I. The terms from which we turn, in this motion of |

conversion, are sin, Satan, the world, and our own righ- teousness,
First, Sin.—When aman is converted, he is out with
556 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION.
sin; yea, with all sin, but most of all with his own sins, and especially with-his bosom-sin. Sin is: now the butt of his indignation. His sins set abroach his sorrows. “Tis sin. that pierces him; and wounds him, he feels it like a thorn in his’ side, likeva prick in his eyes; he'is not impatient of any burden -so much as of his sin. If God should give him his choice, he would chuse any aliiccam. so he might be rid of sin.
Before conversion, he had light thoughts ai sin; he cherished it in his bosom, as Uriah his lamb; he nou- rished it; ‘and it grew up together with ira and lay in. his bosom, and was to him: as’a daughter: but when God opens his eyes by conversion, he throws it away with abhorrence, as a man would a loath- some toad, which in the dark he hath hugged fast in his bosom, and thought it had been some harmless bird..When'a man is thoroughly changed, he is not only deeply convinced of the danger, but defile- ment of sin; and, O how earnest is he with God to be! ‘purified ! He runs to Christ, and casts himself into the fountain for sin and for uncleanness. He abhors his once-beloved sin, as a cleanly nature doth the trough and mire wherein he sees the swine delight. The ‘sound convert is heartily engaged against sin: He ‘can forgive his’ other enemies, he can pity them, but here he is implacable, ‘here he is set. ‘upon re- venge; his eyes shall not pity, his hand shall not spare, though ‘it be a right hand or a right eye: be it a gain- ful sin, most delightful. to his nature, or support to his esteem with friends, yet he will rather throw his gain’ down the kennel, see his credit fall, or the flower of pleasure wither in. his hand, than he will allow himself in any known way of sin. He will grant no indulgence, he will give no toleration, he draws upon sin wherever he meets it, and frowns upon it with this unwelcome salute, Have I found thee, Oi mine enemy !
Reader, ‘hath thy conscience been at work while thou hast been looking over these lines? Hast thou pondered these things in thy heart? Hast thou search-
THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 557
éd the book within, to see if these things be so? If not, read it again, and make thy, conscience speak, whether or no it be not thus with thee.
‘Hast thou crucified thy flesh, with its affections and lusts? and not only confessed, but forsaken thy sins? If not, thou art yet unconverted. Doth not conscience fly in thy face as thou readest, and tell thee thou livest im a way of lying for thy advantage, that thou usest decéit in thy calling, that there is some way of secret wantonness that thou livest in? Why, then do not deceive thyself; thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. .
Doth not thy unbridled tongue, thy intemperance, thy wicked company, thy neglect of prayer, of reading and hearing the word, now witness against thee, aad say, We are thy works, and we will follow thee? Or, if L have not hit thee right, doth not one within tell thee there is such or such a way, that thou knowest to be evil, that yet thou dost tolerate thyself in, and art willing to spare? If this be the case, thou art to . this day wnregenerate, and must be changed or con- demned.
Secondly, Satan.—Conversion binds the strong man, spoils his armour, casts out his goods, turns men from the power of Satan unto God. The real convert serves now another master: he goes and comes at Christ's beck: he watches against the snares and baits of Sa- tan, and studies to be acquainted with his devices: he is suspicious of his plots, and is very jealous in what comes athwart him, lest Satan should have some de- sign upon him: he wrestles against principalities and powers, Eph. vi. 12. He entertains the messenger of Satan as men do the messenger of death: he keeps his eye upon his enemy, and watches in his duties; lest Satan should put in his foot.
Thirdly, Zhe World.—Before a sound faith, a man is overcome of the world; either he bows down to Mammon, or idolizes his reputation, or is a lover of pleasure, more than a lover of God, 2 Tim. iii. 4, Here is the root of man’s misery by the fall; he is turned aside to the creature instead of God, and gives
558 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION.
‘that great esteem, confidence, and affection to the creature, that is due to him alone.
