A Word to all Christian Families In SCOTLAND. Being an Earnest Exhortation to an Holy Life. Recommended to be left in Families. portrait By D. Wilson. Edinburgh, Printed by James Watson in Craig's Closs, on the North-side of the Cross 1700. A Word to all Christian Fami●●●● In SCOTLAND. Being an Earnest Exhortation to a Holy 〈◊〉 OR THE Only Deliverer from Eternal Death and Destru●●●●● Wherein is plainly laid down the great 〈◊〉 of speedy Repentance; with the wretched 〈◊〉 of a Sinner, and the blessed state of a Sai●● Showing how the one (after Death) wil● 〈◊〉 cast forever into the dreadful Flames of Hell-●●●● and the other will be received up into Hea●●● to celebrate Eternal Hallelujahs to the Lord 〈◊〉 Lords, who sitting at the Right hand of his F●ther will shortly come to Judge the World. Likewise some Pithy Arguments to perswage Men to close with Christ. Being very useful for every poor Sinner t● practise and make use of in these sinful, wicked▪ and backsliding Times. Isa. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, drink of the Waters of Life, and he that hath no Money, come buy and eat freely. Matt. 25.34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World. By D. Wilson. Edinburgh, Printed by James Watson in Craig's Closs, on the North-side of the Cross 1700. A Word to all Christian Families: BEING AN Earnest Exhortation to a Holy Life, etc. LUKE XIII. 5. 〈◊〉 tell you, nay; but except ye Repent, ye shall all likewise perish. IN the first Verse of this Chapter, you have the sad piece of this News that was told Jesus, concerning the Galileans, whose Blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices. ●●r. 2. you have our blessed Saviour's Answer to ●●is News: Saith he unto them; Suppose ye that ●●ese Galileans were Sinners, above all the Galileans, ●●●ause they suffer such things? I tell you nay: but ●●●●pt ye Repent, ye shall all likewise perish. And yet ●●●●her, ver. 4. Or those eighteen upon whom the 〈◊〉 Siloe fell, and slew them; think you, that they 〈◊〉 sinners above all men that dwebt in Jerusalem? 〈◊〉 you, nay: but except ye Repent, ye shall all ●●●●wise perish, This former part of the Chap●●● contains the Sermon of Repentance that 〈◊〉 preached by our blessed Saviour. repentance is a pure Gospel Grace; it comes 〈…〉 Jesus Christ: He hath purchased by his ●●●od, that repenting Sinners shall be saved, The Doctrine I shall raise from these Word● That it is a great Duty incumbent up●● Christians, to Repent, and turn to t●● Lord: Or, it doth highly concern a P●●ple whom the Lord visiteth with ●●● Judgement, to strive to turn to him 〈◊〉 Repentance, and Faith in Jesus Chri●● Repentance, & Conversion is the only way 〈◊〉 Salvation. I need not stay to open the Text 〈◊〉 you, and to prove it by Scripture. For if th●● be'st a Man or Woman that dost believe 〈…〉 Word of God, than thou believest, that without Repentance none can be saved, as the 〈◊〉 has it: But I say unto you, Except ye Repent, ye 〈◊〉 all, likewise perish. Well then, what sayest th●● Sinner? Dost thou believe, or no? Thou 〈◊〉 either confess that this is true; or say plai●●● that you will not believe the Word of God: 〈◊〉 once you are come to that pass, there is but 〈◊〉 hopes of you. Look to yourselves as well as 〈◊〉 can, for 'tis like you will not be long out of 〈◊〉 You would be ready to fly in the face of him 〈◊〉 give you the lie: And dare you give the lie 〈◊〉 God? If you will not believe the words of 〈◊〉 blessed Saviour, whose will you? And doth no● 〈◊〉 say, That except ye Repent, ye shall perish? He d●● not say you may perish, but you shall; nay, th●●● is no doubt of it: Let God be True, & every M●● a Liar: Christ hath spoken it, Luke 10.12. I 〈◊〉 unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at 〈◊〉 day of Judgement, than it shall be for that People 〈◊〉 Nation that believe not these Words of our Savi●●● Use 1. Is this a Truth, That Repentance is the ●nly way to prevent the Judgements of God that ●ang over our heads, because of our