see the glory of that calling 2. To magnifie the preaching of the word 3 To prefer Christs spiritual presence in the word and Sacraments and are hence taught all of us first To magnifie the preaching yea also the faithfull Preachers of the Gospel though they be men like to our selves and of like infirmities as instruments of Gods power in the conversion and saving of soules as also secondly not curiously to wish or dreame of Christs bodily presence either by conversiing on earth againe as do the Chiliasts or to thinke he cannot be effectually present in the Sacrament unlesse corporally either by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation No his spirituall presence both in Word and Sacrament by his blessing is more profitable to us c. 2 Cor. 5.16 SECT 3. Why mens conversion is often so long delayed Question 2. Why doth God often defer the conversion of men Quest WHy doth God so long deferre the conversion of his Elect and suffer them to go on so long in sinne before they come to faith and true repentance Answer 1. For his own glory Answ I answer This he doth first for his own glory For the glory 1. Of his power first of his power in so easily subduing the obstinacy of mans will which hath so long hardened it selfe in sinne which will appear wonderfully in the conversion of the Jewes And so he sheweth it is only in his will not in mans will that men are converted otherwise it is most likely that these converts in my text should have repented when Christ preached to them himselfe Secondly of his Freedome and to shew his Spirit is not tied to persons 2 Freedom nor times but like the wind blows and workes freely when and how it listeth Joh. 3 8. Thirdly and especially of his mercy 3 Patience his long-suffering and patience which is more resplendent in and toward such See 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Rom. 11.30 31 32. Answer 2. For their humiliation 2 God thus often doth for the deeper humiliation of such Converts as 1 Tim. 1.15 16 17. And that they might have their mouthes for ever stopped See Rom. 3.19 20 c. 25. Vse 1 Vse 1. It refutes the conceit of such as think it in their power to repent when they will To refute mens practice And to confute the opinion of such as thinke men may accept or reject grace at their pleasure who accordingly deferre repentance upon presumption that at more couvenient time they will convert and return to God Yea it confutes the opinion of such as think the power to accept or reject grace is in themselves Indeed I may say the power to reject grace is in them when God leaves them to themselves as often as he doth leave these presumers otherwise not as in these Jewes But I cannot say that to accept of grace is in mans power till God work it effectually in him though even then for the subject it be man that doth accept of it onely the power yea and will nay the deed and work is from God and his effectuall grace No means prove effectuall or availeable till Gods appointed time doe come no not the preaching of Christ himself why else were these why we no sooner converted why are not the Jewes to this day as yet converted and many of us who have lived long under the means not at all Vse 2 2. This yet teacheth us not to despair of any sinners conversion in this life To despair of no mans conversion here on earth God suffers many long yea some till the very last as the Thiefe on the Crosse and then and not till then shewes them mercy seeking or intending his own glory by that means Thus we doubt not neither question the conversion of the Jewes in Gods fit time we have his promise and he can and will in his own time graffe them in again Rom. 11.23 And we conclude the like concerning such particular persons among our selves as he within himself purposeth to call though we have it not made known unto us who they are therefore we will despaire of none while they live Vse 3 Not to neglect the present time 3. It may yet excite all not to neglect Gods time so farre as we know it or any opportunity of hearing the word by which God converts There is greatest likelihood of conversion where the word is preached for now in the time of the Gospel is the accepted time and day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Other times God may winke at as he pleaseth Act 17.30 but now he commandeth all men every where to repent Know we then our time which is the present and leave we the rest to God Let us take the first next or rather the present opportunity step we in when and so soon as we see the waters troubled John 5.4 which being but at a certain season let us not lose the opportunity seeing there is much time in a little opportunity Luk. 19.42 34. Oh that we would but know then the time of our visitation which many or most of the Jewes did not know though these here in my text did Oh that young men would know that their best and fittest time now that they enjoy the Gospel is the time of their youth Eccles 12.1 That such as have lost so much time of the Gospel and of their age would now at length know the time Rom. 13.11.12 that now it is hight time for them to awake out of sleep The night is far spent the day is at hand said Paul to the Romans but I may say to many Christians among us The day is far spent with them and the night is at hand the night of the Gospells removall from us or at least of death Verse 13. Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and put on the Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 19.13 Revel 1.1 23. Pro 1.14.10 28 Let us know also that there is a time when God will shew no mercy when he will leave men in their hardnesse In a word a period of his patience when no prayers will be heard Vse 4 4 If any have been late commers in as these here who neglected Christs preaching a long time For late commers in 2 Cor. 7.11 Acts 2.41 42 45. let us learne with the Corinthians to be more zealous and of these here likewise who continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and conversed devoutly and charitably together selling their possessions and goods parting them to others in the zeale of their love as every man had need To redeeme their time by greater zeale Let us think how much time we have lost how long we have done service to our lusts and to Satan how far we are cast behinde others how much holy knowledge and good experience we might have gained if our time had been better spent how much glory we might have brought to God and withall how
them for speciall ends for some some longer while so that till they see and apprehend some beams of his goodnesse and mercy thorow such thick clouds as stand between them and him they can finde comfort in no earthly thing they cannot frame to their company to laugh or to be merry with them nay it may be and that they seem to neglect others and themselves too they so deeply apprehend their condition under wrath and so intensively and wholly and onely seek after some sense of Gods love and mercy that they neither can be sociable with others no nor yet for the while minde the works of their particular callings and sometimes scarce their necessary food or sleep But what shall we in such case uncharitably and unmercifully censure judge and condemn them shall we disdain cast them off despise and contemn them God forbid 1 Such as have been in like case must 1 For such as have themselves at any time been in like condition and have received comfort I hope they are taught and it will be expected from them that they First shew pity and compassion to such distressed souls seeing none can do that better then such as have had experience of the like in themselves by Christs example to themselves as having tasted of Christs compassion towards them who being in all points tempted like as wee are yet without sin is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.25 2.17 18. For so in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high-Priest For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 2 That they in pity and compassion 2 Mourn with them do mourn with them and for them that God may according to his promise restore comforts to them and to their mourners Isa 57.18 Thirdly That they by good and comfortable words seek to comfort them which are in any trouble 3 Comfort them by the comfort wherewith they themselves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Fourthly 4 Pray for them That at least they pray for them to him who is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort when especially they cannot otherwise afford them any help as is done commonly when we see others in great extremities and in danger of drowning or perishing otherwise or in extream pain as of childe-bearing and the like 2 So should all others 1 Pity them 2. All others are also taught First To pity if pity may be expected from them those they see to be dejected troubled in conscience and groaning under Gods hand Howsoever their case is pitious and cals for pity at all hands their case being pitious seeing it is some comfort to distressed souls to be pitied by such as have no power to help them It is such comfort as Job wanted when he cryed out for and craved pity Have pity upon mee have pity upon mee O yee my friends for the hand of God hath touched mee Why do ye persecute mee as God Job 19.21 22. and David or rather Christ Psalm 69.20 Secondly Far be it then for any in stead of shewin pity to persecute condemn 2 Not persecute censure them and censure for hypocrites or otherwise those whom they see to labour under the burthen of inward and spirituall affliction or reproach them or of Gods displeasure So Job's pretended friends dealt with him which made him complain so of their cruelty saying as yet is done How long will yee vex my soul and break me in pieces with words These ten times have ye reproached me as to Job so you are not ashamed that you make your selves strange to mee or that you harden your selves against me Job 2.3 It is matter indeed of shame to be ashamed of the afflictions and sorrows of Gods people or otherwise to reproach them to cast shame on them or to become strange unto them whereof David so complaineth adding When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting to David that was to my reproach I made sack-cloth also my garment and I became a Proverb to them They that sit in the gate speak against me and I was the song of the drunkards Psal 69.7 8 9 10 11 12. Thus it is indeed with men pricked in heart and humbled in soul under Gods hand that profane and wicked men and others in all ages of all sorts and ranks look on them as on monsters wondering that they run not with them as formerly to the same excesse of riot therefore speaking evill of them 1 Pet. 4.4 Therefore the holy Prophet and Psalmist poureth out his complaint before the Lord for he had none else to pity him in this manner My heart is smitten and withered like grasse so that I forget to eat my bread By reason of the voyce of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin I am like a Pelican of the wildernesse I am like an Owl of the desert I watch and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top Mine enemies reproach me all the day and they that are mad against me are sworn against me Psalm 102.4 5 6 7 8. and in our own times Thus we see and in experience finde that if any being struck and savingly wounded in spirit by God withdraw himself into his closet sit alone and keep silence and go heavily and walk mournfully under Gods hand he is made a wonder and becomes as an Owl of the desert every one is ready to reproach him and censure him as a desperate person a fool as one newly gone mad and not himself and so care not what reproach they lay upon him jeering and upbraiding them with their much and often hearing of Gods word saying in effect I hope you have enough now of hearing and of following precise teachers and running after Sermons have ye not And thus their forwardnesse in good duties shall be objected and good souls they shall be upbraided therewith and in stead of being pitied prayed for and comforted they shall be censured as distracted out of their wits as sullen peevish and perverse people not fit to live in civill company able to mar all whom they shall converse withall The doom of such censurers 1 They are without mercy Now concerning such censurers scoffers and upbraiders of humbled and dejected Christians I must let them know from God that First They are men without mercy without humanity and naturall affection which would teach to sympathize and condole one with another The good man is merciful even to his beast and the Lord would have all men to shew like mercy even to other men yea their very enemies beasts Thou shalt not saith the Lord see thy brothers Asses Deut. 22.4 Exod. 23.5 the Asse of him that hateth thee or his Ox fall down by the way and hide thy self from them thou shalt surely help
