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your extremities, deny not his request now in the day of your prosperity. Believe it, death and judgment, heaven and hell, are other mat ters when you come near them, than they seem to carnal eyes afar off. Then you will hear such a message as I bring you, with more awakened

Well, though I cannot hope so well of all, I will 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 to their hearts, and said, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do? How might 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 thoughts and 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 was such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always. Your purposes are good; O that there were but hearts in you to perform these purposes! In hope thereof, I shall gladly give you directions what to do; and that but briefly, that you may the more easily remember them for your practice.

would save my soul from hell? Hadst thou ra-
ther I did burn there for ever, than thou shouldst
live soberly as other men do? If so, may I
not say, thou art an unmerciful monster, and not
a man? If I came hungry or naked to one of
your doors, would you not part with more than
a cup of drink to relieve me? I am confident | regardful hearts.
you would if it were to save my life, I know
you would, some of you, hazard your own. And
yet will not be intreated to part with your sen-
sual pleasures for your own salvation? Wouldst
thou forbear an hundred cups of drink, to
save my life, if it were in thy power, and wilt
thou not do it to save thy own soul? I profess
to you, I am as hearty a beggar with you this
day, for the saving of your souls, as I would be
for my own supply, if I were forced to come a
begging to your doors. Therefore if you would
hear me then, hear me now. If you would pity
me then, be entreated now to pity yourselves. I
do again beseech you, as if it were on my bended
knees, that you would hearken to your Redeem-
er, 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
mind of God and eternal glory: all you that
are enslaved to your fleshly desires of meats and
drinks, sports and lust: and all you that know
not the necessity of holiness, and never were ac-
quainted with the sanctifying work of the Holy
Ghost upon your souls; that never embraced
your blessed Redeemer by a lively faith, with
admiring and thankful apprehensions of his love,
that never felt an higher estimation of God and
heaven, and a heartier love to them, than to your
fleshly prosperity, and the things below: I ear-
nestly beseech you, not only for my sake, but for
the Lord's sake, and for your soul's sake, that
you go not on one day longer in your former
condition, but look about you and cry to God
for converting grace, that you may be made new
creatures, and may escape the plagues that are
a little before you. If ever you will do any
thing for me, grant me this request, to turn from
your evil ways and live: deny me any thing
that ever I shall ask you for myself, if you will,
but grant me this. If you deny me this, I care
not for any thing else that you would grant me.
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 do for you at the hour
of death and day of judgment, or in any of

Direction I. If you would be converted and saved, labour to understand the necessity and true nature of conversion; for what, from what, to what, and by what it is, that you must turn.

Consider what a lamentable condition you are in till the hour of 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; 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 and deformed, as being void of the holy life, nature, and image of the Lord. You are unfit for any holy work, and do nothing that is truly pleasing unto 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 sent to hell, and most certain to be damned if you die in that condition. Nothing short of conversion, can prevent it. Whatever civilities, amendments, or virtues are short of true conversion, will never procure the saving of your souls. Keep the true sense of this natural misery, and so of the necessity of conversion on your hearts.

Then you must understand what it is to

be converted; it is to have a new heart or dispo- | which is more than to have a private felicity to sition and a new conversation. yourselves.

Quest. For what must we turn?

4. Your glory will contribute to the glorifying of your Redeemer, who will for ever be magnified and pleased in you that are the travail of his soul: and this is more than the glorifying of yourselves.

5. The eternal Majesty, the living God, will be glorified in your glory: both as he is magnified by your praises, as he communicates of his glory and goodness to you, as he is pleased in you, and in the accomplishment of his glorious works, in the glory of the new Jerusalem, and of his Son.

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

Answ. For these ends following, which you may attain. First, You shall immediately be made living members of Christ, have an interest in him, be renewed after the image of God, be adorned with all his graces, quickened with a new and heavenly life, saved from the tyranny of Satan and the dominion of sin, be justified from the curse of the law, have the pardon of all the sins of your whole lives, be accepted of God, made his sons, have liberty with boldness to call him Father, and go to him by prayer, in all your needs, 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 brotherhood, communion and prayers of the saints. You shall be fitted for God's service; be freed from the dominion of sin, be useful and a blessing to the place where you live, and shall have the promise of this life and that which is to You shall want nothing that is truly good for you, and your necessary afflictions you will be enabled to bear; you may have some taste of the communion of God in the spirit; especially in all holy ordinances, where God prepares a feast for your souls; you shall be heirs of heaven while you live on earth, and may fore-way appointed you by Christ; and so to the use see, by faith, the everlasting glory, and so may of all the helps and means of grace offered you live and die in peace: you shall never be so low, by the Lord. but your peace and happiness will be incomparably greater than your misery.

come.

How precious is every one of these blessings, which I do but briefly name, and which in this life you may receive!

