84 A CALL TO tion, nor as a thing which he resolveth shall undoubtedly come to pass, or would engage all his power to accomplish. It is in the power of a prince to set a guard upon a murderer, to see that he shall not murder, and be hanged; but if, upon good reason, he forbear this, and do but send to his subjects to warn and entreat them not to be murderers, I hope he may well say that he would not have them murder and be hanged; he takes no pleasure in it, but rather that they forbear and live, and if he do more for some upon some special reason, he is not bound to do so by all. The king may well say to all murderers and felons in the land, ' I have no pleasure in your death, but rather that you would obey my laws and live; but if you will not, I am resolved, for all this, that you shall die.' The judge may truly say to a thief, or the murderer, 'Alas, I have no delight in thy death; I had rather thou hadst kept the law and saved thy life; but seeing thou hast not, I must condemn thee, or else I should bem1just.' So, though God have no pleasure in your damnation, and therefore calls upon you to return and live, yet he bath pleasure in the demonstration of his own justice, and the executing his laws, and therefore he IS, for all this, fully resolved, that ifyou will not be converted, you shall be condemned. If God was so much against the death of the wicked, as that he were resolved to do all that he can to hinder it, then no man shall be condemned; whereas Christ telleth you, that few will be saved. But so far God is against your damnation, as that he will teach you, and warn you, and set before you Mfe and death, and offer you your choice, and command his ministers to entreat you not to destroy yourselves, but accept his mercy, and so to leave you without excuse. But if this will not do, and if still you be unconvertcd, he professeth to you, he is resolved on your damnation, anu bath commanded us to say to you in his name, verse 8, " 0 wicked man thou shalt surely die!" And Christ bath little less than sworn it,
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