THE Last SERMON Heard by Certain PIRATES: And a CONFERENCE with them▪
The Converted Sinner.
The NATURE of a CONVERSION to Real and Vital PIETY: And the MANNER in which it is to be Pray'd & Striv'n for.
A SERMON Preached in BOSTON, May 31. 1724.
In the Hearing and at the Desire of certain PIRATES, a little before their Execution.
To which there is added, A more Private CONFERENCE of a MINISTER with them.
He who Converteth the Sinner from the Error of his way, shall save a soul from Death.
BOSTON: Printed for Nathaniel Belknap ▪ and Sold at his Shop the Corner of Scarletts-Wharff. 1724.
The OCCASION.
A Generation of Pirates, have of late Years, been an Uncommon Terror of them that haunt the Sea ▪ O! may our Sea faring People duely consider the Growing & Grievous Judgments of GOD upon them! And the Sea no longer say, Wisdom is not with me!
BUT a strange Blast of Heaven has followed that Generation of Sea-Monsters. We know of several Thousands, that in a little Time hav [...] Perished Wonderfully! And no where more Wond [...] fully than on the Coast of New-England, where the Prayers against them, have Distinguishing Ardours.
A little knot of Sea-Robber [...], under the Conduct of one Philips (and Satan) had in about half a Years time, done incredible Mischiefs. In this Time they robbed no less than four & thirty Vessels, and offered most Abusive & Barbarous Usages to the People that were so unhappy as to fall into their Hands: yea, some they Murdered.
ON the Eighteenth of April, 1724. Andrew Harradine of Glocester & Iohn Philmore of Ipswich, with Six others detained Prisoners by this Philips ▪ formed a Resolution and Combination, if GOD should please to help them, to deliver themselves with the Destruction of the Pirates. And Heaven did help them to accomplish it! At once, conveniently [Page] stationing themselves for the Enterprize, they threw the Master over-board; they cut down the Captain with an Adds; they dispatch'd the Boatswain with a Broad Axe; and found a like [...]ay to send the Gunner out of the way. The Four Officers being thus brought into Desolation as in a Moment, the rest fell into such Terrors, that they Surrendred themselves Prisoners to the brave Conquerors, which were a minute before their Prisoners.
TH [...] Pirates being brought into Boston, received their Trial on May 12. Many of whom were [...]ound Forced Men, and Cleared. Several received Sentence of Death, whereof Two, (whose Names were, Archer, and White) were Executed on Iun. 2. Ensuing.
IT was the Request of These, that produced a Sermon▪ to a Great Auditory, [oh! that with as Great Efficacy!] from One, who has formerly more than Ten times, had fetch'd from him into the Public, Discourses Occasion'd by Capital Exeecutions; And one sometimes they say; among the Pirates a little Spoken of. It is among the Admirable Works of the Divine Providence, that the Glorious GOD fetches Good out of the Greatest Evil, and makes the Sins [...]nd Woes of the Wicked, an Occasion of Benefits unto His Chosen.
A Repenting Ephraim.
It is Written, in Jeremiah XXXI.18. ‘I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, — Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, For thou art the Lord my GOD.’
WHAT fitter Language, What bette [...] Advice, for those who are now hearing the Last Sermon that ever they shall hear in the World! They are bem [...]aning themselves. Oh, Let them [...]earn how! May they be heard thus bemoaning themselves! — Yea, but at the same time, Hear this, O all ye People, every one of you; For there is not one of you All, but for ought he knows this may be the Last Sermon * he shall ever hear in the World▪ [Page 2] A Short Prayer ▪ this; But a very Great Prayer it is. A few Words: and an Abundance of Important Matter Contained in them. Some very Ignorant Ones are at a loss how to Pray. Especially, Our Little Children are to have their Ignorance relieved, in our Teaching them, how to Pray. There are some Sentences in our Bible, easy to be Remembred, easy to be Repeated If those brief Sentences were well Understood, & well Improved, they would be mighty Prayers, when well uttered before the Lord. There is a Pathetic Prayer, in that Sentence, O Lord, I beseech thee to deliver my Soul! There is a Powerful Prayer, in that Sentence, GOD be Merciful to me a Sinner! There is a Comprehensive Prayer in that Sentence, I am Oppressed, Lord, Undertake for me. Such Ejaculations may prove Arrows in the hands of a mighty Faith; Happy the Soul that has a Quiver full of them. The [...]hole Bible is of use, especially our Psalter, to [...]ll the Quiver. But of all those Arro [...]s, methinks, there can be none more Significant, than that which we are now to take into our Hands. Yea, the poor Dying Offenders, I hope I may say, Penitents, now in the Auditory, have express'd their Desires, That This may be the Text, which they shall now hear treated on; A Text from a Paragraph of the Bible, which since their Condemnation to Dy, they have much Lived upon. Oh! That this Prayer may be often heard going up from us, before the [...]ord! Yea, Tis a Prayer which the smallest of us, and they that are least acquainted with Prayer ▪ least furnished for Prayer, may yet send up unto the Lord. Lord, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God.
[Page 3]IF the Prayer were to be interpreted, for the Return of the Israelites from their Captivity; even such a lower Interpretation would bring Instruction with it unto us. It would [...]nstruct us, That if we would see any Happy Turn upon our Condition, we should look up to our GOD for it. When we find our Affairs Plunged unto Difficulties we wish for an Happy Turn upon them. Our whole Condition is at the Disposal of the Glorious GOD. If GOD please to Turn it, we shall have our Sickness turned into Health, our Straits and Wants turn [...]d into Plenty, our Unsettlements turned into more Settled Circum [...]nces; and such a Turn as that on the Psalmist; Lord, Thou hast turned for me my Mourning in [...]o Delight; thou hast [...] off my Sackcloth and girded me with Gladness. [...] recourse to GOD for it, O al [...] you that [...] [...]ishing for such a Turn. But then, my Friend, [...] sure, that the Glorious GOD be thy GOD; and [...]efore make Choice of Him for thy GOD. Hopeful [...] mayst thou say, Turn thou me; if thou canst [...] cerely say, Thou art the L [...]rd my GOD. [...] Great GOD will deny no Good Thing unto tho [...]e whom He is a GOD unto. If this GOD be our own GOD, He will Bless us; He will Bless us Wonderfully!
THIS Meditation must be superseded by One of yet more Importance. The Conversion of a Sinner unto GOD, is the Thing, which our Eye must here be most upon. Of this Conversion ▪ we have two very Remarkable Things intimated unto us, in the Text now before us. First. We have the Way wherein a Conversion to GOD, is to be Expected and Obtained. A Petition to GOD for it, [Page 4] is the way wherein a Conversion to GOD is to be looked for. It is, Turn thou me & I shall be Turned. Secondly We have the Act ▪ wherein a Conversion to GOD is to be Expressed and Assured. The [...] of GOD is to be laid hold upon; and so [...] Conversion to GOD is accomplished. It is in coming to this, Thou art the Lord my GOD.
ACCORDINGLY, We have Two Doctrines before us. The Latter Rain, shall tell us, what we have to do in our Conversion to GOD. The For [...]er shall tell us, what we have to do, that we may attain unto it. And we won't forget a large Declaration, why all this must be done.
The First of our Doctrines, is this.
THAT the Glorious GOD may be Savingly Turn'd unto, [...] is to be Seriously Sought un [...].
A Conversion to the Gracious GOD, is a Blessedness [...]or which the GOD of all Grace is to be Pray'd unto. We must Pray to GOD for His Converting Grace; Pray, Turn thou me; that so we may indeed be turned unto Him.
MY Discourse must be all carried on, with the Style of Application. There is nothing to be now spoken [...] it is o [...] so Practical an Aspect, and so worthy [...] down in the Flaming Fire of GOD, [...] may well be applied with all the Closeness [...] imaginable.
THE First [...], which the Hearers must attend unto; — [...] Let them give Attention as for Eterni [...]y, — Tis this▪
[Page 5] WHAT is the Turn to GOD, for which w [...] should make our Prayer to GOD! The Nature▪ the Meaning▪ the Intention of a Conversion to GOD▪ Souls, When you Pra [...], Turn thou me! Tis a Chang [...] [...] the Heart, with a New Disposition, & a Chang [...] [...] the Li [...]e, with a New Conversation, that is t [...] be asked for; A Change, that shall turn the Si [...]ner into a New Creature; A Change that shall d [...] that Great Thing? Jam. V.20. Convert a Sinne [...] from the Error of his way.
Y [...]U must be Turned. And the Term from whic [...] you are to Turn, is your Sin. Your Turn is to b [...] from that way of Sin, which by your Fall fro [...] GOD, you naturally run into. The call to you i [...] that; Jer. XXV.5. Turn ye now every one fro [...] his evil way. You are to be Turned from thos [...] Idols, which your Evil Heart in Departing from th [...] Living GOD, Setts up in the Throne of the mos [...] High. Self must be dethron'd, and be brough [...] into a due Subordination unto GOD. Created Ob [...]jects must be no longer depended on, but yo [...] Dependence for all Good must be upon GOD Your Sinful way has been to aim at nothing bu [...] the Pleasing and Serving of a Corrupt Self; and to Se [...]k unto none but Created Objects for the Sa [...]tisfac [...]on of your Self. This Evil Way must b [...] Turned from. Yea, you must be able to say, I ha [...] every False Way.
