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is long enough to efcape Mifery, and obtain all Happiness; if Sinners immediately repent of their Sins, and believe in Chrift, and in an humble Dependance on his Spirit, and Grace, do henceforth live according to the Rules of the Gofpel.

And therefore the prefent, I fay the present Time, fhould be improved for this most important Work. It is very uncertain to every one, whether there is any future Time, or how little of future Time is allotted to them in this World, by the fovereign Lord of Life?

O how fhould the Thoughts hereof, quicken every one to give all Diligence to make their Calling and Election fure!

I may obferve, that the End of the World, and the general Conflagration of it, was above seventeen hundred Years more future than it is now, when the Apostle Peter wrote his fecond Epiftle; yet he used the Confideration of it, as a Motive to an holy Life.

In 2 Pet. iii. 11. He fays, Seeing then that all thefe Things will be diffolved, what manner of Perfons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godlinefs? And in ver. 14. He fays, Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look for fuch Things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace, without Spot and blameless.

it it predicted, that eternal Life fhall be given to all true Believers.

In John vi. 40. The holy Jefus fays, This is the Will of him that fent me, that every one, which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlafting Life: And I will raife him up at the laft Day: And in ver. 47. He expreffeth himself thus, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me bab everlasting Life. That is, he hath a Title, or a Right to it, and it is begun in him.

St.

St. John fays, This is the Promife that He, (viz. Gød,) bath promised us, even eternal Life. 1 John ii. 25. and in chap. v. 11. He adds. And this is the Record, that God hath given to us (by Promife) eternal Life; and this Life is in his Son.

In Rom. v. 22. St. Paul fays to the Saints at Rome. But being made free from (that is, from the Dominion of) Sin, and become Servants to God, you have your Fruit unto Holiness, and the End everlasting Life: For the Wages of Sin is Death; but the Gift of God is eternal Life, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

It muft here be obferved, that the Expreffion, eternal Life, fignifies more than an endless Exiftence, more than that the Saints fhall live for ever after the Resurrection; and implies, that the everlafting Life which God infinitely good and gracious, gives unto them is a spiritual Life, a Life of Holiness and Happiness: I apprehend that it begins in Converfion, with the first Act of true Faith, by which Sinners (before guilty, wretched and miferable,) become united to Chrift, and living Branches of this bleffed Vine; and thus fhew when they are in the Character of the Just, whofe Path is as the fhining Light, that shineth more and more unto a perfect Day. Prov. iv. 18.

Their Sanctification through the Working of the Holy Spirit is carried on, divine Bleffings are multipled to them, and at Death the Holinefs of the Saints is made perfect, and their Happiness with Chrift in Heaven is inconceivably increased; and then after the Resurrection of their Bodies, and their Appearance at the Judgment Seat before their Saviour and their Judge; the Fulnefs of the Rewards purchased by Chrift, and promifed in the Gofpel, will be bestowed on them: And then the Saints with their Souls and Bodies reunited, will be with God, and Chrift, with the holy An

gels,

gels, with the Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and all their fellow Saints, in Manfions of Glory for ever and ever: And there will never, never, never be a Period to their Happiness, and Glory, in the Enjoyment of God: All this I take to be included in thefe Expreffions, eternal Life, and Life everlasting.

But the Apoftle lets us know, that eternal Life is not given to the Saints as Wages for any Work, or Service they did on Earth; for the best Services of the beft Chriftians, are not only worthless Performances, and void of Merit, but polluted by Mixture of Sin: And therefore though he calls, and justly calls Death the Wages of Sin, he changes his Phrafe, and calls eternal Life the Gift of God, and moft fitly he does fo; because it is undeserved by us, and moft freely bestowed us. (Rom. v. 22.)

I may likewife remark, that the Wicked will have an eternal Exittence; but not worthy of the Name of Life, and is properly denoted by the Word, Death.

The Death of a Man in this World, is the Separation of his Soul from his Body, which fon after putrifies, turns into Corruption and Earth, as it was.

But the Death of the Wicked, is the Separation of their Perfons, both of their Souls and Bodies from God and Chrift; from Peace and Happiness, to endless Punishments, Miseries and Torments. This is the Death of Deaths, the moft dreadful of all Deaths; and it is the Wages of Sin.

O that careless Sinners would think on this Death in Time!

O merciful God! open the Eyes of their Minds, awaken their Confciences to confider whom they

are

are ferving, and what they are doing, and what Wages they muft receive for the evil Works they do! O turn them from Darkness to Light; and from the Power of Satan unto thyfelf, that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins, and Inheritance among them that are fanctified by Faith, that is in Christ Jesus. Amen, for the Sake of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

LE T

LETTER IX.

Of Predictions, relative to fincere Chriftians in Time of publick Calamities; some of which are general, and others particular. In Regard,

1. To their Safety in Times of War.

2. To their

being provided for in Famines. 3. To their Prefervation in Seafons of the Pestilence. 4. To their being kept from diftreffing Fears, when defolating Judgments are on the Wicked.

SHALL now take Notice of fome of the Predictions, relative to God's faithful People, in Times of publick Calamities; of Calamities brought on Cities and Countries, by the righteous Providence

of God, as Punishments for Sin.

There are Times when the all-wife God calls his People, his beloved People to Sufferings; and fuch are the Times when the Wicked are perfecuting the Saints of the most high God.

Our bleffed Redeemer who went about from City to City, and from Town to Town; teaching the People the Doctrines they were to believe, and the Way for their Salvation foretold them;

not

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