by raising the benumbed Souls of sinners from that natural Lethargy and carnal security that lyeth upon their whole inward man understanding will conscience affections the Soul and all that is within the Soul of an unregenerate person standeth not in awe of divine precepts promises or threatnings till awakened by divine power God may speak once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not until in a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Job 33.14 c. 't is usually some rough dealing that is required to rouze the sinner out of his pleasant but false dreams of peace Sometimes he is chastned with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pains so that his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty meat His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be sâ—on and his bones that were not seen stick ouâ— his Soul dâ—aweth nigh to the Grave and his lâ—fe to the destroyers Thus God ruineth and tortureth Sinners into the way of Life maketh room for the Messenger the interpreter the One among a thousand to shew unto Man his uprightness verses 20.21 22 23. Mount Sinai's terrible thunderings did not more powerful make way for the reception of the Law then the conviction of sin by the Law doth for the embracement of the Gospel and the embracement of it for the settlement of inward distractions In a word The wounds of conscience plainly shew not only the power of the Law by which sin is strengthned armed and enabled to work death but also the power of the Gospel in setting poor distressed Souls at freedom from The Law Sin and Death 3. 'T is a most senceless imagination to judge any mans person or way to be the more excellent because less troublesome in it By this crooked rule the unblushing forehead of an Harlot may pass for an hopeful sign of her future happiness the Bedlam may boast of his better condition then others because he feels not those prickings of pins and needles which if others had they would cry out of And yet 4. How many instances have the records of time given us of the confounding terrors that wicked men on the sudden have been overwhelmed with how oft may it be observed how God distributeth sorrow to such in dreadful measures and how from the heighth of censuall delights God casts them down into destruction how are they brought into desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors Ps 73.18 19. God hath appointed a day wherein he will make known his wrath upon all the vessels of wrath eminently And this is called in Scripture Rom. 25. The day The great and terible day of the Lord The day of wrath But alas how few fear this because t is future the heart of man fears not wrath to come though no wrath like it Things present affect most And the Apostle hath told us why because such are blind and cannot see afar off 2 Per. 1.9 But now let such remember the stoutest siners have been unhorst and perished even in the very way God puts not off all to the gâ—eat and last desires he hath his petty fessions sometimes some are tormented before their time They fall into the hands of a loving â—od when they little thought of it Job 21.17 How oft is the Candle of the wicked put out Gen. 4.14 Who would have thought that that heart of Cain which feared nothing should so suddenly be smitten with the fear of every thing Dan. 5.6 Or that Belshazzar who just now could boldly bid defiance to the God of Israel should upon the first sight of what he understood not be surprized with such an hellish fit of quaking Ch. 4.32 Or that great Nebuchadnâ—zzar now feeding his fancy with the splend our of his own works and swelling himself into a conceited Deity should in the same hour yea while the word was in his mouth became as a Reast v. 37. How easily can God abase such as walk in pride should the Lord commission our own thoughts against us no need of any other enemy to make us miserable and this he hath often done as in the cases already mentioned Stories both sacred and prophane afford us a large account of many more â—ragicall overthrows of the enemies of holyness And few ages pass without some drops of wrath â—mminently falling upon the heads of one siner or other which were we but wise to consider them would fully inform us that Gods dealings with his Saints and servants in desertion of comfort and permission of Satan to agonize them in this world However it seem tedious and tiresome for a while and they apt to speak as once Job did he teareth me in his wrath who â—ateth me he gnasheth upon me with his teeth Yet weighing in an equall Ballance these dealings of God with his Children with those earfull cruptions of wrath that seize upon the â—ngodly and it will soon appear that the wayes of God to his people are not severity but lenity not fury but mercy tender mercy and loving kindness Thus distress oâ— conscience is not so concomitant to profession of the Gospel as the enemies thereof feign Luke 15.7 but that sometimes it may be found among the jovial crew of unrighteous men needing no repentance and whensoever it falleth upon such it is much more lamentable then that which is let out upon poor humble bruised obedient Sinners Because when the Lord riseth up agâ—inst the Souls of those that hate and forget him he comes 1. With greater fury Ps 11.6 An horrible tempest is the portion of their cup. Is 54.8 Now when he troubleth his Children for sin he hideth his face from them in wrath but then it is but in a little wrath Hab. 3 2. and his wrath makes him not at any time to forget his love he can remember that in the midst of it still 2. With sewer advantages