be wrought in your hearts and that you may be converted And therefore I will advise you of three things which are in the power of natural men to performe as directions to the use of the former meanes appointed by God for the working of grace First I would have every naturall man throughly convinced of the misery hee is in and informed of his owne insufficiencie Ier. 10.23 there saith the Text O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to 〈◊〉 his owne steppes and the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 taketh it to himselfe I know saith hee that 〈…〉 selfe there dwelleth no good thing this is a 〈◊〉 matter that wee presume of our selves we 〈◊〉 we can stand of our selves though we never use the meanes to have our weakenesse strengthned 〈◊〉 this is the reason that wee never seeke to God 〈◊〉 the use of the meanes take therefore 〈◊〉 course of the Apostle and say in me dwelleth 〈◊〉 good thing suffer your selves to be throughly â—â—formed and convinced of your owne miserie 〈◊〉 weakenesse and confesse this truth I confesse I am a naturall and carnall man and therefore a my flesh there is no good at all Secondly 〈◊〉 you have thus done and when your hearts are â—â—â—swaded of your owne misery and you coâ—â—â—â— there is no good in you when you can say 〈◊〉 what a stout heart have I what a many graâ—â—â—â— promises and godly councells have I had and 〈◊〉 never would receive or give way to any of theâ— and therefore there is no good in mee and 〈◊〉 thirdly when you have done this then convâ—â—â— your owne hearts that there is an All-sufficiencie in the promise that the Spirit is able to doe good unto your soules Ezech. 11.18 Ezech. 11.18 there saith the Text I will give them one heart and put a new 〈◊〉 within them I will take away their stony heart 〈◊〉 give them a heart of flesh so that however it is 〈◊〉 that we have no sufficiencie in our selves yet 〈◊〉 Lord Iesus hath enough the spirit is able to the that for us which wee are not able to doe for 〈◊〉 selves and therefore in the third place 〈◊〉 thou art throughly informed of these two things then come unto Gods ordinances and looke up unto God and waite upon him in the use of this meanes it is a fine passage of David Lord saith he teach me the way of the Spirit as if hee had sayd Lord I have a naughtie spirit I have a naughtie heart but Lord thou hast a good Spirit lead 〈◊〉 by that good Spirit of thine in the wayes of uprightnesse Thus doe you waite upon God in 〈◊〉 ordinances and say Lord thou hast promised thaâ— thou wilt put a new soule into thy people and create a new heart in them and throw their sinnes 〈◊〉 the bottome of the sea and that thou with 〈◊〉 them to walke in thy wayes Thou hast promised to give thy Spirit to them that seeke it Lord 〈◊〉 good this thy promise unto mee take away 〈◊〉 wretched sinfull heart of mine and 〈◊〉 a new heart in me and direct me by thy Spirit to 〈◊〉 in the wayes of thy Commandements It is 〈◊〉 Lord a Leaper cannot take away his spoâ—â— a Blackamoore cannot change his hew but 〈◊〉 thou canst make a Blackamoore white 〈…〉 canst cleanse the Leaper though I be a dead 〈◊〉 thou canst put life into me though 〈…〉 thing yet thou canst doe all things I 〈…〉 more but thou canst make me of a 〈…〉 am a Leaper but thou canst take away my 〈◊〉 I am naturall and carnall in me there 〈◊〉 thing but Lord thou eanst make me 〈…〉 rituall things good Lord grant that thy 〈◊〉 Spirit may teach me to know the things 〈◊〉 to my everlasting peace this doe above all take heede that you doe not deferre the time Oh deferre not the wayting upon God in the use of the meanes Why because you have no power in your selves to helpe your selves it is not in you power to receive Christ and entertaine salvation and therefore begin speedily to attend upon 〈◊〉 ordinances that at length the Lord may put a 〈◊〉 spirit into you and worke upon you to your ever lasting peace and comfort I exhort you 〈◊〉 all things not to deferre the time and say wee 〈◊〉 gather the flower while it is greene while 〈◊〉 youth continues we will follow our pleasures 〈◊〉 take up out sports and when wee come to be 〈◊〉 then we will turne over a new leafe and on our death beds then wee will repent alas alas 〈◊〉 wilt thou thinke to doe it in thine old age whâ— thou couldst never doe it in thy youth and therefore doe not thus delude thy owne soule thoâ— thinkest when thou lyest on thy death bed if 〈◊〉 doest but send for a Minister then hee will 〈◊〉 salvation to thee presently but I tell thee thoâ—gâ— all the Ministers under heaven should preach mercy unto thee though all the Angels in heaven should exhort and intreat thee to entertaine salvation though thou shouldest have all glory and all happinesse layd downe as it were upon a table before thee if the Lord should say here is all glory and happinesse doe but beleeve and take it and it shall be thine thou shalt be made partaker of if for ever yet consider in thy naturall condition thou hast no power to receive happinesse and glory thus offered if God should open heaven gates and bid thee goe into heaven yet thou hast no power if thou beest a naturall man to receive mercy and salvation upon those tearmes which God hath offered them thou couldst not enter into heaven though God should open the gate wide and intreate thee to enter in what a thing is this then when neither Minister can perswade thee nor Angels exhort thee nor Christ himselfe intreat thee to take mercy yet thou shouldst thinke in thy old age or upon thy deathbed to have mercy and salvation at command why deferre not therefore this worke untill the last but make speede beginne betime and hold on constantly to the end that at last God may take away your corruptionâ— and give you his spirit and raise you out of the graver of your sinnes doe this because you see it is needfull to be done it is not in your power to doe good unto your soules or receive good and therefore 〈◊〉 â—â—ginne betimes and wait upon God in the meanes that so you may have grace and salvation thereby EZECH 11.19 I will take away their stony heart and give them a heart of flesh ACoording to our Order intended and Course propounded wee have laid downe five generall circumstances have chosen severall texts answerably whereout we might observe the same foure of those five we have already handled and now we are come to the last Circumstance which is this Howsoever a naturall man cannot receive the Lord Iesus yet the Lord will make all his that belong to
to inâ—â—rict many judgements upon the people of Israel because they had not walked in his statutes after the Lord had done this yet 〈◊〉 tells them in the 16. Verse if they would walke in his wayes he would be a Sanctuary unto them he would make them better than ever they were and hee would doe better for them than ever hee did but how will hee doe this Why saith he I will take away that stony sturdy heart which is in them and will give them a frameable heart and a teachable heart which shall yeeld to whatsoever I cammand and then they will be able to cast away all those evills which they have embraced and performe all those holy duties which they have neglected the heart which God takes away from them cannot be meant the heart it selfe the naturall facultie of willing and the heart which hee gives them cannot be meant the bare faculty it selfe but the rebellious disposition that was in the faculty the Lord removeth and that same teachable frameable disposition he putteth into the facultie whereby their hearts should be carried to that which was pleasing to God comfortable to themselves I intend to speake of two things concerning Gods taking away of this same stony heart and giving a heart of flesh unto his people first that God doth this that hee is the Author of it secondly I will speake of the circumstance of time when God doth this when he thus workes upon the hearts of his chosen sometimes sooner sometimes later and this same circumstance of time when the Lord doth this is double first in regard of the meanes the Lord doth thus worke upon the hearts of those which belong to the election of grace when hee gives them the meanes of salvation when they have the Sunne-shine of the Gospell shining in their faces The second circumstance of this time is in regard of the men whom the Lord will thus worke upon some sooner some later some in all ages some in their young and tenderage some in their middle age and some though very few in their old age First I will speake of the Authour of this and that is God hee takes away the stony heart and gives a heart of flesh to his servants The Doctrine out of the words is The taking away of the indisposition of the soule to any good dutie and the fitting framing and disposing of a soule to performe any spirituall service is the alone worke of God hee removes the indisposition of the soule and hee puts the disposition to any good into the soules of his the case is cleare if we reason after this manner what is a stony heart A stony heart is a sturdy unteachable heart uncapeable and indisposed to any good what is a heart of flesh it is a lowly teachable pliable heart wiling to receive any impression that God stampes upon it who takes away the one The Lord who gives the other The Lord. So that both the remooving of the stony heart is the Lords worke and the giving of the fleshy heart is the Lords worke also I will take away their stony heart and I will give them a heart of flesh Nay the Lord doth make it his chiefest prerogative to doe this worke for a poore sinner Ezek. 36.25 Ezeck 36.25 I will powre cleane water upon you saith the Lord and yee shall be cleane from all your â—ilâ—hinesse and your Idols I will cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and put a new spirit within you I will take away the stony heart and I will give you a heart of flesh and therefore wee shall take notice of it this great worke of conversion is compared with the worke of creation God onely created man and God onely converteth a man how was it when darkenesse was over the face of the earth Let there bee light said the Lord and there was light the same God that created light the same God doth shine in our hearts nay this worke of conversion is sayd to be one of the greatest workes of God as if God did the best he could doe for a poore sinner when hee converts him To whom is the arme of the Lord revealed saith the Prophet Esay that is to whom is the utmost power of the Almighty God revealed the Lord putteth forth his whole strength upon poore sinners when he converts them unto himselfe The power of Gods strength the depth of Gods wisedome and the riches of Gods mercy is discovered in this worke of conversion here is power against all power and strength above all strength for the Lord doth not meete with the soule of a sinner in the worke of conversion as hee did in the worke of creation with the world for when he made the world hee met with nothing to resist him but he onely spoke the word hee commanded and it was made but when the Lord commeth to meete with the soule of a poore sinner to open his eyes and convert him unto himselfe and bring him home hee meeteth with the whole frame of all creatures opposing and resisting him the divell and the world without and sinne and corruption within when the Lord comes to convert a firmer hee meetes with all these with sinne Sathan and the world resisting him and therefore here must needs be power against all strength that opposeth him here must needs bee wisedome against all pollicie that resists him and here must needes be wonderfull mercy against all weakenesse and miserie 1 Cor. 14.24 and therefore 1 Cor. 14.24 there saith the Text If all prophesie and there come in 〈◊〉 that beleeveth not or unlearned he is rebuked of all and judged of all and so are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely God is in you indeede here the Text faith when the Lord commeth to speake home to a poore sinner a poore soule he comes into the Congregation though he be simple the word is wise and powerfull and that discovereth what is in his heart man is not able to doe this but God can doe this and then the soule will say God is in you in deede as who should say Here is God or else I had never beene humbled or else my sinnes had never beene subdued or else my soule had never beene wrought upon the sinner that is strucken with this worke he professeth plainely that here is the stroake of God and power of God and wisedome of God which was able to discover all things that were in my heart and take 〈◊〉 this stubborne heart of mine Oh this is 〈◊〉 â—orle of God indeede The grounds of the point why it is necessary that God should be the Author both of taking away the stony heart and giving the heart of flesh are these if we doe but consider the nature of the stoninesse and the fleshinesse of the heart it will appeare that God onely can take away
