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
Spirit comes it is a lively grace and a quickning Spirit it begets life in the soule of a man In the 47 of Ezech. vers 9. the Prophet there discovering the time of the Gospell and the offer of salvation therein he saith there Every thing shall live whithersoever this river commeth The rivers there are nothing else but the rivers of grace and salvation when Christ shall come abundance of grace shall be offered and wrought in the soules of Gods people and wheresoever this grace commeth those that be dead shall be quickned Secondly they are said to bee waters of life in regard of the continuance of them for wheresoever this grace is truly wrought it never ceaseth so saith our Saviour Ioh. 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst This water is not like a pit or standing poole that in the heate of summer is dryed up but it runneth amaine continually So that the frame of the words runne thus Whosoever will let him come and take living water living and quickning grace from Iesus Christ freely whereby a soule may be quickned and saved here is a proclamation Whoever will let him come and take the Lord Christ and grace and salvation by him freely he will not repine at the favour he vouchsafes unto us take more hope more faith more sanctification come and come freely and the more oftener ye come the more welcome shal you be This is the substance of the words in the text wherein wee have these three points formerly spoken of First here wee have the freenesse of Gods mercy Whoever will let him take of the water of life freely as who should say shall any man bring money with him and buy grace no no let him take the Spirit freely Secondly A man must will Christ before he can receive Christ and grace from him and this is the second thing in the text The third is That every man that doth truly will Christ and grace shall have Christ and grace from him Men thinke that they would be saved every man will be ready to say I would have Christ rule in me but this same willing of Christ is a hard matter whosoever doth will heartily to receive Christ shall have him and salvation by him but wee shall finde it a hard matter to bring our hearts to this willing of Christ as wee shall here hereafter and thus wee see the three points that arise out of the text and by this time we are entred into our worke let us proceede with the pursuite of the first point which is this The offer of grace from God is altogether free There is nothing but onely Gods will that moves him nothing but his owne good pleasure that perswades him to shew mercy to a poore soule there is nothing out of God that can move him or purchase this favour from him but it is from out of the goodnesse of his nature and the freenesse of his will he will have it so In the 21 of the Revel 6. there is a marvelous pregnant place for this purpose there saith the text I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountaine of the water of life freely There are three things or phrases considerable First God will give him to drinke and what is freer than gift nay that we may know that he will not give it us upon any consideration he will give it freely nay marke further hee will give it to every one that thirsteth though a man desireth it earnestly even as a man that is a thirst desireth drinke though he doe what he can to obtaine it though hee use all meanes for the procuring of it yet God will give it him and that freely and this cuts the throates of merit-mongers the Papists that stand so much upon their merits and therefore it is observeable in the 4. of Zach. 7.9 in the building of the materiall Temple the text saith That Zerubbabels hands which had layd the foundation thereof should finish it The same hand which layd the first stone so the same hand should lay the last the meaning of the place is this when the poore people of Israel were to build the Temple in time of persecution they had no ability of themselves to do it yet the Lord bids them go on cheerefully for I will dispose of all things for the gold and silver is mine and hereby the Lord doth quippe at a secret â—onceite of theirs they might thinke with themselves alasse wee have no gold wee have no silver how shall we bring this worke to passe the Lord he answers this secret objection of theirs and tels them the gold is mine the silver is mine the hands of Zeruâ—babell that hath layd the first stone shall bring forth the headstone thereof and what is the ground of all this the reason is rendered in the 7. vers All the people shall cry grace grace as if they had said Grace hath sent meanes grace hath continued means grace hath given us hearts to use the means all is grace nothing but grace and mercy hath done it thus the people admired at Gods great goodnesse that did so helpe them and shouted crying grace grace And as it was thus in the materiall Temple so it is here in the building of the soule a Temple for the Lord. The beginning of grace the receiving of grace the continuing of grace all is grace grace from the beginning of election to the end of glorification from the beginning of conversion to the end of salvation all is grace and mercy nothing but grace that doth all workes all prepares all for the good of Gods people Gods grace and mercy is altogether free and the freedome of it appeareth in these three particulars It is free First â—nregard of the preparation of the meanes of grace that God hath invented the meanes of salvation which God hath invented for his people being fallen in Adam was altogether free for when Adam had forsaken God and hearkned to the enemy had left the way of holinesse and went into the way of confusion it was free with God whither he would helpe him or no when Adam had spent the patrimony which God had given him it was free whether God would set him up againe or no free it was in God the Father which appointed the Sonne as the meanes free it was in Christ Iesus that tooke the taske upon him and free in the holy Spirit that wrought grace and salvation in the hearts of Gods people God out of his free will gave his Sonne to redeeme mankinde and Christ gave himselfe freely and the holy Ghost doth freely worke comfort in the hearts of Gods chosen it was free with God to appoint Christ for the meanes free with Christ to be the meanes free with the Spirit to worke the meanes Secondly as it is free in regard of the appointing the meanes so likewise in regard of the Revelation of the meanes to any soule it was
