Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	let_v	lord_n	magnify_v	2,538	5	10.8447	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44342	The application of redemption by the effectual work of the word, and spirit of Christ, for the bringing home of lost sinners to God ... by that faithful and known servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Hooker ...	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1656 (1656)	Wing H2639; ESTC R18255	773,515	1,170

Work of the 〈◊〉 it brings in the light of the truth as a mighty 〈◊〉 with more strength and plainness to the heart 〈◊〉 draws out this act of divine Faith whereby it 〈◊〉 this as a truth of God For look what the 〈◊〉 of another man may do in the use of the Word 〈◊〉 Ordinance that my Reason used in such a manner 〈◊〉 to God may do But another man by the 〈◊〉 of Reason or strength of Argument out of the 〈◊〉 may convince my Conscience nay settle and 〈◊〉 my heart in assurance of a truth which formerly I saw not and therefore it is said Acts 14. 22. they confirmed the souls of the Disciples exhorting them c. True it is the Grace and Habit of Faith is presumed and was wrought before by the 〈◊〉 power of the Spirit which raised Christ from the dead 〈◊〉 being wrought the truths of God under the exercise of 〈◊〉 Reason will not only settle our judgement in knowing but our assurance of Faith in 〈◊〉 firmly beleeving and embracing for first truths 〈◊〉 to the understanding to be judged before they be 〈◊〉 up and presented to the heart to be beleeved Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will trust in 〈◊〉 This is eternal life to know thee Joh. 17. 3. 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 3. Through the knowledge of our Lord 〈◊〉 Savior For a blind hood-winkt Faith is the 〈◊〉 of Apostates and Papists of Deceivers and 〈◊〉 but not the Faith of Gods Elect. Secondly This Evidence is laid out according 〈◊〉 its proper object according to which it looks in 〈◊〉 place and in this Dispute Namely 1 Its 〈◊〉 aright to what spiritual benefit we shall have Or 〈◊〉 the possession or partaking of what we do enjoy 〈◊〉 Christ and these are rather some spiritual priviledge or blessings received and manifested by our 〈◊〉 tions than the Qualifications themselves as the 〈◊〉 terms of the Question do undeniably determine Hence its plain according to the Opinion of 〈◊〉 that hold the 〈◊〉 of the Question 〈◊〉 ed It is not touching the 〈◊〉 of Faith in 〈◊〉 Soul because this Evidence in the Question 〈◊〉 Faith wrought Again it s not touching any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on or Qualification of Grace to be wrought in 〈◊〉 Soul For I take 〈◊〉 to be an everlasting truth The 〈◊〉 never doth give nor can there be any vidence that God will work the first Condition Grace or the first Grace in the Soul before it be 〈◊〉 for as we heard Evidence carries Two things 〈◊〉 it 1 God reveals his Will to or work upon the 〈◊〉 2 There is both Science issuing from that 〈◊〉 wisdom that hath been set up in the mind and 〈◊〉 of Faith which embraceth that truth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmly being so cleerly and firmly assented 〈◊〉 Hence it follows necessarily and 〈◊〉 That which presupposeth the first Grace wrought 〈◊〉 the Soul and is an effect of that that cannot be 〈◊〉 before the first Grace be wrought but Evidence 〈◊〉 presupposeth spiritual science and assurance 〈◊〉 Faith therefore it cannot be before the first Grace 〈◊〉 before Faith be wrought 〈◊〉 the Soul Hence that 〈◊〉 the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. last Who knows the mind 〈◊〉 the Lord but we have the mind of Christ because 〈◊〉 have the Spirit of Christ and that cannot be had without Faith Gal. 3. 14. That we may receive the Promise of the spirit through Faith Those Promises then which imply the working of 〈◊〉 Condition of the Covenant or the first Grace do 〈◊〉 Three things 1 What God alone can do as 〈◊〉 to his peculiar Prerogative 2 What 〈◊〉 will do for his that is Such as shall come of his Son Christ the second Adam 3 What the means 〈◊〉 manner is by which he will do it As The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents 〈◊〉 I will take away the heart of stone and give 〈◊〉 an heart of flesh c. That is I alone can do 〈◊〉 and I will do it for those that are the Seed of the Covenant for still such Promises have an eye to the Covenant of the Church and the Faithful 〈◊〉 it as 〈◊〉 will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed c. And by the manifestation of the Fulness and Freeness of this Mercy of mine I will work it There is an irresistable light which the Lord lets into 〈◊〉 mind at the first call which makes way for Faith and is a direct act of Knowledge which turns the 〈◊〉 of the Soul to look to that fulness of power and 〈◊〉 of mercy by which the heart is drawn to 〈◊〉 but the reflect act of evidence by which we are assured of what God hath done to us and for us 〈◊〉 whereby we see that we do see is after this and implyes the thing done before we see it The issue is The object of this Evidence we now speak of is not gracious Qualifications wrought 〈◊〉 to be wrought but our right to or possession of 〈◊〉 Priviledges as thou art my Son thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepted thy sins are pardoned But how 〈◊〉 shouldest be brought to these or have thy heart framed to receive these that is not attended at all the spiritual Priviledges which we have or hope 〈◊〉 mainly attended in this work of Evidence are Pardon and Forgiveness in our Justification our Adoption and Acceptation to be Sons and the Reconciliation of our Persons to the Lord and our happiness 〈◊〉 These are the spiritual Benefits which are here considered and about which the 〈◊〉 is meant The Third term to be opeend in the Question is Immediate Evidence without respect to Faith or any saving Qualification Its called Immediate in this Dispute not because it is without the word or not by means of the Word for to deny that would be too loathsom 〈◊〉 but immediat in respect of 〈◊〉 condition going before out of which it might 〈◊〉 For however the Question propounded grants 〈◊〉 Faith and Grace is there yet the Evidence must be had without eying or attending any thing of a Qualification I 〈◊〉 a double Pretence which 〈◊〉 this kind of Curiosity First a fear least they should prejudice the freeness Grace if any Condition or Qualification in any 〈◊〉 should be attended 1 A Conceit directly and expresly contrary to 〈◊〉 very letter of the Text and intendment of the 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith that it might by Grace and if the being of Faith in the relying 〈◊〉 Christ in the act of it do not hinder free Grace 〈◊〉 less will the seeing of it 2 Besides if a 〈◊〉 attended would 〈◊〉 free Grace then the Covenant of the Gospel 〈◊〉 not attend and by name expresly require 〈◊〉 or else it should not be a Covenant of 〈◊〉 3 It s Free Grace that makes and works the 〈◊〉 and when it s wrought there is nothing given 〈◊〉 it or the Party who beleeves for his Faith but 〈◊〉 its an Empty hand to take

Covenant of the Gospel All 〈◊〉 meerly and only out 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Gods free favor when we lost and forfeited all we had and 〈◊〉 ourselves for what we needed and were unwilling out of the wretched and hellish distemp̄ers of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either to have any thing or to be made capabl of 〈◊〉 thing that grace might appear to be grace indeed 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 for our good not only beyond our desert 〈◊〉 what we have besides Hell is mercy but beyond 〈◊〉 desire That thou mayest forever each day that passeth 〈◊〉 thy head remember it to the Lord and leave 〈◊〉 upon record in thy own Conscience say Hadst 〈◊〉 blessed Lord given me the desire of my 〈◊〉 and left me to my own will its certain I had 〈◊〉 in Hell long before this day when in the days 〈◊〉 my folly and times of my ignorance when out 〈◊〉 the desperat wretchedness of my rebellious 〈◊〉 I was running riot in the wayes of 〈◊〉 When I said to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not to Christians to 〈◊〉 to Governors Admonish not Counsel not 〈◊〉 not Stop me not in the pursuit of sin The 〈◊〉 was I took hold of deceit and refused to return 〈◊〉 resolved in the secret purpose of my own soul would none of thee I would not have that Word 〈◊〉 thine reveal or remove my corruptions I would 〈◊〉 of thy Grace that might humble me and purge 〈◊〉 none of that Mercy of thine that might pardon 〈◊〉 none of that Redemption of thine that might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou then 〈◊〉 me at my word and 〈◊〉 me what I wished and sealed up my 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 thou for ever filthy forever 〈◊〉 and for ever miserable thou wouldest neither 〈◊〉 holy nor happy thou shalt have thy will sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take thy Portion with Devils 〈◊〉 it had been just with thee and I justly 〈◊〉 But to bear with all my baseness to put up all 〈◊〉 wrongs and provocations to strive with me 〈◊〉 good when I took up Arms against thee 〈◊〉 strove against my own good nay when I 〈◊〉 Mercy and then to take away that resistance and to cause me to take Mercy and make it mine when 〈◊〉 us dall the skil I could to hinder my own salvation Oh! the height the depth the length the 〈◊〉 of this Mercy It was Gods expression of his own kindness towards the 〈◊〉 Ezek. 16. 4. 6. In the day of 〈◊〉 Nativity I saw thee in thy blood and then I said 〈◊〉 Consider but thy self and thine own ways and thou wilt sind it thy Condition and therefore take up thy stand again here in admiration when there was no means to help me no man to pitty me and I had not a heart to pity my self when I lay w. ltring in my blood wallowing in my sin when I said 〈◊〉 would die then thou beheldest me and said Live 〈◊〉 poor Creature Live Oh that Mercy for ever to be adored Come down yee 〈◊〉 Angels from Heaven and magnifie that Mercy through eternity 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 perished in despight of Mercy and the Lord made me take Mercy in despight of my heart Train up thy self thus and dyet thy soul with 〈◊〉 daily admiration of this rich Mercy of the Lord 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 daily bread its Mercy that gives Mercy that conti ues Mercy that perfects al spiritual good for thee 〈◊〉 in thee and will do so to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they in the rearing of the frame of the 〈◊〉 Temple All the people cryed Grace grace grace Zach. 4. 7. when it was not power nor policy for the whole Nation was poor and despicable wholly 〈◊〉 and unable to begin or to carry on such a 〈◊〉 Grace then laid the foundation and Grace never left until it added the topstone so here It was meer Grace that provided salvation that 〈◊〉 it offered it made thee able to receive it therefore thou shouldest walk in the wonderment of this Grace and Mercy all thy life long Hence also is matter of Humiliation and daily Self-denyal while we live in this World which may help to pull down our proud hearts and Peacock-feathers and lay us low in our thoughts in the apprehension of our own vileness and baseness 〈◊〉 own weakness and unworthiness When we feel our hearts to be puffed up with the vain apprehension of our own worth parts or performances what we are and what we do look we back to our first beginnings 〈◊〉 aright of our own wretchedness and nothingness yea worse than nothing in that we not only wanted all good but we had it within us to oppose all good and that will cause us to sit down in silence abased for ever when empty Bladders are grown unto too great bulk and bigness to prick them is the readiest way to lessen them when our empty and vain minds swel with big thoughts and high overweening conceit of our own worth learn we to stab and pierce our hearts with the righteous judgment of our own natural vileness which will or at least may let out that frothy haughtiness that lifts us up beyond our measure tell thy heart and commune with thy conscience and say It is not my good Nature that I am not roaring amongst the wretches of the world in the road and broad way of ruine and destruction that I am not wallowing n all manner of sin with the worst of men it 's not my good nature no thank to any thing that I have that I am not upon the chain with Malefactors or in the dungeon with Witches for what ever Hell hath it is in this heart of mine naturally a Cain here a Judas here nay a Devil here The time was O that with an abased heart I may ever think of that time I never looked after the spiritual good of my soul whether I had a soul or no what would become of me and it was the least of my care the farthest end of my thoughts nay loth I was to hear of or know these things when they were 〈◊〉 unwilling to receive them or give way to them when they were offered how did I stop mine Ears shut mine Eyes harden my heart what waies means and devices did I use and invent to shut 〈◊〉 the light of the truth and to stop the passage and power of the Word that it might not convince me that it might not reform me might not recal me 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 how often have I secretly wished that either the Word were taken out of the place or 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 that it might not trouble me in my sinful distempers and when 〈◊〉 had least good I had most ease and took greatest content Oh that such a vile wretch should thus live and yet live to be thus sinful Oh that I might for ever be abased for it As in sores when the proud 〈◊〉 encreaseth there is no way but a Corrosive to eat 〈◊〉 down This consideration of our own 〈◊〉 may

intends to such undeserving ones as we be His own good will being the only 〈◊〉 of any saving work he is pleased to put forth upon the hearts of those who appertain to the Election of Grace This was that which the Lord proclaims and which he urges upon all drooping and discouraged Spirits to make them put on more cheerfully in the pursuit of life and happiness 〈◊〉 55. 1. Oh every one that thirsteth come to the waters and he 〈◊〉 hath no money come buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price It s very remarkable how the Spirit of God labors to remove that which will and most usually doth hinder the fainting hearts of dismaied sinners in their endeavor after Mercy They fondly conceit they must come with their cost they must bring some Spiritual abilities and 〈◊〉 with them unless they have that money they are like to miss of their market they shall not be able to purchase Gods acceptance the Graces and Comforts of his Spirit signified by Wine and Milk The Lord therefore that he might wholly dath these dreams and take off these 〈◊〉 thoughts he puts it beyond all Question and Doubt by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the contrary He that hath no money that is No Spiritual 〈◊〉 or worth let him buy question it not yea I speak it seriously and mind what I say therefore I say again without money doubt it not yea I 〈◊〉 as I say openly and plainly without money or money worth no in 〈◊〉 no weakness no unworthiness shall hinder be not needlesly suspicious I intend not to sell my Graces and Comforts but to bestow them freely upon such who have an open hand to take them and an empty heart to carry them away This was the ground of Encouragement whereby the Prophet emboldned those rebellious Jews to take words and resolution also to themselves to press in with some hope to speed with the Lord Hos. 14. 2 3. Take unto 〈◊〉 words and say Receive us graciously But the Lord might have replyed You have no worth in your selves you deserve no favor therefore it s added with thee the Fatherless find mercy As if 〈◊〉 should have said Thou doest not vouchsafe mercy to sinners because of any excellency they have any friends they can make any abilities they can bring but the helpless friendless fatherless orphane souls such as be destitute of all succour no eye to pitty no friend to provide no strength to support themselves such find mercy with thee such we are therefore Lord shew us mercy If the Dole or Alms was to be bought and purchased then the 〈◊〉 who had most and needed least would 〈◊〉 be possessors of it but because its only out of the 〈◊〉 to bestow it freely he that 's poor hath never a whit the less but the more hope to receive it so it is here in the Dole of Grace when 〈◊〉 thou considerest the infinite baseness of thy heart on the one side the incomprehensible worth of mercy on the other and withal conceivest an utter impossibility ever to attain it ever to expect it settle this Conclusion in thy heart as matter of marvelous Encouragement yet mercy is free others have received it and why not I Lord If the multitude of thine 〈◊〉 plead against thee if Satan be busie to discourage thine heart and drive thee to despair Why dost thou Canst thou Expect any kindness from the Lord since thy frailties so many thy rebellions so great against the offer of his mercy and the work of his Grace How utterly unable 〈◊〉 thou to do any thing to procure any Spiritual good How unfit to receive it And is it not a folly than to hope for it Thou hast hence to Reply Be it I am as base as can be imagined yet my 〈◊〉 cannot hinder the work of Gods Love for it s altogether Free True I have nothing to purchase it Abraham had not I can do nothing to deserve it David could not I have no right to challenge it at the hands of the Lord nor yet had Paul any thing to plead for him in the like case and yet all these were made partakers of mercy and why not I Lord Put in for thy particular and plead for thy self and say Blessed Lord thy mercy is not lessened thy wisdom decayed thy arm shortned what thou didst freely for Abraham an Idolater 〈◊〉 a Rebel for Paul a Persecutor do for my poor 〈◊〉 also my vileness cannot hinder the freeness of thy Compassions If it be here Replyed That this affords small ground of Comfort for if the Dispensation of Grace depend upon Gods Free Will he may fail us as well as help us he may deny it as well as give it The Answer is He may give it as well as deny it and that 's Argument enough to sustain our hopes and to quicken our endeavors put it then to the adventure Thus the Prophet Joel pressed the Israelites to 〈◊〉 to God for the removal of a Judgement and the Pardon of their Sins upon this very possibility Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord who knows if he will return and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2. 13 14. Thus the 〈◊〉 Ninivites provoke themselves to importune the God of heaven for the with-holding of the destruction threatned Let us cry mightily unto God who can tell if he will turn and repent Jonah 3. 8 9. When then thy Spirit sinks under the unsupportable pressure of thy sins and the expectation of the righteous Judgements deserved thereby here is that which will ad Comfort and Encouragement to look upward to the Lord for refreshing Who knows but God may who can tell but God will yet shew mercy therefore I will yet hope because no man can tell but I may at last be made partaker thereof Lastly Those who want and seek for mercy from the Lord in the use of the means which he hath appointed they are to be exhorted from the former truth to arm themselves with patience to stay Gods time and to 〈◊〉 his pleasure if it seem good to his Majesty to with-hold this Favour or delay the work of his Grace Beggars must not be chusers we must not be Carvers of Gods kindness it s a Free Gift and therefore as he may give what he will so he may give it when it seems most fit to himself Just cause we have to wait no reason at all to murmure against him Hast thou then endeavored after this work of Grace and canst not attain it Endeavor still Hast thou begged it and yet findest not thy desires answered Crave still with perseverance It s good to hope and to wait also for the Salvation of the Lord Lam. 3. 26. both must go together to wait without hope is uncomfortable and to hope without patience is unprofitable We know 〈◊〉 what time God will take it is our duty and will be our wisdom and comfort to

