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PRESSING INTO THE KINGDOM OF

GOD

Luke 16:16

The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached,

and every man presseth into it.

In these words two things may be observed: First, Wherein the work and office of John the

Baptist consisted, viz. in preaching the kingdom of God, to prepare the way for its

introdction to scceed the !aw and the prophets. By the !aw and the prophets, in the te"t,

seems to be intended the ancient dispensation nder the #!d $estament, which was received

from %oses and the prophets. $hese are said to be nti! John& not that the reve!ations given by

them are ot of se since that time, bt that the state of the chrch, fonded and reg!ated

nder God by them, the dispensation of which they were the ministers, and wherein the

chrch depended main!y on !ight received from them, f!!y contined ti!! John. 'e first began

to introdce the (ew $estament dispensation, or gospe!)state of the chrch& which, with its

g!orios, spirita!, and eterna! privi!eges and b!essings, is often ca!!ed the kingdom of heaven,

or kingdom of God. John the Baptist preached, that the kingdom of God was at hand.

*+epent* says he, *for the kingdom of heaven is at hand:*)*ince that time,* says -hrist, *the

kingdom of God is preached.* John the Baptist first began to preach it& and then, after him,

-hrist and his discip!es preached the same.

$hs -hrist preached, %atthew :/0. *From that time Jess began to preach, and to say,

+epent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.* o the discip!es were directed to preach,

%atthew /1:0. *2nd, as ye go, preach, saying, $he kingdom of heaven is at hand.* It was not

John the Baptist, bt -hrist, that f!!y broght in, and acta!!y estab!ished, this kingdom of

God& bt he, as -hrist3s forernner to prepare his way before him, did the first thing that was

done towards introdcing it. $he o!d dispensation was abo!ished, and the new broght in by

degrees& as the night grada!!y ceases, and gives p!ace to the increasing day which scceeds in

its room.

First the day)star arises& ne"t fo!!ows the !ight of the sn itse!f, bt dim!y ref!ected, in the

dawning of the day& bt this !ight increases, and shines more and more, and the stars thatserved for !ight dring the foregoing night, grada!!y go ot, and their !ight ceases, as being

now need!ess, ti!! at !ength the sn rises, and en!ightens the wor!d by his own direct !ight,

which increases as he ascends higher above the horizon, ti!! the day)star itse!f grada!!y

disappears& agreeab!e to what John says of himse!f, John 4:41. *'e mst increase, bt I mst

decrease.* John was the forernner of -hrist, and harbinger of the gospe!)day& mch as the

morning)star is the forernner of the sn. 'e had the most honorab!e office of any of the

prophets& the other prophets foreto!d -hrist to come, he revea!ed him as a!ready come, and

had the honor to be that servant who sho!d come immediate!y before him, and acta!!y

introdce him, and even to be the instrment concerned in his so!emn inagration, as he was

in baptizing him. 'e was the greatest of the prophets that came before -hrist, as the morning)

star is the brightest of a!! the stars, %atthew //://. 'e came to prepare men3s hearts to receivethat kingdom of God which -hrist was abot more f!!y to revea! and erect. 5ke /:/0. *$o

make ready a peop!e prepared for the 5ord.*

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econd!y, We may observe wherein his sccess appeared, viz. in that since he began his

ministry, every man pressed into that kingdom of God which he preached. $he greatness of

his sccess appeared in two things:

/. In the genera!ness of it, with regard to the sb6ect, or the persons in whom the sccess

appeared& every man. 'ere is a term of niversa!ity& bt it is not to be taken as niversa! withregard to individa!s, bt kinds& as sch niversa! terms are often sed in criptre. When

John preached, there was an e"traordinary poring ot of the pirit of God that attended his

preaching. 2n ncommon awakening, and concern for sa!vation, appeared on the minds of a!!

sorts of persons& and even in the most n!ike!y persons, and those from whom sch a thing

might !east be e"pected& as the 7harisees, who were e"ceeding prod, and se!f)sfficient, and

conceited of their own wisdom and righteosness, and !ooked on themse!ves fit to be teachers

of others, and sed to scorn to be taght& and the addcees, who were a kind of infide!s, that

denied any resrrection, ange!, spirit, or any ftre state. o that John himse!f seems to be

srprised to see them come to him, nder sch concern for their sa!vation& as in %atthew 4:0.

*Bt when he saw many of the 7harisees come to his baptism, he said to them, # generation

of vipers, who hath warned yo to f!ee from the wrath to come8* 2nd besides these, thepb!icans, who were some of the most infamos sort of men, came to him, in9iring what

they sho!d do to be saved. 2nd the so!diers, who were dobt!ess a very profane, !oose, and

pro!ifigate sort of persons, made the same in9iry, 5ke 4:/, and /. *$hen came a!so

pb!icans to be baptized, and said nto him, %aster, what sha!! we do8 2nd the so!diers

!ikewise demanded of him, saying, 2nd what sha!! we do8

. 'is sccess appeared in the manner in which his hearers soght the kingdom of God& they

pressed into it. It is e!sewhere set forth by their being vio!ent for the kingdom of heaven, and

taking it by force. %atthew //:/. *From the days of John the Baptist nti! now, the kingdom

of heaven sffers vio!ence, and the vio!ent take it by force.*

$he ;octrine that I observe from the words is this,) *It concerns every one that wo!d obtain

the kingdom of God, to be pressing into it.* )In discorsing of this sb6ect, I wo!d,

First, how what is that way of seeking sa!vation that seems to be pointed forth in the

e"pression of pressing into the kingdom of God.

econd!y, Give the reasons why it concerns every one that wo!d obtain the kingdom of God,

to seek it in this way.) 2nd then make app!ication.

I. I wo!d show what manner of seeking sa!vation seems to be denoted by *pressing into thekingdom of God.*

/. $his e"pression denotes strength of desire. %en in genera! who !ive nder the !ight of the

gospe!, and are not atheists, desire the kingdom of God& that is, they desire to go to heaven

rather than to he!!. %ost of them indeed are not mch concerned abot it& bt on the contrary,

!ive a secre and care!ess !ife. 2nd some who are many degrees above these, being nder

some degrees of the awakenings of God3s pirit, yet are not pressing into the kingdom of God.

Bt they that may be said to be tr!y so, have strong desires to get ot of a natra! condition,

and to get an interest in -hrist. $hey have sch a conviction of the misery of their present

state, and of the e"treme necessity of obtaining a better, that their minds are as it were

possessed with and wrapped p in concern abot it.

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$o obtain sa!vation is desired by them above a!! things in the wor!d. $his concern is so great

that it very mch shts ot other concerns. $hey sed before to have the stream of their

desires after other things, or, it may be, had their concern divided between this and them& bt

when they come to answer the e"pression of the te"t, of pressing into the kingdom of God,

this concern prevai!s above a!! others& it !ays other things !ow, and does in a manner engross

the care of the mind. $his seeking eterna! !ife sho!d not on!y be one concern that or so!sare taken p abot with other things& bt sa!vation sho!d be soght as the one thing needf!,

5ke /1:. 2nd as the one thing that is desired, 7sa!m 0:.

. 7ressing into the kingdom of heaven denotes earnestness and firmness of reso!tion. $here

sho!d be strength of reso!tion, accompanying strength of desire, as it was in the psa!mist, in

the p!ace 6st now referred to: *one thing have I desired, and that wi!! I seek after.* In order to

a thorogh engagedness of the mind in this affair, both these mst meet together. Besides

desires after sa!vation, there sho!d be an earnest reso!tion in persons to prse this good as

mch as !ies in their power& to do a!! that in the se of their tmost strength they are ab!e to

do, in an attendance on every dty, and resisting and mi!itating against a!! manner of sin, and

to contine in sch a prsit.