these earthly things here below that they have no roome for any spirituall grace but you that are Saints of God that have received any grace thinke of this let your soules blesse God even extraordinarily and say I thanke thee Father that that thou hast hid these things from the wise and from the rich and from the noble and hast revealed them unto babes that thou hast taught me a poore silly creature that thou hast wrought upon my heart and shewed me Christ Iesus when as most in the world have not seene him nor salvation many great ones and mighty ones thou hast sent packing to hell but me a blind creature out of a poore cottage out of a corner of hell thou hast plucked and given me salvation Father I blesse thee for this for it was of thy free mercy I beseech thee to give me a free hearâ— to blesse thee for this thy wonderfull mercy vouchsafed unto me and to walke worthy of thee What shalt thou give thy selfe freely for my poore souleâ— and shall not I give thee a good action freely thus stirre up your owne hearts to blesse God for this his great mercy the greater the grace is which he vouchsafeth unto you the greater your thankfulnesse ought to be and so much for this use it should stirre up every poore soule that hath received any grace to go into a comer and looke up to heaven and be amazed at Gods great mercy and say Father I have received grace and why Iâ— there is no reason Lord for it but because thy mercy pleased thee The second use is to the wicked themselves those that yet want this mercy to those that are yet in the gall of bitternesse is it so that Gods grace and mercy is altogether free then this may bee a ground of incouragement unto them to seeke after this mercy they may thinke with themselves thus why the offer of grace is free and therefore why may not I come to have some of this mercy as well as another though they are yet in the snare of Satan under the power of sinne and in the bond of iniquitie yet the freenesse of Gods mercy may incourage them to seeke to God for this grace and to sustaine their hearts in some hope that they may obtaine it Why it is a free mercy and therefore why mayst not thou have it as well as another it is freely given and why mayst not thou receive it as well as another it is worth the while to seeke after grace and mercy for there is some hope and expectation to attaine it This was the ground why the Prophet Esay did perswade all people to come unto the Lord Iesus Esay 55.1 Why saith he Every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and he that hath no money come yee buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Come you that have no money saith the text the people might make a cavill and say Why wee want money to buy to what end therefore should we come the text answers this and saith Come you that have no money and buy without money What is the meaning of this that is you that have no sufficiency to procure grace and salvation though you have no ability of your selves to purchase this yet come and come freely and buy without money as if he should say If you will but come and take grace this is all God lookes for all that the Lord expects and desires you may have it for the taking you may receive grace for the carrying of it away though your weaknesse be great and your infirmities many yet if you have but ability to take grace and carry it away this is enough this is all that God requires at your hands and this is that which makes the Saints of God in the 14. of Hos 3. to goe unto God and renounce all others there saith the text A shur shall not save us wee will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the workes of our hands Ye are our gods and what is the ground of all this for with thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy so that hast thou a desolate soule why bee of good comfort and be incouraged to go to God for helpe for hee doth not succour men because they have strength but hee helpeth those that are succourlesse Art thou fatherlesse and cast off of the world hast thou a fatherlesse soule a motherlesse soule that is a hopelesse and a helpelesse soule that hath no ability to procure mercy or to purchase grace why with God the fatherlesse findeth mercy and therefore say Lord with thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy I am such a one therefore Lord I expect mercy from thee If a great rich man should proclaime that at such a time every one that will come may receive dole from him if this dole now were to bee purchased with money none but the rich could receive it but when he saith he will give to every one that comes a dole freely then the poore may have it as well as the rich when the dole commeth not to be purchased but onely to be received then the begger may have it as well as he that hath money for the dole is not to bee bought but to bee received and therefore every one that hath but a bagge to put it in and ability to carry it away may have it consider this ye that God hath not called home there is a dole of mercy to be given you from God and God doth not intend to sell his mercy to you but to bestow it freely upon you and therefore if you will but come receive it and carry it away you may have it God requirs nothing else of you and therefore comfort your selves and say Why this mercy of God is free others have it and why not I Lord. Come therefore and waite upon God in his ordinances thinke with thy selfe that the dole of mercy is to be given at such a place at such a sermon and therefore resolve to goe thither and say If wisedome or goodnesse or understanding would purchase any thing at Gods hand then miserable creature that I were for I have none of those but the mercy of God is free there is a dole of mercy freely to be given and such and such have had it bestowed upon them and therefore why may not I have it as well as others And therefore naturall men that are burthened with abhominations and full of sinne and corruptions let them reason with their soules and say Why did God convert Saul call Abraham and humble Manasses why God did this freely of his free mercy and goodnesse did hee and why then may not I receive this mercy from the hand of the Lord also and when your owne weakenesses trouble you and your sinnes and infirmities lye sore upon you why then helpe your owne soules in this kinde and say I can doe nothing that can procure grace no
