that has one Dagger thrust into his Heart dyes as certainly as Julius Caesar did of all the Wounds which were given him in the Senate or as Attilius Regulus did who was pierced from Head to Foot in the nayled Barrel 5. A blameless Conversation is also mistaken for Conversion though there be no Care or Observation no Renovation of the Heart and Nature The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was short because only external if they imbrued not their hands in blood they were unconcern'd though their Hearts were full of Wrath and Hatred if free from actual Adultery inward Concupiscence was nothing with them But our Lord rightly expounds the Law shews how being spiritual it reaches the Soul and obliges unto internal Purity and Righteousness and he expressly affirms Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven The Apostle Paul tells us before his Conversion he was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Phil. 3. 6. Yet though his Life were free from blame and ordered according to a more than ordinary Pharisaical strictness and severity yet his Heart was void of saving Grace 'till he was beaten off from Confidence in himself and he was turned to the Faith of Christ 6. Bodily Temper and good Nature is mistaken for Conversion Some by reason of their Constitutions are naturally Mild they take this for the Grace of Patience and for the meekness and gentleness of Christ 't is the temper of some to be Liberal and Free-hearted they take this for the Grace of Christian Charity When they behold others of crooked and crabbed Dispositions and perceive themselves of a more even and loving temper they are very apt to be deceived in judging what is the effect of their natural temperament to be the sanctifying work of the Spiâ—it But Oh how much does Converting Grace differ from meer Nature when most resined He that is naturally Patient is not so in Obedience to God but because Nature inclines him not to be otherwise Nature has no regard to the pleasing of God nor to the enjoying of him neither does it desire help from him but is centred in it self and well enough contented without him 7. Another thing mistaken for Conversion is Education and restraining Grace Some that have been brought up under Religious Parents and have lived in places free from Temptation and by this means have been preserved from the Worlds Pollutions they are very apt to call that Renewing Grace which is no more than Grace restraining But when these do change their Place and change their Company how does Corruption discover it self Experience very sad has shewn that they who under their Parents eyes and care have seemed very serious and well inclined when their Parents have been removed by Death all the good Inclinations of the Children have been as it were buried in their Parents graves and with a strange kind of eagerness have they run out to great excess of riot Joash during the Life of Jehoiada the Priest who had saved him from being Murther'd and brought him to the Throne seemed a Prince very well Inclined but after Jehoiada his Death all his Goodness vanished he left the Lord Jehovah and shamefully Apostatized into Idolatry and when he was faithfully reproved by Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada he Commanded him to be Stoned Wicked and Ungrateful Man thus to take away the Life of the Son who was himself preserved by the Father 2 Chron. 24. 17 23. And truly if you observe Education and restraining Grace at the very best when it has most kept Persons within compass yet even then there is a levity of spirit in them that are thus restrained serious Discourses are not so savoury to them as those that are more frothy and vain and upon Self-reflection they may observe in themselves a secret dislike of Religion and strictness which they dare not openly shew 8. Conviction in the Conscience is also mistaken for Conversion When Conscience is thoroughly awakened and the spirit of bondage causes great fear of Wrath when Mercy is implored and Pardon of Sin is begg'd with great earnestness and the force of Conscience produces a reformation of several Miscarriages this may seem Conversion and sometimes ends in it and it often issues otherwise Pharaoh under Conviction cryes out I have sinned resolves to let Israel go desires Moses his Prayers for him yet after this hardens his Heart and that Obduration ended in his Destruction The Children of Israel under Affliction and Conviction together when God slew them then they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembred God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer And yet though Conscience compell'd them thus far their Heart remained Unconverted was not right with God neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Psal 78. 