A Sure Guide to Heaven, Chapter 7
Chap. VII. Containing the Motives to Conversion.
THough what is already said of the Necessity of Conversion, and of the Miseries of the Unconverted, might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present Turning, or Conversion unto God: Yet knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is, I have thought it necessary, to add to the means of Conversion and Directions for a Covenant-closure with God in Christ, some Motives to perswade you hereunto.
O Lord, fail me not now at my last attempts. If any soul hath read hitherto, and be yet untouched, now Lord fasten in him and do thy work; Now take him by the heart, overcome him, perswade him, till he say… thou hast prevailed, for thou wast stronger than I. Lord; didst thou not make me a Fisher of men? And have I toiled all this while and caught nothing? Alas that I should have spent my strength for nought! And now I am casting my last; Lord Jesus, stand thou upon the Shore, and direct, how, and where I shall spread my Net, and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for, that they may not be able to get out. Now Lord for a multitude of souls I Now for a full draught… O Lord God, remember me I pray thee, and strengthen me this once, O God.
But I turn me unto you.
Men and Brethren, Heaven and Earth do call upon you, yea Hell it self doth preach the Doctrine of Repentance unto you. The Angels of the Churches travel with you, Gal. 4. 19. the Angels of Heaven wait for you, for your repenting and turning unto God. O sinner, why should the Devils make merry with thee? Why shouldst thou be a morsel for that devouring Leviathan? Why should Harpies and Hell-Hounds tear thee, and make a feast upon thee, and when they have got thee into the Snare, and have fastened their Talons in thee, laugh at thy destruction, and deride thy misery, and sport themselves with thy damnable folly? This must be thy case, except thou turn. And were it not better thou shouldst be a joy to Angels, than a laughing stock and sport for Devils? Verily if thou wouldst but come in, the Heavenly Host would take up their Anthems, and sing, Glory be to God in the Highest; the Morning Stars would sing together, and all the Sons of God shout for joy, and celebrate this new Creation as they did the first. Thy Repentance would, as it were, make Holy-day in Heaven, and the glorious Spirits would rejoice in that there is a new Brother added to their society, Rev. 22. 9. another Heir born to their Lord, and the lost Son received safe and sound. The true penitents tears are indeed the Wine that cheareth both God and Man.
If it be little, that Men and Angels would rejoice at thy Conversion, know that God himself would rejoice over thee, even with singing, and rest in his love, Luke 15. 9. Isa. 62. 5. Never did Iacob with such joy weep over the N…ck of his Ioseph as thy Heavenly Father would rejoice over thee, upon thy coming in to him. Look over the Story of the Prodigal. Methinks I see how the Aged Father lays aside his estate, and forgets his years: Behold how he runneth! Luke 15. 20. Oh the haste that mercy makes! The Sinner makes not half that speed. Methinks I see how his Bowels turn, how his compassions yearn. (How quicksighted is love!) Mercy spies him a great way off, forgets his riotous courses, unnatural rebellion, horrid unthankfulness, debauched practices (not a word of these) but receives him with open Arms, clasps about his Neck, forgets the nastiness of his Rags, kisses the Lips that deserve to be loathed, the Lips that had been joined to Harlots, that had been commoners with the Swine, calls for the fatted Calf, the best Robe, the Ring, the Shooes, the best cheer in Heavens Store, the best attire in Heavens Wardrobe, Luke 15. 6, 9, 23. yea the joy cannot be held in one breast, &c. others must be called to participate: the friends must meet and make merry. Angels must wait but the Prodigal must be set at the Table under his Fathers wing. He is the joy of the feast: He is the sweet subject of the Fathers delight. The Friends sympathize, but none knows the felicity the Father takes in his new born Son, whom he hath received from the dead. Methinks I hear the Musick and the Dancing at a distance. Oh the Melody of the Heavenly Choristers! I cannot learn the Son…, Rev. 14. 3. But methinks I over-hear the burden, at which all the harmonious Quire with one consent strikes sweetly in, for thus goes the round at Heavens Table, For this my Son was dead, and is aliv… again; was lost, and is found, Luke 5. 23, 24, 32. I need not farther explain the parable. God is the Father, Christ the Cheer, his Righteousness the Robe, his Graces the Ornaments, Ministers, Saints, Angels the Friends and Servants, and thou that readest (if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn) the welcome Prodigal, the happy instance of all this grace, and blessed subject of this joy and love.
