and every one that is in distress and every one that is discontented gather your selves unto Christâ— and he will become a Captain over you He will be your protection from the arrests of the Law He will save you from the hand of Justice Behold he is an open sanctuary to you he is a known Refuge Heb. 6. 18. Psal. 48. 3. Away with your sins and come in unto him lest the avenger of blood seize you lest devouring wrath overtake you Ho every ignorant sinner come and buy eye-salve that thou may'st see Rev. 3. 18. Away with thine excuses thou art for ever lost if thou continuest in this estate 2 Cor. 4. 3. But accept of Christ for thy Prophet and he will be a light unto thee Isa. 42. 6. Ephes. 5. 14. Cry unto him for knowledge study his word take pains about the Principles of Religion humble thy self before him and he will teach thee his way and make thee wise unto salvation Mat. 13. 36. Luke 8. 9. Iohn 5. 39. Psal. 25. 9. But if thou wilt not follow him in the painful use of his means but sit down because thou hast but one talent he will condemn thee for a wicked and slothful servant Mat. 25. 24 26. Ho every prophane sinner come in and live Return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon thee Be inâ—â—eated Oh return come Thou that hast filled thy mouth with oaths and execrations all manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven thee Mark 3. 28. if thou wilt but throughly turn unto Christ and come in Though thou wast as unclean as Magdalen yet put away thy Whoredoms out of thy sight and thine adulteries from between thy breasts and give up thy self unto Christ as a vessel of holiness alone for his use and then though thy sins be as 〈◊〉 they shall be as wooll and though they be as crimson they shall be as white as snow Luke 7. 37. Hos. 2. 2. 1 Thes. 4. 4. Isa. 1. 18. Hear O ye drunkards How long will you be drunken put away your wine 1 Sam. 1. 14. Though you have rolled in the vomit of your sin take the vomit of repentance and heartily disgorge your beloved lusts and the Lord will receive you 2. Cor. 6. 17. Give up your selves unto Christ to live soberly righteously and godly embrace his righteousness accept his government and though you have been swine he will wash you Rev. 3. 6. Hear O ye loose companions whose delight is in vain and wicked society to sport away your time in carnal mirth and jollity with them come in at wisdoms call and choose her and her ways and you shall live Prov. 9. 5 6. Hear O ye scorners hear the word of the Lord Though you have made a sport at godliness and the professors thereof though you have made a scorn of Christ and of his ways yet even to you doth he call to gather you under the wings of his mercy Prov. 1â— 22 33. In a word though you should be found among the worst of that black roll 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. yet upon your through Conversion you shall be washed you shall be justified you shall be sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God ver 11. Ho every formal professor that art but a luke-warm and dough-baked Christian and restest in the form of godliness give over thy halving and thy halting be a throughout Christian and be zealous and repent and then though thou hast been an offence to Christ's stomach thou shalt be the joy of his heart Rev. 3. 16 19 20. And now bear witness that mercy hath been offered you I call Heaven and Earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that you may live Deut. 30. 19. I can but woo you and warn you I cannot compel you to be happy if I could I would What answer will you send me with to my Master Let me speak unto you as Abrahams servant to them and now if you will deal kindly and truly with my Master tell me Gen. 24. 49. O for such a happy answer as Rebekah gave to them Gen. 24. 57 58. And they said we will call the damsel and inquire at her mouth And they called Rebekah and said unto her Wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go O that I had but thus much from you Why should I be your accuser Mat. 10. 14 15. who thirst for your salvation Why should the passionate pleadings and wooings of mercy be turned into the horrid aggravations of your obstinacy and additions to your misery Judge in your selves Do you not think their condemnation will be doubly dreadful that shall still go on in their sins after all endeavours to recall them Doubtless it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon yea for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Iudgment than for you Mat. 11. 22 24. Beloved if you have any pity for your perishing souls close with the present offers of mercy If you would not continue and increase the pains of your travelling Ministers do not stick in the birth If the God that made you have any Authority with you obey his command and come in If you are not the despisers of grace and would not shut up the doors of mercy against your selves repent and be converted Let not Heaven stand open for you in vain Let not the Lord Jesus open his wares and bid you buy without money and without price in vain Let not his Ministers and his Spirit strive with you in vain and leave you now at last unperswaded lest the sentence go forth against you The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6. 