O miserable man! what a deformed monster hath sin made thee! God made thee /itéle lower than the angels; sin, little better than the devils: a monster that hath his head and heart where his feet should be, and his feet kicking against heaven. The world that was formed to serve thee, is come to rule thee; and the deceitful harlot hath bewitched thee. with her enchantments, and made thee bow down and serve her. a0)
But converting grace sets all in order again, and puts God on the throne, and the world at his footstool : Christ in the heart, and the world under the feet. So St. Paul, I am crucified to the world, and the world to me. Before this change all the cry was, Who will show us any worldly good? But now he sings another tune, Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon me; and take the corn and wine whosoever will. Before, his heart’s delight was in the world; then the song was, Soul, take thy ease; eat, drink, and be merry, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: but now all this is withered, and there is no comeliness that he should desire; and he tunes up with the sweet Psalmist of Israel, Zhe Lord is the portion of my inheritance ; the lines are fallen to me in a fair place, and I have a goodly heritage. He boasteth himself in God. No-- thing else can give him content. He hath written vanity and vexation upon all his worldly enjoyments, and loss and dung upon all human excellencies. He hath life and immortality now in chase. He trades for grace and glory, and hath a crown incorruptible im pursuit. He first seeks the kingdom of heaven, and the righte- ousness thereof, and religion is no longer a matter by- the-by with him, but the main of his care. Once he would do more for gain than godliness, more to plea- sure his friends or his flesh, than to please the God that made him; and God must stand by till the world were first served: but now all must stand by; he hates father and mother, and life, and all in comparison of Christ. Well then, pause a little, and look within :
THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 559
- doth not this nearly concern thee? Thou pretendest for Christ, but doth not the world sway thee? Dost not thou take more real delight in the world than in him? Dost thou not find thyself better at ease when the world goes to thy mind, than when retired to prayer and meditation, or attending upon God’s word and worship? No surer evidence of any unconverted state, . than to have the things of the world uppermost in our aim, love, and estimation.
With the sound convert, Christ hath the supremacy, How dear is his name to him! How precious is his favour! The name of Jesus is engraven upon his heart. Here is the pearl of great price, here is his treasure, here is his hope. This is his glory, ‘‘ my Beloved is mine, and I am his.” O ’tis sweeter to him to be able to say, Christ is mine, than if he could say, the king- dom is mine, the Indies are mine.
Fourthly, Your own righteousness.—Before convyer- sion, man seeks to cover himself with his own fig- leaves, and to lick himself whole with his own duties, Micah vi. 6,7. He is apt to set up his own righteous- ness, and not to submit to the righteousness of God. Now he casts away his filthy rags: Now he is brought to poverty of spirit; all his inventory is, poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked. He sees a world of iniquity in his holy things, and calls his once idolized righteousness but filth and loss, and would not for a thousand worlds be found in himself. Now he begins to set a high price upon Christ's righteousness: he sees the need of Christ in every duty: he cannot live without him; or cannot pray without him: Christ must go with him, or else he cannot come into the presence of God; he sets himself down for a lost undone man without him; he is fixed in Christ, as the root of a tree spreads in the earth for stability and nutriment. Before, the news of Christ was a stale and sapless thing; but now how sweet is Christ! In a word, the voice of the convert is, with the martyr, None but Christ.
- The terms are either u/timate or subordinate. The ultimate is, God the Father, Son, and Holy
560 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION?
