Grounds ofnegtesìing the tune( ofgrace. ..__ nate their repentance, flop their ears to prefent invitations, Phut their eyes againft the prefent light which fhineth to them, regard not the day of their vifitation ; who feeknot the Lord while be may be found; but,li ke the fluggard, cry, Alittle more fleep, a little,more'lumber, a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of finne, till finne, ratan, hell, come like armed mei. 1 upon them, and they are found unable to refîft them. Thus the old world,all the time of Noah; preaching and preparing the Ark, needled their day, till the flood came upon them the fooli fb Virgins flumbred till the Bridegroom came, entred in, and thut them out, having no oyle in their Lamps : Some out of the ftrength of their love to finne, repoCe themfelves, after many warnings , in her lappe, as Sampfon did in Dalilabs lap till the delivered him into the hands of the Philiflines : Some out of hope to repent hereafter, or in hope of better leafure ; fome out of the hardnefhe of their hearts, fome owt of their unbelee fe, fome out of their Atheiffi call and bale conceits of a religious and godly life, fome out of felf- conceit, thoughts of felf-fufficiency and pre( nt ful- neffe ; fome through multiplicity of worldly bufin fre, fome by the perCwaflons of carnall friends, are hindred from attend- ing the nieanes of grace, from the reformation of their wayes ; As the Levite was fo long detained by his father in law, that he loft his Concubine by the way, the came fhort home : Thus many of us are fo feafted by the world, fo detained from day to day, that we lofe our foules by the way, we come fhort of heaven and eternall happineffe at Taft. It is marvellous to confider, how in all matters of this life we take the time, make ufe of the opportunity : If the body be difeafed; we goe preft ntly to the Phyfician, with the woman of Sbunem we (addle the honk and ride in all hafte ; if fire b> kindled in the houle, we inffantly run for water to quench it ; if a City be btfieged, like the men of Giloeo i, weSpeedily fend for ftrength to remove it ; if we be rob'd, we forthwith make hue and cry that the thiefe may be apprehended : Hus- bandman for the earth, Mariners for the lea, Merchants for the Mart, and every Smith (hikes while the Iron is hot : And is it not a thame that we, whore foules are fo dang,e- S roully I29 Ifa.SS 6. i rov.ó.to. Marzh? 5.1. Afts Za.áS. Rom. 7..5. ['fal.)s to. lob 2.1.14. Reve1:3 . t'7. Luke 14.r8. Iudges r9,1. z kings 4. Iofhua io.6s
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=