and live, that God hath so long waited on live; that he may leave man no pretence to questhee. tion the truth of it. Fifth, It is further proved by the sufferings of his Son, that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Would he have ransomed them from death at so dear a rate? Would he have astonished angels and men by his condescension; would God have dwelt in flesh, and have come in the form of a servant, and have assumed humanity into one person with the Godhead? Would Christ have lived a life of suffering, and died a cursed death for sinners, if he had rather taken pleasure in their death? Suppose you saw him but so busy in preaching and healing of them, or so long in fasting, or all night in prayer, or praying with the drops of blood trickling from him instead of sweat, or suffering a cursed death upon the cross, and pouring out his soul as a sacrifice for our sins,-would you have thought these the signs of one that delights in the death of the wicked? Think not to extenuate it by saying, that it was only for his elect. For it was thy sin, and the sin of all the world, that lay upon our redeemer; and his sacrifice and satisfaction is sufficient for all, and the fruits of it are offered to one as well as to another; but it is true, that it was never the intent of his mind, to pardon and save any that would not by faith and repentance be converted. If you had seen and heard him weeping and bemoaning the state of disobedience in impenitent people, or complaining of their stubbornness, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!' Or if you had seen and heard him on the cross, praying for his persecutors, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;' would you have suspected that he had delighted in the death of the wicked, even of those that perish by their wilful unbelief? When God hath so loved (not only loved, but so loved) the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, (by an effectual faith) should not perish, but have everlasting life,' I think he hath hereby proved, against the malice of men and devils, that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but had rather that they would turn and live. Lastly, If all this will not yet satisfy you, take his own word, that knows best his own mind, or at least believe his oath: but this leads me to the fourth doctrine. DOCT. IV. The Lord hath confirmed it to us by his oath, that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he turn and If you dare question his word, I hope you dare not question his oath. As Christ hath solemnly protested, that the unregenerated and unconverted cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, so God hath sworn that his pleasure is not in their death, but in their conversion and life: and as the apostle saith, because he can swear by no greater than himself, he saith, As I live,' &c.; 'for men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of strife, wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his council, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who had fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us, which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. If there be any man that cannot reconcile this truth with the doctrine of predestination, or the actual damnation of the wicked, that is his own ignorance; he hath no pretence left to deny or question therefore the truth of the point in hand; for this is confirmed by the oath of God, and therefore must not be distorted, to reduce it to other points, but doubtful points must rather be reduced to it, and certain truths must be believed to agree with it, though our shallow understandings do hardly discern the agreement. I earnestly intreat thee, if thou be an unconverted sinner that hearest these words, that thou wouldest ponder a little upon the forementioned doctrines, and bethink thyself a while, who it is that takes no pleasure in thy sin and damnation. Certainly, it is not God: he hath sworn for his part, that he takes no pleasure in it. I know it is not the pleasing of him that you intend in it. You dare not say that you drink and swear, and neglect holy duties, and quench the motions of the Spirit, to please God. That were as if you should reproach the prince, break his laws, seek his death, and say, you did all this to please him. Who is it then that takes pleasure in your sin and death? Not any that bear the image of God, for they must be like minded to him. God knows it is small pleasure to your faithful teachers, to see you serve your deadly enemy, and madly venture your eternal state, and wilfully run into the flames of hell. It is small pleasure to them, to see upon your souls (in the sad effects,) such blindness, hard-heartedness, carelessness, and presumption; such wilfulness in evil, such uncharitableness, and stiff ness, against the ways of life and peace; they | lieve him, but will venture their souls, come on know these are marks of death, and of the wrath it what will. We tell them how ready the Lord of God, and they know from the