exercifes of it, unto this clofure of faith, God will have the glory, the gofpel will be exalted, and your own fouls fhall reap the eternal benefit of this exhortation.

But now, if notwithstanding all that hath been spoken, all the invitations you have had, and encouragements that have been held cut unto you, you fhall contiaue to defpife this fo great falvation, you will live and die in the ftate and condition wherein you are; why then, as the prophet said to the wife of Jeroboam, Come near, for I am fent unto you with heavy tidings. I fay then,

11. If you refolve to continue in the neglect of this falvation, and fhall do fo accordingly, then curfed be. you of the Lord, with all the curfes that are written in the law, and all the curfes that are denounced against defpifers of the gofpel. Yea, be you Anathema Maranatha; curfed in this world always, until the coming of the Lord, and when the Lord comes, be ye cursed from his prefence into everlasting deftruction. Yea, curfe them, all ye holy angels of God, as the obftinate enemies of your King and Head, the Lord Jefus Chrift; curfe them, all ye churches of Chrift, as defpifers of that love and mercy which is your portion, your life, your inheritance; let all the faints of God, all that love the Lord, curfe them, and rejoice to fee the Lord coming forth mightily, and prevailing against them to their everlasting ruin. Why fhould any one have a thought of compaffion towards them, who defpife the compaffion of God? or of mercy towards them, who trample on the blood of Chrift? Whilft there is yet hope, we defire to have continual forrow for you; and to travail in foul for your converfion to God; but if you be hardened in your way, fhall we join with you against him? fhall we prefer you above all his glory? fhall we desire your falvation with the defpoiling God of his honour ? Nay, God forbid; we hope to rejoice in feeing all that vengeance and indignation, that is in the right hand of God, poured out unto eternity upon your fouls,

Prov. i. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.

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Rules to be obferved by them who would come to ftability in obedience. The first rule -Chrift the only infallible judge of our 1piritual condition. How he judgeth, by his word and fpirit.

That which remaineth to be further carried on, upon the principles laid down, is to perfuade fouls, more or lefs intangled in the depths of fin, to clote with this forgiveness by believing, unto their peace and confolation. And becaufe fuch perfons are full of pleas and objections against themfelves, I fhall briefly, in what I have to fay, endeavour to obviate these objections, fo to encourage them unto believing, and bring them unto settlement. And herein whatever I have to offer, flows naturally from the doctrine at large laid down and afferted. Yet I fhall not in all particulars apply myself thereunto, but in general fix on thofe things that may tend to the establishment and confolation of both dif treffed and doubting fouls. And I fhall do what I purpose these two ways.

First, I fhall lay down fuch general rules as are neceffary to be observed by all those who intend to come to gospel-peace and comfort. And then, Secondly, fhall confider fome fuch objections as feem to be most comprehenfive of thofe fpecial reafonings wherewith dif treffed perfons do ufually intangle themselves.

I fhall begin with general rules, which through the grace of Chrift, and fupplies of his Spirit, may be of use unto believers in the condition under confide ration.

RULE

RULE I

Be not judges of your own condition, but let Chrift judge. You are invited to take the comfort of this gofpel-truth, That there is forgivenefs with God. You. fay not for you, fo faid Jacob, My way is hid from the Lord, Ifa. xl. 27. and Zion faid. fo too, chap. xlix. 14. The Lord hath forfaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten e. But did they make a right judgment of themselves, We find in thofe places, that God was otherwife minded. This falle judgment made by fouls in their entanglements, of their own condition, is oft-times a most unconquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it: They fill themselves with thoughts of their own about it, and on them they dwell, instead of looking out after a remedy. Mifgiving thoughts of their distempers, are commonly a great part of fome mens fickness. Many difeafes are apt to cloud the thoughts, and to caufe mifapprehenfions concerning their own nature and danger; and thefe delufions are a real part of the perfons fick-. nefs. Nature is no lefs impaired and weakned by them, the efficacy of remedies no lefs obftructed, than by any other real distemper. In fuch cafes we perfuade men to acquiefce in the judgment of their skilful physician, not always to be wafting themselves in and by their own tainted imaginations, and fo defpond upon their own miftakes; but to reft in what is informed them by him, who is acquainted with the causes and tendency of their indifpofition better than themfelves. It is oft-times one part of the fouls depths, to have falfe apprehenfions of its condition. Sin is a madness, Ecclef. ix. 3. So far as one is under the power of it, he is under the power of madness Madness doth not fooner, nor more effectually discover itself in any way or thing, than in possesfing them, in whom it is, with ftrange conceits and ap prehenfions of themfelves. So doth this madnefs of fin, according unto his degrees and prevalency. Hence fome

