mens misery and it may be said with respect to these Happy is the Man that never feareth But what is the Blessed Fear or what is there in it In short it is this It is such on aversation of the Heart from all manner of future Evils whether of Sin or of Misery which we apprehend our selves in danger of as puts the Soul upon making the best Provision it can for its security against them The Matter or Object of this Fear is Sin together with all the Fruits of it The Form or proper Nature of it is an aversion or starting back or shrinking in from it The Effect of it is to put the Soul to its shifts for its own security against it There are implyed or included in it these following Particulars 1. There is Vnderstanding in it Psal 111.10 The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom a good Vnderstanding have they that do it They are wise and understanding Men that Fear As we Love not so neither do we Fear but whom or what we have some apprehension of our Affections follow our Apprehensions as our Love we cannot love but what we apprehend to be good so our Fear we cannot fear but what we apprehend to be evil Our mistakes are the ground of the inordinate workings of our Affections when we apprehend that to be good which is not good we love what we should not love when we apprehend that to be evil which is not evil we fear what we should not fear when we apprehend that to be good which is evil we love what we should fear and when we apprehend that to be evil which is good we fear what we should love The reason of our sinful Fear is our Ignorance Ignorance both causes us to fear when we should not and leaves us without fear of what we should fear 1. Ignorance is the reason why we fear what we should not How is it that there is so much Fear of Men in the World Why it is because we understand them not what a vain thing what a weak thing they are how short their power is and how little 't is that Man can do Did we know more how great the Power of God is how terrible the Wrath of God is sure there would be more fear of God in the World And did we know how little there is in the Power of Man and in the Wrath of Man we should ease our selves of much of that Carnal Fear which now torments our Spirits Isa 2.22 Cease ye from Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Cease ye from Man as from trusting in him so from fearing him for wherein is he to be accounted of How little is it that he can do for or against you There 's little help in him and there 's little hurt that he can do Men pretend to be great and make great boasts of their Power So did Pilate to Christ John 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power to Crucifie thee and I have power to Release thee What art thou so sullen and so stubborn that thou wilt not speak to me Consider Man the Power of Liberty and Bonds the Power of Life and Death are in my hands Dost thou not know me Yes I know thee well enough sayes Christ Thou hast no Power but what is given thee and therefore limited thee from Above It 's for those that know thee not to fear thee I know thee well enough 2. Mens Ignorance is the reason why they fear not what they should fear Why is it that the ungodly fear not S n O it 's because they know it not Psal 14.4 Have the workers of Iniquity no knowledg Sure enough they have none for they eat up my People as they eat Bread such Morsels would scald their Mouths they would not dare to be such Persecutors and Destroyers of the People of God they would be afraid to touch them if they did but know what they did How bold are Sinners upon Sin How venturously do they run on They Lie they Swear they commit Adultery they Covet they Defraud they Oppress they Persecute But how is it that they are not afraid to do thus O! they know not what they do They are the Men of Understanding that Fear to transgress Christians those whose Minds are enlightned dare not do as others do they see what Sin is they see it to be an unclean thing odious and abominable in the sight of God they see it to be a dangerous and deadly thing They know God and thereby understand Sin which is contrary to him They know the kindness of God and the terrors of the Lord and see that Sin is an unworthiness and abusing of kindness and disobliging of goodness that makes a forfeit of the Divine Love and exposes to his Wrath and Indignation They know the worth of a Soul they have learn'd from their Lord Matth. 16.26 that the whole World is not a price for it neither sufficient to be its Ransom nor to recompence its loss They live in the Invisible World and have taken a view both of that life which is the reward of the Righteous and of that Death which is the recompence of the Sinners They see that Sin is the loss and the death of the Soul the only poison that can kill that immortal part by this alone Immortality is swallowed up of Death They understand that sin as it is the Worm that gnaweth at the root of all their hopes for hereafter so it is the Wormwood which imbitters all their Comforts here this is the Rust that cats out all their Treasures the Moth that frets out all their Garments the Stain that marrs all their Beauty In fine this is it that hath fill'd the World with vanity and vexation of Spirit and Hell with torment And hence it is that they fear it and fly from it Dost thou not fear Sin Sure thou dost not know it O what a light thing doth the World make of it to sin against God! how open do our hearts lie to it how easily doth it beset us we are surpriz'd by it every day and hour Sin lies at the door lies in wait for us in our Fields in our Houses at our Tables in our Closets and how often doth it take us and carry us away for Captives and still we make nothing of it neither feeling the mischief it has done us nor fearing those ruines which it is further bringing upon us We can talk of the evil of Sin of the folly of it of the filthiness of it but we cannot tremble at it sure we do not know it whatever we talk The World would be all up in Arms against this Enemy or else betake themselves to their heels running away from it were it throughly understood 2. There is Faith in this Fear It is but little that we can see of the evil of Sin our understandings at the best have much dimness upon them the
befall us for the Gospel's sake are Temptations to Apostacy and back-sliding from Christ Fear lest the Cross should be the parting point betwixt Christ and your Souls lest it should be with you as with his Disciples of old who accompanied him to his Sufferings and there forsook him and fled I have else-where spoken of the danger and dreadfulness of Apostacy and shall therefore forbear to speak more of it now 5. Fear the Curse or the Wrath and Everlasting Vengeance of God Luke 12.5 Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell Fear not Man for he can kill but once when he hath killed the Body he hath done his worst but God can kill and kill again can smite the Body into Dust and the Soul into Hell I say unto you Fear him Consider here three things 1. To whom this warning was given thus to fear And that is not to the multitude of his Hearers only whereof there was so great a throng that they trod one upon another but especially to his Disciples He began to say to his Disciples first of all v. 1. and I say unto you my Friends v. 4. 2. What was the special reason he here uses to urge and press his Disciples to fear God and that is the Power of his Wrath because he can cast into Hell 3. What was the special matter of that fear he presses them to and that is lest he that can do it should do it should actually cast them into Hell And this must be so otherwise there had been no force in the consideration of his Power to work to this Fear for they might have replyed Though God can damn us yet why should we fear ever the more upon that account whilst we are sure he will not And so his Argument from God's Power to destroy had come to just nothing Who would fear Damnation ever the more for that God hath power to damn him if he were out of Fear that he would ever do it Therefore the sence must be Fear God lest he should cast you into Hell Heb. 10.13 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God There is an afflicting Hand of God and there is a revenging Hand of God and both are to be feared even the afflicting Hand of God is terrible Heb. 12.5 Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. Make not light of that thou mayest find it heavy enough God is terrible in his Judgments that he executeth on the Earth He maketh the very Earth to tremble when his Hand is lifted up Those Hearts are harder than the Rocks that will not rent when God smites The afflicting Hand of God is to be feared but especially and that which is here meant It is a fearful thing to fall into the revenging Hands of the living God Heb. 12.29 Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear for our God is a consuming Fire The Lord Christ is sometimes resembled to a Refining Fire Mal. 3.1 2. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like a Refiners Fire and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver He shall purifie he shall save his People from their Sins yet so as by Fire God hath his Purgatory as well as his Hell though not according to that Popish Dream a Purgatory after this Life Death will put an end to this purging Work in this Life He hath his Purgatory and his Purgatory hath its Fire 't is hot passing under the purging Work of God But who can stand before him when he appeareth as a Consuming Fire Who can dwell with the Devouring Fire with the Everlasting Burnings Isa 33.14 Let us have Grace that we may serve God with Fear 'T is not for Sinners only but for Saints also to fear the Wrath of God Those must and these will Grace will teach them to Fear Hell is not so terrible to any as to gracious Souls those that most prize the Love of God will most fear his Wrath. And the Lord looks it should be so God will not be a loser by his Grace he would not lose the awe of his Threatnings by making us the Children of Promise he would not have it forgotten that he is Righteous by those that have tasted that he is Gracious And the People of God have need enough whilst they are Children to be kept in Fear they are and must be while they are under Age under this severe Tutor They are too apt to be proud and wanton and froward Children and have need not only of the Cross on their Backs but of the Curse in their Eye to keep them in order How sad is it with us notwithstanding all those afrighting Arguments which God uses How foolish and peevish and unruly are we notwithstanding that double recompence of Reward the Glory to come and the Wrath to come that 's set before us O what should we be were there no such Arguments to be used with us Say not 't is Mercenary to look on the Crown as the encouragement of Holiness till it can be said 't is Mercenary to be governed or quickened by Love What is it to have respect to the recompence of Reward but so to eye the Love and Joy of the Lord as to feel the Power thereof oiling our Wheels and drawing our Souls on after it Say not 't is Servile and that which must not be allowed that those that are Sons should make use of the Curse as a bridle to Sin This Beast must be dealt with as a Beast Lust must be bridled and fetter'd with Fear which will never be charmed or constrained by Love Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his Rest any of you should seem to come short of it Whilst we take encouragement from the Promise the Promise of Entrance let us take heed by the fear of falling short Is there no fear of falling short Art thou already so established assured that there 's no doubt or hazard remaining of thy miscarriage Are all the Enemies of thy Salvation so secured that thou mayest now spare any piece of thine Armour Hast thou out-grown the use or the need of any of the Counsels and Caveats the Scriptures give Look inward see what a treacherous Heart thou hast lying there undermining thine hopes Is there never a Worm still gnawing at thy Root Are thy Lusts all dead and is there no doubt of their Resurrection Is there no guilt upon thine Head nor guile in thine Heart Hath neither Flesh nor World nor Devil any Power in thee Is the Army totally broken and is there no question of its rallying upon thee Art thou so fully resolved for Holiness does the stream of thy Soul and the bent of thy Life run so strongly and so evenly after
the Lord that thou hast a standing infallible and uninterrupted evidence of thy Sincerity and an undoubted Security for thy perseverance to the end Is there not room for such a question What if I should fall short Art thou gotten beyond all possibility of miscarrying for ever Friends know that a possibility of falling into the Wrath to come were that Wrath throughly understood would work more fear than a certain expectation of all the Torments and Miseries of this Life O Fear Hast thou Faith Believe and Fear Hast thou Hope Hope and Fear Hast thou Joy Rejoyce with trembling Rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God and tremble and fear his Wrath and Vengeance There will be this double use and advantage besides others of this fear of the Curse 1. 'T will quicken our necessary fear of Sin 2. 'T will quench our sinful fear of the Cross 1. This fear of the Curse will quicken our necessary fear of Sin Yea and of all the temptations to it Sin is the sting of Death and this Death is the sting of Sin How bitter would Sin taste how gastly would it look were this Gall that lies in its Belly this sting it carries in its Tail discovered and heeded Thou wouldst quickly be filled with thine own wayes didst thou but see what stands at their further end That Bed of Scorpions whither Sin is dragging thee would make every Sin as a Snake or Adder And of all Sins 't would strike the Heart with the greatest fear of its beloved Sins These are they especially under which Hell lies in ambush for us these are Hell's strongest Ropes by which it pulls in Souls Hath any Sin cast a Cord of Love about thee That 's it that 's like to be the Rope to draw thee to the Slaughter Thou canst get loose from many Sins at pleasure but take heed that foolish Heart of thine will die for it s Beloved If thou ask What wouldst thou have O my my beloved Sin What comest thou to me so often for Why takest thou up thy dwelling so near mine Heart It will answer O 't is to please thee that I am so often with thee I know thou lovest me I am the delight of thine Heart and the pleasure of thine Eyes thou canst not be content without me I am that Ease or that Wealth or that Credit that thou lovest Is there not a league betwixt me and thee Am not I the nearest Friend thou hast Thy Health and thy Welfare and thy Soul are not so dear as I am to thee thou lovest me and therefore 't is I come that thou mayest have what thou lovest But what hast thou now to say to it No no Traitor 't is my Life thou seekest 't is my Soul thou comest to steal away and devour O I dread thy fawning Face thy smiles are Darts in mine Heart I tremble at thy wooings and embraces Get thee gone Harlot thy kindnesses are deadly kindnesses What means that Dagger in thine Hand whilst thou thus kissest me with the kisses of thy Mouth 'T is my Death thou art designing I must die if I will any longer love thee and what Death must I die Is it a short and easie Death that thou art betraying me to No no 't is a bitter Death and 't is a lingring Death an eternal Death that thou art preparing for me This Heart hath been under-ground in the dark Cavern of Pitch and Brimstone I have been in the Deep and viewed those Chambers of Death where thou lodgest thy Lovers I have sent down my Spies my thoughts have been below in the Belly of Hell I have beheld how they lie in that Pit roaring and yelling and blaspheming raving mad with the anguish of their burning Souls I have seen the very Smoke and Fire that devours them the burning Teeth of that everlasting Worm that gnaws their Hearts and the fury and rage of that Serpent that deceived them in O my Soul quakes my Bones tremble terror and astonishment have taken hold of me at the Description my thoughts have brought me up of that place of torment And thou O my beloved Sin even thou art it that art most like to carry me down and bury me there If I die that Death 't will be by thy hand if I run my self into that Fire 't will be for thy sake Away from me thou proud Heart get thee gone Covetousness or Sensuality or Slothfulness or whatever the Name of my Beloved be I dare not have any more to do with thee I fear thee more than ever I loved thee I fear where thou mayest lay me before tomorrow if I should suffer thee to lodg but one night more with me Such dread of thy beloved Sin would a fear of the Curse work in thee Friends consider Are there yet any Sins that have such power over your Hearts are your Spirits so chained by them that you cannot get loose O look to those Chains of Fire into which by this Chain of Love your Sins are dragging you Are you afraid of the Curse of God Are you afraid to burn Are you afraid to be rack'd and torn and gnawn and groun'd under the Milstones of eternal Vengeance then be afraid of Sin Let Hell be your Fear and Sin will be your Fear let Sin be your Fear and it will be no longer your Love If you will not fear this Fear if you will laugh at Hell you will sport at Sin If you fear not to be Cursed you will less fear to be Wicked if you fear not Hell you will hardly fear to be Devils on Earth O Sinners steep all your pleasant Morsels in that Vinegar and Gall spice all your stollen Waters with that Pitch and Brimstone strow all your pleasant wayes with those Serpents and Adders which will bite and sting your Souls for ever Mingle all your Carnal Delights with some such deep thoughts of what they are betraying you to and then go on after them without fear if you can And as this fear of Wrath will work a fear of Sin so will it also work the same fear of temptations to Sin Sin and Temptation lead the same way though Temptation be one remove farther back Temptation leads to Sin and Sin to Death He that fears the Fowler will fear the snare of the Fowler he that fears the Hunter will fear his Dogs and his Toyls Get a fear of the Land of Darkness and you will fear to be Companions of such as are travelling thitherward fear the Plague and thou wilt be no company for them whose dwelling is in the Pesthouse Afraid of Hell and yet never well but when thou art amongst those Decoys that are enticing thee thither What are the Allurements of Sinners to the Ear of him that hath Death and Wrath in his Eye Let them entice thee Come Let 's be merry let 's to the Alehouse or the Tavern or to a Play Let 's feed to the full let 's cloth our selves with the best let
any thing thou apprehendest to be praise-worthy this must be meat for thy pride It may be thou prayest against thy covetousness or sensuality but as soon as thou art off thy knees away thou goest to work for the one or to thy play to please the other When some of thy last words are lead us not into temptation it may be thy very next steps may be running into temptation this is but mocking of God and deluding thy self If thou would'st prosper against this enemy whil'st thou stormest it by seeking to God starve it by denying thy self 3. Put a bridle on its Jaws My meaning is restrain it from its actings if thou canst not prevent its conception strangle it in the birth if the fire be kindled within yet give it no vent allow not the lust of thine heart the priviledge of thy mouth or the command of thine hand if thou canst not restrain thy covetous desires yet hold in from covetous practices if thou lovest the wine and the strong drink yet withhold the cup from the lip if thou canst not so easily rule thy spirit yet bridle thy tongue the fire of passion doth not waste by spending but rather increases the ordinary preventing and restraining the acts of sin will weaken its habits I have heard some persons vainly speaking at this rate when I have anger in mine heart out it must and then I am friends and so take it for their vertue rather than their sin that they cast out all their mire and dirt in a storm because then a calm follows Thou fool hast thou conquered thine unruly spirit by suffering thy self to be thus conquered by it what do'st thou think of him that conquers his lust by going to an Harlot when thou hast eas'd thy stomach by thy Bedlam-language then there is a calm but thou neither considerest the sin of letting fly thine angry words nor yet wilt mind that the fire will kindle the sooner for that it finds so easie a vent Damme up the furnace and that 's the best way to quench the coals 