VerC. 2 I. the fzxth Chapter to the Rö,M A N S. 141 the Sociery in which they live, 2 Pet, 2. 13. Spots are they and blew fhes, fportisig'tbene- felves with their own deceivings, whit they feafi with you. Thofe that love fin in them - felves, hate it in another, Tit. 3.3. We our felves alfa were f metimes foolifh, difohedient, fcrying divers luf s and pleafures, living in malice and envy, hatefssl and hating one another. 3. Odious to God, Pfd. tq. 2, 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men , to fee if there were any that did underftand and feek God. they are all gone aide, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that cloth good, no not one ; and they are fenfble of it, and therefore grow flay of God, r yob. g. 2o, 2't. 2. It will be much more fo hereafter, Firf, At the Day of Judgment. Shame is properly S s & ?6ya , a feat of h juft reproof, and that chiefly from one in Authority , molt of all from the Judge ,of the World. This is principally intended, not Ihame of Face before men, fo much as (name of Confcience, -a lothnefs to come into Gods Prefence, Gen. 3. to. I was afraid, or aeha- med , becaufe I was naked, and I hid my fell There was Perecundia before, an awful Bafhfulnefs, but not Pudor, fear of Reproof and Blame, that entred with fin ; much more when all things !ball be opened and brought to light, as at the great Day, is Yoh. 2.28. That we may have confidence, and not be afbamed before him at his coming. Wicked perfons that are void of Righteoufnefs, and all Hypocrites that have been unfaithful and unthankful to him, will then be ashamed. Secondly, In Hell. Shame in the Damned is that troublons confounding fenfe of their loft Eftate, paft Folly, and evil Choice, having now no hope of his Grace, Dan. I 2. 2. Some (hall arif to fhame and everlafling contempt : they (hall be reje&ed by God as much as they now reicht and difowne him. Vfe. Well then, let us walk more cautioully, not return again to our wallowing iii . the mire, left we provide matter of grief and (hame to our felves. It is a Grace to be a(hamed in a penitent manner; but it is -a fin to provide matterof flame anew. The godly and wicked are both a(hamed , the one to get fin pardoned , the other would have Confcience deadned ; the one to get fn mortified , the other only to have 'cafe within themfelves, though they wallow in fin, and be not reconciled to God; Gods Children are more watchful for the time to come, but the other would only get rid of trouble. Now if we cannot hope to prevail with the one, we have great confidence the other will weigh his motive. Will you once more render your fefñes odious to God, a burden to your felves, and live contrary to him, whole Favour it your Life. You have more to do with him,thau with all the World, your happinefs is to hold com- munion with him; will you , now you have eyes to fee the odioulhefs of fin , break through all the reftraints, which Light and Love lay upon you ? Thirdly, The Apoftles Argument is à damn, it is harmful, the end of fin is death. The End may be-taken for the Scope, or for the Effeec , it is not feopies peccantis , but finis peccati, this is the ifrue it cometh unto, we incur the penalty of eternal Death. The Sinner hopeth for a better iffue, but the end of the work is Death, it is finis ape. ris, though not operant is. Do/trine. If we continue in Sin, we cannot expeei other or better Fruit, and Conclufion, than eternal Death. Now we find the Shame, hereafter Death. All that I (ball fay now, (ball be referred to thefe three Heads : (1.) It is terrible ; (a.) It is juft ; (3.) It is certain. 1. It is terrible , if we confider the lofs, a feparation from the bleffed Prefence of God ; the Difciples wept when Paul laid, Te (hall fee my face no mote. O what will be our cafe and plight, when God (hall fay, Depart ye turfed, ye (hall fee thy face no more. Then for the Pain , it is let forth by the Worm and Fire,. Mark g. 48. Where the worm never dies , and the fire is never quenched. Alas I for momentany Pleafures we run the hazard of eternal Pains. 2. It is juft, they fin againft an infinite God! refufe eternal Bleffednefs! have pali their Tryal, when they were upon their choice ! If they had lived longer, they had con- tinued in their impenitency , now they are in their final Eftate , in termino , when no change of mind can be thought to proceed fromGrace. 3. It is certain, both by Gods Commination, Gen, 2. 17. In the day that thou eateft thereof, thou flsalt die the death. It is fins wages, Rom. 6. 23. The wages of fn is death: and Confcience is in dread of it, Rom. 7.32. Knowing the judgment of God , that they which commitfisch things are worthy of death.
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