which he is more known to fome, and the Name of the moft Reverend and Learned Father of our Church, Doctor James Ufher, late Arch Bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland, by which he is more known to others,not onely in these our Kingdomes, but in forreign parts; his great and good Name 1 fay,every where as oyntment poured forth, prefixed before this book (though with fome allay) is enough to raise high Expectation of whatsoever cometh after these words: and is argument enough to invite the Reader to look within and read them over: and then he will find the leaft filing of this Master workmans Gold very precious. Good Wine (they say) needs no bush, and if this Wine was fo sweet at first running, I prefume whosoever tafts it now, though he have it but at the fecond or third hand, will find it hath not altogether loft its ftrength, nor will be repent his labour in reading what was taken after him, if he be one that defires to profit bis foul more then to please his Palat. That out of the afpes of this Phoenix, the Lord would raife fuch fucceffors as may by Pen, Life, and Doctrine, do as this burning and thining Light hath done be fore them, is the prayer, but fcarce the belief of him that prayeth for the peace and profperity of Jerufalem, and therein hopeth to have his share in the Concurrent prayers of every Godly Reader,

Dorchefter, October the third, 1659.

Stanley Gower.

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Speedy Converfion the onely means to prevent imminent Deftruction.

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Heb. 4.7. Again he limiteth a certain day, Saying in David, to day after fo long a time, as it is faid, to day if you will hear his voice, barden not your hearts.

Have enter'd on these words in the other University on a day of Pub lique Humiliation, as being fuitable to the occafion, the chief matter of them being the Doctrine of the Converfion of a finner.

Forafmuch as Gods judgments are abroad upon the earth, and hang over our heads, the only means to prevent and remove both temporal and eternal, is our speedy converfion and return unto God. Elfe he will whet his sword, bend his bow, and make it ready to our deftruction, Pfal. 7.12. God did bear a deadly hatred against fin in the time of the Pfalmift, and fo he doth still, for his nature cannot be changed. If we return not, we are but dead men. The eternal weight of Gods wrath will be our portion, both here and in the world to come, if we repent not.

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In the words there are three obfervable Points.

1. Continuance in fin brings certain death. Or, For fin Gods judgments are on particular Nations and perfons.

2. If particular Nations or perfons turn away from their evil courfes, no hurt fhall come near them.

God takes no delight in the death of a finner, nor that he fhould defpair of his mercy: but would have us turn out of the broad way which leads to deftruction.

3. It behooves every one speedily to fet about the work of converfion.

Nor esteem this a vain word. I bring you thofe things whereon your life depends. Obeying it you are made for ever, neglecting it you are undone for ever. Unless you embrace this meffage, God will bend his bow, and make ready his arrows against you. Know therefore 1. That continuance in fin brings certain death. There will be no way of efcaping but by repentance, by coming in fpeedily unto God.

The words of this Text are taken from Pfal. 95. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness. If when God calls us either to the doing of this, or leaving that undone, yet we are not moved, but continue in our evil wayes. What's the reafon of it? It's becaufe we harden our hearts against him. The Word of God, which is the power of God to Jalvation, and a two-edged sword to fever between

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the joynts and the marrow. The strength of the Almighty encounters with our hard hearts, and yet they remain like the ftony and rocky ground: whereon though the Word be plentifully fown, yet it faftens no root there, and though for a fea fon it fpring, yet fuddenly it fades and comes to nothing. We may have a little motion by the Word, yet there's a rock in our fouls, a ftone in our hearts, and though we may fometimes feem to receive it with fome affection, and be made as it were Sermon-fick, yet it holds but a while, it betters us not: why? becaufe it's not received as an ingrafted word. Therefore faith St. James, Receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word, Jam. 1.21. Let the word be ingrafted in thee; one sprig of it is able to make thee grow up to everlafting life. Be not content with the hearing of it, but pray God it may be firmly rooted in your hearts; this will caufe a foftning. To day if ye will hear his voice, barden not your hearts against Almighty God. If you do, expect him alfo to come against you in indignation. Hearken what he faith by his Prophet. I will search Jerufalem with candles, and punish the men that are fetled on their lees, that Jay in their heart the Lord will not do good, neither will be do evil, Zeph. 1.12. Mark, 1 will fearch fe rufalem, and punish thofe that are feiled on their lees. When a man is thus fetled and resolved to go on in his fins, to put the matter to the hazard come what will comes there's a kind of Atheism in the foul. For what do's he but in a manner reply, when God tells him by his Minifter that he is preparing

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