hope is there in thy reading Yet read on this little hope there is in this Book there 's Eye-Salve that may heal thee of thy blindness In this Book there is a Glass that will shew thee thy face Dost thou know thine own face when thou seest it Behold thy very Image in those marks that are given of an Unconverted Person Read and consider them and then say if thou be not the man Be willing to know thy self and to know the worst of thy case wink not at the light hide not thy self from thine own soul. Wilt thou never know thy disease till it be past remedy Much of our hardest Work would be over if we could see the sinners to whom we are sent to be convinced sinners If we could but open the blind eyes there were hope we should shortly raise the dead Sinner of a truth thou art in evil case whether thou know it or not thou art among the dead and there is but a step betwixt thee and Hell Thou wilt not believe it though it be told thee yet once again let me beseech thee come to the Glass that is here presented to thee and narrowly observe whether the very marks of the dead be not found upon thee If there be a miscarriage in this first work if thou wilt not understand thy misery and thy danger there 's an end of all hopes concerning thee Whilst self-ignorance abides upon thee all the Counsels that are necessary to a man in thy case will do thee no good they are never like to prosper with thee because thou wilt not count them proper for thee Who will be perswaded to do that which he believes is already done Who will take the Counsel of the Physitian that does not think himself sick The man of God may spare his pains of perswading thee to Conversion whilst thou art confident thou art converted already Who will be at the pains of repentance that concludes he hath repented Who will bear the labour and the pangs of the new birth that is confident he is already passed from death to life But Friend let me a little reason with thee thou art confident it is well with thee yet why wilt thou not yield to thus much at least to put it to the question am I not mistaken Thou art worse than mad if thou thinkest such a question may not be put Dost thou know that thy heart is false and deceitful and yet because it speaks good concerning thee must it not be questioned whether it speak truth or no Be so wise as to conclude I may be mistaken and thus come to the trial whether thou art mistaken or not And if upon trial by the marks that are before thee thou come to be undeceived and see thy self wrapped up in that misery which hitherto thou wouldst not suspect the next news I expect to hear from thee is What must I do to be saved O were it come to that once Then thou hast an answer at hand in those Means thou wilt find prescribed thee And because they are such as thou wilt hardly be perswaded to use take in the Motives that follow and these will help down the means Consider both the one and the other and if thou dost not find the Means proper and the Motives weighty I think I shall do thee no wrong if I tell thee thou art still of a blind mind and an harder heart Friend the matter which this little Book comes to treat with thee about is of highest importance 't is a matter of Life or Death If thou sayest The Terms upon which Life is offered are hard consider is it not harder to dye He is worthy to dye who will lose his Soul to save his Labour If thou couldest step down into the Deep and take a turn or two with those Damned Souls who are drench'd with Fire and Brimstone and bound in Everlasting Chains of Vengeance and should ask them Now what do you think of the terms upon which life was offered Now what think you of that Repentance of that Obedience of that Circumspection Self-denyal and the greatest Severity which by the Gospel were imposed upon you if you might once again have the same terms granted you for your Redemption from this place of Torment would you yet say hard terms Let me rather dye this death for ever than live such a life let me broil in this Furnace rather than escape with such difficulty shouldst thou ask them thus that have felt what 't is to be damned what answer dost thou think they would make O friend never again groan under the difficulties of Conversion till thou believe them to be worse than Hell But I will not farther anticipate my worthy Author Nor is there much need I should commend either himself or his works for the Author himself thou maist at a small charge get â—â—quaintance with him in that History of his life and death which is extant concerning which I shall only say Sic mihi contingat vivere sicque mori And for this work of his what commendation I shall give of it would be needed no longer than till thou hast read it over Thou wilt find such wine in it as needs no Bush. This only I shall say as far as my credit will go it is exceedingly well worth thy most serious perusal O maist thou hear that voice such a voice from Heaven there is whether thou hear it or no Tolle lege take up and read Read Friend and read over again Read and understand understand and pray pray and consider and consent unto him who by the Pen of his servant calls to thee from Heaven Why wilt thou die Turn and live O suffer this word of instruction and exhortation to open thy blind eyes to turn thee from darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God that thou maist receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified Et cum talâ—s fueris memento mei When it is thus with thee then pray for The