himselfe displeased with me it is the God of all grace and comfort that hath filled my heart with the venom of his wrath if there be any pitty or compassion in you lend helpe and succour such poore distressed soules if a woman be in travell and her strength faileth her oh what bitter cries shee puts forth with that all her neighbours come to helpe her and when they have done all they can they pray to heaven for that they cannot doe themselves And as it is with a man that is swounding away they runne for strong cordiall water and for this man and that friend to succour him and they cry all help help for the Lords sake he is cleane gone this is all well it is a worke of mercy and pitty But men brethren and fathers you know not the heart breaking sorrows that are in the soules of these poore creatures he lies as it were in childbed and is in the very pangs of conversion and his heart is even now at a ha even now to be converted and loosned from sinne and to have Christ brought into his soule O that God would send some amongst you that you might see some experience of it Oh faith the poore soule will these and these sinnes never be pardoned and will this proud heart never be humbled thus the soule â—ighes mournes and saith Lord I see this and feele the burthen of it and yet I have not a heart to be humbled for it nor to be freed from it Oh whence will it once be did you but know this it would make your hearts to bleed to heare him it is not the swounding away of a man in a qualme No No the sword of the Almighty hath pierced through his heart and he is breathing out his sorrow as though he were going downe to hell and he saith if there by any mercy any love any fellowship of the spirit have mercy upon me a poore creature that am under the burthen of the Almighty O pray and pitty these wounds and vexations of spirit which no man finds nor feeles but he that hath been thus wounded It is the signe of a soule wholy denoted to destruction that hath a desperate disdaine against poore wounded creatures O saith one I hope you have hearing enough have you not it may be you will tumble downe into a well or hang your selfe will you not Oh fearefull is it possible there should harbour such a spirit in any man there is not a greater brand of a man denoted to destruction then this I doe not say onely he is starke naught for the present but it is a fearefull brand of a man denoted to eternall destruction if the devill himselfe were upon earth I cannot conceive what he could doe worse When the woman was about to be delivered the Red Dragon was there ready to destroy the child see what the Prophet David saith of such Lord powre out thy wrath upon the heathen that know not thee and the Kingdomes that have not knowne thy name let thy wrathfull displeasure take hold of them that adde iniquity unto iniquity let them not come into thy righteousnesse let them be blotted out of thy booke What 's the reason of this why did David make this imprecation and say Lord seâ— open the gates of hell that thy wrath may fall upon the soules of such as these are the text saith they persecute him whom thou hast smitten the Lord smites a poore sinner and thou art ready to persecute him too the Lord hath wounded him wilt thou stabbe him to the heart Good Lord adde iniquity to iniquity The sin is marvelous and the curse unconceivable When Amaleck met Israel and tooke them at advantage because they were weake and weary Remember saith the text what he did to thee in the way how he feared not God and the Lord saith I remember what Amaleck did to the people of Israel goe therefore and blot out his name from under heaven and kill all both young and old This is a true type of such as are enemies to the poore Saints of God that are thus desolate and wounded in their consciences their being in the wildernes was a type of the Saints conversion and their comming to Canaan was a type of the Saints ariving at the heavenly City Jerusalem Now canst thou jeere at the Saints that are thus wounded and canst thou wound them further and pierce him to the heart and discourage him The Lord will remember thee in the day of thy death and as thou hast shewed no mercy so shalt thou receive no mercy in that day I have knowne many such opposers of God and his Grace that have beene forced to lay violent hands vpon themselves and when the Lord hath gotten some of them upon their sick bed they lye roaring there and the Lord layes his full wrath vpon them If there be any such in this congregation I pray God let them see some sudden veine of his vengeance that if it be possible they may finde and feele the waight of this trouble of conscience that they themselves also may finde mercy from the Lord. The second part of the Vse is this as we must pitty those thus wounded so hereby we see the best way to send help to such as are wounded in their hearts the woâ—nd is in the heart therefore let the salve be applyed to the heart It is in vaine to tell a poore wounded soule of Hawkes or Hounds or the like hee is not wounded in his body but in his heart the physicke must be applyed to the part diseased If the head be sick or sore you must not apply a salve to the arme and if the brest be ill you must not apply a salve to the foot so it is a vaine thing to offer riches or pleasures or profits to a man that is wounded in his conscience for sin the wound is not there if the wound were in disquietnesse then pleasure will cure it if the wound were in poverty then riches would cure him if the wound were in basenes and contempt then honours would cure him No thy heart is wounded and the conscience is terrified in the apprehension of Gods wrath And therefore apply the spiritual Balme of Gilead even the blood of Christ the case is cleare that all the Crosses and Crucifixes and Agnus dei in the world al the popish pardons can doe no good to a wounded Conscience There is never a popish shaveling under heaven can cure a wouÌ„ded soule hee cannot apply that spirituall salve that should comfort him hee may delude him and lead him into the commission of sinne but he cannot minister any true comfort unto him thus they cure a poore Christian by searing of his conscience and make him sinne so much the more and neuer be troubled for sinne as if a man should kill a sicke person and say now he feeles no hurt so it often fals out that a man
broken heart comes not to flout at the minister nay that is a sturdy heart but a broken heart shakes at the word of God if there come a promise a broken heart trembles lest he hath no share in it and if there be any command he trembles lest he should not be able to obey it but if the Lord meet with some maine lust as secret malice against the Saints of God and secret uncleannesse or the like if the Lord give a wipe at these things in the word thē this broken heart hath enough he hath his load and longs to be private he remembers that truth and the wound being fresh bleeds againe and he mournes againe and laies hold on his heart and saith Good Lord I was this malicious wretch I intended this mischiefe to thy Saints and if it had beene in my power I could have sucked their blood I was that uncleane wretch shall all these sinnes be pardoned and shall all these cursed abominations be removed Can these corruptions be subdued Brethren yee cannot be ignorant how a wounded heart is affected with every touch you that have broken hearts you know it I shall not need to tell you Therefore when ever the Lord comes to rake in those filthy and drunken hearts of yours they will shake within you and you will say this is my sinne and these are my abominations whereby God hath beene so much dishonored The third use is for exhortation if you know these things as I am perswaded you doe then be intreated in the name of the Lord Jesus to walke in that way which God hath revealed this is the basenesse of our hearts we are loath to unbuckle our vile and secret distempers they are shamefull themselves and yet we are loath to take shame for them Therefore deale openly freely with your soules confesse your sins freely that God may deale comfortably with you hath the Lord at any time let in this horrour into thy soule and is thy heart now troubled at the word and after all thy teares and paines and meanes using with uprightnesse doe thy corruptions still remaine are they not yet subdued as they might be canst thou not get any assurance of the pardon of them I say then cast away thy shamefull hiding and concealing of sinne and do not say what will the world and ministers say of me away with these shifts God cals thee to confession the Saints have done it and thou must nay thou wilt doe it if ever thy heart be kindly broken as it should be in some measure pleasing unto God and profitable to thy selfe Object But some will say how may we doe it Answ. For answere thereunto I will first give some direction how to doe it Secondly I will give some motives to worke our hearts to the same First be wise in chusing the party to whom you must confesse your sinnes for every wide mouthed vessel is not fit to receive pretious liquor so this confession is not to be opened to every carnall wretch that will blaze it abroad the minister to whom you confesse ought to have these three graces First hee must be a skilfull and able Minister of God one that is trained up and is master of his Art and so experienced that hee may be able in some measure to finde out the nature of the disease Not that any Minister under heaven can be so wife and holy as to give pardon to a poore sinner but onely hee is able ministerially to doe it under God Hee must be able to approve himselfe the Minister of God hee must have the tongue of the learned and be able to breake the heart and prepare the soule for Christ and then to apply the cooling promises of the Gospell to him There are many who in stead of curing of the soule kill it and by popping the Sacrament into a mans mouth thinke to send him to heaven but in conclusion send him to hell Secondly hee must be a mercifull Physitian one that will pitty a poore soule they that have experience of trouble and misery in themselves are most compassionate to others in distresse he that hath beene tossed in the sea will pitty others that have beene in the same danger If these people had gone to the Scribes and Pharisies they had beene well holpen No but they went to Peter and therefore found helpe when Iudas had sinned and betrayed his Master and his soule was full of horrour he went to the Pharisies and confessed his sinnes but what succour found he they answered him what is that to us Hast thou sinned then beare it and looke to it thy selfe so it is with carnall wretches what comfort yeild they to a poore distressed conscience they adde sorrow to sorrow and say it is nothing but melancholy he hath gotten this by hearing some fiery hot minister or by reading too much in some bookes of election and reprobation Lastly he must be a faithfull minister one that will not fit mens humors nor answere the desires of their hearts in speaking what they would have him but his faithfulnesse must appeare in two things First in dealing plainely with every one though a man be his patron or of what place or condition soever he be if he have a proud heart he must labour to humble him And Secondly as he must apply a salve fitting for the sore so he must be faithfull in keeping secret the sinne that is laid open to him that nothing may fly abroad no not after his death except it be in some cases Now what remaines but that you all be moved to take up this duty and provoke your hearts freely to confesse your evill waies to which purpose let me give you three motives First because it is a very honourable thing will exceedingly promote the cause of a Christian you will hardly yeild to this on the sudden a man doth thinke that if the minister knowes his vilenesse he will abhorre him for it But I assure you brethren there is nothing that doth more set forth the honour of a Christian and winne the love of a minister then this Indeed it is a shame to commit sinne but no shame to confesse it upon good grounds Nay when the heart comes kindly off it is admirable to see how a faithfull minister will approve of such persons his love is so great towards them O saith the minister it did me good to heare that man confesse so freely I hope the Lord hath wrought kindly in him certainely now he is in the way to life and happinesse oh how I love him I could even be content to put that man in my bosome Whereas this overly and loose dealing of yours is loathsome to us doe you thinke we perceive it not Yes we may feele it with our fingers and when you are gone I tell you what we thinke surely that man is an hypocrite he hath a hollow heart he is not willing to
