IX. When you understand all this, it is time for you toe look home, and understand now what State your Souls are in. That you were made capable of Holiness and Happiness, you know: that you and all Men are fallen from God, and Holiness, and Happiness, unto Self, and Sin, and Misery, you know: that you are so far redeemed by Christ, you know, as to have a pardoning and saving Covenant tendered you, and Christ and Mercy offered to your choice. But whether you are truly penitent Believers, and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and so united unto Christ, this is the Question yet unresolved; this is the Work that is yet to do, without which there is no Salvation; and if thou die before it is done, woe to thee that ever thou wast a Man. Except a Man bef Regenerate by the Spirit, and Converted, and made a New Creature, and of Car•al be made Spiritual, and of Earthly be made Heavenly, and of Selfish and Sinful be made Holy and Obedient to God, he can never be saved, no more than the Devil himself can be saved. And if this be so, (as nothing is more sure) I require thee now, who readest these words, as thou regardest thy Salvation, as thou wouldest escape Hell Fire, and stand with Comfort before Christ and his Angels, at the last, that thou soberly consider whether Reason command thee not to try thy State; whether thou art thusg renewed by the Spirit of Christ or not? And toh call for help to those that can advise thee, and follow on the search till thou know thy Case. And if thy Soul be a stranger to this sanctifying Work, whether Reason command thee not, without any delay, to make out to Christ, and beg his Spirit, and cast away thy Sins, and give up thy self entirely ⟨p. 10⟩to thy God, thy Saviour and Sanctifier, and enter into his Covenant, with a full Resolution never to forsake him; to deny thy self, and the desires of the Flesh, and this deceitful transitory World, and lay out all thy hopes on Heaven, and speedily, whatever it cost thee, to make sure of the Felicity which hath no end? And darest thou refuse this when God and Conscience do command it? And further I advise you,
IX. When you understand all this, it is time for you toe look home, and understand now what State your Souls are in. That you were made capable of Holiness and Happiness, you know: that you and all Men are fallen from God, and Holiness, and Happiness, unto Self, and Sin, and Misery, you know: that you are so far redeemed by Christ, you know, as to have a pardoning and saving Covenant tendered you, and Christ and Mercy offered to your choice. But whether you are truly penitent Believers, and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and so united unto Christ, this is the Question yet unresolved; this is the Work that is yet to do, without which there is no Salvation; and if thou die before it is done, wo to thee that ever thou wast a Man. Except a Man bef Regenerate by the Spirit, and Converted, and made a New Creature, and of Car•al be made Spiritual, and of Earthly be made Heavenly, and of Selfish and Sinful be made Holy and Obedient to God, he can never be saved, no more than the Devil himself can be saved. And if this be so, (as nothing is more sure) I require thee now, who readest these words, as thou regardest thy Salvation, as thou wouldest escape Hell Fire, and stand with Comfort before Christ and his Angels, at the last, that thou soberly consider whether Reason command thee not to try thy State; whether thou art thusg renewed by the Spirit of Christ or not? And toh call for help to those that can advise thee, and follow on the search till thou know thy Case. And if thy Soul be a stranger to this sanctifying Work, whether Reason command thee not, without any delay, to make out to Christ, and beg his Spirit, and cast away thy Sins, and give up thy self entirely ⟨p. 10⟩to thy God, thy Saviour and Sanctifier, and enter into his Covenant, with a full Resolution never to forsake him; to deny thy self, and the desires of the Flesh, and this deceitful transitory World, and lay out all thy hopes on Heaven, and speedily, whatever it cost thee, to make sure of the Felicity which hath no end? And darest thou refuse this when God and Conscience do command it? And further I advise you,
- e2 Cor. 13. 5. Psal. 4. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 10.
- fJohn 3. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 7, 9. Phil. 3. 18, 20.
- gActs 16. 14.
- hActs 2. 37. & 16. 30. & 11. 23. 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. Rev. 2. 7.
