evils come upon them which will never be removed their torments begin which will never know an end So long as God is God to have God their enemy so long as God is happy to lye in extreamest misery What tongue can utter or heart imagine the horror of this An angry sin-revenging Lord will lay load upon thee and yet keep thee from sinking into nothing he will uphold thee in thy being that thou mayest be for ever plagued He will shew his mighty power in holding thee up with one hand that he may lash thee with the other unto all eternity Use III. Of Consolation You who have obeyed the Call of God to turn I am commanded to speak peace and comfort to you Isa 40. 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God The unconverted are not more accursed than you are blessed I have several things to tell you which are enough to make your hearts leap for joy 1. God hath had thoughts of love towards you before the foundation of the world was laid He did predestinate and chuse you unto the adoption of children Eph. 1. long before you were From everlasting he did design to make you his Heirs and joint-heirs with Christ unto that Kingdom and Glory with which the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared And since the love of God towards you is from everlasting is co-eternal with himself surely it can never in time be changed 2. God hath justified you freely by his grace through the redemption of Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. As far as the East is from the West so far are your iniquities removed from you Psal 103. 12. and surely that 's as far as you can desire They are cast into the depth of the Sea which argues when they come to be sought for they shall not be found just as those things which are cast into the depth of the Sea we despair that ever they should be recovered Christ has been wounded for your transgressions he has been bruised for your iniquities Isa 53. 5. And as the Imputation of your sins to Christ did cause him to undergo real sufferings so the imputation of his righteousness to you will cause a real exemption from that wrath and punishment which by sin you have justly merited Be of good cheer Converts your sins are forgiven and consequently the curse of afflictions and also the sting of death is taken away 3. You that are Converts it won't be long e're you are all glorified Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The Lord has promised that those who overcome shall sit with him on his Throne You shall not only overcome but be more than conquerors through him that has loved you Mansions are already prepared for you and when you are prepared for those Mansions you shall be received into them Then neither the fury nor the favour of the world will be a temptation Satans fiery darts will not be able to reach you when once you are gotten into the third Heaven When you are just entring into the new Jerusalem you will shake hands both with sin and misery at the door and neither of these will be able to follow Tears will be wiped away and all cause of sorrow will be gone there will be a clear view of God without the least cloud the Sun of righteousness will shine for ever without any eclipse there will be intire joy without grief perfect peace without any trouble compleat holiness without the least remainder of corruption a full blessedness without period Use IV. Of Exhortation And who would not now become a Convert Have you any thing to say against a pardon or against that glory which has been revealed Shall it be made a question whether pleasures for evermore or eternal torments are to be preferred Oh that you would come to your selves and then I am sure you would come to God immediately The Arguments to perswade you to Conversion are divers 1. If you turn not you cannot answer the end of your Creation You must not think God gave you a being and sent you into the world to please your selves to satisfie your inordinate and corrupt desires and to live carelesly and rebelliously against him but thus you will do till you are converted Did the Lord give you an understanding faculty and not design that he should be understood and known by you Did he give you a memory and not intend that he should be remembred Did he give you an heart to love and to desire and not design himself to be the chief object of both Did he give you affections that you should give them away to sin and vanity Oh cross not any longer the end for which you were made lest you cause the Lord to repent and be grieved at the heart he made you Gen. 6. 6. and so resolve to destroy the workmanship of his own hands If you continue obstinate and without understanding He that made you will not save you or have mercy on you he that formed you will shew you no favour Isa 27. 11. 2. Unless you turn you cannot answer the end of the death of Christ and the Redemption wrought thereby Our Lord died not only to expiate offences but also to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and that in the body of his flesh through death he might present them holy and unblameable Col. 1. 22. Through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself without spot to God that by his blood he might purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. From these and and such like places it evidently follows that not only our pardon but our purity was designed by the Lord Jesus But how can we be pure unless we turn to God from sin which does defile us Christ knew what a sickness and debasement of our nature sin is therefore he himself was slain that sin might be killed And will you dare to live in sin Hark to the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed And as the death of Christ is an argument to perswade to turn from sin so from this death vertue and power is to be derived whereby sin may be subdued 3. You are further obliged to turn because of Gods condescension in giving you leave to do it If the gulph had been fixed upon the very first transgression if the turning of fallen man had been as impossible as the turning of the fallen Angels the Lord could not have been charged with the least injustice But although you have departed he calls after you Without any detriment or prejudice to his justice he has found out a way to shew you mercy The Devils were never called to
