and exhortations that awakened and affected the heart now slide away like water upon a rock and there is no print or the least appearance of any impression left behind the ruine of mens comforts lives and liberties which sin hath brought are open but oh the woful desolation of souls could it be seen of al as it is felt of some whose heart God toucheth it would make sin exceeding sinful and unsupportably evil as they in the Prophet complayned bitterly Why are our hearts hardened from thy fear Isa. 63. 17. Besides this bitter fruit which the sinner is forced to tast of sin in his own particular view wee the extent of that evil which sin doth unto others and that partly which is common to every corruption of what ever kind or degree it is of great or smal open or secret whether more loathsom and not 〈◊〉 to the eyes of men or that which is esteemed less in the account of the world that which is an ingredient into the nature and constitution and making up of every corruption that it makes a breach upon the righteous law of God i. e. not onely shaks of the rule and soveraignty of the law but preferrs in truth the supremacie of our lusts before the authority of the Lord himself which ho hath and ought to exercise over our souls For the sinner in the practice of any sin proclaims this unto the world it s not the royalty of the righteous law of God but mine own distemper shal rule me not his wil but mine own wayward corruption shal 〈◊〉 the ballance It s not the wisdom of the word but my folly and the vanity of my ignorant mind shal lead me in what I do It s not the goodness of the Law of Gods holiness but the pleasing corruptions of mine own carnal heart shal content me in a word each man professeth God shal not be his God but he sets up his lust in his room and doth homage therunto than which what greater indignity can be done to the Almighty Al men look at it as a most hellith expression of the Jews 〈◊〉 him but Barabbas Barabbas was a murtherer vile and base yet a man and therefore somthing of God in him but more hideous is the hateful blasphemy which the practice of every sinner proclaymes not God but sin he advanceth sin in his choyce which is nothing but baseness it self above the infinite holiness of the only blessed God so their profession was they said to the Almighty depart away from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes thou saiest in thy heart as much when in the secret resolution of thy soul thou baddest humility depart the pride of thine own heart should carry thee to meekness depart so to the God of Grace and holiness depart the knotty stoutness of thine own spirit was the Liege Lord thou yieldest homage and obedience unto Out of mens Atheism and ignorance this is not thought on and therefore men thinke their sins little nor are they apprehensive of that infinite wrōng that they do to the holy and infinite Majesty of the blessed God Besides this wrong that is common to al sins there be some especially open and scandalous that become out of measure sinful Committed against many mercies against many means against many mercies wherwith God hath 〈◊〉 and allured them that he might have overcome their unkind hearts w th his tender compassions had they but a spark of any good nature or ingenuity within them Thus they sin against more of God therfore their sin becoms unmeasurably 〈◊〉 against the bowels of a Father that hath yerned towards them the blood of a Christ that hath been shed for them the tears of a saviour that have been wept over them Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the consolation and intimations of the spirit who hath striven and entreated Oh do not do so and sin against God and yet impudently presumptuously and pertinaciously thou wouldest break through al these armyes of compassions to commit that sin that wil be thy ruine how vile thy carriage and how just thy plague Thus Nathan pleads with David when he would lay open the loathsomness of his evil before him 2 Sam. 12. 7. 8. 9. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I annoynted thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy masters house and thy masters wives into thy bosome and gave thee the house of Israel and the house of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the command of the Lord The heart of the holy man sunk down in sorrow I have sinned Yea these coals of fire if gathered and heaped up I mean these compassions rightly considered and weighed and layd upon the heart they are able almost to melt the most flinty disposition Jud. 2. 1. 2. 3. So the Angel overbore the rebellious spirits of the Israelites I made you to go up out of Egipt and have brought you into the land which I sware unto your Fathers and I said I will never break my Covenant with you and ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land you shal throw down their altars but ye have not obeyed my voyce why have ye done this and it came to pass when he spake these words unto al the Children of Israel that the people lift up their voyces and wept This brake their hearts al in pieces though perverse and rebellious they ceased answering and fel to weeping their tears and mourning were instead of words they would return in their defence Against many means wherwith the Lord hath striven with us to stop us in the pursuit of sin and to reclame us from our iniscarriages God hems in a poor creature on every side by publick dispensations and private 〈◊〉 by ordinary and extraordinary helps way-layes a sinner and hedgeth up his path 〈◊〉 thorns and builds a wal about him that he might find the ways of ungodlyness no more Hos 2. 8. He that adventures upon the commission of sin against such means and breaks through such armyes of ordinances there is a multiplication of many sins in the commission of one because it is against the multiplication of many truths or one truth in a manifold dispensation he sins against so many instructions so many comforts so many counsels he hath heard Confessions he hath made and prayers he hath put up for himself and others have made in his behalf every one of these dispensations hath an action against the soul because it hath been wronged by the sinner John 12. 48. He that heareth and rejecteth hath one that judgeth even that word that I have spoken and he hath heard wil judg him saith our Saviour Christ. Those reproofs that thou haft heard and not submitted to Instructions that thou hast heard and not embraced thou shalt need no other
