that are meanest in their own apprehensions Such shall understand this secret and partake in it to sit on Thrones as crowned Kings and Queens for evermore Vse 3. Lastly What transcending Comfort doth this Truth and Text afford to all troubled Minds Such I mean as have been stayed by Divine Power when they were running towards Hell in all sorts of Vanity and Prodigality and had been there ere this had not God in Christ been more merciful to them than they were careful about their own safety If the King should vouchsafe to speak to a mean Person before many what an honour would it be what ravishing thoughts would arise and what applause would it procure How much more should it be so here when the King of Kings speaks and that unto the Heart of a forlorn Creature comfortably I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears behold I will heal thee c. so the Lord spake unto the Heart of Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.5 Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before God c. so the Lord spake unto the Heart of Cornelius Acts 10.4 And how often did our blessed Lord and compassionate Saviour Jesus Christ raise up disconsolate Souls with such words as these Son be of good chear thy Sins be forgiven thee Daughter great is thy Faith go in peace thy Faith hath made thee whole Yea all the precious Promises are such Cordials See Prov. 28.13 Who so confesseth and forsaketh his Sins shall find Mercy Job 33.27 28. He looketh upon Man and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profiteth me not he will deliver his Soul from going into the Pit c. Isa 1.18 Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow c. Chap. 55. ver 7. Let the Wicked forsake his way and the Righteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Mich. 7.19 He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our Iniquities and cast all their Sins into the bottom of the Sea Hos 14.4 5. I will heal their Back-slidings I will love them freely Mal. 4.2 To them that fear my Name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Rom. 8.1 Now therefore there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. 1 John 1.9 Rev. 21.6 So almost in every Book of that holy Volume may be found such Stars of Light such pieces of Treasure such Bezar-stones to keep sick Souls from fainting under their Sins and Sorrows Promises wherein the Lord speaks something to the Hearts of believing Penitents to this effect The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head Whatsoever Christ did or suffered was for you by his satisfaction God is reconciled to you all your Sins are pardoned and your Souls shall be saved This is to speak to the Heart of a poor Sinner Now as some Artificers after long poring upon a piece of Black Work and finding a dimness in their Eyes are wont to refresh themselves with the beholding the Verdure of Meadows or lustre of Emeralds so let poor Penitents wearied and heavy laden with the consideration of their Sins for their refreshment make use of those Gospel-Cordials the Promises they will be chearing to the Eye of Faith But 't is sufficiently known that those to whom this Comfort belongs are most ready to put it from them as none of their Portion The troubled Spirit makes Darts of every thing it can to fight against Reason and kill it self not suspecting its own Poyson The conclusion therefore of this subject shall endeavour to prevent that mischief by proposing and answering some Cases which may contain the complaints of such troubled Spirits Object 1. My Sins have been so many and great that I fear to apply any Promise Answ Nay therefore you should be the more ready and willing to apply this Lord come unto me for I am a sinful Man and have most need of help Save me Lord or I perish Greater Sins should hasten all to the Mercy Seat the greater Wounds to the Physician No Man flies his Counsel because his Cause is great and intricate but plies him the more Especially while you consider the extent of his Power and Love who speaketh His Power passeth the nature and number of your Sins whatever they be Christ is a great Saviour He is called a Mighty Saviour and the Salvation in him is called Great Salvation and the Redemption in him Great Redemption 1 John 2.1 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And for his Love that extends to all sorts of Penitents to Manasses Mary Magdalen to the Romans and Corinthians to foul Sinners griping Oppressors sharp Persecutors Sinners in the highest form 1 John 2.2 And he is the Propitiation for our Sins c. In the Levitical Law there were Sacrifices for all sorts of Sins and what did they prefigure but the ample efficacy in Christ's Death which was an Atonement for Sins of all kinds and was as the daily Sacrifice for the Expiation of the continued and augmented number of Transgressions Even where Sin hath abounded there Grace hath after much more abounded So if you consider the nature of those Promises made unto distressed Souls both for Constitution and Condition For Constitution they are absolutely free no Foreign Power to enforce them from him that made them nor any Natural Abilities in Man to reserve them And for Condition they are Evangelical bringing with them what they require of you Be of good comfort when he calleth you fear not refuse not to receive what he offereth Say rather Speak Lord and speak home for thy Servant desireth to hear Object 2. But alas it is pleaded my Corâ—â—ptions have been and are strong and abominaâ—â—â—â— that I know not what to do Answ The sense of Sin 's strength is no â— hopeful symptom nor prejudice to Faith â—f all tempers the hardned is most dangeâ—â—us and Sin hath the greatest strength â—here there is the least sense When a Patiâ—â—t is deadly sick he saith and thinks he is â—ell and feels no pain but when he is reâ—â—vering he is full of sense and complains â—s Head is weak his Stomach sick his Bones â—me all is amiss every thing is too hard â—â— him There is more hope of one sensible â—â—nner than of a thousand presumptuous â—â—rdned Wretches Sense of Sin doth ever â—â— before sense of Christ Besides the powâ—â— of God's Voice will weaken them and â—â—e Efficacy of his Spirit mortifie and subâ—â—e them Here it may be said as it was of â—â—thage a little before it was taken Moriâ—â—ium bestiarum violentiores esse morsus dying â—asts
