mortals can expect, unless they would have God, who cannot be seen, to walk among them, and speak to every particular man. Oh! that thou wouldst be true to God and thyself, and then thou shalt find God will be true to thee.

As

sure as there is an earth for thee to tread on, and as sure as there is a sun whose light thou seest; so sure is there an heavenly everlasting glory, for every converted, persevering soul. There can be no better ground of assurance than the word of God. I know, that man, whilst he is in this flesh, is strange to things beyond his sense, and hath a natural desire to have his senses themselves to be the inlets of his knowledge; and therefore he is apt to think that either he is uncertain of all that he seeth not, (unless he hath seen the like that may help him to understand it); or else that his knowledge of it, is as no knowledge; but this is a weakness unworthy of a man. What if you had never seen London, or any such city, and should hear the glory of it described by others; would you think it uncertain that there is such a place, because you have not seen it? Nay, further, you have not seen your souls, do you think it therefore uncertain whether you have a soul or no? A man that is born blind did never see the sun, and yet he will not doubt whether there be a sun, when all the world about him telleth him so: and shall not the word of God be taken as soon as the word of a man? You never saw God himself, and yet it is the grossest error in the world to think that there is no God, when we see every hour the works that he hath made; and which we know could none of them make themselves: you see that which assureth you of the things that are unseen. You see the word of God; you see his works, and daily providences; you see a divine testimony, the sufficient ground of your belief. Noah did not see the flood, when he laboured so many years in making the ark. But though the unbelieving world might deride him in the beginning, at the last the flood came and did convince them. "By faith Noah being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark, to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith." O, if the devil could once make you stagger at the truth of the promise, and

a Heb. xi. 7.

make you doubt whether there be a heaven and a hell, because you see them not; he might then delude you with the vanities which you do see. But when you believe it upon God's word, as verily as if you saw it, then you will be likely to be Christians indeed. Therefore the apostle bringeth such proof of the doctrine of the resurrection, and when he hath done, he buildeth this exhortation upon it. "Wherefore my beloved brethren, be stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know your labour is not in vain in the Lord "."

b

Use 11. Having gone thus far with you, and shewed you that a kingdom of heaven there is; and that certainly none but the converted shall enter it: my next business is, to come nearer your hearts, and to inquire of, and beseech you to inquire of, yourselves, whether you are the converted heirs of this kingdom, or not? Sirs, you hear from the mouth of Christ himself, how the case standeth. He that spoke this will be your judge, and according to this word it is that he will judge you. Believe you not this? I hope you do believe it. Methinks now I should need to say no more to reasonable men, to warn them presently to enter into their own consciences, and try, and try again whether they are converted. But because that this is so necessary a work, I will tell you some of those reasons that should move you presently to set upon this trial: and shew you how desirable it is to be well resolved in this point. For I know that the devil will be such an enemy to it, and the heart so backward to it, that all we can say, is likely to be too little to bring the most, but to a faithful examination of their own souls.

1. The first reason that moveth me to entreat you to try yourselves, is, the weight of the business in hand. A wise man may put a small thing to a venture, but he will not venture all his estate, or liberty, or life, if he can help it. How much less should a wise man venture his soul! Great things and eternal things should be made as sure of as we can. For a man to be in endless happiness or misery, is a matter that should not have one cold, or dull and careless thought: much less should it be ordinarily, or wholly made light of. I profess to you brethren, I wonder how you can

b 1 Cor. xv. ult.

so little regard the assurance of your conversion and salvation, as most of the world doth! As if hell were grown sufferable or heaven grown of smaller value; and the glory of it did begin to fade. For, a man that is no heathen, but believeth that a departing soul goes some whither, either to heaven or hell: methinks he should be willing to know whither it should go before it is gone. For, when it is once gone, it is past recalling. Methinks, as long as you are in much doubting of your salvation, this one thought should often be running in your mind: 'What if I should not be converted or saved? What a case were I then everlastingly in?' Your hearts, it is like, do cherish some hopes that you are converted, and all shall be well enough with you when you die: O, but what if it should prove otherwise? Methinks this one thought should even amaze you, whilst you are in that estate. For all my hopes, what if I' should perish? O, what wise man would put his everlasting salvation or damnation to the venture, if he could possibly get it out of doubt? Therefore Sirs, I beseech you for the Lord's sake; get alone again and again, and put this ques-. tion to your own consciences, How can I tell that I am truly converted?' And if you are ready to say, I hope it is so,' when you have nothing for these hopes, but because you would have it so; call to your consciences for the proof of what they say, and do not take your own bare words. It is proof that must carry it, and not mere saying that you are converted. Ask therefore conscience, How canst thou prove it? What canst thou shew that will evidence a conversion, more than unsanctified persons may shew?' And I pray you, see that you be not put off too easily, and take not every gloss for evidence; but in a matter of such consequence, see that you deal faithfully, and go to the very quick alas! almost all the comfort of your lives lieth upon it and your everlasting salvation lieth upon it; which is much more.

