣on the earth. What a strange thing is it, that of a world of people there should be found but eight persons that would believe a God! And yet 'tis certainly so, there was but eight per∣sons

saved; all the rest were drowned for their disobedience to the voice of the Spirit of Christ in Noah. Why were no more saved? Because there did no more believe. They did not believe that God was in good-earnest, they did not believe that God would send the flood, as Noah threatned: they looked upon Noah as a mad-man to build an Ark they knew not for what. Just so does the world now, they look upon poor, humble, be∣lieving Christians, as a company of melancholy distracted persons, that look sadly, and pray much, and weep much, and hear much, and are afraid of sinning; and all this while they are but busie about their Ark: and they cry, what a stir is here that these people make? I will tell you what the meaning of it is: why this world is to be burned, and these poor souls are providing against the burning of the world: The wicked must be turn∣ed into Hell, and all the Nations that

forget God; and these poor, praying, humble Christians do believe, fear, and tremble; and that is the reason that they live not as you live, but take that care that they do, to prepare a∣gainst that great day of the Lord. And were not you desperately blind and foolish, you would do so too? There were eight persons (saith Peter) saved. Which were they? All of one Family, Noah and his Wife; there was the three Sons of Noah, and their three Wives, Gen. 7.7, eight per∣sons in one family, they were sa∣ved, they were saved from the de∣luge, they were saved from being drowned. God knows whether all these were saved from hell (too) of these eight. For of these, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, there was (one of these Sons) Ham, that did laugh at his fa∣thers nakedness, and God afterwards cursed him; so that whether he was eternally saved, is not a thing certain unto us. But this is sure, all these eight

persons did believe the deluge would come, or else they would not have entred into the Ark, for if any of them had looked upon it as a meer old do∣ting fancy of their father, they would have been ashamed to have gone into the Ark; but at the set-time before it began to rain, they all went, there∣fore they all did believe the word of the Lord, that the deluge would come. It's true they received an encourage∣ment by the miraculous bringing of all creatures into the Ark to save them alive. Wherein few, eight persons were saved by water. Saved by water! there may be a double sense:

By water as an instrument; for that very water that was the instrument of destruction to the enemies of God, be∣came a means of salvation to these eight persons; for it bore up that Ark wherein the lives of these eight per∣sons were. It may be rendered,

Thus again, But they were saved by, or through water, saved through the

danger of water, carried in the Ark through, or upon the water.

The Observation that I raise from it, is this,

That though many have the means of Salvation offered them, yet there are but few that make use of these means, and do obtain Salvation by them.

The old World had the means, as those eight persons had the same means; they were told of it, they were a hundred years told of it, God waited long enough; there were ma∣ny had the means; if they had repen∣ted, the flood had not come; or if more had repented, they had been sa∣ved. But these eight did believe, and they were saved by water, the rest had as good means as they, but they did not repent upon it, they did not believe upon it.

This should be an awakening Con∣sideration to us, that though God does afford the means of Salvation to mul∣titudes,

yet there are a very few that do make use of those means, and are saved by them: I say 'tis an awaken∣ing Consideration. Here is England, a great and populous Country, here is London a great City, a City that hath some hundred thousands of souls in it, they have all the means as the old World had; the Gospel is preached up and down the City, and up and down the Suburbs; the voice is every where, throughout all your streets. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, for there is a day of judgment, and Christ is made the Judg of quick and dead, that will give to every man according to his works. You have all the means, but alas, how few of England, how few of London, or of Southwark are like to be saved by these means! for how few do be∣lieve what we preach? How few do repent upon their seeming profession of repentance, and believing? How few reform their lives? how few are