thing to sin against the Lord. He fasteth and prayeth weepeth and sigheth saying often or to this effect O Lord rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy hot Displeasure have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed My Soul is sore troubled but thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my Soul O save me for thy Mercy-sake I am weary with groaning all the Night make I my Bed to swim I water my Couch with my Tears mine Eye is consumed because of grief How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy Face from me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my Roaring O my God I cry in the Day-time but thou hearest not and in the Night-season and am not silent I am poured out like Water and all my Bones are out of joynt my Heart is like Wax it is melted in the midst of my Bowels my strength is dried up like a Pot sheard my Tongue cleaves to the roof of my Jaws Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am in trouble my Eye is consumed with grief yea my Soul and my Belly My Life is spent with grief and my Years with sighing my strength faileth because of my Iniquities and my Bones are consumed Make thy Face to shine upon thy Servant save me for thy Mercy-sake Day and Night thy Hand is heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer Blessed is he whose Sin is covered and whose Transgression is forgiven O Lord rebuke me not in thy Wrath neither chasten me in thine hot Displeasure For thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy Hand presseth me sore There is no soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger neither is there any rest in my Bones because of my Sin for mine Iniquities are gone over my Head as a heavy Burden they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the Day long My Loins are filled with a loathsome Disease there is no soundness in my Flesh I am feeble and sore broken My Heart panteth my Strength faileth me my groaning is not hid from thee Yea Lord all my desire is before thee Have mercy upon me O my God according to thy loving Kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgression wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledg my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me Purge me with Hssyop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Make me to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy Face from my Sins and blot out all mine Iniquities create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy Presence take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy Ways and Sinners shall be converted unto thee I remembred God and was troubled I complain'd and my Spirit was overwhelmed Thou holdest mine Eyes waking I am sore troubled that I cannot speak Will the Lord cast me off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his Mercy clan gone for ever Doth his Promise fail for evermore And will he be favourable no more Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies c. Stay now and look back and say Is not this a great Mourning Was not David in deep distress How many ways doth he take What words doth he use Do not you see a Penitent exceedingly humbled a Heart bleeding a sad and disfigured Face a Body made thin Sighings redoubled one upon another Here are Joints pined away with sadness here is a fixed love of Tears the joyous Harp hangs up and knows no more what Songs of Triumph mean he is wholly employed in expressing Griefs He dies to all Mortal things of the Earth and being cast upon the Sea of Repentance he makes it to eccho with Groanings and continually swell with his Weepings And all to describe his condition by the presence of his Sins and excite the Divine Compassion towards him And if David penitent David was thus pursued with the thoughts and sight of Sin if he were sent and kept such a strong Beggar for Mercy all his days for the matter of Vriah Oh what will become of most of us who sin more and desire less who are more cunning to Transgress and more careless in Praying Where is our Rhetorick our Fervour our Sighs our Tears Oh how faint are our Desires How cold our Prayers As if our many Sins were never before us or not fearful to us as if Mercy and Grace were as easie to get as to lose or as if Heaven and God's Favour would fall upon us at last without any labour which cost David so much Fasting so many Prayers so many Tears in secret And yet his Fasting his Prayers and Tears could not do it without satisfying-Blood applied and pleaded If it be so as we have proved from the Text then do you your selves set Sin before you be desirous of it and patient while others do it Yea kiss that Hand and praise God for that Means whereby it is done Attend to your Pastours look your selves in the Glass of the Law and pray with David search and try me O Lord set my Sins in order before me now that I may be wail them and thou mayest forgive them Never leave this endeavour till you be enabled to see and say Wo and alas wretched Man that I am thus to dishonour God what shall I say or do Mine Iniquities have separated between me and my God My Sins have hid his Face from me so that I cannot see him The Glory is departed and thâ—t bright Sun fearfully eclipsed towards me Can I rejoyce with the joy of other People Can I laugh and be merry while my Sins are always before me Can I sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land Call me not Naomi but call me Marah the Lord deals bitterly with me yet deservedly Sin hath been my Delight now it is my Torment I have followed Sin and now Sin followeth me See do you not see my Drunkenness here my Whoredoms there my Pride my Hypocrisie my Covetousness and Vain-glory a bundle of blasphemous Thoughts in one place and a flying roll of Lyes and Oaths in another place save me from them sweet Jesus A wounded Israelite was healed by looking upon the Brasen Serpent Wounded I am the stings of Death all of my own making for other Death hath none do stick in me and compass me about to the Lord Jesus I look unto his Arms I flie and there resolve to rest Yet me thinks
