his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
disquieted and tormented for the sins of his youth then he may be said to possesse them yea it may occasion not only griefe but guilt Of all sins this is many times most unmortified even after Mortification Souldiers that have received wounds and bruises when young have smartâ—d by them when they have been old There are many good souls that after cure have gone to heaven halting on the old maim Motive 3. The mortifying of our darling lust our right-eye sin and our right-hand sin is a choise evidence of regeneration truth of grace hath as much as any way been declared thus Acts 19.19 Paul after conversion becomes a Preacher of that name which he before blasphemed Those of Ephesus that were given to witchcraft and sorcery after their conversion brought their books together and burned them before all men and many other instances of the like nature are urged by Divines to this purpose Cranmer that had subscribed the Popish Articles with his right hand afterwards as a piece of revenge put that hand first into the flames A true Convert of all sins will be revenged most upon that by which he hath most dishonoured God His right eye and his right hand shall smart for it the one must be plucked out and the other must be cut off as we say of hunger he will kill that which otherwise would have killed him I speak much of mortification and death to you this morning Christians be not afraid to dye thus doth not argue imperfection there is corruptio perfectiva a corruption that tends to perfection I was alive saith Paul Rom. 7.9 without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed This is expiring unto life just as an Embrio expires after it becomes a child Here I would add two Cautions under this head 1. The forbearing of any outward act of sin whatsoever is no evidence of Mortification or Conversion Sin may be restrained when it is not mortified a chained Lyon is a Lyon still a Swine washed is a Swine still In some sense you may be said to be a new man and yet you may not be a new creature This may come to passe partly from the sense of temporall inconveniences partly from the clamours of naturall conscience or from fear of wrath Such principles as these are not strong enough to kill sin or to heal the Soul but are like those odours which we use to raise men out of a fit of the Falling sickness but doth not at all cure them of the disease 2 The mortifying of our darling sin is joyned with an universal hatred of all sin A true Convert hates every false way as the Psalmist phrases it sin is often expressed in Script by abomination it is so to God it should be so to man anger is only with reference to particulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the kind a godly man hates sin as sin and therefore he hates every sin the Devil hates goodnesse as goodnesse and therefore he hates all goodnesse a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia a man may be angry with sin and not kill sin but as he that hates his brother is a murderer so he that hates sin is a mortifier When the right eye is plucked out and the right hand is cut off the whole body of sin hath its deaths wound The man that keeps himself from his iniquity will keep himself from every iniquity the heart with one hole-reserved for sin is not sound Motive 4. Mortification is a duty becoming the best of Saints whilest they are in this world I told you in the beginning of this discourse that the Text was part of Christs Sermon upon the Mount and if you consult the first and second verses of this Chapter you shall find that it was preached to Christs own Disciples Vir bonus pius Gal. 5.24 non est qui carnem non habet sed qui carnem suam mortificat a good man is not one that hath no flesh but he that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 It is with our sinfull body as with our natural body If you cut a Wenn or any Excrescence of that nature it will grow again and again and it will be an hard matter to be rid of it all your dayes So though every day we be paring away our lusts yet they grow again To close all Go on and persevere in the subduing and killing of thy beloved Lust Mortification is a worke once done and yet in this life it is always a doing There are some things that consist of an iteration of multiplyed acts as in Wedlock persons are actually married at once the Husband surrenders himself unto the Wife and the Wife surrenders her self unto her Husband and yet if they live together sutably to that neer relation marriage is as it were renewed every day there is a continuall surrender of themselves each to other So 't is here when the soul is first converted the beloved sin is mortified and yet there is a continuall mortification of it this is a duty that consists not in any one act though never so good never so vigorous but 't is a continued act of the whole life 'T is not killing sin at one blow the strength of sin decays by degrees it begins in the weakning of sin and ends in the destroying of sin Sin dies a lingring death therefore let us go on in this great and necessary work You know Sampson deny'd and deny'd Dalilah for some time and would not discover where his strength lay but not holding out he lost his strength and his life to boot beware of Apostacy Crabs that go backward are reckoned amongst unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 Factum non dicitur quod non perseverat is a maxime a Will not finished is no Will a Deed unlesse it be signed sealed and delivered is no Deed. The Sacrifice that was offered up unto God was not to want so much as the tayle Lev. 3.6 True Christians hate sin so perfectly that they cannot be quiet till it be utterly abolished First they go to God for Justification ne damnet then for sanctification ne regnet then for glorification ne sit Let us be faithfull as to this spiritual death that we may receive a crown of life Amen What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace HEB. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame I Could say Beloved of the Interpretation and Application of this Scripture before I begin to open it containing the Doom and sad Sentence pronounced against Apostates and Relapsarians as once Daniel
THE Morning-Exercise 〈◊〉 CRIâ—â—â—â—â—ATE Several Cases of Conscience Practically Resolved by sundry Ministers September 1661. Commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Vnicuique est liber sua conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi sunt Bernard de Inter. Dom. p. 1072. c. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. Frag. p. 1029. LONDON Printed for Joshua Kirton and Nathaniel Webb and are to be sold at the Kings Arms and at the Royal Oak in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. To my most unfeignedly Beloved Parishioners of Saint GILES Cripplegate My Dear Friends THese Sermons both preach'd and printed are the meer product of love to your Souls I never yet that I remember went thorow the Parish without some though not sutably compassionate heart-akeing yearnings towards my charge to think and oh that I could think of it according to the worth of Souls how many thousands here are posting to Eternity that within a few years will be in Heaven or Hell and I know not how so much as to aske them whither they are going While God continues me your Watchman I shall affectionately desire and sollicitously endeavour to keep my self pure from the blood of all men Acts 20.26 and that not onely for the saving of my own Soul by delivering my Message but that you also may be saved by entertaining it I am willing therefore to commend unto you some legible provocations to serious Piety and therefore have procured a contribution of help that in the multitude of Spirituall Counsellors your souls may have safety In short Prov. 11.14 my Brethren give me leave to say that if I had but the Apostles Graces to help me in the manner I can without boasting at present use the matter of his Spiritually-passionate expressions That I greatly long after you all Phil. 1.8 9 10 11. in the bowells of Jesus Christ And this I pray that your love to truth and holiness may abound yet more and more in saving knowledge and in all sound judgement That you may practically approve things that are excellent and that you may be sincerely gracious and universally without offence till the day of Christ That you may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God These my Beloved are and shall be through Grace the constant desires and restless endeavours of Novemb. 14. 1661. Your most affectionate Soul-Servant Samuel Annesley The CASES Resolved SErmon 1. How may we be universally and exactly conscientious Acts 24.16 page 1. Sermon 2. What must and can Persons do towards their own Conversion Ezek. 18.32 p. 25 Serm. 3. How may beloved lusts be discovered and mortified Matth. 5.29 30. p. 39 Serm. 4. What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace Heb. 6.4 5 6. p. 64 Serm. 5. How may we be so spiritual as to check sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5.16 p. 83 Serm. 6. How Ministers or Christian friends may and ought to apply themselves to sick persons for theâ—r good and the discharge of their own Conscience Job 33.23 24. p. 109 Serm. 7. How must we reprove that we may not paâ—take of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 p. 161 Serm. 8. What means may be used towards the conversion of our carnal relations Rom. 10.1 p. 187 Serm. 9. What are the characters of a Souls sincere love to Christ and how may that love to him be kindled and inflamed Ephes 6.24 p. 218 Serm. 10. Wherein lies that exact Righteousnesse which is required between man and man Matth. 7.12 p. 248 Serm. 11. After what manner must we give Almes that they may be acceptable and pleasing unto God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. p. 270 Serm. 12. If we must aime at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 Joh. 5.13 p. 305 Serm. 13. What difference is there between the conflict in Natural and Spiritual Persons Rom. 7.23 p. 323 Serm. 14. What faith is that which except we have in prayer we must not think to obtain any thing of God Jam. 1.6 p. 334 Serm. 15. Of the cause of Inward Trouble and how a Christian should behave himself when inward and outward Troubles meet Gen. 42.21 22. p. 351 Serm. 16. In what things must we use moderation and in what not Phil. 4.5 p. 381 Serm. 17. How may we have sutable conceptions of God in duty Genes 18.27 p. 415 Serm. 18. How are we to live by faith on Divine Providence Psalm 62.8 p. 426. Serm. 19. How may we cure distractions in holy duties Mat. 15.7 8. p. 461 Serm. 20. How must we in all things give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 p. 478 Serm. 21. How we may get rid of Spiritual Sloth and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God Psal 119.37 vlt. p. 499 Serm. 22. Wherein are we endangered by things lawful Luk. 17.27 28. p. 561 Serm. 23. How must we make Religion our business Luke 2.49 p. 572 Serm. 24. Whether well-composed Religious Vows do not exceedingly promote Religion Psal 116.12 14. p. 586 Serm. 25. How are we compleat in Christ Colos 3.11 vlt. p. 611 Serm. 26. How shall those Merchants keep up the life of Religion who while at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances and when abroad are not onely destitute of them but exposed to persecution Psal 120.5 p. 661 Serm. 27. How is Hypocrisie discoverable and cureable Luke 12.1 p. 655 Serm. 28. What must Christians do that the influence of the Ordinances may abide upon them 1 Chron. 29.18 p. 677 The READER may be pleased to amend these Errours of the Presse PAge 35. l. 27. read deserved not death p. 54. l. 32. is a very 65. l. 25. that I know 71. l. 4. there is l 14. course of sin 89. l. 31. add in the margin Rule 2. 98. l 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105.4 pustulous 182.2 to Christ 201.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 211.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 219.6 amore 228.14 hypostaticam 236.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 257.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 366.16 tight 45 43. tight 378. vlt. is alwayes 404.8 Matth. 18.429.30 Prov. 18.10 Some other mistakes there are in letters as president for precedent wrap't for rap't and sometimes Greek words are false accented as p. 32. marg read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one letter put for another as p. 506 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but such like faults being easily pardoned and amended we make no further observation of them How may we be universally and exactly Conscientious ACTS 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have allwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men THis Sermon is but preliminary to some select cases of Conscience And in this Text you have a notable Anatomy of Conscience wherein are these six things singularly considerable 1. Here 's
which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell VIII That conscience is a good peaceable conscience that excuseth q 1 Cor. 4.4 The good quiet Conscience absolveth r Heb. 10.2 and comforteth Å¿ 2 Cor. 1.12 as it ought that conscience that 's pacified t Heb. 9.14 by the blood of Christ that doth as Moulin u Moulin the comfort of a CommunicaÌ„t p. 37. relates of a dying man to whom some say the Devil appeared and shewed him a parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man which were many in number and that there were also written the idle words he had spoken which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life and his actions digested according to the Commandements Whereupon Satan said Seest thou behold thy vertues see here what thine examination shall be whereunto the poor sinner answered It is true Satan but thou hast not set down all for thou shouldest have added and set down here below the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and this also should not have been forgotten That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life But how shall we get such consciences Christians be but perswaded to practice these or such directions and your Consciences will certainly be right and seasonably be comfortable 1. Take heed of every sinne w 2 Cor. 8.21 count no sin small x Matth. 5.21 22.27 28. Scrue up your obedience to every y Matth. 22.37 38. command to the highest Ferret out every sin to the most secret z Rom. 7.7 corruption When you have set your watch against the first risings of sin beware of the borders of sin shun the very a 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Venture not upon occasions b Prov. 4.15 27. Facile agitur quod libenter auditur Bern. de inter dom pa. 1082. or temptations to sin those that dare venture upon occasions as children upon the ice c Prov. 7.8 Numb 25.2 shall find there 's alwayes danger never any good Morality it self will teach d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4â—7 you this lesson to keep clear of evil if ever you would either be good or enjoy it but seeing as on the one hand there cannot be truth of grace and truce with sin so on the other hand while grace is imperfect sin will have and make us feel it hath a Being There 's not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not e Eccles 7.20 therefore II. Forthwith set upon the healing duty of repentance and upon every slip into sin renew it f Peccator omnium notarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi paenitentiae natus Tertul de poenit p. 121. c. 12. speedily renew it O that I could snatch you out of your state of impenitency and perswade you to daily actual repentance To those that are resolved to delay their repentance I have sometimes given counsel suitable to such resolutions viz. the next sickness that seizeth upon you chide it away tell your disease you can't awhile to be sick say to it as Paul to Foelix g Acts â—4 25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If death summon thee tell it you will not obey its summons you have other business to do than to dye you have estates unsetled and children unprovided for and you would repent too before you die but you can't yet awhile If this will not serve but die you must charge your souls before they go out of your bodies not to come near the prison of impenitent persons charge your friends to lock up your bodies so safe or bury them so deep that all the Angels in Heaven may not be able to dragg them to judgement But alass my Brethren do you not think this wild counsell and well you may Yet unless you could do something aequivalent to what this counsel amounts to you are mad to defer your repentance What! cannot I keep pain from my body nor the use of reason in my Soul one minute and shall I continue in my impenitency that will damn me the very moment of my death I beseech you therefore for your own Souls sake that you may not be guilty of the worst self-murder i. e. soul-murder speedily set vpon repentance And those of you that have repented let your repentance daily supplant sin by taking it by the heel certainly to lame it though you can not take it by the head utterly to kill it Though we can't be innocent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazienz T. 1. orat 15. p. 225. 236. let 's be poenitent and be very careful never to return i Confessio peccati professio est desinendi c. Hilar. in Psal 137 p. 595. to sins repented of That you may be serious in both these III. Compose thy self to live as under Gods eye live as in the more then sensible presence of the Jealous God Remember all things are naked and bare before him you cannot deceive him for he is infinite wisdom you cannot fly from him for he is every where you cannot bribe him for he is righteousness it self Keep therefore fresh apprehensions of God in your thoughts speak as knowing God hears you walk as knowing k Talem te prepa a ut tecum adsit Deus sit in ore sit in corde semper tecum eat tecuÌ„ redeat nec recedat a te Nuâ—quam â—lle te d mittet nisi p ior illum dimiseris ubicunque fueris nunquam solus esse poteris si Deus tecum erit Bern. de in t dom p. 1065. c. 5. 1091. c 66. God is nearer to you then you are to your selves The l 2 Chron. 15 1 Lord is with you while you are with him i. e. you shall enjoy his favourable presence while you live in his awfull presence There 's one Psalm which 't were well if Christians would do by it as Pythagoras m Refert Galenus reâ—itasse se sub initium et finem cujusqueâ—â—ei Elâ—chmaâ—â—us Epil Edit p. 15 by his golden precepts every morning and evening repeat it 't is Davids n Molleâ— in loc appeal of a good Conscience unto God against the malicious suspitions and calumnies of men Do you but thus praesentiate God unto your selves and God will attest your integrity Psalm 139. v. 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me q. d. O Lord thou art the heart-searching God who perfectly knows all the thoughts counsells studies endeavours and actions of all men and therefore mine vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off q d. thou knowest my rest and motion
