what they are, and whither they are going, till they plunge down among the flames.

And as it is a very great judgment of God on wicked men that so die, (for it cuts them off from all possibility of repentance, and so of salvation,) so it is as great a judgment upon those that are their companions that survive thein; for by the manner of their death, they dying so quietly, so like unto chrisom-chil dren, as they call it, they are hardened, and take courage to go on in their course.

For comparing their life with their death, their sinful cursed lives with their child-like, lamb-like death, they think that all is well, that no damnation is happened to them; though they lived like devils incarnate, yet they died like harmless ones: There was no whirlwind, no tempest, no band nor plague in their death: They died as quietly as the most godly of them all, and had as great faith and hope of salvation, and would talk as boldly of salvation, as if they had assurance of it.But as was their hope in life, so was their death: Their hope was without trial, because it was none of God's working, and their death was without molestation, because so was the judgment of God concerning them.

But, I say, at this their survivors take heart to tread their steps, and to continue to live in the breach of the law of God; yea, they carry it stately in their villanies; for so it follows in the Psalms: "There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm, &c. There

fore pride compasseth them (the survivors) about as a chain, violence covereth them as a garment." Thefore they take courage to do evil; therefore they pride themselves in their iniquity. Therefore; Wherefore; Why, because their fellows died, after they had lived long in a most profane and wicked life, as quietly, and as like to lambs, as if they had been innocent.

Yea, they are bold, by seeing this, to conclude, that God either does not, or will not take notice of their sins: "They speak wickedly, they speak loftily." They speak wickedly of sin, for that they make it better than by the word it is pronounced to be. They speak wickedly concerning oppression, that they commend, and count it a prudent act. "They also speak loftily; They set their mouth against the heavens, &c. And they say, How doth God know? and is their knowledge in the Most High ?" And all this, so far as I can see, ariseth in their hearts from their beholding of the quiet and lamb-like death of their companions.

"Behold these are the ungodly that prosper in the world, (that is, by wicked ways,) they increase in riches."

This, therefore, is a great judgment of God, both upon that man that dieth in his sins, and also upon his companion that beholdeth him so to die. He sinneth, he dieth in his sins, and yet dieth quietly. What shall his companion say to this? What judgment shall he mak

how God will deal with him, by beholding the lamb-like death of his companion? Be sure, he cannot, as from such a sight, say, Wo be to me, for judgment is before him: He cannot gather that sin is a dreadful and a bitter thing, by the child-like death of Mr Badman; but must rather, if he judgeth according to what he sees, or according to his corrupted reason, conclude with the wicked ones of old, "That every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or where is the God of judgment ?"

Yea, this is enough to puzzle the wisest man. David himself was put to a stand, by beholding the quiet death of ungodly men: "Verily," says he, " I have cleansed my heart in vain, and have washed my hands in innocency," Psalm lxxiii. 13. They, to appearance, fare better by far than I: "Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart can wish; but all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning." This, I say, made David wonder; yea, and Job and Jeremiah too: But he goeth into the sanctuary, and then he understands their end; nor could he understand it before: "I went into the sanctuary of God." What place was that; Why, there where he might inquire of God, and by him be resolved of this matter; "Then," says he, "understood I their end." Then I saw, that " thou hast set them in slippery places;" and that "thou casteth them

down to destruction." Casteth them down, that is, suddenly, or, as the next words say, "As in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors:" Which terrors did not seize them on their sickbed, for they had no bands in their death. The terrors therefore seized them there, where also they are holden in them for ever. This he found out, I say, but not without great painfulness, grief, and pricking in his reins: So deep, so hard, and so difficult did he find it, rightly to come to a determination in this matter.

And indeed this is a deep judgment of God towards ungodly sinners; it is enough to stagger a whole world, only the godly that are in the world have a sanctuary to go to, where the oracle and word of God is, by which his judgments, and a reason of many of them, are made known to, and understood by them.

Atten. Indeed this is a staggering dispensation: it is full of the wisdom and anger of God; and I believe, as you have said, that it is full of judgment to the world. Who would have imagined, that had not known Mr Badman, and yet had seen him die, but that he had been a man of an holy life and conversation, since he died so stilly, so quictly, so like a lamb or a chrisom-child; Would they not, I say, have concluded, that he was a righteous man? Or that if they had known him and his life, yet to see him die so quietly, would they not have concluded that he had made his peace with God? Nay, farther, if some b

known that he had died in his sins, and yet that he died so like a lamb, would they not have concluded, that either God doth not know our sins, or that he likes them, or that he wants power, or will, or heart, or skill, to punish them, since Mr Badman himself went from a sinful life so quietly, so peaceably, and so like a lamb, as he did?

Wise. Without controversy, this is an heavy judgment of God upon wicked men; one goes to hell in peace, another goes to hell in trouble; one goes to hell being sent thither by the hand of his companion; one goes thither with his eyes shut, and another goes thither with his eyes open; one goes thither roaring, and another goes thither boasting of heaven and happiness all the way he goes; one goes thither like Mr Badman himself, and others go thither as did his brethren. But above all, Mr Badman's death, as to the manner of dying, is the fullest of snares and traps to wicked men: therefore they that die as he, are the greatest stumble to the world: They go, and go, they go on peaceably from youth to old age, and thence to the grave, and so to hell, without noise: "They go as an ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the correction of the stocks ;" that is, both senselessly and securely. O! but being come at the gates of hell; O! but when they see those gates set open for them: O! but when they see that that is their home, and that they must go in thither; then their peace and quietness.