thought nor expectation that thou shalt receive any Grace nay that Grace that thy rebellious and proud heart hath opposed and resisted will work thy own ruine Thou art the mark of Gods direful indignation and vengeance he plants all his Forces against thee If all the Wisdom in Heaven can contrive thy confusion all the Power in Heaven work it all the Justice there determine it it shall be done God is nigh to them that are of a contrite heart he saveth such as be of a broken spirit Psal. 34. 18. true and mark it Of such but such thou 〈◊〉 not such thou deridest scornest whose hearts fail them under the weight of their abominations thou lookest at them as mopish silly despicable men well such you shall see saved for ever when such untamed 〈◊〉 proud wretches as thou art shall be turned into Hell But we do see our 〈◊〉 and have had many girds and galls of Conscience for them True It may be there hath 〈◊〉 some blows upon thine heart Conscience it hath 〈◊〉 thee the 〈◊〉 of the Word it hath laid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it 〈◊〉 not broken thy heart to this day 〈◊〉 that is thus 〈◊〉 to go no further now than the very expression of the Text. If thy soul be beaten to 〈◊〉 with this oppression of thy distempers for so this brokenness of heart was opened before then as it is with the hardest flints when they are broken to dust they are easily 〈◊〉 and give way to take the impression of the hand or whatever is laid upon them The stone which out of its hardness before opposed and started aside from the strongest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was laid now it s turned into dust the least and easiest touch leaves a print and impression upon it so it is expounded as appears in this opposition 2 Chron 30. 8. Be not stiff-necked but yield your selves Observe then is it so when the power of the Word comes the Scriptures are pregnant Arguments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet 〈◊〉 sharp and 〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉 heart shifts and starts aside and hits back the Authority of the truth which thou canst not gain-say The heart may be battered but it was never broken it may be over powred and awed but it was néver humbled to this day It s that of Prov. 3. 32. The froward in heart is an abomination to the Lord but the upright he that lies level and bows to the Truth are his delight A froward man that is he that turns off from the Authority of the Truth Is this thy temper thy heart was never broken to dust to this day but frampful and froward know thou art an abomination to the Lord. If thou shouldst go to Heaven to dwel there truly God would go out of Heaven he would not dwell with thee Pharaoh is the pattern of all proud Hearts he hardened himself in his wickedness against the Word of the Lord. But a broken and humble heart either lies right or will come right it will come to that bent of the 〈◊〉 that is revealed Hard things makes that which is 〈◊〉 soft to assimilate to them easie and yielding things assimilate to whatever they close so Water in a round Vessel 〈◊〉 that form in a three square Vessel takes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To teach us to delight in such to desire the 〈◊〉 of such as are 〈◊〉 and humble men ' to dwel there where God dwels seem their persons never so mean their conditions never so base their estates never so low themselves never so despitable yet if they be men of broken Spirits God is with them Go into their Societies as men that resolve to go to the Court for where the King is the Court is and where God is Heaven is the Lord hath two Thrones the one of Glory in Heaven where he is all in all to his another here on Earth an humble heart where he doth all only of himself and for himself Therefore as they in Zachary 8. last Ten men shall lay hold on the skirt of a Jew and they shall say we will go with you for we have 〈◊〉 God is with you Much more here for the Lord is not only with humble hearts but he dwels in them we should therfore entertain such Servants into our Families such Inhabitants into Plantations and such Members into Congregations for so you entertain God himself Resolve as Ruth to Naomi Entreat me not to forsake thee for where thou 〈◊〉 I will live thy people shall be my people thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried and nothing but death shall part thee and me Nay go further ye blessed Spirits say death shall not part us I will be broken-hearted with you and humble with you and God shall dwel in us and we shal dwel with him in Heaven for ever Oh now ye are right keep here and be happy here for ever Exhortation To perswade us all and to prevail with us to take the right way to enjoy Gods presence not only to seek for mercy but seek it in Gods Order not only to covet Gods presence but in Gods 〈◊〉 labor to be humble and broken-hearted Christians then expect we may that the Lord will manifest the presence of his Grace and Spirit with us and in us but not else Every man catcheth at Christ and Mercy and Comfort but not in a right Method and therefore they lose him and their labor also This is Gods order First be humble and broken and then he will revive your Spirits with his presence 2. Cor. 6. 19. Come out from among them and touch no unclean thing then I will receive you and be a Father to you In a word strive to enter in at the straight Gate of Contrition and Humiliation and then you will hit the right way to Christ and eternal Life The Tenth Book ACTS 2. 37. And when they heard this they were pricked in their Hearts and said unto them Men and Brethren what shall we do THere be two Things especially observable in that disposition of Heart which the Lord requires and works in those he will draw to Christ 〈◊〉 and Humiliation The necessity of both these we declared the last day as that they were not only to be looked at for complement and conveniency but such as are of necessity required that the heart may be fitted for the impression of Faith and by it for the entertainment of the Lord Christ for if the sinner be so settled in secure Contentment of his own condition as that he thinks he need not change or if he must he is so confident of his own ability that he can change himself and out of himself and out of his own strength relieve himself he wil never go out to another for succor and supply Contrition loosens a man from his sin makes him see an absolute necessity to be another man or else he is a damned man Humiliation loosens a man from himself makes him see an
not in your power to bring them in yet bring them as neer to the Kingdom of God as you can c. They were pricked in their hearts The last Doctrine which is considered touching the Work it self Sorrow for sin 〈◊〉 set on pierceth the heart of the sinner through that is truly affected therewith They were pricked not in their eyes to weep for their sins so Esau could not in their tongues only to confess their sin so Judas did I have sinned in betraying innocent blood nor in their hands alone to reform it outwardly so those Apostats did 2 Pet. 2. 20. They escaped the pollutions of the world through the acknowledgment of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but it reached their hearts their souls bled inwardly their souls were most guilty and had the greatest hand in the commission of those bloody and execrable cruelties the fountain of their sorrow did rise as high as the beginning of their sin soul sins and soul sorrows Nor was the stroke slight not the ripling of the skin a lighter touch a sudden pang a sigh and away nay not only lanced and gashed the rotten imposthumes of the corruptions of their hearts in a great measure but ransacked the very root of the corruption pierced the heart quite through through and through again as it were let out the core of the most inward and most retired corruptions that were lodged in their bosom and bottom of their hearts And this work proceeded not from any power of their own nor from the liberty and freedom of their wils as that which they made choyce of and out of their own ability did readily put forth but it was set on by the hand of the Almighty in the entrance whereof they were Patients went against the heart and hair and wholly beyond their purposes and expectations So the words are in the passive form they were pricked they did not prick themselves Nay certainly could they have told how to prevent it how to remove it or to procure any ease and relief unto themselves they would never have cryed out as men in a maze and astonishing straights of Spirit What shall we do Thus God proceeds when he purposeth to make a through work When God was purposed to set upon the revolting people of the Jews and to bring them savingly home to himself Hos. 13. 4. so 〈◊〉 carry it according to the foregoing and following words I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt and there is no Savior besides me ver 4. and blames also the frowardness and folly of their Spirits not yielding so readily and taking the advantage of Gods dealing for their good ver 13. The sorrows of a travelling woman shall come upon him he is an unwise son for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of Children q. d. The Lord in mercy offers himself to the Israelites under their terrors as a Midwife that would make way for them out of their sins and sorrows Now in this 〈◊〉 of his towards the people to be converted he professeth that he will meet with them 〈◊〉 a Bear bereaved of her whelps he wil rend the caul of their hearts ver 8. the words are the closure and shutting up of their hearts sinners are shut up under the power of their distempers as the Apostle saith all men by Nature are shut up under unbelief Rom. 11. 32. especially there be some closets and secret corners and conveyances of soul wherein the most sweet and delightful abominations are hugged and harbored the Lord leaves not a poor wretch if indeed he intend his good before he breaks open those great depths rests not before he come home to the root and let out the heart-blood of thy lusts and then their death wil undoubtedly follow And hence it is this sorrow is compared to such as enter into the very inwards of Nature and sinks the soul with unsupportable pressures when that great conversion and return of the Jews to the entertainment of the Gospel shal be brought about by the Lord. The Prophet sets forth the greatness of that sorrow of theirs under a double similitude First Zach. 12. 10. They shall mourn for him as the mother mourns for her only son and for her first born the mourning of a tender hearted mother for her son her first born and for her only son he adds al degrees of grief if she had possessed many she might more easily have wanted one or at least parted with it or had it been any but her first born which had the first of her strength and the first of her love yet she might have born it with more quietness but when al these meet together her life and comfort is wrapped up in the life of the Child the mourning becomes unmeasurable fils the heart as it were Secondly It shall be like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon when al Israel lamented the death of their good Josiah the light of their eyes the breath of their Nostrils the comfort of their souls 2 Chron. 35. 25. Therfore the original words which lay open this work are of marvelous weight and discover the overpowring vertue thereof Isai. 57. 18. The Lord dwels with him that is of a contrite spirit Isai. 61. 6. The Lord binds up the broken heart The first whereof signifies to pun to pouder and to bring to smal dust it is so used Psal. 90. 3. Thou bringest man to the dust of death again thou sayest return ye children of men That as the hardest stone when it 's broken al to smal mammocks and pouder as it were it 's easie and yielding under the touch of the hand what ever ruggedness and resistance was in it before So it is with the soul that is punned to pouder so that there is not any unbroken or any whol part to be found there no sodering in any secret manner with any retired distemper but the weight of godly sorrow hath shatter'd all asunder distress of Conscience hath brought it to dust parted all the privy closures with any particular of any distemper all that knotty stiffness and perversness of spirit in siding with any corruption is now taken off The soul comes easily to give way to the Authority of the Truth that would take any sinful lust away To the like purpose is that of Job Job 23. 16. when the Armies of Gods indignation had encamped against him and the terrors of the Lord had drunk up his spirit saies he God makes my heart soft or hath melted my soul the word signifies a severing and separation of one thing from another and is opposite to setling and fastening making firm stiff and hard as that of Pharaoh Exod. 9. last Pharaoh hardened his heart his soul fastened by an invincible resolution to the sinful purpose of his malicious detaining and oppression of the Jews When the fierceness of Gods dupleasure brought home by the breathings of the Spirit
