IMPROVEMENT.

Firſt, Let us learn hence to ſettle right thoughts about the nature of converſion, and to try our ſtate, whether or no we are truly converted. There is certainly ſomething more in converſion, than many people are aware of; it is more than a turning from error and falſe worſhip, to the true religion; ſome ſuppoſe, that converſion is only for heathens, and infidels, and thoſe that are without the church: why then are the people of God here brought in, praying, Turn thou me, &c? why was John the baptiſt ſent, to turn many of the children of Iſrael unto the Lord their God? Luk. i. 16. why was Chriſt ſent to bleſs the children of the jewiſh church, in turning them from their iniquities? Act. iii. 25, 16. It is more than the reformation of a ſcandalous life. 2 Pet. ii. 20. If after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowlege of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, they are again entangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worſe with them, than the beginning. It is ſuppoſed, that men may be outwardly reformed, and purg'd from the groſs pollutions of the world, by the force of conviction, and of goſpel light & knowlege, and yet for want of a gracious change of the inward man, may finally revert to them; that is, they may be viſibly reform'd, and not ſavingly converted: yet how hard a matter is it to bring ſinners, even to this, to reform their drunkenneſs, their uncleanneſs, their lying, injuſtice, and the like immoralities; alas, ſinners, you may leave theſe ſins, and yet fall ſhort of converſion, and ſalvation; but while you perſiſt in them, you are certainly in the broad way to hell: more is required of you, than the leaving theſe pollutions of the world, yet whilſt you will not be prevailed with to do thus much, which it is, confeſſedly, in your power to do, by the common aids and aſſiſtances of grace, how far are you from the kingdom of God? and how juſtly may God be provoked to deny you his effectual converting grace, without which you muſt periſh everlaſtingly? Again, it is more than ſome compunction and ſorrow for ſin. How often do awakenings, convictions, and good reſolutions prove abortive, not being deep and ſerious enough, to produce a thorow change in men's hearts and lives. Yet again, it is more than putting in practice ſome neglected duties of religion; many miſtake here, if they who have neglected prayer a great part of their lives, begin now to pray in their families, or in ſecret, if they publickly recognize the covenant of their baptiſm, if they join themſelves to the communion of God's people in ſpecial ordinances, and come to the Lord's table, ſurely now (they are apt to think) they are converted perſons, now they are juſt men that need no repentance: alas, fooliſh virgins! have you never read or heard, that Chriſt in the great day, will ſay, depart from me, to many that will be able to plead, we have eaten, and drunk in thy preſence, and thou haſt taught in our ſtreets, Luk xiii. 26, 27. and what the doom of the man was in the parable, who came to the marriage feaſt, not having on a wedding garment, Mat. xxii. 11, 12.

Be not miſtaken, ſaving converſion is more than all this; and 'tis nothing elſe, nothing leſs than the life and image of God in the ſoul of man, evidencing itſelf in newneſs of life, and univerſal holineſs; a renouncing the corrupt inclination of the fleſh, the ſervice of ſin, and the idols of the world, that formerly poſſeſs'd the throne in our hearts, & an unfeigned, and un • e •• rved dedication of ourſelves to the Lord Jehovah, to love and ſerve him, to live to him, and be happy in him, as our ſupream Lord and benefactor, our laſt end, and chief good. O let profeſſors be perſwaded to ſearch and try their hearts and ways. Try your ſtate by thoſe requiſites, and ingredients of a ſound converſion, that have been mentioned; that if you have been under miſtakes about your condition, you may be undeceived while there is a remedy at hand, and whilſt there is room for ſuch a prayer as this, turn thou me, &c. An error here is fundamental, and moſt dangerous, and fatal; when perſons take it for granted, that they are true converts already, when they are not ſo indeed; publicans and harlots, open and notorious ſinners, lie more open to conviction, and ſo are more likely to enter into the kingdom of God than they; they are ſecure under all the terrors of the Lord, and all the threat'nings of the law and goſpel, which are deſign'd to awaken and alarm all unconverted ſinners, while they pleaſe themſelves with a conceit that they are not of that number: and tho' they are conſcious to themſelves of many ſins of omiſſion and commiſſion that they live in, yet they reckon them as the infirmities of God's children, and ſo are very eaſy and contented, for who lives without ſin? O let not a deceived heart turn y • u aſide, leſt you periſh with a lie in your right hand Iſal. xliv. 20. Take heed, brethren, leſt your hearts be hard'ned thro' the deceitfulneſs of ſin Heb. iii. 13.

Secondly, What has been ſaid, ſerves for conviction to thoſe that indulge a ſecret opinion of their own ſufficiency, and power to repent and turn to God when they pleaſe. Such a conceit may be found with many, who yet have orthodox notions concerning man's impotency, and the neceſſity of effectual grace. For the truth of this, I will appeal to the conſciences of many, who under ſtrong convictions of the ſinfulneſs and danger of their condition, and of the neceſſity of converſion, to ſatisfy conſcience reſolve that ſome time hereafter they will repent, yet for the preſent wilfully neglect the doing what they think they can do in order to converſion, and what they purpoſe ſome time or other to do. Now what does this argue, but that you think it is in your own power to repent when you pleaſe, without any more ſpecial grace from God? otherwiſe it is a deſperate hazard you run, by putting off convictions, and deferring repentance, while the Spirit of God is ſtriving with you, leſt he depart, and return no more. And I am perſwaded, if ſinners would ſeriouſly conſider this, and believe it, they could not be eaſy in their wretched neglects and delays. Again, have you not, when luſts have been importunate, and temptations ſtrong, yielded to commit a ſin againſt conſcience, and, it may be, againſt ſolemn vows, with ſuch a tho't as this, if I venture this once, it is but to repent, and all will be well. And does not this ſuppoſe, that you think that repentance is at any time in your power, whether God gives you the grace of his Spirit or no? otherwiſe it is a fearful venture indeed, to provoke God to his face, by whoſe grace alone, you muſt be enabled to repent, if ever you do ſo in ſincerity. Therefore,

Thirdly, Be deterr'd from ſinning upon preſumption of repenting; for this very reaſon, becauſe of the neceſſity of the grace of God, to thy repentance and converſion, which he is not bound to give. He may do it, and he may not, if he pleaſe. If thou takeſt the liberty of thy will to ſin, God may take the liberty of his will to deny thee grace, and leave thee to thine own hardneſs, and impenitent heart, to treaſure up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

Fourthly, It may ſerve to humble all, eſpecially unconverted ones, in a ſenſe of the hardneſs and obſtinacy of their hearts by nature, that nothing can move or melt to a temper pliable to God's will, but the effectual grace of the Spirit of God. Judgments cannot do it of themſelves, they may rouze and terrify, but without the gracious influences of the Spirit, will rather have an hardning efficacy. An unconverted ſinner under divine chaſtiſements, behaves as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke. A meſſenger from the dead cannot do it. Luk. xvi. 31. If they hear not Moſes, and the prophets, neither will they be perſwaded (i. e. to repent, ver. 30) though one roſe from the dead. The moſt awakening ſermons, the moſt lively preaching cannot do it. All the former prophets could not ſoften and ſubdue the hearts of the men of their generation. Zech. vii. 12. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant ſtone, leſt they ſhould hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hoſts hath ſent in his Spirit, by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hoſts Iſaiah's preaching did but make their heart fat, and their ears heavy, and cloſed their eyes, that they did not ſee with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor underſtand with their hearts, that they might be converted, and healed, Iſai. vi. 10. that is, this was the effect of his preaching, thro' the hardneſs of the people's hearts. And thy heart is made of the ſame metal. If Iſaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel were alive, there is hardneſs enough in thy heart to withſtand all their calls, expoſtulations, and warnings. Nay, if Chriſt himſelf were on earth again, who is greater than all the prophets, if he ſhould weep over thee, as he wept over Jeruſalem Luk. xix. 41., he could not humble, ſoften, nor convert thine obſtinate heart, without exerting his omnipotent grace. Learn then, to know the plague of thine own heart1 King. viii. 38., and ſeriouſly bewail it before God.

Fifthly, Let it be improved for caution againſt abuſing this doctrine of the neceſſity of God's grace in the work of converſion.

It is abuſed, when men pretend it as an excuſe for their continuance in ſin, or neglect of known duties; they hope to amend and do better, when God gives them grace; and thus, in a very impious manner, they lay the blame of their ſins, upon God's denying them grace. But know, O ſinner, that thou art bound by the command, which requires nothing of thee, but what is ſuited to the powers of thy reaſonable nature; and thine impotency to do what is required, lies not in the want of natural faculties, but in an obſtinate and perverſe diſpoſition of will, which is ſo far from excuſing thee from the duties of holineſs, that the neglect of them muſt needs expoſe thee to the upbraidings of thine own conſcience. And the promiſe offers thee grace ſufficient in a ſenſe of thine own impotency, and thou art forever inexcuſable, if thou doſt not ſeek it earneſtly, and uſe the appointed means to attain it; but if you content your ſelves in the ſlothful neglect of what you may and can do in the uſe of means, you deſpiſe the grace of God, and forfeit the influences and aſſiſtances of it, and will periſh as inexcuſably, as if it had been ever ſo fully in your own power to convert yourſelves.

Again, It is abuſed, when perſons admit of diſcouragements from duties, becauſe they are uncertain, whether God will give them grace, and for that reaſon are diſcouraged eſpecially from binding themſelves with religious vows to an holy life, and taking upon them the obligations of their baptiſmal covenant, or joining themſelves in church fellowſhip, becauſe it is doubtful whether God will give them grace, which is neceſſary to enable them to live up to their religious engagements.

But the apoſtle has taught us to reaſon quite the contrary way. Phil. ii. 12, 13. Work out your own ſalvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleaſure. He doth not ſay, becauſe it is God who works in you of his good pleaſure, therefore ſit ſtill, and wait for the motions and operations of grace; no, but be encouraged hence to work, to ſtir up yourſelves, and put forth endeavours in working out your ſalvation, never queſtioning the concurrence and powerful aids of divine grace; which are never wanting to ſerious endeavours; and then be encouraged to hope for the ſucceſs of your endeavours, for if God works in you, and with you, your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. Wherefore give up yourſelves to God, uſe the means of grace, you are then in the way of God's bleſſing, make trial of his ways in good earneſt, depend on his promiſed grace, and you ſhall find it ſufficient 2 Cor. xii. 9. to carry you thro', as thouſands have done before you, who have had no more aſſurance of God's grace than you, but they truſted God, and were helped, and found his grace ſufficient for them.

But ſome may ſay, if God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, then let me do what I will, or can, I may yet fall ſhort of grace.

But this is a prepoſterous way of reaſoning. 'Tis true I muſt acknowledge, that God is at liberty to withhold his grace (for if it were due, it were not grace) and may juſtly do it after all my endeavours, for my ill deſervings, yet conſidering the general offer of grace to all, without exception, it is much more reaſonable, and more for the glory of God, and for the honour of his grace, to argue thus, Let me do what I can in the uſe of means, and I have no reaſon to deſpair of grace, and help from God, but rather much encouragement to expect it; and a ſenſe of ſin and unworthineſs ſhould be no diſcouragement, for he gives grace to none becauſe they are worthy, nor denies it to none meerly becauſe of their unworthineſs, for ſo he ſhould deny it to all; ſay then, Lord, I am a poor wretched creature, unworthy of a favourable look from thee, there is nothing in me to move thee to pity or help me, but my own wants and miſeries; yet ſince thy grace is free to all, even the moſt unworthy, and thou haſt mercy in a ſovereign way on whom thou wilt, if therefore, Lord, thou wilt, thou canſt glorify thy mercy on ſuch a vile unworthy object as I am, therefore will I wait on thee, and if I periſh, I will periſh at the footſtool of thy grace. A ſoul bro't into this humble yielding frame, is a fit object of the divine compaſſions and grace. Jam. iv. 6, 7. He giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourſelves therefore to God. Hence,

Sixthly, Let me proceed to an uſe of exhortation, from the conſideration of the neceſſity and victorious efficacy of the grace of God in converſion, Let all concern'd, be excited and quick'ned to pray to God, and pray earneſtly for his converting grace, to be poured out on themſelves and their children: for if converſion be the gift and work of God's grace, what more reaſonable and neceſſary, than that his grace ſhould be acknowleg'd and magnified, by our humble dep •• dance on it, and earneſt deſires after it, exp • e •• d 〈◊〉 fervent prayer and ſupplication? And thus God expects we ſhould ſhew our value of this bleſſing, and our diſpoſition and readineſs to aſcribe to him the praiſe and glory of it intirely. And there are ſeveral ſorts of perſons concern'd in this exhortation, to whom therefore I would addreſs it with all ſeriouſneſs.