his fury was at the height when breathing out threatnings against the Church he came armed with authority and hellish resolution to carry all to Prison Acts 9. In a word while Paul proceeds furiously with a 〈◊〉 intention to oppose Christ to persecute his Members and in the issue to procure and hasten his own everlasting ruine then our Savior prevents him and pitties him and doth him most good while he strives to do most harm and to make havock of the Church the truth and his soul also yea then works his conversion when he most seriously endeavors to work his own Confusion of himself and such as professed the Faith in sincerity the aim of God in all the Apostle directed by the Spirit expresseth to be this 1 Tim. 1. 16. I was a Persecutor but I obtained Mercy to the end that the Lord in me might shew all long-suffering to the example of those that should beleeve on his Name Such a forlorn Sinner at that time was the fittest subject to receive the full print of Gods love and compassion in great Letters as it were that he might be a pattern to all 〈◊〉 of the boundless compassions of the Lord. That as Seamen after a dangerous wrack and miraculous deliverance set up a Monument of their Preservation to all that pass that way to work fear in them to prevent shipwrack and yet hope of Recovery if they do To the like purpose is the Conversion of the Apostle in this heat of his Rebellion set upon Record in publick view As though the Lord should say Look here you forlorn sinners see a desparate Rebel running post-haste to his everlasting ruine and behold withal the hand of Mercy then stopping of him in his way Paul persecuting Christ in his Members Christ then pittying and preserving Paul the one most kind when the other is most vile and 〈◊〉 Oh the madness of a deluded Soul 〈◊〉 reason But Oh the Compassions of a Savior beyond all compare Be afraid you never proceed to such hellish folly and yet bless God That there is such a Savior if you do These be the Seasons of Gods acceptation the first here principally intended the rest not excluded and in these opportunities thus appointed by God in his Wisdom according to his good will he doth put forth the work of his Grace to bring home the Souls of his unto himself Hence we learn That a long life is a great blessing in it self a great temporal blessing as it comes from the Lord. Why Because all that while a man is in the way Mercy may meet with him and he may meet with it While there is life there is hope unless a man have sinned against the holy Ghost Physitians observe all the while there is strength in Nature there is hope the Physick may prove profitable It is much more for the comfort of the Soul while there is life there is yet a possibility Thy heart is stubborn and rebellious and proud but thou yet livest and the Lord lives and his Mercy lives therefore it may be he may shew mercy to thee But when a man is dropped down into the grave and the pit hath shut its mouth upon him then all his thoughts perish then with a sad heart he may remember all the helps he had the opportunities he had but never had a heart to get any good by them Then he reads over all the Sermons he heard by the flames of Hell and remembers all the kindnesses of the Lord and then there is no hope You therefore that know your bosom abominations you have your back doors and your base haunts you know your sins are not pardoned you have not repented of them when you are gone home go your waies and bless God that you live For let me tell you This is all the hope in the world that yet you are alive and therefore the Lord may shew Mercy to you if your dayes were ended and you gone down to Hell then not all the world nay not Christ nor the Mercy of God it self could not save you then therefore look as it was with a Child which was followed by a Bear into a pond the Child cryed out to the people that were running and came to the ponds sides Oh help help and still as the Bear 〈◊〉 him first his Arms than his Legs and still he cryed out Oh help help yet I am alive yet I am alive this is your condition beleeve it Not Bears but Sins and Devils are upon you they have you in their clutches tearing and devouring your Souls Oh look to Heaven and cry out unto the Lord and say Lord a proud stubborn Creature but yet I am alive the Devil is Devouring my soul but Lord help me and deliver me yet I am alive bless God you are so and know its all you have to shew for your everlasting welfare For while there is Life there is Hope Matter of Caution and Advice to fence our souls and fortifie our selves against that hellish distemper of self-Murther that our hearts may be carried with hatred of it and our souls preserved from the commission of it when partly from discontentments and partly from terrors of Conscience men are not able to bear with themselves but they will run to a Halter or a Knife they will put an end to their lives that they may put an end to their sorrows they wil not live that they may not live thus and thus Why Consider Art thou sure of a better life They will Answer No that 's my misery I see all my sins before me and Hell gaping for me and the Devils attending to seize upon my Soul and it makes me weary of my life Weary of your life Take heed of that bless God for your life and pray for life and seek to preserve your life what you may for while your life lasts you are in the way to Mercy Dives had so much experience of the torments of Hell that he sends to those that were alive Oh take heed of coming hither you are in a better condition than I what ever your case be Learn therefore for ever to fear and flie from temptations to self Murther as that which would put an end to your life and to put an end to all hopes and possibilities of Mercy from the Lord. But the main Fruit of the Point which properly belongs to this Place is a Use of Instruction which ought to be observed and settled upon the Consciences of us all Doth the Lord then usually accept of the Soul and do good to it while he provides and continues the means of Grace What then remains but we should give all dilligence to attend upon his times take his means and improve all to the 〈◊〉 for our Spiritual good Suffer me here to stay a while and urge the Collection with an Argument or Two and yet go no further than the Words nor take other Reasons than the Text will

soul as somtimes to his Disciples Be not afraid it is I I come not as a Judg to condemn thee but as a Savior to save thee I desire thy Conversion not thy Confusion So our Savior expressed himself to 〈◊〉 Acts 9. Who art thou Lord saies he I am Jesus i. e. I am a Savior to save my People from their sins and so of thee to save thee from thy sins Why wilt thou oppose thine own mercy and so thine own safety Why wilt thou persecute him that comes to preserve thee This Cable of Mercy is made up of four Cords which cannot easily be broken The infinite sufficiency of that saving health that is in the Lord Jesus the boundless and bottomless depths of Mercy and that plentiful redemption that is provided and laid up in Christ. That Sea of Mercy and Grace that is able to drown al our sins and guilts and remove al our 〈◊〉 a treasure that cannot be spent a fountain that cannot be drawn dry Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy and to our God and he will abundantly pardon He hath pardons in store such as lie by him they are not to seek he hath bowels of mercy yet opened arms of pitty and compassion yet stretched out to 〈◊〉 thee Nay though thou coldest not imagine it or conceive it yet he can do it Psal. 103. 10 11. He deals not with us after our iniquities but as the heavens is high above the earth so great is his mercie to them that fear him Psal. 1 30. 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with him there is multiplyed 〈◊〉 and he shall deliver him from all his iniquities Thou hast multiplyed thy sins and provocations he hath multiplied Compassions Lo there thou shalt see a Manasseh pardoned a Paul 〈◊〉 and yet there is room for thee also He never casts off any that come unto him therefore it s thy fault only which casts off Mercy If yet the sinner stand murmering behold yet further He hath not only sufficiency and enough to do thee good but freely and frankly offers 〈◊〉 to al that wil have it He is not only content and ready that thou shouldst come but invites and perswades thee for to come that thou mayst be partakers of it Jer. 3. 22. Come unto me ye rebellious Children and I will heal your back-slidings With that the sinner is at a wonderment with himself did he not say Rebellious sinners did he not invite such Why may not I therefore be entertained Yes The words are express Come ye back-sliding Children If then there be any Doubt arising God Cleers it any Question the Lord Answers it any Hinderance he Removes it Jer. 3. 1. 2. 7. They say if a man put away his wife shall she return again Amongst men its usual and ordinary if an Adultress Wife depart away her Husband receives her not again Yet return unto me saith the Lord though thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers And vers 7. After thou hast done all these things yet return unto me Then the Soul bethinks it self shal al these abominations be clensed al these rebellions remitted What after al this pride and uncleanness and Covetousness nay after al the abuse of Gods Grace and Mercy yet accepted yet received yet 〈◊〉 Either then now or never He that 〈◊〉 so gracious a command so kind an offer it s a wonder if the Lord do not cast him off and accurse him for ever nay is he not worthy he should be so The Lord not only offers it freely that we might be encouraged but heartily intends it yea entreats it earnestly that indeed we might be perswaded without gain-saying to yeild He not only commands the sinner to come but if he go away Mercy pursues him if yet he seems to withdraw himself Mercy laies hold on him wil not leave him but weeps over him kneels down before him and begs importunately at his hands his own reconciliation with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 17. The Lord by us doth beseech you to be reconciled the Ministers proclaim it but God professeth it they desire men and God in them 〈◊〉 and entreateth to be reconciled This makes the bowels of a sinner to rowl within him and drives him to a stand and almost overcomes our unkind natures What! A King to entreat a Traytor to be pardoned the Judge a Theif to be acquitted a Conqueror fal at the foot of a Captive and his Prisoner and desire him to be reconciled I hat God the great God of heaven and earth who was offended by us who hath no need of us who was infinitely happy in himself without us who might with the breath of his nostrils for ever confound us and that justly why it had been enough and enough a Conscience but to admit such accursed dust and ashes into his presence 〈◊〉 to hear him speak and give him but leave to bewayl his sins before he should have perished for them It had been a high favor and mercy to have given him leave to have begged mercy though he had never granted it But to hear me when I cal and cry to receive me to favor when I come that is as much as could be desired But that God should stoop to man heaven to earth 〈◊〉 to meanness he that was offended by me had no need of me was happy without me and might have honored the name of his Justice in my everlasting confusion not only to hear me and receive me when I come but to send after me but to beseech a damned forlorn Creature to be pardoned This is the wonder of Mercy more than I could have conceived durst have begged yea I should have conceived it unreasonable to have desired it nor could I have thought it but that the Lord hath said it and done it His wil be done and blessed be his holy name for ever Oh that I should live to hear of this Mercy but wretch that I am if I should out-live the offer of it or not entertain it I need not question that the Lord is serious and heartily willing to have the tender of his Grace entertained and my self for ever comforted therein and thereby Why he takes his Oath not that he can change but that he would have me be settledly assured thereof As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live Ezek. 33. 11. If God do not desire my death but my repentance Why should I desire my own death so that the heart of a sinner could almost be content to give way but yet his loose domineering lusts wil not give leave If yet the sinner wil not come away but staies stil and clings to his darling lusts the Lord leaves the Record of these his kindnesses upon his heart and stil out of his long sufferance waits

for his amendment and repentance puts him in mind and lies pulling at him with these cords of his Compassions Isa. 30. 18. He waits to be gracious He takes fresh and renewed throws of Patience and travels as it were in expectation of the return of a sinner Jer. 13. last Oh Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when will it once be As a Woman in travel Oh when wil the good hour come Oh! consider this Is it not a shame for you to suffer the Lord Christ to meet with you at every turn to follow you from place to place to attend upon you in the Seas where you have 〈◊〉 upon the shoars where you have landed in the houses where you dwel to pursue you in the fields to hang his pardons at your doors and to kneel to you at your bed-sides when you lie down and when you awake Oh! when wil it once be Let this day be the last day of sinning of lazying in a Christian course of carnal formality let this time this night be the last night of provocation unprofitableness under al the priviledges means of Grace you enjoy Once at last let that proud heart be humbled that peevish Spirit meekned those covetous desires unclean affections be changed when wil it once be See how the Lord sends by the Prophet and pleads with them and puts them beyond al appearance of any pretence Turn ye turn ye why will ye die Oh ye house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. Have ye any reason to desire or endeavor your own destruction against your own reason your own good my will why wil you die Plead thus with your own hearts for your own comfort I have reason to return but no reason to die what is most for my good and the Lord so much desires Let me endeavor it See then how these cords of 〈◊〉 compass about the sinner and lie hard at him to draw him from his sin The Lord proclaims his Mercy openly freely offers it heartily intends it waits to communicate it layes siege to the Soul by his long sufferance There is enough to procure al good distrust it not He freely invites fear it not thou mayest be bold to go he intends it heartily question it not yet he is 〈◊〉 and wooing delay it not 〈◊〉 but hearken to his voyce But if these limetwigs of Love cannot catch you these Cords of Mercy cannot hold you he hath iron Chains which wil either pluck you from your evil wayes or they wil pul you al in pieces The Third Means therefore by which the Lord Draws is the Cord of Conscience If the Bonds of a man and of kindness wil not prevail with us the iron Hook of Conscience wil drag us with a witness to forsake our beloved lusts to come to the Lord to be ruled and to be saved Now the Hooks whereby Conscience holds us are Three principally whereby it tears the heart away from those wretched distempers and holds the sou from under the power of such base Corruptions which have taken greater place and exercised greater power over it God stirs up Conscience and arms it with Authority for the stilling and settling of such unruly distempers which heretofore have refused his power and neglected his law and so took much place in the Soul and carried lt to the Commission of much evil against the mind of Conscience So that whereas Conscience was kept under before by reason of the Mutinies and Conspiricies of many Corruptions in the heart and was blinded 〈◊〉 and benummed with the violence and unruly rage of many wretched lusts so that either it did not see what was to be done or could not be heard in what it would speak at least was utterly unable to prevail The Lord now hath awakened Conscience and put that Life Vertue and Authority into it That now Conscience begins a fresh to take upon him and to shew his Soveraignty and Rule he wil not take it as he hath done but publickly proclaims his 〈◊〉 Charge and Edicts not to be contradicted or controuled upon the pain of the severest punishments This is the first work of Conscience to be a forewarner and to admonish the soul of evil to exercise a severe Charge and give uncontroulable Commands against sin So that Corruption comes to be snubbed and checked and the soul kept in aw under him which it scorned before It fares in this case with Conscience as with an High Sheriff or some special Officer of note in the Country in the absence of the King while he is gone aside there ariseth a Mutiny and Tumult of unruly persons which tear his Commission withstand his proceedings and offer in an outragious manner to lay violent hands upon his Person so that as he can do nothing so he dares shew little distaste but express no strong opposition against them as not having power enough to surprise and crush them in their 〈◊〉 but is compelled to sit still and say nothing knowing as David said You are too strong for me you sons of Zerviah He finds his party too weak to deal with them thefrore puts up al contempts and indignities for the while Nay as it is with many 〈◊〉 their numbers being many their carriage furious and unreasonable somtimes they strike the Constable instead of being ruled by him but when the King returns renews his Commission and gives him more power than ever and sends supply to aid and 〈◊〉 him then the Sheriff lifts up his head having got a larger 〈◊〉 comes with more undaunted courage and resolution having got assistance 〈◊〉 to support himself and he makes open Proclamation That whereas there hath been such and such 〈◊〉 be it known that they are al to be 〈◊〉 and commanded in the Kings Name upon 〈◊〉 notice hereof to lay down all weapons to stil al 〈◊〉 disorders upon pain of death to any that shall 〈◊〉 the Law in that case So it is with Conscience when by the crowd and 〈◊〉 of many accursed lusts and corruptions 〈◊〉 eye is blinded the edg dulled the commands of 〈◊〉 corned so that men make a mock of conscience 〈◊〉 your Conscience wil not serve you your 〈◊〉 wil not suffer you to lye to laze to 〈◊〉 to deceive your Conscience wil not allow it 〈◊〉 you make a fool of your 〈◊〉 what care 〈◊〉 for Conscience or you either I wil do what I like what I list for al Conscience Thus a company of 〈◊〉 imprison the High Sheriff or beset his house 〈◊〉 when God shal awaken Conscience and quicken 〈◊〉 and renew the Commission in the hand of 〈◊〉 so that it comes enlightened and armed with 〈◊〉 from Heaven he then makes open 〈◊〉 to the sinner forewarns and threatens the 〈◊〉 thou that hast had no care of the 〈◊〉 of God but slighted al Directions and 〈◊〉 of his Word be it known unto thee by 〈◊〉 received from Heaven I charge thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus as thou wilt answer it

