A26872:215
A Call to the Unconverted
A call to the unconverted to turn and live and accept of mercy while mercy may be had as ever they would find mercy in the day of their extremity from the living God / by his unworthy servant, Richard Baxter ; to be read in families where any are unconverted.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Behold sinners, we are set here as the Messengers of the Lord, to set before you Life and Death▪ What say you? which of them will you choose? Christ standeth as it were by thee, with Heaven in one hand, and Hell in the other, and offereth thee thy choice; ⟨p. 145⟩which wilt thou choose? The voice of the Lord maketh the Rocks to tremble, Psalm 20. and is it nothing to hear him threaten thee, if thou wilt not Turn? Dost thou not understand and feel this voice, [Turn ye, Turn ye, Why will ye die?] Why, it is the voice of Love, of infinite Love, of thy best and kindest friend, as thou mightest easily perceive by the motion: and yet canst thou neglect it? It is the voice of pity and compassion. The Lord seeth whither thou art going better then thou dost, which makes him call after thee, Turn, Turn: He seeth what will become of thee, if thou turn not: He thinketh with himself, Ah this poor sinner will cast himself into endless torments, if he do not Turn: I must in Justice deal with him according to my righteous Law; and therefore he calleth after thee, Turn, Turn O sinner! ⟨p. 146⟩if you did but know the thousandth part as well as God doth, the danger that is near you, and the misery that you are running into, we should have no more need to call after you to Turn.
Behold sinners, we are set here as the Messengers of the Lord, to set before you Life and Death▪ What say you? which of them will you choose? Christ standeth as it were by thee, with Heaven in one hand, and Hell in the other, and offereth thee thy choice; ⟨p. 145⟩which wilt thou choose? The voice of the Lord maketh the Rocks to tremble, Psalm 20. and is it nothing to hear him threaten thee, if thou wilt not Turn? Dost thou not understand and feel this voice, [Turn ye, Turn ye, Why will ye die?] Why, it is the voice of Love, of infinite Love, of thy best and kindest friend, as thou mightest easily perceive by the motion: and yet canst thou neglect it? It is the voice of pitty and compassion. The Lord seeth whither thou art going better then thou dost, which makes him call after thee, Turn, Turn: He seeth what will become of thee, if thou turn not: He thinketh with himself, Ah this poor sinner will cast himself into endless torments, if he do not Turn: I must in Iustice deal with him according to my righteous Law; and therefore he calleth after thee, Turn, Turn O sinner!