546 The Parable of the Vol, I. offended with them, and is inexorably and peremptorily refolved to make them miferable for ever ; and during this Perfaafion, no Man can return to the love of God and Goodnefs, without which there can be no Repentance. This Confderation, of the immutable flare of Men after this Life, fhould en- gage us with all ferioufnefs and diligence to endeavour to fecure our future hap- pinefs. God hath fet before usgood andevil, life and death, and we may yet chufe which we pleafe ; but in the other world, we mutt fland to that choice which we llave made here, and inherit the Confequences of it. By Sin Mankind is brought into a miferable Elate; but our Condition is not defperate and pall Remedy. God bath fent his Son to be a Prince anda Saviour, to give Repentance and Remion of Sins. So that tho' our Cafe be bad, it need not continue fo, if it be not our own fault. There is a pofïibility now of changing our Condition for the better, and of laying the foundation of a perpetual Happi- nefs for our felves. The Grace of God calls upon us, and is ready to afiìft us fo that no Man's Cafe is fo bad, but there is a poflìbility of bettering it, if we be not wanting to our felves, and will make ufe of the Grace which God offers, who is never wanting to the lincere endeavours of Men. Under the Influence and Afiìftance of this Grace, thofe who are dead in trefaffes and fins, may pafs from death to life, may be turned from darknefs to light, and from the power of Sa- tan unto God So long as we are in this world there is a pofflbility of being tran- Elated from one flare to another; from the dominion of Satan, into the Kingdom of Gods dear Son. But if we negleél the opportunities of this life, and Hand out againft the offers of God's Grace and Mercy, there will no Overtures be made to us in the other World. After this life is ended, God will try us no more ; our fi- nal mifcarriage in this world will prove fatal to us in the other, and we fhall not be permitted to live over again to correél our Errors. As the Tree fallsfo it (hall lye ; filch a State as we are fettled in, when we go out of this world, shall be fix'd in the other, and there will be no poíhbility of changing it We are yet in the hand of our own Counfel, and by God's Grace we may mould and fafhion our own Fortune. But if we trifle away this Advantage, we fhall fallinto the hands of the living God, out of which there is no Redemption. God hath yet left Hea- ven and Hell to our choice, and we had need to look about us, and chufe well, who can clinic but once for all and for ever. There is yet a (pace and oppor- tunity left us of Repentance ; but fo foon as we fiep out of this Life, and are en- tred upon the other World, our Condition will be fealed, never to be revers'd. And becaufe after this Life there will be no further hopes of Mercy, there will be no poffibility of Repentance. This is the acceptedtime, this is the day of Sal-. vation ; therefore to day ifye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts ; left God fvear in his Wrath that we (hall not enter into his ref. I proceed to a Sixth Obfervation, That a Handing Revelation of God is Evidence fufficient for Divine things. They have Motes, and the Prophets, let them hear them ; that is, they have the Books of Mofes and the Prophets, written by Men divinely in- fpired, thefe do fufficiently declare to them the Will of God and their Duty ; and it is unreafonable to demand or expo& that God fhould do more for their Con- viétion and Satisfà&ion. I know very well the Text (peaks only of the Scriptures of the Old Tefla- ment, thofe of the New being not then extant when this Parable was deliver'd. But what is here Paid concerning the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, is equal- ly applicable to the New; and tho' Abraham do only recommendMofes and the Prophets, there is no doubt but lie would have Paid the fame cuacernmg Chri/f and his Apoflles, if the Books of the New Tellament had-teen th4n extant. So that what I Ihai! fay upon this Obfervation, does indifferently concern the whole Scripture. And that I may make out this Obfcrvation more fully, I !hall take thefe Five things into confiderarion. ill. What we are to underfland by a Divine Revelation. zdly. Give a brief Account of the feveral kinds of it. 3dly. Shew what Advantage this Handing Revelation of the Scriptures bath above any other way of conveying the Will of God to the world. 4thly.
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