little time may seeme to be left unto us and accordingly labour and see that what we want in time we may redeeme by our zeale that as Peter directs 1 Pet. 4.2 3. we should live no longer the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God That the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles Especially considering our many sinnes so long continued in and the great dishonours done to his name thereby together with the greatnesse of Gods love in pardoning and receiving us at length to mercy Let this enflame our love and zeale to him let this love of God constrain us and teach us to love him much Luke 7.47 with that repenting woman that is zealously because much or many sinnes are forgiven us Vse 5 5 Lastly Let this teach us all now living in this our Nation to admire Gods goodnesse to us and ours To be thankful for being kept to these blessed times yea to all converted or not converted and to be thankfull that God at length hath had mercy on us and reserved us to these blessed times of the Gospel and peace withall 1 Tim 1.17 Rom. 11.30 33. c. Let us make use of this blessed time or otherwise this great mercy will turne to our greater condemnation CHAP. 2. Concerning the persons converted their quality number SECT 1. That some devout men need conversion 2 The persons coverted They. For quality 2 THe persons who They When they heard this they were pricked They are not named but onely noted generally and indefinitely first for quality to be some of them devout men vers 5. that is 1. Devout men such as generally acknowledged they expected the Messias promised but knew not neither were convinced that Jesus whom they persecuted and put to death was he Others to be meere scoffers and deriders of the Apostles vers 13. however generally to be such as by wicked hands took crucified and slue the Lord of life verse 23. 36. at least to be impenitent persons unbeleevers and in state of damnation as may be gethered from verse 38 39 40 47. Whence we first observe as concernes those devout men That Note Many devout men stand in need of repentance Ioh. 4.27 Outward profession of Christ devotion and formes of godlinesse are not enough to mens salvation or to make men true Christians Such may and usually doe worship they know not what as the Samaritans Athenians Acts 17.23 as the Jewes to this day who professe Faith in a Messias yet acknowledge him not but serve God as they think and are devout in their kinde Blinde devotion is not to be rested in Yea Papists generally adoring Christs body in the Sacrament which they know not to be present And common Protestants who seem to shew much devotion in frequenting the Church in publick prayers and hymnes and hearing yet rest in the outward performance and take up with the duty done though it be in them only a lip-labour without true knowledge faith humility and obedience 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. as Isa 1.12 66.3 Jer. 7. having only a form of godlinesse but denying the power of it as being still lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then of God without all life of Religion or power of godlinesse standing in as much need of true conversion nay it may be more then open deriders and persecuters of Gods truth and people who will sooner be convinced then they To these I commend the care of attending diligently to the word of God preached in power peradventure with these here they may be wrought upon and be convinced of their sinnes of unbeleefe impenitency yea of hatred of Christ and his people c. as being yet wiâ—h these devout Jewes till now in a damnable condition even as the Pharisees persecuting Christ ignorantly Acts 26. Phil. 3.9 2 Scoffers Secondly As concerning the rest or themselves it may be who some were scoffers all persecuters and crucifiers of Christ we observe from their attentive hearing now and conversion The power and wonderfull efficacy of the word of God faithfully and wisely taught Note The power of Gods word 1 Sam. 19.28 Acts 9.20 preached and applied Here we see how men are changed by it of Wolves made sheep of persecuters true penitents even as King Saul intending to take and kill David fell a prophesying and was changed or as that other Saul hastening to persecute the Church by Christs voyce was made a preaching Paul or as those stout Souldiers who were sent to apprehend Christ Joh. 7.45 46 47. But of this anon when we speake of the act of hearing as also the duty of good hearers SECT 2. God freely singles out some of many of whom his Church consists 2 They for number 1 Many And those of all sorts of men 2 THey are noted from their number or quality discrete to be of the multitude verse 6. and those of every nation under heaven vers 5. Parthians and Medes c. vers 9.10 11. they were both of Israel and Judah who by Gods providence were gathered together to that gerat feast of Pentecost out of all nations or who dwelt in Jerusalem of these three thousand now and afterwards many more Acts 4.1 2 3 4 were converted by the Apostles preaching Whereby might seeme in part at least fulfilled the prophesie and type concerning the two sticks VVho make one Church for Judah and for Joseph joyned together Ezek. 37.16 17 19 20 21 c. noting that the effectuall calling of Jewes and Israelites as also Gentiles and their union in Christ or in the hand of the Lord Christ being the Fathers hand and arm whereby they became one Kingdom under Christ or David their King partaking of the same benefits by vertue of the communion of Saints as in the following verses in Ezekiel may be seen So that there is but one only Catholick Church not many and Christ the onely King Pastour and Head thereof 2 Yet not all having no generall Vicar here on earth Now to this Communion none belongs or yet truly come but such as the Father drawes who though here they are many yet all that heard beleeved not they were but some of the whole multitude who received the word gladly vers 41. yet those were gathered out of all sorts without difference of sex age calling countrey and nation or condition And this notes the Freenesse of Gods grace As he excepts not any one sort or calling of men so hee by effectuall calling Note The Freenesse of of Gods grace in singling out some from among all 2 Thes 2.12 13. singles out from the universality of men and sinners and adds to his Church such as shall be saved as here verse 47. Who are those Onely such as he hath elcted from eternity unto salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beleef of
thee a fisher of men or thou shalt catch live men Peter could hardly have expected to have made such a draught at one Sermon So though we see for the present little fruit of our labour yet we must consider Gods word is powerfull and can when God so pleaseth change yea break and bruise the stoutest heart But howsoever we shall not lose our labour with God Gods word will have its worke and effect some other way to his glory and our comfort See Isa 49.2 3 3 4 5. which is spoken of Christ not onely in his person but in his Ministers and Isa 55.10 2 Cor. 2.15.16 We shall be unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish c. This comforts us again in the weaknesse of our own gifts 2 In the weaknesse of their own gifts to to look to Gods promised assistance so long as we shew our faithfullnesse in that little which we have If God give us a call we must not plead with Moses We are not eloquent Exod. 4.10 11 12. we must and may comfortably expect assistance ability and strength from God as also good successe in our Ministery according to a Promise made to Christ and in him to us Esa 60.4 5 14. 2 Cor. 2.14 Which if we do finde we must return thanks to him which causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place 2. Gods people and hearers generally should not be discouraged too much with the hardnesse of their own hearts 2 To people who complain of hardnesse of heart See 2 Cor. 12.8 9 10. with their forgetfulnesse unfruitfulnesse deadnesse dulnesse so long as they be truly displeased with themselves for these pray heartily to God and strive against them Gods power in the word is such as that it can and will if they wait subdue all these It is perfected in Weaknesse Nay though men were as these here in the Text hard-hearted against Chirst and his word and such as hate him and have long rejected his word and grace we should not despair of them as hath been said neither they of themselves so long as they withdraw not from hearing of Gods faithfull Messengers They may meet with a Peter at one time or other at least Gods power is not shortned now more then formerly Even refractory sinners may be reclaimed Which may encourage and give hope to the greatest sinners when they consider this power of Gods word yea of Gods grace by which they here were savingly pricked and pierced that by their sins pierced Christ yea and indeed crucified him that they through the preaching of the word came to be saved by Christs blood Not to despair either of Gods mercy through the greatnesse of their sins 3 who with wicked hands at least by their votes did shed Christs blood There is hope then for the most rebellious Let none then ascribe so much to their own wickednesse as with Cain to say My sin is greater then can be forgiven but let such in hope of mercy attend diligently on the word humble themselves mightily begge grace earnestly wash throughly not by dipping or by little consideration of sin which may defile us the more as the face or foul cloth lightly touched with water but by soaking and rinsing and bathing our selves in the teares of repentance