2. Thou who still delayest to hearken unto the Call of God in the Ministry of the Word, wooing and beseeching thee speedily to abandon thy sins, and to walk in the ways of holiness, know assuredly, that he will not always wait on thee, his patience will not ever attend thee. As there is a time of Grace, in which the Gate of Mercy stands open; so there is a time of Judgment, in which this Gate will be shut, and a•l possibility of entry taken away. Psal. 32. 6. David speaketh of a time in which God may be found; which implieth, that there is a time in which God will not be found. Though thou criest out against thy sins, and criest unto God for mercy, yet will he not hear thee, but turn a deaf ear to all thy prayers. So the Lord threateneth, Prov. 1. 24, 25. Because I have called you, to amendment and reformation, and ye refused to hearken unto me: But have set at nought all my counsels, and would none of my reproofs; I will also laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me, but they shall not find me. ⟨p. 25⟩For the Lord usually punisheth the slighting of his Grace in our younger years, with the denying of it in our elder. Hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul so much presseth the [Greek or Hebrew], the very now. Behold, saith he, NOW is the accepted time, NOW is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. The time present is the only time, the time to come is no time, but a matter of mere uncertainty: And therefore, saith he, Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts. Where the word [Greek or Hebrew], to day, signifieth the time present; and implieth, that the present opportunity of Gods offering Grace ought to be embraced; thou must hearken unto him now that he calleth upon thee in the Ministry of his Word, and motions of his Spirit, to give over thy sinning Trade, and give up thy self unto him, and his service: Now that God hangs forth the White Flag of Mercy, and is willing to be gracious to thee: Now that Christ is wooing and beseeching thee to cast away thy sins, and to cast thy self upon him, to own him for thy Lord and Saviour. Now that the Spirit of God is striving with thee, surely it will be thy wisdom speedily to turn from thy sins unto him.
2. Thou who still delayest to hearken unto the Call of God in the Ministery of the Word, woing and beseeching thee speedily to abandon thy sins, and to walk in the ways of holiness, know assuredly, that he will not always wait on thee, his patience will not ever attend thee. As there is a time of Grace, in which the Gate of Mercy stands open; so there is a time of Judgment, in which this Gate will be shut, and a•l possibility of entry taken away. Psal. 32. 6. David speaketh of a time in which God may be found; which implieth, that there is a time in which God will not be found. Though thou cryest out against thy sins, and cryest unto God for mercy, yet will he not hear thee, but turn a deaf ear to all thy prayers. So the Lord threatneth, Prov. 1. 24, 25. Because I have called you, to amendment and reformation, and ye refused to hearken unto me: But have set at nought all my counsels, and would none of my reproofs; I will also laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me, but they shall not find me. ⟨p. 25⟩For the Lord usually punisheth the slighting of his Grace in our younger years, with the denying of it in our elder. Hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul so much presseth the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the very now. Behold, saith he, NOW is the accepted time, NOW is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. The time present is the only time, the time to come is no time, but a matter of meer uncertainty: And therefore, saith he, Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts. Where the word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, to day, signifieth the time present; and implieth, that the present opportunity of Gods offering Grace ought to be imbraced; thou must hearken unto him now that he calleth upon thee in the Ministery of his Word, and motions of his Spirit, to give over thy sinning Trade, and give up thy self unto him, and his service: Now that God hangs forth the White Flag of Mercy, and is willing to be gracious to thee: Now that Christ is woing and beseeching thee to cast away thy sins, and to cast thy self upon him, to own him for thy Lord and Saviour. Now that the Spirit of God is striving with thee, surely it will be thy wisdom speedily to turn from thy sins unto him.
