Serm. CC. God'sfignal Judgmentsupon others. 669 We rtfll perfift in our Atheifmand Prophánenefs, in our Contempt of God and his Worship, in our abominable Lusts and Impieties; what can we look for, but greaterJudgments, and a more fiery indignation to confutne us and our Habita- tions ? Methinks nothing is a ladder prefage of greater Calamities, and a more fearful ruine yet to befal us , than that we have hitherto been fo little reformed by thofe loud and thick Voiles ofJudgments which have already been thunder'd out upon us. This was that which at lait brought fo terrible a Deftru&ion upon the Egy- ptians; that they were hardned under ten Plagues. To be impenitent under the Judgments of God, which are fo mercifully defigned to reclaim and reform us, is to poifon our felveswith that whichwas intended for our Phyfck , and by a mi- raculous kind of obstinacy, to turn the rods ofGod into Serpents. 0 that we were wife, that we ùnderflood this, and that we would confider our latter end. TO THE RE ADE R. OV have here an endof this great Work, and Ican nowofforeyou, y that I have faithfully difcharged what at firff I promis'd, which was, to give you thefe Sermons truly tranfcribed from the Originals. I have fometimes put two Sermons into one, or.three into two, (as the Author ufed to do in thofe heprinted) and ifon that account I have left out Repe- titions, or fhorten'd force things which had been beforeprinted; yet I never alter'd either the Words or Senfe otherwife than was neceffary for the Con- nexion; and as I did this purely to make the workmore perfeb1, I hope, I have rather obliged the Publick, than deferv'd the cenfure of any. By thefe Sermons you have feen how goodand ufeful a Preacher theAu- thor was ; and tho' the publifbing of them was all 1 had to do, yet that the World mayfee, that hewas Devout as well as Eloquent, I have ven- tur'dto annex force ofhis Prayers, with afhort Difcourfe to his Servants before the receiving ofthe Sacrament, all written by his own Hand. Thefe are nogreat addition to the Work and will, I hope, be valued by force, or at the worfí can only he blamed as the indifcreet Zeal, rather than any In, tereff or Defign of the Publifber. Ra. Barkers Dratted in Rent Dec. 3. 1703. P RAYERS
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