comfort, who have all your work to do, your peace to make, your heart unfober and gadding, your fin unpardoned, and whofe temper is carnal and fecure? The truth would be terrible, if confidered, that Christ comes quickly, and it will be terrible one day, if ye continue in that condition.

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2dly, Let me alfo expoftulate with believers that are fallen afleep, and' have their lamps gone out, whofe grace is without exercife, whofe zeal for God is grown cold, who are in a fleepy pofture to meet your Lord, lukewarm and unwatchful. may in his condefcending grace let you trim your lamps, but it will be a fore challenge to you, that ye have given fuch way to fecurity, and that as to the thriving of grace, there is little odds betwixt hypocrites and you. This is not like the faith of Chrift's coming, there is no truth more certain than it is, he cometh quickly. It is feventeen hundred years fince it was spoken, and there are many faints in glory fince that time, and if fo, he is now at the door. The Chriftians that lived in the primitive times may fhame us, it was their ordinary word, "The Lord is rifen, and the Lord is coming," and it made them watch., And though we be nearer his coming by fo many hundred years, yet how unwatchful are

we? Would it have been believed, that these who should profefs the faith of his coming, could notwithstanding live fecurely? What if there were not fuch a word of his coming in all the Bible could ye be more fecure? Though ye were not to appear before him, could ye have fewer thoughts of his coming? And when this word is left on record, and fo often repeated and cometh in here as his laft word, fhall it have no weight with you? Let it not be fo, take advertisement, ere long ye fhall find the truth of it.

And therefore think upon a few things for your up ftirring, to prepare and make ready for Chrift's coming. 1. Confider what ye will think of all these lufts and pleasures ye are now taken up with at Christ's coming. Ye that will not want your afternoons cracking, others that will not want your jeer and your mock, others that will not quit your humours, nor the fanctification ye imagine in your tippling, fome that are profane and ignorant neglecters of prayer and family worfhip, others that reft on a form, and care for no more. What will think of your felves on that day? Will ye not blush and think fhame of it, when a reckoning ye muft give, and will not get it fhifted?

ye

2. Ye that have more cleanly grounds of diverfion, your lawful callings, your

merchandife or farm, or married wife, your family to provide for, &c. What will ye think of your enjoyments in that day, when there fhall be neither house nor land, no difference betwixt the rich and the poor, the honourable and defpifed, when Chrift's coming fhall utterly deface this clay idol, and the fire fhall deftroy it?

3. Confider what ye will answer for all thefe opportunities that ye had to make your peace, and flighted them. Ye had the gofpel offering peace, invitations to make your peace, the faving knowledge of Chrift in plainnefs, liberty to wait on the ordinances without interruption, no perfecution, nor hazard of banishment, or forfeiture for coming to the church in your time, and yet ye did not make ufe of thefe opportunities, ye cared not for grace, or did not thrive in it: and ye who did make ufe of them, ye might have made far better use of them than ye have done. How will ye anfwer for this at Chrift's coming? Would God that from the knowledge of the terror of the Lord, we could perfuade you to think more ferioufly on it. Ye.

muft all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift," and his coming will put you eternally in an unchangeable condition.

4. Confider what will come of all your fhifts and excufes that ye have now to fatis

fy yourselves and others with in that day. It will not be, what have ye to fay of me? He will make you to read athiefm and contempt of him in your life and converfation, that did not acknowledge him, much idolatry, pride and selfishness, many omiffions and commiffions that were forgotten, when the book fhall be caft open, and nothing was fecret that shall not be revealed. It will not be then, I heard many preachings, I was not a profane mocker, but my prayers evening and morning, fee Luke xiii. where fuch objections were anfwered with a "Depart from me, I know

you not."

If ye fay, ye had a hope of mercy, he will fay, ye defpifed mercy, and will find you without among the dogs or liars, or fuch as loved lying. The time is coming when all your accounts will be looked over again, and many that have juftified themselves, will be unexpectedly condemned, and all their proofs whereby they pleaded an interest in Chrift, will be rejected. Ye that fit and hear these things now will one day fee them performed, and the door caften in the teeth of many that had the lamps of profeffion, but fought for no more. Make ready for it, for there is not a truer word than this, "Behold, I come quickly." Lord make as answerable to it, and fuitable to his coming.

SERMON II

REV. xxii. 20.

Amen. Even fo, Come LORD JESUS.

THIS is a fuitable clofe for one that has been admitted to fo near fellowship with Jefus Chrift, as John had been, and a fuitable frame to take leave of him, and break of for a time that immediate and extraordinary communion. It is a kind word on Chrift's fide that he faith, " I come quickly:" and it is a hearty welcome on the believer's fide, giving him a kind invitation," Amen. Even fo, come Lord Jefus," A word that fpeaks out a lively frame, and though it be fhort, yet it fhews forth much faith and love, faith believing. he will come, and love defiring the fulfil ing of the promife, and that he would come as he hath faid,

That which we are now to speak of, is the latter part of the verfe, which whether John's words or the bride's, or particular believers, it is all one. If they be John's words, it is fpoken in name of belieyers. If the bride's words, it takes in John