EZEK. 33. 11.
THis subject of Conversion, is like Ezekiels waters, that rise higher and higher; therefore marvel not, if we continue long upon it, for the matter will still be new, though it be the same Text. The last day our endeavor was, to use all those forcible Reasons, that might perswade you to turn from your sins to God; although indeed, the very naming of it, doth carry so much light and truth with it, that it argueth incredible stupidity and obstinacyin all those, who yet wilfully continue in their iniquities: that therefore every mountain may be made level, & every valley raised, to make a prepared way for Christ, I shall answer those Objections, or Prejudices, or Cavils, which are as a great gulf between them and conversion. The Objections that arise from a carnal vain heart, I will call The mountains that must be made low; the objections from a discouraged or dejected heart, that doubteth of its acceptance with God, if it doth return, or imagineth strange impossibilities for its own particular; this I call The valley that must be exalted: And first, let us endeavor to prevail with the carnal man, to have so much faith, as to throw this mountain into the sea. That objection which I shall begin with, is this:
To turn unto God, is to leave all those pleasures, that delight and carnal mirth, I have had in my sinful ways: If so be I were to be a Cloistered Monk, or a solitary1 Hermit; If I were persecuted, flying into caves and dens, that it would deprive me of all my pleasure, then such contemplations, and holy meditations might be imbraced; but for me, that finde such pleasure, such jollity in my wicked ways, to turn to God with mourning and humiliation, is to bid me be no more Naomi, but Marah: Thus the voluptuous man, the unclean man, the drunkard, the glutton, the earthly and coveteous man; yea, all who finde iniquity, like honey in their mouth; these all speak like the Fig-tree and Olive-tree in Judges, Shall I leave my fatness, and my sweetness, and forsake all my former pleasures, to mourn and fast, and reform, and to live a strict life of mortification? Thus every man is drawn aside by pleasure. To take you off in this respect:
Answ. 1. First consider, That the Scriptures judgement about sin, is wholly contradictory to thine: The word of God acknowledgeth no pleasure, no desireableness in sin; but the clean contrary, Gall, and Wormwood, and Bitterness, and Death, Wrath, and Terror, and Curses, and Torments: How then comest thou to speak of pleasures and delight in sin, when Gods word knoweth no such thing? Now the Scripture is the wisdom of an All-knowing God, and we are to believe that, more then our own sense and apprehension: We see diseases do so infect the palate, that it many times judgeth bitter sweet, and sweet bitter, but the nature of things is not changed because the palate is changed; and thus it is here, by reason of that corrupt frame of heart in thee, thou judgest sin pleasant; no ordinances, no godly objects have any savour or delight in them: but these do greatly affect thee; know all this is a disease, a sickness upon thy heart, as some diseases make the sick parties eat black coals, and such loathsom […]rash: This is a disease. The word of God, which onely revealeth true wisdom, speaketh otherwise: Oh then! call no more thy lusts sweet, thy sins pleasant, its a disease on thee makes thee think so, if thy palate and taste were spiritual, thou wouldst with dislike, reject every temptation of sin, as Christ did the vinegar they gave him to drink. Paul told Elymas, He was in the state of gall and bitterness, Acts 8. 23. Elymas did not think so, nor feel so: And thus is every wicked man, in a condition of gall and misery; if his heart were truly qualified, he would cry out of the bitterness of those sins, which he now saith are sweet: Judge then righteous judgement about thy iniquities, and thou wilt quickly forsake them.
Secondly, Grant thy sins have pleasure and delight in them, yet they are pleasant onely to the bruitish and sensual part of a man; the eyes, the ears, the body, the2 imagination, these for the most part are pleased in the actings of sin: Now what an unworthy and irrational thing is it for thee, to pursue those pleasures, which are common to thee, with beasts? Sin haply may bring bodily pleasures, bodily delight; but how low should these things be to thee that hast a soul, whose true good and happiness lyeth in godly actions, and enjoying of God? Did not the rich man in the Gospel, shew himself like a beast, when speaking of his barns full, he said, Soul, take thy ease, for thou hast much good laid up for thee, Luke 12. 19. Soul! O brutish expression, what were these good things to his soul? he might have said, Body, take thy case, but Soul he could not: when therefore the pleasures of sin, have painted themselves, like Jezebel, to intice and deceive thee, reject them with disdain: These are not pleasures for an immaterial, immortal soul; these are not a proper delight, for the chief and most noble part of me; If I were onely a body, and not a soul; then there might be greater reason to admit them.