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

And suppose thou hear of some rare instances of persons, suddenly snatched by the hand of Grace, out of the midst of their wickedness, as fire-brands out of the fire. Is it therefore the safest course to go on in a manifest rebellion against God, till possibly he may do so by thee also? how many thousand may have dropped into Hell since thou heardest of such an instance (as a worthy person speaks to that purpose^*) If thou hast heard of one Elijah fed by Ravens, and of some thousands by our Saviours miracles, canst thou thence plead a repeal of that law to the world; they that will not labour, shall not eat; or is it a safer or wiser course to wait till food drop into thy mouth from Heaven, then to use a prudent care for the maintenance of thy life? If thou say thou hearest but of few that are wrought upon in this ⟨p. 293⟩way, of their own foregoing expectation and endeavour; Remember (and let the thought of •t startle thee) that there are but few that are •aved. And therefore are so few wrought upon in this way, because so few will be persuaded to it. But canst thou say (though God hath not bound himself to the mere natural endeavours of his creature neither) that ever any took this course, and persisted with faithful diligence, but they succeeded in it?

And suppose thou hear of some rare instances of persons, suddenly snatch't by the hand of Grace, out of the mid'st of their wickedness, as fire-brands out of the fire. Is it therefore the safest course to go on in a manifest rebellion against God, till possibly he may do so by thee also? how many thousand may have dropt into Hell since thou heard'st of such an instance (as a worthy person speaks to that purpose^*) If thou hast heard of one Elijah fed by Ravens, and of some thousands by our Saviours miracles, canst thou thence plead a repeal of that law to the world; they that will not labour, shall not eat; or is it a safer or wiser course to wait till food drop into thy mouth from Heaven, then to use a prudent care for the maintenance of thy life? If thou say thou hearest but of few that are wrought upon in this ⟨p. 293⟩