And now alas, what matter of lamentation is here before us! To see how seriously men converse with one another; and how God is overlooked or neglected by the most! How men live together, as if there were more that is considerable and regardable in these particles of animated dust, then in the Lord Almighty, and in all his graces, service and rewards! To see how God is cast aside, and his interest made to give place to the interest of the flesh, and his services must stay till men have done their service to their lusts, or to worldly men, that can do them hurt, or show them favour! And his will must not be done, when it crosseth the will of sinful man! How little do all the commands, and promises, and threatenings ⟨p. 189⟩of God signify with these Atheistical men, in comparison of their lusts, or the laws of men, or any thing that concerneth their temporal prosperity! O how is the world revolted from their Maker! How have they lost the knowledge of themselves, and forgotten their natures, capacities and obligations, and what it is to be indeed a man! O hearken sinners, to the call of your Redeemer! Return, O seduced wandering souls, and know at last your resting place! why is not God in all your thoughts? or why is he thought on with so much remissness, unwillingness, and contempt! and with so little pleasure, seriousness, or regard? Do you understand your selves in this? Do you deal worthily with God? Or wisely for your selves? Do you take more pleasure, with the Prodigal, to feed swine, and to feed with swine, then to dwell at home with your heavenly Father? and to walk before him, and serve him in the world? Did you but know how dangerous a way you have been in, and how unreasonably you have dealt, to forsake God in your hearts, and follow that which cannot profit you, what haste would you make to leave the crowd, and come home to God, and try a more noble and gainful conversation? If Reasons may have room and leave to work upon you, I will set a few before you more distinctly, to call you off from your barren inordinate creature converse, to a believing serious converse with God.
And now alas, what matter of lamentation is here before us! To see how seriously men converse with one another; and how God is overlookt or neglected by the most! How men live together, as if there were more that is considerable and regardable in these particles of animated dust, then in the Lord Almighty, and in all his graces, service and rewards! To see how God is cast aside, and his interest made to give place to the interest of the flesh, and his services must stay till men have done their service to their lusts, or to worldly men, that can do them hurt, or shew them favour! And his will must not be done, when it crosseth the will of sinful man! How little do all the commands, and promises, and threatnings ⟨p. 189⟩of God signifie with these Atheistical men, in comparison of their lusts, or the laws of men, or any thing that concerneth their temporal prosperity! O how is the world revolted from their Maker! How have they lost the knowledge of themselves, and forgotten their natures, capacities and obligations, and what it is to be indeed a man! O hearken sinners, to the call of your Redeemer! Return, O seduced wandering souls, and know at last your resting place! why is not God in all your thoughts? or why is he thought on with so much remisness, unwillingness, and contempt! and with so little pleasure, seriousness, or regard? Do you understand your selves in this? Do you deal worthily with God? Or wisely for your selves? Do you take more pleasure, with the Prodigal, to feed swine, and to feed with swine, then to dwell at home with your heavenly Father? and to walk before him, and serve him in the world? Did you but know how dangerous a way you have been in, and how unreasonably you have dealt, to forsake God in your hearts, and follow that which cannot profit you, what haste would you make to leave the crowd, and come home to God, and try a more noble and gainful conversation? If Reasons may have room and leave to work upon you, I will set a few before you more distinctly, to call you off from your barren inordinate creature converse, to a believing serious converse with God.
