Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion, Direction 12

Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion · Direction 12

p. 441DIRECT. XII. The last Direction that I shall give you, for preventing your miscarriage in the work of Conversion is this: Stop not in weak and wavering Purposes, and faint attempts: but see that you be groundedly, unreservedly, and habitually (or firmly) Resolved.

There are many good thoughts, and meanings in the Soul, before Resolution: but you are not truly Converted, till you are Resolved, and thus Resolved as is here exprest. Here I shall shew you, 1. What this Resolution is. 2. Why it is so necessary: and 3. I shall urge you to resolve: and 4. I shall Direct you in it.

1. Resolution is the firm or prevalent Determination of the Will upon Deliberation,

In opening this Definition, I shall first shew you how we are led up to Resolution by Deliberation: and 2. What is this Determination of the will.

There are several steps, by which the will doth rise up to Resolution, which I shall set before you. And first it is presupposed p. 442that in the state of corrupted Nature, the Soul is unresolved for God, if not (in many that are exceeding wicked) Resolved against him. At first the sinner doth either Resolve to be as he is, or else he hath no Resolution to Return. But God breaks many a wicked Resolution, or else woe to the ungodly; for there were no hope. Many wicked wretches, have not only neglected their Souls; but also Resolved that they would never lead a Holy life, nor never joyn themselves to the Communion of Saints, nor never leave their drunken company, or be so precise, and make so great a matter of sinne, as the Godly do▪ When we urge them with the plainest Words of God, and the most unquestionable Reasons, so that they have not a word of sense to speak against it. When we have told them of the Command of God, and told them of the certain danger of their Souls, they will plainly tell us that they are Resolved never to be so precise: When they have nothing else to say, but nonsence, they will put us off with this, that they are Resolved to venture their Souls without so much adoe. But as Resolute as they are, God will break and chang p. 443their Resolution, and make them as much Resolved of the clean contrary, if ever he will save them. For woe to them that ever they were born, if he should take them at their word, and Resolve as they Resolve!

Now in this case there are many degrees that men go through, before they come to be Resolved for God.

1. The first thing usually that befalleth such a Soul, is some further Light, which shews him that which before he understood not. 2. This Light causeth him to begin to Doubt, whether all be so well with him as he thought it had been; and whether he were so wise in his former Resolutions as he thought himself. 3. When Light hath bred these Doubtings in his mind, these Doubtings breed some Fears within him, and he begins to be a little awakened. Lest evil be neerer him then he was aware of, and lest the threatenings of God, and his Ministers should prove true. 4. These Fears do drive him to Consider of the matter, and to Deliberate what he is best to do: To consider whether these things be so or not, and what course he must take if they should prove true. 5. Though sometimes p. 444God may bless the very first Considerations to be the present means of true conversion, yet that is no usual thing; but ordinarily the first Considerations do help the mind to some slight convictions, so that the man begins to see a great deal more then he did before; and so much as puts him now past doubt that he was before mistaken; and out of the way. 6. Finding himself, in this case, his fears increase, and his grief comes on for his former folly, and he finds himself in a miserable case, and at a loss for a Remedy. 7. By this much he is quickened to a purpose or resolution, to hearken to those that can instruct him, and enquire of them that he thinks are in the right, and to use such means as he is acquainted with, to find out what he must do to be saved. And accordingly he goes among good company, and begins to hear more diligently, and sensibly, and to mark, and regard what he hears, and reads; and also to cry to God in Prayer for mercy and relief. But all this is but from the Natural Fears of misery, awakened in him by Common preparing Grace. 8. In the use of these Means of Grace, he begins better to understand, p. 445and relish the Doctrine of Redemption by Jesus Christ, and the nature and necessity of true Sanctification by the Holy Ghost. And though sometime these Evangelical Illuminations may be special saving works at the very first, yet it's more usual, especially with us that are bred up under the Gospel, to have a more superficial common Illumination, before the saving Light come in. And by this common Light, men have at first but a general glimmering, and confused Knowledg of a Saviour, and of Redemption, and of Mercy to be had by him. And sometime they have a distinct Knowledg of some parts only of the Christian Faith; and sometime a distinct Knowledg, and belief of every Article; but only superficial, and not savingly effectual. 9. By this general, or superficial Knowledg of Christ, and Mercy, a kind of Hope ariseth in the heart, that yet there is a possibility of escape: and a kind of comfort answerable to this Hope. 10. These Hopes are accompanied with some Desires to understand yet more of the Mistery of the Gospel; and to be made partakers of the saving Mercy of which he hath had a confused light. p. 44611. And hereupon there is further kindled in the will, a Purpose, or Resolution to go further on in learning, and enquiring into the Will of God, and using his means: And 12. This purpose is performed, and means are further used. And thus far the Soul is but in Preparation, and under the common workes of Grace, and possibly may fall off and perish. The first degree may be so stifled, that it shall not reach unto the second; or the second so stifled that it shall not reach unto the third: But the most common stop is at the third degree: when men are a little frightened, they will not follow it on to Consideration: And they that follow Consideration diligently, do usually speed well, and get through all the rest.

But when the Soul is brought thus farre, if God will save it, he next proc…eds to this much more: 1. He giveth a clearer Light into the Soul, which giveth a more distinct, or at least a more piercing, convincing, deep and savoury apprehension of the essentials of Christianity then he ever had before.

Where note of this special Heavenly light, 1. The being, usually the Consequent of a more common knowledg, p. 447therefore most ordinarily the sum of Christian Doctrine is in some manner known before. 2. That it doth not reveal only some one point of Faith alone, and then another, and so on: as if we savingly knew one essential point of Faith, when we have no saving Knowledg of the rest: For that is a Contradiction. But finding all these Truths received in the mind before by a common Knowledg, the special Light comes in upon them all at once; and so shews us the Anatomy of Christianity, or the parts of Gods Image in one frame, as to the essentials. 3. For the understanding of which you must further know, that there is such an inseparable connection of these Truths, and such a dependance of one upon another, that it is not possible to know one of them truly, and not know all. For example, Believing in Jesus Christ, is an act so inseparable from the rest, that (if the essentials of Christianity be not essential to it) certainly you cannot do this without them. For to Believe in Christ, is essentially to believe in him as God and man, two Natures in one Person, by Office the Mediator, our Redeemer and Saviour, to p. 448save us from guilt and sinne, from punishment, and pollution, and to give us by the Holy Ghost, a Holy nature and life, and to give us the forgiveness of sinne, and Everlasting life, and so to restore us to the mutual Love of God here, and fruition of him hereafter: and all this as merited and procured by his Death, Obedience, Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession for his Church. Whether here be all that is Essential to Christianity, and absolutely necessary to Salvation to be believed, I leave to consideration; but sure I am that all this is Essential to saving Justifying Faith. And Christ is not taken as Christ, if he be not thus taken: For the Ends thus enter the definition of his Relation as the Redeemer, and Saviour, and Lord.

So that the Love of God as our felicity and End, and the belief in Christ, as the way, are both together in the same minute of time, which soever of them be first in order of nature: (which is a question that I dare not here so unseasonably handle)

2. Upon this special Illumination of the Soul, and the special Consideration with which it doth concurre; the Deliberating p. 449Soul is presently Resolved. And in these two Acts which alwaies go together, consisteth the special Sanctifying Work: Even in the Illumination, and Estimation of the Understanding, and in the true Resolution of the Will.

2. The Determination of the Will, is its own free act, performed by its natural self determining power, procured by the special Grace of God (I mean in this special case) It followeth Deliberation. While we are unresolved, we Deliberate what to Resolve upon; that is, we are considering which is best and most eligible, and which not; and as we practically judg, we use to Determine, and to choose. And when this choice after Deliberation is peremtory and full, it's called Resolution.

So that my meaning is to let you understand, that when the Matter of our Faith is set open to the Soul, it is not a wavering fickle purpose, that is a saving closure with it, but it must be a firm Resolution. Much less will it ever bring a man to Heaven, to be thinking and deliberating what to do, as long as he is unresolved. And now I shall prove the Necessity of this.

p. 450II. Till you are Resolved, you are not Converted, and that appeareth by these Evidences. 1. If you are not firmly Resolved, it is certain that you do not firmly believe. For such as your Belief is, such will be the effects of it upon the Will. An unsound Opinionative belief, will produce but tottering, languishing purposes: but a firm belief will cause a firm Resolution of the Will. And if your belief be unsound, you must confess you are unconverted.

2. Moreover, if you do not esteem God above all Creatures, and Heaven above Earth, and Christ and Grace above sinne, you are certainly unconverted. But if you have such a true estimation, you will certainly have a firm Resolution. For you will Resolve for that which you highly esteem.

3. If God have not your firm Resolution, he hath not indeed your Heart and Will: For to give God your Hearts and Wills, is principally by firm Resolving for him. And if God have not your Hearts, you are sure unconverted.

4. Moreover, if you are not firmly p. 451Resolved, your Affections will not be sincere and stedfast. For all the Affections are such as to their sincerity, as the Will is, which doth excite or command them And nothing is more mutable then the Affections in themselves considered: They will be hot to day, and cold to morrow, if they be not rooted in the firm Resolution of the Will, which is the life of them.

5. Lastly, Without a firm Resolution, there can be no faithfull obedience and execution, of the Will of God. For if men be not Resolved, they will heavily go on, and lazilie proceed, and easily come off: For their hands go to work without their hearts. It is the greatest work in all the world, that God calls you to; and none but the Resolved are able to go through with it. Of which we shall give you a fuller account anon.

III. In the next place, let me intreat you, in the feare of God, to look after this great and Necessary part of your Conversion. There are many degrees of good motions in the mind; but all that falls short of Resolution is un…ound. p. 452Many are brought to Doubt whether all be well with them, and to have some fears thereupon▪ that yet will not be brought so far as to consider soberly of the matter, and deliberate what is best to be done, and to advise with their Ministers for the furthering of their Salvation. Many that are perswaded so far as to consider, and deliberate, and take advice, yet go no further then some cold wishes, or purposes, which are all overcome by the love of the world, and the power of their sinnes Many that do proceed to some kind of Practice, do only take a tast, or an essay of Religion, to try how they can like it; and begin some kind of outward Reformation, without any firm Resolution to go through with it: Or if their purposes seem strong, it is but occasioned by something without, and not from a setled habit within. All these are short of a state of special Saving Grace, and must be numbred with the unconverted.

