Marks of a true Conversion.
MATTHEW xviii. 3.
_Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven._
I SUPPOSE I may take it for granted, that all of you, among whom I am
now about to preach the kingdom of GOD, are fully convinced, that it
is appointed for all men once to die, and that ye all really believe
that after death comes the judgment, and that the consequence of that
judgment will be, that ye must be doomed to dwell in the blackness of
darkness, or ascend to dwell with the blessed GOD, for ever and ever.
I may take it for granted also, that whatever your practice in common
life may be, there is not one, though ever so profligate and abandoned,
but hopes to go to that place, which the scriptures call Heaven,
when he dies. And, I think, if I know any thing of mine own heart,
my heart’s desire, as well as my prayer to GOD, for you all, is, that
I may see you sitting down in the kingdom of our heavenly Father.
But then, though we all hope to go to heaven when we die, yet, if we
may judge by people’s lives, and our LORD says, “that by their fruits
we may know them,” I am afraid it will be found, that thousands, and
ten thousands, who hope to go to this blessed place after death, are
not now in the way to it while they live. Though we call ourselves
christians, and would consider it as an affront put upon us, for any
one to doubt whether we were christians or not; yet there are a great
many, who bear the name of CHRIST, that yet do not so much as know
what real christianity is. Hence it is, that if you ask a great many,
upon what their hopes of heaven are founded, they will tell you, that
they belong to this, or that, or the other denomination, and part of
christians, into which _Christendom_ is now unhappily divided. If you
ask others, upon what foundation they have built their hope of heaven,
they will tell you, that they have been baptized, that their fathers
and mothers presented them to the LORD JESUS CHRIST in their infancy;
and though, instead of fighting under CHRIST’s banners they have
been fighting against him, almost ever since they were baptised, yet
because they have been admitted to church, and their names are in the
Register-book of the parish, therefore they will make us believe, that
their names are also written in the book of life. But a great many,
who will not build their hopes of salvation upon such a sorry rotten
foundation as this, yet if they are, what we generally call, negatively
good people; if they live so as their neighbours cannot say that they
do any body harm, they do not doubt but they shall be happy when they
die; nay, I have found many such die, as the scripture speaks, “without
any bands in their death.” And if a person is what the world calls an
honest moral man, if he does justly, and, what the world calls, loves
a little mercy, is now and then good-natured, reacheth out his hand to
the poor, receives the sacrament once or twice a year, and is outwardly
sober and honest; the world looks upon such an one as a christian
indeed, and doubtless we are to judge charitably of every such person.
There are many likewise, who go on in a round of duties, a model of
performances, that think they shall go to heaven; but if you examine
them, though they have a CHRIST in their heads, they have no CHRIST in
their hearts.
The LORD JESUS CHRIST knew this full well; he knew how desperately
wicked and deceitful mens hearts were; he knew very well how many
would go to hell even by the very gates of heaven, how many would climb
up even to the door, and go so near as to knock at it, and yet after
all be dismissed with a “verily I know you not.” The LORD, therefore,
plainly tells us, what great change must be wrought in us, and what
must be done for us, before we can have any well grounded hopes of
entering into the kingdom of heaven. Hence, he tells _Nicodemus_, “that
unless a man be born again, and from above, and unless a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD.”
And of all the solemn declarations of our LORD, I mean with respect to
this, perhaps the words of the text are one of the most solemn, “except,
(says CHRIST) ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The words, if you look back to
the context, are plainly directed to the disciples; for we are told,
“that at the same time came the disciples unto JESUS.” And I think it
is plain from many parts of Scripture, that these disciples, to whom
our LORD addressed himself at this time, were in some degree converted
before. If we take the words strictly, they are applicable only to
those, that have already gotten some, though but weak, faith in CHRIST.
Our LORD means, that though they had already tasted the grace of GOD,
yet there was so much of the old man, so much indwelling sin, and
corruption, yet remaining in their hearts, that unless they were more
converted than they were, unless a greater change past upon their souls,
and sanctification was still carried on, they could give but very
little evidence of their belonging to his kingdom, which was not to be
set up in outward grandeur, as they supposed, but was to be a spiritual
kingdom, begun here, but compleated in the kingdom of GOD hereafter.
