The unbelievers preparing for Christ. By T.HThe vnbeleevers preparing for Christ. By T.H

Whilst Ministers are calling upon you, and you are living, though they cannot give you grace, nor you of your selves receive grace, yet we have the promise in the accepted time God will hear us, even now while I am speaking and you are hearing, this the very day of salvation, and therefore let us not turn the deaf ear upon the Lord, but while opportunity is afforded, let us make use of it, while the Lord is pleased to continue opportunities ⟨p. 175⟩unto us, let us embrace them, he that never heard, let him hear now, he that never prayed, let him pray now, it is now high time to awake out of that cursed security wherein we have a long time lien, the Lord is come near unto us even to the very next door, Christ Jesus is calling, and mercy is entreating, and wisdom is even hoarse with crying after us, there is nothing but a heart wanting, mercy is offered, we ought therefore to entertain it, the means of salvation are revealed, therefore we ought for to embrace them, Cant. 2.10.¹ there saith the Text, My beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up my love, my fair one and come away, for the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our Land; thus God speaketh to you this day, those words are made good to every soul that heareth me this day, God calleth to every poor sinner; the Church was then in misery, and so the Lord speaketh to every poor soul, thou art in the grave of thy sins, arise my love, my dove, the time of persecution is past, and the voice of the turtle is yet heard, the Ministers of God are preaching to us, and wooing of us, and saying, the Spring time of grace is now present. The Lord saith unto us as to the Church there, rise and come out of those sinful courses wherein you are; he plucks the adulterer out of his lewd practises, and he calls the proud man out of his wicked courses, and the covetous man out of his counting house, and from the ⟨p. 176⟩things here below and bids them come unto the house of the Lord, that he may speak comfort and consolation to their souls, the Lord doth even strive with us, and labours every way to pluck us out of our base and sinful courses, the Lord dealeth with us,