been committed Sin is Rebellion and Treason against the King of Glory 't is a Transgression of a Law given from Heaven the breach of which is threatned with not only a temporal Curse but an eternal Penalty Well may sin fill you with fear Let your Sorrow express it self freely and abundantly in remembrance of your evil wayes Sin is the only evil in Gods eyes and the â—reatest evil unto you hateful to God hurtful to the Sinner Every Sin has given you a Wound and as Sins Wounds are the worst so they should be most grievous Lament when you see in what a woful plight you are The sad effects of Sin the whole man over the Prophet emphatically sets forth Isa 1. 5 6. The whole Head is sick the whole Heart is faint from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it but wounds bruises and putrifying sores they have not been closed nor bound up nor mollified with oyntment And should you not be ashamed of your own folly in being such enemies to your selves your Pollutions your Perdition is really of your selves Guilt should make you blush and because Sin has stript you naked and bare of every thing that 's good and beautiful Oh what a loathsome Leprosie is apparent in all your Parts and Powers your foulest spots are open to Gods eye well therefore you may be cover'd with Confusion and that which still should make you more confounded is your base ingratitude you have despised riches of goodness you have abused Mercy and Grace and when a Cure has been offered in the Gospel you would not be healed Be therefore truly angry at your selves Let your Indignation and hatred spend it self on your iniquities be revenged upon them that they being mortified and dying you may not dye in them and for them Humiliation is indeed grievous to Nature but friendly to Grace The more Humiliation Ploughs up the Fallow ground the fruits of Righteousness commonly are brought forth in greater Plenty 4. Study the mischief which the beloved Sin or Sins have done you The Master Sin is Gods Capital Enemy and the chief obstacle of Conversion this has the greatest Interest in the Heart to forsake this is indeed most difficult but withall most necessary That great Commander Hannibal had more of Enmity against the Romane State than a thousand ordinary Carthaginians He still to his utmost endeavour'd to hinder peace with Rome and to bring Rome to ruine The commanding Sin which by reason of the Sinners complexion or calling or other circumstances has most strength and bears the greatest sway does most oppose the turning unto God therefore this must in a special manner be resisted hated for the Life and Strength of it lies in the love of it Thy Master Sin is thy greatest transgression Psal 19. 13. and has rendred thee obnoxious to the greatest Wrath this especially provokes divine jealousie this has made thee most a slave and most abominably defiled thee this is thy strongest fetter and thy most deadly plague thy love to it is altogether against thy hatred of it will be with the greatest reason The young man in the Gospel might have been a Convert but Love to his great Possessions was the sin that hindred Mat. 19. 22. He went away from Christ he was too much taken with worldly Wealth therefore not at all taken with a Treasure in Heaven Herod that did many things might have done more but love to his Herodias was his darling Lust this made him instead of hearkning to John the Baptist put him in Prison though John designed Herods spiritual Liberty and eternal Salvation Let the proud man hate his Pride the Covetous man contemn the World which he has made an Idol of the filthy wretch abhor Fornication and all Uncleanness the unrighteous become just and make Restitution of what he has unjustly gained Mortifie all the members of the Body of Sin but especially consent the right eye should be pluckt out the right hand cut off and the very Heart torn out of that Body 5. Would you become Converts in Truth save your selves from the Society of evil doers The Prophet who tells us he turned his Feet unto the Testimonies of God quickly after adds I am become a Companion of them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts Psal 119. 63. He that will be a true Convert and indeed a blessed Man he must not walk in the Counsel of the Vngodly nor stand in the way of Sinners nor sit in the Seat of the Scornful Psal 1. 1. David resolving to keep the commands of God abandons that company that were breakers of those commands and were likely to be continually perswading him to transgress them Psal 119. 115. Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God he is so far from approbation from imitation of them that he beheld them with grief and with horrour It was Counsel given to those that had been prickt at the Heart and began to turn Save your selves from this untoward Generation Act. 2. 