VIII. If you mean indeed to turn and live, do it,

without delay. If you be not willing to turn to-day, you are not willing to do it at all. Remember, you are all this while in your blood; under the guilt of many thousand sins, and under God’s wrath, and you stand at the very brink of hell ; there is but a step between you and death. And this is not a case for a man to be quiet in. Up therefore presently, and fly for your lives ; as you would be gone out of your house, if it were all on fire over your head. O, if you did but know what danger you live in, and what daily un- speakable loss you do sustain, and what a safer and sweeter life you might live, you would not stand tri- fling, but presently turn. Multitudes miscarry who wilfully delay, when they are convinced that it must be done. Your lives are short and uncertain; and what a case are you in, if you die before you thorough- ly turn? You have staid too long already, and
(0) John xiv. 6. (p) Acts iv. 12. 13, 3D
-
~
7 8 4 Oe
304 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS 1) fi : 7 . : 3 y os ii A A hoge wronged God too long; sin gets strength and rooting
ipl you delay. Your, conversion will grow more
‘hard and doubtful, You have much to do, and there- fore put not all off to the last, lest God forsake you, and “give you.up to yourselves, and then you are undone “DOR Cie re Haft
Bi ‘TX. ff you wall turn and live, do it unreservedly, ‘absolutely, and, universally. ‘Think ‘not to capitulate “with Christ, and divide your heart betwixt him and
the world 5 and, to part with some sins, and keep. the.
“(will ‘not take'\God and heaven for Hout ion, and ‘ay all'below at the feet of Christ, but must néeds Algo “have your. 00d ‘things here, and have an eatthly por- “tion, and God’and glory is not enough for you,—it ‘is an ‘vain to diéam of salvation on these terms ; for it ‘Will ‘not be. Tf you séem ever'so religious, if yet it be _ but outside rightéoustess, this is as certain a way to “death, 4s open profanéhéss though it'be plausible. ~ . X. If you will turn and ‘live, do it resol ape stand not still deliberating,’ as if it'were'a doubtfal case. ‘Stand not wavering, ‘as if'you ‘were ‘yet uncertain ‘whe- ‘ther God or the flesh be the’ better master; ‘or Whether ‘héaven or hell’ be the betterénd'; ‘or’ whether sin ‘or ho- Hiness' be the ‘better ‘way. But’away ‘with ‘your former ‘Tusts, and presently, habitually; fixedly resolve: be!ndt °onte day'of one find, andthe next of another; ‘but ‘be ‘At Ya ‘pout ‘with"all the wofld, ‘and Tesolvedly ‘give ‘up ‘yourselves atid ‘all’ you have “to God. ‘Now, ‘while
“you have, or else you carinot be his disciples. @) If you
‘you ‘ate Wédritig: or reading this, resolve. “Before you —
-kleep dndthernight; résolve. “Béfore'you stir from the “place, résélvé.. ’ Beéfore''Satan have ‘time’ to take’you Of, Yesolve!’ "You wever turn indced! till “you do peSolvé!; aid flat! With ‘a firm ‘and 'wiehangéable ‘re- solution! br : efeitos
> SAnd now T'have ‘done: my ‘part ‘inthis work, ‘that
‘youmady turn At the eall of’ God, ‘and live, “What will ty tu
'béconie of it, P ¢anndt’ tell.’ 1 have cast the ‘seed at — God’s command, but it is not in my power so give the ~
gq) Luke xiv. 26, 35.
5 LS ee
TO A SOUND CONVERSLON,, 399
increase. I can go no farther with my message ; I can- not bring it to your heart, or make it work ; T cannot do your parts for you, to entertain it. _I cannot do God's part, by opening your heart to cause you to en- tertain it: norcan I show you heaven or hell to your eye-sicht, nor give you new. and tender‘hearts.._\."!
But, O thou that art the gracious. Father of spi- rits, thou hast sworn thou delighest not in the death _ of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live ; - deny not thy blessing to these persuasions and direc- tions, and suffer not thine’ enemies to triumph inithy sight, and ‘the great deceiver of souls to prewail) against thy’ Son, thy Spirit, and thy Word. :: O. 'pity'peor, unconverted sinners, that: have no hearts to pity or help themselves : command ‘he blind to see, the deaf to hear, andthe dead to live, and let not) sin:and death be able to resist thee. Awake the secure, ire- slove the unresolved, confirm the wavering }.and let the eyes of sinners that tead these lines, be next employed in weeping over their sins; and bring them to them- selves, and to thy Son, before their sins have brought them to perdition. If thou say but the word, these poor endeavours shall prosper, to the winning of many a soul to their everlasting joy, and thine pave ig glory. panier.
— —
396 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
DIRECTIONS TO SINNERS,
That are purposed to turn, and are under the work of
Conversion, that it miscarry not.

The first and greatest matter in the seeking after the salvation of your souls, is to be sure that we lay the foundation well, and that the work of. conver- sion be thoroughly wrought. To this end I have al- ready used many persuasions with the unconverted to return, thinking all other directions vain, till we have persuaded men to a consent and willingness to practise them.—And in the end of that discourse, I added a few directions for the use of such as are willing to be converted. But because I know that this is a matter of exceeding consequence, I dare not thus leave it, before I have added some further directions, to prevent
the miscarrying of this work where it is begun. And —
lest I should lose my labour, through the unprepared- ness of the reader, I shall give you first some prepar- ing considerations, which may awaken you to the prac- tice of the directions which I shall give you. Consider first, That haif-conversions are the undo- . ing of many thousand souls. If you are but like Agrippa, (7) almost persuaded to be Christians, you will be but almost saved. Many a thousand that are now past help, have had the word come near them and cast them into a fear, and made some stir and trouble in their souls, awakening their consciences, and forcing them to some good purposes and promises; yea, and bringing them to the performance of a half-reforma- tion: but this is not it that will serve your turn. Many have been so much changed, as not to be far from the kingdom of God, and yet came short of it.(s) There
(r) Acts xxvi. 28. (s) Mark xii. 34.
:
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. SOF
is nO promise in scripture that you should be pardoned, if you almost repent and believe; or be saved, if you be almost sanctified and obedient : but on the contra- ry, the Lord hath plainly resolved, that you must turn or die, though you almost turn; and repent or perish, ' though you almost repent; and that you shall not en- ter the kingdom of heaven, without conversion and a new birth, though you come ever so near it. God hath resolved upon the terms of your salvation ; and it is in vain to hope for salvation upon any other terms. God will not change nor come down to your terms. It is you that must change and come quite over to his terms, or you are lost for ever. If you come ever so near them, you are but lost men if you come not up tothem. The Lord well knew what he did, when he made his covenenant and law, and he imposed nothing on the sons of men but what his infinite wisdom told him it was fit for him to impose ; and he will not now compound with sinners, and take less than he requir- eth; thatis, less than the preeminency in their hearts ; nor will he ever come down to any lower terms with you, than those which he propounded to you in his gospel. And therefore, poor sinners, as you love your souls, do not stand dodging and halving with God ; but give up yourselves entirely to him; and do not stop at the beginning of conversion, but go through with it, till you are become new creatures indeed ; or you are undone when you have done all. A half unsound convert will as certainly perish as a drunkard or a whoremonger? though his torment may not be so great. iZ _ 2. Consider also, That if you do not go through with the work when you are upon it, you may per- haps make it more difficult than it was ever before you meddled with it, and make it a very doubtful case whether ever it will be done. As it is with a wound or other sore ; if you tamper with it with salves that are not agreeable to it, or are disorderly applied, or if you skin it over before it be searched to the bottom, it must be opened again, and will cost you double pain before it be cured. Or as I have seen it with
: : : :
398 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
some that have a bone broken, or out of joint, and. it hath been set amiss at first; O what torments ine poor creatures fain to undergo, in having. it broken or stretched and set again !; which might have been — spared, if it had ‘been thoroughly done at first... So if you will be shrinking and drawing back, and fa, vouring your flesh, and. will not go to the, quick, you will make your conversion much more difficult; you must be brought to it again, and fetch your. groans yet deeper than before, and weep. over all., your former tears; your doubts will be multiplied|;, your fears and sorrows will be increased; and all will go sorer with you than at first. O.what, a-case,qwill you be in, when your sores must be: lanced.g second time, and your bones, as’ it were, | broken ,again ! Then you will wish you had ‘gone through with it, at the first. lo anoa gett ato | Yea, perhaps you may put’ God to it to fetch you in by some sharp affliction, and send out so boisterous and churlish a messenger to call you home,.as may make you wish you had hearkened to a,mere.gentle — call : when the sheep will straggle, the dog. must be sent’ to affright him home. Many a foolish \sinner makes light of the gentle invitations of grace, and they stand hovering between their sins and Christ; and sometimes they have a mind to turn, and the next temptation they are off again, and then they come, on again coldly with half a heart: and thus they, stand trifling with the God of heaven, till he is fain to take another course with them, and resolve to use, some sharper means: and when he layeth them under his rod, and they can neither fly from him, nor resist him, but see that their lives and souls ,ave at his merey, then they begin to look about them and see their fol- ly, and change their minds. You can tarry, and delay daily with the dreadful God, in’ the time of your jpros- perity; and we may ask you over and oyer, whe- ther you will turn, before we can havea hearty answer: — but what will you do when God shall begin to frown, and when he takes you in his hand by his unresistible — power, and lets loose upon you the terrors of his ©
4
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 399
