332 A SERMON OF REPENTANCE. these, even these, that nothing but deadness or madness should make a reasonable creature to forget, are daily forgotten by the unconverted soul, or ineffectually remembered. Many a time have I admired that men of reason who are here to-day, and in endless joy or, misery to-morrow, should be able to forget such inexpressible concernments! Methinks they should easier forget to rise, or dress themselves, or to eat, or drink, or any thing, than forget an endless life, which is so undoubtedly certain, and so near. Aman that bath a cause to be heard to-morrow, in which his life or honor is concerned, cannot forget it ; awretch that is condemned to die to-morrow, cannot forget it. And yet poor sinners, that are continually uncertain to live an hour, and certain speedily to see the majestyof the Lord, to their unconceivable joy or terror, as sure as now they live on earth,.can forget these things for which they have their memory ; and which, one would think, should drown the matters of this world, as the report of a cannon doth a whisper, or as the sun obscureth the poorest glow-worm. O won- derful stupidity of an unreriewed soul! O wonderful folly and distractedness of the ungodly! That ever man can forget, I say again, that.they can forget, eternal joy, eternal woe, and the Eter- nal God, and the place of their eternal, unchangeable abode, when they stand even at the door, andare passing in, and there is but the thin veil of fleshbetween them and that amazing sight, that eternal gulf; and they are daily dying, and even stepping in. O, could you keep your honors here forever; could you ever wear that gay attire,-and gratify your flesh with meats, and drinks, and sports, and lusts; could you ever keep your rule and dignity, or your earthly life in any state, you had some little poor excuse for not remembering the eternal things, (as a man hath that preferreth his candle before the sun;) but when death is near and inexorable, and you are sure to die as you are sure to live; when every man of you that sitteth in these seats to-day can say, ' I must shortly be in another world, where all the- pomp and pleasure of this world will be forgotten, or remembered but as my sin and folly,' one would think it were impossible for any of you to be ungodly, and to remember th0 trifles and nothings of the world, whileyou forget that everlasting all, whose reality, necessity, magnitude, excellency, concernment, and duration, are such as should take up all the powers of your souls, and continually command the service and attendance of your thoughts against all seekers, and contemp- tible competitors whatsoever. But, alas ! though you have the greatest helps, (in subservience to these commanding objects,) yet will you not remember the matters which alone deserve remem- brance. Sometimes the preachers of the gospel do call on you to remember; to remember your God, your souls, your Savior, your
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