)O · The Nec~(fity of Converfion. fhouldft pleafe thy felf, and gratifie thy fenfes ? Did God fend men, like.tl?e Swallo~s, in,to theworld, only to gather a few fhcks anddtrt, and build their neffs, and breed up their young, and then away? The very Heathens could fee farther than this. Art thou fo fearfully and wonderfully made, P[al. 139, I 4 • and dofl: thou not yet thinkwith thy felf, furely -it was for fome noble and raifedend? · 0 n1an! fet thy reafon a little in the chair. Is jt not pity fuch agoodly fabrick ihould be raifed in vain? Verily, thou art in vain, except thou art for God : Better thouhadit no being, than not tobefor him. Wouldft thou ferve thyend ? Thou mufl: re– pent, and be converted : Without this, thou art to no purpo[e; yea, tobtdpurpofe. Firft, To no purpofe. Man unconverted, 'iS like a choice infirument, that hath every firing broke, or out of tune ; the Spirit of the living God mutt re– pair and tune it by the grace of regenerd~.!on, and iweetly rnove it by the power ofaCtuating grace, or elfe thy prayers will be but howlings, and an thy fervices will make no mufick in th~ ears of the mofi: Holy, Epbef. 2. ro. Philip. 2. 13~ Ho{. 1· 14. .lfa. I. I). All thy powers and faculties are fo corrupt in thy natural flate, that except thou be purged from dead works, thou canft not ferTe the livingGod, Heb. 9· 14· Tit. I. I'·. ' . An unfanthfied man cannot work .the work of God. I. He bath no s~ill in it: He is altogether as unskilful in the work, as in the word of righteouf:. nefs, He b.;. I 3. There are great tn}·fieries,_ as well in the praCtices, as principlesof godline(~ ·; now the unregenerate knowsnot the myfteries. of the ki~gdomofheaven1¥atth. i3 .. x·r. r1tim.,3· r6. Youmay as well expeCt ntm that never learnd the Alpha~r, · to 'read ; or look for goodly mufick on the Lute, from 9ne that neverfet his ha.nd to an inftrument, as. · · that
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