A Call to the Unconverted, Table of contents – Publishers advertisement
The Contents.
A Preface to the Unsanctified, exhorting them to turn, and answering some Objections.
The text opened, p. 1. to 9.
Doct. 1. It is the unchangeable Law of God that wicked men must Turn or Die, p. 9.
Proved, p. 11.
Obj. God will not be so unmerciful as to Damn us: Answered, p. 14, 15.
The Use, p. 22.
Who are wicked men, and what Conversion is; and how we may know whether we are wicked or Converted p. 27. to p. 45.
Applyed, p. 45. to p. 70.
Doct. 2. It is the Promise of God that the wicked shall live if they will but Turn; that is, unfeignedly and throughly Turn, p. 70.
Proved, p. 77.
Doct. 3. God taketh pleasure in mens Conversion and salvation; but not … their death or damnation: He had rather they would Turn and Live; then go on and Die, p 85.
Expounded, to p. 93.
Proved, p. 93. to p. 103.
Doct. 4. The Lord hath confirmed it to us by his Oath, that he hath no Pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he Turn and Live: that he may leave man no pretence to doubt of it, p. 103.
Vse. Who is it then that takes pleasure in mens sin and death? Not God, nor Ministers, nor any good men, p. 106.
Doct. 5. So earnest is God for the Conversion of sinners, that he doubleth his commands and exhortations with vehemency, Turn ye, Turn ye, Applyed. p. 120.
Some Motives to obey Gods Call and Turn, p. 126.
Doct. 6. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case with Unconverted sinners, and to ask them, Why they will die? p. 152.
A strange Disputation. 1. For the Question. 2. The Disputants. Wicked men will die, or destroy themselves, p. 154.
Vse. The sinners cause is certainly unreasonable, p. 163.
Their seeming Reasons confuted. p. 175,
Qu. Why are men so unreasonable and loth to Turn, and will destroy themselves? p. 200. answered.
Doct. 7. If after all this men will not turn, it is not long of God that they are condemned, but of themselves, even of their own wilfulness. They die because they will die, that is, because they will not turn, p. 209.
Vse 1. How unfit the wicked are to charge God with their Damnation. It is not because God is unmerciful, but because they are cruel and merciless to themselves, p. 225.
Obj. We cannot convert our selves; nor have we Free-will. Answered, p. 235. (and in the Preface.)
Vse. 2. The subtilty of Satan; the deceitfulness of sin; and the folly of sinners; manifested, p. 238,
Vse. 3. No wonder if the wicked would hinder the Conversion and Salvation of others, p. 240.
Vse 4. Man is the greatest enemy to himself, p. 241.
Mans destruction is of himself, proved, p. 242.
The hainous aggravations of self-destroying, p. 257.
The concluding Exhortation, p. 263.
Ten Directions for those that had rather Turn then Die, p. 273. to the end.
These Books following of the same Authors, are also Printed for Nevil Simmons Book-selseller in Kederminster.
TRue Christianity, or Christs Absolute dominion, and mans necessary self-resignation and Subjection, in two Assize Sermons preacht at Worcester, in 12o.
A Sermon of Judgement preached at Pauls, before the Honorable Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London, Decem. 17. 1654. and now enlarged, in 12o.
Making light of Christ and Salvation …oo oft the Issue of Gospel Invitations, manifest in a Sermon preached at Law-…eace Iury in London, 8o.
The Agreement of divers Ministers of Christ in the County of Worcester for Catechizing or personal Instructing all in their several Parishes that will Consent thereunto, containing 1. The Articles of our Agreement. 2. An Exhortation to the people to submit to this necessary work. 3. The Profession of Faith and Catechism, in 8o.
Guildas Salvianus, the Reformed Pastor, shewing the nature of the Pastoral work, especially in private instruction and Catechizing, in 8o.
Certain Disputations of Right to Sacraments, and the True Nature of Visible Christianity, 4o.
Of Justification: four Disputation… clearing and amicably defending the Truth, against the unnecessary Oppositions of divers Learned and Reverend Brethren, 4o.
A Treatise of Conversion preached and now published for the use of those that are strangers to a true Conversion, especially the grosly Ignorant and Ungodly▪ 4▪
One sheet for the Ministry against the Malignants of all sorts.
A Winding-sheet for Popery.
One sheet against the Quakers.
A second sheet for the Ministry, Justifying our Calling against Quakers, Seekers and Papists, and all that deny us to be the Ministers of Christ.
Directions to Justices of Peace, especially in Corporations, to the discharge of their duty to God, written at the request of a Magistrate, and Published for the use of others that need it.
