T

lecting of God's holy Worship; if Security and Impudence in Sinning; if Curfing, and Swearing, and Blafpheming, and affronting the Authority of Heaven. In fhort, If open Lewdnefs and Debauchery; if Luxury and Drunkenness; if the moft fhameful Beastialities and Abuses of Human Nature in Adultry and common Mixtures; I fay, if any, or all these, may be fuppofed to be the Falling away, and the Works of the Man of Sin, mentioned by the Apoftle; we of this Age and Generation have much Reafon to fear, that that Day is coming that the Judge is even at the Door! But though that may be a reasonable and pious Fear, yet ftill it is to us uncertain; and there

fore

Secondly, Hence I infer, That the uncertainty of the Time of Judgment ought to engage us all upon a conftant Watchfulness and Preparation for it. For though, no Question, many would be willing to know the certain Time of Judgment, and that for this Reason chiefly, because they think that would put them upon a more fpeedy and effectual Preparation for it; that would chill their Blood and their Spirits; that would overcaft all the Pleasures and Comforts of Life; that would make them spend their Days (as Condemned Criminals ufually do, betwixt the Sentence of Death, and the Time of Execution) in continual Devotions, and Repentances, I grant, that in all Probability it would do fo; and fo it would,

to give Men a full View of Heaven and Hell; whilft they are in this World. But God in his Wifdom and Providence, hath not thought fit to do either the one, or the other and yet he hath made fufficient Provifion for the carrying on the Work of Religion, and Preparation for another Life: Nay indeed, perhaps better than if he had told us the certain Time of Judgment: For it will much weaken and take off the Reftraints of Religion from Men; it would give a freer Scope to their Vicious Inclinations, if they knew [how wicked foever they are] that it would be a long time e'er Judgment overtake them: This would fruftrate the Methods of Divine Providence whereby he often reclaims Sinners ; as in the Calamities of Plague, Famine, Sword, or Sickness; which put Men in Mind, that God may be then coming to reckon with them: But thefe would be ineffectual upon them, if they knew that thefe Judgments were to affright, not to hurt them. Befides, then there would be no trial at all of our Religion; no Exercise of our Faith and Patience; of our Love and Reverence for God; of our Conqueft and Victory over the World; all these would be Mercenary, and Slavifh, Matters of Neceffity, not Choice; of Fear, not Duty. And therefore God does not fet Judgment in an open View; which probably might terrify and affright us but he places it at an unknown Diftance, and Uncertainty, thereby to try whether we dare believe and depend upon his

Promife;

6

Luk 12.

42, &c.

Promife whether we will watch and pray; live under a conftant Senfe and Awe of his coming, though we do not know when it shall happen; or whether upon his fuppofed Delay, we will turn Atheifts, or Scepticks, and fay with those Men in the Text, Where is the Promife of his coming? Thus our Saviour himself reprefents the Matter. And the Lord faid, Who then is that Faithful and Wife Steward, whom bis Lord fhall make Ruler over his Houfbold, to give them their Portion in due Seafon? Bleed is that Servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh fhall find fo doing: Of a Truth, I fay unto you, that he will make him Ruler over all be bath. But, and if that Servant fay in his Heart, my Lord delayeth his coming; and fhall begin to beat the Men Servants, and Maidens, and to Eat, and to Drink, and to be drunken; the Lord of that Servant will come in a Day, when be looketh not for him, and at an Hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in funder, and appoint him his Portion with the Unbelievers. Thus likewife in the Parable of the Ten Vir- Mat. 25.1 gins; thofe Five that had not Oil in their Lamps, because the Bridegroom tarried, flumber'd and flept, were furpriz'd with the Cry at Midnight, and denied Entrance: But those that had prepared Oil, and trimmed their Lamps, and waited for the coming of the Bridegroom, went in with him to the Marriage. Rom. 2.7 And we read in general, that they only are the accepted Perfons, who by a patient Continuance in well doing, feek for Honour, Glory, Immorta

LA

lity,

&c.

lity, Eternal Life. The Uncertainty therefore of the Day of Judgment, is a great Motive to a conftant Watchfulness and Preparation; whereas, to know the precife Time of it, would serve no End of Religion; but would rather increase the Wickednefs of Mankind; which is a fufficient Vindication of the Wisdom of God, in leaving it unknown, and uncertain to us. And thus I have finished the firft Part of this Discourse, viz. these Words confidered by way of Doubt and Question; whether Chrift will come to Judgment; whether he has not delayed the Time, and flipped the Promife of his coming. I fhould now come to the Second, viz. to confider them as fpoken by way of abfolute Denial: That it is a vain Promife and Expectation: He will never come to Judgment. But that will furnish Matter for another Difcourfe, where we fhall meet with, and anfwer all the Arguments of Scoffers againft Religion, and a Judgment to come.

SER

SERMON VIII.

The Denial of a future Judgment expofed.

2 PETER iii. 4.

Where is the Promife of his Coming? For fince the Fathers fell asleep, all Things continue as they were from the Beginning of the Creation.

I

Have already told you, that the Difcourfe in this Chapter, was directed against a Sort of Heretical Libertines, who fhould spring up after the Apoftles, and endeavour to fubvert the Faith of Chriftians; particularly in the Article of Chrift's Second coming to Judgment.

The

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