Turn and live is as certain a truth as turn or die. Heaven is made as sure to the converted, as hell is to the unconverted. The Lord here professeth that this is what he takes pleasure in, that the wicked turn and live. It is the promise of God, that the wicked shall live, if they will but turn unfeignedly and thoroughly turn. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for, why will ye die, O house of Israel?Ī TRUE description of those who are in a converted state has already been given you the change which conversion makes in the soul has also been described and the request is most earnestly repeated to you, impartially and thoroughly to consider your condition: Rest not satisfied, till you know whether you are indeed converted.īut perhaps you will say, what if we should find ourselves yet unconverted, what shall we do then?-This question leadeth me to my second doctrine, which will do much to the answering of it, to which I now proceed.ĭoct.
Say to them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Before Satan has time to distract you or entice you to change your mind, take a stand for God! You will never truly turn until you resolve, and do so with a firm, unchangeable decision.1709133 A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live - Sermon II 1657 Richard Baxter SERMON II. Away with your former lusts, and immediately, unceasingly, and wholeheartedly resolve! Do not be of one mind one day and of another mind the next, but be done with the world, and resolvedly give up yourselves and all that you have to God.
Do not stand around wavering as if you were uncertain whether God or the flesh is the better mas-ter, whether sin or holiness is the better way, or whether heaven or hell is the better result. If you will turn and live, do it determinedly, and do not stand still and deliberate as if it were a doubtful case. Oh, careless sinners, I wish you only knew the love that you unthankfully neglect and the pre-ciousness of the blood of Christ that you de-spise! Oh, that you only knew the riches of the gospel! Oh, that you only knew a little of the certainty, the glory, and the blessedness of that everlasting life that you will not now set your hearts upon or be persuaded to seek diligently now! If you only knew the endless life with God that you now neglect, you would quickly cast away your sin, change your mind and life, change your course and company, turn the direction of your devotion, and spend your energy and time another way.
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