and hearty prayer to God with David that he would wash them throughly from their iniquity Psal 51.2 Neither let any ascribe so little to Gods power and grace as because they have no power in themselves to subdue this or that corruption in them finding so much heardnesse of heart or weaknesse to withstand temptation to despair of help from God Is either any sin in them or malice of the devill against them so great and strong that these shall be more able to damne them then God to save them This were too injurious to Christ and to themselves As it is too great a discouragement so it argues too much pride if they had more power of their owne they would lesse be beholding to him now that they have none of their own they will as much despair with that unbeleeving Prince 2 Kings 7. of Gods power as of their owne and so deserve to be used in some proportion as hee was even to see mercy given to others as bad as themselves but not to taste of it because of their distrust as it was with Cain also Vse 4 4 Is the word thus powerfull through God To shew forth in our lives the power of the word Why 1. It s else an ill signe of no grace in us Let it be thus powerfull in us who live or have lived long under the Ministery of it It s an ill signe when one feeds constantly on good wholesome and hearty meat and yet with Pharaohs leane Kine looks ill on it gets no strength of body but keeps lean little and weak still And as this is an ill sign to such that Gods Ordinance is accursed to them neither can they have any assurance that they are the children of God begotten by the word when the childrens bread this word of God doth not nourish and strengthen them for all in Gods house are fat and good-liking So secondly 2 It s a disgrace to the Gospel they bring a disgrace upon the word and Gospell of Christ by their power-lesse and fruit-lesse lives and so give occasion for enemies of Religion as Papists and profane Atheists to blaspheme the same and to upbraid Profession because of the loose lives of many Professors Ah beloved I know we what we doe let us take heed of this dishonour done to Christ and his word Our lives should be as Comments on the word or as Wax imprinted with the seale of the word As then there is a power in the word so let there be a power of Godlinesse in our lives and a life of grace and faith in our whole course of life neither let us take up take up with bare formes of godlinesse nor rest in outward performances in heart-lesse live-lesse services 3 Sin else and Satan will be powerfull in us to damnation Let not the name word and Gospel of God be evill spoken of through us Thirdly But if otherwise the word of God in us be not and that through our own default the power of God to our salvation let us look to it lest our own carnall reason lusts and sin become the power of the Devill in us to eternall damnation nay the same very word which now hath no place nor power in the disobedient shall prove a terrible word unto them one day at the power of which heaven and earth shall shake as they do even in this life much more then hereafter when Christ shall come to judge them according to this Word and Gospel in flaming fire 2 Thess 1.8.9 taking
truth to abide with us for ever John 14.16 17. to teach us all things and to bring all things to our remembrance whatsoever he had said unto us This is that Spirit speaking in his word It only must be heard which we are to hear Revel 2.7 11 17 -29. This is the word which we only are to hear Why No Word else will profit us Why In one word No other word will profit us without this no conversion see Jer. 23.21 22 -32. Therefore they i.e. such as God sent not but prophesie false dreames and stand not in Gods counsell shall not profit this people at all onely saith God if they had stood in my counsell and had caused my people to hear my words then they should have turned them from their evill way c. 1Vse For teachers to preach no other doctrine Vse 1. For us preachers to direct us as we intend any good to the poeples soules to lay aside all conceits and inventions and doctrines of men our own and others much more to abandon all Doctrines of devills such as are named in 1 Tim 4.1 2 3. and so generally all other Popish and Antichristian doctrines and to preach onely Gods pure word unto his people Vse 2. For hearers 1 Not to depend on Revelations without the word 2. For hearers to desire only such teaching And therefore not to depend upon the teaching of the Spirit by Revelations Inspirations c. without the word but onely according to it Much lesse upon apparition of spirits out of hell supposed Purgatory or yet heaven Luke 16.29 30 31. 2 To take heed first what secondly how they hear Gods word must be heard as his word 2 To take heed what they hear Mark 4.24 If any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.19 20. Yet how can they hear Luk. 8.18 they must hear and received it not as the word of men but which it is in trurh as the word of God which effectually and which only effectually worketh in them that beleeve 1 Thess 2.13 where faith also is required in our hearing without which it profits not Heb. 4.1 2. So long as young Samuel ran to old Eli when God indeed spake unto him 1 Sam. 3.4 5 c. 10.11 he had nothing revealed to him but when he could say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth he had the word effectually made known unto him 3 By so hearing it to approve our selves Christs sheep 3. Let us all by hearing onely Christs voyce in the mouth of his faithfull servants approve our selves to be Christs sheep even by this ear-mark Joh. 10.3 27. My sheep hear my voyce c. Let us not be beat from hearing it by such Popish Wolves as will say unto us as the wicked Jewes to the people He hath a Devil and is mad why hear ye him John 10.20 but let us rather reverently set our selves in Gods presence with Cornelius and say as Acts 10.33 We are here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God It is this word of God only thus heard and obeyed James 1.22 23 24 25. which will save our souls 1 Tim. 4.16 John 5.25 Revel 3.20 And as in the Text. 2 The speciall Object of their hearing 2. But more specially What word was this these here heard and which did wound their spirits I answer That which Peter now spake unto them the summe whereof is in the verse before the Text Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ Which is according to that main passage in his Sermon verse 23.24 Him being delivered by the determinate counsell and free knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Whom God hath raised up and who verse 33. being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear What Word and Doctrine then was that which so wounded and pierced them It s reducible to these two heads First concerning Christ his natures office glory exaltation and dominion Secondly concerning themselves their sin and wickednesse which thus was discovered reproved and they convinced and deeply charged to be the crucifiers of this so gratious a Lord yea of the Messias who was sent unto them and of their Saviour Note Their former blockishnesse and how they came to be convinced This blockishnesse was great before not to know or acknowledge him whom they seemed so long to look for but so to carry themselves towards the Messias which teacheth us for our humbling that the very sight and presence of God and of the things we seem most to long for as every way satisfactory to our desires is not enough to satisfie us unlesse God do further strike in by his grace and powerfull Spirit But now being thus charged and convinced August in Psal 43 began to think say Alas what will become of us seeing he is so great and glorious whom we have slaine For now they see and are convinced who this Jesus was that he is the Lord of glory which they saw not before 1. Cor. 2. Now they see and are convinced of their vilenesse guiltinesse of wrath of their bloody practices and cruelty as having persecuted murthered an innocent of their base and vile unthankfulnesse against so gracious a Saviour Benefactour and Physician who came to save heale and cure them This was the nature of the Doctrine which so wounded them Whence Observe What Doctrine is like to doe the greatest good Answ That which most advanceth Christ and debaseth man Why 1. let us observe and wisely consider What Doctrine or Teaching is that which is likliest to do the greatest good and which is most availeable to conversion and to the salvation of mens soules Here we may conclude it that it is that doctrine which most advanceth Christ and sets forth his glory and the glory of the Father and which withall most debaseth vilifieth convinceth sinfull man letting him see his filthinesse guiltinesse unworthinesse and inabilities Why 1. Because such Doctrine onely sets forth Christ as Christ as a Saviour as a Surety as a Physician as the sole Prophet Priest and King of his Church and so most glorifieth God and Christ in his goodnesse bounty mercy and in the freenesse and power of his saving grace none of which can so gloriously and fully appear as when mans sinfulnesse polution of nature his guiltinesse unworthinesse and impotency is according to truth and the evidence of Gods word laid open to the full 2. Because without such doctrine man will never come to know either God Christ or himself aright whithout such knowledge no salvation because no true or through humiliation self-denial conviction faith c. Vse 1
they sooner make use of the remedy which is of the mercies of God in Christ laid hold on by faith as being well instructed in their tender years in the doctrine of Justification by faith and of the free grace of Christ which they sooner apprehend then others who having lived wicked lives in their ignorance and not having the knowledge of the Gospel are deeplier cast down and longer kept under bondage when once the Law hath fastned on their consciences The like I say of such hearers as live under such teaching where the Law and Gospel are not wisely and intermixedly taught together but either all Law and terrour and no Gospel or very little of it which soon dejects and much terrifieth the conscience but not so soon and hardly if at all raiseth up again or the Gospel and promises of the same without the Law whereby men are soon and much comforted without any great terror going before which comfort therefore in many is justly to be suspected men thereby turning Libertines as well in practice and life as in Doctrine Whereas where both are wisely taught together the hearer is no sooner smitten by the Law but he can look to the promise and somewhat help himself 3 Lastly 3. to come as they are designed to greater or lesser works if we look to the time to come we must know that some are deputed and designed by God to greater works sorer trials harder services then others whom accordingly he prepares by deeper humiliation for as one well saith the higher and greater the building is the deeper must the foundation be laid in the earth As we see in Moses but especially in Paul and David the one being sore though suddenly humbled the other long tried and humbled before he came to be King So S. Austen confesseth that whereas his friend Alipius received his new-birth with