detestation and sequestration appears in the last words Men and Brethren what shall we do we will do any thing suffer any thing command what you wil enjoyn what you please be it never so hard we will endeavor it never so cross to our hearts or comforts we will bear it better be any thing than be thus 〈◊〉 let 's be in any condition that once we might be freed from this sinful and accursed condition in which we be We have taken liberty to lay out our Work with as much plainness and openness of order as we may because we shall have occasion to mind you of the particulars in our future proceeding and how the several 〈◊〉 serve each others turn in their place and order Before we come to the Particulars one Point 〈◊〉 in the very entrance which will be very serviceable to make way for all the Truths following and therefore we shall take in that at this time that it may be as an Harbenger to make room for all the rest And it ariseth from a right consideration of the parties to whom 〈◊〉 here speaks and with whom his word so prevailed and took place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 36. verse he tels them that same 〈◊〉 whom ye have crucisied They were therefore such as had rejected blasphemed 〈◊〉 the Lord of Glory those who in a bloody manner 〈◊〉 away the life of 〈◊〉 who came to take away their sins Is it possible is it credible that ever mercy should be extended unto such that ever good should be wrought in such Yes Lo here When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts They whose hands were imbrewed in the blood of Jesus their hearts are now 〈◊〉 with Godly sorrow and so made fit to receive Grace and Mercy Hence the Doctrine is Stubborn and bloody sinners may be made broken-hearted sinners Bloody hellish abominable 〈◊〉 may yet obtain broken hearts worse than these could hardly be conceived or imagined and yet God makes work of these knotty way ward Spirits It was said of him that betrayed Christ it had been good for him that be had never been born What shall we say of them that murdered our Savior they are in the highest rank of the most wicked men that ever were born yet even such as 〈◊〉 who also opposed the Word and Gospel of Grace the Disciples and Apostles the Preachers and Publishers of Grace the Author and God of Grace yet such as these have now their hearts broken and in some measure prepared to be partakers thereof The Apostle speaks of the Gentiles Rom. 1. 29. That they were full of all unrighteousness there can hardly be added any thing to the largeness of the expression No sin worse for the kind more for the number greater for the measure for they had all unrighteousness all the kinds of evil and all degrees in the largest extent they were full and yet of such the Apostle professeth 1 Cor. 6. 9. when he had mentioned a heap of most loathsom and hideous abominations Know ye not that no unrighteous person shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate self-Polluters Extortioners Covetous persons shall ever enter into the Kingdom of God then verse 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Some such as these were savingly brought home to God Yea when corruption becomes like an old cankered sore of long continuance and the sinner incorrigible under all the choycest means that have been used yet then the Lord works the Cure Isay 57. 18. I was angry with him for his evil lustings and he went on in the frowardness of his own heart ther is no help if the Disease grow worse for the dressing the Prophet adds I have seen his waies I will heal him and lead him and restore comforts to him and to those that mourn with him as if he should say Ah poor Creature he cannot see himself nor me yet I see him and his way he wounds himself but I will heal him he deludes himself but I wil heal him sink he must in his own sorrow but I will succor him and supply to him Isay 48. 4. I know thou art obstinate and thy neck is an Iron sinew and thy brow is Brass and yet Verse 17. I am the Lord thy Redeemer that teach thee to profit and leadest thee by the way thou shouldest go The Lord bows an Iron sinew and makes it bendable unto his will The Lord makes snowy Saints of scarlet sinners scarlet we know is twice dyed in the Wool and in the Web and Cloth and therefore it is beyond all the skil and art of man to alter it Yet though our Sins be such bred in our Natures committed in our Lives and therefore beyond our reach 〈◊〉 and the power of all means and performances we can take up to remove them yet the Lord hath undertaken it and he will do it Isa. 1. 18. There is a Threefold Argument to settle this Truth Taken from the largeness of his Mercy which is as himself Infinite and therefore infinitely exceeds all our wants and can supply them all our weaknesses and infirmities and therefore can forgive them and remove them as he will as though they had never been Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and return unto the Lord for he will abundantly pardon and to our God for he will have mercy But the discouraged sinner might happily reply It is Mercy that I have abused and his pardons he hath tendered yet I in the time of my folly have trampled under my feet and therefore with what face could I beg mercy or upon what ground could I think ever to receive it He answers For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor your waies my waies for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my thoughts than your thoughts there is no proportion no comparison the Earth is not of a valuable consideration to the Heavens but like a Centre in the Circumference it is as though it was not So here the thoughts of Gods Mercy to pardon thee is so far beyond the evil of thy waies and thoughts to condemn that they are as though they were not nay though thou couldest not beleeve it or think it yet the Lord could and would do it This is one of his names He keeps mercy for thousands Exod. 34. 7. he hath it in store for thousands and FORGIVES Iniquity Transgression and Sin that is all kinds and degrees of sin and he must be thus or else he were not God For did our sins exceed his mercies our weakness his strength were Satan more malicious to tempt 〈◊〉 and powerful to overcome 〈◊〉 than he was gracious to defend and Almighty to deliver then were he not God if any thing were

to the obedience of his wil 2 Cron. 33. Chap. The Reasons of the point are four The greatness of his power is hereby discovered and that he hath laid salvation upon one that is mighty that when al the power of darkness hath proceeded to his highest pitch when the subtilties of Hel and al the venome of the corrupt heart of man furthered by al advantages that the world and counsel and company of ungodly have brought in al forces to mannage and maintain a wicked and ungodly course herein appears that power of the Almighty whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself in that he batters down al the strong holds of the hearts of the sons of men and every high thought that lifts up it self against the obedience of his truth dasheth all those temptations and delusions whereby the Enemy hath advanced his Kingdom in the hearts of his captives and vassalls so that Satan and al his fortifications shal down like lightning before the dispensation of the truth this is indeed the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. this is the out-stretched arme of the Almighty revealed in this so wonderful a work Isa. 53. 1. thus the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. 4. the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to cast down strong holds It was that which 〈◊〉 observed wisely and as truly concluded Exod. 18. 11. Now I know that the Lord is greater than al Gods for in the thing wherein he dealt proudly he was above them It is most true in this case herein it appears that the Lord is greater than al gods the god Pride and Stubbornness the god Self-love and Self-confidence the god Covetousness and Uncleanness greater than all the Devils in Hel than al the Temptations in the World and al the distempers in the hearts of sinners because in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them As he sayed I know not the Lord I will not let Israel go So when they deal proudly I know not the command of a Christ to obey it I know not the reproof of a Christ to reforme by it I know not acknowledg not the threatnings and terrors of the truth which are denounced know that God can if he wil and its certain he wil if he ever take pleasure in thee to bring thee out of bondage he wil be above thee in al these when you shal see the sturdy stoop the stubborn yield and he that was firce and proud as Belzebub himself to fal at the foot of Christ tremble at every truth melt under the least admonition and counsel herein you may know the greatness of God indeed when Peters chayn fel the iron Gate 〈◊〉 way he concluded it was a message of God And therefore Moses looks to this in God when he desires the removal of the great provocations of the 〈◊〉 Numb 14. 17. I pray thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast said When the wals of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the ground 〈◊〉 the sounding of Rams horns it argued the breath of the Almighty went out with them So to see the mighty fortes of carnal reason which men have reared against the force of the truth and when they have entrenched themselves in the desperate resolutions of the self-willy waywardness of their own hearts yet to become easie yielding and under so that a child may lead them the greatness of Gods power appears in this The riches of mercy is hereby especially magnified which 〈◊〉 al the baseness 〈◊〉 our hearts the miscariages of our lives beyond al our unkindnesses when they are beyond measure herein the Lord seems to give way to the wickedness of the sons of men to swel 〈◊〉 the common bounds that his mercy may appear to be beyond al bounds and boundless and bottomless that 's the vertue of the salve when the wound is deadly to heal it the excellency of the physick when the disease is past hope and help then to recover it Rom. 5. last When the Apostle had disputed concerning the freeness of grace he asks this question why was the Law added he answers that sin might appear and be aggravated because the Law was given and the end of that and the use that God made of it that where sin abounded grace abounded much more when sin hath done what it can by al advantages mercy wil do more than sin that as sin had raigned unto death so grace might raigne unto life through Jesus Christ our Lord God suffered pride and rebellion to raigne in Paul for this end that his mercy and patience towards him might be exemplary 1 Tim. 1. 16. hence it is that the times wherein 〈◊〉 gets ground and prevails they are called the times of mercy wherein that gets 〈◊〉 Ezek. 16. 5. 8. When the Church was weltering in her blood and had neither 〈◊〉 in herself nor succor 〈◊〉 without then was the time of love not a time when it was deserved but a season wherein it should be magnifyed otherwise in reason the Lord might have taken many other times more sutable to his love Nay the more vile miserable they were Herein is the soveraign vertue of his love and mercy to make them acceptable and beloved Look we at the condition of the parties from whence also another reason of the dispensation of the Lord may be discovered hereby the Lord stains the pride of al flesh and confounds all the carnal confidence that men seem to place in the creature for should either the wisdom of the wise the pomp of the rich the parts and paines and studyes and dexterity of the prudent and learned the honor and magnificence of the mighty and the Monarchs of the world should have found the Profit of the means or received the prevailing power of the holy spirit in his ordinances for their saying good Men would have eyed and honoured those excellencies and doated upon them hung al their hopes and confidence upon the presence and work of these so that the conclusion out of carnal reason would have issued here none but such should have had any good none of al these that had these out ward 〈◊〉 should have wanted it and so some would have been discouraged that could not attain these others would presume and be secure that did possess them and the Lord have been deprived of that honor both of confidence and dependance that was due from al. That the Lord might lay al these excellencies in the dust and forever wean the hearts 〈◊〉 men from setting their hopes thereupon he takes the weakest and the worst and those also when they are at the greatest Under of al baseness and wretchedness they shal outstrip al those in whom there is this seeming worth of al the surpassing eminency that the Earth can afford Thus the Apostle disputes 1 Cor. 1. 26. you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not many wise not many mighty not many noble these are the three excellencies in the

procure it The Lord in the Work of Conversion doth not only by moral perswasion propound the Truths of the Gospel and enlighten the mind but puts a principle into the heart of such as he brings effectually and savingly home to himself In this work of God the Sinner at first is meerly patient That men may 〈◊〉 this from God every man is bound to wait upon him in the means he hath appointed and according to the utmost of his power improve al abilities and advantages he hath When any man hath improved his abilities to attend the means of Grace neither hath used his ability to oppose and cavil at the means it 's in Gods freedom to take either or refuse both for it is not in him that 〈◊〉 andruns but in God that shews mercy Rom. 9. 16. COMFORT Here is ground of incomparable Encouragement and in truth of inconceivable Refreshing to hold up the heads and hearts of the most wretched sinners in the most forlorn condition able to shore and prop up the soul with some possibility of good that it sink not down and be swallowed up with desperate discouragement I am almost afraid to cast such Pearls before Swine And when I do but think or suspect that any carnal wretch should abuse this kindness and turn this Grace of God into wantonness if it do not depend upon my doing I wil do nothing let God do al. I am forced almost to bite in my words and my heart almost misgives me as loth to cast away such compassions of the Lord upon such hellish Varlets who out of the venom of their Spirits would turn these choyce Preservatives into Poyson Yet because it is like a piece of board left after the wrack when the Ship is broken as the last means of relief as a cord of compassion let fall amongst a company of poor perishing Creatures ready to be over-whelmed with the floods of iniquity and who knows but some may catch it at the last cast before they go hence and be seen no more Let me therefore bequeath this Encouragement to you as my last Will even the words of a dying man before you and I appear before the dreadful presence of the Lord. Know then you are yet in the Land of the Living and bless God you are so and know because it 's the will and pleasure of God to do good to some of the worst of men as he sees 〈◊〉 therefore there is yet hope while there is life some little peep-hole of hope like a pins head a possibility there is you may receive good You see here how he prevails with the spirits of 〈◊〉 most perverse they have their hearts 〈◊〉 though it be 〈◊〉 the hair 〈◊〉 heart and all 〈◊〉 when they 〈◊〉 and wounded the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor Disciples 〈◊〉 your hearts eccho then from every corner of the Assembly Pierce me me 〈◊〉 Pardon me me also Humble me me also 〈◊〉 thy abundant goodness and good pleasure If the 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 so dangerous and in appearance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disease be 〈◊〉 so deadly and in the apprehensions of al past help If the Physitian and 〈◊〉 be known to have cured and helped in such cases and that he yet lives the patient wil yet support himself with such inferences why may not my sore be cured my disease healed so the Lord lives who hath done as much for forlorn sinners and why not for me poor wretched creature say so thou saiest 〈◊〉 This is the scope of Gods counsel and his very purpose why he leaves such patterns of the freeness of his compassions that yet forlorn creatures might look to him from the depth of their most desperate misery Let not the Lord fayl of his intendment nor you of your comfort 1 Tim 1. 16. I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter and injurious howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting That they might hope stil for Good as he received it and know they may be made partakers of it upon the same terms that he was set the pattern of this compassion 〈◊〉 your eyes and see yet a possibility of relief We shal sever a little the particulars that each man may suit his own condition with that most 〈◊〉 him here is that which answers to every necessity and complaint One complaines his wants are so many he cannot 〈◊〉 how ever they should be supplyed another complains his spirit so perverse he knows not how it can be subdued a third his rebellions so open so grosse against the Almighty al the means of life its 〈◊〉 that ever the Lord should pass by such hellish provocations I 〈◊〉 al your complaints are just and weighty your condition very dangerous And let me tel you did your relief and help depend upon your preparations and 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 its certain your hearts and 〈◊〉 and hopes would utterly fail and give up the Ghost Here is the anchor of your hopes that where in your help lyes is here and leave not this anchor-hold the Lord can do good and wil against al indispositions and oppositions of spirit carriages to the contrary as he sees fit And therefore thou mayest lift up thy head and say then it may be to me yea to thee never so weak to the perverse and rebellious Attend what the Lord sayes take his word and take it with thee Thou seest and confessest thy person baser than the earth that bears thee thy mind ful of blindness stupidity sottish and unteachable in the things of God thou hast heard so many able men enjoyed so many means of conviction and information and al hath slipt away like water spilt upon a rock and why should I think that ever I should be convinced or instructed or any light ever set up in this sottish mind of mine True thou hast been taught by men and man and means have happily done their best and truly they are nothing and thou art nothing and all that they and thou canst do is nothing yea but they shal all be taught of God saies the text Christ now in heaven did more by the Ministry of Peter than in his bodily presence he did nay go further than that then his bodily presence could do though he spake as never man spak No matter how dul thou art if God wil teach thee how weak if God wil strengthen thee Be thy wants what they wil be or can be the al-sufficient God wants neither wisdom nor power nor mercy to do what thou canst need and he wil for thy good And his power pitcheth his tent and taketh pleasure to shew it self in weakness Thou art foolish God chooseth the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. Thou art not any thing thou shouldst be God delights to cal things that are not as though