But though the words had a peculiar reference to our LORD’s disciples;
yet as our LORD makes such a declaration as this in other places of
Scripture, especially in that discourse to _Nicodemus_, I believe the
words may be justly applied to saints and sinners; and as I suppose
there are two sorts of people here, some who know CHRIST, and some of
you that do not know him; some that are converted, and some that are
strangers to conversion, I shall endeavour so to speak, that if GOD
shall be pleased to assist me, and to give you an hearing ear and an
obedient heart, both saints and sinners may have their portion.
_First_, I shall endeavour to show you in what respects we are to
understand this assertion of our LORD’s, “that we must be converted
and become like little children.” I shall then,
_Secondly_, Speak to those who profess a little of this child-like
temper.
And _Lastly_, shall speak to you, who have no reason to think that this
change has ever past upon your souls. And
_First_, I shall endeavour to show you, what we are to understand
by our LORD’s saying, “Except ye be converted and become as little
children.” But I think, before I speak to this point, it may be proper
to premise one or two particulars.
1. I think, that the words plainly imply, that before you or I can have
any well-grounded, scriptural hope, of being happy in a future state,
there must be some great, some notable, and amazing change pass upon
our souls. I believe, there is not one adult person in the congregation,
but will readily confess, that a great change hath past upon their
bodies, since they came first into the world, and were infants dandled
upon their mothers knees. It is true, ye have no more members than ye
had then; but how are these altered! Tho’ you are in one respect the
same ye were, for the number of your limbs, and as to the shape of your
body, yet if a person that knew you when ye were in your cradle, had
been absent from you for some years, and saw you when grown up, ten
thousand to one if he would know you at all, ye are so altered, so
different from what ye were, when ye were little ones. And as the words
plainly imply, that there has a great change past upon our bodies since
we were children, so before we can go to heaven, there must as great
a change pass upon our souls; Our souls considered in a physical sense
are still the same, there is to be no philosophical change wrought on
them: But then, as for our temper, habit and conduct, we must be so
changed and altered, that those who knew us the other day, when in a
state of sin, and before we knew CHRIST, and are acquainted with us now,
must see such an alteration, that they may stand as much amazed at it,
as a person at the alteration wrought on any person he has not seen for
twenty years from his infancy.
2. But I think it proper to premise something farther, because this
text is the grand strong-hold of _Arminians_, and others. They learn
of the devil to bring texts to propagate bad principles: when the devil
had a mind to tempt JESUS CHRIST, because CHRIST quoted scripture,
therefore Satan did so too. And such persons, that their doctrine and
bad principles may go down the better, would fain persuade unwary and
unstable souls, that they are founded upon the word of GOD. Though
the doctrine of original sin, is a doctrine written in such legible
characters in the word of GOD, that he who runs may read it; and though,
I think, every thing without us, and every thing within us, plainly
proclaims that we are fallen creatures; though the very heathens, who
had no other light, but the dim light of unassisted reason, complained
of this, for they felt the wound, and discovered the disease, but
were ignorant of the cause of it; yet there are too many persons
of those who have been baptized in the name of CHRIST, that dare to
speak against the doctrine of original sin, and are angry with those
ill-natured ministers, who paint man in such black colours. Say they,
“It cannot be that children come into the world with the guilt of
_Adam_’s sin lying upon them.” Why? Desire them to prove it from
Scripture, and they will urge this very text, our LORD tells us,
“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Now their argument runs thus, “It
is implied in the words of the text, that little children are innocent,
and that they come into the world like a mere blank piece of white
paper, otherwise our LORD must argue absurdly, for he could never
pretend to say, that we must be converted, and be made like wicked
creatures; that would be no conversion.” But, my dear friends, this is
to make JESUS CHRIST speak what he never intended, and what cannot be
deduced from his words. That little children are guilty, I mean, that
they are conceived and born in sin, is plain from the whole tenor of
the book of GOD. _David_ was a man after GOD’s own heart, yet, says
he, “I was conceived in sin.” _Jeremiah_ speaking of every one’s heart,
says, “the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked above all
things.” GOD’s servants unanimously declare, (and _Paul_ cites it from
one of them) “that we are altogether now become abominable, altogether