wrath? Will you then make as light of his mercy as you do now? Have you not read, Dan. v. 6. how small an apparition of his anger did make‘a carousing king look pale, and ‘his jomts to tremble m the midst of ‘his jovialty ? A Manasseh will bethink thimself, and come in when he is laid in irons, though he could set light by God before, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 13. If Jonah will run ‘away from God, he can send a boisterous messenger to arrest him, aud cast him as it were inthe belly of hell, and make him ery for mercy to him ‘that he disobeyed. ‘So, if you will stand trifling with God, ~ ‘and will not by fair means ‘be persuaded to yield and - ‘come away, you may shortly look ‘to hearfrom him ‘in another manner : ‘for ‘he ‘hath’a voice that will make the proudest face look pale, and 'the:stubbornest -heart ‘that is to tremble. | Ifan idle stubborn child will’ mot
- learn ‘nor be ‘ruled, 'the master ‘or. parent will teach ‘him ‘with the rod, and give’him the lash, andiask him, Will you'yet learn? andask ‘him again, Whatisay you ‘now, will you yéet'obey? ‘So willGod do ‘by you, if ‘he love you, and mean ‘to save ‘you: when he -hath ‘taken away your ‘wealth, your friends, your children, ‘Will you then’ hearken ‘to‘him, or will you not! When ‘you lie groaning “on -your ‘couch, and ‘all -your parts ‘dite overwhelmed ‘with’ pains,'and death begins tolay ‘Hands tpoh' you; an@bids younow come iand answenfor “your rébellions “dtid delays ‘before ithe ‘living’ God, ‘wat ‘will ‘you do “then? “Willcyou:turnsorimot:? O ‘the Jamentable folly of'simmers,’that put :themsel ves \to ~*8o much‘sorrow and great calamity for themselves ! “Witen ‘si¢knéss cémes,and deathidraws mear;youcbeg, ‘and “ery, and groan ‘and -promise. ..’ When ryou feel “the rod, what*Christians will Syou then tel! /Andowhy ‘net without so‘muth- ado? WY outhen! think! Godideals ‘Soméwhatihardly with: yous Aad: why owiil spou) mot ‘then’ turn’ by eentlér dieadns' ?)OYouomight spareiyour- selves much’ of this'‘iiiseryaf you svould; and yourwill “nét! STs'Sti'a seéinlyp thing efor va oman ytobe driven to Heaven “byscourges ?) fs (God: so “bado'a master, rand
' heaven so bad a place, that you will not turn te them,
ry 400 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
and mind them, and seek them, till there be no reme- dy, and. you are as it were driven to it against your will? Is the world such an inheritance, and sin so good a thing, and the flesh or devil so good a master, that you will not leave them till you are whipt away ? What a shameful unreasonable course is this!
Well, sirs, the case is plain before you. Turn you must at one time or other, or be the firebrands of hell. And seeing it is a thing that must be done, were it not best. for you to take the easiest and the surest way to do it; even to strike while the iron is hot, before it cool again ; and to go through with it when God doth move you and persuade you. If you love your flesh itself, do not put him to take up the rod, and fetch you home by stripes and terrors. .
But that is not the worst: for it will sorely hazard the work itself, and consequently your salvation, if you do not go through with it at the first attempt. I know there is many a one that hath been converted and saved after many purposes, and promises, and half-conversions. But yet. I must tell you, that this is a very dangerous course. For you do not know, when you grieve the Spirit of grace, and set so light by mercy when it is offered, you, and leave you to your own ungodly wills, and let you take your lusts and pleasures, and say, Let this wretch be filthy still: Let him keep his drunkenness, his companions, his world- liness, and thecurse of God with them, till he have tried what it is that they will do for him: Let him follow his own conceits, and the pride and obstinacy of his. own heart, till he find whither they will bring: him: Let him serve the flesh and the world, till he under- stand whether God or they be the better master. See- ing he will not be wise on earth, let him learn in hell; and let torments teach him, seeing mercy might not teach him. O poor soul!, what a case art thou in, if this should once be the resolution of God.
Moreover, you may easily, know that the longer you stay, the more leisure you give the devil to assault you,
_ TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 401
and to try one way when he cannot prevail by another, and to strengthen his temptations: like a foolish sol- dier, who will stand to be shot at, rather than assault the enemy.
And the longer you delay, the more sin gets strength and rooting. If you cannot bend a twig, how will you beable to bend it when it is atree? if you can- not pluck up a tender plant, are you likely to pluck up a sturdy oak? Custom gives strength and root to: vice. A blackmoor may as well change his skin, or @ leopard his spots, as those who are accustomed to do evil can learn to dowell.(t)
If you stick at conversion as a difficult matter to- day, it will be more difficult to-morrow, or the next month, and the next year, than it is now.
Yea, the very fesistance of the Spirit doth harden the heart, and the delays and triflings of the soul do bring it to an imsensibility and boldness m sin, and drive away the fear of God from the heart. Now it may be you are somewhat awakened, and begin to seethat you must turn or die: but if you trifle or delay, this light may be gone, and leave you in greater darkness than before; and the voice that now awakeneth you, may be silent, and leave you to fall asleep again.
Moreover, you know that you.are uncertain of the countenance of the gospel. You know not whether you shall have such lively serious preachers as you have now; nor you know not whether you shall have such godly neighbours and company to encou- rage you and help you in the work. God will re- move them one after another to himself, and then you will have the fewer prayers for you, and fewer warn- ings and good examples, and perhaps be left wholly to the company of deceived ungodly fools, that will do nothing but discourage and hinder you from con- ‘version. And you are not sure that religion will con- tinue in that reputation as now it is in. The times ~may turn, before you turn; and godliness may become
(t) Jer. xi. 23. 13. 3 E
=
402 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
a scorn again, and it may be a matter of suffering, and may cost you your lives tolive as the servants of Christ must do. And therefore, if you stop at it now asa difficult thing, when you have all the helps and en- couragements that you can expect, and the way to heaven is made so fair; and when the magistrates, and ministers, and neighbours, are ready to encourage and help you; what will you do in times of persecution and discouragement? If you cannot turn when you have all these helps and means, what will you do when they are taken from you? If you cannot row with the stream, how will you row against it? Ifyou | dare not set to sea when you have wind, and tide, and sunshine ? what will you do in storms and tempest, when all is against you? O what would some of your forefathers have given, to have seen the days that you see! How glad would many a thousand in other countries of the world be, to have but the help to heaven that you have! Never look to have the wa fairer and easier while you live. If you think heaven is offered you at too dear a rate now, you may een let it go, and try whether hell be better, for the next offer is like to be upon harder terms, rather than easier. If you cannot now find in your hearts to turn and live a holy life, what would you have done in Spain or Italy, where it would have cost you your lives? He that will not be converted now, but thinks the terms of grace too hard, is so impious a despiser of Christ and heaven, that it is no wonder if God resolve, that he shall never taste of the salva- tion that was offered him.(u) - . Moreover, you know upon what uncertainties you hold your lives, you have no assurance of them for an hour; but you are sure that they are passing away while you delay. And will you trifle then in a work that must be done? What a caseare you in, if death find you unconverted! The heart of man is not able now to conceive the misery of your case. How dare you venture to live another day in an unconverted
(w) Luke xiv. 24.
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 403
state, lest death should find you so? Are you not afraid when you lie down at night, and afraid when you go out of your doors in the morning, lest death surprise you? Are you converted? if you be not, it is long of your deadness and presumption.
And I would fain hear what it is that should thus stop you. What are you afraid of? Is God an ene- my, that you are so loth to come to him? Is the devil a friend, that you are so loth to leave him? Issina paradise? Is holinessa misery ? Isit a pleasanter life to love your money, or your lands, or your meat and drink, and lusts, than to love the most blessed God, the Creator of the world, the life of our souls, and our eternal felicity ? Is it better to pamper a car- case that must shortly stink as the dung, than to pro- vide for a living immortal soul? Whether do you think that earth or heaven will be the more glorious and durable felicity ?
What is it, sirs, that you stick at, that you make so many delays before you will turn? Is there any diffi- cult in the point? Do you think it a hard question, whether you shall turn or not? Why, how can you be so blind? Do you stand pausing upon the business, as if it were a doubt, whether God or the world were better? and whether sin or holiness, Christ or death, heaven or hell, were to be preferred? I pray you consider: can you reasonably think, that con- version will do you any harm? Can it bring you into a worse condition than you are in? Sure you cannot fear such a thing. You are in your blood: you are dead in sin: you are children of wrath, while you are unconverted. You are under the curse of the law of God; you are the slaves of the devil, you are the heirs of hell, and under the guilt of all your sins; your life is a continued rebellion against God ; you are employed every day in the destroying of yourselves, in kindling the flames that must ever- lastingly torment you, and laying in fuel for the per- petuating of your misery; and fighting against your friends that would deliver you, and unthankfully
404° DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS *
abusing Christ, and grace, and ministers, and friends, that would save your souls, This is the condition that every one of you is in, till you are converted, And can you fear lest conversion would bring you into a worse condition than this? Sirs, these truths are sure and plain; and if you stick at it, your error is so palpably gross, that, unless you are madmen, I may be bold to say, it is a wilful error, And if you love to be deceived, and wilfully choose a lie, you must take that you get by it.
