A Call to Sinners, Tract
A CALL TO SINNERS, SUCH As are under Sentence OF DEATH, AND SUCH As are under any Proſpect of it: FROM The Long-ſuffering and Gracious, but moſt Righteous GOD.
By his Servant Daniel Burgeſs, at the Pious Requeſt of an Excellent Perſon.
…f God peradventure will give them Repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheapſide, and R… bert Gibbs at the Golden Ball in Chancery-Lane. 1689.
To my dear Children.
My Hopes and my Fears,
THE firſt Adam's ſin came into You thro' my Loins. O may the ſecond Adam's grace come into you, thro' my means. My God and the God of my Father's grant it! To Him have I Dedicated you: And for Him would I Educate you.
I am Called unto much work for Others: It's little that I can do diſtinctly for You. Be it your Care to make Yours, what is done for many Others. Thus publickly I command you to read this Call, as wrote ſingly for your ſelves. 'Tis poſsible ſome other Parents may from ſo mean an example, Charge their Children. And this my Paper may ſpeak unto you, when I am gone from you.
You know they are many, who think my Days on Earth will be few. And that You muſt Die Young, or Live Orphans. However that be order'd by God, haſten ye to make ſure your Peace with Him. Up and be doing, O precious Souls, and dear as mine own!
The God of my own Mercies, Comforts and Hopes be with you! Amen.
A Call to SINNERS, UNDER Sentence of DEATH, and under any Proſpect of approaching Death.
O Bleſſed God, that haſt called me to lay my Paper to the Grave, and to intreat the Dead to Riſe; to Argue with Rocks, and Perſwade very Mill-ſtones to be Saints! O take the Work into thine own hand; half a word of thine will make every Reader a Sincere Convert and Sound Believer! Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make this Call (like the Trump of the Archangel,) to raiſe Millions of Dead Souls out of their Graves! Amen, Amen, for Jeſus ſake, Amen.
Miſerable, O miſerable, but not yet Helpleſs Sinner,
THE Luſts thou haſt ſerved all thy former days, cannot now give thee one pleaſant Thought in theſe thy laſt days. The World thou haſt Idolized, cannot ſave thee from, or in, thy approaching Death. The Devil whom thou haſt Imitated and Obeyed, longs to be ſent to fetch thee to Hell. The God whom thou haſt not ſought unto for thy Peace with Him, is reſolved to wait but a very little longer for thy ſeeking unto Him. Yet ſo Kind is his holy Nature, ſo Compaſſionate is his holy Jeſus, ſo long-ſuffering is his holy Spirit, that (by my hand). He gives thee once more the Offer of his Pardon, Grace and Glory.
He commands me to try, if any or all of theſe ten Couſiderations; will awaken thy Soul.
C. 1. The very laſt Week and Day of thy Life is given thee to prepare for Eternity, as well as all thy former ones. I, and the miſpending of theſe, will be a greater ſin than the miſpending of all thy former Weeks and Days hath been. It will be a kind of ſinning over all former ſins again, and adding unto the ſame. Who can ſay thy Day of Grace is over? And who can doubt but our laſt ſins be ſtill incomparably our worſt ſins?
C. 2. The very minute it ſelf, wherein Thou beginneſt thy true Converſion, God doth begin thy true Salvation. Thou art under the Sentence of Condemnation not onelyonly by the Law, but by the Goſpel. When thou doſt begin to Convert, read Luk. 15.20. And he aroſe and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father ſaw him, and had compaſſion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiſſed him.
C. 3. The very Call that in this Paper God ſendeth unto thee, is a probable argument that God hath ſaving Grace in ſtore for thee. Methinks, God hath ſaid to me: Go preach to the poor condemned Malefactors, for I have ſome people among them; and Hell ſhall not have all that die on the Gallows.
C. 4. The very Book of God which directs me to all I put thee upon, is full of Proofs that thou mayſt be ſaved, however wicked thou haſt been, if even now thou doſt not Deny or Delay Gods merciful Call ſent thee. The Heaven is not ſo full of Stars, as Old and New Teſtament of Proofs hereof. In the Old Teſtament, Manaſſeh is a famous Inſtance of ſaving Grace to Sinners moſt notorious: The Thief dying on the Croſs, is another, recorded in the New Teſtament. [One of 97 years old, was converted by John Rogers. And Richard Rogers uſed to ſay of John, I will never deſpair of any man for John Rogers's ſake: ſo wicked a wretch John had bin.]
