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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

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