40. There is a great Contagion in Sin 't is likened to the Plague to the Leprosie because 't is such a deadly because 't is such a catching disease When we are needlesly Conversant with them that are dead in Sin what deadness do we find seizing upon our own Hearts When we are too intimate with vain Persons how does vanity insinuate it self into our minds too much estranging them from God and putting them out of a serious frame Carnal Company are a sort of Devils in humane shape that are bound for Hell themselves and are drawing as many others as they can thither they can't be contented to Sin and be damn'd alone Have therefore no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of darkness but rather reprove them Eph. 5. 11. Reprove them because Destruction and Misery is in their wayes but let not them ever perswade you out of the way of Peace And as you are to shun the Profaâ—â— so you must take heed of being deaded and diverted by the Erroneous If Satan cannot draw you back to your formâ— ungodliness and unrighteousness he will endeavour to turn you aside to some false and strange Doctrine that this may take up your time your thoughts your zeal the Power of Godliness and Practical Religion being in the mean while neglected When Errour has been embraced and has corrupted the Mind and made the Head giddy 't is usual for it to bring a false Peace into the Conscience and by diverting the Heart to hinder it's Converting unto God. Beware beware of that vain Religion which is nothing but a kind of Philosophy of Opinions which is a thing for a wanton fancy to play with a smooth Tongue to talk of that is made up of Brain and Mouth without Heart to love and Hands to work for God. 6. If you would be Converts in Truth let your Hearts be fill'd with awful apprehensions of the
had and bought it Matth. 13. 46. 2. When the Soul is Converted the Judgment is rectified The Judgment of the natural Man is wofully perverted He judges aright of nothing he judges amiss of every thing Wo to him he calls evil good and good evil he puts darkness for Light and Light for darkness bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter as the Prophet speaks Isa 5. 20. The Wisdom of God he ealls by the Name of foolishness and the folly of the VVorld he will needs have to be the shrewdest and best sort of wisdom He errs on both hands valuing what is vile and sleighting what is excellent But the Apostle in 1 Cor. 2. 15. telleth us That he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no Man. The Convert hath a faculty of spiritual discerning and can pass a right judgment upon things One Angel can see another though the bodily Eye can see neither One that is a Convert having a spiritual faculty of discerning can see the excellency of spiritual things which the natural Man cannot behold And when it is said that the Spiritual Man is judged of no Man the meaning is this that no natural Man is a competent judge concerning him Censure him he may as if he were regardless of and beside himself but really this Censure is without reason Not judging but missjudging this is to be called The Converts judgment is very sound he takes the right ballance even those of the Sanctuary to weigh all things in He compares God and the Creature together the righteousness and strength of Man and the righteousness and strength of Christ together things temporal and things eternal together and weighing these things together the difference between them is apparent He writes Takel upon what is Mammons and upon what is Mans and the weightiest and most excellent things he doth approve as such especially a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And as the Converts Judgment is sound so let me tell you it is very grave and serious in propounding what is good unto the Will. It is deliberate in its determination what is good and then with greatest evidence and strength of Reason nay with Demonstration of the Spirit it urges the Soul that this which is so good may be followed and embraced My beloved a Judgment thus rectified and set right it is one of the greatest Blessings from Heaven and comes down from the Father of Lights who manifests himself to be the Father of Mercies in bestowing such a Gift Now the Soul is Light when the Judgment is rectified and the whole Man is under better conduct and this Light proves Armour and Defence against the Works of Darkness Rom. 13. 12 13 14. Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. When the Soul is converted the Conscience is made very faithful and very tender The Soul of Man is endued with a Power of Self-reflection it can with a great deal of delight take notice of what of God and what of good is in it self and it can terribly recoyl upon it self and prove a selfpunisher at the commission of what is evil The Conscience of an unconverted Sinner is usually in a dead sleep How many sleepy Consciences are here God awaken them to day Usually the Conscience of an unconverted Sinner is in a dead sleep He takes little or no notice at all of that God that is by him of his Presence of the Purity of his Law and of the Sinners obligation to obey it And Conscience being thus asleep talks in its sleep and what doth it talk in its sleep it doth say Peace and it doth dream of Safety and thus it goes on crying Peace and dreaming of Safety untill suddain destruction doth prove that Peace and that Safety to be nothing else but a meer delusion 1 Thess 5. 3. When men shall say Peace and Safety then suddain destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a woman with Child and they shall not escape But the Convert his Conscience is awakened it is awakened so thoroughly that it keeps more or less awake ever after The Conscience doth understand the Authority that it hath from God. And it doth improve that Authority for God. The Conscience of a Convert doth understand the Authority that it hath from God. The God of Heaven hath allowed the Conscience a Negative Voice To sin contrary to the Light and to the Dictates of Conscience it is to sin with a great Aggravation and it is to incurr great danger 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and knows all things Nay supposing that Conscience doth but doubt concerning an Action that Action must not be ventured upon untill Conscience be fully satisfied about it Rom. 14. ult He that doubts of the lawfulness of a Meat is damned if he eats because he eateth not of Faith that is being not fully perswaded of the lawfulness of what he eats he eats not of Faith and that which is not of Faith is sin And as Conscience knows the Authority it hath of God so it doth improve and exercise this Authority that it hath from God for Him. The Converts Conscience urges that the Will of God may be done still tho' it never so much thwarts the inclination and grain of mans it urges that God may be alwayes pleased whoever is offended and herein it does consult the Converts truest Interest The sharper the Sight the clearer the Light the greater the force of Conscience is there will be a departing from evil with the greater fear and care and hatred and there will be a doing of good with the greater diligence exactness and perseverance and all this is for the good of Converts in more Worlds than one Psal 37. 27. Depart from evil and do good and dwell for evermore 4. When the Soul is Converted the Thoughts have not a lawless Liberty allowed them but there is a Conflict with them and great care to govern them well The Mind of Man is a busie and an Active thing thoughts are continually issuing from it as Sparks from a Furnace or Waters from a Fountain and naturally all these are evil Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the wickedness of Man was great upon the Earth and every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually When the Soul is converted the nature of the Thoughts is changed vain and sinful thoughts presently become burthensome The Heart is made new and a new heart will have new kind of thoughts The thoughts will be pure and clean if the Heart be sanctified and cleansed Jerusalem did shew her self a Stranger to Conversion
Thus of the Righteous I am to speak also concerning the Wicked and as to these you must understand 1. All the works of wicked men will be brought into Judgment All their sinful Deeds will follow them to the Bar of God! they will rise with them and against them at that Day when a Sinner shall appear and all his Drunkenness his Whoredoms his unjust and cheating Actions all his evil Deeds of every fort shall surround and appear with him before the Holy and Righteous Judge How will he be amazed at the sight of all his Transgressions How will he tremble to hear how loud they cry for Vengeance upon him Not á deed of Darkness but then will be brought to light to his greater confusion 2. Not only the Works of the Wicked but their very Words shall all be accounted for The Judge himself speaks this very plainly Mat. 12. 36. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment By idle words may be meant words useless and unprofitable to the Speakers and to the Hearers or idle and vain according to the Hebrew use may signifie false deceitful lying God does hear all words at present Psal 139. 4. There is not a word in my Tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether And words which very much declare what most abounds in the Heart must be answered for at last And if unprofitable talk will then be condemned how sad will be the Case of all obscene and filthy Speakers of all egregious Lyars of all injurious Slanderers and Back-biters of all Blasphemers cursing cursed Swearers of all whose impious Tongues have made bold with the Blood and Wounds of God their Judge and instead of serious praying have most presumptuously called upon and dared God to Damn them 3. As the works and words so the Thoughts of wicked men shall be brought into Judgment Thoughts are Sins and need forgiveness and ought to be repented of Memorable is that which Simon Peter says to Simon Magus Act. 