$here are two things needf! in a person, in order to these strong reso!tions& there mst be a

sense of the great importance and necessity of the mercy soght, and there mst a!so be a

sense of opportnity to obtain it, or the encoragement there is to seek it. $he strength of

reso!tion depends on the sense which God gives to the heart of these things. 7ersons withot

sch a sense, may seem to themse!ves to take p reso!tions& they may, as it were, force a

promise to themse!ves, and say within themse!ves, *I wi!! seek as !ong as I !ive, I wi!! not give

p ti!! I obtain,* when they do bt deceive themse!ves. $heir hearts are not in it& neither do

they indeed take p any sch reso!tion as they seem to themse!ves to do. It is the reso!tion

of the moth more than of the heart& their hearts are not strong!y bent to f!fi!! what their

moth says. $he firmness of the reso!tion !ies in the f!ness of the disposition of the heart to

do what is reso!ved to be done. $hose who are pressing into the kingdom of God, have a

disposition of heart to do everything that is re9ired, and that !ies in their power to do, and to

contine in it. $hey have not on!y earnestness, bt steadiness of reso!tion: they do not seek

with a wavering nsteady heart, by trns or fits, being off and on& bt it is the constant bent of

the so!, if possib!e, to obtain the kingdom of God.

4. By pressing into the kingdom of God is signified greatness of endeavor. It is e"pressed in

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. 7ressing into the kingdom of God denotes an engagedness and earnestness, that is direct!y

abot that bsiness of getting into the kingdom of God. 7ersons may be in very great e"ercise

and distress of mind, and that abot the condition of their so!s& their thoghts and cares may

be great!y engaged and taken p abot things of a spirita! natre, and yet not be pressing into

the kingdom of God, nor towards it. $he e"ercise of their minds is not direct!y abot the work

of seeking sa!vation, in a di!igent attendance on the means that God hath appointed in order toit, bt something e!se that is beside their bsiness& it may be God3s decrees and secret

prposes, prying into them, searching for signs whereby they may determine, or at !east

con6ectre, what they are before God makes them known by their accomp!ishment. $hey

distress their minds with fears that they be not e!ected, or that they have committed the

npardonab!e sin, or that their day is past, and that God has given them p to 6dicia! and fina!

hardness, and never intends to show them mercy& and therefore, that it is in vain for them to

seek sa!vation. #r they entang!e themse!ves abot the doctrine of origina! sin, and other

mysterios doctrines of re!igion that are above their comprehension.

%any persons that seem to be in great distress abot a ftre eterna! state, get mch into a

way of perp!e"ing themse!ves with sch things as these. When it is so, !et them be never somch concerned and engaged in their minds, they cannot be said to be pressing towards the

kingdom of God: becase their e"ercise is not in their work, bt rather that which tends to

hinder them in their work. If they are vio!ent, they are on!y working vio!ent!y to entang!e

themse!ves, and !ay b!ocks in their own way& their pressre is not forwards. Instead of getting

a!ong, they do bt !ose their time, and worse than mere!y !ose it& instead of fighting with the

giants that stand in the way to keep them ot of -anaan, they spend away their time and

strength in conf!icting with shadows that appear by the wayside.

'ence we are not to 6dge of the hopef!ness of the way that persons are in, or of the

probabi!ity of their sccess in seeking sa!vation, on!y by the greatness of the concern and

distress that they are in& for many persons have need!ess distresses that they had mch better

be withot. It is ths very often with persons overrn with the distemper of me!ancho!y:

whence the adversary of so!s is wont to take great advantage. Bt then are persons in the

most !ike!y way to obtain the kingdom of heaven, when the intent of their minds, and the

engagedness of their spirits, be abot their proper work and bsiness, and a!! the bent of their

so!s is to attend on God3s means, and to do what he commands and directs them to. $he

apost!e te!!s s, I -orinthians =:>. *that he did not fight as those that beat the air.* #r time is

short enogh& we had not need to spend it in that which is nothing to the prpose. $here are

rea! diffic!ties and enemies enogh for persons to enconter, to emp!oy a!! their strength&

they had not need to waste it in fighting with phantoms.

?. By pressing into the kingdom of God is denoted a breaking throgh opposition and

diffic!ties. $here is in the e"pression a p!ain intimation of diffic!ty. If there were no

opposition, bt the way was a!! c!ear and open, there wo!d be no need of pressing to get

a!ong. $hey therefore that are pressing into the kingdom of God, go on with sch

engagedness, that they break throgh the diffic!ties that are in the way. $hey are so set for

sa!vation, that those things by which others are discoraged, and stopped, and trned back, do

not stop them, bt they press throgh them. 7ersons oght to be so reso!ved for heaven, that if

by any means they can obtain, they wi!! obtain. Whether those means be diffic!t or easy,

cross or agreeab!e, if they are re9isite means of sa!vation, they sho!d be comp!ied with.

When anything is presented to be done, the 9estion sho!d not be, Is it easy or hard8 is it

agreeab!e to my carna! inc!inations or interest, or against them8 Bt is it a re9ired means ofmy obtaining an interest in Jess -hrist, and eterna! sa!vation8 $hs the apost!e, 7hi!ippians

4://. *If by any means I might attain nto the resrrection of the dead.* 'e te!!s s there in the

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conte"t what diffic!ties he broke throgh, that he sffered the !oss of a!! things, and was

wi!!ing!y made conformab!e even to -hrist3s death, thogh that was attended with sch

e"treme torment and ignominy.

'e that is pressing into the kingdom of God, common!y finds many things in the way that are

against the grain& bt he is not stopped by the cross that !ies before him, bt takes it p, andcarries it. ppose there be something incmbent on him to do, that is cross to his natra!

temper, and irksome to him on that accont& sppose something that he cannot do withot

sffering in his estate, or that he apprehends wi!! !ook odd and strange in the eyes of others,

and e"pose him to ridic!e and reproach, or any thing that wi!! offend a neighbor, and get his

i!!)wi!!, or something that wi!! be very cross to his own carna! appetite)he wi!! press throgh

sch diffic!ties.

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. #n accont of the shortness and ncertainty of the opportnity for getting into this

kingdom. When a few days are past, a!! or opportnity for it wi!! be gone. #r day is !imited.

God has set or bonds, and we know not where. Whi!e persons are ot of this kingdom, they

are in danger every hor of being overtaken with wrath. We know not how soon we sha!! get

past that !ine, beyond which there is no work, device, know!edge, nor wisdom& and therefore

we sho!d do what we have to do with or might,

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cannot be said of them that they are pressing into the kingdom of heaven. $here are many that

in time past have soght sa!vation, bt not in this manner, and so they never obtained, bt are

now gone to he!!. ome of them soght it year after year, bt fai!ed of it, and perished at !ast.

$hey were overtaken with divine wrath, and are now sffering the fearf! misery of

damnation, and have no rest day nor night, having no more opportnity to seek, bt mst

sffer and be miserab!e throghot the never)ending ages of eternity. Be e"horted, therefore,not to seek sa!vation as they did, bt !et the kingdom of heaven sffer vio!ence from yo.

'ere I wo!d first answer an ob6ection or two, and then proceed to give some directions how

to press into the kingdom of God.

#b6ection. /. ome may be ready to say, We cannot do this of orse!ves& that strength of

desire, and firmness of reso!tion, that have been spoken of, are ot of or reach. If I endeavor

to reso!ve and to seek with engagedness of spirit, I find I fai!& my thoghts are present!y off

from the bsiness, and I fee! myse!f d!!, and my engagedness re!a"ed, in spite of a!! I can do.