C. 5. The very Nature, Decrees, and Words of God make it certain, that Ʋnbelief diſhonours God more than all other Sins, and Faith more honours him than all other Duties. St. Auſtin ſays, Judas ſinn'd worſe by his unbelieving ſorrow for his Sin, than by all his ſins that he ſorrowed for. And ſuch another Phoenix ſaith, That right Faith honoureth God more, than an uniform intire Obedience to the whole Law in Innocency could do.
C. 6. The very Pardon and Salvation of thy periſhing Soul, is a Work God has more Delight in, than he has in all the Works of the whole Creation. Seek, Sinner, ſeek: ſeek, and fear not that God will deny unto thee, the thing he delighteth to give unto all that do duly ſeek.
C. 7. The very Hope that in his Goſpel-way God will ſave thee, and Confidence that through Chriſt he can do it without any loſs of his own glory, is no ſmall Honour unto God; I, and 'tis that without which, thou canſt never rightly Believe on Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore never Do any thing pleaſing unto God.
C. 8. The very Soul of thine, which is certainly and extremely corrupted and curſed, is not worſe than many of the Souls which are now in Heaven, once were. Gods Son hath Redeemed, and his Spirit hath ſanctified as bad as Thou art. Why not Thee too?
C. 9. The very Change of thine that I write for; change of Covenant, of Spirit, of Nature, of Converſation, of Company; it can no ſooner be made, but Heaven will ring with Joy for it. I. and Hell gnaſh for envy at it. Father, Son, and Spirit, Angels, Saints above, and all Saints below that hear of it, will be right glad.
C. 10. The very State that thou art now in, is not ſo bad as that thou ſhalt preſently paſs into, is good; if now thou accepteſt Chriſt offered to Thee. No, nor ſhall the very Eternity of the Damn'd be ſo bitter, as he Eternity of thy bleſſed Soul and Body be ſweet. Sinner, ſinner, lay this to thy heart: thy State is Helliſh; bad as a Creatures ſin can-make it. But, Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and in the ſame moment it ſhall be Heavenly; even good as a God-Man's Obedience can deſerve to have it made. And know thou, tho' all we can ſay of Hell, is but a flea-bite in compariſon of what thou wilt feel it to be if thou come therein; yet for all that, There's more Joy in Heaven than Torment in Hell.
Go thou then, and do all that is enjoyned for Conviction, for Compunction, for Ʋnion unto Jeſus Chriſt, and to God by Him. Pray, and beg Prayers. Hear, and Read Directions, and follow them. Loſe no time, not a moment. Convinced ſufficiently thou art not, till thou art able ſincerely to ſay theſe twelve particulars.
P. 1. There is a Law and Covenant of perfect Obedience, which I was under, ever ſince I was a Child of Adam. As ſoon as I was a Man, I was bound perſonally, perfectly, and perpetually to Obey and Love the Father, Son and Spirit. (I, and as ſoon as my Soul and Body came together, I was a Man in the Language of the Scripture.)
P. 2. That Law of Perfect Obedience, that Covenant of works is broke by my firſt Parent; and that Breach is imputed unto me, and the curſed Quality of it is inherent in me even from the womb. It has alſo bin breaking continually by my vile Perſon, in all my Thoughts, Words and Deeds, throughout all my days.
P. 3. For that double Breach, I am under God's wrath, the Laws Curſe, liable to all miſeries, to Death, to Hell. I am bound over, as the Devils to the Judgment of the great day: And as with them ſo with me, God is angry all the day long.
P. 4. Yet can I not in the leaſt find fault with the Law, or blame the Lord and Lawgiver. Tho' I am undone, he has done me no wrong. He doth but right; and natural neceſſary right, for naturally he hateth Sin, as I hate Hell. Nay, and the equity and the honour of his Government require that ſuch Sinners as I am, receive ſuch ſentence as I am under.
P. 5. My offended God is alſo my abſolute Soveraign; and not at all a Debtor unto me, that I can commence no action againſt him, nor charge him with any Injuſtice, if he let me periſh under his damnatory ſentence, and deny me Salvation.
P. 6. No, nor can I excuſe my ſelf from being my own ſelf-deſtroyer, by laying the blame of my ſin upon any Creature. They but Tempt, they Force not. All my formerly uſed ſhifts, Cavils and Contradictions, I have done with for very ſhame. My Mouth is ſtopped, and I am Dumb before God.