34 37. There may be amazing terrour in the Conscience and yet the Heart remain carnal and ill inclined endeavouring to cast the awakened Conscience into a dead slaep again that without any check or trouble it may return to its former perverse and evil way 9. Temporary Faith and forwardness in Profession is likewise mistaken for Conversion Those Hearers of the Gospel whom our Lord compares to the stony ground were forward to hear and received the Word with joy and for a while believed they assented to the Truth of the Word and look'd upon it as worthy of acceptation but it was not so acceptable in their account as to make them willing to lose all for the sake of it thus far thus deeply it had not taken root in them therefore when Persecution arose because of the Word they were offended and in time of Temptation they fell away Luk. 8. 13. These joyful forward Professors seemed Converts but really were not Converted Neither were those that went a degree further who brought forth not only the blade of an external Profession but also some fruit but being choaked with cares and riches and the pleasures of this life did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring forth any fruit unto perfection v. 14. 10. Spiritual Gifts especially if in some Excellency are mistaken for Conversion When there is a great measure of Notional knowledge and ability to Discourse well of the things of God variety and fluency of Utterance in Prayer these things take with others and are apt to a Est enim superbia non Magnitudo sed tumor quod autem tumâ—t videtur magnum sed non est sanum Augustin Serm. 27. de Tempore puff up those themselves that have them with a great conceit of their great Attainments as if they were spiritually alive and spiritual Worshippers of God who will be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth And yet these Gifts may be and often are without any true Humility and in them that know not the more excellent way of Love. Gifts are to be earnestly Coveted 1 Cor.
a very great affront offered to Him for 't is in effect to say that they have tried both Christ and Sin and upon trial they judge Sin to be the best Master of the two Thus in a sense they crucifie the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 6. They value Him no more than if he had been a Deceiver and justly put to a Death that was so Ignominious and while they say Not Christ but our Pride not Christ but the World not Christ but our Lusts shall rule us and have our Hearts they but too much resemble the Jews crying out Not this Man but Barabbas though that Man was Jesus and Barabbas was a Robber 5. They that are only almost Converts harden the Hearts and strengthen the hands of the profane in their wickedness When such perceive these who they thought were turned Saints returning again to their old sins this makes them more resolute in Sins service and more unalterably fixt in their evil way These half Converts when they totally fall away from all Profession of Religionâ— how do they advance Satans Kingdom and establish the Throne of the Prince of Darkness 6. What poor things are those that hiâ—der the almost Converted from becoming Converts altogether Relapsing is styled folly Psal 85. 8. What Wisdom can there be in departing from God Is the Ease the Honour the Pleasure the Wealth which Sin and Mammon bragg of comparable to the Grace of God or the Glory that will follow Death will certainly prove the World a Trifle the Worldling a Beggar and he that has forsaken God for the Worlds sake to be altogether void of understanding Suppose a Convert stript naked of all as Job was upon the Dunghil he is as having nothing but yet he does possess all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Suppose the almost Convert is never so great a gainer by his backsliding he is as having much but he does possess nothing 7. They that are only almost Converted come very near Heaven and yet miss of it they come near the Port and yet are Shipwrack't It was a torment to the Rich man in Hell to see Heaven afar off though he had liv'd a sensual Life and never minded Heaven But how sad will it be to the almost Converts to remember that once they were in a fair way to Heaven and not far off from that Kingdom and if they had but parted with one or two more Sins if they had but taken a little more pains and had been constant in their diligence if they had but consented to some few more Conditions which were but very reasonable God would have been theirs Christ theirs and Heaven theirs for over But their Lusts befool'd them the old Serpent beguiled them and they themselves held fast deceit and refused to return in Truth Jer. 8. 