man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually God saw Gods eye cannot be deceived men may think they see what they see not and may not see what is before their eyes But can Gods eyes fail him 2. That sin is the greatest of evils The Apostle to set forth the formidable appearance that sin had by the Law expresses it thus Rom. 7. 13. That sin might appear to be sin He could find out nothing more evil and odious to express it by than it self If he had said that sin might appear to be a snare a Serpent a Viper a Devil an Hell that had been much but yet not enough to set forth this evil of evils Sin never is seen in its perfect odiousness but when it shews its own naked face and looks like it self We can never know how great an evil sin is till we know how good the Lord is how precious Christ is how precious the Soul of man is to all which sin is so contrary and destructive Rom. 8. 7. It is said to be enmity against God God hath no â—nemy in the world but sin and those whom sin hath made him Sin hath set all the earth against the God of glory From this enmity which sin hath filled the hearts of men with arise all their rebellions against his word and government all their unwillingness and averseness from his ways their weariness of his service their frowardness murmurings impatiences frettings and insurrections of heart against his dispensations providence The unruliness and stubbornness of the wills of men the distemper and disorders of their passions and affections the vanity vileness and confusion of their thoughts the defilement and deadness of their consciences the ebulition of so many hellish lusts setting mens hearts upon all mischief Whence is all this but from sin that dwells in them Sin hath made men very Devils set upon all manner of mischief Devils against God hating reproaching blaspheming cursing fighting against God There should quickly be no God nor Heaven nor Being left if the wickedness of mans heart had power answerable to its malice Devils against themselves set upon the destruction and damnation of their own souls there needed not another Devil to attempt and devour them if God should but let them alone they would quickly make their distruction sure of themselves Devils one against another There is not one sinner but if God should pull up the fluces and let his wickedness have its full course would do his utmost to damn all the World enemies friends husbands wives children all should be destroyed And can there now be a greater evil then this imagined I you will say if all this be true it is a great evil indeed But may be for all these great words there may be no such great matter in it Why do but consider what sin hath done and cannot be envied and then you will see reason to believe all that hath been said Go to Mount Calvary and see what it hath done there What was it that slew the Lord of glory that put Châ—â—st to death Was it not those sins that were laid upon him These were his betrayers and murtherers These were the thorns the nails the spear that wounded him the gall and vinegar that was given him to drink Let the sweat the cries the groans the blood the soul that were pressed and poured out by sin let these speak if too much hath been saâ—d Turn aside from Mount Calvary and go down to the Valley of Hinnon lay your ear to the mouth of Tophet and hearken what work sin hath done there What is it that hath filled Hell so full already that hath sent down Cain and Judas Ananias and Saphira with those millions of damned Souls that are already tormented in those flames Did God damn so many Souls for nothing or for a trifle inflict so great a torment for a small offâ—â—nce What is it that hath cast them in thither Was it their righteousness was it not their iniquities If you could step down into those Chambers of Death and ask those wretched creatures Friends How came you in hither What would they answer Oh it is our sins that brought us into this place of torment Oh! it was my covetousness brought me hither would one say Oh! it was my lying brought me hither saies another Oh! it was my pride or my passion or my wantonness or my sloathfuness that brought me hither saies a third Oh sin sin this is it for which we burn we roar we rave we dye we dye eternally Can there be too much said of the evil of sin that hath done all this mischief 3. Spiritual sins are the greatest of sins Soul pollutions are the most foul pollutions By how much the more excellent the soul is above the body in its nature by so much the more vile and mischievous being depraved with sin The soul of man is the prime subject of the image of God in man there was much of God to be seen in the body or externals of man but the face of God the glory of God was stamped upon his soul the soul being corrupted it became the express image of the Devil Satan is rudely limb'd and some darker shadows of him drawn on the outward man but he is drawn out to the life in the soul the very face the heart of Satan his pride malice envy falshood is engraven on the heart A proud heart hath more of the Divel than a proud look a wanton heart is more vile â—â—an a wanton eye a murtherous or adulterous heart is worse than a murtherous or adulterous act It is true when