Error though not so common and that is when upon these and the like Grounds Men and Women enough opprest with the thought and burden of their former Sins will â—et be alway poring upon them till at length â—hey are either intangled with delight in them â—r almost overwhelm'd with horror for them There is an excess in this Men may look â—pon their Sins too much as upon Christ too â—ittle See and consider the Consequence â—ereby it cometh to pass that Men's Hearts â—re straightned and bound up from the due praise of God that they walk heavily and bring an evil report upon the Truth as if 〈◊〉 were indeed as desolate and uncomfortable 〈◊〉 way as the Devil and his Servants commonly esteem and declare performing Chriâ—tian Duties constantly with great unchearfulness when as we know the Lord delights in a chearful Servant and threatneth the contrary Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies in Hunger Thirst and Nakedness and in want of all things Deut. 28.47 48. Let your Sins be set before you that they may humble and drive you not from God nor from the sight of God's Grace and free Mercy in Christ but more out of your selves toward Christ Endeavour to see your Sins that you may behold also at the same time your safety from them in Christ and let the frequent sight of your Sins be more and more often accompanied with Love than Fear Vse 2. The second Use may be to shew in what case they are whose Sins are never before them The Harp and the Viol the Tabret and Pipe and Wine are in their Feasts they lie upon the Beds of Ivory and stretch themselves on their Couches they eat the Lambs out of the Flock and Calves out of the Stall they chant to the sound of the Viol and drink their Wine in Bowls they anoint themselves with chief Oyntments and cast away Care Riches Pleasure and Honour with all the Gay-branches of Worldly-glory are the pleasing objects of their Eyes They eat drink and are merry driving all Objects from their Minds which may bring the least disgust and afford the Body all Pleasures which may preserve it in a flourishing Health accompanied with Grace vigour and vivacity of Senses but for their Sins they are ever behind them out of sight out of mind but what follows which one day they must hear Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be taken from thee and then whose shall all these things be Suddenly they are cut down as the Philistines and Belshazzar were and sink into the Infernal Pit in a moment Such I mean to reprove in this Use 1. As continue in any known Sin after discovery or that sufficient means for Detection and Conviction have been afforded 2. As are busied in setting other Men's Sins before them but not their own Only Swine delight to be muzling in Dung and Dogs we know are pleased in licking Sores Flies pass over the sound parts and if there be any raw they light on them Beetles fly over sweet Flowers but creep into Dung Such for condition are those People who are always rubbing on their Neighbour's Sores and searching the Wounds of others whilst their own do bleed to Death Were it not for other Men's sins Sin would seldom be seen or spoken of by such this setteth before him the Sins of that and that the Sins of this Man The Covetous Man setteth before him as odious the Sin of the Drunkard and the Drunkard the Sin of the Covetous Man and both the Sins of a third but neither sets before him his own Sins One thing more which is worse Too many as may be feared esteem a chief part of Religion to find faults abroad and reproving others especially Superiours who are further out of their power to redress than from their Sight and Hearing whereby it cometh to pass that much precious Time is lost and mispent good Conference hindred and Christian Meetings frustrated of their main end I speak not this to shield common Corruptions and National Abominations from just Censure nor to debar Men from manifesting their dislike of that whereby God is dishonoured and Religion hindred provided Men have a Calling thereunto and power with opportunity to do Good 3. Such as cannot endure a sound plain-searching Ministry no more than Ahab could endure Micah Herodias a John Baptist or Festus a Paul Like gaul'd Horses they cannot endure the rubbing of their Sores Such blunt Fellows say they preach all of Righteousness of Temperance and of Judgment to come we cannot have a Dalilah nor an Herodias for them they will set our Sins in order before us as plainly and boldly as ever Nathan did David's or Chrysostom Eudoxia's Luxury and wanton Dancing But this know that if these kind of Men Sound Sober Godly Divines I mean be an Eye-sore to you Sin was never before you as a Burden to you nay it was not so much as once in your sight except as an object obscured from the Sense either by disproportion of Distance or distemperature of the Medium and then upon such a confused glimmering your study and endeavour hath been and is either with Gehazi to deny it or with Achan to hide it from the sight of others or with Adam and Saul to extenuate it or else to be angry with if not to plot Revenge against such as did present it like the Serpent which they say the more he is stirr'd the more he gathers up his Poison to spit at those that move him and so by degrees you labour to forget it And how soon may a Man forget that which he hath neither will nor delight to remember But in the Name of Christ let me entreat all suâ—h to know and consider First How grosly the Devil deludes them whilst for a time he hideth the ugly face of Sin from them either with variety of Presidents or some probability of deluding Promises as of Pleasure Content and Secrecy when as indeed there ever followeth abundance of bitter Discontent and an impossibility of Concealment As he did of old so he doth still he shews the Honey but hides the Gall offers the Rose but covers the Pin in it The Devil deals with Sinners as deceitful Tradesmen who shew their Chapmen the better part of the Cloth and conceal the worst as the Panther deals with Beasts who hides his deformed Head till his sweet scent hath drawn them into his danger Till Men have sinned Satan is a Parasite when they have sinned he is found a Tyrant Like a treacherous Host though he welcome us into the Inn with a smiling Countenance yet he 'l cut our Throats in the Bed Secondly How far they are yet from the truth of Grace that were never troubled with any sight of Sin or sense of it Sorrow through fear is a preparative for Grace St. Austin compares it to the Needle that