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy Heart may be forgiven thee If these are not repented of and pardon'd alas these also must be charged upon Sinners vastly to the increasing of their punishment How innumerable are the Thousands of thousands the Millions of Millions of vain and wicked thoughts desires and lustings that have lodged in the Hearts of the ungodly The heart searcher sees every one of them and will make them know at the last day that he remembers all Proud and Self-conceited Thoughts and touring imaginations impure and lascivious Thoughts and inward boyling of Concupiscence insatiable Covetousness and eager projects for filthy gain the stirrings of Envy Malice Anger and Revenge the Judge will take notice of all for he knows what is in Man Joh. 2. 25. It will be a large Bill of Inditement where Deeds Words and Thoughts are all written down from first to last and not so much as â—ne forgotten The opening of the Book of Gods remembrance where all are recorded will be very amazing 4. The Sentence that will be past upon the wicked will be unconceivably full of horrour Mat. 25. 41. Then shall he say to them on the Left-hand Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devâ— and his Angels For Him who is the way to come to God to say Depart to depart from Christ the Sinners only Hope and Saviour to depart with a Curse to depart into Fire the Extremity of Torment to depart into everlasting Fire to be tormented without any intermission or end to be for ever in such evil and hateful Company as Devils and damned Angels this is woful beyond all utterance And this Sentence as soon as pass'd will be put in Execution Now indeed such is the patience of God Sentence against an evil work is not speedily Executed and therefore such is their Malignity and Ingratitude the Heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do Evil Eccles 8. 11. But at the great day as soon as the wicked are Sentenced they will be sent and forced to go away into everlasting Punishment Mat. 25. ult the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting Punishment or Torment are remarkable for here it is necessarily imply'd that the wicked shall certainly be to Eternity that they may be Punished and Tormented to Eternity and they shall be sensible else it would not be Torment of the Punishment they undergo By eternal Destruction you are not to understand eternal Annihilation or being turned for ever into Nothing for if a wicked Man should altogether cease to be he must needs also cease to be punished For 't is no more a Punishment to be nothing to Eternity than it can be called a Punishment to have been nothing from Eternity Wicked men must be for ever and alas they must bear for ever the Lord's Vengeance and Indignation I speak thus terribly not without bowels of Compassion towards you I would fain fright you by telling you of Wrath and the Vengeance of eternal Fire that you may never never feel it In the Fourth place I am to demonstrate the certainty of this Judgment If Faith concerning it were but more strong what an Influence would it have upon the Hearts and Lives of them that do believe it The Arguments to prove a future Judgment are these 1. Are there not fears of this Judgment impress't even upon natural Conscience What 's the reason that when Men commit the most secret wickedness that is very unlikely to be known there is notwithstanding a dread upon their Spirits The true reason is Conscience tells them there is a God that sees what Man does not see and that he will judge and punish the wickedness of which Man takes no notice This Doctrine of a Judgment to come of future Rewards and Punishments is written in the Heart of Man by Nature and he is fain to offer great violence to his own Soul before he can wear off what is written there and tho a Sinner become ordinarily very Stupid and Atheistical yet the thoughts and fears of Judgment will sometimes in spight of him return upon him The Apostle speaks of Conscience bearing witness and Thoughts accusing and excusing and then presently speaks of the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ Rom. 2. 15 16. Conscience judges at present and hints a future judgment 2. There is not such a Discrimination made in this World between the Righteous and the Wicked as is suitable to the difference that Grace has made between them Therefore there is a Day coming when there will be such a Discrimination Solomon tells us that in the course of Divine Providence at present no Man can know either Love or Hatred by all that is before him All things fall alike to all there is one Event to the Righteous and
