The Way to Sound and Saving Conversion, Table of contents
A Table of the principal Heads in General, and the conexion of theſe things together, and dependency of the one upon the other.
OF the Creation of Man. page 1
Of the pleaſurable and delightfull condition he was placed in. 1, 2
The manner of his fall, and the ſubtilty of Sathan therein. 4
The ſad and miſerable eſtate he fell into. 5
Man can never be ſaved, unleſſe born again. 8
There be four Gates ſhut againſt him. 8, 9
There be 18 ſorts of perſons that ſhall not enter into Heaven. 11, 12
There be four reaſons why the Lord will not ſave them. 14
Man is both unable and unwilling to help himſelf out of this miſerable eſtate. 20, 21
There is a fourfold Change, and but one ſaving Change.
1. a Moral,
2. a Partial,
3. a Formal,
4. a Spiritual,
Change. 16, to 26
The preparations and qualifications that we are to find in our ſelves before we lay hold on Chriſt and the promiſes. 26, 27
How Converſion, Regeneration, Vocation, and Repentance agree or differ. 28, 29
Of the way ſtep by ſtep wherein the Lord doth lead a Soul out of a ſtate of Nature into a ſtate of Grace. 29
1. The firſt ſtep to Converſion is Illumination. 29, 30
2. The ſecond ſtep is Vocation, which is accompanyed with
1. The Faith of Aſſent.
2. Repentance.
3. Converſion.
4. Regeneration.
35, 36, 37
3. The third ſtep to Converſion is to truſt or believe, which is accompanied with
1. A looking unto him.
2. A comming unto him.
3. A receiving of him.
4. Laying hold on him.
37, to 43
4. The next ſtep for the carrying on, and compleating this bleſſed work, there is dropped into the Soul, the Spirit of prayer, which cauſeth the Soul chiefly to pray for theſe three things.
1. For more Illumination.
2. For pardoning Mercy.
3. For purging Mercy.
45, 46
5. The fifth and laſt ſtep that I ſhall name is this, the Lord doth cauſe the Soul ſecretly to give it ſelf up, and ſurrender all the ſuppoſed intereſt that it had in its ſelf, to God that made him, and Chriſt that bought him. 49, 50
Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances, which are,
1. Hearing the word preached.
2. Reading the Scriptures.
3. Frequent and e…neſt prayer.
51, to 54
2 Dwell much upon Grace-breeding, and Soul-converting promiſes. 54 to 57
3. Frequent the company of Grace-begetting, and Soul-converting companions. 57, 58, 59
4. Call to mind and meditate upon Gracebegetting conſiderations. viz.
1. Conſider what Chriſt hath done for us.
2. Conſider how God hath dealt with other ſinners.
3. Conſider what relation thou haſt to him.
4. Conſider what engagements you have from God.
59, to 62
5. Conſider in whoſe name you come before him. ibid.
5. Means to gather and treaſure up a ſtock of Grace-begetting, and Soul-converting experiences. 62, 63, 64, 65
Of the means to be uſed, that is more eſpecially appointed for the confirming, ſealing and aſſuring the Soul of Salvation. In the uſe of means take theſe four cautions▪
1. Be ſure they be means of Gods own appointment.
2. It is not the means alone, but Gods bleſſing upon the means, that doth help us.
3. His Bleſſing is not diſpenced ſo much according to the means, as according to the uprightneſs of the heart, in the uſe of them.
4. Yet we are to wait upon God in the uſe of means, as it is Gods way of Conveyance, &c.
65, to 73
The want of Converſion is not in God, but in our ſelves 73, 74, 75▪ 76.
Some of the principal hinderances of Converſion.
