All the Living Must Surely Die and Go to Judgment, Sermon

All the Living Must Surely Die and Go to Judgment · Sermon

Mr. Edwards's Sermon,

On Hebrews IX.27. —It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment.

At a General Aſſembly Holden at Hartford May 11th. 1732,

Ordered by this Aſſembly, THAT Roger Wolcott, Eſq and Capt. Samuel Mather, Return the Thanks of this Aſſembly to the Reverend Mr. Timothy Edwards of Windſor, for his Sermon Preach'd before this Aſſembly on the Eleventh of May Inſtant, and Deſire he give a Copy thereof that it may be Printed.

Hez. Wyllys Secr.

All the Living muſt ſurely Die, and go to Judgment.

A Sermon (With ſome little, and but little Enlargement in a …ew Particulars) Preach'd before the General Aſſembly OF THE Colony of Connecticut at Hartford, on the day of Election There, On May 11th. 1732.

By Timothy Edwards M.A. Paſtor of a Church in Windſor.

Eccl. ix.5. —The Living know that they ſhall Die.

2 Cor. v.10 —We muſt all appear before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST.

Publish'd by Order of the General Aſſembly.

N. LONDON: Printed & Sold by T. GREEN, Printer to the Gov. and Company, 1732.

p. 1All the Living muſt ſurely die, and go to Judgment.

HEBREWS IX.27.

—It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment.

GOD is the Supream Lord & Ruler of the world, and Governs it according to his own eternal Counſels, wherein he is abſolutely free and Sovereign, and though in all his decrees and diſpenſations he acts in infinite Wiſdom, & according to the ſpotl…ſs Purity, & glorious Holineſs of his own moſt bleſſed Nature, and the Rules of the moſt perfect Equity and Righteouſneſs, yet in ſome of them he is not only to high for the moſt ſoaring thou…hts of the w…ſt & moſt knowing men, and too deep for the reach of the longeſt line of humane Underſtanding, but alſo very croſs & contrary to the natural inclinations of men; eſpecially while in their fallen and depraved State, And in particular he is ſo in the things mentioned in our Text For the opening of which ſeveral things may be obſerved.

p. 21. An Appointment or Decree of God, in theſe words, It is appointed, that is by God: He is the author of this decree; this is implied here, and abundantly expreſſed elſewhere in the holy Scripture.

2. The Objects of this decree, and they are Men. It is appointed for men.

3. The Extent of this decree with reſpect to the Objects of it, and that is noted by this word All. It extends to all men; the decree with reſpect to the Object of it is of univerſal extent.

4. The things contain'd in this decree or appointment of God, and they are two, viz, Death and Judgment.

(1) Death It is appointed for all men to die. And here we may obſerve the Limitation of this, namely of mens dying, by the Divine decree as to time; as God hath appointed that all men muſt die, ſo he hath Limited their dying to one time, they muſt die but once. There have been two men ſince the world began that never died, viz. Enoch & Elijah And they alſo that will be alive when Chriſt comes to Judge the world (as ſeems plain from Scripture will not die; And ſome of the lead that were raiſed to life by Chriſt & his Apoſtles, & by ſome of the Prophets, might (for ought that we know) die a second time; but in all Ages & Generations of p. 3men (those mention'd only excepted) we have reaſon to conclude that all have died & muſt die, & that but once. This ſeems to be the decree of Heaven: this is the appointment of the great Sovereign of the world concerning men.

(2) The ſecond thing mentioned in the decree of God concerning men is, that they ſhall go to Judgment. Now men are favour'd with a time of Patience & a day of Grace; but a day of Judgment is coming, wherein they muſt receive a Judicial Sentence from God their Judge, and be diſpos'd of by him acccording to the Rules of ſtrict Juſtice.

5. The laſt thing I ſhall Obſerve in the Text, is, the time of this Judgment, & that is, after Death. It is appointed for all men once to die, & after this the Judgment. What is further needful for the Opening of the words, may be left to the Explication of the Doctrine, which is this, viz.

DOCT. The Time is coming when all Perſons now Living, muſt ſurely Die & go to Judgment.

In many things men in this life do greatly differ, and that both in temporal & ſpiritual reſpects, but there is one thing wherein they all agree: Men of all ranks & degrees, of all kinds & qualifications do agree in this, that they are mortal & muſt die.

p. 4And as men greatly differ in their ſtate & condition during this preſent life (I mean eſpecially while health is continu'd to 'em) ſo they do in the manner of their dying. Thus it is both as to godly & wicked men. Some that have liv'd a truly godly life ſay but little when they come to die; others ſay much, & that to the great comfort of their friends about them▪ Some godly perſons die with but a ſupporting hope, others die with a triumphant joy; & ſome of the dear children of God have (without doubt) died in the dark.

The death of wicked men alſo is attended with very differing circumſtances; ſome of them die in the ſame carnal ſecurity & ſenſeleſs ſtupidity in which they all along liv'd, Job 21.23 Others die as with a guilty, ſo with an awakenend & accuſing Conſcience. Some die under deluſions & with falſe hopes, and in others their hope is as the giving up of the ghoſt. Job 11.20. Terrors are upon them, yea they take hold of them as waters. Job 27.20. They are in great diſtreſs upon their death-beds, they die in the bitterneſs of their souls, Job 21 25. Yea, it hath been the doleful caſe of ſome that have liv'd wicked lives to go out of the world deſpairing of mercy. Thus greatly do ſome men differ from others in the circumſtances that their death p. 5is attended with & that both of the godly & of the wicked, but in this they all agree, that they come to their end, their breath goeth forth, they return to their duſt, their ſouls go into Eternity, their bodies go to the grave, to the houſe appointed for all living, they enter into the ſtate of the dead, and there they take up their lodging, lying and ſleeping in ſilence in the dark chambers of death, and have no more a portion for ever in any thing done under the Sun.

And as there is a great difference between ſome men & others at their death, or in the manner of their dying, ſo there is ſtill a far greater difference in their ſtate after death.

Men don't all go to heaven when they die, neither do they all go to hell: ſome go one way & ſome another. Some go to everlaſting reſt joy & glory, others to endleſs deſpair, wo & miſery: but in this they agree that they all go to Judgment.

The Doctrinal handling of this truth may come under theſe particulars.

1 There is a time coming when all the living muſt ſurely die. 2. God hath made it to be the duty of men, to ſpend their appointed time in the world in the ſervice & to the glory of their Maker. 3. God hath appointed a time, wherein he will call men to an account how they have acted in their places, & how they have ſpent their time in the world.

p. 6I. There is a time coming when all the living muſt ſurely die. All the living have ſinn'd againſt God, the God that created them & all the world, & therefore they muſt die. God at firſt made man in a ſtate of innocency & integrity, & had he continu'd in that ſtate during the time of his probation, God would have ſetled & confirm'd him in a happy Immortality; but our firſt Father, the firſt man that God created, by diſobedience to his Maker, fell from his firſt eſtate, & being conſtituted by God to be the publick Head & Repreſentative of all that ſhould by ordinary Generation deſcend from him, all mankind ſinned in him.

And then again, All are ſinners by their own inherent corruption, Pſ. 51.5 Behold, I was ſhapen in ſin, & in iniquity did my mother conceive me Job 25.4. How can man be juſtified with God, or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? And all that live to be capable of it, are ſinners by actual tranſgreſſion, Eccl. 7.20. There is not a juſt man upon earth that doth good & ſinneth not. And therefore all the living muſt die. Man hath made himſelf a ſinful creature, and therefore God hath juſtly made him a mortal dying creature, Rom 5.12. By one man ſin entred into the world, & death by ſin, & ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinn'd. The wicked muſt die, becauſe they are under the curſe p. 7of the Law, of which death is a conſiderable part: and though Chriſt hath delivered the Righteous from it, having born the curſe for them, yet for great and weighty reaſons they muſt die alſo.

Should men upon their Converſion be preſently made immortal, ſeveral great inconveniences (as might eaſily be ſhew'd) would follow upon it, & therefore God hath wiſely order'd it otherwiſe.

And then the death of the Righteous is an occaſion of ſome great and excellent things, which would never have been without it, things that are much to the glory of God, & honour of our Redeemer. I ſhall very briefly mention ſome of them, Namely, a humble Submiſſion & Reſignation to the Will of God, in the moſt trying caſe, in their willingneſs to die, and ſo to leave all that's dear to them in the world & to part with life it ſelf becauſe God will have it to be ſo, Numb. 33 38. And Aaron the prieſt went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord & died there, &c.

And hence Patience hath its perfect work, in the dying Saint's bearing the pains of his Sickneſs, yea ſometimes of a long & ſore ſickneſs, and the very pangs and bitter agonies off death it ſelf, as the hand of a Sovereign God upon him, with a humble, holy ſilence & quietneſs of ſpirit, without any diſcontent or murmuring p. 8And hence Faith alſo is exercis'd in ſome of the moſt noble acts of it, in leaving Children, & others very dear, with God, and in the departing ſouls venturing it felt for Eternity, in the hands, & under the care of Jeſus Chriſt, & in truſting in him, for a glorious Reſurrection of its now dying body, from the Dead to Life again.

The dying of the righteous is alſo an occaſion of one of the higheſt & moſt glorious acts of divine Love, in that they eſteem the viſion & fruition of God, & their being with Chriſt in heaven in a ſtare of perfect holineſs, to be things worth dying for, & therefore are willing for the ſake of theſe things to leave all earthly things & that for ever, and that their bodies that have been ſo dear to them, ſhou'd during God's pleaſure dwell in a ſtate of darkneſs & ſilence, & be the ſubjects of loathſom corruption in the noiſon purifying Grave.