P. 7. Yet I hear and I believe a doctrine of Grace and Salvation, even for ſuch ſinners as I am. A Salvation purpoſed by God. A Salvation purchaſed by Jeſus Chriſt. A ſalvation atteſted and publiſh'd by the Holy Ghoſt. A ſalvation, for ſinners of all ranks and degrees. A ſalvation through a New Covenant and New Birth.
P. 8. This Salvation, I perceive, God never meant, nor made any man's, but in the way of Repentance, Faith, New obedience. The way of Children's ſalvation is extraordinary, I ſpeak of grown Perſons.
P. 9. My ſelf I find utterly unable, to Repent, to Believe, and to obey the Goſpel. I, to will or deſire aright any good. Tho I muſt periſh if I do not: Yet without the Holy Spirit of Liberty, Life and Power put into me, I cannot Repent, Believe and Obey.
P. 10. God, who was not at firſt bound to Create me, is now as little bound to New-Create me; by putting his Holy Spirit into me, and by working in me, the Habits of Repentance, Faith and Obedience; and by Exciting the ſame habits unto Act and Exerciſe. If he doth freely New-Create me, he is Gracious: if not, he is Righteous.
P. 11. Nevertheleſs, God in the Goſpel Licenſeth, yea Invites, and Commands (in general) all ſinners to Repent, Believe, and Obey, i. e. to uſe all the means of theſe, by God appointed, and of which we are capacitated. And I conclude it my duty and intereſt to uſe the ſaid means.
P. 12. Laſtly, I take for granted, that 'tis my Duty and intereſt, to wait unto my very laſt gaſp what the Lord will ſay unto me, and do with me. And this will I do if God enable.
Stop, Sinner, ſtop here; and over again with theſe twelve Particulars very ſeriouſly! And now let me tell thee, vain is thy Conviction of all, without that Compunction, or being prick'd through the Heart, which we place in three things; Fear, Grief, Separation from Sin: Go labour therefore to get able to ſay as follows:
P. 1. I fear the Spiritual and Eternal Judgments of God, that heretofore I fear'd but little, if at all. Hitherto I fear'd but only Poverty, Reproach, Sickneſs, &c. now I fear a dark Mind, an hard Heart, and a Wrath to come.
P. 2. I grieve for all I have been and done againſt God, and Chriſt, and the Holy Spirit: I grieve more for this, than I do for ought beſide; more than ought beſide is worthy to be grieved for.
P. 3. I ſeparate and turn me from every ſin, to the beſt of my Skill and Power. Tho I cannot ſay, all Sin in my will is dead; I dare ſay, all my Will to ſin is dead; I and of all the good gifts of God, I ſhould now chuſe his CHRIST and his H. SPIRIT.
This indeed is ſomewhat, ſinner. Yet is one thing, (and the greateſt,) lacking. For ought that yet appears, 'tis lacking Doſt thou turn from every ſin to the beſt of thy skill and power? Thou doeſt well to do thy all, tho' it be next to nothing, that as yet thou canſt do. Is all thy will to ſin dead? This is a good hearing: tho' it be to be feared, 'tis a very improper death that it hath died. Trees are ſaid to be dead, when Life is gone out of the root of them: and they are ſaid to be dead, when Winter-weather hath but driven their life unto their root. And hath hindred nothing but their Growing and Fruit-bearing: nor them neither, but until the Spring-ſeaſon. Now is thy will to ſin any otherwiſe dead, than the Trees in thy Garden be dead in Winter? Or is this Death, thinkeſt thou, a true or a ſufficient? Thou now chuſeſt of all God's gifts both CHRIST and his H. SPIRIT. Welcome news this is. But all is not Gold that gliſters: and it ſhould be enquired whether it be a good choice thou makeſt of theſe ſo good gifts. A choice of meer Compulſion, thou doſt not thy ſelf believe a good one. Such a choice rebelliouſly-diſpoſed ſubjects may make of a King, whom they loath and wiſh under ground: ſuch a choice ill Women may make of men for their Husbands, while they hate their tempers and their Perſons. A choice of inward free Diſpoſition is the only one that truly praiſeth an Object choſen; and that can commend the ſoul that makes the choice. Speak man, of which ſort is thy choice? What is thy conſiderate Judgment, and thy Free Diſpoſition, how ſtandeſt thou affected toward theſe divine Perſons, and their holy Nature? Their ſaving Benefits, I queſtion not thy deſire of. And ſay, if thou canſt, is it any thing but Compulſion by fear of being damn'd without them that cauſeth thy choice. Sinner, I would have thee know: 'Tis from Chriſt working in thee by his Spirit, that thou turneſt from ſin ſo as thou doſt: That thy Will to ſin is dead, even ſo much as a Tree in Winter: That thou chuſeſt Chriſt and his ſpirit tho' but for their Benefits and but on Compulſion. Without divine Drawing thou hadſt never come ſo far it ſelf. But wo be to thee that ever thou waſt born, if thou art not drawn and doſt not come farther. If thou doſt not come into real and gracious Marriage-union unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. O go Labour, Pray, and Wait to be enabled to ſay the four particulars that follow: as ever thou wouldſt get able to ſay, I am paſſed from death to Life.
