therefore to mind this or to be led by this is present death The minor is thus again confirmed because it submits not to the Law and that is not for a present push only and out of a surprizal of some temptation but it 's certain it will never nay it can never be other because it 's beyond its power nay cross to its Nature so to do so that it hath no ability nor will for to do it nor can it of it self attain any sufficiency thereunto To make way for the collection of the Point of which we purpose to speak there be two words in the Text to be attended for Explication sake 1 What is meant by The Wisdom of the flesh or to be Carnally minded The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of large compass and in truth comprehends in this place the frame of the Reasonable Faculties the Understanding and Will in the extent of their full work what he understands and plots by Reason the Will effects and this latter of necessity implies the other for so the word whence it comes is taken 1 For the work of the Understanding Acts 28. 22. We desire to know what thou thinkest they would understand his Opinion and Judgment touching the way of Christianity so the Apostle speaks when he would confine our Reason to the compass of the Wisdom of the Scripture and Gods Counsel therein revealed he adviseth We should not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Again It 's used and that often to express the work of the Will and therefore it is 〈◊〉 translated by Care Phil. 4. 10. I rejoyced that your Care of me again flourisheth Somtimes by the work of Seeking If ye be risen with Christ 〈◊〉 those things which are above 3. Col. 1. Or by the act of tasting or savouring Mat. 16. 21. Get thee behind me Satan thou savorest not the things 〈◊〉 be of God And therefore Beza is constrained to Paraphrase and lay out the compass of it in a 〈◊〉 of words That which the carnal man savors is enmity that is the frame of the plotting of the minds and affecting of the hearts of carnal men is enmity against God 2 Enmity as we say in the abstract made up of nothing but malice and hatred and that in an extream manner against the Lord more than against any thing in the world And if it be enquired how that doth appear and can be proved The Evidence is added in the next words It is not subject to the Law As the heart is to the Law so it is to the Lord as it is to the Word of God so it is to God himself It wholly shakes off the Sovereignty and Authority of the Law and it is not a pang only of a temptation that carries it nor a push or 〈◊〉 of some present infirmity that overbears it but in truth it is the very Nature of a naughty and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 6. and nothing else but 〈◊〉 and therefore it can do nothing but oppose the Spirit and the Law which is Spiritual every thing will do and in 〈◊〉 can do no 〈◊〉 but its Nature And this denyal 〈◊〉 only of the Act of Subjection but the very Power of Subjection shews the height of that opposition that is in the heart against the Law and so against 〈◊〉 Lord himself for subjection is one degree lower 〈◊〉 obedience it 's possible for a Servant not to 〈◊〉 the command of his Master and yet he may in 〈◊〉 and subjection submit himself to his authority to bear what he will inflict upon him with 〈◊〉 though not to do what he requires of him A Patient may be subject in silence and meekness to 〈◊〉 the launcings of the Chyrurgion to cut him and so cure him when he can in no wise help 〈◊〉 and yet a carnal heart will not do this for his 〈◊〉 of subjection implies 1 It doth not acknowledg the Authority and 〈◊〉 of the Law 2 It will not obey the Rule of it 3 It will not bear the Power of it whereby it would redress the sinfulness of our hearts and reform the disorders and miscarriages of our lives and pluck away that sin from us that would pluck away our hearts from God He hath no right to challenge 〈◊〉 sovereignty no reason to exercise it no Lawful power but usurped that doth maintain it and 〈◊〉 I do not acknowledg this right nor obey that Rule nor bear that Power saies the Will it would take away my lusts and so take away my content 〈◊〉 life and I will rather die than yield rather be 〈◊〉 than abide my pleasing distempers to be crossed by the Law Hence then the Point is plain The frame of the whol heart of a Natural man is wholly unwilling to submit to the Work of the Lord that would sever him from his sins I say the frame of the whol man to the words of the Text and interpretation of them each plotting of the Mind each affecting of the Will the 〈◊〉 current of the carriage of the inward man and 〈◊〉 is not only unable to follow the direction of the Law and of the Lord but not willing to bear the power thereof to force it to the reformation of those 〈◊〉 and sins unto which it subjects it self and sets it self resolutely to keep So the Lord professed of Nimrod and his company when they had set themselves upon the building of Babel out of their pride and self confidence Gen. 11. 6. Now nothing will 〈◊〉 restrained from them which they have imagined to do let us go down and confound their Language It 's in vain to perswade them in vain to send Messengers and shew Arguments never so sad and weighty to stop them only confound their language that they may not be able to do what they would It 's the Scope of that Parable Matth. 21. from 33. to 41. wherein the waywardness of the hearts of the sons of men and their desperate unteachableness is apparantly discovered Messenger is sent after Messenger all variety of means provided and continued they beat one evil entreat another slay a third and when the Son himself is sent that Reason would have concluded that which the Master of the Vineyard conceived they will reverence my Son they were most outragious against him because happily he was more instant and importunate to press them to Sanctification the rendring of the fruit your fruit in Holiness and the end eternal Life Rom. 6. 22. they express greater opposition against him because he most of all opposed their sins Come say they this is the Heir let us kill him and the Inheritance will be ours Nor was this the guise of some graceless forlorn persons but the disposition of all men it 's part of that Curse we inherit from the Loyns 〈◊〉 our first Parents Gen. 6. 5. The frame of the imagination of our hearts are evil and