no power receive no profit nor benefit to my own soul and there is a secret conceit that God doth them wrong As she said If it be so Why am I thus Gen. 25. 22. 2. We may know it by a sinking discouragement of heart When the soul wearied with delayes and differings and expectation sits down in a 〈◊〉 condition because he cannot have what he will he will cast away what he hath and conceaves he may be careless of what he might attain As David said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Samuel 27. 1. All men are lyars Psal. 116. 11. Alas Iam not fit to Pray or to Hear I find my heart worse after it none was ever in such a case as I better never to use the means than never to have benefit by them better never to enjoy the Ordinances and Priviledges of God than to get no good by them How now Better never use the means It would be better and best of all if you were deeply humbled and abased in the sight of your own vileness As the Apostle saies What if God will not What 〈◊〉 he will never pardon your sins or shew mercy to your soul If he give you nothing doth he 〈◊〉 you any thing You think your worthiness is not attended you secretly think the Lord hath forgot himself your parts and performances your 〈◊〉 and prayers diligence and endeavors ought upon due to be remembered and recompenced No Thank your proud heart you are not prepared for the presence the peace the comfort the coming of a Savior and therefore you want him Do you think your self worthy to be condemned when you think it much to be denyed deserted punished nay but desayed in the dispensation of Gods goodness He must please your pallat and suit your mind and humor at a beck No no mend your self if you be in so hasty a moode the Lord will make you know that you are unworthy of mercy He will not bribe you nor be beholding to you to wait upon him for his mercy yea be thankful to him that you may wait and wonder that you are not past praying hearing and waiting and all A ground of Encouragement to a poor distressed sinner when Devils assault 〈◊〉 grow strong Conscience accuse and the venome of the vengeance of the Almighty drinks up a mans spirits so that the sinner knows not how to bear his condition nor yet how to help himself out of it so that he is at his wits end His Friends pitty him and the Parents conceave their Child is undone they never thought to have seen this day Why so It is the best day that ever his eyes saw he is now in Gods way the Lord now seems to lay hold upon him and to intend good to him be not afraid of the work but be afraid he should miss and spoil in the working As in Child-bed when throws come thick and strong there is most hope of a speedy and happy delivery but when her throws leave her her life leaves her so it is in the new Birth Stormy gales at Sea toss a man most but soonest land him Therefore do not so much fear the blow as be thankful and be willing to follow the blow nor so much desire to be eased as not to be deceived not so much to have the work over as to have it made good upon thy soul labor to get into and keep in that frame prophesied of in all 〈◊〉 Converts Jer. 50. 4. Going and 〈◊〉 with their faces towards Zion they shall 〈◊〉 the Lord their God Exhortation Suffer then the Exhortation of the Baptist the voyce of him that cries in the Wilderness to sound in your ears and to sink into 〈◊〉 hearts Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight As ever we 〈◊〉 to share in the Merits of our Savior to enjoy him and his presence and everlasting happiness by him address we our selves bestir our souls in the use of all means to 〈◊〉 a Savior and then we may 〈◊〉 expect him and we shall not miss of our expectation There is no lack on his part he is willing and ready He that stands and knocks at the door that he may come in Rev. 3. 20. If the door was open he would come in without question If the way was prepated he hath promised to come speedily and certainly he would not delay his coming I know this manner of entertainment seems hard to flesh and blood loath we are to dislodge so many gainful guests so many special friends darling pleasures and sweet contentments which we have contrived to our selves out of the earthly comforts of this life Hence many are content the King would go another way and secretly wish they had nothing to do with the Lord Jesus there is so much privy search to be made so much examination to be used such a sight of our sins and unworthiness yea that which is worst of all to the corrupt hearted they must vomit up all their sweet morsels shake hands and break league with their beloved darling delights which they tender as their lives they must thrust world and ease prosperity and pompe credit and applause by the head and shoulders out of the doors and turn them going 〈◊〉 therefore I am afraid many 〈◊〉 that in secret in their own hearts which the Devils openly professed What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to 〈◊〉 us before the time to deprive us of our profits to pluck away our pleasures and to dislodge those sweet lusts that we harbored so long in our bosoms and bowels learn we then to press some sound Arguments upon our own hearts that we may perswade and prevaile with them if it be possible to set about this work which is so necessary Consider then First Who we be that must 〈◊〉 And Secondly For whom First Let us consider our selves a company of poor miserable sinful and damned Creatures sinful dust and ashes dead dogs Consider of this and think with thy self Will the Lord of Heaven come down will Christ dwell in my heart will he vouchsafe to look in yea to call in as he goes by upon such a sinful Creature And let this move thee to prepare for his coming We are not worthy as the Centurion said that the Lord should come under our 〈◊〉 1 King 8. 27. There Solomon saith Will the Lord indeed dwell on earth Will he dwel in a house made with hands As if he should say Is it possible Can it be imagined that thou Lord being the great God of heaven whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain shouldest once 〈◊〉 to dwell in a house made with hands in the Temple which I have builded And what may we say Is it so Can it be Shall it be that God will come and dwell under our roof that he will come and dwell under our rotten and sinful hearts that he will dwell