It is a common, and very dangerous mistake, that many are undone by, to think that every good Desire is a certain sign of Saving Grace: Whereas you may have more then bare Desires, even purposes, p. 453and promises, and some performances, and yet perish for want of Resolution, and Regeneration. … Do you think that Judas himself had not some good Desires, that followed Christ so long, and preached the Gospel? Do you think that Herod had not some good Desires, that heard John gladly, and did many things accordingly? Agrippa had some good Desires, when he was almost perswaded to be a Christian. They that for a time believe have sure some good Desires, and more, Matth. 13. 20. And so had the young man, that went away sorrowfull from Christ, when he could not be his Disciple; unless he would part with all that he had, Luke 18. 23. Matth. 19. 22. And doubtless those had more then good Desires, that had known the way of Righteousness, and had escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21. And so had those, Heb. 10. 26, 29. That had received the knowledg of the Truth, and were Sanctified by the blood of the Covenant. And those Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. That were once inlightened, and tafted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers p. 454of the Holy Ghost, and tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come. And sure Ananias and Saphira had more then some good Desires, when they sold all, and brought half the price to the Apostles.

Believe it Sirs, there are none of your Desires, or Endeavours, that will serve turn, to prove you in a state of Grace, unless they be accompanied with firm Resolution. Be it known to you that you are unconverted, if you are not habitually Resolved. And therefore I must here intreat you all, to put the question close to your hearts, Are you Resolved; firmly Resolved, to give up your selves and all to Christ, and to be wholly his, and follow his conduct? or are you not? The question is not, what good meanings, or wishes, or purposes, you may have, but whether you are Resolved, and firmly Resolved? Take heed Sirs, what you venture your Souls upon: God will not be dallied with, nor be deceived. He will have no unresolved, false-hearted servants.

Before I proceed to urge you further, I shall here tell you what kind of Resolution it must be, that will prove a man p. 455converted: and then I shall give you such Motives as should perswade you to it.

It is not all kind of Resolution that will serve turn; but it is only that which hath these following properties, that will evidence a state of Grace.

1. As to the Matter, it must be the whole Essence of Christianity, that must be Resolved on. It must be no less then a closing with God as your chiefest happiness, to be Loved above all, and as your chiefest Lord to be obeyed before all: and a closing with Jesus Christ, as your only Saviour, your Teacher, and your Lord; to bring your hearts again to God, and reconcile you to him: and a closing with the Holy Ghost as your Sanctifier, to make you a holy people, and clense you from all your sinne of heart and life, and guide you by the Ministery, Word, and Ordinances, to Everlasting life. Thus must you Resolve to deliver up your selves to God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, to be made a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Should you be never so Resolute in some point of Religion, and as Ananias to give God Half, and to become half Religious, and half Holy, and half Heavenly, p. 456this is but to be half Christians, and will not bring you half way to Heaven: It's entire Christianity that must be Resolved on.

2. You must also be Resolved for present obedience, and to turn without any more delay; and not only Resolve to turn to morrow, or sometime hereafter. No Resolution is sincere in this case, if it be but for the future: If you had rather stay but one day or hour longer in the state of sinne, and service of the flesh, you are no true Disciples of Christ, though you should be Resolved to turn to morrow.

3. And your Resolution must be Absolute and peremptory, not only without any secret Reserves, but Positively against any such Reserves. Here it is that Hypocrites commonly fall short: They see they must mend, and they are convinced that a holy life is necessary, and they Resolve hereupon to change their course, and turn religious: but either it is with this secret Reserve, Provided alwaies that I look to my credit, or estate, or life, what ever I do, and provided that I go no further in Religion then will stand with these; provided that godliness p. 457be not my undoing in the world. Or else if he have not actually such thougths, he hath them alwaies virtually, and habitually: He is not Resolved against such Reserves: He hath not considered that Christ will have no Disciples that cannot and will not part with all; and that if he hope for Heaven, he must not look for a treasure on earth, but only pass through the world as a travailer, or labour in it as the harvest of the Lord, in expectation of a Reward and Rest hereafter; and so Resolved to take Christ on these self denying terms. But he that will be saved must be thus resolved: Even to sell all, to buy the unvaluable pearl, Matth. 13. 46, 47. To make sure of Heaven, though he lose all on Earth by it: to lay up his hopes in the life to come, and venture, and let go all rather then those hopes: to take Christ absolutely upon his own terms, for better and worse, as being certain that there is no other way to life, and that there is no danger of losing by him. The Hypocrite is like a man that when he delivereth up the possession of his house, will make his bargain, that he will keep this room, or that room to himself, for his p. 458own use. Or like a servant that will not be hired but on Condition that his Master shall not set him to such or such work that he loves not: But Christ will have no such servants: You must deliver up all to him, or he will accept of none: You must give him leave to make his Conditions for you, and tell you on what terms you must serve him, and wholly referre the matter to him, even for life it self, and not offer to put Conditions upon him, and think to bring him to any terms of yours. It is not true Resolution unless it be Absolute, and unreserved, and against all reserves: Yea, and that also as to perseverance; that you Resolve to give up your selves finally as well as totally, not only without any Reserve of a Revocation, but against any such Revocation: It must not be a coming to Christ upon essay, or meer tryal, that if you do not like you may leave again: But you must make an unchangable everlasting Covenant: It must be part of your Covenant, that you will never revoke it.

4. Moreover, your Resolution must be well grounded: You must know what the Essentials are of that Religion which p. 459you Resolve on, and you must be moved to it by right and weighty Considerations; and go upon reasons that will hold up your Resolution. For should you Resolve on the most necessary work (as this is) upon mistakes, and wrong, or insufficient Reasons, as the will of man, the custom of the country, the reputation of Christianity, or only such like; there is no likelyhood that your Resolution should endure, and it is not sincere while it doth endure.

5. Your Resolution must be accompanied with a sense of your own insufficiency, to stand to it immutably, and execute it faithfully by your own strength; as knowing the corruption, and deceitfullness of our own heart: And it must be strengthned, and supported by a confidence, or dependance on the sufficiency of Christ. on whose Grace, and Spirit you must rely, both for the continuing, and the performing of your Resolutions; as knowing that without him you can do nothing, but that you can do all things (necessary) through Christ strengthning you.

6. Lastly, Your Resolution is not Savingly sincere, unless it be habitually. It p. 460is a very hard question, how far some moving exhortation, or the approach of death in sicknes, may prevaile with the unsanctified for an Actual Resolution: Undoubtedly very farre: But that's a mans mind and will which is Habitually his mind and will: When the very Inclination, and bent of your will is Right, then only is your heart right. A bowle may by a rub, or banck, be turned contrary to the byas: but when it is over the rub it will follow the byas againe in its ordinary course. The flame may be hindred from assending a little while, but when it is got over the stop, it will be mounting upward. A stone will move upwards against its Nature, while it is followed by the strength of the hand that cast it; but when the strength is spent, it will quickly fall again. It is not an extraordinary act, that you can try your selves by, but such a free course and tenor of your lives, as will prove that you have a new Nature, or a heart Inclined and Habituated to God. The main business therefore is to prove that you are Habituallly Resolved. Set all these together now, and you may see what Resolution it is, that must prove you to be p. 461Converted. 1. It must be a Resolution for all the Essence of Christianity, and not only some part. 2. It must be a Resolution for present Obedience, and not only for some distant time to come: 3. It must be an Absolute, peremptory Resolution, without and against Reserves for the flesh: both Total, and final; without and against any Revocation. 4. It must be soundly grounded; and moved by right Principles: 5. It must be joyned with a humble sence of your insufficiency, and a dependance on Christ, for continuing, and performing it. And 6. It must be Habitual, and such as sets right the bent and drift of heart and life. All this is of Necessity.

Well Sirs; you see now what you must do: the next question then is, what you will do? A great many of motions God hath made to you, to let go your worldliness, and wickedness, and become New Creatures, and live to God, and never could you be got to Resolve, and obey them. Many thoughts you have had of it, I suppose; and long you have been purposing that: Turn you would; p. 462but all have come to little or nothing, because you were never fully Resolved. I am once more sent to you on this message from God, to see whether yet you will Resolve: Whether after all you trifling delaies, and after all your wilfull sinning, and abuse of Gods Patience, against your own knowledg and Consciences, you will yet Resolve. What say you? Shall God be your Master indeed, and shall Christ be your Saviour & Lord? Shall Heaven be your happiness, and have your hearts indeed? Shall Holiness be your business indeed? and shall sinne be your hatred, and the flesh and the world be your enemies indeed, and used accordingly from this day forward, without any more ado? I beseech you Sirs Resolve, and fully Resolve.

And because I know if we prevaile not with you in this you are undone for ever, and therefore I am loath to let you go before we have brought you, if it may be, to Resolve: I will give you here some Considerations to turn the scales, and if you will but read them, and soberly consider of them, I shall have great hope to prevail with you, yet after all. One would think that the fifty Considerations p. 463under the last Direction might suffice: But lest all should be too little, I will add these following.

1. Consider I beseech you, what leisure you have had to think of the matter. You have lived many years in the world already; and you have had nothing to do in it, but to seek after true Happiness: Even your worldly labours ought to have been all but in order to this. And yet are you unresolved? Alas Sirs, have you lived some twenty some thirty years and more in the world, and yet are you not Resolved, what you came hither for, or what you have to do here? Is it twenty, or thirty, or fourty years, since you set out, and should by this time have been farre on your journey, and are you yet unresolved whither to go, or which way to go? As if you were newly entering the world, or as if you had never heard of your business. I think so many years are a faire time of Consideration, and it's time to be Resolved, if you will Resolve at all.

2. And I pray you consider, what Helps you have had to have Resolved you before this. If you did not know what you had to look after, and which way to p. 464take, you should have enquired: You had the Word of God to advise with; and you had your Teachers to advise with; and many experienced Christians to advise with. You wanted not for the wisest faithfulest Counsailers; if you had been but willing and diligent, certainly you might have been Resolved long ago.