the Great Rich Learned Stars of the first magnitude or the greatest Letters of the Alphabet and civil Formalists of the World to pitch on poor mean and ignorant Wretches Where Sin hath abounded Grace doth super-abound Surgunt indocti rapiunt Coelum c as Augustin speaks the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence from the poor lost Sheep while others puffed up with their conceited Riches of Knowledg and Holiness dreaming of Self-sufficiency are kept out and thrust down into Hell If he should do otherwise and call only those in whose Policy and Life could be seen some outward Goodness to shine forth Men would believe what some cannot forbear to say that it is the work of Men that obliges God to call them and if in rigour they be not worthy of this Favour they merit it at least in a seemliness of Equity and Congruity as they speak of it in the Schools of Rome And therefore further we may conceive it is to proclaim the Freeness of his Grace no natural Abilities can merit it nor any Sin hinder the bestowing of it The Wind bloweth where it listeth Nos solemus eligere digniores at Deus ut ostendat suam electionem non ex nostris meritis sed ex solâ sua gratiâ fieri solitus est indigniores eligere Zanch. i. e. Men chuse the most worthy but the Lord chuseth the most unworthy to shew that his Choice is not grounded on our Merits but on his own free Grace Secondly It is for the Instruction of the Church And so 1. That no Flesh should glory in his Presence but that the Glory might be wholly ascribed to the Lord whose only work it must needs be acknowledged in such Libertines There is nothing to merit nor any preventing Abilities stirring to share with the Lord in this Work And indeed the Lord's power is most manifest in reclaiming such wild Prodigals in washing such Blackmoors changing such Leopards Digitus Dei All that see and hear may wonder and say It is the Finger of God or as Protogenes said of a curious Line which he saw drawn in a Painter's Shop None but Apelles could draw this none but God could do this It is a Work worthy of none but of him who can do what he will and will do what he hath purposed This is indeed the great Miracle of the World to change Lions into Lambs Sinks into Fountains Thorns into Roses Mercy is never so resplendent as over Misery The Ice of Winter makes the Beauty of the Spring Darkness contributes to the Lustre of Light nor is the Sun more bright than after an Eclipse Thus Grace which is the Splendor of Eternal Light makes it self to be seen in more triumph where it hath subdued most Iniquity And Praise will be more fully ascribed to him by such as could deserve no favour both occasionally and practically Occasionally in regard of others who are stirred up thereby to admire his Power to magnify his Love and to hope for acceptance upon their unfeigned submission And practically in respect of themselves who are commonly more humble and thankful zealous and watchful ever after Observe such as have drank deep of the deceitful Cup of Rebellion and Prodigality and after come to taste of the bitter Potion of sound Humiliation and say whether you do not find them of an excellent temper Paul being made sensible of himself as the greatest of Sinners how passionatly doth he break forth to admire the Love and Mercy of God! I was a Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious but by the Grace of God I am what I am And this Grace bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly c. Where you see his diligence in redeeming the Time and ascribing his Change wholly to the Grace of God 2. That none in the Church should despair especially among those in whom the Offer of Mercy hath stirred up any desire after Grace This Reason is rendred by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained Mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all Long-suffering for a Pattern to them which should after believe on him to Life everlasting He that seemed to be an Epitome an Abridgment of all Wickedness obtained Mercy for this cause that Jesus Christ might shew forth all Long-suffering i. e. evidence by full demonstration so that all might see and say There is Mercy with Christ that he may be feared yea Mercy rejoycing over Judgment Though your Sins be in number like a Cloud and for quality like Crimson or Scarlet Yet come let us reason together saith the Lord and I will make them white as Snow or Wooll Yea they shall be as tho they had never been Sin is finite in respect of matter but Divine Mercy is infinite The Consideration of this Disproportion should be a powerful Loadstone to draw Sinners to Repentance it should be as a Cork to the Net to keep the Heart from sinking into despair it should be an Antidote to keep that Poison from entring or at least from lodging in the Heart If Manasses Saul Mary Magdalen and some of the adulterous drunken Corinthians were remembred in Mercy converted sanctified and saved why should any despair When Man hath withstood his Good and the Gates of Hell have prevailed a long time even then the Lord's hand hath done it for many blessed be his Name We had never heard of these Examples had it not been for our encouragement With this let the penitent Heart be encouraged God can turn noisom Dunghil into a Mine of Gold Brands of Hell into lightsom Stars in hi◠Firmament Slaves of Doemons into Angels But without presumption lest abused Mercy give place to rejecting Fury and the Lord say Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no Man regarded Therefore now tho you call upon me I will not answer and tho you seek me early you shall not find me 3. That the Hearts of all reasonable Creatures capable of such a Mystery might be enlarged to rejoyce in God for his Goodness and to praise him who by plucking such Brands out of the Fire doth manifest such Love and Power to free and defend his chosen Ones from the devouring Mouth of the roaring Lion The lost Sheep being found the wild Prodigal returned first home to himself and after to his Father occasion Joy in the Families to teach us what we should do upon the Conversion of any prophane Person Son Daughter Servant or Neighbour Was he once proud and is he now humble Was he once intemperate and is he now sober was he dead in Sin and is he now alive through Grace It is most singular Mercy rich Love it is meet we should be merry The Lord hath doth and will deliver that the Church may be encouraged Satan enraged by the loss of his Prey and the Name of Christ glorified and magnified so much the more A second Doctrine to be