and therefore the true convert sets himself most to seek the ruin and rooting out of them which would have wrought the ruin of his soul but there he rests not but what ever sins come within his reach 〈◊〉 labors the removal of them out of the familyes 〈◊〉 he dwels out of the plantations where he lives out 〈◊〉 the companies and occasions with whom he hath occasion to meet and meddle at any time he that 〈◊〉 treason indeed pursues the pack of conspirators 〈◊〉 ever they become until there be not one remaining 〈◊〉 the Nation open both these a little 1 He labors the destruction of sin in his own 〈◊〉 and that two wayes 1. He doth what he can himself 2. He seeks for help from others that they may send in new supply of forces to do what he cannot He sets himself to the utmost of his power to procure the utter ruine of his lusts as 〈◊〉 enemies if there be a settled hatred indeed they are not satisfyed until they have the blood of each other So it is here It s not to weaken the work of sin to stop the spreading of it to confine the compass of it to some private course or yet to imprison 〈◊〉 by restraint that it may not stir abroad nor yet have the liberty of the prison but be layed aside as the malifactor in the dungeon no this hatred seeks the death and the not being of it and until then its restless in pursuit As David with his enimies Psal. 78. 37. I have pursued mine enimies and overtaken them neither did I turn again until they were consumed A contrite heart deals so with his distempers He ceaseth not until he see his desire upon his 〈◊〉 until he hath his wil of him And if we view the expression of the scripture we shal see how hatred vents itself against such as be enimies whose destruction it intends partly by 〈◊〉 partly by conspiracy it s said of the Egiptians that God turned their hearts to hate his people and the fruit of that is in the following words and they dealt subtilly with them what that subtilty was the text discovers Exod. 1. 10. first they oppressed them with heavy burdens then they plotted by trechery to kil their males in the birth that so in issue they might take away their strength and numbers also in the issue 〈◊〉 is subtilty which is one way how hatred expresseth itself Againe if we look Psal. 83. 2 to 6. the enemies of the Lord and his Church who 〈◊〉 his hidden ones 〈◊〉 have consulted together with one consent and are confederate Moab Ammon and 〈◊〉 c. there is a combination of al policies and power to overbear and destroy them This is the nature of hatred when it is disordred and unwarrantable in a wrong way and the exercise and expression of it wil be in some measure proportionable When it s put forth in a right manner according to the rule of God and the operation of his spirit against sin The contrite soul when it s carried with this hateful detestation against its own abominations by a spiritual kind of prudence observes where the first stirrings and male strength of our corruptions appear in the birth and breeding of them in our minds and hearts where the root 〈◊〉 spawn of those loathsom abominations have their warming and hatching in the heart There hatred improves al prudence that may be to stifle those distempers in the first stirrings of them crush the Cockatrice in the shel kil the Serpent in the egg that they may never have being nor be brought forth into the world if it be possible But if by policy these spiritual enemies cannot be undermined then this hatred brings the combined forces of confederated power of the whol man his whol endeavor to destroy the nests of those noysom lufts what head can contrive heart desire handwork the endeavor accomplish head and heart and hand desires endeavors tears prayers in a deadly feud to pursue the 〈◊〉 enemyes to their not being Thus he doth what he can in himself and when that is not enough 〈◊〉 seeks for help against these hellish abominations from God by his Saints and al such ordinances which he hath appointed for his succour In a word the carriage of the heart of a contrite sinner under this kindly hatred thus discovers it self he is willing to attend any means but gives most welcome to such as wil do most execution in the slaughter and destruction of his sins for that is his ayme nor wil he complement with the Lord nor is he squeamish 〈◊〉 stomached that each dispensation must answer his expectation point vice or else it wil not down As it was with Naaman when Courtier-like-state-complement more prevailed with him than his own health I had thought he would have come and layd his hand upon 〈◊〉 and called upon his God so if the counsel be suggested in such a 〈◊〉 and such intimations the admonition with such meekness or by such a man c. then he can hear and receive otherwise he wil be wel contented rather to quarrel with the manner that crosseth him than embrace the truth which may help hmi against his sin no this is far from a contrite heart he passeth not much how or what the means are or manner of the dispensation if he find it to give a deadly blow to his distemper it s that which pleaseth him he can easily pass by al the rest as be the person never so mean and 〈◊〉 to the service or the time unseasonable as in Abigail A General upon his design to be crossed and countermanded by a woman A spirit that had not been very under and hated his sin more than any enemy would have found many cavils but he saw how it suited the slaughter of his sins and he receives it gladly nay be the manner rude and rugged either not suiting the place of him that speaks nor the person to whom it s spoken yet the broken heart takes it quietly As in that of Joab to David 2. Sam. 19. 5. 6. 7. though the physick was good it was too hot yet because it was wholsom the King took it down nay when neither the person nor manner nor matter it self which is spoken are answerable to the service yet if he sees the hand of God to come out against his corruptions he takes that advantage against his distemper and passeth by the other 2 Sam. 16. 7. 11. when Shimei cursed David let him alone saith he the Lord hath bidden him curse it may be the Lord wil look upon me for good c. As Saul entertained the message of the Ziphites concerning David whom he hated and whose death he hunted after 1 Sam. 23. 19. then came the Ziphites to Saul saying doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood in the hill of Hackelah now therefore O King come down according to al the desire of thy heart and