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

a proud heart he must labor to humble him he must apply a salve fitting for the sore 2. And he must be faithful in keeping secret the sin that is laid open to him that nothing may fly abroad no not after his death except it be in some cases Now what remains but that you al be moved to take up this duty and provoke your hearts freely to confess your evil wayes to which purpose let me give you three motives First because it is a very honourable thing and wil exceedingly promote the cause of a Christian you wil hardly yield to this on the sudden a man thinks that if the Minister knew his vileness he wil abhor him for it but I assure you bretheren then is nothing that doth more set forth the honor of a Christian and win the love of a Minister than this Indeed it is a shame to commit sin but no shame to confess sin upon good grounds nay when the heart comes kindly off its 〈◊〉 to see how a faithful Minister wil approve of such persons his love is so great towards them Oh saith the Minister it did me good to hear that man confess so freely I hope the Lord hath wrought kindly in him certainly now he is in the way to happiness Oh how I love him I could be 〈◊〉 to put that man in my bosom whereas this overly and loos dealing of yours is loathsom to us do you think we perceive it not yes we may feel it with our fingers and when you are gone I tel you what we thinke surely that man is an 〈◊〉 he hath an hollow heart he is not willing to take shame to himself for his sin his confession never came to the bottom 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 of great 〈◊〉 I take this to be the onely cause why many a man goes troubled and gets neither comfort in the pardon 〈◊〉 his sin nor strength against it 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 not off kindly in this 〈◊〉 of confession when you do nakedly open your sins to a faithful Minister you go out in battle against sin and you have a second in the field to stand by you but especially there is comfort in this particular 〈◊〉 the Minister wil discover the lusts and deceits of your heart which you could not find out and he wil lay open the 〈◊〉 of Satan and that means of comsort that you never knew I am able to speak it by experience this hath broke the neck of many a soul even because he would go out in single combat against Satan and do what he could not revealing himself to others for help was overthrown for ever As it is with the impostumed part of a mans body when a man lets out some of the corrupt matter and so skins it over never healing it to the bottom at last it cankers inwardly and comes to a gangrene and the part must be cut off or else a man is in danger of his life so when you let out some corruptions by an overly confession but suffer some bosom lust to remain stil as malice or uncleanness c. then the soul cankers and Satan takes possession of it and the soul is carried into fearful abominations Many have fallen foully and lived long in their sins and al because they would not confess freely therefore as you desire to find out the deceitfulness of your corruptions confess them from the bottom of your souls This open and free confession may maintain the secrecy of the soul for the onely way to have a mans sins covered is to confess them that so they may 〈◊〉 be brought upon the stage before al the world Oh saith one this is contrary to common reason we are afraid to have our sins known that is our trouble we keep our sins close because we would preserve our honor I say the onely way for Secrecy is to reveal our sins to some faithful Minister for if we confess our sins God wil cover them if you take shame to your selves God wil honor you but if you wil not confess your sins God wil break open the dore of your hearts and let in the light of his truth and the convicting power of his spirit and make it known to men and Angels to the shame of your persons for ever If Judas had taken notice of his sin and yeelded to Christs accusation and desired some conference with Christ privately and said good Lord I am that Judas that hel-hound that have received mercy from thee in the outward means and have been entertained among thy people yet it is I that have taken the thirty pence Lord pardon this sin and let this iniquitie never be 〈◊〉 to my charge I doubt not but though Judas his soul could not be saved because that now we know Gods decree of him yet God would have saved him from the publick shame that was cast upon him for it but he did not so but hid his malice in his heart and professed great matters of love to Christ and killed him thus he thought to cover his 〈◊〉 wisey but what become of that the Lord forced him to come and throw down his thirty pieces and to vomit out his sin to the everlasting shame of his person I have sinned sayes he in betraying innocent blood So you that keep your sins as sugar under your tongues you wil be loos and unclean and malicious and covetous stil wel you wil have your thirty pieces stil and they are layed up safe as Achans wedg of gold 〈◊〉 remember this God wil one day open the closets of your hearts and lay you upon your death-beds and then happily you wil prove mad and vomit up al were it not better to confess your sins to some faithful Minister now If you wil not give the Lord his glory he wil distrain for it and have it from your heart blood as Julian the Apostat said when the arrow was shot into his heart he plucked it 〈◊〉 and cryed saying Thou Galilean thou hast overcome me the Lord distrained for his glory and had it out of his heart blood We are now come to the last Doctrine layd forth in the words and that is The soul that is truly pierced with Godly sorrow for sin is carryed with a restless dislike against it and separation from it This is the main thing that was in the eye and aym of these 〈◊〉 and intended principally in their complaint Men and bretheren the sins which you have discovered we cannot but own and therefore we do confess them openly and freely in the sight of God and you his servants and the dangers which you have also made known by reason thereof we cannot but expect the evils are great which we fear oh the sins are far worse by which we have offended what shal we do direct any thing we wil follow it command any thing we wil obey and submit thereunto with glad hearts that we may be rid of those evils It

O Israel who is like unto the O People Saved by the Lord. That was in the Type Resemblance only but here is the Truth and Substance of Shadowes those Shadowes Accomplished in the Purchase of Christ or his faithful ones who are Saved not from the Oppression of a Pharaoh but from the Power of Darkness and Dominion of the Divel not delivered from the house of Bondage but from the bottome of Hell Blessed are ye O ye beleeving Souls your Excellencie is incomparble your Privilidges are inconceivable Who is like unto you O People thus blessed and saved by the Lord. The Wicked are not the World is not it is not so with them they have the Gleanings you have the Harvest they may have Rivers of Oyl but you the Rivers of Pleasures at the right hand of the Lord Nay now while you are in this World Al is yours All that the Obedience of Christ could procure Al that the Blood the precious Blood of Christ could Purchase precious Grace and Peace precious Comfort and Assurance precious Holiness and Glory Excellent things are not only spoken of you but done for you you blessed Beleeving Soules Hence it is when Moses would plead the Priviledges of the Saints he stands upon terms of comparison 〈◊〉 challengeth al the World to shew the like Eminency of Gods love upon Earth again Deut. 4 33 34 35 36 37. Did ever People partake of such Good as 〈◊〉 Purchased for you hath God essayed to go and take 〈◊〉 himself a Nation from among the Nations shal I say by Tempations Signs and Wonders to bring 〈◊〉 out of Egipt No no it was not from the house of Bondage from the tyranny of Pharaoh nor from Death and Miseries outward but from the bottom of Hel the tyranny of Sin the power of the Devil from everlasting Death and Condemnation 〈◊〉 this not by making Water become Blood but by making Happiness to become Misery God to become Man and Life it self Christ Jesus the 〈◊〉 of Life to die that he might restore thee to Life and Glory Go therefore ye blessed Beleeving Servants of the Lord go on comfortably and the blessing of Heaven go with you know your Priviledges and be for ever quieted and contented 〈◊〉 Fret not you at the prosperity of the Wicked be 〈◊〉 troubled at their Pomp since your portion is far 〈◊〉 and of incomparable Excellencie When the Father had entertained his prodigal Son after 〈◊〉 return with a Gold Ring change of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 fatted Calfe the elder Son began to mutter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew his 〈◊〉 the answer was reasonable 〈◊〉 exceeding satisfactory Son thou art ever with 〈◊〉 and all that I have is thine Luke 15. 31. So here Suffer the Dogs to gnaw the bones and 〈◊〉 to have their scraps let 〈◊〉 have the Gold Ring to adorne them and the fatted Calfe to feed and 〈◊〉 upon but know al you Beleevers al that is 〈◊〉 Earth al that is in Heaven al that the Father 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 hath al the Mercy of a Father the edemption of a Jesus the Consolations of the 〈◊〉 al these are yours you cannot have more you 〈◊〉 be better me thinks you should not be I 〈◊〉 almost said you cannot but be for ever 〈◊〉 and Contented And now al you that sit by and here of al this 〈◊〉 thinks your hearts should sink within you 〈◊〉 that never knew what it was to be Humbled 〈◊〉 to be Called and to Beleeve in Christ 〈◊〉 al is gone before you Beleevers have al 〈◊〉 therefore and arise to follow hard after 〈◊〉 Lord that you also may be Humbled that you 〈◊〉 may be Called and Comforted and for ever 〈◊〉 by Jesus Christ. This wil be the plague of 〈◊〉 damned in Hell They shal see Abraham and 〈◊〉 and Jacob and all the Saints of God in Heaven 〈◊〉 themselves cast out You shal see al those poor 〈◊〉 whom you have known in the Townes and 〈◊〉 where you have lived you wil see them go to Heaven and your selves cast out O therefore 〈◊〉 you would give God no rest nor your owne 〈◊〉 no quiet til you have got a beleeving heart Why have Beleevers al this have they Christ and 〈◊〉 and Pardon and Peace and Glory and 〈◊〉 and all say Lord why not I a Beleever too 〈◊〉 I see no reason but you may God affords you 〈◊〉 and you may be wrought upon by the Means 〈◊〉 ought I know therefore seek earnestly to the 〈◊〉 that you also may be brought in amongst the 〈◊〉 of Beleevers for whom al this good is Purchased by Jesus Christ. The Doctrine delivered dasheth that dream and 〈◊〉 that false opinion wherewith many carnal hearted men are easily and willingly taken 〈◊〉 who fondly perswade themselves that Christ died for al and Purchased both Grace and Glory mankind indifferently for Cain as wel as Abell Esau as wel as Jacob for Judas as wel as Peter that al that spiritual good that any of the Saints ver share in it was al intended to them al 〈◊〉 sed for them al provided for their good but the out of the perversness of their own wills 〈◊〉 that Physick that would have cured them 〈◊〉 upon the blood of the Covenant that was shed 〈◊〉 their Redemption A conceit cross to the 〈◊〉 formerly delivered and thereby confuted and 〈◊〉 demned but an opinion it is which 〈◊〉 derogates from the Justice of God the 〈◊〉 of the Lord Jesus the glory of his Free 〈◊〉 which is Childrens bread and appoynted ouly 〈◊〉 peculiar kindness for his own People yet by 〈◊〉 erroneous imagination is prostituted under the 〈◊〉 of a company of prophane beasts This universalitie of Redemption makes way 〈◊〉 universalitie of Corruption and these sensual 〈◊〉 deceiving men make the gate of Mercy and 〈◊〉 so wide that so they find room not only 〈◊〉 themselves but to carry their sins to Heaven 〈◊〉 them also But such shal one day find by 〈◊〉 experience they befooled themselves and fel 〈◊〉 of their hopes and expectations when they 〈◊〉 know to their terrour that the Lord Jesus was 〈◊〉 so lavish of his blood as to spil it in vain 〈◊〉 he should miss of his end or they of their good 〈◊〉 whom it was shed though they ery never so 〈◊〉 knock never so hard Lord Lord open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 have no other answer but that 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 know you not 〈◊〉 workers of iniquitie Math. 7. 23. I never prayed for you I never dyed for you 〈◊〉 is that which will sink the hearts and dash the 〈◊〉 of al unbeleeving self deceiving Creatures Is there 〈◊〉 rich Grace plentiful Redemption abundant 〈◊〉 Merits unvaluable in the Lord Jesus True 〈◊〉 that 's thy misery thou shalt see it but never be 〈◊〉 partaker thereof Thou shalt not tast of those 〈◊〉 dainties the Lord hath provided for his 〈◊〉 as long as thou remainest in that unbeleeving 〈◊〉 thy doom is set thy sentence is