Hence alſo will ariſe great honour & glory to the Son of God, in raiſing not only the wicked, but the righteous too, and ſo all the dead of all ages and generations to life again. The Reſurrectin of the Dead is a work inexpreſſibly great & wonderful, & this work will be done by Jeſus Chriſt, Joh 5 25,—28,29 The hour cameth when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God... The hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves ſhall hear his voice, & ſhall come forth. &c.

p. 9And herein the mighty Power, & infinite Underſtanding of Chriſt will gloriouſly ſhine forth, and he will appear to be a perſon truly Divine. Conſidering theſe things, the Righteous as well as the Wicked, and ſo all perſons living muſt die.

II God hath made it the duty of men to ſpend their appointed time in the world, in his Service & to his Glory, And indeed it is moſt juſt and reaſonable that it ſhould be ſo; for God is a Being of infinite Dignity & Excellency, and all men have received their life & being from Him, and he ſuſtains them day and night and keeps them every moment: He is the Fountain of all that good that they enjoy or hope for. Upon God men have an abſolute and intire dependance for all that they have, and for all that they need, & that both for time & eternity; and to Him they are under the higheſt Obligations: And therefore by the very law of their Creation, & by all the laws & rules of Reaſon & equity, of Gratitude Piety, Prudence & Self-intereſt, they are bound to ſerve and glorify God. And indeed that men ſhou'd ſpend their whole time, & improve all their opportunities & talents for that God who is a Being of all poſſible Perfection, whoſe Creatures they are, and whoſe Service and Glory is the very end of their being, & of all that they are & have, is a duty ſo reaſonable, p. 10that there can be no juſt Objection againſt it, nor any good Excuſe made for the neglect of it. Deut. 10.12. And now, Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, & to walk in his ways, & to love him, & to ſerve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul?

III. GOD hath appointed a Time wherein he will call men to an Account how they have acted in their Places, and how they have ſpent their time in the world. Divines tell us that immediately after death, God paſſes a particular Judgment upon men; and the Scripture ſeems plainly to favour this, & to guide us to ſuch a concluſion, Eccl. 12.7. Then ſhall the duſt return to the earth, as it was, & the ſpirit to God who gave it. Not to God to enjoy Him as their Portion; this can't be the meaning of it, for it ſpeaks of all departed Souls and wicked fouls in their ſeparate ſtate will be far from that: therefore it muſt mean that when men die, their ſpirits or ſouls ſhall return to God as their Judge, to be ſetled by his Judicial Sentence in their Eternal State. The word of God alſo informs us, that the ſouls of ſome preſently after their death are fixed by God in a happy ſtate, and the ſouls of others in a ſtate of two & miſery, Luk. 16.22, 23. And the beggar died & was carried by angels into Abrahams boſom: the rich man alſo died & was buried, & in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment, &c.

p. 11It is alſo clear from God's word, that this preſent life is mens only time to prepare for Judgment in. When that is at an end their day of grace is paſt & over for ever, and they are immediately ſet by God under a diſpenſation of Judgment, 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of ſalvation.

God hath alſo appointed a day or time of general Judgment, wherein all the inhabitants of the world, of all Nations & Ages muſt appear before Him, and receive Judgment from Him. This may well be call'd (as it ſometimes is) the great Day of Judgment, wherein God who is infinitely the higheſt Majeſty, the moſt awful & tremendous of all Beings, will appear in amazing Glory, as King & Judge of the world (God in his Second Perſon, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, I mean, who is God the Son) when the Monarchs of the world, with the Meaneſt of the People, ſuch as are now Judges in their Robes, with them that are Priſoners in their Chains; they that ſpeak in the Name of the Lord, with them that hear them; yea, all mankind from the higheſt to the loweſt, from the throne to the footſtool, muſt ſtand at Chriſt's Bar, on whom He will with the moſt ſolemn form, and in the moſt open and publick manner, paſs that final and definitive Sentence, that will unalterably ſettle them in their Everlaſting State, according to what p. 12they have done in their ſtate of Mortality here in the world. Rev. 20 11,—And I ſaw great white throne, and him that ſat upon it.... And I ſaw the dead ſmall and great ſtand before God & the books were opened, and the dead were judged out of thoſe things that were written in the books, every man according to their works This is alſo very clear from what we have in Mathew 25.31 to the end.

All mankind ſhall be Judged by Chriſt in this ſolemn & moſt open manner, that ſo all his faithful Servants may appear with him in glory, & be by Him abſolved, acquitted, owned and highly honoured, and by his Sentence have a moſt glorious Reward aſſign'd them before all the world. And that all the wicked being condeamed by Chriſt to their deſerved Puniſhment, may ſtand aſhamed, amazed & confounded, before GOD, Angels and Men.

It is a very ſuitable thing, & moſt wiſely ordered by God, that there ſhould be a day of Judgment held in this moſt publick, open & s;olemn manner, that ſoan innumerable company of Angels with many millions of Mankind, may be witneſſes to the tranſactions of that day & of Chriſt's management of the grand affairs of it, that ſo the grace, truth, juſtice & holineſs of God may gloriouſly appear in the view of all, and that the glorious p. 13Dignity and Majeſty of Chriſt may be fully manifeſted in this His moſt Exalted State, and that his Divine and Godlike Excellencies may in the ſight of all the World ſhine forth in the Brightneſs and Glory of them.

I am now come to the proper place of the Application of this Doctrine. I have had thot's of Improving is ſomething largely.

USE, I. Of Enquiry, That ſeeing the time will ſurely come that all that are now living muſt die & go to Judgment, Whence is it that many perſons live with ſo little tho't & care about their Death and that Judgment which follows death, & that tho' they live under the Goſpel?

USE, II. Of Reflection, To put us upon Reflecting with ſerious & ſolemn tho'ts upon our ſelves, with reſpect to theſe two great & awful things, our Dying, and appearing before God our Judge in another world, to be by His Sentence ſetled in an eternal ſtate of Happineſs or Miſery, as we well or ill behave our ſelves in our Places, & ſpend the time of this preſent life, Whether we have ſerioſly tho't of theſe things, which are of ſuch moment & concernment to us, and are thro' grace prepared for them; Whether we are ready to Die and go to Judgment? It's of higheſt importance to every one of us to be able to give a comfortable Anſwer to ſo great and ſolemn a Queſtion. But to prevent (what well I can) my being p. 14too prolix, I ſhall diſimiſs both theſe Uſes, with thus little more than naming them, and ſhall Improve the truth before us only in

USE, III. Of Exhortation, in ſeveral Branches

I. The Firſt ſhall be to the Honourable Gentlemen that Sit Chief in our Civil State: But before I come to it, I ſhall premiſe (as briefly as may be) ſeveral things as the proper Qualifications of, and much to be deſired in a Chriſtian Magiſtrate.

1. Knowlege. If the Underſtanding be the eye of the Soul, Knowlege is the light of that eye, whereby it clearly ſees its proper Objects Knowlege is as a lamp to a Rulers feet, to ſhew him the way, both of his duty & ſafety, & gives him boldneſs in it, without which he would be but a blind Guide, & ſadly expoſe himſelf with them that are under his conduct.

Therefore God in his word directs a People to chuſe able men for Rulers, men that underſtand the work & buſineſs that they are call'd to Exod I8 22 Moreover, thou ſhall provide out of all the people, able men,... and place ſuch over them to be rulers. 1 Chron. 12.32 — As are men that have underſtanding of the times, to know what Iſrael ought to do.

2. Righteouſneſs. This is a great, & indeed an eſſential Qualification of a Ruler; for Magiſtrates are appointed to be miniſters of p. 15Juſtice, & therein miniſters of God to a People for good, Rom 13 4. They ſhould therefore be men of great Integrity; they ſhould ſet themſelves with all poſſible impartiality to adminiſter Juſtice to all that come for it, yea, to all to whom it is due. This was one great thing that made Job appear ſo bright & amiable, and with ſuch a comely & venerable majeſty in the eyes of his people Job 39 7,—When I went out to the gate thro' the city, when I prepared my ſeat in the ſtreets, the young men ſaw me & hid themſelves, & the aged aroſe and ſtood up; the princes refrained talking and laid their hand on their mouth; the nobles held their peace, &c. And in the 11th. & 14th. Verſes we have theſe words, viz. When the ear heard me it bleſſed me, & when the eye ſaw me it gave witneſs to me; I put on righteouſneſs & it cloathed me, & my judgment was as a robe & a diadem This graces & adorns a Judge more than a ſword of State, a ſcarlet Robe with a chain of Gold.

3. A merciful compaſſionate ſpirit. A civil Ruler is to be conſider'd, not only as one cloath'd with the Authority, acted and influenced by the ſpirit of a ſtrictly Juſt & Righteous Judge, & girt with the Sword of Juſtice, as one reſolv'd & ready to Execute the Law without reſpect to Perſons, & ſo as a Terror to Evil-doers; but alſo as one veſted with Power, furniſh'd with Ability & Advantage, p. 16and qualify'd with a Diſpoſition to right the Injured, relieve the Oppreſſed, do good to the Poor & Needy & afford help to the Afflicted; And ſuch a Ruler was that eminent Perſon mentioned but now, Job 29, 12, 13 I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherleſs, and him that had none to help him: the bleſſing of him that was ready to periſh came upon me, & I cauſed the widows heart to ſing for joy. And in the 15th & 16th. Verſes, it follows thus, I was eyes to the blind & feet to the lame: I was a father to the poor. And Chap 30.25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my ſoul grieved for the poor? Of ſuch a ſpirit ſhou'd every Ruler be especially in a Chriſtian Government.