Friend and Servant of thy Soul Richard Alleine Mr. JOSEPH ALLEINE'S CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED DEarly Beloved and longed for I gladly acknowledge my self a debtor to you all and am concerned as I would be found a good steward to the Houshold of God to give to every one his Portion But the Physician is most solicitous for those Patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous and the Fathers bowels are especially turned towards his dying child The numbers of the unconverted souls among you call for my most earnest compassions and hasty diligence to pluck them out of the burning Iud. 23. and therefore to these first I shall apply my self in these lines But whence shall I fetch my arguments or how shall I choose my words Lord wherewith shall I wooe them whereby shall I win them Oh that I could but tell I would write unto them in tears I would weep out every argument I would empty my veins
dungeon from the darkness that he calleth you Esay 42. 6 7. and yet will you not come He calleth you unto liberty Gal. 5. 13. and yet will you not hearken His yoke is easie his Laws are Liberty his service freedom Mat. 11. 30. Iames 1. 25. 1 Cor. 7. 22. and Whatever prejudices you have against his ways if a God may be believed you shall find them all pleasure and peace and shall taste sweetness and joy unutterable and take infinite delight and felicity in them Prov. 3. 17. Psal. 110. 165. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Psal. 119. 103. 111. Beloved I am loath to leave you I cannot tell how to give you over I am now ready to shut up but fain I would drive this bargain between Christ and you before I end What shall I leave you as I found you at last Have you read hitherto and are not yet resolved upon a present abandoning all your sins and closing with Jesus Christ Alas what shall I say what shall I do Will you turn off all my importunity Have I run in vain Have I used so many arguments and spent so much time to perswade you and yet must sit down at last in disappointment But it is a small matter that you turn off me you put a slight upon the God that made you you reject the bowels and beseechings of a Saviour and will be found resisters of the Holy Ghost Acts 7. 51. if you will not now be prevailed with to repent and be converted Well though I have called long and ye have refused I shall yet this once more lift up my voice like a Trumpet and cry from the highest places of the City before I conclude with a miserable Conclamatum est Once more I shall call after regardless sinners that if it be possible I may awaken them O earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord Ier. 22. 29. Unless you be resolved to die lend your ears to the last calls of mercy Behold in the name of God I make open proclamation to you Hearken unto me O ye Children Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not Prov. 8. 32 33. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eate ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Incline your ear and come ye unto me hear and your soul shall live and I Will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Esay 55. 1 2 3. Ho every one that is sick of any manner of disease or torment Mat. 4. 23 24. or is possessed with an evil spirit whether of pride or fury or lust or covetousness come ye to the Physician bring away your sick Loe here is he that healeth all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people Ho every one that is in debt and every one that is in distâ—ess and every one that is discontented gather your selves unto Christ 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 maist 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 Esay 42. 6. Eph 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 sloathful 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 entreated 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 scarlet they shall be as wooll and though they be as crimson they shall be as white snow Luke 7. 37. Hos. 2. 2. 1 Thes. 4. 4. Esay 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. 36. Hear O ye loose companions whose delight is in vain and wicked societie to sport away your time in carnal mirth and jollity with them come in at wisdoms call and choose her and her ways and forsake the foolish and you shall live Prov. 9. 5 6. Hear O ye scorners hear the word of the Lord. Though you have made a sport of godliness and the professors thereof though you have made a scorn of Christ and of his waies yet even to you doth he call to gather you under the wings of his mercy Prov. 1. 22 33. In a word though you should be sound 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 ouâ— 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
