fiercer indignation Compassionate these Counsel these Pray for these and endeavour though they are and will be without the Word to win them by a wisely expressed Love and by a well-ordered Conversation 1 Pet. 3. 1. Let not your Bowels be straitned but Pray for the Worlds Conversion to God that he would return to this Earth which for Sin he has so justly forsaken and that he would turn the VVorld into a New One wherein may dwell Righteousness 5. Be sure to Love all true Converts Love them all because God loves them and love what you see of God in them The Image of God is so excellent that in whomsoever it shines it ought with pure affection to be owned and respected Converts I grant may differ in many things but they agree in the main all of them believe in Jesus all of them turn to God all of them endeavour to Glorifie him here on Earth and all of them are bound for Heaven And Vniversal Agreement thus far is a strong reason for Catholick and Vniversal Charity All Converts of what Perswasion soever of what Nation soever of what Rank and Condition soever in this World they are all adopted by one Father all redeemed by one Christ Jesus all espoused to one Husband all members of one Body all enlivened by one Spirit and shall all meet at last in one Heaven where they shall perfectly be joyned together in Union and in Love and this should strongly move and perswade unto Unity and Love at present 6. Lastly and so I conclude this Doctrine you that are Coverts see that you abide with God and be stedfast in his Covenant they that totally and finally depart from God never were totally and fully turned to him Let your Perseverance be an evident Demonstration to prove the truth of your Conversation let not the hardest labour the hottest service that you may be put upon the greatest sufferings that you may be exposed to in the least discourage you for God doth not require that you should do or that you should suffer any thing for him but only by the strength that he himself hath promised and doth intend to give All you Converts have done well in turning to God do better in following hard after him and best of all in finishing your course that you may get the Crown of Righteousness To conclude Let your Faith be firm like to the Rock it is founded upon let your hope be stedfast Be rooted and grounded in your love and let your hearts be so united to fear the name of God Psal 86. 11. that it may be as possible to hinder the Sun from rising as to hinder you from shining like lights in the World. That it may be as possible to cause the Moon and Stars to cease their wonted courses as to turn you out of the way of Truth and Holiness That it may be as possible to alter the Ordinances of Heaven as to make you neglect Heaven and become again earthly-minded Thus have I done with the first Doctrine that I raised from the words which I have been large upon That Conversion is of absolute necessity and the great thing that God requires of Man. Doct. 2. I proceed unto the second Doctrine that I raised from the words and that is this Conversion is then sincere when the soul is Converted The Soul of Man is the chief subject of Sin. It is the Soul that uses or rather abuses the members of the Body as Instruments of Unrighteousness The Beasts that have no rational Soul are not capable of committing Iniquity and as the Soul is the chief subject of Sin so it is the chief subject of Converting Grace if this be not turned really there is no true turning unto God. God is a Spirit and he weighs the Spirits of Men and he doth chiefly require the Heart and Spirit Prov. 23. 26. and accordingly the Convert with David sayes Psal 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul. And Psal 119. 129. Thy Testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my Soul keep them In the handling this Doctrine 1. I am to shew you when the Soul may be said to be Converted 2. To prove that till the Soul is Converted Conversion is not sincere 3. To demonstrate the necessity of turning to God with the very Soul. And then in the last place to make application 1. I am to tell you when the Soul may be said truly to be Converted the opening of this is the chief thing that I design in this Doctrine 1. When the Soul is Converted there is a marvellous Light that shines into the Mind The Tree of Knowledge was so called because it was a Tree of Tryal whether Man would persevere in goodness or whether he would be tempted and drawn away to evil but when this Tree was once tasted Man presently fell under the power of darkness The eyes of all understandings are blind till enlightned by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18. All the Stars that are in the Firmament cannot make day without the Sun and all the works that God hath wrought all the words that he hath spoken cannot of themselves enlighten the mind of Man without the Spirit of God. It is He that takes off the Vail and causes the Light to shine upon and into the very Soul. This Light makes things manifest Eph. 5. 13. For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light This Light that shines into a Converted Soul doth discover Sin it shews the filth the spots the sting the poyson the death the wrath the Hell that is in Sin or is annexed to it It doth discover the deceitfulness of Sin in hiding its own bad nature and the dreadful consequences that follow upon it And as this Light doth make sin manifest so it doth discover Christ too the sufficiency of his justifying Righteousness the excellency of his sanctifying Grace and how to turn to God is of miserable to become truly blessed This Light also is directing It directs what Converts must do that they may be saved It shews them the End and the proper Means for the attaining of that End. It leads them out of the broad way and from all the snares and stumbling-blocks and the precipices that are there and it leads them into the way that is everlasting Psal 139. ult Finally This Light that shines into the Converted Soul hath Heat and Influence like the Light of the Sun in the Spring-season that causeth the Trees and Plants to be flourishing and to be fruitful The Light of the Converts hath a mighty influence upon them The things that are freely given of God are so seen as that the heart is taken with them as the principal things of all and undervalues other things in comparison of those Thus the wise Merchant that sought goodly Pearls when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he
R. White desinâ— et sculp The true Effigies of Mr. Nathanael Vincent Minister of the Gospel THE Conversion OF THE SOUL OR A DISCOURSE EXPLAINING The Nature of that CONVERSION which is Sincere and Directing and Perswading all to cease their loving Sin and Death and to Turn to God and Live. By NATHANAEL VINCENT M. A. Minister of the Gospel Jer. 3. 12. Go and proclaim these words towards the North and say Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Dixit Deus Fiat Lux facta est Lux Dicit Convertimini filii hominum Conversi sunt Ita plane Conversio animarum opus divinae vocis est non humanae â—ernard de Conversione ad Clericos cap. 1. pag. mihi 843. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Epist ad Colos LONDON Printed by J. Astwood for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel 1688. LICENSED March 5. 1687 / 8 TO The Right Honourable Sir JOHN SHORTER Lord MAIOR OF THE CITY of LONDON My Lord THis is a time in which by the Gracious Providence of God and by the Unexpected and therefore more Obliging Favour of his Majesty I enjoy a Liberty more publickly to Preach the Gospel I now also take the Boldness to Present some Sermons which lately sounded from my Mouth in the Pulpit unto your Lordship the Supream Magistrate in the City I am glad that the Gospel of Peace may now be Preached without Disturbance and that those hands that without reason were once so Violent are now tied up so that they cannot inflict those severe Penalties which never were indeed deserved I cordially Desire and Pray for the Prosperity and Welfare of London And were it but a City all of Converts it would be the Joy and Glory of the whole Earth and resemble that Heavenly Jerusalem above where there is neither Sin nor Trouble Conversion is not to be Pressed only upon Heathens and Infidels How many that are called Christians go beyond Them in Wickedness and consequently need it as much nay more than they The Jews of old did make their Boast of God and of his Temple yet the Prophets call them to Turn and tell them that Death was no other way avoidable The Way to Heaven and a Glorious Immortality is but One and truly 't is a very narrow one You that are high as well as they that are low must tread in the same Path of Holiness or else your hopes of Everlasting Life will end in a dreadful Disappointment My Lord 'T is my Prayer for you that you may be preserved from Temptations that you may exercise your Authority so as to Reform the City over which you Preside from that Debauchery and Prophaneness which has so much Impoverished it which is its Shame and Disgrace and which cries so loud to Heaven for Vengeance to be inflicted upon it A great Trust is reposed in you I wish you Wisdom and holy Resolution from above to Improve the Price put into your Hands You must be called to an Account at last What singular thing you have done for God and for his Truth and Interest in this Year of your Maioralty The greater Enemy you shew your self to all sorts of Vices and the more Exemplary you are in fearing God and keeping his Commandments the greater Blessing you will be to London and the more truly you will Consult your own Honour and Blessedness I am Your LORDSHIPS Most Humble Servant Nathanael Vincent THE Epistle to the READER Reader IF this Book by the Providence of God shall come into thy Hand and thou wilt bestow the Pains to peruse it I would have thee read it as he who has the Benefit of the Clergy reads that Verse with Care the reading of which well does save his Life Agitur de Magnis Things of the greatest Importance are here treated of The subject matter of this Discourse is its Commendation Mans Conversion to God is explain'd and press'd The Authour can truly say He earnestly desired the Conversion of those that heard these Sermons and Hope that some may be turned to God by the reading of them is the reason of their being Printed Melchior Adamus reports of that famous German Preacher Bucholstzer That he troubled not the Church with Polemical Divinity his great Design was to draw Men to a Saviour to turn them to the living God that their Hearts and Lives might be pure and their End peace and that after Death they might enter into Everlasting Rest The Pruritus Disputandi the Itch of Disputing has taken away the Beauty of the Churches Face and Hands Certainly it would be more for the Churches Health and Strength and Glory if the great Truths of the Gospel were more insisted on namely Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and Conversion which is the same with Repentance towards God. How many strange Doctrines are vented how many quaint Notions that please the Fancy rather than Edisie the Soul will be found Wood Hay Stubble at last and be Lost and Consumed as not being able to endure the Fire a strict Tryal Discourses which out of the Scriptures of Truth have plainly declared the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ the Mystery of Conversion and of Godliness will be found to be Gold Silver Precious Stones and will turn to best Account to those who have built on the right Foundation Reader Art thou Unconverted does thy stupidness under the Guilt of Sin and thy contentedness to be still its Slave prove thee to be so I pray thee have not less Faith than the very Devils for they Believe and tremble Thy state is truly doleful but not desperate but quickly it may be so if thou still refusest to be a Convert The Door of Hope may soon be shut that now stands open Death may suddenly seize thee and send thee with all thy Sins unto the Bar of God who judges righteously Awake O Conscience before it be too late O Heart harden thy self no longer Wrath in the day of Wrath will be very terrible But if thou art indeed a Convert and thy submission to God and chusing him above all things is the evidence of it this Book brings thee happy Tidings and as true as happy Converting Grace is the greatest benefit bestowed on Earth and when that Grace has finished its work Eternal Glory will assuredly follow That all the Hearers of these Sermons may be such hearers as that their Souls may live that all the Readers of them may read with advantage to their Souls with an advantage that may last unto Eternity is and shall be the Prayer of Nathanael Vincent PSAL. XIX 7. former part The Law of the Lord is perfect Converting the Soul. THE Works of God though in himself invisible shew forth the Workers Wisdom Power and Goodness a
