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we are sanctified, it is through the truth, John xvii. 17. ..:

You that have felt its renewing power, be for ever thankful for it; tie it about your necks, write it upon your hand. When you go, let it lead you; when you sleep, let it keep you; when you wake, let it talk with you say with holy David, I will not forget thy precepts, for by them thou hast quickened me, Psal. cxix. 93. You that are unconverted, read the word with diligence, flock to it where powerfully preached, fill the porches as the multitude of the impotent, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water, John v. 3. Pray for the coming of the Spirit in the word; come off thy knees to the sermon, and come to thy knees from the sermon: the seed doth not prosper, because not watered by prayers and tears, nor covered by meditation.

4. The final cause is man's salvation, and God's glory. We are chosen thro' sanctification to salvation, 2.Thess. ii. 13. called, that we might be glorified, but especially that God might be glorified: that we should show forth his praise, and be fruitful in good works, Col. i. 10. O Christian! do not forget the end of thy calling; let thy light shine, Matt. v. 16. let thy lamp burn, let thy fruits be good, and many, and in season, Psal. i. 3. let all thy designs fall in with God's, that he may be magnified in thee..

5. The subject is the sinner; and that in all his parts powers, members and mind.

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This change of conversion passes throughout the whole subject. A carnal person may have some shreds of good morality, but he is never good throughout the whole cloth, the whole body of holiness. Conversion is no repairing of the old building, but it takes all down, and erects a new structure: 'tis not the putting in a patch, or sewing a list of holiness; but, with the true convert, holiness is woven into all his powers, principles, and practice. The sincere Christian is quite a new fabric; from the foundation to the top-stone all fire-new. He is a new man, a new creature. All things are become new. Conversion is a deep work,

a heart-work; it turns all upside down, and makes a man be in a new world. It goes throughout with men, throughout the mind, throughout the motions of the whole man.

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1. Throughout the mind. It makes a universal change within. First, it turns the balance of the judgment, so that God and his glory weigh down all carnal and worldly interest. It opens the eye of the mind, and makes the scales of its native ignorance to fall off, and turns men from darkness to light. The man that before saw no danger in his condition, now concludes himself lost for ever, except renewed by the power of grace. He that formerly thought there was little hurt in sin, now comes to see it to be the chief of evils; he sees the unreasonableness, unrighteousness, and deformity, that is in sin; so that he is affrighted with it, loathes it, flees it, and even abhors himself for it. He that could see little sin in himself, and could find no matter for confession before God, unless it were some few gross evils: now sin reviveth within him, he sees the rottenness of his heart, and desperate and deep pollution of his whole nature: he cries," Unclean, unclean! Lord, purge me with hyssop, wash me thoroughly, create in me a new heart.' He sees himself altogether become filthy, corrupt, both root and tree; he writes unclean upon all his parts, and powers, and performances: he sees the blasphemy, and theft, and murder, and adultery, that is in his heart, which before he was ignorant of: heretofore he saw no form or comeliness in Christ, or beauty, that he should desire him; but now be finds the hid treasure, and will sell all to buy this field.

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Now, according to this new light, the man is of another mind, another judgment, than he was: now God is all with him, he hath none in heaven nor on earth like him, Psal. Ixxiii. 25. He prefers him before all the workd: his favour is his life; the light of his coun-; tenance is more than corn, or wine, and oil, the good that formerly he inquired after, and set his heart upon. Now let all the world be set on one side, and God

alone on the other; let the harlot put on her paint, and present herself to the soul (as when Satan would have tempted our Saviour with her) in all the glory of her kingdoms, yet the soul will not fall down and worship her, but will prefer a naked, yea, a crucified, persecuted Christ, before her. This is the convert's voice; The Lord is my portion; whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Secondly, It turns the bias of the will, both as to means and end.

1. The intention of the will is altered. Now the man hath new ends and designs; now he intends God above all, and desires and designs nothing in all the world so much, as that Christ may be magnified in him. He counts himself more happy in this than in all that the earth could yield, that he may be serviceable to Christ, and bring him glory in his generation. This is the mark he aims at, that the name of Jesus may be great in the world.

