deep which no Potion can remove and sin doth not sit close and strong to the heart which no not extreme miseries can occasionally and effectually discharge and quit There are no penalties so grievously and unspeakably afflicting and miserable as those in Hell which cause weeping and gnashing of teeth and yet these though highest for intention and endless for duration never are able to turn the sinning soul so madly and excessively is the person enthralled that the greatest Calamities effectually avail not to bring him off from the least course of Iniquities 3. Not to wonder if some men make ordinary Revolts after ordinary miseries Some persons may like some stones which Wonder not if â—ome men Revolt after miseries yield a sweat in change of weather somewhat reflect on themselves and relent and confess and profess what they will be and do if God will take off his heavy hand And may I not appeal to many of you this day whose hearts have been visited with the plague that thus then it was with you c. Yet when the plague is off and the smart and fear gone the bitterness of death is past that health succeeds the sickness and plenty succeeds the want and strength succeeds the weakness good Lord what are they how live they what do they what mind they what affect they what work they Do they leave their sins ah as the Pharisees made their proselites twice as much more the children of the Devil then before so these men become more vile more profane more careless more rebellious against the truth of God more earthly sensual then ever Brethren if as Solomon spake in another case When thou seest a violent perverting of judgment and justice in a Province marvel not at the matter So Eccl. 5. 8. if thou seest a man to pervert the judgments of the Lord to pervert his afflicting hand to go on in his sins after he is punished for his sins I say in this case do not much marvel at the matter for miseries alone cannot make any saving impression or sanctified alterations If men may hold fast their sins even under their miseries as a Thief may steal under the Gallows what marvel then if they go on in their sins after their miseries And what cause have we to think that any pious semblances and pretences should hold long which did owe themselves to such temporary causes as were never able to alter the sinners heart though they were in some degree able to stop the sinning person But I proceed to a second Use which shall be a little to reflect on our own hearts and wayes and to enquire how it is with us Use 2. Reflect upon our own hearts notwithstanding the miseries and straits that are upon us as Solomon spake concerning sin Who can say My heart is clean that I may speak this day concerning punishment of sin Who can say I have been free As it was in Egypt upon the departure of the Israelites so it hath been of late with most of us there is scarce an house of us where at least one hath not been dead I may confidently affirm That either death in opposition to Life or death in opposition to Livelihood to some one kind or degree of outward comfort hath within this year befallen most of us that are now here this day Nevertheless I pray you tell me Can you shew your repentance yet as you can relate your straits and miseries still Have not we the Ministers of God faithfully and plainly told you of your sins have not your miseries and straits been clear Glasses to represent your sins have not your Consciences delivered up your sins and said as Jonah I know that for my sake so they for our sake this great Tempest is upon you Jon. 1. 12. Were you not in great fears in great griefs and troubles of mind need I say in great Protestations and Purposes But now I demand of you Have your great straits brought you off from your great sins did they not find thee in a sinful way and do they not now leave thee walking in that path Ah! and must the Lord say of you They refuse to receive instruction they turn not to him that smites yet have they not returned to me they will know no shame they are reprobate silver they are not refined nor purged their scum is not departed If we continue in sin after miseries wherefore should they be smitten any more they revolt more and more Well if it be thus with thee yet remember 1. That this continuance in sin notwithstanding our miseries may give us just suspicion to sear that our Corrections come not We may suspect our corrections comâ— not from mercy from mercy because they go off with impenitency You need not ascend into heaven to pry whether your chastisements come out of the land of Indulgence or of Vengeance when they come from a merciful hand they are assisted â—â—th some recovering and curing blessing The Prophet saith That the Lord did not smite his people as he smote others and in two respects he Isa 27. 7. manifests the difference one of Proportion He did debate with them in measure ver 8. Another of Operation v. 9. By this shall the iniquities of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take awy his sins God never strikes in mercy but he in some measure betters the sinner Look as every outward good if it comes in mercy it proves a step unto more holiness so every outward misery if it come in mercy it proves a stop nay an abatement of more sinfulness 2. We may justly fear that our hearts are hardned for the soft We may fear our hearts are hardned heart will tremble with Josiah at a correction in a threatning and much more will it melt and amend when it is in execution as he in Job 34. 31. I have born chastisement I will not offend any more But when the heart can feel wrath as well as hear of it and receive the stroaks with stoutness and strike God by sinning when God strikes it by punishing is it not hardned unsensible I had almost said desperace And is an hardned condition a good or safe condition 3. Do we not treble our accounts unto God by not We treble our accounts to God coming off from sins which have brought on our miseries Now we must answer 1. For the sins which brought down our corrections 2. For the continuing in those sins still 3. For doing this being corrected thus for our sins not onely thy sins but Gods punishments being thus abused come into the account the Vineyard was reckoned with for the pruning as well as the withering 4. And lastly What can we look for from God when former miseries bring us not off from former sins Christ said Sin no What can we look for from God when miseries do not bring us off from our sins more least a worse thing befall
in a more permanent and deliberate sense When a sinner is exempted from the times of rashness and is able to see and judge of his wayes and courses to be sinful Yet is it possible that he may suffer not a little but much evil not in one kind but in manifold kinds not for a short time but for some long duration many weeks yea perhaâ—s many years ere his heart doth yield to return from his sinful wayes to God Thus briefly have you the Explication of the Assertion Now I will touch two things more and so proceed to the Application One how this may be manifested to be true Another why it is or should be thus with a sinful heart Quest 1. How it may appear that a sinful person will try all c. ere he will return How this may appear to be true Sol. It may manifestly appear if you consider these particulars 1. The patient continuation of spiritual means without any By the continuance of Spiritual means without any fruit of Conversion fruit of Conversion God hath used incessant means and followed and pressed upon sinners by his Servants the Messengers of his Word many times and for a long time yet they repented not nor turned from their sins 2 Chr. 36. 15. The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending he did send and send again Ver. 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until there was no remedy So Matth. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Rom. 10. 21. And to Israel he saith All the day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people 2. The large expectations of God for the returning of sinners By the large expectations of God for the return of sinners without success without any success Luke 13. 7. Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this figtree and find none Num. 14. 11. The Lord said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signes which I have shewed among them Ver. 27. How long shall I bear with this evil Congregation which murmur against me Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Hos 8. 5. How long will it be ere they attain to innocency Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be 3. The long and exceeding complaints of God concerning sinners By the long and exceeding complaints of God concerning sinners That he is forced still to bear with them insomuch that their continual sinnings have grown as it were exceeding of Gods patience too much for God to bear any longer Amos 2. 13. I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves Jer. 15. 6. Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord thou art gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee I am weary of repenting Isa 43. 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities 4. The Non-plusses if I may so phrase it that wicked and obstinate persons by continuing in their sins have put God unto By the non-plusses that obstinate sinners have put God unto Hos 6. 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away This is an Antropopathy a speech after the manner of men Not that God doth not know what to do but he expresseth himself after the manner of a person who hath used all the wayes and means to reclaim another and yet the other though sometimes cunningly he pretends a reformation falls away again Now saith a father such and such wayes have I used and such wayes and nothing doth avail my son still is wicked he runs on from evil to worse I know not what to do with him I can think of no course c. So Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it wherefore when I looked for grapes brought it forth wild grapes 5. Nay the kinds of Despair as it were which God hath conceived after many dealings to do any good or to reclaim them By the Despair which God hath conceived after many dealings to do any good from sinful wayes Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my place Isa 1. 5. Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Jer. 23. 29. I will utterly forget you and I will forsake you reprobate silver shall men call them 6. Yea those dying knells and farewel wishes and resolutions By those farewel wishes and resolutions of God because of their Impenitency of God because of the impenitency of persons demonstrates this ttuth Expostulations upon utmost terms Why will ye dye And You shall dye in your sins and I will forsake you and I will utterly destroy you Luke 19. 41. He beheld the City and wept over it Ver. 42. O that thou hadst known even thou at the least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with him 7. Lastly It may appear that sinners will try all wayes ere they turn and endure much By the multiplication of many By the multiplication of many Judgments Judgments and repetition of manifold calamities The many wedges which are knockt in one after another shew that the wood is tough and unyielding this giving pill after pill shews that the corrupt humor is strongly rooted Mic. 6. 13. I will make thee sick in smiting thee because of thy sins So that when all is done and suffered God must say and do what he promises in Isa 57. 17. I was wroth with him and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Ver. 18. I have seen his wayes and will heal him When all is done one thing more God must do he must come into the heart and over-rule and heal and turn it and then it shall be turned Qu. 2. Now for the second Question Why it should be thus that sinners should try all the wayes and indure to the utmost rather Why it is thus then to turn from their sinful courses I answer It is not either 1. Because sin is such an Excellent It is not Because sin is really beneficiall to the soul thing or really beneficial to the soul by reason of which excellency and use a man might be
