the midst of laughter the heart is sorrowful Prov. 14.13 but now the comfort that flows from godliness is an inward comfort a spiritual joy therefore it is called gladness of heart Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart Other joy smooths the brow but this fils the brest 2. Worldly comfort hath a nether spring the spring of worldly comfort is in the creature in some earthly injoyment and therefore the comfort of worldly men must needs be mixed and muddy Iam. 3.11 an unclean fountain cannot send forth pure water But spiritual comfort hath an upper spring the comfort that accompanies godliness flows from the manifestations of the Love of God in Christ from the workings of the blessed Spirit in the heart which is first a Counsellour and then a Comforter And therefore the comforts of the Saints must needs be pure and unmixed comforts for they flow from a pure Spring 3. Worldly comfort is very fading and transitory Iob. 20.5 The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment Salomon compares it to the crackling of Thornes under a pot Eccles 7.6 which is but a blaze and soon out so is the comfort of carnal hearts But now the comfort of godliness is a durable and abiding comfort your heart shall rejoyce Io. 16.22 and your joy no man shall take from you The comfort of godliness is lasting and everlasting it abides by us In life In death After death Isa 32.17 Phili. 1.2 Colos 12. First It abides by us in life grace and peace go together godliness brings forth comfort and peace naturally the effect of righteousness shall be peace it is said of the primitive Christians they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 every duty done in uprightness and sincerity reflects some comfort upon the soul Psa 19.11 In keeping the Commands there is great reward not onely for keeping of them but in keeping of them as every flower so every duty carries sweetness and refreshing with it But who more dejected and disconsolate the Saints and beleivers whose lives are more uncomfortable whose mouths are more filled with complaints then theirs if a condition of godliness and Christianity be a condition of so much comfort then why are they thus Isa 50.10 Sol. That the people of God are often times without comfort that I grant they may walk in the dark and have no light but this is none of the product of godliness grace brings forth no such fruit as this there is a threefold rise and spring of it Sin within Desertion without Temptation without 1. Sin within the Saints of God are not all Spirit and no flesh all grace and no sin they are made up of contrary principles there is light and darkness in the same mind sin and grace in the same will carnal and spiritual in the same affections Gal. 5.17 there is the flesh lusting against the spirit in all these and too often the Lord knows is the beleiver led away captive by these warring lusts Ro. 7.23 so was the holy Apostle himself I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me Rom. 7.21 and v. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin and this was that which broke his spiritual peace and filled his soul with trouble and complaints as you see in the 24. v. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death So that it is sin that interrupts the peace of Gods people indwelling lust stirring and breaking forth must needs cause trouble and grief in the soul of a beleiver for it is as natural for sin to bring fotth trouble as it is for grace to bring forth peace every sin contracts a new guilt upon the soul and guilt provokes God and where there is a sense of guilt contracted and God provoked there can be no peace no quiet in that soul till faith procures fresh sprinklings of the blood of Jesus Christ upon the Conscience 2. Another Spring of the beleivers trouble and disconsolateness of spirit is the desertions of God and this follows upon the former God doth sometimes disappear and hide himself from his people verily thou art a God that hidest thy self Psa 13.1 Isa 45.15 But the cause of Gods hiding is the beleivers sinning your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you Isa 59.2 In Heaven where there is no sinning there is no losing the light of Gods countenance for a moment and if Saints here could serve God without corruption they should injoy God without desertion but this cannot be while we are in this state remaining lusts will stir and break forth and then God will hide his face and this must needs be trouble thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Ps 30.7 Psa 116.3 The light of Gods countenance shining upon the soul is the Christians Heaven on this side Heaven and therefore it is no wonder if the hiding of his face be looked upon by the soul as one of the dayes of Hell so it was by David The sorrows of death compassed me the pains of Hell gate hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow 3. A third spring of that trouble and complaint that brims the banks of the Christians spirit is the temptaions of Satan Mat. 13.39 he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great enemy of Saints and he envieth the quiet and comfort that their hearts are filled with when his conscience is brimmed with horrour and terrour and therefore though he knows he cannot destroy their grace yet he labours to disturb their peace