the election of Grace willing to receive him and then he will bestow Christ Iesus upon them and grace and salvation by him and for this purpose I have chosen this text and as our course is I will not meddle with every Doctrine in the text which are sixe in number but chuse that onely which fits best for our purpose But before I can come to lay downe the point of Doctrine two passages must be opened first what is meant by heart secondly what is meant by a stony heart and what by a fleshy heart and these two being opened the Doctrine will be plaine and lie faire first for the first a heart in Scripture besides that which it signifieth naturally is applied to the will of a man or to that ability which is in a reasonable soule whereby he willeth or rejecteth a thing this is put for a heart in Scripture together with love delight joy hatred and griefe which are attendants upon this will as a man will have such a thing why because beloves it and delightes in it and hee againe refuseth such a thing and will not have it why because hee hates it and because it is displeasing unto him and this is the meaning of that place Mat. Mat. 15.19 15.19 Out of the heart proceede evill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemie Secondly the Will is put in phrase of Scripture not onely for ability of the soule whereby it wills but for the same spirituall disposition that is in the will affections of a man in this kind the temper and frameablenesse of the Will to any action is termed by the name of heart in Scripture for there is somewhat in the Will whereby it is carried to any worke looke as it is with a Bowle it runneth because it is a round thing but that it runneth at such and such a marke is because it hath a Bias upon it whereby it is swayed and carried to that marke so it is with the heart of a man there is not onely an abilitie therein whereby a man is inabled to will but there is a frame and a disposition in the Will either to good or evill either to grace or sinne and as the will of a man is biassed and swayed so a man is said to will good or evill not in regard of the naturall faculty of the Will but in regard of the disposition of that facultie which doth carrie the faculty to the performance of any worke now a righteous man out of the disposition of his heart is carried to yeeld obedience unto Gods commandements and a wicked man out of the frame and temper of his heart is carried after lusts and distempers and sinnefull abominations and this is the meaning of that place Deut. 29.4 Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive to this day why they had a heart for they were naturall men they had the naturall faculty of the Will and the understanding and affections but the meaning is they had not the gracious disposition in their wils whereby they might be carried and inabled to will that which was pleasing to God and might be comfortable unto themselves it is a pretie phrase Match 12.35 Mat. 12.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth footh evill things there is a heart in both and there is a treasure in both also but there is a good treasure in the heart of a godly man and out of this comes good things so out of the treasure of a wicked mans heart comes evill things there is a treasure of love and holinesse and goodnesse in the heart of a gracious man whereby hee is carried to walke holily and unblameably before God and man good words and good actions come from the good treasure that is from a good disposition of the soule againe a wicked man hath a heart and he hath a treasure also he hath a treasure of pride and a treasure of covetousnesse and a treasure of all manner of corruptions and these carry him to wicked speeches and leud actions hee talkes loosely lives basely so that there is a disposition good or bad in the soule of a man and this is termed a will or a heart in Scripture now in both these senses wee understand not a heart here in the Text but in the latter onely God will give them a heart that is God will give them wills and hearts disposed to that which is good The second passage to be opened is this namely what is meant by a stony what by a fleshie heart First what is meant by a stony heart a heart is said to be stonie by way of resemblance because it is of the nature of a stone looke what the nature of a stone is such is the nature of a heart compared thereunto a stony heart that is an unsensible and an uncapable heart a stone that is insensible it receiveth no impression set a seale upon a stone and presse it downe never so hard you may break the stone in peeces but it will receive no impression it wil take no print but now set a seale upon waxe and that will receive any impression that a man stampes upon it so it is with a stony stout sturdy heart though God knocke it in peeces it will not be humbled it will receive no impression but resists and beates backe the meanes of grace and salvation offered and revealed unto it if the Lord set a stampe of humilâ—ation upon it that will not be humbled it will receive no stampe but makes it flie backe and bound upward so that a stony heart is a hard sturdie heart capeable of no impression Secondly what is meant by a heart of flesh and that is quite contrary to a stony heart it is like unto flesh soft tender easie and pliable willing to take any impression that comes upon it so that now a fleshie heart is nothing else but a heart lovingly teachable and humbly tractable to the Lord willing to entertaine any impression that it shall please the Lord to stampe upon it if God commands any thing that obeyeth it God threatens that trembles it is said of Iâ—siah that he had a melting heart looke as it is with waxe if you set a seale upon it just as the print of the seale is so is the print in the waxe which it leaves behinde it so it is with a fleshie lowly pâ—â—able heart it receives any stampe that God puts upon it when the Lord faith feare that trembles when the Lord saith love that entertaines it when the Lord commands any thing that yee les obedience to his coÌ„mands this is an humble and a pliable spirit and this is the substance of the Text and the intendment of the Prophet therein is thus much In the beginning of the Chapter about the seventh Verse the Lord threatned
why though you be not able yet here is the comfort of a poore foule the worke is the Lords and he whose worke it is is able to bring it to passe what though thou beest weake yet God is strong and therefore quiet thy soule and content thy heart a man may say I have a hard heart from within and it will receive no good from without the Word prevailes not the Sacraments have no power over me why all the meanes and cost and charges that God hath bestowed upon me is lost and my heart is not yet humbled my corruptions are not yet weakened be yet comforted though meanes cannot doe it which God useth at his pleasure though these cannot doe it yet the Lord can doe it there is nothing hard or difficult to him that hath hardnesse it selfe at command hee is a God which hath all things at command hee can command the devill himselfe and therefore hee hath the hardnesse of thy heart at command also there is nothing hard to him that hath hardnesse at his command nay though all things be impossible to man yet nothing is impossible with God God can doe what man not meanes cannot the Lord hee sheweth mercy upon us why because wee will no because he wills and though we cannot cast away our sinnes yet the Lord will remove them Oh then saith the soule this is somewhat comfortable that the Lords mercie depends not upon my will but upon Gods will And I would tell you somewhat by experience in this kinde for I knew one that was over whelmed with dispaire a whole yeare together because hee thought hee had committed the sinne against the holy Ghost and yet at last was comforted by this meanes he refolved with himselfe if my conversion were in my will onely then I should be damned but it is not because I will but because God will doe good to my poore soule aye but the soule will say I confesse it is not in my will but it is in Gods will that hee sheweth mercy and this is some comfort yet but oh my corruptions are old sinnes of a long time can those be pardoned they are become as another nature in me can those therefore be removed yes the Lord is able to remove those also for saith the Prophet the Lord hath laid salvation upon the mightie so that though thy corruptions be mightie and powerfull yet there is a mighty God that is able to undoe that cursed combination that is betweene thy soule and thy corruptions and therefore quiet thy selfe in the consideration hereof and say I must confesse that I have many corruptions but the mighty Lord of hosts hath promised that hee will take away my stony heart and give me a heart of flesh and hee is able to doe it also be herein quieted and supported and looke up to heaven for comfort In the third place it is a word of exhortation to all those that are in the bond of iniquitie and under the power of Satan to those which carry a stony heart about them it is a word of exhortation to these see your owne wants and be exhorted in the name of the Lord Iesus to have recourse to this great God and intreate him to take away your stony heart from you looke as it is with men if there be a Physition of excellent skill that cures all diseases that are brought unto him why then all men will repaire to him why so it is here God alone is able to doe this cure for us and herefore he should have our custome if a man should set up a bill upon the market post that he would cure all that come to him which were troubled with the stone in the reines or any other grievous disease and if wee should meete with many comming from him that were healed by him why then wee would be ready to say such a one went and hee was healed such a one went and hee was cured and this will stirre up all to repaire unto him and every one would bring those that appertaine unto them and were troubled with this disease unto him that they might be cured by him the Lord hath set up a bill this day that he will cure all those that come unto him of their stony heart and all the Sonnes of God have found proofe hereof to the comfort of their owne soules the Lord is hee that will doe this hee will take away your stony heart you wives therefore that have husbands which have stony hearts and you parents that have children that are troubled with stony hearts goe home with comfort and tell them that you have heard this day of a Phisitian that will undertake to cure them of this disease and exhort them therefore to repaire unto him Our Saviour Christ when hee had healed many of their diseases the Text saith in the third of Matthew That all came unto him and brought their sicke that hee might heale them In the bowells of the Lord Iesus be intreated you that have stony hearts to goe unto the Lord that so you may be cured you were better have a milstone about your neckes then have this stony heart we have all of us this stony heart more or lesse as it is with a man that hath beene cured of a disease perhaps the disease is much mitigated but there will still be much weakenes and some reliques of the disease remaining in him a long time after So the Sonnes of God have the strength of this stony heart somewhat lessened and abated in them but they are not altogether freed from it but those that were never cured of this disease those that never had this stony heart in any measure removed they were better have a milstone about their neckes for it will sinke them into the bottomlesse pit of hell and destruction if death take them away while they carrie this stony heart about them they will be surely damned therefore 〈◊〉 them as they love their owne soules be 〈…〉 and perswaded to come to this Physitian God 〈◊〉 I will take away your stony hearts and I will 〈◊〉 you hearts of flesh come therefore and 〈…〉 selves to the hammer of God that your stony hearts may be taken away when you 〈◊〉 this Ministers teach then say Lord I beseech 〈◊〉 teach thou mee in the meane time when the Minister perswades then say Lord doe thou over rule and perswade this sinnefull heart of mine take thou away this power of corruptions which is in my heart and remove thou the rebellions of my heart goe home and be exhorted to goe to this Physition and importune the Lord in this case put him in minde of all those many savours which he hath vouchsafed to you put the Lord in remembrance of that which he hath desired in his Word Oh that people had such hearts as would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes say unto the Lord that it is as easie for him to create such hearts in you as to
