do

Vol. II. 1. Examine your felves whether you really believe that there is a Day of Judg ment to come. What Wonders would this Belief produce, where it but deeply rooted in us? Jamblicus tells us, That Zamolxis reduced even the Barbarous Getes, and Savage Thracians, to a strict obfervance of Juftice and Virtue, by inftilling this Doctrine of a Judgment in another Life. This was that which infpir'd Noah with his Fear; Jofeph with his Chastity; Mofes with his Meekness and Humility, and a whole Cloud of Prophets and Confeffors with an infuperable Courage and Patience in welldoing, even the Belief of a Judgment to Come, wherein GOD would render to every Man according to his Works. This is the very Strength and Power of the Gofpel; this is the Foundation of all Religious Hope and Fear, a Judgment to Come. But whatever Efficacy this Article does contain in it, yet The Word Heb. iv.2. can't profit, not being mix'd with Faith in them that hear it. "Twas Faith that render'd the Meffage of Jonah fo fuccesful to the Ninivites, for it is faid, The John iii. 5. People of Nineveh believ'd God. 'Twas Faith that taught Noah to escape the Deluge, being moved with Fear he prepar'd Heb. xi. 7 an Ark, to the faving of himfelf and his

Houfe

Houfe. But without this the Terrors of Ser. I. the Lord will not feize upon us, the Denunciation of a Judgment to come will no more frighten us than empty Noife, and harmless, tho' loud Sounds. This therefore is the first thing we ought to Examine our felves, about, whither we do really believe a Judgment to Come. 12. We are to Examine our felves whither we be fit to appear before God at this Day of Judgment; and here,

ift. We must reflect upon our Lives paft. You know that Day will discover and try not only all your Actions, but all your Affections too: Have they been fuch as are fit to appear before a Juft and Holy GOD? Have they been fuch as you would be willing to prefent them naked to the View of Sober and Religious Men? Have they been fuch as that they can endure the Sentence of your own Confciences? For if our Heart 1 John iii. condemn us, God is greater than our Heart, and knoweth all things.

But you'll fay, alafs! in this Sence, Who can be fit to appear before God in Judgment? Ve etiam laudabili vite, fi ftricto judicio, remota mifericordia, difcutias cam, faid St. Auftin. Wo be to the most unblameable Life, if God fhould enter into a strict Examination of it. 'Tis

'true

20.

Vol. II. true, 'tis not to be expected that we fhould never have finned; were we to be judg'd by this Rule, Lord! Who then could be fav'd? But 'tis expected we fhould wipe off the Stains and Pollutions of our Sins by unfeigned Repentance, that so they may not rife up in Judgment against us. For there is a vaft Difference in this Point, whither our Sins appear in Judgment as bewail'd, detefted, and condemn'd by our felves; for then they are like Idols burnt into Ashes, and the very Duft of them fcatter'd by thofe who once Worfhipp'd them: Or whither as fuch, which we have continu'd to love and indulge; for then the Judge of the World will be able to Reproach us with them, as he did once the Ifraelites, Go and cry unto the Gods which Judges x. have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation. If our Sins appear in Judgment, as fuch, under whofe Dominion we have lived to the laft, they will be then indeed as Witnesses againft us rifing up to Condemn us. But if we have caft off their Yoke, and broken their Bonds; if no Sins be charg'd upon us, but fuch as we had in our Life time forfaken and defpis'd, they will then attend us only as Slaves do the Triumphs of a Conqueror; they

14.

ye

will then only appear as the Trophies of Ser. I. our Victories, and the Marks of our Success in the Fight of Faith: Therefore, tho' we can't appear in Judgment without Sin, yet we muft labour to appear without any Sins befides those which we have bewail'd, which we have forfaken, which we have condemn'd, which we have conquer'd. This is the firft Part we must attend to in the Examination of our felves, viz. The Confideration of our Lives past.

The 2d Part of this Examination must confift in trying the Sincerity of our prefent State. Now this Sincerity confifts in a hearty and honeft Endeavour of growing better and better, of increasing in all Spiritual Grace, and abounding more and more in all the Fruits of Righ teousness; The greatest Perfection which GOD requires of Man being to labour heartily after Perfection. When we are taught to Pray that we may do the Will of GOD on Earth, as it is done in Luke Heaven, we are taught rather what we are to aim at, than what it is we can attain to; unless the Refemblance here confifts not in the Perfection, but in the Sincerity which Men ought to fhew in the Service of Go D. Thus therefore are we to demand of our felves: What

Proof

2.

Vol. II. Proof have we of the Sincerity of our Prefent State, fuch as can abide the Fiery Tryal of the Day of Judgment? Where are the ten Talents, or the five Talents, or the one Talent that our Lord entrufted us with? What Fruit, what Intereft has our Employment of 'em gain'd, our great Lord and Mafter? What Improvement have we made? What excellent Effects has the Knowledge of his Divine Truths produc'd in us? What Refemblances of GOD have the Communications of his Blessed Spirit form'd in us? Where is our Love of GOD and of Jesus Chrift? Where is our Love of our Neighbour? Where is our Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness? Where is our Purity? Where is our Humility? Where is our Self-denyal? What are the Fruits, what are the Inftances of 'em that we can trust to, as unqueftionable Marks of our Sincery? Or at least wife can our own Consciences acquit us, that we do ftrive and labour after the Attainment of these Graces? That we Struggle and Contend, and Fight, and Watch, and Pray? That we Hear, and Read, and Meditate on the Word of GOD? That we Examine our felves frequently and feriously? That we fhun all Opportunities and Oc

cafions