From thc Library of
SIMEON E. BALDWIN, Y '6i
Gift of his children
HELEN BALDWIN GILMAN
ROGER SHERMAN BALDWIN, Y '90
1927

MAKIxXG. LIGHT OF CHRIST AHD SALVATION,
TOO OPT THB ISSUE OP GOSPEL INVlTiTlONfl t

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED

TO TCRN AND I.ITS t

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER;
UIS FASSINQ FBATEA, ESCOMMEXDINO BIS DIFABTINO SPIRIT TO CHKIBT,
TO BE RECEIVED BT HIH :

OP THE
SHEDDING ABROAD OF GOD'S LOVE
ON THE HEART BT TBE BOLT OH06T :

RICHARD BAXTER.

NEW YORK:
ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL ST
1848

M^c9
3535

TO THE READER.

Reader,
Being caUed on in London to preach, when I had no time
to study, I was fain to preach some sermons that I had
preached in the country a, Httle before. This was one,
which I preached at St Laurence, in the church where my
reverend and faithful brother in Christ, Mr Richard Vines,
is pastor : when i came home I was followed by such im
portunities by letters to print the sermon, that I have yield
ed thereunto, though I know not fuUy the ground of their de
sires. Seeing it must abroad, wiU the Lord but bless it to the
cure of thy contempt of Christ and grace, how comfortable
may thc occasion prove to thee and me ! It is the slighting of
Christ and salvation, that undoes the world. O happy man
if thou escape but this sin ! Thousands do split their souls
on this rock which they should build them on. Look into
the world, among rich and poor, high and low, young and
old, and see whether it appear not by the whole scope of
their conversations that they set more by something else
than Christ ? And for all the proclamations of his grace iu
the gospel, and our common professing ourselves to be his
disciples, and to believe the glorious things that he hath
promised us in another world, whether it yet appear not by
the deceitfulness of our service, by our heartless endeavours
to obtain his kingdom, and by our busy and delightful fol
lowing of the world, that the most who are called Christians
do yet in their hearts make light of Christ ; and if so, what
wonder if they perish by their contempt ? WUt thou but
soberly peruse this short discourse, and consider well as
thou readest of its truth and weight, till thy heart be sen-

* TO THE KKABER.
able what a sin it is to make light of Christ and thy own
salvation, and till the Lord that bought thee be advanced
iu the estimation and affections of thy soul, thou shalt here
by rejoice, and fulfil the desires of
Thy servant in the faith,
EICHAED BAXTER.

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION,
TOO OFT
THE ISSUE OF GOSPEL INVITATIONS.
" But they made light of it."— Matt. jjdl. 6.

The blessed Son of God, that thought it not enough to
die for tbe world, but would himself also be the preacher of
grace and salvation, doth comprise in this parable the sum
of his gospel. By the Mng that is here said to make the
marriage, is meant God the Father, that sent his Son into
the world to cleanse them irom their sins, and espouse them
to himself. By his Son, for whom the marriage is made, is
meant the Lord Jesus Christ, the etemal Son of God, who
took to his Godhead the nature of man, that he might be
capable of being their Redeemer when theyhad lost themselves
in sin. By the marriage is meant the conjunction of Christ
to the soul of sinners, when he giveth up himself to them to
be their Saviour, and they give up themselves to him as his
redeemed ones, to be saved and ruled by him ; the perfec
tion of which marriage wiU be at the day of judgment, when
the conjunction between the whole church and Christ shall
be solemnized. The word here translated marriage, rather
signifieth the marriage-feast ; and the meaning is, that the
world is invited by the gospel to come in and partake of
Christ and salvation, which comprehendeth both pardon,
justification, and right to salvation, and all other privileges

6 MAKING UGIIT OF CHEIST AXD SALVATION.
ofthe members of Christ. The invitation is God's offer of
Christ and salvation in the gospel ; the servants that invite
them are the preachers of the gospel, who are sent forth by
God to that end : the prep.iration for the feast there men
tioned, is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the enacting of a
law of grace, and opening a way for revolting sinners to re
tum to God. There is a mention of sending second mes
sengers, because God useth not to take the first denial, but
to exercise his patience tiU sinners are ob,stinate. The first
persons invited are the Jews ; upon their obstinate refusal
they are sentenced to punishment : and the gentiles are ui-
vited, and not only invited, but by powerful preaching, and
miracles, and effectual gTace, compelled ; that is, infallibly
prevailed with to come in. The number of tliem is so great
that the house is filled with guests : many come sincerely,
not only looking at the pleasure of the feast, that is, at the
pardon of sin, and deliverance from the wrath of God, but
also at the honour of the marriage, that is, ofthe Redeemer,
and their profession by giving up themselves to a holy con
versation : but some come in only for the feast, that is, jus
tification by Christ, having not the wedding-garment of
sound resolution for obedience in their Ufe, and looking only
at themselves in believing, and not to the glory of their
Redeemer ; and these ai-e sentenced to everlasting misery,
and speed as Ul as those that came not in at aU ; seeing a
faith that wiU not work is but like that of the devU ; and
they that look to be pardoned and saved by it are mistaken,
as James sheweth, chap. n. 24.
The words of my text contain a narration of the ill enter
tainment that the gospel findeth with many to whom it is
sent, even after a fii-st and second invitation. They made
light of it, and are taken up with other things. Though it
be the Jews that were first guUty, they have too many fol
lowers among us gentUes to this day.
The Doctrine ov the P^ss-'icr.. — For .ill the wonderful
love and mercy thai God haih manifested in givin" his Son
to be the Redeemer of the ivorld, and which the Son hath
manifested in redeeming them by his blood ; for aU his full

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 7
preparation by being a sufiicient sacrifice for thc sins of all ;
for aU his pei-sonal exceUencies, and that full and glorious
salvation that he hath procured ; and for all his free offers
of these, and fi-equent and earnest invitation of sinners ; yet
many do make light of aU this, and prefer their worldly
enjojTnents before it. Tho ordinary treatment of all these
offers, invitations, and benefits, is by contempt
Not -that ail do so, or that all continue to do so, who
were once guUty of it ; for God hath his chosen whom he
wiU compel to come in. But till the Spirit of grace over
power the dead and obstinate hearts of men, they hear the
gospel as a coinmon story, and the great matters contained
in it go not to the heart.
The method in which I shaU handle this doctrine is this.
I. I shaU shew you what it is that men make Ught of
n. AThat this sin of making Ught of it is.
m. The cause ofthe sin.
rv. The use of the doctrine.
I. The thing that carnal hearers make Ught of is,
1. The doctiine ofthe gospel itself, which they hear re-
gardlessly. 2. The benefits offered them therein: which
are, 1. Christ himself 2. The benefits which he giveth.
Conceming Christ himself, the gospel, 1. Declareth his
person and nature, and the great tiungs that he hath done
and suffered for man ; his redeeming him fi-om the wi-ath
of God by his blood, and procuring a grant of salvation
with himself Furthermore, the same gospel maketh an
offer of Christ to sinners, that if they wUl accept him on
his easy and reasonable terms, he wiU be their Saviour, thc
Physician of their souls, their Husband, and then- Head.
2. The benefits that he offereth them are these. 1. That
with these blessed relations to him, himself and mterest in
him, they shall have the pardon of aU their sins past, and
be saved fi-om God's wrath, and be set in a sure way of
obtaining a pardon for aU the sins that they shaU commit
hereafter, so they do but obey sincerely, and tum not again
to the rebeUion of their unregeneracy. 2. They shall have
the Spirit to become their Guide and Sanctifier, and to dweU

8 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
in their souls, and help them against their enemies, and con
form them more and more to his image, and heal their dis
eases, and bring them back to God. 3. They shaU have
right to everlasting glory when this life is ended, and shaU
be raised up thereto at the last ; besides many exceUent
privUeges in the way, in means, preservation, and provision,
and the foretaste of what they shaU enjoy hereafter: aU
these benefits the gospel offereth to them that wiU have
Christ on his reasonable terms. The sum of aU is in 1 John v.
11, 12, " This is the record, that God hath given us etemal
Ufe, and this life is in his Son : he that hath the Son hath
life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life."
n. What this sin of the making Ught of the gospel is.
1. To make Ught of the gospel is to take no great heed to
what is spoken, as if it were not a certain truth, or else
were a matter that Uttle concerned them ; or as if God had
not written these things for them. 2. When the gospel
doth not affect men, or go to their hearts ; but though they
seem to attend to what is said, yet men are not awakened
by it firom their security, nor doth it work in any measure
such holy passion in their souls, as matters of such everlast
ing consequence should do : tliis is making Ught of the
gospel of salvation. When we teU men what Christ hath
done and suffered for their souls, and it scarce moveth
them : we teU them of keen and cutting truths, but nothing
wUl pierce them : we can make them hear, but we cannot
make them feel ; our words take up in the porch of then-
ears and fancies, but wUl not enter into the inward parts ;
as if we spake to men that had no hearts or feeling : this is
a making Ught of Christ and salvation. Acts xxviu. 26,
27, " Hearing ye shall hear, and shaU not understand;
seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For the heart
of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are duU of
hearing, and their eyes have they closed," &c.
3. When men have no high estimation of Christ and
salvation, but whatsoever they may say with their tongues,
or dreamingly and speculatively beUeve, yet in their serious
and practical thoughts they have a higher estimation of the

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 9
matters of this world, than they have of Christ, and the
salvation that he hath pm-chased ; this is a making Ught of
him. When men account the doctrine of Christ to be but
a matter of words and names, as GalUo (Acts xviii. 4), or
as Festus (Acts xxv. 19), a superstitious matter about one
Jesus who was dead, and Paul saith is aUve ; or ask the
preachers ofthe gospel, as the Athenians, " What wUl this
babbler, say ? " Acts x™. 1 8 : this is contempt of Christ.
4. When men are informed of the truths of the gospel,
and on what terms Christ and his benefits may be had, and
how it is the wUl of God that they should beUeve and ac
cept the offer ; and that he commandeth to do it upon pain
of damnation ; and yet men wUl not consent, unless they
could have Christ on terms of then- own : they wUl not part
with their worldly contents, nor lay down their pleasures,
and profits, and honour at his feet, as being content to
take so much of them only as he wiU give them back, and as
is consistent with his wUl and interest, but think it is a hard
saying, that they must forsake aU in resolution for Christ :
this is a making Ught of him and their salvation. When
men might have part in him and aU his benefits if they
would, and they wUl not, unless they may keep the world
too ; and are resolved to please their flesh, whatever comes
of it ; this is a high contempt of Christ and everlasting Ufe.
In Matt. x1u. 21 ; Luke xviu. 23, you may find examples
of such as I here describe.
5. When menwiU promise fair, and profess their wUUng
ness to have Christ on his terms, and to forsake aU for him,
but yet do stick to the world and their sinful courses ; and
when it comes to practice, trill not be removed by aU that
Christ hath done and said ; this is mtiking Ught of Christ
and salvation, Jer. xUi. 5, compared vrith xliii. 2.
in. The causes of this sin are tho next thing to be in
quired after. It may seem a wonder that ever men, that
have the use of their reason, should be so sottish as to make
Ught of matters of such consequence. But the cause is,
1. Some men tmderstand not the very sense of the words
of the gospel when they hear them ; and how can they

10 MAKING LIGHT OF CIIRIST AND SALVATION.
be taken mth that which they understand not ? Though
we speak to them in plain EngUsh, and study to speak it as
plain as we can, yet people have so estranged themselves
fi-om God, and the matters of their own happiness, that they
know not what we say ; as if we spoke in another language,
and as if they were under that judgment, Isa. xxviii. 11,
" With stammering Ups, and witii another tongue, wiU he
speak to this people."
2. Some that do understand the words that we speak,
yet because they are camal, understand not the matter.
" For the natm-al man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiri
tuaUy discerned," 1 Cor. ii. il. They hto eaithly, and
these things are heavenly, John in. 12. These things of
the Spuit are not well known by bare hearsay, but by spiri
tual taste, whioh none have but those that are taught by the
Holy Ghost (1 Cor. u. 12), that we may know the things
that are given us of God.
3 . A carnal man apprehendeth not a suitableness in these
sphitual and heavenly things to his mind, and therefore he
se*,s Igl.t bj ihem, and hath no mind of them. When vou
teil Lim uf eveilttstlixg glory, he ueiueai /uu as n ;-jo; ntre
persuading him to go play with the sun ; tney are matters
of another world, and out of his element ; and therefore he
hath no more deUght in them than a fish would have to be
in the fairest meadow, or than a swine hath in a jewel, or a
dog in a piece of gold : they may be good to others, but he
cannot apprehend them as suitable to him, because he hath
a natm-e that is otherwise incUned : he savoureth not the
things ofthe Spirit, Rom. viii. 5
4. The main cause of the sUghting of Christ and salva
tion is, a secret root of unbeUef in men's hearts. AMiatso-
ever they may pretend, they do not soundly and thoroughly
beUeve the word of God : they are taught in general to say
the gospel is true ; but they never saw the evidence of its
truth so fiir, as thoroughly to persuade them of it ; nor have
they got their souls settled on the infaUibUity of God's tes
timony, nor considered of the truth of the particular doc-

JLiVKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION. 1 1
h-ines revealed in the Scripture, so fiir as soundly to beUeve
them. Oh did you aU but soundly beUeve the words of this
gospel, of the evU of sm, of the need of Christ, and what he
hath done for you, and what you must be and do if ever
you ^riU be saved by hun ; and what wUl become of you for
ever if you do it not ; I dare say it would cure the con
tempt of Chiist, and you would not make so Ught of the
matters of your salvation. But men do not beUeve whUe
they say they do, and would face us down that they do, and
veiily think that they do themselves. There is a root of
bitterness, and an e\il heart of unbeUef, that make them
depart fi-om the U\ing God, Heb. u. 12 ; iv. 1, 2, 6. TeU
any man in this congi-egation that he shaU have a gift of
ten thousand pounds, if he wiU but go to London for it ; if
he beUeve you, he wiU go ; but if he beUeve not, he wUl
not ; and if he wiU not go, you may be sure he beUeveth
not, supposing that he is able. I know a sUght beUef may
stand with a wicked life ; such as men have of the truth of
a prognostication, it may be true, and it may be false ; but
a true and sound beUef is not consistent with so great ne
glect of the things that are beUeved.
5. Chiist and salvation are made Ught of by the world,
because of their desperate hardness of heart. The heart is
hai-d naturaUy, and by custom in sinning made more hard,
especiaUy by long abuse of mercy, and neglect of the means
of grace, and resisting the Spirit of God. Hence it is that
men are turned into such stones : and tiU God cure them of
the stone of the heart, no wonder if they feel not what they
know, or regard not what we say, but make Ught of all :
it is hard preaching a stone into tears, or making a rock to
tremble. You may stand over a dead body long enough,
and say to it, 0 thou carcass, when thou hast lain rotting
and mouldered to dust tUl the resurrection, God -wUl then
caU thee to account for thy sin, and cast thee into everlast
ing fire, before you can make it feel what we say, or fear
the misery that is never so truly threatened : when men's
hearts are Uke the highway that is trodden to hardness by
long custom in sinning, or Uke the clay that is hardened to

12 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
a Stone by the heat of those mercies that should have melted
them into repentance ; when they have consciences seared
with a hot iron, as the apostle speaks (1 Tim. iv. 2), no
wonder then if they be past feeUng, and working aU unclean
ness with greediness do make Ught of Christ and everlasting
glory. Oh that this were not the case of too many of our
hearers ! Had we but living souls to speak to, they would
hear, and feel, and not make Ught of what we say. I know
they are naturaUy aUve, but they are spirituaUy dead, as
Scripture witnesseth, Eph. u. 3. Oh if there were but
one spark of the life of grace in them, the doctrine of
salvation by Jesus Christ would appear to them to be the
weightiest business in the world ! Oh how confident should
I be, methinks, to prevaU with men, and to take them ofl
this world, and bring them to mind the matters of another
world, if I spake but to men that had Ufe, and sense, and
reason ! But when we speak to blocks and dead men, how
should we be regarded ? Oh how sad a case are these souls
in, that are faUen under this fearfiU judgment of spiritual
madness and deadness ! to have a blind mind, and a hard
heart, to be sottish and senseless (Mark iv. 12 ; John xii.
40), lest they should be converted, and their sin should be
forgiven them.
6. Christ and salvation are made Ught of by the world,
because they are whoUy enslaved to their sense, and taken
up with lower things : the matters of another world are out
of sight, and so far fi-om their senses, that they cannot re
gard them ; but present things are nearer them, in their
eyes, and in their hands. There must be a Uving faith to
prevaU over sense, before men can be so taken -with things
that are not seen, though they have the word of God for
their security, as to neglect and let go things that are stiU
before their eyes. Sense works with great advantage, and
therefore doth much in resisting faith where it is ; no won
der then if it carry aU before it, where there is no true
and Uvely faith to resist, and to lead the soul to higher
things. This cause of making Ught of Christ and salvation
is expressed here in my text : one went to his farm, and

MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION 13
another to his merchandise : men have houses and lands to
look after ; they have wife and chUdren to mind ; they have
their body and outward estate to regard ; therefore they
forget that they have a God, a Redeemer, a soul to mind :
these matters of the world are stiU -irith them. They see
these, but they see not God, nor Chi-ist, nor theu- souls,
nor everlasting glory. These things are near at hand, and
therefore work naturaUy, and so work forcibly; but the
others are thought on as a great way off, and therefore too
distant to work on their affections, or be at the present so
much regarded by them. Their body hath Ufe and sense,
therefore if they want meat, or drink, or clothes, wUl feel
their want, and teU them of it, and give them no rest tUl
their wants be suppUed, and therefore they cannot make
Ught of then- bodily necessities ; but their souls in spiritual
respects are dead, and therefore feel not their wants, but
wiu let them alone in their greatest necessities ; and be as
quiet when they are starved and languishing to destruction,
as if aU were weU, and nothing aUed them. And here
upon poor people are whoUy taken up in proriding for the
body, as if they had nothing else to mind. They have their
trades and callings to foUow, and so much to do firom mom
ing to night, that they can find no time for matters of salva
tion : Christ would teach them, but they have no leisure to
hoar him : the Bible is before them, but they cannot have
time to read it ; a minister is in the town with them, but
they cannot have time to go to enquire of him what they
should do to be saved : and when they do hear, their hearts
are so fuU of the world, and carried away with these lower
matters, that they cannot mind the things which they hear.
They are so fuU of the thoughts, and desires, and cares of
this world, that there is no room to pour into them the
water of Ufe. The cares of the world do choke the word,
and make it become uniruitfiil. Matt. xin. 32. Men cannot
serve two masters, God and mammon ; but they wiU lean
to the one, and despise the other, Matt. ri. 24. He that
loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 1
Jolm ii. 15, 16. Men cannot choose but set Ught by Christ

14 MAICING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION.
and salvation, whUe they set so much by any thmg on
earth'. It is that which is highly esteemed among men that
is abominable in the sight of God, Luke xri. 15. Oh, this
is the ruin of many thousand souls ! It would grieve the
heart of any honest Christian to see how eagerly this vain
world is foUowed every where, and how Uttle men set by
Christ and the world to come ; to compare the care that
men have for the world, -srith the caro of their souls ; and
the time th.at they lay out on the world, with that tune they
lay out for their salvation : to see how the world fiUs their
mouths, their hands, then- houses, their hearts, and Christ
hath Uttle more than a bare title : to come into their com
pany, and hear no discourse but of the world ; to come in
to their houses, and hear and see nothing but for the world,
as if this world would last for ever, or would piu-chase them
another, "\\1ien I ask sometimes the ministers of the gospel
how their labours succeed, they tell me, People continue
stUl the same, and give up themselves whoUy to the world ;
so that they mind not what ministers say to them, nor wUl
give any fuU entertainment to the word, and aU because of
the deluding world : and O that too many ministers them
selves did not make Ught of that Christ whom they proach,
being draivn away with the love of this world ! In a word,
men of a worldly disposition do judge of things according to
worldly advantages, therefore Christ is sUghted ; " He is
despised and rejected of men, they hide their faces firom
him, and esteem him not, as seeing no beauty or comeliness
in him, that they should desire him," Isa. lui. 3.
7. Christ and salvation are made light of, because men
do not soberly consider of the truth and weight of these ne
cessary things. They suffer not their minds so long tb
dweU upon them, tUl they procure a due esteem, and deeply
affect their heart ; did they beUeve them and not consider
of them, how should they work ! Oh when men have rea
son given them to tiiink and consider of the things that most
concern them, and yet they wUl not use it, this causeth their
contempt. 8. Christ and salvation are made Ught of, because men

JIAKLNG LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 15
were never sensible of then- sin and misery, and extreme
necessity of Christ and his salv.ition ; their eyes were never
opened to see themselves as they are ; nor their hearts
soundly humbled in the sense of their condition : if this were
done, they woidd soon be brought to value a Saviom- : a
truly broken heart can no more make Ught of Christ and
salvation, than a hungry man of his food, or a sick man of
the means that would give him ease ; but tiU then our words
cannot have access to their hearts : whUe sin and misery are
made Ught of, Christ and salvation wiU be made Ught of;
but when these are perceived an intolerable burden, then
nothing wiU serve the tum but Christ. TUl men be truly
humbled, they can venture Chiist and salvation for a lust,
for a Uttie worldly gain, even for less than nothing : but
when God hath iUuminated them, and broken their hearts,
then they would give a world for a Chiist ; then they must
have Christ or they die ; all things then ai-e loss and dung
to them in regard of the exceUent knowledge of Chiist,
PhU. in. 8. AMien they are once pricked in their hearts
for sin and misery, then they cry out, " Men and brethren,
what shall we do?" Acts u. 37. When they are awakened
by God's judgments, as the poor jaUer, then they cry out,
" Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?" Acts xri. 30. Tliis
is the reason why God wiU biing men so low by humiUa
tion, before he brings them to salvation.
9. Men take occasion to make Ught of Christ by the
commonness of the gospel ; because they do hear of it every
day, the fi-equency is an occasion to duU their affections ; I
say, an occasion, for it is no just cause. Were it a rarity
it might take more with them ; but now, if they hear a mi
nister preach nothing but these saving truths, they say, We
have these every day : they mako not light of their bread or
drink, their health or Ufe, because they possess them every
day ; they make not Ught of the sun because it shineth
every day ; at least they should not, for the mercy is the
greater ; but Christ and salvation are made Ught of because
they hear of them often ; this is, say they, a good, plain,
dry sermon. Pearls are trod into the dirt where they are

16 MAKING LIGHT OF CIIRIST AND SALVATION.
common : they loathe this dry manna : " The fuU soul
loathes the honey-comb ; but to the hungry every bitter
tiling is sweet," Prov. xxrii. 7.
10. Christ and salvation are made light of, because of
this disjunctive presumption ; either that he is sure enough
theirs already, aud* God that is so merciful, aud Christ that
hath suffered so much for them, is surely resolved to save
them, or else it may easUy be obtained at any time, if it be
not yet so. A conceited faciUty to have a part in Chiist
and salvation at any time doth occasion men to make Ught
of them. It is true, that grace is free, and the offer is uni
versal, according to the extent of the preaching of the
gospel ; and it is true, that men may have Christ when they
wiu ; that is, when they are wUUng to have him on his
terms ; but he that hath promised thee Christ if thou be
¦wUling, hath not promised to make thee wiUing : and if thou
art not willing now, how canst thou think thou shalt be
willing hereafter ? If thou canst make thine own heart wiU
ing, why is it not done now ? Can you do it better when
siu hath more hardened it, and God may have given thee
over to thyself? 0 sinners ! you might do much, though
you are not able of yourselves to come in, if you would now
subject yourselves to the working of tho Spirit, and set in
whUe the gales of grace continue. But did you know what
a hard and impossible thing it is to be so much as wiUing
to have Christ and grace, when the heart is given over to
itself, and the Spirit hath withdrawn its former inritations,
you would not be so confident of your own strength to be
Ueve and repent ; nor would you make Ught of Christ upon
such fooUsh confidence. If indeed it be so easy a matter
as you imagine, for a sinner to beUeve and repent at any
time, how comes it to pass that it is done by so few ; but
most of the world do perish in their impenitency when they
have aU the helps and means that we can afford them ? It
is true, the thing is very reasonable and easy in itself to a
pure nature ; but whUe man is blind and dead, these things
are iu a sort impossible to him, which are never so easy to
others. It is the easiest and sweetest life in the world to a

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 17
gracious soul to Uve in the love of God, and the deUghtful
thoughts of the life to come, where aU their hope and hap
piness Ueth : but to a worldly, camal heart, it is as easy to
remove a moimtain as to bring them to this. However,
these men are their own condemnors ; for if they think it so
easy a matter to repent and beUeve, and so to havo Christ,
and right to salvation, then have they no excuse for neglect
ing this which they thought so easy. O -wretched, impeni
tent soul ! what mean you to say when God shaU ask you.
Why did you not repent and love your Redeemer above the
world, when you thought it so easy that you could do it at
any time ?
IV. Use 1. AVe come now to the appUcation : and hence
you may be informed of the blindness and folly of aU camal
men. How contemptible are their judgments that think
Christ and salvation contemptible ! And how Uttle reason
there is why any shoiUd be moved by them, or discouraged
by any of their scorns or contradictions !
How shall we sooner know a man to be a fool, than if
he know no difference between dung and gold? Is there
such a thing as madness in the wcJrld, if that man be not
mad that sets Ught by Christ, and his own salvation, whUe
he daily toUs for the dung of the earth ? And yet what
pity is it to see that a company of poor, ignorant souls -srill
be ashamed of godliness, if such men as these do but deride
them ! or -wUl think hardly of a holy life, if such as these
do speak against it ! Hearers, if you see any set Ught by
Christ and salvation, do you set Ught by that man's wit,
and by his words, and hear the reproaches of a holy Ufe as
you would hear the words of a madman, not with regard,
but with a compassion of his miser)'.
Use 2. AVhat wonder if we and our preaching be de
spised, and the best ministers complain of Ul success, when
the ministry of the apostles themselves did succeed no bet
ter ? AVhat wonder if, for all that we can say or do, our
hearers stUl set Ught by Christ and their own salvation,
when the apostles' hearers did the same? They that did
second their doctrine by miracles, if any men could have

18 MAKING LIGHT 0» OHEIST AND SALVATION.
shaken and tom in pieces the hearts of sinners, they could
have done it ; if any could have laid them at their feet, and
made them aU cry out as some, " AVhat shall we do?" it
would have beeh they. Vou may see then that it is not
merely for want of good preachers that men make Ught of
Christ and salvation. The first news of such a thing as the
pardon of sin, and the hopes of glory, and the danger of
everlasting misery, would tm-n the hearts of men within
them, if they were as tractable m spiritual matters as in
temporal : but, alas, it is far otherwise. It must not seem
any strange thing, nor must it too much discourage the
preachers of the gospel, if, when they have said aU that they
can derise to say, to win the hearts of men to Christ, the
most do stUl slight him ; and whUe they bow the knee to
him, and honour him with their Ups, do yet set so Ught by
him in their hearts, as to prefer every fleshly pleasure or
commodity before him. It wUl be thus with many : let us
be glad that it is not thus with aU.
Use 3. But for closer appUcation, seeing this is the great
condemning sin, before wo mqnire after it into the hearts of
our hearers, it beseems us to begin at home, and see that
we, who are preachers of the gospel, be not guUty of it our
selves. The Lord forbid that they that have undertaken
the sacred office of revealing the exceUenciesof Christ to the
world, should make Ught of him themselves, and slight that
salvation which they do daUy preach. The Lord knows we
are aU of us so low in our estimation of Christ, and do this
great work so negUgently, that we have cause to be ashamed
of our best sermons ; but should this sin prevaU in us, we
were the most miserable of aU men. Bretiiren, I love not
censoriousness ; yet dare not befriend so rile a sin in myself or
others, under pretence of avoiding if : especiaUy when there
is so great necessity that it should be healed first in them
that make it their work to heal it in others. Oh that there
were no cause to complain that Christ and salvation are
made Ught of by the preachers of it ! But, 1. Do not the
negUgent studies of some speak it out ? 2. Doth not their
dead and drowsy preaching declare it ? Do not they make

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 19
Ught of the doctrine they preach, that do it as if they were
half asleep, and feel not what thoy spe.ik themselves ?
3. Doth not the carelessness of some men's private en
deavours discover it? AVhat do they for souls? How
sUghtiy do they reprove sin ! How little do they when
they are out of the pulpit for the saving of men's souls !
4. Doth not the continued neglect of those things wherein
the interest of Christ consisteth discover it? 1. The
church's purity and reformation. 2. Its unity.
5. Do not the covetous and worldly Uves of too many
discover it, losing advantages for men's souls for a Uttle gain
to themselves ? And most of this is because men are preach
ers before they are Christians, and teU men of that which
they never felt themselves. Of aU men on earth there are
few that are in so sad a condition as such ministers : and if,
indeed, they do beUeve that Scripture which they preach,
methinks it should be terrible to them in theu- studying
and preaching it.
Use 4. Beloved hearers, the office that God hath caUed
us to, is by declaring the glory of his grace, to help under
Christ to the saving of men's souls. I hope you think not
that I come hither to-day on any other errand. The Lord
knows I had not set a foot out of doors but in hope to suc
ceed in this work for your souls. I have considered, and
often considered, what is the matter that so many thousands
should perish when God hath done so much for their salva
tion ; and I find this that is mentioned in my text is the
cause. It is one of the wonders of the world, that when
God hath so loved the world as to send his Son, and Christ
hath made a satisfaction by his death sufficient for them aU,
and offereth the benefits of it so freely to them, even with
out money or price, that yet the most of the world should
perish ; yea, the most of those that are thus caUed by his
word ! AVhy, here is the reason, when Christ hath done
aU this, men make Ught of it. God hath shewed that he is
not unwilling ; and Christ hath shewed that he is not un
willing that men should be restored to God's favour and
be saved ; but men are actuaUy un-wUling themselves. God

20 MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION.
takes not pleasure in the death of sinners, but rather that
they retum and Uve, Ezek. xxxiu. 11. But men take such
pleasure in sin, that they wUl die before they wUl retum.
The Lord Jesus was content to be their Physician, and hath
prorided them a sufficient plaster of his own blood : but if
men make Ught of it, and wUl not apply it, what wonder if
they perish after aU? This Scripture giveth us the reason
of their perdition. This, sad experience teUs us, the most of
the world is guUty of. It is a most lamentable thing to see
how most men do spend their care, their time, their pains,
for known vanities, whUe God and glory are cast aside ;
that he who is aU should seem to them as nothing, and that
which is nothing should seem to them as good as all ; that
God should set mankind in such a race where heaven or hell
is their certain end, and that they should sit down, and
loiter, or run after the chUdish toys of the world, and so
much forget the prize that they should run for. Were it
but possible for one of us to see the whole of this business
as the all-seeing God doth ; to see at one riew both heaven
and heU, whioh men are so near ; and see what most men
in the world are minding, and what they are doing every
day, it would be the saddest sight that could be imagined.
Oh how should we marvel at their madness, and lament
their self-delusion ! Oh poor distracted world ! what is it
you run after ? and what is it that you neglect ? If God
had never told them what they were sent into the world to
do, or whither they were going, or what was before them
in another world, then they had been excusable ; but he
hath told them over and over, tUl they were weary of it.
Had he left it doubtful, there had been some excuse ; but
it is his sealed word, and they profess to beUeve it, and
would take it Ul of us if we should question whether they
do beUeve it or not.
Beloved, I come not to accuse any of you particularly of
this crime ; but seeing it is the commonest cause of men's
destruction, I suppose you -wUl judge it the fittest matter for
our inquiry, and deserving our greatest care for the cure.
To which end I shaU, 1. Endeavour the conriction of the

MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION 21
guUty. 2. Shall give them such considerations as may
tend to humble and reform them. 3. I shall conclude
with such du-ection as may help them that are wiUing to
escape the destroying power of this sin. And for the first,
consider, 1. It is the case of most sinners to think themselves
fi:«est fi:om those sins that they are most enslaved to ; and ono
reason why we cannot reform them, is because we cannot
convince them of their guUt. It is the nature of sin so far
to blind and befool the sinner, that he knoweth not what
he doth, but thinketh he is fi-ee fi-om it when it reigneth
in him, or when he is committing it : it bringeth men to be
so much unacquainted trith themselves, that they know not
what they think, or what they mean and intend, nor what
they love or hate, much less what they are habituated and
disposed to. They are aUve to sin, and dead to all the
reason, consideration, and resolution that should recover
them, as if it were only by their sinning that we must know
they are alive. May I hope that you that hear me to-day
are but willing to know the truth of your case, and then I
shaU be encouraged to proceed to an inquiry. God wUl
judge impartiaUy ; why should not we do so ? Let me,
therefore, by these foUowing questions, try whether none of
you are sUghters of Christ and your own salvation. And
foUow me, I beseech you, by putting them close to your
own hearts, and faithfuUy answering them.
1. Things that men highly value wiU be remembered,
they iriU be matter of their freest and sweetest thoughts.
This is a known case.
Do not those then make Ught of Christ and salvation that
think of them so seldom and coldly in comparison of other
things ? FoUow thy own heart, man, and observe what it
daUy runneth after ; and then judge whether it make not
Ught of Christ.
We cannot persuade men to one hour's sober considera
tion what they should do for an interest in Christ, or in
thankfulness for his love, and yet they wUl not beUeve that
they make Ught of him.

22 M,\KING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
2. Things that we highly value wUl be matter of our dis
course ; the judgment and heart wUl command the tongue.
Freely and deUghtfuUy -sriU our speech run after them.
This also is a known case.
Do not those then make light of Christ and salvation,
that shun the mention of liis name, unless it be in a vain or
sinfiil use? Those that love not the company where
Christ and salvation is much taU^ed of, but think it trouble
some, precise discourse : that had rather hear some nieiTy
jests, or idle tales, or talk of their riches or business in the
world. AATien you may follow them from morning to night.
and scarce have a savoury word of Christ ; but perhaps
some sUght and weary mention of him sometimes; judge
whether these make not Ught of Christ and salvation. How
seriously do they talk of the world (Psal. cxUv. 8, 11) and
speak vanity ! but how heartlessly do they make mention of
Christ and salvation !
3. The things that we highly value we would secure the
possession of, and therefore would take any convenient
course to have all doubts and fears about them weU resol
ved. Do not those men then make Ught of Christ and sal
vation that have lived twenty or thirty years in uncertainty
whether they have any part in these or not, and yet never
seek out for the right resolution of their doubts? Are all
that hear me this day certain they shaU be saved ? Oh
that they were ! Oh, had you not made Ught of salvation,
you could not so easUy bear such doubtings of it ; you could
not rest tUl you had made it sure, or done your best to
make it sure. Have you nobody, to inquire of, that might
help you in such a work ? AA'liy, you have ministers that
are purposely appointed to that office. Have you gone to
them, and told them the doubtfulness of your case, and
asked their help in the judging of yom- condition ? Alas,
ministers may sit in then- studies fi-om one year to another
before ten persons among a thousand ivUl come to them
on such an errand ! Do not these make Ught of Christ
and salvation ? When the gospel pierceth the heart indeed,
they cry out, " Men and brethren, what shall we do to be

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 23
saved?" Acts xri. 30. Trembling and astonished, Paul
cries out, " Lord, what wUt thou have me to do ? " Acts
ix. 6. And so did the convinced Jews to Peter, Acts U.
37. But when hear we such questions?
4. The things that we value do deeply affect us, and some
motions wUl be in the heart according to our estimation of
them. O sirs, if men made not Ught of these things, what
working would there be in the hearts of aU our hearers !
AATiat strange affections would it raise in them to hear of
the matters of the world to come ! How would their hearts
melt before the power of the gospel ! Wliat sorrow would
be wrought in the discovei-y of their sins ! AAHiat astonish
ment at the consideration of their misery ! AVhat unspeak
able joy at the glad tidings of salvation by the blood of
Christ ! What resolution would be raised in them upon the
discovei-y of their duty ! Oh what hearers should we have,
if it were not for this sin ! AATiereas now we are Uker to
weary them, or preach them asleep with matters of this un
speakable moment. AA'e talk to them of Christ and salva
tion tiU we make their heads ache : Uttle would one think
by their careless carriage that thej' heard and regarded what
we said, or thought we spoke at all to them.
5. Our estimation of things wiU be seen in the diUgence
of our endeavours. That which we highUest value, we shaU
think no pains too great to obtain. Do not those men then
make Ught of Christ and salvation, that think all too much
that they do for them ; that murmur at his service, and
think it too grievous for them to endure ? that ask of his
serrice as Judas of the ointment, AVhat need this waste ?
Caimot men be saved without so much ado ? This is more
ado than needs. For the world they wiU labour all the
day, and aU their Uves ; but for Christ and salvation they
are afi-aid of doing too much. Let us preach to them as
long as we wiU, we cannot bring them to reUsh or resolve
upon a Ufe of holiness. FoUow them to their houses, and
you shaU not hear them read a chapter, nor caU upon God
with their families once a day : nor wiU they aUow him that
one day in seven which he hath separated to his serrice.

24 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
But pleasure, or worldly business, or idleness, must have a
part. And many of them are so far hardened as to reproach
them that wUl not be as mad as themselves. And is not
Christ worth the seeking ? Is not everlastmg salvation
worth more than aU this ? Doth not that soul make light
of all these, that thinks his ease more worth than they ?
Let but common sense judge.
6. That which we most highly value, we think we cannot
buy too dear : Christ and salvation are fi-eely given, and
yet the most of men go without them, because they cannot
enjoy the world and them together. They are called but
to part with that which would hinder them fi-om Christ, and
they wUl not do it. They are caUed but to give God his
own, and to resign all to his wiU, and let go the profits and
pleasures of this world, when they must let go either Christ
or them, and they wiU not. They think this too dear a
bargain, and say they cannot spare these things : they
must hold their credit with men ; they must look to theu-
estates : how shaU they Uve else ? They must have then-
pleasure, whatsoever becomes of Christ and salvation : as if
they could Uve without Christ better than without these : as
if they were afi-aid of being losers by Christ, or could make
a saring match by losing their souls to gain the world.
Christ hath told us over and over, that if we wiU not for
sake aU for him we cannot be his disciples. Matt. x. Far
are these men from forsaking all, and yet wiU needs think
that they are his disciples indeed.
7. That which men highly esteem, they would help their
friends to as weU as themselves. Do not those men make
Ught of Christ and salvation, that can take so much care
to leave their children portions in the world, and do so Uttle
to help them to heaven ? that proride outward neces
saries so carefuUy for their famiUes, but do so Uttle to
the saving of their souls? Their neglected chUdren and
fiiends wUl witness, that either Christ, or their chUdren's
souls, or both, were made light of.
8. That which men highly esteem, they wiU so dUigently
seek after, that you may see it in the success, if it be a

MAKING UGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION. 25
matter within their reach. You may see how many make
light of Christ, by the Uttie knowledge they have of him,
and the Uttle communion with him, and communication
from him ; and the little, yea, none of his special gi-ace in
them. Alas ! how many ministers can speaJi it to the sor
row of their hearts, that many of their people know almost
nothing of Christ, though they hear of him daUy ! Nor
know they what they must do to be saved : if we ask them
an account of these things, they answer as if they under
stood not what we say to them, and teU us they are no
scholars, and therefore think they are excusable for their
ignorance. Oh if these men had not made light of Christ
and their salvation, but had bestowed but half as much pains
to know and enjoy him as they have done to understand
the matters of their trades and callings in the world, they
would not have been so ignorant as they are : they make
Ught of these things, and therefore wUl not be at the pains
to study or leam them. AATien men that can learn the
- hardest trade in a few years, have not leamed a catechism,
nor how to understand their creed, under twenty or thirty
years' preaching, nor can abide to be questioned about such
things ; doth not this shew that they have sUghted them in
their hearts ? How wiU these despisers of Christ and sal
vation be able one day to look him in the face, and to trive
an account of these neglects ?
Thus much I have spoken in order to your conviction.
Do not some of your consciences by this time smite you,
and say, I am the man that have made Ught of my salva
tion ? If they do not, it is because you make Ught of it
stUl, for all that is said to you. But because, if it be the
wiu of the Lord, I would fain have this damning distemper
cured, and am loth to leave you in such a desperate condi
tion, if I knew how to remedy it, I wUl give you some con
siderations, which may move you, if you be men of reason
and understanding, to look better about you ; and I be
seech you to weigh them, and make use of them as we go,
and lay open your hearts to the work of grace, and sadly

26 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
bethink you what a case you are in, if you prove such as
make light of Christ.
Consider, 1. Thou makest Ught of him that made not
Ught of thee who didst deserve it. Thou wast worthy of no
thing but contempt. As a man, what art thou but a worm
to God ? As a sinner, thou art far -riler than a toad : yet
Christ was so far from making light of thee and thy happi
ness, that he came down into the flesh, and Uved a Ufe of
suffering, and offered himself a sacrifice to the justice which
thou hadst provoked, that thy miserable soul might have a
remedy. It is no less than miracles of love and mercy, that
he hath shewed to us : and yet shall we sUght them after aU ?
Angels admire them, whom they less concem (1 Pet. i.
12), and shall redeemed sinners make Ught of them?
What barbarous, yea, deriUsh, yea, worse than deviUsh in
gratitude is this ! The derils never had a sariour offered
them, but thou hast, and dost thou yet make Ught of Hun ?
2. Consider, the work of man's salvation by Jesus
Christ is the master-piece of aU the works of God, wherein -
he would have his love and mercy to be magnified. As the
creation declareth his goodness and power, so doth redemp
tion his goodness and mercy ; he hath contrived the very
fi-ame of his worship so, that it shaU much consist in the
magnifying of this work ; and after aU this, wUl you make
light ofit? " His name is AVonderful," Isa. ix. 6. " He
did the work that none could do," John xv. 24. " Greater
love could none shew than his," John xv. 13. How great
was the eril and misery that he deUvered us from ! the good
procured for us ! All are wonders, from his birth to his ascen
sion ; fi-om our new birth to our glorification, all are won
ders of matchless mercy — and yet do you make light of
them? 3 . You make Ught of matters of greatest excellency and
moment in the world : you know not what it is that you
sUght : had you well known, you could not have done it.
As Christ said to the woman of Samaria (John iv. 10),
Hadst thou known who it is that speakest to thee, thou

MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION. 27
wouldst have asked of him the waters of Ufe: had they
known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1
Cor. ii. 8. So had you known what Chiist is, you would
not have made Ught of him ; had you been one day in
heaven, and but seen what they possess, and seen also what
miserable souls must endure that are shut out, you would
never sure have made so Ught of Christ again.
O sirs, it is no trifles or jesting matters that the gospel
speaks of. I must needs profess to you, that wheu I have
the most serious thoughts of these things myself, I am ready
to marvel that such amazing matters do not overwhelm tho
souls of men ; that the greatness of the subject doth not so
overmatch our understandings and affections, as even to
drive men beside themselves, but that God hath always
somewhat aUayed it by the distance : much more that men
should be so blockish as to make light of them. O Lord,
that men did but know what everlasting glory and ever
lasting torments are ; would they then hear us as they do ?
would they read and think of these things as they do?
I profess I have been ready to wonder, when I have heard
such weighty things deUvered, how people can forbear cry
ing out in the congregation ; much more how they can rest
tiU they have gone to their ministers, and leamed what they
should do to be saved, that this greaf'business might be put
out of doubt. Oh that heaven and hell should work no
more on men ! Oh that everlastingness should work no
more ! Oh how can you forbear when you are alone to
think with yourselves what it is to be everlastingly in joy or
in torment ! I wonder that such thoughts do not break your
sleep ; and that they come not in your mind when you are
about your labour ! I wonder how you can almost do any
thing else ! how you can have any quietness in your minds !
how you can eat, or drink, or rest, tUl you have got some
ground of everlasting consolations ! Is that a man or a corpse
that is not affected with matters of this moment ? that can
be readier to sleep than to tremble when he heareth how he
must stand at the bar of God ? Is that a man or a clod of
clay that cat rise and Ue down without being deeply

28 MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION.
affected with his everlasting estate? that can foUow his
worldly business, and make nothing of the great business of
salvation or damnation ; and that when they know it is
hard at hand 1 Truly, su-s, when I thmk ofthe weight ofthe
matter, I wonder at the very best of God's saints upon
earth that they are no better, and do no more in so weighty
a case. I wonder at those whom the world accounteth more
holy than needs, and scorns for making too much ado, that
they can put off Christ and their soiUs with so Uttle ; that
they pom- not out their souls in every suppUcation ; that
they are not more taken up with God ; that their thoughts
be not more serious in preparation for their account. I
wonder that they be not a hundred times more strict in
their Uves, and more laborious and unwearied in striving for
the crown, than they are. And for myself, as I am ashamed
of my duU and careless heart, and of my slow and unpro
fitable course of life ; so the Lord knows I am ashamed of
every sermon that I preach : when I think what I have been
speaking of, and who sent me, and what men's salvation or
damnation is so much concerned in it, I am ready to tremble,
lest God should judge me as a sUghter of his truth, and the
souls of men, and lest in the best sermon I should be guilty
of their blood. Methinks we should not speak a word to
men in matters of such consequence without tears, or the
greatest earnestness that possibly we can : were not we too
much guUty of the sin which we reprove, it would be so.
Whether we are alone, or in company, methinks our end,
and such an end, should stUl be in our mind, and as before
our eyes ; and we should sooner forget any thing, and set
light by any thing, or by aU things, than by this.
Consider, 4. AVho is it that sends this weighty message
to you ? Is it not God himself? ShaU the God of heaven
speak, and men make Ught of it ? You would not sUght the
voice of an angel, or a prince.
6. AATiose salvation is it that you make light of? Is it
not your own ? Are you no more near or dear to your
selves than to make Ught of your own happiness or misery ?
AATiy, sirs, do you not care whether you be saved or damned?

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST ANt> SALVATION 29
is self-love lost ? are you turned your own enemies ? As he
that sUghteth his meat doth sUght his life ; so if you slight
Christ., whatsoever you may think, you wiU find it was your
own salvation that you sUghted. Hear what he saith, " AH
they that hate me love death," Prov. viu. 36.
6. Your sin is greater, in that you profess to beUeve the
gospel which you make so Ught of. For a professed infidel
to do it that beUeves not that ever Christ died, or rose
again ; or doth not beUeve that there is a heaven or heU ;
tins were no such marvel : but for you that make it your
creed, and your very reUgion, and call yourselves Christians,
and have been baptized into this faith, and seemed to stand
to it, this is the wonder, and hath no excuse. AVhat ! be
Ueve that you shall Uve in endless joy or torment, and yet
make no more of it to escape torment, and obtain that joy !
AVhat ! beUeve that God wiU shortiy judge you, and yet
make no more preparation for it ! Either say plainly, I am
no Christian, I do not beUeve these wonderful things, I wiU
beUeve nothing but what I see ; or else let your hearts be
affected with your beUef, and Uve as you say you do beUeve.
AATiat do you think when you repeat the creed, and men
tion Christ's judgment and everlasting life ?
7. What are these things you set so much by, as to pre
fer them before Christ and the saving of your souls ? Have
you found a better fiiend, a greater and surer happiness
than this ? Good Lord ! what dung is it that men make so
much of, whUe they set so Ught by everlasting glory ! AAThat
toys are they that they are daUy taken up with, whUe mat
ters of life and death are neglected ! Why, sirs, if you had
every one a kingdom in your hopes, what were it in com
parison of the everlasting kingdom? I cannot but look
upon aU the glory and dignity of this world, lands and lord
ships, crowns and kingdoms, even as on some brain-sick,
beggarly feUow, that borroweth fine clothes, and plays the
part of a king or a lord for an hour on a stage, and then
comes down, and the sport is ended, and they are beggars
again. Were it not for God's interest in the authority of
magistrates, or for the serrice they might do him, I should

30 MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALVATION.
judge no better of them. For as to their own glory, it is
but a smoke : what matter is it whether you Uve poor or
rich, unless it were a greater matter to die rich than it is ?
You know weU enough that death levels aU. AATiat matter
is it at judgment, whether you be to answer for the life of a
rich man or a poor man ? Is Dives then any better than
Lazarus ? O that men knew what a poor deceiving shadow
they grasp at, whUe they let go the everlasting substance !
The strongest, and richest, and most voluptuous sinners, do
but lay in fuel for their sorrows, whUe they think they are
gathering together a treasure. Alas I they are asleep, and
dream that they are happy ; but when they awake, what a
change wiU they find ! Their crown is made of thoms : their
pleasure hath such a sting as wiU stick in the heart through
aU [eternity, except unfeigned repentance do prevent it.
O how sadly vriU these wretches be convinced ere long,
what a fooUsh bargain they made in selUng Christ and their
salvation for these trifles ! Let your farms and merchandise
then save you if they can ; and do that for you that Christ
would have done. Cry then to thy Baal to save thee ! Oh
what thoughts have drunkards and adulterers, &c. of Christ,
that wUl not part with the basest lust for him ! " For a
piece of bread," saith Solomon, " such men do transgress,"
Prov. xx-viu. 11.
8. To set so Ught by Christ and salvation, is a certain
mark that thou hast no part in them, and if thou so con
tinue, that Christ wiU set as Ught by thee : " Those that
honour him he -sriU honour, and those that despise him shaU
be Ughtiy esteemed," 1 Sam. U. 30. Thou wUt feel one
day that thou canst not Uve without him ; thou -wilt confess
then thy need of him ; and then thou mayest go look for a
sariour where thou -wUt ; for he vriU be no sariour for thee
hereafter, that wouldst not value him, and submit to him
here. Then who wUl prove the loser by thy contempt?
O what a thing wiU it be for a poor miserable soul to cry
to Christ for help in the day of extremity, and to hear so
sad an answer as this ! Thou didst set Ught by me and my
law in the day of thy prosperity, and I -wiU now set as light

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST .\ND SALVATION. 31
by thee in thv adversit)-. Eead Prov. i. 24, to the end.
Thou that, as Esau, didst scU thy bu-thright for a mess of
pottage, shalt then find uo place for repentance, though thou
seek it with tears, Ileb. xii. 17. Do you think that Christ
shed his blood to save them that continue to make Ught of
it ? and to save thom that value a cup of drink or a lust be
fore Ms s.ilviition V I teil you, sirs, though you set so Ught
by Christ and salvation, God doth not so : he wiU not give
them on such tenns as these : he valueth the blood of his
Son, and the everlasting glory ; and he wUl make you value
them if ever ycu liavo l'i--cin. Naj', this wiU be thy con
demnation, and leaveth uo remedy. AU the world caimot
save him that t^ots Ught by Christ, Heb. u. 3 ; Luke xiv.
24. None of them shall taste of his supper. Matt. x. 37.
Nor can you blame him to deny you what you made Ught
of yourselves. Can you find fault if you miss of the salva
tion which you sUghted ?
9. The time is near when Christ and salvation -vriU not
be made Ught of as now they are. AVhen God hath shaken
those careless souls out of their bodies, and you must an
swer for aU your sins in your o'wn name ; oh then what
would you give for a sariour ! AVhen a thousand bUls
shall be brought in against you, and none to reUeve you ;
then you wUI consider. Oh ! Christ would now have stood
between me and the wrath of God : had I not despised him,
he would have answered aU. AVhen you see the world hath
left you, and yom- companions in sin have deceived them
selves and you, and aU your merry days are gone; then
what would you give for that Christ and salvation that now
you account not worth your labour ! Do you think when
you see the judgment set, and you are doomed to everlast
ing perdition for your -wickedness, that you should then
make as Ught of Christ as now ? Why -wiU you not judge
now as you know you shall judge then ? WUl he then be
worth ten thousand worlds ? and is he not now worth your
highest estimation and dearest affection ?
10. God wUl not only deny thee that salvation thou
madest light of, but he -will take from thee all that wbidi

32 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
thou didst value before it : he that most highly esteems
Christ shaU have him, and the creatures so far as they are
good here, and him without the creature hereafter, because
the creature is not usefiil ; and he that sets more by the
creature than by Christ, shaU have some of the creatm-e
without Christ here, and neither Christ nor it hereafter.
So much of these considerations, which may shew the true
face ofthis heinous sin.
AVhat think you now, fiiends, of this business ? Do you
not see by this time what a case that soul is in that maketh
Ught of Christ and salvation ? What need then is there
that you should take heed lest this should prove your own
case ! The Lord knows it is too common a case. AAThoever
is found guUty at the last ofthis sin, it were better for that
man he had never been bom. It were better for him he
had been a Turk or Indian, that never had heard the name
of a Sariour, and that never had salvation offered to him :
for such men " have no cloak for their sin," John xv. 22.
Besides aU the rest of their sms, they have this kUUng sin
to answer for, which -vriU undo them. And this -wUl aggra
vate their misery, that Christ whom they set Ught by must
be their Judge, and for this siu -wUl he judge them. Oh
that such would now consider how they wUl answer that
question that Christ put to their predecessors, " How wiU
ye escape the damnation of heU?" Matt, xxiii. 33: or,
" How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? "
Heb. u. 3. Can you escape without a Christ? or wUl a
despised Christ save you then ? If he be accursed that sets
Ught by father or mother (Deut. xxrii. 16), what then is
he that sets Ught by Christ ? It was the heinous sin of
the Jews, that among them were found such as set Ught by
father and mother, Ezek. xxii. 7. But among us, men
slight the Father of spirits ! In the name of God, brethren,
I beseech you to consider how you wUl then bear his anger
which you now make Ught of! You that cannot make Ught
of a Uttle sickness or want, or of natural death, no, not of a
tooth^^che, but groan as if you were undone ; how vriU you
then*^ake light of the fuiy of the Lord, which wUl hara

MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND S.\L VATION. 33
against the contemners of his grace! Doth it not behove
you beforehand to think of these things ?
Hitherto I have been convincing you of the eril of tho
sin, and the danger that foUoweth : I come now to know
yom- resolution for the time to come. What say you ? Do
you mean to set as Ught by Christ and salvation as hitherto
you have done ; and to be the same men after aU this ? I
hope not. Oh let not your ministers that would fain save
you, be brought in as witnesses against you to condemn
you ; at least, I beseech you, put not this upon me. Why,
sirs, if the Lord shaU say to us at judgment. Did you never
teU these men what Christ did for their souls, and what
need they had of him, and how nearly it did concern them
to look to their salvation, that they made Ught of it ? We
must needs say the truth ; Yea, Lord, we told them of it
as plainly as we could; we would have gone on our knees
to them if we had thought it would have prevaUed ; we
did entreat them as earnestly as we could to consider
these things : they heard of these things every day ; but,
alas, we could never get them to their hearts : they gave
us the hearing, but they made Ught of all that we could
say to them. Oh ! sad wiU it prove on your side, if you
force us to such an answer as this.
But if the Lord do move the hearts of any of you, and
you resolve to make light of Christ no more ; or if any of
you say. We do not make light of him ; let me teU you here
in the conclusion what you must do, or else you shall be
judged as sUghters of Christ and salvation.
And first I wUl teU you what wUl not serve the tum.
1. You may have a notional knowledge of Christ, and
the necessity of his blood, and of the excellency of salvation,
and yet perish as neglecters of him. This is too common
among professed Christians. You may say all that other
men do of him : what gospel passages had Balaam ! Jesus
I know, and Paul I know, the very derils could say, who
beUeve and tremble, James u. 19. «
2. You may weep at the history of Christ's passion, when
c

34 MAKING LIGHT OF CHEIST AND SALV.ITION.
you read how he was used by the Jews, and yot make light
of him, and perish for so doing.
3. You may come desirously to his word and ordmances.
Herod heard gladly ; so do many that yet must perish as
neglecters of salvation.
4. You may in a fit of fear have strong desires after a
Christ, to ease you, and to save you fi:-om God's -wrath, as
Saul had of David to play before him ; and yet you may
perish for making Ught of Christ.
5. You may obey him in many things so far as -wiU not
ruin you in the world, and escape much of the poUutions of
the world by his knowledge, and yet neglect him.
6. You may suffer and lose much for him, so far as leavetli
you an earthly feUcity ; as Ananias ; and the young man.
Matt. xix. 16-22. Some parcels of their pleasures and
profits many wUl part with in hope of salvation, that shaU
perish everlastingly for valuing it no more.
7. You may be esteemed by others a man zealous for
Christ, and loved and admired upon that account, and yet be
one that shaU perish for making Ught of him.
8. You may verUy think yourselves, that you set more
by Christ and salvation than any thing, and yet be mistaken,
and be judged as contemners of him : Christ justifieth not
aU that justify themselves.
9. You may be zealous preachers of Christ and salvation,
aud reprove others for this neglect, and lament the sin of
the world in the Uke expression as I have done this day ;
and yet if you or I have no better eridence to prove our
hearty esteem of Christ and salvation, we are undone for
all this.
You hear, brethren, what -wiU not serve the turn ; wiU
you now hear what persons you must be if you would not
be condemned as sUghters of Christ? O search whether it
be thus with your souls or no !
1. Your esteem of Christ and salvation must be greater
than your esteem of all the honours, profits, or pleasures of
this world, or else you sUght him : no less wUl be accounted
sincere, nor accepted to your salvation. Think not this

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 85
hard, when there is no comparison in the matters esteemed.
To esteem the greatest glory ou eartii before Christ and
everlasting glory, is a greater foUy and -vvrong to Christ,
than to esteem a dog before yom- prince, would be.foUy in
you, and a wrong to him. Scriptm-e is plain in this ; " He
that loveth father or mother, wife, chUdi-en, house, land, or
his own life, more than me, is not worthy of me, and cannot
be my disciple," Matt. x. 37 ; Luke xiv. 26.
2. You must manifest this esteem of Christ and salvation
in your daUy endeavom-s and seeking after him, and in part
ing with any thing that he shaU reqmre of you. God is a
Spirit, and wUl not take a hypocritical profession instead of
the heart and sphitual serrice which he commandeth. He
wUl have the heart or nothing ; and the chief room in the
heart too : these must be had.
If you say that you do not make Ught of Christ, or wUl
not hereafter ; let me try you in these few particulars,
whether indeed you mean as you say, aud do not dissemble.
1. WUl you for the time to come make Christ and salva
tion the chiefest matter of your care and study ? Thrust them
not out of your thoughts as a needless or unprofitable sub
ject ; nor aUow it only some running, sUght thoughts, which
wiu not affect you. But wUl you make it your business
once a day to bethink you soberly, when you are alone,
what Christ hath done for you, and what he -wUl do, if you
do not make Ught of it ; and what it is to be everlastingly
happy or miserable ? And what aU things in this world are
in comparison of your salvation ; and how they wiU shortly
leave you ; and what mind you wiU be then of, and how
you wUl esteem them ? WUl you promise me now and then
to make it your business to -withdraw yourselves from the
world, and set yourselves to such considerations as these ? If
you -wiU not, are not you sUghters of Christ and salvation,
that win not be persuaded soberly to think on them ? This
is my first question to put you to the trial, whether you wiU
value Christ or not.
2. WUl you for the time to come set more by the word of
Corl, wliich contains the discovery of these exceUent things.

36 MAKING LIGHT OF CHKIST AND SALVATION.
and is your charter for salvation, and your guide thereunto ?
You cannot set by Christ, but you must set by his word :
therefore the despisers of it are threatened -with destmction,
Prov. xiii. 13. WUl you therefore attend to tho pubUo
preaching of this word ; wUl you read it daily ; ^rill you re
solve to obey it whatever it may cost you ? If you -wiU not
do this, but make Ught of the word of God, you shall be
judged as such as make Ught of Christ and salvation, what
ever you may fondly promise to yourselves.
3. WUl you for the time to come esteem more of the offi
cers of Christ, whom he hath purposely appointed to guide
you to salvation ; and -wUl you make use of them for that
end ? Alas, it is not to give the minister a good word, and
speak weU of him, and pay him his tithes duly, that avUI
serve the tum : it is for the necessity of your souls that God
hath set them in his church ; that they may be as physicians
under Christ, or his apothecaries to apply his remedies to
your spiritual diseases, not only in pubUc, but also in private :
that you may have some to go to for the resolving of your
doubts, and for your instruction where you are ignorant, and
for the help of their exhortations and prayers. WiU you
use hereafter to go to your ministers privately, and solicit
them for advice ? And if you have not such ofyour o-wn as
are fit, get adrice fi-om others ; and ask them, AVliat you
shaU do to be saved ? how to prepare for death and judg
ment ? And iriU you obey the word of God in their
mouths ? K you -wUl not do this much, nor so much as
inquire of those that should teach you, nor use the means
which Christ hath estabUshed in his church for your help,
your own consciences shaU one day witness that you were
such as made Ught of Christ and salvation. If any of you
doubt whether it be your duty thus to ask counsel of your
teachers, as sick men do of their physicians, let your own
necessities resolve you, let God's express word resolve you ;
see what is said of the priests of the Lord, even before
Christ's coming, when much of their work did Ue in cere
monials : " My covenant was with him of Ufe and peace :
and I gave them to him (to Leri) for the fear wherewith

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST -USTD SALV.i^TION. 37
ho feared me, and was afi-aid before my name. The law of
truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found ui liis
Ups ; he walked -with me in peace and equity, and did turn
many away fi-om iniquity. For the priest's Ups should keep
knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth : for
he is the messenger ofthe Lord of hosts," Mal. u. 5, 6.
Nay, you must not only inquire, and submit to their ad
rice, but also to their just reprehensions, and church cen-
sm-es ; and without proud repining submit to the discipUne
of Christ in their hands, if it shaU be used in the congrega
tions whereof you are members.
4. WiU you for the time to come make conscience of
daily and eamest prayer to God, that you may have a part
in Christ and salvation? Do not go out of doors tUl you
have breathed out these desires to God ; do not Ue do-wn
to rest tiU you have breathed out these desires : say not,
God knoweth my necessity -without so often praying ; for
though he do, yet he -wUl have you to know them, and feel
them, and exercise your desires and aU the graces of his
Spirit in these duties : it is he that hath commanded to pray
continuaUy, though he know your needs -without it, 1 Thess.
V. 17. Christ himself spent whole nights in prayer, and
encourageth us to this course, Luke xviii. 1. If you -wUl
not be persuaded to this much, how can you say that you
make not Ught of Christ and salvation ?
5. WUl you for the time to come resolvedly cast away
your kno'wn sins at the command of Christ ? If you have
been proud, or contentious, or maUcious, and revengeful, be
so no more. If you have been adulterers, or swearers, or
cursers, be so no more. You cannot hold these, and yet set
by Christ and salvation.
AVliat say you ? Aje you resolved to let them go ? If
not, when you know it is the -wUl of Christ, and he hath
told you such shall not enter into his kingdom, do not you
make light of him ?
6. WUl you for the time to come serve God in the dearest
as weU as in the cheapest part of his serrice ? not only with
your tongues, but 'with your purses and your deeds ? ShaU

38 MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION.
the poor find that you set more by Christ than this world ?
Shall it appear in any good uses that God caUs you to be
Uberal in, according to your abiUties ? '' Pure religion and
undefiled before God is this. To -visit the fatherless and the
widows in their affliction," James i. 27. WUl you resolve
to stick to Christ, and make sure this work of salvation,
though it cost you aU that you have in the world ? If you
think these terms too dear, you make Ught of Christ, and
wUl be judged accordingly.
7. WiU you for the time to come make much of all things
that tend to your salvation ; and take every help that God
offereth you, and gladly make use of aU his ordinances?
Attend upon his strengthening sacraments ; spend the Lord's
own day in these holy employments ; instruct your chUdren and
servants in these things, Deut. ri. 6, 7 ; get into good com
pany that set their faces heavenward, and -wUl teach you the
way, and help you thither ; and take heed of the company
of 'wicked scorners, or foolish, voluptuous, fleshly men, or
any that would hinder you in this work. WiU you do these
things ? Or 'wUl you shew that you are sUghters of Christ
by neglecting them ?
8. WUl you do aU this 'with deUght ; not as your toil,
but as your pleasure ? And take it for your highest ho
nour that you may be Christ's disciples, and may be ad
mitted to serve and worship him ; and rejoice -with holy
confidence in the sufficiency of that sacrifice by which you
may have pardon of aU your faiUngs, and right to the in
heritance of the saints in Ught ? If you 'wUl do these things
sincerely, you -wUl shew that you set by Christ and salva
tion ; else not.
Dearly beloved in the Lord, I have now done that work
which I came upon ; what effect it hath, or 'wUl have, upon
your hearts, I know not, nor is it any fiirther in my power
to accompUsh that which my soul desireth for you. Were
it the Lord's wiU that I might have my 'wish herein, the
words that you have this day heard should so stick by you,
that the secure should be awakened by them, and none of
you should perish by the sUghting of your salvation. I

MAKING LIGHT OF CHRIST AND SALVATION. 39
cannot now foUow you to your several habitations to apply
this word to your particular necessities ; but O that I
could make every mar ' xUfCier.v;* fl preacher to himself
that it might do it, which is ever with you ! — That the next,
time you go prayerless to bed, or about your business,
conscience might cry out, Dost thou set no more by Christ
and thy salvation ? That the next time you are tempted to
think hardly of a holy and diUgent Ufe (I wiU not say to de
ride it as more ado than needs), conscience inight cry out
to thee. Dost thou set so Ught by Christ and thy salvation ?
That the next time you are ready to rush upon known sin,
and to please your fleshly desires against the command of
God, conscience might cry out, Is Christ and salvation no
more worth, than to cast them away, or venture thera for
thy lusts ? That when you are foUo-wing the world 'with
your most eager desires, forgetting the world to come, and
the change that is a Uttle before you, conscience might cry
out to you. Is Christ and salvation no more worth than so ?
That when you are next spending the Lord's day in idleness
or vain sports, conscience might teU you what you are
doing. In a word, that in aU your neglects of duty, your
sticking at the supposed labour or cost of a godly life, yea,
in aU your cold and lazy prayers and performances, con
science inight teU you how unsuitable such endeavours are
to the reward ; and that Christ and salvation should not be
so sUghted. I -wiu say no more but this at this time. It is a
thousand pities that when God hath prorided a, Sariour for
the world, and when Christ hath suffered so much for their
sins, and made so fiUl a satisfaction to justice, and purchased
so glorious a kingdom for his saints, and aU this is offered so
freely to sinners, to lost, unworthy sinners, even for no
thing, that yet so many mUUons should everlastingly perish
because they make Ught of their Sariour and salvation, and
prefer the vain world and their lusts before them. I have
deUvered my message, the Lord open your hearts to receive
it. I have persuaded you with the word of truth and
soberness ; the Lord persuade you more effectually, or else
aU this is lost. Amen.