8. Consider further, That halfconversions do often prove an occasion of deluding men’s souls, and. mak- ing them quiet in a miserable state, and so of keeping them from being converted to the last. If you had never done any thing in it, you would more easily be persuaded that your case is bad, and that there is still a necessity of your change. But when you have had some convictions and troubles of mind, and fears and sorrows, and so have failen into an outside par- tial reformation, and now are persuaded that you are truly converted, when it is no such matter, what a dangerous impediment to your conversion may this prove! And all because you slumber over the work, and cut it off before it reacheth to sincerity, and strive against the workings of the Spirit, and break away from your Physician before he hath done the gure,,
and would not follow it unto the end, .I know that
a half-conversion, if it be known to be no more, is
much better than none, and doth often prepare men —
for a saving work. But when this half-conyersion is taken for a true and saving change, as too commonly it is, it proves one of the greatest impediments of salva- tion. Whenever Christ shall afterwards knock at your door, you will not know him, as thinking that. he dwells with you already. If you read any books that callon you to be conyerted, or hear any preachers that call on you to turn, you have this at hand to cozen yourselves with, and frustrate all—you will think, This is not spoken to me; for I am conyerted al-
ready. O how quietly do such poor deluded sinners
—--~. 2 bs
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 405
daily read and hear their own doom and misery, and never once dream that they are the men that are meant, and therefore are never dismayed at the matter! This formeth you into a state of hypocrisy, and makes the course of your duties and your lives to be hypocritical. If another man, that knows himself to be still uncon- verted, do but read the threatenings of the word against such, or hear of the terrors of the Lord from a minis- ter, he may be brought to confess that this is his own case, and so to perceive the misery of his condition. — But when such as you read and hear these things, they never trouble you, for you think that they do not touch you: You are scripture proof, and sermon proof; and all by the delusion of your half-conversion. O how zealously will such a man cry out against the sins of others! and tell them of their misery, and persuade them to turn, and show them the danger that is near them, if they do not; and, in the mean time, little thinks that this is his own case, and that he speaks all this against his own soul! How will such men applaud a sermon that drives at the conversion ofa sinner, and that tells them their misery while they are unconverted! QO, thinks he, this touched such and such; | am glad that such a man and sucha man heard it: and he little thinks that it as nearly touched himself. How smoothly will he go on in any discourse against wicked unregenerate men, as David . heard the parable of Nathan; and it never once enter- eth into their thoughts, that they speak all this against themselves ; till the Judge shall tell them, when it is too late, Thou art the man! It will turn not only the stream of your thoughts into hypocrisy and self- deceit, but also the stream of your speeches to others; yea, and the current of your prayers, and all the rest of your religious performances. When in confession you should acknowledge and lament an unregenerate earnal state, you will only confess that you have the infirmities of the saints, and that you have this or that sin, which yet you think is mortified. When you should importunately beg for renewing grace, you will beg only for strengthening grace, or assurance: when
406 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS sf
you should be labouring to break your hearts, you will be studying to heal them;’ and will be hearken- ing after present comforts, when you | of godly sorrow. It will fill your with pharisaical thanksgivings for neration, justification, adoption, sanc you never received. Little doth ma what sanctification and the several graces of tl are, that use to give God thanks for fl is many and many a one, that must for ¢ hell, that were used to give God thanks for the: hopes of glory. And the common cause of all this deceit and misery is, that men do run from und the hands of their Physician, before he ever went the bottom of their sore, and go away with a half-con- version; and so spend all the rest of their Tl mere delusion, as verily thinking they are convert when they are not. How confidently will such re- ceive the Lord’s supper, and thrust themselves into the communion of the saints, as if they had as good right as others to be there! Till the Lord of the feast shall take them to task, and say, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wed ment? And then they will be speechless.(a many false deceiving comforts, and per seeming raptures and assurances, may the themselves, as verily thinking their case when, alas, they never yet laid the foundati and it is to be observed, that Satan is a frien comforts of this kind of men, and therefore ‘ all that he canto promote them. or he wo lingly keep his garrison in peace(v) And, theret he may possibly be a comforting spirit to —him- self, and imitate the Holy Ghost, the comforter of the saints; and, itmay be, give them such raptures as seem higher than those which the Spirit of holiness doth give. He envieth the saints their peace and comfort, because he foresees how durable they will prove: but he can be content that deluded hypocrites may have joy, because their comforts do not weaken,
(w) Matt. xxii. 12. (r) Luke xi. 21.
oped
ofthe feat tell the
/,
Gp:
Caxton. Landon, 1825.
isher
bished by Henry
—
” TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 407
but strengthen his kingdom within them, and he knows that they are like to endure but for a while.
And thus you may perceive, how hard it is to con- vert one of > keep ahete men, that have stran- gled the new creature as it were in the birth, and that are fortified against all the means of grace, by a false conceit that they are sanctified already. See therefore that you make sure work, and take not up in the middle, and with halves; but take your present time, and give up your souls to a total change.
3. Consider; if you take up short of a thorough conversion, you lose all your labour, and sufferings, and hopes as to the matter of your salvation.
_ And what a pity is it that so much shouldbe lost!
Alas, to see many of our hearers touched at a sermon, and come to a minister and bewail their sin, and seem to be humble, and promise to be new men, and yet all this to be lost! How sad a case is this to think of ! To see them leave their company and former course of life, and come among the professors of holiness, and all men take them for real converts; and yet all this to be lost, and their souls lost after all: how sad a caseis this! If you grow up to the greatest parts of outward duty, and be able to discourse, or pray, or preach, even to the admiration of the hearers ; yet if you do not ground this on a thorough conversion, all is but lost, as to your own salvation. If you keep up the highest strain of profession, and get the high- est esteem to the church, so that others depend upon you as oracles; yea, if the pope with all his infalli- bility should cannonize you for saints; it were all but loss. If you should keep up the most confident persuasions of your salvation, and hope to go to hea- ven, to the last hour of your lives; it were all but lost, if you build not all on a thorough conversion. Yea, if you should be taken by persecutors for one of the party to which you join, and should suffer for the cause of religion among them; all were but lost, with- out @ sound conversion. y )
(y) 1 Cor. xu. 1, 2, 3.
408 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
It is a pitiful case to see some poor unsanetified souls how they wander and change from one opinion
to another, and from party to patty, to find out that which they want within. They Si this party first, and that party next, and then to another, and then think they are sure in the way to heaven; when they never thoroughly turned to God by Jesus Christ; and therefore are certainly out of the way, whatever party it be that they join with. Some go to the giddy sects that make the highest pretences to. strictness: and some go to Rome, because they think that there they shall have more company, and hear the deluding sound of unity, universality, antiquity, succession, miracles, and such like: and then the
think they have hit the way. Alas, poor souls! If _ God were but nearest and dearest to your hearts, and Christ and his righteousness exalted within you, and your souls unfeignedly turned from your sins, you would be in the certain way to heaven, m what coun- try, or company, or church, soever you wefe; sup- posing that you believe, and do nothing there which is inconsistent with this life of grace. (Though yet every Christian should choose that particular society, ifhe can, where he may not only be saved, but most
certainly saved, and find the greatest helps and least
hinderances, or else where he may do God the great- est service.) But choose what company you will in
all the world, the strictest, the most reformed, the
most splendid in outward pomp and glory, or of whatsoever excellency else you can imagine, you will never be saved in it yourselves, as long as your hearts are unconverted. I know the papists have found out many devices, by sacraments, and ceremonies, and the merits of the saints, to patch up the defect of thorough conversion ; but all are mere deluders that pretend to such a thing. ,
O then, think of this, poor sinner: Hast thou gone so far, and done so much, and shall all be lost because’ thou wilt not follow it tothe end? Hast thou groan- ed, and wept, and confessed, and bemoaned thine own
’
OE —— re
TO A SOUND CONVERSION,., 409
‘condition? Hast thou prayed, and read, and heard, ‘and fasted, and changed thy company, and much.of thy course of life? and shall all this be lost, for want of going to the bottom, and making a thorough work of it? What a loss will this be!
4., Consider also, what an admirable help and ad- vantage it will be to you, through the whole course of syour lives, if the work of conversion be once thoroughly ewrought. J will show you this in some particulars.
First, It will be an excellent help to your. under- Standings, against the grosser errors of the world, and willestablish you in the truth much more than mere arguments can do ; for you will be able to speak for -the truth from feeling and experience: he that hath the law written both in his Bible and in his heart, is likely to hold it faster than he that hath it in his Bible alone. | .
