S 6 ç T.1X. OfCänver[ien, or Turnin unto God a, i f;_i;_, that with their IearnflgarC alfo'pnffcup with pride ; and by babes, were notmeant thofe that have no knowledgeor underflanding, btit that are lowly andweak, comparatively to others : Howfoever; where'converfion comes, it giveth light andknowledge, if there were none before. The confideracion of this, fhould much Bartle and amaze many of you, for how woful and lamen- table is the ignorance of moil ? how little is known about original and actual fin, which is their difeafe ? and how little about Chrill, who isthePhyfirian Godweuldhave admen to be faved, and come to theknowledge of the truth; t Tim a. The knowledge of the truth mull be firfl attained ; and on thecontrary, try à people of no underllanding, thereforehe that made them, will not fave them, Ifa. z7; It.. Chrift told thewoman, If thouhad/1known thegift ofGod, andWho it is that faith to thee, Give me to drink, thost Wouldit have asked ofbim, John4.11. If thoà hadfl known ; and thiswe may fay tothofe, who lie fill in the dungeon of their fins, If thou had fl known what thy condition is, what the curfes of the Law , are, how terrible God Is, how few (hall be faved, and fuch like, thouwouldlt not (land idle; as thou doeft, but like the Hart, pant after the blood of (Thrift, as thatafter thewaters :Oh then that God at laft would perfwade ignorant peo- pieof their damnable eflate. To whom is theword without profit ? towhom is it a favorof death, but to ignorant people ? Where may theMintf}ers make their fad complaints, They have labored in vain, and none believe their report; fo much, as where this darknefs, this nightis upon mens hearts ? Youold men then, that knownothing, that underftand very little, 'why are ye'not afraid, being you arejn loch darknefs ? andyou fathers,whatfoeveryou fail in, fail not here, about infirufting yourChildren,though youcannotJeave them wealth and éflates, yet let them have the knowledge of God out ofthe Scriptures : How muchwould it affeel you, to have children bodily blinde ? would you not heal them, if you knew any remedy in the world ? but to your children ignorance and fpiritual blindenefs, you are voluntarily acceffary, and you willingly arethe caufeof it. Secondly, Menfar f om converfion, arelimb as have à Pharifaical Self - conceit 2: of their own Righreoufnefs andfood Work! ; by whichmeans, theynever thinkof hten-thathave goingback, for nonecan perfwade them, but they are in the right way already: nceúoEtnefi This is a generation, that will fooner dye in their fins, then ever turn to God; uwnri ii,00ii= and our Congregations have fuçh, as well as the former. Obferve our Saviours nets: Sermons, and you (hall finde, that be did lealt good, upon thole that inflified themfelves; infomuch, thathe tells them, Publicansand harlots enteredtheking, domof heaven, beforefachas theywere ; and again, I come net to call the Rinhte- one, butfinners to repentance, Luke5.3 a. fo we preach, notto convert thofewho think themfelves Righteousalready, who applaud themfelvesin theirgood Mn.. ralities, or plaufible lives; but to thofe who are convinced of theirfinfulnefs- and groan under it : I know it is a very unpleafing thing for aman, tohe found a finner, tojudge himfelf and condemn himfelf upon that account ; llehadra- ther fit down with a falfe, dawbed peace, and cozen his own foul, then arraign and terrifie himfelf after that maner ; but it is a vain thing to hide and exte- nuate, when we have todo with God ; we mull judge ourfelves, elle Godwill judge us. It was the Churches bold prefumprion, that would at all deflroy her; to fay, She Wasrich, and clothed, andWantednothinQ ,WhenindeedfeWasrttiferab'le, and.naked, andianredall thingo; yet in fuch afoolifh Paradife do many place RPv 3 t9. themfelves, They be converted, they become changed, they are as good as any others already, they have as good an heart as anyother : Thefe men are molt incureable, and are in thegreaceul danger, becaufe they feel nodanger: Othen know, Thatquietnefs and fecurity which thou haft in thy breafl, and all that 3. confident prefumption in thee about thy fell, will at tall be like the cobweb, not T11,Ywho ferve to cover thee, whenthe tempefts of Godswrath (hall arife. have been Thirdly, Theyhave bot little hope of csnverfran, Who have been longaccafiorned i, "`Ernie,
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