Old Age to Covetousness and Frowardness Common experience tells us that many times Wantonness is the Sinners darling in the time of his youth and Worldliness his darling in the time of his age and without controversie Christians distinct and peculiar Ages may more strongly incline them to this or that Sin rather than any other or 5thly It may arise from that distinct and particular way of Breeding and Education which he has had Now to arm such Christians against their special Sins their peculiar sins whose Sins are advantaged against them either by their constitutions and complexion or else by their particular Calling or else by their outward state and condition or else by their distinct and peculiar ages or else by their particular way of Breeding and Education is my present work and business for though the raigning power of this or that special peculiar Sin be broken in a mans Conversion yet the remaining life and strength that is still left in those corruptions will by Satan be improved against the growth peace comfort and assurance of the soul Satan will strive to enter in at the same door and by the same Dalilah by which he hath betrayed and wounded the soul he will do all he can to do the soul a further mischief Satan will be still a reminding of the soul of those former sweets pleasures profits delights and contents that have come in upon the old score so that it will be a hard thing even for a Godly man to keep himself from his Iniquity from his special or peculiar Sin which the Fathers commonly call though not truly peccatum in delitiis a mans special darlin and beloved Sin Well Christians remember this once for all viz. That sound Conversion includes a noble and serious revenge upon that Sin which was once a mans beloved bosom darling Sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Yea what clearing of your selves yea what Indignation yea what fear yea what vchement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge You see this in Cranmer who when he had subscribed with his right hand to that which was against his Conscience he afterwards as a holy revenge put that right hand into the flames so Mary Magdalen takes that hair of hers Of all Sins saith the sound Convert I am resolved to be avenged on my once beloved bosom darling Sins by which I have most dishonoured God and wronged my own precious and immortal soul and by which I have most endangered my everlasting Estate Having thus cleared up my way I shall now endeavour to lay before you some special remedies means or helps against cherishing or keeping up of any special or peculiar Sin either in heart or life against the Lord or against the light and conviction of a mans own Conscience First Cherrishing or keeping up of any special or peculiar Sin either in heart or life against the Lord or against the light and conviction of a mans own Conscience will hinder assurance these several ways First It will abate the degrees of our Graces and so make them more undiscernable Now grace rather in its degrees than in its sincerity or simple being only is that which gives the clearest evidence of a gracious estate or of a mans interest in Christ Sin lived in is like a Vermin to the Tree which destroys the fruit Grace cannot thrive in a sinful heart In some soyl Plants will not grow The cherrishing of Sin is the withering of Grace The casting of a favourable eye on any one special Sin hinders the growth of Grace If a man has a choyce Plant or Flower in his Garden and it withers and shrevils and is dying he opens the ground and looks at the root and there finds a Worm gnawing the root and this is the cause of the Flowers fading the Application is easie Secondly The cherrishing of any special peculiar Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience will hinder the lively actings and exercise of grace it will keep Grace at an under so that it will hardly be seen to stir or act yea it will keep Grace so down that it will hardly be heard to speak When a special or peculiar Sin is entertained it will exceedingly mar the vigorous exercises of those graces which are the evidences of a lively Faith and of a gracious state and of a mans Interest in Christ Grace is never apparent and sensible to the soul but while it is in action therefore want of action must needs cause want of assurance Habits are not felt immediately but by the freeness and facility of their acts of the very being of the soul it self nothing is felt or perceived but only its acts The fire that lyâ—th still in the flint is neither seen nor felt but when you smite it and force it into act it is easily discernable For the most part so long as a Christian hath his graces in lively action so long he is assured of them He that would be assured that this sacred fire of grace is in his heart he must blow it up and get it into a flame But Thirdly The cherrishing of any special Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression in heart or life against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience so blears dimms and darkens the eye of the soul that it cannot see its own condition nor have any clear knowledge of its gracious state or of its interest in Christ c. Somtimes men in riding raise such a dust that they can neither see themselves nor their dearest Friends so as to distinguish one from another the Application is easie The Room somtimes is so full of smoak that a man cannot see the Jewels the Treasures that lyes before him so 't is here But Fourthly Cherrishing of any special or peculiar Sin or the keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord or against the light of a mans own Conscience provokes the Lord to withdraw himself his comforts and the gracious presence and assistance of his blessed Spirit without which presence and assistance the soul may search and seek long enough for assurance comfort and a sight of a mans interest in Christ before it will enjoy the one or see the other If by keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord you set the holy Spirit a mourning which alone can comfort you and assure you of your interest in Christ You may walk long enâ—ugh without comfort and assurance Lam. 1. 