168 Of the Sentence to be pafs'd, &c. Vol. II. Top, becaufe it is force Security to be in Motion. Our Afcent to Heaven isfleep and narrow, and we are fafeft when we do not ftand ¡till ; Temptation cannot ,fo well take its Aim at us. Let us therefore prefs after the higheft Degreeof Virtue and Holinefs, and la- bour to be as good as we can in this World, that in the next our Happinefs may be the greater; that when the Day of Recompence [hall come, wemay re- ceive an ample Reward, and God the righteous Judge may fet a bright and glori- 'ous Crown upon our Heads. We ought likewife to confider, that if any Man can be content only to be laved, and delire no more but juft to get to Heaven, that fuch a Degree ofHo- linefs and Virtue, as will fave a Man that can attain no more, will perhaps not fave that Man who lazily refis in the loweft Degree, and defires no more. To be leafs in the Kingdom ofGod, is next to being flint out of it. It is not to be expe&ed that God fhould belowHeaven and Happinefs upon thofe who are fo indifferent about it, as to delire Heaven for no other Reafon, but becaufe they would not go to Hell. Men muff not think to drive fo near and hard a Bargain, in fo defirable and advantageous a Purchafe. And then on the other Hand, it is Matter of great Terror to great Sinners. The Wages of every Sin is Death, eternal Death ; and every Degree of Hell and Damnation isdreadful : But there areSins more heinous in themfelves, and force that are attended with heavier Aggravationsin force Perfons; there do inflame Hell, and heat that Furnace Seven times hotter. There are force moderate Sin- ners in Comparifon ; there Ihall have a moderate Doom, anda cooler Hell ; but thereare others whoare extravagantand enormous Sinners,that drinkup Iniquity, as the Ox drinks up Water; that let tbemflves loofe to commit all Wickednef with Greedinefs fuch as fin above the common Rateof Men, with full Confent and upon Deliberation, with great Defign and Contrivance, in defpiteof the cleareft Convi&ions, of the belt Counfels and Reproofs ; there make hafte to Ruin, and take Hell byViolence. Now fuch.mighty Tranfgrefors Jliall be mightily tormented; they Ihall not be punifh'd at the common Rate of Sinner's, theirConfciences will breed more and (harper Stings, and wilderFuries to torment them, and they (hall fink into a deeper Mifery. More particularly this concerns us Chriftians, who continue impenitent, and live in our Sins, notwithftanding their clear Revelation of the Gofpel, and the Wrathof God revealed fromHeaven,ágainfl all Vngodlinef and VnrighteoufnefsofMen; notwithflanding Life and Immortality fo clearly brought to Light by the Gofpel. How ¡hall we efcape, if we negleîl fogreat Salvation? What Condemnation will be heavy enough for chofe, who wilfully refufe to be raved ? This is the Condemnation, fays our Saviour, that Light is come into the World, and Men love Darknefs rather than Light. All the Sins which we now commit, are infinitely aggravatedabove the Sins of Thoufands in the World, who never enjoyed that Light, and thofe Advantages and Opportunities which we have done. The Ignorance of theft God winked at, but now he expe&s, he commands all Men every where to repent ; becaufe he bath appointed a Day, in which he will judge the World in Righteoufnefs. What Stripes do we deferve, who have known our Mailer's Will, but have not preparedour felves to do according to it e All that Light and Knowledge which we have, all thofe Counfels and Inftruëtions which we have read and heard out of God's Word, will inflame our Account, and heighten our Condemnation, and the very Means of our Salvation will be the faddeft Aggravation of our Ruin. What our Saviour Paid of the impenitent and unbelieving yews, holds as well concern- ing impenitent Chriftians ; that It ¡hall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of judgment, than for them. But, beloved, I hope better Things of you, and Things that accompany Salvation. Let us but remember and ferioufly confider, that We muff all appear before the judgment Seat of fhrifl, to re- ceive the Things done in the Body, accordingto what we have done, whether good or evil; and this will certainly have a mighty Awe and Influence upon our Lives, and all the A&ions of them. Now the God of Peace, &c. 3 SERMON
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