Ah Sirs, what a case then is the poor desperate sinner left in! How can I write this, or how can you that read or hear it without trembling once think of the Condition ⟨p. 221⟩that such forlorn wretches will be in! When they look above them, and see the God that hath forsaken them, because they forsook him first; when they look about them, and see the Saints on one hand whom they despised, now sentenced unto Glory; and the wicked on the other hand, whom they accompanied and imitated, now Judged with them to everlasting misery; when they look below them, and see the flames that they must abide in, even for evermore; and when the Devils begin to hale them to the Execution; Oh poor souls! Now what would they give for a Christ, for a promise, for a time of Repentance, for a Sermon of mercy, which once they slept under, or made no account of! How is the case altered now with them! who would think that these are the same men, that made light of ⟨p. 222⟩all this on earth, that so stoutly scorned the reproofs of the word, that would be worldly, and fleshly, and drunk, and proud, let Preachers say what they would; and perhaps hated those that did give them warning. Now they are of another mind; but all too late. Oh were there any place for Resistance, how would they draw back, and lay hold of any thing, before they would be dragged away into those flames! But there is no resisting; Satan's Temptations might have been Resisted, but his Executions cannot Gods Judgements might have been Prevented by Faith and Prayer, Repentance and a holy life; but they cannot be resisted when they are not prevented. Glad would the miserable sinner be, if he might but turn to nothing, and cease to be; or that he might be any thing rather than a reasonable creature: ⟨p. 223⟩but these wishes are all in vain. There is one Time, and one Way of a sinners Deliverance; If he fail in that one, he perisheth for ever: all the world cannot help him after that, 2 Cor. 6 2. I have heard thee in a time accepted; and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: Behold now is the Accepted time: behold now is the day of salvation. Now he saith, Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. But for the time to come hereafter, hear what he saith, Prov. 1.24, 25, 26.
Ah Sirs, what a case then is the poor desperate sinner left in! How can I write this, or how can you that read or hear it without trembling once think of the Condition ⟨p. 221⟩that such forlorn wretches will be in! When they look above them, and see the God that hath forsaken them, because they forsook him first; when they look about them, and see the Saints on one hand whom they despised, now sentenced unto Glory; and the wicked on the other hand, whom they accompanied and imitated, now Judged with them to everlasting misery; when they look below them, and see the flames that they must abide in, even for evermore; and when the Devils begin to hale them to the Execution; Oh poor souls! Now what would they give for a Christ, for a promise, for a time of Repentance, for a Sermon of mercy, which once they slept under, or made no account of! How is the case altered now with them! who would think that these are the same men, that made light of ⟨p. 222⟩all this on earth, that so stoutly scorned the reproofs of the word, that would be worldly, and fleshly, and drunk, and proud, let Preachers say what they would; and perhaps hated those that did give them warning. Now they are of another mind; but all too late. Oh were there any place for Resistance, how would they draw back, and lay hold of any thing, before they would be dragged away into those flames! But there is no resisting; Satans Temptations might have been Resisted, but his Executions cannot Gods Judgements might have been Prevented by Faith and Prayer, Repentance and a holy life; but they cannot be resisted when they are not prevented. Glad would the miserable sinner be, if he might but turn to nothing, and cease to be; or that he might be any thing rather than a reasonable creature: ⟨p. 223⟩but these wishes are all in vain. There is one Time, and one Way of a sinners Deliverance; If he fail in that one, he perisheth for ever: all the world cannot help him after that, 2 Cor. 6 2. I have heard thee in a time accepted; and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: Behold now is the Accepted time: behold now is the day of salvation. Now he saith, Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. But for the time to come hereafter, hear what he saith, Prov. 1.24, 25, 26
