Reas 2 2. Another reason why God will have ⟨p. 10⟩it so is, because this will be as a spur to quicken and engage men to be more eminent in grace, after their conversion: when a man doth frequently and seriously consider how bad and sinful he was before conversion, it cannot but provoke him now to be more humble and holy, after his conversion. It is very observable in Paul, that all those sins and wickednesses he was guilty of before conversion, he did most of all strive against, and labour to excel in the contrary graces after conversion: as first before conversion he did labour to hale others to prison, for worshipping of Christ; but after his conversion, he did labour to draw others to Christ: Act. 26. 10, 11. Many of the Saints 1did I shut up in prison, and gave my voice against them, and punished them oft in every City, and I was exceeding mad against them, and banished them into other Cities: and now you shall see that after conversion, Paul did labour to outvie in grace, that evil course he was in before; as before conversion, he did imprison those that did belong to Christ, so after conversion, he was shut up himself in prison, for the cause of Christ; before conversion, he gave his voice against the people of God, but after conversion, he did pray to God for them; before conversion, he did punish them often, but afterward he did preach to ⟨p. 11⟩them often; before conversion, he did compel men to blaspheme Christ, but after conversion, he was very earnest to persuade people to believe in Christ; he was exceeding mad against them before conversion, but afterward he was so exceeding zealous for the people of God, that every one thought he had been mad: and lastly, before conversion he did persecute Saints to strange Cities, but afterwards he did go preaching of the Gospel to strange Cities: Oh my Beloved, let Pauls pattern be your task, call to mind your sin and wickedness in your unconverted condition, but so that it may provoke you, that now you are converted, you may labour to abound in grace, as formerly you have abounded in sin.
Reas 2 2. Another reason why God wil have ⟨p. 10⟩it so is, because this will be as a spur to quicken and engage men to be more eminent in grace, after their conversion: when a man doth frequently and seriously consider how bad and sinful he was before conversion, it cannot but provoke him now to be more humble and holy, after his conversion. It is very observable in Paul, that all those sins and wickednesses he was guilty of before conversion, he did most of all strive against, and labour to excell in the contrary graces after conversion: as first before conversion he did labour to hale others to prison, for worshipping of Christ; but after his conversion, he did labour to draw others to Christ: Act. 26. 10, 11. Many of the Saints 1did I shut up in prison, and gave my voice against them, and punished them oft in every City, and I was exceeding mad against them, and banished them into other Cities: and now you shall see that after conversion, Paul did labour to outvie in grace, that evil course he was in before; as before conversion, he did imprison those that did belong to Christ, so after conversion, he was shut up himself in prison, for the cause of Christ; before conversion, he gave his voice against the people of God, but after conversion, he did pray to God for them; before conversion, he did punish them often, but afterward he did preach to ⟨p. 11⟩them often; before conversion, he did compell men to blaspheme Christ, but after conversion, he was very earnest to perswade people to beleive in Christ; he was exceeding mad against them before conversion, but afterward hee was so exceeding zealous for the people of God, that every one thought hee had been mad: and lastly, before conversion he did persecute Saints to strange Cities, but afterwards he did go preaching of the Gospel to strange Cities: Oh my Beloved, let Pauls pattern be your task, cal to minde your sin and wickednesse in your unconverted condition, but so that it may provoke you, that now you are converted, you may labour to abound in grace, as formerly you have abounded in sin.
- 1Act. 26. 10, 11.
