The Motives to Conversion

Though what is already said of the “necessity of conversion,” and of the “miseries of the unconverted,” might be sufficient to induce any considering mind to resolve upon a present turning or conversion unto God; yet, knowing what a piece of desperate obstinacy and untractableness the heart of man naturally is, I have thought it necessary to add, to the means of conversion and directions for a covenant-closure with God and Christ, some motives to persuade you hereunto.

Lord, fail me not now, at my last attempts. If any soul hath read hitherto, and is yet untouched, now. Lord, fasten on him, and do thy work; now take him by the heart, overcome him, persuade him, till he say, thou hast prevailed; for thou art stronger than L Lord, didst thou make me a fisher of men, and I have toiled all this while, and caught nothing? Alas! that I should have spent my strength for nought! and now I am casting my last. Lord Jesus, stand thou upon the shore, and direct how and where I shall spread my net; and let me so enclose with arguments the souls I seek for, that they may not be able to get out. Now, Lord, for a multitude of souls! now for a full draught! O Lord God, remember me I pray thee, and strengthen me this once, O God!”

But I turn me unto you.

Men and brethren, heaven and earth call upon you; yea, hell itself doth preach the doctrine of repentance unto you — the angels of the churches travail with you — the angels of heaven wait for you, for your repenting and turning unto God. Verily, if thou wouldst but come in, the heavenly host would take up their anthems and sing, “Glory be to God in the highest;” the morning-stars would sing together, and all the sons of God shout for joy, and celebrate this new creation as they did the first. Thy repentance would, as it were, make a holiday in heaven, and the glorious spirits would rejoice, in that there is a new brother added to their society, another heir born to the Lord, and the lost son received safe and sound. The true penitent’s tears are indeed the wine that cherisheth both God and man.

If it be little that men and angels would rejoice at thy conversion, know thou that God himself would rejoice over thee, even with singing, and rest in his love. Never did Jacob with such joy weep over the neck of his Joseph, as thy heavenly Father would rejoice over thee upon thy coming in to him. Look over the story of the prodigal. Methinks 1 see how the aged father lays aside his state, and forgetteth his years; behold how he runneth! O! the haste that mercy makes! the sinner makes not half that speed. Methinks I see how his bowels turn, how his compassions yearn. How quick-sighted is love! Mercy spies him a great way off; forgets his riotous courses, unnatural rebellion, horrid unthankfulness, (not a word of these,) but receives him with open arms, clasps him about his neck, kisses his lips that deserve to be loathed, the lips that had been joined to harlots; calls for the fatted calf, the best robe, the ring, the shoes, the best cheer in heaven’s store, the best attire in heaven’s wardrobe. Yea, the joy cannot be held in his own breast. Others must be called to participate: the friends must meet and make merry; angels must wait, but the prodigal must be set at table, under his father’s wing; he is the joy of the feast, he is the sweet object of his father’s delight. The friends sympathize, but none knows the felicity the father takes in his new-born son, whom he hath received from the dead. Methinks I hear the music and dancing at a distance. O the melody of the heavenly cho risters! I cannot learn the song, but methinks I overhear the burden, at which all the harmonious choir with one consent strike sweetly in; for thus goes round at heaven’s table; “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; was lost and is found.” I need not farther explain the parable: God is the father, Christ is the cheer, his righteousness the robe, his grace the ornaments, ministers, saints, angels, the friends and servants, and thou that readest (if thou wilt but unfeignedly repent and turn) the welcome prodigal, the happy instance of this grace, and blessed subject of this joy and love.

O rock! O adamant! what! not moved yet? not yet resolved to turn forthwith, and to close with mercy? I will try thee yet once again: If one were sent to thee from the dead, wouldst thou be persuaded? Why, hear the voice fVom the dead, crying to thee that thou shouldst repent: “I pray thee that thou wouldst scud him to my father’s house, (for I have five hrethrcn,) that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of* torment. If one went to them from the dead, they will repent.” Hear, O man! thy predecessors in impenitence preach to thee from the infernal flames, that thou shouldst repent. O look hut down into the bottomless pit! seest thou how the smoke of their torments ascendeth for ever and ever? What thinkcst thou of those chains of darkness, those instruments of cruelty? Seest thou how the worm frnawcth, how the fire rageth? What sayest thou to that gulf of perdition? wilt thou take up thine habitation there? O! hearest thou the curses and blasphemies, the weepings and wailings; how they lament their follies, and curse their day? How do they gnash their teeth! how deep are their groans! how inconceivable are their miseries! if the shrieks of Cora, Dathan, and Abiram, were so terrible (when the earth clave asunder, and opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and all that appertained to them) that all Israel fled at the cry of them — ()! how fearful would the cry be, if God should take oft’ the covering from the mouth of hell, and let the cry of the damned ascend in all its terrors among the children of men; and of all their moans and miseries, this is the piercing, killing emphasis and burden, “for ever, for ever!”