converted in Southwark, in London, in England, so as to be healed by the grace of God! How few! Many are called (as Christ saith) but few chosen. Why here is perhaps three or four hun∣dred people here, you have been call∣ed every one of you to repent, but when God that searcheth the heart, cometh for to examine the truth of our repentance, and of our faith, how few, how few in likelihood will there be found penitent? how few! alas, it was always so: Many called, a whole world called to repent, but eight be∣lieved. But perhaps you will say, that was an notorious wicked world, that old world; but surely the world is grown better since. Truly, there is reason it should, because they have that judgment to awaken them; but we will show you that the hearts of men have been desperately wicked, all along to this day; yea, under the richest means that ever God hath afforded the world, from the beginning to this

very day. And we will take the seed of Abraham, and give you several in∣stances thereof: God promised Abra∣ham, that he would give him a seed that should be as the stars of heaven, and would take that seed into a Cove∣nant with himself, and that he would be their God, and they should be his people. What a wonderful blessing was this, for the great God to marry himself to a people? And he gave them the Covenant of Circumcision for a memorial of this Covenant, of this betrothing; he gave them the O∣racles, and the Promises, and was with them, in the midst of them; he was the King of them, he made War and Peace for them, fought for them, and defended them. They had all the means of Salvation, the best means that the world had in those days. But you will see how few of them made use of those means of grace that God afforded them.

We will begin with this great peo∣ple

of Jacob coming out of Egypt. (The Lord help you to consider what I am speaking; for many, because they are Christians, and are baptized, they be∣lieve they shall be saved; but you are deceived. Just like the old World, they eat, and they drank, they mar∣ried, and gave in marriage, and never dreamt that God was angry with them, and would drown them; and so do these people of England, never think that God does intend to burn them.) Now you shall see what advantage they made of the means, and you may read as in a glass the condition of Eng∣land, and the most parts of the world at this day, Numb. 1.45, 46, So were all those that were numbred of the chil∣dren of Israel▪ by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel: Even all they that were numbred were six hundred thou∣sand, and three thousand five hundred and fifty. These were the people that

God brought out of Egypt into the Wilderness, and afterwards led to Canaan, the seed of Jacob, six hun∣dred thousand, all men, from twenty years old and upward: How vast must be the number of Women and Chil∣dren, and young men also, that were below twenty years old! above six hundred thousand fighting men! An Army of twenty thousand is a great Army; but a hundred thousand, that is much more: But here was an Army of six hundred thousand fighting men, besides Women and Children. What had God done for this people? I will tell you what God had done for them: why, they were in Egypt under a cru∣el hard-hearted Pharaoh, they were groaning under their burden, and God remembers his Promise made to Abra∣ham, That he would visit his seed, and bring them into Canaan. God cometh by Moses, and commanded them to go; They are my people saith God, let them go and serve me. I will not let

them go, saith Pharaoh; why who is your God, that I should obey him? God at length sends one plague upon him, and then another; and then another, and then a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, an eighth, a ninth, a tenth; ten Plagues God sent upon him before Pharaoh would let them go. When they were gone, they came to a Red Sea, (I am telling you, my Brethren, the works of God for his people in the days of old, remember them, my Bre∣thren, they are written for your ex∣ample, they came to a Red Sea) now thinks Pharaoh I have got them in a trap, I will follow them, I will pur∣sue, I will overtake, I will destroy them; but God makes the Red-Sea divide, and bringeth them all through; but Pharaoh and his Host assayed to follow, and God makes the Sea to close and drowned them all. Well, God car∣ries them from thence to Mount Sinai, and there was thundrings and light∣nings, and gave them his Law, and his

Cove∣nants, and did as it were solemnly marry that people to himself, promi∣siing them if they did but do what he bid them, he would be their God, and fight their battels, and give them counsel in all their straits, and be a defence round about them. Away he leads them then, and gives them a Symbol of himself; for if they march∣ed by night, there was a pillar of Fire; if by day, there was a Cloud went with them. A wonderful con∣descension, that God should do so with them! They come into a Wil∣derness, they want bread, they begin to murmur; Well, saith God, they shall see what it is to be my people; he gives them bread from Heaven, rains down Manna: They want wa∣ter; Well, saith God, they shall not want water; he commandeth Moses to strike a Rock, and there came streams out of it, and those streams followed them where ever they went up and down the Wilder∣ness;