YOU must be Turned; And the Term to whic [...] you are to Turn, is the GOD whom you forsake and affront, and offend, in your Sin. Your Tur [...] is to be to the Infinite GOD, as having your Fa [...]licity laid up in Him. You are called unto that Deut. IV.30. Turn to the Lord thy GOD, [...] [Page 6] be Obedient unto His Voice. You are to be Turned into the way of Obedience unto GOD. Your way must be to Acknowledge GOD in all your Ways, and rely on your Saviour that you may be Assisted and Acc [...]p [...]ed in your Acknowledgments of GOD. You must Live unto GOD, & Love GOD above all, [...] Live by the Faith of the Son of GOD.
Briefly, CONVERSION lies in an Holy Change upon the Heart and Life of a Sinner: A Change of a Carnal Heart into an Holy Heart? A Change of a Vitious Life into an Holy Life. Tis a Renovation upon a Sinner: his Arrival to New Abilities and New Inclinations, for the Service of GOD. Conversion is the same with [...]ffectual Calling. A Sinner is Turned, when the call of the Gospel becomes Effectual to him. The Call of the Gospel [...]s, Lo [...]b all sin, Leave all sin, Walk with GOD in Observing the Rules of a Godly, and a Sober, and a Righteous Life. The call of the Gospel is, Make thy Flight unto a IESUS, as thy on [...]y saviour▪ & [...]ok to Him for Wisdom, and Righteousn [...]ss, & Holi [...]ess, & R [...]d [...]mption. A Sinner enabled & inclined for the Doing of what the Gospel calls him to, is [...] Converted Sinner. Sinner, Change thy Mind. Abandon thy Ungodly Vanities. Fall down before GOD, and sincerely say, Lord, thou shall be [...]y All: the Alsuffic [...]ent and Everlasting Portion of [...]y Soul Fall down before His CHRIST, and [...]incerely say, Lord, Be thou my Sacrifice, and my Advocate, and the [...]eph [...]rd of my Soul. This Day Conversion is come to that Soul. This is a Turn [...]d Soul. This is asked for, when we Pray, Turn [...]hou me.
[Page 7]BUT there is a Second Thing which you must hearken to; And what will bring on a thick Repetition of the most Flaming Thunderbolts.
SUCH a Turn to GOD, Why must we make our Prayer to G [...]D for It?
Oh! LET the R [...]s [...]ns awaken you; the Thunders bring you down upon your Knees before the Lord.
First. THERE is an Absolute Necessity, a Tremendous Necessity, of your Turning unto GOD. Concerning this, it must be said u [...]to you, Necessity is laid upon you, and Wo un [...]o you, if you do it not. You read, Luk. X.42. There is One Thing that is needful. A Turn to GOD, is that One Thing By Departing from GOD, you are brought into such a Dep [...]orable State, that there can be nothing, Verily nothing so Necessary for you, as a Recovery from that State, by a Conversion to GOD. In your Departure from GOD, you are in those ways that lead you down to the Chambers of Death; Destruction and Misery are in your ways. You can apprehend a Necessity for nothing, if you do not apprehend it Necessary to relinquish th [...]se ways.
Oh! COME to such Sentiments as those; Psal. LXXIII.27, 28. Lo, They that are far from thee, shall perish, O Lord. But it is good for me to draw near unto GOD. The Commandment of GOD, has made it Necessary for you to Turn unto Him. How often do you find your selves Commanded of GOD? As in Ez [...]k. XVIII.32. Turn your selves and Live ye▪ And, Hos. XIV.2. Turn unto the Lord, say unto him, take away all Iniquity. And, [Page 8] Act. III.19. Repent, and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out. This is indeed th [...] Voice of the Glorious G [...]D in all His Edicts; Tis the sum of all that is enjoined upon us; Tis the [...]hole Duty of Man. But that which renders it the more sensibly Necessary for you to Turn unto GOD, is the Confusion to which you are Obnoxious, till you comply with what He has Commanded you. It is thus inculcated, Ezek. XVIII.30. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; So Iniquity shall not be your Ruin. Your Iniquity horrib [...]y ruines you, undoes you, until you turn unto GOD. Oh! That you were aware of this. Until your Turn to GOD, you ly under the Curse of GOD. Until your Turn to GOD, you have the Wrath of GOD abiding on you. Until you Turn to GOD you serve diverse Lusts: You are Led captive by Satan to do his will: You are in the worst of Slaveries. Except you Turn to GOD, your Souls will always be out of Order, ever Languishing in grievous Distempers; be in the perpetual tort [...]re of Raging Appetites that will never be Satisfied. There is in another World, a strange Punishment reserved for the Workers of Iniquity. You may be sure, The Wicked shall not go Unpunished! Hear ye Rebels, Your High-handed and Multiplied Rebellions, wherein you have denied the GOD that is Above, shall not go Unpunished. Ah! Souls in Peril; without a Turn to GOD, you cannot escape that place of Torment. Except you Turn to GOD, and Live to Him, you shall Dy in your Sins; And if you Dy so, it had been good for you that you had [Page 9] never been Born. Until you Turn to GOD, you continue in an abominable Enmity to Him. And what can the Enemies have, but a Fearful Expectation of a fiery Indignation to devour them? Fool- [...]ardy Ones, What can you look for, when you fall into His Hands: What, But that it will be a fearful Thing to fa [...]l into the Hands of the Living GOD? This is a thing that cannot be doubted of. Lord thy Hand shall find out all thine Enemies; thy Right Hand shall find out th [...]se that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine Anger. In fine, our Great Redeemer has prepared Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places, for His Chosen People; There is a Rest, which remains for the People of GOD. But the Holy One will allow none for His People, but such as Turn unto Him. Unto all the rest, He will say, I know you not, ye Workers of Iniquity. Our Great Redeemer has given that Warning unto us; Matth. XVIII 3. Except ye be Converted, ye shall not Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. An Everlasting Life in the Fruition of all good, is intended for the Elect; But none shall see that Life, who do not with a Conversion here begin to Live unto GOD. GOD has laid up this Great Goodness, for none but those that Fear Him. There is a World, wherein the Elect shall Inherit all things: But unless a Conversion to GOD bring us into an Adoption from Him, we can have no claim to that Inheritance. None but Sons of GOD, shall be Heirs of GOD. The City of GOD, has that Motto, upon the strait Gates of it; Heb. XI [...].14. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Oh! That this Ponderous Truth, might be fel [...] in the vast Weight of [Page 10] it, on every one of your Minds. By our Apostacy from GOD, our Souls naturally have an Aversion for GOD; and Aversion for the Things that are Holy, & I [...]st, & Go [...]d. This Aversion, must be cured by a Conversion to GOD. If our Death find it not cured, but reigning in us, it will become f [...]xed in us. What can follow, but Eternal Weep [...]ng, & Wailing, & Gnashing of Teeth? What but an Horror of Darkness forevermore? O Unconverted ones; Were it pos [...]ble for you, to be taken into Heaven, while you are Unprepared for it: before a Turn to GO [...] has fitted you for the [...]mployments and Enjoyments of the Glorious World; — Alas, Heaven it self would be no Heaven to you. Unregenerate, Should [...]st thou carry thy Venemous Nature into Heaven with thee, Heaven would soon spue out such a loathsom Wretch; Yea, thou wouldest find thy own Expectations [...]alked in that Holy Place at such a rate, that thou wouldest thyself leap down head-long rather than continue there. As Uzziah, when he appeared in the Temple, with the Le [...]rosy in his Forehead, the Priests thrust him out of the Temple; Yea, he himself hasted to go out! In Heaven, thou woul [...]est be out of thy Element. Thy Heart would be full of Antipathy against the Holiness of Heaven. Paradise would be a [...]urgatory to thee. No Snakes or Toads can subsist in so pure a Climate Oh! May the Result of this Meditation be; My turn to GOD, it is the most Necessary thing that I have to be concerned about! — But if it be so Necessary, tis then to be Prayed for. O Tu [...]n thou me! No Prayer, no Prayer so very Necessary.
[Page 11] Secondly. YOUR Turning to GOD, will be found as Desireable, as tis Necessary. Your Turn t [...] Godliness, you will find Profitable to all things, having the Promises of the Life that now is, & [...] that which is to come. We read, 2 Pet. 1.4. Of▪ Exceeding Great & Precious Pr [...]mises, belonging t [...] those who are Partakers of a Divine Nature. [...] Conversion to GOD makes you partakers of another Nature, than what you have in the Depravations that your Original Sin has brought upon you; a Nature of a Divine Resemblance, a Divine Tendency. But, Oh! the Exceeding Great & Precious Promises, which upon such a New Nature, you will have a Title to! It may be said unto the Convert; Li [...]t up thine Eyes now, and look over all the Sacred Scriptures; It is full of excellen [...] Promises, which contain in them all the Good that thy Soul can desire. Walk thro' it in [...] [...]engt [...] of it, and in the Breadth of it; For a [...]ntiful GOD will give it all unto thee. We read, Eph. 1.18. Concerning, The Riches of the Glory of that Inheritance, which is for the Saints. O Incomparable Riches! O Incomprehensible Riches! To which the Turn to GOD, which will render you Saints, will immediately entitle you! The Riches which are the Desire of all Nations, have nothing in them to be desired, if weigh'd in the Balances against the Riches, which your Turn [...]o [...]OD will invest you with all! Soul, Turn to GOD, and the Graces which thou wilt receive in thy doing so, will be Riches more valuable than Ingotts, than Mountains of Gold; Will be Iewels of great Price, and will make thee to be such. Turn to GOD & the Unsearchable Riches of Christ will belong unto [Page 12] [...]ee; CHRIST is All; and this Christ shalt thou [...]e an O [...]ner of. Turn to GOD, and the Infinite [...]OD Himself is thy GOD; thy exceeding great [...]eward. But if the Infinite GOD be thine, what [...]ill thy Ric [...]es be short of that Account! Rev. [...]XI.7. He shall Inherit all things, & I will be his [...]OD. The Stor [...]house of Infinite Goodness and Mercy, is from this Joyful Moment open to thee!