our part shal be to deliver him into the Kings hand And Saul said blessed be the Lord for ye have had compassion upon me go and prepare see his place where his haunt is and take knowledg of his lurking places where he hides himself so the contrite sinner that seeks the death and 〈◊〉 of his sins it gladly welcomes what ever means are most searching sharpest reproofes clearest discoveries convicting arguments that wil discover the haunts and lurking places of a mans lusts and secret shiftings of devices Oh these hit the desire of his heart he counts them blessed counsels blessed reproofes blessed be ye of the Lord that have compassion on my soul to take those distempers from me that would take away my soul from God and life and happiness from my soul nay the soul wil say I see something but O search more narrowly examin yet more throughly al the sinful windings and turnings of my heart and I wil ioyn with you in al such convictions and 〈◊〉 and if there be any way of wickedness any crevis and corner of falshood to be found in the whol frame of my heart I hope God wil reveal and remove and I wil deal nakedly Such smitings are as precious balms that do not break the head but bring a healing virtue comfort a mans heart content his head and apprehensions also Thus he proceeds against his own sin but there this hatred 〈◊〉 not but he labors also the removal of sin in whomsoever he finds it wheresoever he is and with whomsoever he converseth If there be any corruption stirring his enemies appearing his hatred stirs presently his heart riseth against it attacheth the Traitor if any be under pressures he pities them tenderly if in distress of Spirit he comforts in much compassion and fortifies against the common enemy If he sees any go out of the way led aside with their own distempers Satans delusion he cannot keep off from counselling reproving perswading The Servant that could side it with fellow Servants in stubborn idle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 and consent with them suit with them give them counsel keep their counsel before they were brethren in iniquity but when his heart comes to be pierced and the soul transported with hatred you shal 〈◊〉 the wind in another door if he see them lazy and idle he wil quicken them if stubborn and perverse he wil seasonably advise and pursue them with reproofs and if his 〈◊〉 cannot take place he wil make his complaints to the Governor for redress he cannot endure to see sin thrive and the Traitor live But if the Lord put any Authority into his hand he wil express it to the utmost of al his power and that with the utmost indignation that the nature of the thing wil bear As good Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 4 5 6. He commanded to break down the Altars cut down the Groves carved and molten Images made dust of them and burnt the bones of the Priests upon the Altar in the detestation of their Sacrifices nay he took away all the abominations of all the Countries that appertained to Israel and made all that were present to serve the Lord This Indignation expresseth it self against sin and all that appertains to it and have been Instruments to the commission of it As an Adulterous woman in 〈◊〉 of conscience tore the hair that she had crisped and disfigured the face that she had painted and prided her self Ioathed to look upon the tyres and garments which she had worn to make her beauty a bait and a 〈◊〉 to others So Mary Magdalen c. But if yet the Nation of those noysom corruptions cannot be utterly destroyed but sins live and are mighty abroad and remain in the heart this hatred is beyond all hope and possibility of reconciliation admits no terms of peace no condition of agreement that can be devised or offered will be entertained holds out the quarrel and opposition unto death nay is willing to die and put an end to his daies that he may see an end of his abominations As God with Amaleck Exod. 17. last he commanded it to be writ 〈◊〉 a memorial in a book for God hath sworn he will have war with 〈◊〉 for ever and put out his name from under Heaven this hatred as in deadly feuds gives no quarter the soul wil not tribute his Corruptions and serve his own turn of them but wages War with them until they be utterly destroyed from off the face of the Earth The Counsel that God gave to the Israelites 〈◊〉 carefully and exactly keeps Be sure you make no Covenant with them but smite them and utterly destroy them Deut. 7. 23. c. Reasons of the Point are Three Without this there 〈◊〉 no way to come to Christ for there is no coming of Faith into the soul No man can serve two Masters for if he love the one he will hate the other if he cleave to the one he will despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Matth. 6. 24. If saies Samuel you wil prepare your hearts to seek the Lord put away your Idols 1 Sam. 7. 3. Those must first be removed if God be received there is no halting bet wixt two no man can be in the first and second Adam together the soul cannot be married to two husbands at once The conclusion of our Savior is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Luk 14. 26. If any man come 〈◊〉 me and hate not his father and mother wife and children and friends and therefore much more his sins in comparison of Christ he cannot be my disciple he is not worthy i. e. not fit to be Christs disciple Without this there is no salvation can be expected from Christ for this is the method of mercy the order of God in the dispensation of life to lost man and so 〈◊〉 was intended and appointed God sent 〈◊〉 son from heaven to bless you by turning every one of you from his iniquity Acts 3. 26. He wil turn you from your evil way if ever he bless you and it was the way the prophet prescribed of old 〈◊〉 18. 30. turn you from al your transgressions so iniquity shal not be your ruin and Christ came to save his people from their 〈◊〉 Math. 1. 21. that is the first 〈◊〉 to Salvation you cannot be safe if your sins be safe Christ wil not 〈◊〉 you and your sins too if you wil save them he wil not save you this is the great condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light he that loves his sins loves his death Sin is the onely enemy of the soul that which is hateful to God and man and makes us hateful also And therefore is the fittest 〈◊〉 indeed the onely proper object of our hatred They are lusts that 〈◊〉 against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. there is nothing in the world that could prejudice the peace comfort of the soul were it not
