Sermon at Execution of a Man Found Guilty of Murder, Sermon 2 – Title page 3

Sermon at Execution of a Man Found Guilty of Murder · Sermon 2 – Title page 3

The CALL of the GOSPEL, unto All the Ends of the Earth; Apply'd eſpecially unto a poor man under the juſt Sentence of Death for the Crying Sin of MƲRDER.

Iſai. XLV. 22. LOOK unto M…, and be ye SAVED, all the Ends of the Earth.

THESE Words give unto us the moſt Joyful Sound that ever the Children of Death had the favour of. Some of us doub…leſs can with a moſt Diſtinguiſhing and Experimental Reliſh, profeſs concerning this Oracle of God, as ſome▪ other perſons have concerning ſome other Paſſages in the Sacred Pages, …e would not have had this Sentence left out of our Bibles, for the riches of both the India's Yea, who among us all, at the reading of theſe glad …ydings unto us, can forbear joyning with the Rapturous ſhouts of Heaven, with that Angelical, and Evangelical Out-cry, in Luc. 2. 14. Glory to God in the …g… eſt, on earth peace, Good-will towards men! Behold, the Saviour of the world is this day ſpeaking unto you, ye Congregation of the Lord, Arrayed in His white garments, He looks thro▪ the Windows of His bright Ivory Palace, and …tereth an Invitation to you, which Bleſſed are your ears that hear this day.

p. 40This 45th Chapter of (that which we may not ineptly …ſt, the Goſpel according to) Iſaiah, ſeems the Cloſe of a Sermon begun at the 40th chapter of that admirable Book, whoſe Goſpel-ſtrains are ſo abundant, that in the New-Teſtament ſome have counted perhaps about threeſcore Quotations from it; and good old Ambroſe hence adviſed Auſtin unto a peculiar frequency in the Reading of it. Iſaiah ſignifies the Salvation of God; now that very thing, eſpecially in the more promiſſory Concluſion of his Prophecy, is very much the Subject of his Miniſtry.

The Princely Prophet is predicting, perhaps about 200 years before the Accompliſhment thereof, the Reduction and Redemption of the captiv'd Jews from Babylon, together with the very name of the Perſian Emperor Cyrus, who ſhould be the …rument thereof; and thereupon he aſſigns the ſeveral reaſons of this ſtupendions Diſpenſation. One ground thereof laid down is, that the Nations of the world, far and near, might be brought to abandon their Lying vanities, and to acknowledge the Only true GOD, with Jeſus Chriſt whom He hath ſent. At the mention of this there immediately falls in the gracious invitation to thoſe Nations which we have now to inſiſt upon: wherein we may obſerve,

(1.) The Subjects which are call'd upon, Theſe are all the ends of the earth; even the Gentiles, in all quarters of the world, whoſe Vocation is here p. 41foretold; The poor ſouls whoſe natural Diſtanse from the Church of God, and whoſe moral Diſtance from the Love of God was exceeding deplorable. (2.) The Object propounded for theſe to converſe withal. This by that Expreſſion Me, is determined to be the Lord Himſelf. But who? Truly, it is God the Saviour, it is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; a Devotion to whom ſhould come inſtead of the Homage which men had bin wont to yeild unto their other Images of God, and Deliverance by whom is the Antitype of what the Lords people had of old by other … viours. To confirm this Interpretation, I find the Chaldee Paraphraſe rendring this Me, by My Word; uſing the Term of [Meemar] which belongs to the 2nd Perſon in the adorable Trinity. (3.) The Act to be applyed hereunto: This is to Look; namely with an Eye of faith & of repentance. In this Clauſe, there ſeems to be an Alluſion to the Looks that the ancient Iſraelites had bin wont to give unto the Brazen Serpent; which, if that great Reformer Hezekiah had not made meer braſs of it, might, for ought I know be ſtill abus'd to vain & vile Superſtitions among 'em. (4.) The End of the Whole. Tis ſaid, Be ye ſaved; and the intent of that is Double, it is both, be deſireous that ye may be ſaved, & it is, be aſſured that ye ſhall be ſaved. The two fold End (both finis Operis, and finis Operantis) both the Deſign, & the Event is to be Salvation. Salvation p. 42SALVATION—but what a Word is That It is a word that does contain more than any man can conceive.

From hence then, This Doctrin of GOD your Saviour does challeng your ſerious Attention.

Doct. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt in His Goſpel, graciouſly & earneſtly inviteth all the Children of men to Look unto Him, by Faith upon Him for SALVATION.

When the no leſs unexpected than un deniable Requeſt of the dying man who now ſtands in in this Aſſembly, that I would allow him this Morning a Diſcourſe proper for his uncomfortable Circumſtances, was yeſterday brought unto me; I cold not ſuddenly think on any thing more accommodated unto all the Perſons & Services which are before me, than that which I have now pitch'd upon. The Body of this Congregation can't hear of a more important thing than this, of Looking unto Jeſus Chriſt for Salvation. Men and Brethren, This is the One thing needful. The little flock of Communicants, unto whom I am by & by to adminiſter the Holy Supper, cannot be excited unto a fitter work than this, of Looking unto Jeſus Chriſt for Salvation. Chriſtians, this is our Errand hither. The poor condemned Malefactor, who is here liſtening to one of the three laſt Sermons that ever he is like to fit under before his Encounter with the King of Terrors, cannot be put in mind p. 43of any thing that will more tend to prepare him for his near approaching death, than this of Looking unto the Lord of Life, for Salvation & Life. Poor man, do you hearken, I'll ſtudy to make this whole hour very particularly ſuitable & ſerviceable to you; and methinks a man that knows himſelf about to take an eternal Farewel, of all Sermons, ſhould endeavour to hear with moſt earneſt heed. The God of Heaven grant, that Faith may come unto you by your Hearing.

It is a very pretious Repaſt, which is thus brought unto you, O immortal Souls! It comes from the Land flowing with milk & honey. The enſuing Propoſitions may carve it out unto you. The 1ſt Propoſition that arreſts our thoughts is,

1. That, to Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is to Look unto Him for Salvation. Theſe bleſſed things are equivalent each to the other; and herein, we have both the Act of Faith, and the End of Faith. fairly ſuggeſted unto us.

¶ As for the Act of Faith, that is a Looking. The Faith of God's Elect hath in the Scripture ſeveral Bodily Actions, uſed as the Metaphors & Shadows of it. There is the Action of the Hand, for the ſake of which in Joh. 1. 12. Faith is ſaid to be a Receiving of Jeſus Chriſt. There is the Action of the Mouth, in Reſemblance of which, in Joh. 6. 54. Faith is ſaid to Fat the Fleſh of Jeſus Chriſt. There is the Action of p. 44the Foot, in regard of which Joh. 6. 35. Faith is ſaid to be a Coming unto Jeſus Chriſt. Thus likewiſe the Action of the Eye is here improved, to denote the Chriſt-ward motions of ſoul which the Believer hath.

There is indeed a 3 fold Look, which the beleeving Soul in its Agonies does give towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. There is a Look of Deſire; a Look with a Wiſh, yea, with a Groan: a Look with a, Lord help me! Such a Look as the hoarſe L…per gave in Marc. 1. 40. when he came to Jeſus Chriſt, beſeeching Him, & kneeling down unto Him. There is alſo a Look of Dependance, a Truſting a Rolling a Relying Look; a Look accompanied with the Language of the Pſalmiſt in Pſal. 25. 2. O my God, I truſt in thee. And there is a Look of Acknowledment, producing both of theſe. Many things doth the Believer d…ſcern & confeſs to be in that Jeſus, whoſe Name is, Wonderful, Counſellor, The mighty God, the Everlaſting Eather, the Prince of Peace. But theſe 2 things eſpecially: One thing of which he is ſenſible is, that Jeſus Chriſt is a mighty Saviour, owning that in Heb. 7. 25. He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt them that come unto God by Him. Another thing whereof he is not unſenſible is, that Jeſus Chriſt is a Merciful Saviour, owning that in Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. After this manner does the Believer look to the Saviour upon the everlaſting p. 45Hills, from whence comes all his help. But upon what Motive? for What?