16. The Comforter that should relieve my Soul is far from me so in that 1 John 3. 21. It is supposed that a self-condemning heart makes void a mans Confidence before God The precious Jewel of Faith can be holden in no other place but in a pure Conscience that is the only Royal Palace wherein it must and will dwell 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding Faith and a good Conscience Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience He
that comes to God with a true honest upright heart being sprinkled from an evil Conscience may draw near to God in full assurance of Faith whereas guilt clouds clogs and distracts the soul that it can never be with God either as it would or as it should Conscientia pura semper secura A good Conscience hath sure confidence Conscience is mille testes a thousand Witnesses for or against a man Conscience is Gods Preacher in the bosom 'T is better with Euagrius to lye secure on a bed of Straw than to have a turbulent Conscience on a bed of Down It was a Divine saying of Seneca a Heathen viz. That if there were no God to punish him no Devil to torment him no Hell to burn him no man to see him yet would he not sin for the ugliness of sin and the grief of his own Conscience But Fifthly Cherrishing of any special or peculiar sin or the keeping up of any known transgression in heart or life against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience will greatly hinder his high esteem and reputation of Jesus Christ and so it will keep him from comfort assurance and sight of his interest in him so that somtimes his dearest Children are constrained to cry out God is departed from me and he answereth me not neither by Dream nor Vision neither this way nor that 1 Sam. 28. 15. But Sixthly The greatest and most common cause of the want of assurance comfort and peace is some unmortified Lust some secret special peculiar sin unto which men give entertainment or at least which they do not so vigorously oppose and heartily renounce as they should and might hinc illae lachrymae and this is that which casts them on sore straits and difficulties and how should it be otherwise seeing God who is infinitely wise holy and righteous either cannot or will not reveal the secrets of his love to those who harbour his known Enemies in their bosoms the great God either cannot or will not regard the whinings and complainings of those who play or dally with that very sin which gauls their Consciences and connive and wink at the stirrings and workings of that very Lust for which he hides his face from them and writes bitter things against them Mark all fears and doubts and scruples are begotten upon sin either real or imaginary Now if the sin be but imaginary an enlightned rectified judgment may easily and quickly scatter such fears doubts and scruples as the Sun doth mists and clouds when it shines in its brightness but if the Sin be real then there is no possibility of curing those fears doubts and scruples arising from thence but by an unfained Repentance and returning from that sin Now if I should produce all the Scriptures and instances that stand ready prest to prove this I must transcribe a good part of the Bible but this would be labour in vain seeing it seemeth to have been a notion engraven even on natural Conscience viz. That sin so defiles persons that till they be washed from it neither they nor their services can be accepted from whence arose that custom of setting water-pots at their entrance into their Temples or places of worship Let him that wants assurance comfort peace and a sight of his interest in Christ cast out every known sin and set upon a universal course of Reformation for God will not give his Cordials to those that have a foul Stomack those that against light and checks of Conscience dally and tamper with this sin or that those God will have no commerce no communion with on such God will not lift up the light of his countenance Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and I will give him a white stone and in that stone a new name written These are all Metaphorical expressions which being put together do amount to as much as Assurance but mark these are promised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that overcometh to him that rides on conquering and to conquer O that Christians would seriously remember this The dearer it cost any one to part with his sins the more sweet and comfortable will it be to call to mind the Victory that through the spirit of grace he has got over his sins There is no comfort joy or peace to that which arises from the conquests of sin especially of special sins When Goliah was slain what joy and triumph was there in the Camp So here Seventhly Cherrishing of any special or