REV 

J . HUISKEN 
861 OAKLAND AVE., S. W. 

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 
MM tO-OB»-«} 





cGhe True Wa/ 
to Happiness 

BY T H E 

REV. J O S E P H A L L E I N E 

" a a s f f -

J . HUISKEN 
851 OAKLAND AVE.,' S. W. 

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 





CONTENTS 

Introduction—By Dr. H. Beets 

Page 

An earnest invitation to sinners t o turn to 
God, in order to their eternal salvation 5 

Chapter I.—Showing what conversion is , 
not, and correcting some mistakes about 
it, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 

Chapter II.—Showing positively what con-
version is, - - - 17 

Chapter III.—Of the necessity of conver-
sion, - - - - - - - - - - - - 5i 

Chapter IV.—Showing the marks of the 
unconverted, - - - - - - - - - go 

Chapter V.—Showing the miseries of the 
unconverted, - - / - - - _ - - . ioo 

Chapter VI.—Containing directions for. 
conversion, - - - - - - - - 126 

Chapter VII.—Containing the motives to 
conversion, - - - - - - - - - - 149 

The conclusion of the whole - - - - - 164 

Mr. Alleine's counsel for personal and f a m -
ily godlinegg, - - - J76 





INTRODUCTION 
Joseph Alleine, the author of the volume here 

offered to the public, w a s a native of England. He 
was born at Devizes, some eighty miles west of 
London, in 1634, and died Nov. 17, 1668, at Taunton, 
in Somersetshire. Already a s a lad he had 4 e e P 
religious impressions. A t times persons w h o acci-
dentally came where he was, found him not alone 
engaged in prayer but so absorbed in his simple 
devotions, that he w a s not aware of their presence. 
When his eldest brother, a y o u n g minister of rare 
promise, died in the year 1645, Joseph implored his 
father, Tobie Alleine, a "tradesman of credit and 
renown," an humble and experienced Christian, a 
Puritan, that he might be educated to "succeed his 
brother in the work of the ministry." I t was to be 
a troubled work in troublous days that Joseph 
Alleine undertook after his graduation from Oxford 
In 1653, and especially a f t e r he had served two 
years as chaplain of his college, (Corpus Christi), 
and had become assistant minister at Taunton. 

That w a s during the period of bitter persecution 
in England, under the reign of K i n g Charles II, 
when ministers were forced, at the pain of eject-
ment out of their parishes, or, if persisting in 
preaching, at the pain of imprisonment, to "con-
form" to the government and rites of the Estab-
lished Church of England, which Charles used as 
the tool of a tyrant, while he himself was a Roman-
ist a t heart, and a profligate in his life. That was 
the period during which John Bunyan was 
imprisoned for well nigh twelve long years, (1660-
1672) in the Bedford county jail. Alleine, one of 
the 2000 ministers who were ejected because of 
their non-conformity, in loyalty to their Presby-
terian principles, w a s imprisoned twice, because he 
continued to preach, and all the remaining years of 
his life were troubled by constant danger of arrest 
Like the great Baptist preacher of Bedford, Alleine 
used his pen a s well as his voice t o testify for 
Christ and to plead for a living, experimental Chris-
tianity. H e w a s a learned man, engaged at times 
in scientific study and experimentation. H e also 
wrote an "Explanation of the Assembly's Shorter 
Catechism," published in 1665. But it was not 
through his scientific studies, nor even through his 



larger book just named, that Alleine's name would 
live to this day. I t w a s through the small work 
which at first w a s published a s "An Alarm to 
Unconverted Sinners,"" (1671), and four years later 
under the title "The True W a y to Happiness," the 
title under which it now appears anew. It might 
also be called "A Sure Guide to Heaven," for under 
such a name it was published in 1691. 

The book evidently contains the substance of 
various sermons preached on the very important 
subject of Conversion. Thousands upon thousands 
of copies of the volume have been published in its 
original language, as well as in Welsh, German, 
Dutch and other tongues. It has been blessed unto 
the hearts of untold numbers of anxious inquirers 
after salvation, in the N e w World as well as in the 
Old. Ministers might well use it to enrich their 
sermons, on the important subject of conversion to 
God, a subject, alas, we fear, neglected by tens of 
thousands of nominal Christians, and omitted, we 
are afraid, from altogether too many pulpit dis-
courses, but by our Lord Himself set forth as of 
supreme importance, for covenant people a s well 
as for_ outsiders. Did He not utter in Matt. 18:3, 
the solemn and searching words: "Except ye be 
converted and become as little children, ye shall 
not enter the kingdom of heaven?" And again, in 
Luke 13:3: "I tell you, nay, but except y e repent, 
ye shall all likewise perish?" 

Convinced of the need of having a book like this 
placed into the hands of pastors and people every-
where, especially at the present time, when so little 
conviction of sin is manifest, the publisher of this 
present edition has laid it on the press, looking to 
God to bless its prayerful perusal unto many 
hearts, till sinners become alarmed about their sin 
and weepingly find their w a y to the Cross. Jer. 31:9. 

The work he undertakes in this, is a labor of 
love, without any looking for financial remunera-
tion. What he prayerfully hopes is that the Master 
whom he has served during many years, may 
accept it as an offering of his heart, and consecrate 
it to the increase of His blessed Kingdom. We 
trust he will not be disappointed in this expectation. 

H E N R Y BEETS. 
Grand Rapids, Mich., Nov. 1, 1926. 





THE TRUE WAY TO HAPPINESS, 

An Alarm to 

Unconverted Sinners 

An earnest Invitation 

Reader, I beseech you to allow friendly 
plainness and freedom with you in your 
deepest concernments. I am not playing 
t h e orator, to make a learned speech to 
you, nor dressing my dish with eloquence 
wherewith to please you. These lines a r e 
upon a weighty errand indeed, namely, to 
convince and convert, and to save you. I 
am not baiting my hook with rhetoric, nor 
fishing f o r your applause, but f o r your 
souls. My work is not to please you, b u t 
to save you: nor is my business with your 
fancies, but your h e a r t s . If I have not 
your hearts, I have nothing. If I were to 
please your ears I could sing another song. 

I want to speak to you about Conver-



T H E TRUE WAY TO H A P P I N E S S 9 

sion, as t h e t r u e way to happiness. Some 
of you may not know what I mean by Con-
version, therefore, f o r your sakes, I shall 
show w h a t t h i s Conversion is. Others 
cherish secret hopes of mercy, though 
they continue as t h e y a r e ; and f o r them 
I m u s t show t h e necessity of Conversion. 
Others are like-to harden themselves with 
a vain conceit t h a t they a r e converted al-
r e a d y ; unto t h e m I m u s t show t h e m a r k s 
of t h e unconverted. Others, because they 
feel no harm, f e a r none, and so sleep upon 
t h e top of t h e m a s t ; to them I shall show 
the miseries of t h e unconverted. Others 
sit still because they see not t h e i r way o u t ; 
to t h e m I shall show t h e means of Con-
version. And finally, f o r t h e quickening of 
all, I shall close with t h e motives to Con-
version. 

SHOWING W H A T CONVERSION IS NOT, A N D 
CORRECTING SOME MISTAKES ABOUT IT. 

Let t h e blind Samaritans worship they 
know not w h a t ; * let t h e Heathen Ath-
enians superscribe t h e i r altar, Unto t h e 

CHAPTER I 

* John iv. 22. 



10 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

unknown God;* they t h a t know man's con-
stitution, and t h e n a t u r e of t h e human 
soul's operation, cannot but know, t h a t t h e 
understanding having t h e empire in t h e 
soul, he t h a t will go rationally to work, 
m u s t labour to let in t h e light here. Now, 
t h a t I may cure t h e mistakes of some, who 
think they a r e converted when they are 
not, as well as remove t h e troubles and 
f e a r s of others, who think they a r e not 
converted when they are ; I shall show you 
t h e n a t u r e of conversion, both negatively, 
or what it is not ; and positively, what it is, 

We will begin with t h e negative. 
1. I t is not t h e taking upon us the pro-

fession of Christianity. Doubtless Chris-
tianity is more t h a n a name. If we will 
h e a r Paul, it lies not in word, but in pow-
er, f If to cease to be Jews and Pagans, 
and to put on t h e Christian profession, had 
been t r u e conversion, who b e t t e r Chris-
tians t h a n t h e y of Sardis and Laodicea? 
These were all Christians by profession, 
and had a name t o live; but because they 
had but a name, a r e condemned by Christ, 
and threatened to be spewed o u t . t Are 
t h e r e not many t h a t mention t h e name of 
t h e Lord Jesus, and yet depart not f r o m in-
i q u i t y ? ! and profess they know God, but 
in works they deny him?|| And will God 
receive these f o r t r u e converts, because 
turned to t h e Christian religion? W h a t ! 
* Acts xvii. 23 t 1 Cor. iv. 20. $ Rev. in. 1. 16. 
§ 2 Tim. ii. 19. || Titus i. 16. 



11 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

converts f r o m sin, when yet they live in 
sin ? I t is a visible contradiction. Surely 
if t h e lamp of profession would have 
served t h e t u r n , t h e foolish virgins had 
never been shut out.* We find not only 
professors, but p r e a c h e r s . of Christ, and 
wonder-workers, turned off because evil-
workers.f 

2. I t is not t h e being washed in t h e laver 
of regeneration, or putting on t h e badge of 
Christ in baptism. Many t a k e t h e press-
money, and wear t h e livery of Christ, t h a t 
yet never stand to t h e i r colours, nor fol-
low t h e i r leader. Ananias and Sapphira, 
and Simon Magus, were baptized as well 
as t h e rest. 

Friends and brethren, be not deceived; 
God is not mocked.! W h e t h e r it be your 
baptism, or whatever else t h a t you pre-
tend, I tell you f r o m t h e living God, t h a t 
if any of you be prayerless persons, or un-
clean, or malicious, or covetous, or riotous, 
or a scoffer, or a lover of evil company, § 
in a word, if you are not holy, strict, and 
self-denying Christians,|| you cannot be 
saved, except you be t r a n s f o r m e d by ^ a 
f u r t h e r work upon you, and renewed 
again by repentance. 

3. It lies not in moral righteousness. 
This exceeds not t h e righteousness of t h e 
Scribes and Pharisees, and t h e r e f o r e can-
not bring us to t h e kingdom of God.fl Paul, 

*Matt. xxv. 12. t Matt. vii. 22, 23. 
t Gal. vi. 7. § Prov. xiii. 20. 
{I Heb. xii. 14. Matt. xvi. 24. i Matt. v. 20. 



12 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

while unconverted, touching t h e righteous-
ness which is in t h e law, was blameless.* 
None could say, Black is thine eye. The 
self-justiciary could say, I am no extor-
tioner, adulterer, u n j u s t , etc.f Thou must 
have something more t h a n all t h i s to show 
or else, however thou mayest j u s t i f y t h y -
self, God will condemn thee. I condemn 
not morality, but warn you not to rest 
h e r e ; piety includes morality, as Chris-
tianity doth humanity, and grace reason; 
but we m u s t not divide t h e tables. 

4. I t consists not in an external con-
f o r m i t y to t h e rules of piety. I t is too 
manifest men may have a f o r m of godli-
ness without t h e power.! Men may pray 
long,§ and f a s t often, || and be very for-
ward in t h e service of God, though costly 
and expensive,** and yet be s t r a n g e r s to 
conversion: They m u s t have more to olead 
f o r themselves, t h a n t h a t they keep t h e i r 
church, give alms, and make use of prayer, 
to prove themselves sound converts. No 
outward service but a hypocrite m a y do 
it, even to t h e giving all his goods to feed 
t h e poor, and his members to t h e f i r e . f f 

5. I t lies not in t h e chaining up of cor-
ruption by education, human laws, or t h e 
f a r c e of incumbent affliction. I t is too 
common and easy to mistake education 
f o r grace; but if t h i s were enough, who a 

* Phil. iii. 6. t Luke xviii. 11. 
t 2 Tim. iii. 5. § Matt, xxiii. 14. 
H Luke xviii. 12. fl Mark vi. 20. 
** Isaiah i. 11. f t 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 



13 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

b e t t e r man t h a n J o a s h ? While Jehoiada 
his uncle lived, he was very forward in 
God's service, and calls upon him to repair 
the house- of t h e Lord;* b u t here was 
nothing more t h a n good education all t h i s 
while ; f o r when his good t u t o r was t a k e n 
out of t h e way, he appears to have been 
but a wolf chained up, and falls away to 
idolatry. 

6. In short it consists not in illumina-
tion or conviction, not in a superficial 
change or partial reformation. An apos-
t a t e may be a man enlightened ;f and a 
Felix tremble under conviction;J and a 
Herod amend many things. § I t is one 
t h i n g to have sin alarmed only by 
convictions, and another to have it 
captivated and crucified by converting 
grace. Many, because they have been 
troubled in conscience f o r t h e i r sins, 
t h i n k well of t h e i r case, miserably 
mistaking conviction f o r conversion. With 
these, Cain might have passed f o r a con-
vert, who r a n up and down t h e world like 
a m a n distracted, under t h e rage of a 
guilty conscience, till with building and 
business he had worn it away.|| Others 
think, t h a t becausfe they have given over 
t h e i r riotous courses, and a r e broken off 
f r o m evil company, or some particular lust, 
and reduced to sobriety and civility, they 

* 2 Kings xii. 2, 7. t Acts xxiv. 21. 
§ Mark vi. 20. H Gen. iv. 13, 14. 
t Heb. vi. 4. 



14 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

t h a n r e a l converts; for-
g e t t i n g t h a t t h e r e is a vast difference be-
tween being sanctified and civilized; and 
t h a t many seek to enter into t h e kingdom 
of heaven,* and a r e not f a r f r o m it,f and 
arrive to t h e almost of Christianity J and 
h l , f a i S h ° i - a t I a s t W h i , s t co/science holds t h e whip over them, many pray 
hear, read and f o r b e a r delightful sins; but 
no sooner is t h e lion asleep but t h e y a r e a t 
i & f i ™ ? 1 * a g a l n " W h o more religious 
l h Z \ h e J 7 S ' W h e n G o d ' s h a n d was upon 

B l i p sooner was the affliction 
over, but t h e y forgot God, and showed 
their religion to be a fit.§ Thou maTest 
have disgorged a troublesome sin, t h a t 
will not sit easy on t h y stomach, and have 
escaped those gross pollutions of t h e 
world and yet not have changed t h y swin-
ish n a t u r e all t h e while.|| 

You m a y cast t h e lead out of t h e rude 
mass into t h e more comely proportion of a 
plant and then into t h e shape of a beast, 
and thence into t h e f o r m and f e a t u r e s of 
a m a n ; yet all t h e while it is lead still 
bo a man may pass t h r o u g h divers t r a n s -
mutations, f r o m ignorance to knowledge 
f r o m profaneness to civility, thence to a 
f o r m of religion; and all t h i s while he is 
but carnal and unregenerate, whilst his 
n a t u r e remains unchanged 

H e a r t h e n > 0 s i n n ^ s ! h e a r 
L u t e xui. 24. t M a r k x U 3 4 

t Acts xxvi. 28. s P s a «¿SIB „. , , 
l 2 Pet. ti. 20, 22. t§ l l / v l 



15 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

as you would l i v e j Why would you so 
willingly deceive yourselves, or build your 
hopes upon the. sand? I know he shall 
find h a r d work of it, t h a t goes to pluck 
away your hopes. I t cannot b u t be un-
g r a t e f u l to you, and truly it is not pleas-
ing to me. I set about it as a surgeon, 
when to cut off a putrefied member f r o m 
his well-beloved friend, which of force he 
m u s t do, t h o u g h with an aching h e a r t , a 
pityf ul eye, and a trembling hand. But un-
derstand me, brethren, I am only taking 
down t h e ruinous house, (which will other-
wise speedily fall of itself, and bury you 
in t h e rubbish) t h a t I may build it f a i r , 
firm, and strong forever. The hope of 
the-hypocrite shall perish,* if God be t r u e 
to his word. And h a d s t thou not better, 
0 sinner! let t h e word convince thee now 
in time, and let go t h y false and self-de-
luding hopes, t h a n have death, too late to 
open thine eyes, and find thyself in hell 
before thou a r t aware? I should be a 
false and faithless 'shepherd,, if I should 
not tell you, t h a t you, who have built your 
hopes upon no b e t t e r grounds t h a n these 
before mentioned, ¿re yet in your sins. 
Let your conscience speak. W h a t is it 
t h a t you have to plead f o r yourselves? 
Is it t h a t you wear Christ's livery? t h a t 
you bear his n a m e ? t h a t you a r e of t h e 
visible church? t h a t you have knowledge 
in t h e points of religion, a r e civilized, per-

* Prov. xi. 7. 



16 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION 

f o r m religious duties, are j u s t in your 
dealings, have been troubled in conscience 
f o r your sins I tell you f r o m t h e Lord! 
these pleas will never be accepted a t God's 
bar. All this, though good in itself, will 
not prove you converted, and so will not 

« a I v a t i o n - 0 1 look about 
you, and bethink yourselves of t u r n i n g 
speedily and soundly. Set to praying and 
to reading and studying your own h e a r t s ; 
r e s t not till God h a t h made thorough work 
with you, f o r ye m u s t be other men, or 
else ye are lost men. 

But if these be s h o r t of conversion 
what shall I say of t h e profane sinner? I t 
may be, he will scarce cast his eye, or lend 
ins ear to t h i s discourse; but if t h e r e be 
any such reading, or within hearing he 
must know f r o m t h e Lord t h a t made him, 
t h a t he is f a r f r o m t h e Kingdom of God! 
May a man be civilized, and not converted? 
where then shall t h e drunkard and glutl 
^ a ? E 3 a r ? M a - y a m a n k e e P company 
With t h e wise virgins, and yet be shut 
o u t s h a l l not a companion of fools much 
more be destroyed?* May a man be t r u e 
• • U " j dealings, and yet not be 
justified of God, what then will be-
come of thee. 0 wretched m a n ! whose 
conscience tells thee thou a r t false in 
t h y t r a d e and false of t h y word, and mak-
est t h y advantage by a lying tongue ? If 
men may be enlightened, and brought to 

* Prov. xiii. 20. 



17 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

the performance of holy duties, and yet 
go down to perdition f o r resting in them 
and sitting down on t h i s side of conver-
s i o n ; w h a t will become of you, 0 miserable 
families! t h a t live without God in t h e 
world? and of you, O wretched sintiers! 
with whom God is scarce in all your 
t h o u g h t s ; t h a t are so ignorant t h a t you 
cannot, or so careless, t h a t you will not 
p r a y ? 0 repent and be converted; break 
off your sins by righteousness; away to 
Christ f o r pardoning and renewing grace; 
give up yourselves to him, to walk w i t h 
him in holiness, or else you shall never 
see God. 0 t h a t you would t a k e t h e warn-
ings of God! In his name I once more 
admonish you: T u r n you a t my reproof.* 
Forsake t h e foolish, and live.f Be sober, 

i righteous, godly.t Wash your hands, ye 
sinners; p u r i f y your h e a r t s , ye double-
minded^ Cease to do evil; learn to do 
well. 11 But if you will go on, you m u s t 
die.H 

CHAPTER II. 
S H O W I N G P O S I T I V E L Y W H A T CONVERSION I S 

I may not leave you with your eyes half 
open, as he t h a t saw men as trees walk-
ing.** The word is profitable f o r doctrine, 
as well as reproof.* And t h e r e f o r e having 
t h u s f a r conducted you by t h e shelves and 

* 2 Tim. iii. 16. ** Mark viii. 24. 
fl Ezek. xxxiii. 11. * Prov. i. 23 § J a m e s iv. 8. 

t Tit. ii. 12. t Ibid. ix. 6. ' il Isa. i. 16, 17. 



18 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

rocks of so many dangerous mistakes, I 
would guide you a t length into t h e h a r -
bour of t r u t h . 

Conversion then, in short, lies in t h e 
thorough change both of t h e h e a r t and 
iile: I shall briefly describe it in its 
n a t u r e and causes. 

1. The A u t h o r is t h e Spirit of God, 
and t h e r e f o r e it is called the sanctification 
of t h e Spirit,f and t h e renewing of t h e 
Holy Ghost yet not excluding t h e other 
persons m t h e T r i n i t y : f o r t h e Apostle 
teacheth us to bless the F a t h e r of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, f o r t h a t he h a t h begot-
ten us again ;§ and Christ is said to give 
repentance unto Israel,|| and is called t h e 
everlasting Father,fl and we his seed, and 
t h e children which God h a t h given him ** 
O blessed b i r t h ! t h e whole Trinity f a t h e r s • 
t h e new creature. Yet t h i s work is prin-
cipally ascribed to t h e Holy Ghost, and so 
we are said to be born of the Spirit.ff 

So then it is a work above man's power 
We are born, not of t h e will of t h e flesh' 
nor of t h e will of man, but of G o d . i t Never 
think thou canst convert t h y s e l f ; if ever 
thou wouldest be savingly converted, thou 
m u s t despair of doing it in t h y own 
strength. I t is a resurrection f r o m t h e 
dead;§§ a new creation;* a work of abso-
lute Omnipotence.-}- Are these out of t h e 

t Tit. iii. 5. t 2 Thess. ii. 13. || Acts v. 31. 
§ 1 Pet. i. 3. ** Heb. ii. 13 Isa. liii. 10. 
§§ Rev. xx. 5. Eph. ii. 1. ]f l S a . ix. 6. 
t t John i. 13. f t John iii. 8. 



19 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

reach of human power? If thou h a s t no 
more t h a n thou h a d s t by t h y first birth, 
a good nature, a meek and chaste temper, 
&c., thou a r t a very s t r a n g e r to t r u e con-
version. This is a supernatural work. 

2. The moving cause is internal or 
external. The internal mover is only f r e e 
grace. Not by works of righteousness 
which we have done, b u t of his own mercy 
he saved us, and by t h e renewing of t h e 
Holy Ghost.t Of his own will begat he 
us.§ We are chosen and called unto sancti-
fication, not f o r it. 11 How affectionately 
doth P e t e r lift up his h a n d s ! Blessed be 
t h e God and F a t h e r , of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who of his abundant mercy h a t h 
begotten us again.H How feelingly doth 
Paul m a g n i f y t h e f r e e mercy of God in it ! 
God who is rich in mercy, f o r his g r e a t 
love wherewith he loved us, h a t h quick-
ened us together with Christ : by grace ye 
a r e saved.** ' 

The external mover is t h e merit and in 
tercession of t h e blessed Jesus. He h a t h 
obtained g i f t s f o r t h e rebellious,ft and 
t h r o u g h him it i s t h a t God worketh in 
us w h a t is well-pleasing' in his s i g h t . J t 
Through him a r e all spiritual blessings 
bestowed upon us in heavenly things.* He 

* Gal. vi. 15; Eph. ii. 10.t Eph. i. 19. 
t Titus iii. 5. § James i. 18. 
U Eph. i. 4. 11 1 Pet- i- 3-
** Eph. ii. 4, 5. t t Psalm lxviii. 18. 
t t Heb. xiii. 21. 



20 Ï B E N A T U R E ÓF C O N V E R S I Ó N 

intercedes f o r t h e elect t h a t believe not.f 
Every convert is t h e f r u i t of his travail, t 
O never was i n f a n t born into t h e world 
with t h a t difficulty t h a t Christ endured 
t o r us ! How emphatically he groaneth in 
his t r a v a i l ! All t h e pains t h a t he suffered 
on his cross, they were our birthpains,§ 
t h e pulls and throes t h a t Christ endured 
f o r us. He is made sanctification to us. II 
He sanctified himself, ( t h a t is, set a p a r t 
himself as a sacrifice) t h a t we may be 
sanctified.^ We a r e sanctified t h r o u g h 
t h e offering of his body once f o r all.** 

3. The instrument is either personal or 
real. The personal is t h e ministry. I have 
begotten you in Christ, t h r o u g h t h e gos-
pel.ff Christ's ministers are they t h a t are 
sent to open men's eyes, and to t u r n them 
to God4$ 

The i n s t r u m e n t real is t h e word We 
were begotten by t h e word of t r u t h ; t h i s 
is it t h a t enlightens t h e eyes, t h a t con-
v e r t e d t h e soul;§§ t h a t maketh wise to 
salvation. 111| This is t h e incorruptible seed, 
by which we are born again.1ffl If we are 
washed, it is by t h e word.*** If we a r e 
sanctified, it is t h r o u g h t h e t r u t h . f f f This 
generates f a i t h , and regenerates u s . î J i 

O ye saints, how should you love t h e 
* Eph. i. 3. II 1 COT. i. 30. f t 1 Cor. iv. 15 

f t t John xvii. 17. || H 2 Tim. ill. 15. § A c t s ii 24 
M 1 Pet. i. 23. tti Rom. x. 17. J a m e s i. 18. 
t î A c t s x x v i . 18. f John xvii. 20. J John xvii 19 
** Heb. x. 10. §§ Psa. xix. 7, '8. *** E p h v 2« 



21 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

word! f o r by t h i s ye have been converted. 
O ye sinners, how should you ply t h e word! 
f o r by t h i s you m u s t be converted; no other 
ordinary means b u t this. You t h a t have 
felt its renewing power, make much of it 
while you live; be forever t h a n k f u l f o r i t ; 
tie it about your necks, write it upon your 
hands, lay it in your bosoms.* When you 
go, let it lead you; when you sleep, let it 
keep you; when you wake, let it talk with 
you. Say with holy David, "I will never 
f o r g e t t h y precepts, f o r with t h e m thou 
h a s t quickened me.f You t h a t a r e uncon-
verted, read t h e word with diligence, flock 
to it where powerfully preached; fill t h e 
porches as t h e multitude of t h e impotent, 
blind, halt, withered, waiting f o r t h e mov-
ing of t h e water.J P r a y f o r t h e coming of 
t h e Spirit in t h e word. Come off t h y 
knees to t h e sermon, and come t o t h y 
knees f r o m t h e sermon. The seed doth not 
prosper, because not watered by p r a y e r s 
and tears, nor covered by meditation. 

4. The final eause is man's' salvation, 
and God's glory. We are chosen t h r o u g h 
sanctification to salvation ;§ called, t h a t we 
m i g h t be glorified ;|| b u t especially t h a t 
God m i g h t be glorified,'fl t h a t we should 
show f o r t h his praise,** and be f r u i t f u l m 
good w o r k s . f t Oh Christian! do not f o r g e t 
t h e end of t h y calling; let t h y light shine,* 

* Prov. vi. 21, 22. t Psa. cxix. 93. 
t John v. 3. § 2 Thess. ii. 13. 
|| Rom. viii. 30. II Isa. lx. 21. 
** 1 Pet. ii. 9'. t t C.l. i- -0. 



22 ' T H E N A T U R E OP C O N V E R S I O N 

let t h y lamp burn, let t h y f r u i t s be good, 
and many, and in season,! let all t h y de-
signs fall in with God's, t h a t he m a y be 
magnified in thee.J 
,, 5 ; The subject is t h e elect sinner, and 
t h a t m all his p a r t s and powers, members 
and mmd. Whom God predestinates them 
only he calls. § None a r e drawn to Christ 
by t h e i r calling, nor come to him by believ-
ing but his sheqp, those whom t h e F a t h e r 
h a t h given him.|| Effectual calling r u n s 
parallel with eternal election.fi 

Thou beginnest a t t h e wrong end, if 
thou disputest f i r s t about thine election. 
Prove t h y conversion, and then never 
doubt of thine election. Or canst thou not 
yet prove it ? set upon a present and thor-
ough turning. Whatever God's purposes 
be, (which are secret) I am sure his prom-
ises are plain. How desperately do rebels 
argue, If I am elected, I shall be saved, do 
what I will. If not, I shall be damned, do 
w h a t I can. Perverse sinner, wilt thou 
begin where thou shouldest end? Is not 
t h e word before t h e e ? W h a t s a i t h i t ? Re-
pent and be converted, t h a t your sins may 
be blotted out.** If you m o r t i f y t h e deeds 
of t h e body, you shall live.ff Believe, and 
be s a v e d . i | W h a t can be plainer? Do not 
stand still, disputing about thine 'election, 
but set to repenting and believing. Cry to 
God for converting grace. Revealed things 
• Matt. v. 16. || John vi. 37, 44. « A c t s xvi. 31 
t Phil. l. 10. , t t Rom. Viii. 13. § Rom. viii. 30. 

t Psa. i. 3. " A c t s iii. 19. J .2 Pet. i. 10. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 23 

belong to t h e e ; in these busy thyself. 'Tis 
j u s t (as one well said) t h a t they t h a t will 
not feed on t h e plain food of t h e word, 
should be choked with t h e bones. What-
ever God'$ purposes be, I am sure his 
promises are true. Whatever t h e decrees 
of heaven be, I am sure, t h a t if I repent 
and believe, I shall be saved; and t h a t if T 
repent not, I shall be damned. 

More particularly, t h i s change of conver-
sion passes t h r o u g h o u t t h e whole subject. 
Conversion is no repairing of t h e old build-
ing; but it t a k e s all down, and erects a 
new s t r u c t u r e : it is not t h e putting in a 
patch, or sewing on a list of holiiiess, b u t , 
with t h e t r u e convert, holiness is woven 
into all his powers, principles, and practice. 
The sincere Christian is quite a new fabric, 
f r o m t h e foundation t o t h e top stone all 
new. He is a new man,* a new creature. 
All things are become new.f Conversion is 
a deep work, a heart-work;% it t u r n s all 
upside down, and makes a m a n be in a new 
world. I t goes t h r o u g h o u t with m e n : 
throughout t h e mind, t h r o u g h o u t t h e 
members, t h r o u g h o u t t h e motions of t h e 
whole life. 

1. Throughout t h e mind. I t makes an 
universal change within. F i r s t , it t u r n s 
t h e balance of t h e judgment, so t h a t God 
and his glory do weigh down all carnal 
and worldly i n t e r e s t s I t opens t h e eye of 

* Eph. iv. 24. Phil, i 200. I, Acts xx. 24. 
$ Acts Ii. 37. Psa. lxxiii. 25. t 2 Cor. v. 17. 



24 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

t h e mind, and makes t h e scales of its 
native ignorance to fall off, and t u r n s men 
f r o m darkness to light.* The man t h a t 
before saw no danger in his condition, now 
concludes himself lost, and f o r ever un-
done,f except renewed by t h e power of 
grace He t h a t formerly t h o u g h t t h e r e was 
little h u r t m sin, now comes to see it to be 
the chief of evils. He sees t h e unreason-
ableness, t h e unrighteousness, the deform-
l t y ' j l n d pithiness t h a t is in sin; so t h a t he 
is a f f r i g h t e d with it, loathes it, dreads it, 
nies it, and even abhors himself f o r it t 

Now, according to t h i s new light t h e 
man is of another mind, another judgment 
t h a n before he w a s : now God is all with 

ri i m 'u • 6 h n o n e i n h e a v e n or on e a r t h 
like him § He p r e f e r s him t r u l y before all 
the world; his favour is his life; the light 
of his countenance is more t h a n corn ol-
ivine and oil, t h e good t h a t formerly he 
inquired a f t e r , and set his h e a r t upon. II 
i h i s is t h e convert's voice; The Lord is 
my portion, saith my soul. Whom have 1 
m heaven, but t h e e ? And t h e r e is none 
upon e a r t h t h a t I desire besides thee. God 
is t h e s t r e n g t h of my h e a r t , and m y por-
tion f o r ever.fl 

Secondly, it t u r n s the bias of t h e will 
both as to means and end. 1. The inten-
tions of t h e will a r e altered.** Now t h e 
* Acts xxvi. 18. Eph. v. 8. 1 Pet. 2:9. f Acts ii. 37 
J[ Psa. Ixxiii. 25, 26. Lam. lii. 24. § Psa. lxxiii. 25. 

E z e k - xxxvi. 26. Jer. xxxi. 33. Isaiah xxvi. 8 9 
t Rom. vii. 15. Job xlii. 6. || Psa. iv. 6, 7. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 25 
man h a t h new ends and designs. Now he 
intends God above all, and desires and 
designs nothing in all t h e world so much, 
as t h a t Christ may be magnified in him.* 
He counts himself more happy in this, 
t h a n in all t h a t t h e e a r t h could yield, t h a t 
he may be serviceable to Christ, and bring 
him glory in his. generation. This is t h e 
m a r k he aims at, t h a t t h e name of Jesus 
may be g r e a t in t h e world; and t h a t all t h e 
sheaves of his b r e t h r e n may bow to 
Christ's sheaf.f 

Reader, dost thou view this, and never 
ask thyself, whether it be t h u s with thee ? 
Pause a while, and b r e a t h e on t h i s g r e a t 
concernment. 

2.. The election is also changed, so t h a t 
h e chooseth another way.J He pitcheth up--
on God as his blessedness, and upon Christ 
as t h e principal, and holiness, as t h e sub-
ordinate means to bring him to God.§ He 
chooseth Jesus for his Lord.|| He is not 
merely forced into Christ by t h e storm, 
nor doth he take Christ f o r bare necessity; 
but he deliberately resolves t h a t Christ is 
his best choice and would r a t h e r have 
him to choose t h a n all t h e good of t h i s 
world, might he enjoy it while he would. 
Again, he t a k e s holiness f o r his p a t h ; he 
doth not of mere necessity submit to it, 
but he likes and loves it. I have chosen 
t h e way of t h y precepts. He t a k e s God's 
testimonies, not as his bondage, b u t as his 

* Phil. i. 20. t Psa.' cxix. 15. t Gen. xxxvii. 7. 
§ John xiv. 6. Rom. ii. 7. fl Phil. i. 23. || Col. ii. 6. 



26 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

heritage, yea, heritage f o r e v e r * * He 
counts them not his burthen, but his bliss, 
not his cords, but his cordials.* He doth 
not only bear, but takes up Christ's yoke 
l i e takes not holiness as t h e stomach doth 
the loathed potion, which it will down with 
r a t h e r t h a n die, but as t h e h u n g r y doth 
his beloved food. No time passeth so 
sweetly with him (when he is himself) as 
t h a t he spends in t h e exercises of holi-
ness; these are both his aliment, and ele-
ment, t h e desire of his eyes, and t h e joy 
of his heart.f P u t t h y conscience to it as 
thou goest, whether thou a r t the man O 
happy man, if t h i s be t h y case! But see 
thou be thorough and impartial in t h e 
search. 

M f f w ^ t u r n s t h e bent of t h e affec-
t i o n s . ! These r u n all in a new channel: the 
Jordan is driven back, and t h e water r u n s 
upward, against its n a t u r a l course 

Christ is his hope,§ t h i s is his prize;II 
here his eye is, here his h e a r t is. He is 
contented to cast all overboard (as t h e 
merchant in t h e storm ready to perish) so 
he may b u t keep t h i s jewel. 

The first of his desires is not a f t e r gold 
but g r a c e d He hungers a f t e r it, he seeks 
it as silver, he digs f o r it as f o r hid treas-
u r e ; he had r a t h e r be gracious t h a n be 
g r e a t ; he had r a t h e r be t h e holiest man on 

1 John v. 3. Psa. cxix. 14, 16, 17 
t Job xxiii. 12. Psa. ¡cxix. 82, 13.., 162, 174 ixiii 5 
1 I S P I VU- U - § 1 T i m " 1 II Phil. lii. I. ' ' I Phil. ui. 12. ** Psal. cxix. 1..1, 173 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 27 

earth, t h a n t h e most learned, t h e most 
famous, t h e most prosperous. While car-
nal, he said, 0 ! if I were but in g r e a t es-
teem, and rolled in wealth, and swimmed 
in pleasure; if my debts were paid, and I 
and mine provided for, t h e n I were a 
happy man. But* now t h e tune is changed: 
0 ! saith t h e convert, if I had b u t my cor-
ruptions subdued, if I had such measures 
of grace, such fellowship with God, though 
I were poor and despised, I should not care, 
I should account myself a blessed man. 
Reader,'is t h i s t h e language of t h y soul? 

His joys are changed. He rejoiceth in 
t h e ways of God's testimonies, as much as 
in all riches.* He delights in t h e law of t h e 
Lord; he h a t h no such joy as in t h e 
t h o u g h t s of Christ, t h e f r u i t i o n of his 
company, t h e prosperity of his people. 

His cares are quite altered. He was once 
set f o r t h e world, and any scraps of by-
time were enough for his soul. Now he 
gives over caring f o r t h e asses, and sets 
his h e a r t on t h e kingdom: now all t h e cry 
is, " W h a t shall I do to be saved ? " t His 
g r e a t solicitude is how to secure his soul. 
O how he would bless you, if you could put 
him out of doubt of t h i s ! 

