146 i Mans per- dition is of a difpofition, and the fire never fo hoc, yet if hinfelf. it be nor brought near the fire, andbe held in the fire, it never melts, but ftill remainshard : fo it is here : Let a man or woman have never fo gentle or pliable a nature, and let Gods wrath be never fohot and dreadful in their judgments, yet if they make not the day of wrath prefent to them, if they fee it not rea- dyevery moment to light upon their hearts, they are never melted, but they remain heard- hearted, fecure fleepy wretches, and never groan to come out oftheir woful eftate; & this is the reafon why many men, that have guilty confciences, though they have many fecret wifhesand purpofes to be better,yet never cry out ofthemfelves, nor never feek earneftly for mercy, till they lie upon their death beds ; and then,Oh the promifes they plie God with ! rry me Lord, and reftore me once more to my health and life ao-ain, andthouAaltfee how thankful Iwill be rBecaufe that now theyap- prehend wrath and mifery neer unto them, Pleb. 3.13. Rea 3 Thirdly becaufe , they think they can R1 . why bear Gods wrath, though they do conceive !ruin them it neer at hand, even at the very doors ; men felves, think not that Hell is fo hot, nor the Devil fo black, nor God fo terrible as indeed he is, And 'hence we fhall obferve the Prophets prefent Gods wrath as a thing intolerablebe- fore the eyes of the people , that thereby they might quench all thofe curfed con- ceitesof being able tobear Gods wrath, -Na- hum i. 9. And ,hence we than have ma- ---'1111111111111111111111M111011 The Sincere Convert. fly
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