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of your flesh. But, alas, it is as a draught of cold water in a burning fever, which increases the disease. If indeed you would have pleasure, profit, or honour, seek them where they are to be found, not in the way to hell.

3. What pity it is that you should do that against yourselves, which none else in earth or hell can do.If all the world were combined against you, or all the devils in hell, they could not destroy you without yourselves. And will you do that against yourselves which no one else can do? You have hateful thoughts of the devil, because he is your enemy, and endeavours your destruction. And will you be worse than devils to yourselves? But thus it is with you when you run into sin, and refuse to turn at the call of God; you do more against your own souls, than men or devils could do beside. And if you should set yourselves to do yourselves the greatest mischief, you could not devise a greater.

4. It will everlastingly make you your own tormentors in hell, to think that you brought yourselves wilfully to that misery. O what a griping thought will it be, to think with yourselves, That this was your own doing! that you were warned of this day, and warned again, but it would not do: that you wilfully sinned, and wilfully turned away from God: you had time as well as others, but you abused it: you had teachers as well as others, but you refused their instructions: you had holy examples, but you did not imitate them: you were offered Christ, and grace, and glory, as well others, but you preferred your fleshly pleasure: you had a price in your hands, but you had not a heart to lay it out! Can it choose but torment you to think of this your folly? O that your eyes were opened to see what you have done in the wilful wronging of your own souls! and that you better understood these words of God: Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man

that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain the favour of the Lord. But he

that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.(m)

Dear friends, I am so loth you should lie in everlasting fire, that I once more ask what you resolve on? Will you turn or die? As far as you are gone in sin, do but now turn and come to Christ, and your souls shall live. If it were your bodies which we had to deal with, we might know what to do for you. Though you would not consent, you might be held or bound, while the medicine was poured down your throats, and hurtful things might be kept from you. But about your souls it cannot be so: we cannot convert you against your wills. There is no carrying madmen to heaven in fetters. You may be condemned against your wills; because you sinned with your wills; but you cannot be saved against your wills.

The wisdom of God has thought meet to lay man's salvation or destruction exceeding much upon the choice of his own will; that no man shall go to heaven who chooses not the way to heaven: and no man shall go to hell, but shall be forced to say, "I have the thing I chose; my own will did bring me here. Now if I could but get you to be willing, to be thoroughly and resolutely willing, the work were more than half done. And, alas! must we lose our friends, and must they lose their God, their happiness, their souls, for want of this? I do again beseech you, as if it were on my bended knees, that you would hearken to your Redeemer, and turn, that you may live. All you that have lived in ignorance, and carelessness, and presumption, to this day; all you that have been drowned in the cares of the world, and have no desire after God, and eternal glory; all you that are enslaved to your fleshly desires of meats and drinks, sports and lusts; and all you that know not the necessity of holiness, and never were acquainted with the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost upon your souls; that never embraced your blessed Redeemer by a lively faith, and with admiring and thankful

(m) Prov. viii. 33, 34, 35, 36.

apprehensions of his love, and that never felt a higher estimation of God and heaven, and a heartier love to them, than to the things below:-1 earnestly beseech you, not only for my sake, but for the Lord's sake, and for your souls' sake, that you go not one day longer in your present condition; but look about you, and cry to God for converting grace, that you may escape the plagues which are before you. Deny me any thing that ever I shall ask you for myself, if you will but grant me this. Nay, as ever you will do any thing at the request of the Lord that made you and redeemed you, deny him not this; for if you deny him this, he cares for nothing that you shall grant him. As ever you would have him hear your prayers, and grant your requests, and bless you at the hour of death, and day of judgment, deny not his request now in the day of your prosperity. O believe it, death and judgment, and heaven and hell, are other matters when you come near them, than they seem afar off.

Well, I hope that some of you are by this time purposing to turn and live: and that you are ready to ask me, as the Jews did Peter, when they were pricked in their hearts, What shall we do? How may we come to be truly converted? We are willing, if we did but know our duty. God forbid that we should choose destruction, by refusing conversion, as hitherto we have done.

If these be the purposes of your hearts, I say of you, as God did of a promising people, They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always! (n) Your purposes are good: O that there were but such a heart in you to perform these purposes! And, in hope thereof, 1 shall gladly give you direction what to do; and that but briefly, that you may the easier remember it for your practice.

DIRECTION I.—If you would be converted and (n) Deut. v. 28, 29.

saved, labour to understand the necessity and nature of conversion.Consider what a lamentable condition you are in till your conversion, that you may see it is not a state to be rested in. You are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed, and under the wrath of God, and the curse of his law; you are bond-slaves to the devil, and daily employed in his work, against the Lord, yourselves, and others; you are spiritually dead, as being void of the holy life, and nature and image, of the Lord. You are unfit for any holy work, and do nothing that is truly pleasing to God. You are without any promise or assurance of his protection, and live in continual danger of his justice, not knowing what hour you may be snatched away to hell; and most certain to be damned, if you die in that condition; and nothing short of conversion can prevent it. Whatever amendments are short of true conversion, will never procure the saving of your souls. Keep the true sense of this natural misery, and of the necessity of conversion, on your hearts. And then you must understand what it is to be converted: it is to have a new heart or disposition, and a new conversation.

Quest. 1. For what must we turn?

Ans. For these ends following, which you may attain: You shall hereby be made living members of Christ, and have an interest in him; and be renewed after the image of God, quickened with a new and heavenly life, and saved from the tyranny of Satan, and the dominion of sin; and be justified from the curse of the law, and have the pardon of all the sins of your whole lives; and be accepted of God, and made his sons, and have liberty with boldness to call him Father, and go to him by prayer in all your wants, with a promise of acceptance; you shall have the Holy Ghost to dwell in you, to sanctify and guide you; you shall have part in the communion and prayers of the saints: you shall be fitted for God's service; and shall have the promise of this life, and that which is to come.

And, at death, your souls shall go to Christ; and at the day of judgment, both soul and body shall be justified and glorified, and enter into your Master's joy.

All this the poorest beggar of you that is converted shall certainly and endlessly enjoy.

II. If you will be converted and saved, be much in secret, serious consideration. Inconsiderateness undoes the world. Withdraw yourselves often into secrecy, and meditate on the end for which you were made; on the life you have lived; the time you have lost; the sins you have committed; on the love, and sufferings, and fulness, of Christ; on the danger you are in; on the nearness of death and judgment; and on the certainty and excellency of the joys of heaven; and on the certainty and terror of the torments of hell, and eternity of both; and on the necessity of conversion and a holy life.

III. If you would be converted and saved, attend upon the word of God, which is the ordinary means. Read the scripture, or hear it read, and other holy writings, which do apply to it, constantly; and attend on the public preaching of the word. As God will lighten the world by the sun, and not by himself alone without it; so will he convert and save men by his ministers, who are the lights of the world. When he has miraculously humbled Paul, he sends Ananias to him; and when he has sent an angel to Cornelius, it is but to bid him send for Peter, who must tell him what he is to believe and do.

IV. Betake yourselves to God in a course of earnest and constant prayer. Confess and lament your former lives, and beg his grace to illuminate and convert you. Beseech him to pardon what is past, and to give you his Spirit, and change your hearts and lives, and lead you in his ways, and save you from temptation. And ply this work daily, and be not weary of it.

V. Presently give over your known and wilful sins. Make a stand, and go that way no farther. Be

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