they have most unjustly made many innocent and upright men spectacles to men and angels here in this life, so shall they, unless a repentance followed, be made a spectacle to men and angels in the life to come, being first put to open shame by having their mask of piety plucked off, and consequently all the rottenness of their hearts, and villainy of their designs, made evident and apparent, and afterwards a double portion of the most exquisite torments that hell can afford shall be given to them; one moiety for their sins, and another for their hypocrisy; one for their great presumption in their daring to mock God, and another for their far greater impudence in pretending to honour and serve, whilst they did but mock him. This, I say, shall be the portion of the hypocrite at the day of judgment, which appears to be a very bitter one by that of our Saviour, (Matt. xxiv. 51,) where it seems, a greater punishment cannot be threatened or given than a portion with the hypocrite and yet even from thence we may collect, that some sinners who are not hypocrites, yet are equally bad, otherwise they would not have their portion assigned with them; and those are such, who are so far from hypocrisy, that they do not, nor will not, so much as pretend to be religious; I mean those that call themselves Christians, and yet are worse than the worst of pagans, such as sin with a high hand, those impudently presumptuous and profane persons, that are so far from concealing or disguising any of their lewd courses or practices, though never so sinful and shameful, that they not only own and avow them, but value themselves for them, as if to be a witty scoffer, a bold blasphemer, a strong drinker, a notorious fornicator or adulterer, and a desperate contemner of all divine and human laws, were the necessary ingredients towards the composition of a gallant man, and consequently, as if it were impossible to be a gallant man and a good Christian: nay, as if it were not possible to be a gallant man, and to be a man, that is, a rational creature, without being metamorphosed and transformed into a swine, a goat, or some such brutish creature, by giving up a man's self to all manner of beastly lusts, with as much liberty, and as little shame or remorse, as beasts themselves do; as if God had given men reason, not to govern and restrain, but to stir up and be subservient to their sensual appetite; and what is all this, but to do what is in a man's own power to unman himself, and turn a rebel, not against divinity and religion, but against humanity and nature itself also? And now though this, one would think, were as bad as could be, yet it were to be wished that some were not worse; by not worse, I mean, that they would be content and satisfied to walk alone by themselves in the ways and works of dark ness, without making it their business (as we see they do) to draw as many others as they can down into hell with them, like the companions of Ulysses, who having drunk of Circe's enchanted cup themselves, and thereby become beasts, afterwards made use of all the beastly inducements they could to prove the preference of that to man's life, and so persuade their other fellows to drink of the same cup, and partake of a like fate with them. And what is this but to play the Devil's part, or to be the prince of darkness's agents or factors here in this world? For as the Devil himself is called Aiάßoños, or the tempter, because it is his business, delight, and study to tempt others; so all that are tempters of others into sin may, by the same reason, be called devils; I am sure they de the Devil's work, and shall have (unless they repent) the Devil's wages for it. For if those that "turn other men unto righteousness" (as the prophet says) "shine like stars,” or have a much greater degree of glory in heaven than other good men, who have not been so zealous or industrious to convert others; by the same reason, those who tempt other men into sin shall have a much greater degree of torment in hell than other wicked men, who have not been so malicious or contagious in corrupting and infecting those who have conversed with them; which is an effect of the most diabolical spirit that any man whilst on this side the grave can possibly be possessed or endued withal. But whence, I wonder, is this courage against God? Or what is it makes some men so bold and confident, not only by being as wicked as they can themselves, but by endeavouring to make others their proselytes? Is it because they never think of any thing at all beyond the present? If so, they are no wiser than the brute beasts. Or is it because they think of nothing beyond death? And of death too, perhaps, in the most gentle and comfortable notion; I