Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

3©6 Obje&ions State It
they have, and do what they can. For, (i.) JTis
fojjible this Courfe may fucceed with them. If ye
do what ye can, it may be, God will do for you \
what you cannot do for your felves. This is fuffi-
cicnt to determine a Man, in a Matter of the ut-
moft Importance, fueh as this is, Atts tiii. 2 2. Pray .
God, if perhaps the 'Thought of thy Heart may be
forgiven thee. Joel ii. 14. Who knoweth if he •will
return ? If Succefs may be, the Trial jhould be.
If in a Wreck at Sea, all the Sailors and Paflcnger3
had betaken themfelves, each to a broken Board for
Safety ; and one of them fhould fee all the reft pe-
tilh, notwithftanding of their utmoft Endeavours
to fave themftlves : Yet the very Poffibility of efca-
ping by that Means, would determine that one, ftill
to do his beft with his Board. Why then do not
ye reafon with your felves, as the four Lepers did,
who fat at the Gate of Samaria, 2 Kings vii. 3, 4.
Why do ye not fay, Jf we fit ftill, not doing what n
we can, We die ; let us put it to a Trial, if we be
faved, we Jhall live ; if not, we Jhall but die ?
('2.') ’Tis probable this Courfe may fucdeed. God is
Good and Merciful: He loves to furprize Men
with his Grace, and is often found of them, that
fought him'noti Ifa. Ixv. r. If ye do thus, ye are
fo far in the Road of your Duty; and ye are ufing
the Means, which the Lord is wont to blefs, for
Mens fpiritual Recovery : Ye lay your felves in the
Way of the great Phyftcian; and fo *tis probable ye
may be healed. Lydia went, with others, to the
Place where Prayer was wont to be made ; and the
Lord opened her Hearty Afts xvi. r}, 14 Ye plow
and fow ; tho’ no Body can tell you for certain,
that ye’ll get fo much as your Seed again : Ye ufe
Means for the Recovery of your Health, tho’ ye
are