Secondly, If you be but thoroughly converted, you will have a continual help against temptations: you have not only experience of the mischief of sinning, and the folly of those reasons which are brought for its defence; but you have also a new nature which is against the temptation, as life is against poison: and as it is a great disadvantage to the law of Christ, that it speaks against the nature of the ungodly ; so it isa disadvantage to the temptations of the devil, that they weuld drawa Christian against his new nature. You have that with- in you that will plead more effectually against sensua- lity, uncharitableness, pride, or worldliness, or any the dike sins, than reason or Jearning alone can.
Thirdly, If couversion be thoroughly wrought, you
will have within you a continual helper of your graces, and aremembrance to put you in mind of duty, anda _|spur to put you on to the performance, and a furtherer of your souls in the performance itself: it is out of this spark and principle within you, that the Holy Ghost doth raise the arts of grace. That is it that the word, and prayer, and conference, and sacraments, and all the means of grace must work upon. If we see you do amiss, we have hopes that you will hear us; if we 14. 3 F
4.10 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASION
plainly reprove you, we may look you should take it* in good part; for you have that within you that saith as we say, and is at deadly enmity with the sin which we reprove. If we provoke you to-love and to good works, we dare almost promise ourselves that you will obey ; for you have that within you that disposeth you to the duty, and preacheth our sermons to you over again. O what an.advantage it is to our teaching, when you are all taught of God within, as well-as by his messengers -without! But when we speak to the unconverted, we have little to work upon: “we give physic to the dead, we speak all against the bent:of their souls ; and every reproof and ~ exhortation to holiness goes against their very natures: and therefore what wonder if we have smaller hopes to prevail.
Fourthly, If the work be thoroughly done at first, it will help to resolve many doubts that may be after- wards cast into your minds. You need not be still at a loss, and looking behind you, and questioning your foundation, but may go cheerfully and boldlyon. O what an excellent encouragement is this ! to know that you have hitherto made good your ground, and left all safe and sure behind you, and have nothing to do but to look before you, and press on towards the mark, till you lay hold upon the prize! whereas if you be in any — great doubt of your conversion, it will be stopping — you and discouraging you in all your work: you will © be still looking behind you and saying, What if I should yet be unconverted? When you should cheer- 1 fully address yourselves to prayer or sacraments, how sadly will vou go, as being utterly uncertain whether ~ you have a saving right to them, or whether God will — accept a sacrifice at your hand? When you should © grow and go forward, you will have little heart to it, because you know not whether you are yet in the way; ~ and this will damp your life and comfort in every duty, — when you must say, I know not whether yet I be ~ thoroughly converted. O therefore stop not the work —
at first.
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. All
Fifthly, If the work be thoroughly done at first, you will persevere, when others fallaway. You will have rooting in yourselves, entertaining the seed as into depth of earth ; and you will have the Holy Ghost within you, and (more than so) engaged for your pteservation, and the perfecting of your salvation: when they that received the word as seed upon a rock, and never gave it deep entertainment, will wither and fall away in the time of trial; and from them that have not saving grace, shall be taken away even that which they seemed to have. (z)
Sixthly, and lastly, consider, If you fall short ofa true conversion at the first. the devil will take occa- sion by it to tempt you at last to utter despair. When you have made many essays and trials, and been about the work again and again, he will persuade you that there is no possibility of accomplishing it. If we con- vince an open profane person that is unconverted, he may easier see that there is hopes of it: but if a man have been half converted, and lived long in a formal self-deceiving profession of religion, and been taken by himself and others for a godly man, as it is very hard to convince this man that he is unconverted, so when he is convinced of it, he will easily fall into des- peration.—For Satan will tell him, If thou be yet un- converted after so many confessions and prayers, and after so long a course of religion, what hope canst thou have that yet it should be done? Thou wilt never have better opportnnities than thou hast had. If such sermons as thou hast heard could not do it, what hope is there of it? If such books and such company, and such mercies, and such afflictions, have not done it, what hope canst thou have? Canst thou hear any livelier teaching than thou hast heard? or speak any holier words than thou hast spoken? If yet the work be qulie undone, it is not forsaking another sin, nor go:ng a step further, that will do it: and therefore never think of it; for there is no hope. Dost thou not know how oft thou hast tried in vain ?
(z) Matt. xiii. 12. xxv. 29.
412 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
And what canst thou do more? “And ‘thus you give advantages to the tempter by your first delays, and taking up in ‘mere preparatories. And therefore T beseech you, ‘as you love your souls, take heed of resisting the Spirit of grace, and breaking off the work before it is thoroughly done ; but go to the’ bottom, and ‘follow it on till it be accomplished in sincerity: And now hoping, that upon these considerations yoti are resolved to do your best, T shall come to’ the thing which I principally intended: whieh i 1s, to give you certain, directions, which if you ‘Wik sie Om ye mee be converts and saints indeed! | Direction 1. Lest the work of conversion ahbiita mis- carry, where it seemeth to be begun, or in a hopeful way, I first advise you to labour after a right under- standing of the true nature of Christianity, and the meaning of the gospel which is sent to convert you. You are naturally slaves to the prince of darkness, and’ live ina state of darkness, and do the work of dark-+ ness, and are hasting apace to utter’ darkness.’ And it is the light of saving knowledge that must recover you, or ‘there is no recovery. God is the father of light, and dwelleth in light; Christ is the light of the world ; ‘his ministers are also the hghts of the world, as under him, and are sent to turn men from darkness to light by the gospel, which is the light to our feet: and this is to make us children of light, that we may no more do the works of darkness, but may be partakers ofthe inheritance of the saints in light.’ Believe it, darkness is not the way to the celestial! glory. ‘Ignor- ance is your disease, and knowledge must be’ your cure. I know the ignorant have’ many “excilses, ‘and are apt | to think that the case is not so bad with them as we make it to be; and that there is no such need of know- ledge, but a man may be saved without it. But this is because they want that knowledge that should show them the mercy of their ignorance, and’ the worth of knowledge. Hath not the. scripture plainly told you, ‘That if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are . lust, whose minds the God of this world hath blinded, —
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 413
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the “image of God, should shine unto them. I know that many that have much knowledge are ungodly. But what ofthat ? Can any man therefore be godly, or be saved, without knowledge? You may have a bad ser- vant, that yet is skilful enough in his work :: but yet you will not mend the matter, by taking one that hath no skill at all. You may send aman on your errand that knows the way, and yet will not go it, but loiter and deceive you: but what of that? Will you think to mend the matter, by sending one that knoweth not astep of the way, nor will not learn it?. Though a man of knowledge may be a servant of the devil, yet no man without knowledge (that hath the use of his reason) can be the servant of God. A man may go to hell with knowledge; but he certainly shall go to hell without it. I do not say that you must all be men of Jearning, and skilled in the arts and sciences, and languages; but you must have the knowledge of a Christian, though not of a scholar. Can you love or serve a God. that you know not? Can you let go friends, and goods, and life, for a glory which you have no knowledge of? Can you make it the princi pal business of your lives, to seek fora heaven whose excellencies you know not of? Can you lament your sin and misery when you are unacquainted with it? or will you strive against sin, as the greatest evil, when you know not the evil of it? Will you believe in-a Christ whom you do not know, and trust your souls and all upon him? Will you rest upon a promise, or fear a threatening, or be ruled by a law, whsch you do not understand? It is not possible to be Chris- tians, without knowing the substance of Christianity; mor is it possible for you to be saved, without knowing the way of salvation.
‘Labour therefore to be well acquainted with the grounds, and reasons, and: nature, of your religion. The clearer your light ‘is, the ‘warmer and livelier ‘your’ hearts will‘be.°; [lumination is the first part of
414 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASION
sanctification. The head is the passage to the heart. O, if you did but thoroughly know what sin is, and what alifeit is to serve the flesh, and what the end of this will prove, with what detestation would you cast itaway! If you did thoroughly know what a life of holiness is, how speedily would you choose it! If you did truly know what God is, how infiniteiy power- — ful, and wise, and good how holy, and just, and true; and what title he hath to you, and authority over you, and what an eternal portion he would be to you; how is it possible that vou could prefer the dirt of the world before him, or delay any longer to return unto him! If vou did but truly know what Christ is, and what he hath done and suffered for you, and what that pardon, and grace, and glory, are which he hath purchased for — you, and offered to you, and how sure his promise is by which it is offered ; it is not possible that you should refuse to entertain him, or delay to give up your souls unto him. Do you think a man that truly knows what heaven is, and what hell is, can still be in doubt whether he should turn or not? Alas, sirs! if God would but open your eyes, to see where you are, and what you are doing, you would run as if for your lives; and quickly change your minds and ways. You would no more stay in your carnal state, than you would stay in a house that was falling down on your heads, or ina ship that you perceive sinking under you, or on the sands when you see the tide coming towards you. If your house or chamber were all in flames about you, you would not stand to ask whether you should be gone’: ‘and sure then, if you knew how the devils are about you, how they deceive you, and rule you, and wait to drag you to hell, you would never stay a . night Jonger ‘willingly in such a. state. While men understand not what the gospel means, nor what a minister saith unto them, no wonder if they regard them not, but continue in their sin. If you see a bear or amad dog making towards a man, and tell him of it, and call hitn to be gone, if he be a man of another
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 415
language. and do not understand you, he will make never the more haste: but if he understand and be- lieve you, he will away. If people think that minis- ters are in jest with them, or that they are uncertain of what they say, no marvel if they hear us in jest, or.as men that believe not what they hear : but if you knew that your lives Jay on it, yea, your everlasting life, would you not regard it, and look about you? Now you stand deliberating, and questioning the business, whether you should turn, and let go sin, or not ; but if you knew that you must certainly have hell with it if you keep it, methinks your doubt should quickly be resolved, and you should be loth to give another night's lodging to so chargeable and dangerous a guest.