His f e a r s t a k e another t u r n . J Once he 
was a f r a i d of nothing so much as t h e loss 
of his estate or esteem, t h e pleasure of 
friends, or t h e f r o w n s of t h e g r e a t ; noth-
ing sounded so terrible to him, as pain, or 

* Psa. cxix. 14. f Acts xv. 30. $ Hel). xt- 25, 2«, 



28 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

poverty, or disgrace: now these are little 
to him, in comparison of God's dishonour 
or displeasure. How warily doth he walk, 
lest he should t r e a d upon a s n a r e ! He 
f e a r e t h always; he looks before and be-
hind; he h a t h his eye upon his h e a r t , and 
is often casting it over his shoulder, lest 
he should be overtaken with sin.* I t kills 
his h e a r t to think of losing God's f a v o u r ; 
t h i s he dreads as his only undoing, f No 
t h o u g h t in t h e world doth pinch him and 
pain him so much, as to think of parting 
with Christ. 

His love r u n s a new course. "My love 
was crucified," saith holy I g n a t i u s ; t h a t is, 
my Christ. "This is my beloved," saith t h e 
spouse.J How doth Augustine often pour 
out his love upon Christ ? " 0 eternal bles-
sedness !" &c.—He can find no words sweet 
enough: "Let me see thee, 0 light of mine 
eyes! Come, 0 thou joy of my Spirit. Let 
me behold thee, 0 life of my soul! Appear 
unto me, 0 my g r e a t delight, my sweet 
comfort! 0 my God, my life, and t h e 
whole glory of my soul. Let me find thee, 
0 desire of my h e a r t . Let me hold thee, 0 
love of my soul. Let me embrace thee, O 
heavenly bridegroom. Let me possess 
t h e e ! " 

His sorrows have now a new vent.§ The 
view of his sins, t h e sight of a Christ cru-
cified, t h a t would scarce stir him before, 
• * Psa. xxxix. 1. Prov. xxviil. 14. Eccles. ii. 14. 

t Psa. Ii. 11, 12 cxix. 8. $ Cant. V. 16. 
5 2 Cor. vii. 9, 10, 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 29 

now how much do t h e y affect his h e a r t ! 
His h a t r e d boils, his anger burns against 

sin.* He h a t h no patience with himself; he 
calls himself fool, and thinks any name too 
good f o r himself, when his indignation is 
stirred up against sin.f 

Commune with t h y own h e a r t , and at-
tend t h e common and general current of 
thine affection, whether it be towards God 
in Christ, above all other concernments. 
Indeed, sudden and strong commotions of 
the affections and sensitive part, a r e often 
found in hypocrites, especially where t h e 
natural inclination leads t h e r e u n t o : and 
contrariwise, t h e sanctified themselves are 
many times without sensible .stirring of t h e 
affections, where t h e temper is more slow, 
dry, and dull. The g r e a t inquiry is, whether 
t h e judgment and will be steadily determ-
ined f o r God, above all other good, real, or 
a p p a r e n t ; and if t h e affections do sincerely 
follow t h e i r choice and conduct, though it 
be not so strongly and sensibly as is to be 
desired, t h e r e is no doubt b u t t h e change 
is saving. 

2. Throughout t h e members. Those t h a t 
were before t h e instruments of sin, a r e 
now become t h e holy utensils of Christ's 
living temple.$ The eye t h a t was once a 
wandering eye, a wanton eye, a h a u g h t y 
and covetous eye, is now employed, as 
Mary's, in weeping over its sins,§ in be-

* Psa. cxix. 104. f P s a . lxxiii. 22. Prov. xxx. 2. 
% Rom. vi. 1?. 1 Cor. iii. 16. § Luke vii. 38-



30 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

holding God in his works,|| in reading his 
word,H in looking up and down f o r objects 
of mercy, and opportunities f o r his service. 

The ear t h a t was once open to Satan's 
call, and t h a t , like a vitiated palate, did 
relish nothing, so much as filthy, or at 
least f r o t h y talk, and t h e fool's laughter, 
is now bored to t h e door of Christ's house, 
and open to his discipline: it saith, Speak, 
Lord, f o r t h y servant h e a r e t h ; and waits 
f o r his words as t h e rain, and relisheth 
them more t h a n t h e appointed food,* than 
honey and t h e honeycomb.f 

The head, t h a t was t h e shop of worldly 
designs, is now filled with other m a t t e r s , 
and set on t h e study of God's will.t The 
t h o u g h t s and cares t h a t fill it, are princi-
pally how he may please God, and flee sin. 

His heart, t h a t was full of filthy lusts, is 
now become an a l t a r of incense, where t h e 
fire of divine love is ever kept i n ; and 
whence t h e daily sacrifice of p r a y e r and 
praise, and t h e sweet incense of holy de-
sires, ejaculations, and aspirations, are 
continually ascending. § 

The mouth is become a well of life, his 
tongue as choice silver, and his lips feed 
many. Now t h e salt of grace h a t h sea-
soned his speech, and eat out t h e corrup-
tion, || and cleansed t h e mouth f r o m its 
filthy communication, flattery, boasting, 

|| Psa. viii. 3. ft Acts viii. 30. 
* Job xxiii. 12. f P s a . xix. 10. 
t Psa. i. 2. cxix. 97. cxxxix. 17, 18. 
J Psa. cyli. 1. cxix. 20. || Co!- iv, 6. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 31 

lying, swearing, backbiting, t h a t once came 
like flashes f r o m t h e hell t h a t was in t h e 
heart.* 

The t h r o a t , t h a t was once an open sepul-
c h r e , ! now sends f o r t h t h e sweet b r e a t h of 
prayer and holy discourse, and t h e man 
speaks in another tongue, in t h e language 
of Canaan, and is never so well as when 
talking of God and Christ, and t h e m a t t e r s 
of another world. His mouth bringeth 
f o r t h wisdom, his tongue is become t h e 
silver t r u m p e t of his Maker's praise, his 
glory, and t h e best members t h a t he h a t h . 

Now here you shall have t h e hypocrite 
halting. He speaks, it may be, like an 
angel, b u t he h a t h a covetous eye, or t h e 
gain of unrighteousness in his h a n d ; or t h e 
hand is white, but his h e a r t is full of rot-
tenness ;% full of unmortified cares, a very 
oven of lust, a shop of pride, t h e seat of 
malice. I t may be, like Nebuchadnezzar's 
image, he h a t h a golden head, a g r e a t deal 
of knowledge; but he h a t h f e e t of clay, his 
affections are worldly, he minds earthly 
things, and his way and walk are sensual 
and carnal: you may trace him in his secret 
haunts, and his footsteps will be found in 
some bye-paths of sin; t h e work is not 
t h r o u g h o u t with him. 

3. Throughout t h e motions, or t h e life 
and practice. The new man t a k e s a new 
course, § his conversation is in heaven. || No 

* James iii. 6, 7. t Rom. iii. 13. t Matt, xxili. 27. 
§ Eph. ii. 2, 3. II Phil. iii. 20. 



32 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

sooner doth Christ call by effectual grace, 
but he s t r a i g h t w a y becomes a follower of 
him.* When God h a t h given t h e new 
heart, and written his law in his mind, he 
f o r t h w i t h walks in his statutes, and keeps 
his j u d g m e n t s . ! 

Though sin may be in him, yet it h a t h 
no more dominion over h i m ; J he h a t h his 
f r u i t unto holiness. And though he makes 
many a blot, yet t h e law of life and Jesus, 
is what he eyes as his copy;§ and he h a t h 
an unfeigned respect to all God's command-
ments, making conscience even of little 
sins and little duties.|| His very infirmities 
a r e his soul's burden, and are like t h e dust 
in a man's eye, which though but little, yet 
is not a little troublesome. ( 0 m a n ! dost 
thou read this, and never t u r n in upon t h y 
soul by self-examination?) The sincere 
convert is not one man a t church, and an-
other at home; he is not a saint on his 
knees, and a cheat in his shop; he will not 
t i t h e mint and cummin, and neglect mercy 
and judgment, and t h e weightier m a t t e r s 
of t h e law; he doth not pretend piety, and 
neglect m o r a l i t y b u t he t u r n s f r o m all his 
sins, and keeps all God's statutes,** though 
not perfectly, except in desire and endeav-
our, yet sincerely; not allowing himself in 
t h e breach of a n y . f f Now he delights in 
the word, and sets himself to prayer, and 

* Matt, rw 20. t Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. 
t Rom. vi. 7, 14, 22. § Psa. cxix. 30. Heb. xii. 2. 

•|| Ps$. cxix. 113. fl Matt, xxiii. 14. 
** Ezek. xvii. 21. f t Rom. vii. 15. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 35 

opens his hand, and draws out his soul to 
the hungry.* He breaketh off his sins by 
righteousness, and his iniquities by show-
ing mercy to t h e poor,f and h a t h a good 
conscience, willing in all things to live hon-
estly,! and to keep without offence to-
wards God and man. 

Here again you find t h e unsoundness of 
many professors, t h a t t a k e themselves f o r 
good Christians. They are partial in t h e 
law,§ and t a k e up with t h e chief and easy 
duties of religion, but go not t h r o u g h with 
t h e work. They a r e as a cake not turned. 
I t m a y be you shall have t h e m exact in 
t h e i r words, punctual in t h e i r dealings, but 
then t h e y do not exercise themselves, unto 
godliness; and f o r examining themselves, 
and governing t h e i r hearts, to t h i s they 
a r e strangers. You may have them duly 
a t church, but follow t h e m to t h e i r f a m -
ilies, and t h e r e you shall see little b u t t h e 
world minded; or if they have a road f o r 
family duties, follow t h e m t o t h e i r closets, 
and t h e r e you shall find t h e i r souls a r e lit-
tle looked a f t e r . I t may be t h e y seem 
otherwise religious, but bridle not t h e i r 
tongues, and so all t h e i r religion is vain.|| 
I t may be they come up to closet and f a m -
ily p r a y e r ; b u t follow t h e m to t h e i r shops, 
and t h e r e you shall find them in a t r a d e 
of lying, or some covert and cleanly way 
of deceit. Thus t h e hypocrite goes through-

* Rom. vli. 22. Psa. cix. 4. Isa. lviii. 10. 
t Daniel iv. 27. t Heb. xiii. 18. 
§ Mai. ii. 9. || James i. 26. 



34 'THE N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

out in t h e course of his obedience.—And 
t h u s much f o r t h e subject of Conversion. 

6. The t e r m s are either f r o m which, or 
to which. 

1. The t e r m s f r o m which we t u r n in 
t h i s motion of Conversion, a r e sin, satan, 
t h e world, and our own righteousness. 

F i r s t , Sin. When a man is converted, he 
is forever out with sin; yea, with all sin.* 
But most of all with his own sins, and es-
pecially with his bosom sin.f Sin is now 
t h e b u t t of his indignation ;J he t h i r s t s to 
bathe his hands in t h e blood of his sins. 
His sins set his sorrows abroach. I t is sin 
t h a t pierces him and wounds h i m ; he feels 
it like a t h o r n in his side, like a prick in 
his eye; he groans and struggles under it, 
and not formally, b u t feelingly cries out, 
0 wretched m a n ! He is not impatient of 
any burden so much as of his sin.§ If God 
should give him his choice, he would 
choose any affliction, so he might be rid of 
sin: he feels it like t h e cutting gravel in 
his shoes, pricking and paining him as he 
goes. 

Before conversion he had light t h o u g h t s 
of sin; he cherished it in his bosom, as 
Uriah his lamb; he nourished it up, and it 
grew up t o g e t h e r with h i m ; it did eat as it 
were of his own meat, and drank of his 
own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was 
unto him as a daughter. But when God 
opens his eyes by conversion, he throws it 

• Psa. cxix. 128. t Psa. xviii. 23. 
t 2 Cor. vii. 11. § Psa. xl. 12. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 35 

away with abhorence.* When a m a n is 
savingly changed, he is not only deeply 
convinced of t h e danger, b u t defilement of 
sin; and 0 , how earnest is he with God to 
be purified! He loaths himself f o r his sins.f 
He r u n s t o Christ, and casts himself into 
t h e fountain f o r sin and f o r uncleanness.| 

The sound convert is heartily engaged 
against sin; he struggles with it, he wars 
against i t ; he is too often foiled, b u t he 
will never yield t h e cause, nor lay down his 
weapons, b u t he will up and to it again, 
while he h a s b r e a t h in his body. He can 
forgive his other enemies, h e can pity 
them, and pray f o r t h e m ; ! b u t here he is 
implacable, here he is set upon revenge; 
his eye shall not pity, his hand shall not 
spare, though it be a r i g h t hand or a r i g h t 
eye Be it a gainful sin, most delightful to 
his nature, or support to his esteem with 
carnal friends, yet he will r a t h e r throw 
away his gain, see his credit fall, or t h e 
flower of pleasure wither in his hand, t h a n 
he will allow himself in any known way of 
sin. I He will g r a n t no indulgence, he will 
give no toleration, he draws upon sm wher-
ever he meets it, and f r o w n s upon it with 
t h i s unwelcome salute. Have I found thee, 
0 mine enemy! , 4 » 

Reader, h a t h conscience been a t worK 
whilst thou h a s t been looking over these 
lines? H a s t thou pondered these t h i n g s in 

• Isa. xxx. 22. t Ezek. xxxvi. 31. t Zech. xiii. 1. 
§ Acts vii. 60. II Luke xix. 8. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 38 

t h y h e a r t ? H a s t thou searched t h e book 
within, to see if these things be so? If not, 
read it again, and make t h y conscience 
speak, whether or no it be t h u s with thee. 

H a s t thou crucified t h y flesh with its af-
fections and l u s t s ; and not only confessed, 
but forsaken t h y sins—all sin in t h y fer-
vent desires, and t h e ordinary practice of 
every deliberate and wilful sin in t h y life? 
If not, thou a r t yet unconverted. 

Secondly, Satan. Conversion binds t h e 
strong man, spoils him of his armour, 
casts out his goods, and t u r n s men f r o m 
the power of satan unto God.* Before, the 
devil could no sooner hold up his finger to 
t h e sinner to call him to his wicked com-
pany, sinful games, filthy delights, but 
presently he followed, like an ox to t h e 
slaughter, and a fool to t h e correction of 
the stocks; as a bird t h a t h a s t e t h to the 
prey, and knoweth not t h a t it is f o r his 
life. But when he is converted, he serves 
another master, and t a k e s quite another 
course ;f he goes and comes a t C h r i s t y 
beck.J Satan may sometimes catch his 
foot in a trap, but he will no longer be a 
willing captive. He watches against t h e 
snares and baits of satan, and studies to be 
acquainted with his devices. He is very 
suspicious of his plots, and is very jealous 
in w h a t comes a t h w a r t him, lest satan 
should have some design upon him. He 
wrestles against principalities and pow-

• A c t s xxyi. „$. f t Pet. tv. 4. t Col. Hi. 24. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 37 

ers;* he entertains t h e messenger of satan 
as men do t h e messenger of d e a t h ; he 
keeps his eye upon his enemy,f and 
watches in his duties, lest satan should 
put in his foot. 

Thirdly, t h e world. Before a sound f a i t h 
a man is overcome of t h e world; either he 
bows down to Mammon, or idolizes his rep-
utation, or is a lover of pleasure, more 
t h a n a lover of God.$ Here is t h e root of 
man's misery by t h e fall; he is turned 
aside to t h e creature instead of God, and 
gives t h a t esteem, confidence, and affection 
to t h e creature, t h a t is due to God alone.§ 

But converting grace sets all in order 
again, and p u t s God on t h e throne, and t h e 
world a t his footstool | f Christ in t h e h e a r t , 
and t h e world under his feet.H So Paul, I 
am crucified to t h e world, and t h e world to 
me.** Before t h i s change, all t h e cry was, 
Who will show us any worldly good? But 
now he sings another tune, Lord, l i f t thou 
up t h e light of t h y countenance upon me, 
and let who will t a k e t h e corn and wine.ff 
Before, his h e a r t ' s delight and content was 
in t h e world: t h e n t h e song was, Soul, t a k e 
thine ease; eat, drink, and be m e r r y ; thou 
h a s t much goods laid up f o r many years. 
But now all t h i s is withered, and t h e r e is 
no comeliness t h a t he should desire i t ; and 
he tunes up, with t h e sweet psalmist of 

• Eph. vl. 12. 1 1 Pet. v. 8. t 2 Tim. iil. 4. 
§ Rom. 1. 26. Matt. x. 37. Prov. xviii. 11. Jer. xvii. 5. 
|| Psa. xxiii. 25. fl Eph. iii. 17. Rev. xii. l.r 
»* <^al, vi, 14, t f Psa, lv. 6, 7, 



38 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

Israel, The Lord is t h e portion of my in-
heritance. The lines are fallen to me in a 
f a i r place, and I have a goodly heritage. He 
blesseth himself, and boasteth himself in 
God;* nothing else can give him content. 
He has written vanity, and vexation upon 
all his worldly e n j o y m e n t s ; ! and loss and 
dung upon all human excellencies.! He 
h a t h life and immortality now in chase. § 
He pursues grace and glory, and h a t h an 
incorruptible crown in pursuit. j| His h e a r t 
is set in him to seek t h e Lord.fl He first 
seeks t h e kingdom of heaven and t h e right-
eousness t h e r e o f ; and religion is no longer 
a m a t t e r by t h e bye with him, b u t t h e 
main of his care.** 

Well then, pause a little, and look with-
in. Doth not t h i s nearly concern t h e e ? 
Thou pretendest f o r Christ, but doth not 
t h e world sway t h e e ? Dost not thou t a k e 
more real delight and content in t h e world, 
t h a n in h i m ? Dost thou not find thyself 
b e t t e r a t ease when t h e world goes t o t h y 
mind, and thou a r t encompassed with car-
nal delights, t h a n when retired to prayer 
and meditation in t h e closet, or attending 
upon God's word and worship? No surer 
evidene of an unconverted state, t h a n to 
have t h e things of t h e world uppermost in 
our aim, love, and estimation.ff 

* Psa. xxxiv. 2. Lam. iii. 24. f Eel. i. 2. 
t PhiL iii. 7, 8. | Rom. ii. 7. || 1 Cor. ix. 25. 
fl 1 Chron. xxii. 19. 2 Chron. xv. 15. 
*« Matt. vi. 33. P s a . xxvii. 4. 
f t 1 John ii. 15. James iv, 4, 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 39 

IWith t h e sound convert Christ h a t h t h e supremacy. How dear is his name t o h i m ! How precious is his saviour!* The name of • Jesus is engraven upon his h e a r t , t and lies 
like a bundle of m y r r h between his 
b r e a s t s j Honour is but air, and l a u g h t e r is 
but madness, and Mammon is fallen, like 
Dagon before t h e ark, with hands and head 
broken off* on t h e threshold, when once 
Christ is savingly revealed. Here is t h e 
pearl of g r e a t price t o the. t r u e convert, 
here is his treasure, here is hope.§ This is 
his glory,- My beloved is mine and I am 
his.|| 0 , it is sweeter to him to be able to 
say, Christ is mine, t h a n if he could say, 
The kingdom is mine, t h e -Indies" are mine. 

Fourthly, your own righteousness. Be-
fore conversion, m a n seeks to cover him-
self with his own fig-leaves,fl and to make 
himself whole with his own duties.** He is 
apt to t r u s t in h i m s e l f , f t and set up his 
own righteousness, and to reckon his count-
ers f o r gold, and not submit to t h e right-
eousness of God.Jt But conversion changes 
his mind; now he casts away his own 
righteousness as a filthy rag. §§ Now he is 
brought to poverty of spirit,|||| complains 
of and condemns himself and all his in-
ventory is poor, and miserable and wretch-

* Cant, i, 3. Psa. xlv. 8. f Gal. iv. 19. 
t Cant. 1. 13, 14. § Matt. xiii. 44, 45. 
|| Gal. vi. 14. Cant. ii. 16. fl Phil. iii. 6, 7. 
»* Mic. vi. 6, 7. t t Luke xvi. 15. xviii. 9. 
t t Rom. x. 3. §§ Isa. lxiv. 6. || j; Matt. v. 3. 
Ufl Rom. vii. *** Rev. iii. 17. 



46 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION 

ed, and blind, and naked.*** He sees a 
world of iniquity in his holy things and 
calls his once idolized righteousness but 
filth and dross, and would not f o r a thou-
sand worlds be found in himself.* His fin-
g e r is ever upon his sores,f his sins, his 
wants. Now he begins to set a high price 
upon Christ's righteousness; he sees t h e 
need of a Christ in every duty, t o j u s t i f y 
both his person and performances. He can-
not live without him, he cannot pray with-
out him. Christ m u s t go with him, or else 
he cannot come into t h e presence of God; 
he leans upon t h e hand of Christ, and so 
bows himself in t h e house of his God; he 
sets himself down for a lost, undone man 
without h i m ; his life is hid and grows in 
Christ, a s t h e root of a t r e e spreads in t h e 
e a r t h f o r stability and nutriment. Before, 
t h e news of Christ was a stale and sapless 
t h i n g ; but now, how sweet is C h r i s t ! The 
voice of t h e convert is, with t h e m a r t y r , 
None but Christ. 

The t e r m s t o which we t u r n are, 
F i r s t , to God t h e F a t h e r , Son, and Holy 

Ghost. 
Secondly, to t h e laws, ordinances, and 

ways of Christ. 
A m a n is never truly sanctified, till his 

very h e a r t be in t r u t h set upon God above 
all things, as his portion and chief good. 
These are t h e n a t u r a l breathings of a be-
liever's h e a r t . Thou a r t my portion.! My 

* Phil. iii. 4, 7, 8, 9. t Psa. Ii. 3. t Psa. cxix. 67. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 41 

soul shall make h e r boast in t h e Lord.* My 
expectation is f r o m h i m ; . h e only is my 
rock and my salvation, he is my defence. 
In God is my salvation and glory; t h e rock 
of my strength, and my r e f u g e is m God.T 

Would you p u t it to an issue, whether 
you be converted or n o t ? Now let t h y soul 
and all t h a t is within t h e e attend. 

Hast thou taken God f o r t h y happiness ! 
Where doth t h e content of t h y h e a r t lie I 
Whence doth t h y choicest comfort come 
in? Come then, and with Abraham, l i f t up 
thine eyes eastward and westward, and 
northward, and cast about thee. W h a t is 
it thou wouldst have in heaven, or on 
e a r t h , t o maké t h e e happy? If God should 
give thee t h y choice, as he did to Solomon, 
or should say to thee, as Ahasuerus t o 
E s t h e r , W h a t is t h y petition, and what is 
t h y request, and it shall be granted to 
t h e e ? t w h a t wouldst thou a s k ? Go into 
t h e gardens of pleasure, and g a t h e r all 
f r a g r a n t flowers f r o m thence, would these 
content thee, Go to t h e t r e a s u r e s of Mam-
mon, suppose thou mightest lade thyself 
as thou wouldst f r o m thence. Go t o t h e 
towers, to t h e trophies of honour; w h a t 
thinkest thou of being a m a n of renown, 
and having a name like t h e name ot t h e 
g r e a t men of t h e e a r t h ? Would any of 
these, would all these suffice thee, and 
make t h e e count thyself a happy m a n ? It 
so t h e n certainly thou a r t carnal and un-

* Psa. xxxiv. 2. t Psa. lxii. 1, 2, 5, 7. xviii. 1, 2. 
t Esth. v. 3. 



42 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

converted. If not, go f a r t h e r ; wade into 
the divine excellencies, t h e store of his 
mercies, t h e hiding of his power, t h e 
depths unfathomable of his all-sufficiency; 
doth t h i s suit thee best and please thee 
m o s t ; ' dost thou say, I t is good to be 
here?* Here will I pitch, here will I live 
and die. Wilt thou let all t h e world go 
r a t h e r t h a n t h i s ? Then it is well between 
God and thee. Happy a r t thou, 0 man, 
happy a r t thou t h a t ever thou wast born; 
if a God can make thee happy, thou must 
needs be h a p p y ; f o r thou h a s t avouched 
t h e Lord to be t h y God.f Dost thou say to 
Christ, as he to us, Thy F a t h e r shall be my 
F a t h e r , and t h y God be my G o d ? ! Here 
is the t u r n i n g point. An unsound professor 
never takes up his rest in God, but convert-
ing grace does t h e work, and so cures t h e 
f a t a l misery of t h e fall, by t u r n i n g t h e 
h e a r t f r o m its idols to t h e living God.§ 
Now, says t h e soul, Lord, whither shall I 
go? Thou h a s t t h e words of eternal life.11 
Here he centres, here he s e t t l e s : O, it is 
as t h e entrance of heaven to him to see 
his interest in God. When he discovers 
this, he saith, Return unto t h y rest, 0 my 
soul, f o r t h e Lord h a t h dealt bountifully 
with thee.H And he is even ready to 
breathe out Simeon's song, Lord, now let-
t e s t thou t h y servant depart in peace;** 
and saith with Jacob, when his old h e a r t 

* Matt. xvii. 4. f Deut. xxvi. 17. | John xx. 17. 
§ 1 Thess. i. 9. || John vi. 68. J Psa. cxvi. 7. 
** Luke ii. 29. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 43 

revived a t t h e welcome tidings, I t is 
enough.* When he seeth he h a t h a God 
in covenant to go to, t h i s is all his salva-
tion, and all his desire.f 

Man, is t h i s t h y case? h a s t thou experi-
enced t h i s ? why t h e n blessed a r t thou of 
t h e Lord; God h a t h been a t work with 
thee, he h a t h laid on t h y h e a r t by t h e pow-
er of converting grace, or else thou could-
est never have done this. 

The t r u e convert t u r n s to Jesus Christ, 
t h e only mediator between God and man.J 
His work is to bring us to God.§ He is t h e 
way to t h e Father,|| t h e only plank on 
which we may escape, t h e only door by 
which we may enter,'fl t h e only means of 
life, t h e only way, t h e only name given un-
der heaven:** He looks not f o r salvation 
in any other b u t him, nor in any other 
with him, b u t throws himself on Christ 
alone, as one t h a t should cast himself with 
a r m s spread out upon t h e sea. 

Here, saith t h e convinced sinner, I will 
v e n t u r e ; and if I perish, I perish; if I die, 
I will die here. But, Lord, suffer me not 
to perish under t h e pitiful eye of t h y mer-
cy I n t r e a t me not to leave thee, or to 
t u r n away f r o m following a f t e r t h e e . f t 
Here I will throw myself: if thou kick me, 
if thou kill me, I will not go f r o m t h y 
d o o r . t i 

Thus t h e poor soul doth venture on 
*-Gen. xlv. 28. t 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 1 1 Tim. ii. 5. 
§ 1 Pet. iii. 18. || John xiv. 6. fl John x. 9. 
** Acts iv.-12. f t Ruth i. 16. t t Job xiu. 15. 



14 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

Christ and resolvedly adheres to him. Be-
fore conversion t h e m a n made light of 
Christ, minded his f a r m , friends, merchan-
dise, more t h a n Christ;* now Christ is to 
him as his necessary food, his daily bread, 
the life of his h e a r t , t h e staff of his life.f 
His g r e a t design is, t h a t Christ may be 
magnified in h i m . t His h e a r t once said, as 
tl>ey to t h e spouse, W h a t is t h y beloved 
more t h a n another ?§ He found more 
sweetness in his m e r r y company, wicked 
games, and earthly delights, t h a n in 
Christ. He took religion f o r a fancy, and 
t h e talk of gre^t enjoyment f o r an idle 
d r e a m ; but now to him to live is Christ.*' 
He sets light by all t h a t he accounted" pre-
cious, f o r t h e excellency of t h e knowledge 
of Christ.I| 

All of Christ is accepted by t h e sincere 
convert. He loves not only t h e wages, 
but t h e work of C h r i s t y not only t h e 
benefits, but t h e burden of Christ. He is 
willing not only to t r e a d out t h e corn, but 
t o draw under t h e yoke. He takes up t h e 
commands of Christ, yea, and t h e cross of 
Christ.** 

The unsound convert closeth only by 
halves with Christ. He is all f o r t h e salva-
tion of Christ, but he is not f o r sanctifica-
tion; he is f o r t h e privileges, but values 
not t h e person of Christ. He divides t h e 
offices and benefits of Christ. This is an 

•Matt. xxii. 5. f Gal. ii. 20. J Phil i 20 
i Cant. v. 9. || Phil. iii. 8. fl Rom. vi'i. 12. 
** Matt. xi. 29. xvi. 24. 



T H E N A T U R E , OF CONVERSION 45 
error in t h e foundation. Whoso loveth life, 
let -him beware h e r e ; it is an undoing mis-
take, of which you have been o f t e n 
warned, and yet none more common. Jesus 
is a sweet name", but men love not t h e Lord 
Jesus in sincerity.* They will not have him 
as God offers, to be a prince and a Savior, f 
They divide w h a t God h a t h joined, t h e 
king and t h e priest. Yea, t h e y will not ac-
cept t h e salvation of Christ as he intends 
i t ; t h e y divide it here. Every m a n ' s vote, 
is f o r salvation f r o m suffering; b u t they 
desire not to be saved f r o m sinning. They 
would have t h e i r lives saved, but withal 
would have t h e i r lusts. Yea, many divide 
here again; t h e y would be content to have 
some of t h e i r sins destroyed, b u t they can-
not leave t h e lap of Delilah, or divorce t h e 
beloved Herodias; t h e y cannot be cruel to 
t h e r i g h t eye or r i g h t h a n d ; t h e Lord m u s t 
pardon t h e m in t h i s thing.J 

0 be infinitely tender h e r e ; your souls 
lie upon it. The sound convert t a k e s a 
whole Christ, and t a k e s him f o r all intents 
and purposes, without exceptions, without 
limitations, without reserves. He is will-
ing to have Christ, upon his own terms, 
upon any terms. He is willing t o bear t h e 
dominion of Christ, as well as have deliv-
erance by Christ. He saith with Paul, 
Lord, w h a t wilt thou have me to do?§ Any 
thing, Lord. He sends a blank to Christ, 
to set down his conditions. || 

* Eph. vi. 24. t Acts v. 81. t 2 Kings v. 18. 
§ Acts ix. 6. II A c t s ii. 37. xvi. 30. 



46 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

Secondly, he t u r n s to t h e laws, ordinanc-
es and ways of Christ. The h e a r t t h a t was 
once set against these, and could not en-
dure t h e strictness of these bonds, t h e se-
verity of these ways, now falls in love with 
them, and chooses t h e m as its rule and 
guide f o r ever.* 

Four things, I observe, God doth work in 
every sound convert, with reference to t h e 
laws and ways of Christ, by which you 
may come to know your, state, if you will 
be f a i t h f u l to your own soul; and there-
fore, keep your eyes upon your h e a r t s as 
you go along. 

F i r s t , t h e judgment is brought to ap-
prove of them, and subscribe to t h e m as 
most righteous and most reasonable.! The 
mind is brought to like t h e ways of God; 
and t h e corrupt prejudices t h a t were once 
against them, as unreasonable and intoler-
able, a r e now removed. T h e understanding 
assents to t h e m all, as holy, j u s t , and 
good.J How is David taken up with t h e ex-
cellencies of God's laws! How doth he ex-
patiate in t h e i r praise, both f r o m t h e i r in-
herent qualities and admirable effects !§ 

Secondly, t h e desire of t h e h e a r t is to 
know t h e whole mind of Christ. || He would 
not have one sin undiscovered, nor be ig-
norant of one duty required. I t is t h e nat-
ural and earnest b r e a t h i n g of a sanctified 
h e a r t , Lord, if t h e r e be any way of wicked-

* P s a . cxix 111,112. f P s a . cxix: 112, 128, 137, 138. 
t Rom. vli. 12. § Psa. xix. 8—10, &c. 
|| Psa, cxix. 124, 125, 169. xxv. 4, 5. , 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 47 

ness in me, do thou discover it. W h a t I 
know not, teach thou me, and if I have 
done iniquity, I will do it no more. The un-
sound convert is willingly ignorant ;* loves 
not to come to t h e light.f He is willing to 
keep such or such a sin, and therefore, is 
loath to know it to be a sin, and will not let 
in t h e light at t h a t window. Now t h e gra-
cious h e a r t is willing to know t h e whole 
latitude and compass of his Maker s law.J 
He receives with all acceptation t h e word 
t h a t convinceth him of any duty t h a t he 
knew not, or minded not before, or discov-
e r e d any sin t h a t lay hid before.§ 

Thirdly t h e f r e e and resolved choice of 
the will is determined f o r t h e ways of 
Christ, before all t h e pleasures of sin, and 
prosperities of t h e world. || His consent is 
not extorted by some extremity of an-
guish, nor is it only a sudden and h a s t y 
resolve, but he is deliberately purposed, 
and comes off freely to t h e choice.^ True, 
the flesh will rebel, yet t h e prevailing p a r t 
of his will is f o r Christ's law and govern-
ment, so t h a t h e t a k e s t h e m not up as his 
toil or burden, but his bliss.** While t h e 
unsanctified go in C h r i s t ' * ways as m 
chains and f e t t e r s , he doth it naturally ; f t 
and Counts Christ's laws his liberty.* He 

* 2 Pet. iii.5. 
t P s a . cxix. 18, 19, 27, „33, 64, 68, 7«,,108,,124. 
§ Psa. cxix. 11. ll Psa. cxix. 103, ..27, 162. 
flPsa. xvii. 3. cxix. 30. 
** 1 John v. 3. Psa. cxix. 60„ 72. 
t t P s a . xl. 8. Jer. xxxi. 33. 



« . T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 

is willing in t h e beauties of holiness f and 

S e r t h n f i n S e P a ^ b l e m a r k " he had rattier (if he might have his choice) live a 
strict and holy life, t h a n t h e most p r o s p L -
ous and flourishing life in the world. There 

h e a r t y m e n w h o s e n e a r t s God had touched.! When God toucheth t h e h e a r t s of his chosen I S 
presently follow Christ,§ a n d ( t h 1 u g 1 
i W l v n o f f i r 1 V 7 n MS h ™ , | and w?ll-
¥83? 1 themselves t o t h e service of t h e 
Lord seeking him with t h e i r whole de-
sire.H F e a r h a t h its use; but t h i s s not 
the mam spring of motion with a sancti-
1 h v h f n r t Christ keeps not his subjects 
m by force but is King of a willing people 
They are, through his grace, freely r l 
solved f o r his service, and do it out of 
W m > 2 0 t a s s l aves, but as t h e son or 
spouse, f r o m a spring of love and a loyal 
mmd. In a word, t h e laws of Christ are 
the convert's love, his desire, his d e L h t 
and continual study.** uengnt, 

Fourthly, the bent of his course is direct-
i f f i S f e g I S s t a t u t e s . f f I t is t h e daily 
care of his life to walk with God. He seeks 
g r e a t things, he h a t h noble d e s i g n s 
though he falls too short. He aims a t noth-
ing less t h a n perfection; he desires it, he 

* Psa. exix. 32, 45. J a m e s i. 25. f p s a cx 3 
g g Sam. x. 26. § Matt. iv. 22. || Cant. i. 4 . ' 
II 2 Chron. xvii. 16. xv. 15' 

» f t 1592.163' S 5- 20' 107' 77' 92> 
t t Psa. cxix. 4 8, 167, 168. 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 49 

reaches a f t e r i t ; he would n o t - r e s t in any 
pitch of grace till he were quite rid of sin, 
and had perfected holiness.* 

Here t h e hypocrite's rottenness may be 
discovered. He desires holiness, as one well 
said, only as a bridge to heaven, and in-
quires earnestly what is t h e least t h a t will 
serve his t u r n ; and if he can get b u t so 
much as may bring him to heaven, t h i s is 
all he cares for. But t h e sound convert de-
sires holiness f o r holiness' sake,t and not 
only f o r heaven's sake. He would not be 
satisfied with as much as m i g h t save him 
f r o m hell, but desires t h e highest pitch. 
Yet desires are not enough. W h a t is t h y 
way and t h y course? I s t h e d r i f t and 
scope of t h y life altered? I s holiness t h y 
trade, and religion t h y ' b u s i n e s s ? t If not, 
thou a r t short of sound conversion. 