Matth. 11. 25 26. The issue then is If it proceed from Gods free pleasure that Means are 〈◊〉 revealed blessed then is there a full freedom 〈◊〉 all and it must be so for these Reasons There is nothing man hath that can Purchase this Simon Magus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and its probable enough 〈◊〉 would nor have stuck at the price had the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never so great Acts 8. 18 19. And when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Holy Ghost was given through 〈◊〉 on of hands be offered them ' Money to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 But the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Thy Money 〈◊〉 with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast thought that the Gift of God may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 think such a thing impossible 〈◊〉 for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Purchases are made by such things as carry some kind of proportionable worth to that which is to be Purchased But there is nothing that can be compared with wisdom and the Spirituall Grace in Christ Prov 3. 15. Much less can be accounted of an answerable Rate and value thereunto There is nothing a man can do of himself whereby he may procure and obtain this spiritual good Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that Wills nor in him that Runs It is not said in him that goes carelesly about the work but it is not in him that improves the best of his abilitie and that with speed though he 〈◊〉 in this race but it is in God only that shews 〈◊〉 If thou shouldest mark O Lord what is done a miss who should abide it Psal. 103. 3. The best are so far from obtaining favor by any desert of their doings that it is well with them they are not consumed by his displeasure for the failing of their best actions There is no Promise made to any Natural man whereby he can challenge this at the hands of the Lord All men by nature are children of 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 3. Heirs of perdition if they have their own place its Hell if they have no more but their own Portion Confusion and eternal 〈◊〉 is that they must look for if they have the fruit of their own tree the wayes of their own work it s nothing but wo and misery 〈◊〉 3. 11. All Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. made and performed in him alone they that are out of Christ therefore what they have besides Hell is 〈◊〉 Mercy The Sum then is It man by nature have nothing to Purchase any Spiritual good can do nothing to deserve it have no Promise to challenge it it is freely out of Gods good pleasure that any 〈◊〉 of any share therein Here then is matter of Thanksgiving to all the 〈◊〉 of God who have been made partakers of so 〈◊〉 favor to wit Their 〈◊〉 should be filled with his praise and their 〈◊〉 with a 〈◊〉 admiration of this so 〈◊〉 a mercy so much undeserved and so 〈◊〉 bestowed notwithstanding The greater and more free the goodness of the Lord is the greater should our 〈◊〉 be in the receiving of it This made the Prophet stand amazed Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7. 18. Men will see somthing in us to move them and expect some good from us to perswade them to shew favor but who is like unto our God who shews mercy not because we can deserve it or have any right to challenge it not because we can please him but because mercy pleaseth him and he doth it only because he VVill now his VVill be done and blessed he his glorious Name for ever Go thy way then in secret thou that hast found this acceptation from the Lord in sincerity of Soul present thy self as in his presence and say Good Lord Why is it How comes it That since many that have lived 〈◊〉 the same Place dwelt in the same Family sare in the same Seat and heard the same Word are yet in the Gall of Bitterness in the Bonds of Iniquity yet in the Kingdom of Darkness under the Power of their Sins and like to perish for them for ever Lord Lord VVhy are mine eyes enlightned to know the things belonging to my peace VVhy my heart touched with any saving remorse for my Sins That I should have any desires after thee any longings for thee Oh its Grace it s thy Free Grace Otherwise I had never been made partaker of any Spiritual good nay I had never known it Father VVhat am I that thou shouldest be thus mindful of me that thou shouldest thus remember me yea mindful of me when I was not mindful of my self remembrest me when I had forgotten thy glory my own soul and mine own everlasting good Was not I as blind as ever any and knew not as careless as ever any and respected not yea stubborn and stout hearted gainsaid I not yea rejected thy compassions so often tendered in the Ministery of the Word and forced upon me by those heart-breaking Exhortations of thy faithful Ministers to reveal these Spiritual good things when out of negligence I did not know them yea then to press them upon my Conscience and by the effectual work of thy Spirit then to prevail with my heart when at first I did oppose and cast them behind my back let me for ever return all praise to thy Majesty out of whose free mercy it is that I have been made partaker of any saving work for the good of my Soul Yea I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast revealed these things to babes and sucklings and bid them from the wise and prudent That the Learned of the world are befooled and thou hast taught me a poor ignorant silly wretch That many noble and honorable are cashiered and thou hast accepted of a base worm plucked me out of a smoaky Cottage out of a Corner of Hell to receive me into the Kingdom of thy Christ to bear me in thy own bosom here wildering up and down in this valley of tears that thou maiest glorifie me with thy self when all tears shal be wiped away from mine eyes Oh! it is thy Free thy Free Mercy let my Soul for ever bless thee and walk worthy of thee and it that I may serve thee with a good and a glad and a free heart as I have received freely from thine own Hand whatsoever either I have or Hope for Here is also ground of great Encouragement to all distressed and disconsolate 〈◊〉 who labor under the weight of the guilt of their many sins and sight of their own unworthiness The right Consideration of the former truths may be as a spiritual Cordial whereby their hearts may be quickned to seek unto the Lord as their hopes sustained to expect that succour and supply which may be most seasonable for their Relief Because as there is no worth on our parts that can move the Lord so there is no vileness so great that can hinder him from doing what good he

approbation of Satan but by Compulsion For do but weigh a little what manner of Construction in a common apprehension can be made of a Morral Perswasion in this Case Namely The Lord Christ casts in so many Convicting Arguments into the mind of Satan and stirs up that malice and envie that is within him that he doth perswade Satan to destroy his own malice and envie yea perswades him to lay down his power and to make choice and desire that the Spirit of Christ should exercise power in the Soul He Conquers him only by perswading of him to yeild willing subjection to the power of Christ which is indeed to make Satan a Saint and the Devil not to be the Prince of darkness The Power and Rule of Satan cannot be Destroyed without violence but in this work Satan his power is destroyed and himself bound and Conquered therefore it s done by Violence Fifthly Now we are to enquire How the plucking of the Soul from Sin and Drawing unto Christ is accomplished by this holy Violence To which I Answer 1 Generally 2 Particularly 1 Generally thus All that hold that Sin Satan had of the Soul and al that authority they exercised in it is now removed and the bent and set of the heart is now under the hand of the Spirit of God The Lord comes now to manifest his claim and to make good and challenge the right he hath unto the soul through his Christ whom he hath appointed to bring his unto himself This is his good pleasure for the execution whereof he hath sent the Lord Jesus Isa. 49. 45. Therefore he is said to be formed from the womb to be a servant unto God the Father to restore the preserved of Israel and to be the salvation of God to the ends of the earth Hence that of our Savior Christ Joh. 10. 16. Other sheep I have there 's the ground those I must bring and they shall hear my voice they are mine I have died for them sin and Satan shal not keep them shal not hold them hands off sin hands off Satan I must Humble them and Call them and Justifie them and 〈◊〉 them and Save them for ever And therefore the Lord was typed out in the Parable of the Owner that left Ninty and nine to seek the lost sheep Luke 15. 4 5. And when it could not seek its own good or Christ or find either the Lord sought it up and found it and brought it home upon his shoulder 2 ' More Particularly The accomplishment of this Work Discovers it self in Four Particulars The Lord calls in that Commission which formerly he put into the hands of Satan to lay hold of the heart of a sinner as a Malefactor attached of high Treason committed against God and Heaven and therefore it was he sent him with his Mittimus as the Justice doth the Fellon into the Custody and keeping of Satan that since he would not be ruled by the Law of Liberty and Life he should be made a slave unto sin and subject to death and that for ever to be kept in the Chains of darkness until the day of 〈◊〉 great Goal Delivery and the Declaration of the fierce wrath of God and this Durante bene placito during the pleasure of the Lord or until ye shal understand his Majesties pleasure to the 〈◊〉 For still you must remember That as in Courts and Course of Justice amongst men upon earth it is so in the Court of Heaven and the Proceedings of the Almighty the Malefactor is the Kngs prisoner The Jaylor is but the Keeper or under Officer betrusted with the Execution of Justice the Lord is the sole Commander of mens souls and of life and death unto which they are liable by reason of their sins This being the Commission the Lord put into the hands of Satan and sin for the present unless any Express appear to the contrary He is now pleased to signifie to the Prince of Darkness and to the Power of Hell and to those Damned Spirits by the Ministery of the Word in the mouths of his Servants and by the Hand and Almighty Operation of his Spirit Be it known 〈◊〉 you you Principalities of 〈◊〉 and spiritual wickednesses that take possession of and rule in the hearts of the Children of disobedience that upon the first hearing of this holy Word and Message dispensed by my faithful Servant as a warrant under my hand that it is my Royal Wil and Command That you forthwith let loose that poor 〈◊〉 who hath been long prisoner in the chains of Darkness For my Justice is fully answered and satisfaction fully accepted Fail not at your 〈◊〉 under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 displeasure of the Almighty Dated at the Court of Mercy before all worlds published this present day and instant according to the counsel of mine own Will This puts the powers of Darkness the Devils and his Angels to deep Consultation what to do they see they have no warrant now to hold the sinner any longer and yet they have no wil to let him go They are 〈◊〉 loth to part with him and yet their power is gone whereby they have hitherto kept him For the strength of 〈◊〉 is the law 1 Cor. 15. 56. And this is to take away the Devils Armour Luke 11. 22. When Justice will deliver the sinner Satan hath no power to hold him As our Savior said to Pilate when 〈◊〉 said I have power to bind thee or to loose thee our Savior 〈◊〉 Thou hadst no power 〈◊〉 was given thee from above John 19. 11. So Satan hath no power but what is given from above according to the Edict of Gods revenging Justice and their just deservings Therefore now God the Father through the perfect Death and satisfaction 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus hath yeilded the Edict of 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 and therefore the Devils cannot 〈◊〉 As it was said touching our Savior when he was in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was impossible he should be 〈◊〉 2 Acts 24. 〈◊〉 Gods Justice was answered to here When the Devils power is now gone and that Justice hath signified her pleasure That the Prisoner must be set loose they then begin to pretend the right they have and the claim they can make yet unto the Sinner Therefore Sin and 〈◊〉 seem 〈◊〉 plead their own Cause in way of Justice and that which cannot be gain-said as that the souls of such 〈◊〉 Creatures do appertain to them for besides saies Satan the Statute Law The soul that sins that soul must die The Evidence is cleer from their practice and experience Whether these be the seed of the Serpent because they express the nature of the serpent in their actions Is it not written John 8 44. You are of your Father the Devil for the lusts of your Father you will do These are they whose hearts if they were discerned whose carriages if they were traced and taken notice of would give in Evidence that the 〈◊〉 of the Serpent was in the one

sent him for this end would drive me out of my sins and send me to him for succour and relief that I may be sure to speed And I may be sure the Father who is so deeply offended wil never refuse him 〈◊〉 me if I come to him through his Christ. So we have done with the Explication of the Point Instruction We may hence by way of Collection inferr several things which are of much Consequence in our daily Course and yet al appertain to this place as to their proper residence where they have their first rife and therefore may most cleerly and rightly be here discussed and so discerned by those who will encline their ear and apply their heart unto wisdom Hence it follows by force of undeniable Consequence that this work of Attraction and so of preventing Grace proceeds from God as the only Cause thereof and depends wholly upon his 〈◊〉 pleasure and that he works in us without us We being destitute of al Ability which might help thereunto That which is done by a Holy kind of Violence against the natural inclination of the heart that must needs be done upon us but not by us we have no hand in that work and so it is here as hath been proved Let me ad Two or Three Reasons more besides the Evidence of the Rule from whence it is immediately deduced Here that Weapon comes first to hand which some of the Ancients have so often used in this Cause and its the Canon of the Apostle and that Staple Principle that cannot be gain-said Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that shews Mercy Where al other helping Causes that may share in the Conversion and bringing home of the sinner are wholly denied cast out though they were Means of special improvment that if any thing might seem to further it they might have been of peculiar use and of a speeding nature It was not a sleepy careless slighting of the attainment of any spiritual good or a sloathful attendance upon it nor is it a kind of heartless and spiritless Affection to it that are here rejected nay though his will was there and the strength of endeavor yet both miss the mark The Apostle is Plain and peremptory Let him set Heart and Feet and Hand and Head on work he shal never do no good on it it is not there It s meerly only in him that shews Mercy It was wont to be Answered by the Pelagians that it is so said That it s not in him that Runs or Wills without Mercy pittying of him and Grace assisting of him he cannot do it without these let him do what he can yet he can do it with these The vanity of which Answer hath been long since discovered as that it crosseth and corrupteth the very meaning of the Apostle For then the meaning upon the self same grounds would here be thus As it is not in him that Wills and Runs without God assisting co-working so you might turn the tables It s not in God that shewes Mercy without him that Wills and Runs For if the words be not a plain peremptory denial but only comparatively to be taken It s not so much or not in his willing and running without Mercy prevailing and helping yet they concur as Causes in this work then may they as 〈◊〉 be taken the other way It s not in God that shews Mercy only and wholly but in him that wills and runs in part which is to destroy the text and to cross the intendment of the Spirit That Dispensation of God which gives ability and a Principle to the will for to work that act and dispensation must be before the ability of the will and act of it and so cannot be caused by it As if God put a soul into those dead dry bones in Ezek. 37. that they might live this putting in of the 〈◊〉 whence comes life is before and so without the work of the soul or life also and not at al caused by either But this Preparation and pulling away from sin is to make way for a spiritual ability to be given to the will for to work and therefore it is before the will and work and either of them as any cause So the Apostle John 1 Joh. 5. 20. He hath given us a mind to know him and his Christ. Not only drawn out this act of Knowledge but given a mind also to enable us hereunto 2 Cor. 3. 5. We 〈◊〉 no sufficiency as of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is of God Not only the thinking but the 〈◊〉 thereunto It s he that gives a 〈◊〉 of flesh and then causeth us to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36. 26 27. This is to be Observed against a wretched Shift and cursed Cavil of the Jesuits when they would pretended to give way to the Grace of God and yet in truth take away what they give And therefore they yeild freely and fully That it is God who gives both the will and the deed And Grace is required of necessity unto both and neither can be without it nor will nor deed But in truth this is nothing but a colour of words when the sense which they follow sounds quite contrary For ask but their meaning and when they have opened themselves al comes to thus much That the Lord hath a Concourse and a co-working in the Will and Deed and sends forth an influence into the act of the Will and of the work done and leads forth and guides both unto their end And this is no more than he doth with the act of any Creature the first cause concurring with the second For in him it is that we live and move and have our being As it is with Two men that draw a Boat or a Ship together each man hath a principle and power of his own whereby he draws but both these meet and concur and co-work together in the drawing So that al this that is said is but indeed to darken and delude the Truth yea and to destroy the work of Gods Grace and deceive the Reader For this gives no more to the work of Gods Grace in Conversion than it doth to the Act of Providence upon and with the act of any Creature reasonable Whereas this must be observed carefully and for ever maintained as the everlasting Truth of God That the Lord gives a power spiritual to the work which it had not before he Concurs with the act of that power when it is put forth he gives him a being in the 〈◊〉 of Grace before he leads out the act of that being He first lets in an influence of a powerful impression upon the Faculty of the Will before he Concurs with the Act 〈◊〉 Deed. He gives a heart of flesh and then causeth them to walk in his wayes As if one could put a Principle of life and motion into another and then