there is less hope of such a ones recovery Distresses of whatsoever sort are like violent purges to the body preparatives must be had or else a body full of humors and unaccustomed to such means is beset with dangers who knows which way dreadful convictions of divine displeasure may drive the amaz'd and affrighten'd Soul 't is possible to God but very improbable to man that he who hath hardned his own heart against God and his fear and been forging arguments and studying offences and picking quarrels against the ways and worship of God should ever take to those as his proper remedy in times of temptation Satan will do all he can to keep up a dislike in such a One against those things that make for true peace or if peradventure Satan be cast out of the outward conversation and the man seems to recover his peace by a partial reformation yet how truly hath our Lord set forth the doleful doom of such half begotten
Hell Gates and yet are delivered Let me put you in remembrance of these two or three duties 1. Oh see that you ingage your hearts unto the Lord I will love the Lord with my whole heart I will love him dearly Ps 103.1 c. Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies Oh pray that your love to him who hath delivered your souls from the snares of cruel death and pulled your feet out of the miry Clay where there was no bottom may encrease and abound more and more Josh 24.14 Sincere affections and dissobedience are the only returns that God looks for Deny not these in the highest degree 2. Give up your lives for the Lord. Be content he shall dispose of them in the way he knoweth best for his glory If he shall call you forth to suffer death for a testimony of your love to him and the Gospel of his Son think it not too much for him Well mayst thou undergo ten thousand natural deaths were it possible for Jesus Christs redemption from the hands of thy spiritual enemies is cause enough for thee to serve him without fear of what man can do unto thee Look upon thy past deliverance as things never no never to be forgotten nor sufficiently to be required by thee 3. Take care now thou hast found him whom thy soul loveth oh take care for his undisturbed residence You know what it is to want the comforting presence of Jesus Christ let those who know not the terrors of the Lord and the fearful consequents of his forsakings venture the displeasure of him by their slighting of his precepts and slothfulness in his paths but let not us do so we that know what it is to be thrown into the depths of horror and how hard as well as sweet is our recovery thence oh let not us dare to sleep upon the top of the mast but rather keeping fast hold upon our beloved by the hand of Faith beg of him that he would not depart out of our hearts lay a strict charge over all the cares and comforts and companies and conditions of this life Canticles 2.7 by the Roes and by the Hindes that they stir not up nor awake our Love until he please 4. If the Lord Jesus Christ shall please for his own glory to walk a while out of your hearts again if he shall at any time withdraw the comforts of the Holy Ghost loose not in Satan again by unbelief distress not your selves overmuch by giving way to the least mistrust as if he would never return Ps 77. and more remember his loving kindness and his works and wonders of old think he never goes away but when it is expedient for us Joh. 16.7 and having already sealed us by the holy spirit of promise given us eye-salve enlightning our understandings in the knowledge of his love whereby we are perswaded our names are written in the book of Life Râ—m 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance 2 Cor. 1.10 He that hath delivered may well be trusted that he will do so again John 10 29. No Man or Devil can take us out of the hands of God John 13.1 Whom be loveth he loveth to the end Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work will carry it on to the day of Christ 5. You have been delivered from the violence of temptations but remember that yet we carry about us such sinful natures the Fruits of our first Parents transgression that would again put up his head against God and his most righteous Laws yea and take part with Satan against him and our selves too there is yet an unregenerate part the remnant of the old Adam remaining in the best and holiest of mâ—n after all the forty years temptations of Israel in an howling wilderness and when they are brought into the Land of rest Judg. 3. yet there the Amorite will be found nothing but dissolution will fetch the leprosie of natural corruption out of our earthly tabernacles Lev. 14.45 and especially will this cursed corruption annoy us with offers to do the same things that Satan before he was dispossessed would have done my experience tells me some of the old filth still sticks behind The wise God will have it so that the vileness and greatness of our old sins might not be forgotten that we may be poised down with humility and put a longing after natures dissolution till which time sin now twisted with our nature will not be removed this remnant of the old man with its stirrings cannot choose but be an heavy burden to the new Rom. 7.24 't is such a body that it made the very soul of a Paul groan and cry out for a deliverance Ex. 17.16 This â—malck God hath sworn it that he will have war with it for evnr As good Souldiers of Christ our Captain let us be perswaded to hold on our war against this party of corruption yet abiding in our natures and in so doing we have the comfort of these ensuing considerations 1. That this