3 And consider I beseech you, what a case it is that you are unresolved in: Is it so hard a question that all this time, and all these helps cannot Resolve you? What? whether God or the flesh should be first obeyed, and loved? Whether Heaven or Earth▪ Eternal Glory or the transitory pleasures of sinne should be preferred? Whether you should care and labour more to be saved from sinne and Hell, or from poverty and worldly crosses, and reproaches? These, and such like are the questions to be Resolved: And are these so hard, that all your wit, and all the advise you can have from Scripture and Ministers, would not serve turn to help you to a Resolution, no not in twenty or thirty years time? O wonderful! that ever the Devil should be able so to befool men! That Reasonable p. 465Creatures should be so phrenet…ck, that they cannot be resolved whether it be better be saved, or be damned? or whether sinne with Hell after it, be better than Holiness with Heaven after? The Lord have Mercy upon the poor distracted world, and bring some more of them to their wits! We have Wise men, if themselves may be judges; very wise in their own conceit, that know many great matters in the world, and yet do not practically know whether God or the Devil be the better master; whether sinne or Holiness be the better work; and whether Heaven or Hell be the betther wages? If they say They know these things, judge by their lives whether they know them Practically or not? Resolve they will not for God, and Holiness, and Heaven, nor against the flesh, the world, and sinne; whatever they may be brought to confess to their self-condemnation. Is it not a pitifull case, that such points as these, should seem so hard to reasonable men, as to be so long in Resolving of them?

4. And I pray you Consider, How horribly by this you disgrace your understandings. You that cannot abide to be p. 466derided as sots and fools in the world, do yet abuse your selves thus grosly, as i… there were never greater sots scarce upon the Earth. We have proud men that are so high in their now eies, that they can hardly endure contempt from others, and love almost none that think but meanly or dishonourably of them; and yet what a horrible contempt and dishonour do they cast upon themselves? If one of these our wise neighbours, should study seaven years, to know whether the Sea be fire or water, whether a mountain be heavy? Whether the fire be hot or cold? and could not be Resolved after so many years Consideration; what would you think and say of these wise men? Why Sirs, it is far grosser folly, I tell you again, it is far grosser folly, to be unresolved whether you should be Holy or unholy? which is in plain English, whether it be better go to Heaven or to Hell? For Faith and Holiness is the way to Heaven; and an unholy life is the way to Hell: And if you will needs forsake the way to Heaven, you may hope to come thither as long as you will; but you may as well hope to touch the Moon with your finger, or to runne up and down p. 467with a mountain on your backs. And if you will hold on in the way to Hell, that is, in an unsanctified state, you may say you hope for all that to escape Hell, even as wisely as to leap into the Sea, and say I hope to scape drowning, or to throw down your selves headlong from the top of the steeple, and say I hope to scape hurting me, as well as you. Sirs, I beseech you do not abuse God, and abuse Christ, and the Spirit, and Scripture, and withall abuse your immortal Souls, for I know not what; for a stinking sin; for a thing of nought: Your Souls are noble Creatures, and your understandings are noble faculties: Why will you expose them to be the scorn of Satan, and make them so base and sottish as you do? You can see the folly of a poor drunkard, that will make a beast of himself, and go reeling and talking nonsence about the street, for the boies to hoot at him, and make himself the laughing-stock of the town: And I pray you why do you not understand, that till you are Resolved for a Holy, Heavenly life, you are all drunk, while you think your selves to be sober? You are as miserable as the other, and more in this, that p. 468yours is in your natures, and theirs is but an accident; yours is continued, and theirs (in that particular) but by fits. In the Name of God Sirs, bethink you, whether you can possibly more disgrace your wits, then to be unresolved of a case as plain as the high way, and which your Everlasting Salvation or damnation lieth on? If one of you could not in twenty years be Resolved; whether the the Sunne be light or dark, or whether the day or the night be fitter for rest; or whether it be better plow and sow, or let all alone, and hope God will give you a crop without labour; would you take this for a wise man? Again I tell you, your folly is more gross, that cannot all this while be Resolved, whether you should cast away your wilfull sinnes, and give up your selves to Christ, and a Holy life, to obtain the Glory, and scape the misery that is hard at hand. If you stood up to the neck in the water, or stood but in a storm of raine, you would not be so long in deliberating, whether it were better for you to stay there longer or come out. If your finger were but in the fire, you need not so long a deliberation, whether you p. 469should take it out. Any yet these wise men, are under many thousand unpardoned sinnes, and under the curse of the Law of God, and within a step of everlasting fire, and have no way possible to escape, but by Conversion, Faith and Holiness; and this God hath told them, as plain as the tongue of man can speak, and yet they are Considering of it, whether it be best to come out of it; and yet they cannot be Resolved? Did I say They are Consid…ring? Nay, the Lord be mercifull to them, they are so deadhearted and besotted, that they do not so much as seriously Consider of it: But even runne on without Consideration: Ah poor wretches! They are ready to go to another world, and may look every day when the bell toles for them, and when death will bring them to their endless life, and yet they have not wit enough, to Resolve whether they should make ready: no nor with enough in their most carless, worldly state, to know that they are unready. Death is coming, and Judgment is coming, and the burning Wrath of God is coming, and are even at the doore; and yet these wise men are unresolved of that only way that p. 470is of absolute necessity to their safety; They must have more time yet to consider of the matter, whether it be best for them to turn or no? They stand at the very brink of Hell; and yet they must further consider of it, whether it be better to turn back or to go on: Nay they will go on without Consideration! And yet these men would take it …aynously, if one should lay hands on them, and carry them to Bedlam; or but tell them of the hundreth part of the sottishness that they are guilty of.

5. And it is further considerable, that these men that are all this while unresolved, about their Conversion and Sanctification, have wit enough to resolve of doubtfuller, and less necessary matters, without any such advising or delaies: And they are men of ordinary parts and capacities, for the matters of this world. They can eat when they are hungry, and drink when they are thirsty, without a twelve-months tim… to advise first on it: They can resolve to go to bed at night, and to rise in the morning, without a years or a daies deliberation. If they have any thing to buy or sell, they will not deliberate upon it till the market be past: If p. 471they have their land to plow, or their …orn to sow, or reap, or mow, they will not take a twelve months time to pause upon it. They can quicky Resolve upon their every-daies business, their travails, their labours, and all their ordinary affaires. And yet these same men cannot Resolve in seaven years time, and seaven to that, whether Heaven or Earth should be more loved and laboured for? Or whether a corruptible flesh, a wicked fancie, a greedy throat, should be pleased before the God of Heaven, though the pleasing of it cost them the loss of their Salvation?

Why Sirs, a man that is well in his wits, would think that these matters should be more out of doubt then the former, and speedilier resolved on? One would think it should be an easier question, whether you should turn to God and a Holy life, for the saving of your immortal Souls? then whether you should eate, or drink, or sleep, for the preservation of your bodies? For I can in many cases bring some reason that should perswade you to forbeare eating, or drinking, or sleeping for a considerable time: but no man breathing can speak a word p. 472of reason (except mens folly should be called Reason,) that should perswade you to forbear your Conversion for a minute. And if you mistake about these bodily matters, the loss may be repaired, at least in the world to come: but if you die before you are Resolved, and firmly Resolved, to give up your Soul and body to Christ, and live a Holy, Heavenly life, you are undone body and Soul for ever, and all the world can never save you.

Oh what a strange and horrible thing is it, that a man that hath the wit to mannage his affaires as plausibly as any of his neighbours, that can overwit others in the matters of the world; that can govern Towns and Countries; that is learned in his Profession, in Law, in Physick, in Merchandize, in Navigation, or any the like; I say, that a man of so deep a reach, so plodding and active a wit as this, should yet be unresolved, yea at 30 or 40 years old be unresolved, whether to be Sanctified or unsanctified; whether to be Holy and be Saved, or to be unholy, though God hath professed expresly that such shall not see the face of God, Heb. 12. 14. These are our p. 473wise men, these are too many (besides the ignorant country men) of our Gentlemen, our Worshipfull, and Honourable men, our great Schollars, and men of noble or reverend esteem; that yet are unresolved, whether to be saved or to be damned. Though God hath written a Bible to Resolve them, and a thousand books are written to Resolve them; and Preachers are studying, and preaching to Resolve them; and a thousand mercies are cast into the scales, that one would think should help to turn them; and some sharp afflictions are helping to Resolve them; and twenty, or fourty years certain experience, of the vanity of this world, the deceitfullness of riches, and honour, and pleasure, and the unprofitableness of sinne, one would think should Resolve them; yet after all this they are unresolved, whether they should presently let go their sinne, and whether God, or the flesh should be pleased or displeased? If this be the wisdom of these men, the Lord bless me, and all his chosen, from such wisdom!

6. Nay consider further of your unreasonable wickedness: Are not many of your p. 474Judgments Resolved, when yet your hearts and wils are unresolved. I am confident, nay I am certain it is so. You are at once both Resolved and unresolved. What a confusion and warre do you thus make in your own Souls? The Judgment is for one thing, and the Will and Affections are for another thing. What? are you not led by Reason? Will you let out your Affections, and lead your lives, quite contrary to your knowledg. Would not most of you give it me as your Judgments under your hands, that it's a thousand times better to cast away your drunkenness, your filthiness, your worldliness, and other known sinnes, then to keep them any longer? What say you? are you not Convinced that it were your wisest course to part with them this very day and hour? Undoubtedly many of you are. And yet for all this will you not Resolve to do it? Are you not perswaded in your Consciences, that it's better to dye in a Holy and Heavenly state, then in a loose and careles worldly state? And that it were your safest, and wisest course to become New men, and lead a Holy Heavenly life without delay. Dare you deny this? Is it not p. 475your Judgment? And yet will you not do it? Are you Resolved that it should be done, and must be done, and yet will you not Resolve to do it? Why what is this but to be condemners of your selves? to carry a Judge about with you in your own brests, that is still passing sentence against you? Happy is he (saith the Spirit of God, Rom. 14. 22.) that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth. If your Judgments be Resolved, let your Wills Resolve, or else you are wilfull adersaries of the light, and fight against Reason, and unman your selves, and sinning wilfully against your Knowledg, shall be beaten with many stripes.

7. Me thinks also it should somewhat quicken you to Resolve, when you consider what a case you had now been in, if death had found you unresolved. For if you are unresolved, you are unsanctified; and if not Sanctified, you are not pardoned, or justified, and therefore undoubtedly you had been past all help, in endless misery, if you had died all this while, before you were firmly Rosolved for God. O what a dangerous ticklish condition have you stood in all this while? p. 476What wise man would live an hour in such a case for all the world? For feare lest that hour should be his last. And yet would you stay longer in it? and still are you unresolved?

8. Believe it, Christ will not own you as his servants, nor trust you what ever promises you may make him, as long as you are unresolved. Who will take a servant that is not resolved to do any service? Who will take an unresolved person if he knows it, as a wife, or friend into his intimate love? And indeed you are not truly Christians till you are Resolved to take Christ for better and worse. What ever state is short of this, is also short of true Sanctification, and will fall short of Heaven. Christ is Resolved to stick to his servants, and he will have no servants, that be not resolved to stick to him.