29 30. Father of Spirits take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness Do not thou have ended though I have done Half a word from thine effectual power will do the work O thou that hast the Key of David that openest when no man shutteth open thou this heart as thou didst Lydia's and let the King of glory enter in And make this soul thy captive Let not the tempter harden him in delays Let him not stir from this place nor take his eyes from these lines till he be resolved to forgo his sins and to accept of life upon thy self-denying terms In thy name O Lord God did I go forth to these Labours in thy name do I shut them up Let not all the time they have cost be but lost hours let not all the thoughts of heart and all the pains that have been about them be but lost labour Lord put in thine hand into the heart of this Reader and send thy Spirit as once thou didst Philip to join himself to the Chariot of the Eunuch while he was reading the word And though I
A Sure Guide TO HEAVEN OR An Earnest Invitation to Sinners to turn to God in order to their Eternal Salvation Shewing the thoughtful Sinner what he must do to be saved By Ioseph Alleine late Minister of the Gospel at Taunton in Somersetshire John 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1688. TO THE READER That would be safe and happy IF it were only possible thou mayst live hereafter and be called to account in another world for what thou dost in this it would be thy wisdom to take the safest course and not to run the constant hazard of being dragg'd by death to Iudgment before thou wert prepar'd to meet thy Iudge But another Life and a Judgment to come are more than possible there is an high probability yea as great a certainty as can with reason he expected that death will not put an end to thy being that thou shalt live after the return of thy body to the Earth and that then thou shalt be tryed and sentenced to such an happiness or misery as will be incomparably greater than any thing nay than all thou didst ever feel or see hear of or imagine These weighty Truths are taught and establisht in some measure by the Light of Nature but much more clearly and firmly by the Oracles of God in the Holy Scriptures Besides what they say of the different states of separated Souls they plainly teach and strongly assert That God hath appointed a time in which he will judge the whole world by the Mediator Jesus Christ that that great Mediator who is God as well as Man will descend from Heaven attended by its glorious Inhabitants with triumphant Acclamations to his Royal Throne that a mighty Voice will cite all that ever dwelt on Earth to make their personal appearance that that awakening and commanding Summons shall be presently heard and obeyed by the dead and they with the quick then remaining alive shall all stand before the Judgment Seat that after a throughly searching and impartial tryal which will reach mens several talents trusts and opportunities of getting and doing good and their most secret actions words and thoughts every one shall receive an unalterable Sentence of Absolution or Condemnation and that then such as are approv'd and absolv'd shall inherit an heavenly Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world be like the Angels their delightful Companions converse with their most amiable and loving Saviour beholding and partaking of his glory yea resemble see and enjoy God himself in compleated Holiness and everlasting Bliss And those on the other hand that are reprobated and damn'd shall never be admitted into the Regions of Light nor yet be favour'd with a glimpse thereof but suffer with Devils in the blackness of darkness for ever the perpetual gnawings of the Worm that dieth not and the extreme torments of unquenchable fire Seeing then these things cannot be denied thou must be guilty of such woful abuses of reason as far exceed all the extravagancies of them that want it thou must be most grosly foolish most unnaturally cruel to thine own Soul to thy whole self if thou dost not earnestly desire to be one of those unto whom the Lord shall say Come ye blessed and not Depart ye cursed if thou dost not readily welcom and diligently use any proper helps for the avoiding of the heaviest endless misery and for the attaining of the purest vastest everlasting happiness And such helps are now offered thee in this little Book which hath a taking tincture of the excellent Author's flaming love to God and useful Charity to the Souls of men and now it is in thine hand let me tell thee it cannot be refus'd the reading or reaâ— without doing what it so plainly teacheth and affectionately urgeth but at thy greatest peril If thou wilt not be at a small expence of time and pains to read it over if after the neglect of so many means of instruction this also be rejected how justly mayst thou be destroyed for lack of knowledge How soon may the things which belong unto thy peace be hid from thine eyes A continued wilful want of understanding is large ground for fear lest he that made thee should not have mercy on thee and he that form'd and redeem'd thee should shew thee no favour If thou readest but dost not practise what Scripture and Reason so pathetically plead for the increase of thy knowledge will increase thy sorrow because it will aggravate thy sin for to him that knows his Lords will how and why to do good and doth it not but the forbidden evil to him 't is heinous inexcusable sin for which he is liable to be beaten with many stripes in constant dreadful danger of severer punishment I hope therefore thou