CALL TO THE UNCONTERTED
TO TURN AND LIVE,
AND ACCEPT OF UEBCT WHILE MEBCT MAT BE HAD, AS EVEB THET
WOOLD FIND MEKCT IN THE DAT OF THEIE EXTREMITY ;
FROM THE LIVING GOD:
To which are added. Forms of Prayer for Morning and Evening for a
Family, for a penitent Sinner, andfor ihe Lord's Day.

PREFACE.

In that short acquaintance I had 'with that reverend leained
sei-vant of Christ, Bishop Usher, he was oft, from first to
last, importuning me to -write a directory for the several
ranks of professed Chiistians, wliich might distinctly give each
one their portion ; beginning -with the unconverted, and
then proceeding to the babes in Chiist, and then to the
strong ; and mixing some special helps against the several
sins that they are addicted to. By the suddenness of his
motion at our first congress, I perceived it was m his mind
before ; and I told him, both that it was abundantly done
by many already, and that his unacquaintedness -with my
weakness, inight make him think me fitter for it then I was.
But this did not satisfy him, but stiUhe made it his request.
I confess I was not moved by his reasons, nor did I appre
hend any great need of doing .more than is done in that
way: nor that I was Ukely to do more. And, therefore, I
parted fi-om him -without the least purpose to answer his
desu-e. But since his death, his words often came into my
mind ; and the great reverence I bore to him, did the more
incline me to think -with some complacency of his motion.
And ha'ring of late intended to 'write a " FamUy Directory,"
I began to apprehend how congruously the forementioned
work should lead the way ; and the several conditions of
men's souls be spoken of, before we come to the several
relations. Hereupon I resolved, by God's assistance, to
proceed in the order foUo-wing. First, to speak to the im
penitent, unconverted sinners, who are not yet so much as
purposing to tum ; or at least are not setting about the
work. And -with these, I thought, a wakening persuasive
was a more necessary means than mere directions ; for
directions suppose men 'willing to obey them. But the per
sons that we have first to deal with, are wilful and asleep in

44 PREFACE.
sin, and as men that are past feeUng, haring given them
selves over to sin with greediness, Eph. iv. 19. My next
work must be for those that have some purposes to turn,
and are about the work, to direct them for a thorough and a
true conversion, that they miscarry not in the birth. The
third part must be directions for the younger and weaker
sort of Christians, that they may be estabUshed, built
up, and persevere. The fourth part, directions for lapsed
and backsliding Christians, for their safe recovery. Besides
these, there is intended some short persuasions and direc
tions against some special errors of the times, and against
some common, killing sins. A.s for directions to doubting,
troubled consciences, that is done already. And the strong
I shall not -write directions for, because they are so much
taught of God already. And then the last part is intended
more especiaUy for famiUes, as such, directing the several
relations in their duties. Some of these are already -written.
Whether I shall have Ufe and leisure for the rest, God only
knoweth : and therefore I shaU pubUsh the several parts by
themselves, as I 'write them. And the rather because they
are intended for men of different states, and because I
would not deter them by the bulk or price, from reading
what is 'written for their benefit. The use that this part is
pubUshed for, is, 1. For masters and parents to read often
in their famUies, if they have servants or children that are
yet unconverted. 2. For all such unconverted persons to
read and consider of themselves. 3. For the richer sort,
that have any pity on such miserable souls, to give to the
unsanctified that need them (if they have not fitter at hand
to use and give). The Lord awake us to work while it is
day, for the saring of our o'wn and others' souls, in subser
riency to the blessed God, the Maker, the Kedeemer, and
the Sanctifier of souls. KICHAED BAXTER.
December 10, 1657.

45

TO ALL UNSANCTIFIED PERSONS THAT SHALL READ
THIS BOOK, ESPECIALLY MY HEARERS IN THE
PARISH OF KIDDERMINSTER ;
Men and Brethren,
The etemal God that made you for life everlasting, and
hath redeemed you by his only Son, when you had lost it
and yourselves, being mindful of you in your sin and misery,
hath indited the gospel, and sealed it by his Spirit, and com
manded his ministers to preach it to the world, that pardon
being fi-eely offered you, and heaven being set before you,
he might caU you off from your fleshly pleasures, and from
foUowing after this deceitful world, aud acquaint you -with
the Ufe you were created and redeemed for, before you are
dead and past remedy. He sendeth you not prophets or
apostles, that receive their message by immediate revelation,
but yet he caUeth you by his ordinary ministers, who are com
missioned by him to preach the same gospel which Christ and
his apostles first deUvered. The Lord standeth over you,
and seeth how you forget him and your latter end, and how
Ught you make of everlasting things, as men that under
stand not what they have to do or suffer. He seeth how
bold you are in sin, and how fearless of his threatenings, and
how careless of your souls, and how the works of infidels
are in your Uves, whUe the beUef of Christians is in your
mouths. He seeth the dreadfid day at hand, when your
sorrows -wUl begin, and you must lament all this -with fruit
less cries in torment and desperation ; and then the remem
brance of your foUy wUl tear your hearts, if true conversion
now prevent it not. In compassion of your sinful, miser
able souls, the Lord, that better knows your case than you
can know it, hath made it our duty to speak to you in his
name (2 Cor. v. 19), and to teU you plainly ofyour sin and
misery, and what wUl be your end, and how sad a change

46 PREFACE.
you -wiU shortly see, if yet you go on a Uttle longer. Hav
ing bought you at so dear a rate as the blood of his Son
Jesus Christ, and made you so fi-ee and general a promise of
pardon and grace, and everlasting glory, he commandeth
us to tender aU this to you, as the gift of God, and to en
treat you to consider of the necessity and worth of what he
offereth. He seeth and pitieth you, whUe you are dro-wned
in worldly cares and pleasures, and eagerly following chUd
ish toys, and wasting that short and precious time for a
tiling of nought, in which you should make ready for an
everlasting Ufe ; and therefore he hath commanded us to
call after you, and to teU you how you lose your labour,
and are about to lose your souls, and to teU you what
greater and better things you might certainly have, if you
would hearken to his call, Isa. Iv. 1-3. We beUeve aud
obey the voice of God ; and come to you daUy on his mes
sage, who hath charged us to preach and be instant -with
you in season and out of season, and to lift up our voice
Uke a trumpet, and shew you your transgressions and your
sins, Isa. Iviu. 1 ; 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2. But woe and alas ! to
the grief of our souls, and your O'wn undoing, you stop
your ears, you stiffen your necks, you harden your hearts,
and break our hearts, and send us back to God -with groans,
to teU him that we have done his message, but can do no
good, nor scarcely get a sober hearing. Oh that our eyes
were as a fountain of tears, that we might lament our ignor
ant, careless people, that have Christ before them, and par
don, and Ufe, and heaven before them, and have not hearts
to know and value them ! that might have Christ, and
grace, and glorj-, as weU as others, if it were not for their
wUfiil negUgence and contempt ! Oh that the Lord would
fUl our hearts 'with more compassion to these miserable souls,
that we might cast ourselves even at their feet, and foUow
them to their houses, and speak to them with our bitter
tears. For long have we preached to maiiy of thera, as in
vain : we study plainness to make them understand, and
many of them -wUl not understand us : we study serious,
piercing words to make them feel, but they 'wilJ not ft-el.

PREFArp-. 47
If the greatest matters would work -with them, we should
awake them. If the sweetest things would work, we should
entice them, and -win theii- hearts. If the most dreadfiil things
would work, we should at least affinght them from their
irickedness. If truth and sincerity would take with them,
we should soon convince them. If tho God that made them,
and the Christ that bought them, might be heard, the case
would soon be altered -with them. If Scripture might be
heard, we should soon prevaU. If reason, even the best
and strongest reason, might be heard, we should not doubt
but we should speedUy convince them. If experience might
be heard, and even their own experience, and the experi
ence of aU the world, the matter might be mended. Yea,
if the conscience -within them might be heard, the case
would be better 'with them than it is. But if nothing can
be heard, what then shall we do for them ? If the dread-
fill God of heaven be sUghted, who then shaU be regarded ?
If the inestimable love and blood of a Kedeemer be made
Ught of, what then shaU be valued ? If heaven have no
desirable glory with them, and everlasting joj^s be worth no
thing ; if they can jest at heU, and dance about a bottom
less pit, and play -with the consuming fire, and that when
God and man do warn them of it ; what shaU we do for
such souls as these ?
Once more, in the name of the God of heaven, I shaU do
the message to you which he hath commanded us, and leave
it in these standing lines to convert you or condemn you ;
to change you, or rise up in judgment against you, and to
be a 'witness to your faces, that once you had a serious call
to tum. Hear, aU you that are the drudges of the world,
and the servants of flesh and Satan ; that spend your days
in looking after prosperity on earth, and dro-wn your con
sciences in drinking, and gluttony, and idleness, and fooUsh
sports, and know your sin, and yet -wiU sin, as if you set
God at defiance, and bid him do his worst, and spare not.
Hearken, all you that mind not God, and have no heart
to holy things, and feel no savour in the word or worship
of the Lord, or in the thoughts or mention of etemal Ufe ;

^8 PREFACE.
that are careless of your immortal souls, and never bestow
ed one hour in inquiring what case they are in, whether
sanctified or unsanctified, and whether you are ready to ap
pear before the Lord ! Hearken, aU you that by sinning in
the Ught, have sinned yourselves into atheism and infidehty,
and do not beUeve the word of God. " He that hath an
ear to hear, let him hear" the gracious and yet dreadful
call of God ! His eye is all this whUe upon you, your sins
are registered, and you shaU surely hear of them again ;
God keepeth the book now, and he wUl -write it upon your
consciences 'with his terrors ; and then you also shall keep it
yourselves. 0 sumers ! that you but knew what you are
domg ! and whom you are aU this whUe offending ! The sun
itself is darkness before the glory of that Majesty which you
daUy abuse and carelessly provoke. The sinning angels
were not able to stand before him, but were cast do-wn to
be tormented with derils. And dare such sUly worms as
you so carelessly offend, and set yom-selves against your
Maker ? O that you did but a Uttle know what a case that
-wretched soul is in, that hath engaged the living God against
him ! The word of his mouth that made thee can unmake
thee ; a frown of his face 'will cut thee off, and cast thee out
into utter darkness : how eager are the derils to be doii^
'with thee that have tempted thee, and do but wait for the
word from God to take and use thee as their own .' And
then in a moment thou 'wUt be in hell. If God be against
thee, aU things are against thee. This world is but thy
prison for all that thou so lovest it : thou art but reserved
in it to the day of 'wrath, Job xxi. 30. The Judge is
coming, thy soul is even going : yea, a Uttle whUe and thy
fiiends shaU say of thee. He is dead ; and thou shalt see
the things that thou dost now despise, and feel what now
thou -wilt not beUeve. Death wUl bring such an argument
as thou canst not answer ; an argument that shaU effectuaUy
confute thy cavils against the word and wa3's of God, and
aU thy self-conceited dotages : and then how soon -wUl thy
mind be changed ! Then be an unbeUever if thou canst !
Stand then to aU thy former words which thou wast wont to

PREFACE. 49
utter against the Scriptures, or against a holy and heavenly
Ufe ! Make good that cause then before the Lord, which
thou wast wont to plead against thy teachers, and agauist
the people that feared God. Then stand to thy old opi
nions, and contemptuous thoughts of the diUgence of the
saints. Make ready now thy strongest reasons, and stand
up then before the Judge, and plead like a man, for thy
fleshly, thy worldly, and ungodly Ufe ; but know that thou
must have one to plead with thee, that wUl not be outfaced
by thee, nor so easUy put ofl' as we thy feUow-creatiu-es. O
poor deceived, -wretched soul ! there is nothing but a slender
veU of flesh betwixt thee and that amazing sight, which wUl
quickly sUence thee and tum thy tune, and make thee of
another mind ! As soon as death has dra'wn this curtain,
thou shalt see that which 'wUl quickly leave thee speechless.
And how quickly 'wUl that day and hom- come ! When thou
hast had but a few more merry hours, and but a few more
pleasant draughts and morsels, and a Uttle more of the
honours and riches of the world, thy portion wUl be spent,
and thy pleasures ended, and aU is then gone that thou set-
test thy heart upon ; of aU that thou soldest thy Sariour
and salvation for, there is nothing left but the hea-vy reckon
ing. As a thief that sits merrily spending the money in an
ale-house which he hath stolen, when men are riding in post
haste to apprehend him ; so it is with you : whUe you aro
dro-wned in cares or fleshly pleasures, and making merry
'with your own shame, death is coining in post haste to seize
upon you, and carry your souls to such a place and state,
as now you Uttle know or think of. Suppose when you are
bold and busy in your sin, that a messenger were but com
ing post from London to apprehend you, and take away
your life ; though you saw him not, yet if you knew of his
coming it would mar your mirth, and you would be think
ing of the haste he makes, and hearkening when he knock
eth at your door. Oh that ye could but see what haste
death makes, though yet it hath not overtaken you ! No
post so s"wift ! No messenger more sure ! As sure as the
sun wUl be with you in the moming, though it hath many

50 PREFACE.
thousand and hundred thousand mUes to go in the night, so
sure wUl death be quicldy with you ; and then where is
your sport and pleasure? Then wiU you jest and brave it
out? Then wiU you jeer at them that warned you? Then
is it better to be a beliering saint, or a sensual worldling ?
And then whose shall all those things be that you havc
gathered? Luke xu. 19-21. Do you not observe that
days and weeks are quickly gone, and nights and mornings
come apace, and speedUy succeed each other? You sleep,
but " your damnation slumbereth not;" you Unger, "but
your judgment this long time Ungereth not," 2 Pet. ii. 3-5 ;
to which you are reserved for punishment, 2 Pet. ii. 8, 9.
" Oh that you were -wise to understand this, and that you
did consider your latter end ! " Deut. xxxu. 20, " He
that hath an ear to hear, let him hear " the caU of God in
this day of his salvation.
O careless sinners, that you did but know the love that
you unthankfuUy neglect, and the preciousness of the blood
of Christ which you despise ! Oh that you did but know
the riches of the gospel ! Oh that you did but know a Uttle
the certainty, and the glory, and blessedness of that ever
lasting Ufe, whicii now you 'wUl not set your hearts upon,
nor be persuaded first and diUgently to seek ! Heb. xi. 6 ;
xu. 28 ; Matt. ri. 13. Did you but know the endless life
-with God which you now neglect, how quickly would you
cast away your sin ! how quickly would you change your
mind and Ufe, your course and company, and tum the
streams of your affections, and lay out your care another
way ! how resolutely would you scorn to yield to such
temptations as now deceive you, and carry you away ! how
zealously woiUd you bestir yourselves for that most blessed
Ufe ! how eamest would you be -with God in prayer ! how
dUigent in hearing, leaming, and inquiring ! how serious in
meditating on the laws of God ! Psal. i. 2. how fearf'ul of
sinning in thought, word, or deed ! and how careftil to please
God and grow in holiness ! Oh what a changed people you
would be ! And why should not the certain word of God
be beUeved, and prevaU -with you, which openeth to you

PREFACE. 51
these glorious and eternal things? Yea, let me tell you,
that even here upon earth, you Uttle know the difference
between the life you refuse and the life you choose. The
!<anctified ai-e conversing -with God, when you scarce dare
think of him, and when you are conversing but irith earth
imd flesh ; their conversation is in heaven, when you are utter
strangers to it, and your beUy is your god, and you are
minding earthly things, PhU. in. 18-20. They ai-e seek
ing after the face of God, wheu you seek for nothing higher
than this world. They are busUy laying out for an endless
life, where they shall be equal with the angels, Luke xx. 36,
when you are taken up with a shadow, and a transitory thing
of nought. How low and base is your earthly, fleshly, sin
ful Ufe, in comparison of the noble, spiritual life of true be
Uevers ! Many a time have I looked on such men 'with
grief and pity, to see them trudge about the world, and
spend their Uves, care, and labour, for nothing but a Uttle
food and raiment, or a Uttle fading pelf, or fleshly pleasures,
or empty honours, as if they had no higher thing to mind.
What difference is there between the Uves of these men, and
of the beasts that perish, that spend their time in working,
and eating, and Uving, but that they may Uve ? They taste
not of the inward heavenly pleasures which beUevers taste
and Uve upon. I had rather have a Uttle of their comfort,
which the forethoughts of their heavenly inheritance doth
afford them, though I had aU their scorn and sufferings with
it, than to have aU your pleasures and treacherous prosperi
ties ; I would not have one of your secret gripes and pangs
of conscience, dark and dreadfiU thoughts of death and the
Ufe to come, for aU that ever the world hath done for you,
or aU that you should reasonably hope that it should do. If
I were in your unconverted, carnal state, and knew but what
I know, beUeved but what I now beUeve, methinks my life
would be a foretaste of heU. How oft should I be thuiking
of the terrors of the Lord, and of the dismal day that is
hasting on ! Sure death and heU would be stiU before
me. I should think of them by day, and dream of them by
night ; I should Ue dcwn in fear, and rise in terror, and Uve

52 PREFACE.
in anguish, lest death should come before I was converted :
I should have small felicity in any thing that I possessed, and
Uttle pleasure in any company, and Uttle joy in any thing in
the world, asjlong as I knew myself to be under the curse and
-wrath of God : I should stUl be afraid of hearing that voice,
" Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee,"
Luke xu. 20. And that fearfid sentence would be -written
upon my conscience, " VerUy there is no peace, saith my
God, to the wicked," Isa. xl'riu. 22 ; Irii. 21. O poor sinners !
•it is a more joyfid Ufe thau this that you might live, if you
were but •willing^ but truly 'wUling to hearken to Christ, and
to come home to God. You might then draw near to God
'with boldness, aud call him your Father, and comfortably
trust him 'with your souls and bodies. If you look upon
promises, you may say. They are aU mine ; if upon the
curse, you may say. From this I am deUvered. When you
read the law, you may see what you are saved from : when
you read the gospel, you may see him that redeemed you,
and see the course of his love, and holy life, and sufferings,
and trace him in his temptations, tears, and blood, in the
work of your salvation. You may see death conquered,
and heaven opened, and j'our resurrection and glorification
prorided for, in the resurrection and glorification of your
Lord. If you look on the saints, you may say. They are
my brethren and companions. If on the unsanctified, you
may rejoice to think that you are saved fi-om that state. If
you look upon the heavens, the sun, and moon, and stars
innumerable, you may think and say, My Father's face is
infinitely more glorious ; it is higher matters that he hath
prepared for his saints. Yonder is but the outward court
of heaven. The blessedness that he hath promised me, is
so much higher, that flesh and blood cannot behold it. If
you think of the grave, you may remember that the glori
fied Spirit, a U-ring Head, and a loving Father, have aU so
near relation to your dust, that it cannot be forgotten or
neglected ; but -wUl more certainly rerive than the plants
and flowers in the spring; because the soul is stiU aUve,
that is the root of the body, and Christ is aUve, that is the

PREFACE. 58
root of both. E\en death, which is the king of fears, may
be remembered and entertained -with joy, as being the day
of your dehverance from the remnants of sin and sorrow,
and the day which you beUeved, and hoped, and waited for,
when you shidl see the blessed things which you have heard
of, and shall find by present J03-ful experience, what it was
to choose the better part, and be a sincere beUeving saint.
"What say you, su-s ? is not this a more deUghtful Ufe, to be
assured of salvation, and ready to die, than to Uve as the
ungodly, that have their hearts " overcharged with surfeit
ing and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that
day comes upon them unawares ? " Luke xxi. 34, 36. Might
you not Uve a comfortable Ufe, if once you were made the
heirs of heaven, and sure to be saved when you leave the
world? O look about you then, and think what you do,
and cast not away such hopes as these for very nothing.
The flesh and world can give you no such hopes or comforts.
And besides aU the misery that you bring upon yourselves,
you are the troublers of others as long as you are uncon
verted. You trouble magistrates to rule you by their laws.
You trouble ministers, by resisting the Ught and guidance
which they offer you ; your sin and misery is the greatest
grief and trouble to them in the world. You trouble the
commonwealth, and draw the judgments of God upon us :
it is you that most disturb the holy peace and order of the
churches, and hinder our union and reformation, and are
tho shame and trouble of the churches where you intrude,
and of all the places where you are. Ah, Lord ! how heavy
and sad a case is this, that even in England, where the gos
pel doth abound above any other nation in the world ;
where teaching is so plain and common, and aU the helps we
can desire are at hand ; when the sword hath been hewing
us, and judgment hath run as a fire through the land ; when
dehverances have reUeved us, and so many admirable mer
cies have engaged us to God, and to the gospel, and to a
holy Ufe ; that yet after aU this our cities, and to-wns, and
counties, shaU abound 'with multitudes of unsanctified mon,
aud swarm with so much sensuaUty, as everywhere to our

•^^ PREFACK.
grief we see. One would have thought, that after aU this
hght, and aU this experience, and aU these judgraents and
mercies of God, the people ofthis nation should have joined
together, as one man, to tm-n to the Lord ; and should
have come to their godly teachers, and lamented all their
former sins, .and desired them to join -with thera in public
huraUiation to confess their sins openly, and beg Y)ardon of
them from the Lord, and should have craved instruction for
the tune to come, and be glad to be ruled by the Spirit
-\rithm, and the ministers of Christ -without, according to the
word of God. One would think, that after such reason and
scriptm-e eridence as they hear, and after aU these means
and mercies, there should not be an ungodly person left
among us, or a worldUng, or a drunkard, or a hater of re
formation, or an enemy to hoUness, be found in all our
to-wns or counties. If we be not all agreed about some
ceremonies or forms of govemment, one would think that,
before this, we should have been all agreed to Uve a holy
and heavenly life, in obedience to God, his word and minis
ters, and in love and peace with one another. But, alas!
how far are our people from this course ! Most of them, in
most places, do set their hearts on earthly things, and seek
not first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof,
but look at holiness as a needless thing : their famiUes are
prayerless, or else a few heartless, lifeless words must serve
instead of heartj-, feri'ent, daily prayer ; their chUdren are
not taught the knowledge of Christ, and the covenant of
grace, nor brought up in the nurture of the Lord, though
they falsely promised this in their baptism. They instruct
not their servants in the matters of salvation ; but so their
work be done they care not. There are more oaths, and
curses, and ribald and raUing speeches in their famUies, than
gracious words that tend to edification. How few are the
famiUes that fear the Lord, and inquire after his word and
ministers, how they should Uve, and what they should do ;
and are -willing to be taught and ruled, and that heartily
look after everlasting Ufe ! And those few that God hath
made so happy, are commonly the by-word of their neigh-

PREF.\CE. 55
hours ; when we see some Uve in drunkenness, and some in
pride and worldUness, and most of them have Uttle care of
their salvation, though the cause be gi-oss, and past all con
troversy, yet -wiU they hardly be con-rinced of then- misery,
and more hardly recovered and refoi-med ; but when we
have done all that we aro able, to save them from then-
sins, we leave them, most of them, as we find them. And
if, according to the law of God, we cast them out of the
communion of the church, wheu they have obstinately re
jected aU our admonitions, they rage at us as if we were
their enemies, and theu- hearts are fUled -with maUce against
us, and they 'wiU sooner set themselves against the Lord,
and his laws, and church, and ministers, than against their
deadly sins. This is the doleftd case of England ; we have
magistrates that countenance the ways of godUness, and a
happy opportunity for unity and reformation is before us ;
and faithful ministers long to see the right ordering of the
church, and of the ordinances of God ; but the power of sin
in our people doth frustrate almost aU. Nowhere almost
can a faithfiU minister set up the unquestionable discipUne of
Christ, or put back the most scandalous, impenitent sinners
fi-om the communion of the church, and participation of the
sacrament, but the most of the people rail at them, and re-
'rile them ; as if these ignorant, careless souls were wiser
than their teachers, or than God himself; and fitter to rule
the church than they. And thus in the day of our risita
tion, when God calls upon us to reform his church, though
magistrates seem -wiUing, and faithful ministers are 'wUUng,
yet are the multitude of the people stiU unwilling ; and sin
hath so blinded them, and hardened their hearts, that even
in these days of Ught and grace, they are the obstinate ene
mies of Ught and grace, and -vriU not be brought by the calls
of God to see their foUy, and know what is for their good.
Oh that the people of England knew, " at least in this their
day, the things that belong unto their peace, before they are
hill frcm their eyes !" Luke xix. 42. O fooUsh and miser-
iiblo souls ! Gal. iii. 1, who hath bewitched your minds mto
t-jch madness, and your hearts into such deadness, that you

56 I'REi-Aci-;
should be such mortal enemies to )Oui-selves, aud go ofl so
obstinately towards damnation, that neither the word of God
nor the persuasions of men can change your minds, or hold
your hands, or stop you tiU you are past remedy ? WeU,
sinner ! this life wUl not last always ; this patience -wUl not
wait upon you stiU. Do not tliink that you shaU abuse your
Maker and Kedeemer, and serve his enemies, and debase
your souls, and trouble the world, and -wrong the church,
and reproach the godly, and grieve your teachers, and hin
der reformation, and aU this upon free cost. You know not
yet what this must cost you, but you must shortly know,
when the righteous God shaU take you in hand, who -wiU
handle you in another manner than the sharpest magistrates
or the plainest dealing pastors did, unless you prevent the
everlasting torments by a sound conversion, and a speedy
obejing the caU of God. " He that hath an eai- to hear,
let him hear," whUe mercy hath a voice to call.
One desperate objection (which I have touched iu the
sequel, but -with too much brerity) I find sticks close to the
hearts of many ungodly men. They think that God doth
not so much care what men think, or say, or do, as we per
suade them ; and therefore they care so Uttle themselves.
For the con-vincing of such atheistical men as these, I shaU
propound the foUowing questions : —
1. Dost thou think God careth whether thou be a
man or not ? If not, who made thee, and preserved thee ?
If he do, then sure he careth whether thou behave thyself
as a man. No man is so foolish as to make any instrument,
buUd a house, or a ship, and not care, when he hath done,
whether it be good for the use he made it. Do not for shame,
then, impute such foUy to the God of wisdom, as if he made
so noble a creature as man, and endowed him with such
noble faculties, and aU for nothing, and careth not what be
cometh of him when he hath done. Why should God ^ve
thee a mind that can know him, and a heart that can love
him, when he careth not whether thou know him, and love
him, or not ? Do not you see, that, in the course of nature,
every thing is fitted to its use ? The beasts know not God,

PREFACE. 57
nor lu-e capable of loring liim, because thoy were made fbr
no such use : but thy capacity shews that thou wast made
for God, and for a Ufe to come.
2. Dost thou thmk that God is everi-ivhere present, and
infinite, and aU-sufficient ? If not, thou dost not beUeve
that he is God ; and it is uureason.able to imagine, that
God hath made a world that is greater, and more extensive
or comprehensive, than himself! For none can communicate
more than he h.ath. But if thou art forced to confess that
God is everpyhere, and as sufficient for every single man,
as if he had never another creature to regard, thou must
needs confess then that he is not careless of the hearts and
ways of the sons of men ; for they are things that are stUl
before his eyes. It is base and blasphemous thoughts of
God, as if he were limited, absent, or insufiicient, that makes
men think him so regardless of their hearts and ways.
3. Dost thou think that God careth what becomes of thy
body ? whether thou be sick or weU ? whether thou Uve or
die ? If not, then how eamest thou by thy life, and health,
and mercies ? If they came fi-om any other fountiun, tell
us from whence. Is it not to God that thou prayest for
thy Ufe and health ? Darest thou say to him, I -wiU not
depend upon thee ? I wiU not be beholden to thee for the
Ufe and mercies of another day ? If so, then thou art a
blind atheist. But if thou thinkest he cares for thy body,
canst thou think he cares not more for thy soul ? If he must
regard to fiu-nish thee with mercies, he iriUsurely have a
regard whether thou love and Uve to him that gave them.
4. Dost thou beUeve that God is the Govemor of the
world, or not ? If not, then there can be no rightftil go
vemment. For as no justice of peace can have a power,
but from the sovereign ; so no sovereign can have power,
but from God ; uor be a la-wful govemor, but under him :
and then aU the world would be tumed into confusion.
But if thou must needs confess that God is the Govemor of
the world, what an unwise, unrighteous govemor wouldst
thou make him, if thou thinkest that he regardeth not the

58 PREFACE.
hearts and ways of those whora he doth govern ! This stiU
is but to deny him to be God
5. If God do not care so much what is in our hearts, or
what we do, why then should he make a law for our hearts,
and words, and ways ? Would he command us that
which he doth not care for ? Would he so strictly forbid
sin, if he were indifferent whether we sin or not ? "Would
he promise eternal life to the holy and obedient, if he cared
not whether we be holy and obedient or no? Would
he threaten lieU to all that are ungodly, if he cared not
whether we are godly or not ? Darest thou say, that the
ahnighty, holy God is fain to rule the world by a Ue, and
to deceive men into obedience? Yea, the very law of
nature itself doth contain not only precepts of our duty,
but the hopes and fears of the Ufe to come, -without which
the world could not be governed ; and certainly they are
no deceits, by which an infinite -wisdom, and power, and good
ness, doth govei-n the world.
6. If God did not much regard our hearts and Uves, why
doth he make aU the world to be our servants ? Doth he
give us the sun, and moon, and stars, the earth, and aU
creatures to attend us, and serve us with their Uves and
-virtues, and yet doth he not care for our hearts or serrice ?
Tliis is as fooUsh as to say, that he hath made all the world
in vain, and careth not for it, now he hath made it.
7. If he cared not for the frame of our hearts and Uves,
he would not have sent his Son to redeem us, and to cleanse
us from iniquity, and sanctify us a pecuUar people to him
self. Tit. u. 14. Sm-oly the price that was paid for sinners,
and the wonderful design of God in our redemption, doth
shew that he makes not Ught of sin, and that he is wonder
fully Ul love -vrith hoUness.
8. If God did not regard om- hearts and Uves, he would
not have made it the ofiice of his ministers to caU us daUy
to repentance and a holy Ufe ; nor commanded them to make
such a stir -with sinners to win them unto God : he would
not have appointed aU his ordinances, pubUc and private,

PREF4.CK. 59
also to this end. Doth God command aU this ado for a
thing he regards not ?
9 . Nor would he punish the world with hell hereafter,
or so many dreadful judgments here, as thousands feel, if he
cared not what they think or do. Methinks, men that are
so often groaning under his rod, should feel that he looks
after their hearts and ways.
10. And how can the Holy Ghost be our Sanctifier, if
God be so indifferent, whether we be clean or unclean ?
Dare you think that the Holy Ghost doth take upon him a
needless work?
11. Methinks you might perceive, even in the inaUce of
the tempter, that God is holy, and hateth iniquity ; and his
word is true, that teUeth us of the eternal punishment of
sin. The Scriptm-e teUs us of the angels' faU, and that
many of them are become derils by then- sin, and are mali
cious enemies of man's salvation. And do you not easUy
perceive it to be true ? How came they else to be suoh
importunate tempters of men, which we feel, alas ! by too
much experience? Or if this eridence be not palpable
enough to coniince the infidel ; how come they to make so
many bargains -with- conjurers and -witches, to draw them
fi-om God and salvation, as they have done? How come
they to appear in terrible shapes to so many as they have
done, and stUl upon designs that declare their own dejected,
base condition, and their enmity to God and man, and their
eager desire to engage men in a way of sin ? If any infidel
-wiu not beUeve that reaUy there have been witches and ap
paritions, and consequently that there are devUs, who are
miserable, malicious spirits, who by sin are cast out of the
favour of God, and would draw men mto their miserable
case ; let them come and reason the case -with me, and I
shaU quickly teU them of so many sure and undeniable in
stances, and give them so much proof of the truth of it, as
shaU leave them nothing to say against it, unless they -wUl
stUl say, We -will not beUeve : yea, so much, as that I -wiU
not be beholden to the -rilest atheist or infidel to beUeve it.

60 PREF.iCt.
if he wUl not quite renounce nis rcubon, but g-ive it leave to
see the Ught.
12. Lastly, If yet you think that God (the Sovereign
Ruler of the world, that is evorj where present, and pre
serveth aU) doth care so Uttle what men are, or what they
do, whether they are holy or unholy, obedient or disobe
dient to his laws ; then methinks that you yourselves, and
all the rest of your fellow-creatUres, should Uttle care.
Two questions therefore I must propound to you :
1. Do not you care what men Say of you, or do to you?
Are you contented that men slander you, and abuse you, or
set your houses or towns on fire, or destroy your cattle, or
wives or children, and imprison, wouud, or Idll yourselves ?
If you wUl make a great matter what men say or do against
you, can you be so mad (for it is no better) as to think that
the omnipotent, holy God, should Uttle regard what is said
or done against himself, and against his servants, and that
by such siUy worms as men, that are his workmanship ? Did
not selfishness make you bUnd and partial, you would know
that one sin against God deserves more punishment than
ten thousand thousand times as much against such sUly
things as you. Do you make no matter of difference
between a bad servant and a good ? an obedient and dis
obedient child ? a son that will lay down his life for you,
and a son that longs for your death, that he may have yom-
land ? between a faithful friend and a deadly enemy ? If
you do not, you are not men, but something else in human
shape. If you do, then you are somewhat worse than men,
if yet you would have the blessed God to make no great
difference between those that love him above aU the world,
and those that regard him not ; between the holy and un
holy soul.
And, 2. I would ask you whether you would have the
i-ulers of the world to take care what men say or do, or
would you not ? If not, then you would have aU the world
turned loose, and you would have every man that is poorer
than you, have leave to rob you ; and every man that hateth

PREFACE. 61
}tiu, have leave to beat or kUl you ; aud every man that
liketh yom- house, or lands, or goods, or cattle, to have leave
to take them fi-om you ; and every man deiUe your -vrives or
daughtei-s, that hath a mind to it ? And so we should see
whither it is that infidehty leads men. But if you Uke not
this, then you are most unreasonable, if you would have
magistrates to be regai-dfid of men's actions, and not God ;
if magistrates must hang men for -wi-onging you, and the
etemal Majesty must not punish them for wronging him, and
breaking his laws, which is infinitely a gi-eater matter. As
if 3-ou would have a constable punish men, and the king or
judge to have no regard of it ; for kings are under God, as
constables are under kings, and a thousandfold lower.
The truth is, -wicked men are faUen so far from God to
themselves, that they are as gods to themselves in theu- o-wn
esteem, and besides themselves they know no God ; and
therefore any -wrong that is done against them, or any good
that is done for them, they would have regarded ; but the
'wrong and disobedience that is against God, they would have
nothing made of it. And they have such narrow, blasphe
mous thoughts of God, as if he were a finite creature Uke
themselves, that can be but in one place at once, that makes
them so blaspheme his proridence, and think he minds no
good or e-ril, and -wiU not regard the godly, or punish the
ungodly, but were like the idols of the heathen, that have
eyes and see not, ears and hear not, and hands -without an
executive power. But when the memorial book of God is
opened, which is -written for them that fear the Lord, and
think upon his name ; and when the Lord shaU say of them,
'• These are mine," as he is making up his jewels, and
spareth them as n man spareth his son that serveth him ;
then shaU these infidels retum to their -wits, and the lighte
ous shaU retum from their fears and sufferings, and shall
decem between the righteous and the -wicked, between those
that serve God and those that serve him not, Mal. iu. 16-18.
Another objection I find most common in the mouths of
the ungodly, especiaUy of late years ; they say. We can do
nothing -without God ; we cannot have grace if God -wUl not

G2 PREFACE.
give it us ; and if he -wUl, we shaU quickly turn : if he have
not predestinated us, and -wiU not turn us, how can we turn
ourselves or be saved? It is not in him that wUls, or iu
hini that runs. And thus they think they are ex-jused.
I have answered this formerly, and in this book ; but
lat me now say this much. 1. Though you cannot cure
yourselves, you can hurt and poison yom-selves : it is God
that must sanctify yom- hearts ; but who corrupted them ?
WiU you -wUfuUy take poison, because you cannot cure
yourselves ? Methinks you should the more forbear it : you
should the more take heed of sinning, if you cannot mend
what sin doth mar. 2. Though you cannot be converted
-vrithout the special grace of God, yet you must know, that
God giveth his grace in the use of his holy means which he
hath appointed to that end ; and common grace may enable
you to forbear your gross sinning, as to the outward act, and
to use those means. Can you truly say that you do as much
as you are able to do ? Are you not able to go by an ale
house door, or to shut your mouths and keep out the drink?
or to forbear the company that hardeneth you to sin ? Ai-e
you not able to go hear the word, and think of what you
heard when you come home? and to consider -vrith your
selves of your o-wn condition, and of everlasting things? Are
you not able to read good books from day to day, at least
on the Lord's day, and to converse -vrith those that fear the
Lord ? You cannot say that you have done what you are
able. 3. And therefore you must know that you can forfeit
the grace and help of God by your -wilful sinning or negU
gence, though you cannot, -without grace, tum to God. If
you -vriU not do what you can, it is just -vrith God to deny
you that grace by which you might do more. i. And for
God's decrees, you must know that they separate not the
end and means, but tie them together. God never decreed
to save any but the sanctified, nor to damn any but the
unsanctified. God doth as truly decree from everlastmg
whether your land this year shall be barren or fruitful, and
just how long you shaU live in the world, as he hath decreed
whether you shaU be saved or not. And yet you would think

PREFACE. G3
that man but a fool that would forbear ploughing and sow
ing, and say, K God have decreed that my gi-ound shall
bear corn, it -wUl bear whether I plough and sow or not.
If God have decreed that I shaU Uve, I shaU live whether I
eat or not ; but if he have not, it is not eating wUl keep
me aUve. Do you know how to answer such a man, or do
you not ? If you do, then you know how to answer your
selves ; for the case is .aUke : God's decree is as peremptory
about your bodies as yom- soiJs. If you do not, then try
first these conclusions upon your bodies, before you lenture
to try them on your souls ; see fu-st whether God will keep
you aUve -vrithout food or raiment, and whether he will give
you coi-n -vrithout tUlage and labour, and whether he will
bring you to your journey's end without your travel or car
riage ; and if you speed weU in this, then try whether he
-wUl bring you to heaven 'vrithout your diUgent use of means,
and sit down and say. We caimot sanctify- ourselves.
And for the point of free-'wUl, which you harp so long
upon, divines are not so much disagreed about it as you
imagine. Augustine as weU as Pelagius, Cal\in as weU as
Arminius, the Dominicans as weU as the Jesuits, all do
generaUy maintain, that man hath free--wiU. The orthodox
say, that free--wUl is corrupted and disposed to e-vU. Epi
phanius condemned Origen for saying, that man had lost
the image of God, and makes it a point of heresy. And
yet one may truly say. That man hath lost God's image ;
and another may truly say, That he hath not lost it. For
there is a twofold image of God in man : the one is natural,
and that is our reason and free--wiU, and this is not lost ;
the other is qualitative and ethical, and this is our holiness,
and this is lost, and by grace restored. No man of brains
denieth, that a man hath a -vriU that is naturaUy free ; it is
free fi-om riolence, and it is a self-determining principle ; but
it is not free from e-vU dispositions. It is habitually averse
to God and hoUness, and inclined to earthly, fleshly things ;
it is enslaved by a sinfiU bias. This, no man, methinks,
that is a Christian, should deny ; and of the aged, I see
not how an infidel can deny it. Alas, we easUy confess to

64 PREFACE.
you, that you have not this spiritual, moral free-wUl, which
is but your right inclination, and your habitual -vriUingness
itself. If you had a -vriU that were freed from -vricked in
clinations, I had no need to write such books as these to
persuade you to be -vrilUng in a case which your own salva
tion Ueth on. To the grief of our souls, we perceive, after
aU our preachings and persuasions, that the ungodly have
not this spiritual free-wiU. But this is nothing but your
'wUlingness itself, and inclination to be 'vrilUng ; and there
fore the want of it is so far from excusing you, that the
more you want it (that is, the more you are -vrilful in sin)
the worse you are, and the sorer 'vriU be your punishment.
And our preaching and persuasions, and your hearing and
considering, are the appointed means to get this moral
power of freedom, that is, to make you truly wiUing.
WeU, sirs, I have but three requests to you, and I have done :
First, That you -vrill seriously read over this smaU treatise
(and if you have such that need it in your faraiUes, that you
read it over and over to them : and if those that fear God
would go now and then to their ignorant neighbours, and
read this or some other book to them of this subject, they
might be a means of -vrinning of souls.) If we cannot en
treat so smaU a labour of men for their own salvation, as to
read such short instructions as these, they set Uttle by them
selves, and -vriU most justly perish. Secondly, "When you
have read over this book, I would entreat you to go alone,
and ponder a Uttle what you have read, and bethink you,
as in the sight of God, whether it be not true, and do not
nearly touch your souls, and whether it be not time for you
to look about you ; and I also entreat that you wiU fall upon
your knees and beseech the Lord that he -vriU open your
eyes to understand the truth, and tum your hearts to the
love of God, and beg of him aU that sa-ving grace, that you
have so long neglected, and foUow it on from day to day,
tUl your hearts be changed ; and -vrithal, that you -wUl go
to your pastors (that are set over you, to take care of the
health and safety of your souls, as physicians do for the health
ofyour bodies), and desire them to direct you what course to

PREl-.VCE.

take, and acquaint them with yom- spiritual estate, that }ou may
have the benefit of their adrice and ministerial help. Or if
you have not a faithful pastor at home, make use of some
other in so great a need. Thii-dly, When by reading, con
sideration, prayer, and ministerial advice, you are once ac
quainted -vrith your sin and misei-j-, with yom- duty and re
medy, delay not, but presentiy forsake yom- sinful company
and courses, and turn unto God, and obey his caU, and as
you love your souls, take heed that you go not on against
so loud a caU of God, and against your o-wn knowledge and
conscience, lest it go worse with you in the day of judg
ment than -vrith Sodom and Gomon-ah. Inquire of God, as
a man that is wUling to know the truth, and not be a -vril
ful cheater of his soul. Search the holy Scripture daUy,
and nee whether these things be so or not ; try impartially
whether it be safer to ti-ust heaven or earth ; and whether
it be better to follow God or man, the Spirit or the flesh ;
and better to Uve in hoUness or sin ; and whether an un
sanctified estate be safe for you to abide in one day longer ;
and when you have found out which is best, resolve accord
ingly, and make your choice -vrithout any more ado. If you
wiu be true to your o'wn souls, and do not love everlasting
torments, I beseech you, as from the Lord, that you wUl
but take this reasonable adrice. O what happy to-wns and
countries, and what a happy nation might we have, if we
could but persuade our neighbours to agree to such a ne
cessary motion ! "V\Tiat joj-ftU men would aU faithful minis
ters be, if they could but see their people truly heavenly
and holy ! This would be the unity, the peace, the safety,
the glory of our churches, the happiness of our neighbours,
and the comfort of our souls. Then how comfortable should
we preach absolution and peace to you, and deUver the
sacraments, which are the seals of peace, to you. And -vrith
what love and joy might we Uve araong i-ou ; at your death
bed, how boldly might we comfort and encourage your de
parting souls ; and at your burial, how comfortably might
we leave you in the grave, in expectation to meet your
souis m heaven, and to see your bodies raised to that glory.
E

66 PREFACE.
But if StUl the most "of you wiU go on in a careless, ig
norant, fleshly, worldly, or unholy Ufe ; and aU our desires
and labours cannot so far prevaU as to keep you from the
wUfiU damning of yom-selves ; we must then imitate our
Lord, who deUghteth himself in thoso few that are his
jewels, and the Uttle flock that shall receive the kingdom,
when the most shaU reap the misery which they sowed. In
nature excellent things are few. The world hath not many
suns or moons ; it is but a Uttle of the earth that is gold or
sUver ; princes and nobles are but a smaU part of the sons
of men. And it is no great nuinber that are learned, judi
cious, or "vrise, here in this world. And therefore if the gate
being strait, and the way narrow, there be but few that find
salvation, yet God -vrill have his glory and pleasure in those
few. And when Christ " shall come 'vrith his mighty angels
in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, his
coming ^U be glorified in his saints, and admired in aU true
believers," 2 Thess. i. 7-10.
Aud for the rest, as God the Father vouchsafed to create
them, and God the Son disdained not to bear the penalty
of their sins upon the cross ; and did not judge such suffer
ings vain, though he knew that by refusing the sanctiflca
tion of the Holy Ghost, they would finaUy destroy them
selves ; so we that are his ministers, though these be not
gathered ; judge not our labour whoUy lost. See Isa.
xUx. 5.
Keader, I have done -vrith thee (when thou hast perused
this book) ; but sin hath not yet done 'with thee (even those
that thou thoughtest had been forgotten long ago), and
Satan hath not yet done irith thee (though now he be out
of sight), and God hath not yet dono -vrith thee, because
thou -wUt not be persuaded to have done -vrith deadly, reign
ing sin. I have written thee this persuasive, as one that is
going into another world, where the things are seen that I
here speak of, and as one that knoweth thou must shortly
be there thyself. As ever thou wouldst meet me with com
fort before the Lord that made us ; as ever thou wUt

PREFACE. 67
escape the everlasting plagues prepared for the fiuid ne
glecters of salvation, and for all that ai-e not sanctified
by the Holy Ghost, and love not the communion of the
samts, as members of the holy cathoUc church ; and as ever
thou hopest to see the face of Christ the Judge, and of the
majesty of the Father, -vrith peace and comfort, to be re
ceived into glorj-, when thou art turned naked out of tliis
world ; I beseech thee, I charge thee, to hear and obey the
caU of God, and resolvedly to tm-n, that thou mayst Uve.
But if thou -vrilt uot, even when thou hast no true reason for
it, but because thou -vrilt not ; I summon thee, answer for
it before the Lord, and require thee there to bear me -vrit
ness I gave thee warning, and that thou wert not condemned
for want of a caU to tum and Uve, but because thou wouldst
not beUeve it, and obey it ; which also must be the testi
mony of thy serious monitor.
RICHARD BAXTER.

CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED
TO TURN AND LIVE.

" Say iiato them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in
the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked tum from bis way and live:
tum ye, tum ye from your evil ways ; fop why will ye die, O house of
Israel?" — Ezekiel xxxiii. 11.
It hath been the astonishing wonder of many a man, as well
as me, to read in the holy Scripture, how few -wUl be saved,
and that the greatest part even of those that are caUed, -vrill
be everlastingly shut out of the kingdom of heaven, and
tormented with the de-vils in etemal fire. Infidels beUeve
not this when they read it, and therefore must hereafter feel
it. Those that do beUeve it, are forced to cry out -vrith Paul,
" Oh the depth of the riches both of the -vrisdom and know
ledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and
his ways past finding out ! " Rom. xi. 13. But nature itself
doth teach us aU, to lay the blame of eril works upon the
doers ; and therefore when we see any heinous thing done, a
principle of justice doth provoke us to inquire after him that
did it, that the eril of the work may retum the eril of sharae
upon the author. If we saw a man kUled and cut in pieces
by the way, we should presently ask. Oh ! who did this cruel
deed ? If the town were -wUfuUy set on fire, you would ask,
"What -vricked 'wretch did this? So when we read that the most
'wUl be fire-brands of heU for ever, we must needs think 'vrith
ourselves, how comes this to pass ? And whom doth it belong

70 -^ CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
to ? who is it that is so cruel as to be the cause of such a
thing as this ? And we can meet with few that wUl own the
guUt. It is indeed confessed by .aU, that Satan is the cause,
but that doth not resolve the doubt, because he is not the
principal cause. He doth not force men to sin, but tempt
them to it, and leaves it to then- o'wn wUls, whether they 'vriU
do it or not. He doth not carry men to an ale-house, and
force open their mouths, and pom- in the drink ; nor doth
he hold them that they cannot go to God's serrice, nor
doth he force their hearts from holy thoughts. It Ueth,
therefore, between God himself, andthe sinner: one of them
must needs be the principal cause of aU this misery, which
ever it is ; for there is no other to cast it upon. And
God disclairaeth it ; he -vrill not take it upon him. And the
-vricked disclaim it usuaUy, and they -wUl not take it upon
them ; and this is the controversy that is here managed in
the text.
The Lord complaineth of the people, and the people think
it belongeth to God : the same controversy is handled in
chap, x-riii. where, ver. 25, they plainly say, " that the way
of the Lord is not equal." And God saith, " It is their
ways that are not equal." So here they say, ver. 19, "If our
transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away
in them, how shaU we then Uve ? " As ff they should say. If
we must die and be miserable, how can we help it ? as if it
belonged not to them, but God. But God, in my text,
doth clear himself ofit, and tLlleth them how they may help
it ff they -vrill, and persuadeth them to use the means : and
if they wUl not be persuaded, he lets them know that it be
longeth to themselves ; and ff this 'wUl not satisfy them, he
'wUl not therefore forbear to punish them. It is he that 'vriU be
their Judge, and he -vriU judge them according to their ways :
they are no judges of him, or of themselves, as wanting
authority, -wisdom, and irapartiality ; nor is it their cavilling
and quarrelUng -vrith God, that shaU serve their tum, or save
them from the execution of justice which they murmur at.
The words of this verse contain, 1. God's purgation or
clearing of himself from the blaiue of their destruction. This

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 71
he doth, not by disowning his law, that the " wicked shall
die ;" nor by diso-wning his judgments and execution accord
ing to that law, or by givmg them any hope that the law shaU
not be executed ; but by professing that it is not their death
that he takes pleasure in, but their returning rather, that
they may Uve. And tliis he confirmeth to them by his oath.
2. An express exhortation to the -nicked to return ; where
in God doth not only command, but persuade and conde
scend also to reason the case with them. Why wUl they die ?
The direct end of this exhortation is, that they may turn and
live. The secondai-y, or reserved ends, upon supposition
that this is not attained, are these two : First, To convince
them by the means which he used, that it belongeth not to
God if they be miserable. Secondly, To convince them
from their manffest -vriffulness, in rejecting all his commands
and persuasions, that it belongeth to themselves, and they
die even because they -wUl die.
The substance of the text doth Ue in these observations
foUo-wing. Doct. I. It is the unchangeable law of God, that 'vricked
raen must tum or die.
Doct. II. It is the promise of God, that the -vricked shall
Uve, ff they -wUl but tum.
Doct. III. God takes pleasure in men's conversion and
salvation, but not in their death or damnation ; he had
rather they would return and Uve, than go on and die.
Doct. IV. This is a most certain truth, which because
God would not have men to question, he hath confirmed it
to them solemnly by his oath.
Doct. V. The Lord doth redouble his commands and per
suasions to the -vricked to tum.
Doct. VI. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case
-vrith them, and asketh the wicked, why they -wUl die ?
Doct. vn. If after aU this, the wicked -wUl not retum,
it belongeth not to God that they perish, but to themselves :
their own wUfidness is the cause of their damnation ; they
therefore die because they wUl die.
Ha'ring laid the text open before your eyes in these plain

/ 2 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
propositions, I shaU next speak somewhat of each of them
in order, though very briefly.
Doct. I. It is the unchangeable law of God, that -vricked
men must turn or die.
If you -wiU beUeve God, beUeve this. There is but one
of these two ways for every -vricked man, either conversion
or daranation. I know the ¦vricked will hardly be persuad
ed, either of the truth or equity of this. No wonder ff
the guilty quarrel 'vrith the law. Few men are apt to
beUeve that which they would not have to be true, and
fewer woidd have that to be true, which they apprehend
to be against them. But it is not quarrelling -vrith the
law, or with the judge, that -wiU save the malefactor : be
lieving and regarding the law might have prevented his
death ; but denying and accusing it, -vrill but hasten it. If
it were not so, a hundred would bring their reason against
the law, for one that would bring his reason to the law ;
and men would rather choose to give their reasons why they
should not be punished, than to hear the commands and
reasons of their governors which require them to obey. The
law was not made for you to judge, but that you might be
ruled and judged by it. But ff there be any so blind as
to venture to question either the truth or justice of the law
of God, I shaU briefly give you that eridence of both, whioh,
methinks, would satisfy a reasonable man. And first, if
you doubt whether this be the word of God or not, besides
a hundred other texts, you may be satisfied by these few :
" VerUy, I say unto you. Except ye be converted, and be
come as Uttle chUdren, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of
heaven," Matt, x-viu. 3. " VerUy, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a raan be bom again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God," John iii. 3. " If any man be in Christ he is a new
creature : old things are passed away, behold aU things are
become new," 2 Cor. v. 17. " Ye have put off the old
man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which
is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that
created him," Col. iii. 9, 10. " Without holiness no
man shaU see God," Heb. xii. 14. " So then they that

A CALL TO THE UNCONIEKTED. 73
are in the flesh cannot please God. Now if any man have
not the Spirit of Chiist, he is none of his," Rom. viu. 8, 9.
" For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avaUeth any thing,
nor uncircumcision, but a new creature," Gal. ri. 15. " Ac
cording unto his abundant grace, he hath begotten us again
to a Uvely hope," 1 Pet. i. 3. " Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which Uveth and abideth for ever," ver. 23. " Wherefore
laying aside aU malice, and aU guUe, and h}-poci-isies, and
envyings, and evU-speakings, as new-born babes desire the
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby," 1 Pet.
ii. 1, 2. " The -vricked shaU be tumed into heU, and all
the nations that forget God," Psal. ix. 17. " And the
Lord loveth the righteous ; but the -vricked his soul hateth,"
Psal. xi. 4. As I need not stay to open these texts which
are so plain, so I think I need not add any more of that
miUtitude which speak the Uke. If thou be a man that dost
beUeve the word of God, here is ah-eady enough to satisfy
thee that the -vricked must be converted or condemned.
Tou are already brought so far, that you must either confess
that this is tme, or say plainly, you will not beUeve the word
of God. And ff once you be come to that last pass, there
is but smaU hopes of you: look to yourselves as weU as you
can ; for it is like you -wUl not be long out of heU. You
would be ready to fly in the face of him that should give
you the Ue ; and yet dare you give the Ue to God ? But if
you teU God plainly you 'wUl not beUeve him, blame him
not ff he never warn you more, or ff he forsake you, and
give you up as hopeless : for to what purpose should he
wam you, ff you would not beUeve tim. Should he send
an angel from heaven to you, it seems you would not be
Ueve, for an angel can speak but the word of God ; and
rf an angel should bring you any other gospel, you are not
to receive it, but to liold him accursed. Gal. i. 8. And
surely there is no angel to be beUeved before the Son of
God, who came from the Father to bring us this doctrine.
If he be not to be believed, then all the angels in heaven
are not to be believed. And if vou stand on these terms

74 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
-vrith God, I shall leave you till he deal -vrith you in a more
con-rincing w.ay. God hath a voice that -vriU make you
hear ! Though he entreat you to he.ar the voice of his gos
pel, he -vriU make you hear the voice of his condemning
sentence, without entreaty. We cannot make you beUeve
against your -vrills ; but God -vrill make you feel against
your wiUs. But let us hear what reason you have, why you
-vriU not beUeve this word of God, which teUs us, that the
-vricked must be converted or condemned. I know your
reason ; it is because that you judge it unlikely that God
should be so unmerciful ; you think it cruelty to damn
men everlastingly for so small a thing as a sinftil lffe. And
this leads us up to the second thing, which is to justify the
equity of God in his laws and judgment.
And first, I think you wUl not deny but that it is most
suitable to an immortal soul, to be ruled by laws that pro
mise an immortal reward, and threaten an endless punish
ment. Otherwise the law should not be suited to the na
ture of the subject, who -vrill not be fully ruled by any
lower means than the hopes or fears of everlasting things :
as it is in case of temporal punishment. If a law were now
made, that the most heinous crimes should be punished
-vrith a hundred years' captirity, this might be of sorae effi
cacy, as being equal to our Uves. But ff there had been
no other penalties before the flood, when men Uved eight
or nine hundred years, it would not have been sufiicient,
because men would know that they might have so many
hundred years' impunity afterward. So it is in our present case.
2. I suppose j-ou wiU confess, that the promise of an end
less and inconceivable glory, is not unsuitable to the -vris
dom of God, or the case of man. And why then should
you not think so of the threatening of an endless and un
speakable misery?
3. "When you find it in the word of God, that so it is,
and so it wUl be, do you think yourselves fit to contradict
this word ? WUl you call your Maker to the bar, and ex
amine his word upon the accusation of falsehood ? WiU
you sit upon him, and judge him bythe law ofyour conceits?

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 75
Are you -wiser, and better, and more righteous than he ? Must
the God of heaven come to school to you to learn -vrisdom ?
Must Infinite Wisdom leam of foUy ; and Infinite Goodness
be corrected by a s-winish sinner, that cannot keep himself
an hour clean ? Must the Almighty stand at the bar of a
worm ? Oh horrid arrogancy of senseless dust ! ShaU
every mole, or clod, or dunghUl, accuse the sun of darkness,
and undertake to Uluminate the world? "Where were you
when the Almighty made the laws, that he did not caU you
to his counsel? Surely he made them before you were bom,
-vrithout desiring your adrice, and you came into the world
too late for to reverse them. If you could have done so
great a work, you should have stepped out of your nothing
ness, and have contradicted Christ when he was on earth,
or Moses before hirn, or have saved Adam and his sinful
progeny from the threatening death, that so there might.
have been no need of Christ. And what ff God withdraw
his patience and sustentation, and let you drop into hell
whUe you are quan-eUing -vrith his words, -wUl you then be^
Ueve that there is a heU '
4. If sin be such an e-ril that it required the death of
Christ for its expiation, no wonder ff it deserve our ever
lasting misery.
5. And ff the sins of the derils deserved an endless tor
ment, why not also the sins of men ?
6. And methinks you should perceive that it is not pos
sible for the best of men, much less for the 'vricked, to be
competent judges of the desert of sin. Alas ! we ai-e both
blind and partial. You can never know fiUly the desert of
sin, tUl you fidly know the eril of sin ; and you can never
fiiUy know the eril of sin, tUl you fuUy know, 1. The ex
ceUency of the soul which it deformeth. 2. And the ex
ceUency of holiness which it doth obUterate. 3. And the
reason and the excellency of the law which it riolateth.
And, 4. The exceUency of the glory which it doth despise.
And, 5. The exceUency and ofiice of reason which it treadeth
down. 6. No, nor till you know the infinite excellency,
almightiness, and holiness of that God, againgt whom it i?