〈◊〉 and Earth shal never hold it As he must needs go whom the Devil drives so 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 come whom God wil draw Though 〈◊〉 Means prevail not thy Prayers speed not thou 〈◊〉 not able by al thy Endeavors to bear up against 〈◊〉 stream yet God is able and it s his work here stay they heart God can do it and who knows but 〈◊〉 may Briefly the DISCOURAGEMENTS are Three First The Assaults of Satan he comes in amain and makes batteries against the Heart he Musters up al his Forces and presents to the view of the sinner al the darkness of the kingdom of Darkness and 〈◊〉 the venom of sin in the twinckling of an eye 〈◊〉 presents al his Sins that ever he hath committed with al the aggravating Circumstances against Mercies Covenants Checks of Conscience Lo saith Satan do you not see al these and they come in 〈◊〉 troops there is no end of them not only in New-England but upon the Sea in the Land of our nativity and he brings him to his Cradle and 〈◊〉 him how he came a Child of wrath into the world Withal Satan lets in the guilt of al these sins upon the soul Sayes Satan if one sin deserve everlasting Condemnation as you know it doth what then is deserved by so many sins Committed continued in repeated against Means and Mercies why Hell is too little for such a Rebel God must make a new Hell for such a wretch And withal Satan tells him the date of Mercy is past your best dayes are done you have had Means and Mercies and Friends to Counsel you very good now Mercy is gone and past you shal hear no more of the Mercy of God or of Jesus Christ. Now Satan hurries the 〈◊〉 when he hath got him hither the multitude of his sins the guilt of his sins and Mercy past why now had you not better go out of the world than to live without Hope and multiply your sins and so your plagues forever Here he hurries the soul up and down and gives him no leave to think of Mercy Oh! sayes the soul Is there no hope in Jesus Christ the Means of Grace and the Spirit of God Why sayes Satan Do not you deceive your self you have had Means and Mercies and you are just in the place where you were therefore you had best put an end to your sins and self and life and all Now mark 〈◊〉 In this Case you should have recourse to the former Doctrine Satan wil not cannot be entreated that 's true Aye but God is stronger than Satan and he can cast him out of thy Soul It is not Arguments that can do it but God can do it Say therefore Though my Prayers my Endeavors my Heart my Hopes fails me yet God 〈◊〉 do it though my Soul cannot leave my sin 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 wil not cannot leave my soul yet God can force away my sin from my soul and command my soul to return from iniquity God can do this Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall beat down Satan under your feet shortly What ever become of your Sense and Feeling listen not attend not to his temptations be sure to Retire hither as to your Castle God can do it it is the Almighty work of God there stand there live and there die Christ told his Disciples He saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightening Luke 10. 18. That is Suddenly and strangely And Joh. 16. 11. Now shall the Prince 〈◊〉 this world be judged God wil judge Satan for al those Temptations and Delusions of his do not you own them and God wil Condemn him for them Nay as it is Isa. 43. 6. I will say to the North Give up to the South Keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the earth Though thou shouldst be in the mouth of Hell or in the bottom of the Sea yet God is able to call thee from thence He that saith to the Sea Give up thy dead he can say to Hell Give up thy damned Therefore bear up thy Heart and Hopes and Expectation that God may do that for thee which thou art not able to conceive of But yet there is another ground of Discouragement Satan he 's Malicious but Oh! the world and the snares thereof are so many so mighty that the soul is still in a maze taken in a net as it were and knows not which way to turn him And there are some kind of sins which snare a man exceedingly by the world As when loose Companions have 〈◊〉 within a man and licentious Courses have taken away the heart of a man Oh! the heart comes 〈◊〉 hardly there The sinner shakes at the sight of 〈◊〉 Companions he is convinced and resolved 〈◊〉 them and yet he goes away to them and is led by them and when the Adulterer is taken with his Adulterous Mate they scarce ever return again 〈◊〉 lamentable what those that are acquainted with Cases of Conscience this way do know still 〈◊〉 mates tempt and these Companions over-bear though they resolve and promise and vow 〈◊〉 pray yet they are in again just in the place 〈◊〉 they were so that the soul sayes I am not able 〈◊〉 resist these temptations I am never able to get 〈◊〉 of these snares therefore sin I shal and sin I must and perish I must temptations are desperate here a man lies prostrate under them not able to recover out of them Now Brethren when you are in such a Case as this you see your sins you confess them pray against them and yet are taken aside by them your heart is strongly engaged and ensnared you are not able to get from under these sins Here 's all the hope I can give you It is in Gods hand yet to pluck off thy soul and to take away thy heart for al that You know how Solomon the wisest and Sampson the strongest they were Deluded and snared and taken by their own Corruptions and snares of the world Sampsons head upon Dalilahs lap he would sit and lie though he died for it Brethren it is here only God may do good unto you If I 〈◊〉 tel you It is in the power of Means and Mercies and any Congruity of Means or Liberty of your own Wills your souls might be deceived but would never be Comforted But look up to the Lord there is Hope in him there is Mercy with him Joh. 16. last Be of good Comfort sayes our Savior Christ I have overcome the world Yea the Lord professeth it Ezek. 〈◊〉 32. They shall loath themselves in the sight of all their doings that have not been good Say then God is able to make me loath my self and my snares and al the sinful entanglments that my heart is so taken aside withal this is that only that wil sustain thee and support thee Joh. 16. 10. I have other sheep and they shall hear my voyce and them I must bring I must bring the 〈◊〉

but when the Vessel is now carried into the main Ocean that it should then founder in the waves or be overwhelmed in the midst of the Sea they are wholly without sight of land or least hope of any relief there is no eye to 〈◊〉 them in their misery and therefore none to pitty them nor any hand to help them or any means within the ken of Providence for them to conceive they might expect deliverance So it is with this in Comparison of al other sins the unpardoable one excepted what ever other 〈◊〉 surprise the soul what ever the nature or number or haynousness be hightened with all circumstances that may attend as long as the soul can look out to the infinitness of Gods Mercy and free Grace the invaluable efficacy and vertue of the Merits of the Lord Christ his death and obedience a man is within sight of Land when the Ship is split he may swim to shore Look unto me all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved saies the Lord Isa. 45. 22. there is yet hope in Israel touching this thing for it is a true saying and worthy of all acceptation That Christ came to save sinners whereof I am chief saies Paul 1 Tim. 1. 16. And as the Heaven is high above the Earth so are the thoughts of God above our thoughts Isa. 55. But this sin of despair sinks a mans heart and comforts as a stone flung into the midst of the Sea carries a man beyond the ken and compass of the boundless favor and compassions of the Lord. To go no further than the Doctrine delivered the malignity of this evil herein discovers it self as that which brings the greatest dishonor to God and irrecoverable danger to the soul. It 's deeply injurious and dishonorable to the Almighty it sins against more of God and tramples the riches of his Graces and tender Mercies under the feet of contempt and counts the Covenant of life and Salvation in the Gospel not only a common thing but a vain thing it 〈◊〉 Gods Truth and Faithfulness and his enlarged Favors into his face with scorn as unable to help and unworthy to be attended And when all the glorious Attributes and Excellencies of God have met together in contriving and accomplishing the Salvation of a sinner in despight of all the power of Hell and darkness this dasheth and blurreth all with the highest disdain and contumelious indignity that may be There was an infinite power wisdom and goodness put forth in making a World of nothing adorned and enriched with such beauty and goodness which each man may see in the frame thereof but in the plotting and performing the great Work of Redemption there was wisdom beyond all the wisdom in the Work of the Creation power beyond and above all that power God said let there be a World and it was so but saying will not serve the turn here it must be the sending of his own Son the death and suffering of Jesus Christ it must cost him his life before lost man could be restored to life again here was Mercy above all the former Bounty and Goodness that goodness then vouchsafed continued not with man nor he in it but this is everlasting mercy which doth not only put us into the possession of Grace and Glory but keeps us there in despight of all the power and policy of Devils all the treachery and weakness of our own hearts despair casts the Crown of all his Power and Wisdom Truth and Faithfulness down unto the dust and proclaims to all the world in our apprehension our weakness is beyond his power it cannot support us our folly too hard for his wisdom it cannot lead and enlighten our minds our misery and sins surpasseth the vertue of his mercy it cannot help and relieve us This is the reason why the Lord cannot endure the least appearance of these desperate pangs as deeply injurious to the Honor of his Name and that in the greatest Excellency Isa. 40. 27. Why saiest thou O Jacob and speakest thou O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over of my God Let no more such words be heard the Lord cannot endure to hear you speak so or to have you think so you cast the most vile unsufferable indignity upon the Lord that may be You drooping discouraged hearts you think it is the loathsomness of your own sins the vileness and unworthiness of your own persons that you look at in all those dreadful complaints you make Is there water enough in the Sea to clense this sink of hellish rebellions in this wretched Nature Can such loathsom abominations of so deep a dye of so long continuance committed against so much Light Grace committed against knowledg and Conscience against patience and goodness and that multiplied from day to day Can these be pardones Mercy should be accessary to its own dishonor if it should shew mercy to such a wretch which hath so abused it Know assuredly you speak against the Lord al this while while you would seem to speak against your own wretched distempers so the Psalmist Psal. 78. 19. Yea they not only sinned more and provoked God as in the former verses but they spake against God saying Can God prepare a Table in the Wilderness You blaspheme and speak against his Power which is not able to work it against his Wisdom which cannot contrive it against his Mercy which is not willing or not able to succor you It was the greatest sin that ever Cain committed when he said his sin was greater than could be forgiven Gen. 4. Then thy heart is more sinful than God can be merciful Satan more able to damn thee than God is able to save thee then God is no God and Christ is no Christ and the Spirit no Comforter yea this is to make the Devil which is the worst of all Creatures and Sin which is no Creature but weakness and worse than the Devil himself to be above God and the Lord Jesus and the blessed Spirit of Grace worse than which blasphemy Hell it self can hardly afford any Hear therefore and fear and for ever abhor that such thoughts should once come into your minds such words proceed out of your mouths As it 's dishonorable to God so it 's dangerous yea deadly to the soul It not only crosseth a mans present comfort darkens our evidence sence and assurance of Gods Favor but utterly cuts off all possibility from the soul for ever expecting the least drop of refreshing or smile of Gods Face For hope in the Heart is the last sprong or sucker in the root of the Tree whereby it lives and stands Though the soul see nothing feel nothing have nothing yet Hope saies 〈◊〉 may be otherwise this proud heart may be abased this sturdy heart may he forced to stoop this unbeleeving heart though it hath had and abused and slighted and been unprofitable under so many means and after so

〈◊〉 that would not be enlightened leave them to the hardness of their hearts that would not be converted He wil not alwaies strive who hath stood so long and knocked so often thou shalt see him no more quickening awing affecting of thee Or if thou hast a heart to seek in thy manner who knows whether God will accept it or no Thou wouldest not regard his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and he wil not respect thy prayers and 〈◊〉 Prov. 1. 28. Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Hebr. 12. 17. Esau found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears nay he may send thee as he did the Israelits to the Idols of thy heart Jer. 2. 28. But where are thy gods that thou hast made let them arise and save 〈◊〉 But Lastly if I cannot satisfy for my evills yet out of his bounty and mercy he may abate me of the Plagues the mercies of God are great and his compassions large and thus the mercies of God who were provided to bring men from their corruptions to 〈◊〉 through the abuse of carnal hearts become means to make them secure in their dregs Deuter. 29. 19. when al the plagues were threatned yet they bless themselves and say I shal have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my evil heart So they in Isaiah made a Covenant with death and Hell The sin against mercy is one of the greatest sins that ever thou committest Thou turnest the grace of God into 〈◊〉 Jude 4. and such are ordained of ould unto condemnation thou despisest mercy and abusest it thou shalt therefore be condemned by mercy not saved by it God must not be just and so not God if he save thee without satisfaction to his justice The Lord cannot wrong himself to relieve thee dishonor himself to deliver thee Exod. 34. 7. He will by no means Celar the guilty It s one of his names and himself and he cannot deny himself and if his justice be not satisfyed thy plagues cannot be abated If a carnal man sees he cannot prevent the danger of sin then he sayes I will bear it if I be damned I will suffer it as I may if it come to the 〈◊〉 Let me have my sins though the Devil have my soul let me have the sweet of the pleasures of sin in this world though I never see the face of God in Glory this is a most forlorn and divellish resolution But dost thou know what thou sayest true thou shalt bear thy damnation but thou art never able to bear it without breaking under it being helpless and hopeless forever O woe to thee that ever thou wert born O poor creature If I should cease speaking and al of us joyn together in weeping and lamenting thy condition it were the best course It is impossible thou shouldest ever bear Gods wrath Let these three things be considered Judg the Lion by the Paw judg the torments of Hel by some little beginnings of it and the dregs of Gods vengeance by some little sips of it and judg how unable thou art to bear the whol by thy inability to bear a little of it in this life In terror of Conscience as the wise man saies A wounded spirit who can bear When God layes the flashes of hell fire upon thy soul thou canst not endure it Whatsoever a man can inflict upon a poor wretch may be born but when the Almighty comes in battel array against a poor soul how can he undergo it Wittness the Saints that felt it as also the wicked themselves who have had some beginnings of hell in their 〈◊〉 when the Lord hath let in horror into the soul of a poor sinner how is he transported with an insupportable burthen When it is day he wisheth it were night and when it is night he wisheth it were day all the freinds in the world cannot comfort him nay many have sought to hang themselves to do any thing rather than to suffer a little of the vengeance of the Almighty and one man is roaring and yelling as if he were now in Hell already and admits of no comfort if the drops be so heavy what wil the whol Sea of Gods Vengeance be If he cannot bear the one how can he bear the other Consider thine own strength and compare it with all the strength of the Creatures and so if all the Creatures be not able to bear the wrath of the Almighty as Job saies Job 6. 12. Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh as brass that must bear thy wrath as if he had said it must be a stone or brass that must bear thy wrath Though thou wert as strong as brass or stones thou could'st not bear it when the mountains tremble at the wrath of the Lord shal a poor worm or bubble and shadow endure it Conceive thus much If al the Diseases in the world did seize upon one man and if all the torments that all the Tyrants in the world could devise were cast upon him and if all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth did conspire the destruction of this man and if all the Devils in Hell did labor to inflict punishment upon him you would think this man to be in a miserable case and yet al this is but a beam of Gods Indignation If the beams of his wrath be so hot what is the full Sun of his Wrath when it shal seize upon the soul of a sinful creature in ful measure Nay If yet thou thinkest to lift up thy self above all Creatures and to bear more than they all Then set before thine eyes the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ he that creates the Heavens and upholds the whol frame thereof when the wrath of God came upon him only as a Surety he cries out with his Eyes ful of tears and his heart ful of sorrow and the Heavens ful of lamentation My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27. 46. Oh thou poor creature if thou hast the heart of a man gird up the loyns of thy mind and see what thou canst do Dost thou think to bear that which the Lord Jesus could not bear without so much sorrow yet he did endure it without any sin or weakness He had three sips of the Cup and every one of them did sink his soul and art thou a poor sinful wretch able to bear the wrath of God for ever Yield unto the Evidence of the Truth thus 〈◊〉 beyond all opposition and gainsaying and sit down in silence under the Authority of it and let it settle upon thy soul neither question it any more nor hear any thing against it when it hath been heard formerly so fully scanned and determined upon such undeniable grounds Shut the door against the appearance of any sinful shifts admit no conference with carnal reason any further Say that coast is cleer that case is