4. Set thy foot on the neck of Sin Have any of thy lusts fallen before thee make them sure tread them under thee that they rise not up again do not slight them as conquered enemies which now thou needest no more to fear those which are now under thy foot if thou look not well to them may be Lords over thee again Hath the Lord humbled thy proud heart broken thy unruly spirit and seem'd to turn a Lyon into a Lamb whilest thou sayest I hope I shall never be proud again never be so froward or peevish again whil'st thus thou hopest thou shalt not yet still fear lest thou should'st whil'st sin hath any life in it thou art still in danger as we use to say of dying men whil'st there is life there is hope so may it be said of these dying beasts while there is life there is fear Let that fear be as the foot upon their necks to prevent their rising and return upon thee Well thus set upon sin let it be destroyed reward it as it would serve thee and because it will be long a dying let it be killed all the day long draw not back thine hand whil'st its life is left in it O what an advantage will the death of of sin be to the life of holiness when the body of sin is dead 't will stink dead bodies will do so and all the issues of it will be noisome and loathsome to thee Lust is never deadly but when it lives and is sweet and pleasant when it dies and stinks and is become an annoyance to thee it will be the less thine hindrance it hath now done its worst the more it offends the less it will hurt Do'st thou find sin sweet Is it still a pleasure to thee beware of it 't is a sign 't is still alive it would stink if it were dead thou would'st nauseate it thy stomach would rise against it O this stinking pride this stinking covetousness these stinking pleasures away with them my very soul is sick with the stench they make and when sin stinks then holiness will be pleasant and the work of holiness a delight the very severities of Religion will be sweet when the pleasure of sin ceases The death of sin is all our diseases cured the lean and consumptive Soul will now revive and recover and be strengthened for its work The crucifying of sin is the casting off our weights that hang on to hinder us in our way Heb. 12.1 2. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth easily be set us and run with patience the race that is set before us 't is ill running with weights upon our backs Lust is such a weight upon the Saints as Conscience is upon sinners some sinners Consciences make them drive heavily on in their way of sin when they can once knock off this weight when they can kill Conscience and get themselves rid of its checks and controuls then they rush on upon iniquity as the horse rusheth into the battel let the Saints serve their Lusts as Sinners do their Consciences and then they may run with patience the race which is set before them There is a sore evil that is seen under the Sun Sinners all upon the Tantivie riding post towards Hell O how sprightly O how hot are they upon their chace of sin and vanity and poor creeple-Christians but barely wagging on by a Snail-creeping motion heavenward O 't is a sign that the weights do yet hang on thou art yet heavy loaden thou carriest too many bundles of thorns upon thy back too many burthens of earth and flesh upon thine heart to make any hast heaven-ward lay aside these weights tread down these worldly lusts throw off these worldly cares and carnal desires and delights yea get this carnality which is the body of Sin and the very soul of that body to be slain and crucifyed with Christ and when thou art dead with Christ thou shalt live the better to him He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and vers 18.22 Being made free from sin ye then become the Servants of Righteousness and so shall have your fruit unto holiness and your end everlasting life O what a visible improvement should we quickly see on the professing world did we prosper more in our mortifying work then would the languid and pale-fac'd Saints have blood in their cheeks and more spirits in all their veins the young man within would be fresh and ruddy were the old man once well laid then would the Plants grow up into Trees and the Shrubs into Cedars then will the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb be loosed then would this vile image of earth and flesh vanish and disappear and the Spirit of Glory and of God would more visibly rest upon us and we should go forth as the Sun out of his Chamber and rejoyce as the
Life becomes a Sacrifice to the rage of the cruel if he does but come off with the safety of his Soul that 's enough to make him abundant recompence for all As Christ saith Matth. 16.26 What shall it profit a Man to win the whole World and lose his own Soul So may it not be said What shall it prejudice a Man to lose all the World if he save his own Soul Thou knowest not what a Soul is what the Salvation of a Soul is thou knowest not what Eternity what that Life and Death means who canst not say Let me escape that Death let me obtain that Life and it is enough O study the World to come more secure to thy self the eternal Inheritance and then thou wilt say with the Psalmist what-ever thy condition be here I will lay me down in peace and take my rest for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety But more of this hereafter By what hath been said it appeareth that the Man that feareth is an happy Man and wherein his happiness lies It 's true that in this World he is but inchoatively and incompleatly happy but an happy Man he is As he that 's Heir to a great Estate even whilst he is under Age and hath little in possession may be said to be a Rich Man especially if he be under the care of a faithful Guardian no less may a Christian even in his non-age be said to be an happy Man There 's no happy Man in the World if this be not he When he is at lowest it 's better with him than with the best of Sinners Some Sinners will grant their Conscience tells them so that he that fears God will have the best of it in the other World but yet they conclude that themselves have the better of it here But they are mistaken even in this Life a Godly Man hath the better of Sinners He knows little of God he hath little understood the Joy of Faith the Pleasure of Love the Ease of Sincerity the Peace of Conscience the Gain of Godliness that would exchange lives with the best of Sinners here in this World The very hopes of the Saints fill them with more joy than the greatest possessions of the ungodly I had rather take my lot with Job on the Dunghil than with Nebuchadnezzar on his Throne with Lazarus in his Sores and Beggary than with Dives in his Purple and delicate Fare with Paul in his Bonds than with Agrippa and Bernice in their Pomp with that Prisoner at the Bar than his Judges at the Bench. He that is otherwise minded is guilty of one of these absurdities either to think that God is not better than Creatures or that the ungodly enjoy as much of God as those that are Godly If God be better than the World if God be the present Portion of the Godly and of them alone then he that feareth God is the happiest Man even in this Life But O what will his blessedness hereafter be What advantage will he have of Sinners in the other World When the comparison shall no longer be betwixt God and the Creatures betwixt the fulness of Heaven and the fatness of the Earth when the Question shall no longer be which is best peace of Conscience or the prosperity of the World the hopes of Glory or the pleasures of Sin the worst of Saints or the Sinners best But the question will then be Which is the best the Pleasures of the Saints or the Plagues of Sinners the Fruition of God or Reprobation from God the Joyes Above or the Pangs Beneath Then let it be considered then shall it be discerned who are the happy Persons those that Fear God or those that fear him not Vse The Application is that which I chiefly intend and this shall be by way of Information Exhortation and Direction I shall put them all together For the more effectual carrying on whereof I shall inform and warn you 1. Of the Opposites of this Fear 2. Of the Grounds or Reasons why men Fear not 3. Of the Reasons why you should Fear 4. What you should Fear 5. How you should improve this Holy Fear I. The Opposites of this Fear are 1. Rashness 2. Audacity 3. Security 1. Rashness Hastiness or Headiness in our way Fear will make Men consider 'T was good Counsel which the Town-Clerk gave in the Tumult Acts 19.36 that they did nothing rashly Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy Mouth neither let thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God The Apostle reckons hasty ones among the dangerous Persons 2 Tim. 3.4 Men shall be heady precipites running headlong on their course acting not upon Counsel but their suddain apprehensions or any strong impulses of their hearts at all adventures whether it be right or wrong Fear will make Men wary and advised what they do Christians if you would walk safely look before you speak nothing rashly do nothing rashly weigh your Thoughts and Intentions before you let them pass into action How many Evils doth rashness and headiness run us upon Those words which in an heat we have let fly some of our hasty Carriages and Actions have sometimes cost us many dayes sorrow and repentance which had we been cautelous and a little better advised might have been prevented Sometimes a sudden passion arises and out it goes in angry and froward words setting all in an uproar and combustion by and by our hearts recur upon us and then we wish O that I had bit my Tongue and not given it such an unbridled liberty Sometimes we break out into rash censures of those that it may be are better than our selves whereupon when we reflect we are ashamed that the Fool 's Bolt was so soon shot and wish we had been judging our selves when we were censuring our Brethren Take heed you mistake not rashness and headiness for Zeal I would not cool Godly Zeal there 's too little of it in the World We need the Spur more than the Bridle the Bellows nor the Bucket We may not quench true Zeal the Lord be merciful to us there is not so much of it to be found we had more need cast on Oil than Water upon that Holy Fire Zeal for Truth Zeal for Righteousness and Holiness how happy were it if there were more such Flames if all our shining were also burning Lights But Zeal must be regular as for the Matter of it it must be alwayes in a good thing Gal. 4.18 So it must be managed with good Counsel and Caution mistaken Zeal is a Fire that devours that good that it pretends to promote But as you may not run headlong upon that which hath the face of Good much less upon that which is apparently evil It 's dangerous to be heady in the Matters of God wherein in case we are right we can never over-do but much more mischievous to run headlong upon Sin Jer. 8.6 Every one turned to his course as the Horse rusheth into