little or no strugling he himself found no quietnesse and victory but after great terrours and conflicts And so no doubt others finde it Now there may be good reason for it seeing not onely Satan will more strongly oppose such in their conversion as he foresees are likely to be greater enemies then others to his kingdom but God in wisedom thus deeply humbles them that so giving them experience of his goodnesse assistance as also power in delivering them they might be better prepared by faith to undertake and more secured against all oppositions and difficulties in undertaking the greatest matters and trials which they shall be called unto Thus both Samson and David were prepared for great undertakings the one against Goliah and both against the Philistines by the experience they both had of Gods assistance in their buckling with and mastering of the lion And so from this different dealing of God with those whom he converts From this different dealing of God we observe his wisdome in that he heath not tied himself to one way we may take notice of the wisdome of God who doth all for his own glory and for the greater good of his children 1 If he deeply humble some 1 In those he more deeply humbles Shewing his power and mercy in them it is that he might more magnifie his power in sustaining them in such straits his free grace in delivering them and make them more beholding to him for it and better fitted for great employments yea that others not so deeply humbled may be more thankfull for his more gentle dealing with them and the unconverted might not he hardened in their evill wayes to continue in the same for if God should deal gently with such as have been scoffers of Religion profane wretches oppposers of his truth and people others as bad as they were will be ready to flatter themselves in their evil wayes hoping in like easiy manner to be reformed and striking terrour in others or at least to get heaven as those others have done therefore the Lord will wound and bruise them and not shew mercy to the 〈◊〉 in secret or in hugger mugger but will let all the world see their humiliation as they have been witnesses of their profancenesse and it religion 2 If he deal more gently with others in their conversion 2 In those with whom he deals more gently showing 1 To them his freernesse pity and goodnesse teaching them compassion to others and to walk more warily 2 To others arming them and not so deeply cast them down as it is to shew them the freenesse of his work and of the manner of it as also of his goodnesse favour and pity to them especially when they shall behold other converts brought into greater extremities who are thereby taught to walk as more compassionately to their brethren so deeply wounded so more humbly thankfully and warily lest though they have escaped those pangs of their new birth in the extremity of them yet they meet with after-throws in the course of their lives to their little ease So it is that he might neither discourage others from undertaking this saving work whilest they see some at least to go through it with no great ado 1 Against discouragements and harsh conceits of godlinesse 2 Against opion of merit in their own greater sorrows and to live comfortably and chearfully in that condition of a renewed and regenerate estate which is not necessarily a dumpish melancholick sorrowfull life devoid of pleasure content and comfort nor give the converted who suffer and undergo such extreme terrours and sorrows at first occasion by Satans suggestion and the flattery of their own hearts to think that there is matter of satisfaction or merit in their sufferings whether of congruity or otherwise as if thus avenging themselves of their sinnes by contrition and exercises of mortification and deep humiliation they did either prepare themselves for grace so incroaching on the glory of God of Christ or otherwise as the Popish sort speak drey their penance and make as of themselves some satisfaction to Gods justice which should also much derogate from the free mercy of God and merit of Christ But now when they see that others share in the like benefits and partake equally with them of the blessing and that without such extremities smart and sorrow When they see others partake of equal mercies with lesse sorrows they as we all observing this different dealing of God with sinners cannot but ascribe the whole work of their and our conversion wholly and altogether to Gods mercy and to the power and freenesse of his grace and nothing at all to any merit congruity or worthinesse in our selves As this now said hath shewed us the reasons of Gods different dealing with men in their conversion in regard of the divers degrees and measure of their humiliation so we are led on to consider the Reasons why he will in some measure have all to taste of this distastfull cup at least to be convicted in themselves and some way pricked in conscience before they
suppose beginning in the hand or foot if it be suffered further to spread will be their death when Zipporah saw her husbands life endangered if not her own she circumcised her son and cut off his foreskin which otherwise she was loath to do Thus God presents sinners with a true apprehension of his eternall wrath due unto them for their sinne and sets hell-gates open before them in the way of their lusts and fills their hearts with such terrours and horrours that they see no safety to their souls in the ways of sin and so as Pharaoh by strong hand at length did let the people go and the Philistines sent home the Ark so God if he love us especially makes us weary of sin and saves us even by fear not to say that such as have most smarted for sin at first in the pangs of their new-birth are not so easily drawn back to such or any other sins Again the spirit of bondage becomes to them a spirit of sanctification and it may be observed that such of all others as have been deep liest wounded at the first prove the holiest Christians afterward throughout the whole course of their lives 2 As the spirit of bondage proves a spirit of liberty freeing men from sin 2 God doth this to the increase of their joy and of Sanctification delivering from the power of sin so also it leads men to sound and solid joy and true comfort there is no comfort but to such The first work of the Comforter even when it is sent by that name and to that intent is first to convince of sinne so Habbak 3.16 and Psalm 94.12 13. Ease to sores which being whole do throb and rage is got by pricking lancing searching sleep is sweetest after labour and a pardon from the King most acceptable when after judgement passed the head hath been laid on the block and joy follows the labour of child-bearing 3 as also for their greater honour Rom. 8. 3 I might adde that God takes this course with such as he will convert to glorifie them the more thus to sanctifie them and to make them the more glorious in holinesse and holinesse we know or sanctification is the beginning of our glorifications Yea it is their glory thus to be made vessels to bear the name and glory of Christ before men which none do more then such as have been deepliest humbled Such of all other are fittest and ablest to glorifie God as having most experience of his justice mercy wisdome goodnesse and can best speak to his praise which to do is our glory more then his God gets nothing by us our acknowledgement of him makes him no wiser juster holier happier then he ever was even before any creature was made when he then sets and imprints on us the stamps of his glory and shews forth in us his justice mercy goodnesse c. That is in deed and for substance our gloglory not his There is somewhat excellent truly added to us nothing to him 2. God takes this course with converts for his owne honour And yet we may truly say God takes the aforesaid course with those he means to convert for his own glory that is for the further manifestation of the same and for this main end that the whole worke of conversion may appear to be his not ours 1. That of his Justice 1. His very Justice manifests its selfe in and by these terrours of conscience whilst the convicted sinner is made to see the depth of his own ill deservings is presented with the sight of hell which by such is acknowledged and made inwardly to acknowledge that it were but justice in God to cast him into the same yea so strong is this apprehension in some that for a long time they can see nothing but justice Howsoever this makes them at first and ever after to confesse and give the glory of justice to God acknowledging how just their condemnation should be if God did deal with them according to their deserts being ready ever to justifie God as cleer whensoever he judgeth Psal 51 4. Rom. 3.4 Thus all by sin are brought under the Law and the Law is let loose upon sinners threatens damnation and nothing but justice appears and vers 19. that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God God will not in this work of conversion suffer his justice to be swallowed up of mercy he must and will be acknowledged just before mercifull taking us as it were by the throat Mat. 18.28 bidding us pay all we owe when indeed with that poor woman 2 King 4.1 we have nothing at all to pay And so in every convert he takes away all matter of glorying letting them see the depth of their desert and their own both unworthinesse of mercy and inability and impotency to make themselves any help Isâ— 66.2 Job 9.13 2 His mercy which thus is more felt And by so doing whilst the best are made to tremble before him and that the proud helpers do stoup under him he makes way for his mercy that he may be the more glorified both by shewing mercy and by the acknowledgement of mercy by those that finde mercy as it is Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve or as Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up or concluded them all i. both Jew and Gentile in unbeleef that he might have mercy on all For so by shuting all up under sin and wrath his mercy is more felt and admired by such as finde mercy and thankfully acknowledged The foregoing terrours of justice in the converted which makes them smart makes mercy relish better with them and be more esteemed by them yea all the world may now see and that acknowledge the receiving and conversion of sinners is meerly of mercy None derogate more from Gods mercy and the freenesse and power of his grace then such as not sensible enough of their wounds and misery by sin ascribe somewhat in their conversion to themselves neither can they be so truly thankfull as others And by thanks or offering praise unto God God professeth himself to be glorified So that God by thus humbling men Pal. 50.23 as is said with terrours doth but make way and prepare matter of praise and thanksgiving to himself in due time which accordingly we see given unto him by Paul even upon this ground 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 16 17. I saith he being before a blasphemer and persecuter and injurious obtained mercy And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering Now unto the King eternall c. be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen So elsewhere crying out in a sence
servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation or for breaking of spirit Isa 65.13 14. Such as now are pricked in heart and broken in spirit shall be bound up and everlastingly comforted whereas such as will not now be pricked shall then be broken in heart and spirit without any healing following after CHAP. XIV SECT 1. Containing a removal of lets And first of such lets as hinder the word to pierce 2 Directions and means of humiliation and sorrow ANother thing to be considered for the furthering of these Motives and setting forward the Exhortation is Direction Motives may make a man by Gods grace more willing but Directions by the same grace make him more able to do his duty Here then we must direct you to the means of self-humbling and how such sorrow may be wrought in your hearts The first of which or that which is first to be done But first is a removall of lets and impediments thereunto Le ts removed which are of two sorts 1 Lets hindering the word to hit and pierce Now the Lets to godly sorrow and pricking are either such as by which the point as I may say of the sword of the Spririt or word of God is diverted put by blunted or otherwise kept from hitting or piercing or such as by which though the Word hit and pierce yet it pains not it puts to no grief men still remain insensible of it and are farre from true Contrition Of the first sort are these 1 Want of Meditation and of Application 1 Inconsideration and want of Meditation without which all Motives prove inavailable for want of this they are not brought home by Application and so men are not touched or but lightly touched and so as not to be much moved by them All actions require time and space for their operation as fire to burn and so all arguments used to the soul even the most piercing as Gods judgements though they be of a fiery nature will not warm melt or mollifie the heart which is like green wood whose sap is in it unlesse by constant meditation they be holden and applied close to the soul and the soul to them by setled and serious cogitation He onely that meditateth burneth as David saith of himself Psalm 39.3 While I was musing the fire burned As a man may take fire in his hand and not feel the effects of it if he presently throw it from him again Either then resolve to set thy self seriously to meditate on the aforesaid Motives or such like or never expect to have any saving sorrow unto which thou naturally art so averse wrought in thee It is not here as in sinfull or naturall objects which like lightning being once apprehended passe thorow the soul and affect the same unto which the heart and affections of men are like unto drie tinder soon enflamed by the same In this case then set times apart to meditate on such things as may move and affect thee and resolve that nothing shall interrupt or hinder thee in the same and watch against Satans wiles 2 Misconceit of Gods anger against sin 2. Here take heed of misconceit of Gods Justice and Anger against sin this blunts the edge and point of that sword and word of God which otherwise would pierce and though wound thee yet by wounding and pricking would heal cure and saye thee Who knows the power of his anger when once he sets our iniquities before him our secret sins in the light of his countenance Psal 90.5 7 8 -11. O think but on the wrath of a King on earth if he should be displeased with thee The Kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19.12 And when God as a lion roars who wil not fear Amos 3.8 even as all beasts quake when the Lion roareth Ah beloved great and terrible is this God whom we have to deal withall even a very consuming fire to such Heb. 12.29 who by impenitency set themselves as briers and thorns against him in battel though otherwise fury be not in him towards such as take hold of his strength that they may make peace with him Isa 27.4 5. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.31 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1.3 4.5.6 Presume not then on Gods lenity in thy sin be once humbled and let thy heart smite thee for the same as Davids heart smote him and then but not till then thou mayst hope in his mercy and chuse to fall into the mercifull hand of God whom so thou shalt have lesse cause to fear then man 3 Stoutness of heart in withstanding God 3. And now I hope I need not advise thee to beware of Pride and stoutness of heart in standing out with God when once thou apprehendest him angry And yet such hath been the pride and madness of some as that when apparantly they have seen God to fight against them they have as it were in despite of him gone on obstinately in their sin and hardened themselves against him as Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that said in the pride and stoutness of heart The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stone the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars But what saith God Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him and they shall devour Israel with open mouth for all this his anger is not turned away c. for the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail c. Isa 9.10 11 12 13 14. Thou canst never humble thy self if thus thou fearest not God 4. Self-love 4. But if thou canst not thus resist God in his anger by thy pride yet it may be such is thy love to thy self as that though thou acknowledge God an angry and just God with sinners yet thou canst not think he can or will be so angry with thee thou canst not conceive nay indeed thou wilt not be convinced that thy case is so bad or that his threatnings are true of thee and so thou puttest and postest them off to others as not concerning thee as if thou hadst not this need to be so humbled And thus thou puttest by the blow or thrust from thy self to others or else so hidest denyest or excusest thy sin some beloved sin or other as if when search and examination is made for it there were no such traytor hid in thy house or heart Or else thou seekest to bribe conscience or to stop the mouth of it by one trick or other as some being arrested make the Officer drunk that so or by some other means they may escape
the City Gaza thou carriest I may say the very gates of hell upon thy back and goest upright under many execrable abominations unclenness drunkenness oppression profanation of the Lords day and other impieties and yet art not pressed therewith though God be even as a cart laden with sheaves Amos 2.13 and groaning as it were under the burden thou hast a whole sea of Gods wrath upon thee Without which we cannot feel the burthen of it and yet as the fishes in the sea or as one diving under water feelest not the burthen But now that thou mayst feel it and be sensible of it consider thy sin in the forenamed aggravating and greatning circumstance thereof and so lay it upon thy shoulders and thou shalt finde it heavier then thou canst bear as David did Psalm 38.4 as one shall do a small vessel of water laid on his back on dry land Sins taken severally and barely and slightly looked on may seem small and little and nothing burdensome but if thou lookest on them in the heap or as on the sand lying on the sea-shore thou wilt finde them and the grief of them heavier then the sand of the sea as Job speaks of his grief and calamitie when it is throughly weighed and laid in the balance together Job 6.2 3. A weight suppose of many hundreds whilest it lieth on the ground is not felt in the burthen and heaviness of it till we begin to pluck and heave at it no more is thy sin till thus thou weigh it in the balance of the sanctuary and take it into deep and serious consideration Hold thy self then constantly to this duty of consideration and pondering thy sin Serious consideration of our sin is needful and then a small sin like a small weight which we carry far and long being much thought on will prove a burthen and make thee in the sense thereof cry and by repentance and faith come to Christ that thou mayst be eased In case thou receive an injury from man or a small affront by much thinking on it thou makest it very great Thus deal with the injuries thou dost unto the great and holy God and which lie upon thy score and I suppose thou wilt finde and feel them a burthen intolerable heavie pressing and oppressing thy heart SECT 3. Gods judgements on our selves past present and to come should humble us 2 God softens our hearts also by his judgements and afflictions 1 On our selves Which accordingly and to that end wee are to make use of Whether the afflictions be NOw moreover seeing God often wounds mens spirits and softens their hearts by his Judgements by Afflictions and Corrections working with his word let us take the advantage thereof and make a right use of the same whether they be his corrections and crosses which befall or belong to our selves or more directly and firstly do concern others 1. God would work in us true and saving sorrow by such outward evils as he is pleased to inflict upon us being otherwise justly procured and deserved by our sins which may and should be diligently considered and made use of by us to the same end and that whether wee consider them as past present or to come 1. We are to call to minde especially being of riper yeers and judgement what great things wee have suffered 1 Past and what fore afflictions have befallen us by dangerous sicknesses hurts wounds extreme perils and sharp corrections of God when we were young or howsoever in former times whether lately or longer since when it may be either through childishness ignorance or otherwise by distraction of thoughts or sharpness of bodily pain or astonishment of our senses we could not so well meditate on the same or take things into such serious consideration as was meet Such corrections would not now be forgot but seriously called to minde and considered of as then sent of God in his displeasure against us for our sins whereby we provoked this patient God so to smite us that so we may now do that which he expected from us then Which wee must remember and be humbled for them that is be humbled in soul and come to true sorrow and repentance for our sin Thus Jeremy in the name of the faithful Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall my soul hath them stil in remembrance and is humbled or bowed in mee Lament 3.19 20. That which was bitter to the body in the present feeling thereof is now bitter to the soul in remembrance thereof and in consideration of sin the cause thereof Thus should it be with us 2 present By which God humbles and converts 2 If Gods hand be upon thee by any outward cross and affliction for the present which hee sends of purpose to humble thee be sure thou let him not smite thee in vain Afflictions by Gods mercy prove means of conversion as in King Manasseh though not without the word Psal 94 12. and 2 Chr. 33.10 12 18. It s said when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers his affliction prepared and made his heart fitter to receive profit by the words of the Seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord. and calls to weeping Isa 22.12 God humbled Manasseh and he humbled himself God at such times cals to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth and by such means would break the hardness stoutness and stoniness of our hearts thus bringing us under his hammer and stroke to bruise us into his fire and furnace to try fine and melt us unless we be reprobate silver In such case then let thy cross drive thee home first to thy self in consideration of thy sin the cause meritorious of thy cross then to thy God and Father with the Prodigal the efficient and inflicter of thy cross where 1 We are to be sensible of Gods displeasure And here first learne to be sensible of Gods displeasure God will be known by executing judgement he will have thee know he is angry and displeased with thee and would have thee sensible of his displeasure See what God said concerning Miriam after her sin against Moses the servant of the Lord for which she was smitten with leprosie when Moses prayed for her healing the Lord tels him saying If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven dayes Numb 12.14 Let her be shut out seven dayes c. Even thus when God shewes any token of his displeasure against thee be ashamed and humbled smite on thy breast with the Publican and on thy thigh with Ephraim Thus Naomi which signifieth pleasant disclaimes her name Call not me Naomi call me Mara that is bitter for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth 1.20 21. Why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me and
