A SERMON Preached before the King & Queen AT WHITEHALL, March 23. 1689/ 90. By the Right Reverend Father in God EDWARD Lord Bishop of Worcester. Published by their Majesty's Special Command.  
LONDON, Printed for Henry Mortclocke at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1690.   
ECCLESIASTES xi. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. 
IF Solomon had said, Rejoice not, O young man, in thy Youth, neither let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy Youth; walk not in the way of thine heart, nor in the sight of thine eyes; for know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement, the Sense had been so easy and plain, that there had been no Appearance of Difficulty in reconciling one part with the other: For the whole had been looked upon but as a necessary and seasonable Admonition to such who by the Heats of Youth, and Strength of Inclination, and Allurements of the World, are too apt to be transported with the Love of Sensual Pleasures. And this had been very becoming the Wise Man towards the conclusion of his Book, wherein he had not only before set forth the several Vanities of Humane Life; but so soon after, bids Men Remember their Creator in the days of their Youth, 
Ch. 12. 1.  while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh of which they shall say they have no pleasure in them. i e. in the days wherein they are most apt to walk in the way of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes. For he knew very well, that nothing is so powerful a Check and Restraint upon men's inclinations to Sin, as the serious consideration of that God that gave them their Being's, and will bring them to an Account for their Actions.  
But how then comes he in this Verse to seem rather to give a Permission to Young men in the time of Youth to indulge themselves in their mirth and vanity? Rejoice, O young man▪ in thy Youth, etc.  
Some think that the Wise Man only Derides and Exposes them for their Folly in so doing; but that seems not agreeable with the grave and serious advice which follows. And we find nothing like Irony or Sarcasm in any part of the foregoing Book; for he begins it with a Tragical Exclamation against the vanities of humane life; 
Ch. 1. 2.  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities: all is vanity. And he pursues his Argument by a particular induction of the most tempting and pleasing vanities of Life; and particularly all sorts of Sensual delights; 
Ch. 2. 1.  as Mirth and jollity in the first place, 
v. 3.  than Wine and Music, fine Palaces, 
v. 4, 5, 6, 7.  curious Vineyards, Gardens and Pools, a great Retinue, and, which was needful to maintain all this, 
v. 8.  Abundance of Silver and Gold. But what a melancholy reflection doth he make on all these Pleasures of Life? Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, 
v. 11.  and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit. What encouragement then could the Wise Man, after so much experience of the World, give to Young men here in the Text, to Rejoice in the days of their Youth, and to walk in the way of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes? i. e. to pursue Vanity, and to lay the Foundation for greater vexation of Spirit, when they come to reflect on their own Follies.  
What then is the meaning of these words? For this, we are to observe, that the Preacher having declared his own main Scope and Design in the beginning and conclusion of his Book, brings in sometimes the different senses which mankind are apt to have concerning the Happiness of Life. And that is the reason that we meet with such different Expressions concerning it.  
In one place it is said, 
Ch. 8. 15.  that there is no better thing under the Sun, than to eat and drink and to be merry; but in another, he saith, Sorrow is better than laughter, 
Ch. 7. 3.  and by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.  
In one place he saith, 
Ch. 9 2.  All things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked: 
Ch. 8. 12, 13.  But in another, That it shall be well with them that fear the Lord, but it shall not be well with the wicked.  
How can such Passages as these be Reconciled, if we look on them as expressing the sense of the same Person? But if we allow them to be the different notions of two sorts of Men in this World, they are easy to be understood, although not to be reconciled. And the one sort is of those who place all Happiness in this Life, without regard to Religion or Virtue, or another World; and the other of those, who look on this Life only as a Passage to Another; and that all Persons ought to behave themselves here, so as conduces most to their Happiness hereafter.  
And according to these different Schemes, we have in the words of the Text two very different sorts of Counsel and Advice to Young men.  
