is alfo caft alive into this Lake, and fhall be tormented Day and Night with us for ever, Rev. xx. 10. Together with Falfe-Prophets, viz. unconverted Free-will Preachers, who by prophefying fmooth Things kept us asleep, and thereby deceived us; crying, Peace, Peace, if we came often within the Church Walls; when the Peace of God was not within our Hearts, and our poor Souls unrenewed, Isa. xxx. 10. Woe be unto fuch! For there is no Peace, faith God, to the Wicked, who are not born again, Ifa, lvii. 21. John iii. 3. Now alas ! we are the Companions of all thofe who forgat God, and obeyed not the Gospel of the Lord Jefus Christ, 2 Thef. i. 8. Better it had been for us that a Mill-stone had been hanged about our Neck, and we caft alive into the Midft of the Sea, than that we should have fcoffed at, and offended any of God's faithful Followers, who believed in Jefus Chrift, Matt. xviii. 6. For now we are punished with everlafting Destruction from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, 2 Thef. i. 9.

Here let me intreat you, Friends and Neighbours, attend, pause a little, and confider the Dif mal Condition of the Damned Souls! who must be forced to endure the hot Thunder-bolts of God's Vengeance, the Fiercenefs of his Wrath, and fiery Indignation, Pfal. Ixxviii. 48, 49. For upon them God will rain Snares, Fire and Brimftone, and an horrible Tempeft; this fhall be the Portion of their Cup for ever, Pfal. xi. 6. In a Labyrinth of Sorrow and Woe, finking! finking! finking! in endless Misery for evermore in the bottomlels Pit of Fire, Rev. xx. 1, 14. And this Hell is not Imagination, but Senfation, experienced by God's dear Children, during their Pilgrimage on Earth, and felt in the Anguifh of their Souls, efpecially after Relapfes into Sin; for every true Believer,

when

when convinced that he has broken the holy Commandment of God, and thereby dishonoured his holy Name, finus a Hell in his Confcience in this World, though in a leffer Degree than the Damned in Hell; for the Hope of Relief alleviates the Pain: yet true is the Saying, A wounded Spirit whe can bear? Prov. xviii. 14. Guilt is a Canker-worm, which biteth the Soul continually, 'till the Balm of Gilead, the Blood of Chrift, heals the Wound, which would have proved mortal, had it not been for the Almighty Physician, Jer. viii. 22. This is the horrible Pit, the miry Clay out of which God delivered David, when he fet him on the Rock, Chrift Jefus, he had been earnestly crying unto the Lord, and patiently waiting, though in very great Distress, P/al. xl. 1, 2. For faith he, "I am weary of my Groaning, every Night wash I my Bed, and water my Couch with my Tears. Mine Eyes are confumed with Grief (by Reason of my Sin" Pfal. vi. 6, 7. A Chriftian, who may be tempted to steal a Dram of finful Pleasure, fhall pay for it four-fold in Tears of penitential Grief, Anguish of Soul, Horror of Confcience, and inward Distress and Trouble in this World: unless Chrift, the good Physician will be pleased speedily to heal his Wound. (This I know by Experience) And therefore, I fuppofe that no juftified Soul will prefume to fin that Grace might abound; but rather fay with Saint Paul, God forbid! and God forbid ! again, that ever fuch a Thought should once arife in a Believer's Breaft, Rom. vi. 1, 2. For having felt the Anguish of a wounded Confcience, and knowing the Terror of the Lord, will conclude with holy David, that Bleffed are all they who fear the Lord, that honour him, and delight to walk in his Ways, for they fhall eat the Labour of their Hands, even here on Earth, (viz.) Peace of Confcience,

