The Doctrine of Conversion

The Doctrine of Conversion

By Nathaniel Vincent

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The Doctrine of Conversion

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

The Doctrine of Conversion

By Nathaniel Vincent

Edited and updated by C. Matthew McMahon and Therese B. McMahon

Transcribed by Blake Gentry

Copyright © 2012 by Puritan Publications and A Puritan’s Mind

Some language and grammar has been updated from the original manuscript. Any change in wording or punctuation has not changed the intent or meaning of the original author(s), and has been made to aid the modern reader.

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Electronic Edition, 2012

Manufactured in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-938721-27-4

eISBN: 978-1-938721-26-7

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The Doctrine of Conversion

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Doctrine of Conversion

Copyright Information

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEET NATHANIEL VINCENT

[Original Title Page]

THE DEDICATION

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER

THE CONVERSION OF A SINNER

The First Doctrine

The Second Doctrine

The Application Follows

The Third Doctrine

Second Part, Why God Calls Men to Repent

The Third Part, The Nature of Conversion

Through Whom Men Are Converted

The Application

True Verses False Conversion

Three Voices

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The Doctrine of Conversion

MEET NATHANIEL VINCENT

[Vincent’s Portrait by John White (1681) from the National Portrait Gallery]

Nathaniel Vincent (1639?-1697), nonconformist puritan divine, was probably born in Cornwall about 1639 (cf. epist. Dedication to A Present for such as have been Sick).

His father, John Vincent (1591-1646), son and heir of Thomas Vincent of Northill, Cornwall, born in 1591, matriculated from New College, Oxford, on Dec. 15, 1609, became a student at Lincoln’s Inn in 1612, and, afterwards taking orders, was beneficed in Cornwall. Of nonconformist leanings, he was driven there by his bishop, as well as from so many other livings that it was said no two of his seven children were born in the same county. Coming to London in 1642, he was nominated by the committee of the Westminster assembly to the rich rectory of Sedgefield, Durham, but died after holding it but two years, in 1646. His widow, Sarah Vincent, petitioned on Nov. 1, 1656 and in April 1657 for 60l. which her husband had lent to the parliament (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1656, pp. 146, 147, 185, 191, 329; Addit. MS. 15671, cf. ff. 38, 42, 55, 69, 114, 124, 140, 148, 150, 219, 227, 238, 251). Their eldest son, John, who inherited his grandfather’s estate of Northill, is confused by Mr. Wood with a son of Augustine Vincent (Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. xxxv). The second son, Thomas, is separately noticed.

Nathaniel, the third son, entered Oxford University as a chorister on Oct. 18, 1648, at age 10. He matriculated from Corpus Christi College on March 28, 1655, graduated with a B.A. from Christ Church on March 13, 1655-6, M. A. on June 11, 1657, and was chosen chaplain of Corpus Christi College. He was appointed by Cromwell one of the first fellows of Durham University, but never lived there. At twenty he was preaching at Pulborough, Sussex, and at twenty-one was ordained and presented to the rectory of Langley Marish, Buckinghamshire. There he was ejected on St. Bartholomew’s day, 1662, after which he lived three years as chaplain to Sir Henry and Lady Blount at Tittenhanger, Hertfordshire. About 1666 Vincent went to London. There his preaching at once attracted attention, and a meeting-house was shortly built for him in Farthing Alley, Southwark, where he gathered a large congregation. In spite of fines and rough handling by soldiers sent to drag him from his pulpit, he continued boldly preaching during the stormy times. In July 1670, soon after his marriage, he was confined in the Marshalsea prison. He was removed to the Gatehouse, Westminster, on Aug. 22 (cf. Cal. State Papers, Dom., Addenda, 1660-70, p. 546). He remained six months in prison. In 1682 he was again arrested, brought before magistrates at Dorking, and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, after which he was to be banished from the country. A flaw, however, was perceived in the indictment, and, after the section expenditure of 200l., Vincent was released, but so weakened from illness that he was long unable to preach (Letter to his Congregation, 24 June 1683). He was again arrested in February 1686, this time on an improbable charge of being concerned in Monmouth’s rebellion (Wood, Life and Times, ed. Clark, iii. 179). Some of his books were written in prison; thus “his pen was going when his tongue could not.”

Vincent died suddenly on June 22, 1697, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. He was buried at Bunhill Fields; (see Inscriptions on Tombs in Bunhill Fields, 1717, p. 34). His funeral sermon was preached by Nathaniel Taylor.

Wood’s encomium on Vincent is unusually high, “He was of smarter, more brisk, and florid parts than most of his dull and sluggish fraternity can reasonably pretend to; of a facetious and jolly humour, and a considerable scholar.”

The works of Nathaniel Vincent are as follows:

1. The Doctrine of Conversion, or, The Conversion of a Sinner Explained and Applied, London, 1669, 8vo; with which is published 2. The Day of Grace (same date). 3. A Covert from the Storm, London, 1671, 8vo (written in prison). 4. The Spirit of Prayer, London, 1674, 8vo; republished, 1677, 8vo; 5th edit. 1699; other edits. Saffron Walden, ed. J. H. Hopkins, 1815, London, 1825. 5. A Heaven or Hell upon Earth, London, 1676, 8vo. 6. The Little Child’s Catechism, whereunto is added several Short Histories, 1681, 12mo. 7. The True Touchstone, London, 1681, 8vo. 8. The More Excellent Way, London, 1684. 9. A Warning given to secure Sinners, London, 1688, 8vo. 10. The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ: a Catechism, London, 1691, 8vo. 11. A Present for such as have been Sick (sermons preached after his recovery from sickness), London, 1693. 12. The Cure of Distractions in attending upon God. 13. The Love of the World cured. 14. Worthy Walking. The dates of the last three do not appear. Sermons by Vincent are in Annesley’s Continuation of Morning Exercises, London, 1683, and in his Casuistical Morning Exercises, London, 1690; reprinted in vols. iv., v., and vi. of Nichols’s edition, London, 1814-5, 8vo. Vincent was much in request for preaching funeral sermons; five or six were printed in quarto. He edited the Morning Exercise against Popery (London, 1675, 4to), twenty- five sermons preached in his pulpit at Southwark by eminent divines.

For further study:

Clark’s Indexes, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 280, pt. ii. p. 308; Foster’s Alumni (1500-1714); Neal’s Puritans, iii. 521; Calamy’s Continuation, i. 30; Alumni Westmon. p. 129; Burrows’s Visitation, pp. 171, 173, 369, 477; Bloxam’s Reg. of Magd. Coll. v. 208; Palmer’s Nonconf. Mem. i. 304; Wood’s Athenae Oxon. iv. 617; Wilson’s Hist. of Diss. Churches, iv. 304 (this is the most accurate account); Cal. State Papers, Dom. Add. 1660-70 pp. 273, 388, 464, 1671 p. 556; Taylor’s Funeral Sermon, 1697, 4to; Wood’s Life and Times (Oxford Hist. Soc.), ii. 561; Hist. MSS. Comm. 11th Rep. App. p. 46; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. ix. 267.

Taken in part from the National Dictionary of Biography, public Domain.

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The Doctrine of Conversion

[ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE]

The

CONVERSION

OF A SINNER:

Explained and Applied,

From

Ezekiel 33:11, “Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

Part of this was preached some while since

at Savior’s Southwark.

BY NATHANIEL VINCENT

Minister of the Gospel.

Also, the Day of Grace, Discoursed of

From

Luke 19:41-42, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.”

LONDON,

Printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the Golden Bible on London-Bridge, under the Gate,

1669.

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The Doctrine of Conversion

THE DEDICATION

To His sacred and most glorious majesty, the God of heaven and earth, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; who is higher than the highest potentates and emperors in the world, higher than they are above their meanest slaves! Almighty Lord! To You I dedicate my book, to whom I have devoted myself, and all that is good within me, it is your own. If it will do any good, to You I must ascribe the praise. The instrument indeed might be ashamed and discouraged, if he did not know that you can work as well by weak means as by strong means; no, sometimes you choose to use the weak on purpose, that flesh may not glory, but the excellency of your power may be of You alone.

It was most free and rich grace, (which eternity itself will be short enough to admire and adore) that I myself was pitied, who once was as much polluted in my blood as any other; who had run so far in the broad way, and had sinned myself so near the destruction which is everlasting! But if I am not only made a convert, but also made use of to convert others, my obligation will be heightened, which is infinitely vast already, to show forth your praise.

It’s the desire of my soul, O Lord, that your kingdom may be advanced, and that the dominion which sin and Satan have usurped may be overthrown. Since your yoke is easy and your government so sweet, so gracious, why should your subjects not also be most numerous? Gird your sword on your thigh, O most mighty one, and ride forth conquering and to conquer! Your right hand shall teach you terrible things. Let your arrows be sharp, and your Word pierce like a two-edged sword. Let the whole world, either by conversion or subversion, but especially conversion fall under you!

You are the God of the spirits of all flesh; is there anything too hard for you? When the devil sinned against you (and by this became a devil) you easily threw him out of heaven, and shackled him in the chains of darkness; and can you not just as easily throw him out of those sinner’s hearts which he has possessed and filled, and pull down all his strongholds? And as for sin, though it is so mighty a thing, that Adam in innocence was overcome by it, that angels in heaven could not stand before it, yet you are able, and have promised to subdue it. O, show your power and grace! Since your mercy is so great, why should there be so few partakers of mercy? Since your Son is so able to save to the uttermost, why should so small a number be saved by Him? Since the New Jerusalem is so spacious, why should hell fill so exceedingly fast? O, let your special love be more generally manifested! Let your healing and your saving grace run in a much broader channel! Let your tents be enlarged, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitation! Do not let so many souls be the devil’s prey, which are of greater value than the world; and which are capable of loving, and admiring, and glorifying you forever! Answer, O my God, such desires as these, so far as it is consistent with the secrets of your counsel, and your ways and judgments, which are unsearchable and past finding out!

Let your Gospel continue in this land of England! Let the work of righteousness shine forth in greater strength and glory, and dispel the mists of error, and chase away the night of ignorance! Do not let the sea be fuller of water, than this land of the knowledge of your glory! As long as there is a church on earth, let there be a church in England! And let the radiance of your Word shine clearly among us, as long as the sun and the moon shall shine in the firmament!

You who have the hearts of all in your own hand, incline some to read these following sermons; and let all that read be the better by them. Let them understand in this their day the things which concern their peace! And obey the call to turn, before you come to this resolution to call and cry no more after them! O, let none grow blinder by the light’s shining in their eyes! Let none grow harder by the means which were designed to soften them! Do not let the Word of life prove to any to be a deadly savor! Let some souls date their conversion from their reading this book; and let those who are converted further be strengthened by it. Encourage your servant more and more, by making his labors more abundantly successful, who has resigned and given up himself to You, and whose greatest honor and truest happiness is to be,

Yours forever,

Nathaniel Vincent

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The Doctrine of Conversion

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER

Reader! As soon as you have looked on to this book, immediately look off again and look up to heaven! How can you see to read without any profit, unless the Father of lights opens your eyes and gives you an understanding heart? He can show you wonders in the most common truths, which before you were unacquainted with. Those doctrines that are most usually preached, as your judgment may yet more fully be informed about them; so I am sure that your affections have need to be stirred up to bear some more proportional suitableness to the weight and concernment of them.