I. The first proceeds upon the Supposition that all the Happiness of Man lies in this Life, and in the Enjoyment of the Sensual Pleasures of it; Rejoice, O young man, in thy Youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy Youth; and walk in the way of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes. We have no other Rule here given but the sight of the eye, and the way of the heart; i. e. outward Appearance and inward Inclination; and these are the beloved Rules of the most Sensual and Voluptuous persons, and they judge of Happiness only by the pursuit of them. Here is nothing mentioned of Reason or Conscience, or a regard to Virtue in the Restraint of Natural Inclinations: Nay, here is nothing of that Severity which Epicurus himself thought necessary towards the maintaining of a pleasant state of Life; which he granted could never be done without some restraint of men's Appetites and Inclinations to the Pleasures of Sense; and it is not to be imagined, that Solomon should give Young men greater Liberty than the corruptest Moralists did. Therefore I cannot look upon these words as a Permission for them to do what is here expressed; but as a full Description of that method of Living, which the jolly and voluptuous Corrupters of Youth would instruct them in, Rejoice, O young man, in thy Youth, and let thine heart cheer thee, etc.  
II. We have here the most Powerful Check and Restraint laid upon all these Sensual Inclinations of Youth. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement. Which Words are the Wise Man's Correction of the foregoing Liberty, or the Curb which Reason and Religion give to the pursuit of Natural Inclinations, wherein every Word hath its force, and aught to make a deep impression upon us: For,  
(1.) Know thou: Thine is not then the same case with Creatures that have no understanding; they are not capable of any Check from themselves, having no Law of Reason or Conscience within them to control or govern their Sensual Desires; but God hath given thee not merely a Brutal Appetite, but a Rational Soul, capable of understanding the differences of Good and Evil, and the Reasons why some things which appear Pleasant are very disagreeing to the Principles of Humane Nature; i. e. to that Order, Decency, Modesty, and Regularity, which the more elevated frame and capacity of Mankind do require.  
(2.) For all these things; as light and vain as you esteem them, as soon as they are over and forgotten by you, as secretly and closely as they are committed, as much as you endeavour to palliate and excuse them, yet but for all these things God will certainly bring thee into judgement. Therefore you have all the reason in the world to consider what you do, 
Ch. 12. 14.  since every thing will be brought to judgement, whether it be good or evil, as Solomon concludes this Book. Which shows the great Regard God hath to the Good or Evil of our Actions; and if the great Judge of the World hath so, certainly we ought to have it, and never think ourselves at liberty to do what we please, in gratifying our Lusts, and pursuing our Natural Inclinations to Evil.  
(3.) God will do it. If there were no God to call thee to an account, yet there are some Actions of Virtue so agreeable to Mankind, and some Vices so loathsome and deformed, that there would be sufficient cause for them to love the one and to abhor the other. If we could suppose such a frame of things and such sorts of Being's as we now see, and no God to make them, (which is most Absurd and Unreasonable,) yet we must suppose these Being's to have Natures and Properties distinct from each other; so that we could not imagine Men to become Beasts, and therefore they must not act like them, but preserve that Decorum or Agreeableness in their Actions which is suitable to the peculiar Excellencies of Humane Nature. And there are some Sins so much below the Dignity thereof, that no Circumstances, no Suppositions, can make them fitting for Mankind to commit them; which shows that the Nature of Good and Evil is no Arbitrary thing, but is founded in the very frame of our Being's, and in the Respects we owe to ourselves and to one another. And since there is an Infinite and Supreme Being which hath Absolute Power and Command over us, and gives us both our Being's and the Comforts of our Lives, it is most Absurd to suppose it not to be a fault to hate his Goodness, or to despise his Mercy; or to slight his Power, and to contemn his Authority: For in all these there is something repugnant to the common sense of Mankind, and to all Principles of true Honour and Justice. And there are such common Principles of Morality arising from our necessary Relation to God and each other, which are of so clear and convincing Evidence, that every one that considers them will grant that Wicked Men may as well go about to dispute their Being's as their Sins; and may as easily prove that they are not, but only appear to be, as that no Actions are really Evil, but only by false Glasses appear so to be. But however vain men may deceive themselves, God will not be mocked; for he not only sees and knows all our Actions, but he will bring us to an Account for them.  
