Practical truths tending to promote the power of godliness

24. 13. Because I purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged any more. It had been better for thee never to have been born, then that thou shouldest live to provoke the Lord so to speak, and so to resolve against thee. And are there not many, who neglect God in the time of their prosperity? whilst they enjoy days of peace, and health, and strength. God calls upon them to repent & pray, & believe but they let their golden season slip away ⟨p. 51⟩without improving it to seek the Lord until they find him. Like him whom the Lord […] of, Jer. 22. 21. I spoke unto thee […] but thou […] I will not hear. And are there not man, who never mind the […] warnings of God; They regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands. The Lord giveth them awful warning by a fearful slight in Heaven, but they regard it not. The Lord giveth warning by Judgements in other lands, the report whereof we hear. When God did cut off the Nations, and make their Towns desolate, he said of Jerusalem, Surely thou wilt fear me, and receive instruction, Zeph. 3.6,7. We hear of a City that was in great part destroyed by a sudden Earth-quake, not many Months ago. We hear of a sweeping Plague in divers places in Europe; which though afar off the Lord giveth us warning thereby. Yea, and so he doth by safe rumours amongst our selves. When there was a false report raised the other day, as if the Plague were brought near unto us; how were people amazed? God hath an holy hand in such Rumours; and he would have men make this use of it, to pray unto him that such judgements may be prevented: And the Lord hath given warning by many sudden deaths of late. how many have there been within this twelvemonth, that when God sent the Messenger of Heath unto them, they had not so much as an ⟨p. 52⟩hours time to pray in? O the hardness of the stupid and stony hearts of men, that do not pray for all this? And is not the time of youth a time wherein God is forgotten? Are there not young men that seldom pray to God? This is for a Lamentation. For it is possible that the Time of your youth will be your only finding time. There are many who die in youth, and if they were such as did not Pray, their Souls are gathered amongst the Unclean, even with the souls of those Sodomites, who are now suffering the vengeance of eternal fire,