9. And indeed if you be unresolved; as you are falshearted at the first setting out, so it is certain that you wll never go well on, nor endure to the end in case of tryall, nor can you do the business of a Christian life, without Resolution. If you will be Christ's Disciples, you must reckon upon persecutions: You must take up your Cross p. 477and follow him: You must be hated of all men for his sake and the Gospels; and you must prepare for prison, and fire, and sword. There's no hope of being saved, while you purpose to save your pleasures, riches, liberties, or lives, Matth. 16. 25. Marke 8. 35. Luke 9. 24. And will a man that is unresolved forsake his friends, estate, and life, for the sake of Christ, and the hopes of Glory? He cannot do it. I know that a carnal ungrounded Resolution, may decive a man in the day of tryal; when the self-suspecting, fearfull Christian may hold out: But yet without a humble self-denying Resolution, joyned with an adherence to Christ for strength, there's no man will hold out. If thou be a wavering minded man, thou wilt be unstedfast in all thy waies, Jam. 1. 8. If thou be not Resolved, the words of a mans mouth will turn thee out of the way; the very mocks and scorns of a drunkard, or a fool that hath no understanding in the matters of Salvation, will make thee shrink, and hide thy profession, and be ashamed of Christ, in whom alone thou hast cause to Glory. If thou be not a Resolved man, what better can be expected, but p. 478that thou turn as the weather-cock with every wind, and fit thy Religion to thy worldly ends, and as another Judas sell thy Lord for a little money. If thou fall not away, it will be but for want of a tryal to procure it; and therefore in Gods account thou art gone already; because thy Resolution was never with him.

When you turn to God, there will remain within you the remnants of your corruption, a body of death, a rebelling flesh: and this will be still tempting you, and drawing you from God: And O how strong do these temptations seem to the Soul that is unresolved? Yea without a firm habituate Resolution, it is impossible to overcome them. Your whole way to Heaven is a continual warfare: You have enemies that will dispute every foot of the way with you. There's no going a step forward, but as the ship doth in the Sea, by cutting its way through the waves, and billows; and as the plow doth in the earth, by cutting through the resisting soil: There is self which is your principal enemy, and there is Satan, and the world, and almost all that you meet with in it, will prove your p. 479hinderers: And you must make your way by valour, and Holy Violence through all: And will an unresolved man do this? You will scarce ever how your knee to God in secret prayer, nor set your selves upon serious Meditations, but the flesh and the Devil will be drawing you off; You will never attempt, a faithfull reproof, a liberal work of Charity, a hazardous confession of Christ, or any dangerous or costly duty, but the flesh and the Devil will plead against it, and put you to it: And in these and many such cases of your lives, you will never break through, nor do any good on it, without Resolution. Do I need to tell you how hard the way of Salvation is, that fly from it on mistake, because you think it harder then it is? Do I need to tell you how false you will prove to Christ, if you have not Resolution, that know it by your ordinary, miserable experience, that a poor temptation will make you sinne against your knowledg? How many good wishes and purposes have you had already, in sickness or at a lively Sermon, that are all come to nothing, for want of a firm Habituate Resolution? What abundance of time-servers, p. 480and of chaffie professours are lately fallen off, to the way of rising and riches in the world, or to the pride, and giddy levity of dividers, that oppose the Truth of God, and their Teachers, and trouble the Church, and all because they were never well rooted by a sound Resolution. They that take Christ but upon liking, do usually mislike him, when he calls them to self-denial. For they had never that connatural principle that should effectually dispose their Souls to like him; nor had they ever the inward experiences of power and sweetness, which are proper to the sincere, and should increase their liking of him. Either Resolve therefore, or stand by and perish.

10. I beseech you consider also, what abundance of clear undeniable Reasons, doth God give in to thee, to turn the Scales, and cause thee to Resolve. He fetcheth Reasons from his own Dominion, and Soveraignty? Should not a creature obey the Lord that made him? He reasoneth with you from his daily preservations. Do you live upon him, and should you not obey him? He reasoneth with you from his Almightiness: p. 481You are all at his Mercy, and wholly in his hands; and yet dare you disobey him? He reasoneth with you from his Love and Goodness: Never did evil come from him; nor did he ever do any wrong: Never was there man or Angel that was a loser by him; it is not possible to have so good a master, and yet will you not obey him? He fetcheth reasons from all his Mercies: Every bit of bread is from him, and should be an Argument with thee to obey him: Every daies health, and strength, and comforts; and every nights rest and ease, thy Mercies at home, and thy Mercies abroad; in private and in publike; all should be so many Arguments with thee to Resolve. You cannot look upon a plant, or a flower under your feet, upon the Sun, or a Starre that's over your heads; or upon any creature, but you may see so many Reasons that should move you to Resolve. If all these will not serve, he fetcheth yet stronger Reasons from the Incarnation, example, and blood of the Sonne of God: Canst thou look on God incarnate for sinne, combating with Satan, and conquering for thee, and dying, and bleeding, and buried for thy sinne, and p. 482yet be unresolved to leave that sinne, and turn to him that hath bought thee by his blood? If all this will not serve, he Reasoneth with thee from thy own benefit. If thou care not for God, dost thou care for thy self? Dost thou regard thy own Soul? If thou do, it's high time to Resolve. He reasoneth with thee from Everlasting Glory. Is a certain Kingdom, an Everlasting, glorious Kingdom, nothing to thee? Art thou content to be thrust out of that Eternal Inheritance? Is the filthy pleasure of the flesh for a few hours, better then the endless joys of the Saints? He pleads also with thee from the danger that thou art near. Poor Soul, thou little seest what others see, that are dead before thee. Thou little knowest what they feel that died before they were Resolv'd for God. He fetcheth his Reasons from the certaine, everlasting flames of Hell: and is there not force enough in these for to Resolve thee? Good Lord, what a thing is a senseless sinner? Dost thou believe Heaven and Hell as thou takest on thee to do? If thou do believe them, is it possible for thee believingly to think of Heaven, and its Eternal Glory, and yet p. 483to be unresolved whether to turn or not? Or canst thou think of the endless miseries of the damned, and yet be unresolved whether to turn or not? Can any heart be so senseless, or deluded?

Moreover he pleadeth with thee from the equity and sweetness of his Service. It is but to Love him, and to seek his Kingdom, and forbear those things that hurt thy Soul. His Commands are not unreasonable nor grievous. Darest thou speak out and say that sinne is better; and that Satan hath provided thee a better work then God hath done? He reasoneth with thee also from his Wisdom and his Justice. He tels thee that as Satan hath nothing to do with thee, and as he is none of thy friends, and meaneth thee not so well as God doth; so he is not able to prescribe thee a more just and perfect law then God hath done. Follow God and thou art sure thou shalt never be deceived or misled. For he wanteth not Wisdom, or Power, or Goodness to be a meet Law-giver and Guide: But if thou follow the Devil, the world, or the flesh, thou followest a blind and a deceifull guide. And yet after all these Reasons art thou not Resolved?

p. 484He Reasoneth with thee also from thy own experience: What good hath sinne done thee? And what hurt would Holiness do thee? Yea he reasons with thee from the experience of all the world: Who was ever the b…tter for sinning? And who was ever the worse for Holiness? How long will thy fleshly delights endure? What will this do for thee in thy extremity? Was ever man made Happy by it? Thou knowest well enough thou must shorty leave it; and that it will forsake thee in thy greatest need: But so would not God, if thou hadst Resolvedly given up thy self to him. All men that refuse a Heavenly life, do sooner or later wish that they had chosen it.

Abundance of such Reasonings God useth with thee in his Word, and by his Ministers; and dost thou think indeed that there is not weight enough in these to give thee cause immediately to Resolve? How little or nothing canst thou say against them? Canst thou bring any Reason, that is Reason indeed, against these or any of these Reasons of the Lord? Darest thou say that ever a one of them is false, or insufficient? And what are the Reasons which you have on the contrary to hinder you from Resolving? p. 485Forsooth, because your sinnes are sweet, you would fain have the pleasure of them a little longer yet: O wretched Souls! that find more pleasure in the abusing of your Maker and Redeemer, then in loving, honoring, and pleasing him: That delight more in serving the flesh, and the Devil, then in serving God and seeking after his Favour and your own Salvation. You are a hundred times madder then a man that lieth tumbling himself in his dung, and will not rise out of it to receive a Kingdom, because it is so soft and so sweet that he is loth yet to leave it: You are foolisher then Nebu…hadnezzar had been, if he had been loath to return again to his Kingdom, because he would fain stay longer among the beasts of the fields; among whom in his distraction he had betaken himself, Dan. 4. 31, 32, 33. And what other Reasons have you against Resolving? Forsooth you shall be mockt or jested at by others: By whom I pray you? Not a man but a miserable fool will do it? Yea but you are told you must forsake …ll, and be ready to die for Christ, if he …all you to it. Very true! and can you …eep that which he calleth you to forsake? p. 486How long will you keep it? Silly Souls! do you not know that you forsake it by not for saking it, and lose all, by saving any thing? and that you have no way to save it but by losing and forsakeing it. Suppse you were by enemies banished out of England, and upon pain of death you must be gone within a twelve-month: And a King that loveth you inviteth you to his Country, and tells you for the poor livings that you have lost, he will make you Lords and Princes, so you will bring with you the little goods you have, and leave nothing behind you. Hereupon one man takes the next wind, and ships over all his riches, that he may have it when he comes there: Another saith, I am loath to leave my goods; I have a while longer to stay here, and what shall I do without them? I am loath to see the habitation of my Ancestours impoverished: And so when his time is expired, he is fain to leave them all behind him, and hath none that will receive him in the Country where he must abide. Which of these think you is the wiser man? Which of them was it that lost his goods, and which did save them? I speak to you but such another parable p. 487as Christ used to you himself, Luke 16. 2, 3, 4, 9. Where you are advised to send your riches before you; and to make you friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you dye you may be received into the everlasting habitations.