Sin? Then ●●rst of all, I would entreat you, observe the cur●ed nature of this cursed thing called Sin; you ●ee Sin must be repent of, or we shall all perish ●●r we shall be damned: Sin will utterly destroy ●oth our Bodies and Souls. I think it is one of ●he hardest things that is, to understand the ●eadly Poison that is in Sin: Sin is that which ●●e Lord hates. The Soul that Sins shall surely die▪ ●his was the old Law: But the Gospel of Christ ●●ith, Repent and forsake your Sins: Or, Repent and ●●lieve and you shall be saved. Use 2: Is Repentance the way and means to ●●event a People or Nation from perishing? ●hen from hence you may learn the Excellency 〈◊〉 the Usefulness of that Grace of Repentance. ●h? What an Omnipotent Grace is this? It is a ●race that can do any thing with God. This ●race of Repentance can redeem our mortgaged blessings; it can make us a happy People, Jer●●●. 18, 19, 20: I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus: Thou hast chastised me, and 〈◊〉 ●as chastised, as a Bullock unaccustomed to the ●●ke: Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for ●●●u art my Lord my God. Surely after I was tur●●d, I repent, and after I was instructed I smote ●●on my Thigh: I was ashamed, yea even confound●● because I did bear the reproach of my Yonth. 〈◊〉 Ephraim my dear Son? Is he a pleasant Child? 〈◊〉 since I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my Bowels are turned for h●● I will surely have Mercy upon him, saith 〈◊〉 Lord. From hence you may observe, That repenting Sinners are exceeding precious in 〈◊〉 sight of the Lord; his Heart is turned towa●●● them. Oh! what an excellent Privilege ha●● 〈◊〉 penitent Heart with God My Beloved, h●● can you live without such a Grace? Your 〈◊〉 want it, your Families want it; and the ●●●●tion stands in need of it: The greatest w●●● this day in Scotland, is a broken Heart. Use 3. Is Repentance the only way to preusser Judgements? Then from hence gather, T●●● when God either hath his Plagues upon a P●●ple, or continues threatening his Judgment●●●ward them, it is a sign that those People 〈◊〉 very guilty of Impenitency. If God threa●●●● thee, O Scotland, to give thee up to hardney 〈◊〉 Heart, and blindness of Mind: Doth Go● 〈◊〉 it at this Day? They say (O Scotland!) 〈…〉 an impenitent People at this day. O Scot●●●● this is my Charge against thee: You have 〈◊〉 stiffnecked People. O Edinburgh! 〈◊〉 long shall the Lord wait upon thee, before 〈◊〉 will repent! What can you expect but that 〈◊〉 will yet visit Scotland with his Judgement, 〈◊〉 be humbled and hearty repent us of our 〈◊〉 'Tis for Sin that the Nation mourns. 〈◊〉 Swearing, Whoring, and Sabbath-brea●●●● Schism, and Disobedience to Magistrates, 〈◊〉 Day in Edinburgh! O you sinful Generat●●● this your requiting of God for all his ●●●cies? Deut. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord O ye foolish and unwise! What say ye? Will you Repent or not? This is my Question which I have to ask you this Day, Will you Repent? Do not flatter yourselves about Matters of so ●reat concernment as your immortal Souls. Con●ider this, (O Sinners) if you will repent, then ●ou may live happy in the Land of your Nativity, and go to your Death Beds in Peace: But if ●ou will not repent of your Sins; then, I say, ●ou must (instead of Blessings) expect nothing ●ut Curses. It is plain that God is angry with you; for God would never have sent so many Judgements ●fter one another. Once more: Will you re●ent, or will you not? If you will not, your Sins ●e at your own Doors. Do not think it is a hard Question, when I ask you to repent; but con●●der there are two places where there is no re●enting; the one is in the Grave, the other in ●ell. It were a vain thing for me to go to the ●ates of Hell, and cry to them, Repent; for ●he Day of Grace is past, and their Doom is ●assed upon them. I do verily think, that there 〈◊〉 more sorrowing in Hell for Sin, than there is ●●is Day in Scotland, but their Sorrow is not a sanctified sorrow. If the damned in Hell were delivered out of Hell, they would sin again; if ●●ey lived eternally, they would sin eternally. ●ut I am not a speaking to Men in Hell, but to ●ou Sinners in Scotland. 