4. Courage This is exceeding needful for a Ruler, that ſo his Authority may not be trampled upon, & himſelf treated with contempt by proud & inſolent men, and that he may not tear to draw the Sword of Juſtice againſt the moſt bold & daring Tranſgreſſors. Hence Rulers in Scripture are exhoſted to be men of courage. 1 King 2 1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he ſhould die, & he charged his ſon Solomon, ſaying, I go the way of all the earth; be thou ſtrong therefore & ſhew thyſelf a man. Deut. 31 7. And Moſes called unto Joſhua & ſaid unto him in the ſight of Iſrael, Be ſtrong & of a good courage. And after the ſame manner God himſelf ſpeaks to him, Joſh 1.1, 6, 7. And it p. 17came to paſs that the Lord ſpake unto Joſhua the ſon of Nun, ſaying, &c.—Be ſtrong & of a good courage; Only be thou very couragious.—

5. Gravity This is very becoming the Elders of the Land & our Publick & P…l…cal Fathers. It is neceſſary to maintain their Authority, that ſo they may be duly regarded in their Places; the want of which & eſpecially; with much of the contrary, makes a Ruler light & cheap in the eſteem of others, & Expoſes him to contempt. This is ſo neceſſary that Government can't be well maintain'd even in the leaſt Societies without it: And therefore God requires it in Heads of Families. 1 Tim 3.4. One that ruleth well his own houſe, having his children in ſubjection with all gravity. It is very needful in all Heads and Governours of Societies; but eſpecially in Publick Rulers.

6. Prudence. The work of a Ruler, eſpecially one of Superior Rank, is a great work, and in many caſes is attended with great difficulty, & requires an uncommon meaſure of Wiſdom to a right management of the concerns on it. And hence King Solomon did ſo earneſtly ſeek it of God. King 3 9 Give therefore thy ſervant an underſtanding heart, to judge thy people And this was one main thing that made him ſo great in the eyes of the People. 1 Chron. 29 25. And the Lord magnified Solomon p. 18exceedingly in the ſight of all Iſrael. 1 King 3 28 And all Iſrael heard of the judgment that the king had judged & they feared the king, for they ſaw that the wiſdom of God was in him to do judgment. Now Prudence is an eminent branch of Wiſdom: it is very much of the practical part of if. Prov. I4 I5 The prudent man looketh well to his going. This is ſo needful for a Ruler, that the want of it but in ſome particular actions may not a little hurt the Reputation of men in power, tho' eſteemed wiſe men, vea men of excitting Abilities for the main Eccl 10 1. Dead flies cauſe the ointment of the apothecary to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour, ſo doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wiſdom and honour. Such as are in chief Rule over a People, ſhould not only be men of knowledge & underſtanding, but alſo men of great Judgment and Diſcretion Eccl. 8 5. A wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgment.

7. Fortitude. This is a Virtue conſiſting of courage and patience; it is that whereby a man not only dares to engage in a juſt and honeſt Cauſe, but alſo bears up under the Difficulties that it is attended with without fainting; continuing with an invincible Patience, Strength and firmneſs of mind to purſue the matter, waiting in the uſe of proper means for the deſired End. That great & renowned p. 19Magiſtrate in Iſrael, Moſes (the ſupream Ruler under God of that people) had a great & eminent meaſure of this Vertue: and yet there was a time when he ſeemed to want more of it, as we may ſee in Numb. 11 14, 15 I am not able to bear all this people alone, becauſe it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee out of hand, if I have found favour in thy fight; and let me not ſee my wretchedneſs. So very needful (as we may ſee by this great inſtance of it) is the vertue of Fortitude in a civil Ruler.

8. A Publick ſpirit. It is not eno' for men to ſerve a People in a publick Capacity, except they do it alſo with a publick Spirit. The chief Rulers of a People are in Scripture ſtiled their great Men, their Nobles and their Princes; and they ſhould be men of a great, noble & princely Spirit God hath ſet them in a publick & eminent Place, and they ſhould be men eminently of a publick Spirit. A publick Spirit is very becoming, and the contrary extreamly unbecoming publick Rulers, & that which they ſhould abhor, according to that stroke in the Character of good Rulers, in Exod. 18.21. Namely, hating Covetouſneſs. 'Tis ſaid of Mordecai, Eſt 10 3. That he fought the wealth of his People. This is the duty, & ſhould be the practiſe & delight of civil Rulers.

p. 209. Piety, or true Godlineſs. Rulers in a Chriſtian CommonWealth, ſhould not only be men of Probity & moral Honeſty, but alſo of true Piety This is ſo needful that a Ruler can't be compleatly qualify'd for his Place without it. 1 Sam. 23.3 The God of Iſrael ſaid, the Rock of Iſrael ſpake to me, He that rules over men, muſt be juſt, ruling in the fear of God. Rulers ſhould be men of a hearty ſpirit for Religion, and of holy Zeal for God Love and Anger ſhould act together for God, in them, and in God's cauſe, upon juſt occaſion, put them into a holy flame. Thus it was with Phineas of old, and God took it exceeding well from him, & he therein prov'd a great bleſſing to the People. Numb. 25.11, 13. Phineas— hath turned away my wrath from the children of Iſrael, while he was zealous for my ſake among them: Wherefore I give him my covenant of peace, the covenant of an everlaſting prieſthood becauſe he was zealous for his God.

The Rulers of Chriſtian People ſhould heartily & affectionately Eſpouſe the cauſe & intereſt of Chriſt; They ſhould for Chriſt's ſake be men of a Miniſterial ſpirit, yea they ſhould excel & ſhine therein. They ſhould not ſuffer the Miniſters of Chriſt to be in any reſpect wrong'd, or hardly dealt with, if they can help it: They ſhould every way that they can ſtrengthen their hands & encourage their p. 21hearts in the work of the Lord They ſhou'd have, & ſuitably manifeſt a great love to the Houſe of God; They ſhould be great Inſtances & thining Examples of a free, forward, liberal Bountiful ſpirit, in promoting and maintaining the Wor…p of God▪ …ike that great Ruler in and over Iſrael, King David; they ſhould ſet their Affection to the Houſe of their God; and like him with great readineſs of mind, honourably do their part, that God's House, & all thing relating to it, may appear in their proper ſtate; and by their Influence & Example (as he did) they ſhou'd ſtir up others to do ſo alſo. It ſhou'd be very much their care that they may be able to ſay to God in their la… Prayers, in the words of that excellent Magiſtrate Nehemiah, Neh 13.14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the houſe of my God, and for the offices thereof. And from the love they have to the Habitation of God's houſe, they ſhould be conſtant come's to it and from Love to God, and a holy Zeal for the Honour and glory of His Name they ſhould with great Reverence with upon him in the duties of his Worſhip, being therein patterns of Piety to the whole Congregation According to Pſal 95 60 come let us worship and how down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker, &c. And Pſal 29 1, 2. Give unto the Lord, O ye Mighty, give unto the Lord p. 22the glory due to his name: Worſhip the Lord is the beauty of holineſs

In a word, Chriſtian Magiſtrates ſhould be every way men of a Chriſtian ſpirit, & in all the Piety & Vertue of an exemplary & excellent Life, they ſhould walk before God, & ſhine in the ſight of all the People.

1. Then let me now by way of Exhortation, more particulary direct my Speech to the Honourable the G0VERNOUR, the DEPUTYGOVERNOUR, with the Worſhipful Gentlemen of His Majeſty's Council. Honourable & much Honoured Sirs, I am call'd this day faithfully from the Word of God to lay before you your Duty in the ſeveral parts & branches of it; let me now therefore as the Meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts (tho' very unworthy) Exhort you as GOD's Servants, and Intreat you as our Fathers, that you would by Prayer & Watchfulneſs, with a careful Conſcientious Improvement of God's holy Word, Labour to be more & more men of ſuch a Character as I have now given on a Chriſtian Magiſtrate, & let it be your earned deſire & true endeavour to ſhine brightly in every ſtroke of it.

And Conſider, That as you are Proſeſſed Chriſtian, it is your great Duty to Adorn your Profeſſion with all the amiable Vertues ot Chriſtianity: and that as you are Chriſtian Magiſtrates, it is ſtill more your duty ſo to p. 23do, and in particular to Excel in the things that I have now mentioned; and allow me to offer this to your ſerious Conſideration, That whatſoever is unbecoming in ordinary Chriſtians, as ſuch, will be much more ſo in men of your Exal…ed station N…h. 6 11. And I ſaid, Should ſu…h a man as I flee? And who being as I am would go into the temple to ſave his life? I will not go in Such men as you ſhould from a tru'y great and divinely noble Spirit, ſcorn and abhor to do as ſome other men do; yea, ſome that make a Profeſſion of God liveſ, & are accepted by the People of God as worthy to ſit with them at the Lord's table. Such men as you ſhould Out ſhine the Common ſort of other Chriſtians, as the bright Planets do the leſſer Stars.