2nswer. /. $hogh earnestness of mind be not immediate!y in yor power, yet theconsideration of what has been now said of the need of it, may be a means of stirring yo p

to it. It is tre, persons never wi!! be thorogh!y engaged in this bsiness, n!ess it be by

God3s inf!ence& bt God inf!ences persons by means. 7ersons are not stirred p to a

thorogh earnestness withot some considerations that move them to it. 2nd if persons can

bt be made sensib!e of the necessity of sa!vation, and a!so d!y consider the e"ceeding

diffic!y of it, and the greatness of the opposition, and how short and ncertain the time is, bt

yet are sensib!e that they have an opportnity, and that there is a possibi!ity of their obtaining,

they wi!! need no more in order to their being thorogh!y engaged and reso!ved in this matter.

If we see persons s!ack and nreso!ved, and nsteady, it is becase they do not enogh

consider these things.

. $hogh strong desires and reso!tions of mind be not in yor power, yet painf!ness of

endeavors is in yor power. It is in yor power to take pains in the se of means, yea very

great pains. Do can be very painf! and di!igent in watching yor own heart, and striving

against sin. $hogh there is a!! manner of corrption in the heart contina!!y ready to work,

yet yo can very !aborios!y watch and strive against these corrptions& and it is in yor

power, with great di!igence to attend the matter of yor dty towards God and towards yor

neighbor. It is in yor power to attend a!! ordinances, and a!! pb!ic and private dties of

re!igion, and to do it with yor might. It wo!d be a contradiction to sppose that a man

cannot do these things with a!! the might he has, thogh he cannot do them with more might

than he has. $he d!!ness and deadness of the heart, and s!othf!ness of disposition, do nothinder men being ab!e to take pains, thogh it hinders their being wi!!ing. $hat is one thing

wherein yor !aboriosness may appear, even striving against yor own d!!ness. $hat men

have a dead and s!ggish heart, does not arge that they be not ab!e to take pains& it is so far

from that, that it gives occasion for pains. It is one of the diffic!ties in the way of dty, that

persons have to strive with, and that gives occasion for strgg!ing and !abor. If there were no

diffic!ties attended seeking sa!vation, there wo!d be no occasion for striving& a man wo!d

have nothing to strive abot. $here is indeed a great dea! of diffic!ty attending a!! dties

re9ired of those that wo!d obtain heaven. It is an e"ceeding diffic!t thing for them to keep

their thoghts& it is a diffic!t thing serios!y, or to any good prpose, to consider matters of

greatest importance& it is a diffic!t thing to hear, or read, or pray attentive!y. Bt it does not

arge that a man cannot strive in these things becase they are diffic!t& nay, he co!d notstrive therein if there were not diffic!ty in them. For what is there e"cepting diffic!ties that

any can have to strive or strgg!e with in any affair or bsiness8

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di!igence of endeavor, tend to promote each other. 'e that has a heart earnest!y engaged, wi!!

take pains& and he that is di!igent and painf! in a!! dty, probab!y wi!! not be so !ong before

he finds the sensib!eness of his heart and earnestness of his spirit great!y increased.

#b6ection . ome may ob6ect, that if they are earnest, and take a great dea! of pains, they

sha!! be in danger of trsting to what they do& they are afraid of doing their dty for fear ofmaking a righteosness of it.

2nswer. $here is ordinari!y no kind of seekers that trst so mch to what they do, as s!ack and

d!! seekers. $hogh a!! seeking sa!vation, that have never been the sb6ects of a thorogh

hmi!iation, do trst in their own righteosness& yet some do it mch more f!!y than others.

ome thogh they trst in their own righteosness, yet are not 9iet in it. 2nd those who are

most distrbed in their se!f)confidence, @and therefore in the !ike!iest way to be who!!y

broght off from it,A are not sch as go on in a remiss way of seeking, bt sch as are most

earnest and thorogh!y engaged& part!y becase in sch a way conscience is kept more

sensib!e. 2 more awakened conscience wi!! not rest so 9iet!y in mora! and re!igios dties, as

one that is !ess awakened. 2 d!! seeker3s conscience wi!! be in a great measre satisfied and9ieted with his own works and performances& bt one that is thorogh!y awakened cannot be

sti!!ed or pacified with sch things as these. In this way persons gain mch more know!edge

of themse!ves, and ac9aintance with their own hearts, than in a neg!igent, s!ight way of

seeking& for they have a great dea! more e"perience of themse!ves. It is e"perience of

orse!ves, and finding what we are, that God common!y makes se of as the means of

bringing s off from a!! dependence on orse!ves. Bt men never get ac9aintance with

themse!ves so fast, as in the most earnest way of seeking. $hey that are in this way have more

to engage them to think of their sins, and strict!y to observe themse!ves, and have mch more

to do with their own hearts, than others. ch a one has mch more e"perience of his own

weakness, than another that does not pt forth and try his strength& and wi!! therefore sooner

see himse!f dead in sin. ch a one, thogh he hath a disposition contina!!y to be f!ying to

his own righteosness, yet finds rest in nothing& he wanders abot from one thing to another,

seeking something to ease his dis9ieted conscience& he is driven from one refge to another,

goes from montain to hi!!, seeking rest and finding none& and therefore wi!! the sooner prove

that there is no rest to be fond, nor trst to be pt, in any creatre whatsoever.

It is therefore 9ite a wrong notion that some entertain, that the more they do, the more they

sha!! depend on it. Whereas the reverse is tre& the more they do, or the more thorogh they

are in seeking, the !ess wi!! they be !ike!y to rest in their doings, and the sooner wi!! they see

the vanity of a!! that they do. o that persons wi!! e"ceeding!y miss it, if ever they neg!ect to

do any dty either to God or man, whether it be any dty of re!igion, 6stice, or charity, ndera notion of its e"posing them to trst in their own righteosness. It is very tre, that it is a

common thing for persons, when they earnest!y seek sa!vation, to trst in the pains that they

take: bt yet common!y those that go on in a more s!ight way, trst a great dea! more secre!y

to their d!! services, than he that is pressing into the kingdom of God does to his earnestness.

%en3s s!ackness in re!igion, and their trst in their own righteosness, strengthen and estab!ish

one another. $heir trst in what they have done, and what they now do, sett!es them in a

s!othf! rest and ease, and hinders their being sensib!e of their need of rosing p themse!ves

and pressing forward. 2nd on the other hand, their neg!igence tends so to benmb them in

sch ignorance of themse!ves, that the most miserab!e refges are stpid!y rested in as

sfficient. $herefore we see, that when persons have been going on for a !ong time in sch a

way, and God afterwards comes more thorogh!y to awaken them, and to stir them p to be ingood earnest, he shakes a!! their o!d fondations, and roses them ot of their o!d resting

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p!aces& so that they cannot 9iet themse!ves with those things that former!y kept them secre.

I wo!d now proceed to give some directions how yo sho!d press into the kingdom of God.

/. Be directed to sacrifice every thing to yor so!3s eterna! interest. 5et seeking this be so

mch yor bent, and what yo are so reso!ved in, that yo wi!! make every thing give p!ace to

it. 5et nothing stand before yor reso!tion of seeking the kingdom of God. Whatever it bethat yo sed to !ook pon as a convenience, or comfort, or ease, or thing desirab!e on any

accont, if it stands in the way of this great concern, !et it be dismissed withot hesitation& and

if it be of that natre that it is !ike!y a!ways to be a hinderance, then who!!y have done with it,

and never entertain any e"pectation from it more. If in time past yo have, for the sake of

wor!d!y gain, invo!ved yorse!f in more care and bsiness than yo find to be consistent with

yor being so thorogh in the bsiness of re!igion as yo oght to be, then get into some other

way, thogh yo sffer in yor wor!d!y interest by it. #r if yo have heretofore been

conversant with company that yo have reason to think have been and wi!! be a snare to yo,

and a hinderance to this great design in any wise, break off from their society, however it may

e"pose yo to reproach from yor o!d companions, or !et what wi!! be the effect of it.

