do any harm; and why then should God condemn me?

Ans. Is it no harm to neglect the Lord that made thee, and the work for which thou camest into the world, and to prefer the creature before the Creator, and to neglect grace which is daily offered thee? It is the depth of thy sinfulness to be so insensible of it: the dead feel not that they are dead. If once thou wert alive, thou wouldst see enough amiss in thyself, and marvel at thyself for making so light of it.

Object. 5. I think you would make men mad, under pretence of converting them.

Ans. 1. Can you be madder than you are already? or, at least can, there be a more dangerous madness, than to neglect your everlasting welfare, and wilfully undo yourselves?

A man is never well in his wits till he be converted; he never knows God, nor knows sin, nor knows Christ, nor knows the world, nor himself, nor what his business is on earth, so as to set himself about it. Is it a wise world, when men will run into hell for fear of being out of their wits?

2. What is there in the work which Christ calls you to, that should drive a man out of his senses? Is it the loving God, and calling upon him, and thinking of glory to come, and the forsaking our sins, and loving one another, and delighting ourselves in the service of God? Are these such things as make men mad?

3. And whereas you say that these matters are too high for us; are the matters which we are made for, and which we live for, too high for us to meddle with? This is plainly to unman us, and to make beasts of us, as if we were like them that must meddle with no higher matters than what belong to flesh and earth. If heaven be too high for you to think on, it will be too high for you ever to possess.

4. If God should sometimes suffer any weak-headed persons to be distracted by thinking of eternal

things; this is because they misunderstand them, and run without a guide. But of the two, I had rather be in the case of such a one, than in that of the mad unconverted world, who take their distraction to be their wisdom.

Object. 6. I do not see that it goes any better with those that are so godly, than with other men. They are as poor, and in as much trouble, as others.

Ans. And perhaps in much more, when God sees it meet. They take not earthly prosperity for their wages. They have laid up their treasures in another world, or else they are not Christians. The less they have, the more is behind; and they are content to wait till then.

Object. 7. When you have said all that you can, I am resolved to hope well, and trust in God, and do as well as I can, and not make so much ado.

Ans. 1. Is that doing as well as you can, when you will not turn to God, but your heart is against his holy service? It is as well as you will, indeed: but that is your misery.

2. My desire is that you should hope in God: but for what is it that you will hope? Is it to be saved, if you turn and be sanctified? For this you have God's promise; and therefore hope for it, and spare not.— But if you hope to be saved without conversion; this is not to hope in God, but in Satan. For God has given you no such promise, but told you the contrary: but it is Satan that made you such promises, and raised you to such hopes.

What say you, Unconverted Sinners? Have you any good reason to give, why you should not turn, and presently turn, with all your hearts? Or will you go to hell in spite of reason itself? Consider what you do in time, for it will shortly be too late to consider. Can you find any fault with God, or his work, or wages? Is he a bad master? Is the devil, whom you serve, a better? Is there any harm in a holy life? Is a life of ungodliness better? Do you think in your consciences that it would do you any harm to be con

verted, and live a holy life? What harm can it do you? Is it harm to you to have the Spirit of Christ within you? and to have a purified heart? Is it evil to be like God? Is it not said that God made man in his image? Why, this holiness is his image: this Adam lost, and this Christ by his word and Spirit would restore to you, as he does to all that will be saved. Tell me truly, as before the Lord; though you are loth to live a holy life, had you not rather die in the case of those that do so, than of others? If you were to die this day, had you not rather die in the case of a converted man, than of the unconverted? of a holy and heavenly man, than of a carnal earthly man? And would you not say as Balaam, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!(z) And why will you not now be of the mind which you will be of then? First or last, you must come to this; either to be converted, or to wish you had been, when it is too late.

But what is that you are afraid of losing, if you turn? Is it your friends? You will but change them: God will be your friend, and Christ and the Spirit will be your friend, and every Christian will be your friend. You will get one Friend that will stand you in more stead than all the friends in the world could have done. The friends you lose would but have enticed you to hell, but could not have delivered you: but the Friend you get will save you from hell, and bring you to eternal rest.

Is it your pleasures that you are afraid of losing? You think you shall never have a merry day again, if once you be converted. Alas, that you should think it a greater pleasure to live in foolish sports and merriments, than live in the love of God, and in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. If it be a greater pleasure to you to think of your lands and inheritance, (if you were lord of all the country,) than it is to a child to play for pins; why should it not be a greater joy for you to think of the kingdom of heaven

(z) Numb. xxiii. 10.

being yours, than of all the riches or pleasures of the world? I have had myself but a little taste of the heavenly pleasures in the fore-thoughts of the blessed day, and in the present persuasion of the love of God in Christ; but I have taken too deep a draught of earthly pleasures: and yet I must profess, from that little experience, that there is no comparison: there is more joy to be had in a day (if the Sun of life shine clear upon us) in the state of holiness, than in a whole life of sinful pleasures. It is but your unsanctified nature, that makes a holy life seem grievous to you. If you will but turn, the Holy Ghost will give you another nature, and then it would be more pleasant to you to be rid of your sin, than now it is to keep it: and you will then say, that you knew not what a comfortable life was till now, and that it was never well with you till God and holiness were your delight.

DOCTRINE VII.

If, after all this, men will not turn, it is not the fault of God that they are condemned, but of themselves, even their own wilfulness. They die because they will die; that is, because they will not turn.

IF you will go to hell, what remedy! God here acquits himself of your blood: it shall not lie on him, if you be lost. A negligent minister may draw it upon himself; and those that encourage you, or hinder you not in sin, may draw it upon themselves: but be sure of it, it shall not lie upon God. The Lord says concerning his unprofitable vineyard, Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? (a) What could he have done more? He has made you men, and endued you with reason: he has furnished you with all external necessaries, all creatures

(a) Isa. v. 3, 4.

are at your service; he has given you a righteous, perfect law. When you had broken it, and undone yourselves, he had pity on you, and sent his Son, by a miracle of condescending mercy, to die for you, and be a sacrifice for your sins, and he was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. The Lord Jesus has made you a deed of gift of himself, and eternal life with him, on the condition you will but accept it, and return. He has on this reasonable condition offered you the free pardon of all your sins; he has written this in his word, and sealed it by his Spirit, and sent it you by his ministers: they have made the offer to you a hundred, and a hundred times, and called you to accept it, and turn to God. They have in his name entreated you, and reasoned the case with you, and answered all your frivolous objections. He has long waited on you, and staid your leisure, and suffered you to abuse him to his face. He has mercifully sustained you in the midst of your sins: he has compassed you about with all sorts of mercies; he has also intermixed afflictions to remind you of your folly, and call you to your senses: and his Spirit has been often striving with your hearts, and saying, "Turn, sinner, turn to him that calls thee? Whither art thou going? What art thou doing? Dost thou know what will be the end? How long wilt thou hate thy friends, and love thine enemies? When wilt thou let go all, and turn, and deliver up thyself to God, and give thy Redeemer the possession of thy soul? When shall it once be?" These pleadings have been used with thee. And when thou hast delayed, thou hast been urged to make haste, and God has called to thee, To-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your heart: Why not now, without any more delay? Life has been set before you, the joys of heaven have been opened to you in the gospel; the certainty of them has been manifested; the certainty of the everlasting torments of the damned has been declared to you. Unless you would have had a sight of heaven and hell, what could you have desired more? Christ