are "called, but few are chosen," and that even of the professing "Israel, but a remnant shall be saved." If this doctrine be true, we shall not say any more with the disciples, "Who then shall be saved? but rather, "Who then shall not be saved?" Then, if a man be called a brother, (that is, a christian,) and be baptized, though he be a fornicator, or a railer, or covetous, or a drunkard, yet he shall inherit the kingdom of God.3 But some will reply, Such as these, though they did receive regenerating grace in baptism, are since fallen away, and must be renewed again, or else they cannot be saved. I answer, 1. That there is an infallible connexion between regeneration and salvation, as we have already shewn, and I long to be farther evidencing, but that it is against designed brevity. 2. Then man must be born again a second time, which carries a great deal of absurdity in its face: and why may not men be twice born in nature as well as in grace? Why not as great an absurdity to be twice regenerated, as to be twice generated? But, 3, and above all, this grants, however, the thing I contend for, that whatever men do or pretend to receive in baptism, if they be found afterwards to be grossly ignorant, or profane, or formal, without the power of godliness, they "must be born again," or else be shut out of the kingdom of God. So then they must have more to plead for themselves than their baptismal regeneration. Well, in this you see all are agreed, that, be it more or less that is received in baptism, if, when men come to years, they are evidently unsanctified, they must be renewed again by a thorough and powerful change, or else they cannot escape the damnation of hell. Friends and brethren, "be not deceived; God is not mocked.”1 Whether it be your baptism, or whatever else you pretend, I tell you, from the living God, that if any of you be prayerless persons, or unclean, or 1 Matt. xxii. 14. 3 1 Cor. v. 11, and vi. 9, 10. 4 Gal. vi. 7. malicious, or covetous, or riotous, or a scoffer, or a lover of evil company,' in a word, if you are not holy, strict, and self-denying christians, you cannot be saved. 4 3 2 Paul, while unconverted, touching the righteousness which is in the law, was blameless. The self-justiciary could say, 66 I am no extortioner, adulterer, unjust, &c. Thou must have something more than all this to shew, or else, however thou mayest justify thyself, God will condemn thee. I condemn not morality, but warn you not to rest here: piety includes morality, as christianity doth humanity, and grace reason ; but we must not divide the tables. 5 8 It is also manifest that men may have a form of godliness, without the power. Men may pray long," and fast often,' and hear gladly, and be very forward in the service of God, though costly and expensive," and yet be strangers to conversion. They must have more to plead for themselves, than that they keep their church, give alms, and make use of prayer, to prove themselves sound converts. There is no outward service but a hypocrite may do it, even to the "giving all his goods to feed the poor, and his body to the fire." 10 Conversion is not the mere chaining up of corruption by education, human laws, or the force of incumbent affliction. It is too common and easy to mistake education for grace; but, if this were enough, who a better man than Jehoash? While Jehoiada, his uncle, lived, he was very forward in God's service, and calls upon him to repair the house of the Lord," but here was nothing more than good education all this while; for, when his good tutor was taken out of the way, he appears to have been but a wolf chained up, and falls into idolatry. Prov. xiii. 20. 2 Heb. xii. 14; Matt. xv. 14. 3 Phil. iii. 6. Luke xviii. 11. 5 2 Tim. iii. 5. 6 Matt. xxiii. 14. 7 Luke xviii. 12. 10 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 3 In short, conversion consists not in illumination or conviction, in a superficial change or partial reformation. An apostate may be an enlightened man,' and a Felix tremble under conviction," and a Herod do many things. It is one thing to have sin alarmed only by convictions, and another to have it captivated and crucified by converting grace. Many, because they have been troubled in conscience for their sins, think well of their case, miserably mistaking conviction for conversion. With these Cain might have passed for a convert, who ran up and down the world like a man distracted, under the rage of a guilty conscience, till, with building and business, he had worn it away.