Application. And is t h i s t h a t we have 
described t h e conversion t h a t is of abso-
lute necessity to salvation? Then be in-
formed, 1. T h a t s t r a i t is t h e gate, and 
narrow is t h e way t h a t leadeth unto life. 
2 T h a t t h e r e are b u t few t h a t find it. 3 
T h a t t h e r e is need of a Divine power sav-
ingly to convert a sinner to Jesus Christ. 

Again: t h e n be exhorted, 0 man, t h a t 
readest, to t u r n in upon thine own self. 
W h a t saith conscience? Doth it not begin 
to bite? Doth it not pain thee as thou 
goest? Is t h i s t h y judgment, t h i s t h y 
choice, and t h i s t h y way, t h a t we have de-

* Phil. iii. 11—14 t Psa. cxix. 97. Matt, v 6 
1 Rom. viii. 1. Matt. xxv. 16. Phil. ,i. 20. 



50 ' T H E N A T U R E OP CONVERSION 

scribed? If so, then it is well. But doth 
not t h y h e a r t condemn thee, and tell thee 
t h e r e is such a sin thou livest in, against 
t h y conscience? Doth it not tell thee t h e r e 
is such and such a secret way of wicked-
ness t h a t thou a r t guilty o f ? such or such 
a duty t h a t thou makest no conscience o f ? 

Doth not conscience carry t h e e to t h y 
closet, and tell thee how seldom prayer and 
reading is performed t h e r e ? Doth it not 
lead thee to t h y family, and show thee t h e 
charge of God, and t h e souls of t h y child-
ren and servants t h a t a r e neglected t h e r e ? 
Doth not conscience c a r r y thee-to t h y shop 
or t h y trade, and tell thee of some m y s t e r y 
of iniquity t h e r e ? Doth it not c a r r y thee 
to t h y places of entertainment, and remind 
thee of t h e company thou keepest t h e r e ; 
the precious time thou mispendest there-
the talents thou wastest t h e r e ? Doth it 
not lead thee into t h y secret chamber, and 
discover to thee things t h a t a r e hid f r o m 
t h e eyes of man, and known only to God 
and t h y s e l f ? 

0 conscience! do t h y duty. In t h e name 
of t h e living God, I command thee to dis-
charge t h y office. Lay hold upon t h i s sin-
ner, fall upon him, a r r e s t him, apprehend 
him, undeceive him. What, wilt thou flat-
t e r and soothe him while he lives in his 
sins! Awake! 0 conscience; what meanest 
thou, 0 sleeper? W h a t ! H a s t thou never 
a reproof in t h y m o u t h ? W h a t ! shall t h i s 
soul die in his careless neglect of God and 



T H E N A T U R E OF CONVERSION 51 

eternity, and thou altogether hold t h y 
peace? W h a t ! Shall he go on in his t r e s -
passes, a n d yet have peace? 0 rouse up 
thyself, and do t h y work! Now let t h e 
preacher in t h y bosom speak, cry aloud, 
and spare n o t ; l i f t up t h y . voice like a 
t r u m p e t . Let not t h e blood of his soul be 
required a t t h y hands. 

CHAPTER III 

OP T H E NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

I t may be you are ready to say, W h a t 
meanest t h i s s t i r ? And you a r e apt to 
wonder why I follow you with such earn-
estness, still ringing one lesson m your 
ears, t h a t you should repent and be con-
verted.* But I m u s t say unto you as R u t h 
to Naomi, I n t r e a t me not to leave you, nor 
to t u r n aside f r o m folowing a f t e r you.f 
Were it a m a t t e r of indifferency, I would 
never make so much ado. Might you be 
saved as you are, I would gladly let you 
alone. But would you not have me solicit-
ous f o r you, when I see you ready to per-
i s h 7 As t h e Lord liveth, before whom I 
am, I have not t h e least hopes to see 
one of your faces in heaven except you 
be converted. I utterly d e s p a i r of your 
salvation, except you will be prevailed with 

"* Acts iii. 19. t R u t h i. 16. 



Sâ t h e NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

to t u r n thoroughly, and give up yourselves 
H> p holiness and newness of life. 
.Hath God said, Except you be-born again, 
you cannot see t h é kingdom of God;* and 
yet do you wonder why your ministers do 
so plainly travail in birth with you. Think 
f not strange t h a t I am earnest with you 
to follow a f t e r holiness, and long to see t h e 
image of God upon you. Never did any, nor 
shall any enter into heaven by any other 
way but this. The conversion described is 
not an high pitch of some taller Christians 
but every soul t h a t is saved passeth this 
universal change. 

I t was a passage of t h e noble Roman 
when h e was hasting with corn t o t h e city 
m t h e famine, and t h e m a r i n e r s were loath 
to set sail in foul weather, Our voyage is 
more necessary t h a n our lives. W h a t is 
t h a t thou dost count necessary? Is t h y 
bread necessary? Is t h y b r e a t h necessary? 
I hen t h y conversion is much more neces-
sary. Indeed, t h i s is t h e one t h i n g neces-
sary. l h m e estate is not necessary; thou 
mayest sell all f o r t h e pearl of g r e a t price 
and yet be a gainer by t h e purchase.f Thy 

l s - . n ® t n e c e s s a r y ; thou mayest p a r t 
with it f o r Christ to infinite advantage. 
I h m e esteem is not necessary; thou may-
est be reproached f o r t h e name of Christ 
and yet be h a p p y ; yea, much more happv 
m reproach t h a n in repute* But t h y con-
version is necessary, t h y damnation lies 

* John iii. 3. f Matt. xiii. 46. 



T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

upon it. And is it not needful, in so impor-
t a n t a case, to look about t h e e ? On t h i s 
one point depends t h y making or m a r r i n g 
to all eternity. 

But I shall more particularly show t h e 
necessity of conversion in five t h i n g s ; f o r 
without this, 

F i r s t , t h y being is in vain. Is it not a 
pity t h a t thou shouldst be good f o r noth-
ing, an unprofitable burden of t h e e a r t h , a 
w a r t or wen in t h e body of t h e universe? 
Thus thou a r t whilst unconverted; f o r 
thou canst not answer t h e end of t h y be-
ing. Is it not f o r t h e divine pleasure t h a t 
thou a r t and wast created ?t Did he not 
make thee f o r himself.J A r t thou a man, 
and h a s t thou reason? Why t h e n bethink 
thyself why and whence t h y being is. Be-
hold God's workmanship in t h y body, and 
ask thyself, to w h a t end did God r e a r t h i s 
f a b r i c ? Consider t h e noble faculties of t h y 
heaven-born soul. To w h a t end did God 
bestow these excellencies? To no other 
t h a n t h a t thou shouldst please thyself, and 
g r a t i f y t h y senses? Did God send meji, 
like t h e swallows, into t h e world, only to 
g a t h e r a few sticks and dirt, and build 
t h e i r nests, and breed up t h e i r young, and 
t h e n a w a y ? The very heathens could see 
f a r t h e r t h a n this. A r t thou so f e a r f u l l y 
and wonderfully made,* and dost thou not 
yet t h i n k with thyself, surely it was f o r 

* 1 Pet. iv. 14. Matt. v. 10, 11. 
t Rev. iv. 11. 't Prov. xvi. 4. 



Sâ the NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

some noble and high end ? 
0 m a n ! set t h y reason a little in t h e 

chair. Is it not pity such a goodly fabric 
should be raised in vain? Verily t h o u a r t 
in vain, except thou a r t f o r God. B e t t e r 
thou hadst no being, t h a n not to be f o r 
him. Wouldst thou serve t h y end? Thou 
m u s t repent and be converted. Without 
t h i s thou a r t to no purpose, yea to bad 
purpose. 

F i r s t , To no purpose. Man unconverted 
is like a choice instrument t h a t h a t h every 
string broken or out of tune. The Spirit 
of t h e living God m u s t repair and tune it 
by t h e grace of regeneration, and sweetly 
move it by t h e power of actuating grace, 
or else t h y p r a y e r s will be but howlings, 
and all t h y services will make no music in 
t h e ears of t h e Most High.f All t h y pow-
ers and faculties are so corrupt in t h e i r 
n a t u r a l state, t h a t except thou be purged 
f r o m dead works, thou canst not serve the 
living God.J 

An unsanctified m a n cannot work t h e 
work of God. 1. He h a t h no skill in i t ; he 
is altogether as unskilful in the work, as in 
t h e word of righteousness. § There are 
g r e a t mysteries as well in t h e practices as 
in t h e principles of godliness. Now t h e un-
regenerate know not t h e mysteries of tlie 
kingdom of heaven* You may as well ex-
pect him t h a t never learned t h e alphabet 

* Psa. cxxxix. 14. 
f E p h . ii. 10. Phil. ii. 13. Hos. vii. 14. Isa. i. 15 
t Heb. ix. 14. Titus i. 15. § Heb. v. 13. 



Sâ the NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

to read, or look f o r good music on t h e lute, 
f r o m one t h a t never set his hand to an in-
strument, as t h a t a n a t u r a l m a n should do 
t h e Lord any pleasing service. He m u s t 
first be t a u g h t of Godf t a u g h t to pray,J 
t a u g h t to profit,§ t a u g h t to go,J| or else he 
will be utterly a t a loss. 2. He h a t h no 
s t r e n g t h f o r it. How weak is his h e a r t !H 
He is presently tired. The Sabbath, what a 
w e a r i n e s s i s itl** He is without 
s t r e n g t h , f t yea, dead in sins.$$ 
3. He h a t h no mind to it. He desires 
not t h e knowledge of God's ways.§§ He 
doth not know t h e m ; he doth not care to 
know them. H P He knows not, neither will 
he understand. 4. He h a t h neither due in-
struments, nor materials f o r it. A m a n 
may as well hew marble without tools, or 
paint without colours or instruments, or 
build without materials, as p e r f o r m any 
acceptable service without t h e graces of 
t h e Spirit, which a r e both t h e materials 
and i n s t r u m e n t s in t h i s work. Almsgiving 
is not a service of God, b u t of vain glory, 
if not held f o r t h by t h e hand of Divme 
love. W h a t is t h e prayer of t h e lips, with-
out grace in t h e h e a r t , b u t t h e carcase 
without t h e life? W h a t are all our con-
fessions, unless they be exercises of godly 
sorrow and unfeigned repentance? W h a t 
our petitions unless animated all along 

* Matt. xiii. 11. 1 Tim. iii. i6. t John vi. 45. 
t Luke xi. 1. § Isa. xlviii. 17 || Hosea xi. 3. -

H E z e k . xvi. 30. ** Mai. i. 13. f t Rom. v. 6. 
i t E p h . ii. 5. §§ Job xxi. 14. U|| Psa. lxxxu. 5. 



Sâ the NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 
holy desires, and f a i t h in the Divine 

a t t r i b u t e s and promises? W h a t our prais-
es and thanksgivings, unless f r o m t h e love 
ol God and a holy gratitude, and sense of 
God s mercies in t h e h e a r t ? So t h a t a m a n 
may as well expect t h e t r e e should speak, 
or look f o r logic f r o m t h e brutes, or mo-
tion f r o m t h e dead, as f o r any service holy 
and acceptable to God, f r o m t h e uncon-
verted. When t h e tree is evil, how can t h e 
f r u i t be good?* 

Secondly, to bad purpose. The uncon-
verted soul is a very cage of unclean 
birds ;f a sepulchre full of corruption and 
rottenness ;t a loathsome carcase, full of 
crawling worms, and sending f o r t h a hell-
ish and most noisome savour in t h e nos-
trils of God.§ 0 dreadful case! Dost thou 
not yet see a change to be needful ? Would 
it not have grieved one to see t h e golden 
consecrated vessels of God's temple turned 
mto quaffing bowls of drunkenness, and 
polluted with idol service ?|| Was it such 
an abomination to t h e Jews, when Antioch-
us set up a picture of a swine a t t h e en-
trance of t h e temple? How much more 
abominable then it would have been to 
have had t h e very temple itself turned into 
a_ stable or a stye, and- to have had t h e 
Holy of Holies served like t h e house of 
Baal, and to have been turned into a 
draught-house This is t h e very case of 

*Matt. vii. 18. t Rev. xviii. 2. t Matt, xxiii. 27 
§ Psa. xiv. 3. || Dan. v. 2, 3. f[ 2 Kings x. 27. 



Sâ the NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

the unregenerate. All t h y members are 
turned into instruments of unrighteous-
ness,* servants of Satan, and t h y inmost 
powers into receptacles of uncleanness.f 
You may see t h e goodly guests within by 
what comes o u t ; f o r out of t h e h e a r t pro-
ceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, 
fornications, t h e f t s , false witness, blas-
phemies, etc., these discover what a hell 
there is within. O abuse insufferable to 
see a heaven-born soul abased to t h e fil-
thiest d r u d g e r y ! To see t h e glory of God's 
creation, t h e chief of t h e works of God, 
t h e Lord of t h e universe, lapping with t h e 
prodigal at t h e trough, or licking up with 
greediness t h e most loathsome vomit! Was 
it such a lamentation, to see those t h a t did 
feed delicately, sit desolate in t h e s t r e e t s ; 
and t h e precious sons of Sion, comparable 
to fine gold, esteemed b u t as earthen pitch-
ers, and those t h a t were clothed in scarlet 
embrace dunghills ?J and is it not much 
more f e a r f u l to see t h e only thing, t h a t 
h a t h immortality in t h i s lower world, and 
carries t h e stamp of God, become a vessel 
wherein t h e r e is no pleasures ?§ (which is 
but a modest expression of t h e vessel men 
put to t h e most sordid use!) O indig-
nity intolerable! B e t t e r thou w e r t dashed 
in a thousand pieces, t h a n continue to be 
abased to so f i l t h y a service. 

Secondly, not only man, but t h e whole 
* Rom. vi. 19. f E p h . ii. 2. Titus i. 15. 
t Lam. iv. 2. 5. § Jer. xxii. 28. 



THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

visible creation is in vain, without this. 
Beloved, God h a t h made all visible crea-
t u r e s in heaven and e a r t h f o r t h e service 
of man and man only is t h e spokesman f o r 
all t h e rest, Man is in t h e universe, like 
t h e tongue to t h e body, which speaks f o r 
all t h e members. The other creatures can-
not praise t h e i r Maker, but by dumb signs 
and h i n t s to man t h a t he should speak f o r 
them. Man is as it were t h e high priest 
of God's creation, to offer t h e sacrifice of 
praise f o r all his fellow-creatures. The 
Lord God expecfeth a t r i b u t e of praise 
f r o m all his works;* now all the rest do 
bring in t h e i r t r i b u t e to man, and pay it 
by his hand. So t h e n if m a n be false, and 
faithless, and selfish, God is wronged of 
all, and shall have no active glory f r o m his 
works. 

0 dreadful t h o u g h t to think i t ! t h a t God 
should build such a world as this, and lay 
out such infinite power, and wisdom, and 
goodness thereupon, and all in vain; and 
t h a t man should be guilty a t last of rob-
bing and spoiling him of t h e glory of all. 
0 think of t h i s ! While thou a r t uncon-
verted all t h e offices of t h e creatures to 
thee are in vain; t h y meat nourishes thee 
in vain, t h e sun holds f o r t h his light to 
thee in vain, t h e s t a r s "that serve thee in 
t h e i r courses by t h e i r powerful, though 
hidden influence,f do it in vain. Thy beast 
carries t h e e in vain.. In a word, t h e un-

* Psa. ciii. 22. t Judges v. 20; Hosea ii. 21, 22. 



Sâ the NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

wearied labour, and continued travail of 
t h e whole creation, as to thee, is in vain. 
The service of all t h e creatures t h a t 
drudge f o r thee, and yield f o r t h t h e i r 
s t r e n g t h unto thee, t h a t therewith thou 
shouldst serve t h e i r Maker, is all but lost 
labour. Hence t h e whole creation groaneth 
under t h e abuse .„of t h i s unsanctified 
world,* t h a t perverts t h e m t o t h e service 
of t h e i r lusts, quite contrary to t h e very 
end of t h e i r being. 

Thirdly, without t h i s t h y ieligion is 
vain.f All t h y religious performances will 
be b u t lost, f o r t h e y can neither please 
God,J nor save t h y soul,§ which are t h e 
very ends of religion. Be t h y services nev-
er so specious, yet God h a t h no pleasure 
in them. || Is not t h a t man's case dreadful, 
whose sacrifices are as murders, and whose 
prayers are a b r e a t h of abomination?!] 
Many under convictions think t h e y will 
set upon mending, and t h a t a few prayers 
and alms will salve all a g a i n ; b u t alas! 
sirs, while your h e a r t s remain unsancti-
fied, your duties will not pass. How punc-
tual was Jehu, and yet all was rejected, be-
cause his h e a r t was not upright.** How 
blameless was P a u l ! and yet being uncon-
verted, all was b u t loss.f f Men t h i n k they 
do much in attending God's service, and 

* Rom. viii. 22. t James i. 26. t Rom. viii. 8. 
§ 1 Cor. xiii. 2, 3. II Isa. i. 14. Mai. i. 10. 
H Isa. lxvi. 3. Prov. xxviii. 9. 
** 2 Kings x. with Hosea i. 4. . t t Phil. iii. 6, 7 
%% Isa. lviii. 3 Matt, vii- 32. f 



T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 
a r e ready to twit him with it,tt and set 
him down so much t h e i r debtor; whereas 
t h e i r persons being unsanctified, t h e i r du-
ties cannot be accepted. 

0 soul! do not think when t h y sins pur-
sue thee, a little praying and reforming 
t h y course will pacify God. Thou m u s t be-
gin with t h y h e a r t ; if ¿ h a t be not renewed, 
thou canst not please God. 

God t h r e a t e n s it as t h e greatest of tem-
poral judgments, t h a t t h e y should build 
and not inhabit, plant and not g a t h e r ; t h a t 
t h e i r labours should be eaten up by strang-
ers.* I s it so g r e a t a misery to lose our 
common labours, to sow in vain, and build 
in vain ? how much more to lose our pains 
in religion, to pray, and hear, and f a s t in 
vain? This is an undoing and eternal loss. 
Be not deceived! if thou goest. on in t h y 
sinful state, though thou shouldst spread 
f o r t h thine hands, God will hide his eyes; 
though thou make many prayers, he will 
not hear.f If a man without skill set about 
our work, and m a r it in t h e doing, though 
he t a k e much pains, we give him but little 
thanks. God will be worshipped a f t e r t h e 
due order.J If a servant do our work, b u t 
contrary to our order, he will have r a t h e r 
stripes t h a n praise. God's work m u s t be 
done acoording to God's mind, or he will 
not be pleased; and t h i s cannot be, except 
it be done with a holy h e a r t . § 

* Deut. xxviii. 30, 38, 39, 41. f Isa. i. 15. 
t 1 Chron. xv. 13. § 2 Chron. xxv. 2, 
|| Job viii. 12, 18. fl Jer. ii. 37, 



63 THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

Fourthly, without t h i s t h y hopes a r e in 
vain.|| The Lord h a t h rejected t h y con-
fidence.^f 

F i r s t , t h y hopes of comfort here are in 
vain. I t is not only necessary to t h e safe-
ty, but comfort of your condition, t h a t you 
be converted. Without t h i s you shall not 
know peace;* without t h e f e a r of God, you 
cannot have t h e comfort of t h e Holy 
Ghost, f God speaks peace only to his peo-
ple, and to his saints.t If you have a false 
peace, continuing in your sins, it is not of 
God's speaking, and then you may guess 
t h e author. Sin is a real sickness ;§ yea, 
t h e worst of sickness; it is a leprosy in 
t h e head;|| t h e plague in t h e h e a r t ; ^ it is 
brokenness'in t h e bones; ** it pierceth, it 
woundeth, it racketh, it t o r m e n t e t h . f f A 
man m a y as well expect ease when his dis-
tempers are in t h e i r full strength, or his 
bones out of joint, as t r u e comfort while 
in his sins. 

O wretched m a n ! t h a t can have no ease 
in t h i s case b u t what comes f r o m t h e dead-
liness of t h y disease. You shall have t h e 
poor sick m a n saying in his lightness, I am 
well; when you see death in his face, he 
will needs up and about his business, when 
the very next step is like to be in his 
grave. The unsanctified often see nothing 
amiss; t h e y think themselves whole, and 
cry not out f o r a physician; b u t t h i s shows 

* Isa. lix 8. t Acts ix. 31. t Psalm lxxxv. 8. 
§ Isa. i. 5. || Lev. xiii. 44. f 1 Kings viii. 38. 
** Psalm li. 8. t t 1 Tim. vi. 10. 



62 T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

t h e danger of t h e i r case. 
Sin doth naturally breed distempers and 

disturbances in t h e soul. W h a t a continual 
tempest and commotion is t h e r e in a dis-
contented mind! W h a t an eating evil is 
inordinate care! W h a t is passion, but a 
fever in t h e mind ? W h a t is lust, but a fire 
in t h e bones? W h a t is pride but a deadly 
t y m p a n y ? Or Covetousness, but an insa-
tiable and insufferable t h i r s t ? Or malice 
and envy, but venom in t h e very h e a r t ? 
Spiritual sloth is b u t a scurvy in t h e mind; 
and carnal security a mortal l e t h a r g y : and 
how can t h a t soul have t r u e comfort t h a t 
labours under so many diseases ? But con-
verting grace cures, and so eases t h e 
mind; prepares t h e soul f o r a settled, 
standing, immortal peace. Great peace 
have they t h a t love t h y commandments, 
and nothing shall offend t h e m ; * they a r e 
t h e ways of wisdom t h a t afford pleasures 
and peace.f David had infinitely more 
pleasure in t h e word, t h a n in all t h e de-
lights of his court.J The conscience can-
not be truly pacified till soundly purified. § 
Cursed is t h a t peace t h a t is maintained in 
a way of sin.|l Two sorts of peace are more 
to be dreaded t h a n all t h e troubles in t h e 
world, peace with sin, and peace in sin. 

Secondly, t h y hopes of salvation here-
a f t e r are in vain, yea worse t h a n in vain; 
they a r e most injurious to God, most 

* Psa. cxix. 165. t Prov. iii. 17. 
t Psa. cxix. 103, 127. § Heb. x. 22. 
II Deut. xxix. 19. 20. 



63 T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

pernicious to thyself. There is death, des-
peration, blasphemy in t h e bowels of t h i s 
hope h There is death in it. Thy confi-
dence shall be rooted out of t h y tabernacle. 
God will up with it root and b r a n c h ; it 
shall bring thee to t h e king of terrors.* 
Though thou mayest lean upon t h i s house, 
it will not stand,f but will prove like, a 
ruinous building, which, when a man 
t r u s t s to, falls down about his ears. 2. 
There is desperation in it. Where is t h e 
hope of t h e hypocrite, when God t a k e s 
away his soul?* t h e n t h e r e is an end f o r 
ever of his hope. Indeed t h e hope of t h e 
righteous h a t h an end, b u t t h e n it is not 
a destructive b u t a perfective end; his 
hope ends in fruition, others' m f r u s t r a -
tion § The godly m u s t say at death, i t is 
finished; but t h e wicked, I t is perished; 
and in too earnest bemoan himself, as Job 
in a m i s t a k e ; Where is now my hope? He 
h a t h destroyed, m e ; I am gone^ and my 
hope is removed like a tree. || T h e right-
eous h a t h hope in his death.} When n a t u r e 
is dying, his hopes are living; when his 
body is languishing his hopes a r e f l o u n h 
ing; his hope is a living hope;** b u t t h e 
others' is a dying, a d a m m n g soul-undoing 
hope. When a wicked m a n dieth, his ex-
pectation shall perish, and t h e hope of un-
j u s t men p e r i s h e t h . f t I t shall be cut off, 

* Job xviil. 14. t Job Viii. 15. t Job xxvil. 8 
§ProV. x. 28. II Job xlx. 10. H Prov. xlv. 32. 
** 1 Pet. | 3. . t t Prov. xi. 7. 



66 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

and prove like t h e spider's weh,* which he 
spins out of his own bowels; but then 
comes death with t h e broom, and takes 
down all, and so t h e r e is an eternal end 
ot his confidence wherein he t r u s t e d F o r 
t h e eyes of t h e wicked shall fail, and t h e i r 
hope shall be as t h e giving up t h e g h o s t . t 
Wicked men a r e fixed in t h e i r carnal 
hope, and will not be beaten out of it-
they hold it f a s t , t h e y will not let 
it go. Yea, but death will knock off 
t h e i r fingers; though we cannot undeceive 
them, death and judgment will. When 
death strikes his d a r t t h r o u g h t h y liver 
it will pierce t h y soul and t h y hopes to-
gether. T h e unsanctified have hope onlv 
in t h i s h f e ; i and therefore, a r e of all men 
most miserable. When death comes, it lets 
them out into t h e amazing gulf of endless 
desperation. 3. There is blasphemy in it 
To hope we shall be saved, though we con-
tinue unconverted, is to hope we shall 
prove God a liar. He h a t h told you, t h a t 
merciful and pitiful as he is, he will never 
save you notwithstanding, if you go on in 
ignorance, or a course of unrighteousness. § 
In a word, he h a t h told you, t h a t whatever 
you be or do, nothing shall avail you to 
salvation, unless you become new crea-
tures. || Now, to say God is merciful, and 
we hope will save us nevertheless, is in ef-
fect to say, We hope God will not do as he 

* Job viii. 14. t Job xi. 20. 1 1 Cor. xv. 19 
§ Isa. xxvii. 11. 1 Cor. vi. 9. || Gal. vi. 19. 



65 T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 58 

says. We m u s t not set God's a t t r i b u t e s at 
variance; God is resolved to glorify his 
mercy, but not to t h e prejudice of his 
t r u t h , as t h e presumptuous sinner will find 
to his everlasting sorrow. 

Objection. Why, but we hope in JesuS 
Christ, we put our whole t r u s t in God; and 
therefore, doubt not but we shall be saved. 

Answer, 1. This is not t o hope in Christ, 
but against Christ. To hope to see t h e 
kingdom of God without being born again, 
to hope to find eternal life in t h e broad 
way, is to hope Christ will prove a false 
prophet. I t is David's plea, I hope in t h y 

I word;* b u t t h i s hope is against t h e word. 
Show me a word of Christ f o r t h y hope, 
t h a t he will save thee in t h y ignorance or 
profane neglect of his service, and I will 
never go to shake t h y confidence. 

2. God doth with abhorrence r e j e c t t h i s 
hope. Those condemned in t h e prophet 
went on in t h e i r sins, Yet, saith t h e t e x t , 
they will lean upon t h e Lord.f God will 
not endure to be made a prop to men in 
their sins. The Lord rejected those pre-
sumptuous sinners t h a t went on still in 
their trespasses, and yet would stay them-
selves upon Israel's God,J as a man would 
shake off t h e briers (as one said well) t h a t 
cleave to his garment. 

3. If t h y hope be any t h i n g worth, it 
will p u r i f y thee f r o m t h y sins;§ but cursed 

*Psa. cxix. 81. 
t Isa. xlviii. 1, 2, 

t Mic. iii. 11. 
§ 1 John iii. 3. 



68 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

is t h a t hope t h a t cherisheth men in their 
sins. 

I H H H I W o u l d y o u h a v e us to de-opd.li : 
Answer. You m u s t despair of ever com-

ng to heaven as you a r e ; * t h a t is, while 
you remain unconverted. You must de-
spair of ever seeing t h e face of God with-

S u i P M ! i - U t y 0 U m u s t ^ means 
despair of finding mercy, upon your tho-
rough repentance and conversion; neither 
m a y you despair of attaining to repentance 
and conversion in t h e use of God's means 

f i f t h l y , without this, all t h a t Christ 
h a t h done and suffered will be, as to you 
m v a m ; f t h a t is, i t will no way avail to 
your salvation. Many urge t h i s as a suffi-
cient ground f o r t h e i r hopes, t h a t Christ 
died f o r sinners But I m u s t tell you, 
Christ never died t o save impenitent and 
unconverted sinners, so continuing t A 
g r e a t divine was wont, in his private deal-
S l u f ^ t o a s k t w o Questions; 1st. 
W h a t h a t h Christ done f o r you? 2d What 
h a t h Christ wrought in you? Without the 
application of t h e Spirit in regeneration 
we can have no saving interest in the ben-
efits of redemption. I tell you f r o m t h e 
Lord, Christ himself cannot save you if 
you go on in t h i s state. 

I. I t were against his t r u s t . The Medi-
a t o r is t h e servant of t h e F a t h e r ; 5 shows 

t 2 Tim.'ii. 19. § I s a . x m . | 
II John x. 18, 36. vi. 38. 40. 
» A c t s ii. 37. f John xiii. 8. TitiUs ii. 14. 



67 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

I his commission f r o m him, acts in his 
I name, and pleads his command f o r his 
I iustification;|| and God h a s committed all 
I things unto him, intrusted his own glory 
I and t h e salvation of t h e elect with him. 
• Accordingly Christ gives his F a t h e r an 
I account of both p a r t s of his t r u s t before 
I he leaves t h e world.f Now Christ would 
I quite cross his F a t h e r ' s glory, his g r e a t e s t 
I t r u s t , if he should save men m t h e i r sins; 
I for t h i s were to overturn all his counsels, 
I and t o offer violence to all his attributes. 

F i r s t , to overturn all his counsels, of 
I which t h i s is t h e order, t h a t men should be 
I brought t h r o u g h sanctification to salva-
I tion t He h a t h chosen them, t h a t they 
I should be holy.§ They are elected to par-
I don and life t h r o u g h sanctification.|| it 
I thou canst repeal t h e law of God's immut-

able counsel, or corrupt him whom t h e 
I F a t h e r h a t h sealed, t o go directly against 

his commission, then, and not otherwise, 
mayest thou get to heaven in t h i s condi-
tion. To hope t h a t Christ will save thee 
while unconverted, is t o hope t h a t Christ 

L will f a l s i f y his t r u s t . He never did nor will 
\ save one soul, b u t whom t h e F a t h e r h a t h 

given him in election, and drawn t o him m 
effectual calling. Be assured. Christ will 
save none in a way contrary to his f a -
t h e r ' s will.H 

• Matt. xi. 27. John xvit. 2. t John xvii. 4. 6 12. 
t 2 Thess. ii. 13. I Eph. i. 4. II1 Pet. l. 2, 
]I John vi. 35, ?7, 3?, 



68 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

t r i b u t e s ^ ' R w B t 0 a 1 1 his at-irioutes. 1. To his justice: f o r t h e risrht-
o f God's j u d g m e n t lies i ? r £ d e £ 

ing to all according to t h e i r works.ff Now 
should men sow to t h e flesh, and yet of the 
Spirit r e a p everlasting life * where were 
t h e glory of Divine justice, W S it should 
be g1Ven to the wicked according to t h e 
If r J f t i e ^ g h t ! 0 U S ? 2" To his holiness 
11 God should not only save sinners, but 
s a v e them m t h e i r sins, his most p u r e and 
strict holiness would be exceedingly de-
faced The unsanctified man is in t h e eyes 
ol G o d s holiness worse t h a n a swine or 
viper.f I t would be offering t h e extremes? 
S f i ? * * * i n f i n * e P«rity of £ 5 
n a t u r e to have such to dwell with him-
they cannot stand in his judgment, thev 
cannot abide m his presence.! If holv 
David would not endure such in his house 
wiiivn°Q 1 hu? S i g h t ; . § c a n w e t h i n k God 
will / 3 To his veracity: f o r God h a t h de-
clared f r o m heaven, t h a t if any shall say 
he shall have peace, though he go on in 
t h e imagination of his heart, his w r a t h 
shall smoke against t h a t man;II t h a t they 
m m ''hat confess and forsake t h e i r sins 
shall find mercy ;U t h a t they t h a t shall en-
t e r into his hill, m u s t be of clean hands 
and a pure heart.** Where were God's 
t r u t h , if, notwithstanding all this, he 

* Gal. vi. 7, 8. • t Matt. xii. 34. 2 Pet. ii' 22 
t Psa. i. 5. v. 4, 5. § p s a . ci. 33, 7. 
II Deut. xxix. 19, 20. . II Prov. xxviii. 1 3 
** Psa. xxiv. 3, 4. ,ft Rom. ii. 5, 6. 



T H E NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 69 
should bring men t o salvation without con-
version? 0 desperate sinner, t h a t darest 
to hope t h a t Christ will lie to his F a t h e r , 
and f a l s i f y his word t o save thee. 4. To his 
wisdom: f o r t h i s were to t h r o w away t h e 
choicest mercies on t h e m who would not 
value them, nor were any way suited to 
them. .. ™ 

F i r s t , they would not value them. I he 
unsanctified sinner p u t s b u t little price 
upon God's g r e a t salvation.* He sets no 
more by Christ t h a n t h e whole by t h e phy-
sician ; t he prizes not his balm, values not 
his cure, tramples upon his blood.J Now 
would it stand with wisdom to force par-
don and life upon those who would give no 
t h a n k s f o r t h e m ? Would t h e all-wise God 
(when he h a t h forbidden us to do it) 
throw his holy t h i n g s to dogs, and his 
pearls to swine, t h a t would, as it were 
but t u r n again and rend him ;§ t h i s would 
make mercy t.o be despised indeed. Wis-
dom requires t h a t eternal life be given m 
a way suitable to God's honour, and t h a t 
God should secure his own glory as well as 
man's felicity. God would lose t h e praise 
and glory of his grace, if he should cast it 
away on t h e m t h a t were not only unwor-
t h y b u t unwilling. 

Secondly, they are no way suited to 
them T h e Divine wisdom is seen m suit-
ing things to each o t h e r ; t h e means to t h e 
end; t h / o b j e c t t o t h e f a c u l t y g the j quality 

W m « i l l 



70 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

iMSl2
 t0
 Hi C a p a c i t y o f t h e receiver. Alas, what would an unsanctified creature 

do in heaven? He could take no content 
there because nothing suits him The 
place doth not suit him, he would be quite 

S O s f m m t h e ¡ S i P d o t h not 
suit mm. What communion hath dark-
I I I S

 c o r r u P t i o n with perfection, 
tanty / The employment doth not suit 
him; the anthems of Heaven fit not for 
ciSarm°?iv'hS af H h i s ear" Canst thou cnarm thy beast with music? Or wilt thou 
bring him to thy organ, and expect that 

should make thee melody, or keep time 
with the tuneful choir? Spread thv taSp 
W 1 H 9 H a ' - ¿ S i n g J a w 
and it will give him great offence. Alas' 
if the poor man thinks a sermon long and 
says of a Sabbath, What a wearTntss is 
it!* how miserable would he think 1 to 
be held to it to all eternity? ' 
n - 5 - . T o h i s immutability, or else to his om-
niscience or- omnipotence. For this is en 
rohed t P r d a V e ° f heaven, and en-" 
none h ft S d e C r e e S ,of t h e court above, 

+ S t — ?u r,e l n h e a r t shall ever see 
God.f This is laid up with him, and sealed 
« 1 8 1 ^ a s u r e s . Now, if Christ bring • 
yet any to heaven unconverted, either he 
must get them in without his Father's 
knowledge, (and then where is his omni-
science?) or against his will, (and S e n 
W h * M e a . T T s e h l S

 ommP°tence,) or he must 1 3 ' t Matt. v. 8. 



THE NECESSITY 01? CONVERSION 71 
change his will, (and then where were his 
immutability?) . ,, 

Sinner, wilt thou not give up t h y vain 
hope of being saved in this condition/ 
saith Bildad, Shall t h e e a r t h . b e forsaken 
for thee? Or the rocks moved out ol their 
place * May I not much more reason so 
w i t h ' t h e e ? Shall the laws of Heaven, be 
reversed f o r thee? Shall t h e everlasting 
foundations be overturned f o r thee? Shall 
Christ put out the eye of his F a t h e r s 
omniscience, or shorten t h e arm of his 
eternal power for thee? Shall Divine jus-
tice be violated f o r t h e e ? Or the bright-
ness of the glory of his holiness be blem-
ished for thee? 0 the impossibility, ab-
surdity, and blasphemy t h a t is m such a 
confidence. To think Christ will ever save 
thee in this condition, is to make t h y Sav-
iour to become a sinner, and to do more 
wrong to the Infinite Majesty t h a n all the 
wicked on earth, or devils in hell ever did, 
or could do. And yet wilt thou not give up 
such a blasphemous hope? 