wish you had such hearts put the Lord in minde of his promise and tell him that hee hath promised that hee will take away their rebellions from his people and that he will give them a new heart and renew a right spirit within them and hee will cause them to walke in his wayes and intreate him for the Lord Iesus Christs sake to make good this promise unto you intreate the Lord to consider what a deale of honour shall redound unto his name if he shall cure your poore soules downe upon your knees and pray to God that he would heale you of this disease and say unto him that thou hast heard he is a mercifull God and that hee will take away the stony heart from his people and beseech him for his mercy sake that hee would take away thy stony heart nay tell him that if hee will cure thee thou wilt helpe him to a great many patients tell him that thou wilt tell thy neighbours of it and exhort them to come unto him that they may be healed by him come close to God and say Father hast thou not desired that people had such hearts as would feare thee and keepe thy Commandements alwayes Hast not thou promised that thou wilt powre cleane water upon thy people and thou wilt take away their stony hearts and give unto them fleshy hearts Say Lord what a great deale of honour thou shalt have hereby I will exhort all that have stony hearts to goe unto thee that they may be cured and therefore for thy promise sake and for the honour of thy names sake I beseech thee to take away my stony heart and give me a heart of flesh Doe thus and you shall 〈◊〉 a great deale of comfort to your poore soules thereby LUKE 19.42 If thou 〈…〉 knowne as least in this thy day the things belonging to thy 〈◊〉 ACcording to our purpose we have proceeded thus farre in the point of preparation wee have spoken of the five generall circumstances thereof the first whereof was this the mercy of God is free secondly a man must will to receive Christ and grace before he shall have Christ and grace thirdly he that doth will Christ truly shall have Christ and salvation by him These three wee have handled out of the 22. of the Revelations the 17. The fourth was that a man by nature cannot receive Christ and grace and that wee handled out of 1 Cor. 2.14 The fift was howsoever a soule by nature cannot receive Christ and salvation yet God will bring the soules of his to prize Christ and approve of him and bee willing to entertaine him and then he will bestow Christ and salvation upon them this wee handled out of Ezek. 11.19 and in this worke of God in the preparing of a soule for himselfe there are two further circumstances to be considered in regard of the time when God will doe this and the first circumstance is in regard of the meanes the second in regard of the men which are to bee wrought upon and so wee have a trouble consideration in regard of the time when God will thus prepare the soule of a poore sinner for himselfe the first is in respect of the meanes and that is this when the Gospel of life and salvation is sent and revealed to a people and continued to a people if ever God worke upon the hearts of men if ever hee meanes to bring people to the knowledge of the things belonging to their peace it is then when the Lord is pleased to send his faithfull Ministers among them discover the meanes of life and salvation â—nto them The second circumstance is in regard of the men that God will work upon some sooner some later some in their young and tender age some in their middle age and in their ripe yeares and some though very few in their old age few are called when they are old God calls some such but very few as wee shall heare hereafter Wee will handle now the circumstance of time in regard of the meanes when God doth purpose good into a man or towne or a country or a kingdome namely when the Lord sends his Gospel among them his faithfull Ministers to discover the meanes of 〈◊〉 unto them and for this purpose I have this 〈◊〉 Text. And first to make way for our selves and then to presse on unto the point we must therefore understand that our Saviour Christ came in the last day of asking as it were to Ierusalem they had had many Priests to teach them and many Prophets to exhort them and a great many of means of life and salvation vouchsafed unto them now when Christ was comming towards the city and saw it a far off and foâ—â— saw also the desolation that should come upon it his bowells yearned within him towards the people and he mourned secretly within himselfe Oh these famous monuments and goodly buildings shall all be layd waste thou hast had many Priests to advise thee and many Prophets to instruct thee in the wayes of life but now those dayes are gone and past Nay the great Prophet of the world Christ Iesus is now come to woe thee to receive the things belonging to thy peace and yet thy heart is hardned and thou will not receive the things belonging to thy peace and therefore now I will turne my preaching into mourning and sighing Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem that thou hadst knowne at least in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes now those golden dayes are gone and the gate of mercy is shut there is no more meanes of grace and salvation offered the Gospell shall never more be vouchsafed unto thee and because thou hast rejected the meanes of salvation offered they shall never more be granted so that now here we have the passing peale of Ierusalem by our Saviour look as it is with a man that is carrying to be buried his wife shee weepes and his children they mourne and his firiends they lament So it is here our Saviour he followes Ierusalem to the grave as it were and when hee could doe no more for it then hee weepes and mournes over it Oh that thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things belonging to thy peace and the exhortation that here Christ presseth upon Ierusalem depends upon three circumstances the first is taken from the nature of the things offered her and revealed unto her they were not matters of trifles but they were things belonging to her peace the second is in regard of the time at least in this thy day as who should say this is the last day of asking the last time that ever these things shall bee offered unto thee and therefore this ought to move thee to give entertainment to the exhortation of thy Saviour The third is in regard of the person Christ Iesus requested this that might have commanded it he intreats and requests it nay with weeping he
this naturall and neare union between sinne and the soule must offer a kind of violence upon the soule otherwise this union could not be parted To speak punctually to every ones capacity I appeale to any here present is it not a violence to pluck a branch from the tree or an arme from the body every man will say you â—â—are and pluck it the arme naturally is knit to the body and the branch naturally growes to the tree our sinnes are as arme to the body and our corruptions as branches to the tree therefore the Lord Iesus when he comes to pluck off these armes and cut off those branches must offer a kind of violence to the soule before this union and combination betweene sinne and the soule will be parted and broken this is the second reason if there be such a naturall neare union betweene sinne and a corrupt heart then if God will pluck corruption from the soule and sever this union he must offer a kind of violence but there is a naturall neere union and league betweene sinne and the soule and therefore the Lord must dissolve this league and breake this union by a kind of violence and constraint The third and last argument is this The third Argument As in regard of that union that is betweene the soule and sinne the soule must by a holy kind of violence be drawn from sinne so also in the second place if wee consider that soveraigne kind of power that sinne hath over the soule and prevaileth within the soule which kind of resistance and soveraign command must be drawne away and removed from the soule we shall see that this cannot be done unlesse there be an almighty hand to work this and offer a kind of conquering and constraining violence upon the soule in this case the soveraigne rule that sinne doth exercise in the soule is such that unlesse the Lord by his almighty hand doth overpower this there is no kind of prevailing in the soule of a sinner in this case now to shew how the Lord Iesus doth overpower the strength of sinne and corruption observe it in two particulars how the Lord Iesus is pleased miraculously to overpower that rule which sinne hath over the soule the first is this The soule of a sinner being wholly possessed with and defiled by corruptions is so farre carried against God that it doth nothing but resist against God it is naturally so farre overwhelmed and possessed with sinne in every kind that it doth nothing but resist nay it can do nothing but resist the work of the spirit it beateth back the work of the spirit that it may not work upon it nor take place in it Ier. 2.31 there saith the text oh generation see yee the word of the Lord have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee as who should say do you think to rule us or do you think that your commands shall take place with us no no our corruptions corruptions are our Lords wee will come at you no more we will neither heare your words nor obey your commands in this kind Secondly when the soule doth nothing but resist when the Lord would work upon the heart when the soule beateth back the work of the Spirit and doth nothing nay can do nothing but resist the Lord Iesus the Lord Iesus then takes away that stony heart he gives us a fleshy heart whereby we may lay hold on the meanes and be fitted to receive the good motions of the Spirit There is an old phrase which Saint Austin propounded in his time and Divines take it up with one consent in this case and that is this that God of an unwilling will doth make a willing will the word being truly interpreâ—ed I desire no more for the work in hand which implyeth a holy kind of violence to be offered thereunto and expressed thereupon before the work can be brought to passe For the opening of the poynt observe these particulars in the sentence before spoken of that I may speak punctually and precisely first the soule of a man naturally is altogether unwilling to receive grace secondly that the Lord doth bring willingnesse out of this unwillingnesse as light out of darknesse thirdly that God must take away this unwillingnesse before he can