he left all that he might enjoy pure publick Ordinances Certainly he found that of Grace that of Christ in them as was much more valuable to him than all his Pleasant and Plentiful Estate which is one of the chief Flowers in Italy the Garden of the World. 5. God is turned unto these true Converts that are turned to him and will never turn away from them to do them good and to keep them good and upright before Him. Regeneration and Conversion is a great Fruit and effect of the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Believers are said to be begotten again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead And as Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. so they who by Converting Grace are made spiritually a live shall never totally relapse under the Dominion of Sin nor become again dead in Trespasses That God who has called these Converts is faithful and therefore as the Apostle sayes he will preserve their whole Spirits and Souls and Bodies blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 23 24. The Lord turns to them that are turned Zech. 1. 3. Turn to me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of Hosts he turns his Eye his Face his Ear his Heart his Hand towards them for good And he has said he will never leave them nor forsake them neither shall they leave nor forsake him for he will establish them with his Free Spirit he will uphold them with the right hand of his Righteousness Oh Happy Converts who have Glory promised upon their Perseverance and have Strengthning Grace Promised to make them persevere unto the end 6. Conversion will end in Coronation All Converts are by Adoption the Children of God heirs of his Kingdom and shall for ever wear a Crown of Life Though the Heathens knew something of future Rewards and Punishments yet their Apprehensions of these were low and unsuitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knows saies Euripides whether to live be not to dye and to dye be not to live He seems to guess there was a better Life after this yet he is not certain of it When Vlysses imagined Achilles the bravest among the Greeks to have been most happy after Death Homer Odyss l. 11. brings in Achilles appearing to him and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which may be thus Englished I 'd rather serve a Clown on Earth for bread Than in those Regions of the Dead Command and be of all the supream Head. Heaven is here set forth as a poor and undesirable thing But Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Here the Glory of the other World is displayed here is an excellent Map of the heavenly and everlasting Kingdom where Knowledge and Light is compleat without Darkness Holiness perfect without the least remainder of Defilement Blessedness and Joy is full without any Grief or Fear or Possibility of Sorrow where there is no such thing as Sin or Death or Trouble but God himself is All in All 1 Cor. 15. 28. All Converts their Feet are turned into the way to Heaven their Hearts are now set upon it it won't be long e're they be there and Crown'd there themselves Conversion is called a Rising from the Dead Eph. 5. 14. for it has some likeness to and is an earnest of a future glorious Resurrection What a glorious Creature will the Convert be when Christ has done his whole VVork upon him and has put to him his last hand in making his whole Man every way perfect Glorified Bodies will shine as the Sun glorified Souls will be pure and spotless like the Seraphim and Wonder Love Joy and Praise will be in Heaven the everlasting business I have spoken much to Comfort Converts but no Tongue can tell the thousandth part of all their Happiness The Heart of Man is too narrow at present to comprehend what God has prepared for them that Love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. VSE VII Of Counsel unto them that are Converted and my Advice shall be in these particulars 1. Thankfully admire the Grace of God which has Converted you The best thing in this World which is Grace and Glory in the World to come certainly do well deserve your thanks Sin has made you less than the least of Mercies by Conversion you come to partake of the greatest Christ is formed in you and you are made New Creatures that a New Song should be in your Mouths and that you should shew forth the Praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. Let every Convert admire and admiring Praise and say How much has God done for me and how has he done that for me which he has not done for thousands and millions in the World in the very Church who are let alone to live and dye in Sin and to damn themselves for ever 2. Labour to be more thoroughly Converted Pray for this that God would still turn you more and more unto himself follow on to know him follow harder after him and strive still more to please him 1 Thes 4. 1. Furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by our Lord Jesus that as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more The more fully you turn the more you please him and to please him will be pleasant to you The nearer you come to God the safer you will be under his shadow the more evidently will you see and the more abundantly will you taste his goodness 3. Do nothing unbecoming Converts Think often with your selves whose you are and what a Price was pay'd to redeem you from all Iniquity and to make you Zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. Reckon it bruitish to be Intemperate and Unclean base to be Covetous and Earthly-minded hellish to be Malicious Envious and Proud. Be Patient under Gods Corrections under Injuries from Man Let your Tongues be true and kind your Hands merciful and just in your Morals be of great exactness Divine Morality without thee Religion is a vain shew holy Duties are but lost labour and Confidence that all is well is but self-deceiving What Brutus said of Vertue may be used concerning Faith O miserable Faith without moral Honesty thou art nothing else but an empty Name Take heed of falls especially great ones after Conversion least you wound both Conscience and Religion and go smarting and groaning to your Graves 4. Pity the Vnconverted about you Misery moves Bowels and stirs up Mercy who more miserable than Sinners who are at a distance from God and under his Wrath and who are so far from fearing and turning that they are still running farther from him and provoking him to
Convert thinks of this at present and he lives and acts as one that is under continual observation Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of Man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings He lives and acts as one that is perswaded he must give account of himself to God and is exceeding diligent that he may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless That 's the Eighth particular When the Soul is Converted the Memory is imployed to good and holy uses 9. When the Soul is Converted there is a desire to be turned to God still more and more That Conversion is not right where there is not a desire of progression As there is an insatiableness in Sin so there is an insatiableness in Grace too until there is a compleat Sanctification and Satisfaction in Glory The Convert in some respects may be compared unto the Horse-leeches daughter still he is crying Give give Give more Wisdom Give more Grace Give more strength Give more of those riches and treasures that are durable It was a saying of one of the Ancient Fathers who certainly had as great experience of his own Heart as any of them all and that was St. Austin Si dixeris sufficit periisti If thou sayest I have Grace enough thou hast none at all and art an undone wretch He that with Laodicea says I am rich and increased with good things and have need of nothing what a wretched case is that Man in He knows not that he is poor and miserable and blind and naked True Converts are sensible of their defects and have recourse for supplies unto the inexhaustible fulness that dwells in our Lord Jesus and it is their continual work to be cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and to perfect holiness in Gods fear The true Convert he is not and he is sensible that he ought not to be content with any measure of Grace that he hath already received but he is still longing and crying for more He wishes that the New Creature were better shaped in him and that Christ were more perfectly formed in him and being in some measure emulous of Heaven he doth endeavour to do something for God here that may resemble that which is done for him above in Glory 10. Lastly When the Soul is Converted it doth act the Body for God and causeth the Members of it to be yielded as Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness The Convert takes care of his Senses that at those Gates nothing may enâ—er that may betray and insnare his Soul and he sets a watch before the door of his Lips that out of that door nothing may proceed which may be dishonouring â—o God injurious to himself or unto any other It is but reason that care should be taken of the body of a Man that is Converted And that none of the Members should be prophaned since the Body is the member of Christ since it is the Temple of the Spirit since there is such a sure promise made of a Glorious and Happy Resurrection Thus have I done with the first particular propounded to be spoken to I have told you when the Soul may be said to be truly Converted In the second place I am to prove that till the Soul be Converted Conversion cannot be sincere And there are these two or three Arguments that I shall produce to make this evident 1. While the Soul is unconverted Sin reigns The Dominion of Sin lies in the affection that the Soul hath to it If the Heart regard iniquity iniquity is certainly in the Throne and there must needs be an absence of true Grace The Psalmist saies Psal 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil and the Words may be inverted Ye that love evil certainly are haters of the Lord. 2. While the Soul is unconverted Sathan still keeps Possession for his strong holds are in the Soul. The unreasonable Prejudices the bad Resolutions the wicked Inclinations that are there these these are the strong holds of the strong man armed and therefore if the Soul be not turned Sathan hath his Forts standing undemolished and as Sathan hath Possession so Mammon is chief if the Soul be not turned and where Mammon is chief Mammon is an Idol And to be turned to God and to have Mammon the great Idol these two things cannot stand together Mat. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the One and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon 3. While the Soul is unconverted all external Righteousness is but a meer shew If the Soul be not Religious the Soul of Religion is wanting All the works of the hands though never so specious though never so good as to the matter of them are but dead works if the Heart and the Soul of the doer is not in them Thus it is plain that Conversion cannot be sincere unless the Soul be Converted 3. I am to demonstrate the Necessity of the Souls Conversion unto God. In the former Doctrine by many Arguments I demonstrated the Necessity of Conversion now I am to demonstrate the necessity of turning to God with the very Soul and there are these three or four things that I shall produce to make this evident 1. The Soul must turn because God is Allseeing He doth not judge of things according to the outward appearance but the inward man is open and naked to his view The Heart may deceive the by-standers Ay and it may deceive it self but all the secrets of the Heart are open unto that God whose Prerogative it is to search the Heart and try the reins Unless the Heart be right with God all Religion all seeking of him is nothing else but lies and flatteries Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their Mouth and they lyed unto him with their Tongues For their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant 2. The Soul must turn to God because by the acts of the Soul God is Principally honoured Observe it how is God glorified when the Soul admires his greatness and his Majesty and is in a manner overwhelmed with it Psal 104. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul O Lord my God thou art very great thou art clothed with Honour and with Majesty who coverest thy self with light as with a Garment How is God honoured When the Soul is sweetly astonished and ravished with his goodness Psal 31. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the Sons of Men. When the Soul sees that in God that is to be found in none else when in its choice it doth preferr God before Pleasure God before Wealth I had rather have God to be mine though alone than to have all things in the World and be