flying Fowl but this they cannot do without air to spread and bear up those wings I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philip. 4. There must be some strength in us to advance a Resolution but then there must be another Strength upon wâ—ich both that Resolution and that Strength must depend And therefore as a Warrant is of no force if it goes not out in the Kings name so a Resolution is too recoiling which begins not in Christs power As David encountred Goliah not with his own Sword but in Gods Name so we must resolve against our sins with Gods strength assisting of us otherwise our sins may rerly to us as the Devils to the sons of Sceva â—esus I know and Paul I know but who are ye A ship though well built must have wind to drive it and set it forward and a Christian needs more strength than his own to forsake a bad or to follow a good course It is a wise course in lendiâ—g of Money to joyn another party in the Bond who is more able and sure than the borrower Doest thou resolve against such a sinfull way or for a holy life tâ—ke not single Bond thy own heart though to thy thinking well furnisht and stockâ— with resolution is yet but a creature and may deceive thee and mâ—ke thee to break but take double Bond beseech the Lord to be bound for thee to give thee his strength which is indeed sufficient to preserve and to perpetuate thy resolutions 2. You must be sure that you get a mournfull heart for what Get a mournfull heart for what is past is past or else you will never get a resolute heart for the future if the heart be not broken for sin sin will quickly break the resolution of the heart He who will without any more adoe be joyously good I fear least after a while you see him earnestly bad We seldome observe that an unbroken heart is stedfast that his foot stands sure whose eyes remains dry i. who can leap into a good way yet never was truly grieved for a bad Peter's Resolution to confess his Master held out better after his tears than after his confidence The mournfull remembrance of a bad life wherein God hath been so much dishonoured and his spirit so often grieved it excites and quickens and doubles our hatred and fears and cares and resolves Should I any longer continue thus should I thus offend again Paul doth frequently remember his sinfull persecutions of Christ and then is inflamed with a more zealous resolution and industry to preach and advance him Nothing daunts him in the righting of that good Lord and Christ whom before he had so much wronged 3. Be active against sin and that is the way to keep up your Be active against sin Resolutions against it My meaning is this you must endeavour to mortifie an evil heart if you would hold up your resolutions against an evil course The heart is all in all for Life or Death for a good or for a bad way kill the root and the branches will soon wither diminish the Spring and the Streams will fail weaken the Spirits and the Limbs will be useless It is a foolish thing to say I will not have the fit of the Ague again unless you receive something to alter the evil humour which causeth it I will never sin thus again thus how often do we resolve and yet break out again why because we would restrain effects without surprizing their causes Be more earnest with God for a sober heart and for a chast heart and for an humble heart and a heavenly heart and a meek and quiet heart Thou shouldest not onely resolve but prevail against evil acts if thou didst vehemently strive with God to season the Springs to alter the nature to better and strengthen the heart that fountain whence these arise and flow for all things are strongest in their causes and the strength of the cause is the strength of the effect An occasion may be vigorous to produce a resolve but alteration is required to make it firm and effectual it is health which breeds strength 4. Let it be watchfull and not careless They are not the many Souldiers which keep the City but the watchfull Souldiers Be watchfull and not careless the City which is got by strength may be lost by carelesness To be active and inquisitive how to make resolutions against sin and afâ—erwards to be negligent of our hearts this is to make a strong door but not to mind whether it be lockt or no. Our hearts take them at the best are very untrusty and deceitfull at least in part and are quickly weary of spiritual bonds and as an untoward Servant after all warnings and threatnings is hankering to whisk out after his old companions so our hearts after all resolutions are yet inclining to evil Therefore let us not onely enjoyn our spirit to take heed of sinfull courses but guard them set a guard upon them as David Psal 39. 1. A man may quickly stumble who hath an able foot if yet he hath a careless eye the eye and the foot must go together to keep us upright 5. If you would still keep up your Resolutions then often review and renew them Our resolutions come to be strengthened Often review and renew resolutions by frequent enquiry how they are performed Daily accountings with the servant may be the means to keep him faithfull If we did daily sequester our selves and commune with our spirits and take an account of them O my soul thou hast seen the vileness of such sinfull courses and hast felt the bitterness of them and hast solemnly protested against them before the Lord and resolved to prosecute them no more thou hast given thy Word and Bond for this unto the great God Well! how hast thou performed this purpose art thou still willing hast thou been faithfull to thy self and to thy God wa st thou no way surprized this day though thou didst not break yet didst not thou bow to day though thou didst not fall didst not thou trip did nothing come from thee to undo or else to weaken thy resolution Such evil motions sprang from thy heart to sin again didst thou abhor them and cry unto God against them such temptations presented themselves unto thee didst thou reject and stoutly resist them or hast thou not found an heart somewhat hearkning somewhat yielding somewhat venturing If so then humble thy self and as David to Joab 2 Sam. 11. 25. Make thy battel more strong against the City so do thou bewail thy failings and renew thy resolution again more strongly and carefully 6. If your Resolutions be any thing impaired let them be presently repaired It is possible notwithstanding our Resolutions When resolutions are impaired let them be presently repaired against evil courses to be surprized with evil acts and now we are apt to give up the Resolutions themselves but
power to come forth to come back to God Rom. 5. Without strength It knows not by its own light one foot of the way and when it is made known alas it finds no power to stir nay if I might have mercy and heaven upon the freest terms but for coming home I am not able to do it O how a found lost soul complains It complains as much of an impotent heart as of a wandring heart I cannot come I cannot turn this wandring heart into the right way come back to my God I should but come I cannot go to Christ I should but go I cannot if Christ doth not come to me I shall never be able to come to him if he doth not seek me I shall never seek him iâ— he finds not me with strength I shall never find him with comfort and safety 3. If God hath indeed found thee Thou wilt above all He will above all thiâ—gs desire to be found in Christ things desire to be found in Christ The found soul presently finds a need of Christ Paul as soon as mercy found him would by no means be found in himself but by all means be found in Christ That I may be found in him saith Paul Phil. 3. 9. There was a Nobleman one Elyearius who was supposed to be lost and his Lady sent up and down to find him One at length meets with him and tels him how sollicitous his Wife was to find him out O answered he commend me to my Wife and tell her That if she desires to find me she must look for me in the heart of Jesus Christ for there onely am I to be found And verily there is no poor soul whom God is finding and bringing home to himself on whom he hath imprinted a true sense of his lostness but presently the soul cries out What shall I do what shall I do to be saved O that I might have Christ and O that I might be found in Jesus Christ Remember two things 1. That the Lord will bring back to himself no soul but by Jesus Christ Christ is the sinners way to the Father he is the door by which you are admitted If ever the Lord casts an eye on thee or take thee by the hand it is for his Christ's sake 2. A lost soul which is found finds an absolute need of Jesus Christ Nothing out of Christ can make peace can justifie can reconcile can set us straight can make us accepted Had I all other things and had not Christ I were still a lost person Had I the righteousness of Angels yet if I had not Christ I were lost could I mourn could I repent could I pray could I live holily could I walk exactly yet I am lost I am still lost until I get into Christ I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. God will look on me as my Judge he will look on me as his enemy he will not own me as a Father as a reconciled Father but in Christ 4. If thy lost soul be truly found then Jesus Christ may be Jesus Christ may be found in that lost soul found in that lost soul of thine They report of Ignatius that the Letters of Jesus were found written in his heart This I dare affirm That the Picture of Christ the Graces of Christ the Life of Christ is to be found in every found man Paul Lydia the Jailor Christ was sought by them and found in them It cannot be that a sinner should be found if Christ be not to be found in him Why if thou be a Christless man who doubts it but that thou art a lost man Now do not deceive thy soul thou canst say that Christ once was to be found in the Temple and Christ once was to be found on the Cross and Christ is still to be found at the right hand of his Father but is there not one place more where thou canst find him hast thou not a heart Is Christ to be found there I say there in thy heart I find him in