And Firſt, I would preſs it upon all unconverted o •• s, or thoſe who have reaſon to think themſelves ſuch, to pray to God for his converting grace. Secondly, On true converts themſelves, after grace received, ſtill to pray for the grace of God to convert, and recover them from their backſlidings. or decays of grace they may have fallen into. Thirdly, On Parents in covenant with God, to pray for their unconverted children. And Fourthly, On the unconverted children of the covenant in particular, to pray for the grace of God to convert and turn them to himſelf; taking encouragement from their viſible covenant relation to God, as their God.

Firſt, Let me urge and inculcate, the great duty and concern of unconverted ſinners to pray for converting grace; purſuant to the ſecond point of obſervation from the example in the text: which contains (as was obſerv'd) a petition for converting grace, ſuch as becomes every unconverted ſinner to offer up to God. And though Ephraim, who is here brought in praying for his converſion, was not altogether in a ſtate of natural corruption, and unregeneracy; his language in this and the following verſe, is expreſſive of a very humble and penitent diſpoſition, a good work was already begun in him by the grace of God: yet ſtill the ſame grace was neceſſary to bring it to ſome perfection, without which (that is, if God ſhould then have left him, without the further aſſiſtances of his grace) he is ſenſible that he ſhould ſtill miſcarry, that he ſhould ſtill wander from his duty and happineſs, and never be thorowly converted and healed; and therefore prays, turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned. The ſame ſenſe every unconverted ſinner ought to have of his condition, and to humble himſelf, and confeſs his ſins, & bewail his impotency and inſufficiency to turn himſelf, and to beg of God the powerful influences and aids of his Spirit, in order to his effectual converſion.

If it be ſaid, that ſuch ſinners are as uncapable of doing this, as of converting themſelves, they are uncapable of making ſuch humble, penitent, believing ſupplications as God will accept, for this ſuppoſes them already endow'd with the grace of repentance. But

I Anſwer, Sinners muſt needs be ſuppoſed to have deſires of their own happineſs, which are inſeparable from a reaſonable creature, and it is the will of God that ſuch deſires ſhould be cultivated and improv'd; there are many important duties of religion urg'd upon men, from a ſuppoſition of theſe natural deſires of their own welfare; and if ſinners would ſuffer themſelves to be ſet right, by the rules of the word, in the method of purſuing theſe deſires, they would not fail of everlaſting happineſs, and under this notion, they may deſire the grace of God, without which, they know they cannot be ſaved; and it muſt needs be granted alſo, that they are capable of taking to themſelves words to expreſs ſuch deſires to God; and if ſinners might be prevailed with to do this, with that fervency and importunity that the nature of the thing requires, tho' prompted thereunto meerly from a concern for their own welfare, they have ſufficient encouragement ſet before them, to hope that ſuch their deſires and prayers ſhall not be altogether without ſucceſs. Wherefore in order to the inforcement of this exhortation, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew theſe two things, 1. That it is the unqueſtionable duty of all unregenerate and unconverted ones to pray to God. 2. That it is their great concern to pray for converting grace.

1. That it is the unqueſtionable duty of all unregenerate and unconverted ones to pray to God. Though they are ſuppoſed deſtitute of ſupernatural habits, and the indwelling preſence of the Spirit of grace and ſupplication, that ſhould frame their hearts unto this duty, in order to the acceptable performance of it, they are ſtill under indiſpenſable obligations to pray to God: and the more ſinful and wretched their condition is, and the more ſenſible they are of their own vileneſs, and unworthineſs, the more need they have certainly, to bemoan themſelves to God, and pour out their hearts before him in prayer, for the ſuccours of his mercy and grace.

That this is matter of plain duty, appears, in that prayer is a duty of worſhip founded on the law of nature, the obligations whereof reach every man, being of equal extent with the humane nature; this is a part of natural homage due from all reaſonable creatures to the God that made them, by the law of their creation, and dependance on him. Pſal. c. 2, 3. Serve the Lord with gladneſs —. Know ye that the Lord he is God, it is he that hath made us, and not we ourſelves. Pſal. xcv. 6, 7, O come let us worſhip, and how down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his paſture, and the ſheep of his hand. It is highly reaſonable that depending creatures, endow'd with reaſon and underſtanding, ſhould in this way, own the ſovereign author of their beings, on whom they have a conſtant and neceſſary dependance for life, breath, and all things. The neglect whereof therefore is a counteracting the end of our creation, and a violation of the prime dictate of the law of nature. For prayer is a duty which natural conſcience requires of men, there is a natural reverence of God in the conſciences of men that prompts them to this duty. The unenlightned heathen, tho' miſtaken in the objects of their worſhip, have yet ever tho't it their duty to pray to the gods they own'd. Thus thoſe pagan mariners in Jon. i. 5. in a diſtreſſing tempeſt at ſea, being taught, as it ſhould ſeem, by the meer voice of nature, cried every man to his god. And thoſe that neglect this part of God's worſhip, are juſtly conſtrued to caſt off the natural reverence of God. Job xv. 4 Thou caſteſt off fear, and reſtraineſt prayer before God. Moreover.

This duty is enforced by the plain poſitive commands of the word, often repeated, from the obligation whereof no ſort of men can pretend exemption. Such as Pſal. lxii. 8. Truſt in him at all times, ye people, pour out your heart before him. Iſai. lv. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him, while he is near. Luk. xviii. 1. He ſpake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. 1 Tim. ii. 8. I will that men pray every where, &c. Theſe & the like commands which often occur in ſcripture, enjoin the duty upon men indifferently, without determining whether they be regenerate, or unregenerate, and are of equal extent with the law of nature obliging every man to pray. Again,

There are many gracious promiſes God has made to prayer, which are deſign'd for the encouragement of ſuch ſinners, and do therefore greatly inforce their obligations thereunto; ſuch as Prov. viii. 17. They that ſeek me early ſhall find me. Mat. vii. 7, 8 Ask, and it ſhall be given you; ſeek, and ye ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth, &c. i. e. every one, whoſoever he be, that makes a buſineſs of ſerious importunate prayer, ſhall undoubtedly find acceptance and ſucceſs in his petitions. Iſai. xlv. 19. I ſaid not to the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain. And many others of the like importance, which ſhould encourage and perſwade all men, even the vileſt ſinners to the practice of this duty; ſo that their intereſt invites them, & their neceſſities ſhould drive them to their prayers. For conſider again, that the natural ſtate of fallen man is a ſtate of extream indigence: he is wretched, miſeraeble, poor, blind and naked, Rev. iii. 17. which calls aloud upon him to apply himſelf to the mercy of God by earneſt prayer for relief. Who of all the living do more need divine mercy and ſuccour than unregenerate ſinners? ſo that their being ſinners, and unregenerate, is ſo far from excuſing them from prayer, as a duty they are unfit for, that it ſhews them the greater need they have to pray, to confeſs their iniquities, & beg pardon of their offended Lord, and his grace and mercy to heal the maladies, and relieve the neceſſities of their poor periſhing ſouls. And let me add,

That God's affording to ſinners a day of grace, and a ſeaſon of trial in this world, for their eternal ſtate, confirms their obligations to this duty, and ſhould quicken them to the ſpeedy and ſerious practice of it. Thro' the riches of God's goodneſs and for bearance, they are ſtill in the land of hope, in a ſtate of trial, and expectation; their final condition is not yet determined, God hath not yet paſs'd a ſentence of rejection upon them, he doth not yet ſay unto them, tho' you cry unto me, I will not hear, ſuch a ſentence he will paſs upon men, when he comes to deal with them in wrath, and to execute judgment without mercyProv. i. 28. Mic. iv. 3. . And this is the condition of thoſe poor ſinners that are gone to their everlaſting ſtate, tho' they cry never ſo earneſtly for mercy, it will be all in vain, when their ſtate of trial is over, and their opportunities of grace at an end, the bowels of God's compaſſions will be for ever ſhut up againſt them. Many will at laſt cry with the greateſt vehemence and importunity, Lord, Lord, open to us, when it will be too late to prevail by their moſt importunate entreaties, the door of mercy being ſhut Mat. xxv. 10, 11, 12.. But it is not ſo with ſinners in this time of trial and hope that God has mercifully afforded them in this world; the door of mercy is now open to the greateſt ſinners, eſpecially to thoſe that enjoy the goſpel, and means of grace; they have the greateſt encouragement that can be deſired to ſeek God; he is near to them in the offers of his grace, and the ſtrivings of his Spirit, it is now a time when he may be found by humble, and diligent ſeekers. God reveals himſelf to them on a mercy ſeat, and the way to the throne of grace is open to them by the mediation of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, who is ready to befriend them by his agency, and interceſſion with the Father. They have now an accepted time, and day of ſalvation2 Cor. vi. 2; and their penitent ſupplications may find acceptance with the God of mercy, as God heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, &c. From all which conſiderations it appears, that ſinners in a ſtate of unregeneracy are under the plaineſt obligations to pray to God.

Object But it is ſaid, without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb xi 6 And that the ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. xv. 8. therefore ſome may be ready to think that it is better to forbear a duty, than to contract new guilt by the performance of it.

Anſw It is granted, that faith towards God, and the Mediator, is certainly neceſſary to our pleaſing God in duties of worſhip, eſpecially in prayer: and that the unregenerate not having a juſtifying faith cannot pleaſe God, Rom. viii. 8. And further, it is true that ſuch ſinners as go on wilfully in a courſe of tranſgreſſion, and rebellion againſt God, can't be tho't to pray acceptably, yea their prayers are an abomination to him; for be that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer ſhall be abomination, Prov xxviii. 9. But what does all this infer, but that whilſt men content themſelves in an unregenerate ſtate, and live ſecurely in ſin, and think by their formal ſervices and duties of worſhip, to atone for their moral tranſgreſſions, they are the objects of God's diſpleaſure, and the more ſo for their hypocriſy, and diſſimulation in their prayers and devotions. And this, ſurely, is a very dangerous ſtate not to be reſted in ſecurely. But for a more direct anſwer to the objection in a word or two,

(1) If unregenerate ſinners are bound to pray by the law of nature, and the expreſs commands of God's word, as has been prov'd, it is unreaſonable to ſuppoſe, that their want of fit qualifications ſhould make void their obligations thereunto; for then it would follow, that the profaneſt ſinners would be chargeable with no guilt, for their ungodly neglects of the plaineſt duties of God's worſhip, as being under no obligation to them for want of ſuitable qualifications; which is an open abſurdity; yea, this very defect is their ſin and fault, for what is it that may be ſuppoſed to render ſinners unqualified, or unmeet for the duty of prayer? not meerly their being ſinners; for the greateſt ſinners praying to God in an humble, penitent, broken hearted manner, ſhall, without doubt, find acceptance with him: but their being wilful reſolved ſinners, ſecurely perſiſting in ſin, which is rather an aggravation of their guilt than any excuſe for their omiſſion of God's worſhip.

Therefore,

(2) It is equally their duty to repent, believe, and pray; as the apoſtle Peter directs Simon Magus, Act. viii. 22. Repent of this thy wickedneſs, and pray God, &c. When ſinners, therefore, are called upon to pray, it is not meant that they ſhould pray without repentance towards God, and faith towards the mediator, but theſe graces are to be exerciſed in prayer, we muſt exerciſe repentance in humiliation, and confeſſion of ſin, and faith in our ſupplications for mercy in the name of Chriſt, which ſuggeſts another argument whereby this duty is enfore'd. For if it be the duty of ſinners to repent and believe in Chriſt, as moſt certainly it is, then it is unqueſtionably their duty to pray, for theſe graces are to be acted in prayer, and every man that ſets himſelf to repent, or makes any offer towards it, will think it his duty to pray to God; 'tis one of the firſt and main duties in which his own conſcience will direct him to exerciſe repentance. And there is no incongruity in calling upon ſinners to exerciſe repentance and faith in their prayers to God for the grace of repentance, and converſion, becauſe the operations of divine grace are no otherwiſe to be expected, than in concurrence with our beſt endeavours in the uſe of the means of grace.