P. 1. I now ſee the Neceſſity of Ʋnion to Chriſt, and unto God by Chriſt. God and Man were at firſt United cloſely, tho' not inſeparably. Sin undid us by Diſuniting us. By deſtroying the Relation and Kin we had unto God: and of Children making us Aliens and Strangers. Religion is nothing at all leſs than Re-Union unto God. A return unto our firſt Kin and Relation unto Him. Such Kin as that of Father and Child: ſuch Relation as that of Friend and Friend. Now hereunto no return can be made, but by Union firſt made unto Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 1.12. Such an Union to him, as that which is betwixt Husband and Wife: betwixt Head and Members: bewixt Root and Branches: betwixt Foundation and Stones built on it! Theſe ſimilitudes the Holy Scripture uſeth: and he that takes them for inſignificant cyphers, blaſphemeth.
P. 2. I now ſee the Nature of this ſo neceſſary Ʋnion unto Jeſus Chriſt. 'Tis the foreſaid Relation and Kin, by mutual Conſent and Covenant made. By threefold Conſent. God is willing that his Son Chriſt as Mediator ſhould become ſo nearly related unto us. Chriſt's will is always one and the ſame with his Fathers; and He is declared moſt willing. We, ſinful Fugitives and Aliens, are never willing, till infinite Grace by almighty Power makes us willing. Nor ever are we took into the Relation we ſpeak of, till we are made ſo. And are brought to an hearty Conſent unto the Marriage-Covenant. Which conſent, is indeed ſaving Faith. Conſenting thereunto, is believing: and believing on, is marrying unto Chriſt Jeſus, as appears Joh. 1.12, &c. And this great work being done, we are inſtantly a-Kin unto our bleſſed Lord. Related as near, as a Wife is unto an Husband. I, and Related unto God as a Wife is unto her Husband's Father. Chriſt MEDIATOR is our Husband, and God is Our Father by the Law of grace. My Father and your Father, ſaith that gracious Husband, Joh. 20.17.
P. 3. I now ſee what that Covenant of Grace is, whereto our conſent given doth make the foreſaid Ʋnion. It conſiſts, I ſee, in Promiſes and Demands. Promiſes of good things unto us, and Demands of duty from us. The Promiſed Mercies I compriſe in four: (1.) GRACE. Both Grace Juſtifying, and Abſolving from the guilt of ſin: and Grace Sanctifying, or Aboliſhing by degrees the Power of ſin, Heb. 8.10, 12. (2.) BREAD. I mean all the neceſſary good things, of this Life. Enough of them to bear our charges to Heaven, 1 Tim. 4.8. (3.) GLORY. That is, both Excellency and Eternity of all deſirable good in the next World. 2 Tim. 4.8. 1 Pet. 1.4. (4.) CHILDREN'S BLESSING. An entail of good things for our ſakes, [tho' not our merits,] upon our Children, Rom. 11.28. Exod. 20.6. Acts 2.39. The Duty demanded is alſo conſiderable in four particulars. (1) REPENTANCE. An Heart-renting for ſin, and from it. A Firſt one; neceſſary unto our acceptation into a Juſtifyed ſtate; an After-one continued; neceſſary unto our ſenſe of Juſtification, and unto our daily Pardons, Act. 2.38. Luk. 13.3. (2) FAITH. Aſſent unto the Goſpel Revelations, Conſent unto the Precepts, Reliance upon the promiſes, Act. 16.31. Mar. 16.16. (3.) NEW OBEDIENCE. Conformity of the whole man unto the whole Rule of the Goſpel in Natural, Civil and Religious actions, 2 Theſ. 1.8. 1 Pet. 4.17. (4) PERSEVERANCE. Or ſtrict and preciſe adherence unto that conformity, in all times, places, companies and conditions unto Lifes end, Rev. 2.10. Our Holy Baptiſm, and the Lord's ſupper, do both Encourage our belief of God's fulfilling the promiſes of this Covenant, and Engage us on our parts to fulfil the Demands of it, in the ſtrength of Chriſt. [And they would, of all Ordinances, be the moſt helpful, if the Nature, Ends and Ʋſes of them were duly Taught by Miniſters and Learn'd by People.]