It has moved my sorrow, and almost my indignation, to see how many truths, because often (as it is needful) insisted on, are nauseated by some professors. And yet alas these very truths, though they have often heard them, they do not know them as they ought to know. As to any heart-affecting and operative knowledge, these people who fancy and conceit themselves as so very intelligent, are very grossly ignorant. Their consciences are stupid, and they were never brought under the power of the Word which is preached to them. Duties, though plainly and frequently pressed are neglected, and sins which they commonly hear reproved, are yet notwithstanding given way to. You who cannot like a discourse unless your fancy is pleased, and your itching ear scratched; what just reason do you have to question whether your nature has indeed been renewed? For they who have been born again, desire the sincere milk of the word (though there is little mixture of what is human) that they may grow by it.

Reader! Are you grossly ignorant and ungodly? How much then does it concern you to use those means which are appointed for the attaining of knowledge? Since without knowledge your heart cannot be good, nor can you be in a safe estate. You are gone astray; O, turn immediately, unless the next step you take, is into the grave and hell. It’s but a small security to not perceive your danger; it is but a pitiful happiness to be ignorant of your misery, for this very ignorance increases your danger, and will make your misery more unavoidable. Sin is such a thing as none ever repented of their parting with; therefore be persuaded to deny your former ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously in this present evil world.

If you are a professor, but not one who practices religion, consider, it is not a semi-conversion, but a turning with the whole heart, on which life is promised and assured. If you have a form of godliness without the power, what does this prove except that you have more of the atheist in you? Surely you think the Lord does not regard, and will not punish, at least that he will be partial to you. I wonder how you dare come so often into his presence, so near his ark where his jealousy is hottest, and so frequently engage in duties of his worship; some sin or vanity all the while keeping your heart away from him.

But if you are indeed converted. O get nearer to God, and turn more and more to be like him. Grace is such an excellent thing that I think you should be restlessly importunate for a greater measure of it. The more you follow on to know the Lord, the better you will love him, and the more unwilling you will be to leave him, and return again to folly.

Conversion is a nail which the prophets of old were hammering on perpetually. Our Lord and his apostles endeavored to drive this nail home. And God has lately not only sent his ministers to exercise this business, but has taken the hammer of judgment to make this nail enter the wood. Now the stronger the resistance is, which we make, we must expect from this hammer more strokes. We have lately seen days of great calamity and affliction, and yet they have, in some sense, also been days of grace. Therefore, temporal judgments have been sent, that spiritual mercies might be prized, and eternal judgments might be prevented. God has had a design of love at the bottom of all his servants. Let us comply with it; for if we still walk contrarily, he has threatened fury to chastise us sevenfold more than he has yet chastised us. And I may well tremble to think of those judgments which will be seven times worse than the plague and fire. But if we learn wisdom and instruction by his correction, and turn to him that has smitten us, we shall find the expressions of his favor and loving-kindness, so much greater than the signs of his displeasure ever were.

Nathaniel Vincent

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The Doctrine of Conversion

THE CONVERSION OF A SINNER

Ezekiel 33:11, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

It is not very easy to discern whether man discovered greater folly in departing from God at first, or whether his folly is now more inexcusable in refusing to return to Him. At first, he knew by blessed experience, how good it was to be near his Maker, to enjoy the light of his countenance in the state of innocence; and yet he ventured to go away. Now he feels the effects of his apostasy; for sin has loaded him with various miseries, calamities, vexations, and yet, how hardly is he persuaded to come back again? The children of men are easily induced to yield to Satan, as if it were their interest to give themselves into the hands of a murderer; but the Lord, besides whom there is no Savior, may call and call with frequency, with earnestness, yet call in vain; their hearts are dull, their ears are deaf, they will not hearken to him. It can never be sufficiently lamented, that sin has made so many madmen in the world; life and death, blessing and cursing are set before them; yet death is chosen before life, the most astonishing and intolerable curses are embraced, when blessings of the highest and most durable nature, are rejected. Proh saperi! quantum mortalia pectore cac Noctis habent! (Most men from their hearts taste and have everlasting night!)

Here, it is that the Lord expostulates not only in reference to sin, but in reference to punishment. He not only says, “Why will you venture to transgress,” but also, “Why are you so forward to die, O house of Israel?”

The prophet in the beginning of this chapter, is appointed by the Lord to be a watchmen over the house of Israel. He is commanded to lift up his voice when he sees the revenging sword drawn forth, and coming to cut the ungodly off for their ungodliness; and unless he calls to the wicked to turn and live, he is an accessory to their death, and their blood will be required at his hand. And being commissioned in this way, he is commanded to stop the mouths of evil doers, who cavil and reply against their Maker, and charge God foolishly.

It seems there was a controversy, at whose door the destruction of sinners is to be laid. The house of Israel very temporarily and boldly lay the blame on God; they do not continue to say, the way of the Lord is not equal. But the God of mercy, and of truth, vindicates himself from that undeserved imputation professing, that if sinners were not presently bent on their own ruin, destruction could be escaped. He swears by his life, that the death of the wicked does not please him; therefore in the text, his voice is loud and doubled, “Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways;” and the saddle is set on the right horse, men’s own wills are the cause of their own woe. “Why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

The words express a very pathetic and serious call, observe here,

1. The persons called, The house of Israel.

2. To what they are called; they are called “to turn.”

3. The urgency of this call, which appears in the doubling of it, “Turn ye, turn ye.”

4. From what they must turn, “from their evil ways.”

5. The argument used to prevail, which has abundance of holy rhetoric in it; “Why will ye die?”

Without turning, death is certain. Satan may say to the posterity, as once to the parents, “Ye shall not surely die;” but this will be found true, “Those shall be turned into hell,” (Psalm 9:17), who will not turn to God; there it is that evil ways all have a tendency. There are several paths in the broad way, but in death, the second death, they all conclude and meet. Therefore the Lord has brought in, pitying of sinners, and pleading with them.

“Why will ye die? Is it because I am speedy in revenging? You know I am slow to anger; and by experience have found me to be so, or else my wrath would have long before now broken forth on you; or is it because I am inexhorable, not to be entreated once I am provoked? Why, I have proclaimed myself ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, to all that call on him. Or is it because you never heard of the way and means of recovering life, and flying from the punishment you have deserved? How often have I sent my prophets, that you might be brought to believe, to repent, and to obey? But still your neck is as an iron sinew; you are resolved to rush on in sin. If you are destroyed, it is because you choose destruction.”

THE FIRST DOCTRINE

The text affords us three doctrines.

First, That evil ways are the ways of death.

Secondly, The great reason why men die and die forever, is because they will.

Thirdly, The Lord does call and call again upon sinners to turn from their evil ways and live.

DOCTRINE 1: I begin with the first doctrine, That evil ways are the ways of death. As they are morally evil, so evil is destructive to them that walk in them. Indeed, these ways may seem right, but because of this, they are not the least, but more pernicious. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death,” (Proverbs 14:12).

1. These evil ways many times accelerate and hasten temporal death. That was the sentence pronounced on man’s fall; “Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.” And how often by sin is the execution of the sentence speeded? We read of some that are not suffered “to live out half their days,” (Psalm 55:23), the reason is, because they live so wickedly. Those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness, might have lived to possess the Land of Promise; but they sometimes murmured, sometimes they commit idolatry, sometimes fornication, and at last, the oath is sworn they should not enter into Canaan. The intemperate and unclean, how do they waste their strength? How many diseases do they punish themselves with? And though so miserably unprepared for judgment, hasten their departure out of this world to the tribunal of him, who judges righteously?

2. These evil ways; God who is our life is not to be found in. In a spiritual sense we are dead though alive, while we walk here. The Ephesians are said to be “dead in trespasses and sin, while they walked according to the course of this world, and had their conversation in the lusts of their flesh,” (Ephesians 2:22-23). If the life of the soul consists in being united to God, in being animated and acted by his Spirit, then iniquity that separates between God and us, (Isaiah 59:2) must necessarily be “granted a deadly thing.”

3. These evil ways are the beaten path to hell’s damnation, to the death which is everlasting. Never did any come to hell but through these ways; and there is not one that continues to walk in them without conversion, but shall at the last come there. The enemy on the pale horse without a second enemy is dreadful. But when hell follows immediately after him; alas, what hand can be strong? What heart can by able to endure? This second death is by one of the fathers called (thanato aphthaptos) θάνατο ἄφθαρτος, The death that is immortal; because the sinner is never put out of his pain, but never quite dispatched; the fire burns still, but never totally consumes those whom it burns; the worm still gnaws, but is never satisfied.

Whither away besotted and blinded soul? To where is it that you are making such post-haste? It is gain, delight, and happiness which you are chasing, that you would rather fly than run towards it? Alas no; it is in the broad way that you drive on so furiously; it is not gain, but loss; it is not pleasure, but pain; it is not happiness, but misery which you are pursuing. O! stop your course and go no further! O leave this lower path, “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath,” (Proverbs 15:24).

You see in what respects that evil ways are the ways of death. Now, the righteousness of God, in punishing those with death that persist in these ways, will be evident, if the following things are considered.

1. These ways are expressly forbidden by him that is the supreme Law-giver; who has power to save, and to destroy; and  for some, a wretch as man is, to affront and despise, that majesty and authority that is so infinitely high above him, justly deserves an infinite punishment. Besides, the Lord proffers himself to a sinner, if he will forsake his evil ways and thoughts. Now if the sinner rejects that offer, and does not prefer only the empty world, but the vilest lusts before the blessed God, let reason judge if it is not just; that he should eternally be separated from him. And this poena damni, loss of God, is more properly the death spoken of, it is indeed the very hell of hell.

2. Sinners are threatened with death; if therefore they will venture on that which brings them under the lash of the threatenings, it is only just that they should hurt for that presumption. They are forewarned to flee from the wrath which is to come; but if they take no warning, that wrath will very justly overtake them. They cannot plead, either that they did not know their Master’s will, or that they were ignorant of the penalty following upon their rebelling against it. How often have those that enjoy the light of the Gospel, been informed that it is the will of God that they should sorrow and rend their hearts for sin; that it is the will of God, even their sanctification, (1 Thessalonians 4:3). No, how often have they been foretold of the many stripes that must be endured by those that continue in willful disobedience? It is not unequal then, since they made the Lord a liar by their unbelief, that he should vindicate his truth, and cause them to feel those plagues and torments which thousands of times they were warned of; but had no faith or fear concerning them.

3. As sinners are threatened because of their evil ways, so they are shown which is the way of life and peace, and are very much pressed to walk in it. Assisting and strengthening grace is proffered to them; but if neither that glory and immortality at the end of the way, nor that help and grace which they may have in the way, are regarded, but the paths of destruction and misery (as they are called (Romans 3:16)) are preferred, they indeed wrong their own souls; but God is righteous in destroying them.

The only use I shall make of this doctrine, is to caution you against these evil ways, that are the ways of death. You that through grace have left them, take heed of declining towards them. It has cost the saints dearly, when they have stepped aside; their falls have defiled them and broken their bones. And you that still resolve to walk in these ways, at last open your eyes, and see where you are going. On reading these lines, make a stop without delay, lest sudden death, sudden destruction, sudden damnation come on you, and there is no possibility of escaping , (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

1. Do not let the profit of these ways blind you. Riches are deceitful, they appear to be what they are not, and while we are eagerly pursuing these, we are gulled and cheated of far truer riches; we miss of that “treasure in heaven that will never fail,” (Luke 12:33). Do not be deluded by the unrighteous mammon; satisfaction, ease, contentment may be promised, but you will be paid in trouble and vexation. Riches are compared to thorns by our Lord, because they choke the good seed of the Word, and partly because they pierce those that dote on them with many sorrows. Take the balances of the sanctuary, and weigh the gain that you get by walking in your evil ways, with the loss that you both do and will sustain; and then it will be apparent, that Satan’s and the heart’s plea of profit is very unreasonable. You gain earth, but you lose grace; you gain gold, but you lost God; you gain a little of the world, which you can keep only for a very little while, but you lose your souls, and a whole eternity of glory.

