able to reach the 〈◊〉 Psal. 49. 8. The Redemption of the Soul is 〈◊〉 it ceaseth for ever Men and Angels must 〈◊〉 it alone only the Lord Jesus the God of glory in 〈◊〉 all the treasures of Grace are hid he is able to 〈◊〉 the purchase and it hath cost him sweetly 〈◊〉 full dear no less than his very heart blood Reproof It checks a double Practice First of those that have interest in this purchase and 〈◊〉 want the Exercise of that heavenly skill or care 〈◊〉 confidence or all to improve it for their best 〈◊〉 They sit down appaled and 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their sins so 〈◊〉 so loathsom with the 〈◊〉 of Gods holiness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that they dare not beleeve it dare 〈◊〉 think it that either the pardon of their sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their persons 〈◊〉 the least look of Gods love 〈◊〉 be vouchsafed to them Another while they sit 〈◊〉 discouraged under the pressure and pursuit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and policy the violence and strength of 〈◊〉 own corruptions their sins live and are mighty 〈◊〉 therefore they conclude they can never overcome They stagger again in the assurance of Gods love and 〈◊〉 they dare not say but they would be Christs and 〈◊〉 his Death and 〈◊〉 shed is theirs they will not 〈◊〉 away that Why Have you laid down the purchase Take possession then into your hand Have you tendered the payment Take the Commodity 〈◊〉 is your own nay your due Say Lord I and all 〈◊〉 I have and all I can do are worthless and vile I am 〈◊〉 base sinful creature that need all spiritual good and comfort and yet deserve nothing but the contrary But here is the precious Blood of thy Son which thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon me it is a full purchase every way answerable to thy justice this precious blood is 〈◊〉 of precious Faith precious Peace 〈◊〉 Grace its pardoning purging pacifying blood 〈◊〉 beseech thee therefore though I be a sinful 〈◊〉 Creature through the blood of Jesus pitty me though polluted and loathsom through the 〈◊〉 of the blood of Jesus clense me So the 〈◊〉 Let us draw neer with a true heart in full 〈◊〉 of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an 〈◊〉 Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 22. Eye the worth of this Blood above all our unworthiness the Holiness of this above all the unholiness of our hearts and lives He that knowes 〈◊〉 what the purchase will come and hath the sum in sight and under his hand he can lay it down upon the 〈◊〉 pay it take it here is one there 's the other So Paul Rom. 8. 34. Who shall lay any thing 〈◊〉 the charge of Gods elect it is Christ that 〈◊〉 died Here 's the Blood of Jesus which thou art well pleased with hast accepted of therefore Lord give me my due that comfort that peace that wisdom that assurance which I stand in need of So again Gall. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 be it from me that I should rejoyce in any thing 〈◊〉 in the Cross of Christ He rejoyced in nothing but this therefore far be it from him that he should 〈◊〉 rejoyce in this It crusheth the confidence and dasheth the 〈◊〉 and delusions of presumptuous wretches who out of a brazen-faced kind of boldness will be scrambling for their own comfort catching at grace and mercy and peace when it belongs not to them True say they our sins persons conditions are such and so vile but the Lord is gracious and merciful and therefore they doubt not but to be accepted and saved and conclude that peace and happiness is theirs they take the good but tender no purchase lay hold upon their comfort 〈◊〉 never lay down the payment A way that God 〈◊〉 appointed a course that justice never permits 〈◊〉 mercy it self will not allow There 's no precious 〈◊〉 without precious blood No Redemption from 〈◊〉 blood and filth in which we lie by reason of our 〈◊〉 evils when I saw thee in thy blood I said 〈◊〉 but only by the blood of Jesus So the Apostle 〈◊〉 9. 22. The Book the People the Tabernacle 〈◊〉 Vessels the Ministery all things by the Law was 〈◊〉 with blood and without shedding of blood 〈◊〉 no remission No entring into the Holy of 〈◊〉 but by the blood of Jesus Mercy it self through 〈◊〉 vertue of the blood of Christ is communicated 〈◊〉 it self through the vertue of the blood of Christ 〈◊〉 unless therefore thou canst bring the 〈◊〉 the payment the blood of Jesus with thee 〈◊〉 dream to receive any good at the hands of the 〈◊〉 3. For Whom This is the Third Particular to be considered in 〈◊〉 the former point viz. The Parties for whom 〈◊〉 Purchase is made The Doctrine tels us Christ 〈◊〉 purchased all Spiritual Good FOR HIS 〈◊〉 we are to attend 1 What is that Formalis ratio that special respect 〈◊〉 which they come to be considered as having part in Christs merits 2 The meaning of that Particle what it imports to purchase FOR HIS To the First 〈◊〉 Answer plainly That this Purchase 〈◊〉 obtained this precious blood of Christ was shed 〈◊〉 Sinners BUT NOT AS SINNERS It s true Rom. 5. 