they wanted Water no more. What now became of this People? Here is a good God, he lets them want nothing; he works wonders for them, and delivers them with a mighty hand, and gives them Angels food to eat, and water out of a Rock to drink; and here he numbreth them in the Wilderness, Six hundred thou∣sand fighting men. What did these people do? Do! Surely they loved God, and were obedient to his Law, and would never murmur against him more. But did they do so? No, you shall see how that before Forty years came about, God cut off all these Six hundred thousand men, and left their carcases to rot in the Wilderness, and swore in his wrath, they should never enter into his rest. Notwithstanding he had done all this for them, they so provoked him to wrath, and so a∣bused all the means of mercy, that God cut them all off: See also, Numb. 14.28, 29, 30, Say unto them

(saith God), As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you. What had they said in his ears? They had mur∣mured against God, and said, God hath brought us and our children into the wilderness to destroy us. Well, saith he, I have heard your murmuring, and for your murmuring against me, your carcases shall fall in the Wilder∣ness; and all that were numbred of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which you have murmured against me. Doubt∣less ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I sware to possess you of, save Caleb the son of Jephu∣neh, and Joshuah the son of Nun. There were six hundred thousand men, and amongst them there was but two men that did believe that Promise that God made to Abraham, that he would give them Canaan for an Inheritance. O read to day as in a glass here, the infi∣delity of England, and the World;

for as face answers to face in a glass, so does the face of the generality of the men of the world, answer to the fa∣ces of the unbelieving Israelites, and old unbelieving World. But saith he, For your little ones, which ye say shall be a prey; No, (saith God) your little ones shall go into the Land, and shall possess it; for they knew nothing of your murmuring. But as for you, there is not a man of you shall enter into the Land. Well, go a little farther, (for the instances are many,) I will pass by all the dealings of God with this very people under the Judges, where you may read that they were as many times captivated (for their re∣bellion against God) as they had a Judg raised up among them; but we will pass by the time of this people under those Judges (because the time will be short for me to relate all the dealings of Christ with this Church) and we will come to those Twelve Tribes, after they came into

Canaan, and were divided into two great Kingdoms, Ten Tribes under Jeroboam, and Two Tribes under the Posterity of David, two mighty King∣doms; all of them that had, or might have had the Oracles, Promises, and Covenants, all of them had the Bi∣ble, and might have used it. But what did they do with it? They cri'd them∣selves up, (just like England) The Church, the Church; The Temple of the Lord; and boasted of their privi∣ledges, that there was no people in the world like them; and that if God should cut them off, he knew not where to find another people. See now what became of them; We will con∣sider the Ten Tribes first. In the first of Kings, the 19, and the 11 and 14 Verses. And it was so, that when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in a man∣tle, and went out, and stood in the en∣tring in of the Cave; and behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What dost thou here, Elijah? And he said,

(Elijah said) I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant, thrown down thine Altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. Here were Ten Tribes, a great Kingdom, a peo∣ple of the Lord, that had the word of the Lord, and the great Prophet of the Lord Elijah among them, who called them to Repentance, and told them God was angry with them for forsaking Him, and his Covenant. Why, but how many of this Kingdom did so? Why truly, for what Elijah could see, he could not see one man, that did keep Covenant with God. I only am left alone. Why what did the rest do? Why they have all forsaken thee. This is strange! What! the seed of A∣braham, all gone! What they, whose fathers God delivered out of Egypt; and brought them through the Red-Sea, and fed them with Manna, and

gave them water out of a Rock! What, forget it all! Ai, forget it all. They have left the Lord, and forsaken his Covenant. What have they done with the Prophets of the Lord? Knockt them o' the head, slain them, kill'd them, thrown down his Altars, and no worshipping of God; and yet these were the men that were the seed of A∣braham, that had all the means of grace offered them; God had given them many a call, they had the word to do it, and his Prophets to do it, and yet we see they all left him. It is true (as God said afterwards in reproving Eli∣jahs judgment in the case, I have a few more, my Kingdom are not all gone) saith God, I have reserved seven thou∣sand, that keep Covenant with me. Ai, but (my Brethren) what are seven thousand to a whole Kingdom? What if God may have seven thousand in England to keep Covenant with God? What if twenty thousand? What are they to compare to those many hun∣dred

