448 Of Converfion, or Turning untoGod. S c TU. not returned unto me, faith the Lord: So that publique and perfona 1. evils which come upon us,fhouldmake us turn from fin : And Oh take heed, that God faith not,et haveye not returnedanto me:ThusaltoGod complaineth again,Ifa. t z, r;. For the people turneth not unto him that fmitotbthem : So that you fee, God looks for converfion,fromeveryonewhom he dothany way chaftife for fin: For open- ing this point. Confider Afhiftions Firft, That Gods afiíiions upon et people may be branched into three heads: branched into Come are (irft meetly exploratory, or by wayof tryal, to draw out a Chriflians three heads. graces, and to encreafe his glory. Thus perfecutions and troubles for theGo- fpel, imprifonrnent and Martyrdom ; thefe were not fo much evil framed by God, to make them turn from their fins but conflicts and combates appoint- ed by God, for his choice andvaliant Champions, that fo they might receive r the greater weight of glôry : And hence thepeopleof God are commanded to account it alljoy, When they fall inta/uch temptations, James i.forwhat the fire is to thedrofs, thewater toafpottygarment, thewinnowing to the wheat, the fame are their combates to them they ftrengthen their graces, they weaken theirlufts, and they advance their glory ; fo that the ignorance of this end, dothCornertines put Gods children into great perplexities ; for becaufe they fall frequently under Gods àfflidions, nofooner is one over, but another fnc- ceeds, like thewaves of thefea ; they begin todoubt prefently about themain, they call the very foundations into queftron, WhydothGod thus follow me -with lofles and troubles ? is it not becaufe I aril an hypocrite ? may I not fear the great workof converfion is yet tobe done ? But this is a temptation k had not lobbeen well exercifed todifeern between good and evil ; thefe very tempta- tionsfiad brokenhis heart. a. A Secondbranch of Chaff ifements, are indeedfor .fin, andflowfront Gods an get, but they areWholly medicinal: They areto let blood, like the Phyfitian who intends health; not like the. Butcher, who is to deftroy; and there by the Scripture arecalled .!A+x, becaufeGodwoulddilcipline us by them as children, not punifh us as condemned malefactors. t,efi And if you fay, How can thefe be for converfion, When fometimes theyfall upon thofethat are converted, fuch as atemade Gods children already? Anfw. ToAnfwer chis, you mutt remember what was laid heretofore, that even thofe who are converted, do yet need daily to drawnigher andnigher toGod; they are tobe converted daily from thofe frequent corruptions, which effrange them fromGod ; and thus whenGods own people have their afflictions; they are to confider,.Is not this to turnme nearer to God? is there not lochpride, loch dulnefsand coldnefs in the fervice of God, that I am to be turned from? Well, its clear, to Gods own children, they are thus medicinal; but by the Texts forementioned, and in feveral other places, its allo evident, that even to thofe who are linnets, and remain in an unconverted effate, God.reacheth out his graciousoffer in their troubles: That as it is Paid offeveral Pfalms, which more principally contain the fubjeds of atflidion; A Pfalm to give underfEand- inp; fo fhouldft thou write, as it were, upon every trouble, upon every af- flCËfion, An affisflion togive underfianding. Do not Phyfitians command men diikaded, and out.of their- wits, to be kept in dark dungeons, to be bound in ftraight chains and fetters; to have hard and miferable fare, that fo by all this hardfhip, they may come to their underflandingsagain ? thus God doth, Men ht their fins are turned -mad, they are grown olt of their right reafon; they indeed think ftrielnefs and precifenefs istheway to make men out oftheir wits; but thy lurls and thy wickednefs, deprive thee of all found judgement now God, that he may recover thee, bindes thee in chains, aflids thee with feveral judgements, that loar lull thou,mayeft ferioufly confider of thy felf, and tby condition; lothac therewas never any trouble befell thee, but thoufhouldit make as good .ufe of ic, as ever thou diditof the belt fermon thouhaft heard. Hence
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