Caufec of'negle &ling the means of grace. re &ions. Verfe 26, 2 ,18. There is laid open the mifery of their condition, the wrath of God againft them,the bit- ter fruits of their reje &ion of that mercy which Gd did proffer to them : For this God threatned to leave the peo- ple in their finne, Bcaufe I have purged thee, and thou waft not .purged (faith the Lord unto Jeruf alemt) thou (halt not be purgea from thy filtbineffe any more, till I have eaufed my fury to reff upon thee. I the Lord have ffoken it, it fhadl cote to paffe, and I will doe it. I will not goe back, neither will I fpare,neither will I repent, &c. To this accordeth that commination of our Saviour againft the fall Prophet We, and foule-feducing Je- zabel, I gave herJ#ace to repent of her fornication, and the repented not ; there is our Saviours patience, mercy, long- fufferiug. Beheld (faith Chrift) I will calf her into abed, a bed of afiaion, and them that commit adultery with ber into great tribulation, except they repent of their evil! deeds. Some (faith the Apoflle) when they had beard,provol`ed, and therupon the Lord jware they (bould not enter into his relf : and the eftate of fuch people is very dan- gerous and fearful! : For, It is uncertaine, Firft, whether God will continue the meanes of grace. If a man knock long at a doore,and none open, he departeth Our Saviour, Cant. 5. ktocked, by his word inftru&ing, inviting ; by his rod chaftifing, by his Spirit moving, by Ms mercies, long- fuffering, alluring; he waited long, in the dew and in the raine, enduring many for - rowes, troubles, ali &ions, in himfelfe and in his Minifiers; but becaufe his Spoufe refitted the proffers of his love, he with -drew himfelfe, he ftopt his eare, he would not heave in her diftreffe. Secondly,it is uncertaine whether our life will continue : Our life it but a vapour, and we know not what fhall be on the morrow, Nemo tam divos babet faventes, cra i- num it po t fibi polliceri. Sen. qui pnitenti veniamiolpondit,pee- canti diem eraflinum non prornifit.Greg. Thirdáy,if both means and life continue, and we for the prefent refute to make ufe of it, it is very uncértaine whether God will give his Meiling to make the meanes effeatiall. God may leave us under his 'ordinances, as rocks in the midfl of rivers, as blinde men under the Sun at noon day;he may fuffèr his word to prove the favour 1 27 Ezek.14.13. Reafon. 1. Ps^úpter incc- ti: udimetv. Cant. Iames IC, 53.ao.
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