Opera Dei s◠pius Considerator advertat perhibent testimonium Creatori quid autem borum est quod non sit mirabile si unumquodque ratione metiamur Augustin Euarrat in Psal 118. The Heavens Preach to Men on Earth and plainly Declare their Creators Glory they utter a Voice which all of all Languages may understand here are such lines in which every Eye may read the eternal Power and Godhead of Him of whom and through whom and to whom are all things and who is to be glorifified for evermore Among the other Works of God the Psalmist takes special notice of the Sun in the Firmament whose light and influence is so great and beneficial and then makes a transition to the Law and Word of God whose Light in a sense obscures that glorious Luminary giving such a clear manifestation and affecting knowledge to Man concerning his Maker as turns his Heart to him though naturally blind and foolish alienated and estranged from Him. The Law of the Lord is perfect Converting the Soul. This weighty Argument of Conversion I begin to insist on this day Conversion to God is the Epitome of Religion it is the Summe of Law and Gospel in a few Syllables it is fallen Man's recovery and rising again and the new making of that which Sin had marr'd and spoyled it is the shutting of Hell and is exceedingly opposed by the evil Angels that are there it is the opening of the gate of Heaven There is no Flaming Sword to keep the true Convert from the Tree of Life he shall have entrance into the Paradise of God and be crown'd with Righteousness and Immortality But is not the Tongue of an Angel fitter to be employed in calling to Conversion than that of a mortal Man Is there not need of the loudest Thunder or such an amazing sound as was heard when the Law was delivered on Mount Sinai of old How unlikely alas how unlikely are humane endeavours to be successful since where Conversion is the Power of Satan must be vanquisht the Dominion of Sin unto which the whole World almost is subject must be thrown down the Deaf must be made to hear the Blind must be made to see and the Dead must be raised to the highest Life in this World and that is Life Spiritual and Nature it self must be changed and of Old become New. Lord what is Man that he should be employed in such a work as this the earthen Vessel is weak or rather nothing the Treasure is the Word of God and the Excellency of its Power is of the Lord himself The Law of Lord is perfect Converting the Soul. In the Text there are four things observable 1. The Word of God is called the Law of the Lord. The Law comprehends not only the Preceptive part but also the whole Doctrine revealed in the Holy Scriptures The very Gospel it self is styled the Law of Faith Well may the Word of God be called a Law since its Author is the great Law-giver who has Power to save and to destroy and considering the deep Obligation it layes Man under A principal part of the Word are the Commands of it the Promises and Threatnings are Appendices to the Precepts and the Examples in which both Promises and Threatnings are in some measure fulfilled may strongly excite unto Obedience 2. Here is an excellent Property of this Word of God 't is Perfect though some most impiously make bold with it and eke it out with their own Traditions which they make to be of equal Authority with it yet the Word of God is perfect sufficient as a Means to attain the End whereunto 't is designed turning Sinners to God and making them wise unto Salvation He does most truly consult his own Eternal Peace and Safety and is indeed the wisest Man who refuses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be wise above what is written 3. Here is a notable Effect of the Word of God and that is Conversion The Hebrew has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies redire faciens making to return some Interpreters referr this to the restoring and comforting Power of the Word of God which brings as it were the Man to life again who was ready to dye away and to sink under the burthen of Sin and Misery But this Consolation supposes Conversion and Repentance and it seems unlikely that the Psalmist enumerating the more remarkable effects of the Word of God should omit this of Conversion which is one of the chiefest among them all 4. The Sincerity of Conversion is signified when the Soul is said to be Converted The Soul is sometimes taken for the Person for the whole Man The whole Man is by Sin corrupted and depraved and strongly inclined to depart from God there is need that the whole should be renewed and reduced Sometimes the Soul is taken for the spiritual and immortal part of Man and when this is enlightned and inclined and turned to God then the very Heart which he so often calls for is given him and the Change that is wrought is inward real saving I raise four Doctrines from the Text. First Conversion to God is