The Parable of the Prodigal, Part 13

The Parable of the Prodigal · Part 13

p. 289This my Son was dead, and is alive again.

Alive again! but how came this about? what was the occaſion of this Prodigals Converſion? look back unto v. 15, 16. he was brought ſo low as to feed Swine, and would have been glad of the Husks, but no man gave unto him, and he is ready to periſh with hunger; and now returning thoughts came into his mind; now he reſolves to come back again unto his Fathers houſe: Whence obſerve,

That great afflictions are ſometimes an occaſion of the Converſion of Doct. 4. Great afflictions are ſometimes an occaſion of great ſinners converſion.a great ſinner. There are two ſorts of afflictions, 1. Inward, which ſet upon the conſcience; theſe are ſometimes an occaſion of Converſion: A troubled conſcience doth many times end in a renewed conſcience; troubles of heart are oftentimes cloſed with change of heart. The great ſtorms occaſion the Traveller to come in for ſhelter: The biting Serpents occaſioned the Iſraelites to look to the braſen Serpent; the avenger of blood made the guilty perſon to flye to the City of refuge; and a condemning conſcience oftentimes makes a poor troubled Soul to come in unto Jeſus Chriſt for eaſe and reſt. 2. Outward, which light upon the body and eſtate of a ſinner; theſe alſo ſometimes ſerve to fetch in a ſinner; as he once ſaid, periiſſem niſi periiſſem, I had periſhed unleſs I had periſhed. Joſephs brethren had never found Joſeph, and craved food of him, unleſs a famine had befallen them. If God had not deprived ſome men of their wordly goods, they had never come in to ſeek heavenly Treaſures: We may ſay of them that if they had been fed, they had been famiſhed; and if they had not been famiſhed, they had never been fed with the bread of life.

Again, theſe outward afflictions may be conſidered two wayes, either 1. Simply, and nakedly in themſelves; ſo they cannot convert any ſinner, no more then the pool of Betheſda (alone) could heale a diſeaſed Perſon, or Elijahs ſalt could heal the Waters. 2. Concomitantly, as accompanied with, and ſanctifyed by Gods Spirit: It is not the hammer, but the fire which ſoftens the p. 290iron; It was not the Water, but the Angel that ſtirred the water, which made the water medicinal: It is not the Rope, but the ſtrength of the hand upon the Rope, which draws in the Bo…t. Afflictions in themſelves are privations of a comfortable good; but if God ſanctifies them, they may then be a means of our everlaſting good: God can uſe them as a bridle, not only to ſtop us running out of the way, but alſo to turn us into the right way. Hoſ. 2. 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderneſs. By alluring, he means a gracious and effectual perſwaſion, a prevailing even to Converſion; but then he will bring her into the wilderneſs; God brings men into the Wilderneſs (into a barren, deſolate miſerable condition) and then allures or converts them. Manaſſes was a great ſinner, and yet God humbled him greatly, and (as it is thought) converted him; but what means did he uſe for this? See 2 Chro. 33. 11. The Lord brought upon him the captains of the hoſt of the King of Aſſyria, who took Manaſſeh among the Thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carryed him to Babylon. v. 12. And when he was in affliction, he beſought the Lord his God, and humbled himſelf greatly. Nebuchadnezzar was a proud and lofty ſinner, and therefore God puld him down; he did drive him from men, and he did eat Graſs as Oxen, and his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven; and having thus abaſed him, he wrought upon him to acknowledg and praiſe the true God, Dan. 4. 33, 34.

