What Conversion Is Not, and Some Mistakes About It Corrected

Let the blind Samaritans worship they know not what.” Let the heathen Athenians inscribe their altar “unto the unknown God.” Let the guileful Papists commend the mother of destruction for the mother of devotion; they that know man’s constitution, and the nature of the reasonable soul’s operation, cannot but know that, the understanding having the empire in the soul, he that will go rationally to work, must labour to let in the light here. And, therefore, that you may not mistake me, I shall show you what I mean by the conversion I persuade you to endeavour after.

It is storied that, when Jupiter let down the golden chaplets from heaven, all but one were stolen, upon which, lest they should lose a relic of so great esteem, they made five others so like it, that, if any were so wickedly minded as to steal that also, they should not be able to discern which was it. And truly, my beloved, the devil hath made many counterfeits of this conversion, and cheats one with this, and another with that; and such craft and artifice he hath in his mystery of deceits, that, if it were possible, he would deceive the veiy elect. Now, that I may cure the fatal mistake of some, who think they are converted when they are not, as well as remove the troubles and fears of others, that think they are not converted when they are, I shall show you the nature of conversion, both negatively, or what it is not, and, positively, what it is. We will begin with the negative.

1. It is not the taking upon us the profession of Christianity. Doubtless Christianity is more than a name. If we will hear Paul, it lies “not in word, but in power.” If to cease to be Jews and Pagans, and to put on the Christian profession, had been true conversion, (as this is all that some would have to be understood by it,) who were better Christians than they of Sardis and Laodicea? These were all Christians by profession, and had a name to live; but because they had but a name, are condemned by Christ. Are there not many that mention the name of the Lord Jesus, that yet “depart not from iniquity,” and “profess they know God, but in works they deny him?” And will God receive these for true converts, because turned to the Christian religion? What! converts from sin, when yet they live in sin! It is a visible contradiction. Surely, if the lamp of profession would have served the turn, the foolish virgins had never been shut out. We find not only professors, but preachers of Christ and wonder-workers, turned off because evil-workers.

2. It is not being washed in the laver of regeneration, or putting on the badge of Christ in baptism. Many wear the livery of Christ, and yet never stand to their colours, nor follow their leader. Ananias and Sapphira, and Magus were baptized as well as the rest. How fondly do many mistake here, deceiving and being deceived! dreaming that effectual grace is necessarily connected with the external administration of baptism, (which is but to revive the Popish tenet of the sacraments working grace,) and so every infant shall be regenerated, not only sacramentally, but really and properly. Hence men do fancy, that, being regenerated already when baptized, they need no farther change.

But, if this were so, then all that were baptized in their infancy must necessarily be saved, because the promise of pardon and salvation is made to conversion and regeneration.

Our calling, sanctification, (as to the beginning of it,) or conversion, (which are but the same things under different conceptions and expressions,) is but a middle link in the golden chain, fastened to election at one end, and glorification at the other; “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate; and whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” The silver cord cannot be broken, nor the connection between sanctification and salvation, between grace and glory, impiously violated. If we were indeed begotten again, it is “to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved in heaven for us,” and the divine power is engaged to keep us for it. And, if the very regenerate may perish at last in their sins, we will no more say, that “he that is born of God, his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin,” (that is, unto death,) nor that it is impossible to “deceive the very elect.”

And, indeed, were this true, then we need look no farther to see our names written in heaven, than only to search the register, and see whether we were baptized: then I would keep the certificate of my baptism as my fairest evidence for heaven, and should come by assurance of my gracious state by the minister wetting my face with his finger: then men should do well to carry but a certificate of their baptism, under the register’s hand, when they died, (as the philosopher wished to be buried with the bishop’s bond in his hand, which he had given him for receiving his alms in another world,) and, upon sight of this, there were no doubt of their admission into heaven.

In short, if there be no more necessary to conversion, or regeneration, than to profess the Christian religion, or to be baptized in infancy, this will be directly opposed to that Scripture, Matt. vii. 14. as well as multitudes of others: For, first, we will then no more say, “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way:” for, if all that were baptized, and are of the true religion, are saved, the door is become exceedingly wide, and we will henceforth say, “wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth unto life:” for, if this be true, whole parishes, yea, whole counties, and whole kingdoms, may go in a breast; and we will no more teach, that the righteous is scarcely saved, or that there is need of taking the kingdom of heaven by violence, and striving to enter in. Surely, if the way be so easy as many take it, that there is little more necessary than to be regenerated in our baptism, and cry “God have mercy,”

and be absolved by the minister at our end, it is unnecessary to put ourselves to such running, and seeking, and knocking, and fighting, and wresthng as the word requires as necessary to salvation. Secondly, if this be true, we will no more say, “few there be that find it;” yea, we will rather say, “few there be that miss it:” we will no more say, that, of the many that 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 will 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.”

