878 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS has been, as it were, set forth crucified before your eyes. You have been à hundred times told, that you are but lost men till you come to him : as often you have been told of the evil of sin,t of the vanity of sin, the world, and all the pleasures and wealth it can af- ford ;' of the shortness and uncertainty of your lives, and the endless, dtiration'of the joy or torment of the life to come. All this, , and more than this, have you been told, and told again ; and though all this has not converted you, yet you are alive, and might have mercy, this day, if you had but hearts to entertain it. And now let reason itself be judge whether it be the fault of God or you, if after all this you will be uncon- verted and be damned? I,you die now, it is because you will die. What could be said more to you ? or what course can be taken that is likelier to prevail? Are you able to say, and make it good, We would fain have been converted, and become new creatures, but we could not; we would fain have forsaken our sins, but we could not ; we would have changed our company, and our thoughts, and our discourse, but we could not? .Why could you not, if you would? What hindered you, but the wickedness of your hearts? Who forced you to sin ? or who held you back from duty ? Did God put M any exceptions against you in his word, when he invited sinners_ to return ; and when he promised mercy to those who do return ?- Did he say, I. will pardon all that repent, except thee? Did he shut you out from the liberty of his holy worship ? Did he forbid you to pray to him any more than others? You know he did not. God did not drive, you away from him, but you ran away yourselves. And when he called you to him, you would not come. If God had excepted you out of the general promise and offer of mercy ; or had said to you, Stand off, I will have nothing to do with such as'you ; pray not to me for I will not hear you; if you repent ever so much, I will not regard you then you had had a fair excuse. You might have said, To what end should I repent and turn, when it will do no good? But this was not your case. You
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