(3) Tho' ſinners be not at preſent in a ſtate of juſtification and acceptance with God, though they have not as yet receiv'd the Spirit of adoption, enabling them to cry, Abba, Father; yet it muſt be confeſs'd, that it is much better and ſafer for them to pray as well as they can, than wholly to neglect it. There is certainly a difference to be made between wicked men, or thoſe that are in an unregenerate ſtate, in reſpect of their prayers; and it may truly be ſaid, that the prayers of ſome ſinners are more agreable to the will of God, than thoſe of others. some pray only to cover their hypocriſy and wickedneſs, and get eſteem among people; as the phariſees, who gave alms, and prayed, that they might be ſeen and have praiſe of men, Mat. vi. 2, 5. and for a pretence made long prayers, Mat. xxiii. 14. Some pray in a formal manner, without any ſerious deſires towards God, meerly from a dictate of conſcience. Some pra • for proviſion for their luſts; they ask amiſs, that they might conſume it upon their luſts, Jam. iv. 3. Some think by their prayers to make ſome compenſation for paſt miſcarriages, that they may run on a new ſcore; 'tis no wonder at all that ſuch prayers are an abomination to the holy God. But then it muſt be acknowleged, that there are ſome ſinners, who are put upon praying, and that in ſecret, by a ſenſe of their ſinful and wretched ſtate, and their need of a Saviour, and out of a ſerious concern for the welfare of their ſouls. And ſuppoſing that ſuch ſinners are not yet converted, yet there are hopeful ſymptoms upon them, and they are making progreſs towards converſion; and certainly it is much more pleaſing to God, for ſinners to pray as well as they are able, in a contrite ſenſe of their ſins and wants, and their caſe is more hopeful, than if they liv'd in the careleſs omiſſion of ſuch an important duty of worſhip and means of grace. Conſider therefore,

(4) Prayer is one of thoſe ordinances of God whereby he conveys ſaving grace, and therefore to be attended by unregenerate perſons, no leſs than the hearing of the word, as being an appointed means of converſion; in the want of ſupernatural abilities, they muſt improve their natural faculties, & continue lying at the pool of Betheſda, waiting on God in outward ordinances, for the quickning healing influences of his holy Spirit. You are directed to take with you words, and turn to the Lord, and ſay unto him, take away all iniquity, &c. Hoſ. xiv. 2. And in this way God may meet you, as he has met thouſands, with his gracious viſits, and ſpiritual bleſſings. But this leads me to the ſecond particular,

2. That it is the great concern of unconverted ſinners to pray for converting grace. And having ſhew'd it to be their unqueſtionable duty to pray, that it is their great concern to pray for converting grace, requires no great labour or proof. For,

(1) Converſion and repentance is the gift of God, and not in the ſinners own power without divine grace, as has been prov'd, and every ſuch giſt muſt be ask'd in prayer. Regenerating grace is a good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father of lights. Jam. i. 17, 18 Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. Of his own will begat he us, &c Therefore it is highly fitting, and reaſonable, that if any man lack this gift, he ſhould ask it of God, as verſe 5 If any of you lack wiſdom, or grace, let him ask of God, that giveth unto all men liberally, and upbraid • th not, and it ſhall be given 'Tis fitting that the indigent ſinner ſhould expreſs his deſire and value of this gift; and that the donor of it ſhould be acknowleg'd, and the honour of his grace ſecur'd by humble and earneſt prayer.

(2) God has promiſed the grace of regeneration and converſion. The firſt ſaving grace is matter of promiſe; it is exhibited to ſinners in ſuch promiſes as theſe, Deut. xxx. 6. The Lord thy God will circumciſe thine heart, &c. Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts — They ſhall all know me from the leaſt of them, unto the greateſt, &c. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart will I give you, &c. Now the promiſes are the rule & warrant of our prayers. To pray for what God has promiſed to give is to ask according to his will, and this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, be heareth us, Joh v. 14. And the promiſes afford great encouragement to a ſinner's prayers, for hereby it appears not only that God can work converſion if he will, but alſo that he will do it for ſome, yea for many, and moſt probably for thoſe whoſe hearts are ſtirred up to ſeek unto him for it. And ſuch is the wretchedneſs of an unconverted ſtate, that a probability of obtaining ſo great a bleſſing ſhould excite all to pray for it.

(3) Prayer is the means ſanctified, and appointed by God for the obtaining this gift. Among the many choice mercies promiſed to the church and people of God, in Ezek. xxxvi. the promiſe of giving a new heart, and ſpiritual bleſſings, is of principal conſideration, ver. 26, 27. yet the means which God has ordained for the accompliſhment of this his promiſed grace, is ſerious and earneſt prayer; as it follows, ver. 37. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do it for them. So Luk. xi. 13 — How much more ſhall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? God can indeed work grace without our prayers, and he is ſometimes found of them that ſought him not Iſai. lxv.i., in a way of ſovereign preventing mercy: but tho' God has not ty'd himſelf to means, ſo as never to work without them, yet he has ſo ty'd us to them, as that we ſhould never expect any ſaving influences from above in the neglect of them, eſpecially to prayer, which is a ſelf abaſing, and ſoul-humbling duty, requiſite and conductive to the honour of divine grace, and neceſſary to prepare us for the bleſſed effects of it.

(4) The calls of God to repentance and converſion are deſign'd to direct and quicken ſinners to ſeek his converting grace. God calls ſinners to do that which without his effectual grace they cannot do, as Ezek. xviii. 32 Make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit: and yet it is his grace alone that muſt do this, which therefore he has promiſed, chap. xxxvi. 26. But notwithſtanding this, God's calls to ſinners to turn, and make them a new heart, are not uſeleſs and in vain, tho' they labour under a moral impotency to obey theſe commands; but they are deſign'd to ſet them about their duty, with all ſeriouſneſs, which is the moſt effectual means of beating down all carnal conceits of their own ſufficiency, which they are prone to indulge, that being ſenſibly convinc'd of their own impotency, they might humbly implore the grace of God to work that in them which he requires of them. A man confined to a ſick bed, may perhaps ſometimes imagine that he can get up, & walk, as at other times; but the leaſt attempt ſoon makes him ſenſible of his impotence. So ſinners may imagine that they can break off their ſins by repentance, and turn to God when they pleaſe, and can ſcarce believe a neceſſity of the almighty power and grace of God to work a change in their hearts in order thereunto, but when they make the attempt in good earneſt, and ſet themſelves ſeriouſly about the work of repentance, in renouncing carnal habits, and humbling their ſouls unto obedience to the will of God, they ſoon begin to feel their own weakneſs, and need of the ſuccours of divine grace, to carry them thro' a courſe of repentance, in humiliation for, and mortification of ſin, and in recovering them to and eſtabliſhing them in a new and holy courſe of life; a ſenſe whereof naturally and neceſſarily leads them to their prayers, & engages them to ſeek God by humble and earneſt ſupplications for the promiſed aids and influences of his grace and Spirit. So that as the promiſes are deſign'd to encourage their compliance with the commands, ſo the calls and commands of the word are deſign'd to drive them to the promiſes, to ſeek by prayer the grace promiſed, which is neceſſary to their effectual recovery from ſin to holineſs.

(5) If ſinners are obliged to pray for any thing, they have the greateſt reaſon in the world to pray for converting grace. This is of greater neceſſity and importance to their happineſs, than all temporal bleſſings, than health, wealth, liberty, peace, or even than their daily bread: theſe things ſerve only to the comfort and convenience of this preſent mortal life, and afford no relief to the ſoul againſt its greateſt neceſſities, and miſeries, but the renewing & healing grace of God is neceſſary to the life and well being of the immortal ſoul. Yea, in ſome ſenſe they have more need to pray for converting grace, than for the remiſſion of their ſins; for though this ought to be ask'd of God in prayer, yet without converſion there is no poſſibility of obtaining it, repentance and remiſſion of ſins being inſeparably connected in the goſpel covenant But if we obtain converting grace, we are aſſured of the forgiveneſs of ſins, and of all the privileges of mercy, by the certain promiſe of God. Iſai lv. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way, — and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. And if God gives repentance, he will infallibly beſtow remiſſion of ſins: for he hath exalted his Son Jeſus Chriſt, with his right hand, to be a prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins, Act. v. 31. Thus you ſee how much it is the concern of the unconverted to pray for converting grace.

Now then, let all unconverted ones, and all thoſe that have juſt grounds to fear that they are yet in their ſins, and ſtrangers to the new birth, ſuffer the word of exhortation to prevail with them.

Be excited in a ſenſe of duty and intereſt, to put forth endeavours, and cry mightily to the God of all grace for his effectual renewing, quick • ning, heart-changing grace, which is neceſſary to your turning from ſin, and living to God; beg of him to give you repentance (as well as forgiveneſs of ſins) by the operation of his Spirit, & thro' the merit of his Son's blood. To that end,

1. Think often and ſeriouſly, of the miſeries of your condition whilſt unconverted; the wrath and curſe of God abideth on you Joh. iii. 36.: and without converſion there is no pardon, no peace with God, no ſalvation, no poſſibility of eſcaping the perdition of hell. Chriſt has told you once, and again, Luk. xiii. 3, 5. That except ye repent, ye ſhall periſh: and without the effectual grace of God, you never will repent, or be converted. The carnal mind, and will, is enmity againſt God, oppoſite to all holineſs, Rom. viii. 7. and will for ever continue ſo, unleſs divine grace work a change in the byaſs and inclination of your ſouls. As it is ſaid, through faith ye are ſaved Eph. ii. 8., ſo thro' converſion ye are ſaved, and that not of yourſelves, it is the gift of God. Let ſuch thoughts as theſe dwell on your minds day and night, when you riſe up and when you lie down, to quicken your importunities at the throne of grace, for divine mercy and grace in Chriſt to ſuccour the preſſing neceſſities of your ſouls. And conſider further,

2. If the preſent accepted time be neglected, you will cry in vain when it will be too late. They that turn their back upon God all their days, yet in the time of their trouble, they will ſay, ariſe, and ſave us, Jer. ii. 27. In a time of diſtreſs or ſickneſs, or under the near approach of death, ſinners will cry to God for mercy, if their conſciences be not fearfully ſtupified; a ſenſe of their neceſſities will urge & conſtrain them to it; which ſhews, that it is meer ſecurity and obſtinacy, that they do not now pray as well as when diſtreſs cometh, that they do not now lay to heart their ſpiritual neceſſities, and ſtir up themſelves to ſeek God, while he may be found a prayer hearing God: and for the neglect hereof, God threatens that they ſhall cry and not be heard. Prov. i. 24,—28. Becauſe I have called (viz. verſe 23. Turn thou at my reproof) and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand in the offers and promiſes of grace (ſuch as, behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you, ver. 23.) and no man regarded &c. then it follows, I alſo will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh, — then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not anſwer; they ſhall ſeek me early but they ſhall not find me. Again conſider,

3. If you periſh without the grace of God, it will evidently appear that your deſtruction is of your ſelves. Tho' you cannot ſave yourſelves, nor in order thereunto recover yourſelves out of your miſerable degeneracy by a true repentance without the efficacious working of divine grace; yet ſince God offers you this grace, and is ready to confer it, and waits but for your humble and earneſt ſeeking for it. Mat. vii. 7, 8. Ask, and it ſhall be given you &c. for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that ſeeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it ſhall be opened. Which words of our Saviour imply, that none that ever ſet themſelves in good earneſt to ſeek the grace of God, and continued importunate, at the door of mercy, have been rejected, but have obtained their ſuit; for every one that asketh, receiveth: ſince, I ſay, this grace is to be had for asking by importunate prayer, if you will not be perſwaded to do thus much, you muſt needs inexcuſably periſh; it will appear that God has done for you all that becomes him, as a wiſe and gracious ruler to do for his worthleſs, revolted creatures, to prevent their being loſt for ever; and the blame of your perdition will lie wholly at your own door; becauſe you deſpiſed the grace of God, whilſt it might have been obtained, not eſteeming it worth asking; how juſtly may Chriſt then upbraid you with your folly, in your contempt and refuſal of his grace, as the cauſe of your eternal. ruin, You would not come unto me, that you might have life, Joh. v. 40.

How ſad is it, ſinner, (if thou believeſt theſe things) that the conſideration of the miſery and danger of a ſinful ſtate, will not preſs out one ſigh or groan from thy heart, or excite thee to offer up one cry, to breath out one fervent deſire to the Father of mercies (who alone is ready and able to pity and help thee) from one week, or month, or year, to another? and how much more lamentable is thy caſe, the leſs it is lamented by thee?

