A Call to the Unconverted, Application 1

A Call to the Unconverted · Application 1

p. 21Vse.

I Beseech you now, all that love your souls, that instead of quarrelling with God and with his Word, you will presently stoop to it, and use it for your good. All you that are yet unconverted in this Assembly, take this as the p. 22undoubted truth of God: You must ere long be converted or condemned. There is no other way, but Turn or Dye. When God that cannot lye hath told you this; When you hear it from the Maker and Judge of the world its time for him that hath ears to hear. By this time you may see what you have to trust to. You are but dead and damned men, except you will be converted. Should I tell you otherwise, I should deceive you with a lye. Should I hide this from you, I should undoe you, and be guilty of your blood, as the verses before my Text assure me, Ver. 8. When I say to the wicked, O wicked man thou shalt surely dye, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall dye in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. You see then, though this be a rough unwelcome Doctrine, its such as p. 23we must preach, and you must hear. It is easier to hear of Hell then feel it. If your necessities did not require it, we would not gall your tender ears with truths that seem so harsh and grievous. Hell would not be so full, if people were but willing to know their case, and to hear and think of it. The reason why so few escape it, is because they strive not to enter in at the strait gate of Conversion, and to go the narrow way of holines… while they have time: and they strive not because they be not wakened to a lively feeling of the danger they are in: and they be not wakened, because they are doth to hear or think of it; and that is partly through foolish tenderness, and carnal self-love, and partly because they do not well believe the Word that threatneth it. If you will but throughly believe this truth, me thinks the p. 24weight of it should force you to remember it; and it should follow you, and give you no rest till you are converted. If you had but once heard this word by the voice of an Angel, Thou must be Converted or Condemned; Turn or Die: would it not stick in your mind, and haunt you night and day, so that in your sinning you would remember it, and at your labour you would remember it, as if the voice were still in your ears, Turn or Die. O happy were your souls if it might thus work with you, and never be forgotten, or let you alone, till it have driven home your hearts to God. But if you will cast it out by forgetfulness or unbelief, how can it work to your Conversion and Salvation? But take this with you to yo…r sorrow; though you may put this out of your minds, you cannot put it out of the Bible; but p. 25there it will stand as a sealed truth which you shall experimentally know for ever, that there is no other way but Turn or Die.

O what's the matter then that the hearts of sinners be not pierced with such a weighty truth! A man would think now, that every Unconverted soul that hears these words, should be pricked to the heart, and think with themselves, This is my own case; and never be quiet till they found themselves converted. Believe it Sirs, this drowsie careless temper will not last long. Conversion and Condemnation are both of them awakening things; and one of them will make you feel ere long. I can foretel it as truly as if I saw it with my eyes, that either Grace or Hell will shortly bring these matters to the quick, and make you say, What have I done? What a fool… wicked course have I taken! p. 26The scornful, and the stupid state of sinners will last but a little while. As soon as they either Turn or Die, the presumptuous dream will be at an end, and then their wits and feeling will return.

BUT I foresee there are two things that are like to harden the unconverted, and make me lose all my labour, except they can be taken out of the way: and that is the misunderstanding of these two words, [The Wicked] and [Turn.] Some will think with themselves, Its true, the wicked must Turn or Die: but wh…'s that to me? I am not wicked, though I am a sinner, as all men be. Others will think, Its true tha… we ma… Turn from our evil waies: but I am Turned long ago; I hope this is p. 27not now to do. And thus while wicked men think they are not wicked, but are already Converted, we lose all our labour in perswading them to Turn. I shall therefore before I go any further, tell you here who are meant by [the wicked] and who they be that must turn or die; and also what is meant by Turning, and who they be that are truly converted: And this I have purposely reserved for this place, preferring the Method that fits my end.