intends to such undeserving ones as we be His own good will being the only 〈◊〉 of any saving work he is pleased to put forth upon the hearts of those who appertain to the Election of Grace This was that which the Lord proclaims and which he urges upon all drooping and discouraged Spirits to make them put on more cheerfully in the pursuit of life and happiness 〈◊〉 55. 1. Oh every one that thirsteth come to the waters and he 〈◊〉 hath no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price It s very remarkable how the Spirit of God labors to remove that which will and most usually doth hinder the fainting hearts of dismaied sinners in their endeavor after Mercy They fondly conceit they must come with their cost they must bring some Spiritual abilities and 〈◊〉 with them unless they have that money they are like to miss of their market they shall not be able to purchase Gods acceptance the Graces and Comforts of his Spirit signified by Wine and Milk The Lord therefore that he might wholly dath these dreams and take off these 〈◊〉 thoughts he puts it beyond all Question and Doubt by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the contrary He that hath no money that is No Spiritual 〈◊〉 or worth let him buy question it not yea I speak it seriously and mind what I say therefore I say again without money doubt it not yea I 〈◊〉 as I say openly and plainly without money or money worth no in 〈◊〉 no weakness no unworthiness shall hinder be not needlesly suspicious I intend not to sell my Graces and Comforts but to bestow them freely upon such who have an open hand to take them and an empty heart to carry them away This was the ground of Encouragement whereby the Prophet emboldned those rebellious Jews to take words and resolution also to themselves to press in with some hope to speed with the Lord Hos. 14. 2 3. Take unto 〈◊〉 words and say Receive us graciously But the Lord might have replyed You have no worth in your selves you deserve no favor therefore it s added with thee the Fatherless find mercy As if 〈◊〉 should have said Thou doest not vouchsafe mercy to sinners because of any excellency they have any friends they can make any abilities they can bring but the helpless friendless fatherless orphane souls such as be destitute of all succour no eye to pitty no friend to provide no strength to support themselves such find mercy with thee such we are therefore Lord shew us mercy If the Dole or Alms was to be bought and purchased then the 〈◊〉 who had most and needed least would 〈◊〉 be possessors of it but because its only out of the 〈◊〉 to bestow it freely he that 's poor hath never a whit the less but the more hope to receive it so it is here in the Dole of Grace when 〈◊〉 thou considerest the infinite baseness of thy heart on the one side the incomprehensible worth of mercy on the other and withal conceivest an utter impossibility ever to attain it ever to expect it settle this Conclusion in thy heart as matter of marvelous Encouragement yet mercy is free others have received it and why not I Lord If the multitude of thine 〈◊〉 plead against thee if Satan be busie to discourage thine heart and drive thee to despair Why dost thou Canst thou Expect any kindness from the Lord since thy frailties so many thy rebellions so great against the offer of his mercy and the work of his Grace How utterly unable 〈◊〉 thou to do any thing to procure any Spiritual good How unfit to receive it And is it not a folly than to hope for it Thou hast hence to Reply Be it I am as base as can be imagined yet my 〈◊〉 cannot hinder the work of Gods Love for it s altogether Free True I have nothing to purchase it Abraham had not I can do nothing to deserve it David could not I have no right to challenge it at the hands of the Lord nor yet had Paul any thing to plead for him in the like case and yet all these were made partakers of mercy and why not I Lord Put in for thy particular and plead for thy self and say Blessed Lord thy mercy is not lessened thy wisdom decayed thy arm shortned what thou didst freely for Abraham an Idolater 〈◊〉 a Rebel for Paul a Persecutor do for my poor 〈◊〉 also my vileness cannot hinder the freeness of thy Compassions If it be here Replyed That this affords small ground of Comfort for if the Dispensation of Grace depend upon Gods Free Will he may fail us as well as help us he may deny it as well as give it The Answer is He may give it as well as deny it and that 's Argument enough to sustain our hopes and to quicken our endeavors put it then to the adventure Thus the Prophet Joel pressed the Israelites to 〈◊〉 to God for the removal of a Judgement and the Pardon of their Sins upon this very possibility Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord who knows if he will return and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2. 13 14. Thus the 〈◊〉 Ninivites provoke themselves to importune the God of heaven for the with-holding of the destruction threatned Let us cry mightily unto God who can tell if he will turn and repent Jonah 3. 8 9. When then thy Spirit sinks under the unsupportable pressure of thy sins and the expectation of the righteous Judgements deserved thereby here is that which will ad Comfort and Encouragement to look upward to the Lord for refreshing Who knows but God may who can tell but God will yet shew mercy therefore I will yet hope because no man can tell but I may at last be made partaker thereof Lastly Those who want and seek for mercy from the Lord in the use of the means which he hath appointed they are to be exhorted from the former truth to arm themselves with patience to stay Gods time and to 〈◊〉 his pleasure if it seem good to his Majesty to with-hold this Favour or delay the work of his Grace Beggars must not be chusers we must not be Carvers of Gods kindness it s a Free Gift and therefore as he may give what he will so he may give it when it seems most fit to himself Just cause we have to wait no reason at all to murmure against him Hast thou then endeavored after this work of Grace and canst not attain it Endeavor still Hast thou begged it and yet findest not thy desires answered Crave still with perseverance It s good to hope and to wait also for the Salvation of the Lord Lam. 3. 26. both must go together to wait without hope is uncomfortable and to hope without patience is unprofitable We know 〈◊〉 what time God will take it is our duty and will be our wisdom and comfort to