and Salvation by him there is also a cursed kinde of Hypocrites which professe saire and much they say they will doe for the Lord Iesus Ier. 24.20 but they are like unto those in the 42. of Ieremy the 20. verse marke what the text saith there Yee dissembled in your hearts wheâ— you sent me to the Lord our God saying Pray for us unto the Lord our God and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say so declare unto us and wee will doe it So there are many that make a faire outside and will take up holy duties and they will be professing and talking of God but there must be more than this there must be a willing of grace besides a professing of grace you pretend faire and promise this and purpose that but when it commeth to you you fly off and you will have your owne liberty your heart is double you say you will reforme your wayes and yet you will be idle still and loose still and therefore you never yet willed Christ you never yet prized him aright you never truely chose him and therefore as sure as the Lord liveth Christ is not yours if the condition bee not performed by you you shall never bee made partakers of that which is promised upon the performance of that condition if you will Christ and grace then indeed you have Christ and grace but you never willed Christ and therefore it is evident you never had Christ Deut. 29.4 In the 29. of Deut. 4. vers there saith the text The Lord hath shewed you great wâ—nders and discovered many mercies unto you and you the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heâ—re unto this very day and therefore go home and mourne for yourselves and reason with your soules and say what after all ouâ— profession bearing praying talking after all the cost and care that God hath bestowed upon us have we not yet a heart to will grace and desire the Lord Iesus many mercies have beene vouchsafed unto us many judgements removed from us there is no nation that God hath dealt so mercifully with as with us we have peace yet and the Gospell yet and prosperity yet and yet for all this to this very day God hath not given us a heart to receive grace and the things belonging to our everlasting peace and therefore wives mourne for your husbands in secret and say oh my husband what hath not God yet given thee a heart to feare him and fathers mourne for your children that are not yet in the state of grace and say oh my sonne not yet a heart that God hath given thee to sanctifie a Sabboth and to leave off thy wickâ—d courses and friends mourne you also one for another and say oh my friend what not yet a heart to humble thy selfe and to feare the name of God thus mourne in secret and say God hath done this and this for thee and hast thou not yet a heart not yet a will to entertaine Christ the world carries al pleasure carries all profit beares all away malice carries away all The promises and Commandements of God are despised and hast thou not yell a heart to beleeve the promises and prize the Lawes of â—od above liberty and peace profit and pleasure there is nothing wanting on Gods part hee gives peace still and the Gospell still and yet not a heart all this while to feare God and keepe his Commandements thou hast a good house and good land and many mercies are vouchsafed unto thee and not yet a good heart what a misery is this not yet a will to embrace Christ and receive grace why what a lamentable condition is this and therefore in the last place it is a word of Exhortation to every soule here present to labour now to begin at the right end and take a right course and follow the path that God hath chalked out unto us in a word we see it is come to this passe that all is grown to an outside every man must be a Christian go to heaven and all the argument is this because a man can talke well of religion but this is not the right way the willing of grace must goe before the receiving of grace and therefore go home and examine your selves whether grace bee truely wrought and fashioned in you or no and reason thus with your owne hearts and say it is not enough to bring my mouth and profession to the Word of the Lord but heart what sayst thou in the meane time I can talke of religion and many good matters but will what sayst thou in the meane time dost thou prize Christ above all things dost thou choose Christ and grace above all other things in the world whatsoever heart what sayst thou dost thou open thy selfe and close with him and dost thou purpose never to forsake him Deut. 32.42 in the 32 of Deut. 42. there saith Moses to the people Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day for it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life and through this thing you shall prolong your dayes so say I set your hearts to the word labour to set your soules to the word of God for it is not a vaine word it is your life and length of your daies it is not talking of Christ but it is the willing of Christ from the heart that will obtaine Christ and Salvation by him We have spoken already of the reasonablenesse of the condition whosoever will may receive grace and that freely and now we come to the universality of it the work of the Spirit is tendered to every one whosoever will give way thus unto it grace is set open to all and proclamed to all that will take it upon those tearmes before spoken of therfore saith the Text Whosoever will let him take of the water of life the word in the originall is every willing man there is no man exempted no man debarred no man hindred to take grace upon those tearmes if he will condiscend to Gods conditions be he what he will be naturally either in regard of sins and corruptions or in regard of poverty or infirmities whatsoever his naturall condition be yet if he wil but agree to Gods conditions if he will but choose and prize Christ above all other things â—he shall receive him and grace and salvation by hiâ—â—â— so that the doctrin is this Whosoever in truth doth will to have Christ shall receive him and salvation by him the Text doth not say Whosoever saith Lord Lord shall have Christ and grace but the willing soule he shall have him not the talâ—eing man nor the presuming man nor the glorying man but the willing man so that this is the point Whosoever in good earnest and in truth will have Christ shall receive Christ and salvation by him in the 10. of Luke ver 5 6.
