A Manual of Practical Divinity, Treatise · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. How the Lord is pleaſed effectually to call ſome after they have been long in their natural Eſtate, and have been very wicked.
GOd is pleaſed to ſuffer ſome of his Elect to go on a great while in Ignorance and to fall into great ſins before he convert them, as Matthew, Zachaeus; Mary Magdalene, an elect perſon, yet God leaveth her to be poſſeſt with ſeven devils, and to be a Harlot before he convert her. Paul an elect perſon, yet God leaveth him a great while to go on in a Phariſaical way, and to be a grievous Perſecutor before the Lord convert him. The Thief upon the Croſs was an elect perſon, yet the Lord let him run on a long time in his ſins, & for theſe he is ſentenced to die, & the… the Lord converts him: now there are many reaſons why the Lord in his inſinite wiſdom ſuffers many elect perſons to fall into ſo much ſin before the Lord convert them; As (1) becauſe God will make it more eminently appeare that it was his meer Grace to ſave them and convert them: God doth convert many in their young time, before they have run into much prophaneſs; others God leaveth to go on a long time in prophaneſs; and though he could have converted them before, yet he doth it to magnifie his own Grace. (2) And God doth it that men might be the more humble after their Converſion, remembring what great ſins they fell into before the Lord called them. (3) Hereby mens converſion is more remarkable to themſelves and to others, and tends much to the awakening of others when they ſhall ſee a notorious ſinner ſo changed, it may ſtartle others exceedingly. (4) That the worſt of ſinners might not be hardned, and go on deſperately in their ſins, and ſay, There is no hope; no but ſeeing others converted after they have gone on ſo long in ſin that they might now come to Chriſt, and ſay, I will have no more fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs, but caſt my ſelf upon the free mercy of God in Chriſt. (5) That we might uſe means to convert the greateſt ſinners, and not ſay, There is no hope that that Drunkard and that Worldling ſhould ever be converted, and ſo never uſe means to diſcover ſin and Chriſt to them. (6) That God might ſhew the certainty of Election, that thoſe that he hath choſen ſhall be called according to Gods gracious purpoſe, which purpoſe ſhall ſtand. By this we ſee that all the Father giveth to Chriſt ſhall come to him, and be effectually called, though they are long before they are converted. (7) Hereby God will ſhew us the infinite merit of his Sons blood that it will cleanſe from all ſin; that though an elect perſon hath ſo abounded in ſin, yet the blood of Chriſt is able to ſave him to the utmoſt. (8) And thus God ſheweth the power of his Spirit, that he is able to convert men, not only when they are leſs ſinners, but when they are mightily hardened in ſin, and have long accuſtomed themſelves to do evil.
Queſtion, But doth God love an elect Perſon, and hath he care of them before they be converted?
Anſw. Yes, God loved them from eternity; God loved Jacob, Rom. 9. before he had done good or evil: God doth not then begin to love a ſoul when he is converted, though then the effects of his love do more appear. (2) God gave his bleſſed Son for his elect, while they were enemies then they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; he died for the ungodly, Rom. 5.9,10. and this was infinite love. (3) If God did not love the Elect before they were converted, they would never be converted. Its his infinite love to them that he unites & draws them to Chriſt, without which drawing they could never come to Chriſt. (4) God Hath ſuch a love and care towards an elect perſon, that he never ſuffers them to fall into the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, though they fall into other great ſins. (5) God hath ſuch a care towards them that they never die unconverted. Rom. 8,30. Whom he did predeſtinate, them he hath alſo called. God either converts them in their young time, or elſe lengthens out their days upon the earth, and brings them to Chriſt, though it be at the eleventh hour; As God called ſome of all ſorts of ſinners, excepting thoſe that commit the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt; ſo he calleth at ſeveral ages, ſome in their child-hood, ſome in their middle age, and ſome in their old age; but God calleth moſt in their young time, whilſt their hearts are yet tender.
How hath the Lord been pleaſed to work Grace in them that have been mightily prejudiced againſt the powerfull preaching of the word, as its recorded in the life of that gracious man, Mr. Robert Bolton, that before his converſion, he hearing Mr. Perkins preach, he ſaid, He was an empty dry fellow, but after he was converted; he had high thoughts of his powerfull Miniſtry. Another, was that afterwards one of the moſt eminent in grace and gifts, that our times have known when the Bel went for Mr. Perkins, ſecretly was glad in his heart that he was dead, that he might not be ſo ſtartled by his heartſearching miniſtry, which thought did exceedingly humble him afterwards, and God pleaſed powerfully to work upon him, and make him a burning and ſhining light. Thus where ſin abounds, Gods grace ſometimes cals a ſoul, and ſo abounds much more then ſin abounded. If we knew all paſſages concerning thoſe whom the Lord converteth; what prophaneſs in ſome, what ſtrange ignarance in others, what wicked reſiſtance of the Spirit, it would make us cry out, O the wickedneſs of the creature, and O the unſearchable riches of Gods free grace! ſome have gone to an Ordinance to ſleep, and the Lord hath made ſuch a noiſe by his Spirit in their hearts, that they have been paſt ſleeping, their ſouls have been ſo effectually awakened; ſome have gone to enſnare the Preacher, and the Lord hath changed their hearts, and opened their eyes; ſome have gone boldly to outface the Lord in his Ordinances, and the Lord hath made their ſtout hearts tremble at his word; ſome have gone only out of novelty to hear a man, becauſe he was a ſtranger, or was a noted Preacher, and the Lord hath converted them; ſome have gone with their hearts as full of prejudice againſt the Preacher as could be, and yet the Lord hath bowed their heares before they came away, and made them ſay, Surely God is in this man and in his Miniſtry of a truth.
