7. It is the voice of every Mercy thou dost possess. If thou couldst but hear and understand them, they all cry out unto thee, Turn. Why doth the earth bear thee but to seek and serve the Lord? why doth it afford thee its fruits but to serve him? Why doth the air afford thee breath, but to serve him? Why do all creatures serve thee with their labours and their lives, but that thou mightest serve the Lord of them and thee? Why doth he give thee time, and health, and strength, but for to serve him? Why hast thou meat, and drink, and clothes, but for his service? Hast thou any thing which thou hast not received? And if thou didst receive them, its reason thou shouldst bethink thee, from whom, and to what end and use thou didst receive them. Didst thou never cry to him for help in thy distress? and didst ⟨p. 138⟩thou not then understand that it was thy part to Turn and serve him if he would deliver thee? He hath done his part, and spared thee yet longer, and tried thee another and another year: and yet dost thou not Turn? You know the Parable of the unfruitful fig-tree, Luke 13.6, 7, 8, 9. When the Lord had said, Cut it down; why cumbreth it the ground? he was entreated to try it one year longer, and then if it proved not fruitful, to cut it down. Christ himself there makes the application twice over, ver. 3. & 5. [Except ye Repent, ye shall all likewise perish.] How many years hath God looked for the fruits of Love and Holiness from thee, and hath found none? and yet he hath spared thee. How many a time by thy wilful ignorance and carelessness, and disobedience, hast thou provoked Justice to say, Cut him ⟨p. 139⟩down, why cumbereth he the ground? And yet mercy hath prevailed, and Patience hath forborne the killing damning blow, to this day. If thou hadst the understanding of a man within thee, thou wouldst know that all this calleth thee to Turn. Dost thou think thou shalt still escape the Judgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, Rom. 2.3, 4.5, 6.
7. It is the voice of every Mercy thou dost possess. If thou couldst but hear and understand them, they all cry out unto thee, Turn. Why doth the earth bear thee but to seek and serve the Lord? why doth it afford thee its fruits but to serve him? Why doth the air afford thee breath, but to serve him? Why do all creatures serve thee with their labours and their lives, but that thou mightest serve the Lord of them and thee? Why doth he give thee time, and health, and strength, but for to serve him? Why hast thou meat, and drink, and cloathes, but for his service? Hast thou any thing which thou hast not received? And if thou didst receive them, its reason thou shouldst bethink thee, from whom, and to what end and use thou didst receive them. Didst thou never cry to him for help in thy distress? and didst ⟨p. 138⟩thou not then understand that it was thy part to Turn and serve him if he would deliver thee? He hath done his part, and spared thee yet longer, and tryed thee another and another year: and yet dost thou not Turn? You know the Parable of the unfruitful fig-tree, Luke 13.6, 7, 8, 9. When the Lord had said, Cut it down; why cumbreth it the ground? he was intreated to try it one year longer, and then if it proved not fruitful, to cut it down. Christ himself there makes the application twice over, ver. 3. & 5. [Except ye Repent, ye shall all likewise perish.] How many years hath God looked for the fruits of Love and Holiness from thee, and hath found none? and yet he hath spared thee. How many a time by thy wilful ignorance and carelesness, and disobedience, hast thou provoked Justice to say, Cut him ⟨p. 139⟩down, why cumbereth he the ground? And yet mercy hath prevailed, and Patience hath forborn the killing damning blow, to this day. If thou hadst the understanding of a man within thee, thou wouldst know that all this calleth thee to Turn. Dost thou think thou shalt still esca•e the Iudgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Iudgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, Rom. 2.3, 4.5, 6.
