Serm. 15 when Inward and outward Troubles meet ? guftus wondered at a perfon's flee.ping quietly that was very much in debt, and fent for his pillow, faying, Surely there is fame ftrange ver- rue in it, that makes hicza reft fo fecure. My brethren, if one debt un. ro Gods Law be more than the whole Creation can fatisfie, what do any of us meanto refl fecure wich fo vafl a burden upon our Confci- enccs and account : O ! take heed thou beeft not furpized and arrefled with old Debts. O 1 thou remembre former iniquities againft ug. Pf41.79.8. 3. God will call over and charge thy fins upon thee, when all the fweet is gone , 1 hou makelt a fhift to fwallow the hook with pleafure when 'cis covered with the fweet bait ; O ! hut when [hat's digefted, or difgorged,and the naked hook piercing and raking thy heart,what wilt thou do then I O l how bitter is the Pill when all the fugar is meltedoff. Now this will be thy cafe; lob found but a tafle of it , and O ! how he cries out, Tub 13 26 . Thou writef# bitter things againft me, i. Q. bitterne jfes. 4. With old fins muff corne old wrath,Rom.z.4,5.Thinkeff thou that thou fhalt efcape the judgement of God : What, and defpifeft the riches of his goodnefs and forbearance, not knowing that the goodnefs of God (cloth not only give thee a fpace of, but) leadeth thee to repentance. But after thy hardnefs and impenitent heart, treafureft (tunnell) up againfk thy felf, wrath againft the duty of wrath, &c. There be three forts and degrees of wrath will come with old fins; i. Wrath for old fins. 2. Wrath for the forbearance of that Wrath. 3 Wrath for the abufe of that forbearance : O l what wilt thou do in the day of thy vititation. 5. The former admonitions, &c. nips of Confcience will cc . a. gain,and they with the prefent will be unfufferable,beyond all that can be expreffed : This is their terrour here,fay they,he be(ought mg and we would not hear ; and faith Reuben, Said I not to you , did I not td ll you, warn you what it would come to , and ye would not hear. O ! he which hardens his neck to reproof (hall furely be deftroyed. O I time- ly and fair checks and warnings, obftinately rejefted , are the wracks of Confcience, the fharp fling and teeth of the worm thereof. 6. And what will now become of thee I as the Lord lives thou wilt corne to thy diffrading,tnifgiving thoughts,Tea,but, andverily ire are guilty, &c. Methinks, faith Luther, every cloud is Loynd with thunder againft me : Thou wilt take every vifitation from God as a meffenger of death ., nay, that God himfielf lets in againft thy life. Suppofe yota law two dcfperate espies grapling, elohng iq upon cash other; O I lay. 353
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