frisk into the Aire and then to plunge into the Ocean of Lusts Such a Leopard-like life spotted course is ignoble when the Christian runs like that Beast with two feet of different length with a general unevenness in his wayes but strait feet are those which the Penitent walks withal as he hath not an heart and an heart so he hath not a foot and a foot T is granted he may be sometimes lamâ— and trip frailties and infirmities befal the best but an even equal tenour is yet to be found in the main bulk of his paths He hath no Artificial shoes wider and lesser made on purpose but in the bent of his heart and endeavours desires to have a good conscience in all things void of offence to God and man The Philosopher doth distinguish twixt a Complexion which ariseth from Passion and that which buds out from an Habitual temper when a person occasionally blusheth though he be of a pale Complexion yet colour ariseth in his face but the Sanguine temper is still of a ruddy face Passionate actions are rare and unequal but natural are frequent and even The penitent in the whole course of his conversation is homo quadratus square and uniform and beautiful and comely in the expression of holiness 4. It is Ingenious and single His life moves not by several Ingenious and single Rules nor yet runs by several Principles nor yet is carryed unto opposite Ends. The Mariner he spends his life at Sea for Profit and the Scholar he spends his life in Study for Knowledg and the Ambitious man he follows the Court for Honour and the Hypodrite he trades in Duty for applause but the true Penitent he is careful and watchful and diligent over all his wayes and in all the duties of piety for Divine glory Gregory Nazianzen distinguisheth of three sorts of men some are Mercenaries who work to get a good reward others are Servants who work to avoid punishment others are Sons and these labour for the highest good to enjoy God and to set out his Glory Whether we live we live unto the Lord saith the Apostle The Christian lives by the Lord By the Grace of God I am that I am said Paul And he lives upon the Lord The life that I now live I live by the Faith of the Son of God saith S. Paul again And he lives unto the Lord both to his approbation and to his honour So that Christ may be magnified saith Paul yet again his intentions are such as have the glory of God most principally in them so that if you could unbowel the wayes of a Christian to discern their scope you should find in them this Inscription To the Glory of God And the actions themselves for the course of them are such as respect the glory of God they are all of them Holiness to the Lord God is magnified by them 5. It is a profitable Walking The impenitent man is a dead A profitable walking man and his life is a deadly life like the Plague which is an infecting disease like the Prophets girdle rotten and good for nothing Either he is a dead letter barren to any good or he is a killing letter doing much evil either he is a rotten stick good for nothing or else he is a fire-brand causing much wickedness Butâ— when a person becomes penitent now his heart is made goâ—d and his life becomes profitable As Paul wrote of Onesimus to Philemon That in time past he was unprofitable to him but now saith he profitable to thee and me There is good to be got by him that is made good blood runs through all the veins of his Conversation one may get heat at his fire and light at his candle and refreshing at his streams and clothing by his fleece one may melt by his tears go by his light learn to trust by his faith to fear by his tenderness to live by his obedience Oh how he strives to convert others with S. Austin to give knowledg to others with S. Paul to warn and beseech others with Lot to profit thesouls of others and help the bodies of others In his general calling he is diligent and in his particular he is active his counsels are savoury and his walkings are heavenly such as may save himself and those about him if they be so humble and wise as to apprehend and learn 6. Lastly It is a comely walking how beautiful are thy feet withshoes saith Christ of the Church Caâ—t 7. 1. Congruous to It is a comely walking the condition of his place of Grace the walkings of a penitent are beautiful walkings such as adorn his profession such as become the Gospel of Christ such as set out the truâ—h of Grace which he hath received and the hope of glory which he expects like so many Stars which are the glory of heaven so are his particular actions inamelled with that Ornament of Meâ—kness with that Crown of Wisdome with that Tenderness of Cireumspection with that Sweetness of Charity with that Gracefulness of Piety that no only the mouths of some are stopped but likewise the mouths of others are opened by beholding the uniform light of his new Conversation to gloriâ—ie our father which is in heaven 2. Quest Thus you see what that better and singular course of life is unto which God enables penitent persons Now let us consider the Reasons why God doth enable them thus to walk Reasons of it It cannot but be thus if you consider 1. The principle which is From the principle which is implanted in them implanted in them As things are in being so they are in working that nature which is most predominant in any hath still the command of the actions in him Doth the penitent now live an heavenly life Why God hath given unto him a spiritual and heavenly nature He is made pertaker of the Divine Nature which of all others is most holy and