The truly blessed man

USE IV. This truth affords a loud cry to old Sinners to make haste. Such as have hitherto lived under Gospel means, strangers to God, at a distance from him; have had many invitations and withstood them. God came in their youth, and bespake them, but they regarded him not; and since he hath addressed them many a time, ⟨p. 356⟩but nothing hath moved them: as they grew in years, they grew more vile; yoked themselves with vain companions, neglected reading the Word and praying to God, addicted themselves to drinking and gaming, and other lewd courses: they have been often told of it, have seen their associates hurried out of the world by their intemperance, and God hath visited them also with afflictions, but they still go on: and now the blossoms of the grave are on their heads? Let me beseech such to beware that they despise not this advice. To quicken you, Consider,

1. You have had a long day of Grace, and must answer for it all. Though you have forgotten, God hath not: Your sins are written with a pen of iron, & the point of a diamond. All the endeavours that have been used with you are upon record; God hath them in his book, & there is a day of reckoning when he will set them in order before you: and how terrible must it be? when you shall be called to a very uncomfortable repetition, and told of every Sabbath you profaned, every Sermon you regarded not, every check of conscience you stifled, every mock you made at the solemn warnings given you, every neglected purpose, forgotten or violated promise; every vain meeting with your accomplices in sin, every cursed drinking bout you had, where you scoffed at Godliness, and hardened one another in sin: the time when, the place where, and every other circumstance: your memories refreshed, and conscience made to do its office. Would you prevent this fearful reckoning? Now seek God.