¶ As for the End of Faith, that is SALVATION. This the Apoſtle grants in 1. Pet. 1. 9. where he ſpeaks to Chriſtians about the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their ſouls. That which the Believer doth purpoſe to himſelf by his Addreſſes to Jeſus Chriſt is, that he may be reſcued from all the Calamities which his Fall from God hath brought upon him, and that he may be made partaker of Benefits contrary thereunto, by the means of an All-ſufficient, & a Compaſſionate Jeſus the Mediator. There are indeed eſpecially three things which the Believer does look unto the Lord Jeſus for. His firſt Look is with that glance in Pſal. 119. 122. Lord, Be ſurely for thy ſervant for good. He would behold Jeſus Chriſt as the Lamb of God, appearing before divine Juſtice in his room, adding unto this Caſt of his Eye, this Throb of his heart, Oh, let Jeſus Chriſt take away all my Sins, with all the wants & woes, which thereby I become obnoxious unto. He would have Jeſus Chriſt to remove all the guilt that lies upon him, to enſtate him in the Favour and Fellowſhip of God, and to procure for him all Bleſſings whatſoever, eſpecially ſpiritual Bleſſings, the Bleſſings of the upper ſprings▪ the ſure Mercies of the Covenant, by His own Obedience & Interceſſion. His Next Look is with thatſigh in Plal. 25. 4. Shew …e thy wayes▪ p. 46O Lord, Teach me thy paths. There is an Eyeſalve which he petitions unto this Lord our healer for. He flyes & cryes unto Jeſus Chriſt, as that ſon of ſorrow did of old, Lord that I may receive my ſight. He would have Chriſt to remove all the blindneſs of his mind, to reveal unto him the happineſs which is not ſeen, and which is eternal, and to diſcover unto him all that he muſt know & do in order to his obtaining of it. His Look, is with that Aim in Pſal. 119. 5. Oh that my mayes were Directed to Keep thy ſtatutes O God! He ſubmits unto the ruling Will of God while he Emplores the Saving Grace of Jeſus Chriſt▪ He reckons that the Moſt High by ſaying, I have …t my Son to bleſs you, by turning you away from your Iniquities, hath told him of a Bleſſedneſs & a Loving kindneſs, which he hath infinite cauſe to ſay Amen unto. He would have Jeſus Chriſt to remove all the Diſorder of his Will, to incline him ſo that he may refuſe the evil & chooſe the good, and to ſhield him againſt all the ruining attempts of the World; the Fleſh and the Devil for evermore. This, all of this Faith is beck'nned for in this one word, Look unto Me.

[And theſe are the Chriſtward Looks which muſt be given by you, whoſe eyes will be within a few dayes cloſ'd by the cold hands of grim Death, if you would not roar in outer (worſe…han-Egyptian) darkneſs for evermore.]

On the heel of the former, this ſecond p. 47Propoſition taketh hold.

2. SALVATION will moſt undoubledly be the Fruit of a Believer's Looking unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The great God, who once ſaid unto upright man, Obey and live, now ſaith unto lapſed man, Believe & be ſaved; and truly an Exceeding great multitude, whom no man can number, have bin happy witneſſes to the Fulfilment of it. It is that which our Lord has ordered to be proclaimed unto every creature, I mean (as the Hebrews do by that Phraſe) unto every man in the world. Marc. 16. 16. He that believeth ſhall [be ſaved.] And when a convinced Jayler was ſolicitous about his everlaſting Weal, the Meſſengers of heaven gave him this Teſtimony (which ſurely the convinced Priſoner that I have before me, may very reaſonably look upon himſelf as concerned in) Act. 16. 31. Believe on the Lord. Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt [be ſaved.] Thus alſo it is repreſented as the Property & the Priviledge of true Believers, in Heb, 10. 39. We are of them that believe unto the ſaving of the ſoul. Verily, a man does no ſooner look unto Jeſus Chriſt in away of Beleeving, than a Sentence of Salvation is paſſed upon him, and all the Promiſes, yea and all the Attributes of the Eternal Jehovah are engaged for the execution of it.

¶ Shall we deſcend unto ſome Particulars▪

Every part of that Salvation which Jeſus Chriſt is the Author of, ever follows upon Looking & Believing for it. As thoſe three comprehenſible p. 48and inexhauſtible Treaſures of life, in 2. Cor. 13. 14. even the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, are to be got by Booking. So particularly, the voice, the ſweet ſoul-mel…ng vo…ce of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto Sinners is, LOOK unto Me, and you ſhall be Juſtified. Hence, not to ſpeak of the large Diſcourſes on this point, in the Epiſtle to the Romans, concerning whom the ſpirit of Prophecy fore-ſaw that they would apoſtatize from their Orthodox Perſwaſion and Profeſſions herein: It is ſaid in Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is not condemned. No, he is in Chriſt, and there ſhall [not one] Condemnation fall upon him, (as the Appoſtle elſe-where has it) tho' he may have deſerved a Thouſand Million. He is ſaved from the horrendous Wrath & Curſe of God. The Free Grace of God forgives all his tranſgreſſions, and accepts him as righteous, imputing the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt unto him; the juſt & holy God that was once angry with him every day, now ſayes unto him, Fury is not in me; Fury is not in me. And he rejoices with ſuch a white ſtone put into his hand as that Paralitick had, unto whom it was ſaid, Son, be of good theer, thy ſins …re forgiven thee. Yet again, The voice of the Lord Jeſus unto ſinners is▪ Look unto Me and you ſhall be Adopted. Hence is it averr'd in Gal. … ▪ 10. Y… are the children of God, by Faith in p. 49Chriſt Jeſus. Thus theſe bleſſed believing Lookers ſhall be ſaved from the doleful Family of the Devil, they ſhall be taken into the number, they ſhall have a Title to the Felicity and Dignity of them that are the ſons of God; the Angels now call them Brethren: and the Almighty Magnificent Governor of the world ſaies unto them, Ye are my ſons & my daughters Beſides all this, the Voice of the Lord Jeſus unto ſinners moreover is, Look unto Me, and you ſhall be Sanctified, in regard of this it is that He has ſaid in Joh. 3▪ 36. He that believeth hath everlafling life; the Seed & the Spring of it is in Him. Truly ſuch a man ſhall be ſaved from his ſlavery to the Enemies of his ſoul. He ſhall be renewed in his whole man after the Image of God, and be enabled more & more unto a dying to ſin, and a living in Grace; his ſpirit, his ſoul, his body, his All is now under an enobling Dedication unto the Service of ſhewing forth the praiſes of God: a curious Needle-work made by the fingers of the eternal▪ Spirit covers him, adorns him, makes him more excellent than his neighbour. And Oh what peace even the peace of God that paſſeth all underſtanding; O what Joh! even Joy unſpeakable & full of glory; Oh what Aſſurance, Oh what Perſeverance in this life will flow from theſe unto the ſaved Believer! Finally the Voice of the Lord Jeſus unto ſinners likewiſe is, Look unto Me and you ſhall be Glorified. On this ſcore has the beloved p. 50Diſciple ſaid in 1. Joh. 5. 13. You that believe on the Name of the Son of God may know that ye have eternal life. Oh how firmly is Eternal Life enſured unto Believers! Certainly, thoſe Chriſt-prizing Ones ſhall be ſaved from the ſecond Death; they ſhall awake in the upper world, in the future world; they ſhall behold the Face of God and Chriſt in Righteouſneſs, and be ſatisfied with His likeneſs. The Lamh ſhall feed them and lead them to Fountains of Living water▪ they ſhall enter into the Joy of their LORD; they ſhall drink of the Rivers of pleaſure, at the right hand of GOD for ever more: they ſhall ſo partly at their Diſſolution, they ſhall ſo fully at their Reſurrection, they ſhall ſo in the Heaven of Heavens, until the very Heavens be no more. Such is a little of the [Be ye ſaved] which all Believers hear from their heavenly Friend, from their Undertaker on high. So great Salvation will a Believing LOOK procure.

