Invitation to Salvation

Let me speak a word to the many who yet have their choice to make, who have other lords and other gods to rule over them. Let them consider what a fearful state it is not to be able to say; 'God is my God and my Father.' They can say they be God's creatures; but what a fearful condition is it not to be able to say, God is my Father. Will not these know that to the one whom he is not a God to in favour, he will be a God to in vengeance? He must be a friend or enemy. There is no third position. If you do not belong to God, you belong to the devil. Yet God is daily pulling men out of the kingdom of the devil, by opening their eyes to see their miserable condition. If you cannot say, God is your God, then the devil is your god; and what a fearful condition is it to be under the god of this world! And perhaps you may die so. If God be not our God, he is our enemy; and then creatures, angels, devils are against us, conscience is against us, and the word is against us. If he be for us, who is against us? If he be against us, who is for us? A terrible condition, and therefore get out of it, I beseech you.
You may say, 'How can I? Is there mercy for such a wretch?' Yea, he offers himself to be your God if you will come in. What is the purpose of our ministry and the word of grace, but to preach life to all repentant sinners? He entreats you to come in. You be rebels, not only against him, but enemies to your own souls if you do not. He thought of you when you could not think of yourselves. How many encouragements have you to come in! Take God's gracious offer. He gives you time. Make your peace. It is nothing but wilful rebellion to stand out against God.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Heavenly Conference, pp. 163-66
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