A Call to the Unconverted

To which I answer, 1. It is a certain Truth. that no man can be willing of any evil as evil, but only as •t hath some appearance of good; much less can any man be willing to be eternally tormented. Misery as such is desired by none. 2. But yet for all that it is most true which God here teacheth us, that the cause why the wicked die and are damned, is because they will die and be damned. And this is true in several respects.

1. Because they will go the way that leads to Hell; though they are told by God and man, whether it goes, and where it ends; and ⟨p. 151⟩though God hath so often professed in his word, that if they hold on in that way, they shall be condemned: and that they shall not be saved unless they Turn. Isa. 48.22. & 57.21. There is no Peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.] Isa. 59 8. The way of Peace they know not; there is no Judgement in their goings; They have made them crooked paths: Whosoever goeth therein shall not know Peace.] They have the word and the Oath of the living God for it; that if they will not Turn, they shall not enter into his Rest. And yet wicked they are, and wicked they will be, let God and man say what they will; Fleshly they are, and fleshly they will be: Worldlings they are, and Worldlings they will be: though God hath told them that the Love of the world is enmity to God, and that if any man love the world, (in that measure) ⟨p. 152⟩the love of the Father is not in him, James 4.4. 1 John 2.15. so that consequentially these men are willing to be damned, though not directly: They are willing of the way to Hell, and Love the certain cause of their torment, though they be not willing of Hell it self, and do not love the pain which they must endure.