UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY Class Book Volume RO4 ARS Je 07-10M THE SOLEMN WARNINGS OF THE DEAD: OR, AN ADMONITION TO UNCONVERTED SINNERS. BY MR. JOSEPH ALLEINE. AND A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. BY MR. RICHARD BAXTER. He being dead vet speaketh, Hebrews xi, 4. ——_— New-Dork : PUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT, FOR THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL = CHURCH, 200 MULBERRY-STREET. JOSEPH LONGKING, PRINTER. 1849, ‘ ) , . * " a : ’ : | a : Le . * ‘ ‘s i ¥4 Fail iv u n \) i Bi : cy « Ss + tf i - cm Ye y "SH mM se a a ics CHAPTER IV. Showing the marks ofthe unconverted, . . . 74 CHAPTER V. Showing the miseries of the unconverted, i ye MZ CIUAPTER VI. Directions for conversion, ae | a ae . iN7 CHAPTER VII. The motives to conversion, 5 : : . . 138 The conclusion of the whole, . F : ‘ eee The author’s counsel for personal and family godliness, 165 93008 AN ADMONITION : TO UNCONVERTED SINNERS; Ina Serious Treatise. SHOWETH, I. What conversion is not,| IV. The marks of the uncon- and correcting some mistakes/verted. about it. V. The miseries of the uncon- If. What conversion is, and|verted. wherein it consisteth. VI. Directions for conver- III. The necessity of conver-jsion. sion. VII. Motives for conversion. BY JOSEPH ALLEINE, LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT TAUNTON, IN SOMERSETSHIRE. TO THE READER. ——— READER,—You are here presented with a book which was written many years before the name of Methodism was known in the world ; which it may be proper to re- mind you of, in order to remove any unreasonable prejudice arising from that quarter. What I would recommend to you is, to read it with attention, examination, and prayer, as the most effectual method you can take to render it a blessing to your own soul. The author seems to have made use of every possible argument to win upon your in- genuity, to awaken conscience, and to direct you in the way everlasting. I charge you, as in the presence of the living God, now to do your part, and give it a faithful reading: I beg of you, by every endearing motive of love and affection to your precious and immortal soul, that you will look upon this book as calculated to promote your present and everlasting happiness ; and I beg of God that he would be pleased so to accompany your reading of it with his Divine and hea- venly grace, as to afford you matter of thanksgiving, grati- tude, and praise, to his holy name for ever and ever. Man, by nature and practice, is a sinner before God; a charge of guilt is fastened upon him ; this, in words, he rea- dily acknowledges ; but being blinded with prejudice, and having wrong conceptions both of the nature of God and sin, he flatters himself that all will be well at last, and that a merciful God will not finally condemn him ; this lulls him asleep in Satan’s arms, and makes him secure and easy un- der all the denunciations of God’s wrath against him. 6 TO THE READER. One grand design of the author in this book is, to dispel that gross darkness, to rectify those false conceptions he has of God and sin,-and to convince him that notwithstanding all his vain pretensions, without true repentance the sen tence of wrath stands in full force against him still. Jesus Christ is set forth in Scripture as the Saviour of sin- ners, the helper of the helpless; the only sure bottom upon which man is to anchor the hope of eternal salvation. To this Lord and Saviour is the awakened sinner directed in this book: a free and a full salvation is offered him, under every possible assurance, that if he closes with it his sins shall be pardoned, his person and future services accepted ‘ and, from being a brand of hell, he shall become an heir of glory. Reader, the former character either is or has been thine own: ifit is thine at this present reading, remember thy danger; take the alarm, and flee from the wrath to come. If it has been thine formerly, and thou art truly converted to God by Jesus Christ, give him all the glory, rejoice in the happy change, walk worthy of thy high calling, and thou art made for ever. Thy ready servant in the LORD. iaa AN ADMONITION TO UNCONVERTED SINNERS. An earnest invitation to sinners to return to God, in order to their eternal salvation. Dearty beloved and longed-for, I gladly acknowledge myself a debtor to you all, and am concerned, as I would be found a good steward to the household of God, to give to every one his portion; but the physician is most solicit- ous for those patients whose case is most doubt- ful and hazardous; and the father’s bowels are especially turned toward hisdying child. The number of unconverted souls among you call for my most earnest compassion and hasty dili- gence to pluck them out of the burning, Jude 23. And therefore to these first I shall apply myself in these lines. But whence shall I fetch my argument? or how shall I choose my words ? Lord, wherewith shall I woo them? wherewith shall I win them? O that I could but tell! I would write unto them in tears, I would weep out every argument, I would empty my veins for ink, I would petition them on my knees, verily (were I able) I would : O how thankful would I be if they would be prevailed with to repent and turn! ‘‘ But, Lord, how insufficient am I for this work : I have been many a year wooing for thee, but the damsel would not go with me: Lord, 8 AN INVITATION TO SINNERS. what a task hast thou set for me to do! Alas! wherewith shall I pierce the scales of leviathan, or make the’ heart to feel that’s hard as stone, hard as a piece of nether millstone! Shall I go and lay my mouth to the grave, and look when the dead will obey me and come forth? Shall I make an oration to the rocks, or declaim to the mountains, and think to move them with argu- ments ? Shall I give the blind to see? From the beginning of the world was it not heard that a man opened the eyes of the blind; but thou, O Lord, canst pierce the scales and prick the heart of the sinner. I can but shoot at rovers, and draw the bow at a venture, but do thou di- rect. the arrow between the joints of the harness, kill the sin, and save the soul of a sinner that casts his eyes on these labours.” Brethren, I beseech you suffer friendly plain. ness and freedom with you in your deepest con. cernments. I am not playing the orator, to make a learned speech to you, nor dressing my dish with eloquence wherewith to please you; these lines are upon a weighty errand indeed, namely, to convince, and convert, and to save you. Iam not baiting my hook with rhetoric, nor fishing for your applause, but for your souls. My work is not to please you, but to save you ; nor is my business with your fancies, but your hearts : if I have not your hearts [ have nothing. If I were to please your ears I could sing ano- ther song ; if I were to preach myself I would steer another course; I would then tell you a smoother tale ; I would make you pillows, and TO RETURN TO GOD. 9g speak you peace; for how can Ahab love his Micaiah, that “ always prophesies evil concern- ing him?’ 1 Kings xxii, 8. But how much ‘‘ better are the wounds of a friend than the fair speeches of a harlot, who flattereth with her lips till the dart strike through the liver, and hunteth for the precious life ?” Prov. vii, 21-23, and vi, 16. If I were to quiet a crying infant, I might sing to him a pleasant song, and rock him asleep ! but when the child is fallen into the fire the parent takes another course, he will not go to still him with a song or a trifle. [ know, if we speed not with you, you are lost; if we cannot get your consent to “arise and come away, you perish for ever : no conversion and no salvation : I must get your good will, or leave you miserable. But here the difficulty of my work again re- curs upon me, “ Lord, choose my stones out of the brook,’ 1 Sam. xvii, 40,45. “I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.”’ I come forth like the strip- ling David to wrestle, “ not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world,” Eph. vi, 12,— “ This day let the Lord smite the Philistines, and spoil the strong man of his armour, and give me to fetch off the captives out of his hand.”’ Lord, choose my words, choose my weapons for me 3 and when I put my hand into the bag, and take thence a stone and sling it, do thou carry it to the mark and make it sink, not into the fore- head, 1 Sam. xvii, 49, but the heart of the un- 10 AN INVITATION TO SINNERS. converted sinner, and smite him to the ground, with Saul in his so happy fall, Acts ix, 5. Thou has sent me as Abraham did his servant, “ to take a wife unto my Master, thy Son,” Gen. xxiv, 4, but my discouraged soul is ready to fear the woman will not be willing to follow me ; “O Lord God of my Master, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and show kindness to my Master, and send thine angel before, and prosper my way, that I may take a wife unto thy Son,” Gen. xxiv, 12, that as thy servant “rested not till he had brought Isaac and Re- bekah together, so I may be successful to bring Cunrisr and the souls of my people together before we part.” But I turn me unto you. Some of you do not kaow what I mean by conversion, and in vain shall I persuade you to that which you do not understand ; and therefore for your sakes I shall show what this conversion is. Others do cherish secret hopes of mercy, though they con- tinue as they are; and for them I must show the necessity of conversion. Others are like to har- den themselves with a vain conceit that they are converted already ; unto them I must show the marks of the unconverted. Others, because they feel no harm, fear none, and so sleep on the top of the mast ; to them I shall show the miseries of the unconverted. Others sit still, because they see not their way out ; to them I shall show the means of conversion. And finally, for the quickening of all I shall close with the motives of conversion. MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. 11 CHAPTER I. Showing in the negative what conversion is not, and correcting some mistakes about tt. Ler the blind Samaritans worship they know not what, John iv, 22; let the heathen Atheni- ans superscribe their altar, “‘ Unto the unknown God,” Acts xvii, 23; they that know man’s constitution, and the nature of the human soul’s operation, cannot but know that the understand- ing having the empire in the soul, he that will go rationally to work, must labour to let in the light here. Now, that I may cure the mistakes of some,who think they are converted when they are not, as well as remove the troubles and fears of others, that think they are not converted when they are; I shall show you the nature of con- version, both negatively, or what it is not ; and positively, what it is. We will begin with the negative. 