Excerpt from sermon Awakening
Truths Tending to Conversion
(1710)
Increase
Mather
Sinners should consider of Death, that the thing is certain, and the
Time uncertain, and that they run an infinite hazard if they neglect making
sure of an Interest in Christ one day longer. O that they were wise, that they
would consider the latter end! And they should consider of the eternity which
follows immediately upon death. If they
would do that, surely it would affect their Souls. A late Writer speaks of a
pious man, that One in Company with him observing a more than ordinary
fixedness and concern in his Countenance, asked him, What his thoughts were
upon, he then thereupon uttered that Word For-ever,
and so continued saying nothing but repeating that Word, For-ever! For-ever! For-ever! A quarter of an hour together. His
Thoughts and Soul was swallowed up with the consideration of eternity. And
truly if an Unconverted Sinner would be perswaded to go alone and think
seriously of Eternity, if it were but for one quarter of an hour, it may be it
would have an Everlasting Impression on his heart. This Sinners can do if they
will: And if they will not do as much as this comes to, toward their own
Conversion and Salvation, how inexcusable will they be? Their blood will be
upon their own heads. Let them no more say, God must do all, we can do
nothing, and so encourage themselves to Live in a careless neglect of God,
and of their own Souls, and Salvation. Most certainly, altho’ we cannot say,
That if men improve their Natural abilities as they ought to do, that Grace
will infallibly follow, yet there will not one Sinner in all the Reprobate
World, stand forth at the day of judgment, and say, Lord, Thou knowest I did all that possibly I could do, for the
obtaining Grace, and for all that, Thou didst withhold it from me.