2. Do not let the pleasure of these evil ways ensnare you; the pleasures of some usually delight only the more brutish part of man; and how much does one that has a reasonable soul act below himself, in minding those pleasures that are common, even to beat themselves? Solomon had an abundance of them, “Whatever his eyes desired, he kept not from them, neither with-held he from his heart any joy;” but he found them so mean, so low, so unsuitable, that in their midst he cries out, “All is vanity and vexation of spirit,” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). Pleasures are delightful dreams, but how short are they, how soon does affliction, death, if not hell awaken us? Those that are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, how inconsiderate are they in what they choose, or what they refuse? Pleasures are the baits which cover sin, and make it swallowed down with eagerness; they are the fatal potion which stupefies the soul, and makes it lie senseless and helpless in extreme danger; they are the more fine and yet most strong cords, by which Satan draws men down to the chambers of death. No, they are the fuel that heat the burning lake. “By how much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her,” (Revelation 18:7). O, how will the voluptuous one day hurt for all their pleasures!

3. Do not let the multitude of those who walk in these evil ways confirm and harden you. Lot walked alone in the war of righteousness, though Sodom was generally defiled by an ungodly conversation; he would not follow a multitude to do evil. He said that, “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,” (Matthew 7:14). Surely he never intended his disciples to go in the beaten path of the world. Sinner, do not deceive yourself with this, “You do what others do, and you shall shift as well as they.” You and they will fare alike indeed; that is, be turned into hell for your wickedness.

There will be no comfort there to have companions in your misery; but rather among the damned, there will be a torturing grief and indignation at the fight of one another, to consider what incarnate devils they were to one another’s souls, and helped forward one another’s condemnation. On this score it might be that the rich man, “was so unwilling his brethren should come to the place of torment,” (Luke 16), because if they were damned for those sins which he in his lifetime had been an accessory to; their company with him in hell would have been only added to his woe. We use to say here, The more, the merrier; but there it will be, The more, the sadder. When God had all his enemies in one place together, and none of his people mingled with them, then all his wrath will be stirred up, and all the vials of his fury poured down upon them. I am finished with the first doctrine, That evil ways are the ways of death.

THE SECOND DOCTRINE

DOCTRINE 2: The second doctrine is this: The great  reason why men die and die forever, is because they will. They will be the servants of sin, though death is all the wages they shall certainly have for all their toilsome and laborious service. Sinners will not be purged, “Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem, wilt thou not by made clean? when shall it once be?” They will not be gathered under the wing of Christ, though it is the only place of refuge, both from the rage of Satan, and from the wrath of God. “O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as an hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not,” (Matthew 23:37). No, the wills of many, who have often slighted the admonitions and calls of Moses and the prophets, are too desperately bent to sin, that though they should see the flames and torments it makes others suffer; yet they would not be persuaded to forsake it, “Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead they will repent; and he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets; neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead,” (Luke 16:30-31).

My work in the opening of this doctrine, will be first to demonstrate the truth of it, That men die because they will. Secondly, to evidence that men’s inability to what is good, so often spoken of in Scripture, does not at all contradict this doctrine.

The arguments to demonstrate that men’s own wills are the great cause of their death and perdition, are these.

1. One argument shall be drawn from the natural corruption and deprivation of the will of man. And where does this corruption lie, but in the wills declining from God, the fountain of life and peace, and inclining to what is evil? Though the sinner (woe to him) calls that evil good; and imagines that to be sweet, which will prove as bitter and poisonous as the very gall of asps to him. Pelagians may compare the will of man to a pure virgin, which in the first apostasy escaped deflowering; but it is certain, both from Scripture and experience, that in the will, original sin shows itself mostly. He that does not understand his “heart to be desperately wicked,” (Jeremiah 17:9), it is a sign that his heart deceives him, and with his heart, he is utterly unacquainted. What unbelief, what pride, what alienation from the life of God, what enmity against the command, which is holy, just, and good, (Romans 7) there is in the will of a natural man? The will, being so deeply corrupted, and bearing such sway as indeed it does, must necessarily hinder conversion to God, and holiness, which it so much dislikes; and consequently has 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 smoke against them, because of their stubbornness and willfulness in their evil ways, if they had a sincere will, and only wanted power to do that which is good. When the Lord inflicted judgments on his ancient people, he speaks of their obstinacy, their refusing to hearken, and to be reclaimed; and he does this to vindicate the equity of his more severe ways of dealing with them. We read, “That the Lord testified against Israel by his prophets and seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments,” (2 Kings 17:13,14,18).  Notwithstanding that they would not hear, but hardened their necks like unto the neck of their fathers, which did not believe in the Lord their God; now on his willfulness 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 man’s inability to do that which is good, does not thwart this doctrine, that their sin and misery is to be laid at their will’s door. The Holy Spirit, that he might humble the children of men, and beat down the opinion they have of their own power and righteousness, and make them use that speech of the prophet, “Surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength,” (Isaiah 45:25) inculcates this, that man in his sinful and degenerate state is unable to do what is spiritually good; therefore we are said to be “without strength,” (Romans 5:6).  “We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God,” (2 Corinthians 3:5). “We are said to be faint, and to have no might,” (Isaiah 40:29). And our Lord tells us plainly, “Without me ye can do nothing,” (John 15:5). But for all this, though we lack 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 sinner’s 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,” (Philippians 4:13). It is true, that man is unable, but with this he is unwilling to do what God requires of him, though tending to his own welfare. The reason why he continues to sin, and is undone by it, is not only because he cannot convert himself, but also, and principally, because he is unwilling to be converted. This will be made further to appear in these particulars.

1. Sinful man imagines himself to be able to turn from his evil ways; he defers his repentance, as if he could turn to God at an hour’s warning. Now that he does not do what he thinks he can; his own will must be the impediment, and this is what he must blame if he perishes.

2. Sinful man will not do what he is readily able to perform; he has one talent, 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 willfully goes to the harlot’s house, the unrighteous worldling willfully gets dishonest gain; therefore it follows, that these willfully destroy themselves. A natural man can do that which is good, as to the matter, though he fails in the manner of doing. He can pray, hear, read; but he willfully omits these duties; and so willfully subjects himself to the curse that is threatened on 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, he would be unwilling to give a pound. In the same manner a natural man, who will not do what he can to be saved, which is very little, if his power were greater, he would not do more in order to receive salvation.

3. Sinful man is sorry that he is able to do so much, he wishes that he was totally impotent, so that it might serve as an excuse for him. This shows 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 him for the accomplishing of the promises made in the gracious covenant. No, he willfully resists the Spirit when he comes to work on him; he would rather be left alone in his sin. That’s the language of ungodly ones, “They say unto God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways,” (Job 21:14). The wicked man, though he may cavil that he lacks power, yet his lack of will to be turned and live, is what mainly ruins him. And all those high thoughts and reasonings against God, as if he was a hard Master, as if his ways were not equal, at the great day, how will he be ashamed of them? Conscience shall fly in his face and in sadness will reproach him with this: that he was often warned and called on, but would not turn that he might have life.

THE APPLICATION FOLLOWS

Use 1. Of information in these particulars

1. Do men die forever because they will? Then who art thou, O man, that chargest God with thy destruction? Surely you do not here foolishly charge God; as he does not delight in your sin, so neither in your death. The malefactor must not be angry with the Judge for passing a sentence of condemnation on him, but he ought to blame himself for doing that for which he deserves to be condemned. “How often has he stretched forth his hand, all the day long, but all the day long you have been disobedient and gainsaying?” (Romans 10). How speechless will this make you, when he comes to judge the world in righteousness?

2. Do men die forever because they will? Then the death of the wicked is most just and righteous. It is but equal that the willing slaves of sin, that would not become the Lord’s freemen, should be chained in chains of darkness. The offender that refuses a pardon offered, justly, no, doubly deserves to have judgment executed, both because of his offense, and because he slights mercy. The patient who thrusts away the physician, who would heal him of a sore distemper, very well deserves 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 would perish and be condemned, yet he is not wronged in the least.

3. Do men die forever because they will? What a torture it will be to them in hell, to think that it was their own willfulness which brought them there. Such kinds of reflections as there will be as so many poisoned daggers to pierce the very soul of a damned reprobate. What ails me to prove a devil to myself! What ailed me to side with Satan, for the bringing about of my own destruction! What frenzy was this, to make the whips myself, with which I am to be lashed! To kindle the flames with my own hands; in which I must dwell and burn forever!

Use 2. Shall be of caution: Take heed of willful sinning, which is the high road leading to death. Take heed also, lest you content yourselves with a seeming willingness to escape destruction.

1. Let me caution you against willful sinning. The more of the will that is in transgression, the more provocation; therefore David is so earnest “to be kept from presumptuous sins,” which he knew, because presumptuous sins are so great, (Psalm 19:13). In a land and time of light, take heed of being willfully ignorant: In the midst of helps and encouragements to duty, take heed of sloth, which is a fault of the will; but “be a follower of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises,” (Hebrews 6:12). Let no sin be loved, pleaded for, lived in; do not let the pleasing taste make you venture on any forbidden fruit; do not let the fine-colored skin make you hug any serpent in your bosom, which will sting you to death.

2. Let me caution you against that which is only a seeming willingness to turn from sin, and escape destruction.

1. An idle unindustrious will, is only a seeming will. A lazy wish to be saved, where there is no serious using of the means of salvation, signifies nothing, but that you are grossly ignorant and stupid, ignorant of the worth of salvation, and stupidly insensible of your own danger.

2. A will for the future is only a seeming will. Most of those who go on in their evil ways, have a will to leave them hereafter; but this only shows their present unwillingness. And if you are backward to turn now, you are likely hereafter to be more averse. When God is further departed from you, when Satan has built stronger holds in you, when conscience has grown more stupid, when custom in sin has doubled the strength and vehemence of your natural inclination to it. Alas! how many millions have died and been taken away in their iniquities, that were as fully resolved on repenting hereafter, as any that are now alive? Take heed of this rock, on which so many have split, and been cast away forever. God’s will is for the present; he says, “Today if you will hear my voice, harden not your heart,” (Hebrews 3:7-8). But if now when God is willing to give you life, you are unwilling; he may be hereafter unwilling, when you would struggle to have it. When death and destruction come upon you as a whirlwind, he has threatened that you shall call on him for life and salvation, but it shall be far from you; you shall call on him for life and salvation, but it shall be far from you; “You shall seek him early, buy you shall not find him, if now you have knowledge, and do not choose the fear of the Lord,” (Proverbs 1:28-29).

3. A will on a mistake is only a seeming will. Those whom our Lord compares to the stony ground, heard the word with joy, and were willing to embrace it, but they did not dream of the cross and persecution; that made them fall away. Many seem willing to be converts, but they do not sit down and count the cost of conversion. And when they are informed, that they must deny themselves, let go of all their affections presently, and out of their profession too, when standing in competition with the Lord Jesus; when they are informed, that a bill of divorce must be given to their Herodias, that they must bid defiance to every lust, though it pleads never so much delight or gain that it may still be embraced; when they are informed, that they must watch, and pray, and walk with the greatest care, and fervency, and circumspection, that they must take the kingdom of heaven with a holy violence, as it were by the storm, else they will fall short and lose the crown. O then they cry out, “These are hard sayings; who can hear them?”

Use 3. Of exhortation. Since men die because they will, let me persuade you to consent that your wills may be renewed. Man does not have a worse enemy than his own will, until there is a change in it. And that this change may be effected to observe these directions.