Consciences from being violated and you cannot be miserable O how calm and quiet as well as holy and heavenly would our lives be had we learnt but this single Lesson to be carefull for nothing but to know and do our duty and to leave all effects consequents and events to God The truth is 't is a daring boldness for silly dust to prescribe to infinite wisedom and to let go our work to meddle with Gods he hath managed the concernments of the world and of every individuall person in it without giving occasion to any one to complain for above this five thousand years and doth he now need your counsell Therefore let it be your onely businesse to mind duty Aye but how shall I know my duty take a second memoriall II. What advice you would give to another take your selves e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c 33. Simp. p. 158. The worst of men are apt enough to lay such burthens on other mens f Mat. 3.4 shoulders which if they would take them upon their own they would be rare Christians e. g. The very outcry of those that revile Godliness who deal by the miscarriages of Professours as the Levite by his Concubine quarter them and divulge them even they expect that those which make a strict profession of Religion should be beyond exception blameless and they even they scorn those that make any defection from their professed strictnesse And on the other side those that are holy they expect that even graceless persons should bear reproof receive instruction and change the course of their lives In middle cases then between these extreams what exactnesse will serious Christians require where the byas of their own corruptions doth not misguide them David was twice g 2 SaÌ„ 12.5 6 7 2 Sam. 14.4 1â— surprised to pass sentence against himself by remote parables wherein he mistrusted not himself to be concerned wherein this rule 's too short add a third III. Do nothing on which you cannot pray for a blessing Where prayer doth not lead repentance must follow and 't is a desperate adventure to sin upon hopes of repentance Every action and cessation too of a Christian that 's good and not to be refused is sanctified by the word and h 1 Tim 4.5 6. prayer It becomes not a i Eph. 5.3 4. Christian to do any thing so triviâ—l k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas qu. ad Antioch p. 361. q. 77. that he can't pray over it and if he would but bestow a serious ejaculatory prayer upon every occurrent action he would find that such a prayer would cut off all things sinful demurr all things doubtfull and encourage all things lawful Therefore do nothing but what you can preface with prayer But these rules are all defective I 'le therefore close with an Example that 's infinitely above defects IV. Think and speak and do what you are perswaded Christ himselfe would do in your case were he upon the earth The heathen they proposed unto themselves the best examples they l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet c. 51. Simpl. p. 282. had and therefore let us follow the best of m Mica 4.5 ours There are many rare examples in n Heb. 13 7. Scripture but we may say of them as 't is said of most of Davids Worthies whose highest commendation was with this diminution o 2 Sam. 23 19 23. they attained not unto the first three I propose therefore neither great nor small but the King of Saints p Rev. 15 3. it becomes a Christian rather to be an Example q 1 Pet. 2 12.15 1 Thes 1.7 then to follow one But by imitating of Christ you will come as near as 't is possible to the first three for your fellowship shall be with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ r 1 John 1.3 through the spirit of holiness who alone can teach you what it is to abide in Å¿ 1 John 2.27 Christ who was and is and ever will be our absolute copy t Heb. 13.8 O Christians how did Christ pray redeem time for prayer u Mar. 1.35 6.16 Lu. 6.12 John 11.42 How did Christ preach out of whose mouth proceeded no other but gracious words w Luke 4.22 that his enemies could not but admire him x John 7.46 at what rate did Christ value the world who did taught to renounce it y Mar. 10 21-27 what time did Christ speÌ„d in impertinent discourse who made their hearts burn within them whom he occasionally fell in company with z Lu. 24.17 32. How did Christ go up and down doing a Acts 10.38 good to man and always those things that were pleasing to b John 8.29 God Beloved I commend to you these four memorials to be as so many scarlet c Josh 2.18 21 threads upon every finger of the right hand one that you may never put forth your hand to action but these memorials may be in your eye 1. Mind d Acts 9.6 duty 2. What 's anothers duty in your case is e Rom. 2.21 yours 3. What you can't say the Blessing of the Lord be upon it do not meddle f Psal 129.8 with it But above all as soon forget your Christian name the name of a Christian as forget to eye Christ g Psal 123.2 and what ever entertainment you meet with from the profane world h John 15.18 c. remember your Exemplar i 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. and follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who whâ—n he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeâ—h righteously What must and can Persons do Towards their own CONVERSION Ezek. 18.32 Wherefore turn your selves and live yee THe words are part of that serious Exhortation begun in the 30. ver Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions continued in the 31. ver Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit and concluded in this verse Wherefore turn your selves c. In the former part of the verse the Lord saith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth I had rather men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved then die in their sins and perish through their impenitency Wherefore or therefore turn your selves The Exhortation in these words is back'd with a reason of great yea the greatest strength viz. Life turn and live that is ye shall live comfortably here and happily for ever hereafter There be four Propositions deducible from these words 1. That man is turn'd from God 2. That it's mans duty to turn unto God again 3. That the Lords willingness that men should rather live then die should be a strong Argument to move them to turn 4. That those who do turn shall live I shall wave all those
great Truths and come to that which the words seem to import viz. A power in man to turn himself It is a good rule which Glassius in his Philologie gives us In Philol. l 3. p. 290. That active Verbs are given to those things which do not properly by immediate influxe do that which they signifie Sed certa tantum ratione concurrunt God said to Moses Lift up thy rod stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Moses had not power to divide the sea but because there was a certain concurrence of Moses using the rod according to divine direction therefore it is attributed unto Moses whereas it was the work of God alone for vers 21. it s said The Lord caused the sea to go back So in the work of Conversion because man doth something about it therefore he is said to turn himself although the action be peculiar to the Lord Jer. 31.18 Ephraim saith Turn thou me and I shall be turned The Query here is What can or ought persons to do towards their own Conversion Something first is to be spoken of mans power or can and then something of what man ought to do For the 1. of these There is a threefold power considerable an Active a Passive and an Obediential power 1. An active power as in fire there is such a power to warm in a good Tree there is such a power to bring forth good fruit This kind of power is denyed to be in man Mat. 12.34 How can you that are evil speak good things if they cannot speak good things much less can they do good things 2. A passive power as in Wax to receive the impression of the Seal and in wood to receive the engravings of the Carver This power is not found in man 1 Cor. 2.14 Paul saith expresly The natural man or souly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives not the things of the Spirit of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither can he A stiffe dead hand receives nothing neither can it 3. An obediential power which consists in a capability to receive what form or impression soever the mighty God by his power shall put upon a creature such a power is in a stony heart to become flesh its capable to be made fleshly when God puts forth his power This is the power granted by Divines to be in men and it is a very low power The sacred Writ is plentiful in setting out the impotency of man it tels us that He is not subject to the Law of God neither can be Rom. 8.7 That he cannot please God Rom. 8.8 That he cannot come to Christ Joh. 6.44 That he can do nothing without Christ Joh. 15.5 That he cannot believe Joh. 12.39 chap. 5.44 That he cannot love God 1 Joh. 4.20 That he cannot do good yeild good fruit Jerem. 13.23 Matth. 7 17. That he cannot think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Mans liberty or power is referrible to Natural Moral or Spiritual things To the first he hath great strength To the second some To the third none A man freely doth natural and moral things he can live soberly and chastly quoad externos actus as to outward acts he may abstain from gross sins Theft Murder Drunkenness c. he may come to the Congregations freely hear the word and not stop his ears as the deaf Adder doth but as to spiritual acts qua tales he is impotent For the better understanding of the Querie What persons can do towards their own Conversion I shall lay down several Theses or Conclusions which I shall make good by Scripture as I proceed 1. Conclus 1. All dispositions and inclinations to spiritual good which man had at first in his Creation are lost and ruin'd by the Fall Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God it s so far from having inclination to God or the things of God that it s not only an enemy but enmity against God and Jer. 2.21 the Lord saith I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me they had lost their original sap and were degenerated into a wild Vine and could not bring forth good Clusters 2. Conclus 2 Man being altogether averse from good the servant of sin and death sold under sin Satans captive and dead in sin is not able by his own strength and power to convert or prepare himself thereunto Rom. 3.10 12. Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.14 2 Tim. 2.26 Colos 2.13 Rom. 5.6 Joh. 6.44 65. there must be the Fathers giving and drawing his gift and power otherwise there is no coming to Christ Men are without Christ in their natural conditions Eph. 2.12 they are dead to his life and righteousness 3. Conclus The Lord calls for humane endeavours and would have men do more then they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word signifies negotiari in aliqua re ad Lucrum Budaeus Luk. 19.13 to those had the Talents he saith Occupy till I come be pragmatical bestir your selves and improve your talents so that at my return I may find you gainers and he hid his Talent in a Napkin is branded for a wicked servant ver 22. and for a wicked and sloathful servant Mat. 25.26 4. Conclus Men may do more then they do Isa 64.7 There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee they did not shake off luke-warmness and lasiness and rouze up themselves to take hold of God by faith and prayer It s the complaint of Christ that he was hungry and they gave him no meat thirsty c. they might have done those things and bestowed their estates upon Christs members as well as others It s evident men may do more then they do for that they do not that in their healths which they do in time of their affliction then they will early seek God Hos 5.15 Weak ones do more then stronger many of weak parts act beyond those of larger abilities Many complain in their sickness that they have lost time and not done what they might where is the man that dares plead it before the Lord that he hath done all he could Because men do not what they might the Lord may not only deny grace unto them doing something yea doing much but justly condemn them because they did not what was in their power It is a common saying among Papists Jesuites Arminians and others Nos negamus ullos unquam suisse bene citentes bono naturae propter deum itaque non dubimus esse aliquod meritum congrui Chamier panstr Cath. T. 3. l. 14. c. 4. facienti quod in se est gratiam non denegat deus This is no sound foundation for it supposeth some men do act to the uttermost of their power But Whoever yet did all that was in his power whoever went so far as that he might not have gone one step farther
clear 2 Tim. 3.4 they loved God who loved pleasures more than God They may have Faith Simon Magus believed they may hate sin in others Acts 8.13 2 Sam. 13.22 if not in themselves Absalom hated Amnons uncleannesse they may delight in God and in his wayes Isa 58 2. They may have a zeale for God and such a a zeale as may prevail more with them than temporall things The Jewes were so zealous of the Law Rom. 10.2 and for the traditions of the Elders that they would have ventured their lives for them so Paul before his conversion how zealous was he Acts 22.3 4. Gal. 1.14 To come more particularly and closely to the question Though Conversion be wrought in an instant yet men have some praevious dispositions thereunto who live under the sound of the Gospel and obtain such knowledge as worketh in them several things which I shall shew unto you from Acts 2.37 38. v. And when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said men c. Many preparative dâ—spositions or qualifications they had unto repentance or conversion but they had not yet repented for Peter saith notwithstanding these repent 1. Men may be convinced of sin as these were they found they had transgressed the law of God and were guilty before him for they were pricked in their hearts Men may have strong convictions of sin and not converted from sin 2. They may mourn for sin and grieve that they have done such and such things These men had crucified the Lord Christ put an innocent person to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acutum animi dolorem significat Piscat saw themselves in an ill condition and thereupon mourned and grieved sorely as the word pricked intimates they had such grief as pained and afflicted their hearts There 's a How set upon Ahabs humiliation by the Lord himself Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself 1 King 21.29 3. They may be fil'd with fear and dread the threatnings and punishments of God due to sin This was the case here they had provoked the Lord against their soules felt their consciences condemning of them apprehended the judgements of God near unto them and so were possest with much fear lest the Lord should destroy them and therefore say Men and brethren what shall we do We know not whither to go where to hide our selves or what to do that we may escape the things we have deserved and fear 4. They may confesse their sin renounce it and reform much these Auditors of Peter being pricked in their hearts said What shall we do We have sinned and that greatly we confesse and acknowledge it before God and you it was a cursed act of ours we abhor it we will never do so hereafter They were sick of sin and vomited it up as they in Peter 2 Pet. 2.22 and would change their minds and manners walke in any way the Apostles should direct them The Merchant Mat. 13.46 sold all that he had for the pearle before he bought it This selling all is made by som Interpreters to be his restraint from all inward sin and his conformity to all outward duties This was much and yet not more than unconverted persons may attain unto Herod reformed many things the foolish Virgins went far as was said before they were Virgins free from spot and pollution they had Lamps visible professions they went forth to meet the Bridegroom they had some faith in him and affection to him else they would not have gone forth 5. They may justifie the Law and the Lord should he condemn them