the Spirit of God and then the point will fall faire and undeniable To this I answere there are some things of God that are revealed in the creation of the world Rom. 1.20 there saith the text Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him meaning God from the creation of the world are cleerely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead that is a man that looketh into the frame and fabricke of the world and seeth the making of the earth and the Sea and all things therein hee cannot say but God hath beene here an infinite wisdome and an Almighty power hath beene here and framed all these things but these are not the things of God which are meant in the text but there are other things of God which we must looke after and they cannot be discerned by the creation of the world and therefore 1 Cor. 1.21 1 Cor. 1.21 we shall observe this After that in the Wisedome of God saith the text the world by wisedome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve marke the naturall men might have knowne though they would not that there was a God by the wisedome of God that is by the wisedome of God in creating of the World and by the observation of things in the same but they could not take notice of him as a God reconciled as a God that should appoint Christ as a redeemer and as a God that should send Christ to bee a redeemer these are the things which men could not know by the creation of the world and by the wisedome thereof the things of grace and of our redemption the favour and love that God beares towards his in Christ these are the things of God the things of election sanctification justification and glorification these are the things of God which are meant especially in the Text as if he had sayd God by the spirit can onely reveale these things these come immediatly from God by the meanes hee hath appointed a man may know that God hath created heaven and earth and that he hath made all and provided for all and yet goe to hell But hee that hath found Gods love in Christ God working graciously upon his soule God humbling his heart and pulling downe his soule that hee might bee fit to receive mercy and then bestowing mercy upon him when a soule seeth these things then these are the things of God here meant Gods spirit must onely work these the spirit onely must reveale these and by the operation of the spirit wee are made partakers of these these are the things of God which are to be understood in the Text God is said to call and to sanctifie it is the Spirit that converts and adopts and humbles mens soules as who should say These are the workes of the Spirit there is no seeing there is no perceiving of these there is no way to be made partakers of these without the spirit so that the doctrine now lieth open and that is this No man naturally is able of his owne power to receive the spirituall things of grace and salvation no naturall man that is he that hath not the spirit of God working in him no man that is in his naturall estate can receive the spirituall things of grace and salvation Hee doth not receive them nay he cannot receive them saith the Text to put out all doubts and to cast away all cavills the Text doth not onely say he doth not receive them but that he cannot receive them doe hee what he will doe he what he can come to a naturall man and aske him will you receive Christ and the worke of grace why yes with all his heart and he makes no doubt but he doth so and hee hopes hee shall finde the comfort of it The Text saith God saith the truth saith you doe not nay you cannot you say you doe whom shall wee beleeve in this case God or you I can prove you are a naturall man you live in base wicked courses the Spirit of God is an holy Spirit you live in ungodly and unlawfull courses the Spirit of God is a wise Spirit you are ignorant and know not the things belonging to salvation and therefore the world knowes and you know that you are a naturall man and the spirit that saith a naturall man cannot receive the things of God and yet you say you can whom therefore shall we beleeve so that the point is plaine that a man by nature hath not power to will to receive Christ and grace and salvation by him and we will make good the point in foure particulars by way of explication That a man hath not power to will to receive grace and salvation by Christ First to omit that which the Papists themselves confesse in this case namely that a naturall man of himselfe cannot finde out the meanes of life and Salvation but God must give him some preventing grace he must be enlightned that is God must reveale and make knowne the things that concerne his peace unto him out of the Word hee must discover those things unto him which appertaine to his peace and justification by Christ I will omit this and speake onely of the power which a naturall man hath to entertaine the things belonging to life and Salvation and suppose it be granted that the things of Salvation must be made knowne unto a naturall mat in this case or else he can never of himselfe finde them out yet when these things be set open to mens cares by the ministers of God when grace and Salvation are offered unto men yet marâ—â— when these are proclaimed a naturall man cannot entertaine these things but the heart of a naturall man will 〈◊〉 away from these things which we may plainely see if wee looke but into the 19 of Mat. Mat. 19.22 22. there was a young man made some good profession he came unto Christ and asked him Master what good thing shall I doe to inherit eternall life Christ sayd unto him If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements the young man askeâ— Christ which Commandement he should keepe our Saviour answers him Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery c. The young man answers All these things have I observed from my youth what lacke Iyet Then Christ saith unto him if thou wilt be perfect goe sell all that thou hast and give it to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven but the text saith Vers 32. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions All the while before our Saviour had not touched him to the quicke but when he saith unto him Goe thy wayes sell all that thou hast and follow me and thou shalt have treasue in heaven he then went away why marke here Christ made him a brave offer hee told him he should inherit heaven and happinesse if he