gone out of the way of original righteousness, there is not one of us
that doth good (by nature), no not one.” And I appeal to any of you
that are mothers and fathers, if ye do not discern original sin or
corruption in your children, as soon as they come into the world; and
as they grow up, if ye do not discover self-will, and an aversion to
goodness. What is the reason your children are so averse to instruction,
but because they bring enmity into the world with them, against a good
and gracious GOD? So then, it is plain from scripture and fact, that
children are born in sin, and consequently that they are children of
wrath. And for my part, I think, that the death of every child is a
plain proof of original sin; sickness and death came into the world
by sin, and it seems not consistent with GOD’s goodness and justice,
to let a little child be sick or die, unless _Adam_’s first sin was
imputed to him. If any charge GOD with injustice for imputing _Adam_’s
sin to a little child, behold we have gotten a second _Adam_, to bring
our children to him. Therefore, when our LORD says, “unless ye are
converted, and become as little children,” we are not to understand,
as though our LORD would insinuate, that little children are perfectly
innocent; but in a comparative, and as I shall shew you by and by, in
a rational sense. Little children are innocent, compare them with grown
people; but take them as they are, and as they come into the world,
they have hearts that are sensual, and minds which are carnal. And
I mention this with the greatest concern, because I verily believe,
unless parents are convinced of this, they will never take proper
care of their children’s education. If parents were convinced, that
children’s hearts were so bad as they are, you would never be fond of
letting them go to balls, assemblies, and plays, the natural tendency
of which is to debauch their minds, and make them the children of the
devil. If parents were convinced of this, I believe they would pray
more, when they bring their children to be baptized, and would not make
it a mere matter of form. And I believe, if they really were convinced,
that their children were conceived in sin, they would always put up
that petition, before their children came into the world, which I have
heard that a good woman always did put up, “LORD JESUS, let me never
bear a child for hell or the devil.” O! is it not to be feared, that
thousands of children will appear, at the great day, before GOD, and
in presence of angels and men will say, Father and mother, next to the
wickedness of mine own heart, I owe my damnation to your bad education
of me.
Having premised these two particulars, I now proceed to shew in what
sense we are really to understand the words, that we must be converted
and become like little children. The Evangelist tells us, “that the
disciples at this time came unto JESUS, saying, Who is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?” These disciples had imbibed the common
prevailing notion, that the LORD JESUS CHRIST was to be a temporal
prince; they dreamed of nothing but being ministers of state, of
sitting on CHRIST’s right-hand in his kingdom, and lording it over
GOD’s people; they thought themselves qualified for state offices, as
generally ignorant people are apt to conceive of themselves. Well, say
they, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Which of us shall
have the chief management of public affairs? A pretty question for a
few poor fishermen, who scarcely knew how to drag their nets to shore,
much less how to govern a kingdom. Our LORD, therefore, in the 2d verse,
to mortify them, calls a little child, and sets him in the midst of
them. This action was as much as if our LORD had said, “Poor creatures!
your imaginations are very towering; you dispute who shall be greatest
in the kingdom of heaven; I will make this little child preach to you,
or I will preach to you by him: Verily I say unto you, (I who am truth
itself, I who know in what manner my subjects are to enter into my
kingdom; I say unto you, ye are so far from being in a right temper
for my kingdom, that) except ye be converted, and become as this little
child, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, (unless ye are,
comparatively speaking, as loose to the world, as loose to crowns,
scepters, and kingdoms, and earthly things, as this poor little child
I have in my hand) ye shall not enter into my kingdom.” So that what
our LORD is speaking of, is not the innocency of little children, if
you consider the relation they stand in to GOD, and as they are in
themselves, when brought into the world; but what our LORD means is,
that as to ambition and lust after the world, we must in this sense
become as little children. Is there never a little boy or girl in this
congregation? Ask a poor little child, that can just speak, about a
crown, scepter, or kingdom, the poor creature has no notion about it:
give a little boy or girl a small thing to play with, it will leave
the world to other people. Now in this sense we must be converted, and
become as little children; that is, we must be as loose to the world,
comparatively speaking, as a little child.
