Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither fhall I flee from thy Prefence? If I afcend up into Heaven, thou art there: If I make my Bed in Hell, behold, thou art there alfo.

If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermoft parts of the Sea; even there fhall thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand fhall hold

me.

I have now made it obvious to human reason and understanding, that there is a God who is poffeffed of all infinite Perfections; and therefore let us fo endeavour to imitate him, that where he is, we may be alfo. Which brings me to the third Particular, for to fhew, that at the great and univerfal Day of Retribution, God will bring every fecret thing into Judgment; whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Man by the Frame and Conftitution of his Nature, is accountable to God for all his Actions; because he is a reasonable Creature, and knows the effential difference between Good and Evil. He is a Compound of Soul and Body. The Soul is an intelligent thinking Being, and an immaterial felf Active Principle; which animates and enlivens the Body, and keeps it in Subjection; it curbs and checks the Paffions, which are natural both to the Body and Mind of Man; and like Noah's Dove, can have no joy nor reft, until it flies to the Author of Nature. It has fomething in it, that has a pleafing and longing defire after Immortality, and is the greateft Proof of a Refurrection and the Day of Judgment; when St. Paul tells us, that God fhall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift; according to the Gofpel. Romans, Chap. ii. Verse 16. And therefore David prays to God, cleanfe thou me from my fecret Faults; Pfalm xix. Verse 12. Since then we cannot

B 2

fy

fly from the Omniprefence of God, whofe Immenfity fills all Space, and whofe curious and all-feeing Eye, pries into all our Actions, and even penetrates into the most inward Receffes of the Mind. There fore it will be in vain for us to endeavour to conceal our most fecret Sins from Men, when all things are naked and open before God. Are we more afraid of the reproach and contempt of Men, than the Terrors of an Angry God, and our own Confciences? where the Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched? And when God fhall bring to Light, all the hidden Works of Darkness. Secret Sins which lie lurking in the Heart of Man, put a greater Contempt on God, than open Impieties do; and manifeftly prove that fuch Sinners have a greater Veneration for Men, than they have for God; profeffing at the fame time that he is Omniprefent, yet have the Impudence to commit the greateft Villainies under his Eye, which they dare not do in the Prefence of the meaneft Man. Our Bleffed Saviour affures us in the 12th Chap. of St. Matthew, 36th and 37th Verses. But I fay unto you, that every idle Word that Men fhall fpeak, they fhall give an Account thereof in the Day of Judgment. For by thy Words thou fhall be juftified, and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned. And what are thefe idle Words? but prophane Atheistical Difcourfe, blafpheming God and his Providence, ridiculing his divine Worship and Religion, and the pure Doctrine and Precepts thereof; and thofe Miracles which were wrought by the Power and Operation of the Holy Ghoft, for the Confirmation of Chriftianity. Moreover, all reviling and reproachful Speeches, fuch as flandering, backbiting, envy, railing, &c. our bleffed Saviour threatens with Eternal Damnation.

And

And in St. Matthew, Chap. v. Verse 22. But I fay unto you, whofoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, fhall be in Danger of the Judgment; and whofoever fhall fay to his Brother Raca, fhall be in Danger of the Council; but whofoever fhall fay, thou Fool, fhall be in danger of HellFire. The Iniquity of Man's Heart is great, and out of the fullness of it, the Mouth fpeaketh; and is the Caufe of moft Divifions and Animofities in Life. And as St. James expreffes it, that the Tongue is a little Member, and boafteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little Fire kindleth. And the Tongue is a Fire, a world of Iniquity: So is the Tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole Body, and fetteth on fire the course of Nature; and is fet on fire of Hell, Chap 3d, Verfes 5th and 6th. It is moft certain, that there will be a Day of Judgment; and that will be very terrible to all the Wicked; at whofe coming the Sun fhall be darkened, and the Moon fhall not give her Light, the Stars fhall be fhaken and the Elements fhall melt with fervent Heat. And then fhall every Man be rewarded according to his Works. Now the Manifeftation of every Man's Work is comprehended in the Rev. Chap. xx. Verfe 12. John faith, He faw the Dead, fmall and great, ftand before God, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Book, according to their Works. This by the Prophet Malachi, Chap. iii. Verfe 16. is called a Book of remembrance, which was written before God, for them that fear the Lord, and honour his holy Name. This is that which manifefts all Secrets, this is that which reveals all Actions, whe

the

ther good or evil. In this Book is found at large Abel's Sacrifices, Cain's Murder, Abfaloin's Rebellion, David's Devotion, the Jews Cruelty, the Prophets Innocency. Nothing can be hid when it is opened. God will bring every Work unto Judgment, and every fecret thing, be it good or evil, Ecclef. 16th, 14th, Wail ye Wicked therefore, and tremble in Aftonishment! For then, althe Works of darkness will be brought to light. Such as adultery, envy, blafphemy, fwearing, violence, murder, lying, fabbath breaking, and every fin from the beginning to the end; the total Sun of which is, (without the Atonement and Interceffion of our Mediator) eternal death and damnation. Now after the Refurre&ion is over, then Chrift fhall arife from the tribunal feat of Judgment, with all the glorious Anges, and afcend up into the Hea vens, finging Songs of triumph, and in a Celestial Order lead the Way; the Cherubins attending, the Seraphims burning in Love. Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Priefts, Evangelifts, and Martyrs, all of them attending the Judge and King of Glory : finging with fuch melody, as never any ear hath heard, fhining with fuch majefty, as never any eye hath feen, and rejoicing without measure, with fuch Joy, as never Earth hath conceived. Which brings me laftly, to infer from thence an Inference or two, proper to our Faith and Practice. God Almighty, remember, is omnipotent, omnifcient, and omniprefent, and poffeffed of all poffible and infinite Pefections, and therefore dont flatter Yourselves, that Sin, which is the Allurement of the Devil, will go unpunished; for Vengeance is mine faith the Lord, and I will repay it. But it is our bounden duty and everlasting intereft to pay God, the ut

moft

moft veneration. Let us therefore, take peculiar care of our words and actions, and fuffer no corrupt Communications to proceed out of our mouth, nor that odious and diabolical art of Hypocrify and Diffimulation with one another, which God himself abhors, and is unworthy the name of a Man. Or otherwise our pretences to Religion is only deceiving the World, and mocking God, under a Cloak of Sanctity.

And now to conclude, the great defign of Religion, my Brethren, is to make People happy in another World, fhewing them the Way how to obtain it. That happiness is described by an Immortal Life, and the enjoyment of fuch things, wherein true and folid Felicity confifts: and fo let us all take St. Paul's advice, He that feareth God, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him. Therefore now, if you have any Regard for your immortal Souls, for the fake of your confciences, and your true comfort and Joy, while you remain in this probational State, render praises and thankfgivings to God, for his tender mercies towards You, and by contemplating on his holy and divine Attributes, give him that honour which is due unto his Name. For we fee him now only through a Glass darkly, but then we fhall fee him face to face; who only can bestow upon us, an incorruptible Crown of Glory, that fadeth not away, eternal in the Heavens.

And therefore let us all, Angels and Men, afcribe to Him, who fitteth on the Throne, all poffible Glory and Honour, Might, Majefty, Dominion, and Power, now henceforth and for evermore.

An