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
doth beseech thee to give way to this exhortation of his all meanes should have beene embraced all opportunities should have beene entertained all Ministers should have beene heard and regarded but principally these things belonging to thy peace especially in this thy day 〈◊〉 not to have beene rejected thy Saviour above all other should not have beene refused and conâ—â—â—ned and then hee falls a weeping and then 〈◊〉 mournes Oh that thou hadst knowne these things in this thy day and then his heart even breakâ—◠〈◊〉 hee weepes againe Oh but now they bee hidden from thine eyes thou shalt never receive the like favour againe the like opportunitie shall never hereafter bee offered Wee will first handle the fir circumstance but before I can come to deliver the poin plainely and nakedly give mee leave a little to open the meaning of this word day knâ—w therefore thus much that this word in phrase of Scripture discovereth unto us that time or that percell of time which God hath set out in his providence for any particular service As it was in the creation of the world when the Lord made all things the Lord turned an houre glasse as it were and set downe the time wherein every thing was made God said let there bee light and there was light and the evening and the morning was the first day then God said let there be a firmament and there was so and the evening and the morning were the second day and here is the stoppe and stay that God maketh to the creature as who should say as every thing hath a day wherein it was made so every thing hath a day wherein it workes and the Lord hath limited a certaine time to every action that every creature is able to performe and which God requires of it so that observe a mans day in generall is nothing but the time of his lifeâ— besides this a day discovereth the passages of Gods providence and that speciall nicke of opportunitie that God hath layd out for every particular act as God hath appointed a day wherein anguish and greefe shall come upon us and that is sayd to bee the day of trouble â—all upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you saith the Psalmist there is a day of tryall also in the third of Hebr. 8. harden not your hearts as in the day of tryall or temptation in the Wildernesse and there is a day of visitation also as wee may see in this Chapter verse 44. They shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewst not the day of thy visitation Ierusalem was like a sicke person as indeede all sinners are sicke men now the Lord Iesus being the great Physition of the world came to visit Ierusalem When he sent his balme from Gilead the glad tidings of grace and salvation then the Lord did visit Ierusalem for the healing comforting and saving of her and this was Ierusalem day So that then the day of a man is the time of his life together with that parcell of time that God hath alotted him for every particular worâ—e and the day of a man which belongs to his visitation is that particular opportunitie wherein grace is offered and salvation tendred unto him as there is a day of trouble and a day of tryall so in the third place there is a day of salvation and a day of visitation which is that particular season wherein God sends his faithfull messengers to dispense the meanes of life and salvation unto a people O that thou hadst knowne as if Christ should have said O yee inhabitants of Ierusalem while the word of life lasteth and the meanes of grace and salvation is continued unto you this is your day and this is the meaning of the word every man hath his day more or lesse as Ierusalem had when the meanes of salvation were discovered unto it The doctrine with which we will grapple is thus much namely That while life is continued the meanes of grace salvation afforded to a people that is the season wherein God meaneth to worke upon their hearts effectually that they may receive life and salvation It is true when Corne failes God can send Manna from heaven God can use extraordinary meanes to bring men to life and salvation and happinesse but men must not looke now for extraordinary conversions they must not expect to be miraculously saved as in former times some were when the meanes of salvation was revealed onely to the people of the Iewes Rahab indeede and Iob that had not the meanes of salvatition so apparently revealed unto them but had onely â—â—inckling of the happinesse that God had wrought for his people this wrought upon them and prevailed with their hearts and by the power of the Almighty God brought them to the knowledge of the things belonging to salvation But in the common course of God if ever soule now be converted it must be by the ministery of the word that is our day that is our time that is the speciall season wherein God will vouchsafe to looke upon poore sinners and convert them unto himselfe if a man were not alive meanes would not profit him and if a man were alive and had no meanes hee could get no good neither but when both these goe together then is the time wherein God offereth life and salvation then is the season wherein God if ever will worke upon the soule of a sinner to make him fit to entertaine things belonging to his peace We must handle two parts in the point first that a mans life is part of this season secondly that the meanes offered in that season is the making up of the point wee will prove both parts severally and then make uses of them both together First wee will proove that the time of a mans life is part of the season wherein God will worke effectually upon him for his everlasting comfort Eccles 9.10 in the in the ninth of Ecclesiastes 10. there saith the wise man Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke nor device nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest as though he had sayd if there be any thing that God requireth of thee If there be any duty that ought to be discharged by the labour whilst thou livest to doe it And now be carefull to performe it for when death shall close thine eyes and thy body returneth to the grave then there is no more teaching no more hearing no more expecting of grace and mercy from God and wee shall finde in course of Scripture that a man shall receive according tot hat he hath done in the flesh while a man lives here he is in the time of trading and the time after this life is the time of enjoying in this life is the time of labouring and the time to come