world The 〈◊〉 abilities of wit and learning the nobility of birth the priviledg of our place and state The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whol course of carnal excellency he chooseth the 〈◊〉 to confound the wise the weak to confound the mighty base things that are not to bring to nought things things that are nothing of any probability or possibility in an ordinary way that might have attained any good being wholly set against it nothing of ingenuity or moderation or common 〈◊〉 but when they grow desperatly wicked yet then the Lord doth good that no flesh may glory in his presence that it is not in your wealth or parts or endeavours or outward pomp behold these poor base creatures base in their condition and yet more base in their carriage scant worse in the bottom of Hel yet these are called Oh how wil it confound the wise to see the foolish of the world brought to the knowledg of Christ when they never knew the things belonging to their peace how wil it confound the Civilian and subtil hypocrite who had painted over his profession with appearance of Godliness to see a prophane wretch whose leudness time was when he loathed as though his person were not fit to be looked on yet now pulled out of his sink and dunghil made a glorious saint in heaven when he shal be cast out amongst dogs So the Prophet Ezek. 16. last Look we at the Work it self There is also a depth of infinite wisdom in this Dispensation to bring that about in many hearts and that by this means and that with most success the Lord suffers many to go to a great excess of sin before he laies hold upon them or seems to take them to task that the grossness of the evils might make way for their more easie conviction and so for the entry of the Word upon their souls and their subjection to the power and evidence thereof Men or Hypocrites of a smooth refined carriage when they carry a conformity in their course to the waies of Godliness and have strength of carnal reason to make the best of an unblameable life it 's hard for any to come within them either to pass a Sentence of their present condition because love hopes the best when it can bring no evidence of the contrary evil much less to perswade their estate is unsafe and not sincere but when the Lord lets loose Satan or some loathsom lusts upon them that they become scandalous and notoriously 〈◊〉 and their 〈◊〉 appears in their fore-heads then they yield to go out of the Camp and confess they are unclean As the Physitian when he would cure the cold Palsey he is content to cast his Patient into a burning Feaver because he can tel how to come the better to the Cure So here our Savior wisheth Rev. 3. 17. I would thou wert either hot or cold because then he could tel how to deal with her if either truly good he would encourage if openly naught he would then convince her he knew how to apply the means and she would be content to receive it bu when she conceives her self rich she wil receive nothing wise she wil hear nothing So I have known some in experience that would take it in indignation that any should question their Grace until the Lord left them to some foul fals gross cozenage scandalous drunkenness c. that hath made them go deeper c. The 〈◊〉 operation of the Word the breaking and so converting the heart of a sinner depends not upon any preparation a man can work in himself or any thing he can do in his corrupt estate for the attaining of life and Salvation For had the Lord expected the good use of a mans free wil in the imployment and exercise of the works of civility and outward moral behavior had he looked for the husbanding of the stock of those moral abilities which are left in corrupt nature or 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of providence in the restrainning strokes of common grace or had the Lord stayed until these 〈◊〉 had either valued the worth of the Apostles and their administrations and painfully improved the advantages of the means of grace and 〈◊〉 now brought home to their dores or brought a teachableness of spirit to the ordinances If either the preparation and saving conversion of the souls of men had depended upon any such emprovement of themselves it 's certain they had not now been made broken-hearted sinners or savingly brought unto the Lord and for ought any man can tel had never attained it But when cross to the course of humanity they mocked and scorned both 〈◊〉 persons message of the Apostles contrary to truth they cast reproaches and contumelious contempt upon them 〈◊〉 men are ful of new wine nay when they were carried with professed opposition malignant enmity against their persons and dispensations yet now the Lord presseth in upon them by the prevailing power of his spirit and word and doth good to them when they set themselves by al the policy and rage they could to oppose the work of the Lord and their own everlasting welfare clear it is therefore that this spiritual dispensation of breaking or calling of them home depends not upon any preparation which was done nor any performances al which for the present were professedly opposite to their own welfare but meerly upon the power and good pleasure of the Lord and the work of his spirit which he puts forth when it seems best unto himself it s not in him that wills or runs sayes the Apostle he puts both together and denies success unto both that so he may take off al the cavils that could be made or indeed pretended For had it been said the means were powerful and in a plentiful manner bestowed but men would not do what they might and ought may be there was a slight 〈◊〉 some powerless wishing but there wanted the strength of endeavor behould he excludes both It 's not him that wils only nay let him run for it put to the best of his abilities that wil not do the deed It 's not there but in the good pleasure of him that shewes mercy Rom. 9. 17. And hence it is that the very spirit of bondage terror and astonishment and sensible troubles of heart which many times wicked men that fal finally short of saying grace yet attain in some measure or degree even that is beyond the reach of a mans own power Wee have not received the spirit of bondage to fear Rom. 8. 15. even that is a gift and must be received and is dispensed freely al that a natural man can do cannot cal for his old terrors and troubles which out of his sensuality he hath devised wayes to wear out unless the Lord wil set them on by his hand And hence the Apostle makes the exception so general to Timothy 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling not according

honor of his justice and to save thy soul thou sinful rebel Nay he can tel how best to provide most for his own glory when he pardons most sins I beseech thee pardon my sins for they are many Psal. 25. 11. He lets the power of darkness proceed to its ful strength that the power of his exceeding mercy might shew it self in delivering from the nethermost hell He gives sin advantage that it might do its worst and raign unto death that so his grace might raign over sin death unto eternal life According to the soveraignty of his wil whereby he subdues al things to himself Eph. 3. last and here thou mayest yet feel firm bottom to bear up thy fainting heart from sinking down into everlasting discouragement Thus you see the compass of this encouragement which issues from Gods free grace But least some proud flesh should arise by this healing preservative if it should heal too fast to keep thee under this encouragement and yet to keep thee from presumption take these Cautions It 's possible God may do thee good notwithstanding all indispositions and oppositions But know 〈◊〉 for certain he never will do it but in his own way If he save thee he wil humble thee if he pardon that guilty soul and Conscience of thine he wil pierce both to the quick there is not a possibility he should save thy soul 〈◊〉 thy sin also set it down for an undenyable conclusion I cannot have my stubborn and rebellious heart and have any hope that ever I shal have either Grace or Mercy If thou wilt sin that mercy may abound as the Apostle brings in the sons of Belial speaking Rom. 6. 1. thou mayest have thy sin but upon these terms thou shalt never have mercy Either expect that God should take away thy sin or else never expect he should prevent thy ruin When the Lord lets in some light to discover the loathsomness of thy corrupt Nature and begins to grapple with thy Conscience so that thou stand'st convinced of the vileness of thine own waies the worth and excellency of his Grace when God hath thee upon the Anvil and under the Hammer to break thee in the fire to melt thee 〈◊〉 fear fear lest thou should'st make an escape from under the hand of the Lord and fall back again to the old base course it 's a dreadful suspicion of Gods direful displeasure lest either the Lord wil cease to do thee any further good or give thee up to those hellish departures that thou shouldest make thy self everlastingly uncapable of mercy 1. It 's a sore suspicion that the Lord purposeth to leave striving and to meddle with thee no more when the Lord suffers thee to wind away from under the power of the means which formerly thou wert subject to It 's Gods usual manner to make such unexcusable and never make them good that they might go self-condemned and so go to Hell It 's that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 which he makes a Symptom of the out-cast condition of the Jews that they were dross Jer. 〈◊〉 30. Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them How proves he that Verse 29. The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away To this purpose is that of our Savior when he had long striven with the rebellious Jews clocked to them as a Hen to her Chickens and would have gathered them under the wing of his saving Providence by the preaching of the Gospel and ye nothing would prevayl they would drive Christ out of their sight and he smites them with a plague answerable Math 23. 2 last ver ye shal see me no more until ye shal say blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. And this his word hath taken hold upon them unto 〈◊〉 day the poor forlorn Jewes have not had a sight of Christ this sixteen hundred yeers scriptures they have prophecyes promises yea they have the Gospel while they 〈◊〉 the Gospel for so the Apostle Gal. 3. The Gospel was preached to Abriaham saying in thy seed shal al the Nations of the earth be blessed they see al this but the vayl is over their eyes they see no Christ in promises ordinances and therefore no salvation leaving secret things to God So it befals many falshearted Apostates when God hath had them in the fire and they come out too hastily from horror and humiliations before half melted It s a great adventure they never come to Christ but wanse away in a powerless kinde of formality and content 〈◊〉 with the enjoyment of some outward priviledges and ordinances and names of profession they have the scriptures and ordinances but never see a Christ in any of them nor wil the Lord look upon them nor once speak to them when he passeth by but let them live and perish as heartless Christless men Thus our savior dealt with his people in former times when he had sent the spyes into the Land of Canaan Heb. 3. 18. Numb 14. 23. and they returned convinced by their own experience of the goodness of the land as flowing with milk and honey and out of a slothful cowardice because there were iron Charrets and walled cities and mighty Giants they withdrew the duty and Gods charge and disheartened also the people the text sayes the Lord sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest When God swears it shewes his purpose is unchangable and his execution wil not be altered Canaan is a type of the Kingdom of grace and so of Glory when the Lord let in some evidence of the excellency thereof and the heart cannot but acknowledg it 〈◊〉 leaves off rather than it wil take the paynes to grapple with those Giant-like corruptions that iron and 〈◊〉 hardness of heart why shouldest not thou fear least God should swear thou shalt never enter into his rest thou shouldest never find the power of the death of Jesus in killing the body of death so that thou shouldest cease from thine own works and from the sinful distempers of thy corrupt heart Fear again lest the Lord give thee up to thy old distempers that thou should'st make thy self everlastingly uncapable of any good and sin that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost When thou goest against those Convictions of thy Conscience those tasts of approbation which somtimes thy heart took in the good Word and waies of God for by this back-sliding thou art in the ready way to run upon that rock This was that which helped Paul the possibility of mercy 1 Tim. 1. 14. But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly it was his zeal that he persecuted the Church i. e. his blind zeal but should he have done so against the Dictates of his Conscience and the evidence of Truth in his own heart he could hardly have seen a way for mercy So the Apostle to the

Hebrews 6. 8. The Earth that often drinketh in the rain and yet brings forth thorns and 〈◊〉 is nigh is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned The rain is the Word heard understood embraced acknowledged and yet have their malicious venemous conspiracies against the Gospel of God and Saints of Christ and that in 〈◊〉 like thorns under the leaves like bryars under pretence of moderation and humility can scratch bitterly it 's a heavy suspicion their end wil be burning Take heed thou content not thy self in thy rebellious condition for upon this supposition that thou wilt have this thou puttest thy self out of any possibility of good goest against Gods Order Course and Covenant and the whol Work of Redemption Christ comes to bless his by turning them away from their sins Acts 3. last and therefore when the Lord comes to hale thee out of thy sins take heed thou dost not go from under Gods strivings lest he strive with thee no more EXHORTATION We have hence special motives to quicken the desires and provoke the endeavors of the most carnal minded men in the world to attend with all the care and diligence they may upon the means of Grace But you wil tel us It is not in our Preparations Performances and Improvements that our Spiritual good depends there is nothing we can do can procure it it depends wholly upon the good pleasure of the Lord Why then should we trouble our selves to endeavor any thing I Answer The Inference is the quite contrary way All is in God and his good pleasure attend therefore upon him in his own means that thou mayest receive al from him If a man should reason thus I can do nothing for my self therefore I wil take a course that no man shall do any thing for me it were not a weakness but a kind of madness but rather in common sence a man would be provoked to press his own heart thus I can do nothing of my self therefore I must attend upon God in those means which he useth to do for all those he useth to do good unto So the Disciples to our Savior when he would arm them against his departure Will ye also go away John 6. 68. They answer Lord whither should we go thou only hast the words of eternal life Christ only can humble and convert Christ only hath peace and pardon therefore only go to him We are so wise for our bodies where one is most like to speed every man is most willing to go especially considering as nothing can purchase his favor 〈◊〉 nothing can 〈◊〉 the expression of his good pleasure when he wil go therefore what ever thy condition is When thou art at the weakest here is supply As he said Why stand you gazing fainting and famishing get ye into Egypt for Corn that we may live and not die though thou livest in the height of the perversness of thy heart in the out-rage of thy rebellion though thou carriest a scornful contemptuous spirit with thee yet go who knows when is Gods time what he may do bring your own souls your rebellious Servants and disobedient Children fall down at the foot of Christ in his Ordinances and say Here are a company of Hellish Traitrous hearts which bring proud stubborn scornful rebellious distempers like so many bloody weapons even to wound thy good Majesty withal Oh pluck these weapons out of our hands these treasons out of our hearts that would pluck us to thee and so to destruction As we cannot deserve any thing so our wretchedness cannot hinder thy Work And because thou knowest not the season of mercy take al seasons thou knowest not what time God may or wil work because it is in his own pleasure therefore attend upon him at al times 2. Tim. 2. 25. Proving if at any time God will give thee Repentance Attend upon him in all Ordinances because it is in his pleasure to breath in which he wil and to bless which he wil for thy Spiritual Comfort Sow thy Seed in the morning and in the evening because thou knowest not which may prosper this or that Eccles. 11. 6. Thou knowest not whether Prayer or Meditation or Reading wil prosper and which of these or any other Ordinance God wil bless for the saving good of thy soul. When thou findest the Lord stirring moving enabling and working in thee move thou and work thou also As the Marriner when he finds the gale coming any way he tacks about 〈◊〉 way to take the advantage God was tampering with the heart of Agrippa it was at a ha now a ha Thou hast almost perswaded me to become a Christian saies he to Paul Acts 26. 28. Ah what a pity was it he should fal back again It 's matter os wonderment able to swallow up the heart of a sinner with the everlasting admiration of this 〈◊〉 unmatchable kindness of the Lord. Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardonest iniquity and passest by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he 〈◊〉 in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea You that have tasted how good the Lord is and found this Truth made good in your own hearts by your own experience as Paul was wont to recount his course I was a persecuter blasphemous and injurious but I obtained mercy I doubt not but many of you may say if ever there was a Fiend in Hell or a Rebel upon Earth I was one an opposer of the Gospel a despiser of the means of Grace a hater of the holy waies of the Lord and his servants that walk therein yet then God did me good when I desired and 〈◊〉 my own hurt Get ye homeye blessed Saints and in the secret of your Closets cal Heaven and Earth together and leave these compassions upon Record Say the time was this carnal mind of mine plotted my wretched 〈◊〉 and mine own ruin but then the Lord prevented both I opposed 〈◊〉 entreaties and he yet pursued me and would take no 〈◊〉 he called after me wept over me Turn ye turn ye why will you die I provoked him he pitied me I resisted him he imbraced me I said I would have none of him nor his Grace he said he would have no denial I resolved to walk on in the frowardness of mine own 〈◊〉 and to perish in the despight of al means and he would and did shew me mercy in the despight of the pride and rebellion of this heart or else I had never seen this day nor never had hope to see his face in glory Be astonished and confounded at this O ye Devils and come down ye blessed Angels from Heaven and magnifie this mercy Leave this in your last will and testament to your little ones O ye Fathers leave