7 0 A CALL TO TUE UNCONVERTED.
committed. When you fuUy know aU these, you shaU fiiUy
Icnow the desert of sin Besides, you know that the offender
is too paj-tial to judge the law, or the proceedings of his
judge. Wc judge by feeling, which binds our reason. We
see iu common worldly things, that most men think the
cause is right which is their own, and that aU is ¦wrong that
is done against them ; and let the most -wise, or just, or im
partial friends persuade them to the contrary, and it is aU
in vain. There ai-e few childi-en but think the father un-
mercfful, or that he dealeth hardly with them, ff he whip
them. There is scarce the vUest, s-winish -wretch, but thinketh
the church doth 'wrong him, if they excoraraunicate hira ;
or scarce a thief or murderer that is hanged, but would
accuse the law and judge of cruelty, ff that would serve
his turn.
7. Can you think that an unholy soul is fit for heaven?
Alas ! they cannot love God here, nor do him any serrice
whicii he can accept. They are contrary to God, they
loathe that which he most loveth, and love that which he
abhon-eth. They are incapable of that imperfect commu
nion with him, which his saints here do partake of. How
then can they Uve in that perfect love of hun, and fidl de
lights and communion -vrith him, which is the blessedness of
heaven ? You do not accuse yourselves of unmercffulness,
if you make not yom- enemy yom- bosom coimseUor ; or ff
you take not your s-vrine to bed and board with you ; no,
nor ff you take away their life, though they never sinned.
And yct will you blame the absolute Lord, the most 'vrise and
gracious Sovereign of the world, ff he condemn the uncon
verted man to perpetual misery.
Use. I beseech you now, aU that love your souls, that
mstead of quan-eUing -vrith God, and with his word, you
wUl presently stoop to it, and use it for your good. AU
you that are yet unconverted in this assembly, take this as
the undoubted truth of God ; you must ere long be con
verted or condemned, there is no other way but tum or die.
When God, that cannot Ue, hath told you this, when you
he.ar from the Maker and Judge of the world, it is time for

A CALL 1-0 riiE L'.\converti;d. 77
him that hath eai-s to heai- ; by this time you may see what
you have to trust to. You ai-e but dead and damned men,
except you wUl be converted. Should I teU you othei-wise,
I should but deceive you with a Ue. Should I hide this from
you, I should undo you, and be guUty of your blood, as the
verses before my text assm-e me, ver. 8, " "When I say to
the wicked man, O -vricked man, thou shalt surely die ; ff
thou dost not speak to wai-n the -wicked from his way, that
wicked man shaU die in his iniquity, but his blood -vriU I
require at thine hand." You see then, though this be a
rough, miwelcome doctiine, it is such as we must preach
aud you must hear. It is easier to heai- of heU than feel
it. If yom- necessities did not requii-e it, we should not
gaU your tender cars with truths that seem so harsh and
grievous. HeU would not be so fuU, if people were but
wiUing to Iqiow their case, and to hear and think of it. The
reason why so few escape it, is, because they strive not to
enter in at the strait gate of conversion, and to go the nar
row way of hoUness whUe they have time ; and they strive
not, because they be not awakened to a Uvely feeling of the
danger they are in ; and they be not awakened, because
thoy are loth to hear or think of it ; and that is partly
through fooUsh tendemess, and camal self-love, and partly
because they do not well beUeve the word that threatenetli
it. If you -wiu net thoroughly beUeve this truth, methinks
the weight of it should force you to remember it, and it
should foUow you and give you no rest tUl you are converted.
If you had but once heard this word, by the voice of an
angel, Thou must be converted or condemned ; tum or die !
would it net stick in your mind, and haunt you night and
day? So that m your sinning you would remember it, as ff
the voice were stiU in your ears, Tum or die ! Oh happy
were your souls, ff it might thus work -vrith you, and never
be forgotten, or let you alone tiU it hath driven home your
hearts to God. But ff you -wiU cast it out by forgetfiilness
or unbeUef, how can it work to your conversion and salva
tion ? But take this -vrith you, to your sorrow, though you
may put this out of yom- minds, you cannot put it out of the

78 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
Bible ; but there it -wUl stand as a sealed truth, which you
shall experimentally know for ever, that there is no other
way but turn or die.
Oh what is the matter then that the hearts of sinners
be not pierced -vrith such a weighty truth ! A man would
think now that every unconverted soul that hears these
words should be pricked to the heart, and think with them
selves. This is my o-wn case ; and never be quiet tiU they
found themselves converted. BeUeve it, sirs, this drowsy.
careless temper wiU not last long. Conversion and con
demnation are both of them awakening things ; and one of
them -vrill make you feel ere long. I can foreteU it as
tmly as ff I saw it vrith my eyes, that either grace or hell
-wiU shortly bring these matters to the quick, and make you
say, Wfiat have I done ? What fooUsh, -vricked courses have
I taken ? The scornful and stupid state of sinners wUl last
but a little whUe : as soon as they either turn or die, the
presumptuous dream wUl be at an end, and then their wits
and feeling -vriU retum.
But I foresee there are two things that are Uke to harden
the unconverted, and make me lose all my labour, except
they can be taken out of the way : and that is, the misun
derstanding of those two words, the -vricked, and turn.
Some wiU think -vrith themselves, it is true, the wicked must
tum or die ; but what is that to me ? I am not -vricked,
though I am a sinner, as all men be. Others wUl think, it
is true that we must turn from our e-ril ways ; but I am
turned long ago, I hope this is not now to do. And thus,
while vricked men think they are not wicked, but are al
ready converted, we lose aU our labour in persuading them
to tum. I shaU therefore, before I go any further, teU you
here who are meant by the wicked, and who they be that
must tm-n or die, and also what is meant by turning ; and
who they be that are truly converted ; and this I have pur
posely reserved for this place, preferring the method that
fits my end.
And here you may observe, that in the sense of the text,
a -vricked man and a converted man are contraries. No man.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 79
is a wicked man that is converted, and no man is a con
verted man that is -wicked ; so that to be a wicked man,
and to be an unconverted man, is aU one. And therefore
in opening one, we shaU open both.
Before I cau teU you what either wickedness or conver
sion is, I must go to the bottom, and fetch up the matter
from the beginning.
It pleased the great Creator of the world to make three
sorts of Uving creatures. Angels he made pure spirits with
out flesh, and therefore he made them only for heaven, and
not to dweU on earth. Beasts were made flesh vrithout im
mortal souls ; and therefore they were made only for earth,
and not for heaven. Man is of a middle nature, between
both, as partaking of both flesh and spirit ; and therefore
he was made both for heaven and earth. But as his flesh
is made to be but a servant to his spirit, so is he made for
earth, but has his passage or way to heaven, and not that
this should be his home or happiness. The blessed state
that man was made for, was to behold the glorious majesty
of the Lord, and to praise him among his holy angels, and
to love him, and be filled vrith his love for ever. And as
this was the end that raan was made for, so God did give
him means that were fitted to the attaining of it. These
means were principaUy two. First, The right inclination
and disposition ofthe mind of man. Secondly, The right
ordering of his Ufe and practice. For the first, God suited
the disposition of man to his end ; giving him such know
ledge of God, as was fit for his present state, and a heart
disposed and inclined to God in holy love. But yet he did
not fix or confirm him in this condition ; but having made
him a free agent, he left him in the hands of his own free-
wUl. For the second, God did that which belonged to
him ; that is, he gave man a perfect law, requiring him to
continue in the love of God, and perfectly to obey him.
By the wUful breach of this law, man did not only forfeit
his hopes of everlasting Ufe, but also turned his heart from
Gol, and fixed it on these lower, fleshly things, and hereby
did blot out thc spiritual image of God from his sotU. So

80 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
that man did both faU short of the glory of God, which was
his end, and put himseff out of the way by which he
should have attained it ; and this, both as to the frame of
his heart and of his lffe. The holy inclmation and love of
his soul to God, he lost ; and instead of it, he contracted
an inclination and love to the pleasing of his flesh, or
camal self, by earthly things ; growing strange to God, and
acquainted vrith the creature : and the course of his lffe was
suited to the beat and incUnation of his heart ; he Uved to
his camal seff, and not to God ; he sought the creatm-e for
the pleasing of his flesh, instead of seeking to please the
Lord. With this nature or corrupt inclination, we are all
now bom into the world ; for " who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean ? " Job xiv. 4. As a Uon hath a
fierce and cruel nature, before he doth devour, and as an
adder hath a venomous nature before she stings, so in our
very infancy we have those sinful natures or inclinations,
before we think, or speak, or do amiss. And hence
springeth aU the sin of our Uves. And not only so, but
when God hath of his mercy prorided us a remedy, even the
Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Sariour of our souls, and
bring us back to God again, we naturaUy love our present
state, and are loth to be brought out of it, and therefore
are set against the means of our recovery ; and though cus
tom hath taught us to thank Christ for his good wUl, yet
camal seff persuadeth us to refiise his remedies, and to de
sire to be excused when we are commanded to take the me
dicines which he offereth, and are caUed to forsake aU, and
follow him to God and glorj'.
I pray you read over this leaf again, and mark it ; for in
these few words you have a true description of our natural
state, and consequently of a -vricked man. For every man
that is in this state of corrupted natm-e, is a vricked man,
and in a state of death.
By this also you are prepared to understand what it is
to be converted ; to which end you must ftirther know,
that the mercy of God, not wilUng that man should perish
in his sm, ]3rorided a remedy, by causing his Son to take

A C.A.LL TO THK l,-XCe>N\-ER'r-L;i>. 81
our nat-aro, aud being in one person God and man, to be
come a ^Mediator between God and man ; and by djing for
our sins on the cross, to ransom us from the curse of God,
and tiie power of the devU : and having tiius redeemed us,
the Father hath deUvered us into his hands as his own.
Hereupon the Father and the MecUator do make a new law
and covenant for man. Not Uke the first, which gave Ufe
to none but the perfectly obedient, and condemned man for
every sin ; but Christ hath made a law of grace, or a pro
mise of pardon and everlasting Ufe to all that by true repen
tance, and by faith in Christ, are converted unto God.
LUiC an act of obUrion, which is made by a prince to a
company of rebels, on condition they wUl lay do'wn their
arm.s, aud come in, and be loyal subjects for the time to
come. Eut besause the Lord knoweth that the heart of man is
grovm so vricked, that, for aU this, men 'wiU not accept of
the remedy if they be left to themselves ; therefore the Holy
G'uost hath undertaken it as his office to inspire the apostles,
aud seal up the Scripture by miracles and wonders, and to
Uluminate and convert the souls of the elect.
So that by this much you see, that as there are three
Persons in the Tiinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
( j!;ost ; so all of these Persons have their several works,
which are eminently ascribed to them.
The Father's works were, to create us, to rule us as his
rational creatures by the law of nature, and judge us there-
1 1}' ; and in mercy to provide us a Redeemer when we were
lost ; and to send his Son, and accept his ransom.
The works of the Son for us were these : to ransom and
redeem us by his sufferings and righteousness, to give out
the promise or law of grace, and mle and judge the world
as their Redeemer, on terms of grace ; and to make inter
cession for us, that the benefits of his death may be com
municated ; and to send the Holy Ghost (which the Father
also doth by the Son.)
The works of the Holy Ghost for us aro these : to indite
the holy Soriptm-es, by inspiring and guiding the prophets
F

82 A CALL TU TIIE U-NCONVERTED.
and apostles ; and sealmg the word by his mu-aculous gifts
aud works ; and the Uluminating and exciting- the ordinary
ministers of the gospel ; and so enabUng them, and helping
them to pubUsh that word, and by the same word Ulumi
nating ,and converting the souls of men. So that as you
could not have been reasonable creatures ff the Father had
not created you ; nor have had any access to God ff the Son
had not redeemed you ; so neither can you have a part in
Christ, or be saved, except the Holy Ghost do sanctify
you. .
So that by this time you may see the several causes of
this work. The Father sendeth the Son ; the Son redeemeth
us, and maketh the promise of grace ; the Holy Ghost in-
diteth and sealeth this gospel ; the apostles are the secre
taries of the Spirit, to write it ; the preachers of the gospel
are the heralds to proclaim it, and persuade men to obey it ;
and the Holy Ghost doth make their preaching effectual, by
opening the hearts of men to entertain it. And aU this to
repair the image of God upon the soul, and to set the heart
upon God again, and take it off the creature and camal seff,
to which it is revolted, and so turn the current of this Ufe
into a heavenly course, which before was earthly ; and aU
this by the entertainment of Christ by faith, who is the
Physician of the soul.
By this which I have said, you may see what it is to be
vricked, and what it is to be unconverted. "Which, I think,
wUl be yet plainer to you, ff I describe them as consisting of
their several parts : and for the first, A vricked man may be
known by these three things :
First, He is one that placeth his chief content on earth ;
and loveth the creature more than God ; and his fleshly
prosperity above the heavenly feUcity : he savoureth the
things of the flesh, but neither discerneth nor savoureth the
things of the Spirit ; though he wUl say that heaven is better
than earth, yet doth he not reaUy so esteem it to himseff. If
he might be sure of earth, he would let go heaven, and had
rather stay here than be removed thither. A lffe of perfect
hoUness in the sight of God, and in his love, and praises for

.\. CALL TO THE UNCON-VERTED. 83
ever in heaven, doth not fuid such Uking with his heart as
a lffe of health, and wealth, and honour here upon earth.
And though he falsely profess that he loveth God above aU,
yet indeed he never felt the povver of dirine love vrithin him,
but his mind is more set on the world, or fleshly pleasures,
than on God. In a word, whoever loveth earth above
heaven, and fleshly prosperity more than God, is a wicked,
unconverted man.
On the other side, a converted man is iUuminated to dis
cern the loveUuess of God ; and so fiu- beUeveth the glory
that is to be had vrith God, that his heart is takeu up to it,
and set more upon it than on any thing in this world. He
had rather see the face of Ciod, and Uve in his everlasting
love and praises, than have all the wealth or pleasure of the
world. He seeth that all things else are vanity, and nothing
but God can fiU the soul ; and therefore let the world go
which way it wiU, he layeth up his treasures and hopes in
heaven ; and for that he is resolved to let go all. As the
fire doth mount upward, and the needle that is touched vrith
the loadstone stiU turneth to the north, so the converted soul
is inclined unto God. Nothing else can satisfy him ; nor
can he find any content and rest but in his love. In a word,
aU that are converted do esteem and love God better than
aU the world, and the heavenly feUcity is dearer to them
than their fleshly prosperity. The proof of what I have said
you may find in these places of Scripture, PhU. in. 18, 21 ;
Matt. ri. 19-21 ; Col. ui. 1-4 ; Rom. vui. 3, 6-9, 18, 23 ;
Psal. Ixxni. 2.5, 26.
SecontUy, A -vricked man is one that maketh it the prin
cipal business of his lffe to prosper in the world, and attain
his fleshly ends. And though he may read and hear, and
do much in the outward duties of reUgion, and forbear dis
graceful sins ; yet this is aU but upon the bye, and he never
makes it the trade and principal business of his lffe to please
God and attain everlastmg glory, but puts off God -vrith the
leavings of the world, and gives hun no more serrice than the
flesh can spare ; for he wdl not part vrith aU for heaven.
On the contrary, a converted man is one that makes it

84 .4. CALL TO THE LNCONIKRIIID.
the pj-iucipal care aud business of his Ufe to please God, and
to be saved ; and takes aU the blessings of this lffe but aa
accommodations in his journey towards another lffe, and
useth the creature in subordination unto God : he loveth a
holy lffe, and longeth to be more holy ; he hath no sin but
what he hateth, and longeth, and prayeth, and striveth to
be rid of. The drift and bent of his Ufe is for God ; and ff
he sin, it is contrary to the very bent of his heart and lffe, and
therefore he lises again, and lamenteth it, and dare not wU-
fiiUy Uve in any known sin. There is nothing in this world
so dear to him but he can give it up to God, and forsake it
for him and tho hopes of glory. AU this you may see in
Col. ni. 1-5 ; Matt. vi. 20, 33 ; Luke xvui, 22, 23, 29 ;
:;iy. 18, 24, 26, 27; Rom. viu. 13: Gab v. 24; Luke
xn. 21, &c.
Thirdly, The SOul of a vricked man did never truly dis-
cei-n and reUsh the mystery of redemption, nor thankfidly
entertain an offered Sariour, nor is he taken up vrith the
love of the Redeemer, nor wUling to be ruled by him, as the
Physician of his soul, that he may be saved fi-om the ginlt
and power of his sins, and recovered unto God ; but his heart
is insensible of this unspeakable benefit, and is quite against
the healing means by which he should be recovered. Though
he may be wUling to be camaUy reUgious, yet he never re
signed up his soul to Christ, and to the motions and conduct
of his word and Spirit.
On the contrary, the converted soul having felt himseff
undone by sin ; and perceiving that he hath lost his peace
vrith God, .and hopes of heaven, and is in danger of ever
lasting misery, doth thankfidly entertain the tiiUngs of re
demption; and believing in the Lord Jesus as his only
Sariour, resigneth up himseff to him for wisdom, righteous
ness, sanctification, and redemption. He taketh Christ as
the lffe of his soul, and Uveth by him, and useth him as a
salve for every sore, admiring the wisdom and love of God
in his wonderful work of man's redemption. In a word,
Christ doth even dwell in his heart by faith, and the lffe that
he now Uveth is by faith in the Son of God, who loved

.4 C.iLL TO THE UNCONIERTED. §5
hlui .and gave himseff' for him. Yea, it is not so mu«li he
that Uveth, as Chiist in him. For these, sue John i. 11,
12 ; in. 19, 20 ; Rom. vni. 9 ; PhU. ui. 7-10; Gal. U.
20; Johu xv. 2-4 ; 1 Cor. i. 20 ; ii. 2.
You see uow in plain terms, fi-om the word of God, who
are the wicked, aud who ai-e the converted. Ignorant
people thudc, that ff a mau be no swearer, nor cursor, nor
raUer, nor drunkard, nor fornicator, nor extortioner, nor
wrong auy body in then- dealings, and ff they come to
church, and say theu- prayers, these cannot be wicked men.
Or ff a man that hath been guUty of drunkenness, swearing,
gaming, or the like rices, do but forbear them for the time
to come, they think that this is a converted man. Others
think, ff a man that hath been an enemy, and a scorner
of godliness, do but approve it, and join himself with those
that are godly, and be hated for it by the wicked, as the
godly are, that this needs must be a converted man. And
some are so foolish as to think they are converted, by tak
ing up some new and false opinion ; and falling into some
diriding party, as baptists, quakers, papists, or such Uke.
And some think, ff they have but been aflrighted by the feai-s
of heU, and had convictions, and gripes of conscience, and
thereupon have purposed and promised amendment, and
takeu up a Ufe of ciril behariour, and outward reUgion, that
this must needs be true conversion. And these are the poor
deluded souls that are Uke to lose the benefit of aU our
persuasions. And when they hear that the vricked must
tm-n or die, they think that this is not spoken of them ; for
they are not wicked, but are tumed ah-eady. And there
fore it is, that Christ told some of the rulers of the Jews,
who were more grave and ci-vU than the common people,
that " Publicans and harlots do go into the kingdom of
God before them," Matt, xxi, 31. Not that a harlot or
gross sinner cau be saved without conversion, but because
it was ea.sier to make those gross sinners perceive their sin
and misery, and the necessity of a change, when the ciriler
sort do delude themselves by thinking that they are con
verted ah-eady, when they be not

86 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
0%irs, conversion is another kind of work than most are
aware of It is not a small matter to bring an eai-thly
mind to heaven, and to shew man the amiable exceUencies
of God, tUl he be taken up in such love to him that can
never be quenched ; to break the heart for sin, and make
him fiy for refuge unto Christ, and thankfully erabrace him
as the Ufe of his soul ; to have the very drift and bent of
the heart and Ufe to be changed ; so that a man renounceth
that which he took for his feUcity, and placeth his felicity
where he never did before, and liveth not to the same end,
and driveth not on the same design in the world as former
ly he did : in a word, he that is in Christ " is a new
creature ; old things are passed away, behold all things are
become new," 2 Cor. v. 17. He hath a new understaniUng,
a new wUl and resolution, new sorrows, and desires, and
love, and deUght ; new thoughts, new speeches, new com
pany (ff possible), and a new conversation. Sia, that be
fore was a jesting matter vrith him, is now so odious and
terrible to him that he files from it as from death. The
world, that was so lovely in his eyes, doth now appear but
as vanity and vexation. God, that was before neglected,
is now the only happiness of his soul : before he was for
gotten, and every lust preferred before hira ; but now is
set next the heart, and aU things raust give place to him ;
and the heart is taken up in the attendance and observance
of him, and is grieved when he hides his face, and never
thinks itseff well vrithout him. Christ hiraseff, that was
wont to be slightly thought of, is now his only hope and re
fuge, and he Uves upon him as on his daUy bread ; he can
not pray vrithout hira, nor rejoice -vrithout him, nor think,
nor speak, nor Uve, 'vrithout him. Heaven itself, that be
fore was looked upon but as a tolerable reserve, which he
hoped might serve tum better than hell, when he could not
stay any longer in the world, is now taken for his home,
the place of his only hope and rest, where he shall see, and
love, and praise that God that hath his heart already. HeU,
that did seem before but as a bugbear to frighten men
from sin, doth now appear to be a real misery, that is not

.V. C.VLL rO IHE UNCONVERTED. 87
to be ventured on or jested with. The works of hoUness,
which before he was weary of, and seemed to be more ado
than needs, are now both liis recreation, and his business,
and the trade he Uves upon. The Bible, which was before to
him but almost as a comraon book, is now as the law of God,
as a letter written to him from heaven, and subscribed with
the name of the Etemal Majesty ; it is the rule of his
thoughts, and words, and deeds ; the commands ai-e binding,
the threats are dreadful, and the promises of it speak lffe to
his soul. The godly, that seemed to liim but lUce other
men, are now the most exceUent and happiest ou earth.
And the vricked that were his play-feUows, are now his
grief; and he that could laugh at theu- sins, is readier now
to weep for their sin and misery, Psal. xv. 4 ; xvi. 3 ; PhU.
in. 18. In short, he hath a new end in liis thoughts, and
a new way in his endeavours, and therefore his heart and
lffe are new. Before, his carnal seff was his end ; and his
pleasure, and worldly profits, and credits were his way.
And now, God and everlasting gloiy are his end ; and
Christ, and the Spirit, and the word, and ordinances, holiness
to God, and righteousness and mercy to men, these are his
way. Before, seff was the chiefest ruler, to which the mat
ters of God and conscience must stoop and give place : and
now God in Christ, by the Spirit, word, and ministrj-, is the
chiefest Ruler, to whom both seff, and all the matters of
seff, must give place. So that this is not a change in one,
or two, or twenty points, but in the whole soul ; and the
very end and bent of the conversation. A man may step
out of one path into another, and yet have his face stUl
the same way, and be stiU going towards the same place ;
but it is another matter to tum quite back again, and
take his journey the clean contrary way, to a contrary place.
So it is here ; a man may tum from drunkenness to thrifti-
ness, and forsake his good feUowship, and other gross, dis-
graceflU sins, and set upon some duties of reUgion, and yet
be going stiU to the same end as before, intending his car
nal seff above aU, and giving it stiU the govemment of his
soul. But when he is converted, this seff is denied and

88 A CALL TO UtK UNCONVERTED.
taken down, and God is set up, and his face is turned th(.
contrary way : and he that before was addicted to himself,
aud lived to himseff, is now by sanctification devoted to
God, and Uveth nnto God. Before he asked himseff what
he should do vrith his time, liis parts, and his estate, and
for hunseff he used them ; but now he asketh God what he
shaU do w-ith them, and useth them for him : before he
would please God so far as might stand vrith the pleasure
of his flesh and carnal seff, but not to any great displea
sure of them ; but now he vrill please God, let flesh and
seff be ever so much displeased. This is the great change
that God wUl make upon aU that shaU be saved.
You can say that the Holy Ghost is our Sanctifier ; but
do you know what sanctification is? ^Vhy, this is it that I
have now opened to you : and every man or woman in the
world must have this, or be condemned to everlasting miserj'.
Iliej' must tum or die.
Do you beUeve aU this, sirs, or do you not ? Surely you
dare not say you do not ; for it is past all doubt or denial.
These are not controversies, where one leamed, pious man
is of one mind, and another of another; where one party
saith this, and the other saith that : papists and baptists,
and every sect among us, that deserve to be caUed Christians,
are aU agreed in this that I have said ; and if you wUl not
beUeve the God of truth, and that in a case where every
sect ancl party doth beUeve him, j'ou are utterly inexcus
able. But ff you do beUeve this, how comes it to pass that you
are so quiet in an unconverted state ? Do you think you are
converted? and can you find this wonderftd change upon
your sotUs? Have you been thus bom again, and made
anew ? Be not these strange matters to many of you ? and
such as you never felt upon yourselves? If you caimot
tell the day or week of your change, or the very sermon
that converted you, yet do you find that the work is done,
and such a change indeed there is ? and that you have such
hearts as are before described? Alas, the most do foUow
their worlcUy business, and Uttle trouble their minds with

A CAIA. TO THE UNCONVERTED. 89
such thoughts. -Ind ff they be but restrained fi-om scan
dalous sins, and can say, I am no whoremonger, nor thief,
nor cursor, nor swearer, nor tippler, nor extortioner ; I go
to the chm-cli and saj' my prayers ; they think that this is
true conversion, and they shall be saved as well as anj-.
Alas, this is foolish cheating of jourselves ; this is too much
contempt of au endless glorj', and too gi-oss neglect of your
immortal souls. Can j'Ou make so Ught of heaven and heU?
Your corpse wUl shortlj- Ue in the dust, and angels or de-rils
will presently seize upou jour souls ; an<l every man or
womau of j-ou aU, -wUl shortlj- be among other company,
and in another case than now j-ou are : you wiU dwell in
these houses but a Uttie longer ; j-ou -\rill work In your shops
and fields but a Uttle longer ; jou wUl sit iu these seats, and
dwcU on this earth, but a little longer ; jou wUl see -vrith
those eyes, and hear vrith those ears, and speak with those
tongues, but a Uttle longer, tiU the resurrection day ; and
can J-ou make shift to forget this ? Oh what a place wUl
J-ou be shortly in of joy or torment ! Oh what a sight vriU
J-ou shortly see ui heaven or hell ! Oh what thoughts wUl
shortly fUl j-om- hearts vrith unspeakable deUght or horror !
"What work wiU j-ou be employed in ! To praise the Lord
vrith saints and angels, or to ci-j- out in fire unquenchable
vrith devils : and should aU this be forgotten ? And all this
vriU be endless, and sealed up by an unchangeable decree.
Etermty, etemitj' wiU be the measure of your joj's or soi*-
rows ; and can tins be forgotten ? And all this is true, «u-s,
most certainlj' ti-ue : when j-ou have gone up and down a
Uttle longer, and slept and awaked but a few times more,
you vrill be dead and gone, and find all true that now I teU
J'OU ; and j-et can you now so much forget it ? You shall
then remember j'ou heard this sermon, and that this day. In
tliis place, j'ou were reraerabered of these things, and per
ceive' them matters a thousand times greater than either you
or I could here conceive ; and j-et shall they be now so
much forgotten ?
Beloved fi-iends, ff the Lord had not awakened me to be
Ueve and lay to heart these things myseff, I shoidd have re-

90 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
mained in the dark and selfish state, and have perished for
ever ; but ff he have truly made me sensible of them, it -vviU
constrain me to compassionate j'OU, as weU as mj-seff. If
your c-v-es were so far open as to see heU, and you saw your
nelghbom-s that were unconverted, dragged thither vrith
liideous cries ; though thej' were such as j'OU accounted
honest people on earth, and feared no such matter by them
selves ; such a sight would make j'Ou go home and think of
it, and think again, and make jou wam all about you, as
that damned worldUng In Luke xri. 28 would have had
his brethren warned, lest they come to that place of torment.
"\^1lJ', faith is a kind of sight, it Is the ej-e of the soul, the
evidence of things not seen : ff I beUeve God, it Is next to
seeing ; and therefore I beseech you excuse me, ff I be haff
as earnest vrith j-ou about these matters, as ff I had seen
them. If I raust die to-morrow, and it were in my power
to come again from another world, and teU you what I had
seen, would you not be vriUing to hear me ? and would you
not believe aud regard what I should teU you ? If I inight
preach one sermon to you after I am dead, and have seen
what is done in the world to come, woidd you not have me
plainly speak the truth ? and would you not crowd to hear
me ? and would j'OU not lay it to heart ? but this must not
be : God hath his appointed way of teaching j'OU by Scrip
ture and mluLsters ; and he wiU not humour unbeUevers so
far, as to send men from the dead to them, and alter his
established way : if anj' man (|uai-i-el with the sun, God wiU
not humour him so far, as to set up a clearer Ught. Friends,
I beseech you regard me now, as you would do ff I should
come from the dead to you ; for I can give you the fidl assu
rance of the truth of what I say to j'ou, as ff I had been
there and seen It -vrith my eyes : for it is possible for one
from the dead to deceive you ; but Jesus Christ can never
deceive you ; the word of God deUvered in Scripture, and
sealed up by the miracles and holy workings of the Spuit,
can never deceive j'Ou. BeUeve this, or believe nothing.
BeUeve and obey this, or you are undone. Now, as ever
J'OU beUeve thc word of God, and as as ever j'ou care for

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 91
the salvation of yom- souls, let me beg of you this reasonable
request, and I beseech jou deny me not, that you would
without anj- more delav, when j'Ou are gone fi-om hence,
remember what you heard, and enter into an earnest seai-ch
of j-our hearts, and say unto j-ourselves. Is it so indeed ?
Must I tm-n or die ? Must I be converted or condemned ?
It is time for me theu to look about me, before It be too
late. Oh why did not I look after this tUl now ? Wliy did I
venturously put off or slubber over so great a business ? Was
I awake, or in mj' vrits ? O blessed God, what a mercy is it
that thou didst not cut off my lffe aU this whUe, before I
had anj' certain hope of eternal Ufe ! WeU, God forbid that
I should neglect this work anj- longer. What state is my
sold in ? Am I converted, or am I not ? Was ever such a
change or work done upon mv soul ? Have I been Ulumi
nated by the word and Spirit of the Lord, to see the odious
ness of sin, the need of a Sariour, the love of Christ, and
the exceUences of God and glory ? Is mj' heart broken, or
humbled -vrithin me, for my former Ufe ? Have I thankfuUy
entertained my Sariour and Lord, that offered himseff -vrith
pardon and Ufe to mj' soul? Do I hate my former sinful
Ufe, and the remnant of every sin that is in me ? Do I fly
from them as my deadlj' enemies ? Do I give up myseff to
a Ufe of hoUness and obedience to God ? Do I love it and
delight in it ? Can I truly say, that I am dead to the world,
and camal seff; and that I Uve for God, and the glorj-
which he hath promised ? Hath heaven more of my estima
tion and resolution than earth ? And is God the dearest and
highest in my soul ? Once, I am sure, I Uved principaUy to
the world and flesh, and God had nothing but some heart
less serrices which the world could spare, and which were
the leavings of flesh. Is my heart now tumed another way?
Have I a new design, and a new end, and a new train of
holy affections ? Have I set my hope and heart in heaven ?
And is it the scope, and design, and bent of my heart and lffe,
to get well to heaven, and see the glorious face of God, and
Uve in his everlasting love and praise ? And when I sin, is
it against the habitual bent and design of ray heart ? And

92 A CALL TO TUE UNCONVERTED.
do I conquer aU gross sins, and am I wearj' and willing to
be rid of my infirmities ? This Is the state of a converted
soul. And thus must it be with me, or I must perish. Is
it thus with me Indeed, or is it not ? It is time to get this
doubt resolved, before the di-eadful Judge resolve it. I am
not auch a stranger to my own heart and life, but I may
somewhat perceive whether I ara thus converted or not : ff
I be not. It wUl do me no good to flatter my soul vrith false
conceits and hopes. I am resolved no more to deceive my
self, but to endeavour to know truly, off or on, whether I be
converted, j-ea or no ; that ff I be, I may rejoice in it, and
glorffj' my gracious Lord, and comfortablj' go on tUl I reach
the crown ; and ff I am not, I may set myself to beg and
seek after the grace that should convert me, and may tum
without any more delay : for if I find in time that I am out
of the waj', by the help of Christ I may tum and be re
ceived ; but ff I stay tUl either my heart be forsaken of
God in blindness and hardness, or till I be catched away by
death, it is then too late. There Is no place for repentance
and conversion then ; I know it must be now or never.
Sirs, this is my request to j'OU, that j'OU -vriU but take
j'our hearts to task, and thus examine them, tUl you see, ff
it may be, w-hether you are converted or not ; and ff you
cannot find it out by your own endeavom-s, go to your mi
nisters, ff they be faithful and experienced men, and desire
their assistance. The matter is great, let not bashfulness
nor carelessness hinder j-ou. They are set over j-ou to ad
vise you for the saring of j'our souls, as physicians adrise
you for the curing of j'Our boiUes. It undoes many thou
sands, that they think they are in the way to salvation,
when they are not ; and think that they are converted,
when it is no such thing. And then when we -caU to them
daUy to tum, they go away as they came, and think that
this concerns not them ; for they are turned already, and
hope thej' shaU do weU enough in the way that they are in,
at least ff they do pick the fairest path, and avoid sorae of
the foulest steps ; when alas, aU this whUe, they Uve but to
the world and flesh, and are strangers to God and etemal

A CALL TO IHt UNCONVERTED. '.),)
lffe, and axe quite out of the way to heaven. And aU this
is much because we cannot persuade them to a few serious
thoughts of then- condition, and to spend a few hours
iu the examining of their states : is there not many a
seff-conceited wretch that heai-s me this daj-, that never
bestowed one hour, or a quarter of an hour, in aU their
Uves, to examine their soiUs, and try whether they are
truly converted or not ? O mercffid God, that -vriU care for
such wa-etches that care no more for themselves, and that
vrill do so much to save them fi-om hell, and help them
to heaven, who wUl do so little for it themselves ! If all
that are in the way to heU, and in a state of damnation, did
but know it, they durst not continue in it. The greatest
hope that the devil hath, of bringing j-ou to damnation
vrithout a rescue, is bj- keeping you blindfold and ignorant
of J-om- state, and making j'ou bcUevc that j-ou may do
well enough in the way that j-ou are in. If you knew
that J-ou were out of the waj' to heaven, and were lost
for ever, ff you should die as you are, durst you sleep an
other night in the state that you are in ? Durst you Uve
another daj' in it ? Could you heartUy laugh or be merry in
such a state ? "What ! and not know but you may be snatch
ed away to heU in an hour ! Sure it would constrain you to
forsake j"0ur former companj' and courses, and to betake
J'ourselves to the waj's of hoUness, and the communion of
the saints. Sure it would drive j'ou to cry to God for a
new heart, and to seek help of those that are fit to counsel
J'OU. There is none of you, sure, that cares not for being
damned. WeU then, I beseech you, presently make in
quiry into j'Our hearts, and give them no rest tUl you find
out j'oiu- condition, that ff It be good, you may rejoice in it
and go on ; and if it be bad, you may presently look about
you for recovery, as men that beUeve they must tum or
die. What say you, sirs, -wUl j-ou resolve and promise to
be at thus much labour for your souls ? WUl you faU upon
this seff-examination when you come home ? Is my request
unreasonable ? Your consciences know it is not ; resolve on
it then, before j'OU stir : knovring how much it concerneth

94 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
your souls, I beseech you for the sake of that God that doth
coraraand j-ou, at whose bar j'ou wUl shortly appear, that
you wUl not deny rae this reasonable request. For the sake
of those souls that must turn or die, I beseech you deny me
not ; even but to make it your business to understand yom-
own conditions, and buUd upon sure ground, and know off
or on, whether you are converted or no, and venturo not
j'Our souls on negUgent securitj'.
But perhaps you vrill say, AVhat If we should find our
selves j'et unconverted, what shall we do then ? This ques
tion leadeth me to my second doctrine ; which wiU do much
to the answering of It, to which I shall now proceed.
Doct. II. It is the promise of God, that the wicked shaU
live if they vrill but turn, unfeignedly and thoroughly tum.
The Lord here professeth, that this is it he takes plea
sure in, that the wicked turn and Uve. Heaven Is made
as sure to the converted, as heU is to the unconverted.
Tum and live, is as certain a truth as turn or die. God
was not bound to provide us a Saviour, nor open to ua
the door of hope, nor call to us to repent and turn, when
once we had cast ourselves away by sin. But he hath free
ly done it to magnffy his mercy. Sinners, there are none
of you shaU have cause to go home and say, I preach des
peration to J'OU. Do we use to shut up the door of mercy
against you ? Oh that you would not shut it up against
yourselves ! Do we use to tell you that God wiU have
no mercy on j'ou, though you turn and be sanctified ? When
did you ever hear a preacher say such a word ? You that
bark at the preachers of the gospel, for desiring to keep you
out of heU, and say that they preach desperation ; teU me
ff you can, when did you ever hear any sober man say, that
there is no hope for you, though ye repent and be convert
ed ? No, it is the clean contrary that we daily proclaim
from the Lord, That whosoever is»bom again, and by faith
and repentance doth become a new creature, shall certainly
be saved ; and so far we are from persuading- you to despair
of this, that we persuade you not to raake any doubt of it.
It is lffe, and not death, that is the first part of our mes-

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 96
sage to you ; our commissl'.in lo to olTcr salvation ; certain
salvation, a speedj', glorious, everlasting salvation, to evei-j'
one of you ; to the poorest beggiu-, as well as to the great
est lord ; to the worst of j-ou, even to the drunkards, swear
ers, worldlings, thieves, j-ea, to the despisers and reproachers
of the holj- waj' of salvation. We are commanded by our
Lord and Master to offer jou a pardon for aU that is past,
if you wiU but now at last return and live ; we are com
manded to beseech and entreat you to accept the offer and
return ; to teU j-ou what preparation is made by Christ,
vvhat mercy stays for j-ou, what patience waiteth on you,
what thoughts of kindness God hath towards you ; and how
happj-, how certainly and unspeakably happj', j'ou may be
ff J'OU wiu. We hiive indeed, also, a message of wrath and
deatii ; j-ea, of a twofold wrath and death ; but neither of them
is our principal message : we must teU j'on ofthe >vrath that Is
on J-ou already, and the death that you are bom under, for
the breach of the law of works : but this is only to shew you
the need of mercj", and provoke you to esteem the grace of
the Redeemer. And we teU you nothing but the truth, which
J'OU must know : for who -vrill seek out for physic, that knows
not that he is sick ? For teUing you of your misery, is not
it that makes j'Ou miserable, but diiveth you to seek for
mercj'. It is j'ou that have brought this death upon your
selves. We teU you also of another death, even remedUess,
and much greater torment which wUl faU on those that -vriU
not be converted. But as this is true, and must be told
you ; so it is but the last and saddest part of our message :
we are first to offer j-ou mercy, ff you wiU tum ; and it is
only those that vrill not tum nor hear the voice of mercy,
that we must foreteU damnation to. WUl you but cast away
j'our transgressions, delay no longer, but come away at the
caU of Christ and be converted, and become new creatures,
and we have not a word of damning wrath or death to
speak against you. I do here in the name of the Lord of
life proclaim to you all that hear me this day, to the
worst of you, to the greatest, to the oldest sinner, that you
may have mercy and salvation ff you wUl but tum. There

96 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
is mercy iu God, there is sufficiency in the satisfaction of
Christ, the promise is free, full, and universal : you may
have Ufe ff you -vriU but turn. But then, as j-ou love your
souls, remember what turning it Is the Scripture speaks of.
It Is not to mend the old house, but to puU down aU, and
buUd anew on Christ the rock and sure foundation. It is
not to mend somewhat in a carnal course of Ufe, but to
mortffy the fiesh, and Uve after the Spirit. It is not to
serve the flesh and the world In a more reformed waj-,
vrithout any scandalous disgraceful sins, and with a certain
kind of religiousness ; but it is to change your master, and
yom- works, and end, and set your face a contrary way,
and do all for the Ufe that you never saw, and dedicate
yourselves and all you have to God. This Is the change
that must be made, ff you vrill Uve.
Yourselves are witness now, that it is salvation, and not
damnation, that is the great doctrine I preach to j'OU, and
the first part of my message to you. Accept of this, and
we shall go no further vrith you : for we would not so
much as affright or trouble you with the name of damna
tion vrithout necessity.
But if J'OU -vriU not be saved, there Is no remedy, but
damnation must take place ; for there is no middle place
between the two. You must have either lffe or death.
And we are not only to offer you lffe, but to shew you
the grounds on which we do it, and caU you to believe, that
God doth mean indeed as he speaks ; that the promise Is
true, and extendeth condltionaUy to you as well as others,
and that heaven is no fancy, but a true felicity.
If you ask, where is our commission for this offer?
Among a hundred texts of Scripture, I vrill shew it unto
you in these few:
First, you see It here in my text, and the foUovring verses :
and in Ezek. xriu. as plain as can be spoken. And in 2
Cor. V. 17-21, JOU have the very sum of our coraraission
(" If any man be in Chiist, he is a nevv creature : old things
are passed away ; behold, all tilings are become new. And
aU things are of God, who h.atli reconciled us to himseff by

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 97
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconcUi
ation ; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciUng the
world unto himseff, not imputing their trespasses unto them ;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciUation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Clirist, as though God
did beseech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconcUed unto God. For he hath made him to be sin for
us, vvho knew no sin ; that we inight be made the righteous
ness of God in him.") So Mai-k xvi. 15, 16, " Go ye mto
aU the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that belieyeth (that is, with siu-h a couvL-rting faith as is be
fore expressed) aud Is baptize.i sliall be saved ; but he that
believeth not shaU be damned." And Luke xxiv. 46, 47,
" Thus It behoved Christ to suffer, aud to rise fi-om the dead
the third day : and that repentance (which includes conver
sion) and reraission of sins should be preached in his narae
among aU nations." And Acts. v. 30, 31, " The God of
our fathers raised up Jesus, vvhom ye slew and hanged on a
tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a
Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and for
giveness of sins." And Acts xiu. 38, 39, "Be it known
nnto J-ou, therefore, men and brethren, that through this
man is preached unto j'ou the forgiveness of sins : and by
him all that believe are justified fi-om all things, from which
he could not be justified by the law of Moses." And lest
you think this offer is restrained to the Jews, see Gal. ri.
15, " For iu Christ Jesus neither cu-cumcislon avaUeth any
thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." And Luke
xiv. 17, "Come, for aU things are now ready;" and ver.
23, 24.
You see by this time, that we are commanded to offer
lffe to you aU, and to teU j'OU from God, that ff you
wUl turn you may Uve.
Here you may safely trust your souls ; for the love of
God is the fountain of this offer, John ni. 16. And the
blood of the Son of God hath purchased it ; the faithful
ness and truth of God is engaged to make the promise
good ; miracles have sealed up the truth of it ; preach-

98 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
ers are sent through the world to proclaim it ; the sa
craments are instituted and used for the solemn sealing
of the mercy offered, to them that will accept it ; and
the Spirit dot'n open the heart to entertain It, and is it
seff the eamest of the full possession. So that the truth
of it is past controversy, that the worst of j-ou all, and
every one of you, if you vrill but be converted, niaj- be
saved. Indeed, ff you vriU needs believe that you shall be saved
vrithout conversion, then you believe a falsehood ; and if I
should preach that to you, I should preach a Ue. This
were not to beUeve God, but the devU and your o-wn de
ceitful hearts. God hath his proraise of lffe, and the deril
hath his promise of lffe. God's promise is. Return and Uve;
the devU's is. Thou shalt Uve whether thou tum or not.
The words of God are, as I have shewed you, " Except
j-e be converted and become as little chUdren, ye cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven," Matt, x-viu. 3. " Ex
cept a man be bom again, he cannot enter into the king
dom of God," John iu. 3, 5. " Without holiness no man
shall see the Lord," Heb. xu. 14. The devU's word is. You
may be saved without being born again and converted ;
J-ou may go to heaven well enough without being holy ;
God doth but frighten j'ou ; he is more merciful than to do
as he saith ; he vvUl be better to you than his word. And,
alas ! the greatest part of the world beUeve this word of the
devil before the word of God, just as our first sin and mi
sery came into the world. God salth to our first parents.
If ye eat j-e shall die ; the deril contradicts him, and saith.
Ye shall not die ; and the woman believed the de-vil before
God. So now the Lord saith. Turn or die ; and the devU
saith. You shall not dio if yon. do but ci-j' mercy at last, and
give over the acts of sin, when you can practise them no
longer. And this is the word that the world believes. O
heinous -vrickedness, to beUeve the devU before God !
And yet that is not the worst, but blasphemously they
call this a behering and trusting in God, when they put
him in the shape of Satan, who was .i liar from thc begin-

A C.\LL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 99
ning ; and when they believe that the word of God is a Ue,
they caU this a trusting God, and say they beUevo In him,
and trust on him for salvation. Where did ever God saj',
that the unregenerate, uncouverted, unsanctified, shaU be
saved ? Shew such a word in Scripture, I chaUenge j-ou, ff
you can. Why, this is the devU's word, and to believe it is
to beUeve the devU, and is the sm that is commonly caUed
presumption. And do j'Ou caU this a beliering and trust
ing God ? There is enough in the word of God to comfort
and strengthen the hearts of the sanctified ; but not a word
to strengthen the hands of vrickedness, nor to give men
the least hope of being saved, though they be never sanc
tified. But ff J-ou -vriU turn, and come into the way of mercj',
the mercy of the Lord is ready to entertain j-ou. Then
trust God for salvation boldly and confidently, for he is en
gaged by his word to save you.
He vriU be a father to none but his children, and he ¦vrill
save none but those that forsake the world, the deril, and
the fiesh, and come into his famUy, to be members of his
Son, and have communion vrith the saints. But ff they
¦wiU not come in, it is their o^wn fault ; his doors are open ;
he keeps none back ; he never sent such a message as
this to any of you. It is now too late, I ¦vrill not receive
thee, though thou be converted. He might have done so,
and done j'OU no wrong, but he did not, he doth not to this
daj', he is stiU ready to receive you, ff you were but ready
unfeignedlj-, and vrith aU j'our hearts, to turn. And the ful
ness of this truth wUl j-et more appear in the two foUo-vring
doctrines, which I shaU, therefore, next proceed to, before
I make a further appUcation of this.
Doct. m. God taketh pleasure in men's conversion and
salvation, but not in their death and damnation. He had
rather they would retum and live, than go on and die.
I shaU first teach you how to understand this ; and then
clear up the truth of it to you.
And for the first, you must observe these foUovring
things : 1 . A simple \riUIngness and compl.acency is the first

100 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
act of the wUl, foUovring the simple apprehension of the
understanding, before It proceedeth to compare things
together. But the choosing act of the will is a following
act, and supposeth the compai-ing jiractlcal act of the ¦
understanding ; and these two acts may often be carried to
contrary objects, vrithout any fault at all in the person.
2. An unfeigned -willingness may have divers degrees.
Sorae things I am so far wilUng of, as that I wiU do all
that Ueth in my power to accomplish them. And some
things I am truly -vrilUng another should do, when yet
I -wiU not do all that ever I ara able to procure them, hav
ing many reasons to dissuade me therefrom ; though yet I
wiU do aU that belongs to me to do.
3 . The wiU of a ruler, as such, is manffest in making
and executing laws ; but the vriU of a raan in his simple na
tural capacity, or as absolute lord of his own, is manffested
in desiring or resolving of events.
4. A ruler's wUl, as lawgiver, is, first and principaUy,
that his law be obeyed, and not at aU that the penalty be
executed on any, but only on supposition that they -wiU not
obey his laws. But a ruler's -vriU, as judge, supposeth the
law alreadj' either kept or broken. And, therefore, he re
solveth on reward or punishmeut accordingly.
Haring given you these necessary distinctions, I shall
next apply them to the case in hand. In these foUovring
propositions : —
1 . It is in the glass of the word and creatures that in
this Ufe we must know God. And so, according to the
nature of man, we ascribe to him understanding and wUl,
removing all the imperfections that we can, because we are
capable of no higher positive conceptions of him.
2. Aud on the same grounds we do (with the Scriptures)
distinguish between the acts of God's will, as diversified
from the respects, or the objects, though as to God's essence
they are all one.
3. And the bolder, because that when we speak of
Christ, we have the more ground for it from his human
nature.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 101
4. And thus wc saj', that the simple complaconcj-, will,
or lo-v-e of God, is to aU that is iiatm-allj' or morallj- good,
according to the nature and degree of its goodness. And
so he hath pleasm-e in the conversion and salvation of aU,
which yet -vriU never come to pass.
5. And God, as Rider and Lawgiver ofthe world, had so
far a practical wiU for their salvation, as to make thera a
fi-ee offer of gift of Christ and lffe, and an act of obUvion
for aU their sius, so be It thej' wUl not unthankfidly reject it ;
and to command his messengers to offer this gift to aU the
world, and persuade them to accept it. And so he doth
aU that, as Lawgiver or Promisor, belongs to him to do for
their salvation.
6. But yet he resolveth, as Lawgiver, that thej' that vriU
not tum, shall die. And as Judge, when their day of grace
is past, he wiU execute that decree.
7. So that he thus unfeignedlj' wiUeth the conversion of
those that never vrill be converted, but not as absolute Lord,
with the fuUest efficacious resolution, nor as a thing which he
resolveth shaU undoubtedlj' come to pass, or would engage
aU his power to accomplish. It is in the power of a prince
to set a guard upon a murderer, to see that he shaU not
murder and be hanged. But ff upon good reason he for
bear this, and do but send to his subjects, and warn and
entreat them not to be murderers, I hope he may well say,
that he would not have them murder and be hanged ; he
takes no pleasm-e in it, but rather that they forbear, and
Uve. And If he do more for some, upon some special rea
son, he is not bound to do so bj' all. The king may weU
say to all the murderers and felons in the land, I have no
pleasure In your death, but rather that j-ou would obey my
laws and Uve ; but ff j'ou wIU not, I am resolved, for all
this, that J-ou shaU die. The judge may tridy say to the
thief, or a murderer, Alas ! man, I have no delight in thj-
death, I had rather thou hadst kept the law, and saved thy
Ufe ; but seeing thou hast not, I must condemn thee, or else
T should be unjust. So, though God have no pleasure in
ycur (laii-.n.ation, and therefore calls upon you to retum aud

102 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
Uve, yet hc hath pleasure in the demonstration of liis own
justice, and the executing his laws ; and, therefore, he is for
aH this fuUy resolved, that ff you -wUl not be converted, you
shall be condemned. If God were so much against the
death of the -vricked, as that he were resolved to do aU that
he can to hinder it, then no man should be condemned,
whereas Christ teUeth you that few wiU be saved. But so
far God is against your damnation, as that he wfll teach you
and warn you, and set before you lffe aud death, and offer
you your choice, and command his ministers to entreat you
not to daran yourselves, but accept this niercy, and so to
leave you without excuse ; but ff this wiU not do, and if
StiU you be unconverted, he professeth to j'Ou he is resolved
of your damnation, and hath comraanded us to say to you
in his name, ver. 18, " O -vricked man, thou shalt surely
die ! " And Christ hath Uttle less than swom It over and
over, vrith a " Verily, verily, except j-e be converted and
bom again, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven,"
Matt. xviu. 3 ; John in. 3. Mark that he saith, " You
cannot." It is in vain to hope for it, and in vain to dream
that God is wiUing of it ; for It Is a thing that cannot be.
In a word, you see then the meaning of the text, that
God, the great Lawgiver of the world, doth take no plea
sure In the death of the vricked, but rather that they turn
and Uve ; though yet he be resolved that none shall Uve but
those that turn ; and as a judge even delighteth in justice,
and manffesteth his hatred of sin, though not in their misery
which they have brought upon theraselves, in itseff con
sidered. 2. And for the proofs of this point, I shall be very brief
in them, because I suppose you easUy beUeve it already.
1. The very gracious nature of God proclaimed, Exod.
xxxiv. 6 ; XX. 6, and frequently elsewhere, may assure you
of tills, that he hath no pleasure iu your death.
2. If God had more pleasure in thy death than in thy
conversion and lffe, he would not have so frequently coin-
nianded thee in his word to turn ; he would not have raade
thee such promises of lffe, if thou vrilt but tum ; he would

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 103
not have persuaded thee to it by so many reasons. The
tenor of his gospel proveth the point.
3. And his commission that he hath given to the minis
ters of the gospel doth fully prove It. If God had taken
more pleasure in thy damnation than in thy conversion and
salvation, he would never have charged us to offer you
mercj', and to teach j'ou the waj- of lffe, both pubUcly and
privately ; and to entreat and beseech you to turn and Uve ;
to acquaint you ofyour sins, and foreteU you of your danger ;
and to do aU that possibly we can for j-our conversion, and
to continue patientiy so doing, though you should hate or
abuse us for our pains. Would God have done this and
appointed his ordinances for your good, ff he had taken
pleasure in j'Our death ?
4. It is proved also by the course of his proridence. If
God had rather you were damned than converted and saved,
he would not second his word -vrith his works, and entice
you by his daUy kindness to himseff, and give you all the
mercies of this lffe, which are his means to lead you to re
pentance, Rom. u. 4, and bring you so often under his rod,
to force you to your wits. He would not set so many ex
amples before your eyes ; no, nor wait on you so patiently
as he doth from day to day, and j'ear to year. These be
not signs of one that taketh pleasure in your death ; ff this
had been his deUght, how easUy could he have had thee
lono- ao-o in heU ! How oft, before this, could he have
catched thee away in the midst of thy sms, vrith a curse, or
oath, or Ue in thy mouth, in thy ignorance, and pride, and
sensuaUty ; when thou wert last in thy dmnkenness, or last
deriding the ways of God ! How easUy could he have
stopped thy breath, and tamed thee vrith his plagues, and
made thee sober in another world ! Alas ! how smaU a
matter is it for the Almighty to rule the tongue of the pro-
fanest railer, and tie the hands of the most maUcious perse
cutor ; or calm the fiiry of the bitterest of his enemies, and
make them know they are but worms ! If he should but
frown upon thee, thou wouldst drop Into thy grave. If he
gave commission to one of his angels to go and destroy ten

104 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
thousand sinners, how quickly would it be done ! How
easUy can he lay thee upon the bed of languishing, and
make thee Ue roaring there in pain, and make thee eat
the words of reproach which thpu hast spoken against his
servants, his word, his worship, and his holy ways ; and
make thec send to beg their praj-ers, whom thou didst de
spise in thy presumption ! How easily can he lay that flesh
under gripes and groans, and make it too weak to hold thy
soul, and make it more loathsome than the dung of the
earth ! That flesh which now must have what it loves, aud
must not be displeased, and must be humoured vrith meat,
drink, and clothes, whatsoever God says to the contrary,
how quickly would the frowns of God consume it ! "When
thou wast passionately defending thy sin, and quarreUing
¦vrith them that would have drawn thee from it, and shewing
thy spleen against the reprovers, and pleading for the works
of darkness ; how easUy could God snatch thee away in a
moment, and set thee before his dreadful Majesty, where
thou mayest see ten thousand tiraes ten thousand of glorious
angels waiting on his throne, and caU thee there to plead thy
cause, and ask thee, "What hast thou now to say against thy
Creator, his truth, his servants, or his holy ways ? now plead
thy cause, and make the best of it thou canst. Now what
canst thou say in excuse of thy sins ? Now give account of
thy worldUness and fleshly Ufe, of thy time, of aU thy mer
cies thou hast had. Oh how thy stubborn heart would have
melted, and thy proud looks be taken down, and thy coun
tenance appaUed, and thy stout words tumed into speech
less sUence, or dreadful cries ; if God had but set thee thus
at his bar, and pleaded his own cause -vrith thee, which thou
hast here so maUcIously pleaded against ! How easUy can
he, at any time, say to thy guUty soul. Come away, and Uve
in that flesh no longer, tUl the resurrection, and it cannot
resist ! A word of his mouth would take off the noise of
thj' present lffe, and then aU thy parts and powers would
stand stUl ; and ff he say unto thee. Live no longer, or. Live
in heU, thou couldst not disobej'.
But God hath yet done none of this ; but hath patiently

A CAIX TO I'llE I >lONVERTED. 105
forborne thee, and niercffuUj- upheld thee, and ghen thee
that breath which thou didst breathe out against him, and
given those mercies wdiich thou didst sacrifice to the flesh,
and afforded thee that provision w-hlch thou spentcst to
satisfy thj- greedj- throat : he gave thee every minute of that
time which thou didst waste In Idlcr.e??, and drunkenness, or
.worldUness. And doth not all his patience and niercy shew
that he desired not thv damnation? Can the lamp bm-n
¦vrithout the oU? Can j-our houses stand vrithout the earth
to bear them ? As weU as j-ou can Uve one hour without
the support of God. And w-hy did he so long support thy
lffe, but to see when thou wouldst bethink thee of the foUj-
of thj- waj'S, and retm-n and Uve ? Will anj' man jmrposely
put arms Into his enemy's hands to resist hlui ? Or hold a
candle to a murderer that is killing his chUdi-en ? or to au
idle servant that plaj-s and sleeps the while ? Surely it Is
to sce whether thou wilt at last retm-n and Uve, ISiat God
has so long waited on thee.
5. It is fiirther proved by the sufferings of his Son that
God taketh no pleasure in the death ofthe w-icked. Would
he have ransomed them from death at so dear a rate ? Would
he have astonished angels and men by his condescension ?
Would God have dwelt in flesh, and have come In the form
of a servant, and have assumed humanitj' into one person
-vrith the Godhead ? And would Christ have Uved a Ufe of
suffering, and died a cursed death for sitmers, ff he had
rather taken pleasure in their death ? Suppose you saw him
but so busy in preaching and heaUng of them, as you find
him m Mark ui. 21 ; or so long in fasting, as in Jlatt. iv. ;
or all night in praj-er, as in Luke vi. 12 ; or praying- with
drops of blood trickling from him instead of sweat, as Luke
xxii. 44 ; or suffering a cursed death upon the cross, and
pouring out his soul as a sacrifice for our sins ; would j'Ou
have thought these the signs of one that delighteth in the
death of the vricked ?
And think not to extenuate it by saying, that it was only
for his elect. For it was thy sin, and the sin of all the
world, that lay upon our Redeemer ; and his sacrifice and

106 A C^iXL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
satisfaction Is sufficient for all, and the fruits of it are offered
to one as well as another ; but it is true that it was never
the intent of Ids mind, to pardon and save any that would
not by faith and repentance be converted. K you had seen
and hoard lum weeping and bcmo.aning the state of disobe
dience In irapenitent people, Lulce xix. 41, 42, or complain
ing of their stubbornness, as ]Matt. xxiii. 37, " O Jerusa
lem, Jerusalera, how often would I have gathered thy chU
dren together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not ! " Or ff you had seen and heard
hira on the cross, praying for his persecutors, " Father, for
give them, for they know not what they do ; " would you
have suspected that he had delighted in the death of thc
vricked, even of those that perish bj' their wUful unbeUef?
When " God hath so loved" (not only loved, but so loved
" tho world as to give his only begotten Son, that whoso
ever believeth in him" (by an effectual faith) " shotdd not
perish, but have everlasting Ufe," I think he hath hereby
proved, against the maUce of men and devils, that he takes
no pleasure in the death of the vricked, but had rather that
they vvould turn and Uve.
6. Lastly, If all this -vrill not yet satisfy you, take his own
word, that knoweth best his own mind ; or at least beUeve
his oath. But tliis leadeth me up to the fourth doctrine.
Doct. TV. The Lord hath confirmed it to us by his oath,
that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but
rather that he turn and Uve ; that he may leave man no
pretence to question the truth of it.
If J'OU dare question his word, I hope you dare not ques
tion his oath. As Christ hath solemnly protested, that the
unregenerate and unconverted cannot enter into the kinn--
dom of heaven, in Matt. .xviu. 3 ; John iu. 3 ; so God hath
sworn, that his pleasure Ls not in their death, but in their
conversion and lffe. And as the apostle saith, Heb. ri. 13,
16-18, " Because he can swear bj- no greater than himseff,
he saith. As I Uve, &c. For raen verUy swear by the greater,
and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
A\^hcrcln God, -vvilliiig more abundantlj' to shew unto the

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 107
heu-s of promise the immutabUity of his coimscl, confirmed
it by an oath : that by two immutable tilings, in which it
was impossible for God to Ue, we might have a strong con
solation, who have fled for refiige to lay hold on tho hope
set before us ; which hope we have as au anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast." If there be any man that cannot
reconcUe this trutli vrith the doctiine of predestination, or
the actual damnation of the vricked, that is his own igno
rance ; he hath no pretence left to deny or question there
fore the truth of the point in hand ; for this is confu-med by
the oath of God, and therefore must not be distorted, to re
duce it to other points ; but doubtfiU points must rather be
reduced to it, and certain truths must be beUeved to agree
vrith It, though our shaUow brains do hardlj' discern the
agreement. Use. I do entreat thee, ff thou be an unconverted sinner
that hearest these words, that thou wouldst ponder a Uttle
upon the forementioned doctrines, and bethink thyseffawhUe,
who it is that takes pleasure in thy sin and damnation.
Certainly it is not God. He hath swom for his part, that
he takes no pleasure in it. And I know it is not the pleas
ing of him that you intend in it. You dare not say that
you drink and swear, and neglect holy duties, and quench
the motions ofthe Spirit, to please God. That were as ff
you should reproach the prince, and break his laws, and seek
his death, and say, you did aU this to please him.
Who is it then that takes pleasure in your sin and death ?
Not anj- that bear the image of God, for they must be like-
minded to him. God knows, it is smaU pleasure to your
faithfiil teachers, to see you serve j'Our deadly enemy, and
madly venture your etemal state, and wUfiiUy run Into the
flames of heU. It is sniaU pleasm-e to them, to see upon
your souls (in the sad effects) such blindness, and hai-d-
heartedness, and carelessness, and presumption ; such wU
fulness In evil, and such uncharitableness, and stiffness against
the ways of Ufe and peace : they know these are marks of
death, and of the -wrath of God, and they know, fi-om the
word of God, what is Uke t|j,be the end of them ; and there-

ms A CALL TO THE UNCONVlOKTEl).
fore it is no more pleasure to them, than to a tender phj-si-
clan to see the plague-marks break out upon his patient.
Alas ! to foresee your everlasting torments, and know not
how to prevent them ! To see how near you are to lieU,
and we cannot make you beUeve it, and consider it ! To see
how easUy, how cert.ainlj' j'Ou might escajie, ff we knew but
how to make you wUUng ! How fan- you are for everlasting
salvation, ff you would but turn and do j'our best, and make
it the care and business of your Uves ! But you wiU not do
it ; ff our Uves lay on it, we cannot persuade j'ou to do it.
We study day and night what to say to you, that may con-
-vince j'Ou, and persuade you, and j-ct it is undone : we lay
before j-ou the word of God, and shew jou the very chapter
and verse where it Is written, that you cannot be saved ex
cept you be converted ; and yet wc leave the most of you
as we find you : we hope j'Ou wUl beUeve the word of God,
though J'OU beUeve not us, and that you will regard It when
we shew j'ou plain Scripture for It ; but we hope iu vain,
and labour in vain, as to any saving change upon your hearts.
Aud do you think that this is a pleasant thing to us ? Many
a time in secret prayers we are fain to complain to God vrith
sad hearts, Alas, Lord, we have spoken It to them, in thy
name, but they little regard us ; we have told them what
thou bidst us tell them, concerning the danger of an uncon
verted state, but they do not beUeve us ; we have told them
that thou hast protested, " That there is no peace to the
wicked," Isa. xlviii. 22 ; lvii. 21 ; but the worst of them
all -will scarcelj- believe that they .are vricked : we have shewed
thein the word, where thou hast said, " That ff they Uve
after the flesh they shaU the," Rom. viii. 13 ; but they saj-,
they -vrill beUeve in thee, wheu they wUl not beUeve thee ;
and that they vrill trust in thee, when they givo no credit to
thy word ; and when they hope that the threatenings of thy
word are false, they vriU j-et call this a hoping in God ; and
though we shew them where thou hast said, " That when a
vricked man dieth, all his hopes perish," Prov. xi. 7, j-et can
not we persuade them from their deceitful hopes. We tell
them what a base, unprofitable^hing sin is, but they love it.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 109
and therefore vriU not leave it. We tell thein how doai- thej-
buy their pleasm-e, and what they must paj' for it m ever
lasting torment, and they bless themselves and wUl not beUeve
it, but -vriU do as the most do ; and because God is mercfful,
they vnR not beUeve him, but wiU venture theu- souls, come on
it what vriU. We teU them how readj' the Lord is to receive
them ; and this does but make them delaj' their repentance,
and be bolder in their sin. Some of them say, they pui-pose
to repent, but they are stUl the same ; and some say, they do
repent ah-eady, whUe j-et they are not converted fi-om their
sins. We exhort them, we entreat them, we offer them our
help, but w-c cannot prevaU with them, but they that were
drunkards are drunkards stUl ; and thej- that were voluptu
ous, flesh-pleasing wretches, are such stiU ; and they that
vvere worldUngs are worldlings stUl ; and thej- that were
ignorant, proud, and seff-conceited, are so stUl. Fevv of
them wUl see and confess then- sin, and fewer -vriU forsake
it, but comfort themselves that all men are sinners ; as if
there were no difference between a converted sinner and an
unconverted. Some of them wfll not come near us when
we are vrilUng to instruct them, but think thej- know enough
already, and need not our instruction ; and some of them
wiu give us the hearing, and do what they list ; and most
of thera are Uke dead men that cannot feel ; so that when
we teU them of the matters of everlasting consequence, vve
cannot get a word of it to their hearts. If we do not obej-
them, and humour them in baptizing chUdren of the most
obstinately vricked, and giving them the Lord's supper, and
doing aU that they would have us, though never so much
against the word of God, they -wiU hate us, and raU at us ;
but ff we beseech them to confess and forsake their sins, and
save theu- souls, they -wfll not do it. ^\"e tell them, ff thej-
wUl but turn, we -vriU deny them none of the ordinances of
God, neither baptism to then- chUdi-en, nor the Lord's sup
per to themselves ; but they wiU not hear us : they would
have us to disobey God, damn our souls to please them, and
yet they wUl not turn, and save theu- own souls to please
God. They are vriser ii^their own ej-es than aU their

