N21487:67
A call to the unconverted, to turn and live
A call to the unconverted, to turn and live; and accept of mercy, while mercy may be had; as they ever would find mercy, in the day of extremity from the living God. / By his unworthy servant, Richard Baxter.
Philadelphia: printed for Matthew Carey, 1795Philadelphia: printed for Mathew Carey, 1795
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.
And this must be with me, or I must perish. Is it thus with me, indeed, or is it not? It is time to get the doubt resolved, before the judge resolves it. I am not such a stranger to my own heart and life, but I may somewhat perceive, whether I am thus converted or not: If I be not, it will do me no good to flatter my soul with false conceits and hopes. I am resolved no more to deceive myself; but endeavour to know truly, off or on, whether I be converted, yea or no; that if I be, I may rejoice in it, and glorify my gracious Lord, and comfortably go on till I reach the crown; and if I am not, I may set myself on, beg and seek after the grace that should convert me, and may turn without any more delay: For, if I find it in time that I am out of the way, by the help of Christ I may turn and be recovered, but if I stay till either my heart be forsaken of God in blindness or hardness, ⟨p. 33⟩or till I be catched away by death, it is then too late. There is no place for repentance and conversion then; I know it must be now or never.
And this must be with me, or I must perish. Is it thus with me, indeed, or is it not? It is time to get the doubt resolved, before the judge resolves it. I am not such a stranger to my own heart and life, but I may somewhat perceive, whether I am thus converted or not: If I be not, it will do me no good to flatter my soul with false conceits and hopes. I am resolved no more to deceive myself; but endeavour to know truly, off or on, whether I be converted, ye or no; that if I be, I may rejoice in it, and glorify my gracious Lord, and comfortably go on till I reach the crown; and if I am not, I may set myself on, beg and seek after the grace that should convert me, and may turn without any more delay: For, if I find it in time that I am out of the way, by the help of Christ I may turn and be recovered, but if I stay till either my heart be forsaken of God in blindness or hardness, ⟨p. 33⟩or till I be catched away by death, it is then too late. There is no place for repentance and conversion then; I know it must be now or never.