^Uarfb^"*'^'^^^ \ % ^■' AN / AN ALARH TO UI^CONVERTED SINNERS, IN A SERIOUS TREATISE ; I, What Conversion is not, and correcting some mis- takes about it II. What Conversion is, and ■wherein it consisteth. Ill The necessity of Con- version. IV. The marks ef the un- converted. V. The miseries of the un- converted. VI. Directions for conver- sion. VIL Motives to conversion. By that faithful servant of Jesus Christ, MR. JOSEPH ALLEIN, Minister of the Gospel at Taunton, in Somersetshire. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. joHi^ iii. 3. •9^^^%^^^^9^^ HANOVER, N. H. PRINTED BY CHARLES SPEAB. 1816. TO THE READER *^^)\^ THAT WOULD BE SAFE AND UK?V\C X V: * IF it were only possible thou mayest live hereafter^ and be called to account in another world for what thou dost in this, it would be thy wisdom to take the safest course, and not to run the constant hazard of being dragged by death to judgment before thou art prepared to meet thy Judge. But another life, and a judgment to CGine, are more than possible : there is an high probability, yea, as great a certainty as can with reason be expected, that death will not put an end to thy being ; that thou shall live after the return of thy body to the earth ; and that then thou shaft be tried, and sentenced to such an happiness or misery, as will be incomparably greater than any thing, nay, than all thou didst ever feel or see, hear of or imagine. These weighty truths are taught and established in some measure by the light of nature^ but much more clearly and firmly by the oracles of God in the holy scriptures. Besides what they say of the different states of separated souls, they plainly teach, and strongly assert, that God hath appointed a time in which he icill judge the tohole world, by the Mediator Jesus Christ ; that that great Mediator, tcho is God as well^ as man, will descend from heaven, attended by its glorious inhabitants, 2vith triumphant accUmidions to his royal throne ; that a mighty voice will cite all that IV TO THE READER. ever dwelt on earthy to make their personal appearance : that that awaking and com* manding summons shall he presently heard and obeyed by the deady and they^ with the quick then remaining alive^ shall all stand before the judgment seat : that after a thoroughly searching and impartial trials which will reach men^s several talents^ trusts^, and oppartunities of getting and doing goody and their most secret actions^ words and thoughts J every one shall receive an un alter- able sentence of absolution or condemnation : and that then^ such as are approved and ab- solved^ shall inherit an heavenly kin^donty prepared for them from the foundation of the world, be like the angels^ their delightful companions^ converse with their most amiable and loving Saviour^ beholding and partaking of his glory^ yea, resemble, see and enjoy God himself in completed holiness and ever* lasting bliss ; and those, on the other hand, that are reprobated and damned, shall never be admitted into the regions of light, nor yet be favoured ivith a glimpse thereof, but suffer ivith devils, in the blackness of darkness for ever, the perpetual gnawings of. the worm that dieth not, and the extreme torments of unquenchable fire. , Seeing then these things cannot be denied^ thou must be guilty of such woful abuses of reason as far exceed all the extravagances of them that want it ; thou must be most grossly foolish, most unnaturally cruel to thine own soul, to thy whole self ; if thou dost not earnestly desire to be one of those TO THE READEH. v unto whom the Lord shail say, C* / v ^ : Messed^ and not, Depart yp^ciirsal ; ii laoii dost not readily welcome, and diligently »T3e, any proper helps for the avoiding of the heaviest, endless misery, and for the attain- ing of the purest, vastest, everlasting hap- piness. And such helps are now offered thee in this little book, which hath a taking tincture of the excellent author's flaming love to God, and useful charity to the souls of men. And now it is in thine hand, let me tell thee, it cannot be refused the reading, or read without doing what it so plainly teach- eth, and affectionately urgeth, but at thy greatest peril. If thou wilt not be at a small expense of time and pains to read it over, if after the neglect of so many means of in- struction this also be rejected, how justly mayest thou he destroyed for lacJc of knoial edge P how soon may the things ichich belong unto thy peace be hid from thine eyes P A continued wilful w^ant of understanding, is large ground for fear, lest he that made thee should not have mercy on thee^ and he that formed thee should shew thee no favour. If thou readest, but dost not practice what scripture and reason so pathetically plead for, the increase of thy knowledge will in- crease thy sorrow^ because it will aggravate thy sin ; for to him that knows his Lord^s will^ how and why to do good^ and doth it not^ but the forbidden evil, to him ^tis hein- ous, inexcusable sin, for which he is liable to be beaten with many stripes^ and in con- stant dreadful danger of severer punishment. AS VI TO THE READER. I hope therefore thou Avilt peruse so short a discourse, and art not unwilling to do it in such a manner^ as to grow acquainted with;, aud be persuaded to thy great duty, and, which is inseparable from it, thy greatest advantage. And that thou mayest not fail thereof, is the design of the following direc- tions. 1. Pray in the name of Christ, as thou art and shalt be enabled, for the more effectual assistances of the Holy Spirit. Such is the corruption of our nature, that it utterly dis- . ables us to make a saving use of outward iaeans, without inward aids. Unless the Spirit, by his powerful operations, work thee into a serious teachable temper, set home the attempts of God^s messengers, and give them an efficacy far beyond their own, the most concerning trutlis, and w eightiest arguments can never be so represented and enforced, as to overcome thy sensual, worldly inclinations, rescue thee from the dominion of sin and satan, and bring thee back to God, Thou must therefore pray, and that with becoming apprehensions of the great God, due regard to the gracious Mediator, deep shame and sorrow for the sins thou confessest, ardent desires of all the grace thou beggest, and faithful improvements of such measures as thou hast already received. And if thou thus askest, with fervent importunity, and perse- vering constancy^ thou wilt undoubtedly find that God hade thee not seek his face in vain / as our Lord warrants us to argue, Luke xi. If a man will not d«ny a friend what be is TO THE READER. ?ll importunate for^ and if a father will grant his son what he asks and wants, much more will thy heavenly Father give thee the Holy Spirit for all needful purposes^ to produce all those effects in thee that are truly neces- sary for thine eternal salvation, S. Consider seriously what thou readest^ and work it on thy soul as far as thou art Goneerned therein. Medicines for the hody will operate, though they are not thought of ; but spiritual remedies for the mind require its co-operation with them : the clearest ex- plications, fullest proofs, and strongest mo- tives about matters of nearest and greatest concernment, will not do the soul any good, unless by thinking it apply them, and extract their virtue ; nor will the Spirit heal its lamentable diseases, if his influences be not answered with suitable endeavours. Work then as he works in and with thee ; take into most serious consideration whatever is apt to promote thy recovery ;* lay those things closest to heart, which are likeliest to cure the hardness thereof ; inculcate and urge them, and withal cry mightily unto him, Lcho is able and no less witting to help thee^ till thou feelest his gentle force, and comest to a conquering resolution, that thou must and wilt do as thou art advised ; till thou dost not only assent to the course proposed, as fit to be taken, but art steadily determined, that it is best for thee, that it is absolutely necessary, and must effectually be prosecut- ed ; that by the grace of God thou wilt thoroughly change thy heart and life, and so Viil TO THE READEH. escape from the greatest evil, and make sure of the chiefest good. 3. When thou hast seriously considered and resolved, proceed presently to practice, with all thy might, and without the least delay. ^Tis commonly a work of some time to alter the temper of the soul, and change the course of the life ; and according to Grod^s usual methods, the longer thou hast been accus- tomed to do evil, the more time and pain& will be requisite to break the force of stub- born lusts, to weaken and subdue vicious habits, and to gain those of grace and good- ness ; to travel back the way thou hast gone wrong, and to get out of it, into the path of life. ^Tis well then if there be days enou,2;h before thee to do the one thing needful. To be sure, tliou art not certain of an hour to spare ; the loss of so small a part may prove the loss of all. Besides, if thou puttest off thy reformation, though but for a little while, "tls a sign thou dost not really intend it at all : for thou purposest, against conviction, to add sin to sin at present ; and how can thai consist with im Rearty design of grow- ing good afterward ? Delude not therefore thyself with such a desperate cheat, but imitate the royal Psalmist ; when thou hast thought on thy rays^ turn thy feet unto GoiVs festimonies : make haste ^ and delay not to keejj his commandments^ 4. Remember Ihat conversion unto God is but the beginning of thy duty, that thou must afterwards obey him all the days of thy life, and that there is no other way to preserve an TO THE REAIJER. IX interest in his favour^ and a right to the great expressions thereof. They are the largest and last discoveries of divine grace, ihn.t teach thee to deny ungodliness^ and worldly lusts ; to live soberly^ righteously and godly in this pres- ent world ; and^ so doing, to loolc for the bless-^ ed object of thy hope : they plainly enough warn thee against drawing back unto perdi- tion ; they threaten a final rejection^ if thou deniest thy Saviour in words or works ; and they oft direct and command thee to seek for "glory^ and honour^ and immortality, by pa* tient continuance in icell doing ; ioh^ faith- ful unto death^ whatever it cost thee^ that thy Lord may give thee a croicn of life. These may seem hard sayings, bu they contain noth. ing like a reasonable discouragement. There is misery more than enough in hell^ to neces- sitate a prevention by any temporary labours, vrants and sufterings ; and an abundantly suf- ficient happiness in heaven^ to encourage a stedfast perseverance in the work of the Lord, though it were more harsh and grievous than sinners imagine. And even at present, reli- gion is not without a reward ; yea, thou wilt find it, if thou triest as thou shouldst, a reward to itself : when the main difficulties at first are over, thy duty will grow daily easier ; it will have many pleasures mixed with it, and be- come at length itself the greatest : it will not abridge thy appetites of any desirable gratifi- cations, but give them a new delicious relish of the fountain from which they fiow : instead of the girds and twinges of a bad conscience^ and dread of an after-reckoning; it will settle X TO THE REAI>ER, peace within^ and fill thee with comfortable reflections and joyful hopes ; and a loving, thankful^ praising obedience, will, by degrees, become thy sweetest employment. Therein thou mayest draiv still nearer to God^ delight thyself in hiin^ and receive from him the de- sires of thine heart : thou mayest walk always in the light of his countenance^ and feed on his lomng kindness ^ which is better than life. In short, before thou ascendest to heaven, thou mayest be in a heaven on earth, and find, by happy experience, that the way to have all thou canst Avish hereafter, is to bC; and do, what is best for thyself here. ^/f/y^^. / / AN EARNEST INVITATION TO DINNERS TO TURN TO GOD, IN OKDER TO THEIR ETERI^^AL SALVATION. DEARLY beloved, and longed for, I glad* ly acknowledge myself a debtor to you all, and am concerned, as I would be found a good steward to the household of God, to give to ev- ery one his portion. But the physician is most solicitous for those patients whose case is most doubtful and hazardous ; and the father's bow- els are especially turned towards his dying child. The numbers of the unconverted souls among you, call for my most earnest compas- sions, and hasty diligence to pluck them out of the burniug, Judc 28. And therefore to these, first, I shall apply myself in these lines. But whence shall I fetch my arguments, or how shall Lchoose my words ? Lord, where- with shall I woo Them? wherewith shall I win them ? Oh, that I could but tell ! I would write unto them in tears, I would weep out every argument, I would empty ray veins for Ink, I would petition them on my knees ; ver- ily (were I able) I would. Oh, how^ thank, ful 1 would be, if they would be prevailed with to repent and turn ! How long have I travailed in birth with you ? how frequently have I made suit to you ? how often would I liave gathered you? how in$tajit have I been with you ? This jis that IS Invitation to Sinners to turn to God. I have prayed for, and studied for^ for many years, that I might bring you to God; (Ih, that I might but do it! Will you yet be en- treated? Oh, what a happy man might you make me, if you would but hearken to me, and suffer me to carry you over to Jesus Christ ! '^ But, Lord, how insufficient am I for thi« work ] I have been many a year wooing for thee, but the damsel would not go with me. Lord, what a task hast thou set me to do? A- las ! wherewith shall I pierce the scales of Leviathan, or make the heart to feel that is hard as a stone ; hard as a piece of the neth- er-millstone ? Shall I go and lay my mouth to the grave, and look when the dead will obey me, and come forth ? Shall I make an oration to the rocks, or declaim to the moun- tains, and think to move them with arguments? Shall I give the blind to see? From the be- ginning of 'the world was it not heard that a man opened the eyes of the blind. But thou, O Lord, canst pierce the scales, and prick the heart of the sinner. I can but shoot at rovers, and draw the bow at a venture ; do thou direct the arrow between the joints of the harness, and kill the sin, and save the soul of a s%ner, that casts his eyes into these labours.'^ But I must apply myself to you, to whom I am sent : yet I am at a great loss. Would to God I knew how to go to work w ith you ! would I stick at the pains ? God knoweth, you yourselves are my w itnesses, how I have followed you in private; as well as in public^ Tnvitation to Sinners to turn to God. 13 and have brought the gospel to your doors^ testifying to you the necessity of the new birth, and persuading you to look in time af- ter a s^und and thorough change. Beloved, I have not acted a part among you to serve my own advantage : oar gospel is not yea and nay. Have you not hea^rd the same truths from the pulpit, by publie labours, by private letters, and by personal instruction ? Breth- ren, I am of the same mind as ever, that holi- ness is the best choice, that there is no enter- ing into heaven but by the straight passages of the second birth, that without holiness you shall never see God, Heb. xii. 14. Ah, my be. loved ! refresh my bowels in the Lord, If there be any consolation in Christ, any com- fort of love, any felloivship of the Spirit, any boivels ctnd mercies^ fulfil" V^ '^^1/ PH* Now give yourselves unto the Lord, 8 Cor. viii. 5. Now set yourselves to seek him* Now set up the Lord Jesus in your hearts, and set him up in your houses. Now come in and kiss the son. Psa. ii. IS, and embrace the tenders of mer- cy, touch his sceptre and live ; why will you die ? tbeg not for myself, but fain I would have you happy : this is the prize I run fov, and the mark I aim at. My soul's desire and prayer for you is, that you may be saved, Som. X. i. The famous Lycurgus having instituted most strict and wholesome laws for his peo- ple, told them he was necessitated to go a journey from them, and got them to bind them- selves in an oath, that his laws should be ob- served till his return. This done, he went B 14 Invitation to Sinners to turn to God. into a voluntary banisliment^ and never re- turned more^ that they mighty by virtue of their oath, be engaged to the perpetual obser- vanee of his laws. Methinks I should be glad of the hard conditions which he endured (though I love you tenderly) so I might but hereby engage you thoroughly to the LorcJ Jesus Ciirist. Dearly beloved, would you rejoice the heart of your minister ? Why then, embrace the counsels of the Lord by me : forego your sins : set to prayer : up with the worship of God in your families : keep at a distance from the corruptions of the times. What greater joy to a minister, than to hear of souls born unto Christ by him, aud that his children walk in the truth ! 2 Jojin 4. Brethren, I beseech you, suffer friendly plainness and freedom with you in your deep- est concernments. I am not playing the ora- tor, to make a learned speech to you, nor dres- sing my dish with eloquence wherewith to please you. These lines are upon a weighty errand indeed, viz. To convince , and convert, and to save you. J am not baiting my hook ivith rhetoric, nor fishing for your applause, but for your souls. My work is not to please you, but to save you ; nor is my business with your fancies, but your hearts. If I have not your hearts, I have nothing. If I were te please your ears, I would sing another song. If I were to preach myself, I would steer an- other, course : T could then tell you a smooth- er tale : I would make you pillows, and speak you peace : for how can Ahab loye his Mi- Invitation to Sinners to turn to God. 15 0aiah, that always prophecies evil concerning him ? 1 Kings xxii. 8. But how much bet- ter are the wounds of a friend, than the fair speeches of the harlot, who ilattereth with her , lips, till the dart strike through the liver, and hunteth for the precious life ? Prov. vii. 31, aa, 23, and vi. 26. If I were to quiet a cry. ing infant, I might sing him to a pleasant im)od5 and rock him asleep : but when the child i& fallen into the fire, the parent taketh another course ; hS ABOUT IT. LET the blind Samaritans worship they know not what, John iv. 3S, let the heathen Athenians superscribe their altar unto the un- known Grod, Acts xvii. 23, let the guileful Pa- pists commend the mother of destruction, Hos. iv. 6, for the mother of devotion : they that know man's constitution, and the nature of the reasonable soul's operation, cannot hut know that the understanding having the em- pire in the soul, he that will go rationally to work must labour to let in the light here. Ig- norantis nan est consensus. And therefore, that you may not mistake me, I shall shew you what! mean by the conversion I persfiade you to endeavour after. It is storied, that when Jupiter let dowri^the golden chaplets from heaven, all of them but one were stolen ; whereupon (lest they should lose a relic of so great esteem) they made five others so like it, that if any were sa wick- edly minded as to steal that also, they should not be able to discern which was it. And tru- ly, ray beloved, the devil hath made many counterfeits of this conversion, and cheats one with this, and another with that : and such a craft and artifice he hath in this mystery oS deceits, that (if it were possible) he would de- ceive the very elect. Now, that I may cure 18 Mistakes about Comersion. the damnable mistakes of some, who think they are converted wlien they are not^ as well as remove the troubles and fears of others, that think they are not converted, when they are ; I shall shew you the nature of conver- sion, both negatively, or what it is not; and positively, what it is. We will begin with the negative. 