The saints everlasting rest

And thus we are naturally our own idols: but down falls this Dagon, when GOD does once renew the soul: it is the great business of that great work to bring the heart back to GOD. He convinceth the sinner, 1. That the creature can neither be his GOD, to make him; 2. Nor yet his Christ, to recover him from his misery, to restore him to GOD, who is his happiness. This GOD doth not only by preaching, but by Providence a so; because words will hardly take off the raging senses, therefore doth GOD make his rod to speak, and continue speaking, till the sinner hear, and hath learned this great lesson.

This is the great reason why affliction doth so ordinarily concur in the work of conversion; these real arguments which speak to the quick, will force a hearing when the most powerful words are slighted. ⟨p. 76⟩When a sinner made his credit his GOD, and GOD shall cast him into the lowest disgrace; or bring him that idolized his riches, into a condition wherein they cannot help him, or cause them to take wings and fly away; what a help is here to this work of conviction? When a man that made his pleasure his GOD, whether ease, or sports, or mirth, or company, or gluttony, or drunkenness, or clothing, or buildings: or whatsoever a ranging eye, a curious ear, a raging appetite, or a lustful heart could desire, and GOD shall take these from him, or give him their sting and curse with them, and turn them all into gall and wormwood, what a help is here to conviction? When GOD shall cast a man into a languishing sickness, and inflict wounds and anguish on his heart, and stir up against him his own conscience, and then as it were take him by the hand, and lead him to credit, to riches, to pleasure, to company, to sports, or whatsoever was dearest to him, and say, now try if these can help you; can these heal thy wounded conscience? Can they now support thy tottering cottage? Can they keep thy departing soul in thy body? Or save thee from mine everlasting wrath? Will they prove to thee eternal pleasures? Or redeem thy soul from the eternal flames? Cry aloud to them, and see now whether these will be instead of GOD and his Christ unto thee. O how this works with the sinner! when sense itself acknowledgeth the truth, and even the flesh is convinced of the creature's vanity.