II. Conversion of the vilest sinner possible
been highly provoking thee ever since I was born, by a life of unparalleled wickedness upon earth. Vile wretch that I am! I have despised the riches of thy goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth me to repentance. And after all, here I am told, that there is yet a possibility of pardon, mercy and salvation for me. The news is so great and so good, that I am zealously concerned to examine the grounds and evidences of it.
And if it shall appear to be as true, as it is astonishingly strange, and ravishingly sweet; I hope, it shall effectually lead me to repentance, and dissolve for ever the strongest ties betwixt me and my lusts."
II.
Conversion of the Vilest Sinner Possible THAT it is possible for the greatest and most infamous sinner to be recovered by repentance and conversion, and thereupon to find mercy and forgiveness with God; is a truth as sure and firm as it is sweet and comfortable. Three things will give full evidence of it.
1. That their sins do not exceed the power and sufficiency of the causes of remission.
2. That such sinners are within the calls and invitations of the gospel.
3. That such sinners are found among the instances and examples of pardoning mercy, recorded in the scriptures.
And if the causes of pardon be sufficient, and able to produce it; if the gospel invitations do take them in, and such sinners as these, every way as vile and wicked, have not been shut out, but received to
mercy; then it is beyond all doubt that there is (at least) a possibility of mercy for such sinners as you are.
I. It is past rational doubt, that the causes of remission are every way sufficient, and able to produce the forgiveness of such sins as yours are. For consider with yourselves, The power of { 1. The impulsive cause. 2. The meritorious cause. 3. The applying cause.
1. The sufficiency and ability of the impulsive cause of pardon, which is none other but the free grace of God, the immense riches and treasures whereof, do infinitely excel the accompts and computations both of angels and men. Exod. 34:6, 7. "And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth: keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin." Mic. 7:18, 19. "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." Once more, Rom. 5:20. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." So that whatever thy sins have been, they do not, they cannot exceed the ability and power of the grace of God, the all-sufficient, impulsive cause of remission. That infinite abyss, or sea of mercy, can swallow up, and cover such mountains of guilt, as thine have been.
2. Nor do thy sins exceed the ability and power of the meritorious cause of remission, namely, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; for that blood is the blood of God, Acts 20:28. He is the Lamb of God, whose blood is sufficient to take away the sins of the world, John
1:29. There is but one sin in the world exempt from remission by this blood, and if thy heart be now wounded with the sense of sin, (as I here suppose it to be) that is none of thy sin, how heinous soever thy other sins be.
3. Nor do thy sins exceed the ability and power of the applying cause of pardon, namely, the Spirit of God. For though I should suppose thy mind to be clouded, and overshadowed with grossest ignorance, thy heart to be as hard as adamant, or nether-millstone, thy will stiff and obstinate, thy affections enchanted and bewitched with the pleasures of sin; yet this Spirit of God, in a moment, can make a convincing beam of light to dart into thy dark mind, make thy hard heart relent, thy stubborn will to bow, and all the affections of thy soul to comply, and open obediently to Christ, John 16:9, 10. "The Spirit when he cometh, he shall convince the world of sin," &c.
Thus you see, whatever your guilt be, it does not exceed the abilities of the causes of remission. O what an encouragement is this?
II. And there is yet further encouragement in this, that if you will open your bibles, you may find yourselves within the calls and invitations of the gospel. And no man can say, that man is without hope, that is within a gospel-invitation. Consider Isa. 55:7, 8. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon; for my thoughts are not your thoughts," &c. Here you have the nature of conversion described negatively and positively, by forsaking your ways and thoughts, and turning to the Lord. The way notes the external course of the conversation; the thoughts denote the internal frame and temper of the mind; both these must be forsaken. And turning to the Lord, denotes the sincere dedicating of the whole man to God; all