Whatever it be that stands in the way of yor most advantageos!y seeking sa!vation)whetherit be some dear sinf! p!easre, or strong carna! appetite, or credit and honor, or the good)

wi!! of some persons whose friendship yo desire, and whose esteem and !iking yo have

high!y va!ed)and thogh there be danger, if yo do as yo oght, that yo sha!! !ooked pon

by them as odd and ridic!os, and become contemptib!e in their eyes)or if it be yor ease and

indo!ence and aversion to contina! !abor& or yor otward convenience in any respect,

whereby yo might avoid diffic!ties of one kind or other)!et a!! go& offer p a!! sch things

together, as it were, in one sacrifice, to the interest of yor so!. 5et nothing stand in

competition with this, bt make every thing to fa!! before it. If the f!esh mst be crossed, then

cross it, spare it not, crcify it, and do not be afraid of being too cre! to it. Ga!atians ?:.

*$hey that are -hrist3s have crcified the f!esh, with the affections and !sts.* 'ave no

dependence on any wor!d!y en6oyment whatsoever. 5et sa!vation be the one thing with yo.

$his is what is certain!y re9ired of yo: and this is what many stick at& this giving p other

things for sa!vation, is a stmb!ing)b!ock that few get over. Whi!e others pressed into the

kingdom of God at the preaching of John the Baptist, 'erod was pretty mch stirred p by his

preaching. It is said, he heard him, and observed him, and did many things& bt when he came

to te!! him that he mst part with his be!oved 'erodias, here he stck& this he never wo!d

yie!d to, %ark 0:/C)1. $he rich yong man was considerab!y concerned for sa!vation& and

according!y was a very strict !iver in many things: bt when -hrist came to direct him to go

and se!! a!! that he had, and give to the poor, and come and fo!!ow him, he co!d not find in

his heart to comp!y with it, bt went away sorrowf!. 'e had great possessions, and set his

heart mch on his estate, and co!d not bear to part with it. It may be, if -hrist had directedhim on!y to give away a considerab!e part of his estate, he wo!d have done it& yea, perhaps, if

he had bid him part with ha!f of it, he wo!d have comp!ied with it: bt when he directed him

to throw p a!!, he co!d not grapp!e with sch a proposa!. 'erein the straitness of the gate

very mch consists& and it is on this accont that so many seek to enter in, and are not ab!e.

$here are many that have a great mind to sa!vation, and spend great part of their time in

wishing they had it, bt they wi!! not comp!y with the necessary means.

. Be directed to forget the things that are behind: that is, not to keep thinking and making

mch of what yo have done, bt !et yor mind be who!!y intent on what yo have to do. In

some sense yo oght to !ook back& yo sho!d !ook back to yor sins. Jeremiah :4. *ee

thy way in the va!!ey, know what tho hast done.* Do sho!d !ook back on the wretchednessof yor re!igios performances, and consider how yo have fa!!en short in them& how

e"ceeding!y po!!ted a!! yor dties have been, and how 6st!y God might re6ect and !oathe

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them, and yo for them. Bt yo oght not to spend yor time in !ooking back, as many

persons do, thinking how mch they have done for their sa!vation& what great pains they have

taken, how that they have done what they can, and do not see how they can do more& how

!ong a time they have been seeking, and how mch more they have done than others, and even

than sch and sch who have obtained mercy. $hey think with themse!ves how hard!y God

dea!s with them, that he does not e"tend mercy to them, bt trns a deaf ear to their cries& andhence discorage themse!ves, and comp!ain of God. ;o not ths spend yor time in !ooking

back on what is past, bt !ook forward, and consider what is before yo& consider what it is

that yo can do, and what it is necessary that yo sho!d do, and what God ca!!s yo sti!! to

do, in order to yor own sa!vation. $he apost!e, in the third chapter to the 7hi!ippians, te!!s s

what things he did whi!e a Jew, how mch he had to boast of, if any co!d boast& bt he te!!s

s, that he forgot those things, and a!! other things that were behind, and reached forth

towards the things that were before, pressing forwards towards the mark for the prize of the

high ca!!ing of God in -hrist Jess.

4. 5abor to get yor heart thorogh!y disposed to go on and ho!d ot to the end. %any that

seem to be earnest have not a heart ths disposed. It is a common thing for persons to appeargreat!y affected for a !itt!e whi!e& bt a!! is soon past away, and there is no more to be seen of

it. 5abor therefore to obtain a thorogh wi!!ingness and preparation of spirit, to contine

seeking, in the se of yor tmost endeavors, withot !imitation& and do not think yor

who!e !ife too !ong. 2nd in order to this, be advised to two things,

@/.A +emember that if ever God bestows mercy pon yo, he wi!! se his sovereign p!easre

abot the time when. 'e wi!! bestow it on some in a !itt!e time, and on others not ti!! they

have soght it !ong. If other persons are soon en!ightened and comforted, whi!e yo remain

!ong in darkness, there is no other way bt for yo to wait. God wi!! act arbitrari!y in this

matter, and yo cannot he!p it. Do mst even be content to wait, in a way of !aborios and

earnest striving, ti!! his time comes. If yo refse, yo wi!! bt ndo yorse!f& and when yo

sha!! hereafter find yorse!f ndone, and see that yor case is past remedy, how wi!! yo

condemn yorse!f for foregoing a great probabi!ity of sa!vation, on!y becase yo had not the

patience to ho!d ot, and was not wi!!ing to be at the trob!e of a persevering !abor 2nd

what wi!! it avai! before God or yor own conscience to say, that yo co!d not bear to be

ob!iged to seek sa!vation so !ong, when God bestowed it on others that soght it bt for a very

short time8 $hogh God may have bestowed the testimonies of his favor on others in a few

days or hors after they have begn earnest!y to seek it, how does that a!ter the case as to yo,

if there proves to be a necessity of yor !aborios!y seeking many years before yo obtain

them8 Is sa!vation !ess worth taking a great dea! of pains for, becase, throgh the sovereign

p!easre of God, others have obtained it with comparative!y !itt!e pains8 If there are twopersons, the one of which has obtained converting grace with comparative ease, and another

that has obtained it after contining for many years in the greatest and most earnest !abors

after it, how !itt!e difference does it make at !ast, when once sa!vation is obtained 7t a!! the

!abor and pains, the !ong)contined diffic!ties and strgg!ings, of the one in the sca!e

against sa!vation, and how !itt!e does it sbtract& and pt the ease with which the other has

obtained in the sca!e with sa!vation, and how !itt!e does it add What is either added or

sbtracted is !ighter than vanity, and a thing worthy of no consideration, when compared with

that infinite benefit that is obtained. Indeed if yo were ten thosand years, and a!! that time

sho!d strive and press forward with as great earnestness as ever a person did for one day, a!!

this wo!d bear no proportion to the importance of the benefit& and it wi!! dobt!ess appear

!itt!e to yo, when once yo come to be in acta! possession of eterna! g!ory, and to see whatthat eterna! misery is which yo have escaped. Do mst not think mch of yor pains, and of

the !ength of time& yo mst press towards the kingdom of God, and do yor tmost, and ho!d

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ot to the end, and !earn to make no accont of it when yo have done. Do mst ndertake

the bsiness of seeking sa!vation pon these terms, and with no other e"pectations than this,

that if ever God bestows mercy it wi!! be in his own time& and not on!y so, bt a!so that when

yo have done a!!, God wi!! not ho!d himse!f ob!iged to show yo mercy at !ast.

@.A

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th ;irection. Improve the present season of the poring ot of the pirit of God on this town.

7rdence is any affair whatsoever consists very mch in minding and improving or

opportnities. If yo wo!d have spirita! prosperity, yo mst e"ercise prdence in the

concerns of yor so!s, as we!! as in otward concerns when yo seek otward prosperity. $he

prdent hsbandman wi!! observe his opportnities& he wi!! improve seed)time and harvest& he

wi!! make his advantage of the showers and shines of heaven. $he prdent merchant wi!!discern his opportnities& he wi!! not be id!e on a market)day& he is caref! not to !et s!ip his

seasons for enriching himse!f: o wi!! those who prdent!y seek the frits of righteosness,

and the merchandise of wisdom, improve their opportnities for their eterna! wea!th and

happiness.

