A Treatise of Conversion, Chapter 7 · Section 11
SECT. XI.
Direction 5. IF ever you would be converted, use to consider frequently and seriously of those Truths of God that must do the work. The Word of God is Pure and Powe…full to convert the soul but can you look i… should convert you, if you will not so much as soberly think upon it? How can that work upon your hearts which is out of your minds? It is you that must Joyn with us for your own conversion, and do the rest of the work when you come home, and not think that a Sermon can do it, when you forget it, and never mind it more. If you seek to the ablest Physitian for your body, he can but give you Physick▪ it is you that must take it and keep it, and observe Directions …ll it work. If you will presently cast it up again, how can it do you good? We tell you of those Truths that are most usefull to your conversion, and if you will take them home, and keep them, and ponder of them when you are alone, till they sink into your hearts, and take rooting, you may be happy men; but if you will cast them all up again, and will not be perswaded to bestow now and then a few of your deepest serious thoughts for the further entertainment of them, how should they do you saving good? If I could prevail with this Congegation to be but considerate, and now and then to bestow some time to get the Truth to their hearts, I should have great hopes of the conversion of you all: For Light is stronger then Darkness: If you would but open the window by consideration, and let it in, you should find the darkness presently dispelled, and it would be day with you that have sat in the shadow of Death. The Spirit of God is able to overcome the flesh, and Christ is able to Conquer Satan, and bind him, and cast him out of your souls. And if you would but set in and take his part, and open him the door by sober consideration when he knocks and seeks admittance, and not discourage him by your wilfull Neglect, you would feel the working of his Power to your Salvation. There have now been many Sermons preached to you on this Text; have you considered of them when you came home? have you taken your selves alone and asked your own hearts whether you are converted or not? And have you bethought you of the blessedness of the converted, and the misery of the unconverted which you have heard? Have you dwelt upon these thoughts till they have sunk down into your hearts? If you have, I dare say, this Doctrine hath done you good; but if you have not, what wonder if you be unconverted still, and if you live and die so, and if you be damned among the unconverted, when you will not be perswaded so much as seriously to consider of the matter? If it be not a matter worthy the thinking of▪ it is not worth the hearing, and if this be not to be thought on, I know not what is. We do not go home with you from Church into your houses, nor see what you think of there in secret, nor whether you fall down there before the Lord, and pray over the Sermons that you hear; nor do we hear what you say of it to others, but God followeth you home, and he seeth and heareth all; and he that is here ready with his Grace to enter into your hearts, if you do not resist or sleight him, is there also ready to help you to make use of what you have heard, if you do not wilfully throw it off your selves? Oh did you but earnestly consider what God is, and what your Duty is, and what you were made for, and whither you are going, and what sin and the world is, and what Grace is, and what Christ is, and hath done for you▪ and what Death is, and what Judgement is, and what heaven is, and what hell is, how is it possible you should continue unconverted? How is it possible but you should presently run out of your present carnall worldly state, as you should do out of a house that is all on fire over your head; and should become most zealous and diligent Christians? Certainly Consideration would do very much to you… Conversion, Psalm 119. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet to thy Testimonies, I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments.