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and Charity, or unfeigned Love to God and Man, 2 Peter i. 6, 7. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all Perfeverance," Eph. vi. 18.. But why God hath chofen fome in Chrift before the Foundation of the World, Eph. i. 4. and not others? We know not, but as we obferved already, God can do what he will with his own: and Scripture informs us, that he " predeftinated fome unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good Pleasure of his Will; to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he hath madę them accepted in the Beloved," Eph.i. 5, 6. "That the Purpose of God's Election might ftand, not of Works, but of him that calleth," Rom. ix. 11. Therefore" thofe Things which are revealed, and left upon Record for our Inftruction, belong to us, and to our Children, but fecret Things belong to God," Deut. XXIX. 29. Forafmuch then as the Holy Ghoft reveals the Mind of God unto his People, through the Scriptures, whereby Saints fhall judge the World, as Witneffes for the Truth, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Therefore in whatfoever Company they be, they are no less than the King's Spies; and do infpect into the ill Conduct, and rebellious Practices of his Enemies. And they have Dove's Eyes, quick to difcern Truth from Error, Cant. i. 15. And wherefoever they difcover any diforderly Perfons, walking contrary to his Laws, they immediately make Report to their King, by fighing and griev ing for their Impiety. And he that fearcheth the Heart, knoweth the Mind of his own Spirit in his People, Rom. viii. 27. And as he faid once, Who toucheth my Clothes? knowing Virtue was gone out or him, when the Woman who had an Iffue of Blood, touched the Hem of his Garment by Faith, and was healed from her Plague, Mark v. 27, 29, 30.

So

So now he feels the Sorrow and Grief his own Spi· rit bears in his People, and how they fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Chrift in their

Fleth, Col. i. 24. As did alfo juft Lot, who was vexed with the filthy Converfation of the Wicked, who grieved his righteous Soul from Day to Day with their unlawful Deeds, 2 Peter ii. 7, 8,9. And when his Saints are grieved, God is angry with those who are the Caufe of it," For whofoever toucheth them, toucheth the Apple of his Eye," Zech. ii. 8. And as the Wicked grieve the Righteous from Day to Day; fo "God is angry with the Wicked every Day," Pfal. vii. 11. And therefore is refolved what to do, viz. In the Day of Recompence, God's Eyes being over the Righteous to do them Good, i Peter iii. 12. He orders his Angels to fet a Mark on the Foreheads of the Men that figh, and grieve for the Ungodlinefs of the Wicked: and then destroy the Impenitent without Pity; but not to come near any one on whom is the Mark, Ezek, ix. 4, 5, 6. To the fame Purpose it is faid, "Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no Harm, 1 Cor. xvi. 22. And again God faith, "Hurt not the Earth, nor the Sea, 'till the Servants of God are fealed with a (diftinguishing) Mark in their Foreheads," Rev. vii. 3. So God took particular Care of Lot in Sedom; for "while he lingered, the Angels laid hold upon his Hand, and brought him without the City: and faid, ETcape for thy Life; for I cannot deftroy Sodom 'till thou art got fafe to Zoar. But as foon as Lot had arrived thither, then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimftone and Fire out of Heaven, 'till they were deftroyed," Gen. xix. 16, 17, 22, 23, Thus the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly; and to referve the Wicked unto the Day of Judgment to be punished, 2 Peter ii. 9. Unconverted

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verted Men little think how God and good Men notice them; and how they expofe themselves in the Prefence of the Juft who live by Faith, Heb. ii. 4. And what a Difgrace it will be to them to be wilfully ignorant of Salvation. True it is that "fome have not the Knowledge of God," but this is their Shame, 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. And every Unbeliever is more or lefs afhamed of the Gospel, having no Intereft therein (except his Death Warrant. So very great is the Fall of Man from God! that the Apostle juftly obferves where he afketh, "What Communion hath Light with Darknefs? and what Concord hath Chrift with Belial?" and what Part hath a Believer with unconverted Men ? 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. Nay they abominate each other, Prov. xxix. 27. Yet, notwithstanding, all Men are dead to God, for in Adam all died, and fo remain 'till Chrift makes them alive by a new Birth, I Cor. xv. 22. And Jefus tells us that "except a Man be born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God. What then? he fhall die in his Sins, and be reprobated from Chrift for ever! "For if any

