2. For the safety of the church. Though God doth not change their natures, yet he breaketh their fierceness, that they may not be such bitter enemies ; and so persecution is restrained ; and when there is a restraint, and he ties their hands by conviction, we enjoy the more quiet. Alas ! what wolves and tigers would we be to one another if the awe of conviction and the restraints of conscience were taken off! We owe very much of our safety, not to visible force and power, but to the spiritual conviction that is on the hearts of men, by which God bridles in the corrupt and ill-principled world, that they cannot find in their hearts so much to molest it as otherwise their natures would carry them to, but that the gospel may have a free course, and the gathering of the elect may not be hindered ; for God's conviction is the bridle he hath upon them, to keep them from doing hurt ; though they be not converted, yet they shall be convinced. Acts v., Gamaliel being convinced, the apostles obtained liberty of preaching ; Pliny, moved by the piety of christians, obtained a mitigation of the perse- cution from Trajan ; and such halcyon days might we expect if christians would walk more suitable to the privileges of the mystical union ; they would dart a great deal of reverence in the minds of men, and would be more safe than they are ; for when the wall of visible protection is broken down, a christian merely subsists by the awe that is upon the consciences of men. Wicked carnal men, as they have a slavish fear of God, which is accompanied with hatred of God, so thej
46 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [Ser. XXXVII.
have a slavish fear of the saints, only their hatred is greater than their fear. When you abate of the majesty of your conversation, and be- have not yourselves as those that are taken into the mystical body of Christ, and have the communion of the Spirit, when you do not walk up suitably to your spiritual life and privileges, then the hatred of your enemies is increased, and their fear lessened ; whereas otherwise their fear which ariseth from thence is a mighty restraint. How often are we disappointed when we expect to beat down opposite factions by strife and power ! More good is done by conviction, and the church hath greater security and peace, when they subsist by their own virtue, rather than by force of arms. I remember, in ecclesiastical history, when Valens the Emperor railed against all the defenders of the god- head of Christ, he did not meddle with Paulinus, out of reverence to him, for he was a very holy strict man ; none durst lay hands upon him.
3. Many times they profess and join to the church, and so we have benefit by their gifts and abilities, authority and power ; for God doth his church a great deal of good by carnal men. Conviction may bring them as far as profession ; and the temporary faith of a magis- trate, though carnal, may be a protection to Christianity ; as a hedge of thorns may be a good fence about a garden of roses. If they are men of parts, they may help to defend the christian doctrine, as a living tree may be supported by a dead post ; and the gifts of carnal men are for the use of the body, as the Gibeonites joined to Israel, and were made hewers of wood and drawers of water ; or as the car- penters who helped to build Noah's ark perished in the flood ; or as negroes that dig in the mines of knowledge. God may employ them to bring up that which may be of great use and profit to the world ; they may help to build an ark., for others, though they themselves perish in the water. We would not refuse gold from a dirty hand, neither are we to slight the benefit of carnal men's parts ; for the com- mon profession of Christianity that they are under, though they are slaves to their lusts, yet it is a real benefit and help to the saints.
4. They serve for a warning to the saints. When this conviction is strong upon them, and grows to a height, by the stings of conscience and horrors of them that die in despair, God warneth his people. Though we would bear off the stroke, yet God knows how soon this fire may be kindled in our own breasts ; when men see what convic- tions will do, being stifled and not complied with, and men live not according to their light, it is a warning to others. As a slave is many times beaten to warn a son of his father's displeasure, and naturalists tell us a lion will tremble to see a dog beaten before him ; so do the children of God tremble at the convictions of wicked men. Oh ! the horrors of their conscience declare what God hath wrought upon them, though few take little i notice of it.
Thirdly, In respect to the world itself, this conviction serveth both to lessen and increase their judgment. The terms seem to be opposite.