1. “It is not the taking upon us the profes- sion of Christianity.” Doubtless Christianity is more than a name. If we will hear Paul, it lies not in word, but.in power, 1 Cor. iv, 20.— If to cease to be Jews and pagans, and to put on the Christian profession had been true con- version, who better Christians than they of Sardis and Laodicea? ‘These were all Chris- tians by profession, and had a name to live ; but because they had but a name, are con- demned by Christ, and threatened to be spewed out, Rey. iii, 1-16. Are there not many that 12 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. mention the name of the Lord Jesus, and yet depart not from iniquity ? 2 Tim. ii, 19, and “profess they know God, but in works they deny him!” Titus i, 16. . And will God receive these for true converts, because turned to the Christian religion? What! converts from sin, when yet they do live insin? it isa visible con- tradiction. Surely if the lamp of profession would have served the turn, the foolish virgins had never been shut out, Matt. xxy, 12. We find not only professors, but professors of Christ, and wonder workers, turned off because evil workers, Matt. vii, 22, 23. 2. “It is not the being washed in the laver of regeneration, or putting on the badge of Christ in baptism.” Many take the press money, and even wear the livery of Christ, that yet never stand to their colours, nor follow their leader. Ananias, and Sapphira, and Magus, were bap- tized as well as the rest. Friends and brethren, “ Be not deceived, God is not mocked,” Gal. vi, 7. Whether it be your baptism, or whatever else that you pretend, I tell you from the living God, that if any of you be prayerless persons, or unclean, or malicious, or covetous, or riotous, or a scoffer, or a lover of evil company, Prov. xiii, 20; in a word, If you are not holy, strict, and self-denying Chris- tians, Heb. xii, 14; Matt. xvi, 24, you cannot be saved, except you be. transformed by a far- ther work upon you, and renewed again by re- pentance. 3. “It lies not in a moral righteousness.” MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION, 13 This exceeds not the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and therefore cannot bring us to the kingdom of God, Matt. v, 20. Paul, while unconverted, “ touching the righte- ousness which is in the law, was_ blameless,” Phil. iii, 6. None could say, “ Black is thine eye.” Theself justiciary could say, “I am no extortioner, adulterer, unjust,” &c. Luke xviii, 11. Thou must have something more than all this to show, or else, however thou mayest justify thyself, God will condemn thee. I condemn not morality, but warn you not to rest here: piety includes morality,as Christianity doth humanity, and grace reason; but we must not divide the tables. 4. “It consists not in an eternal conformity to the rules of piety.” - It is too manifest, men may have a form of godliness without the power, 2 Tim. i1i,5. Men may pray long, Matt. xxii, 14, and fast often, Luke xviil, 12, and hear gladly, Mark vi, 2, and be very forward in the service of God, though. costly and expensive, Isa. i, 11, and yet be strangers to conversion. They must have more to plead for- themselves, than that they keep to their Church, give alms, and make use of prayer, to prove themselves sound converts. No outward service but a hypocrite may do it, even to the “ giving all his goods to feed the poor, and: his members to the fire,” 1 Cor. xiii, 3. 0. “It lies not in the chaining up of corrup- tion, by education, human laws, or the force of incumbent affliction.” . It is too common and 14 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. easy to mistake education for grace ; but if this were enough, who a better man than Jehoash? While Jehoiada his uncle lived, he was very for- ward in God’s service, and calls upon him to repair the house of the Lord, 2 Kings xii, 2, 7 ; but here was nothing more than good education all this while: for when his good tutor was taken out of the way, he appears to have been but a wolf chained up, and falls to idolatry. 6. In short, “it consists not in illumination or conviction, not in a superficial change or partial reformation.” Felix may tremble under conviction, Acts xxiv, 25, and a Herod amend many things, Mark vi, 20.. It is one thing to have sin alarmed only by convictions, and another to be captivated and crucified by con- verting grace. Many, because they had been troubled in conscience for their sins, think well of their case, miserably mistaking coNVICTION for CONVERSION : with these Cain might have passed for a convert, who ran up and down the world like a man distracted, under the rage of a guilty conscience, till with building and business he had worn it away, Gen. iv. 13,.14. Others think, that because they have given over their riotous courses, and are broken off from evil company, or some particular lust, and reduced to sobriety and civility, they are now no other than real converts; forgetting that there is a vast difference between being sanc- tified and civilized: and that “ many -seek to enter into the kingdom. of heaven, Luke xiii, 24, and are not far from it,” Mark xii, 34, and MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. 15 arrived to the almost of Christianity, Acts xxvi, 28, and yet fall short at last. While conscience holds the whip over them, many will pray, hear, read, and forbear their delightful sins : but no sooner is the lion asleep, than they aré at their vomit again. Who more religious than the Jews, when God’s hand was upon them, Psalm Ixxviii, 34, 835; yet no sooner was the affliction over, but they forgot God, and showed their re- ligion to be a fit, verses 36, 37. Thou mayest have disgorged a troublesome sin, that will not sit easy on thy stomach,and yet not have changed thy swinish nature all the while. You may cast the Jead out of the rude mass into the more comely proportion of a plant, and then into the shape of a beast, and thence into the form and features of a man, yet all the while it is but lead still: so a man may pass through divers transmutations, from ignorance to know- ledge, from profaneness to civility, thence to a form of religion ; and all this while he is but car- nal and unregenerate, while his nature remains unchanged. AprpiicaTtion.~ “ Hear then, O sinners, hear as you would live, so come and hear,” Isa. lv, 3. Why would youso willingly deceive yourselves, or build your hopes upon the sand? I know he shall find hard work of it that goes to pluck away ‘your hopes: it cannot but be ungrateful to you, and truly it is not pleasing to me. I set about it as a surgeon when to cut off a putrified mem- ber from his well-beloved friend, which of force he must do, though with an aching heart, a _piti- 16 MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. ful eye and a trembling hand. But understand me, brethren, I am only taking down the ruin- ous house (which will otherwise speedily fall of itself, and bury you in the rubbish) that I may build it fair, firm, and strong for ever. “ The hope of the hypocrite shall perish,” Prov. xi, 7, if God be true to hisword. And hadst not thou better, O sinner, to let the word convince thee now in time, and let go thy false and self-de- luding hopes than have death too late:to open thine eyes, and find thyself in hell before thou art aware’? I should be a false and faithless shep herd, if I could not tell you, that you, who have built your hopes upon no better ground than these before mentioned, are yet in your sins. Let your conscience speak: what is it that you have to plead for yourselves? Is it that you bear Christ’s livery? that you bear his name ? that you are of the visible Church? that you have knowledge in the points of religion, are civilized, perform religious duties, are just in your dealings, have been troubled in con- science for your sins? I tell you from the Lord, these pleas will never be accepted at God’s bar ; all this, though good in itself, will not prove you converted, and so will not suffice to your salva- tion. O! look about you; and bethink your- selves of returning speedily and soundly. Set to praying, and to reading, and studying your own hearts: rest not till God hath made thorough work with you; for ye must iis other men, or else are lost men. But if these be short of conversion, what shall MISTAKES ABOUT CONVERSION. 17 I say of the profane sinner? It may be, he will scarce cast his eye or lend his ear to this dis. course! but if there be any such reading, or within hearing, he must know from the Lord that made him, that he is far from the kingdom of God. May a man be civilized and not con- verted ; where then shall the drunkard and glutton appear? May a man keep company with the wise virgins, and yet be shut out ; shall not “a companion of .fools much more be de- stroyed ?” Prov. xili, 20. May a man be true and just in his dealings, and yet not be justified of God! What then will become of thee, O wretched man, whose conscience tells thee thou art false in thy trade, and false to thy word, and makest thy advantage by a lying tongue? If men may be enlightened and brought to the performance of holy duties, and yet go down to perdition for resting in them and sitting down on this side of conversion ; what will become of you, O miserable Facabieds that live without God in the world? and of you, O wretched sinners, with whom God is scarce in all your thoughts ; that are so ignorant that you cannot, r so careless that you will not pray ? O repent and be converted; “break off your sins by righteousness,” away to Christ for pardoning and renewing grace : give up yourselves to him, to walk with him in holiness; or else you shall never see God. O that you would take the warnings of God! In his nameI once more admonish you: “Turn you at my reproof,” Proy. i, 23.“ Forsake the foolish, and live,” 9 18 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. Proy. ix, 6. “Be sober, righteous, godly,” Titus li, 12. “ Wash your hands, ye sinners ; purify your hearts, ye double minded,” James iv, 8. * Cease to do evil, learn to do well,” Isa. i, 16, 17. “ But if you will go on, you must die,”’ Ezek. xxxi, 11. CHAPTER II. Showing positwely what conversion is. I may not leave you with your eyes half open, as he “ thatsaw men as trees walking,” Mark viii, 24. The word is “ profitable for doctrine as well as reproof,” 2 Tim. iii, 16. And therefore having thus far conducted you by the shoals and rocks of so many dangerous mistakes, I would guide you at length into the harbour of truth. Conversion then, in short, lies in the thorough change both of the heart and life : I shall briefly be age it in its nature and causes. 