Sin is committed without it is worse than when it sleeps in its causes within and sin in its birth is worse than in its bare conception and the reason is because when sin is committed there are both parts the outward and the spiritual together there is the sin of the hand and the sin of the heart too to make up the murther But then if you should distinctly consider that which the heart hath done towards the murther and that which the hand hath done the hearts part would appear to be incomparably the worst The sins of the heart are the root sins the spring that sets all the wheels a going the fountain that sets all the streams a running the fire that sets the furnace a smoaking Carnal men make little of outward sins nothing of spiritual If they would not be Extortioners or Oppressors oâ— Swearers or Cursers some of them yet evil thoughts may lodge in them Lust may bear the rule in them Pride Envy Ignorance Atheism Heart-blasphemy these are scarcely accounted evils What are Thoughts a little inward discontent anger and the like that we should trouble our selves with these Oh! You do not know what there may be in a Thought or a secret lust there may be a Thousand evil Words and actions in the
their personal appearance have all their ways and actings examined and considered over again and receive their doom Then shall men return and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked betwixt him that served the Lord and him that served him not Then shall men say Verily there is a reward for the righteous a peculiar reward doubtlesse be is a God that judgeth in the earth If you ask What shall this reward of the righteous be and what shall be the difference betwixt theirs and the rewards of all others whatsoever Let these following Scriptures be examined and give in the answer Rom. 2. 6 7 8 9. Who will render to every man according to their deeds to them who by patient contiâ—uing in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life but to them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile The words refer to the last Judgment as appears by the former part of them Who shall render c. In the following part we have the dividing of the Sheep from the Goats which are both described and have their distinct rewards appointed to them 1. We have a description of the Sheep and what their reward shall be and by their description these Sheep should be the very same with Precisians or circumspect Christians 1. They are such as seek for glory and honour and immortality that is that seek for a portion of glory and immortality in the world to come They leave the Kingdoms of this world to be shared among the men of this world and seek for that Kingdom which cannot be shaken 2. They are well-doers good men and holy men men of a good and holy life 3. They continue in well-doing they are not good for a fit but it is the way of their life 4. They patiently continue Patience is either 1. Of Labour they do not complain nor are weary of their work but buckle to it Or 2. Of Sufferings they can bear as well as doe Or 3. Of Delay they are content to stay for their reward till hereafter let others take their portions and their rewards here they are content to stay for theirs till hereafter This is the description of the Sheep and of all the men in the world who should these Sheep be Can they be any other men then those godly men that have been laid open to you Well but what is the Reward which in the Judgement the Lord will render to these Why it is eternal Life eternal Glory and blessedness to them that by patient continuance in well-doing c. he will render eternal Life This is true Sinners this is no conceit it is a certain truth and such a truth as you yourselves must beâ—ieve before ever you can come to good Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Mark it of them that diligently seek him They are the same men you see that are spoken of here and in the former Scripture of these God is the rewarder that is with a special and glorious reward that is necessary to be understood God hath rewards for the ungodly You that are proud persecutors and despisers of God and his wayes God will reward you all for all your doings but he hath a blessed reward for those that seek him And thus saith the Text Every one that cometh to God must believe Sinners you will not be perswaded now but these people are foolish self-deluding people and that the Heaven the Joy the Glory and the Blessedness they feed themselves with the hope of is only in their own fancies but yet if ever you come to any thing if ever you be brought home to God this is that which you must believe That God is a Rewarder and a glorious Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Thus we have the description of the Sheep and of their reward and the certainty therof next we have the description of the Goates and their reward of them there is a general description The men that do evil and this threefold particular description 1. They are contentious 2. They obey not the Truth But 3. They obey unrighteousness which for methods sake I shall reduce to two Heads They are described 1. By their Contention 2. By their Conquest 1. By their Contention There is a twofold contention 1. Of man with man 2. Of man with God This latter is â—xprest in Scripture by gainsaying Rom. 10. by resisting Acts 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost by kicking Deut. 32. 