I know there are other vain delusions that hinder you from Resolving: I will not call them Reasons; for they are unreasonable. I shall only say this to you, that if there be ever a man of you that heareth his words, that dare be such a Blasphemer, as to reproach the Laws and Image of his maker, and say that he hath made you too strict a Law, and laid too heavy a task upon you, and a Heavenly life is troublesome and unnecessary: If there be a man of you, that is so devilish, as that you dare plead the Devils cause, and justifie his work before the Lord's, and say that it is better to please the flesh; let that man prepare himself to make good these words before the Lord, and his Holy Angels; and be sure that he shall be there put to it in another manner then he is here by me: And if you have such Reasons as you will stand to before the Barre of God, to prove the Devil the better Master, and an unholy p. 488life to be better then a Heavenly; see then that you look them up, and there make your best of them; and expect to live with the Master that you served, and to reape as you sowed, and eate the fruit of your fleshly waies, which you took to be the best. But if you have no such Reasons, but your Consciences are convinced that God should be served, and sinne should be speedily forsaken, and Heaven should be provided for above all; Resolve then to do it before you stirre? Or else say plainly, I have no Reason to be wicked, but because I will be wicked: I will forseke God, and damn my own Soul without any Reason because I will do it. And if you are at this pass, you may take your course.

11. Another thing that I would intreat you to consider of is this: It is a most base and treacherous abuse of God, to make any question of this which you are so long unresolved of. I confess when a blind mind haith raised such a question, it is lawfull for a reasonable man to answer it. But in him that makes a doubt of such a thing, as its a shame to himself, so it is a hainous indignity to God. If you had a chast and modest woman to your wife, I p. 489think shee would take it for an injury, if you should but make a question of it, whether shee or a common whore be the honester woman? If your wife or children should bring before you a Hobbyhorse or an Ass, and make a great question of it, whether you or the Ass be the comlier, or the wiser; How would you take this of them? If you should bring an ideot or a mad man before your Prince, and make a question whether he or they be the wiser man: or if you set a Rebel before him, and make a question which of them hath the better title to the Crown; what entertainment might you expect? I tell you it is ten thousand thousand times a baser affront and wrong to God, to set the pleasure of sinne before him, and make a question which of them is the better; and to set your riches, and your sports, and your drunkenness and gluttonny, and your whoredom, and your revenge, in competition with your Redeemer, and Everlasting Glory, and to make a question which of them is to be preferred. To make once a question whether God or flesh should be pleased; whether Christ or the world should be loved, and followed? Whether p. 490the Holy Ghost or the Devil should dwell in us, and guide us? Whether the Saints of God, or the servants of the Devil should be our chosen company? Whether the Word and Minsiters of Christ, or the examples and words of wicked men, should more prevail with us? Whether Heaven or Earth should be more carefully sought after? Whether a Holy, or a careless, wicked life be more to be desired? Or whether it be better to turn to God, or not? I say, to make such a question as this, or one of these, is little better then to put a scorn upon the God of Heaven? and savoureth of such malice as is more like a Devil then a reasonable man; or else of such folly, as is below the Devil, and as none of you would be guilty of, in the matters of this world; If one should but make a comparison between you and some deformed monster, or between your house and a swine-stie, though he gave you the better, I think you would take it as a scorn, that he should make such a comparison, or question? Much more may God so take it, when you make a question betwixt sinne and him. There is but one Infinite, unconceivable, p. 491perfect Good; and shall he be abased by such a question? There is but one thing that is contrary to God in all the world, that is worse then the Devil himself, and that is sinne; and shall this be put in question or comparison with God? There is but One that hath Loved us to the death, with a matchless, unconceivable, saving Love, and that is Jesus Christ: And there is but one thing that is a deadly enemy to us and him, and that would damn us, when he is endeavouring to save us; and that is sinne: And must there be a question or comparison between these? There is One Sanctifying Spirit, that would clense, and heal, and save us; and there is a malicious spirit that would deceive us, defile us, and destroy us: And must there be any question or comparison made between these? There is but one Eternal Happiness, and One Holy way to it: and there is but One everlasting misery, and a fleshly, filthy, sinfull way to it: And must there be made any question which of these should be preferred? Consider I beseech you what you do; And if it be so vile a thing to make any question of it, what is it then to be still unresolved? Yea and to choose the p. 492worser part, and stick to it in your heart and life?

12. Consider also that Present Resolution would put an end to a great many fruitles, troublesome deliberatiens, and delaies. If a man had but a weighty business of the world upon his hand, that his estate or life lieth on, it is a perplexity to him as long as he is unresolved, what course he should take: It will be troubling him when he should rest, and break his sleep; it will fill him with musings, and disturb and distract his mind, and even make him Melancholy. And how can it choose but be a troublesome distracting thing to your mind, to be unresolved what course to take for your Everlasting state? I know some hearts are so desperately hardened, and past feeling, (Epes. 4. 19.) and some mens Consciences so seared as with an hot iron, (1 Tim. 4. 2.) that they can throw away all thoughts of Resolution, and never be much troubled: But I hope that many are not so desperate: It is not thus with all that are unconverted. How long have some of your minds been troubled whether to turn or not? Resolve man, if thou love thy Soul, and put an end to such troubles.

p. 49313. Consider also, that Resolving will put an end to a great many of troublesome Temptations, that do assault you, and will break the heart of Satans hopes. As long as you are unresolved, he hath still possession of you, and is still in hopes to keep possession. And as long as he hath any hope he will never give over, but will be repairing his Garrison, and making up all the breaches that the Ordinances of God had made. When one temptation takes not, he will be offering you another; and will be following and disquieting you day and night: But if once he see you firmly Resolved, his hopes will faile him, and you may be much freer from his temptations then you were before. I do not say he will give over: For even when you are broken away from him, he will make after you again. But it is a greater advantage to you to fight against him in the open field, under such a Captaine as Jesus Christ, that will assure you of the victory, then to be in his own prison with his fetters on your heels. You know the way to be troubled with an unwelcome suiter, is to delay your answer, and take time to consider of it: and the way to be eased of him, is to give p. 494him a peremptory Resolute answer. And when he seeth you Resolved, he will cease.

14. Moreover, till you are Resolved of your Conversion, you cannot Rationally Resolve of any one word or action of your lives: Nay till they are all misemployed to your hurt. For no man can Resolve of the Means till he is Resolved of the End. You must Resolve whither to go, before you can Resolve which way to go. Before Conversion mens End is wrong: Their Intention and business is to please the flesh: And all their thoughts, and words, and actions, that have such an End, are wicked and pernicious. Till you are Resolved by Conversion to be for God, you have never a right End (in a prevailing sence;) and therefore you cannot order one thought, nor word, nor deed aright. I tell you, every thought you think, and every word you speak, and every deed you do while you are unconverted, are so many steps towards Hell, except only those that tend towards Conversion, and some way further it. Resolve therefore of this, or you can Resolve of nothing.

15. Moreover, if you would presently p. 495and firmly Resolve, you would ease your friends and the Ministers of Christ of much of their sorrows, and fears, and cares for you; and of much of the most troublesome part of their work. As long as you are unconverted, they can look on you but as the heirs of Hell, that will be quickly in those torments, if conversion prevent it not: and therefore their hearts are full of sorrow for you, when you sorrow not for your selves; and their care is how they might prevent your damnation, which they know without Conversion can never be done. Many a groan doth your Misery cost them! and many a thought have they of your danger, which you are not aware of. O what a grief is it to believing Ministers, to see so many of their people in the power of Satan, and the high-way to Hell, after all their care and labour for their recovery? We cannot say that the unconverted shall certainly perish, because we have yet hopes that they may be Converted, though they be not: But we know that if they die in the case that they are in, there is no hope of them at all; and we know they are uncertin to live an hour: And therefore as long as they are in this Condition, p. 496how can we chuse but be filled with fear, and grief, and care for them? All the troubles that befall a faithfull Minister, in his worldly affaires, by crosses and persecutions, are nothing to the trouble that your sinne and misery bringeth to their minds. O what a comfortable life were it for a Minister to live with bread and water among a people that would obey the Gospel; and give us hopes that we should live with them in Heaven? O how cheerfully may we study for them, and preach to them, when we see that it is not lost upon them! How willingly should we prepare them the bread of life, when we see they feed and live upon it? How joyfully may we pray and praise God with them, when we think how they must joyn with us in the Celestial Praises? O Sirs, I beseech you grudg not your Ministers this comfort: Do not destroy your selves to grieve and trouble them. O put them once out of their fears and grief for you, by your Resolving, ad speedy return to God: That they that have many a time thought in their hearts, I am afraid this poor sinner will never be recovered; I am afraid he will be a firebrand in Hell, may now p. 497rejoice with you when they see you coming home, and may meet you as the Father himself doth meet his prodigal children, and weep over you for joy, as they were wont to do in sorrow. You would ease our hearts of abundance of sad thoughts, if we could but perceive you once Resolved, and see you come home. Now you think our preaching harsh to you, because we tell you so much of sinne and of damnation: and you think our discipline more harsh, when we refuse to have communion with you. But if you would once Resolve and Turn, how gladly should we open our doores and our hearts to you: and how gladly should we turn the stream of our preaching, and tell you of nothing but Christ, and Heaven, and peace, and comfort, further then your own necessities should require it. What say you Sirs to this reasonable request? Will you Resolve without any more ado, and ease us of our grief and fears, and give us but leave to preach more comfortable Doctrine to you?

16. Moreover consider, that you have much work to do when you are Resolved and Converted; and a great way to go when you p. 498have begun your journey towards Heaven: and till you are Resolved, none of this can be done. You can go no further, till Conversion have set you in the right way. Till then, the further you go, the further you are out of the way. Will you be unresolved till the night come on? Shall all the rest of your work be undone? Will you begin your race when you should be at the end. Alas you should be able to say as Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 8. I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness: when as you cannot yet say, I have begun my course; I am set in the right way.

17. Consider also that Rosolution maketh works easie and successfull. The resolute Army is seldom couquered.. A resolute travailer will go through with his journy; and it is easier to himself: His spirits are excited; and doing it with vivacity, he findeth less trouble in it. A slow and lazy pase doth sometime soonest weary us. A slow motion is most easily stopt, when a swift one bears down that which would resist it. A man that Resolvedly sets himself to the Work of God, and is past any further deliberating of the p. 499matter, and is at a point with all the world, will make a pleasure of that which will stop and stall an unresolved professour. Resolve therefore for your own success and ease.