But if by theſe conſiderations, I might prevail with any to engage in the ſerious practice of the duty exhorted to; let me proceed to counſel and direct you in a few words,

1. Conſider well what it is you muſt aim at in your prayers and endeavours after converſion. I have endeavoured by ſome brief hints, to obviate your miſtakes about converſion. If you imagine, that no more is intended in it than a forſaking ſome ſinful cuſtoms, or refraining from groſs ſcandals, or leading a life viſibly blameleſs in the eyes of men, or of common profeſſors, or putting on a form of godlineſs, and keeping up a courſe of external religious duties (all which a meer hypocrite may do (to outward appearance) as well as a true ſaint) you will ſcarce ſee any need of the phyſician of ſouls, or any need of the healing grace of God, or of earneſt ſupplications for that grace to repair the diſtemper'd frame of your ſouls. But you muſt know, that converſion conſiſts in the recovery of your ſouls to the life of God, from which you are naturally eſtranged; your underſtanding and judgments muſt be renewed unto a thorow conviction of the evil of ſin, and of the vanity of the world, and the inſufficiency of all its enjoyments, of all the pleaſures, profits, and honours of it to relieve you againſt your greateſt miſeries, or to make you truly happy; and of your abſolute need of Chriſt, and of his ſuperlative worth, and excellency, and ſufficiency to anſwer all your ſpiritual neceſſities and diſires; the bent of your wills muſt be turned to chooſe and love God in Chriſt as your chief good, in oppoſition to the world, and the idols of it; the prevailing aim of your lives both in duties of worſhip, and in common converſation, muſt be to pleaſe God, by approving your hearts to him, in a ſtrict courſe of obedience and ſpiritual devotion to him; your affections muſt be diſplac'd, taken off from things on earth, and ſet on the things above. In a word, the image of Chriſt muſt be formed in the heart, and the whole ſoul muſt be endow'd with ſuch a ſpiritual, divine temper, as may qualify it for complacential converſes with God, and render it meet to ſee and enjoy him in heaven. Nothing ſhort of this muſt be your aim, when you ſet yourſelves to pray for the grace of God to renew and convert you, for the effecting whereof you will ſee a neceſſity of the greateſt importunity in your addreſſes to the throne of grace, for the heavenly influences of the divine Spirit. Therefore,

2. You muſt pray with deep humiliation in a ſenſe of the miſeries of your carnal natures 'Tis a requiſite of acceptable prayer, that a man ſhould know the plague of his own heart, 1 King. viii. 38 This plague of the heart, is the corruption and depravity of the degenerate ſoul of man, which admits of various denominations, according to the different reſpects in which it ſtands in oppoſition to the bleſſed God; (for the averſion of the heart from God, and its oppoſition to him, is the great diſeaſe of all humane ſouls, ſince the fall) With reſpect to God as creator, the plague of the heart is ignorance, blindneſs, atheiſm, unbelief, whereby men are taken off from a dependance on God as the firſt cauſe. It is an evil heart of unbelief that diſcovers itſelf in departing from the living G • d Heb. iii. 12.. With reſpect to God as a ſovereign Lord and ruler, the plague of heart is obſtinacy, hardneſs of heart, the enmity of the carnal mind, the rebellion of the appetites & paſſions againſt the law of the mind, the unſubmiſſiveneſs of the will, murmuring, impatience, and diſcontent, whereby man withdraws his allegiance from God. With reſpect to God, as the chief good, the plague of heart is hatred of God, wearineſs of God, creature love, inordinate affections to earthly things, the pleaſures, profits, and enjoyments of the world, whereby men are carried away from their true happineſs in God, as the ſupream benefactor. With reſpect to God as the final cauſe, this plague of heart is ſelf-love, ſelf-eſteem, ſelf-ſeeking, pride, ambition, vain-glory, and the like, whereby man arrogates to himſelf the glory and praiſe that is due to God alone, as the laſt end. Now every unrenewed ſoul is deeply infected with this plague in the underſtanding, ſpiritual darkneſs, curſed prejudices againſt truth and holineſs, in the will ſtubbornneſs and diſobedience, in the affections, carnal luſt, and raging paſſions, envy, wrath, malice; of which plague, nothing but the regenerating grace of God can effectually work a cure; and in praying for this grace, you muſt labour to be ſenſible of, & deeply lament theſe diſtempers of your ſouls. Till a man comes to know, and have ſome experience of the plague of his own heart all his prayers will be flat and cold, and undertaken but for form ſake: but when he once begins to feel his diſeaſe, and to have a true ſenſe of this heart plague, then the ſpiritual phyſician will be valued and deſired to good purpoſe, then he may be ſuppoſed to pray as one in earneſt, with life and fervency, as knowing that no cure is to be expected but from a divine hand; then he will cry out, Lord, give me thy holy Spirit, to renew and heal my diſeaſed ſoul, to take away this plague, or elſe I ſhall pine away under it, and periſh for ever from thy preſence; Lord, heal me and I ſhall be healed, &c. Thus you muſt humble yourſelves before God, not only for ſome particular ſins of life which may lie heavy on your conſciences, and you can have no reſt till you have confeſs'd them to God, and ſought forgiveneſs; this indeed ought to be done, but you muſt go on with your confeſſion and humiliation to the fountain whence theſe impure ſtreams iſſue forth, which is a corrupt nature; and confeſs to God, not only againſt thee have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight, Pſal. li. 4. but alſo, behold I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſin did my mother conceive me, ver 5. Humble yourſelves likewiſe in a ſenſe of your utter inſufficiency to renew or recover yourſelves from the maladies and miſeries of a carnal ſtate; and of your utter unworthineſs of any relief or help from God; humbly refer yourſelves to his compaſſions, and acknowlege that all your expectations are from his free grace.

3. Pray in faith. Jam. i. 6. Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. Say not, faith is God's gift in the work of converſion, for tho' it be the work of God, yet it muſt alſo be the act of the ſinner, and is neceſſary as the foundation of all your religious addreſſes to God; for he that cometh unto God muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſe • k him, Heb. xi. 6. And you are bound to believe and to exerciſe faith in prayer, and therefore in a ſenſe of du • y, you muſt exert your beſt endeavours; and in this way you may expect relief from the ſupernatural influences of divine grace; pray therefore, as you are able, with faith in the promiſes of grace, ſuch as thoſe before-mentioned. By faith plead the power of God, whereby he is able to make good his promiſes, Lord if thou wilt thou canſt change my heart of ſtone into an heart of fleſh; to me it is impoſſible, but not to thee, for with thee all things are poſſible. Plead the truth and faithfulneſs of God in his promiſes, whereby he is engag'd to make them good, Lord, I could have no hope or encouragement, to ask at thy hands, the great and precious gift of thy grace and Spirit, but that thou haſt ſpoken ſuch a word as this, I will give a new heart, &c. I will pour out my Spirit upon all fleſh Joh. ii. 28.; therefore have I found in my heart 2 Sam vii. 27. to make this the matter of my requeſt to thee; wilt thou fruſtrate the hope and expectation that thy word has raiſed in a ſinner's heart? O let not thy word of promiſe fail.

Particularly, you muſt exerciſe faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and have an eye in all your addreſſes to God, to the powerful mediation of our Saviour, thro' whoſe hands all ſaving gifts and ſpiritual bleſſings are diſpens'd out unto men; and ſince God has commiſſion'd and impower'd him to give repentance, and remiſſion of ſins, & 'tis his voice that quickens thoſe that are dead in ſin, for as the father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the ſon, to have life in himſelf Joh. v. 25, 26., and was pleaſed, that in him all fulneſs ſhould dwell, for the renovation and reconciliation of fallen ſinners Col i. 19, 20. therefore you muſt ſeek to him for the bleſſings of his grace, to turn you from your iniquities, and to work a cure on your ſouls. Take encouragement from the inſtances of the power, and compaſſions of our Lord Jeſus (extant in the goſpels) in healing bodily infirmities, to bring your diſeaſed ſouls to him by faith and prayer, expecting the ſaving influences of his Spirit, thoſe healing beams of the Sun of righteouſneſs. How ready and able was he, when on earth, to heal the various maladies and diſtempers of mens bodies? did he ever deny the requeſt of any one that ſought him for ſuch a mercy? Believe then, that (ſeeing ſpiritual cures are now more eſpecially the work and buſineſs of the great phyſician) he is as able and ready, & compaſſionately inclin'd, to bleſs your ſouls with the healing influences of his grace, upon your ſerious application to him, in a ſenſe of your ſpiritual wants & maladies, and with confidence in his wiſdom, ability and compaſſion; addreſs him in the language of the leper, Lord if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean Mat. viii. 2., and be encouraged to hope, that he will ſay unto thee, as to him, I will be thou clean, and then thou ſhalt be purged from thy ſpiritual leproſy. Only believe, for as Jeſus ſaid to the father of him that was poſſeſſed, if thou canſt believe, all things are poſſible to him that believeth Mark ix. 23.: (the almighty power of the great Saviour to which every ſaving work is poſſible, being engaged by faith). Truſt your ſpiritual phyſician, follow all his preſcriptions, and doubt not of ſucceſs.

4. You muſt pray with earneſtneſs and conſtancy. Be very importunate at the throne of grace; the neceſſities of your ſouls, require the greateſt earneſtneſs and vigour in your ſupplications, beg as for your lives, that God would give you the ſaving grace of his holy Spirit. It may be you will ſay, I have often prayed to this purpoſe, but ſtill I find my corruptions and luſts as ſtrong as ever, and my heart as little ſubdued to the will of God as before. But it may be thus only in your own ſenſe, and apprehenſion, and you may perhaps be more ſenſible of the power of ſin and corruption than before, which is often the caſe of ſinners under a work of illumination. But if this be really the caſe, the true reaſon may be becauſe you do not ſtir up yourſelves to earneſtneſs in prayer, but perform the duty in a formal heartleſs manner, rather from a dictate of conſcience, that you ought not to leave it undone, than from the inward ſenſe of your minds and deſire of your ſouls in a ſenſe of indigence & want. If therefore you would ſucceed in your ſupplications, ſtir up warm & earneſt deſires towards God, wreſtle thro' diſcouragements, ſay with Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſs me Gen. xxxii. 26., with the bleſſing of a renewed healed ſoul. Our Saviour has, in ſeveral parables, recommended and encouraged importunity in prayer; particularly Luk. xi. 5, — 9. And he ſaid unto them, which of you ſhall have a friend, and ſhall go unto him at midnight, and ſay unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come unto me, and I have nothing to ſet before him: and he from within ſhall anſwer and ſay, Trouble me not, the door is now ſhut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot riſe & give thee. I ſay unto you, tho' he will not riſe and give him, becauſe he is his friend; yet becauſe of his importunity, he will riſe and give him as many as he needeth The ſcope and deſign of which parable, is declared in the words immediately ſubjoin'd; and I ſay unto you, ask, and it ſhall be given you; ſeek, and ye ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. And the particular bleſſing he directs us there to ask, is the gift of the holy Spirit, ver. 13. the author of all ſaving grace. The parable is not ſo to be underſtood, as if the bleſſed God needed our importunity, or was moved by it (as men are) to do that which he is unwilling to do otherwiſe; but it is deſign'd to ſhew the ſucceſs of importunity in our prayers, and its prevailing efficacy for the obtaining mercy from God, not by making him more willing to give, but by making our own hearts more fit and prepared to receive the bleſſing ask'd.

Again, you muſt be frequent & conſtant in prayer. It is not ſufficient once, or twice, in a pang of devotion, to make a fervent prayer for grace, but you muſt continue in prayer Col. iv. 2. Luk. xviii. 1. Eph. vi. 18. with perſevering importunity, cry day and night unto God, and not give over, until he ſhall have mercy on your ſouls.

Laſtly, Let your prayers for converting grace be followed with anſwerable endeavours in the work of converſion. This direction indeed would be ſuperfluous, if ſinners might be perſwaded to be importunately deſirous of their own converſion; for is it poſſible to deſire any thing very earneſtly, and to ſit ſtill without ſuitable endeavours? if it be not ſo in temporal concerns, it is a deluſion if we imagine it will be of any more force in the matters of our ſouls. In praying to God for his grace to turn you from ſin to holineſs, you admoniſh yourſelves of what muſt be your aim and endeavour in the courſe of your lives. If you revert to your former looſe vain behaviour, you do in effect deny, and retract your own prayers: and can you then think, that God will have any regard to them? Tho' you cannot turn yourſelves, without the ſpecial grace of God, yet he expects, that you ſhould frame your doing to turn to himHoſ. v. 4. : and if you will not do what you may and can do by the improvement of your natural faculties, and the common aids of the Spirit, it will be juſt with God to deny you his ſpecial grace; and if you be not converted and healed, the blame will for ever lie on yourſelves. Set yourſelves therefore in a dependance on divine grace, to watch and ſtrive againſt ſin, and to reform ill habits, and break off from bad company, diligently attend the means of grace, commune often with your own hearts, and conſider your ways; come to a point at laſt, and be fully reſolved and determined for God, and holineſs, and heaven: and deſiſt not till the work be compleated, that is, till you have prevailed with yourſelves ſeriouſly and prayerfully, underſtandingly and deliberately, to come into a covenant dedication of yourſelves to GOD the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, to be his entirely, to truſt in, love, and ſerve him, and to be pardoned, and ſanctified, ruled, and ſaved by him eternally. And let this be done, 1. Privately, in ſecret tranſactions between God and your own ſouls. 2. Publickly, in the preſence of his people. And 3. Practically, in a life of holineſs and devotedneſs to God. Now ariſe, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee 1 Chron. xxii. 16..