And here you must observe, that in the sense of the Text, a wicked man, and a converted man are contraries. No man is a wicked man that is converted; and no man is a converted man that is wicked: So that to be a wicked man, and to be an unconverted man, is all one. And therefore in opening one we shall open both.

p. 28Before I can tell you what either Wickedness or Conversion is, I must go to the bottom, and fetch up the matter from the beginning.

It pleased the great Creator of the world, to make three sorts of living creatures: Angels he made pure Spirits without flesh: and therefore he made them only for Heaven, and not for to dwell on earth. Bruits were made flesh without immortal souls: and therefore they were made only for earth and not for Heaven. Man is of a middle nature between both, as partaking of both flesh and Spirit; and therefore he was made both for Earth and Heaven. But as his flesh is made to be but a servant to his Spirit, so is he made for earth but as his passage or way to Heaven, and not that this should be his home or happiness. The blessed state that man was p. 29made for, was to behold the Glorious Majesty of the Lord, and to praise him among his holy Angels; and to love him and be filled with his Love for ever. And as this was the End that man was made for, so God did give him means that were fitted to the attaining of it. These means were principally two. First the right Inclination and Disposition of the mind of man. Secondly the right ordering of his life and practice. For the first, God suited the Disposition of man unto his End; giving him such knowledge of God as was fit for his present state, and an Heart Disposed and Inclined to God, in holy Love. But yet he did not fix or confirm him in this condition; but having made him a free agent, he left him in the hands of his own free-will. For the second, God did that which belonged to him; that is, he gave man a perfect Law, requiring p. 30him to continue in the Love of God, and perfectly to obey him. By the wilful breach of this Law, man did not only forfeit his hopes of everlasting life, but also turned his heart from God, and fixed it on these lower fleshly things: and hereby did blot out the spiritual Image of God from his soul. So that man did both fall short of the Glory of God, which was his End, and put himself out of the Way by which he should have attained it; and this both as to the frame of his heart and of his life. The holy Inclination and Love of his soul to God, he lost; and instead of it, he contracted an Inclination and Love to the pleasing of his flesh, or carnal-self by earthly things; growing strange to God, and acquainted with the creature: And the course of his life was suited to the Bent and Inclination of his p. 31heart: he lived to his carnal self, and not to God: he sought the creature for the pleasing of his flesh, instead of seeking to please the Lord. With this Nature or Corrupt inclination we are all now born into the world: For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Iob 14.4. As a Lyon hath a fierce and cruel nature before he doth devour; and as an Adder hath a venemous nature before he sting; so in our very infancy we have those sinful Natures or Inclinations before we think, or speak, or do amiss. And hence springeth all the sin of our lives. And not only so; but when God hath of his mercy provided us a Remedy, even the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of our souls, and bring us back to God again, we naturally love our present state, and are …oth to be brought out of it, and therefore p. 32are set against the means of our Recovery; and though custom have taught us to thank Christ for his good will, yet carnal self perswadeth us to refuse his Remedies, and to desire to be excused when we are commanded to take the Medicines which he offereth, and are called to forsake all, and follow him to God and Glory.

I pray you read over this leaf again and mark it; for in these few words, you have a true Description of our natural state; and consequently of a wicked man. For every man that is in this state of corrupted nature, is a wicked man, and in a state of death.

By this also you are prepared to understand what it is to be Converted, to which end you must further know, That p. 33the mercy of God, not willing that man should perish in his sin, provided a Remedy, by causing his Son to take our Nature, and being in one person God and man, to become a Mediator between God and man, and by dying for our sins on the Cross, to ransom us from the curse of God, and the power of the Devil; and having thus Redeemed us, the Father hath delivered us into his hands as his own. Hereupon the Father and the Mediator do make a New Law and Covenant for man; not like the first which gave life to none but the perfectly obedient, and condemned man for every sin: but Christ hath made a Law of Grace, or a Promise of Pardon and Everlasting life to all that by true Repentance and by Faith in Christ are Converted unto God. Like an Act of Oblivion which is made by a Prince to a p. 34company of Rebels, on condition they will lay down arms and come in, and be loyal subjects for the time to come.