6. That Christ died 〈◊〉 the ungodly That is When they are such and 〈◊〉 they are such vers 8. While we were yet Sinners Christ died for us but not 〈◊〉 such That is 〈◊〉 the special respect unto which the death of Christ 〈◊〉 appropriated in a peculiar and proper manner 〈◊〉 an old rule A 〈◊〉 ad omne That which agreed firstly to a thing under such a respect agrees to all 〈◊〉 have that respect and therefore if our Savior should die for sinners as sinners then he should die for all sinners and therefore for al men because all are 〈◊〉 When our Savior professed Matth. 9. 13. He 〈◊〉 not to call the righteous but sinners to 〈◊〉 i. e. there is none righteous all men being sinners 〈◊〉 such sinners as are secure and carnally confident 〈◊〉 their own righteousness Christ came not to call them Though then this respect is not to be excluded 〈◊〉 there is somthing more to be added 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ came to save sinners of whom I am 〈◊〉 saies Paul Such sinners as are or shall be 〈◊〉 sensible of their sins in a right manner being lost 〈◊〉 point of pardon and grace and peace such sinners Christ came to save Besides However Christ died for none but the Elect and none but they shall receive any benefit 〈◊〉 Christ yet I take it Election is not that special respect that Christ looked at in his death and sufferings it is not low enough it lies not level to that 〈◊〉 which Christ and his have one towards another But Christ died for a sinner who is of the seed of the Covenant and shall beleeve qua peccator 〈◊〉 and therefore I do not exclude the respect of sin 〈◊〉 require that with an Addition Cum
for his amendment and repentance puts him in mind and lies pulling at him with these cords of his Compassions Isa. 30. 18. He waits to be gracious He takes fresh and renewed throws of Patience and travels as it were in expectation of the return of a sinner Jer. 13. last Oh Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when will it once be As a Woman in travel Oh when wil the good hour come Oh! consider this Is it not a shame for you to suffer the Lord Christ to meet with you at every turn to follow you from place to place to attend upon you in the Seas where you have 〈◊〉 upon the shoars where you have landed in the houses where you dwel to pursue you in the fields to hang his pardons at your doors and to kneel to you at your bed-sides when you lie down and when you awake Oh! when wil it once be Let this day be the last day of sinning of lazying in a Christian course of carnal formality let this time this night be the last night of provocation unprofitableness under al the priviledges means of Grace you enjoy Once at last let that proud heart be humbled that peevish Spirit meekned those covetous desires unclean affections be changed when wil it once be See how the Lord sends by the Prophet and pleads with them and puts them beyond al appearance of any pretence Turn ye turn ye why will ye die Oh ye house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. Have ye any reason to desire or endeavor your own destruction against your own reason your own good my will why wil you die Plead thus with your own hearts for your own comfort I have reason to return but no reason to die what is most for my good and the Lord so much desires Let me endeavor it See then how these cords of 〈◊〉 compass about the sinner and lie hard at him to draw him from his sin The Lord proclaims his Mercy openly freely offers it heartily intends it waits to communicate it layes siege to the Soul by his long sufferance There is enough to procure al good distrust it not He freely invites fear it not thou mayest be bold to go he intends it heartily question it not yet he is 〈◊〉 and wooing delay it not 〈◊〉 but hearken to his voyce But if these limetwigs of Love cannot catch you these Cords of Mercy cannot hold you he hath iron Chains which wil either pluck you from your evil wayes or they wil pul you al in pieces The Third Means therefore by which the Lord Draws is the Cord of Conscience If the Bonds of a man and of kindness wil not prevail with us the iron Hook of Conscience wil drag us with a witness to forsake our beloved lusts to come to the Lord to be ruled and to be saved Now the Hooks whereby Conscience holds us are Three principally whereby it tears the heart away from those wretched distempers and holds the sou from under the power of such base Corruptions which have taken greater place and exercised greater power over it God stirs up Conscience and arms it with Authority for the stilling and settling of such unruly distempers which heretofore have refused his power and neglected his law and so took much place in the Soul and carried lt to the Commission of much evil against the mind of Conscience So that whereas Conscience was kept under before