1. Ignorance of our own miſery, and Gods mercy.
2. Men think it to be either a needleſs, or an eaſie work.
3. A total neglect, or careleſs uſe of means.
4. Mens not conſidering the joyes of Heaven, and the torments of Hell.
5. Falſe conceits of themſelves.
6. Too deep a familiarity with bad company.
7. Ignorance of the grounds and princ…ples of the Chriſtian Religion.
8. And laſt hinderance is delay.
76, to 81
Of the ſad condition of all that are not converted. 81
Of the privileges and benefits of all that are converted. 82, 83
1. They are Chiſts Servants.
2. They are his Friends.
3. His Brethren.
4. His Jewels.
5. His Sons and Daughters.
6. His Bride and Spouſe.
7. They are Co-heirs with Chriſt.
ibid.
The tryals of Converſion, by which a man may know whether he be converted, yea, or no. 83, 84
1. He that is converted doth deſire the word, and means of Grace.
2. He is willing to be made willing to do, whatſoever the Lord doth cōmand him.
3. He is brought unto an unfeigned hatred of the whole body of Sin.
4. His greateſt conflict is againſt in ward pollution.
5. He mourns for the ſins of of others, and the want of more grace in himſelf.
6. He doth delight to be ſpeaking of thoſe things wch his heart hath taken in in the work of Converſion.
7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart.
8. He makes Conſcience of keeping every known Command.
9. He is willing to put himſelf upon the tryal.
10. He hath his Soul renewed in its faculties and vertues.
85, 86
Cerrain Objections anſwered, which ſome out of weakneſſe, and others out of prejudice, may be apt to make againſt the foregoing Diſcourſe. 100
The Objections or Queries that are clearly anſwered are as followeeh.
Q. IF a people or a perſon refuſe to imbrace the Doctrine, and practiſe the Diſcipline of the true Religion, whether they are not to be forced to receive the one, and practiſe the other, yea or no? 100
Q. Whether liberty of Conſcience be, as ſome ſay, a curſed tolleration, or of Divine inſtitution, yea or no? 101
Q. What is or ought to be the ground of Communion and Fellowſhip in the Church of Chriſt? 102
Q. Whether there be any preparatory work required of men and women before Converſion? and iſ ſo, what it is? ibid.
Q. Whether there be not a free will remaining in all the poſterity of Adam, yea or no? 103
Q. Whether Adam by his fall did totally loſe every good thing that there was in him, yea or no? ibid.
Q. How came the ſin of Adam being but one, to become the ſin of ſo many, yea of all mankind? 104
Q. How could Chriſt being but one make ſatisfaction for the ſins of ſo many? ibid.
Q. What are we to underſtand by election and reprobation, which ſo many contend about? 105
Q. Whether Election be the cauſe of Salvation, and Reprobation the cauſe of Damnation, yea or no? 106
Q. Whether Chriſt hath dyed and taſted death for every man, yea or no? ibid.
Q. How can they have hope to believe▪ whom God hath decreed ſhall not believe? 107
Q. Why doth the moſt juſt and righteous God command all men to believe, and promiſe ſalvation to them that doe believe, and threaten damnation to all that doe not, ſeeing it is not in man… power to believe. 108
Q. Whether there be not a Light in every man, which if improved and walkt up to, would lead us to the Gate of Heaven, if not into Heaven, yea or no? 109
Q. How doth it plainly appear, that our Acceptation, and Salvation is only of Grace and nothing elſe? 111
Q. If Salvation be only of Grace without works, in what reſpect are good works neceſſary? 111, to 116
Q. How ſhall a man be able to do what is required, ſeeing he is not ſufficient of himſelf ſo much as to think a good thought? 116, 119
Q. What is, or who is the Object of Faith? 120, 121
Q. What encouragements or grounds are there to provoke or perſwade a people to believe in God? 122, 124
Q. In what way are we to concelve of God when we pray unto him? 124, 125
Q. How, or in what order are we to direct our prayers to the Trinity? 125, 126
Q. How can there be three, viz. Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, and yet but one God, ſeeing they are all called God? 126, 127, 128,
To each of theſe Queſtions there are clear and full Anſwers, which will ſatisfie all ſober, enquiring teachable people.