hearing while we are all living now is the time 2 Cor. 6.2 now is the season it is in 2 Cor. 6.2 the Text saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Whilst Ministers are calling upon you and you are living though they cannot give you grace nor you of your selves receive grace yet wee have the promise in the accepted time God will heare us even now while I am speaking and you are hearing this the very day of salvation and therefore let us not turne the deafe eare upon the Lord but while opportunity is affoorded let us make use of it while the Lord is pleased to continue opportunities unto us let us embrace them hee that never heard let him heare now hee that never prayed let him pray now it is now high time to awake out of that cursed securitie wherein wee have a long time lien the Lord is come neare unto us even to the very next doore Christ Iesus is calling and mercie is intreating and wisedome is even hoarse with crying after us there is nothing but a heart wanting mercy is offered we ought therefore to entertaine it the meanes of salvation are revealed therefore we ought for to embrace them Cant. 2.10 Cant. 2.10 there saith the Text My beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my love my faire one and come away for the winter is past and the raine is over and gone the flowers appeare on the earth and the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our Land thus God speaketh to you this day those words are made good to every soule that heareth me this day God calleth to every poore sinner the Church was then in misery and so the Lord speaketh to every poore soule thou art in the grave of thy sinnes arise my love my dove the time of persecution is past and the voyce of the turtle is yet heard the Ministers of God are preaching to us and wooing of us and saying the Spring time of grace is now present The Lord saith unto us as to the Church there rise and come out of those sinnefull courses wherein you are he pluckes the adulterer out of his leud practises and hee calls the proud man out of his wicked courses and the covetous man out of his counting house and from the things here below and bids them come unto the house of the Lord that he may speake comfort and consolation to their soules the Lord doth even strive with us and labours every way to plucke us out of our base and sinnefull courses the Lord dealeth with us Ezeck 12.3 as he did with Israel Ezeck 12.3 there saith the Text Prepare thou sonne of man thee stuffe for removing and remove by day in their sight and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place it may be they will consider though they be a rebellious people as if hee had said it may be when all these meanes are used it may be at last they will be perswaded and performe that which I require of them it is a lively patterne of Gods speciall providence over us in this Land God hath not dealt thus with other Nations hee hath passed by other people and hath let the Gospell abide among us the sound of the Gospell an inkeling of it hath beene in other countries but hee hath commanded the Gospell to abide with us twentie thirtie fortie sixtie yeares wee have yet the Gospell among us we are yet in peace and prosperitie we enjoy those liberties that thousands of our poore brethren want and would attaine unto many have had some meanes but wee have had all meanes we have had famine for to affright us the Plague to awaken us and peace to cheere us nay the Gospell and meanes of salvation are still continued to us the Lord saith preach still continue still calling and still crying to the people of England that so if it be possible their proud hearts may be humbled their sturdy hearts may be softned their unregenerate hearts may be converted and their soules may be saved The second cavill is this the soule may say though the opportunity be now present yet there is time enough the day is long enough for the answer hereof I will goe no further then the Text saith O that thou hadst knowne the things belonging to thy peace in this thy day but now they are hidden from thine eyes The day of a mans life is very uncertaine no man knoweth how long he shall live who knoweth not what our lives are bubbles and vapours and flowers how soone are the bubbles downe how soone are the vapours vanisht how soone doe the flowers fade nay many of us are in our middle age nay some of us are in our old age wee have one foote already in the grave and how soone may these flowers wither how soone may these men returne unto the earth and then what will become of all their expectations It is good saith the wise man to injoy the present time while life and strength continue young men will bee ready to say I will take my owne content now and hereafter I will returne unto the Lord I will gather the flower while it is greene and while I am young I will not spend my dayes in mourning I will not breake my heart with sighing and sorrowing for my sinnes but when I grow crooked and aged and sit at home then I will repent and 〈◊〉 unto the Lord and become a new man those young men say unto repentance as Felix did to Paul go thy wayes now I will heare thee another time so say they to repentance hereafter when there comes a convenient time I will repeâ—t I will be holy and obedient and turne over a new leafe and become a new man but now let me make use of the treasurie of my youth and because I am in the strength of my yeares therefore I will follow my pleasures O foole O foole I say unto thee as Christ did to the rich man in the Gospell this night thy soule may be taken from thee and then what will become of thy thoughts plots and plojects thy bed may become thy grave and then what will become of thy poore soule the divells may drag it into hell It was the word of the rich man when he had filled his barnes full of goods and his purse full of money then he saith unto his soule Soule take thy rest thou hast goods layd up for many yeares take thy cups saith the drunkard take thy whore saith the adulterer Oh foole this night the divell may hale thy soule into everlasting confusion how knowest thou but that sentence may bee given upon thee which was given upon him and then there will be no repentance in the grave But bee it so that thy life may continue which is