deal severely with them what shall we do say these persons we are guilty we have broken the Law which is holy righteous and good and so is God likewise who is the Author thereof if therefore we be condemned and must bear the curse and punishment of the law we must both justifie the Lord and it Men may accept the punishment of their iniquity and justifie the inflictors thereof man hath no cause to complain of the punishment of his sins It 's brought in by way of objurgation Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain for the punishment of his sins He may complain of his sins not of his punishment Many Malefactors after sentence passed on them do justifie both Judge and Law 6. Men may seriously consider the nature of their sin what circumstances it is cloathed with what aggravations it admits what crimson and skarlet is in it what light love mercies means ingagements it is against What shall we do say these troubled souls We have sinned against the light of nature the Law of Moses our own consciences the love of God and Christ towards sinners in that we have crucified Christ a man approved of God whom we knew had done many miracles wonders and signes Acts 2.22 and deserve not death oh what shall we do our sins are so dreadful It 's in mens power to lay to heart what wrong an infinite blessed holy God hath by their sins what mercies they keep from them how greatly they defile them what miseries and mischiefs they bring upon them what a weight of wrath hangs over their heads for them They may consider what checks of conscience they have stifled what motions of the Spirit they have withstood what precious seasons of grace they have neglected and slighted what paines they have taken to satisfie a lust how dear it hath cost them how carelesse they have been of their soules what a separation their sins have made between God and them They may mind and meditate on it that mans life is short the pleasures of sin but for a season that there is absolute necessity of turning to God Except you repent you shall all perish That turning is acceptable to God else he would not call for it nor make such gracious promises to it as are in holy Writ 7. They may come to it to see no help in themselves or in any creature whatsoever What shall we do say these wounded men we cannot help our selves we have no playsters that will stick no medicines which will heal we are wounded in our Consciences and as our hands so theirs are too short to help us it s not in humane power to bind up our breaches What shall we do men may see themselves helpless that they are without strength shut up under sin guilt and unbelief children of wrath and in a lost condition the Law cursing them and sentencing them to suffer 8. They may arrive to a resolution of doing or suffering any thing to be saved What shall we do we are resolved if we may find mercy and live to do whatever shall be commanded to suffer whatever shall be imposed The pride of their spirits was broken their hearts become teachable and tractable and their resolutions high for any thing to be done or suffered so was it with the Jaylor Act. 16.30 when men are in storms at sea or
shamelesly uncovereth himself Now why is she called there the daughter of Saul because she had learned this wickednesse from her father We have woful experience of this in our dayes Formerly people could say Ps 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us Psal 44.1 what works thou didst in their days in the times of old Truly the people of this generation may say we heard our fathers swear and curse and scoffe and mock at the ways of God in reason we may expect mens manners to sute their education Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken to the third particular propounded to be discussed that is to say how it comes to passe that particular persons have their proper and particular sins and thus much also for the doctrinall part 4. The fourth and last thing is the Vse and Application of this to our selves Vse 1. For Lamentation and Humiliation in the presence of God this day we trouble our selves about other mens sins Magistrates sins Ministers sins as the Pharisee◠Lord I thank thee I am not as other men are an Extortioner an Adulterer c. or as this Publican And in the mean time where is the man that considers his own iniquity his right eye sin or his right-hand sin there are great outcries amongst us what have others done but who smites upon his thigh and says what have I done We search every where save where our Rachel sits upon her Idol Possibly some poor soul may say did I know this particular sin this right eye sin or this right-hand sin the Lord knows I would quickly pluck out the one and cut off the other and that brings me to Vse 2. Of Examination how this sin may be discovered now to this purpose take these marks or rules 1. It may be known by the loves and tender respects the sinner bears unto this sinne strong love for the most part hath but one single object affections are like the Sun beams in a burning glasse the more united they are in one point the more fervent A wicked man hath a particular affection for his particular lust As Abraham cryed Oh that Ishmael may live in thy sight So a wicked man oh that this sin may be spared This is his Benjamin the soul is ready to say here is one sin must be plucked out and here is another sin must be cut off and must this beloved Lust dye also all these things are against me The sinner seems to repent of sin and to condemn sinne and himself for sin but when the time of Execution comes the man is very tender-hearted here 's a reprieve for this sinne and there is a pardon for another sin oh it goes against him to cut the throat of his darling lust 'T is a wofull case when a man will undertake to pardon his owne sinne this is crudelitas parcens sparing cruelty and if it fall out that his beloved sinne dye a natural death that is if the Adulterer for instance cannot actually engage in bodily uncleanness as formerly upon the account of old age he follows it to the grave as we do our dear friends and heartily mourns that he and his dear lust must part 2 It may be known thus that sin that distracts us most in holy duties is our beloved sin you may know that cold is natural to the water and that it likes that quality best because let it be made never so hot it will be still working it selfe to its owne proper temper Soules possibly may sometimes be warmed at an Ordinance but they quickly cool again and are still working towards their proper lust the sin they like best You may take notice in Scripture that God to speak after the manner of men in an especiall manner remembers the sins of wicked men in the performance of holy duties Hos 8.13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offering and eat it but the Lord accepteth them not Now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sins as if a Felon or Murderer convict should escape out of prison and afterwards presume to come into the presence of the Judge this brings his Felony or Murder into remembrance and herein their punishment is visible sin They remember their sins in their duties and so will God The people of God themselves are tainted with this Pride was the Disciples master sin and whilst they were healing Diseases and casting Devils out of other mens bodies the proud Devil was stirring in their own souls and our Saviour gives them a rebuke for that Luk. 10.20 In this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Luk. 10.20 3. It may be known by its domination its commanding power over all other sins look as there is a kind of government in Hell such an one as it is Beelzebub is called the Prince of Devils so in a wicked mans soul one sin or other is still uppermost and keeps the throne all other sins do as it were bow the knee to this sin hold up the train of this sin are obedient servants to this sin it says to one go and it goes and to another come and it comes for instance if covetousness be the beloved sin lying and deceiving and injurious dealing will serve that If Ambition temporising and sinful compliance will serve that If Adultery sinful wasting of time and estate and body will serve that If Vainglory be the Pharisees great sin devouring widows houses under pretence of long prayers will serve that As it is with a mans body when it is hurt or maimed all the ill humours will flow to the part that is ill affected Hence it is when a man is first wounded he feels but a little pain because he suffers only upon the single account of the division of the part but after wards the paine is encreased for then he suffers doubly upon the account of the division of the part as also by the conflux of ill humours When the soule hath received some gash some hurt more then ordinary by its particular sin all the sinful humours will make haste to feed that iniquity so that this is the sin that carries it and bears the sway in the soul In a word the sinner hath the curse of Cham as it were pronounced upon him a servant of servants is he his other sins are servants to his beloved sin and he himself is a slave to them all 4. That sin that Conscience in a particular manner doth chide a man for that t is likely may be his particular sin the Greek word for Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a joynt knowledge or knowledge with another It takes notice of things together with God Conscience is Gods deputy Gods spye Gods intelligencer pardon the word in our bosoms an exact notary of whatever we think or do a co-witness with God as St Paul is bold to call
it Rom. 9.1 Now wouldst thou know thy beloved sin hearken to the voyce of Conscience doth that condemn thee for pride for passion for worldliness for persecuting the ways of God Oh remember it is Gods Viceroy honour it so far as to weigh and consider throughly what it saith t is likely this may be thy particular sin that which dishonours God most if Conscience be any thing tender will trouble thee most many a man deals with his Conscience as Felix did with Paul hearken to it a while whilst it tels them of their lesser faults or that they are sinners in the general but when it rebukes them for their darling lust though they cannot say go thy way as Felix to Paul yet hold thy peace and when I have a convenient season I will give thee the hearing 5. It may be known by being impatient of reproof Herod hears John Baptist gladly till he preached against his Herodias this is a noli me tangere touch me not The Plant-animal or the sensible Plant so called when it is touched shrinks up and contracts its self the sinner shrinks when he is touched in the sore place The eye is a tender part and apt to be offended if you meddle with it This is the reason why people are enraged against a powerful soul-searching soul-saving Ministry most men are for Mountebanks and Quacksalvers that make use altogether of Lenitives and healing Plaisters but as for your faithful Chirurgions that according to Art will probe and search and cleanse the Wound they cannot away with them I hate him saith Ahab of Michaiah He never prophecies good concerning me but evill only I shall add this that man especially that Minister that reproves another for his sins had need to be blameless as much as may be himself Rom 21.2 21 22. thus the Apostle intimates Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self that man that is a teacher of others should teach himself so much the more we teach others when we deliver unto them Rules and Precepts unto which they are to conform we teach our selves when we obey those Rules Thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery c. that man that hath a beam in his own eye is not likely to pull out the mote that is in his brothers 6. It may be known by this it makes a man notoriously partial in his own case David could allow himself another mans wife and could condemn one to death for taking away another mans Lamb. 7. It may be known by the covers and cloaks and fair pretences that the sinner hath for this sin Uncleanness and intemperance are but tricks of youth and sowing his wild Oats Luxury is magnificence covetousness is good husbandry pride is a piece of nobleness and grandure of spirit yea which is more t is humility you have some that disparage themselves in company and they call this humility when in truth it is the height of their spirits like the Archer that draws back the arrow that it may fly so much the higher and so much the further T is strange blindness or deceit or both to call not yellow or some middle colour but black white yet thus it is with many they shape their darling lust like those vertues unto which they are extreamly contrary Every wicked man is sins advocate and will plead its cause gratis Oh saith Judas to what purpose is this waste Mat. 26.8.9 Joh. 12.6 This oyntment might have been sold for much and given to the poor this he said saith another Evangelist Not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thief had the bag and bare what was put therein Beware of speaking any thing towards the justification of your selves in any way of wickedness you know the malefactor is condemned before he is put to death so it is in the case of sin cum peccator justificatur peccatuâ— condemnatur when a sinner is justified his sin is condemned and after condemnation followeth execution Job 31 3â— v. 40. Job vindicates himself in this particular If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquities in my bosom c. then let thistles grow instead of wheat as if he had said I did not hide mine iniquity as Adam did I did not cover my transgression I was open and ingenuous the Psalmist saith Blâ—ssed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered but then it must be by Gods hand not ours 8. If there be any one sin more then other that the soul doth readily close with that is its beloved sin its right eye sin or its right hand sin Sampson when all the world could not take away his strength Prov. 7.21 is easily perswaded by Dalilah See how Solomon expresses the Harlots dealing with the young man with much fair speech she caused him to yeild with the flattering of her lips she forced him the most she could do was to flattâ—r him and yet notwithstanding it is said she forced hiâ— sin works altogether by enticement Every man is tempted Jam. 1.14 when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed yet it is so powerful that it amounts to a force as the request of a King amounts unto a command 9. That sin which a man wishes were no sin is like to be his bâ—loâ—ed sin the case of the young man in the Gospel is considerable to this purpose saith our Saviour If thou wilt be perfect go sell that thou hast and give to the poor Mat. 19.21 22 and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me Ver. 22. When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful that is â—he was very much troubled that there was such a truth as this Psal 14.1 that the world for Christs sake was to be parted with So Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Oh saith the fool That there was no God that there was no heaven that there was no hell Atheism was the beloved sin in that case first men wish there were no Deity and then they judge so and say so Carnal affections after some time settle in opinion and judgement t is possible for men by ways of unrighteousness by a constant course of cheating and cozening so far to shut up and imprison their natural light and so to muffle their reason and understanding that at length they may cheat and baffle their own souls and think it a piece of justice and righteousness so to do 10. That sin which we think of first in the morning and last in the evening is like to be our beloved sin God is the chiefest good the prime object of our love and therefore as he is Alpha and Omega in himself so is he also unto his people the beginning and the end the first and the last they begin the day
