Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

Head VI. Lo/t, in Tic!!. 47 T
They will remember, that time was, when
they mijjht Iiave been marie partakers of the bleli'ed
ftate of the faints, in thtir eiijjvment of God : And
this will aggravate their fervfe of the lofs. All may
remember, there was once a poflibility of it ; that
fometime they were in the world, in fome corners of
which, the way cf filvation w ,s laid open to mejis
view; and may with they had gone round the world,
till they had found it out. Defpifers of the gofpel
will remember with bitrernefs, that Jefus Chrift, with
ail his benefits, was offered to them.: that they were
exhorted, intreated, and prefled to accept, but would
not; and that they were warned of the nailery they
feel, and obtefted to flee from the wrath to come, but
they would not hearken The gofpel-olT.r flighted,
will make allot hell; and the lofs. of an offered heaven,
will be a finking weight on the fpirits of unbelievers,
in the pit. Some will remember, that there was
a probability of their being eternally happy: that
fometime they feemed to (land fair for it, and were
not far from the kingdom of God:, that they had once
aimoft confented to the bk.ffed bargain; the pen in
their hand, as it weiv, to fign the marriage contra£l
betwixt Chrift and their f uls ; but unhappily, they,
dropped it, and turned back from the Lord to their
lulls again. And others will remember, that they
thought themfclves fare of heaven!, but, being blinded
with pride an 1 felf-conceit, they were above ordinan¬
ces, and beyond inftrudlion, and would not examine
their ftate, which was their ruin ? But then they (hall
in vain wifh, they-had reputed themfelves the wot ft
of the congregation in which they lived ; and curfe the
fond conceit they had-pf thernfelvts, and that others
had of them too. Thus’it will fting the damned, that
J they might have efcr.ped this lofs.
Lafity. They will fee the'lofs to be irrecoverable;
that they muft eternally lie under it, never, never to
be repaired. Might the damned, after millions of ages
in hell, regain what they have loft, it would be fome
ground of hope ; tut the prize is gone, and can never