But the Arminian 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 connection between regeneration and salvation, as we have already shown. 2. Then men must be born again a second time; which carries a great deal of absurdity in its very face: and why may not men be twice born in nature as well as in grace? 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.” Whether it be your baptism, or whatever else that you pretend, I tell you, from the living God, that if any of you be prayerless persons, or unclean, or 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, except you be transformed by a farther work upon you, and renewed again by repentance.

Thus I have shown, that it is not enough to evidence a man to be regenerate, that he hath been baptized; effectual grace not necessarily accompanying baptism, as some have vainly asserted. But I must answer one objection before I proceed.

Objection, The sacraments do certainly attain their ends, where man doth not lay some obstruction; which infants do not.

Solution. I answer, it is not the end of baptism to regenerate. 1. Because then there would be no reason why it should be confined only to the seed of believers; for both the law of God and the nature of charity require us to use the means of conversion for all, as far as we can have opportunity. Were this true, no charity so great as to catch the children of Turks and Heathens, and baptize them, and so despatch them to heaven out of hand: like the bloodywretches that made the poor Protestants, to save their lives, swear they would come to mass, and that they would never depart from it, and then put them forthwith to death, saying, “They would hang them while in a good mind.” 2. Because it pre-supposes regeneration, and therefore cannot be intended to confer it. In all the express instances in Scripture, we find that baptism doth suppose their repenting, believing, receiving the Holy Ghost, Acts viii. 37. and ii. 38. and x. 47. Mark xvi. 16. And it were no small absurdity to imagine that baptism was instituted for an end, of which not one of the first subjects was capable, for they were all adult persons, and supposed to have faith and repentance according as they professed, and their children were not baptized till after them in their right. Were this doctrine true, baptism would make disciples; but we find it doth bespeak them such before-hand. 3. Because baptism, being but a seal of the covenant, cannot convey the benefits, but according to the tenor of the covenant to which it is set.

Now the covenant is conditional; therefore the seals convey conditionally. The covenant requires faith and repentance, as the conditions of the grand benefits, “pardon and life;” and what the covenant doth not convey but upon these conditions, the seal cannot: so that baptism doth pre-suppose faith and repentance in the subject, without which it neither doth nor can convey the saving benefits: otherwise the seal should convey contrary to the tenor of the covenant to which it is affixed.

3. It lies not in a moral righteousness. This exceeds not “the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,” and therefore cannot bring us to the kingdom of God. Paul, while unconverted, “touching the righteousness which is in the law, was blameless.” The self justiciary could say, “I am no extortioner, adulterer, unjust,” &c. Thou must have something more than all this to show, 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.

4. It consists not in an external conformity to the rules of piety. It is too manifest 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 lise of prayer, to prove themselves sound converts. There is no outward service, but a hypocrite may do, even to the “giving all his goods to feed the poor, and his members to the fire.”

5. It lies not in the restraining 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 was a better man than Jehoash? While Jehoiadah, his uncle lived, he was very forward in God’s service, and calls upon him to repair the house of the

Lord: but there 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.

6. In short, it consists not in illumination or conviction, in a superficial change or partial reformation. An apostate may be a man enlightened, and a Felix tremble under conviction, and a Herod amend 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 have broken off from evil company, or some particular vice, 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 alarms them, many will pray, hear, read, and forbear their delightful sin: but no sooner is the lion asleep, than they are at it again. Who were more religious than the Jews, when God’s hand was upon them? Yet no sooner was the affliction over, than they forgot God, and showed their religion to E be a fit. Thou mayest have discarded a troublesome sin, that renders thee uneasy, and have escaped those gross pollutions of the world, and yet not have changed thy sinful nature all the while.

You may cast the lead out of the rude mass into the form and features of a man, yet all the while it is but lead still; so a 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.

Application. 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 putrified member from his well-beloved 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 rubbish, 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. And hadst not thou better, O sinner, let the word convince thee now in time, and let go thy false and self-deluding 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 to reading, and to 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 be short of conversion, what shall 1 say of the profane sinner! It may be he will scarce cast his eyes or lend his ear to this discourse; but, if there be any such reading it, 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 and trusty 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 in thy word, and makest thy advantage by a lying tongue? If men may be E2 enlightened and brought to the performance of holy duties, and yet go down to perdition for resting in them, 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 scarce in all your thoughts; that are so ignorant that you cannot, or so careless that you will not pray? O 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.” “Forsake the foolish, and live.” “Be sober, righteous, godly.” “Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, ye double-minded.” “Cease to do evil, learn to do well.” But, if you will not, you must die.