OfDEATH. Chap. VII. Reprefent to him the infinite Mercies of God, the unvaluable Merits ofChrilt fufficient to redeem thelolt World, it increafes his Defpair,becaufe he_ has perverlly abufed thofe Mercies, and negleCted thofe Ments. The moft prec1ous Prom1fes of the Gofpel are killing Terrors to him: as the fweet Tide of Fri;nd 1 wherewith ovr S~viour reoeiv'd .1udas when he came to betray him, was the moft ftmgmg Reproach of Ius. ~er.fidious V dlany. Thus it appears how dangerous 1t 1s to delay Repentance and Reconcihauon wtth God rill Sicknefs and a Death-bed, when the remembrance or forgetfulnefs of Sin, the fenfe or fecurity of Confcience may be equally deftruCtive. The fum of what has been amplified in this Part is this : A vain hope of living long and being reconcil'd to God when Men pleafe, is the fatal Foundation of their Sins and Mi~ fery. They apply the Word ofGod againftthe Mind _of God, and fecurely provoke him, as if they could tai<C Heaven by vwlence, m contradiCtion to the Gofpel. But they ufualJy difpofe of that time they !hall never enJoy, and prefume upon that Mercy and Grace they IJJall never obtain. We are commanded tofeek the Lord whtle he "'"J be [ou11d; a fall Intimation that 'tis not in our power to find him to our Comfort when we pleafe. He fpares long, but abufed Patience will deliver Sinners to revenging Juftice. Sampfon was three times in the Chamber of his Lull: .expos'd to Treachery, and efcap'd ; but the fourth time he faid, I will ariji, but was furpnzed by Ius Enemies, and loft his Strencrth, and Sight and Lilierty. How JUltly will the wilful negleCt of Salvation fo long, and fo compallio~ nately offer'd to Smners, render the D1vme Mercy mexorable to their Prayers and Tears at !all? When a Roman Gendeman that wasw~nt to revel in the night,. and lleepin the day, had walled a great Ellare by Luxury, he petitioned the Emperour Trberius to relieve his Poverty, and wascl!fmifs'd with th1s upbraiding Anfwer, Sero experreflns es, you arerifcn too late. He never open'd his Eyes to fee his Condition till it was pall Remedy. This~ the fad Cafeof many that walletheSeafonsof Grace, and are carelefs of their Duty, till upon the point of pen01ing, and then addrefs themfelv~s to God for his Favour apd Pardon, but are JUftly reJeCted With the reproaches of their obllJOate negleCt of Salvation in the time of their Lives. I doubt not that fame are wonderfully converted and faved at !aft; but thefe fJ>ecial Mercies are hke our Saviour's miraculous healing the two blind Perfons as he ;~dy;rc~~~~o~~ei:ti?'; B:1l~~r~~2~~~~~s a OL~~i~,~~~ ,~isfiar~~t':~~~~-ma~:~~~a~ tocometotheKing, and immediately a Tempefl of Lightning deflroyed them. Now who would think that another Captain with his fifty !hould be fo defperare, having the A!hes and Relicks of rhofemiferable Carcafes before their Eyes, as to make the fame Citation to the Prophet? yet they did, and provok'd the Jullice of Heaven to confume them. And this Madnefs is exemplified in thoufands every day ; for notwirhflanding they feeSinners like themfelves cut off in their evil ways, they continue unreformed, as if they were fearlefs of Hell, as if refolved to fecure their own Damnation. I would nor from what has been reprefented in this Matter fo univerfally ufeful, dif. courage any that have lived in a courfe of Sin, from earnefl feeking to God in their Jail hours : For even then they are not utterly dellitute of Hope. The Gofpel fets forth the Mercy of God to returning Sinners, in various Reprefentationsand Expreffions of admira· ble Tenderncfs. When the loft Sheep was recovered, there was Joy as if a Treafure had been found. The Prodigal had wafted his Ellate in Lafcivioufnefs and Luxury, and by a har01 reduCtion came to himfclf, refleCting with !hame upon his Folly and Rebellion; and the fenfe of his Mifery (not a more ingenuous or noble Principle at firft) compell'd him ~~~f~~~:~sl~~~i;;e r~ff~Js'~~a;a~1~~~:·~~~~~~~~~~~te t~~~t: Wh;;,0h: ~~:n !'~"!,~~~~; off, his Father fow him, am:l had Compaf/ion, and ran 11nd feU on his Ne~k, and kijfid him. :1;~~1; ~=~::~;Jo:.herBr~~j;et:;,;e~ta:~tl(/;~::~n::,d ;,::: ~~;t:h:b:;~:be~0;~:;;~ a Ring on /m 'Finger, and Shoes on his Feet; and bring hither the fatted Calf, and ktll it; ltt ~~:fi~:1 ~~.~~?;vtr::i:e';e~:;t wl:fs d~~a:::l~ ~~~;e;f~i~;a;v;~::ei/:n:~t~~:~u~~!~~ Spirits that feel the intolerable weight of Sin, the Mercy and Mildnefs of the Gofpel IS to be exhibited. God is rich in Mercy to all that call upon him in Truth. But to tell Stn· ners who fecurely proceed in their linful Ways, that they may be faved at !aft, and notwithlhnding their prefomptuous Repulfes of God's Calls to his Service, yet think they.may come into .the Vineyard at the eleventh hour, and ~e rewar~ed, .1s to gtve counte~a~ce and proteCtiOn to Sin, and to harden them to DellruCt10n. P01fon IS not cured by givtng Food, but Antidotes, that put Nature into a Paffion rill it be expelled. The Terrors of the Lord can only prove Medicinal to fuch depraved Souls. • To
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