But that this Goſpel may have a fit and fult dwelling in your hearts, there is one Propoſition more to be laid into your Underſtandings.

3. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt in His Goſpel does graciouſly & earneſtly INVITE all men thus to Look unto Him and be ſaved. That ever-glorious One whom God has exalted to be a Prince and Saviour, to give Repentance unto His Elect with Remiſſion of ſins; He hath with a matchleſs p. 51degree of Favour and Fervour too, ad…iſ… Man-kind about this matter; He hath reviv'd a dying world with ſuch ſweet words of his mouth as theſe, O ye periſhing Out-caſts, I am a Saviour infinitely able & ready to relieve the Diſtreſſes which you are plung'd into: I require you and entreat you therefore, that you don't keep at a diſtance from me. And for this cauſe it is that in Iſa. 65. 1. he makes (according to the Apoſtolical Interpretation in Rom. 10.) this proffer even to the very Heathen (O let the blackeſt blindeſt Negroe, at the further end of this Aſſembly count himſelf bound to anſwer ſuch a Call) Behold me, behold me! q. d. O that you would LOOK at me for my SALVATION. We have indeed a moſt precious Bible in our hands [that Book of Life I ſee in thoſe hands too that muſt dye pinion'd before many dayes have roll'd away; man do you firſt look downward upon that, and ſo look upward unto Him from whom it comes] it is a Bible iudited by the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, and preſerved by His Providence; and the very ſcope of this, the principal buſineſs of it, is, to come from the Third Heaven, as a Letter with thy name, & mine, & every man's on the Endorſment of it, beſpeaking the beleeving looks of every Reader unto a ſaving Jeſus. But there are likewiſe many ſpecial paſſages to this purpoſe▪ ſparkling and glittering like ſo many Jewels in the Cabinet of God. It is a Rule which our p. 52Lord Jeſus has given about His Exhortations, in Marc. 13. 37. What I ſay to one I ſay to All: And will not the ſame ſquare to His Invitations alſo? Yes, the old loving Invitations which were more immediately given to other people do likewiſe call upon us upon whom the ends of the world are come, upon Thee, and thee, and thée: Well, we are informed in Joh. 7. 36. That when our Lord Jeſus was Incarnate among the moving Duſt-heaps and Potſherds of the earth here below, once on the eight day of the Feaſt of Tabernacles, when there was a vaſt Confluence of People going to draw water from he Pool of Siloam, ſinging the words of the Prophet, With joy ſhall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation. Lo, then He took occaſion to ſtand, that He might be ſeen, to cry that he might be heard, & to ſay, If any man thirſt, let him come to me & drink. So then all the needy dying ſouls of men are ſtill are thus offered; the only Appointed & Anointed Redeemer of men does thus counſil them, Let me hear from you whenſoever & whereinſoever you want Salvation. But how many other ſuch amazing lines has He alſo ſent down from the Excellent Glory into a deſolate world! It is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt who has compared the Go…l of Salvation unto a well-fraught Veſſel ſailing up a River, whereahout He makes that loud & loving Out cry—O Never, never was there an O yee's vouchſaſed unto the world like p. 53to This!—in Iſai. 55. 1. Ho, every one that thirſteth let him come and partake hereof. It is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt too, who concludes this miraculous Book with that remarkable Period—when He would put a full Stop to inſpired infallible Writings, He does it by expoſing His Salvation unto general Acceptation, in Rev. 22. 17. Whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely. In a word: For the ſuller Inculcation of ſuch a marvellous Thing, we have this immortal King, laying upon us in the name of Him that is Higher than the higheſt, in 1. Joh. 3. 23. A Commandment to believe. We have Him hence alſo annexing the Sanctions of a Commandment hereunto, laying Bonds & Graplings of Iron upon the Conſciences of men: We have Him both upon Mount Ebal & upon Mount Gerizzin giving accents to His Look unto Me. He diſcharges the dreandful rumbling Thunderclaps of ſuch denunciations as that in Joh 3. 36. He that believeth not ſhal not ſee life. And many more ſuch Threats and Menaces does He roar out of Sion with, wherein the ſmoke of the Fire and Brimſtone reſerved in a hot Hell for the Portion of Ʋnbelievers is blown under the Noſtrils of men. Yea, and He preſents no leſs ch…ming Encouragements to Beleeving than thoſe in the Preface to y^e Proverbs of Salomon: & one Text more above all I have found which I muſt bring to you, as Sampſon did unto his Relations the Hen…y which p. 54he had light upon, it is in Mat. 11. 28. O feed upon it, every word in it is a drop of Canaans Hony; it is Honey from the Rock. He was a renowned Perſon that once ſaid, mallem carere Cibo et Cœlo quam hoc Verbo, I had rather not have a bit of Bread to put in my mouth, I had rather the Sun in the Firmament ſhould ſhine no more upon me, than that I ſhould looſe ſo dear a Word as this. Thus our Lord ſpeakes COME, gr. [Deute] a moſt freindly & familiar Call: q. d. I pray be ſo kind as to ſtep hither to a Friend. But unto whom ſhall we come? Lo, He ſaith, come unto Me, unto Me that have all things deliver'd unto Me by the Father, unto Me that am by Him empowered and employed to pluck neverdying ſouls from the devouring Jaws of every Death. But who ſhall come? mark the Anſwer, Let ALL come. But what if we have horrible Burdens of Filth and Fear lying upon us? Its no matter, ſayes our Ever-living and Ever-loving Lord, come all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden. But what if we do come, ſhall we not miſcarry miſerably, and miſs of our Expectations, notwithſtanding all? No, no. The Faithful & true witneſs ſaith unto us, I will GIVE you REST.

[O let the poor fetter'd Priſoner recollect himſelf; James, thy name is not excepted in theſe INVITATIONS.]

It is a Feaſt of Fat things full of marrow, and p. 55of wines on the lees well refined, which the Lord has made in this Doctrin for the ruin'd Race of ſinful men. It remains that we make ſome Ʋſes of it.

