66

that is, that all that sincerely renounce the world, the devil, and the flesh, and are sincerely given up to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the covenant of grace, and profess and seal this by their baptism, shall be pardoned, and made the heirs of life. But as it is true, that baptism thus saveth, so is it as true, that it is not the "outward washing only the filth of the flesh" that will suffice, but the "answer of a good conscience towards God"." And that no man can enter into the kingdom of God, that is not born of the Spirit, as well as of water." And that Simon Magus and many another have had the water of baptism, that never had the Spirit, but still remain in the "gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, and had no part nor lot in that business, their hearts being not right in the sight of God"." And nothing is more sure, than that "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ (notwithstanding his baptism) he is none of his !" And that if you have his Spirit, you "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit:" and are "not carnally but spiritually minded," and are "alive to God," and as "dead to the world." Whether all that were baptised are such as these, when they come to age, judge you.

It is true also, that if you truly repent, you are forgiven but it is as true, that true repentance is the very conversion of the soul from sin to God, and leaveth not any man in the power of sin. It is not for a man when he hath had all the pleasure that sin will yield him, to wish then that he had not committed it, (which he may do then at an easy rate) and yet to keep the rest that are still pleasant and profitable to his flesh. Like a man that casts away the bottle which he hath drunk empty, but keeps that which is full; or as men sell off their barren kine, and buy milch ones in their stead: this kind of repentance is a mockery, and not a cure for the soul. If thou have true repentance, it hath so far turned thy heart from sin, that thou wouldst not commit it, if it were to do again, though thou hadst all the same temptations; and it hath so far turned thy heart to God and holiness, that thou wouldst live a holy life, if it were all to do again, though thou hadst the same temptations as afore against it. This is the nature of true repentance: such a repentance indeed b 1 Pet. ii. 21. c John iii. 5. Rom. viii. 1. 5-8. 10. 13. 14.

d Acts viii. 13. 21. 23. e Rom. viii. 9.

is never too late to save: but I am sure it never comes too soon.

Mark, now, I beseech you, what a state of sin, and what a state of holiness is.

He that is in a state of sin, hath habitually and predominantly a greater love to some pleasures, or profits, or honours of this world, than he hath to God and to the glory which he hatlı promised; he preferreth, and seeketh, and holdeth (if he can) his fleshly prosperity in this world, before the favour of God and the happiness of the world to come. His heart is turned from God unto the creature, and is principally set on things on earth. Thus his sin is the blindness, and madness, and perfidiousness, and idolatry of his soul, and his forsaking of God, and his salvation, for a thing of naught. It is that to his soul, which poison, and death, and sickness, and lameness, and blindness are to his body: it is such dealing with God, as that man is guilty of to his dearest friend or father, who should hate him and his company, and love the company of a dog or toad much better than his; and obey his enemy against him: and it is like a madman's dealing with his physician, who seeks to kill him as his enemy, because he crosseth his appetite or will, to cure him. Think of this well, and then tell me, whether this be a state to be continued in. This state of sin, is something worse than a mere inconsiderate act of sin, in one that otherwise liveth an obedient, holy life.

On the other side, a state of holiness, is nothing else but the habitual and predominant devotion and dedication of soul, and body, and life, and all that we have to God: an esteeming, and loving, and serving, and seeking him, before all the pleasures and prosperity of the flesh: making his favour, and everlasting happiness in heaven our end, and Jesus Christ our way, and referring all things in the world unto that end, and making this the scope, design, and business of our lives. It is a turning from a deceitful world to God; and preferring the Creator before the creature, and heaven before earth, and eternity before an inch of time, and ouf souls before our corruptible bodies, and the authority and laws of God, the universal Governor of the world, before the word or will of any man, how great soever; and a subjecting our sensitive faculties to our reason, and advancing this rea

1

son by Divine revelation; and living by faith, and not by sight: in a word, it is a laying up our treasure in heaven, and setting our hearts there, and living in a heavenly conversation, setting our affections on the things above, and not on the things that are on earth: and a rejoicing in hope of the glory to come, when sensualists have nothing but transitory, brutish pleasures to rejoice in.

