Baxter - HP BV4920 B38 1829

THE UNCONVER'l'ED. 1St' and that they may be saved without conversion, and 'vithout all this stir; and that God is so merciful, that he 'v:ill not damn any such as they; or at least, that they may stay a little longer, and take their pleasure, anJ .follow the world a little longer yet, and then let it go, and repent hereafter. And by such juggling, deluding cheats as these, the devil keeps the most in his captivity, and leadeth them to his misery. These, and such like impediments as these, do keep so many thousands unconverted, when God hath done so much, and Christ hath suffered so much, and ministers have said so much for their conversion; when their reasons are silenced and they are not able to answer the Lord that calls after them, "Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?" yet all comes to nothing with the greatest p~rt of them; and they leave us no more to do after all, but to sit down and lament their wilful misery. I have now showed you the reasonableness of God's commands, and the unreasonableness of wicked. men's disobedience. If nothing will serve their turn, but men will yet refuse to turn, we are next to consider who is in fault if they be damned. And this brings me to the last doctrine; which is, b :. DocTRINE 7. That if after all this men will not turn, it is not the fault of God that they are condemned, but their own, even their own wilfulness. They die because they will, that is, because they mll not turn. If you will go to hell, what remedy? God here acquits himself of your blood; it shall not lie on him if you be lost. A negligent minister may draw it upon him; and those that encourage you or hinder you not in sin, may draw it upon them; but be sure of it, it shall not lie upon God. Saith the Lord concerning his unprofitable vineyard: Isa. v. 1-4. "Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard:

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