Queſt. How may it appear that, &c. Sol. There are four How this may appear. Afflictions ſanctifyed are the ſouls Looking Glaſſes.things attending upon ſanctifyed afflictions, and all of them contribute to Converſion. 1. Afflictions (ſanctifyed) are the ſouls Looking-Glaſs, wherein a man may ſee his ſins, which are the cauſes of afflictions; there are divers Glaſſes in which we may ſee the face of our ſins. 1. The Glaſs of the Word. 2. The Glaſs of Reproof. 3. The Glaſs of Conſcience. 4. The Glaſs of Afflictions: Affliction is a Glaſs wherein a perſon firſt ſees his own ſins; Ocules quam culpa claudit pena aperit. We were verily guilty of the blood of our brother (ſaid Joſeph's Brethren;) and as I have ſerved others, ſo the Lord hath ſerved me (ſaid Adonibezeck,) 2. Sees them as ſinners. In proſperity we ſee the pleaſures of ſin, but in adverſity the bitterneſs of ſin; in the one we ſee them as our friends, in the other as our enemies: An evil and bitter thing that we have forſaken the Lord (ſo Jeremiah ſpeaketh.) 3. Sees them with a ſerious p. 291look; ſees them, and thinks of them; ſees them, and layes them to heart: Thy wickedneſs hath procured theſe things unto thee. Now when a perſon is brought to a right ſight of ſin, to ſee his own ſins, and as ſins, and ſeriouſly conſiders of them; this is a way tending to his Converſion: I conſidered my wayes (ſaid David) and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies.

2. Afflictions (ſanctifyed) work much upon the Conſcience; they are the rods of God upon the Soul; they are the Waters of They work much upon the conſcience.Marah, bitter Waters, and they ſtir up conſcience to ſpeak bitter words unto us: Theſe were thy wayes, and theſe were thy doings; thou wouldſt not be warned, thou wouldſt not hearken, and now ſee whither thy ſins do tend, now ſee into what ſtraits they have brought thee, now thou wilt believe that God is diſpleaſed with thee: When conſcience is ſtirred, when the burden of afflictions turn into the burden of conſcience, two things ordinarily enſue thereupon. 1. A mans carnal ſecurity is broken: The man thought himſelf ſafe and ſecure before; but now he ſees his condition to be very ſad, unſound, unſafe, and miſerable; not only my goods are gone, but my God alſo is gone. 2. The heart comes to be humbled: O, A working conſcience, a ſmiting conſcience is the Hammer of God, by which he breaks and bows the ſoul. Afflictions now ſtir up the Gall and the Wormwood, and the ſoul is humbled by them; and when the ſoul is brought to ſee ſin, and to conſider of ſin, and to be humbled for ſin, it is now in a fair way of Converſion.

3. Afflictions (if ſanctifyed) are gales to Prayer: Lord, in trouble have they viſited thee; they powred out a Prayer, when They are gales to Prayer.thy chaſtening was upon them, Iſai. 26. 10. In their afflictions, they will ſeek me early, Hoſea 5. It is almoſt natural for an afflicted man to pray, and afflictions put an edge of zeal on Prayer; we are ſeldome more frequent and more fervent in that duty, then in the times of our diſtreſs. But then obſerve, that as afflictions are apt to quicken prayer; ſo if they have occaſioned a ſenſe and trouble in the heart for ſin, Then 1. Ʋſually they ſtir up Prayer for pardon of ſin, and for converſion from ſin. Blot out my tranſgreſſions, praies afflicted David. Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, praies diſtreſſed Ephraim, Jer. 31. 18 Theſe are the two great deſires of a diſtreſſed ſoul. 2. Uſually God p. 292hears theſe Prayers, The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe, Pſ. 51. 17. A poor ſinner cannot put up a more acceptable requeſt unto God then this: Lord, I beſeech thee, change and turn my heart, ſubdue mine iniquities! let not ſin have dominion over me! I beſeech thee, ſuffer me not to diſhonour thee any more! So that now you ſee that afflictions have brought the Soul and God together; the afflicted Perſon ſees a need of Mercy and Grace, and unto God he applies himſelf who is the only Author of a ſinners Converſion, the only Phyſician of a ſinful ſoul.