without him O now the Soul honours God above all By these and such like acts of the Soul God is chiefly honoured therefore turning must of necessity be with the Soul. 3. The Soul must turn because it is the Soul that yields Obedience to the great commands both of the Law and Gospel There is not so much as one Precept either in the Law or in the Gospel kept aright unless the Soul keeps it The summ of the Law is Love but Love must be with the Heart and Soul nay it must be with all the Heart and with all the Soul or else it is but a meer shadow and appearance it is but like the Picture of Fire that hath no more heat in it than the Picture of Snow Heark what our Lord saies to him that asked Him Which is the great Commandment in the Law Jesus answered Mat. 22. 37 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind And as the Law calls for Love so it requires Spiritual Worship God is jealous of his Worship and he will accept of none but that which is worship in Truth John 4. 24. God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Now there cannot be worship in Truth unless it be worship in Spirit All worship is but false and if it be false it must needs be vain that doth not proceed from the Spirit of the Worshipper If you should imploy many hours in a day in pattering over a great many Words that either you don't understand or if you do you don't mind all this would be unacceptable nay it would be abominable Then for the Gospel The two great commands of the Gospel are Faith and Repentance neither of these can be obeyed without the Heart It is the Soul and Heart that believes Rom. 10. 10. With the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation And as for Repentance it is impossible that should be true unless the Spirit be contrite unless the very Heart be broken Tears Complaints walking softly rending the Garments wallowing in Ashes this will not prove the truth of Repentance the Heart must be broken or else you have not truly repented Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise And so in Psal 34. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken Heart and saveth such as be of a conitite Spirit 4. Lastly The Soul must turn to God because Judgment at the great day will be according to Truth Then the Secrets of all Men will be made manifest when the Lord appears he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every man have Praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. At the great Day all things all Persons will be called by their proper Names Hypocrisie will be called Hypocrisie and Saints will be called Saints No Hypocrite will be owned for a Saint at that day nothing that is counterfeit will pass for currant the Judgment of God will be according to Truth In the day of Judgment only Conversion with the Heart Conversion with the Soul will pass for true Conversion Sincerity will be owned and it will be Crowned Hypocrisie will be unmasked and which should exceedingly startle all unsound Professors of Religion Hell is in a special manner called The Portion of the Hypocrite as it is said to be prepared for the Devil and his Angels I have shewed you when the Soul may be said to be converted unto God I have proved till then Conversion can never be sincere I have demonstrated the Necessity of Conversion with the Soul. The Application of this Doctrine remains I shall be but brief upon it There are two Uses that I shall make By way of Information in the first place And by way of Exhortation in the second place From this Doctrine we may be informed concerning several particulars 1. If sincere Conversion be with the Soul hence we may inferr the Souls Capacity The Soul is chiefly receptive of the Grace of God. It is the Soul of Man that doth principally partake of the divine Nature The Soul of Man hath a natural resemblance of God because as God is a Spirit so the Soul of Man is a spiritual and an immortal Substance And then the Soul doth spiritually resemble God when it is renewed in the spirit of the Mind and when true Holiness by the Spirit of the Lord is wrought in it Eph. 4. 23 24. 2. Hence I inferr the Souls great worth and value Gods Eye is upon your Souls all the while you are in his presence and though you do never so much if you deny him your Hearts and Souls you do nothing that he will accept at your hands Thousands of Rams ten thousand rivers of Oyl the first-born for the transgression the fruit of the body for the sin of the Soul as the Prophet speaks Micah 6. 7. What doth all this signifie All this is nothing nay let me tell you it is worse than nothing Souls are of great account with the Father of Spirits How much was done how much was paid that Souls might be redeemed And therefore in all your Services your Souls must be ingaged or else the ingaging is to no purpose The Conversion of one single Soul to God is more pleasing to him than the most laborious and heartless services of all the Hypocrites from the beginning of the World to the very end of it these Services are so far from being pleasing that they are expresly affirmed to be an abomination unto God. 3. Hence I inferr the difficulty of Conversion If the Soul must be converted certainly Conversion is a very difficult thing It is comparatively more easie though hard still but comparatively it is more easie to order the conversation to bridle the tongue But to rule the spirit to bring the thoughts into Captivity to alter the bent and natural inclination of the Will and to raise the Affections towards those things that are above to make them prized and pursued that before were things utterly sleighted this is difficult indeed and really the difficulty would be insupâ—rable were it not for the Resurrection of Christ and the Power of that Resurrection shewed forth by the Spirit of Christ Before a Soul can turn to God it must be new made it must experience the power of Christs Spirit and it must rise with Christ or else it can never in good earnest seek those things that are above Col. 3. 1 2. Lastly Hence I inferr that in Examining whether we are Converted or no a special Eye must be upon our Hearts and Souls We must take our Souls to task and strictly try them and see what is most suitable to them what they love best and what it is that they desire most And if
God in Christ be loved and chosen above all then conclude that Conversion is sound and sincere If the Heart be grieved because it is no more suited to God because it hath no more Faith in him and though it can't say with Peter Joh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I do love thee yet it can say Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I would love thee Above all things in the world I desire to love thee and to be beloved of thee Such a kind of desire as this doth plainly shew that the work of of Conversion is begun notwithstanding a great many doubts and fears that do remain about it But if under the highest Prosession of Religion if under the most constant attendance upon all Ordinances the Heart doth secretly go after its Covetousness the Soul is fond of its Lusts and of its Vanities and is resolved still to be so certainly there is no such thing as a work of Conversion though there be never so high and mighty a Confidence that there is Ezek. 33. 31. They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness The Second Use is by way of Exhortation I exhort you all to lift up your Souls to God with a desire that he would turn them to himself Naturally your Hearts are in very bad hands but if you give them unto God his hands are powerfull and good and safe He can new form your Souls both to and for Himself And therefore I beseech you give your consent and earnestly desire that God would take the Work in hand and Convert every Soul before him to himself to day To prevail with you thus to Consent and Desire I would lay before you these following Arguments 1. If your Souls are Converted they will be enlivened though before dead in Trespasses and in Sins they will be made alive unto God Eph. 2. 1. You will presently be free from the Sentence of Death and Condemnation that ye are under and ye will be made to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. O what a Life will you lead when once ye become Converts your Lives will become Holy they will be Heavenly they will be Angelical The Spirit of God will be that and a great deal more unto your Souls than what your Souls are to your Bodies The Spirit will set you at liberty The Spirit will act and lead you The Spirit will fill you with his own blessed fruits that are both pure and peaceable 2. If your Souls are Converted they will be healed Where is the Soul among us that is not sick of various Maladies and that Soul is most sick that least feels its sickness Conversion and healing are joyned together Isa 6. 10. Least at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be Converted and I should heal them So Jer. 3. 23. Return ye backsliding Children saith the Lord and I will heal your backsliding behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God. The Soul is most precious and the best part in a Man the diseases of the Soul are the worst and most dangerous and consequently the cure and healing of these diseases is most of all desirable If thou didst labour under a death-threatning Malady how wouldst thou long to be cured Poor Man thy Soul labours under a great many Maladies and all of them Hell-threatning Maladies and if thou art not Cured thou must be damned therefore Cure should be prized and Conversion and Curing go together 3. If your Souls are Converted they will be both beautified and strengthned the Image of God is the Souls Beauty and Glory and upon all true Converts this Image of God is Instampt Sin makes men vile Conversion and Sanctification makes them excellent so excellent that the Scripture plainly affirms that the World is not worthy of the Saints that are in it Heb. 11. 