When thy heart was Satans home and the power of darkness dwelt in it when he had levyed al his Forces he was strengthened and encouraged by al the advantages that might be he had the hold of the heart and entrenched himself in the stubbornness and invincible stiffness of my Will and that I was resolved to leave my life but never to leave my lusts nor renounce his temptations which I entertained as my delight and sided with al alurements and stood in open 〈◊〉 against the Holy One of Israel If Satan in his ful power could not keep his hold nor my heart but the Lord cast him out when he is Conquered and his Forces spoiled by the Lord Christ Shal he not for ever keep him out When I was under the power of Satan he then rescued me being now rescued from his rage and beyond his power shal he not preserve me He that destroyed the works of Satan when he was in his ful strength intrenched fortified in the unconquerable stiffness of his Will and took away his Armour being Disarmed Dispossessed and Conquered shal he ever be able to recover and set up his works again By no means The Third and Last USE of this Doctrine is of Exhortation First To the Converted Then To the Unconverted Here is somthing for both First the Converted are hereby to be provoked to follow the dealing of the Lord Here is a pattern to order their daily practice by Hath God doth God deal so with poor Creatures as to draw them from their sins to 〈◊〉 Christ Go thy wayes and do thou likewise Herein shew your selves Children of your heavenly Father be merciful as he is merciful And if in any case I take it Mercy is herein to be discerned ought to be practised and expressed As the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy Col. 4. 11. If you be the Elect of God shew it in this if ever you have received Mercy express it if ever God hath shewed favour to you shew the fruit thereof in shewing compassion to others put too the best of your endeavors even by a holy kind of violence to pluck away poor sinners from their sins unto the Lord. So David Psal. 51. 13. I will teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shall be Converted unto thee I wil take no nay at their hands they are stubborn I was so they resist I did so they are unwilling to part with their sins I was so and yet the Lord hath done me good and overcome al my evil with goodness when I was in my blood when I lay weltring in the guilt and filth of my sins when I said I would have my sins and I would die and was resolved to destroy my self then he said unto me Live poor Creature Live You cannot get your heart away from your Corruptions the Lord wil do it for you nay he can do it for you without you If he wil put forth the same power upon your soul as he hath done upon my soul you shal be drawn from your sins to Jesus Christ. In a word 1 Do what you can your self 2 Help them with supply from others First do what you can your self let every man in his own particular set upon al such loving Means as are in your power Compassionately and Couragiously to draw sinners from their sins to Christ Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily lest any be bardened through the deceitfulness of sin 1 Thess. 5. 14. Now we exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men As who should say Lay about you to do al the good you can he makes a Christian man to be as busie as a Bee that he should go no whither but should seek and find occasion of doing good to one or other you wil meet with some that are unruly warn them and instruct them and some that are weak labor to strengthen them some that are feeble minded and discouraged Christians labor to quicken and encourage them Let not those thoughts be found once in thy heart Am I my Brothers keeper Yes thou art or else thou art his murtherer wilt thou defend his house from a thief his body from 〈◊〉 nay wouldest thou ease and raise his Ass from falling and return his Ox from straying and wilt thou not do much more for his Soul Therefore take al opportunities that are offered and seek what is no offered and improve what you have to the 〈◊〉 Jude 23. And others save with fear plucking them out of the fire If thy neighbors Ox were in the pit or himself in the fire thou wouldest break 〈◊〉 the door and not strain Complements much more when his soul is fallen into his distempers as into a deep ditch his soul is 〈◊〉 on fire from Hell 〈◊〉 away the Drunkard from his Cups and hale the Covetous man from the world and those whom you see to be 〈◊〉 by any special Corruption do 〈◊〉 you can to rescue them from the snare of the Devil and double thy forces lay battery against the heart to it again and take better hold it may be he sees his evil and acknowledgeth his sin and yet returns to it again return thou to thy prayers and tears an 〈◊〉 if he forget thy Counsels Counsel him again admonish again besiege him lie at him when thou meetest him in the way walkest in the field 〈◊〉 at the table leave some remembrance upon 〈◊〉 of those you converse withal say and do som thing that may help to draw their souls from their sins to Christ. God hath dealt so with thee therefore deal thou so with others Succour them also by all other Means 〈◊〉 thou according to thy power and place to 〈◊〉 them under the means of Grace As they said one 〈◊〉 another Isa. 2. 3. Come let us go up to the house 〈◊〉 the Lord he will teach us of his wayes And as 〈◊〉 good man Cornelius when Peter was to come 〈◊〉 Preach the Gospel to him Acts 10. 24. he Calls 〈◊〉 his friends and kindred together that the Lord 〈◊〉 work upon them and sayes he We are all here ready to hear what the Lord hath commanded thee This especially belongs to al such as have power and authority over others as Magistrates may compel the Subjects the Master may compel his Servants and the Father his Children to use the Means for they can go no farther than a moral violence and to be under those Ordinances which they in their own Consciences are convinced of to be the Means of Conversion and Salvation And look as they did when our Savior Christ came to any place they brought the blind and the deaf and dumb and those that were possessed of Devils and laid them down before him and intreated him to Cure them Mar. 2. 4. So if thou hast a stubborn Servant or a Rebellious Child al the Means thou hast used can do no good upon him bring
