A late learned Rabbi of our church, told the people, in a sermon, which I myself heard, that if people went to church of a Sunday, and said the prayers while there, that it was no harm, neither would GOD count it a sin, to take their recreation, after the service of the church was over: But I say, my brethren, and the command of GOD says so too, that the whole sabbath must be kept holy; and that as GOD has allowed you six days for yourselves, to do the duties in those several stations wherein Providence has placed you, he expects you should give him one day to himself; and will you waste that sabbath which should be spent in gathering provisions for your souls? GOD forbid!
You had ten thousand times better be ignorant of all the polite diversions of the age, than to be ignorant of the spirit of CHRIST’s being within you, and that it must be, before you are _new creatures_, and are in CHRIST; and if you have not an interest in CHRIST, you are lost, your damnation is hastening on. “He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned.”
If you stand out against CHRIST, you are fighting against yourselves. O come unto him, do not stay to bring good works with you, for they will be of no service; all your works will never carry you to heaven, they will never pardon one sin, nor give you the least comfort in a dying hour; if you have nothing more than your own works to recommend you to GOD, they will not prevent your sinking into that eternal abyss, where there is no bottom.
But come unto CHRIST, and he will give you that righteousness which will stand you in good account at the great day of the LORD, when he shall come to take notice of them that love him, and of those who have the wedding garment on.
Let all your actions spring from the love of JESUS; let him be the Alpha and Omega of all your actions; then, my brethren, our indifferent ones are acceptable sacrifices; but if this principle be wanting, our most pompous services avail nothing; we are only spiritual idolaters: we sacrifice to our own net, and make an idol of ourselves, by making ourselves, and not CHRIST, the spring of our actions; and therefore, my brethren, such actions are so far from being accepted by GOD, that according to the language of one of the articles of our church, “We doubt not but that they have the nature of sin, because they spring not from an experimental faith in, and knowledge of JESUS CHRIST.”
Were we not fallen creatures, we might then act upon other principles; but since we are fallen in _Adam_, and are restored again only by the death of JESUS CHRIST, the face of things is intirely changed, and all we think, speak, or do, is only accepted in and through him,
Therefore, my brethren, I beseech you, in the bowels of love and compassion, that you would come unto JESUS: Do not go away scoffing, offended, or blaspheming. Indeed, all I say is in love to your souls; and if I could be but an instrument of bringing you to JESUS CHRIST, if you were to be never so much exalted, I should not envy, but rejoice in your happiness: If I was to make up the last of the train of the companions of the blessed JESUS, it would rejoice me to see you above me in glory. I do not speak out of a false humility, a pretended sanctity; no, GOD is my judge, I speak the truth in CHRIST, I lie not, I would willingly go to prison, or to death for you, so I could but bring one soul from the devil’s strong holds, into the salvation which is by CHRIST JESUS.
Come then unto CHRIST every one that hears me this night; I offer JESUS CHRIST, pardon, and salvation to all you, who will accept thereof. Come, O ye drunkards, lay aside your cups, drink no more to excess; come and drink of the water which CHRIST will give you, and then you will thirst no more: come, O ye thieves; let him that has stolen, steal no more, but fly unto CHRIST and he will receive you. Come unto him, O ye harlots; lay aside your lusts and turn unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon you, he will cleanse you of all your sins, and wash you in his blood. Come, all ye liars; come, all ye Pharisees; come, all ye fornicators, adulterers, swearers, and blasphemers, come to CHRIST, and he will take away all your filth, he will cleanse you from your pollution, and your sins shall be done away. Come, come, my guilty brethren; I beseech you for CHRIST’s sake, and for your immortal soul’s sake, to come unto CHRIST: Do not let me knock at the door of your hearts in vain, but open and let the King of Glory in, and he will dwell with you, he will come and sup with you this night; this hour, this moment he is ready to receive you, therefore come unto him.
Do not consult with flesh and blood, let not the world hinder you from coming to the LORD of life: What are a few transitory pleasures of this life worth? They are not worth your having, but JESUS CHRIST is a pearl of great price, he is worth the laying out all you have, to buy.