PREFACE. 47 is no great number that are learned, judicious, ot' wise, here in the world. And, therefore, if the gate being strait and very narrow, there be but few that fil1d salvation, yet God will have hi s glory and pleasure in those few. And, when Christ shall come with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, his coming will be glorified in his saints, and admired in all true believers. 2 Thess. i. 7, 8, 9, 10. And for the rest, as God the Father vouchsafed to create them, and Jiod the Son disdained not to bear the penalty of their sins upon the cross, and did not judge such sufferings in vain, though he knew that by refusing the sanctification of the Holy Ghost they would finally destroy themseiYes, so we, that are his ministers, though these be not gathered, judge not our labour wholly lost. See Isa. xlix. 5. Reader, I have done with thee, when thou hast perused this book; but sin hath not yet done with thee, even those that thou thoughtest had been forgotten long ago, and Satan hath not yet done with thee, 'though now he be out of sight, and God hath not yet done with thee, because thou wilt not be persuaded to have done with the deadly reigning sin. I have written thee this persuasive, as one that is going into another world, where the things are seen that I here speak of, ·and as one that knoweth thou must be shortly there thyself. As ever thou wilt meet me with comfort before the Lord that made us; as ever thou wilt escape the everlasting plagues prepared for the final neglecters of salvation, and for all that are not sanctified by the Holy Ghost; and love not the communion of the saints as members of the holy cathoJi,~ church; and as ever thou hopest to see the face of Christ the J ucl ge, and of the majesty of the Father, with peace and comfort, and to be received into glory when thou art turned naked out of this world; I beseech thee, I charge thee, to hear and obey the CALL of God, anrlresolvedly to turn, that thou mayst li1·e. But, if thou wilt not, even when thou hast no true reason for it, but because thou wilt not, I summon thee to answer it before the Lord, and require thee there to bear me witness that I gave thee warning, and that thou wast not condemned for want of a call to turn and live, but because thou wouldst not believe it and obey it; which also must be the testimony of Thy serious Monitor, RICHARD BAXTER. December 11, 1657.
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