1. Judge yourselves because of your natural perverseness; until sensible of this, you cannot be humbled in a right manner. That you have sinned so much, so long, should very much affect and afflict you before God, but that you have a will to sin ten thousand times more, if it was not for the restraints of grace; no, to sin into eternity. O, what confusion and sorrow this should cause!

2. Study the deceitfulness of the tempter and the world; then your hearts will not be so forward to be taken with their bait, and to be drawn away from God. The world is vain and vexing, and Satan is a liar and a murderer, you have little reason to yield to either.

3. Set before your eyes the blessedness of eternal life, and the misery of everlasting death, that life may be chosen, and the way to it.

4. Be fervent in prayer, that the Lord according to his promise would give you a new heart, and work in you to will of his own good pleasure, (Ezekiel 36:26 and Philippians 2:13). And if he causes your hearts to desire grace and glory, he will satisfy those desires he has raised in you; if he works in you to will and to do, notwithstanding opposition, you shall work out your own salvation, and an abundant entrance shall be administered to you, into the everlasting kingdom. This is the second doctrine. The reason why men die, and die forever, is because they will.

THE THIRD DOCTRINE

DOCTRINE 3. The third doctrine follows. The Lord calls and calls again on sinners to turn from their evil ways and live. “Turn ye, turn ye” God says in the text. The business of conversion is not a thing which man first thought of; no, he would never think of it, or be persuaded to it, if the Lord did not call after him, and make that call effectual. We read indeed in the Scripture of sensible and awakened penitents, crying and begging to be turned; but these cries are only as it were, the echoes of God’s voice and call that went before. In the handling of the doctrine, I shall first show how God calls on sinners to turn to him. Secondly, why he does it. Thirdly, explain the nature of this conversion or turning. Fourthly, conclude with application.

In the first place, I am to show how God calls on sinners to turn to him. He does this is several ways:

1. He calls on them from Mount Ebal. That was the mount from where the curses were denounced; he tells them in his Word of the cursedness and woe of the unconverted’s state. He sent the law as a schoolmaster to teach them a sad lesson; that because of their frequent transgressions, they are just on the brink of eternal misery; and the design is, that by this they may be awakened and stopped in their destructive way, and not flatter themselves with hopes of peace, though they still walk on after the imagination of their evil hearts.

This voice of the Lord by the law is loud and terrible, uttered on purpose to rouse and startle those that are dead asleep. When the law was delivered, “There was a burning with fire, there was a blackness, and darkness, and tempest, the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they had heard, increased that the word might not be spoken to them anymore; and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake,” (Hebrews 12:18-19, 21). And if the manner of the law’s delivery was so dreadful, the manner of the Law’s execution on those who violated it will be much more dreadful. The first darkness at Mount Sinai was nothing in comparison with the fire of hell, and the blackness of darkness there. On the impenitently wicked the Lord has threatened “to rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup,” (Psalm 11:6). And truly this lecture of the law is necessary, that we may attain a true knowledge and understanding of sin; and when we have been thus at the foot of Mount Ebal and Sinai, and have heard that sin is the great hindrance of all sorts, both temporal and spiritual, and also everlasting; this is the way to cure our unreasonable doting on it, and to make us fear and tremble because we have given so much way to it.

2. God calls upon sinners from Mount Gerizzim, to turn to him; from where the old blessings were sounded forth. He not only gives them a sight of wrath, as near at hand, while they continue as workers of iniquity; but also gives them a view of mercy afar off, which shall by brought near to them on the condition that their wickedness is forsaken. “Upon the righteous man’s forsaking of his sinful ways and thoughts, mercy and abundant pardon are promised,” (Isaiah 55:7). This call of the Gospel from Mount Gerizzim is like the still voice after the strong wind, the first whisper after the earthquake. How full of encouragement are those words, “Turn unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts,” (Zechariah 1:3). And, “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity. Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help found. I will heal thy backslidings, and will love thee freely,” (Hosea 14:1), though you deserve nothing but my anger and my hatred.

Satan, by tempting us to sin, has taken way our blessing from us, yet we ought not to despond; for the Lord has more than one blessing. That which the first Adam forfeited, the second Adam was sent to restore, “God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities,” (Acts 3:26). The Lord takes sinners up, as it were, into Mount Gerizzim; he shows them his kingdom, and the glories of it; he tells them of his store of blessings, of the inestimable benefits which his Son has purchased, justification, adoption, sanctification, glory, and he assures them, All shall be theirs, if they will only indeed turn. And truly there are other kinds of offers, than Satan ever did, or can possibly make.

3. God calls on sinners to turn, by the most passionate pleadings and pressing expostulations. His design in expostulating, is to make them sensible of their unreasonableness in pursuing deceitful vanities, and fulfilling their defiling lusts, and refusing to convert unto him, who both can sanctify them from their defilements, and satisfy them with his all-sufficiency. He expostulates the matter with Judah, “Why will you spend your money, for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which cannot satisfy? Since upon your coming to me, the life of your souls, and the sure mercies of an everlasting covenant may be obtained,” (Isaiah 55:2-3).

The Lord pleads with the ungodly by the ministry of the Word, after this manner. What! Though you are told of deceitful sins, a defiling and damnable nature; will you still embrace and hold it fast, to my dishonor and your own destruction? Though you are forewarned of the heat and heaviness of my anger, will you not flee from it? Though you are informed so often how little hell will be for your ease, will you needs run thither, and burn there forever? Though you are told of a kingdom that cannot be moved, will not you be moved with desire after it, will you not be persuaded to strive for it? Are grace and glory of no worth at all? Is not a Savior to be prized by them, who by sin have enslaved and lost themselves, and are in danger of being lost unto eternity? Consider these things, and show yourselves men, O you transgressors. So the Lord pleads, that he may prevail with sinners, for their own good.

4. God calls on sinners to turn, by the examples of others, and by the voice of the rod upon themselves. The ungodly are very prone to observe bad examples, that they may imitate them; but it is their duty to take motive when exemplary punishments are inflicted on them, that they may be afraid to follow them in wickedness any longer. When we behold others plagued for the sins which we are guilty of, the Lord bids us to see the heinousness of our own iniquities, in the strokes which others have felt before our eyes. And we may justly expect, that similar sins will have similar ends, if there is a continuance in provocation. Examples are purposely set before us, “that we may not lust after evil things,” (1 Corinthians 10:6) that we may be admonished to turn out those paths, which have lead others to ruin.

But especially when the rod does fall upon our own backs, God calls on us in a more perceivable and sensible way to turn to him. The design of the rod is to embitter sin, both to the flesh and to the conscience; and that it may no longer be imagined to be delightful, which is the procuring cause of every stripe that is endured. The rod has a voice as well as the Word, which it is our wisdom to hear. When affliction is laid on the sinners loins, the Lord speaks of such kind language by it, Jeremiah 2:17. “"Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?” To turn from your iniquity is to consult your own ease; let the pain of the rod (which yet is nothing to the pains of hell) convince you, that sin is not to be admired for its pleasure; at present you are only chastised with whips, but if you are incorrigible, and sin yet more and more, assuredly at last you shall be lashed with scorpions.

God calls on 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 not the way, therefore turn out of it; but concerning the way of holiness, which leads to God. This is the way, therefore turn unto it, and walk in it without declining, (Isaiah 30:21). All the other calls will be to little purpose, unless the Spirit accompanies them. Without this conviction, the denunciation of curses will not awaken. Without his illumination, the blessing proffered will be undervalued. Without his setting an edge on them, the most pathetical expostulations will not have the least efficacy to persuade; the loudest word will be regarded no more than a whisper. Unless the Spirit joins his teaching and instruction, the rod will be learned either by personal afflictions or by national judgments. It is dangerous, therefore, to be heedless of, and to resist the Holy Spirit, since the efficacy of all depends on him.

There is a twofold call of the Spirit, more common and more special.

1. More common; and so, many are called, which are never thoroughly converted. It was the common work of the Spirit which made Felix tremble; which brought Agrippa within a step of Christianity, and caused Herod to do many things. Multitudes of unregenerate ones have felt the waters to be stirred, the Holy Spirit moving them to conversion, and readily proffering his aid and assistance; and perhaps for a while they have been led by him. But then they refused to let go of some lust or vanity, 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, flighting of his help, they have made the Spirit to go away in grief, that came in love to work on 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 persuaded 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 efficaciously, he convinces of sin, (John 16:8). He sets the law before them, and he himself is the law’s interpreter; and by his commentary on it they are made to see, that the law forbids not only the breaking 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 comes in this way, O! how the offence abounds! 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 to be registered there? And if on dipping into this book, so many abominations appear, what an innumerable multitude are in the book of God’s remembrance? Though sinners may not consider it, yet God remembers all their wickedness, (Hosea 7:2). The soul says to the heart, “Innumerable evils compass him about, (as David speaks) his iniquities take hold on him,” (Psalm 40:12). When he lies down, they lie down; when he rises, they rise with him; wherever he goes or is, they continually dog and haunt him.

If the sinner has been notorious, how hideous and horrid will sin appear to him, when all pleas and excuses are silenced, when the painted visor is pulled off, and it is seen by him in its native complexion? Drunkenness, uncleanness, oaths, profane jesting, greediness after the world, will then no longer be made light of. These and those alike them, 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 freed from the more gross pollutions of the world; yet enough shall he be shown to cause him to conclude that he himself is a wretch, and in a lost estate. What! are all his omissions, or mocking of the jealous God, by heartless performances, nothing? Is his mispent time and disregard 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, only a small matter? These are heinous sins, which the more civilized are to be charged with.

This conviction of the Spirit is strong and lasting, and doesn’t wear off until the sinner is brought quite home. Actual transgressions lie heavy with their aggravations; and original sin, which is the fountain from which the others flow, is discovered. And in this fountain there is enough to feed ten thousand times more streams than have issued forth. David is not only convinced of the murder and adultery he had committed, but is made to trace these sins to the root, the original corruption of his nature, (Psalm 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 sinner’s state; he is made to see himself as a child of disobedience, and 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 restless in a natural estate. Carnal security is one of the first things that is struck at by the Spirit; he bids the soul to wake, and lets him know that while he sleeps in sin; it is much more hazardous, that if he slept at the top of a mast.

The sinner may well be afraid; he has engaged wrath armed with irresistible and almighty power against himself. “And who can stand before God’s indignation? Who can abide in the fierceness of his anger,” (Nahum 1). The curses of the law have a dreadful sound in the sinner’s ears; and because they are threatened, damnation will no slumber long; the propinquity and nearness of such great evils raises fear exceedingly. His assent is strong; and in his mind he now forsees “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 Thessalonians 8:9). And on he thinks with himself, how terrible it will be, to be of the number of them who shall call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, that they may be hid from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb! This causes him to make a halt in his wicked course; he does not dare to rush into sin, as the horse rushes into battle.

3. Those whom the Spirit calls effectually, he raises grief and sorrow in them, because of their sin and misery. They see what they have done against God, against themselves; and this makes their spirits troubled. This is that being weary and heavy laden (which the Scripture speaks of) that is in those whom Christ calls to come to him, “that they might find rest for their souls,” (Matthew 11:28-29). “There was a voice heard on the high places, weeping and supplication of the children of Israel; because they had perverted their way, and had forgotten the Lord their God;” and this went before their closing with his invitation to return, (Jeremiah 3:21-22).