God is p!eased at this time, in a very remarkab!e manner, to por ot his pirit amongst s&

@g!ory be to his nameA Do that have a mind to obtain converting grace, and to go to heaven

when yo die, now is yor season (ow, if yo have any sort of prdence for yor own

sa!vation, and have not a mind to go to he!!, improve this season (ow is the accepted time

(ow is the day of sa!vation Do that in time past have been ca!!ed pon, and have trned a

deaf ear to God3s voice, and !ong stood ot and resisted his commands and conse!s, hearGod3s voice today, whi!e it is ca!!ed today ;o not harden yor hearts at sch a day as this

(ow yo have a specia! and remarkab!e price pt into yor hands to get wisdom, if yo have

bt a heart to improve it.

God hath his certain days or appointed seasons of e"ercising both mercy and 6dgment. $here

are some remarkab!e times of wrath, !aid ot by God for his awf! visitation, and the

e"ections of his anger& which times are ca!!ed days of vengeance, 7roverbs >:4. Wherein

God wi!! visit sin,

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'ow sho!d it move yo to consider that yo have this opportnity now in yor hands Do

are in the acta! possession of it If it were past, it wo!d not be in yor power to recover it, or

in the power of any creatre to bring it back for yo& bt it is not past& it is now, at this day.

(ow is the accepted time, even whi!e it is ca!!ed today Wi!! yo sit sti!! at sch a time8 Wi!!

yo s!eep in sch a harvest8 Wi!! yo dea! with a s!ack hand, and stay behind ot of mere

s!oth, or !ove to some !st, or !othness to grapp!e with some sma!! diffic!ty, or to pt yorse!fa !itt!e ot of yor way, when so many are f!owing to the goodness of the 5ord8 Do are

behind sti!!& and so yo wi!! be in danger of being !eft behind, when the who!e nmber is

comp!eted that are to enter in, if yo do not earnest!y bestir yorse!f $o be !eft behind at the

c!ose of sch a season as this, wi!! be awf!)ne"t to being !eft behind on that day when God3s

saints sha!! mont p as with wings to meet the 5ord in the air)and wi!! be what wi!! appear

very threatening of it.

God is now ca!!ing yo in an e"traordinary manner: and it is agreeab!e to the wi!! and word of

-hrist, that I sho!d now, in his name, ca!! yo, as one set over yo, and sent to yo to that

end& so it is his wi!! that yo sho!d hearken to what I say, as his voice. I therefore beseech

yo in -hrist3s stead now to press into the kingdom of God Whoever yo are, whether yongor o!d, sma!! or great& if yo are a great sinner, if yo have been a backs!ider, if yo have

9enched the pirit, be who yo wi!!, do not stand making ob6ections, bt arise, app!y

yorse!f to yor work ;o what yo have to do with yor might. -hrist is ca!!ing yo before,

and ho!ding forth his grace, and ever!asting benefits, and wrath is prsing yo behind&

wherefore f!y for yor !ife, and !ook not behind yo Bt here I wo!d partic!ar!y direct

myse!f to severa! sorts of persons.

I. $o those sinners who are in a measre awakened, and are concerned for their sa!vation. Do

have reason to be g!ad that yo have sch an opportnity, and to prize it above go!d. $o

indce yo to prize and improve it, consider severa! things.

/. God has dobt!ess a design now to dea! forth saving b!essings to a nmber. God has done it

to some a!ready, and it is not probab!e that he has yet finished his work amongst s: we may

we!! hope sti!! to see others broght ot of darkness into marve!!os !ight. 2nd therefore,

. God comes this day, and knocks at many persons3 doors, and at yor door among the rest.

God seems to be come in a very nsa! manner amongst s, pon a gracios and mercif!

design& a design of saving a nmber of poor miserab!e so!s ot of a !ost and perishing

condition, and of bringing them into a happy state and eterna! g!ory $his is offered to yo,

not on!y as it has a!ways been in the word and ordinances, bt by the partic!ar inf!ences of

the pirit of -hrist awakening yo $his specia! offer is made to many amongst s& and yoare not passed over. -hrist has not forgot yo& bt has come to yor door& and there as it were

stands waiting for yo to open to him. If yo have wisdom and discretion to discern yor own

advantage, yo wi!! know that now is yor opportnity.

4. 'ow mch more easi!y converting grace is obtained at sch a time, than at other times $he

work is e9a!!y easy with God at a!! times& bt there is far !ess diffic!ty in the way as to men

at sch a time, than at other times. It is, as I said before, a day of God3s gracios visitation& a

day that he has as it were set apart for the more !ibera!!y and bontif!!y dispensing of his

grace& a day wherein God3s hand is opened wide.

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speed and swiftness, and there are often instances of sdden conversion at sch a time. o it

was in the apost!es3 days, when there was a time of the most e"traordinary poring ot of the

pirit that ever was. 'ow 9ick and sdden were conversions in those days ch instances as

that of the 6ai!er abonded then, in f!fi!!ment of that prophecy, Isaiah >>:0, C. *Before she

travai!ed, she broght forth: before her pain came she was de!ivered of a man)chi!d. Who hath

heard sch a thing8 Who hath seen sch things8 For as soon as Eion travai!ed, she broghtforth her chi!dren.* o it is in some degree, whenever there is an e"traordinary poring ot of

the pirit of God& more or !ess so, in proportion to the greatness of that effsion. $here is

se!dom sch 9ick work made of it at other times. 7ersons are not so soon de!ivered from

their varios temptations and entang!ements& bt are mch !onger wandering in a wi!derness,

and groping in darkness. 2nd yet,

. $here are probab!y some here present that are now concerned abot their sa!vation, that

wi!! never obtain. It is not to be spposed that a!! that are now moved and awakened, wi!! ever

be saving!y converted. ;obt!ess there are many now seeking that wi!! not be ab!e to enter.

When has it been so in times past, when there has been times of great otporings of God3s

pirit, bt that many who for a whi!e have in9ired with others, what they sho!d do to besaved, have fai!ed, and afterwards grown hard and secre8 2!! of yo that are now awakened,

have a mind to obtain sa!vation, and probab!y hope to get a tit!e to heaven, in the time of this

present moving of God3s pirit: bt yet, @thogh it be awf! to be spoken, and awf! to be

thoghtA we have no reason to think any other, than that some of yo wi!! brn in he!! to a!!

eternity. Do a!! are afraid of he!!, and seem at present disposed to take pains to be de!ivered

from it& and yet it wo!d be nreasonab!e to think any other, than that some of yo wi!! have

yor portion in the !ake that brns with fire and brimstone. $hogh there are so many that

seem to obtain so easi!y, having been bt a !itt!e whi!e nder convictions, yet, for a!! that,

some never wi!! obtain. ome wi!! soon !ose the sense of things they now have& thogh their

awakenings seem to be very considerab!e for the present, they wi!! not ho!d& they have not

hearts disposed to ho!d on throgh very many diffic!ties. ome that have set ot for heaven,

and hope as mch as others to obtain, are indeed bt s!ighty and s!ack, even now, in the midst

of sch a time as this. 2nd others, who for the present seem to be more in earnest, wi!!

probab!y, before !ong, dec!ine and fai!, and grada!!y retrn to be as they were before. $he

convictions of some seem to be great, whi!e that which is the occasion of their convictions is

new& which, when that begins to grow o!d, wi!! grada!!y decay and wear off. $hs, it may be,

the occasion of yor awakening has been the hearing of the conversion of some person, or

seeing so e"traordinary a dispensation of 7rovidence as this in which God now appears

amongst s& bt by and by the newness and freshness of these things wi!! be gone, and so wi!!

not affect yor mind as now they do& and it may be yor convictions wi!! go away with it.