II. Against his word. We need not say, 
who shall ascend into heaven, t o bring 
down Christ f r o m above? Or, who shall 
descend into the deep, to bring up Christ 
f r o m beneath? The word is nigh us.f Are 
you agreed t h a t Christ shall end t h e con-
troversy? Hear then his own words.- Ex-
cept you be converted, you shall in no wise 
enter into t h e kingdom of heaven.| You 

* Job xviii. 4. t Rom. x. 6, 7, 8. 
t Matt.' xviii. 3. 



72 T H E N E C E S S I T Y OF' C O N V E R S I O N 

m u s t be born again. § If I wash t h e e not, 
thou h a s t no p a r t in me.|| Repent, or per-
ish.fl One word, one would think, were 
enough f r o m C h r i s t ; but how often and 
earnestly doth he r e i t e r a t e it. Verily, ver-
ily, except a man be born again he shall 
not see t h e kingdom of God.* Yea, he doth 
not only assert, but prove t h e necessity of 
t h e new b i r t h ;f without which man is no 
more fit f o r t h e kingdom of heaven, t h a n 
a beast is f o r the king's presence chamber. 
And wilt thou believe t h y own presumptu-
ous confidence, directly against Christ's 
words? He m u s t go quite against t h e law 
of his kingdom and rule of his judgment, 
to save thee in t h i s state. 

III. Against his oath. He h a t h lifted up 
his hand to heaven, he h a t h sworn t h a t 
those t h a t remain in unbelief, and know 
not his ways, t h a t is, are ignorant of them, 
or disobedient to them, shall not enter into 
his rest.t And wilt thou not yet believe, 
0 sinner! t h a t he is in e a r n e s t ? Canst 
thou hope he will be forsworn f o r t h e e ? 
The covenant of grace is confirmed by an 
oath, and sealed by blood ;§ b u t all m u s t 
be made void, and another way to heaven 
found out, if thou be "saved living and dy-
ing unsanctified. Men cannot be saved 
while unconverted, except they could get 
another covenant made. 

I John iii. 7. || John xiii. 8. ff L u k e xlii. 3. 
* J O H N »»• 3, 5. T J O H N IIIT G 
t P s a l m x c v . 11., Heb. iii. 11. 

1 Heb. vi. 17. ix. 16, 18, 19. Matt. xxvi. 28. 



73 T H E N E C E S S I T Y OF CONVERSION 58 

IV. Against his honour. God will so 
«¡how his love t o t h e sinner, as withal t o 
t Z hS h a t r e d to sin; therefore, h e t h a i 
names t h e name of Jesus m u s t depart f r o m 
S u T t ^ i n d d e n i a l ! h t i 5 B Q | And 
he t h a t h a t h hope of life by Christ m u s t 
purify himself as he is p u r e ; t otherwise 
S 3 would be t h o u g h t a f a v o u r e o f sm 
The Lord Jesus would have all t h e worm 
to know t h a t t h o u g h he pardons sm, he 
will n o t p r o t e c t it. If holy David M j | | 
Deoart f r o m me all ye workers of miqui-
"v + and shall shut t h e doors against 
them § shall not such much more expect 
it C m Christ's holiness? Would it be f o r 
his S o u r to have t h e dogs to t h e table 
S lodge t h e sw|ne with his children, or to 
h a v e A b r a h a m ' s bosom t o be a nest of 

V i V r Against h i s o f f i c e s . God h a t h exalted 
him to be a Prince and a Saviour. || He 
w o u l d a c t against both should he. save 
men in t h e i r sins. I t is t h e o f f i c e o f a k i n g , 
to be a t e r r o r to evil doers, and a praise to 
them t h a t do w e l l . l He is a m i m s t e r ^ 
God a revenger, to execute w r a t h on him 
t h a t doth evif. Now, ^ o u l d C h n s t favour 
the ungodly, (so continuing) and taKe 
'those t ? r d g n with him t h a t would no 
t h a t he should reign over them, t h i s 
would be quite against his o f f i c e H e t h e r e 
fore reigns, t h a t h e may p u t his. enemies 

• 2 Tim. 1 1 m m 1 7 3 - M U S 31. t P s a l m VI. 8. § F e a i m ci. . H 
J Rom. xiii. 3, 4. ** I ^ & e xix. 27. 



74 ' T H E N E C E S S I T Y O F C O N V E R S I O N 
under his f e e t . f f Now, should he lay them 
in his bosom, he would cross t h e end of his 
regal power. It belongs to Christ, as a king 
to subdue t h e h e a r t s and slay t h e lusts of 
his chosen.* W h a t king would take rebels 
m open hostility into his court? W h a t 
were t h i s but to betray life, kingdom, gov-
ernment, and all t o g e t h e r ? If Christ be a 
king, he m u s t have honour, homage, sub-
jection, &tc.f Now to save men while in 
t h e i r natural enmity, were to obscure his 
dignity, lose his authority, bring contempt 
on his government, and sell his dear ' 
bought r i g h t s f o r nought. 

Again; as Christ would not be a Prince 
so neither a Saviour, if he should do t h i s ; 
t o r his salvation is spiritual. He is called 
Jesus because he saves his people f r o m 
t h e i r sins;i so t h a t should he save them in 
their sins, he would, be neither Lord nor 
Jesus. To save men f r o m the punishment 
and not f r o m t h e power of sin, were to do 
his work by halves, and be an imperfect 
baviour. His office, as -the Deliverer is to 
t u r n away ungodliness f r o m Jacob. § He is 
sent to bless men in t u r n i n g them f r o m 
t h e i r iniquities;|l to make an end of sin-If 
so t h a t he would destroy his own designs' 
and nullify his offices, to save men abiding -
m t h e i r unconverted state. 

Application. Arise then. W h a t meanest 
thou, 0 sleeper? Awake, 0 secure sinner, 

* P s a . x l y . 5. ex. 3. t Mai. i. 6. J Matt. i. 21. ' 
§ R o m . XI. 26 || A c t s U i . 26. |j D a n . 24. 
TT 1 Cor. x v . 24. 



T H E N E C E S S I T Y OF C O N V E R S I O N I 
lest thou be consumed in thine iniquities 
lest I f w e s i t here we shall 
die Verily, it is not more certain t h a t 
thou a r t now out of hell, t h a n t h a t thou 
§ i speedily be in it except thou repent 
and be converted; there is J u t this one 
door f o r thee to escape by. Arise then, u 
sluggard! and shake off thine excuses 
S o l long wilt thou slumber, and fold t h y 
hands t o W * Wilt thou j i ^ S 
midst of t h e sea, or sleep on t h e top oi 
the mast.f There is no remedy b ^ t thou 
must either t u r n or burn. There is an un 
diangeable necessity of t h e change of t h y 

E n except thou O H H M M 
the worst of it, and try_ it out with | g g g 
miffhtv If thou lovest t h y lite, U man, 
a r f s e and come away. Methinks I see the 
Lord Jesus laying t h e of 
an holy violence upon thee g j g g g he 
carries it like t h e angels to Lot.? M ® 
anJels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, lest 
th?u be consumed. And while he lingered 
the men laW hold upon his hand, t h e Lord 
b e L g merciful unto h i m a n d ^ e y b r o u g h 
Viim without t h e city, and said, Escape 101 
i r life stay not in all the plains, escape 
to the mountains, lest thou be consumed. 

0 how wilful Will thy destruction be if 
thou shouldst yet harden thyself u , . t h y 
sinful state? But none of you can say but 
you have had f a i r warnmg. Yet methmks 
I cannot tell how to leave you so; I t is not 

* Prov. vi. 10, 11. t Prov. x x m . 34. t Gen. xix. 
** 2 K i n g s vii. 3, 4. 



76 T H E NECESSITY OF' CONVERSION 

s o T w t t f s V a J l S dGlivered H own 
errand ? Wiii „ I / ° away without my 
me ? Have I been & W a n d f o l I o i 
to the wind havp i h l u w h i l e I B S 
adder, I f S f e ^ t e ^ S S t h e H 
a r g u m e n t s ? Do I s o L k ? ? l o c ! a n W l t h 

N H m R M I 
flames, ga„d 5 ' t a t o M ^ t h ™ ™ " 4 0 t h e 

reason, and yet daSv f f e f ^ H I w i t h 
and the p S S S ^ ^ S hA

e]1' 

K e s e S f S P ^ l M R K X g m 
And will you not h L f i R ? * S t o come? 
eternal t o m e n t s ? O" S f e y ° U r e s c a p e f r o m 
and let r e E T preva y 0 U r s T ^

e s m e n > 
sonable thing E p f f i ® I * a r e a ' 
t h e Lord your M a S * I W a g r a i n s t 
selves against h?s w L + t 0 h ? , r d e n 
«trength of I s r a e f w Z d lie ? T « ^ t h e 
able t h a t an understand i n « . ; . 8 J t r e , a son-
lose, yea 
of his being, 

* I s a ' x ' v - 9 " ! - , 1 S a m . x v . 2 9 . ' 



T H E N E C E S S I T Y O P C O N V E R S I O N 77 

only fit f o r t h e dunghill? I s | U k f l H | 
t h a t t h e only t h i n g in t h i s world t h a t God 

B H 
M H I yea, should be engaged 

B m M B 

s S m f»r i i S m H I 
• H H P 

s a v T h i s i s not reason, or surely the eye 
of reason is quite p u t out. And if t h i s be 
not S o n , t h e n t h e r e is no reason t h a t 
m M i C ° n 1 r t h f w l d a r y U shouW all t h e reason m t h e worm .yuu 

M S S l i p 1 1 » 
in t h i s argument. 0 t h a t you would b u t 
hearken to m e ! T h a t you 
set upon a new course ! Will g f c O T r W 
made d e a n ? When shall J once be? W h a t 

x M H r n ^ m 
1 s T t o t u r n . Come, and let us reason to-

* I s a i a h i. 2. t I s a i a h x x v i i . 4. 



78 THE NECESSITY OP CONVERSION 

• r f e l ^ f e t o b e h - e I Wilt 
t L y the tide come in upon 
mm 1 1 good for thee to try whethe? 
harde^ thvseif in a S 1 M W ^ 
with thee wMlpnf^ C O n c e i t - t h a t a 1 1 1 well 
fied ? ' t h o u r e m a i n e s t unsancti-

3 1 1 1 k n o f f o u K not be persuaded 

H n M the deceiver to his deceit again a S f S f c 
M f m m t 0 M s d a l l i - c f a g a i n n A l a s ' 
m M S t ] f a v e y o u w h e r e you were in ignorance or looseness, or in your l S ^ 

B m w B S S f i ^ O distracted sinners! What win • 

f S i S S l t l 
s S t f R r a M H i l 

have their sins, say w h a f l S V h o ' u g h l 

* Isaiah x. 8. 



T H E N E C E S S I T Y O F C O N V E R S I O N 1» 

I tell them there is death to | | g W | g 
they Will t a k e it up; though I g g . m 

I f S t o s T G d w i . m » and Ma 
S t o v i t a t l o n a 

I O p ^ s l i ^ i 
yet neither w.11 this do 
p r o v e ^ w o r d h t e t h ^ a e n n o ^ | t h e y 

I S m r mmmm 
1 W m m . iove i r S and will be ready to 

my life, 1 cannot p company, m H H n 

l l P R B f l f l i on t Job xxxvi. 12-* M a t t . x x i . 30. ' 



80 „, 
I f T f o i l M A R K S OF 

s § 1 tSr^aiyi iXm m 
judge me censorious- | b a d ' ^ e y will 
present a little awakened ' t h ? y be a t 
asleep by Satan™iSPn u Q m c k l y 

1 sense of all g ' a n d have lost the 
must they 

woud so fain saie t h e m S i i m i n i s t « - s 
J use with them, that'T h * C°Urse sha" 
What shall I do for t L 5 a v e , n o t tried? 
people?* o Lord ¡ K i l l ,dau«rhter of mv 
leave them thus? 1 1 1 helP" A l a s i shalTl 
jvet do t h o u t a r m i ' t e ^ 0 ' h e a r ™ 
hve l n t h sight .'Lord s a w ¿ e y m a y M 
Jhey perish. My heart o r e , s e 
their houses on fire abonT ̂  m e l t t o s«e 
they were fast asleep , ? fe i l l w h e n 
shall not my sonl W i beds; and 
?ee them fallinT ; . l m o v e d ^ t h i n me to 
Lord, have compassion Q f e s s Perdition' 
of the b u r n i n ? P p u t f a u n l s a v e them out 
er, and the w o k J m ? A t h y d i v i ™ Pow-
me> I cannot prevail d ° n e ; b u t as for 

i l f l M 
awakened by the p r o p f e , D a v i d I not 
distance in P a r a b o E ] i n s i n , i n ° r

e n n g : a t a 

forced to close w i t h V ^ a t J ° n s ; h e is 
plainly, Thou a r t the i ^ I B 

•Jer fx ™ F e w will in 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

1 words deny t h e necessity of t h e new birth, 
but they have a self-deluding confidence 
t h a t t h e work is not now to do. And be-
cause t h e y know themselves f r e e f r o m t h a t 
gross hypocrisy which t a k e s up religion 

M merely f o r a colour to deceive others, and 
for covering of wicked designs, t h e y a r e 
confident of t h e i r sincerity, and suspect 

I n o t t h a t more close hypocrisy (wherein 
J the g r e a t e s t danger lies) by which a man 

deceiveth his own soul.* But man's deceit-
ful h e a r t is such a matchless cheat, and 
self-delusion so reigning and so f a t a l a dis-
ease, t h a t ' I know not w h e t h e r be t h e 
greater, t h e difficulty, disagreeableness, or 
the necessity, of t h e undeceiving work t h a t 
I am now upon. Alas, f o r my unconverted 
h e a r e r s ! They m u s t be undeceived or un-
done. But how shall t h i s be effected? 

Help, 0 all-searching L i g h t ! and let t h y 
discerning eye discover t h e rotten founda-
tion of t h e self-deceiver; and lead me, 0 
Lord God, as thou didst t h e prophet, into 
t h e chambers of imagery, and dig t h r o u g h 
the wall of sinners' hearts, and discover 
t h e hidden abominations t h a t are lurking 
out of sight in t h e dark. 0 send t h y angel 
before me, to open t h e sundry wards of 
their hearts, as thou didst before Peter, 
and make even t h e iron g a t e s to fly open 
of t h e i r own accord. And, as J o n a t h a n no 
sooner tasted t h e honey but his eyes were 
enlightened; so g r a n t , 0 Lord, t h a t when 

* James i. 26. 



82 T H E MARKS OF 

t h e poor deceived souls, with whom I have 
to do, shall cast t h e i r eyes upon these 
lines, t h e i r minds may be illuminated, and 
t h e i r consciences convinced and awakened, 
t h a t they may see with t h e i r eyes, and 
h e a r with t h e i r ears, and be converted, 
and t h a t thou mayest heal them. 

This m u s t be promised before we pro-
ceed to t h e discovery, t h a t it is most cer-
tain men may have a confident persuasion 
t h a t t h e i r h e a r t s and states a r e good, and 
yet be unsound. Hear t h e T r u t h himself, 
who shows in Laodicea's case, t h a t men 
may be wretched and miserable, and poor, 
and blind, and naked, and yet not know i t ; 
yea, t h e y may be confident they are rich, 
and increased in grace.* There is a gener-
ation t h a t are pure in t h e i r own eyes, and 
yet are not washed f r o m t h e i r filthiness.f 
Who b e t t e r persuaded of his case t h a n 
Paul, while he yet remained unconverted ?J 
So t h a t they are miserably deceived t h a t 
t a k e a strong confidence f o r a sufficient 
evidence. They t h a t have no b e t t e r proof 
t h a n barely a strong persuasion t h a t they 
are converted, are certainly as yet strang-
ers to conversion. 

But to come more close. As it was said 
of 'the adherents to Antichrist, so h e r e ; 
some of t h e unconverted carry t h e i r m a r k s 
in t h e i r foreheads, more openly, and some 
in t h e i r hands more covertly. The apostle 
reckons up some upon whom he writes t h e 
sentence of d e a t h ; as in these dreadful 

* Rev. iii. 17. t Prov. xxx. 12. t Rom. vii. 9. 



T H E UNCONVERTED 
|PJ? 

catalogues; which I beseech you to attend 
to with all diligence.* F o r t h i s ye know, 
t h a t no whoremonger, nor unclean person, 
nor covetous man, who is an idolater, h a t h 
any inheritance in t h e kingdom of Christ, 
and of God. Let no man deceive you with 
vain words, f o r because of these things 
cometh t h e w r a t h of God upon t h e chil-
dren of disobedience.f But t h e f e a r f u l and 
unbelieving, and abominable, and murder-
ers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and 
idolaters, and all liars, shall have t h e i r 
p a r t in t h e lake t h a t burns with fire and 
brimstone, which is t h e second death.J 
Know ye not t h a t t h e unrighteous shall 
not inherit t h e kingdom of God ? Be not de-
ceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, 
nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers 
of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, 
nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, 
nor extortioners, shall inherit t h e king-
dom of God.§ Woe to t h e m t h a t have t h e i r 
names w r i t t e n in these rolls; such may 
know as certainly as if God had told them 
f r o m heaven, t h a t t h e y a r e unsanctified, 
and under an impossibility of being saved 
in t h i s condition. 

There a r e t h e n these several sorts t h a t 
(past all dispute) are unconverted; they 
carry t h e i r m a r k s in t h e i r forehead. 

1. The unclean. These are ever reck-
oned among t h e goats and have t h e i r 

* Eph. v. 5, 6. 
t Rev. xxi. 8. 

t 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 
§ Gal. v. 19, 21. 



u t h e m a r k s o f 
names, who ever is l e f t out, in all t h e be-
fore mentioned catalogues.* 

2. The covetous. These men a r e ever 
branded as idolaters, and t h e doors of t h e 
kingdom are shut against t h e m by name.f 

3. Drunkards. Not only such as drink 
away t h e i r reason, b u t withal (yea above 
all) such as a r e too strong even f o r strong 
drink. The Lord fills his mouth with woes 
against these, and declares they have no 
inheritance in t h e kingdom of God.J 

4. Liars. The God t h a t cannot lie h a s 
told them, t h a t t h e r e is no place f o r them 
in his kingdom, no entrance into his hill; 
but t h e i r portion is with t h e f a t h e r of lies, 
whose children they are, in t h e lake of 
burnings. § 

5. Swearers. The end, of these without 
deep and speedy repentance, is s w i f t de-
struction, and most certain and unavoid-
able condemnation.!].* 

6. Railers and backbiters, t h a t love to 
t a k e up a reproach against t h e i r neighbor, 
and fling all t h e dirt they can in his face, 
else wound him secretly behind his back.TJ 

7. Thieves, extortioners, and oppres-
sors, t h a t grind t h e poor, overreach t h e i r 
brethren, when they have t h e m at an ad-
vantage, these must know t h a t God is t h e 

* Eph. v. 5. Rev. xxi. 8. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 
t E p h . v. 5. Col. iii. 5. 1 Cor. v i . 9 , 10. 
t l s a . v. 11, 12, -22. Gal. v. 21. 
§ Psalm xv. 1, 2. Rev. xxi. 8, -27. John viii. 44. 

Prov. vi. 17. 
|| James v. 12. Zech. v. 1, 2, 3. 
5 Psalm xv. 1, 3. 1 Cor. vi. 10. v. 11. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

avenger of all such.* Hear, 0 ye false and 
purloining, and wasteful s e r v a n t s ! Hear, O 
ye deceitful t r a d e s m e n ! h e a r your sen-
tence; God will certainly hold his door 
against you, and t u r n your t r e a s u r e s of 

-J unrighteousness into t r e a s u r e s of wrath, 
and make your ill-gotten silver and gold to 
torment you, like burning metal in your 
bowels.f 

8. All t h a t do ordinarily live in t h e pro-
fane neglect of God's worship; t h a t hear 
not his word» t h a t call not on his name, 
t h a t restrain p r a y e r before God, t h a t mind 
not t h e i r own nor t h e i r families' souls, but, 
live without God in t h e world.t 

9. Those t h a t a r e f r e q u e n t e r s and lov-
ers of evil, company. God h a t h declared he 
will be t h e destroyer of all such, and t h a t 
they shall never, enter into t h e hill of his 
rest.§ 

10. Scoffers a t religion, t h a t make a 
scorn of precise walking, and mock a t t h e 
messengers and diligent - servants of t h e 
Lord, and a t t h e i r holy profession, and 
make themselves m e r r y with t h e weakness 
and failings of professors. Hear, you de-
spisers, your dreadful doom.|| 

Sinner, consider diligently whether thou 
a r t not to be found in one of these r a n k s ; 
lor if t h i s be t h y case, thou a r t in t h e gall 
of bitterness and bond of iniquity; f o r all 

* 1 Thess. iv. 6. 1 1 Cor. vi. 9, 1Q. James v. 2, 3. 
t John viii. 47. Job xv. 4. Psa. xiv. 4. lxxix. 6. 

Eph. ii. 12, iv. 18. § Prov. xiii. 20, ix, 6. Psa. xv 4 
II Prov. xix. 29. iii. 34. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. 



8 6 T H E MARKS OF 
these do carry t h e i r m a r k s in t h e i r fore-
heads, and are undoubtedly t h e sons of 
death. And if so, t h e Lord pity our poor 
congregations! O, how small a number will 
be left, when these ten sorts a r e taken o u t ! 
Alas! on how many doors, on how many 
faces m u s t we write, Lord, have mercy up-
on u s ! Sirs, what s h i f t do you make to 
keep up your confidence of your good state, 
when God f r o m heaven declares against 
you, and pronounces you in a s t a t e of dam-
nation? I would reason with you as God 
with them, How canst thou say, I am not 
polluted?* See t h y way in t h e valley, 
know what thou h a s t done. Man, is not t h y 
conscience privy to t h y tricks of deceit, to 
t h y chamber pranks, to t h y way of lying? 
Yea are not t h y friends, t h y family, t h y 
neighbours, witnesses to t h y profane ne-
glect of God's worship, to t h y covetous 
practices, to t h y envious and malicious 
carriage? May not tHey point at thee as 
thou goest, There goes a gaming prodigal? 
There goes a drunken Nabal, a companion 
of evil doers? There goes a railer, or a 
scoffer, or a loose liver? Beloved, God h a t h 
written it as with a sunbeam in t h e book 
by which you m u s t be judged, t h a t these 
a r e not t h e spots of his children, and t h a t 
none such, except renewed by converting 
grace, shall ever escape t h e damnation of 
hell. 

O t h a t such as you would now be per-
* Jer. ii. 23. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 
suaded to repent, and t u r n f r o m all your 
transgressions, or else iniquity will be 
your ruin!* Alas, poor hardened sinners! 
Must I leave you a t last where you were? 
Must I leave t h e tippler still a t t h e ale 
bench ? Must I leave t h e wanton still at his 
dalliance? Must I leave t h e malicious still 
in his venom, and t h e drunkard still a t his 
vomit ? However, you must know t h a t you 
have been warned, and t h a t I am clear of 
your blood. And w h e t h e r meji will hear, or 
whether they will forbear, I will leave t h e 
Scriptures with them, either as thunder-
bolts to awaken them, or as searing irons 
to harden them t o a reprobate sense, f God 
shall wound t h e head of his enemies, and 
the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on 
still in his trespasses. He t h a t being often 
reproved hardeneth his neck, shall sud-
denly be destroyed^ and t h a t without rem-
edy.J Because I have called, and ye re-
fused, I have stretched out my hand, and 
no man regarded, &c. I will mock at your 
calamity, when your destruction cometh 
as a whirlwind. 

And now I imagine many will begin to 
bless themselves, and think all is well, be-
cause they cannot be charged with t h e 
grosser evils before mentioned [ but I m u s t 
f u r t h e r tell you, t h a t t h e r e are another 
sort of unsanctified persons, t h a t c a r r y not 
t h e i r m a r k s in t h e i r foreheads, but more 
secretly and covertly, in their hands; these 

*Ezek. xviii. 30.- t Psa. lxviii. 21. 
t Prov. xxix. 1. i, 24, &c. 



88 T H E MARKS OF 

do frequently deceive themselves and oth-
ers, and pass f o r good Christians, when 
they a r e all t h e while unsound at bottom. 
Many pass undiscovered till death and 
judgment b r i n g all to light. Those self-de-
ceivers seem to come even to heaven's gate 
with full confidence of t h e i r admission, and 
yet are shut out at last.* 

Brethren beloved, I beseech you deeply 
to lay to h e a r t , and firmly retain t h i s a-
wakening consideration, t h a t multitudes 
miscarry by cherishing some secret sin, 
t h a t is not only hidden f r o m others, but 
f o r want of searching t h e i r own hearts, 
even f r o m themselves. A man may be f r e e 
f r o m open pollutions, and yet perish at last 
by some secret unobserved iniquity. And 
t h e r e a r e these twelve hidden sins, through 
which souls go down by numbers into t h e 
chambers of d e a t h ; these you m u s t search 
carefully for, and note them as black 
marks, wherever they be found, discover-
ing a graceless and unconverted state. And 
as you love your lives, read carefully, with 
a holy jealousy of yourselves, lest you 
should be t h e persons concerned. 

1. Gross ignorance. 0 how many poor 
souls doth t h i s sin kill in t h e dark f t while 
they , think verily they have good hearts, 
and are in t h e ready way to heaven. This 
is the m u r d e r e r t h a t dispatches thousands 
m a silent manner, when, poor h e a r t s ! they 
suspect nothing, and see not the hand t h a t 

* M a k Vli. 22. t H o s . iv. 6. 



THE u n c o n v e r t e d 

destroys them. You shall find, whatever 
excuses you have f o r ignorance, t h a t it is 
a soul-undoing evil.* A h ! would it not have 
grieved a man's h e a r t to have seen t h a t 
woeful spectacle, when t h e poor Protest-
a n t s were shut up, a multitude together in 
a barn and a butcher comes with cruel 
hands, warmed in human blood, and leads 
them one by one, blindfold, to a block 
where he slew them,.poor innocents! one 
a f t e r another by scores in cold blood ? But 
how much more should our h e a r t s bleed, to 
think of t h e hundreds in g r e a t congrega-
tions t h a t ignorance doth butcher in se--
cret, and lead blindfold to t h e block ? Be-
ware t h i s be none of your case. Make no 
plea f o r ignorance; if you spare t h a t sin, 
know t h a t it will not spare you. And would 
a man t a k e a m u r d e r e r to his bosom ? 

2. Secret reserves in closing with Christ. 
-»-To forsake all f o r Christ, to h a t e f a t h e r 
and mother, yea, a m a n ' s own life f o r h i m ; 
t h i s is a h a r d saying, f Some will do much, 
b u t they will not be of t h e religion t h a t 
will undo t h e m ; they never come to be en-
tirely devoted to Christ, nor fully to resign 
to h i m ; they m u s t have t h e sweet sin; 
they mean to do themselves no h a r m ; t h e y 
have secret exceptions f o r life, liberty, or 
estate. Many take Christ thus, hand over-
head, and never consider his self-denying 
terms, nor cast up t h e cost. And t h i s error 

* Isa. xxvii. 11. 2 Thess. i. 8. 2 Cor. iv. 3. 
t Luke xiv. 26. 



9 0 THE MARKS OF 
in t h e foundation m a r s all, and secretly 
r u m s them f o r ever.* 

3 Formality in religion. Many stick in 
t h e bark, and r e s t in t h e outside of religion 
and in t h e external performances of holy 
duties ;f and t h i s oftentimes doth most ef-
fectually deceive men, and doth more cer-
tainly undo them t h a n open looseness, as 
it was m t h e Pharisee's case.J They hear, 
they f a s t , they pray, they give alms, and 
therefore, will not believe but t h e i r case is 
good;§ whereas resting in t h e work done, 
and coming short of heart-work, and t h e 
inward power and life of religion,' they fall 
at last into t h e burning, f r o m t h e flatter-
ing hopes and confident persuasions of 
t h e i r being in t h e ready way to heaven.II 
O dreadful case, when a man's religion 
shall serve only to harden him, and effect-
ually to delude and deceive his own soul' 

4. The prevalence of false ends in holy 
auties.Tf This was t h e bane of t h e Phari-
sees. 0 how many poor souls are undone 
by this, and drop into hell before they dis-
cern t h e i r m i s t a k e ! They perform good 
duties, and so think all is well; but per-
ceive not t h a t they a r e actuated by carnal 
motives all t h e while. I t is too true, t h a t 
even with t h e truly sanctified many carnal 
ends will frequently creep in; but they are 
t h e m a t t e r of his hatred and humiliation,, 
and never come to be habitually prevalent 

I ¡ P S X i v - P M a t t - x v i i i i - 2 1- t Matt, xxiii. 25. 
f ^ a t t . xxiii. 31. § L u k e x v i i i . M 
II Matt. vii. 22, 23. J Matt, xxiii. 25. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

with him, and h e a r t h e g r e a t e s t sway;* 
but now, when t h e main t h i n g t h a t doth 
ordinarily carry a m a n out to religious du-
ties shall be really some carnal end, as to 
s a t i s f y his conscience, to get t h è repute of 
being religious, to be seen of men, to show 
his own g i f t s and parts, to avoid t h e re-
proach of being a profane and irreligious 
person, or t h e like; t h i s discovers an un-
sound heart.f 0 professor ! if you would 
avoid self-deceit, see t h a t you mind not on-
ly your acts, but withal, yea, above all, 
your ends. 

5. Trusting in t h e i r own righteousness.Î 
This is a .soul-undoing mischief.§ When 
men do t r u s t in t h e i r own righteousness, 
they do indeed r e j e c t Christ's. Beloved, 
you had need be watchful on every hand ; 
f o r not only your sins, but your duties may 
undo you. I t may be you never t h o u g h t of 
t h i s ; but so i t is, t h a t man may as certain-
ly miscarry by his seeming righteousness 
and supposed graces, as by gross sins ; and 
t h a t is, when a man doth t r u s t in these as 
his righteousness before God, f o r t h e satis-
f y i n g his justice, appeasing his w r a t h , pro-
curing his favour, and obtaining of his 
own pardon; f o r t h i s is to put Christ out 
of office, and m a k e a saviour of our own 
duties and graces. Beware of this, 0 pro-
f e s s o r s ! you are much in duties, but t h i s 
one fly will spoil all t h é ointment. When 

* Rom. xiv. 7. t Hos. x. 1. Zech. vii. 5, 6. 
Î Luke xviii. 9. § Rom- x. 3, 



92 T H E MARKS OF 

you have done most and best, be sure to go 
out of yourselves to Christ, reckon your 
own righteousness b u t rags.* 

6. A secret enmity against t h e strictness 
of religion.' Many moral persons, punctual 
in t h e i r formal devotions, have a bitter en-
mity against preciseness, and h a t e t h e life 
and power of religion.f They like not t h i s 
forwardness, nor t h a t m e n should keep 
such a stir in religion; they condemn t h e 
strictness of religion as singularity, indis-
cretion, and intemperate zeal; and with 
t h e m a lively preacher, or a lively Chris-
tian, is but a heady fellow. These men love 
not holiness as holiness (for t h e n t h e y 
would love t h e height of holiness) and 
therefore, are undoubtedly rotten a t h e a r t , 
whatever good opinion they have of them-
selves. 

7. The resting in a certain pitch of reli-
gion. When they have so much as will save 
them, as they suppose, they look no f a r -
t h e r and so show themselves short of t r u e 
grace, which will ever p u t men upon aspir-
ing to f a r t h e r perfecting.J . 

8. The predominant love of t h e world. 
This is t h e sure evidence of an unsancti-
fied h e a r t . § . , , ^ 

But how close doth t h i s sm lurk oftenr 
times under t h e f a i r covert of outward pro-
fession !|| Yea, such power of deceit is t h e r e 
in t h i s sin, t h a t many times when every-

* Psa. cxliii. 2. Phil. iii. 9. Isa. lxiv. 6. Neh. xiii. 22. 
t Phil. iii. 6. Acts ix. 1. t Phil. iii. 13. 
| Mark x. 22. 1 John ii. 15. II Luke viii. 14. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

body else can see t h e man's worldliness 
and covetousness, he cannot see it himself , 
but h a t h so many colours and excuses, and 
pretences f o r his eagerness on t h e world, 
t h a t he doth blind his own eyes, and perish 
in his self-deceit. How many professors 
are there, with whom t h e world h a t h more 
of t h e i r h e a r t s and affections t h a n Christ, 
who mind earthly things, and thereby are 
evidently a f t e r t h e flesh, and likely to end 
in destruction!* Yet ask these men, and 
they will telL you confidently, t h e y prize 
Christ above all; God forbid else! and see 
not t h e i r own earthly-mindedness, f o r want 
of a narrow observation of t h e workings 
of t h e i r own hearts. Did t h e y but careful-
ly search, t h e y would find t h a t t h e i r great-
est content is in t h e world,f and t h e great-
est care and main endeavour is to get and 
secure t h e world, which are t h e certain 
discoveries of an unconverted sinner. May 
t h e professing p a r t of t h e world t a k e earn-
est heed t h a t t h e y perish not by t h e hand 
of t h i s sin unobserved. Men may be, and 
often are, kept off f r o m Christ as effectual-
ly by t h e inordinate love of lawful com-
f o r t s , as by t h e most unlawful c o u r s e s . ! - . 

9. Reigning malice and envy against 
those t h a t disrespect them, and are i n j u r -
ious t o them.§ 0 how do many, t h a t seem 
to be religious remember injuries and car-
ry grudges, and will r e t u r n men as good as 

* Rom. viii. 5. Phil. iii. 19. t Luke xii. 19. 
t Matt. xxi. 5. Luke xiv. 18, 24. § 1 John ii. 9, 11. 



94 THE MARKS OF 
t h e y bring, rendering evil f o r evil, loving 
to t a k e revenge, wishing evil to t h e m t h a t 
wrong them, directly against t h e rule of 
t h e gospel, t h e p a t t e r n of Christ, and t h e 
n a t u r e of God I* Doubtless where t h i s evil 
is kept boiling in t h e h e a r t and is not h a t -
ed, resisted, mortified, b u t doth habitually 
prevail, t h a t person is in t h e very gall of 
bitterness, and in a state of death.f 

Reader, doth nothing of t h i s touch t h e e ? 
A r t thou in none of t h e forementioned 
r a n k s ! 0 search and search again; t a k e 
t h y h e a r t solemnly to task. Woe unto thee, 
if a f t e r all t h y profession thou shouldst 
be found under t h e power of ignorance, 
lost in formality, drowned in earthly-
mindedness, envenomed with malice, exalt-
ed in an opinion of thine own righteous-
ness, leavened with hypocrisy and carnal 
ends in God's service, imbittered against 
strictness; t h i s would be a sad discovery 
t h a t all t h y religion were in vain. But I 
m u s t proceed. 

10. Unmortified pride. When men love 
t h e praise of men more t h a n t h e praise of 
God, and set t h e i r h e a r t s upon men's es-
teem, applause, and approbation, it is most 
certain they are yet in t h e i r sins, and 
s t r a n g e r s to t r u e conversion.$ When men 
see not nor complain, nor groan under t h e 
pride of t h e i r own h e a r t s , it is a sign they 
a r e quite dead in sin. O, how secretly doth 

• R o m . xii. 14, 17. 1 Pet. ii. 21, 23. Neh. ix. 17. 
t Matt, xviii. 34, 35. 1 John iii. 14, 15. 
j John xii. 4?.' GfLl. i. J9T 



THE UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

t h i s sin live and reign in many h e a r t s , and 
they know it not, but a r e very s t r a n g e r s 
to themselves !* 

11. The prevailing love of pleasure.! 
This is a black mark. When men give t h e 
flesh t h e liberty t h a t it craves, and pamper 
and please it, and do riot deny and restrain 
it, when t h e i r g r e a t delight is in gratify-
ing t h e i r bellies, and pleasing t h e i r sens-
e s ; whatever appearances they may have 
of religion, all is unsound.J A flesh-pleas-
ing life cannot be pleasing to. God. They 
t h a t a r e Christs'- have crucified t h e flesh, 
and a r e careful to cross it, and keep it 
under as t h e i r enemy.§ 

12. Carnal security, or a presumptuous 
ungrounded confidence t h a t t h e i r condi-
tion is already good.|| Many cry, peace and 
safety, when sudden destruction is coming 
upon t h e m ;ïf. t h i s was t h a t which kept t h e 
foolish virgins sleeping, when they should 
have been working; upon t h e i r beds, when 
they should have been a t t h e markets.** 
They perceived not t h e i r want of oil till 
t h e bridegroom was come; and while they 
went to buy, t h é door was shut, and,J 0 
t h a t these foolish virgins had no success-
ors ! Where is t h e place, yea, where is t h e 
house almost, where these do not dwell? 
Men a r e willing to cherish in themselves, 
upon ever so slight grounds, a hope t h a t 

* John xi. 40. t 2 Tim. iii. 4. 
t Rom. xvi. 18. Titus iii. 3. 
§ Gal. v. 24. 1 Cor. ix. 25, 27. II Rev. iii. 17. 
J 1 Thess. v. 3. ** Matt. xxv. 5, 10. Prov. x. 5. 