ƲSE. 1. And now Praiſes, Millions of Praiſes, an Eternity of High-praiſes be given unto our Lord Jeſus Chriſt who ſpeakes ſuch things to the rebellious. O the Admiration, O the Adoration which the never-enough praiſed Grace of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould beget in us! At the preaching of this Doctrin we have unnutterable cauſe to do as the Jews did at the building of the Temple in Zech. 4. 7. even to ſhout Grace, Grace, concercerning it, until our Acclamations reach unto the very Heavens. It is recorded of the poor ſlaves among the Brick-kilns in Egypt, Exod. 4. 31. That when they heard the Lord had viſited the children of Iſrael, and had look'd on their Affliction, then they bowed their heads and worſhiped: behold, you have this morning heard, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath viſited the children of men, and bid them in their Afflictions to Look unto Himſelf. O where are the good words, where are the kind thoughts that we ought to magnify this Redeemer and His Grace withal? David once in an holy Ecſtafie of ſoul, 1. Chron. 29. 10,—14. Bleſſed the Lord, and ſaid, O who am I! Verily now, all of us have cauſe to abound with ſuch notes as thoſe, Lord who are we, that He who ſits on the lofty Throne of Eternity ſhould ſend away unto us that ly ſtarving like odious Beggars p. 56among the Ditches and under the Hedges of Hell▪ inviting us to LOOK unto Him and be SAVED! The Phariſees of old aſpers'd Him with this as His Diſgrace, but let us cry it up in Him as his Honour, This man receiveth ſinners. The vertuous Elizabeth in Luc. 1. 43. Wondred that the Mother of her Lord ſhould come unto her: but what a thing is this, that our Lord Himſelf ſhould Invite us to Look, yea, to come unto himſelf! That he who ſits as King for ever upon the lofty Battlements of Heaven, & charges the very Angels with Folly, ſhould ſo far ſmile upon us a company of born-fools wandering about the earth; upon us who dwell in houſes of Clay, whoſe Foundation is in the duſt, which are cruſhed before the moth; did I ſay ſo? Nay this is not the worſt of our Character: we are not only undeſerving creatures, but alſo Hell-deſerving ſ…inners. When our firſt Father began a deſperate War againſt the Omnipotent God, we were part of the mad Regiment involved in his perſidious Treaſon, and our Emnity againſt our Maker has from our very Cradles been ſo enormous, that we ſhould long ere now have bin Devils-in-fleſh, if the checks of Reſtraining Grace had bin taken away. And what unreaſonably vitious lives have we been leading ever ſince a Rational Soul apparently acted in us! How have we bin every moment ſinning againſt the Law of God, tranſgreſſing every precept of Love to God & to man! Yea, p. 57how grievouſ…ly have we bin ſinning againſt the Goſpel too! fearfully grieving, ſleighting, and ſhamefully affronting a Redeemer that for many a day beſought us to be reconciled unto God! This have we been & done. And Ah Lord, doeſt thou open thine eyes upon ſuch ones? What if the Lord Jeſus Chriſt had now only ſpoken unto us ſuch fiery wrathful words as thoſe in Iſa. 1. 23. Aha, I will eaſe me of mine enemies, & avenge me of mine Adverſaries! or thoſe in Luc. 19. 27. Thoſe mine enemies bring hither, and ſlay before me! Verily I ſay unto you, he would be clear in his ſpeaking and juſt in his judging ſo. What if he ſhould appear unto us in the black garments of all-deſolating indignation, with keen Darts & conſuming Thunder-bolts in his hand? What if he ſhould appear in flaming fire, to take vengeance on us that have not known God, nor obeyed his Goſpel? Surely this would be no more than a proper and a proportionable Diſpenſation. But inſtead of this, the winning Language, which with bowels full of ſuch Philanthropy as (this King's wedding a Queen out of our poor Family) His taking our Nature to ſubſiſt in his Second Perſon, doth evince and encline Him to have unto us) he ſpeakes unto us, is, O Look in o Me and be SAVED. Yea, and in this thing he doth with a Riddle of Free Grace deſtinguiſh us from, by dignifying us above uncountable Multitudes of our Fellow-creatures, our Fellow-criminals p. 58If we do look through the earth and into Hell we ſhall ſoon ſee our ſelves lifted up to heaven by the Invitation which our Lord Jeſus has given to us to Look unto Him for Salvation. Let us (we eſpeceally in this Wilderneſs that that like Gideon's Fleece, enjoyes theſe Dewes of Heaven when the reſt of the world is dry, may do it) take a view of all the Viſible World and ſee what incredible Millions in every Generation, there are that either never had one beam from the Sun of Righteouſneſs falling on them, but drop down into the Land of Darkneſs without hearing a word of Him, or, at leaſt, are by their blind Guides muffled up in ſuch Ignorance as proves to them the Mother of Deſtruction. Alas, Alas,—for the people that periſh for lack of viſion, that ſit in the region of the ſhadow of death. But here, in a little Spot of ground that t other day the Devil was worſhiped in, there now are the Colonies, whom the Invitations of Jeſus Chriſt have known above all the Families of earth. This is much! But take a view likewiſe of the howling people in the Inviſible world. Who are there in the fiery diſmal Vault below? There are vaſt Legions of Devils in that place of torment; but unto which of thoſe apoſtate ſpirits has our Lord Jeſus ſaid, I would have thee to look unto me? There is an innumerable number of our Race too gone down into that formidable Pit; but unto none of thoſe does the Lord Chriſt ever p. 59ſay, Thou mayſt be ſaved by me if thou wilt▪ No, thoſe Invitations are our Prerogative. Wonderments, where are you? Halleluiahs, where are you? Syrs, let us place the utmoſt of them upon this miſterious Love. But we are ſottiſh; our unaffected rocky hearts are inſenſible of our obligations to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Then wonder, O ye Angels, give Thanks, O all ye miniſtring Spirits, Let the Morning ſtars in the upper Regions, throughout eternal Ages think honourably of the Saviour whom we are unapt to acknowledge, for his remembring us in our low eſtate, becauſe his mercy endures for ever. O how, how ſhall we enough extol the mer…iful High-Prieſt, whoſe Look unto me and be ſaved, has bin vouchſaved unto us! Is this the manner of men, O Lord? No, no. Then, Let the people praiſe the, O Lord, let all the people praiſe thee, ſince Thy way is known upon the earth, and Thy SAVING Health among all Nations.

But This is not all the Good-Speech of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, unto us; There's ſome-what more that remains to be ſaid unto us all, [and particularly unto that Condemned Malefactor here who is never to ſee the Light of another Sabbath in the world] It was a pathetic word of the Apoſtle to his Corinthians in 2. Cor. 6. 1. We beſeech you that receive not the grace of God in vain. Wherefore

p. 60ƲSE▪ I▪ I. O Let every one of us now Look unto Jeſus Chriſt by Faith for SALVATION. If he ſay unto us, Look unto me, let not us be ſuch prodigies of madneſs as to reply, No, we will not look unto thee. It is a ſweet intercourſe between God and man, which the prophet preſcribes in Jer. 3. 22. where the Call of God is Return ye backſliding children, and I will heal your backslidings: and the Echo of man is, Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. O that there might now be ſuch a Communion between Chriſt and us. His Call is, Look unto Mee and be ſaved: let our Return be, Behold we look unto thee, for thou art the Lord our Saviour. Do not, I entreat you, do not give unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſuch a daring and damning Anſwer as that in Jer. 44. 16. As for the word ſpoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken thereunto. It is a thing declared by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt concerning theſe Goſpel-times Zech. 12. 10. Men ſhall look upon me and morn. Now ſhall a like thing be brought to paſs within theſe walls this day? How ſhall ſo great a thing as this be gained? A ſad part of this Congregation, tis to be doubted, are too much like the Leviathan, Their hearts are as firm as a ſtone, as hard as a peice of the nether Milſtone. The ſword of him that layeth at them cannot hold. Alas; what ſhall be done for them? Unto Thee, O Lord, do I how my knee; O Father of ſpirits and of mercies, p. 61look down with thy tender mercies on the ſpirits of the unperſwadeable Children. And O Thou that haſt the keyes of David in thy hand, Open, open our hearts as thou didſt Lydia's of old, and effect by thy mighty power that we may look unto thee & believe.

