248 Exhortations untoBelieving. Pfal.i 30. of deliverance sr provided for (inners. This with all diligence they enquired into, t Pet. t. t o r t, z 2. and improved it to their eternal advantage. As of old, Jacob when he taw the Waggons that his Son Jofeph had fent to bring him unto him, it is laid his Spirit revived : So did they upon their abfcure difcovery of a way of. firgivenefl. They looked upon the Prumife of it as that which God had fent to bring them unto him ; and they law the day of the coming of Christ in it, and rejoyced. How much more have Sinners now Reafon fo to do, when the fttbltance of the Promif is exhibited, and the news of hi;,. Come- ing proclaimed unto them. This then is a great matter ; namely, that terms of Peace and Reconciliation are proposed ; in that it is made known, that there is forgivenef? with God. Upon these Confederations then we purfue that Exhortation which we have in hand. If any ofyou were justly condemned to a cruel and Jhame- full death, and, lay trembling in the expectation of the exe- cution of it, and a man defigned for that purpofe íhould come unto him, and tell him that there were terms propounded on which his life might be (pared, only he came away like Ahi- maaz before he heard the particulars; would it not be a reviving unto him ? would he not cry out, Pray enquire what they are, for there is not any thing Co difficult which I will not undergoe to free my felt from this miserable condition ? Would it not change the whole frame of the fpirit of such a man, and as it were put new life into him ? But now if i.nfteád hereof, he should be froward, Hubborn and cibftinate, take no notice of the Mcfhenger, or fay, Let the Judge keep bis terms to himfeif, without inquiring what they are; that he would have nothing to do with them ; would not fuch a person be deemed to per-ill', defervedlly? doth he not bring a double dettruttion upon himfelf ; fish of deferving death by his crimes, and then by refuting the hon<¡t and good way of delivery tendred unto him ? 1 conf fs it often times falls out, that men may come to enquire after there terms of Peace, which when they are revealed, they like them not, but with the young man in the Gofpel they go away forrowfull. The curled wickednefs and tnifery of which condition, which befalls
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