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

2.¹ Consider how many thousands have dyed in their Sins that cherished fallacious hopes of repenting at last. Diagoras the Atheist that denied a governing Providence ⟨p. 137⟩of things in this lower World, the Sphere of mutability, when one for his conviction showed him in the Temple of Neptune, many votive Tables, containing the grateful acknowledgements of those who by addresses to the Gods in dangerous Storms, had arrived safe at their Port, and asked him ^‖Whether he had observed those numerous testimonies for divine Providence;³ he replied, I see them, but how many have invocated Neptune yet perished in the Ocean, and never came to pay their Vows for Deliverance. 'Twas impiety in him to argue so against God's disposing Providence: but it may justly be said to those who neglect their present Duty, presuming upon some Examples of his Glorious Goodness in those who were converted and saved in their approaches to Death, how many have finally miscarried in shooting that Gulf, to one that has arrived safe at Heaven? How many when Sick, hope either by the vigour of Nature, or the virtue of Remedies to overcome their Disease, and never see Death till they feel it, and delay Repentance till their time is irrecoverably gone? How many are blinded with vain presumptions to ⟨p. 138⟩the last, that God is reconciled to them? and a false Tranquillity is more terrible than the storms of a troubled Spirit, for those who hope upon deceitful grounds are in the most hopeless state, neglecting what is requisite in order to Salvation. And thus innumerable pass in a cloud of Ignorance to the Kingdom of Darkness. And how many who have lived in a deluding Dream, sensual and secure, yet at the last when by some sharp affliction or the present fear of divine Judgment Conscience is awakened, and looks into the depth of their Guilt, fall into the other extreme and dye despairing? The Devil makes his advantage of the timorous Conscience as well as of the Obdurate. Solitude is his Scene as well as the noisy Theatre, and by contrary ways, either presumption or despair brings Sinners to the same end. He changes his methods according to their Dispositions; the Tempter turns Accuser, and then such who had a dim-sight of Sin before, have an overquick sight of it, and are swallowed up in an abyss of Confusion. The condition of such is extremely miserable.