God forbid that there ſhould be any Eſau-like deſpiſers of Jeſus Chriſt, and his Invitation, or his Salvation, in the Congregation. God forbid that there ſhould be one ſuch child of perdition as an impenitent unbeliever among us all. Some perſons there are indeed, who make a Scruple of it, May I venture to look unto Jeſus Chriſt, notwithſtanding all my vileneſs, my wretchedneſs, my unworthineſs? To theſe it may be ſafely rejoin'd If you find that God hath wrought your heart to a willingneſs to cloſe with a whole Chriſt, you ſhould not let your Unworthineſs be your Diſcouragement againſt doing of it. The Invitatitation Look unto me, is enough to embolden you unto beleeving looks towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, notwithſtanding all the damps & doubts which your miſgiving hearts may have about your acceptance in it. Syrs, the Golden Sceptre is held out, you may draw near. When Jeſus Chriſt ſaid unto Peter, you may come, he preſently ran over the dangerous waves of the boiſterous Sea unto Him; Truly ſo, ſince Jeſus Chriſt ſayes to you, you may look, let no hard ſuſpicions and ſurmiſes keep you from doing your duty in it. The Canaaniteſs in Mat. 15. 27. did, as one of p. 62Ancients expreſſeth it, play the Philoſopher … …he diſputed the caſe after this rate; A Dog may have Crumbs, It ſeems I am a dog▪ Therefore (an ingenious & a gracious Therefore) I may have Crumbs too. Thus may you Argue proſtrate at the footſtool of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, All the Ends of the earth ſhould look unto thee, O Lord; I am one at the Ends of the earth; Therefore I may look unto thee. Surely He that hath his Chair in the heavens, will deny no part of the Syllogiſm which ſhall thus be framed by a wreſtling Faith, Though you have bin as bad as any among the Corinthians were of old, yet if you have arrived unto a due hunger & thirſt after Jeſus Chriſt, you may endeavour to look unto him, ſaying as Samuel to Eli, Lord here I am for thou calledſt me; and He will be far from ſaying to you as Eli to Samuel, No, I called not.

The Queſtion which ſome will now be ready to ask, is, (and O that many with an earneſtneſs like that wherewith Peter's hearers put forth their What ſhall we do, would ask ſuch a queſtion)

How ſhall I look unto Jeſus Chriſt?

About this there are a few Directions to be given.

O ſet your hearts unto the words that ſhall be teſtified among you, for they are not vain things; your▪ very lives▪ yea the lives of your ſouls are concerned in them.

I Know then, that beſides your occaſio…al glances towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which every day ought to be very many, at leaſt as many as p. 63the ſtings which the infernal vipers do vex your ſouls withal; there is a Set-work of this nature to be ſolemnly performed both by them whoſe dead eyes never yet look'd to Jeſus Chriſt, & by them whoſe dim eyes have cauſe enough to continue looking unto him whom they have already ſeen.

Now there are Two things to be premiſed concerning this. Let this be the 1ſt. premiſed.

It is highly expedient that you ſhould ſpeedily ſet apart a time to make attempts about the grand work of Looking unto Jeſus Chriſt. It is indeed true, that an unbeliever hath no other Aſſureance of proſpering in his Eſſayes to break the iron Priſon doors of his unbelief, but ſuch an Who can tell? ſuch an Who knowes ſuch an It may be, as the Prophets of old were wont much to inſiſt upon. If you ſet your ſelvs to believe in your own ſtrength, the Faith of Simon Magus is all you are like to attain unto. Yet you may be quickned to do what you can, from the renowned Hiſtory of the man with the withred hand in Mat. 13. 13. unto whom Jeſus ſaying, ſtretch forth thy hand; he tryed to do it without any demurr at the ſeeming unſuitableneſs of the Injunction, and Behold he ſtretched it forth and it was reſtored.

Let this be next premiſed. It is extreamly requiſite that this rare work of Looking unto Jeſus Chriſt ſhould be often renewed. Sometimes perhaps the ſpirit of Jealouſy will come upon you, you will be fearing, Alas, I did never yet aright p. 64look unto Jeſus Chriſt! Now the beſt way … ſectle theſe troubled waters, will be that which Jo…ah had, I will look yet AGAIN. And O remember, that to do this work often, over & over again, is a thing than which nothing can more tend to your Victory over all the Adverſaries of your endleſs Welfare. Yea, ſometimes if an Half or a Whole of a day, were purpoſely laid out i… this work, the time will be found not to have …in loſt when Eternity ſhall dawn upon the world. Hence in 1. Pet. 2. 4. they who have already taſted the grace of Jeſus Chriſt are bid ſtill …o come unto him. [Some of us before the ſands of another hour be run out, ſhall ſo meet with this King of glory in his Galleries that we may have a ſpecial opportunity to catch hold on the feet of the Lord who deigns to ſup with us, and like Mary cry my Lord, my Lord, until we have renewed the Looks that have hitherto kept our ſouls in life. O be you thankful for this, and do wish your might what your hands find to do.]

And now, Hear and your ſoul ſhall live. O that you would labour in a wiſe Retirement to …if… up the wof…l eyes of your Hell-ſtung ſouls towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt after ſuch a manner.

1. Meditate moſt affectionately on thoſe thing… which may aw…ken the Chriſt-ward LOOKs of of your ſou…s. It is hinted in Luc. 1. 17. Tha… …dina…ily before perſons …an look unto Jeſus Chriſt, they muſt be a people prepared for the p. 65Lord. Now to promote and produce this peice or Soul-good, there is no Engine, li…e to Conſideration. O Conſideration, what Me…icine for ſou… ▪ maladies is comaparable to That! If we would but let the Angel of CONSIDERATION ſtir the Pool, how probably might we ſtep in, and have our unbelieving eyes enabled to look unto our dear Helper who longs to be doing good unto us! It's ſaid of a Convert in Ezek. 18. 28. He conſiders & he turns, perhaps it may likewiſe at laſt be ſaid of us, he conſiders & he looks. There are then 2 or 3 ſavory Meditations, to which if you ſhould give a time and room, you may hereafter reap the comfort of it. I perceive in Hoſ. 14. 2. and elſewhere, that the prophets would ſometimes put words into the mouths of them that they were travelling for the Salvation of: Something of that kind ſhal now be done by the bringing of thoſe thoughts into your mind which may comport with the Invitations of Jeſus Chriſt.

Let your firſt Head of Meditation be an I Muſt Think with your ſelves, I muſt look unto Jeſus Chriſt. Say to your own ſouls about Looking to Jeſus Chriſt, as Paul did about preaching of Jeſus Chriſt, Neceſſity is laid upon me, and woe unto me if I do it not. Beſtow one look in the firſt place on your ſelvs, upon your own moſt rueful … & Fears. O ponder on the hideous do…ful pligh… which by your Iniquities you have …unk your ſelves into and with an Anguiſh of Soul ſpeak to p. 66your ſelvs in ſuch Soli-loquies as theſe.

Ah, wo is me; In the Fruition of God is enwrapped all my happineſs, without this, O Lord, what will become of me for evermore▪ But never was there a more lamentably forſaken Soul than I. The Terrible God, at whoſe Rebuke… the Everla…ing Rocks are tumbled down, and the mountainous Pillars of heaven tremble, He is ſuch an Adverſary to me, that if I do not agree quickly with …lim, never-ceaſing Tormentors will take me into their unpittying hands. I have like a Fool in whom folly was exalted horribly provoked him by my ſins that are as many as the Sands, & as mighty as the Hills that over-top the Clouds. I am hereupon juſtly already ſmitten with ſpiritual plagues, & juſtly given over into the clutches of the red roaring Dragons, & devouring Lions whom I have moſt fondly hearkned unto Yea I ſee the dreadful Gulf below gaping for me, I ſee my ſelf ready to be prey'd upon by the worm that dyes not, & by the fire which never ſhall be quenched. Nor can I by any means pluck my ſelf out from this horrible Pit, this miery clay. Alas, What ſhall I do? O wretchman that I am, who ſhall deliver me?