wilt peruse so short a discourse and art not unwilling to do it in such a manner as to grow acquainted with and be perswaded to thy great duty and which is inseparable from it thy greatest advantage and that thou may'st not fail thereof is the design of the following Directions 1. Pray in the name of Christ as thou art and shalt be enabled for the more effectual assistances of the Holy Spirit Such is the corruption of our nature that it utterly disables to make a saving use of outward means without inward aids Unless the Spirit by his powerful operations work thee into a serious teachable temper set home the attempts of Gods Messengers and give them an efficacy far beyond their own the most concerning truths and weightiest arguments can never be so represented and inforc'd as to overcome thy sensual worldly inclinations rescue thee from the dominion of sin and Satan and bring thee back to God. Thou must therefore pray and that with becoming apprehensions of the great God due regard to the gracious Mediator deep shame and sorrow for the â—ins thou confessest ardent desires of all the grace thou beggest and faithful improvements of such measures as thou hast already received And if thou thus askest with fervent importunity and persevering constancy thou wilt undoubtedly find that God bade thee not to seek his face in vain As our Lord warrants us to argue Luke II. If a man will not deny a Friend what he is importunate for and if a Father will grant his Son what he asks and wants much more will thy Heavenly Father give thee the Holy Spirit for all needful purposes to produce all those effects in thee that are truly necessary for thine Eternal Salvation 2. Consider seriously what thou readest and work it on thy Soul as far as thou art concern'd therein Medicines for the Body will operate though they are not thought of but Spiritual Remedies for the mind require its co-operation with them the clearest explications fullest proofs and strongest motives about matters of nearest and
very Elect. Now that I may cure the damnable mistakes of some who think they are converted when they are not as well as remove the troubles and fears of others that think they are not converted when they are I shall shew you the nature of conversion both negatively or what it is not and positively what it is We will begin with the Negative 1. It is not the taâ—ing on us the Profession of Christianity Doubtless Christianity is more than a name If we will hear Paul it lies not in word but in powerâ— 1 Cor. 4. 20. if to cease to be Jews and Pagans and to pâ—t on the Christian Profession had been true Conversionâ— as this is all that some would have to be understood by it who better Christians than they of Sardis and Laodicea These were all Christians by profession and had a name to live but because they had but a name are condemned by Christ and threatned to be spewed out Rev. 3. 1. 16. Are there not many that name the name of the Lord Jesus that yet depart not from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. and profess they know God but in works deny him Tit. 1. 16. And will God receive these for true converts because turned to the Christian Religion What converts from sin when yet they do live in sin 'T is a visible contradiction Surely if the lamp of profession would have served the turn the foolish Virgins had never been shut out Mat. 25. 3 12. We find not only professors but Preachers of Christ and Wonder-workers turned off because evil workers Mat. 7. 22 23. 2. It is not the being washed in the laver of Regeneration or putting on the badge of Christ in baptism Many take the press-money and wear the Livery of Christ that yet never stand to their colours nor follow their leader Ananias and Saphira and Magus were baptized as well as the rest How fondly do many mistake here deceiving and being deceived dreaming that effectual grace is necessarily tied to the external administration of Baptism which what is it but to revive the Popish Tenent of the Sacraments working grace ex opere operato and so every Infant should be regenerated not only Sacramento tenus sacramentally but really and properly Hence men do fancy that being regenerated already when baptized they need no further work But if this were so then all that were baptized in their infancy must necessarily be saved because the promise of pardon and salvation is made to conversion and regeneration Acts 3. 19. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Mat. 19. 28. Our Calling Sanctification as to the beginnings of it on Conversion which are but the same thing under different conceptions and expressions is but a middle link in the golden chain fastned to election at the one end and glorification at the other Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. The silver cord may not be broken nor the connexion between Sanctification and Salvation between grace and glory impiously violated Mat. 5. 8. if we were indeed begotten again it is to an inheritance incorruptible reserved in heaven for us and the divine power is engaged to keep us for it 1 Pet. 1. 5. And if the very regenerate may perish at last in their sins we will no more say that he that is born of God his seed remaineth in him and that he cannot sin 1 Ioh. 3. 9. i. e. unto death nor that it is impossible to deceive the very elect Mat. 24. 