by reason of the Mutinies and Conspiricies of many Corruptions in the heart and was blinded 〈◊〉 and benummed with the violence and unruly rage of many wretched lusts so that either it did not see what was to be done or could not be heard in what it would speak at least was utterly unable to prevail The Lord now hath awakened Conscience and put that Life Vertue and Authority into it That now Conscience begins a fresh to take upon him and to shew his Soveraignty and Rule he wil not take it as he hath done but publickly proclaims his 〈◊〉 Charge and Edicts not to be contradicted or controuled upon the pain of the severest punishments This is the first work of Conscience to be a forewarner and to admonish the soul of evil to exercise a severe Charge and give uncontroulable Commands against sin So that Corruption comes to be snubbed and checked and the soul kept in aw under him which it scorned before It fares in this case with Conscience as with an High Sheriff or some special Officer of note in the Country in the absence of the King while he is gone aside there ariseth a Mutiny and Tumult of unruly persons which tear his Commission withstand his proceedings and offer in an outragious manner to lay violent hands upon his Person so that as he can do nothing so he dares shew little distaste but express no strong opposition against them as not having power enough to surprise and crush them in their 〈◊〉 but is compelled to sit still and say nothing knowing as David said You are too strong for me you sons of Zerviah He finds his party too weak to deal with them thefrore puts up al contempts and indignities for the while Nay as it is with many 〈◊〉 their numbers being many their carriage furious and unreasonable somtimes they strike the Constable instead of being ruled by him but when the King returns renews his Commission and gives him more power than ever and sends supply to aid and 〈◊〉 him then the Sheriff lifts up his head having got a larger 〈◊〉 comes with more undaunted courage and resolution having got assistance 〈◊〉 to support himself and he makes open Proclamation That whereas there hath been such and such 〈◊〉 be it known that they are al to be 〈◊〉 and commanded in the Kings Name upon 〈◊〉 notice hereof to lay down all weapons to stil al 〈◊〉 disorders upon pain of death to any that shall 〈◊〉 the Law in that case So it is with Conscience when by the crowd and 〈◊〉 of many accursed lusts and corruptions 〈◊〉 eye is blinded the edg dulled the commands of 〈◊〉 corned so that men make a mock of conscience 〈◊〉 your Conscience wil not serve you your 〈◊〉 wil not suffer you to lye to laze to 〈◊〉 to deceive your Conscience wil not allow it 〈◊〉 you make a fool of your 〈◊〉 what care 〈◊〉 for Conscience or you either I wil do what I like what I list for al Conscience Thus a company of 〈◊〉 imprison the High Sheriff or beset his house 〈◊〉 when God shal awaken Conscience and quicken 〈◊〉 and renew the Commission in the hand of 〈◊〉 so that it comes enlightened and armed with 〈◊〉 from Heaven he then makes open 〈◊〉 to the sinner forewarns and threatens the 〈◊〉 thou that hast had no care of the 〈◊〉 of God but slighted al Directions and 〈◊〉 of his Word be it known unto thee by 〈◊〉 received from Heaven I charge thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus as thou wilt answer it
at that great Day upon pain of everlasting Damnation take heed of these sins and lay down these rebellions and withal shews his Warrant and look here 2 Thess. 1. 8. The Lord Jesus will come in slaming fire to render vengeance against all that know not God and obey not the Gospel take heed therefore of this disobedience against the Gospel you wil rue it eternally else and loe here again Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his heart shall suddenly be consumed and that without remedy thou hast been often reproved for these and these evils and stil thy heart is hardened against all Reproofs take heed lest sudden destruction come upon thee So again 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with man-kind nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers 〈◊〉 Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Do not you know this saith Conscience have not I often told you of this have not I warned you of it and yet thou art still guilty of these and these evils Thus Conscience comes armed with Evidence and Authority of the Truth like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand stands as the Watch-man to give warning he stil minds and remembers the sinner of his waies and of Gods righteous Judgments As somtimes Moses to Israel Deut. 30. 