This may ſuffice for the firſt branch of exhortation, which, being mainly deſign'd, I have the more largely inſiſted on. I proceed now in a few words, to preſs the exhortation,

Secondly, On true converts themſelves, who after grace received, are ſtill concern'd, to pray for the grace of God to convert and recover them from their backſlidings, or decays of grace, they may have fallen into. For if converſion be the acting of the life of grace, in repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as I have ſhewed; and if the grace of God works, not only in conferring gracious habits in regeneration, but in drawing forth thoſe habits into exerciſe in actual converſion, and repentance; (as appears from Phil. ii. 13.) then it is not at all unbecoming the regenerate themſelves to make this prayer in the text, turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned. Becauſe, as ſin remains in them, and too often breaks out into act, ſo they have need of turning more and more unto God every day of their lives, and it is by his grace that they are enabled ſo to do, which therefore muſt be ſought by daily prayer; eſpecially in theſe two caſes, 1. Under declinings of the ſpiritual life. When they find in themſelves a dulneſs, heavineſs, and ſtraitneſs of ſpirit, and indiſpoſitions unto and in holy duties, and the life and vigour of grace under decays, when they have loſt much of their ſpiritual ſavour, and there is an abatement of that love and delight which they once had in the things of God, & in their converſes with him in the word, prayer, and the ſacrament, and carnal affections ſadly prevail; then it is time to cry out with the pſalmiſt, in his complaint and prayer, Pſal. cx.x. 25. My ſoul • leaveth unto the duſt; quicken th • u me according to thy word; & ver 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou ſhalt enlarge my heart: and with the ſpouſe, Cant i. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee 'Tis God's promiſe, not only to put his Spirit within us, but to cauſe us to walk in his ſtatutes, &c. Ez • k. xxxvi. 27. We muſt pray therefore for the powerful co-operations of the Spirit of grace, without which we cannot move, much leſs • un after him. When we are fallen from our firſt love, we muſt repent, and do our firſt works Rev. ii. 4, 5., and own our dependance on divine grace for our recovery: the life of our ſouls lies in a cloſe dependance on God thro' Chriſt, by faith, for as we depend upon him as the God of nature, not only for our natural lives, but for every motion and action of life; ſo we muſt depend on him as the God of grace, for all the acts of the ſpiritual life, and for the preſervation, progreſs, and increaſe of it, for in him we live, move, and have our being Acts xvii. 28. in the ſpiritual, as well as natural ſenſe. And we muſt expreſs this our dependance, by continual humble prayer, under decays, more eſpecially, we muſt look up to God in Chriſt, and earneſtly ſupplicate for the revival of his work in our hearts, by freſh influences from above: to which purpoſe, that prayer of the church (which ſpeaks the language of the text) may be (not improperly) uſed, in Lam v. 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned: renew our days as of old. 2. When they fall into any ſin; againſt which they have no abſolute ſecurity by grace receiv'd, nor by the promiſes of the covenant of grace; for there is not a juſt man upon earth, that doeth good, and ſinneth not, Eccl. vii. 20. And as the falls of the ſaints on ſcripture record do teſtify, in ſuch caſes they muſt be converted anew. Mat. xviii. 3. Verily I ſay unto you, except ye be converted, ſaid Chriſt to his own diſciples (when they diſcover'd a frame of ſpirit unſuitable to the goſpel ſtate, in aſpiring after the preheminence) and become as little children, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Converſion therefore is two-fold; a converſion from a ſtate of ſin, which is the firſt converſion of a finner, when he is turned from darkneſs to light, and from the power of ſin and ſatan unto God: and a converſion from the acts of ſin, which is incumbent on all regenerate believers, as often as they fall into ſin, or ſuffer any carnal luſt to prevail in their hearts. Peter's recovery from his fall, is called his converſion, Luk xxii. 32. therefore they muſt begin the work of repentance anew, and implore the efficacious influences of divine grace, to aſſiſt them in it. As David, after his fall, begs of God new creating grace. Pſal. li 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right ſpirit within me; as if the work of grace had but then its beginning, and the new creature were then firſt to be formed in his ſoul; for the ſame effectual grace is neceſſary to reduce the backſliding children of God, that was put forth in their firſt converſion; for however certain the perſeverance of believers is unto the kingdom of glory, yet it is a truth, that if the grace of God doth not recover them from their falls, they ſhall yet periſh; but this grace is ſecured to them by the promiſes of the new covenant J • r. iii. 19 Chap xxxii. 40.1 Cor i. 8, 9. Chap. x. 13.1 The • v. 24. Ph •• . i. 6., and by prayer as the means of their accompliſhment; therefore you muſt live in a daily ſenſe of your dependance on the power of divine grace, to work all your works in and for you, and in a believing dependance on it, muſt work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling: and in the caſes I have mentioned eſpecially, you muſt ſtir up yourſelves to ſupplicate the powerful influences, and aids of the Spirit of grace, in order to your being converted, and renewed again by repentance, with as much earneſtneſs, and importunity, as ever you did in your firſt return to God from the wandrings of your unregenerate ſtate: and you have a prayer to this purpoſe, indited by the Spirit of God, Pſal. cxix 176. I have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheep; ſeek thy ſervant: for I do not forget thy commandments But I purpoſe not to enlarge here. I ſhould now proceed to preſs this duty,

Thirdly, On parents in covenant with God to pray for their unconverted children. And,

Fourthly, On the unconverted children of the covenant in particular, to pray for the grace of God to convert and turn them to himſelf, taking encouragement from their viſible covenant relation to him as their God.

But theſe two branches of the exhortation will come in with better advantage, under the conſideration of the argument pleaded in the text.

I ſhall now therefore, ſuggeſt ſome motives proper to enforce the exhortation, and encourage ſinners to pray to God for his renewing, healing, and converting grace. And they are of two ſorts, Firſt, Such as are common to all unconverted ſinners. Secondly, Such as are peculiar to the unconverted children of the covenant; which will lead me to take ſome notice of the argument in our text to enforce the petition, — for thou art the Lord my God.

Firſt, I ſhall propound ſome motives and encouragements, that are common to all unconverted ſinners, who are awakened to any ſerious concern about their condition, & would be glad to know what hope there is in the God of Iſrael concerning them.

If, therefore, the ſerious conſideration of the miſeries of your unconverted ſtate, and your own inſufficiency to turn yourſelves, and of the neceſſity of divine grace to turn you, has wrought in you an inclination and willingneſs to ſeek that grace, you have great encouragement ſet before you, to hope for the ſucceſs of your ſupplications, and that you ſhall not ſeek in vain.

1. You have great encouragement from the merciful and gracious nature of God, whereby he is diſpoſed to do good, and beſtow his favours freely, without regard to any merit or defect in the creature Pſal. cxl • . 9. The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works Luk. vi. 35 — He is kind unto the unthankful, and the evil Conſider what God has done for you as a bountiful creator and benefactor, in a way of preventing mercy; he has end • w'd you with a reaſonable immortal ſoul, capable of communion with himſelf, both here and in eternal glory: and will he not have regard to the deſires and aſpirations of ſuch a ſoul, toward himſelf, in order to the attaining the end of its creation? yea he complains of the wretched ſtupidity of the children of men, in not improving thoſe excellent faculties he has given them, in enquiring after their maker. Job xxxv. 10, 11. But none ſaith, where is God my maker,—who teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer than the fowls of heaven Conſider alſo, while you have been perſiſting in ſin, and diſobedience againſt him, how merciful and kind he has been to you; 'tis he that feeds and cloaths you, that heals your diſeaſes, and preſerves you from innumerable deſtructive accidents, that holds your ſouls in life, and ſuffers not your feet to be moved; and makes ſo many of the inferior creatures ſerviceable to your comfort: yea, more than all this, he has ſent his Son to die for you, and his goſpel to invite you to mercy, and his Spirit to thrive with you, to bring you home to himſelf; and all this he has done without your asking, or deſiring. And can you ſuppoſe, that ſo gracious a God will deny you his ſaving converting grace, when you cry unto him? He heareth the inferior creatures who in their way cry to him for food and ſuſtenance. Pſal. cxlvii 9 He giveth the beaſt his food, and the young ravens which cry; and will he not much more hear his reaſonable creatures, eſpecially when they cry to him not for corn & win • , not for proviſion for their luſts, but for grace to ſerve and glorify him, to enable them to anſwer the end for which they were made? 'Tis an argument of great force in prayer, to plead the general pity & bounty of God, for ſpecial grace to relieve the ſouls neceſſities: as Pſal. cxix. 64 The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy ſtatutes. q. d. Lord, thou art good to all the creatures according to their neceſſities, and capacities, and wilt thou withhold what the neceſſity of my ſoul craves at thy hands? wilt thou not afford me inſtruction & guidance from thy word, which is more needful to me, and which I chooſe and prize above all earthly bleſſings? Thou feedeſt the young ravens that cry, with food proper for them; and wilt thou not feed me with ſpiritual food, the bread of life, which my ſoul needs, and craves, and cannot ſubſiſt withoutMr. HENRY in loc.. Such a plea cannot but avail much with God, he cannot but be pleaſed with ſuch deſires of his creatures, who confiding in his gracious nature, and readineſs to give liberally to all, fix their choice on ſuch mercies, as he is more ready to give, and has more pleaſure in giving, than any temporal commodities, health, wealth, and proſperity; theſe he often diſtributes in anger; as when the Iſraelites ask'd meat for their luſts, he gave them their requeſt, but ſent leanneſs into their ſoul, Pſal. cvi. 15. But the gift of his Spirit and grace, is a gift that proceeds from pure love; and therein he fulfils all the good pleaſure of his goodneſs 2 Theſ. 1.11.. The gifts of grace come freely, & readily from him; he ſatisfies his good pleaſure, and takes delight in the communication of them. And for our encouragement to ask the holy Spirit, our Saviour, that he might root out of our minds, thoſe unworthy conceits we are apt to entertain of the bleſſed God, as if he were hardly drawn, or with great difficulty prevailed with, to beſtow his gifts of ſpecial grace, has aſſured us that he is much more wiſe, and kind, ready and willing, to give his holy Spirit to humble importunate ſeekers, than earthly parents are to give good gifts unto their children. Luk xi 11, 13. If a ſon ſhall ask bread of any of you, who is a father, will he give him a ſtone? No ſurely, he muſt have an heart of ſtone indeed, who will deny his child bread, when he needs it, and asks it,— if ye then, being evil (as the beſt parents are in compariſon with God, who only is good; yea the worſt of men, who have the leaſt moral good in them, have yet ordinarily ſo much natural goodneſs, as to be kind to their children) know how to give good giſts unto your children, how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Our Saviour here, has taught us to argue from the bowels of the fathers of our fleſh, to the comp • ſſions of the Father of ſpirits, much after the manner of the pſalmiſt's reaſoning, Pſal. xciv. 9, 10 He that planted the ear, ſhall not he hear? he that formed the eye, ſhall not he ſee?—he that teacheth man knowlege, ſhall not he know? i. e. He has all the virtues and perfections of creatures, in himſelf, in a ſuper-eminent manner; ſo here, he that has put ſo much compaſſion into the heart of a father, ſhall not he have the compaſſions of a father, infinitely, and tranſcendently in himſelf? He hath infinite wiſdom to chuſe what is beſt for us, and infinite goodneſs to beſtow it on all that ask him, and that is his holy Spirit, which is comprehenſive of all good things; (compare Mat. vii. 11) thus ready and willing is God as a Father, to give the grace of his holy Spirit, which is neceſſary to converſion and ſanctification, to poor, humble, importunate ſupplicants.

But you will ſay, if I were a child of God, I could take more encouragement from his fatherly love and compaſſions, but I am a ſinner, and an enemy.

