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counterfeit of it, or there is that in some men who are not really converted; as, a sense of sin, an apprehension of the di vine displeasure, great distress about it, and an abstinence from it; something that bears a resemblance to each of these may be found in unconverted persons: but yet in all this, there is no heart work; whereas, true genuine conversion lies, In the turn of the heart to God. Conversion is a turn of the mind from carnal things to spiritual ones; it lies in a man's be ing turned from darkness to light, Acts xxvi. 18. in the turning of men from the power of Satan to God, Acts xxvi. 18. In turning men from idols to serve the living God; not merely from idols of silver and gold, of wood and stone, as formerly, but from the idols of a man's own heart, his lusts and corruptions: with respect to which, the language of a converted sinner is, What have I to do any more with Idols? It lies in turning men from their own righteousness to the righteousness of Christ; not from doing works of righteousness, but from depending upon them for justification before God. Conversion lies in a man's turning to the Lord actively, under the influence of divine grace; and by this phrase it is often expressed in scripture, as in 2 Cor. iii. 16. The prodigal son is a lively picture of the state of unconverted men; and in his return there are all the symptoms of a true and real conversion; as a sense of his starving, famishing, and perishing state by nature; his coming to his right mind, his sense of sin, confession of it, and repentance for it; his faith and hope of meeting with a favourable reception by his father, which encouraged him to return, and which he met with.

4 II. The causes of conversion, efficient, moving, and instrument al. 1. The efficient cause, which is not man but God. Not man, it is neither by the power nor will of man. 1. Not by the power of man; what is said of the conversion of turning of the Jews from their captivity, is true of the conversion of a sinner, that it is not by might, nor by power, that is, not of man, but by my Spirit, as saith the Lord of hosts, Zech. iv. 6. Conversion is such an alteration in a man, as is not in his

power to effect; it is like that of an Ethiopian changing his skin, and a leopard his spots; such things are never heard of, as a blackmore becoming white, and a leopard becoming clear of his spots, Jer. xiii. 23. Make the tree good, says our Lord; but the tree cannot make itself good; another hand must be employed about it; no man, says Christ, can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him John vi. 44. 2. Nor is conversion owing to the will of men; the will of man before conversion, is in a bad state, it chooses its own abominations; Luther rightly called it, servum arbitrium, a wilful servitude; as the whole of salvation is not of him that willeth, so this part of it in particular, regeneration, with which conversion, in the first moment of it, agrees, is not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, John i. 13.

But it may be said, if conversion is not in the power and will of men, to what purpose are such exhortations as these; Repent, and turn yourselves from all your tran gressions— turn yo rselves, and live? and again, Repent ye therefore, and be converted, Ezek. xviii. 30. 32. Acts ii. 19. to which may be replied, that these passages have no respect to spiritual and internal conversion; but to an external reformation of life and manners. In the first instance the Jews were then in a state of captivity, which was a kind of Death, as Sometimes sore afflictions are said to be, 2 Cor. i. 10. But what has this to do with the spiritual and internal conversion of a sinner unto God? with respect to the latter case, the Jews were threatened with the destruction of their city and nation; and now the apostle advises those to whom he directs his discourse, to relinquish their wrong notions of Christ, and repent of their ill usage of him. But supposing these, and such like exhortations to respect internal conversion of the heart to God; such exhortations may be only designed to shew men the necessity of such conversion, in order to salvation; and when men are convinced of this, they will soon be sensible of their impotence to convert themselves, and will

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pray, as Ephraim did, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, immediately and effectually. For, 2. God only is the author and efficient cause of conversion; he only can turn the heart; he can take away the hardness; he can break the rocky heart in pieces; he powerfully persuades Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem; he makes his people willing in the day of his power.

The power of divine grace, put forth in conversion, is ir resistible; a stop cannot be put to the work, though opposition made unto it, from within and from without. If it was in the power of the will of men to hinder the work of conver sion, so as that it should not take place, when it is the design of God it should, then God might be disappointed of his end. Besides, if conversion was to stand or fall according to the will of men, it would rather be ascribed to the will of men, than to the will of God; and it would not be true what is said, It is not of him that willeth; yea, as the will of men then would have the greatest stroke in conversion; in answer to that question, Who maketh thee to differ from another? it might be said, as it has been said by a proud and haughty free-willer, Grevinchovious, I have made myself to differ.