P. 4. I now feel my hearts free and full conſent to this ſaid Covenant of grace. Unto the Acceptation of it's promiſed Benefits, for my only Portion and Enjoyment: and unto the Acceptation of its demanded Duties, for my only Buſineſs and Employment in this world. Bleſſed be free grace, I do accept both. And my Soul that was ſo far from God, is made nigh. The Objections of my mind and oppoſitions of my will are routed. Grace in Chriſt has conquer'd my Enmity againſt God, as Holy: and my, fear of Him, as my Enemy. His offered Son I have Accepted; his Perſon, with his Benefits. I have taken Him for my Husband, Teacher, Saviour, Ruler: As the only Mediator to Reconcile God unto me, and to Communicate grace to me from God. Now is Father Son and Spirit my enjoyed Portion, and my ſerved Lord again. I have entred into an Oath and a Curſe, and bound my ſelf at my everlaſting peril, Him only to ſerve, Him only to enjoy. With engaged heart, with opened mouth, with a fix'd hand and ſeal I have obliged my ſelf to have no other God but Him; no Mediator, but his Son; no Ruler, but his Spirit; no Rule, but his Word. The Word of his ever Bleſſed Covenant, well ordered in all things and ſure: which is all my ſalvation and all my deſire. Oh Reader, I have heard of a ſinner, who twice heard a Voice from Heaven as he thought it, ſaying, Make haſte, make haſte; and yet he (a prodigious Adder) died a Sinner. Be it far from thee to be ſo obſtinate.
Wilt thou tell me?
Obj. 1. That I miſtake thee, and that thou art no ſuch great Sinner, though it be thy lot to have been drawn away by ill Company, and to have miſcarryed of late.
Anſw. Alas, alas! if ſo blind and ſenſeleſs, what hope of thee? However, the Lord who is only able, ſhall be intreated to make thee Underſtand, 1. Every ſinner is a great one, for no ſin is ſmall; the leaſt of ſins againſt God, deſerves Death eternal. 2. By Nature thou art a Child of Wrath, and Enemy of God. 3. All thy Life of Ʋnregeneracy has been very ſinful, a dead and damning Life. 4. Thou art an Engliſh deſpiſer of Chriſt, and that is the worſt ſort in the World: For according to the degrees of ſpiritual Light ſuch are the degrees of obſtinate Rebellion againſt it.
Obj. 2. But thou haſt been Puniſhed, and art like to die too: Yea and haſt been troubled for thy Sins very much: and thou hopeſt God has more Mercy, than after all this to damn thee to Hell.
Anſw. Sinner, I pray God give thee thy ſight! Theſe things are true. 1. An everlaſting Hell it ſelf is not more than our Sins do deſerve; God is far from Unmerciful in damning Sinners ſo incorrigible. 2. The Tears and the Blood of a Creature, are no ſatisfaction for Sin: thy burning in Hell for the ſpace of a million of years, will not expiate the guilt of one vain Thought.
Obj. 3. I put my truſt in my God and Saviour: and I hope to be ſaved without the ado you make about Conviction, and Compunction and Ʋnion, ſome may ſay.
Anſw. Deluded Soul! O that thou wouldſt conſider! 1. In all the book of God we are taught there's no Salvation, but in theſe ways of his Soveraign Wiſdom and Mercy. 2. By this it's plain, you know not God, nor what it is to Truſt in Him: but do only Preſume blaſphemouſly that He is ſuch an one as your ſelf, and is neither Holy nor Juſt. 3. You wil believe in his Promiſes directly contrary to the condition required in 'em: and you will not believe his Threatnings againſt impenitent unreformed Sinners tho' ratified with his Oath.