(4.) God will bring thee into judgement. It is a dreadful consideration to a Sinner, that God knows all his false steps, all his secret Sins, all his Falsehood and Dissimulation with God and Men: And there is nothing which men of Art and Design hate more, than to be discovered and found out in all their double and deceitful dealings; but to have these not only privately discovered, but exposed and laid open to the view of the World; and not only so, but to have every Circumstance examined, and every Action scanned, and that by the great Judge of all the World, whom nothing can escape, nothing can deceive, nothing can withstand; whose Justice is inflexible, whose Knowledge is incomprehensible, whose Power is irresistible, and whose Vengeance is insupportable: This we cannot but imagine must strike an awe and terror into the Minds of Men, when they are pursuing the Pleasures of Sin, that for all these things God will bring them into judgement. But notwithstanding these and many other Expressions to the same purpose in Scripture, wherein God hath declared that he will certainly judge the World in Righteousness at the Great Day; 
Act. 7. 31.  that the Secrets of all hearts shall then be disclosed; 
Rom. 2. 16.  that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; 
2 Cor. 5. 10  and that God will render to every man according to his Deeds: 
Rom. 2. 6.  And notwithstanding it is a thing in itself very reasonable, from the consideration of God's Justice and Providence, and the Nature and Consequences of Good and Evil Actions; yet the generality of Mankind go on as secure and careless as if there were no such thing, or that they ought not to be concerned about it. Therefore I shall not spend time in the Proof of that which I take for granted you all believe, and I am sure have Reason so to do; but I shall inquire into these things which are most Practical and therefore proper for our Consideration at this Time.  
(1.) How a matter of so great Importance as a judgement to come makes so little Impression on the Minds of the generality of Mankind, who profess to believe it.  
(2.) By what means the consideration of a Future Judgement may have a greater Influence on all our Minds.  
(1.) How a thing of so great Importance as God's bringing us into judgement comes to make so little Impression on the Minds of the generality of those who profess to believe it, when we are so tender and sensible of small things with Respect to this World.  
For Resolving this, we must consider, that there is a great Difference between the Not Disbelieving Doctrinal Points of Faith, and the Practical Improvement of them in our Minds; without which, they remain there but as general and confused Notions. Thus too many who abhor being thought Atheists, live as if there were no God; not, that they deny or dispute his Being or Attributes, but they have no Regard to them in the last Dictates of their Minds, or in the Course of their Actions. To go about to prove such things to be true they look on as lost labour, for they do not question them; but there is another thing then which we are to give an Account of, viz. how it comes to pass, that so great and so weighty Doctrines, being received and allowed to be true, make so little Impression on the generality of Mankind; especially this of the Day of Judgement; of which these seem to be the main Reasons.  
(1.) men's Impatience of Considering great and weighty things at a Distance, which cannot affect and move our Senses.  
(2.) The bewitching and stupifying Nature of Present and Sensual Pleasures; which draw off the Mind from greater things, and weaken all the Impressions they make upon us.  
(3.) A General Presumption upon God's Mercy towards Mankind on the Account of the Frailty of Humane Nature, notwithstanding the severity of his threatenings in Scripture.  
(1.) I begin with men's Impatience of Considering.  
We flatter and please ourselves with the thoughts that we are Intelligent and Considering Being's, when, it may be, Considering (especially as to matters of greatest consequence) is one of the things which Mankind have the greatest Aversion to. For generally, they love to go no farther than the Outsides and Appearances of things, and have their Minds wholly possessed with false and flattering Imaginations, having neither Truth nor Consistency in them. And those who account themselves of better Breeding than others, are often more imposed upon than others in this way. The Pomp and Grandeur of the World, the gaiety and Splendour of Living strikes their Fancies with such vehement Impressions, that scarce any thing else gets into their Minds, or sinks deep into them. There are many other things that seem to stand fair in their Opinion at some times, but it is as they are thought Serviceable to Worldly Greatness and Honour.  