1. It is not the taking on us the profession of Christianity. ^Doubtless Christianity is more than a name. If we will hear Paul, it lies not in word but in power, 1 Oor. iv- §0. If to cease to be Jews and Pagans, and to put on the Christian profession, had been tru€ conversion, (as this is all that some would liave to be understood by it) who are better Christians tlnin they of Sardis and Laodicea? These were all Christians by profession, and had a name to live, but because they had only a name, are condemned by Christ, and threat- ened to be spewed out, llom. iii, 1. 16. Are there not many that name the name of tlie Lord Jesus, that yet depart not from iniquity? S Tim. ii. 19, and profess they know God^ but in works deny him? Tit. i. 16. And will God receive these for true converts, be- cause turned to the Christian religion? What ! converts from sin, when yet they do live in sin ? ^Tis a visible contradiction. Surely if the lamp of profession would have served the turn, the foolish virgins had never been shut out, Matt. XXV. 3. IS. We find not only pro- fessors, but preachers of Christ and wonder- workers, turned off, becau^ evil workers. Matte vii. ^?; S3c Misiakes about Conversien. 19 % It is not the beins; washed in the laverof regeneration^ or putting on the badge of Christ in baptism. Many take the press- money, and wear the livery of Christ, that yet never stand to their colours, nor follow their leader. Ananias and Saphira and Ma- gus were baptized, as well as the rest. How fondly do many mistake here, deceiving and being deceived ! dreaming that effectual grace is necessarily tied to the external administra« tion of baptism, (which, what is it, but to re- vive the Popish tenet, of the saerament^s work- ing grace ew opere operato f ) and so every infent shall be regenerated, not only sacra- mento teniis^ sacramentally, but really and properly. Hence men do fancy, that being regenerated already, when baptised, they need no farther work. But if this were so, then all that were bap- tized in their infancy must necessaiily be sav- ed ; because the promise of pardon and sal- vation is made to conversion and regenera- tion. Acts iii. 19. 1 Pet. iii. 4. Matt. xix. 28, eur calling, sanetification (as to the begin- nings of it) or conversion, (which are but the same things, under different conceptions and expressions) is but the middle link in the gol- den chain, fastened to election at the one end, and glorification at the other ; Rom. viii. 30, S Thes. ii. 18, 1 Pet. i. 3. The silver cord may not be broken, nor the connection be- tween sanetification and salvation, between grace and glory, impiously violated. Matt. v. 8. If we were indeed begotten again, it is to an 20 Mistakes about Gonversio)u inheritance incorruptible^ reserved in heaven for us, and the divine power is engaged to keep us for it, 1 Pet. i. 5, And if the very regenerate may perish at last in their sins, we will no more say, that he that is born of God his seed remaineth in him, and that he cannot sin, 1 John iii. 9, i. e. unto death, nor that it is impossible to deceive the very elect, Matt. xxiv. 34. And indeed, were this true, then we need look no farther to see our names written in heaven, than only to search the register, and see whether we were baptized : then I would keep the certificate of my baptism, as my fair- est evidence for heaven, and should come by assurance of my gracious state with a wet fin- ger : then men should do well to carry but a certificate of their baptism, under the regis^ ter^s hand, when he died, (as the philosopher would be buried with the bishop^s bond in his hand, which he had given him, for receiving;^ his alms in another world) and upon sight of this there were no doubt of their admission ia* to heaven. In short, if there be no more necessary to conversion or regeneration, than to be turned to the Christian religion, or to be baptized in infancy, this will fly directly in the face of that scripture. Matt. vii. 14, as well as multitudes of others. For, firsts we will then no more say, Straight is the gate^ and narrow is the way ; for if all that were baptized, and of true religion, are saved, the door is become heavenly wide ; and we will henceforth say, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that Mistakes ahout Cmverstott^^ M leadeth unto life ; for if this be tnie^ whole parisJies^ yea^ whole; countries and whole king- doms, may go in abreast ; and we will no more teach that the righteous is scarcely sav- ed, or that there is need of such a stir in tak- ing the kingdom of heaven by violence, and striving to enter in. Surely if the way be so easy as many make it, that there is little more necessary than to be regenerated in our bap- tism, and cry God mercy, and be absolved by the minister at our end ; Uis more ado than needs to put ourselves to such running, and seeking, and knocking, and fighting and wres- tling, as the word requires as necessary to sal- vation. Secondly ^11 this b3 irue, we will no more say, Fcic there be tha find it ; yea, we -will rather say, Few there h hat miss it : we will no more say, that of the many that are called hut few are chosen^ Matt. xxii. i% and that even of the professing Israel hut a rem- nant shall be saved^ Rom. xi. 5. If this doc- trine be true, we will not say any more with the disciples, Who then shall be saved ? but rather, Who then shall not be saved ? Then, if a man be called a brother, (that is, a Chris- tian) and be baptized, though he be a fornica- tor or a-railer, or covetous, or a drunkard, yet he shall inlierit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. V. 11, vi.-9, 10. But the Arminian will reply. Such as these^ though they did receive regenerating grace in baptism^ are since fallen away^ and must he renewed again^ or else they cannot be sa- ved. I answer, 1, That there is an infallible con- J8J& Mistakes ahont Gonversicm. ]ftection between regeneration and salvation^ as we have already shewn, and I itch to be farther evidencing, but that 'tis against de- signed brevity. S. Then men must be born again, which carries a great deal of absurdity in its very face. And why may not men be twice born in nature as well as in grace ? why not as great an absurdity to be twice regener- ated as to be twice generated? But 3. and a- bove all, this grants, however^' the thing I contend for, that whatever men do, or pretend to receive in baptism^ if they be found after- wards to be grossly ignorant, or profane, or formal, without the power of godliness, they must be born again^ or else be shut out of the kingdom of God. So then they must have more to plead for themselves than their bap- tismal regeneration. Well, in this you see all are agreed, that be it more or less that is received in baptism, if (when men come to years) they are evident- ly unsanctiiied, they must be renewed again by a thorough and powerful change, or elfee they cannot escape the damnation of hell. — Friends and brethren, he not deceived ; God is not mocked^ Gal. vi. 7. Whether it be your baptism, or whatever else that you pretend, I tell you from the living God, that if any of you be prayerless persons, John xv. 14, or unclean, or malicious, or covetous, or riotous, or a scoifer, or a lover of evil company, Prov. xiii. SO, in a word, if you are not holy, strict, and self-denying Christians, Heb. xii. 14, Matt, xvi. S4; you cannot be saved except Mistakes about Conversion. SS you be transformed by a farther work upon you, and renewed again by repentance. Thus I have shewed, that it is not enough to evidence a man to be regenerate, that he hath been baptized, effectual grace not neces^ sarily accompanying baptism, as some have vainly asserted. But I must answer one ob- jection before I pass. , Obj. The sacraments do certainly attain their ends^ when men do not ponere obicem, 0r Jay some obstructions^ nxhich infants do not. Sol. I answer, It is not the end of baptism to regenerate. 1. Because then there would 1}e no reason why it should be confined only to the seed of believers ; for both the law of God, and the nature of charity, requires us to use the means of conversion for all, as far as we can have opportunity. Were this true, no such charity as to catch the children of Turks and Heathens, and baptize them, and dispatch them to heaven out of hand ; like the bloody wretches that made the poor Pro- testants (to save their lives) to swear they would come to mass, and that they would never depart from it, and then put them forth- with to death, saying, They would hang them while in a good mind. S. Because it presup- poseth regeneration, and therefore cannot be intended to confer it. In all the express in- stances in scripture, we find that baptism doth suppose their repenting, believing, receiving the Holy Ghost, Acts viii. 87? Acts ii. 38, and X. 47? Mark xvi. 16. And to imagine that baptism was instituted for an end of which Hot one of the first subjects was capable^ (for Sl< J\Estdke3 about Conversion. they were all adult persons, and supposed i^ liave fiiiih and repentance according as they professed, and their children were not baptiz. ed till after them, in their right) were no lit- tle absurdity. Were this doctrine true, bap- tism would make disciples : but we find it cloth bespeak them such before hand. Matt, xxviii. 19. 3. Because baptism being b?!t a seal of the covenant, cannot convey the bene- fits, but according to the tenor of the cove- nant, to which' it is set. Now the covenant is conditional, therefore the seal conveys conditionally. The cove- nant requires faith and repentance, as the con- dition of the grand benefits, pardon and life, Acts xvi. 31, and iii. 19^ And w hat the cov- enant doth not convey, but upon these condi- tions, the seal cannot. So that baptism doth presuppose faith and repentance in the sub- ject, without which it neitlier doth nor can convey the saving benefits ; otherwise the seal should convey contrary to the tenor of the covenant to which it is affixed. 3. It lies not in a moral righteousness.-^ This exceeds not the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, and therefore cannot bring us to the kingdom of God, Matt. v. 20, Paul, w^hile unconverted, touching the right- eousness which is in the law, was blameless, Phil. iii. 6. None could say. Black is thine eye. The self justiciary could say, J am no extortioneryadultereryunjusty &c.Luke xviii^ li. Thou must have something more thaa all this to shew, or else (however thou may est justify thyself) God will condemn thee. I Mistakes about Conversion. 25 condemn not morality^ but warn you not to rest here. Piety includes morality, as Chris- tianity doth humanity, and grace reason ; but we must not divide the tables. 4. It consists not in external conformity to the rules of piety. ^Tis too manifest, men may have a form of godliness without the power, 2 Tim. iii. 5. Men may pray long, Matt, xxiii. 14, and fast often, Luke xviii. 12, and hear gladly, Mark vi. SO, and be very for- ward in the service of God, though costly and expensive, Isa. i. 11, and yet be strangers to conversion. They must have more to plead for themselves, than that they keep their church, and give alms, and make use of prayer, to prove themselves sound converts. No outward service but an hypocrite may do it ; even to the giving all his goods to the poor, and his members to the fire, 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 5. It lies not in the chaining up of corruption ^ hy education, human laics^ or the force of in- cumbent affliction. ^Tis too common and ea- sy, to mistake education for grace ; but if this were enough, who a better man than Jo- ash ? While Jehoiada his uncle lived, he was very forward in God's service, and calls up- on him to repair the house of the Lord, 3 Kings xi. 2, 7« But here was nothing more than good education all this while ; for when his good tutor was taken out of the way, he appears to have been but a wolf chained up, and falls on to idolatry. 6. In short, it consists not in illumination. or conviction : in a superficial change^ or par- tial reformation. An apostate may be a man c 26 Mistakes about Conversion. enlightened, Heb. vi. 4^ and a Felix tremble under convictions^ Acts xxiv. 25^ and a Her- od amend many things, Mark vi. 20. ^Tis one thing to have sin alarmed only by convic- tions, and another to have it captivated and crucified by converting grace. Many, be- cause they have been troubled in conscience for their sins, think well of their case ; mis- erably mistaking conviction for conversion. — With these Cain might have passed for a con- vert, w^ho ran up and down the world like a man distracted, under the rage of a guilty conscience, till with building and business he had wore it away, Gen. iv. 13, 14. Others think, that because they have given oft* their riotous courses, and are broken oft* from evil company, or some particular lust, and redu- ced to sobriety and civility, they are now no other than real converts ; forgetting that there is a vast difference between being sanctified and civilized ; and that many seek to enter into the kingdom of heaven, Luke xiii. 24, and are not farYrom it, Mark xii. 34, and arrive to the almost of Christianity, Acts xxvi. 28, and yet fall short at last. While conscience holds the whip over them, many will pray, hear, read, and forbear tlieir delightful sins ; but no sooner is this lion asleep, but they are at their vomit again. Who mor^ religious than the Jews, whcu God's hand was upon them ? Psal. Ixxviii. 34-, 8p, but no sooner •was the affliction over, but they forgot God, and shewed their religion to be a fit, ver. 36 37. Thou mayest haye disgorged a trouble some sin, that will not sit in thy stomach, an"- Mistakes about Conversion. S>7 have escaped those gross pollutions of the worlds and yet not have changed thy swinish nature all the while^, 2 Pet. ii. SO, 32, You may cast the lead out of the rude mass into the more comely proportion of a plant, and then into the shape of a beast, and thence into the form and features of a man ; bat all the while it is but lead still. So a man may pass through divers transmutations, from ig- norance to knowledge, from profanencss to ci- vility, thence to a form of religion ; and all this while he, is but carnal and unregent4rat«, while his nature remains unchanged. Application. Hear then, O sinners, hear as you would lii^e^ so come and hear^ Isa. Iv. 3. Why wouhl you so wilfully deceive your- selves^ or build your hopes upon the sand? I know he shall find hard v/ovk of it, that goes to pluck away your hopes. It cannot but be ungrateful to you, and truly it is not pleasing to me. I set about it as a surgeon, when to cut oflf a putriiied member from his well-belov- ed friend ; which of force he must do, but with an aching heart, a pitiful eye, a trembling hand. But understand me, brethren, I am only taking down the ruinous house, (which will otherwise speedily fall of itself, and bu- ry; you in the rubbish) that I may build fair, and strong, and firm for ever. The hope of the wicked shall perish, if God be true of his word, Prov. xi, 7. And wert not thou better, O sinner, to let the word convince thee now in time,^nd let go thy self-deluding hopes, than to have death too late to open thine eyes, and find thyself in hell before thou art aware ? I S8 Mistakes about Conversion. should be a fiilse and faithless shepherd^ if I should not tell you, that you who have built your hopes upon no better grounds than these foremcntioned, are yet in your sins. Let your conscienecs speak : what is it that you have to plead for yourselves ? Is it that you wear Chrisfs livery ? that you hear his name ? that you are of the visible church P that you have Jtuoicledge in the j^oints of religion f are civ^ ilixed^ 2)erform religious duties^ are just m your dealings^ have been troubled in con- sciefice for your sinsf 1 tell you from the Lord, these pleas will never be accepted at God's bar. All this, though good in itself, Mill not prove you converted, and so will not suffice to your salvation. Oh look about you, a ad bethink yourselves of turning speedily nnd soundly. Set to praying, and to read- ^ng, and studying your own hearts ; rest not, ill God hath made thorough work with you ; for you must be other men, or else you are lost men. Eut if these be short of conversion, what ^hall 1 say of the profane sinner ? It may be lie will scarce cast his eyes, or lend his ears this discourse. But if there be any such eading, or within hearing, he must know from the Lord that made him, that he is far from the kingdom of God. May a man be civilized, and not converted ? Where then shall the drunkard, and glutton appear? May a man keep company with the wise virgins, and yet be shut out ? shall not a companion of iools*^ much more be destroyed ? Prov. xiii. SO. May a man be true and just in his deal- Mistakes about Conversion,. S9 ing, and yet not be justified of God ? what then will become of thee^ O wretched man, whose conscience tells thee thou art false in thy trade, and false to thy w^ord, and makest thy advantage by a lying tongue ? If men may be enlightened., and brought to the per- formance of holy dutiea, and yet go down to perdition for nesting in them, and sitting down on this «ide of conversion ; what will become of you, O miserable families, that live as without God in the world? and of you, O wretched sinnei's, with w horn God is scarce in all your thoughts ; that are so ignorant, that you cannot, or so careless, that you will not pray ? O repent, and be converted !— break oif your sins by righteousness; away to Christ for pardoning and renewing grace ; give up yourselves to him, to walk with him in holiness, or else you shall never see God. Oh that you would take the warnings of God ! In his name I once more admonish you. Turn you at my reproofs Prov. i. S3, forsake the foolish and live^ Prov, ix, 6» Be sober^ right- eous^ godly y Tit. ii. 12, Wash your hands^ ye sinners ; jpurify your hearts^ ye double- minded^ James iv. 8. Cease to do evil, learn to do well, Isa. i. 16, I7. But if you will on, you must die, Ezek. xxxiii. 11. c a 30 Ike nature of Conversion, CHAP. IL SHEAVING rOSlTlYELY WHAT COKVEKSION IS. I MAY not leave you with your eyes half o|)en,« as he that saw men as trees walkh)g, Mark viii. 24. The word is profitable for doctrine, as well as reproof, 2 Tira. iii. 16. — And therefore having thus far conducted you by the shelves and rocks of so many danger- ous mistakes, I would guide you at l^iigtlxin^ to the harbour of truth. -) 7 ; ^ - -i '■ Conversion then (in short) lies, in i\\t thor- ough change both of the heart aud life. I shall brieily describe it in its nature and cau. ses. 1 . The author^ it is the Spirit of God} and therefore it is called the sanctification of the Spirit, 3 Thess. ii. 13, and the renewing of I he Holy Ghost, Tit. iii. 5. Yet not exclud- iiig the other Persons in the Trinity : for the apostle teacheth us, to bless the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for that he hath begotten us again, 1 Pet. i. 3, and Christ is said to give repentance to Israel, Acts v. 31, and is called the everlasting leather, Jsa. ix. G, and we his :^eed, and the children which God hath given him, Ileb. iii. 13, Lsa. liii. 10. O blessed birth ! ^Seven cities contended for the birth of Homer : but the whole Trinity fathers the new creature. Yet is this work principally ascribed to the Holy Ghost, and so we are said to be born of the Spirit, John iii. 8. Bo then it is a work nboye Hiun^s powei-r The nature of Conversion. 