Sér 316 . SERMONS upon m,37. that he might be clear when he judgéth, the World (hall be convinced and brought to a temporal perfwafion that thou haft feet me ; the old Convi&ion that remaineth with them, (hall juftify God. Secondly ; With refpeá to the Ele& : for all is for the Elea's fake. The World would not Rand, if it were not for their fakes. Time would be at an end, but that God hath tome more that are not called, and the number of the Elea is not fully accom- plithed. When all the Paflengers are taken in, the Ship lancheth forth into the Main : So we fhould all lanch forth into the Ocean of Eternity, if all the Elea were taken in. He prays with refpe& to them, that the World may believe. How doth this concern them ? 1. Their Convi &ion conduceth to others Converfion. Many of the Samaritans poi- fibly would not believe, if Simon Magus their great Leader had not been convinced Ads 8. to. To him they all gave heed, from the leapt to the greateft, laying, This Man is the great Power of God. If the Word can gain fuch an one but to the Conviaion of the Truth, tho he be an Enemy to it in his Heart, yet it is a mighty Means to further the Converfion of the Elea. The Convi &ion of the World, it is a rational Inducement, it is a Door by which the Gofpel entreth. It is no (mall advantage that Chrittianity bath gotten fuchefteem, as to be made the publick Profeffion of the Nations ; that Po- tentates have counted it the faireft Flower in their Crown, to be (tiled, The Defender of the Faith, the Catholic( King, the moll Chriftian King. By all kind of Means is this to be promoted, to bring Men to a general Confeffion. Tho it be no great benefit to them as to the World to come, yet it is a help to the Elea, that they are under fuch a Convi &ion ; For if Chrittianity were (till counted a novel Doarine, an hated Do- Caine, and were publickly hated, maligned, oppofed, and perfecuted, what would become of it ? 2. For the Safety of the Church. Tho God doth not change their Natures, yet he breaketh their Fiercenefs, that they may not be fuck bitter Enemies, and fo Perfecuti- on is restrained ; and when there is a reftraint, and he ties their Hands by Convi&ion, we enjoy the more quiet. Alas ! what Wolves and Tigers would we be to one ano- ther, if the Awe of Conviáion, and the Reftraints of Confcience were taken off ! We owe very much of our Safety, not to vifible Force and Power, but to the Spiritual Conviction that is on the Hearts of Men, by which God bridles in the corrupt and ill - principled World, that they cannot find in their Hearts fo much to moleft it, as other - wife their Natures would carry them to; but that the Gofpel may have a free courfe,and the gathering of the Elea may not be hindred : for God's Convi &ion is the Bridle he bath upon them, to keep them from doing hurt ; tho they be not converted, yet they (hall be convinced. A&s q. Gamaliel being convinced, the Apoflles obtained liberty of Preaching. Pliny moved by the Piety of Chriftians, obtained a mitigation of the Perfecution from T rojan ; and filch Halcyon-days might we expeá, if Chriftians would walk more thimble to the Privileges of the Myftical Union, they would dart a great deal of Reverence in the Minds of Men, and would be more fafe than they are. For when the Wall of vifible Proteetion is broken down, a Chriftian meerly fubfifts by the Awe that is upon the Confciences of Men. Wicked carnal Men, as they have a flavith fear of God, which is accompanied with hatred of God ; fo they have a (lavifh fear of the Saints, only their Hatred is greater than their Fear. When you abate of the Ma jetty of your Converfation, and behave not your felves as thole that are taken into the Myftical Body of Chrift, and have the Communion of the Spirit, when you do not walk up fuitably to your Spiritual Life and Privileges, then the Hatred of your Enemies is increafed, and their Fear leffened i whereas otherwife their Fear which a- -rileth from thence, is a mighty reftraim. How often are we difappointed, when we expeá to beat down oppofite Far/ions by Strife and Power ! more good is done by Conviáion, and the Church bath greater Security and Peace, when they fubfift by their own Virtue,' rather than by force of Arms. I remember, in EcclefiafticalHi(to- ry, when Valens the Emperor railed againft all the Defenders of the Godhead of Chrilt, they did not meddle with Palinui out of Reverence to him, for he was a very holy aria Man, none dull} lay Hands upon him. 3. Many times they profefs and join to the Church, and fo we havebenefit by their Gifts and Abilities, Authority and Power; for God doth his Church a great deal of good by carnal Men. Convi &ion may bring them as far as Profeffion 5 and the tempo- rary Faith of a Magiftrate, tho carnal, may be a Proteáion to Chriftianity ; as an Hedg of Thorns may be a good Fence about.a Garden of Rofes. If they are Men of Parts, they
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