This, after all the Instructions of Philosophers, the Declamations of Heathen and Christian Orators, and the far more Powerful Arguments of the Wisest and Best of Men, recorded in Holy Scripture, is still the great Idol of Mankind, which they serve and worship with the truest and warmest Devotion. All other things, how great and weighty soever in themselves, yet are really looked on by them as a sort of Metaphysical Abstracted Notions of things Invisible and Immaterial, quite out of the reach of their Imagination, which may serve for the Amusement of some, and the Affrightment of others, and the Entertainment of Speculative Minds; but, how to raise themselves in the World, to appear Great, and have many Dependants; to pursue and carry on their own Interests (though without regard to Justice and Honesty) these they account Great and Noble things, and fit to employ their Minds upon. But alas! How much are such imposed upon by mere Shows and Appearances of things, which are really what God made them, but are not what we fancy them to be! There are, no doubt, real Conveniencies of Life in Riches, and Honour, and Ease, and Plenty, or else they could never be esteemed Blessings, nor could we have reason to thank God for them; but there is a great difference between the Fitness of things for our present use, and for our happiness; i. e. when we make them our End, and do not employ them in order to a farther End. But it is good Advice of S. Paul, Using the World as not abusing it; 
1 Cor. 7. 31.  for the Fashion of this World passeth away: it passes like a Ship under Sail, while the generality of Mankind, like Passengers, lie asleep in it. Sometimes when Storms arise, or Waves cross them, they seem to be awake, and to look about them, and to think whither they are going; but those thoughts being uneasy to them, they lie down again, and are carried they know not whither. But still it is but the Fashion of this World; a mere Landscape, wherein there is great Variety but little Satisfaction, the Show far outdoing the Substance. When the Devil showed Christ the Kingdoms of the World, 
Matt. 4. 8.  and the Glory of them, the highest Mountain could afford but a small Prospect of them, but as some think he caused a Representation in the Air of the most tempting Splendour and Glories of them. And this was the truest Representation of them, by glorious Appearances and bewitching Shows. But unless there be something in Humane Nature which makes it very apt to be deceived by such things, it were strange the Devil should think to prevail on our Saviour by them. We pity those who travelling in the Night are deceived by false Fires and shining Meteors, and follow them into Bogs and Precipices; but the case of such is so much worse who are deluded by the Deceitful Vanities of this World to their own Destruction.  
And can there be any greater Argument of the want of Consideration, than for Persons to suffer themselves to be so easily and so fatally cheated? It is a Wise Observation of Aristotle, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nat. Ausc. l. 7. c. 4. n. 15.  that True Knowledge and Wisdom lies most in settling and fixing the Mind. For it is not the subtlety and fineness of Thoughts, not the quickness and sharpness of Apprehension, not the close and mathematical Deductions of Reason which make a Wise Man, but the having a calm and composed Temper of Mind, the subduing our Passions, and governing our Actions with respect to our Chief End. And in order to this, Consideration is absolutely necessary; without which that which is nearest to us, and offers itself first to our Choice, must prevail upon us. And here lies the main Difficulty to persuade Mankind to choose a far greater Happiness at a Distance and Invisible, before a present Enjoyment of things we are constantly conversant with, and have made an early Impression upon us. But still we say, that it is nothing but men's Impatience of Considering, which makes them have so little Regard to another Life. For if they would but lay both Worlds in the Balance one against the other, they would soon discover the wonderful Folly of preferring that which this World accounts Happiness before that which is offered to our Choice in another. For let us make all the fair and reasonable Allowances that may be, as to our Inclinations, and Appetites, and Circumstances in this World; as to the Distance, Obscurity, Incomprehensibleness of the Joys of another World; yet every considering man that regards true Happiness will be sure to choose that which is to come. For,  
(1.) Supposing the Happiness were Equal, yet there is no proportion in the Continuance of them; and a considering Man will be sure to choose a Happiness that can never have an End, before one that may be irrecoverably lost in a moment; and can certainly be enjoyed but for a little time, if there were any certainty at all in the Enjoyment of it.  
(2.) The more any have considered, the more they have repent placing too much of their Happiness here, because Reason and Experience shows them the Folly of it. But the more they have considered, the better satisfied the Minds of Good Men are in placing their Happiness above; where alone that Good is to be found which can make us truly Happy, and is to be enjoyed in that Fullness, that Purity, that Certainty which makes it fit for the wisest and most considering Men to prefer above a present Happiness, if it were to be enjoyed on Earth.  