1. “The author is the Spirit of God:” and therefore it is called “ the sanctification of the Spirit,” 2 Thess. ii, 13, and “the renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Tit. iii, 5, yet not excluding the other persons in the trinity ; for the apostle teacheth us to bless “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for that he hath begotten us again,” 1 Pet. i, 3, and Christ is said to give “ repent- ance unto Israel,’ Acts v, 31, and is called “the Everlasting Father,” Isaiah ix, 6, and we his seed, and “the children which God hath THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 19 given him,” Heb. ii, 13 ; Isa. liu, 10. O blessed birth, the whole trinity fathers the new creature ; ; yet this work is principally ascribed to the Holy Ghost, and so we are said to be “ born of the Spirit,” John iii, 8 So then it isa work above man’s power : “ We are born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” John i, 18. Never think thou canst convert thyself: if ever thou wouldst be savingly converted, thou must despair of doing it in thy ownstrength. Itisa resurrection from the dead, Rev. xx, 5; Ephes. il, 1; a new creation, Gal. vi, 15; Eph. ii, 10; a work of absolute omnipotence, Ephes. i, 19. Are these out of the reach of human power ? If thou hast no more than thou hadst by thy first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper, &c. thou art a very stranger to true conversion : this is a supernatural work. 2. “The moving cause is internal and external. The internal mover is only free grace.” “ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but of his own mercy he saved us, by the renew- ing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus ii, 5. “ Of his own will begat he us,” Jamesi, 18. We are chosen and called unto sanctification, Eph. i, 4 How affectionately doth Peter lift up his hand! “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again,” 1 Pet. i, 3. How feelingly doth Paul magnify the free mercy of God in it ! ** God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us toge- 20 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. ther with Christ : by grace ye are saved,” Eph. ii, 4, 5. « The external mover is the merit and inter- cession of the blessed Jesus.” “ He hath ob- tained gifts for the rebellious,” Psalm Ixviil, 18, and through him it is that God worketh in us what is well pleasing in his sight, Heb. xiii, 21. Through him are-all spiritual blessings be- stowed upon us in heavenly things, Eph. 1, 3. He interceded for them that believed not, John xvii, 20. Every convert is the fruit of his travail, Isa. liii, 11. O never was infant born into the world with that difficulty that Christ endured for us ! how emphatically he groaned in his travail ! All the pains that he suffered on his cross, they were our birth pains, Acts li, 24, “ ordinas,” the pulls and throes, that Christ endured for us. He is made sanctification to us, 1 Cor. i, 30. He sanctified himself (that is, set apart himself as a sacrifice) that we may be sanetified, John xvii, 19. We are sanctified “ through the offering of his body once for all,” Heb. x, 10. 3. “ The instrument is either personal or real.” ‘The personal isthe ministry. “ I have begotten you in Christ through the .Gospel,” 1 Cor. iv, 15. Christ’s ministers are they that are sent to open men’s eyes, and to turn them to God, Acts xxvi, 18. “The instrument real is the word.” We were begotten by the word of truth: this is it that enlightens the eye, that converteth the soul, Psalm xix, 7,8; that maketh wise to salvation, 2 Tim. ili, 15. This is the incorruptible. seed THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 21 by which we are born again, 1 Pet. 1,23. If we are washed itis by the word, Eph. v, 26. If we are sanctified it is through the truth, John xvii, 17. ‘This generates faith, and regenerates us, Rom. x, 17 ; James 1, 18. O ye saints, how should ye love the word ! for by this you have been converted. O ye sin- ners, how should ye ply the word! for by this you must be converted; no other ordinary means but this. You that have felt its renew- ing power, make much of it while you live, be for ever thankful for it ; tie it about your necks, write it upon your hands, lay itin your bosom, Proy. vi, 21,22. 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, ‘1 will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me,” Psalm cxix, 938. Ye that are unconverted, read the word with dili- gence, flock to it where. powerfully preached, fill the porches as the multitude of the impo- tent, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the mov- ing of the water, John v,_3. Pray for the coming of the Spiritin the word. Come off thy knees to the sermon, and come to thy knees from the sermon. ‘The seed doth not prosper, because not watered ‘by prayers and tears, nor covered my meditation. 4. “The final cause is man’s salvation, and God’s glory.” . We are chosen through sancti- fication to salvation, 2 Thess. ii, 13 ; called that we might be glorified, Rom. viii, 30 ; but espe- cially that God might be glorified, Isa. Ix, 21 ; 22 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. that we should show forth his praise, 1 Pet. ii, 9, and be fruitful in good works, Col. 1,10. O Christian ! do not forget the end of thy calling ; let thy light shine, Matt. v, 16, let thy lamp burn, let thy fruits be good, and many and in season, Psalm i, 3; let all thy designs fall in with God’s, that he may be magnified in thee, Phil. i, 10. 5. “The subject is the true believer, and that in all his parts and powers, members and mind.” - Conversion is no repairing of the old building ; but it takes all down and erects a new structure. It is not the putting ina patch, or sewing ona list-of holiness: but, with the true convert, holiness is woven in all his powers, principles, and practice. The sincere Christian is quite a new fabric, from the found. ation to the top stone all new. He isa new man, Eph. iv, 24, a new creature. “ All things ‘are become new, 2 Cor. v, 17. Conversion is a deep work, a heart work, Acts ii, 37, and vi, 14; it turns all upside down, and makes a man be in a new world. It goes throughout with men, throughout the mind, throughout the members, throughout the motions, of the whole life. 1. “Throughout the mind.” It makes a universal change within. First, it turns the balance of the judgment, so that God and his glory do weigh down all carnal and worldly in- terest, Acts xx, 24; Phil. i, 20; Psa. Ixxiti, 25. It opens the eye of the mind, ‘and: makes ‘the scales of its native ignorance ‘to fall off, and THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 23 sf ene men Sess darkness to light,” Acts xxvi, ; Eph. iii, 8; 1 Pet. ii, 2. The man that ara saw no danger in his condition, now con- cludes himself lost, and for ever undone, Acts ii, 37, unless renewed by the power of grace. He that formerly thought there was little hurt in sin, now comes to see it to be the chief of evils: he sees the unreasonableness, the un- righteousness, the deformity and filthiness that is in sin, so that he is affrighted with it, loathes it, dreads it, flees it, and even abhors himself for it, Romans vii, 18; Job xlii, 6; Ezekiel XXXVl, 31. Now, according to this new light, the man is of another mind, another judgment, than before he was: now Gisdii is all with him, he hath none “ in heaven or in earth like him,” Psalm I xxiii, 25. He prefers him truly before all the world ; his favour is his life, the light of his countenance is more than corn, or wine and oil, the good that formerly he inquired after, and set his heart upon, Psalm iv, 6,7. This is the convert’s voice ; “ The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever,” Psalm Ixxiii, 25, 26; Lam. iil, 24. Secondly, “ It turns the bias of the will, both as to means and end.” 1..“ The intentions of the will are altered,” Ezek. xxxvi, 26; Jer. xxvi, 33; Isa. xxvi, 8,9. Now the man hath new ends and designs: now he intends God above all, and desires and designs nothing in 24 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. all the world so much as that Christ may be magnified in him, Phil. i, 20. . He counts him- self more happy in this than in all that the earth could yield, that he may be serviceable to Christ, and bring him glory in his generation. This is the mark he aims at, that the name of Jesus may be great in the world ; and that all the sheaves of his brethren may bow to his sheaf, Gen. XXXVI, 7. Reader, dost thou view this, and never ask thyself, whether it be thus with thee? Pause awhile, and breathe on this great concernment. 2. “ The choice is also changed,” so that he chooseth another way, Psalm cxix, 15. He pitcheth upon God as his blessedness, and upon Christ as the principal, and holiness as the sub- ordinate means to bring him to God, John xiv, 6; Rom. ii, 7. He chooseth Jesus for his Lord, Col. ii, 6. He is not merely forced into Christ by the storm, nor doth he take Christ for bare necessity ; but he deliberately. resolves that Christ is his.best choice, Phil. i, 2, 3, and. would rather have him to choose than all the good of this world, might he enjoy it while he would. Again, he takes holiness for his path: he doth not of mere necessity submit to it: but he likes and loves it. “Ihave chosen the way of thy precepts,” Psalm cxix, 173. He takes God’s testimonies, not as his bondage, but as his heri- tage, yea, heritage for ever, verse 111. He counts them not his burthen but his bliss: not his cords but his cordials, 1 John v, 3; Psalm exix, 14, 16,17. He doth not only bear, but THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 28 takes up Christ’s yoke. He takes not holiness as the stomach doth the loathed potion, which it will down with rather than die, but as the hungry deth his beloved food. No time passes so sweetly with him as that he spends in the exercise of holiness ; these are both his aliment and element, the desire of his eyes and the joy of his heart, Job xxiii, 12 ; Psalm cxix, 82, 111, 162, 174, and lxxiii, 5. Put thy conscience to it as thou goest, whether thou art the man: O happy man, if this be thy case! but see thou be thorough and impartial in the search. Thirdly, “ It turns the bent of his affection,” 2 Cor. vil, 11. These run all ina new chan- nel: the Jordan is now driven back, and the water runs upward, against its natural course. Christ is his hope, 1 Tim.i,1; this is his prize, Phil. iii, 8 ; here his eye is, here his heart is. He is contented to cast all overboard (as the merchant in the storm ready. to perish) so he may but keep this jewel. - The first of his desires is not