liberty Liberty not only to discern what is good but Liberty to chuse and embrace it Finally He changes the Soul into the divine Image and he abides for ever in the Church of Christ that he may hinder this Image from ever being quite defaced that he may perfect and compleat it 8. Conversion is necessary to fit for present Service and Duty An Unconverted Sinner is a bad Tree and all the Fruit he bears must needs be evil Is it reasonable to expect Figs from the Thistle or Grapes from the Bramble or the Thorn how can he whose Person is hateful to God whose Heart never was sanctified do any action which may be truly pleasing in Gods sight Solomon tells us that not only the Prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God because he turns away his ear from hearing the Law Prov. 28. 9. but also that the Ploughing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21. 4. If Ploughing be taken properly it intimates that the wicked mans ordinary Employments are not without Provocation because he does nothing in a right manner to a good end If Ploughing be taken Metaphorically for Contriving and Designing it shews that the Devices of the Heart of a wicked man are all vain and evil Conversion therefore is very needful that Man may become meet for the Service of God. The Converts Heart is right with God desires God himself chiefly and in what he does designs his Glory and being made a sanctified Vessel he is made fit for his Lords use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. 9. Conversion is necessary to fit for future Reward We read that the unrighteous shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God Wicked ones are unfit to be among the Spirits of just Men who are made perfectly holy to be among the Elect Angels who never sinn'd but are ever crying out Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Though Heaven is not merited by our turning Holy yet Holiness prepares and fits us for Heaven The Apostle signifies that Converts are deliver'd from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God and hereby they are made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12 13. The same Apostle having spoken of Life and Immortality adds Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who hath also given unto us the earnest of the Spirit By Converting Grace we are wrought upon for Glory and the Spirit who works in us a new Life which is Spiritual is an earnest to assure us of Life Eternal Oh Heavenly Jerusalem a City that has foundations whose builder and maker is God! where Glory is everlasting Blessedness perfect and Joy is full without possibility of abatement into thee none but Converts shall have or are fit to have admission 10. The Threatnings which the Word denounces against the Vnconverted prove the Necessity of Conversion The only Saviour asserts with vehemency and that again and again assuring all that there is no Salvation for the Impenitent Luk. 13. 3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish If Souls are Unconverted Sin is certainly Unpardon'd and unpardon'd Sin binds over to eternal Death We are commanded to Repent and be Converted that our Sins may be blotted out Act. 3. 19. Those who refuse to be Converted all their Sins are written down in the book of Gods Remembrance not one blotted out or forgotten which book will be open'd at the last day to their Confusion and Condemnation What heavy loads are Guilt and Wrath both these abide upon the Unconverted How soon may the Wrath of God which is both threatned and justly merited seize upon the Unconverted how suddainly may it destroy them beyond all possibility of remedy Psal 7. 11 12. God is angry with the wicked every day and as he grows more wicked God becomes more angry If he turn not he hath whet his Sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready To signifie the Patience of God and his unwillingness to destroy the slaughtering Weapons are represented as lying by him unprepared his Sword is not whetted his Bow is unbent but if Sinners refuse to turn the Sword the Bow may quickly be made ready and God may come to that peremptory resolution Isa 1. 24. Ah! I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Turning you see is in the highest degree necessary for you must turn or dye If a City were on fire and there were but one Gate at which there might be an egress to fly from the fury of the flames Oh! what flocking would there be to that Gate If Sinners had but any sense and knowledge they would turn to God by thousands and by millions since Conversion is the only Door through which they may escape the Vengeance of eternal Fire Those obstinate Wretches that will not turn in time God will make them burn in Hell for evermore Thus have I at large demonstrated the Necessity of Conversion But alas VVho believes our report who credits that which is of all the greatest certainty Necessity in other matters has a mighty force but the Necessity of Conversion prevails with very few I make a needful Apostrophe from Man to God himself Lord Reveal and make bare thine own arm and cause the most stubborn and stout-hearted to yield 〈◊〉 thee for Arguments alone will never prevail with the dead in Sin to turn and live to God. In the fifth place I am to Answer the Arguments which the carnal Minds of men object against Conversion These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these fleshly reasonings are strong holds which must be cast down 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. And I would not leave one of them undemolished Removere prohibens to remove the hindrance of Conversion is very much conducing to the thing it self therefore I shall which is but needful be the larger in producing the strongest Reasons and most forcible Pleas that are brought and used against Sinners turning to God and give a full Answer shewing the miserable invalidity and weakness of them all Obj. 1. The first Objection against Conversion is this We are Members of the Christian Church already We have been Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost If indeed we were Heathens or Infidels 't were proper to call us to turn to the true God and to embrace the Faith of Christ but since we are already Baptized into the Church which is his Body the Call and Invitation to turn seems not to be made to us Answ 1. It is one thing to be a Member of the visible Church and another thing to be really a Member of Christ The Apostle sayes All are not Israel who are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. Many have a Form of Godliness without the Power In the same Vine there are many fruitless as well as fruitful Branches In the same Church visible many unsound Professors if
God is meer madness 't is disobedience to the highest Soveraign 't is base ingratitude against the highest Kindness 't is in effect the charging the God of Grace and Truth with falshood and ill-will 't is a rejecting the best and safest Counsel and 't is the way to engage the great Jehovah to be much more an enemy by refusing to turn and be reconciled to Him. 4. Consider what the Lords design is in requiring you to become Converts He could glorifie his Truth and Righteousness and make his Power known in executing vengeance and in punishing you with everlasting Destruction but he chuses rather to magnifie his Mercy and Grace therefore he waits to be Gracious Isa 30. 18. and if he be exalted that he may shew Mercy his Mercy will be exceeding plenteous and glorious in the blessed Effects of it if you forsake your evil wayes and thoughts and turn to him In turning you to himself the Lord designs to demonstrate that his Grace can superabound where Sin never so much abounds he designs to shew forth the merit of his Sons blood and the Power of his Spirit he designs to new make what sin had marr'd and to produce Vessels of honour out of the corrupt masse of defiled Clay In short he does design to form you for himself that you may be most blessed for ever in himself and both here and eternally shew forth his Praises And what colour or shadow of Reason is there that you should walk contrary to such a God that you should thwart and oppose such gracious Designs by refusing to return 5. Turn ye Why wo'nt you Live Is Alsufficiency to be lookt upon as empty the chiefest good become evil in your Eyes Are you fallen out with the truest felicity as if it were not at all desirable Is the perfection of Happiness fear'd as if 't were Misery Is Heaven shunn'd as if 't were Hell and do you avoid the Path that leads to it that you may be sure never to come thither These are strange Interrogatories but they serve for Conviction that those who will not turn may be sensible they wrong their own Souls Prov. 8. 36. in contemning the tender of Eternal Life and Salvation 6. Turn ye Why will ye Dye Is the Guilt of Sin become a light matter the Wrath of the Almighty easie to be born do you make a mock of that which makes the whole Creation groan and travel in pain together Rom. 8. 22. Is it no longer fearful to fall into the hands of the Living God and has the second Death ceased to be terrible Are the Tears of the Damned dryed up Is their Sorrow turned into Joy Is the never-dying Worm to be hugg'd in your bosoms and everlasting Fire a thing to be play'd with Oh! What do you mean who will not turn Why do ye love Death Prov. 8. ult Why have ye the greatest hand in your own ruine Why are ye Devils to your selves Why do ye desperately rush on in Sin and in the end throw your selves down into everlasting Burnings 7. To perswade you to turn Consider Conversion is a thing that never was that never will be Repented of The Prophane in the other World at farthest repent they did not turn at all the Hypocrites repent they did not turn in truth but sincere Converts are glad they are so and see good reason still to continue so The Apostle tells us that the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. when he effectually Calls any and gives Converting Grace to them it is such a Gift that God never repents of bestowing neither ever does he take it quite away again It is such a Gift as Man never repents he has received but has good cause to desire that God would perfect what concerns him and not forsake the work of his own hand Psal 138. ult 8. Conversion will make you great Blessings in the places where you live Converts are the Horse-men and Chariots of Israel because as so many Princes they have power with the God of Israel Solomon tells us that Righteousness exalts a Nation Prov. 14. 34. The more Converts to Righteousness there are the more the Nation is beholding to them but Obstinate Sinners are not only their own but the Nations greatest Enemies When Gods Anger has been exceedingly provoked so that he has doom'd a Nation to Destruction Conversion even in this Case will do a kindness Jer. 18. 7 8. At what instant I speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil way I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them Though England at this day has many Enemies whose Power and Policy is engaged against it yet it is chiefly endanger'd by its sins and wickedness A speedy and general Conversion to God would certainly be Englands security and establishment 9. If you are Converts in truth the News of it will be heard and known in Heaven and occasion Joy there Luk. 15. 10. I say unto you there is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth The Angels did Sing at the Birth of a Saviour Glory be to God in the highest on Earth peace good Will towards Men and they rejoyce at the New-birth of all that are saved 10. Consider the vast difference that is between the End of Converts and those that dye Vnconverted They that are wise look not only at the begininng but to the end of things and they cannot think well of that which must needs end ill And Vnconverted Sinner dying is one of the saddest spectacles in the World he is leaving all his good things all his Consolation behind him he and his hopes dye together and whither does Death send him to the Bar of an Holy and Righteous God. 'T is a terrible Clause in the Statute of Dying After this the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. And how can the wicked Man who would live and did dye in his Sins be able to stand in Judgment Death comes to the Unconverted armed with a Sting with a Sting did I say nay the Stings are thousands and millions for every one of his Sins is a Sting in his Death and his Sins being more in number than the Stars of Heaven when Death seizes him how many Stings will pierce him and put him to Pain which will be Eternal If he dyes stupid 't is so much the worse for Hell being not fear'd or thought of when felt will be the more woful If he dyes in horrour alas the greatest Despair and Anguish on a Death-bed is no more to be compared with the Agonies of the Damned Spirits than a Whisper is to be compared with Thunder or the smallest Spark of fire is to be compared with those devouring Flames that in -66 did burn down London But on the other side how ends the Convert Death is a fall
