200 NOW OR NEVER. less life; and that while they honour the apostles and martyrs, and saints that are dead and gone, th~y hate their successors and imitators, and the lives that they lived. Alas! all this comes from the want of a sound belief of the things which they never saw; and the distance of those things, and the power of passion, and sensual objects and inclinations, that hurry them away after present vanities, and conquer reason, and rob them oftheir humanity; and from the noise of the company of sensual sinners, that harden and deafen one another, and by the just judgment of God forsaking those that would not know him, and leaving them to the blindness and hardness of their hearts. But is there no remedy? 0 Thou, the Fountain of merc,y and relief, vouchsafe these mise-· rable sinners a remedy! 0 Thou, the Saviour of lost mankind, have mercy upon these sinners in the depth of their security, presumption, and misery! 0 Thou,. the Illuminator and Sanctifier of souls, apply the remedy so dearly purcha._c:;ed! Poor sleepy sinners, hear us! Though we speak not to you as men would do that had seen heaven and hell; and were themselves in a perfectly awakened frame, yet hear us while we speak to you the words of tr-uth, with some seriousness, and compassionate desire for your salvation. 0 look up to your God! Look out unto eternity: Look inwardly upon your souls: Lcok wisely upon your short and hasty time: and then bethink you how the little remnant of your time should be employed; and what it is that mo~t concerneth you to despatch and secure before you d1e. Now you have sermons, aml books, and warnings: it will not be so long. Preachers must have done: God threateneth them, and death threateneth them, and men threaten them, and it is you, it is you that are most severely threatened, and that are called on by God's w.trnings. " If any man have an ear to hear, let him hear." Now you have abundance of private helps, you have abundance of under~tanding gracious companions; you
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