Let your ſecond Head of Meditation hereupon be an, I May. Think with your ſelvs, I May look to Jeſus Chriſt. O hear him crying to you from the fragrant Tops of the Spicy Mountains p. 67as in Hoſ. 13. 9. O Soul, thou haſt deſtroy'd thy ſelf but in Me is thy help. Don't let your Imaginations be, that There is no hope. No, reſerve now anoth… look for Jeſus Chriſt, as the Moſes ſent by God to draw you out from black floods of your perplex…s. Now refreſh your ſelvs with this Reflection.

That there is ſuch an one as the God-man Jeſus Chriſt to goe unto; and ſo (ſay) tis poſſible that I may live. Say now with your ſelvs.

But is there no hope in Iſrael concerning me? yes, I ſee a door of hope. My God may become my Friend, and His Foe MAY become His child yet for all this. Yet may I glorify Him & enjoy Him forever. The Son of God is become the Son of man, a Dayes-man between God & man. It has pleas'd the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell, and it hath pleaſed Himſelf, to engage in the bleſſed work of bringing God and man together. Neither will I undervalue Him ſo much, as to count that any of my ſtreights are too difficult for Him to meddle with, or that any of my Faults will cauſe him to reject the Supplications that his Spirit ſhall help me to come before him with. No, No, when I am about to ſay unto him, Lord, If thou wilt tho… canſt ſave me, His preventing Goodneſs ſayes to me, Soul, if thou wilt, I will. Then I will no longer pine away in mine Iniquities, but look, unto Him immediately. Having got thus far,

Then 2. Cry to Heaven that you may be p. 68Enabled to Look unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt▪ The Caſe is ſo that you cannot look unto Jeſus Chriſt until you ſee that you cannot look. Never will you aright look, unto Jeſus Chriſt, if you do it not with Sentiments a kin to that in Joh. 6. 44. No man … come (or look) unto Jeſus Chriſt except the Father draw him. No, we have bin told by the heavenly Records, concerning this Look of Faith, that it is the gift of God. That it is the Operation of GOD, and that it is cauſed by the mighty power of God. It was asked of old in Joh. 6. 44. How can ye believe? Such an humbling Quære ſhould you put unto your ſelves, How can I look unto Jeſus Chriſt? Certainly you can as eaſily make Iron ſwim, and ponderous Mountains to fly like Atoms about the Air, and bulky Rocks to place themſelves among the ſhining ſtars in the Firmament of God, as look unto Jeſus Chriſt by any Abilities of your own. If you would not have your Faith prove a Cobweb in the day when the fiery Beeſom of Deſtruction ſhall ſweep the world, you muſt firſt ſay with him in 1 ſal. 40. 12. I am not able to look up. Now with a bleeding ſoul, on the precipeice of an inevitable Hell, make your moans as the man did in Mar. 9. 24. Lord help my unbelief. Now ſay; O Lord I muſt believe or dy, I may believe and live; but I cannot, O I cannot. Do thou draw me, do thou turn me, or I ſhall yet miſcarry. Doe thou work p. 69this work of thine own in me and for me▪ ſo the whole of my Salvation will at length redound to thy Honour. Not unto me, not unto me, but unto Thee, O Lord will be all the Glory. Hereupon▪ Labour to look as well as you can unto Jeſus Chriſt for All that Salvation which He has to confer upon you. There is a probable likelyhood that the iſſue of your ſtruggling after faith may be this, That the Lord Jeſus Chriſt will ſay unto you, as once unto deceaſed Lazarus, O thou dead Soul, ariſe. Watch now to follow him as Peter did the Angel in Act 12. 9. till you have got out of the Goal which you have on a Light fire over your heads. Tis poſſible and more than ſo, that Jeſus Chriſt may now do by you as he did to that man in Marc. 8. 25. when He put His hands upon his eyes, and made him look up. Now, now profeſs unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as did Jehoſhaphat long ago, in 2. Chron. 20. 12. I know not what to do, O Lord, but my eyes are up unto thee. O ſay to him, Lord, I look unto Thee for for thy Salvation, yea, as the Hart panteth after the water brooks; ſo does my ſoul after Thee, O Saviour. I do heartily cloſe with Thee, as the Surety of the New everlaſting Covenant which is made between the Frſt Being & my ſoul; and I wait upon Thee for the Communication of all the ſure mercies which belong unto it.

But in doing thus, have a ſpecial Regard to this, That you do not retain a Prejudice againſt any part p. 70Part of the Salvation which you ought to be deſireous of. O don't look a ſquint when you look unto Jeſus Chriſt. Don't divide his ſaving Offices His ſaving Kindneſſes; but with a ſingle eye, ſay, Lord, be all that to me which thou art to any of thy choſen ones. Hath the Lord ſaid of Him, in Pſal. 110, 4. Thou art a Prieſt forever? Now do you anſwer, Lord, I conſent to have Jeſus Chriſt on my behalf a Prieſt whoſe Obedience, & Inetrceſſion ſhall take away all Controverſies between Thee & me. Has the Lord ſaid of him in Act. 3. 22. A Prophet ſhall the Lord raiſe up unto you? Do you anſwer, Lord, let Jeſus Chriſt be my Prophet, leading me evermore in the way wherein I ſhould go. Has the Lord ſaid of him in Pſal. 2. 6. I have ſet him as my King upon my holy hill? Do you anſwer, Lord, I would have Jeſus Chriſt be my King forever, Governing, Strengthening, defending of me whileſt I have any being. Do this;—And then labour to reſt with glorious Tranſports and Triumphs now ſaying, Why are thou caſt down, O my ſoul? Hope in the Lord, for thou ſhalt praiſe Him, who is thy Salvation.