110 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
teachers ; they rage, and are confident in their own way ;
and ff we would never so fain, vve cannot change them.
Lord, this Is the case of our nnserable neighbours, and we
cannot help it ; we see them ready to drop into heU, and
we cannot help it : vve know ff they would unfeignedly tura,
they might be saved ; but we canuot persuade them : ff we
would beg it of them on our knees, we cannot persuade them
to It ; If we would beg it of them with tears, we cannot per
suade thera : and what more can we do ?
These are the secret coraplaints and moans that many a
poor minister is fain to make ; and do you think that he
hath any pleasure in this ? Is it a pleasure to him to see
J'OU go on in sin and cannot stop you ? to see you so
miserable, and cannot so much as make you sensible of it ?
to see you raerry, when you are not sure to be an hour out
of heU ? to think what you must for ever suffer because you
wfll not turn ? and to think what an everlasting lffe of
glory you vriffuUy despise and cast away ? "What sadder
things can you bring to their hearts, and how can you devise
to grieve them raore ?
^Vho is it then that you pleasure by your sin and death ?
It is none of your understanding, godly friends. Alas, it is
the grief of their souls to see your misery, and they laraent
J-ou mauy a time, when you give them Uttle thanks for it,
and when you have not hearts to lament yourselves.
Who Is it then that takes pleasure in your sin ? Itis
none but the three great eneraies of God, whora you re
nounced in your baptism, and now are tumed falsely to
serve. 1. The devU, indeed, takes pleasure in your sin and
death ; for this Is the very end of aU his teraptations : for
this he watches night and day : you cannot devise to please
ldm better, than to go on in sin. How glad is he when he
sees thee going to the alehouse, or other sin ; and when he
heareth thee curse, or swear, or raU ! How glad is he when
he heareth thee revUe the minister that would draw thee
from thy sin, and help to save thee ! These are his de
Ught.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 1 H
2. The vricked are also deUghted in it, for it is agreeable
to their nature.
3. But I know, for all this, that it is not the pleasing of
the devil that j-ou intend, even when you please him ;
but it is your o-wn flesh, the greatest and raost dangerous
enemj', that j'ou intend to please. It is the flesh that would
be pampered, that would be pleased in meat, and drink, and
clothing, that would be pleased in your company, and
pleased in applause and cretUt vrith the world, and pleased
in sports, and lusts, and idleness ; this is the guff that de
voureth all. This is the very god that you seiwe ; for the
Scriptm-e saith of such, " that their beUies are their god,"
PhU. ui. 18.
But I beseech j-ou stay a Uttle and consider the business.
1. Quest. Should your flesh be pleased before your
Maker ? WiU you displease the Lord, and displease your
teacher, and your godlj' friends, and aU to please j'our brut
ish appetites, or sensual desu-es ? Is not God worthy to be
a ruler of j'our flesh ? ff he shaU not rule it, he vrill not
save it ; you cannot in reason expect that he should.
2. Quest. Your flesh is pleased vrith your sin ; but is
your conscience pleased ? Doth not it grudge vrithin you,
and teU j-ou sometimes that aU is not well, and that your
case is not so safe as you make it to be ? And should not
your souls and consciences be pleased before that corrup
tible flesh ?
3. Quest. But is not your flesh preparing for its o-wn dis
pleasure also ? It loves the bait, but doth it love the hook ?
It loves the strong drink and sweet morsels ; it loves its
ease, and sport, and merriment ; it loves to be rich, and weU
spoken of by men, and to be somebod ' in the world; but
doth it love the curse of God ? Doth it love to stand
trembling before his bar, and to be judged to everlasting
fire ? Doth it love to be tormented with the devils for
ever ? Take aU together ; for there is no separating sin
and hell, but only by faith and true conversion ; ff you -vrill
keep one, you must have the other. K death and heU be
pleasant to thee, no wonder, then ff thou go on in sin ; but

112 A CALL TO THE UNCON-VERTED.
ff they be not (asi am sure they be not), then what ff sin be
never so pleasant, is it worth the loss of lffe etemal ? Is a
Uttle drink, raeat, ease, the good word of sinners, or the
riches of this world, to bo valued above the joys of heaven ?
or are they worth tho sufferings of eternal fire ? SIry,
these questions should be considered, before you go anj-
farther, by every man that hath reason to consider, and
that beUeves he hath a soul to save or lose.
WeU, the Lord here sweareth that he hath no pleasure
in j'Our death, but rather that j'ou would turn and live : ff
yet J'OU wUl go on and die, rather than tum, remember it
was not to please God that j'OU did it, it was to please the
world, and to please yourselves. And ff men vrill damn
themselves to please themselves, and run into endless tor
ments for deUght, and have not the -vrit, the heart, the grace
to hearken to God or man that would reclaim them, what
remedy ? But they must take ¦what they get by it, and re
pent in another manner, when it is too late. Before I pro
ceed any farther in the appUcation, I shaU come to the next
doctrine ; which giveth a fuller ground for it.
Doct. V. So eamest is God for the conversion of sinners,
that he doubleth his commands and exhortations with vehe
mency ; " Tum ye, turn ye, why wiU ye die ? "
This doctrine is the appUcation of the former, as by a use
of exhortation, and accordingly I shaU hantUe it. Is there
ever an unconverted sinner, that heareth these vehement
words of God ? Is there ever a man or woman in this as
sembly, that is yet a stranger to the renewing, sanctifying
works of the Holy Ghost ? (It is a happy assembly if it be
notso with the most). Hearken then to the voice of j-our
Maker, and tum to him by Christ vrithout delay. Would
you know the wiU of God ? Why this is his -vriU, that you
presently tum. ShaU the Uring God send so eamest a mes
sage to his creatures, and should they not obey ? Hearken
then, all you that Uve after the flesh ; the Lord that gave
thee thy breath and being, hath sent a message to thee from
heaven, and this is his message, " Turn ye, tum ye, why
wiU ye die?" " He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

.\. CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 113
ShaU the voice of the Eternal Majesty be neglected ? If he
do but terribly thunder, thou art afraid ; O but this voice
doth more nearly concern thee : ff he do but tell thee thou
shalt die to-morrow, thou wouldst not make Ught ofit ; O
but this word concerneth thy lffe or death everlasting ! It
is both a comiUand and an exhortation : as if he said to
thee, I charge thee upon the aUegiance thou owest to me thy
Creator and Redeemer, that thou renounce the flesh, the
world, and the de^ril, and tm-n to me that thou mayest live.
I condescend to entreat thee, as thou lovest or fearest him
that made thee, as thou lovest thine own lffe, even thme
everlasting Ufe, tum and Uve ; as ever thou wouldst escape
eternal misery, turn, tum, " for why wUt thou die?" And
is there a heart in man, in a reasonable creature, that can
once refuse such a message, such a comm.and, such an ex
hortation as this ? Oh what a thing then is the heart of
man !
Hearken then, all that love jourselves, and aU that re
gard v'our own salvation. Here is the most joj-ful message
that ever was sent to the ears of man, " Turn j-e, turn j'e,
why -vriU ye die ? " You are not yet shut up under despera
tion. Here is mercy offered j-ou ; turn and j-ou shaU have
it. O sirs, vrith what glad and joj-ful hearts should you
receive these tidings ! I know that this is not the first time
that you have heard it : but how have j-ou regarded it, or how
do you regard it now ? Hear, aU j'Ou ignorant, careless sin
ners, the word of the Lord ! Hear, all j-ou worldlings, you
sensual flesh-pleasers, you gluttons and drunkards, and
whoremongers and swearers, j'ou raflers and backbiters,
slanderers and Uars ; " Tum j-e, turn j-e, why vrill j'e
die?" Hear, all you cold and outside professors, and aU that
are strangers to the lffe of Christ, and never knew the power
of his cross and resurrection, and never felt j-our hearts
warmed vrith his love, and Uve not on him as the strength
of your souls ; " Tum ye, tum ye, why -vrill ye die ? "
Hear, aU that are void of the love of God, whose hearts
are not towards him, nor taken up vrith the hopes of glory,
H

114 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
but set more by j'Our earthly prosperity and deUghts, than
bj' the joj's of heaven ; you that are reUgious but a Uttle on
the bye, and give God no more than j-our flesh can spare ;
that have not denied your carnal selves, and forsaken aU
that J-ou have for Clirist, in the estiraation and grounded
resolution of your souls ; but have some one thing in the
world so dear to you, that you cannot spare it for Christ, if
he requires It, but -vrill rather even ventm-e on his displea
sure, than forsake it ; " Turn ye, tum ye, why wUl j-e
die ? "
If J'OU never heard it or observed It before, remember
that J'C were told it from the word of God this day, that ff
you will but turn, you may live ; and ff you -vrill not tum,
JOU shaU surely die.
"What now vriU you do, sirs ? "What is j'our resolution ¦>
AVUI J-ou turn, or wfll you not ? Halt not any longer be
tween two opimons : ff the Lord be God, foUow him ; ff your
flesh be God, then serve it stfll. If heaven be better than
earth and fleshly pleasures, corae away then and seek a
better country, and lay up yom- treasure where rust and
moths do not corrupt, and thieves cannot break through
and steal, and be awakened at last with all your might to
seek the kingdom that cannot be moved, Heb. xu. 28 ; and
to employ your lives on a higher design, and turn the stream
of j'our cares and labours another way than formerly you
have done : but ff earth be better than heaven, or wfll do more
for J'OU, or last you longer, then keep it and raake your best
of it, and foUow it stUl. Sirs, are you resolved what to
do ? If J'OU be not, I wiU set a few more moving considera
tions before j'ou, to see ff reason vriU make you resolve.
Consider, first, what preparations mercy hath made for
J-our salvation ; and what pity it is that any man should be
damned after aU this. The time was, when the flaming
sword was in the way, and the curse of God's law would
have kept thee back, if thou hadst been never so wUling to
tum to God : the tirae was, when thj-seff, and aU the friends
that thou hadst in the world, could never have procured
thee the pardon of thy sins past, though thou hadst never

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 115
SO much lamented, and reformed them. But Chnst hath
removed this impediment by the ransom of his blood. Tlio
time was, that God was whoUj' unrcconcUcd, as being not
satisfied for the violation of his law ; but now he is so far
satisfied and reconciled, as that he hath made thee a free
act of obUvion, and a fi-ee deed of the gift of Christ and
lffe, and offereth it to thee, and entreateth thee to accept
It, and It may bc thine ff thou vrilt. For, " He was in Christ
reconcfling the world unto himself, and hath committed to
us the word of actual reconciUation," 2 Cor. v. 18, 19.
Sinners, we are commanded to do this message to you aU,
as fi-om the Lord. " Come, for aU things are ready,"
Luke xiv. 17. Are aU thhigs ready, and are you unready?
God is ready to entertain j-ou and pardon aU that j-ou have
done against him, ff j-ou -wUl but come. As long as you
have smned, as wUfiiUj- as j'Ou have sinned, as heinously as
J'OU have sinned, he is ready to cast aU behind his back, if
J'OU wUl but come. Though j-ou have been prodigals, and
run away fi-om God, and have staid so long, he is ready
even to meet you, and embrace you in his arras, and rejoice
in J-our conversion, ff you -wiU but turn. Even the earthly
worldUng and swinish drunkard may find God ready to bid
him welcome, ff they wUl but come. Doth not this turn
thy heart within thee ? O sinner, ff thou hast a heart of
flesh, and not of stone in thee, methinks this should melt it.
ShaU the dreadful Infinite Majesty of heaven, even wait for
thj' returning, and be ready to receive thee who hast abused
him, and forgotten him so long ? shall he deUght iu thy con
version, that might at any time glorify his justice in thy
damnation ? and doth it not j'et melt thy heart within thee,
and art thou not yet ready to come in? Hast thou not as
much reason to be ready to come, as God hath to inrite
thee and bid thee welcome ?
But that is not all ; Christ hath done his part on the
cross, and made such a way for thee to the Father, that on
his account thou mayest be welcome, ff thou vrilt come ; and
yet art thou not ready ?

116 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
A pardon Is alreadj' expressly granted, and offered thee
in the gospel ; and j-et art thou not ready ?
The ministers of the gospel are ready to assist thee, to in
struct thee, and pronounce the absolving words of peace to
thj- soul ; they are ready to pray for thee, and to seal up
thy pardon by the administration of the holy sacrament ;
and yet art thou not ready ?
AU that fear God about thee, are ready to rejoice in thj-
conversion, and to receive thee into the communion of saints,
and to give thee the right hand of fellowship, yea, though
thou hadst been one that had been cast out of their society :
thej- d;u-e not but forgive where God forgiv-eth, when it is
manffest to them by thy confession and amendment ; they
dare not so much as hit thee In the teeth with thy former
sins, because they know that God wiU not upbraid thee with
them. If thou hadst been never so scandalous, ff thou
wouldst but heartUy be converted and corae in, they would
not refuse thee, let the world say what they would against
it. And are all these ready to receive thee, and yet art
thou not ready to come in ?
Yea, heaven itseff is ready ; the Lord yiill receive thee
into the glory of the saints, as rile a beast as thou hast
been, if thou -vrilt but be cleansed thou maj'st have a place
before his throne ; his angels wlU be ready to guard thy
soul to the place of joj', ff thou do but unfeignedly come In.
And is God ready, the sacrifice of Christ readj-, the promise
ready, and pardon ready ; are ministers rcadj-, the people
of God ready, and heaven Itseff read)', and angels readj',
and aU these, but waiting for thy conversion, and yet art
thou not ready ? T\Tiat ! not ready to Uve, when thou
hast been dead so long ? not readj' to come to thy right
understanding (as the prodigal is said to come to himseff,
Luke XV. 17), when thou hast been beside thyseff so long?
not ready to be saved, when thou art even ready to be con
deraned ? Art thou not ready to lay hold on Christ that
would deUver thee, when thou art even ready to drown,
and sink into damnation ? Art thou not ready to be saved
fi-om hell, when thou art even ready to be cast reraedUess

A C.4.LL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 117
into it ; aias ! mau, dost thou know what thou dost ? If thou
die unconverted, there is no doubt to be made of thy dam
nation : and thou art not sure to Uve an hour ; and j-et art
thou not ready to tm-n, and to come in? O miserable
wretch ! hast thou not served the flesh and the devil long
enough ? Yet hast thou not enough of sin ? Is It so good
to thee, or so profitable for thee ? Dost thou knovv what It
Is, that thou wouldst j-et have more of it ? Hast thou had
so many caUs, and so many mercies, and so raany blows,
and so manj- examples, hast thou seen so many laid In the
grave, and yet art thou not ready to let go thy sins, and come
to Christ ? AVhat ! after so many conrictions, and gripes of
conscience, atler so manj- purposes and promises, art thou
not yet ready to tum and Uve? Oh that thy eyes, thy
heart were opened, to know how fair an offer Is now made
to thee ! and what a joj-ful message it is that we are sent
on, to bid thee come, for idl things are ready !
2. Consider, also, what caUs thou hast to tum and Uve ;
how many, how loud, how earnest, how dreadful, and j-et
what encouraging, joyful caUs.
For the principal Inriter, it is God himseff. He that
commandeth heaven and earth, commandeth thee to turn ;
and presently, vrithout delay, to tum. He commandeth the
sun to run its course, and to rise upon thee every morning ;
and though it be so glorious a creature, and many times
bigger than aU the earth, jet it obej-eth him, and faUeth not
one minute ofits appointed time. He commandeth all the
planets and orbs of heaven, and they obey. He com
mandeth the sea to ebb and flow, and the whole creation
to keep its course, and all they obey him. The angels of
heaven obey his -wUl, when he sends them to minister to
such sUly worms as we on earth, Heb. i. 14. And yet If
he command but a sinner to tum, he wUl not obey him :
he only thinks himseff vriser than God, and he ca-vUs and
pleads the cause of sin, and vriU not obey. If the Lord
Almighty says the word, the heavens and aU therein obej'
him ; but ff he call a drunkard out of an ale-house he wUl
not obey ; or ff he call a worldly, fleshly sinner to deny

118 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
himself, and mortffy the flesh, and set his heart on a better
inheritance, he wiU not obey.
If thou hadst any love in thee, thou wouldst know the
voice, and saj', O this is my Father's call ! How can I find
in my heart to disobey ? For the sheep of Christ do " know
and hear his voice ; and they follow him, and he giveth
thera eternal lffe," John xu. 4. If thou hast any spiritual
lffe and sense in thee, at least thou wouldst say. This caU is
the dreadfid voice of God, and who dare disobey ? For
saith the prophet, " The Uon hath roared, who vriU not
fear ?" Amos iii. 8. God is not a raan that thou shouldst
dally and plaj- with him. Remember what he said to Paul
at his conversion, " It is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks," Acts ix. 5. WUt thou yet go on and despise his
word, and resist his Spirit, and stop thine ears against his
caU ? "Who is it that wIU have the worst of this ? Dost thou
know whom thou disobeyest and contendest -vrith, and what
thou art doing ? It were a far -vriser and easier task for thee
to contend vrith the thoms, and spum them ¦vrith thy bare
feet, and beat them vrith thy bare hands, or put thy head
into the buming fire. " Be not deceived, God wUl not be
mocked," Gal. vi. 7. "Whosoever else maybe mocked, God
wiU not ; you had better play vrith the fire in j'Our thatch,
than vrith the fire of his buming wrath in j-our soul. ' ' For
our God is a consuming fire," Heb. xu. 29. Oh how unmeet
a match art thou for God ! "It is a fearful thing to faU
into his hands," Heb. x. 31 ; and therefore it is a fearful
thing to contend vrith him, or resist him. As j-ou love your
own souls, take heed what you do. "What -vriU you say ff
he begin in wrath to plead vrith you? What vriU you
do ff he take you once in hand ? WUl you then strive
against his judgment, as now j'Ou do against his grace?
Saith the Lord, " Fury is not in me ;" that is, I deUght
not to destroy, I do It as it were un^wUlingly : but yet,
" "Who would set the briers and thoms against me in
battle? I would go through them, I would bum them to
gether. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he raay
raake peace vrith me, and he shaU make peace vrith me,"

A CALL TO TIIE UNCONVERTED. 119
Isa. xx-vii. 4, 6. It is an unequal combat for the briers
and stubble to make war with the fire.
And thus J'OU see who it is that caUeth you, that should
move you to hear this caU, and turn : so consider also, by what
instruments, and how often, and how earnestly he doth it.
1. Every leaf of the blessed book of God hath, as it were,
a voice, and caUs out unto thee, " Turn and live, turn or
thou -vrilt die." How canst thou open it, and read a leaf,
or hear a chapter, and not perceive God bids thee turn ?
2. It Is the voice of every sermon thou hearest ; for
what else is the scope and drift of aU, but to call, and per
suade, and entreat thee to turn ?
3. It is the voice of many a motion of the Spii-it, that
secretlj' speaks over these words again, and urgeth thee to
turn. 4. It is Ukely sometimes it is the voice of thy own con
science. Art thou not sometimes conrinced, that all is not
weU -vrith thee ; and doth not thy conscience tell thee, that
thou must be a new man, and take a new course, and often
caU upon thee to return ?
5. It is the voice ofthe gracious examples ofthe godlj'.
"When thou seest them Uve a heavenly lffe, and fly from the
sin which is thy delight, this reaUy calls upon thee to turn.
6. It is the voice of all the works of God. For they also
are God's books that teach thee this lesson, by shewing thee
his greatness, and -vrisdom, and goodness, and calling thee
to observe them, and admire the Creator. " The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the flrmament sheweth his
handy work ; daj- unto day uttereth speech, and night unto
night sheweth knowledge," Psal. xix. 1, 2. Every time the
sun riseth upon thee, it reaUy caUeth thee to tum ; as ff it
should say. What do I travel and compass the world for,
but to declare to men the glory of theu- Maker, and to light
them to do his work ? And do I stUl find thee doing the
work of sin, and sleeping out thy Ufe in negUgence ? " Awake,
thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shaU
give thee Ught," Eph. v. 14. " The night is far spent, the
day is at hand. It is now high time to awake out of sleep.

120 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness, and let us
put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the
day ; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wantonness, not In strife aud envying ; but put j-e on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, ti)
fulfil the lusts the.-eai;'' Kii:ii. xiii. 1 1-14. (This te.\t was the
meansof Augustine's conversion. I pi-.ayGod it maybe yours.)
7. It is thc A'dice of evevj- mercj- thou dost possess. If
thou couldst but hear .and understand thcm, thej- all crv out
unto thee. Turn. AA'hy doth the earth bear thee, but to
seek and serve the Lord ? AVhy doth It afford thee fruit,
but to serve him ? AATiy doth the air aflbrd thee breath,
but to serve him ? AATiy do aU the creatures serve thee
vrith their labours, and their Uves, but that thou mightest
serve the Lord of thera and thee ? AVhy doth he give thee
time, and health, and strength, but to serve him ? AVhy
hast thou meat, drink, and clothes, but for his serrice?
Hast thou any thing which thou hast not received ? And If
thou didst receive them, it is reason thou shouldst bethink
thee from whom, and to what end and use, thou didst re
ceive them. Didst thou never cry to him for help in thy
distress ? And didst thou not then understand that it was
thy part to tm-n and serve him if he would deUver thee ?
He hath done his part, and spared thee yet longer, and
tried thee another and another year, and j'et thou dost not
turn. A'ou know the parable of the unfi-ultful fig-tree,
Luke xui. 6-9. AATien the Lord had said, " Cut it down,
why cumbereth it the ground ? " he was entreated to try it
one ye.ar longer, and then, if it proved not fruitful, to cut
it down. Christ hiraself there raakes the appUcation twice
over, " Except j-e repent, ye shall aU likewise perish," ver.
3, 5. How many years hath God looked for the fruits of
love and holiness fi-om thee, and hath found none? and
yet hath spared thee. How many times, by thy vrilful igno
rance, carelessness, and dlsobetUence, hast thou provoked
justice to say, " Cut him dov»n, why cumbereth he the
ground ? " and yet mercy hath prevaUed, and patience hath
forborne the kUling, daraning blow to this day. If thou

A CALL TO THB UNCONVERTED. 121
hadst the understanding of a man wnthin thee, thou wouldst
know that aU this caUeth thee to turn. " Dost thou think
thou shalt stUl escape the judgment of God ? Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffer
ing ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance ? But after thy hai-dness and impenitent heart,
treasurest up unto thyseff -wrath against the day of -wrath,
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God ; who wUl
render to everj- one according to his deeds," Rom. u. 3-6.
8. Moreover, it is the voice of every affliction, to call
thee to make haste and turn. Sickhess and pain cry. Turn.
Poverty, the loss of fiiends, and every twig of the chastising
rod, cry, Turn ; and jet vrilt thou not hearken to the call ?
These have corae near thee, and made thee feel. They
have made thee groan, and can they not make thee turn ?
9. The very frame of thy nature and being itseff be
speaketh thy return. AVhy hast thou reason, but to rule
thy flesh, and serve thy Lord ? AA'liy hast thou an under
standing- soul, but to leam and know his wiU, and do it ?
Why hast thou a heart vrithin thee that can love, fear, and
desire, but that thou shouldst fear him, and love him, and
desire after him ?
10. Yea, thine own engagements by promise to the Lord
do call upon thee to tum and serve him. Thou hast bound
thyseff to him by a baptismal covenant, and renoimced the
world, the flesh, and the devil ; this thou hast confu-med
by the profession of Christianitj-, and renewed it at sacra
ments, and in times of affliction. And -wUt thou promise,
and vow, and never perform, and turn to God ?
Lay aU these together now, and see what should be the
issue. The holy Scriptures caU upon thee to turn ; the
ministers of Chiist do call upon thee to tum ; the Spirit
cries, Tm-n ; thy conscience cries, Tum ; the godly, by per
suasions and examples, cry, Tum ; the whole world, and aU
the creatures therein that are presented to thy consideration,
cry. Turn ; the patient forbearance of God cries, Tum ; all
the mercies which thou receivest cry, Tum ; the rod of
God's chastisement cries, Tum ; thy reason and the frame

122 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
of thy nature bespeaks thy turning ; and so do aU thy pro
mises to God : and yet art thou not resolved to tum ?
3. Moreover, pooi hard-hearted sinner, didst thou ever
consider upon what terms thou standest all this whUe -vrith
him that calleth thee to tum ? Thou art his o'wn, and owest
hira thyseff, and aU thou hast ; and may he not command
his own ? Thou art his absolute servant, and shouldst serve
no other master. Thou standest at his mercy, and thy lffe
is in his hand ; and he is resolved to save thee upon no other
terms. Thou hast many raalicious spiritual enemies, that
would be glad ff God would but forsake thee, and let them
alone -vrith thee, and leave thee to their wUl ; how quickly
would they deal -vrith thee in another manner ! And thou
canst not be deUvered from them but by turning unto God.
Thou art fallen under his -wrath by thy sin ah-eady ; and thou
knowest not how long his patience wUl yet wait. Perhaps
this is the last year ; perhaps the last day. His sword is
even at thy heart, whUe the word is in thine ear ; and ff thou
tum not, thou art a dead and undone man. Were thy eyes
but open to see where thou standest, even upon the brink of
heU, and to see how many thousands are there already that
did not tum, thou wouldst see that it is time to look about
thee. WeU, sirs, look inwards now, and tell me how are your
hearts affected with these offers of the Lord. You hear
what is his mind ; he delighteth not in your death. He
calls to J'OU, Tum, turn ; it is a fearful sign, if aU this move
thee not, or ff it do but half move thee ; and much more ff
it make thee more careless in thy misery, because thou
hearest of the mercffulness of God. The working of the
medicine vrill partly teU us, whether there be any hope of
the cure. Oh what glad tidings would it be to those that are
now in hell, tf they had but such a message from God !
AVhat a joj'ful word would it be to hear this. Turn and Uve !
Yea, what a welcome word would it be to thyseff, when
thou hast felt that wrath of God but an hour ; or, if after
a thousand, and ten thousand years' torment, thou couldst
but hear such a word from God, Tum and Uve ! and yet

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 123
wflt thou neglect it, and suffer us to retum vrithout our er
rand ?
Behold, sinners, we are set here as the raessengers of the
Lord, to set before you lffe and death ; what say you, which
of them vrill j'Ou choose ? Christ standeth, as it were, by
thee, with heaven in one hand, and hell in the other, and
offeretii thee thy choice ; which wUt thou choose ? Tho
voice of the Lord maketh the rocks to tremble. See Psal.
xxix. And is it nothing to hear him threaten thee, ff thou
wUt not tum ? Dost thou not understand and feel this
voice, "Tm-n ye, turn ye, why wfll j'e die?" AVhy, it Is
the voice of love, of infinite love, of thy best and kindest
Friend, as thou mightest easUy perceive by the motion, and
J'et canst thou neglect It ? It is the voice of pity and com
passion. The Lord seeth whether thou art going better
than thou dost, which makes hira call after thee, Tum, turn.
He seeth what -wiU become of thee, ff thou turn not : he
thinketh with himseff. Ah this poor sinner vrill cast hiraseff
into endless torraent, ff he do not tum ; I must in justice
deal vrith him according to my righteous law : and therefore
he caUeth after thee. Turn, tum. O sinner ! ff thou didst
but know the thousandth part as weU as God doth, the dan
ger that is near you, and the misery that you are running
into, we should have no more need to caU after j'ou to
tum. Moreover, this voice that caUeth to thee, is the same
that hath prevaUed vrith thousands already, and called all
to heaven that are now there ; and they would not now for
a thousand worlds that they had made Ught of it, and not
tumed to God. Now what are they possessing that turned
at God's caU ? Now they perceive indeed that it was the
voice of love, that meant them no more harm than their
salvation. And ff thou vrilt obey the same call thou shalt
come to the same happiness. There be mUUons that must
for ever lament that they tumed not, but there is never a
soul in heaven that is sorry that they were converted.
WeU, sirs, are you yet resolved, or are you not ? Do I
need to say any more to you, what wiU you do ? WiU yow

124 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
turn or not? Speak, man, in thy heart to God, though thou
speak not out to me : speak, lest he take thy sUence for a
denial ; speak quickly, lest he never make thee the like of
fer more ; speak resolvedly, and not waveringly, for he
¦wiu have no indifferents to be his foUowers. Say In thy
heart now, without any more delay, even before you stir
hence. By the grace of God, I am resolved presently to
tum. And because I know mine O'wn insufficiency, I am
resolved to wait on God for his grace, and foUow him In his
ways, and forsake my former courses and companions, and
give up myseff to the guidance of the Lord.
Sirs, you are not shut up in the darkness of heathenism,
nor in the desperation of the damned. Lffe is before you,
and you may have it on reasonable terms ff you wiU ; yea,
on free-cost ff you wUl accept it. The way of God Ueth
plain before you, the church is open to you, and you raay
have Christ, pardon, and holiness, ff you wUl. AVliat say
you ? WiU you or wUl you not ? If you say nay, or say
nothing, and stIU go on, God is -vritness, and this congrega
tion Is -vritness, and your owra consciences are -vritness, how
fair an offer you had this day. Reraeraber you might have
Christ, and you would not. Remeraber, when you have
lost it, that J-ou inight have had etemal lffe, as weU as
others, and would not : and aU this because you would not
turn !
But let us come to the next doctrine, and hear your
reasons. Doct. AT. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case
vrith unconverted sinners, and to ask them why they vriU
die. A strange disputation it is, both as to the controversy, and
as to the disputants.
1. The controversy or question propounded to dispute of,
is, AAThy wicked men -vriU damn themselves ? or. Whether
they -will die rather than tum ? AVhether they have any
sufficient reason for so doing ?
2. The disputants are God and man ; the most holy God,
and vricked, unconverted sinners.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 125
Is it not a strange thing which God doth seem here to
suppose, that any man should be wiUing to die, and be
damned ; j'ea, that this should be the case of aU the vricked ;
that is, of the greatest part of the world ? But you wUl
say. This cannot be ; for nature desireth the preservation
and feUcity of itself, and the -vricked are more selfish than
others, and not less ; and therefore how can any man be
wiUing to be damned ?
To which I answer, 1. It is a certain tmth, that no man
can be vrilUng of anj' evU, as eril, but only as it hath sorae
appearance of good ; much less can any man be wiUing to
be eternaUy tormented. Misery, as such, is desired by none.
2. But jet for aU that, it is most true, which God here
teacheth us, that the cause why the vricked die and are
damned, is, because they wUl die and be danmed. And this
is true in several respects.
1 . Because thej- wUl go the way that leads to heU, though
they are told by God and man whither it goes and where
it ends ; and though God hath so often professed in his
word, that If they hold on in that way they shaU be con
demned ; and that they shaU not be saved unless they tum.
" There is no peace (saith the Lord) unto the wicked,"
Isa. xlriii. 22 ; 1-vii. 21. " The way of peace they know
not ; there is no judgment in their going ; they have made
them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein shaU not know
peace," Isa. lix. 8. They have the word and the oath of
the living God for it, that ff they wiU not turn, they shaU
not enter into his rest. And yet vricked they are, and
vricked they -wUl be, let God and man say what they wUl ;
fleshly they are, and fleshly they wiU be, worldlings they
are, and worldlings they vrill be, though God hath told
them, that " the love of the world is enmity to God ; and
that ff any man love the world (in that measure) the love
of the Father is not in him," James iv. 4 ; 1 John u. 15.
So that consequentiaUy these raen are willing to be damned,
though not directly : they are -wUUng of the way to heU,
and love the certain cause of their torment, though they be

126 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
not willing of heU itseff, and do not love the pain which they
must endure.
Is not this the tmth of your case, sirs ? Y'ou would not
bum in heU, but you wiU kindle the fire by your sins, and
cast J'ourselves into it ; you would not be tormented -vrith
devUs in heU, but you -will do that which wiU certainly pro
cure it in despite of aU that cau be said against it. It is
just as ff you would say, I "wUl drink poison, but yet I wiU
not die. I wUl cast myseff headlong from the top of a
steeple, but yet I wUl not kUl myseff. I wiU thrust my
knffe into my heart, but yet I wiU not take aw3-y ray Ufe.
I -vriU put this fire into the thatch of my house, but yet I
wUl not bum it. Just so it is vrith vrieked men ; they wfll
be -vricked, and Uve after the flesh iu the world, and yet
they would not be damned. But do you not know, that
the means do lead unto the end ? and that God hath by his
righteous law concluded, that ye must repent or perish ? Ho
that vriU take poison may as weU say, I wUl kUl myseff, for
it vriU prove no better in the end : though perhaps he loved
it for the sweetness of the sugar that was mixed vrith it, and
would not be persuaded it was poison, but that he might
take it aud do weU enough ; but it is not his conceit and
confidence that -vriU save his lffe. So ff you will be drunk
ards, or fornicators, or worldUngs, or Uve after the flesh,
you may as weU say plainly. We wUl be damned ; for so
you shaU be unless you tum. Would you not rebuke the
folly of a thief or murderer that would say, I wUl steal or
IdU, but I wiU not be hanged ; when he knows, that ff he
do the one, the judge in justice -wiU see that the other be
done. If he says, I wiU steal and mm-der, he may as weU
say plainly, I vriU be hanged ; so ff you wiU go on in a car
nal lffe, you may as weU say plainly. We wiU go to heU.
2. Moreover, the vricked -vriU not use those means -vrithout
which there is no hope of their salvation : he that -wUl not
eat, may as weU say plainly he -vriU not Uve, unless he can
teU how to Uve -vrithout meat. He that wUl not go his
journey, may as well say plainly he wiU not come to the

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 127
end. He that falls into the water, and vriU not come out,
no!- suffer another to help him out, may as well say plainly
he wiu be drowned. So ff you be carnal and ungodlj', and
wUl uot be converted, nor use the means by which you
shoidd be converted, but think it more ado than needs, jou
maj' as well say plainly you wiU be danmed. For ff you
have found out a waj' to be saved vrithout conversion, you
have done that which was never done before.
3. Yea, this is not aU, but the vricked are unwUling even
of salvation itseff. Though they may desire soraewhat which
they caU by the name of heaven, yet heaven itseff, consider
ed in the true nature of the feUcity, they desire not ; yea,
their hearts are quite against it. Heaven is a state of per
fect holiness, and of continual love and praise to God, and
the vricked have no heart to this. The imperfect love, praise,
and holiness which is here to be obtained, they have no
mind of; much less of that which is so much greater : the
joys of heaven are of so pure and spiritual a nature, that the
heart of the -vricked cannot truly desire them.
So that by this time you may see on what ground it is
that God supposeth that the -vricked are -willing of their own
destruction : they -wUl not tum, though they must tum or
die. They -wiU rather venture on certain misery, than be
converted; and then to quiet themselves in their sins, they
-wiU make themselves beUeve that they shaU nevertheless
escape. 2. And as the controversy is matter of wonder (that
ever men should be such enemies to themselves, as -vrilfiiUy
to cast awaj' their souls), so are the disputants too : that
God should stoop so low, as thus to plead the case -vrith
man ; and that man should be so strangely bUnd and ob
stinate as to need aU this In so plain a case ; yea, and to re
sist all this, when their own salvation Ueth upon the issue.
No wonder ff they vrill not hear us that are men, when
they -vrill not hear the Lord himseff: as God saith, when he
sent the prophet to the Israehtes, " The house of Israel vriU
not hearken unto thee ; for they -vriU not hearken imto me :
for aU the house of Israel are Impudent and hard-hearted,"

128 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
Ezek. iu 7. No wonder ff they can plead against a mi
nister, or a godly neighbour, when they wiU plead against
the Lord himseff, even against the plainest passages of his
word, and think they have reason on their side. AVhen
they weary the Lord vrith their words, they say, " AVherein
have we wearied hira?" Mal. u. 7. The priests that de
spised his name, durst ask, " AVherein have we despised thy
name?" And when they " polluted his altar, and made the
tables ofthe Lord contemptible," they durst say, " Wherein
have we poUuted them?" Mal. ri. 1, 7. But, "Woe unto hun
(saith the Lord) that striveth -vrith his Maker ! Let the pot
sherds strive -vrith the potsherds of the earth. ShaU the
clay say to him that fashioneth it, AVhat makest thou ?"
Isa. xlv. 9.
Quest. But why is it that God wUl reason the case with
man ?
Answ. 1. Because that man, being a reasonable creature,
is accordingly to be dealt -vrith ; and by reason to be per
suaded and overcome. God hath therefore endowed them
vrith reason, that they might use it for him. One would
think a reasonable creature should not go against the clearest
and greatest reason in the world, when it is set before him.
2. At least men shaU see that God did require nothing of
them that was unreasonable, but that whatever he com
mandeth them, and whatever he forbiddeth them, he hath
aU the right reason in the world on his side, and they have
good reason to obey him, but none to disobey. And thus
even the damned shaU be forced to justify God, and confess
that it was but reason that they should have tumed to him;
and they shaU be forced to condemn themselves, and con
fess that they have Uttle reason to cast away theraselves by
the neglecting of his grace in the day of their risitation.
Use. Look up your best and strongest reasons, sinners,
ff you wUl make good your way : you see now -vrith whom
you have to deal. What saj'est thou, unconverted, sensual
-wretch ? Darest thou venture upon a dispute with God ?
Art thou able to confiite him ? Art thou ready to enter the
lists? God asketh thee, AVhy wUt thou die? Art thou

.V CALL TO THE U.\C(.)N VERTED. 129
furnished with a sufficient answer? WUt thou undertake
to prove that God is mistaken, and that thou art in
the right ? Oh what an undei-taking is that ! AA'hy either
he or J'OU is mistaken, when he Is for j'OUr conversion,
and you are against it. He caUs upon j'ou to turn,
and you wUl not : he bids you do it presently, oven to
day, whUe it is caUed to-day, and j'Ou delay, and think it
time enough hereafter. He saith, it must be a total change,
and J'OU must be holy and new creatures, and born again ;
and you think that less may serve the tm-n, and that it is
enough to patch up the old man, -vrithout becoming new.
Who is in the right now, God or jou ? God calleth on
you to tum, and to Uve a holy Ufe, and you -wiU not ; by
your disobedient Uves it appears you -vriU not. If j-ou wUl,
why do you not ? AVhy have you not done it aU this whUe ?
And why do you not faU upon it yet ? Your vriUs have the
command of your Uves. We may certainly conclude, that
you are un-wUUng to tum, when you do not tum. And why
-wUl you not? Can you give any reason for it, that is
worthy to be oaUed a reason ?
I that am but a worm, your feUow-creature, of a shaUow
capacity, dare challenge the -vrisest of you aU to reason the
case with me, whUe I plead my Maker's cause ; and I need
not be discom-aged, when I know I plead but the cause
that God pleadeth, and contend for him that wiU have
the best at last. Had I but these two general grounds
against you, I am sure that you have no good reason on
your side.
1. I am sure it can be no good reason, which is against
the God of truth and reason ; it cannot be Ught that is con
trary to the sun. There is no knowledge in any creature,
but what it had from God ; and therefore none can be wiser
than God. It were damnable presumption for the highest
angel to compare -vrith his Creator ; what is it then for a lump
of dirt, an ignorant sot, that knoweth not himseff, nor his
own soul ; that knoweth but Uttle of the things which he
seeth, yea, that is more ignorant than many of his neigh
bours ; to set himseff against the wisdom ofthe Lord? It
I

180 A CALL TO THB UNCONVERTED.
is one of the fiJlest discoveries of the horrible -wickedness of
camal men, and the stark madness of such who sin, that so
sUly a mole dare contradict his Maker, and call in question
the word of God : yea, that those people in our parishes,
that are so beastly ignorant, that they cannot give us a rea
sonable answer conceming the very principles of reUgion,
are yet so -wise in their own conceit, that they dare ques
tion the plainest truths of God, yea, contradict them, and
caril against them, when they can scarce speak sense, and
-wiU beUeve them no farther than agreeth -vrith their fooUsh
-vrisdom. 2. And as I know that God must needs be in the right,
so I know the case is so palpable and gross which he pleadeth
against, that no man can have reason for it. Is it possible
that a man can have any good reason to break his master's
laws, and reason to dishonour the Lord of glory, and reason
to abuse the Lord that bought him ? Is it possible that a
man can have any good reason to damn his own immortal
soul? Mark the Lord's question, " Tum ye, tum ye, why
-wUl ye die ? " Is etemal death a thing to be desired ? Arc
you in love -vrith heU ? What reason have you vrilfiiUy to
perish ? If you think you have some reason to sin, should
you not remember that " death is the wages of sin?" Rom.
ri. 23. And think whether you have any reason to undo
yourselves, body and soul, for ever ? You should not only
ask whether you love the adder, but whether you love the
sting. It Is such a thing for a man to cast away his ever
lasting happiness, and to sin against God, that no good rea
son can be given for it ; but the more any one pleads for it,
the more mad he sheweth himseff to be. Had you a lord
ship or a kingdom offered to you for every sin that you
commit, it were not reason but madness to accept it. Could
you by every sin obtain the highest thing on earth that flesh
desireth, it were of no considerable value to persuade you in
reason to commit it. If it were to please your greatest and
dearest friends, or obey the greatest prince on earth, or to
save your Uves, or to escape the greatest earthly misery, aU
these are of no consideration to draw a man in reason to

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 131
the committmg of one sin. If it were a right hand or a
right eye that would hinder your salvation, it would be the
galiffuUest way to cast it away, rather than go to heU to save it.
For there is no saving a part, when you lose the whole. So
exceeding great are the matters of eternity, that nothing in
this world deserveth once to be naraed in comparison -vrith
them, nor can any earthly thing, though it were Ufe, or
cro-wns and kingdoms, be a reasonable excuse for matters of
so high and everlasting consequence. A man can have no
reason to cross his ultimate end. Heaven is such a thing,
that ff you lose it, nothing can supply the want, or make up
the loss. And hell is such a thing, that ff you suffer it,
nothing can remove your misery, or give you ease and com
fort. And therefore nothing can be a valuable considera
tion to excuse you for neglecting jour own salvation. For
saith our Sariour, " AATiat shaU it profit a man ff he shaU
gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Mark vui. 36.
O sirs ! did you but know what matters they are we are
now speaking to you of ! The saints in heaven have other
kind of thoughts of these things. If the de-ril could come
to them that Uve in the sight and love of God, and should
offer them a cup of ale, or a whore, or merry company, or
sport, to entice them away from God and glory, I pray you
teU me, how do you think they would entertain the motion ?
Nay, ff he should offer them to be kings on the earth, do
you think this would entice them down from heaven ? Oh,
-vrith what hatred and holy scorn would they disdain and re
ject the motion ? and why should not you do so that have
heaven opened to your faith, ff you had but faith to see it?
There is never a soul in heU, but knows by this time, that it
was a mad exchange to let go heaven for fleshly pleasure ;
and that it is not a Uttle mirth, or pleasure, or worldly
riches or honour, or the good wUl or the word of men, that
-wUl quench heU-fire, or make him a saver that loseth his
soul. Oh ff you had heard what I beUeve, ff you had seen
what I beUeve, and that on the credit of the word of God,
you would say, there can be no reason to warrant a man to

132 A CALL TO THE T'vrONVERTBD.
damn his soul ; j-ou durst not sleep quietly another night,
before you had resolved to tm-n and Uve.
If you see a man put his hand into the fire tiU it burn off,
you marvel at it ; but this is a thing that a man may have
reason for, as Bishop Cranmer had when he bumt off his
hand for subscribing to popery. If you see a man cut off
a leg, or an arm, it is a sad sight ; but this is a thing a man
may have good reason for ; as many a man doth to save his
lffe. If you see a man give his body to be bumed to ashes,
and to be tormented with strappadoes and racks, and refuse
dehverance when it Is offered ; this is a hard case to flesh
and blood. But this a man may have good reason for ; as
J'OU may see in Heb. xi. 33-36 ; and as many a hundred
martyrs have done. But for a man to forsake the Lord
that made him, and for a man to run into the fire of heU,
when he is .told of it, and entreated to tm-n, that he raay be
saved ; this is a thing that can have no reason in the world,
that is reason mdeed, to justify or excuse is. For heaven
wUl pay for the loss of any thing that we can lose to get it,
or for any labour which we bestow for it. But nothing can
pay for the loss of heaven.
I beseech you now, let his word come nearer to your
hearts. As you are convinced you have no reason to de
stroy yourselves, so teU me what reason you have to refuse
to tum, and Uve to God ; what reason hath the veriest
worldUng, or drunkard, or ignorant, careless sinner of you
all, why you should not be as holy as any you know, and
be as careful for your souls as any other? WUl not heU
be as hot to you as to others? Should not your ovvrn souls
be as dear to you, as theirs to them ? Hath not God as
much authority over you ? AVliy then -wiU ye not become
a sanctified people as weU as they ?
O sirs, when God bringeth down the matter to the very
principles of nature, and shews you that you have no more
reason to be ungodly than you have to damn your own
souls ; ff yet you wUl not understand and turn, it seems a
desperate Qase that you are in.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 133
And now either j'Ou have reasons for what you do, or j'ou
have not. If not, wUl you go on against reason itseff?
AA'Ul you do that whioh j'Ou have no reason for ? But ff
you think j'ou have, produce them, and make the best of
your matter ; reason the case a Uttle whUe vrith your feUow-
creature, which is far easier thau to reason the case with
God. TeU me, man, here, before the Lord, as ff thou wert
to die this hour, why shoiUdst thou not resolve to turn this
day, before thou stir fi-om the place thou standest in?
AATiat reason hast thou to deny, or to delay? Hast thou
any reasoUs that satisfieth thine own conscience for it ? or
any that thou darest own and plead at the bar of God ? If
thou hast, let us hear thera, bring them forth, and make
them good. But alas ! what poor stuff, what nonsense, in
stead of reasons, do we daUy hear from ungodly men ! But
for their necessity, I should be ashamed to name them.
1 . One saith, If none shaU be saved but such converted
and sanctified ones as you talk of, heaveu would be but
empty ; then God help a great many.
Answ. AVliat, it seems you think God doth not know, or
else that he is not to be beUeved : measure not aU by your
seff; God hath thousands and millions of his sanctified ones ;
but yet they are few in comparison of the world, as Christ
himseff hath told us in Matt. -rii. 13, 14, and Luke xu. 32.
It better beseems you to make that use of this truth which
Christ teacheth you : " Strive to enter in at the strait gate ;
for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth
unto Ufe, and few there be that find it : but -vride is the
gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be that go in thereat," Luke xiu. 22-24. " And
fear not, Uttle flock (saith Christ to his sanctifled ones), for
it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom,"
Luke xu. 32.
Object. 2. I am sure ff such as I go to heU, we shall
have store of corapany.
Answ. And wiU that be any ease or comfort to you ? or
do you think you may not have company enough in
heaven ? WUl you be undone for company ? or vriU you not

134 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
believe that God wUl execute his threatenings, because there
are so many that are guUty? AU these are siUy, unreason
able conceits.
Object. 3. But aU men are sinners, even the best of
you all.
Answ. But aU are not unconverted sinners. The godly
Uve not in gross sins ; aud their very infirmities are their
grief and burden, which they daily long, and pray, and
strive to be rid of. Sin hath not dominion over thera.
Object. 4. I do not see that professors are any better than
other men ; they -vriU overreach and oppress, and are as co
vetous as any.
Answ. AVhatever hypocrites are, it is not so vrith those
that are sanctified. God hath thousands and ten thousands
that are otherwise, though the maUcious world doth ac
cuse thera of what they can never prove, and of that which
never entered into their hearts. And comraonly they charge
them with heart sins, which none can see but God ; because
they can charge them -vrith no such vrickedness in their Uves
as they are guUty of themselves.
Object. 5. But I am no whoremonger, nor drunkard, nor
oppressor ; and therefore why should you caU upon rae to be
converted ?
Answ. As if you were not bom after the flesh, and had
not Uved after the flesh, as weU as others. Is it not as great
a sin as any of these, for a man to have an earthly mind, and
to love the world above God, and to have a faithless, un
humbled heart ? Nay, let me teU you more, that many per
sons that avoid disgracefid sins, are fast glued to the world,
and as much slaves to the flesh, and as strange to God, and
averse to heaven, in their more civU course, as others are in
their more shamefvd, notorious sins.
Object. 6. But I mean nobody any harm, and do no
harm ; and why then should God condemn me ?
Answ. Is it no harm to neglect the Lord that made thee,
and the work for which thou eamest into the world, and
prefer the creature before the Creator, and neglect grace
that is daUy offered thee ? It is the depth of thy sinfulness.

.\ CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 135
to be insensible of it. The dead feel not that they are
dead. If once thou wert made alive, thou wouldst see
more amiss in thj'seff, and marvel at thyseff for making so
Ught of it.
Object. 7 . I think you wiU make men mad under a pretence
of converting them : it is enough to rack the brains of simple
people, to muse so much on matters too high for them.
Answ. 1. Can you be madder than you are already?
Or at least, can there be a more dangerous madness, than to
neglect j'Our everlasting weffare, and -vriffuUy undo your
selves ?
2. A man is never weU in his -vrits tUl he be converted ;
*he neither knows God, nor sin, nor Christ, nor the world,
nor himseff, nor what his business is on the earth, so as to
set hiraseff about it, till he be converted. The Scripture
saith that the -vricked are unreasonable men, 2 Thess. in. 2 ;
and " that the -wisdom of the world is foolishness -vrith
God," 1 Cor. i. 20 ; and Luke xv. 17, it is said ofthe pro
digal, "that when became to himself," he resolved to retum.
It is a vrise world when men "wUl disobey God, and run to
heU for fear of being out of their vrits !
3. AVhat is there in the work that Christ caUs you to,
that should drive a man out of his writs ? Is it the loving
of God, and caUing upon him, and comfortable thinking of
the glory to come, and the forsaking of our sins, and
the loving of one another, and deUghting ourselves in
the serrice of God ? Are these such things as should make
men mad?
4. And whereas you say, that these matters are too high
for us, you accuse God himseff for makiug this our work,
and giving us his word, and commanding all that wIU be
blessed, to meditate in it day and night. Are the matters
which we are made for, and which we Uve for, too high for
us to meddle with? This is plainly to unman us, and to
make beasts of us, as ff we were Uke to them that must
meddle with no higher raatters than what belongeth to flesh
and earth. If heaven be too high for you to think on, and
to proride for, it vriU be too high for you ever to possess.

136 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
5. If God should sometimes suffer any weak-headed per
son to be distracted by thinldng of eternal things, this Is be
cause they misunderstand them, and run vrithout a guide.
And of the two, I had rather be in the case of such a one,
than of the mad, unconverted world, that take their dis
traction to be their wisdom.
Object. 8. I do not think that God doth care so much
what men think, or speak, or do, as to make so great a
matter of it.
Ansiv. It seems then, you take the word of God to be
false ; and then what vriU you beUeve ? But your o-wn rea
son might teach you better, if you believe not the Scriptures ;
for you see God doth not set so Ught by us, but that he
vouchsafed to make us, and stiU preserveth us, and daUy upr
holdeth us, and prorideth for us : and vriU any -vrise man
make a curious frame for nothing ? WUl you make or buy
a clock, or a watch, and daUy look to it, and not care
whether it go true or false ? Surely if you believe not a par
ticular eye of Proridence obserring your hearts and Uves,
you cannot beUeve or expect any particular Proridence to
observe your wants and troubles, to reUeve you. And ff God
had so little cared for you, as you imagine, you would never
have Uved tUl now ; a hundred diseases would have striven
which should first destroy you. Yea, the deril would have
haunted you, and fetched you away alive, as the great fishes
devour the less ; and as ravenous beasts and birds devour
others. You cannot think that God made man for no end
or use ; and ff he made him for any, it was sure for himseff.
And can you think he cares not whether his end be accom
pUshed, and whether we do the work thatwe are made
for? Yea, by this atheistical objection, you make God to have
made and upheld aU the world in vain. For what are aU
other lower creatures for, but for man ? AVhat doth the
earth but bear us, and nourish us ? And the beasts do serve
us vrith their labours and Uves ; and so of the rest. And
hath God made so glorious a habitation, and set man to
dweU in it, and made all his servants ; and now doth he

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERlED. 137
look for nothing at his hands ? nor care how he thinks, or
speaks, or lives ? This is most unreasonable.
Object. 9. It was a better world when men did not make
so much ado In reUgion.
Answ. It hath ever been the custom to praise the time
past. That world that you speak of, was wont to say. It
was a better world in om- forefathers' days, and so did they
of their forefathers. This is but an old custom, because we
aU feel the eril of our o-wn times, but we see not that which
was before us.
2. Perhaps you speak as you think: worldUngs think the
world is at the best, when it is agreeable to then- minds, and
when they have most mirth aud worldly pleasure. And I
doubt not but the devU, as weU as you, would say, that then
it was a better world : for then he had more serrice, and
less disturbance ; but the world is best, when God is most
loved, regarded, and obeyed. And how else wUl you know
when the world is good or bad, but by this ?
Object. 10. There are so many ways and reUgions, that
we know not which to be of ; and therefore we -wUl be even
as we are.
Answ. Because there are many, wiU you be of that way
that you may be sure is -wrong ? None are farther out of
the way, than worldly, fleshly, unconverted sinners. For
they do not err in this or that opinion, as many sects do ;
but in the very scope and drift of their Uves. If you were
going a journey that your Ufe lay on, would you stop or turn
again, because you meet some cross-ways, or because you
saw some traveUers go the horse-way and some the foot
way, and some perhaps break over the hedge, yea, and some
miss the way ? Or would you not rather be the more care
ful to inquire the way ? If you have some servants that
know not how to do your work right, and some that
are unfaithful, would you ta'te it weU at any of the rest,
that would therefore be idle and do you no serrice, because
they see the rest so bad ?
Object. 11. I do not see that it goes any better with those

138 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
that are so godly, than with other men. They are as poor,
and in as rauch trouble, as others.
Answ. And perhaps in much more, when God sees it
meet. They take not an earthly prosperity for their wages.
They have laid up their treasure and hopes in another world,
or else they are not Christians indeed. The less they have,
the more is behind : and they are content to wait tlU then.
Object. 12. AVhen you have said aU that you can, I am
resolved to hope weU, and trust in God, and do as weU as I
can, and not make so much ado.
Answ. 1 . Is that doing as well as you can, when you wiU
not turn to God, but your heart is against his holy aud
diUgent serrice ? It is as weU as you -wiU, indeed : but that
is your misery.
2. My desire is that you should hope and trust in God.
But for what is it that you -vriU hope ? Is it to be saved,
if J'OU turn and be sanctified ? For this you have God's
promise ; and therefore hope for it, and spare not ; but ff
you hope to be saved -vrithout conversion and a holy lffe, this
is not to hope in God, but In Satan, or yourselves ; for God
hath given you no such promise, but told you the contrary ;
but it is Satan and self-love that raade you such promises,
and raised you to such hopes.
AVeU, ff these, and such as these, be aU you have to say
against conversion and a holy lffe, your all is nothing, and
worse than nothing ; and ff these, and such as these, seem
reasons sufficient to persuade you to forsake God, and cast
yourselves into hell, the Lord deUver you from such reasons,
and fi-ora such bUnd understandings, and from such senseless,
hardened hearts. Dare you stand to every one of these
reasons at the bar of God ? Do you think it -vriU then serve
your tum, to say. Lord, I did not tum, because I had so
much to do in the world, or because I did not Uke the Uves
of some professors, or because I saw men of so raany minds?
Oh how easUy -vrill the Ught of that day confound and shame
such reasons as these ! Had you the world to look after ?
Let the world which you served, now pay you yotff wages.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 139
and save j'OU tf it can ! Had you not a better world to
look after first ? And were ye not commimded to seek first
God's kingdom and righteousness, and promised, that other
things shall be added to you? Matt. ri. 33. And were you
not told, " that godliness was profitable to all things, haring
the promise of this lffe, and of that whicii is to come ? "
1 Tim. iv. 8. Did the sins of professors hinder you ?
You should rather have been the more heedful, and leamed
bj' their falls to beware ; and have been the more careful,
and not to be more careless ; it was the Scripture and not
their Uves, that was your rule. Did the many opinions of
the world hinder you ? AA'hj-, the Scripture that was your
rule, did teach you but one way, and that was the right
way ; ff you had foUowed that, even in so much as was plain
and easy, you would never have miscarried. WiU not such
answers as these confound and sUence you ? If these wUl
not, Grod hath those that -vriU. AVhen he asketh the man,
" Friend, how eamest thou in hither, not having on a wed
ding garraent ?" Matt. xxu. 12 ; that is, what dost thou In
my church araongst professed Christians, -vrithout a holy
heart and lffe ? what answer did he raake ? AVhy, the text
saith, " He was speechless," he had nothing to say. The
clearness of the case, and the majesty of God, wiU then
easUy stop the mouths of the most confident of you, though
you vriU not be put down bj' any thing that we can say to
you now, but -wUl make good your cause, be it never so bad.
I know already, that never a reason that now you can give
me, wiu do you any good at last, when your case must be
opened before the Lord and aU the world.
Nay, I scarce think that your own consciences are weU
satisfied vrith your reasons. For ff they are, it seems then
you have not so much as a purpose to repent ; but ff you do
but purpose to repent, it seems you do not put much con
fidence in your reasons which you bring against it.
What say you, unconverted sinners ? Have you any
good reason to give why you should not turn, and presently
tum -vrith all your hearts ? or -wUl you go to heU in despite
of reason itself? Bethink you what you do, in time, for it

140 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
vriU shortly be too late to bethink j'OU. Can you find any
fault -vrith God, or his work, or wages? Is he a bad master?
Is the devU whom ye serve a better ? or is the flesh a bet
ter ? Is there any harra in a holy life ? Is a Ufe of world
liness and ungodUness better ? Do you think in your con
science that it would do you any harm to be converted, and
Uve a holy life ? AVhat harm oan it do j'Ou ? Is it harm
to J'OU to have the Spirit of Christ -vrithin j'ou ? and to have
a cleansed, purified heart ? If it be bad to be holy, why
doth God say, " Be ye holy, for I am holy?" 1 Pet. i. 15,
1 6 ; Lev. xx. 7. Is it e-ril to be Uke God ? Is it not said,
that " God made man in his own image?" AATiy, this hoU
ness is his image : this Adam lost, and this Christ by his
word and Spirit would restore you, as he doth to aU that he
vrill save. AVhy were you baptized into the Holy Ghost, and
why do you baptize your chUdren into the Holy Ghost, as
your Sanctifier, tf ye -wUl not be sanctified by him, but
think it a hurt to be sanctified? TeU me truly, as before
the Lord, though you are loth to Uve a holy lffe, had you not
rather die in the case of those that do so, than of others ? If
you were to die this day, had you not rather die in the case
of a converted man thau of the unconverted ? of a holy and
heavenly man, than of a camal, earthly man ? And would
you not say as Balaam, " Let me die the death of the righte
ous, and let my last end be Uke his ? " Numb. xxui. 10. And
why vriU you not now be of the mind that you wUl be of
then ? First or last you must come to this ; either to be
converted, or to -vrish you had been when it is too late.
But what is it that you are afraid of losing ff you tum ?
Is it your friends ? You wUl but change them : God -wUl
be j'Our friend, and Christ and the Spirit vriU be your fiiend,
and every Christian -wUl be your fiiend. You -vriU get one
Friend that -triU stand in more stead than aU the fnends in
the world could have done. The fnends you lose would
have but enticed you to heU, but could not have deUvered
you ; but the Friend you get -vriU save you from heU, and
bring you to his O'wn eternal rest.
Is it your pleasures that you are afraid of losing? You

A CAIX TO THE UNCONVERTED. 141
think you shaU never have a merry day .again, ff once j'ou be
converted. Alas ! that you should think it a greater plea
sure to Uve in fooUsh sports and merriments, and please
j'our flesh, than Uve in the believing thoughts of glory, and
in the love of God, and in righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holj' Ghost, in which the state of grace consisteth,
Rom. xiv. 17. If it be a greater pleasure to you to think
of j'our lands and inheritance (ff you were lord of aU the
country), than it is to a chUd to play -vrith pins ; why should
it not be a greater joy to you to think of the kingdom of
heaven being yours, than all the riches or pleasures of the
world ? As it is but fooUsh chUdishness that makes chUdren
so deUght in gawds, that they would not leave thera for aU
your lands ; so it is but fooUsh worldliness, and fleshUness,
and vrickedness, that makes you so much deUght in your
houses, and lands, and meat, and drink, and ease, and
honour, as that you would not part vrith them for heavenly
deUghts. But what -vriU you do for pleasure when these are
gone ? Do you not think of that ? AVhen your pleasures
end in horror, and go out -vrith a stinking snuff, the plea
sures of the saints are then at the best. I have had myseff
but a Uttle taste of the heavenly pleasures, in the fore
thoughts of the blessed approaching day, and in the present
persuasions of the love of God in Christ ; but I have taken
too deep a draught of earthly pleasures (so that you may
see, ff I be partial, it is on your side) ; and yet I must pro
fess from that Uttle experience, that there is no comparison.
There is more joy to be had in a day (ff the sun of lffe shine
clear upon us) in the state of holiness, than in a whole Ufe
of sinfld pleasure : I had *' rather be a doorkeeper in the
house of God, than to dweU in the tents of vrickedness. A
day in his courts is better than a thousand " any where else,
Psal. Ixxxiv. 10. The mirth of the -vricked is Uke the
laughter of a madraan, that knows not his own misery : and
therefore Solomon saith of such laughter, " It is mad ; and
of mirth, AVhat doth it ? — It is better to go to the house of
mouming, than to go to the house of feasting ; for that is
the end of aU men, and the Uving wiU lay it to his heart.

142 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
Sorrow is better than laughter ; for by the sadness of the
countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the
-vrise is in the house of mourning ; but the heart of fools is
In the house of mirth. It Is better to hear the rebuke of
the vise, than to hear the song of fools ; for as the crackling
of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool," Eccl. u.
2 ; vu. 2-6. All the pleasure of fleshly things is but Uke
the scratching of a man that hath the itch ; it is his disease
that makes hira desire it : and a -wise man had rather be
without his pleasure than be troubled -vrith his Itch. Your
loudest laughter is but like that of a man that is tickled, he
laughs when he hath no cause of joy. And it is a -vriser
thing for a man to give aU his estate, and his lffe, to be
tickled to make him laugh, than for you to part vrith the
love of God, and the coraforts of holiness, and the hopes of
heaven, and to cast yourselves into damnation, that you may
have your flesh tickled -vrith the pleasure of sin for a Uttle
whUe. Judge as you are men whether this be a -vrise man's
part. It Is your camal, unsanctified nature that makes a
holy lffe seem grievous to you, and a course of sensuaUty
seem more deUghtful. K you wUl but tum, the Holy Ghost
-vriU give you another nature and inclination, and then it wfll
be more pleasant to you to be rid of your sin, than now it
is to keep it ; and you wiU then say that you knew not what
a comfortable lffe was tUl now, and that it was never well
with you tUl God and holiness were your deUght.
Quest. But how cometh it to pass, that men should be so
unreasonable In the matters of salvation ? They have vrit
enough iu other matters ; what makes them so loth to be
converted, that there should need so many words in so plain
a case ; and all -vriU not do, but the most wiU Uve and die
uncoverted ?
Answ. To name them only in few words, the causes are
these :
1. Men are naturaUy in love with earth and flesh ; they
are born sinners, and their nature hath an enmity to God
and godUness, as the nature of a serpent hath to a man.
And when aU that we can say goes against the habir

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 143
tual inclinations of their natures, no marvel ff it Uttle pre
vaU. 2. Thej' are in darkness, and know not the very thmgs
that they hear. Like a man that was born blind, and hears
a high commendation of the Ught : but what wUl hearing do,
unless he sees it ? They know not what God is, nor what
is the power of the cross of Christ, nor what the Spirit of
holiness is, nor what it is to Uve in love by faith. They
know not the certainty, and suitableness, and exceUency of
the heavenly inheritance. They know not what conversion
and a holy mind and conversation are, even when they hear
of them. They are in a mist of ignorance, they are lost and
bewUdered in sin ; Uke a man that hath lost himseff in the
night, and knows not where he is, nor how to come to hira
seff again, tUl the daylight do recover him.
3. They are -wUfiUly confident that they need no conver
sion, but some partial araendraent ; and that they are in the
way to heaven already, and are converted, when they are
not. And ff you meet a man that is quite out of his way,
you may long enough call on hira to tum back again, ff he
-vriU not beUeve you that he is out of the way.
4. They are become slaves to their fiesh, and dro-wned in
the world to make provision for it. Their lusts, and pas
sions, and appetites have distracted thera, and got such a
hand over thera, that they cannot teU how to deny them, or
how to mind any thing else. So that the drunkard saith, I
love a cup of good drink, and cannot forbear it. The
glutton saith, I love good cheer, and I caimot forbear.
The fornicator saith, I love to have my lusts fulfilled, and I
caimot forbear. And the gamester loveth to have his sports,
and he cannot forbear. So that they are even become capti
vated slaves to their flesh, and their very -wUfidness is become an
impotency, and what they would not do they say they can
not. And the worldUng is so takeu up -vrith earthly things,
that he hath neither heart, nor mind, nor time for heavenly ;
but as in Pharaoh's dream. Gen. xU. 4, the lean kine did
eat up the fat ones, so this lean and barren earth do eat up
aU the thoughts of heaven.