remainder of cursed nature though it be not utterly destroyed yet shall it not have dominion over us so as to bring forth Fruits unto death or to be charged upon our persons to condemnation Rom. 8 2. For by Christ our Lord we are dischargea and set at freedom from the Law of sin and death being under the Covenant of grace we have received the spirit of life and power even that blessed spirit that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead which hath quickned us and put life and power into us in a good measure enabling us to crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 so that its dominion is taken away though its life be continued for a season 2. And it is but for a season that its life is continued in us the war will not hold always there is a time coming when we shall be delivered from this bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8.19 c. 23. and not onely we but those very Creatures the Heaven and the Earth shall be set free from that bondage of corruption which lyeth upon them by reason of the sin of man in that day we shall be made like unto the Son of God in our measure The transfiguration upon the Mount seemeth to be a resemblance of that glory wherein Jesus Christ shall appear as he was the Son of David when he shall come to take the Kingdom unto himself then shall the poor benighted Sons of the day welcome in that joyful morning with a new Song and Psalms of tryumphant victory in their hands Rev. 15.3 then shall all the enemies of our Souls be totally subdued and even
Christians Mat. 12.33 34 35. The latter end of such is worse for sin and sorrow then their beginning wounds skinned over will become ulcerous at last the sting of the old Serpent like that of the Taâ—antula dispatcheth this kind of sinners into hell laughing 5. Moreover the proper time of discovery is not yet come judgement passing before the last act is ridiculous â—olly Mark but the end of wicked men patiently stay but a very little while and tell me then what you think of all their pleasures Follow them to death or at the furthest to judgement then will the blackness of their countenance and the loudness of their howling cryes confirm the truth of that passage now little thought of Eccles 8.12.13 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him But it shall not be well with the wicked He that seriously layes to heart the sure and sore miseries that come stealing on upon the sinful sensual merry world Ez. 32. And how even they who have Pharoah like been stout hearted oppressors and reproachers of the distressed remnant of Jacob though they have caused their terror in the land of the living are nevertheless gone down to hell and how heavy their iniquities lyâ— upon their bones I say he that observes these things and layeth them to heart will find there was a reason for Balaam wish Num. 3.10 Lâ—â— me dye the death of the righteous and my laâ—â— end bâ— like to his Heb. 11.24 And that Moses was 〈◊〉 child when he refused to be called the Son 〈◊〉 Pharoahs Daughter chusing rather to fussâ—â— affliction with the people of God then to 〈◊〉 joy the pleasures oâ— sin for a season esteeâ—ing the reproach of Christ greater riches thâ— the treasures of Egypt to rush upon the poâ—â— of sufferings when a man may chuse to account pleasures to be no more then pressures reproaches to be renown and treasures to be but trash Oh! what folly doth the world judge this to be and yet such a fool was Moses and so must he be that would be wise 't is the highest wisdom to shun those short pleasures that breed long and eternal pains an eternal weight of glory will make afflictions that are but for a moment seem but â—ight and little when heaviest and greatest 't is this the end the duration of good and evil that wisdom considereth before it bestows it's names on any thing And oh that men were wise in this to employ their thoughts more upon the end of their way and the wages of their work then upon the way and work it self then would not the present delights of sin make the life of a sinner to appear delightfuâ— because such pleasures are but for a season the pleasures are but false and fading but the torments are true and eternal ones We are told concerning Witches that the Devil appeareth not to them in any terrible shape at the beginning of their contract but in the shape of a man and with many fair promises of wealth long life and power to revenge their wrongs with many pleasures besides That the hook being bid it may go down the better 2 Cor. 4.4 were but the seals of ignorance by which the God of this world blinds the eyes of them that believe not taken off the life of sinners would quickly prove a weary life and the Ministers of Christ who now are wearied with silence would find work enough to answer the question Acts 11.16.30 Sirs what shall we do to be saved There is but a thin seal over thine eye and that will not alway there abide Death or the day of judgement will ferch it off And when that drops all thy comforts drops away from thee sin will find thee out then be sure no place shall priviledge thee from its arrest Is 32.2 To be found in Christ will be the best hiding place and covert from the Wind and Tempest Sions heights and shews of holyness will stand in little stead when Is 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfullness hath surprized the hypocrite who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings sincerity reall Christianity will be the best Religion then when shews and shadows shall flee away Then they that fear God walk in darkness that are wounded in spirit laden with the spirit of heavyness whose faith of adoption lyeth open to manyfold temptations troden underfoot of Men and not spâ—red by the rod of God these these I say then will have a merry day a day of redemption from sears and deliverance from every particular of their complaint Mark well Mat. 4.