A26872:338
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.
DIRECTION I.
IF you would be converted and saved, labour to understand the necessity and true Nature of Conversion: For what, and from what, and to what, and by what it is that you must Turn.
Consider in what a lamentable condition you are till the hour of your conversion, that you may see it is not a state to be rested in. You are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed; and under the wrath of God, and the curse of his Law; you are bondslaves to the Devil, and daily employed in his work, against the ⟨p. 268⟩Lord, your selves, and others: you are spiritually dead and deformed, as being void of the holy life, and nature, and image, of the Lord. You are unfit for any holy work and do nothing that is truly pleasing unto God. You are without any promise or assurance of his protection: and live in continual danger of his Justice, not knowing what hour you may be snatched away to Hell, and most certain to be damned if you die in that condition. And nothing short of Conversion can prevent it. What ever civilities, or amendments, or virtues are short of true conversion, will never procure the saving of your souls. Keep the true sense of this natural misery, and so of the necessity of Conversion on your hearts.
Consider in what a lamentable condition you are till the hour of your conversion, that you may see it is not a state to be rested in. You are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed; and under the wrath of God, and the curse of his Law; you are bondslaves to the Devil, and daily imployed in his work, against the ⟨p. 268⟩Lord, your selves, and others: you are spiritually dead and deformed, as being void of the holy life, and nature, and image, of the Lord. You are unfit for any holy work and do nothing that is truly pleasing unto God. You are without any promise or assurance of his potection: and live in continual danger of his Justice, not knowing what hour you may be snatcht away to Hell, and most certain to be damned if you die in that condition. And nothing short of Conversion can prevent it. What ever civilities, or amendments, or vertues are short of true conversion, will never procure the saving of your souls. Keep the true sense of this natural misery, and so of the necessity of Conversion on your hearts.