with him Psal 139.18 Psa 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee they end the day with him thus the Spouse Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth you have mention of both these Esay 26.9 Esay 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Now this sin that I am treating of like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless person that we read of 2 Thes 2.8 2 Thes 2.8 that man of sin ver 3. opposeth and exalteth its self in the soul above all that is called God and sitteth in the seat of God A beloved lust is usually the sinners first and last Psa 36.4 he gives it entertainment first in the morning and takes his leave of it last in the evening yea this darling sin must be entertained and made much on in the Bed-chamber the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Psal 36.4 tels us he deviseth mischief on his bed for the most part that as a very friend that we admit to our bed-sides 11. That sin which most infests us and troubles us in our solitudes and retirements that is our beloved sin my meaning is when a man is alone in his Closet or in the Fields and his thoughts run a drift that sin which of themselves they move towards and close with that may be his beloved sin the current of the soul is that way Oh Christian mark the workings of thy heart in private and thou mayst possibly make some discoveries When a man retires himself into some solitary place it is usually absurd to trouble him t is a friend indeed that falls in with him and offers his company in that case that sin is more then ordinary beloved by us that interposes in our privacies 12. And lastly that sin that we are willing to endure greatest hardships and sufferings for that is our beloved sin for instance suppose Covetousness be the darling sin what base absurd unreasonable offices will it put a man upon how scraping and niggardly and dunghill-like will that man live in his Town or in his Parish and expose himself to scorn and contempt from every one that knows him Suppose Ambition be the beloved sin how will a man in that case swear and forswear and temporize and like the Boat-men look one way and row another almost any thing for preferment If Vncleanness be the mans particular sin how will he destroy his body disgrace his name overthrow his estate for the gratifying of his lust I dare aver that the worst and basest drudgery imaginable to scoure Kettles and Dishes to tug at the Oar to dig at the Mine are honourable imployments in comparison of this Vse 3. Is for Exhortation and Direction Col 3.5 to press you to the mortification of your beloved sin and shew you how it may be mortified let me take up that Scripture again mortifie your members which are upon the earth that is let every sin be mortified for you must know as death is to the members of the natural body so is mortification to the members of the sinful body Now in death the soul is separated not only from one member as it is in a paralysis or numb Palsey but from all even from the principal parts of the body as well as others so t is in spiritual death there is a separation of the soul not only from this or that sinful member but from the whole body of sin from the principal parts and members of this body as well as others the right eye is dead the right hand is dead it must needs be so the one is pluckt out and the other is cut off A Christian must deal by his darling lust as the Israelites dealt by Adonibezek they cut of his thumbs and his great toes so must thou deal with this sin hack it maim it that it may not be able to go nor stand nor act nor stir if it were possible and for that purpose take these directions 1. Labour to have your heart steeled with an holy courage and resolution against this sin it is upon the account of baseness and cowardliness of spirit that people fall by the right hand of their spiritual enemy shall I give you some instances for this doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness is that thy right eye sin or thy right hand sin take up St Pauls resolution 1 Cor. 6.15 Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Josephs resolution How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God doth the Devil tempt the to blasphemy or to perjury or to lying or to any other sin of that nature take up the Psalmists resolution I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a birdle while the wicked are before me Art thou tempted to Idolatry to deny the truths of Christ to make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience take up the three childrens resolution Be it known unto thee oh King Dan. 3.18 that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Every man should be a Prince over his lusts and like Joshuas Captains should put his feet upon the necks of them here courage resolution severity is very successful and in special exercise your revenge on your beloved lust fight not against small or great comparatively but against this kingly this master sin 2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity it is not enough to confess your sins in the lump in the general but in prayer you must take particular notice of your right eye sin your right hand sin thus David was particular in his repentance Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 this evil of murder and this evil of adultery pointing as it were with the finger to particular sins Lâ—k 19.8 Zacheus makes a particular confession of that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold this particle if in that place may not be a note of doubting but supposition if I have taken that is seeing I have taken from men by false accusation si Deus est animus seeing God is a Spirit 3. Beware of those things that may occasion the commission of this sin for instance if thou art prone to the sin of lying keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness when thou goest to a feast put a knife to thy throat We use to say proverbially occasion makes a thief this is true also in other cases occasion makes a lyar occasion makes a drunkard
it is a sign of a naughty heart to dally with occasions to sin Look not thou upon the wine Prov. 23.31 saith Solomon when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self a right it is not simply unlawful to look upon wine in the glass but if this may occasion intemperance here is a law laid upon our looks that command which forbids a sin forbids also those things that have a tendency thereunto as is observed by learned Commentators on the decalogue sometimes this is expressed in Scripture the Commandment that forbids Adultery takes in all causes and occasions thereunto thus Solomon speaking of an Harlot Prov. 5.8 Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house Harlots like pestilential diseases make the houses infectious where they are and therefore come not nigh the door of her house 1 Thes 5.22 Avoid all appearance of evil I know there are some that dislike the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by appearance and rather think it should be expounded sort or kind but whether the word is taken in a Logical notion in the whole book of God is very questionable therefore why we should depart from the current and stream of Expositâ—rs and the sense of our learned Translators I know not When God would forbid the sin of injustice selling wares by false weights mark how it is expressed Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights Deut. 25.13 a great and a small It was a sin not only to sell wares by one sort of weights take wares in by another but to have a great and small weight in his bag God would not have us come neer the sin of injustice Hence also is that caution of St John Little children keep your selves from Idols 1 Joh 5.21 if you would avoid Idolatry beware of Idols he that would not hear the bell must not medle with the Rope 4. Pray unto God that thou mayst not fall into such a condition as may draw forth that corruption that thou art most prone to this was that which undid Judas he was naturally enclined to unjust gain and he had the Office of carrrying the bag and thus his lust was drawn forth When a man is apt to be high-minded it is a snare to be in an high place when a man is passionate it is sad to converse always or mostly with those that are kindle-coals that by provocations and unworthy carriages are casting fire-balls into a mans soul and be having a gun-powder nature is in a flame presently And the neerer the relations in this case the worse It is sad when my next neighbours house is on fire but t is worse when mine own is on fire it is a promise made to the people of God that all conditions of life and all passages of providence shall work together for their good and therefore the contrary when our conditions and relations make for the worse especially with reference unto our souls it must needs be very sad 5. Learn to suspect things that are delightful Gen. 3.6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes Carnal pleasures are forbidden fruit Agrippina poysoned her husband in that meat he loved best the Devil tempts us with dishes sweetly poysoned Love and delight pari passu ambulant walk together and keep the same pace many a man hath been undone by riches and honours and worldly comforts like the Bee that is drowned in its own honey Christians be careful Every one of us hath Eves sweet tooth in our heads 6. Labour to act that grace in especial manner which is contrary to thy beloved sin for instance if passion be thy darling sin labour to act the grace of meekness if excess the grace of temperance if uncleanness the grace of chastity let me tell you where grace is helped by nature upon the account of a mans temper and constitution there a little grace will go far but when grace is to be imploy'd against nature it had need to be strong and active your Watermen in some cases take their ease and their Boats will go of themselves but when wind and tyde is against them then they must labour at the Oar hic labor hoc opus 7. Keep a watch over thy heart Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life so our Saviour Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Mat. 15.19 murders adulteries fornications thiefts false witness blasphemy Godliness is but a fansie till the heart be reformed Psa 78.34 35. we read in the book of Psalmes of Israels turning unto God when he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their redeemer but was their conversion right no Ver. 36. They did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongue and whence was this Ver. 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his covenant therefore mortifie sin in its rise in its first principle lay the axe to the root there is more sap in the root then in the branches there is more sin in the heart then in the life one stroke at the root of the tree conduces more to the deadning of it then many at the body or the boughs or any other part whatsoever To quicken your industry in this know that the motions of original sin as they are permanent so they are exceeding violent and impetuous I remember the learned Davenaunt de justitia habituali actuali cap. 5. gives this difference between the remission of actual and original sin when actual sins are forgiven saith he penitus tolluntur quoad maculam reatum both as to their guilt and filth but it is not so with original sin the guilt is done away but the stain remains this is a sin that dwells in us that abides in us and abides by us we shall not be rid of the body of death till the death of the body sin is an ill tenant it will not out till the house fall upon its head now the certainty of the inherence of this sin is an argument of the more efficaciousness of its operation modus operandi sequitur modum essendi Unquenchable fire burns more fervently then that which may be extinguished the reason why the Angels at this day do the will of God in a more eminent way then the Saints on earth is because they have such a principle of holiness as cannot be lost to eternity whereas the Saints on earth have a weaker principle of holiness which may unhappily be abated though it be recruited again the reason why the soul of an healthful person moves and acts with more vivacity and energy and power then the soul of a sick man is because in the latter it may
Tim. 1.15 Some have left their Love Rev. 2.3 Some left the Faith 1 Tim. 5.12 Some have turned after the world as Demas 2 Tim. 4 10. Some have turned aside after Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 And would to God there were no Example to be given in our age and observation it is that which the professors of a true Religion are more subject to then those of a false Jer. 21.1 Hath a nation changâ—d their god which yet are no gods but my people have changed their glory for that which doâ—h not profit Now there are three falls to which men are subject 1. Some fall as wood or Cork into the water sink at first Mat. 14.31 Act. 27.20 and 44. but get up again being helped by the hand of divine grace as Peter or brought off by a miracle of mercy as Paul and his company after all hopes of safety were quite taken a way This the fall of the godly 2. Some fall as lead or stone into the bottom of hell as Pharaohs host into the bottom of the sea and never rise again Exod. 15. having neither promise of God nor seed of God to raise them up again 1 Tim. 1.19 but make a final shipwarck of faith and conscience and of their souls together This the fall of the wicked 3. There is a mixt fall common to both which is like the falling into an Epidemical Disease whereof many dye and as many recover of which in their order There are four kinds or degrees of falling which the people of God are subject to And four kinds or degrees to which the wicked are subject and each latter is worse then other in them both 1. The first and lightest fall of the godly 4. Falls of thâ— Godly is that in their daily combate between flesh and spirit set out Rom. 7. at large and Gal. 5.17 We cannot do what we would but fail or fall short after our best endeavours Our duties are imperfect graces defective our gold and silver drossy our wine mixt with water Sin deceiveth surprizeth captiveth slayeth yet reigneth not all this while It is not I but sin that dwels in me I consent to the Law I delight in the law of God even in my inner man c. These falls or slips are unavoydable involuntary there is no Saint but complains of them no duty but is stained with them In our clearest Sun-shine we see a world of such Moats which yet hinder not the light and comfort of our Justification and destroy not Sanctification True grace consists with these Velimus nolimus Irruunt in nos Egyptiorum muscae obstrepunt Ranae in Cubilibus Regiis Prov. 24.16 yea is not separated from the assaults and induelling of such motions Will we Nill we said Bernard We are pesterd with swarms of these Egyptian flyes and have these frogs in our inmost chambers We are none of us Supralapsarians in this sense but Sub-lapsarians all yea and Relapsarians too The just falleth seven times a day by this infirmity and riseth again and taketh no harm but is kept humble and depending thereby Every son and daughter of Abraham is kept bound under this spirit of infirmity to their dying day This first fall is but like the fall of a mist in a winter morning the Sun gets up and it is a fair day after This is the first fall The second is worse which is 2. An actual visible stumble as to offence of others yet occasioned by some surreptitious surprize of temptation for want of that due consideration which we should always have this Gal. 6.1 the Apostle calls a mans being overtaken with a fault who is to be restored with a spirit of meekness considering we also may be tempted such falls or slips rather all or most are subject to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all We sometimes trip or slip or misse our hold so the word signifies and so down we come but not out of choice Thus did Peter slip or halt Gal. 2.14 when he did Judaise out of too much complyance with the Jewes whom therefore Paul did rebuke and restore Thus the Disciples slipt when they in zeale to Christ would have fire fetcht down from heaven upon those that would not receive them Luk. 9.54 55. whom Christ set right with a spirit of meekness These slips or falls are like those of him whose foot is wrenched or out of joynt whence he halts till it be set right Thus Peter is said to halt Gal. 2.14 he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Paul had set his wrenched foot he went upright ever after Hence that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.1 restore is a Chirurgeons word to set him right as a bone out of joynt He that shall be censorious and severe against these two first kind of falls incident to most let him as Constantine said to Acesius the Novatian Bishop Get himselfe a ladder Socr. l. 1. c. 7. and climbe up to heaven by himselfe he should have but a few come there else 3. The third fall is much worse a fall from the third lost whence like Eutichus they are taken up dead for the present but they come to themselves again These are falls into grosser and more scandalous sins which do Vastare conscientiam set the stacks or Corn-fields of Conscience on fire whereas the other two forenamed especially the former are such as Tertullian calls Quotidianae Incursionis these are very dangerous and befall not all Professors they had not need but now and then one falls into some scandalous sin but they not usually again into the same sin after sense and repentance of it Thus fell David and Peter into foul flagitiousness but not deliberately nor totally nor finally nor reiteratedly Sin raged indeed and seemed to reign for the present Moses hands grew weak and the hand of Amaleck prevailed for the present But a seed of God was in them 1 John 3.9 and they could not sin unto death but were renewed to repentance and their sins are blotted out This fall is like the fall of the Leafe in Autumn life remains safe a Spring in due time follows though many a cold blast first 4. There is yet one worse fall than these former incident to a child of God too to be of the decaying hand and to remit and lose his former fervour and livelinesse And it may be he never comes as the second Temple up to the former pitch and glory Ezra 3.12 1 King 11 4 9 10. Thus Solomons zeale and love was abated in his old age as his father Davids naturall heat was in his age that he needed an Abishag to lye in his bosome Incepit melius quâ—m definit Vltima primit cedunt dissimilis hâ—c puer ille senex so was Solomons spirituall heat cooled by the many Abishags that lay in his bosome and
