4. It is proved also by the course of his providence. If God had rather you were damned than converted and saved, he would not second his word with his works, and entice you by his daily kindness to himself, and give you all the mercies of this life, which are his means to lead you to repentance, Rom. ii. 4. and bring you so often under his rod to force you into your wits, he would not set so many examples before your eyes, no, nor wait on you so patiently as he doth from day to day, and year to year. These be not signs of one that taketh pleasure in your death. If this had been his delight, how easily could he have had thee long ago in hell? How oft, before this, could he have catched thee away in the midst of thy sins, with a ⟨p. 46⟩curse, or oath, or lie in thy mouth, in thy ignorance, and pride, and sensuality? When thou wert last in thy drunkenness, or last deriding the ways of God, how easily could he have stopped thy breath, and tamed thee with his plagues, and made thee sober in another world! Alas, how small a matter is it for the Almighty to rule the tongue of the profanest rather, and tie the hands of the most malicious persecutor, or call the fury of the bitterest of his enemies, and make them know that they are but worms? If he would but frown upon thee thou wouldst drop into thy grave. If he gave commission to one of his guardian angels to go and destroy ten thousand sinners, how quickly would it be done! How easily can he lay thee upon the bed of languishing, and make thee lie roaring there in pain, and make thee eat the words of reproach which thou hast spoken against his servants, his word, his worship, and his holy ways, and make thee send to beg their prayers, whom thou didst despise in thy presumption? How easily can he lay that flesh under gripes and groans, and make it too weak to hold thy soul, and make it more loathsome than the dung of the earth? That flesh which now must have what it loves, and must not be displeased, though God be displeased, and must be humoured in meat and drink and clothes, whatever God say to the contrary, how quickly would the frowns of God consume it? When thou wast passionately defending thy sin, and quarrelling with them that would have drawn thee from it, and showing thy spleen against the reprover, and pleading for the works of darkness;
4. It is proved also by the course of his providence. If God had rather you were damned than converted and saved, he would not second his word with his works, and entice you by his daily kindness to himself, and give you all the mercies of this life, which are his means to lead you to repentance, Rom. ii. 4. and bring you so often under his rod to force you into your wits, he would not set so many examples before your eyes, no, nor wait on you so patiently as he doth from day to day, and year to year. These be not signs of one that taketh pleasure in your death. If this had been his delight, how easily could he have had thee long ago in hell? How oft, before this, could he have catcht thee away in the midst of thy sins, with a ⟨p. 46⟩curse, or oath, or lie in thy mouth, in thy ignorance, and pride, and sensuality? When thou wert last in thy drunkenness, or last deriding the ways of God, how easily could he have stopt thy breath, and tamed thee with his plagues, and made thee sober in another world! Alas, how small a matter is it for the Almighty to rule the tongue of the prophanest rather, and tie the hands of the most malicious persecutor, or call the fury of the bitterest of his enemies, and make them know that they are but worms? If he would but frown upon thee thou wouldst drop into thy grave. If he gave commission to one of his guardian angels to go and destroy ten thousand sinners, how quickly would it be done! How easily can he lay thee upon the bed of languishing, and make thee lie roaring there in pain, and make thee eat the words of reproach which thou hast spoken against his servants, his word, his workship, and his holy ways, and make thee send to beg their prayers, whom thou didst despise in thy presumption? How easily can he lay that flesh under gripes and groans, and make it too weak to hold thy soul, and make it more loathsome than the dung of the earth? That flesh which now must have what it loves, and must not be displeased, though God be displeased, and must be humoured in meat and drink and clothes, whatever God say to the contrary, how quickly would the frowns of God consume it? When thou wast passionately defending thy sin, and quarrelling with them that would have drawn thee from it, and shewing thy spleen against the reprover, and pleading for the works of darkness;