15. This kicking implies 1 Opposition against God 2. Oposition joyned with scorn and contempt putting a slight upon God and all his Counsels and wayâ—s Now this latter is the contention meant in the Text contention against God they will not hearkâ—n to his voice nor be obedient to his truth The Lord commands and calls them to accept of his grace and to be obedient to his Law but they rejected God kick against his Word and refuse to hearken to him 2. By this conquest or victory in this contest after all the strivings of God with them they still stand it out and overcome they obey not the truth but persist to obey unrighteousness where 1. By the Truth we are to understand the whole Word of God John 17. 17. Thy Word is Truth both the word of righteousness the Law and the Word of faith the Gospel by obeying the truth we are to understand submitting to the government of the Law and accepting the grace of the Gospel 2 By unrighteousness we are to understand all those corrupt Principles according to which the lnsts of men do govern them which I take the Apostle means Rom. 7. 23. by the Law of Sin In that and the former Verse there is mention made of Four Laws contending one against another whereof Two are on one side and Two on the other The Law of God the Law of the Mind the Law of the Members and the Law of Sin By the Law of God is understood the Word of God by the Law of the Mind is understood in thâ— Regenerate Grace in the Unregenerate the Light of the Natural Conscience by the Law of the Members understand Lust or Concupiscence by the Law of Sin those corrupt Principles according to which Lust governs As the Law of the Mind governs according to those Holy Principles contained in the Word so there are certain Principles of Unrighteousness according to which the Flesh governs To enumerate and reckon up all these corrupt Principles would be as great a task as to reckon up all thâ— Doctrines of Truth and the Righteous Commands of God to each of which Holy Doctrines and Commands there are in this Law of Sin Principles directly contrary Now because it
Heart thine own Soul and according to it remember me 2. His glorious Name The Lords Nature is to be gracious and according to his Nature such is his Name Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth This is an Argument which the Lord puts into the mouths of his People telling them Ezek. 36. 21 22. I had pity for my Holy Name this I do not for your sakes but for â—y Holy Names sake And upon this we find them frequently pleading with him Psal 31. 3. For thy Names sake lead me and guide me Jer. 14. 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy Glory remember break not thy Covenant with us Go you and do likewise 2 On Christ And there are four things from which you may plead with God upon this account 1 The Lords giving of Christ to you as your Lord and your Saviour Upon which gift you may call him your own 2 The Purchase of Christ who hath bought from the hands of the Father all that you stand in need of He hath bought your Lives 1 Cor. 6â— Ye are bought with a price He hath bought you a livelihood hath purchased an Inheritance and Possession for you 1 Pet. 1. 3 The Interest that Christ hath in the Father being the Son of God the Son of his Love the Servant of God in whom his soul delights Isa 4â— 1 Behold my Servant whom I have chosen mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth whose Name is so precious and powerful with the Father that it will carry any suit obtain any request Job 16. 23. Whatever you ask the Father in my Name he will give it you 4 The Interest that you have in Christ As he is precious to his Father so you are precious to him as the Father can deny him nothing so he can deny his nothing John 14. 13 Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name I will do it He gives you Commission to put his Name upon all your requests and whatsoever prayer comes up with his Name upon it he will procure it an answer Now when you are praying for any mercy especially for any Soul-mercie make use of all these arguments Lord Hast thou given Christ unto me and wilt thou not with him give me all things I stand in need of Hast thou given me the Fountain and wilt thou deny me the Stream When I beg pardon of sin when I beg power against sin when I beg Holiness c. Is not all this granted me in thy gift of Christ to me Is Christ mine and is not his bloud mine to procure my pardon his Spirit mine to subdue mine iniquities Are these mine and wilt thou with-hold them from me Oh shall this guilt lie upon me these sins live in me these losts rule over me when by giving me in hand that whereof thou hast already given me a grant all this would be removed from me Look upon Christ Lord Thou hast said to me Look unto Jesue and give thy servant leave to say the same to thee Look thou upon Jesus and give out to me what thou hast given me in giving of him to me Look upon the purchase of Christ Do I want any thing or desire any thing but what my Lord hath bought and paid for and thou hast accepted of the price