31 We are born 9 not of the will of the fleshy nor of the ivill of many but of God^ John i. 13—- Never think thou canst convert thyself : if ever thou w^ouldst be savingly converted^ thou must despair of doing it in thine own strength^ Jer. xiii. S3. It is a res.y,rrection from the dead, Rev, xx. 5, Eph. iu 1, a new creation, Gal. vi. ioy Eph. ii. 10, a work of absolute omnipotency, Eph. i. 19. Are these out of the reach of human power ? If thou hast no more than thou hadst by thy first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper, &c. thou art a very stranger to true conversion. This is a supernatural work. S. The moving cause is internal^ or exter- nal. The internal mover is only free grace : ^'Yot by works of righteousness which we have done ; but of his oicn mercy he saved us — by the renewing of the Holy Ghost ^ Tit. iiL 5. Of his own will begat he us^ James i. 18. — We are chosen and called unto sanctification, not for it, Eph. i. 4. God finds nothing in a man to turn his hearty but to turn his stomach; enough to provoke his loathings nothing to provoke his love. — Look back upon thyself^ O Christian : take thy verminous rags : look upon thyself in thy blood, Ezek. xvi. 6. Oh ! reflect upon thy swinish nature, thy filthy swill, thy once be- loved mire, 2 Pet. ii. 23. Canst thou think, without loathing, of thy trough and draught ? Qpen tliy sepulchre. Matt, xxiii. S7. Art thou not struck almost dead with the hellish damp ? Behold thy putrid soul; thy loathsome 33 The nature of Conversion. members. Oh stench insufferable, if thou dost but scent thy own putrefaction ! Psa. xiv. 3. Behold thy ghastly visage, thy crawling lusts, thy slime and corruption. Do not thine own clothes abhor thee ? Job ix. 31. How then should holii^res^s and purity love theij? Be astonished,^ O lieavens, at this ; be moV-^ ed, O earth ! Jer. ii. 12. Who but must needs cry, Grace ! grace ! Zech. iv. 7. Hear and blush, you children of the Most High ; O you unthankful generation ! that free grace is no more in your mouths, in your thoughts : no more adored, admired, commended by such as you. One would think you should be nothing but praising and admiring God, what- ever you arc. How can you make a shift to forget such grace, or to pass it over with a slight and seldom mention? What but free grace should move God to love you, unless enmity could do it, or deformity could do it, unless vomit or rottenness could do it? How affectionately doth Peter lift up his hands ? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 'Jesus Christy tahoofhis abundant mercy hath begotten us again^ 1 Pet. i. 3. How feeling- ly doth Paul magnify the free mercy of God? God icho is rich in mercy ^ for his great love wherewith he loved uSy hath quickened us to- gether with Christ : by grace ye are saved^ Eph. ii. % 5. The external mover is the merit and inter^ ' eession of the blessed Jesus. He hath ob- tained gifts for the rebellious, Psa. Ixviii. 18, and through him it is that God worketh in us what is well-pleasing inliissight/Heb. xUii. 81. The nature of Conversion. $S Through him are all spiritual blessings be- stowed upon us in heavenly things^ Eph, i. 3. He interceded for the elect that believe not, John xvii, SO. Every convert is the fruit of his travaiU Isa. liii. 11. Oh, never was infant korn into the world with that difficulty that Christ endured for us ! How emphatically he groaneth in his travail ! All the pains that he suffered on his cross, they were our birtli^ pains, Acts ii. S4, the pulls and throws that Christ endured for us. He is made sanctifi- oation to us, 1 Cor. i. 30. He sanctified him- self (that is, set apart himself as a sacrifl.ce) that we may be sanctified, John xvii. 19. We are sanctified through the axiering of his body mice for all, Heb. x. 10. ^Tis nothing then without his own bowels,^ but the merit and intercession of Christ, that prevails with God to bestow on us converting grace. If thou art a new creature, thou know- est to whom thou owest it, to Christ's pangs and prayers. Hence the natural affection of a believer to Christ. The foal doth not more naturally run after the dam, nor the suckling to the dugs, than a believer to Jesus Christ^ And whitlber else shouldst thou go ? If any in the world can shew that for thy heart that Christ can, let them carry it. Doth satan put in, doth the world court thee ? Doth sin sue for thy heart ? Why, were these crucified for thee ? 1 Cor. i. 13*1 O Christian, love and serve the Lord whilst thou hast a being ; do not even the Publicans love those that love them, and shew kindness to those that are kind to them? Matt. v. 46, 47^ 34 The nature of Conversion. 3. The instrument is either personal or real. The personal is the ministry : I have be- gotten you to Christ through the gospel^ 1 Cor. iv. 15. Christ^s ministers are they, that are gent to open men^s eyes^ and to turn them to God, Acts xxvi. 18. O unthankful world, little do you know what you are doing, while you are persecuting the messengers of the Lord : these are tUey whose business is (under Christ) to save you. Whom liave you reproached and blasphem- ed ? Against whom have you exalted your voice^ and lifted your eyes on high ? Isaiah xxxvii. 23. Those are the servants of the most high God, that shew unto you the Avay of salvation^ Acts xvi. 47- And do you thus requite them^ O foolish and unwise ? Deut. xxxii. 6. O sons of ingratitude, against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom make you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Isa. lyii. 3*. These are the in- struments that God useth to convert and save you ; and do you spit in the face of your phy- sicians, and throw your pilots over-board ? — Father forgive them^ for they kno^ not what they do. The instrument real is the v^ord: We were begotte'ii by the word of truth: Tliis it is that enlightens the eyes, that converteth the soul, P«a. xix. 7? 8^ that maketh wise to salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15. This.is the incorruptible seed, by which we are boin^iagain, i l et. i. S8. If we are Avashed.^tis by' the word, Epb. v. 2d| if we are sanctified; ^tis through the tfutb^ The nature of Conversion. .>^' T3j& John xvii. 17* This generates faith, and re- generates us, Rom. X. 17? James i. 18. O ye saints, how should ye love the word? for by this you have been converted :' O ye sinners, how should you ply the word ? for by this you must be converted : no other or- dinary means but this. You that have felt its renewing power, make much of it while you live ; be forever thankful for it : tie it about your necks, write it upon your hands, lay it in your bosoms, Prov, vi. 3i, 32. When you 2;o, let it lead you ; when you sleep, let it keep you ; when you wake, let it talk with you : Say with holy David, I loill never forget thy preceptSj for by them thou hast quickened me^ Psa. cxix. 93. You that are unconverted^ read the word with diligence, flock to it where powerfully preached, fill the porches, as the multitude of the impotent, blind, halt, wither- ed, waiting for the moving of the water, John V. 3. Pray for the coming of the Spirit in the word. Come olf thy knees to the sermon ; and come to thy knees from the sermon. The seed doth not prosper, because uQt watered by prayers and tears, nor covered by medita- tion. 4. The final cause is man^s salvation and God^s glory. We are chosen through sanc- tiftcation to salvation, 2 Thess. ii. 13, called that we might be glorified, Rom. viii. 30, but especially, that God might be glorified, Isa. Ix. 21, that we should shew forth his praises, i Pet. ii. 9, and be fruitful in good works, Col.'i. 10. O Christian, do not forget tha end of thy calling ; let thy light shine, Matt. -36 ^e nature of Conversion. ¥. 16^ let thy lamp burn; let thy fruits be good^ and many, and in aeason^ Psa. i. 3^ let all thy designs fall in with God^s, that he may be magnified in thee, Phil. i. SO. Why should God repent that he hath made thee a Chris- tian, as in the time of the old world, that he made them men? Gen. vL 6. Why shouldst thou be an eye-sore in his orchard, Luke xiii. by thy unfruitfulness? or a son that causeth shame, as it were, a grief to thy father, and a bitterness to her that bare the<3 ? Prov. xvii- 2&, and x. 5. let the w omb bless thee that bare thee, Prov. xvii. 21. He that begets a fool doth it to his sorroiv ; and the father of a fool hath no joy. 5. The subject is the elect sinner^ and that in all his parts and powers^ members and mind. Whoipa^Sod predestinates them only he calls, Rom. viii. 30. None are drawn to Chrkt by their calling, nor come to him by l>elieving, but his sheep, those whom the Fath- er hath given him, John vi. 37, 4i^. Effectual calling runs parallel with eternal election, 2 Pet. i. IQ. Thou beginne^t at the wrong end, if thou disputest first about thine election. Prove thy conversion, and then never doubt of thine election; or canst thou not yet prove it? set upon a present and thorough turning. What- ever God^s purposes be, (which are secret) I am sure his promises are plain. How despe- rately do rebels argue. If I am elected, I shall be saved, do what I will ; if not, J shall be damned, do what lean. Perverse sinner, wilt thoju begin where thou shouldst end ? Is not The nature of Conversion. S7 the word before thee ? What saith it ? Repent and be converted^ that your sins may he blot- ted out. Acts iii. 19. Tfy^^(^ mortify the deeds of the body you shall live^ Rom. viii. 13. Be- lieve and be saved^ Aerts xvi. 31. What can be plainer ? Do not stand still disputing about thine election^ but set to repenting and be- lieving. Cry to God for converting grace. — Revealed things belong to thee ; in these busy thyself. ^Tis just (as one well said) that they that will not feed on the plain food of the word, should be choked with the bones — Whatever God's purposes be, I am sure his promises be true. Whatever the decrees of heaven be, I am sure, that if I repent and be- iieve^^ I shall be saved ; and that if I repent not, I shall be damned. Is not here plain ground for thee ? and wilt thou yet ran upon the rocks ? More particularly, this change of conver- sion passes throughout the v/hole subject. A carnal person may have some shreds of good morality, a little near the list ; but he is never good throughout the whole clotii, tiie whole body of holiness and Christianity : feel him a little further near the ridge, and you shall see him to be but a deceitful piece. Conversion is no repairing of the old building, but it takes all down, and erects a new structure : it i-^ not the putting in a patch, or sewing on a lis of holiness ; but, with the true converL iioli- ness is woven into all his powers, principles, and practice. The sincere Christian is quite a new fabrick, from the foundation to the top- stone, all fire-new. He is a uew man, Kph. D 38 The natiivc of Conversion. iv. 24, a new creature. All things are be- come new ., % Cor. \. 17- Conversion is a deep work, a heart work, Acts ii. 37^ and vi. i% it turns all upside down, and makes a man be in a new world. It goes throughout with men, throughout the mind, throughout the members, throughout the motions of the wliole life. 1. Throughout the mind. It makes an universal change within. First^ It turns the balance of the jiidg?nenty so that God and his glory do weigh down all carnal and worldly interest. Acts xx» 34, Phil. i. 20, Psa. Ixxiii. 25. It opens the eye of the mind, and makes the scales of its native ignorance to fall off, and turns men from darkness to light, Acts xxvi. 18« Eph. V. 8, 1 Pet. ii. ^. The man thut before saw no danger in his condition,now con- cludes himself lost, and forever undone. Acts ii. 87, except renewed by the power of grace. He (hat formerly thought there was little hurt in sin, now comes to see it to be the chief of evils ; he sees the unreasonableness, the un- righteousness, the deformity and filthiness that is in sin ; so that he is affrighted with it, loathes it, dreads it, flies it, and even abhors himself for it, Rom. vii. 15, Jobxlii. 6, Ezek. xxxvi. 31. He that could see little sin in himself, and could find no matter for confes- sion, (as it was said of that learned Ignora- :nm, Bellarmine, who, it seems, while he knew 30 m-jch abroad, was a miserable stranger to iimself, that when he was to be confessed by the priest, be could not remember any thing ' :^ bat was fain to run back to the sins The nature of Conversion. 39 of his youth) I say; he that eould not find matter for confession, unless it were some few- gross and staring evils, now sin revivcth whli ium, Rom. vii. y, he sees the rottenness oi hi^ heart, and desperate and deep polUition of his whole nature : he cries, Unclean^ un- clean^ Lev. xiii. 45. Lord, purge me laifh hyssops wash me thoroughly^ create in me a new hearty Psa. li. 2^ 7^ 10. He sees him- self altogetlier ])ecome filthy, Psa. xiv. 3, cor- rupt, both root and tree. Matt. vii. 17, 18.- — He writes unclean upon all his parts, nnd powers, and performances, Isa. Ixiv. 6, Houi. vii. 18. He discovers the nasty corners that he was never aware of, and sees the bUisphe- my and theft, and murder, and adultery that is in bis heart, which before lie was ignorant of. Heretofore he saw no form nor comeli- ness in Christ, nor beauty, that he should de- sh'e him ; but now he finds the hid treasure, and will sell all to buy this field. Christ is the pearl he seeks, sin the puddle he loathes. Now, according to this new light, the man ig of another mind, another judgment, than before he was. Now God is all with him, he hath none in heaven nor in earth, like him, Psa. Ixxiii. S5. He prefers him truly before all the world: his favour is his life; the light of his countenance is more than corn, or wine, and oil, (the good that formerly he enquired after, and set his heart upon, Psa. iv. 6, 70 Wow, let all the world be set on one side, and Grod alone on the other; let the harlot put ou her paint and gallantry, and present herself the soul, (as when Satan would have tempt- 10 TJie iiatiire of Conversion. cd our Saviour with her) in all the glory oi brr kingdoms^ yet the soul will not fall down and worship her^ but will prefer a naked^ yea, a crucified, persecuted Christ before her, Phil, ill. 8/1 Cor. ii. S. Not but that a hypocrite may come to yield a general assent to this, that God is the chief good; yea, the wiser licalliens (some few of them) have at last Htumhied upon this : but there is a difference between the absolute, and comparative judg- ment of the understanding. No hypocrite come so far, as to look upon (rod as the mosi desirable and suitable good to him, and there- upon to acquiesce in him. This was the con- vert's ^'oice. The Lord is my jjortion^ saitli my soul : Wlwm have I in heaven hut thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire be- sides thee. God is the strength of my hearty and my jjortion forever^ Psa. Ixxiii. S6, Lam. ;if. m^. Secondly^ It turns the Mas of the will^ both as to inearis and ends, (1.) The intention of the Willis allered, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, Jer. xxxi. B3, isa. ?re hi}i)\)j in this tlian in all that the' earth could yield, that he may be serviceable ta Clnist/and Ijring him glory in his generation. Tiiis is ilie mark he aims at, that the name of .lesus may be great in the w^orld, and that all the slieavcs of his brethren may bow to this ^beaf. The nature of Conversion. 41 Reader;^ dost thou view this, and never asl^ thyself whether it be thus with thee? Pause awhile^ and breathe on this great coneeriv ment. (g.) The election also is changed, so that he chooseth another way, Psa. cxix. 13. He pitched upon God as his blessedness ; and upon Christ as the principal, and holiness as the subordinate means to bring him to Grod, John xiv. 6, Rom. ii. 7* He chooseth Jesus for his Lord, Col. ii. 6. He is not merely forced into Christ by the storm ; nor doth he take Christ for ba^re necessity, as the man begged from the gallows, when he takes tha wife, rather than the halter ; but he comes off freely in the choice. This match is not made in a fright, as with the terrified conscience, or dying sinner, that will seemingly do any thing for Christ, but doth only take Christ rather than hell; but he deliberately resolves, that Christ is his best choice, Phil. i. 23, and would rather have him to choose, than all the good of this Avorld, might he enjoy it whiie he would. Again, he takes holiness for his path ; he doth not, out of mere necessity, sub- mit to it, but he likes and loves it; I have chosen the way of thy precejJtSy Psa. cxix. i^S. He takes God^s testimonies, not as l^is bondage, but as his heritage, yea, his herii- age forever, ver. 111. He counts them not his burden, but his bliss ; not his cords, but his cordials, 1 John v. 3, Psa. cxix. 14, 16, 17. He doth not only bear, but take up Christ^s yoke : he takes not holiness as the stoipach doth the loathed potion, (which it D g 4S The nature of Conversion^ %viil do wo with rather than die) but as the hungry doth his beloved food : no tirae pass- eth so sweetly with him (when he is himself) as that he spends in the exercises of holiness ; these are both his aliment and element, the desire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart, Job xxiii. 13, Psa. cxix. 8S, 131, 162, 174, and Ixiii. 5. Put thy conscience to it as thou goest, whether thou art the man ? O happy man, if this be thy case i But see thou be thorough and impartial in the search. ThirdJij^ It turns the lent of the affections^ % ^Cor. vii. 11. These run all in a new chan- nel : the Jordan is now^ driven back, and the w ater runs upwards against its natural course* Christ is his liope^ 1 Tim. i, 1, this is his prize, PhiL iii. 8, here his eye is, here his iieart is. He is contented to cast all over- board, (as the merchant in the storm, ready to perish) so he may but keep this jewel. The first of his desires is not after gold, but grace, Phil. iii. 13, he hungers after it, he seeks it as silver, he digs for it as for hid treasure : he had rather be gracious than be great : he had rather be the holiest man on earth, than the most learned, the most famous, most prosperous. While carnal, he said. Oh, if I were but in great esteem, and rolled in wealth, ?aid sw immed in pleasure, if my debts were paid, and I and mine provided for ! then 1 w ere a happy man. But now the tune is rhanged: Oh, saith the convert,if Ihad but my corruptions subdued, if I had such measures (f grace, such fellowship with God, though I The nature of Conversion. 43 were poor and despised, I should not care ; I should account myself a blessed man. Read- er, is this the language of thy soul ? His joys are changed. He rejoiceth in the ways of Grod^s testimonies as much as in all riches, Psa. cxix. 14. He delights in the law of the Lord, wherein once he had little savour. He hath no such joy, as in the thoughts of Christ, the fruition of his company, the prosperity of his people. His cares are quite altered. He was once set for the world, and any scraps of by-time (nothing too often) was enough for his soul. — Now he gives over caring for the asses, and sets his heart on the kingdom. No\^ all the cry is. What shall I do to be saved P Acts xvi. SO. His great solicitude is, how to se- cure his soul. Oh, how he would bless you if you could but put him out of doubt of this ! Hi^ fears are not so much of suffering, but of sinning, Heb. xi. 35, S6. Once he was afraid of nothing so much as the loss of his estate, or esteem, the pleasure of friends, the frowns of the great : nothing sounded so ter- rible to him as pain, or poverty, or disgrace. Now these are little to him in comparison of God^s dishonour or displeasure. How wa- rily doth he walk, lest he should tread on a snare ! He feareth alway, he looks before and behind ; he hath his eye upon his heart, and is often casting over his shoulder, lest he should be overtaken with sin, Psa. xxxix. i, Prov. xxviii. 