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Son of righâ—eousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Ch. 3 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son that serveth him Let all the world then know that if the unchecked pleasures of time be attended with eternall displeasures there is but small reason why any man should become sins advocate because of that pleasure that attends it concerning which that may as truly be said which St. Iames asserts concerning the life of all Men. What is it but a vapour which soon appeareth and presently disapeareth leaving its possessor â—n an interminable irrecoverable gulf of dismall horror and confounding distraction This is the fifth branch of my answer to â—hose that think the troubles of mind which â—arnall professors are freed from is an argument strong enough to perswade men from intermedling in the stricter and purer wayes of holyness Eternity is before us Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that feareth God and hâ—m that feareth him not 6. Let me also add this that as all Gods people are not so happy as to enjoy the heighth of assurance of the love of God without fits of intermission so neither are they also miserable as to be cast into the depths of terrors the belly of Hell without hope of comming thence Or this is that I would say depths of terrors among professors is altogether as rare as heights of assurance 'T is but a few that fall into such temptation as may render them the wonder of others The rod of correction is as needfull among Children in a family as bread its self and of this all that belong to God are one way or other partakers but to be whipt with Scorpions to be chastned in wrath or rebuked in hot displeasure is a thing rarely to be seen among the thousands of Israel 7. Those whom God thus puts upon the wrack of unusuall â—errors have none to thank but an evill nature in themselves and that evilâ— One that is
this Amalek of inbred corruption against which we have been fighting with the sword of the Spirit many a weary day Numb 24.20 I say then this Amalek the first of the nations that warred against Israel our souls his end shall be that he be destroyed for ever 3. Such a sence of sin remaining in us as hinders our rejoycing in expectation of the future glory or joyful thanksgiving for our present deliverances is not our duty but our sin God will not be robbed of his glory under a pretence of mourning for his dishonour as soon as God the Father hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. 'T is then our duty to give thanks to him who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance among the Saints in light He that readeth the book of the Acts and considereth how the holy Ghost takes notice of the affection of joy in the converts of those times Act. 2.46 Act. 8.8.39 Act. 9.31 Act. 16.34 may readily conclude that it is as natural for babes in Christ as soon as they are born to rejoyce as it is for others to cry The life of a real Christian should be a continual holy-day And therefore let us keep the feast according to that of our Apostle 1 Cor. 5.8 And follow the advice of that holy man Mr. Downam to that purpose in his Christian warfare who himself was not only troubled with this old man but also with blasphemous suggestions as he himself told me many years past when I went to seek comfort in my condition Let us submit lye down acquiese and be satisfied in the wisdom and goodness of God whose providence is every where and over ruleth all things in Heaven and earth for his own glory and his peoples good And rejoycing in our hopes of glory and interest in all the blessed promises of the word of God so go on in our Christian warfare with good courage not feating men or Devils as to perform out duties towards God and reach out after the end of our faith the salvation of our souls Christ in his word hath given us good assurance of our obtaining this In fidelity is the Devils greatest engine to destroy our rejoycing of hope Would the Lord but go on with his Conquest over unbelief and raise our faith into a more sollid substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 And a clearer evidence of things not seen Would he but teach us how to live by faith how rich a living would it afford us how sweetly might we in the contemplation of the truth and worth of that promised glory triumph over all adversities That state wherein poor man shall behold the face of the blessed God in such a fullness that the glorious Angels Heb. 2.16 are not capable of the like man who hath a nearer relation to Jesus Christ hath also a nearer standing to the very throne then the blessed Angels themselves Rev. 4.4 c. is so transporting so ravishing in the foresight thereof that we may well take up that triumphant song Oh Death where is thy stâ—ng oh Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 Behold what manner of love the Father hath loved us withall that we should be called the Sons of God Now are we the Sons of God And it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Oh! the length the heighth the breadth and depth the fulness of that love of Christ that passeth knowledge Now I come to the third sort of Professors â—nd they are such as have never been greatly â—roubled who though they have