To all this may be objected, the words of Christ; How of ten would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not? Matt. xxiii. 37. but it should be observed, that this gathering is not to be understood of conversion: but of at tendance on the ministry of the word under John the Baptist; and it should also be observed, that they are not the same persons whom Christ would have gathered, and those of whom he says, and ye would not; by whom are meant, rulers and governors of the people, who would not suffer them to attend the gospel ministry, but threatened them with putting them out of the synagogue if they did. 11. The moving cause of conversion, is the love, grace, mercy, favour, and good will of God. 11. The instrumental cause or means of conversion, is usually the ministry of the word; hence min

the

isters are said to turn many to righteousnes; The law of the Lord is perfect, conv rting the soul, Psal. xix. 7.

III. The subjects of conversion; these are not all men, for all in fact, are not converted; nor does it appear to be the design and purpose of God to convert all men. They are redeemed ones who are converted; and the reason why they are converted is, because they are redeemed; I will hiss for them, by the ministry of the word, and gather them, which is another phrase for conversion, because I have redeemed them, Zech. x. 8. they whom God converts, are the same persons for whom he has provided forgiveness of sins in the covenant of his grace, and an eternal inheritance in his divine purpose; for the apostle says, he was sent by Christ to turn men unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by faith in Christ, Acts xxvi.

18.

In a word, they are described as sinners; Sinners shall be converted unto thee, Psal. li. 13.

OF SANCTIFICATION.

THAT holiness which is begun in regeneration, and is manifest in effectual calling and conversion is carried on in sanctification.

There is a sanctification which is more peculiarly ascribed to God the Father; and which is no other than his eternal election of men to it: under the law, persons and things were separated and devoted to holy uses. Hence those who are set apart by God for his use and service are said to be sanctified by God the Father, Jude 1. There is a sanctification also that is more peculiar to Christ the Son of God; hence he is said to be made to them sanctification, 1 Cor. i. 30. As the expiation of their sins is made by his blood and sacrifice, this is called a sanctification; Jesus, that he might sanctify the people with his blood, &c. Heb. xiii. 12. But there is another sanctification, which is more peculiar to the holy Spirit of God, and is called the sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thes. ii. 13. 1 Pet. ii. 2. and this is the sanctification to be treated of. Concerning which may be enquired,

I. What it is, and the nature of it. It is something that is holy, both in its principle, and in its actings. It does not lie in a conformity to the light of nature; nor in a bare external conformity to the law of God; or in an outward reformation of life and manners. Nor is what is called restraining grace, sanctification. Nor are gifts, ordinary or extraordinary, sanctifying grace. A man may have all gifts, and all knowledge, and speak with the tongue of men and angels, and not have grace; there may be a silver tongue where there is an unsanc tified heart. Nor is sanctification a restoration of the lost image of A lam, or a new vamping upon the old principles of nature: but it is something entirely new.

Some make sanctification to lie in the deposition, or putting off, of the old man, and in the putting on of the new man. This has a foundation in the word of God, and belongs to sanctifi cation, and may be admitted, if understood of the actings of it; see Col. iii. 12, 13

Others distinguish sanctification into vivification and morti. fication: and both these are to be observed in sanctification. Sanctification, as a principle, is a holy, living principle, infused; by which a man that was dead in trespasses and sins, is quickened; and from whence flow living acts. And there is suh thing as mortification; not in a literal and natural sense, of the body by fasting, scourging, &c. but the weakening of the power of sin, Rom. viii. 13. But leaving these things, I shall more particularly consider sanctification as an holy principle, and the holy actings of it. 1. As an holy principle. It is a work, not of men: none can say, I have made my heart clean. It is a good work; some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel. It is commonly called, a work of grace, and with great propriety; since it flows from the abundant grace of God in Christ. In scripture it is called, the work of faith; hence saints are said to be sanctified by faith, which is in Christ, Acts xxvi. 18. It is an internal work. It is called, the inward man, and the hidden man of the heart, which has its place there, and is not obvious to every one, Rom.vii. 22.