This is the good way, walk therein and you ſhall find Reſt for your ſouls. But, O ye ſouls in peril, what is the Reſolution that you intend to go out of this Houſe withal? Is your anſwer like theirs in Jer. 6. 16.—we will not walk therein? Shall yonder Doors anon bear witneſs againſt you, Here paſſes by a perſon that will ſtill neglect p. 71… look unto Jeſus Chriſt. Alas has all this Rain fallen upon the Rocks? Will none of us now with full purpoſe of heart, ſay before the heartſearching One, with him in Marc. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my Salvation. how ſtrangely beſotted muſt that Iſraelite have been, who ſhould have declined to have given a Look unto the Remedy which the Almighty had provided for him, when the mortal ſpreading Venome of a Scorpion had ſet his bloud in a torturing flame? Epecially, when all the world (as I perceive by …hat the Roman Poet Lucan wrote many Ages after) could not help to any other cure of the ſtinging Strokes which the Tayls of theſe Preſters gave? Every Unbeliever here is to be charged with a more bruitiſh & ſtupid Madneſs. Indeed the Jewiſh Talmud affirms, that a Look mith the eye to the brazen Serpent did the people in the Deſart no good, unleſs there were at the ſame time a look with the heart unto the heavenly Father alſo. But moſt aſſuredly, without your Look unto Jeſus Chriſt, it is impoſſible that your Souls ſhould do any other than Welter and languiſh under dolours more ſcorching than Rivers of burning Brimſtone or of running Bell-metal world without end. 'Tis uncertain what your eſteem of Salvation is, but ſurely Salvation ſhould be worth a Look. My Friend, if the Saviour had bid thee do ſome great thing, wouldſt thou not have done it? yea, thou p. 72ſhouldſt have reckoned Salvation to be worth Rocks of Diamonds. Thouſands of Rams, and ten Thouſands of Rivers of oyl, are not too much to be parted with by him that would have SALVATION. What an obdurate heart of Adamant muſt he then have that ſhall be diſobedient when our Lord only ſaith LOOK and be ſaved! You have now a ſeaſon to ſecure Salvation at ſo cheap a rate; but I may not break off till I have moſt vehemently and faithfully proteſted unto you, that you ſhall not alwayes have ſo. You are here mourning over a man in Irons whoſe life will be done before this week be out: and yet who among you can ſay that your Great Change is not nearer unto you? but I do with utmoſt ardour of ſpirit declare unto you, That if your ſouls are found Faithleſs & Chriſtleſs when they are required of you, Wo, wo unto you ten thouſand times,—for inſinitely more than ten thouſand Ages. He that made you will not have mercy on you; He that formed you will ſhew you no Favour. You ſhall, be baniſhed from the light of his countenance for evermore. Becauſe you would not look unto the Son of God while the day of His patience did continue, you, ſhall miſerably periſh when his wrath is kindled more than a little. Then inſtead of the delightful ſound which the High-Prieſts Bells do now make, of Look & be ſaved, or the ſilver Trumpets wherewith the Lord Chriſt doth proclaim a Jubilee of Liberty to Captives, p. 73and opening of the priſon to them that ar… bound, you ſhall hear nothing but the Thunder of his exaſperated Jealouſy. Now you have him offering of Salvation for a Look, but if you are ſuch deaf Adders as to diſregard the ſame, you ſhall hearafter look unto him, and ſee nothing but Frowns & fierce Lightennings, and flagrant ſparkling Coals of Juniper about him: Alas, in the room thereof you ſhall have from him only thoſe bitter angry aſtoniſhing Words in Matt. 25. 41. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting ſire. Then, O then all your looks unto him will meet with ſuch confuſion as the Lord ſpeaks of in Zech. 7. 13. It is come to paſs, as he cryed & they would not hear, ſo they cryed and I would not hear, ſaith the Lord. And will you make ſuch a choice as this, ye children of Folly? You that have a million times bin hearkning to the bloudy Devil when he has ſaid ſerve me and take Hell for thy pains: will you not hearken unto that altogether lovely Lord who ſaith unto you, Look unto me, and I with all my Salvation will be thine Verily, the moſt black mouth'd Oathes, and ſoul Uncleanneſſes and filthy Drunkenneſſes of the vileſt Debauchee, will not pull down ſorer Puniſhment than this UNBELIEF will bring upon the UNLOOKING Sinners, who will thus render themſelves as the Fat of Lambs before the JƲSTICE of the Almighty p. 74for their contemning the Lamb of Gods I pray you Brethren, do not thus wickedly. O do not for want of a Look make it more tolerable for Sodom & Gomorrha in the day of Judgment than for you. O that the eternal Spirit would rend the heavens & come down to rend the hearts which are ſtill ſhut againſt all the motions that Jeſus Chriſt does make unto them. It is foretold concerning the Day of the Lord's working upon Iſrael, in Iſai. 12. In that day ſhall a man look to his Maker. O for the Dawns of ſuch a day upon us, wherein it may be ſaid, In this day, many a man looks to his Redeemer. O that every ſeat within theſe walls might be full of the believing ſouls, who at this moment ſay unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he in Pſal. 5. 3. My voice ſhalt Thou hear, O Lord, and I will look up: and who will evermore keep looking, and looking, and looking, unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, until He do ariſe & ſave them. Amen.

BUt what is thus ſaid unto All is now mainly to be ſaid unto One. I ſee a Condemed Priſoner here, to whom this CALL of the GOSPEL is moſt particulurly to be directed.

The Meſſage which I have to bring unto You, is like that which the Prophet once carried unto a better man, O Set thy Soul in order, for thou ſhalt DY and not live. It is indeed a very ſorrowful thing unto us, to ſee, that a man in his early p. 75dayes ſhould thus dy before his time for his being wicked overmuch! That when half the Age of a man has not paſſ'd over you, a doelful dreadful Storm of God does hurry you away from your afflicted family. Yea, that men do clap their hands at you, and hiſs you out of your place. I hope there are no ſuch flinty bowels here, as do not yern over you: yet the Land muſt not be polluted by the ſparing of you. You have ſlain a man to your wounding & a miſerable man to your hurt. You that have been wont formerly to ſay of the Sabbath, What a wearineſs is it? muſt not now be permitted to draw your breath until the Revolution of another Sabbath. Behold Now is your accepted time, Now is your day of Salvation. By that time a few ſwift hours are flown away, your pretious and yet periſhing ſoul is to be hurried away into Eternity.—But O what a a ſoul gaſtring word is that, ETERNITY, ETERNITY! If within 4 or 5 days you have not ſecured the Salvation of your ſoul … looking unto Jeſus Chriſt, your ſoul, that never-dying Soul of yours, that Spark of Immortality which yet takes up its lodging in you, muſt be broken in the place of dragons, for as many millions of Years as there are ſtars in the Sky, or drops in the Sea, or ſands on the Shore, and yet be no nearer to the end of the Gnawes & Scalds that ſhall overwhelw it, than the firſt moment that they began▪ Some Sips of the cup which is there alwaies in p. 76the trembling hands of the Out-caſt Ones have before now made a man in this world to ſay, I deſire no greater mitigation of my miſery, than that I might ly in the room of the Back-log behind the fire on my hearth forever. Suerly you don't intend to try how you can grapple with ſuch a Damnation as you are now upon the brink and the Borders of. Can your heart be ſtrong, or can your hand… endure in the day that I ſhall deal with you? ſaith the Lord.

I am glad for the ſeemingly penitent Confeſſion of your monſtrous Miſcarriages which yeſterday I obtained in writing from you, and which indeed was no more than there was need of. But it now remains yet, That you give your dying Looks unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for Salvation from all your Guilt, and from all the Plagues in the flying Roll which that does expoſe you to. The Man-ſlayer of old had a City of Refuge to befriend him; Behold I do this day in the name of Jeſus Chriſt point you to ſuch an one. O poor ſoul, LOOK, look up, and run unto it. O don't ſit down on this ſide a full Reſignation of your ſelf unto Jeſus Chriſt, leſt the Everlaſting and the ever-burning Vengeance of the Almighty do overtake you in your doing ſo. For your Aſſiſtance herein, beſides what I have more privately ſaid to you, ſince you firſt writt to me your deſires of ſpeaking with me, I have now only theſe Requeſts to make unto you. My firſt Requeſt unto you is,

p. 77That you would at this hour think of an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, as you will quickly at the hour of your death & of your judgment. Surely when the Executioner is laying the cloth of Death over your eyes, the Look with the Shriek of your ſoul will then ſay, O now a 1000 worlds for an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt! Surely, a few minutes after that, when your naked ſoul ſhall appear before the Judgment ſeat of the moſt High, you will again have it over, An Intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt…s now worth whole mountains of maſſie gold. O let this be now the ſettled opinion of your awakned heart: reckon that if God help you to give one Look unto Jeſus Chriſt, it will be a greater merey to you than if not only a life in this world, but all the Riches & honour & pleaſures of it were beſtowed upon you. My next Requeſt to you is▪

That you would look upon Jeſus Chriſt, as not only able but willing to be your Saviour. It is true, that you have murdered your own ſoul many Thouſands of times, by leading a life of moſt horrid Impietyes. It is true that after all you have murdered the Body (and no thanks to, you if not the ſoul) of your Neighbour too. Yea, It is true, (and O that the Rock in your boſom might flow with tears at the ſtroke of ſuch a thought) that you have by ſin wickedly murdered the Lord Jeſus Chriſt Himſelf, Yet, yet is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt from yonder heaven this day pleading with you, O look upon Me as one ready p. 78to be thine. He that ſaies, Look unto me▪ all ye end▪ of the earth, alſo ſaith, Poor man, do thou look unto me from thy Dungeon, yea… and when thou ſhalt be at the end of the Town upon thy Ladder alſo▪ Oh Jeſus Chriſt is that Saviour who ſaid once to a Malefactor in the after-noon wherein he was hang'd, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. Chriſt is that Saviour who made a pardoned Diſcipile of one from whom he was put to caſt out … devils perhaps as many fiends as your ſoul has bin the Caſtle of. Multitudes of ſuch bloody creatures as the infamous Manaſſeh was have been taken under the merciful wings of Jeſus Chriſt. O thou Priſoner of hope, it is not an utterly impoſſible thing, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould take from the Gallows unto Glory.