But does not this argue, that you have ſo much the more need of his Spirit to renew, and heal, and ſanctify you for his ſervice? You are a ſinner, but you deſire to be a repenting, returning ſinner; an enemy, but you deſire to become a willing ſubject; and are you not ſenſible of your want of his Spirit? and hath God excluded any ſenſible ſinner from this encouragement to ask, which is grounded on his paternal goodneſs & pity? Conſider he is your Father by creation, if not by regeneration and adoption. And this is the argument I am now upon, God's kindneſs to his creatures. Our Saviour, in the parable of the prodigal's return to his father, has inſtructed you to eye God as a father in your penitent re • urn to him; tho' he be an offended father, yet is he ready to ſhew himſelf in & thro' Chriſt a reconciled father, upon your repentance: therefore you may and ought humbly and penitently, to addreſs him in the language of the prodigal, Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee, &c. Luk. 15.18, 19. And you may hope to find that pity and compaſſion with him, that is very affectingly repreſented, by the kind reception the returning prodigal met with from his father.

2 You have encouragement to ask this grace, from the wiſdom, power and goodneſs of God in your creation. This I touch'd under the former head, as an argument of his general bounty to his creatures; I would urge it here, as an encouragement and plea, that may be uſed with God in prayer, for his grace to recover us out of our degeneracy, that we may know, and love, and ſerve him with all our powers and capacities; becauſe we are his creatures, made f • r his ſervice and glory Pſal. cxix. 73. Thy • ands have made me, and ſa • h • oned 〈◊〉 : give me underſtanding that I may learn thy commandments: this is a plea that may be uſed by ſinners as well as ſaints: our being God's creatures, the work of his hands, ſhould be an encouragement to us, and may be pleaded in prayer to God for wiſdom, and grace to enable us to ſerve him as now creatures.

(1) You have encouragement hereto, from the conſideration of the creating wiſdom of God; which is ſeen in appointing every creature its uſe and end, and in fitting them with proper qualities, and diſpoſitions to ſerve their ſeveral ends Now the end of man is to ſerve and glorify God by active homage and obedience, as becomes a reaſonable creature; and though our fall has diſorder'd our faculties and laid us under an incapacity, yet it has not diſſolv'd our obligation to ſerve the end of our creation; and ſince there is proviſion made of new creating grace in Jeſus Chriſt, the redeemer of fallen man, we may the more confidently ask this grace, which is neceſſary to our anſwering the end we were made for, that we may not appear to be made in vain, that God would form us anew for himſelf, that we might ſhew forth his praiſe; that we may be his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (which I conceive is meant of our original obligation by our firſt creation) that we ſhould walk in them, Eph. ii. 10. This is to ask what has an immediate tendency to the honour and glory of God.

(2) From the conſideration of the creating power of God. He that formed us at firſt, tho' now we are deformed by ſin, can eaſily form us anew by the ſame power; tho' we are fallen from him, and by our fall have marr'd the work of his hands, and cannot of ourſelves recover the original rectitude of our natures, yet God that once made man upright, can new make him. Tho' we ſee nothing but ruin and diſorder in our ſouls, blindneſs in the underſtanding, obſtinacy in the will, rebellion in the affections and appetites, againſt the dictates of conſcience, yet deſpair not of a reparation, the creating power of God, to which all things are poſſible, is a great ſupport to faith in prayer. Create in me a clean heart, O God, Pſal li. 10. The God whom we pray to is able to create, to bring order out of confuſion, beauty out of deformity, light out of darkneſs, and to rear up to himſelf living temples out of the ruins of man's apoſtacy: what we cannot do for ourſelves, and what no creature can do for us, that God can do; for nothing is too hard for creating power.

(3) From the conſideration of the creating goodneſs of God. For his good pleaſure all things are, and were created, Rev. iv. 11. He could have no other motive to create, but his ſovereign good will and pleaſure; unworthineſs therefore ſhould by no means diſcourage you from asking new creating grace. 'Tis true we deſerve not the leaſt grace from God, otherwiſe it were not grace: but as God created us without regard to any merit of ours, of his meer good pleaſure; ſo tho' we deſerve nothing, yet we may be encouraged to ask the grace of renovation, from the ſame free unmerited goodneſs of God, that at firſt gave us our beings. But,

3. You have encouragement from the fulneſs and perfection of Chriſt's ſatisfaction. 1 Joh. ii. 2. He is the propitiation for our ſins; and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole world. Chriſt's propitiatory ſacrifice has ſo far appeaſed God towards mankind in general, as to lay the foundation of a general invitation and offer of grace to all ſinners, to encourage them to come to God by him, by repentance, faith and prayer2 Cor. v. 19. Heb vii. 25.. This is a great matter, yea the very foundation of a ſinner's hope towards God: for otherwiſe we could have no confidence to look up to an holy God in prayer for any mercy, guilt would fly in our faces, and our own conſciences would tell us, that we have nothing to expect from a righteous God, whom we have ſo highly offended, but wrath and judgment. Therefore the unenlighten'd ſouls of men are repreſented to be at a woful loſs how they ſhould come before the great God in an acceptable manner. Mic vi 6, 7. Wherewith ſhall I come before the Lord, and bow my ſelf before the high God? ſhall I come before him with burnt offerings? — will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of rams? &c. But now the terror of divine juſtice is vail'd in Chriſt, in whom God appears ſitting on a throne of grace, inviting ſinners to come to him in the name and mediation of his Son, and to lay open their wants, and make known their requeſts to him for mercy, and grace to help them in their time of need, Heb. iv. 14, 16. Particularly, Chriſt has (by being made a ſacrifice, and a curſe for us) ſo far aton'd the incenſed juſtice of God, & ſecured the honour of his other attributes, that he is pleas'd to open the rich treaſures of his grace to men, and is ready to impart the gift of his Spirit unto men, even to the rebellious, to ſubdue, convert, & ſanctify them to himſelf Gal. iii. 13, 14 Pſal. lxviii. 18. So that all things are now ready on God's part, and Chriſt's part, ſince he has made full ſatisfaction by his death, and nothing is wanting but a willingneſs on thy part, to come to him by ſerious believing prayer for his offered grace. And this conſideration ſhould both direct you how to pray for converting grace, or the gift of his Spirit to renew and ſanctify you, you muſt ask it in the name of Chriſt, thro' whoſe mediation by ſacrifice, and interceſſion it is diſpens'd unto ſinners J • h. xiv, 14, 16.: and it ſhould alſo encourage you to pray for it, in an humble, penitent, believing manner, becauſe if you do thus pray, your guilt and unworthineſs ſhall be no bar to the acceptance of your prayers with God, who is ready for the ſake of Chriſt's ſatisfaction and interceſſion, to give his holy Spirit to them that ask him.

4 You have encouragement from the general promiſes of the goſpel; ſuch as Joh. vi. 37. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Chap vii. 37, 38, 39. If any man thi • ſt, let him come unt • me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the ſcripture hath ſaid, out of his belly ſhall fl • w rivers of living water; but this ſp • k • he of the Spirit, &c. and many others. You muſt come to him for the firſt grace; for he has full power to give the Spirit, & to give repentance Act. i • . 33. Chap v. 31.. Come therefore to Chriſt in the way of humble, believing ſupplication, and he has given his word that he will not reject you, yea that he will give abundant ſatisfaction to your deſires.

5. You have encouragement from a probability or poſſibility of prevailing. Iſai. lv. 6. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found. If God may be found by a ſinner's ſeeking, if he may obtain mercy, and find grace, to ſupply his ſoul's neceſſities, this ſhould be a prevailing motive with you to ſeek him earneſtly. In times of danger and diſtreſs, a meer peradventure has been thought a ſufficient inducement to the duty of prayer; and when prayer has been made upon no greater encouragement, it has prevail'd See Exod. xxxi. 3 • . Jon iii 8, 9. and certainly an unconverted ſtate is a moſt dangerous ſtate, the neceſſities of the ſoul are exceeding deplorable, if you lie ſtill in your ſopine negligence and ſloth, there is no remedy, but you muſt pine away, and periſh for ever in your in quiti • s; but 〈◊〉 • here be but a peradventure of ſucceeding in your, praye • for the grace of God; ſhould not this excite you to do your beſt, and pray with all the earneſtneſs you are able? It may be that God will have mercy upon you that you periſh not; it may be, that you may obtain his effectual renewing grace, and then you will be happy for ever: l • t ſuch a thought as this put life into your endeavours, and pravers. But indeed there is more than a have poſſibility of your ſucceeding, if you he import up • e and co • ſtant in your ſupplications; if you cry day and night unto God for has grace, you ſhall without all 〈◊〉 prev •••• what elſe is the me •• ing of that promiſe of our Saviour? L • k xi. 9, 10. 'ſo • ecited.

6. You have encouragement from the examples and experiences of other ſinners. Prayer has always been the practice of ſinners in their firſt converſion to God; and many ('tis not to be doubted) have received the firſt ſaving impreſſions from the Spirit of God in the duty of prayer: and ſome of the vileſt and unwo • thieſt ſinners, have ſought, and found mercy & grace to help them in their exigencies. I might mention ſeveral on ſcripture record; ſuch as Manaſſeh (2 Chron. xxxiii 12, 13.) Saul (Act. ix II) the publican (Luk xviii. 13, 14) but I ſhall only propoſe to your conſideration, the inſtance before us, Ephraim is brought in making a moſt penitential prayer, and the compaſſions of God are ſet forth in a very lively manner towards him: to which there is ſcarce a parallel in the whole ſcriptures (as I have obſerv'd) unleſs it be in the parable of the prodigal returning to his father, and the affectionate embraces he receiv'd from him upon his return, Luk. xv. 20, 21. &c. So here God diſcovers the heart of a compaſſionate father towards his returning prodigal child, ver. 20 Is Ephraim my dear ſon? is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord.

I ſhall only add, that if by all theſe conſiderations, ſinners might be prevailed with to pour out their h • arts in prayer to God, as they have been directed, it would be no ſmall evidence of a good work already begun in them, which muſt be carried on towards perfection in a courſe of ſerious and fervent ſupplications: for this is one of the firſt diſcoveries of the Spirit of grace poured out on any ſoul; the Spirit of grace will be a Spirit of ſupplication. Zech. xii.10. .

And why ſhould all theſe motives and encouragements loſe their efficacy upon you? Remember, ſinners, that it is a limited time, and but of a ſhort duration, that the golden ſceptre is extended, that God offers his grace and mercy to you, which may be obtain'd by your importunate intreaties at tho throne of grace: and is this ſeaſon to be trifled away in ſecurity and indolence? If you neglect this day of your opportunity, thro' remiſsneſs and ſloth, it may be over before you are aware; and then how wretched and deſperate will your condition be to eternity? If death ſeize you before converſion, no tongue can tell, or heart conceive, the miſeries that ſhall come upon you, you will die in your ſins, and lie under the curſe and wrath of God for ever, eternally baniſh'd from this world, and from the preſence of God in heaven, unto the regions of darkneſs, where none but devils and damned ſpirits have their abode. But it is impoſſible to deſcribe the horrors of thoſe wretched ſouls, that are hurried out of this world before they are ſavingly converted to God. O then be perſwaded to know and conſider in this your day, the things which belong unto your peace, before they are hid from your eyes Luk. xix.42. .

Secondly, I come now to offer a word of encouragement more peculiar to the unconverted children of the covenant: ſuggeſted to us in the third point of obſervation from the argument in the text, viz.

That the unconverted children of the covenant have great encouragement to pray for converting grace, from their covenant intereſt, & propriety in God as their God.

Backſliding Iſrael, under the name of Ephraim, is here repreſented, as owning their covenant obligations to God, and claiming a covenant intereſt in him, as their God, improving it as an argument in prayer to him for his effectual grace to recover them from their backſlidings, that he might receive, and own them as his peculiar people, and ſhew himſelf their God. Turn thou me, — for thou art the Lord my God This prayer, and plea, may be accommodated for the encouragement of all the children of the covenant, who are in an unconverted ſtate, in ſetting about the work of repentance, humbly, earneſtly, and believingly to ſeek the grace of the covenant, which is neceſſary to their effectual converſion. I ſhall endeavour in a few words, to ſhew the propriety and force of this plea.