which the Devil and sin will give thee if thou wilt sell thy soul and Heaven and that which God hath promised and sworn to give thee if thou wilt heartily give up thy self to him I know that thou maist possibly fall into Company at least among some sots and drunkards that will tell thee all this is but troublesome preciseness and making more ado than needs But I know withal what that Man deserveth who will believe a Fool before his Maker for he can be no better than a Miserable Fool that will contradict and revile the Word of God even the Word of Grace that would save Mens Souls And alas it is possible thou maist hear some of the Tribe of Levi or rather of Cain deriding this Serious Godliness as meer Hypocrisie and Fanaticism and Self-conceitedness As if you must be no better than the Devils slaves lest you be Proud in thinking that you are better than they That is you must go with them to Hell lest in Heaven you be Proud Hypocrites for thinking your selves happier than they It may be they will tell you that this talk of Conversion is fitter for Pagans and Infidels to hear than Christians and Protestants Because such mens big Looks or Coats may make the poyson the easilier taken down I will intreat thee but as before God to answer these following questions or to get them answered and then judge whether it be they or we that would deceive thee and whether as men use to talk against Learning that have none themselves so such men prate not against Conversion and the Spirit of God because they have no such thing themselves Quest. 1. I pray ask these men whether it be a Puritan or Fanatick Opinion that men must dye and what all the Pomp and Wealth and Pleasure of the World will signifie to a departing Soul Ask them whether they will live on Earth for ever and their merry hours and Lordly looks will have no end And whether it be but the conceit of Hypocrites and Schismaticks that their Carcases must be rotting in a dark-some Grave Quest. 2. Ask them whether man have not an Immortal Soul and a longer life to live when this is ended Luke 12. 41. Quest. 3. Ask them whether reason require not every man to think more seriously of the place or state where he must be for ever than of that where he must be for a little while and from whence he is posting day and night And whether it be not wiser to lay up our treasure where we must stay than where we must not stay but daily look to be called away and never more to be seen on earth Mat. 6. 19 20. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. and 5. 1 2 3 6 7 8. Quest. 4. Ask them whether God should not be loved with all our heart and soul and might Mat. 22. 27. And whether it be not the mark of an ungodly miscreant to be a lover of pleasure more than God 2 Tim. 3. 4. and a lover of this World above him 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. And whether we must not seek first Gods Kingdom and his Righteousness Mat. 6. 33. and labour most for the meat that never perisheth Ioh. 6. 27. and strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Quest. 5. Ask them whether without Holiness any shall see God Heb. 12. 14 Mat. 5. 8. Tit. 2. 14. And whether the carnal mind is not enmity to God and to be carnally minded is not death and to be spiritually minded life and peace And whether if you live after the flesh you shall not die and be condemned and they shall live and be saved that walk after the spirit and whether any man be Christs that hath not his spirit Rom. 8. 1 5 6 7 8 9 13. Quest. 6. Ask them whether any man have a Treasure in Heaven whose heart is not there Mat. 6. 21. And whether this be not the difference between the wicked and the Godly that the first do make their bellies their Gods and mind earthly things and are Enemies to the Cross of Christ though perhaps not his nameâ— and the latter have their conversation in Heaven and being risen with Christ do seek and set their affections on things above and not on the things that are on earth to which they are as dead and their life is hid or out of sight with Christ in God till Christ appear and then they shall appear eveâ— openly to all the world with him in Glory Phil. 3. 18 19 20. Col. 4. 1 2 3â— 4. 5. Quest. 7. Ask them whether it be creâ—â—ble or suitable to Gods word or workingsâ— that he that will not give thâ—m the fruits of the earth without their labour nor feed and cloath them without themselves will yet bring them to Heaven without any care desire or labour of their own When he hath bid himâ— Care not for thâ— one and called for their greatest diligence for the other Mat. 6. 25. 33. Joh. 6â— 27. Yea ask them whether these be not the two first articles of all Faith and Religion 1. That God is 2. That he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Quest. 8. Ask them yea ask your eyes your ears your daily experience in the World whether all or most that call themselves Christians do in good sadness thus live to God in the Spirit and mortifie the flesh with its affections and iusts and seek first Gods Kingdom and Righteousness and love him above all and lay up treasure and heart in Heaven or rather whether most be not lovers of the World and lovers of pleasure more than God and live not after the flesh and mind not most the things of the flesh I mention not now the drunkards the flesh pleasing Gentlemen that live in Pride Fulness and Idleness and Sport and Play away their precious time nor the filthy Fornicator nor the merciless Oppressorsâ— nor the malignant Haters of a Godly life nor the perjured and perfidious betrayers of mens souls and of the Gospel or their Countries Good nor such other men of seared Conscience whose misery none questioneth but such as are as blind and miserable It 's not these only I am speaking of but the common worldly fleshly and ungodly ones Quest. 9. Ask them whether the name of a Christian will save any of these ungodly persons And whether God will like men the better for lying and calling themselves Christians when they are none indeed and whether they dare preach to the people that a Christian Drunkard or a Christian Fornicator or Oppressor or a Christian worldling needeth no Conversion Quest. 10. Ask them whether they say not themselves that Hypocrisie is a great aggravation of all other sin and whether God hath not made the Hypocrites and Unbelievers to be the standards in Hell Luke 25. 51. And whether seeking to abuse God by a Mock
