hereafter then it will go marvellous heavily with you you have hindred the worke of conversion for being wrought in them and you have drawne them into wicked courses they shall go to hell they shall perish poore soules but I tell you their blood will God require at your hands at that day they will appeare before the Lord of glory and call for vengeance against you when the heavens shall melt with fire and when the Lord shall have tenne thousand thousand of Angels ministring unto him when all flesh at the dreadfull day of judgement shall appeare before the judgement seat of God and render an account of that they have done here upon earth then here you shall see a cursed drunkard there a wretched adulterer and there a prophane swearer and they shall come and accuse those that have drawne them into the commission of these sinnes and they shall say I confesse Lord I was inlightned my eyes were opened and my heart was touched and my conscience was awakened and I was resolved to walke in a good course but Lord here is the man behold here is the woman that by wicked devises and cursed perswasions never left untill I fell off from this good resolution and turned to my former wicked wayes this is the man Lord that did this and therfore I beseech thee though I perish yet let not my bloud go unrevenged at this mans hands that hath beene the cause of my destruction and then this will lie heavy upon your score at the day of death or the day of judgement when these poore soules shall appeare before God I will tell you what complaints they will make to his Majesty they will say Lord I was in a good way my eyes were opened and my heart was humbled my heart did earne towards Gods truth and holy men I would have turned over a new leafe and led a new life but it was this Land-lord of mine that feared bernard and terrified mee and pluckt mee aside from this good course good Lord revenge my bloud at my Land-lords hand the servant he will say Lord there was a gracious fellow servant lived in the house with me and did me much good I loved to heare thy word and pray and read and performe good duties but good Lord it was the sharp reproofes and bitter taunts of my master that discouraged me and made me forsake my former course and therfore now I must go to hell but Lord though I perish yet I beseech thee revenge my bloud at my masters hands Many of you have wives that lie in your bosomes in whose hearts the word of God hath begun to take place and they have resolved to walk uprightly before God they have gone and mourned in secret and sighed to heaven but it is you that are their husbands which have hindered this gracious disposition and you thought your selves undone because your wives took this course and therefore you never left brawling and bayting and rayling untill your poore wives left all left praying and left reading and left all goodnesse I tell you those wives that now lie in your bosomes though they love you now the time will come when they will curse the day that ever they saw or knew you what a wofull case will it be at the day of judgement when the wife shall come before the Lord and say I confesse Lord I enjoyed thy word and it was brought home to my soule and it wrought upon my conscience and I had a full purpose to become a new creature and take a new course I was comming Lord I was comming but it was this husband of mine that drew mee from my selfe and thy service from a good course and from a good way and therefore require my bloud at his hands though I perish yet good Lord let not my damnation be unrevenged at my husbands hands and many of you wives if your husbands have beene inlightned and wrought upon by the word insomuch that they come home and say wife wee must reforme our families and we must pray with them and wee must bee carefull that both wee and they keep Gods Commandements then you wives are untoward and unreasonable and the house is not able to hold you and your husbands live in a miserable condition untill they have altered their former purpose why these husbands of yours will go downe to hell but their bloud will lie heavie upon your heads and will bee required at your hands they will say Lord I was once in the right way I was comming I was almost perswaded to be a Christian I do think verily if I had had another wife I should have led a good life upon the earth and have beene saved hereafter but this wife of mine Lord never left bayting and hayning at me untill I turned out of the right way they will curse the day that ever they saw you or that ever you met together and they will entreat God not to suffer them to goe to hell without revenging of their bloud upon your heads you that are such I beseech you think of these things you that have heard these things the Lord of heaven perswade your hearts to take heed of drawing away poore sinners from God if it were in my power I would not only perswade you but overcome you in this kind if it were in my power to save you I would give salvation unto you but alas it is not in my power and indeed it is pitty it should it is the Lord that must do it you that have heard this word I beseech you let it not fall to the ground but all you scorners and mockers at Gods Saints you that have drawne men out of the right way and out of a good course for the Lords sake and for mercies sake and for your owne poore soules sake be resolved never againe to draw away poore sinners from that course wherein they walke but when you see them going on well why then goe you along with them and if you see any lay cords upon them to draw them away helpe them you in this kind and labour to draw them backe againe The fourth use is an use of comfort and consolation to all poore soules marke it for the Lord Iesus sake it is a ground of unspeakable comfort to all poore creatures partly unconverted and partly converted all from the former truth they may observe marvellous refreshment of heart if they will but attend thereunto and be ruled thereby you that are in the gall of bitternesse and in a carnall condition you that live in base grosse courses you who are knowne to all the world that you live in common ordinarie sinnes you that are locked up under infidelity under a proud stubborne heart here is a ground of admirable joy and consolation to sustaine the hearts of all such poore creatures in the expectation of mercy and comfort when the flouds of iniquity beset a man on every side when the weight of his
we may see a man open some easie lock with some trifle hee slips it haply or opens it with a picklock but if he come to a strong one especially if it bee old and rusty then hee breaks it in pieces and that with much violence before hee can open it so deales the Lord with the soules of sinners he slips every lock before he comes in but sometimes if he meet with a proud sturdy sinner that is rivetted to his corruptions and scrued into wickednesse an old drunkard or an old blasphemer if the lock be rusty then he knocks off al he breaks the lock and lifts the doore off the hinges this is true that all the means of God generally partly mercy alluring and conscience rending the heart both these make the soule see the vilenesse of his sinnes and the necessity of parting with them and thus God doth draw before a sinner will come there must bee a kind of violence offered to the soule before any comming can proceed from the creature the reasons are these I will only touch them first because every man by nature is a despiser of Christ and rebellious to Christ Mat. 21.38 when God sent his Sonne Christ among them they said this is the heire come let us kill him when Christ came to preach the word they did professely labour to slay the Lord Iesus and in the end they did so this is the stone which the builders refused saith the Scripture the stone was Christ they refused Christ and would not build upon him so that thus I reason he that is enemy to the Lord Iesus will never of himselfe come unto him and beleeve in him but all are enemies to the Lord Iesus by