Obj. 4. Why, ſays another, what profit can you aſſure me of, if I ſhould, to my utmoſt, endeavour all that you adviſe?
Anſw. 1. And what if I could not Aſſure thee of any Profit? Wouldſt thou do nothing upon very Probability? If 'twere but Probable that the King would grant a Petition for thy Life, wouldſt refuſe any poſſible labour to get one preſented. The whole World acts upon Probabilities. 2. But well; I can Aſſure thee of benefit no leſs than Eternal. For ſuppoſe the worſt, that thy endeavours prevail not unto Saving Converſion; yet will they prevail to a leſſening of thy Torments in Hell for ever. Every degree of contempt greatens them; every degree of endeavour leſſens them. On the other hand; if unto thy utmoſt thou endeavour, there's no juſt reaſon for the frightful concluſion that 'twill be Uneffectual unto Salvation. And if it be not, thy certain Profit is too great for Angel's Tongues to expreſs. A comprehenſive fore-ſight of it, would work wonders in thee. Enquire, if thou know not, what things are theſe ten? 1. Juſtification. 2. Adoption. 3. Sanctification of the Holy Spirit. 4. Acceptation of all Duties with God. 5. Title unto all the Promiſes of the glorious Goſpel. 6. Inſeparable and honourable Ʋnion to God. 7. Peace and Joy in Conſcience. 8. Victory over ſinful Love of Life and Fear of Death. 9. Glorious Reſurrection of thy Body. 10. Boldneſs in the day of Judgment, and Admiſſion into heavenly Glory. If I were ſure I ſhould never get, I wou'd Live and Die in the purſuit of theſe. Up, Sinner, up, and be Doing, and know this: — If but one man now i'the World were to be Saved, I wou'd Try to be the Man: and if but one were to be Damn'd, I wou'd Tremble and carefully endeavour to make ſure that I ſhould not be He. O that theſe ſix Memorandums were nailed on thy Memory: (they have done others good, why not thee?) M. 1. 'Tis God in Chriſt, only, that can ſave thee. 2. He invites thee to Salvation, even yet. 3. Ʋpon gracious terms, He Promiſes, He will Save thee. 4. He commands thee by all his Authority to accept it on his Terms. 5. He will Rejoice over thee with Singing, if thou doſt accept it. 6. And Oh the Love! He will Weep over thee if (after all) thou wilt Deſtroy thy ſelf unperſwadably. Sinner, Sinner, I can tell thee of one that heard a Voice, No Mercy, no Mercy, and yet was perſwaded to Endeavour, and did Convert, and did obtain Mercy. Remember it: Deſpair is full as bad as Preſumption; and divine Mercy is not a jot leſs than Juſtice.
Obj. 5. I cannot ſay I do not Repent and Believe, and that ſincerely: but if I do, 'tis with a ſadly weak Repentance and Faith: and ſuch as I am aſhamed of, and cannot believe the holy Judge of all the Earth will accept.
Anſw. Say it be ſo: and ſay that 'tis but the loweſt place in Heaven that thou ſhalt be ſet in: Is any Seat there Uneaſie? O man, know and Joy in it. 'Tis Truth of Grace that is thy Life. The look of the weakeſt eye unto the brazen Serpent, did heal as truly as the look of the ſtrongeſt. Upon the very firſt ſincere Acceptation of Father, Son and Spirit to be thine thro' the bleſſed Mediator, and Reſignation of thy ſelf to be theirs thro' the ſame only Propitiation, 'tis ſure thy Mittimus to Hell is ſtopt and ſuperſeded, thy Paſs to Heaven is granted. He will deliver thy Soul from going down into the Pit, and thy Life ſhall ſee the Light, Job 33.28. Benhadad eſcaped by caſting himſelf on the Mercy of the King of Iſrael: It ſhall never repent thee, if in his holy appointed way thou ca…t thy ſelf on the King of Heaven's Mercy. Heaven cannot ſhut, nor Hellopen, unto a Soul ſincerely weary of all the Sin it hath, and ſick of deſire for all the grace it wants. I ſhould think thee in Hells mouth, If I heard thee uttering boaſts of having all. Grace; or content, as having enough. They that have moſt, do all cry, that 'tis next to none that they have. And the higher they get in holy Qualifications, the lower they fall in their Apprehenſions of themſelves. He that giveth Grace to the Humble, maketh them yet more Humble by all the Grace He gives them I would rather be the worſt Humble man than the beſt Proud one in the World; and ſpecially, the ſpiritually Proud. Well, in a word: Beg the Holy Spirit to keep thee from both extreams; from Dreaming of ſafety while building on the Sand, and from Deſpairing of Mercy when thou buildeſt on the Rock Chriſt.