5. VSE IV. Of Exhortation unto all Vnconverted Sinners to hearken consider and turn to God. You that have been long deaf at last hear the call from Heaven you that have been long in darkness at last admit and comprehena the Light which â—hines about you You that have hitherto â—een dead in Sin be attentive and obedient to the Voice of the Son of God and live O ye Atheists that profess to know God but in works deny him O ye Covetous and Unrighteous that will be rich if you can though it be by unjust waies and will venture the losing of your precious Souls for the sake of a little perishing Treasure O ye intemperate and unclean that are bewitched with present Delights and fear not eternal Torments O all ye workers of iniquity of what sorts of what sizes soever Turn ye turn ye from your evil waies unto the true and living God who is the God of Mercy Peace and Grace and Love. He himself does really and seriously and earnestly call you as well as Man who is his Messenger Arguments are not wanting in themselves really of great strength to perswade Oh that the Spirit of God would set an Edge upon them and make them strong to you that your Consciences may yield to the force of them and your Hearts may be willingly captivated into a sincere and saving compliance with them 1. 'T is wonderful Grace that you have leave to turn Do we read that this was ever allowed to the Apostate Angels was there a door of hope ever open'd to them after they had departed from God was there any space or place for Repentance granted them or Liberty to return with intimation of a readiness to receive them The Scripture sayes that God spared not the Angels that sinn'd but cast them down to Hell and deliver'd them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Judgment 2 Pet. 2. 4. Oh 't was a dreadful fall from the highest Heaven to the lowest Hell eternal Punishment followed Sin at the heels and not the least mention of any season of Grace afforded them Nothing done nothing spoken in order to their return and recovery Admirable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindness of God and good will towards Man that when the fallen Angels were suffered to lye where they fell He should be permitted nay so earnestly solicited to return though fallen also by his iniquity 2. 'T is wonderful Patience that after the refusing so many calls you should be called to turn still God shews himself rich in goodness and forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 2. 4. else he had ceased Calling long ago and come to a resolution that the unjust should be unjust still and that those who would not be purged should never be purged till his fury took hold on them Ezek. 24. 13. If a merciful Prince offer Pardon to a condemn'd Malefactor once if a ransom be tender'd once for the Redemption of a Captive the Malefactor the Captive ought to acknowledge it an Act of much Grace And if the first offer were not accepted every one would be ready to say t were just the Malefactor should dye and the Captive remain under bondage ever after Astonishing Patience that God should call not once or twice only but thousands of times and yet to this day continue Calling that Christ should stand many years knocking at the door and though the door be kept fast shut against him yet he is not gone away but while I am speaking may be knocking again at this very instant Foolish Heart at last be so wise as to open and bewail thy folly in being so averse to give admission to the Lord of Life and Author of Salvation 3. Consider who 't is that calls you to turn Oh refuse not rebell not for 't is the Glorious and blessed God who calls you to yielding and submission None so great none so good as he He protests by his Life he has no Pleasure in your Death therefore He himself bids you turn and cast away every Transgression and assures you iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18. 30 31. For man to refuse to hearken unto
God is meer madness 't is disobedience to the highest Soveraign 't is base ingratitude against the highest Kindness 't is in effect the charging the God of Grace and Truth with falshood and ill-will 't is a rejecting the best and safest Counsel and 't is the way to engage the great Jehovah to be much more an enemy by refusing to turn and be reconciled to Him. 4. Consider what the Lords design is in requiring you to become Converts He could glorifie his Truth and Righteousness and make his Power known in executing vengeance and in punishing you with everlasting Destruction but he chuses rather to magnifie his Mercy and Grace therefore he waits to be Gracious Isa 30. 