As the blessed Spirit of God is first a Sanctifier and then a comforter working grace in order and peace so this cursed Spirit of Hell is first a Tempter and then a Troubler first perswading to act sin and then accusing for sin and this is his constant practise upon the Spirits of Gods people he cannot indure that they should live in the light of Gods countenance when himself is doomed to an eternal intolerable darkness And thus you see whence it is that the people of God are often under trouble and complaint all arises from these three springs of Sin within Desertions without Temptations without If the Saints could serve God without sinning and injoy God without withdrawing and resist Satan without yeilding they might injoy peace and comfort without sorrowing this must be indeavoured constantly here but it will never be attained fully but in Heaven But yet so far as grace is the prevailing principle in the heart and so far as the power of godliness is exercised in the life so far the condition of a Child of God is a condition of peace for it is an undoubted
ΕΠΟΛΙΓΩ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑÎΟΣ THE Almost Christian DISCOVERED OR The False-Professor Tried and Cast Being the substance of Seven SERMONS first preached at Sepulchres London 1661. and now at the inportunity of friends made publick By MATTHEW MEADE Luk 16.14 And the Pharisees who were covetous ' heard all these things and they derided him Vers 15. And Jesus said unto them ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts For that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the three Crowns in the lower end of Cheapside over-against the great Conduit 1662. To the Congregation at Sepulchres that were the Auditors of these Sermons Grace and Peace be multiplyed Beloved WHat the meaning of that providence was that called me to the occupation of my Talent amongst you this Summer will be best read and understood by the effects of it upon your own souls The kindly increase of grace and holiness in heart and life can onely prove it to have been in mercy where this is not the fruit of the word there it becomes a judgement The word travels with life or death salvation or damnation bringeth forth one or other in every soul that hears it I would not for a world were it in my power to nake the choice that my labours which were meant designed for the promotion of your immortal souls to the glory of the other World in a present persuance of the things of your peace should be found to have been a Ministration of Death and Condemnation in the great day of Iesus Christ Yet this the Lord knoweth is the too common effect of the most plain and powerful Ezek. 47.11 Preaching of the Gospel The waters of the Sanctuary do not always heal where they come for there are mirie and marish places that shall be given to salt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is elsewhere in Scripture rendered barrenness Ps 107.34 he turneth a faithful land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into barrenness so that the judgement denounced upon these miry and marish places is that the curse of barrenness shall rest upon them notwithstanding the waters of the Sanctuary over-flow them Jude 12. It is sad but certain that the Gospel inflicteth a death of its own as well as the Law or else how are those trees in Jude said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice dead plucked up by the roots Yea that which in it self is the greatest mercy through the interposition Rom. 5.8 of mens lusts and the efficacy of this cursed sin of unbelief turneth to the greatest judgement as the richest and most generous Wine makes the sharpest Vinegar Our Lord Christ himself the choicest mercy that the bowels of a God could bless a perishing World withal Ioh. 3.16 whose coming himself bearing Witness was on no less errand then that of eternal life and blessedness to the lost and cursed sons of Adam Ioh. 10.10 Yet to how many was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone of stumbling Isa 8 14. and a rock of offence Yea a gin and a snare and that to both the houses of Israel the onely professing people of God at that day in the World And is he not a stone of stumbling in the Ministry of the Gospel to many professors to this very day upon which they fall and are broken When he saith Mat. 11.6 blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me he doth therein plainly suppose that both in his person and Doctrine the generality of men would be offended in him Not that this is the design of Christ and the Gospel but it comes so to pass through the corruptions of the hearts of men whereby they make light of Christ and stand out against that life and grace which the Lord Iesus by his blood so dearly purchased and is by the Preaching of the Gospel so freely tendered the wilful refusal whereof will as surely double our damnation as the acceptance thereof will secure our eternal Salvation Mat. 11.23 Oh consider it is a thing of the most serious concernment in the World how we carry our selves under the Gospel and with what dispositions and affections of heart and soul seasons of grace are entertained this being taken into the consideration to make it weight that we are the nearer to heaven or to hell to salvation or damnation by every ordinance we sit