Now when we persuade you to holiness of life, and will demur on it, as if there were some doubtfuiness in the matter: but if you knew the nature and end . of holiness, you would soon be out of doubt; and if you knew but how much happier you might be with God, you would never stick at the parting with your most delightful sins. As the Jews rejected Christ, and preferred a murderer before him, and eried out, Crucify him! and all because they did not know him; so you Jet Christ knock and call, and offer you salvation, and you stand questioning whe- ther you should obey his call, and whether you should not prefer your lusts before him: and all be- cause you know him not, nor the grace and glory which he tendereth to you. When men understand not the reasons of God that should prevail with them, no wonder if they part not with that which is as dear to them as their lives. But when once they know the reasons of Christianity, (those moving, weighty, undeniable reasons, that are fetched from God, and heaven, and hell,) they will then stand questioning the matter no longer; but they will resign up all, even life itself. All this I speak of a spiritual, powerful, and a practical knowledge; and not of every swimming opinion and conceit. ;
416 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASTONS
'» Study, therefore, what God is, and what he i and what he would be to you! Stud what the damnation is which it deserveth. meee Christ is, and hath done and. suffered for you, and
what he is willing to do if you neglect him not. Study
what the world is, and what is the utmost that,sin will do for you. Study what the everlasting glory is, which
you may have with God, if you lose it not: by your i
folly: And study what faith is, and what
is, and what love, and joy, anda holyand heavenly life is, and how little reason you have'to be afraid of — If this understanding have but ‘deeply possessed. yo
it will bias your hearts, and make: yom panckon) seitled :
converts. mnebeb olga
Direction I]. If you would net have tls work of — your. conversion miscarry, when you understand what —
is offered you, then search the scriptures daily to see whether those things be so or not.
So did the Bereans. (a) And the text saith, that hehe. .
fore they believed. We come not:to cheat and: deceive you ; and therefore we desire not that you should take any thing from us, but what we can prove to youfrom the word of God to be certainiy true. We desire not to lead you in the dark, but bythe light to. dead you out of darkness ; and therefore we refuse not to submit all our doctrine to an equal tial. Though we would an have you wrong your souls by an unjust distrust of
; yet would we not desire you ‘to take these great and weighty things merely upon our words: for then your faith will be in man; and then no marvel if it be weak and ineffectual, and quickly shaken. -If you trust aman to day, you may distrust him to morrow; and if one man be of the greatest credit with you this year, another, of a contrary mind, may be of more credit with you the next year. And therefore we de- sire no further to be believed by you, than isnecessary to lead you up to God, and to help you to under- stand that word which you must believe : our desire therefore is, that you search ‘the scripture; and try
(a) Acts xvn. 1i.
TO -A SOUND CONVERSION... 417.
whether the: things. which. we tell you be the truth. The. word will never work on you to purpose, till you hear and see God in it, and. perceive that it is he, and not man only, that speaks to you. When you hear ‘none speaking to you but the minister, no marvel if you dare despise him, for he is a frail and silly man like yourselves; when you think that the doctrine which we preach unto you is, merely of our own de- yising, and the conjecture of our own brain, no ;marvel if you set light by it, and will not let go all that you have, at the persuasion of a preacher... But when you have searched the scripture, and find that itis the word of the God of heaven, dare you despise it then? When you there find that we said no more than we were com- manded, and God that hath spoken this word. will stand to it; then surely it will go nearer you, and you will consider of it, and make light of it no more. If we offered you bad wares, we should desire a dark shop, and if our gold were light or bad, we should not, call for the balance and the touchstone. But when we are sure the things that we speak are true, we - desire nothing more than trial. Beauty and comeli- ness have no advantage of loathsome ners when they are both together in the dark: but the light will show the difference.—Error may be a loser by the light, and therefore shuns it. But truth is a gainer by it and therefore seeks it. Let Papists hide the scrip- tures from the people, and forbid the reading of them in a tongue which they understand, and teach them to speak to God they know not what; we dare not do so, nor do we desire it : our doctrine will not go off well in the dark ; and therefore we call you to the law and to the testimony, and desire you to take our words into the light, and see whether they are according to the word of the Lord. Nothing troubleth us more than that we cannot persuade our hearers to this trial. Some of them are so hardened in their sin and misery, that they will not be at so much labour as to open their Bibles, and try whether we say true or not. Some of them will not trouble their minds with the 14. 3G
418 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
thoughts of it : God is not in all their thoughts.(b) An some are already too wise to learn ; they’will not so long abate their confidence of their former opinions; though, poor souls, their ignorance do threaten their damnation. And some are so engaged in a sinful party, that their companions will not give them leave to make so much question of the way that they are in; and some will scarce take the scripture for the rulé by which they musttry and be tried; but look more to custom, and the will of those in power over them. And most are unwilling to try, because they are unwilling to know the truth, and cannot endure to find themselves miserable, nor see the sin which they would not leave, nor see the duty, which they love not to practise. And thus we cannot get them to try whether the things that we teach them be so.
For want of this it is, that men deceive themselves, and think their case to be safe when it is miserable,
. because they will not try it by the word. This makes
them rage and be confident in their folly, and laugh and sing at the brink of hell, and swimas merrily down the stream to the devouring gulph, as if no evil were near them. This makes them in the depth of misery to have no pity on themselves, and to do so little to escape it: though they have time and means, and helps at hand, yet there are not hearts in them to make use of them ; yea, they run themselves daily further on the score ; and all because we cannot get them to search the scripture, and try whether sin be so small a matter and whether this will not be bitterness in the end.— Hence it is, that they are so easily drawn by a tempta- tion, and that they'dislike a holy life; and have base thoughts of them that are most diigent for salvation, and are most precious in the eyes of God; and that they can even deride the way that they should walk in; because they will not search the scripture, to see what it saith to these matters. The word is a light, and would do much to open their eyes, and win them over to God. if they would but come to it with a desire to
(6) Psalm. x. 4.
TO A’SOUND CONVERSION: ' 419
know the truth. You think that the ungodly that are rich and great, are in a better condition than a godly man that is poor and despised. And why is this, but because you will not go into the sanctuary, and. seein what a slippery place they stand, and what will bethe end of these men? In a word, this is the un- doing of millions of souls. They are all their life-time out of the way to heaven, and yet will not be per- suaded to ask the way; but they run and wink, and putit tothe venture. Many a thousand are gone out of the world, before they ever spent the quantity of one day in trying, by the scripture, whether their state were good, and their way were right. Nay, let their teachers tell them that they must be sanctified, and take another course, they will differ from their teach- ers, though they be ever so wise and learned; and they will contradict them, and not believe nor regard them. And yet we cannot get them to come to us, and put the case to the trial, and let the scripture be the judge. Would-they but do this, they could ne- ver sure have such hard thoughts of their teachers, and be offended at their plainest, closest dealing. You would then say, ‘I see now the minister says not this of himself; he speaks but that which God, commandeth him: and if he would not deliver the mes- sage of the Lord, he were unworthy and unfit to be his ambassador: he were cruel to me, if he would not pull me out of the fire, by the plainest, closest means. He hiated me, if he would not rebuke me, but suffer sin upon me. If he would please men, he should
not be the servant of Christ. I know itis no pleasure to him to trouble me, or to provoke me: but it would be his own destruction if he tell me not of my dan- ger. And.JI have no reason to wish him to damn his own soul, and suffer me to do the like by mine, and all for fear of displeasing me in my sin.” These would be your thoughts, if you would but try our words by the scripture, and see whether we speak not the mind of God.
And sure it would go somewhat deeper in your hearts, and it would stick by you, and be more before
-
420 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
your: éyes when you once pram that it is’the word of God.: > deorpibnan ten . This then is my request to you, sirs, that the work’ of your conversion may not miscarry, That you would carry all that you hear to the: scripture, and search there, and see whether it be so or not, that so you may be put out of doubt, and may beat a certainty, and not stand wavering ; and that your faith’ may be: resolved
into the authority of God ; and so the work may be di-
vine. and consequently powerful and prevailing,» when:
the ground and motive is divine. If you be not-satis-. fied in the doctrine which the minister delivered to.
you, first search the scripture yourselves; and if that
will not do, go to him, and desire him to show you,
his grounds for it in the word of God, and join with you in prayer for a right understanding of it. Do you question whether there be so severe a judgment, and a heaven and a hell, as ministers tell you? Search the scripture, in Matt. xxv. and 2 Thess. 1. 8; 9,/10. John v. 29. Matt. xiii. Do you question whether a man
may not be saved without conversion, regeneration, |
and holiness?’ Open your Bibles, and see what God
saith, John i. 6. Matt. xviii. 3. 2. Cor. v.'17. Rom:
vill. 9. Heb. xii 14. Do you think a man may be saved without knowledge? Let scripture judge, 2 Cor. iv. 3,4. John>xvii. 3. Hos. iv. 6. Do youthink a man may be saved that doeth as the most do, and goeth in the common way of the worldr Search the scripture and see, Matt. vii. 13, and xx. 16. and xxii.