17 18. But if thine heart turn away that thou wilt not hear I denounce unto thee this day thou shalt surely perish and if any man when he hears these words shal bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I ad drunkenness to thirst the wrath of the Lord will smoke against that man and he will cut him off c. This Charge and awful Command of Conscience makes the soul shy of stirring out unto such ungodly courses makes the corruptions skulk in as it were so that they dare not shew their heads this is the roaring of the Lyon that makes al tremble and be at a stand the direful warnings and threatnings that Conscience sets up and gives in out of the Authority and sovereignty of the Truth which is dreadful in presenting the displeasure of the Lord so that the sinner withdraws himself from such courses companies practises unto which he was addicted and had formerly bestowed himself When now the Devil and his Instruments the World and her Favorites perceive their company 〈◊〉 their companions departed they al set 〈◊〉 the soul and labor to withdraw it from under the Charge and Command of Conscience The World by her Allurements Satan by his Temptations and 〈◊〉 accursed delights of our sinful lusts they al 〈◊〉 the soul and by their wiles perswade the sinner 〈◊〉 joyn sides with them and not to be awed or carried by any contrary command these be say they 〈◊〉 denounced but threatned men live long this wind shakes no Corn this is in way of Policy to scare men but it is not in earnest to hurt men the same hath been spoken to others but nothing inflicted upon them they never found never felt any such sore blows as al those terrible shakings of the 〈◊〉 would pretend Thus the sinner is yet drawn aside to follow his sinful courses Conscience therefore makes after him laies violent hands upon him and holds him faster than ever he becomes now an accuser of him who was only a friendly admonisher before a swift witness yea a thousand witnesses against him before the tribunal of the Lord by reason of his sins committed He raiseth therfore Hue and Cry after the sinner finds and attacheth him he that was Gods Herald before to tel and proclaim what should be done becomes now Gods Pursevant to summon his Sergeant to arrest him for what he hath done he that directed him before now smites him as 2 Sam. last 10. Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people Though the sinner could avoid or neglect the Command of Conscience he cannot avoid the Stroke of Conscience though he could avoid the warning of Conscience and cast away that yet he cannot avoid the horror of Conscience Rom. 2. 14. His thoughts accusing of him in Gods behalf and his accusations wil be heard nay his judgment is now aggravated because of the Command that was 〈◊〉 As Gideon dealt with the men of Succoth who scorned him when he pursued Zebah and Zalmunnah Judg. 8. 7. Returning he tore their flesh with the thorns of the wilderness So 〈◊〉 after his Commands have been slighted and his warnings cast behind the back he surpriseth the sinner in the midst of his 〈◊〉 and greatest Jollity you shal answer for these sins before the Judg of the World and so follows him home to his house and to his bed and 〈◊〉 violent hands upon him and drags him before the Tribunal of the Lord and there indites and accuseth him Lord this is the man an Enemy to thy Majesty a Traytor against the Truth that hath conspired with Sin and Satan and his secret Lusts against the blood of Jesus and the power of Grace and Godliness What is this He that hath born a privy grudg against the power of the Word a spleen against the Saints that hath committed such and such sins Yea Lord He hath done so and been so at such a time and such a place in such a company he hath been guilty of such abominations nay saies Conscience you know that I know such a night what privy plottings and cunning conspiracies your heart and your lusts your pride and 〈◊〉 and uncleanness had what consultations you had against the Lord take him therfore horror anguish of heart keep him in bondage thraldom until he be content to repent to take shame and bid an everlasting 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that the flashes of Hell fire seize upon his soul the venom of the vengeance of the Lord pursues him his Arrows stick fast in him and the poyson thereof 〈◊〉 up his 〈◊〉 the galls and stabs of Conscience make him bleed inwardly so 〈◊〉 all his friends delights comforts 〈◊〉 corruptions cannot bail him or pluck 〈◊〉 this hook of horror out of his heart And thus 〈◊〉 poor sinner like a Malefactor goes up and down 〈◊〉 his Jaylor an accusing Conscience to attend 〈◊〉 the chains of darkness of horror and guilt to 〈◊〉 and guive him that he becomes weary of his 〈◊〉 and not worth the ground he goes on until he 〈◊〉 to confessing bewailing repenting reforming 〈◊〉 yea engaging himself to his Conscience 〈◊〉 that as in Gods sight that if he will abate his 〈◊〉 he will obey his commands listen to his 〈◊〉 and yield unto whatever either it shall reveal 〈◊〉 him or require of him So that Conscience seems 〈◊〉 be quieted for the while and abates the soul of 〈◊〉 overbearing horror lets him out of prison upon 〈◊〉 sufficient bail When his accursed
