Baxter - HP BV4920 B38 1829

100 A CALL '1'0 ! The ministers of the Gospel are ready to assist thee, to instruct thee, and pronounce the absolving words of peace to thy soul; they are ready to pray for thee, and to seal up thy pardon by the administration of the holy sacrament. And yet art thou not ready? All that fear God about thee, are ready to rejoice in thy conversion, and to receive thee into the communion of saints, and to give thee the right hand. of fellowship, yea, though thou hadst been one that had been cast out of their society: they dare not but forgive where God forgiveth, when it is manifest to them, by thy confess'ion and amendment; they dare not so much as reproach thee with thy former sins, because they know that God will not upbraid thee with them. If thou hadst been never so scandalous, iftllou wouldst but heartily be converted and come in, they would not refuse thee, let the world say what they would against it. And are all these ready to receive thee, and yet art thou not readito come in? Yea, heaven itself is ready : the Lord will receive thee into the glory of his saints. Vile as thou hast been, if thou wilt but be cleansed, thou mayst have a place before his throne; his angels will be ready to guard thy soul to the plaee of joy, if thou do but unfeignedly come in. And is God ready, the sacrifice of Christ ready, the p1~omise ready, and pardon ready? are ministers ready, and the people of God ready, and h<)aven itself ready, and angels ready? and all these but waiting for thy conversion; and yet art t!tou not ready? What! not ready to live, when thou hast been dead so long? not ready to come to thy right understanding, as the prodigal is said to "come to himself," Luke xv. 17. when thou hast been beside thyself so long? Not ready to be saved, when thou art even ready to be cqndemned? Art thou not ready to lay hold on Christ, that would deliver thee, when thou art even ready to sink into damnation? Art thou not ready to be drawn from hell, when thou art even ready to be cast remediless into it ? Alas,

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