in some sort to persecute one another in this imperfect state yet O Lord thou knowest that my heart is not set against any of them for that which I judge to be good in them but do love and honour them for it And though my love is most exercised and drawn out to those Saints whom I am most acquainted with and to whom I am nearest joyned in the fellowship of the Gospel there being more occasion and opportunity for the drawing out of my love to them yet thou knowest there is love in my heart to all Saints and there is not that man living that makes profession of thy Name though differing from me in opinion and violent against me of whom I should not rejoyce to have thoughts of meeting him in Heaven But if men be Despisers of those that are good hate them and speak evil of them falsly for Christs sake though they may flatter themselves and think they love God yet they do not They that scoff at the Godly and their hearts rise against them for their grace and holiness though they will say they love God or else it were pity they should live they are utterly deceived for indeed they are Haters of God and Goodness Many other signs of love to God might here be mentioned as grieving when God is dishonoured longing for the coming of his Kingdom that his Name and Truth and Glory may be more manifested in the World and desiring to bring all that we can to love him and obey him Likewise many other expressions by which Conversion is set forth in the Scripture might be opened but these things that have been spoken may suffice to shew wherein Conversion lieth if God give men hearts to examine their spiritual estate which shall read these things CHAP. IV. Of the Outward Means that God is pleased to make use of in the conversion of Souls THat God doth make use of outward means in the bringing of Souls home to himself is evident both from Scripture and Experience which is not because God cannot do the work without Outward Means for in Elect Infants and sometimes in others God worketh Grace without them but it is meerly from the pleasure of his will what way he will take to convert a soul and whatsoever the outward means be the inward spiritual and effectual means of Conversion is the Almighty Power of God as I intend to set forth in the next Chapter But to give some account of this matter concerning the outward means that the Lord makes use of for the conversion of souls 1. Sometimes the Lord hath made use of great and sore afflictions to awaken men convince them of their sins and so to bring them to Christ And if they be bound in Fetters and be holden in Cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded he openeth their ear to Discipline Job 36.8 9. Job 33.19 20 21 22 23 24. As one who being sick and restless some nights it pleased God to put in with the affliction and set this upon his heart that if it were so grievous to him to pass away a few Nights though he was in his own House and amongst his dear Relations because he had pain and sickness upon his body how miserable should he be if he should bear the torments of Hell for ever and so the Lord brought him to look after an interest in Christ that he might be delivered from the wrath to come The Lord sometimes makes use of shame in the World poverty imprisonment yea the sentence of death to be the means of bringing men to a sight of their sins and to look after Christ 2. Sometimes the holy and convincing lives of the Saints have been blessed of God to put ignorant and wicked men upon enquiring after Religion saying within themselves Surely there is an excellency in the ways of God surely in those ways must I find blessedness and peace and not in these ways of debauchery and profaneness And so the Lord lets in light into their souls and the Apostle Peter exhorts godly Wives to carry themselves with that holiness and circumspection that their carnal husbands who it may be are so obstinate and profane that they will scarce hear the faithful preaching of the word may without that means be won by their heavenly conversation 1 Pet. 3.1 3. We read of many that in the Primitive times when such great multitudes laid down their lives for the Name of the Lord Jesus by beholding their patience and joyfulness in their sufferings were convinced of the truth and excellency of Christian Religion and were converted unto God 4. Some observing how earnestly godly Ministers or others have wrastled with God in Prayer for their conversion have been awakened by it and God hath put it into their hearts to think with themselves that if the salvation of their Souls be so much set by in the eyes of others how much more should the salvation of their Souls be regarded by themselves and upon such thoughts the Lord hath begun the good work in them 5. The hearing of the great horrour of Conscience that others are in for sin and talking with them about the cause of their trouble hath been blessed of God to the conversion of some This hath convinced some that were almost Atheists that there is a God and that it is a fearful thing to lie under the sense of his wrath this hath put them upon looking into their owne estate and so brought them to Christ and so they have found that it was better to heare the shrieks and cryes and groans of those that were heavy laden with the sense of their sins then to hear the jollity merriment and songs of fools and spiritual Mad-Men who go laughing to Hell 6. The Instructions of Parents and Masters have been oftentimes blessed of God to the conversion of their Children and servants Godly Parents as their Children grow up should desire to be instruments of bringing their Children to Heaven as well as they were instruments to bring them into this World And some Children bless God that they had praying Fathers and praying Mothers and such as taught them the fear of the Lord. Some servants bless God that ever they came to live in Praying Families and where they were instructed in the wayes of God God sometimes brings to remembrance the instructions of Parents and Masters to do their Children and servants good when they are at rest in the dust even those instructions which when they were first given took no impression upon them That the good seed which they had sowne and could not see any effect of the Lord watereth it by his Spirit when they are dead and gone then to their Children remember the words which were spoken unto them and they come with new life and Power upon their hearts To these many more might be added but let me come to speak of that which is the most ordinary way
weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth in Hell 3. Consider the eternity of Hell Though there be such misery in Hell yet if men were to be there but a little while it were not so much to be feared but none that go thither return again neither take they hold of the paths of Life Therefore 't is said in the Scripture that the wicked go into everlasting punishment as the righteous go into life eternal Mat. 25.46 They shall be punished with everlasting destruction 2 Thes 1.9 Their Worme dieth not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9.44 It is true that neither utter despaire nor eternity of suffering are of the essence of the punishment due to sin for if men could satisfy the justice of God for the debt of sin there were no cause of dispare neither would they be deteined for ever under the wrath of God but the damned being never able to make fatisfaction for their sins it doth unavoidably follow that they are swallowed up of dispare and that the wrath of God abideth on them for ever Now let those who go on desperately in their ignorance and prophaness consider these things before it be to late before the decree hath brought forth before the gulph is fixed and the day of grace be over God hath made a Hell for the glory of his Justice to shine in and all impenitent and unbelieving sinners shall be as fuel for his Holy Justice to burn upon for ever Tremble tremble weep and howl all ye that are going on in the broad way to destruction for the miseries that shall come upon you except you repent God spared not the Angels that sinned God spared not the Old World God spared not Sodom and Gomorah multitudes multitudes are already in Hell for the same sins that you are guilty of and if you do not now seek the Lord and make peace with him in Christ shall you escape It is time high time to seek the Lord to make supplication to your judge through the Advocate for sinners Jesus Christ before all this misery come upon you But may some say we do not love to hear so much of Hell and damnation it is a terrour to us I answer did not Christ in his doctrine tell the people much of Hell and damnation Mat. 5.2 30. Luke 16.19.20.21.22.23 And thrice in five verses he uses that terrible expression to set forth the misery of Hell that their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. Surely Christ knew how to preach and surely he is the best pattern of preaching and you see he spake much of Hell in his doctrine Mat. 24.51 Mat. 25.41 46. Indeed most people are like those of old who said to the seers see not and to the prophets prophesy not prophesy not unto us right things prophesy unto us smooth things Isa 30.16 As if men should say let us go on quietly to Hell I pray do not trouble our consciencies we will venture our Souls and if we do come to Hell at last we must bear it as well as we can I but if the Lord intend to make you his people he will not suffer you to go on in such a desperate way but he will make you willing to hear of your danger and make you to enquire in good earnest how you may escape it yea you shall bless the Lord that ever you came to see into what a gulph and bottomless pit you were falling that so you might seek for help and salvation in Christ the Mediatour All that hath been said to shew men the certainty the misery and the eternity of Hell is that they may avoid it and may never come into that place of torment And let all know that though the Doctrine of Hell is to be urged unto men to awaken them yet Ministers are not to stop there but to hold forth Christ as an object of faith to them that they may look to him and be saved The terrours of the Law are not to be preached simply for themselves as it were to torment men before the time but for another end to shew them their need of Christ and that they may prize him and beleive on him to everlasting Life Ministers cannot speak to much of Hell if withal they held forth Christ as he that delivereth from that wrath to come The hearing of Hell is useful even to those that are in Christ that they may be continually praysing God that hath delievered them from going down to that pit whatsoever afflictions and chastnings they have here He that only tells people of Hell and damnation is a meer legal preacher but he that shews men first their miserable and lost estate in themselves and then holds forth Christ to them as a Saviour and ransom for their souls is the right Gospel preacher As I have spoken of the judgment and fiery indignation of God that shall consume those that die in their sins so let me shew how we may be delivered from this wrath to come and so make an end The Gospel taken in a strict sense is meerly the good news and glad tidings glad tidings indeed of a Saviour for lost sinners A wonderfull thing indeed is the Gospel it holdeth forth such a way of justifying sinners as could never have entred into the heart of Man to conceive if the Lord had not revealed it It shews us wonder upon wonder God was manifest in the flesh that is one great mistery and wonder of the Gospel what a condescention and humbling of himself was this That Jesus Christ took upon him our Nature our flesh not in appearance but really not to lay it down soon again but Vniting it to his God-head for ever to be sure it was to do a great work that Angels and Men shall admire to eternity that God was manifest in the flesh This is such a wonder that when it is deeply weighed doth overset the Spirit of Man This mighty one the Son of God not by constraint but willingly died for sinners had our iniquities laid upon him Isa 53.6 Bare the punishment of them 1 Pet. 2.24 This was the cause of his bitter passion of all his inward end outward sufferings The Jews crucified him as if he had been an evil doer but Christ knew what was the Fathers meaning and his own viz that he should suffer and be crucified because they in whose stead he suffered were realy evil doers sinners and had deserved all that he underwent for them Thus he that was perfectly just suffered in the room of the unjust A surety paid the great debt that others had contracted There is a wonderful mystery in the death of Christ He died as the Second Adam as a mediatour as a publick person for his people for this cause he came into the World for this cause he laid down his life else these things had never been This Jesus God man mighty to suffer bare that punishment due to our
