S OME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS RELATING TO CONVERSION, AND TO TENDERNESS OF CONSCIENCE

Quest. W HAT is the way of conversion?

Ans. To turn men from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

Quest. When is a man converted?

Ans. When he is gathered into the light, and into the power, out of the darkness of sin and dominions of Satan.

Quest. How is man converted?

Ans. By the operation of the light and power of God upon his conscience.

Quest. In what condition is the conscience before God works upon it?

Ans. Hard and corrupt; hardened by selfish reasonings and dark imaginations, against the convictions of the light and operations of the power of God, and corrupted with the sin and iniquity that dwell in it.

Quest. What doth God make it in his working upon it?

Ans. Gentle and tender, fit to receive the impressions of his Spirit. By the influence and power of his Spirit on the conscience, he openeth the ear to hearken to his voice, and prepareth the heart to follow him in his leadings.

Quest. How doth God carry on his work in the converted soul?

Ans. By keeping it low and tender, out of the self-wisdom and hardening reasonings of the human understanding: by this means he keeps it pliable to the light and power of his Spirit.

Quest. Is only the tender conscience then fit to be wrought upon by God?

Ans. Yea, indeed, that alone. The heart that is hard is inconsiderate of the voice of God, and stiff and stubborn against it; having ever at hand some wisdom or will of the flesh, to withstand the voice and leadings of God by.

Quest. Who is it that preserves the conscience tender?

Ans. The Lord of the conscience. He who made it knoweth the proper temper of it; and his light and power is alone able to preserve it in that tenderness which he formed it in.

Quest. What is it that hardens the conscience?

Ans. The wisdom of the flesh. Man, having gained a wisdom out of the light of God, by the imaginations, reasonings, and strength thereof, hardens himself against God.

Quest. What is most necessary for a man to be vigilant in, that desires to have the work of conversion to go on in his heart?

Ans. To be careful to turn from and avoid the reasonings of man’s wisdom, and to have his eye and ear open to the light and voice of God’s Spirit, that his conscience may be kept upright and clear before the Lord.

Quest. What stains the conscience?

Ans. Any disobedience to God’s Spirit, any hearkening to, or following the voice of, a strange spirit. This lets in the darkness, which defiles, even as the light cleanses.

Quest. Is a man then to expect such a thing as the leadings of God’s Spirit in his conscience?

Ans. A man cannot inherit the kingdom of God, but he must be born again, even “born of the Spirit.” So saith the Scripture, and so saith the experience of every one who feels the new birth. And when he is born of the Spirit, he is to abide with him, and learn the law of the new life, and receive power from him daily; or the spirit of darkness will soon get ground upon him, and by degrees be recovering him back again into his dominions.

Quest. Surely if it be thus, hard is the way of religion, and few there be who are found in the truth of it.

Ans. The way of religion is hard indeed, and wholly contrary both to man’s wisdom and will; insomuch as he cannot enter into it, nor walk therein, but as they are cut down. He that will be a disciple of Christ, and follow the leadings of his Spirit, must deny himself wholly, and become another’s, and be content to stand or fall to his own Master. He cannot please men, no not in his worshipping of God; but must turn from that which is glorious in their eyes, and sacrifice that which is to them an abomination. So that he must look to be condemned by men, who will be approved in the sight of God.

Quest. Why hath God put his people upon such hardship, as still (in all ages and generations) to walk in a way contrary to the world, and still to be the objects of its hatred, scorn, and persecution?

Ans. How can it be otherwise, he begetting them in a Spirit contrary to the world, and which testifieth against the world, showing that the deeds thereof are evil? How can the spirit of the world but still turn against such, and hate, and persecute them?

Quest. How long shall it be thus?

Ans. Till truth be raised by the power of God into dominion over the spirit and power of darkness. The Spirit of life now suffers under the burden of man’s corruptions; in love to them, striving to save them therefrom. There is somewhat in every sinner that at seasons groans under the weight of his sins, and in some proportion strives against the burden thereof. This shall not always lie underneath; but in the day of the Lord rise over the transgressor: and in that day shall Israel be glorious with his God, and receive praise of him, and be eased of all that hath oppressed him.

Quest. Is there such a day to be?

Ans. The Scriptures testify of such a day, wherein the Lord “alone shall be exalted,” and “e disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,,” and bring down “all that is high and lifted up” above the fear and Spirit of the Lord: and in this our age the Lord hath chosen many messengers to run up and down, and proclaim this day. And as sure as the Lord liveth, what he hath spoken shall come to pass, and not a tittle of it fall to the ground. God did not make man for him to serve his own lusts, nor his creation to serve the lusts of man; but he made man to fear before and serve his Creator; and he made the creatures to be ordered by man in the fear and wisdom of God to the glory of God. The spirit of God now groaneth under man’s iniquity; the spirits of his people mourn and sigh also; yea, and the very creatures groan under the bondage of corruption; and the God of bowels heareth their cry; and a day, even a mighty day of redemption and deliverance is determined, wherein the spirit of the world shall be sunk down, with all its weight of wickedness, and the Spirit of life and righteousness rise in its glory.

Amen, hallelujah! everlasting praises to the Omnipotent One, who was, and is, and is a coming; who hath reigned, doth reign, and will reign, over all the powers of darkness, in the pure power and glory of his life for evermore. Let all the lambs skip for joy; let all the stars of the morning shout: for the darkness vanisheth, and is passing away, and the light of life shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. Amen, hallelujah!

Happy is the eye that seeth this, and the heart that prepareth for it, overlooking all that stands between. This is the hope of Israel, and the expectation of all that wait for the Lord, which he is hastening upon the earth.

ISAAC PENINGTON