been scared â—nd lightly touched by the Arrows of the Almighty yet cannot say they have stuck fast â—ithin them and that the Poison thereof â—ath at any time drunk up their spirits To â—hese my request is that they would suffer a â—ord of warning from one who hath more â—â—eply drunk of the Cup of trembling That â—â—up which his Lord and master drank to the â—ottom that so in a little he might be conâ—â—rmable to his head and having obtained â—ercy might be found faithful The main of all I have to say to such is â—â—at my hearty prayer to God for them is â—â—at they all may be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Col. 1.11 That they may walk worthy of the Lord in all well pleasing Remembring 1. The gentler dealings of the Lord with them then with others calls for hearty acknowledgement of thanksgiving Judg. 8.16 He might have taught you with the bryars and thorns of the Wilderness whereas he hath led you with the gentle cords of a man Hos 11.4 Spared you as a man spareth his Son that serveth him Mal. 3 17. He hath made you free without serving a long and hard Apprenticeship under the yoke of bondage He hath gone an easier way with yoâ— then the way of the Philistins Exod. 13.17 you have not seen warr as others have done Let the miseries of me and others provokâ— you to thankfulness and fruitfulness in everâ— good work 2. Remember your condition is not yet 〈◊〉 safe your danger is not so farr over but thâ—â— you have need of caution your great caâ—â— should be that your latter end might be peaâ—â— Prize the peace of your Conscience aâ—â— while you are in with God oh keep in wiâ—â— him still if you let sin in you drive God 〈◊〉 of your souls And when he is gone all yoâ—â— peace is gone all your comfort of hope is gone too A privation of the light of his countenance will beget a dismal night of horror sin will tumble you down from your Heaven of Communion with God and then the valley of the shadow of death will be your walk and Hellish fiends shall frighten you there with continual alarums of your falling lower into the depths of Hell And how long it may be thus with you who can tell oh how will you be able to bear such changes as these are learn of me and others in like case and be wise think not that your present favour of men or gain of Silver and Gold or flattering pleasures of vanity will make you satisfaction for the harms done by sin Or that the remembrance of these will ransome you from or purchase you the least gentler usuage under the hand of terror Your profession is no priviledged condition Sin can find out the sinner even when he hath taken Sanctuary in Sion Is 33.14 Nothing but righteousness can deliver from death Prov. 10 2. Be found any where or doing any thing else and be sure your sin will find you out Num. 32.23 Those things that appear to thee to be plainly sinful or of the lawfulness whereof thou makest a doubt peremtorily refuse the one and patiently forbear till thou art well
they have not seen any cause to cry out of their danger and amend their doings and with all speed and dilligence to enquire for and accept of salvation offered by Jesus Christ in the ministry of the Gospel Such as these who making light of the matters the weighty matters of God and of their own souls of the Scriptures of Heaven of Hell of sin and of holyness of death and of judgement can content themselves with such and so much Religion as will secure them from the lash of humain Laws and the disquieting guilt of a natural Conscience in the mean while spending their pretious hours and days and years in the unprofitable works of darkness serving divers lusts and pleasures using the members of their bodies as servants to all unrighteousness living in the lust of uncleanness adding drunkenness to thirst speaking all manner of evil of and despightfully using and persecuting such whose lives are not of the same fashion thinking it strange that anâ— should not run into the same excess of riot with them and least by the reproofs dropping from the lips and lives of such their sinful pleasures should fail them they make new sins such as God never made and search out iniquities accomplish a dilligent search that somewhat might be had to throw in the faces of faithful reprovers if there be no more then the matters of their God 't is these I mean To you Poor sinners would I fain speak a few words Oh! bless God that you are yet in a capacity to hear and that your case and condition is not quite hopeless Yet whilst you live we may hope that the filthyest Adulterer the most swinish drunstard prophanest sinner may obtain mercy You have a Peradventure left you yet 2 Tim. 2.15 that God may give you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that yet you may recover your selves out of the snare of the Devil Yet you may avoid the most sure and fore rewards of ungodlyness unconceivable dread and horror which first or last he will power out in merciless measures upon poor souls that now are Prisoners at large and methinks they should have little heart to hold up their heads a day would they but seriously consider how as birds in a string they are taken Captive by Satan at his will Let me beseech you for the sake of whatsoever is dear to you that you would but heartily believe consider seriously and remember 1. That all that I have here written concerning the dreadfulness and confounding horror arising from my apprehensions of Gods displeasures is true 't is not a thing feigned but really felt by me You think it may be that God cannot be angry or if he be that you can stand under the ftowns of him and that