(3.) He that looks after a Future Happiness doth not thereby lose any of the Real Conveniencies of Humane Life; but he that places his Happiness here, cannot find it in this World, and is sure to be miserable in another: And this makes a very considerable Difference in the Choice. Indeed, if God made it absolutely necessary in order to Future Happiness for us to forgo all the Natural Pleasures and Innocent Delights of this Life, the terms would be much harder, and hardly possible to Humane Nature. For, if all Pleasures of Sense must be renounced, we must not see the pleasing varieties of Nature, nor hear the melodious sound of Birds, nor taste the Meat when we are hungry, nor drink when we are thirsty; for there is really greater Pleasure of Sense when Nature craves necessary Sustenance, than what the most voluptuous Epicurean enjoys in all his Contrivances, first to raise his Appetite, and then to please it: For what is most natural and necessary is the most Delightful; every thing of Force must have something Uneasy in it. But God hath not dealt thus hardly with Mankind; He allows us all the reasonable Desires of Nature, and hath only forbid us what is unreasonable and unnecessary. And upon the forbearance of what is so, joined with our entire dependence upon himself for it, 
Gal. 5. 6.  (which the Scripture calls Faith working by Love,) he hath made the Gracious Offer of Eternal Happiness. It is true, in Extraordinary Cases of Persecution he requires more, but then he proposes Extraordinary Rewards to make abundant Recompense for them; but in the common and ordinary Case of Mankind, he requires no more than our avoiding those Excesses in Pleasing our Appetites which Nature and Reason condemn. And those who consider, cannot but see how unreasonable it is to place their Happiness in forbidden Pleasures; and to think that nothing can make them happy, but what God hath declared shall make them miserable. It is a strange Crossness in our Desires, if nothing can please them but what displeases God. It were no hard task to show, that God forbids nothing but what is really repugnant to our Wellbeing here; and how then can any such thing as Happiness be hoped for in such things? And when a man ventures being Miserable for ever, for what can never make him Happy here, if he had his full Liberty to pursue his Desires; he shows how far he is from acting like a wise, rational, considering Being. So that Impatience of Considering is one great Reason why the thoughts of a Judgement to come make so little Impression on men's Minds.  
(2.) The Second Reason is the Bewitching and Stupifying Nature of Sensual Pleasures. The Epicurean Philosophers, who managed the Theory of Pleasure with the greatest Art, so as it might look like a proper happiness for Mankind, found Two things absolutely necessary in order to it.  
(1.) The Retrenching all inordinate Desires, viz. such as had more Pain following them, than there was Pleasure in the Enjoyment of them.  
(2.) The Removing the Fears of another World out of men's Minds. For as long as these sunk into their Minds, they must rob them of that inward Tranquillity, without which it were a vain thing so much as to talk of Happiness. But it was impossible, upon their Grounds, to do either of these. For,  
(1.) It is unreasonable to suppose that the Happiness of our present Life should consist in the Enjoyment of Pleasure, and yet the Pleasure of Opinion to be taken away, since the Pleasure of Opinion is the far greatest part of the Pleasure of Life; and that which is as much valued and esteemed by all those who place their Happiness in Pleasure. If it were all to be reduced to that which lies in satisfying the necessary Desires of Nature, than such as have just enough for that, are far more happy than the Rich and Voluptuous, because they have less Pains and Care. But if any allowance be made to the Pleasure of Fancy and Opinion, than no stop can be given to inordinate Desires. For, who can set bounds to Fancy, or lay a reasonable Restraint upon Desires, if the Differences of Good and Evil be taken away? As they must be, if mere Pleasure and Pain be to be regarded in our Actions.  