18. and if he be exalted that he may shew Mercy his Mercy will be exceeding plenteous and glorious in the blessed Effects of it if you forsake your evil wayes and thoughts and turn to him In turning you to himself the Lord designs to demonstrate that his Grace can superabound where Sin never so much abounds he designs to shew forth the merit of his Sons blood and the Power of his Spirit he designs to new make what sin had marr'd and to produce Vessels of honour out of the corrupt masse of defiled Clay In short he does design to form you for himself that you may be most blessed for ever in himself and both here and eternally shew forth his Praises And what colour or shadow of Reason is there that you should walk contrary to such a God that you should thwart and oppose such gracious Designs by refusing to return 5. Turn ye Why wo'nt you Live Is Alsufficiency to be lookt upon as empty the chiefest good become evil in your Eyes Are you fallen out with the truest felicity as if it were not at all desirable Is the perfection of Happiness fear'd as if 't were Misery Is Heaven shunn'd as if 't were Hell and do you avoid the Path that leads to it that you may be sure never to come thither These are strange Interrogatories but they serve for Conviction that those who will not turn may be sensible they wrong their own Souls Prov. 8. 36. in contemning the tender of Eternal Life and Salvation 6. Turn ye Why will ye Dye Is the Guilt of Sin become a light matter the Wrath of the Almighty easie to be born do you make a mock of that which makes the whole Creation groan and travel in pain together Rom. 8. 22. Is it no longer fearful to fall into the hands of the Living God and has the second Death ceased to be terrible Are the Tears of the Damned dryed up Is their Sorrow turned into Joy Is the never-dying Worm to be hugg'd in your bosoms and everlasting Fire a thing to be play'd with Oh! What do you mean who will not turn Why do ye love Death Prov. 8. ult Why have ye the greatest hand in your own ruine Why are ye Devils to your selves Why do ye desperately rush on in Sin and in the end throw your selves down into everlasting Burnings 7. To perswade you to turn Consider Conversion is a thing that never was that never will be Repented of The Prophane in the other World at farthest repent they did not turn at all the Hypocrites repent they did not turn in truth but sincere Converts are glad they are so and see good reason still to continue so The Apostle tells us that the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. when he effectually Calls any and gives Converting Grace to them it is such a Gift that God never repents of bestowing neither ever does he take it quite away again It is such a Gift as Man never repents he has received but has good cause to desire that God would perfect what concerns him and not forsake the work of his own hand Psal 138. ult 8. Conversion will make you great Blessings in the places where you live Converts are the Horse-men and Chariots of Israel because as so many Princes they have power with the God of Israel Solomon tells us that Righteousness exalts a Nation Prov. 14. 34. The more Converts to Righteousness there are the more the Nation is beholding to them but Obstinate Sinners are not only their own but the Nations greatest Enemies When Gods Anger has been exceedingly provoked so that he has doom'd a Nation to Destruction Conversion even in this Case will do a kindness Jer. 18. 7 8. At what instant I speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil way I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them Though England at this day has many Enemies whose Power and Policy is engaged against it yet it is chiefly endanger'd by its sins and wickedness A speedy and general Conversion to God would certainly be Englands security and establishment 9. If you are Converts in truth the News of it will be heard and known in Heaven and occasion Joy there Luk. 15. 10. I say unto you there is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth The Angels did Sing at the Birth of a Saviour Glory be to God in the highest on Earth peace good Will towards Men and they rejoyce at the New-birth of all that are saved 10. Consider the vast difference that is between the End of Converts and those that dye Vnconverted They that are wise look not only at the begininng but to the end of things and they cannot think well of that which must needs end ill And Vnconverted Sinner dying is one of the saddest spectacles in the World he is leaving all his good things all his Consolation behind him he and his hopes dye together and whither does Death send him to the Bar of an Holy and Righteous God. 'T is a terrible Clause in the Statute of Dying After this the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. And how can the wicked Man who would live and did dye in his Sins be able to stand in Judgment Death comes to the Unconverted armed with a Sting with a Sting did I say nay the Stings are thousands and millions for every one of his Sins is a Sting in his Death and his Sins being more in number than the Stars of Heaven when Death seizes him how many Stings will pierce him and put him to Pain which will be Eternal If he dyes stupid 't is so much the worse for Hell being not fear'd or thought of when felt will be the more woful If he dyes in horrour alas the greatest Despair and Anguish on a Death-bed is no more to be compared with the Agonies of the Damned Spirits than a Whisper is to be compared with Thunder or the smallest Spark of fire is to be compared with those devouring Flames that in -66 did burn down London But on the other side how ends the Convert Death is a fall