14, Eccl. ii. 14. It kills his heart to think of losing God^s favour ; this he dreads as his only undoing; Psa. li. 11; 13; ii The nature of Conversion. Psa. cxix. y. No thought in the world doth pinch him; and pain him so much^ as to thinft of parting with Christ. His love runs a new course. My love was crucified; (said holy Ignatius) that is; my Christ. This is my beloved^ saith the spouse, Cant. V. 16. How doth Augustine often pour his loves upon Christ? O eternal blessed- TiesSy &c. He can find no words sweet enough. Let me see tJiee^ O light of mine eyes. Come^ O thou jay of my spirit. Let me behold thee, O the gladness of my heart. Let me love thee, O the life of my soul. Jtj^pear unto me, O-my great delight, my siceet comfort, my God, my life, and the whole glory of my soul. Let me find thee, O desire of my heart/ Let me hold thee, O love of my soul ! Let me em- brace thee, O heavenly bridegroom! Let me possess thee. His sorrows have now a new vent; S Cor. vii. 9; 10. The view of his sinS; the sight of a Christ crucified; that would scarce stir him before; now how much do they affect his heart ! His hatred boils, his anger burns against eiu; Psa. cxix. 104. He hath no patience with himself; he calls himself fool; and beast, and thinks any name too good for himself, when his indignation is stirred up against sin, Psa. Ixxiii. S2, Prov. xxx. S. He could once swill in it with too much pleasure ; now he loathes the thought of returning to it, as much as of licking up the filthiest vomit. The nature of Conversion. 45 Commune then with thine own heart, and attend the common and general ciirrent of thine aifections, whether it be towards God in Christ above all other concernments. Indeed, sud- den and strong commotions of the affections and sensitive part are oftentimes found in hypocrites/ especially where the natural con- stitution leads thereunto ; and contrary wise, the sanctified themselves are many times with- out sensible stirrings of the affections, where the temper is more slow, dry, and dull. The great inquiry is, whether the judgment and will be standingly determined for God, above all other good, real or apparent ; and if the affections do sincerely follow their choice and conduct, though it be not so strongly and sen- sibly as is to be desired, there is no doubt but the change is saving. S. Throughout the members. Those that were before the instruments of sin, are now become the holy istensils of Christ^s living temple, Rom. vi. 16, 1 Cor. iii. 16. He that before made, as it were, a bawd or a barrel of his body, now possesseth his vessel in sanc- •tification and honour, in temperance, chastity and sobriety, and dedicated to the Lord, 1 Thes. iv. 4, Gal. v. SS, 23, 1 Cor, vi. i% SO. The eye that was once a wandering eye, a wanton eye, a haughty, a covetous eye, is now employed, as Mary, in weeping over her sins^ Luke vii. 38, in beholding God in his works, Psa. viii. 3, in reading his word, Acts viii. 60, in looking up and down for objects of mercy, and opportunities for his service. 46 The nature of Conversion. The ear that was once open to satan^s call^ and that (like a vitiated palate) did relish nothing so much as filthy^ at least frothy talk, and the fool's lans;htei> is now bored to the door of Christ's house, and open to his dis- cipline : it saith, Speak^ Lordy for thy ser- vant heareth : it cries with him, Veniat ver- bum dominiy and waits for his word as the rain, and relisheth them more than the ap. pointed food, Job xxiii. IS, than the honey and the honey-comb, Psa. xix. 10. The heady that w as the shop of worldly de- signs, is now filled with other matters, and set on the study of God's will, Psa. i. S, and exix. Q7y and the man beats his head, not so much about his gain, but about his duty. The thoughts and cares that now fill his head are principally how he may please God and fly sin. His hearty that w^as a sty of filthy lusts, is now become an altar of incense, where the fire of divine love is ever kept in, and w^hence the daily sacrifice of prayer and praises, and sweet incense of holy desires, ejaculations and anhelations are continually ascending. Psa. eviii. 1, cxix. SO, and cxxxix. 17^ 18. The month is become a w ell of life, his tongue as choice silver, and his lips feed ma- ny. Now the salt of grace hath seasoned his speech, and eaten out the corruption, Col. iv. 6, and cleansed the mouth from his filthy communication, flattery, boasting, railing, ly- ing, swearing, backbiting, that once came like the flashes proceeding from the hell that was in the lieart, James iii, 6, 7* The throat. The nature of Conversion. 47 that was once an open sepulchre, Rom. iii. 13, now sends forth the sweet breath of prayer and holy discourse ; and the man speaks an- other tongue, in the language of Ganaan, and is never so well as when talking of God and Christ, and the matters of another worlds His mouth bringeth forth wisdom, his tongue is become the silver trumpet of his Maker's praise, his glory, and the best member that he hath. Now, here you shall have the hypocrite halting. He speaks, it may be, like an an- gel, but he hath a covetous eye, or the gain of unrighteousness in his hand : or the hand is white, but his heart is full of rottenness. Matt, xxiii. S7, full of unmortified cares, a very oven of lust, a shop of pride, the seat of malice. It may be, with Nebuchadnezzar's image, he hath a golden head, a great deal of knowledge ; but he hath feet of clay, his af- fections are worldly, he minds earthly things, and his v/ay and walk are sensual and carnal ; you may trace him in his secret haunts, and his footsteps will be found in some by-paths of sin. The work is not throughout with him. 3, Throughout the motions^ or the life and practice. The new man takes a new course, Eph. ii. S, 3. His conversation is in heaven, Phil, iii, SO. No sooner doth Christ call by effectual grace, but he straisjhtway becomes a follower of him. Matt. iv. SO. When God hath given the new heart, and writ his law in his mind, he forthwith walks in his statutes, and keeps his judgments, Ezek. xxxvi. 86, 27. 48 The nature of Conversion, Though sin may dwell (God knows a wea- nsome and unwelcome guest) in hira^ yet it hath no more dominion over hira, Rom. vi. 7, i4f. He hath his fruit unto holiness, Rom. vi, 32, and though he makes many a blot, yet the law and life of Jesus is tliat he eyes as his copy, Psa. cxix. 30, Heb. xii. 3, and hath an unfeigned respect to all God^s commandments, Psa, cxix. 6. He makes conscience even of little sins ai\d little duties, Psa. cxix. 113. — His very infirmities, which he cannot help though he would, are his soul's burden, and are like the dust in a man's eye, which, though but little, yet is not a little troublesome. [O man ! dost thou read this, and never turn in upon thy soul by self-examination ?] The sincere convert is not one man at churcli, and another at home ; lie is not a saint on his knees, and a cheat in his shop ; he will not tythe mint and cummin, and neglect mercy and judgment, and the weighty matters of the law ; he doth not pretend piety, and neglect morality. Matt, xxiii. 14. But he turns from all his sins, and keeps all God's statutes, Ezek. xviii. 31, though not perfectly, (except in desire and endeavour) yet sincerely ; not allowing himself in the breach of any, Rom. vii. 15^ Now he delights in the word, and sets himself to prayer, and opens his hand, (if able) and draws out his soul to the hun- gry, Rome vii. 3S, Psa. cix. 4, Isa. Iviii. 10. He breaketh off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, Dan. iv. 27^ and hath a good conscience, wil- ling in all things to live honestly, Hcb. xiii. The Ttatune of Conversion. 49 18, and to keep without oifence towards God and men. Here again yon shall find the unsoundness of m^ny professors, that take themselves for good Christians. They are partial in the law, Mai. ii. 9, and take up with the cheap and easy duties of religion, but they go not through with the work. They are as a cake not turn- ed, half toasted and half raw. It may be you shall have them exact in their words, punc- tual in their dealings ; but then they do not exercise themselves unto godliness ; and for examining themselves, and governing their hearts, to this they are strangers. You may have them duly at the church ; but follow them to their families, and there you shall see little but the world minded ; or if they have a road of family-duties, follow them to their closets, and there you shall find their souls are little looked after. It may be they seem otherwise religious, but bridle not their tongues, and so all their religion is in vain, James i. 36. It may be they come up to clos- et and family prayer ; but follow them to their shops, and there you shall find them in a trade of lying, or some covert and cleanly way of deceit. Thus the hypocrite goes not through- out in the course of his obedience. And thus much for the subject of conver- sion. 6. The terms are either from which or to which. i. The terms from which we turn in this motion of conversion, are sin^ satan^ the taorld^ and our own righteousness. £ 50 ^lie nature of Conversion. ; Firsty Sin. When a man is converted, he is forever out with sin^ yea, with all sin, Psa. cxix. 128, but most of all with his own sins, and especially with his bosom sin, Psa. xviii. S3, bin is now the butt of his indignation, 3 Cor. vii. 11. He thirsts to bathe his hands in tlie blood of his sins. His sins set abroach his sorrows: it is sin that pierceth him and wounds him ; he feels it like a thorn in his side, like a prick in his eyes ; he groans and struggles under it, and not formally, but feel- ingly cries out, O wretched man ! He is not impatient of any burden so much as of his sin, Psa. xl. IS. If God should give him his choice, he would choose any affliction, so he might be rid of sin ; he feels it like the cut- ting gravel in his shoes, pricking and paining liim as he goes. Before conversion, he had light thoughts of sin : he cherished it in his bosom, as Uriah his lamb : he nourished it up, and it grjw up together with him; it did eat, as it were, of his own meat, and drunk of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him as a daugh- ter : but when God opens his eyes by conver- sion, he throws it away with abhorrence, Isa. xxx. SS, as a man would a loathsome toad, which in the dark he had hugged fast in his bosom, and thought it had been some pretty and harmless bird. When a man is savingly changed, he is not only deeply convinced of the danger, but defilement of sin ; and Oh, how earnest is he with God to be purified ! — He loathes himself for his sins, Kzek. xxxvi. 31, He runs to Christ, and casts himself into 2%e nature of Conversion. di the fountain for sin and uneleanness^ Zech. xiii. 1. If he fall;, what a stir is there to get all clean again ! He flies to the word, and washes, and rubs, and rinses, labouring to cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit : he abhors his once beloved sin, Psa. xviii. 33, as a cleanly nature doth the trough and mire, wherein he sees the swine delight. The sound convert is heartily engaged against sin ; he wrestles with it, he wars against it ; he is too often foiled, but he nev- er yields the cause, nor lays down the weap- ons, but he will up and to it again, while he hath breath in his body : he will never give quiet possession, he will make no peace, he will give no quarter ; he falls upon it, and flres upon it, and is still disquieting of it with continual alarms. He can forgive his other enemies, he can pity them, and pray for them. Acts vii. 60, but here he is implacable, here he is set upon revenge ; he hunteth, as it were, for the precious life ; his eye shall not pity, his hand shall not spare, though it be aright- hand or a right-eye : be it a gainful sin, most delightful to his nature, or a support to his esteem with carnal friends, yet he will rather throw his gain down the kennel, see his cred- it fall, or the flower of pleasure wither in his hand, than he will allow himself in any known way of sin, Luke xix. 8. He will grant no indulgence, he will give no tolera- tion ; but he draws upon sin wherever he meets it, and frowns upon it with this unwel- 5S The nature of Conversion. come salute^ Have I found thee^ Omine ene- my ? Reader, hath conscience been at work while thou hast been looking over these lines? Hast thou pondered these things in thine heart? Hast thou searched the book within, to see if these things be so? If not, read it again, and make thy conscience speak whether or no it be thus with thee. Hast thou crucified thy flesh with its aflec- tions and lusts ; and not only confessed, but forsaken thy sins ; all sin in thy fervent de- sires, and the ordinary practice of every de- liberate and wilful sin in thy life? If not, thou art yet unconverted. Doth not conscience dy in thy face as thou readest, and tell thee (hat thou livest in a way of lying for thy ad- vantage, that thou usest deceit in thy calling, ihat there is some way of secret wantonness that thou livest in ? Why then, do not deceive il»Yself ; thou art in the gall of bitterness^ and bond of iniquity. Doth not thy unbridled tongue, thy brutish intemperance, thy wicked company, thy neg- lect of prayer, of hearing and reading the word, now witness against thee, and say. We are thy icorks^ and we will follow thee P Or if I have not hit thee right, doth not the bird within tell them, there is such or such a way, that thou knowest to be evil, that yet for sonie carnal respect thou dost tolerate thyself in, and art willing to spare ? If this be thy case, thou art to this day unregenerate, and must be changed or condemned. The nature of Conversion. 53 Secondly^ Satan. Conversion binds the strong man, spoils his armour, casts out his goods, turns men from the povver of satan un- to God, Acts xxvi. 18, Before, the devilr could no sooner hold up his finger to the sin- ner, to call him to his wicked company, sin- ful games, filthy delights, but presently he followed, like an ox to the slaughter, and a fool to the correction of the stocks ; as the bird that hasteth to the prey, and knoweih not that it is for his life. No sooner could satan bid him lie, but presently he had it upon the top of his tongue. Acts v. 8. No sooner could satan oflfer a wanton object, but he was stung with lust. The devil could do more with him than God could : if the devil say, Away with these family duties, be sure they shall be rarely enough performed in his house : if the devil say, Away with this strictness, this preciseness, he will keep far enough from it : if he tells him, There^s no need of these closet duties, he shall go from day to day, and scarce perform them. But now he is converted, he serves another master, and takes quite another course, 1 Pet. iv. 4. He goes and comes at Christ^s beck, Col. iii. 24. Satan may sometimes catch his foot in a trap, but he will no longer be a willing captive : he watches against the snares and baits of satan, and studies to be acquainted with his devi^ ces : he is very suspicious of his plots, and is very jealous in what comes athwart him, lest satan should have some design upon him : he wrestles against principalities and powers, Eph. vi. he entertains the messenger of satan, Eg 04 The ^lafitre of Conver^an. as men do the messenger of death : he keeps his e^e upon his enemy, 1 Pet. v. 8, and watches in his duties, lest satan should put in Lis foot. Thirdly, The World. Before a sound faith, a man is overcome of the >vorld ; either he bows down to mammon, or idolizes his repu- tation, or is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God, 2 Tim. iii. 1. Here is the root of man's misery by the fall ; he is turned aside (o (he creature, instead of God, and gives that esteem, confidence and affection to the crea- ure, that is due to him alone, Rom. i. 25, Matt. X. 3,^, Prov. xviii. 11, Jer. xvii. 5. O miserable man ! aa hat a deformed mon- ster hath sin made thee ! God made thee lit- tle lower than the angels ; sin little better than the devils, John vi. 70, and > iii. 44. A mon- ster that Juith his head and heart where his feet should be, and his feet kicking against heaven, and every thing out of place ; the world, that was formed to serve thee, is come lo rule thee, and the deceitful harlot hath be- witched thee with her enchantments, and made thee bow down and serve her. Eut converting grace sets all in order again, and puts God in the throne, and the vvoiTd at his footstool, Ps. Ixxiii. 25, Christ in the heart, and the world under feet, Eph. iii. i7, Kev. xii. 1. So Paul, I am crucified to the icorld, and the ttorld to me, Gal. vi. 14. Be- fore this change, all the cry was, Who will shew iisjfiny f worldly J good? Eut now he fiings another tune. Lord, lift thou up the '^giit of thy countenance uj^oji me^ and take The nature of Conversioiu 65 the corn ami wine whoso will^ Psa. iv. 6^ 7. Before^ his hearts delight and content was in the world ; then the song was, Soul^ take thine ease ; eat^ drink, and be merry ; thou hast much goods laid up for many years: but now all tiiis is withered, and there is no comeliness that he should desire it j and he tunes up, with the sweet Psalmist of Israel, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance^ the lines are fallen to me in a fair place^ I have a goodly heritage. He blesseth himself, and boasts himself in God, Psa, xxxiv. 3, Lam. iii. 24, nothing else can give him con- tent. He hath written vanity and vexation upon all his worldly enjoyments, Eccl. i. 3, and loss and dung upon all human excellen- cies, Phil. iii. 7^ 8. He hath life and immor- tality now in chase, Rom. ii. 7. He trades for grace and glory, and hath a crown incor- ruptible in pursuit, 1 Cor. ix. §5. His heart is set in him to seek the Lord, 1 Chron. xxii. 19, and 2 Chron. xv. 15. He first seeks the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof; and religion is no longer a matter by the by with him, but the main of his care, Matt. vi. 33, Psa. xxvii. 4. Kow the gaudy idol is become Nehushtan, 2 Kings xviii. 4, and he gets up and treads upon it, as Diogenes trampling upon Plato^s hangings, saying, CaU CO Platonis fastum. Before, the world had the swaying interest with him ; he would do more for gain than godliness, 1 Tim. vi. 6, more to please his friend or his flesh, than to please the God that made him, and God must stand by till tlie world were first served ; bat 56 The nature of Conversion. now all must stand by, he hates father or mother, and life, and all, in comparison of Christ, Luke i. 26. Well then, pause a little, and look within : doth not this nearly concern thee ? Thou pre- tendest for Christ, but doth not the world sway thee ? Dost thou not take more real de- light and content in the world, than in him ? Dost thou not find thyself better at ease Avhen the world goes to thy mind, and thou art en- compassed Avith carnal delights^ than when re- tired to prayer and meditation in thy closet, or attending upon God's word and worship ? No surer evidence of an unconverted state, than to have the things of the world upper- most in our aims, love, and estimation, John ii. 15, James iv, 4, With the sound convert, Christ hath the supremacy. How dear is this name to him ? How precious is its savour ? Cant. i. 8, Psa. liv. 8. The name of Jesus is engi'aven upon his heart. Gal. iv. 19^ and lies as a bundle of myrrh between his breasts. Cant. i. 13, 14, — Honour is but air, and laughter is but mad ^ ness, and mammon is fallen like Dagon before the ark, with hands and head broken off on the threshold, when once Christ is savingly revealed. Here is the pearl of great price to the true convert, here is his treasure, here is his hope, Matt. xiii. 44, 45. This is his glo- ry, My beloved is mine^ and I am his^ Gal. vi. 14, Cant. ii. 16. Oh ! 