THE Children of Men do no sooner Turn unto GOD, but the Declaration made unto them, is that, 1 Cor. III 21. All things are yours. When [...]ver you Turn to GOD, there is forthwith a Ioy [...] Heaven over you. Oh! That you would with [...]earty Resolutions to Turn, at this Hour make [...]hat Joy! But surely then, your own Ioy upon it, may be Wonderful, will be Wonderful! You may [...]ast a Ioyful Eye upon every thing that is about [...]ou, and s [...]e nothing but a fresh matter of Ioy in every thing. You may then look upon GOD, and [...]o fully say, This is my Father, my Saviour, my Quickner; the strength of my Heart, and my Portion forever. You may look up to the Mansions above, [...] may Joyfully say, I have a place prepared for [...] there. You may look down to the place of Dragons, and may Joyfully say, This lowest Hell is that from whence GOD has delivered my Soul! You may look upon your Past Sins, and may Joyfully say, T [...]ese are all Pardoned. You may look upon the Pious Breathings of your Souls, and may [...]oyfully say, Th [...]se are the Beginnings of Everlasting Life. You may look upon your Comforts, and may Joyfully say, GOD has granted me these things in Love to my Soul. You may look upon your Crosses, and may Joyfully say, GOD has [...] all [Page 13] these unto my Good. You may look upon Angel [...] and may Joyfully say, These are my Tender [...] Watchful Guardians. You may look upon Devil [...] and may Joyfully say, My Iesus has rescued [...] from the Iaws of those roaring Lions. Yea, Loo [...] upon all the Blessings of Goodness, and Joyfull [...] say, I have all these ensured unto me!
TO say no more. Certainly SALVATION ha [...] in it all that can be de [...]ired. Salvation, Salvatio [...] Who can declare the Blessings that are comprize [...] in it! But then, my Friend, Thy Conversion i [...] as much to be desired. For Salvation will be th [...] Consequence of Conversion. We read about th [...] Conversion of a Sinner, Jam. V.20. It saves [...] Soul from Death. A Faithful GOD has promised Salvation to the Converts of Zion. He has pro [...]mised, When a Wicked Man Turns from his Wickedness, he shall save his Soul alive. He has pro [...]mised, Because he considereth, and turneth awa [...] from all his transgressions, he shall Live, he shall no [...] Dy. Dost thou Believe? It is promised, Tha [...] thou shalt receive the End of thy Faith, th [...] Salvation of thy Soul. Dost thou Repent? It is promised▪ That it shall be a Repentance unto Salvation. Fo [...] a Soul to ly under the Distressing Rebukes of GOD, with the ugly Image of Satan upon it, and be [...] forlorn Companion with Satan and his Angels▪ and this forever, forever, forever: In a Torment ▪ the smoke whereof shall ascend [...]orever, and ever Certainly, A Salvation from this is to be de [...]ired. For to have a Soul Reconciled unto GOD; a Soul wherein GOD will forever dwell as in a most agreeable Temple; and be enrolled in the General Assembly and Church of the First-born, writ [...]en [Page 14] in Heaven! Certainly, such a Salvation is to [...]e desired. O Heart hardened by deceitful Sin, and d [...]sperat [...]ly Wicked, that will not melt and break, and mightily desire to Convert, upon the prospect of so great Salvation! Thy Conversion is then to be desired. But the Desire for it, must be express'd in a Prayer for it; This Prayer, O Turn thou me!
Thirdly. NO man will Turn unto GOD, until GOD shall please to Turn him. We may well say, Turn thou me, and I shall be Turned; For we must say, Except thou Turn me, O Lord, I never shall be Turned. In the Grand concern of our Conversion unto GOD, we are told, Phil. II.13. GOD [...]orks in us, b [...]th to will and to do, of His own good Pleasure. Tis very true, That GOD Commands us to Tu [...]n unto Himself; And there is an unspotted Iustice, a marvellous Wisdom, in His Commanding of it. But it is also True, that we are unable to Tu [...] ourselves. Yea▪ How can we expect Him to look favourably upon us, until we are made sensible of our being unable? We must Subscribe to that Article; Eph. II.8. By Grace are ye Saved, [...]ro' F [...]ith, [...] that not of your selves, it is the Gift of GOD. And that; Joh. VI.44. No man [...] come unto the Son, except the Father draw him. [...] the Conversion of a Sinner, GOD first enlightens [...] Understanding to see such Things, as are not [...] in their Tr [...] Light, until He shall give a [...]piritual Discerning of them. Nor is this enough; But GOD S [...]n [...]tifies the Will of the Sinner▪ at the [...]me time that H [...] Sa [...]i [...]fies his Understanding. The will of a Sinner is poisoned with Sin, and full if a Cu [...]ed [...]rejudic [...] against the Service of GOD. [Page 15] The hate Proposals of the Gospel, will not perswade the will of a Sinner to accept of them. The Conversion of a [...]inner, is from an Efficacious and Supernatural Work of GOD, wherein He not only lays Moral Perswasions before men, but also gives a New Biass unto the will, and Quickens and Inclines the will, to chuse the Things that please Him. We are Dead in Trespasses and Sins; and we shall remain with the Chains of Death upon us▪ until GOD please to bestow that Grace upon us, that shall Turn us unto Himself. The Natural Freedom of the will, is not extinguished, in the Conversion of a Sinner, and yet the Sinner Turn [...] not unto GOD, until the will be led Captive by Victorious Grace, by Verticordious Grace. Indeed, so little can a Sinner Turn himself, that he cannot so far Dispose himself to Turn, that GOD should be obliged by his well-Improving of Common Grace, to bestow Saving Grace upon him. No, Tis not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD who sheweth Mercy. Then tis plain; GOD is for this to be sought unto. Since none but GOD can Turn us; Our Prayer to GOD becomes very suitable, O Turn thou me!
Fourthly. YOUR seeking to GOD, and asking of Him to Turn you, is the Turning Point. Your Turn to GOD, is upon its Crisis, in your coming to make this Prayer, O Turn thou me! The Demand upon you, is, Turn ye, and Live; why will ye Dy [...] There can be nothing more positively demanded. The Reply of the slothful Sinner is, I cannot Turn. Indeed, there is in the Wicked, such a way [...] Lyving, that they are always contradicting of themselves. [Page 16] When they put off their Turn to GOD, until the Time, which they say, they will take for it, they do in effect say, That it is in their own Power to Turn when they please. But now he says, I cannot Turn. Indeed there is too much Truth in the Reply. And yet, there is no excuse for a Wicked sl [...]th in it. For, First; Why do you not now fal [...] down before the Lord, with such a Supplication as this; O Turn thou me, and I shall be Turned. In the Conversion of a Sinner, you say, GOD is to do all. Well, But then, why don't you cry mightily unto GOD, that He would please to do, what is to be done in you and for you? Why are you not Restless, until you can say,—Isa. XXVI.12. Lord, Thou hast wrought all our Works in us! Do not say, you cannot Pray. What would you do, if you were (as here some are) certainly informed, That you were to Dy in a few dayes, & had receiv'd a Summons to appear this Week before the Tribunal of GOD? Surely, you would not fit in the Posture of the Sluggard, and say, I cannot Pray. No; you would cast yourselves prostrate in the Dust before the Lord, and wrestle with Him, Oh! Help me to Pray! Oh! Give me a New Heart! Almighty Spirit of Grace, Work thy Good Work in me. Oh! Turn thou me! Do not leave me to Perish in my [...]ins! And why can't you now do so? You cannot Abhor your Sin. But then, why don't you Beg it of GOD? Lord, enable me to Abhor my Sin. You cannot Embrace your Saviour. But then, why don't you Beg it of GOD? Lord, enable me to embrace my Saviour. That which makes yet more for your Prayer, O Turn thou me; is this. Here is the Critical P [...]int, which brings on your Conversion [Page 17] to GOD; An Hearty Consent that GOD should Help you to do, what He does Call you to do. The Sinner is actually Turning to GOD, when he is Heartily Crying to GOD, O Turn thou me! Many an One is Turned unto GOD, who has not first long Pray'd unto Him for it. No rare thing that; Isa. LXV.1. I am found of them that sought me not. But when it can be said of a Sinner▪ B [...]hold, He Prayes! and he does Heartily, Earnestly, Urgently make this Prayer, O Turn thou me; — This is a Sinner that has begun to Turn. As the Fear of GOD is the Beginning of Wisdom, so the Beginning of the Fear of GOD is our Hearty Prayer for it, that we may indeed Fear Him. We read, Neh. I.11. They are the Servants of GOD, who Desire to Fear His Name. Ah, Returning Souls; you Begin to Believe, when you are Heartily Praying for this; O Turn thou me, [...]nd, Lord, Assist me to Commit myse [...]f unto the Conduct of my Redeemer. Oh! That I may close with Him in all His Offices, for all His Benefits. You Begin to Repent, when you are Heartily Praying for this; O Turn thou me; and Lord, Cause me to Bewayl all my Sin; to Decline every Sin; Let my sweetest Sin be made bitter to me. You Begin to be Holy ▪ when you are Heartily Praying at this rate; O Turn thou me; Lord, make me thy Servant. Oh! Let me Dedicate my self and my All unto thee! Oh! Let a Respect unto all thy Commandments be kindled in my Soul! How notably are you invited now, to make this Prayer; O Turn thou me! A Turn is hopefully Beginning in your making of it.
