CHAPTER V.

THE BENEFITS OF CONVERSION,

1. To be delivered from the power of satan. .

PAGE

190

193

195

ibid.

197

198

199

ibid.

200

1.01

202

205

13. All things are theirs, and work for their good

14. In a safe case to die . . ..

15. The heirs of glory, which they shall possess

16. The new life is the happy beginning of everlasting life,

and peace, and joy

17. No evil can befal him, which may be a sufficient reason to

lay by these joys• •

218

18. The further they go, the greater their happiness

19. Conversion makes men useful to others

20. It rejoiceth the angels, and Christ himself

A persuasion on the foregoing grounds.

A Use of Exhortation; set on by ten questions

Hindrance 1. The wilful neglect of means, where the cavils

Hindrance 3. Gross ignorance of those truths that should

251

262

be the instruments of conversion

265

Hindrance 7. The great esteem and interest of the world.

Hindrance 8. Custom in sin, subduing reason to the flesh.

Hindrance 9. Foolish self-love, cherishing presumption and

false hopes.

Hindrance 10. Counterfeit graces, or half-conversion, occa-

sioning self-deceit.

290

PAGE

Hindrance 11. Living among strong temptations and occasions

of sin

Hindrance 12. The scandalous lives, and many opinions of

professors

Hindrance 13. The ill education of children

Hindrance 14. Striving against the Spirit of grace

Hindrance 15. Unresolvedness, and half-purposes

Hindrance 16. Delay

291

293

295

297

298

302

304

Hindrance 17. When good beginnings are not followed on

Hindrance 18. A misunderstanding of some Scriptures, and

erroneous thoughts of God's ways. As 1. Mistaking the na-

ture of Conversion. 2. Thinking sanctification is but a con-

ceit. 3. Or that godliness is more ado than needs: an-

swered in twelve questions. 4. Trusting to their own good

meaning, and works. 5. Misunderstanding particular pro-

mises as that "Whoever believeth, calleth on the name

of the Lord," &c. "shall be saved." 6. False thoughts of

predestination, and God's grace. 7. Ill conclusions from

men's impotency. 8. And from the unprofitableness of our

willing and running. 9. And from God's hardening. 10.

Placing holiness in mere opinions and siding. 11. False con-

ceits against ordinances: 1. Family duties. 2. Against

joining with our assemblies, on pretence of their pollution :

of our no-ministry: no-baptism. 3. Against singing Psalms 304

Hindrance 19. A proud, unteachable frame of Spirit

Hindrance 20. Wilful obstinacy

Conclusion

A PREFACE to the Unsanctified, exhorting themto Turn; and
answering some objections

cccxxxiii

Doct. I. It is the unchangeable law of God that wicked men

must Turn or Die

Proved

357

358

Object. God will not be so unmerciful as to damn us: Answered 359

Use

362

Who are wicked men, and what Conversion is; and how we

may know whether we are wicked or converted.

363

Applied

369

Doct. II. It is the promise of God that the wicked shall live if

they will but turn; that is, unfeignedly and thoroughly turn 378

Proved

380

Doct. III. God taketh pleasure in men's conversion and salva-

tion; but not in their death or damnation. He had rather

they would Turn and Live, than go on and Die: Expounded 383

Proved

386

PAGE

Doct. IV. The Lord hath confirmed it to us by his oath, that he

hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he Turn

and Live: that he may leave man no pretence to doubt of it. 389

Use. Who is it then that takes pleasure in men's sins and

death? Not God, nor ministers, nor any good men 390

Doct. V. So earnest is God for the Conversion of sinners, that he

doubleth his exhortations with vehemency, "Turn ye, turn ye." 394

Applied.

Some motives to obey God's call and Turn

396

397

406

Doct. VI. The Lord condescendeth to reason the case with

unconverted sinners, and to ask them why they will Die.

A strange disputation. 1. For the question. 2. The disputants ibid.

Wicked men will die, or destroy themselves.

Use. The sinner's cause is certainly unreasonable

Their seeming reasons confuted.

ibid.

409

414

Doct. VII. If after all this, men will not Turn, it is not long of

God that they are condemned, but of themselves, even of

their own wilfulness. They Die because they will Die,

that is, because they will not Turn .

Use 1. How unfit the wicked are to charge God with their

damnation. It is not because God is unmerciful, but

because they are cruel and merciless to themselves !

Object. We cannot convert ourselves; nor have we freewill.

Answered

425

430

434

2. The subtlety of satan; the deceitfulness of sin; and the

folly of sinners manifested

435

3. No wonder if the wicked would hinder the conversion
and salvation of others

4. Man is the greatest enemy to himself

Man's destruction is of himself, proved

The heinous aggravations of self-destruction

The concluding Exhortation

ibid.

436

ibid.

441

443

Ten Directions for those that had rather Turn than Die

446

Five prayers: one for families; one for the Lord's day; one

for a penitent sinner; one for children and servants; one

in the method of the Lord's prayer, being an exposition of it. 452

PREFACE. The question resolved whether a man may be saved
in any religion, that is serious in practising it? No religion
will save a man that is not true to it, and serious, and dili-
gent in practising it. Why the author rather publisheth
such common necessary things, than confutation of the ma-
ny calumnies published against himself. His expectations
from men; and answers with Tertullian about sufferings.
An advertisement about a passage cited out of the Homilies.

His justification for opposing scorners and enemies of holi-
ness, out of the church Homilies. A passage about Philip
Nerius, the Father of the Oratorians

The text opened

Doct. I. The work of this life cannot be done when this

life is ended.

PAGE

cccclxxiv

487

488

Doct. II. Therefore, while we have time, we must do the

work of this present life, with vigour and diligence

ibid.

1. Time cannot be recalled

489

2. Life shall never be here restored

491

3. There is no doing this work in the life to come ⚫

What it is to do it with our might.

493

494

Some cautions..

496

Instances of the work to be done with our might

497

What might have we?

Answered..

508

How to rouse up ourselves to seriousness..

What to think of them that oppose a holy, serious diligence

A terrible passage in our Homilies against scorners at godliness 523

Object. It is not godliness, but humour, faction, disobedience,

Advice to the flocks

Object. Be not righteous overmuch. Answered

Exhortation to serious diligence.

Reasons for pleading this cause with ministers.

The Exhortation re-enforced

524

532

The devil's design to make use of differences in smaller
matters against Christianity and godliness itself......
Such differences, sects, divisions, shall be no excuse to the
ungodly, but aggravate their sin, as being against that
which all sects and parties were agreed in
What that religion is that we call men to be serious and dili-
gent in. 1. To live according to the principles of faith
that among Christians are past controversy. Ten named ibid.

2.To do that materially that all are agreed on. Ten duties named 560

3. To do that in the very manner of God's service that
all are agreed in. Ten particulars mentioned
Object. I will never believe that God delights in long and
earnest prayers, or is moved by the words of men. Answered 574
Object. Is not your strict observance of the Lord's day a
controversy. Answered

A

TREATISE

OF

CONVERSION,

PREACHED AND NOW PUBLISHED FOR THE USE OF THOSE THAT
ARE STRANGERS TO A TRUE CONVERSION, ESPECIALLY
THE GROSSLY IGNORANT AND UNGODLY.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

2 COR. v. 17.

VOL. VII.

12

B