144 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
5. Some are so carried away by the stream of e-vU cora
pany, that they are possessed -vrith hard thoughts of a godly
lffe, by hearing them speak against it : or at least they think
they maj' venture to do as they see most do ; and so they
hold on in their sinful ways. And when one is cut off and
cast into heU, and another snatched away from among them
to the same condemnation, it doth not much daunt them,
because they see not whither they are gone. Poor -wretches !
they hold on in theu- ungodUness for all this ; for they Uttle
know that their companions are now lamenting it in tor
ments. In Luke xri. the rich man in hell would fain have
had one to warn his five brethren, lest they should come to
that place of torment. It is like he knew their minds and
Uves, and knew that they were hasting thither, and Uttle
dreamed that he was there ; yea, and Uttle would have be
Ueved one that should have told them so. I remember a
passage a gentleman told me he saw upon a bridge over the
Severn.* _ A man was driving a flock of fat lambs, and
something meeting them and hindering their passage, one of
the lambs leaped upon the waU of the bridge, and his legs
sUpping from under him, he feU into the stream ; and the
rest seeing him, did one after another leap over the bridge
into the stream, and were all, or almost aU, drovraed.
Those that were behind, did Uttle know what was become
of them that were gone before, but thought that they niight
venture to foUow their companions. But as soon as ever
they were over the waU and falling headlong, the case was
altered. Even so it is -vrith unconverted, carnal men. One
dieth by thera, and drops into heU, and another foUows the
same way ; and yet they -vriU go after them, because they
think not whither they are going. Oh ! but when death
has once opened their eyes, and they see what is on the
other side of the wall, even in another world, then what
would they give to be where they were !
6. Moreover, they have a subtle, maUcious enemy, that
is unseen of them, and plays his game in the dark ; and it
* Mr R. Rowley, of Shrewsbury, upon Acham Bridge.

A CALL TO THE UNCON'VERTED. 145
is his piincipal business to hinder their conversion ; and
therefore to keep them where they ai-e, by persuading them
not to beUeve the Scriptures, or not to trouble their minds
with these matters ; or bj- persuading them to think Ul of a
godly 4ffe, or to think that it is more ado than needs, and
that they maj' be saved -vrithout conversion, and vrithout all
this stir ; and that God is so mercfful, that he -wUl not damn
any such as they, or, at least, that they may stay a Uttle
longer, and take their pleasure, and foUow the world a Uttie
longer yet, and then let it go, and repent hereafter ; and by
such juggling, deluding cheats as these, the deril keeps most
in his" captirity, and leadeth them to his misery.
These, and such Uke impediments as these, do keep so
many thousands unconverted, wheu God hath done so much,
and Christ hath suffered so much, and ministers have said
so much, for their converrion ; when their reasons are si
lenced, and they are not able to answer the Lord that calls
after them, " Tum ye, tum ye, why -vrill ye die?" yet aU
coraes to nothing -vrith the greatest part of them ; and they
leave us no more to do after aU, but to sit do-wn and lament
their -vrilfid misery.
I have now shewed you the reasonableness of God's com
mands, and the unreasonableness of -vricked men's disobe
dience. If nothing wiU serve tum, but men wiU yet refuse
to tum, we are next to consider whose doing it is ff they
be damned. And this brings me to the last doctrine ;
which is,
Doct. YTl. That ff, after all this, men -wUl not tum, it
is not of God that they are condemned, but of themselves,
even their own vriffulness. They die because they 'vriU die,
that is, because they 'wUl not tum.
If you 'vriU go to heU, what remedy ? God here acquits
himself ofyour blood : it shall not Ue on him ff you be lost.
A negUgent minister may draw it upon him ; and those that
encourage you, or hinder you not, in sin, may draw it upon
them ; but be sure of it, it shaU not Ue upon God. Saith
the Lord conceming his unprofitable -vineyard, " Judge, I
pray you, between me and my rinej-ard : what could have

146 A CALL TO THK UNCONVERTED.
been done more to my rineyard, that I have not done to
it?" AVhen he had " planted it in a fruitful soU, and fenced
it, and gathered out the stones, and planted it vrith the
choicest 'vines," what should he have done more to it ? Isa.
V. 1-4. He hath raade you men, and endued you 'vrith
reason ; he hath furnished you vrith external necessaries, all
creatures are at your serrice ; he hath given you a righte
ous, perfect law ; when you had broken it, and undone your
selves, he had pity on you, and sent his Son by a miracle of
condescending mercy to die for you, and be a sacrifice for
your sins, and he " was in Christ reconciling the world to
himseff." The Lord Jesus hath made you a deed of gift of
himseff, and etemal lffe -vrith him, on the condition you wUl
but accept it, and retum. He hath, on this reasonable con
dition, offered you the free pardon of aU your sins : he hath
written this in his word, and sealed it by his Spirit, and sent
it you by his ministers ; they have made the offer to you a
hundred and a hundred times, and caUed you to accept it,
and tum to God. They have in his name entreated you,
and reasoned the case -vrith you, and answered aU your fri
volous objections. He hath long waited on you, and staid
your leisure, and suffered you to abuse him to his face. He
hath mercifiiUy sustained you in the midst of your sins ; he
hath compassed you about vrith aU sorts of raercies ; he hath
also intermixed afflictions, to mind you of your foUy, and
call you to your vrits ; and his Spirit hath been often striv
ing -vrith your hearts, and saying there, Tum sinner, tum
to him that caUeth thee : whither art thou going ? What
art thou doing ? Dost thou know what wUl be the end ?
How long -vrilt thou hate thy fiiends, and love thine ene
mies? "When wUt thou let go all, and tum, and deUver up
thyseff to God, and give thy Kedeemer the possession of thy
soul ? "When shaU it once be ? These pleadings have been
used -vrith thee ; and when thou hast delayed, thou hast been
urged to make haste, and God hath called to thee, " To
day, whUe it is called to-day, harden not your heart. AVhy
not now -vrithout any more delay ? " Lffe hath been set be
fore you ; the joys of heaven have been opened to you in

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 147
the gospel ; the certainty of them have been manffested ;
the certainty of the everlasting torments of the daraned have
been declared to you, unless you would have had a sight of
heaven and heU, what could you desire more ? Christ hath
been, as it were, set forth crucified before yom- eyes. Gal. in.
1 . You have been a hundred times told, that you are but
lost men, tUl you come imto hini ; as oft as you have been
told of the e-ril of sin, and of the vanity of sin, the world,
and all the pleasures and wealth it can afford ; of the short
ness and uncertainty of your Uves, and the endless duration
of the joy or torment of the lffe to come. AU this, and
more than this, have you been told, and told again, even
till you were weary of hearing it, and tUl j'ou could make
the Ughter of it, because you had so often heard it ; Uke
the smith's dog, that is brought, by custom, to sleep under
the noise of the hararaers, when the sparks do fiy about his
ears : and though all this have not converted you, yet you
are alive, and inight have mercy, to this day, ff you had but
hearts to entertain it. And now let reason itseff be judge,
whether it be of God or you, ff after aU this you wUl be
unconverted, and be damned? If yon die now It is be
cause you -vrill die. AVliat should be said more to you? or
what course should be taken, that is Uker to prevaU ? Are
you able to say and make it good, We would fain have been
converted and become new creatures, but we could not ; we
would have changed our companj-, and our thoughts, and
our discourse, but we could not. AVhy could you not ff
you would? AVhat hindered you, but the -vrickedness of
your hearts? AVlio forced you to sin? or who did hold
you back from duty ? Had you not the same teaching, and
time, and Uberty to be godly as your godly neighbours had ?
AATiy then could you not have been goiUy as weU as they ?
Were the church doors shut agaiust you, or did you not
keep away yourselves ? or sit and sleep, or hear as ff you did
not hear ? Did God put in any exceptions against you In his
word, when he inrited sinners to retum, and when he pro
mised mercy to those that do retum ? Did he say, I wiU
pardon all that repent, except thee ? DJd he shut you out

148 A CALL TO THE UNCON-VERTED.
from the Uberty of his holy worship ? Did he forbid j'OU to
pray to him, any more than others ? You know he did not.
God did not drive you away from him, but you forsook him,
and ran away j'ourselves. And when he caUed you to hun,
you would not corae. If God had excepted you out of the
general proraise and offer of raercy, or had said to you.
Stand off, I vriU have nothing to do -vrith such as you ; pray
not to me, for I -vriU not hear you. K you repent never so
much, and cry for mercy never so much, I -vriU not regard
you. If God had left you nothing to tmst to but desperation,
then you had had a fair excuse. You might have said. To
what end should I repent and tum, when it wUl do no
good ? But this was not your case. You might have had
Christ to be your Lord and Sariour, your Head and Hus
band, as weU as others, and you would not ; because that
ye felt not yourselves sick enough for the physician ; and
iDecause you could not spare your disease : in your hearts
ve said as those rebels, Luke xix. 14, " We -wUl not have
this man to reign over us." Christ would have gathered
you under the vrings of his salvation, and ye would not.
Matt. xxiu. 27. 'What desires of your weffare did the Lord
express in his holy word ! With what compassion did he
stand over you and say, " Oh that my people had hearkened
unto me, and that they had walked In my way ! " Psal.
Ixxxi. 13. " Oh that there were such a heart in this people,
that they would fear rae, and keep all my commandments
always, that it might be weU vrith them, and -vrith their
chUdren for ever ! " Deut. v. 29. " Oh that they were
-wise, that they understood this, and that they would con
sider theh- latter end!" Deut. xxxn. 29. He would have
been your God, and done all for you that your souls could
well desire ; but you loved the world and your flesh above
him, and therefore you would not hearken to him ; though
you compUmented with him, and gave him high titles, yet
when he came to the closing, you would have none of him.
No marvel then, ff " he gave you up to your own heart's lusts,
and you 'fvalked in your own counsels," Psal. Ixxxi. 11,12. He
condescends to reason, and pleads the case vrith you, and asks

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 149
you, AVhat Is there in me, or my serrice, that you should be
so much against me ? AATiat harm have I done thee, sinner ?
Have I deserved this mikind dealing at thy hands ? Many
mercies have I shewed thee ; for which of them dost thou
despise me ? Is it I, or is It Satan, that is thy enemy? Is
it I, or Is it thy camal seff, that would undo thee ? Is it a
holj- lffe, or a Ufe of sin, that thou hast cause to fly from ?
If thou be undone, thou procm-est this to thyseff, by forsak
ing me the Lord, that would have saved thee, Jer. u. 17.
" Doth not thine own -vrickedness correct thee, and thy sin
reprove thee : thou mayest see that it is an evU and bitter
tiling, that thou hast forsaken me," Jer. u. 19. " "What
iniquity have j-e found in me, that you have foUowed after
vanitj', and forsaken me ? " Jer. u. 5, 6. He caUeth out,
as it were, to the brutes to hear the controversy he hath
against j'ou. " Hear, O j'e mountains, the Lord's contro
versy, and J-e strong foundations of the earth : for the Lord
hath a controversy vrith his people, and he -vriU plead -vrith
Israel. O my people, what have I done to thee, and where
in have I wearied thee ? testify against me ; for I brought
thee out of Egypt, and redeemed thee," &c. Mic. u. 2-5.
" Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath
spoken. I have nourished aud brought up chUdren, and
they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his o-wner,
and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my
people doth not consider. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden
vrith iniquity, a seed of e-vU-doers !" &c. Isa. i. 2-4. '' Do
J'OU thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and un-wise ? Is
not he thy Father that bought thee, made thee, and esta
blished thee?" Deut. xxxu. 6. AVhen he saw that you
forsook him even for nothing, and tumed away from your
Lord and lffe, to hunt after the chaff and feathers of the
world, he told you of your foUy, and called you to a more
profitable employraent. " AVherefore do you spend your
money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that
which satisfieth not? Hearken dUigently unto me, and eat
ye that which is good, and let your soul deUght itseff iu fat
ness. Incline your ear, and corae unto me ; hear, and your

150 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
soul shall live ; and I -wiU make an everlasting covenant
with you, even the sure mercies of Darid. — Seek ye the
Lord whUe he may be found, call ye upon him whUe he is
near. Let the vricked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts, and let him retum unto the Lord, and he
-wUl have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he -wUl
abundantly pardon," Isa. Iv. 1-3, 6, 7. And so Isa. i.
16-18. And when you would not hear, what coraplaints have
you put hira to, charging it on you as your -wUfulness and
stubbornness ! " Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and
be horribly afraid : for my people have committed two
evils ; they have forsaken me, the fountain of Uring waters,
and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold
no water," Jer. u. 12, 13. Many a tirae hath Christ pro
clairaed that free inritation to you, " Let hira that is
athirst, come : and whosoever vriU, let him take the water
of lffe freely," Rev. xxu. 17. But you put him to com
plain after aU his offers, " Tliey wiU not come to me that
they may have lffe," John v. 40. He hath inrited you
to feast 'vrith him in the kingdom of his grace ; and you
have had excuses from your grounds, and your cattle, and
your worldly business ; and when you would not come, you
have said you could not, and provoked him to resolve that
you should never taste of his supper, Luke xiv. 16-23.
And whose act is it now but your o-wn? And what can
you say is the chief cause of your daranation, but your own
¦wUls ? You would be daraned. The whole case Is laid open
by Christ himseff, Prov. i. 20, to the end : " Wisdom
crieth -vrithout, she uttereth her voice in the streets : she
crieth in the chief place of concourse : How long, ye simple
ones, wiu ye love simpUcity? and the scomers deUght in
their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Tum you at my
reproof: behold I -vriU pour out my Spirit unto you, I -wUl
make kno-wn my words unto you. Because I have caUed,
and ye refused ; I have stretched out my hand, and no man
regarded ; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and
would none of my reproof: I also vrill laugh at your cala
mity ; I wiu mock when your fear cometh ; when your fear

A CALL -rO IHE UNCONVERTED. 161
cometh as desolation, and j'our destruction cometh as a
whirl-vrind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Then shaU they caU upon me, but I will not answer : they
shaU seek me early but they shaU not find me ; for that
they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the
Lord : they would none of my counsel : they despised all
my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their
own way, and be fUled -vrith their own derices. For the
turning away of the simple shaU slay them, and the pros
perity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth
unto me shall dweU safely, and shaU be quiet from the fear
of evU." I thought best to recite the whole text at large
to you, because it doth so fuUy shew the cause of the de
struction of the 'vricked. It is not because God would not
teach them, but because they would not leam. It is not
because God would not caU them, but because they would
not turn at his reproof. Their ¦wUfidness is their undoing.
Use. From what hath been said, you may fiirther leam
these foUowing things : —
1. From hence you may see, not only what blasphemy
and impiety it is to lay the blame of men's destruction upon
God, but also how unfit these 'vricked wretches are to bring
in such a charge against their Maker. They cry out upon
God, and say, he gives them no grace, and his threatenings
are severe, and God forbid that aU should be damned that
be not converted aud sanctified, and they think it hard mea
sure, that a short sin should have an endless suffering ; and
if they be damned, they say, they cannot help it. "When
in the mean time they are busy about their own destmc
tion, even cutting the throat of their own souls, and -wiU
not be persuaded to hold their hand. They think God
were cruel ff he should damn thera, and yet they are cruel
to themselves, and they -wUl run into the fire of heU, when
God hath told them it is a Uttle before them ; and neither
entreaties nor threatenings, nor any thing that can be said,
vriU stop them. We see thera alraost undone ; their careless,
worldly, fleshly Uves, do teU us, that they are in the power
of the deril ; we know, ff they die before they are con-

152 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
verted, all the world cannot save them ; and knovring the
uncertainty of their Uves, we are afi-aid every day lest they
drop into the fire. And, therefore, we entreat thera to pity
their o-wn souls, and not to undo themselves when mercy Is at
hand ; and they -vrill not hear us. We entreat them to cast
away their sin, and come to Chiist without delay, and to have
some mercy on themselves ; but they -will have none. Aud yet
they think that God must be cruel ffhe condemn thora. O wU
ful, -wretched sinners ! it is not God that is so cruel to you ; it
is you that are cruel to yourselves. You are told you must
turn or bum, and yet you tum not. You are told, that ff
you -wiu needs keep your sins, you shaU keep the curse of
God vrith them, and yet you -vriU keep them. You are told,
that there is no way to happiness but by holiness, and yet
you vriU not be holy. AAThat would you have God say more
to you ? AVliat would you have him do -vrith his mercy ? He
offered it to you, and you wUl not have it. You are in the
ditch of sin and misery, and he would give you his hand to
help you out, and you refuse his help ; he would cleanse
you of your sins, and you had rather keep them. You love
your lusts, and love your gluttony, and sports, and drunk
enness, and -wiU not det them go ; and would you have
him bring you to heaven whether you -vrill or no? or would
you have him to bring you and your sins to heaven to
gether ? AVhy, that is an impossibUity ; you may as weU
expect he should turn the sun into darkness. What ! au un
sanctified, fleshly heart be in heaven ? It cannot be I
" There entereth nothing that is unclean," Rev. xxi. 17.
" For what communication hath Ught vrith darkness, or Christ
with BeUal?" 2 Cor. ri. 14, 15. " AU the day long hath
he stretched out his hands to a disobedient and gainsaying
people," Rom. x. 26. AATiat wUl ye do now ? WiU you
cry to God for mercy ? AVhy, God caUeth upon you to have
mercy upon yourselves, and you -wiU not ; ministers see the
poisoned cup in the drunkard's hand, and teU him. There is
poison in it, and desire him to have mercy on his soul, and
forbear, and he -vriU not hear us ; drink it he must, and wiU ;
he loves it, and, therefore, though heU comes next, he saith.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 163
he cannot help it. AATiat should one say to such men as
these ? We teU the ungodlj-, careless worldUngs, It is not
such a lffe that -wiU serve the tm-n, or ever bring j'Ou to
heaven. If a bear were at your back, you would mend your
pace ; and when the curse of God is at yom- back, and
Satan and heU are at your back, j-ou wUl not stir, but ask,
AVhat needs aU this ado ? Is an Immortal soul of no more
worth ? O have mercy upon jourselves ! But they wUl
have no raercy on themselves, nor once regard us. AA'^e
teU them the end -wiU be bitter. AATio can dweU with the
everlasting fire ? And j'et thev vriU have no mercyupon them
selves. And yet wiU these shameful -wretches say, that God
is more mercifiU than to condemn them ? when it is them
selves that crueUy and unmercifiiUy run upon condemnation.
And ff we should go to them -vrith our hats in our hands,
and entreat them, we cannot stop them ; ff we should fall
do-wn on our knees to them, we cannot stop them ; but to
heU they -vriU, and yet -vriU not beUeve that they are going
thither. If we beg of them, for the sake of God that made
them, and preserveth them ; for the sake of Christ that died
for thera ; for the sake of their own poor souls ; to pity
themselves, and go no farther in the way to heU, but corae
to Christ whUe his arms are open, and enter into the state
of Ufe whUe the door stands open, and now take mercy
whUe mercy may be had, they -wiU not be persuaded. If
we should die for it, we cannot get them so much as now
and then to consider vrith themselves of the matter, and to
turn. And yet they can say, I hope God -wUl be mercfful.
Did you never consider what he saith, Isa. xxvii. 11, " It is
a people of no understanding ; therefore he that made them
-vriU not have mercy on them, and he that formed them -vrill
shew them no favour." If another man -vriU not clothe you
when J'OU are naked, and feed you when you are hungry,
you -vriU say he is imraercifid. If he should cast you into
prison, or beat or torment you, you would say he is unmer-
cifol. And yet you do a thousand times more against
yourselves, even cast away both soul and body for ever, and
never complain of your own unmerdfulbess. Yea, and God

164 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
that waited upon you aU the whUe with his mercy, must be
taken to be unmerciful, ff he punish you after aU this. Un
less the holy God of heaven wUl give these wretches leave
to trample upon his Son's blood, and with the Jews, as it
were, again to spit in his face, and do despite to the Spirit
of grace, and make a jest of sin, and a mock at holiness,
and set more Ught by saving mercy, than by the fUth of
their fieshly pleasure ; and unless, after aU this, he wfll save
them by the mercy which they cast away and would none
of, God himseff must be caUed unmerciful by them ; but he
wiU be justified when he judgeth ; and he -wUl not stand or
fall at the bar of a sinful worm.
I know there are many particular cavUs that are brought
by them against the Lord, but I shaU not here stay to an
swer them particularly, ha'ring done it already in my " Trea
tise of Judgraent," to which I shaU refer thera. Had the
disputing part of the world been as careful to avoid sin and
destruction, as they have beeu busy in searching after the
cause of thera, and forward indirectly to impute it to God,
they might have exercised their -vrits more profitably, and
have less -wronged God, and sped better themselves. AVhen
so ugly a monster as sin is 'vrithin ns, and so heavy a thing
as punishment is on us, and so dreadfiU a thing as heU is
before us, one would think it should be an easy question who
is in the fault, and whether God or man be the principal or
culpable cause? Some men are such favourable judges of
themselves, that they are proner to accuse the Infinite Per
fection and Goodness itseff, than their own hearts ; and
imitate their first parents that said, " The serpent tempted
me, and the woman that thou gavest me, gave unto me, and
I did eat," secretly iraplying that God was the cause. So
say they. The understanding that thou gavest me was unable
to discern ; the -wUl that thou gavest me was unable to
make a better choice ; the objects which thou didst set be
fore me did entice me ; the temptation which thou didst
permit to assault me prevaUed against me. And some are
so loth to think that God can make a seff-deterraining crea
ture, that they dare not deny him that which they take to

A C.\LL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 156
be his prerogative, to be the determiner of the vriU m every
sin, as the first efficient, immediate, phj'sical cause. And
many could be content to acquit God from so much causing
of e\il, ff they could but reconcUe it -vrith his being the chief
cause of good. As ff truths would be no longer truths, than
we are able to see them In their perfect order and cohe
rence ; because our raveUed -vrits cannot set them right to
gether, nor assign each truth its proper place, we presume
to conclude, that some must be cast away. This is the fhiit
of proud seff-conceitedness, when men receive not God's
truth as a child his lesson, in a holy submission to the holy
omniscience of our Teacher, but as censurers that are too
vrise to leam.
Object. But we cannot convert ourselves tUl God convert
us ; we can do nothing -vrithout his grace. It is not in him
that wiUeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that shew
eth mercy.
Answ. 1. God hath two degrees of mercy to shew: the
mercy of conversion first, and the mercy of salvation last.
The latter he -vriU give to none but those that 'wiU and run,
and hath promised it to them only. The former is to make
them wUUng that were imwUUng ; and though your own
willingness and endeavours deserve not his grace, yet your
-vrifful refiisal deserveth that it should be denied unto you.
Your disabUity is your very unwUlingness itseff, which ex-
cuseth not your sin, but maketh it the greater. You could
tum, ff' you were but truly -vriUing ; and tf your -vrills them
selves are so corrupted, that nothing but effectual grace wUl
move them, you have the more cause to seek for that grace,
and yield to it, and do what you can in the use of the
raeans, and not neglect it, nor set against it. Do what you
are able first, and then complain of God for denying you
grace, ff you have cause.
Object. But you seem to intimate, aU this whUe, that man
hath free--wUl.
Answ. The dispute about free-wUl is beyond your capa
city ; I shaU, therefore, now trouble you with no more but
thi about it. Your vriU is naturaUy a free, that is, a seff-

156 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
determining faculty ; but It is viciously incUned, and back
ward to do good ; and therefore, we see by sad experience
that it hath not a -virtuous, moral fi-eedom. But that is the
vrickedness of it which deserveth the punishmeut. And I
pray you let us not befool ourselves vrith opinions. Let the
case be your o-wn. If you had an enemy so raalicious,
that he faUs upon you and beats you every tirae he meets
you, and takes away the Uves of your children, wiU you
excuse him, because he saith, I have not free-'wUl, it is
my nature, I cannot choose, uuless God give me grace?
If you have a servant that robbeth you, 'vriU you take
such an answer from him? Might not every thief and
murderer that is hanged at the assise, give such an an
swer, I have not free-wUl, I cannot change my own heart.
AVhat can I do -vrithout God's grace? And shaU they,
therefore, be acquitted? If not, why, then, should you
think to be acquitted for a course of sin against the
Lord? 2. Frora hence also you may observe these three things
together. (1.) AA^at a subtle tempter Satan is. (2.)
What a deceitful thing sin is. (3.) AVliat a foolish creature
conupted man is. A subtle tempter, indeed, that can per
suade the greatest part of- the world to go vriffuUy into
everlasting fire, when they have so many warnings and dls-
suasives as they have ! A deceitful thing is sin, indeed, that
can bevritch so many thousands to part with everlasting lffe,
for a thing so base and utterly unworthy ! A fooUsh crea
ture is man, indeed, that wUl be so cheated of his salvation
for nothing ; yea, for a known nothing ! and that by an
enemy, and a known enemy ! You would think it impos
sible that any man in his vrits should be persuaded for a
trifle, to cast himseff into the fire or water, into a coal-pit,
to the destruction of his lffe ; and yet men wUl be enticed
to cast themselves into hell. If your natural Uves were in
your own hands, that you should not die tUl you would kill
yourselves, how long would most of you Uve ! And yet,
when your everlasting lffe is so far in your own hands, un
der God, that you cannot be undone tlU you undo your-

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 157
selves, how few of j'Ou wUl forbear yom- own undoing ! Ah,
what a silly thing is man ! and what a be-vritching and be
fooling thing is sin !
3. From hence also j'OU may learn, that it is no gi-eat
wonder, tf wicked men be hinderers of others in the way to
heaven, and would have as many unconverted as they can,
and would draw them into sin, and keep them in it. Can
J'OU expect that they should have mercy on others, that
have none upon themselves ? and that they should much
stick at the destruction of others, that stick not to destroy
themselves ? They do no worse by others, than they do
by themselves.
4. Lastly, You may hence leam that the greatest enemy
to man Is himseff, and the greatest judgraent in this lffe,
that can befall him, is to be left to hiraseff; and that the
great work that grace hath to do, Is to save us from our
selves, and the greatest accusations and complaints of men
should be against themselves ; and that the greatest work
we have to do ourselves, is to resist ourselves ; and the
greatest eneray we should daUy pray, and watch, and strive
against, is our camal hearts and -wUls; and the greatest
part of your work, if you would do good to others, and help
them to heaven, is to save thera from themselves, even from
their own bUnd understandings, and corrupted vriUs, and
perverse affections, and riolent passions, and unruly senses.
I only name aU these for brerity sake, and leave them to
your further consideration.
WeU, sirs, now we have found out the great delinquent
and murderer of souls (even men's selves, their own -wiUs) ;
what reraains, but that j'Ou judge according to the eridence,
and confess this great iniquity before the Lord, and be
humbled for it, and do so no more ? To these three ends
distinctly, I shaU add a few words more. 1. Further to
con-vince you. 2. To humble you. And, 3. To reform
J'OU, tf there be yet any hopes.
1. We know so much of the exceeding gracious nature
of God, who is -willing to do good, and deUghteth to shew
mercy, that we have no reason to suspect him of bemg the

158 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
culpable cause of our death, or call him cruel. He made
all good, and he preserveth and maintaineth all. " The
eyes of aU things do wait upon hira, and he giveth them
their meat in due season ; he openeth his hand, and satis
fieth the desires of aU the Uving," Psal. cxlv. 15, 16. He
is not only " righteous In aU his ways" (and, therefore,
wfll deal justly), " and holy in aU his works" (and, there
fore, not the author of sin), but " he Is also good to all,
and his tender mercies are over all his works," Psalm cxlv.
17, 9.
But as for man, we know his mind is dark, his -wUl per
verse, his affections carry him so headlong, that he is fitted
by folly and corruption to suoh a work as the destroying of
himseff. If you saw a lamb Ue kUled in the way, would
J'OU sooner suspect the sheep, or the dog or woff to be the
author of it, ff they both stand by ; or ff you see a house
broken, and the people murdered, would you sooner sus
pect the prince, or judge, that is wise and just, and had
no need ; or a known thief, or murderer ? I say, there
fore, as James i. 13-16, "Let no man say when he is
tempted that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be
terapted vrith evU, neither tempteth he any man " (to draw
him to sin) ; " but every man is tempted, when he is drawn
away of his o-wn lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath
conceived it bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death." You see here, that sin is the brat
ofyour own concupiscence, and not to be fathered on God;
and that death is the offspring of your own sin, and the
fruit which it -vriU yield you as soon as it is ripe. You have
a treasure of e-ril in yourselves, as a spider hath of poison,
from whence you are bringing forth hurt to yourselves ;
and spinning such webs as entangle your o-wn souls. Your
nature shews it is you that are the cause.
2. It is erident, you are your o-wn destroyers, in that you
are so ready to entertain any temptation almost that is
offered you. Satan is scarce readier to move you to any
evil, than you are ready to hear, and to do as he would
have ydu. If he would tempt your understanding to error

.¦V CALL TO THE UNCONVEirrED. 159
and prejudice, you jield. If he would hinder you from good
resolutions, it is soon done. If he would cool any good
desires or affections, it is soon done. K he would kindle
any lust, or -rile affections and desires, in j'OU, it is soon
done. If he would put j'OU on to evU thoughts, words, or
deeds, j-ou are so free, that he needs no rod or spur. If
he would keep you from holy thoughts, and words, and
ways, a Uttie doth it ; you need no curb. You examine
not his suggestions, nor resist them -vrith any resolution,
nor cast them out as he casts them in, nor quench the
sparks which he endeavom-eth to kindle. But you set in
vrith hira and meet him haff-way, and embrace his motions,
and tempt him to terapt j'ou. And it is easy to catch such
greedy fish that are ranging for a bait, and -wUl take the
bare hook.
3. Your destruction is eridently your o-wn doing, in
that J'OU resist all that would help to save you, and would
do you good, or hinder you frora undoing yourselves. God
would help and save you by his word, and you resist it, it is
too strict for you. He would sanctify you by his Spirit, and
you resist and quench it. If any man reprove you for your
sin, J'OU fly in his face 'vrith eril words : and ff he would
draw you to a holy Ufe, and teU you of your present danger,
you give him Uttle thanks, but either bid hira look to him
seff, he shaU not answer for you ; or else at best, you put
hira off with a heartless thanks, and wiU not tum when you
are persuaded. If ministers would privately instruct and
help you, you -wUl not come at them, your unhumbled souls
do feel but Uttle need of their help. If they would catechise
J'OU, you are too old to be catechised, though you are uot
too old to be ignorant and unholy. AVhatever they can
say to you for your good, you are so seff-conceited and -vrise
in your own eyes (even in the depth of ignorance), that you
'wUl regard nothing that agreeth not -vrith your present con
ceits, but contradict your teachers, as ff you were wiser thau
they ; you resist all that they can say to you, by your igno
rance and -vrilfulness, and fooUsh carils, and shifting eva
sions, and unthankfiu rejections ; so that no good that ia

160 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
offered, can find any welcome acceptance or entertainment
vrith you.
4. Moreover, it is apparent that your are seff-destroyers,
in that you draw the matter of your sin and destruction,
even from the blessed God himseff. You like not the con
trivance of his wisdora. You Uke not his justice, but take
it for crueltj'. You like not lus holiness, but are ready to
think he is such a one as yourselves, Psal. 1. 21, and makes
as Ught of sin as you. You like not his truth, but would
have his threatenings, even his peremptory threatenings,
prove false. And his goodness, which you seera most highly
to approve, you partly abuse to the strengthening of your
sin, as ff j'Ou raight the freeUer sin, because God is mercfful,
and because his grace doth so much abound.
5. Yea, you fetch destruction from your blessed Re
deemer, and death from the Lord of lffe liimseff. And
nothing more eraboldeneth you in sin, than that Christ hath
diod for you ; as ff now the danger of death were over, and
you might boldly venture. As ff Chiist were become a
servant to Satan and your sins, and must wait upon you
whUe you are abusing him ; and because he is becorae the
Physician of souls, and is able to save to the utmost aU
that come to God by him, j'OU think he must suffer you to
refuse his help, and throw away his medicines, and must
save you, whether you -vriU corae to God by him or no : so
that a great part of your sins are occasioned by your bold
presumption upon the death of Christ.
Not considering that he came to redeem his people from
their sin, and to sanctffy them a pecuUar people to himseff,
and to conform them in holiness to the image of their hea
venly Father, and to their Head, Matt. i. 21 ; Tit. u. 14 ;
1 Pet. i. 15, 16 ; Col. ui. 10, 11 ; PhU. ui. 9, 10.
6. You also fetch your own destruction from all the pro-
rideuces and works of God. AVlien you think of his eter
nal foreknowledge and decrees, it is to harden you in your
siu, or possess your minds vrith quarreUing thoughts, as il
his decrees might spare you the labour of repentance and
a holy lffe, or else were the cause of your sin and death, li

.V C.4.LL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 161
he affl.ict you, j-ou repine ; ff he prosper j-ou, j-ou the more
forget him, and are the more backwai-d to the thoughts of
the life to come. If the vricked prosper, j-ou forget the end
that -wiU set all reckonings straight ; and are readj' to think,
it is as good to be 'vricked as godly. And thus j'OU draw
your death from aU.
7. And the Uke j'ou do frora aU the creatm-es, and raer
cies of God to J'OU ; he giveth them to j'ou as the tokens
of his love, and fumitin-e for his serrice, and you tum them
against him to the pleasing of your flesh. You eat and
drink to please j'Our appetite, and not for the glory of God,
and to enable you for his work. Your clothes jou abuse to
pride. Your riches draw your hearts from heaven, PhU. ill.
18. Your honours and applause do pufl" j-ou up ; ff j-ou
have health and strength, it makes you more secure, and
forget your end. Yea, other men's mercies are abused bv
you to your hurt. If j-ou see their honours and dignltj-, j-ou
are provoked to envy them. If you see theu- riches, you are
ready to covet them. If you look upon beauty, you are
stirred up to lust. And it is weU ff godliness bo not an eye
sore to you.
8. The very gifts that God bestoweth on you, and the
ordinances of grace which he hath instituted for his church,
you tum unto your sin. If you have better parts than
others, you grow proud and seff-conceited. If you have but
common gifts, you take them for special grace. You take
the bare hearing of your duty for so good a work, as ff it
would excuse you for not obeying it. Your prayers aro
tumed into sin, because you " regard iniquity in your
hearts," Psal. Ixri. 18. And you " depart not from ini
quity when you caU on the name of the Lord," 2 Tim. u. 19.
Your " prayers are abominable, because you tum away your
ear from hearing the law," Prov. xxvin. 9. And you are
more ready to " offer the sacrifice of fools," (thinking you do
God some special serrice), " than to hear his word, and obej'
it," Eccl V. 1 . You examine not yourselves before you receive
thc supper of the Lord, but, not discerning the Lord's bodj-,
do eat and drink judgment to yourselves, 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29.

162 A CALL TO 'rilE UNCONVERTED.
9. Yea, the persons j'Ou converse -vrith, and all then- ac
tions, you make the occasions of your sin and destruction.
If they Uve in the fear of God, you hate them. If they Uve
ungodly, j-ou imitate them. If the -vricked are many, you
think you raay the more boldly foUow them. If the godly
be few, you are the more emboldened to despise them ; ff
they walk exactly, you think they are too precise ; ff one of
them faU into a particular temptation, j'ou stumble upon
them, and tum away from holiness, because others are im
perfectly holy ; as ff j'OU were warranted to break your necks
because some others have, by their heetUessness, sprained a
sinew or put out a bone. If a hypocrite discover himseff,
you say. They are all aUke ; and think yourselves as honest
as the best. A professor can scarce sUp into any miscar
riage, but because he cuts his finger you think you may
boldly cut your throats. If ministers deal plainly vrith you,
you say they raU ; ff they speak gently or coldly, you either
sleep under them, or are Uttle more affected than the seats
you sit upon. If any errors creep into the church, some
greedUy entertain them, and others reproach the Christian
doctrine for them, which is most against them. And tf we
would draw you frora any ancient, rooted error, which can
but plead too, or three, or six, or seven hundred years' cus
tora, you are as much offended -vrith a motion for reforma
tion, as if you were to lose your lffe by it, and hold fast old
errors while you cry out against new ones. Scarce a differ
ence can arise among the ministers of the gospel, but you
-wUl fetch j'our o-wn death from it. And j'ou wUl not hear,
or at least not obey, the unquestionable doctrine of any of
those that jump not -vrith your conceits : one wiU not hear a
minister, because he readeth his sermons ; and another wiU
not hear hira, because he doth not read them. One wiU not
hear him because he saith the Lord's prayer ; and another
-wiU not hear hira, because he doth not use it. One wiU
not hear them that are for episcopacy, and another 'wiU not
hear them that are against ifr. And thus I niight shew you
in many other cases, how you tum aU that comes near
you to your own destruction ; so clear is it, that the un-

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 1 G3
godly are seff-destroj-ers, and that their perdition Is of them
selves. Methinks, now, upon the consideration of what is said,
and the reriew of your own ways, jou should bethink you
what you have done, and be asharaed, and deeply humbled,
to remember it. If j'Ou be not, I pray you consider these
foUowing truths.
1 . To be your own destroj'crs, is to sin against the deep
est principle iu j'Our natures, even the principle of seff-pre-
servation. Every thing naturaUy desireth or inclineth to its
own feUcity, weffare, or perfection. And wiU you set your
selves to J-our own destruction ? AATien you are commanded
to love j'our neighbours as yourselves, it is supposed that
you naturaUj- love yourselves ; but tf you love j'our neigh
bours no better than yourselves, it seems you would have all
the world to be damned.
2. How extremely do you cross your o'wn intentions ! I
know JOU intend not your own damnation, even when you
ai-e procuring it ; j-ou think you are but doing good to your
selves, by gratffjing the desires of yom- flesh. But, alas ! it
is but as a draught of cold water in a buming fever, or as
the scratching of an itching wUdflre, which increaseth the
disease and pain. If indeed you would have pleasure, profit,
or honour, seek them where they are to be found, and do
not hunt after thera In the way to heU.
3. AATiat pity Is it that you should do that against your
selves which none else in earth or heU can do ! If aU the
world were corabined against j'Ou, or aU the de-vUs in heU
were combined against you, they could not destroy j-ou -vrith
out J'ourselves, nor make j'OU sin but by your own consent.
And 'vriU you do that against yourselves which none else can
do ? You have hateful thoughts of the de-ril, because he is
your enemy, and endeavoureth your destruction. And -vriU
vou be worse than derils to yourselves ? AVliy thus it is
-vrith you, If you had hearts to understand It ; when you run
mto sin, and run from godliness, and refuse to turn at the
call of God, you do more against your own souls than men
or derils could do besides. And ff you should set your-

164 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
selves, and bend your -vrits to do yom-.'iolves the greatest
niischief, you could not devise to do a greater.
4. You are false to the trust that God hath reposed in
you. He hath much intrusted you with your o-wn salvation ;
and wiU you betray your trust ? He hath set you vrith all
diUgence to keep your hearts? and is this the keeping of
them? Prov. iv. 23.
5. You do even forbid aU others to pity you, when you
wiU have no pity on j-ourselves. If you cry to God in the
day of your calamity, for mercy, raercy ; what can you ex
pect but that he should thrust you away, and say. Nay,
thou wouldst not have mercy on thyseff; who brought this
upon thee but thine own vriffulness ? And ff your brethren
see you everlastingly in misery, how should they pity you,
that were your own destroyers, and would not be dis
suaded ?
6. It 'vriU everlastingly make you your own tormentors
in heU, to think on it, that you brought yourselves 'wUfuUy
to that misery. Oh, what a griping thought it wUl be for
ever, to thuik 'vrith yourselves, that this was your own doing !
That you were warned of this day, and warned again, but
it would not do ; that you wUfuUy sinned, and tumed away
from God ; that you had time as well as others, but you
abused it ; j'ou had teachers as well as others, but you re
fused their instruction ; you had holy examples, but you did
not imitate them ; you were offered Christ, gi-ace, and glory
as weU as others, but j'Ou had more mind to fleshly plea
sures ; you had a prize in yom- hands, but had not a heart
to lay it out, Prov. xvu. 16. Can it choose but torment
you, to think of this your present foUy ? Oh that your ej'cs
were opened to see what you have done in the wilful wrong
ing of your own souls ! and that you better understood those
words of God, Prov. vui. 33-36, " Hear instruction, and
be vrise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth
me, watching daUy at my gates, waiting at the posts of my
doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth lffe, and shall obtain
favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me, -wrong
eth his own soul : aU they that hate me, love death."

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 165
And now I am come to tho conclusion of this work. Mv
heai-t is troubled to think how I shaU leave you, lest after
this the fiesh should deceive j-ou, and the world and the
deril should keep j'Ou asleep, and I should leave you as I
found you, till you awake in hell. Though, in care of your
poor souls, I am afraid of this, as knovring the obstinacy of
a camal heart, jet I can say vrith the prophet Jereraiah,
" I have not desu-ed the woeful day, the Lord laioweth,"
Jer. xvu. 16. I have not, -vrith James and John, desired
that fire might come down from heaven, to consume them
that refused Jesus Christ. But it is the preventing of the
etemal fire that I have been aU tliis whfle endeavouring :
and oh that it had been a needless work ! that God and
conscience might have been as willing to spare me this la
bour, as some of you could have been ! But, dear friends,
I am so loth j-ou should Ue in everlasting fire, and be shut
out of heaven, ff it be possible to prevent it, that I shaU
once more ask you, AATiat do you now resolve ? Wfll you
tum or die ? I look upon jou as a phj-sician on his patient,
in a dangerous disease, that saith unto him. Though you are
so far gone, take but this medicine, and forbear but these
few things that are so hurtfid to you, and I dare warrant
your lffe ; but ff you -vriU not do this, you are a dead man.
AVhat would you think of such a man, ff the physician and
aU the fiiends he hath, cannot persuade him to take one
metUcine to save his Ufe, or to forbear one or two poisonous
things that would kiU him ? This is your case. As far as
you are gone in sin, do but now tum and come to Christ,
and take his remedies, and your souls shaU Uve. Cast up
your deadlj' sins by repentance, and retum not to your
poisonous vomit any more, and you shaU do weU. But yet
ff it were your bodies that we had to deal -vrith, we inight
partiy know what to do for you. Though you would not
consent, you might be held or bound, whUe the raedicine
was poured do'wn your throats, and hurtfid things inight be
kept from you. But about your souls it cannot be so ; we
cannot convert you agalust your -vriUs. There is no carry
ing madmen to heaven in fetters. You may be condemned

166 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
against your 'vriUs, because you sinned with j-our 'wUls ; but
you cannot be saved against your 'vrills. The wisdora of
God hath thought meet to lay men's salvation or destruction
exceeding much upon the choice of their own 'vriUs : that
no raan shaU come to heaven that choose not the way to
heaven ; and no man shaU come to hell, but shaU be forced
to say, I have the thing I chose, ray own 'wiU did bring
me hither. Now ff I could but get you to be vrilUng,
to be thoroughly and resolvedly, and habituaUy -willing,
the work were raore than haff done. And alas ! must
we lose our friends, and must they lose their God, their
happuiess, their souls, for want of this ? 0 God for
bid ! It is a strange thing to me, that men are so inhu
man and stupid in the gi-eatest matters, that in lesser things
are very ciril and courteous, and good neighbours. For
aught I know, I have the love of aU, or almost aU my
neighbours, so far, that ff I should send to every man in
the town, or parish, or country, and request a reasonable
courtesy of them, they wUl grant it me ; and yet when I
come to request of them the greatest matter in the world,
for themselves, and not for me, I can have nothing of many
of them but a patient hearing. I know not whether people
think a raan in the pulpit is in good sadness or not, and
means as he speaks ; for I think I have few neighbours, but
if I were sitting famUiarly vrith them, and telling them of
what I have seen or done, or known in the world, they
would beUeve me, and regard what I say ; but when I tell
them from the infalUble word of God, what they themselves
shaU see and know in the world to come, they shew by
their Uves that they do either not beUeve it, or not much
regard it. If I met ever any one of them on the way, and
told thera, yonder is a coal-pit, or there is a quicksand, or
there are thieves lay in wait for you, I could persuade them
to tum by. But when I teU them that Satan Ueth in wait
for them, and that sin is poison to them, and that heU is
not a matter to be jested -vrith, they go on as ff they did
not hear me. Truly, neighbours, I ara in as good eamest
with you in the pulpit, as I am in any famiUar discourse,

A CALL TO THE UNCON'A'EKTED. 167
and ff ever you vriU regard me, I beseech you let it be here.
I think there is never a man of you all, but ff my own soul
lay at yom- vriUs, j'ou wouli be -wiUing to save it (though
I cannot promise that you would leave your sins for It.) TeU
me, thou drunkard, ai-t thou so cruel to rae that speaks to
thee, that thou wouldst not forbear a few cups of di-ink, ff
thou knewest it would save ray soul fi-ora heU ? Hadst thou
rather I did bum there for ever, than thou shouldst live
soberly as other raen do ? If so, raay I not say, thou art
au unraerciful monster, and not a man ? If I came hungry
or naked to one of your doors, would you not part with
more than a cup of drink to reUeve me ? I am confident
you would ; tf it were to save my lffe, I know you would
(some of you) hazard your own. And yet -wUl you not be
entreated to part -vrith j'our sensual pleasures for your own
salvation ? Wouldst thou forbear a hundred cups of drink,
man, to save my lffe, ff it were in thy power, and wUt thou
not do it to save thy o-wn soul ? I profess to you, sirs, I
am as hearty a beggar -vrith j-ou this day, for the sa-ring of
your souls, as I would be for my own supply, ff I were
forced to come a begging to j'Our doors. And, therefore,
ff J'OU would hear me then, hear rae now. If you would
pitj' me then, be entreated now to pity yourselves. I do
again beseech you, as ff it were on my bended knees, that
you would hearken to j-our Redeemer, and tum, that you
may Uve. All you that have Uved in ignorance, and careless^
ness, and presumption, to this day ; and all you that have been
dro-wned in the cares of the world and have no mind of God
and etemal glory ; aU you that are enslaved to your fleshly
desires of meats and drinks, sports and lust ; and aU you
that know not the necesrity of holiness, and never were
acquainted -vrith the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost
upon your souls ; that never embraced your blessed Re
deemer by a Uvely faith, and -vrith admiring and thankful
apprehensions of his love, and that never felt a higher esti
mation of God and heaven, and a heartier love to them,
than to your fleshly prosperity, and the things below ; I ear
nestly beseech you, not only for my sake, but for the Lord's

168 A CALL TO THE UNCONnTERTED.
sake, and for your soul's sake, that you go not on one day
longer in your former condition, but look about you and
cry to God for converting grace, that you may be made
new creatures, and may escape the plagues that are a little
before j'OU. And ff ever you -wiU do any thing for me,
grant rae this request, to tum from your eril ways and Uve :
deny rae any thing that ever I shaU ask you for myseff, ff
you wUl but grant me this. And ff you deny me this, I
care not for any thing else that j'Ou would grant me. Naj',
as ever j-ou -vrill do any thing at the request of the Lord
that made you and redeemed you, deny him not this ; for
ff you deny him this, he cares for nothing that you shall
grant him. As ever you would have him hear your prayers,
and grant your requests, and do for you at the hour of
death and day of judgment, or in any of your extremities,
deny not his request now in the day of your prosperity. 0
sirs, believe it, death and judgment, and heaven and hell,
are other matters when you corae near them, than they
seem to camal eyes afar off. Then you -vriU hear such a
message as I bring j'OU, -vrith more awakened, regardful
hearts. WeU, though I cannot hope so weU of aU, I -vriU hope
that sorae of you are by this tirae purposing to tum and Uve ;
and that you are ready to ask me, as the Jews did Peter, Acts
u. 37, when they were pricked to their hearts, and said, "Men
and brethren, what shaU we do ? " How might we come
to be tmly converted? We are wiUing, ff we did hut
know our duty. God forbid that we should choose destruc
tion by refusing conversion, as hitherto we have done.
If these be the thoughts and purposes of your hearts, I
say of you, as God did ofa promising people, Deut. v. 28,
29, " They have weU said, aU that they have spoken : oh
that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear
rae, and keep aU my commandments always ! " Your pur
poses are good ; oh that there were but a heart in you to
perform these purposes ! And in hope thereof, I shaU
gladly give you direction what to do, and that but briefly,
that you may the easier remember it for your practice.

A C-VLL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 169
Direct. 1 . If J'OU would be converted and saved, labour
to understand the necessity and true nature of conversion ;
for what, and from what, and to what, and by what it is
that you must turn.
Consider wh.at a lamentable condition you are in tUl the
hour of j'Our conversion, that you may see it is not a state
to be rested in. You are under the guUt of all the sins
that ever you committed, and under the -wrath of God, and
the curse of his law ; you are bond-slaves to the deril, and
daUj- employed in his work against the Lord, yourselves, and
others. You are spirituaUy dead and deformed, as being
void of the holy lffe, and nature and image ofthe Lord. You
are unfit for any holy work, and do nothing that is truly plea
sing unto God. You are -vrithout any promise or assurance of
his protection ; and Uve in continual danger of his justice,
not kno-wing what hour you raay be snatched away to heU,
and most certain to be damned ff you die in that condition.
And nothing short of conversion can prevent it. Whatever
civUities, or amendments, or rirtues, are short of true con
version, -wUl never procure the saving of your souls. Keep
the true sense of this natural misery, and so of the necessity
of conversion, on your hearts.
And then you must understand what it is to be con
verted ; it is to have a new heart or disposition, and a new
conversation. Quest. 1 . For what must we tum ?
Answ. For these ends foUo-wing, which you may attain.
1. You shaU immediately be made Uving members of
Christ, and have interest in him, and be renewed after the
image of God, and be adorned -vrith aU his graces, and
quickened -vrith a new and heavenly lffe, and saved from the
tyranny of Satan and the dominion of sin, and be justified
from the curse of the law, and have the pardon of aU the
sins of your whole Uves, and be accepted of God, and made
his sons, and have Uberty vrith boldness to caU him Father,
and go to him by praj-er in all your needs, vrith a proraise
of acceptance ; you shall have the Holy Ghost to dwell in
you, to sanctffy and guide you. You shall have part in the

170 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
brotherhood, communion, and prayers of the saints. You
shall be fitted for God's serrice, and be freed frora the do
rainion of sin, and be useful and a blessing to the place
where you Uve, and shaU have the promise of this Ufe and
that which is to come. You shall want nothing that Is truly
good for you, and your necessary afflictions you -vrill be
enabled to bear. You may have some taste of the com
munion of God in the Spirit ; especially in aU holy ordi
nances, where God prepareth a feast for your souls. You
shall be heirs of heaven while you live on earth, and may
foresee, by faith, the everlasting glory, and so may live aud
die in peace ; and you shaU never be so low, but your
peace and happiness -vriU be incomparably greater than your
misery. How precious is every one of these blessings, which I
do but briefly narae, and which in this Ufe you may re
ceive. And then, 2. At death your souls shall go to Christ,
and at the day of judgment both soul and body shall he
justified and glorified, and enter into your Master's joy ;
where your happiness wiU consist in these particulars.
(1.) You shaU be perfected yourselves : your mortal
bodies shaU be made immortal, and the corruptible shaU put
on incorruption ; you shaU no more be hungry, thirsty,
weary, or sick ; nor shall you need to fear either shame,
sorrow, death, or hell. Your souls shaU be perfectly freed
from sin, and perfectly fitted for the knowledge, love, and
praises of the Lord.
(2.) Your employment shaU be to behold your glorified
Redeemer, -vrith aU your holy feUow-citlzens of heaven ;
and to see the glory of the most blessed God, and to love
him perfectly, and be loved by hira, and to praise him ever
lastingly. (3.) Your glory -vriU contribute to the glory of the new
Jerusalem, the city of the U-ving God, which is more than to
have a private feUcity to yourselves.
(4.) Your glory -vriU contribute to the glorifying of your
Redeemer, who -wUl everlastingly be magnified and pleased

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 171
in you, that are the ta-avail of his soul. And this is more
than the glorifying of jourselves.
(5.) And the Eternal Majesty, the U-ving God, wiU be
glorified in your glory, both as he is magnified by your
praises, and as he communicateth of his glory and goodness
to you, and as he is pleased in you ; and in the accompUsh
ment of his glorious works, in the glory of the New Jeru
salem, and of his Son.
All this the poorest beggar of j-ou that is converted, shaU
certainly and endlessly enjoy.
2. You see for what you must turn ; next j'Ou must un
derstand from what j'ou must tum. And that is, in a word,
from your carnal seff, which is the end of all the uncon
verted. From the flesh, that would be pleased before God,
and would stUl be enticing you thereto. From the world,
that is the bait ; and from the deril, that is the angler for
souls, and the deceiver. And so from all kno'wn and 'vrifful
sins. 3. Next you must know to what you must turn. And
that Is, to God as your end ; to Christ, as the way to the
Father ; to holiness, as the way appointed you by Christ ;
and so, to the use of aU the helps and means of grace of
fered you by the Lord.
4. Lastlj', you must know by what you must turn. And
that is, by Christ, as the only Redeemer and Intercessor ;
and by the Holy Ghost, as the Sanctifler ; and by the word,
as his instrument or means ; and by faith and repentance
as the means and duties on your part to be performed. AU
this is of necessity.
Direct. 2. Ifyou would be converted and saved, be much
in secret, serious consideration. Inconsiderateness undoes
the world. Withdraw yourselves off into retired secrecy,
and there bethink you of the end why j-ou were made, of
the lffe J'OU have Uved, the time you have lost, the sins you
have committed ; of the love, and sufferings, and fulness of
Christ ; of the danger you are in ; of the nearness of death
and judgraent ; and of the certainty and exceUency of the
joj'S of heaven ; and of the certainty and terror of the tor-

172 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
ments of hell, and the etemlty of both : and of the necessity
of conversion and a holy Ufe : steep your hearts in such con
siderations as these.
Direct. 3. If you -vriU be converted and saved, attend
upon the word of God, which is the ordinary means. Read
the Scripture, or hear It read, and other holy writings that
do apply it ; constantly attend upon the public preaching of
the word. As God -wiU lighten the world by the sun, and
not by himself alone, -vrithout it ; so -wUl he convert and
save men by his ministers, who are the Ughts of the world.
Acts xxri. 17, 18 ; Matt. v. 14. AVhen he hath miracu
lously hurabled Paul, he sendeth him to Ananias, Acts ix.
10. And when he hath sent an angel to Cornelius, it is
but to bid him send for Peter, who must tell him what he
is to believe and do.
Direct. 4. Betake yourselves to God, in a course of eamest,
constant prayer. Confess and lament your former Uves,
and beg his grace to Uluminate and convert you. Beseech
him to pardon what is past, and give you his Spirit, and
change your hearts and Uves, and lead you in his ways, and
save JOU fi-om temptation. And ply this work daily, and
be not weary of it.
Direct. 5. Presently give over your kno-wm and vrifful
sins, make a stand, and go that way no further. Be drunk
no more, but avoid the places and occasion ofit. Cast
away your lusts and sinful pleasures vrith detestation. Curse,
and swear, and raU no more ; and ff you have ¦wronged any,
restore as Zaccheus did. If you 'vriU commit again your
old sins, what blessing can you expect on the means of con
version ?
Direct. 6. Presently, ff possible, change yom- company,
ff it hath hitherto been bad ; not by forsaking your neces
sary relations, but your unnecessary, sinful corapanions ;
and join j-ourselves vrith those that fear the Lord, "and in
quire of them the way to heaven. Acts ix. 19, 26 ; Psal.
XV. 4.
Direct. 7. DeUver up yourselves to the Lord Jesus, as
the Phj'sician of jciir so-ds, that he maj- pardon jou by his

.\ CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 173
blood, and sanctffy j'OU by his Spuit, by his word and mi
nisters, the Instruments of his Spuit. " He is the way, the
truth, and the lffe : there Is no coraing to the Father but by
hira," John xiv. 6 ; " nor is there any other name midcr
heaven by which you can be saved," Acts iv. 12. Study
therefore his person, and nature, and what he hath done and
suffered for j'ou, and what he is to you, and what he -vrill
be, and how he is fltted to the fuU supply of all your neces
sities. Direct. 8. If you mean indeed to turn and Uve, do it
speedUy without delaj-. If j'Ou be not wUling to turn to-day,
J'OU wUl not be wiUing to do it at aU. Remember you are
aU this whUe in j'oui- blood ; under the guUt of many thou
sand sins, and under God's -wrath, and j'OU stand at the
verj- brink of heU ; there is but a step between you and
death. And this is not a case for a man that is well in his
¦vrits to be quiet m. Up therefore presently, and fly as for
your Uves ; as you would be gone out of j'Our house ff it
were aU on fire over j-our heads. Oh ff you did but know
what continual danger you Uve in, and what daUy unspeak
able loss you sustain, and what a safer and sweeter Ufe you
inight Uve, j'Ou would not stand trifling, but presently tum.
Multitudes miscai'ry that -vrilfuUy delay when they are con-
-rinced that it must be done. Your Uves are short and un
certain ; and what a case are you in, ff you die before you
thoroughly turn ! You have staid too long already ; and
wronged God too long ; sin getteth strength and rooting ;
whUe J'OU delay, your conversion -vriU grow more hard and
doubtful. You have much to do, and therefore put not aU
off to the last, lest God forsake you, and give you up to
yourselves, and then j'Ou are undone for ever.
Direct. 9. If you wUl tum and Uve, do it unreservedly,
absolutely, and universaUy. Think not to capitulate -vrith
Christ, and diride your heart between him and the world,
and to part vrith some sins and keep the rest ; and to let go
that which j-our flesh can spare. This Is but seff-deluding :
you must in heart and resolution forsake aU that j'OU have,
or eke you cannot bc his disciples, Luke xiv. 26, 33. If

174 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
you vriU not take God and heaven for your portion, and lay
aU below at the feet of Christ, but you raust needs also
have your good things here, and have an earthly portion,
and God and glory is not enough for you ; it is in vain to
dream of salvation on these terms ; for it -wUl not be. If
you seem never so reUgious, tf yet it be but a camal righte
ousness, and the flesh's prosperity, or pleasure, or safety,
be stUl excepted in your devotedness to God ; this is as
certain a way to death as open profaneness, though it be
more plausible.
Direct. 10. If you will turn and Uve, do it resolvedly,
and not stand stUl deUberating, as ff it were a doubtful case.
Stand not wavering, as ff you were yet uncertain whether
God or the flesh be the better master ; whether heaven or
heU be the better end ; or whether sin or holiness be the
better way : but away -vrith your former lusts, and presently,
habitually, and fixedly resolve : be not one day of one mind,
and the next of another ; but be at a point vrith all the
world, and resolvedly give up yourselves, and aU you have,
to God. Now, whUe you are reading or hearing this, re
solve. Before you sleep another night, resolve. Before
you stir from the place, resolve. Before Satan hath time
to take you off, resolve. You vriU never turn indeed tfll
you do resolve ; and that vrith a firm, unchangeable resolu
tion. So much for the directions.
And now I have done my part in this work, that you
may turn at the call of God and Uve. What vrill become of
it, I cannot teU. I have cast the seed at God's command ;
but it is not in my power to give the increase. I can go
no further vrith my message, I cannot bring it to your
hearts, nor make it work : I cannot do your parts for you
to entertain it, and consider of it ; nor can I do God's part,
by opening your heart, to cause you to entertain it ; nor can
I shew you heaven or heU to your eyesight, nor give you
new and tender hearts. If I knew what raore to do for
your conversion, I hope I should do it.
But, O thou that art the gracious Father of spirits, that
hast swom thou deUghtest not in the death of the wicked,

A CALL TO THE UNCON-VERTED. 175
but rather that thej' turn .and live ; deny not thy blessing
to tliwe persuasions and directions, and suffer not thire enn-
njics lo triumph in thy sight ; and the great deceiver of
souls to prevaU over thy Son, thy Spirit, and thy word. O
pitv poor unconverted sinners, that have no hearts to pity or
help themselves : coramand the blind to see, and the deaf to
hear, and the dead to Uve, and let not sin and death be able
to resist thee. Awaken the secure ; resolve the unresolved ;
confirm the wavering : and let the eyes of sinners, that read
these lines, be next employed in weeping over their sins ;
and bring them to themselves, and to thy Son, before their
sins have brought them to perdition. If thou say but the
word, these poor endeavours shall prosper, to the -vrinning of
many a soul to their everlasting joy, and thine everlastiiig
gloiy. Amen.

FORMS OF PKAW R.

Five Prayers : one for FamiUes : one for a Penitent Sinver -
one for ihe Lord's Day : one for Children and Servants :
one in the method of the Lordes Prayer, being an Exposition
of it : for the use of those only who need such helps.
Two reasons moved me to annex these prayers : 1. I ob
serve that abundance of people, who have some good desires,
do forbear, through disabUity, to worship God in their famiUes,
who I hope would do it, ff they had some helps. And
though there be many such extant, yet few of these poor
famiUes have the books, and I can give them my own at a
Uttle cheaper rate than I can buy others to give them.
2. Some that seem to have been brought to true repen
tance and newness of lffe, by God's blessing, on the reading
of my books, have earnestly entreated me to -write them a
form of prayer for their famiUes, because long disuse hath
left them unable to pray before others.
For the serrice of God, and the good of men, I am con
tented to bear the censures of those who account aU forms
of book-prayers to be sin ; for in an age when pride (the
father) and ignorance (the mother) hath bred superstition
(the daughter), and taught men to think that (jod as fontUy
valueth their several modes of speaking to him as they do
themselves, and thinketh as conteraptuously of the contrarj-
as they, the question whether form or no form, book or no
book, hath bean resolved unto such tragical and direful
effects, that I were too tender, ff a censure should dis
courage me.

