rather than in well-grounded peace and joy. And if indeed you are yet unregenerate, that is not long of us that tell you of it, but of yourselves that wilfully continue it. Do we make you ungodly, by telling you of your ungodliness? Is it we that hinder the forgiveness of your sins, by letting you know that they are not forgiven? O no! we strive for your conversion to this end, that your sins may be forgiven you; and you hinder the forgiveness of them, by refusing to be converted. When God forsaketh stubborn souls for resisting his grace, note, how he expresseth his severity against them," That seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. (Mark iv. 12.) You see here, that till they are converted, men's sins are not forgiven them. And that whoever procureth the forgiveness of their sins, must do it by procuring their conversion; and that the hindering of their conversion is the hindering of their forgiveness. And that blindness of mind is the great hindrance of conversion; when men do not perceive the very things which they see, (not knowing the reason, and the sense, and the end of them, but the outside only :) nor understand the things which they hear: And therefore undoubtedly the teacher that brings you a light into your minds, and first showeth you yourselves, and your unconverted and your unpardoned state, is he that takes the way to your conversion and forgiveness as the forecited text showeth you, "I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light," (Acts xviii. 26,) (that they may first know themselves, and then know God in Jesus Christ), " and from the power of Satan," (who ruled them as their prince, and captivated them as their gaoler)," unto God" (whom they had forsaken as a guide and governor, and were deprived of as their protector, portion and felicity,)" that they may receive forgiveness of sins" (which none receive but the converted,)" and an inheritance among them that are sanctified," for glory is the inheritance of the saints alone; (Col. i. 12;) and all this "through faith that is in me" (by believing in me, and giving up themselves unto me, that by my satisfaction, merits, teaching, Spirit, intercession, and judgment, it may be accomplished).

Truly sirs, if we knew how to procure your conversion and forgiveness, without making you know that you are

unconverted and unpardoned, we would do it, and not trouble you needlessly with so sad a discovery. Let that man be accounted a butcher of souls, and not a physician for them, that delighteth to torment them. Let him be accounted unworthy to be a preacher of the Gospel, that envieth you your peace and comfort. We would not have you think one jot worse of your condition than it is. Know but the very truth, what case you are in, and we desire no

more.

And so far are we by this from driving you to desperation, that it is your desperation that we would prevent by it; which can no other way be prevented. When you are past remedy, desperation cannot be avoided: and this is necessary to your remedy. There is a conditional despair, and an absolute despair. The former is necessary to prevent the latter, and to bring you to a state of hope. A man that hath the tooth-ach, may perhaps despair of being eased without drawing the tooth; or a man that hath a gangrened foot may despair of life, unless it be cut off; that so by the cure he may not be left to an absolute despair of life. So you must despair of being pardoned or saved without conversion, that you may be converted, and so have hope of your salvation, and be saved from final, absolute despair. I hope you will not be offended with him, that would persuade you to despair of living, unless you will eat and drink. You have no more reason to be offended with him that would have you despair of being pardoned or saved without Christ, or without his sanctifying Spirit.

Having said so much of the necessity of ministers endeavouring to make unregenerate sinners know themselves, I shall next try what I can do towards it, with those that hear me, by proposing these few questions to your consideration.

Quest. 1. Do you think that you were ever unsanctified, and in a state of wrath and condemnation or not? If not, then you are not the offspring of Adam; you are not then of the human race; for the Scripture telleth you that “ We are conceived in sin, (Psal. li. 5,) And "that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. And that by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation," (Rom. v. 12, 18,) And that " All have sinned, and

come short of the glory of God." (Rom. iii. 23.) " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," (1 John i. 8, 10,) And "the wages of sin is death." (Rom. vi. 23.)

And I hope you will confess that you cannot be pardoned and saved without a Saviour, and therefore as you need a Saviour, so you must have a special interest in him. It is as certain that Christ saveth not all, as that he saveth for the same word assureth us of the one, and of the

any:

other.

Quest. 2. But if you confess that once you were children of wrath, my next question is, Whether you know how, and when you were delivered from so sad a state? or at least, whether it be done, or not? Perhaps you will say, it was done in your baptism, which washeth away original sin. But granting you, that all that have a promise of pardon before, have that promise sealed, and that pardon delivered them by baptism, I ask you,

Quest. 3. Do you think that baptism by water only will save, unless you be also baptized by the Spirit? Christ telleth you the contrary, with a vehement asseveration, (John iii. 5,)" Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." And Peter tells you that it is "not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God." (1 Pet. ii. 21.)" If therefore you have not the Spirit of Christ," for all your baptism, “you are none of his;" (Rom. viii. 9;) For" that which is born of the flesh is (but) flesh," and you must be born of the Spirit if you will be spiritual. (John iii. 6.)