mean, as death is a rest from all labours, a cure of all diseases, an asylum from all enemies, and generally, as it is an end of all worldly troubles, and a deliverance from all earthly calamities and vexations? Truly, I must confess, to have such a notion of death as this is, is no pleasant meditation, especially when we are ready to sink under any severe difficulties or troubles. But, alas! my beloved brethren, death is to be thought upon by Christians, not only as it is the end of one life, but as the commencement of another, which, for better or worse, must last for ever. Nay, death is to be thought upon by wicked Christians, not as the beginning of another life, but as the entrance or passage unto another death; where men shall be dead to all pleasure, to all joy, to all comfort, to all hope; this shall be their deathless life, or a lifeless death; they shall be however alive to pain, alive to shame and horror of another here, yet they shall both of them weep and gnash their teeth together hereafter. profane person as flax, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them." God of his infinite goodness give them both grace to foresee in time, and by repentance to prevent this their so great danger; for certainly for any man to despise the divine justice, with the endless and intolerable effects of it, is not courage, but madness. And therefore, to conclude all in a word, the best method we can take, is to judge ourselves, that we may not be judged of the Lord; and because "that day" (as the Lord himself tells us) "shall come as a thief in the night," suddenly and unexpectedly, let us always be sure to have oil in our lamps, that is, faith and repentance in our hearts, justice and charity in our actions; and whatever else we have to do, let it be one part of our daily business seriously to meditate, conscience, and (which is worst of all) living to despair of ever attaining any end or ease of those torments. And now I would fain know," For the hypocrite shall be as tow, and the whether any the most profligate person has courage enough to think of such a death as this without fear, or the confidence to expect it without trembling? Let us therefore consider it, and you especially, whoever you are, must consider it seriously that forget God, or at least forget him as he is a judge. Consider it, you that by your drunkenness or uncleanness, or by any other profane course of life, do seem, as it were, to have made a covenant with death and hell, and think perhaps to have the more favourable usage from the prince of darkness hereafter, the more boldly you have avowed yourselves to be his servants in advancing of his kingdom here; you that have done what you can to prevent your Judge by pronouncing sentence upon yourselves, and damning yourselves as often as you swear, which is almost as often as you speak, (for such is the custom of common swearers,) think with yourselves, I beseech you, whether your courage, how great soever it be, will serve you, and your strength, how much soever it be, will support you, and for ever too, in such a place and such a condition as I have imperfectly described anto you; “Can any of you dwell, and dwell for ever, in everlasting burnings? And yet this shall be the dwelling, this shall be the portion of the hypocrite," says the prophet, (Isa. xxxiii. 14.) And the like portion with the hypocrite shall the profane person participate. For though the way of the profane and the hypocrite seem contrary, yet they shall meet, and their end shall be the same; and though they deride and laugh at one 1st, Upon the vanity and shortness of our lives; and, 2dly, Upon the certainty and uncertainty of our deaths. 3dly, Upon the great exactness and severity of the judgment to come after death; and, 4thly, and lastly, Upon the eternity and immutability of every man's condition in the other world, whether it be good or evil. And then, I hope, by God's grace sanctifying these our endeavours, our condition there will be such, as we shall have no cause to desire either an end or an alteration of it. Which God of his mercy grant us all, through the merits of his Son, and the happy conduct of his Holy Spirit. Amen. INDEX OF SUBJECTS. THE REFERENCES ARE TO THE Volume, Page, and Column. between, i. 275, 2 Abilities an object of envy, i. 508, 1 other, Actions, bad, not excused by good intentions, good, some people call bad, and vice versa, springing from good-nature - promises short of, not words, are sufficient to JUDGMENT, a Discourse, in two and punishment, distinction complaint ii. 379, 2 ii. 235, 2 in, i. 351, 2 i. 175, 1 Ahaz, impiety of, ii. 132, 1 All men are to be judged, ii. 547, 2 glory, ii. 237, 2 Alluring objects, presence of, aids