The Nature of Converfion. 23 to fall oft~ and turns men from darknefs to light~ AMs 2-6. rS. Eph.; .8. I Pet.1.9. Theman that before faw no danger in his condition, now concludes him– felf loft, .and for ever undone, Atls 2 . 37· except · renewed by the power df Grace. He that formerly thought there was little hurt in fin.. now comes to (ee itto be the chief of evils; he fees the unreafon– ablenefs, ·unrighteoufRefs, _the deformity and filthi– nefs that 1S in fln ,; fo ~ that :he is affrighted with ·it, . loaths.it. dreads it;•flies it, and even abhors himfelf for it, R.om. 7. 1;. ~ob 42. 6. Etek. 36. 3-1. He that could fee little fin in himfelf, and could find no mat– ter for co~·~ feffion (as it was faid of that learned Ig-· noramus Bdlarmine, who, itfeems, while he knew fo much abroad, was a miferable ftranger to himfelf) that when he was to be confeffed by thePrieft, ' could not remember any thing to confefs; but was fain to run back to the fins of his youth : I fay, he that . could not find matter for confeffion, Ulllels it were fome few ~rofs and flaring evils, now fin reviveth with him, Rom. 7. 9· he fees the rottennefs of his hear.t, anddetperate and deep pollution of his whole nature : he cries, unclean, unclean, Le~it. 1 3. ·4; .' Lord, purge me with Hyifop, wafh me throughly, create in me a new heart, P{al. r r. 2' 7,~ I o. . He fees himielf altogether become £Ithy, Pjal. 14: 3. cor– rupt, ·both root and tree, Matt b. 7. 17, 18. he writes unclean upon all his parts and powers, and perfor-" mances, l[d-. '4· 6. Rom. 7· 18. He difcovers the nafty corners that hewas never aware of, and fees the blafphemy,.and theft, and murder, and adultery 1 that is in his heart, whieh before he was ignorant o£ Heretofore he faw no form nor comelinefs in Chrifr, no beauty, that he fhould defire him ; but "' now he finds the hid treafure, and will fell ·au,~ tobuy this field. Chrift is the pearl he feeks, fir the puddle he !oaths. · ~
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