so much dislikes and consequently have a great hand in the perdition of the children of men 2. Another Argument shall be drawn from the justness of God's reproofs and anger Certainly he would not so sharply reprehend them his anger would not so smoak against them because of their stubbornness and wilfulness in their evil wayes if they had a sincere will and only wanted power to do that which is good When the Lord inflicted judgments upon his ancient people he speaks of their obstinacy their refusing to hearken and to be reclaimed and this he does to vindicate the equity of his severer wayes of dealing with them We read 2 King 17. 13 14 18. That the Lord testified against Israel by his Prophets and Seers saying Turn ye from your evil wayes and keep my commandements Notwithstanding they would not hear but hardned their necks like unto the neck of their fathers which did not believe in the Lord their God now upon this wilfulness followed and that very justly God's anger and their destruction Therefore the Lord was very angry with the children of Israel and removed them out of his sight In the second place I am to prove That mens inability to do that which is good does not thwart this Doctrine that their sin and misery is to be laid at their wills door The Holy Ghost that he might humble the children of men and be at down the opinion they have of their own power and righteousness and make them use that speech of the Prophet Isa 45. 25. Surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength does inculcate this that man in his sinful degenerate state is unable to that which is spiritually good therefore we are said to be without strength Rom. 5. 6. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are said to be faint and to have no might Isa 40. 29. And our Lord tells us plainly Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing But for all this though we want a power to do good our wills are to be blamed for the evil which is done by us It must not be imagined that the Scripture mentions sinners inability to do good to put an excuse into their mouths for their doing of evil but to drive them to Christ who can strengthen them to do all things Phil. 4. 13. 'T is true man is unable but withal he is unwilling to do what God requires of him though tending to his own welfare The reason why he continues in sin and is undone by it is not only because he cannot convert himself but also and that principally because he is unwilling to be converted This will be made further to appear in these particulars 1. Sinful man imagines himself able to turn from his evil wayes he defers his repentance as if he could turn to God at an hours warning Now that he does not what he thinks he can his own will must be the impediment and this he must blame if so be he perishes 2. Sinful man will not do what he is really able to perform one talent he has but he will not trade with it many sins that expose him to wrath and vengeance he might abstain from if he would but alas he is voluntarily a slave to them and is pleased with this servitude The Adulterer wilfully goes to the Harlots house the unrighteous worldling wilfully gets dishonest gain therefore it follows that these wilfully destroy themselves A natural man can do that which is good as to the matter though he fail in the manner of doing He can pray hear read but he wilfully omits these duties and so wilfully subjects himself to the curse that 's threatned upon his omission He will not do what he really can and then surely if his power were enlarged it would not be used He that can well spare it and refuses to give a penny to the poor we may conclude that though he could spare it he would be unwilling to give a pound In like manner a natural man who will not do what he can to be saved which is but little were his power greater he would not do more in order to salvation 3. Sinful man is sorry that he is able to do so much he wishes that he were totally impotent that so it might serve as an excuse for him This shews the wickedness of his will Further he will not use the means by which grace and strength from heaven are conveyed he will not wait and call on God he will not seek unto him for the accomplishing of the promises made in the gracious Covenant Nay he wilfully resists the Spirit when he comes to work upon him he had rather be let alone in sin That 's the language of ungodly ones Job 21. 