voice of the charmer, the fweet voice of Jefus Chrift, is no more heard. O then, out of hand, let us fet ourfelves to hearken diligently unto Jefus Chrift. Now, befides the things which have been mentioned under the Doctrine, I fhall here fubjoin fome other confiderations, to prefs upon us the practice of this important duty. Wherefore,

[1.] Confider the exceeding finfulness of not hearkening to Chrift fpeaking to us. Moft that have the gofpel of Chrift preached to them, do little confider what great fin they are guilty of, in not hearkening to Chrift therein speaking to them. How remifs and negligent are men in minding and doing the things wherein they are inftructed by Chrift? and yet how quiet and content are they, as if they were nothing blame-worthy? But the iniquity of fuch is very heinous. For,

1. Not hearkening to Chrift is a great contempt of his rich grace. 'Tis a moft wonderful favour, that we have Jefus Chrift fpeaking to us, and making known to us the great things that belong to our peace, in fo clear a manner. This is a blefled priviledge, which many more excellent than ourselves, would have been glad to have enjoyed. Matth. xiii. 16, 17. Bleffed are your ears, for they bear. For verily I fay unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have defired to hear thofe things which ye hear, but have not heard them. Though they had a fufficient revelation of Chrift and the mysteries of the gospel unto their falvation, yet it was but dark and obfcure, compared with what we do enjoy. Herein we are more highly favoured, than the fervants of God under the old-teftament were. How much more then are we favoured, than most of our fellow-creatures, who hear not the voice of the bridegroom Jefus Chrift? how many are there to whom the word of falvation was never fent,? It is then a moft diftinguishing mercy, to have Jefus Chrift fpeaking to us. And if fo, it must needs be a high contempt of his grace, not to hearken to him. For this is practically faying, that 'tis no

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fuch favour, to hear the voice of Chrift; and in faying this, we caft the greateft difparagement upon his grace.

2. Not hearkening to Chrift will be an aggravation of all our fins.Every fin committed by men, is great in itself, being against an infinitely great God. Yet however, Chrift's fpeaking to us makes our fin to become much greater, than otherwife it would have been. Joh. XV. 22. If I had not come unto them, and spoken to them, they had not had fin; but now they have no cloke for their fin. Their fin had been nothing near fo great and inexcufable, if Christ had not come and fpoken to them. For, by none is the horrid evil of fin fo clearly difcovered, as by Jefus Chrift. He gives us the most lively reprefentation of the hateful nature, and deftructive confequence of fin. This he has done, both by word of mouth, and by his own fufferings for it. In his word he has moft plainly informed us, how contrary and provoking fin is to the holy God, and how dreadfully he will punish it, to all eternity. But more efpecially has he made known to us the evil of fin,in his own amazing fufferings to make atonement for it. Though he was the only begotten and most dearly beloved Son of God, yet God fpared him not, when he took our iniquities upon him. Herein we have the highest demonstration of God's infinite difpleasure at fin. Now for men to fin when Jefus Chrift has fo manifeftly laid open the exceeding evil of fin to them, is a great aggravation of fin. The more knowledge men have of the vile and pernicious nature of fin, the greater is their crime in committing of it.----Again, Jefus Chrift alone reveals to us the way of delivery, from fin and the deftruction that follows it. He not only tells us, how great an evil fin is, but also how we may obtain falvation from it, that it shall not prove our ruin. Now, to continue in fin under fuch a full and gracious revelation of a remedy againft fin, is an heinous aggravation of fin. When men will not hear Chrift speaking to them about a method for their eternal falvation, their iniquity is double iniquity.---Thus for the first thing.

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[2.] Confider the great danger, that attends a not heark ning to Chrift, fpeaking to us. Men generally feem. to be little aware of the mifchief and hurt they lie expofed unto, in not hearkening to the voice of Jefus Chrift. They live in fecurity, as if they were exposed to no manner of hazard. But their condition is exceeding dangerous. Acts iii. 23. And it fall come to pafs, that very foul which will not hear that prophet, fhall be destroyed from among the people. And therefore the apoftle gives that folemn caution to them that have Chrift fpeaking to them. Heb. xii. 25. See that ye refufe not him that fpeaketh for if they escaped not, who refufed him that fpake on earth, much more shall not we efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven. Men had need fee to it, that they refufe not Chrift fpeaking to them ; for their danger is exceeding great. Particularly,