his Heart to do Farewel Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye COLE 1216. The Application of Redemption by the effectual work of the Word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost Sinners to God The Ninth Book ISAIAH 57. 15. Thus saith He that is the High and the Lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and the Holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit THe Work of Preparation having Two Parts First The Lords manner of Dispensation as he is pleased to deal with the Soul for the setting up the praise of his Rich and Glorious Grace and therefore with a holy kind of Violence he plucks the 〈◊〉 from his sins unto himself and his Christ. This hath been dispatched already in the former Discourse The Second now follows And that is the Frame and Disposition which is wrought in the Hearts of such as the Lord hath purposed to save and to whom he hath dispensed himself in that gracious Work of his Contrition Humiliation This Disposition consists especially in Two Things That so I may follow the Phrase of Scripture and retain the Lords own Words in the Text where the Lord saith that he dwels with him that is of an humble and contrite Heart To omit al manner of Coherence and other Circumstances we will pass all the other Specials in the Verse and point at that Particular which will suit our proceeding and may afford ground to the following Discourse that we may go no further than we see the Pillar of Fire the Lord in his Truth to go before us We shal fasten then upon the last words only as those that fit our Intendment To make way for our selves in short there is one word alone to be opened that so the Point may be better fitted for our Application we must know what it is to dwel or how God is said 〈◊〉 dwell in a contrite and humble heart I Answer To Dwell implies Three Things First That the Lord owns such as those in whom he hath an especial interest and claims a special propriety as though he left all the rest of man-kind to lie wast as a Common that the World and the Devil and Sin may 〈◊〉 and use at their pleasure reserving the Honor of his Justice which by a strong hand he will exact as a Tribute due to himself out of all things in Heaven and Earth and Hell and all but persons whom he thus fits he reserves for his own special Improvement As Princes and Persons of place and quality do lease out and let some Forrests and Commons to the Inhabitants bordering thereabout reserving some acknowledgment of Fealty and Royalty to themselves but the choyce and best Pallaces or Granges of greatest worth and profit they reserve for their own peculiar to inhabit in So here the Lord leaseth out the World and the wicked in it to the Devil and his Angels and Instruments reserving a Royalty and Prerogative to himself as that he will have his Homage and Acknowledgment of dependance upon himself but his broken-hearted ones are his own for his own Improvement Deut. 32. 8 9. When the most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance and separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of his People according to the number of the Children of Israel for the Lords Portion is his People Israel the Lot of his Inheritance Ye are the Temple of the Living God 2 Cor. 6. 16. Yea to them the Lord himself saies Ye are my People and they shall say thou art my God Zach. 13. last Therefore he professeth that though in the course of his Providence he goes on progress over all the world yet he takes up his dwelling and abode amongst his own People For Secondly Where a man dwels as he owns the house so he takes up his abode there it is the place of his residence we say any may know where to seek men or where to find them at home at their own house That 's the difference between Inning and Dwelling we Inn at a place in our passing by when we take repast only and bait but depart presently intending not to stay but where we dwel we settle our abode we take up our stand there and stir no further So the Lord is said then to dwel in the Soul when he vouchsafes the constant expression of his peculiar presence and assistance to the soul. True it is that the Lord fills Heaven and Earth with his presence yea the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him Jer. 23. 24. His infinite Being is every where and one and the same every where in regard of himself because his being is most simple and not subject to any shadow of change being all one with himself Yet he is said to take up his abode in a special manner when he doth put forth the peculiar expression of his Work as in Heaven he dwels because he puts forth the constant expression of his Glory and that in the full brightness of it without any alteration and change Here in this Spiritual Temple the Souls of his Saints he puts forth the peculiar expression of the constant assistance of his blessed Spirit I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter who shall abide with you for ever John 14. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 23. Ye have received an anointing which abideth in you Dwelling if it be attributed to the chiefest Inhabitant and Owner of the House it implies also the ruling and ordering of the occasions that come under hand there the exercising of the Government of the house and family where the Owner is and dwels He that lodgeth at a House as a stranger comes to an Inn as a Passenger he takes what he finds hath what he can receive of kindness and courtesie but the Owner is the Commander of the House where he dwels and the orderer of all the Affairs that appertain thereunto So doth the Lord with a broken Heart Thus we are said to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. And it 's that which follows by Inference upon this ground John 15. 4. 5. If I abide in you and you abide in me you shal bring forth much fruit and therefore it s added also in this place that the Lord dwels in the contrite and humble heart to receive the Spirit of the contrite ones they yeeld themselves to be acted by him and they shall be acted and quickened by him to Eternal Life So that the full meaning is The contrite and humble heart is such to whom the Lord vouchsafes acceptance special presence and abode and peculiar guidance he owns him abides with him and rules in him for ever True it is said Christ dwels in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 17. and as many as beleeve in him they receive him John 1. 12. That is done as by the next and immediate hand by which we say hold on Christ and