from every thing but Grace and Grace then is perfected in Glory The end of the upright and sincere Convert is Peace Psal 37. 37. and a peaceful Death is the forerunner of an everlasting Rest If he should dye in a Cloud he would shine not at all the less brightly in another World all sin and fears and tears will be gone as soon as he enters into Heavens door and sees his Lord there If he sets as the Sun in the clearest Summers evening his Death is encouraging to others comfortable to himself but ten thousand thousand times more Comfort will he presently have as soon as ever he is got out of and is absent from the body and is present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. I have done with the Motives to Conversion And now for shame be silent all tongues that talk against turning to God! Apostate Angels be for ever mute what Adversaries and lying Spirits are ye in disswading Man from Conversion and in asserting that though he turn not he shall not surely dye And Carnal Reason confess thy self quite baffled with strength of Argument and that not one word more of good sense can be spoken against the Sinners Conversion which is so much for his Interest both in time and to eternity VSE V. Of Direction how Sinners may become true and thorough Converts It greatly concerns you to be sincere in turning for in this matter you have chiefly to do with God himself who can't be deceived with the fairest shews but understands perfectly the most secret thoughts inclinations and purposes of the Hearts of Men every upright Heart is open to him and he takes Pleasure in the uprightness which himself has wrought And if there be nothing but Hypocrisie under the greatest Profession that Hypocrisie is both observed and abhorred Any thing short of true and thorough Conversion will be a dangerous Cheating of your selves therefore that you may be Converts indeed I shall give you these Directions 1. Let spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge be valued as that which is of great price and usefulness He that is indeed a Convert is called out of darkness into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. In this Verse where my Text lies Converting the Soul and making Wise the Simple are joyn'd together the one is necessary and subservient to the other That Devotion of which Ignorance is the Mother is indeed a following of blind and deluded or crafty and deluding Guides but a turning to and a following of God it is not Be well Catechized and Instructed in the Principles of the Scripture-doctrine let a true Light be set up in your Understandings The Mind is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading Faculty 't is needful it be well Informed In the first Creation when Darkness covered the face of the deep God said let there be Light and there was Light Gen. 1. 2 3. and thus it is in the new Creation and Conversion 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Search for Knowledge in the Scripture as you would search for Silver or hid Treasure and look up to Heaven for light and ability to understand it that you may know Christ and God in him and what you are to believe desire and do in order to your Happiness You can't be made wise to Salvation unless you are first made wise to Conversion And as you are to acquaint your selves with so you are firmly to assent to the Doctrine revealed in the Word of God and the more strongly you credit whatever the Word sayes the more powerful influence will this Faith have upon your Conscience Will and Life Vnbelief is the root of defection and departing from the living God Heb. 3. 12. If the arm of the Lord be revealed his Power shewn forth and cause the report of the Word all the Promises and Threatnings of it to be indeed believed this will have a mighty efficacy towards the Souls return to God again 2. That you may become true Converts be sensible that all Mankind are fallen by Iniquity and are estranged from God and you in particular are by Nature far off from Him. The Lord indeed made Man upright but he has sought out many Inventions Eccles 7. ult New wayes he thought to have found of being higher and happier but while through the subtilty of the old Serpent he catcht at a shadow he lost the substance and became both foolish and miserable Adam the first Man corrupted the humane Nature and as thus corrupted you partake of it so that you are by Nature Children of Wrath your Hearts are desperately wicked dangerously deceitful and returning to God is that which they have a strange and strong antipathy against The more you are sensible that your Hearts are thus depraved and alienated from Gâ—â— the more jealous you will be of them and the more earnest for that new Heart and new Spirit which the Lord has Promised in his new Covenant Ezek. 36. 26. Perceiving and being burthen'd with a Distemper is a good step towards a Cure especially if an able Physician is ready to heal any that will but make use of him A right sense that Sin has set you at a distance from God and that those who are far from him shall perish Psal 37. 27. will have a mighty tendency to your being brought nigh to him by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus And truly He that in the daies of his Flesh was so ready to heal corporal Maladies is much more willing to heal the corrupted Nature and to change and turn the Heart of every one that seriously cries Turn me and I shall be turned heal me and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my Praise 3. Let Humiliation for Sin be very hearty and very deep A Soul that never was truly humbled for its iniquities still retains a liking of them and is more easily tempted to return to them Humiliation serves very much to break the league with Sin the Covenant with Death and Hell. The Apostle Paul who at his Conversion was deeply abased was made to tremble and to be astonished Act. 9. 6. seeing his Sin the insufficiency of his Pharisaical Righteousness and that he was so far from Salvation that he persecuted the onely Saviour after this low Humiliation how thorowly was his Heart turned to God! how precious was Jesus to his Soul how circumspectly did he walk how abundantly did he labour how patiently and joyfully did he suffer for Righteousness sake how constantly did he keep the Faith and finish his course till he got the Crown In true Humiliation there is a mixture of fear and sorrow and shame and upon these does follow holy anger and indignation Look up to Heaven behold the great and glorious God against whom every one of your Sins have
God in Christ be loved and chosen above all then conclude that Conversion is sound and sincere If the Heart be grieved because it is no more suited to God because it hath no more Faith in him and though it can't say with Peter Joh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I do love thee yet it can say Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I would love thee Above all things in the world I desire to love thee and to be beloved of thee Such a kind of desire as this doth plainly shew that the work of of Conversion is begun notwithstanding a great many doubts and fears that do remain about it But if under the highest Prosession of Religion if under the most constant attendance upon all Ordinances the Heart doth secretly go after its Covetousness the Soul is fond of its Lusts and of its Vanities and is resolved still to be so certainly there is no such thing as a work of Conversion though there be never so high and mighty a Confidence that there is Ezek. 33. 31. They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness The Second Use is by way of Exhortation I exhort you all to lift up your Souls to God with a desire that he would turn them to himself Naturally your Hearts are in very bad hands but if you give them unto God his hands are powerfull and good and safe He can new form your Souls both to and for Himself And therefore I beseech you give your consent and earnestly desire that God would take the Work in hand and Convert every Soul before him to himself to day To prevail with you thus to Consent and Desire I would lay before you these following Arguments 1. If your Souls are Converted they will be enlivened though before dead in Trespasses and in Sins they will be made alive unto God Eph. 2. 1. You will presently be free from the Sentence of Death and Condemnation that ye are under and ye will be made to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. O what a Life will you lead when once ye become Converts your Lives will become Holy they will be Heavenly they will be Angelical The Spirit of God will be that and a great deal more unto your Souls than what your Souls are to your Bodies The Spirit will set you at liberty The Spirit will act and lead you The Spirit will fill you with his own blessed fruits that are both pure and peaceable 2. If your Souls are Converted they will be healed Where is the Soul among us that is not sick of various Maladies and that Soul is most sick that least feels its sickness Conversion and healing are joyned together Isa 6. 10. Least at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be Converted and I should heal them So Jer. 3. 23. Return ye backsliding Children saith the Lord and I will heal your backsliding behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God. The Soul is most precious and the best part in a Man the diseases of the Soul are the worst and most dangerous and consequently the cure and healing of these diseases is most of all desirable If thou didst labour under a death-threatning Malady how wouldst thou long to be cured Poor Man thy Soul labours under a great many Maladies and all of them Hell-threatning Maladies and if thou art not Cured thou must be damned therefore Cure should be prized and Conversion and Curing go together 3. If your Souls are Converted they will be both beautified and strengthned the Image of God is the Souls Beauty and Glory and upon all true Converts this Image of God is Instampt Sin makes men vile Conversion and Sanctification makes them excellent so excellent that the Scripture plainly affirms that the World is not worthy of the Saints that are in it Heb. 11. 38. And Strength will follow Conversion as well as Beauty Who is the strongest upon Earth The answer is the Convert is the strongest All the Unconverted are without strength Alas they are without Life and therefore must needs be without strength The Convert is strengthned with might by the Spirit of God in the inward Man so that he is enabled to do good he is enabled to bear evils with patience he is enabled to resist the Enemies of his Salvation he is enabled to Fight and to Conquer nay which is more emphatical he is enabled so to conquer as to be more than a Conquerer through him that hath loved him Rom. 8. 37. Lastly If your Souls are Converted they will be both satisfied and secured and what can you desire more It would be a loud lie if Mammon should say that ever he satisfied any All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Eccles 2. 11. But now the Lord with truth doth say I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Jer. 31. 25. Those Souls that are weary and sorrowful seem furthest off from Satisfaction yet these weary and sorrowful Souls the Lord is able to satisfie Nay in Scripture we read of abundant Satisfaction Psal 35. 8 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures That which increaseth the Satisfaction is that the Souls of Converts are secure the Hand of Christ and the Hand of the Father which is greater than all is sufficient to defend these Converted Souls from the force of Earth and Hell and Sin too If your Souls are lifted up to God Sursum Corda Up with your hearts unto God If your Souls are Converted to Him they will be safe in Life they will be safe in Death and immediately after death they will be past all danger being admitted into that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. Thus have I done with the second Doctrine That Conversion is then sincere when the very Soul is Converted Doct. 3. Is this That the Word of God is the great means of Conversion And O that the Word that sounds in your ears to day may be found an effectual Means of the Conversion of all the Uncoverted here before the Lord The Law of the Lord in the Text is said to Convert the Soul because 't is the Means which the Lord himself makes use of and adds an efficacy to that such an effect may be produced The Word is styled the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. And by this Word Faith it self is wrought whereby the Soul comes to Christ and by him does Convert to God Rom. 10. 17. So then Faith
allowed to act as others of the same age with us and enjoy our Sports and Pleasures and fulfil our youthful Lusts and Desires when Age comes on then 't will be time enough to turn to God and make Provision for Eternity Ans 1. Early Conversion is very acceptable 'T is the Duty of them that are young to remember their Creatour in the dayes of their Youth Eccles 12. 1. And God is very much pleased when he is thus remembred A mark of Honour is put upon them that have been Converted betimes Joseph Josiah Timothy and others are upon sacred Record because when very young and tender they did fly from sin turn'd to God and fear'd him and by his Word became wise unto Salvation 2. Early Conversion is more easie 〈◊〉 grant Nature in the Young as well as Old is utterly averse from it but yet 't is certain that long continuance and custom in Sin does make it harder to be forsaken Therefore sayes the Prophet Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin or a Leopard his Spots then may ye do good that are accustomed to do evil Evil Custom is a second evil Nature and doubles the Cords which hold and hinder the Sinner from Conversion They that turn while young have not such habits of sâ—â— to grapple with neither are evils so rooted in them as in those that are Older 3. Early Conversion prevents a great deal of Sin which impetuous Youth is apt to be defiled with When the Psalmist saies Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Psal 119. 9. he plainly intimates that the way of the young man is naturally unclean and Nature being vigorous in him his Pollutions and Defilements exceedingly grow upon him But if he turn to God and take heed to himself according to the Words Direction and Command his Heart shall be made and kept pure his Vessel shall be possessed in Sanctification and Honour and though Youth be a dangerous Age the Grace of God shall be sufficient for preservation 4. You that are born of Christian Parents God has challenged a special interest in you from your very Infancy a The Scripture makes a difference between the Children of Christian Parents and the Children of Infidels and therefore that opinion which makes no difference between them must needs be an errour and contrary to the Scripture The Children of them that are Infidels are expresly said to be unclean but if the Parents or but one of them does believe the Children are affirmed to be holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. You are Holy to the Lord your faithful Parents as they gave themselves so they gave you their Seed unto their Lord to be peculiarly for his Use and Service Circumcision of Infants under the Law and baptizing them under the Gospel shews that obligations to Conversion are early and that the thing it self can never be too soon 5. You that are young and talk of having time enough remember that young ones may dye and often do and after death they are brought to judgment Eccles 11. 