Learn we hence to take out a Lesson of Sobriety,1 not to be too rash and Censorious touching the final estate of any in this life, since it is never too […] for the Lord to call, though at the Eleventh hour: It's the Apostles Counsel, Judg nothing before the time, that is, Judg nothing that is secret and uncertain: determine not of any mans final condition, because the time is not yet come; this life is a time of mercy, to some sooner, to some later, After death, comes Judgment, when God shall lay open the secrets, and […] counsels of the heart; then judg and spare not, but […] then refer all unto the Lord: and therefore if the question be touching the final estate of others, we should answer with modesty as the Prophet did to the ⟨p. 272⟩Lord in another case, Ezek. 37. 2, 3. When […] Lord had showed him a field full of dead bones […] dry, he asked him, Son of man, shall these dead bone live? the Prophet answers, Lord, thou knowest it rests in thine own will to work this so great a work and in thine own Counsel to determine it. So, […] the demand be, Shall this grey headed sinner […] come to Grace? he that hath been an old Standard bearer in the Camp of the Devil, shall he ever […] a faithful Soldier to the Lord Christ? can this seared Conscience ever be made sensible of its sin […] […]? The answer of the Prophet will […] us, Lord, thou only knowest: It's not for us to judg, Secret things belong unto the Lord. For […] to pry into the Ark of his privy and concealed Counsels, we cannot do it, without desperate pride, and apparent danger. Thus far indeed we may go without any breach of Charity, and the Word will […] us sufficient warrant, to wit, Observing the lives […] men, Of some (of some, I say) we may conclude, and that certainly, that as yet, they are in the state of Nature, in a miserable and damnable condition.
Learn we hence to take out a Lesson of Sobriety,1 not to be too rash and Censorious touching the final estate of any in this life, since it is never too 〈…〉 for the Lord to call, though at the Eleventh hour: It's the Apostles Counsel, Judg nothing before the time, that is, Judg nothing that is secret and uncertain: determine not of any mans final condition, because the time is not yet come; this life is a time of mercy, to some sooner, to some later, After death, comes Judgment, when God shall lay open the secrets, and 〈…〉 counsels of the heart; then judg and spare not, but 〈…〉 then refer al unto the Lord: and therfore if the question be touching the final estate of others, we should answer with modesty as the Prophet did to the ⟨p. 272⟩Lord in another case, Ezek. 37. 2, 3. When 〈…〉 Lord had shewed him a field full of dead bones 〈…〉 dry, he asked him, Son of man, shall these dead bone live? the Prophet answers, Lord, thou knowest it rests in thine own wil to work this so great a work and in thine own Counsel to determine it. So, 〈…〉 the demand be, Shall this gray headed sinner 〈…〉 come to Grace? he that hath been an old Standardbearer in the Camp of the Devil, shal he ever 〈…〉 a faithful Soldier to the Lord Christ? can this seared Conscience ever be made sensible of its sin 〈…〉 〈…〉? The answer of the Prophet will 〈…〉 us, Lord, thou only knowest: It's not for us to judg, Secret things belong unto the Lord. For 〈…〉 to pry into the Ark of his privy and concealed Counsels, we cannot do it, without desperate pride, and apparent danger. Thus far indeed we may go without any breach of Charity, and the Word will 〈…〉 us sufficient warrant, to wit, Observing the lives 〈…〉 men, Of some (of some, I say) we may conclude, and that certainly, that as yet, they are in the state of Nature, in a miserable and damnable condition.
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