under boast not therefore of Priviledges injoyed with neglect of the important duties thereby required Remember Capernaums case and tremble as many go to Heaven by the very gates of Hell so more go to Hell by the gates of Heaven in that the number of them that profess Christ is greater then the number of them that truely close with Christ Beloved I know the Preaching of the Gospel hath proselyted many of you into a profession but I fear that but few of you are brought by it to a true close with the Lord Christ for Salvation I beseech you bear with my jealousie for it is the fruit of a tender love to your precious souls most men are good Christians in the verdict of their own opinion but you know the Law alloweth no man to be a witness in his own case because their affection usualally out-acteth conscience and self-love baulketh truth for its own interest The heart of man is the greatest impostor and cheat in the World God himself adjusts it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplante tivum cor prae omui Jeremy 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things Some of the deceits whereof you will find discovered in this treatise which sheweth you that every grace hath its counterfeit and that the highest profession may be where true conversion is not Ezek. 13.22 Mat. 12.20 The design hereof is not to break the bruised reed nor to quench the smoking flax not to discourage the weakest beleiver but to awaken formal professors I would not sad the heart of any whom God would not have made sad though I know it is hard to rip up the dangerous estate and condition of a professing Hypocrite but that the weak Christian will think himself concerned in the discovery And therefore as I Preached a Sermon on sincerity among you for the support and encouragement of such at the end of this so I did purpose to have Printed it with this but who can be Master of his own purposes that is as I am under such daily variety of providences your kindly acceptation of this will make me a debter for that The dedication hereof belongs to you on a double account for as it had not been Preached but that love to your souls caused it so it had much less been Printed but that your importunate desire procured it and therefore what entertainment soever it findeth in the World yet I hope I may expect you will welcome it especially
may be called of God 15. He may in some sense have the spirit of God 16. He may have some kind of faith 17. He may love the people of God 18. He may go far in obeying the Commands of God 19. He may be in some sense sanctified 20. He may do all as to external duties that a true Christian can and yet be no better then almost a Christian The second Question Why or whence is it that many men go so far as that they come to be almost Christians First It may be to answer the call of conscience though few men have grace yet all men have conscience Now do but observe and you shall see how far conscience may go in this work 1. Conscience owns a God and that this God must be worshipped and served by the creature Atheists in practice we have many such as the Apostle speaks of Tit. 1.16 They profess they know God but in works they deny him But Atheists in judgment none can be Tully a Heathen could say nulla gens tam barbara c. Now their being such a light in conscience as to discover that their is a God and that he must be Worshipped by the help of farther light the light of the word a man may be inabled to do much in the ways of God and yet his heart without a dram of grace 2. Know this that natural conscience is capable of great improvements from the means of grace sitting under the ordinances may exceedingly heighten the indowments of Conscience though they do not sanctifie conscience it may be much regulated though it be not at all renewed it may be inlightned convinced and yet never savingly converted and changed Ye read in Heb. 6.4 of some that were once inlightned and tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy ghost What work shall we call this It could not be a saving work a true change and conversion of state for notwithstanding this inlightning and tasting and partaking yet they are here said to fall away v. 6. Luke 22.32 Deut. 33.27 Had it been a true work of grace they could never have fallen away from that a beleiver may fall but he cannot fall away he may fall foully but he can never fall finally for underneath are the everlasting arms his faith is established in the strength of that prayer of Christ that our faith fail not nay he tels us expresly that it is eternal life which he gives from which we shall never perish John 10.28 This work then here spoken of cannot be any saving work because it is not an abiding work for they that are under it are said to fall away from it but though it be not a saving work yet it is a supernatural work it is an improvement made by the word upon the consciences of men through the power of the Spirit and therefore they are said to tast the good word of God and to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost they have not the spirit abiding in them savingly but striving with them and working upon them convincingly to the awakening and setting conscience on work And conscience thus stirred may carry a man very far in Religion and in the duties of the Gospel and