`l'6.ie, 7Kule ofIudgement. 333 Therefore let men take heed, and know it is a device Of-Satan to harden their' hearts ; either tothink that the Law is adead letter, I mean in rcfpe& of the dire- Stingtile ofit,that it isofno ufe to dire them ; it is a device ofSatan to put then off : for they ¡hall find that that law will judge them, that now should dire& them. And then again formen to think that there !hall be no Judgement, ornot fuchpro- ceedings according to the law : this isa trickof the Devil, to keep men in pro- phanenefs, andhardnefs of heart. Therefore fecondly, ifwe would grow up in iolinefs in thefear ofGad : Let us VJfe t. perfe&, and flrengthen our faith in aflenting to this truth, that there is` fuch a To strengthen judgement to come, wherein our words, and a&ions, and all (hall be brought to j dgeof he account. Therefore fo leak, andfodo, iu thofe that fhallbe judged. Thouart now in company, and thou fpeakeft amonaft men ; but thy words are with God, they are written in thy confcicnce, as it is in Jeremy, upon the Tableofthyheart, there tney are written the words that thou haft, forgotten leven years agoe, it may be twenty years agoe,andnever tookeft a courfe to get themblotted out by repentance, there theyare written,and there words !hall be brought to judgement,and fo many a&ions as thouhaft negle&ed,therefore look to it. Firft bewail thoëwords and a&tons pall, as things that elle willcome to judge- ment, ifthou judgenot thy !elfbefore-hand. And then again for the time td come,fet on a refolution to walk daily,as one that maydie every day, and then fihall bebrought to judgement. Therefore judge thy felfdaily, renew thy Covenant, fettle thy peace on a right grounddaily, and per- fe& holinefs in the fear ofGod daily,as one that expeð ajudgement. Saintjade condemnsthofe thatfeafiedwithoutfear.They were at their Tables,companying,and feafting, as menwithout fear. S. jteromefpeaksofhimfelf, that whatfoever he was Prone. doing, he had a fearful apprehenfion of the dayofJudgement ; Alwayes, faith he, whether I eat or drink, or whatfoever I.do, I hear the Trumpet, and the voyce of the Arch-Angel laying, Arifeyedead, and cometojudgement. Well, I fay, do thou fo, let this be thy ferious thought, and do it hot flightly ; but think that this may be thy laft word, and thoumuff be brought to judgement for it : this maybe thy laft opportunity, and thy laft aftion, and thou muff be brought to judgement for that. Do things in this manner, atchafe thatfoBeak, andfodo, that they mull be judged. Wouldeft thoubecontent tohave thy oaths brought beforeChrift in judgement? ifnot,take heed of fwearingg : for it is judged already by the law : therefore judge, and condemn thy fins in thy Pelf, and forfake them, that thoumaift find mercy. Wouldeft thou be found guilty ofSabbath- breakingat theday ofJudgement?ifnot repentof thy former guilt,andbe more confcionable ofan&ifying the Sabbath af- ter. And fo I may fayof every fin. Wouldeft thoube found an tifurer ? a De- ceiver? unrighteous inany courfe a fcoffer? aprophancperfon? Wouldeft thou . appear before Chrift fo in judgement? If not, repent of thy guilt in this kind,that thy lint may be done away, when the timeof refrefhingfhag comefrom the pretenceof Chrift. And in the mean time let thy Pelf in a contrary courfe to that thou haft been : doas one that would have Death find thee in a good courfe : for at death leaves thee, judgement Jhall find. thee. IfDeath find thee in a Rateof repentance,in a courfeofreformation of thy evil wayes,judgement (hall find thee fo too. LetDeath thereforefind thee as a man interef in Chrift,as a man humbling thy loul,abhorring thy felf for thy former fins : let Death find thee as a man reforming all thofe evils that arecondemned in the Word,and in thy confcience. Now when I fay,let Death find thee fo, I mean, fet about it prefently : for how loon Deathmay let upon thee thouknowef not, whether to night orno t and if this be not now done, if thou let not about it now, it maybe too late, thou !halt haveno more time, therefore do that now, and go on conftantlyafter, knowingthat Death may find thee everymo- ment. Therefore it isthat Godkeeps from us (uponpurpofc,as it were) the certain knowledge of the timeofDeaths that we may be alwayes prepared for Death. SINNES
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