A26872:280
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
A CALL TO THE Unconverted. › Use.A CALL TO THE Unconverted. › Vse.
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.
But what is it that you are afraid of losing if you Turn? Is it your friends? you will but change them: God will be your friend, and Christ, and the Spirit will be your friend, and every Christian will be your friend. You will get one friend that will stand you in more stead then all the friends in the world could have done. The friends you lose would but have ticed you to hell, but could not have delivered you: But the friend you get, will save you from hell, and bring you to his own eternal Rest.
Is it your pleasures that you are afraid of losing? You think you shall never have a merry day again, if once you be Converted. Alas, that you should think it a ⟨p. 192⟩greater pleasure to live in foolish sports and merriments, and please your flesh, then to live in the Believing thoughts of glory, and in the love of God, and in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, in which the state of grace consisteth, Romans 14.17. If it be a greater pleasure to you to think of your Lands and inheritance (if you were Lords of all the Country) then it is to a child to play for pins; why should it not be a greater Joy to you to think of the Kingdom of Heaven being yours, then of all the riches or pleasure of the world? As it is but foolish childishness that makes children so delight in gauds, that they would not leave them for all your Lands: so it is but foolish worldliness, and fleshliness, and wickedness, that makes you so much delight in your houses, and lands, and meat, and drink, and ⟨p. 193⟩ease, and honour, as that you would not part with them for the heavenly delights. But what will you do for pleasure when these are gone? Do you not think of that? When your pleasures end in horror, and go out with a stinking snuff, the Pleasures of the Saints are then at the best. I have had my self but a little taste of the heavenly pleasures in the forethoughts of the blessed approaching day, and in the present persuasions of the Love of God in Christ; but I have taken too deep a draught of earthly pleasures (so that you may see, if I be partial, it is on your side;) and yet I must profess from that little experience, that there is no comparison; there is more joy to be had in a day (if the Sun of life shine clear upon us) in the state of Holiness, then in an whole life of sinful pleasures. I had rather