judgment While Men are Drunk with Pleasures and besotted with delightful Objects commonly they are not sensible of any danger but being once brought into the Wilderness of fear and solitary Silence they have leasure to consider and ability to discern that Sin is treacherous as a Jesuit bitter as Gall Ugly more ugly than the Devil And then they loath and fly it then they cry out Lord what wouldst thou have us to do When before they would not be ruled nor persuaded by any reason The Jews will not part with their Idols till they bring them into Captivity nor Sampson with Dalilah till she betray him into the hands of the Philistines then away Idols and let Dalilah be burned alone Sampson repenteth The Viper beaten casteth up her Poyson The Traytor on the Rack will confess and forsake all The burnt Child dreads the fire and the Wormwood upon the Brest weans the Child from it Secondly It is to humble the Soul and cause her to set a right Estimate upon Christ hitherto undervalued Christ would not be so sweet if Sin were not so bitter The Man upon whom the Law hath not passed Sentence will not say Gramercy for a Pardon Besides it is necessity that endears any thing to us Extremity of pain makes us to prize a little ease and extremity of want to admire a little plenty Darius being vanquished by Alexander and in flight being in extremity of Thirst drank Water out of a Puddle mingled with much Blood of slain Souldiers and said It was the sweetest Drink that ever he tasted in his Life The Prodigal that disregarded all the Dainties of his Father's House did highly value the Servants Bread there when he was reduced to feed upon Husks in the Wilderness As it is with a weary Swimmer floating in the restless Sea ready to sink every moment how welcome is a bough to him when as if he had been upon the shoar he would not have regarded it So it is with such a wearied Man brought into the Wilderness of great distress and danger he is so humble and gentle that a Child may lead him He cried out and looked about him but few hear none can help him O how welcome then is the Thought the Sight the Presence of Christ that Tree of Life He will part with all Sins Goods Liberty Life or any thing if he may but touch the hem of his Garment Only then and to all such he is a Jesus indeed Thirdly It is that they may be the better ever after More zealous and serviceable to God who hath some great Work commonly for such to do and therefore their preparation is answerable A high Building must have a low Foundation Luther observed of himself that when God was about to set him upon any special Service he either laid some fit of Sickness upon him before-hand or turned Satan loose upon him For he was much exercised and beaten from his tender years with Spiritual Conflicts as Melancthon testifieth in his Life And this was in all likelihood to fit him for the great Work the Lord had cut out unto him There is no whole Heart to the broken None so sound to hold Grace as that and the more it is broken the more it contains A Paradox in Nature but not in Grace Besides they are hereby made more compassionate and helpful unto others Hence it was that God gave Luther such a Grace that in his Sermons all that heard him thought every one his own Temptations had been toucht and noted by him and when signification thereof was made to him by his Friends and being demanded how it could be answered Mine own Temptation and Experience are the cause thereof As a Physician that trieth the virtue of some sovereign composition upon his own Body he is the better able to Cure another with that Receipt It is a great invitation to Mercy to see one in the same condition that we our selves have been in As he said Haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco As a Woman that hath had a Child can more pity such as are in Travel because she hath suffered the like pain When Christians by their own experience know the Way like old Travellers they can lead others and bring them into and guide them through this Spiritual Trouble saying Thus and thus were I brought in and so came I off this course I took and this success I found c. Experienced Learners are the best Teachers These are some of many Reasons which might be given of the Lord 's proceeding in this manner towards his People The Sum of all is for their good He casteth them down very low that he might lift them up the higher he leads them through a Wilderness to convey them into Canaan As hereafter will appear So much by way of Doctrine The Application follows which is a principal part of this Discourse And Vse 1. It condemneth such first as are frequently in the Wilderness of Sin and wanton Prodigality but never in the Wilderness of sorrow and saving Fear much under Worldly but never under Spiritual Trouble How far are such from Grace who have not past this Preparation How far from Christ from Comfort from true Happiness As far as the East is from the West Darkness from Light Belial from Christ in point of Communion Such have cause to fear that Sin sits like a Queen in her Regency that the strong Man keeps Possession and that they are slaves to Satan subjects of the Kingdom of Darkness A Man may have some Trouble and yet not be Converted but he cannot be Converted without some Trouble The Heart cannot be broken for Sin without the sight of Sin The Sun looketh upon the Earth thence draweth up Vapours and distilleth them down again so doth the Sun of the Understanding which till it be Convicted the Heart cannot be Compuncted Sight of Sin must necessarily precede sorrow for Sin An Infant in the Womb cries not because it seeth not but as soon as it comes into the Light sets up its note The blind Eye and the hard Heart go together as unseparable Companions Men will never loath themselves till there be a remembring of their ways and doings that have not been good Ezek. 36.31 Quest It may be demanded who are they and how they are kept out Answ Who they are that were never yet in this Wilderness may easily be known by what hath been spoken already in the description of this preparative Work let any one bring himself and compare his present estate with it and the truth will readily be discovered especially if he consider and impartially answer to such like demands 1. Whether he doth not retain in his Heart the love of some Sin which either he knoweth or might know to be a Sin Though he do many things yet hath he not an Herodias that he will not part with Though with the Vintner he pull down the Bush yet hath he not as much Heart to his Sin