thousands that are in England? Here you see many are called, but few chosen; many are taken visibly into a Covenant, but there are few that are spiritually in Covenant with God. Well, what became of these Ten Tribes? these that had the Oracles, Covenant, and Promises among them? What became of them? Why you shall see what became of them, (no good, you may be sure, God pays them off their old scores at length) God is a long time in reckoning, but be sure he will do them justice in the end. He will do it, 2 King. 17.18, there you shall see the destruction of them (In the 15 vers. And they rejected his statutes, and his covenants that he made with their fathers—and they followed va∣nity.) Therefore (Vers. 18.) the Lord was very angry with Israel, and remo∣ved them out of his sight: there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only. 22. For the children of Israel walked in the sins of Jeroboam which he did,

they departed not from them. 23, Ʋn∣til the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he said by all his servants the Prophets. (The word of God spoken by his servants and Ministers, (though but men) he will make it good; here you have Minister after Minister come to you; and believe it, when we speak his word in his name, he will take care of our honour, and of our word; he made good the preachings of his servants the Prophets.) So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day. There came the King of Assyria upon them, and took them away, and spoiled them, and car∣ried them away captive, and they ne∣ver returned more into the land of Ca∣naan to this day. O wicked people! They had the means of grace, but would not make use of them. You are told of Heaven and Hell, and bid to repent, but no body repents; here you give us the hearing, and when you have done, you go away; and

when gone, you pass on in a carnal manner, and there is no reformation of your lives.

But (pray) what became of the o∣ther Tribes that were under the tuti∣lage and government of the Posterity of David? Why the truth is, they were sometimes better than the other. But see also what became of them for their revolts, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. But what did they do? (these were the two tribes) They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose upon them, till there was no remedy. 17, Therefore he brought upon them the King of Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or mai∣den, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave them all into his hand. And this was all for their general re∣volt that they made from God. Follow it (now) to the time of Christ; when

Christ Jesus came into the world, and preached the Gospel himself, one would have thought now, that though they had abused all his Prophets of old, yet now his Son himself is come, sure they would hearken to him. When Christ himself turns Preacher, and works such Miracles among them to confirm his Doctrine, and to evidence himself to be sent from God, and all this to bring them to Heaven: When Christ came to preach the Gospel, did they be∣lieve him? No, he lifted them up to Heaven by means; he would as it were have drag'd them by force, he lifted up voice and cried, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come unto me, and drink of the water of life freely. He cried and wept over them, O that she had known the things of her peace! (Mighty ear∣nest!) I would have gathered her, but she would not. And did they believe? No. Why, what do they do? They conspire together, and lay hold of him as a malefactor, and crucified him; they

put him to death: & as being very well satisfied, when that innocent blood was shed, O say they, Let his blood come upon us and our children: we are not afraid of his blood. Of all that people of the Jews, there was but a few that did believe in him: And that the Apostle takes notice of, Rom. 11.5, I say then, Ver. 1, Hath God cast off his people? God forbid. For I am an Israelite: God hath not cast away all Israel, not every individual: For I am of the Tribe of Benjamin: And through Gods mercy, I am not cast away (saith he), for I do believe in Christ, and there are some few with me that do be∣lieve also. But what became of the whole Nation? They are cut off, the curse of God is upon them, and they are a hissing and disgrace to this very day. I tell you, Sirs, of these poor con∣temptible Jews; God offered them a Christ before he offered him to you: Christ came of the Loyns of a Jew, he was born (after the flesh) of a Jew,