your tranquility and present quiet in the ways of your ignorance and dissobedience is a Mountain that cannot be removed But alas you are utterly mistaken A League with death and Hell is not to be trusted Is 28.15 18. the Devil will break his promise with you one time or other after his fair promises he will fall fowlly upon you You think to be troubled for sin is nothing to have Satan and Conscience let loose upon a man and the Lord withdraw himself from such a soul all the while you think these things are nothing and such thoughts make you venture to hold on in your evil ways and 't is hard to drive them out of you The Law and the Prophets cannot do it easily If you believe not these the testimony of Dives arising from the dead would be doubted to be a meer delusion Luke 16.31 you have had my experience delivered you in fasthfulness I have certainly found that Gods permission of Satan to rage upon the Soul is a woe then which there is not a worse on this side Hell 2 Consider that though what terrour I have already felt was intollerably great yet that which impenitency and impiety will bring upon poor sinners hereafter will be incomparably more This at present is but whipping with Rods that with Scorpions This but a painted Fire that a real burning Fire This hath its mixtures of mercy that 's without mixture This is a state of darkness but that utter darkness Mas. 8.12 This departure of God from the soul may be in love but that is go ye cursed Ch. 25.41 This is made sad by the presence of the Devils that infinitely worse for there are none but Devils to torment no Saint no Angel to give the least ease Here time may make a better change Eccles 9.4 and hope may be a good anchor to preserve the Vessel from present ship-wrack but there eternity admits not the least spark of hope that things shall ever mend and desperation shall so press down the sufferer that nothing but allmighty power can bear him up in his beirg under such eternal dread and pains 3. When terrors begin to arise the height of all your present confidence cannot keep you up under the weight of sin set upon the Conscience do but consider how have the mighty falne those who have been bold as Lyons committing iniquity with greedyness not afraid to put affronts upon God or men speak loftily setting their mouths against Heaven and their tongues walking through the Earth Ps 72.3 insomuch that the confidence of them hath almost made a David diffident to observe it and yet how are these brought into desolation as in a moment they have been utterly consumed with terrors v. 19 ah poor weak man thou wilt never be able to stand under that burden of guilt which sank the mighty Angels that excell in power from Heaven into the lowermost Hell That which makes the whole frame of nature the whole Creation to groan alas how will it squeeze thee into confusion that which the Creator the mighty God was found able only to bear and in bearing it was not able to forbear crying out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 Thinkest thou that this will not be too hard and too heavy for thee poor finner oh think of this in time now thou are confident and bold to commit sin but what wilt thou do in the end thereof will the boldness of thy countenance and the height of thy confidence abide the same for ever where is the courage of Cain the confidence of Judas the craft of Achitophel and the stout hearts of thousands from the days of Cain what 's become of all these how have these sturdy Oaks been when terror came but as stubble before the wind and as Chaff that the storm driveth away are you stronger then these 4. Are not your sins as great as mine and others of whose miseries you hear are not your sins as great and as many as ours have been you think it may be to fare better because you presume you are better then those whom God hath plagued with his displeasure If the sayings of Christ may be your guide he
it had before The Flowers and Herbs and Spices did as liberally send abroad their sweet Odours as they did before The sight wanted nothing of that compleatest beauty which clad the whole Creation It had the same ravishing Object discerning Organ and diffusing Medium the eye saw the Sun shone the creatures shewed themselves as much as they did before And yet poor Adam could not take that delight in any thing as he took before oh monstrouâ— Oh astonishing change what will not a guilty Conscience do when sin entred into the world what a death came upon all the comforts that were in the world and now what footsteps of melancholly canst thou find here it is probable that he who came but newly warm out of his makers hands so exactly tempered as might have made him live a life of immortallity should thus be astonished and câ—ushed into amazing dread upon the juddain and all by the abounding of a melancholick humour away with this conceit Rather think what sad work sin will one day or other make upon the soul that maketh not a speedy return and an holy timely resistance against it 3. But still thou art of opinion that 't is melancholly that doth all this mischief amongst the Sons of Adam however it fared with their Father well be it so but tell me then dost thou think that it is not possible for theâ— to fall into the like condition is not the God with whom thou hast to do the God of nature as well as the God of grace and therefore able to prohibite the comfortable influence of and suffer discords and disorders to arise in both he is able to transform thee into a breathing Statue to make this jollity and roaring mirth to hide its head and hold its peace