But because the Lord knoweth that the heart of man is grown so wicked, that for all this men will not accept of the Remedy, if they be left to themselves, therefore the Holy Ghost hath undertaken it as his office to inspire the Apostles, and seal up the Scripture by Miracles and Wonders, and to illuminate and convert the souls of the Elect.

So that by this much you see that as there are three persons in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, so each of these persons have their several works, which are eminently ascribed to them.

The Fathers works were to Create us, to Rule us … his …ational p. 35creatures, by the Law of Nature, and Judge us thereby: And in mercy to provide us a Redeemer when we were lost, and to send his Son, and accept his Ransom.

The works of the Son for us were these, To Ransom and Redeem us by his Sufferings and Righteousness; to give out the Promise or Law of Grace, and Rule and Judge the world as their Redeemer, on terms of Grace, and to make intercession for us, that the benefits of his death may be communicated; and to send the Holy Ghost (which the Father also doth by the Son.) The works of the Holy Ghost for us are these: to indite the Holy Scriptures, by inspiring and guiding the Prophets and Apostles, and sealing the Word by his Miraculous gifts and works; and the illuminating and exciting the ordinary p. 36Ministers of the Gospel, and so enabling them and helping them to publish that Word: and by the same word Illuminating and Converting the souls of men. So that as you could not have been reasonable creatures, if the Father had not Created you, nor have had any access to God, if the Son had not Redeemed you; so neither can you have a part in Christ, or be saved, except the Holy Ghost do sanctifie you.

So that by this time you may see the several causes of this work. The Father sendeth the Son: the Son Redeemeth us, and maketh the Promise of Grace: the Holy Ghost inditeth and sealeth this Gospel: the Apostles are the Secretaries of the Spirit, to write it: the Preachers of the Gospel do proclaim it, and perswade men to obey it. And the Holy Ghost doth make their preaching effectual, by p. 37opening the hearts of men to entertain it. And all this to repair the image of God upon the soul: and to set the heart upon God again, and take it off the creature and carnal self, to which it is revolted; and so to turn the current of the life into an heavenly course, which before was earthly: and all this by the entertainment of Christ by Faith, who is the Physitian of the soul.

By this which I have said, you may see what it is to be Wicked, and what it is to be Converted. Which I think will be yet plainer to you if I describe them as consisting of their several parts: and for the first, a wicked man may be known by these three things.

First, he is one who placeth his chief content on earth, and loveth the creature more then God, and his fleshly prosperity above the heavenly felicity: He savoureth p. 38the things of the flesh, but neither discerneth nor savoureth the things of the Spirit: though he will say, that Heaven is better then earth, yet doth he not really so esteem it to himself. If he might be sure of earth, he would let go heaven, and had rather stay here, then be removed thither. A life of perfect holiness in the sight of God, and in his love and praises for ever in heaven, doth not find such liking with his heart, as a life of health, and wealth, and honour here upon earth. And though he falsly profess that he loveth God above all, yet indeed he never felt the power of Divine Love within him, but his mind is more set on the world, or fleshly pleasures, then on God. In a word, whoever Loveth earth above heaven, and fleshly prosperity more than God, is a wicked unconverted man.

p. 39On the other side, a Converted man, is illuminated to discern the Loveliness of God: and so far believeth the Glory that is to be had with God, that his heart is taken up to it, and set more upon it, then on any thing in this world. He had rather see the face of God and live in his everlasting love and praises, then have all the wealth or pleasure of this world. He seeth that all things else are vanity; and nothing but God can fill the soul; and therefore let the world go which way it will, he layeth up his treasure and hopes in heaven, and for that he is resolved to let go all. As the fire doth mount upward, and the Needle that is touched with the load-stone still turneth to the North: so the Converted soul is enclined unto God. Nothing else can satisfie him, nor can he find any Content p. 40and Rest but in his Love. In a word, All that are Converted, do Esteem and Love God beetter then all the world, and the Heavenly felicity is dearer to them then their fleshly prosperity. The proof of what I have said you may find in these places of Scripture, Phil. 3.18, 21. Mat. 6.19, 20, 21. Col. 3.1, 2, 3, 4. Rom. 8.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18, 23. Psal. 73.25, 26.