thy Ear when thou hearest and I find him in thy mouth when thou speakest and thou findest him in thy mind when thou thinkest but still I ask Dost thou find him in thy heart which loves which fears which joys which delights which embraceth O is Christ in thy heart what a found man and nothing of Christ to be found in thee I know not perhaps wilt thou reply Why this is strange that Christ should be in thee and thou never know it Christ dwels in the broken heart in the believing heart Christ lives in him who onely lives upon Christ Christ was a crucified Christ doth he cruâ—ifie thy heart He was a holy Christ doth he purifie thy heart He was an humble Christ doth he abase thy heart He was a tender Christ doth he mollifie thy heart He was a satisfying Christ doth he pacifie thy heart He was an obedient Christ doth he command doth he lead doth he rule thy heart He did for thee canst thou do for him He died for thee canst thou suffer for him He loved thee canst thou delight in him 5. If the Lord hath graciously found thy lost soul and indeed Then thou wilt find sufficiency in thy Fathers house brought it home unto himself Then thou wilt â—ind sufficiency an enough at least in thy Fathers house There is enough in God to allure and draw a sinner home to keep a sinner at home that he needs not wander abroad mercy and pleasures for evermore This the Prodigal discover'd afar off even in the birth of his finding There is bread enough and to spare God seems a poor thing a mean thing an insufficient thing to a lost man and therefore he wanders up and down and serves his lusts and begs from the Creatures to make him out some delight some pleasure some profit some subsistence some contentment But God is a rich thing a Fulness He alone is enough One God is enough for my one soul if my soul indeed be found of him O he hath Mercy enough for me to save me Love enough for me to delight me Pleasure enough for me to comfort me Dignity enough for me to advance me Help enough for me to preserve me Happiness enough for me to save me If I want Grace he is the God of Grace if I want Peace he is the God of Peace if I want Mercies he is the Father of Mercies if I want for Earth the Earth is the Lords if I would have Heaven he is the God of my Salvation Now friend what say you hath God found your lost soul and what hath your soul found in your God What canst thou say of this God of his Mercy Love Entertainment Communion With thee the fatherless findeth mercy Thy favour is better than life It is good for me to draw near unto God canst thou say thus is there bread enough for thee in thy Fathers
And is this excuse to pass for currant hath not God dealt Answered with thee often didst not thou more often harden thine own heart willingly withdraw thy self and all out of a love to sin 2. Though thou couldst not convert thine own heart yet this thou mightest have done in the times of afflictions c. considered what might move the Lord thus to deal with thee all or some of the causes which thy own conscience did freely suggest and the ends which God pointed thee to to reform them And then to have gone to him by vehement prayer to convert thy heart from thy sins to teach it righteousness to submit to his instructions Thou mightst thus have gone to him who can convert and have waited on him in the means of conversion but thou didst nor desire after him nor delightedst to seek him c. 2. But What may we do to prevent this shuffling and assaying of means to support us in sinning when the Lord deals with us and Means to prevent this shuffling calls upon us for the leaving of sin Sol. I would commend these five Directions 1. Strive to be convinced of this That as long as the Course is a sinfull Course it Be convinced of this That a sinfull course cannot be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 safe course can never be a safe Course We may weary our selves in the multitude of our imaginations and ways but run what course you please and pursue your own devices yet this ye shall reap of the Lord you shall lie down in your shame and sorrow you may run to new experiments but misery will follow your sins the next time as well as this and in every way as well as one way Your sins will find you out and as long as you carry your sins with you you cannot keep off calamities from you 2. Of necessity you must return or perish Your sinfull course is You must return or perish a by-path and leads to death It is sinfull and you know it and being sinfull it must be miserable To what end doth the Patient excuse the taking of the Receipt the wholsome Balm he must die if he doth not receive it So consider To what end do I thus vary my paths and shuffle and seek supports there is nothing strong enough to secure a sinner and let me sadly consider that I must one time or other leave these sinnings or else farewel my Soul and Salvation 3. It cannot but be best the sooner it is I must return or perish too soon I cannot return and the sooner the better A Our Return is best the sooner it is Best For Safety Souldier of a middle age a Counsellor of a grave age and a Penitent of a young age are still the best The work which must be done is best done when soonest Best for Safety for thy life is very uncertain and if thou doest not leave thy sins to day thou mayest be in Hell for ought thou knowest for thy sins to morrow For Acceptance the Lord likes it best when For Acceptance one word of Mercy can cause us to trust and one shaking of the Rod can cause us to tremble and when one command sufficeth to turn us when upon the first Arrest we give up our Weapons it pleaseth Soveraignty best For Quietness for we do hereby deliver not onely our Souls but Bodies also from many troubles For Quietness the sooner we do repent and plainly yield why Conscience speaks peace the sooner and God commands mercies the faster strong Sins breed long afflictions but give up the Sins and God gives up the Quarrel throw over Bichri's head to Joab and he will presently remove the siege If a man had health he might take sleep the better but as long as the body is diseased it is unquiet 4. Strive against those diverting Principles which do draw thee from the right and onely way and put thee on by-thoughts and Strive against diverting Principles as Presumption of Mercy Or of thy own Power by-paths and a vain assayment of means to support us As 1. Presumption either of Mercy though thou doest add drunkenness to thirst and still findest out thine own inventions or thine own Power Thou mayest be hindred of the time which thou doest project and mayest want strength to execute thy purposes For sinfull practises do altogether weaken our power whilest they delude us with a conceit of strength hereafter 2. Stoutness and pride of spirit Do not in a bravery of villany dispute with the Almighty Stoutness and pride of spirir God it may prove a sad Victory to thee that thou art able to reject good counsel and to quench all good motions 3. Delight Delight in sin in sin which drowns the errand of all afflictions c. 5. Beseech the Lord at the very first to circumcise the stubbornness Beseech the Lord to câ—rcumcise the stubbornness of your hearts of your hearts and to give you the understanding ear and the obedient spirit that when in the Word he calls upon you to turn from your sins your hearts may fall down and cry out O Lord turn me and when by afflictions he calls upon you to turn you may presently humble your hearts and cry out O Lord pardon me O Lord heal me O Lord turn and save me Let us all think of this You know that the Lord is displeased with us and we have hitherto hardened our hearts against the Lord God hath dealt with us once twice often in publick in private ways and still we seek our own ways delude the work of Repentance set nothing to heart nor repent of our evil doings I I. Now I proceed to the Second thing which is The final The final disappointment of all the Prodigals designs Doct. 2. Nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner till he return but God will disappoint all his pâ—ojects Some things premised This is meantâ— of a sinner whom God intends to convert disappointment of the Prodigals assays and designs in these words And no man gave unto him Whence I observe That nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner until he doth turn from his sins but God will disappoint all his projects batter down all his confidences frustrate all his expectations drive him out of all his harbours and overthrow all the means and ways which he flies unto Before I confirm this Assertion let me premise a few particulars that so you may rightly conceive the scope of it Thus then 1. I intend the Assertion of a sinner whom God doth intend to convert others he may leave to prosper in their imaginations For you see it raised from the disappointment of a Prodigal one whose conversion at length attended his manifold afflictions and as manifold contrivances to keep up his sinfull conversation though such a person knows not it nor thinks on it yet God is secretly against him and thrusts him off from all the Cities of Refuge
received unless the apprehension of their kindness and goodness descends to the affections they never stir up thankfulness and as it is with the promises unless their excellency and sutableness come down from the mind to the will they never excite faith so is it with sin unless besides the consideration of it there be not an operation and influence upon the heart to grieve and mourn it will never prove right and penitential Thou sayest thou knowest thy sins as well as any man can tell thee Be it so but if thy heart remain hard not humbled abased broken grieved for these sins alas as their unworking faith Jam. 2. so thy unaffected speculation of sin is vain but findest thou this that upon the serious consideration of thy sins thy heart is humbled and abased in thee that thou art cast down in the sense of thy exceeding vileness O wretched man that I am O Lord to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion and that thy heart is grieved within thee and afflicted that bitter mournings arise because of bitter sinnings my soul hath them in remembrance and is humbled within me Lam. 3. Thy heart melts before the Lord I assure thee this is a right and blessed consideration of sin 3. If it work in him Detestation of sin Griefe seemes to be more If it work Detestation of sin passionate but hatred is a more fixed quality as I may so phrase it Ezek. 36. 31. Ye shall remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good here is the consideration we speak of and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and your abominations here is detestation the proper effect of true consideration for in a right consideration the singular causes or reasons of hatred do arise v. g. Excess of evil absolute repugnancy to our best good effectual prejudice and greatest injury Repugnans Offendens the Schoolmen make the two chief grounds of hatred Vide Summistas in 1. 