A serious Call to Obstinate Sinners Or A sounding Trumpet to the UNCONVERTED Laying forth the danger of living in Sin and delay of REPENTANCE Which may be a Warning-blow for Wicked Men to forsake sin and to turn to God unfeignedly I have no pleasure saith God in the Death of the wicked but that the wicked might turn from his evil ways and live Ezek. 11.33 Except you be converted you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matt. 18.20 In the waies of Righteousness the Saints find Treasure so shall the Sinner by returning unto God Jer. 24.7 By William Knowls London Printed by H. B. for W. Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-Lane 1684. To the Reader Christian Reader I Intreat thee from the Lord that thou wouldest read this small Book and treasure it up in the Closet of thy heart to seal your Salvation to the day of redemption Beest thou never such a siâ—… now turn unto the Lord by Repentance and thâ—… mayst find mercy now obey his call while his mercy is open and run the race that is set before you throw by sin as a monstrous enemy and cast the Devil behind thee and the profits and pleasures of the World tread under your feet set Christ and his Glory before thine eyes and remember Death and Judgment have a strong Faith wrought in Christ Jesus in which way you 'l find treasures exceedingly and so shall the wicked bâ— turning to the Lord for there is great joy in heaven at a sinners returning more than at ninety nine righteous persons that need not repentance O you wicked sinners I beseech you make timely preparation for your sins O consider your own good and be wise my prayers are ever for you and my daily study is to find out medicines to cure you and among you I throw the Seed of the Word I travel in pain to the hazard of my life and all to save your Souls from Hell and that iniquity might not be your ruine So hoping in the Lord for some of your conversions â— rest your friend in the Lord Jesus W.K.B. in P. A serious Call to Obstinate Sinners Turn you turn you from your evil ways for why will you dye O house of Israel Ezek. 33.11 CHristian Friends and beloved whom the Lord would ever cover with the shadow of his wings and embrace in his Arms but you will not you love Death better than Life because your deeds are evil But hearken to the call of God and to the Doctrine of Christ our Lord you which are unconverted draw nigh now while I sound the Truâ—pet in Sion and sound you an Alarm in your Holy Mountains O you sinners you inhabitants of the Earth tremble at this sudden call from God for the day of the Lord is at hand Joel 2,1 And a most swift and sudden destruction attendeth the wicked for God will most certainly showre down his wrath and vengeance upon all such as forget God and will not be brought to the knowledge of his truth nay you will not discern the mystery of Christs Body which was crucified on the Cross and whose most dear and preâ—…s blood was spilt for redemption of Sinners O bewail your ignorance and beséech the Lord to give you the knowledge of his truth and instruct you sinners not to make any longer a â—est at his words and threatnings and 〈◊〉 not you can be saâ—… when you will â—… he not so deceived nor vâ—…ed by the Prince of darkness O it 〈◊〉 the Devils proâ—…se to deceive the very 〈◊〉 God chosen ones O you are called 〈…〉 â—pecial grace of God to inherit a Kingdom now therefore obey this special Call To day 〈◊〉 you wiâ—… hear his Voice hardon not your â—earts tomorrow is another day and who knows what â— day brings forth continue no longer in filthiness for the day of slaughter is nigh and a just reward is prepared for the wicked O we anâ— sinners who â— hearts are double-minded and whose will works deceit How many caâ—s have you had How many câ—ecks of Conscience how many godly Sermons Precepts upon Precepts Line upon Line one Grace upon the neeâ— of another and yet remains all this while as wicked as you did what shall be used moâ—e for your remedy doth not your Ministers baptize you into Christ and unto Christ and to make you a member of that mystical body and for all this you remain unsanctified they administer the outward Ordinance of the Supper of Christ to make you mindful of his death and passion to bind you to his will and to knit your hearts to his spiritual Ordinance yet all this availeth not let the Ministers of God say what they will yee you do not regard them you are now grown so wise you need no teaching you make light of Christ and Salvation the swearers and drunkards and 〈◊〉 and fornicatoâ—s and deceitful men do 〈◊〉 they shall be saved as well as others when there is no 〈◊〉 hope but Death and Dâ—mnation is reserved or the wicked He that lives and dyes in sin is a Hell-hound and a son of perdition T is the turning from the state of the â—hâ— wicked to the waues of God that shall guide 〈◊〉 to the glory of the Father of lights with who 〈…〉 is no 〈◊〉 nor shadow of turâ—…os 〈◊〉 man throw off the world â— the pleasures deâ—…ght 〈◊〉 it with the deceivable Lusts of the 〈…〉 and â—oâ—…ness be in your life 〈…〉 present condâ—… be unrebuke 〈…〉 God and man you cannot serve God and the 〈◊〉 yea you must lose all for the faâ—… of Christ and count the world but dâ—ss in comparâ—ioâ— to the wâ—… of Christ this all Sinners would do it thee did but know the Oracle of God and the mystery of his 〈◊〉 word and the reward they shall gâ—… in by Kingdom of Heaven you would not underâ—ue the worth of Christ you would not make light of 〈◊〉 O I beseech you to make a speed turn to 〈◊〉 Lord seek â—eâ—k for the Fountain that every 〈◊〉 and vaâ—… your Souls in tâ—… precious 〈◊〉 of Christ his only body feed oâ— and his 〈◊〉 drink of freâ—…y in not one 〈◊〉 fall to the Ground it is altogether excellent precious it cannot be got for Gold of Ophir aâ— Diamond can purchase it no Pearl can equaâ—… it Christ cannot be bought for Gold nor Sâ—…ver and the worth of Christ is beyond Rubies loe this is the Fountain and therefore pray Cleanse me O Lord and I shall be cleansed 't is he and he only that is the door and the way and opens for hungry and thirsty souls whâ— never tasted the sweetness of Christs body 〈◊〉 Blood but only the outward Ordinance which gives not life 't is the spiritual feeding and spiritual washing that makes the corrupted Souls of men perfect Oh let these things prick your hearts and cry What shall we do to be saved saith St. Peter and be baptized every one of you for remission of Sins No Repentance