96 T H E MARKS OF 

t h e i r condition is good, and so look out af-
t e r a change, and by t h i s means perish m 
t h e i r sins. Are you a t peace? Show me 
upon w h a t grounds your peace is main-
tained. I s it Scripture peace? Can you 
show t h e distinguishing m a r k s of a sound 
believer? Can you evidence t h a t you have 
something more t h a n any hypocrite m t h e 
world ever h a d ? If not, f e a r t h i s peace 
more t h a n any trouble; and know, t h a t a 
carnal peace doth commonly prove t h e 
most mortal enemy of t h e poor soul; and 
whilst it smiles, and kisses, and speaks it 
f a i r , doth fatally smite it, as it were, un-
der t h e fifth rib. 

By t h i s time, methinks, I h e a r my read-
ers crying out with t h e disciples, Who 
t h e n shall be saved? Set out f r o m among 
our congregations all those ten r a n k s of 
profane on t h e one hand, and then besides 
take out all t h e twelve sorts of close and 
self-deceiving hypocrites on t h e o t h e r 
hand, and tell me t h e n whether it be not 
a remnant t h a t shall be saved. How few 
will be t h e sheep t h a t shall be l e f t when 
all these shall be separated and set among 
t h e goats? F o r my part, of all my numer-
ous hearers, I have no hope to see any oi 
t h e m in heaven, t h a t are to be found 
among these two and twenty sorts t h a t 
a r e here mentioned, except by sound con-
version they are brought into another con-
dition. §1 

Application. And now, conscience, do t h y 



THE UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

office; speak out, and speak home to h i m 
t h a t h e a r e t h or readeth t h e s e lines. It 
thou find any of these m a r k s upon him, 

' thou m u s t pronounce him utterly unclean. 
Take not up a lie into t h y mouth, speak 
not peace to him to whom God speaks no 
peace Let not lust bribe thee, or self-love 
or carnal prejudice blind thee. I subpoena 
t h e e f r o m t h e court of Heaven to come and 
give in evidence. I require thee m t h e 
name of God to go with me t o t h e search 
of t h e suspected house. As thou wilt an-
swer it at t h y peril, give in a t r u e report 
of t h e s t a t e and case of him t h a t readeth 
t h i s book. Conscience, wilt thou altogether 
hold t h y peace a t such a time as t h i s ? 1 
a d j u r e t h e e by t h e living God t h a t thou 
tell us t h e t r u t h . f Is t h e m a n converted, 
or is he not? Doth he allow himself m any 
way of sin, or doth he n o t ? Doth he truly 
love, and please, and prize, and delight in 
God above all other things, or n o t ? Come, 
put it to an issue. 

How long shall t h i s soul live a t uncer-
tainties? 0 conscience, bring in thy: ver-
dict. Is t h i s man a new man, or is he n o t ? 
How dost thou find i t ? H a t h t h e r e passed 
a thorough and mighty change upon him. 
or n o t ? When was t h e time, where was t h e 
place, or w h a t were t h e means by which 
t h i s thorough change in t h e new b i r t h was 
wrought in his soul? Speak, conscience; 
or if thou canst not tell time and place, 

* Lev. xiii. 44. t Matt. xxvi. 63. 



98 THE MARKS OF 

canst thou show Scripture evidence t h a t 
t h e work is done ? H a t h t h e man been ever 
taken off f r o m his false bottom, f r o m the 
false hopes, and false peace wherein once 
he t r u s t e d ? H a t h he been deeply con-
vinced of sin, and of his lost and undone 
condition and brought out of himself, and 
off f r o m his sins, to give up himself entire-
ly to Jesus C h r i s t ? Or, dost thou not find 
him to t h i s day under t h e power of ignor-
ance, or in t h e mire of profaneness ? H a s t 
thou not found upon him t h e gains of un-
righteousness ? Dost thou not find him a 
s t r a n g e r to prayer, a neglecter of t h e 
word, a lover of t h i s present world? Dost 
thou not often catch him in a lie? Dost 
thou not find his h e a r t fermented with 
malice, or burning with lust, or going a f t 
er his covetousness ? Speak plainly to all 
t h e forementioned particulars. Canst thou 
acquit t h i s man, t h i s woman, f r o m being 
any of t h e two and twenty sorts here de-
scribed ? If he be found with any of them, 
set him aside, his portion is not with t h e 
saints; he m u s t be converted, and made a 
new creature, or else he cannot enter into 
t h e kingdom of God. 

Beloved, be not your own betrayers, do 
not deceive your own hearts, nor set your 
hands to your own ruin, by a wilful blind-
ing of yourselves. Set up a tribunal in 
you own breasts, bring t h e word of con-
science together. To t h e law and t o t h e 
testimony;* h e a r what t h e word concludes 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 
of your estates. 0 follow t h e search till 
you have found how t h e case s t a n d s ; mis-
take here and perish. And such is t h e 
treachery of t h e h e a r t , t h e subtilty of the 
tempter, and t h e deceitfulness of sin;* all 
conspire to flatter and deceive t h e poor 
soul, and withal, so common and easy it is 
to be mistaken, t h a t it is a thousand to 
one b u t you will be deceived, unless you be 
very careful, and thorough, and impartial 
in t h e inquiry into your spiritual condi-
tion. 0 , therefore, ply your work, go to 
the bottom, search with candles, weigh 
you in t h e balance, come to t h e standard 
of t h e sanctuary, bring your coin to t h e 
touchstone. You have t h e archest cheats 
in the world to deal with, a world of coun-
t e r f e i t coin is going; happy is he t h a t 
takes no counters f o r gold. Satan is mas-
ter of deceit; he can draw to t h e life, he 
is perfect in t h e trade, t h e r e is nothing 
but he can imitate. 

You cannot wish f o r any grace, but he 
can fit you to an hair with counterfeit. 
Trade warily, look on every piece you take, 
be jealous, t r u s t not so much as your own 
hearts. Run to God to search you and t r y 
you; to examine you, and prove your 
reins.f If other helps suffice not to bring 
all to an issue, but you a r e still a t a loss, 
opeh your cases f a i t h f u l l y to some godly 

* Jeft xvii. 9. 2 Cor. xi. 3. Heb. in. 13. 
t P s a . xxvi. 2. cxxxix. 23, 24. 
§ 2 Pet. i. 10. 

* yiii. ?0. 



102 ' T H E MISERIES OP 

and f a i t h f u l m i n i s t e r ; J rest not till you 
have put t h e business of your eternal wel-
f a r e out of question. § 0 searcher of hearts, 
put thou this soul upon, and help him in 
t h e search! 

CHAPTER V. 
SHOWING T H E MISERIES OP T H E 

UNCONVERTED 
So unspeakably dreadful is t h e case of 

every unconverted soul, t h a t I have some-
times t h o u g h t , if I could but convince men 
t h a t they a r e yet unregenerate, t h e work 
were upon the m a t t e r done. 

But I sadly experience, t h a t such a spir-
it of sloth and slumber,* possesseth t h e 
unsanctified, t h a t though they be con-
vinced t h a t they are yet unconverted, yet 
they oftentimes carelessly sit still; and 
what t h r o u g h t h e avocation of sensual 
pleasures, or h u r r y of worldly business, or 
noise and clamour of earthly cares, and 
lusts, and affections,f t h e voice of con-
science is drowned, and men go no f u r t h e r 
t h a n some cold wishes, and general pur-
poses of repenting and amending. J 

I t is, therefore, of high necessity t h a t I 
do not only convince men t h a t they are-un-
converted, but t h a t I also endeavour to 
bring t h e m to a sense o f t h e f e a r f u l mis-
ery of t h i s state. 

But here I find myself aground a t first 
putting f o r t h . W h a t tongue can tell t h e 

• R o m . xi. 8. Matt. xiii. 15. t Luke viii. 14. 
JMal. ii. 7. § 2 Pet. i. 10. % Acts xxiv. 25. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 
heirs of hell sufficiently of t h e i r misery 

I unless it were t h e rich man's in t h a t 
I flame?* Where is t h e ready writer whose 
I pen can decypher t h e i r misery t h a t are 
I without God in t h e w o r l d ? ! This cannot 
I fully be done, unless we know t h e infinite 
I ocean of t h a t bliss and perfection which is 
I in t h a t God, which a state of sin doth ex-
I elude men f r o m . Who knoweth (saith 
I Moses) t h e power of thine anger I t And 
I how shall I tell men t h a t which I do not 
I know? Yet so much we know, as one 
I would think would shake t h e Jieart of t h a t 
I man t h a t had t h e least degree of spiritual 
I life and sense. . 

But t h i s is yet t h e more posing diffi-
I culty, t h a t I am to speak to t h e m t h a t a r e 
I without sense. Alas I t h i s is not t h e least 
I part of man's misery upon him, t h a t he is 

dead, s t a r k dead in trespasses and sins.§ 
Could I bring paradise into view, or rep-

resent t h e kingdom of heaven to as much 
advantage as t h e t e m p t e r did t h e king-
doms of t h e world, and all t h e glory there-
of, to our Saviour; or could I uncover t h e 
face of t h e deep and devouring gulf of 
Tophet, in all its terrors, and open t h e 
gates of t h e infernal furnace, alas! he 
h a t h no eyes to see it. Could I point out 
the beauties of holiness or glory of t h e 
gospel, to t h e life; or could I bring above 
board t h e more t h a n diabolical deformity 
and ugliness of sin, he can no more judge 

• L u k e x v i . 24. t Eph. ii. 12. t P s a . , x c . 11. 
§ Eph. ii. 1. II Matt. xiii. 14, 15. 



102 ' T H E MISERIES OP 

of t h e loveliness and beauty of t h e one, and 
t h e filthiness and hatefulness of t h e other, 
t h a n a blind man of colours. He is alienated 
f r o m t h e life of God t h r o u g h t h e ignorance 
t h a t is in him, because of t h e blindness 
of his h e a r t ; * he neither doth nor can 
know t h e things of God, because t h e y are 
spiritually d i s c e r n e d ; ! his eyes cannot be 
savingly opened but by converting grace;% 
he is a child of darkness, and walks in 
darkness ;§ yea, t h e light in him is dark-
ness. ||. 

Shall I ring his knell, or read his sen-
tence, or sound in his ear t h e terrible 
t r u m p of God's judgments, t h a t one would 
think should make both his ears to tingle, 
and strike him into Belshazzar's fit, even 
to pale his countenance, and loosen his 
joints, and make his knees smite one 
against a n o t h e r ? Yet, alas! he-perceives 
me not, he h a t h no ears to hear. Or shall 
I call up t h e daughters of music, and sing 
t h e song of Moses and of t h e Lamb? Yet 
he will not be stirred. Shall I allure him 
with t h e joyful sound, and lovely song, and 
glad tidings of t h e gospel;.with t h e most 
sweet and inviting calls, comforts, and cor-
dials of t h e divine promises, so exceeding 
g r e a t and precious ? I t will not affect him 
savingly, unless I could find him ears.fi as 
well as tell him t h e news. 

Which way shall I come a t t h e miserable 
* Eph. iv. 18. f l Cor. ii. 14. | Acts xxvi. 18. 
§ 1 John 1, 6. || Matt. vi. 23. 1! Matt. xiii. 15. 



M l E UNCONVERTED 103 

objects t h a t I have to deal w i t h ? Who 
shall make t h e h e a r t of stone "to relent,* 
or t h e lifeless carcase to feel and move ? 
T h a t God alone who is able of stones to 
raise up children unto A b r a h a m ;f t h a t rais-
eth t h e dead,$ and melteth t h e mountains,§ 
and strikes water out of t h e flints ;|l t h a t 
loves to work like himself, beyond t h e 
hope and belief of m a n ; t h a t peopleth his 
church with dry bones, and planteth his 
orchard with dry sticks; he is able to do 
this. Therefore, I bow my knee to t h e 
most high God,11 and as our Saviour pray-
ed at t h e sepulchre of Lazarus,** and t h e 
Shunammite r a n to t h e man of God f o r 
h e r dead child ; f f so doth your mourning 
minister kneel about your graves, and car-
ry you in t h e a r m s of prayer to t h a t God 
in whom your help is found. 

0 thou all-powerful Jehovah, t h a t work-
est and none can hinder t h e e ; t h a t h a s t 
the keys of death and hell, pity thou t h e 
poor souls t h a t lie here entombed, and roll 
away t h e gravestone, and say, as t o Laz-
arus, Come f o r t h ; lighten thou t h i s dark-
ness, 0 Inaccessible Light, and let the day-
spring f r o m on high visit t h e dark regions 
of t h e dead, to whom I speak, f o r thou 
canst open t h e eyes t h a t death itself h a t h 
closed. Thou t h a t formedst the ear, canst 
restore t h e hearing. Say thou to these 

* Zech. vii. 11, 12. f Matt. iii. 9. t 2 COP. i. 9. 
§ Neh. i. 5. || Deut. viii. 15. fl Eph. iii. 14. 
** John xi. 38, 41. f t 2 Kings iv. 25. 



104 'THE MISERIES OP 
ears, E p h p h a t h a , and t h e y shall be opened. 
Give thou eyes to see thine excellencies, a 
t a s t e t h a t may relish t h y sweetness, a 
scent t h a t may savour t h y ointments, a 
feeling t h a t may discern t h e privilege of 
t h y favour, t h e burden of t h y w r a t h , t h e 
intolerable weight of unpardoned sin; and 
give t h y servants order to prophesy to t h e 
dry bones; and let t h e effects of t h i s 
prophecy be as those of t h y prophet, when 
he prophesied t h e valley of dry bones into 
a living army, exceeding great.* 

But I m u s t proceed, a s I am able, to un-
fold t h a t m y s t e r y which, I confess, no 
tongue can fully unfold, no h e a r t can t h o r -
oughly comprehend. Know, therefore, t h a t 
while thou a r t unconverted, 

1st. The infinite God is engaged against 
thee. I t is no small p a r t of t h y misery t h a t 
thou a r t without God.f How doth Micah 
r u n crying a f t e r t h e Danites, Ye have t a k -
en away my gods, and what have I more ? t 
O w h a t a mourning t h e n m u s t thou l i f t up 
t h a t a r t without God, t h a t canst lay no 
claim to him without daring usurpation! 
Thou mayest say of God as Sheba of Dav-
id, We have no p a r t in David, neither have 
we inheritance in t h e son of Jesse. § How 
painful and piercing, a moan is t h a t of 
Saul in his e x t r e m i t y ! The Philistines a r e 
upon me, and God is departed f r o m me!|| 
But what will ye do, 0 sinners, in your day 

* Ezejk. xxxvii. 1, &c. t Eph. ii. 12. 
t Judges xviii. 23, 24. § 2 Sam. xx. 1. 
|| 1 Sam. xxviii. 15. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

I of visitation! W h i t h e r will ye flee f o r help? 
I where will you leave your glory?* W h a t 
I will ye do when t h e Philistines are upon 
I you; when t h e world shall t a k e i t s eternal 

leave of you; when you m u s t bid your 
friends, houses, and lands farewell f o r 
evermore? W h a t will ye do then, I say, 

I t h a t have no God to go t o ? Will you call 
I on h i m ? Will you cry to him f o r help? 
I Alas! he will not own you;f he will not 
I take any notice of you, b u t send you away 
I with, I never knew you.J They t h a t know 
I what it is to have a God t o go to, a God to 
I live upon, they know a little w h a t a f e a r -
I ful misery it is to be without God. This 
I made t h a t holy m a n cry out, Let me have 
I a God, or nothing. Let me know him and 
I his will, and w h a t will please him, and how 
I I may come to enjoy h i m ; or would I had 
I never had an understanding to know any 
I thing, &c. 

B u t . t h o u a r t jiot only without God, but 
God is against tfree.§ 0 ! if God would b u t 
stand neuter, t h o u g h he did not own or 
help t h e poor sinner, his case were not so 

I deeply miserable, though God should give 
up t h e poor creature to t h e will of his ene-

I mies, to do t h e i r worst with h i m ; though 
he should deliver him over to t h e torment-
ors ;|| t h a t devils should t e a r and t o r t u r e 
him to t h e i r utmost power and skill, yet 
this were not half so f e a r f u l . But God 

* Isa. x. 3. t Prov. i. 28, 29. t Matt. vii. 23. 
§ Ezek. v. 8, 9. N a h u m ii. 13. ¡fl Matt. xviii. 34. 



106 ' T H E MISERIES OP 
will set himself against t h e sinner; and, 
believe it, it is a f e a r f u l t h i n g to fall into 
t h e hands of t h e living God;* t h e r e is no 
friend like him, no enemy like him. As 
much as heaven is above t h e earth—om-
nipotence above impotence—infinity above 
nullity—so much more horrible is it to fall 
into t h e hands of t h e living God, t h a n into 
t h e paws of bears or lions, yea f u r i e s or 
devils. God himself will be t h y t o r m e n t o r ; 
t h y destruction shall come f r o m t h e pres-
ence of t h e Lord.f Tophet is deep and 
large, and t h e w r a t h of t h e Lord, like a 
river of brimstone, doth kindle it.J If God 
be against thee who shall be for thee ? If 
one man sin against another, t h e judge 
shall judge h i m ; but if a man sin against 
t h e Lord, who shall i n t r e a t f o r him?§ 
Thou, even thou a r t to be f e a r e d ; and who 
shall stand in t h y sight when once thou 
a r t angry TH'Who is t h a t god t h a t shall de-
liver you out of his hands f | Can Mam-
mon? Riches profit not in t h e day of 
w r a t h ? * * Can kings or w a r r i o r s ? No. 
They shall cry to t h e mountains and rocks 
to fall on them, and hide them f r o m t h e 
face of him t h a t sitteth on t h e throne, and 
f r o m t h e w r a t h of t h e Lamb, f o r t h e g r e a t 
day of his w r a t h is come, and who shall be. 
able to stand ? f t 

Sinner! Methinks t h i s should go like a 
dagger to t h y heart, to know t h a t God is 

* Heb. x. 9. f 2 Thess. i. 9. t l s a . xxx. 33. 
§ 1 Sam. x. 15. - || Psa. lxxvi. 7. || Dan. iii. 15. 
** Proy. xi. 1. f t Rey, yi. 5, 17. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

thine enemy. 0 , whither wilt thou go? 
Where wilt thou shelter thee ? There is no 
hope f o r thee, unless thou lay down t h y 
weapons, and sue out t h y pardon, and get 
Christ to stand t h y friend, and make t h y 
peace. If it were not f o r this, thou «light-
est go into some howling wilderness, and 
t h e r e pine in sorrow, and r u n mad f o r 
anguish of h e a r t and horrible despair. But 
in Christ t h e r e is a possibility of mercy 
for t h e e ; yea, a proffer of mercy to thee, 
t h a t thou mayest have God to be more f o r 
thee, t h a n he is now against t h e e ; b u t if 
thou wilt not forsake t h y sins, nor t u r n 
thoroughly and to some purpose to God, by 
a sound conversion, t h e w r a t h of God abid-
eth on'thee, and he proclaimeth himself to 
be against thee, as in t h e prophet.*- There-
fore, t h u s saith t h e Lord God, Behold, I, 
even I am against thee. 

I. His face is against thee.f The face of 
the Lord is against t h e m t h a t do evil, to 
cut off t h e remembrance of them. Woe 
unto t h e m whom God shall set his . f a c e 
against. When he did but look on t h e host 
of t h e Egyptians, how terrible was ,the 
consequence! I will set my face against 
t h a t man, and will make him a sign and a 
proverb, and will cut him off f r o m t h e 
midst of my people, and you shall know 
t h a t I am t h e Lord.J 

II. His h e a r t is against thee. He h a t e t h 
all t h e workers of iniquity; man, doth not 

* Ezek. v. 8. f P s a . xxxiv. 16. | Ezek. xiv. 8. 



108 ' T H E MISERIES OP 
t h y h e a r t tremble to think of t h y being an 
object of God's hatred ? Though Moses and 
Samuel stood before me, yet my mind 
could not be towards t h i s people; cast 
t h e m out of my sight.* My soul loatheth 
them, and t h e i r souls also abhorred me.f 

III. His hand is against thee.J All his 
a t t r i b u t e s a r e against thee. 

F i r s t , his justice is like a flaming sword 
unsheathed against thee. If I whet my 
glittering sword, and my hand t a k e hold 
on judgment, I will render vengeance to 
mine adversaries, and will reward them 
t h a t h a t e me. I will make mine arrows 
drunk with blood. § 

So exact is justice, t h a t it will by no 
means clear t h e guilty. || God will not dis-
charge thee, he will not hold thee guilt-
less ;tr "but will require t h e whole debt in 
person of t h e e ; unless thou canst make a 
Scripture claim to Christ, and his satisfac-
tion. When t h e enlightened sinner looks 
on justice, and sees t h e balance in which 
he is to be weighed, and t h e sword by 
which he m u s t be executed, he feels an 
earthquake in his breast. But Satan keeps 
t h i s out of sight, and persuades t h e soul, 
while he can, t h a t t h e Lord is all made up 
of mercy, and so lulls it asleep in sin. Di-
vine justice is very strict, it m u s t have 
satisfaction to t h e utmost f a r t h i n g , it de-
n o u n c e d indignation and w r a t h , tribula-

* Jer. XV. 1. t Zech. xi. 8. 
1 1 Sam. xil. 14, 15. § Deut. xxxii. 41, 42. 
II Ex. xxxiv. 7. J Ex. xx. 7. 



T H E UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

tion and anguish, to every soul t h a t doeth 
evil.* I t curseth1 every one t h a t continueth 
not in every t h i n g t h a t is w r i t t e n in t h e 
law, to do i t . j The justice of God to t h e 
unpardoned sinner, t h a t h a t h a sense of 
his misery, is more terrible t h a n t h e sight 
of t h e bailiff or creditor to t h e b a n k r u p t 
debtor, or t h a n t h e sight of t h e judge and 
bench to t h e robber, or of t h e irons and 
gibbet to t h e guilty murderer. When jus-
tice sits upon life and death, 0 w h a t a 
dreadful work doth it make with t h e 
wretched sinner! Bind him hand and foot, 
cast him into u t t e r darkness; t h e r e shall 
be weeping and gnashing of teeth.J De-
p a r t f r o m me, ye cursed, into everlasting 
fire.§ This is t h e terrible sentence t h a t 
justice pronounceth. Why sinner, by t h i s 
severe justice m u s t thou be t r i e d ! And, as 
God liveth, t h i s killing sentence shalt thou 
bear, unless thou repent and be converted. 

Secondly, t h e holiness of God is full of 
antipathy against thee.|| He is not only 
angry with thee, (so he m a y be with his 
own children) but he h a t h a fixed, rooted, 
habitual displeasure against thee. He 
loathes thee,H and what is done by thee, 
though f o r substance commanded by 
him.** God's n a t u r e is infinitely contrary 
to sin, and so he cannot b u t h a t e a sinner 
out of Christ. 

0 , w h a t misery is this, to be out of t h e 
* Rom. ii. 8, 9. f G a l . Iii. 10. t Matt. xxii. 13. 
§ Matt. xxv. 41. || Psa. v. 4, 5. I Zech. xi. 8. 
** Isa. i. 14. Mai. 1. 10. 



110 ' T H E M I S E R I E S OP 

favour, yea, under t h e h a t r e d of God,* 
t h a t God who can as easily lay" aside his 
nature, and cease to be God, as not be con-
t r a r y to thee, and detest thee, except thou 
be changed and renewed by grace. O sin-
n e r ! how darest thou to t h i n k of t h e 
bright and radiant sun of purity, of t h e 
beauties, t h e glory of holiness t h a t is in 
God! The s t a r s a r e not pure in his sight.f 
He humbles himself to behold things t h a t 
a r e done in heaven.J O those light and 
sparkling eyes of h i s ! W h a t do t h e y spy 
in t h e e ? And thou h a s t no interest in 
Christ neither, t h a t he should plead f o r 
thee. Methinks I should h e a r thee crying 
out, astonished, with t h e Bethshemites, 
Who shall stand before t h i s Lord God!§ 

Thirdly, t h e power of God is mounted 
like a m i g h t y cannon against thee. The 
glory of God's power is to be displayed in 
t h e wonderful confusion and destruction 
of them t h a t obey not t h e gospel. || He will 
make his power known in them.fi 1 How 
mightily he can torment t h e m ! F o r t h i s 
end he raised t h e m up t h a t he may make 
his power known.** 0 m a n ! a r t thou able 
to make t h y p a r t good with t h y Maker? 
No more t h a n a silly reed against t h e ced-
a r s of God, or a little cock-boat against 
t h e tumbling ocean, or t h e children's bub-
bles against t h e blustering winds. Sinner 

* Eccles. v. 6. Hos. ix. 15. f Job. xxv. 5 ' 
I Psa. cxiii; 6. § 1 Sam. vi. 20. 
II 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. I R o m . ix. 22. 
** Rom. ix. 17. 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D |PJ? 

the power of God's anger is against t h e e ; * 
and power and anger together make f e a r -
ful work. I t were b e t t e r thou h a d s t all t h e 
world in a r m s against thee, t h a n to have 
the power of God against thee. There is no 
escaping his hands, no breaking his prison. 
The t h u n d e r of his power who can under-
s t a n d ? ! Unhappy m a n t h a t shall under-
stand it by feeling i t ! If he will contend 
with him, he cannot answer him one of a 
thousand. He is wise in h e a r t , and mighty 
in s t r e n g t h ; who h a t h hardened himself 
against him and prospered ! Which remov-
eth t h e mountains, and they know it n o t ; 
which overturneth t h e m in his a n g e r ; 
which shaketh t h e e a r t h out of h e r place, 
and t h e pillars thereof tremble; which 
commandeth t h e sun, and it n s e t h not, 
and sealeth up t h e stars. Behold he tak-
eth away, who can hinder him ? Who will 
say unto him, W h a t doest t h o u ? If God 
will not withdraw his anger, t h e proud 
helpers do stoop under him.J And a r t thou 
a fit match f o r such an antagonist? 0 ! 
consider this, you t h a t f o r g e t God, lest he 
t e a r you in pieces and t h e r e be none to 
deliver you.§ Submit to m e r c y ; let not 
dust and stubble stand out against t h e Al-
m i g h t y ; set not briers and t h o r n s against 
him in battle, Jest he go t h r o u g h them, and 
consume t h e m t o g e t h e r ; b u t lay hold on 
his strength, t h a t you may make peace 
with him. II Woe unto him t h a t striveth 

• Psa. xc. 11. t Job. xxvl. 14. t Job. ix. 5, &c. 
§ Psa. 1. 22. ' || Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. 



1 1 2 T H E M I S E R I E S OP 
with his Maker.ff 

Fourthly, the wisdom of God is set to 
rum thee. He h a t h ordained his arrows 
and prepared instruments of death, and 
made all things ready.* His counsels are 
against thee, to contrive t h y destruction.! 
He laughs to see how thou wilt be taken 
and ensnared in the evil day.J The Lord 
shall laugh at him, for he seeth t h a t his 
day is coming. He sees how thou wilt come 
down mightily in a moment; how thou wilt 
wring t h y hands, t e a r t h y hair, eat t h y 
flesh, and gnash t h y teeth for anguish 
and astonishment of heart, when tfiou 
seest thou a r t fallen remedylessly into the 
pit oi destruction. 

F i f t h l y the t r u t h of God is sworn 
against thee.§ If he be t r u e and f a i t h f u l 
thou must perish if thou go on.|| Unless 
he be false to his word, thou must die, ex-
cept thou repent.1I If we believe not, yet 

^ f a i t , h f u l > he cannot deny him-
self,** t h a t is, he is f a i t h f u l to his threat-

,We11 a-S p r o m i s e s ' a n d will show 
his faithfulness m our confusion, if we be-
heve not. God h a t h told thee, as plain as 
it can be spoken, t h a t if he wash thee not 
thou hast no part in h i m j f t t h a t if thou 

e x V c P t
a ^ e r ¥ fleSh t h 0 U 1 1 1 t h a i except thou be converted thou shalt in no 

l f i e S a
e n x i v r 9 m t 0

 t h e k i n ^ d o m of heaven ;§§ . 
* P s a . vli. 12, 13. t Tpr vT/iii 11 + t>„ 
§ P s a . x c v . 1 1 . I s l S S f f i M S l 
** 2 Tim. ii. 13. " ' 6 XUJ- 3 : W H 
i t Rom. viii. i s 5 S M ^ n Xi"' P -§S Matt. xviii. 3. 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D |PJ? 

and he abideth f a i t h f u l , he cannot deny 
himself. Beloved as t h e immutable f a i t h -
fulness of God in his promise and oath af-
fords believers strong consolation,* so they 
are to unbelievers f o r strong consternation 
and confusion. 0 - sinner, tell me, what 
s h i f t dost thou make to t h i n k of all t h e 
threatenings of God's word, t h a t stand 
upon record against t h e e ? Dost thou be-
lieve they are t r u t h or not? If not, thou 
a r t a wretched infidel, and not a Christian; 
and t h e r e f o r e give over t h e name and 
hopes of a Christian. But if thou dost 
believe them, 0 h e a r t of steel t h a t thou 
hast, t h a t canst walk up and down m 
quiet, when t h e t r u t h and f a i t h f u l n e s s ot 
God is engaged to destroy t h e e ! So t h a t 
if t h e Almighty can do it, thou shalt sure-
ly perish and be damned. Why, m a n ! t h e 
whole book of God doth t e s t i f y against 
thee, while thou remainest unsanctified. I t 
condemns t h e e in every leaf, and is to thee 
like Ezekiel's roll, w r i t t e n within and with-
out with lamentation, and mourning, and 
woe ; t and all t h i s shall surely come upon 
thee, and overtake t h e e j except thou re-
pent. Heaven' and e a r t h shall pass away, 
but one jot or tittle of t h i s word shall nev-
er pass away.§ 

Now put all t h i s together, and tell me 
if t h e case of t h e unconverted be not de-
plorably miserable. As we read of some 
persons t h a t had bound themselves in an 
oath, and in a curse, to kill P a u l ; so thou 

* Heb. vi. 18. t Ezek. ii. 10. 
t Deut. xxviii. 15. i Matt. v. 18. 



114 T H E M I S E R I E S OF 
m u s t know, 0 sinner, to t h y t e r r o r , t h a t 
all t h e a t t r i b u t e s of the infinite God a r e 
bound in an oath to destroy thee.* 0 m a n ' 
w h a t wilt thou do? W h i t h e r wilt thou flee? 
If God's omniscience can find thee, thou 
shalt not escape. If t h e t r u e and f a i t h f u l 
God will save his oath, perish thou must, 
except thou believe and repent. If t h e Al-
m i g h t y h a t h power to torment thee, thou 
shalt be perfectly miserable in soul and 
body to all eternity, unless it be prevented 
by speedy conversion. 

II. The whole creation of God is against 
thee. The whole creation (saith Paul) 
groaneth and travaileth in pain.f But what 
is it t h e creation groaneth under? Why 
t h e f e a r f u l abuse t h a t it is subject to, in 
serving t h e lusts of unsanctified men. And 
what is it t h a t t h e creation groaneth f o r ? 
Why, f o r freedom and liberty f r o m t h i s 
abuse; f o r t h e creature is very unwillingly 
subject to t h i s bondage.! If t h e unreason-
able and inanimate creatures had speech 
and reason, they would cry out under it as 
a bondage unsufferable to be abused by 
t h e ungodly, contrary to their n a t u r e s and 
t h e ends t h a t t h e g r e a t Creator made them 
for. While t h e Lord of hosts is. against 
thee, be cure the host of t h e Lord is 
against thee, and all t h e creatures as it 
w e r e up in arms, till upon a man's con-
version t h e controversy being taken up be-
tween God and him, he makes a covenant 
of peace with t h e creatures f o r him § 

* Heb. iii. 18. t Rom. viii. 22. t Rom. viii. 19-21 
§ Job v. 22—24. Hosea ii. 18—20. 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D |PJ? 

III The roaring lion h a t h his full power 
upon'thee.* Thou a r t f a s t in t h e paw_ol 
t h a t lion t h a t is greedy to devour; m t h e 
snare of t h e devil, led captive by him at 
his will.t This is t h e spirit t h a t worketh 
in t h e children of disobedience ;J his 
drudges t h e y are, and his lusts they do 
He is ruler of t h e darkness of t h i s w o r l d s 
t h a t is, of ignorant sinners t h a t live m 
darkness. You pity t h e poor Indians t h a t 
worship t h e devil f o r t h e i r God, b u t little 
think it is your own case. Why it is t h e 
common misery of all t h e unsanctified, t h a t 
t h e devil is t h e i r God.|| Not t h a t they do 
intend to do him homage and worship; 
they will be ready to defy him, and him 
t h a t should say so of t h e m ; b u t all t h i s 
while they serve him, and come and go a t 
his beck, and live under his government; 
his servants ye are to whom ye yield your-
selves t o obey.H Doubtless t h e liar intends 
not a service to satan, b u t his own advant-
age* yet it is h e t h a t stands in t h e corner 
unobserved, and p u t t e t h t h e things into 
his heart.** Questionless, Judas when he 
sold his m a s t e r f o r money, and t h e Chal-
deans and Sabeans, when they plundered 
Job, intended not to do t h e devil a pleas-
ure b u t to s a t i s f y t h e i r own covetous 
t h i r s t - yet it was he t h a t actuated t h e m 
in t h e i r wickedness,tt Men may be very 

* 1 P e t v 8 t 2 Tim. ii. 26. t Eph. ii. 2. 
§ Eph. vi. 12. 11.2 Cor. iv. 4.. . n Rom. vi. 16. 
** Acts. v. 3. John viii. 44. 
t t John xiii. 27. Job. i. 12, 15, 17. 



116 ' T H E MISERIES OP 
slaves and drudges f o r t h e devil, and nev-
er know i t ; nay, they may please them-
selves in t h e t h o u g h t s of a happy liberty.* 

A r t thou yet in ignorance, and not t u r n -
ed f r o m darkness to light ? Why, thou a r t 
under t h e power of satan.f Dost thou live 
in t h e ordinary and wilful practice of any 
known sin? Know t h a t thou a r t of t h e 
devil.J Dost thou live in strife, or envy, or 
malice? Verily, he is t h y f a t h e r . § 0 dread-
f u l case! However satan may provide his 
slaves with divers pleasures ;|| yet it is but 
to draw t h e m into endless perdition. The 
serpent comes with t h e apple in his mouth, 
0 ! but, with Eve, thou seest not t h e dead- . I 
ly sting in his tail. He t h a t is now t h y 
tempter, will one day be t h y tormentor. 0 , 
t h a t I could but give thee to see how black 
a m a s t e r thou servest, how filthy a drudg-
ery thou dost, how merciless a t y r a n t thou 
gratifiest, all whose pleasure is to set thee 
on work to make t h y perdition and damna-
tion sure, and to heat t h e f u r n a c e hotter 
and hotter, in which thou m u s t burn for 
millions and millions of ages. 

IV. The guilt of all t h y sins lies like a 
mountain upon thee. Poor soul! thou feel-
est it not, but t h i s is t h a t which seals t h y 
misery upon thee. While unconverted none 
of t h y sins a r e blotted out;fl they are all 
upon t h e score against thee. Regeneration 
and remission a r e never separated; t h e un-
sanctified a r e unquestionably unjustified 

* 2 Pet. ii. 19. t Acts. xxvi. 18. t 1 John iii. 8. 
I John viii. 40, 41. || Titus iii. 3. -fl Acts iii. 19. 