spiritual and heavenly Doth he order his life by the rule of the Word Why the Word of God is ingraffed in him and abides in him in the virtues and efficacies of it so that he was converted by it and will now be guided by it Doth he lead an upright life Why the Lord hath taken from him the spirit of guile and deceitfulness and hath given unto him an One heart a plain sincere perfect or upright heart a right heart which cannot abide doubling and dividing and hollowness but it is of the truth there is truth in the inward parts and therefore there is truth in the outward acts Doth he lead a single life for Divine Glory Why he hath received real grace from God which will work only for God the Waters which come from the Sea will run into the Sea again Doth he live a profitable life Why it is the nature of true grace and true repentance to make us as active in a good way as we were violent in a bad the nature of Good
succeed one the other there being no predominant impediment to the instantaneous execution of that penitential purpose Another is seasonable vvhere though twixt the purpose and the acting there may be some distance of time yet the apprehension of the next occasion may truly make the execution or practise to be present As in the case of penitential restitution it may so fall out either through the inability of the estate or the subjection of the person that he cannot immediately restore yet because the penitent person in such a case layes hold on the next opportunity and occasion his resolution may be said to be acted presently i. upon the next present time when God enables hâ—m to act his purpose of restoring So that penitential Resolution produceth present Execution either for immediateness as in most cases or for seasonableness as in some cases 4. That there is again a double penitential Execution of penitential And in execution in endeavour or in victory Resolution One consists in endeavour and application when the person without delays addresseth or applieth himself to the ways by which sins may be subdued and forsaken Another consists in victory and assecution wherein the Penitent doth in some more eminent degree lead captivity captive That penitential Execution whereof I speak properly and naturally consists in the former though it must aim and strive after the latter also i. when a person doth indeed resolve to leave his sins and to serve the Lord in newness of life this Resolution doth actively excite him to be much in Prayer unto the Lord and diligently to hearken to and observe his Word and to decline the occasions which may give strength to his corruptions It causeth him to resist evil motions and to bewail them it sets him upon all sorts of Duties and Ordinances so that the person is now really working against sin and throughly working for God he is in the ways of God and according to the measure of grace received working the works of God But why should penitential Intentions be accompanied with present Executions or performances Sol. Reasons for it are many 1. That God who commands Reasons for 〈◊〉 God commands us to repent presently us to repent commands us presently to repent The Time is under Precept as well as the Work Some Precepts bind us semper but not ad semper other Precepts bind us semper ad semper too When the Lord commands any man to repent this is a Duty which concerns the whole course of his life it takes hold of him as soon as ever he lives and is become a sinner and concerns him not onely in his latter days but all his days 2. It is very dangerous to defer our penitential Executions or actings Whether we consider 1. The Resolutions themselves It is dangerous to delay they are but accidental and not natural things not such qualities or rather motions which arise from an in-bred principle but are forensical to our natures and being not presently cherished by acting like little sparks of fire may easily vanish languish and extinguish We read of the Israelites that they were an unstedfast people in Covenant and like a deceitfull Bow Naked Resolutions will never ripen and abide if you will not go beyond your Resolutions you will quickly fall from your Resolutions 2. Our own hearts ah how deceitfull are they how full of rebellion how averse to all good Like the cold hearth to a little fire how cunning to keep up Sin in the Throne how willing to break asunder all the bands of Obedience with much adoe resolving with little adoe dissolving those resolves again Volebam saith St. Austin nolebam I would and yet I would not one while I would and by and by I wouldnot It is the Genius of cur sinfull hearts to apprehend the present time for sin and to crave the future time for repentance Our worst work we would do instantly our best work we would do negligently Good motions are like a Bird falling into our hands which if we presently catch not she instantly flees away Gracious purposes in our hearts are like warmth in the water the impression requires some degrees and some blowing but the recession is easie the natural coldness in the water will instantly rise up and expel that heat if you be not watchfull c. 3. Extinguishing occasions Repentance in all the parts of it hath many enemies and hinderances some within us some without us the Resolutions are weak but the Occasions are strong Let the ship alone and if the Pilot hath onely a resolution to sail with the next tide or the next wind may carry the ship away How ordinary is the experience That the strength of occasions have beaten back