I. They are in danger of being fmitten with most dreadful fpiritual plagues in this world.----Spiritual judg ments are the most fearful judgments, that can be inflicted upon men in this world. The foreft and heavieft bodily calamities, are as nothing, compared with thofe judgments which more immediately fall on the fpirits or fouls of men. These are truly moft dreadful fruits of the anger, and difpleasure of the great God. Now fuch judgments as thefe, men are in danger of, who hearken not to Jefus Chrift., Ex. gr. They are in danger of being given up to damning errors. When men refuse to hearken to Chrift, fo as not to believe and obey his voice, they are many times in juft judgment left of God to embrace damnable errors. 2 The ii. 10, 11, 12. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved. For this caufe God fall fend them strong delufion, that they should believe a lie : that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth. Again, they are in danger of being given up to perpetual barrennefs. When men wilfully refuse to hearken to Jefus Chrift, he many times denounces that fearful curfe against them. Matth. xxi. 19. Let no fruit grow en thee henceforward forever. Though they may

fill enjoy, and hear, the word of Chrift preached to them, yet it fhall become ineffectual to them, fo as that they fhall receive no good, be made nothing better by it, all their days. Acts xxix. 25, 26, 27. Well fpake the holy Ghoft by the prophet Efaias unto our fathers, Jaying, Go unto this people and fay, Hearing ye shall bear and fball not understand; and feeing ye shall fee, and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed grofs, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they clofed; left they should fee with their eyes, and bear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and fhould be converted, and I fhould heal them.--Again, they are in danger of being given up to the power of their lufts. When men refufe to hearken to the voice of Chrift, they are many times judicially left to hearken to the voice of their corruptions, and to be under the full fway of their lufts. Pfal. lxxxi. 11, 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Ifrael would none of me: fo I gave them up unto their own hearts lufts; and they walked in their own counfels.

2. They are in danger of the greatest damnation in the world to come...The future damnation of every finner, will be exceeding great. Yet however, the damnation of fome finners, will be much greater than that of others. Matth. xxiii. 14. Te fhall receive the greater damnation. Now, of all finners, their damnation thall be greateft, who refufe to hearken to Chrift fpeaking to them. Thefe are greater finners than others, and therefore fhall receive greater punishment than others. They fin againft greater light, and love, and grace, and means, and mercies, than others do.' Their fins are therefore more aggravated than the fins of others and confequently their damnation will be more aggravated. Sinners against the light of nature, and the law of Mofes, fhall not be fo feverely punifhed, as thofe that are finners against the gospel of Chrift. Col. ii. 2, 3. For if the word Spoken by angels, was stedfast, and every tranfgreffion and difobedience received a just recompence of reward; bow fhall we escape, if we neglect jo great falvation, which at first began to be fpoken by the

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Lord? And hence our Lord denounces the most dreadful wo, against those who abide impenitent and difobedient under the gofpel preached to them. Matth. xi. 20, 21, 22. Then began be to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Wo unto thee, Chorazin, Wo unto thee, Bethfaida; for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in fackcloth and afbes. But I fay unto you, it fball be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. The moft wicked and notorious finners in the ungofpelized world, fhall have an easier hell, than fuch as abide in fin under the difpenfation of the gospel.

There will be degrees of punishment in the future world. And the greatest degree thereof will be inflicted on fuch who have had Chrift fpeaking to them, but hearkened not to him. Their damnation will, of all finners, be far the most dreadful... Indeed in refpect of privation of good, all finners will be alike unhappy. None of the damned fhall enjoy the leaft pofitive favour or bleffing. All of them fhall equally be deprived of God as the fountain of good, and alfo of every created good and comforting thing. In refpect alfo of duration, all finners fhall be equally miferable. The damnation of all finners, fhall endure for ever. Not one finner that goes down to the pit of deftruction, shall ever return therefrom. Once there, and for ever there; they come no more out. Jefus Chrift will at the laft day pafs upon all ungodly finners, a fentence of eternal damnation, and that fentence he will execute, without any repeal. In that matter, he will abide of one mind, and not change. He will never recall the word that is gone out of his mouth, nor repent of what he has faid. The damnation of all finners will infallibly be without end. In respect then of lots of good, and duration of punishment, gofpel-finners fhall not receive greater damnation than other finners. Yet however, in other refpects, their punishment will be more intole rable than that of others. Particularly, in respect of

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