438 Of DEATH. Chap. VI. returning to God, and Repentance more difficult and hazardous. The lalt guilty difpofi. tion _that feals up the Damnation of Sinners is Impenitence. Now he that delays the returnmg to IllS Duty, fhal~ have more caufe to repent hereafter, hut lefs will and power . for Sm repeated, makes l11m more uncapable of Repentance, and that which is Indifpofi~ tion, will become Averfcnefsand Obltinacy. The Heart with difficulty changes its lall end: Actions may_ be fuddcnly chang'd, when there isa difability to perform them; but the mward mchnattons to fin, Without fupernatural renewing Grace, remain. 'Tis thereforethefubtilty of the Old Serpent to mak~ the entrance of Sin eafy: for be knows that Cullom IS a fecond Nature? and has a mighty Power mus: Can an Etluoptan change hit S~m., ~r :he Leopard change hu Spots ? then ma1 yoa who tJ.re A"uflome(/. to do Evil, do Good. H Srn 111 Its Inf.1ncy can make fuch rcfiltance, that the Spirit of Grace is foil'd in,his Motions to refcuc the Soul from Its Bondage, how much more when 'tis grown into a cOn· t~~ ?;!:~!,!,. TJ:=~::.o:~J'~~tt:J~~~~~~~~"~~gl:~i~"J.'[ef/u;n;h :J i~;. rvtll hear'i?it Voice, 3. Ho\y uncertam rs It whether God will accept the Addre!Tes of fuch at !all ? We are commanded, Seek the Lord wh:le he may be jo11nd; cAlL tlpon him while he iJ near The Limitation implies, if the Seafon be neglected, he will hide his Face for ever: Now in cafes of great Moment and Haz.ard, what Diligence, what Caution lbould beu~? , - 1jl. Confider how derogatory it is to his Majelly, to offer to him the Dregs of our Age, the Rehques of a hcenuouscarelefsLife, fpent in the Works of Vanity. Is this to g~w Glory toGod? Jei:. IJ · r6. Contempt provokes Superiours as much as actual Inju. nes: How vJIIfying IS It of Iuseternal Grcatncfs, that Men lavifhly walle the belt of their Time and Strength upon their Lulls ; and when throughWeaknefs ofAge, or the Violence of a Difea fe, they_ can no more do the a& of Sin, nor reli01 the pleafures of Sin, to pre. fume that God Will upon their Prayers forgive their Sins fo long indulg'd, and of fuch violent provocations, and receive them into hrs Kingdom, as ifbe could not be happy without them, and it were hrs Interelt to receive them? God has laid his Exceptions aga_inll fuch Addrelfes.: He may )Ultly /land upon his Greatnefs and Honour: If .le offir the Bli11d for a Sacrifice, tS it not evil? .And if ye offer the Lame and Ssck, is it noteVtl? 0./fer it no1v lo thy Governo11r., will he be ple<(id with it, to accept tl!] Perfon, fai th the Lbfd of Hojlt ? As the Lord upbraids the Jews for their black Ingratitude in bargaining for thirty pieces of Silver, to have him betrayed to their Malice ; agoodly Price tlw lrvatprizedat of them: So when there' is an univerfa l Proftration of all the Powers and Faculties, when the Spirits are damp'd, thevital Heat is check'd, and the function of the Senfcs isobllrullcd, then to feek to God for Mercy, and to make fair Promifes of Obedience, he may jullly reproach the Prefumcr, a goodly time JOfl have allotted for me.' Your Youth and Strength, the: Golden Age of Life, has been walled on your Lulls, and in the Bufinefs of\he World ; and the wr~~t,e~~~~~~~.'J,!,~tt~~~e~~~;t~;.~~~f ~:nn~Religion that merely proceeds from ~;f:~~~O::r~~:i ~~:h ~v~e~~~~~ ~hi~d fs11%:r;a~e~"f:!%ecl~~;:~ M~h~("~Tts~~~::n~~ Piety that isextorted by the rack, whillt the Heart full of Reluctancy does not truly confent. Pure Religion flows uncompell'd from Love to God ; 'tis the Dregs that come forth with rraJ. 7a.H, 36. preffing. 'Tis obferved of the lfr~eiJJes, that when God flew the'!', they fon_gbr ~i'!', an_d rett~rned and en9ui~ed ear'l aft~r God. But ,tls added,Nevertheiefs thty dtdJlatterht'!' IVItb tlmr J.1ot~tlu , And tiJey Jzed to htm JVtth their TongueJ: for their HearfJ were not right wrth him, neither were thq Jledfajl in hit CIYVenAnt. ·How often doesExperience convince us of the Inefficacy of a Sickbed Repentance ? How many that were very devout and mournful with one Foot as it ~he~,i~h~,~~~~r·n:~'3,i~~~~~~~l~\\· ti~~~~~~~~sasor 8~~~I1cr~~~~:dth~t ~t~\~,~ i~~.~~: 'ens that were felt and exprcfs'd by them, vanifh as the Morni11g Dew? Now converting Grace is diltinguifh'd by its radi~tion and efficacy, not only from the mere Pretences of thofe who know their own Infincenty, but from the real Workmgs ofConfcience, and the imperfell Difpofitions to Good that are in the Unrenewed. And thofe Perfons who wi th the return of Health, have returned to their Sins, if they had died with their rel igious Refolutions, would have prefum'd tll4t thm Rtptntancewat unto Life, and of dmr lntereft in the Divine Mercy. The Heart it dmitjitiAhO'lle aU tlungt, and above all thmgsdcceitful to it felf. Befides, when Sinners are plunged in deep Diltrefs, when the fhadow of Death fits upon their Eye-lids, they may with plentiful ef!irfions o~ Tears deflrc God to receive them to Heaven, not to fee and praife his adorable Excellenctes, not to pleafe and glorifie him for ever, but as a Sanctuary from revenging Jultic~, a Refuge from Hell. And wtll fuch Prayers prevail? What fwell5 the (;onfidence of Smners, but unworthy Nonons of - · · God,
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