the woman will not be willing to follow me O Lord God of my Master I pray thee send me good speed this day and shew kindness to my Master and send thine Angel before me and prosper my way that I may take a wife unto thy son Gen. 24. 12. That as the servant rested not till he had brought Isaac and Rebeckah together so I may be succesful to bring Christ and the souls of my people together before we part But I turn me unto you Some of you do not know what I mean by conversion and in vain shall I perswade you to that which you do not understand and therefore for your sakes I shall shew what this Conversion is Others do cherish secret hopes of mercy though they continue as they be and for them I must shew the necessity of Conversion Others are like to harden themselves with a vain conceit that they are converted already unto them I must shew the marks of the Vnconverted Others because they feel no harm fear none and so sleep upon the top of the mast to them I shall shew the misery of the unconverted Others sit still because they see not their way out to them I shall shew the means of Conversion And finally for the quickening of all I shall close with the motives of Conversion CHAP. I. Shewing the Negative what Conversion is not and correcting some mistakes about it LEt the blind Samaritans worship they know not what Ioh. 4. 22. Let the Heathen Athenians superscribe their Altar to the unknown God Acts 17. 23. Let the guileful Papists commend the mother of destruction Hos. 4. 6. for the mother of devotion they that know mans constitution and the nature of the reasonable souls operation cannot but know that the understanding having the Empire in the Soul he that will go rationally to work must labour to let in the light here Ignorantis non est consensus And therefore that you may not mistake me I shall shew you what I mean by the conversion I perswade you to endeavour after It is storied that when Iupiter let down the golden Chaplets from Heaven all of them but one were stolen Whereupon lest they should lose a relique of so great esteem they made five others so like it that if any were so wickedly minded as to steal that also they should not be able to discern which was it And truly my beloved the Devil hath made many counterfeits of this Conversion and cheats one with this and another with that and such a craft and artifice he hath in this mystery of deceits that if it were possible he would deceive the 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 taking 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 power 1 Cor. 4. 20. If to cease to be Jews and Pagans and to put on the Christian profession had been true conversion 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 Tim. 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 Baptsim which what is it but to revive the Popish â—enent of the Sacraments working grace ex opere operato and so every Infant should be regenerated not only Sacramento tenens 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. 1. 3 4. Mat. 19. 28. Our Calling Sanctification as to the beginnings of it or 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 are indeed begotten again it is to an inheritance incorruptible reserved in Heaven for us and the divine power is ingaged 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 now 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 dyed as the Philosopher would be buried with the bishops bond in his hand which he had given him for the 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.
and this cannot be except it be done with a holy heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. IV. Without this thy hopes are in vain Job 8. 12 13. The Lord hath rejected thy confidence Ier. 2. 37. First thy hopes of comfort here are in vain 'T is not only necessary to the safety but comfort of your condition that you be converted Without this you shall â—ot know peace Esay 49. 8. Without the fear of God â—ou cannot have the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. God speaks peace only to his people and to his Saints Psal. 85. 8. If you have a false peace continuing in your sins 't is not of Gods speaking and then you may guess the Author Sin is a real Sickness Esay 1. 5. yea the worst of sickness t is a leprosie in the head Levit. 13. 44. the plague in the heart 1 Kings 8. 32. 't is brokenness in the bones Psal. 51. 8. it pierceth it woundeth it racketh it tormenteth 1 Tim. 6. 10. A man may as well expect ease when his diseases are in their strength or his bones out of joynt as true comfort while in his sins O wretched man that canst have no â—ase in this case but what comes from the deadliness of thy disease You shall have the poor sick man saying in his lightness he is well when you see death in his face He will needs up and about his business when the very next step is like to be into the grave The unsanctified often feel nothing amiss they think themselves whole and cry not out for the Physician but this shews the danger of their case Sin doth naturally breed distempers and disturbance in the soul. What a continual tempest and commotion is there in a discontented mind What an eating evil is inordinate care What is passion but a very feaver in the mind What is lust but a fire in the bones What is Pride but a deadly tympany or covetousness but an unsatiablâ— and unsufferable thirst or malice and envy but venom in the very heart spiritual sloth is but a scurvy in the mind and carnal security a mortal lethargy and how can that soul have true comfort that is under so many diseases But converting grace cures and so eases the mind and prepares the soul for a setled standing immortal peace Great peace have they that love thy commandments and nothing shall offend them Psal. 119. 