The Conversion of a Sinner Explained, Sermon · Application 4
Uſe IV. Of Exhortation.
And who would not now become a Convert? Have you any thing to ſay againſt a pardon, or againſt that glory which has been revealed? Shall it be made a queſtion, whether pleaſures for evermore, or eternal torments are to be preferred? Oh that you would come to your ſelves! and then I am ſure you would come to God immediately.
The Arguments to perſwade you to Converſion are divers.
1. If you turn not, you cannot anſwer the end of your Creation. You muſt not think God gave you a being, and ſent you into the world, to pleaſe your ſelves, to ſatisfie your inordinate and corrupt deſires, and to live careleſly and rebelliouſly againſt him; but thus you will do till you are converted. Did the Lord give you an underſtanding faculty, and not deſign that he ſhould be underſtood and known by you? Did he give you a memory, and not intend that he ſhould be remembred? Did he give you an heart to love and to deſire, and not deſign himſelf to be the chief object of both? Did he give you affections that you ſhould give them away to ſin and vanity? Oh croſs not any longer the end for which you were made, leſt you cauſe the Lord to repent and be grieved at the heart he made you, Gen. 6. 6. and ſo reſolve to deſtroy the workmanſhip of his own hands. If you continue obſtinate and without underſtanding, He that made you will not ſave you, or have mercy on you; he that formed you will ſhew you no favour, Iſa: 27. 11.
2. Unleſs you turn, you cannot anſwer the end of the death of Chriſt, and the Redemption wrought thereby. Our Lord died not only to expiate offences, but alſo to purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and that in the body of his fleſh, through death, he might preſent them holy and unblameable, Col. 1. 22. Through the eternal Spirit, he offered up himſelf without ſpot to God, that by his blood he might purge our conſciences from dead works, to ſerve the living God, Heb. 9. 14. From theſe and and ſuch like places it evidently follows, that not only our pardon, but our purity was deſigned by the Lord Jeſus. But how can we be pure, unleſs we turn to God from ſin which does defile us? Chriſt knew what a ſickneſs and debaſement of our nature ſin is; therefore he himſelf was ſlain, that ſin might be killed. And will you dare to live in ſin? Hark to the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his body on the tree, that we being dead to ſins ſhould live unto righteouſneſs, by whoſe ſtripes ye were healed. And as the death of Chriſt is an argument to perſwade to turn from ſin, ſo from this death vertue and power is to be derived, whereby ſin may be ſubdued.
3. You are further obliged to turn, becauſe of Gods condeſcenſion in giving you leave to do it. If the gulph had been fixed upon the very firſt tranſgreſſion; if the turning of fallen man had been as impoſſible, as the turning of the fallen Angels; the Lord could not have been charged with the leaſt injuſtice. But although you have departed; he calls after you. Without any detriment or prejudice to his juſtice, he has found out a way to ſhew you mercy. The Devils were never called to converſion; as ſoon as ever they had ſinned they were fettered in chains of darkneſs that ſhall never be unlooſed. But hark what wiſdom ſayes, Prov. 8. 4. Unto you, O men I call, and my vow is to the ſons of man. You have often ſtopt your ears, Oh that at laſt you would hear, that your ſouls may live. The long deafning of your ears may provoke the Lord to ſhut his mouth; and then you will never be converted, never healed.
4. Conſider, Who 'tis that calls upon you to turn; and what is his deſign in it. You are undone wretches, who have neither skill, nor will, nor power to ſave your ſelves. And he that calls after you is a God to whom power and mercy does belong. And his deſign is to make his power and mercy known in you. His aim is, to bring you neer, that he manifeſt himſelf to you, as he does not manifeſt himſelf unto the world; to ſhield you from danger, to ſupply your needs, according to the riches of his glory, to deliver you from every evil work, and to preſerve you to his heavenly Kingdom. And is there any harm in all this?
5. 'Tis unreaſonable that the world or ſin ſhould be an hindrance, and any longer ſtave you off from God. Well may you turn from ſin, for that deſerves your hatred; well may your hearts turn from idolizing the world and the things of it, for theſe deſerve your ſcorn. All things beſides God, are either hurtful or helpleſs. Nothing more hurtful than ſin; and they that have expected help from the creatures, have found themſelves deſtitute and forlorn in their extremity.
6. If you turn to God, he will not fail to turn to you. His ear ſhall be turned, and be open to your cry; his hand ſhall be upon you for good; and in the hollow of his hand you ſhall be ſecure; he is greater than all, and none ſhall be able to pluck you out of his hands; he will not hide, but turn his face towards you; he will give peace as well as mercy, he will let you know that pardon is multiplied, that your love alſo may be increaſed. The debtor loved much, to whom much was forgiven. Finally, the ſtream of his benefits ſhall be turned towards you. The Lord will do you good, and delight in doing ſo. Temporal things you ſhall not want, ſpiritual bleſſings ſhall be ſhowred down abundantly, and at laſt you ſhall aſcend, and be admitted into his immediate preſence, where God will turn to you, ſo as never to withdraw more. Be not afraid or diſmayed whoever turn againſt you for converſion ſake. The Lord himſelf is with you, and for you, and he will turn to good what adverſaries do mean for evil.
