I 0.2 SERMON S.upon the S E R M. XII1 difcharged. Pfel. 51. r. Blot out my lranfgtefons. Chrift hath taught us to pray for daily Pardon, as well as daily Bread. The thought of thefe Records that are kept, and the Account we mull .make, fhould quicken us to it: Oh what a Clamour will our Sins make, whet#God fets them all in Order before us. Pfd. 5o.ht. Thoufands of vain Thoughts, light Words, and Sinful A Lions, much mifpenfe of time, Abufe of Mercies ; we know not how foon God will put the Bond in Suit : other Debts have a day of Payment fixed, but this God hath re- ferved in his own Breafl, when he will call us to an Account. 3. It Preffeth us to live always as thole that are to give an Account, Paul quick - ned himfelf to diligence upon -this Confederation, z Cor. 5.9, to. If we were ne- ver to be called to an Account, we fhould do God all the Service that polfibly we can, we are -fo much Obliged to him; but he hath fet a day wherein he will reckon with us : Oh what Watchfulnefs, what Diligence and Faithfulnefs fhould tins produce in us! yam. 2. I 2. So fpeak, and fo do, as thole that (hall be judged by the Law of Liberty. We read iih the Story of Albigenfes, when the Pre - fadent of St. 5'uliers coming to Angrogne would have forced a mane to Re- baptize his Child in the Popifh way, he prayed the Preftdent that he would give it in Writing, and fign it with his own hand, that he would difcharge him before God, and take the Peril upon himfelf This made him relent and Profefs his Trouble. Confcience is ftartled at Gods Records : if a man fhould do nothing, and fpeak nothing but what is to be regiftred and proclaimed at the Market - Crofs, how watchful would he be ! All is Recorded, the Books will be open- ed, therefore when we are about to do any thing unworthy, fay as he, Aar 19. 44. I47e are in danger to. be called to an Account for this days uproar, there be- ing no Caufe whereby we may give an Account of this Concourfe; fo fhould you. We that are to -give an Account, how careful should we be how we ufe ,our Time Health,'Strength, Underftanding, Authority, Wealth and other Bleffings of God: The commonnefs of theft Notions maketh them to lofe their Life and Influence. Therefore we fhould efpecially aft Faith in Believing, and urging the Soul with this Account. Secondly, 'Tis particularly deferibed ; and there a. Of the Servants Allegation. 2. The Mailers Approbation. (a.) The Servants Allegation, verf. zo, and 22. The two firfl Servants came ehearfully to their Account, as having difcharged their Duty faithfully, and with all diligence improved the Talents received: Not that in the day of Judgment good men fhall make any Narrations of what they have done ; they need not, for Chrift (hall do it for them; they rather wonder that any thing that they have done is taken notice of, as in the 37th verfe of this Chapter, -but all this is fpoleen after the manner of men, and to keep up the Decorum of the Parable : if it fignifieth any thing, it fignifieth the Confidence of a good. Confcience, and what Comfort and boldnefs it breedeth in the day, of our Accounts. Doll. That a faithful Difcharge of our Duty, will give us Comfort and Boldnefs when our Lord cometh to reckon with us. a. There is a Confidence and Comfort that arifeth from "a good Confcience, or from Sanaification as well as Juftification : In the inward Court, Confcience is one of the Witneffes, as well as the Spirit of God, Rom. 8. 16. and much Com- forr arifeth from its Teftimony. z Cor. I. rz. This is our rejoycing, the Teflimony of our Confcience. A Carnal man is afhamed of the Grounds of his rejoycing, and what it is that keepeth his Heart merry; but a Godly man can own the Caufes of his joy, -which are in the firft place, the Blood of Chrift, Rom. 5. I r. We joy in God, through our Lors Yefui Chri ft, by whom we have received the Atonement : next, the Teftimony of his Confcience concerning ,his fincere walking : But if a man can live with thefe Comfofts, can` he dye with them ? a. The Review of a well-(pent life is a great Comfort in Death : Our Lord Jefus at the end of his days,' when he was to go out of the World, yohn a7.4- faith, I have glorifyed thee upon Earth, and flnifhed the Work thou gavefl me to do: He- zekiab, when that fad Meffage was brought to him, that he. mutt. die, and not live, Ifa. 38, 4, that comforted him upon his Death -bed .Remember, uar, O Lord§
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=