4. Afflictions (if▪ ſanctifyed) incline us unto converting Ordinances: They incline us to conve…ting ordinances.You ſhall obſerve that men under their afflictions are 1. More willing to hear. 2. More attentive in hearing. 3. More tractable and pliable, (.i.) more eaſie to be wrought upon in hearing: When a man is chaſtned with pain, and his fleſh conſumed away, and his ſoul draws near to the Grave; then he will make uſe of a Meſſenger, of an Interpreter, of one among a thouſand to ſhew unto him his uprightneſs, Job 33. 19. to 23. Oh, what a Divine influence and authority hath the Word over ſuch a man? he can be content to have his ſins ript open, and he can hear and weep, Oh, a ſinner! and he longs to hear of ſome word of hope, and when he hears it, Oh, how good is God! and he catcheth greedily at the word of direction; and when he hears it, Oh, when ſhall I be this! when ſhall I do this! Lord, give grace, give ſtrength unto thy poor ſervant; the man in his proſperity would not know the Lord, nor hearken to him; he was above counſel and inſtruction, but now his ear is opened to diſcipline, and inſtruction is ſealed unto him, Job 33. 16. Now it is, Lord, that which I ſee not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more, Job▪ 34. 32.

The firſt Uſe ſhall be for Trial of our ſelves, what the fruit of Ʋſe. Trial, what the fruit of our affliction is.all our afflictions is; I think there is no man almoſt in all the Kingdome, but God hath of late ſome way or other afflicted him. Many have loſt all their eſtates, not an Houſe is left to them, nor Land, nor a Rag to their backs; many have loſt their Husbands or their Children in the War; many have loſt ſome of their Family with the Plague lately; who hath not been ſome way or other afflicted? Now conſider, 1. It is the ſaddeſt affliction, It is the ſaddeſt affl…ction, not to be bittered by affliction.to be no way bettered by afflictions; No miſery like that, to love the ſins, and continue ſtill in the ſins which brought our p. 293miſery: Oh, to be as far from our friends (as before) and as far from our God as before; to be thruſt out of an earthly poſſeſſion, and not yet to get an heavenly inheritance; to loſe our Lands, and not yet to get Chriſt; to have no home to go to here, nor any home to go unto hereafter; to loſe our eſtates, and keep our ſins; to loſe the world, and to loſe the ſoul too; to loſe all our comforts, and yet not to loſe the cauſe of all our diſcomforts. It was a miracle that the three children were in a fiery furnace, yet not one hair of their heads was ſinged; It was a miracle that Moſes buſh was burning, and not conſumed: Oh, it is a ſad wonder that ſo many afflictions are upon men, and not one ſin troubled, not one ſin conſumed, mortifyed! 2. Many perſons, though much afflicted, and long afflicted, yet are not converted; God complained of old, they return not to him Many perſons though much and long afflicted, are not converted. E…gh… ſo …s of perſon…. Stupid ſinners. D…p…rate ſinners.that ſmites them; and in another place, yet have ye not returned to me, ſaith the Lord. There are eight ſorts of men, whoſe afflictions have not been effectual to their Converſion. 1. Stupid Sinners, who know not from whom afflictions are ſent, nor for what end: Wherefore hath all this evil befallen us, ſaid they. 2. Deſperate Sinners, who forſake God in their afflictions: They cry not when he bindeth them, Job. 30. 13. This evil is of the Lord; why ſhould I wait upon the Lord any longer? ſaid he in 2 Kin. 6. 33. 3. Bold ſinners, who grow worſe and worſe under their affliction; as Bold ſinners.the Anvile by blows is more hardened; like Ahaz in his diſtreſſes who ſinned yet more, 2 Chr. 28. 22. 4. Proud Sinners, who repine, and murmur, and complain againſt God, fretting againſt him, and Proud ſinners.perhaps curſing of God, as they in I…. 8. 21. 5. Careleſs Sinners, who Careleſs ſinners.regard not the operations of Gods hands, and lay nothing to heart: The unjuſt knows no ſhame, Zep. 3. 5. 6. Politick Sinners, who think Politick ſinners. Deſpairing ſinners.to make up their loſſes by any temporizing compliances. 7. Deſpairing Sinners, who ſink under the burden of worldly loſſes and croſſes; a worldly ſorrow doth ſeize on them, even unto death, and cruſh them as Rachel, &c. 8. Hypocritical Sinners, who ſeem to turn unto God in Prayer and Faſting, but it is like Judah, friendly Hypocritical ſinners.not with their whole hearts; at the beſt they doe but ſtop in ſinning, but they do not forſake their ſins; their righteouſneſs is but as the morning dew, Hoſ. 6. I will but ſay three things to all theſe men. 1. It is a ſure ſign, that the afflictions are whips of wrath, and not rods of love, they come not from a Father, but from a Judg. 2. It is a ſure ſign that greater afflictions p. 294are to follow, I will chaſtiſe you ſeven times more, Lev. 26. 21. or elſe, which is worſe, eternal deſtructio…. Reprobate Silver ſhall they be called: Becauſe I would have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged till I cauſe my fury to reſt upon thee. 3. It is a ſign that men are very wicked, drowned in the love of ſin, or the World, or that a ſpirit of Atheiſm prevails and reigns in them.