38. And Strength will follow Conversion as well as Beauty Who is the strongest upon Earth The answer is the Convert is the strongest All the Unconverted are without strength Alas they are without Life and therefore must needs be without strength The Convert is strengthned with might by the Spirit of God in the inward Man so that he is enabled to do good he is enabled to bear evils with patience he is enabled to resist the Enemies of his Salvation he is enabled to Fight and to Conquer nay which is more emphatical he is enabled so to conquer as to be more than a Conquerer through him that hath loved him Rom. 8. 37. Lastly If your Souls are Converted they will be both satisfied and secured and what can you desire more It would be a loud lie if Mammon should say that ever he satisfied any All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Eccles 2. 11. But now the Lord with truth doth say I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul Jer. 31. 25. Those Souls that are weary and sorrowful seem furthest off from Satisfaction yet these weary and sorrowful Souls the Lord is able to satisfie Nay in Scripture we read of abundant Satisfaction Psal 35. 8 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures That which increaseth the Satisfaction is that the Souls of Converts are secure the Hand of Christ and the Hand of the Father which is greater than all is sufficient to defend these Converted Souls from the force of Earth and Hell and Sin too If your Souls are lifted up to God Sursum Corda Up with your hearts unto God If your Souls are Converted to Him they will be safe in Life they will be safe in Death and immediately after death they will be past all danger being admitted into that House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. Thus have I done with the second Doctrine That Conversion is then sincere when the very Soul is Converted Doct. 3. Is this That the Word of God is the great means of Conversion And O that the Word that sounds in your ears to day may be found an effectual Means of the Conversion of all the Uncoverted here before the Lord The Law of the Lord in the Text is said to Convert the Soul because 't is the Means which the Lord himself makes use of and adds an efficacy to that such an effect may be produced The Word is styled the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. And by this Word Faith it self is wrought whereby the Soul comes to Christ and by him does Convert to God Rom. 10. 17. So then Faith
or other provide for the Sheep of his Pasture 2. This Church shall have the Spirit along with the Word We may as well suppose a living Body without a Soul as a true Church of Christ without his Spirit The Spirit is promised and given to the Church to abide there for ever Joh. 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Now where the Spirit of the Lord is how effectual is the Word what Light what Liberty what Power what Peace is there The Spirit makes the Means of Grace to attain their end He fills Ordinances with an Heavenly vertue he quickens the Dead enlarges the straitned Heart causes fruit to be brought forth plentifully he comforts the true Converts and stablishes them in every good word and work 3. It 's matter of Consolation that in this perfect Word of God there is wisest and safest counsel given Prov. 6. 22. When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou awakest it shall talk with thee So Prov. 3. 23. Thou shalt walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble This Word counsels Converts against evil Men evil Women evil Angels an evil World and against every evil work It never gave bad counsel unto any The Counsels of the Word are best with reference to Eternity and with reference to Time also It bids us pass the time of our sojourning here in fear to live as Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth that we may be less concerned and disturbed and keep more unspotted from the World. It bids us to walk uprightly that we may walk surely It informs us that all carnal Policy which is joyned with a contempt of God and Religion is onely a cunning contrivance to undo our selves but 't is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Holy is understanding 4. In this Perfect Word of God a compleat Armour is found to secure Converts against the Enemies of their Salvation Eph. 6. 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand This Armour is to be valued indeed which is Armour of proof which secures us against the worst and most powerful Adversaries which certainly defends and makes us victorious when sighting for Eternal life when those against whom these Enemies prevail will surely dy the everlasting Death The Apostle speaks at large of the pieces of this Armour We are furnished with the Girdle of Truth sound Doctrine must be held fast our Judgments well settled against errour Here is the Breast-plate of Righteousness Sincere Holiness must be in the Heart if the Spirit be not right if the Heart be not clean there can be no safety Here the feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace The Gospel that is the Word of Reconciliation with God and that speaks Peace to the Conscience does prepare and fit us to walk in the way of Holiness and the difficulties of that way are endured with patience Here is the shield of Faith Believing on Jesus resting on the Promises that in in Him are Yea and Amen quenches the Fiery Darts of Satan so that true Converts are not sunk into an Hell of Despair by the remembrance of their past Sins which the Blood of Jesus has made an atonement for neither are they discouraged by fiery Trials by the siercest Persecutions Here is the Helmet of Salvation that is the Hope of Salvation This Hope is lively well grounded will never make ashamed and causes the Convert to lift up his head with courage because Redemption and Glory are aproaching Here is the Sword of the Spiâ—it the Word of God rightly used and applyed And unto these pieces of Armour Preces Lacrymae arma Ecclesiae Prayers and Tears which are the Churches Weapons must be added because we need not onely Armour but skill and strength to use it from above then we shall prevail indeed when we are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might How strong may be the Consolation considering how compleat and strong the Armour is how strong the Helper of a Christian Eph. 6. 10 -18 5. In this Perfect Word of God the Convert finds Promises that may serve to support and encourage him in every condition Is he afflicted 't is in faithfulness and love not in wrath and hatred Prov. 3. 12. Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth And affliction shall be profitable because it shall be purifying Heb. 12 10. He that is the Father of Spirits chastizeth for our profit that we may be partakers of his Holiness Is the Convert poor and destitute He may cast all his care on God who cares for him 1 Pet. 5. 7. The young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those that seek the Lord have him to be their Shepheard and shall not want any good thing Psal 34. 10. Is the Convert tempted His merciful and faithful High-Priest was tempted before him and knowes how to succour him Heb. 2. ult When the Apostle was sorely buffered by Satan and cries for help what answer has he See be encouraged when you see 2 Cor. 12. 9. And the Lord said unto me My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness Is the Convert deserted and troubled because God hides his face He has the Name of God and his everlasting Covenant to trust in and the Face that is now hidden will be shewn again and dry up the Tears of the deserted Isa 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee in a little wrath hid I my Face from thee for a Moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer 6. 'T is matter of Comfort unto Converts that this Perfect word endures for ever 1 Pet. 1. 24 25. All Flesh is grass and all the glory of Man as the Flower of the field the Grass withereth and the Flower thereof falleth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you The Word is an everlasting truth never did any never shall any find it false 'T is a means to Convert the Soul to make the Heart new and 't is written in the new heart in Characters that are indelible and abiding 't is a Sustentation to the New Creature and cherishes it unto that Life which is Eternal The New nature is Immortal true Grace never dies but at Death is perfected in Glory that fadeth not away The CONCLUSION THus have
I done with all the Doctrines but yet I have not done with you Words of instruction Solomon compares to Nayls Eccles 12. 11. I shall add a few strokes more to drive them home How can I with patience see any of you secure in Sin still fast asleep Under Satans power and upon the bottomless pits brink And every moment in danger of tumbling down into it Though some of you make light of Hell and more light of Sin that does deserve it yet I foresee how you will change your minds when once you feel what 't is to be there and I would fain prevent your going thither What shall I say how shall I do to prevail with you to become willing to a sincere Conversion and so escape eternal Misery and Confusion Once more I cry as loud and earnestly as I am able Tâ—rn ye Turn ye O ye youngest that are here turn to God Your whole time is short enough to provide for Eternity begin early to redeem it Can you be too soon safe and happy safe in being under the Wing of Christ happy in having the Lord to be your God and Father Oh ye Children become Converts Christ is ready to embrace you in his Arms and bless you I should not at all fear the Gospels going if I could behold much of the Work of Regeneration among the young generation O ye oldest Sinâ—rs Turn to God the door of Mercy is not quite shut though you have lived so long in Sin 'till you have one foot in the Grave Admirable Mystery and Miracle of Grace when those are in a spiritual sense New Born who were old both in Years and Wickedness Turn ye O you that have most Righteousness of your own for your Righteousness is filthy raggs and you have Sin enough to ruine you Turn ye O you that have been guilty of the greatest Transgressions for in the Lord is superabâ—ndant Grace enough and enough to save you If you will not Turn you gratifie the evil One the Enemy of your Salvation you Consent to be his Slavis and Prey and chuse rather to dwell with him in Torment than with the Lord in Glory If you will not turn you are Sâ—lâ—-haters not Accessariâ—s only but Principals in the Murthering of your own Souls It was a true saying of Salvian Nemo nobis Crâ—â—â—â—ior nobis none more Cruel none so cruel to sinful Man as he is to himself The very Prince of the Devils has not so great an hand in his Destruction If you will not turn immediately this very day hour moment it may quickly be too late Abused Mercy may go away for ever and God may now at last foreit who has long waited to be gracious The Axe before another Sabbath may be laid to the root of the Tree which bears nothing but the Grapes of Sodom and the Clustâ—s of Gomorrah A Sentence may be pronounced from Heaven Hâ—w down such a strange and degenerate Plant and cast it into fiâ—e unquenchable But if at last you see with with your Eyes and hear with your eaâ—s and understand with your hearts and turn to the Lord the Father will receive you with open arms of love and kindness his tenderest Bowels will be troubled for you and sure