$hogh this be a time wherein God doth more !ibera!!y bestow his grace, and so a time of

greater advantage for obtaining it& yet there seems to be, pon some acconts, greater danger

of backs!iding, than when persons are awakened at other times. For common!y sch

e"traordinary times do not !ast !ong& and then when they cease, there are m!titdes that !ose

their convictions as it were together.

We speak of it as a happy thing, that God is p!eased to case sch a time amongst s, and so it

is indeed: bt there are some to whom it wi!! be no benefit& it wi!! be an occasion of their

greater misery& they wi!! wish they had never seen this time& it wi!! be more to!erab!e for those

that never saw it, or any thing !ike it, in the day of 6dgment, than for them. It is an awf!

consideration, that there are probab!y those here, whom the great Jdge wi!! hereafter ca!! to a

strict accont abot this very thing, why they no better improved this opportnity, when he setopen the fontain of his grace, and so !od!y ca!!ed pon them, and came and strove with

them in partic!ar, by the awakening inf!ences of his pirit& and they wi!! have no good

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accont to give to the Jdge, bt their moths wi!! be stopped, and they wi!! stand speech!ess

before him.

Do had need therefore to be earnest, and very reso!ved in this affair, that yo may not be one

of those who sha!! ths fai!, that yo may so fight, as not ncertain!y, and so rn, as that yo

may win the prize.

?. -onsider in what sad circmstances times of e"traordinary effsion of God3s pirit

common!y !eave persons, when they !eave them nconverted. $hey find them in a do!ef!,

becase in a natra!, condition& bt common!y !eave them in a mch more do!ef! condition.

$hey are !eft dreadf!!y hardened, and with a great increase of gi!t, and their so!s nder a

more strong dominion and possession of atan. 2nd fre9ent!y seasons of e"traordinary

advantage for sa!vation,when they pass over persons, and they do not improve them, nor

receive any good in them, sea! their damnation. 2s sch seasons !eave them, God for ever

!eaves them, and gives them p to 6dicia! hardness. 5ke /=:/, . *2nd when he was come

near, he behe!d the city, and wept over it, saying, If tho hadst known, even tho, the things

which be!ong nto thy peace bt now they are hid from thine eyes.*

>. -onsider, that it is very ncertain whether yo wi!! ever see sch another time as this. If

there sho!d be sch another time, it is very ncertain ncertain whether yo wi!! !ive to

another time, it is very ncertain whether yo wi!! eve whether yo wi!! !ive to see it. %any

that are now concerned for their sa!vation amongst s, wi!! probab!y be in their graves, and it

may be in he!!, before that time& and if yo sho!d miss this opportnity, it may be so with

yo. 2nd what good wi!! that do yo, to have the pirit of God pored ot pon earth, in the

p!ace where yo once !ived, whi!e yo are tormented in he!!8 What wi!! it avai! yo, that

others are crying, What sha!! I do to be saved8 whi!e yo are sht p for ever in the

bottom!ess pit, and are wai!ing and gnashing yor teeth in ever!asting brnings8

Wherefore improve this opportnity, whi!e God is poring ot his pirit, and yo are on earth,

and whi!e yo dwe!! in the p!ace where the pirit of God is ths pored ot, and yo yorse!f

have the awakening inf!ences of it, that yo may never wai! and gnash yor teeth in he!!, bt

may sing in heaven for ever, with others that are redeemed from amongst men, and redeemed

amongst s.

0. If yo sho!d see another sch time, it wi!! be nder far greater disadvantages than now.

Do wi!! probab!y then be mch o!der, and wi!! have more hardened yor heart& and so wi!! be

nder !ess probabi!ity of receiving good. ome persons are so hardened in sin, and so !eft of

God, that they can !ive throgh sch a time as this, and not be mch awakened or affected by

it& they can stand their grond, and be bt !itt!e moved. 2nd so it may be with yo, by anothersch time, if there sho!d be another amongst s, and yo sho!d !ive to see it. $he case in a!!

probabi!ity wi!! be great!y a!tered with yo by that time.

If yo sho!d contine -hrist!ess and grace!ess ti!! then, yo wi!! be mch frther from the

kingdom of God, and mch deeper invo!ved in snares and misery& and the devi! wi!! probab!y

have a vast!y greater advantage against yo, to tempt and confond yo.

C. We do not know bt that God is now gathering in his e!ect, before some great and sore

6dgment. It has been God3s manner before he casts off a visib!e peop!e, or brings some great

and destroying 6dgments pon them, first to gather in his e!ect, that they may be secre. o it

was before the casting off the Jews from being God3s peop!e. $here was first a veryremarkab!e poring ot of the pirit, and gathering in of the e!ect, by the preaching of the

apost!es and evange!ists, as we read in the beginning of the 2cts: bt after this the harvest and

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its g!eanings were over, the rest were b!inded, and hardened& the gospe! had !itt!e sccess

amongst them, and the nation was given p, and cast off from being God3s peop!e, and their

city and !and was destroyed by the +omans in a terrib!e manner& and they have been cast off

by God now for a great many ages, and sti!! remain a hardened and re6ected peop!e. o we

read in the beginning of the 0th chapter of the +eve!ations, that God, when abot to bring

destroying 6dgments on the earth, first sea!ed his servants in the forehead. 'e set his sea!pon the hearts of the e!ect, gave them the saving inf!ences and indwe!!ing of his pirit, by

which they were sea!ed to the day of redemption. +eve!ation 0:/)4. *2nd after these things, I

saw for ange!s standing on the for corners of the earth, ho!ding the for winds of the earth,

that the wind sho!d not b!ow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2nd I saw another

ange! ascending from the east, having the sea! of the !iving God: and he cried with a !od

voice to the for ange!s, to whom it was given to hrt the earth and the sea, saying, 'rt not

the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, ti!! we have sea!ed the servants of or God in their

foreheads.*

2nd this may be the case now, that God is abot, in a great measre, to forsake this !and, and

give p this peop!e, and to bring most awf! and overwhe!ming 6dgments pon it, and that heis now gathering in his e!ect, to secre them from the ca!amity. $he state of the nation, and of

this !and, never !ooked so threatening of sch a thing as at this day. $he present aspect of

things e"ceeding!y threatens vita! re!igion, and even those trths that are especia!!y the

fondation of it, ot of this !and. If it sho!d be so, how awf! wi!! the case be with those that

sha!! be !eft, and not broght in, whi!e God contines the inf!ences of his pirit, to gather in

those that are to be redeemed from amongst s

=. If yo neg!ect the present opportnity, and be fina!!y nbe!ieving, those that are converted

in this time of the poring ot of God3s pirit wi!! rise p in 6dgment against yo. Dor

neighbors, yor re!ations, ac9aintance, or companions that are converted, wi!! that day

appear against yo. $hey wi!! not on!y be taken whi!e yo are !eft, monting p with 6oy to

meet the 5ord in the air)at his right hand with g!orios saints and ange!s, whi!e yo are at the

!eft with devi!s)bt how they wi!! rise p in 6dgment against yo.

'owever friend!y yo have been together, and have taken p!easre in one another3s company,

and have often fami!iar!y conversed together, they wi!! then sre!y appear against yo. $hey

wi!! rise p as witnesses, and wi!! dec!are what a precios opportnity yo had, and did not

improve& how yo contined nbe!ieving, and re6ected the offers of a avior, when those

offers were made in so e"traordinary a manner, and when so many others were prevai!ed pon

to accept of -hrist& how yo was neg!igent and s!ack, and did not know the things that

be!onged to yor peace, in that yor day. 2nd not on!y so, bt they sha!! be yor 6dges, asassessors with the great Jdge& and as sch wi!! appear against yo& they wi!! be with the

Jdge in passing sentence pon yo. I -orinthians >:. *now ye not that the saints sha!!

