Will you then deny it, or will you stand to all the reasonings, or excuses, by which you would now extenuate or cover it? Will you defend it as your friend? and be angry with Ministers and Reprovers, as your Enemies. Or will you not mourn at last (with weeping and gnashing of teeth) And say; How have I hated Instruction, and my heart despised Reproof? And have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that Instructed me. (Pro. 5. 11, 12, 13. Mat. 13. 4•. 50.) O that you were wise, that you understood this, and that you would consider your latter End. (Deut. 32. 29.) believe Gods wrath before you feel it: be convinced by the word and servants of the Lord, before you are confounded by the dreadfulness of his Majesty; yet there is hope, but shortly there ⟨p. 84⟩will be none, if you now neglect it; yet if you confess and forsake your sins, you shall have mercy, but if you cover them, you shall not prosper. (Prov. 28. 13.) And if being oft reproved, you harden your Neck: you shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. (Pro. 29. 1.) Be not deceived, God is not mocked: whatsoever you sow, that shall you also reap. (Gal. 6. 7.) O man! you know not what it is to deal with an offended, and revenging God. Nor what it is to hear. Christ say, depart from me ye workers of Iniquity; I never knew you, depart from me ye wicked into everlasting fire (Matth. 7. 23. and 25. 41.) You know not what it is to be shut out of Heaven, and concluded under utter desperation, and in Hell to look back upon this obstinate Impenitence; and rejecting of the mercy that would have saved you; And there to have Conscience telling you for ever, what it is that you have done; Did you not know what this is, could you think a Penitent confessing, and forsaking your sin, to be a condition too hard for the preventing of such a Doleful state? O No! you know not what a case you are casting your immortal soul into. The Lord give you repentance. that you may never know it by experience. To prevent this, is our business with you: We delight not to displease or shame you. But God hath told us, [that if any do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. Jam. 5. 20.]
Will you then deny it, or will you stand to all the reasonings, or excuses, by which you would now extenuate or cover it? Will you defend it as your friend? and bee angry with Ministers and Reprovers, as your Enemies. Or will you not mourn at last (with weeping and gnashing of teeth) And say; How have I hated Instruction, and my heart despised Reproof? And have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that Instructed mee. (Pro. 5. 11, 12, 13. Mat. 13. 4•. 50.) O that you were wise, that you understood this, and that you would consider your latter End. (Deut. 32. 29.) beleeve Gods wrath before you feel it: bee convinced by the word and servants of the Lord, before you are confounded by the dreadfulness of his Majesty; yet there is hope, but shortly there ⟨p. 84⟩will be none, if you now neglect it; yet if you consess and forsake your sins, you shall have mercy, but if you cover them, you shall not prosper. (Prov. 28. 13.) And if being oft reproved, you harden your Neck: you shall suddenly bee destroyed, and that without remedy. (Pro. 29. 1.) Bee not deceived, God is not mocked: whatsoever you sow, that shall you also reap. (Gal. 6. 7.) O man! you know not what it is to deal with an offended, and revenging God. Nor what it is to hear. Christ say, depart from mee yee workers of Iniquity; I never knew you, depart from mee yee wicked into everlasting fire (Matth. 7. 23. and 25. 41.) You know not what it is to bee shut out of Heaven, and concluded under utter desperation, and in Hell to look back upon this obstinate Impenitence; and rejecting of the mercy that would have saved you; And there to have Conscience telling you for ever, what it is that you have done; Did you not know what this is, could you think a Penitent confessing, and forsaking your sin, to be a condition too hard for the preventing of such a Doleful state? O No! you know not what a case you are casting your immortal soul into. The Lord give you repentance. that you may never know it by experience. To prevent this, is our business with you: Wee delight not to displease or shame you. But God hath told us, [that if any do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that hee which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