Do not mistake me, I am not going to persuade you to shut up your shops,
or leave your business; I am not going to persuade you, that if ye will
be christians, ye must turn hermits, and retire out of the world: ye
cannot leave your wicked hearts behind you, when you leave the world;
for I find when I am alone, my wicked heart has followed me, go where I
will. No, the religion of JESUS is a social religion. But though JESUS
CHRIST does not call us to go out of the world, shut up our shops,
and leave our children to be provided for by miracles; yet this must
be said to the honour of christianity, if we are really converted,
we shall be loose from the world. Though we are engaged in it, and
are obliged to work for our children; though we are obliged to follow
trades and merchandize, and to be serviceable to the commonwealth; yet
if we are real christians, we shall be loose to the world; though I
will not pretend to say that all real christians have attained to the
same degree of spiritual-mindedness. This is the primary meaning of
these words, that we must be converted and become as little children;
nevertheless, I suppose the words are to be understood in other senses.
When our LORD says, we must be converted and become as little children,
I suppose he means also, that we must be sensible of our weakness,
comparatively speaking, as a little child. Every one looks upon a
little child, as a poor weak creature; as one that ought to go to
school and learn some new lesson every day; and as simple and artless:
one without guile, having not learned the abominable art, called
dissimulation. Now in all these senses, I believe we are to understand
the words of the text.――――Are little children sensible of their
weakness? Must they be led by the hand? Must we take hold of them
or they will fall? So, if we are converted, if the grace of GOD be
really in our hearts, my dear friends, however we may have thought of
ourselves once, whatever were our former high exalted imaginations; yet
we shall now be sensible of our weakness; we shall no more say, “We are
rich and increased with goods, and lack nothing;” we shall be inwardly
poor: we shall feel “that we are poor, miserable, blind, and naked.”
And as a little child gives up its hand to be guided by a parent or a
nurse, so those who are truly converted, and are real christians, will
give up the heart, their understandings, their wills, their affections,
to be guided by the word, providence, and the Spirit of the LORD. Hence
it is, that the Apostle, speaking of the sons of GOD, says, “As many
as are led by the Spirit of GOD, they are (and to be sure he means they
only are) the sons of GOD.”
And as little children look upon themselves to be ignorant creatures,
so those that are converted, do look upon themselves as ignorant too.
Hence it is, that _John_, speaking to christians, calls them little
children; “I have written unto you, little children.” And CHRIST’s
flock is called a little flock, not only because little in number,
but also because those who are members of his flock, are indeed little
in their own eyes. Hence that great man, that great apostle of the
_Gentiles_, that spiritual father of so many thousands of souls, that
man, who in the opinion of Dr. _Goodwin_, “sits nearest the God-man,
the LORD JESUS CHRIST, in glory,” that chosen vessel, the Apostle
_Paul_, when he speaks of himself, says, “Unto me, who am less than
the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach
among the _Gentiles_ the unsearchable riches of CHRIST.” Perhaps some
of you, when you read these words, will be apt to think that _Paul_
did not speak true, that he did not really feel what he said; because
you judge _Paul_’s heart by your own proud hearts: but the more ye
get of the grace of GOD, and the more ye are partakers of the divine
life, the more will ye see your own meanness and vileness, and be less
in your own eyes. Hence it is, that Mr. _Flavel_, in his book called,
_Husbandry Spiritualized_, compares young christians to green corn;
which before it is ripe, shoots up very high, but there is little
solidity in it: whereas, an old christian is like ripe corn; it doth
not lift up its head so much, but then it is more weighty, and fit
to be cut down, and put into the farmer’s barn. Young christians are
also like little rivulets; ye know rivulets are shallow, yet make
great noise; but an old christian, he makes not much noise, he goes on
sweetly, like a deep river sliding into the ocean.
