The Way to Sound and Saving Conversion, Part 3
The want of Converſion i… not in God, but in our ſelves, he makes uſe of all means and waies to convert us.
1. Our converſion and ſalvation is not a thing impoſſible, for a new and living way is conſecrated for us by Chriſt, through the vail, his fleſh, and by his blood we may have boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt, he hath borne our burthen, he hath removed the impoſſibilities, and nailed to his Croſs the hand-writing that was againſt us, Coll. 2. 14, 15. So that if any of us periſh, it is for want of grace in us, not for want of ſatisfaction by the Redeemer: ſalvation is brought even to our doors, and thruſt in as it were into our hands; we have Chriſt himſelf offered us, and pardon, life and ſalvation with him, we have God himſelf waiting to be gracious, and beſeeching us to be reconciled to him, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. We have the Lords Embaſſadors intreating us in his Name and ſtead; the Lord hath provided excellent and plentiful means, with promiſe upon promiſe of his preſence with, and bleſſing upon us in the uſe of them, and if the Spirit make not theſe means effectual, it will not be long of him, but of our ſelves, God himſelf preſents and offereth us mercy, Prov. 1. 23. and continues his Ordinance…; the Angels waits for the joy that is due to them upon our converſion; Miniſters are preaching and praying for our converſion, godly friends and neighbours are praying and longing to ſee this work wrought in us, See Mr. Bax…ers Call to the unconverted, in the Preface; We ſtudy plainneſs of ſpeach to make them underſtand, we come with ſerious piercing words, to make them feel, but they will neither underſtand nor feel; if the greateſt matters would work with them, we ſhould awake them, if the ſweeteſt things would work, we ſhould intice them, if the moſt dreadful things would work, we ſhould affright them, if truth and certainty would take with them, we ſhould ſoon convince them, if the God that made them, and the Chriſt that bought them, might be heard, the caſe would ſoon be altered with them, if Scripture might be heard, we ſhould ſoon prevail, if the beſt and ſtrongeſt reaſon might be heard, we ſhould ſpeedily convince them, if experience might be heard, even their own experience, the matter would ſoon be mended; yea if the conſcience within them might be heard, the caſe would ſoon be better with them than it is, but if the dreadful God of Heaven be ſlighted, who then ſhall be regarded? If the blood of a Redeemer be made ſlight of, what then ſhall be valued? If the joyes of Heaven is not worth the deſiring, and the torments of Hell the avoiding, what ſhall we do for ſuch ſouls as theſe &c? Now if after all theſe and the like means Man will not turn, it is not long of God that they are not converted, but of themſelves; ſo that Mans deſtruction is of himſelf, James 1. 15. So earneſt is God for the converſion of ſinners, that he doubleth his commands and exhortations Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye dy, Ezek. 33. 11. Again, it is the promiſe of God, that the wicked ſhall live, if they will but turn, nay, the Lord hath confirmed it to us by an oath, That he hath no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, See the forementioned place, Ezek. 33. 11. Nay farther, the Lord condeſcendeth to reaſon the cauſe with all unconverted ſinners, as to ask them why they will dy in their ſinnes, See the forementioned place, Ezek. 33. 11. Compared with 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is long-ſuffering, not willing that any ſhould periſh, &c.