I now proceed to another Propoſition, which is implyed in theſe words:

That there is an Almighty Power required to convert or change a Doct. 5. There is an almighty power required to convert a ſinner.ſinner, no leſs then is requiſite to quicken a dead man: (This my Son was dead, and is alive again;) To awaken a man out of ſleep, needs no great power; (a word, a call, a cry, a little ſtiring may do it;) but to quicken a dead man, here calls, and cries, and ſtirrings will not do it, all the power of Men and Angels will not do it. In Acts 2. 41. you read of three thouſand converted at one Sermon. And in Acts 4. 4. of five thouſand converted at another Sermon, ſo many, ſo quickly converted; certainly the Power that wrought this muſt be Almighty. Jeſus Chriſt himſelf muſt come, and he muſt cry, and he muſt cry with a loud voice; Lazarus, come forth, Joh. 11. 43. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of the exceeding greatneſs of Gods Power, towards them that believe, and of the working of his mighty Power, Epheſ. 1. 19. Even ſuch a Power as God wrought in Chriſt, when he raiſed him from the dead, v. 20.

There is a twofold opinion about the power which is put forth The power put forth in converſion. Not moral only.in a ſinners Converſion. 1. Some hold it to be Moral only, becauſe this is moſt congruous to the will of man, which is a moral ſubject. God (they imagine) doth offer and propound ſuch Objects, with ſuch Arguments which do wooe, and allure, and prevail with the will of a ſinner. Sol. It is true that the outward means work only after a moral way. The word (which is the miniſtry for Converſion) it doth offer to the ſinner Arguments of life, and death; It reveales, and commands, and promiſeth and threatneth: But a moral ſuaſion (as they call it) is not ſufficient to convert: And there are four Reaſons which to me ſeem very ſtrong and unanſwerable againſt it, 1. The Proved.very Phraſes by which a ſinners Converſion is expreſſed in Scripture, do ſurmount a moral ſuaſion: There is no leſs power to p. 295convert a ſinner then there was 1. To create man at the firſt. 2. There ſhall be to raiſe the dead at the laſt; when a ſinner is converted, he is ſaid to be created again, to be born again, to be regenerated; his heart is ſaid to be opened, and circumciſed; his ſtrong heart is taken away, an heart of fleſh is given unto him; ſurely all this is more then a moral power. 2. This moral ſuaſion muſt neceſſarily preſuppoſe ſome power and abilities in him with whom it deals; as if you counſel a man, you ſuppoſe ſomething in him to incline him to hearken; if you do not ſuppoſe ſuch a power, then it muſt be ſuppoſed that your counſel is in vain; as if you ſhould counſel an Ethiopian to change his skin, or a blind man to ſee; this were in vain, for there is no power in them to do theſe. 3. The converſion of a ſinner in reſpect of God ſhould be then contingent; It might be, and it might not be; Though God intends to convert a man, yet he may fail and miſs of the event, for as much as a moral work is reſiſtable, and may eaſily be put by. How often would I have gathered your children, and you would not; yee alwayes reſiſt the Holy-Ghoſt. 4. Yea, the Converſion of a ſinner ſhould in the event depend more upon the will of man, then on the will of God. The grace offered is common, and it is made peculiar, and differential by mans will; the right uſe of grace is not of grace, but of free will; ſo that diſcrimen ſiliorum Dei & ſeculi, is a natura, not ex gratia. The moral ſuaſion is preſented unto two ſinners, the ſuaſion is alike; why doth it bring this man and not the other man to Converſion? There can be no reaſon given but this, that the one would hearken to it, the other would not; ſo that the effect of Converſion (by this opinion) is manifeſtly placed in the liberty of a ſinners will, whereas the Scripture plainly aſcribes it to the will of him who calls, not to the will of him who is called. 