now to the particular and give in the Reasons of the Truth why this Meditation brings in this Contrition and heart-breaking I might argue from the former Description that which makes a through search of our 〈◊〉 and settles them effectually upon the soul that is a fit means to break our hearts with them but thus meditation doth as it hath been formerly disputed therefore it is a fit means to break the heart But I shall add a double Argument briefly they both shal be taken from the special effects of Meditation which are marvelous pregnant to this purpose These come neerer to the Point in hand and apply the general Doctrine to this special occasion Meditation sharpens the sting and strength of corruption that it pierceth more prevailingly It draws out the venom the quintessence of the evil of a corruption and lets in that upon the heart and conscience of a sinner which stings and torments him in greatest extremity makes him see more in his distemper than ever he suspected makes him feel it far worse than ever he could have imagined it could have been As it is in the Art of Chymistry and Distillation by their dexterity and skil in that course they draw out the very spirits of the Mettal or Herb or Liquor as the Spirits of Wine the Oyl of Gold c. and five drops of that wil work more strongly than five 〈◊〉 five spoonfuls of the Body of the Herb or Water in the gross because there is nothing but Spirits as it were gathered together in a narrow room and therefore they are active in the highest degree If it be Spirits of Poyson it kils suddenly it 's present death past recovery if of Cordial or Preservative they comfort and refresh beyond imagination 〈◊〉 and strangely So here Meditation is this Spiritual Chymistry or the art of holy Distillation which draws out the Spirits of the poyson and bitterness that is in corruption Spirituallizeth the plague and venom of the vengeance that attends every transgression and though it was never so smal in the eye of the world yet it stings the heart more than the greatest evil which is committed if not mused on nor attended Thus David when by consideration he had viewed 〈◊〉 his course saw the infinite loathsomness of it that it sunk his heart which for the while when he attended it not did not stick upon him nor trouble him He looks now at the root of sin whence it came at the extent in the highest strain in spiritual wickedness Against thee thee only have I sinned Psal. 51. 4. I said in my hast in my sudden foolish apprehension it was but against a man my Servant my Subject and Vassal and therefore no such great matter nor grievous evil if I as a Prince did gratifie my own desire but now I see it was against thee thee only the God of Justice and Mercy and Fidelity and Truth That was the extent of it how far it went Again Deliver me from blood guiltiness O. God he now saw upon more serious consideration it was not a point of Policy a slight of subtil and secret conveyance that would color over the business and free him from blame because he intimated his mind to Joab to act it But now he saw it was not Joabs treachery nor the Sword of the Children of Ammon 2 Sam. 11. but it was he that had taken away the life of Uriah The dead body of Uriah was dished out to him as his break-fast every morning Thus for the extent of it Again upon consideration he looks to the 〈◊〉 of it Thou Lord lovest Truth in the inward parts Now he 〈◊〉 his sending for his 〈◊〉 his welcoming of Vriah his pretence of care to send him to his own house was nothing but apparent treachery against the Law of God and light of his Conscience and knowledg which the Lord had set up in him The root that bred and fed these bitter fruits was his 〈◊〉 heart and body of sin yet not so mortified which he brought from his Cradle which the Lord loaths as a God of Truth who loves Truth who may justly condemn him and reject him for his departing from it doubling and dissembling in a continual falsifying to Vriah by al his fair speeches and glozing pretences he 〈◊〉 to express his respect unto him Meditation doth not only pinch the heart with the present apprehension of sin committed but by the dayly attendance upon the evil of iniquity now considered it holds the heart upon the rack under 〈◊〉 and unsupportable pressures 2 Pet. 2. 8. Lot dayly seeing and hearing of the loathsomness of their hideous and unnameable abominations vexed his righteous soul Many saw and heard as much as Lot and happily more and yet were never troubled thereby no more would he have been but that he tormented his righteous soul by the dayly consideration of these abominations practiced The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is marvelous pregnant It signifies 1. To prove and examine by means of the rack or by way of torment to make inquisition touching the Truth So Lot kept his soul upon the rack of restless vexation as by the continual hearing so by the constant consideration of the hellish villany of the Sodomites and therefore the Evangelist useth it to signifie the boisterousness of a storm when the Sea is raged by the wind to the height of violence and rage Matth. 