the Almighty hath afflicted me Thus the good woman was humbled in Gods sight who had deprived her of her husband and two sonnes in a strange land and that doubtlesse in sight of her sin and unworthinesse and acknowledgement of Gods just hand upon her 2 To joyn with God 1 By justifying him 2. Secondly when God by afflictions humbles and bruiseth thee joyn with him in humbling thy selfe 1. Justifie God in his chastisements confesse him righteous and thy selfe the sinner and justly met withall this is one main end of Gods chastisements Levit. 26.41 that our hard and uncircumcised hearts be humbled and that we when his hand is upon us accept of the punishment of our iniquity and condemning our selves Do thou then follow home the affliction lament thine own unto wardnesse and if especially his hand lie long on thee or that his strokes be multiplied say Lord what an hard heart have I and senslesse that needs all this hammering and melting this battering and bruising that none of this could be spared Thus at length by Gods mercy thy hard and unrelenting heart shall be bruised softened and humbled 2. 2 By taking advantage of the occasion and time Take the advantage of the time when Gods hand is upon thee Men of the World both know and are carefull to observe the fittest Seasons for ploughing and breaking up of their grounds and God lookes that we do the like for the breaking up of the fallow and hard ground of our hearts Jer. 4.3 which he expects from us as a duty Eccles 3.4 There is a time to weep and a time to mourn God by his judgements on us by crosses and afflictions softens bowes and masters our stout stomackes brings down our high lookes and thoughts when we finde him stronger than our selves which perhaps we thought not on before and to take from us such stayes and props whether wealth friends health c. as on which we rested our selves more than on him Seeing men commonly under cresses are somewhat softened Job 23.15 16. Now hereby God workes in men more selfe deniall at least remorse and some more fitnesse and pronenesse to repent then at other times Thus saith Job I am troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him for God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me And in regard of troubles and distresses David complaineth to God saying I am poured out like water Psal 22.14 and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels And thus in some measure the unregenerate finde it with them in their troubles and feares whereby they finde themselves more disposed to pray and more disposed to pray and to repent and to repent as the Israelites though unsound and unconstant when God slew them they sought him and returned Psal 78.34 Isay 26.16 and Lord in trouble have they visited thee saith Isay they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them At such times the hearts even of hypocrites become more remorsefull as we see in men in their sicknesse and distresse Now as Ministers should take such opportunities to worke upon mens hearts Job 33.22 so should they themselves especially as the iron when it is hot is soon bowed and fashioned by hammering and as the Wax when it is warme and soft may better be wrought and formed as we please which opportunity would be followed home My advice then to thee who desirest this pliable and sensible heart is to take the oportunitie of thy deep afflictions and crosses to follow home this worke Is any afflicted Let him pray saith Saint James Let him humble himselfe in prayer Jam. 5.13 confesse heartily his sin and seek mercy Art thou affected with sorrow upon the death suppose of some dear Friend Parent Childe or Associate Husband or Wife Whatsoever the occasion of thy grief be yea or if a secret sadnesse or pensivenesse come upon thee so as thou findest thy selfe disposed to weep omit not such a fit season now that thy countenance is sad the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 that is more soft and yielding to good impressions and our sorrow turned the right way the Lord thus softens and inclines thy soul to fresh sorrow for sin and would have thee to turne the stream of thy natural sorrow or melacholicke pensivenesse into the right chanel from the out ward or inward occasion from the known or unknown cause of thy heavinesse to sorrow and mourning for thy sin from the effect to the cause seeing nothing is truly to be sorrowed for but sin which is the onely true cause of all our other sorrowes and afflictions Blessed is such a crosse losse or affliction as bereaving us of earthly if not sinfull comforts and confidence sends us to seek our comfort and to place our trust onely in God by seeking our peace with him with true teares of godly sorrow sor our sin by which he was offended 3 To come 3. Thirdly for evils to come and judgements threatened or feared in this life or at and after the end of it Death it selfe Hell and the last Judgement the dreadfulnesse and terrour of which should make us afraid and such fear will or should worke sensiblenesse and tendernesse in us as apprehension but of temporal judgements made Josiahs heart to melt though there was in him some mixture also of love to God and zeal to his honour howsoever As 1. Temporal judgements threatened it made him with teares seek peace with God for himselfe and his people for the aversion of his judgements from them If an earthly Prince should threaten us how would we fear and by humbling our selves seek to make our peace again with him How submissively did Jacob carry himselfe toward his brother Esau when he came towards wards him as an enemie Thy servant Jacob and Let me finde grace in the sight of my lord Gen. 32.20 33.15 How much more should we fear and humble our selves Amos 38. when the Lord God hath spoken when this Lion roares who will not fear and humble himselfe before him How also did the thought of death humble not onely a good King Hezekiah but an hypocrite King Ahab 2 Death Isay 38.1 2 3. 1 Kings 21 19-21 27.29 Jon. 3.5 c. and the Ninivites Let the living then lay death to heart Eccles 7 2 and apprehend it as near that as men in apparent danger of death both by sea or land on their death-beds or as men condemned to die they may be humbled sorrowfull and penitent Let us thinke often also of Hell and of that place of torments 3 Hell and how it is prepared as for all impenitent sinners so also for the secure and voluptuous livers Luke 16.27 c. 4 The last judgement such as was Dives and his brethren so of the dreadfull
them Luke 15.18 CHAP. XXXVI SECT 1. Such as are converted and saved must seek salvation out of themselves Where largely of self-denyall But first That men by sin bring themselves into great straits 2 Observation They who are saved must seek salvation out of themselves NOw secondly In these Converts thus consulting we see That those whom God will save must by self-denyal seek salvation out of themselves and not stand upon any thing in themselves They being pinched in conscience in the straits thereof and at their wits end not knowing what to do as of themselves fly wholly out of themselves consult and advise with the Apostles of Christ saying As did those here What shall we do being further ready to do whatsoever they in the name of Christ should direct them unto without any reservation exception or respect to themselves in their name and credit in their ease delights liberty wealth friends earthly hopes or contentments whatsoever as finding now that hitherto they in rejecting Christ had but kicked against the pricks and made him an enemy to them who is the Lord of Lords and Judge of the whole world hereof they are now convinced in their consciences and seek help and counsell how they may obtain his favour and pardon but as the Priests and Pharisees did not Thus did not the chief Priests and Pharisees who convinced of Christs mighty power and God-head whereby he did great works specially in raising the dead and particularly Lazarus who had been dead four dayes yet they acknowledged him not neither sought his favour but standing upon their own wisdom righteousnesse and holinesse which they would not seek from him as also upon their own power and authority though gathering a Councel they could say What do we who consulted for this man doth many miracles yet their counsel was for to put him to death John 11.39 47 53. Whereas if they had been as soundly convinced as these here in my Text to put Christ to death they would not onely have asked saying What do we and thereby have seen the desperate madnesse of their doings in opposing him and been sorry and humbled for it as these here were when they considered what they had done in consenting to Christs death and so saw the vilenesse of their doings but they would with these here also have given over their own counsels seen their own folly denyed themselves and asked not to seek salvation by him What shall we do to be saved from his wrath whom we have so hated blasphemed even against the light of our own consciences and sought to destroy No they were justly denyed the grace to deny themselves who against the light of conscience yea of the holy Ghost opposed their Saviour Whereas it was a mercy to these here first to be convinced of their sin then to be driven into such plunges and straits as not of themselves to know what to do especially to deny themselves withall so far as to seek and submit absolutely to such direction as should be given them by these Apostles A Note previous to the other Men by sin bring themselves into inextricable straits till God shew and give the issue Now before we prosecute the Observation formerly made let this as it were by the bie be noted How sin our own and others brings us often into great straits so that we shall not be able to know either what to do or say or chuse or think So that if Gods mercy did nor succour us and shew an issue we should be quite swallowed up of despair