THIS, This is the Thing which you are now Exhorted to.
[Page 18]THERE is an EXHORTATION to be now prosecuted, which is the most Practicable, and yet the most Profitable, but therewithal the most Reasonable, that ever you were address'd withal. You never were exhorted unto a Thing, upon which every Conscience will sooner Pronounce, Thou art Inexcusable, O man, if it be not presently complied withal. Tis this; Oh! Let this Prayer now go up to the Glorious GOD from your Awakened Souls, Turn thou me, that I may be Turned. May there be sent up, with a Cry that shall pierce the Heavens, the Prayer got ready for your Indigent Souls; Psal. LXXX.3. Turn us again O GOD, & cause thy Face to shine, & we shall be Saved.
WE long, oh! how we long! for the Conversion of our dear People unto GOD. May we not say,— How cheerfully could we Dy this very day, and leave all that we enjoy in this World, and such things as are more precious to us than all this World, if our Death might bring our People to Live unto GOD! Ah Lord, How long, How long shall it be, ere we see our dear people, more Generally, more Thoroughly Converted unto thee! But, oh! our dear People, If this One most unexceptionable Thing might be gained, it would be a fair step towards all that can be wished for. May you be found upon your knees before the Lord, earnestly making this Prayer unto Him, O Turn thou me, that I may be Turned! — THIS is what we Request o [...] you: Deny not this Rational Request; Oh; Deny it not, as you will answer it unto GOD!
IN the Vision of the Dry Bones, it was Demanded, Can these Bones Live? But the Prophet of GOD, [Page 19] was to Prophesy upon the Bones; and it followed, Exek. XXXVII.5. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these Bones, Behold, I will cause Breath to enter into you, and ye shall Live. Our Concern for the Dead Souls among us, makes this Demand, Can the Souls Live? But the Souls are to be Prophesied over: and, O ye Dead Souls, Hear the Word of the Lord. The Word of the Lord, which, oh! that it may prove the Word of your Life, is this; To Prayer, poor Souls, To Prayer before the Lord; And th [...] Prayer, O Turn thou me, that I may be Turned ▪ Now, oh! if we could perceive that Breath were entered into you! — Might it be perceived, that you were Breathing after a C [...]nversion to GOD. Might there be perceived in you, a Soul Breathing after this, Oh! That I might Live unto GOD! Oh! when shall I Live unto GOD! — This Breath would be some sign, that you were indeed beginning to Live.
METHINKS, you have heard Reasons enough, and enough, to Conquer all Objections against your Immediate Compliance, with the Exhortation which now calls upon you. But the Arrows are not all spent.
CONSIDER this One thing, and, oh! Consider it, as being shortly to appear before your Judge. To ask of the Glorious GOD that He would please to Turn you; Tis a Thing which you will not pretend, that you are unable to do such a Thing. The Counsil is; Go alone, and from the Depths whereinto your Sins have plunged you, Cry unto the Glorious GOD, O Turn thou me, that I may be Turned. Now, you won't pretend, that you can't. As the Servants of Naaman said unto him; 2 King. [Page 20] V.13. My Father, If the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith unto thee, Wash and be clean So may I say, My Ne [...]ghbour, If some Great Thing were Imposed on thee, to bring about thy Conversion to GOD, wouldest thou not have done it? Yea, Verily; It would be a thing worth all the Labour, and all the Travail, that can be imagined. Could all the Severities, with which the Deluded Bigots among the Pagans, or Papists, [...] Mahometans, Afflict themselves, be of any avail [...]or this purpose▪ none of them all would be too much to be undergone for such a purpose. How much rather when the Prophet only saith unto thee, Go, and Pray, and Weep unto the Lord. O Turn [...]hou me, that I may be Turned! — How m [...] rather ought this to be hearkened unto! You will none of you make this pretence, I cannot go before the Lord; I cannot say unto Him, O Turn thou me! — If you will not hearken to it, you have no pretence, but that shameful one, that horrid one; Jer. XLIV.16. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, we will not [...]earken unto thee. But, Oh! Forlorn Soul; shall it come to this? What? wilt thou then plainly say, I will not so much as ask it of GOD, that He would please to Turn me unto Himself? How canst thou answer for this profane Contempt of Heaven, before the Tribunal of GOD?
CERTAINLY, It cannot be imagined, That any of our dear Neighbours and Children, will be as Deaf-Adders unto the Charms of Heaven thus used upon them. It must be imagined, that this Prayer is now ascending before the Glorious GOD, from [Page 21] a multitude of People [...]ir [...]ving to enter in at the Sir it Gate: O Turn thou me, that I may be Turned.
WHAT rema [...] will be some Direction how the Prayer is to be managed; how the ca [...]se, to be pleaded Now▪
F [...]st Oh! What Importunity, oh! what I [...]port [...]nity, ought this Prayer to be made withal; Turn thou [...]e, O GOD, that I may be Turned! How I [...] portunate, O perishing Souls, ought you to be in the Supplication? Wherefore,
Fir [...]t; BLOW up the Flames of an agreeable Importunity, in your Pray [...]r for the Grace that shall Turn you unto GOD. Let this Fire of the Sanctuary, be blown up with most Affecting Meditations, on the Worth of the Blessing you are to Pray for. [...] till you Prize this Work of GOD and of Grace; till you look on it as the most Precious thing that can be thought upon. Give not over your Meditations, till you come to these Apprehensions; Prov. III.14, 15. The Merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of Silver, and the gain thereof than fine Gold. It is more precious than pearl, and all the things thou canst desire, are not t [...] be co [...]pared unto it. Meditate on, Meditate still Muse till the Fire Burns. Meditate until the Wisdom of a Solomon shall in this thing be yours When the profer was made unto Solomon, Ask wha [...] I shall give thee, he chose Wisdom, rather than al [...] the Great Things of this little World. The profe [...] is by the GOD of all Grace made [...]nto you; Soul▪ Ask what I shall give thee. Oh! Become so affected, that you shall make this Wise Choice; ‘Lord Give me the Grace, to Turn unto thee with all my Heart; the Grace to Love the [...], an [...] Serve thee, & [Page 22] Live by & to my Saviour; Oh! Rather this Grace, that any thing in this W [...]rld!’ Apprehend thus; The Grace to Turn to GOD, and to delight in Him, [...]s better than all sensual Delights. To be Enriched with the Grace, by which we Turn to GOD, is better than to heap up any Temporal Riches. The Grace whereby one so Turns to GOD, as to become a Child of the Lord Almighty, and a Governour of ones self, is better than the highest Pre [...]erments and Employments in this lower World. Yea, The Grace to Turn to GOD and Live Holily, is better than Life it self. There have been Miraculous Gifts, with which the Holy Spirit sometimes has [...]ndued some among His People. But you [...] to Apprehend. That the Work of Grace wherein men Turn unto GOD, is [...]ore valuable than all the Miraculous Gifts by which any Men of GOD have ever been distinguished. Will you take up such Sentiments? The Tongue of one Tu [...]ed unto GOD, being always Bridled by the Law o [...] Christ, and used in His Praise, tis a more Glorious Thing, than to Speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels, the Tongue of Men possessed by Angels. To have a Soul Turned unto GOD, and Healed of the Diseases that Sin has brought upon is, is a more Glorious Thing than to have the power of Healing all Diseases. To Turn to GOD, [...]nd See the Mystery of Christ, and Wa [...]k with Him, is a more Glorious Thing than to h [...]p the Blind and the [...]ame. To Turn to G [...]D, and be Acquainted with our own Heart, is a more Glori [...]u [...] Thing than to Discern Spirits, or have th [...] Visi [...]ns of Angels. [...] to GOD, and Live to Him▪ & leave [...] is a more Glorious [Page 23] Thing than to Raise the Dead. To Turn to GOD and Repel the Temptations of the Devil to forsake Him, is a more Glorious Thing, than to cast a Legion of Divels out of an Energumen. To Turn to GOD, and lay up a Good Foundation for the time to come, and be [...]eady for whatever is to come, this is a more Glorious Thing, than the Ability to Foretel Things to come. A man may taste of those Powers of the World to come, and after all be abhorred and Banished from GOD in the World to come. Oh! but let a man Turn to GOD, and he has that Spring of Living Water in him, which will infallibly, flow, and run, and spread into Everlasting Life. Soul [...], Are you not Inflamed by such Meditations! Doubtless you must be so. [...] [...]ow,
Secondly; EXPRESS your Importunity; Exert your Importunity. Pray & Plead Importunately; Lay Hold on the Words, wherewith a Gracious GOD has furnished you, that you may turn them into Plea's before Him. You shal [...] now be put in mind of certain Words, for this vast Occasion; And having these words with you, oh! now Order your Cause before the Lord, and fill your Mouthes with Arguments. You have that Word; 1 Joh. V.14. If we ask any thing according to His Will, He heareth us. Go and Plead this word, at this rate; ‘ Lord, when I ask for the Grace to Turn unto thee, I ask, what is according to thy Will. It is according to thy Will, that I Turn unto thee, and that I seek a Conformity unto thy Will. And now, oh! wilt thou Hear me! oh! wilt thou Turn me!’ You have that word; Jam. I.5. If any of you lack Wisdom, [...] him ask of GOD, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Go [Page 24] and plead this word at this [...]ate; ‘Lord▪ The Grace to Turn unto thee, is the Wisdom that I lack: And now at thy Bidding I ask this Wisdom of thee. But now, oh! shall it be Given to me! oh! wilt tho [...] Turn me!’ Humbly Expostul [...]te it with the [...] [...]racious GOD, whether He ever denied such a [...]rayer as this, when it was most Hearti [...]y made unto Him. Surely, He never did! He never did! You shall be supplied with one word more; and it is a word worth a World. It is that word, Luk. XI.13. Your Heavenly Father will give the H [...]ly [...]pirit unto them that ask Him. O fall down before the Glorious GOD, and thus Plead this word: ‘O Heavenly Father, None but thy Holy Spirit can Turn me to thee; Then and only Then, shall I be Turned ▪ if He undertake to Turn me. How Happy am I, if thy Holy Spirit shall Turn me to thee; How undone, if He do it not! Oh! what Glory will come to thy Name in my Turning to thee, if thy Holy Spirit be given to me! Tis a Gift promised for them that Ask thee▪ Lord, I Ask thee, I Ask thee! Never did I Ask any thing with so much of Agony! Oh! Deny me not!’ Ah! Soul wandring in Darkness: thy Saviour says unto thee, as to that Poor Child of Sorrow in his Darkness; Mar. X.51. What wilt thou, that I should do unto thee? Now, with all possible Importunity make this Answer to Him: ‘ Lord, Open my Eyes, to see the Errors of my way, and give me the Grace to Turn from every Evil way. Oh! Turn me, with a Work of thy Grace upon me, that shall cause me to Love my S [...]viour, and Hate my Sin, & Sleight this World, and lay hold on Eternal Life.’ Certainly, He will [Page 25] do it for thee! Certainly, He will fill a Soul, so Hungry, so Thirsty, so Importunate, after the Righteousness of a Soul Turned unto GOD.