nature therefore they will not come unto him and beleeve in him Secondly every man by nature runneth from God and therefore will not come to God Pro. 1.30 there sayth the text they would none of my counsell they desvised my reproofe nay Ier. 2.5 the text saith they are farre from God there saith the text what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone farre from me now if a wicked man hates the word of God and goes post haste in the waies of wickednesse and runnes farre from God hee is like never to come at him unlesse God draw him by a holy kind of violence hee goeth from God and therefore of himselfe will never come to God First Vse The first use is an use of examination is it so that drawing is before comming and that God worketh upon the soule to pluck it from sinne before it will depend upon the Lord Iesus then hereby examine your soules whether you ever went to the Lord Iesus or no and you shall know by this ground that will never â—ayle you namely observe how the Lord hath wrought upon your soules in this kind have the cords of truth convinced you have the cords of mercy perswaded you have the cords of conscience terrified you have these cords prevailed with you if you never found this then know you never set foot forward to salvation dost thou thinke to come to Christ without drawing no no I speake this for two ends to check the folly of some men and reproove the madnesse of other it checks the idle dreame and sottish conceit of those that think they may have Christ at halfe an houres warning that they can cast themselves upon the Lord Iesus when they list they make it a matter of nothing to beleeve in Christ if they can but have a little time upon their death-beds to consider of their sinnes and repent for them then they will rest upon Christ and cast a good heart upon Christ in this case this is a common and an ordinarie delusion but people are deceived that are of this opinion what you come unto the Lord Iesus and fling your hearts upon him without drawing it is all one as if wee should conceive some great tree some mighty oake to pluck it selfe up by the rootes from the place where it groweth and transplant it selfe in another place if this be unconceivable the other is as impossible a tree cannot be plucked up from ground without a great deale of digging and cutting so it is with thy soule thou art rooted into sinne loving of them and living in them and continuing in them and therefore there must be digging and hewing and breaking and cutting off that proud sturdy heart of thine before that day come it will cost thee hot water the Lord must come down from heaven the master of the vineyard must come down and hew downe those trees and cut you off from the rebellions of Adam before you can be implanted into Christ never think of comming to God before you have beene drawne by God besides as this checks the folly of those men so it overthrowes the maddnesse of some men that content themselves because they never were in this condition they were never drawne they count this a matter of comfort they were never no changlings this horrour of conscience they never saw it and they blesse the Lord that they never saw that day oh poore fooles is this the credit you have and the comfort you take that you were never humbled and drawne unto God it is as though a prodigall child should blesse himselfe that his father loved him because his father never cared for him but cast him off you would thinke that that man were quite voyd of all reason and understanding that would blesse himselfe because of this condition if thou never hadst thy eyes opened nor thy conscience awakened thy soule never loosened from corruptions I tell thee it is the sorest argument in the world against thee hee that walketh is his evill waies and is not troubled and disquieted take heed of it for the Lord Iesus sake it is one of the heaviest arguments against thee for the Lord saith to Ierusalem I will not punish your daughters for committing of adultery mark that as if he had said commit adultery if thou wilt and take up thy course if thou wilt I will not plague thee here but I will punish thee for all hereafter and it is observable Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone as who should say let him take up his own way walk in the imaginations of his heart and let him not be disturbed it is a sore suspicion that God never purposeth to worke upon thee when hee letteth thee lie in ungodly courses without any contradiction thou art proud and thou mayest be so thou art a drunkard and thou mayest continue so still thy conscience gives thee way it never troubles thee when God never terrifieth thee and draweth thee it is an argument that God never meaneth to offer any more good unto thee and dost thou content thy selfe in the greatest curse that ever befell any man under the Sunne you would thinke it were a madde frantick thing if a man were in a deep pitt where
free with God whether he would enlighten any mans eyes and bring Salvation unto him why doth God raine upon one Citty and not upon another that is why doth the dew of the Gospell raine upon one place and not upon another it is for nothing but because it is Gods will it should be so in the 4 of Luke the 25. the place is very pregnant for this purpose There saith the text many widdowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias when the heavens were shut up three yeares and sixe moneths but to none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sidon unto a woman which was a widdow and this was onely out of Gods free grace he may take the meanes from one man and give it to another he may send his Gospell and the meanes of Salvation to one poore soule to one poore towne in a Shire or County and not to another according to his owne good pleasure for his mercy is free looke into the 17 of the Acts the 30. together with the 6 of the Acts the 1. for those two places interpret one another in the 17 of Acts the 30. the text saith And the times of this ignorance God winked at now the word winked as is the saâ—e with the word neglected Act. 6.1 there saith the text There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrewes because their widdowes were neglected in the dayly ministration the word in the Originall signifies not to regard a thing and the same doth the word winked at â—ignifie in Acts 17.30 The Lord winked at this ignorance as if he should say the Lord over-looked and regarded it not the heathen they never had the knowlede of his lawes he neglected the heathen and had an eye onely upon the lewes he vouchsafed his grace and ordinary meanes of Salvation to them onely and why was this it was of his free mercy of his owne good pleasure and for the others the abuse of their knowledge and as the freedome of Gods grace and mercy appeareth in the appointing of the meanes and in Revelation of the meanes so Thirdly it appeares in the blessing of the meanes it is in the free mercy of God that any meanes of Grace and Salvation are blessed unto men and that they worke upon the soules of men 1 Cor. 1.21 there saith the text after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisedome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve how comes it to passe that men beleeve and are saved why it is because it pleaseth God it is not because men could procure this but it is of Gods meere good will of his free goodnesse and mercy and this was the cause of our Saviour Christs great thankes-giving Math. 11.25 26. many poore soules were converted by the Preaching of his Apostles and therefore saith Christ I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveal'd them unto babes even so father for it seemed good in thy sight the reason why God did this was because it was his good pleasure so then the point standeth faire in regard of explication Namely that the offer of grace is free free in regard of the meanes that God hath appointed free in regard of the Revelation of the means appointed free in regard of