while sorrow and sadness tribulation and anguish gnaw upon thine heart he is able to cut off the spirit of Princes Ps 76.12 Kings cannot stand before him they that have the greatest advantages and priviledges above all other men to solace themselves in the abundance of Earthly delights do little think how easily God can bring them down without hands he can smite thy heart with melancholly as well as others 't is but for him to cross thee in the thing thou settest thine heart upon and where art thou then no further proof of this is needed then that of Saul A man considering to what by whom over whom he was raised that might have as well expected a peaceable continuance in his great and unsought-for Royalty as any other Monarch And yet you find it otherwise God for his neglect of waiting patiently and believingly takes away his Kingdom puts him under the rule of an evil spirit 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from him and the evil spirit from the Lord terrified troubled him Thus you see 't is not easie to dally with sin God can make the sinner quickly weary of his life by withdrawing the comfort and quiet of it and filling it with so much terror and horror that there shall not be the least room left for pleasures I told you of Nebuchadnezzar of Cain Bellshazzer and Judas and now of Saul and you your selves may possibly remember what doleful examples have been in your own knowledge how those who spent their days in pleasure putting Heaven to defiance by their ungodly conversations have some of them at least been glad to be beholden to the Knife to the Halter to the Water to the Sword to the Bullet c. to help their tormented soules out of their weary bodies So exquisite is that torture arising from an awakened Conscience that it puts the patient upon a miserable choice of ending his present agonies with the adventure of an infinitely more worse rather then abide the woe that is therein Poor man such a thing as this can the hand of the Lord once lifted up against thee bring upon thee Thou thinkest thou hast little cause to fear falling into the depths of terrors because resolved to avoid melancholly by a merry life Thou conceivest that to be the only cause of any ones distress and therefore not so much to be feared But were this true alasâ— thou hast the greater cause to sear Thine enemy is within thy own bowels As Physick doth not always preserve him who with the greatest care and constancy observeth its rules but oftentimes apparently brings to an untimely end so carnal joyes do by inward peace preserve it they may a while but many times destroy it by provoking the just God to arise in his wrath But however this is most certain corporal medicines cannot immortalize any mans person nor can carnal mirth any mans peace assuredly God will break that peace that is not purchased by the bloud of Christs Cross One time or other call it melancholly or what you will that fit of fears shall so closely follow the now presumptuous soul that no carnal no corporal cordial nothing but a touch of that hand that cast down will be able to rid away Such an evil that no King can cure but he whose prerogative it is to kill and make alive out of whose hand none can deliver Deut. 32.29 6. Remember judgement is already gone out against thee the sentence wants nothing but execution The righteous Law of God which he is resolved to magnifie and make it glorious hath already declared what shall be the end of impenitency Bless not thy self with vain thoughts that God will spare any one for his greatness or for his goodness or his meanness or for any thing but his own Sons righteousness and such also must not go free without their share of a wounded Conscience 4. especial hours of temptation At the begining of Spiritual life or the end of natural or upon some hainous fin committed or heavy afliction let out God usually at one of these times more or less will have every one to know by sad experience that he himself is a righteous sin-hating God that the Devil is a malicious soul-hunting enemy that they themselves are in a miserable and forlorn condition without a multitude of tender mercy no way to be had but by a Christ The Law spares none and the Law-maker is a God of truth that will keep up the authority and honour of his own sayings to a little Oh! take the book of the Law in your hands then and let the truth of that strike such a terror into thee that may make thee to betake thy self to the love and life of Christ with strong cryes to save thee from the terror of that wrath that is to come If you will not hearken unto me and will not do all these Commandments And if you shall despise my statutes or if your soul abhor my judgements so that you will not do all my Commandments but that ye break my Covenant I also will do this unto you I will even appoint over you terror Levit. 26.14 15 16. If there be among you a