* 1 Cor. vi. 11. 1 Pet. i. 2. Heb. ix. 14. 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D 1 1 7 

and unpardoned.* Beloved, it is a f e a r f u l 
thing to be in debt, b u t above all m God s 
debt • f o r t h e r e is no a r r e s t so formidable 
as his no prison so horrible as his. Look 
u p o n an enlightened sinner, who feels t h e 
weight of his own guilt, 0 how f r i g h t f u l 
I r e his looks, how f e a r f u l are his com-
plaints! his comforts are turned into 
wormwood, and his moisture into drought, 
and his sleep is departed f r o m his eyes 

How light soever you may make ol it 
now^ you will one day find t h e guilt of un-
pardoned sin to be a heavy burden I t m 
a millstone; whoever falleth upon it shall 
be broken; b u t upon whomsoever it shall 
fall, it shall grind him to powder.f W h a t 
work did it make with our blessed Sav-
i o u r ' I t pressed t h e very blood out of his 
veins, and broke all his bones; and if it 
did t h i s in t h e green tree, w h a t will it do 

" t h f n k of t h y case in t i m e ! Canst thou 
think of t h a t t h r e a t without trembling, Ye 
shall die in. your s i n s ? ! 1 b e t t e r ¡ w e « g | 
f o r t h e e t o die in a 3 ail, m a ditch m a 
dungeon, t h a n to die in t h y sms. If death 
as it will t a k e away all t h y other comforts, 
would t a k e away t h y sins too, it were some 
mitigation; b u t t h y sms will follow thee 
when t h y f r i e n d s leave thee, and all world-
ly enjoyments shake hands with thee. Thy 
sins will not die with thee,§ as a prisoner s 
other debts will, b u t they will to judgment 

+ Ma tt. x x i . 44. i J ° h n ¡ p 
§ 2 Cor. v . 10. R e v . x x . 12. 



120 ' T H E M I S E R I E S OP 
with thee, t h e r e to be t h y accusers; and 
they will to hell with thee, t h e r e to .be t h y 
tormentors. B e t t e r to have so many 
f r i e n d s and f u r i e s about thee, t h a n t h y 
sms to fall upon thee and f a s t e n on thee 
0 t h e Work t h a t these will make t h e e ! 0 
look over t h y debts in time, how much 
thou a r t in t h e books of every one of God's 
laws; how is every one of God's command-
ments ready to a r r e s t thee, and seize thee 
by t h e t h r o a t , f o r t h e innumerable bonds 
it h a t h upon thee. W h a t wilt thou do then, 
when t h e y shall all t o g e t h e r come in 
against thee ? Hold open t h e eyes of con-
science to consider this, t h a t thou mayest 
despair of thyself, and be driven to Christ 
and fly f o r r e f u g e to lay hold of t h e hope 
t h a t is set before thee.* 

V. T h y raging lusts do miserably en-
slave thee. While unconverted thou a r t a 
very servant of sin, it reigns over thee 
and holds t h e e under its dominion, till 
thou a r t brought within t h e bonds of 
God s covenant, f Now t h e r e is not such 
another t r y a n t as sin. 0 t h e filthy and 
f e a r f u l work t h a t it doth engage its serv-
a n t s i n ! Would it not pierce a man's h e a r t 
to see a company of poor creatures drudg-
ing and toiling, only to heap up faggots to 
burn themselves! Why t h i s is t h e constant 
employment of all sin's drudges. Even 
while they bless themselves in t h e i r un-

* Heb. vi. 18. 
t John viii. 34, 36 Titus iii. 3. Rom. vi 12 14 

Ifi 17 ' 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D |PJ? 

righteous gains, while they sing ¿nd swill 
in pleasures, they are but t r e a s u r i n g up 
w r a t h and vengeance f o r t h e i r eternal 
b u r n i n g ; t h e y are b u t laying m powder 
and bullet, and adding to t h e p i l e o f T o -
phet, and flinging m oil to make t h e flame 
rage t h e fiercer. Who would serve such a 
master, whose work is drudgery, and 
whose wages is d e a t h ? * 

W h a t a woful spectacle was t h e poor 
wretch who was possessed with t h e legion! 
Would it not have grieved t h y h e a r t to 
have seen him among t h e tombs cutting 
and wounding himself ?t This is t h y case, 
such is t h y work, every stroke is a t h r u s t 
a t t h y heart.* Conscience indeed is now 
asleep, b u t when death and judgment shall 
bring t h e e to t h y senses, t h e n wilt thou 
feel t h e raging s m a r t and anguish of every 
wound. 

VI The f u r n a c e of eternal vengeance is 
heated ready f o r thee.§ Hell and destruc-
tion open t h e i r m o u t h s upon thee, they 
gape and groan f o r thee;|| waiting as it 
were with a greedy eye, as thou standest 
on t h e brink, when thou wilt drop m. I t 
t h e w r a t h of man be as t h e roaring of a 
lion,H more heavy t h a n t h e sand;** w h a t 
is t h e w r a t h of t h e infinite God? H t h e 
burning furnace, heated m Nebuchadnez-
zar's fiery rage, when he commanded it to 

* Rom. vi. 23. t Mark v. 5 t 1 Tim. vl. 10 
| i s * XXX. 33. II Isa. v. m « P r o v " x x - 2-
** Prov. Xxvii. 3. 



120 'THE MISERIES OP 
be made yet seven times hotter, was so 
fierce as to burn up even those t h a t drew 
near it to throw t h e . t h r e e children in;* 
how hot is t h a t burning oven of t h e Al-
mighty's f u r y !ft Surely t h i s is seventy 
times seven more fierce. Can t h y h e a r t 
endure, or can t h y hands be strong in t h e 
d a y t h a t I shall deal with thee, saith t h e 
Lord of H o s t s ? ! Canst thou abide ever-
lasting burnings? Canst thou dwell with 
consuming fire?§ 

0 sinner! stop here and consider if thou 
a r t a man, and not a senseless block, con-
sider: bethink thyself where thou stand-
est. Why upon t h e very brink of t h i s 
furnace. As t h e Lord liveth, and as t h y 
soul liveth, t h e r e is but one step between 
thee and it.|| Thou knowest not when thou 
liest down, but thou mayest be in it before 
morning. Thou knowest not when thou 
risest, but thou mayest drop in before 
night. Darest thou make light of t h i s ? 
Wilt thou go on in such a dreadful condi-
tion as if nothing ailed thee ? If thou put-
t e s t it off, and sayest, This doth, not be-
long to m e ; look again over t h e foregoing 
chapter, and tell me the t r u t h ; a r e none of 
these black m a r k s found upon thee ? Do not 
blind thine eyes; do not deceive t h y s e l f ; 
see t h y misery whilst thou mayest prevent 
it. Think what it is to be a vile outcast, 
a damned reprobate, a vessel of w r a t h , 
into which t h e Lord will pour out his tor-

* Dan. iii. 19, 22. t Mai. iv. 1. J Ezek. xxii. 14. 
§ Isa. xxxiii. 14. 1 1 Sam. xx. 3. 'If Rom. ix. 22. 



THE UNCONVERTED |PJ? 

menting f u r y while he h a t h a being.} 
VII. The law discharges all its t h r e a t s 

and curses a t thee.* 0 how dreadfully doth 
it t h u n d e r ! I t spits fire and brimstone in 
t h y f a c e ; i t s words a r e as drawn swords, 
and as t h e s h a r p arrows of t h e m i g h t y ; it 
demands satisfaction to t h e utmost, and 
cries Justice! Justice! I t speaks blood, and 
war, and wounds and death against thee. 
0 t h e execrations, and plagues, and deaths 
t h a t t h i s murdering piece is loaded with !f 
and thou a r t t h e m a r k a t which t h i s , shot 
is levelled O man, away to t h e strong-
hold ;J away f r o m t h y sins; haste to t h e 
sanctuary, t h e city of refuge,§ even t h e 
Lord Jesus C h r i s t ; hide t h e e m him, or 
else thou a r t lost without any hope of re-
covery. 

VIII. The gospel itself bindeth t h e sen-
tence of eternal damnation upon thee.|| If 
thou continuest in thine impenitent and 
unconverted state, know t h a t t h e gospel 
denounceth a much sorer condemnation 
t h a n ever would have been f o r t h e t r a n s -
gression only of t h e fir^t covenant. Is it 
not a dreadful case, to have t h e gospel 
itself t h u n d e r out t h r e a t s of damnation? 
To have t h e Lord roar f r o m mount Sion 
against thee?H Hear t h e t e r r o r of t h e 
Lord. He t h a t believeth not shall be 
damned. Except ye repent ye shall all 
perish.** This is t h e condemnation, t h a t 

* Gal. iii. 10. Rom. vii. , t Deut. xxviii. 15. 
t Zech. ix. 12. § Heb. xiii. 13. i II Mark xvi. 16. 
fl Joel iii. 16. ** Luke xiii. 3. 



122 'THE MISERIES OP 

light is come into t h e world, and men love 
darkness r a t h e r t h a n l i g h t . f f He t h a t be-
lieveth not, t h e w r a t h of God abideth on 
him.* If the word spoken by angels was 
steadfast, and every transgression and dis-
obedience received a j u s t recompense of 
reward, how shall we escape if we neglect 
so g r e a t salvation ?f He t h a t despised 
Moses's law, died without mercy. Of how 
much sorer punishment shall he be t h o u g h t 
worthy, t h a t h a t h trampled under foot t h e 
Son of God 

Application. And is t h i s t r u e indeed ? Is 
t h i s t h y m i s e r y ! Yea, it is as t r u e as God 
is. B e t t e r open thine eyes and see it now, 
while thou mayest remedy it, t h a n blind 
and harden thyself, till, to t h y eternal sor-
row, thou shalt feel what thou wouldst not 
believe. And if it be true, what dost thou 
mean t o loiter and linger in such a case 
as t h i s ? 

H e a r w h a t t h e Lord saith. F e a r ye not 
me ? saith t h e Lord, will ye not tremble a t 
my presence ?§ O sinners, do you make 
light of t h e w r a t h to come?|| I am sure 
t h e r e is a time coming when you will not 
make light of it. Why, t h e very devils do 
believe and tremble.^ W h a t ! a r e you more 
hardened t h a n t h e y ? Will you r u n upon 
t h e edge of t h e rock ? Will you play a t t h e 
hole of t h e asp? Will you put your hand 
upon the.cock-atrice's den?.Will you dance 

t t John iii. 19. 
* John iii. 36. t Heb. ii. 2, 3. t Heb'. x. 28, 29. 
§ Jer. v. 22. || Matt. iii. 7. J James ii. 19. 



T H E U N C O N V E R T E D |PJ? 

upon t h e fire till you a r e b u r n t ? Or dally 
with devouring w r a t h , as if you were in-
different whether you did escape or endure 
i t ? 0 madness of folly! Solomon's madr 
man, t h a t casteth firebrands, arrows, and 
death, and saith, A m I not in j e s t ? * is 
nothing so distracted as t h e wilful sinner ;f 
t h a t goeth on in his unconverted state, 
without sense, as if nothing ailed him. The 
man t h a t r u n s on the cannon's mouth, and 
sports with his blood, or lets out his life 
in a frolic, is sensible, sober, and serious, 
to him t h a t goeth on still in his tres-
p a s s e s ; ! f o r he s t r e t c h e t h out his hand 
against God, and s t r e n g t h e n s himself 
against t h e Almighty: he r u n n e t h upon 
him, even upon his neck, upon t h e thick 
bosses of his buckler.§ Is it wisdom to 
dally with t h e second death, or to venture 
into t h e lake t h a t burneth with fire and 
b r i m s t o n e * as if thou wert but going to 
wash thee, or to swim f o r t h y recreation ? 
W h a t shall I say? I can find out no expres-
sion, no comparison, whereby to set f o r t h 
t h e dreadful distraction of t h a t soul t h a t 
continues to go on in sin. 

Awake, awake,If 0 sinner! arise, and 
t h y flight. There is b u t one door t h a t thou 
mayest flee by, and t h a t is t h e s t r a i t door 
of conversion and t h e new birth. Unless 
thou t u r n unfeignedly f r o m all t h y sins, 
and come to Jesus Christ, and take him 

* Prov. xxvi. 18. t L u k e xv. 17. 4 Psa. lxviii. 21. 
§ Job. xv. 25, 26. || Rev. xxi. 8. fl Eph. v. 14, 

11 



124 T H E MISERIES OF 
f o r t h e Lord t h y righteousness, and walk 
in him in holiness and newness of life; as 
t h e Lord liveth, it is not more certain t h a t 
thou a r t now out of hell, t h a n t h a t thou 
shalt without fail be in it, but a few days 
or nights f r o m hence. 0 set t h y h e a r t to 
think of t h y case. Is not thine everlasting 
misery or welfare t h a t which doth deserve 
a little consideration? Look again over t h e 
miseries of t h e unconverted. If t h e Lord 
h a t h not spoken by me, regard me n o t ; 
b u t if it be t h e very word of God, t h a t all 
his misery lies upon thee, what a case a r t 
thou in? Is it f o r one t h a t h a t h his senses, 
to live in such a condition, and not to 
make all possible expedition f o r preventing 
his u t t e r r u i n ? 0 m a n ! who h a t h be-
witched thee?* t h a t in t h e present life 
thou shouldst be wise enough to forecast 
t h y business, foresee t h y danger, and pre-
vent t h y mischief; b u t in m a t t e r s of ever-
lasting consequence shouldst be slight and 
careless, as if t h e y little concerned thee. 
Why, is it nothing to thee to have all t h e 
a t t r i b u t e s of God engaged against t h e e ? 
Canst thou do well without his f a v o u r ? 
Canst thou escape his hands, or endure his 
vengeance? Dost thou h e a r t h e creation 
groaning under thee, and hell groaning f o r 
thee, and yet think t h y case good enough ? 
A r t thou in t h e paw of t h e lion, under t h e 
power of corruption, in t h e dark noisome 
prison, f e t t e r e d with lusts, working out 
t h y own damnation; and is not t h i s worth 

* Gal. iii. i 



T H E UNCONVERTED 125 
t h e considering? Wilt thou make light of 
all t h e t e r r o r s of t h e law, of all its curses 
and thunderbolts, as if they were b u t t h e 
report of children's pop-guns, or thou wast 
to war with t h e i r paper pellets? Dost thou 
laugh a t hell and destruction, or canst 
thou drink t h e envenomed cup of t h e Al-
m i g h t y ' s f u r y , as it were b u t a common 
potion? _ 

Gird up now t h y loins like a man, t o r 1 
will demand of thee, and answer thou me.* 
A r t thou such a leviathan as t h a t t h e scales 
of t h y pride should keep thee f r o m t h y 
Maker's coming a t t h e e ? Wilt thou esteem 
his arrows as straw, and t h e i n s t r u m e n t s of 
death as rotten wood? A r t thou chief of 
all t h e children of pride, even t h a t thou 
shouldst count his d a r t s as stubble, and 
laugh a t t h e shaking of his spear? A r t 
thou made without f e a r , and contemnest 
his barbed irons ? t A r t thou like t h e horse 
t h a t paweth in t h e valley, and rejoiceth 
in his strength, who goeth out to meet t h e 
armed men? Dost thou mock a t f e a r , and 
are not affrighted, neither t u r n e s t back 
f r o m God's sword, when his quiver r a t t l e t h 
against thee, t h e glistering spear and t h e 
shield ?t Well, if t h e t h r e a t s and calls of 
t h e word will not f r i g h t e n "thee, nor awak-
en thee, I am sure death and judgment 
will. 0 ! w h a t wilt thou do when t h e Lord 
cometh f o r t h against thee, and in his f u r y 
falleth upon thee, and thou shalt feel w h a t 
thou r e a d e s t ? I f , when Daniel's enemies 

* Job. xl. 7. t Job. xli. t Job xxxix. 21—23. 



126 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

were cast into t h e den of lions, both t h e y 
and t h e i r wives and t h e i r children, t h e 
lions had t h e mastery of them, and broke 
t h e i r bones in pieces or ever they came a t 
the bottom of t h e den,* what shall be done 
with thee when thou fallest into t h e hands 
of t h e living God, when he shall gripe thee 
in his iron arms, and grind and crush thee 
into a thousand pieces in his w r a t h ? 

0 do not then contend with God ! Repent 
and be converted so none of t h i s shall come 
upon thee.f Seek ye t h e Lord while he may 
be found, call upon him while he is near. 
Let t h e wicked forsake his way, and t h e 
unrighteous man his t h o u g h t s ; let him re-
t u r n unto t h e Lord, and he will have mer-
cy on him, and to our God, f o r he will 
abundantly pardon. 

CHAPTER VI 
CONTAINING D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION 

Mark x. 17. And there c a m e one and kneeled to him, 
and asked him, Good Master, w h a t shall I do that 
I m a y inherit eternal life? 
Before thou readest these Directions, I 

advise they, yea, I charge thee before God 
and his holy angels, t h a t thou resolve to 
follow t h e m (as f a r as conscience shall be 
convinced of t h e i r agreeableness to God's 
word and t h y s t a t e ) and call in his assist-
ance and blessing, t h a t they may succeed. 
And as I have sought t h e Lord, and con-

* P a n . Yi, 24. f Isaial} lv, 6, 7, 



DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION 12? 

suited his oracles w h a t advice to give thee, 
so m u s t thou entertain it with t h a t awe, 
reverence, and purpose of obedience, t h a t 
t h e word of t h e living God doth require. 

Now then a t t e n d ; set thine h e a r t unto 
all t h a t I shall t e s t i f y unto thee t h i s d a y ; 
f o r i t is not a vain thing, it is your life.* 
This is t h e end of all t h a t h a s been spoken 
hitherto, to bring you to set upon turning, 
and making use of God's means f o r your 
conversion. I would not trouble you nor 
torment you before your time, with t h e 
f o r e t h o u g h t of your eternal misery, but in 
order to your making your escape. Were 
you shut up under your present misery 
without remedy, it were but mercy, as one 
speaks, to let you alone, t h a t you might 
t a k e in t h a t little poor comfort t h a t you 
are capable of in t h i s world; b u t you may 
yet be happy, if you do not wilfully r e f u s e 
t h e means of your recovery. Behold, I hold 
open t h e door to you; arise, t a k e your 
flight; I set t h e way of life before you, 
walk in it, and you shall live, and not die.f 
It grieves me to think you should be your 
own murderers, and throw yourself head-
long, when God and man cries out to you, 
as P e t e r in another case to his master, 0 
spare thyself. 

Hear, then, 0 sinner! and as ever thou 
wouldst be converted and saved, embrace 
t h e following counsel. 

* Deut. xxxii. 46. t Deut. xxx. 19. Jer. vi. 16. 



128 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

Direct. 1. Set it down with thyself as an 
undoubted t r u t h , t h a t it is impossible for 
t h e e ever to get to heaven in t h i s t h y un-
converted state. Can any other b u t Christ 
save t h e e ? and he tells thee he never will 
do it, except thou be regenerated and con-
verted.* Doth he not keep t h e keys of 
heaven? and canst thou get in without his 
leave? As thou must, if ever thou come 
t h i t h e r in t h y natural condition, without a 
sound and thorough renovation. 
• Direct. II. Labour to get a thorough 
sight and lively sense and feeling of t h y 
sins. Till men are weary and heavy laden, 
and pricked at t h e h e a r t , and quite sick of 
sin, they will not come unto Christ, in his 
way, f o r ease and cure; nor to purpose in-
quire, W h a t shall we do?f They m u s t set 
themselves down f o r dead men before they 
will come unto Christ t h a t they may have 
life.J Labour, therefore, to set all t h y sins 
in order before thee, never be a f r a i d to 
look upon them, b u t let t h y spirit make 
diligent search.§ Inquire into thine h e a r t , 
and into t h y life; enter into a thorough ex-
amination of thyself, and all t h y ways;|| 
t h a t thou mayest make a full discovery, 
and call in t h e help of God's Spirit, and a 
sense of thine own inability hereunto f o r 
it is his proper work to convince of sin;* 
spread all before t h e face of t h y conscience 

•Matt, xvili. 3. John iii. 3. 
•t Matt. xi. 28. Acts. ii. 37. Matt. ix. 12. 
j John v. 40. § P s a l m Ixxvii. 6. || P s a l m cxix. 59. 

* John xvi. 8. 



129 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

till t h y h e a r t and eyes be set abroach. 
Leave not striving with God and t h y own 
soul, till it cry out under t h e sense of t h y 
sins, as t h e enlightened jailer, W h a t m u s t 
I do to be saved ?f To t h i s purpose. 

Meditate on t h e numerousness of t h y 
sins. David's h e a r t failed when he t h o u g h t 
of t h i s and considered t h a t he had more 
sins t h a n hairs.J This made him cry out 
upon t h e multitude of God's tender mer-
cies^ The loathsome carcass doth not 
more hatefully swarm with crawling 
worms, t h a n an unsanctified soul with fil-
t h y lusts; they fill t h e head, t h e h e a r t , t h e 
eyes, t h e mouth of him. Look backward; 
where was ever t h e place, what was ever 
the time, in which thou didst not sin? 
Look inward; w h a t p a r t or power canst 
thou find in soul or body, b u t it is poisoned 
with sin? W h a t duty dost thou ever per-
form, into which poison is not shed? 0 , 
how g r e a t is t h e sum of t h y debts, who 
h a s t been all t h y life running behind hand, 
and never didst nor canst pay off one pen-
ny ! Look over t h e sin of t h y nature, -and 
all its cursed brood, t h e sins of t h y life. 
Call to mind t h y omissions, commissions, 
t h e sins of t h y thoughts, words, and ae-r 
tions, t h e sins of t h y youth, and those of 
t h y riper y e a r s : be not like a desperate 
bankrupt, t h a t is a f r a i d to look over his 
books. Read t h e records of conscience 
carefully. These books must be opened 

t Psalm xl. 12. § P s a l m 11. 1. 
t A c t s xvi. 30. 



130 d i r e c t i o n s FOR CONVERSION 

sooner or l a t e r * 
Meditate on t h e aggravations ot t h y 

sins, as they are t h e grand enemies of t h e 
God of t h y life, and of t h e life of t h y soul; 
in a word, they are t h e public enemies of 
all mankind. How do David, Ezra, Daniel, 
and t h e good Levites, a g g r a v a t e t h e i r sins, 
f r o m t h e consideration of t h e i r mjurious-
ness to God, t h e i r opposition to his good 
and righteous laws, t h e mercies, t h e warn-
ings t h e y were committed against ? t O t h e 
work t h a t sin h a t h made in t h e world! 
This is t h e enemy t h a t h a t h b r o u g h t m 
death, and h a t h robbed and enslaved man, 
t h a t h a t h backed t h e devil, t h a t h a t h dig-
ged hell.$ This is t h e enemy t h a t h a t h 
turned t h e world upside down, and soweth 
dissension between m a n and t h e c r e a t u r e s ; 
between man and m a n ; yea, between man 
and himself, setting t h e sensitive p a r t 
against t h e rational, t h e will against t h e 
judgment, lust against conscience; yea, 
worst of all, between God and m a n ; mak-
ing t h e lapsed sinner both h a t e f u l to God, 
and t h e h a t e r of him.§ 0 man Miow canst 
thou make so light of sin? This is t h e 
t r a i t o r t h a t shed t h e blood of t h e Son of 
God; t h a t sold him, t h a t mocked him, t h a t 
scourged him, t h a t spit in his face, t h a t 
nailed his h a n d s ; t h a t pierced his side, 
t h a t pressed his soul, t h a t mangled his 
bodv t h a t never l e f t him till he had bound 

* Rev. xx. 12 t Neh. ix. Dan. ix. Ezra ix. 
t Roni. v. 12. 2 Peter ii. 4. John viii. 34. 
| Zech. xi. 8. 



131 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

him, condemned him, nailed him, crucified 
him, and put him to an open shame.* This 
is t h a t deadly poison, so powerful of opera-

I tion, as t h a t one drop of it shed on t h e root 
of mankind, h a t h corrupted, spoiled, poi-I s o n e d , and undone his whole race at once.f 
This is t h e common butcher, t h e bloody 
executioner, t h a t h a t h killed t h e prophets, 
burnt t h e m a r t y r s , murdered all t h e apos-
tles, all t h e patriarchs, all t h e kings and 
potentates; t h a t h a s destroyed cities, swal-
lowed empires, butchered and devoured 
whole nations. Whatever was t h e weapon 
it was done by, sin was it t h a t did t h e ex-
ecution.! Dost thou yet think it but a 
small t h i n g ? If Adam and all his children 
could be dug out of t h e i r graves, and t h e i r 
bodies piled up to heaven, and an inquest 
were made, w h a t matchless m u r d e r e r was 
guilty of all t h i s blood, it would be all 
found in t h e skirts of sin. Study t h e na-
t u r e of sin till t h y h e a r t inclines to f e a r 
and loathe i t ; and meditate on t h e aggra-
vations of t h y particular sins, how thou 
h a s t sinned against all God's warnings, 
against t h y own prayers, against mercies, 
against correction, against t h e clearest 
light, against t h e f r e e s t love, against thine 
own resolutions, against promises, vows, 
covenants of b e t t e r obedience, &c. Charge 
t h y h e a r t home with these things, till it 
blush f o r shame, and be brought out of all 
good opinion of itself. § 

* Isa. liii. 4—6 t Rom. v. 18, 19.- -
% Rom. vi. 23. I Ezra, ix, 6, 



132 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-
Meditate on t h e desert of sin. I t crieth 

up to heaven; it calls f o r vengeance.* I t s 
due wages is death and damnation; it pulls 
t h e curse of God upon t h e soul and body.f 
The least sinful word or t h o u g h t lays thee 
under t h e infinite w r a t h of God Almighty. J 
0 what a load of wrath, what a weight of 
curses; w h a t a t r e a s u r e of vengeance have 
all the millions of t h y sins then deserved !§ 
0 judge thyself t h a t t h e Lord may not 
judge thee.|| 

Meditate upon t h e deformity and defile-
ment of sin. I t is as black as hell, t h e very 
image and likeness of t h e devil drawn upon 
t h e soul.lj I t would more a f f r i g h t thee to 
see thyself in t h e h a t e f u l deformity of t h y 
nature, t h a n to see the devil. There is no 
mire so unclean, no vomit so loathsome, no 
carcase or carrion so offensive, no plague 
or leprosy so noisome as sin, in which thou 
a r t rolled, and covered with its odious filth, 
whereby thou a r t rendered more displeas-
ing to t h e pure and holy n a t u r e of t h e 
glorious God t h a n t h e most filthy object, 
composed of whatever is h a t e f u l to all t h y 
senses, can be to thee.** Couldest thou 
take up a toad into t h y bosom? Couldest 
thou cherish it, and t a k e delight in i t ? 
Why, thou a r t as contrary to t h e pure and 
perfect holiness of t h e divine n a t u t e , anil 
as loathsome as t h a t is to thee;* till thou 
a r t purified by t h e blood of Jesus, and t h e 
power of renewing grace. 

* Gen. xviii. 21. f Gal. u p 10. Deut, xxviii. 
t Rom. ii. 8, 9. Matt. xii. 36. t i Matt, x x l i. 33, 

¿5 ROTO. ii. 5 . John iii. 3 6 . || 1 Cor. xi. 31. 



133 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-

Above all other sins, fix t h e eye of t h y 
I consideration on these two. 1. The sin of 
I thy nature. I t is to little purpose to lop t h e 

branches, while t h e root of original corrup-
tion remains untouched. In vain do men 
lave out t h e streams, when t h e fountain is 
running t h a t fills up all again. Let t h e acts 
of t h y repentance (with David's) go to t h e 
root of sin.f The h e a r t is never soundly 
broken, till thoroughly -convinced of t h e 
heinousness of original sin. Here fix t h y 
t h o u g h t s ; t h i s is t h a t which makes t h e e 
backward to all good; prone to all evil;t 
t h a t sheds blindness, pride, prejudice, un-
belief into t h y mind; enmity, inconstancy, 
obstinacy, into t h y will; inordinate h e a t s 
and colds into t h y affections; insensible-
ness, benumbedness, unfaithfulness, into 
t h y conscience; slipperiness into t h y mem-
ory; and in a word, h a t h p u t every wheel 
of t h y soul out of order, and made it of an 
habitation of holiness, to become a very 
hell of iniquity. § This is what h a s defiled, 
corrupted, perverted all t h y members, and 
turned t h e m into weapons of unrighteous-
ness, and servants of sin,|| t h a t h a t h filled 
t h e head with carnal and corrupt de-
signs ;H t h e hand with sinful practices;** 
t h e eyes with wandering and wanton-
ness ; t t t h e tongue with deadly poison )tt 
t h a t h a t h opened t h e ear to tales, flattery 
and filthy communication, and shut t h e m 

§ J a m e s iii. 6. II Rom. vi. 19. fl Mic. ii. 1. 
** Isa. i. 13. t t 2 Pet. ii. 14. t t J a m e s iii. 8, 

t Psa. Ii. 5. $ Rom. vii. 16, 



134 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-

against t h e instructions of life;* and h a t h 
rendered t h y h e a r t a very mint and forge 
f o r sin, and t h e cursed womb of all dead-
ly conceptions ;f so t h a t it poureth f o r t h 
its wickedness without ceasing;J even as 
naturally, freely, and unweariedly, as a 
fountain doth pour f o r t h its waters ;§ or 
t h e raging sea doth cast f o r t h mire and 
dirt.jr And wilt thou yet be in love with 
thyself, and tell us any longer of t h y good 
h e a r t ? 0 , never leave meditating on t h e 
desperate contagion of original corruption, 
till, with Ephraim, thou bemoan thyself ;1j 
and with t h e deepest shame and sorrow 
smite on t h y breast, as t h e publican,** and 
with Job, abhor thyself, and repent in dust 
and a s h e s . f f 2. The particular evil t h a t 
thou a r t most addicted to. Find out all its 
aggravations, set home upon t h y h e a r t all 
God's t h r e a t s against it. Repentance drives 
before it t h e whole herd, but especially 
sticks t h e arrow in t h e beloved sin, and 
singles t h i s out above t h e rest, to r u n it 
down.Ji 0 labour to make t h i s sin odious 
to t h y soul, and double t h y guards and res-1 
olutions against it, because t h i s h a t h and 
doth most dishonour God and endanger 
thee. 

Direct. III. Strive to affect t h y h e a r t 
with a due sense of t h y present misery. 
Read over t h e foregoing chapter again and 
again, and get it out of t h e book into t h y 
* Zech. vii. 11, 12. t Matt. xv. 19. t 2 Pet. .ii. 14. 

§ Jer. vi. 7. || Isa. lvii. 20. ff Jer. xxxi. 18. 
** Luke xviii. 13. t t Job. xlii. 6. i t Psa, xviii. 23 



DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION 135 
h e a r t . 0 , study t h y misery till t h y h e a r t 
cries out for Christ, as earnestly as ever a 
drowning man did f o r a boat, or t h e wound-
ed f o r a surgeon. Men m u s t come to See 
the danger and feel t h e s m a r t of t h e i r 
deadly sores and sickness, or else Christ 
will be to them a physician of no value.* 
Then the manslayer hastens to t h e city of 
refuge, when pursued by t h e avenger of 
blood. Men m u s t be even forced and fired 
out of themselves, or else they will not 
come to Christ. I t was distress and ex-
tremity t h a t made t h e prodigal think of 
r e t u r n i n g . ! While Laodicea thinks herself 
rich, increased in goods, in need of nothing, 
t h e r e is little hope. She m u s t be deeply 
convinced of h e r wretchedness, blindness, 
poverty, and nakedness, before she will 
come to Christ f o r his gold, raiment, and 
eye salve therefore, hold t h e eyes of con-
science open, amplify t h y misery as much 
as possible, do not flee t h e sight of it f o r 
f e a r it should fill thee with t e r r o r . The 
sense of t h y misery is but as it were t h e 
suppuration of t h e wound, which is neces-
sary to t h e cure. B e t t e r f e a r t h e t o r m e n t s 
t h a t abide thee now, t h a n feel t h e m here-
a f t e r . 

Direct. IV. Settle it upon t h y h e a r t , t h a t 
thou a r t under everlasting inability ever 
to recover thyself. Never think t h y pray-
ing, reading, hearing, confessing, amend-
ing will work t h e cure; these m u s t be at-

* Matt. ix. 12. t Luke xv. 16, 17. t Rev. iii. 18, 19. 
12 



138 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-

tended to, b u t thou a r t undone if thou rest-
est in them.* Thou a r t a lost man if thou 
hopest to escape drowning on any other 
plank but Jesus Christ.f Thou m u s t un-
learn thyself, and renounce t h y own wis-
dom, t h y own righteousness, t h y own 
strength, and throw thyself wholly upon 
Christ, as a man t h a t swims casts himself 
upon t h e water, or else thou canst not es-
cape. While men t r u s t in themselves, and 
establish t h e i r own righteousness, and 
have confidence in t h e flesh, they will not 
come savingly to Christ.J Thou m u s t know 
t h y gain to be b u t loss and dung, t h y 
s t r e n g t h but weakness, t h y righteousness 
r a g s and rottenness, before t h e r e will be 
an effectual closure between Christ and 
thee.§ Can t h e lifeless carcase shake off its 
grave-clothes and loose t h e bands of death ? 
Then mayest thou recover thyself, who a r t 
dead in trespasses and sins, and under an 
impossibility of serving t h y Maker accept-
ably in t h i s condition.|| Therefore, when 
thou goest to pray or meditate, or to do 
any of t h e duties to which thou a r t here 
directed, go out of thyself, and call in t h e 
help of t h e Spirit, as despairing to do any 
t h i n g pleasing to God in t h y own strength;; 
yet neglect not t h y duty, but lie a t t h e 
pool, and wait in t h e way of t h e Spirit. 
While t h e eunuch was reading, then t h e 
Holy Ghost did send Philip to h i m ; when 

t Luke xviii. 9. Phil. iii. 3. t Acts. iv. 12. 
|| Rom. viii 8. Heb. xi. 6. * Rom. x. 3. 
§ Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Isa. lxiv. 6. 



137 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

t h e disciples were p r a y i n g ; when Cornelius 
and his f r i e n d s were hearing;* t h e n t h e 
Holy Ghost fell upon t h e m and filled t h e m 
all. Strive to give up thyself to C h r i s t ; 
strive to pray, strive to meditate, strive an 
hundred and an hundred times, strive to 
do it as well as thou c a n s t ; and while thou 
a r t endeavouring in t h e way of t h y duty, 
t h e Spirit of t h e Lord will come upon thee, 
and help thee to do, w h a t of thyself thou 
a r t utterly unable to perform.f 

Direct V. F o r t h w i t h renounce ail t h y 
sins. If thou yield thyself to t h e practice 
of any sin, thou* a r t undone.^ In vain dost 
thou hope f o r life by Christ, except thou 
depart f r o m iriiquity.§ Forsake t h y sins, 
or else thou canst not find mercy.|| Thou 
canst not be married to Christ, except thou 
be divorced f r o m sin; give up t h a t t r a i t o r , 
or you can have no peace with heaven; cast 
t h è head of Sheba over t h e wall; keep not 
Delilah in t h y lap. Thou m u s t p a r t with 
t h y sins or with t h y soul; if thou spare 
even one sin, God will not spare thee. Nev-
er make excuses; t h y sins m u s t die, .or 
thou m u s t die f o r them.U If thou allow ot 
one sin, t h o u g h b u t a little, a secret one, 
though thou mayest- plead necessity, and 
have an hundred s h i f t s and excuses f o r it, 
t h e life of t h y soul m u s t go f o r t h e life of 
t h a t sin;** and will it not be dearly 
bought? 
* A c t s vili. 28, 29. iv. 31 x. 44. t Prov. i. 23. 
t Rom. vi. 19. § 2 Tim. ii. 19. II Prov. x x v m 13. 
II-Psa. lxviii. 21. *•*• Ezek. xviii. 21. 



138 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-

0 sinner! h e a r and consider. If thou 
wilt p a r t with t h y sins, God will give thee 
his Christ. Is not t h i s a f a i r exchange ? I 
t e s t i f y unto thee t h i s day, t h a t if thou per-
ish, it is not because t h e r e was not a Sav-
iour provided, nor life tendered, b u t be-
cause thou preferedst (with t h e Jews) t h e 
murdered before t h e Saviour, sin before 
Christ, and lovedst darkness r a t h e r t h a n 
light.* Search t h y h e a r t , therefore, with 
candles, as t h e Jews did t h e i r houses f o r 
leaven before t h e passover; labour to find 
out t h y sins; enter into t h y closet, and 
consider, W h a t evil have I lived in? W h a t 
dutv have I neglected towards God ? W h a t 
sin have I lived in against my b r o t h e r ? 
And now strike t h e d a r t s t h r o u g h t h e 
h e a r t of t h y sin, as Joab did t h r o u g h Ab-
salom's.! Never stand looking upon t h y 
sin, nor rolling t h e sweet morsel under t h y 
tongue ; i but spit it out as poison, with 
f e a r and detestation. Alas! w h a t will t h v 
sins do f o r thee, t h a t thou shouldst stick 
a t p a r t i n g with t h e m ? They will flatter 
thee, but they will undo thee, and cut t h y 
t h r o a t while t h e y smile upon thee, and 
poison thee while t h e y please thee, and 
a r m t h e justice and w r a t h of t h e infinite 
God against thee. They will open hell f o r 
thee, and pile up fuel to burn thee. Behold 
t h e gibbet t h a t they have prepared for 
thee. 0 serve them like Haman, and exe-
cute them as they would have done t h e e ; 

f John lii. p. t 2 gam- xviii. 14. t Job. x x . 12. 