Look upon the Name of Christ which thou mayest behold written upon every prayer I make Though thou mayest sâ—y for thy own sake thou shalt have nothing not a drop not a crumb yet wilt thou say nor for his Name sake neither Is not that Name still a mighty Name a precious Name before the Lord c. By these hints you may learn how to plead with God from any other arguments drawn from his promises your experience c. Quest But of what use is this our pleading with God and in what stead doth it stand us in order to our prevailing with him Ans 1 It is not of use to change the purpose of God to prevail with him to do that for us which before he resolved not to do but to bring forth his purposes into performance We may say concerning the purposes of God what himself says concerning the accomplishing of his Promise Ezek. 36. 37. Yet will I be euquired of by the House of Israel to do this for them Such praying fetches out those mercies which were in the heart of God and puts them into our hand 2. By pleading with God for audience we plead our selves into credence or the more firm belief the Lord acceps and will answer And if by all these Arguments we can plead our selves intoâ—a stronger faith our faith will certainly bring us down a fuller answer Quest 2. These Arguments the Saints may use In Prayer but is there no plea for poor natural men that are yet in their sins to make use of What may they say themselves when they come before the Lord Have you never a word to put in their mouths They have more need of Arguments then any What shall they say Answ 1. I shall premise That its the duty of meer natural men to pray For 1. Prayer is a part of Gods Natural Worship If there were no positive Law requiring it yet the Law of Nature enjoynes it and no man is exempted from the Obligation of the Law of Nature 2. Otherwise it were none of their sin to neglect and restrain Prayer where no Law is there is no Transgression Now we finde in Scripture that neglect of Prayer is reckoned up amongst wicked mens sins Psal 14. 3. 4. They are altogether become filthy c. they call not upon God Sin though it doth disable yet it doth not disoblige to Duty Object That which is usually objected against this is God heareth not sinners The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Now no man is bound to offer up to God an abominable thing better offer up nothing than an abomination Sol. In answer to this consider There are two sorts of sinners Resolved Sinners and Returning Sinners and accordingly there are two sorts of Prayers made by Sinners 1. Dissembling prayers mocking and lying Prayers Hos 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lyes lying Sacrifices lying Devotions makes as if he had a minde to know me and serve me when it is not in his heart and such prayers are made use of either as râ—vail to hide and cover their wickedness and to make them appear to men to be righteous or else as an Engine or Device to quiet and pacifie their consciences in a course of sin They make confessing of sin to serve instead of forsaking of sin praying to serve instead of repenting their prayers help them to sin the more freely They think they may go out with any thiâ—g if when they have done iniquity they do but pray for forgiveness Such prayers are an abomination to God and a desolation
Will he with whom no iniquity can dwell dwell in that heart where there is so much iniquity by which he is provoked every day but he that is the God of peace is also the God of patience who though he will not bear the iniquities of his adversaries yet he will bear much with the infirmities of his People Psal 89. 30. c. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements if they breake my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgressions with a Rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 4. He that is the God of peace is the God of hope I have not peace in possession whatever there be in the promise I live in the fire am born a man of contention What likelyhood is there that I should ever live to see a good day my comforts are broken my Estate is lost my libertie is gone friends I have none enemies I have many and mighâ—ty I dwell in Mâ—sech I have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar I am for peace they are for War whither ever I look round about me before me behind me on the right hand or on the left all speaks trouble and terrour to me I have no peace What noâ— no hopâ— of peace neither where is thy God maâ— hast thou a God in thee and yet no hope in thee the God of peace and yet no peace the God of hope and yet no hope the God of hope will yet fill thee with joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. Why art thou cast down oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Psal 43. 