14. They say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways The wicked man though he may cavil that he wants power yet his want of will to be turned and live is that which mainly ruins him And all those high thoughts and reasonings against God as if he were an hard Master as if his wayes were not equal at the great day how will he be ashameâ— of them When conscience shall flie in his face and in good sadness reproach him with this He was often warned and called upon but would not turn that he mighâ—â—ave life The Application follows Use 1. Of Information in these particulars 1. Do men die for ever because they will Then who art thou O man that chargest God with thy destruction Surely herein thou chargest God foolishly as he delights not in thy sin so neither in thy death The malefactor must not be angry with the Judge for passing a sentence of condemnation upon him but he ought to blame himself for doing that for which he deserves to be condemned How often has the Lord called but you have refused how often has he stretched forth his hand all the day long but all the day long you have been disobedient and gainsaying Rom. 10. ult How speechless will this make you when he comes to judge the world in righteousness 2. Do men die for ever because they will Then the death of the wicked is most just and righteous 'T is but equal that the willing slaves of sin that would not become the Lords freemen should be fettered in chains of darkness The offendor that refuses a pardon offered justly nay doubly deserves to have judgment executed both because of his offence and because he slights mercy The Patient who thrusts away the Physician who would heal him of a sore distemper very well deserves serves to die for it and the sinner who will not turn to God who rejects the Lord Jesus who is able both to pardon and to heal him though he perish and be condemned yet he is not in the least wronged 3. Do men die for ever because they will What a
sin is not â—o be admired for its pleasure at present thou art only chastized with whips but if thou arâ—â—ncorrigible and sinnest yet more and more assuredly at last thou shalt be lashed with scorâ—ions 5. God calls upon sinners to turn to him by the internal voice and motions of his Spirit The Spirit often suggests concerning the sinful and false way This is â—ot the way and therefore turn out of it but concerning the way of holiness which leads to God This is the way therefore turn into it and without declining walk iâ— it Isa 30. 21. All the other Calls will be to little purpose unless the Spirit do accompany them Without his conviction thâ— denunciation of curses will not awaken Without his illumination the blessing profered will be undervalued Withouâ— his setting an edge upon them the mosâ— pathetical expostulations will not havâ— the least efficacy to perswade the loudeâ— word will be no more regarded than if iâ— were a whisper Unless the Spirit joy his teaching and instruction the rod wiâ— be mute and insignificant nothing wiâ— be learned either by personal afflictionâ— or by National judgments 'T is dangerous therefore to be heedless of and resiâ— the holy Ghost since the efficacy of aâ— depends upon him There is a twofold Call of the Spirit more commune and more special 1. More commune and so many aâ— called which never are throughly converted 'T was the commune work of thâ— Spirit which made Felix tremble whicâ— brought Agrippa within a step of Christianity and caused Herod to do many thingâ— Multitudes of unregenerate ones have feâ— the waters stirr'd the holy Ghost moving them to conversion and readily profering his aid and assistance and perhaps for a while they have been led by him But then some lust or vanity they refused to let go which he has bid them to abandon they would not turn their spiritual sloth into serious diligence about the concerns of their immortal souls and so by disregarding of his motions slighting of his help they have made the Spirit to go away in grief that came in love to work upon them 2. There is a Call of the Spirit which is more special and efficacious and when he thus moves them to turn to God sinners are not only almost but perswaded altogether Now the Method of the Spirit in working on those who are indeed made Converts is much to be observed 1. Those whom the Spirit calls effectually he convinces of sin Joh. 16. 8. He sets the Law before them and he himself is the Laws Interpreter and by his Commentary on it they are made to see that the Law forbids not only the breakings forth of sin at the lips and in the life but also the inward lustings and risings of sin in the heart And when the Law thus comes Oh! how does the offence abound The Spirit sets their iniquities in order before their eyes and holds their eyes waking to behold them The Book of Conscience is opened and how many transgressions are presently beheld there registred And if upon dipping into this book so many abominations do appear what an innumerable multitude are down in the book of Gods remembrance Though sinners may not consider it yet God remembers all their wickedness Hos 7. 2. This the soul layes to heart Innumerable evils compass him about as David speaks his iniquities take hold upon him Psal 40. 12. when he lyes down they lye down when he rises they rise with him wherever he goes or is they continually dog and haunt him If the sinner have been notorious how hideous and horrid will sin appear to him when all pleas and excuses are silenced when the painted visour is pull'd off and it is seen by him in its native complexion drunkenness uncleanness oaths profane jesting greediness after the world will no longer then be made light of These and such like before seemed to have nothing of danger much of delight and pleasure but after conviction their deceitful and damnable nature will be as evident as the Sun at noon-day And though the sinner has been free from the more gross pollutions of the world yet enough shall be shewed him to cause him to conclude himself a Wretch and in a lost estate What! are all his omissions or mocking of the jealous God by heartless performances nothing Is his mispence of time and regardlessness of eternity nothing Is his delighting in creatures and vanity and the things of the world and loving these more than God and Christ and glory but a small matter These are heinous sins which yet the more civilized are to be charged with This conviction of the Spirit is strong and lasting wears not off till the sinner is brought quite home Actual transgressions with their aggravations lye heavy and original sin which is the fountain whence â—ne other flow is discover'd And in this â—ountain there is enough to feed ten thouâ—nd times more streams than have issued â—rth David is not only convinced of the â—urder and adultery he had committed â—ut is made to trace these sins to the Wellâ—ad the original corruption of his naâ—re Psal 51. 