sinner and to speak terror to his Conscience out of the word that they may be troubled and tumbled and so find rest at the day of Christ. These Quack-salvers send the distressed sinner to sports pastimes and recreations and merry Company that they take up their thoughts and take off their minds from attending to their sins or the truth that is take off the Slave that should cure them spil the Physick that should heal their maladies thus they ease their terrors for the while that they may increase their torment forever accursed comforters or rather they take up the Devils name and Office Apollyon destroyers of the souls of men therefore holy Peter gave that advise to these hearers Save your selves from this crooked generation q. d. your safety and their society cannot stand together you must not continue with them if you would have the power and comfort of the word continue with you and therefore experience evidenceth God so disposeth ever in the dispensation of the work of his Grace either the sinner that is wounded wil shake off his wicked company or els the counsel of the word and the worke of Gods spirit Hence that of the Apostle Eph. 5. 14. Stand up from the dead and Christ shal give thee light and 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be yee separate and then I wil receive you and walk among you God wil not walk with you if you wil walk with the world there is no coming into communion with Christ unless we come out there Christ tells his disciples John 15. 19. I have chosen you out of the world Exhortation We here see the way that the Lord hath chalked out before us the means which in mercy and in way of his providence he hath provided appointed to break our hearts to bring us to his son and so to life We are therfore to be exhorted to attend and follow the counsel of the Lord that we may expect and so receive his blessing even with Consciencious diligence and studious endeavour to press on to the perfourmance of this service some hapily never knew it looked not at it as a labor or task that did 〈◊〉 to them let such now own it and set about it with al 〈◊〉 might others it may be have been convinced of the duty and have been forward in the practice of it in former times and forced to it in the 〈◊〉 of their distrels but now are fallen back and grown wearish in their way those are to be perswaded to proceed on with more chearfulness and speed he that never knew the work let him now learn it He that hath set about it in former times let him be for ever quickened and encouraged in it Joyn al your counsels and resolutions you that are children and servants in the same family members in the same assemblies neighbours in the same place and plantation and 〈◊〉 upon each other to this holy course Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. say so one to another you that are privy to the wretchedness of your own hearts and lives we complain and that justly of a giddy slightness of spirit we meet with many stroks of the word stirrings and recoylings of spirit our hearts misgive us many checks of Conscience and motives we think of the holy Ghost cast into our minds but nothing stayes with us sticks upon us they pass away insensibly and leave no impression no power behind them we wash away al we cannot but see and wonder at the unreasonable hardness of our heart and condemn our selves who have had so many blows from Gods hand and they break not so many dreadful threatnings we hear out of the word dayly able to shak the heart of a Divel we stirr not we are not affected therewith our corruptions are hainous for their nature many for their number accompanied with direful plagues from the Lord are daily before our eyes have driven many to untimely deaths and so to Hel. We cannot but acknowledg al this and yet we be not touched with any saving remorse for them we have had al helps and the Lord hath tried al conclusions upon us and yet al in vain Who knows but we have been negligent this ordinance and therefore God hath cursed al others we have not used this means as wel as others and therefore we have got benefit by none who knowes but the want of this hath hindred the success of al other that we have had and used in our times and places Oh then recover our former carelesness send our thoughts a far off and survey our former conversations let us search and consider our own wayes who knows but the Lord may turn our hearts to him Let us question our own souls and say to our selves what have we done that it may be beyond question that God hath humbled pardoned and accepted of us What is the reason that one sinks under the sin that another never feels It is with our sins as with our burdens he that sees a weight and it may be lifts at it but if he never lay it upon his shoulder or if it be layed he never keeps it there but casts it off immediately he wil never be touched or troubled with it which another dies under as not able to endure so it is here our sins and iniquities are a burden too heavy for any man to bear and not to break under them and they who are forced to feel the Least of them are compelled to confess as much as the Devils and damned in Hel the wicked in horror of Conscience my punishment is greater than can be endured Others whom God abates of the execution of his displeasure for the present these men look at them and may lift at them a little by some sudden flashy and flitting apprehension as they hear or read c. But by Meditation to bind this burden upon their Consciences that the heart cannot get from under it they are not able to abide the weight of them therefore wil not abide the thought of them they 〈◊〉 off and cast away the burden and so they never feel it before the infinite Justice of the Lord seizeth upon their souls by everlasting discouragement Better we set them in order before our eye trouble our hearts with them than that the Lord should set them in order before us at the day of Judgment and tear us in pieces when there shal be none to deliver us To help in this so hard a buisiness let me speak something 1. By way of provocation to stir you up to this work 2. By way of direction to guid you in it To provoke your hearts thereunto take these considerations Let every man take it to himself as his own task charge it upon his own soul as a service which by unavoydable necessity lyes upon him which he may not neglect This wil awaken the soul to the work say
