THE GREAT MISERY OF THOSE unregenerate state, as sure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet, thou shalt be shut out of the rest of the saints, and receive thy portion in everlasting fire. I expect thou wilt turn upon me and say, When did God show you the book of life, or tell you who they are that shall be saved, and who shut out ? I answer, I do not name thee, nor any other ; I only conclude it of the unregenerate in general, and of thee, if thou be such a one. Nor do I go about to determine who shall repent, and who shall not ; much less, that thou shalt never repent. I had rather show thee what hopes thou hast before thee, if thou wilt not sit still, and lose them. I would far rather persuade thee to hearken in time, before the door be shut against thee, than tell thee there is no hope of thy repenting and returning, But, if the foregoing description of the people of God does' not agree with the state of thy soul, is it then a hard question, whether thou shalt ever be saved? Need I ascend up into heaven to know, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord; or, that only the pure in heart shall see God ; or, that except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ? Need I go up to heaven, to inquire that of Christ, which he came down to earth to tell us, and sent his Spirit in his apostles to tell us ; and which he and they have left upon record to all the world ? And though I know not the secrets of thy heart, and there- fore cannot tell thee thy name, whether it be thy state, or not ; yet if thou art but willing, and diligent, thou mayest know thyself, whether thou art an heir of heaven or not. 'Tis the main thing I desire, that if thou art yet miserable, thou mayest discern and escape it. But how canst thou escape, if thou neglect Christ and salvation ? 'Tis as impossible, as for the devils themselves to be saved. Nay, God has more plainly and frequently spoke it in scripture of such sinners as thou art, than he has of the devils. Methinks a sight of thy ease would strike thee with amazemént and horror. When Belshazzar saw the fingers of a man's hand that wrote upon the wall, his countenance was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=