'tis sweeter to him to be able to say, Christ is mine, than if he could say. The kingdom is mine, the Indies are mine. The nature of Conversion. 57 Fourthly^ Your own Mighteousness, Before conversion, man seeks to cover himself with his own fig leaves, Phil. iii. 16, and to lick himself whole with his own duties, Mic. vi. 6, 7' He is apt to trust in himself, Luke xvi. 15, and xviii. 9, and set up his own right- eousness, and to reckon his counters for gold, and not suhmit to the righteousness of God, Horn. X. 3. But conversion changes hi4S mind ; now he casts away his filthy rags, and counts his own righteousness but a menstru- ous cloth ; he casts it oif, as a man would tlie verminous tatters of a nasty beggar, Isa. Ixiv. 7. Now he is brought to poverty of spirit, Matt. V. 3, complains of, and condemns him- self, llom. vii. and all his inventory is. Poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked. Rev. iii. 17. He sees a world of ini- quity in his holy things, and calls his once idolized righteousness but flesh, and loss, and dogs^ meat, and would not for a thousand worlds be found in himself, Phil. iii. 4, 7, 8, 9. His finger is ever upon his sores, Psa^ li. 3, his sins, his wants. Now he begins to set a high price upon Christ's righteousness ; he sees the need of a Christ in every duty, to justify his person, and justify his perform- ances ; he cannot live without him, he can- not pray without him ; Christ must go with him, or else he cannot come into the presence of God ; he leans upon the hand of Christ, and so he bows himself in the house of his God; he sets himself down for a lost, undone man, without him ; his life is hid in Christ, as the life of a man in the heart ; he is fixed in 58 The nature of Conversion. Christy as the roots of tlie tree spread in the earthy for stability and nutriment. .Before^ the news of a Christ was a stale and sapless thing ; but now how sweet is a Christ ! Au- gustine could not relish liis before so much admired Cicero^ because he could not find the name of Christ ; how pathetically cries he, Dulcissime^ amaniis. henignis. caris. &c. quando ie videboP qiiando satiabo de pulchru tudine tuuf Medit. c. 37. O most sweety most loving^ most kind^ most dear^ most pre- cious^ most desired^ most lovely^ most fair, &c. all in a breath, when he speaks of, and to his Christ. In a word, the voice of the con- vert is with the martyr, JSTone but Christ, none but Christ. S. The terms to which, are either ultimate or subordinate, and mediate. The ultimate, is God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, whom the true convert takes as his all-sufficient and eternal blessedness. A man is never truly sanctified, till his very heart be in truth set upon God above all things, as his portion and chief good. These are the natural breathings of a believer's heart : TJiou art my portion, Psa. cxix. 57. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, Psa. xxxiv. S. Jtly expectation is from him, he only is my rock, and my salvation, he is my defence : In God is my salvdtion, and my glory, the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God, Psa. Ixii. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7y and xviii. 1, 2. Would you put it to an issue, whether you be converted or not ? Now then, let thy soul and all that is within thee attend. The nature of Conversion. 59 Hast thou taken God for thy happiness ? — Where doth the content of thy heart lie? Whence doth thy clioicest comfort come in ? Gome then^ and with Abraham^ lift up thine eyes eastward, and westward, and northward^ and southv/ard, and cast about thee ; wliat is it that thou wouldst have in heaven or earth to make thee happy ? If Grod should give thee thy choice, as he did to Solomon; or should say to thee, as Ahasuerus to Esther, What is thy petition^ and what is thy request P and it shall he granted thee^ Esther v. 3, what wouldst thou ask? Go into the gardens of pleasure, and gather all the fragrant flowers from thence ; would these content thee ? Go to the trieasures of mammon ; suppose thou mightstj inde thyself as thou wouldst from hence : go to the towers, to the trophies of honour; what thinkest tliou of beiug a man of renown, and having a name like the name of the great men of the earth? Would any of this, all this suffice thee, and make thee count thyself a happy man ? If so, then certainly thou art carnal and unconverted. If not, go farther ; wade into the divine excellencies, the store of his mercies, the hiding of his pow- er, the deeps unfathomable of his all-sufficien- cy : doth tliis suit thee best, and please thee most ? Dost thou say, ^Tis good to be here^ Matt. xvii. 4, here 1 will pitch, here I will live and die ? Wilt thou let all the world go, rather than this ? Then 'tis well between God and thee : happy art thou, O man ! happy art thou, that ever thou wast born : if a God can make thee happy, thou must needs be happy : 60 The nature of Conversion. for thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God^ Deut. xxvi. 17. Dost thou say to Christ, as he to us, Thy Fafher^sjiall be my Father^ and thy God my God? John xx. 17. Here is the turning poitit. An unsound professor never takes up liis rest in God ; but converting grace does the work, and so cures the fatal misery of the fall, by turning the heart from its idols, to the living God, 1 Thess. i. 9. Now says the soul, Lord^ whither should I go ? thou hast the words of eternal life^ John vi. 68. Here he centres, here he settles : O ! ^tis as the entrance of heaven to him, to see his interest in God. When he discovers this, he saith, Return uyito thy rest^ O my soul^ for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Psa. cxvi. 7^ and it is even ready t<> breathe out Simeon's song, Lord, note lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, Luke ii. 29, and saith with Jacob, when his old heart revived at the welcome tidings. It is enough j Gen. xlv, ^8, when he sees he hath a God in cove- nant to go to, this is all his salvation^ and all his desire, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Man, is this thy case ? Hast thou experi- enced this ? Why then, blessed art thou of the Lord : God hath been at work with thee, he liath laid holtl on thy heart by the power of converting grace, or else thou couldst nev- er have done this. The mediate term of conversion is either jjrincipal, or less pinncipaL ' The principalis Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, 1 Tim. ii. 5, his work is to bring us to God, 1 Pet. iii. 18, He is The nature of Conversion. 61 tlie way to the Father^ John xiv. 6, the only plank on which we may escape^ the only door by which we may enter, John x. y. — Conversion brings over the soul to Christ, to accept of him. Col. ii. 6, as the only means to life, as the only way, the only name given under heaven. Acts iv. 12. He looks not for salvation in any other but him, nor in any other with him ; but throws himself on Christ alone, as one that should cast himself witli spread arms upon the sea. Herey (saith the convinced sinner) here I will venture^ and if I perish ^ I perish ; if I die^ I will die here. But, Lord^ ^^ff^^ ^^ not to perish under the pitiful eyes of thy mercy. Entreat me not to leave thee^ or to turn aicay from following after thee^ Ruth i. 16. Here I icili throw myself : If thou kick tncy if thou kill nie^ Job xiii. 15^ I ivill not go from thy door. Thus the poor soul doth venture on Christ, and resolvedly adheres to him. Before con- version, the man made light of Christ, mind- ed the farm^ friends, merchandize, more than Christ, Matt. xxii. 5. Now Christ is to him as his necessary food, his daily bread, the life of his heart, the staff of his life, Phil. iii. 9. His great design is, that Christ may be mag- nified in him, Phil. i. ao. His heart once said, as they to the spouse, What is thy be- loved more than another ? Cant. v. 9. He found more sweetness in his merry company, wicked games, earthly delights, than iu Christ; He took religion for a fancy, and the talk of great enjoyments for an idle dream. (53 The nature of Conversion. But now^ to him to live is Christ. He sets light by all that he accounted pi-ecious, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, Phil. iii. 8. All of Christ is accepted by the sincere convert : he loves not only the wages, but the work of Christ, Rom. vii. 13, not only the benefits, but the burden of Christ : he is wil- ling not only to tread out the corn, but io draw under the yoke ; he takes up the com- mands of Christ, yea, and cross of Christ, Matt. xi. 28, and xvi, 2+. The unsound closeth by the halves with Christ : he is all for the salvation of Christ, but he is not for sanctiflcation ; he is for the privileges, but appreciates not the person of Christ ; he divides the offices and benefits of Christ^ This is an error in the foundation : whoso loveth life, let him beware here ; his an undoing mistake, of which you have been often warned, and yet none more common. — Jesus is a sweet name, but men love not the Lord Jesus in sincerity, Eph. vi. S4. They will not have him as God offers. To he a Prince, and a Saviour^ Acts v. 31. They divide what God hath joined, the King and the Priest : yea, they will not accept the sal- vation of Christ, as he intends it ; they divide it here. Every man's vole is for salvation from sv afering, but they desire not to be sav- ed from sinning : they wo^uld have their lives saved, but withal, ihey would have their lusts. Yea, many divide here again ; they would be content to have some of their sins destroyed, but tliey cannot leave the lap of Delilah, or divorce the beloved Herodias. They cannot 2%e nature of Conversion. 63 be cruel to the right- eye, or right-hand; the Lord must pardon them in this thing, 2 Kings V. 18. O I be infinitely tender here ; your souls lie upon it. The sound convert takes a whole Christ, and takes iiim for all intent^ and purposes ; without exceptions, witl\out limitations, without reserves. He is willing to have Christ upon his terms, upon any terms. He is willing of the dominion of Christ, as well as deliverance by Christ; he saith with Paul, Lord^ tvhat wilt thou have me to do ? Acts ix. 6. Any thing, Lord. He sends the blank to Christ, to set down his own condi- tions. Acts ii. 87^ and xvi. 30. The less principal) is the laivs^ ordinances^ and ways of Christ. The heart that was once set against these, and could not endure the strictness of these bonds, the severity of these ways, now falls in love with them, and chuses them as its nile and guide forever, Psa. cxix. Ill, 113. Four things (I observe) God doth work in every sound convert, with reference to the laws and ways of Christ, by which you may come to know your estates, if you will be faithful to your own souls ; and therefore keep your eyes upon your hearts as you go along. (1.) The judgment is brought to approve oftheni) and subscribe to them as most right- eous ^ and most reasonable^ Psa. cxix. 112, 128, 137, 138. The mind is brought to love the ways of God ; and the corrupt prejudices that were once against them, as unreasonable tind intolerable, are now removed. The un- 64 The nature of Conversion.' derstanding assents to tliem all, as holy, just^ and good, Rom. vii. 12. How is David ta- ken up with these excellencies of God's laws ? How doth he expatiate in their praises, both from their inherent qualities, and admirable effects ? Psa. xix. 8, 9, 10, &c. There is a twofold judgment of the under- standing, /Mflf/cm?^ absoliitiun^ 8j^ comjparatum. The absolute judgment is, when a man thinks such a course best in the general, but not for him, or not under the present circumstances he is in; jJ^o hic^ 8^ nunc. Kow a godly Hiaa's judgment is for the way of God; and that not only the absolute, but comparative judgment ; he thinks them not only best in general, but best for liim : he looks upon the rules of religion, not only as tolerable, but de- sirable ; yea, more desirable than gold, fine gold ; yea, much fine gold, Psa. xix. 10. His judgment is settledly determined, that 'tis best to be holy, that 'tis best to be strict, iliatit is in ilsclf the most eligible course ; and lis for hiui the wisest, and most rational and (iesirable choice. Hear the godly man's judgment; I Jaioia, O Lord^ that thy jiidg- ■nents are right. I love thy commandments above gold: yea^ above fine gold. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be rights and I hate every false way. Psa. cxix. 137, 128. Mark, he did approve of all that God refjuired, and disallowed of all that he Ibrbade : JRighteous. O Lord^ and upright are thy judgments. Tliy testintonies that thou hast commanded^ are righteous and very faith- ful. T^y word is true from the beginnings The nature of Conversion. 65 and every one of thy righteous judgments en* dureth forever^ Psa. cxix, 86^ 160^ 163^ 163.- See how readily and fully he subscribes ; he declares his assent and consent to it^ and all and every thing therein contained. (3.) The desire of the heart is to know the whole mind of Christy Psa. cxix. 124, 135, 169, and xxv. % d. He would not have one sin undiscovered, nor be ignorant of one duty required. 'Tisthe natural and earnest breath- ing of a sanctified heart : Lord^if there be any way of icickedness in tne^ do thou discover it. What Ilaioio not^ teach thou me ; and if I have done iniquity^ I will do it no more. The unsound is willingly ignorant, S Pet. iii. 5, loves not to come to the light, John iii. 30. — He is willing to keep such or such a sin, and therefore is loth to knoAv it to be a sin, and will not let in the light at that window. The gracious heart is willing to know the whole latitude and compass of his Maker^s law, Ps. cxix. 18, 19, 37, 33, 61, 66, 68, 78, 108, 134. He receives with all acceptation the word tlia£ convinceth him of any duty that he knew not, or minded not before, or discovered any sin that lay hid before, Ps. cxix. 11. (3.) The free and resolved choice of the will is determined for the ways of Christ he- fore all the pleasures of sin ^ and prosperities of the icorld^ Ps. cxix. 103, 137, 163. His consent is not extorted by some extremity of anguish, nor is it only a sudden and hasty re- solve, but he is deliberately purposed, and comes off freely to the choice, Ps. xvii. 3, and cxix. 50, True, the flesh will rebel, yet the F 2 66 Tlte nature of Conversion* prevailing part of liis will is for Christ^s lawa and government ; so that he takes them not up as his toil or burden^ but his bliss^ ^ John V. 8. Ps. cxix. 60, 72. When the unsaneti- lied goes in Christ's ways as in chains and fetters^ be doth them naturally, Ps. xl. 8, Jer. xxxi. 33, and counts Christ's laws his liber- ty, Ps, cxix. 32, 45, James i. 25. He is wiU ling in the beauties of holiness^ Ps. ex. 3^ and hath this inseparable mark, that he had rath- er (if he might have his choice) live a strict and holy life, than the most prosperous and flourishing life in the w orld. 1 Sam. x. 26. There went ivitli Said a band of men ichose hearts God had touched. When God touch- elh the hearts of his chosen, they presently follow Christy Matt. iv. 23, and (though drawn) do freely run after him, Cant. i. 4, and willingly offer themselves to the service of the Lord, 2 Chron. vii. 16, seeking him with their whole desire, 2 Chron. xv. 15. Fear hath its use, but this is not the main spring of motion with a sanctified heart. Christ keeps not his subjects in by force, but is king of a willing people. They are (through his grace) freely resolved for his service, and do it out of choice, not as slaves, but as the son or spouse, from a spring of love, and a loyal mind. In a word, the laws of Christ are the converi^s love^ Ps. cxix. 159, 163, 167^ de- sire, ver. 5, 21/, 40, delight, ver. 77, 92, 103, ill, 143, and continual study, ver. 99, 79^ Ps. i. 2. (4.) The bent of his course is directed to Ixej) God^s statutes. Ps. cxix. 4, 8, I67, J 68. The nature of Conversion. 67 'Tis the daily care of his life to walk with Gocf. He seeks great things, he hath noble dcsigns;» though he fall too short : he aims at nothing less than perfection : he desires it, he reaches after it, he would not rest in any pitch of grace, till he were quite rid of sin, and had perfect holiness, Phil. iii. H, 13, 13, 14^. Here the hypocrite^s rottenness may be dis- covered* He desires holiness (as one well said) only as a bridge to heaven, and enquires earnestly, what is the least that will serve his turn ; and if he can get but so much as may just bring him to heaven, this is all he cares for. But the sound convert desires holiness for holiness' sake, Ps. cxix. 97^ Matt. v. 6, and not only for heaven's sake. He would not be satisfied with so much as might save him from hell, but desires the highest pitch : yet desires are not enough. What is thy way and tliy course ? Is the drift and scope of thy life altered ? Is holiness thy trade, and reli- gion thy business ? Rom. viii. 1, Matt. xxv. 16, Phil. i. 90. If not, thou art short of sound conversion. •dip plication. And is this that we have de- scribed, the conversion that is of absolute ne- cessity to salvation ? Then be informed, 1. That straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life. 2. That there are but few that find it. 3. That there is need of a divine power, savingly to convert a sinner to Jesus Christ. Again, then be exhorted, man that read- est, to turn in upon thine own self. What 68 The nature of Conversion. saith conscience ? Doth it not begin to bite ? Doth it not twitch thee as thou goest ? Is this thy judgment, and this thy choice, and this thy way, that we have described ? If so, then ^tis well. But doth not thy heart condemn thee, and tell thee, there is such a sin thou livest in, against thy conscience ? Doth it not tell thee, there is such and such a secret way of wickedness, that thou makest no bones of? such or such a duty that thou makest no con- science of? Doth not conscience carry thee to thy clos- et, and tell thee how seldom prayer and read- ing is performed there ? Doth it not carry thee to thy family, and shew thee the charge of God, and the souls of thy children and ser- vants that be neglected there ? Doth not con- science lead thee to thy shop, thy trade, and tell thee of some mystery of iniquity there ? Doth not it carry thee to the ale-shop, or to the sack-shop, and round thee in thine ear for the loose company thou keepest there, the precious time thou mis-spendest there, for the talents of God which thou throwest down this sink, for thy gaming and thy swilling, &c. ? Doth it not carry thee into thy secret cham- ber, and read thee a curtain lecture ? O conscience ! do thy duty : in the name of the living God, I command thee discharge thine office : lay hold upon this sinner, fall upon him, arrest him, apprehend him, unde- ceive him* What ! wilt thou flatter and soothe him, while he lives in his sins ? — Awake, O conscience ! what meanest thou, O sleeper ? What ! hast thou never a reproof The Necessity of Conversion. 