debauched watchmen who having drunk sufficiently one day say they will do as much to morrow and more too and so had their drinking matches and rantings from day to day The third Use is of Discrimination 3. Vse to discover who is clean and who unclean in respect of falls and relapses and to put a difference between the holy and prophane which is the proper work of a faithful Prophet to some we are to open the door of hope to some to shut it Ezek. 22. â—6 1 Joh 5 17. every sin is not a sin to death every disease not the Plague every Ulcer not a Leprosie 1. There are some who have fallen into foule sins and they think their case desperate because of the greatness of their sins but their sin is not the sin against the Holy Ghost because not committed after light taste partaking of the Holy Ghost c. but in the days of their ignorance as Paul once some fall fouly after conversion as Peter but not deliberately maliciously and both these may be the spots of children they see the plague in their heart feel the smart these have foul scabs 1 Kingâ— but they go to Jordan and wash go to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness and then though their sins be as scarlet Esay 1. they shall be as white as snow though red like crimson they shall be as white as wooll 2. There be some Relapses through humane infirmity which are truly bewailed this is not the sin against the Holy Ghost neither Come into the Camp I pronounce such clean For 1. there is no raw flesh of pride and presumption in them 2. All is turned whi e by true repentance it is a scab Lev. 13.4 5 6 14. and but a scab 3. It is but skin-deep the heart was not tainted 4. It standeth at a stay These four signs shew it to be no Plague of Leprosie such are not to be shut up or put out of the Camp And God as he pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin so he promiseth to heal and pardon their backeslidings Hos 14.4 Jer. 3.22 3. But there are others that make a trade of sin drink up iniquity like water Deut. 24.19 20 that add Drunkenness to thrist and fall and rise and rise and fall they lapse and relapse and slide away as water shall I say such shall have peace No what peace to such so long as their sins remain the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and he shall blot out his name from under heaven Call not this a Scab this is the Plague of Leprosie this is more then skin-deep Lev. 13.10 11 14 15. Psal 68.21 this doth not stand at a stay here is proud raw flesh this is an old sore thou must out of the Camp thou art unclean God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of him that goeth on still in his trespasses I shall to conclude give a few short Directions to prevent Falls and Relapses but cannot now enlarge upon them 1. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation This is the old and great receit Mat. â—6 41 and daily experimented with every ordinary Saint probatum est watch in prayer watch after watch when alone watch when in company especially against ill Company and all occasions of sin 2. Keep conscience tender and shun the first motions and occasions of sin if thou find thy self given to appetite put a knife to thy throat is the wise mans counsel if to wine look not on the glass if to wantonness come not neer her corner the consecrated Nazarite must not only forbear the wine but the grape and not only the juyce but the husk and kernel of it Num. 6.4 3. Take heed of having slight thoughts of sin as to say as long as it is no worse it is the first time it is but now and then a great chance when I meet with such company and many have such foolish pleas and so play at the mouth of the Cockatrice Den till they are stung to death Deut. 29.19 4. Of having light thoughts of Gods mercy I shall have peace I shall have mercy when I do but ask At what time soever will save me we can't out sin the mercy of God when sin abounds grace superabounds c. The Lord faith he will not spare such nor be merciful to them 5. Take heed of reasoning from Gods temporal forbearance to eternal forgiveness Eccles 8.11 12. Because sentence is not speedily exâ—cuted against an evil doer his heart is fully set in him to do evil but though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged c. yet it shall not be well with the wicked at last 6. Take heed of presuming of thy own strength I can and I mean to repent I can when I will and I will when time serves Qui promittâ—t poenitenti veniam non promittit peccâ—nti poenitentiam I trust I am not so bad that God hath not given me over many have gone further then I why may I not repent at last hour 7. Take heed of a mock-repentance saying I cry God mercy God forgive me I sin daily and repent daily when I have sworn or been drunk I am heartily sorry Is not this repentance I answer no Repentance is quite another thing the burnt child we say dreads the fire Thou hast smarted for suretiship and hast repented of it thy friend comes again and desires thee to be bound with him once again thou replyst I have paid dear for surtiship already I have repented of my folly I have resolved to come into bonds again no more no not for the best friend I have thou art importuned by many arguments but peremptorily refusest urge me no more I have vowed and resolved against and have made an oath I would never be taken in that fault again Now I believe thee that thou hast truly repented of suretiship why dost thou not thus when thou art enticed unto sin again why dost thou not say I have smarted confessed bewailed been heartily sorry for my former folly now speak no more of it Psa 119.106 Psa 119.115 I have sworn and will perform it to keep Gods commandments Away from me ye wicked I must keep the Commandments of my God This would be somewhat like true repentance But take heed of a mock-repentance lest as true repentance meets with a true pardon thy mock-repentance should be answered with a mock-pardon as Tertullian excellently saith There be some that say saith he their heart is good De Paenitent they fear God grieve for sin though yet they fall into sin they can salva side metu peccare c. sic ipsi salva venia in gehennam detrudentur dum salvo metu peccant They can live in sin nevertheless notwithstanding their faith and repentance and God can damn them nevertheless notwithstanding
mortal sickness 2. The spring of it Gods grace he is gracious 3. The meritorious cause of it I have found a ransom 4. The declaration of it he saith c. The difficulties are neither many nor great yet some things there are which need explication If a messenger an Angel i. e. by office not by nature for so the word is oft used in Scripture both in the Old Testament Mal. 3.1 Behold I will send my messenger Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Angel which the infallible interpreter the Lord Jesus tels us was meant of John the Baptist Mat. 11.10 This is he of whom it is written Behold I send a messenger c. and in the New Testament Rev. 2. and 3. where the Pastours of the several Churches are called Angels and so it is most fitly understood here both because God did then and still doth most generally use the Ministry of men rather then Angels in counselling and comforting afflicted men and because he is called one of a thousand a phrase which implies as his excellency and fitness for that work so the insufficiency of most of the same kind for it which must not be charged upon the meanest of Gods elect Angels An interpreter viz. of the mind and will of God Christ is the great interpreter Joh. 1.18 but he when he ascended on high gave forth this gift and left us interpreters in his stead Eph. 4.11 c. To shew unto a man this righteousness i. e. mans own righteousness to say nothing of the other senses for it is the sin and unrighteousness of a man which causeth his disease and the sense of that sin which makes his disease bitter and formidable sin is the sting of every affliction now then omnis curatio fit per contraria all cures are wrought by contraries when therefore a faithful Messenger or Minister of Christ having made the sick man sensible of his sin and afterwards of the pardon of it and when he comes to discover to him his righteousness uprightness holiness then God is gracious c. although it is not at all impossible that here may be a reference to Christs righteousness for Job is no stranger to that and the word ransom carries an evident relation thither So that both may be conjoyned Then he i. e. God is gracious God is always gracious in himself in his own nature but he is gracious to none but in his own way and upon his own terms God is not gracious to unrighteous unholy persons but when men return from their sins c God is gracious and saith i. e. God saith Deliver him he saith so to his Minister he gives him commission to deliver him i. e. to declare him to be delivered God delivers men authoritative realiter Ministers only Ministerialiter declarative it is an usual phrase Ministers are said to do that which they declare God will do Jer. 1.10 I have set thee over kingdoms and nations saith God to Jeremiah to root out to pull down and to destroy i. e. to declare that I will do it I have found a ransom I have received satisfaction i. e. in the death of my Son which was a ransom satisfactory for the sins of his people And farther it is by vertue of this ransom that Gods people are delivered not only from hell but from any other miseries Indeed as Divines distinguish of the resurrection of the godly and the wicked so the temporal deliverances which wicked men receive they are the effects of common providence but those which Christs members receive they have as the fruits of Christs purchase And well saith God I have found a ransom for it was beyond the wit of men or Angels to find out such an admirable way for mans salvation Thus you have had the coherence division and sense of the words There are several Doctrines which these words would afford but I shall forbear the very mention of them and only speak of this one which falls to my share Doct. That the seasonable instruction of sick and languishing persons is awork as of great advantage so of great skill and difficulty I need not spend much time in the proof yet something must be said of it there are two branches 1. It is of great advantage 2. It is of great difficulty 1. That it is a work of great advantage It is convenient to say something of this because I take it to be a common mistake of many persons they are apt to think that sick-bed applications are in a manner useless and ineffectual it may be a discouragement which the Devil proposeth to Ministers or others to make them neglect this work or be formal in it especially when the persons are ignorant or profane the Devil may suggest the invalidity of a sick-bed repentance the customariness and hypocrisie of sick-bed desires c. now to obviate such suggestions consider these things 1. That the instruction of sick persons is Gods institution so you see in the Text a messenger i. e. one sent of God to this purpose now Gods institutions are not in vain every institution of God carries a promise in its bowels to him that doth not ponere obinem that doth rightly use it Ministers or Christian friends may go about it with much comfort for it is Gods work as he said Have not I commanded you c. it is one of those ways as you see in the Chapter which God ordained to reclaim sinners and when you attempt it you may expect Gods concurrence You may pray in faith for Gods assistance in his Ordinance 2. Gods mercy is proposed by himself and may be offered by Ministers even to languishing persons it is true it must be done cautiously as you shall hear but it may be done God doth indefinitely tender his mercy to all and we must not limit where God limits not Ministers may safely follow Gods evample and whereas it may be thought that such men only come to God as driven by necessity You must know that God is so gracious that he receives even such whom meer necessity drives to him and indeed all true converts are first perswaded to come to God by the sense of their own necessities though afterwards they are elevated to a more noble disposition God never rejected any upon this ground how many came to Christ meerly in sense of their bodily maladies and were sent away with spiritual cure Christ received her that came not to him till she had in vain tried all other Physitians So in that parable of the Prodigal wherein God is pleased to represent the methods of his grace in the conversion and salvation of sinners you shall find that God doth not reject that poor prodigal because he was forced home by that Durum telum necessitas by insuperable straits and difficulties 3. Sick-bed repentance is not wholly impossible though it be hard sickness is one means that God useth to work repentance God can work repentance even
of all their sins Oh man whoever thou art that makest thy neighbour drunk by putting the bottle to his mouth that callest to thy brother saying â—ast in thy lot amâ—ngst us and let us have one purse that inticest the soule of the simple with a Come let us take our fill of loves and solace our selves untill the morning I tell thee thou art guilty of all their sins and mayest justly be punished with all their plagues for this Christians is a most Devilish practice to tempt and provoke others to wickednesse All sins indeed are devilish sins Per modum servitutis but some sins are devilish sins Per modum imaginis in all sins men bear the Devils yoak 1 John 3.8 but in some sins men bear the Devils image Five Sins especially the Scripture brands as devilish Sins and this is the chief 1. False accusation 2 Tim. 3.3 men shall be false accusers Devils sayes the Greek 2. Lyâ—ng John 8.44 you are of your father the Devil for he is a liar and the father of it 3. Pride 1 Tim 3.6 not a novice lest puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 4. Persecution Revel 2.10 the Devil shall cast some of you into prison i. e. devilish men-persecutors 5. Temptation as this is Get thee behinde me Satan sayes Christ to Peter when he tempted him Maâ—th 16.23 He that shall either hinder another of doing that good which is commanded or shall further another to the doing of that evil which is prohibited is justly chargeable with both their Sins 2. By compliance by consenting and complying with Sin and Sinners so a man makes himself partaker though he has no hand in 't yet if he has a heart in 't though he does not act it yet if he likes it and loves it and approves it though he does not persecute Gods Saints and Ministers yet if he saith Aha! aha so would we have it 't is enough to make him guilty before God Saul he had no hand in Saint Stephens death he did not cast one stone at him but because he looked on with approbation and stood by with consent Acts 8.1 Saul was consenting unto his death therefore was he esteemed guilty of his blood and murder and so himself confesses when God had awakened him and humbled him to repentance Acts 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I was consenting to his death and so charges himself as guilty of it God looks not upon the outward man so much as upon the heart according to the frame and inclination of the heart according as the pulse of the heart beats so is every man in the account esteem of God if Sin has once storm'd the Fort-Royall of the heart though it never appears in the out-works the Garrison is lost That which is upon the stage of the heart after consent is as truly acted in the sight of God as that which appeares in the outward man by commission Matth 15.19 Out of the heart proceeds murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies Why beloved from the hand proceeds Murders and Thefts Eph 4.28 from the eye proceedes Adulteries and Fornications 2 Pet. 2.14 and from the tongue proceeds f lâ—e witnesses and blasphemies Psal 120.3 Oh but the heart is the forge of all You may murder a man with a thought as they say the Rasilisk will with a look such a poysonous thing a wicked heart is and let me tell you 't is the heart-murder and the heart-adultery and the heart-blasphemy and the heart-iniquity that God especially judges according to that famous place Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his wayes i. e. according to what I see acted and done upon the stage of the heart sayes God he does not onely judge the actions but he judges the very intentâ—ons 3. By connivance by a sinfull dissembling flatâ—ering and winking at others in their wickednesse and sins so men become guilty of others sins Isa 9.16 The leaders of this people cause them tâ— erre 't is in the Hebrew the blessers of this people cause them to erre Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beat fican es populum the blessers of men in wickednesse are the leaders of men in wickednesse he that shall wink at and flaâ—ter men in Sins when he knowes in his conscience that they doe wickedly he makes himself Captain and Master of mis-rule among them And thus we are too prone to be partakers of Magistraâ—es sins and Governours sins and great mens sins Patrons sins and Landlords sins If the Grandees of the world profane the Sabbath dishonour God rant and swear and scoff at Religion out of a base cowardly spirit or out of a carnall covetous heart we flatter them and let them alone it may be applaud them as he said Tu fa hunc Dominum te facit ille Deum doe but make him a Lord and hee straight-way makes thee a God as if we were not to distâ—nguish between the persons of men and the vices of men or as if so be we more feared a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils than we do the immortall God who can frown us into hell in a moment Oh thâ—s is to be deeply guilty of other mens Sins See how sharply God by his Proâ—het taxes and reproves this dawbing in those wicked upholsters that sow pillows to every elbow Ezek. 13.17 and so forward Read it at leisure I fear this has been the Sin of former Times and Governments God grant it may not be the Sin of present and future Ages for men to connive at any that promote their own interests Alas my brethren methinks the interest of Piety and the interest of Conscience and the interest of the eternall God judge of quick and dead should swallow up all the interests of the world If Nebuchadnezzar himself should set up a golden Image and would have it worshipp'd I tell you 't is not treason for Sidrach Meshech and Abednego to say Wee are not carefull oh King to answer thee in this matter Dan. 3.16 Besides let not men deceive themselves for such persons as can so easily betray the interest of God will never be afraid if opportunity serve to oppose the soveraignty of man whose authority he bears and are not indeed Hushai's but Ziba's not Davids friends but Davids flatterers 4. By sufferance by permitting the sins of others so we become guilty by suffering others to sin whom we are bound in duty and may be able by authority to hinder and thus as in the former particular we are guilty of Magistrates sins in this particular Magistrates oft-times become guilty of our sins Kings and Rulers and subordinate Magistrates become oft-times deeply guilty of their peoples sins namely by sufferance by tolerating Errours and Heresies and Blasphemies on the one hand or by suffering wickednesse and profanenesse on the other That Ruler or Magistrate that shall suffer either loose