ii. 29, 2 i. 506, 1 ii. 178, 1 next to God, i. 234, 2 Antinomians, doctrine of, i. 146, 2 Antiochus, sin and punishment of, i. 54, 1 Anxiety, fear of, ii. 217, 2 does not prevent the coming of evil, ii. 220, 1 Appetite, casual power of, ii. 252, 2 a growing, very troublesome, i. 407, 2 Apostacy, aggravation of, ii. 134, 2 APOSTLES, CHRIST'S INSTRUCTION To, a discourse, ii. 215, 2 provided with an antidote against the fear of bodily torments, disgrace, and death, ii. 216, 2 their power of argument, i. 516, 2 ii. 87, 2 i. 520, 2 backwardness of, not bigotted, them, commission of, quence, calumnies brought against i. 516, 2 ii. 215, 2 gifted with superhuman eloi. 518, 2 their resolute fidelity, i. 521, 1 received the Holy Spirit Apostles, their miraculous gifts temporary, and for a special purpose, i. 293, 1 opposition they encountered, not to be wondered at, i. 514 two kinds of opposition experienced by them, i. 516, 1 cruelly persecuted, i. 517, 1 three elements of their power as preachers, i. 518, 2 gifted with extraordinary prudence, i. 520, 2 sent forth as soldiers, ii. 216, 1 warned that they must undergo suffering, ii. 216, 2 cautioned against the superfluities and cruelties of the world, ii. 216, 1 victory promised to them, i. 518, 1 two instances of their wisdom, i. 520, 2 Approximation necessary to perception, i. 377, 1 Arian objections to Christ's divinity, i. 445, 2; 259, 1 Arians and Eunomians deny that Christ had a human soul, ii. 227, 2 and Socinians, opinions of, regarding the Trinity, i. 366, 2 things concerning God denied by the, i. 251, 2 Aristotle, doctrines of, regarding the soul, ii. 382, 2 opinions of, respecting the eternity of the world, ii. 366, 2 the opinion of, as to wisdom, i. 249, 2 took most of his philosophy from Solomon, i. 326, 2 Arminian and Socinian controversies spoken of, i. 339, 2 Assassination of particular persons condemned, ii. 459, 2 Assurance, mode in which some have deceived themselves regarding, i. 111, 2 danger of trusting to, in venturing into temptation, ii. 16, 1 way to attain, i. 111, 2 Astrology, its falsehood and absurdity, ii. 182, 1 Attributes of justice and mercy misapprehended by the hypocrite, ii. 365, 1 Atonement difficult, because due to infinite justice, ii. 166, 2 impossible for man, who has not the requisite compensation, ii. 156, 1 Atheism, men's appetites lead to, i. 393, 1 true cause of, i. 50, 1; 392, 2 discontent, pleasure, and sensuality, causes of, ii. 286, 1 grounds of, pitiful and ridiculous, i. 393, 1 Atheism and corruption of the times, ii. 285, 2 ib. great sins lead to, shews great ignorance of nature, ii. 284, 2 Atheist, abandons his opinions at the approach of death, ii. 285, i tries to rid himself of the belief of a God, ii. 282, 2 conversion of, very difficult, i. 110, 2 is terrified by danger, ii. 285, 1 an exception from the standing rules of nature, ii. 284, 1 - folly of, because he lays aside a principle suitable to reason, ii. 284, 1 folly of, shewn from the causes and motives inducing him te take up this opinion, and from those cases in which such persons begin to doubt and waver, ii. 284, 2 — judgment of, lies in his affections, ii. 285, 1 Atheists also hypocrites, ii. 281, 1 strange philosophy of, ib. not wisest men in the world, i. 110, ? wishes of, existence of, ii. 281, 2 difficult to be lieve, ii. 280, Atheistic denial of the judgment to come, considered, ii. 545, 2 Authority required by Church governors, ii. 97, 2 Avarice, the first plea of, is the necessity of making a provision for posterity, i. 401, 1 See Covetousness. Babylon, power and greatness of, ii. 456, 1 Barchocab, a false Messiah, who called himself the son of a star, i. 266, 1 Being, He who gives a, has an indefeasible claim to what the, can do, i. 208, 1 Believers, law binding on, as rule of life, ii. 105, 1 Bellarmine, quotation from, i. 171, 2; 210, 2 Benhadad, army of, how overthrown, ii. 55, 2 Better, some men erroneously think that they will get, when they get older, Bible times peculiar, i. 491, 2 Bishops, correspondence between, and the case of the prophet Jeremiah, ii. 95, 1 integrity, best defence of, i. 151, 2 ii. 97, 1 duties of, i. 38, 390 protect the church, ii. 96, 1 require three qualifications, ii. 96, 2 -resolution, very essence of ii. 97, 1 Blindness, accidental, may be sin, ii. 456, 1 resurrection of the same, impossibility of, disproved, i. 359, 2 Body, the, an essential constituent Causes of uncharitable interpreta ii. 217, 2 i. 547, 2 ii. 376, 2 Busybodies often - judges of, i 425, 2 against him, i. 435, 2 i. 150, 1 i. 432, 2 an effect of envy, i. 511, 1 ii. 211, 2 to God, argued down by republican slanders against restoration of, ascribed to the - principles which should be i. 426, 1 |