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 177
A Prayer for Families, Morning and Evening.
Almighty, aU-seeing, and most gracious God, tho world
and aU therein is made, maintained, and ordered bj' thee :
thou art evei-jTvhere present, being more than the soul of
aU the world. Though thou art revealed in thy glory to
those only that are in heaven, thy grace is still at work on
earth to prepare men for that glory : thou madest us not as
the beasts that perish, but -vrith reasonable, iraraortal souls,
to know, and seek, and serve thee here, and then to live
-vrith aU the blessed in the everlasting sight of thy heavenly
glorj-, and the pleasures of thy perfect love and praise. But
we are ashamed to think how fooUshly and sinfuUy we have
forgotten and neglected our God and our souls, and our
hopes of a blessed immortaUty, and have overrauch minded
the things of this risible, transitory world, and the pros-
peritj- and pleasm-e of this cormptible fiesh, which we know
must tum to rottenness and dust. Thou gavest us a law
which was just and good, to guide us in the only way to
lffe ; and when bj' sin we had undone ourselves, thou gavest
us a Sariom-, even thy Etemal Word made man, who by
his holy lffe and bitter sufferings reconcUed us to thee, and
both purchased salvation for us, and revealed it to us, better
than an angel fi-om heaven could have done, ff thou hadst
sent him to us sinners on such a message : but alas, how
Ught have we set by our Redeeraer, and by aU that love
which thou hast raanffested by him ! and how Uttle have we
studied and understood, and less obeyed, that covenant of
grace which thou hast raade by him to lost mankind !
But, O God, be mercifid to us -vile and miserable sinners ;
forgive the sins of our natural prarity and the foUies of our
youth, and aU the Ignorance, negUgence, omissions and
commissions of our Uves : and give us tme repentance for
them, or else we know that thou -wUt not forgive them.
Our Ufe is but as a shadow that passeth away, and it is but
as a moment tiU we must leave this world, and appear be
fore thee to give up our account, and to speed for ever as
M

178 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
here we have prepared. Should we die before thou ha-A
turned our hearts frora this sinful flesh and world to thee by
tme faith and repentance, we shaU be lost for evermore.
Oh woe to us that ever we were born, ff thou forgive not
our sins, and raake us not holy, before this short, uncertain
life be at an end ! had we all the riches and pleasures of
this world, they would shortly leave us in the greater sor
rows. AVe know that all our Ufe is but the time which thy
mercy aUotteth us to prepare for death ; therefore vve should
not put off our repentance and preparation to a sick bed :
but now. Lord, as ff it were our last and dying words, we
•earnestly beg thy pardoning and sanctifying grace, through
the merits and intercession of our Redeemer. O thou that
hast pitied and saved so raany millions of miserable sinners,
pity and save us also, that we may glorify thy grace for ever :
surelj- thou deUghtest not in the death of sinners, but rather
that they retum and Uve : hadst thou been unvrilUng to shew
mercj-, thou wouldst not have ransomed us by so precious a
price, and still entreat us to be reconcUed unto thee : we
have no cause to distrust thy truth or goodness, but we are
afraid lest unbeUef, and pride, and hypocrisy, and a worldlj',
fleshly raind, should be our ruin. O save us from Satan,
and this tempting world, but especially frora ourselves : teach
us to deny aU ungodliness and fleshly lusts, and to Uve
soberlj', righteously, and gocUy In this world. Let it be our
chiefest daUy work to please thee, and to lay up a treasure
in heaven, and to make sure of a blessed Ufe vrith Christ,
and quietly to trust thee -vrith soul and body. Make us
faithful in our callings, and om- duties to one another, and
to all men, to our superiors, equals, and inferiors : bless the
c[ueen, and all in authority, that we maj' Uve a quiet and
peaceable Ufe in all godliness and honesty : give vrise, holy,
and peaceable pastors to all the churches of Christ, and holy
and peaceable minds to the people : convert the heathen and
infidel nations of the world ; and cause us, and aU thy people,
to seek first the hallovring of thy name, the coming of thy
kingdom, the doing of thj' wUl on earth as it is done in
heaven : give us our daily bread, even all things necessary

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 179
to Ufe and godUness, and let us be therevrith content. For
give us our daUy sins, and let thy love and mercy constrain
us to love thee .above aU : and for thy sake to love our
neighbours as ourselves ; and in all our dealings to do justiy
and mercifiiUy, as we would have others do by us. Keep
us from hurtful temptations, from sin, and from thy judg
ments, and from the maUce of our spiritual and corporal
enenaies ; and let aU our thoughts, affections, passions,
words, and actions, be governed by thy word and Spirit to
thy glory ; make aU our reUgion and obedience pleasant to
us ; and let our sonls be so delighted in the praises of thy
kingdom, thy power, and thy glory, that it may secure and
sweeten our labour by day, and our rest by night, aud keep
us in a longing aud joyful hope of the heavenly glory : and
let the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God
our Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be -vrith
us now and for ever. Amen.

A Confession and Prayer for a Penitent Sinner.
O most great, most -vrise, and gracious God, though thou
hatest aU the workers of iniquity, and canst not be recon
cUed unto sin ; yet through the mediation of thy blessed
Son, vrith pity behold this miserable sinner who casteth
himself down at the footstool of thy grace. Had I Uved to
those high and holy ends, for which I was created and re
deemed, I might now have come to thee in the boldness and
confidence of a chUd, in assurance of thy love and favour ;
but I have plaj'ed the fool and the rebel against thee ! I
have -vriffuUy forgotten the God that made me, and the
Sariour that redeemed me, and the endless glory which
thou didst set before me : I forgot the business which I
was sent for into the world ; and have lived as ff I had been
made for nothing, but to pass a few days in fleshly pleasure,
and pamper a carcass for the worms : I wUfiiUy forgot what
it is to be a man, who had reason given hun to rule his
flesh, and to know his God, and to foresee his death, and

180 A CALL TO TIIE UNCONVERTED.
the state of immortaUty : and I made my reason a servant
to my senses, and lived too like the beasts that perish. Oh
the precious time which I have lost, which all the world
cannot caU back ! Oh the caUs of gi-ace, which I have ne
glected ! Oh the caUlug of God, which I have resisted ! the
wonderful love which I unthankfuUy rejected ! and the
manffold mercies which I have abused, and turned into
wantonness and sin ! How deep is the guUt which I have
contracted ! and how great are the coraforts which I have
lost ! I might have lived all this whUe in the love of thee
my gracious God ; and in the deUght of thy holy word and
ways ; in the daUy sweet foresight of heaven, and iu the joy of
the Holy Ghost : ff I would have been ruled by thy righteous
laws : but I have hearkened to the flesh, and to tliis vricked
and deceitful world, and have preferred a short and sinful
lffe before thy love and endless glory.
Alas, what have I been doing since I came into the world ?
FoUy and sin have taken up ray time. I am ashamed to
look back upon the j-ears that I have spent ; and to think
of the temptations that I have jielded to. Alas, what trifles
have enticed me fi-om my God ! How Uttle have I had for
the holy pleasures vvhich I have lost ! Like Esau, I have
profanely sold ray birthright for one morsel, to please my
fancy, ray appetite, and ray lust ; I have set light by aU the
joys of heaven ; I have unkindly despised the goodness of
my Maker ; I have sUghted the love and grace of ray Re
deeraer ; I have resisted thy Holy Spirit, sUenced ray own
conscience, and grieved thy ministers and my own faithful
fiiends, and have brought mj'seff into this woeful case,
wherein I am a shame and burden to myseff, and God Is
my terror, who should bc only my hope and joy.
Thou knowest ray secret sins, which are unknown to raen ;
thou knowest aU their aggravations. My sins, O Lord,
have found me out. Fears and son-ows overwhelm me ! If
I look behind me, I see my vrickedness pursue ray soul, and,
as an army, ready to overtake me, and devour me. If I
look before me, I see the just and dreadful judgment, and I
know thft thou wflt not acquit the guUty. If I look vrithin

.4. C.VLL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 181
me, I see a dark defUed heart. If I look without me, I see
a world still offering fresh temptations to deceive me. If I
look above me, I see thine offended dreadful Majesty ; and
ff I look beneath me, I see the place of endless torment, and
the company which I deserve to suffer with. I am afi-aid
to Uve, and more afi-aid to die.
But jet when I look to thy abundant mercy, and to thy
Son, and to thy covenant, I have hope. Thj- goodness is
equal to thj- greatness ; thou art love itseff, and thy mercj-
is over all thy works. So wonderfully hath thy Son conde
scended unto sinners, and done and suffered so much for
their salvation, that ff j'et I should question thy wUUngness
to forgive, I shoidd but add to all my sins, by dishonouring
that matchless mercy which thou dost design to glorffy.
Yea more, I find upon record in thy word, that through
Christ thou hast made a covenant of grace, and act of ob
Urion, in which thou hast ah-eadj' condltionaUy but fi-eelj'
pardoned all ; granting thera forgiveness of all their sms,
-vrithout any exception, whenever by unfeigned faith and re
pentance they turn to thee by Jesus Christ. And thj' pre
sent mercj' doth increase my hope, in that thou hast not cut
me off, nor utterly left me to the hardness of my heart, but
shewest me my sin and danger, before I am past remedj'.
O, therefore, behold this prostrate sinner, which with the
pubUcan smiteth on his breast, and Is ashamed to look up
towards heaven : " O God, be mercifid to me a sinner."
I confess not only mj' original sin, but the foUies and furies
of my youth, my manffold sins of ignorance and knowledge,
of negUgence and wUfulness, of omission and coraraission ;
against the law of nature, and against the grace and gospel
of thy Son ; forgive and save rae, O my God, for thy abun
dant mercy, and for the sacrifice and merit of thy Son, and
for the promise of forgiveness which thou hast made through
him, for in these alone is aU my trust. Condemn me not
who condemn myseff. O thou that hast opened so precious
a fountain for sin and for uncleanness, wash me thoroughfy
from my vrickedness, and cleanse me from my siu. Though
thy justice might send me presently to heU, let niercy

182 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
triuraph in ray salvation. Thou hast no pleasure in the
death of sinners, but rather that they repent and Uve : ff my
repentance be not such as thou requirest, O soften this
hardened, flinty heart, and give rae repentance unto life.
Tum me to thyseff, O God of my salvation, and cause thy
face to shine upon me. " Create in rae a clean heart, and
renew a right spirit vrithin rae." Meet not this poor, re
turning prodigal, in thy wrath, but with the erabracement of
thy tender raercies. Cast rae not frora thy presence, and
sentence rae not to depart frora thee with the workers of
iniquity. Thou who didst patiently endure me when I
despised thee, refuse me not now I seek unto thee, and here
in the dust implore thy mercy. Thou didst convert and
pardon a wicked Manasseh, and a persecuting Saul. And
there are multitudes iu heaven, who were once thine ene
mies. Glorify also thy superabounding grace, in the for-
^veness of my abounding sins.
I ask not for Uberty to sin again, but for deUverance from
the sinning nature. O give me the rene-vring Spirit of thy
Son, which may sanctify aU the powers of my soul. Let
me have the new and heavenly birth and nature, and the
Spirit of adoption to reform me to thine image, that I may
be holy as thou art holy. IUuminate me with the saring
knowledge of thyself, and thy Son Jesus Christ. 0 fill me
-vrith thy love, that my heart may be wholly set upon thee,
and the remembrance of thee be my chief deUght : let the
freest and sweetest of my thoughts run after thee : and the
freest and sweetest of my discourse be of thee, and of thy
glory, and of thy kingdom, and of thy word and ways ! 0
let my treasure be laid up in heaven, and there let me daUy
and deUghtfuUy converse. Make it the great and daUy
business of my devoted soul, to please thee, and to honour
thee, to promote thy kingdom, and to do thy wiU ! Put thy
fear into my heart, that I may never depart fi-om thee.
This world hath had too rauch of my heart already ; let it
now be crucified to me, and I to it, by the cross of Christ :
let me not love it nor the thmgs which are therein ; hut
ha-ving food and raiment, cause me therewith to be content.

A CAIX TO TUB UNCONVERTED. 183
Destroj- in me aU fieshly lusts, that I may not Uve after the
flesh, but the Spirit. Keep me from the snares of wicked
companj-, and from the counsel and waj'S of the ungodly.
Bless me vrith thc helpfiil communion of the saints, and with
all the means tbat thou hast appointed to fm-ther our sanc
tification and salvation. Oh that my wavs were so directed,
that I might keep thy statutes ! Let me never return agaiu
to foUy, nor forget the covenant of mj' God : help rae to
quench the first motion of sin, and to abhor aU sinfid de
sires and thoughts ; and let thy Spirit strengthen me against
aU temptations ; that I may conquer and endure to the end.
Prepare me for sufferings, and for death and judgment;
that when I must leave this sinfiU world, I may yield up
my departing soul with joy into the faithful hands of my
dear Redeemer ; that I be not numbered with the ungodly,
which die in their unpardoned sin, and pass into everlasting
misery ; but may be found in Christ, haring the righteous
ness which is of God by faith ; and may attain to the resur
rection of the just ; that so the reraembrance of the sin and
miseries from which thou hast deUvered me, may further my
perpetual thanks and praise to thee my Creator, my Re
deemer, and my Sanctifier.
And oh that thou wouldst caU and convert the miserable
nations of idolaters and infidels, and the multitudes of un
godly hypocrites, who have the name of Christians, and not
the truth, and power, and Ufe. O send fjrth labourers in
to thy harvest, and let not Satan hinder them. Prosper
thy gospel, and the kingdom of thy Son, that sinners may
more abundantly be converted to thee, and this earth may
be made Uke unto heaven ; that when thou hast gathered us
all into unity vrith Christ, we may aU, vrith perfect love and
joy, ascribe to thee the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

184 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
A Form, of Praise and Prayer for the Lord's Day.
Glorious Jehovah, whUe angels and perfected spirits aro
praising thee in the presence of thy glory, thou hast aUowed
and commanded us -to take our part in the presence of thy
grace : we have the same most holy God to praise ; and
though we see thee not, our Head and Sariour seeth thee,
and our faith discerneth thee in the glass of thy holy works
and word. Though we are sinners, and unworthy, and
cannot touch those holy things, without the marks of our
pollution ; yet we have a great High Priest vrith thee, who
was separated from sinners, holy, harraless, and undefiled,
who appeareth for us, in the raerits of his spotless Ufe and
sacrifice, and by whose hands only we dare presume to pre
sent a sacrifice to the raost holy God. And thou hast or
dained this day of holy rest, as a type and raeans of that
heavenly rest with the triuraphant church to which we as
pire, and for which we hope. Thou didst accept their lower
praise on earth, before they celebrated thy praise in glory :
accept ours also by the sarae Mediator.
Glory be to thee, O God, In the highest : on earth peace,
good--vrill towards men. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Al
mighty, who wast, and art, and art to come ; etemal, with
out beginning or end ; immense, vrithout aU bounds or mea
sure ; the infinite Spirit, Father, Word, and Holy Ghost ;
the infiiute Lffe, Understanding, and WUl, Infinitely power
ful, wise, and good ; of thee, and through thee, and to thec
are aU things ; to thee be glory for evermore. AU thy
works declare thy glory ; for thy glorious perfections appear
on aU, and for thy glory, and the pleasure of thy holy vrill,
didst thou create them. The heavens, and aU the hosts
thereof ; the sun, and aU the glorious stars ; the fire, vrith
its raotion, Ught, and heat ; the earth, and all that dwell
thereon, vrith aU its sweet and beauteous ornaments ; the
air, and all the meteors ; the great deeps, and aU that swira
therein ; all are the preachers of thy praise, and shew forth
the great Creator's glory. How great is that power which

.\ CALL IO THE UNCONVERTED. 185
made so great a world of nothing ; which with wonderful
swiftness moved those gi-eat and glorious luminaries, which
in a moment send forth the infiuences of their motion, light,
and heat, through all the air, to sea and earth ! Thy power
ful lffe giveth Ufe to aU ; and preserveth this frame of nature
which thou hast made. How glorious is that vrisdom which
ordereth aU things, and assigueth to aU their place and
office, aad by its perfect law maintaineth the beauty and
harmony of all! how glorious is that goodness and love,
whicii made all good and very good !
We praise and gloiify thee, our Lord and O-wner ; for we
and aU things are thine own. AA'e praise and glorify thee,
our King and Ruler; for we are thj- subjects, and our per
fect obedience is thy due : just are aU thj- laws and judgments ;
true and sure is aU thy word. AVe praise and glorify- thee, our
great Benefactor ; in thee we Uve, and move, and are ; all
that we are, or have, or can do, Is whoUj- fi-om thee, the
Cause of aU ; and all is for thee, for thou art our End.
DeUghtfuUy to love thee, is oiu- greatest duty, and our only
feUcitj- ; for thou art love itseff, and infinitely amiable.
AVlien man by sin did tum away his heart from thee, be
Ueved the tempter against thj- truth, obeyed his senses against
thj' authority and -wisdom, and forsaking thy fatherly love
and goodness, became an idol to himseff, thou didst not use
him according to his desert: when we forsook thee, thou
didst not utterly forsake us ; when we had lost ourselves,
and by sin became thine enemies, conderaned by thy law,
thy mercy pitied us, and gave us the promise of a Kedeemer,
who in the fulness of time did assume our nature, fulfUled
thy law, and suffered for our sins, and conquering death, did
lise again, ascended to heaven, and is our glorified Head and
Intercessor. Him hast thou exalted to be a Prince and Sa
riour, to give us repentance and remission of sins. In him
thou hast given pardon and justification, reconciUation and
adoption, by a covenant of grace, to every penitent beUever.
Of enemies, and the heirs of death, thou hast made us sons
and heirs of lffe.
We are the brands whom thou hast plucked out of the

186

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.

fire ; we are the captives of Satan whom thou hast redeemed ;
we are the condemned sinners whom thou hast pardoned :
we praise thee, we glorify thee, our mercfful God, and gra
cious Kedeemer. Our souls have now refuge from thy re
venging wrath. Thy promise is sure : Satan, and the world,
and death are overcorae ; our Lord is risen ; he Is risen,
and we shall rise through hira. O death, where is thy sting!
O grave, where is thy rictory! Our Sariour is ascended to
his Father and our Father, to his God and our God ; and
we shaU ascend ; to his hands we raay commit our departing
souls : our Head is glorified, and it is his wUl and promise
that we shall be vrith him where he Is to see his glory ; he
hath sealed us thereunto by his Holy Spirit : we were dead
in sins, and he hath quickened us ; we were dark in igno
rance aud unbeUef, and he hath enlightened us ; we were
unholy and camal, sold under sin, and he hath sanctified our
-wiUs, and kUled our concupiscence. AVe praise and glorify
this Spirit of lffe, -vrith the Father and the Son, from whom
he is sent to be Ufe, and Ught, and love to our dead, and
dark, and disaffected souls. We are created, and redeemed,
and sanctified for thy holy love, and praise, and serrice ; 0
let these be the very nature of our souls, and the employ
ment and pleasure of aU our Uves ! O, perfect thy weak and
languid graces in us, that our love and praise may be more
perfect ! We thank thee for thy word, and sacred ordi
nances, for the comfort of the holy assembUes and commu
nion of the saints, and for the mercy of these thy holy days.
But let not thy praise be here confined ; but be our daUy
lffe, and bread, and work.
Fain we would praise thee vrith more holy and more joy
ful souls. But how can we do it vrith so weak a faith, and
so great darkness and strangeness to thee ? -vrith so little
assurance of thy favour and our salvation ? Can we rightly
thank thee for the grace which we are stUl in doubt of? Fain
we would be Uker to those blessed souls who praise thee vrith
out our fears and dulness. But how can it be, while we
love thee so little, and have so little taste and feeUng of thy
love ? and whilst this load of sin doth press us down, and

A CALL TO THB UNCONVERTED. 187
we are imprisoned in the remnant of our camal affections ?
O kUl this pride and selfishness, these lusts and passions.
Destroy this unbeUef and darkness, and aU our sins, which
are the enemies of us, and of thy praise. Make us more
holy and heavenly : and O bring us nearer thee in faith and
love, that we may be more suitable to the heavenly employ
ment of thy praise.
Vouchsafe more of thy Spirit to all thy churches and ser
vants in the world : that as their darkness and selfishness,
and imperfections have defiled, and dirided, and weakened
them, and made them a scandal and hardening to infidels ;
so their knowledge, seff-denlal, and impartial love, may
trulj' reform, unite, and strengthen thera : that the glory of
their holiness raay win the unbelieving world to Christ. O
let not Satan keep up stUl so large a kingdora of tjranny,
ignorance, and wickedness in the earth, and make this world
as the suburbs of heU : but let the earth be more conform
able to heaven, in the glorifying of thy holy name, the ad
vancing of thy kingdom, and the doing of thy just and holy
-vriU. Let thy way be kno-wn upon earth, and thy saring
health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O
God, let aU the people praise thee ! Yea, give thy Son the
heathen for his inheritance, and let his gospel enhghten the
dark, forsaken nations of the earth. Let every knee bow to
him, and every tongue confess that he Is Christ, to their sal
vation and thy glory. Proride and send forth the messen
gers of thy grace through aU the earth. DeUver all the
churches from sin, di-rision, aud oppression. Let thy holy
word and worship continue in these kingdoms, whUst this
world endureth. Bless the queen, and aU in authority, -vrith
aU that wisdom, justice, and holiness, which are needful to
her o-wn and her subjects' safety, peace, and welfare. Let
every congregation among us have buming and shining
Ughts, that the ignorant and ungodly perish not for want of
teaching and exhortation : and open men's hearts to receive
thy word, and cause them to know the day of their risita
tion. Be mercfful to the afflicted, in sickness, dangers, wants,
or sorrows, according to thy goodness and their necessities.

188 A CALL TO TIIE UNCONVERTED.
Let all the prayers and praises of the faithful throughout
the world, sent up this day in tho name of our common
Mediator, by him be presented acceptable unto thee ; not-
withstandiug the iraperfections and blemishes that are on
thera, and the censures, dirisious, and injuries, which in their
frowardness they are guUty of against each other : let them
cuter as one in Christ our Head, who are too sadly and
stiffly distant among theraselves. Prepare us aU for that
world of peace, where the harraony of universal love and
praise shaU never be interrapted by sins, or griefs, or fears,
or discord ; but shall be everlastingly perfect to our joy and
to thy glorj', through our glorified Mediator, who taught us
when we pray to saj'. Our Father, which art in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy wiU be
done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daUy bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
them that trespass against us. And lead us not into terap
tation, but deUver us from e-vU : for thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory, for ever. Araen.

A short Prayer for Children and Servants.
Ever-U-ving and most gracious God, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost ! infinite is thy power, thy -vrisdom and thy
goodness ! Thou art the Maker of all the world, the Re
deemer of lost and sinfid man, and the Sanctifier of the
elect ! Thou hast made me a Uving, reasonable soul, placed
awhUe in this flesh and world to know, and love, and serve
thee, my Creator, -with aU my heart, and raind, and strength,
that I might obtain the reward of the heavenly glory. This
should have been the greatest care, and business, and pleasure
of all my lffe : I was bound to it by thy law ; I was inrited
by thy mercy. And in my baptism I was devoted to this holy
lffe, by a solemn covenant and vow. But, alas, I have proved
too unfaithful to that covenant ; I have forgotten and ne
glected the God, the Sariour, and the Sanctifier, to whom I
was engaged ; and have too much served the devU, the

.\ CALL TO THE UNCON-VERTED. 189
world, and flesh, whicii I renounced : I was born in sin,
and sinfully I have Uved. I havc been too careless of ray
iramortal soul, and of the great work for which I was cre
ated and redeemed ; I have spent much of ray precious
time m vanity, In minding and pleasing this corruptible
flesh ; and I have hardened nij- heart against those instruc
tions, by which thj- Spirit, and my teachers, and my own
conscience, did call upon me to repent and tum to thee.
And now. Lord, mj' convinced soul doth confess, that I
have deserved to be foi-saken by thee, and given over to my
lust and foUy, and to be cast out of thj- glorious presence into
damnation. But seeing thou hast given a Sariour to the
world, and made a pardoning and gracious law, promising
forgiveness and salvation through his merits, to every true
penitent beUever, I thankfully accept the mercy of thy cove
nant in Christ ; I humbly confess my sin and gufltiuess ; I
cast my raiserable soul upon thj' grace, and the raerits and
sacrifice, and Intercession of mj- Sariour. O pardon all the
sins of my corrupted heart and Ufe ; and as a reconciled
Father, take me to be thy chUd ; and give me thj- renewing
Spirit, to be in me a principle of holy lffe, and Ught, and love,
and thy seal and -vritness that I am thine. Let him quicken
my dead and hardened heart ; let him enlighten mj- dark,
imbeUe-ring mind by clearer knowledge and firm belief; let
him turn my vriU to the ready obedience of thy holy -vrill ;
let hira reveal to my soid the wonders of thy love in Christ,
and fiU it vrith love to thee and my Redeemer, and to all
thy holy word and works, tUl aU my sinfid, camal love be
quenched in me, and my sinfid pleasures tumed into a sweet
deUght in God : give me seff-denial, humiUty, and lowliness,
and save me from the great and hateful sins of selfishness,
worldliness, and pride. O set my heart upon the heavenly
glory, where I hope ere long to Uve -vrith Christ and all
his holy ones, in the joj'ful sight, and love, and praise of
thee, the God of love, for ever. Deny me not any of those
helps and mercies, which are needful to my sanctification
and salvation. And cause me to Uve in a continual readi
ness for a safe and comfortable death. For what would it

190 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
profit me to -vrin all the world, and lose my soul, my Sa
riour, and my God ?
Additions for Children.
Let thy blessing be upon my parents and governors,
cause them to instruct and educate me in thy fear ; and cause
me -vrith thankfiilness to receive their instructions, and to
love, honour, and obey thera in obedience to thee. Keep
me from the snares of eril company, temptations, and youth
ful pleasures, and let me be a companion of them that fear
thee. Let ray daily delight be to meditate on thy law ; and
let me never have the mark of the ungodly, to be a lover of
pleasures more than of God. Furnish my youth -vrith those
treasures of wisdom and hoUness, which may be daUy in
creased and used to thy glory.

Additions for Servants.
And as thou hast made me a servant, make me conscion
able and faithful in my place and trust, and carefid of my
master's goods and business, as I would be ff it were ray
own. Make me submissive and obedient to my governors ;
keep me frora seff-wUl and pride, from murmuring and ir
reverent speeches, from falsehood, slothfulness, and aU deceit.
That I might not be an eye-servant, pleasing my lust and
fleshly appetite ; but may cheerfully and -vriUingly do my
duty, as beUeving that thou art the revenger of all unfaith
fulness ; and may do my serrice not only as unto man, but
as to the Lord, expecting from thee my chief reward.
All this I beg and hope for, on the account of the merits
and intercession of Jesus Christ, concluding in the words
which he hath taught us : Our Father, which art in heaven,
HaUowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy wUl be
done on earth, as It Is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, .as we forgive

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 191
them that tresspass against us. And lead us not into temp
tation, but deliver us from evU ; for thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

A Prayer for the Moming, in the method ofthe Lord's
Prayer, being but an Exposition ofit.
Most glorious God, who art power, and vrisdora, and
goodness itseff, the Creator of aU things ; the Owner, the
Ruler, and the Benefactor of the world, but especiaUy of
thy church, and chosen ones. Though by sin original and
actual we were thy eneraies, the slaves of Satan and our
flesh, and under thy displeasure and the condemnation of
thy law ; yet thy chUdren, redeemed by Jesus Christ thy
Son, and regenerated by thy Holy Spirit, have leave to call
thee their reconcUed Father. For by thy covenant of grace,
thou hast given them thy Son to be their Head, their
Teacher, and their Sariour. And in him thou hast pardon
ed, adopted, and sanctified them ; sealing and preparing
them by thy Holy Spirit for thy celestial kingdom, and be
ginning in them that holy lffe, and Ught, and love, which
shall be perfected -vrith thee in everlasting glory. Oh vrith
what wondrous love hast thou loved us, that of rebels we
should be made the sons of God ! Thou hast advanced us
to this dignity, that we inight be devoted whoUy to thee as
thine own, and might deUghtfuUy obey thee, and entirely
love thee vrith aU our heart ! And so might glorify thee
here and for ever.
O cause both us, and aU thy churches, and aU the world,
to haUow thy great and holy name ! And to Uve to thee
as our ultimate end ! that thy shining image on holy souls
may glorify thy divine perfection.
And cause both us and aU the earth, to cast off the ty
ranny of Satan and the flesh, and to acknowledge thy
supreme authority, and to become the kingdoms of thee and
thy Son Jesus, by a vrilUng and absolute subjection. O

192 A CALIj to THE UNCONVERTED.
perfect thy kingdom of grace in ourselves and in the world,
and hasten the kingdom of glory.
And cause us and thy churches, and all people of the
earth, no more to be ruled by the lusts of the fiesh, and
their erroneous conceits, and by seff-wiU, which is the idol
of the -vricked ; but by thj' perfect -vrisdom and holy vriU
revealed in thy laws, make kno'wn thy word to all the
world, and send them the messengers of gi-ace and peace ;
and cause men to understand, beUeve, and obej- the gospel
of salvation. And that, with such holiness, unity, and love,
that the earth, which is now too Uke to hell, may be made
Uke unto heaven ; .and not only thy scattered, imperfect
flock, but those also who in their camal and ungodly minds
do now refuse a holy lffe, and think thy words and ways too
strict, may desire to imitate even the heavenly church ;
where thou art obeyed, and loved, and praised, -vrith high
delight, in harmony and perfection.
And because our being is the subject of our weU-being,
maintain us in the Ufe which thou hast here given us, untU
the work of lffe be finished ; and give us such health of
mind and body, and such protection and supply of all our
wants, as shall best fit us for our duty ; and make us con
tented with our daily bread, and patient ff we want it. And
save us from the love of riches, honours, and pleasures of
this world, and the pride, and idleness, and sensuaUty which
they cherish ; and cause us to serve thy proridence by our
diUgent labour, and to serve thee faithfully vrith all that
thou givest us ; and let us not make provision for the flesh,
to satisfy its desires and lusts.
And we bescech thee of thy mercy, through the sacrifice
and propitiation of thy beloved Son, forgive us aU our sins,
original and actual, from our birth to this hour ; our orais
sions of duty, and committing of what thou didst forbid ;
our sins of heart, and word, and deed ; our sinful thoughts
and affections, our sinful passions and discontents ; our
secret and our open sins ; our sins of negUgence, and ignor
ance, and rashness ; but especially our sins against know-

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 193
ledge and conscience, which have made the deepest guUt
and wounds. Spare us, O Lord, and let not our sin so
find us out as to be our ruin ; but let us so find it out as
truly to repent and tum to thee ! Especially punish us not
-vrith the loss of thy grace ! Take not thy Holy Spirit from
us, and deny us not his assistance and holy operations. Seal
to us bj' that Spirit the pardon of our sins, and lift up the
light of thy countenance upon us, and give us the joy of thy
favour and salvation. And let thy love and mercy to us fiU
us not only vrith thankfulness to the'e, but -vrith love and
mercy to our brethren and our enemies, that we may
heartUy forgive them that do us -vrrong, as through thy grace
we hope to do.
And for the time to come, suffer us not to cast ourselves
wUfuUy into temptations, but carefuUy to avoid them, and
resolutely to resist and conquer what we cannot avoid ;
and O mortify those inward sins and lusts, which are our
constant aud most dangerous temptations. And let us not
be tempted by Satan or the world, or tried by thy judg
ments, above the strength which thy grace shall give us.
Save us from a fearless confidence in our own strength ;
and let us not daUy -vrith the snare, nor taste the bait, nor
plaj- vrith the fire of -wrath. But cause us to fear and de
part from cvU ; lest before we are aware, we be entangled
and overcome, and wounded vrith our guUt and with thy
'wrath, and our end should be worse than our beginning.
EspeciaUy save us from those radical sins of error and un
beUef, pride, hypocrisy, hard-heartedness, sensuaUty, sloth
fulness, and the love of this present world, and the loss of
our love to thee, to thy kingdom, and thy ways.
And save us from the malice of Satan and of -vricked
men, and from the erils which our sins would bring upon
us. And as we crave all this from thee, we humbly tender
our praises with our future serrice to thee ! Thou art the
King of aU the world, and more than the lffe of aU the
living ! Thy kingdora is everlasting ; vrise, and just, and
merciflil, is thy government. Blessed are they that are

194 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED.
faithful subjects ; but who hath hardened himseff against
thee, and hath prospered ? The whole creation proclairaeth
thy perfection. But it is heaven where the blessed see thy
glory, and the glory of our Redeemer ; where the angels
and saints behold thee, admire thee, adore thee, love thee,
and praise thee vrith triuraphant, joyful songs, the holy,
holy, holy God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who
was, and is, and is to come ; of thee, and through thee,
and to thee are all things. To thee be glory for ever.
Amen.

The Creed.
I beUeve in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of hea
ven and earth : And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our
Lord, AATio was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Bom of the
Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius PUate, AVas crucified.
dead, and buried ; He descended Into hell ; The third day
he rose again from the dead ; He ascended Into heaven.
And sitteth on the right haud of God, the Father Almighty ;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I beUeve in the Holy Ghost ; The Holy CathoUc Church ;
The communion of saints ; The forgiveness of sins ; The re
surrection ofthe body ; And the lffe everlasting. Amen.

The Ten Commandments.
I. I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out
of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou
shalt have no other gods before me.
U. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is
in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth :
thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them :
for I the Lord thj' God am a jealous God, risiting the ini
quity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and

A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 195
fourth generation of them that hate me ; and shewing mercy
unto thousands of them that love me and keep my command
ments. m. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain ; for the Lord wiU not hold him guUtless that taketh
his name in vain.
IV. Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy. Six
days shalt thou labour and do aU thy work : but the seventh
day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is -vrithin thy gates: for in six days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the sea, and aU that in them is, and
rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the
sabbath-day and haUowed it.
V. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee. AT. Thou shalt not kiU.
'ATI. Thou shalt not commit adulterj'.
YUI. Thou shalt not steal.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh
bour. X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou
shalt not covet thy neighbour's "wffe, nor his man-servant,
nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing
that is thy neighbour's.

THE
LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER^
HIS PASSING PRAYER,
HBGOMHENDIXO UIS DEPA.IITINO SPIRIT TO CHRIST, TO BE KECEITBD BT BIH |
Prtpa*-ed for the Funeral of Mary the widow, first of Francia Charltan, Stq.t and afitt nf
IJtooiae Uanm^r, Esq. ; and partly preached at St Mary Magdalen's
Churchy in Milk Street, London, and nou>( at the deiire (ifktr
Daughter^ hefore her death, reprinted.

TO THE EEADE K.

Reader,
The person whose death did occasion this discourse was
one that about five years ago removed frora her ancient
habitation, at Appley, in Shropshire, to Kidderminster,
where she Uved under my pastoral care tUl I was come up
to London ; and before she had Uved there a twelvemonth
(for thither she removed) she died of the fever, then very
common in the city. She Uved among us an example of
prudence, grarity, sobriety, righteousness, piety, charity,
and seff-denial, and was truly what I have described her to
be, and much more; for I use not to flatter the Uving,
much less the dead. And though I had personal acquaint
ance vrith her for no longer a time than I have mentioned,
yet I think it worthy the mentioning, which I understand
by comparing her last years vrith what is said of her former
time, by those that were then nearest to her, and so were
at her death, that whereas (as I have said) sudden passion
was the sin that she was wont much to complain of, she had
not contented herseff vrith mere complainings, but so effec
tuaUy resisted them, and appUed God's remedies for the
heaUng of her nature, that the success was very much ob
served by those about her, and the change and oure so great
herein, as was a comfort to her nearest relations that had
the benefit of her converse ; which I mention as a thing
that shews us, 1. That even the infirmities that are found
in nature and temperature of body are curable, so far as
they faU under the dominion of a sanctified -vriU. 2. That

200 TO THE reader.
even m age, when such passions usuaUy get gi-ound, au'i i~-
firmities of mind increase -vrith infirmities of body, yet grace
can effectuaUy do its work. 3. That to attend God in his
means, for the subduing of any corraption, is not In vain.
4. That as God hath promised growth of grace, and flourish
ing in old age, so in his way we may expect the fidfiUing of
his promise. 5. That as grace increaseth, infirmities and
corruptions of the soul -vriU vanish.
This makes me caU to mind that she was once so much
taken -vrith a sermon which I preached at the funeral of a
holy aged woman,* and so sensibly oft recited the text it
seff as much affecting her — " For which cause we faint not ;
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is
renewed day by day," &c. 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17 ; that I am
persuaded both the text itseff, and the example opened
(and weU kno-wn) to her, did her much good.
Her work is done, her enemies are conquered (except
the remaining fi-uits of death upon a corrupting body, whioh
the resurrection must conquer), her danger, and temptations,
and troubles, and fears, are at an end. She shall no more
be discomfited with eril tidings ; nor no more partake vrith
a miUtant church in the sorrows of her diseases or distresses.
We are left vrithin the reach of Satan's assaults and malice,
and of the rage and riolence which pride, and faction, and
Cainish en-vy, and enmity to serious holiness, do ordinarUy
raise against Christ's foUowers in the world. We are left
among the lying tongues of slanderous, malicious men, and
dweU iu a vrildemess among scorpions ; where the sons of
BeUal, Uke Nabal, are such that a man cannot speak to
them, 1 Sam. xxv. 17. The best of them is as a brier,
the most upright sharper than a thom hedge, Mic. -rii. 4.
" But the sons of BeUal shall be aU of them as thorns

* Good old Mrs Doughty, sometime of Shrewsbury, who had long
walked with God and longed to he with him, and was among us an ex
cellent example of holiness, blamelessness, contempt of the world, con
stancy, patience, humility, and (which makes it strange) a great and con
stant desire to die, though she was still complaining of doubtings, and
weakness of assur,vnce.

TO THE RE.VI>ER. 201
thrust away, because they cannot be takenvrith hands ; but
the man that shall touch them must be fenced -vrith iron,
and the staff of a spear, and they shall be utterly bumed
vrith fire in the same plaoe," 2 Sam. xxiu. 6, 7. We are
left among our weak, distempered, sinfid, afl3icted, lament
ing fiiends ; the sight of whose calamities, and participation
of their sufferings, maketh us feel the strokes il.at faU upon
so great a number, that we are never like to be free from
pain. But she is entered into the land of peace, where
pride and faction are shut out ; where serpentine enmitj-,
maUce, and fury, never come ; where there is no Cain to
en-vy and destroy us ; no Sodomites to rage against us, and
in their blindness to assault our doors ; no Ahithophels to
plot our ruin ; no Judas to betray us ; no false witnesses to
accuse us ; no TertuUus to point us out as pestUent feUows,
and movers of sedition amoug the people ; no Rehum,
Shimshai, or their society, to nersuade the rulers that the
servants ofthe God of heaven are hurtful unto kings, and
against their interest and honour, Ezra iv. 9, 12-14, 22;
V. 11; no rabble to cry, " Away -vrith thara, it is not fit
that they should Uve ;" no Demas that -vrill forsake us for
the love of present things ; no such contentious, censorious
fiiends as Job's to afflict us, by adding to our affliction ; no
cursed Ham to dishonour parents ; no ambitious, rebel
hous Absalom to molest us, or to laraent ; no sinful, scanda
lous, or impatient fiiends to be our grief : and, which is more
than aU, no earthly, sinfiU inclinations in ourselves ; no pas
sions or infirmities ; no languishings of soul ; no deadness,
dulness, hard-heartedness, or weaknesses of grace ; no back
wardness to God, or estrangedness from him, nor fears or
doubtings of his love, nor frowns of his displeasure. None
of these do enter into that serene and holy region, nor ever
interrupt the joy of saints.
The great work is yet upon our hands, to fight out the
good fight, to finish our course, to run -vrith patience the
remainder of the race that is before us ; and as we must
look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, as our
great Exemplar, so must we look to his saints and martyrs

202 TO THE READER.
as our encouraging exaraples under hira. Put the case j ou
were now dying (and oh, how near is it, and how sure) !
what would you need most, tfthe day were come ? That Is It
that you need most now. Look after It speedUy whUe you
have time. Look after it seriously, ff you have the hearts of
meu, and sin have not tumed you into idiots or blocks.
AATiat a disgrace Is it to mankind, to hear men commonly
at death cry out. Oh! for a Uttle more time. And,
Oh ! for the opportunities of grace again. And, Oh !
how shall I enter upon eternity thus unprepared? as
tf they had never heard or kno-wn that they must die tUl
uow. Had you not a Ufe's time to put these questions?
And should you not long ago have got them satisfactorUy
resolved? And justly doth God give over some to that
greater shame of human nature, as not to be caUed to theii-
-vrits, even by the approach of death itseff ; but as they con
temned everlasting lffe in their health, God justly leaveth
them to be so sottish as to venture presumptuously -vrith
unrenewed souls upon death ; and the conceit that they are
of the right church, or party, or opinion, or that the priest
hath absolved them, doth pass vrith them for the necessary
preparation ; and weU it were for them ff these would pass
thera currently into heaven. But, oh, what heart can now
conceive how terrible it is for a new-departed soul to find
itself remedUessly disappointed, and to be shut up in flaraes
and desperation, before they would beUeve that they were
in danger of it !
Reader, I beseech thee, as ever thou beUevest that thou
must shortly die, retire from the crowd and noise of worldly
vanity and vexation. O, bethink thee, how Uttle a whUe
thou must be here, and have use for honour, and favour,
and wealth ; and what it is for a soul to pass into heaven or
heU, and to dweU among angels or devUs for ever ; and how
men should Uve, and watch, and pray, that are near to such
a change as this. Should I care what men call rae (by
tongue or pen), should I care whether I Uve at Uberty or in
prison, when I am ready to die, and have matters of infinite
moment before me to take me up? Honour or dishonour.

TO THE READER. 203
libertj- or prison, are words of no sound or signification,
scarce to be heard or taken notice of, to one of us that are
just passing to God, and to everlasting Ufe. The Lord have
mercj' upon the distracted world! How strangely doth the
deril befool them In the dajUght, and make them needlessly
trouble themselves about raany things, when one thing is
needfiU; and heaven is talked of (and that but heartlessly and
seldora), whUe fleshly provision only is the prize, the pleasure,
the business of then- Uves. Sorae ai-e diverted frora their
serious preparation for death by the beastly avocations of
lust, and gaudiness, and meats, and drinks, and chUdish
sports ; and some by the businesses of ambition and covet
ousness, conti-iring how to feather their nests, and exercise
their -wUls over others in the world! And some that -vriU
seem to be doing the work, are diverted as dangerously as
others, by contending about formalities and ceremonies, and
destroying charity and peace ; rending the church, and
strengthening factions, and carrying on interests hypocriti
cally under the name of reUgion, tUl the zeal that St James
describeth (James Iu. 13, 14, &c.), ha-ving consumed all
that was Uke to the zeal of love and hoUness in themselves,
proceed to consume the servants and interest of Christ about
them, and to bite and devom-, tUl their Lord come and find
them in a day that they looked not for him, smiting their
feUow-servants, and eating and drinking vrith the drunken,
and cut them asunder, and appoint them their portion -vrith
the hypocrites, where shaU be weeping and gnashing of teeth,
Matt. xxiv. 49-51.
O studj', and preach, and hear, and pray, and Uve, and
use j'Our brethren that differ from you in sorae opinions, as
you would do ff you were going to receive your doom, and
as -vvUl then be most acceptable to your Lord ! The guUt
of sensuaUty, worldliness, ambition, of uncharitableness,
cmelty, and injustice, of losing time, and betraying your
souls by negUgence, or perfidiousness, and wilfid sin, wUl
lie hearicr upon a departing soul, than now, in the drunken
ness of prosperity, you can think. Christ wiU never receive
such souls in their extremitj-, unless upon repentance, by

204 TO THE READER.
faith in his blood, they are washed from this poUution. It
Is unspeakably terrible to die, -without a confidence that
Christ wUl receive us ; and Uttle knows the graceless world
what sincerity and simpUcity in holiness is necessary to the
soundness of such a confidence.
Let those that know not that they must die, or know of
uo lffe hereafter, hold on their chase of a feather, tiU they
find what they lost their Uves, and souls, and labour for.
But ff thou be a Christian, remember what is thy work :
thou -wilt not need the favour of man, nor worldly wealth,
to prevaU -vrith Christ to receive thy spirit. O, leam thy
last work before thou art put upon the doing of it ! The
world of spirits, to which we are passing, doth better know
than this world of fleshly darkened sinners, the great dff-
ference between the death of a heavenly beUever and of an
earthly sensualist. BeUeve it, it is a thing possible to get
that apprehension of the love of Christ, that confidence of
his receiving us, and such famiUar, pleasant thoughts of our
entertainment by him, as shall much overcome the fears of
death, and make it a welcome day to us when we shall be
admitted into the celestial society: and the difference be
tween one man's death and another's, dependeth on the
diflerence between heart and heart, lffe and Ufe, preparation
and unpreparedness.
If you ask me. How may so happy a preparation be made?
I have told you in this foUo-wing discourse, and more fuUy
elsewhere formerly. I shaU add now these directions fol
lowing. 1. FoUow the flattering world no further ; come off from
aU expectation of feUcity below ; enjoy nothing under the
sun, but only use it in order to your enjoyment of the real,
sure deUght ; take heed of being too much pleased in the
creature. Have you houses, and lands, and offices, and hon
ours, and fiiends, that are very pleasing to j'ou ? Take heed,
for that is the kilUng snare ! Shut your eyes, and wink them
all into nothing; and cast by your contrivances, and cares,
and fears, and remember j-ou have another work to do.
;;. Liva In conunuiiion with a suffeiing Christ : studj-

¦ro THE READl-.R. ^O.')
weU the whole Ufe and nature of his suffermgs, and the rea
son of them, and think how desirable it Is to be conformed to
him. Thus, look to Jesus, that for the joy that was set
before him, despised the sh.arae, endured the cross, and the
contradiction of sinners against himseff. DweU upon this
example, that the image of a humbled, suffering Christ,
being deeply imprinted on thy mind, may draw thy heart
into a juster relish of a mortified state. Sm-e he is no good
Christian that thinks it not better to Uve as Christ did (in
holj' povertj' and sufferings in the world), than as Crcesus,
or Ca?sar, or any such worldUng and seff-pleaser Uved. Die
daUj' by following Jesus with j'Our cross, and when you
have a whUe suffered with him, he wUl make you perfect,
and receive yom- spirits, and j'OU shaU reign vrith him : it
wonderfuUj' prepareth for a comfortable death to Uve in the
feUowship of the sufferings of Christ. He is most likely to
die quietlj', patientij', and joj'fiiUy, that can first be poor,
be neglected, be scorned, be wronged, be slandered, be im
prisoned, quietly, patiently, and joj'fiiUy. If you were but
at Jerusalem, j-ou would, with some love and pleasure, go
up mount OUvet, and think, Christ went this very way.
You would love to see the place where he was born, the
way which he went when he carried his cross, the holy grave
where he was buried (where there is a temple which pU
grims use to visit, from whence they use to bring the mark
as a pleasing badge of honour) ; but how more of Christ is
there in our suffering for his cause and truth, and in foUow
ing him in a mortified, seff-denjing lffe, than in foUowing
him in the path that he hath trodden upon earth ! His
enemies saw his cross, his grave ; his mother, his person.
This did not heal their sinful souls, and make them happy ;
but the cross that he calleth us to bear is a Ufe of suffering
for righteousness' sake ; in which he commandeth us to re
joice, and be exceedingly glad, because our reward is great
in heaven, though all manner of evil be spoken of us falsely
bj' men on earth. Matt. v. 11, 12. This Is caUed a being
partaker of Christ's sufferings, in which wo are commanded
to rejoice, " that, when his glory ehall be revealed, we may

206 TO THE RE.VDER.
be glad also with exceeding joy," 1 Pet. iv. 13. And as
" the sufferings of Christ abound In us, so our consolation
aboundeth by Christ," 2 Cor. i. 5. TUl we come up to a
lffe of willing mortification, and pleased, contented suffeiing
with Christ, we are in the lower form of his school, and, as
chUdren, shaU tremble at that which should not cause our
terror ; and, through misapprehensions of the case of a de
parting soul, shaU be afraid of that which should be our
joj-. I am not such an enemy to the esteem of relics, but
ff one could shew me the very stocks that Paul and SUas
sat in when they sung psalms in their imprisonment (Acts
xri.), I could be contented to be put (for the like cause)
into the same stocks, vrith a special vriUingness and plea
sure : how rauch more should we be vriUing to be conformed
to our suffering Lord in a spirit and lffe of true mortifica
tion !
3. Hold communion also vrith his suffering members:
desire not to dweU in the tents of wickedness, nor to' be
planted among them that flourish for a time, that may be
pestroyed for ever, Psal. xcii. 6, 7. I had rather have
Bradford's heart and faggot than Bonner's bishopric. It
was holy Stephen, and not those that stoned him, that saw
heaven opened, and the Son of raan sitting at the right
hand of God (Acts "rii. 56), and that could joj'fuUy saj',
" Lord Jesus, receive my spuit." He Uveth not by faith
(though he may be a hanger-on that keepeth up some pro
fession for fear of being damned) who chooseth not rather
to suffer afiUction vrith the people of God, than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season ; and esteemeth not the
very reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of
the world, as having respect to the recompence of reward,
Heb. xi. 25, 26.
4. Live as ff heaven were open to your sight, and then
dote upon the deUghts of worldlings ff you can ; then love
a lffe of fleshly ease and honom-, better than to be -vrith
Christ, ff you can. But of this I have spoken at large in
other -writings.
Christian, make it the study and business of thy Ufe to

TO THE READER. 207
leam to do thy last work well, that work which must be
done but once ; that so death, wluch transmits unholy souls
into utter dai-kness and despair, may deliver thy spu-it into
thy Redeemer's hands, to be received to his glory, accord
ing to that blessed promise, John xu. 26. And whUe I
am in the flesh beg the same mercy for
Thy brother and companion in tribulation, and in tho
kingdora and patience of Jesus Christ,
KICHARD BAXTER.
London, Jan. 31, 1661.

209

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.

" Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." — Acts vii. 59.
The birth of nature, and the new bu-th of grace, in then-
measure resemble the death of saints, which is the birth of
glorj'. It is a bitter-sweet day, a day that is mixed of sor
row and joj-, when nature must quit its famiUar guest, and
jield to any of these changes. Our natural birth is not
-vrithout the throes, and pain, and groanings of the mother,
though it transmit the chUd into a more large, aud Ught-
some, and desirable habitation. Our spiritual birth is not
-vrithout its humbUng and heart-piercing sorrows ; and when
we are brought out of darkness into the marveUous Ught, we
leave our old companions in displeasure, whom we forsake,
and our flesh repining at the loss of its sensual deUghts.
And our passage into gloiy is not -vrithout those pangs and
fears which must needs be the attendants of a pained body
ready to be dissolved, and a soul that is going through so
strait a door into a strange, though a most blessed place ;
and it leaveth our lamenting fiiends behind, that feel their
loss, and would longer have enjoyed our company, and see
not (though they beUeve) the glory of the departed soul.
And this is our case that are brought hither this day, by an
act of Proridence sad to us, though joyous to our departed
fiiend ; by a voice that hath caUed her into glory, and call
ed us iuto this mouming plight : even us that rejoice m the
thoughts of her felicity, and are not so crael as to -vrish her
again into this corruptible flesh, and calamitous world, from

210 THE LAbl WORK OF A BELIEVER.
the glorious presence of the Lord ; and j-et should have kept
her longer fi-om It, for our own and others' sakes, ff our vris
dom had been fit to rule, or our wUls to be fulfUled, or ff
our prayers must have been answered, according to the
measure of our faUing apprehensions or precipitant desires.
But folly must submit to the Incomprehensible wisdom, and
the desire of the creature must stoop to the -wUl of the
Creator. The interest of Christ must be preferred when he
caUeth for his own, and our teraporary interest must give
place : flesh must be sUent and not contend, and dust must
not dare to question God ; he knoweth best when his fruit
is ripe, and though he 'vriU allow our moderate sorrows, he
wUl not so much injure his saints as to detain them vrith
us from their joyful rest, tUl we are content to let them go.
Thus also did blessed Stephen depart from glory to glory ;
from a distant sight of the glory of God, and of Jesus stand
ing at his right hand, into the immediate presence and
fruition of that glorj'. But yet he must pass the narrow port ;
enraged malice must stone him tUl he die ; and he raust
undergo the pains of martyrdom before he reach to the
glory which he had seen. And when he was arrived in
safety, he leaveth his brethren scattered in the storm, and
devout men m'ake great lamentation at his burial. Acts "rin.
2. Though it Is probable by the ordinary acceptation of
the word itl^is ivXx^iis, that they were not professed
Christians, but devout proselytes (such as CorneUus and the
^Ethiopian eunuch were), that buried and thus lamented
Stephen, as kno'wing him to be an exceUent person, crueUy
murdered by the raging Jews ; yet their example, in a case
not culpable, but commendable, may be imitated oy be
lievers, upon condition that, with our sense of the exceUency
of the persons, and of our loss by their removal, we exceed
them that had but a darker revelation in our joyful sense of
the feUcity of the translated souls.
The occasion of the death of this holy man was partlj'
that he surpassed others, as being fuU of faith, and of the
Holy Ghost ; and partly that he plainly rebuked the blind
and furious persecuting zeal of the Jews, and bore a most

THE L.A.ST WORK OF -A. BELIEVER. 211
resolute testimony of Christ. It is an Ul time when men
must suffer because they are good, and deserve not suffer
ing, but reward ; and they are an unhappy people that have
no more grace or vrit but to fight against heaven, and set
themselves under the strokes of God's severest justice, by
persecuting them that are dear to Christ, and faithfiiUy per
form their duty. It is no strange thing for the zeal and
interest of a faction to make men mad ; so mad as impla
cably to rage against the offspring of heaven, and to hate
men because thej- are faithful to their great Master, and
because they are against their faction ; so mad as to think
that the interest of their cause requireth them to destroj'
the best vrith the greatest maUce, because they stand most
in their way, and to forget that Christ, the revenger of his
elect, doth take all as done to him that is done to them ; so
mad as to forget aU the terrible threatenings of God, and
terrible instances of his avenging justice against the enemies
of his servants, whom he taketh as his own ; and to ruin
their own reputations by seeking to defame the upright,
whose names God is engaged to honour, and whose righte
ousness shall shine forth as the sun, when foolish maUgnity
hath done its worst. AVhen Christ had pleaded his cause
effectuaUy -vrith Saul, that was one of the persecutors
of Stephen, he maketh him confess that he was ¦n^irirus
i/ificiitifiitos, exceedingly, excessively, or beyond measure mad
against the Christians.
But this blessed protomartyr, in despite of maUce, doth
safely and joyfidly pass through aU their rage to heaven.
By kiUing him they raake him more than conqueror, and
send him to receive his cro-wn. And he shuts up aU the
action of his lffe in iraitation of his suffering Lord, 'vrith a
twofold request to Heaven, the one for himseff, that his
spirit may be received, the other for his persecutors, that
this sin may not be laid to their charge. Acts rii. 59, 60 ;
for so you may find Christ did before hira, " Father, for
give them ; for they know not what they do ; " and, " Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit," Luke xxiu. 34, 46.
Onlj' Christ directeth his prayer immcdiatelj' to the Father,

212 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
and Stephen to Christ, as being one that had a mediator,
when Christ had none, as needing none ; and being now
bearing -vritness, by his suffering, to Christ, and therefore it
was seasonable to direct his prayer to him ; but especiaUy
because it was an act of raediation that he petitioneth for,
and therefore directeth his petition to the Mediator.
This first request of this djing saint, which I have chosen
to handle, as suitable and seasonable for our instruction at
this time, in a few words containeth not a few exceeding
usefid, wholesome truths.
As I. It is here plainly intimated that Jesus Christ is
exalted in glory, in that he hath power to receive departed
souls. H. That Christ is to be praj-ed to, and that it is not our
duty to direct all our praj-ers only to the Father. EspeciaUy
those things that belong to the office of the Mediator, as in
terceding for us in the heavens, must be requested of the
Mediator. And those things which belong to the Father to
give for the sake of the Mediator, must be asked of the
Father for his sake. I cannot now stay to tell j'OU in par
ticular what belongeth to the one, and what unto the other.
in. That man hath a spirit as weU as a body ; of which
more anon.
rv. That this spirit dieth not -vrith the body (unless you
vriU caU a mere separation a djing.)
V. That Christ doth receive the spirits of his saints when
they are separated from the body.
AT. That a, dying Christian may confidently and com
fortably commend his spirit to Christ, to be received of
him. ATI. That prayer in general, and this prayer in special.
That Christ vriU receive our departing souls, is a most suit-
¦able conclusion of aU the actions of a Christian's lffe.
The first and second of these doctrines, offered us by this
text, I shaU pass bj'.
The third is not questioned by anj- that knoweth himseff
to be a man : but that we maj' understand it, and the rest,
we must consider what the word " sphit" doth here sig-

TIIE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 213
ntfy. By " spirit" here, can be meant nothing but tha
rational soul, which is the principal constitutive part of the
raan. For though the word do sometimes signffj' the wind
or breath, and sometimes the moral and intellectual quaU
fications, and have divers other senses, I need not stay to
prove that it is not here so taken. Stephen prayeth not to
Christ to receive his breath, his graces, or the Holy Ghost,
but to receive his rational, immortal soul.
It is not only the soul, but God himself, that is called
" a Spirit:" and though the name be fetched from lower
things, that is, because that as we have no adequate posi
tive conception of God or spirits, so we can have no ade
quate proper names for them, but must take up -vrith bor
rowed names, as answerable to our notions.
Sometimes the word spirit (as Heb. iv. 12, &c.) is dis
tinguished from the soul ; and then it either signifieth the
superior faculties in the same soul, or the same soul as ele
vated by grace.
Do you ask, AVhat the soul is ? You may also ask, AVhat
a man is ? And it is pity that a man should not know what
a man is. It is our inteUectual nature, containing also the
sensitive and vegetative ; the principle, or first act, by which
we Uve, and feel, and understand, and freely -vriU. The acts
teU you what the faculties or powers are, and so what the
soul is. If you kuow what intellection, or reason and free-
'vrill are, you may know what it is to have a spiritual nature,
essentiaUy containing the power of reasoning and vrilUng.
It Is thy soul by which thou art thinking and asking what a
soul is ; and as he that reasoneth to prove that man hath
no reason, doth prove that he hath reason by reasoning
against it ; so he that reasoneth to prove that he hath no
soul, doth thereby prove that he hath a reasonable (though
abused) soul.
Yet there are some so blind as to question whether they
have souls, because they see them not ; whereas ff they
could see them vrith eyes of flesh they were no souls, for
spirits are in-visible. They see not the air or wind, and yct
they know that air or wind there is. They see not God or

214 THE LAST -WORK OF A BELIEVER.
angels, and j-et they are fools indeed ff they doubt whether
there be a God and angels. If they see not their eyes, yet
they know that they have eyes, because vrith those eyes they
see other things. And ff they know not directly and in
tuitively that they have rational souls, they might know it
by their laiowing other thuigs, which without such souls
cannot be kno-wn. It is just -trith God that those that Uve
as camaUy, and brutishly, and negUgently, as ff they had no
souls to use or care for, should at last be given up to ques
tion whether they have souls or no.
O woeful faU ! depraved nature ! O miserable men, that
have so far departed from God, as to deny both themselves
and God ! or to question whether God be God, and man be
man. Return to God, and thou wUt come to thyseff. For
get not, man, thy noble nature, thy chiefest part : think not
that thou art only sheU, because thou seest not through the
sheU. It Is souls that converse by the bodies whUe they are
in flesh. It is thy soul that I am speaking to, and thy soul
that understandeth me. AVTieu thy soul is gone, I wUl
speak to thee no more. It is thy soul that is the workman
ship of God by an immediate or special way of fabrication.
" The souls which I have raade," Isa. lvii. 16. " He
breathed into man the breath of Ufe, and he became a Uv
ing soul," Gen. U. 7. It is thy soul that is said to be made
after God's image ; in that thou art ennobled with a capa
cious understanding and free-wUl ; and it is thy soul that is
fhe immediate subject of his moral Image, even spiritual
wisdom, righteousness, and holiness. God hath not hands,
and feet, and other merabers, as thy body hath. How
noble a nature is that which is capable of knowing not only
things in the world (in its measure), but God himself, and
the things of the world that is to come ; and capable of
loring and enjoying God, and of seeking and serving him
in order to that enjoyment ! Christ thought not basely of a
soul that redeemed souls at such a price, wheu he made his
soul an offering for sin, Isa. Uii. 10. Were it not for our
iraraortal souls, would God ever honour us with such rela
tions to him as to be his children ? (For he is first the Fa-

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 215
ther of spu-its (Heb. xii 9), and then the Father of saints.)
Should we be called the spouse and the members of Christ ?
would he be at so much cost upon us? should angels
attend us as ministering spirits, tf we had not spu-its fit to
minister to God ? AA'ould the Spirit of God himself dweU In
us, and quicken and beautffy us -vrith his grace, shoidd a
world of creatures (whose corporeal substance seems as ex
ceUent as ours) attend and serve us, tf we were but an inge
nious sort of brutes, and had not rational, immortal souls ?
Should such store of raercies be prorided for us, should mi
nisters be prorided to preach, and pray, and labour for us,
tfwe had not souls to save or lose? " They watch for your
souls as they that must give account," Heb. xin. 17. AVhy
should they preach in season and out of season, and suffer
so much to perform their work, but that they know that
" he that -winneth souls is -wise," Prov. xi. 30 ; and that
" he which converteth the sinner from the error of his waj-,
doth save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins,"
James v. 20. The de-vU himseff may teU you the worth of
souls when he compasseth the earth (Job i. 7), and goeth
about night and day to deceive them, and devour them
(1 Pet. V. 8), and yet can he make you beUeve that they
are so worthless as to be abused to the basest drudgery, to
be poisoned -vrith sin and sensuaUty, to be ventured for a
thing of nought?
O sirs ! have you such immortal souls, and wUl you seU
them for a lust, for a beastly pleasure, for Uberty to glut
your flesh, or for the price that Judas sold his Lord for ? Is
thy soul no more worth than honour, or wealth, or fooUsh
rairth ? Is thy soul so base as not to be worth the care and
labour of a holy Ufe ? Is the world worth aU thy care and
labour, and shaU less be caUed too much ado, when it is for
thy precious soul ? Alas ! one would think by the careless,
fleshly Uves of many, that they remember not that thay have
souls. Have they not need, in the depth of their security,
in the height of their ambition, and In the heat of fleshly
lusts, to have a monitor to call to thera, Reraember that thou

216 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
art a man, and that thou hast a soul to save or lose ? AATiat
thinkest thou of thy negligence and carnal lffe, when thou
readest that so holy a man as Paul must keep under his
bodj', and bring it into subjection, lest he should be a cast
away after all his labours? 1 Cor. Ix. 25-27. O Uve not
as ff the flesh were the man, aud its pleasure your feUcity ;
but Uve as those that have spirits to take care of.
Doct. IV. The spirit of man doth surrive the body ; it
dieth not -vrith it. It is not annihUated ; it is not resolved
into the essence of sorae common element of souls, where it
loseth its specific form and name. It was stUl the spirit of
Stephen that was received by Christ. It sleepeth not. To
confute the dream of those that talk of the sleeping of souls,
or any lethargic, uninteUigent, or inactive state, of so excel
lent, capacious, and active a nature, were but to dispute
'vrith sleeping men. AVhen we say it is immortal, we mean
not that it, or any creature, hath In itseff a seff-supporting
or seff-preserring sufficiency ; or that they are necessary be
ings, and not contingent ; or primitive beings, and not de
rived from another by creation. AA'e know that all the
world would tum to nothing- in a moment ff God did but
¦vrithdraw his preserving and upholding influence, and but
suspend that vriU that doth continue them. He need not
exert any positive will or act for their destruction or annihi
lation. Though ejusdem est annihilare, cujus est creare, none
can annihUate but God ; yet it is by a positive, efficient act
of wUl that he createth ; and by a mere cessation of the act
of his preserring wiU he can annihUate. I mean not by
any change in him, but by wUling the continuance of the
creature but tiU such a period ; but j'ct he that wiU perpe
tuate the spirit of man, hath given it a nature (as he hath
done the angels) fit to be perpetuated ; a nature not guilty
of comporition and elementary m.aterlaUty, which might sub
ject It to corruption. So that as there is an aptitude in iron,
or silver, or gold to continue longer than grass, or flowers, or
flesh ; and a reason of its duration may be given a natura
rei, from that aptitude in subordination to the will of God ;

THE LAST WORlC OF A BELIEVER, 217
SO there is such an aptitude in the nature of the soul to be
immortal, which God raaketh use of to the accompUshment
of his wUl for its actual perpetuity.
The heathenish Socinians, that deny the immortaUty of
the soul (yea, worse than heathenish, for most heathens
do maintain it), must deny to Christ himseff, as weU as to
his members ; for he used the Uke recoraraendation of his
soul to his Father when he was on the cross, as Stephen
doth here to him. If " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," be
words that prove not the surriring of the spirit of Stephen ;
then, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," vrill
not prove the surviving of the spirit of Christ. And, then,
what do these infidels make of Christ, who also deny his
Deity ; and consequentlj', make him nothing but a corpse,
when his body was in the grave ? How then did he make
good his promise to the penitent malefactor? " This day
shalt thou be -vrith me in paradise." But he that said,
" Because I Uve, ye shaU Uve also" (John xiv. 19), did
Uve in the spirit, whUe he was put to death in the flesh,
1 Pet. ni. 18 ; and receiveth the spirits of his servants unto
lffe etemal, whUe their flesh is rotting in the grave. This
very text is so clear for this, ff there were no other, it
might end the controversy -vrith all that beUeve the holy
Scriptures. I confess there is a sleep of souls, a metaphorical sleep in
sin and in security, or else the drowsy opinions of these in
fidels had never found entertainment in the world ; a sleep
so deep that the voice of God, In the threatenings of his
word, and the alarm of his judgments, and the thunder of
his warnings by his most serious ministers, prevaU not to
awaken the most : so dead a sleep possesseth the most of
the ungodly world, that they can quietly sin in the sight of
God, at the entrance upon eternity, at the doors of heU,
and the caUs of God do not awaken them : so dead a sleep,
that Scriptm-e justly caUs thera dead, Eph. u. 1, 5 ; and
ministers may weU caU thera dead, for alas, it is not our
voice that can awake them ; they are as dead to us : we
draw back the curtains to let in the Ught, and shew them