7. Not only his Word, and Miniſters, and Spirit, but alſo his Providences call upon you to turn to God. Both his mercies and his judgments do preſs this exhortation to converſion. The ſtreams of goodneſs that continually run towards you, and which ſometimes ſwell and overflow abundantly, do ſignifie that 'tis your wiſdom to forſake the broken ciſterns, and come to the fountain of living waters. His mercies ſpeak this language, that 'tis good to return into, and obtain an intereſt in the Father of them. Then theſe mercies will be in mercy. Cords of love are caſt about you on purpoſe to draw you unto the God of love and peace. Oh that you would run to him! The riches of his goodneſs are unlocked and diſcovered, that hereby you may be led unto repentance, Rom. 2. 4.
His judgments likewiſe are inflicted in purſuance of the ſame deſign. That is the voice that's uttered by them; Go return unto the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal you; he hath ſmitten, and he will bind you up, Hoſ. 6. 1. The Fire of London calls upon the Inhabitants of it, and of the whole Land, ſince they have not only heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but their eyes have ſeen him marching out ſo dreadfully againſt them, to abhor themſelves, and to repent in duſt and aſhes. Thoſe many thouſands which were cut off by the plague of Peſtilence, although they are dead, they ſtill ſpeak; and that which they ſay is this. Oh you that are alive, return, return unto the Lord your God, for after death 'twill be too late to do it.
8. Conſider, As yet 'tis not too late to turn to God. Though hitherto ſtupid, if now you will awake, though hitherto refractory; if now you will yield your ſelves to the Lord, though hitherto you have ſhut the door to keep in ſin, and to keep out Chriſt; if now at laſt you will open at the knock of the Goſpel, and conſent that your luſts ſhould be expelled, and the Lord Jeſus enter; he is ready to receive you into grace and favour, and all former denials, affronts, repulſes, ſhall be forgotten and forgiven. The Scepter is ſtill held forth, the Lord is not removed from the Mercy-ſeat; mercy and grace may now be had, if you will come for it. But if you will not know when you are well offered, and are reſolved not to ceaſe from your ſtubborn way; an oath may ſoon be ſworn in wrath, that you ſhall never enter into Reſt; and God may ſay, He that's filthy, let him be filthy ſtill; he that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill; he that is joyned to the profits and pleaſures of the world which he makes his idols, let him alone; he that deſpiſes the offer of grace, ſhall not have another offer; he that now refuſes to be converted ſhall never be a Convert.
Oh that I could prevail by all theſe arguments. But leſt they ſhould take no impreſſion, leſt they ſhould ſlip out of your minds, and have no influence upon your hearts, I ſhall ſecond them.
With a voice from Hell.
With a voice from Heaven.
With a voice from Chriſt himſelf.
1. With a voice from Hell. Imagine therefore, a damned ſinner, who has lain many years in the burning lake, ſhould have leave to come and appear in the face of this aſſembly; and a river of tears having firſt guſhed out of his eyes, and for a while ſtopt his expreſſions, he at length ſhould thus ſpeak to you.
Curſed be the day wherein I was born, and that night wherein it was ſaid there is a manchild conceived! Let that day be darkneſs, let not God regard it from on high, neither let the light ſhine upon it. Alas, 'twere better never to have been at all, than to be for ever miſerable! How intolerable are the gNawings of the never dying worm? how hot and unquenchable are thoſe flames, which the breath of the Lord as a ſtream of brimſtone doth kindle?
The world is extreamly miſtaken in ſin. They think it light and pleaſant, and ſo I thought once, as well as they; but now I find how wofully I was deceived; I feel ſins weight, and taſte, yea am drunken with the gall and wormwood of it. I find that true, which before I was told, but would not believe, that 'tis a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. His mighty hands have taken hold of me, and bound me hand and foot, and thrown me into outer darkneſs.
And there I muſt lie tortured to Eternity! Oh that word does rend my very heart, kills all hope, ſinks and quite overwhelms me in utter deſper…ion. If after millions of millions of ages my torments were to end, I ſhould ſtrengthen my ſelf under my ſorrows; but ſince after ſo long a ſpace of time I ſhall be as far from releaſing, as the firſt moment I was impriſoned; this is that which makes my grief to know no bounds, becauſe my miſery knows none. Oh what phrenzy poſſeſs'd me, that for the ſake of a little gain and pleaſure, for a ſhort ſeaſon, which ſin did yield me, I ſhould venture to dwell with devouring fire, and to inhabit everlaſting burnings!
But I muſt only blame my ſelf; God is ſevere, but not in the leaſt unrighteous. He called, but I refuſed, he ſtretched forth his hand, but I diſregarded him, I ſet at nought all his counſel, and would none of his reproofs; I remember very well, he ſpake to me often to turn out of the paths that lead to deſtruction and miſery; but I would needs go on. I was warned to flie from the wrath to come, but I would take no warning. I was intreated to be reconciled, but reſolved to continue a rebel. I would not be made clean, though the Lord waited to be gracions, and frequently ſaid, When will it once be!