Now, O every one of you needy Souls that I addreſs unto, may you know the things of your Peace in the ſhort ſpan of your time that remains. If this little Goſpel-Net catch but one Fiſh among you, I win more than a World. But I have ſent up Prayers to Him that can make it take take thouſands of you, that He would ſo do. And take all the Glory of it unto Himſelf, when He has done it. Sirs, I ſhall be certified that He hath granted my Cryes, if ever I ſhall hear that you grant me but theſe Requeſts, which conclude my Call unto you. They are for your obſervance of theſe rules in your endeavouring, if indeed you will endeavour, to Reconcile you to God e're ye Dye.
R. 1. That you enter on it with ſuch Solemnity as ſuch a Work well deſerves. Get as many Godly Miniſters and Friends as you can, to come joyn with you in Faſting and Prayer for divine Bleſſing on your great enterprize: Teſtifie to your God, to your Conſcience, and to all godly conſcientious Folk about you, that you have higher Thoughts of God, than to dare go about making your Peace with his Majeſty, as tho' 'twere a buſineſs, that either did not Require or would not Requite, the greateſt and humbleſt Care and Pains.
R. 2. That you ſtick to it cloſely and conſtantly, as that Work will require you to do. I, and would have required, had you begun ever ſo ſoon, and were you to live ever ſo long. Sirs, is not your Worldly buſineſs yet over? is not your Peace with God now, your one and only buſiſineſs? All of the four and twenty hours that ye do not ſleep out, methinks you might now ſpend very freely in the work I have propoſed. Formerly, 'twas all of it ſpent in running away farther from Gods peace: why, now ſhould but a part of it be laid out in making after it? The time was when you begrudged God an half hour's diverſion from the World or ſinful Pleaſure. You now reproach God fearfully, if ye begrudge not the World the leaſt Unneceſſary diverſion from Gods proper ſervice.
R. 3. That you Obſerve and Lament in all you do, that Leproſie of Selfiſhneſs, which of all things is hardeſt to be cured. To love your ſelf is no Sin, but Duty; but Love of Self above God, what is that, think you? God is ſo juſt, that were there any thing elſe ſo good as He, he would love it as well as himſelf; were there ought better, he would love it better, than himſelf. Now alas, alas! God is truly all-good and all-lovely: Nothing is lovely but as of and for him; yet how do you find it? what care you for God but for your own ends? could you not ſin on as jocundly as ever, and omit all Duty as profanely, but for fear of your own Sufferings in Hell, and for deſire of your own Pleaſures in Heaven? Is it not for Self-ends that you liſt to know God, or be at Peace with him? Yes, it is, and to turn the Scales, and get to love your ſelves but for God's honours ſake, to deſire Pardon of Sin, Peace of Conſcience, Deliverance from Hell, principally that ye may thereby Love and Honour God; is this Eaſie? Or is it, think you, Ʋnneceſſary? Sirs, mark it well; I count not that you have receiv'd your ſight, or any ſenſe of your Duty and Buſineſs, 'till you are crying to this purpoſe, viz. O bleſſed God, thanks to thine own Grace for it, I have begun to ſeek my Reconciliation unto thee; and I do not, nor dare I but hold on ſeeking: But, wo is me, a curſed Selfiſhneſs (I ſee) has, and ſtill does act me. Oh! I have not, nor do I yet carry it towards Thee, as a God, and above all, yea Univerſal good. I would I could Love thee ſo as to be aſhamed of my ſin in time paſt, and to be afraid of it for the future, principally becauſe of Love to thy All-lovelineſs. Oh that I could ſay, If there were no Heaven to reward, nor Hell to Puniſh me, yet ſo do I love God and hate ſin, that of all things I would deſire to be Reconciled to Him and Live his Praiſes. But Oh, tho' I diſcern 'tis as neceſſary to my Happineſs that I Love thee, as that I am Loved of thee, and that if I love not thee, I love not any good at all, for thou art one and All; I, and that I do not love thee rightly, 'till I do love thee above all, and Love nothing but thee and for thy ſake: Yet is there a Milſtone about my neck that preſſeth me down into deep Selfiſhneſs, and hinders my ſeeking thee without giving thee greateſt Provocations for ever to abhor me. Sirs, your real wearineſs of this ſaid Milſtone would be a token for good.
