and wicked; the Approbation of our Lord and of all his holy Angels, an innumerable Company, to the little Flattery of our own corrupt Species. The Shame and Confufion, which every wicked Man muft fall under at the Day of Judgment, when the Secrets of all Hearts fhall be difclos'd, more terrible than any kind or degree of Reproach which can overtake us in this Life. I would not be thought to declaim at random against the Honours of this World, we all know the agreeable Force they have over us; but I fay the Honour which comes from God muft have a greater, and cannot but overcome the World. It is abfolutely impoffible in Nature for any Perfon to be influenced by a weaker Motive, or lefs Good, when a greater is at hand; and there is no Man but may keep his future State and the Glory of it on his Mind, and whilft F 2 whilft he does fo, the Praises of Men can have no Power over him. It is in vain for us to alledge in our Excufe, that things present and fenfible have naturally a greater Efficacy with us than things future and invisible. This is falfe in Fact. If we examine into the Conduct of our Lives, I mean the Exercise of our Affections, we must find, that as foon as things become prefent, and fall under our Enjoyment, we for the most part desert them, and are immediately called off, to pursue fomething distant and future. Hope and Expectation are our most conftant and entertaining Affections; and 'tis only want of Attention to the Evidence and Worth of things not seen, which makes us walk by Sight, and not by Faith; which want of Attention to any Object, be it present or future, visible or invisible, must equally destroy its Efficacy. Mofes Mofes, and the Worthies of Old, efteem'd the Reproach of Chrift greater Riches than the Treafures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the Recompence of Reward. Others were tortur'd, not accepting Deliverance that they might obtain a better Refurrection. O præclarum diem (lays the Heathen) cum ad illud divinum animorum concilium cœtumque proficifcar, cumque ex hac turba et colluvione difcedam! proficifcar enim non ad eos folum viros, de quibus ante dixi, fed etiam ad Catonem meum quo nemo vir melior natus eft, nemo pietate præftantior. Jefus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, for the Joy that was fet before him, endur'd the Crofs, defpifing the Shame, and is fet down at the right hand of the Throne of God; confider therefore him, who endur'd such Contradiction of Sinners against himfelf; recollect the ftrange Scene of Mockery and Shame he passed thro', F3 left left ye be weary and faint in your Minds. The Apostles were not afham'd of the Gofpel of Chrift, they fpake the Word with all Boldness, at the fame time as they were made a Spectacle to Men and Angels, fet upon a Theatre for publick Scorn and Contempt, accounted as the Filth of the World, and the Off-scowring of all things, the very Dregs and Refufe; They thought the Sufferings of the prefent Time, great as they were, not worthy to be compar'd to the Glory which would be revealed in them. If we recollect the Words of our Lord, Whosoever shall confefs me before Men, him fall the Son of Man alfo confefs before the Angels of God. And whofoever shall be ashamed of me and my Words, of him fhall the Son of Man be afbamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Father's, and of the holy Angels. If we confider the furprising Scene Scene which the laft Day muft dif close, when the God of all Glory fhall pronounce upon the Actions of Men, and appoint them their proper Manfions in his House, their Places and Titles of Honour in his Kingdom; when the Mean and Base of this World, the Vile and Contemptible fhall be placed on the right Hand of God with Crowns of Glory; fhall fit on Thrones judging the once Great and Honourable of the Earth, whofe Pomp cannot follow them, whofe Honour has been long fince laid in the Dust, and whose Disgrace in the Court of Heaven must be so much the more infupportable, as being a State so different from what they enjoyed here on Earth. If we confider that then fhall the righteous Man ftand in great Boldness, before the Face of fuch as have afflicted him, and made no Account of his Labours; when they fee it, they fhall be troubled with terrible |