peculiar sin or the keeping up of any known transgression either in heart or life against the Lord and against the light of a mans own Conscience will hinder the soul from that warm lively fervent frequent seasonable sincere and constant way of duty as contributes most to the increase of grace peace comfort and assurance c. Eighthly Seriously consider of the several assertions and concurrent judgments of our best and most famous Divines in the present case I shall give you a tast of some of their Sayings First A man saith one can have no peace in his Conscience that favoureth and retaineth any one sin in himself against his Conscience Secondly Another saith A man is in a damnable state whatsoever good deeds seem to be in him if he yield not to the work of the Holy Ghost for the leaving but of any one known sin which fighteth against peace of Conscience But Thirdly So long saith another as the power of mortification destroyeth thy sinful affections and so long as thou art unfainedly displeased with all sin and doest mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit thy case is the case of Salvation But Fourthly Another saith A good Conscience stands not with a purpose of sinning no not with irresolution against sin this must be understood of habitual purposes and of a constant irresolution against sin Fifthly The rich and precious box of a good Conscience saith another is polluted and made impure if but one dead fly be suffered in it One sin being quietly permitted and suffered to live in the soul without being disturbed resisted resolved against or lamented over will certainly mar the peace of a good Conscience Sixthly Where there is but any one sin saith another nourished and fostered all other our graces are not only blemished but abolished they are no graces Dike of the deceiptfulness of the heat chap. 16. Seventhly Most true is that saying of Aquinus That all sins are coupled together though not in regard of conversion to temporal good for some look to the good of gain some of glory some of pleasure yet in regard of aversion from eternal good that is God So that he that looks but towards one sin is as much averted and turned back from God as if he looked to all in which respect St. James says He that offâ—ndeth
A gracious Soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit was upon him O! saith Saul that I was but once well rid of this David and O saith a gracious Soul that I was but once well rid of this proud heart this hard heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this earthly heart this froward heart of mine Tenthly Every Godly man complains of his known sins and mourns over his known sins and would be fain rid of his known sins as might be made evident out of many scores of â—cripture 7 Job 21. 51. Psal 14. Hos 2. Eleventhly Every gracious Soul sets himself mostly resolutely valiantly and habitually against his special sins his constitution sins his most prevalent sins Psal 18. 23. I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine Iniquity Certainly that which is the special sin of a Godly man is his special burden it is not delighted in but lamented there is no sin which costs him so much sorrow as that to which either the temper of his body or the occasions of his life leads him That sin which he finds his heart most set upon he sets his heart his whole soul most against The Scripture gives much evidence that David though a man after Gods own heart was very apt to fall into the sin of Lying he used many unlawful shifts we read of his often faultring in that kind when he was in straits and hard put to it 1 Sam. 21. 2. 8. 1 Sam. 27. 8 10 c. but it is as clear in Scripture that his heart was set against lying and that it was the grief and daily burden of his Soul Certainly that sin is a mans greatest burden and grief which he prays most to be delivered from O! how earnestly did David pray to be delivered from the sin of lying Psal 119. 29. Keep me from the way of lying And as he prayed earnestly against lying so he as earnestly detested it ver 163. I hate and abhor Lying Though Lying was Davids special sin yet he hated and abhorred it as he did Hell it self And he tells us how he was affected or afflicted rather with that sin whatsoever it was which was his Iniquity Psal 31. 10 my life is spent with grief and my years with sighings my strength faileth and my bones are consumed or Moth-eaten as the Hebrew has it here are deep expressions of a troubled Spirit and why all this Mark he gives you the reason of it in the same verse because of mine Iniquity as if he had said there is a base corruption which so haunts and doggs me that my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing He found it seems his heart running out to some sin or other which yet was so far from being a beloved sin a bosom sin a darling sin that it was the breaking of his heart and the consumption of his bones So Psal 38. 18. I will declare mine Iniquity I will be sorry for my sin There is no sin that a gracious heart is more perfectly set against than against his special sin for by this sin God first has been most dishonored and secondly Christ most crucified and thirdly the Spirit most grieved and fourthly Conscience most wounded and fifthly Satan most advantaged and sixthly Mercies most imbittered and seaventhly Duties most hindred and eighthly Fears and doubts most raised and increased and ninethly Afflictions most multiplied and tenthly Death made most formidable and terrible and therefore he breaks out against this sin with the greatest detestation and abhorrency Ephraims special sin was Idolatry Hos 4. 