root that beareth Gall and Wormwood and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the immagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall fly upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven and the Lord shall seperate him unto evil Deut 29.19 20. According to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Because I have called and you refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardeth but ye have set at nought my councels and would none of my reproofes I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your Fear cometh When your Fear cometh as desolation and your Destrection cometh as a whirle-wind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you c. Prov. 24 c. How express is the holy Law of God terror hath an appointed season distress and anguish lye in the Womb of time God hath hiâ— vials of wrath tribulation and anguish to powrâ—â—â— upon enery soul of man that doth evil Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 and who knows what a day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 7. How many a time hath Hell-fire flashed in thy face already and yet thou returnest not I mean how oft hast thou found terror seizing upon thee at all times which yet thou hast shaken off again I can hardly believe there is any sinner in the world that now sinneth with the greatest delight and freedom but findeth that his way is beset with dangers I know not what may be said of such who live in Countryes where the word of God hath not been familiarly taught the Apostle of the Gentiles seemeth to speak the same thing plainly concerning them Even they have witness bearing Consciences and thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Rom. 2.15 The Devils servants have an hard Apprentiship before they be made free They sin with much bondage before they come to sin with delight The spirit of God hath striven with them their own hearts have smitten them secret warnings have they had within themselves oh do not this thing which God hateth now what do these things mean why they shew you what is like nay sure to be the wages of sin that God will not be blamed when he shall sentence you to an eternal bondage under his heavy wrath He now would have frightned you out of your sinful state and you would not he sent his spirit to strive with you and wring your weapons of sin out of your hands and you would not let them go he gave you some tastes of the Cup of trembling shook the full bottles of wrath before thy eyes which he might have put to thy lips and held them fast there until thou hadst been overwhelmed with terrors He drew his bow and whet his sword that thou beholding that mightest prepare thy seâ—f to escape the prepared instruments of death So that poor sinner thou art not an utter stranger to the things that I am perswading thee to think off the terrors of God Some small appearances may be have been sometime found in thee upon commission of some extraordinary sin Well see to it this is the bitter root which though thou labour to bury it under the Earth a while will without doubt spring up into a mighty tree bringing forth the fruits of shame pain and death 8. Thou goest on merrily in the way of thine own heart labouring to suppress thy sorrows at the first rising Thou hast no thoughts of thy latter end which thou smotherest not in their very beginning But remember though thou fearest not thy self now upon the Earth but thy danger is better thought off in Hell Oh I think with thy self that the story of dâ—mned Dâ—vâ—s was not penned from the mouth of Christ in vain Luke 16.27 c. rather judge it to be as indeed it is an argument fetcht from Hell to carry thee over into the ways of Heaven All thy old acquaintance and relations who once while they were in the Land of the living spent their days in pleasure drawing thee on to use the good things that are now present Wisd 2.6 c. Come on let us fill our selves with costly wine and Ointments and let no flower of the Spring pass by us Let us Crown our selves with Rose-bud before they be withered let none of us go without his part of our jollity let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place for this is our portion and our lot is this Let us oppress the poor righteous man let our strength be the Law of justice let us lye in wait for the righteous because he is not for our turn he is clean contrary to our doings he upbraideth us with our offending the Law and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education He professeth himself to have the knowledge of God and he calleth himself the Child of the Lord he was made to reprove our thoughts he is grievous unto us even to behold for his life is not like other mens his ways are of another fashion we are esteemed of him as counterfeit false come he abstaineth from our ways as from filthyness he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed and maketh his boast that God is his Father let us see if his words be true and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him For if the just man be the Son of God he will help him and deliver him from the hand of his enemies let us examine him with despightfulness and torture him that we may know his meekness and prove his patience let us condemn him with a shameful death for by his own saying he shall be respected In contemplation follow these boon Companions down to Hell and you shall find them of another mind Wisd 5.2 c. There they shall be troubled with terrible fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of the despised righteous mans salvation so farr beyond all that they looked for And repenting and groaning within themselves for anguish of spirit shall say This was he whom we had sometimes in derision and a Proverb of reproach we fools accounted his life madness and his end to be without honour How is he numbred among the Children of God and his lot is among the Saints therefore have we erred from the right way we wearied our selves in the way of wickedness and destruction what hath Pride profitted us or what good hath riches with our vaurting brought us all those things are passed as a shadow and as a Post that hasteth away and as a Ship that pâ—sseth over the waves of the water or when as a bird hath flown through the air or like an arrow shot at