The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain itThe soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it

2. Suppose Life be continued, yet Sinners can have no rational hopes that they shall sincerely repent. For,

1. Saving Repentance is the Gift of God. And is it likely that those who have been insensible of the loud and earnest calls of the Word, that have been inflexible to the gracious methods of Providence leading them to repentance, should at last obtain converting Grace? The gales of the Spirit are very transient and blow where he pleases, and can it be expected that those who have wilfully and often resisted his pure Motions, should by an exuberant Favour receive afterwards more powerful Grace to overrule their stubborn Wills and make them obedient? Our Saviour tells us, To him that hath shall be given, but to him that neglects the improving spiritual Treasures, that which he hath shall be taken away. There are special seasons of Grace, as the passing of Christ in the way where the blind men sate, which neglected, are irrecoverably lost. God has threatened that his Spirit shall not always strive with rebellious Sinners, and then their state is remediless. This may be the case of many even in this Life who are insensible ⟨p. 125⟩of their Misery. As Consumptive Persons decline by degrees, lose their Appetite, Colour and Strength, till at last they are hopeless, so the withdrawings of the Spirit are gradual, his motions are not so frequent nor strong, and upon the continued provocations of Sinners finally leaves them under that most fearful doom; He that is filthy let him be filthy still; He that is unrighteous let him be unrighteous still, and thus punishes them on this side Hell, as he does the damned, by giving them over to Sin. Nothing therefore is more dangerous than the usual excuses for the delays of Repentance. 'Tis written as with a Sun beam, that God will graciously pardon repenting Sinners, but 'tis no where^‖ promised, that he will give repentance to those who securely break his Laws upon a corrupt confidence they will repent at last. 'Tis a bloody adventure to indulge their carnal Affections, as if they had infallible assurance, the word of God confirmed by his Oath, that they should not dye in an impenitent state.