Gentle Expostulations frequently and movingly here and there as unto Adam and Gehazi Gen. 3.9 2 Kin. 5.26 Tell me poor Soul was it not â—ven so hast not thou done thus and thus went not my Spirit with thee and was not mine Eye over thee Confess thy Sin ease thy self and give glory to God O how loving is the Lord even in his Terrors and Enditements In the midst of Judgment he remembreth Mercy Tho his Robes be red they are not without some streamings of white and if he be compelled to pronounce Judgment as it was said of Augustus he doth it even with Tears in his Eyes 2. Instances very pertinent and those either direct as Psal 50.18 c. or Parabolical As Nathan dealt with David so the Lord deals with those whom he intends to restrain and renew You are the Men saith he that have been so much addicted to and delighted with Idleness Wantonness Luxury Pride Covetousness Slandring Drunkenness Swearing Lying and the like 3. Threatnings are added where the former avail not Cursed is every one that doth not all which is written in the Law He shall be pursued with Judgments of divers Natures to one end sometimes with prosperity on the right and anon with adversity on the left hand and last of all which is the worst of all dying impenitently he must needs be damned Thus the Lord thundereth in his Law against some whom nevertheless he intends to sanctify and save as a Father may threaten and terrify that Child whom he intends to make his Heir But withal you must know that he doth inwardly and secretly support them that they dash not upon Presumption nor sink under final Despair So that at length being driven from all their hiding Places they are brought into this Wilderness and forced freely to take upon themselves all those Sins discovered by the Law to fall down before God and to acknowledg their Guilt and Desert before the Throne of his Majesty resolving there to lie prostrate till he raise them in Mercy Now say they we see we feel we know how true the Word of God is how faithfully such Ministers dealt with us while we slighted and laughed them to scorn and how deceitful Sin is that appears at first small sweet and clean when as it is weighty bitter and filthy They cry who will take this Dagger out of my Heart this Mill-stone off my Back this Fire out of my Loins this Sting out of my Conscience Now the seeming sweetnesâ— of Sin is turned to Gall. O Sin how grievous is thy remembrance Away ye wicked we will henceforth endeavour to keep thâ— Commandments of our God No morâ— Swearing much less Perjury no Drunkenness no more Uncleanness When thesâ— knock at the door the answer is O thesâ— are they that cost us dear at such a time wâ— yet feel the sad Impressions of our former Afflictions for them we find a Pardon no easy Enterprize nor Repentance so pleasing a Potion we would not for all the World bâ— under that Anger of God nor feel one drop of his scalding Indignation which we have perceived for those Offences Thus the biâ—â—â—â— Child dreads the Fire And this with submission is the Course that Ministers musâ— take in opening and pressing the Law firsâ— which is God's Instrument effectually to charge the Conscience with Sin and to bring a Person into this Wilderness 2dly The People may learn to join with the Lord in his Ambassadors so to furtheâ— this Work of the Law when and where iâ— is once begun and to follow the Lord undeâ— his Cloud and after this Fire into this Wiâ—derness And that 1. By a serious Meditation of these many Impediments which keep Men out of it oâ— hinder them much in the way towards it when the Lord is about to bring them into it Eye them that you may avoid them For instance to esteem of the Law as a strange thing as not appertaining to them or wherein they are little or nothing concerned to interpose some beloved Sin between these two Lights of the Law and Conscience that they cannot join This alone hindered Herod's Conversion under John's piercing Ministry the interposition of his Herodias caused a fearful and final Eclipse So likewise to go away unthankfully and carelesly from a good Discourse doth hinder the Work and quench the Sparks which might have bred a Flame 2. By frequent Meditation on divers good Subjects moving this way as 1. Upon the Mercies of God bestowed upon you in particular from time to time This Course the Lord took to humble David 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. And whosoever hath tried will say It is a very piercing way to bring the Heart into a through and kindly grief I have read of one who reading a Pardon sent him from the King fell a weeping and burst out into these Words A Pardon hath done that which Death could not do it hath made my Heart to relent As the Sugar-Loaf is dissolved and weeps it self away when it is dipp'd in Wine so will Penitents dissolve and melt themselves away in the sweet sence of Divine Love and their neglect or abuse of it Without doubt the very Behaviour of the Prodigal's Father brake his Heart with more thawings and kindly mourning than ever his former Hardship and Misery did O this that ever he should run to meet him that he should fall upon his Neck and kiss him This kindness of his Lips wounded his Heart with the deeper sence and judging of his own unkindness When the Surface of the Water is glazed with Ice the Sun-beams dissolve it such operation hath the Grace of Christ upon frozen Hearts which are never truly melted into Contrition but by Evangelical Beams Surely when a Sinner shall consider the great Love the sweetest Kindness the freest Pardons offered the choicest Mercies bestowed his Heart cannot but melt into a River What all these to and for me Lord yea for thee What after such deep Rebellions and Refusals yea after all and that most freely and willingly Good Lord how can the Soul but weep and mourn now 2. Meditate for that purpose upon the Justice and Power of God able to revenge the Quarrel of his Covenant and to bruise all his proud and stout Enemies with a Rod of Iron He is not only a Rock of Refuge to the Godly but also a Rock of Destruction to dash the Impenitent in pieces The strength of the Rock is seen as in upholding the House that is built upon it so in breaking the Ships that dash against it The force of Fire is manifested as in refining the Gold so in consuming the Dross There is none like unto thee O Lord thou art great and thy Name is great who would not fear thee thou King of Nations Jer. 10.6 And It is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 As a Lion he tears in pieces the Adversaries Psal 50.22 There is no standing before him if his Wrath
