Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

( 41') ·Worfl: of all, they go on in this wurfe againfi all that can be fa id to them~ and will give no impartial confiderate hearing to the truthwhteh would recover them to their wits, but live as if it would be a felicity to them in Hell,ro think rhat they came thither ·by wilful refolution, and in defpighr of the remedy. And is it not a fad profp::d: to a man that believeth the Word of God, and the life to come, to look upon fuch a d_ifiraded world ? 0 Si rs • if J efus Chrifi be wife that condemneth their courfe and them, then .certainly all thefe men are fools : And if Cbrifi: knew what he faid, we mu(l needs think that they know not what they do. 0 what is the matter that reafonable men fhould have no more ufe of their reafon in thing, of fuch importance, then thu$ roneglect their everlafting fl:are for a thing of naught ? Did God make them unrcafonable, Qr give them underfl:andings uncap1ble qf .things of fuch high concernment? Or rather, have chey not drowned their reafon in fenfuality , and w•ilfully poifoned it with ;malicious averfnefs to God and Holinefs? What is the matter -that the One tkingneedful is no more regarded? Hath God made them believe that they !hall dwell bere forever, and never die_~? " ·No furely, this is fo grofs a lye, thatr the Devil himfelf cannot make thembelieve ir. They know that they mufl: die, as fure as .rhey arealive : And yet they prepare not, but wafie their dayes in fcraping in this dunghill world, as if they were to go no fur– ;·ther. Did God never warn them byaSermon, or ficknefs, to pre– pare for the life which they mufllivc for ever? Yes, many a time; :hut they would rake no warning. Did God never teH them thac after th!s life there is another, where they muft live in endlefs joy .or torment? Yes, and they profeff:ed that they did believe it : They heard it an hundred times over, till they were weary of bearing ir. Did God make them believe that they ih:lll die like l:>eafls that h[lVe no further to go, nor any other life to live? No: if they do believe this, it is the Devil and not God that makerh them beli.eve ir. What then is the matter that the One thing need– fu,l is no more regarded? Hath God ihuc up their fouls m de– fperation,fo that it is in vain to feek , or trouble themfdves for that of which there is no hope? Oh no ! his compaffion.hath pro– ,vided them a full remedy :by the death of his Son Redemption is procured, and he hathmade them ade~d of gift, of ChriH:', an.d · pardon, and eternal life, and tend red It to them, that upon the-:r ,acceptance it rpayb~ ~heifs. M~oy ~ ~il!J~ ~~~~ ~~ ?~ered tilts -· - -·--- -- ·- · ---- -- ~1~_rcy

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