The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

Consider whom the Lord calls and that is thee in particular, whoever thou art, to whom the Gospel of Christ is sent: For if you think Christ calls some only that are so & so deeply humbled only to come, and not unto you in particular, you will never come in; but we have proved this, that the Lord calls all in general, and consequently each Man particular, the Consideration of this may bring you in; Men fear to commit Murder and Steal, &c. but you fear not Unbelief; but the Apostle bids you fear that, for the Gospel is preached (saith he) unto you, as well as unto these that fell by Unbelief, Heb. 4.1, 2. Do not say, he calls me indeed, but it is no more than what he doth to Reprobates; true, in the outward Call it is so; yet upon this Ground you may think the Lord commands not, calls not you, to sanctify a Sabbath, or to honour God's Name, because this is as common to Reprobates as unto you; do not say, I am ⟨p. 182⟩not able to come, and therefore I am not called; no more are you able to attend the Rules of the moral Law: Yet you look upon them as appertaining to you, and because you cannot do them, you entreat the Lord to enable you, and so because you cannot come, you should look up to the Lord to draw you: And verily many Times the great Reason why the Lord doth not draw you, is, because you do not deeply consider that he doth really affectionately call you: Do not say, I am a dry Tree, the Lord cannot look upon me, whose Condition is worse than ever I heard or read of; yet remember the Lord speaks to such, Isai. 65.3, 4, 6, 7. Look not thou to thy barren and dead Heart, but give Glory unto God, as Abraham did, Rom. 4.19, 20. and receive his Grace with more Thankfulness than any else, because none ever so miserable as thy self; you young Men hear this, tho' you have spent the Flower of your Years in Vanity, Madness, and filthy Lusts, yet the Lord calls you in to him: You old Men, grown grey headed in Wickedness, tho' it be the last Hour of the Day in your Life, yet behold the Lord would hire you, and calls you to come in, before the forest Wrath of a long provoked God break out upon you: You that have despised God's Messengers, crucified the Lord Jesus afresh, embrued your Hands in his Blood, scorned and hated the Saints, and the Word of God's Grace; hear what Wisdom saith,