Conversion is necessary to keep thee out of Hell, to keep thy Soul out of the hands of the Devil; this is more necessary than to have a being: Better thou hadst never been born, than at last to be damned.
~Thomas Gouge
Regeneration is absolutely necessary to salvation. It had been better for thee never to have been born, than not to be born again. It is as necessary, as heaven and happiness. For, saith our Saviour himself, Except a man be born again, he cannot see, much less enter into the kingdom of heaven. So that there is no hope of the salvation of any unregenerate man, or woman: but, if they live and die in that estate, their portion will be death and damnation with the devils and damned to all eternity. And, in regard of the uncertainty of their lives, they are not sure to be out of hell one day longer.
~Thomas Gouge
A man is not really a Christian, because he hath been baptized, beareth the name, and frequenteth the ordinances of Christ; but, because he is regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, and thereby translated out of a state of sin and death, into a state of life and peace. For, as under the law, he was not a Jew, who was one outwardly, being circumcised in the flesh: but he was a Jew, who was one inwardly, being circumcised in his heart and spirit; in like manner, he is no true Christian, who is only outwardly baptized; but, he who is inwardly baptized by the Spirit, and whose heart is changed and renewed.
~Thomas Gouge