14. 24. Meditation raiseth a storm or tempest of distress in the soul. A sudden and present apprehension a flashy thought of the evil of sin is like the flourish of a Sword afar off which a man neither seels nor 〈◊〉 at the utmost it 's but like the glaunce and fall of a blow which it may be ripples the skin whereas deep and through Meditation is as it were doubling of the blow that steddy recoyling of a mans thoughts is the stabbing of the heart through and through again makes the sinner bleed inwardly and abundantly When the sinner would put by the stroke of the Truth and shake off the danger of the sin now discovered and applied and set on Meditation follows the blow home and puts the soul beyond its sence nay it is so it must be so it wil be so beleeve it and expect it for you shal find it worse than others do express or you can conceive for this is the voyce and verdict which Meditation gives in The Prophet Jeremy expresseth the nature of the departure of the people from the Lord thus It is an evil and a bitter thing that thou hast departed away from the living God Jer. 2. 19. And yet Job tels us and experience and profession of the wicked proclaims it to al the world That wickedness is sweet in the mouth of the ungodly he hides it under his tongue though he spare it and for sake it not Job 20. 12 13. but keep it still within his mouth as a pleasing morsel to his 〈◊〉 If you
of the good we would do and the comfort we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore we should go aside and plead the sentence of the desiled leaper behold I am unclean I am unclean Levit. 13. 45. every man fayles in this let every man ingeniously own and acknowledg his sin and that 's the best way to make us to be humbled and abased for it let every man lay his hand upon his heart take it to himself Oh this laying aside the duty of meditation it s my sin so say yee husbands and answer yee wives it s our sin also speak yee parents to your 〈◊〉 this is our sin we have not practised nor taught it answer the children and confess no wonder we did not know it therefore never did it nor never could endeavor after it And it s our shame each man hath a mind and can spend it unweariably where he setts himself set but the covetous man about the world the voluptuous man about his pleasure each man about his comforts and conveniences and we sit at it nay no man wil suffer his thoughts to be taken off from these they eat with them drink with them walk with them talk with them What a loathsom thing is it others muse how to commit sin and we not how to redress it they meditate how to contrive their own ruin and shal not we how to prevent it Shortly there be two sorts of people whom this matter of complaint may especially concern and those are either such 1. Who stand in professed opposition to this practice 2. Who continue in an open neglect thereof and conceive they may have a dispensation for their carelesness First those who were typed out by the unclean beasts in the Law who never chew the cud nor cal over their courses by serious meditation who studiously endeavour to contrive all waies and means how they may take off their minds from this service their care for themselves and their counsel also unto others is to shake off these dumpes as they cal them they look at this mopish kind of Melancholly musing as a practice deeply prejudicial to their peace and comfort conceive it as a piece of extream folly as though a man should not find trouble enough in the world but should devise means to torment and vex his own soul and therefore they avoyd the meditation of the danger of 〈◊〉 sins as their rack and engine of unsufferable vexation and that upon a double ground partly that they might not be crossed in their sensual 〈◊〉 but that they might have elbow room and go on with ease in their ungodly lusts wheras the consideration of the danger of our finful 〈◊〉 damps dashes mens delights deads mens endeavors and hearts knocks off their wheels that they draw heavily spoyls al the sport as we say and deprives them of the pleasures they did expect Therefore it is a rule of 〈◊〉 Amos. 6. 3. 4. 5. they put far away the evil day and then 〈◊〉 the seat of violence to draw near c. q. 