Why, as God liveth that made thy soul, thou art but few hours distant from all this, except thou “repent and be converted.”

O! I am even lost and swallowed up in the abundance of those arguments that I might suggest. If there be any point of wisdom in all the world, it is to repent and come in; if there be any thing righteous, any thing reasonable, this is it. If there be any thing in the world that may be called madness and folly, and any thing that may be counted sottish, absurd, unreasonable, it is this, “to go on in thine unconverted state.” Let me beg of thee, as thou wouldst not wilfully destroy thyself, to sit down and weigh, besides what has been said, these following motives, and let conscience speak, if it be not reason that thou shouldst “repent and turn.”

1. The God that made thee does most graciously invite thee.

First, His most sweet and mercifid nature doth invite thee, O the kindness of God, his yearning bowels, his tender mercies! They are infinitely above our thoughts, higher than heaven, what can we do? deeper than hell, what can we know? “He is full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy.” This is a great argument to persuade sinners to come in, “turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” If God would not repent of the evil, it were some discouragement to us why we should not repent. If there were no hope of mercy, it were no wonder why rebels should stand out; but never had subjects such a gracious prince, such pity, patience, clemency, to deal with, as you have: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity?” O sinners! see what a God you have to deal with: li you will but turn, ‘« he will turn again, and have compassion on you; he will subdue your inicjuities, and cast all your sins into the depths of the sea.” “Return unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and 1 will return unto you.” Sinners do not fail in that they have too high thoughts of God’s mercies, but in that, 1. “They overlook his justice. 2. They promise themselves mercy out of God’s way:” his mercy is beyond all imagination — great mercies, manifold mercies, tender mercies, sure mercies, everlasting mercies; and all is thy own, if thou wilt but turn. Art thou willing to come in? Why, the Lord hath laid aside his terror, erected a throne oi grace, holds forth the golden sceptre; touch and live. Would a merciful man slay his enemy when prostrate at his feet, acknowledging his wrong, begging pardon, and offering to enter with him into a covenant of peace? Much less will the merciful God. Study his name, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Read experience, Neh. ix. 17.

Secondly, His soul-encouyaging call aiidpromises do invite thee. Ah, what an earnest suitor is mercy to thee! how lovingly, how instantly, it calleth after thee! how passionately it wooeth thee! “Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever: only acknowledge thine iniquity. Turn, O blacksliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you; return, and I will heal your backslidings. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return unto me saith the Lord.” “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” “If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned to him: in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live. Repent, and turn you from all your transgressions: so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away all your transgressions, and make you a clean heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? for I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”

O melting gracious words! the voice of a God, and not of a man! This is not the manner of men, for the offended sovereign to sue to the offending traitors! O how doth mercy follow thee and plead with thee! Is not thy heart broken yet? O that “to-day you would hear his voice!”

2. The doors of heaven are thrown open to thee the everlasting gates are set wide for thee and an abimdant entrance into the kingdom of heaven is administered to thee. Christ now bespeaks thee, as she her husband: ‘* Arise, and take possession,” 1 Kings xxi. 15. View the glory of the other world, as set forth in the map of the gospel; get thee up into Pisgah of the promises, and lift up thine eyes northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, and see the good land that is hcyond Jordan, and that goodlymountain. Behokl the Paradise of God, watered with the streams of glory. Arise and walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it: for the land vvhicli thou secst, the Lord will give it to thee for ever, if thou wilt but return. Let me say to thee as Paul to Agrippa, “believest thou the prophets?” If thou believest indeed, do but view what glorious things are spoken of the city of God, and know that all this is here tendered in the name of God to thee. As verily as God is true, it shall be for ever thine, if thou wilt but thoroughly turn. Behold the city of pure transparent gold, whose foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones, whose gates are pearls, whose light is glory, whose temple is God; believest thou this? if thou dost, art not thou worse than distracted, that wilt not take possession when the gates are flung open to thee, and thou art bid to enter? O ye sons of folly, will ye refuse the kingdom? Behold the Lord takes you up into the mountain, shows you the kingdom of heaven and all the glory thereof, and tells you, “All this will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me;” if you will submit to mercy, accept my Son, and serve me in righteousness and holiness. “O fools, and slow of heart to believe!” Will you seek and serve the world, and neglect eternal glory? What! not enter into Paradise, when the flaming sword, which was once set to keep you out, is now used to drive you in! But you will say, I am uncharitable to think you infidels and unbelievers. Why, what shall I think? Either you are desperate unbelievers, that do not credit it, or distracted, that you know and believe the excellence and eternity of this glory, and yet do so fearfully neglect it. Surely, you have either no faith or no reason, and I had almost said, conscience shall tell you so before I leave you.