I tell you, by Resolving it is that you must conquer, and by conquering, you must obtain the Crown. The unresolved are wavering at every assault, like cowardly soldiers, even ready to runne before they fight. They will not bear the cost or labour: they are soon aweary: They cannot say Nay to an old Companion, or a tempting bait. But the Resolved breaks through all, and treads that under his feet as dirt, which another sells his Soul for. If he meet with reproaches and scornes from men, he remembreth that Christ foretold him this, and suffered much more of the like before him. If his friends turn enemies for the Gospel sake, he saith, I was told of this before, even that I must be hated of all men for Christ. If he be ticed by lewd and wanton company, he saith as David, Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye evill doers, for I will keep the Commandements of my God. If he be tempted with rewards and honours in the world, he will not stand p. 500wavering and longing after it, as Balaam; but he will say as the same Balaam was forced to do: If you will give me a handfull of Gold and Silver, I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord. And let their money perish with them, that think all the Gold in the world, worth the peace of a good Conscience and the favour of God. If he be threathened by men, to move him to forsake his duty, he saith, Whether it be better to obey God or man, judge ye? If he heare seducers, he is rooted in the Spirit, and the infallible Word, and is not shaken by every wind. If he see never so many fall off by backsliding; he saith; It was not only for their company that I chose the holy way; God is still the same; and Heaven is the same; and Scripture is the same; and therefore I am Resolved to be the same. If God afflict him by poverty, sickness, or other tryals, he saith; I did not become a Christian to scape affliction, but to scape damnation! If he kill me yet will I trust in him: Shall I receive good at the hands of God, and not evill: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked must I return to dust: the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away: blessed be his name. If oppressing enemies insult over him, he can p. 501say as Mic. 7. 8, 9. Rejoice not against me O mine enemy: when I fall I shall arise: when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light to me: I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill he plead my cause, and execute Judgment for me: He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his Righteousness. If the wicked cast in his teeth his profession, and the name of his God, he rejoiceth that he is counted worthy to suffer for that Name, and yet he will hope to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living. And if he must go to Heaven through poverty, and a mean estate, he hath learned to want, as well as to abound, and in what estate soever he be, therewith to be contented. And so in the work of Conversion it self, for want of Resolution, many stick long in the birth, and they are hanging so long between Heaven and Hell, that it's a wonder of Mercy that God doth not cut them off and let them perish. But the well Resolved Soul doth deal more faithfully with the light that is revealed to him, and doth not stand strugling so long against it, nor hold Christ and his Spirit so long in hand; but is glad to make sure work in p. 502so great a business, and take so good a match while it is offered: And being engaged once, he is firm as Mount Zion, that cannot be moved. Resolve therefore that your work may be the more easy, and successfull; and conquer by Resolving.

18. I suppose you dare not Resolve against Conversion, and a Heavenly life! And why then will you not Resolve for it? What purpose you to do for the time to come? Is it your Resolution to live and die as you are? Have you not purposes in your mind to Repent hereafter? Dare you say, I am Resolved never to be Converted? Some may be so desperate; but I think it is but few even of the ungodly. Why this shews that there is a secret conviction in your consciences; O do not stifle it: Neutrality never saved Soul. Seing you dare not Resolve against it, Resolve for it.

19. Consider I beseech you, how much it doth concern your selves, to have this question well and speedily Resolved. God asketh you, whether you will be Converted and Sanctisied or not? Resolve this question, and you Resolve your selves of a great many more that depend upon it. p. 503The answer to this, must be the answer to the rest. If the question were, whether you will be pardoned or no? Whether you will live in Heaven or Hell for ever? Whether you will dwell with God and Angels, or with Devils? You would not be long in answering this. You would Resolve without an hours delay. Why? this is the question Sirs: but the answer to it, must be the answer to the first question: For without Sanctification, there is no Salvation: If you will not be Converted, you shall be condemned whether you will or no: For God hath Resolved of this already, and there is no resisting the Resolution of God. The true state of the question is, Whether you will Turn, or burn: choose you whether; for it must be one. O therefore if you will but Resolve Christ and us this one question, that you will be Converted, Christ will Resolve you the principal questions, that concern you in the world, even whether you shall be pardoned or saved, and where, and with whom, you must live for ever.

20. Lastly consider, that if you stay till you receive the sentence of death, it's two to one but that will force you to Resolve: p. 504But a forced Resolution will not serve turn: and then it will be very hard for you to discern whether it be any better then meerly from your fears. You put off all till sickness come, and you see once that you must die; there's no Remedy; and then you will cry, O if the Lord would but recover me, and try me once againe with life, I would delay no longer, but I would become a new man, and live a Holy, and Heavenly life; I am resolved of it by the Grace of God. Yea; but who knows whether these last Resolutions be sincere? We heare abundance speak this in their sickness, that …ver turn when they come to health, but forget all, and live in a manner as they did before. Is it not most likely to be only the fear of death that makes you take up these Resolutions? If it be so, they will never save you if you die, nor hold you to your promises if you live: For it is not bare Fear that is true Conversion; but it's a changed heart, that is fallen in Love with God and Holiness, and into a setled hatred of former sins. No late Repentance and Resolutions but these, will be any thing worth as to the saving of your Souls: And therefore if you should have true Resolutions p. 505at the last (which is too rare) you cannot choose but be much in doubt of them, when you find so much of fear upon your spirit, and consider that you never would Resolve till then. And therefore if you would have a Comfortable change, Resolve now in your prosperity, before the face of death affright you to it, and those feares and the lateness do make you question the truth, and soundness of it, and so deprive you of the comfort, which you have so much need of at a dying hour.

And thus I have given you twenty Considerations to perswade you, if it may be, presently to Resolve. I am sure there is truth, and reason, and weight in them; but what good they will do you I am not sure, because I know not how you will receive them.

IV. And now I come to the last part of my task; which is to Direct you how to perform the work that I have perswaded you to. But because it is meerly the Determination of the Will, it is presuasion that must do more to the work then Direction. And therefore I shall only desire p. 506you to look back upon the qualifications of sound Resolution, which I before laid down to you, and then take heed of the hinderances in your way, and so set your selves to do your duty.

Remember that I before told you, that it it is not a holy, saving Resolution, unless it be 1. Entire, for the matter of it, comprehending all that is Essential to Christianity: 2. And unless you Resolve upon present obedience without delay: 3. And also unless it be Absolute and peremptory, taking Christ for better and worse, without any reserve: 4. And unless it be well grounded: 5. And unless it be built on the strength of Christ, and not only a carnal confidence of your own: 6. And unless it be habitual and firm, and become your ordinary frame and byas, and as it were the new Nature, and inclination of your Souls. By this much you see already what manner of Resolution it is that you must have.

The next thing is, to advise you of the hinderances that you may avoid them. 1. The principal hinderance of Resolution is Secret Vnbelief; when Everlasting life is taken but as an uncertainty, or men have no more but a slight Opinion p. 507of it. The Cure of this disease, I have often, and a little before delivered you.

2. Another thing that hindereth Resolution is Inconsideratness, of which also I have spoken purposely before.

3. Another hinderance is a sleepy Insensibility; when the heart is hardened, and men are past feeling. We cannot tell how to awaken these men to be sensible of the things that should move them to Resolve. Of this also I have spoken by it self.

4. Another great hinderance is the naturall strangness and aversness of the mind of corrupted man, to these high and Spiritual things. So that we drive men by all our Arguments against the byas of their sinfull habits. And those habits plead against us more forcibly without a word of reason, then all the reason in the world could do. See therefore that you keep under changing means till your hearts be changed; And the perusing of such weighty Arguments as we offer you, may be of use to the changing of your hearts: For God useth to work on the Will, by the Understanding: And therefore Light hath an aptitude to change the Will it self.

p. 5085. Moreover, the rooted Interest of this world, doth much hinder men from Resolving to turn: It's alwaies drawing them another way, or putting objections and eavils into their minds; and if they will needs Resolve, it is this that secretly enticeth them to reserves, and to resign themselves to God but with conditions and exceptions; and so makes them Hypocrites when they think themselves Converts; and cheats them with a halfe deceitfull Resolution, instead of one that is absolute and firm. Against this impediment also I have spoken before.

6. Another hinderance is, The neerness of fleshly enticing objects. When the Covetous man seeth his houses and lands, his goods and money, the very sight of them breaks the heart of all his better Resolutions. The drunkard seems to be Resolved till he sees the cup, and then his Resolution is broken. The Whoremonger seemeth to be Resolved, till the bait is brought neer him, and then he goes as an Oxe to the slaughter, and as a fool to the correction of the stocks. Certainly if these Resolutions were sound, they would either cause men to fly from the bait, and not come neere it, or else to p. 509refuse it when it is presented them: In the course of their lives their Resolutions would govern them, if they were sincere.

7. And Satan himself will do all that he can to hinder you when he sees you ready to Resolve. He knows that he must bestirre him now or never. You never put him to it indeed till you are Resolving to forsake him. One block or other he will be sure then to cast in your way; Either he tels you, it is but folly and melancholy to trouble your self with these matters: or that you may be saved without all this ado: or that God is more mercifull then to cast away all that be not Sanctified: or that Godliness doth but trouble and distract people: and that the professours of it are secretly no better then others; and that it is but Hypocrisie for them to make such a stir with their Religion; and that we must be moderate in our Godliness, and take heed of being Godly over much: A hundred such foolish suggestions as these, the Devil hath at hand to cast in your way, when he seeth you ready to Resolve.

If these will not serve, he will set some of his wicked Disciples on railing p. 510or deriding you! And perhaps some cunning fool a caveling with you, to see if they can overwit you, and draw you back.