14, Luke xii. 32. Do you think an unhumbled soul. may be saved, that never was contrite and broken-.
hearted a a Try by Isaiah lvii. 15. and ixvi. 2.
Psalm li. 17. Luke iv. 18. Matthew xi. 28.. Do you,
think a man can be a servant of God, that. liveth, a
fleshly life, and will keep his sin? Try by Rom: viii. 13: John iii. 12. Eph. v...5, 6; 1 Johm, iii. 9, 10.. Do you doubt whether it is necessary to make so:
much ado to be saved, and to be so strict, and make
religion your chiefest business? Try by Psalm i Pe
a fl Deteca iv. 18. Hebrews xii. 14. . Luke x. 42. and
xiii. 24. Eph. v. 15, 16. Do you think a man can 1 ;
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 421
saved that is a worldling? whose heart is more on earth than heaven? Try by 1 Jobn ii. 15. Phil. ui. 19. Col. iii. 1. Luke xiv. 26, 33. Do you doubt whether you should serve God with yeur families? and instruct ' them, and pray with them? Try by Josh. xxlv. 15. Deut. vi. 7. Dan. vi. 10, 11. Exod. xx. 10. + Thus, if you will in all these weighty matters but go to the scripture, and see whether it says as your teachers say, you might soon be resolved, and that by the surest authority im the world. If you think that your ministers may be deceived, I hope you will con- fess that God cannot be deceived. If you think that your ministers are passionate, or self-conceited, or speak out of ill-will to you, I hope you dare not say so by the Lord: he owes you no ill-will, nor speaksa word but what is most sure. If you think us partial, sure God is impartial! What better judge can you have now, than he that is infallible, and must judge you all at the last? The law is made to: judge. you, and not to be judged by you. None can be the pro- per judges of the sense of the law, but the maker of it ; though others must judge their case' by the law. Your work is to discern it, and understand and obey it; and our work is to help you to understand: it ; but it is neither our work) nor yours, to be the proper or absolute judges of it. At least where it speaks plain, it needs no judge. Come then to the word in meekness and humility, with a teachable frame of spirit,.and a willingness to know the truth, anda resolution to stand to it, and _ yield to what shall be revealed to you; and beg of - God to show. you his will, and lead you into the truth, and you will find that he will be found of them that seek him. * Direction TIl. Ifyou’ would not have the work of your conversion miscarry, my next advice is this : i. * ‘See that ycu be much in the serious consideration of the truths which you understand, between God and you in secret.
422 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
I have often spoken of this heretofore ; but because’
I apprehend it to be a point of exceeding great ~ concernment, I shall be longer on it againi thems on the rest.
The greatest matters in the world will not wrens much upon him that will not think of them. Consi- Geration opens the ears that are stopt, and the heart that was shut up; it sets the powers of the soul to work, and awakeneth it from the sleep of incogitancy and security. The thoughts are the first actings of the soul, that set a-work the rest. Thinking on the matters that must make us wise, and do the work of God on the heart, is that which lieth on us to do in order to our conversion. By con- sideration a sinner makes use of the truth, which be- fore lay by, and therefore could do nothing. By
consideration he taketh the medicine to his soul,-.
which before stood by, and could not work. By consideration a man makes use of his reason, which before was laid asleep, and therefore could not do his: work. When the master is from home, the scho- lars will be at ‘play. When the coachman is asleep, the horses may miss the way, and possibly break his neck and their own. If the ploughman go his way, the oxen will stand still, or make but bad un- handsome work.—So when reason, laid asleep, is out of the way, what may not the appetite do? and what may not the passions do? and what may not tempta- tions do with the soul? A wise man, when he is asleep, hath as little use of his wisdom as a fool. A learned man, when he is asleep, can hardly dispute with an wnlearned man that is awake. A strong man that is ever so skilful at his: weapons, is scarce able in his sleep, to deal with the weakest child that is awake. Why, all the powers:of your soul are as it
were asleep, till consideration awake them, and set .
-hem at work. And what the better are you for be~ ing men, and having reason, if you have not the use/of your reason when you need it? As men are inconsi- derate because they are wicked, so they are the more
‘TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 425
wicked ‘because they are inconsiderate. | The keenest sword, the greatest cannon, will’do no execution against an enemy while they lie by, and are not used, There isa mighty power in the word of God, and the example of Christ, to pull down strong holds, and conquer the strongest lusts and corruptions. But they will not do this while they are forgotten and neglected. Will heaven entice the man that thinks not of it? Will hell deter the man that thinks not of it? Why is it that all the reasoning in the world will do no more to a good man that is deaf, than if you said nothing? But because the passage to his thoughts and understanding is stopt up. And if you have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not, and wilfully cast it out of your thought, what good can any thing do to you that is spoken? It is not, ‘holding your meat to your mouth that will nourish
you, if you will not let it down; nor taking it into’
your stomach, if you will not keep it, but presently cast it up again: but it must be kept till it is digested and distributed. So it is not the most excellent truths in the world that will change your hearts; if you let them not down to your hearts, and keep them not there by meditation till they are digested and turned into spiritual life. The plaister. must be laid upon the sore, if you would be cured.—The wound and sickness is at your heart; and if you will not take in the word to your heart, where the sickness is, I know not how you should expect a cure, The soul will not be charmed into holiness, by the bare hearing or saying over a few: good words, as wizards used to cure diseases, or seemed to cure them, It must be truth at the heart that must change the heart.—And if you will not think on, and think on it again, how can you expect it should ever come to your heart?
You say you,would gladly have Christ and grace, ,
and are ready to lay the blame on God, because he doth not give it you, and say, We cannot convert our- selves: but would you have the. spirit come in, while you hold the door against him? He knocks, and de-
*
424, DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
sires you to open and let him in, and you wish him to come in; but you bolt the door, and no entreaty will procure you to open it. It is consideration of the saving doctrine of the gospel, that openeth the heart, ‘and giveth it entertainment. Set yourselves therefore on purpose to this work, and open the doors
of your heart, which are now shut, and let the Kingof
glory come in. Who will believe that you love the light when you shut the windows, and draw the cur- tains? If you will set yourselves to consider of the truth, the windows of your'soul will be set open; and. then the light will certainly come in. Now you read over whole chapters, and hear sermon) after sermon, and either they never stir you, or at least it is butia little for a fit; like a man that hath a little warmed him at a firein the winter, and: when he’ goes from it is colder than before: but if you would but set your- selves to consider of what you hear or read, one line of a chapter, or one sentence of a sermon, would lay you in tears, or make you groan, or at least do more than now is done. Satan hath garrisoned the, heart of every carnal man: and consideration is the prin- cipal means to. cast him out. If by considering of
the terrible threatenings of the word, you would dis- ~
charge the cannons of ‘God against them, what a bat- tery would it make in the corruptions of your souls! Our God is a consuming fire, and the’ fire of hell is threatened by his law as the wages of sin: by serious consideration you may as it were fetch fire from! God and from his word, and set to the very gates of Sa- tan’s garrison, and fire him out of nee of his” holds.
But because this is so needful a pomt, if ‘shall be *so large upon it, as, 1. To tell you some of ‘those things” that you should consider of ; 2: To:tell you in what manner you should do it: and 3. To give you some motives to put you on.
1. The first thing that I would have you often to think on, is, the nature of that God with whom you have to do. Consider, that if he be the most wise, itis all the reason in the world that he should rule you.