Ghost, whom the new convert takes» as his all-suf- ficient and eternal blessedness:| A man is» never truly sanctified till his very heart be set-upon God above all things, as his portion. These are the natu- ral breathings of a believer's heart, Thou) art my por- tion. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. Ay expectation is from'him; he only is my rock, and my salvation, he is my defence; in God is my salvation - glory, the rock of my strength ; and my refuge isin od. e's ‘4 Would you put it to an issue, whether you be con- verted or not? Now let thy soul and all that is within thee attend. ote ativratd Hast thou taken God for thy happiness? Where doth the content of thy heart lie? Whence doth thy choicest comfort come in? Come, and with Abraham lift up thine eyes eastward, and look about. thee. What is it that thou wouldst have in heaven, or on earth, to make thee happy? If God should give thee thy choice, as he did to Solomon, Or should say to thee as Ahasuerus to Esther, What is thy petition, and what is thy request, and it shall be granted thee? What wouldst thou ask? Go into the gardens of plea- _sure, and gather all the fragrant flowers from thence. Would these content thee? Go to the treasures of _ Mammon; suppose thou mightest lade thyself from hence? Go to the trophies of honour; what thinkest thou of being a man of renown, and having)a name like the name of the great men of the earth? Would any of this, all this, suffice thee, and make thee a hap- py man? If so, then certainly thou art unconverted. —lIf not, go farther; wade into the divine excellencies, the store of his mercies, the depths unfathomable of his all-sufficiency : doth this suit thee best, and please ~ thee most? Dost thon say, ’Zts good to be here? Matt. xvii. 4. Here will I pitch, here will I live and die? Wilt thou let all the world go rather than this? Then it is wel] between God and thee: happy art thou, O man! happy art thou, that thou ever wast born; if God can make thee happy, thou must needs be happy; for thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy
THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 36h
God, Dost thou say to Christ, Zhy Father. shall be my Father, and thy. God my God? Here is the turn- ing point. An unsound professor never, takes yp, his, rest in God ; but converting grace cures the fatal, misery of: the. fall, by turning the heart from its idol to the living God... Now says the soul, Lord, whither shalt. Tigo? thow hast. the words of eternal life, Jobn. yi. 68. Here he centres; ‘tis the entrance of heaven to; him; to,see: his interest in God. When he discovers, this, he saith, Return unto. thy rest, O my soul, Sor the, Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. And it is even ready to breathe out Simeon’s song, Lord, now (ettest thou thy servant depart in peace, |
The mediate term of conversion is either principal or Less principal.
© The principal is Christ, the only mediator between God and man;;, His work.is to bring usto God. He is the way to the Father, the ‘only « door, by which we may enter. Conversion brings over the soul to Christ, as the only means to life, as the only way; the only name given under heaven. He looks not for salva~ tion inany other but him, nor in any other with him; but throws himself on Christ alone, as one.that casts himself with outspread arms upon the sea.
Thus the. poor soul doth. venture on Christ, and resolyedly. adheres to him... Before conversion. the man made light of Christ, minded his farm, friends, merchandise, more. than Christ. Now Christ is to him as his necessary food, his daily bread, the life of his heart, the staff of his life. His great design is, that Christ may.be magnified in him. His heart once said, as they to, the Spouse, What is thy beloved mone: than another? He found more sweetness in his merry company, wicked games, earthly delights, than in Christ. He took religion for a fancy, and the talk of great, enjoyments for an idle dream ; but now ta him to hvews Chiist,. He sets light sila all that is ac- sata _ precious, for ie advil 9 i HP le re) rist. .
whueen
562 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION!
he loves not only the wages, but the’workrof|Christ/ He is willing not only to tread out’ the corn, but ‘to: draw under the yoke: he takes up ‘the commands’of Christ, yea, and the cross of ‘Christ. 0d ocho ab deat
The unsound closeth by halves with Christ ; he is:all for the salvation of Christ, but not for sanetification. This is an error in the foundation: whosoever loveth life, let him beware here: ’tis an undoing mistake, of which you have been often warned, and. yet none more common. Jesus is a sweet name, but men love not. the Lord Jesus in sincerity, Eph. vi. 24. They: will\not have him as God offers, to be a: Prince and a Saviour They divide what God hath joied, the King and) the Priest. Every man’s vote is for salvation from suffering, but they desire not to be saved from sinning.’ Yea, many divide here again; they’ would be ‘eontent. to have some of their sins destroyed, but they cannot leave the lap of Delilah, or divorce the beloved He- rodias. They cannot be cruel'to the right eye, or
right hand. O! be infinitely tender here; your souls lie ‘upon it. The sound convert takes a whole Christ, and takes him for all intents and purposes ; without ex- ceptions, without limitations, without reserves. He is willing to have Christ upon his own terms, Upon any terms. He is willing to have the dominion of Christ, as well as deliverance by Christ; he saith with Paul; Lord, what wilt thou have me do do? Any thing, Lord. He sends the: blank to Christ, to set down air own conditions. NB
The less principal is the‘ laws, orchadaeat? canbe ichsjo of Christ. The heart that was once set against these, and could not endure the severity of these ways, now falls in love with them, and chuses them as: dyes soe and guide for ever.