O Rock! Oh Adamant! What! not moved yet? not yet resolved to turn forthwith, and to close with mercy? I will try thee yet once again: If one were sent to thee from the dead, wouldst thou be perswaded? Why, hear the voice from the dead, from the damned, crying to thee that thou shouldst repent. I pray thee that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers house, for I have five Brethren, that he may testifie unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent, Luke 16. 27, 28, &c. Hear, O man, thy Predecessors in impenitence Preach to thee from the infernal Gibbets, from the Flames, from the Rack, that thou shouldst repent. O look down into the bottomless Pit. Seest thou how the smoak of their torment ascendeth for ever and ever, Rev… 14. 11. How black are the Fiends? How furious are their Tormentors? 'Tis their only musick to hear how their miserable Patients roar, to hear their bones crack. 'Tis their meat and drink, to see how their flesh frieth and their fat droppeth, to drench them with burning metal, and to rip open their bodies, and to pour in the fierce burning brass into their bowels, and the recesses and ventricles of their hearts. What thinkes… thou of those chains of darkness, of those instruments of cruelty? Canst thou be content to burn? Seest thou how the worm gnaweth, how the oven gloweth? how the fire rageth? What say'st thou to that River of Brimstone, that dark and horrible vault, that gulf of perdition? Wilt thou take up thy habitation here? O lay thine ear to the door of Hell. Hearest thou the curses and blasphemies, the weepings and the wailings, how they lament their folly, and curse their day? Mat. 22. 13. Rev. 16. 9. How do they roar and …ell, and gnash their teeth? How d…ep are their gronas? How feeling are their mo…ns? How unconceivable are their miseries. If the sh…ieks of …, and Abiram, were so terrible (when the Earth … asunder, and opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and all that apper…ained to them,) that all Israel fled at the cry of them, … 16. …3, …4. Oh how fearful wor…id the cry be, if God should take off the covaring, from the mou…h of Hell, and let the cry of the damned aseend in all its te…ror among the Children or men? And of all their moans and miseries, this the piercing, killing emphasis and burden, for ever, for …v…r. Why, as God liveth, that made thy soul, thou art but a few hours distant from all this, except thou repent and be converted.
Oh! I am even lost and swallowed up in the abundance of those arguments that I might suggest. If there be any point of wisdom in all the world, it is to repent and come in, if there be any thing righteous, any thing reasonable, this is it. If there be any thing in the world that may be called madness, and folly, and any thing that may be counted sottish, absurd, brutish, unreasonable, it is this, to go on in thine unconverted estate. Let me beg thee, as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy thy self, to sit down and weigh, besides what hath been said, these following Motives, and let conscience speak, if it be not reason, that thou shouldst repent and turn.
1. The God that made thee doth most graciously invite thee.
First, His most sweet and merciful nature doth invite thee; Oh the kindness of God, his working bowels, his tender mercies! they are infinitely above our thoughts, higher than heaven, what can we do? Deeper than hell, what can we know? Iob 11. 7, 8, 9. He is full of compassion, and gracious; long suffering, and plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86. 15. This is a great argument to perswade sinners to come in. Turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, …low to anger, of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. If God would not repent of the evil, it were some discouragement to us, why we should not repent. If there were no hope of mercy, it were no such wonder, if rebels should stand out; but never had Subjects such a gracious Prince, such Piety, Patience, Clemency, pity to deal with, as you have. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity? &c. Mic. 7. 18. Oh sinners: See what a God you have to deal with; if you will but turn, He will turn again, and have compassion on you, he will subdue your iniquities, and cast all your sins into the depth of the Sea, V. 19. Return unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will return unto you, Mal. 3. 7. Zech. 1. 3. Sinners do not fail in that they have too high thoughts of Gods mercies, but in that, 1. They overlook his Iustice. 2. They promise themselves mercy out of Gods way. His mercy is beyond all imagination, Isa. 55. 9. great mercies, 1 Chron. 21. 13. manifold mercies, Neh. 9. 19. tender mercies, Psal. 25. 6. sure mercies, Isa. 55. 3. everlasting mercies, Psal. 103. 17. Isa. 54. 8. and all thine own, if thou wilt but turn. Art thou willing to come in? Why the Lord hath laid aside his terror, erected a Throne of Grace, holds forth the golden Scepter: Touch and live. Would a merciful man slay his enemy, when prostrate at his feet, acknowledging his wrong, begging pardon, and offering to enter with him into a Covenant of peace? Much less will the merciful God. Study his Name, Exod. 34. 7. Read their experience, Neh. 9. 17.