after gold, but grace, Phil. ii, 13. He hungers after it, he seeks it as silver, he digs for it as for a hid trea- sure : he had rather be gracious than be great ; he had rather be the holiest man on earth, than the most. learned, the most famous, the most prosperous. While carnal, he said, O if I were but in great esteem, and rolled in wealth and swimmed in pleasure; if my debts were paid, and Land mine provided for, then were Ia happy man. But now the tone ischanged. O! saith the convert, if I had but my corruptions subdued, 26 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 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 this the language of thy soul? His joys are changed. He rejoiceth in the ways of God’s testimonies, as much as in all riches, Psalm cxix, 14. He “delights in the law of the Lord ;” he hath no such joy as in the thoughts of Christ, the fruition of his com- pany, the prosperity of his people. His cares are quite altered: he was once set for the world, and any scraps of by-time were enough for hissoul. Now “he gives over caring for the asses,” and sets his heart upon the king- dom: now all the cry is, “ What shall I do to be saved?” Acts xvi, 30. His great solicitude is how to secure his soul. O how he would bless you if you could put him out of doubt of this ! His fears take another turn, Heb. xi, 25, 27. Once he was afraid of nothing so much as the loss of his estate or esteem, the ‘pleasure of friends, or the frowns of the great ; nothing sounded so-terrible to him as pain, or poverty, or disgrace : now these are little to him in com- parison of God’s dishonour or displeasure. How warily doth he walk lest he should tread upon a snare! He feareth always ; he looks before and behind; he hath his eye upon his heart, and is often casting it over his shoulder, lest he should be overtaken with sin, Psalm xxxix, 1; Prov. xxviii, 14: Eccles. ii, 14. It kills his heart to THE NATURE: OF CONVERSION. 27 think of losing God’s favour; this he dreads as his only undoing, Psalm li, 11, 12, and cxix, 8. No thought in the world doth pinch him and pain him so much, as to think of parting with Christ. His love runs a new course. ‘“ My love was crucified,” saith Ignatius; that is, my Christ. “This is my beloved,” saith the spouse, Cant. v, 16. How doth Augustine often pour out his love upon Christ ? “ O eternal blessedness,” &c. He can find no words sweet enough: “ Let me see thee, O light of mine eyes! Come, O thou joy of my spirit! Let me behold thee, O life of my soul! Appear unto me, O my great delight, my sweet comfort! O my God, my life, and the whole glory of my soul! Let me find thee, O desire of my heart! Let me hold thee, O love of my soul! Let me embrace thee, O heavenly bridegroom! Let me possess thee.” His sorrows have now a new vent, 2 Cor. vii, 9,10. The view of hissins, the sight of a Christ crucified, that would scarce stir him before, now how do they affect his heart ! His hatred boils, his anger burns against sin, Psalm cxix, 104. He calls himself: fool, and thinks any name too good for himself, when this indignation is stirred up against sin, Psa. Ixxiii, 22; Prov. xxx, 2. “ Commune then with thy own heart,” and attend the common and general current of thine affection, whether it be toward God in Christ above all. other concernments. Indeed, sudden and strong commotions of the affections and sensitive parts are often found in hypocrites, 28 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. especially where the natural inclination leads thereunto: and contrariwise, the sanctified themselves are many times without very sensible stirring of the affections, where the temper is more slow, dry, and dull. The great inquiry is, whether the judgment and willbe steadily de- termined for God, above all other good, real or apparent ; and if the affections do sincerely fol- low their choice and conduct, though it be not so strongly and sensibly asis to be desired, there is no doubt but the change is saving. - 2. “© Throughout the members.” Those that were before the instruments of sin, are now be- come the holy utensils of Christ’s living temple, Rom. vi, 16; 1 Cor. iii,16. The eye that was once a wandering eye, a wanton eye, a haughty, covetous eye, is now employed as Mary’s in weeping over its sins, Luke vii, 38; in behold- ing God in his works, Psalm viii, 3 ; in reading his word, Acts viii, 30 ; in looking up and down for objects of mercy, and tt Mingo for his service. The ear that was once open to Satan’s call, and that, like a vitiated palate, did relish nothing so much as filthy, or at least frothy talk, and the fool’s laughter, is now bored to the door of Christ’s house, and open to discipline : it saith, “ Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth ;” and waits for his words as the rain, and relisheth them more than the appointed food, Job xxxiii, 12, “ than the honey and the honeycomb,” Psalm xix, 10. The head that was the shop of worldly designs, is now filled with other matters, and set on the THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 29 study of God’s..will, Psalm i, 2, and .cxix, 97. The thoughts and cares that fill it, are princi- pally how he may please God and flee sin. His heart, that was full of filthy lusts, is now become an altar of incense, where the fire of Divine love is ever kept in; and whence the daily sacrifice of prayer and praise, and the sweet incense of holy desires, ejaculations, and aspirations, are continually ascending, Psalm cvill, 1, and cxix, 20, and cxxxix, 17, 18. The mouth is become a well of life, his tongue as choice silver, and his lips feed many, now the salt of grace hath seasoned his speech, and eat out the corruption, Col. iv, 6, and cleansed the mouth from its filthy communication, flattery, boasting, lying, swearing, backbiting, that once came like flashes from the hell that was in the heart, James ili, 6, 7. The throat that was once “an open sepul- chre,”’ Rom. ili, 13, now sends forth the sweet breath of prayer and holy discourse, and the man speaks in another tongue, in the language of Canaan, and is never so well as when talk- ing of God and Christ, and the matters of ano- ther world. His mouth bringeth wisdom, his tongue is become the silver trumpet of his Maker’s praise, his glory, and the best member he hath. Now here you shall have the hypocrite halt- ing : he speaks, it may be, like an angel, but he hath a covetous eye, or the gain of unrighteous- ness in his hand ; or the hand is white, but his heart is full of rottenness, Matt. xxili, 27, full 30 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. of unmortified cares,a very oven of lust, a shop of pride, the seat of malice. It may be with Nebuchadnezzar’s image, he hath a golden head, a great deal of knowledge: but he hath feet of clay, his affections are worldly, he minds worldly things, and his way and walk are sensual and carnal; you may trace him in secret haunts, and his footsteps will be found in some by- paths of sin. ‘The work is not throughout with him. 3 “Throughout the motions or the life and practice.” ‘The new man takes a new course, Eph. ii, 2, 3, ‘his conversation is in heaven,” Phil. iii, 20. No sooner doth he obey the call of Christ, but he straightway becomes a follower of him, Matt. iv, 20. When God hath given the new heart, and wrote his law in his mind, he forthwith walks in his statutes, and keeps his judgments; Ezek. xxxvi, 26, 27. Though sin may be in him, yet it “hath no more dominion over him,” Rom. vi, 7, 14, he ‘hath his fruit unto holiness,” chap. vi, 22.— And the law of life, and Jesus, is what he eyes as his copy, Psalm cxix, 30; Heb. xii, 2; and he hath an unfeigned respect for all God’s com- mandments, making conscience even of little sins and little duties, Psalm cxix, 113. His very infirmities are his soul’s burden, and are like the dust in a man’s eye, which, though but little, yet is not a little troublesome. (O man! dost thou read this, and never turn it upon thy soul by self-examination?) The sincere convert is not one man at church and another at home ; ‘THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 31 he is not a saint on his knees, and a cheat in his shop ; he will not tithe mint and cummin, and neglect “ mercy and judgment, and the weightier matters of the law ;” he doth not pretend piety and neglect morality, Matt. xxii, 14; but he turneth from all his sins, and keeps all God’s statutes, Ezek. xviii, 21, not allowing himself in the breach of any, Romans.vii, 15. Now he delights in the word, and sets himself to prayer, and opens his hand and draws. out his soul to the hungry, Rom. vii, 22; Psalm cix, 4; Isa. lviii, 10. “ He breaketh off his sins by right- eousness, and his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor,” Daniel iv, 27, and “ hath a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly,” Heb. xiii, 18, 18, and to keep without offence toward God and man. Here again you find the unsoundness of many professors, that take themselves for good Chris- tians: they are partial in the law, Malachi ii, 9, and take up with the cheap and easy duties of religion, but go not through with the. work. They are as a cake not turned. It may be you shall have them exact in their words, punctual in. their dealings, but then they do not exercise themselves unto godliness; and for examining themselves, and governing their hearts, to this they are strangers. You may have them duly at church, but follow them to their families, and there you shall see little but the world minded ; or if they have a road for family duties, follow them to their closets, and there you shall find their souls are little looked after. It may be 32 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. they seem otherwise religious, but bridle not their tongues, and so all their religion is vain, James i, 26. It may be they come up to closet and family prayer; but follow them to their shops, and there you shall find them in a trade of lying, or some covert and cleanly way of de- ceit. ‘Thus the hypocrite goes. throughout in the course of his obedience. And thus much am the subject of conversion. » 6. “ The terms are either from which, or to which.” 