The Crucifying of the world, by the Cross of Christ: With a Preface to the Nobles, Gentlemen, and all the Rich, erecting them how they may be Richer.
A CALL TO THE Unconverted.
Ezek. 33.11.
Say unto them, As I live saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die O' house of Israel?
IT hath been the astonishing wonder of many a man as well as me, to read in the holy Scrippture how few will be saved, and that the greatest part even of those that are called, will be everlastingly shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, and be tormented with the Devils in Eternal fire. Infidels believe not this when they read it, and therefore must feel it. Those that do believe it, are forced to cry out with Paul Rom. 11.33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Iudgements, and his waies past finding out! But nature it self doth teach us all to lay the blame. of evil works upon the doers; and therefore when we see any hainous thing done, a principle of justice doth provoke us to enquire after him that did it, that the evil of the work may return the evil of shame upon the author. If we saw a man killed and cut in pieces by the way, we would presently ask, Oh who did this cruel deed? If the town were wilfully set on fire, you would ask, What wicked wretch did this? So when we read that the most will be firebrands of hell for ever, we must needs think with our selves, How comes this to pass? and who is it long of? Who is it that is so cruel as to be the cause of such a thing as this? And we can meet with few that will own the guilt. It is indeed confest by all that Satan is the cause: but that doth not resolve the doubt, because he is not the principal cause. He doth not force men to sin, but tempt them to it, and leave it to their own wills whether they will do it or not. He doth not carry men to an Alehouse, and force open their mouths, and pour in the drink, nor doth he hold them that they cannot go to Gods service, nor doth he force their hearts from holy thoughts. It lieth therefore between God himself and the sinner: One of them must needs be the principall cause of all this misery, which ever it is: For there is no other to cast it upon; And God disclaimeth it. He will not take it upon him. And the wicked disclaim it usually, and they will not take it upon them. And this is the Controversie that is here managing in my text.
The Lord complaineth of the people; and the people think it is long of God. The same controversie is handled Chap. 18. where Verse 25. they plainly say, that the way of the Lord is not equal, and God saith, It is their wayes that are not equal. So here they say, Verse 19. If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how shall we then live ▪ As if they should say, If we must die and be miserable, how can we help it? As if it were not long of them, but God. But God in my text doth clear himself of it, and telleth them how they may help it if they will, and perswadeth them to use the means, and if they will not be perswaded, he lets them know that it is long of themselves; and if this will not satisfie them, he will not therefore forbear to punish them: It is He that will be the Judge; and he will Judge them according to their wayes; They are no Judges of him or of themselves; as wanting authority, and wisdom, and impartiality: Nor is it their cavilling and quarrelling with God that shall serve their turn, or save them from the execution of Justice which they murmur at.
The words of this Verse contain, 1. Gods purgation or clearing of himself from the blame of their Destruction. This he doth, not by disowning his Law, that the wicked shall die, nor by disowning his Judgement and Execution according to that Law; or giving them any hope that the Law shall not be executed; But by professing that it is not their death that he takes pleasure in, but their returning rather, that they may live: And this he confirmeth to them by his Oath. 2. An express Exhortation to the wicked to Return; wherein God doth not only Command, but perswade, and condescend also to reason the case with them, Why they will die? The direct end of this Exhortation is, That they may Turn and Live. The Secundary or reserved ends, upon supposition that this is not attained, are these two. First to convince them by the means which he used, that it is not long of God if they be miserable. Secondly to convince them from their manifest wilfulness in rejecting all his commands and perswasions, that it is long of themselves: and they die even because they Will die.
The substance of the Text doth lie in these observations following.
Doct. 1. It is the unchangable Law of God that wicked men must Turn or Dye.
Doct. 2. It is the promise of God, that the wicked shall live if they will but Turn.
Doct. 3. God taketh pleasure in mens Conversion and Salvation, but not in their death or damnation. He had rather they would return and live, then go on and die.
Doct. 4. This is a most certain truth, which because God would not have men to question, he hath confirmed it to them solemnly by his Oath.
Doct. 5. The Lord doth redouble his commands and perswasions to the wicked to Turn.
…ct. 6. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case with them, and asketh the wicked, Why they will die?
Doct. 7. If after all this the wicked will not turn, it is not long of God that they perish, but of themselves: their own wilfulness is the cause of their damnation, they therefore die, because they will die.
Having laid the Text open before your eyes in these plain propositions, I shall next speak somewhat of each of them in order; though very briefly.