A treatise concerning conversion: showing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the…A treatise concerning conversion: shewing the nature of saving conversion to God, and the…

CHAP. VII. Conversion is wrought by Light.

GOD is the Author of Conversion: Men must be born of the Spirit. Whatever means are used they will be ineffectual, if there be not the operation of the Spirit: Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat be us. Such as are converted are born of God, Joh. 1.13. And the way wherein he doth it, is by letting spiritual light into the Soul; by irradiating the mind, letting in beams of light into the heart. In that way God increaseth Grace, and in that way he giveth Grace at first. While men remain in darkness, they do remain in the Kingdom of darkness; but by enlightening the mind he changes the heart. It is by inward discoveries of the Glory of God that he sanctifies the heart. In this way the Gospel doth become a rod of strength, ⟨p. 31⟩Psal. 110.2. The Lord shall send forth the […] of thy strength out of Zion. Spiritual light prevails immediately upon the heart. Me• that have refused a long while do refuse no longer after God lets in this light: Act. 26.18. To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 2 Cor. 3.18. We all as with open face beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. All that are ignorant of God remain unconverted; all that know God are converted.

GOD is the Author of Conversion: Men must be born of the Spirit. Whatever means are used they will be ineffectual, if there be not the operation of the Spirit: Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat be us. Such as are converted are born of God, Joh. 1.13. And the way wherein he doth it, is by letting spiritual light into the Soul; by irradiating the mind, letting in beams of light into the heart. In that way God increaseth Grace, and in that way he giveth Grace at first. While men remain in darkness, they do remain in the Kingdom of darkness; but by inlightning the mind he changes the heart. It is by inward discoveries of the Glory of God that he sanctifies the heart. In this way the Gospel doth become a rod of strength, ⟨p. 31⟩Psal. 110.2. The Lord shall send forth the 〈…〉 of thy strength out of Zion. Spiritual light prevails immediately upon the heart. Me• that have refused a long while do refuse no longer after God lets in this light: Act. 26.18. To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. 2 Cor. 3.18. We all as with open face beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. All that are ignorant of God remain unconverted; all that know God are converted.

Arg. 1. Man's being capable to know God makes him capable to be holy. If man had not a reasonable Soul capable to know God, he could not be capable to be holy. The inferior creatures tho' they have some knowledge and resemblances of Reason, yet are uncapable of the knowledge of God, and accordingly are uncapable of holiness, and accordingly are not under the direction of the Moral Law. But if God makes man capable to know him, he thereby makes him capable of holiness; the reason of it is, because if he actually knows God, he will be holy: The knowledge of God and holiness go together: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. God is so glorious, that if he be known, the heart will be drawn to him: Psal. 36.7. Because of the excellency ⟨image ?⟩•f thy loving kindness, the children of men put their trust in the shadow of thy wings. The excellency of God draws the heart irresistibly to him, when it is known. The knowledge of God is inseparable from holiness. All that know him are holy: The very capacity to know God, makes men capable to be holy, to love him and trust in him. The Angelical Nature is capable to know God, and so capable of holiness, and so the Humane Nature: And when men are renewed in the image of God, they are renewed in knowledge; Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.

Arg. 1. Man's being capable to know God makes him capable to be holy. If man had not a reasonable Soul capable to know God, he could not be capable to be holy. The inferiour creatures tho' they have some knowledge and resemblances of Reason, yet are uncapable of the knowledge of God, and accordingly are uncapable of holiness, and accordingly are not under the direction of the Moral Law. But if God makes man capable to know him, he thereby makes him capable of holiness; the reason of it is, because if he actually knows God, he will be holy: The knowledge of God and holiness go together: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. God is so glorious, that if he be known, the heart will be drawn to him: Psal. 36.7. Because of the excellency ⟨image ?⟩•f thy loving kindness, the children of men put their trust in the shadow of thy wings. The excellency of God draws the heart irresistably to him, when it is known. The knowledge of God is inseparable from holiness. All that know him are holy: The very capacity to know God, makes men capable to be holy, to love him and trust in him. The Angelical Nature is capable to know God, and so capable of holiness, and so the Humane Nature: And when men are renewed in the image of God, they are renewed in knowledge; Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.