And as a little child is looked upon as an harmless creature, and
generally speaks true; so, if we are converted, and become as little
children, we shall be guileless as well as harmless. What said the dear
Redeemer when he saw _Nathaniel_? As though it was a rare sight he
gazed upon, and would have others gaze upon it; “Behold an _Israelite_
indeed:” Why so? “In whom is no guile.” Do not mistake me; I am not
saying, that christians ought not to be prudent; they ought exceedingly
to pray to GOD for prudence, otherwise they may follow the delusions of
the devil, and by their imprudence give wrong touches to the ark of GOD.
It was the lamentation of a great man, “GOD has given me many gifts,
but GOD has not given me prudence.” Therefore, when I say, a christian
must be guileless, I do not mean, he should expose himself, and lie
open to every one’s assault: we should pray for the wisdom of the
serpent, though we shall generally learn this wisdom by our blunders
and imprudence: and we must make some advance in christianity, before
we know our imprudence. A person really converted, can say, as it is
reported of a philosopher, “I wish there was a window in my breast,
that every one may see the uprightness of my heart and intentions:” And
though there is too much of the old man in us, yet, if we are really
converted, there will be in us no allowed guile, we shall be harmless.
And that is the reason why the poor christian is too often imposed upon;
he judgeth other people by himself; having an honest heart, he thinks
every one as honest as himself, and therefore is a prey to every one. I
might enlarge upon each of these points, it is a copious and important
truth; but I do not intend to multiply many marks and heads.
And therefore, as I have something to say by way of personal
application, give me leave therefore, with the utmost tenderness, and
at the same time with faithfulness, to call upon you, my dear friends.
My text is introduced in an awful manner, “Verily I say unto you;” and
what JESUS said then, he says now to you, to me, and to as many as sit
under a preached gospel, and to as many as the LORD our GOD shall call.
Let me exhort you to see whether ye are converted; whether such a great
and almighty change has passed upon any of your souls. As I told you
before, so I tell you again, ye all hope to go to heaven, and I pray
GOD Almighty ye may be all there: when I see such a congregation as
this, if my heart is in a proper frame, I feel myself ready to lay down
my life, to be instrumental only to save one soul. It makes my heart
bleed within me, it makes me sometimes most unwilling to preach, lest
that word that I hope will do good, may increase the damnation of any,
and perhaps of a great part of the auditory, through their own unbelief.
Give me leave to deal faithfully with your souls. I have your dead
warrant in my hand: CHRIST has said it, JESUS will stand to it, it is
like the laws of the _Medes_ and _Persians_, it altereth not. Hark, O
man! hark, O woman! he that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the
LORD JESUS CHRIST says, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom
of heaven.” Though this is _Saturday_ night, and ye are now preparing
for the sabbath, for what you know, you may yet never live to see the
sabbath. You have had awful proofs of this lately; a woman died but
yesterday, a man died the day before, another was killed by something
that fell from a house, and it may be in twenty-four hours more, many
of you may be carried into an unalterable state. Now then, for GOD’s
sake, for your own souls sake, if ye have a mind to dwell with GOD,
and cannot bear the thought of dwelling in everlasting burning, before
I go any further, silently put up one prayer, or say _Amen_ to the
prayer I would put in your mouths; “LORD, search me and try me; LORD,
examine my heart, and let my conscience speak; O let me know whether
I am converted or not!” What say ye, my dear hearers? what say ye, my
fellow-sinners? what say ye, my guilty brethren? Has GOD by his blessed
Spirit wrought such a change in your hearts? I do not ask you, whether
GOD has made you angels? That I know will never be; I only ask you,
Whether ye have any well-grounded hope to think that GOD has made you
new creatures in CHRIST JESUS? So renewed and changed your natures,
that you can say, I humbly hope, that as to the habitual temper and
tendency of my mind, that my heart is free from wickedness; I have a
husband, I have a wife, I have also children, I keep a shop, I mind
my business; but I love these creatures for GOD’s sake, and do every
thing for CHRIST: and if GOD was now to call me away, according to the
habitual temper of my mind, I can say, LORD, I am ready; and however I
love the creatures, I hope I can say, Whom have I in heaven but thee?