1. “ The terms from which we turn in this motion of conversion, are sin, Satan, the world, and. our own righteousness.” First, Sin. When a man is converted he is out with sin; yea, with allsin, Psalm exix, 128, But most of all with his own sins, and especially with his bosom sin, Psalm xviii, 23. Sin is now the butt of his indignation, 2 Cor. vii, 11; he thirsts to bathe his hands in the blood of his sins. His sins set his sorrows abroach: if God should give him his choice, he would choose any afilic- tion so he might be rid of sin. Before conversion he had light thoughts of sin; he cherished it in his bosom, as Uriah his lamb ; ‘he nourished it up,and it grew up together with him ; it did eat as it were 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 away with abhorrence, Isa. xxx, 22. When a man is savingly changed, he is not only deeply convinced of the danger, but defilement THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 33 of sin ; and O, how earnest is he with God to'be purified! He loathes himself for his sins, Ezek. xxxvi, 31. He runs to Christ, and “ casts. him- self into-the fountain for sin and for unclean- ness,” Zech. xiii, 1. The sound convert is heartily Pred ad against sin, he struggles with it, he wars against it ; he will never yield the cause nor lay down his weapons, but he will up and to it again while he has breath in his body... He can forgive his other enemies, he can pity them and pray for them, Acts vii, 60 ; but here he is. implacable, here he is set upon revenge : his eye shall not pity, his hand shall not spare, though it be a right hand or a right eye. Be it a gainful sin, most delightful to his nature, or support to his esteem with carnal friends, yet: he will rather throw away his gain, see his credit fall, or the flower of pleasure wither in his hand, than he will allow, himself in any known way of sin, Luke xix, 8. . He will grant no indulgence, he will give no toleration, he draws upon’ sin wherever he meets it, and frowns upon it with” this: unwelcome alate. “ Have I found thee, O mine enemy 2”. Reader, hath conscience been at work while thou hast.been looking over these lines? Hast thou pondered these things i in thy heart? Hast thou searched the book within, to see if these — things be so ? If not, read it again, and make thy conscience speak, whether or “not it be thus with thee. -. Hast thou.“ crucified thy flesh, with its affec- 3 34 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. tions and lusts:” and not only confessed, but forsaken thy sins? All sin-in thy desires, and the ae of every deliberate and wilful sin in thy life! If not, thou art yet unconverted. Secondly, Satan. Conversion *“ binds the strong man, spoils him of his armour, casts out his goods, and turns.men from the power of Satan unto God,” Acts xxvi, 18. - Before, the devil-could no sooner hold up- his finger to the sinner to call him to his wicked company, sinful games, filthy delights, but presently he followed, “like an ox to the slaughter, and a fool to the correction of the stocks ; as a bird that hasteth to the prey, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”” But when he is converted, he serves ano- ther Master, and takes quite another course, 1 Pet. iv, 4; he goes and comes at Christ’s beck, Col. ii, 24. He watches against the snares and baits of Satan, and studies to be ac- quainted with his devices : he is very suspicious of his plots, and is very jealous of what comes athwart him, lest Satan should have some design upon him : he “ wrestles against principalities and powers,” Eph. vi; 12; he entertains the messenger of Satan as men do the messenger of death ; he keeps his eye upon his enemy, 1 Pet. v, 8, anid watches in his duties lest Satan should put in his foot. Thirdly, The world. Before a sound faith, a man is overcome of the world: either he bows down to mammon, or idolizes his reputa. tion, or is a “lover of pleasure more than a - jover of God,” 2 Tim. ii, 4. Here is the root THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. 30 of man’s misery by. the fall, he is turned aside ‘to the creature’ instead of God, and ‘gives: that esteem, confidence, and SAScHons to the crea- ture- that is due to him’ alone, Rom. 1, 25; Matt. x, 37; Prov. xviii, 11; Jer. xvii, 5. But converting grace sets all-in order again, and puts God on : thethrone, and the world his. footstool, Psalm Ixxiii, 25. Christ in the heart, and the world under the feet, Eph. iii, 17;. Rev. xii, 1. So Paul, “I am cr ucified to the earte and the. world to me,” Gal.-vi,14. Before this change, ali the cry was, “ Who ‘will. show us any worldly good?” But now he sings another tune, “ Lord, lift thou up, the hight of thy coun- tenance upon me,” and let who will take the corn and wine, Psalm iv, 6, 7. Before, his heart’s delight and content was in the world; then the song was, “ Soul, take thine ease; eat, drink, and ‘be merry; thou hast. much goods laid up for mary years:” but- now all: this is withered, and “ there isno comeliness that he should desire it,” andhe tunes up with the sweet psalmist of Israel, “¢ The Lord is the por- tion of my inheritance: the lines are fallen to me in a fair place, and I have a goodly heritage.” He blesseth himself and boasteth himself in God, Psalm xxxiv, 2; Lam. -iii, 24. _ Nothing else can give him content. “He hath written vanity and vexation upon all his. worldly enjoyments, Eccles. i, 2, and.loss and dung upon all human excellencies, Phil. iii, 7,8. - He hath light and immortality now in chase, Rom. ii, 7.- ie pur- sues grace and glory,and hath an incorruptible 36 THE NATURE OF CONVERSION. crown in pursuit, 1 Cor. ix, 25. His* heart is set in him to. seek the Lord, 1 Chron, xxii, 9, and 2 Chron. xy, 15. He “ first seeks the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness there- of ;” and religion is no lJonger a matter by the by with him, but the main of his care, Matthew vi, 33 ; Psalm xxvii, 4. Well, then, pause a little; and look. within : doth not this nearly concern thee ?’ Thou _pre- tendest for Christ, but doth not the world sway thee ? Dost not thou take more real delight and content in the world than in him? Dost thou not find thyself better at ease when, the world goes to thy mind, and thou art encompassed with carnal delights, than when retired to prayer and meditation in thy closet, or attending upon God’s word and worship ? No: surer evidence of.an unconverted state than to have the things of the world uppermost in our aim, love, and estimation, John ii, 15; James iv, 4. > With the sound ‘convert, Christ hath the su- premacy. How dear ishis name to him! How precious is his favour! Cant. i,3; Psa. xlv, 8 The name of Jesus is engraven upon his heart, Gal. iv, 19, and lies as a bundle of myrrh between his breasts, Cant. 1, 13,14. Honour is but air, and laughter is but meduele: and mammon is fallen, like Dagon before the ark, with hands and head broken off: on. the threshold, when once © Christ is savingly revealed. Here is the pearl of great price to the convert, here is his treasure, here is his hope, Matt. xiii, 44, 45. This is his glory, “ My beloved is mine, and Lam his,” Gal. THE NATURE OF’ CONVERSION. oo vi, 14; Cant. 1,16; O, it is sweeter to him to be able to say, Christ is mine, than if he could say, The kingdom ismine: The Indies are mine. Fourthly, Your own righteousness. Before conversion, man seeks to cover himself with his own fig leaves, Phil. ii, 6, 7, and to make him- self whole with his own duties, Mic. vi, 6,7. He is apt to trustin himself, Luke xvi, 16, and xviii, 9, and sets up ,his own righteousness, and to reckon his counters for gold, and not submit to the righteousness of God,-Rom, x, 3._ But con- version changes ‘his mind; now he casts away his own righteousness as a filthy rag, Isa. xliv, 6 Now he is brought to poverty of spirit, Matthew v, 3; complains of, and condemns himself, Rom. Vil andall his inventory by nature, is “ poor, and miser able, and wretched, and blind, and naked,” Rey. iii, 17. He sees a world of iniquity in his holy things, and calls his once idolized righteous- ness but filth and dross; and would not for a thousand worlds be found in himself, Phil. ui, 4, 7, 8, 9. ‘His finger is ever upon his sores, Psalm i, 3, his sins, his wants. Now he begins to set a high price upon Christ’s righteousness ; he sees the need of a Christ in every duty to justify both his person and performances ; he cannot: live without him; he cannot pray without him; Christ must 20 with him, or else he cannot come into the presence of God; he leans upon the hand of Christ, and so bows himself i in the house of his God : he sets himself down for a lost, undone man without him ; his lifeis hid, and grows in Christ, as the 38 THE NATURE: OF CONVERSION. root of a tree spreads in the earth for stability and nutriment. Before, the news of Christ was a stale and sapless thing; but now how sweet is Christ! The voice of the convert.is, with the martyr, “ None but Christ.” .. The terms to which we turn are, | Ist. To God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 2dly. To the pally ordinances, and ways of Christ. ; ; A man is never -traly. justified, till his very heart be in truth set upon God above all things, as his portion and chief good. .These are the natural breathings of a believer’s heart : “ Thou art--my portion,” Psalm cxix, 57. “ My soul shall make her boast in the Lord,” Psa. xxxvi, 2. My expectation is from him; he only is my rock and my salvation, he is my , defence. In God is my salvation and glory ; the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God,” Psalm Ixii, 1, 2, 5, 7, and xviii, 1, 2... Would you put it to an issue s whether you be converted. or not? Now let.thy soul, and all that is within thee, attend:— Hast, thou: taken God for thy snomeamel Where doth the content of thy heart lie? Whence doth thy choicest comfort come in? Come, then, and with Abraham, “lift up thine eyes eastward and westward, and northward and southward,” and cast about thee. What is it that thou wouldst have in heaven -or on earth to, make — thee happy ? If God should give thee thy choice, as he did Solomon, or would say to'thee as Aha- suerus to Esther, “ What is thy petition, and what THE NATURE OF. CONVERSION. 