Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion, Direction 1
DIRECTION I. Lest the Work of Conversion should miscarry where it seemeth to be begun, or in a hopefull way, I first advise you, to [Labour after a right Vnderstanding of the True Nature of Christianity, and the Meaning of the Gospel which is sent for to Convert you.] You are naturally slaves to the Prince of darkness; and live in a state of darkness, and do the works of darkness, and are hasting apase to utter darkness. And it is the light of saving knowledge that must recover you, or there is no recovery. God is the Father of Light, and dwelleth in Light; Christ is the Light of the world; His Ministers are also the Lights of the world, as under him; and are sent to turn men from Darkness to light, by the Gospel which is the light to our feet: and this is to make us Children of Light, that we may no more do the works of darknses, but may be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, 2 Cor. 4 3, 4. 1 Joh 1. 5 1 Joh. 1. 5, 9. Jam. 1. 17 Mat. 5. 14 Act. 26. 18. Joh. 8. 12. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Eph 5 8, 13. Col 1 12. Believe it Darknes is not the way to the Celestial Glory. Ignorance is your Disease and Knowledge must be your Cure. I know the ignorant have many excuses, and are apt to think that the case is not so bad with them as we make it to be; and that there is no such need of Knowledge, but a man may be saved without it. But this is because they want that Knowledge that should shew them the misery of their Ignorance, and the worth of Knowledge. Hath not the Scripture plainly told you, that If the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, whose mindes the God of this world hath blinded, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine unto them, 2 Cor. 3. 4. I know that many that have much knowledge are ungodly. But what of that? Can any man therefore be godly or be saved, without Knowledge. You may have a bad servant that yet is skilfull enough in his work; but yet you will not mend the matter, by taking one that hath no skill at all. You may send a man on your errand that knows the way and yet will not go it, but loiter and deceive you: But what of that? Will you therefore think to mend the matter, by sending one that knoweth not a step of the way, nor will not learn it? Though a man of knowledge may be the servant of the devil, yet no man without knowledge (that hath the use of his Reason) can be the servant of God. A man may go to Hell with knowledge: but he certainly shall go to Hell without it. I do not say that you must all be men of learning, and skil'd in the Arts, and Sciencies, and Languages: But you must have the Knowledge of a Christian, though not of a Scholar. Can you love or serve a God that you Know not? Can you let go friends, and goods, and life, for a Glory which you have no Knowledge of? Can you make it the principall business of your lives to seek for a Heaven whose Excellencies you know not of? Can you lament your sinne and misery, when you are unacquainted with it? Or will you strive against sinne as the greatest evil, when you know not the evil of it? Will you believe in a Christ whom you do not know, and trust your souls and all upon him? Will you rest upon a Promise, or fear a Threatning, or be ruled by a Law, which you do not understand? It is not possible to be Christians without knowing the substance of Christianity: Nor is it possible for you to be saved without knowing the way of salvation.