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
shine To turn with the whole Heart is for the whole to turn excellent for the whole to be secured Be never satisfied till you perceive that God has your love which is indeed the leading and commanding Affection If Sin if Mammons Pleasures and Wealth have still your love your professing your selves Converts is all but feigned kindness and you provoke the Lord to jealousiè Give unto God your Love which he calls for in the first and great Commandment or else you give him nothing if your love be given him you will not deny him any thing And if as yet you can't shew your love by delighting in God because of your doubts and the darkness of your state shew your love by desiring after God whose loving kindness is better than Life whose Alsufficiency is enough and enough and infinitely more than enough for you But here 's the difficulty How shall the Heart of Man be brought unto the love of God The Stream of the affections runs naturally and violently downwards and how shall the tide be turned how shall the love be carried quite contrary to the bent of Nature Certainly this must be the doing of the God of all Grace The Apostle prayes for the Thessalonians that the Lord would direct their hearts into the love of God 2 Thes 3. 5. Put up this Petition for your selves 'T is an encouraging Scripture Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul that thou mayest live apply it improve it and if you grudge your love to every thing else and are continually offering it to God and above all things in the World desire to love him and to be beloved of him Love is already wrought the acts of it appear and you shall by degrees love more sensibly and the stronger the love the more sound the Conversion 10. Deceive not your selves with faint wishes and half-willingness to be Converted I grant that the desire of Grace is Grace but if there be not Truth in the desire the Truth of Grace can't be concluded from it A lazy wish to be Converted where there is a prevailing resolution to connive at and continue in Sin what does it signifie but that the Heart is not right with God notwithstanding some feeble good inclinations towards him Our Lord commands his Followers to strive to enter in at the strait gate because many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13. 24. Many hereafter shall seek and expect admission into Heaven who shall be excluded because they would not strive they would not use an holy violence to take that Kingdom Many over hastily conclude they are Converted because there is some little inclination to what is good though a stronger inclination to what is evil without check does bear the sway in them In spiritual as well as natural lukewarmness there is some mixture of heat as well as a prevalency of cold Can water be called hot where heat is least and cold is most Can the Heart be said to be turned to God which is least inclined towards him and most strongly and resolvedly bent towards Sin and Vanity Oh take heed of Sloth and Idleness Sloth is that which has brought many a Conviction to nothing you can hardly name a greater Impediment of Conversion Upon thousands of Professors Tombs this may be written Here lye those who have undone themselves by Slothfulness and miss'd of Grace and Glory because they would take Pains for neither If you would be Conveâ—â—s indeed abandon Idleness let your very Hearts be in every Duty your Souls and the strength of them the fervency of your Spirits in every Ordinance of God Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business especially not in the main business servent in Spirit serving the Lord. Satisfie not your selves in a customary and formal using of the means of Grace but look to this that life and warmth and strength and Grace be indeed conveyed to you in them 11. Would you be Converts indeed look much into another World confine not your sight and thoughts to the things of time and sense but take the Perspective of the Word of God that to the eye of your Faith things unseen may become evident Heb. 11. â— Time is so short a thing that you may easily and quickly see to the end of it and yet concerning this short Time it may be said that Now you must be turn'd or Never At the end of Time Death stands thousands feel his stroke every day before your eyes and how soon may you feel his deadly Dart and return to the dust out of which we were all taken where 's the Man that upon good ground can say He is sure to live a Year a Month a VVeek a Day to an end Just behind Death is Judgment and at the Bar of God who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the Heart what will a shew of Grace and of Conversion signifie At that Bar all the Children of Men must receive their final