Baxter - HP BV4920 B38 1829

156 A CALL TO ty. 0, sirs, believe it, death and judgment, and heaven and hell, are other matters when you come near them, than they seem to carnal eyes afar off; then you would hear such a message as I bring you with more awakened regardful hearts. Well, though I cannot hope so well of all, I will hope that some of you are by this time purposing to turn and live: and that you are ready to ask me, as the Jews did Peter, (Acts ii. 37.) when they were pricked in their hearts, and said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" How might we come to be truly converted? We are willing, if we did but know our duty. God forbid that we shpuld choose destruction, by refusing conversion, as hitherto we have ~~ - ' If these be the though'ts and purposes of your hearts, I say of you as God did of a promising people, Deut. v. 28, 29. "They have well said all that they have spoken: 0 that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always! " Your purposes are good: 0 that there were but a heart in you to perform these purposes! And in hope hereof I shall gladly give you direction what to do, and that but briefly, that you may the easier remember it for your practice. DIRECTION 'I.-If you would be converted and saved, labour to understand the necessity and true nature of conversion: for what, and from what, and to what, and by what it is that you must turn. Consider in what a lamentable condition you are till the hour of your conversion, that you may see it is not a state to be rested in. You are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed, and under the wrath of God and the curse of his law: you are bond slaves to the devil, and daily employed in his work against the Lord, yourselves, a.nd others: you are spiritually dead and deformed, a.s being devoid of the holy life, and n\l.ture, and im·.

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