5. and the sight of this how much did it tend to his humiliation Finally this conviction is not only of some acts of sin but of the badness of the sinners state he is made to see himself because a child of disobedience therefore also a child of wrath And without cavilling all is yielded to and acknowledged with such evidence is this conviction of the Spirit 2. Those whom the Spirit calls effectually he works fear in them The spirit of bondage to fear goes before the spirit of adoption Of these fears and terrors there are degrees indeed yet such a measure is wrought in all towards whom the Lord has designs of love as to make them restlests in a natural estate Carnal security is one of the first things that is struck at by the Spirit he bids the soul awake and lets him know that while he sleeps in sin 't is much more hazardous than if he slept upon the top of a Mast Well may the sinner be afraid wrath armed with irresistible and almighty power he has engaged against himself And who can stand before Gods indignation who can abide the fierceness of his anger Nah. 1. The curses of the Law have a dreadful sound in the sinners ears and because threatned damnation will not slumber long the propinquity and neerness of such great evils raises fear exceedingly His assent is strong and in his mind he now foresees the Lord Jesus revealed with his mighty Angels in flaming fire ready to take vengeance on them that know not God and disobey the Gospel and to punish them with everlasting destruction 2 Thes 1. 8 9. And on thinks he with himself how terrible will it be to be of the number of them who shall call to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them that they may be hid from the face of him that sits
hear the command to believe it should make us cry out with the sick childes Father in the Gospel Lord help my unbelief When we hear the command to cast away every transgression it should make us beg with David Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have the dominion over me When we hear the command to turn it should make us to use the language of that penitent Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God 5. The Lord calls upon us to turn to leave the obstinate without excuse who will not turn who will not come to Christ that they may have life Of Israel he saith All the day long have I stretched forth my hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people Rom. 10. ult but this their disobedience rendred them without apology When the unconverted fall into God's revenging hands they are the less to be pitied they can have nothing to plead because Gods stretching forth his hands by way of invitation in the Gospel was in vain These sinners against their own souls whose neck is like an iron sinew who will neither be terrified by menaces nor mollified by the expressions of the greatest kindness and mercy when they are summon'd to the bar how will they be struck speechless having not one word to say against their own condemnation They were called unto grace and glory but they would not hearken They were told of their danger but they would not seek to prevent it they were informed of the wayes of sin and were dehorted from it nay wooed and intreated with the most passionate earnestness not to be cruel to themselves by giving way to such a cursed thing yet they would not consent to be freed from sin and become the servants of righteousness And surely their mouths must needs be stopped or if they say any thing when sentence is passed upon them it must be to side with the justice of God against themselves to acknowledge the equality of his wayes the inequality of their own 6. The Lord calls upon us to turn that those who are ordained to eternal life may be effectually wrought upon and prevailed with to turn indeed We read that the Gospel was preached both to the Jews and to the Gentiles and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Act. 15. 48. And the truth is 't is much for the sake of the Elect who are scattered up and down among the multitude that the call to turn is so general as it is Hereby those whom the Father has given to Christ are brought home and coming home how welcome are they Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out So much for the reasons why God calls upon sinners to turn In the Third place I promised to explain the nature of this conversion or turning And I find the Apostle does give a notable and full description of it Act. 26. 18. where he calls it A turning from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Hence we gather that conversion lyes in four things 1. In being turned from darkness 2. In being turned unto light 3. In being turned from the power of Satan 4. In being turned unto God 1. Conversion implies a being turned from darkness As darkness was upon the face of the deep till God said Let there be light Gen. 1. 