Reader, dost thou view this, and never ask thyself, whether it be thus with thee? Pause awhile and breathe on this great concern.

2. The election is also changed, so that he chuseth another way. He pitcheth upon God as his blessedness; upon Christ as the principal, and holiness as the subordinate means to bring him to God. He chuseth Jesus for his Lord. This choice is not made in a fright, as with the dying sinner, that doth only take Christ rather than hell; but he deliberately resolves, that Christ is his best choice, and would rather have him than all the good of this world. Again, he takes holiness for his path; he doth not of mere necessity submit to it, but he likes and loves it. He takes God's testimonies, not as his bondage, but as his heritage; yea, heritage for ever, Psal. cxix. 111. He counts them not his burden, but his bliss; not his cords, but his cordials. He doth not only bear, but takes up Christ's yoke: he takes not holiness as the stomach doth the loaded potion, but as the hungry doth his be

loved food. No time passeth so sweetly with him as that which he spends in the exercises of holiness; these are both his aliment and element, the desire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart.

Put thy conscience to it as thou goest, whether thou art the man. O happy man, if this be thy case! But see thou be impartial in the search.

Thirdly, It turns the bent of the affections. These run all in a new channel: Jordan is driven back, and the water runs upwards against its natural course. Christ is his hope, 1 Tim. i. 1. This is the prize, Phil. iii. 8. here his eye, here his heart is. He is contented to cast all over-board (as the merchant in the storm) so he may but keep this jewel.

The first of his desires is not after gold, but grace. He hungers after it, he seeks it as silver, he digs for it as hid treasure: he had rather be gracious than be great: he had rather be the holiest man on earth, than the most learned, the most famous, most prosperous. Once he said, O! if I were but in great esteem, and rolled in wealth, and swimmed in pleasure, then I should be a happy man. But now the tone is changed. O! saith the convert, if I had such measures of grace, such fellowship with God, though I were poor and despised, I should account myself a blessed man. Reader, is this the language of thy soul?

His joys are changed. He rejoiceth in the ways of God's testimonies, as much as in all riches. He delights in the law of the Lord, wherein once he had little favour. He hath no such joy as in the thoughts of Christ, the fruition of his company, the prosperity of his people.

His cares are altered. He was once set for the world, and any scrap of time were enough for his soul. Now he gives over caring for the asses, and sets his heart on the kingdom: now all the cry is, What shall I do to be saved? His great solicitude is now to secure his soul.

His fears are not now of suffering. Once he was afraid of nothing so much as the loss of his estate or

esteem, or the pleasure of friends; nothing sounded so terrible to hiin as pain, or poverty, or disgrace; now these are little to him, in comparison of God's dishonour or displeasure. How warily doth he walk, lest he should tread upon a snare! He feareth always, he looks before and behind, lest he should be overtaken with sin. It kills his heart to think of losing God's favour; this he dreads as his only undoing. No thought in the world doth pain him so much, as to think of parting with Christ.

His love runs a new course. My Love is crucified, (saith holy Ignatius) that is, my Christ. This is my Beloved, saith the Spouse.

He can find no words sweet enough. Let me see thee, O light of mine eyes: come, O thou joy of my spirit. Let me behold thee, O life of my soul. Appear unto me, O my great delight. O my God, my life, and the whole glory of my soul. Let me find thee, O desire of my heart.

His sorrows have now a new vent. The view of his sins, the sight of Christ crucified, that would searce stir him before, now how much do they affect his heart!

Commune then with thine own heart, and attend the general current of thine affection, whether it be towards God in Christ above all other concernments. Indeed the great inquiry is, whether the judgment and will be standingly determined for God above all other good: and if the affections sincerely follow their choice, though it be not so sensibly as is to be desired, there is no doubt but the change is saving.

2. Throughout the members. Those that were before the instruments of sin, are now become the holy utensils of Christ's living temple. He that before abused his body, now possesseth his vessel in sanctification and honour, in temperance, chastity, and sobriety, and dedicateth it to the Lord.

The eye that was once a wandering eye, a wanton eye, a haughty, a covetous eye, is now employed in weeping over its sins, in beholding God in his works,