1. By the children of the covenant, I mean all that are born in the church of parents in viſible covenant with God, and are brought under the initiating ſeal of the covenant, viz. circumciſion under the old teſtament, and baptiſm under the new: wherein as God engages to be their God, ſo they come under a ſolemn covenant dedication to him, to be his children and ſervants. Thus all the ſeed of Iſrael were the children of the covenant under the old teſtament, by virtue of God's premiſe and command to Abraham and his ſeed. Gen xvii • . 7, 9 I will eſtabl • ſh my covenant between me, and thee, and thy ſeed after thee— to be a God to thee and to thy ſeed after thee.— Thou ſhalt keep my covenant therefore, then, & thy ſeed after thee in their generations. H •• ce the apoſtle Peter preaching the goſpel to the J ••• s, the natural poſterity of Abraham, ſtiles them the children of the covenant, as they were the viſible heirs of the covenant and promiſe God made to Abraham. Acts iii. 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant, which God made with our fathers, &c. And it is no leſs evident, that the children of chriſtian parents under the evangelical diſpenſation, are in like manner, children of the covenant; for the chriſtian church ſucceeds the church of Iſrael, in the poſſeſſion of all the main privileges of their covenant: particularly, that the bleſſing of Abraham, conſiſting in God's promiſe to be his God, and the God of his ſeed, comes upon the families of the Gentiles, thro' faith in Chriſt, is plainly declar'd, Gal iii. 14. And the apoſtle Peter holds forth the covenant in this extent to the Jews, to bring them over to the chriſtian faith and baptiſm. Act. ii. 39. For the promiſe is unto you and to your children: this privilege muſt be intended in theſe words, to belong to them upon their being baptized in the name of Chriſt, and ſo becoming members of the chriſtian church, as much as ever it belong'd to them, as they were members of the church of Iſrael; otherwiſe it could be no motive to prevail with them to ſubmit to the baptiſm of Jeſus, or encouragement to expect the gift of the holy Ghoſt upon their being baptized, as it is evidently deſign'd to beIf the promiſe ſhould ceaſe to belong to their children upon their receiving chriſtian baptiſm, as ſome imagine, then the apoſtle muſt be ſuppoſed to propound mater of privilege to perſwade them to do that, the very doing whereof would deprive them of that privilege; the abſurdity whereof is obvious.. Therefore, now, by the children of the covenant, are to be underſtood all thoſe that are born of chriſtian parents, and by baptiſm dedicated to God, who ſtands in a more ſpecial relation to them as their God, than he doth to others. And as they are under more ſacred obligations to God than others, ſo they may plead this relation as an encouragement to their faith in prayer for the grace of the covenant, and for all temporal and ſpiritual bleſſings: thou art the Lord my God, by virtue of that ſtanding promiſe of the covenant, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed.

2. Many of the children of the covenant, the viſible heirs of the promiſe, are yet in an unconverted ſtate; ſtrangers to the ſaving grace of the covenant. This is preſuppoſed & implied in praying for converting grace. which is repreſented as the duty of the children of the covenant. They may be the children of the covenant and yet unconverted. The children of parents in viſible covenant, yea, and of ſuch as are truly godly, are born in ſin, and children of wrath, even as others. The apoſtle in Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3. runs a compariſon between the Jews and Gentiles, as to their natural ſtate. ver. 1, 2 he ſpeaks to the Epheſian Gentiles, And YOU hath he quickned, who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, wherein in time paſt YE walked according to the courſe of this world, &c but in ver. 3. he ſpeaks in the firſt perſon, Among whom alſo WE all had our converſation in times paſt, in the luſts of our fl • ſh — and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Not only ye Gentiles, who were aliens from the common wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenants of promiſe (ver. 12.) but alſo we Jews the ſeed of Iſrael, to whom pertain'd the covenant and promiſe, were, as to our natural ſtate, equally corrupt, ſinful, ſubjects of God's wrath. And many of the children of God's people do ſadly degenerate in their lives, and go aſtray from the God of their fathers, and their God, in courſes of tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, purſuing the idols of the world, and fulfilling the deſires of the fleſhly mind; ſo that they have as much need as others to be converted, and need the grace of God to recover them from their backſlidings, and reduce them to their covenanted duty. Therefore were all the prophets of old, and John the baptiſt, Chriſt, and the apoſtles, ſent firſt to the covenant people of God to call them to repentance: particularly, the apoſtle Peter tells the children of the covenant. that God having raiſed up his S • n Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs them in turning them from th • ir iniquities, Act. i • i 25, 26 Many of the children of the covenant therefore need to be turned from their iniquities, and ••• ed the redeemer's grace for their converſion. Wherefore a covenant intereſt in God as our God, does not neceſſarily argue a ſtate of grace and converſion. There are barren as well as fruitful branches in the true vine Joh. xv. 2., hypocrites as well as real chriſtians that profeſs relation to Chriſt in the viſible church.

Conſider therefore, we may be ſaid to be in covenant with God, and to have relation to and intereſt in him as our God, either by external profeſſion and dedication; or by the grace of the covenant inwardly diſpens'd and receiv'd, that is, by the regenerating, and ſanctifying grace of the Spirit, and hy an inward devotedneſs of ſoul to God. Now the unconverted children of God's people, are in covenant with him in the former ſenſe only, namely, in reſpect of the covenant externally adminiſtred, and their external dedication to him. And tho' there is a very great difference, between this external adminiſtration, and the inward ſpiritual diſpenſation of the covenant, yet it is a great privilege to be brought under the external adminiſtration, to have a name in the houſe of God, and to ſtand in viſible covenant relation to him, which the children of God's people ſhould prize, and be thankful for. Hence,

3. The unconverted children of God's people, who are in viſible covenant with him, ſhould improve their covenant relation to and intereſt in him as their God, as an encouragement to pray, and as a plea in praying for converting grāce.

Here I ſhall ſhew, (1) What is implied in this plea, And (2) The value and efficacy of it in prayer.

(1) Let me ſhew, what is implied in this plea, improved in prayer by the children of the covenant, — thou art the Lord my God.

[1] It implies their acknowledgment of the relation that God ſtands in to them as their God in covenant; their adherence to and acquieſcence in it. When Ephraim is brought to ſay, thou art the Lord my God, it is as much as if he had ſaid, Tho' I have gone away from thee, and ſet up other gods, and ſerved them, yet now convinced of my ſin and folly in ſo doing, I will have no more to do with idols, but will henceforth own thee, the God of Iſrael, for my God alone; thou art my God not only by external covenant, but by my own choice, and conſent. And in this manner God juſtly expects and requires, that the children of his people ſhould explicitly own him for their God (renouncing all their idols) in order to his acceptance of them to the mercies of his covenant, and hearing their prayers. Zech. xiii 9 — They ſhall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will ſay, it is my people, and they ſhall ſay, the Lord is my God. Thus they muſt own the relation, and conſent to it, if they would improve it as an available plea in prayer. While in their unconverted ſtate, they have ſet up other gods in the room of the true God, in placing their chief love and delight, truſt and dependance on creatures, which is due to God alone. They are guilty of ſpiritual idolatry: carnal pleaſures, worldly poſſeſſions, and honours, were their gods. Phil. iii. 19 — Whoſe God is their belly. Col. iii. 5. — Covetouſneſs which is idolatry. And a covetous, or worldlyminded perſon is an idolater Eph v. 5. But in returning to God, they muſt renounce all the idols of the world, and ſay with an hearty choice and conſent, the Lord is my God.

[2] It implies their acknowledgment of the obligation they are under to God, as their God in covenant, to love, reverence, and ſerve him with all their capacities. Thou art my Lord, and my God; other lords beſides th • e have had the dominion over me, ſin, ſatan, and fleſhly luſts, but by thy grace I reſolve to ſhake off their uſurp'd dominion, & relinquiſh their ſervice; and return to thee my rightful owner and ſovereign, hence forward to yield dutiful ſubjection and obedience to thee, and to make thy ſervice the buſineſs of my life; thou art the Lord my God, to govern me by thy will, as well as to bleſs me with thy grace.

[3] It implies their dependance on God for thoſe covenant bleſſings that are founded on this relation. For God to be a God to any, implies ſome extraordinary favours: and indeed this promiſe, I will be thy God, is comprehenſive of all the promiſes in the word of God All temporal and ſpiritual bleſſings, and eternal bleſſedneſs, is bound up in this one great promiſe All that can be expected from God our creator, redeemer, and ſanctifier, is intended, as promiſed to thoſe to whom he promiſes to be a God in covenant: and they may on this ground, look for the power and bounty of the creator, to preſerve them from all evil, and to ſupply them with all good; and for the benefit of the merit and righteouſneſs of the redeemer, to relieve their ſouls againſt the guilt of ſin, and the penal conſequences of it; and for the grace and comfort of the ſanctifier, the holy Spirit, to recover them to the life of God, and to be in them the earneſt of life everlaſting. And what can be deſired more? Wherefore this plea, thou art the Lord my God, implies ſome confidence in God, or ſome hope of the mercies that this relation lays the foundation of.

(2) Let us conſider therefore the value of this plea, and the efficacy of it in prayer, and what encouragement hence ariſes to the unconverted children of the covenant, to pray for converting grace.

1. God's relation to them as their God in covenant affords great encouragement, as it ſhews that he ſtands ready to confer the ſaving grace of the covenant upon them, if they don't put a bar in the way by a wilful contempt or refuſal, or if they do but ſeek him earneſtly for it. Chriſt ordained and directed his apoſtles to preach repentance and remiſſion of ſins firſt to the Jews, becauſe they were the children of the covenant, Luk. xxiv. 47. — beginning at Jeruſalem. Act. iii. 25, 26. Ye are the children of the covenant, ſaith the apoſtle Peter, unto you firſt God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs you, &c. Nor were they finally deſerted till they obſtinately rejected the goſpel offer, and invitation See Act. xiii. 46.. God ſtands ready to bleſs the children of the covenant, with his converting grace; and what an encouragement is this to a ſerious and diligent ſeeking of it!

2. They may conclude from their covenant intereſt in God, that there is greater hope and likelihood, that he will beſtow his grace on them than others. 'Tis true indeed, that the Lord is ric • to all that call upon him, whether Jew or Greek, Rom. x. 12. but the children of the covenant are nearer to the grace of God than others: they have a greater ſufficiency of means and advantages, they have the prayers, inſtructions, and examples of their pious parents, and the prayers of the church for them, and word of God read and heard; to all which means the diſpenſation of the Spirit is annex'd by the promiſe of God. Iſai. lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, my Spirit that is upon thee, & my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, &c. The apoſtle ſpeaks of them, as the natural branches, of whom there is greater likelihood, that they ſhould be graffed into their own olive tree (under which emblem the church of God is repreſented) Rom. 11.24. — How much more ſhall theſe which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree. God may ſuffer the branches of the covenant to grow wild, and may graff in a ſtrange ſlipp, ſaith one, but it is moſt kindly to the natural branches, the grace of God runs moſt freely and kindly in the channel of the covenant. — Certainly it is a great advantage to be born of parents within the covenant, they have an excellent inheritance, till they diſinherit themſelves by their own unthankfulneſs, and rebellion.Dr. MANTON.

3. There are indefinite promiſes of the covenant, that belong to them, which are ordinarily obtain'd in the way of prayer; promiſes of regenerating, converting grace, (as I have obſerv'd) Now to whom, or on whoſe behalf are thoſe promiſes made, but to the ſeed of God's covenant people? the children of the church who need to be regenerated and converted? Such as God's promiſe of circumciſing our hearts, and the heart of our ſeed, his pouring his Spirit upon our ſeed, and his bleſſing on our off-ſpringIſai xliv. 3. the promiſe of writing his law on our hearts Heb. viii. 10. and others which I have mentioned. They run indefinitely, but are all made to the church on the behalf of their unconverted children, and are ſealed to them, as by circumciſion of old (whence the phraſe of circumciſing their hearts) ſo by baptiſm now, (whence the ſame work of grace is term'd the waſhing of regeneration, Tit. iii. 5. agreably to God's promiſe, Ezek. xxxvi. 25. Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean: from all your filthineſs—will I cleanſe you) And I have ſhewed, that God hath appointed prayer as the means of the accompliſhment of theſe promiſes. Therefore in pleading their covenant intereſt in God, they do in effect plead theſe promiſes, which God has made and ſealed to them; and this is to pray according to his will: and therefore they may be encouraged to hope that they ſhall not ſeek in vain. And conſider.