Mercies shall be yours Tâ— Lord Jesus will see of the travel of his Soul to his Satisfaction rejoycing that Children of Regeneration are born into his Church whâ— shall be Heirs of Glory The Comforter who was grieved and vexed at your resistance will be much pleased to see you yield and will delight to dwell in you and to fill you both with Grace and Peace Converting Grace whenever wrought on Earth causes a Neâ— Triumph above in Glory The Thrones Dominions the Cherubim the Seraphim that are there will sing a New Song of Praiâ— they will give glory to God in the Highest when more Sinners are begotten again to a lively Hope they will ascribe Blessing and Honour to the Lamb when more Souls are redeemed by his Blood. Have I been speaking unto Stocks and Stones or unto those who have Senses Souls and Reason If you will not turn that you may be saved I must confess 't were well if you had no Souls to lose for ever It was a Custom among the Ancient Romans to keep dead Bodies above ground several dayes and often to cry in their ears with a loud Voice to see if they were dead indeed And these were called Corpora conclamata Bodies that had been cryed unto in vain and then they were carried to their Burial May not your Souls O unconverted Sinners be called Animae conclamatae Souls that have been often cryed unto to turn and live But if you still refuse 't is a sign you are very dead indeed and you may quickly be buried in the fiery Tophet out of which you shall never rise more But alas all Pleadings Intreaties Arguments will be to little purpose unless there come a convincing Light a converting Power from above Cachedram habet in coelo qui corda docet in terrâ He has his Chair in Heaven who teaches hearts on Earth Oh that the glorious Spirit would come and breath upon the dead dry bones and inspire a Life that may never end That he would cause All even the most hardned and dead in sin to become Alive to God and have their fruit unto holiness that the end may be everlasting Life Let God arise and let his enemies be scatter'd Let Sin Satan and Mammon be forced to flee before Him that all Hearts possest by them may now submit to Him When the tongues of Men and Angels cannot prevail one powerful word from God can convert a multitude of Souls though they have been never so disobedient and gainsaying If the Lord will fill his Sanctuary with his Glory it will be to all unconverted Ones that are here the place of their new Birth and the very Gate of Heaven FINIS A WARNING GIVEN TO Secure Sinners TO Prepare for Judgment TO Flee from Wrath to Come AND Turn from All Sin BUT Especially the Sin which does most easily beset them By NATHANAEL VINCENT M. A. Minister of the Gospel Ezek. 33. 7. O Son of Man I have set thee a Watchman unto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the Word at my Mouth and warn them from Me. LICENSED March 17th 1688. LONDON Printed by J. Astwood for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel 1688. THE Epistle to the READER Reader WHen I Preached these following Sermons I had not the least thought of Publishing them They were taken from my Mouth by a dexterous and nimble hand that wrote almost every Word I utter'd I was very much sollicited to Print them and the Notes being written out fair and brought to me I have look'd them over and now they are presented to thee with a sincere Design that they may be beneficial to thee and not without Hope they will be so
indeed to suffer as an evil doer or as a busie body in that which it does not concern us to be doing but to suffer as a Christian as a Convert is an happy thing and should be rejoyced in because the Spirit of Glory and of God does rest upon those that thus bear the Cross of Christ 1 Pet. 4. 13 14. He gives them boldness in Confessing the Truth a Mouth and Wisdom to silence those that gainsay it and Faith Fortitude and Patience to bear the uttermost of their Force and Fury A fiery Furnace though seven times heated is not to be dreaded if the Son of God be there with us 5. None that come to Heaven repent of having parted with any thing that stood in competition with it The Apostle while here called Afflictions light but how did he look on them when they were all past and the weight of Glory was actually received All Heads are Crowned in Heaven and all Crowns are bright all Vessels of glory are so full that there is not room for the least envy yet there seems to be a special note of Honour set upon Sufferers the Scripture represents them as pointed at for their Faithfulness and for their Reward Rev. 7. 14. These are they that came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Obj. 7. A seventh Objection against Conversion runs thus We see very few that are perswaded to turn to God the generality of those whom we live among remain Unconverted and why should we be singular Ans 1. The general bad Example that is given is a great mischief to the World whereby wicked men do harden one another A few indeed there be that are chosen out of the World and who do seek and chuse a better World but the generality are worldly minded the shrodest Heads the greatest Wits the deepest Polititians mind Earth and neglect Heaven and refuse to be Converted that they may come thither and multitudes going in pernicious wayes they are walked in with the greater security yet they are not at all the less destructive 2. Is it any harm to be singular in what is excellent To be singular in good Nature to be singular in Parts to be singular in Learning is not matter of reflection and why should it be accounted disgraceful to be singular in Grace and Holiness He that sayes Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to Life and few there be that find it intimates plainly that his followers must not herd with the multitude and that those must be singular who will go in the safest and most excellent way 3. Is it any harm in a time of Pestilence to be of the Number of those few that escape the Contagion Sin is the worst sort of Plague and most in the World dye of it and dye the Death that is Eternal Oh what madness is it to refuse to be Converted and healed and to resolve to dye and to be damn'd for Company 4. Multitudes in Hell will be no ease or relief to one another They that have been drawn to Sin by others with what eyes will they behold them in torments cursing the Counsel and Example they gave them and especially their own madness in imitating such pernicious Patterns And the perswaders to Sin will have their misery increased because they have occasioned others eternal misery 'T is very probable that the Rich man Luk. 16. was afraid of having his own torment increased by his Brethrens company unto whom perhaps he had been exemplary in Profaneness and Sensuality therefore he wish'd them a Messenger from the Dead to perswade them to Repentance Obj. 8. In the eighth place another Objection is this We have no strength no ability to turn to God. If we were endued with a Power to Convert our selves and to make our own Hearts new ' tweâ—â— reasonable to perswade us to exert and put that Power forth But man since the fall is without strength and therefore in urging us to Conversion you urge us to that which is impossible by us to be performed Ans 1. I grant mans inability to make himself a sincere Convert to turn is a Sinners Duty but from hence it does not follow that he has ability of himself to do it A man that owes ten thousand Talents does not cease to be a Debtour because he has never a Farthing to pay To help to answer this Objection we must not introduce the Pelagian or Semipelagian Errour 2. Are you glad that you are unable to turn to God do you rejoice that you have such an excuse for your laziness and perversness If so it shews the naughtiness of your Hearts And your Conscience must needs yield that your Plea of Impotence is a very weak one If a Servant that by a fall were made a Crâ—â—ple were glad that hereby he is disabled from serving his Master his Master would be just in punishing him for not doing what he can't do because he has such a naughty mind that he is glad he can't do it 3. If you are sensible of your inability to â—urn to God and sorry because unable and â—â—sirous to have ability to turn indeed your Condition is really very hopeful Obstiâ—ate Sinners had rather be without strength to turn to God than have it in vain therefore do they plead want of Power when Will is so much wanting But if you are sensible you have no might and desire Power from above God is ready to strengthen you by his Spirit to that unto which Nature is unable He is willing to give his Spirit unto any that seriously ask him Luk. 11. 13. He gives Power to the faint and to them that have no might and are sensible they have none he increases strength Isa 40. 29. Make use of and attend upon the appointed means and ordinances of Grace wherein this Strength is conveyed Fury is not in God when once Sinners begin to yield Lay hold upon his Strength that you may turn in Truth and make peace with him and you shall make peace with him Isa 27. 5. Obj. 9. A ninth Objection is this Though we do not turn to God at present yet we are not absolutely against the thing hereafter we intend to do it This is both an excuse for not turning and an argument against the present doing it because 't is time enough as they say hereafter Ans 1. Delay to turn to God is bottom'd upon very great mistakes as if Sinners could turn when they would or could command the Grace of God at Pleasure to assist them or were sure of the continuance of Life and the season of Salvation 2. Delay provokes the Lord exceedingly and very much grieves his Holy Spirit if a Master commands a Servant to do his work and he replyes he will do it seven year hence this is justly look't upon as disobedience and mockery joyn'd together How would a Master
