evils come upon them which will never be removed their torments begin which will never know an end So long as God is God to have God their enemy so long as God is happy to lye in extreamest misery What tongue can utter or heart imagine the horror of this An angry sin-revenging Lord will lay load upon thee and yet keep thee from sinking into nothing he will uphold thee in thy being that thou mayest be for ever plagued He will shew his mighty power in holding thee up with one hand that he may lash thee with the other unto all eternity Use III. Of Consolation You who have obeyed the Call of God to turn I am commanded to speak peace and comfort to you Isa 40. 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God The unconverted are not more accursed than you are blessed I have several things to tell you which are enough to make your hearts leap for joy 1. God hath had thoughts of love towards you before the foundation of the world was laid He did predestinate and chuse you unto the adoption of children Eph. 1. long before you were From everlasting he did design to make you his Heirs and joint-heirs with Christ unto that Kingdom and Glory with which the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared And since the love of God towards you is from everlasting is co-eternal with himself surely it can never in time be changed 2. God hath justified you freely by his grace through the redemption of Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. As far as the East is from the West so far are your iniquities removed from you Psal 103. 12. and surely that 's as far as you can desire They are cast into the depth of the Sea which argues when they come to be sought for they shall not be found just as those things which are cast into the depth of the Sea we despair that ever they should be recovered Christ has been wounded for your transgressions he has been bruised for your iniquities Isa 53. 5. And as the Imputation of your sins to Christ did cause him to undergo real sufferings so the imputation of his righteousness to you will cause a real exemption from that wrath and punishment which by sin you have justly merited Be of good cheer Converts your sins are forgiven and consequently the curse of afflictions and also the sting of death is taken away 3. You that are Converts it won't be long e're you are all glorified Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The Lord has promised that those who overcome shall sit with him on his Throne You shall not only overcome but be more than conquerors through him that has loved you Mansions are already prepared for you and when you are prepared for those Mansions you shall be received into them Then neither the fury nor the favour of the world will be a temptation Satans fiery darts will not be able to reach you when once you are gotten into the third Heaven When you are just entring into the new Jerusalem you will shake hands both with sin and misery at the door and neither of these will be able to follow Tears will be wiped away and all cause of sorrow will be gone there will be a clear view of God without the least cloud the Sun of righteousness will shine for ever without any eclipse there will be intire joy without grief perfect peace without any trouble compleat holiness without the least remainder of corruption a full blessedness without period Use IV. Of Exhortation And who would not now become a Convert Have you any thing to say against a pardon or against that glory which has been revealed Shall it be made a question whether pleasures for evermore or eternal torments are to be preferred Oh that you would come to your selves and then I am sure you would come to God immediately The Arguments to perswade you to Conversion are divers 1. If you turn not you cannot answer the end of your Creation You must not think God gave you a being and sent you into the world to please your selves to satisfie your inordinate and corrupt desires and to live carelesly and rebelliously against him but thus you will do till you are converted Did the Lord give you an understanding faculty and not design that he should be understood and known by you Did he give you a memory and not intend that he should be remembred Did he give you an heart to love and to desire and not design himself to be the chief object of both Did he give you affections that you should give them away to sin and vanity Oh cross not any longer the end for which you were made lest you cause the Lord to repent and be grieved at the heart he made you Gen. 6. 6. and so resolve to destroy the workmanship of his own hands If you continue obstinate and without understanding He that made you will not save you or have mercy on you he that formed you will shew you no favour Isa 27. 11. 2. Unless you turn you cannot answer the end of the death of Christ and the Redemption wrought thereby Our Lord died not only to expiate offences but also to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and that in the body of his flesh through death he might present them holy and unblameable Col. 1. 22. Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself without spot to God that by his blood he might purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. From these and and such like places it evidently follows that not only our pardon but our purity was designed by the Lord Jesus But how can we be pure unless we turn to God from sin which does defile us Christ knew what a sickness and debasement of our nature sin is therefore he himself was slain that sin might be killed And will you dare to live in sin Hark to the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed And as the death of Christ is an argument to perswade to turn from sin so from this death vertue and power is to be derived whereby sin may be subdued 3. You are further obliged to turn because of Gods condescension in giving you leave to do it If the gulph had been fixed upon the very first transgression if the turning of fallen man had been as impossible as the turning of the fallen Angels the Lord could not have been charged with the least injustice But although you have departed he calls after you Without any detriment or prejudice to his justice he has found out a way to shew you mercy The Devils were never called to
