ven? Deut. iv. 11. How fhall he be able to ftaand in that fmoke, that afcended as the fmoak of a furnace? Exod. xix. 18. How will he endure the terrible thunders, and lightnings, ver. 16. and dwell in the darkness, clouds and thick darkness Deut. iv. 11. All thefe reiemblances heaped together, do but faintly reprefent the fearful tempelt of wrath and indignation, which shall purfue the wicked to the lowest hell: and for ever abide on them, who are driven to darkness at death.

Thirdly, Death roots up their delufive hopes of eternal happinefs: then it is their covenant with death, and agreement with hell is broken They are awakned out of their golden dreams, and at length lift up their eyes; Job viii. 14. • Whose hope shall be cut off and whofe truft fhall be a spi• der's web' They trust all shall be well with them after death but this their truft is but a web woven out of their own bowels, with a great deal of art and industry. They wrap themselves up in this their hope, as the fpider wraps herself in her web. But it is but a weak and flender defence; for however it may withstand the threatnings of the word of God; death, that befom of deftruction, will fweep them and it both away, fo as there fhall not be the leaft fhred of it left them; but he, who this moment will not let his hope go, shall next moment be utterly hopeless. Death overturns the house built on the fand: it leaves no man un. der the power of delusion.

Laftly, Death makes their state abfolutely, and for ever hopeless. Matters cannot be retrieved and amended after death For (1.) Time once gone can never be recalled. If cries or tears, price or pains, could bring time back again; the wicked man might have hope in his death. But tears of blood will not prevail; nor will his roaring for millions of ages, cause it to return. The fun will not ftand ftill until the fluggard awake, and enter on his journey; and when once it is gone down, he needs not expect the night to be turned into day for his fake; he muft lodge thro" the long night of eternity, where his time left him. (2.) There is no returning to this life, to amend what is amifs: it is a state of probation and trial, which terminates at death and therefore we cannot return to it again; it is but once we thus live, and once we die. Death carries the

wicked man to his own place, Acts i. 25. This life is working day: death closeth our day and our work toget We may readily imagine the wicked might have fome in their death; if, after death has opened their eyes, could return to life, and have but the trial of one Sabb one offer of Chrift, one day, or but one hour more make up their peace with God: but, man lieth down rifeth not till the heavensbe no more; they fhall not aw nor be raised out of their fleep.' Job xiv. 12. Laftly, i other world, men have no access to get their ruined and condition retrieved, if they never fo fain would. there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wi in the grave whither thou goeft,' Ecclef. ix. 10. N man may flee from the wrath to come; now he may g to a refuge but when once death has done its work door is but there are no more offers of mercy, no pardons: where the tree is fallen, there it must ly. Let what has been faid be carefully pondered, and it may be of ufe, let me exhort you.

First, To take heed that ye entertain no hopes of ven, but what are built on a folid foundation: trem think what fair hopes of happiness death fweeps away cobwebs ; how the hopes of many are cut off, when feem to themselves to be on the very threshold of he how, in the moment they expected to be carried by into Abraham's bofom, into the regions of blifs and they are carried by devils into the fociety of the dam hell, into the place of torment, and regions of horr befeech you to beware, (1.) Of a hope built up, whe ground was never cleared." The wife builder digge Luke vi. 48. Were your hopes of heaven never th but ye have had good hopes all your days? Alas f you may fee the mystery of your cafe explained, L 21. When a ftrong man armed keepeth his palace, hi are in peace.' But if they have been fhaken, take h there have only fome breaches been made in the old bu which you have got repaired again, by ways and m your own. I affure you, your hope (howfoever fair a ing it) is not to truft to; unless your old hopes hav razed, and you have built on a foundation quite ne Beware of that hope which looks brif in the dar

lofeth all its luftre when it is fet in the light of God's word, when it is examined and tried by the touchstone of divine revelation, John iii, 26. For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light left his deeds should be reproved Ver. 21. But he that doth the truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, that they are wrought in God.' That hope, which cannot abide fcripture trial, but finks when searched into by facred truth, is a delufion, and not a true hope for God's word is always a friend to the graces of God's Spirit, and an enemy to delufion. (3.) Beware of that hope, which stands without being fupported by fcripture evidences. Alas! many are big with hopes, who cannot give, because they really have not any fcripture grounds for them. Thou hopeft that all fhall be well with thee after death: but what word of God is it, on which thou hast been caused to hope? Pfal. cxix. 49. What scripture evidence haft thou to prove, that thy hope is not the hope of the hypocrite? What haft thou, after impartial felt examination, as in the fight of God, found in thyfelf, which the word of God determines to be a fure evidence of his right to eternal life, who is poffeffed of it? Numbers of men are ruined with fuch hopes as stand unfupported by fcripture evidence. Men are fond and tenacious of these hopes; but death will throw them down and leave the felf deceiver hopeless. Laftly, Beware of that hope of heaven, which doth not prepare and dispose you for heaven, which never makes your foul more holy, 1 Johniii. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' The hope of the most part of men is, rather a hope to be free of pain and torment in another life; than a hope of true happiness, the nature whereof is not understood and difcerned: and therefore it stakes down in floth and indolence, and does not excite to mortification and a heavenly life. So far are they from hoping aright for heaven; that they must own, if they speak their genuine fentiments, removing out of this world into any other place whattoever, is rather their fear than their hope. The glory of the heavenly city does not at all draw their hearts upwards toward it: nor do they lift up their heads with joy, in the profpect of arriving at it. If they had the true hope of the marriage-day, they would, as the bride, the lamb's