If that will not do, perhaps he will open the falls of professours to you, and labour to perswade you that all are such: Or he will shew you what divisions and differences are among them; or he will take advantage of some difficulties in Religion, or some controversies in which he sees you already engaged to a party; or he will tell you of some false doctrine that some forward professours may be tainted with, to make them, and consequently Godliness it self more odious, or at least suspected to you. If all this will not do, he will endeavour to set your very parents, or natural kindred against you; that those that should most promote your Salvation, and on whom your livelyhood much dependeth, shall become your enemies, and hate you for offering to give up your selves to Christ: If that will not do, he will endeavour to entice you with the baits of fleshly pleasure, or of preferments, or much business, or merry company, or some great matters that you may hope for in the p. 511world. And usually this snare is the strongest of all. Or else he will tell you that if needs you wll Resolve it is time enough hereafter: You may yet take more of your pleasure or commodity before you leave it: Yet you may suck the brests of the world a little dryer, and then turn to God and cast it off. If all this will not prevail with you, he will tell you it is now too late; you have sinned so long, or such haynous sinnes that God will not have mercy on you: he will make you believe that God hath utterly forsaken you, and there is no remedy; and you may as well spare your thoughts of Turning now, for Christ will not receive or welcome you: and therefore it is even as good go on, and take up the rest that the world can afford you, for there is no hope of better. But the most desperate temptation of all the rest is, to put some blasphemous, unbelieving thoughts into your mind; especially if you fall into company with infidels, that will draw you to question the Word of God, and the Immortality of the Soul, and the truth of Christianity, or the life to come, whether there be any such things or not: Where these once take, p. 512and are received with approbation, the Soul is in a miserable case: Though I know many tempted, melancholy Christians, are haunted with such temptations, who yet abhorre them, and do well at last, for all this. Some times also when he cannot take you off from Resolving, he will lead you among some disputing Opinionists, and they shall tise you to take up with their Opinionative Religiousness instead of true Sanctification, of which I have spoke in the eighth Direction. By these and many such wiles as these, doth the old serpent do all that possibly he can, to hinder you from sound Resolution and Conversion. And therefore you must be armed against his temptations, and meet them with abhorrence; and if you feel them too hard for you, go daily to Christ by Faith and Prayer for renewed strength: and call to your faithfull friends, and Ministers for helpe. Open your case to some one that's able, experienced, and faithfull; that he may help you with Arguments to resist those temptations, which you know not how your selves to deale with. God hath appointed Pastours in his Church to be Spiritual Fathers in the Lord; and p. 513when they have sowed in you the seed of eternall life, they watch over it till they see the blade and fruit: They travaile as in birth of you, till Christ be formed in you. It is their offer to help you; and God giveth to them that are faithfull abilitis and affections agreeable to their office. And therefore lean upon the hand of your faithfull guides, and think not to break through temptations alone, and get to Heaven without the means that God hath appointed you.

Having told you the Hinderances, and what to do against them, I shall add but these two words more of Direction. 1. When you are Resolving, give up your selves to God with a Holy Covenant or Vow. I mean not any rash vow, nor any unnecessary vow; but the same that you made in Baptism, which your age it self doth call you to renew, but your sinnes against it do call you more.

Perhaps you'l say, that you are not able to perform it by your own strength, and you are uncertain of Gods assistance, and therefore how can you promise or vow?

To this I answer: 1. You may be sure that this Objection is frivolous, because p. 514it makes against the frequent, express Commands of God, the practice of his Church in all ages, and the nature of Christianity it self: God hath in all Ages been pleased to receive men into his service and Church in a Covenant way; and Baptism it self is our solemn Covenanting with him: and the Lords Supper is appointed for a solemn renewing of it. And indeed it is implicitly and virtually renewed by a true Christian every day of his life. In every duty he gives up himself to God: And if he should cease this Heart-covenant, he would cease to be a Christian: For the very essence of his Christianity consisteth in it. It is his Faith it self.

2. And when you covenant for the time to come, you do not take on you to foretell infallibly your own perseverance; but you Profess your present consent to be Christ's, and to continue his, and you engage your selves thereto. And should you not choose the strictest engagements: 1. Where there is the greatest need of them, because of the loosness of the heart, and the strength of temptations, that would draw us away; and 2. Where there is the most absolute p. 515necessity, because if we miscarry we are undone: 3. And where you are already obliged by Gods Commands whether you vow or not: 4. And where God hath made your consent to the Obligation of necessity to Salvation. He that intends to keep Covenant, and knows that he must keep it, or be condemned; hath little reason to be loath to make it.

3. And for Gods assistance, you have much more cause to expect it in the way of Covenanting, which himself hath appointed you, then in the neglect of his appointed means.

Object. But if I did it in Baptism, what need I do it again?

Answ. I told you the Covenant must be continued and renewed through the whole course of our lives, but especially after a notorious violation of your former promise: You once gave up your selves to God, and you have proved false to him, and it is a wonder of Mercy that ever he will trust you more, or enter any more into Covenant with you: and will you draw back from such Mercy, and such a duty as this?

Object. But I am afraid of breaking my vows again, and it is better to forbear p. 516them, then not to perform them.

Answ. 1. This Reason makes as much against the inward Vow and Resoluion of the heart; so that by this rule you would never be Christians for fear of falling away, and being worse. 2. There is an absolute necessity of your Resolving, and Covenanting, and of Keeping your Resolutions and Covenants: And when it must be kept, or you are utterly undone; it's but a madness to refuse to make the Covenant for fear of breaking it: For that is but to make choice of an easier place in Hell, for fear of having a worse, if you should resolve for Heaven: When as Heaven is set open before you, and you thus wilfully cast away your hopes. Nay your place in Hell is not like to be the easier, when you thus deliberately, and wilfully refuse the Covenant. 3. Your Resolutions and Holy Vows, are means of Gods appointment to keep you from breaking his imposed Covenant. Is not a Resolved, Engaged, Devoted Cristian liker to be accepted, and to persevere, then a waverer that saith, I dare not vow, for fear lest I performe not.

In unnecessary matters I had rather you were too backward to vow. Some p. 517will vow poverty, and some a single life, and some will vow that they will never drink wine or strong drink more; such vows as these may be good for some, in cases of special necessity, as the last remedies of a dangerous disease; but they are not for all, nor rashly to be made. But the Resolution and vow of cleaving unto God in Faith and Holy Obedience, and of renouncing the flesh, the world, and the Devil; this is for all, and must be made and kept by all that will be saved.

2. Direct. And as I would have you second your Resolution by a Covenant with God, so would advise you (ordinarily) to go further and openly Profess the Resolution and Covenant that you have made. For as with the heart men believe unto Righteousness, so with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation, Rom. 10. 10. Christ will confess those that confess him, and disown, and be ashamed of those that are ashamed of him. When you have escaped the greatest misery in the world, and obtained the greatest Mercy in the world, the greatness of it calleth you to acknowledg it, and give Glory to God. Go to your p. 518old Companions in sinne, and tell them what God hath revealed to you and done for you! Tell them, O Sirs, I see now that which I never saw before: I wonder how I could venture so madly upon sinne! and how I could make light of God, of Christ, of death, of Judgment, and Everlasting life▪ I have been hitherto your Companion in sinne, but I would not take the same course again for all the world: I see now there is a better portion hereafter to be obtained, which I was mindless of: I see now we were all this while making merry at the brink of Hell, and there was but a step between us and death: Now I see, that the course that we have taken is wicked and deceitfull, and will not serve turn: If I serve the flesh, it will reward me but with rottonness: I will therefore hereafter serve that God, that will certainly reward me with Evorlasting life. I beseech you Sirs, come away with me, and see and try what I have seen and tryed: I have lived with you in sinne, O now let us joyn together in Repentance, and a Holy life: I shall be glad of your company to Heaven: but if you will not do it, take your course: For my part I am Resolved; by the Grace of God I am fully Resolved to be from this day p. 519forward a New man, and never to joyn with you more in a fleshly and ungodly life. Never tempt me or perswade me to it; for I am Resolved.

Thus if you will declare your Resolutions to others, and seek to win them, you may possibly do them good; but however you will be the deeper engaged to God your selves.

Yea, though I would have no ostentation of Conversion, nothing done rashly in publike, nor without the advice of a faithfull Minister beforehand; yet with these Cautions, I must say, that it's a shame that we hear no more in publike of the Conversion of sinners. As Baptism is to be in publike, that the Congregation may witness your engagement, and pray for you, and rejoice at the receiving of a member; So the solemn renewing of the same Covenant by Repentance after a wicked life, should ordinarily be in publike, to give warning to others to avoid the sinne, and to give God the honour, and to have the Prayers of the Church, and to satisfy them of our Repentance, that they may have Communion with us. The Papists do more offend (of the two) in so much confining Confession p. 520and Penitence, to the Priests eare in secret, and not bringing it before the Church, then they do in making a Sacrament of it. I wonder that people should every day thrust into our hands their requests to pray for them when they are sick, and that it is so rare a matter to have any desire our Prayers, for the pardon of all the sinnes of their natural, unconverted state.

I would here seriously advise all those that it concerneth that when God hath shewed them so great a Mercy as to Convert them, and make them New Creatures, they would go to their faithfull Minister, and by his advice, put up such a bill as this, Such a man of this parish, having long lived in blindness, and deadness, and ungodliness, (and name the particular sinnes, if they were publickly known,) and being by the great Mercy of God convinced of his sinne, and misery; and sustained with some hopes of Mercy by the Blood and Merits of Jesus Christ, and being now Resolved by the Grace of God, to forsake this fleshly, worldly life, and to give up himself to Christ and Holiness, doth earnestly intreat the Church to pray for him, that his many, and hainous sins p. 521may be all forgiven, and that God would againe receive him into Mercy, and that he may hold on in Faith and Holiness to the last, and never turn again to the course of his iniquity.

And if the Minister think it meet, refuse not to make your selves an open Confession of your former life of sinne and misery, and to Profess openly your Resolution to walk with God for the time to come.

This course should be more ordinary with us: and if Convers…ion it self were not so rare, or else so defective, that it doth too little quicken men to a sence of duty, and sinne, and Mercy, or so doubtfull, and by slow degrees, that it is scarce discerned by many that have it; were it not for some of these; more ordinary would it be, to the great rejoycing and benefit of the Church.

