Awakening Questions Propounded to the Unconverted
That I may reach every man’s case, I shall speak somethmg to the unconverted and something to the converted.
For the unconverted there are six questions, which I would advise them to put to their souls.
Q. I. In what state did my sold come into the iwrldP Was it not in the state of death? a state of wrath? Sirs, awake and he think yourselves where you are, and whither you are going. While thou art in thy natural, unconverted, unbelieving state, all your sins are unpardoned, and the wrath of God abideth on you. Suppose you saw a poor creature hanging over a burning fiery furnace, by nothing but a slender thread like to break every moment, would not your hearts ache for such a one? Sirs, it is your very case. You hang over the gulf of perdition by nothing but the small thread of life, which you know not but it may break the next moment, and then where are you? Is this a case for you to go on contentedly and thoughtlessly in?
Q. II. WJiat condition is my soul 710x10 in? Am I changed and renewed by conversion, or am I not? Speak conscience, hath this man, this woman, been thoroughly and savingly changed, both in heart and life? Where are your evidences? Can you show the marks of the Lord Jesus upon your souls? Let your conscience answer. Where was the place?
what were the means? when was the time that thy soul was thoroughly renewed? At least, if you cannot show the time, place, or means, can you prove the thing? Can you say with him, One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, I now see? Sirs, be not deceived: I tell you, whatever you be, and whatever you do, nothing will avail you to salvation, except ye be new creatures.
Q. III. What if I should lose my soul? This is very possible. Yea, it is the case of most; there are but few, few of the children of men, that do escape safe to heaven. Sirs, beware of your danger, and fear lest a promise being made of your entering into rest, any of you should at length come short of it. Suppose a man were to travel through some perilous wood or wilderness, having but one jewel in all the world, in which his all was bound up; and should see some stand on one hand, and some on the other; and hear a company in this place, and another in that, crying out, under the hands of some cruel robbers: O, in what fear would this traveller go, lest he should lose his jewel, and be robbed of all at once! Why, thou art the man; this traveller is thyself; this jewel is thy soul; this wilderness, or wood, is this world. Thou art to travel through numerous sins, legions of devils, a whole world of temptations. These are the robbers that do lie in wait for thy soul; and, if all that these can do can keep thee out of heaven, thou shalt never come there. O! what if thy pride of worldliness, thy delays and triflings in religion, should at last betray thy soul into the robbers’ hands! Other losses may be repaired; but, thy soul being once lost, Christ is lost: heaven, all, lost for evermore.
Q. IV. What do I do for my soul F What! have I a soul, an immortal soul, to care for, and look no better after it, nor bestow any more of my time or pains upon it, any more of my thoughts about it! When Augustus, the Emperor, saw the outlandish women carry apes, and such strange kind of creatures, in the street in their arms, he asked. What! have the women in these countries no children? So it may be said of many among us, that are early and late at their worldly business, but let the care of religion lie by neglected — What! have these men no souls? Why, man, hast thou a soul, and yet dost so little in thy closet, so little in thy family, from day to day, for it? What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, that thou jperish not. What will become of thy soul, if thou lookest to it only at this careless rate?
Q. V. What if God shoidd this night require thy scndP Where would death land thee? There was one that promised himself many merry days and years, as it is likely thou dost, but that same night God called for his soul. Sirs, are you in your proper postures? Are you fit to die? O! dare not to live, in such a case, in that course m which you are not fit to die?
Q. VI. What a happy case were I in, if I had but secured my soul P O! if this were but once done, how sweetly mightest thou live! Then thou mightest eat thy bread, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, when assured that God accepteth thee and thy works. Then thou mightest He down in peace, rise up in peace, go out and come home in peace. Then thou mightest look death in the face, thou mightest look dangers in the face, yea, look devils in the face, and never be afraid. () Sirs! if there be any insurance office for souls in all the world, one would think you should be seeking it.
And thus much for the questions, which, though of use to all, yet were intended chiefly for unconverted, impenitent souls.