calls upon sinners again and again to turn It highly concerns all to examine whether this Call has been obeyed 'T is wisdom to bring our grace to the Touch-stone since there is so much counterfeit grace in the world As 't is easie and common to mistake in this matter so there is no mistake more dangerous and it won't be long e're to correct mistakes about conversion will be impossible The damned see wherein they did deceive themselves but alas 't is now too late to think of turning better the door of mercy is shut and barr'd and will be barr'd for ever I remember Theodoret commenting upon this Text observes that the doubling of the words Turn ye turn ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives us to understand the sincerity which is required in conversion A bare appearance sets us at a farther distance from God Here I shall speak of some changes that have a kind of likeness to conversion which yet are to be found in them that fall short both of grace and glory 1. Those cannot be said to be indeed converted Who are only turned to such or such a Party or Opinion about smaller matters in Religion Suppose thy Opinion be Orthodox and right what 's that if thy heart be not right in the sight of God Those who please themselves because they have the name of Non-conformists what does this signifie unless they refuse to conform to the sinful fashions and courses of the world On the other side They that boast of being Sons of the Church what will that advantage them if by their swearing lying and hatred of holiness they shew themselves the Sons of Belial 2. Those are not indeed converted whose turning is only partial Saul obeyed the command of the Lord in part against Amalek that which was vile and refuse he destroyed utterly but delicate Agag and the best of the spoyl he spared 1 Sam. 15. 9. but this partial obedience is censured as high rebellion v. 23. Many will yield to Gods Call in some degree the sins which they can better spare they will consent to the mortification of but the chief the darling the delicate sin which they live upon or live so sweetly with Oh! That shall not be touched Herod was a partial Convert in sundry respects he yielded obedience to the Baptist's preaching but when John would have turned him from his incest with Herodias this could not be born but instead of obeying this message he persecutes and after kills the messenger 3. Those are not indeed converted who only turn to God in the time of their extremity and after are guilty of revolting Israel when Sinai was all in a fire before their eyes turned unto God for fear of being consumed Then they cry out they will hearken and do what ever the Lord should speak to them Deut. 5. 27. But before a few dayes were expired they quickly turned out of the way which God commanded them and fell into gross idolatry And again we read When God slew them then they sought him they returned enquired early after him and yet all this while their heart was not right neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Psal 78. 34 37. How many sick-bed resolutions have looked like conversion which upon the return of health have vanished quite away True conversion is a lasting change there may indeed be falling fits and fits of slumber The wise Virgins slumbred and slept Mat. 25. though they were not over wise to do so But yet true Converts never go so far as to change their Lord and to chuse any thing but God for their chiefest happiness Reader beware of being only almost a Convert as thou wouldst be unwilling only to be almost saved and quite damn'd The question now will be how may true conversion be discerned from all those shews whereby multitudes are deluded Unto this I answer in these particulars 1. In true Conversion the heart is turned from the love of every known iniquity The strength of sin lies in the love of it and love to it plainly argues that it holds the heart still in possession That 's the Converts language I esteem thy commands concerning all things to be right and I have every false way Psal 119. 128. Thy love is that which God does principally require of thee if sin if the world run away with that how canst thou have the face to say thou art turned 'T is not sufficient to abstain from the outward act of sin an hypocritical Pharisee may go so far but the very soul must abhor it Especially the sin that has been most desired most delighted in will be most detested when conversion is sincere The covetous man when turned will most abhor covetousness the unclean their filthiness the proud their pride and the reason is evident because by these sins God has been most displeased and dishonoured and they most of all polluted and defiled 2. In true Conversion there is a renewing of the whole man All things are become new sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. in them that are new creatures and old things are passed away The whole man is sanctified though not wholly sanctified every part is changed though the change be not perfect The understanding is inlightned the conscience is made tender and has a great command the heart makes choice of God the desires are after his favour and fellowship the members are yielded as instruments of righteousness unto holiness The Convert willingly resigns and gives up his whole self both body and spirit to the Lord. 3. In true Conversion there is a desire to be turned more and more there is an hungring after a greater degree of righteousness The remainders of flesh are a burden and the spirit does lust against them Gal. 5. 17. The Convert goes to God to perfect that which concerns him to strengthen what he has wrought for him Lord Thou hast done much for me but there is much more still to do here 〈◊〉 many enemies still to slay many distempers still to heal many spots still to wash out many wrinkles still to smooth Oh! Thou who hast laid the foundation reer up the building and at last bring forth the Top-stone that I may cry Grace grace for ever 4. In true conversion there is a pure and fervent love to Converts Love to the Brethren is a sign of being passed from death to life 1 Joh. 3. 14. Let them be mean poor of weak parts let them be vilified and despised by the world yet if Saints they will be esteemed and owned by them that are sincerely changed Then our love is right when the more holy any are the more we love them and the more holy designs they have upon us the more plainly they deal with us for sin which they see in us still we do the more ardently affect them Yea and we can rejoyce in their grace though because of their lustre we do shine more obscurely 5. In true Conversion there is a pity