9. b Since feats of Youth must be brought into judgement what manner of persons ought young men to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness And if you dye before Converted you will dye in your Sins and the first death and second death will come together O young man consider that Childhood and youth are vanity the Thoughts and Counsels then are usually foolish and unreasonable Life is not to be reckoned upon for mans Life is but 〈◊〉 Vapour and Thine may be as a morning Cloud and as the early dew vanishing very quickly Therefore hasten thy flight from youthful lusts and turn to God without any further delay Obj. 4. Others do further Object That if once they are Converted they must biâ— an eternal farewell to all Delight and Pleasure and live a melancholick Life their eyes must alwaies be full of Tears and theiâ— breathing must be a continual sighing they must ever be complaining of their Hearts and lamenting the miscarriages of their Lives and unto Joy they must become perfect Strangers And by such sad apprehensions as these Satan sills the Hearts of thousands with a mighty Prejudice against Conversion But to this Objection I thus Answer Ans 1. Conversion only banishes the Pleasures that are sinful and to take Pleasure in Sin how unreasonable is it should it be counted a Pleasure to anger the Almighty to lay our selves under a Curse which none can bear without being extreamly wretched should it be counted a Pleasure to expose our selves to all sorts of Judgments and Calamities in this life to wound the Conscience to damn the Soul for ever Is there any ease in Hell are those Burnings become desirable and should Pleasure be taken in Sin which if still delighted in will certainly bring us to those Torments Lovers of sinful Pleasures understand not Pleasures All these kind of Delights are to be shunn'd for they have as it were an intoxicating and stupifying Poyson in the mouth and a mortal Sting in the tail of them 2. Conversion spiritualizes and hightens the Pleasures that are innocent and lawful He that keeps within the bounds that God has set him consults his own Peace When God is eyed and served in the abundance of all things there is the greater Joy in that abundance as is intimated Deut. 28. 47. When the Creatures are improved for God this is one way towards the Cure of that Vanity and Vexation that Sinners find in them To Eat and Drink and Recreate our selves to the Glory of God designing by these actions to be fitter for our Lords work and use this puts a very great sweetness into both our Food and Recreations and this sweetness the greatest Epicures and Sensualists taste not of 3. That Godly Sorrow which is so much cryed out against is not without a satisfaction Did ever any one that truly repented repent of his Repentance Impenitency will be found a most destructive Madness and will be repented of in Hell at farthest but Repentance never not in this World less at Death and least of all in Heaven 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance unto Salvation not tâ— be repented of As God is pleased with thâ— Sacrifice of a broken and contrite Spirit sâ— the Heart that is broken may be glad oâ— this Contrition which is the work of a Coâ—forter and to find how God has changâ— the heart of stone into an heart of flesh 4. 'T is the greatest mistake in the World to think that turning to God is nothing else but turning sorrowful Care is taken that the grossest Offenders if truly Penitent should not be swallowed up of over much sorrow 2 Cor. 2. 7. The Mourners are pronounced blessed for they shall be Comforted They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy The Kingdom of God is Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost as well as Righteousness Rom. 14. 17. and this Peace passes all
indeed to suffer as an evil doer or as a busie body in that which it does not concern us to be doing but to suffer as a Christian as a Convert is an happy thing and should be rejoyced in because the Spirit of Glory and of God does rest upon those that thus bear the Cross of Christ 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. He gives them boldness in Confessing the Truth a Mouth and Wisdom to silence those that gainsay it and Faith Fortitude and Patience to bear the uttermost of their Force and Fury A fiery Furnace though seven times heated is not to be dreaded if the Son of God be there with us 5. None that come to Heaven repent of having parted with any thing that stood in competition with it The Apostle while here called Afflictions light but how did he look on them when they were all past and the weight of Glory was actually received All Heads are Crowned in Heaven and all Crowns are bright all Vessels of glory are so full that there is not room for the least envy yet there seems to be a special note of Honour set upon Sufferers the Scripture represents them as pointed at for their Faithfulness and for their Reward Rev. 7. 14. These are they that came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Obj. 7. A seventh Objection against Conversion runs thus We see very few that are perswaded to turn to God the generality of those whom we live among remain Unconverted and why should we be singular Ans 1. The general bad Example that is given is a great mischief to the World whereby wicked men do harden one another A few indeed there be that are chosen out of the World and who do seek and chuse a better World but the generality are worldly minded the shrodest Heads the greatest Wits the deepest Polititians mind Earth and neglect Heaven and refuse to be Converted that they may come thither and multitudes going in pernicious wayes they are walked in with the greater security yet they are not at all the less destructive 2. Is it any harm to be singular in what is excellent To be singular in good Nature to be singular in Parts to be singular in Learning is not matter of reflection and why should it be accounted disgraceful to be singular in Grace and Holiness He that sayes Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to Life and few there be that find it intimates plainly that his followers must not herd with the multitude and that those must be singular who will go in the safest and most excellent way 3. Is it any harm in a time of Pestilence to be of the Number of those few that escape the Contagion Sin is the worst sort of Plague and most in the World dye of it and dye the Death that is Eternal Oh what madness is it to refuse to be Converted and healed and to resolve to dye and to be damn'd for Company 4. Multitudes in Hell will be no ease or relief to one another They that have been drawn to Sin by others with what eyes will they behold them in torments cursing the Counsel and Example they gave them and especially their own madness in imitating such pernicious Patterns And the perswaders to Sin will have their misery increased because they have occasioned others eternal misery 'T is very probable that the Rich man Luk. 16. was afraid of having his own torment increased by his Brethrens company unto whom perhaps he had been exemplary in Profaneness and Sensuality therefore he wish'd them a Messenger from the Dead to perswade them to Repentance Obj. 8. In the eighth place another Objection is this We have no strength no ability to turn to God. If we were endued with a Power to Convert our selves and to make our own Hearts new ' tweâ—â— reasonable to perswade us to exert and put that Power forth But man since the fall is without strength and therefore in urging us to Conversion you urge us to that which is impossible by us to be performed Ans 1. I grant mans inability to make himself a sincere Convert to turn is a Sinners Duty but from hence it does not follow that he has ability of himself to do it A man that owes ten thousand Talents does not cease to be a Debtour because he has never a Farthing to pay To help to answer this Objection we must not introduce the Pelagian or Semipelagian Errour 2. Are you glad that you are unable to turn to God do you rejoice that you have such an excuse for your laziness and perversness If so it shews the naughtiness of your Hearts And your Conscience must needs yield that your Plea of Impotence is a very weak one If a Servant that by a fall were made a Crâ—â—ple were glad that hereby he is disabled from serving his Master his Master would be just in punishing him for not doing what he can't do because he has such a naughty mind that he is glad he can't do it 3. If you are sensible of your inability to â—urn to God and sorry because unable and â—â—sirous to have ability to turn indeed your Condition is really very hopeful Obstiâ—ate Sinners had rather be without strength to turn to God than have it in vain therefore do they plead want of Power when Will is so much wanting But if you are sensible you have no might and desire Power from above God is ready to strengthen you by his Spirit to that unto which Nature is unable He is willing to give his Spirit unto any that seriously ask him Luk. 11. 13. He gives Power to the faint and to them that have no might and are sensible they have none he increases strength Isa 40. 29. Make use of and attend upon the appointed means and ordinances of Grace wherein this Strength is conveyed Fury is not in God when once Sinners begin to yield Lay hold upon his Strength that you may turn in Truth and make peace with him and you shall make peace with him Isa 27. 5. Obj. 9. A ninth Objection is this Though we do not turn to God at present yet we are not absolutely against the thing hereafter we intend to do it This is both an excuse for not turning and an argument against the present doing it because 't is time enough as they say hereafter Ans 1. Delay to turn to God is bottom'd upon very great mistakes as if Sinners could turn when they would or could command the Grace of God at Pleasure to assist them or were sure of the continuance of Life and the season of Salvation 2. Delay provokes the Lord exceedingly and very much grieves his Holy Spirit if a Master commands a Servant to do his work and he replyes he will do it seven year hence this is justly look't upon as disobedience and mockery joyn'd together How would a Master
a very great affront offered to Him for 't is in effect to say that they have tried both Christ and Sin and upon trial they judge Sin to be the best Master of the two Thus in a sense they crucifie the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 6. They value Him no more than if he had been a Deceiver and justly put to a Death that was so Ignominious and while they say Not Christ but our Pride not Christ but the World not Christ but our Lusts shall rule us and have our Hearts they but too much resemble the Jews crying out Not this Man but Barabbas though that Man was Jesus and Barabbas was a Robber 5. They that are only almost Converts harden the Hearts and strengthen the hands of the profane in their wickedness When such perceive these who they thought were turned Saints returning again to their old sins this makes them more resolute in Sins service and more unalterably fixt in their evil way These half Converts when they totally fall away from all Profession of Religionâ— how do they advance Satans Kingdom and establish the Throne of the Prince of Darkness 6. What poor things are those that hiâ—der the almost Converted from becoming Converts altogether Relapsing is styled folly Psal 85. 8. What Wisdom can there be in departing from God Is the Ease the Honour the Pleasure the Wealth which Sin and Mammon bragg of comparable to the Grace of God or the Glory that will follow Death will certainly prove the World a Trifle the Worldling a Beggar and he that has forsaken God for the Worlds sake to be altogether void of understanding Suppose a Convert stript naked of all as Job was upon the Dunghil he is as having nothing but yet he does possess all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Suppose the almost Convert is never so great a gainer by his backsliding he is as having much but he does possess nothing 7. They that are only almost Converted come very near Heaven and yet miss of it they come near the Port and yet are Shipwrack't It was a torment to the Rich man in Hell to see Heaven afar off though he had liv'd a sensual Life and never minded Heaven But how sad will it be to the almost Converts to remember that once they were in a fair way to Heaven and not far off from that Kingdom and if they had but parted with one or two more Sins if they had but taken a little more pains and had been constant in their diligence if they had but consented to some few more Conditions which were but very reasonable God would have been theirs Christ theirs and Heaven theirs for over But their Lusts befool'd them the old Serpent beguiled them and they themselves held fast deceit and refused to return in Truth Jer. 8. 