What is there in our power but the present? the future time we cannot command, the past time we cannot recall, squander not then the present away. The time will come, when time shall be no more, and then long-suffering shall be no more. Will you neglect the time, wherein patience acts, and vainly hope for a time beyond the resolves of patience? Will you spend that in vain, which Goodness hath allotted you for other purposes? What an estimate will you make of a little forbearance to respite death, when you are gasping under the stroke of its Arrows? How much would you value some few days, of those many years you now trifle away? Can any think God will be always at an expense with them in vain, that he will have such riches trampled under their feet, and so many editions of his patience, be made wast Paper? Do you know how few sands are yet to run in your glass? Are you sure that he that waits to day, will wait as well to morrow? How can you tell, but that God that is slow to anger to day, may be swift to it the next? Jerusalem had but a day of peace, and the most carel••• sinner hath no more. When their day was don they were destroyed by […], Pestilence, or Sword, or led into a doleful Captivity. Did God make our lives so uncertain, and the duration of his forbearance unknown to us, that we should live in a lazy neglect of his Glory, and our own happiness? If you should have more patience in regard of your lives, do you know whither you shall have the effectual offers of Grace? As your lives depend upon his will, so your conversion depends solely upon his Grace. There have been many examples of those miserable wretches, that have been left to a reprobate sense, after they have a long time abused Divine forbearance. Though […] he binds up sin. Hos. 13.12. The sin of Ephraim is b•••d up, as bonds are bound up by a Creditor till a fit opportunity; when God comes to put the bond in suit, it will be too late, to wish for that patience we have so scornfully despised. Consider therefore the end of Patience. The Patience of God considered in it self, without that which it tends to, affords very little Comfort, 'tis but a step to pardoning Mercy, and it may be without it, and often is. Many have been reprieved, that were never forgiven; Hell is full of those, that had Patience as well as we, but not one that accepted pardoning grace, went within the gates of it.
What is there in our power but the present? the future time we cannot command, the past time we cannot recal, squander not then the present away. The time will come, when time shall be no more, and then long-suffering shall be no more. Will you neglect the time, wherein patience acts, and vainly hope for a time beyond the resolves of patience? Will you spend that in vain, which Goodness hath allotted you for other purposes? What an estimate will you make of a little forbearance to respite death, when you are gasping under the stroke of its Arrows? How much would you value some few days, of those many years you now trifle away? Can any think God will be alwayes at an expence with them in vain, that he will have such riches trampled under their feet, and so many editions of his patience, be made wast Paper? Do you know how few sands are yet to run in your glass? Are you sure that he that waits to day, will wait as well to morrow? How can you tell, but that God that is slow to anger to day, may be swift to it the next? Jerusalem had but a day of peace, and the most carel••• sinner hath no more. When their day was don they were destroyed by 〈…〉, Pestilence, or Sword, or led into a doleful Captivity. Did God make our lives so uncertain, and the duration of his forbearance unknown to us, that we should live in a lazy neglect of his Glory, and our own happiness? If you should have more patience in regard of your lives, do you know whither you shall have the effectual offers of Grace? As your lives depend upon his will, so your conversion depends solely upon his Grace. There have been many examples of those miserable wretches, that have been left to a reprobate sence, after they have a long time abus'd Divine forbearance. Thoug• 〈…〉 he binds up sin. Hos. 13.12. The sin of Ephraim is b•••d up, as bonds are bound up by a Creditor till a fit opportunity; when God comes to put the bond in suit, it will be too late, to wish for that patience we have so scornfully despised. Consider therefore the end of Patience. The Patience of God considered in it self, without that which it tends to, affords very little Comfort, 'tis but a step to pardoning Mercy, and it may be without it, and often is. Many have been repreived, that were never forgiven; Hell is full of those, that had Patience as well as we, but not one that accepted pardoning grace, went within the gates of it.
