The Conclusion of the whole.

And now my brethren let me know your minds. What do you intend to do? Will you go on and dye, or will you set upon a thorow and speedy conversion, and lay hold on eternal life? How long will you linger in Sodom? how long will you halt between two opinions? 1. Kings 18. 21. Are you not yet resolved whe∣ther Christ or Barrabas, whether bliss or tor∣ment, whether the land of Cabul, 1 kings. 9. 13. or the Paradise of God, be the better choice? Is it a disputable case, whether the Abana and Pharphar of Damascus, be better than all the streams of Eden? or whether the vile puddle of sin, be to be preferred before the water of life, clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb? Can the world in good earnest do that for you, that Christ can? will it stand by you to eternity? will pleasures, titles, lands, treasures, descend with you? Psal. 49. 17. 1. Tim. 6. 7. If not, had you not need look after somewhat that will? What mean you to stand wavering, to be off and on? Foolish children! how long will you stick between the womb and the world? Shall I leave you at last no farther than Agrippa, but almost perswaded? Why, you are for ever lost, if left here. As good not at all, as not altogether Christians. You are half of the mind to give over your for∣mer negligent life, and to set to a strict and ho∣ly course: you could wish that you were as some others be, and could do as 〈◊〉 can do. How Page  204 long will you rest in idle wishes, and fruitless purposes? when will you come to a fixed, full, and firm resolve? Do not you see how Satan gulls you, by tempting you to delays? How long hath he toll'd you on in the way to perdition? How many years have you been purposing to a∣mend? What if God should have taken you off this while?

Well, put not me off with a dilatory answer. Tell not me of hereafter. I must have your pre∣sent consent. It you be not now resolved, while the Lord is treating with you, and wooing of you, much less are you like to be hereafter, when these impressions are worn out, and you are har∣dened through the deceitfulness of sin. Will you give me your hands? Will you set open the doors, and give the Lord Jesus the •ull and pre∣sent possession? Will you put in your names into his covenant? Will you subscribe? What do you resolve upon? If you are s•ill upon your delays, my labour is lost, and all is like to come to no∣thing. Fain I would, that you should now put in your adventures. Come, cast in your lot, make your choice. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation: to day if you will hear his voice. Why should not this be the day, from whence thou shouldst be able to date thine hap∣piness? Why shouldst thou venture a day lon∣ger, in this dangerous and dreadful condition? What if God should this night require thy soul? Oh that thou mightest know, in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace, before they be hid from thine eyes! Luke 19. 42. This is thy day, and 'tis but a day. Iohn 9. 4. Others have had Page  205 their day, and have received their doom; and now art thou brought upon the stage of this world, here to act thy part, for a whole eternity. Remember, thou art now upon thy good beha∣viour for everlasting. If thou make not a wise choice now, thou art undone for ever. Look what thy present choice is, such must thine e∣ternal condition be. Luke 10. 42. Luke 16. 25. Prov. 1. 27, 28, 29.

And is it true indeed? is life and death at thy choice? Yea, 'tis as true as truth is. Deut. 30. 19. Why then, what hinders but that thou shouldst be happy? Nothing doth, or can hinder, but thine own wilful neglect, or refusal. It was the passage of the Eunuch to Philip: See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptised? So I may say to thee: See, here is Christ, here is mer∣cy, pardon, life, what hinders but that thou shouldst be pardoned, and saved? One of the Martyrs as he was praying at the stake, had his pardon set by in a box (which indeed he refu∣sed, deservedly, because upon unworthy terms.) But here the terms are most honourable and ea∣sie: Oh sinner, wilt thou burn with thy pardon by? Why do but forthwith give up thy consent to Christ, renounce thy sins, deny thy self, take up the Yoke, and the Cross, and thou car∣riest the day; Christ is thing, pardon, peace, life, blessedness, all are th•••e: And is not this an offer worth the embracing? Why shouldst thou hesitate, or doubtfully dispute about the case? Is it not past controversy, whether God be better than sin, and glory better than vanity? Why shouldst thou forsake thine own mercy, Page  206 and sin against thine own life? When wilt thou shake off thy sloth, and lay by thine excuses? Boast not thy self of to morrow: thou knowst not where this night may lodge thee, Prov. 27. 1.

Beloved, now the holy spirit is striving with you. He will not always strive. Hast thou not felt thy heart warmed by the word, and been almost perswaded to leave off thy sins, and come in to God? Hast thou not felt some good moti∣ons in thy mind, wherein thou hast been war∣ned of thy danger, and told what thy careless course would end in? It may be thou art like young Samuel, who when the Lord called once and again, he knew not the voice of the Lord: 1. Sam. 3. 6, 7. but these motions and items are the offers, and essays, and the calls and stri∣vings of the Spirit. O take the advantage of the tide, and know the day of thy visitation.