Whom have I in heaven, O my GOD and my dear Redeemer, that I desire in
comparison of thee? Can you thank GOD for the creatures, and say at the
same time, these are not my CHRIST? I speak in plain language, you know
my way of preaching: I do not want to play the orator, I do not want to
be counted a scholar; I want to speak so as I may reach poor people’s
hearts. What say ye, my dear hearers? Are ye sensible of your weakness?
Do ye feel that ye are poor, miserable, blind, and naked by nature? Do
ye give up your hearts, your affections, your wills, your understanding
to be guided by the Spirit of GOD, as a little child gives up its hand
to be guided by its parent? Are ye little in your own eyes? Do ye think
meanly of yourselves? And do you want to learn something new every
day? I mention these marks, because I am apt to believe they are more
adapted to a great many of your capacities. A great many of you have
not that flowing of affection ye sometimes had, therefore ye are for
giving up all your evidences, and making way for the devil’s coming
into your heart. You are not brought up to the mount as ye used to be,
therefore ye conclude ye have no grace at all. But if the LORD JESUS
CHRIST has emptied thee, and humbled thee, if he is giving thee to see
and know that thou art nothing; though thou art not growing upward,
thou art growing downward; and though thou hast not so much joy, yet
thy heart is emptying to be more abundantly replenished by and by. Can
any of you follow me? Then, give GOD thanks, and take the comfort of it.
If thou art thus converted, and become a little child, I welcome thee,
in the name of the LORD JESUS, into GOD’s dear family; I welcome thee,
in the name of the dear Redeemer, into the company of GOD’s children.
O ye dear souls, though the world sees nothing in you, though there
be no outward difference between you and others, yet I look upon you
in another light, even as so many kings sons and daughters: all hail!
in the name of GOD, I wish every one of you joy from my soul, ye sons
and daughters of the King of kings. Will not you henceforth exercise a
child-like temper? Will not such a thought melt down your hearts, when
I tell you, that the great GOD, who might have frowned you to hell for
your secret sins, that nobody knew of but GOD and your own souls, and
who might have damned you times without number, hath cast the mantle of
his love over you; his voice hath been, Let that man, that woman live,
for I have found a ransom. O will ye not cry out, Why me, LORD? Was
King _George_ to send for any of your children, and were you to hear
they were to be his adopted sons, how highly honoured would you think
your children to be? What great condescension was it for _Pharaoh_’s
daughter to take up _Moses_, a poor child exposed in an ark of
bulrushes, and breed him up for her child? But what is that happiness
in comparison of thine, who was the other day a child of the devil, but
now by converting grace art become a child of GOD? Are ye converted?
Are ye become like little children? Then what must ye do? My dear
hearers, be obedient to GOD, remember GOD is your father; and as every
one of you must know what a dreadful cross it is to have a wicked,
disobedient child; if ye do not want your children to be disobedient
to you, for CHRIST’s sake be not disobedient to your heavenly parent.
If GOD be your father, obey him: if GOD be your father, serve him;
love him with all your heart, love him with all your might, with all
your soul, and with all your strength. If GOD be your father, fly from
every thing that may displease him; and walk worthy of that GOD, who
has called you to his kingdom and glory. If ye are converted and become
like little children, then behave as little children: they long for
the breast, and with it will be contented. Are ye new-born babes? then
desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. I do not
want that Arminian husks should go down with you; ye are kings sons and
daughters, and have a more refined taste; you must have the doctrines
of grace; and blessed be GOD that you dwell in a country, where the
sincere word is so plainly preached. Are ye children? then grow in
grace, and in the knowledge of your LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Have
any of you children that do not grow? do not ye lament these children,
and cry over them; do not ye say, my child will never be fit for any
thing in the world? Well, doth it grieve you to see a child that will
not grow; how much must it grieve the heart of CHRIST to see you grow
so little? Will ye be always children? Will ye be always learning the
first principles of christianity, and never press forward toward the
mark, for the prize of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS? GOD
forbid. Let the language of your heart be, “LORD JESUS help me to grow,
help me to learn more, learn me to live so as my progress may be known
to all!”