Conſider farther, That the more you do ſo in the particulars mentioned, the more you are like to be the Strength, Beauty, Praiſe & Crown of our Political State. And if the Vertues that I have this day nam'd, be to a high degree found with you, they will as ſo many Orient Gems & Jewels adorn that Crown. This will be greatly to the comfort and honour, not only of this People, but of your ſelves alſo, and which is ſtill more, it will be greatly to the honour of that GOD, who is the great King of kings whoſe Stewards & Servants you are & to whom you muſt ſhortly give up your Account.

p. 24And Conſider again, That the more you are men of this Character, the more prepar'd & ready will you be for Death & Judgment, & the more Peace & Comfort are you like to have upon your Death-beds, & in your dying hours; and the more Embalmed will your Names, and the more dear & precious will your Memories be with them that ſurvive you after you are dead and gone. A great Inſtance we have of this in 2 Chron 35.24, 25 And all Judah & Jeruſalem mourned for Joſiah, and Jeremiah lamented for Joſiah; and all the ſinging-men & the ſinging women ſpeak of Joſiah in their lamentations to this day. And the more theſe things are found with you, the more will you be fill'd with Joy, and the more will you ſhine in Glory, when you meet your Lord & Judge at the great Day of his Appearing; yea, the more bright & maſſey will be your Crown, the more rich & glorious will be your Reward for ever in the heavenly World.

2. To the Miniſters of CHRIST. Reverend Sirs, let us conſider that we are Mortal as well as other men. & muſt ſurely Die, & go to Judgment as well as our Neighbours. Let it therefore b… our great care ſo to Live, as that we may Die comfortably, & ſo that the day of Judgment may not be to us a dreadful, but a glorious joyful bleſſed Day: Let us p. 25therefore ſee that we be faithful & thorough in our Work. And that we may be ſo, let us be diligent, painful & laborious Servants of CHRIST: Let us take heed that we be not too general, overly, ſmooth & eaſie in our Miniſtry. Let us labour in a very particular, convincing & awakening manner to Diſpenſe the Word of God; ſo to ſpeak as tends moſt to reach & pierce the Hearts & Conſciences, & humble the Souls of them that hear us, aiming therein at the glory of God, the intereſt & honour of our bleſſed Maſter, the ſpiritual and eternal Good of them that fit under our Miniſtry.

Let it be very much our care that we may be able to ſay with the great Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 2.3, 4, 5. For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor in guile; but as we were allowed of God, to be put in truſt with the goſpel, even ſo we ſpeak, not as pleasing men, but God which trieth our hearts: for neither at any time uſed we flattering words, or a cloak of covetouſneſs, God is witneſs; nor of men ſought we glory, &c. And as in Act. 20.20,-27. And I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you: Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not ſhunned to declare to you the whole counſel of God. Whatever trouble or ſelf devil this may coſt us while we live, yet to be able ſolemnly to ſay thus in the ſight p. 26of God, will be a great comfort to our deputing ſouls when we come to die.

Let us faithfully do our part that the People of our Charge may be preſerved from all corrupt & pernicious Opinions; and in particular, from the prevailing Errors of the preſent Day; and that they may be eſtabliſh'd in the Truth, and hold forth the Faith once deliver'd to the ſaints.

Let it be our earneſt Prayer that God would abundantly bleſs the College, & grant that from generation to generation, it may be a flouriſhing Nurſery of Learning, Piety & Vertue; and that it may always be kept clear & uncorrupt; and that from that Fountain, not only now, but in Ages to come, may iſſue forth pure Streams of Truth & Light, as may greatly comfort & refreſh the Churches of Chriſt, & make glad the City of God.

And that have may not hurt Religion, wound the Cauſe & Intereſt of Chriſt, & hinder the Salvation of Souls (which are things that ſhould be more dear & precious to us than our own lives) let us be exceeding Watchful & Circumſpect in our Walk; Let us labour ſo to walk, that we may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; Let us therefore be as tender of our Converſation as of the apple of our Eye. Let us alſo take heed of all Miſ-underſtandings among our p. 27ſelves, & of whatſoever leads thereunto ſuch things would give great advantage to our common Enemy, and tend much to hurt and weaken us in the work of our Miniſtry; Let us rather join heart & hand & afford one another all the help & ſtrength we can in that great and difficult work we have to do for Chriſt & the Souls of men. And to awaken us to great watchfulneſs in our walk, ſeriouſneſs & diligence in our work, with the exerciſe of due care to avoid all hindrances, and to improve all advantages therein, Let us conſider the ſhortneſs of our Time; for we cannot continue long by reaſon of Death. 1 Cor 7 29 But this I ſay, brethren, the time is ſhort. We ſhould often think of the great Account we have ſhortly to give up to our Great Maſter and Judge; for we are to watch for Souls, precious & immortal Souls, & that for eternity, as they that muſt give an account, Heb 13.17.

Let us alſo conſider the ſolemn Charge that God hath given us in his Word, together with the repeated ſolemn Calls he hath lately given us in his Providence, to be Faithful in our work, and ſo to prepare to die & go to Judgment, by the Removal of ſo many of his Miniſters in this Government by death, So that the laſt Year may well be call'd the dying Year of the Miniſters of Connecticut; and in that reſpect p. 28it has been ſuch a Year, as I ſuppoſe neither the People of this Colony, nor any part of New-England ever ſaw before. Herein God hath given an awakening Alarm to thoſe of our Order that do ſurvive; and with an uplifted & awful Hand & Voice, call'd and knock'd at our door, with that ſolemn Warning, Mat. 24 44 Be ye alſo ready Let us take the warning, that ſo when we die, we may depart in peace & meet our glorious Lord with joy at His coming; and hear him ſay to us, Well done, good & faithful Servant enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord; and receive from Him as the gift of His rich Grace, a Crown of life & glory that will never fade away.

3. To the Gentlemen that now appear as the Repreſentative Body of this Government. Let me alſo in God's Name deſire & exhort you, Sirs, That you would labour to act in all things in your Places as men that Fear God; and remember that you are Mortal & muſt ſhortly die, and give up your Account to God the great Judge in another World. Conſider that you are God's, & your Country's Stewards; and that it is requir'd of Stewards that a man be found faithful, 1 Cor. 4.2. See therefore that you well improve your Time; and don't allow your ſelves to be often & needleſly abſent from the Buſineſs that you came to attend, for you muſt give an Account of your Stewardſhip.

p. 29See that it be your great and main care to pleaſe and honour God, and to advance the true intereſt & welfare of his People in your preſent Station. Conſider you come hither to ſerve GOD, the King and your Country; ſet therefore pleaſing your friends, the eſteem & good will of men, ſaving charge, your own private ſecular intereſt in every branch of it, ſtand by, and give place to That as the main thing: with a ſteady, noble Reſolution, purſue that as your great deſign This is the way for you to act the part of faithful Servants to God & the King & of true Friends to your Country. See therefore that all private views, all ſiniſter & ſelf-ends, be little, poor, deſpicable things with you, compared with the favour & honour of God, the good of the Common-wealth, your fidelity in your Places, a clear Conference now, inward Peace upon your Deathbeds, & giving up your Account with Comfort and Joy to God your Judge, when you Die, and as the great Day.

4. To the whole General Aſſembly.

Honourable, and Honoured Gentlemen, Let me exhort and entreat you to Labour in the Buſineſs that is now before you, to act under the influence of this awful truth, That the time is coming when you muſt ſurely Die and go to Judgment. Do therefore what ſervice you can for God and his People now. Now it's a time wherein there is great need p. 30that you ſhould mightily ſtir up, and exert your ſelves, for the ſuppreſſing of Sin, bearing down of prevailing Vice & Wickedneſs, and for the Reformation of things that are amiſs among us.

God hath fill'd the Land with Men, & men have fill'd the Land with Sin againſt the Holy One of Iſrael, according to Pſal. 105.24. And he increaſed his people greatly, and made them ſtronger than their enemies; compar'd with Hoſ. 4.7. As they were increaſed, ſo they ſinned againſt me. God hath plentifully beſtowed upon us the bleſſings of his goodneſs; and we have made him returns, not in Love, Praiſe and Obedience, as we ought to have done, but (many of us at leaſt) in Aggravated Sins and Provocations.

We have great reaſon to bleſs God that we have not them that hate us to Rule over us; That our Seats of Juſtice are fill'd with our Friends and not with our Enemies; That we yet enjoy our precious Civil Liberties, our Charter Priviledges; That yet we have our Anniverſary days of Election, the choice of our own Rulers, that our Nobles are of our Selves, and our Governour is not a ſtranger and a foreigner, but one that proceeds from the … of us, and …hat our Laws are of our own making.

In theſe things we are highly favoured of God, and He hath in them given us a portion p. 31above our Brethren: And while we are under theſe diſtinguiſhing ſmiles of the Divine Benignity, we have a price in our hands, which if it were well Improved, might greatly tend to make us a happy People. And it muſt be acknowledged, that you that now ſit at the Helm of our civil State, may, with the help & bleſſing of God, contribute much to our Felicity And truly Sirs, It's much to be deſir'd, that from holy Zeal for God, and from a Paternal tender Affection to this People now under your care, you would ſet your ſelves in good earneſt, to do all that you well can for their welfare, & therefore for the Reformation of the God-provoking evils, that are to be found among us.

And there are two things that I ſhall now mention, which if they were duly put in exerciſe, might prove a great & happy means of our Reformation; and they are Conſideration & Reſolution. Let this Honourable Aſſembly be Intreated thoro'ly to make tryal of them both.