Secondly, a wicked man is one that maketh it the principal business of his life to prosper in the world, and attain his fleshly ends. And though he may read; and hear, and do much in the outward duties of Religion, and forbear disgraceful sins, yet this is all but upon the by, and he never makes it the trade and principal business of his life to Please God and attain everlasting glory, but puts off God with the leavings of the world, and gives him no more p. 41service then the flesh can spare: for he will not part with all for heaven.

On the contrary, a Converted man is one that makes it the principal care and business of his life to Please God, and to be saved, and takes all the blessings of this life but as accommodations in his journey towards another life; and useth the creature in subordination unto God: he loveth an holy life, and longeth to be more holy: he hath no sin but what he hateth, and longeth, and prayeth, and striveth to be rid of. The drift and bent of his life is for God; and if he sin, it is contrary to the very bent of his heart and life, and therefore he riseth again, and lamenteth it, and dare not wilfully live in any known sin. There is nothing in this world so dear to him, but he can give it up to God, and forsake it for him and the p. 42hopes of glory. All this you may see in Col. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Mat. 6.33, 20. Luk. 18.22, 23, 29. Luk. 14.18, 24, 26, 27. Rom. 8.13. Gal. 5.24. Luk. 12.21. &c.

Thirdly, the soul of a wicked man did never truly discern and relish the mystery of Redemption, nor thankfully entertain an offered Saviour, nor is he taken up with the love of the Redeemer, not willing to be ruled by him as the Physitian of his soul, that he may be saved from the guilt and power of his sins, and recovered unto God: but his heart is insensible of this unspeakable benefit, and is quite against the healing means by which he should be recovered. Though he may be willing to be carnally Religious, yet he never resigneth up his soul to Christ, and to the motions and conduct of his Word and Spirit.

On the contrary, the Converted p. 43soul having felt himself undone by sin, and perceiving that he hath lost his peace with God, and hopes of heaven, and is in danger of everlasting misery, doth thankfully entertain the tidings of Redemption, and believing in the Lord Jesus as his only Saviour, resigneth up himself to him for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. He taketh Christ as the Life of his soul, and liveth by him, and useth him as his salve for every sore, admiring the wisdom and Love of God in this wonderful work of mans Redemption. In a word, Christ doth even dwell in his heart by faith, and the life that he now liveth is by the Faith of the Son of God, that hath loved him and gave himself for him. Yea it is not so much he that liveth, as Christ in him. For these, see Iohn 1.11, 12. & 3.19, 20. Rom. 8.9. Phil. 3.7. p. 448, 9, 10. Gal. 2.20. Ioh. 15 2, 3.4. 1 Cor. 1.20. & 2.2.