Labour therefore to be well acquainted with the Grounds and Reasons, and Nature of your Religion. The clearer your Light is, the warmer and livelier your hearts will be. Illumination is the first part of Sanctification. The head is the passage to the heart. O if you did but throughly know what sinne is, and what a life it is to serve the flesh, and what the end of this will prove, with what detestation would you cast it away? If you did throughly know what a life of holiness is, how speedily would you choose it? If you did truly know what God is, how infinitely powerfull, and wise, and good; how holy, and just, and true, and what title he hath to you, and authority over you, and what and Eternal Portion he would be to you, how is it possible that you could preferre the dirt of the world before him, or delay any longer to return unto him? If you did but truly know, what Christ is, and what he hath done and suffered for you, and what that pardon, and grace, and glory are which he hath purchased for you, and offereth to you, and how sure his Promise is by which it is offered; it is not possible that you should refuse to entertain him, or delay to give up your souls unto him. Do you think a man that truly knows what Heaven is, and what Hell is, can still be in doubt whether he should turn or not? Alas sirs, if God would but open your eyes, to to see where you are, and what you are doing, you would runne as for your lives; and quickly change your minds and waies. You would no more stay in your carnall state, then you would stay in a house that were falling down on your heads, or in a ship that you perceived sinking under you; or on the sands when you see the tide coming towards you. If you did but see your Chamber full of Devils this night; you would not stand to ask whether you should be gone: And sure then if you knew how the Devils are about you, how they deceive you, and rule you, and wait to drag you away to Hell, you would never stay a night longer willingly in such a state. While men understand not what the Gospel means, nor what a Minister saith to them, no wonder if they regard them not, but continue in their sinne. If you see a Bear or a mad Dog making towards a man, and tell him of it, and call to him to be gone, if he be a man of another language and do not understand you, he will make never the more hast: but if he understand and believe you, he will away. If people think that Ministers are in jest with them, or that they are uncertain of what they say, no marvell if they hear us in jest, or as men that believe not what they hear: But if you knew that your lives lay on it, yea your everlasting life, would you not regard it and look about you? Now you stand deliberating and questioning the business whether you should turn, and let go sinne, or no: But if you knew that you must certainly have Hell with it if you keep it, methinks your doubt should quickly be resolved, and you should be loath to give another nights lodging to so chargeable and dangerous a guest. Now when we perswade you to holiness of life, you will demurre on it, as if there were some doubtfullness in the matter: But if you knew the nature and end of holiness, you would soon be out of doubt; and if you knew but how much happier you might be with God, you would never stick at the parting with your most delightfull sinnes. As the Jews rejected Christ, and preferred a murderer before him, and cryed out, Crucifie him, and all because they did not know him, 1 Cor. 2. 8. Joh. 8. 9. & 1. 10. Act. 13. 27. So you let Christ knock, and call, and offer you salvation, and you stand questioning whether you should obey his call, and whether you should not preferre your lusts before him; and all because you know him not, nor the Grace and Glory which he tendereth to you. When men understand not the Reasons of God, that should prevail with them, no wonder if they part not with that which is as dear to them as their lives. But when once they know the Reasons of Christianity, those moving, weighty, undenyable Reasons, that are▪ fetcht from God, and Heaven, and Hell, they'l then stand questioning the matter no longer; but they will resign up all even life it self. All this I speak of a spiritual, powerfull, and a practical Knowledge; and not of every swimming opinion and conceit.
Study therefore what God is, and what he is to you, and what he would be to you. Study what sinne is, and what the damnation is which it deserveth. Study what Christ is, and hath done and suffered for you, and what he is willing to do if you neglect him not. Study what the world is, and what is the utmost that sinne will do for you. Study what the everlasting Glory is, which you may have with God, if you lose it not by your folly. And study what Faith is, and what Repentance is, and what Love, and Joy, and a holy and heavenly life, and how little reason you have to be afraid of them. If this understanding have but deeply possessed you, it will byas your hearts, and make you resolved setled Converts.
Whereas if you seem to turn, and scarce know why, and seem to take up a Christian life, before you are throughly possessed with the Nature, Grounds, and Reasons of it, no marvell if you are quickly l…st again in the dark, and if every Caviller that you meet with can non-plus you, and make you stagger, and call in question all that you have done, and ravell all your work: Or if you do but runne from one party to another, and follow every one that tels you a fair tale, and never know what to fix upon, nor when you are in the way, and when you are out.
The Apprehensions of the mind do move the whole man: Wisdom is the guide and stay of the Soul. Sinning is doing foolishly, 2 Sam. 24. 10. And sinners are fools, Prov. 1. 22. Psal. 75. 4. Their mirth is but the mirth of fools, and their song the song of fools, Eccl▪ 7. 4. 5. Yea, the best of their services, while they refuse to hear and obey, is but the Sacrifice of fools, Eccl. 5. 1. And such are not fit for the House of God: For God hath no pleasure in fools, Eccl. 5. 4. He hath need to have his wits about him and know what he doth, that will be the servant of the God of Heaven, and will escape the deceits of a subtile Devil, and get to Heaven through so many d…fficulties, as are before him. Above all getting therefore get Wisdom.