2dae q. 29. But I will not prosecute that Now then peruse thy self Hast thou considered of thy sinnes aright if thou doest not hate them thou hast not Seest thou sinne and art thou brought to hate it Let me but propound a few things unto thee that thou mayest see whether thou loathest and hatest sin or no. Is it peace or is it war If sin lies quietly in the soul it is peace it is not hatred hatred breeds variance enmity opposition conflict Paul hated sin Rom. 7. 15. and wars with it v. 23. Is it a deadly war is it for life will this suffice thee that sin doth not terrifie thy conscience or wilt thou not be satisfied till sin be mortified and crucified in the lusts and affections thereof Is it like Davids war wherein he left not one Amalekite to escape and carry tidings and not like Sauls to kill some and spare the rest Canst thou say Lord I hate the thing that is evil Psal 97. 10. and I hate every false way Oh if there be raised in thee upon the consideration of sin a deadly enmity and defiance with it an implacable general dislike abomination resistance and desire to root it out happy art thou thy consideration of sin is rightly and effectually penitential 4. If it work in him Reformation of sin Do you not read in If it work in thee Reformation Psal 119. 59. that David considered and thought on his wayes I thought on my ways saith David so do many many indeed do so but not as David did for after he had said I thought on my ways he addeth and turned my feet unto thy testimonies He so thought of his ill ways that he left them and betook himself unto good ways If thinking on sin doth not produce leaving of sin it is nothing if thinking of sin doth not breed leaving of sin then going on in sin will make you leave thinking of sin And though we think of an ill way yet if we do not enter into and walk in a good way it is nothing There is a two-fold leaving of sin one which is proper to the condition of Glory another which is proper to the condition of Grace I speak not of the former which is the absolute dissolution of sin but of the latter which is an imperfect though true separation from sin consisting in Affection wherein the Will is alienated from sin the evil which I would not do saith the Apostle In Mourning O wretched man who shall deliver me from this body of death In Endeavour willing or endeavouring to live honestly Heb. 13. 18. There is a purpose to walk in new obedience and an hearty desire so to do and not to serve sin any longer and also an active endeavour to put off the former conversation and to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof To consider of sin and yet still to love it and still to live in it to study to fulfil the lusts of it to give up our selves to the service of it to walk in darkness to be the same in our affections to it and in our obedience unto it this is not onely a vain but a fearfull consideration But if when we have throughly considered of sin in the vileness of it we are effectually wrought upon to arise from our sinfull course O Lord I have sinned exceedingly and done very foolishly I am resolved to leave this sinfull way Lord help thou me give me thy grace turn thou me and I shall be turned turn away my heart and eyes cause me to put off my old conversation enable me to walk and live in newness of life This is an happy Fruit especially if it hath two other Effects accompanying it viz. 1. Fervent Supplication if it carries the soul to God in Christ for mercy for grace for strength The resolution to reform if it goes no further than the strength of the soul it will easily cool and quickly fail us if ever it prove right it must carry us to Christ for as much as it is by his strength and by his grace that we get our hearts turned from sin or that we are able to forsake our sins Hast thou considered of thy sins why and doest thou not discern such infinite guilt in them as makes thee for ever accursed if thou hast not mercy in Christ and doest thou hereupon apply thy self in all humbleness of heart to the Throne of mercy O Lord be mercifull to me a sinner according the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Behold me through the bloud of Christ yea O Lord heal my sinfull soul O Lord change my heart O Lord dissolve the powers of sin in me by thy mighty power subdue my iniquities turn me from all sin make me a servant of righteousness 2. Diligent application of our selves to the Means private and publick ordinary and extraordinary through the right use of which we may expect sufficient grace from God to work
Repentance never to be repented of Hast thou rightly considered of sin why what art thou now doing where mayest thou now be found what course doest thou take to leave sin what helps doest thou apply thy self unto what occasions of sin doest thou decline what furtherances of a new life dost thou regard and use If there be no watchfulness over thy spirit no restraint to thy flesh no stoutness of resolution no separation from the occasions of sin no humble study and respect to the Word no fruitfull converse with holy society how is it that thou sayest thou hast considered thy sins Whether the consideration of sin may be right and available to Repentance when yet there are some sins which a man thinks not II. Case Whether Consideration of sin may be right when there are some sins that a man thinks not of Particular inconsideration if it be voluntary doth prejudice Repentance on To this I conjecture it may be thus answered 1. That actual or particular inconsideration if it be voluntary and affected doth prejudice Repentance For it is to be supposed that he who will not take the pains to think of his sins hath 〈◊〉 yet found an heart or a will to leave his sins Therefore consider that actual inconsideration may arise either From want of light or evidence the eyes of the mind are not yet so fully opened they are not so perfectly acquainted with the Law which discovers sin much sin they see but not all not that they would not but because they cannot so a weak eye hath not such clear and full sight Or From hypocrisie of will when means of evidence are present and commands of consideration are urged but either from a secret love of sin or from a laziness of spirit the person will not take pains to consider throughly of his manifold sins this kind of inconsideration being wilfull and affected will be interpreted for Impenitency because the person will not endeavour faithfully the wayes of Repentance 2. That the latitude of the Object considered doth not so immediately discover and decide as the efficacy and influence flowing from consideration it self Though I am not able to find out every particular wherein I do offend yet if by the consideration of those sins which I do consider of my heart doth melt and mourn and strives to loath and forsake them because they are sinfull If these drive me out of my self unto Christ if these occasion me earnestly to acquaint my self with God to beg for Reconciliation for Grace for Mercy for Strength c. though there be many sins which I have not actually thought on yet this may be a right and penitential consideration III. Case Whether a single Consideration of sin be sufficient to repentance Another Case may be this Whether the Consideration of sin tending to Repentance must be frequent or Whether a single Consideration may be sufficient For the resolution of this Case thus 1. Divines distinguish of Repentance that Distinctions premised Repentance is either Initial or Gradual it is either Initial or Gradual The Initial Repentance is the first turning from sin nay the very first will and desire so to do with a purpose and endeavour to effect it The Gradual Repentance is the ripening and perfecting of Repentance in the degrees of all the parts of it 2. Again There is a two-fold consideration of sin One is solemn wherein the There is a twofold consideration of sin Solemn soul sequesters it self earnestly searcheth into the Law of God and into its own spirit and into the ways of Life perusing and reviewing the sinfull condition all over in the parts and kinds in the hainous circumstances and agravations and hereupon solemnly indites it self before the Lord by confessing judging c. Another is ordinary which is a daily looking Ordinary over the Book and perusing of the sinfull Accounts from time to time 3. You must distinguish twixt the Distinguish twixt the Grace of Repentance and the Act of it Grace or quality of Repentance and twixt the Act or exercise of Repentance the Grace is wrought onely by Gods Spirit the Exercise or operation is wrought and occasioned by consideration These things being premised I conjecture thus much 1. That solemn Consideration is necessary to initial Repentance Solemn consideration necessary to Initial Repentance The Heart is not effectually excited to the actual leaving of sin until it doth first seriously examine and try it self find out and ponder the vileness of its sinning and transgression slight thoughts work no more then slight confessions That we are all sinners and there 's an end but the heart must look on sin in the kinds circumstances hellish vileness of its thoughts if ever it will repent indeed 2. That ordinary consideration is necessary to gradual Repentance If ever you would perfect your Ordinary consideration necessary to Gradual Repentance Repentance you must ever think of your sins those that are past those that are present By ordinary consideration I do not mean a slight and perfunctory view of them but a daily view though not in length of time yet having the same disposition of heart to condemn and abhor them and quickning us more fervently to seek God for strength and to decline the occasions of sin and to grow more watchfull and tender c. If you do not ordinarily consider of the vileness of sin you will be ordinarily insnared by the deceitfulness of sin if you would enjoy constant victory and deliverance you must admit of frequent consideration As for the solemn Consideration that I conjecture is not necessary at all times but upon special occasions Either 1. Before we Solemn consideration not necessary at all times The times when it is necessary enter into some weighty business 2. When we lie under some weighty afflictions 3. When we are to die and make straight our weighty accounts 4. When we are more solemnly to meet the Lord and renew our Covenanâ—s with him as in the day of Humiliation or when we are to come unto the Sacrament Now are we more solemnly and seriously to consider of our sins partly 1. Because now the Lord Reasons of it considers them who come into his special presence how you come 2. Because you are seriously to renew your Repentance which you cannot seriously do without serious consideration 3. Because you are to renew your Covenants with God to keep a more serious watch c. Therefore now let us search our hearts try and consider of our ways renew our Repentance turn with all our strength unto the Lord put away iniquity far from us humble our selves low before the Lord confess our sins judge our selves thus if we do we shall find more strength in our Repentance more peace in our Consciences more sweetness in the Sacrament more confidence towards Christ and may comfortably expect the pardon of our sins and salvation by his bloud The third