at that great Day upon pain of everlasting Damnation take heed of these sins and lay down these rebellions and withal shews his Warrant and look here 2 Thess. 1. 8. The Lord Jesus will come in slaming fire to render vengeance against all that know not God and obey not the Gospel take heed therefore of this disobedience against the Gospel you wil rue it eternally else and loe here again Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his heart shall suddenly be consumed and that without remedy thou hast been often reproved for these and these evils and stil thy heart is hardened against all Reproofs take heed lest sudden destruction come upon thee So again 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with man-kind nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers 〈◊〉 Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Do not you know this saith Conscience have not I often told you of this have not I warned you of it and yet thou art still guilty of these and these evils Thus Conscience comes armed with Evidence and Authority of the Truth like the Angel with a drawn sword in his hand stands as the Watch-man to give warning he stil minds and remembers the sinner of his waies and of Gods righteous Judgments As somtimes Moses to Israel Deut. 30. 17 18. But if thine heart turn away that thou wilt not hear I denounce unto thee this day thou shalt surely perish and if any man when he hears these words shal bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I ad drunkenness to thirst the wrath of the Lord will smoke against that man and he will cut him off c. This Charge and awful Command of Conscience makes the soul shy of stirring out unto such ungodly courses makes the corruptions skulk in as it were so that they dare not shew their heads this is the roaring of the Lyon that makes al tremble and be at a stand the direful warnings and threatnings that Conscience sets up and gives in out of the Authority and sovereignty of the Truth which is dreadful in presenting the displeasure of the Lord so that the sinner withdraws himself from such courses companies practises unto which he was addicted and had formerly bestowed himself When now the Devil and his Instruments the World and her Favorites perceive their company 〈◊〉 their companions departed they al set 〈◊〉 the soul and labor to withdraw it from under the Charge and Command of Conscience The World by her Allurements Satan by his Temptations and 〈◊〉 accursed delights of our sinful lusts they al 〈◊〉 the soul and by their wiles perswade the sinner 〈◊〉 joyn sides with them and not to be awed or carried by any contrary command these be say they 〈◊〉 denounced but threatned men live long this wind shakes no Corn this is in way of Policy to scare men but it is not in earnest to hurt men the same hath been spoken to others but nothing inflicted upon them they never found never felt any such sore blows as al those terrible shakings of the 〈◊〉 would pretend Thus the sinner is yet drawn aside to follow his sinful courses Conscience therefore makes after him laies violent hands upon him and holds him faster than ever he becomes now an accuser of him who was only a friendly admonisher before a swift witness yea a thousand witnesses against him before the tribunal of the Lord by reason of his sins committed He raiseth therfore Hue and Cry after the sinner finds and attacheth him he that was Gods Herald before to tel and proclaim what should be done becomes now Gods Pursevant to summon his Sergeant to arrest him for what he hath done he that directed him before now smites him as 2 Sam. last 10. Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people Though the sinner could avoid or neglect the Command of Conscience he cannot avoid the Stroke of Conscience though he could avoid the warning of Conscience and cast away that yet he cannot avoid the horror of Conscience Rom. 2. 14. His thoughts accusing of him in Gods behalf and his accusations wil be heard nay his judgment is now aggravated because of the Command that was 〈◊〉 As Gideon dealt with the men of Succoth who scorned him when he pursued Zebah and Zalmunnah Judg. 8. 7. Returning he tore their flesh with the thorns of the wilderness So 〈◊〉 after his Commands have been slighted and his warnings cast behind the back he surpriseth the sinner in the midst of his 〈◊〉 and greatest Jollity you shal answer for these sins before the Judg of the World and so follows him home to his house and to his bed and 〈◊〉 violent hands upon him and drags him before the Tribunal of the Lord and there indites and accuseth him Lord this is the man an Enemy to thy Majesty a Traytor against the Truth that hath conspired with Sin and Satan and his secret Lusts against the blood of Jesus and the power of Grace and Godliness What is this He that hath born a privy grudg against the power of the Word a spleen against the Saints that hath committed such and such sins Yea Lord He hath done so and been so at such a time and such a place in such a company he hath been guilty of such abominations nay saies Conscience you know that I know such a night what privy plottings and cunning conspiracies your heart and your lusts your pride and 〈◊〉 and uncleanness had what consultations you had against the Lord take him therfore horror anguish of heart keep him in bondage thraldom until he be content to repent to take shame and bid an everlasting 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with that the flashes of Hell fire seize upon his soul the venom of the vengeance of the Lord pursues him his Arrows stick fast in him and the poyson thereof 〈◊〉 up his 〈◊〉 the galls and stabs of Conscience make him bleed inwardly so 〈◊〉 all his friends delights comforts 〈◊〉 corruptions cannot bail him or pluck 〈◊〉 this hook of horror out of his heart And thus 〈◊〉 poor sinner like a Malefactor goes up and down 〈◊〉 his Jaylor an accusing Conscience to attend 〈◊〉 the chains of darkness of horror and guilt to 〈◊〉 and guive him that he becomes weary of his 〈◊〉 and not worth the ground he goes on until he 〈◊〉 to confessing bewailing repenting reforming 〈◊〉 yea engaging himself to his Conscience 〈◊〉 that as in Gods sight that if he will abate his 〈◊〉 he will obey his commands listen to his 〈◊〉 and yield unto whatever either it shall reveal 〈◊〉 him or require of him So that Conscience seems 〈◊〉 be quieted for the while and abates the soul of 〈◊〉 overbearing horror lets him out of prison upon 〈◊〉 sufficient bail When his accursed
crew the lusts with whom he 〈◊〉 been in league see that he is got out of prison 〈◊〉 they again set upon him to see if by any means 〈◊〉 can bring him to their bent to embrace the old 〈◊〉 waies of ungodliness Tush saies carnal Reason the worst is past the danger is over why should he slay himself with needless sorrow and 〈◊〉 smoak away his daies in desperate 〈◊〉 and make himself miserable in laying more burden upon himself than God requires or Reason allows If the Lord in his Providence hath 〈◊〉 him of his inconveniences why should he ad 〈◊〉 them without need and without profit let him therefore refresh himsélf with those former 〈◊〉 and shake off those heavy damps which are indeed the death of the soul the ruine of his 〈◊〉 and himself also in the issue In conclusion the heart begins to recoil back again to the former courses to 〈◊〉 after those former lusts as ancient Lovers to parley with them to give entertainment to them 〈◊〉 so to be overcome by them So that now he is 〈◊〉 deeply endeared to them as ever follows them as eagerly and takes as much contentment in them as 〈◊〉 do in their ancient play fellows and 〈◊〉 when they have been long parted 'Till 〈◊〉 laies the last hook upon him and rends him al in pieces As it forewarned him of sin that it might not 〈◊〉 committed and accused him for sin when it 〈◊〉 committed so now it becomes an Executioner 〈◊〉 the final Doom and Judgment which belongs 〈◊〉 him because against all means of redress he 〈◊〉 continues in his sin so that now Conscience 〈◊〉 not present him before the Tribunal of the Lord 〈◊〉 tryal or accusation for that is over but as one 〈◊〉 is convicted and condemned he drags him to 〈◊〉 1 John 3. 20. If our hearts condemn 〈◊〉 God is greater than our hearts Prov. 29. 1. 〈◊〉 that being often admonished hardens his heart 〈◊〉 shall perish without Remedy thou art the man 〈◊〉 is thy condition this will be thy condemnation 〈◊〉 hast been often admonished 〈◊〉 such a time 〈◊〉 such a time by a 〈◊〉 a Friend a Minister 〈◊〉 did thy heart rise with 〈◊〉 and indignation 〈◊〉 not able to abide the man nor to undergo the 〈◊〉 nition therefore thou 〈◊〉 perish 〈◊〉 there is 〈◊〉 Remedy with that Conscience delivers him up 〈◊〉 the hands of the tormentors take him ye 〈◊〉 spirits depart from hence to thy grave and 〈◊〉 thence to the place of Execution He would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his evil let him perish in it he would not 〈◊〉 reformed let him be for ever accursed So that 〈◊〉 sinner conceives himself past hope and help looks 〈◊〉 very hour and moment to be turned off the 〈◊〉 For as a man arrested for one debt may be a 〈◊〉 some few pounds many thousands are presently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon him al Creditors come in with Bill after 〈◊〉 so that as a man utterly undone lie he may and 〈◊〉 he must but to be delivered he cannot once look So the 〈◊〉 being under the arrest of Conscience for the transgression of the Law the Gospel now comes in upon the sinner his Bill comes in fresh upon him he is arrested at the suit of Patience which 〈◊〉 hath abused of Mercy which he hath sleighted long Sufferance which he hath perverted they al 〈◊〉 for Justice Justice Lord against this sinful 〈◊〉 So that the sinner conceives himself in the 〈◊〉 of the Devil really and irrecoverably in Hell Lo saies the sinner The Devil the Devil there he is he is come for me When he lies panting upon his sick-bed if he do but close his eyes together to sleep his dreams 〈◊〉 him his thoughts 〈◊〉 him and he awakens gastered and distracted as though he were posting down to the pit he 〈◊〉 up and Raves Why go then I must go His Friends pitty him weep over him and endeavor to 〈◊〉 him Why you are in your bed and amongst your dear Friends Whither wil you go I must go 〈◊〉 Hell Satan is sent from God to fetch me Oh my stubbornness my carelesness my contempt of the Lord and his Truth hath justly brought me to this Why but there is yet Grace and Mercy Oh! it had been happy for me I had never had the offer of Grace and Mercy Its Mercy that I have rejected and Grace that I have opposed and cast al the compassions of the Lord behind my back to follow my 〈◊〉 Courses And with what face can I beg Mercy who have abused it crave Grace who have opposed 〈◊〉 He cannot be saved that Mercy cannot but 〈◊〉 and Mercy should be unmerciful to its 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 should not cast away him that hath cast away it But do you now judge so and would you now do so as formerly you have conceived the greatest 〈◊〉 in your sinful distempers pleased your self in your pride and loosness and vanities taken content in your Corruptions in casting away the holy Commands of God Would you give your self the like Liberty Or can you take the 〈◊〉 Comfort in the same wayes now Oh no I now see how sin hath deceived me and mine own corrupt heart hath couzened my self that which was my pleasure and delight is now my plague my poyson but would you be content to part with these and take Grace and Mercy in the room of them Oh that I might but there is no reason that I should expect it 〈◊〉 God should do it Why if you would have mercy God will shew you mercy Then the Lord give me a Will and give me Mercy and give me Grace whether I wil or no it would be better with me then than now Hos. 2. 8. By this time the Heart and Corruption are almost pulled asunder therefore the last Cord is this The Lord by the hand of his Almighty Spirit 〈◊〉 pluck it quite asunder that the Will of the sinner may never soulder again with his Corruption nor suit any 〈◊〉 with them It s the same power that raised Christ from the dead Eph. 1. 19. It s the same power that raiseth the dead to life Joh. 5. 25. The dead shal hear the voice of the Son of God and those that do hear shal live Yea the Lord is said to Create lips to speak Peace Isa. 57. 19. He puts forth a creating power when he wil lead and heal the sinner The Lord Christ commands sin as somtimes Satan Come out of him thou unclean spirit and trouble him no more That which al the Disciples did not could not Christ did there in the possession bodily so here spiritually How this holy kind of Violence may best be discerned I shal Answer to this in several CONCLUSIONS The Will of a man is in it self and in its own nature a capable subject of Sin and Grace I say Look at it as in its own Nature considered both these in a right order and according to a rule of right 〈◊〉 may be in it