5. VSE IV. Of Exhortation unto all Vnconverted Sinners to hearken consider and turn to God. You that have been long deaf at last hear the call from Heaven you that have been long in darkness at last admit and comprehena the Light which â—hines about you You that have hitherto â—een dead in Sin be attentive and obedient to the Voice of the Son of God and live O ye Atheists that profess to know God but in works deny him O ye Covetous and Unrighteous that will be rich if you can though it be by unjust waies and will venture the losing of your precious Souls for the sake of a little perishing Treasure O ye intemperate and unclean that are bewitched with present Delights and fear not eternal Torments O all ye workers of iniquity of what sorts of what sizes soever Turn ye turn ye from your evil waies unto the true and living God who is the God of Mercy Peace and Grace and Love. He himself does really and seriously and earnestly call you as well as Man who is his Messenger Arguments are not wanting in themselves really of great strength to perswade Oh that the Spirit of God would set an Edge upon them and make them strong to you that your Consciences may yield to the force of them and your Hearts may be willingly captivated into a sincere and saving compliance with them 1. 'T is wonderful Grace that you have leave to turn Do we read that this was ever allowed to the Apostate Angels was there a door of hope ever open'd to them after they had departed from God was there any space or place for Repentance granted them or Liberty to return with intimation of a readiness to receive them The Scripture sayes that God spared not the Angels that sinn'd but cast them down to Hell and deliver'd them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Judgment 2 Pet. 2. 4. Oh 't was a dreadful fall from the highest Heaven to the lowest Hell eternal Punishment followed Sin at the heels and not the least mention of any season of Grace afforded them Nothing done nothing spoken in order to their return and recovery Admirable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindness of God and good will towards Man that when the fallen Angels were suffered to lye where they fell He should be permitted nay so earnestly solicited to return though fallen also by his iniquity 2. 'T is wonderful Patience that after the refusing so many calls you should be called to turn still God shews himself rich in goodness and forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 2. 4. else he had ceased Calling long ago and come to a resolution that the unjust should be unjust still and that those who would not be purged should never be purged till his fury took hold on them Ezek. 24. 13. If a merciful Prince offer Pardon to a condemn'd Malefactor once if a ransom be tender'd once for the Redemption of a Captive the Malefactor the Captive ought to acknowledge it an Act of much Grace And if the first offer were not accepted every one would be ready to say t were just the Malefactor should dye and the Captive remain under bondage ever after Astonishing Patience that God should call not once or twice only but thousands of times and yet to this day continue Calling that Christ should stand many years knocking at the door and though the door be kept fast shut against him yet he is not gone away but while I am speaking may be knocking again at this very instant Foolish Heart at last be so wise as to open and bewail thy folly in being so averse to give admission to the Lord of Life and Author of Salvation 3. Consider who 't is that calls you to turn Oh refuse not rebell not for 't is the Glorious and blessed God who calls you to yielding and submission None so great none so good as he He protests by his Life he has no Pleasure in your Death therefore He himself bids you turn and cast away every Transgression and assures you iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18. 30 31. For man to refuse to hearken unto
he left all that he might enjoy pure publick Ordinances Certainly he found that of Grace that of Christ in them as was much more valuable to him than all his Pleasant and Plentiful Estate which is one of the chief Flowers in Italy the Garden of the World. 5. God is turned unto these true Converts that are turned to him and will never turn away from them to do them good and to keep them good and upright before Him. Regeneration and Conversion is a great Fruit and effect of the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Believers are said to be begotten again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead And as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. so they who by Converting Grace are made spiritually a live shall never totally relapse under the Dominion of Sin nor become again dead in Trespasses That God who has called these Converts is faithful and therefore as the Apostle sayes he will preserve their whole Spirits and Souls and Bodies blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 23 24. The Lord turns to them that are turned Zech. 1. 3. Turn to me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of Hosts he turns his Eye his Face his Ear his Heart his Hand towards them for good And he has said he will never leave them nor forsake them neither shall they leave nor forsake him for he will establish them with his Free Spirit he will uphold them with the right hand of his Righteousness Oh Happy Converts who have Glory promised upon their Perseverance and have Strengthning Grace Promised to make them persevere unto the end 6. Conversion will end in Coronation All Converts are by Adoption the Children of God heirs of his Kingdom and shall for ever wear a Crown of Life Though the Heathens knew something of future Rewards and Punishments yet their Apprehensions of these were low and unsuitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knows saies Euripides whether to live be not to dye and to dye be not to live He seems to guess there was a better Life after this yet he is not certain of it When Vlysses imagined Achilles the bravest among the Greeks to have been most happy after Death Homer Odyss l. 11. brings in Achilles appearing to him and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which may be thus Englished I 'd rather serve a Clown on Earth for bread Than in those Regions of the Dead Command and be of all the supream Head. Heaven is here set forth as a poor and undesirable thing But Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Here the Glory of the other World is displayed here is an excellent Map of the heavenly and everlasting Kingdom where Knowledge and Light is compleat without Darkness Holiness perfect without the least remainder of Defilement Blessedness and Joy is full without any Grief or Fear or Possibility of Sorrow where there is no such thing as Sin or Death or Trouble but God himself is All in All 1 Cor. 15. 28. All Converts their Feet are turned into the way to Heaven their Hearts are now set upon it it won't be long e're they be there and Crown'd there themselves Conversion is called a Rising from the Dead Eph. 5. 14. for it has some likeness to and is an earnest of a future glorious Resurrection What a glorious Creature will the Convert be when Christ has done his whole VVork upon him and has put to him his last hand in making his whole Man every way perfect Glorified Bodies will shine as the Sun glorified Souls will be pure and spotless like the Seraphim and Wonder Love Joy and Praise will be in Heaven the everlasting business I have spoken much to Comfort Converts but no Tongue can tell the thousandth part of all their Happiness The Heart of Man is too narrow at present to comprehend what God has prepared for them that Love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. VSE VII Of Counsel unto them that are Converted and my Advice shall be in these particulars 1. Thankfully admire the Grace of God which has Converted you The best thing in this World which is Grace and Glory in the World to come certainly do well deserve your thanks Sin has made you less than the least of Mercies by Conversion you come to partake of the greatest Christ is formed in you and you are made New Creatures that a New Song should be in your Mouths and that you should shew forth the Praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. Let every Convert admire and admiring Praise and say How much has God done for me and how has he done that for me which he has not done for thousands and millions in the World in the very Church who are let alone to live and dye in Sin and to damn themselves for ever 2. Labour to be more thoroughly Converted Pray for this that God would still turn you more and more unto himself follow on to know him follow harder after him and strive still more to please him 1 Thes 4. 1. Furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by our Lord Jesus that as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more The more fully you turn the more you please him and to please him will be pleasant to you The nearer you come to God the safer you will be under his shadow the more evidently will you see and the more abundantly will you taste his goodness 3. Do nothing unbecoming Converts Think often with your selves whose you are and what a Price was pay'd to redeem you from all Iniquity and to make you Zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. Reckon it bruitish to be Intemperate and Unclean base to be Covetous and Earthly-minded hellish to be Malicious Envious and Proud. Be Patient under Gods Corrections under Injuries from Man Let your Tongues be true and kind your Hands merciful and just in your Morals be of great exactness Divine Morality without thee Religion is a vain shew holy Duties are but lost labour and Confidence that all is well is but self-deceiving What Brutus said of Vertue may be used concerning Faith O miserable Faith without moral Honesty thou art nothing else but an empty Name Take heed of falls especially great ones after Conversion least you wound both Conscience and Religion and go smarting and groaning to your Graves 4. Pity the Vnconverted about you Misery moves Bowels and stirs up Mercy who more miserable than Sinners who are at a distance from God and under his Wrath and who are so far from fearing and turning that they are still running farther from him and provoking him to
Temptations The Convert is afraid of the very first risings of Sin for Sin is an Enemy and if once this Enemy be risen really it may much disturb the Peace and give many a painful blow before it is quell'd again The Convert is afraid of Sins conceiving least being conceived it should be finished and at last bring forth Death Jam. 1. 15. The Convert flies from great Sins and won't connive at small ones The Converted Soul is afraid of known and presumptuous Transgressions and it is jealous least any should pass unknown and be harboured unsuspected therefore the Convert Prayes with David Psal 19. 12. VVho can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secret Sins The Convert is so afraid of Sin that he will venture upon other evils rather than upon Sin he will venture upon Poverty he will venture upon a Prison he will venture upon Flames of Martyrdom rather than venture upon Sin. Moses was so afraid of Sin though it was attended with the Pleasures and Preferments of Egypt that he did preferr the enduring of Afflictions with the People of God before it Heb. 11. 25. 3. The Converted Soul hates and abhorrs Sin I wish there was no other hatred in the World but the hatred of Sin here the most fixed and settled hatred would be very commendable Hatred is an Affection that doth aim at the destruction of the thing hated he that hateth his Brother in Scripture is said to be a Murderer and he that hateth Sin nothing short of the death of Sin will satisfie him It is the Converts business from the day of his Conversion unto the hour of his Dissolution still to be killing and mortifying of Sin and he doth endeavour to advance in doing of this work daily he labours and strives to kill Pride Covetousness Concupisence and Sensuality more dead and being sensible that Sin is much above his Match to deal with he calls in the help of the Spirit of God that the more effectually he may mortifie the Works of the Flesh Rom. 8. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live 4. Sin is the Converted Souls shame Israel that refused to turn they are charged with Impudence and hardness of Heart Ezek. 3. 7. They will not hearken unto thee O son of Man saith God for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted So Jer. 8. 12. VVere they ashamed when they had committed abomination No they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush But now Converts are ashamed of Sin they are confounded before God because they have so much and so inexcusably offended Heark to Ephraim Converted Ephraim Jer. 31. 