conceive much less endure First Thy Case to common Reason leaving secret things to God seems past cure it 's a great suspicion the day of Grace is over the date of mercy past the period of Gods Patience come to an end all means have been used and conclusions tryed with thee the invincible stiffness of thy Spirit hath won the day thou hast tried Masteries with all means Law and Gospel Promises 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the unconquerable hardness of thy heart hath out-bid all Dispensations thou art Cannon proof Law proof Gospel proof Threatning proof there is no other means of good in Heaven or Earth and thou art worse by them all which are provided to better others and have so done without means thou hast no reason to think that God wil work and thou hast had the try al of al and thou art beyond 〈◊〉 in thy stifness and therefore beyond all helps in an ordinary way Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved 〈◊〉 his heart shall be destroyed and that without remedy he that casts away the salve that should cure him spils the Physick that should recover him casts away the meat that should nourish him how should he be either cured or supported There are no Commands that awe no Promises perswade no Terrors awaken then there is no Remedy He must be deluded that opposeth the Wisdom that only can guide him he must be cursed that resists the mercy that only can save him he must be damned that 〈◊〉 upon the blood of Jesus that only would redeem him there is no other Remedy no other Name but the Name of Jesus wherby men must be saved Acts 4. 12. Nay not only means fail him but God himself seems to forsake Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man He hath striven by his Terrors by his Mercies striven and laid hold upon thee by heart-breaking 〈◊〉 Turn ye why will ye die turn ye and cause others to return and so iniquity shall not be your ruin Ezek. 33. 11. Oh that there were such a heart in them to fear me alwaies that it might be well with them Deut. 5. 29. but thou hast wound away from Gods hand and forsaken him and he hath forsaken thee there is Word and Promises but no God in them Terrors and 〈◊〉 but no God in them Thou art without God and art thou not then without hope When the throws of a travelling Woman leave her her life leaves her So here It 's said of a company of Despisers of Christ That they 〈◊〉 him again unto themselves Heb. 6. 6. When they resist one Christ and resist that Salvation that hath been offered either they must have another Christ or he anew crucified if ever they be saved So there must be a new Christ and new Scriptures before such miserable wretches can be relieved the Blood of Jesus the Spirit and Promises of Jesus Grace and Salvation hath been tendered to these stubborn-hearted and they have opposed and cast all away either there must be another Christ or he must die again All the Commands and Comforts in the Word all the Rules and Directions 〈◊〉 and Counsels have been used and tryed without any profit and prevailing power therefore there must be another Covenant 〈◊〉 and Scriptures if thou beest saved that 's incredible therefore the other impossible 〈◊〉 can ye escape that neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 2. I appeal to your selves You will go from the Law to the Gospel from justice to mercy but whither wil you go when you have departed away from mercy and mercy is departed away from you Thy judgment hastens thou canst not not escape it nor prevent it and truly it's coming more speedily and suddenly then thou art awar of Thou bringest upon thy self swift destruction though thou sleepest yet thy damnation sleeps not Hebr. 6. 8. the earth that often receives rain from heaven and yet brings forth thorns is near unto cursing look every day that God should curse al thy comforts thy out-goings and thy in-comings Prov. 28. 14. He that bardens his heart fals into mischief fals into it and is overwhelmed with it al of a sudden he may fal into any tempration he opposeth that counsel that should preserve him falls into sins he casts away that grace and resists that spirit that should strengthen him nay being past feeling such a one wil run to commit al wickedness with greediness Eph. 4. 19. Hell and Divills and 〈◊〉 are let loose upon such the light of nature evidence of reason dictates of of Conscence authority of the law terrors of judgments intreaties of mercies the hard heart hath cast away al these and therefore rusheth into what evil comes next against Conscience command reason sence nature men put of the principles not of humanity but of sence and become more base than the beasts themselves do that which beasts wil not do and morality is ashamed to speak As the ship when the anchors are broke and cable cut and a mighty tempest arises she is wholly left to the rage of wind and weather When men harden their hearts God swears they shal never enter into his rest Hebr. 3. last Ground of COMFORT to support the sincking spirits of broken hearted sinners when they seem to faint under the fierce displeasure of the Almighty and to be 〈◊〉 with the unsupportable weight of the wickedness of their own souls which they are neither able to avoid nor 〈◊〉 to undergo Here hence is matter of sound refreshing both to the parties that are the patients and bear 〈◊〉 bitterness and burden of their sorrow to their friends who as spectators do mourn with them and are affected with a fellow feeling of the evil of that which they find experimentally let me speak a word severally to them both Know therefore to thy comfort thou distressed soul this sorrow and anguish which now oppresseth thee it s not unto death nay it s the onely way and means to deliver from death from the death of sin and that security in which thou lyeft without either sence of thy misery or the least appearance and possibility of deliverance from the death everlasting of thy soul unto which thou wast hastening amain As it is with a dead body when with rubbing chafing and pouring in of hot waters there is some kind of warmth coming and overspreading the parts there is good hope the soul is again returning the man reviving again It s so in this spiritual quickening of a soul dead in sin stone dead stiff insensible of the distempers that lodge within him take possession of the whol frame of the inward man as stif coldness takes possession of a dead body when the Lord begins to affect the sinner und makes throughly sensible with Godly sorrow by rubbing and chafing in of sharp reproofs and passionate exhortations there is a kind of spiritual warmth coming into the soul and certain evidence like a harbenger or immediate

him before the Lord in the use of the Ordinances lay him down before him and tell him what his Case is what a blind mind and what a hard heart he hath and how he is possessed with a Devil of pride and self-willedness and resistance against God and Grace and say It is with thee alone O Lord to work upon him Thus we should use al the Means we can to draw others to Jesus Christ. Here is also a word of Exhortation to the Unconverted such as are not yet Called You are to be entreated That as ever you desire to see the face of God in Christ as ever you desire to gain Evidence of Gods love here and happiness in another world be sure of this That you come under the Call of God This work of drawing is Gods proper work come therefore under his hand when doles are stirring every man goes to that door So here It is not in Man nor in Ordinances that 's true but there God dispenseth it Rom. 1. 16. The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation And if the Lord draw by his Spirit in his Ordinances repair thou to his Ordinances for ever It is the Lord only that makes his Call effectual therefore come under 〈◊〉 Call of his in his Ordinances It is God only that doth this work in us 〈◊〉 us It is not in our power to help our selves therefore better sit still then rise and fall why 〈◊〉 we endeavor that we can never do I do not say thou canst do the work but do 〈◊〉 go to him that can do it Thou sayest thou canst 〈◊〉 go I confess thou canst not as a Christian but 〈◊〉 I exhort unto is Do what thou canst as a man improve those Faculties and Parts and Gifts that 〈◊〉 yet left in thee and come under and keep 〈◊〉 the Call of God God meets his People in the 〈◊〉 of his worship in the use of the Ordinances which he appoints therefore go thou thither to meet with him Thou hast an Ear to hear the word therefore thy feet can carry thee to other places let them carry thee to the house of God that mind and memory of thine can meditate upon other things 〈◊〉 it meditate upon the word and fasten upon the truth and the reasons thereof I do not say thou 〈◊〉 pray so as to please God but pray still who know but God may help thee thou canst confer 〈◊〉 things of no profit and remember idle things of 〈◊〉 worth nay such as leave a taint of Corruption 〈◊〉 Pollution upon thy soul use that mind and 〈◊〉 thoughts and that tongue of thine about the 〈◊〉 of God and Jesus Christ. Thou mayest do this 〈◊〉 shouldest do this Attend further these Two Directions Present thy self before God in the use of 〈◊〉 Means of Grace and when thou art there 〈◊〉 thy own abilities either to do good to thy self or 〈◊〉 receive good from God in al the Means that are appointed for thy good Say therefore Lord it 〈◊〉 not in Man or Means to do any good to my soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart here and be sure thy soul be rightly 〈◊〉 of it And mark what Balaam said Lo I 〈◊〉 come now have I now any power at all to say 〈◊〉 thing Numb 22. 38. So say thou Here 's a 〈◊〉 mind a dead heart a damned soul I live to 〈◊〉 and hear that that thousands desired but never 〈◊〉 but now I am here Lord have I any 〈◊〉 to receive any good from any of the Ordinances 〈◊〉 Lord the work is thine do al for thy Servants 〈◊〉 receive al the Glory from me you think you 〈◊〉 a large understanding to catch the reason of the 〈◊〉 and a strong memory and can recount what 〈◊〉 hear and you go for a right Godly man because 〈◊〉 hear and repeat and profess c. Thou mayest 〈◊〉 al this be utterly destitute of any saving work 〈◊〉 thy soul thou hast the out-side but thou canst 〈◊〉 come at the kernel the sap the sweet the good of the Ordinances therefore say thus I can hear 〈◊〉 Word blessed be thy name and I am able to remember and repeat and to discourse of the things of God but Oh! the power of God to work upon my 〈◊〉 that I want here 's a blind mind and a dead 〈◊〉 a lame heart Lord work upon it and draw 〈◊〉 to thy self and that effectually It was 〈◊〉 speech 2 Chron. Chap. 20. Vers. 12. when 〈◊〉 had Mustered up all the Forces of ISRAEL Yet sayes he We have no strength nor do 〈◊〉 know what to do but our eyes are unto 〈◊〉 So shouldest thou say for thou mayest have 〈◊〉 strength and moral strength but spiritual 〈◊〉 to hear profitably and savingly and to bring 〈◊〉 fruit unto God this is not in any mans power of himself Therefore say it and acknowledge it Lord though I do what I can yet I have no strength 〈◊〉 do I know what to do but mine eyes are unto 〈◊〉 When you are got hither and keep here be sure now not to leave the Ordinances of God before you find some power beyond the power of Ordinances and Man and Means leave them not till you find the almighty power of God working upon your souls As the Woman that labored of the Bloody-issue and had 〈◊〉 al she came and desired Oh! that 〈◊〉 might touch the Hem of the Garment of Christ and she felt in her self she was made whole Mat. 9. 21. 22. Thou knowest the pride and peevishness 〈◊〉 uncleanness of thy Nature the bloody-issues of corruption in thy soul that nor word nor Ordinances could help thee to this day thou hast spent all and done al thou canst do in the use of Means and yet the issue is the proud heart the carnal heart the unclean heart remains still taken aside by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still what will you do now you are in the croud of Means and Helps but say Oh! the Hem of the Garment of Jesus That Vertue and Power may come from Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 work upon this Soul 〈◊〉 mine But how shal I know that Answ. When you see the Ordinance so upon your soul really as you see it in your understanding and judgement when you find it in the work of it upon your heart as you apprehend it in the letter of it And 〈◊〉 you shal 〈◊〉 the work really done and your heart bowed and loosened from those base Distempers you never touch Jesus Christ until you find it so Therefore as the Widdow whose Child was dead when Elisha sent his Servant she was not contented with that but sayes As the Lord lives and 〈◊〉 thy soul 〈◊〉 I will not leave thee 2 Kings 4. 30. The man came and the staffe was laid but 〈◊〉 Child was dead till the Prophet came and the power of God came along with him and then 〈◊〉 Child arose Let me leave this upon Record for ever amongst you This effectual drawing and quickning of the

heart is the alone work of God It is not in him that Wills nor in him that Runs 〈◊〉 in God that shews Mercy You know many of you hundreds for ought I know that you never knew what Christ and his Grace meant and you know your hearts close with your sins though you dare not give way to them Now mark when you come and hear the mind of God and the Ministers speak unto you and the Will of God is published Oh! Go your wayes home and say As the Lord lives I will not leave thee until the Lord hath spoken to my soul till I find the effectual work of the Word and Spirit of God drawing my soul from my sins to Jesus Christ. Therefore call for that same shewing Mercy which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that wills nor of him that runs but of God that sheweth mercy When you have run what you can and willed what you are able then look up to the Lord to shew you Mercy the Minister hath spoken what he can and I have heard what I can but Lord shew Mercy and never leave until you have found that the Lord hath shewed you Mercy in this work of drawing your Soul from Sin to Christ. FINIS THE Application OF Redemption By the Effectual Work of the Word and Spirt of Christ for the bringing home of lost Sinners to God The Ninth and Tenth Books Beside many other seasonable and Soul-searching Truths there is also largely shewed ●●The heart must be humble and contrite before the Lord will dwell in it ●●Stubborn and bloody Sinners may be made broken-hearted ●●There must be true sight of sin before the heart can be broken for it ●●Application of special sins by the Ministry is a means to bring men to sight of and sorrow for them ●●Meditation of sin a special means to break the heart ●●The same word is profitable to some not to others ●●The Lord somtimes makes the word prevail most when its most opposed ●●Sins unrepented of makes way for piercing Terrors ●●The Truth terrible to a guilty conscience ●●●Gross and scandalous sinners God usually exerciseth with heavy breakings of heart before they be brought to Christ. 11. Sorrow for sin rightly set on pierceth the heart of the sinner throughly 12. They whose hearts are pierced by the word are carried with love and respect to the Ministers of it And are busie to enquire and ready to submit to the mind of God 13. Sinners in distress of conscience are ignorant what they should do 14. A contrite sinner sees a necessity of coming out of his sinful condition 15. There is a secret hope wherewith the Lord supports the hearts of contrite sinners 16. They who are truly pierced for their sins do prize and covet deliverance from their sins 17. True contrition is accompanied with confession of sin when God calls thereunto 18. The Soul that is pierced for sin is carried with a restless dislike against it By that Faithful and known Servant of Christ Mr. THOMAS HOOKER late Pastor of the Church at Hartford in New-England somtimes Preacher of the Word at Chelmsford in Essex and Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg Printed from the Authors Papers written with his own Hand And attested to be such in an Epistle By Thomas Goodwin And Philip Nye London Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1657. READER IT hath been one of the Glories of the Protestant Religion that it revived the Doctrine of Saving Conversion And of the new creature brought forth thereby Concerning which and the necessity thereof we find so much indigitated by Christ and the Apostles in their Epistles in those times But in a more eminent manner God hath cast the honor hereof upon the Ministers and Preachers of this Nation who are renowned abroad for their more accurate search into and discoveries hereof First For the Popish Religion that much pretend to Piety and Devotion and doth dress forth a Religion to a great outward Gaudiness and shew of 〈◊〉 and wil-worship which we confess is entermingled with many spiritual strains of self-denial Submission to Gods wil Love to God and Christ especially in the writings of those that are called Mistical 〈◊〉 But that first great and saving Work of Conversion which is the foundation of al true piety the great and numerous volumns of their most devout writers are usually silent therein Yea they eminently appropriate the word Conversion and thing it self unto 〈◊〉 man that renounceth a Secular life and entereth into Religious orders as they cal them and that Doctrine they have in their discourses of Grace and free wil about it is of no higher elevation than what as worthy Mr. Perkins long since may be common to a Reprobate though we judg not al amongst them God having continued in the midst of Popish Darkness many to this day and at this day with more Contention than ever that plead for the Prerogative of Gods Grace in mans Conversion And for the Arminian Doctrine how low doth that run in this great Article this we may without breach of Charity say of it That if they or their followers have no further or deeper work upon their hearts than what their Doctrine in that point calls for they would fal short of Heaven though those other great truths they together therewith teach God may and doth savingly bless unto true Conversion he breaking through those Errors into some of their hearts And how much our reformed Writers abroad living in continual wranglings and Disputes with the Adversaries of Grace have omitted in a Practical and Experimental way to lay open and anatomize the inwards of this great work for the Comfort and settlement of poor souls many of themselves do greatly bewayl And to find them work and divert them from this it hath been the Devils great Policy who is at the head of all those Controversies as also ever since Pelagius time to this very day to make that dry and barren plot of Ground namely the naked dispute of the freedom of mans wil to be the great seat of this War as the Pope did the Conquest of the Holy Land in the darker times to find al Christian Princes work and thither to draw al the forces and intentions of mens minds jejunely in a great part Phylosophically to debate what power mans wil for-sooth hath in the Summity and Apex of Conversion to resist or to accept the Grace of God and so whether Moral perswasions only be not Sufficient or that Physical Pre-determinations be not also requisite to Conversion whilest in the mean time al those intimate actings of a soul in turning to God The secret particular passages both on Gods part and on the souls part which are many and various by which the soul is won over unto God and Christ those treaties the souls of men hold with God and Christ for justifying and