The Conversion of a Sinner Explained, Sermon · Application 1
In the laſt place follows the Application. Ʋſe I. Of Examination.
Since God calls upon ſinners again and again to turn, It highly concerns all to examine, whether this Call has been obeyed? 'Tis wiſdom to bring our grace to the Touch-ſtone, ſince there is ſo much counterfeit grace in the world. As 'tis eaſie and common to miſtake in this matter; ſo there is no miſtake more dangerous, and it won't be long, e're to correct miſtakes about converſion will be impoſſible. The damned ſee wherein they did deceive themſelves; but alas! 'tis now too late to think of turning better; the door of mercy is ſhut and barr'd, and will be barr'd for ever. I remember Theodoret commenting upon this Text, obſerves, that the doubling of the words, Turn ye, turn ye, foreign; gives us to underſtand the ſincerity which is required in converſion. A bare appearance ſets us at a farther diſtance from God.
Here I ſhall ſpeak of ſome changes that have a kind of likeneſs to converſion, which yet are to be found in them, that fall ſhort both of grace and glory.
1. Thoſe cannot be ſaid to be indeed converted, Who are only turned to ſuch or ſuch a Party, or Opinion, about ſmaller matters in Religion. Suppoſe thy Opinion be Orthodox and right, what's that, if thy heart be not right in the ſight of God? Thoſe who pleaſe themſelves, becauſe they have the name of Non-conformiſts, what does this ſignifie, unleſs they refuſe to conform to the ſinful faſhions and courſes of the world? On the other ſide, They that boaſt of being Sons of the Church, what will that advantage them, if by their ſwearing, lying, and hatred of holineſs, they ſhew themſelves the Sons of Belial?
2. Thoſe are not indeed converted, whoſe turning is only partial. Saul obeyed the command of the Lord in part againſt Amalek; that which was vile and refuſe he deſtroyed utterly, but delicate Agag, and the beſt of the ſpoyl he ſpared, 1 Sam. 15. 9. but this partial obedience is cenſured as high rebellion, v. 23. Many will yield to Gods Call in ſome degree; the ſins which they can better ſpare, they will conſent to the mortification of; but the chief, the darling, the delicate ſin, which they live upon, or live ſo ſweetly with. Oh! That ſhall not be touched▪ Herod was a partial Convert; in ſundry reſpects he yielded obedience to the Baptiſt's preaching, but when John would have turned him from his inceſt with Herodias, this could not be born, but inſtead of obeying this meſſage, he perſecutes, and after kills the meſſenger.
3. Thoſe are not indeed converted, who only turn to God in the time of their extremity, and after are guilty of revolting. Iſrael, when Sinai was all in a fire before their eyes, turned unto God, for fear of being conſumed. Then they cry out, they will hearken and do what ever the Lord ſhould ſpeak to them, Deut. 5. 27. But before a few dayes were expired, they quickly turned out of the way which God commanded them, and fell into groſs idolatry. And again we read, When God ſlew them then they ſought him, they returned & enquired early after him; and yet all this while their heart was not right, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant, Pſal. 78. 34, 37. How many ſick-bed reſolutions have looked like converſion, which upon the return of health have vaniſhed quite away? True converſion is a laſting change; there may indeed be falling fits, and fits of ſlumber: The wiſe Virgins ſlumbred and ſlept, Mat. 25. though they were not over wiſe to do ſo. But yet true Converts never go ſo far, as to change their Lord, and to chuſe any thing but God for their chiefeſt happineſs.
Reader, beware of being only almoſt a Convert, as thou wouldſt be unwilling, only to be almoſt ſaved, and quite damn'd.
The queſtion now will be, how may true converſion be diſcerned from all thoſe ſhews, whereby multitudes are deluded? Unto this I anſwer in theſe particulars.