19. Surely after I was turned I repented after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth This Shame in those that are Converts is of great Vse for it makes them to lye low before God it makes them in honour to prefer others before themselves The chief of Sinners saith the Apostle being ashamed because he Persecuted the Saints and less than the least of all Saints And it makes Converts to admire the rich and the Free Grace of God in advancing them to such a dignity as to become the Children of God who did so justly deserve everlasting Contempt and Ruine 7. When the Soul is Converted those Affections that have good for their Object are placed upon God who is the highest and chiefest good of all Doers of evil have not seen God 3 John 11. He that doth good is of God he that doth evil hath not seen God. The Unconverted Sinner either saith in his Heart there is no God or if there be one the Creatures are better and more desirable than he This is the Language of every Unconverted Sinners Heart But the Converted Soul hath seen God and hath seen that in God that he loves God best and still desires to love him better How strong are his desires after God and when he is pleased to manifest his Love to communicate his Grace with a liberal hand now the Soul hath the greatest Joy and Delight on Earth The Converts Hope is in God his expectation of help is from him and his hope of Happiness is in him he is Zealous for the Glory of God and he is Zealous of those Works that are good in his sight and whatever a Convert sees that hath the Image and Stamp of God upon it that thing is loved for Gods sake 8. When the Soul is Converted the Memory is put to good and holy Vses before it was like a den of Thieves like a Cage full of unclean and hateful Birds but now the Memory is a Treasury where the best things are laid up safest Here I shall tell you of four things that the Convert doth remember 1. The Convert remembers his Creator and indeed no New Creature doth forget him he remembers his Duty towards him and the obligations and encouragements unto a faithful Performance of it Wicked Men forget God trifles they can think of but God is not in all their thoughts Jer 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire yet ye have forgot me days without number Those that by Profession are my People and yet really are estranged from me they have forgotten me days without number but the Convert remembers God and desires to be in his Love and Fear all his days 2. The Convert remembers the Redeemer and his death The benefits that were purchased by so great a price and how the work of Redemption was compleat when Christ rose from the dead A special memento is put upon the Resurrection of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 8. Remember that Jesus Christ of the Seed of David was raised from the dead according to my Gospel 3. The Convert remembers the VVord and that effectually and seasonably he remembers it so as that he is cast into the mould of it His heart doth stand in a we of the Oracles of God and they are an excellent preservative against temptation Psal 119. 11. Thy VVord have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Joseph he did seasonably and effectually remember that command Thou shalt not commit Adultery When he had that impure and immodest motion made by a Creature that forgot the presence of God and her own Duty and though he was a servant and though he was a young Man and an uamarried Man yet he was so far from complying with the temptation that he reproves the concupisence and ventures upon the revenge of his impure Mistriss 4. Lastly The Convert remembers his latter end and the judgment that will follow after O Brethren methinks I see my self and all you holding up our hands at the Bar of God. As sure as you are here so certainly you shall stand there The
will he guide in Judgment and the meek will he teach his way And while Christians are using the Word of God if they cry to the Father of Lights that gives wisdom liberally without upbraiding they shall have a Heart to know him that he is the Lord Jer. 24. 7. and they shall return to him with the whole Heart 9. Hence I inferr That we should be such lovers of Mankind as to wish the whole World did enjoy the Word of God the great means of Conversion It should be a sadning thought to our Hearts that though all mankind have sinned and are in a lost estate the Word of God that informs concerning the only Saviour is known to so very few The Jewish Church of old for hundreds of years did put up that Prayer and at length it was answered in the Vocation and calling of the Gentiles Psal 67. 〈◊〉 That thy way may be known upon the Earth and thy saving health among all Nations Christians should Pray in the same strain that this Petition may be heard further Christians should be compassionate Intercessours for the poor World that lyes in darkness and wickedness that the Light of the Gospel may come wherever the Sun in the Firmament shines that so whole Kingdoms and Nations by thousands and by millions may not thus throng the way to Hell for want of Saving Knowledge and Converting Grace And as we should pity and pray for the Infidel VVorld so we should pity and pray for poor Posterity that they when they come to be born into England may find this a Land of Light for if we should leave them without the glorious Gospel of the blessed God we should leave them under Sathans Power and in the Conâ—lâ—es of Hell O let us put on Bowels and pray hard that those that shall be born twenty forty a hundred years hence and more may find England the Land of Immanuel and may be priviledged with the Word of God that may be a means of their being regenerate and born again 10. Lastly Hence I inferr How inexcusable those are that turn the VVord of God the great means of Conversion and Salvation into a deadly savour to themselves O the evil Nature of that Sin of unbelief the evil Heart of unbelief doth make the greatest Blessings to become Curses To grow more blind under the Light to grow more deaf and disobedient the louder God calls to grow more barren and unfruitful notwithstanding all advantages to make you thrive in Grace and Goodness what excuse can be brought for this To receive the Grace of God in vain is a very great folly but to turn the Grace of God into wantonness to Sin because Grace doth abound this is to turn the very Remedy and Antidote into Poyson and to perish the more certainly the more fearfully The Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 2. 16. telleth us that his Ministry was a savour of death unto death to some they grew more dead more estranged from God and Holiness even while they heard the Gospel that is a Doctrine according to Godliness preached to them and growing more dead 〈◊〉 a spiritual sence eternal Death did prove the sorer to them That man that under the Word of God grows worse and worse comes daily to hear but goes away more vain more filthy more wedded to his will and to his hateful and hurtful lusts this Man is indeed desparately wicked this man doth fix himself under the Laws Curse he pulls down upon his own Head the Mediators Vengeance and after his hardness and impenitent Heart treasures up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God. The second Use is by way of Reproof If the Word be the great means of Conversion several sorts of Persons are sharply to be reprehended 1. Those that dislike and hate the VVord of God these are Fools in the worst and most dangerous sence that hate Instruction and cast the Laws of God behind their backs Psal 50. 17. These are bruitish that can't endure to be reproved for doing harm to themselves they are certainly bewitched that will not obey the Truth Gal. 3. 1. As Christ says For which of my good works do ye stone me so say I For which of the good Effects of the VVord of God do you hate it It is Light in darkness a means of conveying Life to the dead Food to the hungry a Cordial to the fainting a Sword to secure you against and to conquer your spiritual Enemies And therefore if you dislike this Word of God you are even unto sottishness without understanding It is a Scripture phrase Jer. 4. 22. My people are foolish they have not known me they are sottish Children and without understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge 2. Those are sharply to be reproved who endeavour to hinder the Efficacy of the VVord of God upon others this they do by ill Counsel and by worse Example This they do by being Contentious against the Truth and by pleading for unrighteousness This they do by promoting prejudices against the Word of God as if the embracing of it were the way to Melancholick sadness sorrow and scorn which is indeed the way to the truest Gain and the surest Peace They that are troubled to see others minding Heaven are strangely degenerate and are become Factors for Hell and discover a most diabolical Disposition But whatsoever Persons speak against Grace and Holiness whatever they say for the continuance in a wicked way all their words are but vain words and every eaâ— should be deaf to them Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience 3. Loose Professours of Religion are to be reproved who are indeed a discredit to the Word of God they come and hear the Word of God but what are they in their Families what are they in their Closets what are they in the whole course of their Lives Filthiness greediness after Gain excessive Drinking Impurity Covetousness these things indeed they can shew but too much of But any thing of true Holiness of Humility of Strictness of Contempt of this World of Delight in minding another World they are utter Strangers to Will you remember one Truth The Conversion of the prophane is very much hindred by the licentiousness of the Hypocrites the former won't be prevailed with to turn into the way of Truth because the latter by their evil Courses do make this way of Truth to be evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. 2. I shall conclude with a Vse of Direction How may the Word of God be heard so as that it may be effectual to the Conversion of the hearers 1. Consent that all the Impediments of the Words efficacy should be removed Be unwilling that your hearts should be like the high-way ground utterly careless grossly Ignorant of the Truths you hear My
The Subjects here handled are awakening and in this secure Age what need is there of startling Sermons At this day in England there is work enough for many a Boanerges for ten thousand Sons of Thunder The guilt and defilement of Sin proves it to be Mans greatest Enemy but because it stupifies and hardens those that have been guilty of it it is likely the more effectually to destroy them for the Disease not being felt the Remedy is neglected A spiritual Lethargy is the general Distemper most continue fast asleep in Sin till Hell wakes them but then it is too late Though Christ has the Key of Hell that Saviour releases none that once are thrown into it Miserable World because it lies in Wickedness more miserable because it apprehends not how miserable its Wickedness has made it because it fears not is endeavours not to escape Eternal Misery Oh dreadful Day of God that 's coming when all Apostate Angels that are now in Chains of Darkness shall be brought forth and judged and dealt with as the Enemies of God and Man These Principalities and Powers â—ill be overpowr'd and â—tteâ—ly 〈◊〉 to avoid the seâ—erity of their Righteous and Almighty Judge How much evil have they done and still they are doing more of what Woe and Torment are they capable And all those of the Children of Men who have been led Captive by Satan at his Pleasure that have resolved rather to be destroyed themselves than that the works of the Devil should be destroyed in them 't is just that they should but how sad will it be for them to share in Torment with 〈◊〉 Sin will have a very bad end all that are gone into another World are sensible of it though few iâ— this World perceive it When the Servants of Sin 〈◊〉 received their Wages which is Death then they will know to their sorrow what kind of Master they 〈◊〉 served and what Pains they foolishly took for thaâ— Misery which they should have taken Pains to have prevented Reader Be wise believe and fear and take the Watchman's Warning The Sword in the Hand of the living Eternal God will give a dreadful and â— deadly Blow to fall under his Vengeance will be fearâ—ul and thy Blood lying upon thy own Head it will lye very heavy and upon this will follow everlasting heaviness and anguish Oh fear the Wrath to come before 't is come and fly from Sin â—nd 〈◊〉 to God by Jesus Christ a Saviour both from Sin and Wrath and a Saviour to the uttermost Better Counsel than this cannot be taken by thy self â—â— given by any to thee ROM XIV 10. latter part We shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ I Have been lately Discoursing concerning Conversion The Digression I make this day is subservient to my great Design which is the Conversion and Salvation of this Assembly It infinitely concerns yoâ— all to turn to God for quickly you will have a Summons to come unto his Bar and how soon that Summons may be given who can tell Those that least think on 't and least care to be provided and ready for it perhaps may have it soonest and if the Converts themselves as the Scripture tells us are scarcely saved Oh where shall the Unconverted and the Sinner appear I wish that I may Preach and you may Hear as those who do really believe we shall all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ The Apostle in these words speaks enough one would think to startle the most stupid Conscience to make the most secure like Felix to tremble to awaken even those that are dead in Sins and Trespasses Let me tell you the Deâ—â—â—â— themselves are none of them Atheists and Infidels they all believe this Text and the thoughts of Judgment make them treâ—ble therefore if â—ny Sinner remains fearless and unsenâ—â—â—â—â— he 〈…〉 this respect out sin the very Apostaâ—â—â—â—gâ—â—â— There are three things observable in the Words 1. Here is a Judgment Seat the most glorious that ever was the last that ever will be from this Tribunal there can be no Appeal unto any other the Sentence whether of Absolution or Condemnation that will here be pass'â— will â—ever be revers'd but stand firm unto Eternity 2. You are told who is to be the Judge he is the Lord Jesus Christ We read of 〈…〉 Appearing of Christ his first and 〈…〉 â—â—pearing He came at first in the 〈◊〉 oâ— a â—â—â—vant he was to be made Sin and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Sin and a Curse for us He gave 〈◊〉 for â—â— that he might redeem us from all Inâ—â—â—â—ty and if he had given other and less than himself it would not have satisfied The Churches Sins could be done away by no lower a Priest than Christ the greatest and highest of all and the Priest was fain himself to be and that a most voluntary Sacrifice He appear'd at first to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself but when he comes the second time to Judge the World he will appear after another kind of manner From the beginning of the World there hath not been such a sight as there will be at the end of it The Lord Jesus will come with a Power which none can withstand with great Glory which will â—â—ll the Saints with Joy for they shall appear in glory with hiâ— but will be exceedingly amazing and confounding to all those who were the Enemies of his Kingdom 3. Herâ— are the 〈◊〉 that are to stand before this â—â—dgâ— if you â—â—â— Who are they I Answer by another Question What â—â— where are the Persons that shall be exempted All from the begiâ—â—ing of the World to the end of it All from the first Man that was made unto the last of his â—osterity that shall be born must stand before Christ the Lord that from his Mouth they may receive their final and eternal Doom There is a great difference between standing before the Judgment Seat and standing in Judgment the forâ—â—â— implies being made to appear at the â—ribunal the laâ—ter implies being Acquitted there The Psalmist tells us That â—â—e ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righ◠〈◊〉 Psâ—l 1. â— yet all of these shall be forced to appear at the Bar of God there they 〈◊〉 â—tand trembling expecting the terrible Sentence of Condemnation And Oh what a â—ideous Oâ—â—â—â—â— â—â—â—ll the whole multitude of Wicked and Reprobate â—â—es make when without hope of Mercy they are adjudged to endleâ—â— Misery 〈◊〉 The Doctrine I raise from the Words is this All shall be Judged by Christ at the great Day As certainly as you are all here so certainly at that day you shall appear at his Judgment Seat â—â—ath is not more certain nay 't is not so certain as Judgment The Apostle tells us that all shall not â—ye for some shall be Changed but even these that are changed though they scapâ— the Grave they shall stand at the Tribunal and give account of