〈◊〉 the thoughts of that would spoyl the other Partly it ariseth from hence the privy guilt of their own Consciences makes their hearts misgive them The number of their abominations is so great the nature so hainous the plagues so direful and dreadful which attend upon them as their due that they are afrayd to view the ugly visage of their sins or to take a right seantling of the dreadful plagues they must expect and therefore study to forget both that they may not be tyred with either as bankerupts are loth to view their account books when they cannot pay their debts they would not remember what they are not able to satisfy To these men I would say two things 1. By way of terror to awaken them 2. By way of advice to counsel them Let them know their folly When they would avoyd their miserie they take the only way to encrease it They keep in the fire and make it flame more dam the stream and cause it to swel over the banks while they defer 〈◊〉 accounts they encrease the debt and the danger also You wil not see your sins you shal see them you wil not see them here by the light of the word for your Humiliation you shal see them by the flames of Hell fire and there be forced to read over al your wretchedness for your everlasting ruin you would not have your hearts break for them while there was hope to be cased you shal burn in the 〈◊〉 pit when you wil be beyond hope ever to be recovered Thou wouldest forget them and cast them behind thy back know assuredly thy distempers wil meet thee like an armed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil mind thee of them These things thou 〈◊〉 done and set them in order before thee and tear thee in pieces when there wil be none to deliver thee Psal. 50. 21. 22. Then thou wilt curse thy self and thy 〈◊〉 and wish oh that I had hearkened oh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 Let this counsel be acceptable to such sear to commit sin but never be afrayd to see it and 〈◊〉 the vileness of it to the ful and the worse they appear to thy apprehension the better and more 〈◊〉 thy condition and estate is A 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 knowledg of a disease is the ready means to cure it Do thou remember them God wil forget them 〈◊〉 them be in thy 〈◊〉 and the Lord wil cast them out of his and 〈◊〉 away his face from thy sins when thou 〈◊〉 turn thy mind and thoughts to a through 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of them Jerem. 31. 18. 19. 20. 〈◊〉 have heard 〈◊〉 bemoaning himself c. I will surely have mercy upon him saith the 〈◊〉 Another sort though they give allowance and approbation to the duty propounded yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many 〈◊〉 to plead why either as their case stands they may be 〈◊〉 or dispensed with all in the neglect of it 1 Here then comes into scanning and consideration the hinderances the men plead which may excuse the omission of the Duty 2. The wayes and helps how to remove them which go hand in hand We 〈◊〉 handle both together namely the causes and the cure of this neglect The first and main hindrance whereby men are taken off from this so spiritual a service is a conceit that goes current in the world that its matter only of indifferency this daily meditation and so left by God himself and therefore we should not exact more than the Lord requires and so lay burdens upon men when we would profess we cal for obedience at their hands and therefore we should not impose a needless necessity upon men but leave it to their Christian liberty he that can receive it let him as our Saviour in another case he that doth not cannot be blamed You have the cause attend now the cure you see the hindrance consider the help that 〈◊〉 rémove this stone out of the way 1. Know then It was the profession of the
not yield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the business 〈◊〉 the people spared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 for sacrifice and the rest we have 〈◊〉 I construed the command so and took your 〈◊〉 to be that namely sacrifice must ever be attended and then al the rest must be cut off How is it possible that common sence could put such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charge go kil al c. that is spare 〈◊〉 yet a wily heart must have some way to raise a cavil he comes heavily off to confession As a contrite sinner is easy to yield the evil by way of conviction so ready to 〈◊〉 it by open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledgment upon any occasion according to 〈◊〉 nature of the offence he 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 from being troubled to do this that he is troubled and restless in himself until it be done and therefore if there be an opportunity to invite him he takes it without 〈◊〉 if a 〈◊〉 he longs for it and desires it 〈◊〉 if none wil provoke him he is studious to seek an occasion and to press in upon some opportunity that if it be a publick evil he may publish his acknowledgment if a wrong he desires not until another comes or sends but he sends he goes to him to be waile it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secret he wil not stay to be asked or have his confession wrested from him by 〈◊〉 of reason and 〈◊〉 argument but 〈◊〉 more ready to tel al than another is willing to bear not give 〈◊〉 man to guess at some wickedness by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some