from every thing but Grace and Grace then is perfected in Glory The end of the upright and sincere Convert is Peace Psal 37. 37. and a peaceful Death is the forerunner of an everlasting Rest If he should dye in a Cloud he would shine not at all the less brightly in another World all sin and fears and tears will be gone as soon as he enters into Heavens door and sees his Lord there If he sets as the Sun in the clearest Summers evening his Death is encouraging to others comfortable to himself but ten thousand thousand times more Comfort will he presently have as soon as ever he is got out of and is absent from the body and is present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. I have done with the Motives to Conversion And now for shame be silent all tongues that talk against turning to God! Apostate Angels be for ever mute what Adversaries and lying Spirits are ye in disswading Man from Conversion and in asserting that though he turn not he shall not surely dye And Carnal Reason confess thy self quite baffled with strength of Argument and that not one word more of good sense can be spoken against the Sinners Conversion which is so much for his Interest both in time and to eternity VSE V. Of Direction how Sinners may become true and thorough Converts It greatly concerns you to be sincere in turning for in this matter you have chiefly to do with God himself who can't be deceived with the fairest shews but understands perfectly the most secret thoughts inclinations and purposes of the Hearts of Men every upright Heart is open to him and he takes Pleasure in the uprightness which himself has wrought And if there be nothing but Hypocrisie under the greatest Profession that Hypocrisie is both observed and abhorred Any thing short of true and thorough Conversion will be a dangerous Cheating of your selves therefore that you may be Converts indeed I shall give you these Directions 1. Let spiritual Wisdom and Knowledge be valued as that which is of great price and usefulness He that is indeed a Convert is called out of darkness into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. In this Verse where my Text lies Converting the Soul and making Wise the Simple are joyn'd together the one is necessary and subservient to the other That Devotion of which Ignorance is the Mother is indeed a following of blind and deluded or crafty and deluding Guides but a turning to and a following of God it is not Be well Catechized and Instructed in the Principles of the Scripture-doctrine let a true Light be set up in your Understandings The Mind is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading Faculty 't is needful it be well Informed In the first Creation when Darkness covered the face of the deep God said let there be Light and there was Light Gen. 1. 2 3. and thus it is in the new Creation and Conversion 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Search for Knowledge in the Scripture as you would search for Silver or hid Treasure and look up to Heaven for light and ability to understand it that you may know Christ and God in him and what you are to believe desire and do in order to your Happiness You can't be made wise to Salvation unless you are first made wise to Conversion And as you are to acquaint your selves with so you are firmly to assent to the Doctrine revealed in the Word of God and the more strongly you credit whatever the Word sayes the more powerful influence will this Faith have upon your Conscience Will and Life Vnbelief is the root of defection and departing from the living God Heb. 3. 12. If the arm of the Lord be revealed his Power shewn forth and cause the report of the Word all the Promises and Threatnings of it to be indeed believed this will have a mighty efficacy towards the Souls return to God again 2. That you may become true Converts be sensible that all Mankind are fallen by Iniquity and are estranged from God and you in particular are by Nature far off from Him. The Lord indeed made Man upright but he has sought out many Inventions Eccles 7. ult New wayes he thought to have found of being higher and happier but while through the subtilty of the old Serpent he catcht at a shadow he lost the substance and became both foolish and miserable Adam the first Man corrupted the humane Nature and as thus corrupted you partake of it so that you are by Nature Children of Wrath your Hearts are desperately wicked dangerously deceitful and returning to God is that which they have a strange and strong antipathy against The more you are sensible that your Hearts are thus depraved and alienated from Gâ—â— the more jealous you will be of them and the more earnest for that new Heart and new Spirit which the Lord has Promised in his new Covenant Ezek. 36. 26. Perceiving and being burthen'd with a Distemper is a good step towards a Cure especially if an able Physician is ready to heal any that will but make use of him A right sense that Sin has set you at a distance from God and that those who are far from him shall perish Psal 37. 27. will have a mighty tendency to your being brought nigh to him by the Blood and Spirit of the Lord Jesus And truly He that in the daies of his Flesh was so ready to heal corporal Maladies is much more willing to heal the corrupted Nature and to change and turn the Heart of every one that seriously cries Turn me and I shall be turned heal me and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my Praise 3. Let Humiliation for Sin be very hearty and very deep A Soul that never was truly humbled for its iniquities still retains a liking of them and is more easily tempted to return to them Humiliation serves very much to break the league with Sin the Covenant with Death and Hell. The Apostle Paul who at his Conversion was deeply abased was made to tremble and to be astonished Act. 9. 6. seeing his Sin the insufficiency of his Pharisaical Righteousness and that he was so far from Salvation that he persecuted the onely Saviour after this low Humiliation how thorowly was his Heart turned to God! how precious was Jesus to his Soul how circumspectly did he walk how abundantly did he labour how patiently and joyfully did he suffer for Righteousness sake how constantly did he keep the Faith and finish his course till he got the Crown In true Humiliation there is a mixture of fear and sorrow and shame and upon these does follow holy anger and indignation Look up to Heaven behold the great and glorious God against whom every one of your Sins have
Majesty and Holiness of God especially considering he is alwaies by you and tryes your very Hearts and Reins The greatness of that God with whom you have to do should make you afriad to dally and trifle with him If you think he will be mock't you will find to your cost that you deceive your selves Oh stoop with the most profound Submission to this glorious Sovereign of Heaven and Earth 'T is the heighth of Madness for you that are so infinitely below Him and so wholly under his Power to refuse subjection to Him. He is Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11. He can as soon cease to be himself as cease to be an Hater of the workers of Iniquity A fuller Perswasion of Gods Holiness and that his Holiness is his Glory will make you more sensible of the Necessity of turning from Sin and that Holiness will be your Glory and Perfection He that is changed and made a Convert is made a Glorious Creature and as this change is carried on there is still a Progression from Glory to Glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. Gods Nature is pure every Word of God is pure He is Righteous in all his wayes and Holy in all his Works Psal 145. 17. Oh cry incessantly that you may partake of a nev of the Divine Nature that a clean heart may be created in you that your Lips may be Pure your Words true and Gracious and that you may be Holy in all manner of Conversation Are not Gods eyes upon your wayes does not he hear all your words does not he weigh your very Spirits your whole man is under his Observation let there be a turning to God with your whole man. Sincerity in Conversion and hypocrisie are both known and only Sincerity has Gods love and liking 7. When you turn to God behold him as he is in Christ else there is no access to him nor acceptance with him After Adams fall the Mediator is presently revealed the Seed of the Woman that was to break the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. The old Serpent by Sin had made a Rupture and breach between God and Man Now Christ the Mediatour is He that makes up the breach again and so destroyes the work and frustrates the design of Satan If God be lookt upon in Christ there is all manner of Encouragement to return to him He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. He is good and ready to forgive and plenteous in Mercy to all that call upon him Psal 86. 5. The Prodigals Father was not more forward who ran to embrace his returning Son than God is to receive returning Sinners If you would return to God indeed you must take Calvaâ—y in your way you must know Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. The Saints of old that were in Heaven before the Son of God was manifested in the Flesh as well as those that went thither afterward were all brought nigh to God by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. You cannot know and turn to the only true God so as to be received by him unless you know and receive Jesus Christ whom he has sent But if you behold God in Christ unbelief appears unreasonable despair is a monstrous absurdity You may perceive Love in the Lords looks his Justice fully satisfied his Anger all gone his Repentings kindled his Bowels yearning and you cannot so much desire Mercy as He delights in shewing it The true Convert to God must be a Believer in Jusus who is the way to the Father As God will not draw nigh to Man so Man cannot draw nigh to God any other way 8. With great earnestness implore the Spirits aid Be sure to grieve that you have grieved Him and acknowledge 't is just that for your grieving him he should leave you to your selves but beg his presence and his assistance that he would help you and make you truly constantly willing to be helped Adams Body was formed of the Dust of the Ground but was a lifeless Corps till God breathed into it the Breath of Life Till the Spirit of Life enters into you you are without Life or Motion towards God therefore with all seriousness ask the Spirit You come to God through the Son as the Mediator that procures access and opens the way but 't is by the Spirit as by Him who both inclines and strengthens you to come to Him Eph. 2. 18. The Promise of the Spirit is of ancient date implied in the Promise of the Messiah and very frequently expressed Under the New Testament Dispensation a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit is Promised Parents that are evil if their Children ask bread will not give them a stone to hurt them nor instead of a Fish a Serpent to sting them And if they give good gifts to their Children much more will the Father in Heaven give his Spirit to them that ask him There is hardly a more encouraging Word to Sinners in the whole Bible if they are inclined or would be inclined to have the Spirit given them And if the Holy Spirit be given you you will have Light and Life and Liberty Conviction antecedent to Conversion Conversion it self and Consolation afterwards are all of them the Works of the Spirit And be sure to observe the Accesses of the Spirit Sometimes the Wind blows fair and strong for Heaven now hoise up thy Sail that thou mayest receive the Gale sometimes by his Convictions motions strivings you may perceive the Spirit is very near you by a clearer and more affecting Light he shews you that turning to God is your Duty and Advantage and he very much presses you to it Nunc sunt Mollissima fandi Tempora Now is the time to speak and speed in your Supplications for the Spirit that he may thoroughly Convert you and consecrate you to the Lord and abide in you for ever 9. Would you be Converts in Truth give your whole Hearts to God and never be satisfied till you feel you love him above all Let the Lord have your Hearts to search them that all even the most secret evils there may be detected and being detected may be detested and abhorr'd Sin sometimes may be restrained from breaking out in the Life and yet then may be regarded and reign in the Heart Be willing to know the most inward spiritual wickedness that lies quite out of the sight of others and being acquainted with it consent to have it purged away Give your Hearts to God that he may possess employ and rule them at his Pleasure Tell the Lord that the very Throne is for him and that your Souls and all that is within you are ready to be at his command and that you consent every Lust should be slain because it would not that he He should reign over you In what a safe hand is the Heart when 't is in Gods how pure and excellent is it made with what Beauty does it
