48 The Necejflty of Converfion. negle~ of God and Eternity, and thou altogether hold thy. peace ? What! Shall he go on:ftill in his tretpaffes, and yet have peace? Oh, roufe up thy felt~ and do thywork. Now let thepreacher in the bofom.fp~ak: Cryaloud, and fpare not; life up thy ,voice like a trumpet ; let not the blood of this foul be required at thy hands . CHAP. III. · Of .the Neceflity of Conver(ion.. I T may be, you are ready to fay, What meaneth this ftir? And are apt to wonder why I follo\J you with fuch earneHnefs, ftill ringing one leffon in your ears, That y~u fhould repent, 4nd be converted, ACt. ,. I 9· But I muft fay unto you, as Rl-Jtb to Naomi , Intreat me not to leave you, nor to turn aflde from fo,Uo~inl; ~fteryou, Ruth I. r6. Were ita mat– ter of indift~rency, 1 would never keep fo much~do: ~light you be faved as you b!, I would gladly let you alone. But would you. not have.me folici– tous for you, when I fee you ready to periili? As the Lord' liveth, before whom I am, I have not the 1eaft hppes to fee one of your faces in heaven, ex– cept you be converted : I utterly defpair of your falvation, except you will be pt·evailed with to tt.un throughl_y, and give up your felves to Gpd in ho!i– nefs, and newnefs of life. Hath God faid, Except you be ,born ttgain )you cannotfee tbe l(iiT.gdom of God, Joh.3 ,3 and yet do you wonder \vhy your Minit1:ers do fo plainly travail in birth with you ? Think it not firange, that I am earnefi: with you to foHow after hohnefs, and long to fee the image of God upon. you: N~verdid any, nor G'1all any en4ter into heavenby any_ other way but this. The converfion i:lefcrib~d, is pot an b~gh pitchof fotne ta.Uer Chri.. ftians ; but every foul'that is faved, paffeth this uni~ verfal change. · . . It
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