THE SOVLES PREPARATION FOR CHRIST OR A TREATISE OF CONTRITION Wherein is discovered How God breaks the heart and wounds the Soule in the conversion of a Sinner to Himselfe PSAL. 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise LONDON Printed for ROBERT DAVVLMAN at the signe of the Brazen-serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1632. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS A ALl-sufficiencie in God a meanes to enlighten our dead hope 214. Application of particular sins a way to make us see them 64. How the word affects when applied 65. then hitting soonest 65. sinking deepest 67. for this it is ministers are so hated 68. B Bondage the spirit of bondage how it helps to the sight of sin 124. Broken heart is made by meditatioÌ„ of the word preached C Carnall men can give no comfort to wounded consciences 220. 240. Christ three grounds why the soule flies not to Christ 118. Labour to see the necessitie of Christ 122. sight of sinne a meanes to drive us to Christ. 117. Common depravation of our nature no plea for us to slight sinne 40. Confession of sinne needfull for the cure thereof 57. It must be open and free 219. a large confession may come from a wicked man 221. when hypocriticall 225. the difference betweene true and false confession 227. popish confession what 230. To hide our sinne a fearefull and dangerous sinne 235. To what persons how they should be qualified that we must confesse unto 239. Motives 241. Companions when evill a great hindrance to the working of grace and bow 95. Conscience a help to meditation 123. Consideration of Gods goodnesse a meanes to breake our hearts 101. Contrition what 2. a contrice heart acceptable 163 164. this contrition is wrought in all though not in the same manner and measure 170. Conviction of the soule for sinne â—ow 23. why God convinces 31. meanes of conviction 36. other meanes to worke sound conviction 200. D Death of sinne must be in us 256. Delight in sinne damnable 190 191 192. F Freenesse of Gods promises revives our hope 215. G God is All-sufficient 6. mercifull 6.210 Gods goodnesse considered a meanes to breake the heart 101. so also his justice 103. Gods abundant mercy a meanes to revive our hope 217 H Heart which feares discovery is evill 79. It is broken by meditation on the word preached 81. so also by consideration of Gods goodnesse 101. so also of his justice 103. what is meant by heart here 130. when our hearts are like stones 181. an ignorant heart is a naughty heart 33. Hatred of sin what 246. differences betweene sorrow for him and hatred of sinne 241. wherein this hatred consists 250. Help must be conveied to a wounded soule 190. Hearing the word how we may with profit 76. Hell torments how in some sort to judge of them 55. Hiding sinne a fearefull sinne 80. Hope supports the hearts of the sorrowfull 205. an antidote against despaire 208. It incourageth our indeavors 209. the soules anchor 112 how it is maintained and fed 214. I Ignorant heart is a naughty heart 33. Iustice of God a meanes to breake the heart 10 K Kindnesse of God a meanes to breake the heart 101. Knowledge of our sinne a meanes of conviction for it 377. L Law a meanes to convince us of sinne 38. M Meditation of Gods word preacht a meanes to breake our hearts 81. what it is and how to be done 83. it brings the word more powerfull to the heart and there fastens it 88. the lamentable neglect of this duty lamented câ—nsured 93. the comfort that ariseth from this duty 98. the ground the manner power thereof 100. how to be followed 109. when damped in us how revived 122. Mercy with what cautions a prophane person may seeke it 5. abundant mercy in God a meanes to revive our hope 217. God is mercifull 210. Ministers must first humble before lift up 61. they are much based for speciall application 6â— playn preaching is the best way 71. they should be skilfull mercifull faithfull men 240. N Nature no plea to help us to lessen our sinnes 41. Nature of God is tender and mercifull 210. O Opposites to the word deeply plagued 127. P Pitty belongs to wounded and troubled consciences 183. c. Popish divices cannot help a wounded conscience 191. Pricking or piercing the heart wherein it consists 129. Promise of God being free lifes up the head and revives hope 215. R Repentance not in our owne power 52. Reprehension 〈◊〉 sharpe a meanes to move us to see our sinnes 64. S Shifts a sinner uses to beate backe the power of the word 40 Sinne must be truly seene before the heart is broken 11. what this sight of sinne is 12. the properties thereof 14 the evill of sinne is farre greater then the evill of punishment reason thereof 15. It is a departing from God 19. why men cannot see the vilenesse of their sinne 20. how to see them convictingly 36 grounds why we slight our sinnes 40. particular sinnes closely applyed a meanes to see them 64. sight of sinne a meanes to drive us to Christ 117. sinne wounds the soule why 158. when we make sinne our God 174. all are not alike wounded for sinne 178. A truly sorrowfull soule hath a restlesse distast of sinne 245. Sinners in an high degree may be reconciled 4 All sinners are fighters against God 18. open and scandalous sinners commonly have a greater measure of sorrow 179. Soule how prepared for Christ 247. when it is said truly to be broken 255. Sorrow if godly it is a deep sorrow 134. how wrought 135. how procured 142. how the soule should behave it selfe under this sorrow 150. It is restlesse till it have obtained mercy 155. It drives unto God 157. this makes us highly to prize Christ 164. whether sorrow for sinne is a worke of saving grace 165. how sorrow of preparation is knowne and how sorrow of sanctification 167. whether this sorrow is wrought alike in all 170. not in the same manner 177. when sorrow is made a maske to cover sinne 193. It must not be slight but solid 198. the fruits thereof 203. Spirit of bondage how it helps to see sinne 1â—4 T Thoughts that are sinfull how produced 44. how and in what respects sinne in thought is more vile 44. W Word must be submitted unto 39â— and never shifted off 40. the threats must not be shifed off 48. when closely applyed it much affects 64 65. the word preacht must be meditated on 81. the opposers of the word in great danger 127. Worthinesse in our selves none to moue Christ to pitty us 119. Wrath of God is an insupportable burthen 56. Places of Scripture inlightned Cap. ver pag. Deut. 1.14.51 32.6.102 Iosua 7.24.211 1 Ki. 20.21.64 2 Cr. 36.16.127 Iudg. 1.12.101 Iob 5. last 85 6.12 â—6 7.20.30 13.27.25 14.17.22 19.23.184 22.13.48 36.6.126 9.12 10. ib. 40.3.39 Ps. 39.24.255 38.2.2 Ps. 58.8.77 74.4.2
thou sowest up mine iniquities Wicked men doe treasure up vengeance against the day of the Lord the profane person treasures up wrath and in the eighteenth verse he saith The mountaines falling come to nothing as if he had said good Lord who can beare all those sinnes that I have committed Are they all sealed up and shall all the judgements due unto them fall upon me heavier then the mountaines Good Lord what rock or mountaine can beare the weight of my sinnes thus sealed up setled and laid close to my heart And so God seales up an hundred thousand oathes in one bagge and an ocean of pride and mischiefes done to Gods people and Church are barrelled up in another and the Lord shall one day lay all these upon thy necke Who is able to beare all these sinnes Now it falles out with a sinner as it is with a banckrout debtor one man throwes him into prison and when he is there every one comes against him and so he shall never come out but die and rotte in the prison so though the Lord will not execute judgement on thee speedily yet in the end the Lord will be paid for all thy sins and when thou art in hell then mercy and justice and patience will cry all to heaven for justice and vengeance then happily a drunkard is cast into prison for his drunkennesse and for his blasphemy and then all his filthinesse comes in as so many bills of inditement against him Oh therefore labour to see sinne alive we play with sinne as if it were dead when children see the picture of a dead lyon upon a wall they labour to pull him in pieces but if there were a live lyon in the place it would make the strongest to runne So thou paintest thy sinne and sayest it is thy infirmity God forgive your swearing the like and thus you dally with your sinnes but brethren labour to see sinne alive and to see sinne roaring upon you see the pawe of sinne and the condemnation that shall be throwne upon the soule by it and this will awake the soule in the apprehension of it Secondly we must see sinne convictingly that it may be so to us as it is in it selfe that looke what sinne is in it selfe we may so conceive of it in our soules being guilty of it and this discovers it selfe in these two particulars First when we have a particular apprehension in our owne person that looke what we confesse to be in sinne in generall we confesse the same in our owne soules and that our sinnes are as bad as the sinnes of any this is the cursed distemper of our hearts howsoever we hold it to be truth in generall yet when we come to our owne sinnes the case is altered and we never come to the right seeing of them as they concerne our owne particular As the adulterer can easily confesse the danger and filthynesse of that sinne in others but he thinkes not his sinne to be so vile as the Wise man saith He that enters into the house of an harlot doth he ever returne againe doth he ever take hold of the path of life The Lord is pleased to set such a heavy stamp on this sinfull distemperature These are truths and a man in his cold blood wil easily confesse it in the generall that he never returnes againe Take the words as they are in the letter of them and howsoever they have some other interpretations yet in the letter it is thus read he is euer hardly recovered Howsoever it may be yet with much difficulty David had let his soule loose in that he did hardly recover himselfe againe scarce one of a thousand yet ever tooke hold of the way of life And the drunkard will confesse the danger of his sinne in generall when he sees his drunken mates lie grovelling in the dust he will be ashamed of it and say Now no adulterer or drunkard shall ever come into the kingdome of heaven but here is the wound of it when he comes to his owne particular drunkennesse and uncleannesse that he must looke into them then the sight of a mans knowledge hath not so much power as to judge himselfe rightly or to make a particular application to himselfe but he thinkes his adultery and drunkennesse is not like to another mans or else his knowledge is but weake or else he seeth as a man in the twylight when the sun is downe and the heavens begin to withdraw their light though a man can see to read abroad yet he cānot see to read in the house or in the chamber So it is with a weake knowledge and with a feeble understanding in a wicked man he is notable to see the vile nature of sinne in himselfe when he comes to read his owne closet sinnes and his bosome abominations then he hath not so much light as to perceive them so fully in himself as he thought to doe therefore the rule is this Arest thy soule in a speciall maner of those sinnes whereof thou standest guilty that phrase in Iob is to good purpose thou lookest narrowly to my pathes thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet so God followed Iob to the hard heeles and did narrowly observe his waies so deale thou with thy owne soule and set a print upon the heele of thy heart arest thy heart in particular for thy sins and I would have you perceive your owne particular sinnes and follow them to your hearts and make huy and cry after your sinnes and dragge your hearts before the Lord and say Is murther pride drunkennesse and uncleannesse such horrible sinnes and doth God thus fearefully plague them Lord it was my heart that was proud and vaine it was my tongue that did speake filthily blasphemously my hand hath wrought wickednesse my eye was wanton and my heart was uncleane and filthy Lord here they are it is my affections that are disorderly and it is I that doe delight too much in the world Thus bring thy heart before the Lord you shall observe the same in David so long as Nathan spake of sinne in generall he conceived of it truly and confessed the vilenes of it and the heart of this good King did rage against the man saying It is the Sonne of death but as soone as the prophet had said Thou art the man though he never saw his sinne kindly before yet now his heart yeelded and he began to see himselfe and his sinne in the naturall colours of it So the Apostle Iohn saith Hee that hateth his brother is a man-slayer and you know no man-slayer hath eternall life abiding in him Then play thou the part of Nathan and say I am the man it is this wretched heart of mine that hath hated the Saints of God and therefore if I be a murtherer will not my sinne keepe me from the kingdome of heaven as well as another mans Yes that it will if pride
and stubbornnes be such vile sins in others then they are so in me and as there must be a sight of our personall particular sinnes so Secondly the soule must be set downe with the audience of truth and the conscience of a sinner should be so convicted as to yeeld and give way to that which is knowne as not seeking any shift or way to oppose that truth which is revealed his particular apprehension of sin is like the inditement of a sinner before God and his conviction is that which brings the soule to such a passe that the heart will not nay it dares not nay which is more it cannot escape from the truth revealed As when a man is only arested and no more he may escape therefore it is not enough particularly to arest the soule and bring it under command that it cannot shift from the truth revealed When the Lord comes to make rackes in the hearts of such as he meanes to doe good unto the text saith he will reprove the world of sinne that is he will convince the world of wickednesse he will set the soule in such a stand that it shall have nothing to say for it selfe he cannot shift it off for there is in every mans heart naturally such corrupt carnall pleading that it labors to defeat and put by the worke of the word that it may not come home to the heart As a man in battaile array labours to put by the blow that it may not hit his body so it is with a corrupt heart when the word comes home to the soule as it doth sometimes into the heart of a drunkard or an adulterer or a murtherer and the word of God seemes to stabbe the heart they put by the word of God by carnall shifts and so breake the power of it that it cannot have its full blow upon the soule and so the word takes no place to any purpose in them Now this kind of knowledge takes away all shifts that the soule hath nothing to say for it selfe and pluckes away all defence that the edge of the word cannot be blunted but that it will fall flat on the heart this is that I would put to your consideration punctually When there is that wisedome and knowledge revealed to the soule so powerfully that it prevailes with the heart and it gives way thereto so that all the replies and pleas of the soule be taken away and the soule falls under the stroke of the word not quarrelling but yeelding it selfe that the word may worke upon it and withall there is a restlesse amasement put into the heart of the creature and a kind of dazeling the eye so that the soule is not content now before it see the worst of his sinne that is revealed and then it lies under the power of that truth which is made knowne these two make it plaine The minister saith God hates such and such a sinner and the Lord hates me too saith the soule for I am guilty of that sin Many times when a sinner comes into the congregation and attends unto the ordinary meanes of salvation if now the Lord be pleased to work mightily at last the mind is enlightned and the Minister meets with his corruptions as though he were in his bosome and he answereth all his cavills and takes away all his objections With that the soule begins to be amased to thinke that God should meet with him in this manner and saith If this be so as it is for ought I know and if all be true that the Minister saith then the Lord be mercifull unto my soule I am the most miserable sinner that ever was borne Give me leave to open a passage or two this way Suppose there be an ignorant creature that knoweth nothing and he thinkes God will pardon him because he is so he need not consider of this or that which the minister calls upon him for see what God saith to such in Esay It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made him will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour You thinke to carry all away with ignorance but the God of heaven will shew you no pitty and he that made you will not save you When a poore soule begins to consider of this he that made us wil save us Will he not no he will not Not one of you not your wife nor children nor thy servant this drives the soule into amazement when the Lord works this truth in him and he frequents the ordinances more diligently and saies if it be so my case is fearefull In conclusion he finds every minister saith so and all writings confirme it and he seeth it is so indeed and it is the will and way of God Then the soule is cast and saith I see this is just my estate and condition therefore woe to me that ever I was borne This is right conviction and though his carnall neighbours come to him and beginne to cheere him up and say The Lord is more merciful then men are ministers must say something c. If the heart be truly convicted it returnes this answere and saith I have thought as you doe but now I see there is no such matter these are but figtree-leaves and will not cover my nakednesse It is true Christ came to save sinners and he came to humble sinners too he came to bind up the heart and he came to break the heart too This is a great part of the spirit of bondage spoken of Rom. 8.15 Wee have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe When God hath revealed a mans bondage to him So that sees he himselfe bouÌ„d haÌ„d foot for marke it so long as a man keepes in these carnall shifts he is not in bondage But when he is once in bondage and fetterd he saith If ever any had a proud heart I am he If ever any were prophane I am he And if ever God hated such wretches he hateth me Now there is no escape there is no plea at all he will not go away say there is no such matter Ministers many say what they will No no the soule that is truely conuicted of sinne yeelds it selfe and saith I have sinned Oh what shall I do unto thee thou preserver of men saith Iob as if hee had said Lord I have no plea at all to make nor no argument to alledge for myselfe I onely yeeld up the bucklers I cannot say so bad of my selfe as I am I have sinned Lord what shall I doe unto thee Oh thou preserver of men thus it is with a heart truely convicted and throughly informed of the vilenesse of sinne he doth not withdraw himâ—elfe and play least in sight but he saith this is my condition just the Lord met with my heart this day God resists the proud prophane in heart and he resists me too I have heard much and would not be informed