11. The God of hope will open a Window of hope in the darkest times a door of hope in the most desperate cases The God of hope will bear up the spirits of his Saints in hope against hope and this hope will never disappoynt them It shall never be said there is no peace there is no hope till it can be said there is no God in Israel But how or in what sence is it to be understood that this God of peace will be with us I answer in three particulars 1. The heart of God will be with you Joseph's blessing the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush will be thy portion Deut. 33. what was the Bush the Church or Israel of God What case was the Bush in 't was all in a light fire 't was all in a flame VVho was it that dwelt in the Bush God was in the Bush and that kept it from consuming though not from burning The good will of this God shall be with thee his love his favour his care I love them that love me Prov. 8. 17. The Lord loveth the Righteous Psal 146. 8. The Love of God is the womb of all good Hence sprang the morning Star from the love of God came the Son of God hence came that womb of the Morning the blessed Gospel which is so big with glorious grace with Light Life Pardon Peace Glory Immortality from the love of God came the glorious Gospel of God The upper Springs all spiritual and heavenly blessings the neither springs all earthly and outward blessings do all rise and bubble up out of this Fountain the love of God The precious things of Heaven the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun the precious Fruits put forth by the Moon the chief things of the ancient Mountains the precious things of the lasting Hills the precious things of the Earth and the fulness thereof All these flow in with the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Love is all the Apostle tells us Rom. 13. our love to God is the fulfilling of the Law that is it will bring forth all that to God all that duty and obedience which the Law requires I may tell you that Gods love to us is the fulfilling of the Gospel that is it will powre down all that upon us it will do all that for us which the Gospel promises Look over the whole Gospel read and study every precious leaf and line of that blessed Book and if there be enough in all that to make thee blessed and to encourage thee on in thy holy course all this is thine Thou hast that love of God with thee which will fulfil the Gospel there shall not one jot or tittle fail thee of all that the Gospel promises The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isa 9. 7. 2. The help of God will be with you the Lord will be your helper in the day of your distresse Heb. 13. 5 6. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me He hath said I will not leave thee and therefore we may say I will not fear He hath said I will be and therefore we may boldly say the Lord is my Helper He hath said he will not forsake he will help and who is he that shall say There is no help for thee iâ— thy God There 's no man whose Case may not be so desperate as to be above all humane help If he should cry out as the woman to the King of Israel Help O King the King must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he should cry out Help O Man of God the Man of God must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee If he cry out Help O my Friends my Wit my Policy my Purse all these must answer If the Lord do not help thee whence shall we help thee But what case is there wherein an Help Lord will not do Foolish men count their case desperate when they come to their God help that 's an usual expression to set forth the extreamity and helplesness of any mans case When we see men even lost in any misery and their case even utterly hopeless then to signifie our sense of such mens lost condition we cry out God help that man God help that woman they are lost Creatures I but if men did understand and consider what the help of the Lord is they would see there could be no case so desperate but an Help Lord might recover all 1 Sam. 30. 6. when David was greatly distressed and all was gone He encouraged himself in the Lord his God Consider here two things 1. What his Case then was he was in great distress he had lost all that ever he had his spoyls that he had taken were all gone his Corn and his Cattel his Wives and his City were all lost he had not an habitation in all the World he had nothing left him but a poor Army and these were worse than
thou takest this thou must be content to submit to the Cross and Yoke the service and the sufferings of Christ which are linked to it What sayest thou Hadst thou rather take the gains and the pleasures of sin and venture on the Curse or wilt thou yield thy self a servant unto Christ and so make sure the Crown If your hearts flie off and would fain wave the business and leave it undeermined leave them not so If you be onely unresolved you are resolved If you remain undetermined for Christ you are determined for the Devil Therefore give not off but follow your hearts from day to day let them not rest till the matter be brought to an issue and see that you make a good choice This is your choosing the good part God and your blessedness of the world to come for your portion and happiness and in this is included Your renouncing the world and a worldly happiness III. Imbarque with Christ Adventure your selves with him cast your selves upon his righteousness as that which shall bring you to God As a poor Captive Exile that is cast upon a strange Land a Land of Robbers and Murtherers where he is ready to perish and having no hope either of abiding there or escaping home with life and meeting at length with a