139 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-

away with them, crucify them, and let 
Christ only be Lord over thee. 

Direct VI. Make a solemn choice of God 
f o r t h y portion and blessedness.* With all 
possible devotion and veneration avouch 
t h e Lord for t h y God;, set t h e world, with 
all its glory, and paint, and gallantry, with 
all its pleasures and promotions, on t h e 
one h a n d ; and set God, with all his excel-
lencies and perfections, on t h e other, and 
see t h a t thou do deliberately make t h y 
choice.f Take up t h y rest in God sit thee 
down under his shadow ;§ let his promises 
and perfections t u r n t h e scale against all 
t h e world. Settle it upon t h y h e a r t t h a t 
t h e Lord is an all-sufficient portion; t h a t 
thou canst not be miserable whilst thou 
h a s t God to live upon. Take him f o r t h y 
shield and exceeding g r e a t reward. God 
alone is more t h a n all t h e world, content 
thyself with him. Let others carry t h e 
p r e f e r m e n t s and glory of t h e world, place' 
thou t h y happiness in his favour,' and in 
t h e light of his- countenance. || 

Poor sinner! thou a r t fallen off f r o m 
God, and h a s t provoked his power and 
w r a t h against t h e e ; yet know, t h a t of his 
abundant grace he doth offer to be t h y 
God in Christ.^ W h a t sayst thou, m a n ? 
Wilt thou have t h e Lord for- t h y God? 
Why, t a k e t h i s counsel, and thou shalt 

* Deut. xxvi. t Josh. xxiv. 15. t John vi. 68. 
§ Cant. ii. 3- fl Psa. iv. 6, 7. ' ' fl 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. 



140 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

have h i m ; come to him by his Christ;* re-
nounce t h e idols of t h y own pleasures, 
gain, and r e p u t a t i o n ; ! let these be pulled 
out of t h e throne, and set God's interest 
uppermost in t h y h e a r t . Take him as God, 
to be chief in t h y affections, estimations, 
intentions, f o r he will not endure to have 
any set above him.J 

Direct. VII. Accept of t h e Lord Jesus in 
all his offices, with all his inconveniences, 
as thine. Upon these t e r m s Christ may be 
had. Sinner, thou h a s t undone thyself, and 
a r t plunged into a state of most deplorable 
misery, out of which thou a r t unable to 
g e t ; b u t Jesus Christ is able and ready to 
help thee, and freely tenders himself to 
thee.§ Be t h y sins ever so many, ever so 
great, or of ever so long continuance, yet 
thou shalt be most certainly pardoned and 
saved, if thou dost not wretchedly neglect 
t h e offer t h a t , in t h e name of God, is here 

'made t o thee. The Lord Jesus calleth to 
thee to look to him and be saved,|| to come 
unto him, and he will in no wise cast tliee 
out;fl yea, he is a suitor to thee, and be-
seeches thee to be reconciled;** he crieth 
in t h e streets, he knocketh a t t h y door, he 
wooeth thee to accept of him, and live with 
h i m . f f If thou die, it is because thou 
wouldst not come to him f o r life.tJ 

* John xiv. 6. . f l Thess. i. 9. 
t Rom. i. 24. Psa. lxxiii. 25. 
§ Heb. vii. 25. John iii. 36. " || Isa. xlv. 22. 

H John vi. 37. ** 2 Cor. v. 20. 
t t Prov. i. 20. Rev. ii. 30. +t John v. 40. 



D I R E C T I O N S F O R C O N V E R S I O N H I 

Now accept of an offered Christ, and 
thou a r t made f o r ever; now give up t h y 
consent to him, and t h e match is made; all 
t h e world cannot hinder it. Do not stand 
off because of t h y unworthiness, m a n ; I 
tell thee, nothing in t h e world can undo 
thee but t h y unwillingness. Speak, man, 
a r t thou desirous of t h e match ? Wilt thou 
have Christ in all his relations to be t h i n e ; 
t h y King, t h y Priest, t h y P r o p h e t ? Wilt 
thou have him w i t h ' all his inconvenien-
cies ? Take not Christ hand over head, but 
sit down first and count t h e cost. Wilt 
thou lay all at his f e e t ? Wilt thou be con-
t e n t to r u n all hazards with h i m ? Wilt 
thou t a k e t h y lot with him, fall where it 
will? Wilt thou deny thyself, and t a k e up 
t h y cross, and follow h i m ? A r t thou de-
liberately, u n d e r s t a n d i n g ^ , freely, fixedly 
determined to cleave to him in all times 
and conditions?- If so, my soul f o r thine 
thou shalt never perish, but a r t passed 
f r o m death unto life.* Here lies t h e main 
point of thy.salvation, t h a t thou be found 
in t h y covenant-closure with Jesus C h r i s t ; 
and therefore, if thou love thyself, see t h a t 
thou be f a i t h f u l to God and t h y soul here. 

Direct. VIII. Resign up all t h y powers 
and faculties, and t h y whole interest to be 
his. They gave t h e i r own selves unto t h e 
Lord.f Present your bodies a living sacri-
fice.! The Lord seeks not yours, b u t you. 
Resign t h e r e f o r e t h y body with all its 

* J o h n iii. 16. 1 1 2 Cor. viii. 5. t R o m . xii. 1. 



142 D I R E C T I O N S FOR C O N V E R S I O N 
members to him, and t h y soul with all its 
powers, t h a t he m a y be glorified in t h y 
body, and in t h y spirit, which a r e his.* 

A g a i n ; thou m u s t give up t h y whole in-
t e r e s t to him. If t h e r e be any t h i n g t h a t 
thou keepest back f r o m Christ, it will be 
t h y undoing.f Unless thou wilt forsake all 
(in preparation and resolution of t h y 
h e a r t ) thou canst not be his disciple. Thou 
m u s t h a t e f a t h e r and mother, yea, and t h y 
own life also in comparison of him, and as 
f a r as it stands in competition with him. J 
Iffl a word, thou m u s t give him thyself, and 
all t h a t thou hast, without reservation, or 
else thou canst have no p a r t in him 

Direct. IX. Make choice of t h e laws of 
Christ as t h e rule of t h y words, t h o u g h t s 
and actions. § This is t h e t r u e convert's 
choice. But here remember these t h r e e 
rules: 1. You m u s t choose them all; t h e r e 
is no g e t t i n g to heaven by a partial obedi-
ence. |[ None m u s t think it enough to t a k e 
up with t h e cheap and easy p a r t of re-
ligion, and let alone t h e duties t h a t are 
costly and self-denying, t h a t g r a t e upon 
t h e interest of t h e flesh; you must take all 
or none. A sincere convert, though he 
makes most conscience of t h e greatest sins 
and weightiest duties, yet he makes t r u e 
conscience of little sins and of all duties.fi 
2. F o r all times, f o r prosperity and adver-
sity, w h e t h e r it rain or shine. A t r u e con-

* * C ° r - v i - 20. t L u k e xiv. 33. 
t Matt. x. 37. L u k e xiv. 26. &c. § p s a . cxix. 30. 
II Psa. xcix. 6. 128, 160. Ezek. xviii. 21. 
If Rsa. cxix. 6, 113. Matt, xxiii. 2, 23 



145 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

vert is resolved in his way, he will stand 
to his fchoice; he will not set his back to 
t h e wind, and be of t h e religion of t h e 
times:. I have stuck to t h y testimomes; I 
have inclined my h e a r t to t h y s t a t u t e s al-
ways, even unto t h e end. Thy testimonies 
have I t a k e n as an heritage for ever. I will 
have respect to t h y s t a t u t e s continually. 
3 This m u s t not be done hand over head, 
but deliberately and understandingly. The 
disobedient son said, I go, sir, b u t he went 
not.f How fairly did they promise, All t h a t 
t h e Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we 
will do i t ! And it is likely they spoke as 
they m e a n t ; but when it came to t h e trial, 
it was found t h a t t h e r e was not such a 
h e a r t in t h e m as to do w h a t t h e y had 
promised.t 

Observe t h e special duties t h a t t h y h e a r t 
is most against, and t h e special sins t h a t 
it is most inclined t o ; and see whether it 
be truly resolved to perform t h e one, and 
forego t h e other. W h a t sayest thou to t h y 
bosom sin, t h y gainful sin?' W h a t sayest 
thou to costly, hazardous, flesh-displeasing 
duties? If thou haltest here, and dost not 
resolve, by t h e grace of God, to cross t h e 
flesh, and go on, thou a r t unsound. § 

Direct. X. Take heed of delaying t h y 
conversion ,and set about a speedy and 
present t u r n i n g ; I made haste and de-
layed not. || Remember and tremble a t t h e 

* Psa. cxix. 31, 44,-93, 111, 117. t Matt. xxi. 30. 
t Deut. v. 27, 29. § Psa. xviii. 23. cxix. 6 
|| Psa. Cxix. 60. 



144 D I R E C T I O N S FOR C O N V E R S I O N -
sad instance of t h e foolish virgins, t h a t 
came not till t h e door of mercy was s h u t ; * 
and of a convinced Felix, who put off Paul 
to another season, which we do not find 
ever came.f 0 come in while it is called to-
day, lest thou shouldest be hardened 
t h r o u g h t h e deceitfulness of sin, lest t h e 
day of grace should be over, and t h e things 
t h a t belong to t h y peace should be hid 
f r o m thine éyes. Now mercy is wooing 
thee, now Christ is waiting to be gracious 
to thee, and t h e Spirit of God is striving 
with thee. Now ministers a r e calling. Now 
conscience is stirring. Now t h e m a r k e t is 
open, and thou mayest buy oil. Now Christ 
is offered f o r t h y acceptance. 0 strike in 
with t h e offers of grace ; 0 ! now or never. 
If thou make light of t h i s offer, God may 
swear-in his w r a t h thou shalt not t a s t e of 
his supper.J 

Direct. XL Attend conscientiously upon 
t h e word as the means appointed f o r t h y 
conversion. § Attend, I say, not customar-
ily, but conscientiously; with t h i s desire, 
design, hope, and expectation, t h a t thou 
mayest be converted by it. To every ser-
mon thou shouldest come with t h i s 
t h o u g h t — 0 , I hope God will now come i n ; 
I hope t h i s day m a y be t h e time, t h i s may 
be t h e man by whom God will bring me 
home. When thou a r t coming to t h e or-
dinances, lift up t h y h e a r t t h u s to God; 
Lord, let t h i s be t h é sabbath, let t h i s be 

* Matt, xxv, 11 . . . f A c t s xxiv. 25. 
Î L u k e xiv. 24. § J a m e s i. 19. -1-Gor. iv. 15. 



145 D I R E C T I O N S FOR CONVERSION-

t h e season wherein I may receive renew-
ing grace. 0 let it be said, t h a t to-day 
such a one was born unto t h e e ! 

Direct. XII. Strike in with t h e Spirit 
when he begins to work upon t h y h e a r t . 
When he works convictions, 0 do not stifle 
them, but join in with him, and beg t h e 
Lord to carry on conviction to conversion. 
Quench not t h e Spirit; do not outstrive 
him, do not resist him. Beware of stifling 
convictions with evil company or worldly 
business. When thou findest any troubles 
f o r sin, and f e a r s about t h y eternal state, 
beg of God t h a t they may never leave t h e e 
till they have wrought off t h y h e a r t thor-
oughly f r o m sin, and brought it over to 
Jesus Christ. Say to him, Strike home, 
Lord, leave not t h e work in t h e midst. If 
thou seest t h a t I am not wounded enough, 
t h a t I am not troubled enough, wound me 
yet deeper, Lord, 0 go to t h e bottom of 
my corruption, and let out t h e life-blood 
of my sins. T h u s yield up thyself to t h e 
workings of t h e Spirit, and spread t h y 
sails to his gusts. 

Direct. XIII. Set upon t h e constant and 
diligent use of serious and f e r v e n t prayer. 
He t h a t neglects p r a y e r is a profane and 
unsanctified sinner;* he t h a t is not con-
s t a n t in p r a y e r is but an hypocrite.f This 
is one of t h e first things conversion ap-
pears in, t h a t it sets men on praying ;£ 
therefore, set to t h i s duty. Let never a day 

* Job. X V . - 4 . f' Job xxvii."10. t "Acts. Ix.; 11 



146 DIRECTIONS FOR CONVERSION-
pass over thee, wherein thou h a s t not, 
morning and evening, set a p a r t some time 
f o r set and solemn prayer in secret. Call 
t h y family also together daily and duly, to 
worship God with thee. Woe be unto thee, 
if thine be found among t h e families t h a t 
call not on God's name.* But cold and life-
less devotions will not reach half way to 
heaven. Be fervent and importunate; im-
portunity will carry i t ; but, without vio-
lence, t h e kingdom of heaven will not be 
taken, f Thou m u s t strive to enter ;$ and 
wrestle with t e a r s and supplications, as 
Jacob, if thou meanest to carry t h e bless-
ing.^ Thou a r t undone f o r ever without 
grace, and therefore, thou m u s t set to it, 
and resolve to t a k e no denial. T h a t man 
who is fixed in t h i s resolution, Well, I must 
have grace, and I will never give over till 
I have grace; I will never leave seeking, 
waiting, and striving with God and my 
own h e a r t , till he do renew me by t h e 
power of his grace—this man is in t h e 
likeliest way to win grace. 

Direct. XIV. Forsake t h y evil company,|| 
and forbear t h e occasions of sin.jf Thou 
wilt never be turned f r o m sin, till thou 
wilt decline and forego temptations of sin. 

I never expect t h y conversion f r o m sin, 
unless thou a r t brought to some self-denial 
as to flee t h e occasions. If thou wilt be 
nibbling a t t h e bait, and playing on t h e 
brink, and tampering and meddling with 

* Jer. x. 25. t Matt. xi. 12. } Luke xiii. 24. 
§ Gen. fcxxii. 24. compared with Hosea xii. 4. 
II' Prov. ix. 6. f Prov. xxiii. 31. 



D I R E C T I O N S POR CONVERSION 147 

t h e snare, t h y soul will surely be taken. 
Where God doth expose men in his provi-
dence unavoidably to temptation, and t h e 
occasions are such as we cannot remove, 
we may expect special assistance in t h e use 
of h i s m e a n s ; but when, we tempt God by 
running into danger, he will not engage to 
support us when we a r e tempted. And of 
all temptations, one of t h e most f a t a l and 
pernicious is evil company. 0 , w h a t hope-
f u l beginnings have these often stifled! 0 , 
t h e souls, t h e estates, t h e families, t h e 
towns t h a t these have ruined! How many 
poor sinners have been enlightened and 
convinced, and been j u s t ready to give t h e 
devil t h e slip, and have even escaped t h e 
snare, and-yet wicked company have pulled 
them back a t last, and made t h e m seven 
fold more t h e children of hell ? In a word, 
I have no hopes of thee, except thou wilt 
shake off t h y evil company. Christ speak-
eth to t h e e as t o t h e n \ in another case, If 
thou seek me, then let these go t h e i r way.* 
Thy life lies upon i t ; forsake these, or else 
thou canst not live.f Wilt thou be worse 
t h a n t h e beast, to r u n on when thou seest 
t h e Lord with á drawn sword in t h e way ? | 
Let t h i s sentence be written in capitals 
upon t h y conscience, A COMPANION OF 
FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED.§ The 
Lord h a t h spoken it, and who shall reverse 
i t ? And wilt thou r u n upon destruction 

* John xviii. 8. t Prov. Ix. 6. 
t Num. xxii. 33. § Prov. xiii. 20. 

13 



14$ D I R E C T I O N S F O R C O N V E R S I O N 
when God himself doth forewarn t h e e ? If 
God do ever change t h y h e a r t , it will ap-
pear in t h e change of t h y company. 0 f e a r 
and flee t h e gulf, by which so many thou-
sand souls have been swallowed up in per-
dition. I t will be h a r d f o r thee, indeed, to 
make t h y escape; t h y companions will mock 
th§e out of t h y religion, and will study 
to fill thee with prejudices against strict-
ness, as ridiculous and comfortless. "They 
will be flattering thee, and alluring thee, 
but remember t h e warning of t h e Holy 
Ghost; My son, if sinners entice thee, con-
sent thou not. If they say, come with us, 
cast in t h y lot among u s ; walk thou not in 
t h e way with them, r e f r a i n t h y foot f r o m 
t h e i r path, avoid it, pass not by it, t u r n 
f r o m it and pass a w a y ; f o r t h e way of t h e 
wicked is darkness, they know not at what 
t h e y stumble. They lay wait f o r t h e i r own 
blood, they lurk privily for t h e i r own lives.* 

Thus have I told t h e e what thou m u s t 
do to be saved. Wilt thou not now obey t h e 
voice of t h e Lord ? Wilt thou not arise, and 
set to t h y work ? 0 man, what answer wilt 
thou make, w h a t excuse wilt thou have, if 
thou shouldst perish a t last t h r o u g h very 
wilfulness, when thou h a s t known t h e way 
of life! I do not f e a r t h y miscarrying, if 
thine own idleness do not a t last undo thee, 
in neglecting t h e use of t h e means t h a t are 
so plainly here prescribed. Rouse up, 0 
sluggard; and ply t h y work; be doing, and 
t h e Lord will be with thee. 

* P r o v . i. 10—18. i v . 14. 



M O T I V E S TO C O N V E R S I O N 149 

CHAPTER VII. 
C O N T A I N I N G T H E M O T I V E S T O C O N V E R S I O N 

Though what is already said of t h e ne-
cessity of Conversion, and of t h e miseries 
of t h e unconverted, m i g h t . b e sufficient to 
induce any considering mind to resolve 
upon a present t u r n i n g or conversion unto 
God, yet knowing what a piece of desper-
ate obstinacy and untractableness t h e 
h e a r t of man naturally is, I have t h o u g h t 
it necessary to add to t h e means of conver-
sion, and directions f o r a covenant-closure 
with God in Christ, some motives to per-
suade you hereunto. 

Lord, fail me not now, a t my last at-
tempt. If any soul h a t h read hitherto, and 
is yet untouched, now, Lord, f a s t e n on 
him, and do thyLwork; now t a k e him by 
t h e h e a r t , overcome him, persuade him, 
till he say, Thou h a s t prevailed, f o r thou 
wast stronger t h a n I. Lord, didst thou not 
make me a fisher of men, and have I toiled 
all t h i s while and caught nothing? Alas! 
t h a t I should have spent my s t r e n g t h f o r 
nought. And now I am casting my last, 
Lord Jesus, stand thou upon t h e shore, 
and direct how and where I shall spread 
my n e t ; and let me so inclose with argu-
ments t h e souls I seek for, t h a t they may 
not be able to get out. Now, Lord f o r a 
multitude of souls! Now f o r a full d r a u g h t . 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

0 Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, 
and strengthen me t h i s once, 0 God. 

0 ! I am even lost and swallowed up in 
t h e abundance of those a r g u m e n t s t h a t I 
m i g h t suggest. If t h e r e be any point of 
wisdom in all t h e world, it is to repent and 
come on. If t h e r e be any thing righteous, 
any t h i n g reasonable, t h i s is it. If t h e r e 
be any t h i n g in t h e world t h a t may be 
called madness and folly, and any t h i n g 
t h a t may be counted sottish, absurd, b r u t -
ish, unreasonable, it is this, to go on in 
thine unconverted state. Let me beg of 
thee as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy 
thyself, to sit down and weigh, besides 
what h a s been said, these following mo-
tives, and let conscience speak, if it be not 
reasonable thou shouldst repent and t u r n . 

1. The God t h a t made thee, does most 
graciously invite thee. 

F i r s t . His most sweet and merciful na-
t u r e doth invite thee. 0 t h e kindness of 
God, his yearning bowels, his tender 
mercies. They are infinitely above our 
thoughts, higher t h a n heaven, what can 
we do? Deeper t h a n hell w h a t can we 
know?* He is full of compassion, and gra-
cious; long suffering, and plenteous in 
mercy.f This is a g r e a t a r g u m e n t to per-
suade sinners to come in. Turn unto t h e 
Lord your God, f o r he is gracious and 
merciful, slow to anger, of g r e a t kindness, 
and repenteth him of t h e evil. If God 

* Job xi. 7, 8, 9. t Psalm lxxxvi. 15. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 
would not repent of t h e evil, it were some 
discouragement to us, why we should not 
repent. If t h e r e were no.hopes of mercy, • 
it were no wonder why rebels should stand 
o u t ; b u t never had subjects such a gra-
cious prince; such.pity, patience, clemency, 
piety, to deal with as you have. Who is a 
God like unto thee, t h a t pardoneth iniqui-
t y ? * O sinners! see w h a t a God you have 
to deal with ;if you will b u t t u r n , he will 
t u r n again and have compassion on you. 
He will subdue your iniquities, and cast all 
your sins into t h e depths of t h e sea.f Re-
t u r n unto me, saith t h e Lord of Hosts, and 
I will r e t u r n unto y o u . | Sinners do not fail 
because they have too high t h o u g h t s of 
God's mercies, but because : 1. They over-
look his justice. 2. They promise them-
selves mercy out of God's way ; his mercy 
is beyond all i m a g i n a t i o n ; ! g r e a t mer-
cies ;|| manifold mercies ¡¡j tender mer-
cies;** sure mercies ; f f everlasting mer-
cies ;tt and are all t h y own, if thou wilt 
b u t t u r n . A r t thou willing t o come in? 
Why t h e Lord h a t h laid aside his t e r r o r 
erected, a throne of grace, holds f o r t h t h e 
golden sceptre; touch and live. Would a 
merciful man slay his enemy when pros-
t r a t e at his feet, acknowledging his wrong, 
begging pardon, and offering to enter with 
him into a covenant of peace? Much less 

* Mic. vii. 18. ' t Mic. Vil. 19. 
X Mai. iii. 7. Zech. i. 3. I Isa. lv. 9. 
|| 1 Chron. xxî. 13. H Neh. ix. 19. ** Psa. x x v . 6. 
f t Isa. IV. 3. t t Psa. ciii. 17. Isa. liv. 8. 

13* 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

will t h e merciful God. Study his name;* 
read t h e i r experience.! 

Secondly, his Soul-encouraging calls and 
promises to invite thee. A h ! w h a t an earn-
est suitor is mercy to thee. How lovingly, 
how instantly it calleth' a f t e r t h e e ! how 
passionately it wooeth t h e e ! Return, thou 
backsliding Israel, saith t h e Lord, and I 
will not cause my anger to fall upon you; 
f o r I am merciful, saith t h e Lord, and will 
not keep anger f o r ever; only acknowledge 
thine iniquity. Turn, 0 backsliding children, 
saith t h e Lord, for I am married unto you; 
r e t u r n , and I will heal your backslidings. 
Thou h a s t played t h e harlot with many 
lovers, yet r e t u r n unto me, saith t h e Lord.J 
As I live, saith t h e Lord God, I have no 
pleasure in t h e death of t h e wicked, but 
t h a t he t u r n f r o m his way and live. T u r n 
ye, t u r n ye, f r o m your evil ways, f o r why 
Will ye die, 0 house of Israel ?§ If t h e 
wicked will t u r n f r o m all his sins t h a t he 
h a t h committed, and keep all my statutes, 
and do t h a t which is lawful and right, he 
shall surely live, he shall not die.—All his 
transgressions t h a t he h a t h committed 
shall not be mentioned t o him. In his 
righteousness t h a t he h a t h done, shall he 
live. Repent, and t u r n you f r o m all your 
transgressions, so iniquity shall not be 
your ruin. Cast away all your t r a n s g r e s -
sions) and make you a clean h e a r t and a 

* Exod. xxxiv. 7'. t - N e h . ix." 17. 
J Jer. iii".' 11—14, 22. " § Ezek. x x x i n . ' l l . 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

new spirit, f o r why will ye die, 0 house of 
Israel? F o r I have no pleasure in t h e death 
of him t h a t dieth, saith t h e Lord God; 
wherefore, t u r n yourselves, and live ye.* 

O melting gracious words! t h e voice of 
a God, and not of a m a n ! This is not t h e 
manner of men, f o r t h e offended sovereign 
to sue to t h e offending traitorous varlet. 0 
how doth mercy follow thee, and plead 
with t h e e ! Is not t h y h e a r t broken y e t ? 0 
t h a t to-day thou wouldst h e a r his voice! 

2. The doors of heaven are thrown open 
to thee, t h e everlasting gates are set wide 
f o r thee, and an abundant entrance into 
t h e kingdom of heaven administered to 
thee. Christ now bespeaks thee, as Jeze-
bel did Ahab, Arise and t a k e possession, f 
View t h e glory of "the other world, as set 
f o r t h in t h e m a p of the' gospel, get t h e e 
up into Pisgah of t h e promises, and lift up 
thine eyes northward and southward, and 
eastward and westward, and see t h e good 
land t h a t is beyond Jordan, and t h a t good-
ly mountain. Behold t h e paradise of God, 
watered with t h e streams of glory. Arise, 
and walk t h r o u g h t h e land in t h e length of 
it, and in t h e breadth of i t ; f o r t h e land 
which thou seest, t h e Lord will give it thee 
f o r ever, if thou wilt b u t r e t u r n . J Let me 
say to thee as Paul to Agrippa, Believest 
thou t h e prophets? If thou believest in-
deed, do b u t view w h a t glorious things are 

* E!zek..xviii 21, 22, $0-~32. f 1 .Kings xxi. 15. 
t Gen. xiii. 14, 15,-17. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 
spoken of t h e city of God;* and know, 
t h a t all t h i s is here tendered in t h e name 
of God to thee. As verily as God is true, 
it shall be f o r ever thine, if thou wilt but 
thoroughly t u r n and be converted. 

Behold t h e city of pure t r a n s p a r e n t gold, 
whose foundations a r e garnished with all 
manner of precious stones, whose g a t e s 
are pearls, whose light is glory, whose 
temple is God. Believest thou t h i s ? If 
thou dost, a r t thou not worse t h a n dis-
tracted, t h a t wilt not t a k e possession when 
t h e g a t e s are flung open to thee, and thou 
a r t bid to e n t e r ? 0 ye sons of folly, will 
you embrace t h e dunghill, and r e f u s e the 
kingdom? Behold t h e Lord t a k e s you up 
into the mountain, shows you t h e kingdom 
of heaven, and all the' glory thereof, and 
tells you, All t h i s will I give you, if you 
will fall down and worship m e ; if you will 
submit to mercy, accept my Son, and serve 
me in righteousness and holiness. 0 fools, 
and slow of h e a r t to believe! Will you 
court t h e h a r l o t ? will you seek and serve 
t h e world, and neglect eternal glory ? 
W h a t ! not enter into Paradise, when the 
flaming sword, which was once set to keep 
you out, is now used to drive you in! But 
you will say, I am uncharitable to think 
you infidels and unbelievers. Why, what 
shall I think you? E i t h e r you are desper-
a t e unbelievers, t h a t do not credit it, or 
s t a r k distracted, t h a t you know and be-
lieve t h e excellency and eternity of t h i s 

* Psalm lxxxvii. 3. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 
glory, and yet do so f e a r f u l l y neglect it. 
Surely you have either no f a i t h , or no rea-
son, and I had almost said, conscience shall 
téli you so before I leave you. 

Do but attend to w h a t is offered you. O 
blessed kingdom! a kingdom of glory;* a 
kingdom of righteousness ; t a kingdom of 
peace ;J and an everlasting kingdom ;§ here 
thou shalt dwell, here thou shalt reign f o r 
ever, and t h e Lord shall seat t h e e on a 
throne of glory ;|| and with his own hand 
shall set t h e royal diadem upon t h y head, 
and give thee a crown, not of thorns, f o r 
t h e r e shall be no sinning nor suffering 
t h e r e not of gold, (for t h a t shall be viler 
t h a n t h e dirt in t h a t day,) b u t a crown.of 
life;** a crown of righteousness;f+ a 
crown of glory ¡ i t yea, thou shalt put on 
glory as a robe,§§ and shalt shine like t h e 
sun in t h e firmament, in t h e glory of t h y 
Father.|| || Look now upon t h y dirty flesh, 
t h y clay, t h e worms' meat. This very flesh, 
t h i s lump, t h i s carcase, shall be brighter 
t h a n t h e s t a r s . ^ In short, thou shalt be 
made like unto t h e angels of God,*** a n d 
behold his face in r i g h t e o u s n e s s . f f t Look 
in now and tell me, Dost thou yet believe ? 
If not, conscience m u s t pronounce thee an 
infidel ; f o r it is t h e very word òf God t h a t 
I speak. 

* 1 Thess. ii. 12. t 2 Pet. iii. 13. + Rom. xiv. 17. 
§ 2 Pet. i. 11. ||: Matt. xix. 28. 
J R e v . xxi. 27. xxii. 3, 5. **James i. 12. 
t t 2 Tim. iv. 8. i t 1 Pet. v. 4. §§ 1 Cor. xv. 43. 
Ill Matt. xiii. 43. jfl Dan. xii. 3: *** Luke xx. 36. 
t t t Psalm xvii. 15. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

But if thou say thou believest, let me 
next know t h y resolutions. Wilt thou em-
brace t h i s f o r t h y happiness? Wilt thou 
forego t h y sinful gains, t h y forbidden 
pleasures? Wilt thou trample on t h e 
world's esteem, and spit in t h e harlot's 
face, and stop t h y ears at h e r flatteries, 
and wrest thee out of h e r embraces? Wilt 
thou be content to take up with reproach 
and poverty, if it lie in t h y way to heaven, 
and follow t h e Lord with humble self-
denial in a mortified and flesh-displeasing 
life? If go, all is thine, and t h a t f o r ever. 

And a r t thou not fairly offered? Is it 
not pity but he should be damned t h a t will 
needs go on and perish, when all t h i s may 
be had for t h e t a k i n g ? Wilt thou t a k e God 
a t his word? Wilt thou let go t h y holdfast 
of t h e world, and rid t h y hands of t h y 
sins, and lay hold on eternal life? If not, 
let conscience tell thee whether thou a r t 
not distracted or bewitched, t h a t thou 
shouldst neglect so happy a choice, by 
which thou mightest be made blessed f o r 
ever. 

3. God will settle unspeakable privileges 
upon thee.* Though t h e full of your bless-
edness be deferred till h e r e a f t e r , yet God 
will give you no little things in hand. 

He will redeem you f r o m your t h r a l -
dom ;f he will pluek you f r o m t h e paw of 
t h e lion;% t h e serpent shall bruise your 

* 1 Cor. iii. 22. Heb. xii, 22, 24. 
t John viii. 36, | Col. i. 13. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 
heel, b u t you shall bruise his head;* he 
shall deliver you f r o m t h e present evil 
world ;f prosperity shall not destroy you, 
adversity shall not separate between him 
and y o u ; t he will redeem you f r o m t h e 
power of t h e grave, § and make t h e king of 
t e r r o r s a messenger of peace to you. He 
will t a k e out t h e curse f r o m t h e cross ;|| 
and make affliction t h e fining-pot, t h e fan, 
t h e physic, to blow off t h e chaff, p u r i f y 
t h e metal, and purge t h e mind.if He will 
save you f r o m t h e a r r e s t of t h e law, and 
t u r n t h e curse into a blessing to you.** He 
h a t h t h e keys of hell and -death, and shut-
t e t h t h a t no m a n o p e n e t h , f t and he will 
shut its mouth, as once he did t h e lions ;J$ 
t h a t you shall not be h u r t of t h e second 
death.§§ 

But he will not only save you f r o m mis-
ery, but install you into unspeakable pre-
rogatives! He will bestow himself upon 
you, he will be a friend unto you, and a 
f a t h e r to you; 
shield to you I 

he will be a sun and a 
in a word, he will be a 

God to you,*** and what can be said 
more? W h a t you may expect t h a t a God 
should do f o r you, and be to you; t h a t he 
will be, t h a t he will do. She t h a t marries 
a prince, expects t h a t he should do f o r h e r 

* Gen. ill, 15. t Gal. i. 4. t Rom. vili. 25, 38. 
§ P s a l m xlix. 15. || Psalm cxix. 71. 
K Dan. xii. 10. Isa. xxvii. 9. 
** Rom. vi. 10. Isa. xxvii. 9. 
t t Rev. iii. 7. i. 18. t t Dan. vi. 22. 
§§ Rev. ii. 11. Illl 2 Cor. vi. 18. 

Ill Psa. lxxxiv. 11. *** Gen. xvji. 7. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 
like a prince t h a t she may live in a suit-
able state, and have an answerable dowry. 
He t h a t h a t h a king f o r his f a t h e r , or 
friend expects t h a t he should do f o r him 
like a king. Alas! t h e kings and monarchs 
of t h e e a r t h , so much above you, are but 
like t h e painted butterflies among t h e r e s t 
of t h e i r kind ,or t h e f a i r coloured palmer-
worm, among t h e r e s t of t h e worms, if 
compared with God. As he doth infinitely 
exceed t h e glory and power of his glitter-
ing dust, so he will, beyond all proportion, 
exceed in doing f o r his favourites what-
ever princes can' do f o r theirs. He will 
give you grace and glory, and withhold no 
good t h i n g f r o m you.* He will t a k e you f o r 
his sons and daughters, and make you 
heirs of his p r o m i s e s ; ! and establish his 
everlasting covenant with you.$ He will 
j u s t i f y you f r o m all t h a t law, conscience 
and satan can charge upon you.§ He will 
give you f r e e access into his presence, and 
accept your person, and receive your pray-
ers. j| He will abide in you, and make you 
t h e man of his secrets, and hold a constant 
and friendly communion with you.fl His 
ear shall be open, his door open, his store 
open at all times to you. His blessing shall 
rest upon you, and he will make your ene-
mies to serve you, and work out all things 
f o r good unto you.** 

* Psa. Ixxxiv. 11. f Heb. vi. 17. 
t Jer. xxxii. 40. § Rom. viii. 33, 34. 
|| Eph. iii. 12. i. 6. 1 John v. 14. 
K John xiv. 23. xv. 15. 1 John i. 3. 
** P s a l m cxv. 13. Rom. viii. 28, 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION IS9 
4. The t e r m s of mercy are brought as 

low as possible to you. God h a s stooped as 
low to sinners as with honour he can. He 
will not be t h o u g h t t h e a u t h o r of sin, nor 
stain the glory of his holiness* And whith-
er could he come lower t h a n he h a t h , un-
less he should do t h i s ? He h a t h abated t h e 
impossible t e r m s of t h e first covenant.* He 
doth not impose any t h i n g unreasonable or 
impossible as a condition of life upon you. 
Two things were necessary to be done, ac-
cording to t h e tenor of t h e first covenant. 
1. T h a t you should fully s a t i s f y t h e de-
mands of justice f o r past offences. 2. That 
you should perform personally, perfectly 
and perpetually, t h e whole law f o r the 
time to come. Both these are to us im-
possible;! but behold God's gracious abate-
ment in both. He doth not stand upon sat-
isfaction ; he is content to take of the sure-
t y (and him of his own providing too) 
what he m i g h t have exacted f r o m y o u . j 
He declares himself to have received a ran-
s o m ^ and t h a t he expects nothing but t h a t 
you should accept his Son, and he shall be 
righteousness and redemption to you.|| 
And f o r t h e f u t u r e obedience, here he is 
content to yield to your weakness and 
omit t h e rigour. He doth not stand upon 
perfection as a condition of life, though he 

* Jer. iii. 23. Mark v. 36/ Acts. xvi. 81. ili. 19 
Prov. xxviii. 13. 

t Rom. viii. 3. t 2 Cor. v. 19. 
§ Job xxxiii. 24. 1 Tim. ii. 6. 
II John i. 12 1 Cor. 1. 30. 

14' 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

still insists upon it as his due, b u t is con-
t e n t to accept of sincerity.* And if you 
come in his Christ, and set your h e a r t s to 
please him, and make it t h e chief of your 
care, he will approve and reward you, 
though t h e vessel be m a r r e d in your hands. 