39 is. thy request, and it shall be granted thee ?” Esther v, 3 ;—what wouldest thou. ask? Go into the gardens of pleasure, and gather all fra- grant flowers from thence, would these content thee ? Go to the‘treasures of mammon, suppose thou mightest lade thyself as heavy as. thou wouldest from thence: Go to the towers, to the trophies of honour : what thinkest thou of being a man of renown, and having a name like the name of the great men of the earth? Would any of these, would all these suffice thee, and make thee count thyself a happy man? If so, then certainly thou art carnal and unconverted. If not, go farther ; wade into the Divine excellen- cies, the store of his mercies, the hiding of his power, the depth unfathomable of his all-suffi- ciency ; doth this suit thee best, and please thee most ? Dost thou-say, “It mercy upon yourselves, and you will not, Ministers see the poisoned cup in the drunkard’s hand, and tell him, there is poison in it, and desire him to have mercy on his soul, and forbear, and he will. not hear us: drink it he must and will: he loves it, and therefore though hell comes next, he says he cannot help it. What should one say to such men as these? We tell the ungodly, “It is not such a life that will serve the turn, or ever- bring rou to heaven. If a bear was at your back, you would mend your pace ; and when the curse of God is at your back, and Satan and hell are at your back, will you not stir, but ask, What needs all this ado? Is an immortal soul of’no more 252 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. worth? O have mercy upon yourselves !” But they will have no mercy upon themselves. We tell them, the end will be bitter. Who can dwell with everlasting fire? And yet they will have no mercy upon: themselves. And will these shameless wretches say that God is more merciful than to condemn them, when it is themselves that cruelly run upon condemnation, and we cannot stop them? If we fall down on our knees to them, we cannot stop them; but to hell they will go, and yet will not believe that they are going thither. If.we beg of them for the sake of God.that made them, and preserves them ; for the sake of Christ who died for them ; for the sake of their own poor souls, to pity themselves, and go no farther in the way to hell, but come to Christ while his arms are open, and enter into life while the door stands open, and now take mercy while mercy may be had ; they will not be persuaded. And yet they say I hope God will be merciful. Did you never consider what he says, Isa. xxvii, 11? “Itisa people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them; and he that formed them will show them no favour.” If another man will not clothe you when you are naked, and feed you when you are hungry, you will say he is unmerciful. If he should cast you into prison, and beat and torment you, you would say he is unmerciful. . And yet you will do a thousand times more against your- selves, even cast away both soul and body for ever, and never complain of your own unmer- A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 253 cifulness. Yea, and God, who waited upon you all the while with his mercy, must be taken to be unmerciful, if he punish you for all this. Unless the holy God of. heaven will give these wretches liberty to trample upon. his Son’s blood, and do despite to the Spirit of grace, and set more lightly by saving mercy, than by the filth of their fleshly pleasures ; and unless after this he will save them by the mercy which they cast away, God himself must be called unmer- ciful. But he will be justified when he judgeth ; and he will not stand-or fall at the bar ofa sinful worm. 2. From hence you may observe, 1. What a subtle tempter Satan is. 2. What.a deceitful thing sin is. 3. What a foolish creature cor- rupted man is.. A subtle tempter indeed, that can persuade the greatest part of the world to go wilfully into everlasting fire, when they have so many warnings.and dissuasives, A deceitful thing is sin indeed, that can bewitch so many thousands to, part with everlasting life, for a thing so base, and utterly unworthy! A foolish creature is man that will be cheated out of his salvation for nothing ; yea, for a known nothing : and that by an enemy,.and a known enemy. You would think it impossible that any man should be persuaded for a little to cast himself into the fire, or water, to the destruction of this life: and yet men will be enticed to cast them- selves into hell. If-your natural lives were in your own hands, so that you should not die till you should kill yourselves, how long would 254 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. most of you live? and yet when your everlasting life is so far in your own hands, under God, that you cannot be undone till you undo your- selves, how few of: you will forbear your own undoing! Ah! what a silly thing is man! and what a bewitching and befooling thing is sin ! Lastly : You may hence learn, that the great. est enemy to man-is himself; and the greatest judgment in this life that can befall him, is to be left to himself, and that the great work which grace has to do, is to save us from ourselves ; and the greatest- complaints of men should be against themselves ; and the greatest work that we have to do ourselves, is to resist ourselyes ; ’ and the greatest enemy which we should daily pray, and watch, and strive against, is ourown hearts and wills ; and the greatest part of your work, if you will do good to others and help them to heaven, is to save them from themselves, even from their own blind understandings and corrupted wills, and: perverse affections, and violent passions, and unruly senses: I only name all these for brevity’s sake, and leave them to your farther consideration. Well, now we have found out the great mur- derer of souls, (even men’s selves, their own wills,) what remains but that you confess this great iniquity before the Lord, and be humbled for it, and do so no more. ‘To these three ends distinctly, I shall add a few words more.— 1. Farther to convince you. 2. To humble you. And, 3. To reform you. 1. We know so much of the exceeding gra- A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 255 cious nature of God, who is willing to do good, and delights to show mercy, that we have no reason to suspect him of being the cause of our death, or-to call him cruel.. He made all good, and he preserves and maintains all: the eyes of all things wait upon him, and he gives them their meat in due season; he opens his hand, and satisfies the desires of all the living. He is not only rightéous in all his ways, (and there- fore will deal justly,) and holy in all his works, (and therefore not the author of sin,) but he is also good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. But as for man, we dnb w. his. mind is dark, his will is perverse, his affections carry him so headlong, that he is fitted by his folly and cor- ruption to such a work as the destroying of himself. Let no man say when he is tempt- ed, that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man, (to draw him to sin,) but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath con- ceived, it bringeth forth sin, and ‘sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” You see here that sin is the brat of your own concu- piscence, and that death is the offspring of your own sin, and the fruit which it will yield you as soon as itis ripe. You have a treasure of evil in yourselves, as a spider hath of poison, from whence youare bringing forth hurt to yourselves, and spinning such webs as entangle your own souls. 256 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 2. It is evident that you are your own de- stroyers, in that you are so ready to entertain any temptation that is offered. Satan is scarce readier to move you to any evil than you are ready to do as he would have you. If he would tempt your understanding to error and prejudice, you yield. If he would hinder you from good resolutions, it is soon done. If he would kindle any vile affection or desire in you, it is soon done: if he. would drive you on to evil thoughts or deeds, you are so free, that he needs no spur: if he would keep you from holy thoughts, and words, and ways, a little does it ; you need no curb. You examine not his sug: gestions, nor resist them with any resolution, nor cast them out.as he casts them in, nor quench the sparks which he endeavours to kin- dle ; but set in with him, and meet him half way, and embrace his motions, and» tempt him to tempt you. 3. Your destruction is evidently owing to yourselves, in that you resist all who would help to save you. God would help and save you by his word, and you resist it; it is too strict for you. He would sanctify you by his Spirit, but you resist and quench it. If any man reprove you for your sin, you fly in his face ; if he tell you of your danger, you give him little thanks; but either bid him look to himself, or at best put him off with heartless thanks. 4. Moreover, it is apparent that you are : self destroyers, in that you draw the matter of your A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 257 stn and destruction even from the blessed God himself. You like not the contrivances of his wisdom: you like not his justice, but take it for cruelty : you like not his holiness, but are ready to think he is such a one as yourselves, Psa. i, 21, and makes as light of sin as-you: you like not his truth, but would have his threatenings, even his peremptory threatenings, prove false. And his goodness, which you seem most highly to approve, you partly resist, as it would lead you to repentance ; and partly abuse, to the strengthening of your sin, as if you might the more freely sin, because God is merciful. 5. Yea, you fetch destruction from the blessed Redeemer, and death from the Lord of life him- self. Nothing more emboldens you in sin, than that Christ has died for you ; as if now the dan- ger of death were over, and you might boldly venture: as if Christ were become a servant to Satan, and must wait upon you while you are abusing him. ‘And because he is become the Physician of souls, and is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, you think he must sdve you whether you will come to God by him or not. . So that a great part of your sins are occasioned by your bold presump- tion upon the death of Christ. ~ 6. He gives many blessings to you as the tokens of his love and furniture for his service, and you turn them against him-to the pleasing of your flesh. You eat and drink to please your appetite, and not for the glory of God. Your clothes you abuse to pride. Your riches 17 258 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. draw your hearts from heaven. Your honours and applause puff you up. If you have health and strength, it makes you moresecure. Yea, other men’s mercies are abused by you to your hurt. If you see their honours and dignity, you are provoked to envy them. If you see their riches, you are ready to covet them. If you look upon beauty, you are stirred up to lust. And it is well if epalinesy) be not an eye-sore to you. 7. The very gifis which God bestows on you, and the ordinances of grace, you turn to sin. If you have better parts than others, you grow proud and self-conceited. You take the bare hearing of your duty for so good a work, as will excuse you from not obeying it. - Your prayers are turned into sin, because you regard iniquity in your hearxts, Psalm, Ixvi, 18, and depart not from iniquity when you call cn the name of the Lord. Your prayers are abominable, because you turn away your ear from hearing the law, Prov. xxviii, 9; and are more ready to offer the sacrifice of fools, (thinking you do God some special service,) iia to hear his word, and obey it, Eccles. vy, 1. And thus I might show. you in many- other cases, how you turn all that comes near you to your own destruction; so clear is it that the ungodly are self-destroyers, and that their per- dition is of themselves. Methinks, now, upon the consideration of what is said, and the review of your own ways, you should consider what you. have done, and A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 259 be ashamed and deeply humbled. If you be not, I pray-you consider these following truths. 