165. They are the ways of wisdom that afford pleasure and peace Prov. 3. 17. David had infinitely more pleasure in the word than in all the delights of his Court Psal. 119. 103 127. The Conscience cannot be truly pacified till soundly purified Heb. 10. 22. Cursed is that peace 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 pernicious to thy self there is death desperation blasphemy in the bowels of this hope 1. Tâ— 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. Though thou maist lean upon this house it will not stand Iob 8. 15. 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 â—ruition 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 he in a mistake Where now is my hope He hath destroyed me I am gone and my hope is removed like a tree Iob 19. 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 are dying yea a damning soul-undoing hope When a wicked man dyeth 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 Iob 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 sail and their hope shâ—â—â— be as the giving up of the Ghost Iob 11. 2. â—cked 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 lier He hath told you that so merciful and pittiful as he is he will never save you notwithstanding if you go on in ignorance or a course of unrighteousness Esa. 27. 11. 1 Cor. 6. 9. in a word 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 Gods 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 Answ. 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 Psal. 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 abhorrency reject this hope Those condemned in the Prophet went on in their sins yet saith the Text they will lean upon the Lord Mic. 3.
be broken but upon whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder Mat. 21. 44. What work did it make with our Saviour It pressed the very blood to a wonder out of his veins and broke all his bones and if it did this in the green tree what will it do in the dry Oh think of thy case in time Canst thou think of that threat without trembling Ye shall die in your sins Ioh. 8. 24. Oh better were it for thee to die in a goal die in a ditch in a dungeon than die in thy sins If death as it will take away all thy other comforts would take away thy sins too it were some mitigation But thy sins will follow thee when thy friends leave thee and all worldly enjoyments shake hands with thee Thy sins will not die with thee 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. as a prisoners others debts will but they will to judgement with thee there to be thine accusers and they will to hell with thee there to be thy tormentors Better to have so many fiends and furies about thee than thy sins to fall upon thee and fasten in thee Oh the work thot these will make with thee Oh look over thy debts in time How much art thou in the books of every one of Gods laws How is every one of Gods commandments ready to arrest thee and take thee by the throat for innumerable bonds that it hath upon thee What wilt thou then do when they shall altogether lay it in against thee Hold open the eyes of conscience to consider this that thou maist despair of thy self and be driven to Christ and fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6. 18. V. Thy raginglusts do miserably enslave thee While unconverted thou art a very servant to sin it reigns over thee and holds thee under its dominion till thou art brought within the bond of Gods covenant Iohn 8. 34 36. Tit. 3. 3. Rom. 6. 12 14. Rom. 6. 16 17. Now there 's no such Tyrant as sin Oh the filthy and fearful work that it doth ingage its servants in would it not pierce a mans heart to see a company of poor creatures drudging and toiling and all to carry together faggots and fuell for their own burning Why this is the employment of sins drudges Even while they bless themselves in their unrighteous gains while they sing and swill in pleasures they are but treasuring up wrath and vengeance for their eternal burning they are but laying in powder and bullets and adding to the pile of Tophet and flinging in Oyl to make the flame rage the fiercer Who would serve such a master whose work is drudgery and whose wages is death Rom. 6. 23. What a woful spectacle was that poor wretch possessed with the legion Would it not have pitied thine heart to have seen him among the tombs cutting and wounding of himself Mark 5. 5. This 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 thou wilt 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 beâ— 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 head-long to his own destruction VI. The furnace of eternal Vengeance is heated ready for thee Esay 30. 33. Hell and destruction open their mouths upon thee they gape for thee they groan for thee Esay 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 may be as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19. 12. more heavy than the sand Prov. 27. 