and unalterable Doom from that Tribunal there can be no Appeal to another there is no higher Judge than he who shall judge the quick and the dead at his Appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. The Sentence which he will Pronounce will stand good and firm for ever and 't will be a Sentence either to eternal Glory or everlasting Flames And know that Conversion now will make the Discrimination then only Converts will stand in Judgment only those that sincerely â—urn'd to God in this World will be received into his Joy and Kingdom in the other World. But as for the Unconverted who would not turn from Sin they shall without any Pity or hopes of any according as they were threatned and have justly deserved be turned into Hell and there will be no remedy You are all posting away from hence and shall shortly hear the Word and be seen your selves no more A serious belief and consideration of the eternal Joyes and eternal Woes of another World would have a mighty Influence upon the very worst of you to make you of another of a better Mind VSE VI. Of Consolation unto Converts There is a Consolation that has a Woe joyn'd with it VVoe to you rich Men for ye have received your Consolation The Wicked and the Hypocrite have their Peace and Joy but their Peace is false and their Joy but for a moment but the Converts Comfort is styled both strong and everlasting Consolation Here I shall first give you the Converts Character and then lay down the Grounds of his Comfort and indeed true Comfort belongs to none in the World but true Converts Though I have spoken a great deal already to shew who are Converted yet I shall add these Signs following 1. Converts chuse God for their Portron rather than the World Thou art my Portion O Lord I have said
Detestation and abhorrency I was upright before thee says David and I kept my self from mine iniquity Psal 18. 23. possibly he may mean revenge upon Saul which he had again and again opportunity to take which not only those that were with him but Corruption of Nature might prompt him to but the true Grace which was in him was peremptory against 4. Let your Hearts be perfect in being sound in Gods Statutes Let them all be approved for all are the Lords and all are worthy This argues a rectified Judgment indeed when every Precept is lookt on as right and that the keeping of it is not only a Duty but a kindness to him that keeps it I esteem all thy Commandments says the Psalmist concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Psal 119. 128. Though there be an Election of some yet if there be a Reprobation of other Commandments the Heart is not sound It cannot have a right respect to any unless it have a general respect to all The Apostle tells us that parâ—iâ—â— obedience will not pass Jam. 2. 10. VVhosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all An allowed neglect oâ— one command argues that none are kept because they are Gods and that he may be pleased because he has been pleased to injoyn one as well as another 5. Let your Hearts be perfect in consenting to the Sanctification of all your Faculties and Powers Desire that your whole Souls should be renewed by the Grace of God and highly value every Grace of the Spirit Every Power iâ— you needs Renovation and every Grace of thâ— Holy Ghost excells in worth all things that arâ— Temporal Faith Love Fear Hope Meekness Patience Temperance Humility and the rest how much better are they than the best thingâ— of this present evil VVorld And when any new degrees are added to the Grace you have conclude that you are very highly favoured 6. Let your Hearts be perfect in havinâ— right designs and making God your end He 〈◊〉 his own end and with good reason for theâ— is nothing so good so high as He. Let hiâ— be your end in all you do Still let your Hâ—aâ— designing to extol him by more high aâ— suitable apprehensions by more enlarged 〈◊〉 raised affections by a more profound Submiâ—sion to him Design that others may be brougâ— to Honour him and desire his Name may be â—lowed all the Earth over and that his Kingdom may be advanced above all other Monarchies whatsoever Thus your hearts should be perfect 2. I exhort you to walk in a perfect way Walk not according to the course of this World after the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that works in the Children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Walk not as those Professors did of whom the Apostle speaks with Weeping Phil. 3. 