fcience, and happy fhall they be hereafter, Pfal. cxxviii. I, 2. For "Bleffed are they who die in the Lord, even fo, faith the Spirit, for they fhall reft from their Labours, and their Works fhall follow them;" (follow, obferve, not go before) Rev. xiv. 13. It is Chrift that goes before to prepare a Place. The Righteous fhall confider this in the Days of their Pilgrimage, and turn their Feet unto God's Teftimonies; nay, they muft confider, though prone to forget, for God is their Monitor, and many fhall be purified, and made white, and tried (like as Silver is tried, and made meet for the Matter's Ufe) but the Wicked fhall do wickedly, and none of the Wicked fhall understand (for the Way of Peace they never knew, having no Fear of God before their Eyes) but the Wife shall understand, Dan. xii. 10. God will give them an Understanding Heart, 1 King. iii. 9. to choose the better Part here, which fhall not be taken from them hereafter, Luke x. 42. For God will furely guide them here on Earth, with his Counsel, and afterwards receive them to Glory, Pfal. Ixxiii. 24. They love to fit under his Banner with great Delight, his Fruit being fweet to their Tafte; for he brings them into his BanquetingHouse, and his Banner over them is Love. (And when their Cup runs over, like David's, Pfal. xxiii. 5.) they often in their firft Love at the Time of their Efpoufals, &c. when he carries his Lambs in his Bofom, cry out perfonally, being jealous of their Backfliding Hearts, Stay me with Flagons. (of fpiritual Ointments, or with Cordials) comfort me with Apples (from my Chrift, the Tree of Life) for I am fick of Love. My Soul fainteth for the Courts of the Lord's Houfe, to make my Calling and Election fure. Now when they call apon him, he foon doth anfwer, and faith unte

them.

them, Here am I. Prefently his left Hand is under their Heads (to fupport them) and his right Hand doth embrace and cherish them with Cordials of Love. Now God's young Converts charge all about them, not to difturb their Peace with their best Beloved, nor awake him, or caufe him to withdraw, 'till he pleafeth," Cant. ii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. But rather unite in the Enjoyment of their new Lord and Master. And therefore they cry out, "Come, let us fall down and worship, and kneel before the Lord our Maker: for he is the Lord our God, it is he that hath made us (thus happy) and not we ourfelves, we are (now become) his People, and (Blood-bought) Sheep of his Pafture. Let us therefore go our Way into his Gates with Thankfgiving, and into his Courts with Praife. Oh! let us be thankful unto him, and fpeak good of his Name. For the Lord is gracious, and his Mercy is everlasting, and his Truth endureth (to his Chofen) from Generation to Generation," Pfal. c. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Thus they break forth into Singing, being under his Shadow, where they have great Satisfaction, and dwell in Safety. "O how amiable are thy Dwellings, thou Lord of Hofts, my Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, with Defire to enter into the Courts of the Lord; my Heart and my Flesh cry out for the living God." Thus there is nothing in this World fo pleasant to the believing Soul as the Enjoyment of God, either in his private, or public Worship. Here, faith the longing Believer, I may fit down with Pleasure, and lay my Young, i. e. drop my Tears of Repentance, and pour out my Soul in penitential Sighs, as a Prifoner of Hope; he'll receive my Sighs into his Bofom: he'll put my Tears in his Bottle. Being yet at home in the Body, I long to be diffolved, and to be with Chrift: He is my Husband,

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Hufband, my Father, my Friend, my King, and my God. I fpeak from Experience, and can teftify that "bleffed are they who dwell in thy House, they will be always praifing thee; for one Day in thy Courts is better than a Thoufand: yea, it is better to be a Door-keeper in the Houfe of the Lord, than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness!" and if fo now, what will be the Joys of Heaven? Therefore, bleffed is the Man whofe Strength is in the Lord, (whofe Life is hid with Chrift in God) and whose Heart travelleth in the Way with them who paffing through the Valley of Baca (as God's People of old did in going to Jerufalem to worship) make it into a Well; they dig fo deep into the Valley of Humiliation, 'till they find Chrift, the Well-fpring of Life. The Rain alfo filleth the Pools; God's Showers of Grace, Faith, Hope and Charity, fill their humble Souls with Righteoufness, Peace and Joy in Believing; and the Bones that were once broken through Unbelief, do now rejoice, Pfal. lxxxiv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10. Thus the River of Life, that makes glad the City of God, and every Member of the Church triumphant in Heaven, drops down on every Member of the Church militant here on Earth, and fills their Souls with divine Joy, Pfal. xlvi. 4. For they fhall be abundantly satisfied with the Fatnefs of thy House, and thou shalt make them drink of the River of thy Pleasure For with thee is the Fountain of Life, Pfal. xxxvi. 8, 9. And because they refemble Chrift, being one with him in Spirit, their God anoints them with the fame Oil of Gladness here below above their unbelieving Fellow-creatures. Now they love Righteouinefs, and hate Iniquity, Pfal. xlv. 7. Alfo defire to dwell together in the Unity of Spirit, in the Bond of Peace, and in Righteoufnefs of Life, Eph. iv. 3.

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hold!