1. ‘To be -your own destroyers, is to sin against the deepest principle in your natures, even the principle of self-preservation. Every thing naturally desires its own welfare or per- fection. And will you set yourselves to your own destruction? When you are commanded to love your neighbours as yourselves, it is sup- posed that you naturally love yourselves: but if you love yourneighbours better than yourselves, it seems you would have all the world damned. 2. How extremely do you cross your own intentions? I know-you intend not your own damnation, even when you are procuring it ; you think you are but doing good to yourselves, by gratifying the desires of your flesh. But alas! it is as a draught of cold water in a burn- ing fever, which increases the disease. Ifindeed you would have pleasure, profit, or honour, seek them where they are to be found, not in the way to hell. 3. What pity is it that you should do that against yourselves, which none else in earth or hell-can do. If all the world were combined against you, or all the devils in hell, they could not destroy you without yourselves... And will you do that against yourselves, which no one else can do? You have hateful thoughts of the devil, because he is your enemy, and endea- vours your destruction. And will you. be worse than devils to yourselves? But thus it is with you when you run into sin, and refuse to turn 260 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. at the eall of God; you do more against your own souls, than men or devils could do beside. And if you should set yourselves to do your- selves the greatest mischief, you could not devise a greater. 4. It will everlastingly make you your own tormentors in hell, to think that you brought yourselves wilfully to that misery. O what a griping thought it will be to think with your- selves, that this was your own doing! That you were warned of this day, and warned again, ‘bat it would not do: that you wilfully sinned, and wilfully turned away from God: you had time as well as others, but you- abused it : you had teachers.as well as others, but you refused their instructions: you had holy examples, but you did not imitate them: you were offered Christ, and grace, and glory, as well as others, but you preferred your fleshly pleasure : you had a price in your hands, but you had not a heart to lay it out. Canit choose but torment you to think of this your folly ? O that your eyes were opened to see what you have done in the wilful wronging of your own souls! and that you better understood these words of God, Prov. vili, 33, 34, 35, 36, “ Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. . Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain the favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me, love death.” A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 261 CONCLUSION. Anp now I am come to the conclusion of this work, my heart is troubled to think how I shall leave you; lest, after this, the flesh should still deceive you, and the world and the devil should keep you asleep, and I should leave you as [ found you, till you awake in hell. Dear friends! Iam so loath you should lie in everlasting fire, that I once more ask you what you resolve on? Will you turn, or die? As far as you are gone in sin, do but now turn, and come to Christ, and your souls shall live. If it were your bodies which we had to deal with, we might know what to do for you. Though you would not consent, you might .be held or bound, while the medicine was poured down your throats, and hurtful things might be kept from you. But about your souls it cannot be so: we cannot convert you against your willis There is no carrying madmen to heaven in fetters. You may be condemned against your wills, Hecate you sinned with your wills; but you cannot be saved against your wills. "The wisdom of God has thought meet to lay man’s salvation or destruction exceeding much upou the choice of his own will: that no man shall go to heaven who chooses not the way to hea- ven; and. no man shall go to hell, but shall be forced to say, I have the thing I chose; my own will did bring me here. Now if I couid but get you to be willing, to be thoroughly and resolutely willing, the work were more than 262 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. half done. And alas! must we lose our friends, and must they lose their God, their happiness, their souls, for want of this? Ido again beseech you, as if it were on my bended knees, that you would hearken to your, Redeemer, and turn, that you may live, All you that have lived in ignorance, carelessness, and presumption, to this day: all you that have been drowned in the cares of the world, and have no desire after God and eternal glory : all you that are enslaved to your fleshly desires, of meats and drinks, sports and lusts: and all you that know not the necessity of holiness, and never were ac- quainted with the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost upon your souls; that never embraced your blessed Redeemer by a living faith, and with admiring and thankful apprehensions of his love, and that never felt a higher estimation of God and heaven, and a heartier love to them, than to the things below: I earnestly beseech you, not only for my sake, but for the Lord’s sake, and for your souls’ sake, that you go not one day longer in your present condition ; but look about you, and cry to God for converting grace that you may escape the plagues which are before you. Deny me any thing that ever I shall ask you for myself, if you will but grant me this. Nay, asever as you will do any thing at the request of the Lord that made you and ‘redeemed you, deny him not this; for if you deny him this, he cares for nothing that you shall grant him. As ever you would have how hear your prayers, and grant your requets ; A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 263 and bless you at the hour of death, and day of judgment, deny not his request now in the day of your prosperity. O believe it, death and judgment, and heaven and hell, are other mat- ters when you come near them, than they seem afar off. Well, I hope that some of you are by this time purposing to turn and live: and that you are ready to ask me, as the Jews did Peter, when they were pricked in their hearts, What shall we do? How may we come to be truly convert- ed? Weare willing if we did but know our duty. God forbid that we should choose de- struction, by refusing conversion, as hitherto we have done. | If these be the purposes of your hearts, I say of you as God did of a promising people, Deut. v, 28, 29, “ They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always!” © Your purposes are good: O that there were but a heart in you to perform these purposes! And, in hope thereof, I shall gladly give you direction what to do; and that but briefly, that you may the easier remember it for your practice. DIRECTION I. Ir you would be converted and saved, labour to understand the necessity and nature of conver- sion. Consider what a lamentable condition you are in till your conversion, that you may see it 264 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. is not a state to be rested in. You are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you commit- ted; and under the wrath of God, and the curse of his law; you are bound slaves to the devil, and daily employed in his work, against the Lord, yourselves, and others: you are spi- ritually dead, as being void of the holy life, and nature and image of the Lord. You are unfit for any holy worksand do nothing that is truly pleasing to God. Youare without any promise or assurance of his protection, and live in con- tinual danger of his justice, not knowing what hour you may be snatched away to hell; and most certain to be damned if you die in that condition. And nothing short of conversion can prevent it. Whatever amendments are short of true conversion, will never procure the saving of your souls. Keep the true sense of this natural misery, and of the necessity of con- version on our hearts. And then you must understand what it is to be converted: it is to have a new heart, or disposition, and a new conversation. Quest. For what must we turn? Ans. For these ends following, which you “may attain; you shall hereby be made living members of Christ, and have an interest in him, and be renewed after the image of God, quick- ened with a new and heavenly life, and saved from the tyranny of Satan, and the dominion of sin, and be justified from the curse of the law, and have the pardon of all the sins of your whole lives, and be accepted of God, and made A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 265 his sons, and have liberty with boldness to call him Father, and go to him by prayer in all your wants, with a promise of acceptance : you shall have the Holy Ghost to dwell in you, to sanctify and guide you: you shall have part in the communion and prayers of the saints: you shall be fitted for God’s service ; and shall have the promise of this life, and that which is to come. And, at death, your souls shall go to Christ : and at the day of judgment both soul and body shall be justified, and enter into your Master’s joy: All this the poorest: beggar of you that is converted shall certainly and endlessly enjoy. DIRECTON II. Ir you will be converted and saved, be much in secret, serious consideration. Incon- siderateness undoes the world. Withdraw yourselves often into secrecy, and meditate on the end for which you were made: on the life you have lived, the time you have lost, the sins you have committed; on the love and sufferings and fulness of Christ ; on the danger you are in, or the nearness of death and judg- ment ; and on the certainty and excellency of the joys of heaven; and on the certainty and terror of the torments of hell, and eternity of both ; and on the necessity of conversion and a holy life. DIRECTION III. Ir.you will be converted and saved, attend 266 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. upon the word of God, which is the ordinary means. Read the Scripture, or hear it read, and other holy writings, which do apply it, constantly : and attend on the public preaching of the word. As God will lighten the world by the sun, and not by himself alone without it ; so will he convert and save men by his ministers, who are the lights of the world. When he has miraculously humbled Paul, he sends Ananias to him, Acts ix, 10, and when he has sent an angel to Cornelius, itis but to bid himsend for Peter, who must tell him what he is to believe and do. DIRECTION IV. Brerake yourselves to God in a course of earnest, constant prayer. Confess and lament your former lives, and beg his grace to illumi- nate and convert you. Beseech him to pardon what is past, and to give you his Spirit, and change your hearts and lives; and lead you in his ways, and save you from temptation.