the blessing of the meanes revealed But you will say what is the reason of this by what argument can you proove that the offer of grace is thus free The reasons briefely are three First this offer of grace musts needes be free because there is nothing in man that can purchase this in the 8 of the Acts 19.20 when Simon Magus saw that the Apostles by laying on of hands conveyed the grace of the Spirit into mens soules he thought to have gotten a booty and have done so also and offered money that he might receive that gift but marke how Saint Peter tooke him up with indignation Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter It was a marvelous fearefull sin and therefore the Apostle Peter bad him pray that if it were possible the thought of his heart might bee forgiven him It is a vaine thing to conceive and a great sinne to thinke or imagine that grace can be purchased from God by any thing that we have received for there must be some proportion betweene the price and the thing that is bought in common reason but in the 3. of the Prov. 14 15. Salomon saith That the Merchandize of Wisedome that is of the wisedome of God wrought by the Spirit of God is better than the Merchandize of silver and the gaine thereof than fine gold shee is more pretious than Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to bee compared unto her There is no proportion between any thing and this wisedome no no they that thinke that God loves them any whit the better because they are rich and learned and honourable let them know that all those things are dung in regard of the graces of Gods Spirit If any thinke to buy grace they shall perish and their money with them for the offer of grace is free And secondly as there is nothing that can purchase grace so wee can do nothing that can merit grace for some man may say however I have no money to purchase it yet I can worke it out as poore men use to say to those for whom they worke when they would have any commodity of them they tell them they have no money to pay them for it but they will worke it out by their handy labour But alasse there is nothing that can bee done of the sinfull sonne of man that can procure any thing from God this way as we may see Rom. 9.16 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy It is not our willing our working our running what ever wee have or can doe is nothing for the procuring of grace in this kinde it is God alone that sheweth mercy Thus he will have mercy on whom hee will have mercy and compassion on whom hee will have compassion and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9.18 If thou shouldest marke what is done amisse saith the Prophet David who could abide it If God should enter into judgement with any poore soule upon the earth there were no living for him hee could expect nothing but death and the fierce anger of God continually to pursue him and therefore farre it is from man to have any thing that can procure grace at the hand of God Thirdly a man naturally hath no ground whereby he can challenge this by way of promise from the Lord no naturall man hath any promise in this kind The promises are Yea and Amen to them that
more could David I have nothing that can purchase favour and mercy at Gods hands no more had Saul and yet God was mercifull to them why hee is as mercifull now as he was then his goodnesse is not diminished nor his mercy abated Lord thou that shewedst mercy to these shew mercy to mee also thou that didst blesse these Lord blesse mee even me also Lord thou bestowest thy mercy freely I beseech thee therefore bestow one drop upon my poore soule Aye but some may cavill now and say Gods mercy is free and therefore hee may as well deny it mee as bestow it upon mee I answer this is true hee may deny it thee as well as give it thee and he may also as well give it thee as deny it thee it is as possible that thou mayest receive mercy and therefore try all meanes possible to obtaine it In the 3. of Ionah the 9. vers there the people of Niniveh say Who can tell if God will turne and repent The Lord there had sent the Prophet Ionah to prophecy against Niniveh That within forty dayes it should be destroyed When the people heard this there was a fast proclaimed and every man was commanded to put on sackcloth and cry mightily to the Lord for who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his feirce anger that we perish not as if they should say We have deserved that this judgement should come upon us and our sinnes have procured it but yet who can tell whither God will turne away from his feirce anger for the Lord is mercifull and freely mercifull and thus doe thou and say I confesse God may confound me for my sinnes but who can tell whither God will have mercy upon me I confesse that God may harden me but who can tell whither he will humble mee I will therefore waite upon him in his ordinances and try if hee will bee mercifull to my poore soule The third use is an use of Exhortation to all poore creatures that are burthened with the burthen of their sinnes and are under the power of them as to bee incouraged to seeke for mercy and to have some hope to obtaine it so also with patience to waite and stay the time of the Lord this should exhort them to come continually into the Congregation of Gods Saints and waite patiently when and what God will bestow upon them according to his good will and pleasure The mercy and grace which God bestoweth upon any is a free gift and therefore if you come into the Assemblies of Gods people to heare Gods word if thou waite upon God in his ordinances one day and have not grace granted unto you nor mercy vouchsafed towards you if you come the next day and yet have it not you must still waite and expect because it is a free gift and therefore as God may give it to whom he will so also when he will and therefore murmure not nor say what shall I come so often and waite so long and pray so much and yet nothing why aye it is a free gift in the 3 of Lament 25.26 the text saith The Lord is good unto them that waite for him it is good that a man should both quietly hope and waite for the salvation of the Lord as it is with the sea when it ebbes the water goeth backe when it flowes and is at the maine it commeth againe now a man that is to take a journey by sea if the comming of the tide be not for his turne and is gone backe hee must waite untill it commeth againe so it is with God in this kinde there is a flow of grace and mercy with him now sometimes God withdraweth his grace from his poore creatures but yet let them cry still and pray still and resolve so to doe still doe not say If God will not succour me and bestow mercy and grace upon me now seeing I have waited so long I will pray no more I will expect no longer will you not so why alas who shal have the worst you will be sure to have the worst of it you that will be so sturdy that because God heares not and helpes not when you will and when you call therefore you will pray no more nor expect no longer you that say you have waited thus long and have not had grace nor mercy vouchsafed unto you and therefore to what end to what purpose should we waite any longer or attend any more why if it be thus with you you may depart if you please who thinke you shall have the worst of itâ— beggers must not be choosers this is not begging of mercy but commanding of mercy at Gods hands this is not to desire that God would give you mercy but that he would follow you with mercy Some man may say What shall I use the meanes so long pray so often and heare Sermons so often and still waite aye and blesse God that thou mayst waite blesse God that thou hast not beene long since confounded that God hath not long before this time sent thee packing to hell but that thou hast still opportunities that thou still hast peace and the meanes of Salvation afforded thee shalt thou waite aye and blesse God that thou mayst waite before thou goest hence and hee no more seene Psal 69.3 Psal 69.3 there saith the Prophet