of absolute necessity and the great thing he requires of Man. Secondly Conversion to God is then sincere when the Soul is Converted to him Thirdly The Word of God is the great Means of Conversion Fourthly In the Word of God which is the Means of Conversion there is a Perfection and Sufficiency Doct. I. I begin with the first of these Conversion to God is of absolute necessity and the great thing he requires of Man 'T is spoken of in the Text as that which is Man's Duty Man's Benefit and that which is inexpressibly for Mans Interest Converting the Soul is really Saving it and without Conversion there can be no Salvation He that turns from his evil wayes shall live he that is resolved against turning is in effect resolved to ruine himself Death he wills Death he chuses and 't is a strange choice that the Will makes Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked should turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will you dye O house of Israel In the handling of this Doctrine I shall First Speak of the preparative Antecedents of Conversion Secondly Explain the Nature of Conversion Thirdly Tell you what are the Properties of Conversion Fourthly Demonstrate the necessity of Conversion and the reason why God does so much require it Fifthly Answer the Arguments which the carnal minds of Men object against Conversion the body of Sin may be more and more destroyed 4. In Conversion there is a turning from the power of Satan Unconverted ones are of their Father the Devil and the lusts of their Father they will do but Converts are no longer at his beck they are not led Captive by him at his will
planted the Ear and curiously fashioned the other Members Who would raise the Dead but the Lord of of Life himself The Spirit further also demonstrates the Words Authority from the accomplishment of Scripture Prophesies as concerning Cyrus building of the Temple Isa 44. 28. The King of Grecia his ruining the Persian Monarchy which was verified in Alexander the Great Dan. 8. 21. The calling of the Gentiles Isa 42. 4. Zeph. 2. 11. How many false Gods do we find famished and the Lord Jehovah worshipped in the Isles of the Heathen It was also fulfill'd which our Lord spake concerning his Death that after his being lift up from the Earth he would draw all men to him which was rather likely to drive all men from him He also said he would have a Church to the end of the VVorld Mat. 28. ult and notwithstanding all that Earth and Hell can do he has had one to this very day The Spirit also shews the divine Matter of the Word the admirable consent and agreement of all its parts and the design of the whole which is to give Glory to God and to represent him as most worthy of Admiration Praise Faith Fear and Love and Service Its Precepts are so excellent and pure that if the Professors of Religion would but live according to them the World might quickly be convinced of the unreasonableness of Infidility A thorow perswasion of the Words Authority is from the Spirit and has a mighty force to startle the Conscience and awe the heart of a Sinner And to make it stoop unto God which was before rebellious 2. The Spirit causes the Word most firmly to be believed as that which is of most certain verity and truth this follows upon the former If it be the Word of God who cannot lye there is nothing false or uncertain in it Ever since Man first harkned to the Father of lies he is very prone to embrace falshood He is not to be trusted as a Guide any further than God guides him because so apt himself to err and mistake But let God be true saies the Apostle though it follows and every Man a Lyar Rom. 3. 4. God cannot be deceived because he is Omniscient and his understanding is Infinite Psal 147. 5. And he will not deceive any because he is the God of Truth Whatever has proceeded out of his Mouth its certainty is not to be doubted of Faith therefore which believes whatsoever God speaks and because he speaks is indeed the highth and very â—lower of Reason We read of a Door of Faith Act. 14. 27. They rehearsed all things that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles The Word of God has entrance by Faith as by a Door into the Heart and Faith as a Door shuts it in then how powerful is it in working The Commands being lookt upon as indeed the Commands of God will no longer presumptuously be broken the Promises being believed â—â— be the Promises of God who keeps Truâ—â— for ever will be embraced A firm belief of the Words truth is at the bottom of all true Conversion to God and 't is Infidelity that is the great reason of departing from him 3. The Spirit powerfully convinces the Sinner how evil a thing Sin is which the Word of God so severely and strictly forbids Sin is that which of all things in the World is most of all mistaken If it were rightly known by all not one in the World could love or like it But most are ignorant what 't is and whither it tends and securely and unconcernedly remain under its guilt and power Mens lusts are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceitful lusts Eph. 4. 