past 〈◊〉 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already is cast in al the Coutrs of Heaven and Earth the 〈◊〉 cannot the Gospel wil not save thee a body 〈◊〉 appeal from Justice to Mercy but if Mercy 〈◊〉 him who shal comfort who can releeve 〈◊〉 what ever he doth where ever he is the wrath God abides upon him thou art not within the 〈◊〉 of Mercy nor the compass of that Redemption 〈◊〉 Lord hath wrought Nay that thou mayest see 〈◊〉 thou art and what to hold to the Lord 〈◊〉 hath sealed up thy destruction by a sollem oath 〈◊〉 can never be repealed He hath sworne he that 〈◊〉 beleeves shal never enter into his rest Heb. 3. 〈◊〉 That which God saies barely he many times 〈◊〉 so the first Covenant Do and live a man may 〈◊〉 do himself and yet live but he that wil not 〈◊〉 God swears and his oath is unchangable 〈◊〉 he shal never enter into life That a man may 〈◊〉 with reverence God himself cannot save a man 〈◊〉 never shal Beleeve because he cannot deny 〈◊〉 and his oath Rest thou mayest in thy vain 〈◊〉 in thy carnal confidence sit down secure in 〈◊〉 self-pleasing humor but thou shalt never enter to Gods rest of Pardon Peace Comfort and 〈◊〉 but shalt be in a restless fear and dread 〈◊〉 and discouragement which wil pursue the 〈◊〉 endless disquiet and the powers of Heaven 〈◊〉 a fford thee releif in this condition if thou 〈◊〉 herein There is no peace saith God to the 〈◊〉 Isay. 57. last But if this be so and you pale in the precious 〈◊〉 demption of Christ into such a narrow 〈◊〉 you wil straiten it and the comforts of sinners 〈◊〉 much and extend as much mercy to Devils 〈◊〉 Unbeleevers for by this means you make the 〈◊〉 probates in as desperate a condition as the 〈◊〉 themselves being wholly voyd of al help and 〈◊〉 of Salvation either in themselves or any 〈◊〉 they cannot save themselves and the Lord wil 〈◊〉 save them A Blasphemous Cavil I Answer The consequent part of the reason unsound and blasphemously false as shal appear 〈◊〉 sundry Considerations The merits of our Saviour and the compleat 〈◊〉 ture of his sufferings is made up or issues out two principles without either of which there new had been any satisfaction to divine Justice 〈◊〉 Divinity cannot suffer the Humanitie canot 〈◊〉 without blood there is no Redemption Justice 〈◊〉 quireth death and unless it be the death of 〈◊〉 that is God there is neither value nor vertue 〈◊〉 to the infinite wrong done and therefore 〈◊〉 satisfaction In that nature therefore the Lord 〈◊〉 offended in that he must he satisfied for the 〈◊〉 of Angels may be annihilated but die or be 〈◊〉 ved they cannot therefore the nature of man 〈◊〉 assumed therefore Redemption and Purchase 〈◊〉 longs to that nature because sufficient 〈◊〉 was only tendred for that Hence al that Beleeve of this nature may be 〈◊〉 ved there is not an impssibilitie in the nature 〈◊〉 the thing To many Persons of this nature God afford means so that if they wil but submit to the 〈◊〉 and be content to receive Grace they shal not 〈◊〉 and that Adam could do and we in him The Gospel doth not require a Man should 〈◊〉 of his own power but that he should be 〈◊〉 and content to be made able to Beleeve and 〈◊〉 of that Grace he is called unto But the fallen Angels differ in al these regards For theirs being the sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 Lord provided no remedy for them For Christ no case took upon him the nature of Angells Heb 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no wise it was in no case comely or 〈◊〉 enient Their nature not assumed for them no 〈◊〉 was made as the Apostle disputes purposely 〈◊〉 2. 11 12. c. And therefore no possibility they 〈◊〉 receive any good by Christ if possibly they 〈◊〉 Beleeve Therfore the Lord neither provides nor offers any 〈◊〉 to convert them so that there is a broad and 〈◊〉 difference in al these That which is only true in the objection is this at the wicked being dead in sins and trespasses it no more possible for them to help themselves by 〈◊〉 own power on t of this condition than it's 〈◊〉 for a Devil For with Man there is no 〈◊〉 no more than there is with Devils and 〈◊〉 negation admits no degrees in regard of the 〈◊〉 of their nature But the riches of Gods 〈◊〉 on His part in taking our nature entering into 〈◊〉 with His in it providing means and 〈◊〉 with Men for their good by the Covenant and 〈◊〉 no more but the bare receiving of that 〈◊〉 al these shew great ods But Christs merit is infinite and of infinite 〈◊〉 therefore is able to save al Angels and al Men it not The consequence of the reason is false which wil appear by the right understanding how Christs 〈◊〉 rits are infinite and how the sufficiencie of 〈◊〉 can reach all Christs merits are said to be infinite then 〈◊〉 ther properly in regard of the Person of the 〈◊〉 head whence that virtue comes or in regard of 〈◊〉 Persons to whom it is applyed as that it should 〈◊〉 infinite Creatures and this is very improper and 〈◊〉 The merit of him who is an infinit God and of 〈◊〉 finit vertue is not sufficient for infinite 〈◊〉 for then had he taken any nature he had been a 〈◊〉 ficient Saviour which the Apostle contradicts 〈◊〉 2. 11 12. Then had he suffered any outward evil as 〈◊〉 cution the spilling of some drops of his blood 〈◊〉 would have sufficed for that had been the 〈◊〉 of a partie who is infinit and yet justice 〈◊〉 that which requires not only payment from an 〈◊〉 nit Person but in the same kind and nature also 〈◊〉 that upon such conditions as the Covenant 〈◊〉 red before agreed and now exacted Merits from such an infinit Person performed 〈◊〉 such a kind and nature have an infinit vertue to 〈◊〉 swer an infinit justice for al such for whom such Person shal undertake And according to this 〈◊〉 pass it must be conceived that Christs death is 〈◊〉 cient for all else the phrase wil not bear a rigid 〈◊〉 That which I would leave to your thoughts 〈◊〉 be expressed in two things thus 1. Christs death is sufficient to save al 〈◊〉 they shall Beleeve 2. It 's not sufficient to save one Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleeve It s sufficient to save al if they Beleeve and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the meaning of that phrase which is 〈◊〉 amongst judicious writers That if God had 〈◊〉 and Christ intended to save many 〈◊〉 more he needed not nor intruth should have 〈◊〉 any other or any more punishment so 〈◊〉 he must have suffered for the substance of the 〈◊〉 and second death to save one sinner and no 〈◊〉 he needed to have suffered if he should save al
