The Argument they made ufe of was; that Chrift had failed his Word, and broken his Promife: That notwithstanding he, and the Apostles had told them he would fhortly ap pear, to put an End to their Troubles and Perfecutions, yet were there no Signs, nor Hopes of his coming: So long a Time had paffed over without any Alteration or Change at all in the State of Things: One Generation fucceeded after another, as they had always done; and all the Parts of the Creation continued as they had done from the Beginning.

Nay, They do not only endeavour to explode the Belief of his coming, but to flout, and jeer at it, as a fenfelefs and ridiculous Fiction; Where fay they is the Promife of his coming? Since the Fathers fell asleep, all Things continue as they were from the Begin ning of the Creation.

So that thefe Words referring plainly to the laft Appearance, and folemn coming of our Saviour Chrift to Judgment; that we might take in all that can be pertinently difcourfed from them: I told you that they might admit of a Twofold Senfe, and Interpretation. Ei

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As fpoken by way of Doubt and Queftion 3 whether Chrift will come to Judgment? Whether the Chriftians of thofe Times had not fome Reafon to think, that he had delayed the Time, and flipped the Promife of his com ing. And this Head I have handled at large's

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fubjoining alfo the Practical Improvement of it. I proceed now in the 2d Place.

2. To confider, and difcourfe of the Words as fpoken by way of a flat and abfolute Denial. That it is a vain Promife, and a foolish Expectation; fince all Things continue as they were from the Beginning of the Creation, he will never come to Judgment. The Words foregoing the Text, make mention of a Prophecy, before the Accomplishment of which, this Sort of Men, whom he calls Scoffers, fhould come." Te may be mindful of the Words which were spoken by the Prophets, knowing this first, that there fhall come in the laft Days Scoffers. Expofitors and Learned Men think, that that Prophecy was the famous Prediction of the Deftruction of Ferufalem; and very probably it was fo. But certain it is, that there are a Modern Sort of Scoffers, rifen up in these laft Days of ours; walking alfo after their own Lufts; who mock at Religion; who do not only doubt

and queftion, but deny, and ridicule a Judgment to come, and this is a fufficient Apology for Difcourfes of this Nature, which, I confefs, otherwife, would be needlefs, and very improper in a Chriftian Audience. But truly, if we fuffer this great Article of our Religion to be affaulted, whether in Earnest,or in Jeft; whether by Argument, or by the Froth and Petulance of Wit; whether Men be difputed or droll'd, out of the Belief of a Judg

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ment to come, 'tis all one to the Interefts o Piety; We have then loft the ftrongest Hold in their Consciences; and no other Argument whatsoever will be fufficient to engage them to the Fear and Worship of God, or to live like those who must give an Account of themfelves.

In the further Profecution of this Defign, I shall not lead you into the Labyrinths of Controverfy and Difputation, nor trouble you you with much Learning and Reading upon this Argument; and indeed I need not, the Men with whom we have to do, are not capable of that. For, as my Lord Bacon long "fince obferv'd, "A little fmattering in Learn"ing and Philofophy will ferve to make Men "Atheistical and Prophane, but a folid Stock "of it will establish them in the Principles of "Religion and Piety. And thofe that fet up for it in this Age, are juft fuch Men: A Sort of fuperficial Talkers; bold and loud enough; they have dabbled a little in Matchivil, or Hobbs, or in Spinoza; they have got a fet of puzling Queftions; pick'd up a few smart Repartees against God and Religion; which they fling out with the Salt of a little Wit, and much Spight. And these must

pafs for the Men of Sense and Parts; the goodly Patrons of Atheism and Infidelity. My Defign therefore, is only to encounter these Men, in the common Prejudices, and the popular Objections they make againft Religion; particularly against the Doctrine of a Judg

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ment to come: Wherein I will do only these two Things.

I. I will propofe, and answer the common Objections made againft it. And then I will fhew. 2dly. The Infecurity,_and Danger of Denying; and the Infinite Comfort of a believing Judgment to come.

I. I will propose, and answer the common Objections made against a Judgment to come. And they are fuch as these.

First, They take it for a very confiderable Prejudice againft it, "That it is delayed fo "long; that it is Future and Invisible; that "the Pleasures, and Profits they are to part with for it, are prefent, and fenfible, cerແ tain, and in Hand; they fee them with "their Eyes; they tafte, and handle, and en"joy the Satisfaction of them. Whereas, it muft be granted that there is fome uncer

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tainty on the other Hand; There is a poffibility of being mistaken in that Belief ་ no Man ever look'd into the other World, or faw thefe Things of the Truth of which you are fo very confident. Let us a little take this Objection in Pieces, and fee what it

amounts to.

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The first Part of it is," That the Time of Judgment is delayed fo long, that it is 'Future, and for any Thing they know as far off as ever, for all Things continue as they were. But what a fenfeless Cavil is

this? Is it reasonable to complain, that Fu ture Things are not Prefent? Are we wont to blame the Wisdom, the Juftice, or the Kindness of a Father, becaufe he does not fettle the Inheritance upon the Son, in his Childhood, and Minority; but referves it till the proper time of Age and Discretion? God does all Things, according to the Rules of an un-erring Wisdom; He confults the Fitnefs of Times and Seafons; and makes these to agree with his own moft Righteous and Holy Defigns. Judgment is a moft folemn Thing, and will put an End to the Generations of Mankind and therefore He is in no haft to destroy the World, till He fees it Ripe for Deftruction; that's the Day He has appointed for Judgment. And fuch Scof fers ought to confider (would they confider any Thing) that how long foever He delays his Coming, their Judgment lingreth not, their Damnation flumbreth not. And methinks, of all Men in the World, they have the leaft Reason to make this an Objection, confidering how deeply they are concern'd in it ; and what a fad Account they have then to give: Confidering that for them chiefly, Tophet is prepared of Old; that they are the Men who call God from his Seat, to deftroy this World, that it may not for ever be a Nursery of Atheists, and Rebels against him. This (St. Jude tells us) is the great End of his coming to Judgment. Behold (fays Jude 15. he) the Lord cometh with ten Thousand of his

Saints,