[I.] Try what Conſideration may do And in the firſt place, conſider whether ſuch things may not be done more than hath yet been done for the Reformation of known evils, things that have been mentioned, faithfully & ſolemnly Teſtfied againſt, by thoſe Meſſengers of the Lord, that have from year to year ſpoken to us in His Name on ſuch days as this, p. 32as Drunkenneſs, Unrighteouſneſs and other Immoralities, vicious & prophane Practices; and among others, that of Prophanation of the Sabbath; concerning which I ſhall now briefly Obſerve ſomething, and that only in one branch of it, and that is perſons commonly & without any juſt cauſe Abſenting themſelves from the Publick Worſhip of God on the Sabbath-Day (I ſpeak not of Quakers & other Sectaries, but of them that make the ſame Profeſſion that we generally do) I can't but fear that many in this Government are very guilty of this great Neglect & ſinful Omiſſion of their Duty. And it may truly be ſaid of them that are thus guilty, that they live much in the Violation of the Fourth Commandment, which is, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy; and in the Neglect of a principal means of putting viſible Honour upon God, and of doing their part to maintain & keep up Religion in the Places where they dwell, and are guilty of putting an open ſlight upon Chriſt, the Offers and Tenders of the Goſpel, and all the glorious things contained in it, and of … much in the neglect of the great & principal means of their own Salvation. All theſe Evils they do at once, and live in them, that commonly neglect the Publick Worſhip of God. Surely this practiſe in which ſo many great Evils are contained, can be no little Sin.

p. 33It may well be tho't that every Member of this Aſſembly will readily own, that all ought to be done that can be done, in the great duty of turning from Sin to God: Now therefore let it be ſeriouſly Conſidered, whither that has been done for the Reformation of this Evil?

Again, Conſider whether there be not ſome way of Sin, not only yet unpurged, but alſo too little diſcover'd, & leſs conſider'd. It would be a ſad thing indeed, if Iniquity (ſo hateful to God) ſhould in any one Branch of it have a free courſe among us. If there ſhould be any thing common with us, whereby men are injured, and God is offended & diſhonour'd, and yet we ſhould be under ſuch a cloud of darkneſs, and ſome way or other ſuch an evil influence, that little Teſtimony is bor'n againſt it, even by them that are eſteem'd ſome of our beſt men. Surely this would call for lamentation & mourning. Yet its poſſible that it may be thus even among a Proſeſſing People, as the Word of God, and Experience itſelf do too fully prove.

Therefore, Sirs, pray Conſider whether there be no Inſtance of this nature to befound in this Government: and let me Deſire and Exhort every one to be Serious in thinking of it. Conſider how it hath been of late Years, and how it is now, with a hearty willingneſs, p. 34and with an unfeigned earneſt deſire to ſee wherein we have ſinned, according to Job 6.24 Cauſe me to underſtand wherein I have erred. And Chap. 34.32 that which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity I will do no more.

Search for Iniquity as with Candles, as a man ſearches for ſomething which he earneſtly deſires to find, which otherwiſe may prove hurtful, if not fatal to him. Let Sin be thus enquir'd after, and ſearched out.

And here I ſhall offer two things to your Conſideration, which tho' they can't be ſaid to be things in all reſpects of a ſecret and hidden nature, yet are things that have not been mention'd, that I remember on ſuch occaſions, and it may be not ſo much tho't of, as many other things that are amiſs among us.

(1) The exceſſive number of Law-ſuits that are Commenced in this County. Conſidering what Information I have bad of it, I cannot doubt but that in this thing, there hath been, and ſtill is a great Exceſs. I am very apt to think (if I have been righly inform'd) there are more Law-ſuits ſometimes (if not commonly) commenc'd at one of our Inferiour Courts, than there was informer Years (yea long ſince my remembrance) in all the Courts of the Government for a whole Year. As there ſeems to be a very exorbitant Exceſs in this thing, ſo the inconveniences & ill-effects p. 35of it we may well conclude are very great; for it muſt needs conſume much of our Wealth and Subſtance, and that every Year. Its eaſy to ſee that it leads to Idleneſs, neglect of Buſineſs, vain Company-keeping, exceſſive Drinking, the conſumption, waſte and loſs of much precious Time, to the great hurt of many particular Perſons and Families, in bringing them to Poverty & Want, which is a great & ſore Affliction, in which are infolded and wrap'd up many Sorrows.

This thing may well be accounted to be one of our Calamities. It is an evidence of much Iniquity, & an occaſion of a great deal more; and how much ſin & ſorrow may be the evil & bitter fruit of it, and that from Year to Year? God only knows. I therefore would now offer it to the ſerious Conſideration of this Honourable Aſſembly, whether ſomething may not be done to Reſtrain this Exceſs, and bring & keep this thing within ſome narrower Bounds?

(2) Another thing that I would deſire the Aſſembly's ſerious Tho't of, is, viz. Whether ſince the great diſ-count of our Bills of Credit, and from thence the great advance of the Price, both of the Conveniences & Neceſſaries of Life, & ſo of the Charge of Houſe-keeping, great Wrong hath not been done to ſome Perſons from Year to Year, in the Payment of what hath been due to them, & that by reckoning what hath been Paid to them, p. 36not according to the Value of it in former Years, but very much by the preſent Name & Sound of it. My meaning is, That tho' the ſame Sum will not now go near half ſo far in defraying or anſwering the Charge of the Expences of a Family, as it would in Years paſt, yet to ſome Perſons there is no juſt Allowance made on that account. This hath been much talk'd of, & condemn'd in the Country & that by wiſe & good men, both by ſuch as have ſuffer'd by it, & by them alſo that have not. It hath been Teſtified againſt in Print, by Gentlemen of Note, both of Civil & Sacred Order, as that which is very unfair and unjuſt. Now I intreat the General Aſſembly to Conſider, whether or no it hath not been thus, not only in other parts of New-England, but alſo in this Government, and if ſo, whether this be according to that Divine Precept? Deut. 16.20. That which is altogether juſt ſhalt thou follow. Yea, whether there be not Iniquity in it, & that which is Evil in the ſight of the Lord, and whether this Evil, this Iniquity hath not had too free a courſe, & paſſed too current among us? And whether it be not Iniquity attended with ſome great Aggravations? And if upon a ſerious & impartial Enquiry, is be found that not only ſuch a Practiſe as I have now mention'd, hath been common, among us, but that alſo it is not p. 37right in the ſight of God, I deſire it may be ſeriouſly Conſider'd by them, yea all of 'em whom it principally concerns, whether they ought not to do all that they can in Obedience to God, & in Faithfulneſs to their Truſt, that it may be Reform'd?

There is certainly a ſpirit in every truly godly man, from a gracious reſpect to God, univerſally to love truth & righteouſneſs; & to hate, abhor & bear Teſtimony againſt all Iniquity: and this is unqueſtionably the duty of every Chriſtian, & eſpecially of Chriſtian Magiſtrates and the Miniſters of God's Word; yea of all that act in a Publick Capacity among us. Let all ſuch therefore ſeriouſly think of their Duty, and take heed that they don't in any caſe contract guilt before God by the neglect of it. Thus for the firſt means of Reformation, namely, Serious Conſideration.

[2] The ſecond means of it is Reſolution. A ſincere, godly & firm Reſolution in Rulers is very needful for, and a great help to the thorough Reformation of a People. Let me therefore ſay to every Member of this Honourable Aſſembly, If upon a due exercieſe of your tho'ts (acting therein with that ſeriouſeneſs & uprightneſs of heart that the importance of ſo great a Caſe requires) you find any thing among us that may well be tho't to be a prevailing, God-provoking evil, don't p. 38ſay of it thus, or after this manner; This is not right, it is not as it ſhould be, it ſhould be otherwiſe, & ſo paſs it over after a gentle ſlight and eaſy manner: but rather when the thing will bear it, and the matter requires it, ſay thus of it, This is Iniquity, it is an evil & wicked thing; it is diſpleaſing, & without doubt provoking to the holy One of Iſrael, it is one of the abominable things that God hates; & therefore it muſt not be winked at: Such things are not to be endured in Chriſtian Common-wealth, and by ſuch Rulers as make a profeſſion of Godlineſs, & therefore it muſt (if poſſible) be reformed: Let me therefore as I would keep my Soul clear of Guilt, & anſwer it with Comfort to God my Judge at the Great Day, do my true endeavour, as he may in his Providence afford me Opportunity, that it may be ſo.

Let our Honourable Rulers, with every Member of this Aſſembly, be now intreſted, and in God's Name & Preſence, Solemnly adviſed & earneſtly Exhorted to ſet them;ſelves in their ſeveral Places and Capacities, with all their might, to endeavour the Reformation of whatſoever is not right in the ſight of God among us; according to that holy Reſolution expresſ'd in Pſal. 1:9 106 I have Sworn, & I will Perform it, that I will keep all thy Righteous Judgments. And agreeable alſo to p. 39what we have in 2 King. 23.25, (wherein we have an account of the holy Zeal & Fervour that King Joſiah acted with, in the work of Reformation) it is …ert ſaid, That he turned to the Lord & labour'd alſo that his People might so do) for that is manifeſtly implyed in it) with all his heart, and with all his ſoul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moſes.

And would it pleaſe the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh, (in whoſe hand are the hearts of Kings and of the Rulers of his People) ſo to move upon the hearts of the General Aſſembly, in both Houſes, as that they might thus exerciſe their Piety towards God, & their Chriſtian Love to the People, now under their Care; it would be a happy token of his Preſence with them, a gracious ſmile of his Providence upon us, and a comfortable ſign of his ſtill being with us, and that he will not yet leave nor forſake us.

5. To the Gentlemen that commonly appear in our Courts of Juſtice, at the Bar, as Councellors or Attorneys at Law. Be You exhorted from this Doctrine, Sirs, to act in your Places as men that know they muſt die, and ſeriouſly think of it, and as men, that believe and conſider that after Death comes Judgment. Your Imployment is needful, & if you are faithful in it, you may be very uſeful & profitable, not only to yourſelves, p. 40and to ſome particular Perſons you ſerve in it, but alſo to the Common-wealth. See therefore that you act in it in the fear of God, and with a due regard to Truth and Juſtice; and therein labour to do your part that Iniquity may be bor'n down, & that not wrong but right may take place in our Courts, & that Righteouſneſs may prevail in the midſt of us.

