A Treatise of Conversion, Chapter 1 · Section 2
SECT. II.
THe Occasion of these Words of Christ, was, the Carnal thoughts of his Disciples concerning the State of his Kingdom, as if it had been of Earthly Pomp and Glory, like the great Monarchs of the world; and also their Carnal aspring desires and contrivances to get the highest Place in his Kingdom: They found these Conceits among the Jews, and Nature easily entertained and cherished them, which is so dark and so disaffected to higher things. Christ thought it not yet seasonable to give them the full discovery of his Kingdom, it being reserved for the Holy Ghost, who was Miraculously to Possess them, and teach them all things in Christs bodily Absence, that the world might see that his Doctrine was not of his devising, but from above: But yet he presently fals upon that sin which these enquiries did discover in them; And before he fully telleth them th… Nature of his Kingdom, he plainly telleth them what they must be if they will have a part in that Kingdom. It may seem a great doubt, whether the Disciples were at this time unconverted, that Christ telleth them of the Necessity of a Conversion, or whether it be but a particular Conversion from some particular sins that he here speaks of, as there is a General Conversion or Repentance Necessary to the Unregenerate, and a particular Conversion or Repentance Necessary to the Godly upon their particular fals. To this I Answer, 1. Judas was undoubtedly Unconverted, and so did Continue. 2. The Apostles were then ignorant of many Truths which afterwards became of Absolute Necessity to Salvation: as Christs Death, Resurrection, Ascension, the Nature of his Kingdom, &c. Yet I dare not say that they were not in a State of Salvation when they were thus Ignorant of them, because they were not then Fundamentals, or of Absolute Necessity, las afterwards they were: But yet, Christ might well tell them that these Truths must be Belived hereafter, and they could not have that eminent Measure of Faith which was Proper to his more illuminated Church after his Ascension, without Believing of them. Yea, if they had not Believed them when they were made Fundamentals of Absolute Necessity to be Believed, they had ceased to be true Disciples of Christ. And whether there be not some noble effects of this Gospel-Doctrine upon the heart, which are also Proper to the Church after Christs Ascension, as well as these Articles of Belief were proper to them, and so that this Text may speak of both, I leave to further Consideration. 3. Many think that it is but a particular Conversion and Repentance that is here spoken of; that is, from this sin of Ambition which the Disciples did now Manifest: but then they observe not, that it will hence be concluded, that a true Disciple may by a particular sin be in such a state, that if he should die in, he should not be saved. But others that are learned and godly think that no hard Conclusion, as long as God will not suffer them to die in it. 4. I purposely forbear to trouble you with the names of Expositors, but I make no doubt but they are in the right, that suppose that Christ doth here Reprehend their Ambition, by Describing the Contrary temper of his true followers, shewing them the Absolute Necessity of Conversion, without any Determination whether they were or were not Converted at present: he telleth them that except they be Converted humble Persons, they cannot be saved, but doth not determine that now they are otherwise: And indeed it seemeth not likely that the Disciples of Christ, had not then that Conversion and humility of mind that was of Absolute Necessity to Salvation: these words may well be be used to Converted men, to shew them the Necessity of that conversion which they have. As if a Christian begin to grow Covetous, you may say, except you be a man Converted from earthly-mindedness to heavenliness, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; which doth not deny him to be already Converted. Thopugh as to our present purpose the matter is not great which of these be taken for the sense, because they all afford us that Doctrine that we shall gather: For if there be no Salvation without a particular Conversion from a particular sin, much less without a Conversion from a state of sin. But the plain sense of the Text I doubt not is this; As if he should say, You strive for preheminency and wordly greatness in my Kingdom, why I tell you my Kingdom is a Kingdom of babes, it containeth none but the humble that are small in their own eyes, and look not after great Matters in this world; and though nature be proud, yet except you be (now or hereafter) converted men, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: By the Kingdom of Heaven is here meant, both the estate of true Grace, and so of Glory. Not as if Conversion were a preparation to their entering into this Kingdom as begun on earth, but it is their very entrance it self, and so the beginning of it. The Doctrine we shall hence handle, shall be given you in no other but the Words of the Text, lest I seem to force them.
Doct. It is a most certain Truth, protested by Jesus Christ, that except men be Converted and become as little Children, they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Order which we shall observe in handling this, is, 1. To shew you what this Kingdom of Heaven is. 2. What it is to be converted, and particularly what to become as little children. 3. Confirm the Doctrine from other Scriptures. 4. I shall give you the reasons why no man can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is not Converted. 5. We shall make use of all, and therein shew you the hinderances of Conversion, the marks of it, the motives to it, and the directions for attaining it; as the Lord shall enable me.
1. The Kingdom of Heaven is taken in Scripture both for the State of Grace and Glory. As all men are by nature in the Kingdom of Satan here, by a willing obeying of him, and hereafter to be Tormented by him; so all the converted are by Grace in the Kingdom of Christ, by a willing submission, and obedience here, and hereafter to be glorified by him for ever: This is all one Kingdom, because there is the same King and the same Subjects; yet they are Diversified in this, that one is the way or means to the other, and that the Laws and Duties which belong to us in the way, are not all the same as those that shall continue at the end. It is called the kingdom of heaven, both because the King is from above, and not a meer man as earthly Kings are; and reigneth in Heaven invisibly, and not as earthly Monarchs whom you may see: and because it is heaven which all Grace and means and duties do tend to, and it is heaven where is the end and full felicity, and the most glorious part of the Kingdom; the guide and sanctifier of the Church also is from heaven, even the Holy Ghost: the Law is from heaven by the inspiration of the Spirit, the hearts of the Subjects are heavenly, and their lives must be heavenly: It is here in the Seed, it will be hereafter in the full Tree. The Difference between the Egg and the Bird, the Acorn and the Oak, is not neer so great as the Difference between the Kingdom of Grace and of Glory. And yet a man that had never seen or known the production of such creatures, would little Believe, if you should shew him an Acorn, that that would little Believe, if you should shew him an Acorn, that that would come to be an Oak. And it is no marvel if a Carnal heart will not believe that the weak despised graces of the Saints, do tend to such an unconceivable Glory. When a poor Christian that is dead to this world, lieth praying and panting after God, and looking and longing after Glory, little doth the unbelieving world think, what a blessed harbour it is that by these gales he is moving and hasting to; they now see him praying, and shall then see him possessing and praysing: they now see his labour and suffering, but they will not Believe his blessedness, and perfection, till they see it to their own sorrow, who have lost it.