hurt. For no man solved of the end.

can resolve of the means till he is reYou must resolve whither to go, before you can resolve which way to go. Before conversion men's end is wrong. Their intention and business is to please the flesh, and all their thoughts, and words, and actions, that have such an end, are wicked and pernicious. Till you are resolved by conversion to be for God, you have never a right end (in a prevailing sense), and, therefore, you cannot order one thought, nor word, nor deed aright. I tell you, every thought you think, and every word you speak, and every deed you do while you are unconverted, are so many steps towards hell, except only those that tend towards conversion, and some way further it. Resolve, therefore, of this, or you can resolve of nothing.

15. Moreover, if you would presently and firmly resolve, you would ease your friends and the ministers of Christ of much of their sorrows, and fears, and cares for you; and of much of the most troublesome part of their work. As long as you are unconverted, they can look on you but as the heirs of hell, that will be quickly in those torments, if conversion prevent it not; and, therefore, their hearts are full of sorrow for you, when you sorrow not for yourselves; and their care is, how they might prevent your damnation, which they know, without conversion, can never be done. Many a groan doth your misery cost them, and many a thought have they of your danger, which you are not aware of. O what a grief is it to believing ministers, to see so many of their people in the power of satan, and the highway to hell, after all their care and labour for their recovery. We cannot say that the unconverted shall certainly perish, because we have yet hopes that they may be converted, though they be not. But we know that if they die in the case that they are in, there is no hope of them at all, and we know they are uncertain to live an hour. And, therefore, as long as they are in this condition, how can we choose but be filled with fear, and grief, and care for them? All the troubles that befal a faithful minister in his worldly affairs, by crosses and persecutions, are nothing to the trouble that your sin and misery bringeth to their minds. O what a comfortable life were it for a minister to live with bread and water among a people that would obey the Gospel, and give us hopes that we should live with them in heaven! O how cheerfully may

we study for them, and preach to them, when we see that it is not lost upon them! How willingly should we prepare them the bread of life, when we see they feed and live upon it! How joyfully may we pray and praise God with them, when we think how much they must join with us in the celestial praises. O, sirs, I beseech you, grudge not your ministers this comfort. Do not destroy yourselves to grieve and trouble them. O put them once out of their fears and grief for you, by your resolving and speedy return to God. That they that have many a time thought in their hearts, I am afraid this poor sinner will never be recovered; I am afraid he will be a firebrand in hell,' may now rejoice with you when they see you coming home, and may meet you as the Father himself doth meet his prodigal children, and weep over you for joy, as they were wont to do in sorrow. You would ease our hearts of abundance of sad thoughts, if we could but perceive you once resolved, and see you come home. Now you think our preaching harsh to you, because we tell you so much of sin and damnation; and you think our discipline more harsh, when we refuse to have communion with you. But if you would once resolve and turn, how gladly should we open our doors and our hearts to you; and how gladly should we turn the stream of our preaching, and tell you of nothing but Christ, and heaven, and peace, and comfort, further than your own necessities should require it. What say you, sirs, to this reasonable request? Will you resolve without any more ado, and ease us of our grief and fears, and give us but leave to preach more comfortable doctrine to you?

16. Moreover consider, that you have much work to do when you are resolved and converted, and a great way to go when you have begun your journey towards heaven. And till you are resolved, none can be done. You can go no farther, till conversion have set you in the right way. Till then, the farther you go, the farther you are out of the way. Will you be unresolved till the night come on? Shall all the rest of your work be undone? Will you begin your race when you should be at the end? Alas! you should be able to say as Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness;" 2 Tim. iv. 8. when as you cannot yet say, 'I have begun my course; I am set in the right way.'

17. Consider also, that resolution maketh work easy and successful. The resolute army is seldom conquered. A resolute traveller will go through with his journey, and it is easier to himself: his spirits are excited; and doing it with vivacity, he findeth less trouble in it. A slow and lazy pace doth sometimes soonest weary us. A slow motion is most easily stopt, when a swift one bears down that which would resist it. A man that resolvedly sets himself to the work of God, and is past any further deliberating of the matter, and is at a point with all the world, will make a pleasure of that which will stop and stall an unresolved professor. Resolve therefore, for your own success and ease.