themselves unto God. This Doctrine concerning Judgment was Preached early in the World we find 't was Published before the Flood of Noah as you may see Jude v. 14 15. where you have the summe of a Sermon but a very terrible one Preached by Enoch the seventh 〈◊〉 Adam Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all 〈◊〉 to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all the hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Under the Mosaical Dispensation the Children of Israel heard the same Doctrine That great Prince and Preacher Solomon thus concludes his Book of Ecclesiastes having displayed the Creatures Vanity having taught Man his Interest and Duty To fear God and to keep his Commandments he closes with these words Chap. 12. ult God will bring every worâ— into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil And how plainly does the Apostle Paul speak to the same purpose 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade Men. In the handling of this Doctrine this is the Method I shall observe First I shall Discourse concerning Him that is to be the Judge Secondly I shall speak concerning the Persons that are to be judged Thirdly Concerning the things that shall be brought into Judgment Fourthly I shall demonstrate the Certainty of this Judgment And then in the lest Place make Application In the first Place I am to Discourse concerning the Judge and the Text plainly tells us that the Judge is Christ The Father I grant is said to judge 1 Peâ— 1. 17. If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sâ—journing here in fear Yet it is said in another place The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Joh. 5. 22. How shall these Scriptures â—e reconciled The reconciliation is easie thus the Father judges because the Authority of Judging belongs to him because he does Consent unto the Sons Judgment and has ordained him to Judge the World in Righteousness the truth is the Father Judges all but 't is mediately by Jesus Christ And yet in another sense the Father judges not because Christ the Son the second Person in the Godhead alone was incarâ—ate and manifested in the Flesh and He alone will visibly Judge the World at the great approaching Day These four things may be observed concerning Christ the Judge He is a Saviour to the uttermost He is the Only Saviour He is Lord of all And as such a Lord he will come with a â—â—st glorious Attendance 1. Christ the Judge is a Saviour to the uttermost and really at the Judgment-day he will compleat the Churches Salvation he began it here in this World and still is carrying it on but the last day will be the day in which he will put his last Hand to this Work and make it perfect Heb. â— 28. Christ wâ—◠〈◊〉 offered 〈◊〉 tâ—â—ear the sins of many and unto them that lâ—â—k 〈◊〉 him shall he appear the second time without sin 〈◊〉 Salvation then Salvation shall be cons 〈…〉 the whole of it shall be wrought nothing oâ— Sin or the sad effects of it shall remain nothing that shall cause the least frown in the Face 〈◊〉 God to eternity Death will be swallowed 〈◊〉 in Victory the whole Man will be glorious anâ— immortal Christ will then have compleated his whole Design upon all his Saints and Members he will have made them as holy and happy aâ— he did intend to make them he will indeed prâ—sent his Church a glorious Church not having sâ— or wrinkle or any such thing but it shall be all holy and its Beauty without the least 〈◊〉 Eph. 5. 27. 2. Christ the Judge is the Only Saviour therefore those that are Condemn'd by Him 〈…〉 vain for them to expect Salvation from any 〈◊〉 Christ is the only Foundation-stone on which all that build shall stand other Builders are foolish and build upon the sand and what they build will fall and great will be the fall of it They that are not interested in the Lord Jesus by Faith that are not Justified by his Blood who besides can save them from Wrath those whose Iniquities are not done away by his offering up oâ— himself without spot to God there can be found no other Sacrifice for their sins but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignatioâ— that shall devour the Adversaries And how dreadful will it be to be Sentenced to Death and 〈…〉 by the only Author of Salvation and Life they that by his Mouth shall be doom'd â—o eternal Destruction that Destruction will be made ten thousand times the sorer by eternal Desperation Alas what Hope can be left when the Lamb of God who alone can take away Sin shall â—e so full of Wrath as for ever to reject and cast away the Sinner 3. Christ the Judge is Lord of all this is a truth that the Tongue of an Angel did Proclaim Luk. 2. 11. a truth that every Tongue should confess Phil. 2. 11. that every Heart ought to believe and which the most unbelieving and obstiâ—aâ—â— at last shall be made to know Christ hath on his Vesture and on his Thigh this Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 1â— He has all Power in his hand things in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth are subâ—ect to him Those that are wise do willingly â—ow before him and they who will not bow â—e can easily break and dash them to pieces A mighty Lord Christ is at whose Command Death shall deliver again all that for so many years he had imprisoned in the Grave he has indeed the Key of Death and Hell too Rev. 1. 1â— both are under his Power at his Command also the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Eartâ—â—lso and the works therein shall be burnt up There is no dealing with this Judge by way of resistance it concerns us all to be diligent that â—e may be sound of him in peace without spot and blameless â— Pet. 3. 10 14. 4. Christ the Judge will come with a 〈◊〉 glorious Attendance How awakening to the Worâ— will the Voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trâ—mp of God be Christ will appear with a light sâ—â— above the brightness of the Sun not a Member of his but shall shine like that glorious Luminary Mat. 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shâ—â—â— as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father And what a spectacle will all the Saints together be as so many millions of Suns shining at Once
What dismal Noyses will fill their Ears how fierce and unquenchable are the Flames that they shall feel all their parts shall be in pain not so much as one free The whole Body was defiled and at Sins service all the Members were yielded as instruments of Vnrighteousness 't is but righteous that all should be Punished Why are the Bodies of the Wicked raised at the last day surely that they may bear their part in the Condemnation which the whole Man by Sin has deserved This Resurrection is certain but 't is a dreadful Resurrection which is a Resurrection to Damnation Joh. 5. 29. In these Torments you may well suppose that Death will be wisht for and that the Damned would rejoyce if they could find a Grave but alas after the Resurrection the first Death is no more The Damned in a sad sense do put on Incorruption and Immortality they can never dye and cease to feel their Pains they must always live a Life ten thousand times worse than Death and there is no remedy O you Wicked Men where 's your true Love to your Bodies that you seem to be so tender of I beseech you mind your Souls and love your Bodies better than by Sin to expose them to the Vengeance of eternal Fire You see how in Hell there is a Deprivation of good an Infliction of evil pain and torment I add 3. In Hell there is an Eternity of both the deprivation will be without Hope of Restitution and the Torment will be without any end without the least Mitigation Eternity is an amazing word the thing it self much more amazing Who can see to the end of Eternity who can see half way into Eternity Time is continually passing but Eternity never in the least spends 't is not capable of any diminution after myriads of Ages 't is still as bulky and whole as ever If Hell were Ten thousand times hotter than it is yet were it but a Temporal Punishment and at last to end 't would be Nothing in comparison But since those that are thrown into it must lye in it for ever Hells Eternity is the very Hell of Hell. In Eternity whether of Joy or Woe there is tota simul perfecta possessio the whole of it perfectly possess'd at once Hell is not parcel'd out unto the Damned but they continually feel the whole of it This is terrible there is not the least part of the punishment that ever they are exempted from undergoing but 't is much more terrible that their Suffering must be always and never have a Conclusion Divines have stretch'd their Wits to represent Eternity that apprehensions of it might be more suitable and affecting but were never able to reach it We can no more comprehend Eternity than a Nut-shell can contain the whole Ocean Suppose that all this World were fill'd with Sand from the Earths Centre round and up to the highest Heaven and once in a Thousand Years one single Sand should be taken away How sad would it be to lye in Torment till the whole vast heap were gone But after so many Millions and Millions of Years for the Damned to be every whit as far from the End of their Misery as they were the very first moment they began to feel it here all words fall short and I must conclude in Astonishment Do not think that these are frightful things invented by Vs to scare you into better manners When we warn and tell you of the Eternity of Hells punishment we speak the certain Truth of the Eternal God. In the second place I am to prove the Doctrine That they who will not turn to God shall most certainly be turned into Hell. The Arguments to prove this are these 1. The first shall be drawn from the Wrath of God. This is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteouness of Men Rom. 1. 18. They that are called to turn and yet refuse that Wrath abides upon them still unbelief and impenitency bindes as it were all their Sins fast upon them and they must needs remain under Wrath also Joh. 3. ult He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Nay Wrath instead of being appeased is increased by contemning the Gospel-offer of Gods favour and mercy in Christ And where will unpacified Wrath at length issue See Deut. 32. 22. A Fire is kindled in mine Anger and it shall burn to the lowest Hell. 2. A second Argument shall be drawn from the Truth of God. He has threatned Hell for the punishment of unconverted Sinners Psal 9. 17. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Let there be never so many of them Hell has room enough to hold them and their multitude will not be any Security The Truth of God is engaged to make good all his promises to the Faithful and also all his threatnings to the Wicked A man must believe the Promises in order to the accomplishment of them But tho the Threatnings are dis-believed they will be fulfilled and the greater the unbelief the more certainly and sorely will they overtake and lay hold on the Vnbeliever The Lord is to be credited when he speaks because he is a God that cannot Lye but when he adds his Oath to his word what he sayes is the more firmly to be assented to His Covenant of Grace is confirm'd by an Oath and when he could Swear by no greater he Swore by himself And his Oath also confirms his Threatnings of Wrath Heb. 3. 18 19. And to whom Swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of Vnbelief 3. Another Argument to prove that unconverted Sinners shall be turned into Hell shall be drawn from their present Impunity Escaping now scot-free we may conclude the greater certainty of a future reckoning They that will not turn to God we see that many of them are in Health at ease enjoy peace and plenty and Sentence against their evil works being not now executed and they hereupon being fully set to do Evil 't is reasonable to believe there will be and 't is very Righteous there should be a terrible Sentence of Condemnation and that Sentence put in Execution upon them in the other World. 4. They that will not turn to God at the Gospel call shall be turned into Hell for they slight the only Saviour Christ calls himself a Door so he has been from the beginning of the World so he will be to the End of it There is no Door through which Hell can be escaped but this Unconverted Sinners will not come to Him that they may have Life Joh. 5. 40. therefore they are unavoidably Siezed by eternal Death Corruptible things as Silver and Gold they know how to value but the precious Blood of Christ is not prized and not being Sprinkled with the Blood of Christ our Passover who