Psal. 19. 7. the law of God makes wise the simple 2. Tim. 3. 15. it's able to make us wise unto Salvation 3 There 's a Sufficiency of God to content and satisfy us Blessed are they who walk in his wayes and blessed are they that keep his Testimonies Psal. 119. 1. 2. Great prosperity have they that love the law and nothing shal offend them ver 16. and in truth there can be no greater reward for doing wel than to be enabled to do well he that hath attayned his last end he cannot go further he cannot be better Now by sin we justle the law out of its place and the Lord out of his Glorious Soveraignty pluck the Crown from his head and the Seepter out of his hand and we say and profess by our practice there is not authority and power there to govern nor wisdom to guide nor good to content me but I wil be swayed by mine own wil and led by mine own deluded reason and satisfied with my own lusts This is the guise of every graceless heart in the commission of sin so Pharaoh who is the Lord I know not the Lord nor will I lett Israel go Exod. 5. 2. in the time of their prosperity see how the Jews turn their backs and shake off the authority of the Lord we are Lords say 〈◊〉 we will come no more at thee Jer. 2. 31. and our tongues are our own who shal be Lords 〈◊〉 us Psal. 12. 4. So for the wisdom of the world see how they set light by it as not worth the looking after it Jer. 18. 12. we wil walk after our own devices we wil every one do the imagination of his own evil heart yea they sett up their own traditions their own Idols and delusions and Lord it over the law making the command of God of none effect Math. 15. 8. 9. So for the goodness of the word Job 22. 17. Mal. 3. 14. It is in vayn to serve God and what profit is there that we have kept his ordinances yea his Commandemnts are ever grievous It s a grievous thing to the loose person he cannot have his pleasures but he must have his guilt and gall with them It s grievous to the worlding that he cannot lay hold on the world by unjust means but Conscience layes hold upon him as breaking the law Thou that knowest and keepest thy pride and stubbornness and thy distempers know assuredly thou dost justle God out of the Throne of his glorious Soveraignty and thou dost profess Not Gods wil but thine own which is above his shall rule thee thy 〈◊〉 reason and the folly of thy mind is above the wisdome of the Lord and that shal guide thee to please thine own stubborn crooked pervers spirit is a greater good than to please God and enjoy happines for this more Contents thee That when thou considerest but thy Course dost thou not wonder that the great and Terrible God doth not pash such a poor insolent worm to pouder and send thee packing to the pitt every moment 2 It smites at the Essence of the Almighty and the desire of the sinner is not only that God should not be supream but that indeed he should not be at all and therefore it would destroy the being of Jehovah Psal. 81. 15. sinners are called the haters of the Lord. John 15. 24. they hated both me and my Father Now he that hates endeavours if it be possible the annihilation of the thing hated and its most certain were it in their power they would pluck God out of Heaven the light of his truth out of their Consciences and the law out of the Societies and Assemblies where they live that they might have elbow room to live as they list Nay what ever they hate most and intend and plott more evil against in al the world they hate God most of all and intend more evil against him than against all their 〈◊〉 besides because they hate all for his sake therefore wicked men are said to destroy the law Psal. 126. 119. the Adulterer loaths that law that condemns uncleaness the Earthworm would destrow that law that forbids Covetousness they are sayd to hate the light John 3. 21. to hate the Saints and Servants of the Lord John 15. 18. the world hates you he that hates the Lanthorn for the lights sake he hates the light much more he that hates the faithful because of the Image of God and the Grace that appears there he hates the God of all Grace and Holiness most of all so God to Zenacharib Isa. 37. 28. I know thy going out and thy Comming in and thy rage against me Oh it would be their content if there was no God in the world to govern them no law to curbe them no justice to punish no truth to trouble them Learn therfore to see how far your rebellions reach It is not arguments you gainsay not 〈◊〉 Counsel of a Minister you reject the command of a 〈◊〉 ye oppose evidence of rule or reason ye 〈◊〉 but be it known to you you fly in the very face of the Almighty and it is not the Gospel of Grace ye would have destroyed but the spirit of Grace the author of Grace the Lord Jesus the God of all Grace that ye hate It crosseth the whol course of Providence perverts the work of the Creature and defaceth the beautiful frame and that sweet correspondence and orderly usefulness the Lord first implanted in the order of things The Heavens deny their influence the Earth her strength the Corn her nourishment thank sin for that Weeds come instead of herbs Cockle and Darnel instead of Wheat thank sin for that Rom. 8. 22. The whol Creature or Creation grones under vanity either cannot do what it would or else misseth of that good and end it intended breeds nothing but vanity brings forth nothing but vexation It crooks all things so as that none can straiten them makes so many wants that none can supply them Eccles. 1. 15. This makes crooked Servants in a family no 〈◊〉 can rule them 〈◊〉 inhabitants in towns crooked members in Congregations ther 's no ordering nor joynting of them in that comly accord and mutual subjection know they said the adversary sin hath done all this Man was the mean betwixt God and the Creature to convey all good with all the constancy of it and therefore when Man breaks Heaven and Earth breaks all asunder the Conduit being cracked and displaced there can be no conveyance from the Fountain In regard of our selves see we and consider nakedly the nature of sin in Four particulars It s that which makes a separation between God and the soul breaks that Union and Communion with God for 〈◊〉 we were made and in the enjoyment of which we should be blessed and happie Isai. 59. 1. 2. Gods ear is not heavy that it cannot hear nor his hand that it cannot help but your iniquities have separated betwixt God and
you your sins have hid his face that he wil not hear for he professeth Psal. 5. 4. that he is a God that wills not wickedness neither shal iniquity dwell with him Into the new Jerusalem shal no unclean thing enter but without shal be doggs Rev. 21. 27. The Dogs to their Kennel and Hogs to their Sty and Mire but if an impenitent wretch should come into Heaven the Lord would go out of Heaven Iniquity shall not dwell with sin That then that deprives me of my greatest good for which I came into the world and for which I live and labor in the world and without which I had better never to have been born nay that which deprives me of an universal good a good that hath all good in it that must needs be an evil but have all evil in it but so doth sin deprive me of God as the Object of my will and that wills all good and therefore it must bring in Truth all evil with it Shame takes away my Honor Poverty my Wealth Persecution my Peace Prison my Liberty Death my Life yet a man may still be a happy man lose his Life and live eternally But sin takes away my God and with him all good goes Prosperity without God will be my poyson Honor without him my bane nay the word without God hardens me my endeavor without him profits nothing at all for my good A Natural man hath no God in any thing and therefore hath no good It brings an incapability in regard of my self to receive good and an impossibility in regard of God himself to work my spiritual good while my sin Continues and I Continue impenitent in it An incapability of a spiritual blessing Why trangress ye the Commandement of the Lord that ye cannot prosper do what ye can 2 Chron. 24. 20. And He that being often reproved hardens his heart shal be consumed suddenly and there is no remedy He that spils the Physick that should cure him the meat that should nourish him there is no remedy but he must needs dye so that the Commission of sin makes not only a separation from God but obstinate resistance and continuance in it maintains an infinit and everlasting distance between God and the soul So that so long as the sinful resistance of thy soul continues God cannot vouchsafe the Comforting and guiding presence of his grace because it 's cross to the Covenant of Grace he hath made which he will not deny and his Oath which he will not alter So that should the Lord save thee and thy Corruption carry thee and thy proud vnbeleeving heart to heaven he must nullify the Gospel Heb. 5. 9. He 's the Author of Salvation to them that 〈◊〉 him and forswear himself Heb. 3. 18. He hath sworn unbeleevers shall not enter into his rest he must cease to be just and holy and so to be God As Saul said to Jonathan concerning David 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. So long as the Son of Jesse lives thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom So do thou plead against thy self and with thy own soul So long as these rebellious distempers continue Grace and Peace and the Kingdom of Christ can never be established in thy heart For this obstinate resistance differs nothing from the plagues of the state of the damned when they come to the highest measure but that it is not yet total and final there being some kind of abatement of the measure of it and stoppage of the power of it Imagine thou sawest the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds and heardest the last trump blow Arise ye dead and come to judgment Imagine thou sawest the Judg of all the World sitting upon the Throne thousands of Angels before him and ten thousands ministring unto him the Sheep standing on his right hand and the Goats at the left Suppose thou heardest that dreadful Sentence and final Doom pass from the Lord of Life whose Word made Heaven and Earth and will shake both Depart from me ye cursed How would thy heart shake and sink and die within thee in the thought thereof wert thou really perswaded it was thy portion Know that by thy dayly continuance in sin thou dost to the utmost of thy power execute that Sentence upon thy soul It 's thy life thy labor the desire of thy heart and thy dayly practice to depart away from the God of all Grace and Peace and turn the Tomb-stone of everlasting destruction upon thine own soul. It 's the Cause which brings all other evils of punishment into the World and without this they are not evil but so far as sin is in them The sting of a trouble the poyson and malignity of a punishment and affliction the evil of the evil of any judgment it is the sin that brings it or attends it Jer. 2. 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back slidings shall réprove thee know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing that 〈◊〉 hast forsaken the Lord. Jer. 4. 18. Thy waies and doings have procured these things unto thee 〈◊〉 it is bitter and reacheth unto the heart Take miseries and crosses without sin they are like to be without a sting the Serpent without poyson ye may take them and make Medicines of them So Paul 1 Cor. 15. 55. he plaies with death it self sports with the 〈◊〉 Oh death where is thy sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory the sting of death is sin All the harmful annoyance in sorrows and punishments further than either they come from sin or else tend to it they are rather improvements of what we have than parting with any thing we do enjoy we rather lay out our conveniences than seem to lose them yea they encrease our Crown and do not diminish our Comfort Blessed 〈◊〉 ye when men revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my sake for great is your reward in Heaven Matth. 5. 11. There is a blessing in persecutions and reproaches when they be not mingled with the deserts of our sins yea our momentary short affliction for a good cause and a good Conscience works an excessive exceeding weight of Glory If then sin brings all evils and makes all evils indeed to us then is it worse than all those evils It brings a Curse upon all our Comforts blasts all our blessings the best of all our endeavors the use of all the choycest of all Gods Ordinances it 's so evil and vile that it makes the use of all good things and all the most glorious both Ordinances and Improvements evil to us Hag. 2. 13. 14. When the Question was made to the Priest If one that is unclean by a dead Body touch any of the holy things shall it be unclean And he answered Yea. So is this People and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer is unclean If any good