to another Use Which shall be Not to hide our sins but to declare and acknowledge them in a right penitential manner before the Lord that Vse 2. Exhortation To confess our sins in a penttential manner Not to cover our sins so we may declare our selves true Penitents This exhortation you see consists of two parts Not to Cover To Discover I. Not to hide and cover our sins There is a two-fold Covering of our sin One is natural which is that Vail of Ignorance and blindness drawn over the soul by Original sin keeping the mind in spiritual darkness not able to see it self nor acts nor wayes aright This is such a Cover wherein we our selves are hid from our selves There is another Covering which is voluntary and artificial wherein we dig deep to hide our counsels intentions delights actions from the Lord cunningly contriving and feigning a secrecy as if we could put a curtain or a cloud twixt Gods eyes and our actions doing evil and saying None shall see it And when it is done never bringing that forth by a penitential confession which we did bring out by a sinfull commission Oh take heed of this though we be forward to sin beware lest we be artificial to conceal it If we cannot have eyes to foresee and strength to prevent evil yet let us have hearts to bewail and tongues to confess it Consider seriously 1. This hiding quality is a very ill quality it is an embleme This is a very ill quality of an heart that will not yet be rid of sin As Beggars that will not be cured of their sores for if thou wouldst be cleansed why concealest thou thy disease 2. It adds much to your sin To commit a sin may be an act of It adds much to your sin infirmity but to hide and conceal it argues either strong Atheism that the sinner thinks God regards it not though it be vile or else perverse wilfulness he will not humble he will not turn unto the Lord. 3. It adds nothing to our safety Adam hid himself in the thicket what got he by it what if you keep the fire close in the thatch It adds nothing to our safety You may put gold in a secret place and perhaps it may be under a safer custody but he who will hide his sin doth but put a fair cloth upon a dangerous wound which now rankles gangrenes kills Of all sins those do most endanger the soul for which we are not truly humbled or do not seriously confess them unto God Why should God shew thee mercy who wilt not acknowledge thy self guilty and how can sin but be fiercely reigning where it is most willingly harboured and concealed 4. Nor doth it add to our secrecy For all things are naked and Nor doth it add to our secrecy bare before God c. God can easily discover thy sin 1. He sees it he has an all-seeing eye 2. He can make thy conscience the rack of torment at confession 3. And will at the last day Nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest In two things doth the inconfitent sinner much prejudice himself by hiding of his sins One that he contrives himself for a sore punishment another that he reprieves himself for an open shame It is Gods disposition this that when we discover our sin and condemn our selves then will he cover those sins and not judge our persons 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged But when we with wile and guile contrive to keep them close God then will publish and manifest them for there is nothing in this kind secret which shall not be made manifest Nay simply manifestation is not all judiciary is it he will so discover them as to question as to arraign as to convict as to sentence as to condemn your sins Object But sinners are ready to object Who is able to confess his sins Doth not David say Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Psal 19. Sol. It is true every particular numerical thought and act of sin is not possible to be cited and confessed but who urgeth that This belongs to thee 1. To study thy heart and life 2. To observe what the Lord forbids and commands 3. To hear what thy Conscience will speak for kinds and acts 4. To give diligence to find out as many of thy sins as thou canst and by no means to omit thy special sins and so to spread all of them with humble hearty and mournfull acknowledgment before the Lord. Object This is the way to breed despair to see an Army of sins on a sudden raised up in the soul Sol. 1. See them you must first or last either now to your humiliation or hereafter to your confusion better see them now when you have time to get God to pardon them then after life when it is Gods time onely to condemn you for them And 2. He who bids thee to see thy sins bids thee to confess them and he who bids thee to confess them hath promised also to pardon them Object But I shall be ashamed to confess them so many so foul transgressions Sol. 1. If it were to Man then thou mightst blush and fear he might wonder at thee and perhaps incompassionately censure and blab 2. But it is to a God onely One who is very mercifull and will keep counsel he is very ready to pity and to spare thee 3. The commission of sin should be a shame but the confession of it is an honour it is an honourable thing that a sinner will glorifie God and confess and forsake his sins Let the disease be what it will thou wilt discover it to the Physitian why then this sinfull modesty to reveal thy sins to God And 4. especially if thou considerest thus much that thy confession is not to give him knowledge of any fact with which he is not acquainted but to yield a testimony of thy obedience and repentance and grief and to get thy acquittance and discharge II. But discover and confess them and to move you to this consider 1. Though it be a shame to commit sin yet it is an honour But discover and confess them Motives to confess it My son give glory to the God of Israel and confess unto him said Joshua cap. 7. 19. to Achan 2. Though the commission of sin brings heavy guilt yet the confession of it brings peace and ease It is the letting out of corrupt ulcerous matter which rages and swelleth and boils in the conscience 3. Is it so great a matter being greatly guilty freely and humbly to confess If the Prophet had bid thee to have done some Is it so great a matter for the guilty person freely to confess great thing c. so if the Lord had required of thee some great matter proper and high satisfaction for the wrongs thou hast done unto him thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyl c.
great unworthiness v. g. 1. Study our selves more And use the means to become humble Study our selves more Alas what are we but dust and ashes nay but sin and corruption We cannot say of our sins as the Prophet spake of the fore-running calamities Gray hairs are here and there upon him No no but as David Who can tell how oft he offends if we knew our selves we would abhor our selves 2. Study the Law more the perfection and excellency of it and bring thy many blots to that purity thy many crookednesses to that plainness Study the Law more Paul was alive before the Law came but when the Commandement came sin revived and he died 3. Study your own performances better 'T is true something is done but there is more undone Study your own performances better then done thy best services have more in them to humble then to puff thee thou canst not do at all unless God aids thee but art like a Mill without water or a Dial without the Sun and when thou dost go it is like Mephibosheth lame on both feet When thou hast made the best praier thou maiest well bow the knee and pray again that God would forgive thee the much dullness the many distractions the infinire unbelief in thy prayer 4. Study the creatures better which are the bellowes to blow up your self-conceits and high thoughts What is thy beauty but a Study the creatures better fading dye a changeable tincture which one blow or one disease may dash if it escape both yet time will unvarnish the house newly painted What are riches but a labour an heap of vanity and a vexation of spirit they are a Tree long in growing and quick in fading Solomon compares them to a Bird ready to flye Paul reputes them uncertain and David wonders who shall enjoy them What are cloathes but a few Garments of Trees of Beasts somewhat trimmed up And our Honours buâ— the breath of the People a vain aire and wind at the best quickly stirred easily turned about and allayed And our bodies but a piece of clay a wall of earth Our heads are but earthly Globes and our eyes but wasting Candles and our feet but decaying Pillars c. 5. Study God more in his excellencies of holiness Study God more of justice of mercy and then you will abhor your selves in dust and ashes Now I proceed to the second Proposition viz. That personal unworthiness is not prejudicial to spiritual supplication Doct. 2. Personal unworthiness is not prejudicial to spiritual supplication I am not worthy yet make me as Of this Proposition I will give you 1. The sense 2. Arguments to confirm it 3. Some useful Applications Touching the sense or Explication of it premise these particulars 1. There is a twofold unworthiness Privative when there is no quality or act which the person can shew to God as a There is a twofold unworthiness meritorious cause why he should accept of him or his services Negative when there is no meetness or fitness of capacity in the subject enabling of him to receive any thing from God for as there is a double dignity or worthiness One of Causality to deserve good another of Receptivity to obtain good so answerably there is a double unworthiness one which consists in the defect of merit another which consists in the defect of meetness I speak only of the former not of the latter for a person may not be unworthy .i. unfit or uncapable to receive good who yet is unworthy .i. unable to deserve and merit it 2. There is an absolute and plenary unworthiness wherein as there is no cause of good so there is effectual cause to hinder Thâ—re is an absoâ—ute and plenary uâ—worthiness it this may be called a moral unworthiness And this a natural a restrictive and partial unworthiness when there are qualities in or actions by a person against which strict justice might make exceptions yet through a gracious indulgence they avail not to the preâ—udice of the person David saith in Psal 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me and the blind man cured said well Joh. 