YOU see now in plain terms from the Word of God, who are the wicked, and who are the Converted. Ignorant people think that if a man be no swearer, not curser, nor rayler, nor drunkard, nor fornicator, nor extortioner, nor wrong any body in their dealings, and if they come to Church, and say their prayers, these cannot be wicked men. Or if a man that hath been guilty of drunkenness, or swearing, or gameing or the like vices, do but forbear them for the time to come, they think that this is a Converted man. Others think, if a man that hath been an enemy and scorner at godliness, do but approve it, and joyn himself with those that are godly, and be p. 45hated for it by the wicked as the godly are, that this must needs be a Converted man. And some are so foolish as to think they are Converted, by taking up some new and false opinion, and falling into some dividing party, as Anabaptists, Quakers, Papists, or such like. And some think, if they have but been affrighted by the fears of Hell, and had Convictions and Gripes of Conscience, and thereupon have purposed and promised amendment, and taken up a life of Civil behavour, and outward Religion, that this must needs be true Conversion. And these are the poor deluded souls that are like to lose the benefit of all our perswasions; and when they hear that the wicked must Turn or Die, they think that this is not spoken to them, for they are not wicked, but are Turned already. And therefore it is that Christ p. 46told some of the Rulers of the Jews, who were graver and civiler then the common people, that Publicans and Harlots do go into the Kingdom of God before them, Mat. 21.31. Not that an harlot or gross sinner can be saved without Conversion; but because it was easier to make these gross sinners perceive their sin and misery, and the necessity of a change, when the civiler sort do delude themselves by thinking that they are Converted already, when they be not.

O Sirs, Conversion is another kind of work then most are ware of: Its not a small matter to bring an Earthly mind to Heaven, and to shew man the amiable excellencies of God, till he be taken up in such Love to him, that never can be quenched; to break the heart for sin, and make him flie forrefuge unto Christ, and thankfully p. 47embrace him as the l…fe of his soul, to have the very drift and bent of the heart and life to be changed, so that a man renounceth that which he took for his felicity, and placeth his felicity where he never did before, and liveth not to the same end, and driveth not on the same design in the world, as formerly he did: in a word, he that is in Christ, is a new creature; old things are past away, behold all things are become new, 2 Cor. 5.17. He hath a new understanding, a new will and resolution, new sorrows, and desires, and love, and delight, new thoughts, new speeches, new company (if possible) and a new conversation. Sin that before was a jesting matter with him, is now so odious and terrible to him, that he flies from it as from death. The world that was so lovely in his eyes, doth now appear but as vanity and vexation: God p. 48that was before neglected, is now the only Happiness of his soul; before he was forgotten, and every lust preferred before him; but now he is set next the heart, and all things must give place to him: and the heart is taken up in the attendance and observance of him: and is grieved when he hides his face, and never thinks it self well without him. Christ himself that was wont to be slightly thought of, is now his only hope and refuge, and he liveth upon him as on his daily bread; he cannot pray without him, nor rejoyce without him, nor think, nor speak, nor live without him. Heaven it self that before was lookt upon but as a tolerable reserve, which he hoped might serve turn as better then hell, when he could not stay any longer in the world, is now taken for his home, the place of his only Hope and Rest, where he shall p. 49See, and Love, and Praise that God that hath his heart already. Hell that before did seem but as a bugbear to frighten men from sin, doth now appear to be a real misery, that is not to be ventured on, nor jested with. The works of holiness which before he was weary of, and seemed to be more ado then needs, are now both his recreation and his business, and the trade that he lives upon. The Bible which was before to him but almost as a common book, is now as the Law of God, as a Letter written to him from heaven, and subscribed with the name of the Eternal Majesty; it is the Rule of his thoughts, and words, and deeds; the commands are binding, the threats are dreadful, and the promises of it speak life to his soul. The godly that seemed to him but like other men, are now the excellentest and happyest on earth. And p. 50the wicked that were his play-fellows are now his grief: and he that could laugh at their sin, is readyer now to weep for their sin and misery, Psalm 16.3. & 15.4. Phil. 3.18. In short, he hath a New End in his thoughts, and a New Way in his endeavours, and therefore his Heart and life is New. Before his Carnal Self was his End; and his pleasure, and worldly Profits, and Credit were his Way: and now God and everlasting Glory is his End: and Christ, and the Spirit, and Word, and Ordinances, Holiness to God, and Righteousness and Mercy to men, these are his Way. Before Self was the chief Ruler, to which the matters of God and Conscience must stoop and give place: and now God in Christ, by the Spirit, Word, and Ministry is the chief Ruler, to whom both Self, and all the matters of Self must give place. p. 51So that this is not a change in one or two, or twenty points; but in the whole soul: and the very end and Bent of the Conversation. A man may step out of one path into another, and yet have his face the same way, and be still going towards the same place: but tis another matter to turn quite back again, and take his journey the clean contrary way to a contrary place. So it is here. A man may turn from drunkenness to thriftiness, and forsake his good fellowship, and other gross disgraceful sins, and set upon some duties of Religion, and yet be going still to the same End as before, intending his carnal Self above all, and giving it still the Government of his soul. But when he is Converted, this Self is denyed and taken down, and God is set up, and his face is turned the contrary way: and he that before was addicted to p. 52himself, and lived to himself, is now by Sanctification devoted to God, and liveth unto God: before he asketh himself, what he should do with his time, his parts, and his estate; and for himself he used them: but now he asketh God what he shall do with them, and he useth them for him. Before he would Please God so far as might stand with the Pleasure of his flesh, and Carnal Self, but not to any great displeasure of them. But now he will please God, let Flesh and Self be never so much displeasd. This is the great change that God will make upon all that shall be saved.