Thus was it here Men and brethren what shall we do Where they are as men distressed grievously and inwardly pained whose sores throb and rage or as men invironed with danger or ready to drown crying out Help for the Lords sake we are ready to perish and know not how to help our selves Peter gives them vent by breaking the sore by further pricking it calling them to repentance and faith Repent saith he c. So when the Jaylour in like distresse and straits cryed out Sirs what must I do to be-saved Paul delivers him out of his straits Beleeve on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house Thus faithfull Ministers as sent of God afford succours and as it were reach out the hand to draw distressed souls out of the pit and gulf of dangers It s an easie thing to throw a stone a jewel or a mans self into a pit but the great difficulty is how to get it or him out againe This in the case of sinners requires help from heaven and such was the estate of all mankind through the sin of our first Parents which was so easily and with delight committed that unlesse God had become man It s an easie thing to destroy a mans self as we see in the fall of Adam man could never have known what to have done no more then the Divels now who being left to themselves perish without hope Now and in our selves our case being for any helpe we can make our selves alike desperate we yet come not through the hardness of our hearts and our insensibleness God only must save us by convincing us of our ill condition of wrath due to it and of our own impotency and inability to help our selves And Gods course is before he save from sin and wrath his elect to let them see their own case and helpless condition only in that and in all other temptations afterwards he is pleased to make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 by opening some door of hope to them but that wholly out of themselves As here They are at their wits end in themselves helpless only God lets them apprehend some possibility of help in and from him and moves them to seek direction from his Ministers which following they are delivered from their straits and fears and brought into a blessed condition Vse See what we get by sin and sinfull courses and evill men But see hence and learn what we get by sin by such courses suppose of unlawfull gain rapine and wrong as in King Ahab and Judas of intemperance and pleasures as in Esau so greedy after pottage and Baltazzar in his cups of revenge hatred and violence as in Cain c. and by such companions as tempt us and draw us into sin It and these courses other mens temptations and allurements with our own corruptions and lusts bring us into a snare into straits into a state of perdition They bring us into straits and there leave us and there leave us to wrastle with the wrath of an angry God with the terrors of hel with millions of Divels ready to accuse us and with the hellish affrightments of a convicted and tormenting conscience This is the best that sin can or will bring us unto Only if God help us out of whose help yet sinning we are not neither can presume his mercie
Faith working by love Gal. 5.6 3. Christ himself and his righteousness as All and in all things Col 3.11 Contrà Ignorance of a mans nothingnesse makes him trust to and admire himself c. Contrariwise he that knowes not his own nothingness 1. Minds earthly things and trusts too much in them 2. Admires himself and trusts to his own wisedome and strength 3. Gives way to his own sinfull lusts and delights too much in sinfull ways and sinfull company In a word he neglects substance and catcheth at shaddowes of goodnesse and comes short of Christ Therefore when God will give a man a being in Christ which alone by the Apostle is opposed against being wise mighty noble out of Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 he oftentimes takes from him all outward staies and props all earthly comforts wealth God in mercy sometime deprives men of all outward staies and comforts friends health children parents c. for commonly whilst ought remains a man wil never look to Christ howsoever he convinceth him and lets him see his own vileness sinfulness guiltiness inability every way as he dealt with these Jewes and so beats him out of himself takes him off his own bottome and root that so when he sees all strength is gone he may then flee only to God to his mercy power and grace that they might seek to and rest in him and come to themselves as in the Prodigall This was signified in the Prodigall who never came to himself much less to his father till he was in extreame want and miserie destitute of outward comforts and of all help in himselfe and so when he came to himself he said c. Luke 15.14 15 16 17. c. Why where had he been when he went from his father he was no more himself he had lost himself as we have all done in Adam so that now there is another self in us then formerly that is our sinful self which we are here taught to deny Otherwise if indeed we were our selves such as God made us we neither needed nor ought to deny our selves no more then Christ of whom it is said 2 Tim. 2.13 He cannot deny himself A threefold self in man 1. Our sinfull self is wholly to be denied 2. The naturall to be denied in some case There is a threefold self 1. Naturall such as was in us by our creation some remnants whereof remain not wholly defaced 2. Sinfull 3. Regenerate whereby we become new creatures or new-men Our sinfull self is that which wee must absolutely deny The regenerate self is to be laboured for and being had must be preserved The naturall is only to be denied in some case as of competition with our spirituall self and with Gods glory and so Christ himself submitted himself and his will to Gods will and densed himself in his life for the good and salvation of Gods elect Yet the regenerate self though it may seek and is allowed to seek it self and its own spirituall and eternall good and salvation 3. The regenerate self may seek it self yet with submission to God and may do such things as may further the same as Moses in refusing the honours treasures and pleasures of Egypt had an eye to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11. even as Christ himself who for the joy that was set before him endured the crossâ— and despised the shame Hebr. 12.2 for God having made promises of such things yea of this life unto us for our incouragement in well-doing we may accordingly make use of them as arguments to move our selves I say it must not thus do out of Gods way as not being its own but Gods or without subordinating its own respects unto God seeing though the regenerate man be restored again to himself yet he is not his own man by creation and so far not himself but the Lorde who as he at first gave him his naturall being by creating him in righteousnesse and holiness so his new and spirituall being by redeeming him redemption and so hath a proprietie in him yea man in his conversion and new-birth sealed in Baptisme renounceth himself and gives himself wholly to Christ and therefore must not and doth not as do the wicked give himself any longer to any thing else and by its own gift to God as to the world to wine to women to his sports or to himself as to be too far addicted to his own wisedome will affections and lusts that he should be called or accounted self-wise self-willed self-conceited self-loving c. and must not live to it self but to God as a creature as a new creature Neither must he wholly live to himself as he is a creature for so he is as wel for and to God and his glory as from him and his power Rom. 11.36 much less as a new creature or true Christian seeing he soâ—â—â—pends and hath his being only of Christ who is his Alpha in regard of his grace first and last being both author and finisher of his faith and should be his Omega Heb. 12.2 by doing all to his glory Whatsoever a Christians relation is it teacheth him to deny himself and to seek Christs glory as a son as a servant Mal. 1.6 a Christian is the Son of God and Christ the everlasting Father the servant of Christ and he the Lord and Master and as a son and servant he should honour not himself but his father and master and fear him A Christian is a member of Christ as a member of Christ and therefore as the hand will expose it self even to cutting off to save the head so should we so far deny our selves as to expose our selves our goods name yea life and all if need be for Christ and his glory So that to come to the particular in hand we are taught from these converts We are to deny our selves in matter of salvation and in all duties belonging thereunto all which imply and require self-deniall to be nothing in our selves but to become separate and divorced from our selves denying our selves in all things especially in the main business of our salvation and in all duties belonging or tending thereunto I will only instance in such as Peter here and Paul elsewhere directed yong converts to as to baptisme faith repentance to which I will adde new obedience and self-deniall it self which the Text gives ue occasion to take notice of 1. Peter saith 1. Profession Be baptized Now Baptisme is a note of Christian profession whereby we give our names yea our selves to Christ which I dare say it none can ever truly do unless he deny himself I speak of a powerfull profession and such as in life answers that verball profession made in our baptisme This made some that otherwise liked well of Christ and of his doctrine Of which through want of self-deniall many are ashamed as Nicodemus because they had not yet denied