word of God is to receive them; and this does but make them what is like to be the end of them; and there- delay their repentance, and be bolder in their fore it is no more pleasure to them, than to a sin. Some of them say they purpose to repent, tender physician to see the plague marks break but they are still the same; and some say they out upon his patient. Alas, to foresee your ever- | repent already, while yet they are not conlasting torments, and know not how to prevent verted from their sins. We exhort them, we them! To see how near you are to hell, and we intreat them, we offer them our help, but we cannot make you believe it, and consider it! To cannot prevail with them; but they that were see how easily, how certainly you might escape, drunkards are drunkards still, and they that were if we knew but how to make you willing! How voluptuous flesh-pleasing sinners are such still, fair you are for everlasting salvation, if you and they that were worldlings are worldlings would but turn, and make it the care and business still; and they that were ignorant, proud, and of your lives to obey the gospel ! But you will | self-conceited, are so still. Few of them will see not do it; if our lives lay on it, we cannot per- and confess their sins, and fewer will forsake them, suade you to do it. We study day and night but comfort themselves that all men are sinners, what to say to you, that may convince you and as if there were no difference between a converted persuade you, and yet it is undone: we lay be- sinner and an unconverted. Some of them will fore you the word of God, and show you the very not come near us when we are willing to instruct chapter and verse where it is written, that you them, but think they know enough already, and cannot be saved except you be converted; and need not our instruction: and some of them will yet we leave the most of you as we find you: give us the hearing, and do what they list; and we hope ye will believe the word of God, though most of them are like dead men that cannot feel; you believe not us, and that you will regard it so that when we tell them of the matters of everwhen we show you plain scripture for it: but we lasting consequence, we cannot get a word of it hope in vain, and labour in vain, as to any saving to their hearts. If we do not obey them, and change upon your hearts. Do you think that humour them in baptizing children of the most this is a pleasant thing to us? Many a time in obstinately wicked, and giving them the Lord's secret prayers we are constrained to complain to Supper, and doing all that they would have us, God with sad hearts, though never so much against the word of God, they will hate us, and rail at us; but if we beseech them to confess and forsake their sins, and save their souls, they will not do it. We tell them if they will but turn, we will deny them none of the ordinances of God, neither baptism to their children, nor the Lord's Supper to themselves; but they will not hear us: they would have us to disobey God, damn our souls to please them, and yet they will not turn, and save their own souls to please God. They are wiser in their own eyes than all their teachers; they rage, and are confident in their own way; and if we would never so willingly, we cannot change them. Lord, this is the case of our miserable neighbours, and we cannot help it; we see them ready to drop into hell, and we cannot help it: we know if they would unfeignedly turn, they might be saved; but we cannot persuade them: If we would beg it of them on our knees, we cannot persuade them to it; if we would beg it of them with tears, we cannot persuade them: and what more can we do?' ، Alas, Lord, we have spoken it to them, in thy | name, but they little regard us? We have told them what thou bidst us tell them, concerning the danger of an unconverted state, but they do not believe us; we have told them that thou hast protested that there is no peace to the wicked; but the worst of them all will scarcely believe that they are wicked. We have showed them the word, where thou hast said, that if they live after the flesh they shall die; but they say, they will believe in thee, when they will not believe thee; and that they will trust in thee, when they give no credit to thy word, and when they hope that the threatenings of thy word are false, they will vet call this a hoping in God, and though we show them where thou hast said, that when a wicked man dies all his hopes perish, yet cannot we persuade them from their deceitful hopes. We tell them what a base unprofitable thing sin is, but they love it, and therefore will not leave it. We tell them how dear they buy their pleasure, and what they must pay for it in everlasting torment, and they bless themselves and will not believe it, but will do as the most do; and because God is merciful, they will not be These are the secret complaints that many a poor minister pours out before God, and do you think that he hath any pleasure in this? Is it a pleasure to him to see you go on in sin, and cannot stop