3. What is the wrath of the infinite God If the burning furnace heated in Nebuchadnezars 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 faggot 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 Esay 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 fiercest forge Thou canst not bear Gods whip how then wilt thou endure his scorpions Thou art even crushed and ready to wish 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 woo 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 bruit and be swallowed into the gulf of annihilation shall be such a felicity as a whole eternity of wishes and an Ocean of tears shall never purchase Now thou canst put off the evil day and canst laugh and be merry and forget the terrour of the Lord 2 Cor 5. 11. but how wilt thou hold out or hold up when God shall cast thee into a bed of torments Rev. 2. 22. and make thee to lie down in sorrows Esay 50. 11. When roarings and blasphemy shalt 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 thine 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. 18. O sinner stop here and consider
in that 1. They overlook his justice 2. They promise themselves mercy out of Gods way His mercy is beyond all imagination Esay 55. 9. great mercies 1 Chron. 21. 13. manifold mercies Neh. 9. 19. tender mercies Psal. 25. 6. sure mercies Esay 55. 3. everlasting mercies Psal. 103. 17. Esay 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 erâ—cted 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 suitor 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 the wicked 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 â—e live Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine 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 offended Soveraign 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 ye would hear his voice 2. The doors of heaven are thrown 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 Gospel Get thee up into the Pisgah of the Promises and lift up thine eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward and see the good land that is beyond Iordan and that goodly mountain Behold the Paradice of God watered with the streams of glory Arise and walk through the land in the length of it and in the bredth of it for all the land which thou seest the Lord will give it to thee for ever if thou wilt but return Gen. 13. 14 15 17. Let me say to thee as Paul to Agrippa Believest thou the Prophets If thou believest indeed do but view what glorious things are spoken of the City of God Psal. 87. 3. and know that all this is here tendered in the name of God to thee As verily as God is true it shall be for ever thine if thou wilt but throughly turn Behold the City of pure transparent Gold whose foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones whose gates are pearls whose light is glory whose temple is God Believest thou this If thou dost art thou not worse than distracted that wilt not take possession when the gates are flung open to thee and thou art bid to enter O ye sons of â—olly will ye embrace the dunghils and refuse the Kingdom Behold the Lord God tâ—keth you up into the mountain shews you the Kingdom of Heaven and all the glory thereof and tells you All this will I give you if you will fall down and worship me â— If you will submit to mercy accept my Son and serve me in righteousness ness and holiness O fools and slow of heart 〈◊〉 believe will you court the harlot will you seek and serve the world and neglect the eternal glory What not enter into Paradise when the flaming sword that was once set to keep you out is now used to drive you in But you will say I am uncharitable to think you infidels and unbelievers Why what shall I think you either you are desperate unbelievers that do not credit it or stark distracted that you know and believe the excellency and eternity of his glory and yet do so fearfully neglect it Surely you have no faith or no reason and I had almost said conscience should tell you so before I leave you Do but attend what is offered you Oh blessed Kingdom A Kingdom of glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. a Kingdom of righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. a Kingdom of peace Rom. 14. 17. an everlasting Kingdom 2 Pet. 1. 11. Here thou shaâ—t dwell here thou shaâ—t â—eign for ever and the Lord shall set thee in a throne of glory Mat. 19. 28. and with his own hand shall set the Royal Diadâ—m upon thine head and give thee a Crown not of thorns for there shall be no sâ—nning nor suffering there Rev. 21. 27. 22. 3 4 5. not of Gold for this shall be viler than the dirt in that day but a Crown of life Iames 1. 12. a Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. Yea thou shalt put on glory as a robe 1 Cor. 15. 53. and shale shine like the Sun in the â—irmament in the glory of thy Father Mat. 13. 43. Look now upon thy dirty flesh thy clay thy worms-meat this very flesh this lump this carcase shall be brighter than the Stars Dan. 12. 3. In short thou shalt be made like unto the Angels of God Luke 20. 36. and behold his face in righteousness Psal. 17. 15. Look in now and tell me dost thou yet believe If not conscience must pronounce thee an infidel for it is the very word of God that I speak But if thou say thou believest let me next know thy resolutions Wilt thou embrace this for thy happiness Wilt thou forgo thy sinful gains thy forbidden pleasures Wilt thou trample on the worlds esteem and spit in the harlots face and stop thine ears at her flareries and wrest thee out of her embraces Wilt thou be content