Secondly,1 because if they do in part feel, and so fear Gods wrath, ⟨p. 215⟩they put away the evil day far from them, they hope they shall do better hereafter, and repent some other time, and therefore they say, soul eat, drink, follow thy sports, cups, queans; thou hast a treasure of time which shall not be spent in many years, Isay 22. 12, 13. that look as it is with the wax▪ let it be of never so pliable a disposition, and the fire never so hot, yet if it be not brought near the fire, and be held in the fire, it never m•lts, but still remains hard: so it is here. Let a man or woman have never so gentle or pliable a nature, and let Gods wrath be never so hot and dreadful in their Judgements, yet if they make not the day of wrath present to them, if they see it not ready every moment to light upon their hearts, they are never melted, but th•y remain hard-hearted, secure, sleepy wretches, and never groan to come out of their woeful estate; and this is the reason why many men, that have guilty consciences, thought they have many secret wishes and purposes to ⟨p. 216⟩be better, yet never cry out of themselves, nor ever seek earnestly for mercy, till they lie upon their death-bed, and then, oh the promises that they ply God with! try me Lord, & restore me once more to my health, and life again, and thou shalt see how thankful I will be; because that now they apprehend wrath and misery near unto them, Heb. 3. 13.
Secondly,1 because if they doe in part feele, and so feare Gods wrath, ⟨p. 215⟩they put away the evill day farre from them, they hope they shall doe better hereafter, and repent some other time, and therefore they say, soule eate, drinke, follow thy sports, cups, queanes; thou hast a treasure of time which shall not be spent in many yeares, Isay 22. 12, 13. that looke as it is with the waxe▪ let it be of never so pliable a disposition, and the fire never so hot, yet if it be not brought neare the fire, and be held in the fire, it never m•lts, but still remaines hard: so it is here. Let a man or woman have never so gentle or pliable a nature, and let Gods wrath be never so hot and dreadfull in their Judgements, yet if they make not the day of wrath present to them, if they see it not ready every moment to light upon their hearts, they are never melted, but th•y remaine hard-hearted, secure, sleepy wretches, and never groane to come out of their wo•full estate; and this is the reason why many men, that have guil•y consoiences, thought they have many secret wishes and purposes to ⟨p. 216⟩bee better, yet never cry out of themselves, nor ever seeke earnestly for mercy, till they lie upon their death-bed, and then, oh the promises that they ply God with! try me Lord, & restore me once more to my health, and life againe, and thou shalt see how thankfull I will be; because that now they apprehend wrath and misery neare unto them, Heb. 3. 13.
- 1Reas. 2.
