The Nature of Con1/er(ion~ ·17 born, not of thewill of the flefb, nor of the will of . man ; but of God, ffob. r. •3. Never think thou canft convert thy felf: Ifever thou wouldfl: be fave... ingly converted, thou rnuft defpair of doing it in thine own ftrength, 'ffer. 13 18. It is a refurrection · from the dead; Rev. 2o. 5'. Eph. 2. I. a new creation, Gal. 6. I). Eph. 2. l o. ·a work of abfolute omnipo– tency, Eph. I. 19~ Are thefe out of the reach of hu,. mane power ? If thou haft no more than thou hadft by thy firfi: birth, a good nature, a meek and chafte temper, &c. thou art avery ftranger to true Con~ verfion. This is a fupernatural work. 2. The moving Caufe u Internal, or External• The Internal mover k only free grace. Not ~y works of righteoufnefs which we have done; but of his own mercy he faved us -- £ by the renewing of the Holy Ghoft, Tit. 3. 5'. Of his own will begat he us, ~am. 1. We are .chofen and called unto fan... chficati(>n, not for it, Eph. I. 4· God finds nothing in a man to turn his heart, but to turn his ftomach ; enough to provoke his loath– ing, nothing to provoke his love. Look back upon thy felf, Q,Chrifiian: .Take up thy verminous rags: ' Look upon thy felfin thy blood, Ezek· 16. 6 Oh,re– flett upon thy fwinifh nature, thy filthy fwill, thy once beloved mire, 2 Pet.~. Canfl: thou think, with– out loathing, of thy trough and draugh ? Open thy Sepulchre, Mattb. 2 3· 27. Art thou ftruck almofl: dead with the helliil1 damp? Yehold thy putrid foul, thy loathfome members. 0 ftench unfuffer– able, if thou dofi but fenfe thy own putrifacrion ! Pfal. 14- 3· Behold thy ghafilyvifage, thy crawling lufi:s , thy flime and corruption, . Do not thine own cloaths abhor thee? y;ob 9· 3 r. How then fhould holinefs and purity love thee ? Be afioniih– ed, 0 heavens, at this; be moved, 0 earth, :fer.. 2~ 12. Who but muft needs cry, Grace ! Grace ! Zec}l.
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