Gods mercy that he deales thus with the soules of poore sinners it is the reason of that passage in the 15. verse of this Chapter there the Master of the vineyard called the labourers together and they received every man a penny now they that came first and had borne the heate of the day when they saw that they which came last had as much as they they murmured against the master of the vineyard saying These last have wrought but one houre and thou hast made them equall unto us which have borne the heate of the day but then the master answered saying Friend I doe thee no wrong is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne as if he had sayd I called thee at the third houre and him at the sixth houre and this man at the eleventh houre it was out of my mercy that I called thee and out of my mercy that I called him is it not lawfull to doe what I will with mine owne mercy is mine and love is mine and reward is mine it is my mercy that I will call any at any time and therefore I may dispose of it as I please Secondly as the Lord doth expresse hereby the freenesse of his grace so the Lord also hereby doth mervelously magnifie his great power and All-sufficiency in saving the soules of poore people that is able to doe what hee will in heaven and in earth and so likewise in the hearts of his servants there are many little ones that are fooles and have no knowledge and yet the Lord is able to convert them and make them understand the mysteries of salvation there are many strong men that snuffle up the wind like the Asse in the Wildernesse they will not stoope they will not be humbled but they will doe what they list and yet the Lord is able to over power this sturdy heart of a young and strong man and he is able to support the weake nature of a young one And so men that are weatherbeaten in their sinnes and screwed into their corruptions God is able to overpower these and convert these also and bring them home unto himselfe if hee be a weake silly child yet God is able to inlighten him if hee have a sturdy heart yet God can bring him downe and if he be a weatherbeaten and an old sinner yet God is able to call him and convert him also and hereby the wonderfull power of the Lord is seene in that hee is able to worke how hee will when hee will and upon whom he will in this kind looke as it is with a Physitian when a man hath a disease which lies low in his body and breedes rottennesse in his bones insomuch that it is almost past cure then the Physitian that can recover this man sheweth admirable skill and he sheweth admirable power in regard that he is able to provide such meanes and apply such meanes as thereby the party may bee cured by this meanes the skill of the Physitian and the power of him is magnified so it is with this great God when all sorts of sinners are called and all corruptions subdued your little ones that know nothing yet God inlightens them and supports them Timothy did sucke the sincere milke of the Gospel on one side as he did sucke the milke of his mothers brests on the other side and then there is a stubborne heart on another side which breakes all bonds and snappes all cords apeeces hâ—e cares for nothing he will be ruled by no man and then there is your old forlorne sinner his sinnes are become a rottennesse in his bones old incanlâ—â—ed pride and incancred covetousnesse and malice God now to conquer all these and helpe these doth not this shew admirable power in the Lord 〈◊〉 to worke and thus to order things for the good of his people so that wee see that God doth and can call in all ages We come now to the next passage and that is this however the Lord doth at severall times convert severall of his servants and there is no time alotted to him yet most and most usually God doth call them before their old age and that some interpreters wittily observe out of the Text it is sayd that the master of the Vineyard went out at the third sixt and ninth houre and saw some standing idle and he sent them into his Vineyard he went then on purpose to see and hire and send in Labourers to work in his Vineyard but the Text saith he went out at the eleventh houre not to hire any for he did not expect to see any then idle but hee went out upon some other occasion and seeing some then standing idle hee wondred at it and sayd Why stand yee all the day idle as if he should say no man will hire you now it is but one houre to night it is time for men to leave working and not to beginne to worke he went out occasionally and meeting with these unexpected hee wondered at these and therefore they observe that if there had not beene great mercy in the master of the Vineyard this was no time to hire Labourers in so that the case is cleare some are called in their youth some in their middle age some in their old age some in their tender yeares some in their riper age some old some young but this is most true than those whom God doth call it is most commonly in their middle age before they come to their old age this is the generall course of God he call many before some after but most then Eccles 3.1 there the wise man observes that there is a time appointed for every purpose and it appeareth that the middle age is the fittest time for this purpose it is true indeede that all things depend upon Gods will but yet there is wisedome in this God and he ordereth things according to wise dome and this seemes to bee the fittest season wherein the Lord should deale thus graciously in converting of a sinner if wee consider either the nature of man or the end of Gods giving grace in both these respects first if wee looke to man and regard either the constitution of his body or the gifts qualities of his minde we shall see that it is most fit for God to worke upon him in his middle age he can doe it and may doe it at another time but that is the fittest time and that first in regard of the constitution of his body for it is observed by Philosophers that a man in his tender infancie lives the life of a tree onely he onely eates and growes and so it is with little children in their swadling cloathes afterwards when he comes into further yeares when he comes to be ten or twelve yeares old then hee lives the life of a beast he is taken away with those objects that are then most sutable to him for a child to consider of the mysteries of life salvation is