6dge the wor!d8* -hrist wi!! admit them to the honor of 6dging the wor!d with him: *$hey

sha!! sit with him in his throne,* +eve!ation 4:/. *$hey sha!! sit with -hrist in his throne of

government, and they sha!! sit with him in his throne of 6dgment, and sha!! be 6dges with

him when yo are 6dged, and as sch sha!! condemn yo.

/1. 2nd !ast!y, Do do not know that yo sha!! !ive throgh the present time of the poring ot

of God3s pirit. Do may be taken away in the midst of it, or yo may be taken away in the

beginning of it& as God in his providence is ptting yo in mind, by the !ate instance of death

in a yong person in the town. God has of !ate been very awf! in his dea!ings with s, in therepeated deaths of yong persons amongst s. $his sho!d stir every one p to be in the more

haste to press into the kingdom of God, that so yo may be safe whenever death comes. $his

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is a b!essed season and opportnity& bt yo do not know how !itt!e of it yo may have. Do

may have mch !ess of it than others& may by death be sdden!y snatched away from a!!

advantages that are here en6oyed for the good of so!s. $herefore make haste, and escape for

thy !ife. #ne moment3s de!ay is dangeros& for wrath is prsing, and divine vengeance

hanging over every ncovered person.

5et these considerations move every one to be improving this opportnity, that whi!e othersreceive saving good, and are made heirs of eterna! g!ory, yo may not be !eft behind, in the

same miserab!e do!ef! circmstances in which yo came into the wor!d, a poor captive to sin

and atan, a !ost sheep, a perishing, ndone creatre, sinking down into ever!asting perdition&

that yo may not be one of them spoken of, Jeremiah /0:>. *$hat sha!! be !ike the heath in the

desert, and sha!! not see when good comes.* If yo do not improve this opportnity, remember

I have to!d yo, yo wi!! hereafter !ament it& and if yo do not !ament it in this wor!d, then I

wi!! !eave it with yo to remember it throghot a miserab!e eternity.

II. I wo!d address myse!f to sch as yet remain nawakened. It is an awf! thing that there

sho!d be any one person remaining secre amongst s at sch a time as this& bt yet it is to

be feared that there are some of this sort. I wo!d here a !itt!e e"post!ate with sch persons.

Joseph -!ark3s wife, a yong woman !ate!y married, that died sdden!y the week before this

was de!ivered.

/. When do yo e"pect that it wi!! be more !ike!y that yo sho!d be awakened and wroght

pon than now8 Do are in a -hrist!ess condition& and yet withot dobt intend to go to

heaven& and therefore intend to be converted some time before yo die& bt this is not to be

e"pected ti!! yo are first awakened, and deep!y concerned abot the we!fare of yor so!, and

broght earnest!y to seek God3s converting grace. 2nd when do yo intend that this sha!! be8

'ow do yo !ay things ot in yor own mind, or what pro6ection have yo abot this matter8

Is it ever so !ike!y that a person wi!! be awakened, as at sch a time as this8 'ow do we see

many, who before were secre, now rosed ot of their s!eep, and crying, What sha!! I do to

be saved8 Bt yo are yet secre ;o yo f!atter yorse!f that it wi!! be more !ike!y yo

sho!d be awakened when it is a d!! and dead time8 ;o yo !ay matters ot ths in yor own

mind, that thogh yo are sense!ess when others are genera!!y awakened, that yet yo sha!! be

awakened when others are genera!!y sense!ess8 #r do yo hope to see another sch time of

the poring ot of God3s pirit hereafter8 2nd do yo think it wi!! be more !ike!y that yo

sho!d be wroght pon then, than now8 2nd why do yo think so8 Is it becase then yo

sha!! be so mch o!der than yo are now, and so that yor heart wi!! be grown softer and more

tender with age8 or becase yo wi!! then have stood ot so mch !onger against the ca!!s of

the gospe!, and a!! means of grace8 ;o yo think it more !ike!y that God wi!! give yo theneeded inf!ences of his pirit then, than now, becase then yo wi!! have provoked him so

mch more, and yor sin and gi!t wi!! be so mch greater8 2nd do yo think it wi!! be any

benefit to yo, to stand it ot throgh the present season of grace, as proof against the

e"traordinary means of awakening there are8 ;o yo think that this wi!! be a good preparation

for a saving work of the pirit hereafter8

. What means do yo e"pect to be awakened by8 2s to the awakening awf! things of the

word of God, yo have had those set before yo times withot nmber, in the most moving

manner that the dispensers of the word have been capab!e of. 2s to partic!ar so!emn

warnings, directed to those that are in yor circmstances, yo have had them fre9ent!y, and

have them now from time to time. ;o yo e"pect to be awakened by awf! providences8$hose a!so yo have !ate!y had, of the most awakening natre, one after another. ;o yo

e"pect to be moved by the deaths of others8 We have !ate!y had repeated instances of these.

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$here have been deaths of o!d and yong: the year has been remarkab!e for the deaths of

yong persons in the b!oom of !ife& and some of them very sdden deaths. Wi!! the conversion

of others move yo8 $here is indeed scarce any thing that is fond to have so great a tendency

to stir persons p as this: and this yo have been tried with of !ate in fre9ent instances& bt

are hitherto proof against it. Wi!! a genera! poring ot of the pirit, and seeing a conern abot

sa!vation amongst a!! sorts of peop!e, do it8 $his means yo now have, bt withot effect.Dea, yo have a!! these things together& yo have the so!emn warnings of God3s word, and

awf! instances of death, and the conversion of others, and see a genera! concern abot

sa!vation: bt a!! together do not move yo to any great concern abot yor own precios,

immorta!, and miserab!e so!. $herefore consider by what means it is that yo e"pect ever to

be awakened.

Do have heard that it is probab!e some who are now awakened, wi!! never obtain sa!vation&

how dark then does it !ook pon yo that remain stpid!y nawakened $hose who are not

moved at sch a time as this, come to ad!t age, have reason to fear whether they are not

given p to 6dicia! hardness. I do not say they have reason to conc!de it, bt they have

reason to fear it. 'ow dark doth it !ook pon yo, that God comes and knocks at so manypersons3 doors, and misses yors that God is giving the strivings of his pirit so genera!!y

amongst s, whi!e yo ar !eft sense!ess

4. ;o yo e"pect to obtain sa!vation withot ever seeking it8 If yo are sensib!e that there is a

necessity of yor seeking in order to obtaining, and ever intend to seek, one wo!d think yo

co!d not avoid it at sch a time as this. In9ire therefore, whether yo intend to go to heaven,

!iving a!! yor days a secre, neg!igent, care!ess !ife.)#r,

. ;o yo think yo can bear the damnation of he!!8 ;o yo imagine that yo can to!erab!y

endre the devoring fire, and ever!asting brnings8 ;o yo hope that yo sha!! be ab!e to

grapp!e with the vengeance of God 2!mighty, when he girds himse!f with strength, and

c!othes himse!f with wrath8 ;o yo think to strengthen yorse!f against God, and to be ab!e to

make yor part good with him8 I -orinthians /1:. *;o we provoke the 5ord to 6ea!osy8

are we stronger than he8* ;o yo f!atter yorse!f that yo sha!! find ot ways for yor ease

and spport, and to make it ot to!erab!y we!!, to bear p yor spirit in those ever!asting

brnings that are prepared for the devi! and his ange!s8

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with varios temptations, !aboring nder discoragements, ready to give p the case, and

have been often tempted to despair, now, beho!d the door that God opens for yo ;o not give

way to discoragements now& this is not a time for it. ;o not spend time in thinking, that yo

have done what yo can a!ready, and that yo are not e!ected, and in giving way to other

perp!e"ing, weakening, disheartening temptations. ;o not waste away this precios

opportnity in sch a manner. Do have no time to spare for sch things as these& God ca!!syo now to something e!se. Improve this time in seeking and striving for sa!vation, and not in

that which tends to hinder it.)It is no time now for yo to stand ta!king with the devi!& bt

hearken to God, and app!y yorse!f to that which he does now so !od!y ca!! yo to.