bring willingnesse into the soule lastly wherein lieth the strength of the poynt the Lord he only must do this unwillingnesse will not destroy it selfe the soule is altogether corrupt corruption will not destroy it selfe and therefore there is nothing else in the soule of a sinner but only the Almighty hand of God and his conquering power that must take away this unwillingnesse and put willingnesse into the soule The Text saith in the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4.6 that God bringeth light out of darknesse how must he do this why he must first destroy darknesse before he can bring light out of it for one contrary cannot make up another both remaining but darknesse must be destroyed before light can be brought forth So it is with the soule God brings willingnesse out of unwillingnesse first therefore he must destroy this unwillingnesse he must destroy that darknesse that is in the soule before he can bring willingnesse and light to the soule he must conquer that resistance against the Spirit which is in the soule before he can make it plyable and frameable to his owne will and pleasure It is a pretty passage Acts 9. there Paul went into the field against Christ and pitched a combate betweene Christ and him he had gotten letters from the Synagogue of Damascus and hee was resolutely bent to kill and slay all poore Christians when he came the Lord Iesus met him by the way and there was a fight betweene the Lord and Paul and in all reason he was resolved to fight against God to try it out to the last now the Lord met him and the battell was fought and the Lord Christ overcame him and what followeth instead of fierce resisting the Lord hee comes to submit himselfe humbly to the Lord he doth not only put off the act of resisting but the will of resisting also as we may see vers 6. there saith the text he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me for to doe Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith the Lord it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Why Lord saith he what wilt thou have me to do Paul was not willing to take up his owne heart for that was madd against the Lord but he did submit himselfe and his will unto Christ Briefly then to gather up the point if it be so that the Lord doth destroy and bind and conquer Satan if the Lord break that naturall union and combination that is betweene sinne and the soule if it be so that the Lord by his almighty power and conquering hand doth overcome the power of sinne in the
hath over those sins is much more forcible though thy sturdy heart will not come off though thou hast no desire to leave thy corruptions though thou hast not put off the will of sinning yet God can take it away and make way for the power of his spirit to take place in thy heart Acts 16.24 we shall observe this in the Iaylor he was a proud sturdy dogged cruell hearted man when the Magistrates commanded him to put Paul and Silas into prison hee went further than his commission and put them into the inner Prison and made their feet fast in the stocks oh thought hee now I have gotten these nice factions fellowes into my hands I will punish them soundly Now at midnight Paul and Silas sang praises unto God and then suddenly there was an exceeding great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doores were opened and every ones bands were loosed the doores flew open the prison shooke and the earth shooke God exercised his power upon the creatures and made them shake and yet the Iaylor stood still all this while and stirred not though he were a Iaylor now to the Apostles yet the Devill was a Iaylor to him also he was under the jayle of his sinnes his sturdy heart would not awaken all this while but at last the Iaylor hee shooke also and seeing the prison doores open pulled out his sword and would have killed himselfe supposing that the prisoners had fled but Paul cryed with a loud voyce saying doe thy selfe no harme for wee are all here and then hee called for a light and sprang in sayth the text and came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas he now saw all that pride and stubbornnesse of his whereby he handled the Apostles so basely and now he brought them out and sayd Sirs what must I doe to bee saved hee now bathed their wounds and set bread before them and dealt kindly with them and thus we see when the Lord commeth for a sinner he maketh the prison shake and the earth shake the doores shake the yron bolts shake and at last he makes the heart shake also it is not the doore that I care for nor the prison that I care for nor the earth only that I will make to shake but it is the jaylor that I will shake also it is the Iaylor that I come for the Iaylor I will have and so hee had indeed in conclusion thy corruptions are not so powerfull but the Lord will bee more powerfull to pluck thy heart from them unto himselfe The third thing that hinders a poore sinner in this case is in respect of disgrace other opposition that hee shall meet withall in a Christian course I could be content saith he to take a better course and leade a new life and become a Christian but I see how disgrace will be cast upon me and opposition be made against me and this knocks me off I am not able to suffer it and to beare it are you not so the Lord will make you able to beare it before he hath done with you you feare wild-fire do you God will make you feele hell fire before he hath done you will goe against conscience you will displease God before you will displease man wil you wel you feare man now the face of man this is but wildfire but God will send hell fire into your hearts one day he will send the horrour of conscience into your soules then you will say rather disgrace here than damnation for ever hereafter I will rather goe to hell than to sinne I will rather offend all the world then God gather up your selves therefore if God at any time hath opened your eyes though Satan pursue you and though corruptions presse upon you yet cheere your selves God in mercy will looke upon you Esa 43.6 there when the Lord commeth to gather his people together hee saith that hee will bring them from the East and gather them from the West he will call to the North give up and to the South keepe not back bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the end of the earth hee sayth the earth shall give account and yeeld up her dead the sea that also shall yeeld up her dead why God can make the divell yeeld up a wretched man as well as the earth give up a dead man God will say I must have a sinner divell and therefore deliver up thy prisoner God will draw thy heart out of the power of sinne and dominion of Satan though thou canst not tell how yet God is able to give thee a will of yeelding unto him and so much for the comfort of those that are unconverted there is hope that God will do you good bee your sinnes what they will bee now those that are converted and those that are in the state of grace this is a ground of strong comfort unto them that they shall prevaile against all sinnes for after times by the power of that God that hath given them victory over their sinnes in former times they may say did the Lord give me power over my sinnes when I loved them and will hee not give me power to resist them now when I have desire to forsake them it cannot bee hee that offered favour to thee when thou didst refuse it hee cannot but give favour to thee when thou beggest it at his hands and this shall suffice for that matter Vse 5 The fifth use is an use of exhortation to all Gods people is this the cord that God taketh to pluck a soule from corruption to himselfe namely by a holy kind of violence why what will you do then you that professe your selves to feare God and that say you are the children of God must not children imitate their father doth God deale thus with poore sinners then do you so likewise this is the course that God takes and this ought to be a coppy and pattern to you in the meane time as you are the Elect people of God to put on the bowels of mercy and compassion towards your brethren if ever mercy here it ought to be expressed and discovered if ever God shewed mercy to thy soule shew thou the like mercy to thy brethren did the Lord ever shew compassion unto thee shew thou the like compassion unto them did the Lord ever awaken thy eyes or humble thy heart did the Lord offer his favours to thee still calling still exhorting and perswading of you you that are the Elect people of God if ever God shewed any goodnesse unto you shew the same goodnesse mercy and compassion to your fellow brethren and therefore as God hath dealt with you and as hee doth deale with sinners let it bee your honours and your resolutions to deale answerably to God so saith the Prophet David I will reveale thy way to the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee oh blessed
almost impossible he is not yet come to that ripenesse of judgement but when he comes to the ripenesse of his yeares from 20. years untill he come to be 40. or thereabouts then the workes of reason put forth themselves then his apprehension is quick to conceive a thing and his memory is strong and pregnant to retaine a thing apprehended and his heart is somewhat plyable and his heart is somewhat frameable to receive that impression that is put upon him now because in a mans middle yeares abilitie of nature comes on and reason comes on insomuch that a man is able to conceive and partake of the things of grace and fadom them and the power of his understanding comes on whereby he is able to embrace them therefore then is the fittest time that God should bestow his graces upon a man looke as it is with waxe if a man melt it it will be too soft to hold any impression and when it is too hard it will receive no seale neither but when it is neither too soft nor too hand but in a middle temper betweene them both then it is fit and ready to receive any impression whatsoever a man stampes upon it it must neither be too extremely hot nor too hard but mediatly disposed and then it will receive a seale so it is with the nature of a man in his tender yeares hee can hold nothing he hath such a weake understanding tell a child of the wonders of salvation and it is impossible unlesse God workes wonderfully that hee should receive them a mans nature in his infancie is like wax that is too soft and the nature of an old man that also is like wax too hard but now a middle aged man is neither so weake as the one nor so hard as the other but it is most fit for God to put a stamp upon for his heart is then most plyable to receive the things of grace and his affections are then most frameable to the minde of the Lord. Secondly as this is the fittest time for God to worke upon a man in regard of the constitution of his body so also in regard of corruption because a young man that is come to the strength of his yeares his minde will be sooner informed and his judgement sooner convinced in regard of those corruptions that are in him because hee hath not continued long in any base course therefore hee is most easy to bee wrought upon but when a man is growne old in wickednesse when his soule as his body begins to buckle under the sinnes of his younger yeares when the heart is hardned and the conscience seared in wickednesse then it is desperately hard it is a mervelous miracle for the meanes of salvation to take place in such a man wee see it is marvelous hard to drive a naile into an old knotty snarly post especially when it is weatherbeaten and seasoned and clung together It is no wonder that we spend our hearts and can doe no good for those that have beene old weatherbeaten sinners knotty snarly stubborne rebellious hearts a man were as good speak to the seats where they sit and to the walls as to the hearts of them it is marvelous hard to bring any thing home to the affections of such men they will not away from their old corruptions their hearts are rivited to their old lusts and corruptions and therefore they