18 19. Many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even Weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame and who mind earthly things But do you take heed of imitating such patterns be sure to shun their pernicious paths Follow better examples walk in a perfect way Thus to walk implys three things 1. Walk humbly with God break not the first Table of the Law let not onely the Lord himself but his Worship his Ordinances his Name his Sabbaths be dear unto you Neglect not publick Ordinances in the Sanctuary private in the Family secret in the Closet Perform every Duty as before God Perform every Duty as to Him. 2. Make great Conscience also of doing your Duty towards Men. Be perfectly true and just in all your dealings with all To defraud to deceive to over-reach any way to be unjust to your Neighbour is to injure and engage the Justice of God against you â—e very merciful to those that are in distress and â—isery and if your Souls are drawn out towards â—hem indeed to compassionate their case purses and â—ands will be open for their relief Especially prâ—y those that are in Sin as well as Misery and are â—n the worse condition because neither Sin nor Miâ—ery are perceived I beseech you also be very exact in doing the Duties of your places and relations that you may glorifie the Perfect Word of God the perfect rule you walk by in being Parents Children Subjects Husbands Wives Masters Servants with a Nonâ—-such none that are without the Word being in any of these relations comparable to you 3. Do not injury but your duty towards your selves Employ not your Eyes your Tongues your Hands or any of your Members to your own hurt and defiling Do not by uncleanness sin against your own bodies 1 Cor. 6. 18. Do not by Surfeiting and Drunkenness load them with diseases and hasten them to the Grave Let not Covetousness and carking care make you to â—ise up early and sit up late and eat the Bread of sorrows nor cause you to be uncharitable to the needy and to grudg what is convenient to your selves Thus walk in a perfect way 3. In the third and last place I exhort you to stand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4. 12. His Perfect Word should alwaies be heeded The good and honest Heart receives this Word understands it and how safe 't is to be guided by it eveâ— unto death and therefore brings forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. Why with patience Because patience is very requisite to overcome both the difficulty of duty and trouble and Persecution upon the account of duty Heb 10. 36. Ye have need of patience that after ye have doâ— the Will of God ye might receive the Promise Perseverâ— in the Perfect Word in the good the acceptable the perfect Will and Work of God unto thâ— end hereby manifest you are Disciples and Servants indeed And an happy Eternity will satisfie you that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. VSE IV. Of Consolation The Perfection of the Word of God serves for much comfort to the Church of Christ and all Converts the true Members of it The Grounds of Consolation are these 1. Wherever this Church is this perfect Word of God shall certainly be The Word may sometimes be Eclipsed in a Church but never quite extinguished Indeed when a Church is unchurched the Word goes When the Candlestick is removed the light in that place is put out But suppose a Church to remain there will be the Word by which 't was gather'd and which is a means also to govern and preserve it in spight of all opposite Policy and Power Spiritual hunger is a blessed thing it never ends in Starving but in Satisfaction Mat. 5. 6. The sincere Members of the true Church have this hunger therefore they shall more or less have the food of the Word to sustain and strengthen them The Great and Good Shepherd will some way
What dismal Noyses will fill their Ears how fierce and unquenchable are the Flames that they shall feel all their parts shall be in pain not so much as one free The whole Body was defiled and at Sins service all the Members were yielded as instruments of Vnrighteousness 't is but righteous that all should be Punished Why are the Bodies of the Wicked raised at the last day surely that they may bear their part in the Condemnation which the whole Man by Sin has deserved This Resurrection is certain but 't is a dreadful Resurrection which is a Resurrection to Damnation Joh. 5. 29. In these Torments you may well suppose that Death will be wisht for and that the Damned would rejoyce if they could find a Grave but alas after the Resurrection the first Death is no more The Damned in a sad sense do put on Incorruption and Immortality they can never dye and cease to feel their Pains they must always live a Life ten thousand times worse than Death and there is no remedy O you Wicked Men where 's your true Love to your Bodies that you seem to be so tender of I beseech you mind your Souls and love your Bodies better than by Sin to expose them to the Vengeance of eternal Fire You see how in Hell there is a Deprivation of good an Infliction of evil pain and torment I add 3. In Hell there is an Eternity of both the deprivation will be without Hope of Restitution and the Torment will be without any end without the least Mitigation Eternity is an amazing word the thing it self much more amazing Who can see