ome of yo have often !amented the !oss of past opportnties, partic!ar!y, the !oss of the

time of yoth, and have been wishing that yo had so good an opportnity again& and have

been ready to say, *# if I was yong again, how wo!d I improve sch an advantage* $hat

opportnity which yo have had in time past is irrecoverab!e& yo can never have it again& bt

God can give yo other advantages of another sort, that are very great, and he is so doing at

this day. 'e is now ptting a new opportnity into yor hands& thogh not of the same kind

with that which yo once had, and have !ost, yet in some respects as great of another kind. If

yo !ament yor fo!!y in neg!ecting and !osing past opportnties, then do not be gi!ty of thefo!!y of neg!ecting the opportnity which God now gives yo. $his opportnity yo co!d not

have prchased, if yo wo!d have given a!! that yo had in the wor!d for it. Bt God is

ptting it into yor hands himse!f, of his own free and sovereign mercy, withot yor

prchasing it. $herefore when yo have it, do not neg!ect it.

. It is a great dea! more !ike!y with respect to sch persons than others, that this is their !ast

time. $here wi!! be a !ast time of specia! offer of sa!vation to impenitent sinners)*God3s pirit

sha!! not a!ways strive with man,* Genesis >:4. God sometimes contines !ong knocking at the

doors of wicked men3s hearts& bt there are the !ast knocks, and the !ast ca!!s that ever they

sha!! have. 2nd sometimes God3s !ast ca!!s are the !odest& and then if sinners do not hearken,

he fina!!y !eaves them. 'ow !ong has God been knocking at many of yor doors that are o!d in

sin It is a great dea! more !ike!y that these are his !ast knocks. Do have resisted God3s pirit

in times past, and have hardened yor heart once and again& bt God wi!! not be ths dea!t

with a!ways. $here is danger, that if now, after so !ong a time, yo wi!! not hearken, he wi!!

tter!y desert yo, and !eave yo to wa!k in yor own conse!s.

It seems by God3s providence, as thogh God had yet an e!ect nmber amongst o!d sinners in

this p!ace, that perhaps he is now abot to bring in. It !ooks as thogh there were some that

!ong !ived nder %r. toddard3s ministry, that God has not tter!y cast off, thogh they stood it

ot nder sch great means as they then en6oyed. It is to be hoped that God wi!! now bring in

a remnant from among them. Bt it is more !ike!y that God is now abot finishing with them,one way or other, for their having been so !ong the sb6ects of sch e"traordinary means. Do

have seen former times of the poring ot of God3s pirit pon the town, when others were

taken and yo !eft, others were ca!!ed ot of darkness into marve!os !ight, and were broght

into a g!orios and happy state, and yo saw not good when good came. 'ow dark wi!! yor

circmstances appear, if yo sha!! a!so stand it ot throgh this opportnity, and sti!! be !eft

behind $ake heed that yo be not of those spoken of, 'ebrews >:0, C. that are !ike the *earth

that has rain coming oft pon it, and on!y bears briers and thorns.* 2s we see there are some

pieces of grond, the more showers of rain fa!! pon them, the more fritf! seasons there are,

the more do the briers, and other se!ess and hrtf! p!ants, that are rooted in them, grow and

f!orish. #f sch grond the apost!e says, *It is re6ected, and is nigh nto crsing, whose end

is to be brned.* $he way that the hsbandman takes with sch grond, is, to set fire to it, tobrn p the growth of it.)If yo miss this opportnity, there is danger that yo wi!! be tter!y

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re6ected, and that yor end wi!! be to be brned. 2nd if this is to be, it is to be feared, that yo

are not far from, bt nigh nto, crsing.

$hose of yo that are a!ready grown o!d in sin, and are now nder awakenings, when yo fee!

yor convictions begin to go off, if ever that sho!d be, then remember what yo have now

been to!d& it may we!! then strike yo to the heart

IH. I wo!d direct the advice to those that are yong, and now nder their first specia!

convictions. I wo!d earnest!y rge sch to improve this opportnity, and press into the

kingdom of God.)-onsider two things,

/. Do have a!! manner of advantages now centering pon yo. It is a time of great advantage

for a!!& bt yor advantages are above others. $here is no other sort of persons that have now

so great and happy an opportnity as yo have.)Do have the great advantage that is common

to a!! who !ive in this p!ace, viz. $hat now it is a time of the e"traordinary poring ot of the

pirit of God. 2nd have yo not that great advantage, the awakening inf!ences of the pirit

of God on yo in partic!ar8 and besides, yo have this pec!iar advantage, that yo are nowin yor yoth. 2nd added to this, yo have another nspeakab!e advantage, that yo now are

nder yor first convictions. 'appy is he that never has hardened his heart, and b!ocked p his

own way to heaven by backs!iding, and has now the awakening inf!ences of God3s pirit, if

God does bt enab!e him thorogh!y to improve them ch above a!! in the wor!d bid fair for

the kingdom of God. God is wont on sch, above any kind of persons, as it were easi!y and

readi!y to bestow the saving grace and comforts of his pirit. Instances of speedy and sdden

conversion are most common!y fond among sch. 'appy are they that have the pirit of God

with them, and never have 9enched it, if they did bt know the price they have in their

hands

If yo have a sense of yor necessity of sa!vation, and the great worth and va!e of it, yo wi!!

be wi!!ing to take the srest way to it, or that which has the greatest probabi!ity of sccess&

and that certain!y is, thorogh!y to improve yor first convictions. If yo so go, it is not !ike!y

that yo wi!! fai!& there is the greatest probabi!ity that yo wi!! scceed.)What is it not worth,

to have sch an advantage in one3s hands for obtaining eterna! !ife8 $he present season of the

poring ot of God3s pirit, is the first that many of yo who are now nder awakenings have

ever seen, since yo came to years of nderstanding. #n which accont, it is the greatest

opportnity that ever yo had, and probab!y by far the greatest that ever yo wi!! have. $here

are many here present who wish they had sch an opportnity, bt they never can obtain it&

they cannot by it for money& bt yo have it in yor possession, and can improve it if yo

wi!!. Bt yet,

. $here is on some acconts greater danger that sch as are in yor circmstances wi!! fai! of

thorogh!y improving their convictions, with respect to stedfastness and perseverance, than

others. $hose that are yong are more nstab!e than e!der persons. $hey who never had

convictions before, have !ess e"perience of the diffic!ty of the work they have engaged in&

they are more ready to think that they sha!! obtain sa!vation easi!y, and are more easi!y

discoraged by disappointments& and yong persons have !ess reason and consideration to

fortify them against temptations to backs!iding. Do sho!d therefore !abor now the more to

gard against sch temptations. By a!! means make bt one work of seeking sa!vation %ake

thorogh work of it the first time $here are vast disadvantages that they bring themse!ves

nder, who have severa! trns of seeking with great intermissions. By sch a corse, personse"ceeding!y wond their own so!s, and entang!e themse!ves in many snares. Who are those

that common!y meet with so many diffic!ties, and are so !ong !aboring in darkness and

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perp!e"ity, bt those who have had severa! trns at seeking sa!vation& who have one whi!e had

convictions, and then have 9enched them, and then have set abot the work again, and have

backs!idden again, and have gone on after that manner8 $he chi!dren of Israe! wo!d not have

been forty years in the wi!derness, if they had he!d their corage, and had gone on as they set

ot& bt they were of an nstab!e mind, and were for going back again into