he was first sent to the Jews; and offered grace first to the Jews; and you came in but in the second place. But for their Infidelity, God hath cut them off, only a remnant, a little scat∣tering flock, they hearkned, they be∣lieved, they embraced Christ, and they were saved, and the rest were cut off. Here are a great many in∣stances, That many are called, but few chosen. Here is a great deal of Preaching to England, but few of England like to be saved: Don't think it a hard censure. What a whole world drowned, and but eight saved? What a whole Kingdom of ten Tribes, and but seven thousand saved? What, that great Kingdom of Judah cut off, and but a few of them saved? There were (it is true) a good seed in that Kingdom of Judah, but take the ge∣nerality of them, they did provoke God as much as her Sister Samaria did. Well, But what shall we say of our selves? Look in the glass of the Chri∣stian

Church, and then tell me, how many among us are like to be saved? 2 Cor. 6.10, Know ye not, (Ver. 9,) that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? (and if they do not, they shall never be saved; for none are saved, but they inherit the Kingdom of God) Who are they? Why God knows, some of you may read your own Names here in your Character. Be not deceived, neither fornicators, or unclean persons: you know what it means: If there be any wanton persons here, the Lord give you Repentance. Such as you are for the flood, and for the fire, and for Hell. God hath set you a-part. The Lord give you Repentance. No Ido∣later, no Image-worshipper, no Host-worshipper; such as those Popish Idolater, worshipping Saints and Angels, and praying to a peice of bread, as unto God himself. These are Idolaters. God will not give his honour to any other. And Papists

will know in the end, that they have wronged God, to give his honour to a peice of bread. God will not be wronged of his Glory. Be not de∣ceived, many Idolaters have been apt to flatter themselves, that it shall go well with them; but they have de∣ceived themselves, and so will these in the end. No Adulterers, the Lord help you to look into your hearts and lives: There is an Adulterous heart, and an Adulterous life: none such shall enter into the Kingdom of God. These are all for the flood, these are set a-part for burning: assuredly, you shall be burned, if you repent not. Believe it, it will be so, if you re∣form not; you may laugh and mock at me, and Paul, and the Bible, as the old world did at Noah. Nor effemi∣nate, not abusers of themselves with mankind. No Thieves: that is, that repent not in their time. No Drun∣kards; mark, that you Ale-house-haunters, and Tavern-haunters! None

of these, not a man of them shall be saved, except, in time they repent and reform their lives. Say you so? None of them? No, none of them shall in∣herit the Kingdom of God. Ah, but (by your leave) we won't believe you tho. I know there are but few will believe it. I knew it before I came to you before I read this Text, Lord who hath believed our report! I have been a Preacher (up and down) two and twenty years, and have had experience of the hardness of mens hearts. I can Preach to them, and take them in a room, and sit an hour over a hard heart, and make it no more stir, than a rock: No, he does not believe, turns away, and laughs at (perhaps) all the counsel given him. But whether you believe, or believe not, This day know, God hath given you warning; you are men as certainly set aside, and designed to be eternal∣ly burned, as the old wicked world was designed to be drowned. And

if you say why do I give you this no∣tice? Why, The Lord in mercy gives it you, that in time you may repent. But if you repent not; as the flood drowned the old world, so Hell will burn and torment you.

But truly I have not come to the half of that which I intended.

The Question will be, What is the reason that men will not believe? What, but eight persons believe, in a whole world? But one Elijah in a whole Ten Tribes? What, but one Elijah? No truly, for ought that he knew. What, but a remnant in the time of Christ? No, but a remnant. So but a few, a very few in England. What is the reason of all this? why the gene∣ral reason of it all, is this: Neither would the old world believe, that God was in good earnest; neither would Israel believe, neither will Eng∣land believe; they don't believe what is said. No. What if God speaks by a Noah, will you believe? No. What

if God speaks by a Moses, will you be∣lieve? No. VVhat if God appear∣eth upon a Mount, and speaks sig∣nally, will you believe now? Yes, for a little while, but not long, as they did not. VVill you believe by a Christ? No. (Crucifie him.) Will you believe the Apostles? No. Will you believe us that speak? No, No, you will be∣lieve none? What is the reason of it, why wont you believe? VVhy, I think this is one reason:

