some, and leave others; and if he doth so, he may take whom he pleases, and leave whom he pleases. To suppose that all have forfeited his favor, and deserved to perish, and to sup, pose that he may not leave any one individual of them to perish, implies a contradiction; because it supposes that such an one has a claim to God's favor, and is not justly liable to perish; which is contrary to the supposition.

It is meet that God should order all these things according to his own pleasure. By reason of his greatness and giory, by which he is infinitely above all, he is worthy to be sovereign, and that his pleasure should in all things take place: He is worthy that he should make himself his end, and that he should make nothing but his own wisdom his rule in pursuing that end, without asking leave or counsel of any, and without giving any account of any of his matters. It is fit that he that is absolutely perfect, and infinitely wise, and the fountain of all wisdom, should determine every thing by his own will, even things of the greatest importance, such as the eternal salvation or damnation of sinners. It is meet that he should be thus sovereign, because he is the first being, the ́eternal being, whence all other beings are. He is the Creator of all things; and all are absolutely and universally dependent on him; and therefore it is meet that he should act as the sovereign possessor of heaven and earth.

APPLICATION.

In the improvement of this doctrine, I would first direct myself to sinners that are afraid of damnation, in a use of conviction. This may be matter of conviction to you, that it would be just and righteous with God eternally to reject and destroy you. This is what you are in danger of: You that are a Christless sinner are a poor condemned creature: God's wrath still abides upon you; and the sentence of condemnation lies upon you: You are in God's hands, and it is uncertain what he will do with you. You are afraid what will besome of you: You are afraid that it will be your portion to Vol. VII. 2 T

suffer eternal burnings; and your fears are not without grounds; you have reason to tremble every moment. But let you be never so much afraid of it, let eternal damnation be never so dreadful, yet it is just: God may nevertheless do it, and be righteous, and holy, and glorious in it. Though eternal damnation be what you cannot bear, and how much soever your heart shrinks at the thoughts of it, yet God's justice may be glorious in it. The dreadfulness of the thing on your part, and the greatness of you dread of it, do not render it the less righteous on God's part. If you think otherwise, it is a sign that you do not see yourself, that you are not sensible what sin is, nor how much of it you have been guilty of.

Therefore for your conviction, be directed,

First, To look over your past life: Inquire at the mouth of conscience, and hear what that has to testify concerning it. Consider what you are, what light you have had, and what means you have lived under; and yet how have you behaved yourself! What have those many days and nights, that you have lived, been filled up with? How have those years, that have rolled over your heads, one after another, been spent? What has the sun shone upon you for, from day to day, while you have improved his light to serve Satan by it? What has God kept your breath in your nostrils for, and given you meat and drink, from day to day for, that you have spent that life and strength that have been supported by them, in opposing God and rebellion against him?

How many sorts of wickedness have you been guilty of? How manifold have been the abominations of your life? What profaneness and contempt of God has been exercised by you? How little regard have you had to the scriptures, to the word preached, to sabbaths, and sacraments? How profanely have you talked, many of you about those things that are holy? After what manner have many of you kept God's holy day, not regarding the holiness of the time, not caring what you thought of in it? Yea, you have not only spent the time in worldly, vain and unprofitable thoughts, but in immoral thoughts; pleasing yourself with the reflection of past acts of wickedness.

and in contriving new acts. Have not you spent much holy time in gratifying your lusts in your imaginations; yea, not only holy time, but the very time of God's public worship, when you have appeared in God's more immediate presence? How have you not only not attended to the worship, but have in the mean time been feasting your lusts, and wallowing yourself in abominable uncleanness? How many sabbaths have you spent, one after another, in a most wretched manner? Some of you not only in worldly and wicked thoughts, but also a very wicked outward behavior! When you on sabbath days have got along with your wicked companions, how has holy time been treated among you! What kind of conver sation has there been! Yea, how have some of you, by a very indecent carriage, openly dishonored and cast contempt on the sacred services of God's house, and holy day! And what you have done some of you alone, what wicked practices there have been in secret, even in holy time, God and your own con. sciences know.