fiercer indignation Compassionate these Counsel these Pray for these and endeavour though they are and will be without the Word to win them by a wisely expressed Love and by a well-ordered Conversation 1 Pet. 3. 1. Let not your Bowels be straitned but Pray for the Worlds Conversion to God that he would return to this Earth which for Sin he has so justly forsaken and that he would turn the VVorld into a New One wherein may dwell Righteousness 5. Be sure to Love all true Converts Love them all because God loves them and love what you see of God in them The Image of God is so excellent that in whomsoever it shines it ought with pure affection to be owned and respected Converts I grant may differ in many things but they agree in the main all of them believe in Jesus all of them turn to God all of them endeavour to Glorifie him here on Earth and all of them are bound for Heaven And Vniversal Agreement thus far is a strong reason for Catholick and Vniversal Charity All Converts of what Perswasion soever of what Nation soever of what Rank and Condition soever in this World they are all adopted by one Father all redeemed by one Christ Jesus all espoused to one Husband all members of one Body all enlivened by one Spirit and shall all meet at last in one Heaven where they shall perfectly be joyned together in Union and in Love and this should strongly move and perswade unto Unity and Love at present 6. Lastly and so I conclude this Doctrine you that are Coverts see that you abide with God and be stedfast in his Covenant they that totally and finally depart from God never were totally and fully turned to him Let your Perseverance be an evident Demonstration to prove the truth of your Conversation let not the hardest labour the hottest service that you may be put upon the greatest sufferings that you may be exposed to in the least discourage you for God doth not require that you should do or that you should suffer any thing for him but only by the strength that he himself hath promised and doth intend to give All you Converts have done well in turning to God do better in following hard after him and best of all in finishing your course that you may get the Crown of Righteousness To conclude Let your Faith be firm like to the Rock it is founded upon let your hope be stedfast Be rooted and grounded in your love and let your hearts be so united to fear the name of God Psal 86. 11. that it may be as possible to hinder the Sun from rising as to hinder you from shining like lights in the World. That it may be as possible to cause the Moon and Stars to cease their wonted courses as to turn you out of the way of Truth and Holiness That it may be as possible to alter the Ordinances of Heaven as to make you neglect Heaven and become again earthly-minded Thus have I done with the first Doctrine that I raised from the words which I have been large upon That Conversion is of absolute necessity and the great thing that God requires of Man. Doct. 2. I proceed unto the second Doctrine that I raised from the words and that is this Conversion is then sincere when the soul is Converted The Soul of Man is the chief subject of Sin. It is the Soul that uses or rather abuses the members of the Body as Instruments of Unrighteousness The Beasts that have no rational Soul are not capable of committing Iniquity and as the Soul is the chief subject of Sin so it is the chief subject of Converting Grace if this be not turned really there is no true turning unto God. God is a Spirit and he weighs the Spirits of Men and he doth chiefly require the Heart and Spirit Prov. 23. 26. and accordingly the Convert with David sayes Psal 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul. And Psal 119. 129. Thy Testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my Soul keep them In the handling this Doctrine 1. I am to shew you when the Soul may be said to be Converted 2. To prove that till the Soul is Converted Conversion is not sincere 3. To demonstrate the necessity of turning to God with the very Soul. And then in the last place to make application 1. I am to tell you when the Soul may be said truly to be Converted the opening of this is the chief thing that I design in this Doctrine 1. When the Soul is Converted there is a marvellous Light that shines into the Mind The Tree of Knowledge was so called because it was a Tree of Tryal whether Man would persevere in goodness or whether he would be tempted and drawn away to evil but when this Tree was once tasted Man presently fell under the power of darkness The eyes of all understandings are blind till enlightned by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18. All the Stars that are in the Firmament cannot make day without the Sun and all the works that God hath wrought all the words that he hath spoken cannot of themselves enlighten the mind of Man without the Spirit of God. It is He that takes off the Vail and causes the Light to shine upon and into the very Soul. This Light makes things manifest Eph. 5. 13. For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light This Light that shines into a Converted Soul doth discover Sin it shews the filth the spots the sting the poyson the death the wrath the Hell that is in Sin or is annexed to it It doth discover the deceitfulness of Sin in hiding its own bad nature and the dreadful consequences that follow upon it And as this Light doth make sin manifest so it doth discover Christ too the sufficiency of his justifying Righteousness the excellency of his sanctifying Grace and how to turn to God is of miserable to become truly blessed This Light also is directing It directs what Converts must do that they may be saved It shews them the End and the proper Means for the attaining of that End. It leads them out of the broad way and from all the snares and stumbling-blocks and the precipices that are there and it leads them into the way that is everlasting Psal 139. ult Finally This Light that shines into the Converted Soul hath Heat and Influence like the Light of the Sun in the Spring-season that causeth the Trees and Plants to be flourishing and to be fruitful The Light of the Converts hath a mighty influence upon them The things that are freely given of God are so seen as that the heart is taken with them as the principal things of all and undervalues other things in comparison of those Thus the wise Merchant that sought goodly Pearls when he had found one Pearl of great price he went and sold all that he
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. 4. Will there be a Judgment 't is wonderful there should be so much security in them that hear of it 〈◊〉 Really the very mentioning of Christs Tribunal before which all must stand should make all Criminals to tremble If a Man were seized for a Crime that 's capital deserving Death by the Law of God and Man and being in Bolts and Fetters in Newgate he should be secure and unconcerned though the Sessious were at hand you would conclude him to be very stupid and inconsiderate What Sinner secure and shortly to be Judged O Drunkard Whoremonger Swearer Sabbath-breaker Covetous Worldling what secure and speedily to appear at the Judgment-seat of Christ who has said That they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! Sin is folly security in Sin is the folly of that folly Take heed of Security 't is not I only but Christ himself also that gives you this necessary caution Luk. 21. 34 35 36. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watch ye therefore and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. VSE II. By way of Counsel Two words of Counsel I would give this Congregation The one is more firmly to believe a Judgment and more frequently to think of it The other is Be sure in time to prepare for eternal Judgment 1. More firmly believe more frequently think of Judgment You have reason to believe it for the Judge is ordained and though neither Men nor Angels know the day yet the day is appointed Act. 17. 30 31. The time of this ignorance God winked at but now commands all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all in that he hath raised him from the dead The stronger your assent is unto this the more serious and often will be your Consideration of it To think of Judgment is proper for a Saint that he may be encouraged to fight the good fight of Faith and persevere in well doing to the end To think of Judgment is proper for a Wicked Man to awaken him and to make him with fear and trembling to work out his Salvation It 's proper for an Hypocrite to think of Judgment because then all Masks and Vizours will be pull'd off all shews will be at an end and naked Truth will appear at that day The Graves will be open'd and do ye think the whited painted Sepulchers will remain shut Oh! then all the concealed Pride and Filthiness and Selfishness and Sensuality and Injustice and earthliness of Professors will with all their aggravations be brought to light before Men and Angels Oh how many demure and serious Countenances that have been a covering to naughty Hearts will then be filled with Confusion 'T is proper for the Old to think of Judgment they have one foot in the Grave already and quickly the whole body must drop into it and the Spirit must return to God who gave it You also that are Young should think of Judgment have the youngest of you any assurance of your Lives Infants Children Youths do not many of them dye and step into Eternity and as you see them leave the World so certainly they appear before God and one way or other have their Doom Solomon tells you that Childhood and Youth are Vanity Would you that are Young be serious the Meditation of Judgment would conduce much to it Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes He says Rejoyce but speaks Ironically and means the quite contrary thou hast no reason at all to rejoyce whilst taken with things that are seen and whilst thou walkest in those evil ways which thy Heart naturally does like Then the Wise man speaks seriously But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment If you ask me What are the Benefits that will accrue by a firm Belief and frequent Meditation of Judgment I thus Answer to this momentous Question 1. This will be a great Preservative against Temptation Look beyond the present advantage and delight that Sin boasts of and see as far as the Judgment-seat this is the way to silence the Tempter and to avoid his snare Would the Lyar dare to speak falsly if he considered that all Lyars shall be adjudged to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21. 8. Would the Unclean Person dare to defile himself and run to the Harlots house if he did but believe and consider that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Improve Christs Cross and think of Christs Tribunal and this will cool and kill Corruptions and take away the force of your Temptations 2. The Belief and Meditation of Judgment will cause you to use this World as not abusing it to make a good improvement of it You that have this World in great abundance and have the clearest and largest Estates do you think you are Proprietors of what you have Do you think 't is given or only lent you for a time You are only Stewards intrusted with that which is Gods and not yours and are accountable at the last day for all you have received What sad accounts will most give up of their Stewardship when they must be no longer Stewards Imprimis So much daily for Eating and Drinking to Self and not to the Glory of God. Item So much for brave Apparel that Pride might be maintained and gratified Item So much for making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Item So much for costly and vast Past-times a great deal of Wealth and much more precious Time being wasted together But unto good uses to maintain a Godly and laborious Ministry of the Gospel to the poor and needy given very little or nothing With what an Eye do you think that the Judge will look upon such accounts as these Think of Judgment that you may holily improve the unrighteous Mammon and Christ may say you have been Faithful Stewards even of worldly things 3. The Belief and Meditation of Judgment will make you exceeding diligent that you may be found of your Judge in peace without spot and blameless With what Seriousness and Fervency will he come