will not entertaine that which may doe good unto them if a man will transplant a tree he doth not take an old withered rotten tree that is not fit to bee transplanted but hee takes a young tender twigge and transplants it so it is here those old trees old sinners that are withering dying and decaying such are of the Leapers spots and Blackamoores hue they that are setled in their corruptions and resolve to take up their old courses now they are too old to learne thus long they have lived and if they be now stubborne they will be so ever if they be now peevish and malicious they will be so ever if they be now covetous they will be so ever they will not entertaine they will not partake of those things which God hath appointed for their good The third and last argument is in regard of grace it selfe it is very convenient and reasonable that God should bestow grace upon those that are in their middle age rather than upon those that are in their tender yeares or in their old age if we consider the end of the giving of grace for what is the end of grace and why doth God give a man grace and frame his heart so that he may be fitted to partake of happinesse but that the Lord hereby might receive the praise and glory of the riches of his grace That they which have it may expresse the power of God that hath called them out of darkenesse into marvellous light the Lord is pleased to shew this favour towards them that they might shew forth what God hath done to their poore soules as the Prophet David doth now this middle age of a man is the fittest time wherein grace may receive most glory and God most honour in regard of the giving of it for grace when it commeth to nature doth not destroy it but perfect it it doth not take away the naturall parts as learning knowledge and courage and the like but rectifieth them and turneth them the right way as for example he that had a strong memory or a sharpe wit or a great courage and a violent affection God preserveth and keepeth those still but when grace comes God turneth them the right way and maketh him a fit instrument to set forth his glory that before was a great enemy to the same and therefore it is said that Paul was a chosen vessell for the Lord and why because Saul was a man of great learning fiery zeale fervent love and undanted courage and therefore when he persecuted the Church it is said that hee breathed forth persecutions he got him a good Steed got letters from Damascus haled all poore Christians to prison where he came but when grace came the Lord did still retaine the naturall power of zeale love courage and learning the Lord did retaine all these that tongue that before spake against God is now fitted to confute the adversary hee convinced them mightily saith the text that courage whereby he before was carried against Gods Saints is now fitted to suffer persecution imprisonment and disgrace for his names sake and therefore in all reason it was fittest that the Lord should take Paul in the middle of those yeares that he might employ him to the furtherance of his praise that had before beene a great hinderance to his Gospell It is said by the Apostle Paul that the members of a godly mans body and the faculties of his soule are weapons of righteousnesse a gracious tongue will speake those things which may be for Gods praise and the
Vse III. It is of Exhortation to labour to get out of thy naturall estate p. 119. The meanes p. 121 EZECH 11.19 Doct. THe taking away of the indisposition of the soule to any good duty and the fitting of a soule to performe any spirituall service is the alone worke of God p. 132 The Reasons why the Lord onely can doe it vid. p. 135 Vse I. It is an use of Instruction to shew you that this worke of preparing a sinner to entertaine Christ it is a worke of marvellous difficultie p. 145 Vse II. It is a ground of comfort to support the hearts of those that are hard hearted p. 147 Vse III. It is of exhortation to those that carry a stonie heart about them to have recourse to God p. 149 LVKE 19.42 Doct. THat while life is continued and the meanes of grace afforded to a people is the season wherein God meaneth to worke the heart to receive life and salvation p. 160 Vse I. Instruction to be thankefull to the Lord for the enjoyment of the meanes of salvation p. 168 Vse II. Exhortation to pitty the estate of such men that neglect the meanes of salvation p. 185 MATTH 20.3 4 5 6. Doct. THat God can and doth call in all ages some in their younger some in their riper some in their old age p. 192 FINIS PREPARING FOR CHRIST Iohn 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day FOr the application of the merits and obedience of Christ Iesus to the soule of a poore sinner and for the enjoying of the same there are two things mainly observable First the soule must be prepared for the Lord Iesus and secondly it must be ingrafted and implanted into Christ Iesus before it can be made partaker of the saving grace and salvation in Christ contained and from Christ communicated to those that love and feare his name Now concerning this great work of preparation wherein is the 〈◊〉 of a Christian for if the heart bee but prepared the Lord will then suddenly come into his Temple as the Prophet Malachy speakes Now this preparation consists of two parts First the dispensation of Gods gracious work upon the soule of a poore sinner Secondly the frame and disposition that God works upon the soule in converting it to himselfe Vpon these two hangs the maine work of preparation and herein lyeth the great drift of a Christian for the mercy of God is very free but we cannot make men fit to receive this mercy And therefore in preparation hereunto wee must apprehend two things somewhat must prepare secondly somewhat must be prepared he that doth prepare is the Lord he that doth receive the work and is prepared is the soules of those whom God hath elected to salvation So that as I said before something on Gods part must bee observed something on mans part must be considered on Gods part the dispensation of his work and on mans part the disposition that is wrought in the soule I come â—o the first thing which is the maine thing to be 〈◊〉 out of the Text namely the manner 〈◊〉 God worketh upon the soule when hee prepares 〈…〉 himselfe and this discovereth it selfe in two particulars we will handle them both together 〈◊〉 God doth pluck a poore sinner from his corruptions and darling sinnes to which he was glued and fastned and secondly as he draweth the soule from sinne so he draweth it to himselfe to beleeve in him and to receive mercy from him First God plucks the soule from sinne secondly he drawes it to the Lord Iesus And for this purpose wee have chosen this text that so we may have some footing for that which we speak out of Scripture and my purpose is not to handle all particulars in the Text which are many but to choose those that do concerne our present purpose and best fit us in our proceeding And the two maine points which I meane to discover out of the Text are these First that every man in his naturall condition is fastened and settled in the state of sinne and corruption Secondly that the Lord by a holy kind of violence plucks off the soule from sin and draweth it to himselfe These are the two things which in the Text I aime at but the second is the main thing I look at we must handle them both because the drawing of a thing from another implyeth that the thing which is drawn was fastned to some thing from whence it is to be drawne and therefore when the Lord saith he will draw a poore sinner to himselfe it implyes that wee were stuck fast and glued to our corruptions from whence we must be drawne and when this is once done then the face is towards heaven towards Zion then it is fitted to receive mercy from the Lord Iesus and because this drawing unto God doth imply a fastning of the soule unto sinne from whence it must be drawne the point therefore is this namely that every mans naturall estate and condition is fastned and settled and riveted to his sinnes and corruptions a poore creature by nature is not onely ingrafted into sinne but he is rooted into the rebellions of Adam and is growne strong with sinfull corruptions and distempers of his owne soule nay a man is not able to expresse the strong combination betweene sinne and the soule it is scrued into sinne and riveted into corruptions which have beene convaied thereunto and derived from our first parents and that the soâ—â—le is thus fastned and settled and glued to sinne wee may observe it in two particulars Partly in the dominion that sinne and Satan hath over the soule Partly in the amity that the soule hath to sinne First then consider the dominion that sinne hath over the soule that soveraigne and uncontroulable command which sinne exerciseth over the soule of every poore creature under heaven which is in a naturall estate in the bond of iniquity and under the power of Satan and we shall see that the soule is fastened to sinne Acts 26.18 the text saith that they are under the power of Satan To open their eyes saith the text that they may turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God If you aske me how the Devill hath power over poore sinners the Apostle telleth you That he catcheth them at his pleasure the proud man must go no further than he will and the covetous man must do nothing but that which he list but this is not all neither though this be sufficient to discover the power that Satan hath over the soule of a sinner but when hee hath thus taken a poore soule and fettered him in this case he then shuts him up in prison Tim. 2.2.26 there the next saith that the divell takes poore sinners prisoners at his will Gal. 3.22 it is said that all men by nature are under the law shut up under sinne it
glued and fastened to sinne and corruption The next poynt considerable is this who it is that must deliver the soule from the bondage of sinne and Satan and pluck it from sinneâ— a man cannot do this of himselfe it is the Lords own work that must bring it to passe for so saith the text no man commeth to mee except the father draweth him it is he that must do the deed The poynt is this the Lord by a holy kind of violence doth pluck the hearts of sinners from sinne unto himselfe this is the scope of the text and this is the ayme of our Saviour in the versel and this is the work on Gods part considerable for as we have heard before we must observe two things in preparation First Gods act upon the soule Secondly the frame and disposition that is wrought in the soule by God The act of God is a drawing of the soule by an holy kind of violence from sinne unto himselfe I will not here speak of the inability of the soule or that God is the author of this work for these I have handled before out of that place Ezech. 