cry,

cry, Peace, peace, when fudden destruction is at hand, 1 Theff. v. 3. It is that madness, under whofe power they are, which gives them fuch groundless imaginations of themselves, and their own condition. And fome fay they are loft for ever, when God is with them."

Do you then your duty, and let Chrift judge of your ftate. Your concernment is too great, to make it a reas fonable demand, to commit the judgment of your condition to any other.. When eternal welfare or woe are at the stake, for a man to renounce his own thoughts, to give up himself implicitely, to the judgment of men fallible and liars like himself, is ftupidity; but there is no danger of being deceived by the fentence of Corift. The truth is, whether we will or no, he will judge; and according as he determines, fo fhall things be found at the last day, John v. 22. The Father judgeth no man, (that is, immediately and in his own Perfon, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. All judgment that refpects eternity, whether it be to be paffed in this world, or in that to come, is committed unto him. Accordingly, that place he judgeth both of things and perfons. Things he determines upon, verfe 24. He that beareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlafting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is paffed from death unto life. Let men fay what they pleafe, this fentence fhall ftand; faith and eternal life are infeparably conjoined. And fo of perfons, verfe 38. You have not, (faith he to the Pharifees, who were much otherwife minded) the word of God abiding in you.

Take not then the office and prerogative of Christ out of his hand, by making a judgment upon your own reasonings and conclufions, and deductions of your state and condition. You will find that he oftentimes, both on the one hand and on the other, determines quite contrary to what men judge of themselves; as alfo to what others judge of them. Some he judgeth to be in an evil condition, who are very confident that it is well with them, and who please themselves in the thoughts of

many

many to the fame purpose: And he judgeth the ftate of fome to be good, who are diffident in themselves, and it may be defpifed by others. We may fingle out an example or two in each kind.

1. Laodicea's judgment of herself, and her fpiritual ftate we have, Rev. iii. 17. I am rich and increafed with goods, and have need of nothing. A fair frate it feems, a bleffed condition: She wants nothing that may contribute to her reft, peace, and reputation; fhe is orthodox, and numerous, and flourishing; makes a fair profeffifon, and all is well within. So fhe believes, fo the reports of herself; wherein there is a fecret reflection alfo upon others whom the defpifeth. Let them fhift as they lift, I am thus as I fay. But was it fo with her indeed? was that her true condition, whereof fhe was fo perfuaded, as to profefs it unto all? Let Jefus Christ be heard to speak in this caufe, let him come and judge? I will do fo, faith he, verfe 14. Thus faith the Amen, the faithful and true Witnefs. Coming to give fentence in a cafe of this importance, he gives himself this title, that we may know his word is to be acquiefced in. Every man, faith he, is a liar; their teftimony is of no value, let them pronounce what they will of themfelves, or of one another; I am the Amen, and I will fee whofe word fhall ftand, mine or theirs. What then faith he of Laodicea? Thou art wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked. O woeful and fad difappointment: O dreadful furprifal! Ah how many Laodicean churches have we in the world? How many profeffors are members of thefe churches? Not to mention the generality of men that live under the means of grace, all which have good hopes of their eternal condition, whilft they are despised and abhorred by the only Judge. Among profeffors themfelves, it is dreadful to think how many will be found light when they come to be weighed in this balance.

2. Again, he judgeth fome to be in a good condition, be they themfeives never fo diffident, Rev. ii. 9. faith he to the church of Smyrna, I know thy poverty; Smyr

Pp

na