plead thus Lord we have been all abused we never met with any thing but abuses and never could lead these men to Repentance The Rods of Affliction will have a Voice against them too Lord we have stricken these Sinners often we have made them Bleed and Groan and smart exceedingly for their Iniquities but could never make them leave off Sinning against Thee and against their own Souls How many Sermons will rise up in judgment against them because they either slept them away or if they were awake they suffer'd them to slip out of their Memories and never applyed them to their Hearts And as for us the Ministers of the Gospel our Testimony against them will be true and terrible Lord we lifted up our Voices like Trumpets we gave them the Watchmans Warning we told them of the Sword that was coming and that if they turned not from Sin it would surely slay them we wooed them to come to Jesus that under his Wing they might be secure but nothing would prevail their Ears were deaf their Hearts they hardened they would not be converted and made clean they would rush on in Sin still they would needs Dye and there was no helping it The Condemnation must needs be dreadful when so many things rise up against them that are condemned VSE IV. Os Consolation to the Saints I must speak to them in another strain Lift up your Heads and let your Hearts be filled with Joy all ye believing repenting humble holy heavenly-minded Ones for the Day of your Redemption draws nigh with an earnest expectation wait for it and Triumph at the Thoughts of your great and everlasting Jubilee You will indeed behold the greatest part of mankind turned into Hell but what Joy will it be to find your selves for ever safe and fully blessed A dark Shadow sets off a beautiful Picture The sight of the Rich man in Hell Flames must needs make Lazarus to find a greater sweetness in Abrahams Bosome Two Grounds of Consolation I shall propound to you and so conclude 1. He is to be your Judge that is your Husband and your Head. The very same whom you now find interceding for you in Prayer whom you see walking in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks and blessing his Ordinances to you The very same whom you have found pitying and healing your Wounds with his own Blood succouring you in your Temptations and telling you that you are the Beloved of his Soul And since he is to Judge you be comforted He will behold you with an aspect that is highly favourable His own Spouse whom he has ransomed with his own Life Christ will not turn into devouring Fire He will not take the Members of his own Body and throw them into everlasting Burnings Having Redeemed them by his Blood having renewed and Sanctified them by his Spirit having raised them up at the great day certainly he will receive them to himself and they shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17 18. wherefore be comforted with these words 2. You that are true Believers whose Faith purifies your Hearts and works by Love know that there is a Crown designed for you The Diadems that Monarchs have upon their Heads the Triple Crown of Him at Rome is but a Trifle to the Crown of life This Crown is purchased 't is promised 't is prepared and shortly you shall put it on and never put it off more How Splendid how Bright how Sparkling will that Crown be 'T is called a Crown of Life for Death shall be no more A Crown of Glory for the Saints shall be more than Conquerours and Triumphant over all Enemies and be advanced to the highest Honour and State whereof they are capable Finally 't is called a Crown of Righteousness 't is a Righteous thing with God to bestow it through Christ Jesus and perfect Righteousness and Purity will be a great part of the happiness of Saints in Glory This Crown the Apostle saw to his great encouragement and he would have all other Believers comforted with the same sight 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing MAT. 11. 23. Form. Part. And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell OUR Lord Jesus is called the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World But in this Lamb there is Wrath and that Wrath is very terrible Oh the weight of the Mediatours Vengeance This Wrath is threatned against the impenitent and unbelievers who refuse to be Saved from their Sins resolving to live tho they Dye in them The Light of the Gospel being neglected highly aggravates the Works of Darkness makes them more inexcusable and a greater provocation None shall fare worse at the Day of Judgment than those that have had the longest and the clearest day of Grace but would not know in that their day the things which belonged to their Peace Thou Capernaum which art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell. These words which I have read do speak Christ's sorrow and his displeasure wherein you may take notice 1. Of the Persons with whom he is displeased Thou Capernaum the City is put for the Inhabitants of it 2. Here is the Reason of Christs displeasure they did not understand the great priviledge of being Exalted unto Heaven they did not improve the advantage they had of getting thither 3. Here is a Punishment threatned a sore evil and that is no less than Hell it self 4. Here is the manner specisied of their going to Hell thou shalt be brought down to Hell with a strong Hand with great Wrath and in one of the hottest and lowest Places there thou shalt lye for ever There are two Doctrines which I raise from the Words First Those that hear the Gospel are exalted unto Heaven Happy you if you understand your Priviledge which at this day you enjoy Secondly They who will not turn to God at the Gospel-call shall certainly be turned into Hell Thou Capernaum who art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell and if Christ says it shall be so most certainly it will be so The first of these I shall but just touch upon for it is the second that I principally purpose to Prosecute Doct. 1. The first Doctrine is this They that hear the Gospel are exalted unto Heaven The Gospel is an heavenly Calling Heb. 3. 1. it comes from Heaven and says to those that hear it Come up hither 1. Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Here you have a Map of those happy Regions of Light and Love and Joy where there is nothing present that is burthensome where there is nothing wanting that is desirable
you won't where are your Wits You are out of them in the worst Sense of all The Lord now sayes Turn if ye will not hear and obey at last he will say Depart and that word you must obey and be forced away from him into everlasting Burnings 4. Shall Sinners be turned into Hell then their Prosperity is not to be envied or admired It has been a Custom in some places to grant to condemn'd Malefactors a Liberty to enjoy their Pleasures and Delights a few days before their Execution but alas what did these signifie to them that were to dye a few days after A fit Representation of the condition of the Wicked They are perhaps gaudily Cloathed and daintily Fed and have more than Heart could wish But this prosperity is very short they stand in slippery Places and quickly fall they are brought to Destruction as in a moment and utterly consumed with Terrours Psal 73. 18 19. The ungodly do very much need our pity but nothing that they have is worth our Envy 5. Hence I inferr the happiness of sincere Converts Many temporal Evils may be their exercise at present but Hells eternal Torments they shall never feel Rom. 8. 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Whatever the Times are in Eternity and to Eternity it will be well with them If Hell were Ransack't all over you might find Professours Preachers Princes Nobles there you might find worldly Wise and worldly wealthy a great many but not one true Convert among the whole Number Converts are reconciled to God by the Blood of Christ and are safe and happy Hell is a dreadful place and has a very wide Door but who has the Key of it The Key is not in Satans but in Christ's keeping Rev. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and of Death He will open the Door of Death that Converts Bodies may come out of the Grave he will keep the door of Hell fast shut that Converts shall never be thrown in thither VSE II. Of Exhortation That you would all consider more seriously and believe more heartily this Doctrine of Hell. Often think of the loss sustained and of the Torment felt there It was the Advice of Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not sly the remembrance of Hell Torment that we may never be Tormented there The believing consideration of Hells punishment will have many good Effects 1. Hereby the deceitfulness of Sin will be discovered The deceitfulness of Sin hardens you Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily while 't is called to â—â—y lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin. Sin pretends to consult your ease your safety your satisfaction your gain your pleasure Think seriously of Hell and all these will be found vain pretences Oh how very false a thing is Sin First you must prove Hell desirable before you can prove that Sin is worthy to be loved and served 2. The Remembrance of Hell will be a great Preservative against the Tempter Evil Angels are great Enemies to the good Word of God especally they are displeased at Sermons concerning Chrst and Hell they are unwilling that Men should know the Destruction Sin has brought them in danger of unwilling they should hear of a Saviour and Deliverer Think of Hell whenever you find the Devil tempting He endeavours to hide Hell from your Eyes that he may lead you secure thither Satan tells the Intemperate Man that makes himself a Beast by excessive Drinking that this is the way to Exhilerate and chear his Spirits a Remedy against care and sorrow and a means to make him merry But he would not have the Drunkard think of Hell nor of the dreadful Cup of Gods indignation without mixture that will be put into his hand at the last day Satan tells the defrauding over reaching Knave that he will be a great Gainer by his Subtlety but he hides Hell from him where none of his Gain remains and where eternal happiness and an immortal Soul are lost for ever Satan tells the filthy Wretch of the pleasures to be found in the embraces of the well-favoured Harlot but this he conceals that going to her House his Feet go down to Death and his Steps will soon take hold on Hell. It would be Wisdom in you and in all to see how Sin and Hell are joyned together It would make the Tempter lose his labour if you would ever remember that in Tempting you to Sin he does in effect only perswade to be willing for ever to be destroyed 3. The serious consideration of Hell will quicken you to cry for Mercy Upon the Sight of Hells misery how desirable will Mercy be in your Eyes You will pray for this with all Prayer God will find you in the Congregation in the Family and in the Closet making your servent Supplications and Mercy will be your great Suit. God delights in shewing Mercy Mic. 7. 