174 Of the `Uncertainty of Vol. II. come of thefe whom the Judge of theWorld {hall find in this Condition, either actually wicked, or rechlefly fecure. Nay, thofe who do in fome Meafure and Degree mind Religion, how few of them live under the Powers of the World to come, have their Loins girded about, amid their I amps burning, and are habitually fo prepared, as if they were in a con - tinual Expectation of the Comingof their Lord ? So that in the fecureand neg- ligent Pofture that molt Men live, even the better fort of Men, if Judgment fhould overtake them, how few couldbe faved ? For this CauCe God is longfuffring to Men, becaufe he is not willing that any fhould perifh, but that all /head come to Re- pentance. And if he fhould not by his merciful Providence awaken many Men to Confederation and Care of themfelves, andlby fome great Affliction, or long Sicknefs, put Men upon ferious Thoughts, and give them the Space andOppor- tunity to recollect themfelves, to make up their Accounts, and fo make their Peace with God, and to put themfelves into a better Pofture for another World than they ufually are in the Time of their Health and Profperity, it is verymuch to be feared, that the greatelt part of thofe who are tolerably good, would be deflroyed in their Security. But this Patience of God will not always laft; but the Day of the Lord trill come as a Thief in the Night, and will furprize the carelefs World all at once, and give, them no Time to trim up their Lamps, and to get Oil, if they be not provided al- ready 5 but in an Inftant the Door will be (hut againft them, and they (hall never enter into the Kingdom of God. This Day bath not yet happened ; but it will certainly come, and, as our Saviour fays, will come as a Snare upon all them that dwell upon the Face of the whole Earth. And blefd is that Servant, whom his Lord when he comes(hallfind ready. So that our firft Care muft be, to get out of this dangerousState of Sinand Se- curity; to break offour Sins by Repentance, that we may be capable of the Mercy of God, and at Peace with him, before he comes to etecute Judgment upon the World. For 'till thisbe done, we are every Moment in Danger ; and if Death or Judgment fhould overtake us in this impenitent State, we are loft beyond Recovery. 2. After this great Work of Repentance is over, we fhould be very careful how we contra& any newGuilt, by returning to our formerSins, or by the grofs Negle& of any Part of our Duty. A true and fincere Repentance will put us into a fafe Condition : But then we muft take heed, that we donot repent of our Repentance, and bringour felvesinto Danger again, by flatting afide from thofe good Refolutions, which we had fo folemnly taken up. For every deliberateand prefumptuous Sin that we are guilty of after our Repentance, does endanger our State, and (hake the Foundationsof our Peace : But if we relapfe into our for- mer evil Courfe, or after our Repentance we allow our felves in the habitual Pra&iceof any known Sin, either our Repentance was infincere before, or if it were true for the Time, we are fallen from it, and all that we have done figni- fies nothing, andwe have thewhole Work to begin again. And if the Judg- ment of God fhould overtake us, before we have renewed our Repentance, and reformed our Lives, we fhould be found in the Number of the Vngodly, who can- not and in judgment. So that, as it concerns us to make Hafte out of an impe- nitent State, fo no lefs to order our Converfation afterwards with great Vigi- lancy and Care; left by relapfing into our former Sins, and being furprized in them by the Judgment of God, we fall intoCondemnation. 3. Let us negle& no Opportunity of doing good, but always be employing our felves, either in A&s of Religion and Piety towards God, or of Righteouf- nefs and Charity towards Men, or infuch Alls as are fubordinate to Religion; I mean the Works of a lawful Calling, in which, if we demean our felves with Diligence and good Confcience, we may faid to ferve God, and to live in his Fear, becaufe we are govern'd by the Rules of Religion, all the while we are about our worldlyBufinefs, and providing for the Neceffities of this Life in an honeft and induftrious Way. More
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