and put to flight many and many a resolution like a cross wind which hath carried back the ship unto the very harbour whence it came forth Meer resolutions are but unarmed Souldiers or as unwalled Cities You shall find much of this truth That meet resolutions are too weak for proper and sudden occasions 4. Or the assistance of Grace To resolve and not to act is one way whereby we quench the Spirit The Spirit you know may be quenched many ways Positively as when we will walk in paths expresly contrary to his motions this is to throw water upon the fire Negatively when we do not follow nor cherish his motions as you quench the fire if you do not stir it or blow it or add more unto it So when the Spirit of God shall deal thus far with us as to convince us that our course is evil and yet further to excite a purpose in our hearts to desist but then we let the work lie still we do not st against that evil way this may cause the Spirit of God to withdraw to desert the sinner who doth desert his counsel who will be a Counsell our to him who will walk in no counsel but his own 3. Penitential Executions if present will be more easie and Present execution will be More easie more comfortable 1. They will be more easie St. Austin had almost wasted his spirits with resolutions and conflicts Quamdiu cras cras c. and he thought it many times impossible for him ever to be rid of such an inmate as sin But when his resolution brake out into practise then Facile suave the work grew easie and sweet When we come to the acting part then the Lord will exert and put forth his power in our weakness the acting and doing Christian partakes of most assistance Do we not find it thus in Prayer and in many other Duties which perhaps we look upon with much fear and suspition But when we are acting of them how singularly doth the Lord enlarge our thoughts and affections Why this holds in the very Duty of Repentance seta against thy sins in good earnest set upon a holy course in good earnest thou shalt expermentally find that it was
immediately go before and ordinarily usher in Conversion so it is sad and bitter and sharp for there the law imprints a sense of sin and of wrath and a spirit of bondage to fear the Needle pricks and the Sword cuts and wounds and the Hammer bruiseth and the Plough rents and tears 2. Formaliter as it is a perfective change and alteration even from hell to heaven from basest lusts to sweetest holiness and thus it is at the least a fundamental radical and virtual joy 3. Consequenter For the Crop and present harvest which results out of Conversion thus it is the Musick after the tuning of the strings the fruit of righteousness is peace so the fruit of conversion is joy and delight There are three things unto which I desire to speak about this point 1. That upon Conversion the condition becomes very joyful and pleasant quod sit 2. What kind of joy and pleasure Conversion doth bring quale sit 3. Reasons why so cur sit and then the useful Application Quest 1. For the first of these that Conversion doth bring the soul into a very joyful condition Sol. There are four things which demonstrate the quod sit of The quod sit demonstrated this 1. Many pregnant places of Scripture Psal 52. 11. Shout for joy all ye that arâ— upright in heart Psal 132. 9. By Scripture Let thy Saints shout for joy Isai 35. 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isai 65. 13. Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed v. 14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart Isai 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Prov. 3. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2. Many pregnant testimonies and instances By Instances When Zacheus was converted he came down joyfully and received Christ Luke 19. 6 9. When the three thousand were converted there ensued singular gladness and joy Acts 2. 41. When the Eunuch was converted he went home rejoycing Act. 8. 39. When those in Samaria were converted the Text saith There was great joy in that City Acts 8. 5 6. When the Jailor was converted He rejoyced believing in God with all his house Acts 16. 34. When they to whom Peter wrote were converted they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. The many Comparisons by which converting grace is expressed By Comparisons doth confirm it that it makes the souls condition very joyful and delightful The estate of grace is set forth by all the things which are esteemed pleasant and delightful and joyful Men take Delight and Joy in Honour Beauty Strength Youth Riches Pearls and Jewels in Birth in Wisdome and Knowledg in Springs Orchards Spices Perfumes Buildings Victories Life Duration Friends Why when converting grace is conveyed into the heart the man now is honourable and of high dignity now the beauties of Christ are on his soul all his graces are more precious then Pearls and Gold and Silver he is rich in spiritual treasures he is one born of the Spirit of God never truly knowing and wise till now c. Nay grace is phrased by such things which yield a general and universal contentment and delight to the whole man It is sometimes called Light which is pleasant to the eye Oyntment which is pleasant to the smell Wine which is pleasant to the tast Musick or the joyful sound which is pleasant to the ear Nay yet again it is sometimes called Truth and that is pleasant to the understanding Goodness and that is pleasant to the will a Kingdome and that is pleasant to desire an Inheritance and that is pleasant to hope Communion and that is pleasant to love a Possession and and that is pleasant to joy a Victory and that is pleasant to hatred a Security and that is pleasant to fear Heaven the Kingdome of Heaven and that is pleasantness itself and all this even under fears and combates when at the first and weakest and lowest Nay yet once more it is set out by all the occasions and by all the times of joy to the birth of a man-child for joy that a man-child is born said Christ A converted man is a new-born To the day of Marriage which some call the only day of joy a converted man is marryed to Christ To a Feast Isai 25. 