The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…

The Sum of what has been amplified in this Part is this: A vain hope of living long, and being reconciled to God when Men please, is the fatal Foundation of their Sins and Misery. They apply the Word of God against the Mind of God, and securely provoke him, as if they could take Heaven by ⟨p. 113⟩Violence, in contradiction to the Gospel. But they usually dispose of that time they shall never enjoy, and presume upon that Mercy and Grace they shall never obtain. We are commanded to seek the Lord while he may be found; a sad Intimation that 'tis not in our power to find him to our Comfort when we please: He spares long, but abused Patience will deliver Sinners to revenging Justice. Sampson was three times in the Chamber of his Lust, exposed to Treachery, and escaped; but the fourth time he said, I will arise, but was surprised by his Enemies, and lost his Strength, and Sight, and Liberty. How justly will the wilful neglect of Salvation so long, and so compassionately offered to Sinners, render the Divine Mercy inexorable to their Prayers and Tears at last? When a Roman Gentleman that was wont to revel in the night, and sleep in the day, had wasted a great Estate by Luxury, he petitioned the Emperor Tiberius to relieve his Poverty, and was dismissed with this upbraiding Answer, Serò experrectus es, you are risen too late. He never opened his Eyes to see his Condition till it was past Remedy. This is the sad Case of ⟨p. 114⟩many that waste the Seasons of Grace, and are careless of their Duty, till upon the point of perishing, and then address themselves to God for his Favour and Pardon, but are justly rejected with the reproaches of their obstinate neglect of Salvation in the time of their Lives. I doubt not that some are wonderfully converted and saved at last; but these special Mercies are like our Saviour's miraculous healing the two blind Persons as he was passing in the way, when great numbers of the Blind remained uncured. We read a prodigious Story in the Book of Kings, that a Captain and his fifty Men commanded Elijah to come to the King, and immediately a Tempest of Lightning destroyed them. Now who would think that another Captain with his fifty should be so desperate, that having the Ashes and Relics of those miserable Carcasses before their Eyes, as to make the same Citation to the Prophet? yet they did, and provoked the Justice of Heaven to consume them.