But perhaps you had rather be filled with wine than with the Spirit, and are daily chasing that Holy Ghost from your souls. What shall I say for you to GOD? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” What shall I say from GOD to you? Why? That “GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the world unto himself:” Therefore I beseech you, as in CHRIST’s stead, be ye reconciled to GOD. Do not go away contradicting and blaspheming. I know _Satan_ would have you be gone. Many of you may be uneasy, and are ready to cry out, “What a weariness is this!” But I will not let you go: I have wrestled with GOD for my hearers in private, and I must wrestle with you here in public. Though of myself I can do nothing, and you can no more by your own power come to and believe on CHRIST, than _Lazarus_ could come forth from the grave; yet who knows but GOD may beget some of you again to a lively hope by this foolishness of preaching, and that you may be some of that world, which the Comforter is to convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment? Poor Christless souls! do you know what a condition you are in? Why, you are lying in the wicked one, the devil; he rules in you, he walks and dwells in you, unless you dwell in CHRIST, and the Comforter is come into your hearts. And will you contentedly lie in that wicked one the devil? What wages will he give you? Eternal death. O that you would come to CHRIST! The free gift of GOD through him is eternal life. He will accept of you even now, if you will believe in him. The Comforter may yet come into your hearts, even yours. All that are now his living temples, were once lying in the wicked one, as well as you. This blessed gift, this Holy Ghost, the blessed JESUS received even for the rebellious.
I see many of you affected: but are your passions only a little wrought upon, or are your souls really touched with a lively sense of the heinousness of your sins, your want of faith, and the preciousness of the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST? If so, I hope the LORD has been gracious, and that the Comforter is coming into your hearts. Do not stifle these convictions! Do not go away, and straightway forget what manner of doctrine you have heard, and thereby shew that these are only common workings of a few transient convictions, floating upon the surface of your hearts. Beg of GOD that you may be sincere (for he alone can make you so) and that you may indeed desire the promise of the text to be fulfilled in your souls. Who knows but the LORD may be gracious? Remember you have no plea but sovereign mercy; but, for your encouragement also, remember it is the world, such as you are, to whom the Comforter is to come, and whom he is to convince: wait therefore at wisdom’s gates. The bare probability of having a door of mercy opened, is enough to keep you striving. CHRIST JESUS came into the world to save sinners, the chief of them: you know not but he came to save you. Do not go and quarrel with GOD’s decrees, and say, if I am a reprobate, I shall be damned; if I am elected, I shall be saved; and therefore I will do nothing. What have you to do with GOD’s decrees? Secret things belong ♦to him; it is your business to “give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.” If there are but few who find the way that leads to life, do you strive to be some of them: you know not but you may be in the number of those few, and that your striving may be the means which GOD intends to bless, to give you an entrance in. If you do not act thus, you are not sincere; and, if you do, who knows but you may find mercy? For though, after you have done all that you can, GOD may justly cut you off, yet never was a single person damned who did all that he could. Though therefore your hands are withered, stretch them out; though you are impotent, sick, and lame, come, lie at the pool. Who knows but by and by the LORD JESUS may have compassion on you, and send the Comforter to convince you of sin, righteousness, and of judgment? He is a GOD full of compassion and long-suffering, otherwise you and I had been long since lifting up our eyes in torments. But still he is patient with us!
♦ duplicate word “to” removed