11.19 it is God that taketh away the stony heart and giveth a heart of flesh we will only now speak of the dispensation of the work of God of the manner how God prepares a sinner for himselfe and the text saith he doth it by drawing he doth by a holy kind of violence draw the soule from corruptions and sinnefull courses unto himselfe and I will handle both these together the plucking of the soule from finne and drawing of it to God because they are both made up together by one action and motion as for example look as it is with a man that rends one peece of wood from another as he plucks the one peece from the other so he drawes that which he plucks to himselfe he doth not only draw it from the other but he drawes that part neerer to himselfe so that both are made up by one action and operation and so it is here the plucking of a sinner from corruption and drawing of him to God both these are acted by God at once and therefore I will handle them both together only observe there must be such a kind of thing as this is before God will take possession of the soule namely there must be a severing of the soule from sinne and a drawing of it to God look as it is with a mans body if any part thereof be out of joynt or broken before this part can be jonted aright againe haply there is some filth some moyst humours about it or haply there is some dead flesh in it now this dead flesh must be taken away and the filth and ill humours must be removed before that part can be set in its right place againe so it must be with the soules of Gods servants every soule by sinne is unjoynted and wholly removed from God the soule indeed was made for God and should have closed with him and fastened upon him but by reason of sinne the soule is quite broken now before the soule can be made fit for God before it can be put into a right frame all that noysome corruption that is in it and those base lusts that hang upon it the soule must be freed from these before God can work upon it or that receive mercy and salvation from God before it can performe any good duty and this is done by drawing the Lord by a holy kind of violence doth pluck the soule from those sinnes that harbour in it and those distempers that presse upon it and then he drawes it unto himselfe And for the opening of this we must consider three things First what the nature of this drawing is what is meant hereby Secondly the meanes how and whereby God commeth to draw a poore sinner from sinne to himselfe Thirdly the arguments why God must thus draw with a holy kind of violence and that God may do this without any prejudice at all to the will First what the nature of this drawing is and we must understand that there is a double kind of drawing in Scripture this word implyeth a double sense in the phrase of Scripture a there is first a morall kind of drawing it is a word used by Divines but that I may speak to the capacity of all I will terme it an outward or an externall kind of drawing which is this when a man by reasons propounded and good things offered to the understanding and the will comes thereby to have his mind enlightned and his will moved and perswaded to embrace and give entertaynment to the things offered and observe in this two things first that it is only outward in regard of the subject secondly that it putteth nothing into the heart but stirreth up that which is in the heart already there is nothing but objects offered and arguments propounded to perswade the soule to the love and liking of the thing offered and this is usuall in Scripture and it is said to bee a compelling of a man it propounds arguments to the soule and so brings on the soule to the affecting of any thing in the 16 of the Acts 15. it is said of Lydia after shee was converted her soule clave to the holy man Paul and she besought them saying If you have judged me to bee faithfull to the Lord abide in my house and then saith the text she constrayned us shee laid such hookes upon them that shee constrayned them how is this shee layd no violent hands upon them no but shee used arguments that were so forcible and reasons that were so pithy that she perswaded the Apostle Paul and those that were with him to yeeld unto her request if you have judged me faithfull come into my house as if shee had sayd if you beleeve that I have received the grace of God by you if ever you meanes to receive any comfort from the blessing of God upon the worke wrought in me by your meanes if you think that my soule hath been made partaker of any good from you come then in unto my house and abide with me now unlesse Paul would have denyed his owne work which God by his grace had shewed him he must yeeld unto her and come in and therefore the text saith that shee constrayned him that is shee did by arguments and reasons propounded unto him perswade him to grant her request so in the 22 of Matt. it is sayd that the King when he had made a great feast and those that were bidden would not come he bids his servants go out into the high wayes and compell men to come in there is nothing meant there but this morall outward drawing by strength of arguments when by arguments propounded we draw and perswade men to do that we would have them performe but this is not meant here in the text and I prove it thus because it is not the purpose of our Saviour Christ
ever he meane to come to heaven and this is the first meanes when the soule of a sinner is inlightned and his mind informed that he is in a wrong course and that he must take a better course or else he shall never come at heaven and this the Lord doth suddenly the sinner not perceiving of it the Lord setteth a sudden flash upon his soule and telleth him that he is going unto hell the soule presently wonders at this and marvels how it came to passe Esay 66.1 there saith the text I am sought of them that asked not for mee and I am found of them that sought mee not the Lord putteth a sudden light into soules of men which they never dreamed of Hypocrites if they can but goe to Church and sit in the Church as Gods servants do and leane on their elbowes and heare as Gods people do then all is well with them but as many of them as belong to God God will discover unto them that they are in a wrong way and he will shew and reveale another way unto them which they never dreamed of and therefore this is that we shall observe haply we shall see a man come riding into a town on a Sabboth day and when he comes there hee seeth the people going to Church well perhaps then he sets up his horse at the Inne and goes into the Church for a custome and for company sake and when he is in the Church he goes into a seat and sets down his staffe and sits down and attends the Minister and never thinks of any thing well at last the Lord sends a light into his soule and telleth him thou art now riding about thy own worldly businesse when thoushouldst be in sanctifying of my Sabboth I tell thee my friend thou art in a wrong way thou takest a naughty course thou dost wickedly and if thou continuest and goest on in this course thou wilt never come at heaven And this the Lord doth on a sudden when a man never so much as thought of any such matter And after a man is thus enlightned he will be ready to say the truth is heretofore I went to heare the word but for customes sake but when I least dreamed of any such thing it pleased the Lord blessed be his name to reveale such things unto mee as I before never knew he told mee that which sticketh upon mee to this present houre he discovered that unto mee which I hope I shall carry with me unto my grave this is that we may observe in the 9. of the Acts Paul there was running on in a resolute-course he had gotten letters at Damascus and purposed to make havock of all poore Christians where he came now while he was in his journey the Lord met him from heaven and cryed unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee as he if had said this is not the way to heaven you think to persecute my poore Saints but Saul Saul I tell thee this is not the way thou takest a wrong course he called unto him as a man would call after one that is running out of his right way into some wildernesse or dangerous place And when Saul heard this he presently fell off his horse and humbled himselfe and said Lord what wilt thou that I do and so Luke 15.4 the text saith that the shepherd that had lost his sheep left his ninty and nine and went into the wildernesse to seek that which was lost and if he had not gone to seek the sheep the sheep would never have sought him alas the poore sheep was gone astray and bewilderd and if the shepheard had not followed it and sought after it that would never have found the sheepheard nay to go further many a man goeth to the word and heareth it for nothing else but to carp at the Minister and yet the Lord hath caught many such men also and hath put such a light into their hearts that he hath made them know that they were in a wrong way and mark when the Lord hath let in this light then the soule begins to be at a stand and thinks with himselfe surely if this be the right way I am in the wrong if the Minister saith true then I am not right but then sometimes the heart would put out this light it would not be informed and perswaded if the Minister tels a man that he must sanctifie Gods Sabboths here or else he shall never sanctifie a Sabboth unto him in heaven hereafter when the Minister saith that unlesse God humble us here he will break us in peeces in hell hereafter loath a man is to know this and be informed of this because hee would not be offended by this and provoked to performe this but though a sinner would shift off this yet the Lord will not leave him but will still pursue him and lay reasons upon him unanswerable the soule would fain play tricks with the Lord in this case and put out this light but God will reveale to the soule of a sinner that these things are certainly true God will lay hold upon the understanding of a poore sinner and follow him with reasons that are undeniable untill his reason shall yeeld and his understanding give verdit to that which the Lord reveales untill hee sayes I confesse Lord it is true I yeeld full assent thereto Thus the Lord knocketh at the doore or heart of a poore sinner and not only so but lifts up the latch and opens the doore of a mans heart and letteth in the light and this is the first course that God useth 2 2. The second is this after that the Lord hath thus enlightened the minde and let in the light of his spirit into the heart of a sinner and though a man would defeat the power of it yet God still followeth him with forceable arguments untill the understanding is setled and reason answered after the Lord hath done this then the second cord wherewith God draweth sinners unto himselfe is a cord of mercy whereby the Lord doth compasse a poore sinner about with kindnesse goodnesse and compassion Hos 11.4 there saith the Lord I taught Ephraim to goe taking them by the armes I drew them with the cords of love and with the bonds of a man This same cord of Gods mercy is a cable rope the abundant riches of Gods mercy is a great thick cable and we will tell you of what it is twisted it makes known it selfe in foure particulars if the illumination that God sends into the heart will not bee able to perswade the heart though it answers all objections pursueth it with arguments undeniable why then the Lord will draw us with the cord of his mercy and this great cable of Gods goodnesse is made up of foure cords First First Cord. the Lord revealed himselfe to be ready to receive and willing and easie to entertayne poore sinners when they come unto him Esay 55.7 there saith
