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neighbour； and a patient enduring of affliction for his name； this is
counted love。
Right love to Christ is that which carries in it a provoking argument
to others of the brethren； Heb。 x。 24。
Should a man ask me how he should know that he loveth the children of
God？ The best answer I could give him； would be in the words of the
Apostle John； 〃By this；〃 saith he； 〃we know we love the children of
God； when we love God； and keep his commandments；〃 1 John； v。 2。
Love to God and Christ is then shewn when we are tender of his name；
and then we shew ourselves tender of his name when we are afraid to
break any the least of his commandments。 And when we are here； then
do we shew our love to our brother also。
Now； we have obligation sufficient thus to do； for that our Lord
loved us； and gave himself for us； to deliver us from death； that we
might live through him。
The world； when they hear the doctrine that I have asserted and
handled in this little book； to wit； that Jesus Christ would have
mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners； will be apt；
because themselves are unbelievers； to think that this is a doctrine
that leads to looseness； and that gives liberty to the flesh； but if
you that believe love your brethren and your neighbours truly； and as
you should； you will put to silence the ignorance of such foolish
men； and stop their mouths from speaking evil of you。
And； I say； let the love of Christ constrain us to this。 Who
deserveth our heart； our mouth； our life； our goods； so much as Jesus
Christ； who has bought us to himself by his blood； to this very end；
that we should be a peculiar people； zealous of good works？
There is nothing more seemly in the world； than to see a Christian
walk as becomes the Gospel； nor any thing more unbecoming a
reasonable creature； than to hear a man say； I believe in Christ； and
yet see in his life debauchery and profaneness。 Might I； such men
should be counted the basest of men； such men should be counted by
all unworthy of the name of a Christian； and should be shunned by
every good man； as such who are the very plague of profession。
For so it is written； we should carry it towards them。 Whoso have a
form of godliness； and deny the power thereof； from such we must turn
away。
It has ofttimes come into my mind to ask； by what means it is that
the gospel profession should be so tainted with loose and carnal
gospellers？ and I could never arrive to better satisfaction in the
matter than this；such men are made professors by the devil； and so
by him put among the rest of the godly。 A certain man had a
fruitless fig…tree planted in his vineyard； but by whom was it
planted there？ Even by him that sowed the tares； his own children；
among the wheat； Luke xiii。 6； Matt。 xiii。 37…40。 And that was the
devil。 But why doth the devil do thus？ Not of love to them； but to
make of them offences and stumblingblocks to others。 For he knows
that a loose professor in the church does more mischief to religion
than ten can do to it that are in the world。
Was it not； think you； the devil that stirred up the damsel that you
read of in Acts xvi。； to cry out； 〃These are the servants of the most
high God； that shew unto us the way of salvation！〃 Yes it was； as is
evident； for Paul was grieved to hear it。 But why did the devil stir
up her to cry so？ but because that was the way to blemish the Gospel；
and to make the world think that it came from the same hand as did
her soothsaying and witchery； verse l6…18； 〃Holiness； O Lord； becomes
thy house for ever。〃
Let； therefore； whoever they be that profess the name of Christ； take
heed that they scandal not that profession which they make of him；
since he has so graciously offered us； as we are sinners of the
biggest size； in the first place； his grace to save us。
Having thus far spoken of the riches of the grace of Christ； and of
the freeness of his heart to embrace the Jerusalem sinners； it may
not be amiss to give you yet； as a caution； an intimation of one
thing； namely； that this grace and freeness of his heart is limited
to time and day； the which； whoso overstandeth； shall perish
notwithstanding。
For as a king； who； of grace； sendeth out to his rebellious people an
offer of pardon； if they accept thereof by such a day； yet beheadeth
or hangeth those that come not in for mercy until the day or time be
past； so Christ Jesus has set the sinner a day； a day of salvation；
an acceptable time； but he who standeth out； or goeth on in rebellion