Four things (I obseiay God‘ doth ebb 4 in’ every sound convert, with reference to’ the laws and ways of Christ, by which you may know your state, if you will be faithful to your own souls : therefore — eyes upon your hearts as you go along. _
1. Lhe judgment is sie ad to approve of then as
‘THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. ae most righteous ‘and ‘most reasonable... The mind — brought to like the ways of God; and the staiealiodd that were once against them are. "removed: The un- derstanding assents to them all, as holy, just, and good. His judgment is for the ways of God, and that not
only the absolute, but comparative judgment ; he thinks them not only best in general, but best for him: he looks upon the rules of religion, not only as tolera- ble, but désirable ; more desirable than gold, yea, than much fine gold.
2.. The desire of the heart is to dete the whole mind of Christ. He would not have one sin undiscovered, nor be ignorant of one duty. ’Tis the earnest breath- ing of his heart, “ Lord, if there be any way of wick- edness in me, do thou discover it. What I know not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.” The gracious heart is willing to know ‘the whole compass of his Maker’s law. He receives with all acceptation the word that convinceth him of any duty that he knew not, or minded not before, or ‘discovereth any sin that lay hid before.
3. The will is determined for the ways of Christ, be- fore ali the pleasures of sin, and\*prosperities of the world. His consent is not extorted by some extremity of anguish, nor is it only a sudden and hasty resolve, ‘but he is deliberately purposed, and comes off freely to the choice ; his will is for Christ’s laws and govern- ment; so that he takes them not up as his toil or bur- den, but his bliss.. He had rather (if he might have his choice) live a strict and holy life, than the most prosperous and flourishing life in the world. Christ keeps not his subjects in by force, but is king of a wil- ling people... They are (through his grace) ‘freely re- solved for his service, and do it out of choice, not as slaves, but as the son or spouse, from a spring of love, and a loyal mind. In a word, the laws of Chris’ are the convert's. love, desire, delight, and continual study.
4, The bent of his course is directed to keep God's statutes. "Tis the daily care of his life, to walk with
564 WE NATURE OF CONVERSION. God. He seeks great things, he hath ’ ote desta, he aims at nothmg Jess than perfection; he désires it, he reaches after it, he would not rest in any pitch of grace till he were quite rid of sin,’and: had: ere peat ani
‘A: sound ‘convert desires holitiess fol bobinveds’ sake, eae not only for. heaven's sake. He would not be satisfied with so much as: might save’ him ‘from hell, but desires: the highest pitch; yet desires are ‘not enough. , What is thy way and thy course? Is’ the drift and’ scope of thy lifé altered? Isvholimess thy trade; and. religion: thy business? af a “thou art short of sound conversion. ''\ » SIONYO Ya You
And is this, that we have dexofibed: ‘the Gohversion that is of absolute necessity to ‘salvation? Then be alia 1. That strait is the gate, and narrow the
, that leadeth unto life. 2. That there are*but few
steak find it. 3. That there is niet ee 1 WA ‘to convert-a sinner to Jesus Christ: seas es tN
Again,’ Then be ‘exhorted,' @: cab ena: ‘réeadest, to turn it upon thy own self... What' saith conscience? Doth it not twitch thee as thou goest? “Is this thy
judgment, ‘and.is ‘this thy choice, ‘and ‘this thy ways
that we have described ? If so, “tis: well. - doth not thy heart condemn ‘thee, and ‘tell thee, cen is such a ‘sin thou livest in against thy “conscience ?
Doth it not tell:thee, there is such’ and ‘such @ secret -
way of wickedness that thou’ makest no bones ‘of ? such or such a bin that | thou. makest | no eieee ence of 2? © reoh fester! ote cel Doth not conscience carry thee to thy closet, cad tell thee how seldom prayer and reading’ ate f formed there? Doth it not carry thee to thy family, and show thee the charge of God, and the ‘souls'of thy children and servants, that are neglected there? Doth notsconscience lead thee to thy | shop, | thy trade, and tell theerofisome. mystery of iniquity there’? Doth it not sound thee in thine ear for the loose company thou keepest, and the precious time thow mis-spendest 2° ‘© conscience'!: do. thy duty : in the name: “of the
'
4HE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 565
‘ving God, I command thee, discharge thine office, lay hold upon the sinner, fall upon him, arrest him, apprehend him, undeceive him! What! wilt thou ‘flattet and smooth him while he lives in his sins? Awake, O conscience! What meanest thou, O sleeper? What! hast thou never a reproof in thy mouth? What! ‘shall this soul die in this neglect of God and eternity, and thou altogether hold thy peace? Shall he go on ‘still in ‘his trespasses, and yet have peace? O! rouse _up thyself, and do thy work; now let the preacher in thy bosom'speak ; cry aloud and spare not; lift up thy voice like a\ trumpet ; let not the dood of his soul _ ‘be required at thy hands.” bE
at oh ake Of the Necessity of Conversion.