18. The thoughts of Hell will make you see how much you need it and such fail not to obtain it 4. The Remembrance of Hell will contribute much to your stedfastness in Religion 't will fortifie and arm you against the fear of Man how little is it that the greatest Man that the most of Men can do to you to fall into the hands of mortal Men that can but kill the body is no great matter but to fall into the hands of the living God is fearful Heb. 10. 31. Hark what our Lord says Luk. 12. 4 5. I say unto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Yes he is indeed worthy to be feared It was a saying of one Omnia supplicia graviorum suppliciorum vincuntur sormidine all Punishments are overcome by the fear of greater Punishments When thou art called forth to bear Testimony to Christ and to his Truth before a sinful and an adulterous generation though thou seest Wracks and Wheels though thou seest Flames and Furnaces of scalding Lead be not affrighted at the matter the Grace and Comfort of the Spirit of Christ shall be sufficient to carry thee through these Pains and these are nothing compared with the Vengeance of eternal fire which will be inflicted upon those that draw back unto perdition VSE III. Of Direction How this whole Congregation may escape the Damnation of Hell. I hope every Eye is broad awake and should not every Ear be open and every Heart exceedingly attentive when Directions concerning this are given The Directions are these 1. If you would escape Hell think of Hell the effect of Sin so long 'till you utterly fall out with Sin the
't is no longer loved 'T is a Sign of malice towards our Neighbour if we are glad to hear all the Evil that is spoken of him and all the Reproach that is cast upon him 'T is a Sign of hatred to Sin when we like to have it discovered when we like that its deceitful and damnable Nature should be represented and the falsness foulness and filthiness of it should be laid open and naked Sin is so great an Evil that there cannot be too much Evil spoken of it 't is so great an Enemy that you can never too faithfully and plainly be warned against it 3. Do you apprehend your greatest danger to be from your Master Sin and therefore continually endeavour the Mortification of it The King of Syria give this Commission to his Army Fight neither against small nor great save onely with the King of Israel What were all besides to be spared No certainly many Israelites fell in the battel But there was a principal design to take at least if not to cut off the King of Israel All Sin deserves thy hatred no Sin is so small an Enemy as that thou mayest safely spare it But the Master Sin is the chief foe therefore its destruction should chiefly be designed That Man that is an Enemy to his Master Sin desires it may be still weakned by all means Oh! saith he that every Mercy may help to kill it leading me to Repentance for it That every stroke of the Rod may help to strike it more dead that every Sermon may give this Sin a blow that by every Prayer I may obtain more strength against it That every time I come to the Table of the Lord this Sin may be in a greater measure Crucified VSE II of Exhortation And of this there are two Branches I shall speak to Sinners that are under the full Fower of their Master Sin. Then I shall speak to Saints in whom there are too great remainders of it 1. I am to speak to Sinners who are under the full Power of their Master Sin. It is storied concerning Agrippina the Mother of Nero Caesar that it was told her by an Oracle that her Son should be Emperour of Rome but afterwards should kill his own Mother Agrippina replies Occidat mode imperet Let him kill me so he does but reign O 't is the Language of all presumptuous Sinners concerning their Master Lusts Let them but reign no matter though they are our Damnation and Destruction But what do you see in Sin or in its Wages that any of you should be thus fond of its Service What good reason can be given why Sin should have one slave in this whole Congregation or in the whole World I 〈…〉 stly exhort you to lay aside every weight but especially the Sin 〈…〉 t does most easily beset you Arguments to perswade are these 1. Consider the Master Sin is the strongest hold of Satan While Sin keeps up its Dominion Satan holds fast his Possession This Sin is your most deadly disease and the strongest Cord in which the Devil binds you and leads you Captive at his Pleasure 2. The Master Sin is the great hindrance of the efficacy of the means of Grace This makes the Preachers pains lost labour this makes Mercies and Afflictions to be lost upon you this makes you to lose all the duties you perform 3. This Master Sin is not without its Train A great Person especially a Crown'd Head is not without a great many that attend him A Master Sin has a great Attendance Many lusts are subservient to this Main one that the greater and more plentiful Provision may be made for the fulfilling it How great is thy danger who hast so many Enemies lodging in thee and lording it over thee 4. Suppose this Master Sin were alone this were enough to ruine thee If a Pistol is discharged at the Heart and a small Bullet enter there it kills as certainly as if there were a thousand Cannons discharged at a man at once One Sin suffered to rule in thy Heart is sufficient were there no more effectually and eternally to ruine thee 5. The Master Sin wars against thy Soul most dangerously and wounds most deeply And after it has ruined thee Oh with what anguish will it be reflected on in the lowest Hell This will be there thy heaviest load Thou wilt remember how deaf thou werâ— to all Counsel to cast it away and how great thy madness was iâ— taking most pleasure in that which proves the cause of the greatest even everâ—asting Sorrow and Vexation Oh be so wise as to change your old Master Sin and let Christ become your Lord. 2. I am to speak to Saints in whom there are too great remainders of the Sin that was once their Master I exhort you more essectually and throughly to mortifie it Pray consider 1. If this Sin does frequently prevail it will keep you very low in Grace Faith will be weak Hope will be dampt Love will be cool and the whole inward Man will wofully languish 2. As you will be weak in Grace so will be low in Comfort When Temptations are yielded to Conscience will be disquieted Peace will be disturbed Thâ— Pride thy Passion thy carnal Affections prevailing will make thy Heart too much like the troubled Sea when it ca 〈…〉 rest whose waters cast forth mire and dirt Isa 57. 〈◊〉 3. T 〈…〉 lency of this easily besetting Sin will hinder you from being so 〈…〉 le to your great and gracious Lord. It will make his work to 〈…〉 glected and when done to be done too negligently sorry Servants you will be and very sorry your services will be The more sanctified you are the fitter you are for your Masters use 2 Tim. 2 21. but Sin makes you unmeet and more unable and unwilling to serve him 4. This Sin will make you to shine less in your lives 't wil fully your Conversations and hinder you from adorning the Gospel Oh keep unspotted and walk exactly as in the day that you may be blameless and harmless the Children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation and that you may shine as Lights in the World Phil. 2. 15. 5. This Sin may cause you to set in a Cloud It may fill you with doubts when you are dying and that will be very dreadful You may be terribly frighted with the fears of Hell when you are just at Heavens gate Be therefore upright keep your selves from the iniquity that does most easily beset you that you may be more useful in your lives have the stronger and more lively hope in Death and that your End when it comes may be more perfect Peace VSE III. Of Direction How the Sin which does most easily beset you may be laid aside 1. Pray for a clean Heart Psal 51. 10. David having been overcome by a strong Corruption and done a Deed that was very foul cryes for a purer Heart a more right and constant Spirit he knew that to purge the Fountain was the way to have the streaâ—s clean Go unto God for a new Heart which he has promised and will give to all who prize and desire such an Heart Sâ—rike at the root of Sin in the Heart then the branches and this top branch the Master-sin will wither 2. Seriously â—â—â—â—o Heart how much the Sin that naâ—â—â—aâ—ly is 〈◊〉 beloved does deserâ—â—â—â—ur hatred Hated Sin is so â—eak that it can ruine none 't is the love of Sin that gives it power and as it were puts a Sword into its hand to flay you 3. Resist the very first stirrings of this Sin in you I believe if David as soon as ever he beheld from his Palace the beauteous Bathsheba had presently turn'd away his eyes and had fallen upon his knees and gone to Prayer he had overcome the Temptation Sin is more weak at the beginning Our Lords Counsel is Watch and Pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat. â—â— 41. 4. If you would abandon the Master-sin Pray much for the contrary Grace Is Pride thy Master-sin Pray much for Humility Is Passion thy Master-sin Pray much for Patience â—â—â— for the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ Is Love to the 〈◊〉 thy Master-sin Pray that thou may'st rise with Christ 〈◊〉 â—ve and mind a better World better Honours better Plea 〈…〉 a more lasting Wealth than this World can yield 5 Let the Word of God which does forbid and threaten this Master-sin be carefully hid in your Heart This Word may be in thy Moâ—th thou mayest talk of it it may be in thy Mind thou may'st have a notional Knowledge of it Nay it may go further and be in thy Conscience and be thought of in the very act of Sin. But if it be in thy Heart if thy Will and Affections are taken with it then it will be an effectual Preservative against Iniquity Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee 6. Improve the Death of our Lord Jesus Bring the Sin which does so easily beset you to the Cross of Christ No Sin truly dyes but upon Christs Cross Gal 5. 24. They that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts these are never Mortified but by being Crucified How can the old Adam dye but upon the Cross of the second Adam Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is Crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serâ—e sin 7. Call in the Spirits aid He can make the Word sharp as a two-edged Sword to pierce the Heart and to slay the strongest Sin there He glorifies Christ and can draw you to him and enable you by Faith to derive Grace from him sufficient to help you against the most powerful Corruptions He can kill the Sin that is hardest to be slain he can mortifie all the deeds of the body Rom. â— 13. the strongest members on the Earth Col. 3. 5. and he can seal you unto the day of Redemption FINIS