you have been after such a sight? This sight you shall one day surely see. If you had seen hell open and all the damned there in their endless torments; also heaven opened, as Stephen did, and all the saints there triumphing in glory; what a life would you lead after such sights? These you will see before it be long. If you had lain in hell but one year, or one day, or hour, and there felt the torments you now hear of; how seriously would you then speak of hell, and pray against it! And will you not take God's word for the truth of this, except you feel it? Or if you had possessed the glory of heaven but one year; what pains would you take, rather than be deprived of such incomparable glory? Thus I have said enough, if not to stir up the sinner to a serious working out his salvation, yet at least to silence him, and leave him inexcusable at the judgment of God. Only as we do by our friends when they are dead, and our words and actions can do them no good, yet to testify our affections for them we weep and mourn; so will I also do for these unhappy souls. It makes my heart tremble, to think how they will stand before the Lord confounded and speechless! When he shall say, "Was the world, or Satan, a better friend to you than I? Or had they done for you more than I had done? Try now whether they will save you, or recompense you for the loss of heaven, or be as good to you as I would have been." What will the wretched sinner answer to any of this? But though man will not hear, we may hope in speaking to God. "O thou that didst weep and groan in spirit over a dead Lazarus, pity these dead and senseless souls, till they are able to weep and groan in pity to themselves! As thou

hast bid thy servant speak, so speak now thyself; they will hear thy voice speaking to their hearts, who will not hear mine speaking to their ears. Lord, thou hast long knocked at these hearts in vain; now break the doors, and enter in."

§ 17. Yet to shew the godly why they, above all men, should be laborious for heaven, I desire to ask them, What manner of persons should those be, whom God hath chosen to be vessels of mercy; who have felt the smart of their negligence, in their new birth, in their troubles of conscience, in their doubts and fears, and in other sharp afflictions; who have often confessed their sin of negligence to God in prayer; who have bound them. selves to God by so many covenants? What manner of persons should they be, who are near to God as the children of his family; who have tasted such sweetness in diligent obedience; who are many of them so uncertain what shall everlastingly become of their souls? What manner of persons should they be in holiness, whose sanctification is so imperfect; whose lives and duties are so important to the saving or destroying a multitude of souls; and on whom the glory of the great God so much depends? Since these things are so, I charge thee, Christian, in thy Master's name, to consider, and resolve the question, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? And let thy life answer the question as well as thy tongue.

CHAPTER VIII.

HOW TO DISCERN OUR TITLE TO THE SAINT'S REST.

§ 1. The folly of men in not inquiring after a title to the saint's rest; § 2. and their cause for terror, as long as they are destitute of a title. § 3. Self examination is urged upon them; § 4. (1) from the possibility of arriving at a certainty; § 5-9. (2) from the hindrances which will be thrown in our way by Satan, sinners, our own hearts, and many other causes; § 10. (3) from considering how easy, common, and dangerous it is to be mistaken; that trying will not be so painful as the neglect; that God will soon try us, and that to try ourselves will be profitable; § 11. and therefore the reader is entreated no longer to delay the trial. § 12. Then, (4) directions are given how to try; 13. and (5) marks of trial are added, particularly, 14. Do we make God our chief good? § 15. Do we heartily accept of Christ for our Lord and Saviour? § 16-19. The chapter concludes with illustrating the great importance of these two marks.

§ 1. Is there such a glorious rest so near at hand? And shall none enjoy it but the people of God? What mean most of the world then, to live so contentedly without assurance of their interest in this rest, and neglect the trying of their title to it? When the Lord hath so fully opened the blessedness of that kingdom, which none but obedient believers shall possess; and so fully expressed those torments, which the rest of the world must eternally suffer; methinks they that believe this to be certainly true, should never be at any quiet in themselves, till they were fully assured of their being heirs to the kingdom. Lord, what a strange madness is this, that men, who know they must presently enter upon unchangeable joy or pain, should yet live as uncertain what shall be their doom, as if they never heard of any such state; yea, and live as quietly and merrily in this uncertainty, as if all were made sure, and there were no danger! Are they awake or asleep? What do they think on? Where are their hearts? If they have

but a weighty suit at law, how careful are they to know whether it will go for or against them: If they were to be tried for their lives at an earthly bar, how careful would they be to know whether they should be saved or condemned, especially if their care might surely save them! If they be dangerously sick, they will inquire of the physician, what think you, sir, shall I escape, or not? But in the business of their salvation, they are content to be uncertain. If you ask most men a reason of the hope that is in them, they will "Besay, cause God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners," and the like general reasons, which any man in the world may give as well as they: But put them to prove their interest in Christ, and in the saving mercy of God, and they can say nothing to the purpose. If God or man should say to them, what case is thy soul in, man? Is it regenerate, sanctified and pardoned, or not? He would be ready to say, as Cain of Abel, “I know not, am I my soul's keeper? I hope well; I trust God with my soul; I shall speed as well as other men do; I thank God, I never made any doubt of my salvation." Thou hast cause to doubt, because thou never didst doubt; and yet more, because thou hast been careless in thy confidence. What do thy expressions discover but a wilful neglect of thy own salvation? As a ship-master that should let his vessel alone, and say, "I will venture it among the rocks, and waves, and winds; I will trust God with it; it will speed as well as other vessels." What horrible abuse of God is this, to pretend to trust God, to cloak their own negligence! If thou didst really trust God, thou wouldst also be ruled by him, and trust him in his own appointed way. He requires

thee to give diligence to make thy calling and election sure, and so to trust him. He hath marked thee out a way in scripture, by which thou art charged to search and try thyself, and mayest arrive at a certainty. Were he not a foolish traveller, that would hold on his way, when he does not know whether he be right or wrong, and say, "I hope I am right; I will go on, and trust God ?" Art not thou guilty of this folly in thy travels to eternity? Not considering that a little serious inquiry, whether thy way be right, might save thee a great deal of labour, which thou bestowed in vain, and must undo again, or else thou wilt miss of salvation, and undo thyself.

§ 2. How canst thou think or speak of the great. God without terror, as long as thou art uncertain whether he be thy Father, or thy enemy, and knowest not but all his perfections may be employed against thee? Or of Jesus Christ, when thou knowest not whether his blood hath purged thy soul; whether he will condemn, or acquit thee in judgment; nor whether he is the foundation of thy happiness, or a stone of stumbling to break thee and grind thee to powder? How canst thou open the bible, and read a chapter, but it should terrify thee? Methinks every leaf should be to thee as Belshazzar's writing on the wall, except only that which draws thee to try and reform. If thou readest the promises, thou knowest not whether they shall be fulfilled to thee. If thou readest the threatenings, for any thing thou knowest, thou readest thy own sentence. No wonder thou art an enemy to plain preaching, and say of the minister, as Ahab of the prophet, I hate him, for he