discovery to make his evil appear most 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 a right 〈◊〉 position of 〈◊〉 of spirit is like a body in a right temper and constitution if it be 〈◊〉 in a 〈◊〉 there is more trouble to stay and 〈◊〉 the bleeding than to provoke it for to bleed So here And hence though there was no horror of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 no authority to require no counsel 〈◊〉 perswade he could not satisfy his own heart he could not be quiet before he had satisfyed the rule and proceeded in open hostile manner against his sin but a false heart after conviction which was 〈◊〉 with great difficulty he must be drawn like a 〈◊〉 to a stake to make open confession 〈◊〉 the cause may require and when he comes by constraint Conscience dragges him or Authority compells him thereunto His 〈◊〉 sticks in his teeth he lispes them out so wearishly hacks and 〈◊〉 stops here and 〈◊〉 there as though he would say somthing because he must speak and yet is afraid he shal say more then he would therefore bites in his words one way sometimes turnes his speech another way if any speech seems too open or to give too much advantage to the truth he 〈◊〉 himself and begins to qualify what he hath said he would not be mistaken he meant thus and thus i. e. his meaning is to conceal as much as he can And hence a man must propound so many interrogatories aske so many questions 〈◊〉 interpretations of what a 〈◊〉 hath said when he hath 〈◊〉 what he wil 〈◊〉 though a man should pul a confession from a man as an untimely 〈◊〉 which he were not 〈◊〉 willing to bring into the world and when he hath 〈◊〉 on what he can he can hardly make any thing of what confession he hath made But a heart that is burdened to 〈◊〉 pricked to the quick and parted from his 〈◊〉 his expressions come off kindly and issue naturally from him not in a 〈◊〉 quaint kind of strayn as though he would coyn a confession but with that freedom and rediness as though his spirit was 〈◊〉 into such expressions his heart was severed from his 〈◊〉 the passage 〈◊〉 plain and he would banish them by an open confession and therefore watchfully takes the occasion that may suit the work Acts 19. 19. they that used unlawful and curious arts they brought their books and burned them in the sight of al they were not summoned to this service by authority they came of their own accord c. And this was 〈◊〉 with Paul to take advantage by the solemnity of the place and people to publish 〈◊〉 sin and shame and to be 〈◊〉 it in the view of the world no man either 〈◊〉 or expecting any such thing and he freely unbosomed his heart and said more against himself than al the world could say the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may read Acts. 26. 9 I utterly thought I ought to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things against the name of 〈◊〉 which thing I also did 〈◊〉 up the prison compelling them to 〈◊〉 and being exceeding mad 〈◊〉 them c. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it in 〈◊〉 of the stomach the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be a 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severing before a 〈◊〉 he that 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any ease to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 removed at once look say we the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constraint and the passage once made it runs without any stay but if you pour out 〈◊〉 out of abarrel some may issue out but you must by 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 pul out the rest this is the difference between a heart truly burdened and 〈◊〉 hypocrite perplexed with horror the contrite soul poures out his complaints into a mans bosom without any stay the soul hath ful vent but with the hypocrite you must take out his confession by 〈◊〉 of reason As the difference between water in the channel and in the pumpe the stream runs currently kindly readily you must force it to stay but the other you must force it to run a man must pump and press out a confession by power of argument or else there is no water to be gotten to purpose He takes the evil to himself and doth not lay it upon another and is carryed with greatest vehemency against that in the sin that was most vile and that he wil not mince he is farr from 〈◊〉 blame upon another to 〈◊〉 other mens evils when he comes to acknowledg his own as conceiving the more 〈◊〉 they appear his may appear less Nay now is the time wholly to attend his own and especially to bewail that most whereby he hath most offended When the potion or vomit works upon the humor mainly then it works kindly So Judah Gen. 38. 26. 〈◊〉 is more righteous than I and they 1 Sam. 12 19. we have added unto al our other sins this evil As it must be free so it must be ful it comes from the bottom brings out al before it he doth 〈◊〉 content himself