Grace, in the ftill Voice of Reason, and in the louder and plainer Language of Reve

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lation, who has given us a Law, by which we may be faved, and has threatened his Indignation against all, who do not obey the Truth but obey Unrighteousness? And how do Men believe thefe Things? Do not fome, that profefs and call themselves Chriftians, daily profane the facred Name of God with impious and horrid Oaths? Do not others lie, and defraud one another without the least Re. morfe, or Uneafinefs of Mind? Do not others for a few, fhort, unfatisfying Pleafures, for the Madness of a Debauch, for the Smiles of an Harlot, for the Gains of a Moment, rifque their everlasting Welfare? ---And do fuch Men believe? Is this the Faith that fhall fave a Chriftian? The Faith of thofe, whofe Faith in the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews is commended to our Imitation was very different from this. The Faith of Mofes was, that he chofe rather to Suffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleafures of Sin for a Seefon becaufe

caufe be bad Respect unto the Recompence of Reward, and endured as feeing him who is invifible. (Heb. xi. 25, 26, 27.) The Faith of the Martyrs was, that they chofe to be tortured, not accepting Deliverance, that they might obtain a better Refurrection. And the fincere Faith of Chriftians now will ever have the fame Influence, muft prevail over the World, fubdue the Lufts of the Flesh, and triumph over every Competition of present Gain, and prefent Pleafure, that opposes the Virtue of a Man, and the Obe dience of a Chriftian. And affuredly no Christian Faith exifts, where thefe Influences. are not feen. Be his Profeffion as it may, every wicked Man is in his Heart an Infidel.

When Noah, that Preacher of Righteouf nefs, denounced God's Judgments againft a World that was corrupt, how would you judge of the Faith of thofe that heard him? Could those who perfifted in the fame flagitious Practices which provoked this terrible Vengeance,

Vengeance, could they in any Propriety of Language be faid to believe him? No. They eat, they drank, indulged the fame Riot, and perfifted in the fame fenfual Humour, till the Day that Noab entered into the Ark, and the Flood came, and destroyed them all. Now the Gospel still preaches, still dea nounces God's Judgments against those that disobey him. Another Flood, but not of Waters, a new Deluge of Fire, is threatened against the Earth, and the Workers of Wickedness. The Heavens and the Earth which are now by the fame Word, which overs flowed the World with Water, are kept in ftare, referved unto a Flood of Fire, against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men. This is the Day, that shall determine, whether Atheists were Madmen, or Philofophers; whether falfe Wit, or bold Impudence can cover those, whom the Rocks and the Mountains cannot cover from the Wrath of God. At Midnight, when Mankind is wrapt in Sleep and Peace,--at Midnight, of all Hours the moft dreadful, lo the Trumpet founds,

and

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and proclaims to the quick and dead, that the Lord is at band. The Earth trembles the Sea and it's Waves roar, the Air thunders; the Heavens are on Fire; all Nature ftruggles in Convulfions; the Son of Man appears in the Clouds, and comes flying upon the Wings of the Wind; Hell from beneath opens, and pours forth it's devouring Flames. 1-Awake Sinner---prepare to meet thy God. Behold him cloathed in Garments white as Snow, fitting on a Throne like the fiery Flame, and it's wheels as burning Fire, with a fiery Stream iffuing out from before him, thoufand thousands ministering to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him, whilst the Fudgment is fet, and the Books are opened. (Dan. vii. 9, 10.) Dreadful Day, that is never to know an End. Ah, my God! The Earth---where is it? The Ground on which we stood is gone! Where are the everlasting Mountains? Where are the Rocks to fall on the guilty, and fhelter them from him that fitteth upon the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb? O for a good Confcience! O but

for

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for fome Refpite, for a fhort Delay to repent,

and make our Peace with God. But Time is---alas! no more. The acceptable Day is past. Because God called, and you refused ;--he now will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear is come, when your Fear is come as a Defolation, and your Destruction as a Whirlwind, fudden and irresistible, when Anguifh overwhelms you, and you are just falling into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone.

And when will Men be wife? Have all the Workers of Wickedness no Knowledge? Is not this Day most plainly foretold? Will it not come, as furely as Chrift was born---as furely as you muft die? Will it not come, as a Thief in the Night, furprising a careless World? Nigh as the Year is to an End, may not the World end before it? For of that Day and Hour knoweth no Mon. The Day is indeed yet to come,---but come it certainly will, and, as our Saviour fays, it will come as a Snare on all them that live upon the Face of the whole Earth.

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