Pilot that offers to Transport him safely home he imbarkes with him and ventures himself and all he hath in his Vessel Do you likewise you are Exiles from the presence of God and fallen into a Land of Robbers and Murtherers Your sins are Robbers your pleasures are Robbers your Companions in sin are Robbers and Thieves if you stay where you are you perish and escape home of your selves you cannot Christ offers if you will venture with him he will bring you home and he will bring you to God Will you say now to him Lord Jesus wilt thou undertake me wilt thou bring me to God bring me into the Land of Promise With thee will I venture my self I cast my self upon thee upon thy blood upon thy righteousness upon thy faithfulness I say up all my hopes and venture my whole interest Soul and Body with thee This is your closing with Christ as your Priest and in this is included your renouncing your own righteousness you can never you will never cast your selves on him alone till all your self hopes have given up the ghost There be two things which must necessarily be supposed to a sinner coming to Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery 2. An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ 1. A deep sense of his sin and misery No man will regard a Saviour that doth not see himself a Sinner The whole regard not the Physitian Therefore it is said That the Spirit of God when he should come to Chrstianize the World should in the first place convince the World of sin John 16. 8. He shall convince the World of sin he shall demonstrate them Sinners bring up their sins before their Eyes bring home their sins upon their Consciences and make them see themselves and feel themselves the most vile and abominable of creatures Sin hides it self from the sinners eyes and all its vileness and deformity or if it come in sight it presents it self to the sinner as the Witch of Endor brought up the Devil before Saul in Samuels Mantle It shews it self as the sinners god Look how many sins evil men have so many gods they have rising up to them Their â—ins are their gods the gods that feed them they make a living of their sins the gods that comfort and refresh them they take pleasure in iniquity the gods that shelter them and hide them they strengthen themselves in their wickedness But now the Spirit of God plucks off the mantle and makes sin appear to be sin makes all the sinners Gods appear to be so many Devils brings forth the blackness and filthiness of sin into sight makes the sinner to see himself an unclean and abominable thing And withal he brings forth the guilt of sin sets all these Devils a tormenting the sinner filling him with fear and terrour and amazement In this respect he is called Rom. 8. the Spirit of Bondage that works fear and trouble in the heart The Spirit awakening a sleepy sinner is a kind of awakening in Hell Lord where am I What mean these Legions round about me These Chains and Fetters that are upon me What means the black Roll before mine eyes of curses and wrath and woes Lord where am I Have I been playing and sporting and making merry and my soul in such a case as this But is there no hope of escaping out of this wretched state I see there is no abiding thus I am but a dead man if I continue as I am What may I do to be saved And when he is brought to this there is some way made for his entertainment of Christ Yea this is not all that is needful but he must further be brought to 2 An utter despair of himself and all things else besides Christ Being made sensible of his sin and his danger a sinner will look out for help and deliverance but he will look every where else before he will look unto Christ Nothing will bring in a sinner to Christ but an absolute necessity He will try to forsake his sins will think of leaving his drunkenness and becoming sober of leaving his adulteries and becoming chaste and so see if by this means be may not escape He will go to Prayers and Sermons and Sacrament and search out if there be not salvation in them but all these though they be useful in their places yet looking no further the sinner sees there is no help in them His righteousness cannot help him this is but rags his duties cannot help him these may be reckoned among his sins Ordinances cannot help these are but empty Cisternâ— and all tell him you knock at a wrong door salvation is not in us Well the Lord be merciful to me faith the Sinner What shall I do Abide as I am I dare not and how to help my self I know not my praying will not help me my hearing will not help me if I give all my goods to the Poor if I should give my body to be burned all this would not save my soul Wo is me what shall I do and whether shall I go And now being brought to this distress to this utter loss his despair drives him to the onely door of hope that is left open Then Christ will be accepted when he sees none but Christ can stead him The Apostle tells us Gal. 3. 23. We were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that should afterwards be revealed All other doors were shut up against there was no hope of escaping but by that one door that was left open The Faith that was afterwards to be revealed As the besieged in a City that have every Gate blocked