yet be but a natural conscience A common work of the spirit may stead a man very much in the duties of Religion though it must be a special work of the spirit that steads a man to salvation a man may have the assisting presence of the spirit inabling him to preach and pray and yet he may perish for want of the renewing presence of the spirit inabling him to beleive Judas had the former and yet perished for want of the latter he had the spirit assisting him to cast out devils but yet he had not the spirit renewing him for he was cast out himself Thus a man may have an improved conscience and yet be a stranger to a renewed conscience and conscience thus improved may put a man very much upon duty I pray God none of us mistake a conscience thus improved by the word for a conscience renewed by the spirit the mistake is very easie especially when a life of duties is the fruit of it 3. The conscience of a natural man is subject to distress and trouble though a natural conscience is not sanctified with grace yet it is often troubled at sin trouble of conscience is not incident to beleivers onely but sometimes to unbeleivers also A beleivers conscience is sometimes troubled when his sin is truely pardoned and a natural mans conscience is troubled for sin though it is never freed from sin God sometimes sets the word home upon the sinners conscience and applies the terrours of the law to it and this fills the soul with fear and horrour of death and hell now in this case the soul usually betakes it self to a life of duties meerly to fence trouble out of conscience 2 Sam. 14.30 31. When Absalom sets fire on Joabs corn fields then he runs to him though he refused before so when God lets a spark of Hell as it were fall upon the sinners conscience in applying the terrours of the word this drives the sinner to a life of duties which he never minded before The ground of many a mans ingaging in Religion is the trouble of his conscience and the end of his continuing in Religion is the quieting of conscience if conscience would never check him God should never from him Natural conscience hath a voice and speaks aloud many times in the sinners ears and telleth him this ought not to be done God must not be forgotten the commands of God ought not to be slighted living in sin will be the ruine of the soul and hence it is that a natural man runs to duties and takes up a lifeless and graceless profession that he may thereby silence conscience As a man sick in his stomack what ever sweet morsel he hath eaten he brings up all and although it was sweet in the eating yet it is bitter in the rising So it fareth with the sinner when he is Sermon-sick or Conscience-sick though his sin was sweet in the practice yet the thought of it riseth bitter upon the conscience and then his profession of religion is the pill he rouleth about in his mouth to take away the bitterness of-sins tast 4. Natural conscience inlightned by the word may discover to a man much of the misery of a natural state though not effectually to bring him out of it yet so as to make him restless and weary in it it may shew a sinner his nakedness and hereupon the soul runneth to a life of duties thinking hereby to stead the misery of his case and to make a covering for his nakedness It is said Gen. 3.7 That when Adam and Eve saw they were naked they sewed Fig leaves together and made themselvelves a covering So when once the sinner seeth his nakedness and vileness by reason
truth that the fruit of righteousness shall be peace But suppose the people of God experience little of this comfort in life yet 2. They find it in the day of death grace and holiness will Minister unto us then and that ministration will be peace A beleiver hath a twofold spring of comfort each one emptying it self into his soul in a dying season ' one is from above him the other is from within him the spring that runs comfort from above him is the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience the spring that runs comfort from within him is the sincerity of his heart in Gods service When we lye upon a death-bead and can reflect upon our principles and performances in the service of God and there find uprightness and sincerity of heart running through all this must needs be comfort it was so to Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Isa 38.3 Nothing maketh a Death-bed so uneasie and hard as a life spent in the service of sin and lust nothing makes a Death-bed so soft and sweet as a life spent in the service of God and Christ Or put the case the people of God should not meet with this comfort then yet 3. They shall be sure to find it after Death if time bring none of this fruit to ripeness why yet eternity shall grace in time will be glory in eternity holiness now will be happiness then what ever it is that a man soweth in this World that he shall be sure to reap in the next World He that soweth to the flesh Gal. 6.7 shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 6.8 but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Ro. 6.23 When sin shall end in sorrow and misery holiness shall end in joy and glory well done thou good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.23 Whoever shareth in the grace of Christ and conformeth to the life of Christ in this World shall share in the joys of Christ in the World to come 1 Pet. 1.8 and that joy is joy unspeakable and full of glory Lo here is the fruit of godliness say now if there be not enough in Religion whether we respect profit or comfort to ingage us to be Christians throughout 4. What an intire resignation wicked men make of themselves to their lusts Consid 4 and shall not we do so to the Lord Christ they give up themselves without reserve to the pleasures of sin and shall we have our reserves in the service of God they are altogether sinners and shall not we be altogether Saints they run and not faint in the service of their lusts and shall we faint and not run in the service of Christ shall the sevants of corruption have their ears boared Exo. 21.6 at the Door-posts of sin in token of an intire and perpetual service and shall not we give up our selves to the Lord Christ to be his for ever Isa 28.15 shall others make a Covenant with Hell and death Ier. 50.5 and shall not we joyn our selves to God in an everlasting Covenant that cannot be forgotten Acrius illi ad perniciem quam nos ad salutem shall they take more pains to damn their souls then we do to save ours and make more speed to a place of vengeance then we do to a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4 8 Which do you judge best to be saved everlastingly or to perish everlastingly which do you count the best Master God or the Devil Christ or your lusts I know you will determine it on Christs side Oh then when others serve their lusts with all their hearts do you serve Christ with all your hearts Eccle. 8.5 Ier. 3.5 if the hearts of the Sons of men be fully set in them to do evil then much more let the hearts of the sons of God be fully set in them to do good 5. If ye are not altogether Christians Consid 5 ye will never be able to appear with comfort before God not to stand in judgement of the last and great day for this sad dilemma will silence every Hypocrite If my Commands were not holy just and good why didst thou own them if they were holy just and good why didst thou not obey them If Jesus Christ was not worth the having why didst thou profess him if he was then why didst thou not cleave to him and close with him If my Ordinances were not appointed to convert and save souls why didst thou sit under them and rest in the performance of them or if they were then why didst thou not submit to the power of them If Religion be not good why dost thou profess it if it be good why dost thou not practise it Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 If it was not a Wedding feast why didst thou come at the invitation and if it was then why didst thou come without a wedding garment Mat. 11.22 I would but ask an Hypocritical professour of the Gospel what he will answer in that day Verily you deprive your selves of all possibility of Apology in the day of the righteous judgment of God it is said of this man that had no Wedding garment on that when Christ came and examined him he was speechless he that is graceless in a day of grace will be speechless in a day of judgment professing Christ without a heart to close with Christ will leave our souls inexcusable and make our damnation unavoidable and more intolerable These are the motives to inforce the duty and oh that God would set them home upon your hearts and consciences that you might not dare to rest a moment longer in a half work or in being Christians within a little but that you might be altogether Christians Quere But you will say possibly how shall I do what means shall I use that I may attain to a through work in my heart that I may be no longer almost but altogether a Christian Now I shall lay down three rules of directions instead of many to further and help you in this important duty and so leave this work to Gods blessing First Break off all false peace of conscience Direct 1 this is the Devils bond to hold the soul from seeking after Christ As there is the peace of God so there is the peace of Satan but they are easily known for they are as contrary as Heaven and Hell as light and darkness The peace of God flows from a work of grace in the soul and is the peace of a regenerate state but the peace of Satan is the peace of an unregenerate state it is the peace of Death in the grave Job saith their is peace Iob. 3.17 there the wicked cease from troubling so a
soul dead in sin is full of peace the wicked one troubleth him not The peace of God in the soul is a peace flowing from the removal of guilt by justifying grace Rom. 5.1 being justified by faith in his blood we have peace with God but the peace of Satan in the soul arises and is maintained by a stupidness of spirit and insensibleness of guilt upon the conscience The peace of God is a peace from sin that fortifies the heart against it The peace of God that passeth all understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Philip 4.7 the more of this peace there is in the soul the more is the soul fortified against sin But the peace of Satan is a peace in sin the strong man armed keeps the house and there all is at peace Luk. 11.21 The Saints peace is a peace with God but not with sin the sinners peace is a peace with sin but not with God and this is a peace better broke then kept it is a false a dangerous an undoing peace my brethren death and judgment will break all peace of conscience