Secondly. PRAYER must not go alone. It must not be the Desire of the slothf [...] and the Prayer of one whose Hands Refuse [...]. The means of Grace must be used, that yo [...] [...] be Turned unto GOD. Now among all the means of Grace, the principal is, The WORD of GOD. Concerning the Word of GOD, we read, Psal. XIX.7. I [...] Converts the Soul. Wherefore, It must be on [...] Advice to you; Read the Word of GOD. Let not one day ordinarily roll away, without Reading a Portion in your Bible. But let the Reading be with Attention, with Reverence, with Lessons fe [...]ch'd out of it, which you will turn into Wishes before the Lord. Especially let it be with some such Hope as this; ‘Oh! That by the Word of GOD, I may be Turn'd unto Him.’ It must be a further Advice unto you; Hear the Word of GOD. Neglect no Opportunities for Hearing the Gospel of your Salvation. Know you not, That Faith comes by Hearing? Oh! Come to Hear, in Hope, that the Faith which will Turn you to GOD may now be given you. Come in Hope, that the Word will be mixed with the Faith which will Turn you to GOD. Come with Hope, that it will be with you▪ as it was with Peters Hearers, and that the Holy Spirit by whom you shall be Turned unto GOD, will fall upon you in your Hearing. And like him who said, Psal. XXVII.8. When thou saidst, seek my Face, my Heart said, Thy Face, Lord, I will seek. So, while you are Hearing the Word of GOD, form suitable Acts of Compliance with it. Comply [Page 26] as far as you can with what you Hear. Especially when you Hear those Ioyful Sounds of the Gospel, wherein a Turn to GOD, is more peculiarly called for, Try whether GOD has not Enabled you to Comply with them. When you hear such a word as that; seek the Lord [...]hile He may be fo [...]nd, call upon Him while He is near; Try whether you cannot Comply, and say, Lord, I will seek thee from this Time, I will call upon thee as long as I Live! When you hear such a word as that, Put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes; Try whether you cannot Comply, and say, Lord I will from this time have done with all Evil doings. When you hear such a word as that; Him that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out; Now Try whether you cannot Comply, and say, O my Saviour, I come unto thee! Acts of Compliance formed in the Soul, when Acts of Piety are called for, will suddenly surprize you into a Turn unto GOD. In such a way of Hearing the Word of GOD, and of Trying to comply with it, a Turn to GOD is to be looked for.
I hope, you are by this time abundantly sensible, of what is pr [...]s [...]ed upon you.
BUT will it not be a sweet Assistenc [...] unto you, in the work which you are to go upon, if I show you in One Word, what is the Turn to GOD, which you are to be brought unto? What you are to do, when you Turn unto GOD?
THERE yet remains the Second of our Doctrines, to be your Monitor upon it.
A Conversion to GOD, lies in a laying hold on the Covenant of GOD.
[Page 27]A Soul Turning to GOD, soon discovers it by saying to Him, Thou art the Lord my GOD. The Conversion of a Sinner is th [...] described; Isa. LVI. [...]. They chuse the Things that please [...], and they take hold of my Covenant. It is to be supposed, that you are Praying to the Glorious GOD, O Turn thou me! You are now to be told, what you will [...]ome to if your Prayer be heard; if the Lord have not turned away your Prayer, nor His Mercy from you. You will take hold of His Covenant.
A Right Notion of this matter shall be set before you.
KNOW then, That GOD the Father has made a Covenant with His Eternal Son, about the Saving of a People, whom for that purpose, and with an Eternal purpose of Good unto them, He Commits unto Him. Tis because of this Covenant, that GOD the Father is called, The God of our Lord Iesus Christ. And because of this Covenant, there is mention'd unto us, A Volumn of a Book, that is to say, A Contract or Compact, wherein such a thing is Written of. In this Coven [...]nt of Redemption, GOD the Father engages to Allow and Accept what our Saviour shall do for the People that are given unto Him. GOD our Saviour engages to Glorify his Father, by answering the Demands of His Law, on the behalf of His People, and by such Operations of His Grace ▪ upon them, as will terminate in His Presenting them Fau [...]tless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding Ioy. But then know, The [...]ovenant of GOD is with His People too. O Church of the Lord, It is THY Covenant. And the Covenant of Redemption, becomes the Covenant of Reconciliation, in this Application of it unto the [Page 28] Faithful. The Distinction between these two Ex [...]ibitic [...]s of the Covenant must be Remembred; but yet the Relati [...]n between them should never be Forgotten. O Converting ones, This, This is what is now to be expected from you; To say unto GOD, Thou art the Lord my GOD. That is to say, Ask and Hope to be brought home unto GOD, [...]ccording to the Agreement between GOD the Father and GOD your Saviour. Mind this; It is propounded unto you, whether you are willing to be Sav'd, and Led, and Rul'd, in those Methods of Grace, which GOD the Father and GOD your Saviour have established for the bringing of many sons [...]nto Glory. You must see a Day of Power, wherein Sovereign Grace will Quicken you, and Incline you, and make you Willing to be so dealt withal. Your Consent, Your Consent, unto the Methods of arriving unto Happiness, under the Conduct of an admirable JESUS, even of GOD Incarnate and Enthroned in an amiable JESUS; the [...], of whom His Almighty Father says, I have given thee for a Covenant of the People: This must be [...]tained. Oh! shall it be now Obtained! The [...] of this, brings you actually into the Covenant of the Lord your GOD. Will you now mind the most concerning Proposal, that ever was made; that ever was heard! It is proposed▪ unto you; Are you Willing that the Christ of GOD should bring you home to GOD? Are you willing, That the Sacrifice which the Holy JESUS has offered unto GOD, should be your Atonement: Are you willing to have the Holy JESUS Plead your Cause with GOD, in the Quality of your Advocate, as having put His Righteousness upon you? And, [Page 29] Are you willing, that the Holy JESUS take Possession of you by His Holy Spirit; and as in a Glorious Temple forever Inhabit you; and produce the Lively Image of GOD upon you; and fill you with His Love, and cause you to Love His Law, & ano [...] Raise you from the Dead, and bring you to the Inheritance of the Saints, after He has in His own way (and by the Cross ▪ if He will have it so) prepared you for it? A Soul [...]onquered by the Offer o [...] this Grace, and Complying with it, is brought int [...] the Covenant. O my Hearers, What is now urge [...] for, and waited for, is this Answer of your Souls O my Saviour, I am willing to be Thine; Do tho [...] make me willing. I commit myself and my All int [...] thy Hands. O let thy Blood cleanse me from all m [...] Sin. O do thou work in me, all that is Well-pleasi [...] in the sight of GOD.
I remember, that our Saviour having Preache [...] a long Sermon unto His Disciples: [...]. XIII.5▪ Iesus saith unto them. H [...]ve ye understood all th [...]s [...] things; They say unto Him, yea, Lord. Our Ser [...]mon shall now expire with this enquity; Hav [...] you Relished all these Things? Oh! That you migh [...] answer to the Lord. Yea Lord. An Obedi [...]nt, Yea Lord; Oh! That it may be the Return to Tw [...] Questions, which I am now to conclude withal.
Q. I. ARE you Desirous, to be Turned unto GOD▪ And will you ask it of Him?
Q. II. ARE you Desirous to have the Great GO [...] for yours? And is this the Choice and Voice of [...] Souls before Him, Thou art the Lord my GOD? Ma [...] you say, Yea, Lord.
