s s C T. IX. ofConverftox; or toning into Geri nevercommitted any alîuàl impiety : Thos fin was unknown to Heathens, and denyed by fome Heretiques ; but theScripture dotti plainly affert it, concluding Us7o be children ofWrath by nature Ephef.2.he Bothnotfay,by aftions,by cation), by praftice, but bynature : This is the firft hone, and the deep foundation that muttbe laid : This is called native, original, natural; and hereditary fin. Till a man be inwardly and powerfully convincedof this , he cannot ever think of turning unto,God ; fo that converfion is requifite toevery one that bath this birth-fin : We comenaturally withour backto heaven, and face to hell ; noví here muffbe a converfion unto God : Begin here, and ftudy here, How were it poflible that men fhould fitand hearfo muchof turning toGod, andnever be- gin tomove towards him, but becaufe they feel not this natural averfenefsin their wholeman from God, and what is holy? Let no man, free from grofs fins, andwalking in an orderly civil way, think this duty of converfionBoth not belong to him ; for if thou had itno more fin in thee then the childe ne,» born, thou wertyet to turn,unto God, as being in a dangerous pathof death' anddeftruEtion; yea, this converfion and turning from this innatecorruption, is far more difficult,then fromanyaftual impieties, for this it more clofelybred in thee, and faded in thy bowels : TheScripture call`s this thy body, thy Befh, thy members, as if thouwert turned into this fin : This is thefountain, this is the root, this walketh with thee, rifeth with thee, dwells iii thee, as in its pro.1 per poffeflìon: fothat in your turning from fin, be lure you go as deep as td this nativefilthinefs : Its not to turn thy coat, or thy skin, but thyvery heart and inwards, when youareto turn unto God : We (hall Phew ih time; of many turnings to God, but they laidno good foundation, they laid not the ase to the root of the tree; they cut offSampfons hair, but plucked it not up by the root, and fo the ftrengthof corruptionprevailed over them again; fo that this turn- Mg from fin, isto turn from thy own fell, to leave thyown fell, and-joyttwith God, to be one with him : As iron put into the fire a long while, lofeth its coldnefs,and its black colour,and looks likefire Its a true and goodPayingofAm- brofe, Homo recedenr moiré aDeo, ceciditinfeipfttin, Man falling from God, fell into his own fell: So thathe is as abeat tyed up in a elote dungeon;his thoughts, his affeftions, his defigns are onely for himfèlf, original corruption bath brought this perverfe diftemper on a man; look then that thou break this Dragons head Thou wilt finde thyfell within (how glorious (Dever in thy externals) like Ezebiels wall, whereon were pourtrayed the forms ofall creeping and abo- minable things ; or like Peters fheet, that hadAll the kindes of unclean beat e within, Thus thy heart bath all manner of vile and foul lofts cleaving unto thee; and therefore though thou wert as innocent from actual fins, as once id thycradle, yet thou art to turn to God, and to forfaire thatprefent condi- tion. Secondly, That man is HI in fin, and fo needs converfion unto God, *ha hash daily inwarddelights andlsifta afterf:n,'though it may be,fear, and flame, and Havtnç in- eutwardpnnißmentkpepthemfromaífingthe evil'theyWould dá. It wasa received ward delights opinion' among the ?bargees, and many Heathens, that themeer will andput- and lacks aicer pole to fin, didnot deferve punifhment, no not fromGod : From man indeed fine it cannot but to think thoughts, deliires, and inward purpofes of fin, are free alto with sod, is to deny theLaw to be a fpiritual law, fórbiddin , all the in- Ward motionsand affe&ionsof fin ; it is to deny God to bea father of fpirits, who beholdeth and tryeth the inward man, and doch molt abhor fpirit-tilthi- nefs.' Hence Peter, a Petri. Befeecheth asflrangers ro abfteeinfrom thofe lofts that War againfl thefonl: Grant therefore, that frill thy lifebeunfpotred from all the grofs fins of the world, yet as long as unruly lefts prevailin thy heart, as long as inward fecret motions of fin prevail overthee, thou art far off from G,od and the wore needeft turning to him : Oh bow well were it, if all thy filthy rlìswithin weredifcovered to thee! ifthou did{tjudge Ebyfella ferpeor, which 0 o o tlsisgh 465
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