Cause Sin is the only way that leads to Hell shun that way and you are safe Depart from evil and though possibly you may become a Prey in this World ye Satan shall not make a Prey of you If Sin had never entred into the World none in the World would have been turned into Hell if neither Men nor Angels had sinn'd against God there would have been no such thing as Hell in being Oh! View the Flames that are so furious and that will last for ever and then consider Sin was that which kindled them and the demerit of Sin is so infinitely great that it hinders them from being ever quenched Does thy Pride expose thee to Damnation never be Proud more Will thy Earthly-mindedness bring thee to Hell Oh cease thy loving the World and the things that are in the World 1 Joh. 2. 15. Will any Sin that rules in thee and that thou art willingly subject to reign unto Death and ruine thee for ever Oh be unwilling that any Sin should reign any longer and if Sin be out of thy Will 't is out of the Throne Cry with David Psal 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word and let no Iniquity have the dominion over me Weary you must be of Sins dominion as well as fear Hells Damnation You must not think to go to Heaven and carry your beloved Lusts along with you thither if you are resolved to hold fast these you and they will go to Hell together 2. If you would escape Hell take notice how the door of Hope is open to the very worst of you Those that are gone far in Hells road and are within a step of the burning Lake t is possible for them to be catched as firebrands out of the burning The door is open to day I advise you to enter presently I cannot assure you 't will stand open 'till to morrow While it is called to day harden not your hearts Heb. 3. 8. Though you are fallen by your Iniquities yet if you will Now return to the Lord there is hope for the very worst of you past Sins shall all be buried if there be a present Conversion Redemption is plenteous and that should abundantly encourage all to Hope and Turn Psal 130. 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him there is plenteous redemption and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities 3. If you would escape Hell you must be sure to look unto Jesus Lord Jesus Turn every Eye to thee and cause every Heart to open and receive thee Those that were stung with the fiery Serpents liv'd notwithstanding if they lookt unto the brazen Serpent Those that are in danger of Hell and have very well deserved it shall be delivered from it if by Faith they look to Christ Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the Earth Look unto him for Pardon look unto him for Converting Cleansing and Renewing Grace look unto him to be the Author of true Faith in you and having been the Author to be the Finisher of your Faith also Heb. 12. 2. Christ was forsaken that you might graciously be received by the Lord He was Condemn'd to dye and suffer'd Death upon the Cross that you might be deliver'd from eternal Death and Condemnation that this was his design is plain Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should scape Hell and be brought safe to Heaven should not perish but have everlasting life HEB. 12. Part of v. 1. And the Sin that does so easily beset us IN the foregoing Chapter the Apostle discourses concerning Faith which is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen He declares at large the wonderful and glorious effects that this Faith produced in the Saints under the Old Testament By Faith these Believers denyed themselves by Faith they Conquered the whole World not fearing its fiercest Persecutions despising all its Wealth all its Pleasures all its Glory and confessed they were strangers and sojourners on the Earth By Faith they saw Him that is invisible and looked for a City that that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. Now in this Verse where my Text lies the Apostle applyes unto those believing Hebrews to whom he writes what he had spoken concerning their faithful Fore-fathers These are called a Cloud of Witnesses Witnesses they were concerning what truly concerning the Vanity of all things that are seen that are but temporal Witnesses concerning the excellency of those things that are not seen which are eternal They are styled a Cloud because of the greatness of their Number and perhaps there may be some allusion to the Cloud in the Wilderness that guided Israel into Canaan For though our Lord Jesus was typified by that Cloud and he is the unerring Pattern and Example whom we are bound to follow yet in Scripture we are advised also to follow the foot-stepts of the Flock and in this very Epistle to be followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises The Course of a Christian in this World is compared to a Race this Race must be run that the Prize at the end of it may be obtained and that we may run it the better we are removere prohibens to remove Impediments to lay aside every Weight and the Sin that does so easily beset us In the Words I have read there are three things observable 1. Here is an Intimation of a Danger and that is from Sin Sin and Danger are inseparable how can it chuse but be prejudicial to him that 's guilty of it you may as well imagine Hell to be without Pain as Sin to be without Peril 2. The greatest danger is from the Sin that does most easily beset us 't is called by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sin that hangs fastest about us Some by this understand Original Sin the depravation and Corruption of Nature some understand the carnal and ensnaring Fear of Man The Apostle arms the Hebrew Saints against this and would have them couragious and if called to it resist even to blood striving against sin But by the Sin that does most easily beset us we may understand any sin that does so Yet when we take notice of the Master-sin which is most apt to prevail we should by all means trace it to its Original and take notice of the corrupt Fountain from which this strong and filthy Stream proceeds 3. Here is the way how to be secured from Danger by laying aside every weight and especially the greatest and the heaviest Clogg of all the Sin that does most easily beset us Cast away every transgression so iniquity shall not be your ruine but especially that which naturally you love best and more than all because this this is most of all pernicious and destructive Doct. The Doctrine which I raise from
greatest strength and prevalency This in Scripture is called the sweet Sin in which the greatest delight is taken compared to a sweet Morsel under the Tongue Job 20. 12 13. Tho wickedness is sweet in his Mouth tho he hide it under his Tongue tho he spare it and forsake it not yet at last it proves extremely bitter deadly as the very Gall of Asps within him 3. There are some in whom several Sins are so Predominant that 't is hard to determine which is most Master Some have so hot an Anger and so hot and furious a Lust that you cannot so easily judge which of these is hottest Nay in some Sins that seem very contrary one to another yet in several respects they will both prevail Many a Man is liberal and profuse as to his Ornaments and Cloathing he spends freely in the Sumptuous furnishing of his Table Hand and Purse are open if he be in Riotous Company Yet if you ask this Man but for a little to a good use Tell him that the Members of Christ are many of them very needy and that he who gives to the Poor lends unto the Lord here he is strongely Covetous and close Fisted These things premised I shall discover the Master Sin. 1. That is a Master Sin unto which the Constitution 〈…〉 strongly incline They that are of a Sanguine Comâ—â—â—xion are inclined to Lasciviousness Voluptuoâ—â—nâ—ss and an aiery frothiness of Spirit which is a great hinderance unto serious Impressions In the 〈◊〉 Passion and Anger are apt to prevail and to hurry them to revengeful words and Actions not considering what injury they do to others and how much more to themselves The Melancholick are prone to Envy Malice Discontent The 〈…〉 tick unto Stupidity Carelesness and Sloth Now Satan takes notice of the Complexion fails with the Stream of it and suits his Bait to it and hereby has very great advantage Tho no sin has the Dominion in Believers for they are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. yet the Complexion Sin is apt sometimes to master even them also therefore they had need to be watchful against it and to take great care and pains to mortify it The Apostle Paul observes his own Constitution and makes conscience of keeping under his Body that his Temperament might not be his Temptation 1 Cor. 9. ult I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest by any means when I have Preached unto others I my self should be a cast-away 2. That is a Master-sin unto which your Callings and Conditions make you most liable They that trade in the World how apt are they through the Corruption of their own Hearts to defraud and over-reach to get immoderate and dishonest gain hence that strict Prohibition 1 Thes 4. 6. Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter knowing that the Lord is the Avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified How apt are they to venture upon the Sin of Lying and Equivocation for advantage and they teach and command their Servants and Children to follow their pernicious Examples as if Earthly gain were so considerable that 't is no great matter how many Souls are lost for the sake of it They that are Rich in this World are prone to be high-minded and to trust in uncertain Riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. to withhold the Hire from the poor Labourers to live in wantonness and pleasure Jam. 5. 1 2 3. to be full and deny God and say Who is the Lord They that are poor in the World are prone to Steal all unjust dealing is Stealing an unjust action makes a Man a Thief in Gods account and to take the Name of God in vain Prov. 30. 9. 3. That is a Master-sin which the Sinner is most unwilling should be brought to light and cannot bear to be reproved for We read Joh. 3. 20. Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but of all others he cannot endure to be reproved for the Sin that easily besets him and that he loves most He tramples the Pearl of reproof under his Feet and is ready to turn again and rend the reprover John the Baptist was a burning and a shining Light. Herod the King heard him some of his Exhortaions and Doctrines went down with Herod and produced a partial Reformation At length the Baptist comes home and strikes at the Master Sin tells Herod of his Herodias and that it was not lawful for him to have his Brothers Wife This was not to be born the King counted the Prophet too bold to meddle with his beloved Lust. He hears him no longer he suffers him to Preach to others no longer He first puts him into Prison and afterwards puts him to Death and thus was this burning and shining Light extinguished Mar. 6. 17 27. 4. The Master Sin Conscience when awakened by distress is very apt to accuse the Sinner of and furiously to fly in his face for Conscience though it sleeps in a Calm usually awakes in a Storm when Death-threatning Affliction lies hard upon the Sinner and he looks beyond Death unto Judgment and into Eternity then Conscience speaks plainly rebukes boldly and especially the Master-Sin makes it very clamorous Envy was a Sin Predominant in Josephs Brethren they could not bear the thoughts of his future advancement they sold him for a Slave to prevent his being exalted over them as was presignified by his Dreams Many years after God calls for a Famine upon the Land down go these Brethren into Egypt to buy Food there Joseph seizes them deals hardly with them and they are in great Distress Conscience now awakes with great terrour flies in their Faces and their envy and cruel dealing with Joseph their Brother comes to remembrance with great anguish and trouble Gen. 42. 21 22. They said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us therefore behold also is his blood required Conscience does Comment upon Affliction and has its terrible glosses These blows are given thee for thy secret filthiness for thy intemperance for thy injustice for thy earthlâ—mindedness for thy doing the Work of God Heartlesly and negligently Observe what Conscience now says for the Master Sin it takes special notice of 5. That is a Master Sin which when the Sinner is almost perswaded to be a Convert hinders him from being a Convert â—ltogether That Jacob might have Corn he was contented that ten of his Sons should go and fetcht it but how loath was he to let Benjamin go When a Sinner is convinced of the necessity of Conversion he may consent to part with two or three or ten Sins but that which is most beloved he huggs still that Sin and he must never part When the Soul is ready to