I had never heard of mercy if I had not lived under the Gospell and the meanes of salvation oh then I had been a happy man in comparison alas it is mercy that I have neglected it is the glad tidings of salvation which I have contemned how shall I then be saved if the meanes of salvation have thus been slighted by mee if I had never opposed grace grace might now have helped mee if I had not despised mercy mercy might now have succourd mee but this is my plague this is my woe all the kindnesse that God shewed to mee and all the mercy that God hath revealed and offered I have despised and refused many a knock hath God given at my heart and many a rap at my soule the Lord hath even wept over mee as he did over Ierusalem oh that thou hadst known the things belonging to thy peace the Lord came kindly and wooed mee lovingly oh the perswasions of the Lord and commands of conscience that I have had and yet after all perswasions and horror and commands what yet proud still what yet covetous still and prophane still why then surely there is no mercy to be looked for no grace to be expected and therefore certainly to hell I must go and then he riseth and will be gone to hell all that are about him cannot hold him but then the Minister haply further replyes the truth of it is you have done thus but do you think so still would you do so still if you were out of this perplexity is it good now to be drunk is it good now to commit adultery is it good now to blaspheme is it good now to contemne Gods ordinances would you now rayle on Gods Saints and despise Gods truth prophane Gods Sabbaths would you now do these things oh no no saith he I now find what the end of those wretched courses will be the word of God could not prevayle with me the Minister could not perswade me therefore now I shal perish I shall be damned for these abominations which I have committed there is no remedy if ever man shall be danmed it is I if ever man go downe to hell surely it is I nay hell is too good for mee oh the good Sermons that I have heard the Minister hath spoken home oftentimes to my conscience the very flames of hell have been flashed in my face the Minister would often have spent his bloud that he might doe good to my poore soule and yet I despised the word and scorned the Minister and mocked those whom conscience vexed saying What you are a man of conscience are you you dare not sinne your conscience will not suffer you what are you such a foole to be ruled by your conscience and therefore God hath justly let my conscience loose upon me now I know to my woe that I have a conscience the worme that never dieth gnaweth my heart and rends and plucks my soule in peeces woe woe be unto mee that ever I snufled my conscience that ever I put out the light of conscience for therefore is it that my conscience is now thus tearing of my heart and terrifying of my soule here and therefore it is that I shall for ever perish hereafter But then the Minister he replyes yet further aye the truth is you have done thus but you will not yet forsake your sinnes and abandon your corruptions will you still be drunk and riotous will you still be proud will you still sweare and curse and blaspheme if you will part with these sins and take mercy in stead of these why yet there is hope Then the poore soule cryes out now the Lord for his mercyes sake remove these sinnes from mee oh I never had so much delight in my sinnes heretofore as now I have woe and misery and vexation for them Why here is a cup for a drunkard indeed here is a cup for a whore indeed here is a cup for a blasphemer indeed if every sinners cup were filled thus brim full of Gods wrath never any man would take any joy in be ing drunk more never would any man take any deligt in chambring and wantonnesse more but then the poore soule sayes further oh but it is not in my power to help my soule but if it will but please the Lord to do good unto my poore soule let him do what he will with it What faith the Minister you are then willing and content to part with your sinnes a yes yes saith the poore soule I will rather offend all the world than God I had as leiffe go to hell as to the committing of any sinnefull practise well saith the Minister if it be so it is well but do you speak this from your heart yes faith the poore soule if it would please God to help me I would forsake my sins with all my heart Why now the poore soule is comming againe and God is haling of him aside againe from his corruptions and sinfull distempers This is that we shall observe Hos 2.6 there saith the text behold I will hedge up the way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her pathes and she shall follow after her lovers but she shall not overtake them she shall seek them but she shall not find them then shall she say I will go and return to my first husband for it was better with mee then than it is now The Lord at last teares the soule and rends the heart from sinfull distempers and then the soule thinketh oh there is not that pleasure in sinne as I have formerly thought there was the soule then hateth drunkennesse as death he is not able to look upon his adulteresse queane he is not able to abide the house where he committed the folly his heart beginnes to tremble at it And therefore mark the next and last cord I should have added more to the former poynt out of Psal 88.16 there saith David thy fierce wrath is gone over mee and thy terrours have cut mee off thine arrowes stick fast in mee how ever David before had shook off the commands and accusations of conscience though these would not draw him to God yet now the Lords arrowes stuck fast in him he could not pluck them out nor cast them off for his life The last cord is the cord of the Spirit the Lord by the almighty power of his spirit when the soule is thus loosened he then fully plucks it to himselfe never againe to be sodered and closed unto corruptions with an almighty hand he cuts the soule off from sinne and takes it into his own hand that it may never be mustered by sinne and Satan any more as it was formerly Look as it is with a graft a man must pluck it by force from one stock before he can plant it upon another so the Lord by the spirit of power doth rend the soule from sinne and ingrafteth it into Christ and now the soule purposeth never
beene enlightned the child happily replyeth alas father when I knew no other I must confesse I did no better but when the Lord hath once given us the truth let us walke in it I must follow the example of no man in this kind the Minister told me that there was no expectation of mercy unlesse I turned from my sinnes the text was plaine and the Minister said that we must walk in Gods Commandements here if ever we meane to reigne with him in glory hereafter Oh then saith the father I would the Minister had beene farre enough off when hee put this into your head and if hee see that this will not prevaile with the child then hee sets another upon him hee sends his carnall friends after him he sets a carnall gospeller one that hath beene twice dead and pluckt up by the roots as Saint Iude speakes upon him Iude 12. and he bids him see what he can do in this case and then he comes and closeth with him with all the carnall counsell and wicked devices that can bee invented and marke how he sets upon him Friend saith he I heare you attend upon the Ministery of the Gospell I am very glad to heare it but yet be wary and wise though too much is too much in this case your head is not yet gray if you had had the experience that I have you would then perhaps know as much as I know be wise I say in this kind but I pray understand me aright I do not speak against holinesse all this while I beseech you do not mistake me so for I am glad with all my heart that there is such a change wrought in you and that you take up such a good course but this is that I say Be religious and wise both together blessed be God my friend we have a glorious Church many wise men and yet they require not so much and they performe not so much they will drink and bee merry and why should you exact more than these wise men aye but replyeth the child I cannot tell what wise men say and what they do I must not do as they do but as God commands the Text saith Be yee holy as I am holy and bee yee pure as Christ is pure 1. Ioh. 3.3 can a man be more holy than Christ can a man be more pure than Christ in this case I know not what men do but I am sure the word gives no such allowance and now they think the matter is past hope when carnall counsell cannot prevaile nor cursed devices take place then they think the matter is past cure and therefore they pursue him with deadly indignation they put such taunts upon him and follow him with such scoffes that the heart of the poore creature is even wearied and tyred and so departs from his God and all good courses and so hee falls into wicked courses againe and runnes downe headlong into hell And this is one cord which the wicked the devills factors lay upon a poore sinner to pluck him from God you that are guilty of this you must see into these things and be humbled for this or else you must look to suffer that judgement which is due to the commission of this sinne you must know you go professely against the Lord and therefore you must needs bee in a miserable condition Secondly if this cord be broken then the Lord hath another cord the Lord makes a sinner apprehend the mercy of God hee heares the Minister how he speaks of Gods wonderfull love and goodnesse in that he will not only accept poore sinners and entertaine them when they come but command them to come and not only so but intreates and beseeches them to come and receive mercy from him nay hee waites for our amendment and cryes out oh when will it once bee and when a poore sinner heares this this even melts his heart and he resolves never to follow his sinnes more and then he comes home and tells his father or his master what wonderfull goodnesse God hath beene pleased to make knowne unto him I saith hee could not have thought so much I could not have conceived so much what that God should stoope to man and majesty to misery that God should not only offer grace and give a sinner leave to take grace but that God should follow such a wretch as I am with mercy and intreat mee to bee saved what admirable and wonderfull goodnesse is this Father or master shall I be so unnaturall as to neglect this mercy and kindnesse oh let it never bee for the Lord Iesus sake Thus the father or the master seeth his child or his servant going away from his evill courses which he had formerly taken up the father feeles which way the child is going and he followes after him amaine and labours to pluck away this cord with another and therefore thus he answereth It is true indeed there is a great deale of mercy endlesse boundlesse mercy with the Lord therefore let us make use of this mercy sonne and let us take this goodnesse servant in this case the Lord will not onely provide for the good of our soules but for the good of our bodies also as the Lord requireth that wee should performe service to him so hee requireth also that we should have a care of our owne estates and therefore take heed of growing into too nice a course bee not too extreame this way for the Lord doth not require such exactnesse of you that thereby you should impoverish your estate beware therefore of too much precisenesse I say lest you bring thereby disgrace to your selfe and dammage to your estate and hazzard to your life the Lord promiseth to prosper whatsoever wee take in hand and therefore this nice course is not that which God requireth and by this means the poore child or servant is daunted and deluded and so falls off from his good purposes and resolutions Thus those two cords are broken the Lord hath yet a third cord and that is the cord of conscience which hee layes upon a man and that commands him to take heed of his corruptions and tells him he was wont to be gibing at Gods servants but take heed of these things all at the last day must bee brought to light now this makes the soule at a stand and then the man saith the word of God came home to my conscience for I have beene a drunkard and an adulterer and a swearer oh I saw the fearefull estate of those men the Minister came effectually home to my conscience and told mee what a miserable wretched condition I should be in if I continued in my former wicked courses Now marke the cord that they lay to draw this away they lay a disgrace and contempt upon conscience when say they did you take notice of your conscience will you be one of our tender conscienced people what your conscience troubled you did it what will you be