You can say, that the Holy-Ghost is your Sanctifier, but do you know what Sanctification is? Why this is it that I have now opened to you: and every man and woman in the world must have this, or be condemned to everlasting p. 53misery. They must Turn or Dye.

Do you believe all this Sirs, or do you not? Surely you dare not say you do not: For tis past doubt or denyal: These are not Controversies, where one learned pious man is of one mind, and another of another: where one party saith this, and the other saith that: Papists, and Aanbaptists, and every Sect among us that deserve to be called Christians, are all agreed in this that I have said: and if you will not believe the God of Truth, and that in a case where every sect and party do believe him, you are utterly unexcusable.

But if you do believe this, how comes it to pass that you live so quietly in an unconverted state? Do you know that you are Converted? and can you find this wonderful change upon your p. 54souls? Have you been thus born again and made anew? Be not these strange matters to many of you? and such as you never felt upon your selves? If you cannot tell the day or the week of your change, or the very Sermon that Converted you, yet do you find that the work is done? and such a change indeed there is? and that you have such hearts as are before described? Alas, the most do follow their worldly business, and little trouble their minds with such thoughts. And if they be but restrained from scandalous sins, and can say, I am no whore-monger, nor thief, nor curser nor swearer, nor tipler, nor ex…ortioner, I go to Church and say my prayers, they think that this is true Conversion, and they shall be saved as well as any. Alas this is foolish cheating of your selves. This is too much contempt of an endless glory: and p. 55too gross neglect of your immortal souls. Can you make so light of Heaven and Hell? Your corpses will shortly all lye in the dust, and Angels or Devils will presently seize upon your souls, and every man and woman of you all, will shortly be among other company, and in another case then now you are; you will dwell in those houses but a little longer: you will work in your shops and fields but a little longer: you will sit in those seats, and dwell on this earth but a little longer: you will see with those eyes, and hear with those ears, and speak with those tongues but a little longer, till the Resurrection day: and can you make shift to forget this? O what a place will you be shortly in of Joy or Torment! O what a sight will you shortly see in Heaven or Hell! O what thoughts will shortly fill your hearts, with unspeakable p. 56Delight or Horrour? What work will you be employed in? to Praise the Lord with Saints and Angels, or to cry out in fire unquenchable with Devils? And should all this be forgotten? And all this will be endless and sealed up by an unchangeable decree: Eternity, Eternity, will be the measure of your Joyes or sorrows, and can this be forgotten? And all this is true Sirs, most certain true: when you have gone up and down a little longer, and slept and awak't a few tunes more, you'l be dead and gone, and find all true that now I tell you: and yet can you now so much forget it? You shall then remember that you heard this Sermon, and that this day, from this place, you were remembered of these things: and perceive them matters a thousand times greater then either you or I could here conceive: and yet p. 57shall they be now so much forgotten?