the Apostle advises concerning the word of Exhortation Heb. 13.22 Suffer the Word of Exhortation will be much more needed here suffer the Word of Conviction It is a Word that will not be suffered by them that need it most The proud and stubborn heart either rises and swells and flings it back in the Preacher's Face or at least it builds a Fort against it sometimes a Fort of Unbelief I cannot believe my case is so bad and sometimes a Fort of Faith such a Faith as 't is I believe in Christ and therefore as wicked as I am through him I hope to be saved Friends give the Word a free passage let it have entrance into your Hearts and how hot work soever it makes there let it abide till it hath finished its Work Give it time hold upon thine Heart the sense of the misery and danger the Word hath brought thee to till the end be obtained The sharpest Plaister will not raise a Blister as soon as it 's clap'd on it must have time to work and though it smart it must be kept on till the work be done Some Foolish Patients if it put them to pain will tear it off and throw it away Sinner hath the Word smitten thee and cut thee to the heart hath it made thee raw and clap'd on a Plaister of Fire the sense of Wrath and Judgment Hath it made thee who once wert a strong confident and wouldst not suspect but thou wert in a safe and happy state hath it made thee now to feel the Wrath of God abiding upon thee Dost thou feel thy Peace broken thy Hopes and thy Carnal Confidence broken down Make them sure never let them be built again beware how thou ever recover to thy old Presumption again but hold that Fear upon thy heart till there be a. new and a sure Foundation laid upon which thou mayest be built up in hope of Eternal Life Some foolish Sinners when God hath discovered their unsoundness and afrighted them with those dreadful Consequents that they see running in upon them like a Flood their desires and endeavours are after present ease and quiet if they can make a shift to be at rest and at ease for the present however it may be with them here-after that 's all they look after they are more for hiding themselves from their Fears than from their Danger and glad they would be if they could but get them back into their former state wherein they felt no trouble nor fear'd any evil Some smitten Sinners that are pursu'd by the Terrors of the Lord will often do as the stricken Deer that 's hunted by the Dogs he 'l thrust himself if it be possible among the Herd that there the Dogs may lose him When the Word hath terrified a Sinner and Conscience dogs him at the heels so that he can be no-where at rest away he will into the Herd amongst his Companions with whom he was used to be merry in hope to forget his trouble his Carnal Friends will advise him and he 's ready enough to take their advice to try what he can do to drink away sorrow and laugh away all his trouble and this it may be may yeeld him a present relief yea and reduce him to a more secure and sensless state than ever before wherein he may abide and never know fear or trouble more till he be brought to the King of Terrors and all the evils he formerly feared be come upon him to the uttermost and he can no longer escape Beware of this folly Sinner Hath God convinced thee of thy Sin and thy Danger and pierced thy very Entrals with a sense of that Wrath that hangs over thy head Do not seek ease in any other way but by the removal of the cause of thy Fears Be not such a Child as to think of hiding thy self from danger by shutting thine eyes from seeing it 'T is a poor Cure of a Disease thy being laid to sleep that thou mayest feel no pain Beware of running into the Herd again for ease When God hath smitten thee wilt thou to the Devil for a Cure Keep thy Sore open and do not skin it over whilst the Core still remains within Sinner thou wert once far from fear or trouble thou couldst once follow the World and follow thy Sins and live in a constant neglect of God and thy Soul and nothing of all this troubled thee Is this the state thou wouldst return to Is it not safer to be a wounded than a secure Sinner an awakned than a sleeping Sinner Chuse rather to live in God's Fire than the Devils Mud in God's Purgatory than in the Devil's Paradise Wilt thou rather die of thy Lethargy than endure those cuttings and scarifyings which might save thy Life If thou art for ease whether it be to Life or Death or if thou wouldst purchase thy Peace on such terms as thine everlasting Ruine then return to thy secure Presumptuous State Objection But I have confidence in God and yet I hope I am not Presumptuous I have good grounds for my Confidence I have been convinced of my Sin I have believed in Christ and have joy and peace in believing and by the Grace of God do now go on my way rejoycing in hope of everlasting Salvation Answer 1. But hast thou examined the grounds of thy Confidence whether they be sound or not Hast thou put thy Faith to the Tryal whether it be indeed the Faith of God's Elect What enquiry hast thou made into that change that is made upon thee Thou mayest examine and yet be unsound Examination is a means to discover sincerity but no mark to prove it But dost thou not examine and yet conclude thy self sound Darest thou trust thine heart without trying it What is Presumption if this be not to conclude thy self to be what thou never provedst whether thou art or not though self-examination be no mark of sincerity yet non-examination is a shrewd sign of Hypocrisie 2. Dost thou never suspect thy self to be unsound Does thine Heart never shake Art thou not sometimes afraid lest thy Confidence should deceive thee lest all thy Hopes and thy Joys should prove a Delusion Thy very being without Fear is ground enough to make thee afraid When we observe how far many have gone in the Profession of Religion to how high Attainments they have arrived what a face of Holiness hath appeared in their Lives and how great Peace and what raptures of Joy they have had in their Hearts and yet at last by their total Apostacy from Christ they have proved that they were all this while under a Delusion when we consider such sad Instances whereof we have seen so many what does this speak unto us but in the words of the Apostle Be not high-minded but fear Dost thou not yet Fear Sure I am afraid of thee I will not say how it may be with here and there one of the most grown and experienced Christians those of
same course That which hath hindred doth hinder thee that which hath deceived doth deceive and will deceive thou canst never be secure from it whilst thou continuest in this World Wherefore O my Soul since I cannot be out of danger let me never be out of fear Let Fools be secure and at rest but as for me Let me pass the time of my Sojouring here in Fear 3. Another reason why we should Fear is because of the weight and importance of that work which we have to do in the World What is our Work here wherefore are we born and live upon this Earth 'T is to serve the Lord in the saving of our Souls The Lord that made us may and does require our whole Service as there is none besides him to whom we owe our Being so is there none other to whom we owe our Service Him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4.10 And God hath so ordered the matter that we cannot better serve our selves than by serving of him this is the Work of God which he requires of us to work out our own Salvation Phil. 2.12 The best Men are the greatest self-seekers 'T is a piece of self-denyal which God never requires of any Man To neglect his own Soul God would have all Men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 There are two Lords that are served in the World God and the Devil The great Service that the Devil hath to be done is to destroy Souls his Name is the Destroyer Rev. 9.11 and his work is to destroy and this is it which he imposes upon all his Servants to destroy every Man his own Soul God is the Saviour so call'd Isa 45.15 and his whole work that he has to be done by his is Salvation-work Friends the first and great Service that God hath for every one of you to do is to look well to those Souls of yours to recover your selves out of the Snares of the Devil that you may obtain everlasting Salvation if you can but acquit your selves so in this World that you get safe to Heaven when you die God will say to you Well done good and faithful Servant 'T is true we have every one of us more Souls than our own to look too I not only Ministers whose special work it is but every one should do what he can to save the Souls of others but our first Service is to look to our own Souls Our Charity and so our whole care must begin at home Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul thine own Soul diligently As Christ sayes Luk. 16.12 He that will not be faithful in that which is anothers who shall trust him with that which is his own May we not much more say here he that is not faithful in that which is his own will be much less faithtul in that which is anothers He that serves the Devil in destroying his own Soul is not like to serve God in the saving of others Souls Well this is your work you have to do in the World To serve the Lord And this is the Service that God expects That you save your own Souls What-ever you are faithfully doing this way you are therein serving God You may be saving your Estates and therein serve the Devil you may save your Names and save your Lives and therein serve the Devil but when you are saving your Souls you are still serving the Lord. The working out of our Salvation is not only the business of our Religious Duties but of all the Actions of our whole course We are not only to Believe and Repent and Hear and Fast and Pray for our Lives but to be carrying on our Salvation-Work in every thing we do As we may say whether you Believe or Repent or Pray or Hear so also whether you Eat or Drink or whatsoever else you do do all to the Glory of God and your own Salvation Our future state whether we are for Life or for Death is not to be determined by some few of our better Deeds but by the tenour of our whole course look what thy Life is in this World so shall thy Judgment be We are here in this World upon our good behaviour for the other World and the short time we have here is all we have for Eternity our Everlasting Life or Death will be determined by this little inch of time Do in your day the Work you were sent into the World for and you live and are blessed for ever spend your time in idleness or impertinencies live in the neglect of God or your Souls let your great Work be left undone or but half-done and done deceitfully and you die without remedy die eternally And do you not yet see what cause you have to Fear If you were doing any thing of this World's Business and knew your Life lay upon it 't would make your hand shake Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with Fear Phil. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Why should we Fear why should we Trembie Why because there is so great a Work lying upon our hands What if this Work be done and well done Then you are made for ever What if you neglect or miscarry in this Work Then you are lost irrecoverably 'T is a matter of Life and Death that you are every day and hour upon how can you think such a thought without a trembling Heart What a mighty influence would this consideration have upon your Duties When you go to Pray whether in the Closet or in the Family or in the Congregation were you perswaded that your eternal state were so much concern'd in it would you not fear how you trifled in so great a Duty and would not this Fear command in all your Powers to joyn in so important a Service how would it stand at the door and keep out all those stragling thoughts that at such times use to be thrusting in Would such hasty and cursory Praying such a flat and formal Devotion which you ordinarily take up with then suffice you you would sooner sweat than sleep at Prayer your Hearts would burn within you and not freeze as they too often do Tongue-Prayers and Knee-Prayers and Eye-Prayers would be of as little account with you as they are with God all the Males in your Flock would be brought in you would not dare to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing You would take your best time and time enough you would put forth the utmost of your strength you would not make your Souls to wait the leisure of your Flesh or to take its leavings It must not then be what you can spare from the World what you can spare from your business or your pleasures that will do the turn your eating time your sleeping time your working time must be taken up this way rather than want time for God and your Souls Dost thou complain of sleepiness in Prayer of wandrings in Prayer of want of time for Prayer Think Man
what Prayer is for how much there is depending on the faithful discharge of it and see if this doth not work such a Fear upon thine Heart as will both find thee time and keep thee waking When you go to hear the Word if you considered I am now hearing for my Life the Lord God hath brought me before him that he may tell me words whereby I may be saved the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are now opening to me the most High comes down to shew me the Path of Life that Word that falls from the Preacher's Lips is the Word by which I must be saved and the Word by which I must be judged 't is the Everlasting Gospel I come now to hear which is all I have for Eternity I must stand or fall live or die according to the success of this Word upon me As this is the only Word of Life so this may be the only time of Life God knows whether this may not be the last Warning the last Instruction the last Tender of Grace and Mercy that I may have for ever whether my hearkning to or letting slip what I shall hear from the Lord this day be not that which must give the final determination of mine Everlasting State What would such thoughts did they sit close upon our Hearts when we come to hear the Word what would such thoughts work would they not command thee take heed how thou hearest give heed to the things thou hearest fear how thou let them slip Would a deaf Ear a wandring Eye a roving Imagination be then endured by thee Wouldst thou then suffer as ordinarily thou dost those wandring Birds to catch up the incorruptible Seed as it falls upon thee would it not send thee home with a trembling Heart at all such times when thou hast left all thou heardst behind thee Consider Friends where are you at this present what makes you here this day Let me reason with you a little before the Lord How is it that all your Spirits are not standing upon the Watch-Tower whilst the King of Glory passeth by How is it that all your Ears and Eyes and Hearts are not waiting for him why sit you here all the day idle Do you not understand what Work 't is you are upon O take heed to your selves Salvation and Damnation are before you and one of the two you are certainly working out Is it indifferent to you which of the two it be is it all one to please God or to provoke him to get you nearer or to put you farther off from the Kingdom of God What think you of such praying and such hearing as you content your selves with Will the living God be serv'd with such spiritless Duties Is Death your way to Life Are these dead and heartless Duties Is this dead praying and dull hearing that upon which you will venture your Souls Will you pray your selves into Hell While you have in your hands the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven will you lock the Door with it and shut your selves out Whilst others are swearing and lying and coveting and cursing themselves to Hell will you be hearing and praying your selves thither whither else will such dead Duties carry you certainly such blessing is as cursing such hearing is as hardning the Ears such praying is as blessing an Idol Will God regard Mockers Will God be served with Wind and Words O tremble fear lest you not only lose all your Duties but be irrecoverably lost by them Again what an influence would this Consideration have upon all the actions of your Life if you understood and were sensible that all that ever you do hath such a respect to your eternal state that according to it your final Sentence will be Where-ever you are what-ever you are doing you are serving God or the Devil you are working for Life or for Death There are no indifferent actions considered in individuo and with their Circumstances that make neither one way or other all our motions are either upward or downward Our Life is our Race and every Action of our Lives is a step backward or forward our going in or out of our way Nay onr very doing nothing is doing something if our ease or rest be idleness it 's serving the Devil if it be a refreshing for our Work it 's serving God We may be in a sense serving God when we be a-sleep and we may also by our sleep be serving the Flesh and the Devil We are ever either laying aside our Weights or laying on more Weight we are making us Wings or making us Chains helping our selves on or hindering us in our way We are in this World as Merchants trading for Eternity Our whole Life is a treasuring up good or evil for our selves against the last day We are alwayes either buying or selling buying the Truth of selling our Souls we are upon the Exchange every day and hour either changing better for worse or worse for better every inch of our time is our Talent to trade withal and we are still laying it out to our gain or our loss Our Lives are our Seed-time we are still sowing to the Harvest what we sow in Time we must reap in Eternity Our Eating and Drinking our Working and Playing our Talking and our Silence will one way or other spring up to our hands hereafter Do you understand this Friends Do you consider it O what manner of Persons should we then be what wary and circumspect Lives should we live Would not this if it were considered dam up that stream of Iniquity that runs down through all our course Would our covetous practices our fraudulent and unrighteous dealings would that lying and scoffing that self seeking and flesh-pleasing which take up so much of our time would this hold up the head against such a sense of the influence they must have upon our eternal State Should we then spend so much of our time in doing wickedly or doing nothing would it not find us other Work and work enough for our Time our Tongues and our Hands and our Heads and all our Powers But we do not consider or understand When you are walking in the vanity of your Minds after the Lusts of this World what do you use to think of this or do you think nothing of it I so 't is indeed you will not then think what you are doing but stand and pause awhile when you are serving your flesh can you think now I am serving the Lord now I am working out my Salvation now I am providing for my Soul and laying up against the time to come Dare you say now I am sowing for Eternity this is that which I would reap in the other World This Mirth and this Jollity this Pride and this Idleness this Laughter and these Lyes Let these and the Crop they will bring forth be my Harvest hereafter Would not the thoughts of such a Harvest make you dread such a Seed-time Or else can