their souls from death James 5.20 and hide a multitude of sins Now the principal Objects of this excellent duty are such with whom wee converse such to whom wee are obliged and connexed by the bonds and links of nature office or vicinity of habitation Hence was it that our blessed Lord while hee walked in the valley of his Incarnation exercised his Ministry most part among his kindred relations and neighbours at Nazareth Capernaum Bethsaida neer the Sea of Tiberias at Cana and other Regions of Galilee in which parts hee had receive his Education Andrew when hee understood the call of Christ the gret Saviour of the world John 1.41 hee presently seeks out his Brother Simon to bring him to the Messiah Philip after the like manifestation looks out for Nathaniel and in a great extasie of spirit John 1.45 cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write There are many instances of this nature both in the Old and New Testament Abraham and Joshua were famous in their Generation for this work they counted it their principal business they made it their great care to instruct their families in the fear and service of the great God Psal 101.2 David also ingages to walk in his house with a perfect heart that by his exemplary pattern hee might gain over his family to the Lord. Luke 5.29 Matthew the Publican wee read did invite all the Tribute-gatherers that were of his own Fraternity and Profession to a great Feast that they might sit down with Christ and feed upon his heavenly Doctrine John 4.53 The great man in the City of Capernaum brings in his whole family to the beleef of the Truth Act. 10.24 Cornelius the Roman Centurion who was quartered at Caesarea calls his Relations together to hear the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance The woman in the Gospel having found the lost groat after great pains and diligence calls in her friends and neighbours to rejoyce with her Luke 15.9 Crispus and the Jaylor and Lydia and Stephanas are eminent Examples of this duty by whose conscientious care and procurement it may bee supposed that their whole housholds came under the roof of Christ because presently after that wee have heard of their own personal Baptism wee finde their families also washed in that sacred Layer I shall not insist upon Arguments to prove the incumbent necessity of this duty or Motives to allure you to the practice of it I might deduce it as an inference consequent from the Law of Nature to use our greatest indeavours that our Relations might obtain an union to the best and highest good I might draw it from the. Divine Injunction I might excite your diligence from the consideration of the dreadful danger following its neglect Psal 78.5 from the comfort that will flow into thy bosome upon the exercise of it since it is a notable evidence of the sincerity of Grace in thine own heart None but such as have seen and tasted can cry out to others with an holy affectionate vehemency O come taste and see that the Lord is good P1sal 34.8 The Wine of the Kingdome having once warmed the hearts of Saints sends up vivacious spirits and fills their mouths with a holy loquacity I might further provoke thee to this excellent work by the rich benefit in gaining such to love thee whose affections will exceed all natural love whatever and by the great reward that shall ensue in the life to come For they that turn many to righteousness Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the stars for ever and ever O Brethren if families were holy then Cities then Nations would quickly prove Mountains of Holiness and Seats for the Throne of God Wee are apt to cry out of bad times Alas those unclean Nests of ungodly Families have been the causes of all the wickedness in all Ages and Generations to this day Therefore whoever thou art on whom the Grace of God hath shined study that holy art of Divine Reflection and Re-percussion of that light on others hearts which bring 's mee to an useful and practical question Quest You I say What course shall wee take what means shall wee use what method will you prescribe that wee may bee able to manage this important and weighty duty that wee may bee helpful towards the conversion and salvation of our neer Relations that are in the state of nature I confess this Question is of grand importance and being properly solved may prove of great influence in all places where wee are cast by Divine Providence There is scarce a family scarce a person living who may not bee comprehended within the verge and limits of this discourse Ans In answer therefore to it I shall spend the principal part of my time and that I may handle it the more distinctly I shall rank such as may desire satisfaction and direction in this weighty and excellent case under three forms or orders Such as are either Superiours Equals or Inferiors But before I enter into the main body of the Answer I shall crave leave to premise three things 1. That this Question is not to bee understood of persons in publick capacity and concernment as Magistrates or Ministers but of Family-Relations Kindred Co-habitants Neighbours Friends and Acquaintance of such as have frequent converse together in Civil Societies and often commerce in dealings but principally of Oeconomical Relatives or such as are nigh to each other by blood or affinity 2. That Saving-Conversion is in the power of God alone to effect as being the primary and principal efficient cause of all those gracious works that accompany salvation There is none able to kindle Grace in the heart but hee who hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Yet not withstanding all of us in our several stations as subordinate instruments may and must use all wholesome means that are of Divine Appointment conducing to such a blessed end 3. That there are different states conditions capacities and qualifications among such Relations whose conversion wee should endeavour Some being perhaps enormously and outragiously wicked others morally civil and yet further others possibly may bee conformable to the institutions of the external worship of God Of these I may speak Sparsim opere interâ—exto as the particulars will hear together with such other appendant cases that may hold some consanguinity with the General Question To begin then with the first branch Quest 1. What means Superiors principally in Family-Relations should use to draw on their Inferiors to rellish and savour the things of God True it is what Jerom saies fiunt Hieronym ad Laetam Tom. 1. p. 55. edit Lugd. 1530. non nascuntur Christian No man is born a Christian but an heir of wrath and divine justice For the obtaining of the New Birth thin in such as are committed to our charge I shall draw up directions under
affections indeed most times are first wrought upon we are so sensual by nature When thou art once gotten into their hearts then press them with weighty Arguments drawn out of Scripture argue with them about the folly of sin See how Job handles the matter with his wife about murmuring and impatience against God Iâ—b 2.10 What shall wee receive good at the haâ—d of God and not evil Let them know that all the waies of God are pleasant waies and all his paths are peace Prov. 3.17 That the path to Heaven is a most sweet path to walk in Shew them the beauty of Christ the glory of Christ draw aside the curtain and unvail the mysteries of free-grace before their eyes Let them behold the Image of that blessed Saviour pourtrayed in Scripture As the Spouse did to the Daughters of Jerusalem run over all the excellencies of Christ and then conclude Hee is alâ—ogether lovely This is my Beloved Cant. 5.16 and this is my Friend O Daughters of Jerusalem Tell them what experience you had of the blindness nakedness miserableness of your own condition formerly when you were as they are now that you then thought of Religion as they do that it was but a peevish foolish unnecessary strictness Tell them how the case is mended with you how admirably through mercy 't is altered 3. Let your conversation be very exemplary so that what you perswade may be strongly confirmed by your own Example Both vice and vertue are learned by Presidents Alexander in his manners and gate did imitate his Master Leonides as long as he lived Hieron ad Laet. p. 56 57. Nihil in te in patre suo videat quod si fecerit peccet Let thy childe behold nothing in thy walking which if followed may prove sinful Be an example to others of holiness Id. P. 101. that they may not offend by the authority of thy Name Though thy precepts be short and concise let thine actions exemplifying those precepts be constant and perpetual Max. Tyr. dess 15. Deny your selves sometimes in the injoyment of lawful things which may not be expedient before Carnal Relations when you are upon this work Let Wives saies the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.1 2. win their husbands by their holy conversation Walk so meekly so obediently so winningly by an amiable deportment that a wicked drunken husband may see the picture of grace in the life of a wife and may be forced to confess that grace of a truth dwelleth in her 1 Cor 7.16 Many times the unbeleeving husband may be saved even in this sense by the beleeving wife vice versâ David profest that he would walk in his house with a perfect heart Psal 101.2 As the water follows the finger in the Clay so may thy example lead them on to the things of God There is a secret reverence and awe upon the hearts of others when any in the family do walk worthy of the Gospel unto all well pleasing Fourthly and lastly After thou hast used all these fore-mentioned directions which lye couched in the bowels of these words in the Text my hearts desire is that Israel may hee saved For if he did heartily desire their good as he profest then he would use all good means proper and proportionable to that end But then hee adds his prayer to God for the same purpose and so must thou follow the example of our holy Apostle Alas all thy instructions without prayer will do no good Go to God to sanctifie all and to perswade their souls that you have a most single and sincere aim at their everlasting salvation Pray apart for them and if the condition of thy Relations will admit pray with them and therein couch some sweet reflections upon their souls Elijah when he was in prayer with company cries out 1 King 18.37 O Lord hear mee that this people may know that thou art the Lord God Joh. 17.20 18.1 Our blessed Lord also in that heavenly prayer to the Father makes most sweet and ardent mention of his Disciples who were present with him Job 1.5 Job he sacrificed for his children he sent for them and sanctified them and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all To teach us to pray for children distinctly one by one Abraham he begs of God Gen. 17.18 Prov. 31.2 Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight and Bathshebah shee calls Solomon the Son of her vows Austin was the childe of Monica's prayers and tears Ask counsel of God as Manoah did Iudg. 13.8 that he would be pleased to teach you what you must do with your children Beg of God wisdome and direction that he would order providential seasons for their good let that be your great request in secret Oh that such a childe such a servant might be pull'd as a firebrand out of the fire Iude 23. and brought home to God Should ye have the wisdome of Angels if God do not come in to your help all your labour will be in vain Cry out with the poor man in the Gospel Lord have mercy on my Son Mat. 17.15 for he is sore vexed for oft-times he falleth into the fire and oft into the water sometimes into one sin sometimes into another whereby his soul incurs fearful and terrible dangers Commend thy childe to God whom thou hast begotten to death and damnation unless wonderful mercy interpose it self Sprinkle him with the holy water of melting tears beg of God that he may be delivered from the wrath to come by his Almighty Arm. Petition earnestly for the pardon of those sins for the rooting out that spiritual wickedness which thou hast been the means to propagate Pray it out fast it out weep it out before God Such Devils go not out without fasting and prayer Now I shall make some brief Application of the whole and so conclude Use 1. In the first place hence we learn the diffusive nature of holiness 2 King 4.3 it is like the widows Oil that filled all the vessels of her neighbours He that is holy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto God himself for communicatâ—veness as well as for purity in his small degree and measure The language of a Saint is Come let us sing praise Psal 95.1 2. let us come before his presence with thanksgiving Come yee Isa 2.3 and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies c. Use 2. To reprove such as do not perform their utmost that do not improve their skill and endeavour to the height in this excellent work Every childe is born an heir of Hell and wilt thou use no means to deliver his soul from death and to pull him out of the jaws of the Devil Oh thou ungodly Father that like Gallio takest no care in this matter God will require the blood
doth good to his own soul hee addeth Prov. 11.17 but hee that is cruel troubleth his own flesh Soul and Flesh are the two essential parts of a man both the one and the other are Synecdochically put for the whole man even for the person By a cruel man is meant an unmerciful or a hard-hearted-man for hee is opposed to a merciful man The meaning then of the proverb is this As a merciful man doth good not only to his poor Brother to whom hee sheweth mercy but also to himself So an hard-hearted-man doth not only grieve his distressed neighbour in affording him no succour but also brings much dammage to himself Prov. 11.24 For hee that with-holdeth more than is meet cometh to poverty With-holding is there opposed to scattering which word hath reference to casting or sowing seed on the earth to bring forth a crop and thereby is meant Alms-giving On the contrary With-holding more than is meet implies a denial of Alms when there is just cause to give Justice and equity require this duty as wee have before shewed so as that phrase doth much aggravate this kind of unmercifulness and as a just punishment thereof that which covetous men by refusing to give seek to prevent shall fall upon them even poverty And if in any distress they shall be forced to seek help of others even they shall bee neglected as they neglected others The Wise-man testifieth as much in these words Prov. 21.13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor hee also shall cry himself and not bee heard Not only other men Luk. 16.24 but also God himself will refuse to hear his cry Dives who refused to relieve Lazarus could not obtain any to afford him a drop of water to cool his tongue when hee was tormented in Hell flames It is expresly said Mat. 18.33 that hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy James 2.13 For God deals with men according to their dealing with others Finally as blessings are promised to merciful men so curses are denounced against unmerciful men Prov. 28.27 As under blessings all manner of good things are comprized so under curses all manner of evils Unmerciful men shall have the curses of men Prov. 11.26 and people shall curse them And at the great day of judgement they shall be pronounced cursed by the great Judge For then shall hee say unto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 42 c. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee no drink c. If wee must aim at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 JOHN 5.13 These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Son of God that yee may know that yee have Eternal Life THe greatness of the mercy in having of the Scripture is manifested by the great advantages that the Elect of God receive thereby viz. a John 20.31 that they might bee brought to close with Christ by faith unfeigned and bee partakers of eternal life through him that bad men might bee made good that good men might bee made sure of an eternal blessed state in the life to come whereby the Lord hath abundantly provided both for our happiness and our comfort for our happiness that wee may have eternal life b 1 John 1.4 Rom. 15.4 for our comfort that wee may know wee have eternal life I cannot stay to view the context I need not stay to explain the Text. The case of conscience to bee treated of from this Scripture is this Since men may know that they have eternal life what must they do that cannot discern their spiritual Condition Here are two things to bee performed First That wee may know in this life that wee shall certainly bee partakers of eternal glory in the life to come For if assurance bee not possible I can neither blame you for wanting it nor stir you up to labour after it Secondly Lay down some Rules for the getting of it and directions if by these rules wee cannot for the present obtain it For the stating of the first part of the Question concerning the possibility of getting this certain knowledge of our future Happiness I shall lay before you these six positions 1. Position 1. An unregenerate person while c Iohn 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.10 12. such can have no assurance or certain knowledge of the eternal salvation of his Immortal soul Because as such hee hath no actual interest in the promises of salvation being without the conditions of faith and repentance to which the promises are made being a childe of d Eph. 2.3 wrath e Tit. 3.3 a slave to his lusts a f 2 Tim. 2.26 captive to the Devil a g Ioh. 5.40.43 Mark 12.10 rejecter of the Son of God This man hath plague sores tokens of eternal death I cannot say thou shalt bee infallibly damned because thou h 2 Tim. 2.25 mayest repent and beleeve and thou canst not say thou shalt bee saved because thou hast not yet repented for thy sin nor beleeved on the Son of God A wicked man is not subjectum capax a subject capable of this assurance Eph. 1.13 In whom also after yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy spirit of promise It is not the hard stone but the soft wax that receiveth the impression of the seal If hee hope for Salvation while hee liveth and dyeth in a natural condition hee shall loose his hope i Iob 11.20 8.13 14. 18.14 and soul together this presumption will prove self-delusion and end in desperation Hee is worse than a Pharisee k Luke 18.11 whether hee bee a private person or a Preacher that liveth in gross sins hating the power of godliness and discouraging holiness that yet blesseth God for election justification sanctification and assured hope of glory 2. Position 2. That many of Gods dear Children l Psal 77.1 to the 10. ver 88.14 15 16. Isa 50.10 for a long time might remain very doubtful as to their present and eternal condition and know not what to conclude whether they shall bee damned or whether they shall bee saved There are beleevers of several growths in the Church of God m 1 Ioh. 2.13.14 Fathers Young men Children and n 1 Pet. 2.2 Babes and as in most families there are more babes and children than grown men so in the Church of God there are more weak doubting Christians than strong ones grown up to a full assurance A Babe may bee born and yet not know it so a man may bee born again and not be sure of it Sometimes they think they have grounds of hope that they shall bee saved sometimes they think they have grounds of fears that they shall
matter Good Lord what sloth stupidity negligence hath possessed our hearts surely if thou didst beleeve that thou mightest bee in thy grave to morrow wouldest thou not make sure of heaven to day if the lease of thy house be almost expired and the Land-lord hath given thee warning to provide thee another Habitation for hee will not suffer thee to renew it any more dost thou not presently enquire of thy friends and of thy neighbours Sirs can you tell mee where I may have a convenient dwelling I have but a little time in the house where I am and I have had warning to go out by such a day art thou not careful to have an house ready to go to upon the very same day thou leavest the former Alas man dost thou not know the lease of thy life is almost out nay dost thou not know that thou art only a tenant at will and God may turn thee out at an hours at a moments warning and yet dost thou not make sure of an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens hath not God given thee warning did thy head never ake was thy heart never sick surely if thou didst not forget thy own mortality thou wouldest be more careful painful diligent in thy business I see frequently men upon their sick-beds when they think they must dye begin to inquire after Heaven and how they may know their sins are pardoned and whether their souls shall be saved because the apprehension of the neerness of the grave doth rouze them and for all thou knowest thou though now in health mayest be as soon in thy grave as hee that lieth sick God can stop thy breath when hee pleaseth Art thou mortal look then after thy soul 4. Is not this too great a sleighting of the comforts of the Spirit of God of Christ and Happiness is there not so much excellency in all these and sweetness in discerning thy propriety to them as to provoke thee to diligence in making sure of them 5. Dost not thou know that others have looked long after it and dost thou think thou shalt come so easily to it others have prayed much and searched themselves often and yet have not been able to satisfie all their own doubts whether they have gone farther than ever any hypocrite went and dost thou think it will be so easily discerned whether thy heart be sincere with God many finde it a hard thing to distinguish betwixt the highest degrees of common grace in hypocrites and the lowest degrees of saving grace in a true beleever 6. Dost thou think that conscience will never be awakened to disquiet thee when thou canst not satisfie it about thy salvation will it alwaies be in this spiritual slumber dost thou think that sickness will never come and that death will never come and that trouble will never seize upon thee when thy conscience shall be so alarmed that thou wouldest give all thou art worth to know what shall become of thy soul oh then for an infallible evidence of Gods Love oh then that thou mightest know whether God will pardon thy sin and save thy soul oh dreadful case when thou comest to dye and conscience shall accuse thee for thy sloth when thou feelest thy spirit begin to fail and apprehendest thy self neer the grave and conscience rageth and is not at peace because thou dost not know whether thou shalt go to Heaven or Hell It is dreadful doleful sad to hear these complaints from a dying man oh woe is mee that I must take my farewell of all my friends and death is impatient of delay and yet I cannot say my sins are pardoned oh woe is mee though I lye a dying I cannot say my sins are pardoned within a little while my body must be carried from my bed to my grave but oh it breaks my heart that I cannot tell whether my soul my precious and yet too much neglected Soul shall be carried to Heaven by holy Angels or dragged down to Hell by cursed devils oh that God would grant mee a month or two a little longer that I may work out my salvation but thy conscience shall tell thee thou hadst time but thou didst mis-spend it thou hadst it but thou didst not improve it in getting this grand Question resolved Whether thou hadst made thy peace with God Consider now how dreadful it will be when conscience is awakened and thou in this case unresolved 7. If thou be a true Christian yet herein dost thou not act too much like the careless ungodly world they take no care to make sure of Heaven and wilt thou justifie their practice and harden them in it There are some carnal ones in the family a carnal husband or a carnal wife or ungodly children or graceless servants that minds not God nor care for their souls that look not after Heaven and wilt thou be guilty of incouraging them in their carelesness and hardening them in their forgetfulness of God by thine own remisseness but if thou wast serious in the use of means pressing following hard after God thy strictness might shame them out of their wickedness and might reflect upon themselves if such a one that lives so circumspectly and taketh such pains in duties and yet doubteth and fears and would fain be resolved what a careless wretch am I never to regard my own soul they are ignorant of God and his excellency of Christ and his beauty of Grace and its necessity and therefore desire them not nor care to make sure of them but God hath opened thine eyes to see all these Stir up thy self then to get a certainty of thine interest in them 8. Art thou not too much guilty of hypocrisie when thou goest to the table of the Lord and yet dost not give diligence to make thy calling and election sure nor to have the certain knowledge of the pardon of thy sin and of thy peace with God is not the Lords supper an ordinance for the helping the right receivers to assurance of the pardon of their sin in the blood of Christ is it not for that end a seal of the covenant of grace if thou sayest thou usest it for this end why then dost thou look after it no more when thou returnest from that Ordinance Having premised these things to awaken you and rouse you out of your sloth supposing that now you are resolved to take any course that can bee prescribed from the word of God That thou art one who weepest mournest complainest because thou dost not discern thy spiritual condition I shall lay down my advice to thee in these following directions 1. Direction 1. Get some Characteristical distinguishing signs of true saving grace by thy serious searching the word of God Directions to get assurance God hath told thee in his word who shall bee damned and who shall bee saved though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described In the Bible there are the statute laws of
Conscience is pacified with the blood of sprinkling as to what the Word declares concerning thee though not as to what thou feelest and where the Judge acquits there Conscience which is the Serjeant cannot condemn but that 't is not alwaies set right according to the Word Motive 2 2. But O! the terrour of having sin upon the file against us and doest thou remain in sin unrepented The terrour of being yet and going on in sin Doest thou go on to adde sin to sin not caring how many sins thou loadest thy Conscience withall as if there were no time of reckoning Numb 32.23 Be ye sure your sins will finde you out Sic mihi semper contingat tractare beare amicos non dulcibus verbis sed sanis terroribus Bern. Do not say Hast thou found me O my enemy or as the wicked one Art thou come to torment us before our time But as thou lovest thy soul take all I say in good part for God knows I speak out of tender respect to your eternal good Consider then 1. The innumerable number of sins thou standest guilty of Ps 19.12 Who knows the errors of his life Methinks there is no sad sight in the world but the sinner in his sins Suppose you had seen Herod covered over with worms alas what is this to one worm of Conscience Suppose you had seen every member in the Senate run upon Caesar to give him a stab would not you have given him over for dead a thousand times Brethren every sin you commit is an envenomed knife to stab you at your very heart Suppose again you should see a malefactour at the Bar for a Capital crime the evidence clear O! you will say 't will go hard with him but when you see another and another and many other Indictments sworn home against him and every one touching his life will you not say there is no hope he is a dead man and all the world cannot save him Remember this is thy case and it will be certainly called over If one poyson be enough to dispatch a man without an antidote what doth that man mean that drinks off a thousand poysons and refuses the antidote of the blood of Christ If one sin â—e as a thousand milstones to sink all the world into the bottom of hell what doest thou mean to tye so many thousand milstones about thy own neck 2. Old debts vex most the delay of payment increases them by Use upon Use and the return of them being unexpected a person is least provided for them We count old sores breaking forth incurable Augustus wondered at a person 's sleeping quietly that was very much in debt and sent for his pillow saying Surely there is some strange vertue in it that makes him rest so secure My brethren if one debt unto Gods Law be more then the whole Creation can satisfie what do any of us mean to rest secure with so vast a burden upon our Consciences and account O! take heed thou beest not surprized and arrested with old Debts O! thou remembrest former iniquities against us Psal 79.8 3. God will call over and charge thy sins upon thee when all the sweet is gone Thou makest a shift to swallow the hook with pleasure when 't is covered with the sweet bait O! but when that 's digested or disgorged and the naked hook piercing and raking thy heart what wilt thou do then O! how bitter is the Pill when all the sugar is melted off Now this will be thy case Job found but a taste of it and O! how he cries out Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me i. e. bitternesses 4. With old sins must come old wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the judgement of God What and despisest the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance not knowing that the goodnesse of God doth not only give thee a space of but leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest tunnest up against thy self wrath against the day of wrath c. There be three sorts and degrees of wrath will come with old sins 1. Wrath for old sins 2. Wrath for the forbearance of that Wrath. 3. Wrath for the abuse of that forbearance O! what wilt thou do in the day of thy visitation 5. The former admonitions c. nips of Conscience will come again and they with the present will be unsufferable beyond all that can be expressed This is their terrour here say they he besought us and we would not hear and saith Reuben Said I not to you did I not tell you warn you what it would come to and ye would not hear O! he which hardens his neck to reproof shall surely be destroyed O! timely and fair checks and warnings obstinately rejected are the wracks of Conscience the sharp sting and teeth of the worm thereof 6. And what will now become of thee as the Lord lives thou wilt come to thy distracting misgiving thoughts Yea but and verily we are guilty c. Methinks saith Luther every cloud is loynd with thunder against me Thou wilt take every visitation from God as a messenger of death nay that God himself sets in against thy life Suppose you saw two desperate enemies grapling closing in upon each other O! account for every particular God comes to the sinner as to Adam in the cooll of the day in his cold sweat Gen. 3.8 when his Sun is setting and he is going to make his bed in the dark his life and Soul sits on his pale trembling lips ready to take her flight inâ—o Eternity and whereas thou wert before as the deaf Adder or the wild Asse snuffing up the wind or the Dromodary traversing his way without all regard of any check now taken in thy month Oh! my contempt of the means of Grace Oh! my prophaning Sabboths Sacraments Oh! my breaking bonds of Oaths Covenants Promises and casting away cords of discipline and government Oh! my malice against God's People Oh! my hardening my heart against the Word and the Rod c. as the rankling thorn in the flesh pains most when thou goest to bed 5. Before this in a time of outward Calamity and distresse and this is the second Doctrine from the special Circumstance when they were troubled And now Direct 2 2. This Inward horrour and trouble of mind falls in even to Gods People with outward Trouble This is the Case here the Patriarchs the children of the Promise are in distresse and danger by their Brother Josephs seeming severity toward them And they said one to another we are verily guilty c. with the pressure on the outward man comes a snare upon the Conscience If any find it oâ—herwise as there are some with whom when there is a storm without there is a calm within and when a storm within there is a calm without let them blesse God but in the experience of Gods People it is often found that