17. he thought the choicest gold and silver in the world hardly good enough to frame his Idols of But when it was the day of the Lords gracious power upon Ephraim than he thought no place bad enough to cast his choicest Idols into as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together Hos 14. 8. Isa 2. 20. and chap. 30. 22. True grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side and work the heart to take part with him against a mans special sins though they be as right hands or right eyes True grace will lay hands upon a mans special sins and cry out to Heaven Lord Crucifie them Crucifie them down with them down with them even to the ground Lord do justice do speedy justice do signal justice do exemplary justice upon these special sins of mine Lord how down root and branch let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces Lord curse this wild â—ig-tree that never more fruit may grow thereon But Twelfthly There is no time wherein a gracious Soul cannot sincerely say with the Apostle in that Hâ—b 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willingly to live honestly gracious hearts affect that which they cannot effect So Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience voyd of offence towards God and towards men in all cases in all places by all means and at all times a sincere Christian labours to have a good Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Prov. 16. 17. The high-way of the upright is to depart from evil that is it is the ordinary usual constant course of an upright man to depart from evil An honest Traveller may step out of the Kings high-way into a House a Wood a Close but his work his business is to go on in the Kings high-way so the business the work of an upright man is to depart from evil 'T is possible for an upright man to step into a sinful path or to touch upon sinful facts but his main way his principal work and business is to depart from Iniquity as a Bee may light upon a Thistle but her work is to be gathering at flowers or as a Sheep may slip into the dirt but its work is to be grazing upon the Mountains or in the Meadows but Thirteenthly and lastly Jesus Christ is the real Christians only Beloved he is the Saints only darling 2 Can. 3. As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons ver 8. The vâ—yce of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the Mountains and skiping upon the hills ver 9. My Beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart ver 10. My Beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my Love my fair one and come away ver 17. Turn my Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether Can. 4. 16. Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Seven times Christ is called the Beloved of his Spouse in the fifth of Canticles and twice in the sixth Chapter and four times in the seaventh Chapter and once in the eighth Chapter In this Book of Solomons Song Christ is called the Churches Beloved just twenty
to himself or others it will also put a sting into all a mans troubles afflictions and distresses it will also lay a foundation for dispair and it will make Death which is the King of terrors and the terror of Kings to be very terrible to the soul Twenty-two The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord either in heart or life will fight against all those patterns and examples in holy Writ that in duty and honour we are bound to immitate and follow Pray where do you find in any of the blessed Scriptures that any of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles or Saints are ever charged with a willing or a wilfull keeping up either in their hearts or lives any known transgression against the Lord. Twenty-three The keeping up of any known transgression against the Lord will highly make against all clear sweet and standing communion with God Parents use not to smile nor be familiar with their Children nor to keep up any intimate communion with them in their neglects and disobedience 't is so here Twenty-four The keeping up either in heart or life of any known transgression against the Lord will fight against the standing joy peace comfort and assurance of the soul Joy in the Holy-Ghost will make its nest no where but in a holy soul so far as the Spirit is grieved he will suspend his consolations Lam. 1. 16. A man will have no more comfort from God than he makes Conscience of sinning against God A Conscience good in point of Integrity will be good also in point of Tranquility If our hearts condemn us not then have we considence towards God and I may say also towards men Act. 24. 16 Oh what comfort and solace hath a clear Conscience he hath somthing within to answer accusations without I shall conclude this particular with a notable saying of one of the Ancients The joys of a good Conscience are the Paradise of Souls the delight of Angels the Garden of delights the Field of blessing the Temple of Solomon the Court of God the habitation of the Spirit Bernard Twenty-five The keeping up of any known transgression either in heart or life against the Lord is a high contempt of the All seeing Eye of God of the Omnipresence of God It is well known what Ahashuerus that great Monarch said concerning Haman when coming in he found him cast upon the Queens bed on which she sate What saith he will he force the Queen before me in the house Esth 7. 