Paul prepared the Gentiles, when he was fent

to

66

of Satan

and to turn them from their open eyes, "darkness to light, and from the power "unto God:" and it was a very different vifion to which he was obedient, when he repelled the charge of infanity by speaking forth the words of truth and foberness; and forced from the royal Jew that memorable and difinterested confeffion, "Almoft thou perfuadeft me to be a • Chriftian."

Now unto God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, three perfons in the unity of one Godhead, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

Acts xxvi. 18.

DISCOURSE VII.

MATT. Xviii. 2, 3.

And Jefus called a little child unto him, and fet him in the midst of them,

And faid, Verily, I fay unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

ALL the difpenfations of Providence are tempered by an harmonious principle; and in the moral, as well as in the natural, world, every effect has an evident relation to its caufe. In operations, whether intellectual or material, it is irrational to expect fimilar results in cases, between which an important difference prevails, as to the powers of the agent, the difpofition of the patient, and the numerous contingent circumftances, by which they are refpectively modified.

Eye-witneffes of the life, miracles, and refurrection of Chrift; capable from their per fonal obfervation of demonftrating the fulfil

ment of ancient prophecies; armed themfelves alfo with miraculous, power, and endued by the Holy Ghost with the faculty of speaking the language of every nation under heaven; the Apostles preached the doctrines of Chriftianity to men, whofe fenfes bore testimony to the fupernatural endowments of the preachers and thus, " in the demonftration of the Spirit and of power," they converted multitudes to a steadfast belief in Chrift, and to confequent holinefs of living. But therefore to fuppofe that the eloquence of a mere human preacher, affifted only by the ordinary vifitations of divine grace, is to be followed by the immediate conversion of multitudes of finners, to whom the truths of the Gospel have been long familiar, to uniform habits of Chriftian purity, were as grofs an abfurdity as to fuppofe, that a peafant could verify the boaft of Archimedes, and move the earth or that an aftronomer could realize the fiction of romance, and divert the fun from his orbit.

The doctrine of converfion, as it is delivered by fome of our modern fectaries, is fo much at variance with the more fober, more rational, and (I truft) more evangelical doctrine of the national clergy; and it is fo vehemently enforced as abfolutely neceffary to falvation, and the preaching of it is reprefented as fo indifpenfable a criterion of the preaching of the

Gofpel', that it of courfe claims a place in the prefent inquiry; and it is fo closely connected, and by fome perfons fo thoroughly identified with regeneration, which was examined in my laft difcourfe, that it naturally prefents itself for the fubject of our prefent reflections.

Converfion, according to our notions, may not improperly be faid to confift of a rational conviction of fin, and fenfe of its wretchednefs and danger; of a fincere penitence and forrow of heart, at having incurred the displeasure of a holy God; of steadfast purposes of amendment with the bleffing of the divine grace; of a regular and diligent employment of all the appointed means of grace; and of a real change of heart and life, of affections and conduct, and a refolute perfeverance in well-doing.

The triumph of fuch converfion as this is not attended by alternations of extreme joy and defpondency; of the moft ecftatic rapture, and the most gloomy defpair; fometimes by heavenly exultation, and fometimes by the agonies of hell. It has little of what is brilliant and dazzling to decorate; little of what is magnificent and impofing to dignify and exalt it. It cannot be defcribed as intended by the Lord to fet the world in a flame: the

* See Whitefield's Eighteen Sermons, p. 130. b Whitefield's Works, vol. i. p. 200.

minifter, who is God's inftrument to effect it, cannot be pompously reprefented to be carried as on eagle's wings; or be elevated into a comparison with Jofhua, going from city to city, and fubduing the devoted nations: its direction cannot be faid to be marked out by a sign from heaven, as the cloud employed by Providence to conduct the people of Ifrael on their march through the wilderness its progrefs cannot be described to be terrible as an army with banners: its effects cannot be extolled into a rivalry with the fuccefs of the victorious and imperial Conftantine f. But if its operations are flow, they are certain; if its effects are milder, they are more fecure, if its conquefts are lefs extenfive, and it draws a lefs numerous crowd of fuppliants at its chariotwheels, it exerts a more permanent dominion over thofe, whom it has fubdued. Unambitious of earthly diftinction, and contented with doing good, its throne is the humble and contrite spirit, and its fceptre is righteousness and

peace.

But I am anticipating remarks, which might appear more pertinent after the comparison, which I propofe to inftitute in the prefent

• Whitefield's Works, vol. i. p. 367. Ibid. vol. i. p. 370, 407, 451, 477. e Ibid. vol. i. p. 393.

Welley's Farther Appeal, p. 92.