(Rom. xi. 8, Matt. xiii. 15) possesseth the unsanctified, that though they be convinced that they are yet unconverted, yet they oft times carelessly sit still; and what through the avocation of sensual pleasures, or hurry of worldly business, or noise and clamour of earthly cares, and lusts, and affections, Luke viii. 14, the voice of conscience is drowned, and men go no farther than some cold wishes, and general purposes of repenting and amend ing, Acts xxiv. 25..

It is therefore of high necessity, that I do not only convince men that they are unconverted, but that I also endeavour to bring them to a sense of the fearful misery of this estate.

But here I find myself aground at first putting forth. What tongue can tell the heirs of hell sufficiently of their misery, unless 'twere Dives in that flame? Luke xvi. 24. Where is the ready writer, whose pen can decypher their misery that are without God in the world? Eph. ii. 12. This cannot fully be done, unless we knew the infinite ocean of that bliss and perfection which is in that God, which a state of sin doth exclude men from. Who knoweth (saith Moses) the power of thine anger? Ps. xc. 11. And how shall I tell 'men that which I do not know? Yet so much we know, as one would think, would shake the heart of that man, that had the least degree of spiritual life and sense.

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But this is yet the more imposing difficulty, that I am to speak to them that are without sense. Alas, this is not the least part of man's

misery upon him, that he is dead, stark dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. ii. 1.

Could I bring paradise into view, or rep resent the kingdom of heaven to as much advantage as the tempter did the kingdoms of the world, and all the glory thereof, to our Saviour; or could I uncover the face of the deep and devouring gulph of Tophet in all its terrors, and open the gates of the infernal furnace; alas! he hath no eyes to see it, Matt. xiii. 14, 15. Could I paint out the beauties of holiness, or glory of the gospel, to the life; or could I bring above-board the more than diabolical deformity and ugliness of sin, he can no more judge of the loveliness and beauty of the one, nor the filthiness and hatefulness of the other, than the blind man of colours. He is alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in him, because of the blindness of his heart, Eph. iv. 18. He neither doth, nor can know the things of God, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. ii. 14. His eyes cannot be savingly opened, but by converting grace, Acts xxvi. 18. He is a child of darkness, and walks in darkness, 1 John i. 6, yea, the light in him is darkness, Matt. vi. 2, 3.

Shall I ring his knell, or read his sentence, or sound in his ear the terrible trump of God's judgments, that one would think should make both his ears to tingle, and strike him into Belshazzar's fit; even to appal his countenance, and loose his joints, and make his knees smite one against another? yet, alas! he perceives me not, he bath no ears to hear..

Or shall I call up all the daughters of music, and sing the song of Moses, and of the Lamb? Yet he will not be stirred. Shall I allure him with the joyful sound, and the lovely song, and glad tidings of the gospel? with the most sweet and inviting calls, comforts, cordials of the divine promises, so exceeding great and precious? It will not affect him savingly, unless I could find him ears, Matt. xiii. 15, as well as tell him the news.

Shall I set before him the feast of fat things, the wine of wisdom, the bread of God, the tree of life, the hidden manna; he hath no appetite for them, no mind to them, 1 Cor. iië 1-4, Matt. xxii. 5. Should I press the choicest grapes, the heavenly clusters of gospel privileges, and drink to him in the richest wine of God's own cellar, yea, of his own side; or set before him the delicious honey-comb of God's testimonies, Ps. xix. 10, alas! he hath no taste to discern them. Shall I invite the dead to arise, and eat the banquet of their funerals? no more can the dead in sin savour the holy food wherewith the Lord of life hath spread his table.

What then shall I do? Shall I burn the brimstone of hell at his nostrils? Or shall I open the box of spikenard, very precious, that filleth the whole house of this universe with its perfume, Mark xiv. 3, Johm xii. 8, and hope that the savour of Christ's ointment and the smell of his garments will attract him? Ps. xlv. 8. Alas! dead sinners are like the dumb idols: they have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they

have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; they have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not, neither speak they through their throat, Ps. cxv. 5, 6, 7. They are destitute of all spiritual sense and motion.

But let me try the sense that doth last leave us, and draw the sword of the word yet lay at him while I will, yea, though I choose mine arrows out of God's quiver, and direct them to the heart, nevertheless he feeleth it not; for how should he, being past feeling? Eph. iv. 19. So that though the wrath of God abideth on him, and the mountainous weight of so many thousand sins, yet he goes up and down as light as if nothing ailed him, Rom. vii. 9. In a word, he carries a dead soul in a living body, and his flesh is but the walking coffin of a corrupted mind, that is twice dead, Jude 12, rotting in the slime and putrefaction of noisome lusts, Matt. xxiii. 27,

28.

Which way then shall I come at the miserable objects that I have to deal with? Who shall make the heart of stone to relent, Zech. xi. 12, or the lifeless carcass to feel and move? That God that is able of stones to raise up children unto Abraham, Matt. iii. 9, that raiseth the dead, 2 Cor. i. 9, and melteth the mountains, Nah. i. 5, and strikes water out of the flints, Deut. viii. 15, that loves to work like himself, beyond the hopes and belief of man; and peopleth his church with dry bones, and planteth his orchard with dry sticks; he is able to do this. Therefore I bow my knee

to the most high God, Eph. iii. 14, and as our Saviour prayed at the sepulchre of Lazarus, John xi. 38, 41, and the Shunammite ran to the man of God, for her dead child, 2 Kings iv. 25, so doth your mourning minister kneel about your graves, and carry you in the arms of prayer to that God in whom your help is found.

[0 thou all-powerful Jehovah, that workest, and none can let thee; that hast the keys of hell, and of death; pity thou the dead souls that lie here entombed, and roll away the grave-stone, and say, as to Lazarus, when already stinking, Come forth. Light èn thou this darkness, O inaccessible light, and let the day-spring from on high visit the darksome region of the dead, to whom I speak: for thou canst open the eyes that death itself hath closed thou that formedst the ear, canst restore the hearing: say thou to these ears, Ephphatha, and they shall be opened. Give thou eyes to see thine excellencies, a taste that may relish thy sweetness, a scent that may savour thine ointments, a feeling that may sense the privilege of thy favour, the burden of thy wrath, the intolerable weight of unpardoned sin; and give thy servants command to prophesy to the dry bones, and let the effects of this prophecy be, as of thy prophet, when he prophesied the valley of dry bones into a living army, exceeding great, Ezek. xxxvii. 1, &c. The hand of the Lord was upon and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones. He said unto me,

me,