(2.) As to the other, the Methods they used to remove all Fears of another World were weak and trifling, and they had no Advantage in Point of Argument, but what the Ignorance and Folly of the Idolatrous part of Mankind at that time gave them. But there is a far greater advantage in point of Interest, which makes men of Sensual Lives very willing to be rid of the Fears of another Life. And a willing mind goes a great way in believing or not believing. Those who place their Happiness in eating and drinking well (as they call it) and other Sensual Delights, which can never be enjoyed when htis Life is ended, have but a melancholy Prospect into another World; for they are shut out from the very possibility of being happy in their own Sense, (unless they would believe the Eastern Impostor;) but when they once come to apprehend that there is no Pleasure to make them happy but what is seated in the Body, they are apt to conclude that when that dies, there is an end of all, for their Imaginations can reach no farther. And the true Reason is, they have laid Reason and Conscience asleep so long, that it is very hard to awaken them; their Notions of good and Evil are like the confused Apprehensions of Men half awake; they see enough to perplex but not enough to satisfy them. And when their Fears grow upon them, they have not the Heart and Courage to Examine them, whether they be Reasonable or not; but rather choose to return to their former Opiates, than undergo the trouble of an Effectual Cure by a hearty Repentance and coming to themselves, 
Luke 15. 17.  as the Prodigal Son in the Parable did, when his Hardship had brought him to Consideration. We do not know what had become of him, if he had been wise and frugal in his Pleasures; if he had taken care of a good stock and a plentiful Subsistence; but he first came to be pinched with want, before he was awakened to Repent. But we have in Scripture a more remarkable Instance of the Stupifying Nature of Sensual Pleasures; and that was in David after his Sins of Adultery and Murder. It is a Wonder, how a Man of such a tender Conscience in other things, should continue so long under the Gild of these Enormities, without being awakened to Repentance: Did he not know these to be great Sins? And did not his Conscience charge him with the Gild of them? How came he then to need a Prophet to be sent to him, and to deal so plainly with him, as to tell him Thou art the Man? 
2 Sam. 12. 7.  But this is a plain Evidence, how much the Pleasures of Sin are apt to stupefy men's Consciences so far, that unless God by his Grace be pleased to awaken them thoroughly, they never come to a sincere and hearty Repentance. David saw nothing more as to the Gild of his Sins, when he penned his 51st Psalm, than his own Reason and Natural Conscience might inform him before; but he had quite another Sense of his Sins then; his Heart was broken and his Soul wounded under the Apprehension of God's Displeasure; and this makes him pray so earnestly and so importunately to God for the Pardon of his Sins. And if it were thus in the case of a Man otherwise after God's own heart, i.e. afraid of offending him, and careful to please him; what may we imagine it to be in those who in the time of Youth walk in the way of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes: i. e. allowing themselves in all Sensual Inclinations, and pursuing Carnal Delights so far till they have lost all Sense of God and another World; and such as these, nothing but the Powerful Influences of Divine Grace can awaken and recover.  
(3.) The Third Reason is, A General Presumption upon God's Mercy. The first thing which Sinners, in the Heat of their Youth, and Pursuit of their Lusts, aim at, is to think as little as may be of what they are doing, or what will be the Consequence of their Actions. For every thought of themselves is very uneasy to them, and every thought of God is much more so; therefore they drive away all such thoughts by one means or other, by Sleep, Diversion, Company, and such Public Entertainments, as rather heighten and inflame their Vices than correct them.  
If all this will not do, but there will be some Melancholy Hours, wherein Conscience begins to rouse itself, and to awaken the Sinner to some Sense of his Folly; then he is ready to hearken with Pleasure to any Raileries against Religion and Morality; and admires the Wit of any one who dares say a bold and sharp thing against the Wisdom of all Ages, and of the best Men in them. And one or two such Sayings, without Proof, are cried up as far beyond the best Rules of Morality, or the Evidence of natural and revealed Religion. Any Sceptical Disputes are sufficient Demonstrations to them; and the most unreasonable Cavils against Religion are embraced, because against the thing they hate; and even a Jest against the Day of Judgement shall signify more with them, than the strongest Arguments in the World to prove it. The true Reason is, they love their Vices, and hate every thing which makes them uneasy to them; and nothing doth more so, than the thoughts of a Judgement to come.  
