not know it; and therefore they have compassion of you in your misery, and it would rejoice them to see your recovery. O that you did believe this, and that you did consider it. Can you find in your hearts to stand out any longer, when you consider how many would be glad of your conversion? Turn then, O turn to Christ poor sinners, and make glad the very angels of God by your returning. Yea, more than so. 2. The Son of God himself would rejoice at your conversion. For the recovery of sinners is the fruit of his blood; and when he "seeth the travail of his soul, he will be satisfied." He that came into the wilderness of this world to seek such lost and scattered sheep, doth bring them home with joy, when he findeth them. He came to seek, and save that which is lost d." 'He came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Though he must and will condemn them, if they reject his salvation. Nothing pleaseth him better than the conversion and salvation of straying souls: or else he would never have done so much to accomplish it as he hath done. He would never have sent abroad the doctrine of salvation, and established a ministry in the church to that end, if a returning sinner were not his delight. O that you knew, sirs, how welcome you would be to Christ after all the wrong that you have done him, if you would but speedily, and heartily return. Those arms that were nailed open upon the cross, are still ready to embrace a returning soul. He that had tears to weep over his enemies in their obstinacy, hath joy for them that return from their impenitency. He that would have gathered Jerusalem, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wing, if they would have been gathered, doth shew what kind and tender welcome repenting sinners should find with him. If you had but hearts to repent, you would find that Christ hath a heart to receive you. I have formerly told you how tenderly he would meet a poor sinner half way, and fall upon his neck, and comfort his broken heart, and forget his miscarriages, and never hit him in the teeth with his sin; as the father did by the returning prodigal". If you did but know the worth of Christ's embracements, and tender love that he hath to shew toward you, you e Luke xv. d Luke xix. 10. g Matt. xxiii. 37. e John iii. 17. could not find in your heart to stand out so long. You would rather be in your Saviour's arms, than among the swine where you have nothing but the husks. Can you find in your hearts to delay your return, and to despise this love? In the name of God take heed what you do; for I must tell you, if you are so barbarous, and will so abuse that grace that would save you, you will find that he hath wrath as well as grace; and the Lamb of God is a lion to his enemies, and will slay those without mercy, that would not have him rule over them, nor accept of his mercy. Abuse not mercy too much, lest it turn to unavoidable indignation. For "our God is also a consuming fire." And "if his wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, then blessed are they that put their trust in him." Then blessed are they that were converted by his grace, for only they shall be saved from his burning indignation, and be made partakers of the kingdom of his glory. By this time you may see, if you be not wilfully blinded, that when we persuade you to be converted, we are not drawing you into a miserable life; and that it is no ill bargain, which we offer you from the Lord. If I had nothing to plead with you, but the danger of damnation, I might justly expect you should believe and tremble, and yield such obedience as fear alone can cause. But I could not expect that you should receive it with love, nor yield the delightful obedience of the saints. But now you may see that we move you, not to your loss. I dare say I have shewn you enough to win the heart of any man that is not obstinately blind and wicked. If you would be rich, I have shewed you the only riches; if you would be honourable, it is only conversion that can make you so; if you would have pleasure, I have shewed you the way to pleasure,and how you may be possessed even of your Master's joy. In a word, if you would be happy, I have shewed you the only way to happiness; a life of peace and safety hath been offered you; a life of honour and pleasure hath been offered you; and remember that it was offered you. If you refuse it, remember you might have been happy if you would. You might have lived with the image of God upon your souls, and the Holy Ghost within you, and the everlasting kingdom a little be fore you, and with the eye of faith upon the promise of it in the word, and the eye of hope upon the glory that is promised. With the love of God in your hearts, now breathing after him in holy desires, which, when you have reached him, and are come to him, will turn into those endless and inconceivable enjoyments. You might have lived here in the spiritual communion of the saints, in the spiritual and fruitful use of God's ordinances, the chariots to convey your souls to life, and that glass in which you may see the Lord; you might have been much freed from the terrible gripes of conscience which the guilty feel, or certainly shall feel; and secured from that sin that " lieth at the door," and from all the everlasting misery that now waiteth for you. In a word, instead of a life of brutish sensuality and folly, and slavery to satan, and preparation to eternal torment, you were offered that life which consisteth in "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost". Beloved hearers, I now beseech you, in the name of the Lord, that you would not wilfully refuse to be happy; and that you would not neglect