Covenant of the Gospel All 〈◊〉 meerly and only out 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Gods free favor when we lost and forfeited all we had and 〈◊〉 ourselves for what we needed and were unwilling out of the wretched and hellish distemp̄ers of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either to have any thing or to be made capabl of 〈◊〉 thing that grace might appear to be grace indeed 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 for our good not only beyond our desert 〈◊〉 what we have besides Hell is mercy but beyond 〈◊〉 desire That thou mayest forever each day that passeth 〈◊〉 thy head remember it to the Lord and leave 〈◊〉 upon record in thy own Conscience say Hadst 〈◊〉 blessed Lord given me the desire of my 〈◊〉 and left me to my own will its certain I had 〈◊〉 in Hell long before this day when in the days 〈◊〉 my folly and times of my ignorance when out 〈◊〉 the desperat wretchedness of my rebellious 〈◊〉 I was running riot in the wayes of 〈◊〉 When I said to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not to Christians to 〈◊〉 to Governors Admonish not Counsel not 〈◊〉 not Stop me not in the pursuit of sin The 〈◊〉 was I took hold of deceit and refused to return 〈◊〉 resolved in the secret purpose of my own soul would none of thee I would not have that Word 〈◊〉 thine reveal or remove my corruptions I would 〈◊〉 of thy Grace that might humble me and purge 〈◊〉 none of that Mercy of thine that might pardon 〈◊〉 none of that Redemption of thine that might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou then 〈◊〉 me at my word and 〈◊〉 me what I wished and sealed up my 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 thou for ever filthy forever 〈◊〉 and for ever miserable thou wouldest neither 〈◊〉 holy nor happy thou shalt have thy will sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take thy Portion with Devils 〈◊〉 it had been just with thee and I justly 〈◊〉 But to bear with all my baseness to put up all 〈◊〉 wrongs and provocations to strive with me 〈◊〉 good when I took up Arms against thee 〈◊〉 strove against my own good nay when I 〈◊〉 Mercy and then to take away that resistance and to cause me to take Mercy and make it mine when 〈◊〉 us dall the skil I could to hinder my own salvation Oh! the height the depth the length the 〈◊〉 of this Mercy It was Gods expression of his own kindness towards the 〈◊〉 Ezek. 16. 4. 6. In the day of 〈◊〉 Nativity I saw thee in thy blood and then I said 〈◊〉 Consider but thy self and thine own ways and thou wilt sind it thy Condition and therefore take up thy stand again here in admiration when there was no means to help me no man to pitty me and I had not a heart to pity my self when I lay w. ltring in my blood wallowing in my sin when I said 〈◊〉 would die then thou beheldest me and said Live 〈◊〉 poor Creature Live Oh that Mercy for ever to be adored Come down yee 〈◊〉 Angels from Heaven and magnifie that Mercy through eternity 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 perished in despight of Mercy and the Lord made me take Mercy in despight of my heart Train up thy self thus and dyet thy soul with 〈◊〉 daily admiration of this rich Mercy of the Lord 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 daily bread its Mercy that gives Mercy that conti ues Mercy that perfects al spiritual good for thee 〈◊〉 in thee and will do so to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they in the rearing of the frame of the 〈◊〉 Temple All the people cryed Grace grace grace Zach. 4. 7. when it was not power nor policy for the whole Nation was poor and despicable wholly 〈◊〉 and unable to begin or to carry on such a 〈◊〉 Grace then laid the foundation and Grace never left until it added the topstone so here It was meer Grace that provided salvation that 〈◊〉 it offered it made thee able to receive it therefore thou shouldest walk in the wonderment of this Grace and Mercy all thy life long Hence also is matter of Humiliation and daily Self-denyal while we live in this World which may help to pull down our proud hearts and Peacock-feathers and lay us low in our thoughts in the apprehension of our own vileness and baseness 〈◊〉 own weakness and unworthiness When we feel our hearts to be puffed up with the vain apprehension of our own worth parts or performances what we are and what we do look we back to our first beginnings 〈◊〉 aright of our own wretchedness and nothingness yea worse than nothing in that we not only wanted all good but we had it within us to oppose all good and that will cause us to sit down in silence abased for ever when empty Bladders are grown unto too great bulk and bigness to prick them is the readiest way to lessen them when our empty and vain minds swel with big thoughts and high overweening conceit of our own worth learn we to stab and pierce our hearts with the righteous judgment of our own natural vileness which will or at least may let out that frothy haughtiness that lifts us up beyond our measure tell thy heart and commune with thy conscience and say It is not my good Nature that I am not roaring amongst the wretches of the world in the road and broad way of ruine and destruction that I am not wallowing n all manner of sin with the worst of men it 's not my good nature no thank to any thing that I have that I am not upon the chain with Malefactors or in the dungeon with Witches for what ever Hell hath it is in this heart of mine naturally a Cain here a Judas here nay a Devil here The time was O that with an abased heart I may ever think of that time I never looked after the spiritual good of my soul whether I had a soul or no what would become of me and it was the least of my care the farthest end of my thoughts nay loth I was to hear of or know these things when they were 〈◊〉 unwilling to receive them or give way to them when they were offered how did I stop mine Ears shut mine Eyes harden my heart what waies means and devices did I use and invent to shut 〈◊〉 the light of the truth and to stop the passage and power of the Word that it might not convince me that it might not reform me might not recal me 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 how often have I secretly wished that either the Word were taken out of the place or 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 that it might not trouble me in my sinful distempers and when 〈◊〉 had least good I had most ease and took greatest content Oh that such a vile wretch should thus live and yet live to be thus sinful Oh that I might for ever be abased for it As in sores when the proud 〈◊〉 encreaseth there is no way but a Corrosive to eat 〈◊〉 down This consideration of our own 〈◊〉 may
afford for it issues amain and with a full sourse from all Particulars mentioned before the foregoing Truths meeting together like so many streams to make this more forcible upon the Conscience and like a mighty Current to carry us along to everlasting happiness It is a Season and therefore to be Observed an Opportunity and therefore to be Improved without Delay We should address our selves presently to this so great a work Redeem the time Col. 4. 5. Having opportunity let us do good to all Gal. 6. 10 If unto others much more to our selves If to their bodies especially to our own Soul if to them in Temporal things than most of all our best good in Eternal blessings is to be attended But the Season is not yet come that Opportunity is not yet offered Answ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle points at it as at hand and in view Behold now while I am Speaking and you are Hearing while the doors of the Sanctuary are yet opened while we are in the land of the living behold now is the acceptable time Oh let us not harden our hearts nor shut our eyes 〈◊〉 stop our ears unto the voice of the Lord but pursue opportunity present strike while the iron is hot 〈◊〉 our Harvest while the heat and Sun-shine is upon us while wind and tide lasts sail we cheerfully towards the Haven the end of our hopes the Salvation of our Souls This is the Argument which the Apostle presseth with so much eagerness as having such apparent evidence in it That considering the Season it is high time we should awake from the sleep of security our salvation is neerer than heretofore Rom. 3. 11. The Lord now speaks to us as sometimes to the secure Church Cant. 2. 10. Arise my Love my Dove and come away For lo the winter is gone the flowers appear the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land c. I may truly say This Scripture is this day fulfilled in our ears wherein the Lord Christ by the Ministery of his Word calls and that with all instancy upon every corrupt 〈◊〉 hearted sinner to come to him to receive the word of his Grace and the power and comfort thereof upon his soul Behold the foggy mists of Popery and ignorance are over the shaddows of 〈◊〉 are passed away the flowers grow and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apace peace and prosperity with abundance of outward blessings shoured down upon us the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land the sound of the Gospel and the glad tydings of Peace have been and yet 〈◊〉 proclaimed in our streets Arise arise therefore 〈◊〉 secure and dead hearted Sinners and come away Arise ye drunkards come 〈◊〉 from your Cups and Companies Arise ye Adulterous wretches come away from your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beds of dalliance come to him who 〈◊〉 kindly invites you who promises to accept you who is able and willing to save you Oh! consider opportunities will not last alwayes we have no 〈◊〉 of them much less command of them and who knows whether we shall ever enjoy that which we now neglect Especially considering the Lord at the present vouchsafes all helps to further and perswade us to this Preparation dealing with us as 〈◊〉 he did with the stubborn-hearted Jews by Ezekiel who to strike their hearts with an open Conviction that they must go into Captivity he is injoyned to carry out his stuff in the most plain manner in their sight from one place to another and the end is added If it be possible as some translations reade it if per adventure as the propriety of the Hebrew bears it all to one sense they may consider it Ezek. 12. 3. As if he should say There is some small hope that somthing may procure their welfare and if it be possible this plain dealing is like to prevail A lively picture and resemblance of Gods special bounty to us-ward who enjoy the means of Grace above many others The Lord hath seen other Countryes but he hath settled his abode amongst us he hath passed by many Congregations but he hath lodged with those where he hath set up the Light of his Truth the Son of 〈◊〉 hath sent abroad his beams to many corners of the Earth a glimpse of his goodness hath appeared unto many places but his saving health like the Sun in his full strength hath stood over our heads as it did once in Gibeon and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon Some people have had many means and many people have had some but almost all have met together to procure our good and to make up the fulness of opportunities even the fulness of all fitness that if it were possible we might consider it and 〈◊〉 at the last convert and turn unto the Lord. The Birds of the Heaven the Sinners upon Earth and the Devils in Hell know and pursue their 〈◊〉 Opportunities the one for the comforts of nature that they may enjoy them the other for their 〈◊〉 that they may enjoy their lusts though they perish for it Ask then thou sluggard of the Birds of the Heaven and they will tell thee demand of the Beasts of the Field they will shew thee nay 〈◊〉 of the Devils in Hell and they will testifie how Opportunities ought to be prized and how 〈◊〉 improve them Wilt thou be more unreasonable than the Beasts More careless of thine own 〈◊〉 Comforts than the Devils be to procure thy own Confusion Shall the Lord provide all 〈◊〉 for our Good and shall we neglect both him and them and our own everlasting welfare Wo to our sluggishnes Object True let this Opportunity 〈◊〉 great so 〈◊〉 the Continuance of it long and therefore we may take it hereafter Answ. No It s a Day saith the Text very short and yet most uncertain It is but for the day 〈◊〉 this Life and who knows how soon it may end there be Skuls of all sorts in Golgotha Skins of all sorts in the Market yong and old aged and 〈◊〉 haste unto the rend No man yet had a lease of 〈◊〉 Life which is as Grass a Flower a Bubble and alas how soon doth this Grass wither this 〈◊〉 fade this Bubble break And our day being short so is it almost 〈◊〉 many of us have past our highest point the best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time our Evening draws on and behold pale 〈◊〉 and feeble hands crazy bodies dangerous 〈◊〉 which are as Har bengers of our dissolution 〈◊〉 will soon bring us to the house of our age to 〈◊〉 dust of death thus is our breath but a shaddow 〈◊〉 soon passeth away and we are gone Oh! that we 〈◊〉 wise to consider these things and because our 〈◊〉 is short and passeth away we would take hold 〈◊〉 the opportunity present But the yong man Replyes It is a good thing 〈◊〉 the Eye to behold the Sun Eccles. 11. 7. To 〈◊〉 this Light to enjoy the present Pleasures to 〈◊〉 the Rose while it is in the bud to