6. Every dish is filled with mercy To a Coronation day which was a day of gladness of heart to Solomon Cant. 3. 11. There is a crown of life for every converted soul To the time of Harvest when the Husbandman reaps with joy Isai 9. 3. To the returns of Merchants upon the increase of Wine and Oyle Psal 4. To a ransome and release from bondage and captivity a converted man is set at liberty he is a freeman in Christ 4. Consider Conversion in the Causes of it or in the very By the Causes of it Nature of it or in the Acts flowing from it certainly by all of them you may be induced to believe that it makes the Condition joyful and pleasant 1. The Causes of it which are four 1. The Radical cause Why Conversion drops out of the Eternal Love of God to a mans soul Behold what manner of Love 1 Jo. 3. 1. as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts. 13. 2. The Meritorious cause Who loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2. It is one part of Christs purchase he merited Grace and Glory for his 3. The Efficient cause immediately efficient it is the first breath of Gods sanctifying Spirit the Spirit of true Comfort and Joy 4. The Instrumental cause the word which is called sweet and sweeter then the Hony and the breasts of Consolation is the instrument of Conversion Jam. 1. 2. It s owne Nature Converting Grace hath three things intrinsecal unto it 1. Goodness it is By the Nature of it good and it only makes us good Now Goodness is the foundation of Delight Nothing is truly pleasant but what is truly good 2. Suteableness There is nothing so suteable either to the nature of the soul or end of the soul as true Grace 3. Perfection it is the Glory of the Soul 3. The acts flowing from it If the acts flowing from Conversion be such as God himself takes delight in He takes delight By the acts flowâ—ng from it in the prayer of his servants in the broken hearts of his servants in the Faith and in the Fear and in the Hope of his servants all their services are a sweet savour unto him as Noahs sacrifice was Surely then Conversion is able to make the converted
Faith doth doth act for relief and will hold some communion with God 6. They are abated by the Ordinances 7. They are but for a time 8. They end in fullest setling and glorious comforts and likewise with advantage to their gracious condition And truly it is impossible that wicked and ungodly men should ever enjoy that serenity and peace as the godly do for as much as all the principles and causes of uncomfortableness abide on the wicked 1. Sin is in them in all its strength They have a thousand hells and arrows of guilt sticking in their hearts they have souls full of plague sores the deadly strokes of death the restless motions of evil spirits 2. They carry a roaring Lion in their brests I mean an evil accusing smiting wounding racking condemning Conscience which if it once awake it will tear the caul of their hearts and crush them with the flames of unavoidable unsupportable and continual wrath 3. They have no City of Refuge open to their succour no land or shore no place to cast anchor no portion in Christ and therefore the Law of God stands in full force against their souls and under its curse they lie and at that Bar of Justice must they be tried 4. They end in an éternal and perfect Hell 5. Take them at their best God is their Enemy they never yet made peace with him and all their outward blessings are steeped in gall and drenched in Wormwood as their sorrows so their blessings are distributed in wrath 2. Many converted persons are not really sad and uncomfortable Many converted persons are not really sad they onely seem so but onely seem so to the mean and childish opinions of vain men 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowfull yet always rejoycing The joy of Christians is an hidden joy Hidden Manna Revel 2. 20. it is a spiritual joy to which thou art a stranger meat to eat which thou knowest not of Suppose that thou rejoycest not in a fine Baby and a Toy which is a Childs great delight art thou therefore sad All objects yield not contentment to an high mind nor joy to a good man he cannot take pleasure in an Alehouse and Tavern in swaggering and masking in dicing and carding and swearing and whoring but yet he can take delight in a reconciled God in a Christ in the Word of God in praying to God in gracious returnes from God in expectation of the Glory of God A swine delights in mire but a man doth not The Moon is oft times dark to the world when yet that part which faceth to the Sun is beautiful and lightsome The countenance and carriage of a Christian as to the world seems dull and uncomfortable but if you could look into the heart of him which faceth towards heaven O there is Righteousness there is Peace there is Joy in the Holy Ghost 3. If any converted persons be sad and want actual joy and comfort If they be sad Conversion