stupid, and senseless, under guilt, Acts xvii. 30, 31. 5. It is si powerful antidote against formality in religion, the general, and dangerous disease of professors. Mat. vii. gS, 23. 6. It excites holy fear and watchfulness, in the whole course of life, 1 Pet. i. 17. 7. It puts us not only to our watch^ but to our knees in fervent prayer, 1 Pet iv. 7.
And he that feels such effects as these, from the consideration of that day, is fortified against that sin my text warns of, and dares never hold the truths of God in unrighteousness. It is our re- gardlessness of judgment to come, and ignorance of the nature of it which so emboldens us to neglect known duties, and commit known sins, Amos vi. 3, 2 Pet iii. 3, 4. If our thoughts and meditations were engaged more frequently, and seriously, on such an awful subject, you would rather choose to die than to do violence to your consciences.
Direct 4. Get right and true apprehensions of the moral evil that is in sin, and of the penal evil that follows sin ; then no teraptatioa shall prevail with you to commit a sin, to escape a present trouble, or neglect a known duty, to accommodate any earthly interest, and consequently to hold no truth of God in unrighteousness. It is fear of loss and sufferings that so often overbears conscience ; but if men were once made thoroughly sensible that the least sin is worse for them than the greatest affliction or suffering, the peace of con- science would be well secured. And that this is really so, appears thus : 1. Afflictions do not make a man vile in the eyes of God. A man may be under manifold afflictions, and yet very dear, and precious, in God's account, Heb. xi. 36, 37, 38. but sin makes man vile in the eyes of God, Dan. xi. 2. 2. Afflictions do not put men under the curse of God, blessings and afflictions may go to- gether, Psal. xciv. 12. but sin brings the soul under the curse. Gal. iii. 10. 3. Afflictions make men more like unto God, Heb. xii. 10. but sin makes us more like the devil, 1 John iii. 8. John viii. 34. 4. Afflictions for conscience sake are but the creature^'a wrath inflamed against us ; but sin is the inflamer of God's wrath against us, as in the text. 5. Afflictions are but outward evils upon the body, but sin is an internal evil upon the soul, Prov. viii, 36. 6. Afflictions for duties sake have many sweet promises an- nexed to them. Mat. v. 10. but sin hath none. 7. The effects of sufferings for Christ are sweet to the soul, 2 Cor. vii. 4. but the fruits of sin are bitter; it yields nothing but shame and fear. 8. Afflictions for Christ are the way to heaven, but sin is the broad- way to hell, Rom. vi. ult 9. Sufferings for duty are but for a moment, 2 Cor. iv. 17. but sufferings for sin will be eternal, Mark ix. 44.
If such thoughts might be suffered to dwell with us, now would
S04 AX APPENDIX TO EXGLAXD's DUTY.
they guard the conscience against temptations, and secure their peace and purity ?
Direct. 5. Be thoroughly persuaded of this great truth, that God takes great pleasure in uprightness, and will own and honour inte- grity amidst all the dangers that befal it, Psal. xi. 7. Prov. xi. 20. When he would encourage Abraham to a life of integrity, he en- gages his almighty power for the protection of him in that way. Gen. xvii. 1. " I am God Almighty, walk thou before me, and be ^' perfect." So Psal. Ixxxiv. 11. " The Lord God is a sun and a " shield ; he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he " \\ithhold from them that walk uprightly.""
An upright man is the boast of heaven, Job i. 8. he is God's dar- ling ; and the reason is, because he bears the image of God. Psal. xi. 7. " The upright Lord loveth uprightness ;" yea, and if inte- grity brings them into trouble, they may be sure the Lord will bring them out. Psal. xxxiv. 19. " Many are the afflictions of the righ- •' teous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all.'' How safely then may they leave themselves in the hands of his infinite wisdom, power, and fatherly care ? Nay, God is not only the pro- tectoi\ but he is also the rewarder of conscientious integrity, Psal. xviii. 20. and that four v/ays. 1. In the inward peace it yields them; Isa. xxxii. 17. " The work of righteousness shall be peace, '' and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever." But the effect of sinful shifts and carnal policies are shame and sor- row. 2. In the success and issue of it ; it not only turns to God's glory, but it answers and accom.modates our own designs and ends far better than our sinful projects can do, Prov. xxviii. 23. 3. Great is the joy and encouragement resulting from it in the day of death, 2 Kings XX. 3. Psal. xxxvii. 37. 4. In the world to come, Psal. xlix. 14. Were this duly considered and thoroughly believed, men would choose i-ather to part with life than the purity and peace of their own consciences. They would suffer all wrongs and injuries rather than do conscience the least injury.
Direct. 6. Do not idolize the world, nor over-value the trifles of this life ; it is the love of the world that makes men warp from the rules of their own consciences, 2 Tim. iv. 10. it is this that makes men strain hard to get loose from the ties and bonds of their own consciences. The young man was convinced, but the world was too hard for his convictions, Luke xviii. 23. the degree of his sorrow was according to the degree of his love to the creature. It is not the having, but the over-loving of the world that ruins us ; it is a worldly heart which makes men twist and turn, shuffle and dissemble at that rate they do, in time of temptation. Could you once dethrone this idol, how secure and safe would your consciences be! The church is described. Rev.
AN APPENDIX TO ENGLANd's DUTY* S0i5
jcii. 1. as clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet ; tlie most zealous age of the church was the ao;e of poverty- Try these few considerations upon your hearts to loose them from the inor- dinate love of the world. 1. What good will the world do when you have lost your integrity for its sake, and peace is taken away from the inner man ? What joy of the world had Judas, and what comfort had Spira ? If you part with your integrity for it, God will blast it, and it shall yield you no joy. 2. Except you renounce the world, you are renounced by Christ : disclaim it, or he will dis- claim you, Luke xiv. 33. No man can be admitted into Christ's service, but by sealing those indentures with him. 3. Whatever loss or damage you shall sustain for Christ and conscience sake, he stands obliged to repair it to you, and that with an infinite overplus, Mark x. 29, 30. 4. In a word, all the riches, pleasures, honours, and liberties in the world are not able to give you that joy and heart-refreshing comfort that the acquitting and cheering voice of your own consciences can do. Settle these things in your hearts aa defensatives against this danger.