24. And indeed were this true then we need look no farther to see our names written in Heaven than only to search the Register and see whether we were baptized then I would keep the certificate of my baptism as my fairest evidence for Heaven and should come by assurance of my gracious state with a wet finger then men should do well to carry but a certificate of their baptism under the Registers hand when they died as the Philosopher would be buried with the Bishops Bond in his hand which he had given him for receiving his alms in another world and upon sight of this there were no doubt of their admission into Heaven In short if there be no more necessary to conversion or regeneration than to be turned to the Christian Religion or to be baptized in infancy this will flie directly in the face of that Scripture Mat. 7. 14. as well as multitudes of others For first we will then no more say strait is the gate and narrow is the way for if all that are baptized and of true Religion are saved the door is become heavenly wide and we will henceforth say wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth unto life for if this be true whole Parishes yea whole Countries and whole Kingdoms may go in a breast and we will no more teach that the righteous is scarcely saved or that there is need of such a stir in taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence and striving to enter in Surely if the way be so easie as many make it that there is little more necessary than to be regenerated in our baptism and cry God mercy and be absolved by the Minister at our end 't is more ado than needs to put our selves to such running and seeking and knocking and fighting and wrestling as the word requires as necessary to Salvation Secondly if this be true we will no more say Few there be that find it yea we will rather say Few there be that miss it we will no more say that of the many that are called but few are chosen Mat. 22. 14. and that even of the professing Israel but a remnant shall be saved Rom. 11. 5. If this Doctrine be true we will not say any more with the Disciples Who then shall be saved but rather who then shall not be saved Then if a man be called a brother that is a Christian and be baptized though he be a fornicator or a â—ailer or covetous or a drunkard yet he shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 5. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. But the Arminian will reply such as these though they did receive regenerating grace in Baptism are since fallen away and must be renewed again or else they cannot be saved I answer 1. That there is an infallible connexion between regeneration and salvation as we have already shewed and I itch to be farther evidencing but that 't is against designed brevity 2. Then men must be born again which carrys a great deal of absurdity in its very face And why may not men be twice born in nature as well as in grace Why not as great an absurdity to be twice regenerated as to be twice generated But 3. and above all This grants however the thing I contend for that what ever men do or pretend to receive in baptism if they be sound afterwards to be grosly ignorant or profane or formal without the power of godliness they must be born again or else be shut out of the
that is maintained in a way of sin Deut. 29. 19 20. Two sorts of peace are more to be dreaded than all the troubles in the world peace with sin and peace in sin Secondly Thy hopes of Salvation hereafter are in vain yea worse than in vain they are most injurious to God most pernicions to thy self there is death desperation blasphemy in the bowels of this hope 1. There is death in it Thy Confidence shall be rooted out of thy Tabernacles God will up with it root and branch it shall bring thee to the King of Terrors Iob 18. 14. tho thou maist lean upon this house it will not stand Iob 8. 1â— but will prove like a ruinous building which when a man trusts to it falls down about his ears 2. There is desperation in it Where is the Hope of the Hypocrite when God takes away his soul Iob 27. 8. Then there is an end for ever of his hope Indeed the hope of the righteous hath an end but then 't is not a destructive but a perfective end his hope ends in fruition others in frustration Prov. 10. 28. The godly must say at death It is finished but the wicked It is perished and in too sad earnest bemoan himself as Iob in a mistake Where now is my hope He hath destroyed me I am gone and my hope is removed like a tree Job 19. 10. The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14. 32. When nature is dying his hopes are living when his body is languishing his hopes are flourishing his hope is a living hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but others a dying yea a damning soul-undoing hope When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth Prov. 11. 7. It shall be cut off and prove like the Spiders Web Job 8. 14. which he spins out of his own bowels but then comes death with the broom and takes down all and so there is an eternal end of his confidence wherein he trusted For the eyes of the wicked shall fail and their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost Job 11. 20. Wicked men are setled in their carnal hope and will not be beaten out of it They hold it fast they will not let it go Yea but death will knock off their fingers Though we cannot undeceive them death and judgment will. When death strikes his dart through thy liver it will let out thy soul and thy hopes together The unsanctified have hope only in this life 1 Cor. 15. 