Room for thee in the Inn of my Soul. SERM. I. However, I will not utterly disown thee,

nay,

I will speak of thee as refpectfully as I decently can; but as to receiving thee for my Guest, or profeffing any Intimacy with thee, in this Thing I pray thee have me excused. But what is the Reply that fuch a falfe ungrateful Wretch has to expect? what but this? Know, O Sinner, that as thou haft rejected the Counsel of God against thyself, and shutteft the Door against the Vifits of my Grace and Salvation now, behold the Time cometh, when thou shalt knock at the Door of Mercy and find no Admittance thyself, but receive for Answer, Depart from me, I know you not; for, whofoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my Words, in this adulterous and finful Generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of Man be afhamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the Holy Angels. But God forbid, that as fome Men glory in their Shame, fo we should be ashamed of that which is our highest Glory, ashamed of owning and living to him, who was not ashamed of dying for us. Brethren, the Time is fhort, and the Day of the Lord is nigh at Hand; let us, with the Eye of Faith, behold it as. C 3

pre

I.

SERM. prefent, and fee the everlafting Doors of Heaven wide open, prefenting to our View the Son of God. Behold! he comes to Judgment, with Myriads of Angels'; the Throne is fet, and a Rain-bow round about the Throne. The Books are opened, and the World kneels before him. How great is the Confufion of thofe who were once ashamed of him, whom all the Hoft of Heaven delighteth to Honour. Pardon, O Holy Jefus, wherein foever we have been offended because of thee! and grant, that henceforth, if called to it, we may esteem the Reproach of Chrift greater Riches than the Treasures of the whole Earth; For Thou art the King of Saints; Thou art the Lord of Glory. To conclude,

Have you, my Brethren, found of a Truth, by the Evidence of a living Faith, that the Gofpel of Chrift is the Power of God unto Salvation? If fo, it has indeed been to you, what its Name imports, Glad Tidings. This, I truft is the Cafe with fome, and it is my Heart's Defire and Prayer to God, that it may be fo with all of us, for happy are the People that are in such a Cafe, and only they.

As to you, who have not yet found this

goodly

goodly Pearl of great Price, let me intreat SERM. I. you, let me adjure you by the living God, that you feek it earneftly, that you feek it inftantly. You need not fay, whither shall we go, and in what Communion of Chriftians may it be found? for Chrift is not far from any one of you, nay, as you have just now heard, he ftands at the Door of every Heart; do not then deny Admittance to fo kind, fo honourable a Gueft; for, my Brethren, he is your Saviour, the Light, the Love, the Salvation of God, the Lord by whom alone you can efcape Death: Such is the Guest that intreats you to receive him, and indeed, he will well requite your Love in fo doing, for as many as receive him, to them will he give Power to become the Sons of God. O let me plead with you yet again, for it is for Life, even the Life of your Souls; I pray you then be ye reconciled to God, in the Son of his Love. The Lord, even the Lord Jefus, is defirous to come into his Temple, which Temple ye are. Perfist not then in refufing him Entrance, to the infinite Wrong and Damage of your Souls; for if he depart, and return no more, you are undone for ever, and better were it for you that you had never been

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born ;

SERM. I. born; for though he is the Lamb of God,

meek and gentle to humble penitent Sinners, loving them freely, and cleanfing them thoroughly from all their Sins, by his most precious Blood; yet is he alfo the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, to the Obstinate and Incorrigible. Kifs then the Son, left he be angry, and fo ye perish from the right Way, if his Wrath be kindled, yea but a little : for as he is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth and receiveth him, fo will he, at the laft Day, be the Power of God unto Destruction to every one that shall have rejected him; powerful in offended Majesty, when he shall " be re"vealed from Heaven, with his mighty

Angels, in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance "of them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jefus

Chrift, who fhall be punished with ever"lafting Destruction from the Presence of "the Lord, and from the Glory of his

Power, when he fhall come to be glori"fied in his Saints, and to be admired in "all them that believe."

Finally, Let me befeech you, by the Mercies of God, that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain, and whilst the Gof

pel

pel founds in your Ears, that you fhut not SERM, Į, your Hearts against it, but turn unto the Lord in Repentance and Faith, who is willing and defirous to turn you away from your Iniquities that they may not be your Ruin: And, for your Encouragement I speak it, though in Times past ye have been disobedient, ungodly, Defpifers, nay Perfecutors of them that are good, yet, forasmuch as ye did it ignorantly and in Unbelief, ye shall obtain Mercy, for the Lord is merciful, loving and gracious, and rejecteth no returning contrite Sinner, for he hath faid, Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wife caft out. He will bless your Sorrows to you, comfort your Hearts with a Sense of pardoning Grace, and fanctify you wholly in Spirit, Soul and Body, and you fhall know of a Truth, as concerning the Gospel of Chrift; That it is the Power of God unto Salvation.

1.

SER