69 ill thy mouth ? What ! shall this soul die ia his careless neglect of God and eternity, and thou altogether hold thy peace ? What ! shall he go on still in his trespasses^ and yet have peace? Oh ! rotise up thyself, and do thy work. Now let the preacher in thy bosom speak : cry aloud, and spare not : lift up thy voice like a trumpet ; let not the blood of this soul be required at tliy hands. ^ CHAP. III. OF THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. IT may be you are ready to say, Whcd rneaneth this stir ? And are apt to Avonder why I follow you with such earnestness, still ringing one lesson in your ears, That yon should rejient and he converted^ Acts iii. li>. But I must say unto you, as Ruth to Naomi, Entreat ma not to leave ijou^ nor to turn aside from following after tjouy Ruth i. 16. Were it a matter of indifference, I would never keep so much ado : might you be saved as you be, I would gladly let you alone : but would you not have me solicitous for you, when I see you ready to perish ? As the Lord liveth, before whom I am, 1 have not the least hopes to see one of your faces in heaven, except you be converted : I utterly despair of your salva- tion; except you be prevailed with to turn 70 Tlie JS^ecessity of Conversion. thoronglily, and give up yourselves to God in holiness and newness of life. Hath God said, Except you be born again^ you cannot see the kingdom of God? John iii. 3. And yet do you wonder why your minislers do so plainly travail in birth with you ? Think it not strange that I am earnest with you to follow after ho* liness, and long to see the image of God upon you : never did any, nor shall any, enter into heaven by any other Avay but this. The con- version described is not an high pitch of some taller Christians ; but every soul that is saved passeth this universal change. It was a passage of the noble Roman, when he was hasting with corn to the city in the famine, and the mariners were loth to set sail in foul weather, JSTecessarium est navigare^ Tion est necessarinm vivere ; our voyage is of more necessity than our lives. What is it that thou dost account necessary? Is thy bread necessary ? Is thy breath necessary ? Then thy conversion is much more necessary. In- deed this is the unum necessarinm^ the one thing necessary. Thine estate is not neces- sary ; thou mayest sell all for tlie pearl of great price, and yet be a gainer by the pur- chase. Matt. xiii. 4?6. Thy life is not neces- sary ; thou mayest part with it for Christ, to infinite advantage. Thine esteem is not ne- cessary : thou mayest be reproached for the name of Christ, and -yet happy ; yea, much more happy in reproach than in repute, 1 Pet. iv. 4, Matt. V. 10, 11. But thy conversion is necessary, thy damnation lies upon it : and is it not needful, in so important a case, to look The J^ecessitij of Conversion. 7i about thee ? Upon this one point depends thy making or marring to all eternity. But I shall more particularly shew the ne- cessity of conversion in five things ; for with- out this, L Thy being is in vain. Is it not pity thou shoiiklst be good for nothing, an unprofitable bur len on the earth, a wart or wen in the body of the universe ? Thus thou art^ v/hilst uncon- verted ; for thou canst not answer the end of thy being. Is it not for tlie divine pleasure thou art and wert created? Rev. iv. 11. Did he not make thee for himself? Prov. xvi. 4. Art thou a man^ and hast thou reason ? Why then bethink thyself why and whence thy be- ing is. Behold God's workmanship in thy body^ and ask thyself^ To what end did God rear this fabric ? Consider the noble faculties of thy heaven-born soul : to what end did God bestow these excellencies ? To no other than that thou shouldst please thyself, and gratify thy senses ? Did God send men^ like the swallow, into the w^orld, only to gather a few sticks and dirt, and build their nests, and breed up their young, and then away ? The very heathens could see farther than this. — Art thou so fearfully and wonderfully made, Ps. cxxxix. 14, and dost thou not yet think w^ith thyself, surely it was for some noble and raised end ? O man 1 set thy reason a little in the chair. Is it not pity such a goodly fabric should be raised in vain ? Verily, thou art in vain, ex- cept thou art for God : better thou hadst no being, tliau not to be for him. Wouldst thou 73 Tlie JWcessity of Conversion. serve thy end ? thou must repent and be con- verted ; without this^ thou art to no purpose ; yea, to bad purpose. Firsts Ilo no purpose. Man unconverted, is like a choice instrument that hath every string broke, or out of tune ; the Spirit of the living God must repair and turn it by the grace of regeneration,, and sweetly move it by the power of actuating grace, or else thy prayers will be but bowlings, and all thy services will make no music in the ears of the most Holy, Eph. ii. 10, Phil. ii. 13, Hosea vii. 14, Isa. i. i^. All thy powers and faculties are so cor- rupt in thy natural state, that except thou be purged from dead works, thou canst not serve the living God, Heb. ix. 14?, Tit. i. 15. An unsanctified man cannot work the work of God. (1.) He hath no skill in it. He is altogether as unskilful in the work, as in the word of righteousness, Heb, y. 13. There are great mysteries, as well in the practices, as principles of godliness ; now the unregen- erate knows not the mysteries of the king- dom of heaven, Matt. xiii. 11, 1 Tim. iii. 16. You may as well expect him that never learn- ed the alphabet, to read ; or look for goodly music of the lute, from one that never set his hand to an instrument, as that a natural man should do the J,ord any pleasing service : he must first be taught of God, John vi. 45, taught to pray, Luke xi. 1, taught to profit, Isaiah xlviii. 17r taught to go, Hos. xi. 3, or else he will be utterly at a loss. (2.) He hath no strength for it. How weak is his heart ? Ezek. xvi. 30, he is presently tired. The The Necessity of Conversion. 73 sabbath^ what a weariness is it^ Mai. i. IS. He is without strength, Rom. v. 6, yea, stark dead in sin, E|)h. ii. 5. (3 ) He hath no mini to it. He desires not the knowledge of God's w ays, Job xxi. 14, He doth not know them, and he doth not care to know them, Ps. Ixxxii. 5, he knows not, neither will he understand. (4.) He hath neither due instrurneyits nor ma- terials for it. A man may as Avell hew the marble without tools, or limn without colours or instrument, or build without materials, as perform any acceptable service without the graces of the Spirit, which are both the mate- rials and instruments in the work. Alms- giving is not a service of God, but of vain glory, unless dealt forth by the hand of divine love. What is the prayer of the lips, without grace in the heart, but the carcass without the life ? What are all our confessions, unless they be exercises of godly sorrow, and un- feigned repentance ? What our petitions, un- less animated all along with holy desires, and faith in divine attributes and promises ? What our praises and thanksgivings, unless from the love of God, and a holy gratitude, and sense of God's mercies in the heart ? So that a man may as well expect th© trees should speak, or look for logic from the brutes, or motion from the dead, as for any service, ho- ly and acceptable to God, from the u neon vert- ed. When the tree is evil, how can the fruit be good ? Matt. vii. 18. Secondly^ To bad purpose. The uncon- verted soul is a very cage of unclean birds. Rey. xviii. S, a sepulchre full of coiTuptioB 74 The ^^ecessity of Conversion. and rottenness, Matt, xxiii. 27, a loathsome carcass, full of crawling worms, and sending forth a hellish and most noisome savour in the nostrils of God, Ps. xiv. 3. O dreadful case ! dost thou not yet see a cliange to be needful ? Would it not have grieved one to have seen the golden consecrated vessels of Grid's tem- ple turned into quaffing bowls of drunkenness, and polluted with the idols' service ? Dan. v, 2, 3. Was it such an abomination to the Jews, when Antiochus set up the picture of a swine at the entrance of the temple ? How much more abominable then would it have been, to have had the very temple itself turn- ed into a stable or a sty, and to have the Ho- ly of Holies served like the house of Baal, to have the image ol God taken down, and be turned into a draught-house? J3 Kings x. 27. This is the very case of the unregenerate ; all thy members are turned into instruments of unrighteousness, Rom. vi. 19, servants of sa- tan ; and thy inmost powders into receptacles of uncleanness, Eph. ii. :c, Tit* i. ib. You may see the goodlv guests within, by what comes out : For out of the hpurt proceed evil thoughts^ murders^ adulteries, fornica- tions, thefts, false witness^ blasphemies^ &c. This black guard discovers what a hell there is within. O abuse insufferable ! to see a heaven-born soul abased to the filthiest drudgery ; to sfee the glory of God's creation, the chief of thfe ways of God, the lord of the universe, a lap- ping with the prodigal at the trough, or lick* ing up with greediness the most loathsoms The J\*ecessity of Conversion. 75 vomit ! Was it such a lamentati&n to see those that did feed delicately, to sit desolate in the streets ; and the precious sons of Zion, com- parable to fine gold, to be esteemed as earthen pitchers ; and those that were clothed in scar- let to embrace dunghills? Lam. iv. 2 5. — And is it not much more fearful to see the on- ly thing that hath immortality in this lower world, and carries the stamp of God, to be- come as a vessel wherein there is no pleasure? Jer. xxii. 28, (which is but a modest expre^^- sion of the vessel men put to the most sordid use.) O indignity intolerable ! better thou wert dashed in a thousand pieces, than con- tinue to be abused to so filthy a service. II. Not only man, but the whole visible cre- ation is in vain without this. Beloved, God hath made all the visible creatures in heaven and earth for the service of man, and man on- ly is the spokesman for all the rest. Man is in the universe like the tongue in the body, which speaks for all the membtrs. The oth- er creatures cannot praise their Maker, but by dumb signs and hints to man, that he should speak for them. Man is (as it w ere) the high priest of God^s creation, to offer the sacrifice of praise for all his fellow *creatures,Ps. cxlvii. and cxlviii. and cl. The Lord God expect- eth a tribute cf praise from all Iiis works, Ps. ciii. §S. Now all the rest do bring in their tribute to man, and pay it in by his hand. — So then, if man be false and faithless, and- selfish, God is wronged of all, and shall have HO active glory from his w orks. 76 The JSTecessity of Conversion. O dreadful thought to think of ! That God should build such a world as this, and lay out such infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness thereupon, and all in vain : and man sliould be guilty, at last, of robbing and spoil- Ing him of the glory of all. Oh, think of this ! while thou art unconverted, all the offices of the creaiures to thee are in vain : thy meat nourishes thee in vain, the sun holds forth hi» light to thee in vain, the stars that serve thee in their courses, by their most powerful, tho' hidden influence. Judges v. 20, Hos. ii. SI, S^, do it in vain ; thy clothes warm thee in vain ; thy beast carries thee in vain : in a word, the unwearied labour, and continual , travel of the whole creation (as to thee) is in vain. The service of all the creatures that drudge for thee, and yield forth their strength unto thee (that therewith thou shouldst serve their Maker) is all but lost labour. Hence the whole creatiYhen his body is languishing; his The Necessity ef Conversion. 81 hopes are flourishing ; his hope is a living hope, 1 Pet. i. 3, to alively hope, but others a dying, yea, a damning, soul undoing hope. — When a wicked man dieth^ his expectation shall perishy aad the hope of unjust men per- ishethy Prov. xi. 7* It shall be cut qff^ and prove like a spider^ s weh^ Job viii. i% which he spins out of his own bowels ; but then eomes death with the broom^ and takes dowu all, and so there is an eternal end of his con- fidence, wherein he trusted. For the eyes of the wicked shall fail^ and their hope shall he as the giving up of the ghost, Job xi. 20.-— Wicked men are settled in their carnal hope^ and will not be beaten out of it : they hold it fast, they Avill not let it go : yea, but death will knock oif their fingers j though we cam. Hot undeceive them, death and judgment will: when death strikes his dart tlirough thy liv- er^ it will let out thy soul, and thy hopes to- gether. The unsanetified have hope only in this life, 1 Cor. xv. 19, and therefore are, of all men, most miserable : When death comes^ it lets them out into the amazing gulf of end- less desperation. (3.) There is blasphemy in it. To hope we shall be saved, though con- tinuing unconverted, is to hope we shall prove God a liar. He hath told you, that so merci- ful and pitiful as he is^ he will never save you notwithstanding, if you go on in ignorance, or a course of unrighteousness, Isa. xxvii. 11^ 1 Cor. vi. 9. In a word, he hath told yo% . that whatever you be, or do, nothing shall avail you to salvation, without you be new creatures, Gal. vit 15. Now, to say God i» 8S The Necessity of Conversion. merciful^ and we hope he will save us never- theless, is to say, in effect, we liope God will not do as he saith. AVe may not set God^s attributes at variance : God is resolved to glo- rify mercy, but not with the prejudice of truth ; as the presumptuous sinner will find, to his everlasting sorrow. Obj. Why, but we hope in Jesus Christ, we put our whole hope in God, and therefore doubt not but we shall be saved. tSns, 1. This is not to hoj^e in Christy but against Christ. To hope to see the kingdom of God, without being born again ; to hope to find eternal life in the broad way, is to hope Christ will prove a false prophet, ^Tis Da- vid's plea, 1 hope in thy word^ Ps. cxix. 81^ but this hope is against the word. Shew me a word of Christ for thy hope, that he will save thee in thine ignorance, or profane neg- lects of his service, and I will never go to shake thy confidence. 2. God doth with abhorrence reject this hope. Those condemned in the prophet went on in their sins, yet (saith the text) they will lean upon the Lord^ Micah iii. 11. God will not endure to be made a prop to men in their sins : the Lord rejected those presumptuous sinners, that went on still in their trespasses, and yet they would stay themselves upon the God of Israel, Isa. xlviii. 1, i^, as a man would shake off the briars (as one said well) that cleave to his garment. 3. If thy hope be any thing worth, it will purify thee from thy sins^ 1 John iii. 3; but 2%e JVecessity of Conversion. SS •uvsed is that hope which doth cherish meu ia their sins. Obj. Would you have us to despair ? ^ns. You must despair of ever comlig to heaven as you are, Acts ii. 37, that is, v^^hile you remain unconverted. You must despair ever to see the face of God, without holiness ; but you must by no means despair of finding mercy, upon your thorough repentance and conversion ; neither must you despair of at- taining to repentance and conversion, in the Hse of God's means. V. Without this, all that Christ hath done and suffered will be fas to you J in vain^ John xiii 8, Tit ii. 14, that is, it will no way avail to your salvation. Many urge this as a suffi- cient ground for their hopes, that Christ died for sinners ; but I must tell you Christ never died to save impenitent and unconverted sin- ners (so continuing,) 3 Tim. ii. 19. A great divine was wont, in his private dealings with souls, to ask two questions ; i. What hath Christ done for you P 2, What hath Christ wrought in you ? Without the application of the Spirit in regeneration, we can have no saving interest in the bfinefits of redemption. I tell you from the Lord, Christ himself can- not save you, if you go on in this estate. Firsts It were against his trust. The Me- diator is the Servant of the Father, Isa. xlii. 1, shews his commission from him, acts in his name, and pleads his command for his justification, John x. 18, 36, and vi. 38. 40. And God hath committed all things to him, entrusted his own glory; and the salvation of M The Necessity of Conversion. the elect with him. Matt. xi. ST', John xvii. 2. Accordingly, Christ gives his Father an ac- count of both parts of his trust, before he leaves the world/ John xvii. 4, 6, 12. Now Christ should quite cross his Father's glory, his greatest trust, if he should save men in their sins ; for this were to overturn all his coun- sels, and to offer violence to all his attributes. Isf, To overturn all his couvsels: of which this is the order, that men should be brought thr >ugh sanctification to salvation, S Thess. ii. 13. He hath chosen them, that they should be holy, Eph. i. 4. They tire elected to par- don and life through sanctification, 1 Pet. L 2. If thou canst repeal the law of God'a im- mutable counsel, or corrupt him whom the Father hath sealed, to go directly against his commission, then, and not otherwise, may est thou get to heaven in this condition. To hope that Christ will save thee while uncon- Terted, is to hope that Cbrist will falsify his trust. He never did, nor will save one soul, but whom the Father hath given him in elec- tion, and drawn to him in effectual calling, John vi. S% 37- Be assured, Christ will save none in a way contrary to his Father's will, John vi. 38. 2^/;/, Tq offer violence to all his attributes, (i.) To his justice: for the righteousness of feod's judgment lies, in rendering to all ac- cording to their works, Rom. ii. 5, 6. Now, should men sow to the flesh, and yet of the Spirit reap everlasting life, Gal. vi. 7, 8, where were the glory of divine justice, sinc« it should be given to the wicked according to The %N*ecessity of Conversion. 85 the work of the righteous ? (2.) To his IwlU ness. If God should not only save sinners, but save them in their sins^ his most pure and strict holiness would be exceedingly defaced. The unsanctified is^ in the eyes of God's holi- ness, worse than a swine, or viper, Matt, xxiii. 33, 3 Pet. ii. 23. Now, what cleanly nature could endure to have the filth v swine bed and board with him, in his parlour, or bed chamber? It would offer the extremest violence to the infinite purity of the divine na- ture, to have such to dwell with him. They cannot stand in his judgment, they cannot abide in his presence, Ps. i. 5, and v. % 5, If holy David Avould not endure such in his house, no, nor in his sight, Ps. ci. 3, 7^ shall we think God will ? Should he take men as they be from the trough to th^ table ; from the harlot's lips, from the sty and draff, to the glory of heaven, the world would think God were at no such a distance from sin, nor had such dislike of it, as we are told he hath ; they would conclude, God were altogether such a one as themselves, (as they wickedly did,) but from the very forbearance of God, Ps. 1. SI. (3.) To his veracity: for God hath declared from heaven. That if any shall say J He shall have peace^ though he should go on in the imagination of his heart : his wrath shall smoke ugainst thatman^ Deut. xxix. 19, SO. That they f only J that confess and for- sake their sins^ shall find mercy y Prov. xxviii. 