is not the cause of it yet their Conversion is not the cause thereof Can the Sun be any cause of darkness But amongst others these are the Causes of it Either 1. Thy unconversion It is the unconverted husband child master which makes sadness in the heart of the converted wife father c. It is thy drunkenness thy cursing and swearing thy scorning and scoâ—â—ing thy resisting and shifting the offers of Grace thy lying and slandering thy pride and loosness which makes the hearts of Ministers ready to break and the hearts of thy godly friends ready to sink in them O they tremble at thy condition and they grieve to see God so extremely dishonoured Psal 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law ver 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. The wicked deeds of the ungodly Sodomites vexed the soul of righteous Lot Luke 19. 41. It was Jerusalems proud obstinacy that would not know in her day the things which concerned her peace that made Jesus Christ to weep 2. Their Captivities to sin Pauls conversion did never trouble him but this did trouble him that he did the evil which he would not his Corruption not Conversion That the Law of his members led him captive against the Law of his mind It was not Peters Conversion but Peters transgression that made him go forth and weep bitterly It was not Davids Conversion but Davids great sinning which made him go so heavily and roâ—r so greatly Psal 32. 3. The Fears and Suspitions that they are not yet truly converted O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O they feel so many working Corruptions still and so little of the strength of Christ still and so much unbelief still and so many indispositions still and so many failings still and so many doubts about these This â—race is not right the saving Work is not begun and these things make them â—o sigh and weep and go heavily all the day long 4. They are but newly crept out of the shell The Spirit of Bondage is yet hardly worn off some legal Dints stick on them they are either still in travel or but newly delivered Or if they be got out of the state of Bondage yet they are for the present under spiritual conflicts and as spiritual Bondage before Conversion so spiritual conflicts after conversion suspends the taste of a present and actual joy Or if that be not the damp then perhaps it is some ignorance or unexperience they are not yet come to read their Fathers Will and Christs Testament what portion is left and laid out for the Children of God Or if that be not it then perhaps it is a present fit of unbelief they cannot yet be perswaded that God means so much mercy and so much love and so many great things for them Is it so That â—onversion brings the person into a very joyful Vse 1. condition Hence then 1. We may be Informed of four Information things 1. That they are enemies to their joy and comfort who are adversaries They are enemies to their joy who are enemies to Conversion to their Conversion Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye Scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledg Six things shew one to be in an unconverted condition Unsensibleness Love of sin Path of evil hatred of Reformation despising the Means of Conversion loathing of Converted-Persons There are some persons who hate to be reformed who hold fast their â—â—ns and will not let them go they are like those stiff-necked Jewes who alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost a disobedient people to the Call of God they refuse to put their necks into the yoak of Jesus Christ and will not be bound with his cords They love their sinful wayes and will not return to the Almighty Why Write that man childless said God of Coniah So I
upon the spirit of a man which There may be many changes not inconsistent with the saving change yet are not inconsistent with the saving change of his Spirit Sometimes he may be lively and quick sometimes he may be flat and dull sometimes he may be confident and cheerful and at some other times he may be afraid and mournful sometimes he may be full and enlarged and at some other time he may be aukard and streightned sometimes he may have more sense of Gods Love and sometimes more sense of his own sins None of these things are essential to the converted estate a mans heart may be truly changed by converting grace notwithstanding many crosses and afflictions on his outward estate many eclipses in his comforts many varieties in his spiritual actings many contrarieties twixt his sence and his faith many temptations upon his spirit to many doubts and fears in his heart 4. Sinful corruptions never work with a more sensible strength Sinful corruptions work with more sensible strength when the heart is truely changed then when the heart is truly converted and changed Before Conversion our sins do work more mightily but we do not then perceive the workings because your delight was then in sinning and nothing is burthensome to delight and nothing was in us contrary to our sinnings the strong man kept all the house and every faculty was a friend and servant to sin the river ran all one way But when the heart is converted there is now laid into it 1. The quickest principle of feeling 2. The contrariest principle of resisting 3. The properest principle of destruction to sin and therefore no marvel that we feel our sinful natures more than formerly for all qualities are most active and most felt in cases of resistance and destruction nevertheless none of these must