Arg. 2. Until men know God, no terror, or punishment, or persuasion, will make them holy. Many men have very strong persuasions set before them to induce them to be holy; the equity of it, the profit, the pleasure, and the honour of it, are amply demonstrated; such arguments as are wont mightily to prevail in other cases; yet the men are not gained, they make their hearts as adamants, and they will not be gained until they have the knowledge of God. If the persuasions do beget some desires, if they do beget some resolutions, if they prevail on men to make some attempts; yet they don't make men holy: Men must be taught of God else they will not be holy. Joh. 6.45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Terrors of ⟨p. 33⟩conscience will not not make men holy. Men can't be frighted into the love of God. Men may be scared into Reformation, but not into Conversion. Trembling may take hold of hypocrites, yet they remain hypocrites. Cain's terrors did not make him holy. Judas his terrors did not make him holy. Fear will make men hypocrites, but not Saints. Psal. 78.34. When he flew them, then they sought him, but, v. 36. They flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue. The fear of Hell will not make men hate sin more than hell: Punishments will not make men holy. Hell-fire will not purge away men's dross. One glimpse of the Glory of God, will do more than all the punishments in the world to make men holy. Cant. 1.4. Draw me and I will run after thee.

Arg. 2. Until men know God, no terror, or punishment, or perswasion, will make them holy. Many men have very strong perswasions set before them to induce them to be holy; the equity of it, the profit, the pleasure, and the honour of it, are amply demonstrated; such arguments as are wont mightily to prevail in other cases; yet the men are not gained, they make their hearts as adamants, and they will not be gained until they have the knowledge of God. If the perswasions do beget some desires, if they do beget some resolutions, if they prevail on men to make some attempts; yet they don't make men holy: Men must be taught of God else they will not be holy. Joh. 6.45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Terrors of ⟨p. 33⟩conscience will not not make men holy. Men can't be frighted into the love of God. Men may be scared into Reformation, but not into Conversion. Trembling may take hold of hypocrites, yet they remain hypocrites. Cain's terrors did not make him holy. Judas his terrors did not make him holy. Fear will make men hypocrites, but not Saints. Psal. 78.34. When he flew them, then they sought him, but, v. 36. They flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue. The fear of Hell will not make men hate sin more than hell: Punishments will not make men holy. Hell-fire will not purge away men's dross. One glimpse of the Glory of God, will do more than all the punishments in the world to make men holy. Cant. 1.4. Draw me and I will run after thee.

Arg. 3. The perfect Knowledge of God is accompanied with perfect Holiness. Holiness always holds a proportion to men's knowledge of the glory of God. They that have not the knowledge of the glory of God, hare not one spark of holiness; if they pretend to it, yet they are utterly destitute of it. Man may set up Altars to the unknown God, but they never love an unknown God. And whe• there is the beginning of the knowledge o• God, there is the beginning of holiness; and as the knowledge of God increases, so holiness increases; they keep pace one with the other, they are in an exact proportion one to ⟨p. 34⟩the other. Every beam of light has heat in it. 2 Pet. 1.2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ. And when the knowledge of God is perfect, holiness will be perfect. We can never comprehend God, nor search out the Almighty to perfection; yet the Grace of Knowledge may be perfect: And when men do enjoy the light of Glory, they will be as holy as they desire to be. Light and life will be perfected together. Heaven is a place of perfect Light, and perfect Holiness: Psal. 17.5. I shall behold his face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. 1 Joh. 3.2. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Arg. 3. The perfect Knowledge of God is accompanied with perfect Holiness. Holiness always holds a proportion to men's knowledge of the glory of God. They that have not the knowledge of the glory of God, hare not one spark of holiness; if they pretend to it, yet they are utterly destitute of it. Man may set up Altars to the unknown God, but they never love an unknown God. And whe• there is the beginning of the knowledge o• God, there is the beginning of holiness; and as the knowledge of God increases, so holiness increases; they keep pace one with the other, they are in an exact paoportion one to ⟨p. 34⟩the other. Every beam of light has heat in it. 2 Pet. 1.2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ. And when the knowledge of God is perfect, holiness will be perfect. We can never comprehend God, nor search out the Almighty to perfection; yet the Grace of Knowledge may be perfect: And when men do enjoy the light of Glory, they will be as holy as they desire to be. Light and life will be perfected together. Heaven is a place of perfect Light, and perfect Holiness: Psal. 17.5. I shall behold his face in righteousness, I shall be satisfyed with thy likeness. 1 Joh. 3.2. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Arg. 4. When men do see the Glory of God, they would act against their Nature if they should not be holy. Every creature will act it's nature, and so will Man. When men know things to be true, they will assent to them. When men see God, they know his testimony to be true: When men know the excellency of God, they must choose him. The Glory of God is such, that it captivates the heart; where it is seen it has a magnetic power; it irresistibly conquers the will. There is a necessity of loving God, when he is seen; if men should not, they would act against their nature. There is no power in the will to resist holiness when the Glory of God is seen. •t is impossible in nature that men should ⟨p. 35⟩know God and not be holy. The Will always follows the last dictates of the Understanding. The Understanding is the guide of the Will; the will always follows its direction. Men would offer violence to their nature, if they should do otherwise. The excellency of God is a sufficient reason for men's loving and serving him: Because God has such excellency, it is man's duty to love and serve him; and it is their happiness to love and se•ve him: And when they know the excellency of God it will be their practice. The gloriousness of God has a commanding power on the heart.

