090 ofE eaatal Caltin . ' f Ìt 3 Sacr.XII. plying, though we be invironed with calamities, yet aslong as there t shope, the heart will not break. When Cain and 7ndas,thought there was no hope ( though that was their fin ) then they began to feel an hell burning in their confcience. And indeed what is that which makes the fire of hell bunt fevers times hotter then it would, but that there isno hope there ? Hence hopeis com- pared to anAnchor, Heb,6,19. implying that manwithout hope, is likea¡hip withoutan Anchor in the midit of the raging fea, and tempefluous waves. Thus notonly the Gentiles,but Chriftians alto are afaroff from hope, till fas&ified. Nowwhen wefay, Theyare without hope, the meaning isnot, as if God might notthewmercy to them, for howmany times dothhe call tholehis people,that werenot his people ; but inréfpeaofany vifible humane help, no created pow- er can fave them : They are like littleIfaac,bound tobe facrificed, and thehand lifted up to give the mortall blow; and thenGod comes in wonderfully, and provideth a Ram inhis room to be facrificed. Lay it then hometo your hearts, youthat areafar offin refped offacing grace, though not the outward méans of ft; you area people ofno hopeoo true folid.hope. Indeed youhave aprefum. ption, you have act hope that is a dream, a falle imagination,and that will perifh like theblaze ofttraw ; bat it is not a lively hope, for that property the Scripture giveth the hopeof a godly man, It is a lively hope, 1 Pet.z.3. fuch as is not o- vercome by death. The righteous kathhope inhie death. If therefore thou wonldit dcfceod into aferiousexamination of this matter, thouwilt fee thy felf for the prefent anhopelefs man. Thou hak no groundto hopeupon ; there is no pro- mife to drawout thyhope; What fhould be like a two edged fword at thyheart, if this be not ? This carnali hope of thine will not indure, will not fail, leekout forabetter hope, S. Ftfihly, Sashare afarafinrefiti?oftheir love of God, andan naiverfalcon /ant obedience to bit holy Will. As God lovetbnot them, fo neither do they love God. As God is notgracious in his promifes to them, fo neither are they obedient to his precepts. God isnot only afaroff fromthem, but theyan areafar off from God; hating andhated ofGod. As-Pahl, Rom.4. defctibing all men by nature, faith,they are all turnedout oftha way, and the wayof JCod they have not known. Neither is this alfo trueor lyofthe Heathens, who arc in every fenfeafar off, but alfaof all thofe, who withtn the outwardmeans of grace, yethave their hearts fct contrary toGod. Doti: not Godofold complainofCush, that did dram nigh him with their lips, bier their hearts 'were farfrom hint, Ifa:a9.1; ? And not the famecomplaint 1lilt hold, that men draw nigh him, whentheir affeffious and livesarc whollyoppoftte to God ? And thus we may fay ofall thofe, who draw nigh to God in religious duties, but intheir hearts and livesate wholly con- trary to'him they are afar off; they are at a great dikance from God and his grace. Ghrik law a young man, and becauf he anfwcred force quell ions in a ,difcreet manner, he told him he was not far from theKingdomof heaven ; oh butwhen we fee the prophanenefia, the ungodlineffc of mesh messlives, we havecattle to fay, They arefar from the Kingdom ofGad, of they arenot farre from the Kingdom of darknefk. Oh then confider, you who live diffoldtely, and in theaccontpliiment of the!nitsof yourflefh, you are wholly out of the way ; and fo the faker you run, áf11 the furtheroffyou are from happineffe. You may farcie impoflibilitios, and think ofmaking heaven and earthmeet together; for this you do, all the while etijudge that this life and way of yoursis confï- ficnt with true peaceand felicity. Z'fa fir'', What eaufeof thaankfelneffe wd'have, who live tinder the means of a.eace; for God bath brought us many degreesnearer to him, then whenOnce we the childrenof Heathens. The timehath been; when thisvery Iland was wholly without God and Chrik ; the Gafpei was not preached unto us, welay i-kea barren heath, and acurled. wildernèffe,forfaken ,and nonotice takenofas by But tinge the Gofpelbathbeen preached, God hashdrawnneat to its,and wa
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