Secondly, His Soul encouraging calls and promises do invite thee. Ah what an earnest suiter is mercy to thee! how lovingly, how instantly it calleth after thee! how passionately it wooeth thee! Return, thou back-sliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity. Turn O back-sliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you: return and I will heal your back-slidings. Thou hast plaid the Harlot with many Lovers, yet return unto me, saith the Lord, Jer. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14, 22. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezek. 33. 11. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live. Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a clean heart, and a new spirit, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, wherefore turn your selves, and live ye, Ezek. 18. 21, 23, 30, 31, 32.
Oh melting, gracious words! The voice of a God, and not of a man! This is not the manner of men, for the offending Sovereign to sue to the offending traiterous varlet. Oh how doth mercy follow thee, and plead with thee! Is not thy heart broken yet? Oh that to day you would hear his voice!
2. The Doors of Heaven are thrown… open to thee; The Everlasting Gates are set wide for thee, and an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven administred to thee. Christ now bespeaks thee, (as she her Husband) Arise and take possession, 1 Kings 21. 15. View the glory of the other world as set forth in the map of the Gospel. Get thee up into Pisgah of the promises, and lift up thine eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward, and see the good land that is beyond Iordan, and that goodly mountain. Behold the Paradise of God, watered with the streams of glory. Arise and walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it, for all the land which thou seest, the Lord will give it to thee for ever, if thou wilt but return, Gen. 13. 14, 15, 17. Let me say to thee, as Paul to Agrippa, Believest thou the Prophets? If thou believest indeed, …o but view what glorious things are spoken of the City of God, Psal. 87. 3. and know, that all this is here tendred in the name of God to thee. As verily as God is true it shall be for ever thine, if thou wilt but throughly turn.
Behold the City of pure transparent Gold, whose foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones, whose gates are pearls, whose light is glory, whose temple is God. Believest thou this? if thou dost, art thou not worse than distracted that wilt not take possession, when the gates are flung open to thee, and thou art bid to enter? O ye sons of folly, will ye embrace the dunghills, and refuse the Kingdom? Behold, the Lord God taketh you up into the mountain, shews you the Kingdom of Heaven, and all the glory thereof, and tells you, All this will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me: If you will submit to mercy, accept my Son, and serve me in righteousness and holiness. O fools, and slow of heart to believe! will you court the harlot, will you seek and serve the world, and neglect the eternal glory? What! not enter into Paradise, when the flaming sword, that 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? either you are desperate unbelievers that do not credit it, or stark distracted, that you know and believe the excellency and eternity of his glory, and yet do so fearfully neglect it. Surely you have no faith, or no reason; and I had almost said, conscience should tell you so, before I leave you.
Do but attend what is offered you, Oh blessed Kingdom! A Kingdom of glory, 1 Thes. 2. 1. a Kingdom of righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. a Kingdom of peace, Rom. 14. 17. an everlasting Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1. 11. Here thou shalt dwell, here thou shalt reign for ever; and the Lord shall set thee in a throne of glory, Mat. 19. 28. and with his own hand shall set the Royal Diadem upon thine head, and give thee a Crown not of thorns (for there shall be no sinning nor suffering there, Rev. 21. 27. 22, 3, 4, 5.) not of Gold (for this shall be viler than the dirt in that day) but a Crown of Life, Iames 1. 12. a Crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4. 8. a Crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5. 4. Yea thou shalt put on glory as a robe, 1 Cor. 1. 15. 53. and shalt shine like the Sun in the firmament in the glory of thy Father, Mat. 13. 43. Look now upon thy dirty flesh, thy clay, thy worms meat: this very flesh, this lump, this carcase shall be brighter than the Stars, Dan. 12. 3. In short, thou shalt be made like unto the Angels of God, Luke 20. 36. and behold his face in righteousness, Psal. 17. 15. Look in now and tell me, dost thou yet believe? If not, conscience must pronounce thee an infidel, for it is the very word of God that I speak.
But if thou say, thou believest, let me next know thy resolutions. Wilt thou embrace this for thy happiness? Wilt thou forgo thy sinful gains, thy forbidden pleasures? Wilt thou trample on the worlds esteem, and spit in the harlots face, and stop thine ears at her flatteries, and wrest thee out of her embraces? Wilt thou be content to take up with present reproach and poverty, if it lie in thy way to Heaven, and follow the Lord with humble selfdenyal, in a mortified and flesh-displeasing life? If so, all is thine, and that for ever. And art not thou fairly offered? Is it not pity but he should be damned, that will needs go on and perish, when all this may be had for the taking? In a word, wilt thou now close with these proffers? Wilt thou take God at his word? Wilt thou let go thy hold-fast of the world, and rid thy hands of thy sins, and lay hold on eternal life? If not, let conscience tell thee whether thou art not distracted, or bewitched, that thou shouldst neglect so happy a choice, by which thou mightest be made for ever.
