Page:Last sermon of the Reverend James Hervey.pdf/5

 and the inevitable change advanced: When they ſaw the fatal arrow ſitting to the ſtrings, ſaw the deadly archer aiming at their life; and felt the invenomed ſhaft, faſtened to their vitalsGood God! what fearfulneſs came upon them! What horrible dread overwhelmed them! How did they ſtand ſhuddering upon the tremenduous precipice; exceſſively afraid to die, yet utterly unable to live! O what pale reviews, what ſparkling proſpects conſpire to augment their ſorrows;—they look backward, and behold a moſt melancholy ſcene! Sins unrepented of, mercy ſlighted, and the day of grace ending. They look forward, and nothing preſents itſelf but the righteous Judge, the dreadful tribunal, and a moſt ſolemn reckoning. They roll around their affrightened eyes on attending friends. And, if accomplices in debauchery, it ſharpens their anguiſh, to conſider the further aggravation of their guilt, that they have not ſinned alone, but drawn others into the ſame ſnare. If religious acquaintance, it ſtrikes a freſh flaſh in their hearts, to think of never ſeeing them any more, but only at an unapproachable diſtance, ſeparated by the unpaſſable gulph.

At laſt, perhaps they began to pray: Finding no other way of poſſible relief, they are conſtrained to apply unto the Almighty. With trembling lips and faultering tongue, they cry unto that ſovereign Being, who kills and makes aliveBut why, O why have they deferred their addreſſes to heaven ſo long! Why have they deſpiſed all his counſels, and ſtood incorrigible under his inceſſant reproof?