to the end of Eternity who can see half way into Eternity Time is continually passing but Eternity never in the least spends 't is not capable of any diminution after myriads of Ages 't is still as bulky and whole as ever If Hell were Ten thousand times hotter than it is yet were it but a Temporal Punishment and at last to end 't would be Nothing in comparison But since those that are thrown into it must lye in it for ever Hells Eternity is the very Hell of Hell. In Eternity whether of Joy or Woe there is tota simul perfecta possessio the whole of it perfectly possess'd at once Hell is not parcel'd out unto the Damned but they continually feel the whole of it This is terrible there is not the least part of the punishment that ever they are exempted from undergoing but 't is much more terrible that their Suffering must be always and never have a Conclusion Divines have stretch'd their Wits to represent Eternity that apprehensions of it might be more suitable and affecting but were never able to reach it We can no more comprehend Eternity than a Nut-shell can contain the whole Ocean Suppose that all this World were fill'd with Sand from the Earths Centre round and up to the highest Heaven and once in a Thousand Years one single Sand should be taken away How sad would it be to lye in Torment till the whole vast heap were gone But after so many Millions and Millions of Years for the Damned to be every whit as far from the End of their Misery as they were the very first moment they began to feel it here all words fall short and I must conclude in Astonishment Do not think that these are frightful things invented by Vs to scare you into better manners When we warn and tell you of the Eternity of Hells punishment we speak the certain Truth of the Eternal God. In the second place I am to prove the Doctrine That they who will not turn to God shall most certainly be turned into Hell. The Arguments to prove this are these 1. The first shall be drawn from the Wrath of God. This is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteouness of Men Rom. 1. 18. They that are called to turn and yet refuse that Wrath abides upon them still unbelief and impenitency bindes as it were all their Sins fast upon them and they must needs remain under Wrath also Joh. 3. ult He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Nay Wrath instead of being appeased is increased by contemning the Gospel-offer of Gods favour and mercy in Christ And where will unpacified Wrath at length issue See Deut. 32. 22. A Fire is kindled in mine Anger and it shall burn to the lowest Hell. 2. A second Argument shall be drawn from the Truth of God. He has threatned Hell for the punishment of unconverted Sinners Psal 9. 17. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Let there be never so many of them Hell has room enough to hold them and their multitude will not be any Security The Truth of God is engaged to make good all his promises to the Faithful and also all his threatnings to the Wicked A man must believe the Promises in order to the accomplishment of them But tho the Threatnings are dis-believed they will be fulfilled and the greater the unbelief the more certainly and sorely will they overtake and lay hold on the Vnbeliever The Lord is to be credited when he speaks because he is a God that cannot Lye but when he adds his Oath to his word what he sayes is the more firmly to be assented to His Covenant of Grace is confirm'd by an Oath and when he could Swear by no greater he Swore by himself And his Oath also confirms his Threatnings of Wrath Heb. 3. 18 19. And to whom Swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of Vnbelief 3. Another Argument to prove that unconverted Sinners shall be turned into Hell shall be drawn from their present Impunity Escaping now scot-free we may conclude the greater certainty of a future reckoning They that will not turn to God we see that many of them are in Health at ease enjoy peace and plenty and Sentence against their evil works being not now executed and they hereupon being fully set to do Evil 't is reasonable to believe there will be and 't is very Righteous there should be a terrible Sentence of Condemnation and that Sentence put in Execution upon them in the other World. 4. They that will not turn to God at the Gospel call shall be turned into Hell for they slight the only Saviour Christ calls himself a Door so he has been from the beginning of the World so he will be to the End of it There is no Door through which Hell can be escaped but this Unconverted Sinners will not come to Him that they may have Life Joh. 5. 40. therefore they are unavoidably Siezed by eternal Death Corruptible things as Silver and Gold they know how to value but the precious Blood of Christ is not prized and not being Sprinkled with the Blood of Christ our Passover who
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