The Conclusion, And now I have given you Directions in the most great and necessary business in this world; They are such as I received of God, and if Faithfully practised will put your Salvation past all hazard. But what they have p. 522done, or what they will do, I cannot tell; but must leave the Issue to God and you. Its pitty eternall Glory should be lost, for want of yielding to so holy, and sweet, and reasonable a course. It is lamentable to observe, what ignorant, base, unworthy thoughts the most have of the very Office of the holy Ghost, who is the sanctifier of all that God will save. The very name of Regeneration and Sanctification is not understood by some, and is but matter of derision to others; and the most think that it is another kind of matter then indeed it is. To be baptized, and come to Church, and to say some cold and heartless Prayers, and to forbeare some gross disgracefull sins, is all the Sanctification that most are acquainted with: (and all have not this:) And thus they debase the work of the holy Ghost. If a Prince have built a sumptuous Pallace, and you will shew men a Swine-stie, and say, [This is the Pallace that the Prince hath bin so long a building] were not this to abuse him by contempt? If he build a Navy, and you shew a man two or three pig-troughs and say, [These are the Kings ships] would he not take it for a scorn? Take heed of such dealing p. 523with the holy Ghost. Remember what it is to believe in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; and remember that you were Baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost? And do you not yet know why? nor know the meaning of your Baptismall Covenant? It is not only to believe that there are three Persons in the Trinity, but to consent to the Relations and duty to them, in respect to their several Relations and works▪ If the Father had not Created you, how could you have been men? The Lord of nature must be acknowledged as the End and the governour of nature, and accordingly obeyed. And this is to believe and be Baptized into the Name of God the Father. If the Son had not Redeemed you, you had bin as the Divels were, forsaken and given over to dispaire. The Purchaser, Procurer, and Author of Grace, of Pardon, and Salvation must be acknoledged to be such, and himself and his Salvation accordingly accepted, and his terms submitted to. And this is to believe in the name of the Son, and in baptisme we make profession hereof. And certainly the work of the holy Ghost is as necessary to your Salvation. p. 524Without the sanctifying work of the Spirit, you could never be delivered from sin and Satan, nor restored to Gods Image, and consepuently could never be the Members of Christ, nor have any saving benefit by his Sufferings. Would you not think him unworthy to live, that would reproach the Fathers work of nature, and say that the whole Creation is but some poor contemptible work? And would you not think him unworthy the name of a Christian that had contemptible thoughts of the Sons Redemption, as if we could be saved as well without a Saviour, or as if it were but some poor and triviall commodity that Christ had purchased us? I know you would confess the mistery of that man, that believeth no better in the Father, and the Son. And how comes it to pass that you think not of your own misery, that believe no better in the holy Ghost? Do not you debase the Sanctifying office of the holy Spirit, when you shew us your knowledg, and parts and outward duties and civility, and tell us that these are the work of sanctification? What? is Sanctification but such a thing as this? Why? Holiliness is a new Life and Spirit in us: and p. 525these that you talk of are but a few flowers that are stickt upon a Corps to keep it a while from stinking among men, till death convey it to a buriall in Hell. O Sirs, Sanctification is another kind of matter, then the forsaking of some of your fouler vices, and speaking well of a Godly life. It is not the patching up of the Old man, but the Creating of a New man. I give you warning therefore from God that you think not basely of the work of the holy Ghost; and that you think no more to be saved without the Sanctifying work of the Spirit, then without the redeeming work of the Son, or Creation, Government, or Love of the Father. Sanctification must turn the very bent and stream of heart and life to God, to Christ, to Heaven; it must mortifie Carnall Self, and the world to you; it must make you a people Devoted, Consecrated, and Resigned up to God, with all that you have: it must make all sin odious to you, and make God the Love and Desire of your Souls; so that it must give you a new Heart, a new End, a new Master, a new Law, and a new Conversation. This is that noble Heavenly work which the holy Ghost p. 526hath vouchsafed to make the business of his office: To slight and despise this, is to slight and despise the holy Ghost: To refuse this, is to refuse the holy Ghost, and not to believe in him: to be without this work, is to be without the holy Ghost: & if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. The holy Catholick Church, is composed of all through the world that have this work upon them, and therefore it is called Holy. The Communion of Saints, is the blessed Vitall fellowship of these Sanctified Ones: For these only is the Resurrection unto blessedness, & the life everlasting with the Lord of life: for all others is the Resurrection of Condemnation, & the everlasting punishment.

But if the other two Articles of our Faith, have been so denied by the blind, it is less wonder if this be so. Some Hereticks denied God to be the Creatour of the world; and because they saw so much evill in the world, they said that it was made by Devils or evill Angels (who indeed made the sin, but not the world,) So dealt the Jewes by the Son, and the Second Article of our Faith: The Sacrifice of Bulls and Goats, and such Beasts, was all the Sacrifice for sin that they believed p. 527in. And thus deale the multitude of the ungodly by the Spirit. Indeed they know not themselves sufficiently to know the need and worth of Sanctification. They are too whole to value the skill and care of Christ or the holy Ghost. The insensibility of spirituall death and misery, and thinking too lightly of Originall Corruption, and too well of our depraved nature, is both the cause of many of the Heresies of the learned, and of the common contempt of Christ, and the Spirit and recovering grace, in all the unregenerate. For it is not possible that men should have any deeper sence of the need or worth of the remedy, then they have of the greatness of their sinne and misery.

O Sirs, did we not come upon this great disadvantage to you, that we speak to dead men, that have indeed a naturall life, which doth but take pleasure in their spirituall death; how confidently should we expect to prevaile with you all. But while you think lightly of your disease, we can expect no better, but that you think as lightly of Christ and holiness, and all the meanes that tend to your recovery, and think of the new man, as the Poets fabled p. 528of the Promethean race, that it grows out of the earth (of your own poor, sorry purposes and performances) like ordinary plants.

Truly Sirs, I have led you even as farre as I can; and what more to say to you, or what more to do for you to procure your Conversion I do not know. If it had been in my power to have shewed you Heaven and Hell it self, that you might better have known the matters that we speak of, I think I should have done it. But God will not have men live by sense in this life, but by Faith. If I could but help you all to such a knowledge and apprehension of these in visible things, as the worst of you shall have as soon as you are dead, then I should make but little doubt of your Conversion and Salvation. Sure if you had but such a sight, the force of it would so work upon you, that before I went out of the Congregation, you would all cry out that you are resolved to be new Creatures. But though this be beyond my power, and though I cannot shew you your great and wonderfull things that every eye here must shortly see; yet I come not to you without a glass of Gods own making, and in p. 529that glass you may see them. There if you have but an eye of Faith, you may see that God that you have so long offended, and that now so earnestly inviteth you to return: There you may see that Crucified Christ that hath opened you a way for Repentance by his Blood, and pleadeth that Blood with you for the melting of your impenitent, obstinate hearts. There you may see the odious face of sinne, and the amiable face of Holiness, which is the Image of God: There you may see both Heaven and Hell for all that they are invisible; and may know what will be, and that to all Eternity, as well as what is.

And will not such a sight in the glass of Gods Word, serve turn to move thee presently to give up the trade of sinning, and to Resolve before thou stir for God? I am now come to the End of this part of my work: if the reading of it have brought thee to the End of thy ungodly, careless life, it will be happy for thee, and I shall so far attain the End of my labour. I have purposely put this Direction of the Necessity of Resolution in the last place, that I might leave upon thy spirit the Reasons for Resolution, p. 530that here I have laid down. And now I beseech thee Reader whoever thou art; with all the earnestness that I am able to use with thee, as ever thou wouldest scape the fruits of all thy sinne, as ever thou wouldest see the face of God with comfort, and have him thy reconciled Father in Christ; as ever thou wouldest have a saving part in Christ, and have him stand thy friend in thy extremities; as ever thou wouldest have hope in thy death, and stand on the right hand, and be justified at Judgment; as ever thou wouldest scape the day of Vengeance, prepared for the unconverted, and the endless misery that will fall upon all unsanctified Souls, as sure as the Heaven is over thy head: See that thou Resolve and Turn to God, and trifle with him no more. Away with thy old transgressions; away with thy careless, worldly life; away with thy ungodly company; and set thy selfe presently to seek after thy Salvation with all thy heart, and mind, and might. I tell thee once more, that Heaven and Hell are not matters to be jested with; nor to be carelesly thought of, or spoken of, or regarded. The God of Heaven stands over thee now p. 531while thou art reading all these words, and he seeth thy heart whether thou art Resolved to turn or not. Shall he see thee read such urgent Reasons, and yet wilt not Resolve? Shall he see thee read these earnest requests, and yet not Resolve? What? not to come home to thy God, to thy Father, to thy Saviour, to to thy self, after so long and wilfull sinning? What? not to accept of Mercy, now it is even thrust into thy hands; when thou hast neglected, and abused Mercy so long. O let not the Just and Jealous God stand over thee, and see thee guilty of such wickedness? If thou be a Christian shew thy self a Christian, and use thy belief, and come to God. If thou be a man, shew thy self a man, and use thy Reason, and come away to God. I beseech thee read over and over again the Reasons that I have here offered thee, and judge whether a reasonable man should resist them, and delay an hour to come in to God. I that am now writing these lines of Exhortatation to thee, must shortly meet thee at the barre of Christ. I do now adjure thee, and charge thee in the Name of the living God, that thou do not thy self and me that wrong, as p. 532to make me lose this labour with thee, and that thou put me not to come in as a witness against thee, to thy coufusion and condemnation. Resolve therefore presently in the strength of Christ, and strik an unchangeable Covenant with him: Get thee to thy knees, and bewaile with tears thy former life, and deliver up thy self wholly now to Christ; and never break this Covenant more.

If thou lay by the Book, and go away the same, and no perswasion will do any good upon thee, but unholy thou wilt still be, and sensual, and worldly still thou wilt be; I call thy Conscience to witness, that thou wast warned of the evill that is neer thee; and Conscience shall obey this call, and bear me witness whether thou wilt or not: And this Book which thou hast read, which I intended for thy Conversion and Salvation, shall be a witness against thee: Though age or fire consume the leaves and lines of it, yet God and Conscience shall bring it to thy memory, and thou shalt then be the more confounded to think what Reasons, and earnest perswasions thou didst reject in so plain, so great, and necessary a case.

p. 533But if the Holy Ghost will now become thy tutor, and at once both put this Book into thy hand, and his Heavenly light into thy understanding, and his life into thy heart, and effectually perswade thee to Resolve and Turn, how happy wilt thou be to all Eternity? Make no more words on it; but answer my request, as thou wouldest do if thou wert in a burning fire, and I intreated thee to come out. Thou hast long enough grieved Christ and his Spirit, and long enough grieved thy friends and Teachers: Resolve this hour, and Rejoyce them that thou hast grieved; and now grieve the Devil, that thou hast hitherto rejoyced; and hereafter grieve the wicked, and thy own deceitfull flesh, whose sinfull desires thou hast hitherto followed: And if thou also grieve thy self a little while, by that moderate sorrow that thy sinne hath made necessary for thee, it will be but a preparative to thy endless joyes, and the day is promised, and coming apace, when Satan that thou turnost from, shall trouble thee no more, and God that thou turn…st to, shall wipe away all tears from thy eyes. And if the reading of this Book, may be but a means p. 534of so blessed an End, as God shall have the Glory▪ so when Christ cometh to be glorified in his Saints, and adm…red in all them that do believe, (2 Thes 1. 10.) both thou and I shall then partake of the Communication of his Glory; if so be that I be sincere in writing, and thou and I sincere in obeying the Doctrine of this Book. Amen.

July 5. 1657.

FINIS.

End of the text · Richard Baxter, Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion (1658)