Are ye GOD’s children? Are ye converted, and become like little
children? Then deal with GOD as your little children do with you; as
soon as ever they want any thing, or if any body hurt them, I appeal
to yourselves if they do not directly run to their parent. Well, are ye
GOD’s children? Doth the devil trouble you? Doth the world trouble you?
Go tell your father of it, go directly and complain to GOD. Perhaps you
may say, I cannot utter fine words: but do any of you expect fine words
from your children? If they come crying, and can speak but half words,
do not your hearts yearn over them? And has not GOD unspeakably more
pity to you? If ye can only make signs to him; “As a father pitieth
his children, so will the LORD pity them that fear him.” I pray you
therefore be bold with your father, saying, “Abba, Father,” Satan
troubles me, the world troubles me, my own mother’s children are angry
with me; heavenly Father, plead my cause! the LORD will then speak for
you some way or other.
Are ye converted, and become as little children, have ye entered
into GOD’s family? Then assure yourselves, that your heavenly father
will chasten you now and then; “for what son is there whom the father
chastneth not: if ye are without chastisement, of which all are
partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” It is recorded of bishop
_Latimer_, that in the house where he came to lodge, he overheard the
master of the house say, I thank GOD I never had a cross in my life:
O said he, then I will not stay here. I believe there is not a child
of GOD, when in a good frame, but has prayed for great humility; they
have prayed for great faith, they have prayed for great love, they have
prayed for all the graces of the Spirit: Do ye know, when ye put up
these prayers, that ye did also say, LORD send us great trials: for how
is it possible to know ye have great faith, humility and love, unless
GOD put you into great trials, that ye may know whether ye have them or
not. I mention this, because a great many of the children of GOD (I am
sure it has been a temptation to me many times, when I have been under
GOD’s smarting rod) when they have great trials, think GOD is giving
them over. If therefore ye are GOD’s children; if ye are converted
and become as little children; do not expect that GOD will be like a
foolish parent; no, he is a jealous GOD, he loves his child too well to
spare his rod. How did he correct _Miriam_? How did he correct _Moses_?
How hath GOD in all ages corrected his dearest children? Therefore
if ye are converted, and become as little children, if GOD hath taken
away a child, or your substance, if GOD suffers friends to forsake you,
and if you are forsaken as it were both by GOD and man, say, LORD I
thank thee! I am a perverse child, or GOD would not strike me so often
and so hard. Do not blame your heavenly Father, but blame yourselves;
he is a loving GOD, and a tender Father, “he is afflicted in all our
afflictions:” therefore when GOD spake to _Moses_, he spake out of
the bush; as much as to say, “_Moses_, this bush represents my people;
as this bush is burning with fire, so are my children to burn with
affliction; but I am in the bush; if the bush burns, I will burn with
it, I will be with them in the furnace, I will be with them in the
water, and though the water come over them, it shall not overflow them.”
Are ye GOD’s children? Are ye converted and become as little children?
Then will ye not long to go home and see your Father? O happy they that
have gotten home before you; happy they that are up yonder, happy they
who have ascended above this field of conflict. I know not what you may
think of it, but since I heard that some, whose hearts GOD was pleased
to work upon, are gone to glory, I am sometimes filled with grief,
that GOD is not pleased to let me go home too. How can you see so much
coldness among GOD’s people? How can ye see GOD’s people like the moon,
waxing and waning? Who can but desire to be forever with the LORD?