in the beginning and thus his children his brokers and factors do in the end of the world these are the two sonnes of Satan the chiefest schollers in his schoole they are able to bring many to destruction and confusion Rev. 12.4 there the Text saith that the Dragon stood before the woman that was to bee delivered for to devoure her child as soone as it should bee borne the woman is the Church the Dragon is the divell the child to be borne is the soule that is to be converted when the Church doth bring a soule to life why then the Dragon watcheth when the child is borne that he may devoure it if there be any that looke to heaven if there be any whose hearts are humbled whose minds are inlightned and consciences awakened the divell watcheth when this soule is borne that hee may devoure it so it is with wicked persons that beare the image and exercise the practise of the divell if there be any that God is pleased to work upon why wicked men they court them at all times and occasions that can be all is too good for them in this kind nicenesse and exactnesse and precisenesse and madnesse and all is cast upon them to devoure poore sinners and hinder poore Saints to hinder the birth of the child that the Church travelleth withall why wouldst thou devoure a poore creature that God in mercy would deliver from sinne here and bring to salvation hereafter Dost thou envy him dost thou by cursed perswasions and wicked devices endeavour to pluck from God to sinne I tell thee if there were ever a divell in a man there is one in thee if there were ever a child of the divell that was wicked here and shall be damned hereafter thou art surely one and this is the first thing wherein the miserable condition of these men is discovered they are the children of the divell the Lord of heaven open your eyes and awaken your consciences and reveale these things to your soules that you may forsake these base courses secondly as they are most like to the divell so also their wretched estate appeares in this that they are the greatest and deadliest enemies to God that place formerly named will serve for the opening of this Acts 13.10 there saith the Text thou child of the divell and enemy to all righteousnesse Paul calls Elymas the sorcerer because hee withstood him and resisted the work of God not only the child of the divell but an enemy to all righteousnesse mark that as who should say he that withholds a Saint of God hee that would pluck a soule from walking uprightly before God he is an enemy to all righteousnesse and this is a most fearfull thing for other kind of sinnes are of a lesse nature for a drankard is an enemy to sobriety an unjust person is an enemy to justice a lyer is an enemy to truth an adulterer is an enemy to chastity and a malicious man is an enemy to charity but he that is an enemy to the saving work of Gods grace in the soule of a man he that withstands and resists the worke of conversion hee is an enemy to all righteousnesse for how shall a man walk holily before God or righteously before his brethren how shall he love God above all things and his neighbour as himselfe unlesse grace be wrought in the soule of a man and unlesse the word of God bee placed in the heart of a man men ought to keep Gods Cōmandements that they may receive comfort from God now unlesse God bestow faith and grace and his spirit upon a man how shall hee do this but when thou sayest I would not have such a man converted I would not have the spirit work effectually in his heart when thou hinderest the work of God in this kind then thou hinderest a man from performing obedience to Gods Commandements and therefore thou art an enemy to God Gods Sabbaths can never be sanctified the life of thy neighbour can never be tendered the chastity of thy neighbour can never be preserved thou art a drunkard thou art an adulterer thou are a murtherer he that murthereth a man is an enemy to the life of a man but he that will not suffer the word of God to take plane in the soule of a sinner he is the murtherer of the soule of a man he is an enemy to all righteousnesse he cannot performe any service unto God there is no duty to be performed no sinne to bee omitted but thou art an enemy to all for when thou dost hinder a sinner from receiving of grace and from being made partaker thereof thou dost hinder a sinner from honouring of God here and receiving of comfort hereafter and what a wofull wretched condition is this to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and not only so but full of all mischiefe for so saith the Text aforenamed thou enemy of all righteousnesse and full of all mischiefe marke the opening of the words full that is brimme full top full ready to runne over with wickednesse and the cause is this it s naught for a man to be wicked and to resolve to be no better is worse but for a man not only to be wicked and resolve to be no better but to hinder others also from being good this is the very height of all impiety this is to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and to be full of mischiefe Thirdly as they are the children of the divell and enemies to all righteousnesse so also they are the greatest enemies to the salvation of mens soules they compasse sea and land to make a Proselyte I beseech you take notice of it thou art a drunkard and a blasphemer and a wretched lewd person thou art not only bad thy selfe but such a man hath had his mind inlightned and his conscience awakened but thou by thy wicked counsells and carnall reasons and sinfull arguments catchest him and with drawest him againe into his former wicked courses and base practises and then the end of that man is worse than the beginning and hee becomes twice a child of the divell well he shall perish and so shalt thou he shall be damned but the Lord shall require his bloud at thy hands and this is the maine cause why men perish and go downe to hell namely the wicked counsells and cursed perswasions which sinfull damned persons use to hurry poore soules downe into destruction as though they could not go fast enough of themselves to hell but they must lay these base sinfull cords upon them to draw them headlong into the bottomlesse pit of confusion Well the time will come when these poore creatures shall call for vengeance at the hand of God to bee executed against you they will accuse you at the last day and curse you and call for vengeance to be poured downe upon your heads you that are guilty of this whensoever you meet with the day of death here or with the day of judgement