Do but attend to what is offered you: O blessed kingdom; a “kingdom of glory,” a “kingdom of righteousness,” a “kingdom of peace,” and an “everlasting kingdom.” Here thou shalt dwell, here thou shalt reign for ever, and the Lord shall seat thee on a throne of glory, and with his own hand shall set the royal diadem upon thine head; and give thee a crown, not of thorns, for there shall be no sinning nor suffering there — not of gold, but a “crown of life,” a “crown of righteousness,” a ‘’ crown of glory;” yea, “thou shalt put on glory as a robe,” and shalt “shine like the sun in the firmament, in the glory of thy Father.” In short, thou shalt be made like unto the “angels of God,” and “behold his face in righteousness.” Look in now and tell me, dost thou yet believe? if not, conscience must pronounce thee an infidel; for it is the very “word of God” that I speak.

But, if thou say thou believest, let me next know thy resolution. Wilt thou embrace this for thy happiness? Wilt thou forego thy sinful gains, thy forbidden pleasures? Wilt thou trample on the world’s esteem, and stop thine ears to her flatteries, and wrest thee out of her embraces? Wilt thou be content to take up with reproach and poverty, if they lie in the way to heaven, and follow the Lord with humble self-denial in a mortified life? If so, all is thine, and that for ever.

And art thou not fairly offered? Is it not pity but he should be damned that will needs go on and perish, when all this may be had for the taking? Wilt thou take God at his word, and rid thy hands of thy holdfast of the world, and rid thy hands of thy sins, and lay hold on eternal life? If not, let conscience tell thee whether thou art not distracted or bewitched, that thou shouldst neglect so happy a choice, by which thou mightest be made for ever.

3. God will settle unspeakable privileges at present upo7i thee. Though the full of your blessedness shall be deferred till hereafter, yet God will give you no little things in hand.

He will redeem you from your thraldom. The serpent shall bruise your heel, but you shall bruise his head. He shall deliver you from the present evil world. Prosperity shall not destroy you; adversity shall not separate between him and you. He will redeem you from the power of the grave, and make the king of terrors a messenger of peace to you. He will take out the curse from the cross. And make affliction the fining-pot, to purify the metal. He will save you from the arrest of the law, and turn the curse into a blessing to you. He hath the keys of hell and death, and shutteth that no man openeth; and he will shut its mouth as once he did the lions, that you shall not be hurt of the second death.

But he will not only save you from misery, but install you into unspeakable prerogatives. He will bestow himself upon you; he will be a friend unto you, and a father to you. He will be a sun and a shield to you. In a word, he will be a God to you. And what can be said more? What may you expect that a God should do for you, and be to you? that he will be, that he will do. She that marries a prince, expects he should do for her like a prince, that she may live in a suitable state, and have an answerable dowry. He that hath a king for his father, or a friend, expects he should do for him like a king. Alas! the kings and monarchs of the earth so much above you, are but like the painted butterflies amongst the rest of their kind. As he doth infinitely exceed the glory and power of his glittering dust, so he will, beyond all proportion, exceed in doing for his favourites whatever princes can do for theirs. He will “give you grace and glory, and withhold no good thing from you.” He will take you for his sons and daughters, and make you heirs of his promises, and establish his everlasting covenant with you. He will justify you from all that law, conscience, Satan can charge upon you. He will give you free access into his presence, and accept your person, and receive your prayers. He will abide in you, and make you the man of his secrets, and hold a constant and friendly communion with you. His ear shall be open, his door open, his store open, at all times to you. His blessings shall rest upon you, and he will make your enemies to serve you, and work about “all things for good unto you.”

4. The terms of mercy are brought as low as possible to you. God has stooped as low to sinners as with honour he can. He will not be thought an author of” sin, nor stain the glory of his holiness: and whither could he come lower than he hath, unless he should do this? He hath abated the impossible terms of the first covenant. He doth not impose any thing unreasonable or impossible, as a condition of life upon you. Two things were necessary to be done according to the tenor of the first covenant, by you: 1. “That you should fully satisfy the demands of justice for past offences. 2. That you should perform personally, perfectly, and perpetually, the whole law for the time to come.” Both these are to us impossible. But behold God’s gracious abatement in both. He doth not stand upon satisfaction; he is content to take off the surety (and he of his own providing too) what he might have exacted from you. He declares himself to have received a ransom, and that he expects nothing but that you should accept his Son, and “he shall be righteousness and redemption to you.” And, for the future obedience, here he is content to yield to your weakness, and omit the rigour. He doth not stand upon perfection’as a condition of life, though he still insists upon it as his due, but is content to accept of sincerity. Though you cannot pay the full debt, he will accept you according to that which you have, and take willingness for doing, and the purpose for he performance. And, if you come in his Christ, and set your hearts to please him, and make it the chief of your care, he will approve and reward you, though the vessel be marred in your hands.