I shall further grant you, that many receive the Spirit of Christ even in their infancy, and may be savingly as well as sacramentally then regenerate. And if this be your case, you have a very great cause to be thankful for it. But I next inquire of you,

Quest. 4. Have you not lived an unholy, carnal life, since you came to the use of reason? Have you not since then declared, that you did not live the life of faith, nor walk after the Spirit but after the flesh? If so, then it is certain that you have need of a conversion from that ungodly state, whatever baptism did for you; and therefore you are still to inquire, whether you have been converted since you came to age.

And I must needs remember you, that your infant cove. nant made in baptism, being upon your parents' faith and consent, and not your own, will serve your turn no longer than your infancy, unless when you come to the use of reason, you renew and own that covenant yourselves, and have a personal faith and repentance of your own, And whatever you received in baptism, this must be our next inquiry,

Quest. 5. Did you ever since you came to age, upon sound repentance, and renunciation of the flesh, the world, and the devil, give up yourselves unfeignedly by faith, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and show by the performance of this holy covenant, that you were sincere in the making of it?

I confess it is a matter so hard to most, to assign the time and manner of their conversion, that I think it no safe way of trial. And therefore I will issue all in this one question.

Quest. 6. Have you the necessary parts of the new creature now? Though perhaps you know not just when, or how it was formed in you? The question is, whether you are now in a state of sanctification? And not, whether you can tell just when you did receive it? He that would know, whether he be a man, must not do it by remembering when he was born, or how he was formed; but by discerning the rational nature in himself at present. And though grace be more observable to us in its entrance, than nature (as finding, and entering into a discerning subject, which nature doth not): yet it beginneth so early with some, and so obscurely with others, and in others, the preparations are so long or notable, that it is hard to say when special grace came in, But you may well discern, whether it be there or not. And that is the question that must be resolved, if you would know yourselves.

And, though I have been long in these exhortations, to incline your wills, I shall be short in giving you those evidences of the holy life, which must be before your eyes while you are upon the trial.

In sum, if your very hearts do now unfeignedly consent to the covenant which you made in baptism, and your lives express it to be a true consent, I dare say you are regenerate, though you know not just when you first consented.

Come on then, and let us inquire what you say to the several parts of your baptismal covenant.

1. If you are sincere in the covenant you have made with Christ, you do resolvedly consent, that God shall be your only God, as reconciled to you by Jesus Christ. Which is, 1. That you will take him for your Owner or your absolute Lord, and give up yourselves to him as his own.

2. That you will take him for your supreme Governor, and consent to be subject to his government and laws, taking his wisdom for your guide, and his will for the rule of your wills and lives.

3. That you will take him for your chiefest Benefactor, from whom you receive and expect all your happiness, and to whom you owe yourselves and all, by way of thankfulness. And that you take his love and favour for your happiness itself, and prefer the everlasting enjoyment of his glorious sight and love in heaven, before all the sensual pleasures of the world.

I would prove the necessity of all these by Scripture as we go, but that it is evident in itself; these three relations being essential to God, as our God in covenant. He is not our God, if not our Owner, Ruler, and Benefactor. You profess all this, when you profess but to love God, or to take him for your God.

2. In the covenant of baptism you do profess to believe in Christ, and take him for your only Saviour. If you do this in sincerity, 1. You do unfeignedly believe the doctrine of his Gospel, the articles of the Christian faith, concerning his person, his offices, and his sufferings and works. 2. You do take him unfeignedly for the only Redeemer and Saviour of mankind, and give up yourselves to be saved by his merits, righteousness, intercession, &c. as he hath promised in his word. 3. You trust upon him and his promises, for the attainment of your reconciliation and peace with God, your justification, adoption, sanctification, and the glory of the life to come. 4. You take him for your Lord and King, your Owner and Ruler by the right of redemption; and your grand Benefactor, that hath obliged you to love and gratitude, by saving you from the wrath to come, and purchasing eternal glory for you by his most wonderful condescension, life and sufferings.

3. In the baptismal covenant, you are engaged to the Holy Ghost. If you are sincere in this branch of your cove