conclude against our Conversion but rather for it because 1. The greatest work of grace is inward 2. The sense of sinful workings joyned with an hatred of them and humbling of the heart under them and with addresses to God for subduing power is certainly a sign of converting grace Therefore hearken unto me thou distressed soul 1. Though the Glory of Grace consists in Victory yet the Truth of Grace appears in Combats the fighting Souldier is as right to the cause as the conquering Souldier there is fire in the smoking flax as well as in the flaming furnace 2. That great corruptions still remaining in temptation are the burdens of a weak Christian but are not the Characters of a false Christian 3. Jesus Christ can by a little grace weaken strongest corruptions The least true grace will help thy soul to Christ through whose strength thou who art now in conflict shalt ere long be made more than a Conqueror 4. True grace begins in weakness goes on with combat but ends in victory There is but little light at the first and more darkness for quantity but the light of the Sun is rising and dissipating and at length remains alone Conquering grace hath comfort conflicting grace hath strength and even mourning grace hath truth Peter's tears shewed truth of Grace as well as Paul's Triumph But how may I descern my change to arise from the power of converting How it may be discerned that this change is from converting grace and â—ot from the power of a troubling coâ—science Answered grace and not from the power only of a troubling conscience Sol. I conceive thus in four particulars 1. When the change is made only from the sting of conscience that change goes off and vanisheth when the trouble of conscience goes off and continues only while that doth continue whiles the trouble of conscience is on the man the man will hear and the man will pray and the man will consult and profess and resolve yea and now too to become a new man yea and he will cry out against his sins and will not come near his sins But when that trouble is off all is off again the Water which was heated grows cold again Saul is pursuing David again and Foelix is covetous again But if the change be from grace though trouble be off yet the heart is against sin and is for good for grace sets us against sin as it makes us unholy and evil and not only or principally as it makes us uncomfortable and miserable 2. When the change ariseth only from a troubling conscience not from a contrariety to God but to us It doth not arise from a hatred of sin and a love of good but only from a hatred of torment a self-love and a love of ease the man loves that sin that he dares not now commit and hates the good which now he doth he doth the good only as a means to take off his trouble he doth it not as a work in which he delights nor doth he flie sin as an evil which he hates he flies sin as it is malum sensibile not as it is malum spirituale But in a gracious change trouble doth not cause hatred but hatred causeth trouble of sin 3. When the change is only from a troubling conscience then when the trouble is gone the mans heart is more hardned and he growes more wicked then ever before and in after sinnings less sensible and less troubled as Iron growes more hardned after it hath been in the fire or water that is stopped more violent If they be again intangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. But where the heart is changed by grace the more grace still the more sense of sin and still the more fear to sin and still the more love of God 4. When the change comes only from the trouble of conscience the change extends no further then to that or those particular sins for which the conscience doth trouble the man if the other sins trouble not they are not left But when the change is wrought by grace this change extends to all sins I hate every evil way saith David they do no iniquity Psal 119. Let us â—leanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Quest How may a man know that his change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie but of Converting grace Sol. This may be discerned How it appears this change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie thus 1 The change by Hypocrisie 1. Is not Cordial no Hypocrites heart is changed In heart ye work wickedness The Hypocrite dares to give way to heart sins Judah turned Answered not with her heart but feignedly 2. Is not Vniversal The Prophet tells the hypocritical Israelites that they were as a Cake half baked and not turned an hypocrite though he forsake many sins yet he loves some sin Jehu cannot part with the golden Calves though he did destroy Baal 3. Is not lasting but changeable sutable occasions are too strong for an heart felsely changed 4. Is not able to abide three Trials of