makes the earth shake 5. It ariseth from Satan When the eye of Conscience is most open Reas 5 he is most busie to present either that which may close it or that which may trouble it when the heart is most tender he is most ready to bruise and wound it In affliction he would make breaches between God and us us and God and us and our selves if we must needs be sensible of them gulphs out of which there is no redemption he temp s us unto sin in prosperity and then for sin in adversity as we find in Jobs Case even in those which he knows are out of his reach where least strength and ground to do any thing there he is most malicious as it appears in his bold attempts upon our Lord If he cannot run thee upon a rock yet he will disquiet thee with a tempest if he cannot rob thee of thy grace yet he will of thy peace and comfort 6. It ariseth from the weakness of faith and strength of sense apprehending Reas 6 God in affliction as our enemy especially if there be some willing correspondence between us any thing which God hates God is a terrour to us Thus Sense wrought in Job 33.10 Behold he findeth occasion against me he counteth me for his enemy Also 16.12.14 and in the Church Lam. 2.4 5. God hath bent his bow like an enemy c. and ver 5. O! if thou comest to that of Jacob Gen. 42.36 Surely all these things are against me and in them God against me it is sad with thee This is the triumph of Faith If God be with us who can be against us This the shreek of the Fainting God is against me and then who can be for me 7. It ariseth from Gods withdrawing Thus with Christ when God Reas 7 would make his condition sad and his burden heavy indeed the Father and his own Divinity withdraw and withhold their comfortable influential presence from the apprehension of the Humane Nature and when was he thus spiritually afflicted But when most outward trouble came upon him when his Murderers the Traytor were upon him and his life drew near to the grave as it was prefigured in David Psal 116.3 when the sorrows or dangers of death compassed him about then the terrours of hell took hold upon him i. e. terrours arising from this the withdrawing of the Divine Love and Countenance Mar. 14.34 Now come his astonishing dismaying fears and sorrows pressing even to death making him as it were to shrink from the great work of his own mercy Now he cries out as his Type My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal 22.1 Mat. 27. The perpetual shreek of them which are cast away When we can with David encourage our selves in our relations to 1. Sam. 30.6 and interest in God then every even the heaviest burden even death it self is light and we can in Christs strength shake it off or run away with it as Sampson with the Gates of the City But as when the Sun is down or eclipsed the flowers fold up and droop or when the face before the Glass turns away the face in it vanisheth Even so when God hides his face and we doubt of our Title and Interest we are troubled and then we are as Sampson when his Covenant broken and his locks the sign thereof cut we are as other men our strength is gone any cord will bind us any burden sink us Isa 64.7 Reas 8 8. I might add It may arise from our disacquaintedness with afflictions as to our expectation and resolution But for Use 1. A word to them which are yet in their sins out of Christ And it is 1. Of Conviction 2. Counsel 1 Conviction and terrour to them which are out of Christ If Gods People be lyable to inward and outward trouble at once wherein yet there is not a drop of wrath What shall the visitasion of the rest be wherein there is not a drop of saving pity If they may be so hardly put to it which yet are ever secretly and mightily supported what shall they do that have no strength but their own to bear up under the mighty hand of God Surely if they smart sevenfold the wicked must be avenged seventy times sevenfold If the cup of affliction by reason of the bitter ingredient of inward perplexity be so bitter to them what becomes of them for whom the dregs of that Cup are reserved The godly may stand condemned at their own Bar but the wicked at Gods too and nothing remains to them but a certain expectation of execution without a change O! if Jacob halt sure Esaus back and bones must be broken If the righteous be by reason of sharp afflictions within and without scarcely saved to whom yet all afflictions are through grace ever sufferable short and sanctified where shall the sinner appear when his sins and sorrows shall meet together There be three daies wherein thou shalt never be able to hold up thy head and yet thou must appear First A day of extream Calamity Secondly Of Death Thirdly of Judgment Oh! remember how sad it goes with the godly in a day of outward Calamity because of inward trouble joyning with it through gradual want of Knowledge Faith and Evidence the venome of sin unmortified malice of Satan not yet quite troden under their feet and the withdrawing of Gods Grace and Countenance in part And consider how thou wilt speed which hast no saving Knowledge no Faith no Interest art under the raign of sin and Satan whom the holy and jealous God cannot endure to behold but with revenge and execration Psal 27.13 David had fainted in his affliction had he not believed c. Surely then thou must utterly faint because thou hast not obtained an heart to understand and believe to this day The Children of God notwithstanding all their inwâ—rd and outward pressures can say as Paul sighs for them all 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed so as there is no way to escape or bear up We are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not quite destroyed But if thou lookest not to it betimes such a day will come upon thee as wherein thou shalt be so beset with trouble that thou wilt be absolutely concluded and shut out from all relief so perplexed that thou wilt despair so pursued by the avengers of bloudâ— that thou wilt be quite forsaken of heaven and earth so cast down that thou wilt be utterly destroyed and dashed in pieces Oh! if trouble such trouble may seize on Gods dear ones what reprobate fear and astonishment shall take hold on thee that art a stranger a slave an enemy and yet secure and presumptuous in that condition 2. It is a word of Counsel to thee as to be an alarm to thy security so an Antidote to thy presumption and censoriousness in reference to the godly The men
or others are of such a party and to impale the Church and impropriate Christ and salvation every one of us to our own side And this many times the most by the Vulgar so true is that of Seneca Qui pauca respiciunt facilè pronunciant Those that discern the least being apt to judge most 2. We must take heed of despising and contemning others for these Rom. 14.3 As the former of not judging so this of not despising is a necessary duty internally as to our selves and in our carriage and speeches especially as they respect our external duty towards others our sinning in both arising from uncharitableness in that to others liberty in this to that we judge their weakness Our hearts and tongues are too apt to follow our judgments and break out into these exorbitancies but my Brethren these things ought not so to be judge not censure not according to outward appearance or inward prejudice but righteous and charitable judgment rather that we mutually bear with one another in these And when we have occasion to discourse or debate concerning what things are such or their practice not measuring all mens judgments by the model of our own apprehensions or like Dictators thinking our selves infallible obtrude those things for necessary which it may be others of as piercing sight account but indifferent or those things for indifferent which they reckon amongst the number of unlawfuls but modestly declaring our judgments herein For as I told you in the entrance I take not upon me to determine what are such nor the Magistrates duty concerning which I think he said well and wisely That it were good they require as little as they can what 's necessary for the safeguard of Religion as contained in the Scriptures and subjects practise as much as they can but only for the direction of every one how to order their conversation in the diversity of Judgements that are amongst us 4. We must moderate our practising of these according to the circumstances we are in and as they are convenient and expedient for us Sometimes the practise of these must be wholly waved for the Laws concerning them being conditional as to their doing or not doing though not as to the manner thereof and not absolute as of necessary duties their practise becomes suspended on such conditions which besides that I formerly mentioned viz. when they come in competition with greater matters are especially three In regard of our selves dissatisfaction of Conscience In regard of others known scandal and disturbance of publick setled peace When any of these cases occur wherein the condition on which the command is suspended is awanting the command there as all other conditionals become negative For we are obliged absolutely in moral duties to do them and for the manner rightly they being no wayes suspended as to practise but in these only absolutely for the manner that if we do them we do them rightly and conditionally if we be satisfied in our judgements and offend not others thereby or disturb the publick peace the first being knowledge in our selves the other two charity to others if we do them And therefore where there is no place left for charity to others as in case of equal scandal on both hands thy doing or forbearing there thou art at liberty In which case in smaller matters that which is least observable is best in greater matters according to thy concernments and charity to thy self and for general good if the publick be interested in thee For when we cannot know on which side our doing or not doing most evil to others lies charity to our selves preponderates supposals of the issue But time permits me not to launch out into discourses of these cases my Subject also confining me to the exercise of Moderation which when the action is to be wholly omitted is not required it 's office being only as I have often said in the regulating of actions As we must therefore use modesty in our speeches for or against these so also in our practising them according to conveniency and expediency not too violently running our selves out of breath or a-tilt at others in our practising them but with that equalnesse of spirit and candor towards others as becomes us Rom. 14.19 and 23. 1 Cor. 11.16 Thus I have done with the Case wherein I have been too large I confesse in the whole though perhaps too short in several particulars and I hope not very tedious in any A liâ—tle more time for that which remains will give a release to my pains and your patience The Persons For the third General the Persons 1. Who must exercise this Moderation and that 's in a word all 2. To whom and that 's also all with whom we have to do of all ranks degrees and qualities Superiors and Inferiors as well as â—quals of all tempers and carriages not only to the gentle but also to the froward not only to friends and those equal and fair to us for then what singular thing do we but to those that are or we repute our Enemies that despitefully hate us and injuriously persecute us as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 5.44 3. Before whom and that 's exprest in the Text all men our conversation in all the good and the evil things of this life and towards all must to all that see and observe or hear thereof be known to be moderate Reasons The fourth General or the equity of this command which I shall shew for that towards persons waving that towards things both in this and application as I told you being by many sufficiently handled in three particulars 1. This is no other than what God himself exercises towards us In all his dealings with mankind from the fall to the consummation and end of the World this doth eminently and alwayes will appear so that good reason we should do it That we may be the children of our heavenly Father Matth. 5.45 who spareth us continually when we offend and sin against him If God was not more moderate than man the World would quickly crack about our ears for if man had power to his will it would scarcely be habitable but he that hath power if he should but exercise it even justly and not use moderation it would no longer be inhabited Thou wicked servant I forgave thee all shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow servant Matth. 18.32.33 2. Christ did use Moderation eminently towards us and hath left us his example to follow in our exercising it towards one another Though he was equal with God yet made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and humbled himself and became obedient unto death even to the death of the crosse Philip. 2.7 whose example how pathetically doth the Apostle urge v. 1 2. that nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than our selves not looking every man on his own things
Vowes art thou under any or no I am perswaded now thou canst not deny it methinks I could believe I heard thee say such a Feaver such an Ague the small Pox a Surfet the Pestilence or some such disease made me Vow to be another man to destroy sinne to exercise grace to love God to hate lust to be holy and heavenly Now thou seest thy bond where is thy payment of thy debt Oh how few do well keep any how much fewer do well keep their sick-bed Vowes as if these Vowes were as sickly as their makers and doomed to as short a life as the sick Votary thought he had been doomed to Reader thy conscience tels thee what thou canst answer or what thou must confesse in this matter and upon thy consciences answer I have advice for thee if thou art conscious 1. Of totall neglect go speedily on thy knees blesse infinite patience humble thy self before infinite grace get out thy pardon and whilst God saith by me by these lines defer not to pay be thou honest to thy word thankfull to thy God advantageous to Religion and an example of reformation lest next sicknesse be thy death and thy Vowes be thy sinne which shut out thy hopes of praying and speeding God delights not to answer such fools thou maist find Motives enough to hasten thee to this duty from Eccl. 5.2 4 5 6. which I commend to thy thoughts with these Quaeries 1. Is not God in Heaven and thou on earth 2. And Is not thy Vow made to this great God 3. And Is not this Vow thy voluntary debt And 4. Doth God require present payment Or indeed 5. Wilt thou worse thy condition by Vowing Or 6. Wilt thou provoke Gods anger and displeasure 7. Dar'st thou venture on threatned destruction These are Solomon's Motives to a punctuall and present payment of Vowes I offer them to awake thee from neglect of thy Vowes Or Secondly Hast thou Vowed and performed in part but not fully hast thou done somewhat but not all of that thou hast promised and Vowed I advise 1. See what hindred wast thou rash in promising more than thou couldst do is this the reason thou didest not all because some of it was out of thy power thou must be humbled for thy rash Vow and if ever it come within thy power do it 2. See whether thy sloth and negligence did not hinder when thou mightest have performed but now it is out of thy power and thou canst not this is a high breach of thy Vowes and I know no way for thee but due and seasonable repentance and confessing that God may pardon thee and be thou better in what thou canst since thou canst not be so good in this thou shouldest 3. See whether it continue yet in thy power to do though as yet thou hast not done it and if so be affected with the sight of thy unthankfullnesse but remove this sinne by performing thy Vowes for God will not release the promise nor cancell the Bond untill the debt be paid by him who hath power in his hand and may do it But What if it were in my power when I Vowed Dub. but since that time providence hath put it out of my power I was rich when I Vowed to relieve the poore but when I was recovered God suffered me to be spoiled as Job was what shall I do then 1. Thy Vow well composed engaged thee so far as it was in thy power Sol. 1 Remember a well-advised Vow hath this expresse condition or this implyed so far and so long as it is in my power to do untill I have done all The tenth of all I have of all that God shall give me saith Jacob I will give to God now if the Lord exercise his bounty to Jacob Jacob is ingaged then he hath power and can do it if God make Jacob poore the limitation his Vow implyed in it doth quit him Secondly So far as God puts it out of thy power so far he releaseth Sol. 2 thee from the debt When God by his providence overruling all doth disable thee to the payment then he dischargeth thee from the bond this is Gods reall discharge and cancelling of the Obligation Are well composed Vowes such promoters of Religion and are Vse 3 they to be made so warily and do they bind so strictly Then be sure to wait untill God give you just and fit seasons for Vowing be not over-hasty to Vow it is an inconsiderace and foolish haste of Christians to make more occasions of Vowing than God doth make for them Make your Vowes and spare not so often as God bids you but do not do it oftner you would wonder I should disswade from Vowing often when you have such constant mercies and wonder well you might if God did expect your extraordinary bond and security for every ordinary mercy but he requires it not he is content with ordinary security of gratitude for ordinary mercies when he cals for extraordinary security and acknowledgment by giving extraordinary mercies then give it and do it 1. Chearfully enter such bonds willingly 2. Pay the bond punctually at its time 3. Pay it fully in the whole of it so do it that you may say I will chearfully and of choise so do it that you may call it a paying punctually and fully And this will be accounted a rendring to the Lord and a reall promoting of Religion by setting forth our debt and the Lords goodnesse to which we are endebted Fear not to give thy God double security when he requires it Fail not to pay readily and fully when pay day comes for the Lord doth expect and command thee so to do and if thou do willfully make default he will lay folly to thy charge and take the forfeiture of thy bond and make thee know it too some way or other to thy grief and trouble keep out so long or get out of such debts so soon as thou canst Pay the Lord thy Vowes How are we compleat in Christ COL 3. last clause of ver 11. But Christ is all and in all THe great concernment of lost creatures is above all things to mind salvation this is the one thing needfull Luk. 10.42 Act. 16.30 this should be the great enquiry and in the neglect of this all our other endeavours are no better than laborious trifles The great danger which even they are in who seriously mind salvation is least they build upon some sandy foundation seeking Heaven in those wayes which lead not thither The great design of Satan is either to detain poor undone creatures in a totall neglect of salvation or to deceive them in the way and means thereof 't is therefore the great care of the Apostle as in other Scriptures so in this not only to undeceive the world as to those mistakes which prevailed then but to point out the right the proper the onely sure way of salvation viz. through Christ whom he here declares