Grace defended. A censure on the ungodliness, by which the glorious grace of God,…

I do not affirm that my Arguments, for the more Early Repentance of my Penitent, are absolutely Decisive, and infallibly Conclusive; but yet, I think them enough to retund the Confident Prof•••• of them, who encourage the Delay of their Conversion to God, from the Pattern of the Thief, Repenting and Accepted on the Cross. And it may be further observed unto them, that the Holy and Worthy Divines, who take up with the common Opinion, and Glorify God, in the Highest Apprehensions of Miracle in the Sudden Producing and Ripening of this Repentance, do still with mighty Energy Thunderstrike, that Profane Abuse of the Example. They tell you, Ye Fools, That if it be a Pattern, yet it is a Pattern without a Promise. And as One of the Ancients Expresses it, Ad Consequendam Fidem non fuit illi Extrema Hora, s•d Prima; they tell you, That it might more properly be said, He came in at the First Hour, than at the Last Hour; for he had not Enjoyed the Means of Grace before, nor Sinned against them, as they do, who embolden themselves to Sin, from what was done for him. They tell you, The most you can make, if the Example be granted you, is, One Example in all the Bible. ⟨p. 34⟩But then Mr. Greenham smartly upbraids the Rashness of them who hope for the like: You may as well Spur an A•s to make him Speak, because Balaam's once did Speak with the Voice of Man. They also tell you, That the Conversion of this Penitent was at a Season, the like to which will never again occur in the World; It was an Extraordinary Time. As Mr. Fenner notes, The Day of a Kings Coronation, sets Malefactors at Liberty, which at another Time could not escape the Death which belongs unto them. The most astonishing Expression of the Divine Mercy, that ever was given to the World, was now Exhibiting. It is Congruous enough, that there should now in One Penitent be a most astonishing Monument of it. Our Penitent stood close by the Great Sacrifice. If there should be an Uncommon Experiment of the Virtue in the Balsam, just as it was Preparing, it is not without some Congruity. Our Great Redeemer was now Triumphing openly over the Powers of Darkness. If in the Field of Battle, he actually rescued a Prey from the Mouth of the Adversary; the Congruity was yet more beautiful. Mr. Beverly speaks well upon it. No Sinner in the World, will ever see such a Time again! Briefly, It was a Time filled with Miracles.