sins which if it had been laid upon us would have been eternal but he overwrastled it made satisfaction put away sin by the sacrifice of himself made peace and obtained eternal redemption for us whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that after he had the iniquities of all his people laid and charged upon him yet he rose again the third day is gone unto the Father and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens By one offering upon the Cross he did the work he being an infinite Person God as well as Man his short suffering was of an infinit value He dieth no more there is no need at all of it in referance unto those for whom he made his soul an offering for sins he hath done the work fully to whom be glory for ever This is the Summ and substance of the Gospel Now if any hearing of the danger they are in of the wrath of God for their sins and sensible of the Rebellion and perversness of their hearts and wayes against God would have a Saviour and a sanctifier that it may go well with them for ever this is he Jesus the Son of God He is not here now upon earth to be seen with bodily eyes he is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Look up to him there with an eye of Faith put your trust in him he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Get the knowledge of him out of the word search the Scriptures for they testify of him they tell you what he is what he hath done and what he hath suffered to bring us to God Think of him continually prize him set your hearts on him if you flight him you will find there is no other Saviour no other Mediatour no other advocate with the Father If the work be yet to be done even now whilst thou readest these things look to him close with him give up thy self to him to be saved and Sanctified by him fall in love with him you will never repent of your choice Poor soul what saist thou to a Pardon for all thy sins what saist to peace with God what saist thou to eternal life Come to Christ and thou shalt have all these and a New Heart and spirit to walk in holiness and obedience before God too O doth the Lord affect thy heart for he doth this great work that thou art taken with Christ and art a thirst for this water of life then take it freely as excellent and precious as the Lord Jesus is he bestowes himself freely upon poor sinners the best qualification you can have for receiving Christ is to see your need of him and that you are altogether unworthy of him do you see your sins now the multitude of them the hainousness of them let not your sins drive you from Christ but drive you to Christ Come poor sinners come to Christ his blood cleanseth from all sin his righteousness is able to cover all your unrighteousness Come to Christ but with a true Heart to give him all the glory of your salvation and to desire now to have him reign over you and fear not he is mighty to save Jesus is the Lord of glory consider his God-head in your looking to him to take away your sins Never any Patient came to this Phisitian and missed of cure come with all the spiritual Vlcers running Sores and Bloody Issues of sin touch the hem of his Garment by Faith as the Woman in the Gospel did and you shall see there is vertue enough in Christ to make you whole The Devil labours to make men confident and presumptuous when they are going on greedily in sin but when they are convinced of their lost estate and are looking after Christ then he endeavours to puzle them with many doubts and suspitions as if they were past cure and it were too late now to lock after Christ Ah poor souls do not you see that the hand of Sathan is in all this When you went on in ignorance and prophaness he would not endure you should hear when Ministers preached of damnation and now that you are convinced and stopt in your vile courses and are thinking how you may make peace with God now the Devil cannot endure you should hear of Salvation in Christ the Son of God least you should come unto him that you may have life Thus I have set before them that are not yet converted life and death pardon of sin peace with God and eternal life if the Lord giveth them hearts to repent and close with Christ The Wrath of God and eternal destruction If they still go on in their ignorance prophaness and slighting of Jesus Christ If any that read these things shall say in their hearts they shall have peace and shall do well enough whatsoever some zealous preachers say though they cast Gods law behind their backs and never look after a work of Grace and conversion upon their souls the anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoake against those persons and burn against them for ever But if they shall now tremble at the word of the Lord and lay hold upon the offer of Christ believing on his name and submitting unto him their sins shall be forgiven them for his names sake and they shall be the heir of eternal life through him for though the wages of sin is death even eternal death yet the gift the free gift of God is life even eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be glory for ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the Phaenix in S. Pauls Church-Yard and at the White Hart in Westminster-Hall THe Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the Creature Or the godly-mans Crutch or Staff in times of sadning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking dissolations wherein is shewed the Transcendent Excellency of God his Peoples help and hope with the unparalell'd hapiness of the Saints in their confidence in him over-balancing the Worldlings carnall dependance both as to sweetness and safety by F. English A word in season or 3 great dutys of Christians in the worst of times viz abiding in Christ Thirsting after his instruction and submission to his providence to which is added by way of appendix the advice of some Ministers to their people for the receiving the power and practice of godliness in their familys Oct. The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discover'd in reference to First Their service and suffering Secondly their consolations Thirdly their salvation and eternal glory together with the Excelency of the fear of God The goodness and pleasantness of brotherly Love the wisdom of hearing the voice of the Rod repentance the only way to prevent Judgments delivered in several Sermons by William Bridg sometimes Preacher of the Word at Yarmouth Death unstung in 8 Sermons Preached at the Funeral of Tho. Moseley an Apothecary who died July 1669 With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death Also the manner of Gods dealings with him before and after his Conversion drawn up by his own Hand and Published by James Janeway Oct. A Fathers Testament Written long since for the benefit of the Particular Relations of the Author Phineas Fletcher sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Hillgay in Norfolk The voice of one crying in a Wilderness or the business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concomitant of and consequent upon a Sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons First Preached to his own Family lying under such Visitation and now made publick as a thank offering to the Lord his healer by S. S. a servant of God in the Gospel of his Son FINIS