The Conversion of a Sinner Explained, Sermon · Application 5
Ʋſe V. Of Direction.
I would believe by this time, that you are willing to hearken unto, and likewiſe follow ſome directions, how to become ſincere Converts. Directions how to get eaſe when you are in pain; how to recover health, when you are ſick; or an …tate which you have loſt, I am confident would be heeded. And are not directions from the infallible word of truth, how to be turned and ſaved, of far greater conſequence?
The Directions are theſe which follow.
1. Think upon, and with a ſerious ſpirit conſider your wayes. This Conſideration had great influence upon the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 119. 59. I thought on my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies. I made haſte and delayed not, &c. That injunction is doubled, Hag. 1. 5. And again, v. 7. Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, Conſider your wayes. And that paſſage, Ezek. 18. 14. is to be obſerved. Now lo, if he beget a Son that ſeeth all his fathers ſins which he hath done, and conſidereth and doth not ſuch like, &c. If ſinners would but conſider what they do, when they do evil, it would be a means to make them ceaſe to do evil, and learn to do well. Conſider the miſery and danger of being at a diſtance from God. The wayes which naturally you walk in, do lead you away from him; and the Scripture ſayes, Thoſe that are far from God ſhall periſh, he will deſtroy all them that go a whoring from him, Pſal. 73. 27. Think of theſe things ſo long, till you find your hearts affected, ſo as to conclude it height of madneſs to lye ſecure in an unconverted ſtate. Let this thought take deep impreſſion. All the while thou perſiſteſt in thy evil wayes, thou for ſakeſt the Lord, and forſakeſt thy own mercies, and art travelling apace to the regions of eternal wo and darkneſs.
2. Study the vanity of former excuſes. I know the natural mans mouth is very full of them, but 'tis very eaſie to anſwer them.
Sin, thou ſayeſt, is rivited in thy very nature.
Therefore thou hadſt need to cry to heaven, that thy nature may be changed, and to be made a new creature.
But ſin is the commune practiſe.
Therefore thy danger is the greater, and thou ſhouldſt be the more careful, leſt thou be overwhelmed in that r…in that will be ſo general.
But my luſts are both profitable and pleaſant, and why then ſhould I abandon them?
Conſider ſoul whether the damned who have loſt their ſouls and eternal bleſſedneſs, and ſuffer the vengeance of eternal fire, have any reaſon to boaſt of gain or pleaſure?
But men will deride and ſcorn me, if I become a Convert.
They that do ſo are beſides themſelves, and ſober people uſe not to be concerned at the laughter of ſuch as are out of their wits. Oh contèmn their contempt, deſpiſe the ſhame they coſt upon you; ſhortly they themſelves will wiſh, that inſtead of ſcorning at, they had been imitators of you.
But to turn unto and follow God is very hard, and the difficulty is a very great diſcouragement.
The work is hard indeed, but the ſtrength and aſſiſtance is great, which ſhall be afforded. The Lord will work all your works in you and for you, Iſa. 26. 12. He commands nothing, but what he is ready to help you to perform himſelf.
But if I am a Convert, I ſhall never live a pleaſant hour; my tears will be my meat and drink, and my ſorrows my perpetual companions.
Oh groſs miſtake! and unreaſonable prejudice againſt the wayes of holineſs! If godlineſs be ſo melancholy a buſineſs; why does the Scripture tell us of peace which paſſeth all underſtanding, and joys that are unſpeakable and full of glory? Why is David ſo often ſinging, ſo often harping, if mirth and Religion were foreign, altogether inconſiſtent.
Oh but if I turn, I ſhall be expoſed to ſuffering.
Well, ſuppoſe thou art, the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the preſent grace and conſolation, which will attend thy trials, much leſs with the glory that ſhall be revealed.
Study the vanity of all ſuch excuſes.
3. Save your ſelves from the untoward generation you live among. This was the advice the Apoſtle gave to them that had been awakened and pricked in their heart, Act. 2. 40. You muſt ſhake hands with your former brethren in iniquity, elſe they will be a great temptation and ſnare to you. Carnal company are incarnate devils, who endeavour to draw as many as they can to Hell along with them. Therefore the wiſeſt of men does uſe ſo many words of caution, Prov. 4. 14, 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, paſs not by it, turn from it and paſs away. Though you are not bound to be moroſe and uncivil towards the ungodly, take heed of being delightfully familiar. Many a conviction and good reſolution has cooled and vaniſhed, by our lighting into the ſociety of the wicked. Suck not in any prejudices from them againſt true piety; and when they preſume to prate againſt prayer, hearing, faſting, profeſſing, when they quarrel againſt the Lord's day, and cenſure the Lord's people; look upon all this, but as the ravings of ſuch as are in a ſpiritual ſenſe diſtracted.
4. Deſpiſe not Prophecyings. The Miniſtry of the Word is ordained on purpoſe to work faith, and to turn ſinners unto God; and therefore let not drowſineſs, diſtraction, cares, or pleaſures, or luſts, or the deceitfulneſs of riches choak this Word, and hinder it from proſpering to this end whereunto it is appointed. When Ezekiel propheſied over the dead and dry bones, they preſently revived, and a valley of dead bones became a living Army. And who knows while thou art propheſied over, by the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, but of a ſudden thou mayeſt be made alive, who waſt dead in treſpaſſes. Let powerful preaching be prized and frequented by you: Certainly the word has a converting power when 'tis ſet home, Pſal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul; the teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, making wiſe the ſimple.
5. Quench not the Spirit, 1 Theſ. 5. 19. His conviction you muſt not ſtifle, but improve. The Spirit of the Lord ſometimes approaches very neer unto a drunkard, a ſwearer, a covetous worldling, an unclean perſon, and tells them, the way they take it is perverſe before him, that there is but a ſtep between them and death, between them and damnation; and therefore moves them to humiliation, and to reformation. He informs them they had better leave their ſins, than be undone for their ſake. Now ſuch convictions might be heightned into Converſion, if they were but cloſed with, and improved. But thouſands reſiſt the holy Ghoſt; they had rather be permitted to ſin without diſturbance, than to have the waters troubled, though upon ſtepping in, they might be healed, what ever their ſpiritual malady and plague be. Doſt thou find the Spirit neer thee; Oh heed his checks, comply with all his motions, and beg that thou mayſt not be put off with commune operations; but that a ſaving work may be wrought in thee!
6. Lay hold upon and plead the Lords own Covenant. In this Covenant he has engaged to give you a new heart, to cleanſe you from your filthineſs and your idols; to put his Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in his Statutes; that is, in one word to convert you, Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27. Be earneſt that theſe promiſes may be accompliſhed. Reſolve to take no nay, the Lord will be pleaſed with your importunity, in a matter which 'tis ſo much for his own honour to grant you. You cannot turn your ſelves, but he can as eaſily do this work, as leave it undone. One word of life and power will raiſe you. And ſince he ſayes, Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes, for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael; preſently make this Text into a prayer. Turn us, turn us from our evil wayes, for why ſhould we die, O thou God of Iſrael!
FINIS.
End of the text · Nathanael Vincent, The Conversion of a Sinner Explained (1669)