irresistable operation of his Spirit when the soul having that impediment removed it comes to be in the next passive power and immediately disposed to a Spiritual Work vult moveri God leaves a powerful impression upon the will acts this capability to carry it from sin in a right order to God at the entrance of which the soul is moved and takes the impression having taken the impression or motion it moves again and in vertue of that is said to act and consent so that this consent is not from our selves though not without our selves And thus we are put beyond any principle of our own or to be the beginners of our own work by any thing we have in our selves which cuts the sinews of the Covenant of Works and hither many times God wil bring us to our beginnings to the bare board even to leave our souls with him that he may carry us from sin to himself and act us upon himself and keep us with himself for ever Thus David Psal. 119. 29. Take from me the way of lying 〈◊〉 could not take it away himself Hos. 14. 2. Take away all iniquity they leave themselves in Gods hand that the Lord would cause them to turn from iniquity So that in this Condition it 's true to say a man hath not a principle of concurrence with God as by sanctified habits we have but the Spirit puts in us a power whereby we are carried to God The Fourth Particular for opening of the Point The behavior of the heart under this stroak and that appears in the Particulars following When this Sorrow is rightly set on and the soul rightly affected therewith the sinner hath the loath somness of corruption ever in his sight keeps it ever within his ken he could not be brought before to take to heart the hainousness of 〈◊〉 evil Ministers pressed him with it in publick others minded him of it in private forewarned him of the direful venom and 〈◊〉 that lay in those distempers of his that one day he was like to feel to the hazard of his everlasting happiness it would be bitterness in the latter end but he turned the deaf ear to al would not so much as take it into consideration not once look back into the danger of his rebellions nor listen to any thing that may force the same upon his soul but now the case is altered he that could not be brought to see sin before now he wil see nothing but sin cannot be brought to look off from it he feels now the plague of those provocations of his and finds by woful proof and experience the truth of al that formerly hath been told him and hath time enough now to recount the savory counsels those seasonable reproofs directions entreaties which would have kept him from the commssion of those evils the hainousness whereof he is not able to conceive the bitterness and poyson whereof he is not able to bear now he is constrayned to feel the sting thereof He hath now leisure to survey the folly and perversness of his spirit in former times and to sit down in silence and shame now he can seal to that as an eternal truth of God which before he east behind his back as slight and vain Oh I now see the Ministers were faithful watch-men which foresaw the danger and foretold me how dreadful the evils would be which did attend my distempers If I would not leave my sin mercy and blessing would leave me and my heart feels it so The Christians were loving and compassionate which laboured by earnest and affectionate entreaties to with draw me from the wayes of wickedness which with drew me from God by woful experience I sind it so Though it were a sharp yet it was a sure safe word that I have often heard but would never receive It were better to cut off my hand to pluck out mine eye and to enter lame and maimed into the Kingdom of Heaven lame and maimed in comforts and credit and carnal and sensual delights than to have 〈◊〉 these and go to hell where the worm never dyes and the fire never goes out and now my Conscience confesseth it is so Lord where was my mind that could not see this how hard and senseless my heart that could not be affected with this the sinner thus wounded his hand is ever upon the sore his eye upon his distemper as the extream danger that hangs over his head and the deadliest enemy that is in pursuit of his soul he sleeps wakes eats and drinks with this as his daily diet a standing dish carryes it up and down as his daily companion Psal. 51. 3. My sin is ever before me listen to him when he sighes out his prayers in secret ye shal observe his complaints run upon this confer with him enquire of his condition his speech ever returns to this point and al his questions lead stil to the discovery of the loathsomness of his rebellions As it is with a commander or General of the field when he sees the enemy come on furiously his numbers many his power great his souldiers skilful and couragious so that he sees al ly at stake the shock is like to be sudden fierce either conquer al or loose al A prudent commander seeing where the stress of the battle and the strength of the enemy lyes and the safety or ruin of the whol consists he leaves the thoughts of comforts conveniencies wife and family the profits and priviledges which he hath formerly enjoyed and prized bends al his thoughts exerciseth the utmost of al his 〈◊〉 now to defeat the enemy how to encounter him how to overcome him and this takes up the whol mind and the whol man its vayn to attend other things when the neglect of the enemyes approach is the loss and overthrow of al. So it is with a broken hearted Christian when the numberless company of those hellish abominations of heart and life lay siedg against and threaten his everlasting ruin either he must destroy them or they wil undoubtedly destroy his comforts he leaves the consideration of other things and looks to the main chance If my sin live I dye for it either I must be separated from them or they from me and therefore bends al his forces bestows al his thoughts how the hainousness of this may be forever discovered the heart forever freed from the power and authority thereof The Apostle Paul hath his sin ever in his eye he keeps it in fresh remembrance and consideration never hath occasion to mention any thing of himself but stil he strikes upon that string to me the least of all Saints and then the chiefest of all sinners I was a persecuter and blasphemer the main evil was there and his eye and thoughts were most upon that So the lamenting church Lam 5. 16. wo to us because we have sinned the plague famine and sword though they were beyond measure