Let it therefore be very much your care in every Caſe you undertake the management of, to be on the right ſide. Never dare to plead or defend a Cauſe that you know to be unjuſt; and conſider when men go about to defend an unjuſt cauſe that they know to be ſo, (wherein two parties are concern'd as oppoſite one to another) they plead for Iniquity, they ſet themſelves againſt Righteouſneſs, and againſt God the Father and Fountain of it. They go about to wrong the Truth, to wrong their Neighbour, to wrong their Maker, and to wrong their own Souls all at once. They forſake God, and labour to lead the Court and Jury to do ſo alſo, and do not only greatly Sin themſelves, but more than that, like wicked Ahab of old, take a courſe to make Iſrael to Sin.

Such men join with Satan againſt God, and endeavour to draw others to their Party. It may be ſaid to men that knowingly plead a corrupt and bad cause, as in Judg. 6.31. Will p. 41ye plead for Baal? Will ye plead for Satan? Will ye plead for the Devil and againſt God too? what a horrid and dreadful thing is that! Concerning ſuch men therefore ſay in your hearts, O my Soul, come not thou into their ſecret, to their Aſſembly … honour be not thou united. It's a wicked & dangerous thing for a man to be againſt God; this is not the way to have inward Peace upon a Death-bed, which is infinitely better to a dying man, than the richeſt Fee, than the greateſt Gain is or can be to any man. As therefore you would be bleſſings in your places while you live, have peace in your own minds, & not the accuſations of a guilty Conſcience when you die; as you would go the right way and not the wrong when you go out of the World & into Eternity, and as you would be on the ſide, the right hand of Chriſt I mean, and not on the left when he comes to judge the World, and as you would then receive the Sentence and reward of the Righteous, and not the fearful doom of the workers of Iniquity, Let no money hire you to oppoſe Truth & Righteouſneſs, and ſo to ſet your ſelves againſt God and your Conſeiences in pleading and defending a cauſe that you know to be unjuſt. There are two texts of Scripture which I ſhall leave with your ſerious tho'ts, p. 42namely, Phil 4.8 Finally, brethren, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, &c. think on theſe things. And Prov. 17.15. He that juſtifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the juſt, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.

6. To the Freemen of this Government. As you deſire inward peace upon your Deathbeds, Sins, in your laſt and dying hours, when you are juſt ſtepping into Eternity, and going to give up your Account to God your Judge in another World, See that you be faithful in your Places. Make conſcience therefore of chuſing ſuch for Rulers, as are hopefully truly godly men, and in other reſpects well qualified for Government; men that will maintain the honour of their Places & of our Civil State, that will be heartily concern'd for the Glory of God, the Honour & Intereſt of Chriſt, and ſeek the Good of the People, and that every way. Men thus qualified are like to be ſtrong Rods for Scepters to Rule, great and rich Bleſſings in their day and generation: Men that the Poor and the Needy, the Widow and the Fatherleſs, the Miniſters of Chriſt, with all that love the peace of Sion, and deſire the proſperity of our Jeruſalem, yea this whole People will have great reaſon to rejoice in, and bleſs God for. Prov. 29.2. When the p. 43righteous are in authority the People rejoice.

It is a great truſt that God hath committed to you, in that the Election of the chief of them that Rule over us in Civil Power is from year to year put into your hands; that ſo therefore you may bring Glory to God, be Inſtruments of Good to his People, among whom you dwell, and for whom you act in your preſent capacity, and therein act like Chriſtians, yea becoming the Freemen and priviledg'd Members of a Chriſtian Commonwealth, See that as you have been now exhorted, you be herein true to your Truſt. This is your great Duty, & if from time to time you act in it under the power and influence of God's fear, and with a truly faithful ſpirit, your ſo doing may prove a means not only of our comfort & welfare, but alſo of your own, and that in Death and Judgment, and for Time and Eternity.

7. To Young People, Tho' you are Young, and may feel your ſelves well, and in a good firm ſtate of Health, yet conſider you are mortal as well as others. Remember therefore your Creator in the days of your youth, Eccl. 12.1. Seek unto God betimes, make your ſupplication to your Judge while you are yet young; ſeek a ſaving Intereſt in Chriſt in your early days. Chriſt calls you into his vineyard now early in the morning, ſee that p. 44you obey his calls. If you would have the ſeed you have to ſow for Eternity in this li…e proſper and ſpring up in a harveſt of Joy and Glory in the Life to come ſee that you ſow it in the pleaſant Spring of your Life in the bright morning of your Day, the time of your Youth, I mean, to allude to that in Eccl. 11.6. In the morning ſow thy Seed.

If you would act wiſely, ſet out in your Journey for Heaven in the morning. If you would get well through your great work before the night comes, begin in the morning.

The time of Youth is the beſt time, no time in the whole life of man like the time of Childhood and Youth for the work of your Souls. See therefore that you improve it Take head that you don't loſe theſe golden morning hours of the Day of Life & Grace the precious time of Youth I mean.

And conſider again, That the time of Youth may be your only Time for that which is your great concern; for the children of men often die in Youth. We end in, Luk 7.12. of one that was carried out of the doors of his mothers house send, that was a young man. And indeed this is a common caſe Job 36.14 They die in youth. And its very poſſible that it may prove your caſe Keep this in mind, think of it, hear it upon your hearts when you are in Company one with another in p. 45times of Mirth & Rejoicing. In particular this day, If you take liberty to divert your ſelves one with another, and to be merry together, ſee that you be innocently ſo. Conſider the … of your Judge is upon you. In the fear of God therefore, and with ſolemn tho'ts of Death, Judgment & Eternity, ſee that you avoid whatſoever may be criminal in your Converſation.

You have thro' the great mercy of God, liv'd to ſee another day of Election, and conſider, if you ſhould live to ſee the end of this day, that another day will ſurely follow it, & that win be your dying-day. This is a pleaſant day, that will be a ſolemn day; on that day your Souls muſt go into Eternity, and appear before God the great Judge in the other World. That ſolemn and awful Day, will certainly follow this pleaſant & joyful Day, and God only knows the time when, or how ſoon. See therefore that you ſo ſpend your time now, that your dying day may not prove a dark and doleful day to you. There are therefore two Scriptures that I would now, leave with you to think of, that in Deut. 32 29. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end. And that in Eccl. 11.9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes; but know p. 46thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee to judgment.

8 and Laſtly To us all. Let us make it our great care to prepare for Death & Judgment; and the beſt way, yea the only right way for us ſo to do, is to ſet our ſelves to the practice of our duty in every branch of it. Let us therefore have a univerſal reſpect to the Commandments of God, & to the Rules and Precepts of Chriſt, and let us take heed of whatſoever is contrary thereunto. And particularly, Let us not dare raſbly to cenſure and reproach them that God hath ſet over us in the capacity of Rulers, and Fathers in our Civil State. As it ſhould be their care to give … cauſe of complaint, ſo it ſhould be ours that we don't complain without cauſe. Rulers may errand do amiſs as well as other men: They may ſo err as not to give cauſe of Complaint, becauſe their errors may be from ſuch humane frailty, as is unavoidable by the beſt of men; and they may ſo err as to give great cauſe of Complaint Eccl. 3.16. Moreover, I ſaw under the ſun the place of judgment, that wickedneſs was there; and the place of righteouſneſs, that iniquity was there, Iſai 5.7. And he looked for judgment, but behold oppreſſion, and for righteouſneſs but behold a cry. But yet let us be very careful that we don't unjuſtly and injuriouſly complain, leſt we prove ſome of them mentioned in the 14, 15, and p. 47I6 verſes of the Epiſtle of Jude, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his ſaints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all of their ungodly deeds, and of their hard ſpeeches,—theſe are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own luſts, &c.

Let us give them that faithfully ſerve us in the management of our publick concerns all due reſpect & honour. Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is due. Good Rulers are a great bleſſing to a People, and they chat are ſo certainly deſerve to be much reſpected, and will rewarded. Take heed that you do nothing to weaken the hands, diſcourage or grieve the hearts of ſuch men: Let us all be much in prayer to God for them; the weight and difficulty of their work calls for it, & ſo doth our own intereſt.

And if you would be every way obedient to Chriſt, pray alſo for your Miniſters; their Work is very great, and they greatly need the help of the prayers of all their Chriſtian friends; and conſider, in praying for them, you pray for your ſelves and for your children, and bleſſed will you and yours be for ever, if you pray for them as you ought to do, and God hear your prayers.

And as you deſire to be ready for Death and Judgment, See that you do no wrong to p. 48any Perſon either in Name or Eſtate. See that you don't wrong any one for want of conſideration; and conſider you ought to weigh your actions, and ponder the paths of your feet, and mind what you do and ſay.

Take heed that you do no wrong from the inordinate love of Gain; or becauſe you hope you have obtain'd mercy, and therefore ſhall not die for it; or becauſe you think you can do it without much hurting your Name or Credit among men; or becauſe you hope you ſhall live to repent of it, or upon any conſideration whatſoever.