it not as a part of weakness but a madness in truth if a Malefactor wil lie in the Dungeon when means of deliverances is afforded for a man to chuse his fetters and to keep on his chains and bolts when he may be freed yet this is the case and condition yea the disposition of men who are not willing to be severed from their sins nor to be set free from those chains of darkness wherewith they are fettered and go up and down imprisoned in the world Sin is compared to a deadly poyson the poyson of Asps is under their tongue Rom. 3. 13. that is Such 〈◊〉 which is deadly and venomous which admits no remedy no cure no recovery Now shouldest 〈◊〉 see a Patient that should be offended with the Medicine that would Cure him or with the Physitian that would counsel him and recover him out of 〈◊〉 Disease Or take it heinously and grievously that any should keep him from drinking the Poyson that would destroy him Each man would conclude that his brain were more distempered than 〈◊〉 body as doing that which is directly cross even to nature which desires the preservation of it self even in unreasonable Creatures Turn but the tables as we say consider aright thine own carriage 〈◊〉 thou wilt confess it is thy case thou art the man Thou art poysoned with the loathsom and 〈◊〉 lusts of thine own Heart which threaten thy everlasting ruine and that beyond recovery in 〈◊〉 course of ordinary means Thou art not able 〈◊〉 hear the Counsel that would direct thee for 〈◊〉 Cure nor bear a savory and seasonable 〈◊〉 which would take away the poyson of those 〈◊〉 distempers Thou canst not endure to be severe from that which wil sever thy soul from God 〈◊〉 canst not abide the Word or the Messengers 〈◊〉 would take away that from thee which wil take 〈◊〉 way thy peace thy comfort thy happiness and a Thus Herodias waited for the Baptists life 〈◊〉 he endeavored to cross her in her Incestuous 〈◊〉 and loathsom abominations Mark 6. 19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel a secret grudg again him and would have killed him She lay at 〈◊〉 she was watchful and covetous to observe and 〈◊〉 any hint of opportunity offered to do him harm because he desired and endeavored to do her the greatest good that he could A type of this we may 〈◊〉 in the Israelites when their own hearts could tel them and their own experience could testifie and that unto their own sense it was the greatest pressure that ever they found the 〈◊〉 of the wrath of Pharoah and that they sighed under it and their groans went up to heaven And yet they would return to their own ruine and to the house of bondage And Would God said they we had died in Aegypt Aegipt typifyed the kingdom of darkness the state of sin and death and Pharoah was a type of Satan who exerciseth the fierceness of his fury upon the souls of those that are under his power somtimes men wil cry unto the Lord by reason of the hard usage they find from Sin and Satan yet when God comes by his Word and the Counsels of his Servants to pluck them out of their sins and out of their bondage they cannot endure that they wil rather return again unto and lie down under the bondage of sin and Satan than be delivered from it John 5. 40. Our Savior Christ tels the Jews there You will not come to me that you might have life Christ hath Purchased it and Promised it and Offred it yet saies he You wil not come to me you wil not though you may have life and happiness for the coming for Here 's also a ground of Tryal We may hence discern and that undeniably and easily what our condition is Whether we be yet in our Natural estate so far from the interest and possession of Christ or any saving work of his Spirit as that indeed we have not attained any through preparation hereunto We need not send up to Heaven to look into the Cabinet Counsels of Gods everlasting Decrees what is 〈◊〉 concerning us Descend thou into thy own soul thou hast that in thy bosom wil be the best discovery of thy condition Ask but honestly plainly and in earnest thy own heart and that wil cast the ballance and that beyond al question Such as thy will is such is thy condition look what thou wouldest be that thou art in truth and in the account of the Almighty The Lord cares 〈◊〉 for al the Court Complements thou canst express in the wayes of Christianity he 〈◊〉 not for 〈◊〉 thy fair 〈◊〉 and the quaint appearances of 〈◊〉 was thy carriage gilt over with the most glorious shews of Godliness and thy tongue tipped with the language of heaven this wil not do the deed This would not answer the Lords expectation nor thine own hopes and comforts in the issue It was said concerning Eliab Davids elder brother when it was conceived that he should be the man appointed for the Kingdom and indeed holy Samuel was deceived in his goodly stature Surely this is the Lords Annointed The Lord himself checks his judgment Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh upon the heart 1 Sam. 16. 7. Look we then as God looks and judge we as he judgeth if we would have comfort and truth in our judgment that we may not fail in that and so our hopes and happiness and al fail in the issue Thou saiest Thy 〈◊〉 is savory and free thy understanding large thou art able to search the Mysteries of Grace thou knowest in a great 〈◊〉 the things of Grace and art able fully to express what thou knowest and thou pretendest readmess and zeal for the service of the Lord. Thou 〈◊〉 al these are thus And I say What is thy heart thou lookest to these I say Look to thy heart and then to these that is Gods way The people in Deut. 5. 28. made as full and free a profession as all the world could desire but the Lord desired somwhat more 〈◊〉 went further They have well said but Oh that 〈◊〉 were such a heart in them v. 29. It is the heart then that gives the casting Evidence of a mans condition and wil not deceive The Woman that hath two Suiters that make love and express their 〈◊〉 to her if she ask her own Spirit that will easily speak which is the man that must be her Husband the Answer which will 〈◊〉 it is this Such a one hath her heart he hath got her good will and therefore hath gained the woman 〈◊〉 is his to give one all good language and 〈◊〉 entertainment that is nothing if another hath the heart So if the Question be which is indeed a Question of the greatest consequence in the world Whether art thou to be matched to thy Sin or to thy Savior to thy Lusts or to the Lord Jesus This will put it beyond peradventure hath some bosom
not stir to seek for a better estate nor yet receive it if offered Job 22. 17. They say unto the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledg of his waies do Ministers press them do others perswade them to a more serious and narrow search to get more grounded assurance of their estate in Grace they profess they bid them to their loss they think they need not be better nor do they desire to be other It is impossible upon these terms that ever the soul should be carried by Faith unto God For to be contented and quieted with our condition as that which best pleaseth and yet to seek out for another are things contradictory And yet this Faith doth For he that is in Christ is a new Creature behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. he must have new comforts new desires new hopes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart must be broken to pieces under the weight of the evil of sin and the Curses due to the old condition before this wil part for that the word here used with great elegancy and pregnancy implies viz. by an oppressing weight to be pashed to pouder and dust 〈◊〉 the Psalmist useth it Psal. 90. 3. Thou turnest man to pouder to the dust of death when a 〈◊〉 composition is dissolved and the body returned again into its first principle so the word here by way of resemblance implies that the soul should find his corruption his greatest oppression so that the composition betwixt sin and his soul should be dissolved and taken down and the nature of man return to his first principles and primitive disposition that he sees an absolute necessity to change and then he will seek and be willing to receive a change The 〈◊〉 need no Physitian and therefore will not seek but the sick that need will be content to receive The issue is If the soul be contented with its sinful condition and would not have a change then it cannot be under the power of Faith or receive that which will bring a change but before the soul be broken under the pressure of sin it would not have a change therefore so long it cannot be under the power of Faith Be it granted that the soul finds sin as a plague and therefore would be preserved from the evil of it the second impediment which wholly keeps out Faith is this When the sinner expects supply and 〈◊〉 from its own sufficiency either outward excellencies abilities of Nature or common Graces or the beauty of some performances which issue from any of these For this is Natural to all men ever since Innocency That since the staff was put into his own hand and then needed not nay should not deny their own strength 〈◊〉 to this day this practice of old Adam remain still in all his posterity they will scramble for their own Comforts and try the utmost of their own strength to help themselves rather than be 〈◊〉 to another to help them Hence in cases of Conscience and trouble men are so ready to resolve so apt and free to promise and profess amendment what they will do and others shall see it as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it and so alas it comes to nothing in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either they fall back unto their base courses when horror and fear is over or else wasting 〈◊〉 into a 〈◊〉 formality and so perish in their Hypocrisie This is an apparent bar to faith which is the going out of the soul to fetch all life and power from 〈◊〉 Now wholly to be in our selves and to stay upon our own ability and yet to go out of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and receive all from his sufficiency are things which 〈◊〉 stand together I came not to call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. 13. While they sought to establish 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 they did not submit to the Righteousness of God Hence t 〈◊〉 the second work of Humiliation is required 〈◊〉 God plucks away all his props and 〈◊〉 him wholly of what he hath or seemeth to have For pride unto which Humiliation is opposite is but the rankness of praise and praise is a fruit of a cause by counsel that hath power to do or not to do this or that as he sees 〈◊〉 Humiliation is the utter nothingness of the soul that we have no power it 's not in our choyce to dispose of our selves not yet to dispose of that which another gives nor yet safe to repine at his dispose In a word as in a Scion before it be ingrafted into another stock it must be cut osf srom the old and pared and then implanted In Contrition we are cut off in Humiliation pared and so sit to be implanted into Christ by Faith In regard of God without this disposition his Word will not nay cannot take any place in us or prevail with us for our good Counsels and Commands and Comforts or whatever Dispensations they fal as water upon a Rock when administred to a hard heart they enter not prevail not profit not at all As Christ told the Jews John 8. 37. ' My Word takes no place in you and Zach. 7. 11 12. They hardened their hearts as an Adamant c. A word of terror to dash the hopes and sink the hearts of all haughty and hard hearted sinners God owns not such will never vouchsafe his gracious presence with them or his Blessing upon them for good be where they will dwell where they will the Lord is not with them nor will dwel in them by his comforting quickening saving presence Hear and fear then all you stout-hearted stubborn and rebellious Creatures whose consciences can evidence that the day is yet to dawn the hour yet to come that ever you found your sins a pressure to you they have been your past-time and delight in which you have pleased your selves so far from being troubled for your evils that it is your only trouble you may not commit them with content and without controul you are troubled with Admonitions and Counsels and Commands and Threatnings that cross you in your sins You were never broken-hearted here for your abominations know assuredly that you wil burn for them one day your proud hearts were never abased and laid in the dust the Lord will ruinate both you and them Never expect a good look from God set your heart at rest for that you may draw the Eyes of others after you make many of your deluded followers and Favorites to look upon you but the Lord will not come neer nor once cast a loving look towards you Psal. 138. 6. Though the Lord be high he hath respect to the lowly but he knows the proud afar off Nay the great God of Heaven and Earth is up in Arms against thee he is upon the March to work thy destruction James 4. 6. The Lord resists the proud but he gives Grace to the humble all Grace is in his gift and he doles it only to the bruised and abased but there is no