WHAT has th [...]s been said unto All, has be [...] more especially said [And, surely, they have sen [...]sibly [Page 30] felt it so! unto those PoorMen who here stand Bound in Affliction & Iron, because they have rebelled against the Word of GOD; They are Assured that this is the last Sabbath which they shall see in the World, wherein they have Despised & Profaned so many; But they have entreated that they may hear a Sermon wherein they might wait and look for those Visits of Grace unto thir Souls, that may accomplish their Conversion to GOD, which is ALL, ALL▪ that they have now to think upon. It may be they have been accomodated with what has been somewhat Proper, — Oh! may our Good GOD make it useful!—to them. And may they be those Prisoners of Hope, of whom it may yet be [...]oped, that tho' they are Delivered unto the Executioner, for the Destruction of their Flesh, their Spirits yet shall be Saved in the Day of the Lord!
POOR Sons of Death,— I am to tell you, There is yet Hope in Israel for you! — HOPE, That tho' your Sins have been so horribly multiplied, and complicated, & Aggravated, yet you may repair [...]o the Blood which cleanses from all Sins: In the [...]lood of your SAVIOUR, you have a Fountain set [...]p [...]n for you ▪ O Hear it with an agreeable Astonish [...]nt! — Your SAVIOVR most Graciously Invites [...]ou; His Invitation to you is Come unto me, & I will give you Rest: It is Look unto me & be ye saved! [...]f He help you to make your Flight unto Him, [...]or all the sure Mercies of His Covenant, you that [...]ow Dy b [...]fore your Time for having been Wicked Overmuch, yet shall in a Life Eternal enjoy His [...]avours. The Villia [...]ies, the Robberies, the Mur [...]rs, wherewith you have Obliged Men to Chase [...]ou from among the Living on the Earth, being [Page 31] Repented of, will not keep you out of that Holy Blessedness, to which the Blood of our SAVIOUR Obtains Admission for the Souls that are Sprinkled with it. But, oh! how much, how much ▪ will you now L [...]ve that Glorious One, by whom you have had so much Forgiven to you!
— WE will now all seasonably join with our uplifted Cries to Heaven, That it may be so! —
A Conference Between a MINISTER, and the two Pirates, ( Archer, and White,) the Week before their Execution.
M. Stands for, Minister. A. for Archer. W. for White. P. P. when Both made the same Answer.
TIS with unspeakable Sorrow and Pitty that I behold your miserable Circumstances. — But if a Poor Sinful Man, have any Dispositions of Mercy for you, they are but what a Gracious GOD has produced in him; and they are but a very mean and faint Shadow of the Mercy in the Glorious GOD; For as the Heaven is High above the Earth, Such a Superiority there is in the Mercy [Page 32] of the Glorious GOD. And, Oh! Do you make such an use of the Compassion for you, which you see working in any Servants of GOD, as to infer from it; What Compassion you shall find in the Infinite GOD, if you Return to Him; A GOD, who is now waiting that He may be Gracious ▪
We thank you, Syr; and we desire to do as you direct us; and we entreat that we may have your Directions.
The Best, and indeed the Whole of what I can do for you, — I suppose, you want for no Temporal Reliefs or Supplies, —
We are well provided for, as to That.
— It is to assist your Preparation for the Death, — Ah! Poor Young Men, (one of you no more than Twenty Seven, t'other no more than Twenty two Years old!) The Untime [...]y Death! which is the next Week Unavoidably to Overtake you. — We read in the Gospel, concerning a Pae [...]itent Thief, to whom our most Merciful REDEEMER assigned a Portion in His Paradise. I do not Apprehend, that the First Bestowal and Beginning of his Repentance, was when he came to the Place of Execution. My Apprehension is, That he was a Paenitent before he came thither; and came thither Praepared for the De [...]th which was then Inflicted on him. You have had some Weeks of Time, since you were in Chains, to Think upon your Ways, (and to do as another Great Sinner, whom you have heard of, did, — M [...]nassch in his Chains!) And now you have one Week more to which you know, Your Days are determined. With what Sollicitude ought you to Redeem this Time! Every Minute of this Time [...] certainly to be [Page 33] Precious with you. You must not throw away a Minute of this Time, in any thing that shall divert you, from the Main Work, which cannot b [...] done in the Gr [...]ve, whither you are hastening! Children, An Eternity, an awful Eternity depends upon it!— But, I pray, How do you Spend your Time?
In Reading, [...]nd in Praying.
You are furnished, I know, with proper Books of PIETY. But above all, your BIBLE▪ your [...]IBLE! — Read that Holy Book, most Attentively, most Affectuously! — make a Pause upon every Verse. Think with yourselves, What is it that the Glorious GOD here speaks unto me? And thereupon, with an Ech [...] of Devotion do you send up some suitable Request unto GOD. Particularly on every Praecept say, Lord, Help me to do this go [...] thing! On every Promise, — Lord, Grant this go [...] thing unto me! What an Intercourse with Heaven are you now thus Invited to! You that have ru [...] and hid from the Glorious GOD; and hithert [...] lain in the Belly of Hell all your▪ Days.
I advise you in a singular manner thus to em [...]ploy the LI Psalm.
Syr, We do often Read that Psalm.
Tis well; And form your suppli [...]tions fro [...] it. So do, from the X [...]XII Psalm; and from th [...] XXV Psalm. Make the Bible your Prayer-Book No Prayer-Book like to That.
I also recommend the Eighteenth, and the two following Verses in the XXXI Chapter of Ieremiah, to your Consideration.
We hope, Syr, we shall Remember your Advice.
I am now to tell you; The ONE THING NEEDFUL for you, is. To [...] and Live unto [Page 34] [...]OD. There is a Conversion to GOD, whereof [...]ou must have an Experience; or else an Eter [...]al [...]anishment from GOD must be your Portion. This is what, I suppose, you make no Question of.
[...] pray, What are your Thoughts about this Conversion? What is it?
Tis to Repent of all my Sins.
Tis to leave off all my Evil Ways.
Tis a mighty Change wrought in the Mind, (& thereupon in the Life) of One who has a Departed from GOD: A New Biass given to the Soul, Soul is becomes as a New Creature upon it. The whic [...] Inclined now, & Quickened [...]rom above, no longer to set up Self in the Throne of GOD▪ but aim at the Serving and Pleasing of GOD, as it has aim'd at the gratifying of Self heretofore. The Soul now goes to GOD, for that Satisfaction, which it has heretofore vainly expected from Lying Vanities. GOD now Reigns in the Soul, and the Changed Heart says▪ What have I any more to do with Idols? The Voice of GOD is now more powerful to the Soul, than the Enticements of the Flesh, the Enchantments of the World, the Temptations of the Divel The Awakened Soul, flies to a CHRIST, [...]at it may find Acceptance with GOD, & be strengthened for Obedience to Him. Continual Flights to a CHRIST, with H [...]pes to be bro't by Him into the Enjoyment of GOD, now fill the [...]ife of the Convert. He knows of no Sin, but what he can truly say, Tis to me an abominable Thing; My Soul hates it. When he finds himself to fall into Sin (as he of [...]en ma [...]!) he does Confess it, Bewayl it, and R [...]new his Recourse to the Open Fountain in the Blood of CHRIST for the [Page 35] Pardon of it. The Remainders of Indwelling Sin in him, do wonderfully Grieve him. He is engaged in a perpetual Warfare, and Struggle, for the Suppression and Extinction of it▪ The most bitter Things, that promote a more Perf [...]t W [...]rk of Repentance in him, are welcome to him. He so Realizes the Eye of an Omnipresent GOD upon him, that he keeps his Heart with all diligence, and will not give to any vile Th [...]ughts a Lodging and an Harbour there. And at the same time, he has a si [...]cere L [...]ve to his Neighbour, sweetning and swaying of him; To wish well to all about him, and lay a Re [...]traint on all Evil Disp [...]si [...]i [...]ns towards them.
Hearken to me; If anon your Souls go away, without this Good W [...]rk produced in them, you are beyond all Imagination mis [...]rable. You Dy [...] pardoned, and an Holy GOD will deal with you as H [...]s Enemies: But, Can y [...]ur Hearts endure▪ [...] c [...]n your Hands be [...] ▪ When He shall so de [...]l with you! Verily, [...] are S [...]re P [...]gues, and of long continuan [...]e, in tha [...] [...] Punishment which you will find [...]eserved for y [...]u. You [...]ill be thrown into a Place of Tor [...]ent; [...]d be chained up in Blackness [...]f Darkness, forever; where the Dev [...]ls ▪ to who [...] [...] have bee [...] [...] & Va [...]a [...]s ▪ will insult you, will torture you, will [...]e ver [...] uneasy Compan [...]ns to you. And what will be yet more Intol [...]able, the Infinite GOD Himsel [...] will with Im [...]ediate [...] of His Wrath like flashes of Lightening sh [...]t into your g [...]ilty [...] cause you to feel an [...] ▪ which [...] here can com [...] up un [...]. [...] any Torment, when the [...] [Page 36] or scorched while it is lodging in the Body it is the Glorious GOD as an Universal cause always executing the Laws of Nature, which He has established, who does produce that sense in the Sufferer. But this Almighty GOD, will more Immediately dispense to a Wicked S [...]ul gone down to the Pit, the sense of all such Torment, as it could have ever felt by the Mediation of the most exquisite Afflicters here. Our GOD will Himself be as a Distressing Fire unto them. Verily, It will be found a Fear [...]ul thing to fall into in the Hands of the Living GOD!