8. There was the killing Emphasis in the words before me Will he force the Queen before me What will he dare to commit such a Villany and I stand and look on O Sirs to do wickedly in the sight of God is a thing that he looks upon as the greatest affront and indignity that can possibly be done unto him What saith he whilt thou be Drunk before me and Swear and Blaspheam before me and be wanton and unclean before me and break my Laws before my Eyes This then is the killing aggravation of all sin that it is done before the Face of God in the presence of God whereas the very consideration of Gods Omnipresence that he stands and looks on should be as a Bâ—r a Remora to stop the proceedings of all wicked intendments a disswasive rather from sin than the least encouragement thereunto 'T was an excellent saying of Ambrose If thou canst not hide thy self from the Sun which is Gods Minister of light how impossible will it be to hide thy self fâ—om him whose Eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun Ambrose offic l. 1. c. 14. Gods Eye is the best Marshal to keep the Soul in a comely order Let thine Eye be ever on him whose Eye is ever on thee The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Prov. 15. 9. There is no drawing of a Curtain between God and thee God is totus Oculus all Eye He seeth all things in all places and at all times When thou art in secret consider Conscience is present which is more than a thousand Witnesses and God is present which is more than a thousand Consciences It was a pretty fancy of one that would have his Chamber painted full of eyes that which way soever he lookt he might still have some eyes upon him and he fancying himself according to the Moralists advice always under the eye of a Keeper might be the more careful of his carriage O! Sirs if the eyes of men makes even the vilest to forbear their beloved lusts for a while that the Adulterer watcheth for the twy-light and they that are Drunken are Drunken in the Night How powerful will the Eye and Presence of God be with those that fear His Anger and know the sweetness of his Favour The thought of this Omnipresence of God will affrighten thee from sin Gehezi durst not ask or receive any part of Nahamans Presents in his Masters presence but when he had got out of Elisha's sight then he tells his Lye and gives way to his Lusts Men never sin more freely then when they presume upon secrecy They break in pieces thy people O Lord and afflict thy Heritage They slay the Widdow and Stranger and murder the Fatherless yet they say The Lord doth not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Psal 94. 5 6 7. They who abounded in abominations said The Lord seeth us not the Lord hath forsaken the Earth Ezek. 8 9 12. The wise man disswadeth from wickedness upon the consideration of Gods Eye and Omniscience And why wilt thou my Son be ravished with a strange Woman and embrace the bosom of a Stranger for the ways of man are before the Eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Proverbs 5. 20 21. Joseph saw God in the Room and therefore durst not yield but his Mistress saw none but Joseph and so was impudently alluring and tempting him to folly I have read of two Religious men that took contrary courses with two lewd Women whom they were desirous to reclaim from their Vicious course of life One of the Men told one of the Women that he was desirous to enjoy her Company so it might be with secrecy and when she had brought him into a close room that none could pry into he told her All the barrs and bolts here cannot keep God out The other desired the other Women to company with him openly in the streets which when she rejected as a mad request he told her It was better to do it in the eyes of a multitude than in the eyes of God O why shall not the presence of that God who hates sin and who is resolved to punish it with Hell-flames make us ashamed or afraid to sin and dare him to his face Twenty-six There have been many a Prodigal who by one cast of the Dice have lost a fair Inheritance A man may be kill'd with one stab of a Pen-knife and one hole
Lake And Hell with all her furies quake And Trismegistus affirms concerning the souls going out of the body defiled that 't is tost too and fro with eternal punishments nor was Virgil ignorant thereof when he said Dent ocyus omnes Quas mervere patisic stat sententia poenas They all shall pack Sentence once past to their deserved rack The horror of which place he acknowledgeth he could not express Non mihi si centum linguae sint oraque centum Omnia paenarum percurrere nomina possum No heart of man can think no tongue can tell The direful pains ordain'd and felt in Hell It was the common opinion among the poor Heathen that the wicked were held in chains by Pluto so they called Alcoran Mahom c. 14. p. 160. and c. 20 p. 198. the Prince of Devils in chains which cannot be loosed To conclude the very Turks speak of the House of Perdition and affirm that they who have turned the grace of God into impiety shall abide eternally in the fire of Hell and there be eternally tormented I might have spent much more time upon this head but that I don't Judge it expedient considering the persons for whose sakes and satisfaction I have sent this piece into the world But Fourthly The secret checks gripes stings and the amazing horrors and terrors of Conscience that do sometimes Suae quemque ex agitant fuâ—iae Every man is tormented with his own fury that is his Conscience saith the Philosopher Dan. 5. 