My Third Requeſt unto you is, That your looks unto Jeſus Chriſt may be very humble, exceeding ſincere, and exceeding earneſt. O while you are looking to Jeſus Chriſt be loathing of your ſelf. Abhor and condemn your ſelf as moſt worthy of all the cruſhes that you can have in the wine-preſs of Omnipotent Fury, of all the howling Torments between the Mill-ſtones in the Pit below. And let every way of wickedneſs become hateful, yea, more bitter than death unto you, as rendring you obnoxious hereunto. Nay, ſet open the Door of your ſoul unto the Saviour that is knocking at it, for this very thing, that he may make it an evil a…d a better thing unto you, to for ſake the Lord: p. 79for if you go out of the world with any ſweet morſel in your mouth or with any harboured beloved luſt of which you don't truly ſay, Lord, turn me from it. I do moſt ſolemnly teſtify unto you▪ It had bin good for you that you never had been born▪ you ſhall becomeas a glowing Iron fully poſſeſſed by the hot wrath of God; & you ſhall be made as a fiery Oven fill'd with his indignation, without any Eaſe, without any End. Be alſo moſt importunate in your Sighs & Cries unto Jeſus Chriſt for ſuch deſireable things, urge hard, t… for the life of a ſoul that ſhall never die. If the Court ſhould ſay to you, Beg hard & you ſhall live, Oh how aflectionate would you be! Soul, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſaies that thing to you, If thou canſt heartily look & beg thou ſhalt not be hang'd up among the monuments of my vengeance in chain… of darkneſs forevermore. How can you now be ſilent or ſenſleſs? or not ſtrive in prayer? or not ſtir up your ſelf to take hold of ſuch boundleſs mercy? It was indeed the inſolent ſpeech of Pilate unto Jeſus Chriſt when he had Him at his Barr, Speakeſt thou not unto me? knoweſt thou not that I have power to crucify thee, & have power to releaſe thee? But it is more fitly ſpoken by Jeſus Chriſt unto you, Knoweſt thou not that I have power to deſtroy thee ſoul & body in hell forevermore? knoweſt thou not that if thou paſſeſt a day or two more without a due regard unto me, thou canſt not be ſaved therefrom, tho' the life of all the Angels in heaven p. 80ſhould be proffered for thy ranſom; and ſpeakeſt tho… not unto Me? O thou deplorable ſoul, ſpeak and ſeek and look unto Him as for Life eternal.

May laſt Requeſt unto you is, O give & get all the Honour you can unto that Jeſus from whom you look for your Salvation. While you are ſecking to look well unto Him, O ſee that you ſpeak well of Him, and do well for Him, until you ſhall ſpeak and do & be among the living on the earth no more. Surely you have by preſumptious things enough reproached him already. The ſharp Ax of Civil Juſtice will ſpeedily cut you down; O for a little good fruit before the blow! Manifeſt your penitence for your Iniquities by a due care to excel in tempers quite contrary to thoſe ill Habits and cuſtoms whereby you have heretofore blaſphemed the worthy Name of Chriſt & Chriſtianity. Eſpecially employ the laſt minutes of your Life in giving a zealous Warning unto others to take need of thoſe things which have bin deſtructive unto you. Tell them what wild Gourds of death they are by which you have got your Bane; point out before them thoſe pathes of the deſtroyer which have led you down ſo near unto the Congregation …f the dead. When the numerous croud of ſpectators are 3 or 4 days hence thronged about the place where you ſhall then breathe your laſt before them all, then do you with the heart-piercing groans of a deadly wounded man … of your follow-ſinners that they would p. 81turn new every one from the evil of his way. Beſeech of them to keep clear of ill Haunts & ill Houſes, with as much dread of them as they could have of lying down in a neſt of poiſonful Snakes. Beſeech of them to abhor all Ʋncleanneſs as they would the deep ditch which the abhorred of the Lord do fall into. Beſeech of them to avoid all Exceſs in Drinking as they would not rott themſelves with more bitter Liquors than the Waters of Jealouſie. Beſeech of them to moderate and mortifie all inordinate Paſſions as they would not ſurrender themſelves into the hands of Devils that will hurry them down into deeper Deeps than they are aware. Beſeech of them to Shun idle Swearing as a Prophanity that the GOD to whom Vengeance belongeth will not permit to go unpuniſhed. Beſeech of them to avoid Curſes on themſelves or others, leſt while they like Madmen ſo throw about fire-brands & arrows & death, they bring upon their own heads, as you have done, the things which they are apt raſhly to be wiſhing of. Beſeech of them to beware of Lying, as they would not be put to need & crave & be denied a drop of water to cool their tongues in the place of Torment. Beſeech of them to be as averſe to all Stealing as they would be to carry coals of fire into the Neſts that they ſo feather by their diſhoneſty. Beſeech of them to prize the means of Grace; to ſleep At or keep from Sermons no more; to love the Habitation of God's p. 82houſe, and the place where His Honour dwels leſt God do ſoon ſend their froward barren ſouls to dwell in ſilence, where there never ſhall be a Goſpel-Sermon heard; never, never as long as the Almighty ſits upon His Chryſtal Throne.

And when you have given theſe Warnings upon the Ladder from whence you ſhall not come off without taking an irrecoverable ſtep into eternity; O remember ſtill you give unto Jeſus Chriſt the honour of LOOKING to Him for His Salvation. Remember that if you would do a work highly for the honour of Him, This is The work of God, that you Believe on Him. Even after your eyes are ſo covered as to take their leave of all ſights below, ſtill continue LOOKING unto Him whom you have heard ſaying, Look unto Me. And now let the Everlaſting Saviour LOOK down in much mercy on you: O that He would give this Murderer and extraordinary Sinner, a place among the Wonders of free Grace! O that this wretched man might be made meet for the Inheritance with the Saints in Light; being kept from ſuch an unrepenting and deluded heart as unquenchable fire will find Fuel in.

And be thou pleaſed, O Holy Lord God Almighty to ſanctifie this Example ſo, that the Sinners in this Zion may be afraid, & that Fearfulneſs may ſurpriſe the Hypocrites thereof, and they may all hear, and fear, and do wickedly no more.

Amen, Amen.

AN EXHORTATION To A CONDEMNED MALEFACTOR

Delivered March the 7th 1686.

By JOSHƲA MOODY, Preacher of the Goſpel at Boſton in New-England.

Ezek. 33. 9. If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, if he do not turn from his way, he ſhall dy in his iniquity, but thou ſhalt deliver thy ſoul.

Joſh. 7. 19. —Give glory—to the God of Iſrael and make Confeſſion to Him, and tell me what thou haſt done.

Iſai. 55. 7. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forſake his Way, and the unrighteous man his Thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Printed at BOSTON, by R. P. Anno 1687.