the text saith The Ship was tossed with the waves So meditation doth tosse the soule with vexation It was the practice of the Church remembring mine affliction the wormewood and the Gall my soule hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me In remembring I remembred for so the originall hath it I remembred all my miseries and afflictions and my sinnes that were the cause thereof that is I still mused meditated thereof And what follows the heart was buckled and bowed thereby and was broken in the consideration thereof But you will say what doe you meane by this musing and meditating what is this meditation Answ. I answere meditation is nothing else but a setled exercise of the mind for the further inquiry of a truth and so the affection of the heart therewith There are foure things to be considered in it First it is an exercise of the mind it doth not barely close with a truth and apprehend it and see it and assent unto it and there rest but it lookes on every side of the truth It is a fine phrase of Davids I thought upon my waies and turned my feet into thy testimonies The originall carryeth it I looked upon my waies on both sides it is taken from curious workes which are the same on both sides they that work thē must oftē turn them on every side so it was with the prophet David I turned my waies upside downe and looked every way on them And so againe Many shall runne too and fro and knowledge shall be increased Runne too and fro what is that It is not the bodily removing of the man so much as the busie stirring of the mind from one truth to another it propounds one and gathers another so that it sees the whole silvage of the truth I use to compare meditation to perambulation when men goe the bounds of the parish they goe over every part of it and see how farre it goes so meditation is the perambulation of the soule when the soule lookes how far sinne goeth and considers the punishment of it and the plagues that are threatned against it and the vilenesse in it Secondly it is setled exercise of the minde it is not a sudden flash of a mans conceit upon the sudden But it dwels and staies upon a truth it setles againe and againe that it hath bestowed it selfe upon When a man is deepe in meditation upon a thing he neither seeth nor heareth any other thing else the streame of the heart is setled upon the truth conceived A man that hath beene offered an injury by another when he eares and walkes still he thinkes of his injury his heart is setled on it So your hearts ought to be on the truth The Apostle to Timothy saith Continue in the things thou hast learned the word in the originall is Be in them that is let a mans mind be moulded into the truth Thirdly it is a setled exercise for two ends first to make a further inquiry of the truth and secondly to make the heart affected therewith for this is the nature of meditation not to settle it selfe upon a thing knowne but it would either know more in those truthes that are subjected to it or else labours to gather something from them It is with the truth as it is with a man which goeth into the house and puls the latch when he was without he might see the outside of the house but he could not see the roomes within unlesse he drawes the latch and comes in and goe about the house meditation puls the latch of the truth and sees this is my sinne this is the cause here is the misery this is the plague and thus meditation searcheth into every corner of the truth Lastly meditation labours to affect the heart not only to know a thing but to bring it home to the soule these things are so know it for thy good So when a man hath viewed all and considered all then meditation brings all to the heart and labours to affect the heart therewith this is that which brings sorrow and compunction for sinne a setled exercise of the heart that meditates on sinnes that makes inquiry after them and the grounds are two and very remarkeable they are The first is this meditation makes all a mans sinnes and any truth belonging thereunto more powerfully and plainly to be brought home unto the heart It is the action of the understanding when a man doth gather all reasons and musters up force of arguments and labours to presse the soule and lay them heavy upon the heart and bring it under the power of the truth It is with meditation as it is with usurers that will grate upon men and grinde the faces of the poore and sucke the blood of the needy they will exact upon men and take use upon use they will not be contented to take the principall but they will have consideration for all the time until they have sucked the blood of a poore man that is under such a muckworme A poore man could be content to pay the principall but to exact use upon use this killes him So doth meditation it exacts and slayeth the soule of a poore sinner you have committed adultery in a corner but you shall not so carry it away This you did against the knowledge of God revealed against many mercies received against many Judgements threatned against checks of conscience against many vowes and promises remembred and Item for this and Item for that and thus meditation oppresseth the soule But then the soule will say happily it is but a trick of youth or it is my infirmity No no saith meditation this hath been your course from time to time continually that hath beene your haunt it hath beene a riveted corruption that hath fastened upon your bones and will goe to your graves with you and it will bring you to hell But then the soule saith I will repent No no saith meditation your heart is hardened in this sinne you have a heart that cannot repent nor yeeld the word of God workes not it prevaileth not the minister hath flung hell fire in your face and told you that no drunkard nor adulterer shall goe to heaven and yet you goe away no more moved then the seat whereupon you sate you have continued in sin and are hardened in sinne Thus marke how meditation exacts use upon use But then the soule replies I will goe to the word and wait upon the meanes and it may be the word will provaile No saith meditation you have despised the word and God will take away his word from you or you from his word or his blessing from both What is it a matter of infirmity No it is your continuall course And you repent No you cannot you cannot you are hardened And you hope the word will worke upon you No no it is cursed unto you Thus meditation exacts use upon use until the blood
them The mind happyly hath conceived and fadomed these truths and brought in these occasions and yet for all this the mind stirres not the heart workes not I say therefore when your meditation is thus raised you must have this skill to follow home the blow and make it worke kindly on the heart and that is done by these three things When your meditation is up there is another thing which is the following of it home to the soule and that appeareth in these three particulars The first is this when we have conceived aright of sinne and the nature thereof and the punishment due thereunto then doe not rest in the bare consideratiō of these things but never leave the heart be still musing of these things and bring these blessed truthes home to the soule binde these things on the wil and affections hold them and fasten them there force them upon the soule that the heart may not make an escape take notice of it it is a rule I would have you consider of never leave meditating til you finde your heart so affected with the evill as your mind judgement conceived of the evill before namely let the heart feele that evill it conceived let the soule feel that gall to be in sin which the mind apprehended to be in it you see these sinnes loathsome and abominable make the heart feel them and be affected with them the heart will fly off now therefore it is the cunning of a Christian to lay at the heart and pursue it continually and hold these truthes to the soule and at last it may be under the dint of the blow and the power of God makes the soule feele and finde and be apprehensive of the gall and bitternes and vilenes of the evill as before it conceived it so to be It is not enough for a man to exercise himselfe in the meditatiō of sin but a mā must bring his soule in subjection under the power of that meditation a man must not only chew his meat but he must swallow it also if he meane to have it nourish him meditation is when the heart swalloweth downe these sinnes that is when he labours so to be affected with sinne and the nature of it as it doth require Meditation in this case is like the beleaguring of a Citie when a Citie is wisely strongly beleagured and beset roūd about they doe two things first they batter it from without as much as they can and secondly they cut off all provision and reliefe from comming in and so the city being partly battered from without as much as they can and being hindred from all reliefe comming in in conclusion when they see the enemie is strong and no provision can come to them they are contēt to yeeld the City and render up themselves and if they send a parly to him that doth besiege it and say they are ready to perish why he bids them deliver then and they shall be provided for he bids them yeeld and they shall be succoured and before that day there is no supply shall be brought into the City So it is with meditation and here is the cunning of a Christian. Do as wise Souldiers doe cut off all provision that is by serious meditation bring thy heart to such a loathing of sinne that it may never love it more besiege the heart with daily meditation that so you may cut off any ease and refreshing that the heart may seeme to have in any sinfull course if the soule be looking after any sinne if the soule would goe out a litle to occasions and take delight in his corruptions the drunkard in his company and the wordly man in his wealth then batter that When you are thus affected beleaguer the way that you may finde no comfort no ease and when the soule is looking after occasions and lingering after his abominations then say to your hearts you will have your sins though you have your shame with them you will have your corruptions though you have your confusion with them when the soule would meddle with these let meditation knocke off these If you be still proud and malitious and quarrelling take heed you cannot have these but you must have hell and all you cannot have these but you must have destruction and all the mercy of God will be not abused and the justice of God will not be provoked and God will be revenged of you and at last the heart by this meanes will be troubled Why deliver up your sins then and your soules if your hearts find any sorrow and anguish why then yeeld up your souls unto Christ that you may finde as much comfort in a good way as you have done misery in an evill way Thus by meditation make the heart see those evills nay thus by meditation make thy heart see those evills and the punishment that shall be executed for those evills Secondly when you have made the heart thus affected with sinne then take heed that the heart doth not flie off and shake off the yoke Imagine meditation brings all those sins and miseries and vilenesse all are brought home to the heart and the soule is made sensible by this meanes Hold the heart there then labour to keepe the heart in the same temper that it is brought into by the consideration of sinne for this is our nature when the strooke is troublesome that lieth upon us and the sinnes are hainous that lie upon us and are committed by us these sinnes these sorrowes these judgements when the heart feeles this it is weary and would secretly have the wound healed quickly and the sorrow removed and the trouble calmed Take heede of this and labour to maintaine that heat of heart which you finde in your selves by vertue of meditation this is the pitch of the point as there must bee subjection unto meditation the heart must be so affected with sinne as it conceived it to be so there must be attention that is the soule must hold it selfe to that frame and disposition so wrought as it should be Looke as it is with a Gold smith that melteth the metall that he is to make a vessell of if after the melting thereof there follow a cooling it had beene as good it had never beene melted it is as hard haply harder as unfit haply unfitter then it was before to make vessell of but after he hath melted it he must keep it in that frame till he come to the moulding and fashoning of it So meditation is like fire the heart is like a vessell the heart is made for God and it may be made a vessell of grace here and of glory hereafter Now meditation it is that melts the soule the drosse must be taken away from the soule and sinne must bee loosened from the heart Now meditation doth this it melts the soule and affects the soule with the weight of sinne now when you have your heart in some measure melted keepe it