The sinner by the Spirit is made to behold the sadness of his case, the evil of his sin, how miserably he has been deceived by his lusts and Satan; and so his own folly  in yielding to them. How does he now accuse and condemn himself? “His heart is grieved, he is pricked in his reins, because he has been so foolish and ignorant, so like a beast before God,” (Psalm 73). He wishes a thousand times, that temptations had been resisted, and that sin had never been committed. I shall represent the workings of the sinner’s heart in this prosopopaeia. O wretched as I am, what have I been doing all my days! Was this the end I was made for, to undo myself? Was there no better employment to be found, than to add sin to sin, and so to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? How much time have I misspent, and what pains have I taken to make myself so miserable! Ah foolish self-destroying wretch! Do you not see how far you are gone in the broad way; how long sin has made a mere slave of you; and how bitterly you have provoked the Lord to anger? O that my head were waters, and my eyes fountains of tears, that I might weep day and night! The damned will weep and wail forever, and shall I not mourn and weep that have so highly deserved to be damned? Well may I be troubled, and bowed down greatly, and go mourning all the day long. So the sinner grieves and bemoans himself; and carnal company, sensual pleasures, worldly diversions cannot drive away this sorrow; none but he who broke the heart is able to bind up the wounds of it.

4. Those whom the Spirit calls effectually, he causes to despair in themselves. They are made to perceive, that they have no power to raise themselves out of those depths of sin and misery, which they have plunged themselves into; and as they are unable to help themselves, so they see that they are utterly unworthy to be helped. God may justly suffer them to lie where they are fallen; if he should deal thus, they would fall lower and lower, until falling past recovery. The sinner may have recourse to his duties, hoping by these to make amends to God, for what he has done amiss; but he is made to see, that his best duties have so much sin mingled with them; that were it not for Christ’s righteousness and intercession, they would be a mere abomination. Now he is beaten off from his own bottom, he has no confidence in the flesh (as the apostle speaks) (Philippians 3:3). He can do nothing of himself; he can claim nothing as his due to be done for him, but he must be beholding to grace for all.

On this he “cries out of the depths unto the Lord,” (Psalm 130:1). He perceives himself to be sinking, and cries, “Lord save me, or I perish.” I am at the brink of the bottomless pit, and I  shall fall in, unless the hand of mercy catches hold of me. He begs with Ephraim, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.” And as the evil of his sin is presented to his view, so the goodness of God is in some measure by the Spirit discovered; and therefore he desires to be converted, not only on necessity, because otherwise he would be extremely and eternally miserable; but also on choice, because this is the way unto the truest happiness. And these desires to be turned, are as it were the first breathings of the new creature. So I have shown the manner of the Spirit’s operation in those whom he calls effectually to turn to God; as also the several other ways how the Lord calls on sinners to conversion; most of which prove ineffectual, because they are called deaf, disobedient, and gainsaying.

SECOND PART, WHY GOD CALLS MEN TO REPENT

My work in the second place, will by to lay down the reasons, why God calls the children of men to turn from their evil ways and live.

The reasons are such as these:

1. By this he shows his gracious nature, that he does not delight in the death and destruction of his creatures. Indeed death will be inflicted on them on their obstinate continuance in evil; but the showing mercy and giving life, is the thing that pleases God; therefore he calls the most obdurate to conversion.

2. The Lord calls us to turn, that by this he may inform us of our duty. We may understand from this that it is our duty to go astray no longer, but to come to our Father’s house with speed; and by the pressing frequency of the calls, our obligation to this duty is vastly heightened. And truly the disregarding of our duty in this particular, and the great engagements to it; our refusing to turn, will do us more harm, than all our other sins. All our other sins, upon our conversion, would be abundantly pardoned; but as long as we continue unconverted, not one is forgiven, the guilt of all still lies on us, and we assuredly do lie under wrath.

3. The Lord calls on us to turn to show that our turning to him will not be in vain. Though sin has very much abounded, yet there is not only a possibility, but a certainty on our returning, of our being graciously received and embraced. And this is a matter of great encouragement to a soul who lies under the apprehensions of sin and wrath. Hark what language is spoken to Judah! “Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things, as thou couldest, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord,” (Jeremiah 3:1, 5). This call evidently shows that their transgressions though multiplied exceedingly (if they would now only turn unfeignedly) should not be a bar to shut the door of mercy against them.

4. The Lord calls on us to turn, to intimate it is from him, we must have power and strength to turn in truth. The precepts and exhortations in Scripture, to convert, to repent, to believe, to stand fast, and such like, are not delivered, that from hence we might conclude that we have power in ourselves, to do what we are commanded and exhorted to; but they are delivered, that we might turn these precepts into prayers. For instance, when we hear a command, to believe, it should make us cry out with the sick child’s 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 the penitent, “Turn thou me and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God,” (Jeremiah 31:18).

5. The Lord calls on 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 says, All the day long I have stretched my hand forth to a disobedient and gainsaying people, (Romans 10). But their disobedience rendered them without apology. When the unconverted fall into God’s revenging hands, they are the least to be pitied, they can have nothing to plead; because God’s 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 summoned to the bar, how will they be struck speechless, not having one word to say, against their own condemnation! They were called to 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 ways of sin; and were dehorted from it; not being wooed or entreated by 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 by stopped; or if they say anything, when sentence is passed on them, it must be, to side with the justice of God against themselves, to acknowledge the equality of his ways, the inequality of their own.

6. The Lord calls on us to turn, that those who are ordained to eternal life may be effectually wrought on, 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,” (Acts 13:48). And the truth is, it is much for the sake of the elect, who are scattered up and down among the multitude, that the call to turn is as general as it is. By this those whom the Father has given to Christ are brought home; and coming home, how welcome are they? “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that comes to me, I will in no wise cast out,” (John 6:37). So much for the reasons why God calls on sinners to turn.

THE THIRD PART, THE NATURE OF CONVERSION

In the third place, I promised to explain the nature of this conversion or turning. And I find the apostle gives a notable and full description of it, where he calls it, “A turning from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.,” (Acts 26:18). From this we gather that conversion lies in four things:

1. In being turned from darkness.

2. In being turned into light.

3. In being turned from the power of Satan.

4. In being turned to God.

1. Conversion implies a being turned from darkness. As darkness was on the face of the deep, until God said, “Let there be light,” (Genesis 1:2). So, truly, darkness overspreads the soul of a natural man, until he is enlightened from above. Believers are delivered from the power of darkness when translated into the Son’s kingdom, (Colossians 1:13) which shows 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 are 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 of salvation, but are made inquisitive of what they must do to be 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 over, 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,” (John 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 it is vain to expect anything from him as a Savior, unless there is a consenting to obey him as Lord. These and similar truths are no longer hidden from them. They are now sensible of the mischief and danger of ignorance; it is therefore their desire to have it removed in greater measure; and they follow on to know the Lord.

2. Converts are turned from the darkness of unbelief. The Spirit works a persuasion in their hearts, of the certain truth of whatever God has revealed in his Word. They no longer dare to make the Lord a liar, by not crediting what he has recorded. They believe and admire, and acknowledge the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, (Colossians 2:2). Until now, their unbelief hid the Gospel from them; and concluded them to be in a lost estate; they did not see the majesty of the Word, they were not taken with the treasures of wisdom and grace, which are revealed there; neither were they awakened by the terrors, with which the Word abounds against ungodly ones. But now the veil 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 to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. And that “having been justified by his blood, they shall be saved from wrath through him,” (Romans 5:9). They believe that sin is deadly, and the world is 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 endeavors 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; where it being the glory of the divine nature, certainly it is the greatest honor and perfection which the rational creature is capable of. Sometimes holiness is looked on 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 to 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 Spirit,” (Romans 14:17) where the joy before was poor, low, brutish, and defiling, being mixed with many secret grudgings of conscience, and misgivings of the heart. Now when one is converted, the joy is pure, angelical, satisfactory, and an earnest of those “pleasures which will be forevermore,” (Psalm 16).

Neither is this unreasonable prejudice only against the ways of holiness, but also against the publishers of these ways. 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 often times is disregarded, though it is of such inestimable value, because of the vessel in which it is brought,

But when any are turned, the mist of prejudice is immediately scattered. Then, strict doctrine will go down, which before was nauseating, and made the heart to rise against it; then a servant of Christ will be esteemed and obeyed, that before was looked on as the “filth and off-scouring of the world,” (1 Corinthians 4:13).

4. Converts are turned from the works of darkness. These works are “cast off,” (Romans 13:12). No known presumptuous sin is allowed of; they perceive the fruitlessness of their former ways, and therefore are now ashamed of them, (Romans 6:21). Formerly they went on securely in sin, because they did not know where they were going; but now they perceive the tendency of these works of darkness, even to blackness of darkness forever; and they are made free from sin; that is, from sin’s 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 pleads for itself, “I have raised you from a mean degree to a high degree, I have filled your bag, and furnished your table. By me you have gotten a fair estate, otherwise you would have been little different from a beggar. And shall I now be cast off after having been so beneficial, and having 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 faired 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 it is a wonder, by such dishonest gaining of the world, that he did not lose his soul long ago.” Now therefore he is resolved against sinful gain, unless God, and Christ, and his soul are lost beyond recovery.

The pleasing sin also is not without arguments, for it’s being cherished; I have pleaded your flesh, and rejoiced your heart; I have made days and nights to pass insensibly away, I have gratified your senses, and made your tongue sing for joy; I have stupefied and laid that fury called conscience, when it has begun to stir and torture you; I have chased away your cares, and made you forget your sorrows. Time was when the very thoughts of me were delightful, and I was embraced as a darlking; 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 afforded you?

But the convert’s ear is deaf to such siren-melody; one word is enough to dash and answer all, “That the pleasures of sin are but for a season,” (Hebrews 11:25) but the pains of hell (which without conversion are sure to follow) will never have a period, nor be mitigated in the least. The rich man who had lived jocundly, faired deliciously every day, when he was cast into the flames, he begged for only a drop of water, and it was denied to 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. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light,” (Ephesians 5:8). And so, “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,” (2 Corinthians 4:6). This light has a threefold property, to discover, to direct, and 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 loathsome and hateful creatures in a dungeon, but until the lights shines in, these are not perceived; the breaking in of light discovers them. And so in the heart of man, many impure and noisome lusts have their abode; but they are not indeed acknowledged, neither are they any annoyance, until the light makes 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 is likewise shown 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 joining with, and teaching by it) shows which are the perverse and crooked paths, to the end, that these may be shunned and avoided; and it also directs into those ways which are pleasing to God, and pleasant in themselves; and moreover, so exceedingly wise, that none ever missed heaven, that continued to tread in them. We are directed to believe and to obey; and where faith and obedience are linked together, the offspring of that conjunction will most certainly be glory, honor, and immortality.

3.] This light operates in a powerful manner. It is a light that 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 all-sufficiency, and other perfections of God; but now they have such a view of his glory in the face of Christ, that the fire of love is kindled, and that love does put them to labor. When Caleb had seen the good land of promise, he was very eager “to go up at once and possess it,” (Numbers 13:30). And this was truly so, when this light had made a discovery of the celestial Canaan, and directed converts how to get there. O! what watching, what praying, what resisting, 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, (Ephesians 2:2) and has possession of them until they are converted; but then he is cast out, and his strongholds are thrown down. And O! considering the devil’s hatred, his power, his subtlety; 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 Satan’s dominion. They have wisdom and grace to resist his usurped authority. The promise made to those who are not under the Law, but under grace, is this, “That sin shall not have the dominion over them,” (Romans 6:14). And this necessarily implies, that Satan’s dominion shall be destroyed, for it is by the power of sin that he holds it. The net is now broken, 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 says to him, “go,” he goes; no, he runs, though it is to his own ruin. The devil can only ask and have. The sinner’s time and members, no, and his soul too, he can have on demand; but the convert draws near to God, and is so strengthened 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 the work of Satan is, that to God and their own souls the devil’s employments are wicked, and there is a better work than his; namely, the work of the Lord, which they labor in, and in the doing of which they cannot abound too much.

