A SERMON OF REPENTANCE. 343 honestly and truly with you. As sure as you live, yea, as sure as the word of God is true, you must all be such-converted men, a>id loathe yourselves for your iniquities, or be condemned as impeni- tent to everlasting fire. To hide this from you, is but to deceive you, and that in a matter of a thousand times greater moment than your . Perhaps I could bave made shift, instead of such se- rious admonitions, to have wasted this hour in flashy oratory, and neat expressions, and ornaments of reading, and other things that are the too common matters of ostentation with .men that preach God's word in jest, and believe not what they are persuading others to believe. Or, if you think I could not, I am indifferent, as not much affecting the honor of being able to offend the Lord, and wrong your souls, by dallying with holy things. Flattery in these things of soul còncernment is a selfish villany, that hath but a very short reward; andthose that are pleased with it to-day may curse the flatterer forever. Again, therefore; let me tell you that which I think you will cotifess, that it is not your greatness, nor your high looks, nor the gallantry of your spirits, that scorns to be thus humbled, that will serveyour turn when God shall deal with you, or save your carcasses. from,rottenness and dusty or your guilty souls from the wrath of the Almighty., Nor is it your contempt Of the threatenings of the Lord, andyour stupid neglect, or scorning at the message, that will .endure when the sudden, irresistible light shall come in upon you, and convince you, or you shall see and feel what now you refuse to believe ! Nor is it your outside, hyp- ocritical religion, made up of mere words, or'ceremonies, and giv- ing your souls but the leavings Of the flesh, and making God an underling to the world, that 'will do any more to'sa to your souls than the picture of a feast to feed your bodies. Nor is it the stiff- est conceits that you shall be saved in an unconverted state, or that youare sanctified when you are not, that will do any more to keep you from damnation'than a conceit, that you shallnever die, will do to keep you here forever. Gentlemen, though you are all here in health, and dignity, and honor, to-day, how little a. while is it, alas ! how little, until you shall be every man in heavenor hell ! Unless you are infidels, you dare not deity it. And it is only Christ and a holy life that is your way to heaven ; and only sin, and the neglect of Christ and holiness, that can undo you. Look, therefore, upon sin as you should look upon that which would cast you into hell, and is daily undermining all your hopes. O, that this honorable assembly could know it in some measure as it shall be shortly known'; and judge of it as men do, when time is past, and delusions vanished, and all men are awakened from their fleshly dreams, and their naked souls have seen the Lord O, then, what laws would you make against sin ! How speedily wouldyou join your strength against it as against the only' enemy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=