David I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed mine eyes faile while I waite for my God as if he had sayd I have looked this day and heard thy Word this day I have looked up to heaven in prayer and have not â—ound thee I wept this day and mourned this day I have used all meanes my eyes even faile with waiting for my God did David waite thus that was a King and why mayst not thou waite why mayst not thou stay looking for the salvation of the Lord shut downe those proud hearts and lofty spirits of yours which think themselves too good to waite the Lords leisure and reason with your own soules say why is not my heart humbled why are not my corruptions subdued and abated as well as others checke and subdue all those bublings of Spirit in the beginning see what Paul did when his heart began to grapple with God why who art thou O man saith he that thou liftest up thy selfe against God as if hee had sayd Art not thou a damned creature sinfull dust and ashes why who art thou O man that thou shouldest doe thus so when thy heart beginnes to rise against God suppresse those distempers and say who art thou damned sinnefull soule that darst thus stand against God what if I had gone to hell long before this why I had had my portion if I had beene confounded long since and sent roaring to hell my sinnes had merited it and therefore well may I waite for mercy and thanke God that I may waite downe with those proud imaginations and lofty thoughts that arise
Christ he would direct me if this my wretched damned soule would give entertainement to Christ he would receive me Oh! what wonderfull love mercy and goodnesse is herein discovered there can no better way be devised how God may expresse more love and shew greater mercy toward us it is the Psalmists phrase open thy mouth wide and I will fill thee lie doth not say goe and provide for your selves and feede yourselves no no the provision is made ready and we need only open our mouthes wide and God will fill them marke here the wonderfull riches of Gods bounty what greater care of provision can be expressed or expected than this that a man should onely open his mouth and that wide and it should be filled it is not spoken of the mouth naturally but of the soule spiritually doe but thou open thy soule and empty thy heart of all other things whatsoever doe but get a heart willing to welcome and give entertainement to the Lord Iesus Christ and he will fill thee full of grace here and glory for ever hereafter this is the bounty of the Lord it is the Lords mercy and goodnesse and it should it ought to be mervailous in our eyes as the Psalmist speaketh in another case we ought to admire the goodnesse of the Lord in that he is pleased to offer us Christ and Salvation upon so reasonable conditions and this is the first use Secondly the second use is a word of terrour it shewes in the second place the just and heavie condemnation of all such as perish they are damned and goe to hell and everlasting destruction because they will be damned for if you would have had Christ and grace you might have received Christ and Grace and Salvation by him Every man that will let him take of the water of life freely let him receive mercy and grace and Salvation and therefore if you have not grace it is because you will not have it and therefore if you perish thanke your selves for you would not bee saved there is never a soule this day in hell buâ— received the fruites of his owne labour the reward of their owne workes and the desire of their owne hearts nay they have their owne will if thou wilt not be recovered and receive mercy offered why then thou must be damned and perish forever he that will not receive the Lord Iesus and entertaine grace so that he may goe to heaven t is pitty but he should be damned into the lowermost pit of everlasting ruine and destruction when men come to this passe once that they are not willing to be the treasury of God but are weary to heare the Word of God preached unto them one houre and notwithstanding God hath revealed himselfe in his Word and that with some glimpse yet wicked men would not be under the power of it because they would have their profits and pleasures and enjoy their lusts and coruptions they will not forsake their lusts and abandon their abominations and receive Christ and mercy when the case stands thus with men it is just with God to plunge them into everlasting misery in the 8 of Prov. 36. there saith the text He that sinneth against me wrongeth his owne soule Prov. 8.36 all they that hate me love death they that hate me saith the text that is they that hate wisedome love death by wisedome there is meant the Lord Iesus revealing the wisedome of the Father in the Word now he that hateth this Word of God he that will not be informed by this Word he that will not be directed by it he that will not be humbled by it his soule taketh up armes against Gods ordinances why he loves death both naturally and eternally when the wrath of God ceaseth upon him he hath that which he loveth you loved this you loved death you have it you loved damnation you doe enjoy it and it is merveilous just with God thus to deale with you you cannot blame God for this but your selves wicked men are desirous to be rid of God and freed from the Counsell of God that may chalke them out the way to Salvation and they desire nothing the knowledge of Gods lawes many wicked carnall man doth not desire the good and Salvation of his owne soule he doth not desire the preaching of the Word for the reformation of his life and the humbling of his soule and directing of him in the wayes of Gods Commandements they say to God now depart from us we care not for thy lawes we will not walke after thy Commandements if he at the last day say unto you Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not then you shall have your desire when the heavens shall melt away with fire and the Sunne and the Moone shall be darkned when all flesh shall appeare before the judgement seate of God at that day men and Angels shall heare the dreadfull doome which shall passe upon you by the Lord you contemned my word and ordinances and therefore away from me ye cursed into everlasting destruction prepared for the devill and his Angels you desired not to be informed you would not be humbled you refused to be directed by my word when it was preached unto you but you desired to fulfill your lusts and enjoy your profits and your pleasures you did not desire to be saved and therefore now you shall have your desire you shall be damned and therefore depart from me I know you not You would have your pride when you were upon the earth when you are in hell you may be as proud as you will you would have your malice when you are in hell you may have your desire you may have your fill of maliciousnesse in hell you may have elbow roome enough to satiate your selves in your lusts and sinfull abominations when the soule of a man doth secretly desire that the Word may not worke upon him then it is just with God to grant that desire of his soule it were just with God that the Word should never worke more that the Spirit should never strive more that mercy and Salvation should never be offered any more that man shall then have what he desired and he may blame himselfe for whatsoever judgement falls upon him in the 2 of Thess 2.12 there saith the text 2 Thess 2.12 that they all might be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse marke that hee speakes before of those that would not entertaine the truth and the love of it but when God made knowne his will and the way of Salvation they did not love that nicenesse they cared not for that exactnesse and holinesse why what doe you love then saith God upon what is your love placed upon what is the desire of your soule fixed oh saith the text They tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse in contemning opposing hindring and despising the good Word of God and therefore they shall be damned when a