— Yea, If you are not well Renewed in the Spirit of your Mind, You will Dy unqualified for the Kingdom of GOD. A Soul cannot go into Heaven, till Heaven be first come into the Soul. If it were possible, ( as it is not,) for a Soul, with the Enmity of a Carnal Mind against GOD, unsubdued in it, with its Vitious and Uncured Appetites, to enter into Heaven, it would not bear to be The [...]e: Heaven itself would be so Disagreeable as to be Uncomfortable unto such a Soul. A most Horrible Thing This! But most certainly True. So that there can be nothing so Necessary for you as This; That an Holy Change be made upon you! A New-Birth, without which, it had been Good for you that you had never been [...]orn!
Syr, We believe this; And we are in Distress about it
But are you sensible, That you cannot Change your own H [...]art! or, give to yourselves that New Heart, which you must have, or Perish Wonderfully ▪
We thought we could. But we now sadly fi [...]d we can't!
And yet, your case is not That, which the Pr [...]ane Scof [...]rs (whom it may be, you have me [...] with,) do say we make it; You are chain [...]d in a Prison, which is on a light Fire over your Heads: [That's True▪] And Almighty GOD now Mocks you [...] with bidding you, shak off your Chains, and come out of the Flames. No, No; He says to you, Why don [...]t you [...] [...]nto me, to take off your Chains, [...]nd [...]uck you [...]ut o [...] the Flames? If once you made an H [...]rty Cry unto the GOD of all Grace, t [...] Quicken & Strengthen your Flight from the Wrat [...] to come, whereof He has Warned you; Verily, this very Thing would be a Token for Good upo [...] you; That the Spirit of Life from GOD has Begun to Quicken you and Strengthen you; your Fligh [...] is Begun: Tis Begun in an Hearty Cry for Help [...] make it.— And yet, Remember; One Ingredient of the Hearty Cr [...] must be a Confession, Tha [...] as you are Unable to Turn unto GOD, So, you ar [...] Unworthy that GOD should Enable you.
I pray▪ What are your Thoughts of This? I [...] [...]ou should no [...] Employ your Prayers and Pain [...] for a Turn to GOD, and the [...]ov [...]reign GOD should ye [...] wi [...]hold his Grace from you, and leave you [...] Dy in your Sins, could you complain of any I [...]justice in Him?
No, sure. We ar [...] not worthy of the lea [...] Favour from Him. And much less can we be worth [...] of so great a Favour, as there would be in a Ne [...] Heart bestow'd upon us.
Th [...]n Provision [...]eing made, that Free-Grac [...] may have its Glories, Let us Proceed.—Unt [...] [Page 38] a man that had a Withered Han [...], our SAVIOUR gave His Command, Stretch out thy Hand. This was what he was of all things the most unable to do. But he Tryed; he Tried! And he found a Power accom [...]any the Command; upon a Trial, he found he was Ena [...]led. I wi [...]l now suppose you, like that poor Man, Trying to Do what I am to Sp [...]ak ▪ And I will hope, for such Influences from Above upon you, as may bring the Li [...]e [...]f GOD into you — Say now; Do you see, that you have Sinned grievously; that your Lives have been full of Sins: th [...]t in your Sins you have broken all the Laws of the Glorious GOD!
Oh! There's no number of our Sins! we have [...]ever done any thing else but Sin against our Maker, [...]ll our Days.
— I pray, Of all your Miscarriages, and Enormities, which are now upon Reflection most grievous to you? Which does your C [...]nscience most Scourge you for?
My Profane Swearing, and Cursing and Blaspheming the Name of the Bl [...]ssed GOD; and my Sabbath-breaking, and my Rebellious [...]ad Carriage to my Parents, and my—Uncha [...]tity: [...]nd what l [...]d to all, my Drunkenness.
My Blaspheming the Name of GOD, & Swear [...]ng and Cu [...]sing,—and my Pr [...]aning the Sabbath —and my r [...]ning away from my Friends; and my being le [...] [...]side by Wicked Company.—GOD has kept me from the Sins, [...]o ich this man la [...]t mentioned. But my Drunk [...]nness has ruined me. —
But, the Crimes which you are now Condemned for; the Crimes which the Sword of Jus [...]ice is now striking you for▪ the Crimes [...] which [Page 39] Mankind agrees, to treat you as the Common Enemies of Mankind, and hurry you out of the World; Your Piracy! The many Robberies you have Committed; — And the Abuses you have offered unto the Persons of Travellers, that fell in your way. All the Base Bl [...]ws you have given to them, should now with a sad Rebound be given to yourselves. You should feel them all yourselves, from your own Hearts now miting of you.
Yea, you are Murderers. There have been Murders Committed by your Crue. If your Hands were not actually Embrued in the Blood, yet you have your share, with the rest of the Crue, in the Guilt of the Murders.
Tis all True. Be sure, we have done very Wickedly, to Stea [...] & Spoil as [...]e have done, and abuse those that fell into our Hands. We fully deserve all that is now done to us. We cannot Complain of any Hardship. We must own, that we are justly dealt wi [...]hal.
And I have this further to say. I was one of Teaches Crue; But came in up [...]n the Act of Graces And yet falling again into the Hands of the Pirates, I was easily drawn into the old Trade again; and spen [...] one half Year more in Piracy, till GOD would [...]ear no longer with me.
All the Abominable Things that you have done, are but the Streams, whereof you have the Spring, in an Heart that is Desperately Wicked, and a Mother of Abominations. What sense have you of This! Do you with a vast, self-ab [...]or [...]enc [...], behold, That you were Born Sinners; and that under the Condemnation which the Sin of your Fir [...] Parents brought on Mankind▪ you have Contracted [Page 40] a Venemous Disposition to Sin against the Glorious GOD, and an Inclination to all manner o [...] Sin; So that if GOD had not wi [...]eld you fr [...]m [...]inning against Him, there is no manner of Sin but what you would have run into! — An Heart always Departing from the Living GOD.
We now see it; But we had not such a sight of it, when you first Visited us, as GOD has now brough [...] us to.
And what is the Punishment that is [...] due [...]o yo [...] for your Sins?
Death.
What mean you by Death?
Damnation! An Hell after Death.
True. Whenever you have Sinned, you have done an Horrible Thing. You have Denied the GOD that is Above. You have trampl [...]d on His Authority, and shaken off the Government of your Maker. You have de [...]ied His Infinite P [...]wer; you have derided His Infinite Wisdom; you have despised His Infinite Goodness; you have opposed His Infinite Holiness; you have Stabb'd the SON of GOD; you have Griev'd the SPIRIT of G [...]D; you have Disobliged the Angels, and have gratified the Devils. You have Wounded yourselves, and Wronged your own Souls; and Forfeited Eternal Enjoyments, and Incurred Eternal Confusions, for the sake of a [...]ew Mean, Base, Temporal Gratifications, which are no more than the Crackling of Thorns under a Po [...]. The Law of GOD is arm'd with a Penalty. The Horrible Thing you have done in breaking the Law, deserves all that is in the Penalty. Tis what you have done times without Number. Now, what have you to plead, why [Page 41] the Penalty of the Broken Law, should not be Executed on you? If you must undergo the Execution of it, you are beyond all Expression, all Conception, Miserable.— But, what plea have you to make, That you may be Released from your Deserved Punishment?
We can Plead nothing but the Blood of our SAVIOUR!
And That plea, will do.— How much, How much, ought this Con [...]ideration to melt & break your Hearts within you? Can your Souls be any other than Surprised, Amazed, Ravished, when you consider it? The Eternal SON of GOD, united the Man JESUS unto Himself: having engaged unto His Eternal FATHER, That he would undergo the Punishment, which would become du [...] for the Sins of the People committed unto Him [...] and become a Sacrifice to Divine Iustice for them. Our SAVIOUR came according to His Engagement; and He underwent the Punishment of ou [...] Sins, in the Day when GOD laid on Him the Iniquities of us all: and after many Distresses. H [...] Dyed upon the Cross. All that you have now to do, is, To ly in the Dust before the Glorious GOD, Mourning for your Sins against Him, and Afraid o [...] what they Expose you to; and there to Plead [...] Lord, Let me not be punished for my Sins; my SAVIOUR has been Punished for them. Lord, Let my Sins be Pardoned; my SAVIOUR has made Sa [...]isfaction for them. Lord, Let not thy Vengeance come upo [...] me for the Debts which I owe unto [...]; my SAVIOUR has paid t [...]em all. Thus are you to Plead, with [...] Good Hope thro' Grace, that GOD has allow'd you [...] Plea, and has Forgiven you. Conclude; L [...]d, [...] [Page 42] [...]ill Pr [...]ise thee; for th [...]ugh th [...]u wast Angry with [...]e, thine A [...]ger is turned away, and thou dost Comfort me.
Will you take this Course?
We hope, we shall; and we thank you, Syr, for showing it so plainly to us.
But I must make it yet a little Plainer. — It is not enough, that you be Forgiven, but you must be Righ [...]eous too. You can't have a Claim to Blessedness, if you be not Owners of a Righteous [...]ess wherein the Law of GOD shall be fu [...]ly answered; a Compleat, Exact, Perfect Righteousness. But, how will you come at such a Righteousness? If you could now spend the Last Week of your Lives, in Spotl [...]ss Perf [...]rmances ▪ what would that Signify for the p [...]st Years of Lives a [...]l spent in Wickedness? A F [...]r [...]hing paid, where Talents were ow'd? But even This is what you won't, you can't come unto. Your Best Work [...] will have their Blemishes. The very Tears of your most Savoury Devotions will want washing. Your H [...]ly Things will not [...]e without their Iniquities.
