S B C T. 1%. Of Gontierfion, or turning unto God. well fay , Aetrtrnjeno* ; for thortly captivity, or the fiord will deprive you of all means ofgrace: How diligent is the husbandmanto take the feafon for lowing, thetradefman his feafon for buying and felling! but for our fouls we are not wife We lay not, Oh my fotil, now ifever let thisfermon piercethee,noW if ever let this exhortation prevail with thee. Oh tinwife men,go and learn of the beuftifh Crest., tures, they are fo wife as to lay up their gore infummer again({ winter and Otis itought tobe with thee;if there may come a fad timeoffatninefor theOrdinances, and the meansof Grace , do thou as yofepb, who laid tip provifion for that time of fcarcitie. Now while God calls,do thou fay, here,Lord, i am: Thirdly, Therefore turn nowfromyour evilwaiès,6ecaufe the Ìeu r you put of, ibemorejouhinderyour peace and happinefe. All the time fpent infin is loft time, it mutt be all redeemed again as the Apatite exhorts,Thou arean hinderer of thy, peace andcomfort all the while thou art labouring in the Iva) of f n ,thou art with the Pro- digal feeding on husks, when thou mighfi havea fatted calf; thouart eatingonions. whenManna maybe gathered : What are the pleafuresoffin, to the enjoytaent of God, the peaceofa good Confcience, andjoy in the Holy Ghoft ? How wilt thou cry out whet-Once fee at liberty from this prifon , Now I begin CO live , NowI begin to have happineffe, nowI begin tohave plealure, but never till now? Thou wilt finde a damage, and a lotläwhich cannot be repaired, but by that happineffe in Jefus Chrift : So then bethink thy felt, What a lofer am Ì , exchanging dirt for gold ? It is my ownadvantage and happineffe, if I betake my felf to God im- mediately. ' Fourthly Therefore turn to God, becaufethe longer then putfi off', the díffi- coleyit willbeta leave rbjfans, At lati Convectionwill be every dáy more remote then at firfi; for the difficulty will stile feversl waies,here will more then a three.. fold cord be to be broken. For t. Itwill be more bard, becaufe fin is every day hardeningof a mans heart more : Now all hardnetfe ofheart makes turning to God more difficult i Wax Is fooner melted thencold Iron : Therefore faith the Apottle,Tò daj ifjouwill hear, harden notjour hearts, Pfat.95. implying that every delay doth tie the foul,and make it more benummed : if thenart notfit to day, thou wilt be 1,íf,, fir then to morrow : and hence it is why men rooted in fin,and inveterate in old cutóinat r iniquities, do feldom change their black flies : the beginnings of a wound are to behealed; ifyou let it rankle and canker, then that growers incurable at late. Oh then take up betimes; while there are any relentings, any meltings,go prefentfy to God : Ifthou getteft cold after this heat, then thy difeafe Will be mire mot- tall. 2. Therefore it is more difficult ifthou delay, becauteto thy itatitrall hardnefhe thouwilt add adventitione, andacyuifte, Every man naturally bath a gone upon hisheart, and gracemuff remove that inconvetfion but when thou haft teitiled oftento comeat Gods call, then there is a fecond, and a third,yeaMany (tones laid upon thee while thou art buried in the grave of thy fins ; Oh then, Wo be unto thee Who dolt make thy condition worfe at laft,thenat firft.Who knoweth if thouhadti regarded the fielt impreffions, andmotions ofGods fpitit, but that thy condition had beenmore hopeful? Oh take heedof proving bankrupt in the Way Offin;ehen the more thou fpende(l,the likelier to becafe into that dungeon out of whichthere can be no redemption. Take heed thenof adding hardnetfe to that which it inbred in thee : Thou halt enough CO preffe thee into the lowed lea; thou needcft not have more milfioneshung about thy neck. j. It is therefore moredifficult, becaufe thejudgement ofGod is Mare terrible tofuch in a fpiritual manner. The Lord bath fpiriruall judgements , as well al temporall ; and although we grope and complainmore under bodily miferies, yet theft fpiritual have the greateft danger; andofall fpiritual ones, thisof hardr elCöf heart is themote grievous, as by the Prophet appeareth, Efai.6. go andmake their hearufat , their eyes blinde. Oh then fear the longer thou purtt off,lcß God will !mire k$
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