2. Others hold it to be much beyond this; To be a moſt High Power, a I… is a moſt high power, a creating power.Creating Power, a Divine Power, an Almighty Power, ſuch a Power as overpowers all the ſinful power in man, bears it down, and overcomes a proud, ſtubborn, reſiſting heart; though it doth not totaliter eradicare, yet it doth actualiter predominari & vincere reſiſtentiam voluntatis. Now that no leſs power is ſufficient, effectually Proved.to convert a ſinner, may be cleared by theſe Arguments. 1. If you conſider the nature of Converſion it ſelf: there are two From the nature of conve… ſion.things which Converſion doth denote; One is an immediate work p. 296of God, renewing man, or giving unto him a new birth; this cannot be done without an almighty Power. Our Divines in the Synod of Dort, call this Mirabilem operationem; Proſper calls this Grace Bonorum in nobis creatricem: This is the creating work, to beſtow a Soul upon the Soul, a Spirit of life upon a ſpirit; this muſt be the work of an almighty God indeed, Omnipotentiſſima poteſtas inclinandi humanorum cordium: Auſtin de Cor. & Gra. c. 14. No man nor Angel can make a creature, only a God can make creatures, and new creatures: The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, and can any but a God, change the heart, the nature of a ſinner? Another is, A work of man by Faith, and Repentance, turning himſelf unto God; ſome term the former converſionem primam, and the latter converſionem ſecundam; theſe two in the order of time cannot ſcarce be diſtinguiſhed, but in order of cauſality they are, the work of God converting man is before, and it is a cauſe of the action in man converting unto God: Now Converſion in this ſenſe depends upon an almighty Power; even the believer cannot believe without Gods mighty Power; there is a wonderful Power required to draw out the act of believing: Oh, how much power is neceſſary to make any troubled broken heart actually to come unto Chriſt, actually to believe, to embrace Jeſus Chriſt! how many Seas muſt be divided firſt? how many Mountains levelled and removed out of their places firſt? It muſt come from the Father, if any do come unto the Son. See Jo. 6. 37. 45. Ʋnto you it is given to believe. (foreign) Faith is the gift of God, and the act of Faith is the gift of God too; a renewed will is from God, and when it is renewed, even now to will is from God: God works in you to will and to do of his good pleaſure, Phil. 2. 13. there muſt be his good will to make us will good, and his foreign for our foreign, his work to make us to work. 2. If you conſider the ſtrength of ſin in mans nature: we look upon two things in From the ſtrength of ſin in mans nature.ſin; the guilt of it; Oh, this was ſo great, ſo mighty that it could never be expiated but by an almighty ſatisfaction, even the blood of the Son of God; the filth and corruption of it, why! thus conſidered, it is of that ſtrength in the Soul, that no Power but what is Divine can overcome it, an almighty Power is neceſſary to this, it muſt be a ſtronger then the ſtrong that muſt diſpoſſeſs this ſtrong p. 297man; they are no weak weapons, but mighty weapons; and mighty through God, which muſt pull down theſe ſtrong holds; the heart of man is full of evil, ſaith Solomon; it is deſperately wicked, ſaith Jeremy: I beſeech you pauſe a while upon two Conſiderations. 1. There is an exceeding ſtrength in Sin, even in the Regenerate, and converted Perſon: Paul cries out, I am ſold, I am led captive. David is weeping for no leſs ſins then of Adultery, and Murder: Peter weeps bitterly for no leſs ſin then denying of Chriſt, then for ſwearing and curſing. In the very beſt the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit; So that they cannot do the Good they would, and cannot overcome the evil that they hate. Now mark, if there be ſo much ſtrength in ſinful nature dying, how great is the ſtrength in ſinful nature living? If there be ſo much power in a broken arm, how great is the power in a perfect, ſtrong unbroken arm? If all the Chriſtians Grace he hath be ſometimes too weak for his ſinful inclination, aſſuredly then all external counſels, adviſes, reproofs are too weak to alter the whole ſinful nature; for the quality of Grace is much more ſtrong, then the exhortation unto Grace.