so great salvation. Our office obligeth us to invite you, and to be earnest with you; and O that we were able even to compel you to come in ". The nature of Christian charity obligeth us to desire that you might partake of that felicity that is offered you. We know that you may live everlastingly in glory, if you prefer not the world and your flesh before it. Through the great mercy of God, we have tasted somewhat of this felicity ourselves, and cannot choose but wish that you might be companions of our joy. Methinks I should be of so much credit with you myself, as that you should take my word in a matter that I have tried. Why, if you will take my word, sirs, I do profess to you before the Searcher of hearts, that the safety and peace, and comfort of a converted state, is such, that I would not be without it for all the world. Shall I say, I would not change it for a life of drunkenness, or filthiness, or fleshly pleasure, or for all the gains of a covetous worldling? I am ashamed of the comparison. As bad as we know our own hearts to be, I will confidently say, through the grace of God, if the kingdoms of the world were offered us in exchange, we should scorn them, and tread them under foot. I give you my word 1 Gen. iv. 7. m Rom. xiv. 17. Luke xiv. 23. and experience, but to persuade you to come near and try. But, alas! if you will not believe God, how can I expect my words should be believed. O that you would but come and try, and when you have tried the way of holiness, but a quarter as much as you have done the ways of the world and the flesh, then if you like it not, take your course. If you find by experience that the way of sin is safer and better, when you have tried both, then turn back again and spare not; I would trouble you no more, would you but come and try; it is all that I now desire of you. But to think hardly of a state that you never tried; to draw back from a life that you never tried; this is not equal dealing with God, nor impartial faithful dealing for your souls. I know some that have forborne some outward sins awhile, and stepped into an outward profession, and into the company of the godly, have fallen back again. But if you will but try the inward nature, and spiritual life of a saint; the love, the trust, the zeal, the joy, the endeavours, and the hopes of a saint, then judge and spare not, as experience shall direct you, and forsake God if you really find that the flesh and the world are better. Remember what, I say to you. It will leave you unexcusable, and be the confusion of your faces, when you shall answer this another day, that when your everlasting joy or torment did lie upon it, you would not be persuaded by all that we could say, so much as to leave your sins awhile, and come and make trial of a godly life. O wretches! you will one day be ready to eat your own hearts, to think that you refused, and wilfully refused, and impenitently and obstinately refused, so fair, so necessary, so good a motion. CHAPTER VI. Use of Exhortation. BELOVED hearers, I am not come hither to-day of my own head, nor in my own name, nor on my own business; but in the name of Christ, and on the business of your salvation. I know this great assembly will be all very shortly in another world, and we shall meet ere long in a far greater assembly at the day of Christ's judgment, which will be upon us for all the seeming delay, before the careless world is aware. That you may be ready for that day, and stand with boldness before the Judge, when the unconverted world stands trembling and amazed, as overwhelmed with the unexpected terrors of the Lord, this is the business that I come hither about to day; no less, no lower business than this. That I have not trifled with you, and filled your ears with witty toys and strange matters, I hope you will easily pardon me, when you have considered your condition, and the business of our office. I hate that preaching that passeth over the one thing necessary, and only tickleth the ears of miserable men, when it should endeavour their relief. If the town were on fire, it were no commendable matter to be fiddling and dancing, when you should quench it. If I saw you but sinking in a broken vessel, and ready to drown, if you had not help, it would seem no part of wisdom to me to make a learned oration to you, when I should be helping you out of present danger. I must tell you, therefore, that I came not hither only to talk to you, that you might go home and say, you had heard a fine or a learned sermon; but I come to help you out of the misery of an unconverted state. I see the gulf of remediless destruction is a little before you, and I come to require you in the name of the Lord to make a stand, and go no further in the way of wickedness: but look about you and consider your way, and presently return. Have you been ignorant, inconsiderate worldlings, and forgotten that God that should have had your hearts, and forgotten the life where you must live for ever? Be awakened then, and look before you; lift up the eye of faith, and see that joy or torment that is even at hand. Have you lived to the flesh, as if you had nothing but it to care for? and thought it more ado than needs to provide for everlastingness? In a word, have your hearts been set more on this life, than on that to come? and on the things below, than on God above? If this be so, flatter not yourselves in vain hopes. Delay not a day longer, but presently return from that condition. Believe the word of God, it will else be thy undoing. "For if you live after the flesh, ye shall die "." "For they that are far from thee shall perish; but "Where your it is good for me to draw nigh to God b." |