4. It is a plea very pleaſing to God, and prevailing with him. Partly,

(1) As it implies a ſenſe of their obligation to God, and an inclination and deſire to come up to their covenanted duty, and to anſwer God's relation to them, by a ſerious and hearty dedication of themſelves to him. Turn me to thy ſelf, O Lord, for thou art my God: the import of which prayer, from the mouth of a child of the covenant, muſt be this, viz Lord, I own thee to be my God, & to have a ſupream right and dominion in and over me, not only as creator and ruler of the world, but as a God, and Father by covenant, whereby I am ſolemnly bound to love, and ſerve, and glorify thee; I have ſinfully & ſhamefully broken thy covenant, and have forſaken my own mercies, and turned aſide to lying vanities; but the deſire of my ſoul is to return to thee, in compliance with thy merciful invitation, return ye backſliding children Jer. iii.23. ; O grant me the grace which thou haſt promiſed, to reſtore me, by repentance, unto my duty and happineſs, in ſerving and enjoying thee as my God and portion for ever. Such a plea from a broken hearted ſinner, is very agreable to the will of God, and muſt needs be of great force and prevalency with him. Partly,

(2) As it argues a good temper of mind, and a diſpoſition pleaſing to God to improve a covenant intereſt in him, as a plea for ſpecial grace. It may indeed, be pleaded by believers, for all kinds of mercies, even temporal mercies. Jacob improves it as a ground of truſt in God, for bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and providential protectionGen. xxviii 20, 21. . But to make choice of and prefer renewing grace above all other inſtances of covenant mercies, is no ſmall ſymptom of a gracious diſpoſition, which he that will not break a bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax, will not deſpiſe, becauſe it is the work of his own grace: and when God has put ſuch a tho't and deſire into a ſinner's heart, it may reaſonably be hop'd, that it ſhall not be without ſucceſs. We know how Solomon ſucceeded in that prayer, 2 Chron. i. God puts it to his choice to ask what he would, ver. 7. — Ask what I ſhall give thee, Solomon's requeſt is, ver. 10. Give me now wiſdom, and knowlege, that I may go out and come in before this people; and how pleaſing this requeſt was to God, appears from the anſwer given to it, ver. 11, 12. God ſaid to Solomon, Becauſe this was in thine heart, and thou haſt not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet haſt asked long life, but haſt asked wiſdom and knowlege for thy ſelf, that thou mayeſt judge my people, &c. Wiſdom and knowlege is granted unto thee, and I will give thee riches and wealth, and honour, ſuch as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither ſhall there any after thee have the like. Thus, thoſe that ſeek fi • ſt the kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, ſhall not only obtain what they ſeek, but ſhall have all other things (ſo far as God ſees beſt) added unto them Mat. vi.33. . Partly,

3. Becauſe the glory of God is more nearly intereſted in this petition and plea; more than in praying for the pardon of ſin: for pardon of ſin more immediately reſpects the ſinner's ſecurity and comfort, which he may deſire from ſelf-love; but grace to ſerve God, is more immediately conducive to his glory Now as Chriſt has taught us to make this our firſt & principal petition, thy name be hallowed, or glorified, ſo the more nearly the glory of God's name is concern'd in any petition that we offer up to him, the more pleaſing it is to him, & the more hope of ſpeeding. And it is eſpecially for the glory of God in the eyes of the world, that thoſe to whom he ſtands in viſible relation, ſhould be an holy people, as his name is more diſhonour'd by the unholineſs of their lives, than by the ſins of others; for he will be ſanctified in all them that come nigh him, Lev. x 3. And as God makes this an argument with himſelf in promiſing ſanctifying grace to his people. Ezek. xxxvi. 22, 23. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I do not this for your ſakes, O houſe of Iſrael, but for my holy Names ſake, which ye have prophaned among the heathen. — And I will ſanctify my great Name, which was prophaned among the heathen, which ye have prophaned in the midſt of them, &c. So it may be pleaded to good purpoſe, by the children of God's people, in prayer for converting ſanctifying grace; Not for my ſake Lord, tho' thou ſhouldeſt have no regard to ſuch an unworthy worm as I am, but (ſince thou haſt taken me into ſo near a relation to thyſelf) for thy holy Names ſake, for the glory of thy great Name (which will be more polluted and diſhonour'd by my ſins, than by the ſins of others who are aliens and ſtrangers) I beg the promiſed gift of thy grace, to make me holy, and to enable me to walk anſwerably to my covenant relation to thee, and that thou may'ſt be ſanctified in me, in the eyes of men. And what is this but to pray that God's name may be glorified?

'Tis confeſs'd that the ſpirit of this plea (as it has been open'd in theſe particulars) can proceed only from a gracious heart, which has been impreſs'd by the Spirit of God, with a diſpoſition and tendency towards its divine original: but it ſhall ſuffice to have ſhewed the native import of it rightly managed, and how prevalent with God, and what abundant encouragement it affords the children of the covenant in praying for the grace of repentance, and converſion. Now then, let it be briefly applied,

(1) In a word of exhortation to parents in covenant with God, to pray for their unconverted children. In your ſupplications at the throne of grace for your own ſouls, you muſt bear upon your heart the caſe of your children's ſouls, and be earneſt in prayer, as for other mercies which they need, ſo more eſpecially & principally for the ſaving grace of the covenant, that their ſouls may be cured of their corrupt byaſs, that they may be principled with the fear of God betimes, that they may be made wiſe, and virtuous, and holy; that good things may be found in them towards the God of Iſrael; that being begotten again by the Spirit, they may be inſtated in the bleſſings of God's family, and that whether they live a longer or ſhorter time, in health or ſickneſs, in proſperity or adverſity in this world, they may be made heirs of life & immortality, and live in God's favour, and in his preſence for ever hereafter. It is unqueſtionably the duty of all parents thus to pray for their children eſpecially of thoſe that are in covenant with God, in imitation of the example of the father of the faithful, Gen. xvii 18. O that Iſhrael might live before thee! and of David, 1 Chron. xxix. 19. Give unto Solomon my ſon a perfect heart to keep thy commandments —.

Thus you muſt expreſs and exerciſe ſaith in God's promiſe, I will be the God of thy ſeed; and plead the ſame argument that is here put into their mouths, Lord, thou art the God of my children by external covenant, and haſt encouraged me therefore to dedicate them to thee, and they are thine not only by creation, but by baptiſmal dedication: O take poſſeſſion of them for thy ſelf, betimes, by thine indwelling Spirit, turn them to thyſelf from ſin & ſatan from the vanities of the world, and a vain converſation; they are the children of the covenant, O ſend the Spirit of thy Son to bleſs them in turning them from their iniquities. By ſaith plead the promiſes God has made to the ſeed of his people, the promiſe of circumciſing their hearts, of pouring his Spirit and bleſſing upon them, and of their being taught of the Lord. Iſai. liv. 13. Remember thy word of promiſe, and eſtabliſh it unto my children, on which thou haſt cauſed me to hope.

Thus you muſt expreſs your value of this bleſſing. For God to be the God of your children, is a far greater privilege, than to have all the riches, wealth, and honours of the world heap'd upon them: and he will then be their God according to the full intention, and utmoſt extent of his covenant love: when he gives them his Spirit to regenerate, and ſanctify them to himſelf. O then, put in for a ſhare in this privilege, on the behalf of your children, by your earneſt prayers for them, that whatever they want, they may not want the ſpecial bleſſings of the covenant, for therein is all their ſalvation, and all that is neceſſary & conducive to their happineſs in both worlds. Thus you muſt expreſs your tender affection to your children. When they labour under grievous bodily diſeaſes, you are full of compaſſion towards them, & will ſeek to the phyſician for healing; and can you without concern, ſee them infected with ſpiritual diſtempers, the hereditary diſeaſe of a carnal nature derived by their natural birth from our firſt parents, which without a cure wrought by regenerating grace. will prove mortal to their ſouls? How many diſtreſſed parents came to our Saviour, when on earth, for the cure of their ſick and diſeaſed children, and prevailed; take encouragement hence, and ſhew your compaſſion to the ſouls of your children, by bringing them in the arms of your faith and prayer to the great phyſician; and beg the healing influences of his grace on their ſouls Every godly parent, next to the ſalvation of his own ſoul, will be moſt ſolicitous & deſirous of the converſion & ſalvation of his childrens ſouls, which muſt be expreſs'd both by frequent inſtructions, counſels, and admonitions, and alſo by conſtant and fervent prayer with and for them: perhaps they neglect praying for themſelves, how ſad would it be, if you alſo ſhould neglect praying for them!

And let not thoſe parents that are exerciſed with ungracious wicked children (which has been the lot of many a godly parent) be therefore diſcouraged from praying for them; for how perverſe and diſobedient ſoever they be, if God undertake to turn them they ſhall be turned. He that can of ſtones raiſe up children to Abraham, can eaſily by his grace ſoften and ſubdue the hardeſt heart, reduce the moſt obſtinate and refractory, and work a cure on the moſt deſperately diſeaſed ſoul. Be encouraged then, to hope and pray for their converſion. St. Auſtin was a very vicious youth, for whom his godly mother Monica was often in tears and prayers: a certain pious Biſhop obſerving her weeping for her ſon, ſaid unto her, it cannot be that a ſon of thoſe tears ſhould periſh AUGUSTIN Confeſs. Lib. 3 Cap. 12. . And he had a remarkable converſion, and prov'd an eminent inſtrument of God's glory. Therefore hold on praying, though there ſhould be no more encouragement than that, Who can tell whether God will be gracious unto you, that your child may live 2 Sam. xii. 22..

(2) Let it be applied, in a word, to the unconverted children of the covenant, to exhort and incite them to ſeek converting grace. You have this encouragement over and above what has been propounded to the unconverted in general, that the Lord is your God in external covenant. The encouragement ariſing hence to ſeek the grace of the covenant, has been at large declared: God's promiſe of being your God, virtually compriz • s all the promiſes of grace contained in the ſcriptures of both teſtaments; which muſt be drawn forth to an accompliſhment by prayer; and you may with more confidence than others, plead ſuch indefinite promiſes, as that, I will give a new heart: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and the like. God is ready to give Himſelf, his Son, his Spirit and grace to ſuch as you, which you ſhould improve as a motive to ſeek him earneſtly & diligently; and as a ground of faith and confidence in prayer. Bleſs God, therefore, for ſo diſtinguiſhing a favour, that you have a name and a place in his houſe, and are admitted into ſo near a relation to him; on which account, you may with good reaſon ſay, the lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places, yea I have a goodly heritage. Yet be caution'd againſt truſting in the privileges of your birth, and baptiſm; for tho' you are born of the moſt religious parents, and baptized in the church, yet you are alſo born in ſin and corruption as much as others, and are by nature children of wrath even as others: the natures you derived from your firſt birth, being as carnal, and as deeply polluted as thoſe of others; and the ſins of your lives being againſt greater mercies and engagements, than the ſins of others, will expoſe you to a ſorer condemnation. See then, a neceſſity of your be •• g born again of the Spirit, otherwiſe it had been better for you never to have been born at all, never to have had a being. See alſo a neceſſity of the grace of God to work this change in you, and of earneſt ſupplication for that grace, whereunto you are encouraged by the covenant offers, and promiſes of grace, ſealed to you in your baptiſm, the obligations & privileges whereof you ſhould ſeriouſly & well conſider.

And if theſe conſiderations have been effectual to work any convictions on your minds, delay not the proſecution of them, but take the firſt opportunity in ſome convenient retirement, to pour out your hearts before God in the language of repenting Ephraim, and fall down on your knees, and ſay, in words to this effect; O Lord God of my fathers and my God! thou haſt of thine infinite mercy, brought me into bonds of thy covenant (in my early days) wherein thou haſt engaged and ſealed to be my God, and Father, Redeemer and Sanctifier, as I am laid under a ſealed obligation to be thine; I confeſs and bewail my treacherous departures from thee, and the degeneracy of my nature and life, for which I deſerve to be caſt off by thee for ever; nevertheleſs thou haſt made known to me by thy word, that thou haſt mercy in ſtore for thy backſliding children, both for pardon and renovation, thro' the merits of my Redeemer's blood; I acknowlege thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, to be my God in Chriſt, and deſire to comply with thy gracious calls to return to thee from all my backſlidings, and in a ſenſe of my own inſufficiency, I beg thy promiſed grace to enable me; turn thou me and I ſhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God.

The rule of God's diſpenſation towards the children of his covenant people, is, not to leave them till they firſt forſake him. 2 Chron. xv. 2. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; if ye ſeek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. And they may be ſaid to forſake him, either by courſes of open tranſgreſſions, or by neglects of religious duties, eſpecially the neglect of ſeeking God by prayer; for there is no medium between ſeeking and forſaking him. If they forſake him, he will caſt them off for ever; but they that ſeek him early ſhall find him: and if the ſeed of Iſrael would thus ſeek him, ſeek him early, ſeek him earneſtly, verily they ſhall not be found to ſeek in vain.

FINIS.