earnest longing after them as the only good to be desired with which they may be happy and without them they must be everlastingly miserable The wise Spiritual Merchant having once found this Treasure hideth it and makes haste for joy that there is some possibility of enjoying it he selleth all that he hath and resolveth to purchase it whatever he pay whatever the conditions be As the hunted Hart longs after the running Stream so these Men do now cry out Give us Christ or else we die They Hear Reade Fast and Confer O they will part with all they will do any thing for Christ A Sight a Touch a Taste of him is more worth than the World 3. After many Conflicts Doubts and Fears the Heart is wrought upon not only willing to receive Christ for so it was before but actually to cast it self upon Christ to rest on him and to resign it self wholly to his dispose O the sweet Repose which a fainting Soul finds in a Promise rightly applied after a storm of Spiritual Trouble The Heart is ever with him the Eye is alway upon him and the Tongue is delighted often to mention him Sweet Jesus hast thou done and suffered so much for me Was thy Heart pierced was thy Head bowed was thy Body nailed to the Cross for my Redemption How unworthy am I such a wretched Creature such a rebellious Prodigal such an impure lump of Sin to hear of such Mercy much more to taste thereof But seeing it was thy great Love to do it and thy Bounty to prevent me by offering it 't is my duty to receive it with all readiness of Mind and thankfulness of Heart Tho thou should'st kill me yet will I trust in thee tho thou should'st after cast me into Hell by me merited yet would I come unto thee Lo Lord Jesus lo a dumb deaf and lame Leper before thee if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and whole and if thou wilt not none else can do it I resolve to sink at thy Feet and if it were possible to perish in thine Arms. Thirdly The Lord speaks again to this same Heart thus far wrought upon three times he spake unto Samuel before he knew what and to whom to answer and the end and effect of it is three-fold 1. By the power of his Word he turneth out the old Inhabitant for intus existens probibet alienum Satan who did reign there by Sin and brings another into possession even Christ by his Spirit and Graces 2. He changeth the natural Disposition of the Heart truly for Parts though not perfectly for Degrees There is no part but is bespangled with Grace As Air in respect of Light so is the Heart in respect of Grace of a double he makes one single a hard and stony Heart he softeneth Understand not this of any Natural Moral or Legal yielding all which are presupposed but of an Evangelical softness a tenderness following upon serious deliberation and consideration of God's infinite Love Christ's bitter Sufferings and the odious nature of Sin And lastly Of an impure deceitful hypocritical Heart he makes an honest clean sincere Heart Ego non sum ego It is not what it was Such power and healing Vertue there is in the Word of God 3. By his Divine Breath and Power this Marriage between Christ and the Soul is consummate the Spiritual Bond apprehended and the Mystical Union manifested as it followeth in this very Chapter I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness Judgment Loving-kindness and in Mercies i. e. In him in whom Mercy and Justice meet and are reconciled I will do it truly and firmly so that all his Benefits shall be made over by way of Joynture or Dower thy Poverty and Deformity shall be accounted his his Riches and Beauty thine This is that the Lord speaks to the Heart finally for this he allured her into the Wilderness that he might win her to himself and thus is this Work finished The manner of Conversion as for the present we apprehend it to be ordinary thus far concluded and briefly in the Heads only unfolded we may for further satisfaction light and benefit require Quest First When is the Lord said to speak unto the Heart Answ I answer 1. When he overcomes the natural hardness of the Heart and begins to let out that Spiritual Impostume or mass of Impurity which lieth hid in every one by Nature This is a Work to which neither Men or Angels are able to set their Hands The Heart-maker is the only Heart-breaker and he alone that knows the Heart can purifie or purge it When Rocks are turn'd into streams of Water and the Mountains melt like Wax and clods of Earth are made like Stars of Heaven surely then God putteth forth his Power then he speaketh to the Heart 2. When he raiseth any comfort in distressed Minds by closing with them in some promises of Pardon or power over Sin This is the Voice of God for he only can prepare a Door of Hope in every Valley of Trouble provide Manna in the Wilderness Water in every dry Rock and Light in every Dungeon There is no precious Electuary for sick Souls but by his Prescription and Administration 3. When he answereth the desire of the Heart against such and such a Sin or in a timely supply of such a Grace either in truth where it is not or for degrees where it was in a little measure before All Grace is originally from Heaven it comes from above James 3.17 i. e. from God the first and second preventing and assisting God bids the Soul to mortifie such a Lust and the Soul complains as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 I have no might against this great Army then the Lord comes in with Auxiliary Forces and his Grace hath been sufficient God bids him to pray for such a Mercy and he finds himself very unfit his Heart at first was dead and flat but on a sudden he is carried above his own strength his Tears drop his Love flames God hath then spoken then he came in with assisting Grace If the Heart burn in Prayer God hath struck the Fire the Spirit hath been tuning the Heart therefore it maketh sweet melody 4. When there is a close concurrence and an orderly subordination between God's Word and the Heart When the Word is not only delivered to the Heart but the Heart also is deliver'd up unto the Word By the closing of these two our Wills are wholly taken up in God's Will So that the Heart ever saith after as Christ did not my Will in any thing but thy Will be done in all O Lord This is one reason alledged by St. Augustin why he would have all sorts to reade the Scriptures and frequently to hear them Quia in illis loquitur Deus ad Cor indoctorum atque doctorum Because therein God speaks unto the Heart of the Learned and Unlearned Aug. Epist 3.