5 6. astonish affright and even distract Sinful wretches do clearly and abundantly evidence that there is a Hell that there is a place of Torments prepared and appointed for ungodly Sinners Doubtless it was not meerly the dissolution of Nature but the sad consequent that so startled and terrified Belshazzar when he saw the hand-writing on the wall Guilty Man when Conscience is awakned fears an after-reckoning when he shall be paid the wages of his crying sins proportionable to his demerits Wolsius tells you of one John Hufmeister that fell Sick Wolf lect Memor Tom. 2. c. in his Inn as he was Travelling towards Auspurg in Germany and grew to that horror that they were fain to bind him in his Bed with Chains where he cryed out That he was for ever cast off from before the Face of God and should perish for ever he having greatly wounded his Conscience by Sin c. James Abyes who suffered Martyrdom for Christs sake and the Gospels as he was going along to Execution he gave all his Money and his Cloaths away to one and another to his Shirt upon which one of the Sheriffs Attendants scoffingly said That he was a mand man and a Heretick But as soon as the good man was Executed this Wretch was struck Mad and threw away his Cloaths and cryed out That James Abyes was a good man and gone to Heaven but he was a wicked man and was damn'd and thus he continued crying out until his death Dionysius was so troubled with fear and horrour of Conscience Cicero that not daring to trust his best Friends with a Razor he used to sindge his Beard with burning coals Bossus having slain his Father and being afterwards Plut. de sera vindict Banquetting with several Nobles arose from the Table and beat down a Swallows Nest which was in the Chimney saying They Lyed to say that he slew his Father for his guilty Conscience made him think that the Swallows when they chattered proclaimed his Parricide to the world Theodoricus the King having slain Boetius and Symmachus Sigonius de occid Imper. and being afterwards at Dinner began to change Countenance his guilty Conscience so blinding his eyes that he thought the head of a Fish which stood before him to have been the head of his Cozen Symmachus who bit his lip at him and threatned him the horrour whereof did so amaze him that he presently dyed Nero that Monster of Nature having once slain his Mother had never-more any peace within but was astonished with Horrours Fears Visions and Clamours which his guilty Conscience set before him and suggested unto him Imo latens in praedio familiares suspectos habuit Xiphil in Nerone c. vocem humanam horruit ad 〈…〉 latratum galli cantumi rami exvento motum terrâ—batur loqui non ausus ne audiretur He suspected his nearest and dearest Friends and Favourites he trembled at the barking of a Puppy and the crowing of a Cock yea the wagging of a Leaf and neither durst speak unto others nor could endure others to speak to him when he was retired into a private House lest the noise should be heard by some who lay in wait for his life Now were there not a Hell were there not a place of torment where God will certainly inflict unspeakable miseries and intollerable torments upon wicked and ungodly men Why should their Consciences thus amaze torture and torment them Yea the very Heathen had so much light in their natural Consciences as made such a discovery of that place of darkness that some of them have been terrified with their own inventions concerning it and distracted with the very sense of those very torments which their own persons have described As Pigmalion doted on his own picture so were they amazed with their own Comments The very flashes of Hell-fire which Sinners do daily experience in their own Consciences in this world may be an argument sufficient to satisfie them that there is a Hell a place of torment provided for them in another world Fifthly Those matchless easeless and endless torments that God will certainly inflict upon the bodys and souls of all wicked and ungodly men after the Resurrection does sufficiently evidence that there is a Hell that there is a place of torment provided prepared and fitted by God Wherein he will pour forth all the Vials of his Wrath upon wicked and ungodly men Isa 30. 33. For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it This place that was so famous for Judgment and Vengeance is used to express the torments of Hell the place of the damned Tophet was a place in the Valley of Hinnom it was the place where the Angel of the Lord destroyed the Host of Sennacherib Isa 30. 31 33. King of Assyria and this was the place where the Idolatrous Jews were slain and massacred by the Babylonian Armies when their City was taken and their Carkasses Jer. 7. 31 32 33. and chap. 19. 4 5 6. left for want of room for Burial for meat to the Fowls of Heaven and Beasts of the Field according to the word of the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy And this was the place where the Children of Israel committed that abominable Idolatry in making their Children pass through the fire to
Fourthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ how shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the answer is in the righteousnâ—ss of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I die the answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment seat the answer is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say Oh Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse being â— Coâ— 5. 21. â—al 3. 13. made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my rightcousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven Oh sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will faint and fail they will fear and tremble and sink into despair if you do not think of Christ if you do not stay and rest your souls upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ The Imputed Righteousness of Christ answers all cavils and objections though there were millions of them that can be made against the good estate of a believer This is a precious truth more worth than a world that all our sins are pardoned not only in a way of truth and mercy but in a way of justice Satan and our own consciences will object many things against our souls if we plead only the mercy and the truth of God and will be ready to say oh but where is then the justice of God can mercy pardon without the consent of his justice but now whilst we rest upon the satisfaction of Christ justice and mercy kiss Psal 85. 10. each other yea justice saith I am pleased in a day of temptation many things will be cast in our dish about the multitude of our sins and the greatness of our sins and the grievousness of our sins and about the circumstances and aggravations of our sins but that good word Christ hath redeemed us from all iniquities he hath paid Titus 2. 14. the full price that justice could exact or require and that good word mercy rejoyceth against judgment may James 2. 13. support comfort and bear us up under all The infinite worth of Christ's obedience did arise from the dignity of his person who was God-man so that all the obedience of Angels and men if put together could not amount to the excellency of Christ's satisfaction The righteousness of Christ is often called the righteousness of God because it is a righteousness of God's providing and a righteousness that God is fully satisfied with and therefore no fears no doubts no cavils no objections no disputes can stand before this blessed and glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to us But Fifthly know for your comfort that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not for riches that corrupt not Heb. 12. 28. 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4 for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with bands but one eternal in the heavens 'T is the fairest certificate that you have to shew for all that happiness and blessedness that you look for in that other world The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all oh that you were still so wise as to keep a fixed eye and an awakened heart upon the mediatory righteousness of Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may safely and comfortably live and by which you may happily and quietly die It was a very sweet and golden confession which Bernard made when he thought Guliel Aâ—bas in vâ—ta Bern. lib. 1. cap. 12. himself to be at the point of death I confess said he I am not worthy I have no merits of mine own to obtain heaven by but my Lord had a double right thereunto an hereditary right as a son and a meritorious right as a sacrifice he was contented with the one right himself the other right he hath given unto me by the vertue of which gift I do rightly lay claim unto it and am not confounded ah that believers would dwell much upon this that they have a righteousness in Christ that is as full perfect and compleat as if they had fulfilled the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness to believers invests believers with a righteousness every way as compleat as the personal obedience of the Law would Rom. 8. 3 4. have invested them withal yea the righteousness that believers have by Christ is in some respect better than that they should have had by Adam 1. Because of the dignity of Christ's person he being the son of God his righteousness is more glorious than Adam's was his righteousness is called the righteousness of God and we are made the 2 Cor. 5. 21. righteousness of God in him The first Adam was a mere man the second Adam is God and man 2. Because the righteousness is perpetual Adam was a mutable person he lost his righteousness in one day say some and all that glory which his posterity should have possessed had he stood fast in innocency But the righteousness of Christ cannot be lost his righteousness is like himself from everlasting to everlasting 't is an everlasting righteousness when once this white rayment is put upon a believer it Dâ—n 9. 24. can never fall off it can never be taken off This splendid glorious righteousness of Jesus Christs is as really a Rev. 19. 8. believers as if he had wrought it himself A believer is no loser but a gainer by Adam's fall by the loss of Adam's righteousness is brought to light a more glorious and durable righteousness than ever Adam's was and upon the account of an interest in this righteousness a believer may challenge all the glory of that upper world But Sixthly know for your comfort that this imputed righteousness of Christ is the only true basis bottom and ground for a believer to build his happiness upon his joy and comfort upon and the true peace and quiet of his conscience upon what though Satan or thy own heart or the world condemns thee yet in this thou maist rejoyce that God justifies thee you see what a bold challenge Paul