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TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 425
If he be good, and infinitely good, there is all the rea- son in the world that you should love him; and there is no show of reason, that you should love the world, or sin before him. If he be faithful and true, his threatenings must be feared, and his promises must not be distrusted: and there is no reason that you should make any question of his word. If he be holy, then holiness must needs be most excellent, and those that are the holiest must needs be the best, because they are most like to God; and then he must be an enemy to sin, and to all that are unholy, because they are contrary to his nature. Consider that he is al- mighty, and there is no resisting him, or standing out against him; in the twinkling of an eye can he snach thy guilty soul from thy body, and cast it where sin is better known. A word of his mouth can set all the world against thee; and. set thine own conscience against thee too. A frown of his face can turn thee into hell. And if he be thine enemy, it is no matter who is thy friend; for all the world cannot save thee, if he do but condemn thee. They are blessed whom he blesseth, and they are cursed indeed whom he curs- eth. Ile was from eternity, and thou art but as it were of yesterday ; thy being is from him ; thy life is always in his hands ; thou canst not live an hour without lim, thou canst not fetch a breath without him; nor think a thought, nor speak a word, nor stir a foot or hand, without him: thou mayest better live without bread, or drink, or fire, or air, or earth, or water, than with- out him. All the world is, before him, but as the drop of a bucket, or a little sand or dust, that should be laid in balance with all the earth. Hadst thou but compassed about this lower world, and seen all the nations of it, and its wonderful furniture, and seen the great depts:of the mighty ocean, and the abundance of creatures that be in ail; O what thoughts then wouldst thou have of God! But if thou hadst been above the stars, and seen the sun in all its glory, and seen the frame and course of those higher orbs, and seen the blessed glorious angels, and all the imhabi- 14. 3H
426 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS |
tants of the higher world, O then what thoughts of God’ wouldst thou entertain! O but if it were possible that thou hadst seen his glory, or seen but his back parts, as Moses did, or seen him in Christ, the now glorified Redeemer, what apprehensions wouldst thou have of him then! Then how wouldst thou abhor the name of sin ; and how weary wouldst thou be of the pleasant~ est life that sensuality could afford thee! Then thow wouldst quickly know, that no love can, be great enough, and no praise can be high enough, and no service can be holy and good enough, for such a God 5 then you would soon know, that this is net a God to be neglected, or dallied with; nor a God to be re- sisted, nor provoked by the wilful breaking of his. laws. It is eternal life to. know this God; and for want of knowing him, it is that sin aboundeth in the world. This maketh holiness so scarce and lean: Men wor- ship they care not how, because they worship they know not whom. O therefore dwell on the medita- tioas of the Almighty. So far as he doth possess thy mind, there will be no place for sin and vanity.—One would think, If f should set you no farther task, and tell you of no other matter for your meditation, this - one should be enough; for this one is in a manner all: What will not the due knowledge of God do upon the soul? That is the best Christian, and the most happy man, that knoweth most of him ; and that is the most vile and miserable wretch that is furthest from him, and strangest to him: it is, the character of che fool of — fools to have a heart whose disposition and practice saith, there is no God, (c) that is, to be so affected:and — employed in their hearts, as if there were no God; and when God is not in all their thoughts. It was better with man, when he had less knowledge of himself, and fewer thoughts for himself, and more of God. And there is no way to restore us to sound understanding, — and to perfect our knowledge, but to turn our eye upon God again; for in knowing him, we know all that is © worth the hee ine Take hold pik: of the Sait
©) Psaim Mv. He
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 4.27
God in thy meditations, and fill thy thoughts with him, and dwell upon those thoughts. Remember he is always with thee: and wherever thou art, or what- ever thou art doing, most certainly he seeth thee.— As sure as thou art there, the Lord is there. He knows thy thoughts; he hears thy words, he sees all thy ways. And is such a God as this is, to be provoked and despised * Were it not better to provoke and despise all the world? Is his favour to be slighted? Were it not better to lose the favour of all the world? Consider of this.
2. Another thing that I would have you often think of, is, what end you were made for, and what business it is that you came for into thé world. You may weil think that God made you not in vait: and that he made you for no lower end, than for him- self: and that he would never have made, nor so Jong preserved you, if he had not eared what youdo. He would never have endued you with a reasonable and immortal sou], but for some high, and noble, and immortal end. Surely it was, that you might be hap-
in knowing him, that he made you capable of knowing him; for he made nothing in vain. It is useful to a horse to know his pasture, and proven- der, and work, and perhaps his master; but he needs not know whether there be a God: and accordingly he is qualified. But it is sure man’s chief concern- ment to know that there is a God, and what he is, and how to serve him, and what he is and will be _to us; or else we should never have been capable of such things. And he would never have made you capable of loving him, but that you should be éxercised and made happy in that love. The frame, and faculties, and capacity, of your souls, and the scope of scripture, do all declare, that you were sent into this world to seek after God, and to love him, and obey him, and rejoice in him, in your measure; and to prepare for a life of nearer communion, where you may enjoy him and please him in the highest perfec- tion. Consider with yourselves, whether a life of sin be that which you were made for? Or whether God
428 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASTONS
‘sent you hither to break his laws, and follow your -own lusts? And whether, the satisfying of yeur flesh, and the gathering of a little worldly: wealth, and the feathering of a nest which you must quickly leave, to be like to the business that you were sent about into the world? ry 7
3. The next thing that I would have you consider of, is, how you have answered the ends of your crea- tion, and how you have done the business that you came into the world to do. Look back upon the drift of your hearts and lives; read over the most ancient records of your conscience; and see what you have been, and «vhat you have been doing in the world tili now.—Have you spent your days in seeking after -God? and your estates and strength in faithfully sery- ing him? Have you lived all this time in the admira- _tion of his excellencies, and the fervent love of him, ‘and delightful remembrance of him, and the zealous worship-.of him? If you had done this, you had not need of a conversion. But consider; have you not forgotten what business you had in the world, and lit- tle minded the world that you should have prepared for, and lived as if you knew not him that made you, or why he made you? Was sport and merriment the end that you were created for? Was ease and idle- ness, or eating or drinking, or vain discourses, or re- creation, the business that you came into the world about? Was living to the flesh, and scraping up riches, or gaping after the esteem of men, the work that God sent you hither todo? Was this it that he preserved you for, and daily gave you in provision for? What, was it it to forget him, and slight him, and turn
him out of your hearts, and rob him of his service and —
honour; and set up your flesh in his stead, and give —
that to it that was due to him? Bethink you what you ~
have done, and whether you have done the work that you were sent to do, or not.
4, The next thing you should use to consider of, is, how grievously you have sinned, and what a case it is that your sin hath brought you into. If you take but an imperial view of your lives, you may see how far
a
TO A SOUND CONVERSION 429
you have missed your marks, and how far you have been from what you should have been, and how little you have done of that which was your business; and O what abundance of aggravations have your sinsj (which I shall pass over now, because I must mention them under another head.) It is not only some actual out-breakings against the bent of your heart and life; but your very heart was false, and gone from God, and set in you to do evil.
O the time that you have lost; the means and help that you have neglected ; the motions that you have resisted; and swarms of evil thoughts that have filled your imaginations ; the streams of vain and evil words that have flowed from your mouth; the works of darkness, in public and in secret, that God hath seen you in! And all this while, how empty were . you in inward holiness, and how barren of good works, to God or men? What have you done with all your talents! and how little or nothing hath God had of all! :
And now consider what a case you are in, while you remain unconverted: you have made yourselves the sinks of sin, the slaves of Satan, and the flesh; and are skilful in nothing but doing evil’ ; if you be call- ed to prayer or holy meditation, your hearts are against it, and youare not used to it, and therefore you know not how to do it, to any purpose: but to think the thoughts of lust or covetousness, or hatred or malice, or re- venge, this you can do without any toil ; to speak of the world, or of your sports and pleasures, or against those that you bear ill will to, this you can do without any study: you are such asare spoken of, My people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding: they are uise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. (d) ‘You are grown strangers to the God that made you, m whose love and service you should live and find your chief delights. Your hearts are hardened, and you are
(d) Jer. iv. 22.