you then away to the Lord Jesus Christ and let this meditation of a mans corruptions be as a Bridge to carry him to Christ that so he may have salvation which is promised through him and shall be bestowed upon all broken harted sinners and marke what I say that soule that will not seeke out to Christ and will not be beholding to Christ for what he needâ— that soule wants brokennesse of heart What ever he be that will not seeke out to Christ and goe out of himselfe to another wants brokennes and this stubbornnesse of his that he will not goe to Christ ariseth from some of these three grounds First the soule will not goe out it is because the heart thinkes and presumes it hath no neede of Christ and therefore will not goe but we will not medle with that for that is proper to carnall men Secondly if the soule will not seeke out to Christ for helpe and comfort it is because the heart is not content in good earnest to be ruled by Christ that Christ should come and take possession of the soule and doe all therefore if the heart cling to corruption it is content that Christ should ease it but not that Christ should sanctifie it and remove that corruption that hath prevailed over it and therefore when a man is under the sight of sinne he would faine have God shew mercy unto him and yet he will not pray nor read nor use the meanes but dwels upon the meditation of his sinnes and neglects many ordinances of God whereby it may receive comfort this man would have a Christ to quiet him but not to rule him and take possession of him and this is the reason why in these cases the soule is never commonly kindly striken these would faine have quiet and comfort â—â—d yet they will not be driven to holy duties nor be content that Christ should rule in them they are content to commit the sinne but they would have pardon for it The third ground is this and the cunningest of all and that is this provided the soule be content to be ruled by the Lord Jesus and to submit unto him yet here is another deceit of the soule of a poore sinner that would joyne something with Christ for the helping of him in that great worke of salvation and this I take to be the complaint of sinners and sometime broken hearted ones too they dare not goe to expect mercy from the Lord Jesus Why why because they are unworthy so abominable their lives so wretched their courses that they dare not goe to Christ that he may shew mercy to them I reason the point thus is it because of your unworthinesse that you dare not goe to Christ so then if you had worthinesse this would incourage you for to goe Why then you thinke Christ is not able alone to helpe you but you would have your worthinesse helpe Christ to save you and so you would joyne with the Lord Jesus in this great price of Salvation and Redemption If your sinnes were but small and you had some worthinesse that so Christ might doe something and your worthinesse doe something and so you might make up the price betweene you then you could be content to goe to Christ but otherwise you thinke you may not goe to Christ without some worthinesse of your owne Againe why then belike you 〈◊〉 be beholden to Christ for so much mercy and so much grace and so much forgivenesse one of these two must needs be the ground of this complaint either we would have our own worthines joyne something with Christ or else we are so vile that we will not be beholden to Christ for so much mercy but this unworthinesse indeed is nothing else but pride a man will not be beholden to Christ for so much mercy but he will share with Christ in the matter of salvation or else he will not be pertaker of the great worke of redemption Imagine a debtor were in prison and a friend sends to him what ever the debt be if he will but come to him he will pay all the man returnes this answer If he had not such a great debt to pay he would be content to come to him but the truth is the debt is so great that he will not come to him nor trouble him now one of these two must needs follow either he thinkes his friend is not able or willing to pay his debt or else in truth he will not be beholden to him for so much but if the debt were a little one then he would make a shift to pay some and his friend some and so they would make up the debt between them So it is in this case this is that which keeps the heart from laying hold on the promise they thinke they are unworthy to pertake thereof which is nothing but pride of spirit for either they would bring something and share with Christ in the worke of redemption or else they will not be beholden to Christ for so much mercy There is another shift which keepes the heart from going to Christ O faith one I never had my heart so broken affected as such a one hath and therefore they dare not goe to Christ because they have not so much contrition their hearts so much broken as others have therefore they dare not goe Ay but be your soules content to goe to Christ and yeeld to him would you keepe any corruption is there any sinne which you would not have Christ come and remove The soule answereth that they would be content to resigne all to the Lord Jesus Christ but they are not so humbled as others are I say the ground of this complaint is nothing else but selfe-confidence in broken heartednesse for the soule is not content to have so much broken heartednesse as is sufficient to bring a man to Christ but it would have so much as that it might bring a man to Christ to helpe him in the worke of redemption they thinke iâ— is not enough to have the soule so huÌ„bled as to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ but they would have so much as they would joyn with Christ in this great worke which is nothing else but carnall confidence Therefore the conclusion is this So farre see thy sinnes so farre meditate upon thy sinnes and so farre labour to have thy heart affected with thy sinnes and so far attend unto them that three things may follow First that you may see an absolute necessity of Christ and that thou maist use all meanes to seeke unto him and never be quiet whilst thou findest him Nay while thou dost use the meanes but only upon the Lord Jesus pray and rest not in prayer but in a Saviour that is obtained by prayer heare but rest not in hearing but convay to thy selfe what is revealed in hearing receive the Sacraments but rest not in them but therein seeke a Saviour which is there signed this is the very stint
and pitch of meditation thus farre see and affect and drawe your hearts to the consideration of your sinnes that the soule may be forced to goe to Christ and use all meanes to find him pray for a Christ heare for a Christ use all meanes and see a need of a Christ to blesse thee in all thy services and see a need of a Christ to pardon thy sinnes and then you take a right course And thus much for the second passage now we see how to follow meditation home that the soule may be affected therewith and holden thereto Ay but you will say our thoughts are dull and our meditation fraile and our wants heavy and little good we get by this meditation we fall to sinne againe how shall we come to get the life of meditation that it may be to us as it ought to be I answer the meanes to make meditation powerfull are two I confesse after a man hath mused and pondered it is possible that a corrupt heart may recoile and fall backe againe therefore there are two helpes to put more life into meditation First labour to call in the helpe and assistance of conscience that meditation may be more fruitfull and powerfull conscience is a great commander it is Gods vicegerent and chiefe officer and God is the general overseer of all the affaires of the world but conscience hath authority to execute Judgement according to the sentence God hath revealed and hath a greater command with the heart then bare meditation hath understanding and reason are but the underlings of the wil they are but servaÌ„ts subjects to the wil and these only suggest and advise unto the will what is good as a servant may suggest to his master what is good and yet his master may take what he list refuse what he please in this kind But conscience hath a greater command Rom. 2.15 conscience is said to accuse or excuse a man and conscience comes with a law and a command as the Apostle saith 1. Iohn 3.20 If our hearts condemne us conscience makes the heart to yeeld I compâ—â—e it thus look as it is happily with a man that is in debt if a man have a writ out for him he is not troubled greatly with that he will not goe to prison because of that nay though he shew it him yet he will not goe but if he brings the Sergeanâ—â—o arrest him then he must go and and then he must be imprisoned whether he will or noe So it is here meditation brings in the writ and sheweth a man his sinnes layeth open all his duties neglected so many hundred duties omitted so many thousand sinnes committed so many prophanatioÌ„s of Sabbaths so many oathes so many blasphemies but the soule saith What is this to me I have sinned and others have sinned and I shall doe as well as others but conscience is a Sergeant and Sergeants do your office these are your sinnes and as you will answer it at the day of Judgement take heed of those sins upon paine of everlasting ruine When conscience begins thus to arrest a man then the heart comes and gives way to the truth revealed and conscience thus settles it upon the heart The Second meanes whereby meditation may get power upon the soule is this we must cry crave and call for the spirit of humiliation and contrition that God by that blessed spirit of his which in Scripture is called the spirit of bondage would set to his helping hand assist conscience his officer take the matter into his owne hand and because there are many rebellious corruptions that oppose Gods truth we must call to heaven for helpe that God would seise upon the heart and breake it A perverse heart will linde the Judgement and say I will have my sinnes though I be damned for them and when conscience comes and saith I will beare witnes against you for your pride and covetousnesse and prophanesse They resist conscience Looke as it is if a Sergeant arrest a man he may escape his hands or kill the Sergeant but if the Sheriffe or the King himself come take the prisoner in hand then he must goe to prison whether he will or no so it is here though a corrupt heart can stoppe conscience stay conscience yet there is a commanding power of Gods spirit the spirit of humiliation And when God comes from heaven to aide his officer the heart must stoope and be governed Looke as it is with a child that is under government his father perhaps bids the servant correct him now it is admirable to see how the child will taunt with the servant and struggle with him mightily now when the father heareth this he saith Give me the rod and he tells the child you would not be whipped but I will scourge you and he will set it home and plague him so much the more because he resisted the servant So it is here the Lord hath revealed his will and sent his ministers to discover your sins and verrifie your