In very truth, saith the poor carnal wicked world, we do not believe that God is in good earnest; none of them did, till they found the judgment up∣on them. But why, you poor sinners, why do not you believe that God is in good earnest now? VVhy I will tell you, you flatter your selves thus; surely God is a very good God, and he hath done us good all our days; he hath been my God twenty, thirty, forty years; he hath fed me when hun∣gry; and when naked he hath clothed

me; and when sick, he hath healed me and mine; and when in danger he hath deliver'd; and do you think that God will damn me, and burn me (as you talk of) at last? Ai, but sinner! hath not God said he will? Ai, but say you, God is not in good earnest; he threatens us, but as we threaten our Chil∣dren. We threaten our Children sometimes what we will do! and then lay down the rod again. Ai, but sinner! God is not like a man, that he should change. But say you, he is good. 'Tis true, or else he would never have stayed so long; but for you to say he is good, and will not therefore be true to his Word, that's absurd. Why should he not (notwithstanding all his goodness) damn such a rebel as thou art, as well as damn an Angel? Thou art his Creature? so were the Angels. Does God give thee a∣bundance

of the glory of the earth? so God gave him abundance of the glory of Heaven, and yet notwith∣standing all this, for sin he threw the Angels down into Hell, and now they are Devils.

Why, if God spared not an An∣gel, dost thou think he will spare a man or woman? Nay, when thou hast provoked him to wrath more than the Devil, dost thou think he will spare thee, and not an Angel? God never offered a Saviour to the Devil, but he offered a Saviour to thee, that if thou wilt repent and turn, he will save thee: and wilt thou abuse all, and go on in thy wickedness? Why certainly, as thou sinnest more in this respect than the Devil, thou wilt as sure go to hell as he did; 'tis not your relation to God as Creatures, that will save you. What, (I pray) was the old World? Did not God drown them

all? were not they men and women as you? and had not they Children as well as you? and had not God bowels to them, as well as to you? But was God loth to drown them? Why, first, it repenteth me, saith God, that I made them, I will drown them all; Tush, say they, God is so good he will not. But I will, says God. You say God hath done you good, and heal'd you of many diseases, and hath looked to you, and blessed you, and hath wrought wonders for you, and that therefore he will never damn you. O poor sin∣ner! how simply dost thou cheat thy self? Single me out any blind Drun∣kard, or unclean person, or self-justi∣ciary, I would single thee out, and rea∣son with thee this day; God hath wrought wonders for me, he will not damn me (saist thou). Alas! that's true, says a poor drunken Water-man, I was at Sea, and was in danger to be

drown'd, and God saved me; and do you think that he will damn me! And saith another, such a time I was rea∣dy to fall off from a house, and God prevented me. Why I tell thee now, that though God does give many sig∣nal mercies and tokens of his long suffering to sinners, he does not in∣tend therefore to save them. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, did God ever work such Miracles for you, as he did for them? Did God ever bring ten Plagues upon your enemies to deliver you from them? Did God ever in a danger that you have been in, make a Sea for you to pass through, and your life saved? And when you were hungry, and had no bread, did God ever rain bread down from hea∣ven to you? When you were thirsty, did God ever bring water out of a Rock to quench your thirst? These, and such things as these did God do for Israel. Here now was some ground

for them to plead, and yet though God did this; did he love Israel so, that he would not destroy them? No. He laid their Carcases as dung in the wilderness, and swore in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest. I'le tell thee sinner, if thou li∣vest for forty years together upon bread out of the Clouds, yet if thou livest and diest in thy sins, thou wilt most certainly be damned. God can be good, (man!) for all thou art damned; for God is good to the An∣gels that stand, though the rest that fell are in Hell; so he will be good in his mercy to Saints and Angels, when the wicked are thrust down into Hell. God can be good, (man!) and God can do thee good, and when he hath done, he can hang thee up in flames. Alas, you see that commonly among your malefactors, Princes do allow their prisoners to have meat and drink, while they are in prison, they

should not be starved; and when con∣demned to be hanged, there will be care taken, that they should be fed and clothed; but when the day comes, away they are bound, and to the cart and gallows they go. Thou prisoner! (for so thou art in the decree of God) before thou come to that prison of hell, he will feed thee, and clothe thee, and yet all this while intends to de∣stroy thee, if thou repent not.