Beloved friends; if the Lord had not awakened me to believe and lay to heart these things my self, I should have remained in the dark and selfish state, and have perished for ever: but if he have truly made me sensible of them, it will constrain me to compassionate you, as well as my self: If your eyes were so far opened as to see Hell, and you saw your neighbours that were Unconverted dragg'd thither with hideous cries, though they were such as you accounted honest people on earth, and feared no such matter by themselves; such a sight would make you go home and think of it, and think again; and make you warn all about you as the damned worldling in Luke. 16.28. would have had his Brethen warned, lest they come to that place of torment. p. 58Why, faith is a kind of sight; it is the eye of the soul; the Evidence of things aot seen: If I believe God, it is next to seeing: And therefore I beseech you excuse me, if I be half as earnest with you about these matters, as if I had seen them. If I must die to morrow, and it were in my power to come again from another world and tell you what I had seen, would you not be willing to hear me, and would you not believe, and regard what I should tell you? If I might preach one Sermon to you after I am dead, and have seen what is done in the world to come, would you not have me plainly speak the truth, and would you not crowd to hear me? and would you not lay it to heart? but this must not be; God hath his appointed way of teaching you by Scripture and Ministers: and he will not humour p. 59Unbelievers so far as to send men from the dead to them, and to alter his establisht way: if any man quarrel with the Sun, God will not humour him so far as to set him up a clearer light. Friends, I beseech you regard me now, as you would do if I should come from the dead to you: for I can give you as full assurance of the truth of what I say to you, as if I had been there and seen it with my eyes: For its possible for one from the dead to deceive you: but Jesus Christ can never deceive you: the Word of God delivered in Scripture, and sealed up by the Miracles and holy workings of the Spirit, can never deceive you. Believe this, or believe nothing. Believe and obey this, or you are undone. Now as ever you believe the Word of God, and as ever you care for the salvation of your souls, let me beg of you this reasonable p. 60request, and I beseech you deny me not: that you would without any more delay, when you are gone from hence, remember what you heard, and enter into an earnest search of your hearts, and say to your selves, [Is it so indeed, must I Turn or Die? Must I be Converted or Condemned? Its time for me then to look about me, before it be too l…te. Oh why did I not look after this till now? Why did I venturously poste off, or flubber over so great a business? Was I awake, or in my wits? Oh blessed God, what a mercy is it that thou didst not cut off my life all this while, before I had any certain hope of eternal life? Well, God forbid that I should neglect this work any longer. What state is my soul in? Am I C…nverted, or am I not? Was ever such a change or work done upon my soul? Have I been illuminated by the Word and Spirit of the p. 61Lord, to see the odiousness of sin, the need of a Saviour, the Love of Christ, and the Excellencies of God and Glory? Is my heart broken or humbled within me for my former life? Have I thankfully entertained my Saviour and Lord, that offered himself with pardon and life to my soul? Do I hate my former sinful life, and the remnant of every sin that is in me? Do I flie from them as my deadly enemies? Do I give up my self to a life of Holiness and Obedience to God? Do I love it, and delight in it? Can I truly say that I am dead to the world and carnal self, and that I live for God and the Glory which he hath promised? Ha…h Heaven more of my Estimation, and Resolution, then Earth? And is God the dearest and the Highest in my soul? Once I am sure I lived principally to the world and fl…sh, and God had nothing but some heartless services which the p. 62world could spare, and which were the leavings of the flesh. Is my heart now turned another way? Have I a new design, and a new end, and a new train of holy affect…ons? Have I set my hopes and heart in heaven? And is it now the scope, and design, and bent of my heart and life, to get well to heaven, and see the glorious face of God, and live in his everlasting Love and Praise? And when I sin, is it against the very habitual bent and design of my heart? And do I conquer all gross sins, and am I weary, and willing to be rid of mine infirmities? This is the state of a Converted soul. And thus must t… be with me, or I must perish. Is it thus indeed with me, or is it not? Its time to get this doubt resolved, before the dreadful Iudge resolve it. I am not such a stranger to my own heart and life, but I may somewhat perceive whether I am thus Converted or not: if I be not, p. 63it will do me no good to flatter my soul with false conceits and hopes. I am resolved no more to deceive my self; but to endeavour to know truly off or on, whether I be Converted, yea or no; that If I be, I may rejoyce in it, and glorifie my gracious Lord, and comfortably go on till I reach the Crown: and if I am not, I may set my self to beg and seek after the Grace that should convert me, and may turn without any more delay: For if I find in time that I am out of the way, by the help of Christ, I may turn and be recovered; but if I stay till either my heart be forsaken of God in blindness and hardness, or till I be catcht away by death, its then too late. There is no place for Repentance and Conversion then; I know it must be now or never.]