Thanks be to GOD, the time is soon coming; thanks be to GOD, he will
come and will not tarry. Do not be impatient, GOD in his own time will
fetch you home. And though ye may be brought to short allowance now,
though some of you may be narrow in your circumstances, yet do not
repine; a GOD, and the gospel of CHRIST, with brown bread, are great
riches. In thy Father’s house there is bread enough and to spare;
though thou art now tormented, yet by and by thou shalt be comforted;
the angels will look upon it as an honour to convey thee to _Abraham_’s
bosom, though thou art but a _Lazarus_ here. By the frame of my heart,
I am much inclined to speak comfortably to GOD’s people.
But I only mention one thing more, and that is, if ye are converted,
and become as little children, then for GOD’s sake take care of doing
what children often do; they are too apt to quarrel one with another.
O love one another; “he that dwells in love dwells in GOD, and GOD in
him.” _Joseph_ knew that his brethren were in danger of falling out,
therefore when he left them, says he, “fall not out by the way.” Ye are
all children of the same Father, ye are all going to the same place;
why should ye differ? The world has enough against us, the devil has
enough against us, without our quarelling with each other; O walk in
love. If I could preach no more, if I was not able to hold out to the
end of my sermon, I would say as _John_ did, when he was grown old and
could not preach, “Little children, love one another:” if ye are GOD’s
children, then love one another. There is nothing grieves me more, than
the differences amongst GOD’s people. O hasten that time, when we shall
either go to heaven, or never quarrel any more!
Would to GOD I could speak to all of you in this comfortable language;
but my master tells me, I must “not give that which is holy to dogs,
I must not cast pearls before swine;” therefore, though I have been
speaking comfortably, yet what I have been saying, especially in this
latter part of the discourse, belongs to children; it is children’s
bread, it belongs to GOD’s people. If any of you are graceless,
christless, unconverted creatures, I charge you not to touch it, I
fence it in the name of GOD; here is a flaming sword turning every way
to keep you from this bread of life, till ye are turned to JESUS CHRIST.
And therefore, as I suppose many of you are unconverted, and graceless,
go home, and away to your closets, and down with your stubborn hearts
before GOD; if ye have not done it before, let this be the night: Or,
do not stay till ye go home; begin now, while standing here; pray to
GOD, and let the language of thy heart be, LORD convert me! LORD make
me a little child, LORD JESUS let me not be banished from thy kingdom!
My dear friends, there is a great deal more implied in the words, than
is expressed: when CHRIST says, “Ye shall not enter into the kingdom
of heaven,” it is as much as to say, “ye shall certainly go to hell, ye
shall certainly be damned, and dwell in the blackness of darkness for
ever, ye shall go where the worm dies not, and where the fire is not
quenched.” The LORD GOD impress it upon your souls! May an arrow (as
one lately wrote me in a letter) dipped in the blood of CHRIST, reach
every unconverted sinner’s heart! May GOD fulfil the text to every one
of your souls! It is he alone that can do it. If ye confess your sins,
and leave them, and lay hold on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Spirit of
GOD shall be given you; if you will go and say, turn me, O my GOD! thou
knowest not, O man, what the return of GOD may be to thee. Did I think
that preaching would be to the purpose, did I think that arguments
would induce you to come, I would continue my discourse till midnight.
And however some of you may hate me without a cause, would to GOD
every one in this congregation was as much concerned for himself, as
at present (blessed be GOD) I feel myself concerned for him. O that
my head were waters, O that mine eyes were a fountain of tears, that
I might weep over an unconverted, graceless, wicked, and adulterous
generation. Precious souls, for GOD’s sake think what will become of
you when ye die, if you die without being converted; if ye go hence
without the wedding garment, GOD will strike you speechless, and ye
shall be banished from his presence for ever and ever. I know ye cannot
dwell with everlasting burnings; behold then I shew you a way of escape;
JESUS is the way, JESUS is the truth, the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the
resurrection and the life. It is his Spirit must convert you, come to
CHRIST, and ye shall have it; and may GOD for CHRIST’s sake give it to
you all, and convert you, that we may all meet, never to part again, in
his heavenly kingdom; even so LORD JESUS, Amen and Amen.