no Salvation therefore you sinners be reconciled to God and obey his Gospel and speedily turn from the vain glory of the World unto the righteousness of God and see here is happiness in the state of the Righteous What hinders you that you will not be reconciled to God doth the world hinder you and the profits and pleasures of it what are you seeking that you seek not God and his Kingdom what seek you preferment honour and riches or glory in the world which things doth darken your minds understandings and draws our hearts more and more from God should not the Lord in mercy forbear the iniquity of the world and wait upon the sinner for Repentance but in wrath and vengeance pour upon this Nation such severe Iudgments the sins of this Nation cryeth for there would be nothing but utter destruction therefore O Nations gather your selves together before the decrees comes forth before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you Seek the Lord while he may be found and while pardon and remission of sins may be had for if once the door of mercy is shut against you you are utterly lost you are past Remedy if you overslip the day of Grace you may then when it is too late call and cry but God will not hearken but will laugh at your calamity you may seek him early but God will not answer and if you seek the Lord with Tears you cannot find him Prov. 1.28 Why will not God be found saith God They hate knowledg and refuse instruction and do not walk in the fear of God Prov. 2.4 O you must incline your ears to wisdom give up thy heart to understanding you must séek the Lord as for fine silver search to find him as for precious treasure then shall thou know the fear of God and obtain the excellent knowledge of Christ you must seek diligently with a pure heart yea you must hunger thirst after righteousness if you mean to be filled in the end you shall reap if you faint not 〈◊〉 but how backward is the people of the world tâ— hearken and how loth are they to spend haâ— an hours time from their worldly employments to hear the salvation of Sion how slow in hearing how dull in understanding are the wise meâ— of this world the natural man perceiveth noâ— the things of the Spirit neither doth he know them they seem foolishness to him because they are spiritually discerned Let the Ministers of Christ call and cry and tell you you are out of the way and perswade you to turn or else you will travel into utter destruction and tell you that you are at the brink of Death you will not believe but make light of it until your Soul drops into Hell I beseech you therefore in time to avoid the path of death let not the ease pleasure and delights of it entice you any longer to walk in the danger of it set but the dreadful character before your eyes and consider that the end of your way is death the Devil to deceive you tells the worldlings that the way to Heaven and the walking in this path of the righteous is full of misery and sorrow all your Life long hard to be endured and so by these evils he deceives the hearts of men but do but understand what comfort the Saints enjoy and have more peace of conscience in a life of misery than the wicked hath in the greatest Felicity in the World for there attendeth on earthly â—…easuces everlasting sorrow on honour abasement on wealth and riches attendeth poverty in all things else that attendeth the wicked for â—…light is altogether vanity and vexation of spirit Solomon had the enjoyments of all earthly pleasures that could be thought on yet all proâ—ed but vanity then why should we seek after that profits not let us seek Heaven and the Righteousness of it and all other things shall be added thereto Fight the good â—ight of Faith and so lay hold on Eternal life God is the only refuge of the Righteous and the greatest reward The Righteous listens to tne call of God The sheep hears the voice of the Shepherd they follow him for they know his voice John 10.3 You worldlings it is a sign you are none of the Sheep when you will not hearken to the voice of the Shepherd when he calls you by the mouth of his Ministers How many hundred calls have you had from God and you return no answers from the appearance of your conversations whose motives are evil and actions unjust Doth not all the Sermons you hear every Sabbath little prevail with you and do they not all call upon you to turn and do not men labour to write hundreds of Books suitable to convince the sins of the wicked and calls out for you to turn and yet it appears you live in a life most desperate by your loose living and â—…less giving ear to the word of God and yoâ— making light of Christ and Salvation with you readiness to hear and see pastime and gameing or else some idle lusts or desires which corruâ— the spiritual minds of men and increases viâ—… when the Apostle saith Lay aside vain bablâ— and use no foolish jesting which are things oâ— comely but rather be giving of thaâ—ks whâ— becometh the Saints of God Are not the with ready to deride them that tells them of the things as if it were not true Doctrine O â—… alas I could wish they would understand â—… word of the Lord and give better heed to â—… blessed word draw nigh you sinners to the present call from God it may be the last 〈◊〉 you may have it may be the last hour of your lives make a speedy turn therefore to the Lord for though you were sheep that were gone astray but now are turned to your shepherd and Bishop of your Souls 1 Peter 1.25 Think it no lost labour to turn from the World unto God for he will receive you if you quickly turn yea he 'l cloath you with royal robes of Righteousness he 'l seat you in the Glorious Throne of Heaven you shall have bread of Life to feed on and the precious blood of Christ to drink on if you will but turn you shall never hunger and if you will believe on Christ you shall never thirst nor you shall need no Candle either light of the Sun for the Lord God and â—…e Lamb will be your light yea his Glory all light you his power defend you and his â—…vourable Arms embrace you but if you will all remain obstinate and not turn he will â—…ing Iudgment upon the wicked as will he 〈◊〉 swift witness against South-sayers drunkards â—dulterers false-swearers and he that keepeth â—…ck the hireing from his wages and vexes the â—…dow and fatherless and oppresses the stranger and fears not the Lord of Hosts O but in â—ime return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord. Mal. 3.7 For at that