Now, the Lord Jesus stretcheth wide his arms to receive you. He beseecheth you by us. How ••ovingly, how meltingly, how pitifully, how passionately he calleth you! The-Church is put in∣to a suddain extasie upon the sound of his voice, The voice of my beloved! Cant. 2. 8. Oh wilt thou turn a deaf ear to his voice! It is not the voice that breaketh the Cedars, and maketh the mountains to skip like a Calf, that shaketh the Wilderness and divideth the flames of fire, it is not Sinais Thunder; but the soft and still voice. It is not the voice of Mount Ebal, a voice of cursing and terrour; but the voice of Mount Gerizim, the voice of blessing, and of glad tidings of good things. It is not the voice of the Trumpet, nor the noise of War; Page  207 but a message of peace from the King of peace. Eph. 6. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 20. Methinks it should be with thee, as with the spouse: My soul failed when he spake. Cant. 5. 6. I may say to thee, O sinner, as Martha to her Sister, The master is come, and he calleth for thee. Iohn 11. 28. Oh now, with Mary, arise quickly, and come unto him. How sweet are his invitations! He cryeth in the open concourse, If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. Iohn 7. 37. Prov. 1. 21. He broacheth his own body for thee. Oh come and lay thy mouth to his side. How free he is! he excludeth none. Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely. Rev. 22. 17. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. Come, eat of my bread, drink of the Wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live. Prov. 9. 4, 5, 6. Come unto me, &c. Take my yoke up∣on you, and learn of me, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Mat. 11. 28, 29. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. John 6. 37. How doth he bemoan the obstinate refusers? O Jeru∣salem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathe∣red thy Children, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Mat. 23. 37. Behold me, behold me: I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people. Easy 65. 1, 2. Oh be perswaded now at last, to throw your selves into the arms of love.

Behold, O ye sons of men, the Lord Jesus hath thrown open the prisons, and now he cometh to you (as the Magistrates once to them Act. 16. 39) and beseecheth you to come out. If it were from a Palace, or a Paradise that Page  208 Christ did call you, it were no wonder if you were unwilling (and yet how easily was Adam •olled from hence?) but it is from your prison, sirs, from your chains, from the dungeon, from the darkness that he calleth, you; Esay 42. 6, 7. and yet will you not come? He calleth you un∣to liberty, Gal. 5. 13. and yet will you not heark∣en? His Yoke is easie, his Laws are liberty, his service freedome: Mat. 11. 30. Iames 1. 25. 1. Cor. 7. 22. and (whatever prejudices you have against his ways) if a God may be believed, you shall find them all pleasure and peace, and shall taste sweetness and joy•unutterable, and take infinite content and felicity in them. Prov. 3. 17. Psal. 119. 165. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Psal. 119. 103, 111.

Beloved, I am loth to leave you. I cannot tell how to give you over. I am now ready to shut up, but fain I would drive this bargain be∣tween Christ and you, before I end. What, shall I leave you as I found you, at last? Have you read hitherto, and are not yet resolved up∣on a present abandoning all your sins, and clo∣sing with Jesus Christ? Alas, what shall I say? what shall I do? Will you turn off all my im∣portunity? Have I run in vain? Have I used so many arguments, and spent so much time to perswade you, and yet must sit down at last in disappointment? But it is a small matter that you turn off me: you put a slight upon the God that made you, you reject the bowels and be∣seechings of a Saviour, and will be found resi∣sters of the Holy Ghost, Act. 7. 51. if you will not now be prevailed with• to repent and be converted.

Page  209Well, though I have ca••ed long and ye have refused, I shall yet this once more lift up my voice like a Trumpet, and cry from the highest places of the City, before I conclude with a mi∣serable Conclamatum est. Once more I shall call after regardless sinners, that, if it be possible, I may awaken them. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Ier. 22. 29. Unless you be resolved to dye, lend your ears to the last calls of mercy. Behold, in the name of God I make o∣pen proclamation to you. Hearken unto me, O ye Children. Hear instruction, and he wise, and refuse it not. Prov. 8. 32, 33.

Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk, without money and without priee. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat yet that which is good, and let your s•ul de∣light it self in fatness. Incline your ear and come ye unto me, hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Esay. 55. 1, 2, 3.

Ho every one that is sick of any manner of disease or torment, Mat. 4. 23, 24. or is pos∣sessed with an evil spirit, whether of pride, or fury, or lust, or covetousness, come ye to the Physician; bring away your sick. Loe here is he that healeth all manner of sickness, and all man∣ner of disease among the people.

Ho every one that is in debt, and every one that is in distress, and every one that is discon∣tented, gather your selves unto Christ, and he Page  210 will become a Captain over you. He will be your protection from the arrests of the Law: He will save you from the hand of justice. Be∣hold, he is an open sanctuary to you, he is a known refuge. Heb. 6. 18. Psal. 48. 3. Away with your sins, and come in unto him, lest the avenger of bloud seize you, lest devouring wrath overtake you.

Ho every ignorant sinner, come and buy eye∣salve that thou maist see. Rev. 3. 18. Away with thine excuses; thou art for ever lost, if thou continuest in this estate. 2 Cor. 4. 3. But accept of Christ for thy Prophet, and he will be a light unto thee. Esay. 42. 6. Eph. 5. 14. Cry unto him for knowledge, study his word, take pains about the principles of religion, humble thy self before him, and he will teach thee his way, and make thee wise unto salvation. Mat. 13. 36. Luke 8. 9. Iohn 5. 39. Psal. 25. 9. But i• thou wilt not follow him, in the painful use of his means, but sit down, because thou hast but one talent, he will condemn thee for a wicked and slothful servant. Mat. 25. 24, 26.

