3~4 A SAint8r 4 lr"Nie: . Part rr: common cafe of t~ofe that fear God, who walk fo fadly, and Joubt, and comp!Am, and manrn fo freqtiently , and £hew to little che-arillnefs and joy' when many of the ungodly live in mirrb . t~at youwi!l thi?kl fpeak againfi experienc~, when I fay that ; ltfe of Holtnefs. 1s fo ple4ftZnt , and therefore that it is not to be believed. You will fay, [Do we not fee the contrary in the faanef.r. of their faces, and hear it in their fad lamenting 'Words. I] To this I mufi give many particulars in anfwer, which wheri you. have laid together, you may fee, that all this makes nothing agamft the Pleafantntfs of the w~ues of God. . And, 1. Youmafl: differentc: between the Entrance into noli-' nefs, and the Progre(s: and between a new beginner,.that is but lately turned from his ungodlinds,.and one that hatb had time to try anti undcrfl:and the wayes of God. Thofe that are mtering ~ or but new0' come in, mufr needs ,have for row. But: what is the caufe of it ? Not their GoJiine{s., but their sutgodlinefs.. I mean,; le is their un!.odlin~fs which. they lament, though it be gcdlineft.· .that caufeth them to lament it : Can youexpeet that afl ingcnu· Qus man fhould fee his fin, and look back on fo many years rranf-' ~reffions, .and not: begrieve a ? To fee that he bath fo long abufed God, and lo!l: his time, and negleCI:ed his falvation, and that he bath lain fo long in fo miferable a!late, maft needs caufe remorfe in the conf,ience that bath anJ feelil9g• And will you fay that Godline(s is stnplell[ant, b~cauie it makes a man forrow for his un· godlinefs f. If a man that hath killed his deareH friend·, or his own Father ,.be grie'71td for thef~ttr when he cometh to repent· anee, will you-blame his Repentanre or his Mur:der for his grief ! Will you fay,. [what a hurtful thing u this Repentance ? ] or rather [ Wh~tt: ~tn odi.9UJ crime wtU it that mnf! be Jo repentedof ?] Would yot1Wi/h a man that bath.liv.ed fo long in fin and mi{ery, to·have nfJ (orrow for it at his return ? Efpccially when it is bl!lt a malit:g farroW, preparing for remiffio£1, and not a forrow joyned with defpair, as theirs will be that die impenitently ? Obferve the complaints of penitent fouls, whether it be the1r prefe~t God– llnefs, or their former ungoJ.lim/s; which they lament ? W~ll yon hear a man lamcr.:1t his former-.finful.car.elefs life,. andyet wtll you lay the blame on the contrary courfe of duty, wh1ch no:' ~e bathundertaken ?. Youmay as wifelyaccufea man. for landmgm a..f~tfe h~tr6our1 bc:caufe,he·there. lamentethhis lo{s bJ: folpwr~t~/t · - · · wh1le ·! . ,- .
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