The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

But thou wilt possibly say, is it not better, here, to have a little quiet now, then to be miserable by sad thoughts here, and miserable by actual suffering hereafter too? Is not one death enough? why should one kill himself so often over? and hasten misery as if it came on too slowly?

Better, man? an hard choice. Supposing thou art to be eternally miserable; If thou understandest that word eternity; The good or evil of this little inch of time, will signify so little with thee, as hardly to weigh any thing in the Scale of a rational judgment. But what, art thou now dreaming, while thou thus reasonest? Dost thou yet no better understand thy case? Art thou not under the Gospel? Is it not the day of thy hope, and of the Lords grace, and patience towards thee? It was said that sleeping would not better thy case; but it was not said, that awaking would not; but all ⟨p. 258⟩that is here said, is designed to the awakening of thee, that thou mayest know thy case, and endeavour a redress. Dost thou think any man in his sober wits, would take all this pains thus to reason with thee, if that were the acknowledged, and agreed state of thy case; that it were already taken for granted thou must perish? We might as well go preach to Devils, and carry down the Gospel into Hell. But dost thou think the holy merciful God sent his Son, and his Ministers to mock men; and to treat with them about their eternal concernments, when there is no hope? Were that thy case, thou hadst as good a pretence as the Devil had, to complain of being tormented before thy •im; But if thou be not wilfully perverse, in mistaking the matter we are reasoning about, thou mayest understand, Thy reason is here appealed to in this; whether having so fair hopes before thee, as the Gospel gives of this blessedness, we are discoursing of; it be not reasonable from the apprehension of a mere possibility of miscarrying, (which can only be through thy wilful security, and neglect) to give up thy self to a supine negligence, and indulge that security, which is so sure to ruin thee, and exchange possible hped heaven, for a certain Hell; or whether rather it be not reasonable, to stir up thy soul to consider in what posture thou art, towards the attainment of this blessedness; that thou mayest accordingly steer thy course in order to it? If an Accusation, or a Disease do threaten thy life; or a suspected slaw, thy Title, to thy