( 3) mlty a~d ddiration, have opened againfi a,_life of faith and red· OU!J Godlinefs; and cnufe thfm that fcorn 1t as a Needlefs thuiJg, to make it their daily bufinefs and del1gh r. It would tell the fi ug– gifu fenflefs £inner, that be hath work of everlafiing confequen~e upon his hand, and that it is no rime eo dream or loyter : And 11: would tell the brutifu fenfualiil: that there are more fweet and du-: rable delights ; and the rirne-wafiing fool chat time is precious ., and he bath none tofpare and cafl: away, having fo great a work to do. It would fet men on feeking with greateit diligence, the Kingdom which before they did but dream of; and would turn the very fiream of their hearts and lives on that which before they minded but as on the by. In a word , it would make the earthly to become heavenly, and the flefuly fpiritual, and the · floathful eo be diligent, and rotten-hearted finners to become renewed SAINTS, as all rnufl: do that ever will be faved . And if thefe words of Chrifl: be nat thus received by you , and work not fuch wonders on mens hearts. it is not becaufe there is any want of fitnefl in the Text, but becaufe mens hearts are hard– ned into a wilful contempt of the mofi precious truths, which in themfelves are apt eo change and fave them. . Of all waies of Teaching, Hiftory is accounted One of the mofi effdtual ; becaufe it bath the greatefl: advantage on our apprehenfions , as fetting our leffon before our eyes in the great character of Example, and not only in the (maller letter of ana– k.fd precept. And of all Hiftory, What can be more powerful , then 1 Whereone of the aCtors is the eternal fon of God : and that not above our reach in Heaven, but here in om fle!h, on the fiage of this fu hi unary world. 2. And the other actors are fuch as moft fitly reprefent the different actions of all the world , at leafi that live within the found of the Gofpel ; and lay open the great quefl:ion about w·hich the world is fo much divided. 3. And when the matter it felf is of the greatefl: confeqnence, that can be imagined; even concerning the prefent choice and refolut ion ofour heartst and that expending of our Time, and that_bufinefs and employment of our lives, on which our Endlefs lif( depend-. eth. :All this you have here fet out even to the life , before your e¥es, mthe glafs of this example in my Text: And the Lord of L1fe doth call you all to fee your faces in it · and here plainly fheweth you what will be expected from yo~; and what you mufi be, and do, and truft to ; and this not in any long and tediB 2 . . . - · ous
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