* Others think that because they have given over their riotous courses, and are broken off from evil company or some particular lust, and reduced to sobriety and civility, they are now no other than real converts, forgetting that there is a vast difference between being sanctified and civilized; and that many seek to enter into the kingdom of heaven," and are not far from it," and arrive to the almost of christianity," and yet fall short at last. While conscience holds the whip over them, many will pray, hear, read, and forbear their delightful sins, but no sooner is the lion asleep than they are at their sins again. Who more religious than the Jews when God's hand was upon them ?8 Yet no sooner was the affliction over than they forgot God, and shewed their religion to be a mere fit." Thou mayst have forsaken a troublesome sin, and have escaped the gross pollutions of the world, and yet not have changed thy carnal nature all the while.1o You may cast the lead out of the rude mass into the more comely proportion of a plant, and then into the shape of a beast, and thence into the form and features of a man, yet all the while it is but lead still; so a ! Heb. vi. 4. 2 Acts xxiv. 25. 5 Luke xiii. 24. 6 Mark xii. 34. 7 Acts xxvi. 28. man may pass through divers transmutations, from ignorance to knowledge, from profaneness to civility, thence to a form of religion, and all this while he is but carnal and unregenerate, whilst his nature remains unchanged. "Hear then, O sinners, hear as you would live, so come and hear." Why would you so wilfully deceive yourselves, or build your hopes upon the sand? I know he shall find hard work of it that goes to pluck away your hopes. It cannot but be ungrateful to you, and truly it is not pleasing to me; I set about it as a surgeon, when to cut off a mortified limb from his wellbeloved friend, which of necessity he must do, though with an aching heart, a pitiful eye, and a trembling hand. But understand me, brethren: I am only taking down the ruinous house, which will otherwise speedily fall of itself, and bury you in the ruins, that I may build it fair, strong, and firm for ever. The hope of the wicked shall perish, if God be true to his word.2 And hadst not thou better, O sinner, let the word convince thee now in time, and let go thy false and selfdeluding hopes, than have death, too late, to open thine eyes, and find thyself in hell before thou art aware? I should be a false and faithless shepherd if I should not tell you that you, who have built your hopes upon no better grounds than these before mentioned, are yet in your sins. Let your conscience speak. What is it that you have to plead for yourselves? Is it that you wear Christ's livery? that you bear his name? that you are of the visible church? that you have knowledge in the points of religion, are civilized, perform religious duties, are just in your dealings, have been troubled in conscience for your sins ? I tell you, from the Lord, these pleas will never be accepted at God's bar; all this, though good in itself, will not prove you converted, and so will not suffice to your salvation. O look about you, and bethink yourselves of turning speedily and soundly. Set to praying, and reading, and studying your own hearts; rest not till God hath made thorough work with you, for you must be other men, or else you are lost men. But if these characters be short of conversion, what shall I say of the profane sinner? It may be he will scarcely cast his eyes or lend his ear to this discourse; but if there be any such reading or within hearing, he must know, from the Lord that made him, that he is far from the kingdom of God. May a man be civilized and not converted: where then shall the drunkard and glutton appear? May a man keep company with the wise virgins, and yet be shut out? shall not a companion of fools much more be destroyed ? May a man be true in his dealings, and yet not be justified of God? what then will become of thee, O wretched man, whose conscience tells thee thou art false in thy trade, and false to thy word, and makest thy advantage by a lying tongue? If men may be enlightened and brought to the performance of holy duties, and yet go down to perdition for resting in them and sitting down on this side of conversion, what will become of you, O miserable families, that live without God in the world; and of you, O wretched sinners, with whom God is scarcely in all your thoughts; that are so ignorant that you cannot, or so careless that you will not, pray? Ŏ repent and be converted; break off your sins by righteousness; away to Christ for pardoning and renewing grace; give up yourselves to him to walk with him in holiness, or else you shall never see God. O that you would take the warnings of God! In his name I once more admonish you turn you at my reproof.2 Forsake the foolish, and live." Be sober, righteous, and godly. Wash your hands, ye sinners; purify your hearts, ye double-minded.5 Cease to do evil, learn to do well. But if you will not you must die." 1 Prov. xiii. 20. 2 Ibid. i. 23. 3 Ibid. ix. 6. 5 Jam. iv. 8. 6 Isa. i. 16, 17. 7 Ezekiel xxxiii. 11. |