Man hath not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9. Yet Men by Nature are fo expert in all worldly Affairs, yea, notwithstanding Ipiritual Ignorance, that in their Generation they are wiser than the Children of Light, Luke xvi. 8. Proud Man will not believe that his Eyes are blind, and his Ears deaf, before God calls him by his Grace, Ifa. xliii. 8. And therefore, either openly or tacitly afketh, "Who are the Wicked whom God will punish if they die without Repentance? and who are they of whom it is faid, that where Chrift is, they cannot come? John viii. 21. The Scriptures anfwer, All who delight in the Works of the Flesh, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleannefs, Laciviousness, Covetoufness, which is Idolatry,

Witchcraft, Hatred, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Herefies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkennefs, Revellings, and fuch like, which doubtlefs includes and condemns all unlawful Gaming, Masquerades, Dancing, Play-houses, Horfe-racing, Cock-fighting, Bull-baiting, Cudgel-playing, Sabbath-breaking, Card-playing, or any other finful Diverfions, which tend to difhonour God's Word, and bring no Glory unto his holy Name. The Apostle fays, "that they which do fuch Things fhall not inherit the Kingdom of God, Gal. v. 19, 20, 21. For they are Traitors to true Religion, and Defpifers of thofe that are good; heady, high-minded, Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God. Having a Form of Godliness, but denying the Power thereof; from fuch heathenifh Chriftians, God's true believing Church should turn away, 2 Tim. iii. 3, 4, 5. For God will rank them at last (if they die in fuch Sins) among the Fearful and Unbelieving, Liars and Slanderers, Backbiters, and Whisperers, who fow Diffentions among Friends; nay, with Thieves and Robbers, who rob their Neighbours of Goods, or good Name. All fuch fhall have their Portion in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimftone which is the fecond Death, Rev. xxi. 8. "For God will bring every Work into Judgment, with fecret Thing, whether it be Good, or whether it be Evil," Eccle. xii. 14. And there are many (the more the Pity) in this polite Age, who frequent the Lord's Table one Day, and Play-houses, Balls, Card-tables, and other finful Diverfions the next Day; and think it no Harm, but go on during Life, for want of receiving the Love of the Truth as it is in Jefus, which only can make them free from the Slavery of Sin and the Devil, John viii. 32. Although fuch People promise themfelves Liberty, they are the Servants of Corruption for of

every

whom

whom a Man is overcome, of the fame is he brought into Bondage, 2 Peter ii. 19. There are others who have orthodox Heads, but unfound Hearts (who can privily flander their Neighbours) which God will cut off from his Church, Pfal. ci. 5. For although they dream of a finished Salvation by Jefus Chrift, yet if they hold this Truth in Unrighteoufnefs, Rom. i. 18. and can fmite their Neighbours fecretly, the Lord pronounceth them accurfed, Deut. xxvii. 24. He therefore that indulges any known Sin, may justly fear that he never was a true Believer; for Chrift is not the Minister of Sin, Gal. ii. 17. And the Holy Ghoft faith, "All Men fhall worship the Beaft," viz. the Pride of Man, popifh Superftition, and the Pomps and Vanities of this World; whofe Names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundation of the World, Rev. xiii. 8. Therefore I fear all thofe Beaft-worfhipers, who are pure in their own Eyes, and never came to Chrift to be cleanfed from their Filthinefs, Prov. xxx. 12. but continue to love the Pleasures of this World, will be of that unhappy Number 1poken of by our Lord, when he faith, that "many, fhall come (when it is too late, the Door of Mercy being fhut) faying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, for we have eaten and drank in thy Prefence (we have often received the Sacrament) and thou hast taught in our Streets (we have been frequently at Church) Luke xiii. 25, 26. But Chrift will fay unto them, I never knew you (i. e. in a conjugal Relation as my Bride, therefore depart from me, ye that work Iniquity," Matt. vii. 22, 23. Forafmuch then as all true believing Chriftians know the Terrors of the Lord, having felt deep Conviction for Sin, and thus heard the Thunders of Sinai, they perfuade Men to flee from the Wrath to come, 2 Cor.

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