3. God will settle unspeakable priviledges at present, upon thee, 1 Cor. 3. 22. Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24. Though the full of your blessedness shall be deferred till hereafter, yet God will give you no little things in hand.
He will redeem you from your thraldom, Iohn 8. 36. He will pluck you from the paw of the Lyon, Col. 1. 13. the serpent shall bruise your heel, but you shall bruise his head, Gen. 3. 15. He shall deliver you from the present evil world, Gal. 1. 4. Prosperity shall not destroy you; Adversity shall not separate between him and you, Rom. 8. 35, 37, 38. He will redeem you from the power of the grave, Psal. 49. 15. and make the King of Terrors a messenger of peace to you. He will take out the curse from the Cross, Psal. 119. 71. and make affliction the fining-pot, the fan, the physick, to blow off the chaff, purifie the metal, and purge the mind, Dan. 12. 10. Isa. 27. 9. He will save you from the arrest of the Law, and turn the curse into a blessing to you, Rom. 6. 14. Gal. 3. 14. He hath the keys of hell and death, and shutteth that no man openeth, Rev. 3. 7. and 1. 18. and he will shut its mouth, as once he did the Lions, Dan. 6. 22. that you shall not be hurt of the second death, Rev. 2. 11.
But he will not only save you from misery, but install you into unspeakable prerogatives. He will bestow himself upon you, he will be a friend unto unto you, and a father to you, 2 Cor. 6. 18. he will be a Sun and a Shield to you, Psal. 84. 11. in a word, he will be a God to you, Gen. 17. 7. and what can be said more? What you may expect that a God should do for you, and be to you, that he will be, that he will do. She that marries a Prince, expects he should do for her like a Prince, that she may live in a suitable state, and have an answerable dowry. He that hath a King for his Father or Friend, expects he should do for him like a King. Alas, the Kings and Monarchs of the Earth, so much above you, are but like the painted Butter-flies amongst the rest of their kind, or the fair coloured Palmer-worm amongst the rest of the worms, if compared with God. As he doth infinitely exceed the glory and power of his glittering dust, so he will beyond all proportion exceed, in doing for his Favourites, whatever Princes can do for theirs. He will give you grace and glory, and withhold no good thing from you, Psal. 84. 11. He will take you for his Sons and Daughters, and make you Heirs of his promises, Heb. 6. 17. and establish his everlasting Covenant with you, Ier. 32. 40. He will justifie you from all that Law, Conscience, Satan, can charge upon you, Rom. 8. 33, 34. he will give you free access into his presence, and accept your persons, and receive your prayers, Eph. 3. 12. Eph. 1. 6. 1 Iohn 5. 14. He will abide in you and make you the men of his secrets, and hold a constant and friendly communion with you, Iohn 14. 23. Iohn 15. 15. 1 Iohn 1. 3. 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 enemies to serve you, and work about all things for good unto you, Psal. 115. 13. Rom. 8. 28.
4. The Terms of mercy are brought as low, as possible, to you. God hath stooped as low to sinners, as with honour he can. He will not be thought a fautor of sin, nor stain the glory of his holiness, and whither could he come lower than he hath, unless he should do this? He hath abated the impossible terms of the first Covenant, Ier. 3. 13. Mark 5. 36. Acts 16. 31. Acts 3. 19. Prov. 28. 13. He doth not impose any thing unreasonable, or impossible, as a condition of life upon you. Two things were necessary to be done, according to the Tenour of the first Covenant by you. 1. That you should fully satisfie the demands of Iustice for past offences. 2. That you should perform personally, perfectly, and perpetually the whole Law for the time to come. Both these are to us impossible, Rom. 8. 3. But behold Gods gracious abatement in both. He doth not stand upon satisfaction, he is content to take off the surety (and he of his own providing too) what he might have exacted from you, 2 Cor. 5. 19. He declares himself to have received a ransom, Iob 33. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 6. and that he expects nothing but that you should accept his Son, and he shall be righteousness and redemption to you, Iohn 1. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 30. And for the future obedience, here he is content to yield to your weakness, and remit the rigour. He doth not stand upon perfection (as a condition of life, though he still insists upon it as due) but is content to accept of sincerity, Gen. 17. 1. Prov. 11. 20. Though you cannot pay the full debt, he will accept you according to that which you have, and take willing for doing, and the purpose for the performance, 2 Cor. 8. 12. 2 Chron. 6. 8. Heb. 11. 17. and if you come in his Christ, and set your hearts to please him, and make it the chief of your cares, he will approve and reward you, though the vessel be marred in your hands.