hearts it is strange to see what resistance we finde one scornes to heare and rebells against the minister Well however the voice of the minister or the word cannot make the blow fall heavy enough for the time yet if the Lord take the rod into his owne hand he will make the stoutest stomack stoope and the hardest heart come in when the father takes the rod into his hand and lets in hell fire he will set it home take it off who will or can the Apostle cals it the spirit of bondage and observe the place When the spirit of bondage commeth then commeth feare The spirit of bondage is said to be the spirit of feare as who should say the Lord sheweth a man his bondage by the Almighty power of his Spirit and will make the soule feele it and stoope unto it In Iob the Lord doth shew unto men their workes and then he commands them to returne he openeth their eare to discipline saith the text and commandeth that they returne from iniquity he openeth the eye and maketh a man see his sinnes and then he commands the heart to returne whether it will or no. When the Lord doth shew unto man his sinnes and holds him to his sinnes that he cannot looke off them this is the worke of the spirit of bondage when conscience hath done his duty and yet his mouth is stopped then the Lord himselfe comes and however the word by the mouth of the ministery could not prevaile yet God will set the sun-light of his spirit to your soules and then you shall see your sinnes and stoope under them When a man would cut off the sense of sinne yet where ever he is and what ever he doth the Lord presents his sins to him when he goeth in the way he reades his sinnes in the pathes when he is at meate his sinnes are before him when he goeth to lie downe he goeth to read
now he sees what it is to depart from a blessed and a pure God O then he will be drunke and uncleane and malitious no more because the heart is weary of it and is content to part with it From hence I reason thus true drawing is ever accompanied with true beleeving but this sense of sinne in regard of the punishment of it is not alwaies accompanied with true beleeving but a man must see his sinne further in the vilenes of it and in the abomination of it and then he shall undoubtedly beleeve The streame of the whole Scripture runnes this way as that in Matthew Come to me all yâ—â— that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you and this is that which Esay saith The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable day of the Lord and to comfort them that mourne Nay the garment of gladnesse is fitted only for the broken hearted as in the third verse of that chapter To appoint unto them that mourne in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes and the oyle of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Nay the promises of largest extent in Scripture doe either expresly belong unto such as aâ—â— broken in heart or else they doe imply so much that a man must be so before ever God can or will accept of him As in the Revelations Hoe every one that will let him come freely and take of the water of the well of life and live for ever So then some may say Object though a man were not broken hearted yet if he will take this water of life he shall live for ever Answ. Nay but except he be broken hearted and humbled he will never take it as a man must have grace so he must will the water of life now to will the water of life is this to choose grace as the chiefest good and to prize grace more then any thing else in the world and to esteeme the Lord Jesus and his grace truly pretioâ—s A man is said to chuse a woman when he is content to part with all for her and to have her for her grace sake so a man must part with sinne and himselfe and whatsoever is deare to him that he may haue grace now he will not part with sinne unlesse he be weary and burthened with it and therefore this wearying implyes the burthening of the heart with sinne thus much for the proofe of Scripture Now to adde some â—easons that may compell our Judgements to yeeld to this truth and they are taken First from the qualification of mans heart naturally and secondly from what he must be before he can receive Christ. I will discover my thoughts in foure conclusions and thus I reason It is a confest case I conceive that every man by nature doth entertaine sinne as his God and seekes and loves that most of all himselfe and his sinne is his God In this case it is his chiefest good and the heart will not nay it cannot be content to part with it What is the cause that we propound Christ and grace and salvation to a company of poore simple creatures and yet the counsells the promises and commandements of God prevaile not with the heart of them nor awe them but still they will have their sinnes and the offer of Christ and grace lies in the dust the adulterer will have his queans and the drunkard will have his cups they will not suffer the word to plucke away their corruptions but they will have them though they be damned for them what doth this argue but that sinne is their God Nay it is cleare not only in palpable reason but the Scripture is evident this way It is the match Christ offers to the young man if he would sell all and follow him he should have treasure in heaven he was covetous and this was fayre offer for a little trash he should have everlasting life now the text saith he went away sorrowfull he would rather have his covetousnes and his wealth then heaven The second conclusion is this there cannot be two Gods in one heart two Kings in one throne nor two Suns in one firmament you cannot have Christ and yet be an underling to sinne will Christ be a Physitian to heale you that you may have your sinnes still No our Saviour is plaine to the contrary you cannot serve God and Mammon If the adulterer will have his queanes then he must forsake the Lord and if he will not part with his lust nor have his heart circumcised nor broken then he must goe downe whole to hell as the Prophet said Why halt you between two opinions if God be God serve him God will bochiefe in the soule It is not possible to have heaven and hell together it is impossible for a man looke up to heaven steadfastly with both his eyes downe to the earth both at one time Thirdly you must of necessity cast off the yoak of corruption and rebell against that you must have your first god pride and malice and the like to be unthroned before the Lord Christ wil set up his scepter and before he can be welcome to your soules you must have your hearts divorced from your first husbands from sinne and all those abominations which you have loved and hugged as your life if ever you would have Christ make a match with you and take possession of your soules as the Lord saith Thou shalt â—e as a widdow and fit for me and as the originall hath it Thou shalt be separate from all and fit thy selfe for me and then I will marâ—y thee to my selfe in righteousnesse Lastly the soule will not 〈◊〉 with his corruption and lust which are his god unlesse he be wearied with them and finde the gall and bitternesse of their evill nature I say till then it is impossible that ever the soule should be separate from that sinne wherein it hath found such contentment therefore it is of necessity that they be parted but before the soule seeth the venom of sinne it will not part with it and so he cannot come to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and hence it is that the Lord in his infinite wisedome is thus not only willing to doe for a poore sinner but to force him to it for there is such love and liking to sinne that if you pull away the adulterers queanes and the drunkards pots you had as good kill them and they begin to say It was well with the towne before the minister came there the reason is because he would have his sinne Now the Lord is pleased to lay a heavy weight upon the â—oule and to force the burthen
let us admire and blesse this good God and not quarrell with his ministers nor providence and say other men have comfort and therefore why am I so troubled and disquieted how now It is endlesse mercy that thou livest therefore downe with thy proud heart and stifle those distempers of Spirit and say The Lord hath broken and wounded me but blessed be his name that I may come to Church and that he hath not dealt with me as I have deserved but in goodnesse and mercy I hope God in his season will doe good to my soule Secondly let us be wise to nourish this same blessed worke in our hearts for ever let us have our hearts more and more strengthened because thereby our hearts will be more more inabled to beare and undergoe any thing if you have but a little glimpse of hope cover it and labour to maintaine it and if ever God let in any glimpse of mercy into your hearts let it not goe out it is ever good to take that way that God takes the Lord sustaines our hearts with hope hope is the sinewes of the soule therefore strengthen it As a marriner that is tost with a tempest in a darke night when he sees no starres he casts anchor and that cheares him this hope is the anchor of the soule whereby it lookes out and expects mercy from God the poore soule seeth no light nor comfort nothing but the wrath of an angry God and he saith God is a just God and a jealous God even that God whose truth I have opposed is displeased with me then the soule is tossed and troubled and runnes upon the rockes of despaire how shall the soule be supported in this condition you will finde this true one day therefore looke to it before you vile drunkards are now sayling in a faire gale of pleasure and carnall delight but when the Lords wrath shall seaze upoÌ„ you wheÌ„ he shal let in the flashes of hel fire then you are tossed sometimes up to heaven now downe to hell therefore cast anchor now and this hope will uphold you for this hope is called the anchor of the soule Thou dost not yet see the Lord refreshing of thee but it may be otherwise The people of NiniviÌ„e said Who knowe's but God may repent this upheld their hearts and made them seeke to the Lord in the use of the meanes and the Lord had mercy on them If you belong unto the Lord he will come against those drunken proud hearts and rebellious hearts of yours and dragge them downe to hell and make them sorrow for their sinnes And remember this against that day Who knowes but the Lord may shew mercy and therefore yet heare and pray and fast and seeke unto him for mercy We fence those parts of our bodies most that are most pretious and the hurt whereof is most dangerous Hope is called the helmes of salvation and the assurance of Gods love is the head of a Christian now take away a Christians head and he is cleane gone the devil ever labours for that and saith You come to heaven prove it Loe you thinke God hath need of drunkards and adulterers in heaven and will God provide a crowne of glory for his professed enemies Hath God made heaven a hog-fâ—ie for such uncleane wretches as you are No no there is no such expectation of mercy this wounds the head of the soule but hope is the helmet that covers the head of a Christian makes him say I confesse I am as bad as any man can say of me heaven is a holy place and and I have no goodnesse