but onely that which is wrought by Christ in the soul and is the fruit of the blood of sprinkling when he gives quietness who then can make trouble Job 34.29 Now that peace that death will break why should you keep who would be fond of that quietness which the flames of Hell will burn in sunder and yet how many travel to Hell through the fools paradice of a false peace Oh break off this peace for we can have no peace with God in Christ whilst this peace remains in our hearts intus existens prohibet alienum The Lord Christ gives no peace to them that will not seek it and that man will never seek it that doth not see his need of it and he that is at peace in his lust sees no need of the peace of Christ The sinner must be wounded for sin and troubled under it before Christ will heal his wounds and give him peace from it 2. Labour after a through work of conviction Direct 2 every conviction will not do it the almost Christian hath his convictions as well as the true Christian or else he had never gone so far but they are not sound and right convictions or else he had gone farther God will have the soul truely sensible of the bitterness of sin before it shall tast the sweetness of mercy The Plow of conviction must go deep and make deep furrows in the heart before God will sow the precious seed of grace and comfort there that so it may have depth of earth to grow in This is the constant method of God first to shew man his sin then his Saviour first his danger then his redeemer first his wound then his cure first his ownvileness then Christs righteousness We must be brought to cry out unclean unclean to mourn for him whom we have peirced and then he sets open For us a fountain to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 12. and the four last verses compared with Zach. 13. and the first verse That is a notable place Job 33.27 28. He looked upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not He will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light The sinner must see the unprofitableness of his unrighteousness before he profits by Christs righteousness The Israelites are first stung with the fiery Serpents Num. 21 6â—8 and then the brazen Serpent is set up Ephraim is first throughly convinced and then Gods bowels of mercy work towards him Thus it was with Paul Manasseh the Jaylor c. So that this is the unchangeable method of God in working grace to begin with conviction of sin Oh therefore labour for through convictions and there are three things we should especially be convinced of First Be convinced of the evil of sin the filthy and heinous nature of it this is the greatest evil in the World it wrongs God it wounds Christ it grieves the holy spirit it ruineth a precious soul all other evils are not to be named with this My Brethren though to do sin be the worst work yet to see sin is the best sight for sin discovered in its vileness makes Christ to be desired in his fulness But above all labour to be convinced of the mischief of an unsound heart what an abhorring it is to God what certain ruine it brings upon the soul Oh think often of the Hypocrites hell Mat. 24.51 Secondly Be convinced of the misery and desperate danger of a natural condition for till we see the plague of our hearts and the misery of our state by nature we shall never be brought out of our selves to seek help in another Thirdly Direct 3 Be convinced of the utter insufficiency and inability of any thing below Christ Jesus to minister releif to thy soul in this case all things besides Jesus Christ are Physitians of no value Iob 13 4. duties performances prayers tears self-righteousness avail nothing in this case they make us like the Troupes of Tema Iob. 6.19.20 to return ashamed at our disappointment from such failing brooks Alass It is an infinite righteousness that must satisfie for us for it is an infinite God that is offended by us If ever thy sin be pardoned it is infinite mercy that must pardon it if ever thou be reconciled to God it is infinite merit must do it if ever thy heart be changed and thy state renewed it is infinite power must effect it and if ever thy soul escape hell and be saved at last it is infinite grace must save it In these three things right and sound conviction lieth And wherever the Spirit of God worketh these through convictions it is in order to a true and sound conversion For by this means the soul is brought under a right qualification for the receiving Christ You must know that a sinner quatenus a sinner can never come to Christ for he is dead in sin in enmity against Christ an enemy to God and the grace of God but there are certain qualifications that come between the souls dead state in sin and the work of conversion and closing with Christ Se Nortons Orthod Fvangelist p. 130. whereby the soul is put into a capacity of receiving the Lord Jesus Christ For no man is brought immediately out of his dead state and made to beleive in Jesus Christ There are termini mediantes some qualifications comming in between now sound convictions are the right qualifications for the sinners receiving Christ Mat. 9.12.13 for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is such as see themselves sinners and thereby in a lost condition so Luke explains it The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Luk. 19.10