0 , consider your Makers' condescension! 
Let me say to you as Naaman's servant to 
him, My f a t h e r , if t h e prophet had bid 
thee do some g r e a t thing, wouldst thou not 
have done it ?—How much r a t h e r when he 
saith to thee, Wash and be clean ?J If God 
had demanded some terrible, some severe 
and rigorous t h i n g of you, to escape etern-
al damnation, would you not have done it ? 
Suppose it had been to spend all your days 
in sorrow in some howling wilderness, or 
pine yourselves with famine, or to offer 
t h e f r u i t of your bodies f o r t h e sin of your 
souls, would you not have t h a n k f u l l y ac-
cepted eternal redemption, though these 
had been t h e conditions? If your offended 
Creator should have held you b u t one year 
upon t h e rack, and then bid you come and 
forsake your sins, accept Christ, and serve 
him a few years in self-denial, or lie in 
t h i s case for ever and ever, do you think 
you should have stuck a t t h e offer, and 
disputed t h e terms, and have been unre-
solved whether you were to accept of t h e 

* Gen. xvii. 1. Prov. xi. 20. 
t 2 Cor. viil. 12. 2 Chron. vi. 8. Heb. xi. 17. 
J 2 K i n g s v. 13. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

motion? 0 sinner, r e t u r n and live; why 
shouldst thou die when life is to be had 
f o r t h e taking, and mercy seems beholden 
to t h e e (as it were), to be saved? Couldst 
thou say, indeed, Lord, I knew t h a t thou 
wast an hard man,* thou h a d s t some little 
excuse; b u t - w h e n t h e God of h e a v e n . h a s 
stooped so low, and condescended so. f a r , 
if now thou shouldst stand off, who shall 
plead f o r t h e e ? „. Ji 

Objection. Notwithstanding all these 
abatements, I am no more able to p e r f o r m 
these conditions (in themselves so easy) 
of F a i t h , Repentance, and .sincere Obedi-
ence, t h a n to s a t i s f y and fulfil t h e law. 

Answer. These you may perform by 
God's grace enabling, whereas t h e other is 
naturally impossible in t h i s state, even to 
believers themselves. But let t h e next 
consideration serve f o r a fuller answer. 

5. Wherein you a r e impotent, God doth 
offer grace to enable you. I have stretched 
out my hand, and no m a n r e g a r d e d . ! W h a t 
though you are plunged into t h e ditch of 
t h a t misery, f r o m which you can never get 
out, Christ offereth to help you o u t ; he 
reacheth out his hand to you, and if you 
perish, it is f o r r e f u s i n g his help. Behold, 
I stand at t h e door and knock, if any man 
open to me I will come in.$ W h a t though 
you are poor, and wretched, and blind and 
naked! Christ offereth a cure f o r your 
blindness, a covering f o r your nakedness, 

* Matt. xxv. 24. t Prov. i. 24. t Rev. iii. 20. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

a remedy f o r your poverty; he tenders you 
his righteousness, his grace. I counsel 
thee to buy of me .gold, t h a t thou mayest 
be rich; and white raiment, t h a t thou may-
est be clothed; and anoint thine eyes with 
eye-salve, t h a t thou mayest see.* Do you 
say, The condition is impossible, f o r I have 
not wherewith to b u y ! You m u s t know 
t h a t t h i s buying is without money and 
without price ; t t h i s buying is by begging 
and seeking with diligence and constancy 
in t h e use of Gods' means. J God command-
eth thee to know him and to f e a r him. 
Dost thou say, Yea, but my mind is blind-
ed, and my h e a r t is hardened f r o m his 
f e a r ! I answer, God doth offer t o enlighten 
t h y mind, and to teach t h e e his fear, t h a t 
is presented to t h y choice; f o r t h a t t h e y 
hated knowledge, and did not choose t h e 
f e a r of t h e Lord.§ So t h a t now if men live 
in ignorance, and estrangement f r o m t h e 
Lord, it is because they will not under-
stand and desire t h e knowledge of his 
ways. || If thou criest a f t e r knowledge, if 
thou seekest h e r as silver, &c. then shalt 
thou understand t h e f e a r of the Lord, and 
find t h e knowledge of God.fl Is not here a 
f a i r offer? T u r n ye a t jny reproof; behold 
I will pour out my Spirit unto you.** 
Though of yourselves you can do nothing, 
yet you may do all t h r o u g h his Spirit en-
abling you, and he doth offer assistance to 

* Rev. iii. 17, 18. f l s a . lv. 1. t Prov. ii. 3, 4. 
§ Prov. i. 29. ¡1 Job. xxi. 14. • fl Prov. ii. 3—6 
** Prov. i. 23. 



MOTIVES TO CONVERSION 1511 

you. God bids you wash and make you 
clean.* You say you are unable, as much 
as t h e leopard to wash out his spots,t yea, 
b u t t h e Lord doth offer to purge you, so 
t h a t if you will be filthy still, it is t h r o u g h 
your own wilfulness. I have purged thee, 
and thou wast not purged.J 0 Jerusalem, 
wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it 
once be.§ God doth wait, when you will be 
made clean, when you will yield to his mo-
tions, accept of his offers, and let him do 
f o r you and in you, w h a t you cannot do 
f o r yourselves. You do not know how 
much God will do upon your importunity, 
if you will be but restless and instant with 
h i Though God h a t h not bound himself by 
express promise to wicked men, to give 
t h e m grace in t h e diligent use of t h e 
means, yet he h a t h given t h e m abundance 
of encouragement to expect it f r o m him, 
if they seek it earnestly in his way. His 
most gracious n a t u r e is abundant encour-
agement. If a rich and most bountiful 
man should see thee in misery, and bid 
thee come to his door, wouldst thou not 
with confidence expect a t t h y coming to 
find some relief? Thou a r t not able to be-
lieve, nor repent. God appoints t h e e to use 
such and such means, in order to t h y ob-
taining f a i t h and repentance; doth not 
t h i s argue, t h a t ' God will bestow these 
upon thee, if thou dost ply him diligently 

* Isa. i. 16. t Jer. xiii. 23. t Ezek. x x i v 13. 
I Jer. xiii, 27. || L u k e xi. 8. xviii. 5. 



164 T H E CONCLUSION8 

in prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, , 
self-examination ,and t h e r e s t of h i s , 
means ? Otherwise God should- b u t mock 
his poor creatures, to p u t t h e m upon these * 
self-denying endeavours, and t h e n when ' 
they have been h a r d p u t to it, and con-
tinued waiting upon him f o r grace, deny» 
t h e m a t last. Surely if a good natured 
man would not deal t h u s , much less will 
t h e most merciful and gracious God. 

THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE 

And now, my brethren, let me know 
your minds. W h a t do you intend to do? 
Will you go on and die? or, will you set 
upon a thorough and speedy conversion, 
and lay hold on eternal life? How long will 
ye linger in Sodom ? How long will ye halt 
between two opinions?* Are you not yet 
resolved whether Christ or Barabbas, 
whether bliss or torment, whether t h e land 
of Cabul,f or t h e paradise of God be t h e 
b e t t e r choice ? Is it a disputable case, 
whether t h e Abana and P h a r p a r of Damas-
cus, be better t h a n all t h e streams of 
E d e n ; or whether t h e vile puddle of sin, 
is to be preferred before t h e w a t e r of life, 
clear as crystal, proceeding out of t h e 
throne of God, and of t h e Lamb ? Can t h e 
world, in good earnest, do t h a t f o r you, 
which Christ can ? Will it stand by you to 
e t e r n i t y ? Will pleasures, lands, titles, or 

* 1 K i n g s xvitt. 21. t 1 Kings, ix. . 13, 



T H E CONCLUSION 165 

t r e a s u r e s descend with you?* If not, had 
you not need look a f t e r somewhat t h a t 
will? W h a t mean you to stand wavering? 
to be off and on? Foolish c h i l d r e n h o w 
long will ye stick between t h e womb and 
t h e world? Shall I leave you a t last no 
f a r t h e r t h a n Agrippa, b u t "almost per-
suaded?" Why, you a r e forever lost it left 
t h e r e ; as good not a t all, as not altogether 
Christians. You are half m t h e mind to 
give over your f o r m e r negligent life, and 
set to a strict and holy course; you could 
wish you were as some others are, and 
could do as t h e y can do. How ong will 
you r e s t in idle wishes and f r u i t l e s s pur-
p o s e s ' When will you come t o a fixed, firm, 
and full resolve? Do not you see how 
Satan gulls you, by tempting you to de-
l a v s ' How long h a t h he drawn you on m 
t h e way of perdition! How many years 
have you been purposing to mend! What 
if God should have t a k e n you off t h i s 

WlWell, put me not off with a dilatory an-
swer. Tell me not of h e r e a f t e r , I m u s t 
have your immediate consent. If you be 
not now resolved, while t h e Lord is t r e a t -
ing with you, and courting you, much less 
a r e you likely to be h e r e a f t e r , when these 
impressions are worn out, and you are 
hardened t h r o u g h t h e deceitfulness of sin. 

• P s a l m xlix. 17. 1 Tim. vi. 7. 
* L u k e xix. 42. t John iv. 4. 
t Luke x. 42. xvi. 25. Prov, i. 27—29. 
§ Deut. x x x . 19. 



166 T H E CONCLUSION8 

Will you give me your hands ? Will you set 
open t h e doors, and give t h e Lord Jesus 
t h e full and ready possession? Will you 
put your names into his covenant? Will 
you subscribe ? W h a t do you resolve upon ? 
If you are still upon your delays, my labour 
is lost, and all is like to come to nothing. 
Fain I would t h a t you should now put in 
your adventures. Come, cast in your lot, 
make your choice. Now is t h e accepted time, 
now is t h e day of salvation ;—to-day if you 
will h e a r his voice. Why should not t h i s 
be t h e day f r o m whence thou shouldst be 
able to date t h y happiness? Why shouldst 
thou venture a day longer in t h i s danger-
ous and dreadful condition? W h a t if God 
should t h i s night require t h y soul? 0 t h a t 
thou mightest know in t h i s t h y day, t h e 
things t h a t belong to t h y peace, before 
they be hid f r o m thine eyes.* This is t h y 
day, and it is but a day.f Others have had 
t h e i r day, and hâve received t h e i r doom, 
and now a r t thou brought upon t h e stage 
of t h i s world, here to act t h y p a r t f o r t h e 
whole eternity. Remember thou a r t now 
upon t h y good behaviour f o r everlasting; 
if thou make not a wise choice now, thou 
a r t undone for ever. Look, what t h y pres-
ent choice is, such m u s t thine eternal con-
ditions be.J 

And is it t r u e , indeed? Is life and death 
a t t h y choice ? Yea it is as t r u e as t r u t h is.§ 

* Luke xix. 42. t John ix. 4. 
J Luke x. 42. xvi. 25. Prov. 1. 27—29. 
§ Deut. xxx. 19. 



169 T H E CONCLUSION8 

Why then, what hinders b u t t h a t thou 
shouldst be happy? Nothing doth or can 
hinder b u t thine own wilful neglect or re-
fusal. I t was t h e speech of t h e eunuch to 
Philip, See here is water, what doth hin-
der me to be baptized? So I may say to 
thee, See here is Christ, here is mercy, 
pardon, and life; w h a t hinders but t h a t 
thou shouldst be pardoned, and saved .' 
One of t h e m a r t y r s , a s h e was praying a t 
t h e stake, had his pardon set by him in a 
box (which indeed he refused deservedly, 
because upon unworthy terms) b u t here 
t h e t e r m s are most honourable and easy. 
O sinner! wilt thou burn with t h y pardon 
by t h e e ? Why, do but f o r t h w i t h give up 
t h y consent to Christ, to renounce t h y sins, 
deny thyself, t a k e up t h e yoke and t h e 
cross, and thou carriest t h e day. Christ is 
thine, pardon, peace, life, and blessedness, 
all are thine. And is not t h i s an offer 
worth embracing? Why shouldst thou hes-
itate, or doubtfully dispute about t h e 
case? Is it not past controversy, whether 
God, be b e t t e r t h a n sin, and glory t h a n 
vanity? Why shouldst thou forsake t h y 
own mercies, and sin against t h y own 
life? When wilt thou shake off t h y sloth, 
and lay by thine excuses ? Boast not thy-
self of to-morrow, thou knowest not where 
t h i s night may lodge thee.* 

Beloved, now t h e Holy Spirti is striving 
with you; he will not always strive. Hast 
thou not felt thine h e a r t warmed by t h e 

* Prov. xxvii. 1. 



16$ THE CONCLUSION 
word, and been almost persuaded to leave 
off t h y sins and come unto God! H a s t thou 
not felt some good motions in t h y mind, 
wherein thou h a s t been warned of t h y 
danger, and told what t h y careless course 
would end in? I t may be thou a r t like 
young Samuel, who, when t h e Lord called 
once and again, knew not t h e voice of t h e 
Lord;* but these motions and items a r e 
t h e offers, and essays, and callings, and 
strivings of t h e Spirit. O, t a k e t h e ad-
vantage of t h e tide, and know t h e day of 
t h y visitation. 

Now t h e Lord Jesus s t r e t c h e t h wide his 
a r m s to receive you; he beseecheth you by 
us. How movingly, how meltingly, how 
pitifully, how compassionately he calleth! 
The church is p u t into a sudden ecstasy 
upon t h e sound 'of his voice, The voice of 
my beloved !f 0 , wilt thou t u r n a deaf ear 
to his voice ? I t is not t h e voice t h a t break-
eth t h e cedars, and m a k e t h t h e mountains 
skip like a calf; t h a t shaketh t h e wilder-
ness, and divideth t h e flames of fire; it is 
not Sinai's thunder, but a s o f t and still 
voice. It is not t h e voice of Mount Ebal, 
a voice of cursing and t e r r o r , b u t t h e voice 
of Mount Gerizim, t h e voice of blessing, 
and of glad tidings of good things. I t is 
not t h e voice of t h e t r u m p e t , nor t h e voice 
of war, but a message of peace f r o m t h e 
King of Peace.J Methinks it should be 

"with thee as with t h e spouse, My soul 
failed when he spake. § I may say unto 

* 1 Sam. iii. 6, 7. t Cant. ii. 8. 
' t Eph. vi. 15. 2 Cor. v. 18, 20. § Cant. v. 6. 



T H E CONCLUSION 169 

thee, 0 sinner! as M a r t h a to h e r sister, 
The Master is come and he calleth f o r 
thee.* 0 , now with Mary arise quickly, and 
come unto h i m ! How sweet are his i n v i -
tations ! He crieth in t h e open concourse, 
If any man -thirst, let him.come unto me 
and drink.f He broaches his own. body f o r 
thee, O come and lay t h y mouth to his 
side! How f r e e is h e ! he exeludeth none. 
Whosoever will, let him come and t a k e t h e 
water of life f r e e l y . t Whoso is simple, let 
him turn-in h i t h e r . Come eat of my bread, 
drink of t h e wine t h a t I have mingled. 
Forsake t h e foolish and live.§ Come unto 
me, &c., t a k e my yoke upon you, and learn 
of me, and ye shall find rest to your souls.|| 
Him t h a t cometh to me I will in no wise 
cast out.If How doth he bemoan t h e ob-
stinate r e f u s e r . 0 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! 
how often would I have gathered t h y chil-
dren, as a hen g a t h e r e t h h e r chickens un-
der h e r wings, and ye would not!** Be-
hold me, behold m e ; I have stretched out 
my hands all t h e day to a rebellious peo-
ple.ff 0 be persuaded now a t last to throw 
yourselves into t h e a r m s of love. 

Behold, 0 ye sons of men, t h e Lord 
Jesus h a t h thrown open t h e prison, and 
now he cometh | S you, as t h e m a g i s t r a t e s 
once to t h e m , i t and beseeches you to come 
out. If it were f r o m a palace or paradise 

* John xi. 28. t John vii. 37. Prov. i. 21. 
t Rev. XXii. 17. i Prov. ix. 4—6 || Matt. xi. 28, 29 
fl John vi. 37. ** Matt, xxiii. 37.- t t Isa. lxv. 1, 2. 
t t Acts. xvi. 39. 



170 T H E CONCLUSION8 

t h a t Christ did call you, it were no wonder 
if you were unwilling; (and y e t how easily 
was Adam deluded thence!) but it is f r o m 
your prison, s i r s ; f r o m your chains, f r o m 
t h e dungeon, f r o m darkness, t h a t he call-
eth you;* and will you not come? He calls 
you unto l i b e r t y , ! and will you not heark-
en? His yoke is easy, his laws are liberty, 
his service f r e e d o m ; J and whatever preju-
dices you may have against his ways, if 
a God may be believed, you shall find t h e m 
all pleasure and peace, and shall t a s t e 
sweetness and joy unutterable, and take 
infinite delight and felicity in them.§ 

Beloved, I am loath to leave you; I can 
not tell how to give you over. I am now 
ready to s h u t up, but would fain strike 
this bargain between Christ and you before 
I end. W h a t ! shall I leave you as I found 
you a t l a s t ? Have you read hitherto, and 
a r e you not yet resolved upon a present 
abandoning all your sins, and closing with 
J e s u s C h r i s t ? Alas! w h a t shall I say? 
W h a t shall I do? Will you resist all my 
importunity? Have I r u n in vain? Have I 
used so many arguments, and spent so 
much time to persuade you, and will you 
a t last disappoint m e ? But it is a small 
m a t t e r t h a t you r e j e c t m e ; you put a 
slight upon t h e God t h a t made you; you 
r e j e c t t h e bowels and beseeching of a Sav-
iour and will be found resisters of t h e Holy 

* Isa. xlii. 6, 7. ' f Gal. v. 13. 
t Matt. xi. 30. J a m e s i, „25. 1 Cor. vii. 22. 
§ Prov. iii. 17-. Psa. cxix. 103, 111, 165. 1 Pet. i. 8. 



T H E CONCLUSION 171 

Ghost,* if you will not now be prevailed 
with to repent and be converted. 

Well, though I have called you long, and 
you have refused, I shall yet t h i s once 
more lift up my voice like a t r u m p e t . Once 
more I shall call regardless sinners, t h a t , 
if it be possible, I may awaken t h e m ; 0 
earth, earth, e a r t h , h e a r t h e word of t h e 
Lord.f Unless you be resolved to die, lend 
your ears to t h e last calls of mercy. Be-
hold, in t h e name of God I make op6n 
proclamation t o you. Hearken unto me, 0 
ye children, hear instruction, and be wise, 
and r e f u s e it not.J 

Ho, every one t h a t t h i r s t e t h , come ye to 
t h e w a t e r s ; and he t h a t h a t h no money, 
come ye, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy 
wine and milk without money and, without 
price. Wherefore do ye spend your money 
f o r t h a t which is not bread, and your la-
bour f o r t h a t which satisfieth n o t ? Heark-
en diligently unto me, and eat ye t h a t 
which is good, and let your soul delight 
itself in f a t n e s s . Incline your ear, and 
come unto m e ; hear, and your soul shall 
live; and I will make an everlasting coven-
ant with you, even t h e sure mercies of 
David. § 

Ho, every one t h a t is sick of any man-
ner of disease or torment, || or is possessed 

* Acts. vii. 51. t Jer. xxii. 29. 
t Prov. viii. 32, 33. I Isa. lv. 1—3. 
|| Matt. iv. 23, 24. 

15 



172 T H E CONCLUSION 
, with an evil spirit, whether of pride, or 

f u r y , or lust, or covetousness, come ye to 
t h e Physician; bring away your sick. Lo, 
here is he t h a t healeth all manner of sick-
nesses, and all manner of diseases among 
t h e people. 

Ho, every one t h a t is in debt, and every 
one t h a t is in distress, and every one t h a t 
is discontented, g a t h e r yourselves unto 
Christ, and he will become a captain over 
you, he will be your protection f r o m t h e 
a r r e s t s of t h e law, he will save you f r o m 
t h e hand of justice. Behold he is an open 
sanctuary to you, he is a known refuge.* 
Away with your sins, and come in unto 
him, lest t h e avenger of blood seize you, 
lest devouring w r a t h overtake you. 

Ho, every ignorant sinner, come and buy 
eye-salve t h a t thou mayest see.f Away 
with t h y excuses; f o r thou a r t forever lost 
if thou continuest in t h i s state ; t but ac-
cept of Christ f o r t h y prophet, and he will 
be a light unto thee.§ Cry unto him "for 
knowledge, study his word, t a k e pains 
about t h e principles of religion, humble 
thyself before him, and he will teach thee 
his way, and make thee wise unto salva-
tion. 11 But if thou wilt not follow him in 
t h e diligent use of his means, but idly sit 
down because thou h a s t but one talent, he 
will condemn thee f o r a wicked and sloth-
f u l servant.il 

* Heb. vi. 18. P s a l m xlviii. 3. 
t Rev. iii. 18. t 2 Cor. iv. 3. 
§ Isa. xlii. 6. Eph. v. 14. 
|| Matt. xiii. 36. Luke viil. 9. John v. 39. 
11 Matt. xxv. 24—26. 



T H E CONCLUSION 173 
Ho, every profane sinner, come in and 

live. R e t u r n unto t h e Lord, and he will 
have mercy on thee. 0 be entreated, re-
t u r n and come, thou t h a t h a s t defiled t h y 
mouth with oaths and execrations. All 
manner of sins and blasphemies shall be 
forgiven thee,-* if thou wilt b u t thoroughly 
t u r n unto Christ, and come in. Give up 
thyself unto Christ as a vessel of holiness, 
alone for his use; and then, though t h y 
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool; 
and though they be as crimson, they shall 
be as white as snow.f 

Hear, 0 ye drunkards, how long will you 
be drunken? P u t away your wine.J Give 
up yourselves to Christ, to live soberly, 
righteously, and godly; embrace his right-
eousness, accept his government, and 
though you have been swine, he will wash 
you.§ 

Hear, 0 ye loose companions, whose de-
light is in vain and wicked society, to sport 
away your time in carnal m i r t h and jollity 
with them. Come in at Wisdom's call, and 
choose her and h e r ways, and you shall 
live.jj 

Hear, 0 ye scorners, h e a r t h e word of 
t h e Lord; though you have made a sport 
at godliness and t h e professors thereof, 
though you have made a scorn of Christ 
and of his ways, yet even to you doth he 
call, to g a t h e r you under t h e wings* of his 
mercy.fl Upon your thorough conversion 

* Matt. iii. 28. t Luke vli. 47. Isa. 1. 18. 
t 1 Sam. i. 14. I Rev. i. 5. 
|| Prov. ix. 5, 6. H Prov. i. 22, 23. 



174 T H E CONCLUSION8 

you shall be washed, you shall be justified, 
you shall be sanctified in t h e name of t h e 
Lord Jesus, and by t h e Spirit of our God.* 

Ho, every formal professor, t h a t a r t but 
a lukewarm dough-baked Christian, and 
r e s t e s t in t h e f o r m of godliness, give over 
t h y halving and t h y halting, be a Christian 
throughout, be zealous and r e p e n t ; and 
then, though thou h a s t been an offence to 
Christ's stomach, thou shalt be t h e joy of 
his h e a r t , f 

And now bear witness t h a t mercy h a t h 
been offered you. I call heaven and e a r t h 
to record against you t h i s day, t h a t I have 
set before you life and death, blessing and 
cursing; t h e r e f o r e choose life t h a t you 
may live.J I can b u t woo and warn you; I 
cannot compel you to be happy. If I could 
I would. W h a t answer will you send me 
with to my Master? Let me speak to you 
as A b r a h a m ' s servant to them, And now 
if you will deal kindly and truly with my 
master, tell me. § 0 f o r such an happy an-
swer as Rebecca gave them.|| And they 
said, We will call t h e damsel, and inquire 
a t h e r mouth. And they called Rebecca, 
and said unto her, Wilt thou go with t h i s 
m a n ? And she said, I will go. 0 t h a t I 
had but t h i s f r o m you! Why should I be 
your a c c u s e r , w h o t h i r s t f o r your salva-
tion? Why should t h e passionate pleadings 
and wooings of mercy be turned into t h e 

* 1 Cor. vi. 11. f Rev. iii. 16, 19, 20. 
t Deut. xxx. 19. § Gen. xxiv. 49. 
II Gen. xxiv. 57, 58. ' fl Matt. x. 14, 15. 



T H E CONCLUSION 175 

horrid aggravation of your obstinacy, and 
additions to your misery? Judge in your-
selves. Do you not think their condemna-
tion will be doubly dreadful, that shall go 
on in their sins, after all endeavors to re-
call them? Doubtless it shall be more tol-
erable for Tyre and Sidon, yea, for Sodom 
and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, 
than for you.* 

Beloved, if you have any pity for your 
perishing souls, close with the present of-
fers of mercy. If the God that made you 
have any authority with you, obey his 
command, and come in. If you are not the 
despisers of grace, and would not shut up 
the doors of mercy against yourselves, re-
pent and be converted; let not heaven 
stand open for you in vain. Let not the 
Lord Jesus open his wares, and bid you 
buy without money and without price, in 
vain. Let not his ministers and his Spirit 
strive with you in vain, and leave you now 
at last unpersuaded, lest the sentence go 
forth against you. The bellows are burnt, 
the lead is consumed of the fire, the found-
er melteth in vain, reprobate silver shall 
men call them, because the Lord hath re-
jected them.f 

Father of Spirits! take the heart in 
hand that is too hard for my weakness. Do 
not thou end, though, I have done; half a 
word from thy effectual power will do the 
work. Othou that hast the key of David, 
that openest and no man shutteth, open 

• Matt. x i . 22—24. ; ' . t Jer. vi. 29, 30. 



176 T H E CONCLUSION8 
thou t h i s h e a r t as thou didst Lydia's, and 
let t h e King of Glory enter in, and make 
t h i s soul t h y captive! Let not t h e t e m p t e r 
harden him in delays; let him not: stir 
f r o m t h i s place, nor t a k e his eyes f r o m 
these lines, till he be resolved to forego 
his sins, and accept of life on t h y self*, 
denying terms. In t h y name, 0 Lord God, 
did I go f o r t h to these labours; in t h y . 
name do I shut t h e m up. Let not all t h e 
time they have cost be lost h o u r s ; let.not 
all t h e t h o u g h t s of h e a r t , and all t h e pains 
t h a t have been about them, be but lost 
labour. Lord, put in t h y hand into .the 
h e a r t of t h i s reader, and send t h y Spirit, 
as once thou didst Philip, to join himself 
t o t h e chariot of t h e eunuch, while he was 
reading t h e word. And though I should 
never know it while I live, yet I beseech 
thee, 0 Lord God, let it be found a t t h a t 
day t h a t some souls a r e converted by: 
these labours; and let some be able to 
stand f o r t h and say, t h a t by these persua-
sions: t h e y were won unto thee. Amen, 
Amen. Let him t h a t readeth say, Amen. 

MR. A L L E I N E ' S COUNCIL FOR PER-
SONAL AND FAMILY GODLINESS 
Beloved, I despair of ever bringing you 

to salvation without sanctification, or 
possessing you of happiness without per-
suading you to holiness. God knows, I 
have not t h e least hope ever to see one of 
ypur faces in heaven except you be c o n -
verted, and sanctified, and exercise your-



MR. A L L E I N E ' S COUNSEL, ETC., 177 

selves unto godliness. I beseech you, study 
personal godliness and family godliness. 

1. Personal godliness. Let it be your 
first care to set up Christ in your h e a r t s . 
See t h a t you make all your worldly inter-
ests to stoop to him, t h a t you be entirely 
and unreservedly devoted unto him. It 
you wilfully, and deliberately, and ordinar-
ily h a r b o u r any sin, you are undone, bee 
t h a t you unfeignedly t a k e t h e law ot 
Christ as t h e rule of your words, thoughts, 
and actions; and subject your whole man, 
members, and minds, f a i t h f u l l y to him. It 
you have not a t r u e respect to all God s 
commandments» you are unsound a t h e a r t 
0 study to get t h e image and impress of 
Christ upon you within. Begin with your 
h e a r t s , else you build without any founda-
tion. Labor to get a saving change within, 
or else all external performances will be to 
no purpose. And then study to show f o r t h 
t h e power of godliness in t h e life. Let 
piety be your first and g r e a t business: » 
is t h e highest point of justice to give God 
his due. Beware t h a t none of you be a 
prayerless person; f o r t h a t is a most cer-
tain discovery t h a t you a r e a Christless 
and graceless person; or one t h a t is a very 
s t r a n g e r to t h e f e a r of God. Suffer not 
your Bibles to g a t h e r d u s t ; see t h a t you 
converse daily with t h e word. T h a t man 
can never lay claim to blessedness, whose 
delight is not in t h e law of t h e Lord- Let 
meditation and self-examination be your, 
daily exercise. . . .. .. — -



178 MR. A L L E I N E ' S C O U N S E L F O R 
But piety without charity is but t h e half 

of Christianity; or- r a t h e r impious hy-
pocrisy. We may not divide t h e tables; 
see, therefore, t h a t you do justly and love 
mercy, and let equity and charity run like 
an even thread t h r o u g h o u t all your deal-
ings. Be you temperate in all things, and 
let chastity and sobriety be your undivided 
companions. Let t r u t h and purity,- serious-
ness and modesty, heavenliness and grav-
ity, be the constant ornaments of your 
speech. Let patience and humility, sim-
plicity and sincerity, shine out in all the 
parts, of your conversation. See t h a t vou 
f o r g e t and forgive wrongs, and requite 
them with kindness, as you would be 
found the children of . the Most High. Be 
merciful in your censures, and put t h e 
most favourable construction upon your 
b r e t h r e n ' s carriage, t h a t t h e i r actions will 
reasonably h e a r . Be slow in promising, 
punctual in fulfilling. Let meekness and in-
nocence, affability, yieldingness, and sim-
plicity, commend your conversation to all 
men. Let hone of your relations want t h a t 
love and reverence, t h a t tenderness, care, 
and vigilance, which t h e i r ; several places' 
and capacitéis cáll for. This is thorough 

I charge you before t h e most 
high God, t h a t none of you be found a 
swearer, or a liar, or a lover of evil com-
pany, or a scoffer, or malicious, or covet-
ous, or a . d r u n k a r d , or a glutton, unright-
eous in his dealings, unclean in his living 
or a .quarreler,- -or- a - t h i e f , or a backbiter 

or a railer.; f o r I denounce unto-you, -from 



P E R S O N A L A N D FAMILY GODLINESS 179 
t h e living God, t h a t destruction and dam-
nation is t h e end of all such. 

2. Family godliness. He t h a t h a t h set 
up Christ in his h e a r t , will be sure to 
study to set him up in his house. Let every 
family with you be a Christian church; 
every house a house of prayer. Let every 
householder say with Joshua, I and my 
house will serve t h e Lord, and resolve with 
David, I will walk in my house with a per-
feet h e a r t . 

F i r s t , let religion be in your families, 
n o t as a m a t t e r to be minded a t leisure, 
but t h e standing business of t h e house. Let 
them have your prayers as duly as t h e i r 
meals. Is t h e r e any of your families but 
have time f o r taking t h e i r food? Wretched 
m a n ! canst thou not as well find time to 
pray in? ... , 

; Secondly, settle it upon your hearts, t h a t 
your souls are bound up in t h e souls of 
your family; they are committed unto you, 
and if they h e lost t h r o u g h your neglect, 
they will be required at your hands. If you 
do not, you shall know t h a t t h e charge of 
souls is a heavy charge, and t h a t t h e blood 
of souls is a heavy guilt. 0 man, h a s t thou 
a Charge of souls to answer for, and wilt 
thou not bestir thyself, t h a t their, blood 
be not found in t h y s k i r t s ? 

1. Let t h e solemn reading of t h e word, 
and singing of psalms, be your family ex-
ercises. See Christ singing with his fam-
ily, namely, his disciples.* , 

2. Let every person in your families be 
as duly called to an account of t h e i r profit-

* Matt. xxvi. 30. 



180 MR. A L L E I N E ' S COUNSEL FOR 

ing by t h e word heard or read, as they be 
about doing your own business. This is a 
duty of consequence unspeakable, and 
would be a means to bring those under 
your charge to remember and profit by 
w h a t t h e y receive. See Christ's example.* 

3. Often t a k e an account of t h e souls 
under your care, concerning t h e i r spiritual 
states, (herein you must be followers of 

. C h r i s t . f ) Make inquiry into t h e i r condi-
tion, insist much upon t h e sinfulness and 
misery of t h e i r natural state, and upon t h e 
necessity of regeneration and conversion, 
in order to t h e i r salvation. Admonish 
them gravely of t h e i r sins, encourage t h e i r 
beginnings, follow them earnestly, and let 
them have no quiet f r o m you, until you 
see in t h e m a saving change. This is a 
duty of very g r e a t consequence, but, I am 
a f r a i d , most f e a r f u l l y neglected. Doth not 
conscience say, Thou a r t t h e m a n ? 

4. Look to t h e strict sanctifying of t h e 
Sabbath by all your household. Many poor 
families have little time else. 0 improve 
but your Sabbath days as diligently in la-
bouring f o r knowledge, and doing your 
Maker's work, as you do t h e other days in 
doing your own work, and I doubt not but 
you may come to some proficiency. 

5. Let t h e morning and evening sacri 
fice of solemn p r a y e r be daily offered up 
m all your families. Beware you be not 
found among t h e families t h a t call not UD-

* Matt. xvi. 11, 13, 15. 
f Matt. xiii. 10, 36, 51. Mark iv. 10, 11. 



P E R S O N A L A N D FAMILY GODLINESS 181 
on God's n a m e ; f o r why should t h e r e be 
w r a t h f r o m t h e Lord upon your families I 
0 miserable families, without God in t h e 
world, t h a t a r e without family p r a y e r ! 
What, have you so many family sins, fam-
ily wants, family mercies; what, and yet 
no family p r a y e r s ? How do you pray with 
all prayer and supplication, if you do not 
with family p r a y e r ? Say not, I have no 
time. What, h a s t thou not all t h y time on 
purpose to' serve God and save t h y soul] 
And yet is t h i s it f o r which thou canst find 
no time? Find b u t an h e a r t , and you will 
find time. Say not, My business will not 
leave me. This is t h e greatest business, to 
save thyself, and t h e souls committed to 
thee. Say not, I am not able; use t h e one 
talent, and God will increase it. 

6. P u t every one in your families upon 
private prayer. Observe whether they per-
f o r m it. Get t h e m t h e help of a form, if 
they need it, till they are able to prav 
without it. Direct t h e m how to pray, by 
reminding t h e m of t h e i r sins, wants, and 
mercies, t h e materials of prayer. This was 
t h e practice of John and Jesus.* 

7. Set up catechising in your families, 
a t t h e least once every week. Have you no 
dread of t h e Almighty's charge, t h a t you 
should teach these things diligently to 
your children, and talk to t h e m as you sit 
in your houses, and t r a i n t h e m up in t h e 
way wherein they should go? H a t h God so 
commended Abraham, t h a t he would teach 

» Luke xl. 1, &c. 



182 MR. A L L E I N E ' S COUNSEL, ETC.. 
his children and household, and t h a t he 
had many instructed servants, and given 
such a promise to him thereupon, and will 
you not put in f o r a share, neither in t h e 
praise nor t h e promise? H a t h Christ hon-
oured catechising with his presence, (Luke 
ii 46) and will you not own it with your 
practice? Say not, They a r e careless, and 
will not learn. W h a t have you your author-
ity for, if not to use it f o r God, and t h e 
good of t h e i r souls ? You will call them up, 
and force t h e m to do your work. And 
should you not at least be as zealous in 
p u t t i n g t h e m upon God's work? Say not, 
They a r e dull, and a r e not capable. If they 
be dull, God requires of you t h e more pains 
and patience. 

Will you answer the calls of divine Prov-
idence ? Would you remove t h e incumbent, 
or prevent t h e impending calamities ? 
Would you plant nurseries f o r t h e church 
of God? Would you t h a t God should build 
your houses, and bless your substance? 
Would you t h a t your children should bless 
you? O t h e n set up piety in your families, 
as ever you would be blessed, or be a 
blessing. Let your h e a r t s and your houses 
be t h e temples of t h e living God, in which 
his worship (according to all t h e aforemen-
tioned directions) may be with constancy 
reverently performed. He t h a t being often 
reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall sud-
denly be destroyed, and t h a t without rem-
edy. O be wise in time t h a t you m a y not 
be miserable to eternity. 

T H E E N D