at all in me yet there is hope the Lord may breake this proud heart of mine and take away these distempers of Spirit Now by this meanes the head of a Christian is kept sure Quest. But some will say how shall we maintaine this hope in our hearts and by what meanes may we feed this hope Answ. The meanes are especially three First take notice of the Al-sufficiencie of God as he hath revealed himselfe in his word say not as many do I cannot conceive it or I cannot finde it but what doth the word say Is not God able to pardon thy sinnes away then with those I cannot conceive it and the like Is there any thing hard for me saith God Whatsoever thy estate is there is nothing hard to him that hath hardnesse at command when our Saviour said It is as easie for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle as for a rich man to goe into heaven Good Lord said they Who can be saved But Christ said with God all things are possible if you looke unto man how he is glued to the world so that all the ministers under heaven cannot pull him away but still he will lie and cozen Reason and Judgement cannot conceive how this man should be saved but with God all things are possible See what the Apostle saith Abraham above hope beleeved under hope that he should be the Father of many nations this he did because he knew he which had promised was able to performe it and this did feed his hope he did beleeve above hope in regard of the creature under hope in regard of God As if he had said I have a dead body but God is a living God and Sarah hath a barren wombe but God is a fruitfull God It may be thou sayest Object if any exhortatioÌ„ would have wrought upon me then my heart might have beene brought to a better passe but can this stubborne heart of mine be made to yeild And can these strong corruptions of mine be subdued Howsoever thou canst not doe it Answ. yet God can quicken thee and although thou art a damned man yet he is a mercifull God this all-sufficiencie of God is a hooke whereon our soules hang when the Apostles had prayed that the minds of the Ephesians might be opened and that they might be able to know the love of Christ because some one might say how shall we know that which is above knowledge the text saith Now to him that is able to doe abuÌ„dantly above all that we can thinke or aske according to his mighty power that worketh in us to him be glory As though he had said though you cannot thinke or aske as you should yet God is able to doe exceeding abundantly more then we can thinke or aske so then no more but this we are not able of our selves to thinke a good thought yet there is sufficient power in God and though we are dead hearted and damned wretches yet there is sufficient salvation in God Let us hang the handle of hope on this hooke Secondly the freenesse of Gods promise marvelously lifts up the head above water as the beggar saith The doale is free why may not I get it as well as another This sometimes dasheth our hopes when the soule begins to thinke what mercy is offered he saith
Object Oh! many are they that have it could I feare God as I should and seeke for mercy as I ought then there were some hope but I have no heart to endeavour or desire after any mercy and I cannot bring my soule nor submit my will to yeild and therefore shall I ever have any mercy Answ. Why not thou too Doth God sell his mercy No he gives it freely God keepes open house Oh the freenesse of that mercy and goodnesse that is in God! he requires nothing of thee to procure it but he shewes mercy because he will shew mercy thou hast no will but God hath a will and his shewing of mercy depends not on thy wil but upon his owne freewil It is true God will make a man will and break his heart because no man otherwise can be saved but it is as true that Christ will give you brokennesse of heart as well as heaven and salvation I will take away the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh and cause you to walke in my wayes saith the Lord hold this truth in thy soule As there is no worth in the soule that can deserve any thing at Gods hands so there is no sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost only excepted that can hinder the freenes of Gods grace from saving of us if thou belong to him he will hale thee to heaven and pull thee from hell he will make thee lie in the dust and wait for mercy come groveling for his grace and that freely without any thing on thy part Who is a God like to thee saith Micah who pardonest iniquity because mercy doth please thee The Lord sheweth mercy not because thou canst please him but because mercy pleaseth him And in Esay he saith I am he that blotteth out thy offences for my owne names sake But the soule may say Object they were Gods people that did humble themselves and they had hearts to feare him Answ. See that in the twentie fourth verse Thou hast brought me no corne neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifice but thou hast wearied me with thy transgressions yet the Lord saith I am he that pardoneth thy sinnes Thou saiest if thou couldest pray and humble thy selfe there were hope of mercy the text doth not say It is a sinner but it is I a God that must doe it this is the freenes of his grace But some may object Object Is it possible that a man should receive any mercy yet be so stubborne and rebellious This makes way for drunkards to live as they list and yet thinke to goe to heaven Answ. I answer It is true the Lord will pardon thē if they belong to him but he will doe it with a witnesse the Lord will dowze that soule of thine in the veine of his vengeance but he will pardon thee too God will pardon thy sinne in Christ but he will make thee feele the bitternesse of sinne Lastly consider the abundance of mercy and goodnesse that is in God whereby he not only strives with us in the midst of all rebellions but he is more mercifull then we are or can be rebellious this helpes the heart of another thing that cuts it For when the soule seeth all his sinnes for number for nature so many and so abominable he saith Object Can mercy be shewed to such a wretch as I am Answ. Yes for as God is al-sufficient and his promise free so he hath plenty of mercy for the worst he exceeds in mercy all the sinnes that can be except that against the holy Ghost and therefore the soule throwes it selfe upon this the Apostle saith Where sinne abounds grace abounds much more lest any man should say Let us sinne that grace may abound the text saith in another place whose damnation is just This knockes off fingers though a sinfull wretch abuse God and Grace yet mercy will overcome the heart in this case but it will cost him deare though thou turnest the grace of God into wantonnesse the Lord will turne that wantonnesse of thine into bitternesse the Lord will sting that heart of thine one day and make thee see whether it be good to forsake mercy when it is offered it will be easier for Sodome then for thee when thou shalt see a company of poore Sodomites frie in hell howsoever God may bring thee to heaven yet he will make thee frie in hell and he will make thee thinke a Sodomite to be in a better condition for the present then thou art Object But some will say God cannot in justice save such a wretch as I am For answer to this see what Saint Iames saith Mercy rejoyceth or triumpheth over Iustice howsoever Iustice saith he must be plagued yet Mercy saith Christ hath made a plentifull satisfaction for him then mercy triumpheth over judgement so then if God be al-sufficient and his promise free and his mercy superabundant then we may be stirred up to hope for mercy from God our hearts may be supported herein for ever Now I come to some other particulars that are plainly exprest in our text First they made a free and open confession of their sinnes they did not stay till the Apostle went to their houses but they went to him and said Men and brethren you have spoken against the sinne of murder and we confesse we are guilty of this sinne they saw their sinnes and confessed them openly before the Apostles The Doctrine which ariseth from hence is this When the heart is truly broken for sinne it will be content to make open free confession thereof when a man is called thereunto or thus sound contrition brings forth bottome confession Men and brethren What shall we doe to be saved as if they had said the truth is we have heard of the feareful condition of such as have killed the Lord Jesus and we confesse whatsoever you have said he was persecuted by us and blasphemed by us we are they that cryed Cucifie him crucifie him we would have eaten his flesh and made dice of his bones we plotted his death and gloried in it these are our sinnes and haply a thousand more that then they revealed and this is remarkable They goe to Peter and the other Apostles they did not goe to the Scribes and Pharisees and that cursed crew Whence observe this by the way when the soule is thus truly broken generally it will never repaire to such as are carnall and wicked men for these people knew that the Scribes and Pharisees had their hands as deeply imbrued in Christs blood as themselves and besides they knew them to be such naughty packes that they would rather incourage them in their sinnes then any way ease them and recover them from the same therefore they went to the Disciples because they were holy and gratious persons and willing to succour them and it is certaine that soule was never truly broken for sinne
corrupt matter come out but the coare remaines yet in it still so it is with an impostumed heart when a man is truly pierced with his abominations he is content to lay open the most inward corruptions of all that there may be a perfect killing of all nay it labours to sweepe out the most secret sinnes of all without any ifs or ands and he saith Oh this proud wretched adulâ—erous heart of mine hath bin my bane it wil be my destructioÌ„ for ever if God be not more merciful now the coare and all comes out whereas the hypocrite that feeles only the feare and horror and punishment of sinne executed or threatned he confesseth no more then may procure his case he desires not so much to have his corruptions removed as to be freed from horrour And therefore a hypocrite will scumme over all his confessions his talke will be a hundred miles from his sinnes he never comes to that maine sinne which keepes his heart from God and it is remarkable one man complaines he is troubled with wandring thoughts in hearing the word and his soule is takeÌ„ aside with strange distempers but follow that soule home and you shall commonly finde some base corruptions that take up his heart and another man complaines of his hard heart it stirres not at the word of God and Gods Judgements doe not melt him when yet in the meane time he nourisheth that pride and selfe-uncleannesse that is the cause thereof and there are many besides these as it is with a dogge he doth not gorge up his meat because he loathes it but because his stomacke is troubled with it and therefore when his paine is over he takes it with greedinesse againe so it is with an hypocrite his heart is burthened with extreame sorrow and therefore he throwes out so much as did trouble