Arg. 4. When men do see the Glory of God, they would act against their Nature if they should not be holy. Every creature will act it's nature, and so will Man. When men know things to be true, they will assent to them. When men see God, they know his testimony to be true: When men know the excellency of God, they must chuse him. The Glory of God is such, that it captivates the heart; where it is seen it has a magnetick power; it irresistably conquers the will. There is a necessity of loving God, when he is seen; if men should not, they would act against their nature. There is no power in the will to re•ist holiness when the Glory of God is seen. •t is impossible in nature that men should ⟨p. 35⟩know God and not be holy. The Will always follows the last dictates of the Understanding. The Understanding is the guide of the Will; the will always follows its direction. Men would offer violence to their nature, if they should do otherwise. The excellency of God is a sufficient reason for men's loving and serving him: Because God has such excellency, it is man's duty to love and serve him; and it is their happiness to love and se•ve him: And when they know the excellency of God it will be their practice. The gloriousness of God has a commanding power on the heart.

CHAP. VIII. Men are capable to receive Light from the Spirit of God, before they have an habitual Change in their Understanding.

MAN in his natural estate is represented in Scripture as utterly depraved, dead in trespasses and sins. He is blind, and in darkness. And it may be thought that he is incapable to see the gloriousness of God, until there be first an habitual change in his understanding; but if we examine the word of God, we may find plain intimations, that this light doth precede the habitual change. ⟨p. 36⟩Joh. 5.25. The time is coming, and now is' when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. Hearing the voice of Christ is antecedent to their living: It is in that way that life enters into them. 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image: Before they are changed into Gods image, they do behold his Glory. This makes it evident, that men are capable to behold the glory of the Lord before the habitual change. God discovers his Glory, and that inclines him to assent and draws forth an actual assent. Which may be further considered by these considerations.

Arg. 1. Man in his corrupted estate has his natural faculty of understanding. He hath the faculty of understanding in his corrupted estate, and in his renewed estate. A godly man has not two faculties of understanding, one whereby he knows God, and another whereby he knows other things; but by the faculty of understanding he knows God and Christ, and the truth of promises, and likewise rules of art, the motions of the Sun and Moon, and the natural causes. Where there is a natural understanding, endued with literal knowledge, and assisted by the Spirit of God, there is a power to know God: In that case there is nothing wanting in order to the spiritual knowledge of God. Men need no other faculty in order to spiritual ⟨p. 37⟩knowledge provided it be duly enlightened▪ To imagine that there needs any other lower is to fancy the need of another faculty, or a faculty in a faculty, in order to the knowledge of God; as if we understood the creature by one faculty, and God by another. A faculty of understanding instructed and assisted by the Spirit, must needs enable men to know God.

Arg. 1. Man in his corrupted estate has his natural faculty of understanding. He hath the faculty of understanding in his corrupted estate, and in his renewed estate. A godly man has not two faculties of understanding, one whereby he knows God, and another whereby he knows other things; but by the faculty of understanding he knows God and Christ, and the truth of promises, and likewise rules of art, the motions of the Sun and Moon, and the natural causes. Where there is a natural understanding, endued with literal knowledge, and assisted by the Spirit of God, there is a power to know God: In that case there is nothing wanting in order to the spiritual knowledge of God. Men need no other faculty in order to spiritual ⟨p. 37⟩knowledge provided it be duly inlightned▪ To imagine that there needs any other lower is to fancy the need of another faculty, or a faculty in a faculty, in order to the knowledge of God; as if we understood the creature by one faculty, and God by another. A faculty of understanding instructed and assisted by the Spirit, must needs inable men to know God.