with him Thus Elimas the Sorcerer Acts 13. 10. when Paul and Barnabas had preached and he labored to turn away the Deputy from the Faith Paul thus speaks to him O full of all subtilty he had a slight of hand to any wickedness why dost thou crook the strait waies of the Lord. He cast in many cavils put in many suspicions and pretences that he might not look at the simplicity of the Truth delivered The word there used in the Original implies a sleight of hand as we cal it when such wily spirits can turn themselves into al shapes to 〈◊〉 by the evidence of the Truth so many windings and turnings so many wimblings of devices so many outs and doubtings that may bemist the manifest discovery of a Duty which ought to be done or a sin that ought to be avoided and so in conclusion loseth the Truth and the benefit of it also through Gods just Judgment and their own just deservings So the Scribes dealt touching our Savior when he had cured the Eyes of the blind man John 9. they would have taken him off from the attendance to the work to have slighted the person of our Savior We know say they this man is a sinner c. as it 's said of a Fish called the Sepia when the Fisher-man comes to follow her she casts forth a kind of black humor with which she 〈◊〉 the water and puts him to a loss in his proceedings whereas an honest heart that is willing to be convinced he looks most at that where there is most light and most strength and is desirous to attend that which gives in greatest Evidence to overcome the heart So Ely spake to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. bide nothing from me Job 6. 24. teach me and I wil hold my tongue he wil quietly hear al and attend that most which may carry the cause to his Conscience If yet the evidence of the truth be such that he cannot gainsay his mouth is stopped and his reasons are spent he hath nothing to oppose there is a third distemper which is as bad if not worse than the two former A restlesness of spirit to raise new brabbles and quarrels against the determination of the truth which formerly he could not resist When he is caught and held in the strength of Argument is taken captive and prisoner he would fain rescue himself with a restless jangling he sees more and can say more though no man else can see it nor he make good what he pretends He cannot answer yet wil not yield cannot maintain his 〈◊〉 yet wil not forsake them As Lawyers they 'l bring the cause about again and have a fresh hearing in this and that Court the reasons are the same and were answered before yet he brings them over again and just in the place where he was his arguments are at an end if his spirit were so but there is more in it he saies and he cannot see through it and yet cannot tell how to prove his own argument or answer anothers these spirits are like quicksilver which yet no man hath attained any skil to fix so the Rulers Elders and Scribes when they knew not how to dash the Glory of the Gospel and the powerful dispensation thereof mark how restlesly the venome of their spirits transported them against reason Acts. 4. 15. 16. 17. they communed amongst themselves saying what shal we do to these men for that indeed a notable 〈◊〉 hath been done by them is manifest to all men and we cannot deny it but let us straightly charge them that they speak no more in this name when in reason they should have inferred we cannot deny the Miracle and so not the truth let us not deny the liberty to speak so they in John 9. 24. when it was apparent Christ had cured the man wrought the Miracle and so gained honour in the heart of the man therefore they had fished up and down to weaken that and it would not do It appeared he was blind to his parents that Christ had cured him so himself affirmed then they come to this give God the praise we know this man is a sinner But what is that to the purpose or how know they that he answered whether he be a sinner or no I know not one thing I know wheras I was blind he hath opened my eyes and this was to the purpose Then said they what did he to thee how opened he thine eyes I have told you already c. they are upon the same hinges not stirred a haires breadth Here are no reasons but only wrestlings of stomack we are Moses Disciples but this fellow we know not whence he is If it be so that al these devises against the truth serve not his turn in the fourth place he sets himself against the truth he cares not for argument but he wil stand against the truth and then God in his just judgment leaves him 2 Thes. 2. 18. he gave them up to strong delusions that they might believe lyes that they might be damned because they received not but opposed the truth thus it was with Balaam Numb 24. 1 he went out not as formerly but resolved to Curse Israel whether God would or no and this is to hold down the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. I told you before that in Conviction when the heart is throughly Convicted it lies stil under the work of God but here the heart opposes the word of God Exo. 10. 28. saies Pharaoh to Moses get thee out of my sight the day thou seest my face thou shalt die Moses saies I wil see thy face no more but God sends to him and kills his first born and afterwards drownes himself It 's certain that if the truth followes a man home to his beloved sin if he be a dog he wil snarl against it and resolve to keep his sin Jer. 44. 16. 17. as the proud men there said as for the word of the Lord thou hast spoken to us we wil not hearken unto thee and if a man goes thus far he is very neer to the sin against the Holy Ghost and if ever God bring him home to himself it is by some strange judgments Exhortation to provoke the desires and quicken the endeavors of al that have heard or read the doctrin delivered opened to lay out their labour that unto the utmost of all their abilities never to give the Lord rest nor rest unto their own souls before they get this true sight of sin if ever they hope to see the work of Gods Grace in their hearts here in this world or to see the face of God in Glory in that other world that is to come Bretheren let not Satan deceive you nor suffer your selves so far to be deluded as to dream of another course or to devise a shorter cut to Grace and Glory for its certain if you do you wil fal short of your hopes and Comforts and all This
with thee for thy direction in this world thou shalt be judged by it then it stands thee in hand to be ordered by it now Rev. 20. 12. The books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things written in their bookes according to their works Thus there is some help and assistance lent to Meditātion that it may awe and keep under the heart and these have their use and fruit also in their time and measure but yet a corrupt heart left to it self wil sooner or later shut out Meditation and silence the serious exercise of his own thoughts against his sin and himself to arraign himself every day to sit in judgment and pass the sentence of Condemnation upon his own soul he is not able to endure He wil not part with his sin and yet he cannot take pleasure in his sin upon these 〈◊〉 He wil shake off his fears and sear his Conscience silence his 〈◊〉 that neither his thoughts nor terrors may trouble him any more and so return again to his old haunt and there perish Unless the Lord in the last place put to his Almighty hand and send his spirit from heaven to set on the work so that it shal undoubtedly succeed 〈◊〉 the malice of Satan and the opposition of our own corrupt hearts An under officer of meaner rank may happily be too weak to cope with a company of prophane varlets and therefore it may be they scorn and slight both his person and place until the Prince himself come with numbers and power he wil certainly bring them under or be the ruin of the whol company So when the fears God 〈◊〉 sent in be scattered the dictates of Conscience as his officer be laid aside the Lord himself wil take the 〈◊〉 to task and so restelesly pursue the sinner with his own 〈◊〉 that he wil not respite him for the least refreshing from the evil that presseth in upon him Job 7. 14. How long wilt thou not depart from me nor let me alone til 〈◊〉 swallow down my spittle It s not the fire but the blowing of the coals that melts the mettal to become fit matter for a vessel to be made It 's not the Law that breaks the heart of a sinner for he neither is nor can be subject to the LawRom 8. 7. but its done by the spirit of Humiliation who hath it in his own hand and must blow up this fire it wil not melt else strike with this hammer 〈◊〉 certain he must or else the heart wil never break Job 13. 26 He makes a man possess the sins of his youth when he hath not minded them may be forgot them he revies them again and presents them afresh to the view of the mind keeps the eyes waking c. They were pricked to the heart From the means we are now to come to the work it self which is attended here with the subject or parties to whom it doth appertayn and in whom it was wrought and these are considered in a double respect and so they wil afford us a double Instruction This pricking it was not of al but some onely who heard the word upon whom it prevailed with saving success some were pierced some went away not touched not stirred there with As it fares with scattered shot when the piece is discharged against the whol flock or flight of the fowl some are hit and slayne with it some sit stil are not afrighted nor stirred with it Hence the doctrine is The same dispensation of the word which is powerful and profitable to some is unprofitable unto others They be together at the same time in the same seat with the same ability intention and devotion and yet one is benefited by the means the other receives no good from it Luke 7. 29. 30. And al the people heard John preaching and the Publicans justified God being baptized of him but the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves So again Acts 18. 6. 8. Some 〈◊〉 others opposed and 〈◊〉 Christ himself is layd as a stone of stumbling for the rising and falling of many 2 Cor. 2. 16. The word 〈◊〉 some is a 〈◊〉 of life 〈◊〉 life unto others the saviour of Death unto Death Because God hath several ends to attain in these dispensations the execution of his justice in a righteous manner the punishment of the sins of the wicked by the means he affords to recover them out of their sins and the conveyance of the work of his grace to those that belong to the election of his grace It 's a strange inference God makes and way that he takes in the sending of his messengers Math. 23. 34. behold I wil send you Prophets and Apostles and some of them ye shal scourge and some ye shal 〈◊〉 and Crucify this was to gratify their corrupt wils and so dishonor his own ordinances how can this stand with his justice yes herin is his justice exceedingly magnifyed that the 〈◊〉 of al that 〈◊〉 been shed might come upon them Nay which is yet most strange God then sends the most glorious means of salvation to a people when in his righteous judgment the work of Conversion shal be furthest off and they aggravate their condemnation Isa. 6. 9. The Prophet had his tongue touched with a coal from the Altar mervailously gifted and fitted and himself unwearied but mark what his commission was go saith the Lord make the heart of this people fat and their Ears heavy least they be converted and should beal them This was the way to convert them and yet by this 〈◊〉 they are hardened and set further off from conversion than they were before The choycest physick and purest ayr meeting with corrupt and decaying bodies kills immediately So here Our Saviour resolves it Math. 13. 11. It s not in the power or parts or improvements of some above others but to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given The same fire we know wil melt the mettal which shal make vessels of honor and dishonor He makes the wicked without 〈◊〉 he makes his Saints serviceable to his own mind That herein he might shew the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good wil and pleasure Rom. 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom 〈◊〉 will and whom he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath not the Potter power over the clay to make one vessel to honor another to dishonor He shews that the issue and event of al comes only from his own purpose and pleasure So the Apostle resolves it 〈◊〉 22. What if God will So the Evangelist also John 12. 37 38 39. Though Christ 〈◊〉 done many miracles yet they beleeved not Why did they not beleeve He adds Therefore they could not beleeve because Isaiah had said he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not be converted Hither our Savior comes and sits down in admiration Matth. 11. 25 26. I thank thee