3. Those who are converted, Satan’s baits become despicable to them. It is by means of these that 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. He exceedingly magnifies sensual delights, 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, endeavors to set their hearts first on 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 had 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 recompense of reward, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, and flighted the pleasures of sin, and all the treasures which were in Egypt.

4. This conversion, as it implies being turned from the power of Satan, so implies being turned to God. “Turn to me, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn to you, says the Lord of Hosts,” (Zechariah 1:3). As it is in the king’s courts, many that go there busy themselves in beholding the curious hangings and the pictures which are there; but the wise statesman does not mind these; his business is with the King himself. In the same manner, while most of the creation is taken up wholly with the beholding and admiring and pursuing this and that, and the other vanity, the convert (who shows himself here 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 on 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 sovereignty, and submits himself to his scepter. “Other Lords indeed in times past have had the dominion over him,” (Isaiah 26:13) but now his resolution is fixed and peremptory to own no other Lord but God alone. His will stoops to, and complies with the will of God; and when his natural inclination towards anything is more vehement, if the convert is informed, “That God by that thing will be displeased; that’s enough to stop the current of his desires. He takes the testimonies of the Lord 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 echo back again to that command, “Oh that my ways were directed, that I might keep thy statutes!” (Psalm 119:4-5). He does not any longer dare to presumptuously commit the evil which the Word forbids, nor to omit the good which the Word commands. There are failings and infirmities, “In many things (says 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 himself from a 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. It was truly said by one of the ancients, Tam Pater nemo, cam 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, than earthly parents can be to give bread to their hungry children, (Matthew 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 rejoiced when he had found his sheep, the woman when she had recovered her piece of silver. That kind father, though necessity drove his children home, being ready to perish in a far country; and though he came in rags, having wasted all his substance in riotous living; I say, that kind father, as soon as he ever saw his son, ran to him, had compassion on him, embraced him, kissed him, clothed him, adorned him, and made a great feast for him; and how glad was he that the lost child was found, that the dead son was alive again!

Surely, we may conclude, that God is willing to receive those that, being sensible that “they have sinned, and perverted that which is right, and it has not profited them,” (Job 33:27), do with their whole heart return to him. It is true, the convert’s sins and unbelieving heart together, fill him many times with doubts and fears. He remembers God and is troubled, because he has so bitterly provoked him; he is afraid to call him Father, and very much doubts of being received; but then again, faith and hope are encouraged by such kind of promises as that which you read of. “Touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty,” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

3. The convert eyes God as his ultimate end; that God may be glorified, that God may be enjoyed in his design in turning the sinner is sensible, that while unconverted, he lived to the dishonor of him that gave him life, and in whose hand his breath is in. Now, therefore, he has the more zealous desires to walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, being fruitful in those works, which are to his praise. Before he sought himself, he sought his own things; he had no higher aim than to gratify his worldly and fleshly inclinations, with what his carnal and corrupted mind judged to be suitable. And since he was profited and pleased, he did not care how much the Lord was injured and provoked. But now he is of another mind, he carries on the same design as the angels do, that Christ did; namely, to honor and please the God of glory. And not only does he aim at this in his spiritual actions, but also in his civil and natural actions and recreations, which by this become spiritualized; he seriously minds that of the apostle, “Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God,” (1 Corinthians 10:31). And now he lives like a creature, like a son; before he lived like neither, while he lived only to himself.

And by this glorifying of God, the convert takes the right course to enjoy him. He looks on God as the best portion, and therefore pitches on him. Let the men of the world take the things of the world, if they please; let them pursue after rabble, let them toil and vex themselves, for that which, when attained, will prove only to be a further vexation. My soul, seeks only after God; he alone deserves your seeking; he alone, when found, can satisfy you to the uttermost. That is now his language.

Nothing short of God will content the convert; wealth cannot do it, credit, sensual delights cannot do it; no, ordinances themselves are but like empty breasts, and broken cisterns, unless communion with God is enjoyed in them. He prays for God, he hears for God, he fasts for God, he comes to the table for God. Earth is like hell, when God is absent; and he judges that heaven would not be heaven if God were not always present. So I have shown you where conversion lies, in being turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

THROUGH WHOM MEN ARE CONVERTED

I shall add a word or two further to manifest through whom it is that sinners must turn to God, if they would be received. And the truth is, it is through Christ alone. The apostle plainly affirms, “That through him both Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit unto the Father,” (Ephesians 2:18). And our Lord, in express terms, says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me,” (John 14:6). It is impossible that such guilty and polluted creatures as we have made ourselves by sin, should ever be accepted before a just and holy God, without a Mediator. Here it follows, there is a necessity that we should look unto Jesus (as the apostle’s phrase is) “in whom God is reconciling the world unto himself,” (2 Corinthians 5:19) or else we should not dare to approach, but run away for fear of being (as we deserve to be) consumed.

Now when we look to Jesus the Mediator, we must look on him as our righteousness, as our Advocate, as our Helper.

1. We must look on Christ as our righteousness. This is the Name by which that branch springs from David is called, “The Lord our Righteousness,” (Jeremiah 24:6). There is no coming to God without some righteousness or another. “Our own righteousness is like filthy rags;” and because rags, it is not able to cover us; because filthy rags, it cannot adorn or commend us. Therefore, we must look to Jesus so that he may be made our righteousness, that for the sake of his obedience and sufferings in our stead, our sins may be forgiven, and our persons may be accepted in the sight of God. The righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to believers, is so every way perfect and sufficient, that the pure and piercing eye of God can spy not the least flaw or defect in it. If therefore we are covered with this, none of our sins will appear against us, or be laid to our charge. Christ has died, and on his death, he justifies us actually. Who, therefore, shall accuse or condemn those that believe?

2. When we turn to God, we must look on Christ as our advocate, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” (1 John 2:1). This Advocate, as he suffered to purchase pardon and grace, so he intercedes that these may be bestowed on returning sinners, and God his Father hears him always. We ought to consider, and to be encouraged by considering, what a High Priest we have at the right hand of God. When the sinner beholds himself, is in himself undone, and comes petitioning for remission of sin, for the healing of his spiritual plagues, and for the saving of his soul, which seems to be just on the borders of damnation. This Advocate will take the sinner’s petition, and present it to his Father, and all shall be granted, yes, and infinitely more than the sinner can desire or conceive.

3. When we turn to God, we must look on Christ as our Helper. He does strengthen the feeble knees, or else we would not be able to set one step in the way to life. The Lord Jesus is called the “Author of our faith,” (Hebrews 12:2) and by him, believers are said to have “access into that grace wherein they stand,” (Romans 5:2).The sinner must be made sensible of his own insufficiency to turn himself, to set himself at liberty; and on this, must look unto the Son of God, to bring his soul out of prison, to make him free indeed from the curse of the law, from the bondage of corruption, and to enable to come to God, and cleave to Him.

THE APPLICATION

In the last place follows the application.

Use 1, of Examination.

Since God calls on sinners again and again to turn, It highly concerns all to examine, whether this call has been obeyed? It is wisdom to bring our grace to the touchstone, since there is so much counterfeit grace in the world. As it is an easy and common mistake in this matter; so there is no mistake more dangerous, and it will not be long until correcting mistakes about conversion will be impossible. The damned see how they deceived themselves; but alas! it is now too late to think of turning better; the door of mercy is shut and barred, and will be barred forever. I remember Theodore’s commenting on this text, observe, that the doubling of words in our text, “Turn ye, turn ye.” The Greek translation of the Hebrew is αὐτόν ἀποστροφῇ ἀποστρέψατε ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ ὑμῶν καὶ ἵνα τί ἀποθνῄσκετε οἶκος Ισραηλ, and gives us the meaning to understand the sincerity which is required in conversion. The repetition is important. A bare appearance sets us at a farther distance from God.

Here I shall speak of some changes that have a kind of similarity to conversion, which yet are to be found in them, that fall short of both grace and glory.

1. Those cannot be said to be indeed converted, Who are only turned to such or such a party, or opinion, about smaller matters in religion. Suppose your opinion is orthodox and right, what is that, if your heart is not right in the sight of God? Those who please themselves, because they have the name of Non-conformists, what does this signify, unless they refuse to conform to the sinful fashions and courses of the world? On the other side, those that boast of being Sons of the church, what advantage will that be to them, if by their swearing, lying, and hatred of holiness, they show themselves to be the Sons of Belial?

2. Those are not indeed converted, whose turning is only partial. Saul obeyed the command of the Lord in part against Amalek; he utterly destroyed that which was vile and of no reputation, but delicate Agag, and the best of the spoil was spared, (1 Samuel 15:9) but this partial obedience is censured as high rebellion, (verse 23). Many will yield to God’s call to some degree; the sins which they can easily spare, they will consent to the mortification of; but the chief, the darling, the delicate sin, which they live on, or live so sweetly with, O! That shall not be touched. Herod was a partial convert; in sundry respects he yielded obedience to the Baptist’s preaching, but when John would have turned him from his incest with Herodias, this could not be born, but instead of obeying this message, he persecutes, and afterward kills the messenger.

3. Those are not indeed converted, who only turn to God in the time of their extremity, and after are guilty of revolting. Israel, when Sinai was all in a fire before their eyes, turned to God, for fear of being consumed. They cry out, they “will hearken and do whatever the Lord should speak to them,” (Deuteronomy 5:27). But before a few days were expired, they quickly turned out of the way which God commanded them, and fell into gross idolatry. And again we read, “When God slew them, then they sought him, they returned and inquired early after him; yet all this while their heart was not right, neither were they steadfast in his covenant,” (Psalm 78:34,37). How many sick bed resolutions have looked like conversion, which on the return of health have vanished away? True conversion is a lasting change; there may indeed be falling fits, and fits of slumber: “The wise virgins slumbered and slept,” (Matthew 25) though they were not wise to do so. But yet true converts never go so far, as to change their Lord, and choose anything but God for their chief happiness.

Reader, beware of only being almost a convert, as you would be unwilling to be almost saved, and quite damned.

TRUE VERSES FALSE CONVERSION

The question now will be, how may true conversion be discerned from all those shows, whereby multitudes are deluded? I will answer this in the particulars.

1. In true conversion the heart is turned from the love of every known iniquity. The strength of sin lies in the love of it, and love to it plainly argues, that it holds the heart still in possession. That is the convert’s language, “I esteem thy commands concerning all things so to be right, and I hate every false way,” (Psalm 119:128). Your love is that which God does principally require of you; if sin, if the world would run away with that, how can you have the face to say you are turned? It is not sufficient to abstain from the outward act of sin, a hypocritical Pharisee may go so far; but the very soul must abhor it. Especially the sin that has been most desired, most delighted in, will be most detested when conversion is sincere. The covetous man when turned, will most abhor covetousness; the unclean, their filthiness; the proud, their pride; and the reason is evident, because by these sins God had been most displeased and dishonored, and they most of all polluted and defiled.

2. In true conversion, there is a renewing of the whole man. “All things are become new (says the apostle),” (2 Corinthians 5:17) in those that are new creatures; and old things are passed away. The whole man is sanctified, though not wholly sanctified; every part is changed, though the change is not perfect. The understanding is enlightened, the conscience is made tender, and has a great command; the heart makes choice of God, the desires are after his favor and fellowship, the members are yielded as instruments of righteousness unto holiness. The convert willingly resigns and gives up his whole self, both body and spirit to the Lord.

