Soul; rather playing with them, than acting with any Senfe and Meaning? Surely your Judgment is fo vain, flight, and momentary in the greatest Matters of Salvation, that you must be said to apprehend them, as if you apprehended them not.

He

THE careless Sinner is more confiftent; he doth not tretend to what he is not. knows all this juft as you do; thinks of thefe Things too, when he cannot avoid it; and the Reflexion dismays him, while it lasts; nor can he be at Reft, but while Security, Interest, and Pleasure keep it at a distance. The Careless is a downright natural Man; nor doth he labor to cheat himfelf, or to deceive others into an Opinion that he is one, who minds the Things of God and Salvation. If GOD will save him just as he is, it is well; and fome Day or other he fhall be at leifure to thank him: But for the prefent, he hath too high and lively Apprehenfions of the Things about him, to conceive any great Apprehenfion of what is abfent and unfeen. He knows Christ to be the Son of GOD, and the Savior of Men: But Chrift offers him nothing which fuits his Palate. His Expectation and Hope spring from carnal Joys, and prefent Interests; and fince Chrift leads him not to thefe, he muft be forgotten. He fees not, how the Holy Spirit fhould give him worldly Eafe, Peace, H 4

and

and Gratification; and therefore regards Him not. It is not Sin, which he dreads, but Mifery; the Disappointment, Crofs, and Injury of the Day. His own Will and Pleasure is his Rule; and Self-gratification extinguishes all manner of Attention to the Law, the Pleasure, and Will of God. Providence he never thinks of; fo carried on he is in a Scene of Contrivances, to prevent Misfortune, to purchase Wealth, or indulge Pleasure. He has no Time to think of Death, amidft the Hurry of Business, or the Entertainments of Company and Recreation. Heaven must be minded at another Season; when the Projects of Life shall have been completed. Hell can weigh but little with him; feeing the great Evils he feels and fears are the Frowns of Men, the Damage of his Fortune, and the Disappointment of his Pleafure. He cannot look into Eternity; fome Object of Senfe ever catches his Eye, and engages his Attention. He is not, you find, entirely without Understanding But the Apprehenfions of the Things of this Life outweigh the other, and leave them out of Sight. His Heart unhumbled and unbroken, he promises himself Happiness upon Earth; and, however unjustly, conceits, that the Increase of Wealth, Advancement of Station, the well-fpread Table, and all Things at his Command, will ren

der

der him happy. Under thefe deceitful Apprehenfions he lives; looks no farther; nor feels the Importance of spiritual and eternal Interests, but with a fecondary Impression, with a weak and vanishing Influence.

THUS NOW you may be able to discover, what kind of Apprehenfion in all Things the new Creature is poffeffed with; and how different it is from the Judgment of the natural Man, whether formal or careless. You fee, his Apprehenfions are humble, near, and I must add, enduring: For enduring they must be; not a fudden Heat, caught up upon Occafions; feeing these Apprehenfions are the very Principles, which direct the whole Courfe of the new Creature; determining his Choice, and influencing his Hopes and Fears. There is the wideft

Difference, you find, between the practical Judgment of the renewed Understanding, and the cold, fpeculative Apprehension of the Unrenewed: This apprehends all the Things which concern Salvation, drily and curiously; that, bumbly and awfully. Their Apprehenfion differs, like that of two Men about a Storm, one of whom was fecurely looking at it from a Cliff, and the other toffing in it, and anxious for Safety,

BUT poffibly it may ferve yet more evidently to evince this Difference, if you have an Illuftration of the whole in one View.

H.5

View. See then, under which of the following Descriptions you are ranged; which of the Words, with which I conclude, most aptly represents your Judgment and Appre

henfion.

THE Careless takes up his Word, and fays, "Ah! that my Lot were fallen to me in a fairer Ground, that I were not intangled by the Cares, nor cumbred un"der the Toils of Life! How happy would

my Situation be, had I Wealth that would "afford me Ease; and Honors, that would "bring me in Dependence and Refpect! "What wouldst thou more, my Soul, "than difingaged from Care, to enjoy thy « chofen Friends, to cover thy Table with "Plenty, to bring forth the choice Wines, "and to rejoice over thy Labors? What "wouldst thou more, than that the Be"holders reckon thee the happy Man! "Who, got above Fear and Want, nor "needeth the Help of others, canft follow "thine own Will, and pass thy Days at "thy Heart's Content; no Impertinence "meeting thee, no Vexation thwarting "thee, no Pleasure unfatisfied, no With "unanswered? It is intolerable, the Info"folence of oppreffive Greatness, the Sla"very of Bufinefs without End, and the "Want of Time for Quiet, Freedom, and

Friendship. When will it be, that I fhall

"be

"be fet at Liberty? When will the rifing

Days find me void of the anxious "Thoughts, which now meet my opening "Eye-lids, and when the Nights clofe "upon me undisturbed, and furrounded "with the chearful Voice of Satisfaction " and grateful Society? Then adieu Care"fulness; we will eat and drink and be merry; Joy fhall wait upon our Steps, Ease abide "in the Dwelling, and Happiness and Con"tentment fhall feat themfelves upon our "Breafts; Independence, Wealth and Eafe, ye that alone make Life a Bleffing, when "fhall I be fatisfied with you?

BUT," What!" replies the Christian, "are these the Joys of Man; this the great"eft Happiness thy Soul defireth? Thou "Fool and blind! thefe are Pleasures, which "fatisfy not; these are Treasures, which "perifh; these are Vanities, which the "Wind carrieth away. Had I no better "Things in Profpect, than what ye can "afford; ye highest earthly Gratifications! "fcarcely could I be content to live. Away "from me, ye Trifles; I relifh you not, "fince my Eyes are opened, and the Things " which are not feen, are prefented unto "me. Alas! how lightly did I once think "of those awful Concerns, that now pof"fefs my Soul with Wonder, and rise upon << my Mind with growing Importance, as "I confider them with nearer Attention!

"Now,