Sirs, this is my request to you, that you will but take your hearts to task, and thus examine them, p. 64till you see if it may be, whether you are Converted or not? and if you cannot find it out by your own endeavours, go to your Ministers, if they be faithful and experienced men, and desire their assistance. The matter is great; let not bashfulness nor carelesness hinder you. They are set over you to advise you, for the saving of your souls, as Physitians advise you for the curing of your bodies. It undoes many thousands that they think they are in the way to salvation, when they are not; and think that they are Converted when it is no such thing. And then when we call to them daily to Turn, they go away as they came, and think, that this concerns not them; for they are turned already, and hope they shall do well enough in the way that they are in, at least if they do pick the fairest path, and avoid some of p. 65the foulest steps, when alas, all this while they live but to the world, and flesh, and are strangers to God and Eternal life, and are quite out of the way to Heaven. And all this is much, because we cannot perswade them to a few serious thoughts of their Condition, and to spend a few hours in the examining of their states. Is there not many a self-deceiving wretch that heareth me this day, that never bestowed one hour or quarter of an hour in all their lives, to examine their souls, and try whether they are truly Converted or not? O merciful God, that will care for such wretches that care no more for themselves! and that will do so much to save them from Hell, and help them to Heaven, who will do so little for it themselves. If all that are in the way to Hell, and in a state of damnation, did but know it, they durst not p. 66continue in it. The greatest hope that the Devil hath of bringing you to damnation without a rescue, is by keeping you blindfold, and ignorant of your state, and making you believe that you may do well enough in the way that you are in. If you knew that you are out of the way to heaven, and were lost for ever if you should die as you are, durst you sleep another night in the state that you are in? durst you live another day in it? Could you heartily laugh or be merry in such a state? What! And not know but you may be snatcht away to hell in an hour! Sure it would constrain you to forsake your former company and courses, and to betake your selves to the waies of Holiness, and the Communion of the Saints. Sure it would drive you to cry to God for a new heart, and to seek p. 67help of those that are fit to counsel you. Theres none of you sure that cares not for being damned. Well then, I beseech you presently make enquiry into your hearts, and give them no rest, till you find out your condition, that if it be good, you may rejoyce in it, and go on: and if it be bad, you may presently look about you for recovery, as men that believe they must Turn or Die. What say you, Sirs? Will you resolve and promise to be at this much labour for your own souls? Will you fall upon this self examination when you come home? Is my request unreasonable? Your consciences know it is not. Resolve on it then before you stir: Knowing how much it concerneth your souls, I beseech you for the sake of that God that doth command you, at whose Bar you will shortly all appear, that you will not deny p. 68me this reasonable request. For the sake of those souls that must turn or dye, I beseech you deny me not; even but to make it your business to understand your own Conditions, and build upon sure ground, and know off or on whether you are Converted or no, and venture not your souls on negligent security.

But perhaps you'l say, What if we should find our selves yet unconverted; what shall we do then? This question leadeth me to my second Doctrine, which will do much to the answering of it, to which I shall now proceed.