And more particularly be careful in theſe things following, which I ſhall but juſt mention, viz. See that you do no wrong in not juſtly and honeſtly paying your debts; in ſelling Corn or other things in a time of great ſcarcity & want; in ſelling Miniſters, maintaining the worſhip of God; in ſtating ſala-ries for School-Maſters and others that ſerve the Publick, putting out Money to Intereſt, taking up large tracts of Land in new Plantations. I readily grant, that this is a thing that may be regularly and well done, and it may also be so done, as greatly to hurt poor men, cramp and cripple new Towns, & prejudice the weal Publick. If any of you err or may be engag'd in controverſies or differences about the place of ſetting MeetingHouſes, or in any matter of Church-diſcipline, p. 49or in oppoſing Singing by Rule, or in the new Way as 'tis commonly call'd, or in or about any other thing, take heed that under a pretence of ſtanding for equity & righteouſneſs, you ben't influenc'd rather by a proud wilful ſpirit, and a regard to your own carnal intereſt, than by the fear of God, love to that which is juſt and right, or any true tenderneſs of Conſcience. When it is thus (as doubtleſs it too often is) men act with Guile and Hypocriſy, & ſo do that which is aborminable to God, and alſo bring their Souls under Guilt in his fight, which ſhould be dreadful to them. Let every one therefore look well to his own heart, and conſirder that the great and holy God, who loves and requires the truth in the inward parts, and hates and abhors the contrary, ſees and ſearches mens hearts, conſiders and weighs their ſpirits in ſuch caſes; ſee therefore that in all things wherein you differ and diſ-agree, you act as in his ſight.

Alſo in the work of our Office as Civil or Eccleſiaſtical Rulers, or whatever our Poſt or Station be, and in all our ways & dealings one with another, Let us ſee that we be undefiled in the way, and ſuch as do no iniquity; that we be not rul'd or govern'd by ſome filthy luſt or corrupt affection: And that we may not be ſo, let us think of ſuch paſſages of God's Word as are proper to keep us in p. 50awe, and work a dread in us of doing any thing in our dealings with men that is evil in the ſight of the Lord, viz. ſuch as theſe, Pſal. 125.5. As for ſuch as turn aſide to their crooked ways, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. 1 Cor. 6.8, 9. Nay you do wrong; know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God; Luk. 13.27. Depart from me, all ye workers of Iniquity. Job. 31.14. What ſhall I do when God riſeth up, and when he viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwer him?

Let us alſo be much in ſerious Conſideration, & Solemn Self-reflection with reſpect to the particulars but now mentioned, & others that we may think of, thus, or after this manner, Am not I Influenced and Acted much in this thing, by the Pride of my heart, Love of filthy Lucre, or ſome Luſt or other, hateful to God, that now bears Sway in me? Do I act herein according to that excellent Rule of Chriſt, wherein I am required to do by my Nei'bour, as I deſire in the like eaſe, he would do by me? Can I appeal to the All-ſeeing, Heart-ſearching God, concerning the uprightneſs of my heart in this thing? Will my acting or doing as I now do, give me Peace in my dying Hour? Will this ſtand at the Day of Judgment? Will it bear the ſtrict Examination & Tryal of that Great and moſt Awful Judge, before whom I muſt ſhortly appear? Thus let us all be careful to avoid doing that p. 51which is not right in the ſight of God, in all our Dealings and Concerns with men. Let us alſo all do our Part to promote & ſet forward the great Duty of Reformation

Let our Honoured Magiſtrates, the Reverend Miniſters of Chriſt, the Gentlemen that Represent the ſeveral Towns in the Government agree in it, and as one man ſet their ſhoulders to this great Work: Let Inferiour Officers with Heads or Families, do their part in it; and let our Young People come into it; Let us all joyn in it, & with a united Strength liſt together at it. Let every one Conſider what is amiſs in himſelf, and ſet himſelf in the fear of God to reform it, & alſo do his part in his place in helping forward a General Reformation. And let us Consider that the more active we are herein, the more ready and prepar'd are we like to be, to die and to give up our account to God. And let all wicked & ungodly Perſon, a]l Unconverted Sinners in this Aſſembly, be exhorted alſo to do their part in this great duty of preparing for Death and Judgment.

Conſider, Sins, You muſt die and go into Eternity, & your eternal ſtate muſt after your Death, be ſetled by the Judgment of God; and what a dreadful thing would it be if you ſhould die as you are! For then you muſt certainly go from your Death beds to the Pit of Hell, to the place of eternal Torment, Rev. p. 526.8. And I looked and ſaw a pale Horſe and his name that ſat upon him was Death, and Hell followed with him. Rev. 14.11. And the ſmoke of their Torment aſcendeth up for ever & ever, and they have no reſt day nor night. Therefore that you may not, when you die, go to Hell, and there be in Diſpair, Horrour and Torment forever, that you may not by the righteous Judgment of God be Condemned in the other World, to a ſtate of endleſs Woe & Miſery, if it be poſſible get a ſaving Intereſt in Chriſt, by Faith get your Hearts renewed, and your Lives reformed, turn from your ſins to God by true Repentance, that ſo your Peace may be made with your Judge before Death comes. Be therefore in haft about it, ſee that you make no delay in this great Concern; for you to you for ever, if it be not done before you die: And Conſider, God is angry with the wicked every day. Remember that awful Text, Job 36.18. Becauſe there is Wrath beware left he take thee away with his ſtroke, then a great Ranſom cannot deliver thee.

And to awaken us all, to prepare for Death & Judgment, and ſo to this great duty of Reformation Let Two or Three Things be ſeriouſly Conſidered.

1. Let us Conſider the Frowns of providence, and Tokens of Divine Anger, that we have of late been under, & are ſo at this Day. A few years ago, God did as it were from time to time p. 53ſay to us (in his Providence) Moſes my Servant is dead. And now Death in repeated Inſtances of it is come into the Houſe of Aaron. Not long ſince the hand of God was very remarkable in the Removal of many of our Magiſtraces, and that in a ſhort time; ſeveral of whom were the ſtrongeſt Pillars of the Common-wealth; And the laſt Year it was no left, but much more ſo, in the Death of ſo many of our Miniſters; ſeveral of whom were the Pillars of our Churches: And ſuch an one was that faithful Servant of Chriſt, that ſome Months ſince died in this Town,**The Reverend Mr, THOMAS BUCKINGHAM. whoſe Pleaſant Countenance, Grave and Comely Preſence, were wont from Year to Year, on our Days of Election, to Grace and Adorn this Pulpit; but he is gone, & much of our Strength, Light and Glory are gone with him: He was truly a man of a bright Character, being one of ſuperiour Abilities, one of the Chief of our Miniſters, one had in Reputation among us, one of our Pillars & Principal men: He was of a Converſation becoming a Miniſter of Chriſt, one that in his Life & Walk imitated and honoured his Bleſſed Maſter, being very blameleſs and of exemplary Piery, Gifts & Graces, a pleaſant Temper, an affable obliging and engaging Carriage, and indeed many excellent things, p. 54a whole Cluſter of amiable? adorning & endearing Vertues did meet in him We have all Cauſe to mourn that we ſhall ſee his face no more: So qualified was he for his Work & Place, that without queſtion, he would have been highly priz'd by any Orthodox Judicious Chriſtian Congregation in the Land, not ore excepted. And as the death of ſuch a man, and our great loſs in it, may well be matter of Grief and Sorrow to us, and that in no low degree, ſo our Affections may be allowed to riſe the higher, and our Tears to flow the more in expreſſions of Lamentation & Mourning. Conſidering how many Choice men, and of great worth, of the ſame Order, it hath pleaſed God to take from us by death but a little before him. And alſo Conſidering the final departure of**The Reverend Mr. TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE Him that ſo ſoon followed him, I mean that aged and eminent Servant of Chriſt who died in this Town this laſt week, who was one of the principal men of his Order in the Land; Him, … that were his Contemporaries in the Sacred work ot the Evangelical Miniſtry in the Towns about him, generally Conſidered as one much our Senior and Superiour; and in Caſes of Weight and Difficulty, adviſed with, and hearkened to him as our Head & Guide, yea very much as to a Father p. 55who was indeed one of the chief of the Fathers of that Tribe in Iſrael, which he by Office as a Miniſter of Chriſt, ſtood eſpecially related to.

As I have not pretended to give you the full Character of him had firſt mentioned of theſe Reverend Perſons, ſo neither ſhall I now attempt it concerning him I am now more eſpecially ſpeaking of; but ſhall only briefly mention ſeveral things wherwith it pleaſed God, the Giver of every perfect Gift, the Author and Fountain of all Goodneſs and Vertue, to qualify and adorn him. And I may truly ſay of him, that Conſidering; the goodneſs of his natural Temper, the gravity, greatneſs & ſuperiority that appear'd in his Countenance, his bodily Preſence being ſo far from being Mean and Contemptible, that it was great, much above what is ordinary; his proper Stature (he being Taller than the Common Size) with his Comely & Majeſtick Aſpect, being ſuch as Commanded Reverence; and Conſidering how Wiſe and Judicious he was, with his great Prudence, his entertaining Freedom, obliging Courtesy & Affability, his ſuperiour Learning, Reading and Knowledge, his Liberal, Bountiful, Generous and Publick Spirit (in which he did much excel) his great Ability for, and Readineſs in giving Counſel in difficult and p. 56important Caſes, and how much the Care of the Churches, & of the College lay upon him & what a Bleſſing he was to them both; & what a ſingular Gift, & how happy a hand he had in managing of Controverſies and Differences, and what Influence, Sway and Auhority he had both with Miniſters and People, vea with men of all Ranks, Degrees and Orders, and how much he hath been a Healer of Breaches, Strife & Diviſions among us; and how from place to place he carried the bleſſing of Peace with him, & how ready and willing he was with Love to ſerve men, & do good to all, & how he delighted in it; and Conſidering his Orthodoxy & foundneſs in the Chriſtian Faith, I mean in the Articles and Principles of our holy Religion, & how much he favour'd of a gracious Spirit, and particularly in his great love to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt his bleſſed Maſter; his holy Zeal for God, and againſt Sin, his humble ſubmiſſion and reſignation to divine Sovereignty, his great Mortification to the World; and Conſidering alſo for how many Years, & how well he … the Pulpit, and (in our Counſels and aſſociations) the Moderators Chair, and with how amiable a Converſation he adorn'd his Profeſſion, and how brightly the Graces and Vertues of a Christian, & of a Miniſter of Chriſt ſhined forth in his Life. p. 57And Conſidering how great & good he was in the eyes both of Miniſters and People, & that both at home and abroad, & how much good he did in his Day, & how extenſively uſeful & ſerviceable, and what a Bleſſing he was in his Generation, and how becoming a Chriſtian and a Miniſter he carried himſelf both living & dying: I ſay Conſidering theſe things (beſides others of the ſame kind that might be added to them) which I have thus briefly mentioned concerning this eminent Perſon, it may doubtleſs be truly ſaid of him, that he was one of the Choiceſt & Greateſt Men, that have ever appear'd among us in theſe parts of the Country.

