288 THE ABSOLUTE DOMINION BM then you will hear them as trembling prisoners. Read the 20th verse at ,leisure. Such a sight Will work when words will not, especially words not believed, nor considered of. When you shall 'see the God that you disowned, the Redeemer whom you neglected, the glory which you forfeited, by preferring the pleas- ures of the flesh before it, the saints triumphing whom you refus- ed to imitate, and a doleful eternity of misery to be remedilessly endured, then saints will seem wiser men in your eyes; and hów gladly would you then be such ! But O, too late ! What a thing is it, that men who say they' believe such a judgment, and ever- lasting life and death, as all Christians profess .to do, can yet read, and hear, and talk of such things as insensibly as if they were dreams or fables.! I know it is the nature ofsin to deceive, and of a sinful heart to be too willing of such deceiving; and it is the business of Satan by deceivingto destroy, and with the most spe- cious baits to angle for souls ; and therefore I mustexpeot that those of you that are taken, and are the nearest to the pit, should be least fearful of the danger, and most confident to escape, though you are conscious that you live not to God, but to yourselves. But for my part, I have read and considered what God,saith in his word, and I have found such evidence of its certain truth, that I heartily wish that I might rather live ona dunghill, and be the scorn of the world, and spen4.my few daysin beggary and calamity, than that I should stand before the Lord, myJudge, in the case of that man, whatever he be, that is not in heart and life devoted unto God, but livéth to ),Iis flesh. For I know thatifwe live after the flesh, we shall die; Rom. viii. 13. I had rather lie here in Lazarus's poverty, and want the compassion and relief of man, than to be clothed with the best, and fare deliciously,and hereafter be denied a drop of water to cool the 'flames of the wrath ofGod. I confess this, is likely to seem but harshand ungrateful preach- ing to many of you. Some pleasant jingles, or witty sayings,'Or shreds of reading, and pretty cadency of peat expressions, were likelier to be accepted, and procure applause with 'them who had rather have their ears and fantasy tickled than rubbed so roughly, and be roused from their ease and pleasing dreams: But shall I preach for myself, while I pretend to be preaching you from your- selves to God ?' Shall I seek myself, while I am preaching of the everlasting misery of self-seekers ? God forbid. Sirs I know the terrors of the Lord, (2 Cor. v. 11.) I believe, and therefore speak. Were I a Christian na deeper than the throat, I would fish for my- self, and study more to please you than to save you. I love not to make a needless stir in men's consciences, nor to trouble their peace by a doctrine which I do not,believe myself, But b believe that our, Judge is even at the door, and that we shall shortly see
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