Oh consider your Makers condescention. Let me say to you, as Naaman's servant to him: My Father, if the Prophet had b…d thee do some great thing, wouldst then not have done it? how much rather, when he saith unto thee, wash and be clean? 2 Kings 5. 13. If God had demanded some terrible, some severe and rigorous thing of you, to escape eternal damnation, would you not have done it? Suppose it had been to spend all your days in sorrow in some howling Wilderness, or pine your selves with famine, or to offer the fruit of your bodies for the sin of your souls, would you not have thankfully accepted eternal redemption, though these had been the conditions? Yea farther, if God should have told you, you should have fryed in the fire for millions of ages, or been so long tormented in Hell, would you not have gladly accepted it? Alas, all these are not so much as one sand in the glass of eternity. If your offended Creator should have held you but one year upon the rack, and then bid you come and forsake your sins, accept Christ, and serve him a few years in self-denial, or lie in this case for ever and ever: Do you think you should have stuck at the offer, and disputed the terms, and have been unresolved, whether you were best to accept of the motion? O sinner return and live; why shouldest thou die, when life is to be had for the taking, and mercy should be beholding to thee (as it were) to be saved? Couldst thou say indeed, Lord, I know that thou wast an hard man, Mat. 25. 24. thou hadst some little excuse; but when the God of Heaven hath stooped so low, and bated so far, if now thou shouldst stand off, who shall plead for thee?
Obj. Notwithstanding all these abatements, I am no more able to perform those conditions, (in themselves so easie) of faith and repentance, and sincere obedience; than to satisfy and fulfil the Law.
Answ. These you may perform by Gods grace enabling, whereas the other are naturally impossible in this state, even to believers themselves. But let the next consideration serve for a fuiler answer.
5. Wherein you are impotent, God doth offer grace to enable you. I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, Prov. 1. 24. What though you are plunged into the ditch of that misery, from which you can never get out? Christ offereth to help you out; he stretcheth his hand to you, and if you perish, it is for refusing his help. Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man open to me, I will come in, Rev. 3. 20. What though you are poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked, Christ oftereth a cure for your blindness, a cover for your nakedness, a remedy for your poverty, he tendreth you his righteousness, his graces, I counsel thee to buy of me gold, that thou mayst be rich, and white rayment, that thou mayst be cloathed, and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayst see, Rev. 3. 17, 18. Do you say the condition is impossible, for I have not wherewith to buy? You must know, that this buying is without money, and without price, Isa. 55. 1. This buying is by begging, and seeking with diligence and constancy in the use of God's means, Prov. 2. 3, 4. God commandeth thee to know him, and to fear him. Dost thou say, Yea but my mind is blinded, and my heart is hardened from his fear? I answer, God doth offer to enlighten thy mind… and to teach thee his fear: that is presented to thy choice, Prov. 1. 29. For … hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. So that now, if men live in ignorance and estrangement from the Lord, it is because they will not understand, and desire not… …e knowledge of his ways, Job 21. 14. If thou cryest after knowledge, if thou sea…e…t her as Silver, &c. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5. Is not here a fair offer? Turn you at my reproof. Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you, Prov. 1. 23. Though of your selves you can do nothing, yet you may do all through his Spirit enabling you, and he doth offer assistance to you. God bids you wash and make you clean, Isa. 1. 16. you say you are unable as much as the L…pard to wash out his spots, Ier. 13. 23. yea but the Lord doth offer to purge you, so that if you be fi…thy still, 'tis through your own wilfulness, Ezek. 24. 13. I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, Jer. 13. 27. O 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 motions, and accept of his offers, and let him do for and in you, what you cannot do for your selves. You do not know how much God will do upon your importunity, if you will but be restless and instant with him, Luke 11. 8. and 18. 5.
If God hath not bound himself by express promise to wicked men, to give them grace in the diligent use of the means, yet he hath given them abundant encouragement to expect it from him, if they seek it earnestly in his way. His most gracious nature is abundant encouragement. 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, at thy coming to find some relief? Thou art not able to believe, nor repent: God appoints thee to use such and such means, in order to thy obtaining faith and repentance: doth not this argue that God will bestow these upon thee, if thou doest ply him diligently in prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, self-examination, and the rest of his means? Otherwise God should but mock his poor creatures, to put them upon there self-denying endeavours, and then when they have put hard to it, and continued waiting upon him for grace, deny them at last. Surely if a sweet natured man would not deal thus, much less will the most merciful and gracious God.
I intended to have added many other arguments, but these have swoln under my hands, and I hope the judicious reader, will rather look upon the weight than the number.