R. 4. That you by no means argue from the Multitude or Greatneſs, or Long Continuance of your Sins, that there is no Help for you in God. True, Sin is an evil, in one ſenſe Infinite: 'Tis againſt an Infinite God. One ſin did deſerve and procure the whole World's Condemnation. One ſin takes more honour from God, than all the Obedience of meer Creatures can repair. And what then; ſin, for all this, is not Infinite, ſo as Gods Mercy, and Chriſts Merits, and the Holy Ghoſts mighty Power are infinite. No, ſuch are theſe, that if I my ſelf had ſinned all the ſins of the faln Angels, and of faln Mankind both, Chriſt's Blood could ſatisfie for all: the Holy Ghoſt could ſanctifie and cleanſe me from all: The Mercy of God could forgive me all. I and obſerve it: Heaven has more than a few, of them who were on earth more ſinful than ordinary, for a ſadly long time. Again I tell you: Unleſs your preſent and future Unbelief hold you down under them, no ſins can be your ruine. 'Tis not falling into the water that is deepeſt, drowns a man; but 'tis keeping down under the water. Sirs, Vomit up now all your heretofore ſweet poyſons, make all your ſins to become your ſhames and ſorrow, let no one of them live in your favour, and (fear it not) you ſhall not die in their guilt. If we our ſelves ſtood bound to pay unto God the ſatiſfaction of any one Sin, there were no hope of our Salvation: but that is undertook by Chriſt who ſuffered death and the pains of Hell in our ſtead, whom if the chief of ſinners commit and ſubmit themſelves unto, there is as little fear of their Damnation.
R. 5. That you be ſure to be Orderly and Ʋniverſal in this your great work. My meaning is: that you ſeek good things in their good Order; the firſt firſtly, and ſo onward: and that you ſeek all Gods propoſed good things, all and every of the Number. Do not as many do wildly; do not crave to have the Sacraments, before you competently underſtand the Commandments: nor pretend to be keepers of the Holy Commandments, till you competently underſtand the Bleſſed Pattern of Prayer: nor dream ye a poſſibility of profitably Receiving the Sacrament, or Obeying any Commandment, or making any Prayer, till you are competently acquainted with the Goſpel Creed. Do not conceit your ſelves capable of Comfort before Holineſs, or of Holineſs before Union to Chriſt, or of ſaving Ʋnion to Chriſt before Faith, or of Faith before Humiliation, or of Humiliation before Conviction. Seek all, and ſeek in Order! O ſeek 'em but as you believe that damned Souls in Hell wou'd ſeek 'em, if they had but your Capacity and your Call. The Lord grant when your Bodies drop into the Pit, your Souls may not fall into Eternal Flames. And that your Real Converſion may be ſo ſenſible, as to be Comfortable to your ſelves; and ſo Viſible, as that it may be ſaid by all who ſee your end, Behold God hath granted unto theſe Priſoners [and theſe Dying Creatures,] Repentance unto Life. Amen.
FINIS.
Books to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapſide.
THree Queſtions reſolved briefly and plainly; Viz.
1. What Conceptions ought we to have of the bleſſed God?
2. What are thoſe Truths, whereof the Knowledge appeareth moſt indiſpenſibly neceſſary unto our Salvation; and (therefore) to be firſt and moſt Learnt by us?
3. What is the Change wrought in a Man by God's H. Word and Spirit, before he can ſafely conclude himſelf paſs'd from Death to Life? Being the Summ of three Sermons.
The Chriſtians earneſt Expectation and Longing for the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Set forth in a Diſcourſe occaſioned by the Deceaſe of that Excellent Chriſtian and Miniſter of Chriſt, Mr. Noah Webb, late of Sandhurſt in the County of Berks.
The Chriſtian Temper: Or, the Quiet State of Mind that God's Servants labour for. Set forth in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mrs. Ʋrſula Collins. All three by Daniel Burgeſs, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
End of the text · Daniel Burgess, A Call to Sinners (1689)