Serin. CXCIV. the ',relent Opportunity. 627 faith which was once delivered to the Saints, as St.7ude calls it. Remember how thou haft received, and heard, and holdfaf. And la/lly, Zeal for God's glory, and an undaunted Refolution to adhere to it, notwithltanding all dangers and fufferings. Be zealous fear none of theft things which thou 'halt firgfer, but be thoufaithful unto the death. If we follow this counfel, we may hope, nay we may be affured that God will í'till continue to us thebleffed means and opportunities ofgrace and Salvation ; that our Paflors fhali not be removedinto corners, but that our eyes (hall ftill Jèe our tea- chers ; that God will not let darknefs come upon us : or if the light ofthe Gofpel thould be obfcured and eclipfed, that it will bebut for a littlewhile, and will foon pafs over. But if we will not hearken and obey, if we will not repent and doour farf1 works, we have reafon to apprehend, that Godwill come againfr us quickly, and remove our Candleflick out ofits place, and take away that light which we have a- bufed, and carry it into force otherquarter ofthe world ; arid, as our Saviour threw- tens the '7evs , that theKingdomofGod'hall be takenfrom us , andgiven to a Nation that will bring forth thefruits of it. I (hall only add that counfel givenby the ProphetDanielto KingNebuchadnezzar, and which is very proper for a People and Nation, and likewifefor particular Per- fons, for the prevention offpiritual , as well as temporal Judgments, ban. q. 27. Break off thyfins by rightcoufnefs, and thine iniquities by fheming mercy to thepoor ; ifit may be alengthningof thy tranquillity. Nothing fo likely, not only to reconcile God to us, but to turn away hisJudgments from us, as Repentance and Reforma- tion of our wicked lives, and the praftice of Alms and Charity. Alois Jhall deliver from death, faith the wife man, fpeaking of the benefit that redounds toparticular perfons : and by parity of reafon, the Charity andAlms of a greater number may fave a Nation, both from temporal and fpiritualJudgments; Charity and Alms to the poor, efpecially thofe who are poor and deftitute, byforfaking allfor God and his truth. And nothing gives greater hopes ofGod's mercy to us; than that gene- ral charitable difpofition whichappears among us. What I have faid, needs no long Application; I than therefore 'do it in very few words. This calls upon the whole Nation, and every one of us, to remember fromwhence we arefallen, and to repent anddo ourAft works ; to endeavour to re- cover that ancient piety and virtue, which flourifh'd in thedays of our Forefathers, and was fo great an ornamctfifCo ourholy lteligion. BleffedbeGod, that by hisGood- nefs, and theproteftion ofa graciousPrince, we dill enjoy the bleffed means and opportunities ofGrace and Salvation : but if webe Rill unfruitful under them, and will not walk in the light, the juft Providence of God may have a thoufand ways to depriveus ofit, ápd to bring darknefs upon us. And what I have faid in general to the whole Nation, and what ourSaviour here fays to theyews, we may accommodateevery one to our felves. Tet a little while the light is with : let us walk in the light, while we have it, left darknefs come upon us. We know not how long the opportunity of Life, as well as of Grace, may be continued to us; they may be taken from us, or we may be cut off from them. The Seafon ofour folemn Repentance is now approaching ; let us improve it; as if it were to be our laft opportunityofmaking our peace withGod ; and let us lofe no time left we die in our delay, and in our fecurity we be deftroyed. I will conclude with the earned Exhortation ofthe Prophet Jeremiah , Chap. 13. 16. Give glory to the Lordyour God, that is, repent, before he caufedarknefr, andbeforeyour feet fumble upon the dark Mountains, and while ye lookfor light, he turn it into theJhadowof death, and make it grofs darknefs. To which I will only add the advice of our bleffed Saviour, Luke 21. 36. Watchye therefore andpray always, thatyemay be accounted worthy to efcape all thefe things that fhall come to pats, and to/land before the Son ofMan, L I 11 SEE,-
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