The Firſt and Chief of our Colleges hath had the Honour of the Education of ſome great men, & is muſt be acknowledg'd that he was one of them. In his Death a very bright & precious Jewel is fallen from our Crown, & much of the Glory is departed from our Iſrael.

And the Truth is, it may be ſaid of the Reverend Miniſters of Chriſt that lately died in this Town, that they had both of them ſuch adorning Gifts and Vertues, and ſuch bright Marks & Characters of true Piery, & ſo many excellent things in them, that it is but paying the Tribute juſtly due to their Name and Memory (which are deſervedly dear & precious to us) to ſay of them that p. 58they were Choice & Excellent men, & that they were worthy of that high eſteem we had of them, while they lived, and of that general Lamentation and Mourning that attended their Death, and with which they have been followed to their Graves, & hath been continued ſince they died, as an acknowledgment of their great worth, & our great loſs, in their final departure from us.

When ſuch men die, we may well weep over them, as the King of Iſrael wept over the holy Prophet, 2 King. 13 14. O my Father, my Father, the Chariots of Iſrael & the horſemen thereof. And indeed it will be a great & high Favour of God, if their Places be ever fill'd up, which Conſidering the All ſufficiency of God our Saviour, the glorious Head & King of the Church, we muſt not deſpair of, but with inſtant and earneſt Prayer wait for at the Throne of Grace with hope.

God by putting out ſo many of our Lights, yea of our brighteſt Lights, one after another, & in ſo there a time, has bro't us under an awful and very dark Diſpenſation. It is now a cloudy and dark Day with us, and in particular it may be ſaid as in Joel 2.2. It is a day of Darkneſs & Gloomineſs, & of Clouds and thick Darkneſs with this Town. I Conclude it has never ſeen ſuch a Day as this before. And the truth is, a dark Cloud is p. 59ſpread over us all in general, the awful hand of God upon us calls for our ſerious and ſolemn Tho'ts. God's Voice to us now, is as as of old to his ancient PeopIe, Hag 5.7. Now therefore, thus faith the Lord of Hoſts, Conſider your ways. Seeing God hath of late pluck'd up ſome of the ſtrongeſt Stakes in our Hedge, removed ſome of the firmeſt, & moſt poliſh'd Stones in our Wall, and thereby made great Gaps & Breaches in one part and another of it: Taken away by Death, ſo many of our Moſes's and of our Aarons, of our Judges & of our Prophets, and therein from Year to Year been hewing down our Pillars, both in Church and State, and taking from us the Choſen Men of our lſrael, and by Mortal Diſtempers, and by other adverſe Diſpenſations been manifeſting himſelf diſpleas'd & angry with us; I ſay Conſidering theſe dark & awful Frowns of Heavens diſpleaſure thus appearing againſt us, in the face of Providence, ſurely we have reaſon to ſay as in Pſal 119.120. My fleſh trembleſh for fear of Thee, & Iam afraid of thy Judgments. And in Lam. 3.40. Let us ſearch and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord.

2. Let us Conſider, what if any of us ſhould die, and be called to the Bar of our judge Unprepar'd? If any of us that now ſit at the Table of the Lord, ſhould be found at laſt to p. 60have been falſe Profeſſors, and among the fooliſh Virgins; If when God in his Providence ſhall ſay to us, behold thy days are Numbred and Finiſhed, any of us be them found to have been unfaithful in our Places, & if after all our Profeſſion, Eſteem & Name on Earth, with our hopes of Heaven, we ſhould meet with that from our Judge in the other World in Rev 3.2. I have not found thy Works Perfect before God. Or that in Dan 5.27. Thou art weighed in the Ballance, & art found Wanting. O how dreadful would it be! How amazing! How Confounding! How may the tho'ts of ſuch a thing, put us in mind of the words of the Prophet, Hab 3.16. When I heard my Belly trembled; my Lips quivered at the voice, I trembled in my ſelf. And as for you that are now ſecure in your ſins, & careleſs of your Souls, that paſs your time pleaſantly & merrily away, walking after the fight of your eyes, and the luſts of your hearts; that live in the Neglect & Contempt of Chriſt, & his great Salvation, and in daily Diſobedience to God and the Goſpel, what will you do in the end thereof? What will you do in the day of Viſitation? When God riſeth up, what will you anſwer him? To whom will you flee for help? What will you that are now Chriſt-deſpiſers & rejecters, do when you are dying, & juſt ſlepping into Eternity? When the Judge of the World p. 61comes to Call you to an Account, how will you do to ſtand before him? How will you anſwer that awful Voice, that ſolemn Call of the Arch-angel with the Trump of God, and in the Name of the great Judge in theſe Words, or ſomething equivalent to them, Ariſe ve Dead and Come to Judgment

And what will you do when Judgment is paſs'd upon you, if that ſhould be your Doom (which God in mercy to your Souls forbid) Matth 2.5.41. Depart from me, ye Curſed, into everlaſting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And if that ſhould be your caſe, Mat 25.46. And theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting Puniſhment. Sirs, Seriouſly Conſider theſe things, and ſay in your hearts, O how can I bear the Torments of eternal Fire! How can I dwell with everlaſting Burnings! O my Soul while thou haſt yet time in the world, improve it, and if poſſible get into a ſtate of Grace & Salvation that thou may'ſt be ready for thy departure hence & for eternal Judgment, that thou may'ſt not be Condemned, Loſt & Damn'd forever in the other World.

3. And Laſtly, Let us Conſider the great Uncertainty of our Time in this world. Whatever we have to do in our Publick or Private Capacities, for Body or Soul for Time or Eternity, muſt be done while this preſent Life laſts, & who knows how ſhort that may p. 62be? Who can tell what the events of Providence may be in the Courſe of the preſent Year? Who knows where any that are now in Authority, or of the Miniſters of the Goſpel here preſent, or any of us now within theſe Walls may be before another Day of Election?

Let us all Conſider in how ſhort a time the Sovereign Lord of life and Time, and holy Judge of the World, may make a great Change in our preſent Place & State: How ſoon may be take our Son's from our Bodies, & lay our Bodies in the cold & dark Grave, and ſet our Souls at his moſt awful Bar, & by his definitive and irreverſible Sentence, ſetle us in our eternal State? How ſhould this affect the hearts of thoſe of us, that are in publick Place, both of Civil & Sacred Order, Conſidering how great our work is, & what a great account we have to give up to God, & that it infinitely Concerns us to be ready for it?

And with what ſerious & ſolemn Tho'ts, ſhould all unconverted Sinners think of this, that have their Peace yet to make with their Judge, & who, if they die, as they have hitherto liv'd, are ſure to receive from him a Sentence of Condemnation, a moſt fearful Doom of eternal Damnation with Devils in Hell.

And as this terrible Sentence, this diſmal Damning Doom will ſurely be paſſed by God upon all Chriſtleſs & Impenitent Sinners, at the great Day: So it will moſt certainly be Executed upon them in their future State (to which they are daily haſtning) p. 63and that without the leaſt Pity or Mercy, except by Faith in Chriſt and true Repentance they turn from their Sins to God, before Death comes, which is daily coming, and is (doubtleſs) very near to ſome of them, & God only knows who they are. Let all therefore here preſent before God, whoſe caſe this is, be adviſed & perſwaded without the leaſt longer delay in the diligent uſe of God's appointed means, with fear and trembling, ariſing from a Senſe of their preſent danger, to ſeek the Lord & wait upon him for his Mercy & Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt, while yet there may be hope. Before I Conclude, I ſhall only further ſay,

We are never like to meet all together again in this World, it being very probable that our next General Meeting will be at the Bar of Chriſt, and before the Judgment Seat of God, in our Immortal and Eternal State. Now ſeeing the Caſe ſtands thus with us, Let us make it our great Care ſo to ſpend the remaining Part of our preſent, ſhort, uncertain Life, in the work of our General and Particular Callings I mean as we are Chriſtians, and with reſpect to the Places wherein we ſtand, that we may then appear in Glory at the Right Hand of Chriſt, and give up our account to the acceptance of our Judge, and with Joy unſpeakable and Glorious in our own Souls. I ſhall Cloſe all with two Texts of Scripture agreeable to the two ſolemn Things which have been ſo much the Subject matter of this whole Diſcourſe, I mean Death and Judgment viz. Eccl. 9.10 Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work nor deviſe nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the Grave, whether thou goest. Rom 14, 10, 11, 12. We ſhall all ſtand before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt. For it is written, As I Live faith the Lord every knee ſhall bow to me, &c. So then every one of us, ſhall give an account of himſelf to God.

FINIS.

End of the text · Timothy Edwards, All the Living Must Surely Die and Go to Judgment (1732)