O! consider your Maker’s condescension; let me say to you, as Naaman’s servant to him, “My father, if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather when he saith to thee, wash and be clean!” If God had demanded some terrible, some severe and rigorous thing of you, to escape an eternal damnation, would you not have done it? Suppose it had been to spend all your days in sorrow in some howling wilderness, or pine yourselves with famine, or to “offer the fruit of your bodies, for the sin of your souls,” would you not have thankfully accepted eternal redemption, though these had been the conditions? Nay, farther; if God should have told you, that you should have suffered in the fire for millions of ages, or been so long tormented in hell, would you not have gladly accepted it? Alas! all these are not so much as one sand in the glass of eternity. If your offended Creator should have holden you but one year upon the rack, and then bidden you come and forsake your sins, accept Christ, and serve him a few years in self-denial, or lie in this case for ever and ever, do you think you should have stuck at the offer, and disputed the terms, and have been unresolved whether you were to accept of the motion? O sinner, return and live; why shouldst thou die, when life is to be had for the taking, when mercy seems beholden to thee (as it were) to be saved? Couldst thou say, indeed, “Lord, I knew thee that thou wast a hard man,” thou hadst some little excuse; but when the God of heaven has stooped so low, and condescended so far, if now thou shouldst stand off, who shall plead for thee?

Objection, Notwithstanding all these abatements, I am no more able to perform these conditions (in themselves so easy) of faith, repentance, and sincere obedience, than to satisfy and fulfil the law.

Answe)’. These you may perform by God’s grace enabling; whereas the other are naturally impossible in this state, even to believers themselves. But let the next consideration serve for a fuller answer.

5. PV/ierei?i 2/ou are impotent, God doth offer grace to enable you. “I have stretched out mine hand, and no man regarded.” What though you are plunged into the ditch of the misery from which you cannot get out! Christ offereth to help you out: he reacheth out his hand to you, and, if you perish, it is for refusing his help. “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man open to me, I will come in.” What though you are poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked! Christ offereth a cure for your blindness, a covering for your nakedness, a remedy for thy poverty; he tenders you his righteousness, his grace. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed; anoint thy eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. Do you say, the condition is impossible; for I have not wherewith to buy? You must know that this buying is “without money and without price.” This buying is by begging and seeking with diligence and constancy in the use of God’s means. God commandeth thee to know him, and to fear him. Dost thou say. Yea, but my mind is blinded, and my heart is hardened, from his fear? I answer, God doth offer to enlighten thy mind, and to teach thee this fear, that is presented to thy choice. “For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.” So, that now, if men live in ignorance and estrangement from the Lord, it is because they “will not understand and desire the knowledge of his ways.” “If thou criest after knowledge, if thou seekest her as silver, &c. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” Is not here a fair offer? “Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you.” Though of yourselves you can do nothing, yet you may do all through his Spirit enabling you, and he doth offer assistance to you. God bids you “wash and make you clean.” You say you are unable, as much “as the leopard to wash out his spots. Yea, but the Lord doth offer to purge you; so that, if you be filthy still, it is through your own wilfulness.” I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged.” “O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be r” God doth wait when you will be made clean, when you will yield to his motions, accept of his offers, and let him do for you, and in you, what you cannot do for yourselves. You do not know how much God will do, upon your importunity, if you will be but restless and instant with him.

Though God hath not bound himself, by express promise to wicked men, to give them grace in the diligent use of the means, yet he hath given them abundance of encouragement to expect it from him, if they seek it earnestly in his way. His most gracious nature is abundant encouragement. If a rich and most bountiful man should see thee in misery, and bid thee come to his door, wouldst thou not with confidence expect, at thy coming, to find some relief? Thou art not able to believe nor repent: God appoints thee to use such and such means, in order to thy obtaining faith and repentance; doth not this argue that God will bestow these upon thee, if thou dost ply him diligently in prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, self-examination, and the rest of his means? Otherwise God would but mock his poor creatures, to put them upon these self-denying endeavours, and then, when they have been hard put to it, and continued waiting upon him for grace, deny them at last. Surely, if a sweet-natured man would not deal thus, much less will the most merciful and gracious God.

I intended to have added many other arguments, but these have swollen under my hands; and I hope the judicious reader will rather look upon the weight than number.