218 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
that judgment is at hand, and use those true but terrible
arguments from wrath and heU, which we are afraid should
too much frighten many tender hearers, and yet they sleep
on; and our loudest caUs, our tears, and our entreaties,
cannot awaken them. We cry to them in the name of the
Lord, " Awake, thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and
Christ shaU give thee Ught," Eph. v. 14. This moral sleep
and death of souls, which is the forerunner of everlastmg
death in misery, we cannot deny. But after death even
this sleep shaU cease ; and God wUl awaken them 'with his
vengeance, that would not be awaked by his grace. Then,
sinner, sleep under the thoughts of sin and God's displea
sure, if thou canst. There is no sleeping soul In heU ; there
are none that are past feeling. The mortal stroke that
laj'eth thy flesh to sleep In the dust, lets out a guilty soul
into a world where there is no sleeping ; where there Is a
Ught irresistible, and a terror and torment, that wIU keep
them waking. If God bid thee awake by the flames of
justice, he -vriU have no nay. The first sight and feeling
which -vriU surprise thee when thou hast left this flesh, 'wUl
awake thee to eternity, and do more than we could do in
time, and convince thee that there is no sleeping state for
separated souls.
Doct. V. Christ doth receive the spirits of the saints when
they leave the flesh.
Here we shaU first teU you what Christ's receiving of the
spirit is. The word signifieth, to take it as acceptable to
himseff; and it comprehendeth these particulars.
1. That Christ -vriU not leave the new-departed soul to
the -vriU of Satan, its maUcious eneray. How ready is he
to receive us to perdition, if Christ refuse us, and receive
us not to salvation ! He that now seeketh as a roaring Uon
night and day, as our adversary, to devour us bj' deceit,
-wiU then seek to devour us by execution. How glad was
he when God gave hira leave but to touch the goods, and
chUdren and body of Job ! And how much more would it
please his enmity to have power to torment our souls ! But
the soul that fled to the arms of Christ by faith in the day

THE LAST WORK OF R BELIBYEK. 219
of trial, shaU then find itself in the arms of Christ in the
moment of its entrance upon eternity. 0 Christian, whether
thou now feel it to thy comfort or not, thou shalt then feel
it to the rarishing of thy soul, that thou didst not fly to
Christ in vain, nor trust him in vain to be thy Sariour.
Satan shall be for ever disappointed of his desired prey.
Long wftst thou combating -vrith him ; frequentiy and strongly
wast thou tempted by him. ' Thou oft thoughtest it was a
doubtful question, who should win the day, and whether
ever thou shouldst hold out and be saved ; but wheu thou
passest from the flesh, in thy last extremity, in the end of
thj' greatest and most shaking fears, when Satan is ready.
If he might, to carrj' thy soul to heU ; then, even then, shalt
thou find that thou hast won the day. And yet not thou,
but Christ is he that hath been rictorious for thee ; even as
when thou Uvedst the Ufe of faith, it was not thou, but
Christ Uved in thee. Gal. u. 20. Thou maj'St fear at thy
departure, and leave the flesh -vrith terror, and imagine that
Satan vriU presently devour thee ; but the experience of a
moment -vriU end thy fears, and thou shalt triumph against
thy conquered foe. He that saved thee from the dominion
of a tempting deril, wiU certainly save thee from him when
he would torment thee. Here he would have us that he
may sfft us, and get advantage on our weakness ; but Christ
prayeth for us, and strengtheneth us, that our faith may not
faU, Luke xxn. 31. And he that saveth us from the sin,
vriU save us frora the punishment, and from Satan's fury, as
he did from his fraud.
2. Christ's recei-ving us doth include his favourable en
tertainment and welcoming the departed soul. Poor soul,
thou wast never so welcorae to thy dearest fnend, nor into
the arms of a father, a husband or a -vrife, as thou shalt be
then into the presence and erabraceraents of thy Lord.
Thou hearest, and readest, and partly believest, now how
he loveth us, even as his spouse and members, as his flesh
and bone, Eph. ri. But then thou shalt feel how he loveth
thee in particular. If the angels of God have joy at thy
conversion, what joy vrill there be in heaven at thy entrance

220 THE LAST WORK OF A BBLIEVER.
into that salvation. And sure those angels -vriU bid thee
welcome, and concur -with Christ in that triuraphant joy.
If a retm-nmg prodigal find himseff in the arms of his father's
love, and welcomed home -vrith his kisses, and his robe and
feast, what welcome then may a cleansed, conquered soul
expect when it cometh into the presence of glorious love,
and is purposely to be received -vrith such demonstrations of
love as may be fitted to magnify the love of God, which
exceedeth aU the love of man, as omnipotency doth exceed
our impotencj', and therefore wUl exceed it in the effects 1
Though thou hast questioned here in the dark, whether
thou wert welcome to Christ when thou eamest to him in
praj-er, or when thou eamest to his holy table, yet then
doubt of thy welcome ff thou canst.
Oh had we but one raoraent's sense of the deUghts of the
erabraced soul that is newly received by Christ into his
kingdom, it would make us think we were in heaven already,
and transport us more than the disciples that saw the trans
figuration of Christ ; and make us say, in comparing this
-with aU the glory of the world, " Master, it is good for us
to be here ; " but in consideration of the fuU, to say. It is
better to be there. But it must not be : earth must not be
so happy as to have a moment's sense of the inconceivable
pleasures of the received soul ; that is the reward and
crown, and therefore not fit for us here in our conflict.
But low things may, by dark resemblance, a Uttle help
us to conceive of soraethmg that is Uke thera in a low de-
gi-ce. How would you receive your son, or husband, the
next day after some bloody fight, where he had escaped
vrith the rictory? or your chUd, or friend, that arrived
safely after a long and a dangerous voyage? AA^ould you
not run and meet him, and vrith joy embrace him, ff he had
been many years absent, and were now come home? I
tell thee, poor soul, thy Sariour hath a larger heart, and
anothor kind of love than thou ; and other reasons of greater
force to move him to bid thee welcome into his presence.
3. Christ's receiving tho departed soul includeth the state
of blessedness into which he doth receive it. If vou ask

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 221
what that is, I answer, it is unto hinaself, to be with him
where he is ; and that in general is fuU of comfort, ff there
were no more ; for we know that Chiist is in no iU place ;
he is glorified at the " right hand of the Majesty on high,"
Heb. i. 3. And that the souls ofthe righteous, and at last
their bodies, are received to himseff, he often teUeth us :
" If any man serve me, let him foUow me ; and where I am,
there shaU also my servant be," John xu. 26. " -And ff I
go and prepare a place for j'OU, I wUl come again and re
ceive J'OU unto myseff; that where I am, there ye may be
also," John xiv. 3. And, in the meantime, when we once
are absent frora the body, we are present vrith the Lord
(2 Cor. V. 8), and that is in " the buUding of God, an
house not made vrith hands, eternal in the heavens," verse 1.
Paul, therefore, desired " to depart, and to be with Christ,"
as being far better, PhU. i. 23 ; and Christ promised the
converted thief, " This day shalt thou be with me in para
dise," Luke x-riii. 43. And our state after the resurrection
hath the same description, " And so shaU we ever be -vrith
the Lord," 1 Thess. iv. 17. And what it shaU be he de
clareth himseff, " Father, I-wiU that they also, whom thou hast
given me, be vrith me where I am ; that they may behold ray
glory, which thou hast given me," John xrii. 24. The soul of
Lazarus (Luke xri.) was received into Abraham's bosom, where
he is said to be comforted. The heavens receive Christ (Acts
iu. 21), and therefore the heavens receive the spirits that go
to him, even the spirits of the just made perfect, Heb. xu. 23 ;
that is, that are crowned vrith Christ in glory, and freed from
the imperfections and evils ofthis Ufe. And so that is plain,
though sorae would pervert it, that " whether we wake or
sleep, we may Uve together vrith him," 1 Thess. v. 1 0. Not
whether we wake to righteousness, or sleep in sin, for such
sleepers Uve not -vrith him ; nor whether we wake by sohci
tude, or sleep in security ; nor whether we naturaUy wake or
sleep only, but whether we Uve, or die, and so our bodies
sleep in death, j-et we Uve together -vrith him. In a word,
Christ vriU receive us Into a participation of his joy and glory ;
into a joy as great as our nature shall be capable of, and

222 THE L.VST WOlMv OF A BKLlKVKR.
more than we can now desire, and that the largest heart on
earth can justly conceive of or comprehend. And because
all this tells j-ou but to the eai-, stay j-et but a Uttle while,
and experimental sight and feeling shall tell you what this
rccelvina; Is, even when we receive the Idngdom that cannot
be moved (Heb. xu. 28), and when we receive the end ot
our faith, the salvation ofour souls, 1 Pet. i. 9.
Doct. AT. .A dying Chiistian may confidently and cora
fortably recommend his spuit to Christ, to be received by
him. Though he have formerly been a grievous sinner, though
at the present he be frail and faulty, though he be weak In
faith, and love, and duty, though his body by sickness be
become unfit to serve his soul, and as to present sensibiUty,
actlritj', or joy, he seem to be past the best, or to be no
thing, though tho tempter woidd aggravate his sins, and
weakness, and dulness to his discouragement, yet he may, he
must, with confidence recommend his spirit to Christ, to be
received by him.
O leam his doctrine. Christians, that you may use it in the
hour of your last distress. The hour is near ; the distress -vrill
be the greatest that ever you were in. As well as we seera
now whUe we are hearing this, our tum is nigh. The mid
wife is not so necessary to the Ufe of the child that receiveth
it into the world, as Christ's recei-ving wUl be then to our
everlasting lffe. To say over heartlessly these words, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit," vriU be no more than a dead-hearted
hypocrite may do. Such formal Up-serrice in Ufe or at
death doth profit nothing to salvation ; now make such
necessary preparation, that at death you may have weU-
grounded confidence that Jesus Christ -wUl receive your
spirits. 1. And first, let me bring this to the camal, unprepared
sinner. Poor sinner, what thoughts hast thou of thy dying hour,
and of thj- departing soul? I wonder at thee what thoughts
thou hast of them, that thou canst sin so boldly, and Uve so
carelessly, and talk or he.ar of the Ufe to come so senselessly

Tin: L.VST VVOUK OF A BKLlEVER. 223
as thou dost ! Thou mightest weU think I wi-onged thee.
If 1 took thee to be such a brute as not to know that thou
must die. Thy soul that brought thy body hither, that
causeth it now to hear and understand, that carrieth it up
and down the world, must very shortly be required of thee,
and must seek another habitation. What thoughts hast
thou of thy departing soul ? AVUI Christ receive it ? Hast
thou made sure of that ? Or hast thou made it thy princi
pal care and business to make sure ? Oh, what doth in
toxicate the brains of sensual, worldly men, that they drown
themselves in the cares of this Ufe, and ride and run for
transitory riches, and Uve upon the sraoke of honour and
applause, and never soberly and seriously bethink them
whether Christ -wiU receive their departed souls ! That they
can fiU their minds -vrith other thoughts, and fUl their mouths
vrith other talk, and consume their time in other inconsider
able employments, and take no more care, and spend no
more thoughts, and words, and time about the entertain
ment of their departing souls ! 'When they are even ready
to be gone, aud stand, as it were, on tiptoe; when fevers,
and consumptions, and many hundred diseases are aU abroad
so busUy distributing their summonses ; and when the gates
of death have so many passengers crowding in, and souls a
remaking such haste away, -vriU you not consider what shall
become of yours ? WiU you say that you hope weU, and
you must venture ? If God had appointed you nothing to
do to prepare for your safe passage and entertainment vrith
Christ, you might then take up vrith such an answer ; but it
is a mad adventure to leave aU undone that is necessary to
j'our salvation, and then to say, you must put it to the ven
ture. If you die in an unrenewed and unjustified state, it
is past aU venture ; for it is certain that Christ -vriU not re
ceive you. You may talk of hoping, but It Is not a matter
to be hoped for. Hope that God -vriU make good every
word of his promise, and spare not ; but there is no more
hope that Christ -vrill receive the souls of any but of his
members, than there is that he vriU prove a Uar. He never
promised to save any others ; and that is not aU, but he hath

224 THE LAST WORK OF .\ BELIEVER.
declared and professed frequently that he wiU not. And you
are no beUevers tf j'ou wUl not beUeve him ; and if you be
Ueve him, you must beUeve that the unbeUevers, the unre
generate, the unholj', and the workers of iniquity, shall not
be received into the kingdom of heaven, for he hath professed
it, John ui. 3, 36 ; Heb. xu. 14; Matt. -vni. 23.
If Christ would receive the souls of aU, your venture then
had reason for it ; or ffhe had left it as a thing that depended
only on his unrevealed wUl, and not on any preparations of
our o-wn, we might then have quit ourselves of the care, and
cast it aU on him, as being his part, and none of ours. But
it is not so, I hope I need not teU you that it is not so.
BeUeve it, the question must be now resolved, and resolved
by yourselves, whether Christ shaU receive your departed
souls, or cast them off as firebrands for heU. He hath made
the law, and set down the terms already to which he wUl
unalterably stand, and which we must trast to. It is now
that you must labour to be accepted of him, " for we must
all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that
he hath done, whether it be good or bad," 2 Cor. v. 10.
O sirs ! this is the reason of our importunity -vrith you.
" Knowing the terror ofthe Lord, we persuade men," saith
the apostle in the next words, ver. 11. We know that the
sentence -will be just, and that it is uow in your own hands
what judgment then shall pass upon you. And ff just now
your souls were passing hence, before you went from the
place you sit in, would you think any care could be too
great to make sure that they should go to happiness. Oh
that you would consider how much it is your O'wn work, and
how much it resteth on yourselves what Christ shaU then do
'vrith you ! Then you 'vriU cry to him for mercy, O cast not
away a raiserable soul ! Lord, receive me into thy kingdom !
But now he must entreat you to be saved, and to be the
people that he may then receive, and you 'vrill not hear him.
And ff you wUl not hear hira when he caUeth on you, and
beseecheth you to repent and to prepare, as sure as Christ
is Christ, he vriU not hear j-ou when you cry and caU for

THE L-\ST WORK OF .V BELIEVER. J:iO
mercy too late In yoxii extremity. Read Prov. i. and you
vrill see this Is true. It is you that are to be entreated that
Christ may receive you, for the unwiUingness and backward
ness is ou yom- part. You iu-e now poisoning your souls by
sin ; and when we cannot entreat you either to forbear, or
to take the vorait of repentance, yct when you are gasping
and dymg of j'Our own wUfiU seff-miu-der, you vrill then cry
to Chiist, and think he must receive you upon ternis incon
sistent -with his justice, holiness, and truth. But flatter not
J-ourselves, it -wiU not be. This is the accepted time ; be
hold, now is the day of Sidvatlon. Refuse it now, and it Is
lost for ever. O sirs, ff this were the hour, and you were
presently to be received or refiised, would j-ou blame me to
cry and caU to you with all the fervour of my soul, ff I knew
that it were in your O'wn choice whether you would go to
heaven or heU? A\liy,now it is in j'Our choice. Lffe and
death are set before you. Chiist vriU receive j'OU ff you wUl
but come -vrithin the capacity of his acceptation. If j-ou wiU
not, there -wiU then be no remedy. It is a dolefiU thing to
observe how Satan doth be-vritch poor sinners. That when
time is gone, and the door of mercy is shut against them,
they would think no cries too loud for mercj', and no impor
tunity too great. For Christ teUeth us, that then they vriU
cry, " Lord, Lord, open to us," Matt. xxv. 10, 11. And
yet now, when the door stands open, no arguraents, no ear
nestness, no tears, oan entreat them to enter in. Then there
is not the most senseless sinner of you aU but would cry
more strongly thau Esau for the blessing, when his tears
could find no place for repentance, Heb. xn. 16, 17 ; Lord,
receive a miserable soul ! O whither shall I go ff thou re
ceive me not ! I must else be tormented in those scorching
flames. And yet now you vriU sell your birthright for one
morsel ; for a Uttle of Judas's or Gehari's gam, for the ap
plause of worms, for the pleasing of your flesh that is turn
ing to corruption, for the deUghts of gluttony, drunkenness,
sports, or lust. There is not a man of you but would theu
pray more earnestly than those that you now deride for
r

226 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
earnest praying, as ff they whined, and were ridiculous. And
J-et now you wUl neither be serious In prayer, nor hear
Christ, or his messengers, when he maketh it his earnest re
quest to you to come in to hira that you may have Ufe, John
V. 40. Then you wUl knock when the door is shut, and
cry. Lord, open to a miserable sinner ! and yet now you -vrill
not open unto him, when by his word and Spirit, his mercies
and afflictions, he standeth at the door of your stubborn
hearts, and calleth on you to repent and tum to God ; now
our entreaties cannot so much as bring you ou j-our knees,
or bring you to one hour's serious thoughts about the state
of those souls that are so near their doom. 0 sirs ! for
your souls' sake, lay by your obstinacy. Pity those souls
that then you vrill beg of Christ to pity. Do not j'OU damn
them by your sloth and sin in the day of your risitation, and
then cry in vain to Christ to save them when it is too late.
Yet the door of grace Is open, but hovv speedily wUl it be
shut ! One stroke of an apoplexy, a, consuraption, u, fever,
can quickly shut it, and theu you may tear your hearts with
crying, " Lord, open to us," and aU in vain. O did you
but see departed souls, as you see the corpse that is left be
hind ; did you see how they are treated at their removal
from the flesh ; how some are taken and others left ; how
some are welcomed to Chiist, and others are abhorred, and
turned over to the tormentor, and thrust out with implacable
'mdlgnation and disdain, Luke xiu. 28 ; Prov. I. 24, 26, 27 ;
sure you would enter into serious consideration this day,
what it Is that makes this difference, and why Christ so useth
the one and the other, and what must be done now by the
soul that would be received then. Alas ! men vrill do any
thmg but that which they should do. Among the supersti
tious papists the conceit of a deUverance from purgatory
raakes thera bequeath their lands and raoneys to priests and
friars to pray for them when they are dead, and to have
other men cry to Christ to receive them, and open to them,
when time is past; and yet now in the accepted tirae,
now when it Is at your choice, and the door is open, men live

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 227
as tf thej' were past feeUng, and cared not what became of
them at the last, and would not be beholden to Christ to' re
ceive them, when the deceitful world hath cast them off.
And now, beloved hearers all, I would make it my most
e.irnest request to jou, as one that knoweth we are all pass
ing hence, and foreseeth the case of a departed soul, that you
would now, vrithout any more delay, prepare and make sure
that J-ou maj- be received into the everlasting habitations:
and to this end, I shaU more distinctly, though briefly, teU
you, 1. What souls they are that Christ wUl receive, and
what he -vriU not ; and, consequently, what you must do to
be received. 2. AThat considerations should stir you up to
this preparation.
1 . Nothing is more sure than that Christ vriU not receive,
1. Any unregenerate, unconverted soul, John iu. 3, 5 ;
^latt. xviu. 3 ; that is, not renewed and sanctified by his
Spirit, Rom. viu. 9; Heb. xii. 14; Acts xxri. 18. They
must have the new and heavenly nature that -vriU ever come
to heaven. AA'ithout this you are morally incapable of it.
Heaven is the proper inheritance of saints. Col. i. 12. This
heavenly nature and Spirit is your eamest : ff you have this
you are sealed up unto salvation, 2 Cor. i. 22 ; Eph. i. 13 ;
iv. 30.
2. Christ -vriU receive none but those that make it now
their work to lay up a treasure in heaven, rather than upon
the earth. Matt. ri. 20, 21 ; and that seek it in the first
Jilace, Matt. ri. 33 ; and can be content to part -vrith all to
purchase it, Matt. xui. 44, 46 ; Luke xiv. 33 ; x-vin. 22.
An earthly-minded worldUng is incapable of heaven in that
condition, PhU. in. 17, 18; Luke xvi. 13. You must take
it for your portion, and set your hearts on it, ff ever you -vriU
come thither, Matt. ri. 21; Col. ui. 1-3.
3. Christ -wUl receive no soul at last, but such as sincerely
received him as their Lord and Sariour now, and gave up
themselves to him, and received his word, and yield obe
dience to It, and received his Spirit, and were cleansed by
him from their iniquities, John i. 11, 12; Luke xix. 27.
" That aU they might be damned that believed not the tmth,

228 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
but had pleasure in unrighteousness," 2 Thess. u. 10, 12.
They are God's own words ; be not offended at them, but
beUeve and fear. " He hateth all the workers of iniquity,"
and -wUl say to them, " Depart from me, I know you not,"
Psahn V. 5 ; Matt. rii. 23.
4. He -wUl receive none but those that loved his servants,
that bore his holy image, and received them accordihg to
thefr abUities, Matt. xxv. 40, 41, &c. And ff he -wUl say
to those that did not entertaui them, " Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire," what wUl he say to those that
hate and persecute them? 1 John iii. 14 ; v. 2.
5. He -vriU receive none but those that Uve to him in the
body, and use his gifts and talents to his serrice, and make
it their chief business to serve, and honour, and please him
in the world. Matt. xxv. 21, 26; 2 Cor. v. 9, 15; Gal. ri.
7, 8 ; and Uve not to the pleasing of the flesh, but have cru
cified it and its lusts, Rora. -viu. 1, 13 ; Gal. v. 24.
Examine aU these texts of Scripture (for the matter is
worthy of your study), and you -wiU see what souls they
are that Christ vriU then receive, and what he -vriU rejeet.
You may see also what you must now be and do, ff you vrill
be then received. If you are not regenerate by the Spirit of
God (though you may be sacramentally regenerate in
baptism) ; ff you are not justified by Christ (though you may
be absolved by a minister) ; ff you seek not heaven -vrith
higher estimation and resolutions than any feUcity on earth,
and take not God for your satisfying portion (though you
be never so religious in subserriency to n fleshly, worldly
happiness) ; ff you receive not Christ as j'Our only Saviour,
and set hira not in the throne and govemment of j'Our
hearts and Uves (though you may go -vrith men for current
Christians) ; tf you hate not sin, ff j'OU love not the holy
image and chUdren of God, and use them not accordingly ;
ff you crucffy not the flesh, and die not to the world, and
deny not yourselves, and live not unto God, as making It
your chief business and happiness to please him ; I say, if
this be not your case, as sure as you are men, if you died
this hour in this condition, Christ -vrill not own you, but

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 229
turn J-ou off -vrith a " Depart, j-e cursed." You may as
well think of reconciUng light and darkness, or persuade a
man to Uve on the food of beasts, or the stomach to wel
come deadly poison, as to think that Christ wiU receive an
ungodly, earthly, guUty soul.
Deceive not youi-selves, sinners. If God could have en
tertained the ungodly, and heaven could hold unholy souls,
answer me, then, these two or three questions.
Quest. 1. AATiat need Christ, then, to have shed his
blood, or become a sacrifice for sin ? If he could have re
ceived the ungodlj', he might have done it upon cheaper
rates. This feigned him to have died to no purpose, but
to bring the unsanctified to heaven, that might have been
as weU entertained there -vrithout his sufferings.
Quest. 2. To what use doth Chiist send the Holy Ghost
to sanctify his elect, or send his word and ministers to pro
mote it, ff they may come to heaven unsanctified ?
Quest. 3. If the ungodly go to heaven, what use is hell
for? There is no heU, ff this be ti-ue. But you -vrill
quickly find that to be too good news to the ungodly to be
true. 2. In Luke xri. Christ teacheth us our duty by the
parable of the steward, that asketh himseff beforehand, what
he shaU do when he must be no longer steward, and con-
taiveth it so that others may receive him when he is cast off;
and he appUeth it to us that must now so provide, that
when we faU we may be received into the everlasting habi
tations. This is the work that we have aU to mind. Wo
always knew that this world would faU us. Oh how uncer
tain is your tenure of the dwellings that j'Ou now possess !
Are you prorided, certainly prorided, whither to go, and
who shaU receive you when j'Our stewardship is ended, and
you must needs go hence? O think of these considerations
that should move you presently to proride.
1 . Your cottages of earth are ready to drop down, and
it is a stormy time, there are many sicknesses abroad.
One blast may quickly lay them in the dust ; and then the
flesh that had so much care, and was thought worthy to

230 THE LAST WORK OF .\ BELIEVER.
be prefeiTcd before the soul, must be laid and left to rot
in darkness, to avoid the annoyance of the Uving : and when
vou may justly look every hour when you are turned out of
these dwellings that you are in, is It not tune to be pro
rided of some other ?
2. Consider, ff Christ should not receive thy spirit, how
unspeakably deplorable thy case vrill be. I think there is
no man in iiU this assembly so mad, that would take aU the
world now to have his soul refused then by Christ, that
would professedly make and subscribe such a bargain ; and
yet, alas, how many are they that -vrill be hired for a smaUer
price, even for the pleasure of a sin, to do that vvhich
Christ himself hath told them wUl cause him to refuse
them ! O sirs, for aught you know, before to-morrow, or
-vrithin this week, you may be put to know these things by
trial, and your souls may be refused or received ; and woe
to J'OU that ever j'ou were men, ff Christ receive you not.
Consider, 1. If Christ receive thee not, thou hast no
friend left then to receive thee. Thy house, and land, and
riches, and reputation, are all left behind ; none of them
wIU go vrith thee ; or, ff they did, they could afford thee no
reUef. Thy bosom fnends, thy powerful defenders, are aU
left behind ; or ff they go before thee, or vrith thee, they
can do nothing there, that could do so much for thee here.
No minister so holy, no fi-iend so kind, no patron so power
ful, that can give thee any entertainment, ff Christ refuse to
entertain thee. Look to the right hand or to the left, there
will be none to help thee, or care for thy forsaken soul.
Then thou wUt find that one Christ had been a better friend
than all the great ones upon earth.
2. If Christ, then, receive not thy departed soul, the
devUs wUl receive it. I am loth to speak so terrible a word,
but that it must be spoken, ff you -vriU be awaked to pre
vent it. He that deceived thee -vrill then plead conquest,
and claini thee as his due, that he may torment thee. And
ff the deril say. This soul is mine, and Christ do not rescue
and justify thee, but say so too, no heart Is able to conceive
the horror that will then overwhelm thee. Doth not the

THE I..\ST WOUK tlF A BELIEVER. 231
reading of the sentence make thee tremble, " Depart fi-ora
me, J-e cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devU
and his angols?" Matt. xxv. 41. This Is that dreadful
deUvering up to Satan, when the soul Is excommunicated
from the city of God. O, therefore, ff thou be yet uiire-
concUed to God, agree vrith him quiekly, whUe thou art
here in the way, lest he deUver thee to this terrible jaUer
and executioner, and thou be cast into the prison of the
bottondess pit: "A'erUj-, I saj- unto thee, thou shalt by no
means corae out thence tlU thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing," Matt. v. 25, 26.
3 . The greatness of the change wiU increase the amaze
raent and misery of thj' spirit, ff Christ receive it not. To
leave a world that thou wast acquainted vrith ; a world that
pleased thee, and entertained thee ; a world where thou
hadst long thy business and deUght, and where, -wretched
man, thou hadst made the chief provision, and laid up thj'
treasure : this -vriU be a sad part of the change. To enter
Into a world where thou art a stranger, and much worse,
and see the company and the things that before thou never
sawest, and to find things go there so contrary to thy expec
tation ; to be tumed, -vrith Dives, from thy sumptuous dweU
ing, attendance, and fare, into a place of easeless torraent :
this -vriU be a sadder part of thy change. Here the rich
would have received thee, the poor would have served and
flattered thee, thy fnends would have comforted thee, thy
play-feUows would have been merry -vrith thee. But there,
alas ! how the case is altered ! aU these have done ; the table
is vrithdra-wn, the game is ended, the mirth is ceased, and
now succeedeth, " Son, remember that thou in thy Ufe-time
receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil things : but
now he is confforted, and thou art tormented," Luke xri.
25. Oh, dreadful change to those that made the world
their home, and Uttle dreamed, or did but dream, of such a
day ! Never to see this world again, unless by such re-
riews as wUl torment them ; never to have sport or pleasure
more ; and for these to have such company, such thoughts,
such work and usage, as God hath told us is in heU.

232 THE LAST WORK OF ,V BELIEVER.
4. If Christ receive thee not, the burden of thy sins wUl
overwhelm thee, and conscience wUl have no relief Sin
wUl not then appear in so harmless a shape as now : it wIU
then seem a more odious or fiightful thing. Oh, to re
member these days of folly, of careless, sluggish, obstinate
folly, of sottish neghgence, and contempt of grace, wIU be
a more torraenting thing than you will now believe. If
such sermons and discourses as foretell it are troublesorae
to thee, what then will that sad experience be !
5. The -wrath of an offended God wUl overwhelm thee.
This wUl be thy hell. He that was so mercfful in the time
of mercy, wUl be most terrible and implacable when that
tirae is past, and make men know that Christ and mercy
are not neglected, refused, and abused at so cheap a rate,
as they would needs imagine in the tirae of their deU-
riura. 6. It wUl overwhelm the soul ff Christ receive it not, to
see that thou art entering upon eternity, even into an ever
lasting state of woe. Tlien thou wUt think, O whither am
I going? AATiat must I endure ? and how long, how long?
AATien shall my raiseries havo an end? and when shall I
corae back ? and how shall I ever be deUvered ? Oh now
what thoughts wUt thou have of the wonderful design ot
God in man's redemption ! Now thou vrilt better under
stand what a Sariour was worth, and hovv he should have
been beUeved in, and how his gospel and his saring grace
should have been entertained.
Oh that the Lord would now open your hearts to enter
tain it, that you may not then value it to your vexation,
that would not value it now to your relief! Poor sinner,
for the Lord's sake, and for thy soul's sake, I beg now of
thee, as tf it were on my knees, that thou wouldst cast
away thy sinful cares and pleasures, and open thy heart,
and no-w receive thy Sariour and his saring grace, as ever
thou wouldst have him then receive thy trembUng, departed
soul ! Turn to him now, that he may not tum thee from
him then. Forsake him not for a flattering world, a Uttle
transitory, vain deUght, as ever thou wouldst not then have

THE I..VST WORK OF A BELIEVER. I'So
thy departed soul forsaken by him ! O delay not, man,
but now, even now receive him, that thou niajst avoid so
tenible a danger, and put so gi-eat a question presently out
of doubt, and be .able comfortably to say, I have received
Chiist, and he vrill receive me ; ff I die this night he wUl
receive me : then thou majst sleep quietlj-, and Uve merrilj',
vrithout any disparagement to thy reason. O yield to this
request, sinner, of one that desfreth thj- salvation. If thou
wert now departing, and I would not pray earnestly to
Christ to receive thy soul, thou wouldst think I were un
charitable. Alas ! It -wiU be one of these days ; and it is
thee that I must entreat, and thj-seff must be prevailed with,
or there is no hope. Chiist sendeth me to thyseff, and
saith, that he Is wUUng to receive thee, if now thou wUt re
ceive him, and be sanctified and ruled by him. The matter
stops at thj- own regardless, wUiul heart. AATiat sayest
thou ? Wilt thou receive Christ now, or not ? Wilt thou
be a new creature, and Uve to God, bj' the principle of his
Spirit, and the nde of his word, to please him here, that
thou mayst Uve -vrith him for ever ? AA''Ut thou take up this
resolution, and make this covenant vrith God this day ? O
give me a word of comfort, and say, thou art resolved, and
vrilt deUver up thj-seff to Christ. That which is ray com
fort now on thj' behaff, wUl be ten thousand-fold more thy
comfort then, when thou partakest of the benefit. And ff
thou grieve us now, by denjing thy soul to Christ, it wUl
be at last ten thousand-fold more thy grief. Refuse not
our requests and Christ's request now, as ever thou wouldst
not have him refuse thee then, and thy requests. It is
men's turning away now from Christ that wUl cause Christ
then to tum from them. " The turning away ofthe simple
slayeth them, and they then eat but the fhut of their own
way, and are fiUed vrith thefr own derices," Prov. i. 31,
32. " See then that ye now refuse not him tl^t speaketh ;
for there is no escaping tf you turn away from hira that
speaketh from heaven," Heb. xu. 25.
AATiat would you say yourselves to the man that would
not be dissuaded from setting his house on fire, and then

234 THE LAST WORK OF .V BELIEVER.
would pray and cry importuniitcly to God that he would
keep it from being burnt ? Or of the raan that wUl not be
dissuaded fi-om taking poison, and then when it gripeth him
will crj' to God to save his Ufe ? Or of thc raan that vrill
go to sea in a leaking, broken vessel, yea, hiraself -vriU make
those breaches in it that shall let the water in, and when it
is sinldng vrill cry to God to save him from being di-owned?
And vrill you do this about so great a matter as the ever
lasting state of your iraraortal souls ? AVIU you novv be
worUUings, and sensualists, and migodly, and undo your
selves, and then cry, " Lord Jesus, receive ray spu-it," at
the last ? AA'hat ! receive an unholy spirit ? AVUI you not
knock tlU the door is shut? when he teUeth j'ou, that " it
is not every one that wUl cry Lord, Lord, that shall enter
into the Idngdom of heaven, but he that doth the vriU of his
Father which Is in heaven," Matt. -vii. 21.
Lastlj', consider vrith what unspeakable joy it wUl fiU thy
soul to be then received by the Lord. Oh what a joj'ful
word wUl it be, when thou shalt hear, " Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdora prepared for you." If
thou -vrilt not have this to be thy case, thou shalt see those
received to the Increase of thy grief whora thou refusedst
here to imitate : " There shaU be weeping and gnashing of
teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all
the prophets in the kingdom of God, and those that from
east, west, north, and south, shaU sit there vrith them, and
thou thrust out," Luke xui. 27-29.
I have been long hi this part of my appUcation, haring
to do with souls that are ready to depart, and are iu so sad
an unprepared state, as is not to be thought on but -vrith
great compassion ; I am next to corae to that part of the
application which I chiefly intended, to those that are the
heus of life.
2. O j'ojjthat are members of Jesus Christ, receive this
cordial which may corroborate your hearts against aU inordi
nate fears of death. Let it corae when it wUl, you may
boldly recommend your departing souls into the hands of
Christ. Let it be by a lingering disease or by an acute, by

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEV ER. :^35
a natural or a riolent death, at the fiUncss of j-our age or
in the flower of your jouth, death can but sojiarate the soul
from flesh, but not fi-om Chiist : whether jou die poor or
rich, at libertj' or in prison, in j-our native country or a
foreign land, whether j'Ou be bmied in the earth or cast Into
the sea, death shaU but send j-our souls to Christ. Though
JOU die under the reproach and slanders of the world, and
J-om- names be cast out among men as evil-doers, j-et Christ
will take yom- spu-its to himseff. Though your souls depart
in fear and trembling, though they want the sense of the
love of God, and doubt of pardon and peace vrith him, yet
Christ -wiU receive them.
I know thou vrilt be ready to saj-, that thou art unworthy,
A\'Ill he receive so unworthj- a soul as mine ? But ff thou
be a member of Christ thou art worthy in him to be ac
cepted. Thou hast a worthiness of aptitude, and Christ
hath a worthiness of merit.
The day that cometh upon such at unawares, that have
thefr hearts overcharged -vrith surfeiting, drunkenness, and the
cares of this lffe, and as a snare surpriseth the inhabitants
of the earth, shall be the day of thy great deUverance ;
" AVatch J-e, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape aU these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man," Luke xxi.
34-36. " They that are accounted worthy to obtain that
world can die no more ; for they are equal unto the angels,
and are the chUdren of God," Luke xx. 35, 36.
Object. Oh but my sins are great and many ; and vriU
Christ ever receive so ignorant, so earthly and impure a
soul as mine ?
Answ. If he have freed thee from the reign of sin, by
giving thee a vrill that would fain be fully deUvered from It,
and given thee a desire to be perfectly holy, he -vriU finish
the work that he hath begun ; and -vrill not bring thee de
fUed iuto heaven, but -vriU wash thee In his blood, and sepa
rate aU the reranant of corruption from thy soul, when
he separateth thy soul from flesh : there needs no pur
gatory, but his blood and Spirit in the instant of death

236 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIE\'ER.
shall deUver thee, that he may present thee spotless to the
Father. O fear not then to trust thy soul vrith him that wiU re
ceive it ; and fear not death that can do thee no more harm.
And when once thou hast overcome the fears of death, thou
wilt be the more resolute in thy duty, and faithful to Christ,
and above the power of most temptations, and vrilt not fear
the face of man, when death is the worst that man can bring
thee to. It is true, death Is dreadful ; but it is as true that
the arms of Christ are joyful. It is an unpleasing thing to
leave the bodies of our friends in the earth ; but It is un
speakable pleasure to their souls to be received Into the
heavenly society by Clirist.
And how confidently, quietly, and comfortably you maj-
coraraend your departing spirits to be received by Christ, be
informed by these considerations following.
1 . Your spfrits are Christ's own ; and may you not trust
hun with his o-wn ? As they are his by the title of creation,
" All souls are mine, saith the Lord," Ezek. xviu. 4 ; so
also by the title of rederaption, " AA'^e are not our own, we
are bought vrith a price," 1 Cor. ri. 19.
Say therefore to him, Lord, I am thine much more than
my own ; receive thine own, take care of thine ovvn. Thou
drewest me to consent to thy gTacious covenant, and I re
signed myself and all I had to thee. And thou swarest to
me, and I became thine, Ezek. xri. 8. And I stand to the
covenant that I made, though I have offended thee. I am
sinful, but I am thine, and would not forsake thee, and
change my Lord and Master, for a world. O know thine
own, and o-wn my soul that hath o-wned thee, though it hath
sinned against thee. Thy sheep know thy voice, and foUow
not a stranger ; now know thy poor sheep, and leave them
not to the devourer. Thy lambs have been preserved by
thee among wolves in the world, preserve me now from the
enemy of souls. I am thine, O save me (Psal. cxix. 94),
and lose not that which is thine own !
2. Consider that thou art his upon so dear a purchase,
as that he Is the more engaged to receive thee. Hath he

THE L-iST WORK OF -V BELIEVER. 237
bought thee by the price of his most precious blood, and
vriU he cast thec off? Hath he come do'wn on e.arth to seek
and save thee, and vrill he now forsake theo? Hath he
Uved in flesh a Ufe of poverty, and suffered reproach, and
scorn, and buffetings, and been naUed to tho cross, and put
to cry out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me ? '' and wUl he now forget his love, and sufferings, and
hiraseff forsake thee after this ? Did he himseff on the cross
commend his spfrit into his Father's hands, and -vrill he not
receive thy spu-it when thou at death commendest it to him ?
He hath kno-wn himseff what it is to have a human soul
separated from the body, and the body bmied in a grave,
and there lamented by surriring fiiends. And why did he
this, but that he might be fit to receive and reUeve thee in
the like condition? O, who would not be encouraged to
encounter death, and Ue down in a grave, that believeth
that Christ did so before him, and considereth why he went
that way, and what a conquest he had made !
I know an arguraent from the death of Christ wiU not
prove his love to the souls of the ungodly so as to infer that
he wiU receive them ; but it -wiU prove his reception of be
Uevers' souls : " He that spared not his own Son, but gave
him up for us aU, how shaU he not -vrith him also freely give
us aU things?" (Rom. -viu. 32,) is an infaUible argument
as to beUevers, but not as to those that do reject him.
Saj' therefore to him, O my Lord ! can it be that thou
couldst come down in the flesh, and be abused, and spit
upon, and slandered, and crucifled ; that thou couldst bleed,
and die, and be buried for me, and now be unwUling to re
ceive me ? that thou shouldst pay so dear for souls, and now
refuse to entertain them? that thou shouldst die to save
them from the devil, and now wUt leave them to his cruelty ?
that thou hast conquered him, and yet vrilt suffer him at
last to have the prey ? To whom can a departing soul fly
for refuge, and for entertainment, tf not to thee that diedst
for souls, and sufferedst thine to be separated from the flesh,
that we might have all assurance of thy compassion unto
ours ? Thou didst openly declare upon the cross, that the

238 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
reason of thy djing was to receive departed souls, when thou
didst thus encourage the soul of a penitent malefactor, bj'
telling him, " This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.''
O give the same encouragement or entertainment to this
sinful soul that flieth unto thee, that trusteth in thy death
and merits, and is coraing to receive thy doom !
3. Consider that Jesus Christ is fuU of love and tender
compassion to souls. AATiat his tears over Lazarus com
pelled the Jews to say, " Behold how he loved hira," John
xi. 36 ; the sarae his incarnation, lffe, and death should
ranch raore stir us up to say, vrith greater admfration. Be
hold how he loved us. The foregoing words, though the
shortest verse in all the Bible, " Jesus wept" (verse 85),
are long enough to prove his love to Lazarus : and the Holy
Ghost would not have the tears of Chiist to be unknown to
us, that his love may be the better known. But we have a
far larger demonstration of his love ; " He loved us and gave
himself for us," Gal. u. 20. And by what gift could he bet
ter testffy his love? " He loved us, and washed us In his
blood," Rev. i. 5. He loved us, as the Father loveth hira,
John XV. 9. And raay we not Corafortably go to him that
loved us? WUl love refuse us when we fly unto him?
Say then to Christ, O thou that hast loved my soul, re
ceive it ! I commend it not unto an enemj'. Can that love
reject rae, and cast rae into hell, that so oft erabraced me
on earth, and hath declared itself by such ample testimo
nies! Oh had we but more love to Christ, we should be raore
sensible of his love to us, and then we should trust him, and
love would make us hasten to him, and vrith confidence cast
ourselves upon him !
4. Consider that it Is the office of Christ to save souls,
and to receive them, and therefore we may boldly recom
mend them to his l«,nds. The Father sent him to be the
Sariour of the world, 1 John iv. 14 ; and he is effectuaUy
the Sariour of his body, Eph. v. 23. And may we not trust
him In his undertaken office, that would trust a physician or
any other in his office, tf we judge him faithful ? Yea, he is

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 239
engaged bj' covenant to rccchc us : when we gave up our
selves to him, he also becaine ours ; and we did it on this
condition, that he should receive and save us. And It was
the condition of his own undertaking ; he drew the cove-
vant hiraseff and tendered it fu-st to us, and assumed his own
conditions, as he imposed ours.
Say then to him, Mj- Lord, I expected but the perform
ance of thy covenants, and the discharge of thine under
taken office : as thou hast caused me to beUeve in thee, and
love and serve thee, and perform the conditions which thou
laidest on me, though vrith many sinful fadings, which thou
hast pardoned ; so now let ray soul, that hath trusted on
thee, have the fuU experience of thy fideUtj-, and take rae to
thyseff according to thy covenant. " O now reraember the
word unto thj' servant, upon which thou hast caused him
to hope!" Psal. cxix. 49. How raany precious promises
hast thou left us, that we shaU not be forsaken by thee, but
that we shaU be -vrith thee where thou art, that we raay be
hold thj' glory ! For this cause art thou the Mediator of the
new covenant, that by means of death for the redemption of
the transgressions that were under the first testament, they
which are caUed might receive the proraise of eternal inheri
tance, Heb. ix. 15. According to thy covenant, " GodU
ness hath the promise of the Ufe that now is, and of that
which is to corae," 1 Tim. iv. 8. And when we have done
thy wiU (notvrithstanding our lamentable imperfections) we
are to receive the proraise, Heb. x. 36. O, now receive me
into the kingdom which thou hast promised to them that
love thee! James i. 12.
5. Consider how able Christ is to answer thine expecta
tions. AU power is given him In heaven and earth (Matt.
xxvui. 19), and all things are given by the Father into his
hands, John xiu. 3. AU judgment is committed to him,
John V. 22. It is fidly in his power to receive and save
thee ; and Satan cannot touch thee but by his consent.
Fear not, then ; he is the first and last, that Uveth, and was
dead ; and behold he Uveth for ever more, amen ; and hath
the keys of heU and death, Rev. I. 17, 18.

240 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
Say, then. If thou -vrilt. Lord, thou canst save this de
parting soul ! O, say but the word, and I shaU Uve ! Lay
but thy rebuke upon the destroyer, and he shall be restrain
ed. AVhen my Lord and dearest Saviour hath the keys,
how can I be kept out of thy kingdom, or cast into the burn
ing lake ? AVerc it a matter of difficulty unto thee, my soul
might fear lest heaven would not be opened to it ; but thy
love hath overcome the hindrances ; and It Is as easy to re
ceive me as to love me.
6. Consider how perfectly thy Saviour is acquainted with
the place that thou art going to, and the corapany and era
ployraent which thou must there have ; and, therefore, as
there Is nothing strange to him, so the ignorance and strange
ness in thyseff should therefore make thee fly to him, .and
trust him, and recommend thy soul to him, and say, Lord,
it would be ten-ible to my departing soul to go into a world
that I never saw, and into a place so strange, and unto
company so far above me ; but that I know there is no
thing strange to thee, and thou knowest it for me, and I
may better trust thy knowledge than mine own. When I
was a cliUd I knew not mine o-wn inheritance, nor what was
necessary to the daily prorisions for my lffe ; but my parents
knew it that cared for me. The eyes must see for aU the
body, and not every member see for itseff. Oh, cause me
as quietly and beUevingly to commit my soul to thee, to be
possessed of the gloi-y which thou seest and possessest, as ff
I had seen and possessed it myseff, and let thy knowledge
be my trust !
7. Consider that Christ hath prorided a glorious recep
tacle for faithful souls, and it cannot be imagined that he
vrill lose his preparations, or be frustrate of his end. All
that he did and suffered on earth was for this end. He
therefore becarae the Captain of our salvation, and was
made perfect through sufferings, that he might bring many
sons to glorj', Heb. u. 10. He hath takeu possession in
our nature, and is himseff interceding for us in the heavens,
Heb. vu. 25. And for whom doth he provide this heavenly
building, not made vrith hands, but for beUevers ? If,

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 241
therefore, any inordinate fear surprise thee, remember what
he hath said : '• Let not j-our heai-ts be troubled : j-e be
lieve in God, beUeve also in me. In my Father's house are
many mansions : ff it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for vou ; and ff I go and prepare a
place for j-ou, I wiU come again, and receive you unto my
seff; that where I am, there je maj' be also," John xiv. 1-8.
Say, therefore. Lord, when thou hadst made this lower
narrow world, thou wouldst not leave it uninhabited ; for
man thou madest it, and man thou placedst iu it. And
when thou hast prepared that more capacious, glorious world
for thy redeemed flock, it cannot be that thou wUt shut
them out. O, therefore, receive mj' fearful soul, and help
me to obey thy o-wn command, Luke xu. 32, " Fear not,
Uttle flock, for it is j'Our Father's good pleasure to give you
the kingdom." O, let me hear that joyful sentence, " Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation ofthe world," Matt. xxv. 34.
8. Consider that Christ hath received thy soul unto
grace, and therefore he -wUl receive it unto glory. He hath
quickened us who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein
in times past we walked, &c. But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherevrith he loved us, even when
we were dead in sins and trespasses, quickened us together
-vrith Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit to
gether in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph. u. 1-6.
The state of grace is the kingdom of heaven, as weU as the
state of glory. Matt. ui. 2 ; x. 7 ; xni. 11, 24, 31, 33, 44,
45, 47. By grace thou hast the heavenly birth and na
ture : we are first-bom to trouble aud sorrow in the world ;
but we are new-born to everlasting joj' and pleasure. Grace
maketh us heirs, and giveth us title, and therefore at death
we shall have possession. The Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us
again imto a Uvely hope, bj' the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible and uiide-
filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved In heaven for us,
1 Pet. i. 3, 4. The gi-eat work was done in the day of thy

242 THE LAST WORK OF -V. BELIEVER.
renovation ; then thou wast entered Into the household of
God, and made a feUow-cItlzen with tha saints, and re
ceivedst the Spfrit of adoption, Eph. u. 19 ; Gal. iv. 6. He
gave thee lffe etemal, when he gave thee knowledge of him
seff, and of his Son, John xvu. 3. And wUl he now take
from thee the kingdom which he hath given thee ? Thou
wast once his eneray, and he hath received thee already Into
his favour, and reconcUed thee to himself; and will he not
then receive thee to his glory? Rom. v. 8-11, " God com
mendeth his love toward us, in that, whUe we were j-et sin
ners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now jus
tified by his blood, we shaU be saved fi-om wrath through
him. For ff, when we were enemies, we were reconcUed to
God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconcUed,
we shaU be saved by his lffe. And not only so, but we also
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whora we
have now received the atoneraent." And when we have
peace -vrith God, being justified by faitli (Rora. v. 1), why
should we doubt whether he wUl receive us ? The great
impediments and cause of fear are now reraoved : unpardoned
sin is taken away, our debt is discharged. AA'^e have a
sufficient answer against all that can be alleged to the pre
judice of our souls : yea, it is Christ himself that answereth
for us ; it is he that justifieth, who then shall condemn us ?
WUl he not justify those at last whom he hath here justi
fied ? Or -vriU he justify us, and yet not receive us ? That
were both to justify and condemn us.
Depart, then, in peace, O fearful soul ; thou faUest Into
his hands that hath justified thee by his blood ; will he denj'
thee the inheritance of which he himself hath made thee
hefr, yea, a joint-heir -vrith himself? Rom. vui. 17. Will he
deprive thee of thy birthright, who himseff begot thee of
the incorruptible seed ? If he would not have received thee
to glory, he would not have drawn thee to himseff, and
have blotted out thine iniquities, and received thee by re
conciling grace. Many a time he hath received the secret
petitions, complaints, and groans which thou hast poured
out before hiui ; and hath given thee access with boldness

THE L,\ST WORK OF A BELIEA'ER. 243
tot his throne of grace, when thou couldst not have access
to m.an ; and he hath tal^en thee up, when man hath cast
thec off. Surely he that received thee so readily in thy dis
tress, wUl not now at last repent ldm of his love. As Ma-
noah's wffe said, " If the Lord were pleased to kUl us, he
would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering
at our hands, neither would he have shewed us aU these
things," Judg. xiu. 23. He hath received thee into his
church, and entertained thee with the deUghts and fatness
of his house (Psal. xxxvi. 8), and bid thee welcome to his
table, and feasted thee with his body and his blood, and
communicated In these his quickening Spirit ; and -vriU he
then disown thee, and refuse thee, when thou drawest
nearer him, and art cast upon him for thj' final doora ?
After so many receptions in the way of grace, dost thou yet
doubt of his receiving j'OU.
9. Consider how nearly thou art related to him in this
state of grace ; thou art his chUd, and hath he not the
bowels of a father ? AATien thou didst ask bread, he was not
used to give thee a stone ; and wUl he give thee hell, when
thou askest but the entertainment in heaven, which he hath
promised thee ? Thou art his friend (John xv. 14, 15), and
-vriU he not receive his friends ? Thou art his spouse, be
trothed to him the very day when thou consentedst to his
covenant ; and where then shouldst thou Uve but -vrith him?
Thou art a member of his bodj-, of his flesh and bone, Eph.
V. 80 ; and no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but
nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church,
verse 29 : as he came down in flesh to be a suitor to thee,
so he caused thee to let go aU for him ; and -vriU he now
forsake thee ? Suspect it not, but quietly resign thy soul
into his hands, aud say. Lord, take this soul that pleads rCr
lation to thee ; it is the voice of thy chUd that crieth to
thee ; the name of a father, which thou hast assumed to
wards me, is my encouragement. When thou didst caU us
out of the world unto thee, thou saidst, I -vrill receive you,
and I -wiU be a father to you, and ye shaU be my sons and
daughters, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. O our Father, which art in

244 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
heaven, shut not out thy children, the children of thy love
and promLse. The compassion that thou hast put into man
engageth him to relieve a neighbour, yea, an enemy, much
more to entertain a child; our chUdren and our fiiends dare
trust themselves upon our kindness and fidelitj-, and fear not
that we wiU reject them In thefr distress, or destroy them,
though they do sometimes offend us : our kindness is cruelty
In comparison of thine ; our love deserveth not the name
of love in comparison of thy most precious love. Thine is
the love of God, who is love itseff, 1 John iv. 8, 16 ; and
who is the God of love, 2 Cor. i. 18,11; and is answerable
to tliine omnipotency, omniscience, and other attributes :
but ours is the love of fi-all and finite sinfiil men. As we
maj- pray to thee to forgive us our trespasses, for we also
forgive those that have trespassed against us ; so we may
priiy to thee to receive us, though we have offended thee,
for even we receive those that have offended us. Hath thy
love unto thine own its breadth, and length, and height,
and depth ; and is it such as passeth knowledge ? Eph. in.
17-19. And yet canst thou exclude thine own, and shut
them out that cry unto thee ? Can that love, which washed
me and took me home when I lay wallowing in my blood,
reject rae, when it hath so far recovered me? Can that love
now thrust me out of heaven, that lately fetched me from
the gates of heU, and placed me among thy saints ? " AATiom
thou lovest, thou lovest to the end," John xiu. 1. " Thou
art not as man, that thou shouldst repent," Numb. xxiu.
19. " AVith thee Is no variableness, or shadow of turning,"
Jam. i. 17. If yesterday thou so freely lovedst me as to
adopt rae for thy child, thou vrilt not to-day refuse me, and
cast me into heU. Receive, Lord Jesus, a member of thy
body ; a weak one, indeed, but yet a member, and needeth
the more thy tenderness and compassion, who hast taught
us not to cast out om- infants, because they are smaU and
weak. " We haye forsaken all to cleave uijito thee, that
we might with thee be one flesh and spirit," Eph. v. 31 ;
1 Cor. ri. 17. O cut not off, and cast not out, thy mem
bers that are Ingrafted into thee. " Thou hast dwelt in me

THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 245
here by faith, and shall I not now dwell with thee ? " Eph.
iii. 17. Thou hast prayed to thc Father, that we may be
one in thee, and may be vrith thee to behold thy glory,
John xvii. 20-24 ; and wilt thou deny to receive me to that
glory, who pray but for what thou hast prayed to thy Fa
ther ? Death maketh no separation between thee and thy
members ; it dissolveth not the union of souls vrith thee,
though it separate them from the flesh ; and shall a part
of thj'seff be rejected and condemned ?
10. Consider that Christ hath sealed thee up unto sal
vation, and given thee the eamest of his Spfrit; and
therefore wiU cert.ainly receive thee, 2 Cor. i. 22 ; v. 6 ;
Eph. i. 13, 14; iv. 30. Say, therefore, to him. Be
hold, Lord, thy mark, thy seal, thine earnest : flesh and
blood did not iUuminate and renew me ; thy Spirit which
thou hast given me is my witness that I am thine, Kom. -viu.
16. And vrilt thou diso-wn and refuse the soul that thou
hast sealed ?
11. Consider that he that hath given thee a heavenly
mind, -vriU certainly receive thee into heaven. If thy trea
sure were not there, thy heart would never have been there.
Matt. ri. 21. Thy weak desfres do shew what he intends
thee for ; he kindled not those desfres in vain. Thy love to
him (though too smaU) is a certain proof that he intends not
to reject thee ; it cannot be that God can damn, or Christ
refiise, a soul that doth sincerely love him : he that loveth,
" dweUeth in God, and God in him," 1 John iv. 15, 16.
And shaU he not then dwell vrith God for ever ? God fit
teth the nature of every creature to its use, and agreeably
to the element in which they dweU ; and, therefore, when
he gave thee the heavenly nature (though but in weak be
ginnings), it shewed his -wiU to make thee an inhabitant of
heaven. Say, therefore, to him, O Lord, I had never loved thee
tf thou hadst not begun and loved me first; I had not
minded thee, or desired after thee, if thou hadst not kindled
these desires : it cannot be that thy grace itseff should be a
deceit and misery, and intended but to tantaUze us ; and

246 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
that thou hast set thy servants' souls on longmg for that
which thou wUt never give them. Thou wouldst not have
given rae the wedding-garraent, when thou didst inrite me,
tf thou hadst meant to keep me out : even the grain of mus
tard-seed which thou sowedst in my heart, was a kind of
proraise of the happuiess to which it tendeth. Indeed I have
loved thee so little, that I am ashamed of myseff, and con
fess ray cold indifferency deserves thy wrath ; but that I love
thee, and desfre thee, is thy gift, which signifieth the higher
satisfying gift : though I ara cold and duU, my eyes are to
wards thee ; it is thee that I mean when I can but groan : it
is long since I have bid this world away ; it shaU not be my
home or portion : O perfect what thou hast begun ; this is
not the time or place of my perfection ; and though my lffe
be now hid vrith thee in God, when thou appearest, let me
appear with thee in glory. Col. iii. 4. And, in the mean
time, let this soul enjoy its part that appeareth before thee ;
give me what thou hast caused me to love, and then I shaU
more perfectly love thee, when my thfrst is satisfied, and the
water which thou hast given me shaU spring up to everlasting
lffe, John iv. 14.
12. Consider, also, that he that hath engaged thee to
seek ffrst his kingdora, is engaged to give it them that do
sincerely seek it. He called thee off the pursuit of vanity
when thou wast foUovring the pleasures and profits of the
world ; and he c.aUed thee to labour for the food that perisheth
not, but endureth to everlasting Ufe, John ri. 27. Since
then it hath been thy care and business (notvrithstanding
aU thine imperfections), to seek and serve him, to please
and honour him, and so to run that thou mightest obtain.
Say, then. Though my sins deserve thy wrath, and no
thing that I have done deserve thy favour, yet godliness
hath thy promise ofthe lffe to come; and thou hast said, that
" he that seeks shaU find," Matt. -vii. 7,8. O now let me
find the kingdom that I have sought, and sought by thy en
couragement and help : it cannot be that any should have
cause to repent of serving thee, or suffer disappointment that
trusts upon thee. My labour for the world was lost and

THE L.\ST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 247
vain, but thou didst engage me to be steadfast and abound
in thy work, on this account, that mj- labour should not be
in vain, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Now give the full and final an
swer unto aU my prayers : now that I have done the fight,
and finished my course, let me find the crown of righteous
ness which thy mercy hath hud up, 2 Tim. iv. 8. O crown
thj' graces, and vrith thj- greatest raercies recompense and
perfect thy preparatory mercies, and let me be received to
thy glorj-, who have been guided by thy counsel, Psal.
Ixxiii. 24.
13. Consider that Christ hath afready received millions
of soiUs, and never was unfaithful unto any. There are
now vrith him the spirits of the just made perfect, that in
this lffe were imperfect as weU as you. AATiy, then, should
JOU not comfortably trust him vrith your souls? and say,
Lord, thou art the common salvation and refuge of thy
saints ; both strong and weak, even aU that are given thee
by the Father, shaU come to thee, and those that come thou
-vrilt in no -vrise cast out. Thousands have been entertained
by thee that were unworthy in themselves, as weU as I. It
is few of thy members that are now on earth, in compari
sou of those that are -vrith thee iu heaven. Admit me. Lord,
into the new Jerusalem : thou wUt have thy house to be
filled ; O, take my spirit into the number of those blessed
ones that shaU corae from east, west, north, and south, and
sit down 'vrith Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom ;
that we maj-, together -vrith etemal joj-s, give thanks and
praise to thee that hast redeeraed us to God by thy blood.
14. Consider that it is the -vriU ofthe Father himseff that
we should be glorified. He therefore gave us to his Son,
and gave his Son for us, to be our Sariour, " That whoso
ever beUeveth in him should not perish, but have everlast
ing lffe," John iu. 16, 17. All our salvation is the pro
duct of his love, Eph. u. 4; John ri. 37. John xri. 26,
27, " I say not that I -wUl pray the Father for you, for the
Father hiraself loveth you, because ye have loved me," &c.
John xiv. 21, "He that loveth me shaU be loved of my

248 THE LAST WORK OF .\ BELIEVER.
Father, and I vrill love him, and vrill manffest myseff to
him."
, , Say, therefore, with our dying Lord, " Father, into thy
hands I coraraend my spirit." By thy Son, who is the waj',
the truth, and the lffe, I come to thee, John xiv. 6. " Ful
ness of joy is in thy presence, and everlasting pleasures at
thy right hand," Psal. xri. 11. Thy love redeemed me,
Renewed and preserved me ; O now receive me to the fid
ness of thy love. This was thy wUl in sending thy Son,
that of aU that thou gavest hira he should lose nothing, but
Should raise it up at the last day. O let not now this soul
be lost that is passing to thee through the straits of death.
I had never corae unto thy Son, ff thou hadst not drawn me,
and ff I had not heard and leamed of thee, John ri. 44,
45. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
tl^at thou hast revealed to me, a babe, an idiot, the blessed
mj^teries of thy kingdom, Luke x. 21 ; Acts iv. 18. O
,no-w as the veU of flesh must be vrithdra-wn, and my soul be
parted from this body, -vrithdraw the veU of thy displeasure,
and shew, thy servant the glory of thy presence : that he
that hath seen thee but as in a glass, may see thee now -vrith
open face ; and when my earthly house of this tabernacle is
.dissolved, let me inhabit thy buUding not made with hands,
etemal in the heavens, 2 Cor. v. 1.
15. Lastly, Consider that God hath designed the ever
lasting glory of his name, and the pleasing of his blessed
wUl, in our salvation ; and the Son must triuraph in the per-
i.fection of his conquest of sin and Satan, and in the perfect
ing of our redemption ; and, doubtless, he wiU not lose his
Father's glory and his own. Say, then, vrith confidence, I
resign my soul to thee, 0 Lord, who hast caUed and chosen
me, that thou mightest make known the riches of thy glory
on me, as a vessel of mercy prepared unto glory, Kom. ix.
23. Thou hast predestinated rae to the adoption of thy
chUd by Christ unto thyseff, to the praise of the glory of
thy grace, wherein thou hast made me accepted in thy Be
loved, Eph. i. 5, 6, 11, 12. Receive me now to the glory

THE LAST WORK OF A ISELIEVEK. 249
which thou hast prepared for us. Matt. xxv. 34. The hour
is at hand ; Lord, glorifj' thy poor adopted child, that he
may for ever glorifj' thee, John xvu. I . It is thy promise
to glorffy those whora thou dost justffy, Rora. viu. 30. As
" thero is no condemnation to them that ai-e in Christ"
(Rom. -viu. 1), so now let hiui present me faultless before
the presence of liis glory with exceeding joy ; and to thee
'- the only vrise God om- Saviour, be the glory, majesty,
dominion, and power for evermore. Amen." Jude 24, 25.
AATiat now remaineth, but that we all set ourselves to
learn this sweet and necessary task, that we may joyfuUy
perform It In the hour of our extremity ; even to recom
mend our departing souls to Chi-ist, vrith confidence that
he wUl receive them. It is a lesson not easy to be learned ;
for faith is weak, and doubts and fears -vriU easUy arise, and
nature -vrill be loth to think of djing ; and we that have so
much offended Christ, and Uved so strangely to him, and
been entangled in too much famUiarity -vrith the world, shaU
be apt to shrink when we should joyfully trust him vrith our
departing souls. O, therefore, now set yourselves to over
come these difficulties in time. You know we are aU ready
- to depart ; it is time this last important work were thoroughly
learned, that our death may be both safe and comfortable.
There are divers other uses of this doctrine, that I should
have urged upon j-ou, had there been time. As, 1. If
' Christ wiu receive your departing souls, then fear not death,
but long for this heavenly entertainment.
2. Then do not sin for fear of them that can but kiU the
bodj-, and send the soul to Christ.
3 . Then think not the righteous unhappy because they
are cast off bj- the world ; neither be too much troubled at
it yourselves when it comes to be your case ; but remember
that Christ -vriU not forsake you, and that none can hinder
him from the receiving of j'Our souls. No maUce nor
slanders can foUow you so far as by defamation to make
your justlfier condemn j-ou.
4. Ifyou may tmst him "vrith yom- souls, then trust him
-vrith your friends, j'our children that you must leave behind,