heart But when a sinner is indeed pierced quite through the heart and feels inwardly the 〈◊〉 and evil of sin he loaths that most and his heart most of all that is most guilty and tainted with it In the soul there is 〈◊〉 it were the soul of sin the 〈◊〉 and poyson of it and he opposeth that most that hath opposed the Lord 〈◊〉 Spirit and the Word and Work of his Grace the 〈◊〉 of this mind the preversness of this will the distempers of these corrupt and carnal affections he is at 〈◊〉 with his own heart that ever it hath held any kind of connivence and correspondence with any corruption ever been acted by it carried with it that ever it hath combined and conspired with sin and Satan in 〈◊〉 against the righteous and holy One of Israel the great God of Heaven and Earth and here he finds work enough even matter of abasement al his daies he 〈◊〉 down in shame and is covered with confusion as with a cloak and never lifts up his head more because he 〈◊〉 that about him that wil dayly mind him of his own baseness 〈◊〉 It 's now his dayly task to oppose that which opposed the Lord resist that which hath resisted the work of Grace conspire against the Treacheries and plottings of his own heart where all the conspiracies against God and his holy Law have been hatched Job was vile before but he saw not the vileness of his heart He fears all sin and all provocations to sin because he hath felt the evil of all and knows the danger of all any inclination from within any temptation from without any appearance in the least measure that might provoke thereunto Therefore these two are put in way of opposition Blessed is the man that fears alwaies but he that hardens his heart shal fall into mischief Prov. 28. 14. q. d. A hard heart feels 〈◊〉 knows not the evil of 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 like the horso into the battel to his ruine but if the heart be truly wounded and contrite truly affected with sin as having experience of the danger of it it wil come no more there he that hath been scorched with those flames will come no more into that fire As men who have wounded parts broken an Arm or a Leg how careful are they where they sit where they go they wil come neer nothing that may hurt cannot endure any thing neer lest it should so much as touch or trouble So the Apostle adviseth Heb. 12. 13. ' Make straight steps to your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Lame men observe every step they take every stone upon which they tread see and view the place where they set their feet search and set al right come there no more So here a broken Spirit 〈◊〉 every thought weighs every word takes notice of the least 〈◊〉 of his heart the first appearance of any occasion or temptation Thus they fear al sin above al other evil nay the least sin above the greatest plague because he hath felt them by proof and experience to be such fears rather he shal not be sound than not quiet He that fears one sin and yet is careless to fall into another he never seared nor sorrowed aright sorrow for sin wil not make a man commit sin by sorrowing if he fear or take notice it is a sin it is enough And hence it makes watchful to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prevent the evil So Joseph Gen. 39. 10 11. He would not lie by her nor be with her avoided her company that would withdraw his communion from the Lord. It makes a man speedy to avoid the 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 the place left his garment rather than his 〈◊〉 he that would not fal into the pit wil not come neer the bank As after a 〈◊〉 the party cannot endure the sight the 〈◊〉 of it and are careful to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the appearance 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of such evils 〈◊〉 19. 11. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 in my heart that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin against thee He is 〈◊〉 to attend all 〈◊〉 but accounts most of those 〈◊〉 work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of corruption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 from it Though the Truths which are delivered carry dread with them to the Conscience rack the heart of the sinner in restless horror and perplexity are like the bitterest Pils and the sharpest Corrosives cross to the sinful security and that Natural quiet the soul doth covet yea to his Credit and outward Comforts and conveniences in which he pleased himself yet he is content his hand should be cut off and his eye plucked out that is that the 〈◊〉 Truth of God and powerful and plain Dispensation thereof should pluck away those darling distempers be they as profitable as a hand as dear as an eye rather than they should once pluck his heart from the Lord quarrels with the loathsom abominations of his Nature which now are discovered but gladly welcoms those soul-saving Truths that would slay and subdue those sins and not quarrel with them The Word of the Lord is a good Word though a convicting terrifying yea a condemning Word to his own apprehension he that is sensible of his burden as unsupportable and passing strength he is best pleased with that ease A wise Patient when by his tryal he hath found it and the consent of learned Physitians and Chyrurgeons have concluded that his Gangrened part must be cut off and cauterized cannot be healed though his Nature shrink at it yet Reason and his own preservation makes him desire and chuse the sharpest Instrument because by that his life and safety is best procured The sinner that finds the burden of his sin the heaviest of al other and a disease most deadly to his soul the sharpest Truths he accounts the safest and therefore takes most content therein there shal no course that can be prescribed be it never so tedious to flesh and blood no means that shall be appointed to him be they attended with never so much danger and difficulty but he readily addresseth himself to the use thereof and easily submits himself to the Counsel and Authority and Command of God therein willing that God should do any thing with him that he might do good to his soul and remove that which he feels to be the greatest evil of it As Ely to Samuel 1. Sam. 3. 17. Hide nothing from me though the heaviest and hardest of the message that he was to report A broken hearted sinner wil 〈◊〉 capitulate with the Almighty stick with God unless he may have his own 〈◊〉 or look for some abatement from the Lord if the corruption be more than ordinary strong and the means which are to be used be mervailously cross not onely to a mans corruption but to ones outward comforts yea to nature it self yea the heart under this disposition yields quietly that the Lord should take his own course any
s prepared intended and appointed of purpose for others thou hast no share and portion in al these precious things of life hands off thou hard 〈◊〉 wretch There is good 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor shall be enriched the mourners comforted but no good to thee no look the second 〈◊〉 there is other provision the Lord makes for stiffnecked Creatures he proclaims a yeer of Jubile a day of acceptance from God to the distressed but there is a day of Vengeance of our God to those that are of a contrary disposition there is Vengeance and it 's from God he wil be revenged upon thee for all the contempt of his Truth grief done to his Spirit resistance of his Grace he will rain fire and brimstone storm and tempest upon thee this shall be the portion of thy cup for the conclusion is peremptory Job 9. 4. Who ever 〈◊〉 his heart against the Lord and prospered Can there any example be alledged that wil evidence it any reason given or conceived that might prove it possible Search the Stories of so many Generations and enquire since the day that God created 〈◊〉 upon Earth if there were ever such a thing heard When there were Gyants upon earth the whol earth was filled with violence al the world 〈◊〉 themselves in open rebellion against God God opens the windows of Heaven and the fountains of the great 〈◊〉 and sends in a Deluge of his displeasure and wrath and destroies those hard-hearted Rebels from off the face of the Earth me thinks I hear those flinty stiffnecked wretches 〈◊〉 and crying drowning and dying and roaring out their wretchedness those loose Libertines eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage and knew nothing i. e. and would know nothing their Cups in their hands and Queans in their Arms and despair in their mouths Oh we shut our Ears and hardened our hearts against the striving of Gods Spirit the call of Gods Messengers the warning and entreaties of Gods patience We would not receive Counsel and terms of Peace and Mercy and therefore we now perish without Mercy cursing one another and breathing out their last Cursed be the day that ever I knew thee by thy carnal deceits I was strengthened Cursed be thou and thy company by thy example I was deluded and hardened Thus they are accursed and go cursing down to the depth of the Sea and so to the depth of the bottomless Pit It is beyond the Scope of our Saviors coming into the world and the Commission he hath received for the great Work of Redemption to communicate Grace and Life to thee in the condition in which now thou art Luke 19. 10 The Son of man is come to 〈◊〉 and save that which is lost not such as was miserable for so all was but such as were sensible of that undone condition in which they lay Yea his expression is peremptory I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Marth 9. 13. Those who conceited themselves whol in a safe and secure estate he had no Commission to call or comfort such they 〈◊〉 be broken before he bind them weary and laden before he ease them wounded before he will pour in the Oyl of Mercy to heal and relieve them Hence it was that when our Savior had prepared his Feast killed his Fatlings and drawn forth his refined Wines and sent and invited his guests all pleaded their excuses and refused to come not being hunger-bit and sensibly affected with their own miserable estate and the need they had of supply from those rich Provisions of a Savior their-careless and secure hearts could rellish other sensual care and swinish contentments which they had at home when men set no price see no need of those Dainties and Rarities of the riches of Grace and Salvation purchased by Christ and offered in the Gospel he peremptorily concludes Such shall never tast of them Luke 14. 24. The second sort of hard-hearted sinners or of a further and higer degree in this hardness are such as have been exercised under the displeasure of the Almighty 〈◊〉 had many stabs by the Truth and threatnings of the Word and have had many bruises and blows from the Dispensations of God in his Ordinances deeply affected and almost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the danger of their own Estates and the dreadfulness of those everlasting burnings which now they felt in their souls and were not able to bear but at last they have SHOOK OFF THEIR TERROR 〈◊〉 away the vexation and trouble that lay upon their spirits and now they grow more fierce and hard-hearted than ever before and dare out-face and out-brare the severest threatnings the most dreadful Judgments that can be denounced and which they find confess themselves liable unto having their conscience seared with a hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2 themselvs becoming fearlessly impudent to adventure upon sin without the least touch of any remorse or trouble for it The time was they confess they sate with trembling hearts under the Dispensation of the Word and so silly and feeble spirited they were that their hearts failed with fear and 〈◊〉 away in the apprehension of the hainousness of their sin and the unsufferable plagues that were due thereunto But now that dale is 〈◊〉 those daies are past they have got more wit and skil than to be scared with such Bug-bears they can tell how to fence themselves against such fears and disquiets they can sit and hear and attend all that can be said let them speak while they will and wear their 〈◊〉 to the stumps they can hear all and slight all nay rather than fail deride and make a mock of what they have heard but to be troubled at what they hear they are 〈◊〉 such Babies they are not so much as stirred with any thing Oh wo to thee that ever thou sawest thy heart at this pass the greater will thy trouble be one day The Devils beleeve and tremble and doest not thou stir Art thou in Hell here on Earth before thou comest thither and dost thou come short of the Devils themselves in sensibleness of heart and canst thou content thy self yea bless thy self in this condition Hear what God hath determined against thee and wil certainly bring upon thee Deut. 29. 19. He that shal 〈◊〉 the words of this Curse and shall bless himself in his heart saying I shal have peace though I walk in the Imagination of my heart 〈◊〉 drunkenness to thirst the wrath of the Lord will smoak against that man to cut him off from the Land of the Living c. But before I part with thee suffer me to spread the dreadfulness of thy condition before thy face and leave it upon Record in thy Conscience that thou mayest say thou 〈◊〉 forewarned Know therefore thy case is almost desperate and beyond Cure thy doom draws on and hastens which thou canst 〈◊〉 escape thy plagues are beyond the utmost of all extremity which thou canst not