would not believe that 't is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God His mighty hands have taken hold of me and bound me hand and foot and thrown me into outer darkness And there I must lie tortured to Eternity Oh that word does rend my very heart kills all hope sinks and quite overwhelms me in utter desperâ—ion If after millions of millions of ages my torments were to end I should strengthen my self under my sorrows but since after so long a space of time I shall be as far from releasing as the first moment I was imprisoned this is that which makes my grief to know no bounds because my misery knows none Oh what phrenzy possess'd me that for the sake of a little gain and pleasure for a short season which sin did yield me I should venture to dwell with devouring fire and to inhabit everlasting burnings But I must only blame my self God is severe but not in the least unrighteous He called but I refused he stretched forth his hand but I disregarded him I set at nought all his counsel and would none of his reproofs I remember very well he spake to me often to turn out of the paths that lead to destruction and misery but I would needs go on I was warned to flie from the wrath to come but I would take no warning I was intreated to be reconciled but resolved to continue a rebel I would not be made clean though the Lord waited to be gracions and frequently said When will it once be And what Will any of you continue in the same desperate mind that I was of Will you still cherish the self-same sins for kind that were my undoing Behold the flamâ— about my ears and oh that you could conceive the anguish of my heart Be wise be wise and accept of mercy and salvation while 't is tendered to you for if once you come to this place of torment the Lord will forget to be gracious and his mercy will be quite and clean gone for ever 2. A voice from Heaven Suppose one of the glorified Saints who has been an Inhabitant of the heavenly Jerusalem who has conversed with an innumerable company of Angels and has seen God face to face should for a while leave his blissful Mansion and having abundance of joy and glory in his looks should utter such kind of language as this before you Oh the height and length and depth and breadth of the love of Christ which passes knowledge How unsearchable is his goodness and his mercy past finding out Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing for by his blood he has redeemed me with millions more out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation I was called to turn and live and through rich grace was enabled to obey the Call and now I find what a glorious life that is unto which sincere and persevering Converts shall at last be brought This is a life that 's free from sin and free from suffering that will never see death or be in danger of the grave 'T is best of all to be neer to God Christ is without all controversie the best Master to be subject to him it is to reign and reign for ever What ails the blind and stupid world that they see no form nor comliness in this fairest among ten thousand the light of whose countenance makes heaven not to need the light of the Sun or Moon or Stars His beauty is all-surpassing his grace is much more precious than gold that perishes but his glory 't is not lawful or possible for me to utter And now will any of you any longer slight him Open your eyes and see evidently that you are the children of perdition the sons of death without him but through him you may be turned through him you may be saved with a great and everlasting salvation Surely then you have reason to value him above all though the whole world nay though ten thousand worlds should stand in competition with him 3. Hear a voice from Christ himself Imagine the Lord Jesus appearing with a light far above the brightness of the Sun Suppose some of his Angels as his Harbingers and forerunners coming before him and crying Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hâ—sts and at last himself visibly filling this place with his Majesty and with his glory and having stricken an awe into you and wrought in you an admiration of his excellency and greatness suppose him thus speaking and pleading with you Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth I am your Redeemer and there is none else you have destroyed your selves but in me and me alone you may find help unless I make you free sin will still reign in you and if it reign it will also ruine unless I binde the strong man armed he will keep you bound and lead you captive at his pleasure unless I turn and bring you neer to God you will run farther and farther away from him till at last there be no possibility of returning How long ye simple souls will ye love simplicity and fools hate knowledge Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Former contempts I will pass by if now at last you will receive me I will free you from the guilt and from the power of sin I will pacifie my Fathers anger though by breaking his Laws and despising me his Son you have never so much incensed him Though by nature captives I will make you Kings and Priests though by sin traitors and enemies I will make you Sons and heirs of God and coheirs with my self who am the Heir of all things You shall in no case be miserable if all that fulness which dwells in me can satisfie and make you happy And after all this my brethren will you be fond of sin and ruine Oh hear the voice of the Son of God who is not willing you should perish How shall I do to work upon you Methinks I could be willing that these words should be my last upon condition they might be powerful and effectual to the converting and healing and saving all that are within the sound of them Methinks I could be willing to expire here and be carried dead out of the Pulpit upon condition all you might hear so as to turn from your evil wayes and live Most of those thousands which are before me are unknown to me But this I know that you all have souls and that every soul is worth a world Oh that you all would consult your souls interest and safety But lest it should be in vain if I only speak to you I shall direct my words unto him who is Lord over all And oh that he who works and none can let â—r hinder would work a thorow saving change in you Oh