Then, Second, 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: where your happiness will consist in these particulars :—

1. You shall be perfected yourselves: your mortal bodies shall be made immortal, and the corruptible shall put on incorruption; you shall no more be hungry, thirsty, weary, or sick: nor shall you need to fear either shame, sorrow, death, or hell. Your souls shall be perfectly freed from sin, perfectly fitted for the knowledge, love, and praises of the Lord.

You see for what you must turn next you must understand from what you must turn and that is, in a word, from your carnal self, which is the end of all the unconverted; from the flesh, that would be pleased before God, and would still be enticing you thereto; from the world that is the bait; and from the devil, that is the angler for souls, and the deceiver; and so from all known and wilful sins.

Next you must know to what you must turn, and that is, to God as your end; to Christ as the way to the Father; to holiness as the

Lastly, You must know by what you must turn. That is, by Christ as the only Redeemer, intercessor, and by the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier: by the word as his instrument or means: and by faith and repentance, as the means and duties on your part to be performed. All this is of necessity.

Direction II. If you would be converted and saved, be much in secret, serious consideration. Inconsiderateness undoes the world. Withdraw yourselves off into retired secrecy, and there bethink you of the end why you were made, of the life you have lived, the time you have lost, the sins you have committed; of the love, sufferings, and fulness of Christ; of the danger you are in; of the nearness of death and judgment; of the certainty and excellency of the joys of heaven; of the certainty and terror of the torments of hell, and eternity of both; of the ne

2. Your employment shall be to behold your glorified Redeemer, with all your holy fellow-cessity of conversion, and a holy life; bathe citizens of heaven: to see the glory of the most blessed God, to love him perfectly, be loved by him, and to praise him everlastingly.

3. Your glory will contribute to the glory of the new Jerusalem, the city of the living God,

your hearts in such considerations as these.

Direction III. If you will 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 that do apply it;

constantly attend upon 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 hath miraculously humbled Paul, he sends him to Ananias. And when he hath 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.

Direction IV. Betake yourselves to God, in a course of earnest, 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 give you his Spirit, change your hearts and lives, lead you in his ways, and save you from temptation. Ply this work daily, and be not weary of it.

Direction V. Presently give over your known and wilful sins, make a stand, and go that way no farther be drunk no more, but avoid the places and occasion of it; cast away your lusts and sinful pleasures with detestation; curse, swear, and rail no more; and if you have wronged any, restore, as Zaccheus did. If you will commit again your old sins, what blessing can you expect on the means for conversion?

Direction VI. Presently, if possible, change your company, if it hath hitherto been bad. Not by forsaking your necessary relations, but your unnecessary sinful companions, and join yourselves with those that fear the Lord, and inquire of them the way to heaven.

Direction VII. Deliver up yourselves to the Lord Jesus, as the physician of your souls, that he may pardon you by his blood, and sanctify you by his Spirit, by his word and ministers, the instruments of his Spirit. 'He is the way, the truth, and the life; there is no coming to the Father but by him.-Nor is there any other name under heaven, by which you can be saved.' Study therefore his person, his nature, what he hath done and suffered for you, and what he is to you; what he will be, and how he is fitted to the full supply of all your necessities.

Direction VIII. If you mean indeed to turn and live, do it speedily, without delay. If you be not willing to turn to-day, you will not be willing to do it at all. Remember you are all this while in your blood; under the guilt of many thousand sins, and under God's wrath, and you stand at the very brink of hell; there is but a step between you and death. This is not a case for a man that is well in his judgment to be quiet in. Up therefore presently and fly as for your lives: as you would be gone out of your house if it were all on fire over your heads. O if you

did but know what continual danger you live in, what daily unspeakable loss you sustain, and what a safer and sweeter life you might live, you would not stand trifling, but presently turn. Multitudes miscarry that wilfully delay when they are convinced that it must be done. Your lives are short and uncertain; and what a case are you in, if you die before you thoroughly turn! You have staid too long already; and wronged God too long; sin gets strength, and rooting; while you delay, your conversion will grow more hard and doubtful. You have much to do, and therefore put not all off to the last, lest God forsake you, and give you up to yourselves, and then you are undone for ever.

Direction IX. If you will turn and live, do it unreservedly, absolutely and universally. Think not to capitulate with Christ, and divide your heart between him and the world, to part with some sins, and keep the rest and to let go that which your flesh can spare. This is but selfdeluding: you must in heart and resolution forsake all that you have, or else you cannot be his disciples. If you will not take God and heaven for your portion, and lay all below at the feet of Christ, but you must needs also have your good things here, have an earthly portion, and God and glory is not enough for you; it is in vain to dream of salvation on these terms: for it will not be. If you seem ever so religious, if yet it be but a carnal righteousness, and the flesh's prosperity, or pleasure, or safety, be still excepted in your devotedness to God; this is as certain a way to death, as open profaneness, though it be more plausible.