it God's Ill Will against Sinners God's Blessing is his Good Will and his Ill Will this is his Curse Joseph's Blessing The good Will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33.16 is the Portion of all the Saints and in God's good Will is every good Thing the precious Things of the Earth and the fulness thereof yea and the precious Things of the Heaven also Psal 30.5 In his favour is Life And in God's Ill Will is every evil Thing thou needest no more to make thee perfectly miserable than this that the Almighty bears thee ill Will. 'T is an Affliction to be under the ill Will of Men for a Child to have the ill Will of his Father for a Wife to have the ill Will of her Husband for a Man to have the ill Will of his Neighbours for a Subject to be under the ill Will of his Prince But what-ever there be in this God's good Will will make amends for all though all the Family where thou livest yea though all the Countrey bear thee ill Will if God bear thee good Will thou art a blessed Man If thou hast the good Will of all the World and only God bears thee ill Will thou art cursed with a Curse This Curse of God is 1. Revealed in his Word 2. Executed in part in this World 3. Pronounced in the last Judgment 4. Executed in full in the World to come 1. The Curse of God is revealed in the Word of God Rom. 1.18 The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of Men. It is revealed from Heaven that is by the Law of God The Law of God binds Sinners under the Curse of God and declares to them what this Curse of God is 2. The Curse of God is in part executed in this World The Curse followed Sin close at the heels and is executed on Sinners here 1. In temporal Plagues There is a Curse upon the Creatures which were made for their use Gen. 3.17 Cursed is the ground for thy sake The whole Earth with all things therein hath something of the Curse cleaving to it whereupon though it still be useful yet there is something in it that is noxious to Man Vpon their labours which often become fruitless and ordinarily irksome and tiresome In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread Gen. 3.19 Vpon their Estates sometimes blasting and devouring them entring into their Houses and eating out the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof or else turning them into temptations and snares Vpon their Bodies Sin wounds and bruises in Sickness and Death 2. In Spiritual Evils inflicted upon the Souls of Sinners The Curse of God not only falls upon their outward Man but enters into their very Hearts upon which the Lord most signally executes this Curse by leaving Sinners and giving them up to blindness of Mind to a reprobate Mind Rom. 1.28 to hardness of Heart Isa 6.9 to the power of their Lusts Psal 81.12 whereby they are filled with all unrighteousness and reserved as in Chains under darkness to the Judgment of the great Day Sinner thy blindness thine hardness thy walking after thy Lusts in the Counsels of thy wicked Heart this is the Curse of God upon thee thy Sins are thy Curse And that Impenitence and that reprobate Mind which God gives some Sinners up unto is their sealing under the Curse God sometimes curses Sinners in this Life as Christ cursed the fruitless Fig-tree Mat. 21.19 Never Fruit grow on thee for ever Be thou never good for any thing never good Thought never good Motion come into thee never a drop of Dew or Rain fall upon thee never a Bud or Blossom spring up in thee nothing prosper in thee but be thou barren for ever of every good thing let that Soul wither and perish and die for ever This Curse is the most dreadful of all Curses above-ground and the very next to Hell 3. The Curse is pronounced in the last Judgment in that terrible Sentence Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Now that if it be possible Sinners may be awakened out of sleep and be wrought to this Fear I shall a little open the Mouth of the Pit by opening this fearful Sentence Depart from me Depart whither why whithersoever it is 't is sad enough that 't is depart from me from Christ Christ is the Life it can be no less than Death to depart from Life Ye Cursed You that are bound under the Curse you that have been filling your selves with Curses clothing your selves with Curses treasuring up Curses to your selves all your time against this day Get you gone with your Curses upon you your Sins be upon you your Guilt be upon you your Blood be upon your own Heads for ever Ye are cursed with a Curse bear ye that burthen for ever and ever Into everlasting Fire And now you see whither 't is they are to depart I told you but now that 't is Misery enough that they must depart from Christ and from the presence of the Lord. If Sinners were to be sentenced down to this Earth again sent back to their Fields and Vineyards to their Ale-houses and Whore-houses to the best of their dirty pleasures here below yet this that they are sent into banishment from the Presence and Paradise of God when God shall so far open their Eyes as to let them see what they have lost this would be an unspeakable torment to them But this is not their place when they are taken hence they shall return hither no more they must bid an eternal farewel to all their carnal and bruitish ease and pleasures their Houses and their pleasant Places shall know them no more for ever God will not leave them so much as the least of the left-hand Blessings not a drop of Water to cool their Tongues 'T is into the Fire they must go The pain of Fire is the most tormenting of all the pains we know and therefore made use of to shadow out those inexpressible intolerable pains to which the ungodly shall be sentenced in that day Everlasting Fire What not yet at the bottom No this Gulf hath no bottom they shall be ever knowing and yet never know the worst of their Case what-ever they feel the worst is still behind because Eternity is still behind they shall never have ease nor rest again but shall be tormented night and day for ever and ever Prepared for the Devil and his Angels These are their Companions in their Tribulation Must we into the Fire But may we not have good Company in the Fire God may be in the Fire with me So he was in the case of the three Confessors and then the fire could not burn No t is the Devil that will be with you in the fire to torment and to be tormented with you for ever What is it to dwell in an Earthly House that 's
our selves to God Yet he will not take the account we give without trying whether it be a true account 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must be made manifest and laid open as the word imports that it may plainly be seen what we are And this severe search that shall be made in the Judgment the Apostle calls in the next verse the terror of the Lord. 'T would shake the securest Hearts to understand what a thorow search will be made of them in that day God will bring all things to light God will lay all in the Ballance What a dreadful Word was that to that King Dan. 5.27 Thou art weighed in the Ballance and found wanting What if that should be your case at last if God's Light should find you to be Darkness if God's Ballance should find you too light What if whilst you count your selves Children God should find you Bastards if whilst you count your selves Vines he should find you Thorns if while you count your selves Believers Beloved and Chosen of God that day should declare you to be Infidels and Reprobates What if it should be so you are stark Fools and worse than mad if you think such a question may not be put What if I should be mistaken Is such a mistake on which your eternal state depends of so little consequence with you as not to need such a question to be put about it Are you so little concerned how matters shall go with you in the Judgment Are you so little concerned what your final Sentence shall be which of you for Life and which for Death who for Blessedness and who for Burning What Rocks are those Hearts of yours if they do not rent and quake for fear And if you do fear to think what if I should be mistaken let that Fear set you a searching whether you have hitherto been mistaken or no. Beloved whether you fear or no give me leave to tell you I am afraid concerning you 1. Some of you I fear there are upon whom there hath been no good wrought no nor any thing done towards it not a Clod broken not a Thorn rooted out not a Grain of good Seed fallen upon your Hearts Upon whom the Lord hath been ploughing as upon Rocks sowing as upon Heaths hammering as upon Anvils hewing as upon Iron who with those Rebels Isa 48.4 have Brows of Grass and Iron Sinews who have hitherto resisted the Holy Ghost and put from you the Word of Life whom both the Seed and the Showers that have fallen upon you have left hard and barren bringing forth nothing but Briars and Thorns In whom Oaths and Lyes and Drunkenness and such like are all the Fruits that have been brought forth who are far from God and yet far from fear whom a very little search might be enough to convince you that you are in the Gall of Bitterness and the Bond of Iniquity If you would but cast an Eye upon God's Glass your foul Faces would quickly shew you what you are O Sinners if you your selves yet fear not let others fears concerning you thus far prevail with you as to cast a serious Eye upon your selves Make a little enquiry Is it not thus with me Is not my Soul in this very case If I should ask Where are my Sins Behold they compass me round about they are in mine Heart and in my Mouth and my whole Life is filled up with Iniquity But if I should ask Where is my Faith where is my Repentance where is the new Heart and the new Life Where is the Knowledg and Love and Life and Fear of God What could I say what answer could I give Make a little enquiry thus a very little to a Man in thy case me-thinks should be enough to convince and awaken thee 2. Others of you I fear there maybe upon whom the Lord hath been at work but the Work is not yet brought thorow Upon whom though the Plough hath entred and made some sign yet it hath not gone deep enough though the Thorns some of them are cut down yet their Root remaineth though the Seed of God hath fallen upon you and some Blades have sprung up yet it hath taken no root upon whom though there appear some dawning towards the Day yet you are not come to Sun-rising As for you it is a mercy that there is something done especially if there be still more a-doing It is a mercy that the Lord hath made a motion of Love to you and that he is not totally rejected that there is a Treaty for Peace whereof you have so far accepted as to yield to a Cessation of Arms and a forbearance of those open Acts of Hostility against God which have been that the Drunkards are become sober that the Swearers now fear an Oath that the Enemies of God and of all Righteousness are now content to hear of a Reconciliation This is a mercy Much more That any of you are so far convinced of the misery of Sin of the excellency and necessity of Religion and Godliness that you are wrought to some good liking of the Holy Wayes of God and are wishing and waiting and making out after the Lord. This is a Mercy because there