22. they seem to consult their gain and pleasure but indeed war against their Souls and yet this War is so carried on that 't is not perceived Souls are kept stupified and intoxicated till they are utterly lost and ruined 'T is the work of the Spirit to discover what Sin is He shews how contrary 't is to God how evil and provoking in the eyes of his Holiness and his Glory how contrary 't is to the Law of God which is most exexcellent all whose Precepts are most profitable and pleasant to those that love and keep them He shews likewise how contrary Sin is to Man himself It loads him with Curses of various sorts it makes every thing he has to be cursed to him It does defile debase and wound him and unless he turn from it it will for ever destroy and damn him 'T is one thing to be told of all this by Man and another to have a powerfull discovery and Conviction of all this by the Spirit He shews the Vanity of all sins excuses pretences and promises of Impunity Peace and Safety The Spirit speaks very home to the Conscience and particularly and causes the Sinner to whom he speaks to hear and heed and tremble Thou art the Man that hast offended God! Thou art the Soul that hast sinn'd and dost deserve to dye Thou art the Fool-hardy Wretch that hast engaged the Almighty to be thine Enemy Against thy ungodliness and unrighteousness in particular his wrath is certainly revealed from Heaven And how soon if thou refusest to forsake thy impious and unrighteous ways may this wrath fall upon thee and sink thee into the bottomless pit of Wo. If thou resolvest still to go on in thy trespasses thy very next step may take hold of Hell 4. The Spirit reveals Christ in the Word and draws the Sinner to him The Holy Ghost does testifie concerning the Lord Jesus Joh. 15. 26. The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me And what a Glorious Testimony does he give him Christ is the summe and substance of all Supernatural Revelation All the lines both of the Old Testament and of the New do meet in this Center The design of the Old Testament was to forshew him as the Peace-maker between God and Man who was to be wounded for transgression to make his Soul an offering for Sin to bring in everlasting righteousness and to be the Author of plâ—nteous and eternal Redemption and Salvation The New Testament which is the accomplishment of the Old does more fully declare Christ Here the Spirit more plainly tells us of his Godhead of his fulness of his Manhood of his Mercifulness what power he has to save what Bowels of Pity towards them that see they are lost without him And in shewing all this how does the Spirit shew himself a Comforter And as the Spirit discovers Christ so he draws the Sinner to him he causes the Word to reach the Heart and to subdue it so that the Heart gladly surrenders and freely opens to receive Jesus which before by ignorance prejudice and unbelief was very fast Bolted and Barr'd against him There can be no turning to God but as he is in Christ for how can guilty and defiled Man draw
will he guide in Judgment and the meek will he teach his way And while Christians are using the Word of God if they cry to the Father of Lights that gives wisdom liberally without upbraiding they shall have a Heart to know him that he is the Lord Jer. 24. 7. and they shall return to him with the whole Heart 9. Hence I inferr That we should be such lovers of Mankind as to wish the whole World did enjoy the Word of God the great means of Conversion It should be a sadning thought to our Hearts that though all mankind have sinned and are in a lost estate the Word of God that informs concerning the only Saviour is known to so very few The Jewish Church of old for hundreds of years did put up that Prayer and at length it was answered in the Vocation and calling of the Gentiles Psal 67. 〈◊〉 That thy way may be known upon the Earth and thy saving health among all Nations Christians should Pray in the same strain that this Petition may be heard further Christians should be compassionate Intercessours for the poor World that lyes in darkness and wickedness that the Light of the Gospel may come wherever the Sun in the Firmament shines that so whole Kingdoms and Nations by thousands and by millions may not thus throng the way to Hell for want of Saving Knowledge and Converting Grace And as we should pity and pray for the Infidel VVorld so we should pity and pray for poor Posterity that they when they come to be born into England may find this a Land of Light for if we should leave them without the glorious Gospel of the blessed God we should leave them under Sathans Power and in the Conâ—lâ—es of Hell O let us