TIJe N~ceffity of Converftan: be a4 the giving up of the ghoft, Job I I. ~o. Wicked men are fetled in their carnal hope, and will not be beaten out of it : They hold it faff, they will not let it go.. Yea, but death will knock offtheir fingers; thoughwe cannot undeceive them, death and judg.. ment will : When death ftrikes his dart through thy liver, it will let out thy foul, and thy hopes together. · The unfanetified have hope only in this life, · I Cor. If. 19. and therefore are, of all men, mofi: miferable: When death comes, it lets them out in– to the amazing gulf of endlefs defperation. 3. There ·is '6la[pbemy i-a it. Tohope we lliall befaved, though continuing unconverted, is to ,hope we fhall prove God a liar. He hath told you, that fo merciful and pitiful as he is, he will never fave yoa notwithftand· ~ ing, . if you go on in ignorance, or a courfe of un– righteoufnets, I[a. ::.7. I I. I Cor. 6. 9· In a word, he bath told .you, that whatever you be, or do, nothing fhall avail you to falvation, without you be new creatures, Gal. 6. 1; 8 Now, to fay God is merciful, and· w~ 'hope he will fave us neverthelefs, is to Hty, in ·e1fect, We hope God will not do as he faith. · We may not' fet God's attributes at variance: God is refolved to glorifie mercy, but'not with the pre· judice of truth; as the prefumptuous finner will' find, to his everlafiing forrow. . Objeal. Why, outwehopeinJt{usChrift, weput ·our whole truff: in God, and therefore doubt not but we iball be faved. · 1 . An[. I. This is not to hope in Chrijl, butagainft Cbrift. To hope to fee the kingdom of God, without being born again; to hope to find eternal life in the broad way, is to hope Chri!t vvill prove a falfe prophet. 'TisDavid'splea, .I hope in thy word, Pfal. r I 9· 8 I. but .this hope is againft the word. Shew me a word of Chrifi: for thy hope, that he will fave thee in thine .ignorance , or pr9~an~ neglects of his ferviced, an
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