1. I say unto you, Repent: Because Jes●● Christ hath commanded you under great Pena●●ties, if you do not. Consider a little (O Sinner who 'tis that calls for Repentance: It is not but the great God; it is Jesus Christ; and doub●● less Christ would never have pressed you to th● Work, if it were not necessary. He saith un●● you, Repent; and saith again, If you do no● your Sins shall not be blotted out. Woe be unto th●● Man or Woman that repenteth not, better were that he had never been born, that he ha● never, seen the Light: The Parents that ba●● thee, they may Repent that ever thou wert bo●● It would grieve your Parents to see you ca●●ried to the Gallows to be hanged: And will not much more grieve them, to see you ca●● Body and Soul, into everlasting Burn, the● to be tormented with the Devil and his Ang●● for ever. 2. Repent, for Christ hath encouraged y●● with many precious Promises: He will heal 〈◊〉 your back-slidings, and love you freely; thou● your Sins be as Mountains, he will make th●● as Mole Hills; though as red as Scarlet, he 〈◊〉 make them as white as Milk. But some will object, and say, This is a h●● work. What! shall we always go with Tears our Eyes? What will God give us for our 〈◊〉 ward? Ah, poor Sinner, fear not, do not quest●● your Reward: For as sure as God is true, so 〈◊〉 thou shalt have Christ, Heaven, and Glory, 〈◊〉 ●appy for ever. Sinners, methinks it should ●●e you to quake, to think how God will deal 〈◊〉 you at the great and dreadful day of Judg●●t, when he shall say, ' Take him Devils, ●●d him hand and foot, and fling him into ●●erlasting burn; where shall be weeping, ●●d wailing, and gnashing of Teeth. Oh, it is a ●●dful Sentence, to be adjudged to Everlasting 〈◊〉; and look for it Sinner, if thou wilt not re●●t, these are the Words that thou shalt hear ●●ist pronounce against thee, Depart from me, I 〈◊〉 you not. And thou may'st be sure (O Sinner) ●ou art not with Christ, thou must be with the ●●il, thou must be either in Heaven or Hell. 〈◊〉. Repent, because the Lord hath long wait●pon you: How long hath God stood at the ●●●rs of your Hearts, wooing and beseeching 〈◊〉 to Repent? How long (O thou proud Man Woman,) hath God called unto thee? How ●●n hath he knocked at your hard Hearts? 〈◊〉 you would not let him in. Oh, thou grey●●ded Sinner, God hath long waited on thee, ●●ay be, ever since thou was Fifteen or Sixteen ●●rs of Age, to see if thou wouldst repenr, 〈◊〉 2.4. Or despisest thou the Richesse of his ●●odness, and Forbearance, and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God ●deth thee to Repentance? There is not a ●●ssing that thou hast from God, but it hath 〈◊〉 writ upon it, Repent of thy Sins. Wilt thou ●●●k of this? when God puts the Bread into 〈◊〉 Hands, he saith unto thee, Sinner, Take this Bread, Eat, and Repent: And when God the Cup of Beer into thy Hands, he saith ●●thee, Sinner, take this Cup of Beer, and ●●pent: When thou risest in the Morning, saith unto thee, Sinner, take this Suit●● , put it on, and Repent: Every M●●● that thou receivest from God, calls to thee Repentance. 4. If you will Repent, and leave your S●●● God will not be angry with you. My belo●● you have heard the Parable of the Prodi●● Son, who when he had spent all, he return home to his Father's House: So, my Belo●● God is your Father, but you are Prodigals: the Sin you have committed against him, is prodigality. But let me tell you, if you are ●●●ling to come to God's Feet, he will take about the Neck: If you are willing to for●●● your sins, God is willing and ready to pa●● your Sins, though you have been a wicked, bellious, and sinful People; yet if you will 〈◊〉 to the Lord, he will turn to you. 5. Repent, because the Lord sendeth Messenger unto you, for to entreat you to ●●pent. Woe be unto you, therefore, if ●●neglect this great Salvation. You know, th●● was one main Reason why God took away Prophets and Ministers from Jerusalem, bec●●● they would not hearken to their Messenger as you may read, Mat: 23: 37: 38: 39 O ●●rusalem! Jerusalem! thou that killest the 〈◊〉 phets, & stonest them that were sent unto 〈◊〉 How often would I have gathered thy Children together, even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not? Behold, your Houses are left unto you ●esolat. For I say unto you, ye shall not ●●ee me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed ●●●s he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. ●●ay very well apply this to Edinburgh: Oh! ●●w often would the Lord have gathered you, ●●●en as a Hen gathereth her Chickens? but 〈◊〉 would not. What say you now, Scotland? 〈◊〉 Edinburgh! will you Repent? Or will you not? ●●ill not all this that hath been said, prevail ●●th you? Alas, I am hearty sorry, to see ●●at nothing will prevail with you, but the ●●ames of Hell! Oh, than you would say, Oh! we had but harkened unto the voice of God's ●●essengers, that were sent unto us, to call us 〈◊〉 Repentance. 6. O Scotland! Repent to day, and turn to ●●●e Lord: O delay not an Hour longer, time ●●●a precious Jewel, more worth than the whole ●orld, and if Time be once lost, there is no ●●gaining of it. O fall down upon your Knees, ●nd bless God that you have yet the Light of ●●e Gospel, and that you have time left to secure your Souls, and get an Interest in Jesus Christ. First, Consider how dreadful it will be to you, when you come to die, if you do not Re●ent and turn to the Lord, while you are in health. O how will you cry out, when your Hour of Death approaches, when you 〈◊〉 all the things of the Earth fail you, and 〈◊〉 their leaves of you for ever. All your out●●●● Enjoyments, Parts, Parentage, Birth, ●●●ding, Wealth, Crowns, Kingdoms, 〈◊〉 Diamonds, Houses, Lands, Wife, Child●●● and Friends, when once your Breath is gon●● these are gone, Prov: 27.24. Hear now 〈◊〉 you that are given to pleasure, that feast ●●●●selves in doing evil; you that put far from 〈◊〉 the Day of the Lord; you that say, It is 〈◊〉 enough to Repent, when we come to die. Fools, How do you know whether God give you Repentance then, or no? Sirs, I beseech you, Repent, while it is 〈◊〉 led to Day; for you know not whether 〈◊〉 shall live till to morrow. O consider with a trembling Heart, 〈◊〉 much depends upon this Repenting, and ●●●ing to God; namely the gaining or lo●ing 〈◊〉 dear and precious Soul, gaining or losing 〈◊〉 God's Favour, the Fruition of God, the 〈◊〉 of Heaven, or the Torments or Sorrows of 〈◊〉 depend upon it. Poor Souls, I pity you 〈◊〉 my very Heart, to see how ignorant you ar● 〈◊〉 so great Concernments; you Eat and D●●●● Sleep, Lie, Sell, and get Gain in the Wo●●● but little do you mind to accumulate Heave●●● Treasure, to get your sinking Souls safe a-ship You consider not the evil day: Woe be unto 〈◊〉 that is alone in Life, and alone in Death, 〈◊〉 has no Christ to befriend him, or stand by hi● 〈◊〉 day, that cometh to lie down in his Grave, ●●●hout Peace or Pardon, without hearty Con●●●●ion, without Repenting of his Sins: And ●●ll rise again, and stand at the Bar of God's ●●ice, without an Advocate to plead for him. 〈◊〉. And Lastly, Try your Repentance by 〈◊〉 word of God; see whether it be true Re●●●tance, or no; for the Devil hath many ●●●eats: search your own Hearts, to see whe●●●r those Sins you formerly loved, be now ●●ed and shunned by you. Make ready for the other World; think up●● the other World, think upon Death and ●●●gment: Death, that King of Terrors, will, 〈◊〉 long, terminate your Days, and then all 〈◊〉 Opportunities will be gone for ever. Let 〈◊〉 ask you, as in the presence of the Great ●●ge of Quick and Dead, at whose Tribunal 〈◊〉 must all shortly stand, and (giving an Ac●●●nt of your Deeds) be either received up in●● Heaven, or plunged into Hell. I have some ●●●ries to ask you. First, Are not they in a very