The Life of Fait!). and hearing, as now we have. Could I but thew to all this Congregation, while I am preaching, the invi1bie world of whichwe preach, and did you hear wich Haven and Hell in your eye fight, how confident thould I be (though not of the faring change of all) that I ihouid this hour teach you to plead tor fin, and agrinfi a holy life no more ? and fend you home another people than you came hither. I durft then ask the wort} that hcareth me, [Dare younow be drunk, or glut- tonous, or worldly ? dare you be voluptuous, proud, or forni- cators any more ? Dare you go home, and make a jell at piety, and negled your fouls as you have done ?] And why then thould not the believed truth prevail, if indeed you did believe it, when the thing is asfure, as if you faw it ? C+ ueff. 5. Ifyou hadPeen what you fay you do believe, would you hunt as eagerly for wealth, or honour, and regard the thoughts or words ofmen, as you did before ? Though it's only the Believer that truly honoureth his Rulers, (for none elfe honour them for God, but ufe them for themtelves;) yet wonder not if he fear not much the face of man, andbe no ad- mirer of worldly greatnefs, when he feeth what they ail be, as well as what they are. Would not ufurpers have been lets fear- ed, if all could have foreleen their fall ? Even common reafost can forefee, that thortly you will all be dull : Methinks I forefee your ghatlly palenefs, your loathfome blacknefs, and your ha- bitation in the dark : And who can much envy, or delire the advancements that have fuch an end ? One fight of God would bla(t all theglory of the world, that's now the bait for mans perdition. Celt. 6. Would rentptations be as powerful, ss now they arc, if you did but fee the things you hear of? Could all the beauty or pleafures in the world, entice you to filthinets or fenfuality, if you law God over you, and judgement before you, and law what damned fouls now fuffcr, and what believers now enjoy ? Could you be perfwaded by any company or recreation, to wafte your precious time in vain, with fuch things in your eye ? lam confident you would abhor the motion ; and enter- tertain temptations to the moti honoured,gainful, pleafant fin, as now you would do amotion to cut your own throats, or leap into a coal-pit, or thruti your head into aburning-oven. F a Why 35
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