2. So truly darkness overspreads the soul of a natural man till he is enlightned from above Believers are delivered from the power of darkness when translated into the Sons Kingdom Col. 1. 13. which shews that sometimes they were in darkness as well as others and this darkness is said to have a power a power to hold a power to blind a power to ruin so that there is a necessity of being delivered from it Now there be several kinds of darkness from which they are made free 1. Converts are turned from the darkness of ignorance No longer are they contented to be ignorant of the way to salvation but are made inquisitive what they must do to â—e saved They are informed about the doctrine of Christ and are made to understand what believing and repenting mean They know that sin is to be sorrowed for as the worst of evils and that God is the chiefest good and that he so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. They are made to know that Christ is to be received by faith and that there is not salvation in any other and that 't is in vain to expect any thing from him as a Saviour unless there be a consenting to obey him as a Lord. These and such like truths are no longer hid from them They are sensible now of the mischief and danger of ignorance 't is therefore their desire to have it in a greater measure removed and they follow on to know the Lord. 2. Converts are turned from the darkness of unbelief The Spirit does work a perswasion in their hearts of the certain truth of whatever God has revealed in his word They dare not any longer make the Lord a lyar by not crediting what he has recorded They believe and admire and acknowledge the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. Heretofore their unbelief did hide the Gospel from them and concluded them in a lost estate they saw not the Majesty of the Word they were not taken with the treasures of wisdom and grace which are there revealed neither were they awakened by the terrors with which the Word abounds against ungodly ones But now the vail is taken away and they assent to and are affected with what the Gospel speaks to them They believe that God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them And that being justified by his blood they shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5. 9. They believe that sin is deadly and the world a cheat and that solid and eternal happiness is to be found in God therefore they leave a shadow to embrace that which is substantial 3. Converts are turned from the darkness of prejudice Prejudice raises a strange kind of mist before the eyes which hinders the light of truth from shining into the mind The Jews prejudice against Christ was one great thing that blinded them a principal impediment to their embracing of the Faith Satan endeavours to fill the ungodly with these prejudices and to keep them up because by these his Kingdom is very much upheld Sometimes sinners are prejudiced against holiness as if it were a disgrace whereas it being the glory of the Divine Nature certainly 't is the greatest honour and perfection which the rational creature is capable of Sometimes holiness is lookt upon as needless and yet the Scripture affirms that none
shall see the Lord without it Sometimes the carnal heart rises against holiness because it imagines that nothing of delight and pleasure is consistent with it whereas indeed by being converted unto God our joy is not lost but only changed The Kingdom of God is not only righteousness but also peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. whereas the joy before was poor and low and bruitish and defiling being mixed with many secret grudgings of conscience and misgivings of heart Now upon conversion the joy is pure angelical satisfactory and an earnest of those pleasures which will be for evermore Psal 16. ult Neither is this unreasonable prejudice only against the wayes of holiness but also against the publishers of these wayes There was a prejudice against Elijah as if he had been a troubler of Israel against Jeremiah as if he had been unfaithful to the State and a secret friend to the Chaldeans against the Apostles as if they had been intolerable disturbers that had turned the world upside-down And truly the treasure oft-times is disregarded though of such inestimable value because of the vessel in which 't is brought But when any are turned the mist of prejudice is immediately scattered Then strict doctrine will go down which before was nauseated and made the heart to rise against it then a servant of Christ will be esteemed and obeyed that before was lookt upon as the filth and off-scouring of the world 1 Cor. 4. 13. 4. Converts are turned from the works of darkness These works are cast off Rom. 13. 12. No known presumptuous sin is allowed of they perceive the fruitlessness of their former wayes and therefore now are ashamed of them Rom. 6. 