but their life also. Ye would choose to die a thousand deaths to escape
this eternal death. But "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Matt. xvi. 26; though he would give, yet what hath he to give? There are
two things endear any privilege to us, and heighten the rate of it,--the
necessity of it, and the preciousness of it; and these two are eminent
here. Is it not necessary to be, to live, and have a being? All men think
so, when they will give all they have to redeem themselves. All other
things are accidental to them, they are nearest to themselves; therefore
all must go, ere themselves go. But I say this is more necessary,--to be
well eternally, than to be simply; to escape this condemnation, than to
have a being. And this shall be verified in the last day, when men shall
cry for hills and mountains to fall on them, and save them from the wrath
of the Lamb, Rev. vi. 16. Men will choose rather not to be, than to fall
in that wrath. O how acceptable would a man's first nothing be to him in
that great day of wrath! Who shall be able to stand in it?--when kings and
princes, bond and free, great and small, shall desire mountains to grind
them into powder, rather than to hear that sentence of condemnation, and
yet shall not obtain it. O blessed are all they that trust in him, "when
his wrath is kindled but a little," Ps. ii. 12. Ye toil and vex
yourselves, and spend your time about that body and life; but for as
precious as they are to you now, ye would exchange them one day for
immunity and freedom from this wrath and curse. How will that man think
his lines are fallen in pleasant places,--how will he despise the glory of
earthly kingdoms, though all united in one,--who considers in his heart how
all kings, all tongues and nations, must stand before the judgment-seat of
God, and the books of his law be opened, to judge them by, as also the
books of their consciences, to verify his accusation, and precipitate
their own sentence, and then, in the open view of all the sons of Adam,
and the angels, all secrets be brought out,--their accusation read as large
as their life-time, and as many curses be pronounced against every one, as
there be breaches of the law of God, whereof they are found guilty; and
then all these will seek into corners, and cry for mountains, but there is
no covering from his presence. What do ye think the man will think within
himself, who will stand before God, and be absolved in judgment by Jes