and understand with their heart and convert and be healed 〈◊〉 Instruction why men of the greatest ability for depth of brain and strength of understanding are most hardly brought to brokennes of heart and to be wounded with Godly sorrow for their sins the ground is from the point in hand because they are hardest brought to see their sins the power of carnal reason doth so mightily prevayl in them being now in their natural condition the strength of their abilities becomes wholly perverted to their own hurt and the maintaining of their own distempers their subtilty deceives themselves they abuse the sharpness of their wit to beat back the authority of the 〈◊〉 and to wind away from the evidence of argument that is 〈◊〉 to their view They shut out the light of the truth from coming into their hearts and therefore it s not 〈◊〉 it should work upon them 〈◊〉 or effectually prevail with them for God Hence that peremptory 〈◊〉 of the Apostle not many wise men after the flesh 1. 〈◊〉 1. 26. because the wisdom of the 〈◊〉 is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 it is as a weapon in the hand and under the command of our fleshly hearts It fortifies most strongly against the evidence and essicacy of the truth wil not suffer a conviction to fasten upon the Conscience and therefore no Godly sorrow to affect the soul of a sinner As it is in war when the trenches and outworks are slight and the wal of the City low and the Castle weak it s no matter of danger or 〈◊〉 for a wise Commander with compitent forces to surprise it to carry the place and Conquer the people their defence was but feeble but were their out-works strong their walls high the Citadel and Castle impregnable it wil abide many assaults and stand out long even against the 〈◊〉 power that shal 〈◊〉 them and happily be forced to raise the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place as not able to prevail It is so in our spiritual condition when the Lord coms to lay siege to the soul of a sinful creature who is now under the power of darkness and the soveraign command of his corruptions which rule as supream Lords over him There is no Conversion without Conviction as hath been shew'd in 〈◊〉 the point It s not possible the heart should be content to leave sin unless the understanding clearly see the loathsomness of it the out-works and walls of the soul are our apprehensions and understanding now where there is wiliness depth and subtilty of 〈◊〉 large reaches of carnal reason these the Apostle calls strong holds 2. Cor. 10. 4. and they wil abide the battery and force of the most plain evidences strongest arguments that can be devised and alleadged with the best skil and yet hold it out against all where the opposition is not so strong the entrance is more easy and subjection is sooner yielded to the evidence of the truth This is the ground the prophet gives of that invincible stiffness pride and contempt of Babilon as being unteachable under al dispensations Thy wisdom and thy knowledg they have perverted thee or caused thee to rebell Isa. 47. 10. It was the reason of that stubbornness of which the Lord complains in the Scribes and 〈◊〉 the great Rabbies of the world Luke 7. 30. 31. the Publicans and sinners 〈◊〉 God because of John Baptists doctrine and so yielded themselves and were overcome of the evidence of the truth but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the counsel of God They put it by and would not suffer the counsel of God to take place or to prevail with them Paul never found worse entertainment and greater opposition than at Corinth and Athens the 〈◊〉 of sciences and Store-house of learning and learned men the excellency of whose parts and the conceit of 〈◊〉 and wisdom did so transport them and puffe up their earthly minds that they slighted the simplicity that was in Christ and trampled upon the meaness of the Gospel Acts. 17. 18. Phylosophers of the Epicure and Stoicks they encountred Paul and said what will this babler say and v. 〈◊〉 some mocked As though the 〈◊〉 of the meaner sort though they had no heart to receive the Gospel yet they had no skil to resist or were able and 〈◊〉 durst not grapple with his arguments These only who had more learning they gave the encounter and openly contemned both his purpose and doctrine As it is with men who are but weak and unskilful at the weapon not able to 〈◊〉 a blow or put by a thrust it 's no hard matter to get within them but those who are 〈◊〉 of defence are dextrous and handy at their weapons there is little hope to hit them or to come within them So here men of meaner capacities and of shallow reach they yield more easily and are forced to let fal their weapons but such who are skilful are masters of defence can devise devices the subtilty of their own reason is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 suggestions they wil latch allmost any blow and put by the plainest truth for the present push that there is no hope to come in to them And this also is the ground why your painted Formalists and subtil hypocrites who are grown cunning in the craft of profession for so they make it they are so hardly brought on to beleeve Publicans and sinners and Harlots shal goe before them And for this cause it is our Lord so marvailously distasts this condition Rev. 3. 17. I would thou wert either cold or hot Lukewarmnes is worse than prophanness not that fals shewes are worse than grosser evils when heart and life outside and inside are both ill but intruth because such are more difficult to be convinced of their evils and therefore not likely to be amended or brought out of them q. d. As though the Lord had sayed if thou wert openly naught thou mightest be brought to see acknowledg thy naught iness Here Paul issues the strength of that resistance against the Lord and his Gospel 1. Coloss. 21. Enemies in your minds by wicked works but in the original Enemies by reason of your discourses set or attent to evil works It 's the first step to wisdom to become a fool and that 's hard to him that is highly in love with his own wit Examination we may hence gain certain evidence whether ever the Lord 〈◊〉 made any entrance upon this great work of preparation and so any expression of his purpose 〈◊〉 to call us to himself to this day or no. happily the Lord Christ hath been knocking oft at thy dore as he passeth by in the dispensation of his Ordinances in the wayes of his providence in which he hath walked towards thee hath called in upon thy Conscience presented the guilt of thy sins and layd heavy things to thy charge and knocked hard at thy dore awake thou that sleepest so that thou hast heard a confused noyse as it were