you? To see you so miserable, and cannot so much as make you sensible of it? To see you merry, when you are not sure to be an hour out of hell? To think what you must for ever suffer because you will not turn? And to think what an everlasting life of glory you wilfully despise and cast away? What sadder things can you bring to their hearts, and how can you devise to grieve them more? Who is it then that you please by your sin and death? It is none of your sensible, godly friends. Alas, it is the grief of their souls to see your misery, and they lament you many a time, when you give them little thanks for it, and when you have not hearts to lament yourselves. Who is it then that takes pleasure in your sin? It is none but the three great enemies of God, whom you renounced in your baptism, and now are turned falsely to serve. 1. The devil indeed takes pleasure in your sin and death; for this is the very end of all his temptations for this he watches night and day: you cannot devise to please him better, than to go on in sin: how glad is he when he sees thee going to the alehouse, or other sin; when he hears thee curse or swear, or rail? How glad is he when he hears thee revile the minister that would draw thee from thy sin, and help to save thee? These are his delight. within you, tell you sometimes that all is not well, and that your case is not so safe as you think it to be? Should not your souls and consciences be pleased before that corruptible flesh? 3. But is not your flesh preparing for its own displeasure also? It loves the bait, but doth it love the hook? It loves the strong drink and sweet morsels; it loves its ease, sport and merriment; it loves to be rich, well spoken of by men, and to be somebody in the world, but doth it love the curse of God? Doth it love to stand trembling before his bar, and to be judged to everlasting fire? Doth it love to be tormented with the devils for ever? Take all together; for there is no separating sin and hell, but only by faith and true conversion; if you will keep one, you must have the other. If death and hell be pleasant to thee, no wonder then if thou go on in sin; but if they be not (as I am sure they are not) then what if sin be ever so pleasant, is it worth the loss of life eternal ? Is a little drink, meat, ease, the good word of sinners, or the riches of this world, to be valued above the joys of heaven? Or are they worth the sufferings of eternal fire? These questions should be considered before you go any farther by every any man that hath reason to consider, and that believes he hath a soul to save or lose. Well, the Lord here swears that he hath no pleasure in your death, but rather that you would 2. The wicked are also delighted in it, for it turn and live: if yet you will go on and die, rather is agreeable to their nature. 3. But I know, for all this, that it is not the pleasure of the devil that you intend, even when you please him ; but it is your own flesh, the greatest and most dangerous enemy, that you intend to please. It is the flesh that would be pampered, that would be pleased in meat and drink, and clothing, that would be pleased in your company, pleased in applause and credit with the world, pleased in sports and lusts, and idleness; this is the gulph that devours all. This is the very God that you serve, for the scripture saith of such, that their bellies are their God.' But I beseech you stay a little and consider the business. 1. Should your flesh be pleased before your Maker? Will you displease the Lord, displease your teacher, and your godly friends, and all to please your sensual desires? Is not God worthy to be a ruler of your flesh; if he shall not rule it, he will not save it: you cannot in reason expect that he should. 2. Your flesh is pleased with your sin; but is your conscience pleased? Doth not it grudge than turn, remember it was not to please God that you did it; it was to please the world, and to please yourself. If men will damn themselves to please themselves, run into endless torments for delight, and have not the heart, the grace, to hearken to God or man that would reclaim them, what remedy? But they must take what they get by it, and repent in another manner, when it is too late. Before I proceed any farther in the application, I shall come to the next doctrine; which gives a fuller ground for it. DocT. V. So earnest is God for the conversion of sinners, that he doubles his commands and exhortations with vehemency; Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?' 