the Word of Conscience of Death The third Use shall be to exhort and entreat us to stir up all our hearts to beg of God to work in them this admirable change by Vse 3. Exhortation to beg of God to work this change Conversion I read in Scripture that the blind man cryed out Jesuâ— thou Son of David have mercy on me and again Thou Son of David c. and all this was for a change in his eyes and I read that Naoman took a great journey into the Land of Israel and all was to be cleansed of the Leprosie of his body And why will we not take a little pains to have our hearts and souls changed by grace Consider seriously 1. That a man is not excluded No other want excludes from heaven This want certainly excludes us from heaven for any other want not for want of wisdome or parts or riches or dignities 2. Thou art certainly excluded from heaven the door is shut up against thee if thou be not converted and changed the holy God will never look upon thee and thou shalt never look upon that holy God in his holy place The unclean person was shut out of the Camp and no unclean thing shall ever enter into heaven 3. It is thy duty thou art It is thy duty to be changed bound to be a converted and changed person every man is bound to hate and forsake his sins and to come back and love and serve his God did God make thee to serve thy lusts hath he preserved thee all this while to sin against him Is this the fruit of thy dreadful Covenant which thou hast made with him 4. What wilt thou get by keeping thy sins or any one of them What wilt thou get by keeping thy sins Be perswaded To beseech the Lord to change thy heart Be perswaded therefore at least unto two things 1. To beseech the Lord to change and convert thy heart even thine also remember well 1. None can change a sinner but God The Musician must tune the Instrument 2. It is no sin to beg of God a Conversion from sin No no thou canst not put up a more acceptable request Lord I am weary of my sins I would dishonour thee no more I would be good I would serve thee thou only canst change me and enable me for thy Mercies sake do so and heal and turn me so shall I be healed and turned 3. God hath changed and converted great sinners was not Manasses so M. Magdalen so Paul so the Corinthians so Why venture toward his mercy seat who can tell but he may do so to thee 4. He hath changed sinners who have not sought him and will he refuse it for them who do seek it of him if he many times be found of them that seek him not will he deny to them who seek 5. You have his promise to do this very converting work for you He will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. I will give a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Behold he calls thee he tells thee that he is willing to convert thee why then art thou not willing to receive it to have it done do not say thou art a sinner God never did convert any but a sinner nor does he promise to convert any who is not a sinner 6. Did ever any beg this and failed of it Lord said one to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make me clean what saith Christ to him doth he not answer him at all Doth he say I cannot Or doth he say I will not O no his answer is and it is a present answer I will be thou clean 2. To come to the Word and come for this end that God may convert and change many came Come to the word for this end to the Pool of Bethesda to look on it and an impotent man came thither to be cured in it and there he was cured many come to hear the Word to mock at it and many come to get some notions from it and many come to catch the Minister at it but he who comes for this very end to be converted and changed by it I believe he shall first or last attain his end the word shall convert and change him The word is sometimes compared to a Glass which discovers Jam. 1. 29. and sometimes to a Laver which washeth and cleanseth Psal 119. 9. even the young man who of all other is most unruly and wild is converted by it The Power of God goes with the Word of God and the Grace of God comes by the Word of God it is Vehiculum Spiritus canalis Gratiae Thousands have been converted by it and so maist thou Hath God converted and changed thy heart hearken then to Vse 4. Counsels to the converted a few counsels 1. Take heed of sinning after Conversion Do not sin against grace received if thou dost thou wilt weaken and lame thy strength wilt darken thy heaven wilt perplex thy conscience wilt shew thy self more ungrateful then any man no wicked man can have such an aggravation of sin upon him as thou hast 2. Honour God with that Grace which thou hast received Conversion fits and enables a man for Gods Service and Glory And they began to be merry Luke 15. 24. These words are as the Banquet after the Feast they are the close and the reckoning that is brought in upon the lost Son being brought home The case is wonderfully altered with him all is altered when the sinner is altered when he was wandring from his Father he ran up and down the Country and wasted all his estate among Harlots he shifted himself to his very skin and out he is turned amongst the Swine and no man regarded him the poor wretch wanted Father and House and Cloaths and all Comforts and was upon his last Leggs at the very point of starving and famishing But now being found and returned home all mercies come in unto him there 's a Father to embrace him and an House to entertain him and Raiment to cloath him and Friends to welcome him and a feast to rejoyce him And they began to be merry As formerly you have had the nature of Conversion so in these you have the fruit of Conversion When Jesus Christ was born there was great joy and when a sinner is born again hereupon also ariseth great joy The Proposition on which I intend to insist is this That Conversion brings the Soul into a joyful a very joyful condition They began to be merry Mirth is the accent of joy Doct. 7. Conversion brings the soul into a very joiful condition it is an emphatical joy but when did they begin to be merry why as soon as it was said This my Son is alive and this my Son is found now they begin to be merry Conversion may be considered three wayes 1. Antecedenter For the precious qualities and works which