we take up mens minds and exercise their Ears and thoughts with some hovering Discourses and common words of course We are all sinners In many things we offend all All flesh is frail but I hope better things of you I hope there is none such amongst you Those daubing discourses and roving reproofes toothless powerless dispensations like arrowes shot a cock-height they touch not trouble not and in the issue profit no man at all They come proud and stubborn and perverse and careless they sit so and returne so day 〈◊〉 day and year aster year But you should shake up a sinner go down under the hatches to Jonah set upon the hearts of men in particular Awake thou 〈◊〉 Thou a master of a family and 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 not those that are under thee Thou a servant yet stubborn and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 not to those that are set over thee in the Lord 〈◊〉 thou a Wife and dost not reverence and obey with 〈◊〉 him whom God hath made thy head and guide Art thou a member of a Christian Congregation and hast the name of Christ called upon thee and art thou treacherous to the Covenant of Christ opposest the government and spirit of Christ and despisest the 〈◊〉 of the Lord Jesus Awake you 〈◊〉 masters and rebellious servants perverse wives treacherous and 〈◊〉 embers Know that your Religion is vain and your selves also while these distempers rest in your bosom cal upon your own hearts for 〈◊〉 and repentance and unto God for mercy that you perish not Thus when Peter was recovered out of his fal and had the blood of Christ running warm in his veynes and the power of the spirit of the Lord now setting on the right hand of the Father filling his heart with love to his Saviour and zeal for his glory see how sharply 〈◊〉 applies the keenest 〈◊〉 to cut the Consciences of al to whom he speaketh without fear or partiality Acts. 4. 10. 11. Be it known to you Oh ye rulers and all yee people of Israel that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom yee have crucified you have slayn the just and inocent one and desired a murderer to be given to you c. and see the success God added daily to the Church such as should be saved It 's Cartwrights expression when our saviour sent out the sons of thunder then Satan fel like lightening from Heaven the right levelling the ordinances of Christ wil 〈◊〉 make battery in the kingdom of Satan sharp reproofs make sound Christians It 's a course which God commends in scripture and hath not fayled to bless Judges 2. 4. When the Angel pleaded the inditement so punctually so plainly against the people their hearts brake al in pieces under such blowes they lift up their voyces and wept they left cavilling and replying and fell to weeping 〈◊〉 Here see the reason why the best preaching finds the least and worst acceptance at the hands of rebellious sinners that which works and troubles most that they most distast that which gives the least quiet to them to that they give the least respect and liking like children they love raw fruit which wil breed worms and sickness rather then worme-seed though that would prevent both So men love raw and windy discourses to please sinful humors and corrupt hearts rather than some bitter and particular reproofs which would make them sound in the Faith Ahab wil nourish four hundred false Prophets at his Table feed them with Dainties and make choyce provision for them that they may feed his humor and speak good things to him when he is not able to abide the sight scarce to hear the name of ' Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord who would speak the Counsel of the Lord without fear and partiality 1 Kings 22. So they in Isai. 30. 10. They say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets 〈◊〉 not unto us right things 〈◊〉 smooth things such as might suit their sensual Appetites and would down without chewing And it 's strange to see when such men have told a grave tale and vented a heartless toothless discourse neither pith 〈◊〉 power in it I say it 's strange to see what admiration and esteem such carnal hearts wil set upon such persons and expressions great their parts prudence and discretion Oh how sweet and seasonable their discourse how glad to hear and how unweariable to attend such And al the while they may sit and sleep in their sinful condition and neither have their Consciences awakened nor their corruption discovered Squeamish Stomachs had rather take 〈◊〉 a whol week together than a bitter Potion one day This is the Disease which Paul complains of as incident to the last Age of the World and therefore adviseth his Scholler Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. To be instant in season out of season convince rebuke exhort for the time will come that men will not endure sound Doctrine but according to their proper lusts having itching Ears will heap to themselves Teachers itching Ears must be scratched not boxed Information It 's not only in the Liberty but it 's the Duty of a Minister according as the Text suits and the condition of the Hearers answer to aim at the sins of the persons and people to whom he speaks Particular application implies a special intendment of the parties 1 Kings 21. 20. When Ahab met Elijah he salutes him on this manner Hast thou found me O mine Enemy He answers him I have found thee q. d. It was my duty to do so and therefore I have endeavored it and according to my desire and endeavor I have accomplished it I came on purpose Ezek. 33. 8. If the Watch-man do not 〈◊〉 the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at his hand The necessity of the people the nature of the work which he intends and the charge of his place which lies upon him cals for this at the hands of a Minister Will not common Sence conceive it reasonable that the Physitian discover the Nature of the Disease that troubles the Patient and put in such Ingredients as may purge the particular Humor it 's the choycest skil he can use and the chiefest good he can do and therefore he should intend it and endeavor it in a special manner Would you not have the Commander in the Field search the particular disorder in the Camp and pursue the reformation of it in each special passage thereof Herein the Faithful Execution of his place appears This I speak the rather to crush that vain Cavil of captious Spirits Why did not the Minister mean me intend me if the Word meet with their corruptions and begin to ransack and search the festered sores of their guilty Consciences I Answer four things If 〈◊〉 heart misgive thee that thou art 〈◊〉 he did mean thee he should mean thee If thy heart condemn thee know that God is greater than thy