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners When people have not onely sin living in them but themselvs living in sin when they know and affect their sins have means to leave them but will not have hearts to forsake them this now imprints an absolute unworthiness i such an unworthiness as doth effectually prejudice their access and confidence to God in praier Nevertheless there may be the presence of many corruptions for quality and fact which the sinner knows and bewails and judges and though in strict justice they are a sufficient prejudice yet through a divine graciousness they prove not effectual hinderances to the presenting 〈◊〉 accepting of Praier 3. The privative and natural or restrictive unworthiness may be The privative unworthiness may be considered two wayes In respect of the matter of it Or of the sence of it considered again two waies Either in respect of the matter of it which is some kind or kinds of sinfulness either in nature 〈◊〉 fact for nothing makes us unworthy but sin this abaseth us and keeps us at a distance Or of the sense and apprehension of it when the sinfulness which doth make us so unworthy is discerned by us and so discerned that by reason thereof we do judge out selves not worthy of the least of mercies In neither respect is it prejudicial to spiritual supplication i though there be sinfulness in us and upon us and we know it and that by reason of it wee are neither worthy to speak with God nor to prevail with God yet we may present our supplications unto him 4 Praier may be considered in a threefold respect Either As a Prayer may be considered in a threefold respect Duty to be acted As a Duty acting As a Duty acted The sense of our unworthiness should not be any prejudice to praier in any of those respects 1. Not to take us off from performing the duty of praier We may offer up our sacrifice though we cannot offer Unworthiness sâ—ould not take us â—ff from Prayer up our worthiness we may bring our gift though we cannot bring our merit though vve cannot buy heaven yet vve may beg it Poverty doth not hinder but a man may be a fit beggar and sin doth not hinder but a person may be a fit petitioner to God David was sensible of his sins Psal 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of my head therefore my heart saileth me Yet he makes his Supplication presently in the next verse v. 13. Be pleased O Lord to deliver me O Lord make haste to help me So did Ezra c. 9. 6. and Daniel c. 9. 2. Nor take off Considence
soul be converted And can all this be done by a morall power O no it must be an Almighty power which must rescue a poor soul out of the hands of two such mighty Lords The people of Israel could not be delivered from one King and with a temporal deliverance but by the exceeding greatness of Gods power and by an high and insuperable working of divine Grace 4. There is more then an ordinary power required for effects which fall short of Conversion and if From the effects which fall short of Conversion no less then an almighty power be required for these which are at the best but subordinate and preparative workes to the main work of Conversion questionless then the work of Conversion depends and must depend on an almighty Power Such a quantity of power cannot be denied for the greater which yet must be granted for the lesser works in the same Order There are some good and learned Divines who handling the preparatives Synod Dâ—rdr pag. 160. to Conversion do conceive four precious acts or works wrought before it v. g. 1. Notitia divinae voluntatis a knowledg of the Divine will 2. Sensus peccati a sight and feeling of our sins and sinful condition 3. Cogitatio de liberatione some thoughts and desires of deliverance 4. Spes veniae an hope at last of a possibility of mercy and pardon all which God works by the preaching of the Word As upon Peters sermon they came to a â—ense of their sin and fear and trouble and desire and had some hope of deliverance preached unto them the promise being made to them and unto their Children upon which God converted them Now mark me There is a necessity of an almighty Power to produce these antecedaneous and inferior works None but the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory can inlighten the eyes of the Ephesians c. 1. 17 18. Surely then none less then he can open the heart of the Ephesians for which is the greater work to open an eye or to open an heart Is it not more to give life to the dead then to give sight to the blinde None but God can make a sinner sensible of his sins When the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7. 9. Now which is the greater work to make me feel my sins or to make me forsake my sins to trouble my heart or to alter my heart to feel my disease or to heale me of my disease to shew me my â—etters or break off these â—etters 5. It is at least as great a work to convert a sinner as it is to From the power required to preserve a sinner converted preserve a sinner converted and one would think a greater work for to the one man is dead to the other he is living Is iâ— not more to make the house then to repair the house but to preserve or keep a converted person stedfast to the end there needs no less then the power of a God We are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. therefore to convert a sinner doth require no less power then that of a God Now put all these things together the nature of Conversion the Power of a sinful heart the Strength of Satan the Power required for lesser works then conversion the Greatness of making then keeping and then I think it wil manifestly appear That no less then an almighty Power is necessary to a sinners Conversion Is there an almighty power required to convert a sinner Vse 1. as great a power as to make a dead man alive how To humble us from the consideration of the Dâ—pth of our disease may this humble all our thoughts and all our hearts you may judg of the depth of the disease by the bredth of the Remedy so may we of the greatness of our fall by the greatness of the power which is required to raise us up O who can utter the sinfulness of a sinner who of us would believe that there is so great a strength in one of his sins that all the powers in heaven and earth less then Gods are not able are not sufficient to turn his heart from it That one lust of Pride that one lust of Uncleanness that one lust of Covetousness that one lust of vain-Glory c. is too strong for thee and it is too strong for all the men on earth and it is too strong for all the Angels in heaven Though one puls and the other puls and all of them pull together they cannot pull it from thy heart nor thy heart from it you read in 2 Kings 4. 31. that Gehazi went before Elisha and laid the staff upon the face of the Child but there was neither voyce nor hearing wherefore he went again to meet Elisha and told him saying The child is not awaked Why thus it is with thy heart under all the means of life and Grace they may all turn back to God and say This sinner is not yet awakened he is not yet turned The word of God may say I cannot with all my Instructions with all my Reproofs with all my Exhortations convert him nor can I saith Conscience nor I saith Affliction nor I saith the Minister nor I saith the Father The proud Pelagians Papists Arminians dream in this Point of a sleeper but think not of a death they talk of a prison and opening the doore but think not of the chains wherewith the prisoner is bound and fettered they talk of a Counseller but forget the Physitian they write as if a sinner were to be converted with Logick and Râ—etorick but alas if any word converts a sinner it must be an almighty word God must quicken as well as call God must heal as well as speak God must work as a God or else the sinner will remain an eternall sinner 2. If such an almighty Power be necessary to convert a sinner It is foolish presumption to defer Repentance upon a pretence of turning when we list then what a foolish Presumption is it to defer to beg Repentance supposing a lurking dormant power in the heart to turn when we list But O vain man why yet a little sleep more and yet a little slumbring more and why to morrow or why hereafter what is thy power or what is thy strength to come off from thy sins or to overcome and turn thy sinful heart Why Go and try some lesser thing change the Leopards spots turn night into day raise thy dead child out of the grave stop the course of the Sea and sweeten it Read the word and make thy self to understand it Read thy heart and make thy self to humble it if thou canst not do the lesser the weaker why wilt thou endanger thy self with a presuming to do the greater the stronger Is it credible that a sinner is able to do the work of a God thou canst not break the thred and shalt thou be
sufficient to break the Cable thou canst not pluck up the plant and shalt thou be able to pull up the Oak thou art not able to extinguish the rising of a sinful thought and wilt thou ever be able to convert a sinful nature And tel me seriously doth thy sinful power decrease by sinful actings In civil trading the stock is sometimes diminished but in sinful tradings sin increaseth the more in strength by how much the more is it laid out in sinning and the more that sinful power increaseth the more need is there of a greater power to convert the heart If the weakest sinner doth need an almighty power to convert him O what an almighty almighty power doth the strong sinner doth the long sinner need for his Conversion 3. If an almighty power be required to the Conversion of a If you would be converted look after aâ— almighty Power sinner then if ever you would be converted look to that which is more then a finite power If thou wouldst have thy self converted or any who belong to thee converted do not expect it from men or means Friends may desire conversion and Ministers may preach the doctrine of Conversion but it is God only who can effect the work of Conversion I spake unto thy Disciples said that troubled man about his possessed child to cast him out and they could not Mar. 9. 18. I confess we must use spiritual means we must hear we must pray we must confer but if you think that any of these nuda virtute by their own natural power can convert you are deceived It is not the word but God by the word the power of God to salvation it is not prayer but God to whom ye pray it is not the minister but God who sends the minister who is able to enlighten thy mind to quicken thy conscience to convert thy heart Turn thou me and I shall be turned said Ephraim Jer. 31. 18. So say thou O Lord thou art the living God thou only art the Lord of life I come to thee to convert mee unto thee I hear I read I confer I meditate on arguments I purpose and yet I am not converted Ministers deal with me and Friends deal with me and Mercies deal with me and Afflictions deal with me and Ordinances deal with me and yet I am not converted O Lord I am without strength and they are without strength but thou art not without strength No power less then thine will be sufficient for my Conversion Now O Lord reveal thine arm stretch out thine hand O pity speak quicken turn save one sinner more nothing is too hard for thee thou didst make a world by thy mouth and thou wilt raise the dead by thy word O speak but one word and my dead soul shall live 4. Doth the coâ— version of a sinner depend upon an almighty power then let us not despair of a mighty sinner nor yet let a mighty sinner despair Despair not of a mighty sinner of a possibility of Conversion God hath an almighty Power to condemn a sinner therefore let him not presume God hath an almighty Power to convert a sinner therefore let no sinner despair 5. Then if any of you be converted Bless God for it we Bless God for our conversion could never do it it is God and God alone who hath done it there are reasons why God reserves the power of a sinners Conversion to himself alone 1. That men should seek to him alone for it If God alone had not all the power of giving he should lose of all the duty in praying and asking 2. That he alone may have all the glory and praise Comfort to us that God converts by an almighty Power 6. This is of exceeding Comfort to us That it belongs to the almighty power of God to convert a sinner For 1. That power is power sufficient 2. It ever abides in God 3. It is accompanied with an exceeding willingness if thou seekest to him thou shalt find his will to be as great as his power he is as willing as he is able to convert thee thou canst not come with a more exceptable petition This my son was dead and is alive again Luke 15. 