Arg. 2. An habitual change in the understanding, don't give men a power to know God. It must be acknowledged, that there is such a thing as an habitual change in the understanding: Godly men have a sanctified mind; they have a principle put into them, that leads them to judge aright concerning God and Christ; and a principle of Faith to receive the testimony of God: But habits don't give men a power to know. We must carefully distinguish between a faculty of power and an habit: An habit is only an inclination to do a thing; an habit fits a man to do a thing with more facility and dexterity. Habits are not faculties; they don't enable men to do what they could not do before; they dispose and incline the heart that way. A natural man has a prevailing inclination to judge wrong concerning God, and an opposition to believe right concerning God; his mind is averse to the reception of those doctrines that the Scripture teaches concerning God; but yet he has the faculty or power to judge ⟨p. 38⟩aright when he is assisted. And the godly man having received habitual light, has an inclination to judge aright of God and spiritual things.

Arg. 2. An habitual change in the understanding, don't give men a power to know God. It must be acknowledged, that there is such a thing as an habitual change in the understanding: Godly men have a sanctified mind; they have a principle put into them, that leads them to judge aright concerning God and Christ; and a principle of Faith to receive the testimony of God: But habits dont give men a power to know. We must carefully distinguish between a faculty of power and an habit: An habit is only an inclination to do a thing; an habit fits a man to do a thing with more facility and dexterity. Habits are not faculties; they don't enable men to do what they could not do before; they dispose and incline the heart that way. A natural man has a prevailing inclination to judge wrong concerning God, and an opposition to believe right concerning God; his mind is averse to the reception of those doctrines that the Scripture teaches concerning God; but yet he has the faculty or power to judge ⟨p. 38⟩aright when he is assisted. And the godly man having received habitual light, has an inclination to judge aright of God and spiritual things.

Arg. 3. This actual light which men receive from the Spirit of God, doth beget habitual light. It is in this case as in many others; a man that has had experience of the sweetness of honey, is inclined thereby to judge so from time to time: He that has had experience of the saltness of the sea, is inclined to judge it so: And he that has understood the gloriousness of God, is prepared and disposed thereby to judge so from time to time. This discovery leaves such a sense and impression on the heart, as inclines it for ever to judge so concerning God: They never forget what they have seen, and so are inclined to judge after the like manner. And the more frequently they have eminent discoveries of God and Christ, the more strongly they are inclined to judge so, and to reject the contrary temptations. Repeated discoveries strengthen the habit, and dispose them with more readiness to judge so. The inclination to judge aright of God is a rational inclination, flowing from a conviction of the gloriousness of God.

Arg. 3. This actual light which men receive from the Spirit of God, doth beget habitual light. It is in this case as in many others; a man that has had experience of the sweetness of hony, is inclined thereby to judge so from time to time: He that has had experience of the saltness of the sea, is inclined to judge it so: And he that has understood the gloriousness of God, is prepared and disposed thereby to judge so from time to time. This discovery leaves such a sense and impression on the heart, as inclines it for ever to judge so concerning God: They never forget what they have seen, and so are inclined to judge after the like manner. And the more frequently they have eminent discoveries of God and Christ, the more strongly they are inclined to judge so, and to reject the contrary temptations. Repeated discoveries strengthen the habit, and dispose them with more readiness to judge so. The inclination to judge aright of God is a rational inclination, flowing from a conviction of the gloriousness of God.

CHAP. IX. The first thing that this Light discovers is the Gloriousness of God.

Many men that have had experience of this spiritual light, are able to give a very poor account how it doth at first work in their heart. The understanding is so quick in it's operations, that the steps of those discoveries that are made to the soul, don't fall under their observation. They may be able to give some account what they saw, that they saw such and such encouragement to come to Christ; but they don't know how they came to be convinced of it. But we have abundant cause to conclude, that the first discovery that is made is of the gloriousness of God. The knowledge of God is the foundation of all religion: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving-kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Joh. 1.3. This is eternal life to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

MAny men that have had experience of this spiritual light, are able to give a very poor account how it doth at first work in their heart. The understanding is so quick in it's operations, that the steps of those discoveries that are made to the soul, dont fall under their observation. They may be able to give some account what they saw, that they saw such and such encouragement to come to Christ; but they don't know how they came to be convinced of it. But we have abundant cause to conclude, that the first discovery that is made is of the gloriousness of God. The knowledge of God is the foundation of all religion: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving-kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Joh. 1.3. This is eternal life to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.