Ai, but say you, there is another reason of our unbelief: why truly, God hath threatned such great things that they are incredible. VVhy, what are they? God threatens prisons for Spirits; Alas, we can't understand how this spirit should live after our bodies are dead, that when our bo∣dies are rotting in the grave, our souls should be roaring in flames. And then again God tells us of the Resur∣rection of our bodies; How is it pos∣sible it should be so? And then again,

God threatens to throw our bodies and souls into Hell, to be burned for ever; an incredible thing! who can believe this, when we can hardly live fifty or threescore years, How can we be alive for ever and ever? And that Christ should judg the world; it is now sixteen hundred years ago; wonderful things! Here has been a great deal of talking, but no perfor∣mance. A company of fables! we can't believe them; and who would go and venture to make themselves sad and miserable in the world, with fear and repentance; with fear of these things that are never like to come to pass. I know it, sinners, that these are the workings of thy heart, as well as if I was within thee. VVhy, do you think there are any such here, that are of such a mind? why truly, it is likely, for there were such in the Apostles days, and of this sort of peo∣ple the Apostle speaks in 2 Pet. 3.2, That in the latter days there should

come scoffers, walking after their own lusts: one after the lust of unclean∣ness, another after the lust of drunken∣ness: VVhat are these walkers? Scof∣fers. VVhat do they scoff at? why they scoffed at the burning of the world, and the day of Judgment. VVhy do these men scoff at it? why, I will tell you; they scoff because the Scripture does threaten the eter∣nal burning of these sort of men that walk after their own lusts, and they cry, Tush, we believe no such thing. VVell, and thus they argue, saying, Where is the promise of his coming? Christ said, He would come, and he would come quickly. Here is a talk of his coming, but here is no Christ come; when will this Trumpet sound? No, no, for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation: The Sun rises as it did, and the Moon ob∣serves its course, we have Summer

and VVinter, and we see all things just as they have been for these five thousand years, and we see no change. No? (saith the Apostle) don't you? But, saith he, if you are ignorant of this one thing; you are wilfully igno∣rant: VVhat is that? why saith he, That by the Word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, where∣by the world that then was, being over∣flowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, re∣served unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. I'le tell thee, thou scoffer, and walker after thy lusts, Dost thou not know that God once drowned the world? if thou art ignorant, 'tis a wilful ignorance. And I pray you scoffers, is it not as easie a thing to conceive how God should burn the world, as drown the world? he hath

done one already; the Lord open your ears and hearts to understand it. You scoff now, as the old world scof∣fed at Noah; but they found that Noah's words were true; and you will find that our words are true too. The Lord strike you with the authority of the VVord, that you may receive it as the Oracle of God. This is the VVord of God, and do you oppose it, and rebel against it, and slight it if you dare. But I know you have that impu∣dence to do it. But then I summon you to answer it at the day of judg∣ment; do you remember it then.

There are several other workings of carnal hearts, by which they en∣courage themselves in their wick∣ed lives.

What are they? Come let me name them.

O say you, we don't deny, but God will condemn men, and we don't deny but God can make good

all his threatnings: But say you, we are in such a body, and our bodies are in such want; you know we must not starve, and suffer our poor wives and children to famish for want of bread; and truly we are poor, and must work for our li∣vings; and we are so taken up, that we have no leisure to hear what God says, or what Christ says; we have scarce leisure to read or hear the word of God: This is another thing.