State IV. wicked man to his own place, Acts i. 25. This life is our working day: death closeth our day and our work together. We may readily imagine the wicked might have fome hope in their death; if, after death has opened their eyes, they could return to life, and have but the trial of one Sabbath, one offer of Chrift, one day, or but one hour more, to make up their peace with God: but, man lieth down, and ⚫rifeth not till the heavens be no more; they fhall not awake, ⚫ nor be raised out of their fleep.' Job xiv. 12. Lastly, in the other world, men have no access to get their ruined state and condition retrieved, if they never fo fain would. For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goeft,' Ecclef. ix. 10. Now a man may flee from the wrath to come; now he may get into a refuge but when once death has done its work, the door is out: there are no more offers of mercy, no more pardons where the tree is fallen, there it must ly.

Let what has been faid be carefully pondered, and that it may be of use, let me exhort you.

First, To take heed that ye entertain no hopes of heaven, but what are built on a folid foundation: tremble to think what fair hopes of happiness death fweeps away like cobwebs; how the hopes of many are cut off, when they feem to themselves to be on the very threshold of heaven; how, in the moment they expected to be carried by angels into Abraham's bofom, into the regions of blifs and peace, they are carried by devils into the fociety of the damned in hell, into the place of torment, and regions of horror. I befeech you to beware, (1.) Of a hope built up, where the ground was never cleared. The wife builder digged deep, Luke vi. 48. Were your hopes of heaven never fhaken; but ye have had good hopes all your days? Alas for it; you may fee the mystery of your cafe explained, Luke xi. 21. When a ftrong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.' But if they have been fhaken, take heed left there have only fome breaches been made in the old building, which you have got repaired again, by ways and means of your own. I affure you, your hope (howfoever fair a building it) is not to truft to; unless your old hopes have been razed, and you have built on a foundation quite new. (2.) Beware of that hope which looks brifk in the dark; but

lofe th

lofeth all its luftre when it is fet in the light of God's word, when it is examined and tried by the touchstone of divine revelation, John iii. 26. For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light left his deeds should be reproved Ver. 21. But he that doth the truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, that they are wrought in God.' That hope, which cannot abide fcripture trial, but finks when fearched into by facred truth, is a delufion, and not a true hope for God's word is always a friend to the graces of God's Spirit, and an enemy to delufion. (3.) Beware of that hope, which stands without being fupported by fcripture evidences. Alas! many are big with hopes, who cannot give, because they really have not any fcripture grounds for them. Thou hopeft that all fhall be well with thee after death: but what word of God is it, on which thou hast been caused to hope? Pfal. cxix. 49. What fcripture evidence haft thou to prove, that thy hope is not the hope of the hypocrite? What haft thou, after impartial felt examination, as in the fight of God, found in thyfelf, which the word of God determines to be a fure evidence of his right to eternal life, who is poffeffed of it? Numbers of men are ruined with fuch hopes as stand unfupported by fcripture-evidence. Men are fond and tenacious of these hopes; but death will throw them down and leave the felf deceiver hopeless. Laftly, Beware of that hope of heaven, which doth not prepare and dispose you for heaven, which never makes your foul more holy, John iii. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' The hope of the most part of men is, rather a hope to be free of pain and torment in another life; than a hope of true happiness, the nature whereof is not understood and difcerned: and therefore it stakes down in floth and indolence, and does not excite to mortification and a heavenly life. So far are they from hoping aright for heaven; that they must own, if they speak their genuine fentiments, removing out of this world into any other place whattoever, is rather their fear than their hope. The glory of the heavenly city does not at all draw their hearts upwards toward it: nor do they lift up their heads with joy, in the profpect of arriving at it. If they had the true hope of the marriage-day, they would, as the bride, the lamb's