And how have you behaved yourself in the time of family prayer! And what a trade have many of you made of absent. ing yourselves from the worship of the families you belong to, for the sake of vain company! And how have you continued in the neglect of secret prayer! Wherein wilfully living in a known sin, going abreast against as plain a command as any in the Bible! Have you not been one that has cast off fear, and restrained prayer before God?

What wicked carriage have some of you been guilty of towards your parents! How far have you been from paying that honor to them that God has required! Have you not even harbored ill will and malice towards them? And when they have displeased you, have wished evil to them? Yea and shown your vile spirit in your behavior? And it is well if you have not mocked them behind their backs; and like the cursed Ham and Canaan, derided your parents' nakedness instead of covering it, and hiding your eyes from it. Have not some of you often disobeyed your parents, yea, and refused to be sub

jest to them? It is a wonder of mercy and forbearance,

that that has not before now been accomplished on you, Prov. xxxi. 17. "The eye that mocketh at his father, and refuseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it."

What revenge and malice have you been guilty of towards your neighbors? How have you indulged this spirit of the devil, hating others, and wishing evil to them, rejoicing when evil befel them, and grieving at others' prosperity, and lived in such a way for a long time! Have not some of you allowed a passionate, furious spirit, and behaved yourselves in your anger, more like wild beasts than like Christians!

What covetousness has been in many of you? Such has been your inordinate love of the world, and care about the things of it, that it has taken up your heart; you have allowed no room for God and religion; you have minded the world more than your eternal salvation. For the vanities of the world you have neglected reading, praying and meditation: For the things of the world, you have broken the sabbath : For the world you have spent a great deal of your time in quarrelling: For the world you have envied and hated your neighbor: For the world you have cast God, and Christ, and heaven, behind your back: For the world you have sold your own soul: You have, as it were, drowned your soul in worldly cares and desires: You have been a mere earthworm, that is never in its element but when grovelling and buried in the earth.

How much of a spirit of pride has appeared in you, which is in a peculiar manner the spirit and condemnation of the dev il! How have some of you vaunted yourselves in your apparel! Others in their riches! Others in their knowledge and abilities! How has it galled you to see others above you! How much has it gone against the grain for you to give oth ers their due honor! And how have you shown your pride by setting up your wills, and in opposing others and stirring up and promoting division, and a party spirit in public affairs!

How sensual have you been! Are there not some here that have debased themselves below the dignity of human na

ture, by wallowing in sensual filthiness, as swine in the mire, or as filthy vermin feeding with delight on rotten carrion? What intemperance have some of you been guilty of! How much of your precious time have you spent at the tavern, and in drinking companies, when you ought to have been at home seeking God and your salvation in your families and closets!.

And what abominable lasciviousness have some of you been guilty of! How have you indulged yourself from day to day, and from night to night, in all manner of unclean imag. inations! Has not your soul been filled with them, till it has become an hold of foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird? What foul mouthed persons have some of you been, often in lewd and lascivious talk and unclean songs, wherein were things not fit to be spoken! And such company, where such conversation has been carried on, has been your delight. And what unclean acts and practices have you defiled yourself with! God and your own consciences know what abominable lasciviousness you have practised in things not fit to be named, when you have been alone; when you ought to have been reading or meditating, or on your knees before God in secret prayer. And how have you corrupted others, as well as polluted yourselves! What vile uncleanness have you practised in company! What abominations have you been guilty of in the dark! Such as the apostle doubtless had respect to in Eph. v. 1, 2. "For it is a shame even to speak of those things that are done of them in secret." Some of you have corrupted others, and done what in you lay to undo their souls, (if you have not actually done it); and by your vile prac tices and examples have made room for Satan, and invited his presence, and established his interest, in the town where you have lived.

What lying have some of you been guilty of, especially in childhood! And have not your heart and lips often disagreed since you came to riper years? What fraud, and deceit, and unfaithfulness, have many of you practised in your dealings with your neighbors that your own heart is conscious to, if you have not been noted for it by others!