346 DIRECTIONS AND PERSÚASIONS not death, which is the first part of our message to you; our commission is to offer salvation, a speedy, glorious, everlasting salvation, to every one of you to the poor- est beggar as well as to the greatest lord ; to the worst. of you, even to drunkards, swearers, thieves, yea, to the despisers and reproachers of the holy way of sal- vation : we are commanded by the Lord our Master to offer you a pardon for all that is past, if you will now at last return and live ; we are commanded to beseech and entreat you to accept the offer, and to tell you what preparation is made by Christ, what gmercy stays for you, what patience waiteth on you, what thoughts of kindness God has towards you, and how happy how certainly and unspeakably happy, you may be if you will. We have indeed also a mes- sage of wrath and death, yea, of a two -fold wrath and death; but neither.of them is our principal message; we must tell you of the wrath that is on you already, and the death that -you are born under; but this is only to show you the need of ,mercy. For who will'seek out for physic, that knows not he is sick? Our telling you of your misery, is not that which makes you mi- serable, but that which drives you to seek for mercy. It is you that have brought this death upon yourselves. We tell you also of another death,, and much greater torment, which will fall on those who will not be converted. But as this is true, so it is but the last and saddest part of our message. We are first to offer you mercy, if you will turn: and it is only those that will not turn, nor hear the voice of mercy, to whom, we must foretell damnation, If you will cast away your transgressions, . and come .at. -the call of Christ, and be converted, we have not a word of damning wrath, or death, to speak against you. I do here in the name of' the Lord of' life proclaim to you all, to the worst of you, to the greatest, to the oldest sinner, that -you may have mercy and salvation if you will but turn. There is mercy in God; there is sufficiency in'. the satisfaction of Christ; the promise is free, and full, and universal; you may have life, if you will but. turn, But then, as you love 'your sòuls, remember
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