Baxter - HP BV4920 B38 1829

80 A CALL TO ther circumcision ava.ileth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." And Luke xiv. 17. "Come, for all things are now ready." You see by this time that we are ·commanded to offer life to you all, and to tell you from God, That ifyou will turn, you may live. Here you may safely trust your souls; for the love of God is the fountain of this offer, (John iii. 16,) and the blood of the Son of God hath purchased it; the faithfulness and truth of God is engaged to make the promise good; miracles oft sealed the truth of it; preachers are sent through the world to proclaim it; the sacraments are instituted and used for the solemn delivery of the mercy offered to them that will accept it; and the Spirit doth open the heart to entertain it, and is itself the earnest of the full possession. So that the truth of it is past controversy, that the worst of you all, and every one of you, if you will but be converted, may be saved. Indeed, if you will needs believe that you shall be saved without conversion, then you believe a falsehood; and if I should preach that to you, I should preach a lie. This were not to believe God, but the devil and you r own deceitful hearts. God hath his promise oflife, and the devil hath his promise of life. God's promise is, Return and live. The devil's promise is, You shall live whether you turn or not. 'The words of God are, as I have showed you, "Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. xviii. 3. "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John iii. S, 5. :'Without holiness none shall see God." Heb. xii. 14. The devil's word," You may be saved without being born again and converted; you may do well enough without being holy, God doth but fi-ighten you; he is more merciful than to do as he saith, he will be better to you than his word." And, alas, the greatest part of the world believe this word of the devil1 before the word of God~ just

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