not doe this I will doe nothing for eternall life this is that God expects all that he lookes for Every man that will let him take grace and mercy and that freely In the 2 of King 5.13 the text saith of Naaman the â—â—â—irian 2 King 5.13 when hee came to Elisha the man of God to bee healed the Prophet sent a messenger unto him saying Goe and wash seven times in Iordan and thy flesh shall come againe to thee and thou shalt bee cleane Now hee being a man of authority and of some place he tooke this somewhat in disdaine that hee should send a messenger out unto him and bid him wash seven times in Iordan hee was wrath and went away and sayd Behold I thought hee would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God and stroke his hand over the place and remoove the Leper hee did thinke the Prophet would have done some great matter unto him and therefore when hee saw that he bid him goe wash seaven times in Iordan he went away in a kind of indignation but then his servants they came neare to him in the 13. 2 King 5 13. verse and said My father if the Prophet had bid thee c. As who should say if you will not doe so small a matter to be cured you will doe nothing So I say to every soule here present if the Lord had required a great matter of us whereby we might attaine salvation if hee had required a thousand Rams 10. thousand rivers of Oyle if he had required the first borne of our body for the sinne of our soules if the Lord had enjoyned every soule of us to live howling crying all the dayes of our life for mercy if hee had commanded us to goe into a Chamber secretly and there to fall upon our knees and pray unto him continually for mercy untill our eyes had failed with looking up to heaven for mercy untill our hands had beene wearied with holding them up to heaven untill our tongues had beene hoarse with crying for mercy and untill our hearts failed us and fainted within us if at the very last gaspe wee should be crying for mercy and did 〈◊〉 then receive one drop of it it would quit cost it would be worth our labour if the Lord had required all things whatsoever of you for one drop of mercy if you had had your eyes about you yâ—â— would have given them but what a wonderfull goodnesse is this that the Lord should require nothing at our hands for Christ and grace and salvation but a will to receive them let me presse this a little further if God had required a great thing of you would you not have done it to have beene saved how much more when it commeth to this once that it is at a lower rate then wee can desire or expect it should bee onely be willing to take mercy and you shall have it doe but carry away grace and it is your owne for ever I cannot conceive of any easier tearme whereby God might better expresse his wonderfull goodnesse towards us wilt thou receive Christ and salvation by himâ— why then thou mayst have him nay the Lord even forceth his commodities and his favour upon us he doth not onely offer us this but he forces it upon us in this kind he is not onely willing that we should receive Christ if wee be but willing to take him but the Lord himselfe doth beseech us that wee will be reconciled unto him and receive mercy from him and be blessed for ever Take notice of this unmatchable and unconceiveable mercy of the Lord in that he offereth Christ and the meanes of salvation upon so easie conditions and at so low a rate if wee can but will Christ wee shall have Christ and salvation by him nay we shall not onely receive Christ if we will entertaine him but the Lord himselfe doth beseech us to take mercy at his hands aske your owne soules therefore if it bee not equall that you should entertaine the offer of Christ thus pronounced unto you But be â—â—les as a further motive hereunto consider that as the termes are equall and easie so the commodity also in the second place is worth the price and this may also inforce our hearts to forsake all for the getting of the possession of this goodnesse which wee stand so in neede of if the commodity were not good though the condition were caste and the price reasonable it were theâ— indeed something wee could thinke to mend ourselves in another place but here as the termes are most easie so the good is farre better than can bee conceived you cannot mend yourselves goe whither you will use what meanes you will If you will have Christ what then will you have as men use to say when a man hath a commodity offered him a good penny worth and hee knowes not a good bargainâ— when he hath it marke what Chapmen will say Oh say they you will goe further and speed worse just so it is here it is the woefullâ—â—â— thing under heaven for â—en not to know when they have a good bargainâ— and when they are weâ— dealt withall To refuse mercy and salvation when it is offered them and that upon so easie termes and at so low a rate for what will you have if you will not have Christ if you will nor have grace and salvation why what will you have upon what will you bestow your hearts you will have your sinnes and corruptions and not grace and mercy you will have damnation and not salvation you will have hell you will not have heaven you will be like the Iewes who refused Christ and chose Barrabas a murtherer for whensoever a soule refuseth the Lord Iesus it is certaine that he chooseth a Barrabas if you refuse the one you must needes receive the other and then consider which is best you will not have Christ and salvation what will you then have hell damnation confusion and destruction you will not bee happy and therefore you must bee miserable and therefore this is observeable the Lord hath sent from heaven this day and offered salvation and happinesse to men as freely as ever any man had any thing offered I come this day from the Lord to enquire how the case standeth and how the match goeth forward betweene Christ and you Let me therefore goe to your soules and answer you mee unto my question the offer of grace you see is free the condition is easie the price is reasonable whither now will you have mercy and salvation or no you little ones you young ones that have beene married to profits and pleasures to lusts and corruptions the Lord Iesus is become a great suter to you all this day and I am Christs spoksman to speake a good word for him be not oh bee not squeamish and coy and say afterward you will speake with him and tell him how
is the time of rewarding as our trading and labouring is here in this life so shall our injoying and rewarding be hereafter in the life to come A◠〈◊〉 soweth so shall a man reape Gal. 6.8 if hee sow to the flesh he shall reape to the flesh Gal. 6.8 if hee yeeld to the corruptions of his owne nature and gives way thereunto and be carried aside thereby hee shall have the wages of sinne but hee that is willing for to stoope to the Commandements of God he that serves God here and walkes uprightly before him shall receive everlasting life and eternall happinesse hereafter and so much for the proofe of the first Point after this life is once ended there is no hope of life and salvation Secondly together with our lives wee must also have the meanes of grace continued unto us for the making up of that season wherein God will if ever fit us and prepare us for mercy I meane by the meanes of grace the preaching of the Gospell for this was one part of Ierusalems day here spoken of and therefore this is the second part of every mans day namely when we have the glad tidings of the Gospell vouchsafed unto us 2 Cor. 6.2 in 2. Cor. 6.2 the Apostle doth conclude that when the meanes of life and salvation is afforded this is the time of salvation he laieth his finger as it were upon the season of life and happinesse for he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee now some may say when is this time of salvation The Apostle doth particularly make this good in the words following now saith hee behold is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation Now while the Lord is pleased to vouchsafe the meanes of grace