544 BATER'S FIFTY REASONS. and blessed God invite thee to his favour ? and wilt thou delay and demur upon the return ? The greatest of the angels of heaven are glad of his favour, and value no happiness but the light of his countenance : heaven and earth are supported by him, and nothing can stand without him : how glad would those very devils be of his favour, that tempt thee to neglect his favour : and wilt thou delay to turn to such a God ? Why man, thou art every minute at his mercy : if thou turn not he can throw thee into hell when he will, more easily than I can throw this book to the ground : and yet dost thou delay ? There are all things imaginable in him to draw thee : there is nothing that is good for thee, but it is perfectly in him ; where thou mayest have it certain and perpetuated. There is nothing in him to give the least discouragement : let all the devils in hell, and all the enemies of God on earth, say the worst they can against his Majesty ; yet they are not able to find the smallest blemish in his absolute holi- ness, and wisdom and goodness : and yet wilt thou delay to return ? 2, Consider also, as, to whom, so to what it is that thou must turn. Not to uncleanness, but unto holiness not to the sensual life of a beast, but to the noble ra- tional life of a man, and the more noble heavenly lile of a christian. Not to an unprofitable worldly toil, but to the gainfullest employment that ever the sons of men were acquainted with.; not to the deceitful drudgery of sin, but to that godliness which is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come,' I Tim. iv. S. Sirs, do you know what a life of holiness is ? You do not know it, if you turn away from it : I am sure if you knew it, you would never fly from it, no nor endure to live without it. Why, a life of holiness is nothing but living unto God ; to be conversant with him, as the wicked are with the world ; and to devote to his ser- vice, as sensualists are to the flesh. It is to live in the love of God, and our Redeemer ; and in the fore- tastes of his everlasting glory, and of his love ; and in the sweet forethoughts of that blessed life that shall
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