19. and therefore are of all men most miserable When death comes it lets them out into the amazing gulf of endless desperation 3. There is blasphemy in it To hope we shall be saved though continuing unconverted is to hope we shall prove God a liar He hath told you that so merciful and pitiful as he is he will never save you notwithstanding if you go on in ignorance or a course of unrighteousnes Isa. 27. 11. 1. Cor. 6. 9. In a word he he hath told you that whatever you be or do nothing shall avail you to Salvation without you be new creatures Gal. 6. 15. Now to say God is merciful and we hope he will save us nevertheless is to say in effect we hope God will not do as he saith We may not set God's Attributes at variance God is resolved to glorifie mercy but not with the prejudice of truth as the presumptuous sinner will find to his everlasting sorrow Object Why but we hope in Jesus Christ we put our whole trust in God and therefore doubt not but we shall be saved Ans. 1. This is not to hope in Christ but against Christ. To hope to see the Kingdom of God without being born again to hope to find eternal life in the broad way is to hope Christ will prove a false Prophet 'T is David's plea I hope in thy word Psalm 119. 81. but this hope is against the word Shew me a word of Christ for thy hope that he will save thee in thine ignorance or prophane neglects of his service and I will never go to shake thy confidence 2. God doth with abhorrence reject this hope Those condemned in the Prophet went on in their sins yet faith the Text they will lean upon the Lord Mic. 3. 11. God will not endure to be made a prop to men in their sins The Lord rejected those presumptuous sinners that went on still in their trespasses and yet would stay themselves upon the God of Israel Isaâ— 48. 1 2. as a man would shake off the briars as one said well that cleaves to his garment 3. If thy hope be any thing worth it will purifie thee from thy sins 1 Iohn 3. 3. but cursed is that hope which doth cherish men in their sins Object Would you have us to despair Answ. You must despair of ever coming to Heaven as you are Acts 2. 37. that is while you remain unconverted You must despair ever to see the face of God without holiness but you must by no means despair of finding mercy upon your thorough repentance and conversion neither may you despair of attaining to repentance and conversion in the use of Gods means V. Without this all that Christ hath done and suffered will be as to you in vain John 13. 8. Tit. 2. 14. that is it will no way avail to your salvation Many urge this as a sufficient ground for their hopes that Christ died for sinners but I must tell you Christ never died to save impenitent and unconverted sinners so continuing 2 Tim. 2. 19. A great Divine was wont in his private dealings with souls to ask two questions 1. What hath Christ done for you 2. What hath Christ wrought in you Without the application of the Spirit in Regeneration we can have no saving 〈◊〉 â—â—rest in the benefits of Redemptâ—on I telâ— you from the Lord Christ himself cannot save you if you go on in this estate I. It were against his trust The Mediator is the Servant of the Father Isa. 42. 1. shews his commission from him acts in his name and pleads his command for his justification Iohn 10. 18 36. Iohn 6. 38 40. And God hath committed all things to him entrusted his own glory and the salvation of his elect with him Mat. 11. 27. Iohn 17. 2. Accordingly Christ gives his Father an account of both parts of his trust before he leaves the world Iohn 17. 4 6 12. Now Christ should quite cross his Fathers glory his greatest trust if he should save men in their sins for this were to overturn all his counsels and to offer violence to all his attributes First To overturn all his Councels of which this is the order that men should be brought through sanctification to salvation 2 Thes. 2. 13. He hath chosen them that they should be holy Eph. 1. 4. They are elected to pardon and life through sanctification 1 Pet. 1. 2. If thou canst repeal the Law
is thy case such is thy work Every stroke is a thrust at thine heart 1 Tim. 6. 10. Conscience indeed is now asleep but when death and judgment shall bring thee to thy senses then wilt thou feel the raging smart and anguish of every wound The convinced sinner is a sensible instance of the miserable bondage of sin Conscience flies upon him and tells him what the end of these things will be and yet such a slave is he to his lusts that on he must though he see it will be his endless perdition and when the temptation comes lust gets the bit in his mouth breaks all the cords of his vows and promises and carries him headlong to his own destruction VI. The furnace of eternal vengeance is heated ready for thee Isa. 30. 33. Hell and destruction open their mouths upon thee they gape for thee they groan for thee Isa. 5. 14. waiting as it were with a greedy eye as thou standest upon the brink when thou wilt drop in If the wrath of a man be as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 20. 2. more heavy than the sand Prov. 27. 3. what is the wrath of the infinite God If the burning furnace heated in Nebuchadâ—â—zzar's fiery rage when he commanded it to be made yet seven times hotter were so fierce as to burn up even those that drew near it to throw the three children in Dan. 3. 