2. That there is ſuch a ſtrength in ſin, that all the degrees of Grace unto which a converted perſon can poſſible attain in this life, are not able totally to rid the ſoul of it. Till the mud-wall be quite pulled down, ſome of the Ivy will ſtick unto it; Jacob went halting unto his grave. Till death makes an end of our lives, Grace cannot make an end of our ſins. Is it thus with the converted perſon, that neither Counſels, nor Exhortations, nor Grace received can utterly extirpate ſin? nay is ſometimes too weak for ſin? verily then there can be no converſion of a ſinner without an Almighty power: the power of ſin in an unconverted man being in fulleſt ſtrength, in every faculty and making higheſt reſiſtance to Grace, becauſe naturally of deepeſt contrariety thereunto.

3. Nay thirdly, conſider as there is a mighty ſtrength From that ſtrength joyned with Sin, to oppoſe the ſinners Converſion.in ſin, ſo there is a mighty ſtrength joyned with ſin, to oppoſe the ſinners Converſion; and the ſinner cannot be converted until both theſe armies be conquered: 1. Satans ſtrength is joyned with the ſtrength of ſin: the ſinner is under the dominion of ſin, and he is likewiſe under the dominion of Satan; and as ſin is a powerful Lord, ſo Satan is a powerful Prince; he is the God of this world, he works mightily in the Children of diſobedience, p. 298Epheſ. 2. 2. He takes them captive at his pleaſure; and as Pharaoh raiſed all his hoſt, when the Children of Iſrael were to go out of Egypt; ſo doth Satan ſtir up all his policy, and put forth all his power, to withhold a perſon from being converted. He arms the Judgment with reaſons, exceptions, ſhifts, diſputes; and he arms the Will with averſneſs, unreaſonableneſs, ſtubbornneſs, pride; And he arms the Conſcience, and he arms the Affections. O what corrupt reaſonings? how many proud denials? what hideous repreſentations of the wayes of Grace? what delights, what profits we have had by ſin? what impoſſibilities, what diſputes, what feares, what terrors, what dampings of the Word, what diſtractions in Prayer, what agonies, and continual, and vehement, and violent conflicts, doubts, ſcruples, &c? 2 All theſe muſt be anſwered, and all theſe muſt be conquered, if the ſoul be converted. And can all this be done by a morall power? O no; it muſt be an Almighty power, which muſt reſcue a poor ſoul out of the hands of two ſuch mighty Lords. The people of Iſrael could not be delivered from one King, and with a temporal deliverance, but by the exceeding greatneſs of Gods power, and by an high and inſuperable working of divine Grace. 4. There is more then an ordinary power required for effects which fall ſhort of Converſion: and if From the effects which fall ſhort of Converſion.no leſs then an almighty power be required for theſe (which are at the beſt but ſubordinate and preparative workes to the main work of Converſion,) queſtionleſs then, the work of Converſion depends, and muſt depend on an almighty Power. Such a quantity of power cannot be denied for the greater, which yet muſt be granted for the leſſer works, in the ſame Order. There are ſome good and learned Divines, who handling the preparatives Synod. D…rdr. pag. 160.to Converſion, do conceive four precious acts or works, wrought before it. v. g. 1. Notitia divinae voluntatis, a knowledg of the Divine will. 2. Senſus peccati, a ſight and feeling of our ſins, and ſinful condition; 3. Cogitatio de liberatione, ſome thoughts and deſires of deliverance; 4. Spes veniae, an hope at laſt of a poſſibility of mercy and pardon: all which God works by the preaching of the Word. As upon Peters ſermon, they came to a …enſe of their ſin, and fear, and trouble, and deſire, and had ſome hope of deliverance preached unto them, the promiſe being made to them and unto their Children; upon which God converted p. 299them. Now mark me; There is a neceſſity of an almighty Power to produce theſe antecedaneous, and inferior works. None but the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Glory, can inlighten the eyes of the Epheſians, c. 1. 17, 18. Surely then, none leſs then he can open the heart of the Epheſians; for which is the greater work, to open an eye, or to open an heart? Is it not more to give life to the dead, then to give ſight to the blinde? None but God can make a ſinner ſenſible of his ſins; When the Commandment came, ſin revived, and I died, Rom. 7. 9. Now which is the greater work, to make me feel my ſins, or to make me forſake my ſins? to trouble my heart, or to alter my heart? to feel my diſeaſe, or to heale me of my diſeaſe? to ſhew me my …etters, or break off theſe …etters?