430 TO A SOUND CONVERSION.
dead in your sins; the guilt of the sins of your lives is still upon you; you can neither look imto your hearts or lives, no not one day of your livés, or the best hour that you have spent, but you must see the ugly face of sin which deserveth condemnation. Yon have made God your enemy, that should have been your ‘only felicity; and yet you are always at his merey, and ‘in hishands. Little do you know how long his pa- tience will yet endure you; or what hour he will call away your souls: and if death come, alas, what a case will it find you in! How lamentably unready are you to meet him! How unready to appear before the dreadful God whom you have offended; and what a terrible appearance do you think that will he to you! Most certamly if you die before you are converted, the imevitable consequence will be everlasting misery and despair. The law hath cursed you already; and the execution will be answerable, if you die in your sins. And thus you may see the gain of sin, and what it is that you have been doing all this while for your own souls; and what a case it is that you have brought yourselves into; and what need you have speedily to look about you. 5. The next step of your consideration should be this : bethink yourselves what a blessed condition you might be in, if by conversion you were recovered from this misery, and brought home to God. This moved the heart of the prodigal son to return. When he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of
my father’s have bread cnough, and to spare, and I
perish with hunger. He that had not husks to feed on with the swine, considered the plenty that he had for- saken at home. The poorest member of the house- hold of Christ is ina better condition than the greatest king on earth that is unconverted. You might have
lived another kind of life than you have done, for
safety, and benefit, and true content, if you would have turned your minds and life to God. Were you but converted, you would be living members of Christ, and his precious benefits would be yours; his blood
TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 431
would cleanse you from all your sin, and they would be all freely forgiven you: God would be reconciled to you, and become your friend, yea, your Father and your God; and will take you for his adopted children: the Holy Ghost would dwell in you, and guide your understandings, and show you that which flesh and blood cannot reveal, and bring you into ac- quaintance with the mysteries of God. He will bea Spirit of life and light within you, and work your hearts yet more to God, and give you yet. stronger inclinations and affections to the things above. He will help you when you are weak, and quicken you when you are dull, and be your remembrancer when you are forgetful of necessary things. He will help you in prayer, both for matter and for manner, and help you in meditation, and conference, and other duties; he will warn you of your danger, and strength- en you against temptations, and help you to over- come; and if you fall, he will enable you to rise again. He will be an indwelling comforter to you, and so effectually speak peace to you in the midst of your disquietness, that by speaking it, he will cre- ate it in you; and in the multitude of your thoughts within you, his comforts will delight your souls. O what a life, might you live, if Christ by his Spirit did once live in you! You may easily conjecture haw tender Christ would be of his own members, how dearly he would love them, how constantly he would watch over them, how plentifully he would provide for them, and how safely he would preserve them! And if you should come into a rougher way, he would lead you out. Afflictions should never be laid on you but for your good ; and continue no longer than your need continueth them, and be taken off at last to your satisfaction and contentment. Indeed your life would be a life of mercies: and that which is but a common merey to common men, would be a special mercy to you as coming from your Father's love, and furthering your salvation, and hinting out to you your everlasting mercies. You could not open your eyes, but you would see that which may encourage and comfort you;
432 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
all the works of God which you behold, would: show you his majesty, his love and power, and lead you to himself. You could not open your Bible, but you would find in it the blessed lines of love: O what good it would do you to read there the blessed attri-. butes of your God! to look upon his name! to peruse the description of his most perfect nature! What good would it do you to read of the nature, and incar- nation, and life, and death, and resurrection, and ascension, and intercession, and return of your bless- ed Redeemer! What good would it do to you to find those holy rules which your new nature is agreeable to, and to read over the law that is written in your hearts, and read the curse from which you are de- livered! What life and joy would your souls receive from the many, and full, and free promises of grace! Were you once but truly sanctified and made new, your condition would be often comfortable, and al- ways safe: and when you were in the greatest fears and perplexities, you would still be fast in the arms of Christ! And what a life would that be, to have daily access to God in prayer ; to have leave, in all your wants and dangers, to seek him with a promise of hearing and success! that you may be sure of much more from him, than a child can from the tenderest father, or a wife from the most loving hus- band upon earth! What a life would it be, when you may always think on God as your felicity, and. fetch your highest delights from whom the ungodly have their greatest terrors! And it is no contemptible part of your benefits, that you may live among his people, and in their special love; and have,a special communion with them, and interest in their prayers, — and. may possess among them the privileges of the saints, and the ordinances of God: that instead of idle talk, and the unprofitable fellowship of the chil- dren and works of darkness, you may join with the ‘church of God in his praises, and feed with them at — his table on the body and blood of Christ, and ther — have conveyances of renewed grace, and a renewed par- don sealed to yoursouls. But how long should I stay
TO A SOUND GONVERSION. 433.
if 1 showld tell you but one balf the blessings of a sanctified and spiritual:state? In a word, God would be yours, Christ would be yours, the Holy, Ghost would be yours, all things would be yours; the whole world would have some relation to your welfare; devils would be subdued to: you, and cast out. of your souls; sin would be both pardoned and over- come; angels would be ministering spirits unto you for your good; the promises, of scripture would. be yours; and everlasting glory would at last be, yours: and while you staid on earth, you might, comfort yourselves as often as you would, with the believing foresight of that inconceivable, unspeakable, endless felicity.
O sirs, what a treasure have I here expressed in a few words! What hearts would you have, if you were but possessed, lively and sensibly, of all that is, con- tained in this leaf or two! You would not envy the greatest prince on earth his glory, nor change states with any man that was a stranger to these, things. — Did you but use to consider of the state of the saints, how could you keep off, and stay with sin,.and make so many delays in turning unto God!—Sure this.con- sideration might turn the scales.
The next part of your meditation should be of the
gracious and wonderful work of your redemption ; and the means and remedies which are provided for your souls, and the terms on which salvation,may he obtained. - For all the sins which you have committed, you are not given over to despair; the Lord hath not left you without a remedy. Your conversion and salva- ‘tion is not a thing impossible. Nay,.so much is done by Christ already, that it is brought upon reasonable terms evento your hands. A new and living way is consecrated for us by Christ, through the vail of his flesh, and by his blood we may have boldness to en- | ter into the holiest. f) He hath borne your burden
(f) Heb. x. 19, 20. 14, ee
434 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
and offereth you, instead of it, his burden, *which, is light.(g¢) He hath removed the impossibility, and nailed to his cross the hand-writing that avas against you,(h.) and instead of it offereth you his easy yoke. He hath spoiled the: principalities and, powers that had captivated you, and openly triumphed over them on the cross.’ You are not left:under the care of making satisfaction to God for your own sins, but only of accepting the Redeemer, that hath satisfied. It will be for want of faith in you, and not for want of. satis- faction by the Redeemer, if any of you perish... And how free are his offers! how full are his promises! You are conditionally all pardoned and justified ,al- ready, as is legible under the hand of God. And the condition which is imposed upon you, is: not some meritorious or mercenary work, but the accepting:of the benefit freely given, according to its nature, use, and end. This is the faith by which you must, be justified. These are the terms on which you may be saved. And which is more, the Lord hath. provided means, even excellent, and plentiful, and powerful means, for the furthering of your souls in the per- formance of this condition, and helping you to be- lieve and repent, that -you may live: and if the Spi- rit make not these means effectual, and adjoin not his special grace, and after this you remain unconverted, it will not be long of him, but of yourselves. So that you may perceive how hopeful a case you are yet in, by the blood of your Redeemer, if you destroy — not your own hopes, and make not your case despe- — rate by wilful impenitency, and refusal of free grace. — How fair are you yet for heaven! and what happy advantages have you for salvation! It is brought even to your doors; itis thrust as it were into’ your hands: - the Redeemer hath done so much for youall, as) to — bring your salvation to the choice of your own wills. — You have precepts to believe, you are threatened if you will not believe; you have promise upon promise, and Christ himself offers you pardon, and life, and sal- —
(g) Matt. xi. 30. (A) Col. ii. 14,15. +!
“To A SOUND CONVERSION. 435
vation with him, if you are but truly: and, heartily willing. You have God himself condescending’ to be- seech you to accept them: and ambassadors entreat- ing you in his name and stead. : You have ordinances fitted to your necessities, both reading and preaching, and sacraments and prayer... You ‘have store of plain and powerful ‘books: you have the! godly! about: you, most desirous to assist you, that would: be glad to see or hear of your conversion: ‘you have the sight of the wicked, that are wallowing’ in their dwn: dung, and the dirt of the world, to make you hate’ such beastly ways. You have reason and conscience with- in you, to consider of these matters, and set them home and apply them to yourselves; you have time and strength to do all this, if yow will not abuse it, and provoke God to take it from you for your negli- gence. You have mercies of many sorts, outward _and inward, to win upon you’ and encourage you in
the work; and sometimes afflictions to remember'you, and awaken you, and spur youon., The devil and ail your enemies are so far disabled, they: cannot de- stroy you against your wills, nor keep you from:Christ, but by your own consents. The angels of heaven are ready to help you, and would even rejoice: at your conversion. This is your case,» and these: are. ‘your helps and encouragements; you are not shut up under desperation. | God never told you: it is in vain to think of conversion; itis too late. Ifany have told you so, it was the devil, and not God: and one would think, that such considerations as these should drive the nail to the head, and be effectual to move you to resolve and turn. x
7. The last thing that I would set before you to be considered, is, whatis like to be the end of it, if after allthis you should die unconverted.
O sirs, your hearts are not able now to conceive of it, nor the tongue of any mortal man to utter it. _ But so much of it we can certainly utter, as one would think should: make your hearts tremble. » You have seen, it may be,-a dying man, in what pangs and ago-
436 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS
‘nies he parteth with his soul: and you have iseen, its Tike, the corpse that was left there behind; 4nd seen it Jaid in the common earth. But) yow see mot what became of the soul, nor what an appearance it made in another world, nor what company-did attend it, nor what a place or state it passed into. ,O sirs, when 'the hour is at hand, that this must be your own case, it will awaken you to other kind of,affections than you have, or can have at the reading of these words.: Itis wonderful, that a little distance should make us so in- sensible of that change which we are all certain will come to pass: and yet through the folly and deafness of our hearts it is so; but they are other kind of thoughts of these weighty matters, which we shall have
the next hour after death, than the liveliest affections -
beforehand can afford us.
The misery was great that the Redeemer did. find you in, and which you deserved by your sin against the law of the Creator. But if you be found uncon- verted at last, your punishment will be much sorer, and your case far worse than it was before. The Re- deemer's law or gospel hath its peculiar threatening, which differeth from the law of the mere Creator in several respects: Even, 1. in the nature of the punish- ment, which will be torments of conscience for the neglect of a Redeemer and recovering grace, which you should never have left if you never had been re- deemed. 2. And in the degree of the. punishment, which will be far sorer.. And, 3. in the remedilessness of it, the sentence being irreversible and peremptory; the first law indeed provided no remedy, butit did not exclude remedy, nor make it impossible; but the law of Christ doth positively and expressly exclude all re- medy, and leaveth the soul, that goeth unconverted out ofthe body, to utter desperation and misery, without help or hope of end.