The First Last, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Miſaplication prevented.
BEfore I come to Application, it will be requiſite to ſay ſomething for the preventing of m ſapplication. Some may poſſibly hence draw this Concluſion, That the next way to onverſion, is to turn Prophane; that to lay aſide Prayer, Hearing &c. and to become a Swearer, Adulterer, &c. is the beſt way to become a Saint; an inference much like that, Rom. 3.8. Let us do evil that good may come; and Rom. 6.1.foreign 1 Tim. 5.8. Let us continue in ſin, that grace may abound. But let ſuch * perverſe Diſputers know,
1. Though the word hath, many times, an eaſier influence upon the Prophane, then the Formal…; yet this makes nothing for the comfort of Prophane perſons, ſo continuing, though many ſuch are converted and ſaved; What is this to him that lives and dies unconverted? 'Tis as if one ſick of a Feaver, refuſing the Phyſician's help, feeding and nouriſhing his Diſeaſe, ſhould comfort himſelf in this, That his condition is better then one that is ſick of the Plague, becauſe many are by Phyſick cured of the one, few or none of the other; when the one as well as the other, is Mortal without the Phyſician's help. Though many Prophane Wretches are ſaved upon their Faith and Repentance, what comfort is it to thee that continueſt Prophane, without Faith or Repentance? If Zacheus the Publican, Magdalen the Harlot, Paul the Perſecutor, are converted and ſaved, canſt thou, who art an impenitent Oppreſſor, Harlot, Perſecutor, &c. promiſe Salvation to thy ſelf? They are ſaved, not becauſe they were ſuch, but becauſe they Repent.
2. Though prophane perſons are more frequently converted, then Formaliſts, yet prophaneneſs is no cauſe of their Converſion. If you ſuppoſe ſo, you admit a Falacy, Non cauſae, pro cauſâ; aſſigning that the cauſe, which indeed is not: Many, being Prophane, are converted, but not becauſe they are Ptophane; they are converted from, not for their Prophaneneſs. At moſt, it hath but an accidental cauſality; as an enemy intending to kill you, may accidentally let out the corruption, and ſo intending to be your Murderer, may unwittingly, and contrary to his intention, prove your Phyſician; But that Prophaneneſs can have no proper cauſative influence into your converſion, will thus appear: If ſo, it muſt be ſuppoſed, either, 1. To move God to call you; or, 2. To diſpoſe, and incline you to converſion: but to imagine either of theſe, is very fooliſh and irrational.
For the firſt, you muſt know, That nothing out of God himſelf can be an inducement to him, to call, or convert any; God's Eternal Decree, which is the proper Efflux of his own Will, and of his Free-Grace, is his onelyonly Motive in this; See Rom. 8.29, 30. Epheſ. 1.3, 4, 5, 6, 11. 2 Tim. 1.9. 'Tis not the good works of any fore-ſeen, that move God to call them, (they being effects, not cauſes of converſion) much leſs then their evil works: what can be more abſur'd, then to ſuppoſe that that which God loaths, ſhould induce him to love us?
And for the ſecond, 'tis equally abſurd; for how can that which is in the nature of it, an averſion from God, produce, as an effect, converſion to God? As rationally may we imagine darkneſs to be the cauſe of light, ſickneſs of health, death of life, as that ſin can any way be a cauſe of, or diſpoſe unto converſion. Could Prophaneneſs diſpoſe a man to Converſion, then it would follow, the more Prophane, the nearer to converſion; which is all one, as to ſay, the nearer Hell, the nearer Heaven.
3. Neither is it the good that Formaliſts do, but their hypocriſie in doing, and the bad uſe they make of their good actions, that renders their Converſion difficult. Here a ſo you admit the ſame falacy, if you ſuppoſe their praying, hearing, &c. to obſtruct their Converſion. Theſe duties rightly performed, are both means and evidences of Converſion, and incumbent upon the converted. Hearing is the way to have Faith (and other Graces) begotten in us, Rom. 10.17 Prayer is preſcrib'd to Simon Magus, yet being in the g… of bitterneſs and bond of iniquity, in order to his Converſion, Acts 8.22. So we ma ſay of other-like duties: As Prophaneneſs is not diſpoſitive to Converſion, ſo neither are Pious duties any hinderance, but furtherance to it. Nay more, if ever you be Converted, you muſt do what they do, though not as they do. You muſt pray, hear, meditate, &c. though not in a form, as they do, but with power; not relying upon them when done, but denying them, putting no confidence in them. 'Tis not the form of godlineſs that hinders Converſion, but becauſe it is but a form, and yet reſted in.
4. I may add, (though it's not ſo much to the buſineſs in hand) though Formaliſts hurt themſelves, yet they may be, and often are uſeful and beneficial to others; whereas the Prophane perſon is offenſive, or unprofitable to all: they may teach others, though not themſelves. Prophaneneſs, gives occaſion of ſtumbling and offence to them without; the Formaliſt's life carries ſome conformity to the Rule, (and is ſo far imitable) though his heart be naught and hypocritical; his practiſes are good, though his principles and ends be naught: Others may ſee what they ought to do in him; but the Prophane perſon, as his heart is naught, ſo his life is irregular, not to be imitated. The formal perſons praying, hearing, &c. may poſſibly excite others to do that in ſincerity, which they do in hypocriſie, their parts and performances may be uſeful to others, though accidentally hurtful to themſelves. So that there's no Reaſon to draw ſuch an inference from the Doctrine in hand, or to ſuppoſe prophaneneſs the neareſt cut to converſion. If any will yet abuſe this Truth to their own obduration in wicked and debauched courſes, yet I hope what I have ſaid by way of prevention, will ſufficiently acquit me from the guilt of the blood of ſuch Souls: now for Application.