of PrejNmptuom Sin,ui: 2IJ· 7· Then ao "We finneprefumptuou~y, '"'hen notwitbfl~tndin~ a(l 7· . ffW Wick,sdnef{e and impenitencJ, We imbolden o11r folves, tU if 1t ~hen n~t• wouldbe Well With m for all this: As if w·e lbould not be pu- hw.1t?.f.htnd:ng "- d h d d h. fi h h . I'· h 1S xmpeniten· niwe ere, or amnC' erea rer, t oug we wa &\ t us cy he promicontrary to God. God bath commanded the ·Mini(kn feth happinefs. • of the Gofpel to proclaifn , and f.1y to the righteom it ro himtelf. fljall be Well them, but to the Wick.fd it /hall be ill V.1 ith · With him...; but the prefumpruous m:m he will not beleeve rhis, he thiaketh God loveth him, arJd his blepings fhall be upon him, though thus difcovered in iniquities: and this is that indeed, which Divines do properly call prefurnption, when men do expeCl fuch a glorious and bleffed end, yet never ufe or perform the meanes rending thereunto. Thus the devil tempted Chritt to prefumption, when he would have· perfwaded him to throw himfelffrom the pinacle : and thus 11./o[es defcribech fuch a prefumptuous man, that whC'n the· threatnings and curfes of the lAw fhall be read, yet he fhall bldfe hi~~elfin his heart faying, None ofthefe things do be- . long to btm, Deut.29.I9,2o,n. aFJd .who can mourn enough, tP fee .fuch groffe prefumptuous finners ~very where ? fo~: thou who art a known finner, what makes thee bear up thy heart? what caufeth .thee to go up and down with joy and boldneffe? why docft thou not cry out with fear, ldl:eyery night the devils do not come to fetch thy foul away? why . art thou not afraid ~o trc~d on the ground, Jefi that fwallow thee up?-tobe in thy houfe, Jell: the ·pillars thereof break and· trufh thee into pieces? Why art thou thus fenfeleffe? Is not all becaufe thou bleffd1: thy felf, and flattereR thy felf, though God abhorretb tfree ? Oh when wi{t thou judge thy felf, and paffe that cenfure upon thy condition, which God himfclf doth, wer~, it not for finfuH p~efumption in thee thou wouldft,be a t tembling Cain, thy confcience and heart tells thee of all that wickedneffe thou art privy llnto, that were it not thou makell fuch falfe hopes to thy felf, thou couldfl not refrain a moment from crying out, O'h I fear I fuall be damned, I fhall be damned: Oh take h.eed then of this dcfperate prefumption, which makes thy condition in· ®d hopele1Te, while it is upon thee, thou£h thou art full of ~e3 v~i n .
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