Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

So that when they were Converted, they quite left off their profane courses, that once they had lived in. All you therefore that are Drunkards, or Lascivious persons, or that follow any other Profane courses, except you be Converted, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 3 They that have nothing beyond Civility and Morality, are in a Unconverted estate. There is a Generation risen up of late, who give out, as if Saving Grace and Morality were the same. But woe •o that mans Soul, that shall either say or think so: Certainly, there is a difference between a mere Moral man, and a true Christian. Many Heathens have excelled as to Moral Endowments. Nay that Apostate Infidel Julian the Emperor, yet as to Moral Accomplishments, was a rarely qualified person; But shall we say that, that Enemy of Christ had Grace in his Soul? It's true, that Morality is good and lovely, yea, and such persons are nearer Conversion than profane ones are, Mark 12.34. yet this may be without Grace. The young man in the Gospel was a very Civil, Moral Man, but he lacked saving Grace for all that, Luke 18.21, 22. The Pharisee was no Extortioner, nor Unjust, nor an Adulterer, nor like the Publican; and yet for all that, in his Natural, Unconverted estate, Luke 18 11 Paul before his Conversion, was to•••ing the righteousness of the Law ⟨p. 39⟩blameless, Phil. 3.• They therefore that bless themselves in their Condition, only because none can say to them, that black is their eye▪ or charge them with any scandalous miscarriages in their lives, are in an unconverted estate. 4 So likewise are they all whose Religion is nothing else but Education. Alas, there are many that are deceived with this; All their Religion is the mere Impression of a godly Education, without any special work of the Holy Spirit upon their Souls. Not but that a Religious Education is a great mercy, yea, and to many of the Elect it is the great means of their Conversion. But when Education alone is rested in, without experience of a Regenerating work of the Spirit the a mans case is sad. There are that bcse they were born of Christian Parents […] baptized, and when grown up, pro […] Christian Religion which they have bee […] caed in, therefore they think that the […] no other Conversion. Like that Prelate […] when one was convented before hi […] going out of his Parish Church;