A call to the unconverted, to turn and live

I beseech you now, let this word come nearer to your heart, as you are convinced that you have no reason to destroy yourselves, so tell me, what reason have you to refuse to turn and live to God? What reason had the veriest worldling, or drunkard, or ignorant careless sinner of you all, why you should not be as holy as any you know, and be as careful for your souls as any other? Will not hell be as hot to you as to others? Should not your own souls be as dear to you as theirs to them. Hath not God as much authority over you? Why then will you not become a sanctified people as well as they?

O sirs, when God bringeth the matter down to the very principles of nature, and shows you, that you have no more reason to be ungodly than you have to damn your own souls, if yet you will not understand and turn, it seems a desperate case that you are in.

And now, either you have reason for what you do, or you have not; If not, will you go on against reason itself? Will you do that which you have no reason for? But if you think you have, produce them, and make the best of your matter. Reason the case a little with me your fellow creature, which is far easier than to reason the case with God; tell me, man, here before the Lord, as if thou wert to die this hour, why shouldest thou not resolve to turn this day, before thou stir from the place thou standest in, what reason hast thou to deny, or to delay? Hast thou any reason that satisfieth thine own conscience for it, ⟨p. 82⟩or any that thou darest own and plead at the bar, of God? If thou hast, let us hear them, bring them forth, and make them good. But alas, what poor stuff, what nonsense, instead of reasons, do we daily hear from ungodly men. But for their necessity, I should be ashamed to name them.