highest degree to truft on the future, when as in our own hands we have neither fpace nor grace for fuch a bufineffe. God is the Lord and owner of them both, and will not part with his Prerogative. Go to, you that fay to day or to morrow we will return unto the Lord. You adde to prefumption both folly and rebellion. Jezabel had space to repent, yet the repented not, for she had not the grace; that without this will not benefit.

Seeing then thefe are not in your power, har den not your hearts as in the provocation: Nor offer defpight unto the Holy Ghoft, by whom you are fealed to the day of redemption. If we embrace not Gods day, we defpife the riches of his good neffe, long fuffering and patience. Row 2. Den Spifeft thou the riches of Gods grace, not knowing that the long-suffering of God leadeth to repentance? There can be no higher prefumption then this, to bid defiance to the Spirit of God: Nor can there be greater contempt of mercy, then to fet light of the time of our repentance, and returning unto God, making that the greatest argument of our delay, which God ufes to draw us to him. God gives us fpace, that we may repent, and we repent not, because he gives us fpace: He gives us life, that with fear and trembling we may fet about the bufineffe of falvation, and we through ftrong delufions put from us the proffers of his grace, as if they were unfeasonably offer'd. What madneffe is it to fruftrate the Almighty of his ends and purposes? The Lord is not flack touching his promise. It's a great ftop and hindrance

Obj.

Sol.

to our progefle in goodneffe and the work of re pentance, when we distrust God, and take him not at his word. He fends abroad his Embaffadors, who proclame, This is the accepted time, this is the day of falvation, to day if ye will bear his voice, harden not your hearts; yet we put this day from us, and fay hereafter is a more acceptable time. I have this delight, this pleasure to take first in the world, I am not fo weaned from it as I would be. As if God would take it well from our hands that we fhould then return to him when there is no remedy. Ile first use all the pleasure the world affords me, and then Lord have mercy on me will ferve the turn. This is the very ftifling of the beginnings and proceedings of Chriftianity. Let this be well and fpeedily weigh'd, as we tender our good and comfort.

obj. But may fome fay, what needs this hafte, may we not use leifure? foft and fair goes farteg 131 0 n. Ac

Sol: True, foft and fair goes far, if a man goes fairly in the way.In this cafe, though thou go but foftly, thou mayft come to thy journeys end; but the doubt remainsftil,there is a question whether thou art in the way or not. Happy are weif we are, al though we can but halt & limp on in this way although this fhould be no ground for us to content our felyes therewith. We muft not trifle in the wayes of holineffe. It's that concernes our life, and must be ferioully thought on, and that fpeedily too. Agree with thine adverfary quick by while thou art in the way with him. God is thine

ad

advérfary, unleffe thou agree with him speedily, his patience will break forth into fury. Kiffe the Son left he be angry, and thou perish from the right way. Thou haft no affurance of thy life, thou mayft be fnapt off whilft thou thinkeft it time enough! to repent and return. As long as we go out of the way of repentance, we are in the way to hell, and the farther a man goes in a wrong way, the nearer is he to hell, and the greater ado to return back and in this regard foft and fair may goe far; but tis far out of the way, far in the way to perdition and deftruction. As long as we are out of the right way to heaven and happinefle, we are in the path that leads directly to the chambers of death.

But let me in this particular unrip the heart of a natural man. What's the reason, that when God gives men a day, and cries out, This is the day of falvation, this is the accepted time, what in the name of God, or the Devils name rather, should cause them to put falvation from them? to defer and defire a longer time? Thus a natural man reasons with himself, I cannot fo foon be taken off from the profits and pleasures of the world; I hope to have a time when I fhall with more eafe and a greater compofedneffe of mind bring my felf to it or if it be not with fo much eafe, yet I truft in a fufficient manner I fhall do it: wherefore for the prefent lle enjoy the profits and delights of the ftate and condition wherein I am; I will folace my felf with the pleasures of fin for a season, I hope true repentance will never be too late.

This

This is well weigh'd; but consider whether these thoughts which poife down our hearts, be not groundleffe; fee whether they will hold wa ter at the laft; and whether in making fuch excu fes, to great prefumption we add not the height of folly. To pretend for our delay the profits and pleasures of fin, and yet hope for heaven at the laft, as well as the generation of the righteous; it's but a meer fallacy and delufion of Satan, to fill our hearts with fuch vanities. Can it be expected that we should have our good in this world, and in the world to come too? This is well, if it might be.

2 But let us try the matter, and begin with your firft branch.

You are loth to part with your profits and pleafures.

But confider what a grand iniquity this is. Can you offer God a greater wrong and indignity? Do you thus requite the Lord you foolish and unwife? Doft thou think this the way to make thy peace with God whom thou haft offended, as long as thou mayft to be a rebel against him? What an high dishonour is it to him, that thou shouldst give him thy feeble and doting old age, and the Devil thy lively and vigorous youth,chy ftrength and fpirits ? Doft thou think he will drink the dregs, and eat the orts? will he accept thee in the next world, when thou thus fcorneft him here? If you offer the blind for facrifice, is it not an evil? If you "offer the lame and fick, is it not evil? Offer it now un to thy governor, mill he be pleafed with thee, or accept

thy

thy person, faith the Lord of hofts ? Mal. 1. 8. But mark how he goes on, v, 14. Curfed be the deceiver, which hath in bis flock a male and voweth & facrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Mark, God accounts. fuch service a corrupt thing. Never look for a blef. fing from God in heaven, when thou facrificest to him fuch corrupt things. We are to offer and prefent our felves a living facrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, Rom. 12. 1. Now judge whether they offer God the living, who fay, when my doting days come, my lame days, that I cannot go, my blind dayes, that I cannot fee, Ile offer my felf a facrifice to God, Will this be acceptable to him? Is not this evil, faith the Lord, to offer me fuch a car. rupt thing? Nay more, he's accurfed that offers fuch an offering, fuch a polluted facrifice. God will not like with it, when we ferve our felves first with the best and choise? Do you thus requite the Lord? do you think he will accept it at your hands? Go offer fuch a gift to thy Ruler, to thy Prince, will he accept it, or be pleased with it? No, a Landlord will have the best and the choifes and it must needs provoke God, when we give him the refufe. I am King of Kings, faith the Lord, my name is dreadful, and I will look to be ferved after another manner. Let no man then thus delude himself with vain hopes, but let him confider how difhonourable a thing it will be to God.

2. And how unprofitable to him, whoever thou art.

1. It's the ready way to thy deftruction. Hea