aforehand or would be warned by my Example thus tormented with the sight and thought of former Sins to consider what Sin will do either sooner or laer when it is once committed as it is implied in this short Sentence a part of David's Confession viz. My Sin is ever before me The sum whereof may be comprised and presented in these two Positions viz. First That Sin once committed will be often presented Secondly That whosoever is thus mindful of Sin and troubled about it to him it is a good sign of the Pardon of it First That Sin once committed will be often presented The Act is soon past but the Guilt remains more firm Before Repentance Forgetfulness may cover it but after nothing can hide it Although a Person should be willing yet Conscience will not suffer it to be out of sight It is so bitter to the taste so ugly to the sight and so heavy a burden to a tender awakened Conscience that it will not easily out of Memory again and for any thing is known to the contrary this was true of David to his dying Day though not always alike for Degrees If you do not well Sin lieth at the Door Gen. 4.7 The presence and conscience of Sin like a bawling Ban-Dog will be ever Barking at you when you go out and when you go in it is ready to fill your Ears with terrifying Clamours If you sin against the Lord be sure your Sin will find you out Numb 32.23 both by way of Manifestation and Vindication as it did our first Parents Righteous Job Zealous Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a Persecutor a Blasphemer Injurious these were always before him after his Eyes were once opened and Religous Austin as his Confessions do abundantly testifie All these cried out as David did My Sins are ever before me This Man complains of one Sin and that of another according to the nature of the Sin and measure of delight taken in Commission Much delight argueth much consent of the Will and great Sins do trouble greatly they appear as it were in Battel Array and compass a Man about till they make him cry out Wretched Man that I am I was conceived in Sin enough to have sunk me to the lowest Hell and yet I have not ceased daily to add unto it by a wilful omission of Duties and a greedie commission of foul Enormities I have been Ignorant and Idle I have been addicted to Drunkenness Uncleanness Murther and Lying to Pride Covetousness and Swearing to Sacrilege Bribery with an infinite more besides those inward Sins of a more Spiritual Nature as Infidelity Idolatry Impenitency Hypocrifie Vain-Glory Covetousness c. Once they appeared but Toys and tricks of Youth but now the least of them seems heavier than Weight it self Thus Conscience awakened and set on work by Justice brings in many Bills of Account some of long standing others lately entred happy is he that can over-look them without Horror and Delight It is a great work of the Spirit and doth argue a mighty work of Grace to stand before the sight of Sin without horror for â—t or delight in it as it was with David here otherwise it will fall out that upon every presentation of Sin we should either turn again to act it a-new at least in Speculation or sink under it For commonly if it appear not delightful it appeareth very fearful For the further opening and illustrating of this Point it may not be unprofitable to enquire after the Time when the Grounds whereupon and the Ends why Sin once committed should be so often presented to the â—rue Penitent First The Time when is either in our Life and Health or at the hour of Death â—ometimes and to some Persons it is preâ—ented in both To all those living under â—he Means and Covenant of Grace commonly the Lord causeth it to be presented in their Life and Health at one time or other by one means or other either by the Ministry of the Word so the Law presents it and makes Men mourn out of fear the Gospel presents it and causeth more kindly Grief out of Love or else by the Tongues of Men our Neighbours and they our Christian Friends who do it privately in Love not carrying their Teeth in their Tongues nor bite whilst they speak not leaving a Scaâ— upon their Persons when they are endeavouring to heal a Wound in their Brethrens Actions And such reprehension should be ever well taken yea the Gracious will say Let the Righteous smite me Or by our Enemies in anger As Augustin reports of his Mother Monica that her Sin was set before her * A young Maid formerly her Partner in Potting fell at Variance with her and as Malice when she shoots draws her Arrows to the head called her Tosspot and Drunkard whereupon Monica reformed her Life and became Temperate Thus bitter Taunts sometimes make wholesom Physick when God sanctifies unto us the malice of our Enemies to perform the office of good Will So Fuller in his Holy State in the Life of Monica by a Servant Maid and as Shimei dealt with David Thus a Man may gain by an Enemy as Poison unto some Creatures affords Nourishment As Telephus his Imposthume was open'd by the Dart of an Enemy which was intended for his hurt And as they say those Roses are sweetest which grow near unto Garlick so the nearness of an Enemy makes a good Man better For both Friends and Enemies the Lord makes use of to set our Sins in order before us According to the saying of an Heathen though no Heathenish saying That he who would be good must either have a faithful Friend to instruct him or a watchful Enemy to correct him Exclude not the good use of many excellent Discourses sent abroad for this end By reading what another speaks a Man may by reflexion observe and learn what himself hath been and what he is for the present So for the time of Life And then for the hour of Death â—ain and fear do stir up Conscience to call back and present Sin to the Sinner's Eye God withdraws the Vail and gives the Sinner penitent once more a full view of his own Fruits that they may be as much loathed as ever they were loved nay he perâ—itteth Satan sometimes to come after and â—hew his black Claws to joyn with Sin and â—o second these accusing Cries whereby the â—anguishing Spirits of a poor Penitent who may not live and yet dares not die â—re much moved and affrighted to the astonishment of unexperienced beholders This â—s a heavy Conflict for such as have endured â—he heat of the Day in the close when they â—hought all Enemies had been overcome and subdued to meet with such an Assault and yet it may be so order'd in great Love and Mercy Either because they had not seen it â—right before or that now they might take their farewel of it never to see it more And so truly gracious Souls have