6 This doctrine is the application of the former, as by a use of exhortation, and accordingly I shall handle it. Is there an unconverted sinner, that hears these vehement words of God; is there a man or woman in this assembly, that is yet a stranger to the renewing, sanctifying works of the Holy Ghost? It is a happy assembly if it be not so with the most: hearken then to the voice of your Maker, and turn to him by 6 Christ without delay. Would you know the will of God? Why this is his will, that you presently turn. Shall the living God send so earnest a message to his creatures, and should they not obey? Hearken then all you that live after the flesh, the Lord that gave thee thy breath and being, hath sent a message to thee from heaven, and this is his message, Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die?' He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Shall the voice of the eternal Majesty be neglected? If he but terribly thunder, thou art afraid. O but this voice doth more nearly concern thee; if he but tell thee that thou shalt die to-morrow, thou wouldst not make light of it, but this word concerns thy life or death everlasting. It is both a command and an exhortation. As if he had said to thee, I charge thee, upon the allegiance thou owest to me thy Creator and Redeemer, that thou renounce the flesh, the world and the devil, and turn to me, that thou mayest live. I condescend to intreat thee, as thou lovest or fearest him that made thee; as thou lovest thine own life, even thine everlasting life, turn and live; as ever thou wouldst escape eternal misery, turn, turn, for why wilt thou die? And is there a heart in man, in a reasonable creature, that can once refuse such a message, such a command, such an exhortion as this? O what a thing then is the heart of man! Hearken then, all that love yourselves, and all that regard your own salvation. Here is the most joyful message that ever was sent to the ears of man, 'Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die?' You are not yet shut up under desperation. Here is mercy offered you, turn and you shall have it. O sirs, with what glad and joyful hearts should you receive these tidings! I know that this is not the first time that you have heard it; but how have you regarded it, or how do you regard it now? Hear, all you ignorant, careless sinners, the word of the Lord. Hear, all you worldlings, you sensual flesh-pleasers, you gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, and swearers; you railers, backbiters, slanderers, and liars; 'turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?' of heaven; you that are religious but a little, and give God no more than your flesh can spare; that have not denied your carnal selves, and forsaken all that you have for Christ, in the estimation and grounded resolution of your souls, but have some one thing in the world so dear to you, that you cannot spare it for Christ, if he requires it, but will rather even venture on his displeasure, than forsake it; turn ye, turn ye, why will you die? If you never heard it, or observed it before; remember that ye were told it from the word of God this day, that if you will but turn, you may live; and if you will not turn you shall surely die.' What now will you do what is your resolution; will you turn or will you not? Halt not any longer between two opinions: if the Lord be God, follow him: if your flesh be God, then serve it still. If heaven be better than earth and fleshly pleasures, come away then and seek a better country, and lay up your treasure where rust and moths do not corrupt, and thieves can not break through and steal, and be awakened at last with all your might to seek the kingdom that cannot be moved. Employ your lives on a higher design, and turn the stream of your cares and labours another way than formerly you have done: but if earth be better than heaven, or will do more for you, or last you longer, then keep it and make your best of it, and follow it still. Are you resolved what to do? If you be not, I will set a few more moving considerations before you, to see if reason will make you resolve. 1. Consider what preparations mercy hath made for your salvation: and what pity it is that any man should be damned after all this. The time was when the flaming sword was in the way, and the curse of God's law would have kept thee back, if thou hadst been ever so willing to turn to God: the time was when thyself, and all the friends that thou hadst in the world, could never have procured thee the pardon of thy sins past, though thou hadst never so much lamented, and reformed them. But Christ hath removed this Hear, all you cold and formal professors, and impediment, by the ransom of his blood. The all that are strangers to the life of Christ, who time was, that God was wholly unreconciled, as never knew the power of his cross and resurrec-being not satisfied for the violation of his law: tion, who never felt your hearts warmed with his love, and live not on him as the strength of your souls; turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?' Hear, all that are void of the love of God, whose hearts are not toward him, nor taken up with the hopes of glory, but set more by your earthly prosperity and delights, than by the joys but now he is so far satisfied and reconciled, as that he hath made thee a free act of oblivion, and a free deed of the gift of Christ and life, and offers it to thee, and intreats thee to accept it, and it may be thine if thou wilt. For, he was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of