and salvation to you and to send the Doctrine of salvation among you why now is the time accepted now is the day of your salvation Luke 19.9 and therefore Luke 19.9 Zacheus when hee had a strong desire to see Christ and to meete with the Lord Iesus and could not by reason of the prease hee gets him out of the croud and came before into a Sycamore tree that so hee might the better behold him but before Zacheus could see Christ Christ saw him and calleth to him Make haste Zacheus and come downe for to day I must abide at thy house and Zacheus made haste and came downe joyfully and then the Lord Iesus when hee came with him to his house said unto him this day is salvation come unto this house why because this day hee was made the sonne of Abraham as wee may see in the words following this day it pleased Christ to bring that desire of Zacheus unto some perfection this was the day of Zacheus while then the Word is revealed and while the meanes of happinesse is laid open while God makes a tender of grace and salvation to a soule this is the day of every mans salvation so then wee have the proofe of the point plaine out of Scripture namely that while life and the meanes last that is the season that God hath appointed and set apart to doe good to the soules of those whom hee meaneth to convert unto himselfe The next thing to be considered is the reason of this how it commeth to be thus that the time of a mans life and the time wherein God vouchsafeth the meanes that this is the time wherein God offereth salvation to a poore soule and wee will lay downe the reasons of both parts severally First concerning the time of a mans life and the reason of this is because when this crazie frame of ours beginnes to be dissolved then comes Gods definitive sentence Gods definitive verdict then passes upon a man God then passeth a sentence upon a â—an which hee never meaneth to recall a man at the time of his death when death closeth a mans eyes hee is then either everlastingly happy or else everlastingly miserable there is then afterwards no alteration to be expected Heb. 9.27 There saith the Text Heb. 9 27. it is appointed for all men once to die but after that comes judgement as death leaves a man so judgement findes a man hee doth not say after death comes amendment after death comes repentance after death comes Purgatory no no this is a dreame of the Papists they thinke that a man may after death be in trouble a while and be in Purgatorie and then be brought out by the treasure of the Church but alas this is a vaine dreame to inlarge the Popes coffers and to make the Popes Kitchin hot as Divines use to say that so the Pope may have a great deale of money they say if a man have leâ— never so wicked a life if yet he will bestow such a legacie upon the Popes holinesse though hee have beene in Purgatory a great while hee shall yet by the treasure of the Church be released but this is a fond foolish sottish dreame the case is plaine enough after death judgement comes next a man shall either goe into everlasting happinesse or else into everlasting confusion there is no third place for a soule to goe unto but a man must either goe to hell for ever or to heaven for ever every man that is saved is saved by Christ Ioh. 3.36 Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him so then now if a man beleeve in Christ hee is perfectly saved if he beleeve not in Christ hee is pâ—â—fectly damned Ioh. 3.18 Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeveth on him is not condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already that is hee hath one foote in hell as it were hee is now in the gall of bitternesse and if hee liveth thus and endeth his dayes in this condition hee shall as surely be damned and goe to hell as if hee were there already All that beleeve in Christ are fully saved and therefore to heaven they must goe 〈◊〉 if they beleeve not in Christ they are as surely damned and therefore to hell they must go so theâ— the case is cleare the sentence of God is firâ—â— and the virdict that God passeth upon a 〈◊〉 sinner at thet time of death is most certaine there is no repealing of the sentence there is no recalling of the verdict and this is the reason why the time of a mans life is the season wherein 〈◊〉 man shall receive grace and salvation if ever hee receive it The second thing to be prooved is this why the meanes of salvation makes up the opportunitie wherein God meaneth to save poore sinners if 〈◊〉 they be converted and wee shall observe that the ground of this lieth in the very nature of a season if wee aske what makes a season of grace I answer that it will appeare that only the revelation of
those prophane hearts will be pure and holy why when will it once be thus Christ wayteth still and expecteth still if not this day then the next week if not the next week then the next moneth if not the next moneth then the next quarter if not the next quarter then the next yeare if not the next yeare then the next score of yeares you old sinners that are grayheaded in wickednesse how long hath the Lord waited upon you for shame let him wayt no longer but turn unto him that you may receive mercy from him and have your sinnes pardoned by him This is the last cord of Gods mercy first the Lord will entertaine poore sinners if they come secondly he doth command them to come thirdly he doth intreat and beseech them to come and lastly if all this will not do then he wayts in parience for their amendment and thus the Lord makes up his great cable roap of mercy and this one would think should melt the hardest heart under the Sunne but if this will not do if God by these cords of mercy cannot draw a sinner then he takes himselfe unto another course and as he justly may he lets in other cords in the heart you will not come with mercy will you very well I tell you the Lord will lay hooks upon you that shall bring you with a witnesse if these bonds of love will not prevayle with you the Lord hath iron cords that will pluck you in peeces and therefore the third meanes whereby God draweth a sinner from corruption to himselfe is the cord of conscience which God lets down into the soule and this same yron cord this yron chayne of conscience hath three hookes at the end of it which are able to rend the heart of a sinner and pluck it in peeces and draw the soule unto God if the cords of Gods mercy will not draw you then these yron hookes of conscience will pull you to the Lord for this same cord of conscience hath three maine hookes that is there are three great works of conscience which God useth to work upon men to draw them from sinne to himselfe First conscience is a warner of the soule and admonisheth the sinner of his waies this conscience gives a sinner an uncontrouleable command to come from sinne conscience gives him a peremptory charge upon paine of the heaviest judgement that can bee inflicted upon him not to meddle with corruption it is conscience that doth this the Lord stirreth up conscience and armes him with authority as a Vicegerent under him that he may stifle those sinfull lusts and over-power those sinfull distempers that harbour in the soule and overcome the soule it is true that wicked men by reason that they live in sinne have their consciences either blinded or asleep their consciences oftentimes come to be seared and hardened wicked men have their consciences some times under them they stifle their conscience and stop the mouth of conscience if conscience offer to reproove them they presently take him on the mouth and make him quiet they bind the hands of conscience in this kind but if a wicked man belong to God then hee will awaken conscience in this life but if they do not belong unto him then they may be sure when they are in hell to have their consciences awakened they carry a black dogge in their bosome that will teare them with a witnesse but if God purpose good unto a man then he will awaken his conscience in this life hee will arme conscience with authority and put