4lí ® The Danger of all known Sin, both from Vol, j amazement and horror in thofe that hear them. Sometimes it is expreft by a de- parting fromGod, and a perpetual banifhment from his prefence, who is the Foun- tain of all Comfort, and Joy, and Happinefs j fometimes by the loft of our Seals, orour felves. What /hall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lofe his own Soul ? Or, (as it is in another Evangelif') to lofe himfelf? Not that our Being shall be deftroyed ; that would be a happy lofs indeed, to him that isSentenced to be for ever miferable ; but the Man (hall (till remain, and his Body and Soul continue to be the Foundation of his mifery, and a Scene of perpetual woe and difcontent, whichour Saviour calls the defiroying of Body andSoul in Hell, or go- ing into everlafiing punijbment, where there (hall be wailing and gnafhing of teeth, where the worm dies not, and thefire isnot quenched. Could I reprefent to you the horror of that difmal Prifon,into which Wicked and Impure Souls are to be thruft, and the mifery they mutt there endure, without the leaft fp. t ofComfort, or glimering of Hope, how they wail and groan under the intolerable wrath of God, the infolent (corn and cruelty of Devils, the fevere lathes and flings, the raging anguifh and horrible defpair of their own minds, without intermiffion, without pity, and without hope of ever teeing an end of that mifery, which yet is unfupportable for one moment ; could I reprefent thefe thie gs to you accor- ding to the terror of them, what effeámutt they haveupon us ? and with what patience could any Man bear to think of plunging himfelf into this mifery ? and by hisown wilful fault and folly to endanger his coming into this place and fiate of torments? Efpecially if we confider in the Third place, that the Gofpel bathlikewife declared, that there is no avoiding of this mifery, nohopes of impunity, if Men go on and continue in their Sins. The terms of the Gofpel in thisare peremptory, that except we Repent, we Jhallpe- rifls; that without holineft, noMan (hallfee the Lord; that the unrighteous (hall not in- herit the Kingdom ofGod. And this is a very preffing Confideration, and brings the Matter to a fhort and plain ifí'ue. Either wemutt leave our Sins, ordie in them ; either we mutt Repent of them, or be Judged for them ; either we mutt forfake our Sins, and break off that wicked Courfe which we have lived in, or we mutt if quit allhopes ofHeaven and Happinefs, nay, we cannotefcape the damnation ofHell. Theclear revelation of a future Judgment is fo prefftng an Argument to Repen- tance, as noMan can in Reafon refill, that hath not a mind to be miferable. Now (faith St. Paul to the Athenians) hefiraightly chargeth all Men every where to Repent, becaufe he bath appointed a Day in the which he willjudge the World in Righteoufnefs. Men may cheat themfelves, or fuffer themfelves to be deluded by others, about feveral meansand devices of reconciling a wicked Life, with the hopes ofHea- ven and Eternal Salvation ; as by mingling fome pangs of forrow for Sin, and force hot Fits of Devotion with a finful Life; which is only the interruption of a wicked Courfe, without Reformation and amendmentof Life: but let no Man deceiveyou with vain words ; for our BleffedSaviour bath provided no other ways to fave Men, but upon the terms of Repentance and Obedience. Fourthly, This Argument takes hold ofthe molt defperate and profligate Sin- ners, and ßi11 retains its force upon the Minds of Men, when almoft all other Confiderations fail, and have loft their efficacy upon us. Many Men are gone fo far in an Evil Courfe, that neither (haute of their Vices, nor the love of God and Virtue, nor the hopes of Heaven are of any force with them, to reclaim them and bring them to a better Mind : but there is one handle yet left, whereby to lay hold of them, and that is theirFear. This is a Paffion that lies deep in our Nature, being founded in felf - prefervation, and flicks fo clofely to us, that we cannot quit our (elves of it, nor (hake it off'. Men mayput off ingenuity, and break thro' all Obligations ofgratitude. Men may harden their Foreheads, and Conquer all fenfeof(hame; but they can never perfellly flifle and fubdue their Fears; they can hardly fo extinguifh thefear ofHell, butthat force (parks of that Fire will ever and anon be flyingabout in theirConfciences, efpecially when they are made lober, and brought to themfelves byaffiiCtion, and by the prefent apprehenfionsof Death, have anearer fight ofanother World.And if it was fo hard forthe Heathen to Con- sluer thefe apprehenfions, howmuchharder mutt it be toChriftians, who have fo much
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