beyond that time； is like to come off with the loss of his soul； 2
Cor。 vi。 2； Heb。 iii。 13； 16； 17； 18； 19； chap。 iv。 7； Luke xix。 41；
42。
Since； therefore； things are thus； it may be convenient here to touch
a little upon these particulars。
First； That this day； or time thus limited； when it is considered
with reference to this or that man； is ofttimes undiscerned by the
person concerned therein； and always is kept secret as to the
shutting up thereof。
And this； in the wisdom of God； is thus to the end； no man； when
called upon； should put off turning to God to another time。 Now； and
to…day； is that and only that which is revealed in holy writ； Psal。
1。 22； Eccles。 xii。 1； Heb。 iii。 13； 16。
And this shews us the desperate hazards which those men run； who when
invitation or conviction attends them； put off turning to God to be
saved till another； and； as they think； a more fit season and time。
For many； by so doing； defer this to do till the day of God's
patience and long…suffering is ended； and then； for their prayers and
cries after mercy； they receive nothing but mocks； and are laughed at
by the God of heaven； Prov。 i。 20…30； Isaiah lxv。 12…16； chap。 lxvi。
4； Zech。 xii。 11…13。
Secondly； Another thing to be considered is this； viz。 that the day
of God's grace with some men begins sooner； and also sooner ends than
it doth with others。 Those at the first hour of the day； had their
call sooner than they who were called upon to turn to God at the
sixth hour of the day； yea； and they who were hired at the third
hour； had their call sooner than they who were called at the
eleventh； Matt。 xx。 1…6。
1。 The day of God's patience began with Ishmael； and also ended
before he was twenty years old。 At thirteen years of age he was
circumcised； the next year after Isaac was born； and then Ishmael was
fourteen years old。 Now that day that Isaac was weaned； that day was
Ishmael rejected； and suppose that Isaac was three years old before
he was weaned； that was but the seventeenth year of Ishmael；
wherefore the day of God's grace was ended with him betimes； Gen。
xvii。 24； 25； chap。 xxi。 2…11； Gal。 iv。 30。
2。 Cain's day ended with him betimes； for after God had rejected
him； he lived to beget many children； and build a city； and to do
many other things。 But alas！ all that while he was a fugitive and a
vagabond。 Nor carried he any thing with him after the day of his
rejection was come； but this doleful language in his conscience；
〃From God's face shall I be hid；〃 Gen。 iv。 10…15。
3。 Esau； through his extravagancies would needs go to sell his
birth…right； not fearing （as other confident fools） but that yet the
blessing would still be his； after which he lived many years； but all
of them under the wrath of God； as was； when time came； made appear
to his destruction； for 〃When he would have inherited the blessing；
he was rejected； for he found no place of repentance； though he
sought it carefully with tears；〃 Heb。 xii。 14…16。
Many instances might be given as to such tokens of the displeasure of
God against such as fool away； as the wise man has it； the prize
which is put into their hand； Prov。 xvii。 16。
Let these things； therefore； be a further caution to those that sit
under the glorious sound of the Gospel； and hear of the riches of the
grace of God in Christ to poor sinners。
To slight grace； to despise mercy； and to stop the ear when God
speaks； when he speaks such great things； so much to our profit； is a
great provocation。
He offereth； he calls； he woos； he invites； he prays； he beseeches us
in this day of his grace to be reconciled to him； yea； and has
provided for us the means of reconciliation himself。 Now； this
despised must needs be provoking； and it is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God。
But some man may say unto me； Fain I would be saved； fain I would be
saved by Christ； but I fear this day of grace is past； and that I
shall perish； notwithstanding the exceeding riches of the grace of
God。
Answer。 To this doubt I would answer several things。
First； With respect to this day。
Secondly； With respect to thy desires。
Thirdly； With respect to thy fears。
First； With respect to the day； that is； whether it be ended with a
man or no。
1。 Art thou jogged； and shaken and molested at the hearing of the
Word？ Is thy conscience awakened and convinced then that thou art at
present in a perishing state； and that thou hast need to cry to God
for mercy？ This is a hopeful sign that this day of grace is not past
with thee。 For usually they that are past grace； are also； in their
conscience； past feeling； being 〃sear