Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life,…

The Ministers of God have often wooed thee and beseeched thee with tears in their eyes, and sorrow in their hearts, as if their happiness had been wrapped up in thine, and as if they could not have gone to Heaven and been saved without thee: while patience waited upon thee, they have been earnest with thee, and now at last one unworthy to preach the Gospel, is a suitor to thy soul, that thou wouldest be divorced from thy sin and be married unto Christ; as yet thou art out of hell, and art not yet reckoned among the dead, nor numbered amongst the damned, as yet thou art not irrecoverably lost, this day Christ is once more tendered to thee, in the name of God I once more offer thee pardon and eternal life, upon thy repenting of thy sin, and turning unto God.

The Ministers of God have often wooed thee and beseeched thee with tears in their eyes, and sorrow in their hearts, as if their happiness had been wrapped up in thine, and as if they could not have gone to Heaven and been saved without thee: while patience waited upon thee, they have been earnest with thee, and now at last one unworthy to preach the Gospel, is a suiter to thy soul, that thou wouldest be divorced from thy sin and be married unto Christ; as yet thou art out of hell, and art not yet reckoned among the dead, nor numbred amongst the damned, as yet thou art not irrecoverably lost, this day Christ is once more tendred to thee, in the name of God I once more offer thee pardon and eternall life, upon thy repenting of thy sin, and turning unto God.

Oh that I could persuade thee, or if I cannot, as indeed I cannot; oh that God would yet persuade thee? If I might be serviceable to thy soul, oh how should I rejoice; if I did but know where thou dost dwell, that hast been wicked all thy days, and now art reading of these lines, having a purpose in thy heart to come to Christ, I would come to thee (as opportunity ⟨p. 70⟩was offered) and beg upon my knees, that thou wouldest cherish those purposes, and be persuaded to what conduceth to thy eternal happiness: if tears and prayers would do it, I would endeavour (though my heart is hard) to shed them for thee; if putting my hands, under thy feet, and stooping to the meanest office of love unto thy soul, would excite thee to let Christ into thy heart, how readily (by the grace of God) would I be willing to it.