actual recon ciliation.' Siuners, we are commanded to do this to receive thee, and yet art thou not ready to message to you all, as from the Lord. ، Come, for | come in P all things are ready.' Are all things ready,' and Yea, heaven itself is ready: the Lord will reare you unready? God is ready to entertain ceive thee into the glory of the saints, vile as you and pardon all that you have done against thou hast been; if thou wilt but be cleansed thou him, if you will but come. As long as you have mayest have a place before his throne: his angels sinned, as wilfully as you have sinned, as hein- will be ready to guard thy soul to the place of ously as you have sinned, he is ready to cast all joy, if thou but unfeignedly come in. And behind his back, if you will but come. Though is God ready, the sacrifice of Christ ready, the you have been prodigals, and run away from | promise ready, and pardon ready ? Are minisGod, and have staid so long, he is ready even ters ready, the people of God ready, heaven itto meet you, and embrace you in his arms, and self ready, and angels ready, and all these but rejoice in your conversion, if you will but turn. waiting for thy conversion; and yet art thou not Even the earthly worldling and debauched drunk- ready? What! not ready to live, when thou ard may find God ready to bid him welcome, hast been dead so long? Not ready to come to if they will but come. Doth not this turn thy thy right understanding; as the prodigal is said heart within thee? O sinner, if thou hast a to come to himself, when thou hast been beside heart of flesh, and not of stone in thee, methinks | thyself so long? Not ready to be saved, when this should melt it; shall the dreadful infinite thou art even ready to be condemned? Art Majesty of heaven, even wait for thy returning, thou not ready to lay hold on Christ that would and be ready to receive thee who hast abused deliver thee, when thou art even ready to drown, him, and forgotten him so long? Shall he de- | and sink into damnation ? Art thou not ready light in thy conversion, that might at any time glorify his justice in thy damnation; and doth it not yet melt thy heart within thee, and art thou not yet ready to come in? Hast thou not as much reason to be ready to come, as God hath to invite thee and bid thee welcome? But that is not all; Christ hath done his part on the cross, and made such a way for thee to the Father that on his account thou mayest be welcome, if thou wilt come. And yet art thou not ready ? A pardon is already expressly granted, and offered thee in the gospel. And yet art thou not ready? to be saved from hell, when thou art even ready to be cast remediless into it; alas, man! dost thou know what thou dost? If thou die unconverted, there is no doubt to be made of thy damnation: thou art not sure to live an hour: and yet art thou not ready to turn, and to come in? O miserable wretch! hast thou not served the flesh and the devil long enough! Yet hast thou not enough of sin. Is it so good to thee, or so profitable for thee? Dost thou know what it is, that thou wouldest yet have more of it? Hast thou had so many calls, so many mercies, so many blows and so many examples? Hast thou seen so many laid in the grave, and yet art thou not ready to let go thy sins, and come to What! after so many convictions and misgivings of conscience, after so many purposes and promises, art thou not yet ready to turn and live? O that thy eyes, thy heart were opened, to know how fair an offer is now made to thee! What a joyful message it is that we are sent on, to bid thee come, for all things are ready. The ministers of the gospel are ready to assist thee, to instruct thee, and pronounce the absolv-Christ? ing words of peace to thy soul; they are ready to pray for thee, and to seal up thy pardon by the administration of the holy sacrament; and yet art thou not ready? All that fear God about thee, are ready to rejoice in thy conversion, and to receive thee into the communion of saints, and to give thee the 2. Consider also what calls thou hast to turn right hand of fellowship, yea, though thou hadst | and live. How many, how loud, how earnest, been one that had been cast out of their society: how dreadful, and yet what encouraging, joyful they dare not but forgive, where God forgives, | calls. when it is manifest to them by thy confession For the principal invitor it is God himself. He and amendment: they dare not so much as re- that commands heaven and earth, commands thee proach thee with thy former sins, because they to turn : and presently, without delay, to turn; know that God will not upbraid thee with them. he commands the sun to run its course, and to If thou hadst been never so scandalous, if thou rise upon thee every morning; though it be so wouldst but heartily be converted and come in, glorious a creature, and many times bigger than they would not refuse thee, let the world say all the earth, yet it obeys him, and fails not one what they would against it. Are all these ready | minute of its appointed time. He commands |