19 22. How hot is that burning Oven of the Almighty's fury Mal. 4. 1. Surely this is seventy times seven more fierce What thinkest thou O man of being a saggoâ—in Hell to all eternity Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee saith the Lord of Hosts Ezek. 22. 14. Canst thou dwell with everlasting burnings Canst thou abide the consuming fire Isa 33. 4. When thou shalt be as a glowing Iron in Hell and thy whole body and soul shall be as perfectly possessed by Gods burning vengeance as the fiery sparkling Iron when heated in the â—iercest forge Thou canst not bear God's whip how then wilt thou endure his scorpions Thou art even crushed and ready to with thy self dead under the weight of his finger how then wilt thou bear the weight of his loyns The most patient man that ever was did curse the day that ever he was born Iob 3. 1. and even wish death to come and end his misery Iob 7. 15 16. when God did but let out one little drop of his wrath How then wilt thou endure when God shall pour out all his Vials and set himself against thee to torment thee when he shall make thy conscience the tunnel by which he will be pouring his burning wrath into thy soul for ever and when he shall fill all thy powers as full of torment as they be now full of sin When immortality shall be thy misery and to die the death of a brute and be swallowed into the gulf of annihilation shall be such a felicity as the whole eternity of wishes an Ocean of tears shall never purchase Now thou canst put off the evil day and canst laugh and be merry and forget the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. but how wilt thou hold out or hold up when God will cast thee into a bed of torments Rev. 2. 21 and make thee to 〈◊〉 down in sorrows Isa. 50. 11. When roarings and blasphemy shall be thine only musick and the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation shall be thine only drink Rev. 14. 10. When thou shalt draw in flames for thy breath and the horrid stench of sulphur shall be thy only perfume In a word when the smoak of thy torment shall ascend for ever and ever and thou shalt have no rest night nor day no rest in thy conscience no ease in thy bones but thou shalt be an execration and an astonishment and a curse and a reproach for evermore Ier. 42. 〈◊〉 O sinner stop here and consider If thou art a man and not a senseless block consider Bethink thy self where thou standest why upon the very brink of his â—urnace As the Lord liveth and thy soul liveth there is but a step between thee and this 1 Sam. 20. 3. Thou knowest not when thou lyest down but thou mayest be in before the Morning thou knowest not when thou risest but thou may 〈◊〉 drop in before the Night Darest thou make light of this Wilt thou go on in such a dreadful conditionâ— as if nothing ailed thee If thou puttest it off and sayest this doth not belong to thee look again over the foregoing Chapter and tell me the truth are none of these black marks found upon thee Do not blind thine eyes do not deceive thy self see thy misery while thou mayst prevent it Think what 't is to be a vile cast-out a damned reprobate a vessel of wrath into which the Lord will be pouring out his tormenting fury while he hath a Being Rom. 9. 22. Divine wrath is a fierce Deut. 32. 22. devouring Isa. 33. 14. everlasting Mat. 25. 41. unquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. and thy soul and body must be the fuel upon which it will be feeding for ever unless thou consider thy ways and speedily turn to the Lord by a sound conversion They that have been only singed by this fire and had no more but the smell thereof passing upon them Oh what amazing spectacles have they been Whose heart would not have melted to have heard Spira's out-cries to have seen Chaloner that monument of Justice worn to Skin and Bones Blaspheming the God of Heaven cursing himself and continually crying out O Torture Torture Torture O Torture Torture as if the flames of wrath had already took hold on him To have heard Rogers crying out I have had a little pleasure but now I must to Hell for evermore wishing but for this mitigation that God would but let him lie burning for ever behind the back of that fire on the earth and bringing in this sad conclusion still at the end of whatever was spoken to him to afford him some hope I must to Hell I must to the furnace of Hell for millions of millions of Ages O if the fears and forethoughts of the wrath to come be so terrible so intolerable what is the feeling of it Sinner 't is but in vain to flatter you this would be but to toll you into the unquenchable fire know ye from the living God that here you must lie with these burnings must you dwell till immortality die and immutability change till Eternity run out and Omnipotency is not longer able to torment except you be in good earnest renewed throughout by sanctifying grace VII The Law dischargeth all its threats and curses at thee Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 7. Oh how dreadfully doth it thunder It spits fire and brimstone in thy face Its words are as drawn swords and as the sharp arrows of the mighty it demands