13. That they that shall enter into his hill^ must he of clean hands^ and a pure hearty Ps. xxiv. 3, 4. Where were God^s truth, if not- H 86 The J\^ecessity of Conversion. Avithstanding all this, he should bring men to salvation without conversion? O desperate sinner, that darest to hope that Christ will put the lie upon his Fatlier, and nullify his word, to save thee ! (4.) To his wisdom : for this were to throw away the choicest mercies on them that would not value them, nor were any way suited to them. Firsts They w^ould not value them. The unsanetified sinner puts but little price upon God's great salvation, Matt. xxii. 5. He sets no more by Clirist, than the whole by the physician. Matt. ix. 13. He prizeth not his balm, values, not his cure, tramples upon his blood, Heb. x. 29. — Now, would it stand wdth wisdom, to force pardon and life upon them that w^ould give him no thanks for them? Will the all-wise God (when he hath forbidden us to do it) throw his holy things to dogs, and his pearls to swine, that would (as it were) but turn again, and rend him ? Matt. vii. 6. This w^ould make mercy to be despised indeed. — Wisdom requires, that life be given in a way suitable to God^s honour, and that God pro- vide for the securing his own glory, as Avell as man's felicity. It would be dishonorable to God, to set his jewels on the snouts of swine, (continuing such) and to bestow his choicest riches on them, that have more pleasure in their swill, than the heavenly delights that he doth offer. God should lose the praise and glory of his grace, if he should cast it away on them that were not only unwortliy, but un- willing. SecovAlyj They are no way suited to them. The divine wisdom is seen in suit- The J^ecessity of Conversmu 87 ing things each to other^ the means to the end, the object to the faculty, the quality of the gift to the capacity of the receiver. Now, if Christ should bring the unregenerate sinner to heaven, he could take no more felicity there than a beast, if you should bring him into a beautiful room, to the society of learned men, and a well furnished table ; w hen as the poor thing had much rather be grazing with his fellow brutes. Alas I what should an un- ganctified creature do in heaven ! he could take no content there, because nothing suits him» The place doth not suit him ; he would be but piscis in arido^ qirite out of his ele- mcnt^ as a swine in the parlour or a fish out of water. The company doth not suit him : what communion hath darkness with light ? corruption with perfection ? filth and rotten- ness with glory and immortality ? The em- ployment doth not suit him : the anthems of heaven fit not his mouth, suit not his ear. — Canst thou charm thy beast with music ? or wilt thou bring him to thy organ, and expect that he should make thee melody, or keep tune with the skilful choir ? or hath he skill, he would have no will ; and so could find no pleasure, no more than the nauseous stomach in the meat, on which it hath newly surfeited. Spread thy table with delicates before a lan- guishing patient, and it will be but a very of- fence. Alas ! if the poor man think a sermon long, and say of a sabbath. What a weariness is it P Mai. i. 13, how miserable would he think it to be held to it to all eternity? (5.) To his immutability^ or else to his omniscien- 88 The Necessity of Conversion. f?y, or omnipotency. For this is enacted ii the conclave of heaven, and enrolled in the decrees of the conrt above, that none but the ]uire in heart shall ever see God^ Matt. v. 8* This is laid np with him, and sealed among liis treasures. Now, if Christ yet bring any to heaven unconverted, either he must get tliem in without his Fathers knowledge, and then where is his omnisciency ? or against his will, and then where were his omnipoten- cy ? or he must change his will, and then where w ere his immutability ? Sinner, wilt thou not yet give up thy vain hope of being saved in this condition ? Saith Bildad, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee, or the rocks moved out of their place ? Job xviii. 4. May not 1, much more, reason so with thee ? Shall the laws of heaven be re- versed for thee ? Shall the everlasting found- ations be overturned for Ihee ? Shall Christ put out the eye of his Father's omnisciency, or shorten the arm of his eternal power for thee ? Shall divine justice be violated for thee ? Or the brightness of the glory of hii holiness be blemished for thee ? Oh, the hn- possibility, absurdity, blasphemy, that is in such a confidence ! To think Christ will ever save thee in this conditionals to make thy Sa- viour to become a sinner, and to do more wrong to the infinite Majesty than all the wicked on eartli, or devils in hell ever did, or could ;|and yet wilt thou not give up such a blasphemous hope? Secondly J Against his word. We need not jiay. Who ahall ascend into hmven^ to iring The Necessity of Conversion. 89 down Christ from above ? or^ loho shall de- scend into the deep^ to bring up Christ from beneath ? the word is nigh us^ Rom. x. 6, 7^ 8. Are you agreed that Christ shall end the controversy ? Hear then his own words, Ex- cept you be converted^ you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaveri^ Matt, xviii. 3. You must be born again^ John iii. 7- If I wash thee not, thou hast no part in me, John xiii. 8. Repent, or perish, Luke xiii. 8. One word, one would think, were enough ft'om Christ ; but how often and earnestly doth he reiterate it ? Verily, verily, Except a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God, John iii. S, 5. Yea, he doth not only assert, but prove the necessity of the new birth, viz. from the fleshliness and liUhi- iiess of man's first birth, John iii. 6, by rea- son of which, man is no more fit for heaven, than the beast is for the chamber of the king's presence. And wilt thou yet believe thine own presumptuous confidence, directly against Christ's words ? He must go quite against the law of his kingd^im, and rule of his judg- ment, to save in this estate. Thirdly, Against his oath. He hath lifted up his hand to heaven. He hath sworn, that those that remain in unbelief, and know not his ways, (that is, are ignorant of them, or disobedient to them) shall not enter into liis rest, Ps. xcv. 11, Heb. iii. 18. And wilt thou not yet believe, O sinner, that he is in earnest ? Canst thou hope he will be forsworn for thee? The covenant of grace is confirmed by an oath; and sealed by blood, Heb. vi. 17, h3 90 The Js^ecessiiy of Gonversion, ami ix. 16, 18, 19, Matt. xxvi. S8, but all must be made void, and anotber way to hcaV- f n found out, if tbon be saved living and dy- ing unsanctified. God is come to bis lowest and last terms witli man, and hatb conde- scended as far as witb bonour be could, hath Bet up bis pillars witb a JSTe plus ultra. Men cannot be saved wliile unconverted, except they could get anotber covenant made, and the whole frame of the gospel (which was es- tablished forever with such dreadful solem- nities) quite altered. And would not this be a distracted hope? Foiirtlilii^ Against his honour. God will so shew bis love to the sinner, as withal, to shew bis liatred to sin. Therefore, he that names the name of Jesus must depart from in- iquity, S Tim. ii. li), and deny all ungodli* ness : and he that hath hope of life by Christ, must purify himself as be is pure, 1 John iii. 3, Tit. ii. 12, otherwise Christ will be thought a favourer of sin. The Lord Jesus would have all the world to know, though he par- don sin, he will not protect it. If holy Da- vid shall say, Depart from me^ all ye work* era of iniquity^ Ps. vi. 8, and shall shut thd doors against them, Ps. ci. 7? shall not such much more expect it from Christ's holiness? Would it be for liis lionour to have the dogi to the table, or to lodge the swine with bis ( liildrcn, or to liave Abraham's bosom to be a nest of vipers ? Ffthlyy Against his offices. God hath ex- alted him to be a Frince and a Saviour^ Acts T* 31. He ebould act against both; should The JSTecessity of Conv&i'sion* ti he save men in their sins. It is the office of a king^ . Parcere subjectisy Sj* debellare superbos. To be a terror to evil doers^ and a praise to them that do well^ Rom. xiii. 3^ 4. He is a minister of God^ a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil. Now, should Christ favour the ungodly, (so continuing) and take those to reign with him that would not that he should reign over them ? Luke xix. 87* — ' This were quite against his office : he there- fore reigns that he may put his enemies under his feet, 1 Cor. xv. S4^. Now, should he lay them in his bosom, he should cross the end of his regal power. It belongs to Christ, as a king, to subdue the hearts, and slay tho lusts of his chosen, Ps. xlv. ^, and ex. 8. — What king would take the rebels, in open hostility, into his court ? What were this, but to betray life, kingdom, government and all together ? If Christ be a king, he must have homage, honour, subjection, &c. Mai. i. 6. — Now, to save men while in their natural en- mity, were to obscure his dignity, lose his au- thority, bring contempt on his government, and sell his dear-bought rights for nought. Again, as Christ should not be a Prince, so neither a Saviour, if he should do this ; for his salvation is spiritual : he is called Je- sus, because he saves his people from their gins. Matt. i. 31, so that, should he save them in their sins, he should be neither Lord nor Jesus. To save men from the punishment, and not from the power of sin, were to do his work by halves^ and be an imperfect Saviour^ 9S The Necessity of Conversion. His office, as the deliverer^ is to turn away ungodliness from Jacob^ Rom. xi. §6. He is sent to bless men^ in turning them from their iniquities^ Acts iii. 26, to make an end of sin, Dan. ix. §4. So that he should destroy his own designs, and nullify his offices, to save men abiding in their unconverted state. •djjplication. Arise, then ; what meanest thou, O sleeper ? Awake, O secure sinner, lest thou be consumed in thine iniquities. Say, as the lepers^ If 7ce sit here we shall die^ S Kings vii. 3, 4. Verily, it is not more certain that thou art now out of hell, than that thou shalt speedily be in it, except thou repent and be converted ; there is but this one door for thee to escape by : arise, then, O sluggard, and shake off thine excuses : how long wilt thou slumber, and fold thine hands to sleep ? Prov. vi. 10, 11. Wilt thou lie down in the midst of the sea, or sleep on the top of the mast? Prov. xxiii. 34. There is no reme*- dy, but thou must either turn or burn : there is an unchangeable necessity of the change of thy condition, except thou art resolved to abide the v/orst of it, and try it out with the Almighty. If thou lovest thy life, O man, arise and come away. Metliinks I see the Lord Jesus laying the merciful hands of an holy violence upon thee ; methinks he carries it like the angels to Lot, Gen. xix. 15, 16, 17. Then the angels hastened Lot ^ sayings Arise, lest thou he consumed. tRnd while he linger^ ed^ the men laid hold upon his hand, the Lord being merciful unto him, and they brought him without the city, and said, Jt^scajpe for The J^ece^siiy of Conversion. 98 thy lifej stay not in all the pTainy escape to the mountain, lest thou he consumed. Oh, how wilful will thy destruction be, if thou shouldst yet harden thyself in thy sinful state I But none of you can say but you have had fair warning. Yet methinks I cannot tell how to leave you so : it is not enough to me to have delivered my own soul. What ! shall I go away without my errand ? Will none of you arise and follow me ? Have I been all this while speaking to the wind ? Have I been charming the deaf adder, or allaying the tumbling ocean with arguments ? Do I speak to the trees or rocks, or to men ? to the tombs and monuments of the dead, or to a living au- ditory ? If you be men, and not senseless stocks, stand still, and consider whither yon are going : if you have the reason and under- standing of men, dare not to run into the flames, and fall into hell with your eyes open ; but bethink yourselves, and set to the work of repentance. What ! men, and yet run into the pit, when the very beasts will not be forced in ! What ! endued with reason, and yet dal- ly with death and hell, and the vengeance of the Almighty ! Are men herein distinguished from the very brutes, that they have no fore- sight of, and care to provide for the things t^ come? and will you not hasten your escape from eternal torment ? Oh, shew yourselves men, and let reason prevail with you. Is it n reasonable thing for you to contend against the Lord your Maker ? Isa. xlv. 9^ or to har- den yourselves against his word. Job ix. % as though the strength of Israel would lift ?^— 94^ Tlie JSTecessity of Conversion. 1 Sam. XV. 29. Is it reasonable tliat an un^ derstanding creature should lose, yea, live quite against the very end of his being, and be as a broken pitcher, only fit for tlie dung- bill ? Is it tolerable, that the only thing in this Avorld that God hath made capable of knowing his will, and bringing him glory, should yet live in ignorance of his Maker, and be unserviceable to his use ; yea, should be engaged against him, and spit his venom in the face of his Creator? Hear^ heavens^ and give ear^ O earthy and let the creatures v/ithout sense be judge if this be reason. That man, w hen God hath nourished and brought him up, should rebel against him? Isa. i. 3. Judge in your own selves : is it a reasonable undertaking for briars and thorns to set them- selves in battle against the devouring fire? Isa. xxvii. 4, or for the potsherd of the earth to strive with his Maker ? If you will say this is not reason, surely the eye of reason is quite put out : and if this be reason, then there is no reason that you should continue as you be,j3ut 'tis all the reason in the world you shoukl forthwith repent and turn. What shall I say ? I could spend myself in this argument. Oh that you w ould but hearken to me ! that you w ould presently set upon a new course ! Will you not be made clean ? When shall it once be ? What ! will no body be persuaded ? Reader, shall I pre- vail with thee for one ? Wilt thou sit down and consider the forementioned arguments, And debate it, whether it be not best to turn ? Come and let us reason together : Is it good 2%0 JSTecessity of Conversion. 95 for thee to be here ? Wilt thou sit still till the tide come in upon thee ? Is ifgood for thee to try whether God will be so good as his word, and to harden thyself in a conceit that all is well with thee, while thou reniainest unsanc- tified? But r know you will not be persuaded, but the greatest pari will be as they have been, and do as they have done. I know the drunk- ard will to his vomit again, and the deceiver will to his deceit again, and the lustful wan- ton to his dalliance again. Alas ! that I must leave you where you were ; in your ignorance or looseness, or in your lifeless formality and customary devotions ! However, I will sit down and bemoan my fruitless labours, and spend some sighs over my perishing hearers. O distracted sinners ! What will their end be ? What icill they do in the day of visita- tion f whither will they flee for help ? ivhere will they leave their glory ? Isa. x. 8. How powerfully hath sin bewitched them ! how effectually hath the god of this world blinded them ! how strong is their delusion ! how un- circumcised their ears ! how obdurated their hearts ! Satan hath them at his beck : but how long may I call, and can get no answer ? I may dispute with them year after year, and they will give me the hearing, and that is all. They must and will have their sins, say what I wilL Though I tell them there is death iu the cup, yet they will take it up : though I tell them ^tis the broad way, and endeth in destruction, yet they will go on in it : I warn them, yet cannot win them. Sometimes I 9S The •ATecessity of Conversion. think the mercies of God mil melt them, and his winning invitations will overcome them ; but I find them as they were : sometimes that the terror of the Lord will persuade them, yet neither will this do it. They will approve the word, like the sermon, commend the preacher ; but they will yet live as they did : they will not deny me, yet they will not obey me. They will flock to the word of God, and sit before me as his people, and hear my words ; but they will not do them. They value, and will plead for ministers, and I am to them as the lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice ; yet I cannot get them to come under Christ's yoke. They love me, and wdll be ready to say, they will do any thing for me ; but for my life I cannot persuade them to leave their sins, to forego their evil company, their intemperacce, their unjust gain, &c. I cannot prevail with them to set up prayer in their families and closets, yet they will promise me, like the forward son, that said, I go, sir ; hut went not, Matt. xxi. 30. I cannot persuade them to learu the principles of religion, though else they will die without knowledge. Job xxxvi. 13. I tell them their misery, but they will not believ« but ^tis well enough : if I tell them particular- ly, I fear for such reasons their state is bad, they will judge me censorious ; or if they b« at present a little awakened, they are quick- ly lulled asleep by satan again, and have lost the sense of all. Alas for my poor hearers ! must (hey per- ish at last by hundreds, when ministers would The Marks 6f the Unconverted. §7 ^0 fain save them ? What course .^liall I use with them that I have not tried ? [What shall I do for the daughter of my people ? Jer. ix. 7. O Lord God, help. Alas ! shall I leave ^ them thus ? If they will not hear me, yet do^ thou hear me : Oh that they might yet live in thy siglit ! Lord, save them, or else they per- ish. My heart would melt to see their houses on fire about their ears, when they were fas* asleep in their beds ; and shall not my soul be moved within me, to see them falling into endless perdition ! Lord, have compassion, and save them out of the burning : put forth thy divine power, and the w^ork will be done : l)ut as for me^ I cannot prevail.] CHAP. IV. SHEWING THE MARKS OF THE UNCONVERTEU. WHILK we keep aloof in generals, ther^ is little fruit to be expected : it is the hand- fight that does execution, David is not awa- kened by the prophet's hovering at a distance in parabolical insinuations : he is forced to close with liim, and tell him home. Thou art the man. Few will, in words, deny the ne- cessity of the new birth ; but they have scll^ deluding confidence, that the work is not now to do : and because they know themselves free from that gross hypocrisy that doth tak« I 98 The Maries of the Unconverted, up religion merely for a colour to deceive oth- ers, and for the covering of wicked designs, they are confident of their sincerity^ and sus. pect not that more close hypocrisy (where^the greatest danger lies) by which a man deceiv* eth his ovt^n soul^ James L 28, ' But man's deceitful heart is such a matchless cheat, and self-delusion so reigning and so fatal a dis- case, that I know not whether be the greater, the difficnlty, or the displicency, or the ne- cessity of the undeceiving work that I am now upon. Alas ! for my unconverted hear- ers, they must be undeceived or undone. But how shall this be effected ? Hie labor^ hoe opus est. [Help, O all-searching light, and let thy discerning eye discover the rotten foundation of the self-deceiver, and lead me, Lord God, as thou didst the prophet, into i he cham- bers of imagery, and dig through the wall of sinners hearts, and discover the hidden abom- inations that are lurking out of sight in' the dark. Oh send thine angel before me, to open the sundry wards of their hearts, as thou didst before Peter, and make even the iron gates to fly open of their own accord. And as Jonathan no sooner tasted the honey but his eyes were enlightened, so grant, O Lord, that when the poor deceived souls with whom I have to do shall cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated, and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converied; and ihott mayst heal them.J 5PAe Marks of the Unconverted. 