Ho every prophane sinner, come in and live. Return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon thee. Be entreated, Oh return, come: Thou that hast filled thy mouth with oaths, and execrations, all manner of sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven thee, Mark 3. 28. If thou wilt but throughly turn unto Christ, and come in. Though thou hast been as unclean as Magdalen; yet put away thy Whoredomes out of thy sight, and thine adulteries from between thy breasts, and give up thy self unto Christ, as a vessel of holiness, Page  211 alone for his use, and then, though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool, and though they be as crimson, they shall be as white as snow, Luke 7. 37. Hos. 2. 2. 1 Thess. 4. 4. Esay 1. 18.

Hear O ye Drunkards, how long will ye be drunken? put away your wine. 1 Sam. 1. 14. Though you have rolled in the vomit of your sin, take the vomit of repentance, and heartily disgorge your beloved lusts, and the Lord will receive you. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Give up your selves unto Christ, to live soberly, righteously, and godly; embrace his righteousness; accept his government; and though you have been swine, he will wash you. Rev. 3. 6.

Hear O ye loose companions, whose delight is in vain and wicked society, to sport away your time in carnal mirth and jollity with them; come in at wisdoms call, and choose her, and her ways, and forsake the foolish, and you shall live. Prov. 9. 5, 6.

Hear O ye scorners, hear the word of the Lord. Though you have made a sport at god∣liness, and the professors thereof; though you have made a scorn of Christ, and of his ways; yet, even to you doth he call, to gather you un∣der the wings of his mercy. Prov. 1. 22, 23. In a word, though you should be found among the worst of that black roll, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. yet, upon your through Conversion, you shall washed, be you shall be justified, you shall be sanctified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God, ver. 11.

Ho every formal professor, that art but a lukewarm and dough-baked Christian, and Page  212 restest in the form of godliness, give over thy halving, and thy halting; be a throughout Christian, and be zealous and repent, and then though thou hast been an offence ot Christ's stomach, thou shall be the joy of his heart. Rev. 3. 16, 19, 20.

And now bear witness, that mercy hath been offered you. I call heaven and earth to record a∣gainst you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore chuse life, that you may live. Deut. 30. 19. I can but wooe you, and warn you: I cannot compel you to be happy: if I could, I would. What an∣swer will you send me with to my master? Let me speak unto you as Abraham's servant to them; And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. Gen. 24. 49. Oh for such a happy answer, as Rebekah gave to them! Gen. 24. 57, 58. And they said, we will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her. Wilt thou go with this man? and she said I will go. Oh that I had but thus much from you! Why should I be your accuser, Mat. 10. 14, 15. who thirst for your salvation? Why should the pas∣sionate pleadings and wooings of mercy be turned into the horrid aggravations of your obstinacy and additions to your misery. Judge in your own selves: Do you not think their condemnation will be doubly dreadful, that shall still go on in their sins, after all endeavours to recall them? Doubtless, it shall be more tole∣able for Tyre and Sid•n, yea for S•dom and Go∣morrah; in the day of Iudgment, than for such. Mat. 11. 22. 24.

Page  213Beloved, if you have any pity for your pe∣rishing souls, close with the present offers of mercy. If you would not continue and in∣crease the pains of your travelling Ministers, do not stick in the birth. If the God that made you have any authority with you, obey his command and come in. If you are not the de∣spisers of grace, and would not shut up the doors of mercy against your selves, repent and be converted. Let not Heaven stand open for you in vain. Let not the Lord Jesus open his wares, and bid you buy without money and without price, in vain. Let not his Ministers, and his Spirit, strive with you in vain, and leave you now at last unperswaded; lest the sen∣tence go forth against you, The bellows are burnt, the lead is consumed of the fire, the founder melteth in vain. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Ier. 6. 29, 30.

Father of Spirits, take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness. Do not thou have end∣ed, though I have done. Half a word from thine effectual power, will do the work. O thou that hast the key of David, that openest when no man shutteth, open thou this heart as thou didst Lydia's, and let the King of glory enter in; and make this soul thy happy captive. Let not the tempter harden him in delays. Let him not stir from this place, nor take his eyesfrom these lines, till he be resolved to forg• his sins, and to accept of life upon thy self-denying terms. In thy name O Lord God did I go forth to these labours, in thy name do I shut them up. Page  214 Let not all the time they have cost, be but lost hours: let not all the thoughts of heart, and all the pains that have been about them, be but lost labour. Lord put in thine hand into the heart of this Reader, and send thy Spirit, as once thou didst Philip, to joyn himself to the Chariot of the Eunuch, while he was reading thy word. And though I should never know it while I live, yet I beseech thee Lord God, let it be found at that day, that some souls were con∣verted by these labours: and let some be able to stand forth and say, that by these perswasions, they were won unto thee. Amen. Amen. Let him that readeth say Amen.