happy Conditi●●●hat (Repenting) turns to the Lord with 〈◊〉 whole Hearts; living a Life of Grace, and 〈◊〉 preparing for Death, for fear of losing ●●●r own Souls, being in a hazard of losing ●●ven? Rom. 8.7. Ps. 37.37. ●●condly, Do you believe that Death will 〈◊〉, and that Sin, that cursed thing, will 〈◊〉, and that the Gaze of all impenitent Sin●●●● at the Hour of Death will be sad and terrible and desperate? Let me say to all 〈◊〉 there is not a Night you lie down in your but you run a very great hazard, if Death 〈◊〉 call, and you not ready, you must go, th●● you are ruined to all eternity, though y●● damned for ever, Mat. 25.10, 11, 12, Thirdly, Can you cheerfully entertain●● thoughts of Death, and Judgement, all hard hearted Sinners, that have not Repe●● Suppose the dreadful Judge should at th●●stant send Death with the Names of Five Six of you in a Writ, or Forehead, and 〈◊〉 should say, You, and you, this Man, and Woman, must go along with me; I ha●ceived a Command from the great and te●● God, who hath the Power of Death Hell, to bring you this Day, or Night, 〈◊〉 the Judgement Seat: I have often warne●● by sending my Deputies this Ten or T●●● Years. Every Grave, and Coffin you seen, was so many Imitations of my co●●● Now, saith Death, I am come, see my this Dart must kill thy Body, and send th●● into Eternity, I command you this mom●● bid adieu to this World, Luk. 12.19, 20. can you think of your dying, and the W●● burning, the Trumpets sounding, the Corpse raising, and standing at the 〈◊〉 God's Justice, and not fear and trembleth that have not Repent: you, So●● Daughters of Pleasure, did you consider●● horror and astonishment dogs you at the ●ich will inevitably come upon you, as Tra●●l on a Woman with Child, you would no 〈◊〉 unto God, depart. Fourthly, And lastly, Oh, what a kill 〈◊〉 amazing sight will Christ's coming in the ●●uds be, to all that either deny his coming, or ●●d not prepare for it by speed Repentance: ●●s Incarnation was terrible, Mat. 2: 3. His crucifixion was more terrible, Luk 13.44, 45, 〈◊〉 47, 48. But his judging the World at the ●●eat Day, will be most terrible, then shall the sibes of the Earth mourn, Mat: 24.30. And 〈◊〉 shall cry to the Rocks to fall on them, 〈◊〉 6.15.16. When they shall see so many ●●ousands, and Millions of Men and Women ●●gged down to that burning Lake of Fire and elmstone, there to be tormented for ever: How ●●l they then cry, Oh that we had Repent, ●●y will howl for vexation of Spirit, and in the ●●erness of their Souls wish that they had ne●● heard of a Christ; that they had been born ●●ong Heathens, or never had a Being, or en●●ed a Life of Pleasure upon Earth. How 〈◊〉 the wretched Sinner beat his Breast, pluck ●his Hair, tear his Bowels, crying when he is 〈◊〉 Hopes, Oh that I had now no Soul, or that 〈◊〉 immortal Soul were mortal, that I might not ●●ormented in these dreadful flames for ever: ●●ll, Sinner, you see what your Doom will be, ●ou do not Repent; but if you Repent un●●nedly, and be the Servants of the Lord, 〈◊〉 Saints and Mourners in Zion, lift up your Heads; and Hearts; for you belong to a●● Place, and a better Country, viz Moun●● and to the City of the Living God, the ●●venly Jerusalem, and to the innumerable pany of Angels the General Assembl● Church of the Firstborn, which are 〈◊〉 in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of 〈◊〉 to the Spirits of just Men made perfect to Jesus the Mediator of the New Co●● and to the Blood of Sprinkling, that sp●● better things than that of Abel, Heb. 〈◊〉 23, 24. And know that you are almos● within the hearing of those heavenly 〈◊〉 Eternal Triumphs, and Halleujahs of Sa●● glorious Angels in your Father's House, there shall be Fullness of Joy, and P●● for evermore, Ps. 16.11. As the Sinn● be afflicted with Everlasting Torments Saints shall be crowned with perpett●● dems of Joy. Consider what I have spoken, and 〈◊〉 give you understanding in all things, 〈◊〉 you, Nay: but except ye Repent, ye shall wise perish. FINIS.