99 This must be premised before we proceed to the discovery, That it is most certain men may have a confident persuasion that their hearts and states be good, and yet be unsound. Hear the truth himself, whrfshews in Laod- icea's case, that men may be wretclied, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and yet not know it ; yea, they may be coau- dent they are ricli and increased in srace, Hev. iii. 17. ^Phere is a genercttion that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness^ Prov. xxx. 12. Wiio better persuaded of his case than Paul, while ye£ he remained unconverted? Horn, vii. 9. So that they are miserably deceived that take a strong confidence for a sufficient evidence. They that have no better proof than barely a strong persuasion that they are converted, are certainly as yet strangers to conversion. But to come more close : as it was said of the adherents of antichrist, so here ; some of the unconverted carry their marks in theii* foreheads, more openly ; and some in tlieir kands more covertly. The apostle reckons up some, upon whom he writes the sentence of death, as in these dreadful catalogues, which I Ijeseech you to attend with all dili- gence, Eph. V. 5, 6. For this you knoic^ that no whoremonger^ nor unclean person^ nor covetous man^ who is an idolater^ hath any in- heritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you ivith vain words ; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of diso- bedience. Rev. xxi. 8. But tke fearful and 160 7'he Marks of the Unconverted^. itnhelievhig^ and the abominable^ and murder- ers, and whoremongers^ and sorcerers^ and idolaters, and all liars ^ shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brim- ifone, tchich is the second death. 1 Cor. vi. y, 10. Iinow ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not de- ceived ; Tieither fornicators^ nor idolaters^ nor cdu'terers, vor effeminate^ nor abusers of themselves with mankind^ nor thieves^ nor covetous^ nor drunkards^ nor revilers, nor > t xtoriionevSj shall inherit the kingdom of God. f-ee Gal. v. 19, 20, SI. Wo to them that have their names written in these red rolls : such may knoW;, as certainly as if God had told it them from heaven, that they are iinsanctified, and under an impossibility of be^ ing saved in this condition. There are then these several sorts, that past dl dispute are unconverted : they carry their marks in their foreheads. 1. The unclean. These are ever reckoned j^mong the gnats, and have their names (who- i\^v be left out) in all the forementioned cata- !oi:,aes, Eph. v. &, Rev. xxi. 8, 1 Cor. v. 9; :?. The covetoits. These are ever branded iix iihihucrs. iind the doors of the kingdom rue {thnt agiiiiist tliem by name, Eph. v. 5, (*ol. ill. 5,^1 C>or. vi. 9, 10. 3, Drunkards. Not only such as drink fiway tlieir reason, but withal, yea, above all, such as are too strong for strong drink. The 1 crd fills his mouth with woes against these, find dcclarci? th«m to have no inheritance in The Marks of the Unconverted, 101 the kingdom of Grod^ Isa. v. H^ IS^ S^, Gal. v, 31. 4. Liars. The God that cannot lie' hath told them that there is no place for (hem in his kingdom^ no entrance into his hill ; but their portion is with the father of lies (whose chiU dren they are) in the lake of burnings^ Psa. XV. i. S^ReVi xxi. 8; 27. John viii. ^^^ Prov. yi. 17. 5. Swearers. The end of these, without deep and speedy repentance^ is swift destruc- tion> and most certain and unavoidable con- demnatiouj James v. 12, Zech. v. 1, 2^ 3. 6. Mailers and backbiters^ that love to take up a reproach against their neighbours^ and fling all tlie dirt they can in liis faee^ or els« wound him secretly behind his back^ Ps. xv. i^ 3, 1 Cor. vi. 10, and v. H. 7- Thieves^ extortioners, oppressors, that grind the poor, over-reach their brethren, when they have them at an advantage : thes2 must know that God is the avenger ofallsiich^ 1 Thess. iv. 6. Hear, O ye false, and pur- loining, and wasteful servants ! hear, O y@ deceitful tradesmen ! hear your sentence : — God will certainly hold his door against you, and turn your treasures of unrighteousness in- to the treasures of wrath, and make your ill- gotten silver and gold to torment you, like burning metal in your bowels, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, James v. 2, 3. 8. All that do ordinarily live in the profane neglect of God^s laorsh^p^ that hear not liis word, that call not on his name, that restrain prayer before God, that mind not their own. 10<2 The Marls of the Unconverted, por their family's souls, but live without God in the world, John viii. 47, and xv. % Psa. xiv. 4, and Ixxix. 6, Eph.ii. 13, and iv. 18. 9. Those that are frequenters and lovers of evil company ; God hath declared he will be the destruction of all such, and tliat they ghall never enter into the hill of his rest^ Prov. xiii. £0, Ps. xv. 4, Prov. ix. 6. 10. Scoffers at religion^ that make a scorn ef precise walking, and mock at the messen- gers and diligent servants of the Lord, and at their holy profession, and make themselve* merry with the weakness and failings of pro- fessors : hoar, ye despisers, hear your dread- fit! doonij Piov. xix. 29, S Chron. xxxvi. 16, Prov. iii. 24. feinner, consider diigcntly whether thou art not to be found in one of these ranks ; for if this be thy case, thou art in the gall of bit- terness, and bond of iniquity ; for all these do i arry tlieir marks in their foreheads, and are r.ndoubtedly the sons of death. • And if so, the Lord pity our poor congre- gations. Oh, how little a number would be lift, when these ten sorts are left out? Alas, on how many doors, on how many faces must we write. Lord, have mercy upon us ! Sirs, Yi hat shift d(> you make to keep up your con- Jldence of your good estate, when God from heaven declares against you, and pronounceg you in a s!alc of damnation ? I would reason with you, as God with Ihem ; How canst thon say^ I am not polluted P Jer. ii. §3. See thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done. Man, is not thy conscience privy to thy tricks The Marks of tJie Uriconmrted. 103 of deceit, to thy chamber-pranks, to thy way of lying ? Yea, are not thy friends, thy fami- ly, thy neighbours, witnesses to thy profane neglects of God's worship, to thy covetous practices, to thy envious and malicious car- riage ? May not they point at thee as thou go- est, There goes a gaming prodigal ; there goes a drunken Nabal^ a companion of evil doers ; there goes a railer, or a scoffer, a loose liver ? Beloved, God hath written it, as with a sun-beam, in the book out of which you must be judged, that these are not thft spots of his children, and that none such (ex- cept renewed by converting grace) shall ever escape the damnation of hell. Oh, that such of you would now be per- suaded to repent and turn from all your trans- gressions ! or else iniquity will be your ruin, Ezek. xviii. 30. Alas for poor hardened sin- ners ! must I leave you at last where you were ? must I leave the tipler still at the ale- bench ? must I leave the wanton still at his dalliance ? must I leave the malicious still in his venom? and the drunkard still at his vom- it ? However, you must know that you have beeit warned, and that I am clear of your blood. And v/hether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, 1 v*ill leave these scriptures with them, either as thunder-bolts to awaken them, or as searing irons to harden them to a reprobate sense : Ps. Ixviii. ^1. Goi shall wound the head of his enemies^ and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. Prov. xxix. 1, He that being eften reproved^ hardeneth his neclc^ shall sud^ 104 The Marks of the Unconverted. denly be destroyed^ and that tcithotit remedj)i ,Fi*ov. i. 24, &c. Because I have called^ andy^ refused : I have stretched out my handj and no man rc^arded^ &c, I trill mock at your calamity^ when your destruction cometh as a whirlwind. And now I imagine, many will begin to bless themselves, and think all is well, be- cause they cannot be spotted with the grosser evils above-mentioned. But I must further tell you, that there are another sort of un- sanctified persons, that carry not their marka hi their foreheads, but more secretly and cov- ertly in their hands. These do frequently deceive themselves and others, and pass for good Christians, when they are all the while unsound at bottom. Many pass undiscover- ed, till death and judgment bring all to light. Those self- deceivers seem to come even to beaven^s gate with confidence of their admis- sion, and yet are turned off at last. Matt. vii. S3. Brethren, beloved, I beseech you deep- ly to lay to heart, and firmly to retain this awakening consideration. That multitude* miscarry by the hand of some secret sin, that is not only hidden from others, but (for want of observing their own hearts) even from them- selves. A man may be free from open pol- lutions, and yet die at last by the fatal hand of some unobserved iniquity. And there be these twelve hidden sins, by which souls go down by numbers into the chambers of death : these you must search carefully for, and take them as black marks, (wherever they be f^und) discovering a graceless and unconvert- The Maries of the Unconverted. 10^ ed estate. And as you love your lives, read carefully, with a holy jealousy of yourselves, lest you should be the persons concerned. 1. Gross ignorance. Ah, how many poor souls doth this sin kill in the dark, Hos. iv. 6, while tliey think verily they have good hearts, and are in the ready way to heaven ! This is the murderer that dispatcheth thou- sands in a silent manner, when (poor hearts !) they suspect nothing, and see not the hand! that misehieves them. You shall find, what- ever excuses you have for ignorance, that it is- a soul-undoing evil, Isa. xxvii. §1, S Thess. i. 8, 2 Cor. iv. 3. Ah ! would it not have iritied a man's heart to have seen that w^oful spectacle, when the poor Protestants werer shut up a multitude together, in a barn, and a butcher comes, with his inhuman hands warm in human blood, and leads them one by one, blindfold, to a block, where he slew them (poor innocents!) one after another, by the scores, in cold blood ? But how much more should our hearts bleed, to think of the hun- dreds in great congregations, that ignorance doth butcher in secret, and lead them blind- fold to the block ? Beware this be none of your case ; make no pleas for ignorance : if you spare that sin, know that it will not spare you. Will a man keep a murderer in iii« bosom ? 2. Secret reserves in closing with Christ, To forsake all for Christ ; to hate father and .mother, yea, and a man's own life for him ; this is a hard saying, Luke xiv. 26. Som® will do much; but they will not be of the reli- 106 The Maries of the Uiiconvetted. gion that will undo thcra ; they never com© to be entirely devoted to Christ, nor fully to resign to him ; they must have the sweet sins, they mean to do themselves no harm ; they have secret exceptions for life, liberty^ or es- tate. Many take Christ thus liand over head, and never consider his self-denying terms, nor cast up the cost ; and this error in tlic foundation mars all, and secretly ruins them forever, Luke xiv. S8, Matt. xiii. 21. 3. Formality in religion. Many stick in the bark, and rest in the outside of religion, and in the external performances of holy du- ties, Matt, xxiii. 25, and this oft-times doth most effectually deceive men, and doth more certainly undo them than open looseness; as it was in the Pharisee's case. Matt, xxiii. 31. They hear, they fast, they pray, they give alms ; and therefore will not believe but their case is good, Lukexviii. 11. Whereas rest- ing in the work done, and coming short of the heart- work, and the inward povver and vitals of religion, they fall at last into the burning, from the flattering hopes, and confident per- suasions of their being in the ready way to heaven, Matt. vii. 22, 23. O dreadful case, when a man's religion shall serve only to har- den him, and effectually to delude and de- ceive his own soul ! 4. The prevalency of false ends in holy duties^ Matt, xxiii. 25. This was the bane of the Pharisees. Oh. how many a poor s6ul is undone by this, and drops into hell before he discerns his mistake ! He performs good duties, and so thinks all is well, and perceiveg The Marks of the XJnconverted. 107 not that he is actuated by carnal motives all the while. It is too true, that even with the truly sanctified, many carnal ends will oft- times creep in, hut they are the matter of his hatred and huiuiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with him, and to bear the greatest sway, Rom. xiv. 7. But now, when the main thing that doth ordinarily carry a man out to religious duties shall be some car- nal end, as lo satisfy his conscience, to get the repute of being religious, to be seen of men, to shew his own gifts and part«, to avoid the reproach of a profane and irreligious person, or the like ; this discovers an unsound heart, Hos.. x. 1, Zech. vii. 5, 8. O Chris- tians, if you w ould avoid self-deceit, see that you mind, not only your acts, but withal, yea, ^bove all, your ends. 5. Trusting in their own righteousness^ Luke xviii. 9. This is a soul undoing mis- chief, Rom. X, 3. When men do trust ia their own righteousness, they do indeed re- ject Christ^s. Beloved, you had need be watchful on evefy hand ; for not only your sins, but your duties, may undo you. It may- be you never thought of this ; but so it is, that a man may as certaiMy miscarry by his seeming righteousness^ and supposed graces, as by gross sins ; and that i&, when a man doth trust to these as liis righteousness before God, for the satisfying his justice, appeasing his wrath, procuring his favour, and obtaining of his own pavdon ; for this is to put Christ out of office, and make a saviour oi our own fluties ^nd gracc^^. Beware of this;, profes- iOS The Marks of the Unconverted. sors ; you are raiich in duties, but this one flj %\ ill spoil all the ointment. When you have done most, and best, be sure to go out of youi'selves to Christ, reckon your own right- eousness but rags, Ps. cxliii. 3^ Phil. iii. 8^ Isa. Ixiv. 6, Neh. xiii. 22. 6. *3 secret enmity against the strictness of religion. Many moral persons, punctual iu their formal devotions, have yet a bitter enmi- ty against preciseness, ami hate the life and power of religion, Phil. iii. 6, compared with Acts ix. 1. They like not this forwardness, nor that men should keep such a stir in reli- gion : they condemn the strictness of religion as singularity, indiscretion, and intemperate zeal: and with them, a lively preacher, or lively Christian, is but a heady fellow. Those men love not holiness, as holiness, (for then they would love the height of holiness) and therefore are undoubtedly rotten at heart, whatever good opinion they have of them- selves. 7. The resting in a certain pitch of reli^ gion. When they have so much as will save them (as they suppose) they look no further, and so shew themselves short of true grace, which will ever put men upon aspiring to fur- ther perfection, Phil. iii. 13, Prov. iv. "S. 8. Tlie predominant love of the ivorid. — This is the sure evidence of an unsanctified heart, Mark x. 37, 1 John ii* 13. But how close doth this sin lurk oft times under a fair covert of forward profession ? — Luke viii. 14. Yea, such a power of deceit is there in this siu; that many times, when ey- The Marks of the UnconvevUd. 109 ery body else can see the man^s worldliness^ and covetousiiesSf he cannot see it himself ; ^ but hath so many colours, and excuses, and pretences for his eagerness on the world, that he doth blind his own eyes, and perish in his self-deceit. How many professors be here, with whom the world hath more of their hearts and affections than Christ? w'ho mind earthly tilings, and thereby are evidently after the flesh, and like to end in destruction? Kom. viii. 5, Phil. iii. 19. Yet ask these men, and they will tell you confidently, they prize Christ above all, God forbid else: and see not their own earthly mindedness, for want of a narrow observation of the working of their own hearts. IJid they bat carefully search, they would quickly find, that their greatest content is in the world, Luke xii. 49, and their greatest care, and main endeavour to get and secure the world; which is the certain discovery of an unconverted sinner. May the professing part of the world tak® earnest heed, that they perish not by the hand of this sin unobserved. Men may be, and of- ten are kept off from Christ, as effectually, by the inordinate love of lawful comforts, as by the most unlawful courses, Matt.xxii. 5, Lake xiv. 18, 19, £0, 21. 9. Meigning nfiallce and envy against those that disrespect them^ or are injurious to thein^ 1 John ii. 9, 11. Oh how do many that seem to be religious remember injuries, and carry grudges, and will return msn as good as they bring ; rendering evil for evil, loving to take reycnge, wishing evil to them that wrong K 110 The Marks of the Unconverted. them, directly against the rule of the gospel^ the pattern of Christ, and the nature of God, Rom. xii. 14?, 17, 1 Pet. ii. SI, 23, Neh. ix. 17- Doubtless, where this evil is kept boil- ing in the heart, and is not hated, resisted, mortified, but doth habitually prevail, that person is in the very gall of bitterness, and in a state of death, Matti xviii. 34, 3&,, 1 John iii. 14, 15. Reader, doth nothing of this touch thee ? Art thou in none of the fore-mentioned ranks ? Oil, search, and search again ; take thy heart solemnly to task. Wo unto thee, if, after all thy profession, thou shouldst be found under tlie power of ignorance, lost in formality, drowned in earthly-mindedness, envenomed with malice, exalted in an opinion of thine own righteousness, leavened with hypocrisy and carnal ends in God^a service, embittered against strictness : this woald be a sad dis- covery that all thj religion were in vain. But I must proceed. 10. TJnmortified pride. When men love the praise of men, more than the praise of God ; and set their hearts upon men^s esteem, applause, and approbation, it is most certain they are yet in their sins, and strangers to true conversion, John xii. 43, Gal. i. lU^ — When men see not, nor complain, nor groan under the pride of their own hearts, it is a sign they are stark-dead in sin. Oh, how se- cretly dotli this sin live and reign in many hearts, and they know it not, but are very strangers to themselves ! John ix. 40. The Marks of the Unconverted. Ill 1 1 . 2^he prevailing love of pleasure^ 2 Tim. iii. 4. This is a black mark. When men give the flesh the liberty that it craves^ and pam- per and please it^ and do not deny and res- train it ; when their great delight is in grati- fying their bellies, and pleasing their senses : whatever appearance they may have of reli- gion, all is unsound, Rom. xvi. 18, Tit. iii. 3. A flesh-pleasing life cannot be pleasing to God ; They that are Chrisfs have crucified the fleshy and are careful to ci-oss it, and keep it under, as their enemy, Gral. v. 34, 1 Con ix. S5, S6, 37. 13. Carnal security^ or a presumptuous and ungrounded confidence^ that their condi- tion is already goody Rev. iii. 17. Many cry peace and safety, vt^hen sudden destruction \% coming upon them, 1 Thess, v. 3. This was that which kept tlie foolish virgins sleeping, when they should have been working ; upon their beds, when they should have been at the markets, Matt. xxv. o, 10, Prov. x. 5. They perceived not their want of oil till the bride- groom was come ; and while they w^ent to buy, the door was shut. And Oh tliat these fioolish virgins ha