What will you do?
We know not what to do. G [...]d Syr, s [...]w [...]; What shall we do?
Mind what I say to you; and give Earn [...]st Heed unto it.
A Glorious CHRIST has mad [...] Hims [...]lf a Debtor to the Law for us: and He that made the Law put Himself under it, that GOD might be Glorified with an Obedience imp [...]ssible to be equalled by what cou [...]d come from any Creature. Our Surety has by His most Thorough Ob [...]i [...]nce to it, Magnified the Law and [...]ade it Hono [...]rable. In His [Page 43] Holy Heart, and His Holy Walk, there was the fullest Co [...]or [...]ity to the Law that ever was Exhibited. Infinite Holiness could find in it no Deficiency, tax it with no Impurity. Here was a Righteousness! The Heavens themselves could show nothing to be Compared with it. Now, This Righteousness is what your SAVIOUR has wrought out, and brought in, for us Ungodly Ones, that we may stand in it before GOD, and so be Iustified. A most Gracious GOD allows the Merits of this Righteousness, unto those, who have none of their own, and who Renounce all Dependence on their own, and who Desparing in themselves make mention of This Righteousness, even of This only. The Righteousness of a CHRIST Believed on, GOD will [...]eckon it unto you for the Righteousness, wherein you shall be Iustified before Him. Let the Prayer of your Faith be This; Lord, I am utterly destitute of [...]ny Righteousness; All my Right [...] ousnes [...] is but Fil [...]iness: But Oh! Accep [...] me among thy Righteous Ones, because my IESUS has fulfilled all Righteousness, and, I hope in Him, that He will do the part of an Advocate, and show His Righteousness for me, that I may be delivered from go [...]ng d [...]wn unto t [...]e Pit. Now you shall have the Benefit o [...] this Righteousness, and be received amo [...]g the Righteous upon it.
This is very strange▪ But [...] such [...]ile Sinners as we are, Ven [...]ure to Plead at This rate?
Yes. And your Vileness must no [...] hinder it. You must come as recommended by nothing but your Vileness. The Vilest of Sinners are welcom [...] to the Use, and the Faith, of this wonder [...]ul Righteous [...]s [...] ▪ You lo [...]e i [...], if you are Emboldened [Page 44] from a vain Dream of any worth in yourselves, to lay Hold on it. It is now thrown out unto you, as a Cord unto a [...]rowning Man; and (that I may speak to you in your own way) Take fast Hold. And, Hold fast▪ Hold fast, that you may not sink, Drowne [...] in Perdition!
This is Wonderful! Thanks be to GOD, that He has brought us, where we are taught such things as these!
But, This is not all; you have not yet had t [...]e whole Counsil of GOD. I must go on to tell you, The Faith which thus carries you to your SAVIOUR, that you may be Iustified, has other Errands, [...]pon which it will Repair unto Him. If this Faith be not a Counterfeit, or if it be any other than the Hope of the Hypocrite, it will be ma [...]vellously desirous, to obtain those Influences of Grace from your SAVIOUR, that shall heal all that is amiss in your Souls, and make all Sin lothsom to you, and fill you with th [...] Love of GOD, and of your Neighbour, and cause you to bring forth much of that Fruit, by which our Heavenly Father is to be Glorified. If you [...]ve look [...]d upon sin, as an Evil, for which nothing less than the Blood [...]f the Son of GOD can make exp [...]ation, you cannot but have an unspeakable Horror of it, and be unspeakably Loath to continue in Sin. An Heart that shall take Delight in the Service of GOD; and a Will mortified, & rectified, and reduced into Obedience to GOD, & swallowed up in the Will of GOD; This must be in your Apprehension as precious a [...]avour as any that you seek to your SAVIOUR [...]. If the Blood of your SAVIOUR be Sprinkled [...]n your Souls, and become effectual for your Pardon, [Page 45] there will come a Li [...]e with it, and from it, that will Enliven you to keep continually Breathing & Pressing after those Intentions of your SAVIOUR in shedding of His Blood; That His People may be Purified ones, & Ze [...]ous of Good Works, and a peculiar People.
Now, Do you Heartily Desire, That your SAVIOUR would make you perfect in every Good Work, and Work in you that which is well-pleasing in the sight of GOD?
We hope, we do.
This is indeed, the Concep [...]ion which I would have you take up, of the Conversion, which is of the last Importance for you. It is the Application of a Ruin [...]d Soul to a Glorious CHRIST, for the whole of His Great Salvation. You must be desirous to be recovered out of that Ruine, in which you may see your [...]elves Perishing at a Distance from GOD. You must behold a Glorious CHRIST, Able and Willing to Recover you. You must expect from what has been offered for it by your SAVIOUR, a Reconciliation to GOD. But then, you must expect from the SPIRIT of your SAVIOUR, to find the Second Adam, Quickening of you, as you have had the First Adam Corrupting of you. Your way of doing any thing to purpose, in Living unto GOD, must be This. Own it; Lord, I am Dead; I am Nothing; I Avail Nothing, I Deserve Nothing! But see a CHRIST proposing to Enter you, and Possess you, and by His Good SPIRIT become a Principle of Life in you for Living unto GOD. With a glad Heart Accept the Proposal. Think, Tho' I can do nothing, a CHRIST can do every Thing. Tho' I can bear Nothing, a CHRIST can bear every Thing. I [Page 46] [...]all now Live unto GOD, if it be no longer I, that Live, but CHRIST that Lives in me. Lord, Let me [...]ad it so! This is the way of it. How little understood in the World!
Be sure, we hav [...] understood nothing of it!
And then, This One thing more must not [...]e forgotten. Your Hatred for Sin, and your Value for CHRIST, must appear in This; That every thing that promotes it, must Therefore and so far be Welcome to you. Those Chains which you [...]ave now upon you, if they Contribute unto This Work, must be better than as massy Chains [...] Gold unto you.
Upon the whole; Tell me now, what Frame of Mind it is that I leave you in?
We heartily give Thanks to GOD, in that [...] has not permitted us to go on in our Sins; [...]nd that also He has not Suddenly cut us off in [...]ur Sins; and that He has not Ordered our Im [...]risonment to be in a Place, where we should not [...]ave had such Instructions bestowed upon us, and [...]ch Pains taken for the Good of our Souls. We [...]hank you, Syr; and we desire you to continue [...]our Prayers for us. We know, you will do us [...]ll the Good you can, though we have little enough [...]o say why you should do so.
I wish, I wish, that you had been former [...] [...]ore Instructed in the Principles of Religion; [...] our Ignorance has been a wretched Circumstance [...]nd Encumbran [...] in our Dealings with you. [...]he Chains of [...]gnorance, which keep the Truths of the Gospel from at you, are worse than those [...] Iron which now hinder your Motions. And [...]et, your Crimes have not been Sins of Ignorance. [Page 47] We have done what we can, with drop afte [...] drop Distilled upon you, to instruct you [...] your coming hither. May the Glorious GOD say, Let there be Light, and there will be a [...] Creation begun upon you. But, Oh! may He go on, to send forth His Good SPIRIT, and you will be Created over again; Yea, He will Renew th [...] Face and the Choice of your Souls before Hi [...]. In short, Come as the Syrians did with Ropes on their Heads, to him of whom they heard, he was a Merciful King; So come to the Merciful King of Heaven; and see what His Mercy will do for you!
I have now only this further to say unto you. There are so many False Appearances in the Devotions of People under the Terrors of Death, and they are often, often, such Deceitful Bowes in their Seeming Bents upon Repentance, that I cannot with too Sollicitous an Importunity Entrea [...] you, to Beware of Hypocrisy. Oh! Be you Sollicitous, above all things for this; That you may have an Heart Sound in the Statutes of GOD, and an Hope that that will not make ashamed.
We will now look up to GOD our SAVIOUR!
On Iun. 2. P. M. these Poor Men were Executed; and they Dyed with such Expressions of Repentance, as were greatly to the Satisfaction of the Spectators; — who after all, must leave Secret Things, (and the Hearts of Men, which are Such) unto GOD.
THEY accepted the Punishment of their Crimes, without the least Murmur at it.
THEY bewayl'd the Errors of their Lives, with Floods of Tears.
THEY especially set a Brand upon the Sin of Drunkenness, as what led unto all Sin, & would quickly Drown People in all Perdition.
THEY charged all who might be so Unhappy as to be taken by the Pirates, rather to suffer any Death immediately, than hearken to them, and Comply with them.
IT is reported, That one of them, under [...]tanding that his Dead Body was to be kept and Hung in Iron in a Gibbet, Said upon it; [Page 49] Now a Righteous GOD is going to fulfil that Word; THE EYE WHICH DESPISES TO OBEY A MOTHER, THE RAVENS OF THE VALLEY SHALL PICK IT OUT, AND THE YOUNG EAGLES SHALL EAT IT.
BUT after all, they expressed Comfortable Hopes to find Mercy with a GOD Ready to Pardon; and find the Blood of their SAVIOUR to Cleanse them from all Sin.
FOR which their Prayers, were evidently the Prayers of the Soul, and full of Agony.
MANY Entertained Apprehensions, That the Pains that had been taken, with these Prisoners, [A Charity and Compassion in which New-England, by the Report of Strangers, comes not behind any Country!] were not Lost upon them; and that these Poor Men may after all, be found among the Elect of GOD, in this Wondrous way [...]ught home unto Him.