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THus have I done with all the Doctrines; but yet I have not done with you. Words of instruction Solomon compares to Nayls, Eccles. 12. 11. I shall add a few strokes more to drive them home. How can I with patience see any of you secure in Sin still! fast asleep! Under Satans power, and upon the bottomless pits brink! And
every moment in danger of tumbling down into it! Though some of you make light of Hell, and more light of Sin that does deserve it, yet I foresee how you will change your minds, when once you feel what 'tis to be there; and I would fain prevent your going thither. What shall I say? how shall I do to prevail with you, to become willing to a sincere Conversion, and so escape eternal Misery and Confusion? Once more, I cry as loud and earnestly as I am able, T••rn ye, Turn ye!
O ye youngest that are here, turn to God: Your whole time is short enough to provide for Eternity, begin early to redeem it. Can you be too soon safe and happy? safe in being under the Wing of Christ; happy in having the Lord to be your God and Father. Oh ye Children, become Converts! Christ is ready to embrace you in his Arms, and bless you. I should not at all fear the Gospels going, if I could behold much of the Work of Rege∣neration among the young generation. O ye oldest Sin••rs! Turn to God; the door of Mercy is not quite shut, though you have lived so long in Sin, 'till you have one foot in the Grave. Admi∣rable Mystery and Miracle of Grace! when those are in a spiri∣tual sense New Born, who were old both in Years and Wicked∣ness! Turn ye, O you that have most Righteousness of your own! for your Righteousness is filthy raggs, and you have Sin enough to ruine you. Turn ye, O you that have been guilty of the greatest Transgressions! for in the Lord is superab••ndant Grace enough and enough to save you.
If you will not Turn, you gratifie the evil One, the Enemy of your Salvation; you Consent to be his Slavis and Prey; and chuse rather to dwell with him in Torment, than with the Lord in Glo∣ry. If you will not turn, you are S••l••-haters; not Accessari••s only, but Principals in the Murthering of your own Souls. It was a true saying of Salvian, Nemo nobis, Cr••••••••ior nobis; none more Cruel, none so cruel to sinful Man, as he is to himself: The very Prince of the Devils has not so great an hand in his Destruction.
If you will not turn immediately, this very day, hour, moment, it may quickly be too late: Abused Mercy may go away for ever, and God may now at last foreit, who has long waited to be gracious. The Axe, before another Sabbath, may be laid to the root of the Tree which bears nothing but the Grapes of Sodom, and the Clust••s of Go∣morrah: A Sentence may be pronounced from Heaven, H••w down such a strange and degenerate Plant, and cast it into fi••e unquenchable.
But if at last you see with with your Eyes, and hear with your ea••s, and understand with your hearts, and turn to the Lord; the Father will receive you with open arms of love and kindness, his tenderest
Bowels will be troubled for you, and sure Mercies shall be yours: T•• Lord Jesus will see of the travel of his Soul, to his Satisfaction rejoy¦cing that Children of Regeneration are born into his Church wh•• shall be Heirs of Glory. The Comforter, who was grieved and vex∣ed at your resistance, will be much pleased to see you yield, and will delight to dwell in you, and to fill you both with Grace and Peace.
Converting Grace whenever wrought on Earth, causes a Ne•• Triumph above in Glory. The Thrones; Dominions, the Cherubim, the Seraphim that are there, will sing a New Song of Prai••; they will give glory to God in the Highest, when more Sinners are begotten again to a lively Hope; they will ascribe Blessing and Ho∣nour to the Lamb, when more Souls are redeemed by his Blood.
Have I been speaking unto Stocks and Stones; or unto those who have Senses, Souls, and Reason? If you will not turn that you may be saved, I must confess 'twere well if you had no Souls to lose for ever. It was a Custom among the Ancient Romans, to keep dead Bodies above ground several dayes, and often to cry in their ears with a loud Voice, to see if they were dead indeed. And these were called Corpora conclamata, Bodies that had been cryed unto in vain, and then they were carried to their Burial. May not your Souls, O unconverted Sinners, be called Animae conclamatae, Souls that have been often cryed unto, to turn and live? But if you still refuse, 'tis a sign you are very dead indeed, and you may quickly be buried in the fiery Tophet, out of which you shall never rise more.
But alas! all Pleadings, Intreaties, Arguments, will be to little purpose, unless there come a convincing Light, a converting Power from above. Cachedram habet in coelo qui corda docet in terrâ: He has his Chair in Heaven who teaches hearts on Earth. Oh that the glorious Spirit would come and breath upon the dead dry bones, and inspire a Life that may never end! That he would cause All, even the most hardned and dead in sin, to become Alive to God, and have their fruit unto holiness, that the end may be everlasting Life. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scatter'd! Let Sin, Satan and Mam∣mon be forced to flee before Him! that all Hearts possest by them, may now submit to Him! When the tongues of Men and Angels can∣not prevail, one powerful word from God can convert a multitude of Souls, though they have been never so disobedient and gainsaying. If the Lord will fill his Sanctuary with his Glory, it will be to all un∣converted Ones that are here, the place of their new Birth, and the very Gate of Heaven.