SERMON X. to the Agent . God is a p~re Spirit, without any Compof1tion of bodily Organs of Exod. 10 . r. Speech; yet when he form cl a Voice m the Au for the Proclaim in(}" the Law He Oeut. r. .;.. .fpake; and whether by any created Voice, or by the Voi ce of Me;{ appointed for &:~a~l;1;0§e:~}~ ~noJp~~~;i~~e~~sfro~ ;!~;'t:'in1ecl~~~gdir~~s':~iceF:~0~0~~~: J~;~1~; !{eh. 4· n. Rom. J, the Gofpel preached is of adm~rable Efficacy, and work3 above the Power of any Creature. ibe Word of Godu qu1ck and powerf•l, and ]harper tban anytwo.edged Sword ~;;/~~ e~ifc::.::"of~~11fl,:~z;~' a!d s;;/,.~:'~jt;;;t'r;;~;J tFte r!~~~:s ~;~nfl~~b;;;; and makes their Pnde and Confidence fall as low as Hell ; it moll 1fies the moll obdu: rate, and makes them compliant to the invitations of Grace. And altho theMiniOer be never fo mean in his Perfon and Appearance, yet a weak lnllrumcnt in an Almigh. ty Hand does Wonders. c Our bleffed Saviour in his Perfon was the fir{\ Preacher of the Go!pel ; and in his Sermons we arc directed how to work upon the Reafon, and the Affections of Sinners by which alone they are capable to be moved. The Subflance of his feveral Ser' me,~s1.~~s Or::~e;~;;;o~;fr/~re;:;n:::ti~t~~ace is by the Conviction of the Mind, to turn the Will and Affectwns. Sin preva~ls in Men by the love of Pleafure; and till there be amixture ofwhat is more bitter than Sin is fweet, they will not fOrfake it. n! ~orld corrr,pted hy Luf/, is an imaginary Paradifc, wherein there is nothing but for· lndden Fruit ; and the Fruit is fa pleafant to the Eyes and Talle, that only Dammg Terrors wlil expell them out of 1t. No Man Will cut of Ius R1ght-hand till an incur>ble Gangreen has fciz'd on It. The light neglected NotiOns of Heaven are mclfc. dive to reiorm Sinners; till the Terrors of the Lord arc fet in array againil: them, ' they are £11\en'd in their Sins. Of this there is vif,ble and frequent Experience: how many that have li1·ed in a carelefs Contempt of God till rheir !art Siclmefs, and when they feel themfclves linking to the Grave and HclJ, and Confcience is an exaCt Re. membrancer and tcrribJc Accufer of aH their inward Wickednc(s and notorious Sins, then what furious ReReCtions do thez make upon thcmfelves? and what Promifes do they make if they might he fpar'd? Tis therefore the fir!\ Duty of Mmillers by clearing Light and convmcing Strength to work on Confciencc, and by the Mediation of it to apply Guilt and Wrath to the Sinner, that he may be refllefs in his Sins. The Wratb of God is rC'I!ealed from Heaven again[/ all Ung_odlinefs and Unrigbteoufoe(scf Men, 'tls decreed bdore the World was, 'tis denounc'd m the Word, and lha!l be /UJ. ly executed in the Day of Wratb, and tbe Rewlation of tbe righteous Judgmo/1 of God, nothing is more certain than that Day, and nothing fo heavy as that Wrath. 'Iisa Burden fo infupportable, that the Son of God ll'as ready to fink under its Weight: he meekly and f1lently endur'd all the cruel Rage of his Enemies, but mournfully broke forth, My God, my God, Wby bafl tbou forfaken me! Who can underftand the Confequence of that Complaint ? Wha can fupport himfclf under the Apprehenfion of an abfent and angry God ? When the convinced Perfon ponders his Sins, what Indignities he has offered to the g lorious God his Maker and Prcferver, his Lawgiver and Judg; that he has abus'd his Mercies, perverted his benefits, and employed them in the Service of Satan ; that he has defpis'd Jus Jufricc , and ventur'd upon Ius m· flam'd Anger for tranfient P!e,fure and trifling Profits; when thefe killing Aggravations are duly conlider'd and laid dole to the Heart, how are all the Sorrowful Atfcllions moved ? fcrious Grief that fprings from the Depth of the Soul , confoundmg Shame, anxious enquiring Fear, to Hop the Execution of the fatal Sentence pa(l: a· gainll h im ? Thus 'tis related of thofe Converts at the fir{\ Sermon of St. Peter, that being convinc'd of their Crimfon Guilt in their crucifying the Lord Jefus, tiJey were pricked iu their 1-/eart, and /aid to the Apojlles, /11en and Brethre11, wbat jhaU we dD .l Then Sinners will humbly fUe for Peace by the bleffed Peace-maker Jefus Chrifl: then Salvation will be [o much the f\veet~r, by how much the Danger was more threatmng. The Recovery from Death to Life is a double Life. 2. The Lord Jefus mull be propos'd as an all-fullicient and compaflionate Saviour, who ift'Uites the 1/)eary and bea'Vy-laden to come to bim for Rejl. This is the order of the Spiries Operations, firft to convince of Sin, tben of Rizhreoufnefs. 'Tis t.rue, there are diverfities of Workincrs · the Spirit inllruCts and terrifies Sinners by h1s Office of Bondage, but not a1waysin'rhe fame manner and degrees : but the Soul is fo humblc.d by the fight of Sin, and impendent Wrath, as it fees and feels t:J.C neceflity of a Saviour, and is willing to comply with the Terms of Mercy offered in the Gofpel. The •vbole 1leed >lOt a Phyjicinn, but t!Jofe who are jick. A condemned Man values a Sh~~~~;
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