OfDEAT H. Chap. Vlt it (elf to prepare for its appearance before the Divine Tribunal, what danger of being loft and pafimg ti·om a fl1ort Agony to everlafting Torment? ' Bcudes ; Suppofe the Siclmefs more tolerable, yet how unfit is a Perfon weak and fanM~ I~: cum .h~ guifhinCJ, when Senfe and Confcience are both affiiEl:ed, to encounter with the cruel Ene- ~~~:~[~u:~~1~ my of Souls? All that fincerely feek Peace with God, muft expeEl: fierce Anger and War cumh~t belli & from Satan : the1efore 'ris a pomt of necefTary Wifdom, whilft our Bodies and Minds are 1lhJrU!. Vtt. in rite befi order, to be preparing againft his A !faults. S· Confider how uncomfortable it is to delay Repentance till Age and Sicknefs, when the Fruits of it are not fo evident nor acceptable: In evil days, and the approaches of Death, 'tis \'cry hard to difcovcr the Sincerity of the Heart, whether Repentance proceed, from Holy l'nnciples; whether the Sorrow then expre(s'd be Godly for Sin, or merely n•- tural, /or Pumfhment ; whether the goodRefoluuonsbethe Ef!eas of permanent Fidelity, or of violent Fear, that will vanifh, thecaufe being removed. When the Invitations to Sin ceafe, there may remain a fecret undifcerncd Love to it in the Heart, which is the Ccnter of Corruption, and Root of Apo!tacy. The Snake that feem'd dead in the Frofl, rcv1ved by the F1re. The mordmate Alfea10ns that feemed mort1fied, when the fenfitive Faculties were tlifabled to carnal Enjoyme!lls, may have inward Life, and will foon be active and ~igorous in the prefence of Temptations. And that a Deathbed-Repentance is ufually dccculul, appears from hence, that not one of a thoufand that recover from danger4 ous D1feafesare fai tl!fill in performing their mofi facred and folemn Vows. How many having the Sentence of Death in themfeives, and under the Terrors of the Lord, have ex.: prelfcd the greate!t Detefiation of their Sins, ~nd refolved, as they thought uneereJy, if God would fpa1:c them, to reform thetr. ways, to bec~me new Creature~, exemplary in all holr Converfauon; yet the danger bemg over, thetr ~eats of Devouon expire as they rcv1ve, and their Lulls recover Strength with their Bod1es, and ,being fupprefs'd only by Fea r, arc m?r.e here~ m then· Rerum•. The1r Hearts were.as Marble, tha.t m rainy Wea. ther [(~ms dlllolved mto Water, bur'usonly from the M01fturc of the Atr, and remains as ha~rl as ever: When the Fear of Death is removed, all their l'romifes of Reformation are ineflC:aive, as violent and void; all their religious Affectionsvaniih as theMorning-Dew. Now iftbefe Perfons had died before this viuble Trial and Difcovery, they had pafi into the other World wah the Reputation oftruePenitenrs, deceiving others with their Prayers and Tears, and liberal Promifes, the outward Signs_ of Repentance, and deceived them~ felves by the inward W at· kings of an alarm'd Confe1encc : Therefore Minifters fhould be ;~;rnc;;,~~~f~~~~ £:Z\nt~~~e~~~~;[:s 0! ~~~~cb~~~=~~i~it~u~~yaq~ie~eth:~~~ 7~~ a time, but the Virtue of it will be foon fpent,and the Prefumer perifhes for ever. But fuppofc a dying l'erfon with trne Tears and unfei~;ned perfevering Affi:aions returns to God; Can he have a comfortable Affurance of his Smcerity? Indeed the Searcher lwd Judgof Hearts will accept him: but how doubtful and wavering are his Hopes? what anxtous Fears are in his Breafl, left he builds upon a fandy Foundation ? And how dreadful is it to appear before the Tribunal of God, and expea an uncertain Sentence? But Sinners !till pleafe themfelves in this, that God has elfeaually called fame at the !aft Hour, and tiley may find tile fame Favourwitil others. To this l anfwer ·:· Thi~/~~iJ ~~~~.~~~~~~~," ~~~~J~fu~~~,~\~isb~~~~:n~i:h'~~~; X~!;(i; a~~G~~ft':~~fi~~~~ Habits in a 010rt time, and by a fwift Converfion to prepare a Sinner for Heaven. But thefc miraculous Examples are not to be drawn into Confeguence for the Encouragement '~'-Q.~ od alicui of any in .their Sins. A*. Prid~e. wil1 hot endure that his free Favours fhould .be made a gr.ouo<.<am~c· Law to Jum, and tile fpec~al Pnvdege of fome be extended to all. AsTh•les fa1d, An old ~~~~r,de~~~otb Mariner that has efcap'd the v~rious Dange:s by R.ocks an~ Storms ~t Sea, \~as a n~w Mi· aliis in cxem· racle : So that one who has lived an obftmate Smner, dtes a pemtent Behever, 1S very plum. rare and extraordinary . What our Saviour faid concerning the Salvation of rich Men, is ju!tly applicable to this Cafe, That it was as eajjfora C•mtltogo throt~ghtheeyeof • Needle, .s jor • ricb Man to enter into the l(jngdcm of He4'Uen. This fo a!tonifh'd the Apoflles, that they cried, Who then can be [aved? To mitigate the ,difficulty, he remembers them of rhe Divine Omnipotence: .All things are poffible with God. Thus for one who has been hardncd in a long courfc of Sin, and making himfelf meet for the Company of damned Spints in Hell, to be at !aft fuddenly prepared and received into the pure and glorious Society above, is poffible, but poffibleonly as Miracles are, by the efficacy of Infinite Power; and we cannot reafonably expea fuch Miracles. And are Heaven and Hell fuch trivial things as to be left to an uncertainty ? Arc not Men concern'd in another manner in the aftilirs of this World? How careful to prevent thefentence of Death, of Imprifonment, ofBanifhment ? How diligent to obtain fame temporal advantage? Yet how negleaful in thlfl~f
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