3. In true conversion there is a desire to be turned more and more; there is a hungering after a greater degree of righteousness. The remainders of the flesh are a burden, and “the Spirit does lust against them,” (Galatians 5:17). The convert goes to God, to perfect that which concerns him, to strengthen what he has wrought for him. Lord! Thou hast done much for me, but there is much more still to do; here many enemies still to slay, many distempers still to heal, many spots still to wash out, many wrinkles still to smooth. O! Thou who hast laid the foundation, rear up the building, and at last bring forth the top stone, that I may cry, grace, grace, forever!

4. In true conversion, there is a pure and fervent love to converts. Love to the brethren is a sign of being “passed from death unto life,” (1 John 3:14). Let them be mean, poor, of weak parts, let them be vilified and despised by the world; yet if saints, they will be esteemed and owned by those that are sincerely changed. Then our love is right, when any are more holy, the more we love them; and the more hold and designs they have on us, the more plainly they deal with us, for sin which they see in us, still we do more ardently affect them. Yes, and we can rejoice in their grace, though because of their luster, we shine more obscurely.

5. In true conversion, there is a pity towards the unconverted. Those who are turned have escaped danger, and they cannot help but to be moved with others’ peril. How can they choose anything except to mourn over their relations and acquaintance, that are without Christ and God in the world? O, what hazard do such run? When they go to sleep, they do not know that they may wake in the midst of flames that are unquenchable! When they go out of their houses they may be in hell before they return! They hand over the bottomless pit, by the small thread of their lives; and a thousand things may happen every day that are sufficient to break that thread, and then they would fall in without redemption. O doleful state of the ungodly! If you who are a religious wife, should wake in the night, and find your husband stone dead by you, would it not extremely amaze and grieve you? Or if you who are the master of a family should find all your children and servants of a sudden death before your eyes; would your heart not be extremely affected? And surely if your husband, your wife, your children, your servants, are dead in sins, in danger of being forever damned, you have much more reason to be concerned for them, and to endeavor by advice, and prayers, and tears, to have them turned and reconciled to God.

Now reader, try yourself by these signs of conversion; if you find them in yourself, you may rejoice, for these plainly show, that your name is written in the book of life. But, if any sin is loved, then in your mind and conscience and heart and life all these are defiled; and as you are renewed, so you have no desire after renewing grace if you delight in the carnal, and are a hater of saints. This shows that you are a stranger to conversion, and to this hour are in the gall of bitterness.

Use 2, of Terror.

Whoever you are, high or low, rich or poor, male or female, that reads these lines, and was never turned, I am sent to you from God with heavy tidings; such, as if you were not a bruit, a stock, would make you like Belshazzar, when on the view of the handwriting on the wall, “his countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled him, the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another,” (Daniel 5:6). I am not to prophesy good concerning you, but evil. I have a roll to deliver to you, but it is written within and without lamentation, and mourning and woe. You are perhaps jolly and secure, but this is like the mirth and laughter of a sick man out of his senses, which argues his distemper to be sorer. Alas! sinner, you have no reason to smile while in a state of nature. How many threatenings are denounced against you? And suppose you were surrounded by with cannons, all ready at once to be discharged at you, these would be nothing near so dreadful as the threatenings and curses which the just and jealous God has uttered. Open your eyes and look which way you will, enough may be perceived to cause your heart to meditate terror; above, an angry God; below, a flaming hell; behind, an innumerable host of sins pursuing you; before, Satan and the world leading you along in the broad way of destruction.

But more particularly, I would have these following truths laid to heart.

1. While you are unconverted you are also unpardoned. You stand indebted many thousand talents, and not so much as one mite of all that debt is paid. The least transgression makes you liable to the aggravations of the curse of the Law, and guess then what an accursed wretch your many mighty sins have made you? On your returning and acknowledging of your iniquity, God has engaged to do it away, he will lay the load on the back of a Mediator; but if you will not consent to be turned, you alone must bear it. Sin is another kind of thing than you imagine. Adam’s first transgression in eating the forbidden fruit, which was aggravated because he would have been as God; and he believed the serpent, and made God a liar, which was indeed a rejecting of the whole covenant of life which was made with him. O! how did it make himself to hurt? And not only himself, but his whole progeny are the worse for it. And if one sin has brought a curse on all the children of men, think, O soul, how you will be able to stand under all the sins you have committed. Sin makes the whole creation groan, it makes the damned to lament and to despair, and will be an intolerable load forever; sin was found heavy by our Lord, this caused his agony, and made his soul exceedingly sorrowful even to death. No, God himself complains, that he is pressed with iniquity, as a cart full of sheaves is pressed. And will you make light of it, sinner? O! How heavy will you feel it one day?

2. While unconverted you are treasuring up more and more wrath against the day of wrath. Your scores are large already, but every day you run on the score afresh; every day you make new wounds, though your conscience is now so numbed that it feels nothing. As your sin abounds, proportionably the vials of divine indignation grow fuller, which will at last be all emptied on your head. It is unnatural cruelty to be a devil to yourself! To be your own souls murderer! You are continually setting yourself at a greater distance from God, and engaging him more and more against you, who alone can be a refuge and salvation to you. You will perceive at last, that you have been your own foe, and acted to your own confusion, “Do they provoke me to anger, saith the Lord, do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:19).

3. While unconverted, you render yourself more and more unfit for glory and blessedness. The more impure you are, the more unfit you are to see God. The abominations which are loved and wrought by you make you an improper inhabitant for the new Jerusalem. The inheritance above is an inheritance of saints, it is incorruptible, so an “undefiled inheritance,” (1 Peter 1:4). The company is all holy, and so are the employments. There is not a vain or sinful word spoken there; nor an impure desire or thought to be found in any that are above. And what would you do there among them, unless a change is made in you?

4. If you do not turn, you are sure to die. As life is far off, so death is near. The psalmist tells us, “That God is angry with the wicked every day; and if he turn not, he hath whet his sword, he hath bent his bow and made it ready,” (Psalm 7:11-12). And when the instruments of death are so prepared, it is a sign that God will make quick work, and suddenly cut the offender off. Death is called a king of terrors; and it well deserves that name, in respect of the ungodly. Then their good things are all received, and the evils come on them, which will never be removed; their torments begin, which will never know an end. So long as God is God, they will have God as their enemy; so long as God is happy, they will lie in extreme misery! What tongue can utter, or heart imagine the horror of this? An angry sin-revenging Lord will lay load on you, and yet keep you from sinking into nothing; he will uphold you in your being, that you be forever be plagued. He will show his mighty power, in holding you up with one hand, that he may lash you with the other, through all eternity.

Use 3, of Consolation.

You who have obeyed the call of God to turn, I am commanded to speak peace and comfort to you, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God,” (Isaiah 40:1). 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 has had thoughts of love towards you before the foundation of the world was laid. “He did predestinate and choose you unto the adoption of children,” (Ephesians 1) long before you existed. From everlasting he designed to make you his heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ to 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,” (Romans 3:24). “As far as the East is from the West, so far are your iniquities removed from you,” (Psalm 103:12) and surely that is as far as you can desire. They are cast into the depths 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 they will never be recovered. “Christ has been wounded for your transgressions, he has been bruised for your iniquities,” (Isaiah 53:5). And as the imputation of your sins to Christ caused him to undergo real sufferings; so, the imputation of his righteousness to you, will cause a real exemption from that wrath and punishment which you have justly merited by your sin. 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 until you are all glorified. “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,” (Romans 8:30). 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 favor of the world will be a temptation. Satan’s fiery darts will not be able to reach you, when once you are taken into the third heaven. When you are just entering into the New Jerusalem, you will shake hands with both 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 forever without any eclipse, there will be entire joy without grief, perfect peace without any trouble, complete holiness without the least remainder of corruption, a full blessedness without end.

Use 4, of Exhortation.

and who would not now become a convert? Do you have anything to say against pardon, or against that glory which has been revealed? Shall it be made a question, whether pleasures forevermore, or eternal torments are to be preferred? O that you would come to yourselves! And then I am sure you would come to God immediately.

The arguments to persuade you to conversion are diverse.

1. If you do not turn, you cannot answer the end of your creation. You must not think that God gave you a being, and sent you into the world, to please yourselves, to satisfy your inordinate and corrupt desires, and to live carelessly and rebelliously against him; but this you will do until 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 remembered? Did he give you a heart to love and 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? O do not cross any longer the end for which you were made, lest you cause the Lord to, “repent and be grieved at the heart that he made you,” (Genesis 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 show you no favor,” (Isaiah 27:11).

2. Unless you turn, you cannot answer the end of the death of Christ, and the redemption wrought by it. Our Lord died not only to expiate offences, but also to purify to 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,” (Colossians 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,” (Hebrews 9:14). From these and similar 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 defiles 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? Harken to the apostle, “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 striped ye were healed,” (1 Peter 2:24). And as the death of Christ is an argument to persuade you to turn from sin, so from this death virtue and power is to be derived, by which sin may be subdued.

3. You are further obliged to turn, because of God’s condescension in giving you leave to do it. If the gulf had been fixed on 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 and detriment or prejudice to his justice, he has found out a way to show you mercy. The devils were never called to conversion; as soon as they had sinned, they were fettered in chains of darkness that shall never be unloosed. But harken what wisdom says, “Unto you, O men I call, and my vow is to the sons of man,” (Proverbs 8:4). You have often stopped your ears, O, that at last you would hear, that your souls may live. The long deafening of your ears may provoke the Lord to shut his mouth; and then you will never be converted, never healed.

4. Consider, who it is that calls on you to turn; and what is his design in it. You are undone wretches, who have neither skill nor will, nor power to save yourselves. And he that calls after you is a God to whom power and mercy belong. And his design is to make his power and mercy known in you. His aim is to bring you near, that he might manifest himself to you, as he does not manifest himself to 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. It is unreasonable that the world or sin should be a hindrance, and any longer stave you off from God. You may well turn from sin, for that deserves your hatred; your hearts may well 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 those 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 on 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 you 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. You shall not lack temporal things, spiritual blessings shall be showered 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 anymore. Do not be afraid or dismayed, no matter who turns against you for conversion’s sake. The Lord himself is with you, and for you, and he will turn whatever adversaries mean for evil into good.

7. Not only his Word, and ministers, and Spirit, but also his providences call on you to turn to God. Both his mercies and his judgments press this exhortation to conversion. The streams of goodness that continually run towards you, and which sometimes swell and overflow abundantly, signify that it is your wisdom to forsake the broken cisterns, and come to the fountain of living waters. His mercies speak this language, that it 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 to the God of love and peace. O that you would run to him! The riches of his goodness are unlocked and discovered, “that hereby you may be led unto repentance,” (Romans 2:4).

His judgments likewise are inflicted in pursuit of the same design. That is the voice that is uttered by them; “Go return to the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal you; he hath smitten, and he will bind you up,” (Hosea 6:1). The fire of London calls on 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 they say, “Oh you that are alive, return, return unto the Lord your God, for after death, it will be too late to do it.”

