Gof jel-GonverjQrion. 37 this condition, I will repent before I die ; that is, as ifI fhould fay thus, Here I give my foul to pawn, ifI do repent, then I'le have it again, ifI do not repent before I die, then it's gone for ever. As whenyou give a pawn, you give it upon thefe terms, Well, I give you this, and ifI bringyou by fuch a time fo much money, then I'le have it again, and ifnot, then 'cis gone. So do men and women, they fay thus, Here Devil, thou (hilt have the pof 'eflìon of my foul all this while fo long as I am in a way of fin, if I do repent, then I mull have it again, but ifI do not re- pent before I die,then thou (halt have it for ever. Now doff thou know the price ofa foul ? Oh 1. is this to (hew the high price of a foul, that will pawn your fouls thus ? And mark towhore you pawn it, you pawn it to the. Devil, he bath it all this time, it's in his cuflody : all the while that any one fins upon hope ofre- pentance,(I fay) till they repent the Devil bath their fouls inhis po(fetlìon, in is hands : as when you pawn a piece of houfhald- fluff, till the time that you bring themany, fo long the man you pawn it to bath the pof%tlìonof it. And thus do people ; you put your fouls into the Devils hands, and upon fuch a condi- tion that you are not able to perform ; that is ifyou repent, youwill have it again, ifnot, he mull have it for ever: Oh friends, you little know what repentance means What is it to repent ? it requires a mighty work ofGod, the fame power of God that made the world is required to break the heart of a (inner, -fo that you put it to pawnupon that that is innpofhbl4 for you your felves to perform by all the power that you have : Now ifa man put a thing to pawn for that which is impo(lìble for him to redeem, it may be, ifhe ihould have a great many friends that will do fome _great matter for him, then he may redeem it, but it is beyond his power; you will fay, there is . a great deal ofdànger then that that pawn (hall never be redee- med. So know, when you pawn your fouls, you put it into the hands of Satan, and lock it up in the powers ofdarkneffe, and pawn it for that that you havenopower to bring : Do you prize the Gofpel ? and know what a price God bath fet upon fouls ? 0 then take heed and fet a greater, prifeupon your fouls than to pawn them away for every trifle, a thing ofnaught. And then, If this be held forth in the Gofpel, 0 then do not pclltite
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