1. In true Converſion the heart is turned from the love of every known iniquity. The ſtrength of ſin lies in the love of it, and love to it plainly argues, that it holds the heart ſtill in poſſeſſion. That's the Converts language, I eſteem thy commands concerning all things to be right, and I have every falſe way, Pſal. 119. 128. Thy love is that which God does principally require of thee; if ſin, if the world run away with that, how canſt thou have the face to ſay thou art turned? 'Tis not ſufficient to abſtain from the outward act of ſin, an hypocritical Phariſee may go ſo far; but the very ſoul muſt abhor it: Eſpecially the ſin that has been moſt deſired, moſt delighted in, will be moſt deteſted when converſion is ſincere. The covetous man when turned, will moſt abhor covetouſneſs; the unclean, their filthineſs; the proud, their pride; and the reaſon is evident, becauſe by theſe ſins God has been moſt diſpleaſed and diſhonoured, and they moſt of all polluted and defiled.
2. In true Converſion, there is a renewing of the whole man. All things are become new (ſayes the Apoſtle) 2 Cor. 5. in them that are new creatures; and old things are paſſed away. The whole man is ſanctified, though not wholly ſanctified; every part is changed, though the change be not perfect. The underſtanding is inlightned, the conſcience is made tender, and has a great command; the heart makes choice of God, the deſires are after his favour and fellowſhip, the members are yielded as inſtruments of righteouſneſs unto holineſs. The Convert willingly reſigns and gives up his whole ſelf, both body and ſpirit to the Lord.
3. In true Converſion there is a deſire to be turned more and more; there is an hungring after a greater degree of righteouſneſs. The remainders of fleſh are a burden, and the ſpirit does luſt againſt them, Gal. 5. 17. The Convert goes to God, to perfect that which concerns him, to ſtrengthen what he has wrought for him. Lord! Thou hast done much for me, but there is much more ſtill to do; here … many enemies ſtill to ſlay, many diſtempers ſtill to heal, many ſpots ſtill to waſh out, many wrinkles ſtill to ſmooth. Oh! Thou who haſt laid the foundation, reer up the building, and at laſt bring forth the Top-ſtone, that I may cry, Grace, grace, for ever!
4. In true converſion, there is a pure and fervent love to Converts. Love to the Brethren is a ſign of being paſſed from death to life, 1 Joh. 3. 14. Let them be mean, poor, of weak parts, let them be vilified and deſpiſed by the world; yet if Saints, they will be eſteemed and owned by them that are ſincerely changed. Then our love is right, when the more holy any are, the more we love them; and the more holy deſigns they have upon us, the more plainly they deal with us, for ſin which they ſee in us, ſtill we do the more ardently affect them. Yea, and we can rejoyce in their grace, though becauſe of their luſtre we do ſhine more obſcurely.
5. In true Converſion, there is a pity towards the unconverted. Thoſe who are turned have eſcaped danger, and they cannot but be moved with others peril. How can they chuſe but mourn over their relations and acquaintance, that are without Chriſt and God in the world? Oh, what hazard do ſuch run? when they go to ſleep, they know not but they may wake in the midſt of flames that are unquenchable! when they go out of their houſes they may be in hell before they return! They hang over the bottomleſs pit, by the ſmall thread of their lives; and a thouſand things may happen every day ſufficient to break that thread aſunder, and then in they fall without redemption. Oh doleful ſtate of the ungodly! If thou who art a religious Wife, ſhouldſt wake in the night, and find thy Husband ſtone dead by thee, would it not extreamly amaze and grieve thee? Or if thou who art the Maſter of a family ſhouldſt find all thy children and ſervants of a ſudden dead before thy eyes; would not thy heart be extreamly affected? And ſurely if thy Husband, thy Wife, thy Children, thy Servants, are dead in ſins, in danger of being for ever damned, much more reaſon haſt thou to be concerned for them, and to endeavour by adviſe, and prayers, and tears, to have them turned and reconciled unto God.
Now Reader, Try thy ſelf by theſe ſigns of Converſion; if thou findeſt them in thy ſelf, thou mayeſt rejoyce, for theſe plainly ſhew, that thy name is written in the Book of Life. But, if any ſin be loved, if thy mind, and conſcience, and heart, and life be all defiled; and as thou art unrenewed, ſo thou haſt no deſire after renewing grace; if thou delighteſt in the carnal, and art an hater of Saints. This ſhews, to converſion thou art a ſtranger, and to this hour art in the gall of bitterneſs.