Some ſhall certainly be converted, and muſt enter into Gods reſt, Heb. 4.6. (1) becauſe God hath ordained ſome to eternal life, Acts 13.48. and the Election muſt obtain it. (2) The Lord Jeſus hath died for them, and hath made their peace by the blood of his croſs; And God the Father hath given him power over all the devils, and over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to them that he hath given him and them; Chriſt ſaith, he muſt bring home, and they ſhall hear his voice, John 10.16. (3) The Lord hath made many free and abſolute Promiſes, as Ezek. 36.26. A new heartwill I give you. Gen. 3.15. The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the Serpents head. Now theſe muſt be made good to ſome in their effectual Calling and ſalvation, and that is to the elect; for all the free and abſolute Promiſes ſhew what God both can do and will do for his elect; & ſo though they ſometimes live a long time in an unconverted eſtate, yet the Lord doth in his appointed time give them a new heart, writes his Laws in their hearts, and puts his fear in their hearts, and cauſes them to walk in his Statutes and Judgements to do them, according to the free and abſolute promiſes of the New Covenant, that they are all taught of God, and he will be their God, and they ſhall be his people.
And therefore when we are converted, what an engagement have we upon us to live to God, and lift up his Name in the world: O all you that have been converted, and after all your ſinfulneſs have been pluckt as brands out of the fire; O ſhew forth the praiſes of him that hath called you out of darkneſs into his marvellous light. Conſider, (1) you have but a ſhort time to bring glory to God in the exerciſe of grace in this world. (2) There ariſeth a great deal of comfort to a mans own ſoul in the exerciſe of grace. (3) There are but few converted; and therefore thoſe that are ſavingly converted had need beſtir themſelves to glorifie God with that grace they have received. (4) Natural men do evil with both hands, and lay out all their ſtrength againſt the Lord; and therefore how ſhould you that are ſuch monuments of his mercy bring glory to him! (5) You may more comfortably and cheerfully die, when you have improved that talent of grace that you have received for to bring glory to God in your generation, 2 Tim. 4.6,7. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe: not that when we come to die, Paul or any Believer doth look for heaven for his ſervice; for when we have done all, we ſay we are unprofitable ſervants; but we rejoyce that God hath uſed us and imployed us to lift up his name in the world. (6) The more you lay out your ſelves to bring glory to God, the more cauſe others will have to bleſs God for you in the day of their viſitation; ſeeing your good works, they will glorifie your Father which is in heaven; and ſay, I bleſs God for the holy life, and heavenly diſcourſe, and winning converſation of ſuch a one of thy children; for it was a means to convince me and convert me to Jeſus Chriſt; but O what a ſadder thing would it be if a natural man ſhould have cauſe to ſay upon his death-bed, or in hell, that the life and converſation of ſuch a profeſſor hardened himagainſt the waies of God; he ſaw ſuch a profeſſor ſo deceitful in his calling, another ſo vain in his diſcourſe, another ſo proud in his carriage and apparel, another ſo worldly, another ſo looſe in his converſation, that he looked upon Religion but as a fancy, and was hardened in his ſins! O then be afraid leſt you ſhould receive the grace of God in vain, though not as to the ſalvation of your own ſoul, but in that reſpect it be well with you for ever, yet fear leſt you ſhould not glorifie God in the world, and make his name as ointment poured forth to others. O therefore (1) hold forth Religion in an holy, humble, heavenly, winning converſation: the good converſation of Believers may draw others to enquire into Religion, and ſo the Lord may catch them. (2) Lay out that grace you have received for the comforting and ſtrengthening of weak Brethren. How do men of great gifts and experiences, through ſinful baſhfulneſs, or too much habit of vain diſcourſe, become of little uſe to their Brethren, yea to thoſe Brethren with whom they are joyned in Church-fellowſhip! We have got an habit of jeſting and vain diſcourſe in our converſe together, when as the old Saints were ſerious and ſpiritual; and this ſame way of idle talking and jeſting is almoſt every where; and ſhould this prevail, that ſpiritual communion that ſhould be among Saints would ſoon be loſt; but O never come into one anothers company, but do or receive good; communicate your knowledge and experiences to the weakeſt Saints and pooreſt Saints. Chriſtians muſt not be like ſome Philoſophers that we read of, that would as ſoon part with an eye, as with ſome curious notions that they found out in their ſtudies; but Chriſtians ſhould comfort one another with the comforts wherewith they have been comforted of God, and inform one another in all doubtful caſes with the light which the Lord hath given them. (3) Lay out your ſelves to convert others; thus did Paul after his converſion, Rom. 15.19. compaſſed Sea and Land, took many a weary ſtep, went through innumerable dangers to convert ſouls to Jeſus Chriſt. O how do many profeſſors grow careleſs of Familyworſhip? O labour that thoſe that dwell with you may be converted in your Families, and may have cauſe to bleſs God that ever they came to ſuch a ſervice, where they got the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. (4) When the Lord laies afflictions upon you, have a care that you do not diſhonour him then by murmuring and impatience; that carnal men will ſay, Are theſe the people that ſpeak of ſuch high things, of Communion with God and the Seal of the Spirit, and yet none more impatient when any croſs befalls them! and thus they will be ready to think that Religion is but a Notional thing, that hath no power to ſubdue the heart to the Lord; few are converted amongſt us, and one cauſe of it may be, that the carriage and converſation of profeſſors is very low, and carrieth little in it to hold forth conviction to thoſe that are without.
FINIS.
End of the text · Martin Finch, A Manual of Practical Divinity (1658)