TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 347 what turning it is which the scripture speaks of It is not to mend the old house, but to pull down all, and build anew, on Christ, the rock and sure foun- dation. Yourselves are witnesses now, that it is salvation, and not damnation, which is the great doctrine I preach to you; and the first part of my message to you. Ac- cept of this, and we shall go no farther ; for we would not trouble you with the name of damnation, without necessity. But if you will not be saved, there is no remedy, but damnation must take place. For there is no middle place between the two : you must have either life or death. And we are not only to offer you life, but to show you the grounds on which we do it, and call you to believe that God does mean, indeed, as he speaks ; that the promise is true, and extends conditionally to you as well as others. If you ask, where is our commission for this offer? among a hundred texts of scripture, I will show it to you in these few. First, you see it here in my texts, and the following verses, and in the 18th of Ezekiel, as plain as can be spoken. And in 2 Cor. v. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, you have the very sum of our commission : " If any man be in Christ,,he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who bath reconciled usto him selfby Jesus Christ, and bath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world un- to himself; not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us : we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God; for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, thatwe might be made the righteousness of God in him." You see that we are commanded to offer life unto you all, and to tell you from God, that if you will turn you may live,
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