Ir may be you are apt to wonder why I follow you with such earnestness, still rmging one fetsb in your ears, that you should repent, and be converted. Were — it a matter of indifferency, I would never keep so much ado: but would you not have me so solicitous for ‘you, when I see you ready to perish? As the Lord liveth, before whom I am, I have not the least hopes to see one of your faces in heaven, except you be ‘converted ; I utterly despair of your salvation er- eept you will be persuaded to turn thoroughly, and give up yourselves to God. Hath God said, Except ye be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God,
ohn iii. 3. and yet do you wonder why your ministers so painfully travail in birth with you? Think it not strange that I am earnest with you to follow. after holiness, and long to see the image of God upon you ; never did any, nor shall any, enter into heaven by any other way but this.
What is it that thou dost count necessary? Is thy ‘bread necessary? Is thy breath necessary 7— Then’ thy conversion is much more necessary. In- deed, this is the one thing necessary. Thine es- tate is not necessary ; thou mayest sell all for the
566 THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION.
pearl of great. price, and yet be a gainer )by the _purchase, . Thy life is not necessary, thou.mayest part ‘with it for Christ to infinite advantage, . Thine esteem is not necessary; thou mayest be; reproached for the name of Christ, and yet be happy.: yea, much. more happy i in reproach, than in repute.. But thy conversion is necessary, thy damnation lies upon it; and is it not ‘needful, in so important a,case,) to. look. about, \thee ? On this one pope depen as thy, making: or eearying to all eternity.
“ But I shall more particul arly show: the “necessity of Conversion i in five things, without, this. erotik i
1. Thy being is in vain. ds it, not a. ae doe shouldst be good for nothing, an ‘unprofi ita urden of the earth? Thus . thou art, ilst uncot d; for
thou canst not. answer the end of thy: Is it not fofgebe divine pleasure thou art and wert ‘Did he not make thee for himself? Art thou a man, and . hast, thou reason?. Then bethink : and whence thy being is: behold God’s w in thy body, and. ask thyself, To what | rear this fabric ? a, “76 ‘onsider. the. whole fact heaven-born soul; to what end did God. bestow thes excellencies? . To. no, athetg than, that, thou shouldst gratify thy senses ? ‘Did God send men, like swallows, into the world only to. gather. a few
and | dirt, and. build their nests, and | breed up. their young, and ‘themaway ¢ 2 ate very heath ns, could ‘see farther than this. dickh ey” O man! set thy reason a. little i in the el chair. Is it not pity such a ge odly fabric should] be raised in vain ? Verily thou art in vain, except thou art for God bet- ter thou hadst no being, than not to. be for him.
Wouldst thou serve thy end ? Thou must LER and be converted: without this, thou art to mo purpose; yea, to bad purpose.
First, Zo 6. purpose., Man unconverted is ‘like a choice instrument that hath every string broke or out of tune; the Spirit of the living God must repair and tune it, and sweetly move it by the power of grace, or else thy prayers will be but howlings, and all thy ser-
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vices will make no music in the ears of the most Holy: All thy powers and faculties are so corrupt in thy na- tural state, that except thou be purged from dead works, thou canst not serve the living God.