2. Another reason, which makes me the more earnestly desire that you would try, whether you are truly converted, or not, is, because all men by nature are children of wrath, and need conversion, and the greatest part of the world do live and die in their natural state, and never come to be truly converted. Seeing therefore, that it is a thing that every

one must have that will be saved, and yet most men go without it, and therefore are damned, should it not waken you to examine, whether you are of the number of those that are converted, yea or nay? If it were a needless thing that might be spared without your undoing; or if it were a thing that every body hath, or that almost all, or most have; you might be the more secure; but it is not so. What need we more proof than God's express word? “The gate is strait, and the way narrow, and few there be that find it." And common experience seconding this word of God. Do you see that most men are converted, and such as I before described to you? O that it were so! But we shall speak more of this towards the end. Will any man that hath not lost his senses, now stand cavilling, and quarrelling that so few should be saved, instead of making sure of his own salvation? The reason that there are so few, is, because they will not be saved upon God's terms. And if you will take their course, and quarrel with the gracious word and ways of God, instead of submitting to them, you will speed as they, and be carried down the stream for company. But those that care for their souls, will take warning by other men's miscarriages, and be awakened to make sure.

3. Another reason that should move you to examine, whether you be indeed converted or not, is, because the want of this is one of the greatest causes why so few come to be converted, and to be saved. Nothing doth more keep a man from turning back again, when he hath lost his way, than when he doth not know that he hath lost it: and how can he know, that wandereth in the night, and will not inquire and ask the way, or that is so wilful and self-conceited, that he will not believe any man that telleth him he hath lost his way? As long as he is of this mind, he will never turn again. So is it with most of the careless world: they are going into the way of worldliness or vainglory, and live to the flesh, which is clean contrary to the way to heaven, and yet they will not once seriously ask a minister, or ask any one that can inform them, whether that be the way or not? Or whether they shall ever come to heaven in that way? But they trudge on after their fleshly business, as if they had no tongue in their heads; or as if it were not

VOL. VII.

c Matt. vii. 14.

worth the asking, to know whether they were in the way to heaven or hell. Surely, if men will not so much as inquire, or consider with themselves, and examine their way by the word of God, to see whether they are right or wrong, they are never like to be saved. If you, that never had this great cure done upon your souls, did but know so much, you would not rest sure, till it were done. You could not lie down quietly, nor rise quietly : you could not eat or drink, or sleep quietly. Tell me, ever a man or woman of you: could you be quiet, if you were sure that you were yet unconverted, and in a state, that if death should find you in, you must be damned? If you knew this by yourselves, how could you choose but get presently to God on your knees in secret, and cry out,' Help Lord, or I am everlastingly undone! O forgive me, and change my heart and life, or else I am a lost man and woman for ever!' How could you choose, if you knew yourselves unconverted, but follow God with your prayers day and night till he had changed your hearts. You could not sit at home, but you would go to the ministers, and to experienced Christians, and ask them for some help, and advice for your salvation. But, when men think all is well with them, who can expect that they should put themselves to so much trouble? Or seek much to God or man for cure, or make any great matter of the greatest misery? I do not fear any one thing more, to make me lose all this labour, and leave many of you after all this, unconverted, than this conceit that you are already converted, when you are not. This is it that is most like to hinder our work, and to undo your souls. And therefore for the Lord's sake, sirs, deny me not this one request, to take a little pains to try whether you are converted. "For if any man think he is something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."

4. Another reason that should make you never rest till you know that you are converted, is, because of the many exceeding benefits that the true knowledge of this one thing would afford you. For the truly converted, holding on to the death, shall certainly be saved. O sirs, if you had but this assurance once, you might live quietly, and abound with comforts! You might lie down, and nothing make you afraid: you might rejoice in the mercies of the Lord, as the tokens of his love; and bear his rod with greater