But suppose after all, the terrible and frequent Expressions of Scripture concerning the Day of Judgement, joined with the Reasonableness of the thing, do make such Impression on their Minds that they cannot wholly shake off the Fears and Apprehensions of it, than their last endeavour is to mitigate and lessen them, from a General Presumption of God's Merciful Nature; and therefore they are willing to suppose, that however God, to keep the World in awe, hath threatened them with the dreadful Severities of the Great Day, yet as a tender Father who threatens his Disobedient Son, in order to reclaim him, with no less than Disinheriting him for ever; yet when it comes to Execution he may Relent, not from his Sons Deserts, but his own Compassion; so they hope, or believe, (or are willing to do so) that God at the Great Day will not proceed according to the rigour which he hath threatened to use. And to comfort themselves in these hopes they find out all possible Extenuations of their Sins: If we, say they, had been created purely intellectual Being's, free from this load of Flesh, and the Inclinations which are natural to it, than it had been more reasonable to have called us to a strict Account for every Action of our Lives; for then every Inclination to Evil must have come from our Minds; but now our Bodies corrupt and draw them aside; and the Inclinations to Evil grow faster than our Reason, which should check and restrain them. And when those Inclinations are strongest, Men have not that Judgement which is necessary to the Government of unruly Passions. So that the very frame of humane Nature seems to plead for Sins committed in the Heat and Violence of Youth. Besides, such is the Strictness and Purity of the Law of God, and so great the Weakness and Disability, the Ignorance and Inadvertency of Mankind, that if God will make no Allowance for humane Frailty, who can stand before his Tribunal? And, if any Allowance be made for Sins of Infirmity, there are so many Abatements to be made for Sins committed through sudden Passion, through Mistake, through the unavoidable Impotency of humane Nature in this degenerate Condition, that the Severity of that Day is not much to be feared.  
This is the utmost of the Sinners Plea against the Severity of the Day of Judgement; But, to show how faulty it is, I shall offer these Considerations;  
1. That God will certainly judge the World in Righteousness; 
Acts 17. 31.  and therefore none shall have Cause to complain of the Harshness or Severity of his Proceedings. For, this Righteousness is not the Rigour of Justice, but that Equity which hath a Regard to the Circumstances of Actions, and the Abatement and Extenuation of Faults which arise from them.  
2. None shall suffer at that Day, but for their wilful Impenitency, and obstinate Continuance in Sin. For, this is not only agreeable to the Merciful Nature of God, to forgive Repenting Sinners; but it is one of the great Designs of the Gospel to assure Mankind of it by the highest Testimonies, even by the Death and Resurrection of the Son of God, and all the Miracles wrought in Confirmation of it, and of the Truth of his Doctrine.  
3. There are several Degrees of Wilfulness and Obstinacy, and men's Judgement shall be according to them. Some men's Capacities, Opportunities and Helps have very much exceeded others; some have broken through stronger Convictions and more powerful Assistences of Grace than others; some have had more early Instructions, more frequent Warnings, more obliging Favours from Heaven than others. And as it is reasonable that Persons suffer for their Obstinate Continuance in Sin, so that they should suffer according to the Degrees and Circumstances of it.  
(4.) It is not unjust Severity in God, to deprive Men of that Happiness which they have wilfully refused; and to condemn them to that Misery which their Sins have deserved. Hath not God made the most condescending Offer of Mercy and Salvation, that it is possible for Creatures to expect from him, after so many and great Provocations? Could Heaven stoop lower than it hath done to vile and ungrateful Sinners? When the Son of God came down from Heaven on purpose to reconcile God and Man together; When the Spirit of God warns and excites their minds to the Consideration of their Eternal Welfare; When the Messengers of this Reconciliation are to woe and entreat and beseech Sinners in Christ's stead, as though God did beseech them by them, that they would be reconciled to God; When the Patience and Goodness and Long-suffering of God is exercised so much on purpose to lead them to Repentance; When God instead of perfect Obedience, is willing to pardon and pass by so many Offences, if they truly Repent of them, and to receive them still into his Favour and Mercy; When after all this men do rather prefer the present Pleasures of Sin, before all that happiness which God so freely offers, is it any Injustice in him to suffer them for ever to be deprived of that which they so wilfully, so ungratefully, so obstinately refused? And supposing the Souls of Men to subsist in another World free from all those Clouds of Error and Mistake, and the false Notions they are deceived by here, as well as all the Diversions and Pleasures of this Life, it is not to be imagined, but they must forever suffer an intolerable Anguish within (called, 
Mark 9 44.  A Worm that never dies, and a Fire that never goes out,) from the Reflections upon their own Folly. What Vengeance beyond this God may inflict, we now know not, (may none of us ever know it!) but we are sure it will never exceed the proportion and desert of their Sins. Which is sufficient to clear the Justice of God in his Proceedings with Mankind in the Day of Judgement.  
