64 THE CHARACTER OF THOSE bring the heart back to God himself. He convinceth the sinner, that the creature can neither be his God, to make him happy, nor his Christ, to recover him from his misery, and restore him to God, who is his happiness. God does this, not only by his word, but by providence also. This is the reason why afflic- tion so frequently concurs in the work of conversion. Arguments which speak to the quick, will force a hearing, when the most powerful words are slighted. If a sinner made his credit his god, and God shall cast him into the lowest disgrace; or bring him, who idolized his riches, into a condition wherein they can- not help him ; or cause them to take wing, and fly away; what a help is here to this work of conviction ! If a man make pleasure his god, whatsoever a roving eye, a curious ear, a greedy appetite, or a lustful heart, could desire, and God should take these from him, or turn them into gall and wormwood, what a help is here to conviction ! When God shall cast a man into languishing sickness, and inflict wounds on his heart, and stir up against him his own conscience, and then, as it were, say to him, "Try if your ere, dit, riches, or pleasure, can help you. Can they heal your wounded conscience ? can they now sup- port your tottering tabernacle? can they keep your departing soul in your body ; or save you from mine everlasting wrath ? or redeem your soul from eternal flames? Cry aloud to them, and see now whether these will be to you instead of God and his Christ." O how this works now with the sinner ! Sense ac- knowledges the truth, and even the flesh is convinced of the creature's vanity, and our very deceiver is un- deceived. § 9. The people of God are likewise convinced of the absolute necessity, the full sufficiency, and per- fect excellency, of Jesus Christ. As a man in famine is convinced of the necessity of food ; or a man that had heard or read his sentence of condemnation, of the absolute necessity of pardon ; or a man that lies in prison for debt, is convinced of his need of a surety to discharge it. Now the sinner feels an insupport-
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