are 1. Gods glory 2. Christ his word and truth with the Gospel in the purity and power of it 3. Our own spirituall and eternall good together with the peace and comfort of our own consciences and assurance of Gods favour 4. The greater good of others especially of the Church and that both temporall spiritual and eternall as we shall perceive more by that which followes 2. In what things we must denie our selves 1. In some things simply 2. In others only comparatively as we may see in Christ 2 Tim. 2.13 2. The things in which we are to deny our selves are such as either are absolutely to be denied or only comparatively with respect and in competition with some of those other things named for which we are to deny our selves in them though otherwise good and which absolutely severed from such respects may be sought This first part of the distinction may be better conceived in and by the example of Christ himself till we hereafter give other instances Of him it is said that he cannot denie himself True that is in such things as belong to his nature as his truth and faithfulness there instanced in in his holiness goodness justice who though he cannot at all deny himself in his nature wisedome and the like no more needed we have denied our selves in any thing absolutely at least if we had continued remained and still been our selves as God made us at first in innocency righteousness knowledge holiness and in an estate of immortality And in such remnants of intire nature as yet abide with us not wholly obliterated and defaced we are not absolutely yet according to his will he doth deny himself for a greater good in some such things as without such respect he both may and doth seek himself Phil. 2.6 7 8. as in vailing the glory of his Godhead a while in our nature but only in some respects to deny our selves But now our Saviour Christ who in things respecting his nature cannot denie himself yet out of will and with respect to his Fathers glory and to the spirituall and eternall good of mens souls was content and willing to deny himself many waies and that even before he came into the world and after in that being in the form of God and thinking it no robbery to be equall with God yet he made himself of of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of men and humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Thus he is said to empty himself and to make himself of no reputation and to suffer his glory to be obscured in the dark lanthorn of his humanity whilest he lived here on earth being God he appeared in our base nature and became truly man Being immortall he became in our nature subject to death being the Lord of all he became a servant being the glorious God he humbled himself being the Soveraign Lord of heaven and earth he became obedient unto the Law and unto death and in his ease and name as man being most blessed he was pleased to subject himself to the death of the Crosse which was an accursed shamefull and painful death and so in our nature and for the good especially of his elect he denied himself in his ease by undergoing sorrows and grief for us Hebr. 12.2 in his name by enduring the crosse and despising the shame suffering himself to be reviled spit upon and at length crucified yea and to be a while under the sence of his dear fathers displeasure in all which he sought not his own glory and in his life and will which he submitted to Gods wil for us Matth. 26.39 but his that sent him not his own will but his Fathers insomuch that according to his humane nature without sin having by prayer sought himself saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup of death passe from me yet denying his own will he adds neverthelesse not as I will Vse Of his example to us scil to deny our selves much more for him but as thou wilt Now this example of Christs to note it by the the way inforceth the like practise upon us much more for his sake and glory to deny our selves he thus denied himself for us who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate for us servants wretched and sinfull creatures and all this freely and shall not we for our own good for his glory being so many wayes bound to him our Creator our Lord and Soveraigne our Redeemer our Husband Head and Father deny our unworthy selves And that 1 Absolutely in somethings And first In some things we are absolutely to deny our selves as in whatsoever according to our corrupt nature we now are not our selves either not that which we were at our first creation in the first Adam before the fall or not that which we should be in Christ the second Adam and as new creatures in him In all which things we must flee out separate and make a divorce from our selves denying our selves as 1. In our carnall wisdom and reasonings 1 In our own carnall wisdome and corrupt reasonings whereby men are wise in their own eyes conceive of God according to their own dark hearts Rom. 1.21 making to themselves similitudes of God as they please Exod. 20.4 Rom. 1.23 entertaining no truths but such as agree with their corrupt and carnall reason disputing against the truths of God as John 6.52 -60 -65 on which many do stand so much 66. 1 Cor. 1.20 accounting Gods word preached and his wayes foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23 never consulting with God in his word or by prayer but directing and ordering all their wayes by their own counsels and so they live by their own rules which they devise and frame to themselves consulting onely with flesh and blood and indeed professing themselves to be wise they become fools Rom. 1.22 Whereas the Apostle's rule is If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 that is let him seâ— his folly and deny his own seeming and carnall wisdome We must see our own folly submit our thoughts and reason to Gods wisdom that he may be wise by that wisdom of God which he is now ready to charge with folly And let all imaginations or reasonings and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God be cast down and every thought be brought into captivitie to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Let the wicked also forsake his way which according to his foolish wisdom he hath chosen and the unrighteous man his thoughts Isa 55.7 even such carnall thoughts as hee hath of Gods Mercie and other Attributes Our own devices will come to nought and must therefore be forsaken onely such counsell as God gives us in
is to be the more magnified by us Now the way by which God gives an issue God only gives the issue by giving repentance c. as in David is by repentance faith confession of sin prayer self-condemning and self-deniall punishment of offendors judging our selves and others with reformation of things amisse as we see here in these Iewes and in the Jaylor so also in David who through his pride and folly in the needless numbring of his people 2 Sam. 24.14 17 18. was brought into a great strait I am said he in a great strait he knew not what to doe what to chuse yet he finds a good issue by his casting himself upon God and his mercy by his confession of sin 1 Chron. 21.13.16 17. and prayer for himself and his people joyned with fasting and sackcloth by rearing an Altar and offering of sacrifice as the Prophet Gad directed him See this also in Joshua who through the sin of Achan in Joshua with the whole host of Israel is brought into marvellous straits whilest the men of Ai prevailed against them Josh 7.6 7 8 9. Alas O Lord God what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies c. What shall I say either to thee O Lord whom doubtlesse we have offended though as yet I know not wherein Or to this people to whom I ever promised good success and victory in thy name or to the enemies whose mouthes I cannot stop from blasphemies or to my self in answer to mine own doubts concerning thy truth and promises Yet God gives him an issue also Get thee up for he with his clothes rent with the Elders of Israel was faln upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the eventide wherefore liest thou upon thy face Israel hath sinned I will not be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from among you c. This done God was appeased But now where in such straits and convictions of conscience men doe not betake themselves to such like courses of repentance Impenitent persons exclude themselves from mercy faith prayer c. but thinke to wrastle it out by their own strength or other meanes they shut the door of mercy against themselves and cast themselves into straits inextricable and such as wherein they perish as the forenamed Cain who in such straits built him a city unto which but not unto the Lord he betook him for safety and as Iudas who in like case sought to the High Priests but not to Christ for mercie and in others especially at the last day when sinners shall be speechlesse and seeing Christ in glory and as their judge shall not know either what to say or do or whether to flee from his presence Nay even in this life when evill men will not flee to God by repentance confession faith and not repenting amendment c. and so serve his providence and make way for his mercy they not only put themselves they put God willing to save them into straits as not knowing what to do unto them but be it spoken with reverence God himself to some stand so that he being loth they should perish knowes not what more to say or do unto them in mercy especially and so as may stand with his glory who will not save men in their sins unless he should utterly destroy them So God to Ephraim and Judah O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I doe unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud Hos 6.4 and as the early dew it goeth away And may not inlike manner the Lord complain of our unto wardness unfruitfulness and iniquity saying What could have bin done or what can I do more to my vineyard with his honour and holinesse What can I do more with my honor to you who so long have abused my mercy not feared my threats made light account of my word smothered checks of conscience out-wrastled a while to the stifling of the spirit your fears doubts and inward anguish by your own meanes unlesse I should utterly destroy you seeing you by self-deniall and going out of your selves wholly will not seek your helpe and salvation from me And assuredly dear brethren seeing your sin hath brought you into such a distressed condition as that all the world cannot help you if God in mercy help you not unlesse damn them and that again by your presumption and bold trusting to your selves and security and self-confidence you bar up Gods mercy and his power against your selves I say know it assuredly that mercy it self shall never save you till or unlesse you in sence of your hellish and slavish condition under the power of sin and wrath and acknowledgement of your own inability and by an absolute deniall of your selves do seek help and salvation out of your selves in God only according to the direction of his word and faithfull Ministers and dispensers of it and from the power of his saving grace So did these here And so I return to the Observation propounded Those whom God will save must by self-deniall seek salvation out of themselves SECT 2. Why we are to deny our selves and all goodness in our selves in the matter of Salvation YOu perhaps will say did these here in the Text so Or did the Jaylor so when he asked What must I do to be saved Quest Did these Iewes seek salvation out of themselves It seems they are all for doing and works and that they sought though the way of salvation from others yet the cause of it in themselves and in their own doings What shall we do I will not deny but that generally men seek their own good by their own doings when they so speak of doing they of themselves by nature know no other way and are ignorant of Jesus Christ and his righteousnes and so seek righteousness not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 as did the Jews whilst they stumbled at Christ For so according to that condition at the first even in nature intire did the Covenant run Men not knowing Christ commonly and naturally seek their own good from their own doings but more expresly afterwards when the Morall Law was given to the Jewes Do this and thou shalt live Which condition yet was in the true intent of it for conviction and to shew man his unrighteousnesse and impotency and so to prepare him for Christ when he should be made known unto him unto whom accordingly even in the time of the Law men had recourse in the promise and by their legall sacrifices all of them types of Christ and from the first condition of works which yet was for conviction and to prepare them for Christ so that being in their consciences convinced of their sins and of their just desert of death they betook themselves those I mean who understood what they did by