5. It is (at leaſt) as great a work to convert a ſinner, as it is to From the power required to preſerve a ſinner converted.preſerve a ſinner converted; and one would think a greater work; for to the one man is dead, to the other he is living. Is i… not more to make the houſe, then to repair the houſe? but to preſerve or keep a converted perſon ſtedfaſt to the end, there needs no leſs then the power of a God: (We are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation. 1 Pet. 1. 5.) therefore to convert a ſinner doth require no leſs power then that of a God. Now put all theſe things together; the nature of Converſion, the Power of a ſinful heart, the Strength of Satan, the Power required for leſſer works then converſion, the Greatneſs of making, then keeping, and then I think it wil manifeſtly appear, That no leſs then an almighty Power is neceſſary to a ſinners Converſion.

Is there an almighty power required to convert a ſinner, Ʋſe 1.as great a power as to make a dead man alive? how To humble us from the conſideration of the D…pth of our diſeaſe.may this humble all our thoughts, and all our hearts! you may judg of the depth of the diſeaſe, by the bredth of the Remedy; ſo may we of the greatneſs of our fall, by the greatneſs of the power which is required to raiſe us up. O who can utter the ſinfulneſs of a ſinner! who of us would believe that there is ſo great a ſtrength in one of his ſins! that all the powers in heaven and earth (leſs then Gods) are not able, are not ſufficient to turn his heart from it! That one luſt of Pride, that one luſt of Uncleanneſs, that one luſt of Covetouſneſs, that one luſt of vain-Glory, &c. is too ſtrong for thee, and it is too ſtrong for all the men on earth, and it is too ſtrong for all the Angels in heaven. p. 300Though one puls and the other puls, and all of them pull together, they cannot pull it from thy heart, nor thy heart from it: you read in 2 Kings 4. 31. that Gehazi went before Eliſha and laid the ſtaff upon the face of the Child, but there was neither voyce, nor hearing; wherefore he went again to meet Eliſha, and told him ſaying, The child is not awaked: Why! thus it is with thy heart under all the means of life and Grace; they may all turn back to God and ſay, This ſinner is not yet awakened, he is not yet turned; The word of God may ſay, I cannot with all my Inſtructions, with all my Reproofs, with all my Exhortations convert him: nor can I, ſaith Conſcience; nor I, ſaith Affliction; nor I, ſaith the Miniſter; nor I, ſaith the Father. The proud Pelagians, Papiſts, Arminians dream in this Point of a ſleeper, but think not of a death; they talk of a priſon, and opening the doore, but think not of the chains wherewith the priſoner is bound and fettered: they talk of a Counſeller, but forget the Phyſitian; they write, as if a ſinner were to be converted with Logick and R…etorick; but alas! if any word converts a ſinner, it muſt be an almighty word; God muſt quicken, as well as call; God muſt heal, as well as ſpeak; God muſt work as a God, or elſe the ſinner will remain an eternall ſinner.