and gal his conscience and may worke him some ease but afterwards he returnes to it againe and this is the cause why we have so many revolters and backesliders after such open confessions they confesse only to ease themselves of the horror and therefore when the horror is gone they fall to their old sinne againe wheras a sound Christian doth confesse his sinne onely from the loathsomnesse of it Thirdly the soule that is truly broken makes confession with an inward resolution never to meddle with sinne any more yet all this while the soule is full of feare and suspition for feare of falling into those sinnes againe therefore it desires rather to discover it selfe by desires and wishes then any confidence in it selfe and therefore the soule saith O that the Lord would once give me power against these corruptions oh how happy should I be but alas I have no power of my selfe the soule is willing to fling it selfe into the armes of Gods mercy and to commit himselfe wholly to the meanes of grace that God may get himselfe honour by him only he desires him to be good unto him by giving of him power against his corruptions Whereas the hypocrite that is in feare of some judgements and the wrath of God hath seazed upon his soule that he may get ease will promise any thing and be marvelous open and yet confident in himselfe and say if God would give me health and raise me up againe all the world shall see I will be a new man and they shall see how holy and how carefull and how exact I will be yet poore soule when he is out of his trouble he returnes to his vomit is worse then before and so much the worse because he hath made an open confession As it is with a debtor an honest man comes freely doth acknowledge his debâ— and desires the creditor to satisfie himselfe with his body and goods he desires he may be no loser by him hee suspects hee shall not be able to pay him but he hopes so farre as hee is able to give him content but another cunning mate promiseth to pay all if he will give him further day but intends no such matter Just so it is with a soule that is truly broken for sinne he layes himselfe in Gods presence and referres himselfe into Gods hands and saith The truth is Lord I know this proud corrupt heart of mine will not yeeld it wil deceive me I am afraid I shal not be able to walk holily take this heart of mine and doe what thou wilt with it only purge out my sinne and corruption this is the manner of his confession But some man may say Object Is every man bound thus freely and openly to confesse his sinnes I answer The doctrine saith When he is called to it But you will say When is a man bound and called to make confession Answ. For the answer I will shew it in foure conclusions First when the soule haâ—h had a true sight of sinne hath confessed it to the Lord abundantly through Gods mercy hath gotten some assurance of the pardon thereof then he need not looke to men for pardon because the end of confession is accomplished already A man therefore confesseth his sinne that he may finde some help against it not that a Minister can absolve or pardon any as the popish shavelings imagine but that he may have the direction help and prayers of a godly Minister Secondly if wee have wronged any body that wee have conversed withall though God hath pardoned the sinne yet we are to confesse it that we may make peace pray one for another this is the meaning of that place Confesse your sins one to another and pray one for another Thirdly if a man have used all meanes ordinary and extraordinary and hath fasted prayed and sought the Lord for pardon of sin strength against it and yet his conscience remaines troubled and he sinks under the burden of his corruptions in this case a man is called to confesse his sinnes to a faithfull Minister Indeed a man may confesse them to a faithfull Christian but it is Gods ordinance to confesse them to a faithful minister not that a Minister can pardon his sinnes but onely to declare when he is fitted and to apply mercy accordingly It is not a matter of complement but a duty commanded it is in this case with the soule as it is with a mans body he that is able by his owne skil and his kitchin-physick to â—ure himselfe hath no need to seeke to the Physitian but if it be beyond his owne skill and if kitchin-physick will doe no good then he is bound to seeke out to a Physiâ—ian unlesse he will be his owne murderer It is just so with the soule of a man that is sorrowfull for sin when he hath conscionably used all means and yet his closset prayers and his closset fastings will not doe the deed then he is bound to seeke out to a faithfull Minister for he is the physitian that God hath appointed wherby all the sicknesses of the soule
take shame to himselfe for his sinne his confession never comes to the bottome Secondly confession is a matter of great safety I take this to be the only cause why many a man goes troubled and gets neither comfort in the pardon of the sinne nor strength against it because he comes not off kindly in this worke of confession When you doe nakedly open your sinnes to a faithfull minister you goe out in battaile against sinne and you have a second in the field to stand by you but especially there is comfort in this particular for the minister will discover the lusts and deceits and corruptions that you could not finde out and he will lay open all those holds of Sathan and that meanes of comfort that you never knew I am able to speake it by experience this hath broke the necke of many a soule even because he would goe out in single combate against Sathan and doe what he could not revealing himselfe to others for help was overthrowne for ever As it is with the impostumed part of a mans body when a man lets out some of the corrupt matter and so skins it never healing it to the bottome at last it cankers inwardly and comes to a gangrene and the part must be cut off or else a man is in danger of his life so when you let out some corruptions by an overly confession but suffer some bosome lust to remaine still as malice or uncleannesse c. Then the soule cankers and Sathan takes possession of it and the soule is carried into fearefull abominations Many have fallen fouly and lived long in their sinnes and all because they would not confesse freely therefore as you desire to finde out the deceitfulnesse of your corruptions confesse them from the bottome of your soules Thirdly this open and free confession may maintaine the secrecy of the soule for the onlâ— way to have a mans sinnes covered is to confesse them that so they may not be brought upon the stage before all the world Object Oh saith one this is contrary to common reason we are affraid to have our sinnes knowne that is our trouble we keepe our sinnes close because we would preserve our honour Answ. I say the only way for secrecie is to reveal our sinnes to some faithfull Minister for if we confesse our sinnes God will cover them if you take shame to your selves God will honour you but if you will not confesse your sinnes God will breake open the doore of your hearts and let in the light of his truth and the convicting power of his Spirit and make it knowen to men and Angels to the shame of your persons for ever If Iudas had taken notice of his sinne and yeilded to Christs accusation and desired some conference with Christ privately and said Good Lord I am that Iudas and that hell-hound that have received mercy from thee in the outward meanes and have been entertayned among thy people yet it is I that have taken the thirtie pence Lord pardon this sinne and never let this iniquity be laid to my charge I doubt not but though Iudas his soule could not be saved because that now wee know Gods decree of him yet God would have saved him from the publike shame that was cast upon him for it but he did not doe so but hidde his malice in his heart and professed great matters of love to Christ and kissed him and thus he thought to cover his sin wisely but what became of that the Lord forced him to come and to indite himselfe in the high priests hall before the temporall and spirituall counsell So you that keepe your sinnes as sugar under your tongues and will be loose and malitious and covetous still well you will have your thirtie pence still and they are layed up safe as Achans wedge of gold was remember this God will one day open the clossets of your hearts and lay you upon your death beds and then haply yee will prove mad and vomit up all were it not better to confesse your sinnes to some faithfull minister now If you will not give the Lord his glory he will distraine for it have it from your heart blood as Iulian the apostata said when the arrow was shot into his heart he plucked it out and cried saying thou Galilean thou hast overcome me the Lord distrained for his glory and had it out of his heart blood Now I come to the second fruit of contrition which is here plainly expressed and it is this A restlesse dislike of themselves and their sinnes as if they had said Men and brethren we care not what we doe against those evils of ours whereby the Lord hath beene so much dishonoured and we indangered command us what you will we must not rest thus so loathsome are our sinnes that we will doe any thing rather then be as we are So from hence the doctrine is this The soule that is truly pierced for sinne is carried against it with a restlesse dislike and distaste of it or thus Sound contrition of heart ever brings a thorow detestation of sinne this they professedly proclaime before the Apostles As if they had said thus much in more words You say we are they that have crucified the Lord of life and we confesse it oh happy had it beene for us if we had never listened to the plots of the Scribes and Pharisies but that which is past cannot be undone or recalled What must now be done if we rest here we perish forever can nothing be done against these our sinnes that have done so much against the Lord Jesus we must loath ourselves and our sinnes and we must get out of this eâ—â—ate or else we are undone for ever Now for the further opening of this point I will discover these three things First I will shew what a distaste and dislike this is Secondly wherein this hatred and dislike of sinne consists Thirdly I will shew the reason why it must be so For the first namely what dislike this is for the clearing of which you must looke backe to that which I spake before of godly sorrow For of the very same stampe and nature is this dislike and hatred of sinne and it is thus much in effect First there is a hatred in preparation and secondly a hatred in â—sanctification both are saving workes but both are not sanctifying workes vocation is a saving worke but not a sanctifying worke they are two distinct workes This hatred in preparation is that which the Lord workes upon the soule and smites upon the soule and thereby puts this kinde of turning into the heart not that the heart hath any powerfull inward principle of grace before for this is the first that the Lord workes so that as before the soule was forced to see sinne and to feel the burthen of it so the heart is now brought to dislike sinne this is a worke wrought upon the soule rather then any