8. Consider, As yet it is not too late to turn to God. Though until now you have been stupid, if now you will awake, though here refractory, if now you will yield yourselves to the Lord, though until now 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 to enter; he is ready to receive you into grace and favor, and all former denials, affronts, repulses, shall by 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 is filthy, let him be filthy still; he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; he that is joined to the profits and pleasures of the world which he makes his idols, leave 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,” (Rev. 22:11)

5

The Doctrine of Conversion

THREE VOICES

O! that I could prevail by all these arguments. But unless they should take no impression, lest they should slip out of your minds, and have no influence on your hearts, I shall record them with a voice from hell, with a voice from heaven, and 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 moment stopped his expressions, he at length should speak to you this way,

“Cursed be the day on which I was born, and that night wherein it was said, there is a man-child conceived! Let that day be darkness, may God not regard it on high, and let the light not shine on it. Alas, it was better never to have been at all, than to be forever miserable! How intolerable are the gnawings of the worm that never dies? How hot and unquenchable are the flames, which the breath of the Lord kindles as a stream of brimstone? The world is extremely mistaken in sin. They think it to be light and pleasant, and so I once thought, as well as they do; but now I find how woefully I was deceived; I feel sin’s weight, and taste, yes, I am drunk with the gall and wormwood of it. I find that true, which I was told before, but would not believe, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. His mighty hands have taken hold of me, and bound me hand and foot, and thrown me into outer darkness. And I must lie there, tortured for all eternity! O that word does rend my very heart, kills all hope, sinks and quite overwhelms me in utter depression. If after millions of millions of ages my torments were to end, I should strengthen myself under my sorrows; but since after so long a space of time, I shall be as far from releasing, as the first moment I was imprisoned; this is that which makes my grief to know no bounds, because my misery knows none. O what prophecy possessed me, that for the sake of a little gain and pleasure, I should venture to dwell with devouring fire, and to inhabit everlasting burnings! But I must only blame myself; God is fervent, but not in the least unrighteous. He called, but I refused, he stretched forth his hand, but I disregarded him, I paid no mind to all his counsel, and would hear none of his reproofs; I remember very well, he spoke to me often to turn out of the paths that lead to destruction and misery; but I would go on. I was warned to flee from the wrath to come, but I would take no warning. I was entreated to be reconciled, but resolved to continue as a rebel. I would not be made clean, though the Lord waited to be gracious, and frequently said, when will it once be! And what! Will any of you continue in the same desperate mind that I was of? Will you still cherish the self-same sins for the kind that were my undoing? Behold the flames about my ears, and O that you could conceive the anguish of my heart! Be wise, be wise, and accept of mercy and salvation while it is tendered to you; for if you come to this place of torment, the Lord will forget to be gracious, and his mercy will be quite clean gone forever.”

2. A voice from heaven. Suppose one of the glorified saints who has been an inhabitant of the heavenly Jerusalem, who has conversed with an innumerable company of angels, and has seen God face to face; should leave his blissful mansion for a while, and having abundance of joy and glory in his face, should utter such kind of language as this before you,

“O the height, and length, and depth, and breadth of the love of Christ which passes all knowledge! How unsearchable is his goodness, and his mercy is past finding out! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing; for by his blood he has redeemed me, with millions more, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation! I was called to turn and live, and through rich grace was enabled to obey the call; and now I find what a glorious life that is, to which sincere and persevering converts shall at last be brought. This is a life that is free from sin, and free from suffering, that will never see death, or be in danger of the grave. It is the best of all to be near to God. Christ is without all controversy the best Master, to be subject to him is to reign, and reign forever! What ails the blind and stupid world, that they see no form nor comeliness in this fairest among ten thousand, the light of whose countenance makes them lose need of light from the sun, moon, or stars! His beauty is all-surpassing, his grace is much more precious than gold that perishes; but his glory, it is not lawful or possible for me to utter. And now will any of you any longer slight him? Open your eyes and see evidently that you are the children of perdition, the sons of death, without him; but through him you may be turned, through him you may be saved, with a great and everlasting salvation. Surely then, you have reason to value him above all; though the whole world, nor ten thousand worlds should stand in competition with him.”

3. Hear a voice from Christ himself! Imagine the Lord Jesus appearing with a light far above the brightness of the sun. Suppose some of his angels as his harbingers and forerunners, coming before him, and crying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts;” and at last, himself visibly filling this place with majesty and with his glory, and having stricken an awe into you, and worked in you an admiration of his excellency and greatness, suppose him thus speaking and pleading with you,

“Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth, I am your Redeemer, and there is none else; you have destroyed yourselves, but in me, and me alone, you may find help; unless I make you free, sin will still reign in you, and if it reigns, it will also ruin; unless I bind the strong man armed, he will keep you bound, and lead you captive at his pleasure; unless I turn, and bring you near to God, you will run further and further away from him, until at last there is no possibility of returning. How long, you simple fools, will you love simplicity, and hate knowledge? Turn at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit on you, I will make my words known to you. I will pass by former contempts, if now at last you will receive me. I will free you from the guilt, and from the power of sin, I will pacify my Father’s anger, though by breaking his laws, and despising me, his Son, you have never so much incensed him. Though you are captives by nature, I will make you kings and priests; though you are traitors and enemies by sin, I will make you sons, and heirs of God, and co-heirs with myself, who is the heir of all things. You shall in no case be miserable, if all that fullness which dwells in me can satisfy and make you happy.”

And after all this, my brethren, will you be fond of sin and ruin? O, hear the voice of the Son of God, who is not willing that you should perish.

How shall I do to work on you? I think I could be willing that these words should be my last, on condition that they might be powerful and effectual to the converting, and haling, and saving all that are within the sound of them. I think I could be willing to expire here, and be carried dead out of the pulpit, on condition that all of you may hear, so as to turn from your evil ways and live. Most of those thousands which are before me are unknown to me. But I know this, that you all have souls, and that every soul is worth a world. O that you all would consult your soul’s interest and safety.

But lest it should be in vain, if I only speak to you, I shall direct my words to him who is Lord of all.

And O that he who works, and none can let hinder, would work a thorough saving change in you! O that he would pity those among you, who are cruel to yourselves. O that he would awaken the souls, that are not only asleep, but dead! And break the hearts which have made themselves as an adamant stone! O that he would convince you of your sin and misery, and effectually turn you from the one, that you may be forever freed from the other!

To these petitions, let every heart say, Amen!

Use 5, of Direction.

I would believe by this time, that you are willing to listen to, and likewise follow some directions, how to become sincere converts. Directions how to get ease when you are in pain; how to recover health, when you are sick; or an estate which you have lost, I am confident would be heeded. And are the directions from the infallible word of truth, how to be turned and saved, not of far greater consequence?

The directions are these which follow:

1. With a serious spirit, think on and consider your ways. This consideration had great influence on the psalmist, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste and delayed not,” (Psalm 119:59). That injunction is doubled in Haggai 1:5 and again, “Saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways,” (Haggai 1:7). And that passage, Ezekiel 18:14, is to be observed. “Now lo, if he beget a Son that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth and doth not such like,” (Ezekiel 18:14). If sinners would only consider what they do, when they do evil, it would be a means to make them cease to do evil, and learn to do well. Consider the misery and danger of being at a distance from God. The ways which you naturally walk in, do lead you away from him; and the Scripture says, “Those that are far from God shall perish, he will destroy all them that go a whoring from him,” (Psalm 73:27). Think of these things so long, until you find your hearts affected, so as to conclude it to be the height of madness to lie secure in an unconverted state. Let this thought take deep impression. All the while you persist in your evil ways, you forsake your own mercies, and are traveling apace to the region of eternal woe and darkness.

2. Study the vanity of former excuses. I know the natural man’s mouth is very full of them, but it is very easy to answer them. Sin, you say, is riveted in your very nature.

Therefore you had need to cry to heaven, that your nature might be changed, and to be made a new creature.

“But sin is the common practice.”

Therefore your danger is the greater, and you should be more careful, unless you become overwhelmed in the ruin that will be so general.

“But my lusts are both profitable and pleasant, and why then should I abandon them?”

Consider soul, whether the damned who have lost their souls and eternal blessedness, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, have any reason to boast of gain or pleasure?

“But men will deride and scorn me, if I become a convert.”

Those that do so are beside themselves, and sober people ought not to be concerned at the laughter of those that are out of their minds. O condemn their contempt, despise the shame they cast on you; shortly they themselves will wish, that instead of scorning at, they had been imitators of you.

“But to turn and follow God is very hard, and the difficulty is a very great discouragement.”

The work is hard indeed, but the strength and assistance is great, which shall be afforded. “The Lord will work all your works in you and for you,” (Isaiah 26:12). He commands nothing, but what he is ready to help you to perform himself.

“But if I am a convert, I shall never live a pleasant hour, my tears will by my meat and drink, and my sorrows my perpetual companions.”

Oh gross mistake! And unreasonable prejudice against the ways of holiness! If godliness is so melancholy a business, why does the Scripture tell us of peace which passes all understanding, and joys that are unspeakable and full of glory? Why is David so often singing, so often harping, if mirth and religion were Λούςατα, altogether inconsistent.

“Oh but if I turn, I shall be exposed to suffering.”

Well, suppose you are, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the present grace and consolation, which will attend your trials, much less with the glory that shall be revealed.

Study the vanity of all such excuses.

3. Save yourselves from the untoward generation you live among. This was the advice the apostle gave to those that had been awakened and “pricked in their heart,” (Acts 2:40). You must shake hands with your former brothers in iniquity, or else they will be a great temptation and snare to you. Carnal company is like incarnate devils, who endeavor to draw as many as they can to hell along with them. Therefore, the wisest of men does use so many words of caution, “Enter not in the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away,” (Proverbs 4:14-15). Though you are not bound to be morose and uncivil towards the ungodly, take heed of being delightfully familiar. Many convictions and good resolutions have cooled and vanished, by going out into the society of the wicked. Do not be prejudice against true piety from them; and when they presume to prate against praying, hearing, fasting, professing, when they quarrel against the Lord’s Day, and censure the Lord’s people; look on all this as nothing more than the ravings of those who are spiritually distracted.

4. Do not despise prophesyings or preaching. The ministry of the Word is ordained on purpose to work faith, and to turn sinners to God; and therefore do not let drowsiness, distraction, cares, or pleasures, or lusts, or the deceitfulness of riches choke this Word, and hinder it from prospering to this end to which it is appointed. When Ezekiel prophesied over the dead and dry bones, they presently revived, and a valley of dead bones became a living army. And while you are prophesied over by the ministry of the Gospel, you may all of a sudden be made alive, who were dead in trespasses. Let powerful preaching be prized and frequented by you. Certainly the word has a converting power when it is set home, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple,” (Psalm 19:7).

5. “Quench not the Spirit,” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). You must not stifle his conviction, but improve. The Spirit of the Lord sometimes approaches very near to a drunkard, a swearer, a covetous worldling, an unclean person, and tells them, they are perverse before him, that there is only a step between them and damnation; and therefore moves them to humiliation, and to reformation. He informs them that they had better leave their sins, than be undone for their sin’s sake. Now such convictions might be heightened unto conversion, if they were but closed with, and improved. But thousands resist the Holy Spirit; they had rather be permitted to sin without disturbance, than to have the waters troubled, though on stepping in, they might be healed, whatever their spiritual malady and plague may be. Do you find the Spirit near you? O heed his checks, comply with all his motions, and beg that you may not be put off with common operations; but that a saving work may be worked in you!

6. Lay hold on and plead the Lord’s own covenant. In this covenant he has engaged “to give you a new heart, to cleanse you from your filthiness and your idols; to put his Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in his statutes,” (Ezekiel 36:25-27). Be earnest that these promises may be accomplished. Resolve not to take “no” as an answer, for the Lord will be pleased with your importunity, in a matter which is so much for his own honor to grant you. You cannot turn yourselves, but he can as easily do this work, as leave it undone. One word of life and power will raise you. And since he says, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel;” presently make this text into a prayer, “Turn us, turn us from our evil ways, for why should we die, O thou God of Israel!”

FINIS

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Table of Contents

The Doctrine of Conversion

Copyright Information

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEET NATHANIEL VINCENT

[Original Title Page]

THE DEDICATION

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER

THE CONVERSION OF A SINNER

The First Doctrine

The Second Doctrine

The Application Follows

The Third Doctrine

Second Part, Why God Calls Men to Repent

The Third Part, The Nature of Conversion

Through Whom Men Are Converted

The Application

True Verses False Conversion

Three Voices