VO L.they are vanity. He knows well all the vanity II. of your fpirits, though you may not observe it.

His eyes are obferving us all the day long, efpecially on fuch a day as this; and according to the obfervation he makes, he muft judge us at the last day. And therefore he must be supposed to have a full, and perfect understanding of all things; fo as to be able, in that day, to lay out before a man the wickedness of his whole life: to spread before him the vain and wicked, the fenfual and earthly thoughts, which he was perpetually exercised in; and of which his carnal heart was the continual tomb. And this cannot be a more difficult, than it is a necessary thing to him, who must fearch the hearts, and try the reins, that he may judge accordingly at the laft day. And then,

VI. AND laftly, we may learn hence, that it is no impoffible nor difficult thing for wicked men to know themselves to be fuch; and to make a judgement of their own estates Godward. For you fee, they have a plain rule to judge by ; namely, this truth. He that forgets Gob is a wicked man; and he is a wicked man that thus forgets GoD: and he that forgets God must be turned into hell. I pray now do but confider, and think with your felves. Is it fo difficult or impoffible for a man to know, what is the ordinary courfe of his own thoughts? You may

-Pl. xciv. 9, 10, 11.

eafily

XXI.

eafily know if you will, at leaft the generality of SERM, you may know, what the current of your thoughts is; and fo far make a judgement of your estate accordingly. This we must needs acknowledge. For thofe men, who are: carnal and earthly, their hearts tell them they have not a thought of God, from day to day, from, week to week, from year to year. Such perfons cannot be fo brutish and abfurd, but they may know it, if they will, efpecially if they will take GOD's word. If not, let them. fee whether they can have any furer rule that cannot, deceive. But if they will take God's word, they cannot but fee that they are thofe perfons who are wicked, as they are forgetful of GOD and upon, that account must be turned into hell at last. My friends! if we do not study wilfully to ruin our felves, is it fo hard a matter for a man, a reasonable man, to fit down at night and confider, "Whither have my "thoughts been this day? Who hath had my thoughts moft? What have I taken "moft pleasure in this day? Is it in GOD? hath he been fo delightful and fo pleasant, " and the remembrance of him in my heart "and foul, as the pleasures and comforts of this "life have been to me? Have I taken fo much "delight to-day in the law of God, as I have "in my friends, my riches, and my relations? "And have I had that fear of Gap in my heart, left I fhould fin againft him, as I have had

66

པན

Ff3.

"about

II.

VOL" about my business and affairs, left they should "mifcarry ? Is it impoffible, I fay, for a reafonable man thus to confider, from day to day, whither hath been the courfe of his heart and thoughts? And if he finds it is thus with him; that he lives without having a thought of GOD, that may ftay his heart, and ravifh his foul; how obvious then is it, that he is a wicked wretch! that the wrath of God purfues him! and that he must be turned into hell, without remedy, if this continues to be the ftate and condition of his fout! Confider this, and give me leave to close up all, with one word of counfet and advice, to fuch perfons as thefe; and may it be acceptable to your hearts!

1. Own your ftate and condition. If the case be thus, as you fee it is, that they are wicked perfons who forget GoD, and that fuch fhall be turned into hell; why, look into your own hearts, and fee whether they are not forgetful of GOD, And when you find that it is thus with you, let your judgement pafs upon your fouls and fay; My wretched, and undone foul! "thou art that foul whom this law condemns ; whom this judgement convinceth as guilty of **this wickedness against GoD, and liable to his "vengeance upon this account!" Therefore I fay own your eftate. It is no difficult thing for you to know it; say then, I am the person "whom the word of God condemns. I am "under the curfe as a person that have forgotten GOD, and must be turned into hell this

upon

❝ account,

1

account, if it thus continues with me." But SERM this is not all. I would not leave a foul in this XXI. cafe miferably perishing, and despairing of all poffibility of being faved; but however know that you cannot be faved while it is thus, with you, and while your hearts are thus framed and turned from GOD. Therefore,

2. LABOUR forthwith to have the course and ftream of your fpirits turned towards GoD: otherwise, all hopes of your being faved are quite taken away. There is no poffibility of your falvation, till your carnal earthly hearts be changed. Confider and believe it, there are but these two things; either a change of heart, or ruin. And therefore labour, I fay, to have the course of your thoughts turned about, and directed forthwith towards GoD, without any more delay.

AND in order to this, you must in the first place endeavour to get a right, and distinct knowledge of GOD; otherwife you can never think rightly of him. Study his word; labour to know what is there difcovered of his justice, righteoufnefs, holinefs, and power; of his goodnefs, and his love. Take in the whole compass of the discovery of GOD, to make up the object of your thoughts; otherwife you do nothing: your thoughts will pitch upon fome other thing, befides GOD. If you take in but part of the attributes of GOD, that is no God. It will be fome idle fancy that you take in, and not Gop,

Ff4

if

VO L. if your thoughts are not fo comprehensive as to

II.

take in the whole discovery of GoD in those fe

veral attributes, by which he makes himself known.

AND then in the next place you must labourto have a work of fanctification, and regeneration, wrought upon your own hearts. As there must be a right stating of the object, so there must be a right framing of the fubject too; otherwise it will be to no purpose. If there be not a change wrought in the very inward of your fouls, fo as that your hearts be turned to'wards God; to love, and delight in him, with all your foul, and ftrength; alas! your thoughts of God will not be voluntary, but forced: they will never be free, pleasant and delightful. And therefore you must often go to God, and cry to him, and fay ; "Lord, I fee my thoughts run

from thee! I cannot think of GoD at any "time with pleasantnefs. Sanctify this heart! turn it to thy felf! elfe I am loft, and fhall

be turned into hell." Cry thus unto God mightily, and inceffantly, till you find fuch a work done upon your fouls; for that is the only thing that will procure a freedom, and facility of thoughts towards GOD: thofe holy, pleafant, and delightful thoughts, of which a fanctified heart will be a continual fpring and fountain.

AND to prefs all this, I will deal plainly with you. If the cafe be not thus; if your hearts are not turned, and changed, that you may have

fuch