put on Bowels and pray hard that those that shall be born twenty forty a hundred years hence and more may find England the Land of Immanuel and may be priviledged with the Word of God that may be a means of their being regenerate and born again 10. Lastly Hence I inferr How inexcusable those are that turn the VVord of God the great means of Conversion and Salvation into a deadly savour to themselves O the evil Nature of that Sin of unbelief the evil Heart of unbelief doth make the greatest Blessings to become Curses To grow more blind under the Light to grow more deaf and disobedient the louder God calls to grow more barren and unfruitful notwithstanding all advantages to make you thrive in Grace and Goodness what excuse can be brought for this To receive the Grace of God in vain is a very great folly but to turn the Grace of God into wantonness to Sin because Grace doth abound this is to turn the very Remedy and Antidote into Poyson and to perish the more certainly the more fearfully The Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 2. 16. telleth us that his Ministry was a savour of death unto death to some they grew more dead more estranged from God and Holiness even while they heard the Gospel that is a Doctrine according to Godliness preached to them and growing more dead 〈◊〉 a spiritual sence eternal Death did prove the sorer to them That man that under the Word of God grows worse and worse comes daily to hear but goes away more vain more filthy more wedded to his will and to his hateful and hurtful lusts this Man is indeed desparately wicked this man doth fix himself under the Laws Curse he pulls down upon his own Head the Mediators Vengeance and after his hardness and impenitent Heart treasures up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God. The second Use is by way of Reproof If the Word be the great means of Conversion several sorts of Persons are sharply to be reprehended 1. Those that dislike and hate the VVord of God these are Fools in the worst and most dangerous sence that hate Instruction and cast the Laws of God behind their backs Psal 50. 17. These are bruitish that can't endure to be reproved for doing harm to themselves they are certainly bewitched that will not obey the Truth Gal. 3. 1. As Christ says For which of my good works do ye stone me so say I For which of the good Effects of the VVord of God do you hate it It is Light in darkness a means of conveying Life to the dead Food to the hungry a Cordial to the fainting a Sword to secure you against and to conquer your spiritual Enemies And therefore if you dislike this Word of God you are even unto sottishness without understanding It is a Scripture phrase Jer. 4. 22. My people are foolish they have not known me they are sottish Children and without understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge 2. Those are sharply to be reproved who endeavour to hinder the Efficacy of the VVord of God upon others this they do by ill Counsel and by worse Example This they do by being Contentious against the Truth and by pleading for unrighteousness This they do by promoting prejudices against the Word of God as if the embracing of it were the way to Melancholick sadness sorrow and scorn which is indeed the way to the truest Gain and the surest Peace They that are troubled to see others minding Heaven are strangely degenerate and are become Factors for Hell and discover a most diabolical Disposition But whatsoever Persons speak against Grace and Holiness whatever they say for the continuance in a wicked way all their words are but vain words and every eaâ— should be deaf to them Eph. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience 3. Loose Professours of Religion are to be reproved who are indeed a discredit to the Word of God they come and hear the Word of God but what are they in their Families what are they in their Closets what are they in the whole course of their Lives Filthiness greediness after Gain excessive Drinking Impurity Covetousness these things indeed they can shew but too much of But any thing of true Holiness of Humility of Strictness of Contempt of this World of Delight in minding another World they are utter Strangers to Will you remember one Truth The Conversion of the prophane is very much hindred by the licentiousness of the Hypocrites the former won't be prevailed with to turn into the way of Truth because the latter by their evil Courses do make this way of Truth to be evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. 2. I shall conclude with a Vse of Direction How may the Word of God be heard so as that it may be effectual to the Conversion of the hearers 1. Consent that all the Impediments of the Words efficacy should be removed Be unwilling that your hearts should be like the high-way ground utterly careless grossly Ignorant of the Truths you hear My