21. Formerly they went on securely in sin because they knew not whither they were going but now they perceive the tendency of these works of darkness even unto blackness of darkness for ever and so they are made free from sin that is from sins servitude and become the servants of righteousness Sin may plead hard against its being cast away but its pleas are all invalid The gainful sin does thus plead for it self I have raised thee from a mean to an high degree I have filled thy bag and furnished thy Table By me thou hast gotten a fair estate who else wouldst have been little differing from a beggar And what shall I now be cast off having been so beneficial and yielded so much advantage But the Convert has enough to reply to such a plea. Whatever he has gained unjustly he must restore and if he had trusted in God and done good he would have fared better the Mammon of unrighteousness is attended with a curse And all the while he thrived in a wicked way he was destitute of the true riches and 't is a wonder by such dishonest gaining of the world he lost not his soul long ago Now therefore he is resolved against sinful gain lest e're he is aware God and Christ and his soul be lost beyond recovery The pleasing sin also is not without arguments for its being cherished I have pleased thy flesh and rejoyced thy heart I have made dayes and nights to pass unsensibly away I have gratified thy senses and made thy tongue to sing for joy I have stupified and laid that Fury called conscience when it has begun to stir and torture thee I have chased away thy cares and made thee to forget thy sorrows Time was when the very thoughts of me were delightful and I was embraced as a darling and why should I now be banished and killed as if I were an enemy Is affliction of soul and brokenness of heart to be preferred before the sweetness I was wont to afford thee But the Converts ear is deaf unto such Syren-melody one word is enough to dash and answer all That the pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11. 25. but the pains of Hell which without conversion are sure to follow will never have a period nor be in the least mitigated The rich man who had lived jocundly fared deliciously every day when he was cast into the flames begged but for a drop of water and 't was denied him Therefore the works of darkness are cast off by the Convert the pleasure of these works is nothing comparable to the pain nor the gain to the loss which will speedily follow 2. As this conversion implies a being turned from darkness so also a being turned unto light Eph. 5. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light And so 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 This light has a threefold property to discover to direct to operate 1. This light discovers The Apostle tells us whatever does make manifest is light The Convert sees what he never saw before There may be many toads and serpents and other loathsom and hateful creatures in a dungeon but till the light shine in these are not perceived the breaking in of light discovers them And so in the heart of man many impure and noysom lusts have their abode but they are not indeed acknowledged neither are they any annoyance till the light does make them manifest The Convert sees his sin his shame he is sensible of the plagues of his own heart and the absolute necessity of a cure His interest likewise is discovered to him and that is in seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness in securing his soul which is of far greater value than the world in minding the one thing needful that good part which can never be taken away 2. This light directs It guides those who are turned into the way of peace and truth The Lamp of the Word the Spirit joyning with and teaching by it shews which are the perverse and crooked paths to the end that these may be shunned and avoided and it also directs into those wayes which are pleasing unto God and pleasant in themselves and moreover so exceeding safe that rone ever missed of heaven that continued to tread in them We are directed to believe and to obey and where faith and obedience are linked together the off-spring of that conjunction will most certainly be glory honour and immortality 3. This light operates in a powerful manner 'T is such a light as has heat along with it Converts were before told of the evil the folly of sin but now they see this by another light and their hearts are warmed with indignation against it They see sin so as to be deeply affected they sorrow for it and abhor it They were before informed of the mercy and alsufficiency and other perfections of God but now they have such a view of his glory in the face of Christ as that the fire of love is enkindled and that love does put
them upon labour When Caleb had seen the good Land of Promise he was very eager to go up at once and possess it Num. 13. 30. And truly when this light has made a discovery of the celestial Canaan and directed Converts how to get thither Oh! what watching whatpraying whatresisting what striving what storming will there be 3. This Conversion implies a being turned from the power of Satan He is the Spirit that works and rules in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. and has possession of them till converted but then he is cast out and his strong holds are thrown down And oh considering the Devils hatred his power his subtilty what mercy is it to have the cords whereby he led us captive at his pleasure broken Three things are comprehended in being turned from the power of Satan 1. Those who are converted are freed from Satans dominion His usurped authority they have wisdom and grace to resist The promise made to them who are not under the Law but under grace is this That sinâ— shall not have the dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. And this necessarily implies that Satans dominion shall be destroyed for 't is by the power of sin he holds it The net is now broke and the soul escapes as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler The unconverted sinner what a slave to Satan is he If the Devil say to him go he goes nay he runs though it be to his own ruin The Devil can but ask and have The sinners time and members nay and his soul too he can have upon demand but the Convert draws nigh to God and is so strengthned by the grace of God that instead of being commanded by Satan he compels Satan