a new commission into the hand of conscience insomuch that now conscience stands upon termes and conscience will not put it up as he hath done howsoever it hath heretofore beene stifled yet now it gives men a peremptory command upon paine of their everlasting torment as they love their own soules to take heed that they meddle not with sin for if they do it will cost them everlasting life now when conscience hath such a commanding power then the command is marvellous awfull terrible and fearefull and it maks a sinner start aside and withdraw himselfe from his former courses it makes him hang downe his head and he dares not looke out of doores he dares not runne with that courage into wicked practises as he did before it is with conscience in this case as it is with a Lievetenant or a Shreife of a countrey happily in the Kings absence a company of rebels joyne together in a conspiracy and rend the commission out of the Lievetenants hand and beset the Shreifes house the officers because the rebels are more in number dare doe little or nothing unto them they may say as David did to the sonnes of Serviah ye are too strong for me ye sonnes of Serviah and therefore he would not meddle with them and so in some unruly towne wee shall see a company of ryotous fellowes because they are more in number than the officers they set the Constable in stockes when as they are more worthy to goe to the gallowes than he to the stocks just so it is with conscience haply wicked men in former times have stifled conscience and tooke the comission out of the hands of conscience but when the King comes into the countrey and the officers shall complaine unto the King of this conspiracy then he gives them a larger command and gives them more power hee puts a new commission into their hands and furnisheth them with greater ayd and commandeth upon paine of death that there be no more such uproares made and when this is proclaymed upon the Market-post then this makes those resolute fellowes to pull in their heads and they dare not shew themselves So it is with conscience sometimes the Lord letts wicked men blind conscience and feare it wicked men oftentimes make a mock at conscience if a man reprooves them for some sin and admonisheth them for conscience sake not to cōmit wicked practises then they flout at the person that speakes unto them and say what your conscience will not suffer you to do as we do you will not drink will you why oh your conscience will not suffer you you will not commit adultery will you your conscience will not suffer you what you are a man of conscience are you and you will suffer your conscience to make a foole of you what care we for your conscience or you either thus many sinners keep conscience under but howsoever conscience be thus slighted and dispised the time will come when God will awaken conscience and put a new commission into his hands and sends him help from heaven and sayes goe to such a man and tell him you have blasphemed and you have spoken against Gods Saints you have broken Gods Sabbaths and slighted Gods word and contemned Gods ordinances and neglected the meanes of salvation be it known therefore unto thee that I have a command from heaven and from God I charge you as you will
the Will of God in the Gospell maketh this season Know therefore thus much that to make up the season for any thing there is not onely required a continuance of time but also a supply of all those helpes that may be usefull and needefull for the accomplishment of any worke in that season As for example imagine the dayes and the nights were of an equal longth so many houres in the one so many houres in the other yet this continuance of time doth not make an opportunitie barely for a man to walke in the night though there be as many houres in the night as in the day because the houres doe not make on opportunitie for a man to walke in but the meanes that are needefull for this action for when the Sunne shines so that a man may see his way and avoid dangers and inconveniences this is the time wherein a man hath a fit opportunitie to walke in so saith our Saviour If a man walkes in the night he stumbleth but if he walke in the day then he stumblâ—s not because hee seeth where he goeth so that the continuance of time doth no make up an opportunitie but a supply also of all helpes and sufficiencie needefull for the performance of any action in this time Looke as it is with men when they goe to faile when there is winde and tide for their purpose this is the fittest opportunitie for them to take shippe in now in a calme day there may be as many houres as much continuance of time as in a day when there is winde and tide serving for their turne but this cannot be said to be a season for them to goe to sea in but when they have winde and weather to carry them and tide to convey them this is a sit opportunitie for them to take ship in so when the Gospell is revealed when the meanes of grace is offered to any people then there is a powerfull concurrence of all sufficiencie and helpe every way to procure that good which is wanting to the soule and which is necessary for the soule for the attaining of happinesse here and hereafter and therefore this is the season wherein men shall be converted and receive salvation if ever they shall be made partakers of it and therefore it is said of the Word that it is able to save the soules of men though a man were never so weak yet this Word of the Gospell is able to make him strong though he were never so proud never so sturdie yet this word is able to humble him though he were never so full of unbeliefe yet this Word is able to worke faith in him though hee were a damned man yet thus is the onely meanes to bring him to salvation Now then this I reason out of the former arguments they that enjoy that continuance of time wherein they have all meanes necessary to procure life and salvation they have the 〈◊〉 wherein life and salvation is to be obtained 〈◊〉 they that have life continued and the meanes of the Gospell revealed and vouch safed unto them 〈◊〉 have all meanes and helpes whereby grace and â—â—â—vation may be procured unto them and 〈◊〉 they enjoy the fittest season wherein God doth meane tâ— do good unto their soules The life of the Doctrine is behind that lieth in the application of the Point The uses of the Point are three If it be so that while life is continued and the Gospell preached this is the time wherein God meanes if ever to shew mercy to the soule of a poore sinner then in the first place it is a ground of instruction to every soule here present to teach us how thankefull wee ought to be unto the Lord that enjoy yet these liberties in the land of the living to acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards us and take notice of his mercifull dealing with us that yet we live thorough him and that yet wee may receive grace and mercie from him by the meanes of salvation that hee hath appointed it is a mervellous high and happy priviledge that wee may enjoy the light of the Gospell that a man was borne in such a time in the last age of the world in such a place in this kingdome wherein the way of life and salvation is so fully so plainely nay so powerfully made knowne to the soules of men as the whole world enjoyes not the like that we have the day of salvation to trade in for the good and comfort of our soules that wee have the day before us wherein wee may walke in those wayes whereby comfort may be derived unto us that the Sunne of the Gospell shines full in our faces and is not yet set and that as wee live in the earth so we injoy the meanes of a better life that so wee may be with God when wee shall goe hence and be no more seene The antient people of God did observe Gods goodnesse herein the Scripture saith that Abraham saw this day a farre of and rejoyced he saw the day wherein Christ should come into the world and when the meanes of salvation should be offered and revealed those things were laced up in types figures in