is hope that he that hath brought you hitherto will bring you on farther and farther till he hath brought you home But yet there is matter of great fear too lest presuming you have already attained you should sit down short of Saving-Grace and so perish at last With a special respect to such as these I shall shew 1. How such Persons may be wrought to this Fear 2. How this Fear will work to a farther Search 1. To work this Fear in such let these following Particulars be considered 1. There are preparations to Grace that are not Grace 2. There are Images of Grace that are not Grace 3. There are some properties of gracious Persons that are no certain Evidences of Grace 4. There is no one Grace that is really so which will put us out of doubt 5. What-ever we have that is short of Saving-Grace it may go back and we may be reduced to a worse State than ever before 1. There are preparations to Grace that are not Grace God usually takes time and leads Men on to Christ by degrees we are not presently Converts as soon as we cease to Bedlams There may be awakenings of sleepy Souls there may be enlightnings of dark Souls there may be shakings of obdurate and hardned Souls which though they may have a tendency to farther good yet may be far enough short of it There may be the pangs of travel which may never bring to the Birth In particular 1. There may be Conviction of Sin and yet no Grace Conviction is not Conversion Ahab was once a Convinced Person and so was Judas also but never Converts 2. There may be a good Opinion of Grace where there is no Grace The Way
in particular that he is our Prophet and Teacher sent to us from God to shew us the path of life that he is our Priest and Sacrifice that he is our King and Ruler A knowledge of the conditions that he imposes and the Laws he gives to them that will be his Disciples and that expect salvation by him as to believe and obey the Gospel to repent and be converted These things must be first distinctly known otherwise in consenting to Christ we do we know not what we subscribe to a blank Our close with Christ must be an understanding close otherwise it signifies nothing This being premised I shall now shew 1. That our consent to Christ notes our approving and good liking of Christ Therefore we read that Peter in his Preaching Christ to the Jews that he might Preach them to Christ endeavours first to gain their approbation of him and that he might be approved of them he tells them that he was approved of God Act. 2.22 Ye men of Israel here these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by signs and miracles If he could not have assured them of Gods approbation of him there had been little hope of gaining their approbation and if he had not their approbation there had been no hope of their acceptance The same Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 2.4 that he was disallowed of men and those that disallowed despised and rejected him He was to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 But as for them that are called they had other manner of thoughts of him to them he is Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God They might have been invited long enough before they would have come if they had not been first perswaded that he is the Power and Wisdom of God Wilt thou consent unto Christ he must have thy approbation or he can never have thy consent There must be an approving and liking of his Person of his personal excellencies and worthiness to be embraced Men must be well satisfied both of his sufficiency that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him and of his faithfulness that he will do it He that is not satisfied that 't is safe venturing upon Christ will never be perswaded to it There must be an approving and good liking of his whole way of Salvation of all that he hath done of all that he hath suffered of all that he demands and requires in order hereto And as they must be able to say He hath done all things well so must they say also concerning what he requires Good is the Word of the Lord. What doth the Lord require will he be trusted will he be loved will he be obeyed will he have me for his servant my estate my time my strength my body my soul to be all at his Service Good is the Word of the Lord it is but right it should be so it 's best thus to be his 2. Our consent to Christ notes our accepting him Approving is not all he may be approved and yet rejected video meliora proboque c. there are who approve the things that are excellent and yet will not embrace them Rom. 2.18 there must be an accepting of Christ as well as an approving There is An assent to a Proposition and A consent to a Proposal 1. There is an assent to a Proposition As to instance in that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came into the world to save Sinners There may be an assent to this that this is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation which is short of accepting 'T is one thing to say I believe and am perswaded in my heart that Christ is a Saviour of Sinners and is worthy of all acceptation and another thing to say I accept him 2. There is a consent to a Proposal Christ is not only declared in the Gospel to be the Saviour of Sinners that chosen one that mighty one upon whom their help is laid but there is an offer made of this Jesus unto Sinners who are all invited to look unto him to come unto him and be saved Matth. 11.28 and also assured that whosoever come unto him and believe in him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 In the Preaching the Gospel the Lord not only gives us this record concerning his Son that in him is Eternal life and that he that hath the Son hath life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. but withall makes this proposal to every Sinner wilt thou have this Jesus shall this Saviour be thy Saviour if thou wilt have him thou shalt Do not say now sure he is worth the having if redemption from death if everlasting life be worth the having then Christ is worth the having but say on wilt thou have him shall it be a match betwixt Christ and thy Soul shall he be thine and wilt thou be his Does thine heart say I will I accept I henceforth take him for mine own and will trust my self with him I put my life into his hands here my Soul shall pitch Upon this stone which is laid in Sion will I adventure all Does thine heart say to all this I will this is thy sincere consent to Christ provided that there be 3. A dedication and giving up the Soul to Christ. The matter that is to be consented to is not only that Christ be ours but that we be his Our consent that he should be ours is our taking him and our consent that we should be his is our giving our selves to him It is said of the Macedonian Christians 2 Cor. 8.5 they gave themselves to the Lord. This giving our selves to Christ hath in it the giving him The right of us The possession of us 1. The giving him the right of us He hath indeed a right to us already whether we give our selves to him or no he hath bought us and paid for us we are his by purchase 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own ye are bought with a price And yet though we be his already he expects that we give our selves to him he loves the claim by gift above that which comes only by purchase and therefore he requires Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thine heart Thou may'st say it is not mine to give what have I to give to the Lord All is his already I am his with all that I have The Father hath given all to the Son and he hath paid dear enough to purchase the Lordship of me Well though thou be his own already canst thou not say Take me then Lord take me as thine own 'T is more than rebellious Sinners will say though they be his by right yet they will rob him of his right and hold back his own from him They give themselves away from Christ to the Devil and to the World They might say to these when they demand give me thine heart it is not mine to give
and in that fear follow on towards perfection Particularly 1. Follow on the work of Mortification in fear lest whatsoever wound sin hath received it should recover and get head again Hast thou gotten it a little under make it as sure as thou canst though thou hast gotten over Jordan and hast set thy foot on the banks of Canaan yet the Canaanite is still in the land and will be a briar and thorn unto thee Thou wilt never have peace thou wilt never prosper in the Grace of God but according as thou prosperest in thy warre against sin Dost thou ever design to come to any thing in Religion and to grow up in the Grace of God Let thine eye and thine hand be upon this adversary which will otherwise certainly keep thee down and it may be bring thee much lower than thou art this day 'T is with Grace in an unmortified heart as with poor Israel in Egypt 't is under Oppression The task-masters were upon Israels backs to keep them in bondage they were not their own men to do as they would they could not go and serve the Lord their tyrants would not suffer them and thus it 's like to be with thee Rom. 7. When I would do good evil is present with me O these Egyptians have me in hold I am so captivated to the Law of sin that I cannot do the thing that I would What an hard servitude am I under wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Onely betwixt oppressed Israel and this oppressed Israelite the new Creature there is this difference Israel by how much the more they were oppressed by so much the more they grew and multiplyed 't was more than all Egypt could do to keep them barren But Grace will never grow and fructifie under the oppression of Sin Grace oppressed by affliction will prosper and grow as Israel did Christians are seldom in such a thriving state as when under trouble and that may comfort us under all the oppressions of men we may be as holy under them all we may serve the Lord as well it may be better we may enjoy the Lord as much it may be more in our afflicted than in our prosperous state But under the tyranny and usurpation of sin Grace cannot thrive 't will hardly be kept alive whiles lust so lords it over it When the poor Soul under this oppression of lust groans and cryes as poor Israel did Let me goe let me go that I may serve the Lord the flesh possibly when in a fright as the Egyptians did when