to flee from him 2. Those who are converted lay aside the work of Satan They are aware how base and injurious both to God and their own souls the devils employments are and there is a better work than His namely the work of the Lord which they labour in and in the doing of which they cannot too much abound 3. Those who are converted Satans baits become despicable to them 'T is by means of these the devil is so powerful The God of this world does make great use of this world to bewitch and ensnare the children of men Sensual delights he exceedingly magnifies sumptuous fare costly apparel credit among men pleasant recreations he suggests How happy will these make you He tells sinners of the worth of silver and gold and often through the burning-glasses of their eyes endeavours to set their hearts on fire by beauty But the Convert by the eye of faith looks higher than these things He is made to see the vanity of the creature He has had impressions of divine displeasure and then the world has appeared an empty bubble and insignificant cypher His conscience was wounded and when wounded alas it was Nullis medicabilis herbis not to be cured by any or all the things the world could give him The Convert has been made to look upward and there perceives more durable riches more lasting pleasures than the world can brag of and so not the things which are seen but the things which are not seen he is taken with Though he is in the world yet he looks beyond it Moses having respect to the recompence of reward refused to be called the son of Pharoahs daughter and slighted the pleasures of sin and all the treasures which were in Egypt 4. This Conversion as it implies a being turned from the power of Satan so a being turned unto God Turn to me saith â—â—e Lord of Hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 1. 3. As it is in Kings Courts many that come thither busie themselves in beholding the curious hangings and the pictures which are there but the wise Statesman minds not these his business is with the King himself In like manner while most of the Creation are taken up wholly with the beholding and admiring and pursuing this and that and t'other vanity the Convert who shews himself herein to be truly wise approaches and has recourse to God who made these things and can make him more happy than these are able Now when the sinner turns to God he looks upon him under a threefold notion As a Lord as a Father as his ultimate end 1. The Convert eyes God as a Lord. He owns his Soveraignty and submits himself unto his Scepter Other Lords indeed in times past have had the dominion over him Isa 26. 13. but now his resolution is fixed and peremptory to own no other Lord but God alone His will stoops unto and complies with the will of God when his natural inclination towards any thing is most vehement if the Convert be informed That God by that thing will be displeased that 's enough to stop the current of his desires The testimonies of the Lord he takes as a rule to order his conversation by And when he hears that God has commanded him to keep his precepts diligently his heart presently sends forth an eccho back again unto that command Oh that my wayes were directed that I might keep thy Statutes Psal 119. 4 5. He dares not any longer presumptuously commit the evil which the Word forbids nor omit the good which the Word commands Failings and infirmities there are and will be In many things sayes the Apostle we offend all But this evil that is present with the Convert is a burden to him and the Law of God is approved and consented to and delighted in as holy just and good The Convert which does distinguish him from an hypocrite is far from wishing that the Law were less holy and that it would allow a liberty to sin but he wishes that his heart and life were more holy and to this Law more and more conformable 2. The Convert eyes God as a Father or as willing to become his Father in Christ Jesus 'T was truly said by one of the Ancients Tam Pater nemo tam puis nemo none such a Father as God none so full of fatherly affection he has sufficient store to supply all the needs of all returning Prodigals and he is far more willing to impart of this store to them which see their need and ask than earthly Parents can be to give bread unto their hungry children Mat. 7. 11. This is great encouragement to returning Those Parables of the lost sheep the lost silver and the lost son were uttered to this end to hearten sinners to come home to God Luke 15. The man rejoyced when he had found his sheep the woman when she had recovered her piece of silver That kind father though necessity drave his childe home being ready to perish in the far Country and though he came in rags having wasted all his substance in riotous living I say that kind father as soon as ever he saw his son ran to him had compassion upon him embraced him kissed him