This is a state and life of holiness: when we persuade you to be holy, we persuade you to no worse than this: when we commend a life of godliness to your choice, this is the life we mean, and that we commend to you. And can you understand this well, and yet be unwilling of it? It cannot be. Do but know well what godliness and ungodliness, what grace and sin are, and the work is almost done.

Direct. 111. To know what a life of holiness is, believe the Word of God, and those that have tried it; and believe not the slanders of the devil and of ungodly men, that never tried or knew the things which they reproach.'

Reason cannot question the reasonableness of this ad

vice. Who is wiser than God? or who is to be believed before him? And what men are more likely to know what they talk of, than such as speak from their own experience? Nothing more familiar with wicked men, than to slander and reproach the holy ways and servants of the Lord. No wisdom, no measure of holiness or righteousness will exempt the godly from their malice; otherwise, Christ himself at least would have been exempted, if not his apostles and other saints, whom they have slandered and put to death. Christ hath foretold us what to expect from them. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love. his own but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than the Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also"."

The truth is, wicked men are the seed and children of the devil, and have his image, and obey him, and think, and speak, and do as he would have them. And the godly

8 John xv. 18-20.

are the seed and members of Christ, and bear his image, and obey him and do you think that the devil will bid his children speak well of the ways or followers of Christ? I must confess, till I had found the truth of it by experience, I was not sensible how impudent in belying, and cruel in abusing the servants of Christ, his worldly, malicious enemies are. I had read oft how early an enmity was put between the woman's and the serpent's seed, and I had read and wondered, that the first man that was born into the world did murder his brother for worshipping God more acceptably than himself; "because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous"." I had read the inference, "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you;" but yet I did not so fully understand, that wicked men and devils are so very like, and so near of kin; till the words of Christ, expounded by visible demonstrations, had taught it me. Indeed the apostle saith, that Cain was of that wicked one, that is, the devil: but Christ saith more plainly, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him: when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it." Here note, that cruel murdering and lying, are the principal actions of a devil; and that as the father of these, he is the father of the wicked, who are most notoriously addicted to these two courses against the most innocent servants of the Lamb. How just it is that they dwell together hereafter, that are here so like in disposition and action: even as the righteous shall dwell with Christ, who bore his image, and imitated his holy, suffering life.

I conclude, then, that if thou wilt never turn to God and a holy life, till wicked men give over belying, and reproaching them, thou mayst as well say, that thou wilt never be reconciled to God, till the devil be first reconciled to him; and never love Christ, till the devil love him, or bid thee love him; or never be a saint, till the devil be a saint, or will give thee leave; and that thou wilt not be saved, till the devil be willing that thou be saved.

1 John iii. 12.

1 John viii. 44.

11 John iii. 13.

1 John iii. 12.

Direct. IV. That thy understanding may be enlightened, and thy heart renewed, be much and serious in reading the Word of God, and those books that are fitted to men in an unconverted state, and especially in hearing the plain and searching preaching of the word.'

There is a heavenly light, and power, and majesty in the Word of God, which in the serious reading or hearing of it, may pierce the heart; and prick it, and open it, that corruption may go out, and grace come in. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart"." Moreover, "by them it is that we are warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward "." The eunuch was reading the Scripture, when Philip was sent to expound it to him for his conversion P. The preaching of Peter did prick many thousands to the heart to their conversion". The heart of Lydia was opened to attend to the preaching of Paul. "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit." These weapons are mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Hast thou often read and heard already, and yet findest no change upon thy heart? Yet read and hear again and again: ministers must not give over preaching, when they have laboured without success: why then should you give over hearing or reading? As the husbandman laboureth, and looketh to God for rain, and for the blessing, so must we, and so must you. Look up to God: remember it is his word, in which he calleth you to repentance, and offereth you mercy, and treateth with you concerning your everlasting happiness: lament your former negligence and disobedience, and beg his blessing on his word, and you shall find it will not be in vain.

And the serious reading of books which expound and apply the Scriptures, suitable to your case, may, by the blessing of God, be effectual to your conversion. I have written