742 SERMON XI. that like Brute Bea!ts they are violently drawn by prefent Things, and little moved by Thin fpiritual and fu ture. The Devil brings ready_ Money in his Hands,_and tempts them wifJ: tlm prefent World, The Son ofGod offers m Ius Word Eternal Happ1nefs, which isdefpifcd 111 the Companfon. If one _lhould choofe a fmall Sum at prefent before the fure Reverfion of an E!tate that would enrich h1m alllus L1fe, would he not be defp1fed by all for want of Under!tanding? Yet Men allow that Folly in their own Practice, that they wou ld condemn m others. But !ilch IS the Mercy ofGod, that to per!wade and preva.l with us, he ufcs all :~~~'!eu;;~n;: ~l~:~er~~:[~;;!,~~~r~ 'e: ~~~~:;~~e~!;1~~~ ~~~;g~~~e~~~~~.r~~8~~~ft~i~~: Fear. He makes ufe ofHell to kindle our Zeal in feeking the Kingdom ofHeaven. The mofr violent Pailions are over-ruled by Fear. Now in the threatning of Hell all the Motives of Fear are united. Littl e Evils are defpifed, not feared: great Evils that may be eafily avoided or apprehended very remote, are not fear'd. But Evils that are imminent and defirud:ive 'are the mo!t powerful Objects ofFe-Jr. Now every Man in his finful State,hangs by flenderSt;ings over the bottomlefs Pit: and for his under-prizing and neglect ofHeaven, fa lls under the Sentence that determines his State in an everla!ting Hell. There is no dawning in that Darknefs of Sorrmr, no refrefl>ing in chore Flames. There is a re!tlefs Remembrance ofwhat is Iofi,as a Light that comes through a Cranny m a Dungeon, that the forlorn Ca1tlffmay remember the pleafant reviving Light ofwhich he is deprived. A thoufand Years of Torment cannot expiate the Offences ofthofe who difobey the Gofpel: they are full of Mifery, and fuller of Guilt, that remains in its Weight upon them for ever. · The fear of this, ifduly believed and confidered, will bridle the !tronge!t Defires after this vain World, and make Men wife, that they may not perifl1 in their Choice. To conclude, Let chafe who are invited to this Heavenly Fea!t, come with the Wedding· Garment' 'cis an Allufion to the decent Cu!tom of wearing rich Apparel for Ornament and Lu!tre at Marriage-Solemnities, to exprefs Joy, and to honour the Perfons that are married. Accordingly all that are in the Vifible Church, fl10nld adorn the Gofpel by a Converfation becoming the Dignity and Purity of their high and holy Calling. Unfeigned Faith that unites us to Clm!t, and is ef!ectual and evident in all good Works, is the Weddmg.Garment. The Apoftle exhorts the Romans to walk honeftly, as in the Day, not in Rioting and Drunkennefs, not iN Chambering and Wantonnefs,not hl Strife and EtM.Jy; and whereas it might feem congruous to have added , in direct Contrariety to thofe foul Sins, Put on Temperance, Chafticy, Patience and Charity, he directs them to put on theLord1e{usC!Jrijl: becaufe he is the only Foun. Ifa.6t. 10. tain offupernatural Grace, by which our Lufis are mortified. Faith cO'ZJus us w'ith tbe Role of his Righteoufnefs, and clot/;es us with the Garment of Sal'Uation. A counterfeit Livery of Pro· feffio:1 will not make us accepted ofGod. Is there any rea!Chri!tianitywithout Faith inChrift ? and is there a lively Faith without Obedience to him? Can you be a Subject without Sub. jedicn ' Chri!t is the King of Saints; they are the Citizens of his Kingdom, and only enjoy che Privileges of it. How many arc Chrifiians in Title, and Infidels in Practice? They live in the bold Contempt ofthe Divine Law, as ifthey were afraid the Ju!tice of God fhould not have caufe enough to condemn them, or they would put it to a venture, whether he would be true to his Threatning, and punifl1 according to his Law? Others, tho of a fair Converfation, arc but half-Chri!tians: they do notfincerely and entirely comply with the Terms of the Gcfpel, to receive Chri!t for their Prince andSaviour. Let fuch remember, the King came in to fee t!Je Guefls, and Jaw a Man ovithout a Wedding-Garment, this lignifies God's judicial Obfcrvation ofall that are in his Church, not one can efcape his all-difcerning Eye, the clofe!t Hypocrite is tran!parent in his Sight. lt follows in the Parable, He faitb unto him, Frientl, How cameft t/Jou in hitber without a Weddin~- Garment? Nothin~ wtlJ be available m Judgment, not the mo!t fpecious and glittering Pro!eilion, without Faoth in Chri!t, and • renewed Heart and Life: yet many fondly dream they may befaved, tho not fanchfied. Ht zvasfpeecblefs, reduced to adefencelefsSilence and Confufion. TheHeartofManisdCfeitful above all thmgs, and above all things deceitful to 1t felf: How often m the tnal of hlj Spiritual State, by Excufes and falfe Glolfeshe deceives and fatisfies himfelf. But there are no Apologies before the King: all things are entirely open to his Eyes, the Thoughts of. Men will be their Accufers, and their Works will depofe again!t them. And how fearful IS the Judgment thlt fOllows! Tbenfaid tbe King to the Su·uants, Bindhim Hand a11d Foot, andtak~ l?tm away, andcafi!Jim into outer Darknefs ;there jhafl he ':'eeping andg?afhingof_1eetb. Bind /m~ Ha»d and Foot, the Expreflion flgnifies chat the revengmg Power o! God IS mevitable and zrrefdl:- able. Cajl !Jim i11to outer DnFknefsthat flgnifies the Separation from therevn>ing Prefence and Communion of God : tbere is weeping andgnajhing of1ut!J; the Exprcilion fignilies th~ deepefi ,Sorrow and hogheH Fury in the Damned. What ad1fcord and Tumult of the corm_encmgPaff~ ons is time? What Mifery, when t11e quicke!1Senfe to feel, and the greate!t E"'ls to be felt, are time; Hell is an intolerable Climate, where cold Defpazr and hot Rage are m ExtremitY tor ever. A SERMON
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=