jer.8.7. SERMON IX. pofition for all the Abufe of his Benefits, becaufe of his Patience! Do you prefume becaufe he forbears [o long, he will readily forgive at !aft! The Servant not c•IJ'd to an account till he was run into an irrecoverable Arrearage of ten thoufand Ta1enrs was del ivered to the Tormentors till he fl1ould pay all his Debt, How are Men dege: ncrated, and fallen lower than the Brute Creatures ? Tbe Stork in the Hea'Uen knows her 'appointedtimes; and the Turtle, and the Crane, and tiJe Swallow obferve th~ time of their ~';~';f./ni~~t~~:v~~~; di; ~f:,J~~5~[~'~f.:::e r:J.~ehJJ'i;h~~i~;,d~:J'~~ep~';!~, 0~' f'!Jing, If thou hadjl kno•vn, e-ven thou, at leaf/ in tbis thy day, the things that belong 1; thy Peace! but now they are hidfrom thine Eyes. 0 wretched deceived Souls! how long will you neglect a Saviour and Salvation! How long fhall he ll)ait to be gracious, '-t nd exped your lingering Repentance in vain·? Remember the time of Grace is limited : if you refufe Obedience to the prefent Call do you know he will renew the Offers of his Grace ? Now is the accepted Time, no~ is the Day ofSalvation : Will this Now !aft for even There is no Now of Favour and . Hope in Hell . 'Tis true, God is merciful; and 'tis one of his Royal Titles, T/;e God of Patience: though Threatnings are denounced againft Sinners, and Judgments are ready to feize upon them, he repents and fiops his Wrath : but there is no State more fearful in this World, than when Men by neglecting Repentance, make God weary of repenting. When Patience 1m had its perfeEI Work towards the Unrelenting and Unre· formed, Juftice fucceeds: before God cuts off a Sinner, he cuts off all his Excufes. Read with Fear the iirfi of the Pr.,.erh, Becaufe I have ca!led, andyou refujid; I wiU laugh atyour Calamity, and mock when your Fear cometh. God's Frown, much more his Scorn, is infinitely terrible and infupportable. Thofe who delay Repentance till the Body is difeafed all over, and Death is printed in the Countenance, and the languiJh. ing Lights are almofi quench'd, and the vital Frame is near a Diifolution, yet prefume :1 few Sighs will tranfport their Souls to Heaven, How jufi and dreadful will their Die appointment be? However they are deceived, God is not mocked, as a Man fows, he jhaO reap. ' SERMON
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=