A Treatise of Conversion, Chapter 1 · Section 1
SECT. I.
Beloved Hearers,
THough the Gospel doth not presuppose Grace in men, but bring it to them, yet doth it suppose them to be men, and therefore endued with Natural Principles: And though there is not enough in Nature to convert men, yet doth Grace find some Advantage in Nature for its Reception, and somewhat which it may improve for a further Good: Otherwise we might as well plead with beasts as men. Supernatural Light supposeth Natural: the Doctrine of Faith supposeth Reason; and he that would draw you to be Everlastingly happy, doth suppose you so much to Love your selves as to be willing to be happy, and loath to be Absolutely miserable. I come not therefore to perswade any of you to these things which are supposed: we are not sent to intreat men to be men; or Reasonable Creatures, or to love themselves, or to be willing to be happy: I will not be beholden to any of you for this, for you cannot do otherwise: But we are sent to tell you where your happiness lieth, and where not, and to advise you to exercise your Reason aright, and to know the way to happiness, and take that course by which it may be obtained.
I must confess to you that ever since I knew what it was to be a Minister of the Gospel, what labour it must cost, and how cold a Reward is to be expected from our hearers, and what a troublous errand we come upon, in the Judgement of the most, I never could think any thing below the pleasing of God, and the saving of the souls of our People and our selves, to be a Motive sufficient to draw a man to this Imployment; Nor do I think it meet to come once into the Pulpit with any lower ultimate Ends then these: He that is a Minister for lower ends then these, in heart and deed is no Minister of Christ; but as he seeks himself, so will he serve himself, and must reward himself as he can; and no wonder if he be unfaithful in all his Course. And he that preacheth one Sermon for lower ultimate Ends then these, will seek himself and not Christ, and so be unfaithful in that Sermon: And if such study smooth Words and fine Sentences, which tend more to please, then to save mens souls, it is no wonder. Consdering these things when I had Purposed this days Work in this Place, I remembred in whose name I must speak, and on whose errand I must go, and therefore that from him I must receive my Message; and I remembred also to whom I was to speak, even to men that must be Everlastingly happy or miserable, and that are now in the way, and have that to do in a little time, which this their Everlasting state doth depend upon: I remembred also, that Christ hath assured me that of the many that are called, few are chosen, and that most men perish, for all the Mercy that is in God, and for all that Christ hath done and suffered, and for all the Grace that is offered them in the Gospel: And I considered the Reason, even because they will not Receive this Grace, nor entertain Christ and the Mercy of God, as it is offered to them. I therefore Resolved to Preach to you, as one that hath but one Sermon to preach to you, and knows not whether ever he shall speak to you more; and therefore to choose no lower subject then that which your life or death depends upon; and to handle it as far as I am able accordingly, with that plainness as a matter of such Concernment should be handled with. If my business hither were to be thought a learned man, or to procure your applause, or to please your ears, I should then have prepared some pleasing Matter, and tryed to have adorned it with some flourishes of wit, and presented it to you in mixture of Languages which you do not understand, and with such pretty Jingles and gaudy Allusions as Carnal Fancies are used to be tickled with; but knowing that this is not the way to please God, but to please the Devil, nor to save my self or those that hear me, but to hinder the salvation of me and you. I soon Resolved not only to avoid the study of such unprofitable, carnal Ostentation; but even to study to avoid it: For I should be loth to please Satan any way by the doing his work, but doubly loth to please him in preaching the Gospel; and to be serving him in the choicest service of my Lord.
Will the Lord but bless the Word that I shall speak to the Conversion of any souls here present, I have the Ends I come for; and shall Believe that I have cause to bless his Name that sent me hither to day; and in hope of this success, which I have begged of the Lord, I shall cheerfully address my self to the Work.