I tell you, by resolving it is that you must conquer, and by conquering, you must obtain the crown. The unresolved are wavering at every assault, like cowardly soldiers, even ready to run before they fight. They will not be at the cost or labour; they are soon weary; they cannot say nay to an old companion, or a tempting bait. But the resolved breaks through all, and treads that under his feet as dirt, which another sells his soul for. If he meet with reproaches and scorns from men, he remembereth that Christ foretold him this, and suffered much more of the like before him. If his friends turn enemies for the Gospel's sake, he saith, 'I was told of this before, even that I must be hated of all men for Christ.' If he be enticed by lewd and wanton company, he saith as David, "Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God;" Psal. cxix. 115. If he be tempted with rewards and honours in the world, he will not stand wavering and longing after it, as Balaam; but he will say the same Balaam was forced to do: will give me a house full of gold and silver, I cannot yond the word of the Lord." And 'let their money perish with them, that think all the gold in the world worth the peace of a good conscience, and the favour of God.' If he be threatened by men to move him to forsake his duty, he saith, "Whether it be better to obey God or man, judge ye." If he hear seducers, he is rooted in the Spirit, and the infallible word, and is not shaken by every wind. If he see never so many fall off by backsliding, he saith, 'It was not only for their company that I chose the holy way: God is still the same, and heaven and earth is the same; and Scripture is the same; and, therefore, I am resolved to be the

"If you

go

be

same.' If God afflict him by poverty, sickness, or other trials, he saith, I did not become a Christian to escape affliction, but to "escape damnation. If he kill me, yet will I trust in him. Shall I receive good at the hands of God, and not evil? Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked must I return to dust. The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away; blessed be his name." If oppressing enemies insult over him, he can say, as Mich. vii. 8, 9. "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness." If the wicked cast in his teeth his profession, and the name of his God," He rejoiceth that he is counted worthy to suffer for that name;" and yet "he will hope to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." And if he must go to heaven through poverty and a mean estate," he hath learned to want, as well as to abound; and in what estate soever he be, therewith to be contented." And so in the work of conversion itself, for want of resolution, many stick long in the birth, and they are hanging so long between heaven and hell, that it is a wonder of mercy that God doth not cut them off, and let them perish. But the well-resolved soul doth deal more faithfully with the light that is revealed to him, and doth not stand struggling so long against it, nor hold Christ and his Spirit so long in hand; but is glad to make sure work in so great a business, and take so good a match while it is offered. And being engaged once, he is firm as Mount Sion, that cannot be moved. Resolve, therefore, that your work may be the more easy and successful, and conquer by resolving.

18. I suppose you dare not resolve against conversion, and a heavenly life; and why then will you not resolve for it? What purpose you to do for the time to come? Is it your resolution to live and die as you are? Have you not purposes in your mind to repent hereafter? Dare you say, 'I am resolved never to be converted?' Some may desperate; but I think it is but few, even of the ungodly. Why, this shews that there is a secret conviction in your consciences. O do not stifle it. Neutrality never saved a

be so

soul. Seeing you dare not resolve against it, resolve for it.

19. Consider, I beseech you, how much it doth concern yourselves, to have this question well and speedily resolved. God asked you, Whether you will be converted and sanctified or not? Resclve this question, and you resolve yourselves of a great many more that depend upon it.

The answer to this must be the answer to the rest. If the question were, Whether you will be pardoned or no? Whether you will live in heaven or hell for ever? Whether you will dwell with God and angels, or with devils? You would not be long in answering this. You would resolve without an hour's delay. Why, this is the question, sirs! but the answer to it must be the answer to the first question. For without sanctification, there is no salvation. If you will not be converted, you shall be condemned, whether you will or no; for God hath resolved of this already, and there is no resisting the resolution of God. The true state of the question is, Whether you will turn or burn? Choose you whether, for it must be one. O, therefore, if you will but resolve Christ and us this one question, that you will be converted, Christ will resolve you the principal questions that concern you in the world: even whether you shall be pardoned or saved; and where, and with whom you must live for ever,

20. Lastly, consider, that if you stay till you receive the sentence of death, it is two to one but that will force you to resolve. But a forced resolution will not serve turn. And then it will be very hard for you to discern whether it be any better than merely from your fears. You put off all till sickness come, and you see once that you must die, there is no remedy; and then you will cry, 'O if the Lord would but recover me, and try me once again with life, I would delay no longer, but I would become a new man, and live a holy, heavenly life; I am resolved of it by the grace of God.' Yea, but who knows whether these last resolutions be sincere. We hear abundance speak this in their sickness, that never turn when they come to health, but forget all, and live in a manner as they did before. Is it not most likely to be only the fear of death that makes you take up these resolutions? If it be so, they will never save you if you die, nor hold you to your promise if you live. For it is not bare