conversion as soon as ever they had sinned they were fettered in chains of darkness that shall never be unloosed But hark what wisdom sayes Prov. 8. 4. Unto you O men I call and my vow is to the sons of man You have often stopt your ears Oh that at last you would hear that your souls may live The long deafning of your ears may provoke the Lord to shut his mouth and then you will never be converted never healed 4. Consider Who 't is that calls upon you to turn and what is his design in it You are undone wretches who have neither skill nor will nor power to save your selves And he that calls after you is a God to whom power and mercy does belong And his design is to make his power and mercy known in you His aim is to bring you neer that he manifest himself to you as he does not manifest himself unto the world to shield you from danger to supply your needs according to the riches of his glory to deliver you from every evil work and to preserve you to his heavenly Kingdom And is there any harm in all this 5. 'T is unreasonable that the world or sin should be an hindrance and any longer stave you off from God Well may you turn from sin for that deserves your hatred well may your hearts turn from idolizing the world and the things of it for these deserve your scorn All things besides God are either hurtful or helpless Nothing more hurtful than sin and they that have expected help from the creatures have found themselves destitute and forlorn in their extremity 6. If you turn to God he will not fail to turn to you His ear shall be turned and be open to your cry his hand shall be upon you for good and in the hollow of his hand you shall be secure he is greater than all and none shall be able to pluck you out of his hands he will not hide but turn his face towards you he will give peace as well as mercy he will let you know that pardon is multiplied that your love also may be increased The debtor loved much to whom much was forgiven Finally the stream of his benefits shall be turned towards you The Lord will do you good and delight in doing so Temporal things you shall not want spiritual blessings shall be showred down abundantly and at last you shall ascend and be admitted into his immediate presence where God will turn to you so as never to withdraw more Be not afraid or dismayed whoever turn against you for conversion sake The Lord himself is with you and for you and he will turn to good what adversaries do mean for evil 7. Not only his Word and Ministers and Spirit but also his Providences call upon you to turn to God Both his mercies and his judgments do press this exhortation to conversion The streams of goodness that continually run towards you and which sometimes swell and overflow abundantly do signifie that 't is your wisdom to forsake the broken cisterns and come to the fountain of living waters His mercies speak this language that 't is good to return into and obtain an interest in the Father of them Then these mercies will be in mercy Cords of love are cast about you on purpose to draw you unto the God of love and peace Oh that you would run to him The riches of his goodness are unlocked and discovered that hereby you may be led unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. His judgments likewise are inflicted in pursuance of the same design That is the voice that 's uttered by them Go return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal you he hath smitten and he will bind you up Hos 6. 1. The Fire of London calls upon the Inhabitants of it and of the whole Land since they have not only heard of God by the hearing of the ear but their eyes have seen him marching out so dreadfully against them to abhor themselves and to repent in dust and ashes Those many thousands which were cut off by the plague of Pestilence although they are dead they still speak and that which they say is this Oh you that are alive return return unto the Lord your God for after death 't will be too late to do it 8. Consider As yet 't is not too late to turn to God Though hitherto stupid if now you will awake though hitherto refractory if now you will yield your selves to the Lord though hitherto you have shut the door to keep in sin and to keep out Christ if now at last you will open at the knock of the Gospel and consent that your lusts should be expelled and the Lord Jesus enter he is ready to receive you into grace and favour and all former denials affronts repulses shall be forgotten and forgiven The Scepter is still held forth the Lord is not removed from the Mercy-seat mercy and grace may now be had if you will come for it But if you will not know when you are well offered and are resolved not to cease from your stubborn way an oath may soon be sworn in wrath that you shall never enter into Rest and God may say He that 's filthy let him be filthy still he that is unjust let him be unjust still he that is joyned to the profits and pleasures of the world which he makes his idols let him alone he that despises the offer of grace shall not have another offer he that now refuses to be converted shall never be a Convert Oh that I could prevail by all these arguments But lest they should take no impression lest they should slip out of your minds and have no influence upon your hearts I shall second them With a voice from Hell With a voice from Heaven With a voice from Christ himself 1. With a voice from Hell Imagine therefore a damned sinner who has lain many years in the burning lake should have leave to come and appear in the face of this assembly and a river of tears having first gushed out of his eyes and for a while stopt his expressions he at length should thus speak to you Cursed be the day wherein I was born and that night wherein it was said there is a man-child conceived Let that day be darkness let not God regard it from on high neither let the light shine upon it Alas 't were better never to have been at all than to be for ever miserable How intolerable are the gNawings of the never dying worm how hot and unquenchable are those flames which the breath of the Lord as a stream of brimstone doth kindle The world is extreamly mistaken in sin They think it light and pleasant and so I thought once as well as they but now I find how wofully I was deceived I feel sins weight and taste yea am drunken with the gall and wormwood of it I find that true which before I was told but