acquaintance together saith the Text and then he saith to Peter we are all here present-before thee to heare all things that are commanded thee of God and it was that passage Ezech. 33.3 there the people speake one to another saying Come let us goe up to the house of the Lord and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord mark how they call one another together and rap at one anothers doore thus do you counsell men to come unto the Lord and heare his word they will never come under the power of the hammer else that they may bee stricken hale them and draw them to the ministery of the word that so what you cannot do privately that the word may do in publick Ioh. 5.4 there was an Angell went downe at a cortaine time into the poole of Bethesda and troubled the waters then whosoever first stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had now there lay a poore lame man at the brinke of the waters and because he was not able to step in every one stepped in before him and no man would help him mark how hee complaineth in the seventh verse I have no man saith he when the water is troubled to put me into the poole but while I am comming another steppeth downe before me he would faine have got in bâ— could not the word of God is like this poole of Bethesda when the word of God is opened and plainly and familiarly discovered when the spirit moveth upon the waters why put a poore soule into the water fling the soule of your child or your servant or your friend into the poole perswade what you may and compell those that are under you to come unto the word of God wheÌ„ the word of God is soundly revealed delivered why put a poore soule into the waters such a man hath a lame heart hee is lame in his practise and lame in his praying and lame in the performance of holy duties he is a cripple from his cradle why bring such of your neighbours and put them into the water and intreat the Lord to work upon them that the Angell may move from heaven and work conversion and salvation to the soules of them secondly as you must labour to bring them under the power of the word so secondly when God hath made knowne his word to the hearts of them follow you the blow as much as in you lyeth if there bee any exhortation settle it if there be any admonition presse it if there be any reproofe apply it home unto their soules strike thou while the iron is hot if thy child were touched and inlightned by the word when the Lord hath strucken his heart follow thou the blow when the Lord is pleased to smite his soule bring thou the blow home unto the heart of him remember that Deut. 6.7 there saith the Text these words which I command thee shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children the word in the originall is thou shalt sharpen them thou shalt teach them that is thou shalt sharpen them upon the soules of thy children and upon the soules of thy servants the Ministers do what they can and you heare reproofes and exhortations and when you go out of the Church leave them in your stooles behind you but you should sharpen them and bring them home to the hearts of your wives and your children and servants and they that belong unto you you should follow the blow home when the Lord is pleased to exhort exhort you when the Lord is pleased to reprove reprove you it is no great matter haply to bring your children or servants under the word but when they are here they play and sport and talk and runne about as though there were no God here and therefore you should tell your children and servants it is the word of the Lord child and it is the word of the Lord servant it is not the word of man as you may think but it is the word of the Lord by which you shall one day be judged the Minister told you that God hateth a proud man and and a drunkard and an adulterer and a swearer why this was the word of the Lord thus bring the word home unto their soules and this is the way to bring them home unto God here that they may receive salvation hereafter we should use all the cords of mercy and love and anger and indignatioÌ„n that so if it were possible we might hale the soules of poore sinners to God oh blessed spirit of Saint Paul in this kind I wonder what is become of that love zeale that was in him as we may see in the 19. of the Acts he travells from place to place froÌ„ countrey to countrey he goes from house to house and rappes at every mans doore perswading men with all patience to be reconciled to God he dealeth as the nurse doth with her child the child cries and shrâ—ikes and wrawles and yet the nurse beares all so doth the Apostle Paul he met with much opposition here mocked there imprisoned there set in the stocks and scourged and yet he beares all with patience and perswades and beseeches men to be reconciled I say this power this zeale this love is gone if wee had hearts and hands and endeavours much more might be done in this case and God might work more mercifully with us powerfully by us for the conversion of poore sinners and this doth not lie only in the Ministers hands but Masters in yours and Officers in yours and so much shall serve for this poynt The next thing considerable in the Text is from the order first drawing then comming you cannot come unto me except my father draweth you the point is that God must first pluck us froÌ„ sin before we will fasten our soules upon the Lord Iesus it is evident Mat. 12.29 no man commeth into a strong mans house saith the Text unlesse he first bind the strong man first there must be binding and casting out before there can be taking of possession the house is the heart and the strong man is Satan the Lord must bind the one before he can take possession of the other the soule must be drawne before it will come to God however for the manner of this drawing it be divers God dealeth with some one way and some another some hee drawes with the cords of his mercy and some with the hookes of conscience yet this is certaine there must be a drawing before there can or will be a comming Gal. 3.22 it is said that all men are shut up under sinne c. Ioh. 1.12 As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God now before the Lord Iesus can be received the bonds of sinne must be removed and the lock must bee opened before the Lord Iesus can come in and bee entertained but God doth loose these locks divers wayes as sometimes
the one and give the other First if we consider the nature of the stony heart and the distempers thereof it will appeare that it must bee the worke of the Lord onely to take it away and not to follow any other similituds then the Text affords I will shew the similitude and resemblance that is betweene the sturdy stout heart of a sinner and a stone by which it shall bee made manifest that none but the Almighty power of God is able to remoove it Now in a stone observe three particulars which discover the nature of it first the ground of all the hardnesse which is in the stone is from hence there is a close fastning combining and knitting of the parts together which is the ground of the hardnesse that is therein as for example take a path if it be continually plowed up it will bee soft and loose but if many walke upon it if it be continually trod upon then it will be hard what is the reason of this namely this hardnesse proceeds from the close fastning and setling of the earth together this it is which makes the way hard but if it were daily plowed and the earth continually loosened it would then 〈…〉 soft but when there is a naturall fastning and compiling of the earth together it cannot but bâ—e hard Secondly from this fastning of the parts of a stone together as there comes hardnesse so also from this hardnesse ariseth a great strength in the stone and that is the reason that the hardest things are marvelous strong a child before his joynts be setled is but weake he is not come to his strength but a man when his parts are setled and his joynts throughly knit together then wee use to say bee is come to his full strength and so it is in mettals those mettals that are closest knit together and most nearely concocted they are sayd to bee strongest mettalls as Gold is sayd to be a stronger mettall then Silver and Silver is sayd to bee a stronger mettall then Lead because the parts thereof are more nearely setled and more closely concocted So it is the nature of stones those stones whose parts are most combined together as Flints they are sayd to be the hardest stones and those whose parts are not so closely knit they are sayd to be more soft and of lesse strength Thirdly from the hardnesse and strength of a stone there comes a resistance against any thing from without it because the parts of a stone are knit together therefore it is hard and from the hardnesse thereof proceedes strength and being hard and strong in the third place it resists and beaâ—s backe any thing that falls upon it as if you knocke against a stone with a hammer it resists it and makes it â—lie backe by reason of the strength and hardnesse of it Even so it is with the soule of every poore sinner of 〈◊〉 sinfull creature under heaven it hath an inward secret kind of union betweene sinne and its selfe betweene corruption and its owne nature The heart of a poore sinfull soule hath a neere combination with sinne there is a fast closure betweene sinne and the soule and therefore sinne in the Scripture is tearmed by the name of the old man as who should say The sinne and corruption that is in a poore sinner is as it were another nature in him in so much that the union and combination that is betweene sinne and the soule is farre stronger then any other bond of nature and this is the reason of that phrase Luke 21.16 there saith the Text Luke 21.16 Yee shall be betrayed also of your parents and of your brethren and kinsmen and some of you shall be put to death and yee shall be hated of men all for my names sake this is the reason because the union that is betweene sinne and the soule of a wicked man exceeds all other bonds of nature as for example if a naughtie wicked father have a godly religious child the father will neglect those duties to his child which even nature it selfe 〈…〉 him to performe and if a wicked lewd for the 〈◊〉 a good father he will not discharge those 〈◊〉 unto him which nature binds him unto but the â—ather he hates the sonne and the sonne he hates 〈◊〉 father the mother hates the daughter 〈…〉 daughter hates the mother and they breake 〈◊〉 bonds both of nature and religion the 〈◊〉 father will doe any thing against his sonne before the bond that is betweene sinne 〈…〉 soule shall be broken before this union 〈…〉 broken he will not abide the presence of his sinne nay that which is most unreasonable to consider a wicked lewd ungracious man will lose his life he will spend his owne heart blood before hee will leave one sinfull beloved lust or corruption and the reason of this is because there is a nearer 〈◊〉 on and a closer combination betweene sinne and the soule then betweene all relation that nature can put upon a man insomuch that a man will rather have his sinnes and his lusts then his owne child nay such is the union betweene sinne and the soule that it becomes 〈◊〉 God unto the soule looke as it is with a stone the parts thereof being closely fastned and nearely setled together it becomes marveilous strong and hard so when God hath forsaken the soule and it closeth with his corruptions this union that is betweene the soule and its corruptions is marveilous strong and firme nay so strong and firme that there is no meanes under heaven no creature in the world that is able to breake this union and dissolve this combination that is betweene sinne and the soule unlesse the Lord by his Almighty power come and breake this concord and conspiracy that is betweene sinne and the soule against himselfe and the glory of his name and for the truth hereof observe this all outward meanes are too scant too narrow too short to breake the union betweene the soule and sinne as it is with the body of a man if there were a great and an old distemper in a mans stomacke if a man should put a rich doublet upon him and lay him in a Featherbed and use all other outward meanes this would doe him no good because the disease is within and is become as it were another nature in him it is an old distemper that hath eaten into his very bowels and therefore all outward meanes cannot make a separation betweene the disease and the body because the disease being inward they cannot come neare it Iust so it is with the soule of a man a mans heart will have his sinne there is an inward combination betweene the soule and sinne now all meanes as the Word and the like is outward and can doe no good in this kind they cannot break the union betweene a mans heart and his corruptions unlesse God give a blessing to these meanes unlesse the Lord by his Almighty power and