5 ar C T. IX. OfConverfaon,or Turningunto Cod. t (S,, thy prophaneneffe when it isftill in thy mouth, in thy words,in thy hands, and ad- ions. -OaWynndid confider you had todowith God, and Icripture Truths will a- bide fo, when fin bath curled and damned thee intohell,thou wouldft not let daefe things pafft away as thou doll. You will know that converfaon hath beenpreach d untoyou, and that allthy deltruttion and damnation is ofthy felf. 4141 Y.^VSS`w4+4.41,°4 ¡, ,k of ,k i=varninr;Trwv,vwrvtr SERMON LXX y III. Of the wilful obilinacy that is in fme men, 2 -it a the caufes thereof; and that J. gnorance ofonesduty is no excuf, ,re ,,,"<rw: JEte. 18.Iá. rindthey Paid, There is no hype, tut we will walk after our own devices , and we w ill everyone do theimagination ofhas evil heart. rE have confidered Jeremriaho Commißïon in the twoe parrs of ir. The Vnext thing to be confdered, is the fucceffe, or the nt of it: and herd wefhallfinde blafphemy writ (as it were) on their foreheads. Nothing but peremptory, and wilful obllinacyagainft thisfo yule, neceffary, and reafònable an Exhortation. And yet were this denial like that of the youngerfon in the Para- ble, who Paid, He would not, but afterward repented, and went, it had been more tolerable ;but they perfevere in this impudent difobedience: So that we may take notice of theaggravation of their refolved wickedneffe. a. In their perem- prory'Negation,eArnd they laid, there i, no hope: Although it was Gods goodnefs to invite them toturn tohim,it was their advantage,nothis; and although hethrea- tens them with that evilhe is preparing for them, yet they fay, No: And herein their rude and obflinare rebellion is more evident, in that they make no exentes, pretend no reafons , but barely fay, They will not turn two God fron their fins. Thofe inourSaviours Parable, that were invited to a feaft,though it was their great fin to make any thing in the world an impediment to their cami,g, yet they feign- ed reafons, and were willing to be excufd ; but how they fell, the Prophet- plainly Pets forth ,Theywill be what they are, andthey will notehanfe. And this their oblii- mey is furthi r declared ins two fold amplification. Firil, in that Phrafe, Theré is nohope : There is the fame exprefiìon , and the Hebreiv word in Chapter 2. 25. tome render it, De.0eratum efi, It is defperate we are refolved togo on whatfo- ever it coifs us; Vatablur,expetloreieum eFt, in this íenf, our heart is wholly turned slide, and plucked off fromGod ; we cannot love him, or obey his commands. Others,01firmatifumua, Weare fetled,and obdurate in our wickedneffe,fremiahr preachingis invain so us; lie innr hold his tongue, foc e arc fer upon that which isevil. OarTranflators render it, There as no hop ,and that may be in this twofold refpet&; Firft,/We have for fo long a time givenourfclves upto the walesofwick - ednelte,wehave thuslong accuflomed our felves to them , that now there is no hope that ever wefhould become better., Or Secondly, we have for fo long a time provoked God byour wicked rebellions,that there is no hope for us tobe ac- cepted with God ifwewould return unto him: But this feemeth not fo propera becaufeat thistime God did hold out his Scepter of Grace to them if they would come in, and turn from their cvill waies. Now you may demand, Whether the Ifraelites did iii plain and diteft terms anfwer feremiahthus? For it might Teem Ono g into!: 1
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