it vexed al the veyns of their hearts that 's the way to weary them and there they solace themselves ah it's roast meat to them and thus it is a pastime to a fool to do wickedly but know thou art a hard-hearted fool a graceless wretch in the wise mans account do not our plantations groan under such sons of Belial such senceless 〈◊〉 do they not swarm in our streets are not our families pestered with such Esau-like when he sold his 〈◊〉 eat and drank and rose up and went his way not affected with what he had lost not ashamed of what he had done but 〈◊〉 of al or like the man in the Gospel possessed with the Devil sometime he cast him into the fire and sometime into the water so these rush headily into sin and impudently continue in such 〈◊〉 courses they commit sin and continue in sin hasten Gods wrath and their own ruin and go away senceless of al so that it 's now seasonable to take Jeremiahs complaint I 〈◊〉 and heard and no man sayd what have I done 〈◊〉 Jer. 8. 6. He might and did hear of hideous vile evils without any diligent hearkning see and meet loathsom distempers without any searching but when he followed men home wondring in what quiet do these men live what comfort do these men find how do they bear up their hearts under such hellish carriages I wil go see how they lye down in their beds and whether they dare sleep or no under such trangression and such guilt and when he came he hearkned surely I shal now hear them mourn bitterly afflict their hearts with unfained grief there is no such thing no man said what have I done not a word of that it was the least part of their care the furthest off their thoughts And this is the temper the condition and disposition of scores hundreds of you that hear this word at this instant Is not the day yet to dawn the hour yet to come that ever you shed a tear sent up a sigh to heaven in the sence of thy evils or set thy self in secret to bewail thy distempers before the Lord God knows and your hearts know the Chambers where you lodge the Beds where you lie can bring in witness against you you are strangers to this blessed brokenness of heart yea enemies to it you were pricked no not so much as in your eyes nor in your tongues God and his word and al means that have been tried could never wrest a tear from thine eye not a confession out of thy mouth thou wilt commit thy follies and die in the defence or excuse of them but to have thy heart affected in serious manner with the filth of thy sinful distempers it is to thee a riddle to this day Nay there be thousands in the bottomless pit of hell that never had the like means as thou never committed the like sins and yet never had such a senceless sottish heart under such rebellions as thy self Wo be to you that laugh now you shal mourn those flinty spirits of yours wil not break now they shal certainly burn you draw a light harrow now you find no burden of your pride and stubbornness rebellions idleness and noysom lusts they are no burdens ye can go boult upright with them and Sampson like carry the very gates of hell upon your backs and never buckle under them wel the time wil com you wil cal to the mountains to fal upon you and the hills to cover you from the infinite weight of Gods everlasting displeasure Tast a little the sting of this sin and see the compass of this accursed condition of thine and go no further than the point in hand Thou art far without the walk of the Almighty there is no dealing and entercourse between thee and the holy one of Israel the Almighty passeth by and wil not so much as change a word with thee or cast a look 〈◊〉 thee to leave any remembrance of himself upon thy soul thou livest as though thou hadst nothing to do with him nor he with thee nothing to do with grace or heaven the holy spirit a wes some humbles others some it quickens that were sluggish establisheth others who were weak onely thou art senceless of any operation of the Lord thou hast a heart that puts away the presence of the Lord out of thy mind if it were possible thy fleece is dry when there is dew upon al the earth this is that which the Apostle discovers to be the cause of that heavy curse of the heathen Eph. 4. 18. strangers from the life of God by reason of the hardness of their hearts Oh thou hast a 〈◊〉 heart and leadest a strang life even as opposite to God as darkness to light hell to heaven differs onely but in degree from that 〈◊〉 which appears most eminently amongst the Devills and damned even to be an adversary to God and his grace to stand it out in defiance with the divine goodness of God his power and faithfulness Pharaoh he 〈◊〉 it but thou dost it 〈◊〉 it out with the Almighty and impudently darest the great God who is Jehovah I know not Jehovah neither wil I let my heart go to yield subjection and service to him I know no authority of a command that shal rule me nor admonition that shal awe or reforme me Thus thou art a stranger to the wisdom of God the folly of thine own self-deceiveing mind and heart leads thee and deludes thee thou art a stranger to the grace and holiness of the Lord the perversness and rebellion of thine own wretched heart takes place onely with thee yea a stranger to mercy and to the compassions and consolations of the Lord Jesus and his blessed spirit who choosest thine own ruin lovest thine own death following lying vanities and forsakest the mercies purchased and tendred to thee Upon these tearms in which thou now standest God hath appoynted no good for thee while thou continuest in this temper as he said write this man childless so write upon it write thy soul graceless that shal never prosper Isa. 61. 1. 2. The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath annointed me to preach good 〈◊〉 to the meek to bind up the broken hearted liberty to the captives opening of the prison to those that are bound to appoint to them that mourn in Zion beauty for ashes the garment of gladness for the spirit of heaviness thou hearest the glad tidings of mercy pardon and peace grace of life that passeth understanding joy unspeakable rich and plentiful redemption from al sins and miseryes which God hath layd up in his everlasting decree and laid out in the great work of redemption by the Lord Jesus but thou mayest set thy heart at rest as long as thou seest that hard heart of thine thou shalt never see good day joy and comfort and liberty they are not thy allowance they are childrens bread it
