heaven has not this influence upon you, Christian, you answer not the design of God, in bringing it to light.

(2.) If you are not thus animated by the views of heaven, you will experience but little of the Christian's peace either in life or death. The more eminent our obedience, the more abundant in proportion our joy. And shall we willingly obstruct the growth and increase of that peace which the world cannot give, nor take away from us? Think oftener of heaven, and you will love it; remember it as the residence of God, the judge of all, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, as the place of your birth, and of your rest. You will find enough in these thoughts to make you patient in suffering, and cheerful in doing the will of God; and so to fit you for that blessed eternal world.

SERMON V.

THE UNREADY AT DEATH, LOST FOR EVER.

DEATH fixes our condition for eternity; there is no work in the grave: such as are ready at his coming, Christ takes with him to the marriage. Their after-state is grand and joyous, and commensurate in its duration, to the immortality of those When received up into intimate their safety in

spirits that can never die. glory, the door is shut, to these circumstances, and the impossibility of their losing their present happiness for ever. Beside, an habitual readiness, which consists in our being born again, and is strictly necessary to our dying in safety; there is such a thing as actual preparation attainable, and it is this that makes our latter end peace. All whom his grace has made ready for his coming, have heaven secured to them, by the righteousness of God, his faithfulness. They have a pledge and earnest of this given them, in the renewing and sanctifying presence of the holy Ghost.

But when we say that it is to fare with us to eternity, according to the state and condition

Christ finds us in at his coming, this is not to be restrained to the Christian.

In the following discourse we will consider this remark as it respects a wicked person, whom Christ's coming by death shall find altogether unprepared; a hypocrite, who had a lamp, but no oil in his vessel. Our Lord tells us what the issue of things will be with the foolish virgins, as well as the wise; when the bridegroom came, says he, such as were ready went in with him to the marriage; the rest were shut out; and all the return they meet with upon their importunate applications for entrance is this, "depart from me, I know you not." You have been traitors under a colour of friendship; and being filthy, be ye filthy still.

In pursuing this observation we will speak to the following heads:

I. Prove the remark to be just and defensible, when we say, that such, whom Christ's coming by death shall find unprepared, shall be dealt with accordingly in the next world.

II. Inquire into the account which our Lord gives us of their after state, when he tells us, that the door is shut against them, and professes, upon their entreating mercy I know you not.

III. Show that it is every way consistent with the perfection of the divine nature, that matters should go on in this order. We will then see,

IV. How this part of the subject may be most profitably applied, in reference to practice.

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I. We are to prove that this observation is just, viz. That all such, whom the coming of Christ by death shall find unready, shall have their everlasting condition issued accordingly. The unreadiness of which we now speak, is not merely the want of an actual preparation for death, as that is opposed to an habitual preparation; but the entire unfitness both as to habit and act, which is every man's case in an unregenerate state. Such as are

unarmed against the sting of death, which is the undischarged guilt of sin, and remain under the penal law or curse, which is sin's condemning strength, are in all respects unprovided for Christ's coming; 1 Cor. xv. 56. If death arrests us in a natural state, it finds us under all the ruins of the apostacy; and upon the foot of the first and broken covenant and dying in our sins, we shall be treated for ever as hypocrites and unbelievers. Repentance is not a grace in the next world, but a punishment. When Christ says, blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; in limiting the promise to the repentance that is exercised in our trial state, he assures us, that hereafter it shall find no room, though sought bitterly and with tears; Matt. v. 4. compared with Heb. xii. 17. Repentance after death, is an ingredient in our misery, not a qualification for pardon and acceptance.

Observe, we do not say but that late repentance may be saving, though it is difficult to know whether it is genuine and sincere, when thus late; but we

say of such, as under a profession of religion, die in a state of infidelity, death will make no alteration in their souls' state, as guilty, undone creatures: but as they finish their trial state, it shall fare with them in the world of retributions. I hinted before, that the doctrine of purgatory was a novel invention, the reverse of the doctrine of the Bible; an insult upon the Redeemer's mediatorial character and that if good men had more, either to do or bear, previous to their investiture in the happiness of heaven, upon their being discharged from this world and body; or if hypocrites, when this life ended, were put under a new dispensation of the grace of God, the Scriptures would mislead us, in representing the present as the only state of trial. It shall suffice, that I show you what foundation our general remark has in the Scriptures; for I aim at their conviction only, who will be determined by this authority.

I take this to be refered to, in the message which the prophet Isaiah tells us he had in commission from the Lord of hosts, to deliver. His words are these, "say to the righteous it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him ;" Isa. iii. 10, 11. In this world, where all things fall out alike to all, the good man attains not to the happiness, nor is the wicked man overtaken by the full woe intended him. We must suppose the prophet