down into the bottomless Pit. Seest thou how the smoak of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever Revâ— 14. 11. How black are the Fiends How furious are their Tormentors 'T is their only musick to hear how their miserable Patients roar to hear their bones crack 'T is their meat and drink to see how their flesh frieth and their fat droppeth to drench them with burning metal and to rip open their bodies and to pour in the fierce burning brass into their bowels and the recesses and ventricles of their hearts What thinkesâ— thou of those chains of darkness of those instruments of cruelty Canst thou be content to burn Seest thou how the worm gnaweth how the oven gloweth how the fire rageth What say'st thou to that River of Brimstone that dark and horrible vault that gulf of perdition Wilt thou take up thy habitation here O lay thine ear to the door of Hell. Hearest thou the curses and blasphemies the weepings and the wailings how they lament their folly and curse their day Mat. 22. 13. Rev. 16. 9. How do they roar and â—ell and gnash their teeth How dâ—ep are their gronas How feeling are their moâ—ns How unconceivable are their miseries If the shâ—ieks of 〈…〉 and Abiram were so terrible when the Earth 〈◊〉 asunder and opened her mouth and swallowed them up and all that apperâ—ained to them that all Israel fled at the cry of them 〈◊〉 16. â—3 â—4 Oh how fearful worâ—id the cry be if God should take off the covaring from the mouâ—h of Hell and let the cry of the damned aseend in all its teâ—ror among the Children or men And of all their moans and miseries this the piercing killing emphasis and burden for ever for â—vâ—r Why as God liveth that made thy soul thou art but a few hours distant from all this except thou repent and be converted Oh! I am even lost and swallowed up in the abundance of those arguments that I might suggest If there be any point of wisdom in all the world it is to repent and come in if there be any thing righteous any thing reasonable this is it If there be any thing in the world that may be called madness and folly and any thing that may be counted sottish absurd brutish unreasonable it is this to go on in thine unconverted estate Let me beg thee as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy thy self to sit down and weigh besides what hath been said these following Motives and let conscience speak if it be not reason that thou shouldst repent and turn 1. The God that made thee doth most graciously invite thee First His most sweet and merciful nature doth invite thee Oh the kindness of God his working bowels his tender mercies they are infinitely above our thoughts higher than heaven what can we do Deeper than hell what can we know Iob 11. 7 8 9. He is full of compassion and gracious long suffering and plenteous in mercy Psal. 86. 15. This is a great argument to perswade sinners to come in Turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful â—low to anger of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil If God would not repent of the evil it were some discouragement to us why we should not repent If there were no hope of mercy it were no such wonder if rebels should stand out but never had Subjects such a gracious Prince such Piety Patience Clemency pity to deal with as you have Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity c. Mic. 7. 18. Oh sinners See what a God you have to deal with if you will but turn He will turn again and have compassion on you he will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sins into the depth of the Sea V. 19. Return unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will return unto you Mal. 3. 7. Zech. 1. 3. Sinners do not fail in that they have too high thoughts of Gods mercies but in that 1. They overlook his Iustice. 2. They promise themselves mercy out of Gods way His mercy is beyond all imagination Isa. 55. 9. great mercies 1 Chron. 21. 13. manifold mercies Neh. 9. 19. tender mercies Psal. 25. 6. sure mercies Isa. 55. 3. everlasting mercies Psal. 103. 17. Isa. 54. 8. and all thine own if thou wilt but turn Art thou willing to come in Why the Lord hath laid aside his terror erected a Throne of Grace holds forth the golden Scepter Touch and live Would a merciful man slay his enemy when prostrate at his feet acknowledging his wrong begging pardon and offering to enter with him into a Covenant of peace Much less will the merciful God. Study his Name Exod. 34. 7. Read their experience Neh. 9. 17. Secondly His Soul encouraging calls and promises do invite thee Ah what an earnest suiter is mercy to thee how lovingly how instantly it calleth after thee how passionately it wooeth thee Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquity Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you return and I will heal your back-slidings Thou hast plaid the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord Jer. 3. 11 12 13 14 22. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin Cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a clean heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye Ezek. 18. 21 23 30 31 32. Oh melting gracious words The voice of a God and not of a man This is not the manner of men for the offending Sovereign to sue to the offending traiterous varlet Oh how doth mercy follow thee and plead with thee Is not thy heart broken yet Oh that to day you would hear his voice 2. The Doors of Heaven are thrownâ— open to thee The Everlasting Gates are set wide for thee and an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven administred to thee Christ now bespeaks thee as she her Husband Arise and take possession 1 Kings 21. 15. View the glory of the other world as set forth in the map of the