_ An unsanctified man cannot work the work of God : 1. He hath no skill in it: he is as unskilful in the work as in the word of righteousness, Heb. v. 13. There are great mysteries, as well in the practice as prin- ciples of godliness: now the unregenerate know not the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. You may as well expect him to read that never learned the alpha- bet, as that a natural man should do the Lord any pleasing service. 2. He hath no strength for it. How weak is his heart! He is presently tired: the Sabbath, what a weariness is it! He is without strength, yea, stark dead in sin. 3. He hath no mind to it: he desires not the knowledge of God’s ways ;. he doth not know them, and he doth not care to know them. He knows not, neither will he under- stand. So that a man may as well expect the trees should speak, or look for motion from the dead, as for any service, holy and acceptable to God, from the unconverted. )
Secondly, Zo bad purpose. The unconverted soul is a very cage of unclean birds; a sepulchre full of corruption. O dreadful case! Was it such an abomi- nation to the Jews, when Antiochus set up the picture of a swine at the entrance of the temple? How much more abominable then would it have been, to have had the very temple itself turned into a stable or a sty ; and to have had the Holy of holies served like the house of Baal, turned into a draught house! This is the very case of the unregenerate: all thy mem- bers are turned into instruments of unrighteousness, servants of Satan.
O abuse insufferable! To see a heaven-born soul_ abused to the filthiest drudgery !_ To see the glory of God's creation, the chief of the works of God, ‘the Lord of the universe, lapping with the prodigal at the trough! Was it such a lamentation to see those that fed delicately, sit desolate in the streets ; and those
, ® 568 THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION.
that were clothed in: scarlet, embrace dunghills? And is it. not much more fearful to see the only. thing that hath immortality in this lower world, and: carries the stamp of God, become as a vessel, wherein there is no pleasure ? (which i is but a modest expression of the vessel men put to the most sordid use.) O indig: . nity intolerable! Better thou wert dashed {into a thousand pieces, than continue to be abased to.so ‘tin thy a service. » Il. Not only man, but the ih visible er ation, is im vain without this. Beloved, God hath made all the visible creatures in heaven and. earth for the service of man, and man only i is the spokesman for all the rest. Man is in the universe like the tongue to the body, which speaks for all the members ; the other creatures cannot praise their Maker, but by dumb signs. and hints to man, that he may speak for them. Man is as it were the high-priest of God’s creation, to, offer the sacrifice of praise for all his fellow-creatures, . The Lord God expecteth a tribute of praise for all his works. Now all the rest bring in their tribute. to. man, and pay it in by his hand ;,,so,then. if a- man, be false and faithless, God is wronged of all, and shall have no’active glory from his works. || . Q. dreadful thought }. that God showle ‘puild, such a world as this, and lay out, such infinite power, and wisdom, and: goodness, thereupon ;,and man should be guilty of robbingyand spoiling, him.of the glory of all! O think of this! While, thou art .wngonyerted, all the offices of :the creatures to thee, are in yain! Thy meat nourishes thee im vain ; ;the sun -holds. forth his light to thee in vaing thy' clothes warm thee: in vain; thy beast carries thee in yain. In a-word, the uaweanied labour and continual travail. of, the whole creation (as to thee) is in vain. The service of all the creatures, that yield forth’ their strength unto. thee, (that therewith thou shouldst serve their. Maker),is,all lost Jabour.. Hence the whole’ creation..groaneth yn der the abuse of this unsanctified. world, that pervert them to the service of ope buat ita — to the very end of their) being. » 29h tia ,ylotsoilub bet
2 THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 569
TIL. Without this thy religion ts vain. All thy reli- gious performances will be lost, for they can neither please God, nor save thy soul, which are the very ends: of religion. Be thy services ever so specious, yet God hath no pleasure in them. Is not that man’s: - ease dreadful, whose sacrifices are as murder, and whose prayers are a breath of abomination?) Many under convictions think they will begin to mend, and; that a few prayers and alms will salve all; but, alas, while your hearts remain unsanctified, your duties will, not pass. God threatens it, as the greatest of temporal; judgments, that. they should build and not inhabit,. plant and not gather, and their labours should ‘be, eaten up by strangers. Is it so great a misery to lose our commen labours, to sow in vain, and build, in, vain? How much more to lose our pains in religion 5; to pray, and hear, and fast, in vain? This isan undo-, ing and eternal loss. Be not deceived; if thou goest! on in thy sinful state, though thou shouldst spread forth thine hands, God will hide his eyes; though thou make’ many prayers, he will not hearthee. If a servant do: our work, but quite contrary to our order, he shall have rather stripes than praise. God's work must be. done according to God's mind, or he will not be. pleased; and this cannot be, except it be done with a holy heart. titre!