I know you would fain be gone, but I will tell you why I stay you so long; I would fain (before you go out of them doors) have you to believe. If Gods Ministers do so compassionate you, you should compassionate your selves: Ah, But say you, I can't attend it, I must be gone, my dinner waits for me; no, nor to morrow neither. I have no time at all to think of these

things. No? Have you no time to think of them? Do you think that they don't deserve your thoughts? Why, What are your poor bodies (for which you labour so much), in a compare to your souls? I tell thee (man) if it were put to thy choice, that thou shouldst either starve, or make use of the means of Grace; thou shouldst rather go and read, and kneel, and pray till thou art faint, and canst scarce rise up: If one must perish, soul or body; let the body starve. Thou poor creature! Thy soul is more worth than thy body; 'tis a thousand times better that thy body should starve, than that thy poor soul should be damned. But, Starve! Thou poor unbeliever! Thy wretched heart of unbelief de∣ceives thee. I tell thee (man)! (but that thou hast no faith to entertain what I say, I tell thee) if thou wilt but set thy self, first to mind this

great work of saving thy soul, and pre∣paring thy Ark; if thou wilt set thy self to look upon thy ways, and con∣fess thy sins, to turn to the Lord, to cry mightily, and to pour out thy soul in secret to God, that he would pardon thee, and sanctifie thee, and reform thee, and give thee grace: I tell thee, I dare promise thee in the name of the Lord, that thou shalt live more comfortably as to this world, than ever thou didst in all thy life. Why, will you promise that we shall grow richer by it? This I will pro∣mise thee in the name of the Lord, (and I am sure 'tis true) that either thou shalt thrive more in the world, or else thou shalt be better contented with what thou hast: and besides, it shall be blessed to thee, that thou wilt say, it is far better to thee than abundance. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added to you. Do

but set thy self to pray mightily to God, that whatever he does, he would save thy soul; and then for thy care, thou mightest cast thy care upon him; your care distracts you, it is Gods setting in with you, that makes your care succesful. O poor sinners, if you were but acquainted with God and Christ, you would have a God to cast your care upon. You Masters of Families; begin your day with God, bring your Families to God, make it your great business to serve God; and then trust God for his blessing upon your endeavours. There is another Reason.

What is the reason that you do not believe? That you believe not God that speaks by his Son, and by his Prophets? Why truly I dare not be∣lieve. For (to speak plainly) I am so in love with my sins, that I cannot think to part wirh them; and I do profess, if I must be damn'd for them,

I must run the hazard. Such despe∣rate slaves are Satan's slaves, though they see Hell before them, and in they must, if they repent not; saith Christ, Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, Why? because their deeds are evil. They love their evil deeds, and love dark∣ness, and hate the light of the Gos∣pel; they hate my word, because my word threatens their deeds of dark∣ness with Hell; they can't endure to see what is at the end of sinning. I have kept you a long while; and so God kept them above a hundred years. I have spent one hour (per∣haps half an hour more), but if it were possible that I could Preach an hundred years to an unbelieving heart, it would never work upon him, without Gods Grace: O there∣fore resist not Crace: When I have done all, 'tis God that singles out one at one time, and another at ano∣ther

time, and then another, and sometimes many at once, and opens their eyes and hearts, and makes such a Sermon bear upon them, and com∣mandeth their hearts to strike in with the word: And if the Lord does but bless the word, to take hold of some poor youth, whether man or maid; it is worth all my labour that I have spent in Preaching: If the Lord would but bring some poor soul to believe, that the word of God is true, and that it is as certain that they will be damn'd, if they repent not, as is was certain that the old world was drown'd: This might be the beginning of a new life. O 'tis an hour well spent, and thou wilt bless God for it, if he will come in with light upon thee, and make thee believe the Gospel, that Christ is willing to save every pe∣nitent sinner that is brought thus to believe in him. O that God would be pleased to convince you that he is

in good earnest to damn the wicked and impenitent sinner; but to bless and crown with eternal life, every obedient soul.

I am forced to cut off many things that I have to say; But the Lord in hea∣ven bless this word unto you.

FINIS.