Direction X. If you will turn and live, do it resolvedly, and stand not still deliberating, as if it were a doubtful case. Stand not wavering as if you were yet uncertain whether God or the flesh be the better master; whether heaven or hell be the better end; or whether sin or holiness be the better way: but away with your former lusts, and presently, habitually fixedly resolve: be not one day of one mind, and the next of another; but be at a point with all the world, and resolvedly give up yourselves and all you have to God. Now while you are reading or hearing this, resolve. Before you sleep another night, resolve. Before you stir from the place, resolve. Before Satan hath time to take you off, resolve. You will never turn indeed till you resolve: and that with a firm unchangeable resolution. So much for the direction.

Now I have done my part in this work, that you may turn at the call of God and live. What will become of it, I cannot tell. I have cast the

seed at God's command; but it is not in my power to give the increase. I can go no farther with my message, I cannot bring it to your hearts, nor make it work; I cannot do your parts for you to entertain it, and consider of it; nor I cannot do God's part, by opening your heart to cause you to entertain it; nor can I show you heaven or hell to your eye-sight, nor give you new and tender hearts. If I knew what more to do for your conversion, I hope I should do it.

But O thou that art the gracious Father of spirits, that hast sworn thou delightest not in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live; deny not thy blessing to these persuasions and directions, and suffer not thine enemies to triumph in thy sight, and the great deceiver

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of souls to prevail over thy Son, thy Spirit, and thy word. O pity poor unconverted sinners; that have no hearts to pity or help themselves: command the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dead to live, and let not sin and death be able to resist thee. Awaken the secure; resolve the unresolved; confirm the wavering; let the eyes of sinners, who read these lines, be next employed in weeping over their sins; and bring them to themselves and to thy Son, before their sins have brought them to perdition. If thou say but the word, these poor endeavours shall prosper, to the winning of many a soul to their everlasting joy, and thine everlasting glory. Amen.

NOW OR NEVER;

OR,

THE BELIEVER JUSTIFIED AND DIRECTED,

AND THE

OPPOSERS AND NEGLECTERS OF THE GOSPEL CONVINCED.

PREFACE.

needs follow, that his errors are either not contradictory to the things necessary which he holds and practises, or that he holds not those errors practically but notionally, as an opinion, or ineffectual cogitation in a dream, which provokes not to action; and in such a case the error keeps no man from salvation.

It is a question more boldly than accurately debated by many, whether a man may not be saved in any religion, who is faithful to the principles of it by serious, diligent practice? The true solution is this: religion is that which men hold and do to serve and please God. 1. If men What is necessary to be believed by them that make themselves a religion of serving idols or never hear the gospel, it so little concerns us to devils instead of God. 2. Or if they place their know, that God hath not thought meet to make service to God himself in things that are evil (as it so plain to us, as things that more concern our what evil is there that some men have not brought selves. But as it is certain, that without the atoneinto their religion, and fathered upon God?) the ment, satisfaction, and reconciliation made by more diligent such men are in their religion, the Christ, and without new terms of grace to be judgmore they sin. 3. Or if they make themselves a ed by, and without his grace for the performance religion of irrational, ludicrous ceremonies, their of their part, no man can be saved that hath the greatest diligence in this will not save them. 4. use of reason, so there is so much knowledge Or if they hold all the essentials of the true re- necessary to salvation, as is necessary to engage ligion, except some one, it cannot save them the heart to love God above all, and sincerely to while one thing is wanting which is essential to obey his revealed will, and to prefer the life to that religion, and so necessary to salvation, which come before the transitory pleasures of this life. is the case of real heretics: for they are not in- Now if any man can prove to me, that those deed of that religion, if they want that which is that never heard the gospel, can thus love God, essential to it. 5. Or if they hold all that is essen- and the life to come, and obey sincerely, without tial to the true religion only notionally, and hold the knowledge of the person, life, death, resurany thing with it practically which is contra-rection of Jesus Christ, and the declaration of dictory and inconsistent with it, the soundness the attractive love and goodness of God in him, of the notional belief will not save them from the and in the work of our redemption, then I should mortal poison of their practical heresy or error. believe that such negative infidels may be saved; But, 1. Whosoever holds all that is necessary for God cannot damn a sanctified soul that sinto salvation, and is serious and diligent in living cerely loves him. But if the discovery of the according thereunto, shall be saved, whatever love of God in our redemption be so necessary error he holds with it. For if he be serious and a moral means to engage the heart, now cor. diligent in the practice of all things necessary to rupted by sin and creature-love to the true love salvation, he hath all that is necessary to salva- of God, that this love cannot be wrought without tion, viz. in belief and practice and it must lit; or if Christ give not his Spirit to produce

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