260 THE LAST VVOUK OF A BELIEVER.
-vrith aU your concernments and affairs : and trust him vrith
his gospel and his church ; for they are aU his owti, and he
will prevaU to the accompUshment of his blessed pleasure.
But, 5. I shaU only add that use which the sad occasion
of our meeting doth bespeak. AVhat cause have we now
to raix our sorrows for our deceased friend, vrith the joys of
faith for her feUcity ! AVe have left the body to the earth,
and that is our lawful sorrow, for it is the fruit of sin ; but
her spirit is received bj' Jesus Chiist, and that must be our
joy, ff we wUl behave ourselves as true beUevers. If we
can suffer -vrith her, should we not rejoice also vrith her?
And ff the joy be far greater to the soul with Christ, than
the ruined state of the bodj' can be lamentable, it is but
reason that om- joj' should be greater for her joy, than our
sorrow for the dissolution ofthe flesh. We that should not
much lament the passage of a friend beyond the seas, if it
were to be advanced to a kingdom, should less lament the
passage of a soul to Christ, if it were not for the remnant
of our woeful unbelief.
She is arrived at the everlasting rest, where the burden
of corruption, the contradictions of the flesh, the molesta
tions of the tempter, the troubles of the world, and the in
juries of malicious men, are all kept out, and shaU never
more disturb her peace. She hath left us in these storms,
who have more cause to weep for ourselves, and for our
children, that have yet so much to do and suffer, and so
many dangers to pass through, than for the souls that are
at rest vrith Christ. We are capable of uo higher hopes
than to attain that state of blessedness which her soul pos-
. sesseth ; and shall we make that the matter of our lamenta
tion as to her, which we make the matter of our hopes as
to ourselves ? Do we labour earnestly to come thither, and
yet lament that she is there ? You -wiU say, it is not be
cause she is clothed upon with the house from heaven, but
that she is unclothed of the flesh : but is there any other
passage than death into ImmortaUty? Must we not be
unclothed before the garments of glory can be put on?
She bemoaneth not her own dissolved body ; the glorified

THE i.AST WORK OF .V. Ul.Lll.VEi;. 251
soul can easily beai- the corruption of tho flesh ; and ff you
saw but what the soul enjoyeth, you would be like-minded,
and be moderate in your griefs. Love not yourselves so
as to be unjust and uuraerciftil in j'Our desires to your
friends. Let S.atan desire to keep them out of heaven, but
do not J'OU desire it. A'ou may desfre your own good, but
not so as to deprive j-our friends of theirs ; yea, of a greater
good, that you may have a lesser by it. And ff it be thefr
companj- that you desire, in reason you should be glad that
they are gone to dweU where you must dweU for ever, and
therefore maj' for ever have thou- companj' ; had they staid
on earth you would have had thefr company but a Uttle
whUe, because you must make so short a stay yourselves.
Let them therefore begin thefr journey before you ; and
grudge not that they are first at horae, as long as you ex
pect to find them there. In the mean time he that caUed
them from you hath not left you comfortless ; he is -vrith
J'OU himseff, who is better than a raother, or than ten thou
sand fiiends : when grief or negUgence hindereth you from
observing him, yet he is -vrith you, and holdeth you up, and
tenderly prorideth for you : though turbulent passions in
juriously question aU his love, and cause you to give him
unmannerly and unthankful words, yet stUl he beareth -srith
J'OU, and forgiveth aU, and doth not forsake you for your
peevishness and weakness, because you are his chUdren ;
and he knoweth that you mean not to forsake him. Re
buke your passions, and calm yom- minds ; reclaim your
thoughts, and cast away the bitterness of suspicious, quar
relsome unbeUef; and then you may perceive the presence
of your dearest Friend and Lord, who is enough for you,
though you had no other friend. Without him aU the
friends on earth would be but sUly comforters, and leave
you as at ,the gates of heU ; vrithout him aU the angels and
saints in heaven would never make it a heaven to you.
Grieve not too much that one of your candles is put out
whUe you have the sun ; or ff indeed it be not day -vrith any
of you, or the sun be clouded or ecUpsed, let that rather be
the matter of j'Our grief ; find out the cause, and presently

252 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
submit aud seek reconcUiation : or ff you are deprived of
this Ught, because you are j-et asleep hi sin, hearken to his
caU, and rub j'Our eyes : ' ' Awake, thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Ught," Eph.
V. 14. " Knowing that It is now high time to awake out
of sleep, our salvation being nearer than when we ffrst be
Ueved : the night is far spent, the day of etemal Ught is
even at hand ; cast off therefore the works of darkness, and
put on all the armour of Ught ; walk honestly and decently
as in the day," Rom. xiii. 11-14. And whatever you do,
make sure of the Friend that never dieth, and never shall
be separated from you ; and when j-ou die vrill certainly re
ceive the souls which you coraraend unto him.
And here, though contrary to my custom, I shaU make
some more particular mention of our deceased friend on
several accounts. 1. In prosecution of this use that now
we are upon, that you may see in the eridences of her hap
piness how Uttle cause you have to indulge extraordinary
grief on her account ; and how much cause to moderate your
sense of our loss, with the sense of her feUcity. 2. That
you may have the benefit of her example for your imitation,
especiaUy her chUdren that are bound to observe the holy
actions as weU as the instructions ofa mother. 3. For the
honour of Christ, and his grace, and his servant : for as God
hath proraised to honour those that honom- him (1 Sam. u.
30), and Christ hath said, " If any man serve rae, him -wiU
ray Father honom-," John xii. 26 ; so I know Christ -vrill
not take it ill to be honoured in his merabers, and to have
his ministers subserve him In so exceUent a work : it is a
very considerable part of the love or hatred, honour or dis
honour, that Christ hath in the world, which he receiveth
as he appeareth iu his followers. He that 'vriU not see a
cup of cold water giveu to one of them go unrewarded, and
'vriU tell those at the last day that did or did not visit and
reUeve them, that they did or did it not to him, 'vriU now
,, expect it from rae as my duty to give him the honour of his
graces in his deceased servant ; and I doubt not wUl ac
cordingly accept it, when it Is no other indeed than his own

THE L.4^ST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 253
honour that is my end, and nothing but the words of ti-uth
and soberness shaU be the means.
And here I shall make so great a transition as shall re
tain mj- discourse in the narrow corapass of the tirae in which
she Uved near me, and under ray care, and in my famUiar
acqu;untance, omitting aU the rest of her Ufe, that none may
say I spe;ik but by hearsay of things which I am uncertain
of; and I wUl confine it also to those special gifts and graces
in which she was eminent, that I may not take you up with
a description of a Christian as such, and teU you only of
that good which she held but in common -vrith aU other
Christians. And tf any thing that I shaU say were unknown
to any reader that knew her, let them know that it is be
cause they knew her but distantly, imperfectly, or by re
ports ; and that my advantage of near acquaintance did give
me a just assurance of what I say.
The graces which I decerned to be eminent in her were
these. 1 . She was eminent in her contempt of the pride,
and porap, and pleasure, and vanity of the world ; and in
her great averseness to aU these, she had an honest impa
tience of the Ufe which is comraon among the rich and vain
glorious in the world : voluptuousness and sensuaUty, excess
of drinking, cards and dice, she could not endure, whatever
names of good house-keeping or seemly deportment they
boiTOwed for a mask. In her apparel she went below the
garb of others of her rank ; indeed in such plainness as did
not notify her degree ; but yet in such a grave and decent
habit as notified her sobriety and humiUty. She was a
stranger to pastimes, and no companion for time- wasters ;
as knowing that persons so near etemitj', that have so short
a Ufe, and so great a work, have no time to spare. Accord
ingly, In her latter days she did, as those that grow -vrise by
experience of the vanity of the world, retire fi-oa it, and
cast it off before it cast off her : she betook herself to the
society of a people that were low in the world, of humble,
serious, upright Uves, though sucli as had been whoUy stran
gers to her ; and among these poor inferior strangers she
Uved in contentment and quietness ; desiring rather to con-

254 THE LAST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
verse vrith those that would help her to redeem the tirae,
in prayer and edlfj-ing conference, than vrith those that vvould
' grieve her by consuming It on thefr lusts.
2. She was very prudent in her converse and affairs (al
lowing for the passion of her sex and age), and so escaped
much of the inconveniences that else in so great and mani
fold businesses would have overwhelmed her : as "a good
man wUl guide his affafrs with discretion," Psal. cxii. 5 ; so
" discretion -wUl preserve him, and understanding will keep
hira, to deUver hira from the way of the evil man, who
leaveth the paths of uprightness to walk in the way of dark
ness," Prov. u. 11-13.
.3. She was seriously religious, without partiaUty, or any
taint of siding or faction, or holding the faith of our Lord
Jesus Christ in respect of persons. I never heard her speak
against men, or for raen, as they differed in sorae small and
tolerable things : she ImpartiaUy heard any mimster that
was able, and godly, and sound in the main, and could bear
-vrith the weaknesses of ministers when they were faithful.
Instead ot owning the naraes or opinions of Prelatical, Pres
byterian, Independent, or such Uke, she took up with the
name and profession of a Christian, and loved a Christian
as a Christian, vrithout much respect to such different, toler
able opinions. Instead of troubUng herself with needless
scruples, and making up a reUgion of opinions and singulari
ties, she studied faith and godliness ; and lived upon the
common certain truths, and well-known duties, which have
been the old and beaten way, by which the universal church
of Christ hath gone to heaven in former ages.
4. She was very Impartial in her judgraent about par
ticular cases, being the same in judging of the case of a
chUd and a stranger ; and no interest of chUdren, or other
relations, could make her swerve fi-ora an equal judgraent.
5. She very rauch preferred the spiritual weffare of her
chUdren before thefr temporal ; looking on the former as
the true feUcity, and ou the latter without it but as a plea
sant, voluntary misery.
6. Since I was acquainted vrith her, I always found her

THE L.\ST WORK OF A BELIEVER. 255
very ready to good works, according to her power. And
when she hath seen a poor man corae to me, that she con
jectured solicited me for relief, she hath reprehended me for
keeping the case to ravseff, .and not Inviting her to contri
bute ; and I could never discern that she thought any thing
so weU bestowed as that vvhich relleyed the necessities of the
poor that were honest and industrious.
7. She had the wonderful niercy of a inan-Uke, Christian,
patient spfrit, under aU afflictions that did befall her ; and
under the multitude of troublesome businesses, that would
have even distracted an impatient mind. Though sudden
anger vvas the sin that she much confessed herseff, and there
fore thought she wanted patience, jet I have oft wondered
to see her bear up with the same alacrity and quietness,
when Job's messengers have brought her the tidings that
would have overwhelmed an impatient soul. When law
suits and the great afflictions of her chUdren have assaulted
her Uke successive waves, which I feared would have bome
her into the deep, ff not devoured aU her peace, she sus
tained aU as ff no great considerable change had been made
against her, ha-ving the same God and the sarae Christ, and
proraises, and hope, from which she fetched such real com
fort and support as shewed a real, serious faith.
8. She was always apt to put a good interpretation upon
God's proridences ; Uke a right beUever, that having the
spirit of adoption, perceiveth fatherly love in all, she would
not easUy be persuaded that God meant her any harm : she
was not apt to hearken to the enemy that accuseth God
and his ways to man, as he accuseth man and his actions
to God : she was none of those that are suspicious of God,
and are stUl concluding death and ruin fi-ora aU that he doth
to thera, and are gathering "wrath frora misinterpreted ex
pressions of his love ; who weep because of the smoke before
they can be warmed by the ffre. Yet God is good to Israel ;
and it shaU go weU vrith them that fear before him (Psal.
Ixxiu. 1 ; Eccles. -viu. 12, 13), were her conclusions from
the sharpest proridences : she expected the momuig in the
darkest night, and judged not of the end by the beginning ;

256 THE LAST WORK OF A BBLIEVER.
but was always confident ff she could but entitle God in the
case that the issue would be good. She was not a mur-
mm-er against God, nor one that contended -vrith her Maker ;
nor one that created calamity to herseff by a self-troubling,
unquiet mind : she patiently bore what God laid upon her,
and made it not hearicr by the additions of uncomfortable
prognostics, and misgiving or repining thoughts. She had
a great confidence In God, that he was doing good to her
and hers in all ; and where at present she saw any matter
of grief, she much supported her soul vrith a beUef that God
would remove and overcome it in due time.
9. She was not troubled, that ever I decerned, with
doubtings about her interest iu Christ, and about her own
justification and salvation ; but whether she reached to as
surance or not, she had confident apprehensions of the love
of God, and quietly reposed her soul upon his gi-ace. Yet
not secm-e through presumption or seff-esteem, but comfort
ing herself in the Lord her God ; by this means she spent
those hours in a cheerfid performance of her duty, which
many spend in fruitless seff-vexation for the failings of thefr
duty, or In mere inquiries whether they have grace or not ;
and others spend in -wrangUng, perplexed controversies
about the manner or cfrcumstances of duty : and I beUeve
that she had more comfort frora God by way of reward upon
her sincere obedience, whUe she refemed- her soul to him,
and rested on him, than many have that more anxiously
perplexed theraselves about the discerning of thefr hoUness,
when they should be studying to be more holy, that it
might discover itseff. And by this means she was fit for
praises and thanksgiving, and spent not her lffe in lamenta
tions and complaints ; and made not reUgion seem terrible
to the ignorant, that judge of it by the faces and carriage
of professors. She did not represent it to the world as a
morose and melancholy temper, but as the rational crea
ture's cheerful obedience to his Maker, actuated by the
sense of the wonderful love that is manffested in the Re
deemer, and by the hopes of the purchased and promised
feUcity in the blessed sight and finiition of God. And I

THE 1_\SI- WORK OF -V liELlKNlMf. 25 7
conjecture that her forementioned disposition to think well
of God, and of his providences, together with her long and
manffold experience (the great advantage of ancient, tried
Christians), did much conduce to free her frora doubtings
and disquieting fears about her own slnceritj- and salvation ;
and I confess, ff her Ufe had not been answerable to her
peace and confidence, I should not have thought the better,
but the worse, of her condition ; nothing being raore lamen
table than to make haste to heU, through a wilful confidence
that the danger is past, and that they are in the way to
heaven as well as the most sanctified.
10. Lastlj', I esteemed it the height of her attainment
that she never discovered any inordinate fears of death, but
a cheerful readiness, wUUngness, and desfre, to be dissolved,
and be -vrith Christ. This was her constant temper, both in
health and sickness, as far as I was able to observe. She
would be frequently expressing how Uttle reason she had to
be desfrous of longer Ufe, and how much reason to be -wUl
ing to depart. Divers times in dangerous sicltness I have
been vrith her, and never discerned anj' considerable averse
ness, dejectedness, or fear. Many a time I have thought
how great a mercy I should esteem it ff I had attained that
measure of fearless wUUngness to lay down this flesh, as she
had attained. Manj- a one that can make Ught of wants,
or threats, or scorns, or anj- ordinary troubles, cannot sub
mit so quietly and vriUingly to death. Many a one that
can go through the labours of reUgion, and contemn oppo
sition, and easUy give aU they have to the poor, and bear
imprisonments, banishment, or contempt, can never over
come the fears of death. So far, even the father of Ues
.spake truth ; " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath -vriU
he give for his Ufe," Job ii. 4. I took it, therefore, for a
high attainment and extraordinary raercy to our deceased
friend, that the king of tenors was not terrible to her.
Though I doubt not but soraewhat of averseness and fear is
so rooted in nature's seff-preserring principle, as that it
is almost inseparable, yet in her I never discemed any
troublesome appearances of it. AATien I ffrst carae to her
R

2i)0 THE LAST WORK OF .4. BELIEVKII.
in the beginning of her hist sickness, she suddcnlj- passed
the sentence of death upon herself without any shew of fear
or trouble, when to us the dise.isc appeared not to be great.
But when the disease increased, her pains were so little, and
the effect of the fever was so much in her head, that, after
this, she seemed not to esteem it mortal, being not sensible
of her case and danger : and so, as she lived vrithout the
fears of death, she seemed to us to die without thera. God,
by the nature of her disease, removing deatii as out of her
sight, when she came to that weakness, in which else the
encounter was Uke to have been sharper than ever it was
before. And thus, in one of the weaker sex, God hath shew
ed us that it Is possible to live m holy confidence, and peace,
and qiuetness of mind, without distressing griefs or fears,
even in the raidst of a troublesome world, and of vexatious
businesses, and vrith the afflictions of her dearest relations
alraost continually before her : and that our quiet or dis
quiet, our peace or trouble, dependeth more upon our in
ward strength and temper than upon our outward state,
occasions, or provocations ; and that it is more in our hands
than of any or all our friends and enemies, whether we shall
have a corafortable or uncomfort.able Ufe.
What remaineth now, but that all we that sm-rive, espe
ciaUy you that are her children, do follow her as she follow
ed Christ ? Though the word of God be your sufficient rule,
and the example of Christ be j-our perfect pattem, yet as
the instructions, so the example of a parent must be a
weighty motive to quicken and engage j-ou to your duty ;
.and will else be a great aggravation of your sin. A holy
chUd of unholy parents doth no more than his necessary
duty ; because whatever parents are, he hath a holj' God :
but an unholy child of holy parents is inexcusable in sin, and
deplorably miserable, as forsaking the doctrine and pattem
both of their Creator and their progenitors, whom nature
engageth thera to observe ; ancl It wUl be an aggravation of
thefr deserved misery to have thefr parents witness against
thera, that they t.aught them, and they would not leam ; and
went before them in a holy lffe, but they would not foUow

TUE LAST WORK OF ,V BELIEVER. 259
them. " IMj- son, hear the Instruction of thy father, .-lud
forsake not the law of thy mother ; for they shall be an or
nament of grace unto thj- head, and chains about thj' neck,"
Prov. i. 8, 9. Eciul and consider Prov. x.xx. 17 ; xv. 20 ;
xxiii. 22, 25. Sins ag.ainst parents have a special curse
affixed to them in this Itfe, as the case of Ham sheweth ; and
the due observance and honouring of parents hath a special
promise of teraporal blessings, as the fifth commandment
sheweth. " ChUdren, obey vour parents in the Lord, for it
Is right : honom- thj- father and thy mother (which is the first
commandment -vrith promise), that it may be weU vrith thee,
and thou mavst Uve long on the earth," Epji. ri. 1-3. The
histories of aU ages are so fuU of the instances of God's
judgraents, in this Ufe, upon five sorts of sinners, as may do
much to convince an atheist of the government and special
proridence of God; that is, upon persecutors, murderers,
sacrilegious, false witnesses (especiaUy by perjury), and
abusers and dishonourers of parents. And the great hon
our that is due to parents when they are dead, is to give
just honour to their names, and to obey their precepts,
and imitate thefr good examples. It is the high com
mendation of the Rechabites, that they strictly kept the
precepts of thefr father, even in a. thing indifferent, a
mode of llvii'g ; not to drink vrine, or buUd houses, but
dwell in tents : and God annexeth this notable blessing,
" Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because
ye have obeyed the commandraent of Jonadab your father,
and kept aU his precepts, and done according unto all that
he hath commanded j-ou : therefore thus saitli the Lord of
hosts, the God of Israel ; Jonadab the son of Rechab shaU
not want a man to stand before me for ever," Jer. xxxv. 6,
7, 18, 19. But, especiaUy in the great duties of reUgion,
where parents do but deliver the mind of God, and use thefr
authority to procure obedience to divine authority, and
where the matter itself Is necessary to our salvation, the
obUgation to obedience and Iraitation is most Indispensable ;
and disobedience is au aggravated Iniquity, and the noto
rious brand of infelicity, and prognostic of ensuing woe ; the

260 THE LAST V\-OKK OF .V BELIEVER.
ungodly children of godly parents being thc most deplorable,
unhappy, inexcusable persons in the world (tf they hold on.)
There is yet another doctrine that I .should speak to.
Doct. 7. Prayer in general, and this prayer in particular,
that Christ -vriU receive our departing souls. Is a most suit
able conclusion of all the actions of a Christian's Itfe.
Prayer is the breath of a Christian's Ufe : it is his work
and highest converse, and therefore fittest to be the con
cluding action of his Ufe, that it may reach the end at which
he amied. AVe have need of praj-er all our Uves, because
we have need of God, and need of his mantfold and conti
nued grace. But in our last extremity we have a special
need. Though sloth is apt to seize upon us, whUe prospe
rity hindereth the sense of our necessities, and health per
suadeth us that time is not near its journey's end, yet it is
high time to pray vrith redoubled fervour and importunity
when we see that we are near our last. AVhen we find that
we have no more tirae to pray, but must now speak our
last for our immortal souls, and must at once say aU that we
have to say, and shall never have a hearing more. Oh, then,
to be unable to pray, or to be faithless, and heartless, and
hopeless in our praj-ers, would be a calamity beyond expres
sion. Yet I know, for ordinary observation teUs it us, that
many truly gracious persons maj' accidentally be indisposed
and disabled to pray when they are near to death. If the
disease be such as doth disturb the brain, or take them up
vrith riolence of pain, or overwhelm the mind by perturba
tion of the passions, or abuse the iraagination, or notably
waste and debiUtate the spirits, it cannot be expected that
a body thus disabled should serve the soul In this or any
other duty. But stiU the praying habit doth reraain, though
a disterapered body do forbid the exercise. The habitual
desfres of the soul are there ; and it is those that are the
soul of prayer.
But this should move us to pray whUe we have time, and
whUe our bodies have strength, and our spfrits have vlgour
and alacrity to scrv-e us, seeing we are so uncertain of bodilv

THE LAST WORK ( ".- A BEl.l::Vi:n. I'lil
disposition aud capacilj- so near our end. O Jiraj-, and pray
vrith all your hearts, before any fever or di-ljrium overthrow
your understandings or your memories ; before j our thoughts
are aU commanded to attend jour pains, and before your
decayed spfrits faU j'ou, and dcnj- their necessary service to
j'our suits ; and before fhe apprehensions of jour speedy ap
proach to the presence of the most holy God, and j-our en
trance upon an endless state, do amaze, confound, and over-
whehn j'our souls vrith fear and pertm-b.atlon O Christians !
what foUy, what sin and shame is it to us, that novv whUe we
have time to praj-, and leave to pray, and helps to pray,
; nd have no such disturbing hindrances, wc should j'et want
hearts, and have no mind, no Ufe and fervour for so great
a work ! O praj' now, lest j-ou are unable to pray then ;
and tf you are then hindered but by such bodily indisposed-
ness, God -vriU understand j-our habitual desfres, and your
groans, and take it as ff j-ou had actually prayed. Pray
now, that so j'Ou may be acquainted vrith the God that then
you must fly imto for mercy, and raay not be strangers to
him, or unto prayer ; and that he maj' not find then that
your prayers are but the expression ..of j-our fears, and not
ofyour love, and are constrained, and not voluntary mo
tions unto God : pray now hi preparation to your dying
prayers. Oh what a ten-ible thing it is to be to leam to
pray in that hour of extrcraitj', aud to have then no prin
ciple to pray by, but natural self-love, which evei-j' thief
hath at the gaUows ! To be then without the spfrit of
prayer, when vrithout it there cannot an acceptable word
or groan be uttered ; and when the rejection of our suits
and person wUl be the prologue to the final judicial rejec
tion, and wiU be a distress so grievous as presumptuous souls
vriU not believe, tUl sad experience become thefr tutor. Can
you imagine that you shaU then at last be taught the art of
acceptable prayer raerely by horror, and the natural sense
of pain and danger, as searaen in a storm, or a malefactor
by the rack, when in j'our health and leisure you wUl not be
persuaded to the daUy use of serious prayer, but nuraber
yourselves with the famiUes that are under the wrath of the

262 T.-C. L.VST WORK OF A BELIEVER.
Almighty, being such as call not on his name, Jer. x. 25 ;
Psalra Lxxix. G.
Indeed, there are raany prayers must go before, or else
this prayer, " Lord Jesus, receive ray spfrit," will be in
vain, when you would be loth to find it so. You must ffrst
pray for renevring, sanctffying grace, for the death of sin,
and the pardon of sin, for a lioly life, and a heavenly mind,
for obedience, patience, and perseverance ; and if you ob
tain not these, there Is no hope that Jesus Christ should
receive your spirits, that never received his sanctifying
Spfrit. How sad is it to observe that those that have raost need
of prayer, have least mind to praj-, as being least sensible of
thefr needs ! Yea, that those that are the next step to the
state of devils, and have as much need of prayer as any
miserable souls on earth, do yet deride it, and hate those
that seriously and fervently perform it ; a man of praj-er
being the most common object of their malicious reproach
and scorn. O raiserable Cainites, that hate their brethren
for offering more acceptable sacrifice than thefr own ! Little
do they know how mu^ of the very satanical nature is in
that malice, and in those reproachful scorns. And little do
they know how near they are to the curse and desperation
of Cain, and -vrith what horror thej' shall cry out, " My
punishment is greater than I can bear," Gen. iv. 11, 18. If
God and good men condemn you for your Up-serrice, and
heartless devotions, and ungodly Uves, wIU you therefore hate
the holy natm-e and better Uves of those that judge you, when
you should hate your own ungodUness and hypocrisy ? Hear
what God said to the leader ofyour sect, " Why art thou
-wroth? and why is thy countenance faUen? If thou doest well,
shalt thou not be accepted ? and if thou doest not weU, sin
Ueth at the door," Gen. iv. 6. Have j'Ou not as much
need to pray as those that you hate and reproach for praj'-
ing ? Have you not as much need to be oft and eamest in
praj'er as they ? Must Christ himseff spend whole ulghRi in
prayer (Luke ri. 12), and shall an ignorant, sensual, har
dened sinner think he hath no need of it, though he be un-

TIIE L.wr VVOUK OF .\ Ei:i.Ti;v-i:i;. 21^!
converted, unjustified, unrcadj- to die, nnd almost past tho
opportunity of praying? O mlsei-alile raen, that shortly
woidd cry and roar In tho anguish of their souls, and yet
-vriU not pray whUe there is time and room for prajcr ! Their
Judge is wUUng now to hear thcm, and now they havo
nothing but hypocritical, Iffeless words to speak ! Praying is
now a wearisome, tedious, and unpleasant thuig to them,
that shortly would be glad ff the most heart-tearing lamen
tations could prevail for the crambs and drops of that mercj-
which thej' thus despise, Luke xvi. 24. Of idl raen in the
world it Ul becoraes one In so deep necessities and dangers
to be prayerless.
But for you. Christians, that are daily exercised in this
holj- converse vrith jour Maker, hold on, and grow not
strange to heaven, and let not your holy desfres be extin
guished for want of excitation. Prayer Is your ascent to
heaven ; your departure from a vexatious world to treat
-vrith God for j-our salvation ; your retirement from a world
of dangers into the Impregnable fortress where you are safe,
and from vanity unto feUcity, and from troubles unto rest,
which, though you cannot come so near, nor enjoy so fuUj-
and deUghtfhUy, as hereafter j-ou shall do, yet tlius do you
make j'om- approaches to it, and thus do j'Ou secure your
fiiture fiiU fruition of it. And let them all scoff at hearty,
fervent prayer as long as they vriU, j-et prayer shaU do that
-vrith God for you which health, and wealth, and dignity, and
honour, and camal pleasures, ajid all the world shall never
do ibr one of them. And though thej' neglect and vUffy
it now, yet the hour is near when they wUl be fain to scamble
and bungle at it themselves ; and the face of death -wUl better
teach them thc use of prayer, than our doctrine and example
now can do. A departing soul wUl not easUj' be prayerless,
nor easUy be content with sleepy prajers ; but, alas ! it is
not every prayer that hath some fervency from the power of
fear that shall succeed. Many a thousand may perish for
ever that have prayed, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
But the soul that breatheth after Christ, and Is weary of
sinning, and hath long been pressing toward the mark, may

264 THE L.VST WORK OF .V. BELIEVER.
receiv-e encouragement for his last petitions, from the bent
and success of all the foregoing prayers of his lffe. Believe
it. Christians, j-ou cannot be so ready to beg of Christ to
receive your souls, as he is ready and wiUing to receive
them. As j'Ou come praying, therefore, into the world
of grace, go praying out of it into thc world of glory. It
is not a work that j'ou were never used to, though
you have had lamented backwardness, and coldness, and
omissions. It is not to a God that you were never with
before ; as j'Ou know whom you have beUeved, so you may
know to whom you praj-. It is indeed a most important
suit to beg for the receiring of a departed soul ; but it is
put up to hira to whora it properly doth belong, and to him
that hath encouraged you by answering manj' a former
prayer vrith that mercy which was the earnest ofthis, and
it is to him that loveth souls much better than any soul can
love itseff. O live in prayer, and die In prayer, and do not,
as the gi-aceless, vritless world, despise prayer whUe thej'
Uve, and then think a Lord, have mercy on me, shall prove
enough to pass them into heaven. Mark thefr statues and
monuments in the churches, whether they be not made
kneeling and lifting up the hands, to tell j-ou that aU vrill
be forced to pray, or to approve of prayer, at thefr death,
whatever they say against it In their lffe. O pray, and wait
but a Uttle longer, and all your danger vrill be past, and you
are safe for ever ! Keep tip your hands a Uttle longer, tiU
you shaU end your confUct vrith the last enemy, and shall
pass from prayer to everlasting praise.

SHOET MEDITATIONS
ON
ROMANS V. 1-5;
ON THE SHEDDING ^BRdD GOD's LOVS ON THE HEART BV THE HOLV 0H08T.

ExPEKiENCB of the want of this effusion of God's love,
and some small taste of its sweetness, make me think the
thoughts of this very suitable to one expecting death.
The words contain a golden chain of highest blessings on
all true Christians.
I. They are supposed to have faith, that is, both a ge
neral trust in God's revelations and grace, and a special
trust in Jesus Christ, as given by the Father's love to be the
Redeemer, to justify, sanctify, and glorify his people. I
have oft proved this justifying faith to be no less than our
unfeigned taking Christ for our Sariour, and becoming true
Christiaiis, according to the tenor of the baptismal cove
nant. As to the acts, it is formally trust — one in three;
the understanding's assenting trust, the will's consenting
trust, and the executive power's practical, venturing, obey
ing frust.
II. All true beUevers are justified ; even all that consent
to the baptismal covenant, and choose God to be their God,
and Christ to be their Saviour, and the Holy Ghost to be
their Sanctifier, and give up themselves to him by frue re
solution, as their only ruler, hope, and happiness ; though
this be done with so great weakness, as eiideth not all doubts,
nor quieteth the mind.

266 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON ROMANS V. 1-5, &C. '
To be justified is not to be accounted such as have no
sin, but, 1. To be made such by pardon through Chi-ist's
merits, and by true faith, as God wIU take by special love
and favour unto Ufe. 2. To be accounted such by God.
3. To be vfrtually sentenced such by the law of grace and
faith, and to be just in law sense. 4. At last to be judged
such by pubUc sentence. 5. And to be used as such.
Not justified by the law of innocency, or of Moses, but
by Christ's law of grace.
Not justified perfectly tUl the time of perfection. Much
punishment on soul and body is yet to be taken off, and
and more sins daily to be pardoned, and we, before the
world, to be sentenced as just to Ufe everlasting.
III. The justified have peace -vrith God. They are re
concUed, and in a state of love and friendship. It signifieth
mutual peace, but with great inequaUty. God's love and
favour to us is the stable, constant part. Our consent also,
and acceptance of his terras of peace, is constant in its
truth : but our sense of God's love, which is the peace pos
sessed by the soul, is weak and inconstant, and too oft quite
lost or obscured by ignorance, raistake, and fear. But it
must be kno-vm that this is a diseased state, unnatural to
the believer as such ; as it is unnatural for a woman married
to a faithful husband, to lie in terror, thinking that he -vriU
kiU her, or doth not love her ; or for a cliUd to think the
sarae of a loring father. Faith, of its own nature, tendeth
to the soul's peace and joy, in the sense of God's love.
And how is Christ offered to us, but as a Sariour, to bring us
by grace to glory ? And he that accepteth hira as such,
whereby he is justified, doth sure beUeve that he - is offered
as such ; for none can accept what he thinks not to be
offered. And this irapUeth some hope, at least, that Christ
wiU be such to us ; and did faith work strongly and kindly,
its effect would be a constant, joyful state of soul, as plea
sant health and mfrth are to our natures. All our distrustfiil
fears and griefs, and disquietness of soul, are for want of
more faith, as sickness and pain are for the want of rital
causes of health.

SfiORT MEDITATIOXS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C. ^6f
rv. This pence with God is only " through our Lord
Jesus Christ." Though it be a vain dream to think by
justifjing faith is meant Christ only and not faith, yet it
is no other faith but the foresaid beUeving trust on Christ.
Therefore, as fiuth is our part, so it supposeth Christ, and
aU the works of his office, and righteousness, on his part,
as its object. Christ is the purchasing cause ; but our trust
and acceptance is that which is pleasing to God, and chosen
by him to be our part, vrithout innocency, or keeping the
Jewish law.
Since man once sinned, God's justice "and man's con
science teU us, that we are unfit for God's acceptance or
comraunion immediatelj', but must have a suitable mediator.
Oh ! blessed be God for this suitable Mediator. Without
hira I dare not pnay, I cannot hope, I dare not die ; God
would else fro-wn me away to misery. All the hope of par
don and salvation that I have ; all the access to God, and
the mercies and dehverances that I have received, have
been bj- this Author and finisher of our faith. Into his
conducting hands I give ray soul ; and into his preserving
hands both soul and bodj' ; and into his receiving hands I
commend my departing soul.
V. A^er. 2. "By whom we have access by faith unto this
grace wherein we stand ;" that is, into this state of blessed
Christianity, peace -with God, and the following blessings.
As it is by mamage that a woman hath right to her hus
band's estate and honours, and by inheritance that a chUd
comes to his father's maintenance and land. This is no di
minution to God's love. To say it is all by Christ, is not
to take it as ever the less from God the Father. It is more
to give us Christ, and lffe in him, than to have given us
lffe vrithout a Christ (John iu. 1 6 ; 1 John v. 10 — 12.) ;
as God is, nevertheless, the giver of Ught to the earth, for
gi-ving it by the sun. Second causes diminish not the ho
nom- ofthe ffrst.
AT. " And rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Here
is, 1. The beatifical object — " the glory of God." 2. The

S68 SfiOET MEDITATIONS ON ROMANS V. 1-5,' &0.
beatifical act — "rejoice.'' 3. The mediate, causing act —
" hope." All presupposing faith and justification.
1. The "glory of God" is that glorious appearance of
God to man and angels, which maketh happy. 1. The mind
by beholding it. 2. The will by loving it, and receiving the
communications of love. 3. The executive powers by joyful
praise, &c.
2. Though some foretastes are here, it is yet said to be
hoped for ; and we hope for that which is not seen. AATien
faith is said to be that which we are justified or saved by,
it includeth hope, though, more precisely taken, they are
distinct. " We are saved by hope." The same word ia
oft franslated " trust" and " hope ;" and faith is trust. To
trust Christ for salvation, includeth hoping that he will save
us. But hope is denominated from the good hoped for, and
faith from the cause by which we hope to obtain it.
Hope doth not necessarUy imply either certainty or uncer
tainty. It may stand with both in various degrees.
3. Rejoicing is made hy God the very naturally desired
state of the soul. It is, when natural, the pleasant efflores
cence of the spfrits, or thefr state of health.
It is pleasure that is the spring or poise of all motion
sensitive in the world. Tahit sua qttemque, voluptas. Ap
petite, or will, is the active principle ; and congruous, good
or delectable, is the object. The world is undone by the
seduction of false deceitful pleasure; and though we that
made not ourselves are not so made for ourselves as that
our pleasure or felicity in God should be so high in our de
sfre as God himself, who is the ultimate object of our love :
yet, seeing such an object he is, and the love of him (and
received from him) is our feUcity, these are never to be se
parated. What have I to rejoice in, if this hoped-for glory he not
my joy ? All things else are djing to me ; and God him
self is not my feUcity, as he afilicts me, nor as he giveth me
the transitory gifts of nature, but as he is to be seen in glory.
If this be not my joy, it is all but vanity. What, then,

SHOKT MEDITATIONS ON ROMANS V. 1^5, &C. 269
should all my thoughts and labor aim at more, as to my
self, than to hope for and foretaste this glory. No sin lieth
heavier on me than my hopes of glory raise me to no higher
joy ; and that tlie great weakness of my faith appeareth by
such dull dioughts of glory, or by withdrawing fears. Sure
tliere is enough in the glory of God, soundly believed and
hoped for, to make a man rejoice in pain and weakness, and
to make him long to be with Christ. I Uve not according
to the nature of Christiaility, if I live not as in peace with
God, and in the joyful hopes of promised glory.
Vll. " Not only so, but we glory in tribulation." Glory
is so transcendant, and tribidation so small and short, that
an expectant of glory may well rejoice in bodily sufferings.
It is tribulation for Christ and righteousness' sake that we
are said to glory in : the rest, for our sins, it is well if we
can improve and padently bear. Yet in them we may re
joice in hope of glory, though we glory not of them. Oh !
if all the painful, languid days, and nights, and years that
1 bave had, as the fruit of my sin, had been sufferings for
that which I am now hated and hunted for, even for preach
ing Christ when men forbid me, how joyfully might I un
dergo it: but J'et, even here, approaching glory should he
my joy. Alas ! my groans and moans are too great, and my
joy too little.
VIU. " Knowing that tribulation worketh patience." —
That which worketh patience is matter of joy : for patience
doth us more good than tribulation can do hurt ; why, then,
do I groan so much under suffering, and so little study
and exercise patience, and no more rejoice in the exercise
thereof? IX. "And patience, experience." It is manifold and
profitable experience which patient suffering brings.. It
giveth us experience, as of nature's weakness, and the great
need of faith ; so of the truth of God's promises, the love
and tenderness of Christ, the acceptance of our prayers ; and
the power of the Spirit's aid and grace. O what abundance
of experiences of God and ourselves, and the vanity of crea-

270 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, 8eC.
tures, had we wanted, ff we had not waited in a suflering
state : alas ! how many experiences have I forgotten.
X. " And experience, hope." A bare promise should
give us hope : but we are stUl distrustful of ourselves, and
of all the clearest evidences, tUl experience help us, and set
all home. Oh, what an advantage hath a Christian of great
and long experience for his hope and joy ! And yet when
notable experiences of God's proridence are past and gone,
an unbeUering heart is ready to question, whether the things
came not by mere natural course ; and, Uke the Israehtes in
the -vrildemess, dangers and fears bear down even long and
great experiences. This is my sin.
XI. " And hope raaketh not ashamed." That is, true
hope of what God hath promised shall never be disap
pointed. They that trust on deceitful creatures are deceived,
and asharaed of thefr hope : for all men are Uars, that is,
untrusty ; but God is true, and ever faithful : O what a
comfort is it that God coraraandeth me to trust him !
Sure such a command is a virtual promise, from him that
cannot faU that trust which he commandeth. Lord, help
me to trust thee in greatest dangers, and there to rest.
XII. " Because the love of God is shed abroad upon our
hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us." It is the
love of God shed abroad on our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which must make us rejoice in hope of the glory of God, even
in tribulation.
Here I raust consider, I. AVhat is meant by the love of
God. n. Why and how it is shed abroad on the heart by
the Holy Ghost.
I. By the love of God is meant the effects of his love.
1. His special grace. 2. The pleasant gust or sense ofit.
n. God's love thus shed on the heart, presupposeth it
expressed in the gospel and providence, and contains aU these
particulars. 1. The sanctffying of the soul by renevring grace. This
is the giving of the Spirit, as he is giveri to all true Chris
tians.

SHORT MEDITATIONS ON ROMANS V. 1-5, &C. 271
2. Herein the Holy Ghost makes us perceive the exceed
ing desirableness of the lo\-e of God, and maketh us most
desire it.
3. He giveth the soul some easmg hope of the love of
God. 4. He quieteth the doubts, and fears, and trouble ofthe
soul. 5. He raiseth our hopes, by degrees, to confident assu
rance. 6 . Then the thoughts of God's love are pleasant to the
soul, and give it such deUght as we feel in the love and frui
tion of our most valued and beloved fiiends.
7. The soul in this state is as unapt to be jealous of God,
or to question his love, as a good child or wtfe to question
the love of a parent or husband, or to hear any that speak
evil of thera.
8. This, then, becomes the habitual state ofthe soul, in
aU changes, to Uve in the deUghtful sense of the love of God,
as we do Uve in pleasure -vrith our dearest fiiends.
O blessed state, and first fruits of heaven ! and happy are
thej' that do attain it. And though lower degrees have
thefr degree of happiness, yet how far short are such, in
goodness, amiableness, and corafort, of those that are thus
rich in grace.
This presupposeth, 1. Knowledge of God and the gospel.
2. True beUef and hope. 3. A sincere and fruitful Ufe.
4. Mortification as to idol worldly vanities. 5. A conviction
ofour sincerity in all this. 6. A conclusion that God doth
love. But yet it is soraewhat above all this. A mau raay have
ail this in his mind and mouth, and jet want this gust of
effused love upon his heart. These are the way to it, but
not itseff.
This is the greatest good on this side heaven ; to which
aU wealth and honour, all fleshly pleasure and long Ufe, all
leaming and knowledge, are unworthy to be once compared :
briefly.

272 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C. 
1. It is the flower and highest part of God's image on
man. 2. It is the soul's true communion with God, and finiition
of him, which carnal men deride : even as our eye hath com
munion with the sun, and the floiu-ishing earth enjoys its re
viring heats.
3. It is that which all lower grace doth tend to, as chUd
hood doth to manhood : and what is a world of infants, com
paratively, good for?
4. It is that which most properly answereth the design of
redemption, and the wonders of God's love therein ; and aU
the tenor of the gospel.
5. It is that which is most fully called the Spirit of God, or
Christ in us : he hath lower works, but this is his great
work, by which he possesseth us, as God's most pleasant
habitation : " For we have not received the spirit of bond
age again to fear, but the spirit of power and love, and a
sound mind." (2 Tim. i. 7.)
6 . It is only that which aU men in general desfre, I mean
the only satisfying content and pleasure that man is capable
of on earth. All men would have quieting and constant
pleasure, and it is to be found in nothing else but the ef
fused love of God.
7. It is that which -vrill make every burden light, and aU
afiUction easy : when the sense of God's love is stUl upon
the soul, all pain and crosses wUl be but as blood-letting by
the kindest physician to save the patient's lffe. God wUl
not be suspected or grudged at in suffering ; his love -vrill
sweeten aU.
8. It vrill overcome abundance of temptations, which no
men's wit, or leaming, or knowledge of the words of Scrip
ture, wUl overcorae. No arguments wiU draw a loving chUd,
or wtfe, from the parents, or husband, that they know doth
love them. Love is the most powerful disputant.
9. It puts a meUow, pleasant sweetness into aU our du
ties. AVhen we hear the word, or receive the sacrament, it
is to such a soul as pleasant food to the most healthful man ;
when we pray or praise God it comes from a comforted

SHOET MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C. 273
heart, and excites and increaseth the comfort it comes from.
Oh, who can be backward to draw near to God in praj'er
or meditation, who tasteth the sweetness of his love ! This
is reUgion Indeed, and tells us what its Ufe, and use, and
glory Is. This is trae walking with God in the best degree.
AVhen the soul liveth in the taste of his love, the heart wUl
be StiU with him, and that wUl be its pleasure. And God
most delights in such a soul.
10. Tills Is It that putteth the sweetest reUsh on all our
mercies. Deny God's love, and you deny thera all. If you
taste not his love In them, j-ou taste Uttle raore than a beast
may taste ; poor food and raiment is sweet, with the sense
of the love of God. Had I more of this, I should Ue down,
and rise, and walk in pleasure and content. I could bear
the loss of other things ; and though nature wiU feel pains,
I should have pleasure and peace in the midst of all ray pains
and gToans. This is the white stone, the new name ; no man
weU knoweth it who never felt it in himseff.
1 . There Is no dying comfortably without this experienced
taste of the love of God. This will draw up the desfres of
the soul ; love tasted, casteth out fear : though God be holy
and just, and judgment tei-rlble, and heU intolerable, and
the soul hath no distinct idea of its future state out of the
bodj', and though we sce not whither it Is that we must go,
the taste of God's love wUl make It go joyfully, as trusting
him ; as a chUd wiU go any whither in his father's power
and hand.
But all the knowledge in the world without this quiets not
a departing soul. A man may wi-ite as raany books, and
preach as raany serraons of heaven, as I have done, and speak
of it, and think of ahnost nothing else, and j-et tUl the soul
be sweetened and comforted with the love of God shed
abroad on it by the Holy Ghost, death and the next Ufe wiU
be rather a man's fear than his desfre. And the common
fear of death which we sce in the far greater part even of
godly persons doth tell us, that though they may have sav
ing desires and hopes, yet this sense of God's love on the
heart is rare.

274 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &0.
AATiat wonder, then, ff our language, our converse, our
prayers, have too little s.avour of it, and in comparison of
joj'ftd beUevei-s' duties, be but like green apples to thc mel
low ones.
My God, I feel what it is that I want, and I perceive
what it Is that is most desfrable : Oh, let not guilt be so far
unpardoned as to deprive my soul of this greatest good,
which thou hast commended to me, and commanded, and
which In my languishing and pains I so much need ! Did I
beg for wealth or honour, I niight have it to the loss of
others. But thy love wUl raake me more useful to all, and
none vrill have the less for my enjoyment ; for thou. Lord,
art enough for aU ; even as none hath the less of the sun
light for my enjojing it. The least well-grounded hope of
thy love is better than all the pleasures of the flesh ; but
-vrithout some pleasant sense of It, alas 1 what a vrithered,
languishing thing Is a soul 1 Thy loving-ldndness is better
than life ; but ff I taste it not, how shaU I here rejoice in
God, or bear my heavy burdens ?
O let me not be a dishonour to thj' famUy, where aU
have so gi-eat cause to honour thy bounty by their joy and
hopes ; nor, by a sad and fearful heart, tempt men to think
that thy love Is not real and satisfactory. I can easily be
Ueve and admire thy greatness and thy knowledge. Let it
not be so hard to me to believe and taste thy goodness and
thy love, which is as necessary to me.
If there be anything (as sm-ely there is) in which the di-
-vine nature and spirit of adoption consisteth, as above aU
the art and notions of religion, which are but Uke to other
acquired knowledge, sure it must be this holy appetite and
habitual incUnation of the soul to God, by way of love, which
is bred by an Internal sense of his lovehness, and loring in
clination to raan ; which differenceth a Christian from other
men, as a child differs towards his father, from strangers, or
from common neighbours. TUl the love of God be the very
state and nature of the soul (working here towards his ho
nour, interests, word, and servants), no man can saj' that
he U God's habitation by the Spirit ; and how the heart

SHOET MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C. 275
¦vrill ever be thus habited, without beUe-ring God's love to us,
it is hard to conceive.
Experience tells the world how strongly it constraineth
persons to love one another, ff they do but think that they
arc strongly beloved by one another. In the love that
tends to marriage, ff one that is inferior do but knovv that a
person of far greater worth doth fervently love them, it al
most puts a necessity and constraint on them for retums of
love : nature can scarce choose but love in such a case.
Love is the loadstone of love. A real taste of the love of
God in saving souls by Christ and grace, is it that constrain
eth thera to be holy ; that is, to be devoted to that God in
love. HI. But this must as necessarUy be the work of the Holy
Ghost, and can be no more done without him than the earth
can be Uluminated, and the vegetables Uve, vrithout the sun.
But all the approaches of the Holy Spirit suflice not to pro
duce this great effect, and give us the divine, holy nature.
The same sunshine hath three different effects on its ob
jects. 1. On most things, as houses, stones, earth, it causeth
nothing but accidents of heat, colour, and motion.
2. On some things it causeth a seminal disposition to
vegetable lffe, but not Ufe itseff.
3. In this disposed matter it causeth vegetable life itseff.
So doth the Spirit of God, 1. Operate on mUUons but
Iffeless accidents, as the sun on a stone wall. 2. On others
dispose and prepare them to dirine lffe. 3. On others so
disposed it effecteth the dirine Ufe itself, when holy love is
tumed into a habit like to nature.
That none but the Holy Ghost doth make this holy change
is erident ; for the effect cannot transcend the causes. 1.
Nature alone is dark, and knoweth not the attractive ami
ableness of God tUl Uluminated, nor can give us a satisfac
tory notice of God's special love to us.
2. Nature is guilty, and guilt breedeth fears of justice,
and fear makes us become vrild, and fly from God lest he
should hurt us.

276 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &e.
3. Nature is under penal sufferings afready, and feeleth
pain, fear, and many hurts, and foreseeth death, and under
this is undisposed of itseff to feel the pleasure of God's love.
4. Nature is corrupted and diverted to creatm-e vanity,
and its appetite goeth another way, and cannot cure itseff,
and make itself suitable to the amiableness of God.
5. God hateth vrickedness and wicked 'men, and mere
nature cannot secure us that we are saved from that enmity.
DUigence may do much to get reUgious knowledge, and
words, aud all that which I caU thc art of religion, and God
may bless this as a preparation to holy Ufe and love ; but
till the soul's appetite incline with desire to God and hoU
ness, divine things -will not swectlj' reUsh.
And this is a great comfort to the thoughts of the sanc
tified, that certainly theu- holy appetite, desire, and com-
placencj', is the work of the Holy Ghost. For, 1 . This se-
cureth them of the love of God, of which it is the proper
token. 2. And it assureth them of their union -vrith Christ,
when they live because he Uveth, even by the Spfrit, which
is his seal and pledge. 3. And it proveth both a future
Ufe and thefr title to it : for God maketh not all this pre
paration for it by his Spfrit in vain.
But, alas ! ff it were not a work that hath great impedi
ment, it would not be so rare in the world. AVhat is it in
us that keepeth the sun of love from so sluning on us as to
rerive our souls into holy contentments and deUght?
It must be supposed, 3 . That all God's gifts are free, and
that he giveth not to all aUke ; the wonderful variety ot
creatures proveth this. 2. Tho reasons of his differencing
works are his own vvill, and inferior reasons are mostly un
kno-wn to us, of which he Is not bound to give us an account.
3. But J-et w-e see that God doth his works in a casual
order, and one work prepareth for another ; and he maketh
variety of capacities, which occasion variety of receptions
and of gifts ; and he useth to give every thing that to which
he hath brought it into the next capacity and disposition.
And therefore, in general, vve may conclude that we feel
not God's love shed abroad upon the heart, becauw tha

SHOET MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1  6, &C. 277
heai-t is undisposed, and is not in the next disposition there
to ; and abused free-will hath been the cause of th.at. That
we have grace, is to be ascribed to God : that we are with
out it, is to be ascribed to ourselves.
1. Heinous guUt of former sin may keep a soul much vrith
out the delights of divine love ; and the heinousness is not
onlj- in the greatness of the evil done raaterially, but oft in
our long and vrilful committing- of smaller sins against know
ledge, and conscience, and consideration. The Spirit thus
giieved by hardened hearts, and vvUful repulses, is not
qiucklj' and easUy a Comforter to such a soul ; and when
the smner doth repent, it leaveth him more in uncertainty
of his sinceritj- when he thinks, " I do but repent, purpose,
aud promise now ; and so I oft did, and yet returned the
next temptation to mj- sin : and how can I tell that my
heai-t is not the sarae, and I should sin again if I had the
same temptations ? " O what doubts and perplexities doth
oft -vrilfid sinning prepare for !
2. And sins of omission have here a gi-eat part. The
sweetness of God's love Is a reward which slothful servants
are unmeet for. It foUows a " Well dono, good and faith
ful servant." There is needful a close attendance upon
God, and devotedness to him, and iniprovement of gospel
grace, and revelation, to make a soul fit for amicable, sweet
communion with God ; aU that wiU save a soul from hell
vriU not do this.
He that vvUl taste these divine love tokens must, 1. Be
no stranger to holj' meditation and prayer, nor unconstant,
cold, and cursory In them : but must dwell and walk above
-vrith God. 2, And he raust be wholly addicted to improve
his Master's talents in the world, and make it his design
and trade on earth to do all the good in the world he can ;
and to keep his soul clean fi-ora the flesh, and worldly va
nity. And to such a soul God wiU raake known his love.
3 . And alas ! how ordinarUy doth sorae carnal affection
corrupt the appetite of the soul ; when we grow too much
in love -vrith men's esteem, or with earthly riches, or when
our throats or fancies can master us into obedience, or vain

278 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C.
desires of meat, diink, recreation, dwelUng, &c., the soul
loseth its appetite to things divine ; and nothing relisheth
where appetite is gone or sick. AVe cannot serve God and
Mararaon, and we cannot at once taste much pleasure both
in God and INIammon. The old, austere Christians found
the mortification of the fleshly lusts a great advantage to
the soul's delight In God.
4. And many errors about God's nature and works much
hinder us from feasting on his love.
5. And especially the slight and ignorant thoughts of
Chiist, and the wondrous workings of God's love in him.
6. And especiaUy if our beUef itseff once shake, or be not
well and firmly founded.
7. And our sUght thoughts of the office and work of the
Holy Ghost on souls, and our necessity of it, and our not
begging and waiting for the Spirit's special help.
8. And lastly, our unfaithful forgetfulness of manffold ex
periences and testimonies of his love, whioh should stUl be
as fresh before us.
Alas ! my soul, thou feelest thy defect, and knowest the
hinderance, but what hope is there of remedy? Will God
ever raise so. low, so dull, so guilty a heart, to such a fore
taste of glory, as is this effusion of his love by the Holy
Ghost ? The lightsome days in spring and summer, when
the sun revlveth the late naked earth, and clothes it vrith
delectable beauties, differs not more fi-om night and winter,
than a soul thus rerived with the love of God doth differ
from an unbeUering, forraal soul.
Though this great change be above my power, the Spfrit
of God is not Impotent, backward, ban-en, or inexorable.
He hath appointed us means for so high a state ; and he
appointeth no means in vain. AVere my own heart obe
dient to my commands, all these following I would lay upon
it ; yea, I wiU do it, and beg the help of God.
I. I charge thee, think not of God's goodness and love,
as unproportionable to his greatness and his knowledge ; nor
overlook, in the whole fi-ame of heaven and earth, the mani
festation of one any more than of the other.

SHOET MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C. 279
II. Therefore let not the wickedness and misery of the
world tempt thee to think basely of all God's mercies to the
world ; nor the pecuUar privUeges of thc churches draw thee
to deny or contemn God's common mercies unto aU.
III. I charge thee to make thc study of Christ, and the
great work of man's redemption bj' hira, thy chiefest learn
ing, and most serious and constant work ; and in that won
derful glass to see the face of divine love, and to hear what
is said of it bj- the Son from heaven ; and to come boldly,
as reconciled to God by him.
TV. O see that thy repentance for former sins against
knowledge and conscience, and the motions of God's Spiiit,
be sound, and thoroughly lamented and abhorred, how smaU
soever the matter was in itseff; that so the doubt of thy
sincerity keep not up doubts of God's acceptance.
V. Let thy dependence on the Holy Ghost, as given
from Christ, be henceforth as serious and constant to thee
as is the dependence of the ej-e on the light of the sun, and
of natural lffe upon its heat and motion. Beg hard for the
Holy Spirit, and gladly entertain It.
VI. Oh, never forget the raany and great experiences
thou hast had, these almost sixty j-ears observed, of raar
vellous favour and providence of God, for soul and body, in
every tirae, place, condition, relation, corapany, or change,
thou hast been In. Lose not all these love tokens of thy
Father, whUe thou art begging raore.
VII. Hearken not too much to pained flesh, and look
not too much into the grave ; but look out at thy prison
windows to the Jerusalem above, and the heavenly society
that triumph in glorj'.
VIII. Let all thy sure notices of a future Ufe, and of the
communion we have here -vrith tliose above, draw thee to
think that the great number of holy souls that are gone
before thee, must needs be better than they were here ; and
that they had the same mind, and heart, and way ; the
same Sariour, Sanctifier, and promise, that thou hast ; and
therefore they are as pledges of felicity to thee.- Thou hast
jojffuUy Uved with many of them here ; and is it not better

280 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C^
to be vrith thcra there ? It Is only the state of glory fore
seen by faith, which raost fully sheweth us the gi-eatness of
God's love.
IX. Exercise thyself in psalms o praise, and daily mag
nffy the love of God, that the due mention of it may warm
and raise thy love to hira.
X. Receive all teraptations against divine love -vrith hatred
and repulse ; especially temptations to unbelief ; and as thou
wouldest abhor a temptation to murder, or peijury, or any
other heinous sin, as much abhor all temptations which would
hide God's goodness, or represent him to thee as an enemy,
or unlovelj'.
Thus God hath set the glass before us, in which we may
see his amiable face. But alas ! souls in flesh arc in great
obscurity, and, conscious of their own weakness, are stiU
distrustful of themselves, and doubt of all thefr apprehen
sions, tiU overpowering objects and influences satisfy and
fix them. For this my soul vvith daily longings doth seek
to thee, my God and Father : O pardon tho sin that forfeits
grace: I am ready to saj', " Draw nearer to me ;" but it is
meeter to say, " Open thou my eyes and heart, and remove
aU impediments, and undisposedness, that I may believe,
and feel how near thou art, and hast been to me, while I
perceived itnot."
XIII. It Is God's lovo shed abroad on the heart by the
Holy Ghost which must make us " rejoice in hope of the
glory of God :" this wUl do it, and vrithout this it wiU not
be done.
This would turn the fears of death into joyful hopes of
future lffe. If my God vvUl thus warm my heart -vrith his
love, it 'wUl have these foUovring effects in this matter.
I. Love longeth for union, or nearness, and fruition ; and
it would make my soul long after God in glorious presence.
II. This would make it much easier to me to beUeve that
there is certainlj' a future blessed life for souls ; while I
even tasted how God loveth them. It is no hard thing to
beUeve that the sun vrill give Ught and heat, and rerive the
irozen earth : nor that a father wUl shew kindness to his

SHOES' MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &0. 281
son, or give hira an inheritance. AVliy should it be hard
to believe that God wUl glorify the souls whom he loveth,
and that he wiU take them near himseff; and that thus it
shall be done to those whom he deUghts to honour ?
m. This effusion of divine love would answer my doiibts
of the pardon of sin : I should not find it hard to beUeve
that love itself, which hath given us a Saviour, vrill forgive
a soul that truly repenteth, and hates his sin, and giveth up
himseff to Christ for justification. It is hard to believe that
a tjTant wiU forgive, but not that a father will pardon a
retuming prodigal son.
rv. This effusion of divine love wUl answer my fears,
whicii arise frora mere weakness of grace and duty : indeed,
it wUl give no other comfort to an unconverted soul, but
that he may be accepted ff he come to God by Christ, with
true faith and repentance ; and that this is possible. But
it should be easy to believe, that a tender father -vriU not
kiU or cast out a chUd for weakness, crying, or uncleanness.
Divine love wUl accept and cherish eveu weak faith, weak
praj-er, and weak obedience and patience, which are sincere.
V. This effused love would confute temptations that are
dra-wn from thy afflictions ; and make thee beUeve that they
are not so bad as flesh representeth them : it would under
stand that every son that God loveth he chasteneth, that
he may not be condemned -vrith the world, and that he may
be partaker of his hoUness, and the end may be the quiet
fi-uit of righteousness ; it would teach us to beUeve that God
In very faithfulness doth afflict us ; and that it is a good
sign that the God of love intendeth a better lffe for his be
loved, when he trieth them with so many tribulations here :
and though Lazarus be not saved for his suffering. It signi
fied that God, who loved him, had a lffe of conffort for him,
when he had his e-vil things on earth. AVhen pangs are
greatest, the birth is nearest.
VT. Were love thus shed on the heart by the Holy
Ghost, It would give me a liveUer apprehension of the state
of blessedness which all the faithful now enjoy : I should
delightfully think of them asU-ving in the joyful love of God,

282 SHORT MEDITATIONS ON EOMANS V. 1-5, &C.
and ever fully replenished therevrith. It pleaseth us to see
the earth flourish in the spring ; and to see how pleasantly
the lambs, aud other j-oung things, -vrill skip and plaj' :
much more to see societies of holy Christians loring each
other, and provoking one another to delight In God. O
then what a pleasant thought should it be, to think how all
our deceased godly friends, and all that have so died since
the creation, are now together in a world of divine, perfect
love ! How they are all continually -wrapped up in the
love of God, and Uve in the delight of perfect love to one
another !
O my soul, when thou art with them, thou wilt dwell in
love, and feast on love, and rest in love ; for thou -vrilt more
fully dwell in God, and God In thee : and thou vrilt dwell
-vrith none but perfect lovers : they would not sUence thee
from praising God in their assembly : tyrants, maUgnants,
and persecutors, are raore strange there (or far from thence)
than toads, and snakes, and crocodiles, are from the bed or
bedchamber of the king. Love is the afr, the region, the
world, they Uve in : love is their nature, their pulse, their
breath, their constitution, their complexion and their work:
it is their Ufe, and even themselves and all. Full loth
would one of those .spirits be to dwell again among blind
Sodomites, and mad, seff-damning malignants upon earth.
VII. Yea this effused love wUl teach us to gather tho
glorj' of the blessed from the comraon mercies of tbis Ufe :
doth God give his distracted, malignant eneraies, health,
wealth, plenty pleasure, yea, lordships, dominions, crowns,
and kingdoms ; and hath he not much better for beloved
holy souls ?
Yea, doth he give the brutes Ufe, sense, delight, and
beauty ; and hath he not better things for men — for saints ?
There are some so blind as to think that man shall have
no better hereafter, because brutes have not, but perish.
But they know not how erroneously they think. The sen
sible souls of brutes are substance, and therefore are not
annihilated at death : but God put them under us, and
made them for us, and us more nearly for himseff. Brutes

SHORT MEDITATONS ON ROMANS V. 1-5, &C. 283
have not faculties to know and love God, to raeditate on
him, or praise him, or by moral agency- to obey his pre
cepts : they desfre not any higher felicity than they have :
God -will havens use their service, j-ea, their Uves and flesh,
to tell us thej- were made for us. He tells us not what he
doth with them after death : but whatever it Is, it is not
annihilation, and it Is like thej-'' are in a st.ate still of service
unto man : whether united, or how individuate, we know
not: nor J-et whether those ' philosophers are in'the right,
that think that this eartii is but a small image of the vast
supeiior regions, where there are kingdoms answerable to
these here, where the spirits of brutes are In the like sub-
ection in aerial bodies, to those low, rational spirits that
inhabit the aerial regions, as in flesh they were to man in
flesh. But it Is enough for us that God hath given us fa
culties to know, love, praise, and obey him, and trust him
for glory, which he never gave to them, because they vvere
not made for things so high. Every creature's faculties are
suited to their use and ends.
And love tells me, that the blessed God, who giveth to
brutes that Ufe, health, and pleasure, which they are made
and fitted for, wUl give his servants that heavenly delight
in the fulness of his love and praise, and mutual, jojfflil love
to one another, which nature fundamentaUy, and grace more
immediately, hath made thera fit for.
Blessed Jehovah ! for what tastes of this effused love thou
hast given me, my soul doth bless thee, with some degree
of gratitude and joy : and for those further measures which
I want, and long for, and whicii my pained, languid state
much needs, and would raise my joyful hopes of glory, I
wait, I beg from day to day. O give rae now, at the door
of heaven, some fuller taste of the heavenly felicity : shed
more abroad upon my heart, by the Holy Ghost, that love
of thine which wiU draw up my longing soul to thee, re
joicing in the hope of the glory of God.

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