Abrahams time but when God revealed the day of Christ Iesus unto Abraham hee by faith beleeved it hee saw it afarre of and rejoyced nay good old Simeon when hee saw this accomplished when he saw Christ was borne and had him in his armes then he desired to live no longer but blessed God and said Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word for mine eyes have seene thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel when he saw the meanes of salvation discovered and declared his heart was so ravished with the delight he tooke therein that he did desire to depart out of this life that he might be with Christ in a better life it is true that while we live in this world we shall have many troubles while we continue in this vale of misery wee shall have many vexations but this is the comfort of a man that hee hath the voice of the Gospell sounding in the eares of him and the Spirit behind him crying after him This is the good and ancient way walke in it if a man that were to travell by night had but the Moone or the light of the Starres to direct him in his journey this would be very comfortable unto him but if hee had a lampe or a torch carried before him hee would thinke this a marvellous comfort but if a man that hath a journey to take hath the Sunne shining cleare above him this will greatly cheare the heart of a poore travellour though his journey be tedious and the way be foule why yet hee will say it is faire above head and I have day enough before mee and therefore I care not So it ought to be with
every Christian man living wee are all travellers here below wee are all bound for heaven though a man finde rough wayes and cold weather though a man have many troubles many disgraces cast upon his person many reproches put upon his name yet this may be his comfort there is day enough before a man it is faire weather above head the preaching of the Word may cheere a man and the meanes of life and happinesse may comfort a man that walkes in the way unto salvation in 1 Pet. 1. â—0 the Teâ—t saith that the antient Prophets enquired and sought diligently when Christ should come when the means of salvation should be revealed of which salvation â— Pet. 1.10 saith the text the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come c. all the antient Fathers before enjoyed onely the Mooneshine and the Starre-light of the Gospell and therfore in the 2 Pet. 1.19 The Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure Word of prophesie whereunto you doe well that you take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts as who should say when Christ came when the Gospell was revealed the Sonne of righteousnesse did then clearely appeare if they that expected those things onely were thankefull for them then what should we be that enjoy these helpes for the cheering of us helping of us and comforting of us in the wayes of salvation it is a speech of the Prophet David Give me understanding that I may live it is an observation of holy men out of this place that a man doth not live because he growth a tree doth so a man doth not live because hee feeles and sees and heares and hath the sensible facultie the beasts doe so a man doth not live because hee reasons the devills doe so but give mee understanding that I may live wee live not as holy men unlesse we understand the wayes of God unlesse wee know the things belonging to our peace here 〈◊〉 hereafter we live not because we are wise for the devill is wiser than any man living but give me understanding that I may live that I may understand the things of God this is the wisedome of it Christian whereby hee shall come to 〈◊〉 eternall happinesse many in the East parts of the workâ— worship the devill they never so much as heard 〈◊〉 thing of Christ Iesus and the glad 〈…〉 Gospell and therefore is it not a wonder 〈…〉 that God hath continued us untill this time wherein the meanes of salvation are so fully reâ—â—â—led You that are going on in the roade way 〈◊〉 destruction all you that are in a naturall estate 〈◊〉 God should plucke you out of the land of the living what should become of your poore soules it is a great mercy that God doth yet vouchsafe life unto you but that you may heare the Word and enjoy the meanes of salvation what a comfort is this A Plowman if hee hath but a fit opportunitie of sowing plowing or reaping hee is thankefull for it and hee ought so to be for it is a great goodnesse of God to afford unto him seasonable weather to sow and gather in the fruits of the earth in the time here of late when by reason of unseasonablenesse of weather famine was feared and yet God gave a seasonable time afterwards to ripen gather the fruits of the earth I appeale to your owne consciences did not this coÌ„fort you did not this cheare you Nay could not people come and be thankefull to God for such blessings and say it was a good season God be blessed Gods name be praised for it Was this such a goodly season wherein you might fill your barnes full of corne and your purses full of money Why then had we eyes to see and hearts to conceive what is that season that blessed season of salvation those good dayes that have passed over our heads wherein many have injoyed the opportunitie and meanes of salvation twentie thirtie yea fortie yeares Oh blessed season the Sunne never saw the like nay the whole world wonders at this marvellous mercy that the Lord hath vouchsafed to us in this Land Shall we enjoy all these blessings and yet not be thankefull for them and prise them as we ought and walke worthy of them as we might Oh let it not be so with us but you that can be thankefull for a plentifull harvest when you may gather money into your coffers oh be thankefull be thankefull for the meanes of salvation vouchsafed unto you whereby you may fill your soules full of comfort and therefore goe your wayes in secret and be thankefull to God that you live and if you have received grace blesse God that ever you saw that day if you have not received grace yet blesse God that yet you breathe and that you may seeke unto him and waite upon him in the use of the meanes that so you may receive mercy and salvation from him blesse God that thou hast the Sunne-shine of the Gospell shining in thy face that thou hast the day before thee that thou mayst trade therein and receive comfort thereby Secondly is it so that while life lasts and the meanes of salvation is continued and vouchsafed unto us that this is our day that this is the season wherein God will shew mercy unto us what use then will you make of this for the present what will you say and what will you now perswade your hearts unto why me thinkes every man answers and every mans soule ecchoeth againe surely if this be the time if this be the season let us take it then since the Lord offereth this and continueth this we ought then to be intreated in the name of the Lord Iesus to take this opportunitie and not omit any season wherein the Lord calleth upon us that so wee may obtaine the end of our hopes the desire of our soules even salvation hereafter Redeeme the time because the dayes are evill saith the Apostle that is because the time is now therefore take the opportunitie it is the use that the Apostle makes While yee have time doe good unto all men then much more to our soules if we must doe good to our neighbours then much more to that poore soule of ours that is miserably oppressed with sinne that is in a dainned and cursed estate Oh but there are many arguments whereby Satan laboureth to defeate this truth and many shiftes the soule hath to put off this that hath beene spoken give me leave a little to wipe away those carnall conceits and cavills The first is this the soule will be ready to say I confesse it is true indeede that when the opportunitie is we should take it but that may be hereafter who knoweth whither this be my time or no my opportunitie or no I answer with the Apostle Paul while I am speaking and you are
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