they were smitten with their plagues may say Go go and serve the Lord be as holy as thou wilt get thee up out of Egyt get thee on towards Heaven But then shortly after when the fright is over it falls on again and it may be doubles the bondage Go serve the Lord To your work says the flesh or it may be To your play you shall not go Or if the Soul hath gotten a little more liberty than ordinary these Egyptians will after it again Israel can never get free and be let alone to serve the Lord indeed till the Egyptians be dead 'T is in vain to hold a treaty with our flesh to make terms and to article with it for a larger allowance till this enemy be dead thy Soul will never prosper nor go comfortably on its way Get Egypt into the Red Sea let thy Sin be drown'd in that Sea of Blood the Blood of Christ that 's the only Ocean in which Sin will drown and die when thou hast it there then that oppressed thing within thee will grow and increase mightily when Sin is dead then Grace will thrive Grace in an unmortified heart is as a spark of fire in green wood it will not burn all the blowing it up will hardly keep it alive the sap and moysture of the wood will choak it when the sticks are dryed then 't will burn O what a flame of holy Affections what a flame of Love and holy Desires would break forth what burning and shining Lights should we be if these green Faggots our lusts were dried up and withered when you are dead to sin then you shall be alive unto God Rom. 6.11 Christian art thou nothing concern'd for that little Grace that 's in thee preserve it for it is thy Life and look upon thy lusts as its Oppressors and Murtherers that would strangle the babe in thy womb and never count thy self secure till they be dead which seek this child's life Say within thine heart I go in fear of my life of them there 's no binding them to the Peace or the good Behaviour they are thy mortal Enemies and thou canst have no security but in their death But how shall I doe to get my sins mortified Why first let me ask thee art thou so sensible of the evil of them and the mischiefs thou art like to suffer by them that thou darest not let them live Art thou so heartily afraid of them that nothing less than their death will give thee quiet Art thou more afraid of thy living lusts than of the labour and the smart that their death will cost thee who would bear the cutting off of a limb an arm or a legge that is not sensible that his life is concerned in it This mortifying work is one of the most painfull works of a Christian It is not so difficult to tell you how you should do it as to make you willing to doe it Physicians sometimes have an harder task to perswade to the taking of the Physick than to cure the Disease when once the Patient is willing and when no other Arguments will prevail 't is Fear at last that must do it Art thou in such a fear of thy Disease that this does swallow up thy fear of thy remedy Art thou for the death of sin how painfull soever it may be to thee Why if thou art in good earnest then take these following Directions 1. Lay the axe to the Root of sin 2. Put a Knife to the Throat of sin 3. Put a Bridle on its Jawes 4. Set thy Foot on the Neck of sin 1. Lay the Axe to the root of sin When Christ appeared in the World to cut off impenitent sinners it is expressed thus Matth. 3.10 Now also is the Axe laid to the root of the tree every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down Sure enough the tree must down when it is cut up at the root What was to be done by those sinners do thou by sin lay the Axe to the root There are sometimes some hopefull assaults made against sin which yet prosper not because the blow goes not to the root the branches may be lopp'd the Acts of sin may be cut off the Drunkard may cease from his Wine and the Adulterer from his Harlots swearing and lying and oppression may be all cut down as to what appears but soon after all these branches and evil
3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion fear the severity of Christ against Irreligion Thou canst not bear the work of Righteousness but how wilt thou bear the wages of Unrighteousness if thou canst not be tied up so strait by the cords of his Discipline how wilt thou endure the chains of his indignation If the severities of his service be to thee a stumbling-stone the wrath of the Lamb will be a mill-stone if this stone fall upon thee it will grind thee to powder Matth. 21.44 Sinners let their tongues run at a wild rate I must have my ease I must have my liberty I was never in bondage and cannot now endure it to come under such a severe restraint But thou that professest thy self to be one of his Disciples wilt thou say as these say I cannot bear it I cannot endure it Canst thou burn what thinkest thou of the everlasting severity Consider what thou dost either submit to Christs Pastoral Rod or fall for ever under his Iron Rod wherewith he will crush thee to pieces like a Potters Vessel Why is this the case must I bow or burn must I come under his Government or be ground under his Milstones O I have done no more reasoning with flesh and blood no more picking quarrels with Religion whatever there be in it I dare not but submit to it all for fear a worse thing come unto me Well but wilt thou submit then wilt thou set thine heart to all his words wilt thou set thy Neck to all his works This is the third thing now I exhort you to follow after Severity and strictness in the wayes of the Lord which because it hath something more of asperity and roughness in it than those that follow there will be so much the more need of Fear to bring us to it 4. Simplicity Severity may be in Hypocrisie the Scribes and Pharisees were severe severe in their Fasts disfiguring their faces looking with sad and dejected countenances severe in the observation of the Rites Customs and Traditions of their Fathers yea and of the Letter of the Law of God there were very strict sects of them Act. 26.5 and yet they were Hypocrites Simplicity notes The Heart in our work Singleness of heart 1. Simplicity notes Heartiness in our Work nothing is plain and honest but that which is hearty doing the Will of God from the heart Ephes 6.6 Ye have obeyed from the heart Rom. 6.17 My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 What is it to give God the heart This is one thing comprehended in it to give him the heart for a servant or to serve him with the heart He that gives God the heart gives him the best he hath and gives him all he hath the heart will command the tongue and the hands and the time and the Estate to be all at his service which way the heart goes all goes Serving the Lord with the heart is serving him in good earnest we do but play with duty we do but mock God where the heart is not 't is only serving him in spirit that is serving him in truth Friends be real and in good earnest in what you doe let all your Religion come deep let your Prayers and your Prayses and all the exercising your selves to Godliness of life be the streamings and issuings forth of your hearts to the Lord. Whatever you doe do it heartily as unto the Lord. Serve the Lord as you have been used to serve your flesh in good earnest What you have done for your Estates what you have done for your Names or for your safety you have done it heartily and shall that only which we do for God and for our Souls be done without an heart what is God what are our Souls and the concernments of them that they should be thus put off Is this heartless service all that God is worthy of will he accept it at our hands or is it no matter whether he accept it or no Is this spiritless service answerable to the worth of our Souls and the weight of Eternity will you venture all upon shadowes and lyes Are we but in Jest when we talk of a God or a Christ or a World to come Are our hopes and fears about hereafter but delusions and dreams Do you believe from the heart and dare you not obey from the heart How can you say you believe there is a God indeed that of a very truth there is such an Heaven and such an Hell in one of which your immortal Souls must dwell for ever how can you believe such things and not feel your very inwards even all the Powers of your Souls engaged about them Am I speaking to those that believe not is it not to you that believe that I now direct my words Consider friends The God in whom you believe is a Spirit and will be served in Spirit and in Truth God is a great God and infinitely worthy of the best and of all you have your Souls are precious eternal Life and eternal Death are serious things and which of these two will be your lott is a serious question and sure these most serious things do call for your most serious and hearty attendance upon them Away with all guile and hypocrisie provoke not the jealous God fool not away your Souls by trusting to lyes Worship God in the Spirit lift up your Souls in your Prayers chasten your Souls in your Fastings And as your Souls must be in your Lips in your Eyes in your Ears while you are solemnly worshipping of God so let your Hearts be in you Hands too in all that you have to doe Let your heart have an hand in all the actions of your lives Eccles 9.10 Whatever thine hand findeth to doe do it with thy might that is do it with all your heart the heart is the might of the man God is the strength of the heart and the heart is the strength of the man Sinners when they go forth upon service for the Devil they carry their heart in their hands Micah 7.3 They do evil with both hands earnestly Earnestly there 's the heart in their hands They do their worst that God will suffer them Thou hast done iniquity as thou couldest Jer. 3.5 as much as ever thou wert able As Sinners do their worst so let Christians do the best they can Whatever thou hast to do for thine own Soul by gathering in and treasuring up against the time to come do the most and the best thou canst be as hearty in laying up treasure in Heaven as ever thou hast been in laying up treasure on Earth Whatever service thou hast to do for God in thy generation by doing good to others do it with all thine heart In your instructing admonishing counselling reproving in your working righteousness in your shewing mercy in your promoting and encouraging any good work or preventing evil in your propagating serious Religion in your pulling poor sinners as