And what! Will any of you continue in the ſame deſperate mind that I was of? Will you ſtill cheriſh the ſelf-ſame ſins for kind that were my undoing? Behold the flam… about my ears, and oh that you could conceive the anguiſh of my heart! Be wiſe, be wiſe, and accept of mercy and ſalvation while 'tis tendered to you; for if once you come to this place of torment, the Lord will forget to be gracious, and his mercy will be quite and clean gone for ever.
2. A voice from Heaven. Suppoſe one of the glorified Saints who has been an Inhabitant of the heavenly Jeruſalem, who has converſed with an innumerable company of Angels, and has ſeen God face to face; ſhould for a while leave his bliſsful Manſion, and having abundance of joy and glory in his looks, ſhould utter ſuch kind of language as this before you.
Oh the height, and length, and depth, and breadth of the love of Chriſt which paſſes knowledge! How unſearchable is his goodneſs, and his mercy paſt finding out! Worthy is the Lamb that was ſlain, to receive power, and riches, and wiſdom, and ſtrength, and honour, and glory, and bleſſing; for by his blood he has redeemed me, with millions more, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and Nation! I was called to turn and live, and through rich grace was enabled to obey the Call; and now I find what a glorious life that is, unto which ſincere and perſevering Converts ſhall at laſt be brought. This is a life that's free from ſin, and free from ſuffering, that will never ſee death, or be in danger of the grave.
'Tis beſt of all to be neer to God. Chriſt is without all controverſie the beſt Maſter, to be ſubject to him it is to reign, and reign for ever! What ails the blind and ſtupid world, that they ſee no form nor comlineſs in this faireſt among ten thouſand, the light of whoſe countenance makes heaven not to need the light of the Sun, or Moon, or Stars! His beauty is all-ſurpaſſing, his grace is much more precious than gold that periſhes; but his glory, 'tis not lawful, or poſſible for me to utter.
And now will any of you any longer ſlight him? Open your eyes and ſee evidently that you are the children of perdition, the ſons of death without him; but through him you may be turned, through him you may be ſaved, with a great and everlaſting ſalvation. Surely then you have reaſon to value him above all; though the whole world, nay though ten thouſand worlds ſhould ſtand in competition with him.
3. Hear a voice from Chriſt himſelf. Imagine the Lord Jeſus appearing with a light far above the brightneſs of the Sun. Suppoſe ſome of his Angels as his Harbingers and forerunners, coming before him, and crying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of H…ſts; and at laſt himſelf viſibly filling this place with his Majeſty and with his glory, and having ſtricken an awe into you, and wrought in you an admiration of his excellency and greatneſs, ſuppoſe him thus ſpeaking and pleading with you.
Look unto me and be ye ſaved all ye ends of the earth, I am your Redeemer, and there is none elſe; you have deſtroyed your ſelves, but in me, and me alone, you may find help; unleſs I make you free, ſin will ſtill reign in you, and if it reign, it will alſo ruine; unleſs I binde the ſtrong man armed, he will keep you bound, and lead you captive at his pleaſure; unleſs I turn, and bring you neer to God, you will run farther and farther away from him, till at laſt there be no poſſibility of returning. How long ye ſimple ſouls will ye love ſimplicity, and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my ſpirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you.
Former contempts I will paſs by, if now at laſt you will receive me. I will free you from the guilt, and from the power of ſin, I will pacifie my Fathers anger, though by breaking his Laws, and deſpiſing me his Son, you have never ſo much incenſed him. Though by nature captives, I will make you Kings and Prieſts; though by ſin traitors and enemies, I will make you Sons, and heirs of God, and coheirs with my ſelf, who am the Heir of all things. You ſhall in no caſe be miſerable, if all that fulneſs which dwells in me can ſatisfie and make you happy.
And after all this, my brethren, will you be fond of ſin and ruine? Oh hear the voice of the Son of God, who is not willing you ſhould periſh.
How ſhall I do to work upon you? Methinks I could be willing that theſe words ſhould be my laſt, upon condition they might be powerful and effectual to the converting, and healing, and ſaving all that are within the ſound of them. Methinks I could be willing to expire here, and be carried dead out of the Pulpit, upon condition all you might hear, ſo as to turn from your evil wayes and live. Moſt of thoſe thouſands which are before me are unknown to me: But this I know, that you all have ſouls, and that every ſoul is worth a world. Oh that you all would conſult your ſouls intereſt and ſafety!
But leſt it ſhould be in vain, if I only ſpeak to you, I ſhall direct my words unto him who is Lord over all.
And oh that he who works, and none can let …r hinder, would work a thorow ſaving change in you! Oh that he would pity thoſe among you, who are unto your ſelves cruel! Oh that he would awaken the ſouls, that are not only aſleep, but dead! and break the hearts which have made themſelves as an Adamant ſtone! Oh that he would convince you of your ſin and miſery, and effectually turn you from the one, that you may be for ever freed from the other!
To theſe Petitions let every heart ſay, Amen!