their sins as he said but do not drown them with those heart-breaking Sorrows which in truth are poyson to them thus it was with Ahab when he had received that dreadful Message from the mouth of the Lord That he would require the Blood of Naboth at his hand and cut off his house he rent his cloaths and put on Sackcloth and fasted c. 1 Kings 21. 27. the Lord himself observes how he acts this work of 〈◊〉 and that in a comly manner Stage-Player like and abates him for the present execution of the plague the Lord loves his own Work and Ordinances that as it is with a Parent that affects a Child the very Picture of it pleaseth him so it is with God he likes his Ordinances and the acting and using of them but this did not cure but encrease his corruption for he that was an Enemy to Elijah verse 20 he professed after 1 Kings 22. 8. He hated Micaiah his sorrow was too overly and slighty he rent his cloaths when he should have rent his heart Thus it was with those Hypocrites Isai. 5. 8. 2. 3. We have fasted say they and thou regardest not we have humbled our souls and thou respectest it not the Lord Answers You fast for strife and debate and to seek your own pleasure they made way for the maintaining and practising their sins not for the removal of them from their hearts and it 's admirably strange how this delusion wil cozen a man and how far it wil carry him it wil make him Sermon-Proof and help him him to 〈◊〉 his heart against the most sharp and searching Words As he how came he to desire and delight in the most powerful preaching and yet never knew what it was to need a 〈◊〉 or to be relieved by him Answ. I conceive such threatnings are intended against them that wil not repent and sorrow for their sins but that will I. Nay it hath been found by experience from the confessions of many that they would weep over their sins and then fal to commit them men make their lamentation over their distempers and then return to the Commission of them As old friends weep at their parting not because they would be quit one of another but it 's a grievance they should part and they hope to meet again shortly The fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the discouraged Hypocrite whom the Lord hath exercised under his heavy displeasure and the poyson of his corruptions hath been Gall and Wormwood to his Conscience the floods of iniquities have followed at the heels and forced him to find his heart and prayers and endeavors and yet al in vain he finds no relief at all no ease no good at all by any means the Lord hath appointed and he improved according to his ability the sinner sinks down in desperate discouragement and casts off the thoughts of mercy and the continuance of any further endeavor he sees no profit accrewing and concludes there is no possibility of obtaining his hands grow feeble and his heart faint he concludes as good sit still as rise and fall I shal never attain it thus and so long I have tried and therefore why should I endeavor it So wretched Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. God hath forsaken me and answers me neither by Urim nor by 〈◊〉 thus also that wicked King 2 Kings 6. last This comes of the Lord why should I pray to him or waitupon him any longer and thus it was with them Ezek. 33. 10. Men pine away in their sins lie under the weight and never look out for help This is not 〈◊〉 or brokenness of heart for that makes a man restlessly importunate in seeking the Lord it s not therefore sorrow for sin but a kind of sullen waywardness of Spirit a dogged kind of self-willy disposition because the pressures grow heavy and unsufferable and the Lord withdraws himself from our desires 〈◊〉 it 's beyond our power and ability to relieve our selves God denies to hear and will not help and we cannot help our selves nor command help els-where in sullen way wardness the heart casts off any further attendance upon the Lord. Whereas Godly Sorrow rightly set on and that for sin and departure from God wil not suffer the soul to depart further that which takes away the resistance of our corrupt hearts that wil not suffer them yet further to depart these desperate discouragements are Valleys and Ditches that must be filled up before the Lord Christ come into the soul Luke 3. 5. TERROR It shews the direful condition of all hard-hearted 〈◊〉 who are not only in the Chains of darkness and held with the Cords of their own iniquities as the Scripture speaks but shut up in the Dungeon of everlasting destruction and locked in within the Iron Gate of a hard 〈◊〉 stupid heart without the least preparation or expectation of good from the Almighty This Hardness is double there are two sorts at least two 〈◊〉 of it 1. Such as sleep in a careless and secure Course never yet saw at least were not sensible of the plague of Sin or the sting and punishment that is attending thereupon 2. Such as have been in the fire scorched with the fury of the Almighty which hath drunk up their spirits but when God hath abated them of the expression of his Displeasure and allayed the flame they grow cold and careless as the Iron that hath been heated with a long and strong Fire grows more hard when it grows once cold than ever it was before They have been gashed and 〈◊〉 in pieces with the terrors of Conscience but 〈◊〉 worn out their Terrors and Fears they are more seared and senceless than ever Such who are drowned in senceless security have their hearts glutted and surfeted with pleasures and 〈◊〉 of the flesh and contents of this present world To sit moping in a corner sink under the burden of their sins and smoak out their dayes in a melanchollick pressure and pensiveness of spirit they account it a matter of scorn a silly kind of sottish behaviour unbeseeming persons of a generous spirit they wonder what men ayl and conclude its more in mens conceit than that there is any just cause for such a carriage for they bless God they never knew what it meant and they hope they never shal And hence they fearlesly adventure upon the practice and commission of known evils and it never stuck in their stomach nor are they troubled with it but are delighted in it that which is a plague to the broken hearted Saints they are plagued with their pride froward perversness of spirit but it s a pastime a may-game it 's their 〈◊〉 and matter of merriment in their meeting my 〈◊〉 rebuked me sharply saies the Servant my Mother chid me sayes the child but I think I 〈◊〉 them they would have their way and wil and would have it done after their manner And I did it with a witness so il-favoredly that I know