An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners

In this hope we undertook the Sacred Ministry, and gave up our selves to this great and most important work: in the great sense of our unworthiness, but yet in the sense of your souls necessity. We were not such fools at our first setting out, as not to know it must be a life of labour, self-denial and patience, and the devil would do his worst to hinder us, and that all sorts of his instruments would be ready to serve him against our labours, and against your souls. Christ our Captain saved us by patient Conquest, and so must we save our selves and you: and so must you save your selves under Christ, if ever you be saved. It was no strange thing to Paul that bonds and afflictions did every where abide him, nor did he account his life dear that he might finish his course with ⟨image 5⟩joy, and the Ministry committed to him by the Lord. Act. 20. 23, 24. It was no strange thing to him to be forbidden to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved, by such as were filling up the measure of their sins, and were under Gods uttermost wrath on earth. 1 Thess. 2. 15. 16. Devils and Pharisees, and most where they came, both high and low, were against the Apostles preaching of the Gospel, and yet they would not sacrilegiously and cruelly break their Covenant with Christ, and perfidiously desert the souls of men; even as their Lord for the love of souls, did call Peter Satan, that would have tempted him to save his life and flesh, instead of making it a sacrifice for our sins. Mat. 16. 23.

What think you should move us to undertake a calling so contrary to our fleshly ease and interests? Do we not know the way of Ease and Honour, of Wealth and Pleasures as well as others? And have we not flesh as well as others? Could we not be content that the cup of reproach and scorn and slander and poverty and labours, might pass from us, if it were not for the will of God and your salvation? Why should