24. These words comprehend in them if I mistake not a most exact discription of a sinners conversion both 1. In the general nature of it that it is a perfective change Was and Is was dead and is alive 2. And in the differential or proper ingredients of it which are couched in these words is alive again In which three distinguishing ingredients of conversion are espiable namely That it is a Change 1. Very great and notable The inlivening of a dead man is so 2. Very secret and internal the puting of life into a dead man is so 3. Very spreading and universal when a dead man is made alive it is so I confess that every one of these particulars doth merit a full and large discourse but because I desire to open unto you the true nature of conversion at the first in as narrow a compass as I can I shall therefore endeavour to draw all these goodly truths into one little Map that so you may be the better able to â—nderstand and remember them With your favour I will grasp them into this one Proposition That true Conversion is a change a very great and inward Doct. 6. True conversion is a change a great inward and Universal Change It is a Change and universal change You plainly see four things in this Assertion which offer themselves to our consideration 1. True Conversion is a change was dead and is alive certainly here is a change Ego sum ego said the Harlot here was no Conversion Ego non sum ego answered the young man here was conversion for here was a change There may be a was and an is without a change Christ was God and is God Revel 1. 8. And in many men the was and the is are without a change They were ignorant and are ignorant still they were filthy and are filthy still Rev. 22. 11. But if a man be converted the was and the is are different they are changed I was a Persecutor said Paul but being converted he is not so such were some of you said Paul of the Corinthians but ye are washed but ye are sanctified Now when I say that Conversion is a change you must know that there is a two-fold Change One is Substantial which alters the substance of man as in Generation and in Corruption of which the Philosophers speak Conversion is no such change the soul and body of a man remaines the selfe same substance before and after Conversion It was the same Paul who Was a Persecutor and Is a Preacher of Christ As in the Sacrament it is the same Bread for substance after Consecration which it was before Consecration So is it the same man for the Philosophical substance before and after conversion
immediately go before and ordinarily usher in Conversion so it is sad and bitter and sharp for there the law imprints a sense of sin and of wrath and a spirit of bondage to fear the Needle pricks and the Sword cuts and wounds and the Hammer bruiseth and the Plough rents and tears 2. Formaliter as it is a perfective change and alteration even from hell to heaven from basest lusts to sweetest holiness and thus it is at the least a fundamental radical and virtual joy 3. Consequenter For the Crop and present harvest which results out of Conversion thus it is the Musick after the tuning of the strings the fruit of righteousness is peace so the fruit of conversion is joy and delight There are three things unto which I desire to speak about this point 1. That upon Conversion the condition becomes very joyful and pleasant quod sit 2. What kind of joy and pleasure Conversion doth bring quale sit 3. Reasons why so cur sit and then the useful Application Quest 1. For the first of these that Conversion doth bring the soul into a very joyful condition Sol. There are four things which demonstrate the quod sit of The quod sit demonstrated this 1. Many pregnant places of Scripture Psal 52. 11. Shout for joy all ye that arâ— upright in heart Psal 132. 9. By Scripture Let thy Saints shout for joy Isai 35. 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isai 65. 13. Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed v. 14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart Isai 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Prov. 3. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2. Many pregnant testimonies and instances By Instances When Zacheus was converted he came down joyfully and received Christ Luke 19. 6 9. When the three thousand were converted there ensued singular gladness and joy Acts 2. 41. When the Eunuch was converted he went home rejoycing Act. 8. 39. When those in Samaria were converted the Text saith There was great joy in that City Acts 8. 5 6. When the Jailor was converted He rejoyced believing in God with all his house Acts 16. 34. When they to whom Peter wrote were converted they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. The many Comparisons by which converting grace is expressed By Comparisons doth confirm it that it makes the souls condition very joyful and delightful The estate of grace is set forth by all the things which are esteemed pleasant and delightful and joyful Men take Delight and Joy in Honour Beauty Strength Youth Riches Pearls and Jewels in Birth in Wisdome and Knowledg in Springs Orchards Spices Perfumes Buildings Victories Life Duration Friends Why when converting grace is conveyed into the heart the man now is honourable and of high dignity now the beauties of Christ are on his soul all his graces are more precious then Pearls and Gold and Silver he is rich in spiritual treasures he is one born of the Spirit of God never truly knowing and wise till now c. Nay grace is phrased by such things which yield a general and universal contentment and delight to the whole man It is sometimes called Light which is pleasant to the eye Oyntment which is pleasant to the smell Wine which is pleasant to the tast Musick or the joyful sound which is pleasant to the ear Nay yet again it is sometimes called Truth and that is pleasant to the understanding Goodness and that is pleasant to the will a Kingdome and that is pleasant to desire an Inheritance and that is pleasant to hope Communion and that is pleasant to love a Possession and and that is pleasant to joy a Victory and that is pleasant to hatred a Security and that is pleasant to fear Heaven the Kingdome of Heaven and that is pleasantness itself and all this even under fears and combates when at the first and weakest and lowest Nay yet once more it is set out by all the occasions and by all the times of joy to the birth of a man-child for joy that a man-child is born said Christ A converted man is a new-born To the day of Marriage which some call the only day of joy a converted man is marryed to Christ To a Feast Isai 25. 6. Every dish is filled with mercy To a Coronation day which was a day of gladness of heart to Solomon Cant. 3. 11. There is a crown of life for every converted soul To the time of Harvest when the Husbandman reaps with joy Isai 9. 3. To the returns of Merchants upon the increase of Wine and Oyle Psal 4. To a ransome and release from bondage and captivity a converted man is set at liberty he is a freeman in Christ 4. Consider Conversion in the Causes of it or in the very By the Causes of it Nature of it or in the Acts flowing from it certainly by all of them you may be induced to believe that it makes the Condition joyful and pleasant 1. The Causes of it which are four 1. The Radical cause Why Conversion drops out of the Eternal Love of God to a mans soul Behold what manner of Love 1 Jo. 3. 1. as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts. 13. 2. The Meritorious cause Who loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2. It is one part of Christs purchase he merited Grace and Glory for his 3. The Efficient cause immediately efficient it is the first breath of Gods sanctifying Spirit the Spirit of true Comfort and Joy 4. The Instrumental cause the word which is called sweet and sweeter then the Hony and the breasts of Consolation is the instrument of Conversion Jam. 1. 2. It s owne Nature Converting Grace hath three things intrinsecal unto it 1. Goodness it is By the Nature of it good and it only makes us good Now Goodness is the foundation of Delight Nothing is truly pleasant but what is truly good 2. Suteableness There is nothing so suteable either to the nature of the soul or end of the soul as true Grace 3. Perfection it is the Glory of the Soul 3. The acts flowing from it If the acts flowing from Conversion be such as God himself takes delight in He takes delight By the acts flowâ—ng from it in the prayer of his servants in the broken hearts of his servants in the Faith and in the Fear and in the Hope of his servants all their services are a sweet savour unto him as Noahs sacrifice was Surely then Conversion is able to make the converted
upon the spirit of a man which There may be many changes not inconsistent with the saving change yet are not inconsistent with the saving change of his Spirit Sometimes he may be lively and quick sometimes he may be flat and dull sometimes he may be confident and cheerful and at some other times he may be afraid and mournful sometimes he may be full and enlarged and at some other time he may be aukard and streightned sometimes he may have more sense of Gods Love and sometimes more sense of his own sins None of these things are essential to the converted estate a mans heart may be truly changed by converting grace notwithstanding many crosses and afflictions on his outward estate many eclipses in his comforts many varieties in his spiritual actings many contrarieties twixt his sence and his faith many temptations upon his spirit to many doubts and fears in his heart 4. Sinful corruptions never work with a more sensible strength Sinful corruptions work with more sensible strength when the heart is truely changed then when the heart is truly converted and changed Before Conversion our sins do work more mightily but we do not then perceive the workings because your delight was then in sinning and nothing is burthensome to delight and nothing was in us contrary to our sinnings the strong man kept all the house and every faculty was a friend and servant to sin the river ran all one way But when the heart is converted there is now laid into it 1. The quickest principle of feeling 2. The contrariest principle of resisting 3. The properest principle of destruction to sin and therefore no marvel that we feel our sinful natures more than formerly for all