2. It remains now only to show by what means God's bringing us to Judgement may make a deeper Impression upon our Minds; By considering th●se two things;  
1. That our not considering it will not make our condition better, but much worse.  
2. That our Considering it is the best means to prevent the evil Consequences of it.  
(1.) Our not considering it will not make our Condition better. There were great Reason indeed to walk in the way of our hearts, and in the sight of our eyes, and never trouble ourselves with what will happen at the great Day, if the putting it out of our Heads would make our Accounts the easier when it comes. But alas! Whether we think of it or no, the Account runs on, and we must answer to every particular at last; and how unprovided shall we be, if we spend no time here in examining, stating and clearing of them as far as we are able. It is a mighty Privilege we have by the Gospel, that God allows us to clear our Accounts with him in this World; 
1 Cor. 11. 31.  For, if we would judge ourselves we shall not be judged: i.e. If we call ourselves to a strict Account for our Actions; if we Repent heartily and sincerely of our Sins; if we seek earnestly to God for Mercy; if we have our Consciences cleansed by the Blood of Christ from the pollution of our Sins, than we may with Joy and Peace in our Minds think of the Great Day of Recompense. But if we never enter into ourselves, to search and examine our own Actions, never look into the Habits of our own Minds, nor charge ourselves with the Gild of the Sins we have committed, how can we ever hope to escape the Scrutiny or avoid the Severity of that Day? For our Account continually increases by our neglect of it, and the burden of God's Wrath must be so much heavier when we have taken no care to lessen it, but after our hardness and impenitent hearts have only treasured up wrath against the day of wrath. 
Rom. 2. 5.   
(2.) Our considering that God will bring us to Judgement is the best means to prevent the evil Consequences of it. For, although we cannot hope to plead Innocency; yet, (which is next in point of Wisdom) this is the most effectual Motive to bring us to Repentance: And that which makes us Repent makes us to grow Wise in time, and to lay a good Foundation for Eternal Life. There are many Arguments to induce us to it in the Folly and Shame of our Sins; the Wisdom of Reflection and Reformation; the Instances of it and Exhortations to it recorded in Scripture; but there is none more sensible and which touches Men more in point of Interest and Concernment than this of a judgement to come. Must I then, saith a Penitent Sinner, give a strict Account to God of all the evil Actions of my Life, and suffer according to the Desert of them if I die in Impenitency? How much doth it then concern me to Repent betimes, to Repent in good earnest, to Repent while there is hopes of Mercy! Away then all ye deceitful Vanities of this wicked World, ye have too long deceived and seduced me: what will all this vain show, this busy Seducer, this impertinent Outside of the World signify, when I must be stripped of all, and stand guilty and accused by my own Conscience before the Judgment-Seat of Christ? Oh! how wretched shall I be, if my Conscience condemns me before the Sentence of the Judge! Therefore, I am resolved to prevent the Judgement of that Day; I will accuse, judge, and condemn myself; nay, I will proceed to Execution, as to all the vicious Habits and corrupt Inclinations within me. And although I cannot wholly mortify them, yet I will crucify them; i. e. nail them to the Cross, and allow them no longer Liberty; and albeit they may struggle for a time, yet I will never give way to their Dominion over me any more; that so Death and Judgement may find me prepared, if not with unspotted Innocency, yet with hearty and sincere Repentance.  
To conclude all; let the Consideration of this Day of judgement to come enter deep into our Minds, and awaken us out of our Lethargy and Security. We are very apt to put off unpleasing things from time to time, and to pass away our time here as easily as may be. But this is no part of Wisdom, and we shall extremely blame ourselves for it one time or other. The best we can do now, is to recover what is passed by Repentance, and to set ourselves to the making up our Accounts with God in this World: For, we are all walking on the brink of Eternity, and know not how soon we may drop into it. But what Eternal Horror and Confusion must follow us, if we go on to slight the Opportunities he still affords us of making our Peace with him who is to be our Judge? May God therefore of his Mercy awaken us all to a timely and serious Repentance, and then our Iniquities shall not be our Ruin.  
FINIS.