The use that I shall make of what has been said is to move sinners to this
resolution, with respect to those amongst us that have lately turned to
God, and joined themselves to the flock of Christ. Through the abundant
mercy and grace of God to us in this place, it may be said of many of you
that are in a Christless condition, that you have lately been left by
those that were formerly with you in such a state. There are those that
you have formerly been conversant with that have lately forsaken a life of
sin and the service of Satan, and have turned to God, and fled to Christ,
and joined themselves to that blessed company that are with him. They
formerly were with you in sin and in misery; but now they are with you no
more in that state or manner of life. They are changed, and have fled from
the wrath to come; they have chosen a life of holiness here and the
enjoyment of God hereafter. They were formerly your associates in bondage,
and were with you in Satan's business; but now you have their company no
longer in these things. Many of you have seen those you live with, under
the same roof, turning from being any longer with you in sin, to be with
the people of Jesus Christ. Some of you that are husbands have had your
wives; and some of you that are wives have had your husbands; some of you
that are children have had your parents; and parents have had your
children; many of you have had your brothers and sisters; and many your
near neighbors and acquaintance and special friends; many of you that are
young have had your companions: I say, many of you have had those that you
have been thus concerned with, leaving you, forsaking that doleful life
and wretched state that you still continue in. God, of his good pleasure
and wonderful grace, hath lately caused it to be so in this place that
multitudes have been forsaking their old abodes in the land of Moab, and
under the gods of Moab, and going into the land of Israel, to put their
trust under the wings of the Lord God of Israel. Though you and they have
been nearly related, and have dwelt together, or have been often together
and intimately acquainted one with another, they have been taken and you
hitherto left. O let it not be the foundation of a final parting! But
earnestly follow them; be firm in your resolution in this matter. Don't do
as Orpah did, who, though at first she made as though she would follow
Naomi, yet when she had the difficulty of it set before her went back: but
say as Ruth, "I will not leave thee; but where thou goest, I will go: thy
people shall be my people, and thy God my God." Say as she said, and do as
she did. Consider the excellency of their God and their Saviour, and the
happiness of their people, the blessed state that they are in, and the
doleful state that you are in.
You who are old sinners, who have lived long in the service of Satan, have
lately seen some that were with you, that have travelled with you in the
paths of sin these many years, that with you enjoyed great means and
advantages, that have had calls and warnings with you, and have with you
passed through remarkable times of the pouring out of God's Spirit in this
place, and have hardened their hearts and stood it out with you, and with
you have grown old in sin; I say, you have seen some of them turning to
God, i.e., you have seen those evidences of it in them, whence you may
rationally judge that it is so. O let it not be a final parting! You have
been thus long together in sin, and under condemnation; let it be your
firm resolution, that, if possible, you will be with them still, now they
are in a holy and happy state, and that you will follow them into the holy
and pleasant land.
You that tell of your having been seeking salvation for many years,
though, without doubt, in a poor dull way, in comparison of what you ought
to have done, have seen some that have been with you in that respect, that
were old sinners and old seekers, as you are, obtaining mercy. God has
lately roused them from their dulness, and caused them to alter their
hand, and put them on more thorough endeavors; and they have now, after so
long a time, heard God's voice, and have fled for refuge to the Rock of
Ages. Let this awaken earnestness and resolution in you. Resolve that you
will not leave them.
You that are in your youth, how many have you seen of your age and
standing that have of late hopefully chosen God for their God and Christ
for their Saviour! You have followed them in sin, and have perhaps
followed them into vain company; and will you not now follow them to
Christ?
And you that are children, there have lately been some of your sort that
have repented of their sins, and have loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and
trusted in him, and are become God's children, as we have reason to hope:
let it stir you up to resolve to your utmost to seek and cry to God, that
you may have the like change made in your hearts, that their people may be
your people, and their God your God.
You that are great sinners, that have made yourselves distinguishingly
guilty by the wicked practices you have lived in, there are some of your
sort that have lately (as we have reason to hope) had their hearts broken
for sin, and have forsaken it, and trusted in the blood of Christ for the
pardon of it, and have chosen a holy life, and have betaken themselves to
the ways of wisdom: let it excite and encourage you resolutely to cleave
to them and earnestly to follow them.