the lusts of men and the will of the Gentiles yea fulfil the desires of the flesh and walk after the Prince of the Air. Eph. 2. 2. As a man cannot turn himself so this first Aversion from sin and the Creature is not wrought by any gracious habit that is put into the soul by the Lord i. e. That is not the way and means by which this first Aversion and turning from sin is wrought And the Reasons are First All gracious qualities and habits as all other accidents and attendants upon things never have any being but in a subject and therefore must first be there before they can put forth any operation Wisdom must first be in the mind before a man can act wisely Skil must be in the Head and Understanding of the Artificer before he can work build and plant skilfully Holiness Righteousness Patience in our Hearts before we can work holily patiently and that 's the Reason though we have the same faculties of mind and wil before our Conversion as we have after yet we neither do nor can put forth any gracious action before but after Grace Hence it follows That if the first Aversion from sin were wrought by a habit of Grace we should first have this i. e. The Habit of Grace should be in the soul before it should work this Aversion of the soul from sin but that implies a contradiction that a man should have Grace and yet be wholly averted from God for the least moment Secondly If the soul be uncapable in that condition and under that consideration to receive the Habit of Grace then there cannot be a gracious habit in the soul to work any thing but while the soul is wholly possessed and acted by sin it is not capable of a gracious habit no more than it 's possible to be in light and darkness together The wisdom of the Flesh is enmity against God it is not subject nay it cannot be subject to the Law if not subject then it cannot receive the gracious impressions of it Rom. 8. 7. and John 14. 17. it 's said of the Comforter that the world cannot receive him the issue is if a gracious Habit neither is nor can be there in the soul wholly possessed and averted from God by sin then this Aversion from sin cannot be wrought by it Though the Lord doth not put a gracious habit INTO the Soul by which this may be done yet the Spirit of Contrition puts forth an irresistible power by which it works UPON the Soul thus turned from God to sin to return it from sin to God For the Spirit in the Work of Application sustains a double Office and so a double Respect As a Spirit Assisting As a Spirit Inhabiting And yet the same Spirit of Regeneration in such as shall be saved taking Regeneration in the breadth thereof including the whol Work though the operation be double or divers according to the diversity of the subject as the soul of a sinner upon which the work of Application must be made according to the degrees thereof The Spirit works upon the Soul in Preparation to make way for gracious habits but never inhabits the heart makes the soul a Temple without some gracious qualisication 1 Cor. 6. 18 19. Ye are the Temples of the holy Ghost Christ dwels in our hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 17. there is the Spirit inhabiting yet it is said The world cannot receive the Spirit because they do not see him nor know him but you know him for he dwels in you and abides with you John 14. 17. yet those who are nothing for the while but the world the Spirit doth work upon such to cal them out of the world by turning of them from darkness to light The Lord Christ as the Second Adam and the Head of those whom he shal bring back and beget unto God the Father in the vertue of his death he brings a Release from under the hand of Divine Justice to reverse that Commission which sin and Satan had to fasten the soul to the Creature and so to sin and by sin and the Creature to rule in it For when Adam jarred and justled against the Law the Law was strong and hard i. e. just the Law and the Lord in Justice pushed Adam away from him sin takes occasion to fall in and by that advantage when Divine Justice by reason of his provocation pushed him away it carries him to the Creature and the Devil by sin and the Creature challengeth Soveraignty over him The Lord Jesus by and in the vertue of his death suffering and satisfying Divine Justice delivers both himself and his from the Authority of sin God raised him from the Grave because it was impossible be should be held by the sorrows and power of the grave and therefore not by the power of sin and darkness Acts 2. 24. for they had no power but by vertue of Divine Justice which being now appeased their Commission is reversed and repealed By Death Christ destroyed him that had the power of Death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. So our Savior gives the ground of comfort and release to his I was dead and 〈◊〉 alive and behold I have the keyes of Hell and Death Rev. 1. 18. The Lord saies to sin hands off that soul is mine and doth therefore by the power of his Spirit not only stop the work-of sin but over-bears and abolisheth and takes off the right of Rule which Satan by sin challenged he brings the soul off from the Soveraignty of sin into another Jurisdiction The Lord having forced the sinner whereof I formerly disputed to feel sin as it is sin to be cross to the end of his being though not to the corruption of the soul yet to the Nature of the soul and therefore as it 's possible that the soul may be forced to 〈◊〉 so now upon feeling the soul finds it to be a most bitter thing and that unto the being of the soul as an immortal Creature made next for God as its last end And therefore Observe though it want Spiritual and Supernatural ability to enter into combate or vanquish a corruption by any Grace received yet being sensible by the Spirit of Contrition of the evil of it and so loosened from it it becomes subject stands readily prepared to 〈◊〉 any impression of the power of the Spirit whereby the exercise and power of sin may be stopped the challenge of any right of Rule and Soveraignty may be shaken off and for ever destroyed and the soul be carried to God in Christ to be owned ruled and blessed for ever So that when Christ as the Second Adam and Head of the Covenant comes to take a soul and to 〈◊〉 him from sin to God the Father look by what irresistable power he acts in opposition and 〈◊〉 against it as cross to his Glory the soul wanting power of its own it takes advantage to fall in