2. If ſuch an almighty Power be neceſſary to convert a ſinner, It is fooliſh preſumption to defer Repentance upon a pretence of turning when we liſt.then what a fooliſh Preſumption is it to defer to beg Repentance, ſuppoſing a lurking dormant power in the heart to turn when we liſt? But, O vain man! why yet a little ſleep more, and yet a little ſlumbring more! and why to morrow, or why hereafter? what is thy power, or what is thy ſtrength to come off from thy ſins, or to overcome and turn thy ſinful heart? Why! Go and try ſome leſſer thing, change the Leopards ſpots, turn night into day, raiſe thy dead child out of the grave, ſtop the courſe of the Sea, and ſweeten it: Read the word, and make thy ſelf to underſtand it; Read thy heart and make thy ſelf to humble it; if thou canſt not do the leſſer, the weaker, why wilt thou endanger thy ſelf with a preſuming to do the greater, the ſtronger? Is it credible, that a ſinner is able to do the work of a God? thou canſt not break the thred, and ſhalt thou be ſufficient to break the Cable? thou canſt not pluck up the plant, and ſhalt thou be able to pull up the Oak? thou art not able to extinguiſh the riſing of a ſinful thought, and wilt thou ever be able to convert p. 301a ſinful nature? And tel me ſeriouſly, doth thy ſinful power decreaſe by ſinful actings! In civil trading the ſtock is ſometimes diminiſhed; but in ſinful tradings, ſin increaſeth the more in ſtrength, by how much the more is it laid out in ſinning; and the more that ſinful power increaſeth, the more need is there of a greater power to convert the heart. If the weakeſt ſinner doth need an almighty power to convert him, O what an almighty, almighty power doth the ſtrong ſinner, doth the long ſinner need for his Converſion!

3. If an almighty power be required to the Converſion of a If you would be converted look after a… almighty Power.ſinner; then, if ever you would be converted, look to that which is more then a finite power. If thou wouldſt have thy ſelf converted, or any who belong to thee converted, do not expect it from men or means; Friends may deſire converſion, and Miniſters may preach the doctrine of Converſion, but it is God only who can effect the work of Converſion. I ſpake unto thy Diſciples (ſaid that troubled man about his poſſeſſed child) to caſt him out, and they could not, Mar. 9. 18. I confeſs, we muſt uſe ſpiritual means, we muſt hear, we muſt pray, we muſt confer, but if you think that any of theſe (nuda virtute) by their own natural power can convert, you are deceived. It is not the word, but God by the word; (the power of God to ſalvation:) it is not prayer, but God to whom ye pray; it is not the miniſter, but God who ſends the miniſter, who is able to enlighten thy mind, to quicken thy conſcience, to convert thy heart; Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, ſaid Ephraim, Jer. 31. 18. So ſay thou, O Lord, thou art the living God, thou only art the Lord of life, I come to thee to convert mee unto thee; I hear, I read, I confer, I meditate on arguments, I purpoſe, and yet I am not converted; Miniſters deal with me, and Friends deal with me, and Mercies deal with me, and Afflictions deal with me, and Ordinances deal with me, and yet I am not converted! O Lord, I am without ſtrength, and they are without ſtrength; but thou art not without ſtrength. No power leſs then thine will be ſufficient for my Converſion: Now, O Lord, reveal thine arm; ſtretch out thine hand; O pity, ſpeak, quicken, turn, ſave one ſinner more; nothing is too hard for thee, thou didſt make a world by thy mouth, and thou wilt raiſe the dead, by thy word; O ſpeak but one word, and my dead ſoul ſhall live. 4. Doth the co… p. 302verſion of a ſinner depend upon an almighty power? then let us not deſpair, of a mighty ſinner; nor yet let a mighty ſinner deſpair Deſpair not of a mighty ſinner.of a poſſibility of Converſion. God hath an almighty Power to condemn a ſinner, therefore let him not preſume; God hath an almighty Power to convert a ſinner, therefore let no ſinner deſpair.

5. Then if any of you be converted, Bleſs God for it: we Bleſs God for our converſion.could never do it; it is God, and God alone, who hath done it: there are reaſons why God reſerves the power of a ſinners Converſion to himſelf alone; 1. That men ſhould ſeek to him alone for it; If God alone had not all the power of giving, he ſhould loſe of all the duty in praying, and asking. 2. That he alone may have all the glory, and praiſe.Comfort to us that God converts by an almighty Power.

6. This is of exceeding Comfort to us, That it belongs to the almighty power of God to convert a ſinner: For 1. That power is power ſufficient: 2. It ever abides in God: 3. It is accompanied with an exceeding willingneſs; if thou ſeekeſt to him, thou ſhalt find his will to be as great as his power; he is as willing as he is able to convert thee; thou canſt not come with a more exceptable petition.