conceive much less endure First Thy Case to common Reason leaving secret things to God seems past cure it 's a great suspicion the day of Grace is over the date of mercy past the period of Gods Patience come to an end all means have been used and conclusions tryed with thee the invincible stiffness of thy Spirit hath won the day thou hast tried Masteries with all means Law and Gospel Promises 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the unconquerable hardness of thy heart hath out-bid all Dispensations thou art Cannon proof Law proof Gospel proof Threatning proof there is no other means of good in Heaven or Earth and thou art worse by them all which are provided to better others and have so done without means thou hast no reason to think that God wil work and thou hast had the try al of al and thou art beyond 〈◊〉 in thy stifness and therefore beyond all helps in an ordinary way Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved 〈◊〉 his heart shall be destroyed and that without remedy he that casts away the salve that should cure him spils the Physick that should recover him casts away the meat that should nourish him how should he be either cured or supported There are no Commands that awe no Promises perswade no Terrors awaken then there is no Remedy He must be deluded that opposeth the Wisdom that only can guide him he must be cursed that resists the mercy that only can save him he must be damned that 〈◊〉 upon the blood of Jesus that only would redeem him there is no other Remedy no other Name but the Name of Jesus wherby men must be saved Acts 4. 12. Nay not only means fail him but God himself seems to forsake Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man He hath striven by his Terrors by his Mercies striven and laid hold upon thee by heart-breaking 〈◊〉 Turn ye why will ye die turn ye and cause others to return and so iniquity shall not be your ruin Ezek. 33. 11. Oh that there were such a heart in them to fear me alwaies that it might be well with them Deut. 5. 29. but thou hast wound away from Gods hand and forsaken him and he hath forsaken thee there is Word and Promises but no God in them Terrors and 〈◊〉 but no God in them Thou art without God and art thou not then without hope When the throws of a travelling Woman leave her her life leaves her So here It 's said of a company of Despisers of Christ That they 〈◊〉 him again unto themselves Heb. 6. 6. When they resist one Christ and resist that Salvation that hath been offered either they must have another Christ or he anew crucified if ever they be saved So there must be a new Christ and new Scriptures before such miserable wretches can be relieved the Blood of Jesus the Spirit and Promises of Jesus Grace and Salvation hath been tendered to these stubborn-hearted and they have opposed and cast all away either there must be another Christ or he must die again All the Commands and Comforts in the Word all the Rules and Directions 〈◊〉 and Counsels have been used and tryed without any profit and prevailing power therefore there must be another Covenant 〈◊〉 and Scriptures if thou beest saved that 's incredible therefore the other impossible 〈◊〉 can ye escape that neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 2. I appeal to your selves You will go from the Law to the Gospel from justice to mercy but whither wil you go when you have departed away from mercy and mercy is departed away from you Thy judgment hastens thou canst not not escape it nor prevent it and truly it's coming more speedily and suddenly then thou art awar of Thou bringest upon thy self swift destruction though thou sleepest yet thy damnation sleeps not Hebr. 6. 8. the earth that often receives rain from heaven and yet brings forth thorns is near unto cursing look every day that God should curse al thy comforts thy out-goings and thy in-comings Prov. 28. 14. He that bardens his heart fals into mischief fals into it and is overwhelmed with it al of a sudden he may fal into any tempration he opposeth that counsel that should preserve him falls into sins he casts away that grace and resists that spirit that should strengthen him nay being past feeling such a one wil run to commit al wickedness with greediness Eph. 4. 19. Hell and Divills and 〈◊〉 are let loose upon such the light of nature evidence of reason dictates of of Conscence authority of the law terrors of judgments intreaties of mercies the hard heart hath cast away al these and therefore rusheth into what evil comes next against Conscience command reason sence nature men put of the principles not of humanity but of sence and become more base than the beasts themselves do that which beasts wil not do and morality is ashamed to speak As the ship when the anchors are broke and cable cut and a mighty tempest arises she is wholly left to the rage of wind and weather When men harden their hearts God swears they shal never enter into his rest Hebr. 3. last Ground of COMFORT to support the sincking spirits of broken hearted sinners when they seem to faint under the fierce displeasure of the Almighty and to be 〈◊〉 with the unsupportable weight of the wickedness of their own souls which they are neither able to avoid nor 〈◊〉 to undergo Here hence is matter of sound refreshing both to the parties that are the patients and bear 〈◊〉 bitterness and burden of their sorrow to their friends who as spectators do mourn with them and are affected with a fellow feeling of the evil of that which they find experimentally let me speak a word severally to them both Know therefore to thy comfort thou distressed soul this sorrow and anguish which now oppresseth thee it s not unto death nay it s the onely way and means to deliver from death from the death of sin and that security in which thou lyeft without either sence of thy misery or the least appearance and possibility of deliverance from the death everlasting of thy soul unto which thou wast hastening amain As it is with a dead body when with rubbing chafing and pouring in of hot waters there is some kind of warmth coming and overspreading the parts there is good hope the soul is again returning the man reviving again It s so in this spiritual quickening of a soul dead in sin stone dead stiff insensible of the distempers that lodge within him take possession of the whol frame of the inward man as stif coldness takes possession of a dead body when the Lord begins to affect the sinner und makes throughly sensible with Godly sorrow by rubbing and chafing in of sharp reproofs and passionate exhortations there is a kind of spiritual warmth coming into the soul and certain evidence like a harbenger or immediate
unsearchable and marvelous things without number This may support thy heart and carry thee on with some Hope in a waiting way They who are truly pierced for their sins do in an especial manner prize and covet deliverance from them For this is the scope of their complaint and the end and aim of their request that they might be freed from that which they found so bitter and indeed unsupportable to their souls and it 's of 〈◊〉 implied in their speech that which in the like case was openly expressed by the Jaylor Acts 16. 30. He came trembling and astonished saying what must I do to be saved not what shal I do to be eased of my destraction cured of my fears freed from my shame but what shal I do to be saved from my sin he was plagued most with the remembrance of that prizeth most freedom from it the venom of his transgression is that which lies heaviest upon his heart and thence it is to be safe-guarded from that is of highest esteem in his account Saved from the guilt of sin as that which sets the Almighty at a distance from him and raiseth the controversie between God and the soul and forceth him to withdraw his favor and loving kindness which is better than life which David felt by woful experience and therefore sues with such importunity Psal. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness After the Commission of these evils by David the Lord threatened the sending of the Sword that might hazard the safety of his person and the prosperity of such as should succeed him So Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 10. The Sword shal never depart from thine House he threatens to raise up cruel and subtil conspirators out of his own bosom and bowels as Absalon out of his own Counsel and Kingdom as Achitophel and Jeroboam whose plottings and conspiracies should shake the Pillars of the Kingdom and the peace of his Government all which were marvelous bitter potions and heavy expressions of Gods displeasure but the sting of all those troubles the venom of al that vengeance issued from his sin that is the evil in all evils and therefore he overlooks al the rest and seeks most earnestly to be rescued from this Deliver me from blood-guiltiness it 's not the cruelty of the Sword that wil destroy nor the conspiracy of Enemies that desire to undermine my Crown and Kingdom and Safety which I so much fear nonso much labor to be freed from but deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God of my Salvation q. d. that is the deliverance I look for and long for and here in the Salvation of a God wil appear and shew it 〈◊〉 and wherein the soul of thy servant shal most rejoyce Saved also they would be from the 〈◊〉 of corruption which carries the soul from God and keeps the 〈◊〉 estranged from him and hence it is the 〈◊〉 Church makes 〈◊〉 the matter of their most bitter complaint Isai. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear and caused us to err from thy waies When they withdraw their hearts from God he 〈◊〉 his gracious presence and 〈◊〉 from them when they would not deliver up themselves to the Authority of his Truth and holy Will to be ruled thereby he delivered them up to the power of their own perverse Spirits they that would not be guided in his 〈◊〉 by his holy Spirit they should be hardened from his fear by the perversness of their own Spirits this is the most dreadful plague of al plagues the deliverance from which they so highly prize and seek it with such importunity Look down from Heaven thy holy Habitation where is the sounding of thy bowels are they restrained Oh why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear The price the contrite sinner puts upon this deliverance from his sin discovers it self in four Particulars In the lack of this the soul is not cannot be quieted though it doth enjoy all other things the World can afford and his heart could desire The want of this takes off the sweetness of al the comforts contentments the sap and 〈◊〉 of al priviledges and the consluence of all Earthly Excellencies that can be enjoyed in this Pilgrimage when the soul is under the pressures of Gods displeasure and the tyranny of his own distempers which carries him from God and keeps him under the dreadful indignation of the Almighty present him then with the beauty of al the choycest blessings that ever any man had on Earth yea what ever others hoped for but in vain Put them into his hand conceive him possessed of the fulness of al worldly perfections Crowns Kingdoms Honors and preferments the broken heart 〈◊〉 al under 〈◊〉 with neglect what is that co me saies the soul had I al the Wealth to enrich me al Honors to advance me Pleasures and Delights to content me and my sins stil to damn me miserable man that ever I was born in the 〈◊〉 of al these falsly conceived comforts This sowr Sawce spoils al the Sweet-meat this dram of poyson makes deadly al the delights and pleasures that 〈◊〉 can be attained or expected As 〈◊〉 when he was recalled from his Banishment and had the liberty and use of his House and all the conveniencies and helps that were at his Command but was charged not to see the Kings face upon a two yeers tryal he found a straightness of all his Comforts in these enlargements 〈◊〉 he thus expresseth his resolution to 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 14. 32. What avails me to be at Jerusalem and in my House to come from Geshur if I may not see the Kings face let me see his face and let him 〈◊〉 me It is so with the broken-hearted sinner What avails it me to be compassed about with al conven ences my heart can desire and be compassed about with my corruptions to see all Earthly happiness heaped up together but never to see the face of God in another world the belly filled and back cloathed and house stored and the soul damned and east out from Gods presence in whose Presence there is fulness of joy and pleasures for ever more These are but dead things sapless shadows and are to a man of a contrite Spirit as though they were not nay the 〈◊〉 he hath 〈◊〉 more trouble he hath because there is more sin and more guilt more curse and condemnation he sees in all and expects by all from God and so remains restless in all He is content with this though he want all the rest because he prizeth this more than all Skin for Skin and al that a man hath wil he give for his life c life and al for the Salvation of his soul. For sin now he 〈◊〉 it now he hath found it to be more bitter than death and therefore to be saved from it he judgeth and that truly to be better than