— And ply this work daily, and be not weary of it. | DIRECTION V. PRESENTLY. give over your known and wil- ful sins. Make a stand, and go that way no farther. Be drunk no more; but avoid the place and occasion of it. Cast away your lusts and sinful pleasures with detestation.— Curse and swear and rail no more; and if you have wronged any, restore as Zaccheus did. If you will commit again your old sins, what A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 267 blessing can you expect on the means for con- version ? DIRECTION VI. _ Presentty, if possible, change your com- pany. Not by forsaking your necessary rela- tions, but your unnecessary and sinful com- panions ; and join yourselves with those who fear the Lord. DIRECTION VII. Detiver up yourselves to the Lord Jesus, as the physician of your souls, that he may pardon you by his blood, and sanctify you by his Spirit, by his word and ministers, the instruments of his Spirit. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life ; there is no coming to the Father but by him, John xiv, 6. Nor is there any other name under heaven, by which you can be saved, Acts iv, 12. Study therefore his person and nature, and what he has done and suffered for you, and what he is to you; and what he will be ; and how he is fitted to the full supply of all your necessities. DIRECTION VIII. Ir you mean, indeed, to turn and live, do it without delay. If you be not willing to turn to-day, you are not willing to do it at all._— Remember you are all this while in your blood ; under the guilt of many thousand sins, and under God’s wrath, and you stand at the very brink of hell; there is but a step between you and death. And this is not a case fora 268 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. man to be quiet in. Up therefore presently, and fly for your lives; as you would be gone out of your house, if it were all on fire over your head. O if you did but know what danger you live in, and what daily, unspeakable loss you do sustain, and what a safer and sweeter life you might live, you would not stand trifling, but pre- sently turn. Multitudes miscarry who wilfully delay, when they are convinced that it must be done. Your lives are short and uncertain ; and what a case are you in if you die before you thoroughly turn! You have stayed too long already ; and wronged God too long: sin gets strength and rooting while you delay. Your conversion will grow more hard and doubtful. You have much to do, and therefore put not all off to the last, lest God forsake, you, and give you up to yourselves, and then you are undone for ever. DIRECTION IX. Ir you will turn and live, do it unreservedly, absolutely, and universally. Think not to ca- pitulate with Christ, and divide your heart be- tween him and the world; and to part with some sins, and keep the rest.. This is but self deluding ; you must forsake all you have, or else you cannot be his disciple, Luke xiv, 26, 33. If you will not take God and heaven for your portion, and lay all below at the feet of Christ, but must needs also have your good things here, and have an earthly portion, and God and glory are not enough for you ; it is in A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. 269 vain to dream of salvation on these terms; for it will not be. If you seem ever so religious, if vet it be but outside righteousness, this is as cer- tain a way to death as open profaneness, though it be plausible. DIRECTION X. Ir you will turn and live, do it resolvedly, and stand not still deliberating, as it were a doubtful case. Stand not wavering, as if you were yet uncertain whether God or the flesh be the better master ; or whether heaven or hell be the better end; or whether sin or holiness be the better way. But away with your former lusts, and presently, habitually, fixedly resolve: be not one day of one mind, and the next of another, but be at a point with all the world, and resolv. edly give up yourselves, and all you have, to God. Now, while you are reading or hearing this, resolve. Before you sleep another night, resolve. Before you stir from this place, re- solve. Before Satan have time to take you off, resolve. You never will turn indeed, till you do resolve ; and that with a firm and unchange- able resolution. And now I have done my part in this work, that you may turn at the call of God and live. What will become of it, 1 cannot tell. I have cast the seed at God’s command : but it is not in my power to give the increase. I can gono farther with my message; I cannot bring it to your heart, or make it work: I cannot do your parts for you, to entertain it : I cannot do 270 A CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED. God’s part by opening your heart to cause you to entertain it; nor can I show you heaven or hell to your eyesight, nor give you new and tender hearts. But, O thou that art the gracious Father of spirits, thou hast sworn thou delightest not in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live ; deny not thy blessing to these persuasions and directions, and suffer not their enemies to tri- umph in thy sight, and the great deceiver of souls to prevail against thy Son, thy Spirit, and thy word. O pity poor unconverted sinners, that have no heart to pity or help themselves: com- mand the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dead to live, and let not sin and death be able to resist thee. Awake. the secure; resolve the un- resolved ; confirm the wavering ; and let the eyes of sinners that read these lines, be next employed in weeping over their sins; and bring them to themselves and to thy Son, before their sin have brought them to perdition. If thou say but the word, these poor endeavours shall prosper to the winning of many a soul to their everlasting joy, and their everlasting glory. Amen. BOOKS PUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT. MEMOIRS OF THE WESLEY FAMILY: COMPRISING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE ANCESTORS AND NEAR RELATIVES OF JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY. BY ADAM CLARKE, LL. D. A NEW EDITION, REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED 12mo. Pages 659. 85 cents. This edition contains nearly one third more matter than the original edition published by Dr. Clarke. This is one of the most interesting biographical works in our list. If is not superseded by any of the individual memoirs of the Wesleys extant; and we have not another. Methodist book that we can more heartily commend to the patronage of Methodist families. It is replete with attractive incidents and fine delinea- tions of character. If you are a Methodist parent, procure it; it will do yourself and your children good.—Zion’s Herald. This is a second edition of a work which will always find nu- merous and delighted readers among that extensive body known on both sides of the Atlantic as the Methodist Church. Nor will its perusal be confined to that denomination, inasmuch as it is a complete biography of the family connections of one of the great- est men of any age, the effects of whose piety, genius, and toil are constantly extending in the world. ‘This edition is consider- ably enlarged, and is printed in a pleasantly legible type, and on good paper.— New-York Commercial. Advertiser We know very few books which contain so much that is good in the same compass, and so much which is adapted to all variety of capacities and tastes, as do these ‘‘ Memoirs of the Wesley Family.”—Christian Advocate and Journal. The publishers have exercised much good taste in bringing out the present work, which is one of the most vaiuable that has been issued from the Methodist Book Room for a considerable length of time; and one that no Methodist library should be con- sidered complete without.—Christian Repository. BOOKS PUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT The Pilgrim’s Progress FROM THIS WORLD TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME. By John Bunvan. With an Introduction, Index, Notes, etc. BY S. B. WICKENS. EMBELLISHED WITH A PORTRAIT AND OTHER ENGRAVINGS. Large 18mo. Pages 478. Price Fifty cents. A household book wherever the English language is known. One of the wonders of genius; a book which charms the child before he can comprehend its meaning, which delights and in- structs the experienced Christian ; and which, in despite of its subject, excites the admiration of the man of letters. To have such a book, with its thousand healthful and refining influences, placed in any family, is a lasting good.— Biblical Repertory. Yet another edition, and one that will doubtless meet with a very cordial reception. The Introduction is a judicious, critical, and historical account of this great work, giving new facts and views on the subject, which will greatly interest the admirers of the allegory. The Notes are eminently practical and instructive. We have seen no edition to which we would more willingly accord the title of a “standard edition.”—New- York Spectator. An excellent edition of this religious classic, and well adapted for younger readers as well as for adults. Bunyan’s Progress shou'd - be by the side of the Bible in every Christian family : put it especially into the hands of your children; it will fascinate them from danger- ous books, and lead them in the way to heaven.—Zion’s Herald. This is a book for everybody, as our readers well know. But there is much choice in the editions. Lane and Tippett have just published one, which we think decidedly the best we ever saw: It is on good paper, with good print ; has a splendid likeness of Bunyan, a number of appropriate cuts, and an interesting biogra- phy of the author. It also contains an index, and has a good selection of interesting notes, chiefly from the writings of Bunyan himself.— Guide to Holiness . UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 0112 058520229 we # - Fio* ee . 3 get a 7 ? — ; Se es , ~ aes » -