qualities are most active and most felt in cases of resistance and destruction nevertheless none of these must conclude against our Conversion but rather for it because 1. The greatest work of grace is inward 2. The sense of sinful workings joyned with an hatred of them and humbling of the heart under them and with addresses to God for subduing power is certainly a sign of converting grace Therefore hearken unto me thou distressed soul 1. Though the Glory of Grace consists in Victory yet the Truth of Grace appears in Combats the fighting Souldier is as right to the cause as the conquering Souldier there is fire in the smoking flax as well as in the flaming furnace 2. That great corruptions still remaining in temptation are the burdens of a weak Christian but are not the Characters of a false Christian 3. Jesus Christ can by a little grace weaken strongest corruptions The least true grace will help thy soul to Christ through whose strength thou who art now in conflict shalt ere long be made more than a Conqueror 4. True grace begins in weakness goes on with combat but ends in victory There is but little light at the first and more darkness for quantity but the light of the Sun is rising and dissipating and at length remains alone Conquering grace hath comfort conflicting grace hath strength and even mourning grace hath truth Peter's tears shewed truth of Grace as well as Paul's Triumph But how may I descern my change to arise from the power of converting How it may be discerned that this change is from converting grace and â—ot from the power of a troubling coâ—science Answered grace and not from the power only of a troubling conscience Sol. I conceive thus in four particulars 1. When the change is made only from the sting of conscience that change goes off and vanisheth when the trouble of conscience goes off and continues only while that doth continue whiles the trouble of conscience is on the man the man will hear and the man will pray and the man will consult and profess and resolve yea and now too to become a new man yea and he will cry out against his sins and will not come near his sins But when that trouble is off all is off again the Water which was heated grows cold again Saul is pursuing David again and Foelix is covetous again But if the change be from grace though trouble be off yet the heart is against sin and is for good for grace sets us against sin as it makes us unholy and evil and not only or principally as it makes us uncomfortable and miserable 2. When the change ariseth only from a troubling conscience not from a contrariety to God but to us It doth not arise from a hatred of sin and a love of good but only from a hatred of torment a self-love and a love of ease the man loves that sin that he dares not now commit and hates the good which now he doth he doth the good only as a means to take off his trouble he doth it not as a work in which he delights nor doth he flie sin as an evil which he hates he flies sin as it is malum sensibile not as it is malum spirituale But in a gracious change trouble doth not cause hatred but hatred causeth trouble of sin 3. When the change is only from a troubling conscience then when the trouble is gone the mans heart is more hardned and he growes more wicked then ever before and in after sinnings less sensible and less troubled as Iron growes more hardned after it hath been in the fire or water that is stopped more violent If they be again intangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. But where the heart is changed by grace the more grace still the more sense of sin and still the more fear to sin and still the more love of God 4. When the change comes only from the trouble of conscience the change extends no further then to that or those particular sins for which the conscience doth trouble the man if the other sins trouble not they are not left But when the change is wrought by grace this change extends to all sins I hate every evil way saith David they do no iniquity Psal 119. Let us â—leanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Quest How may a man know that his change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie but of Converting grace Sol. This may be discerned How it appears this change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie thus 1 The change by Hypocrisie 1. Is not Cordial no Hypocrites heart is changed In heart ye work wickedness The Hypocrite dares to give way to heart sins Judah turned Answered not with her heart but feignedly 2. Is not Vniversal The Prophet tells the hypocritical Israelites that they were as a Cake half baked and not turned an hypocrite though he forsake many sins yet he loves some sin Jehu cannot part with the golden Calves though he did destroy Baal 3. Is not lasting but changeable sutable occasions are too strong for an heart felsely changed 4. Is not able to abide three Trials of
the Word of Conscience of Death The third Use shall be to exhort and entreat us to stir up all our hearts to beg of God to work in them this admirable change by Vse 3. Exhortation to beg of God to work this change Conversion I read in Scripture that the blind man cryed out Jesuâ— thou Son of David have mercy on me and again Thou Son of David c. and all this was for a change in his eyes and I read that Naoman took a great journey into the Land of Israel and all was to be cleansed of the Leprosie of his body And why will we not take a little pains to have our hearts and souls changed by grace Consider seriously 1. That a man is not excluded No other want excludes from heaven This want certainly excludes us from heaven for any other want not for want of wisdome or parts or riches or dignities 2. Thou art certainly excluded from heaven the door is shut up against thee if thou be not converted and changed the holy God will never look upon thee and thou shalt never look upon that holy God in his holy place The unclean person was shut out of the Camp and no unclean thing shall ever enter into heaven 3. It is thy duty thou art It is thy duty to be changed bound to be a converted and changed person every man is bound to hate and forsake his sins and to come back and love and serve his God did God make thee to serve thy lusts hath he preserved thee all this while to sin against him Is this the fruit of thy dreadful Covenant which thou hast made with him 4. What wilt thou get by keeping thy sins or any one of them What wilt thou get by keeping thy sins Be perswaded To beseech the Lord to change thy heart Be perswaded therefore at least unto two things 1. To beseech the Lord to change and convert thy heart even thine also remember well 1. None can change a sinner but God The Musician must tune the Instrument 2. It is no sin to beg of God a Conversion from sin No no thou canst not put up a more acceptable request Lord I am weary of my sins I would dishonour thee no more I would be good I would serve thee thou only canst change me and enable me for thy Mercies sake do so and heal and turn me so shall I be healed and turned 3. God hath changed and converted great sinners was not Manasses so M. Magdalen so Paul so the Corinthians so Why venture toward his mercy seat who can tell but he may do so to thee 4. He hath changed sinners who have not sought him and will he refuse it for them who do seek it of him if he many times be found of them that seek him not will he deny to them who seek 5. You have his promise to do this very converting work for you He will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. I will give a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Behold he calls thee he tells thee that he is willing to convert thee why then art thou not willing to receive it to have it done do not say thou art a sinner God never did convert any but a sinner nor does he promise to convert any who is not a sinner 6. Did ever any beg this and failed of it Lord said one to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make me clean what saith Christ to him doth he not answer him at all Doth he say I cannot Or doth he say I will not O no his answer is and it is a present answer I will be thou clean 2. To come to the Word and come for this end that God may convert and change many came Come to the word for this end to the Pool of Bethesda to look on it and an impotent man came thither to be cured in it and there he was cured many come to hear the Word to mock at it and many come to get some notions from it and many come to catch the Minister at it but he who comes for this very end to be converted and changed by it I believe he shall first or last attain his end the word shall convert and change him The word is sometimes compared to a Glass which discovers Jam. 1. 29. and sometimes to a Laver which washeth and cleanseth Psal 119. 9. even the young man who of all other is most unruly and wild is converted by it The Power of God goes with the Word of God and the Grace of God comes by the Word of God it is Vehiculum Spiritus canalis Gratiae Thousands have been converted by it and so maist thou Hath God converted and changed thy heart hearken then to Vse 4. Counsels to the converted a few counsels 1. Take heed of sinning after Conversion Do not sin against grace received if thou dost thou wilt weaken and lame thy strength wilt darken thy heaven wilt perplex thy conscience wilt shew thy self more ungrateful then any man no wicked man can have such an aggravation of sin upon him as thou hast 2. Honour God with that Grace which thou hast received Conversion fits and enables a man for Gods Service and Glory And they began to be merry Luke 15. 24. These words are as the Banquet after the Feast they are the close and the reckoning that is brought in upon the lost Son being brought home The case is wonderfully altered with him all is altered when the sinner is altered when he was wandring from his Father he ran up and down the Country and wasted all his estate among Harlots he shifted himself to his very skin and out he is turned amongst the Swine and no man regarded him the poor wretch wanted Father and House and Cloaths and all Comforts and was upon his last Leggs at the very point of starving and famishing But now being found and returned home all mercies come in unto him there 's a Father to embrace him and an House to entertain him and Raiment to cloath him and Friends to welcome him and a feast to rejoyce him And they began to be merry As formerly you have had the nature of Conversion so in these you have the fruit of Conversion When Jesus Christ was born there was great joy and when a sinner is born again hereupon also ariseth great joy The Proposition on which I intend to insist is this That Conversion brings the Soul into a joyful a very joyful condition They began to be merry Mirth is the accent of joy Doct. 7. Conversion brings the soul into a very joiful condition it is an emphatical joy but when did they begin to be merry why as soon as it was said This my Son is alive and this my Son is found now they begin to be merry Conversion may be considered three wayes 1. Antecedenter For the precious qualities and works which