nor can testifie that For he is the Spirit truth he cannot be deceived himself he will not 〈◊〉 ceive us he is the Spirit of God he cannot lye 1 〈◊〉 he cannot tell it much less give approbation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereunto But the former 〈◊〉 made appear undeniable That it is a Falshood and an 〈◊〉 to say any man living hath right to or can challenge 〈◊〉 spiritual good in Christ before he doth Beleeve 〈◊〉 is no such thing to be found in the Word of 〈◊〉 Therefore the Spirit will never testifie that To affirm that the Spirit should say to any 〈◊〉 that he is in a state of Grace when he is in a state 〈◊〉 Sin that he is justified when he is Condemned 〈◊〉 little less than Blasphemy If the Spirit doth reveal a mans good Estate to 〈◊〉 it is for this purpose that he may know it and he 〈◊〉 inable him to receive that intimation that he may discern it else the one of these Two will follow 〈◊〉 Spirit should reveal this for no end if no good 〈◊〉 got by it or else not attain his end if the party 〈◊〉 not be able to understand what it doth reveal If 〈◊〉 former he should not be a wise Worker If the 〈◊〉 he was not a powerful Worker But know and understand this Testimony the Soul cannot by any power either of Nature or Corruption 1 Cor. 2. 14 The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God neither can he know them because they 〈◊〉 spiritually discerned Nay Rom. 8. 7. The 〈◊〉 of the flesh is not subject unto the law therefore 〈◊〉 unto the Lord nor his Spirit If it be beyond Nature or Corruption then it 〈◊〉 be Grace that must help a man to discern it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a qualification and the first 〈◊〉 of this k nd of saving knowledge must be an 〈◊〉 unto Faith if not Faith it self Fides est ex 〈◊〉 notitia This is eternal life to know thee the 〈◊〉 true God Joh. 17. 3. Two Inferences from the former Cases of Conscience thus Resolved These Two Cases being thus cleered 1 That an 〈◊〉 hath no right to any spiritual Good in 〈◊〉 And 2 That the spirit of God doth never 〈◊〉 known this to such a Soul Hence it s cleer 〈◊〉 manner and order that men have devised to make own the mind of God to a man and to give comfort the Soul in distress being cross to these truths now 〈◊〉 is an Erroneous and False way As for 〈◊〉 You being in distress about your Sins and 〈◊〉 under the Spirit of Bondage you must first lay 〈◊〉 in the bottom lay him in the foundation Christ 〈◊〉 first be yours and so united to you and your 〈◊〉 forgiven by him before you have any Faith or 〈◊〉 qualification wrought in you This Opinion 〈◊〉 sayes That Christ may be united to the Soul and 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted before he have any 〈◊〉 it is a dangerous Opinion a desperate 〈◊〉 that I may say no worse of it Mark what 〈◊〉 here 's the plot of all prophaness the ground of loosness and famalism A man may have Christ 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted while he is without 〈◊〉 and therefore while he is under the power of Sins and the Spirit of God may witness this And 〈◊〉 though a man fall into any Sin or live in any sin 〈◊〉 it be he may have recourse to this 〈◊〉 this witness of the Spirit and that 's enough If a man say Prove it Are you in a state of Grace Is Christ yours Prove it then Prove it say they that I cannot do but the Spirit witnesses this to me Ay but prove this witness of the Spirit that it is from God according to his Word They will be forced to confess I cannot prove it neither to my self nor to another only thus I must beleeve it and you must beleeve me I was in trouble and distress about my Sins and then there was a voyce from Heaven the spirit did witness to me That Christ was mine and my Sins were pardoned c. This is a Spirit of Delusion the Devil is there Whatever the Spirit of God sayes it is that which the Scriptures say Therefore if you have a testimony which is not to be found in the Scripture nor can be proved and made good by the Scripture it is the testimony of the Devil not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God and the Word of God ever go together therefore if you say you Have a witness of the Spirit and the Word say No I 'le say It is a Delusion Secondly Hence it follows also There are 〈◊〉 Promises wherein any saving good is Revealed or Evidenced to the Soul but either they are such 〈◊〉 God promiseth to work the Condition or suppose the Condition already wrought either 〈◊〉 mentioning a qualification or necessarily implying 〈◊〉 including the same out of other places to be collected where the same is professedly handled All spiritual good Redemption Justification Salvation purchased by Christ were intended only for them that do beleeve therefore there is no Promise in the Scripture but doth evidence this Sometimes you have the Covenant laid down in 〈◊〉 lump as it were in a brief Expression as in a 〈◊〉 sum comprehending all the whole frame and then 〈◊〉 several actions in their distinct order and manner 〈◊〉 Gods working are to be attended and conceived as though they had been more fully and in the several branches set forth unto us Take a tast of some few Gen. 3. 5. The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head The head of Satan implys Three things Policy Power and Poyson To break this head is to crush and confound all these The Policy and and Power of Satan is overthrown in the work of vocation when the Soul is turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God the venom and poyson of Satan is taken away partly in the 〈◊〉 and punishment which is done away in Justification partly in the stain and pollution of sin which is removed in Sanctification All these Christ doth in 〈◊〉 hearts of all his and some of these all the Saints of God must have evidence of before they can gain evidence that they are within the compass of this Covenant Thus the Apostle John disputes 1 Joh. 3. 3. to 5. Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself as Christ 〈◊〉 pure Why For sin is the transgression of the law and Christ was manifested to take away our sins therefore vers 6. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Christ came to take away sin and therefore he that abideth in Christ cannot abide in sin and vers 8. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil So again Jerem. 31. 33. I will be their God and they shall be my people Zach. 13. last I will say it is my people and they shall say thou art the
we are Justified 〈◊〉 Resurrection Answers not the Law nor yet 〈◊〉 thing of divine Justice for that which the Law never required by that it never can be Answered But 〈◊〉 Law requires a man either to do that he may live 〈◊〉 to die if he sin but it never requires him to rise 〈◊〉 that 's no part of the Command or the Curse or 〈◊〉 Therefore the Resurrection of Christ 〈◊〉 no part of Payment which is imputed or for which 〈◊〉 are Justified We owed Two things Doing 〈◊〉 Dying these answer the whole Debt the Law 〈◊〉 Justice of God Though the Resurrection of Christ be no part os 〈◊〉 yet it serves for more than a naked 〈◊〉 of our Justification All Interpreters agree in 〈◊〉 that it serves to declare our Justification but I 〈◊〉 there is somthing more in it So the Apostle 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 17. and he makes it one of those 〈◊〉 wherby he urgeth them that deny the 〈◊〉 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain 〈◊〉 are yet in your sins Whereas if this 〈◊〉 may stand That the Resurrection is barely a 〈◊〉 of Justification a man might shew Pauls 〈◊〉 to be a weak one For it doth not follow 〈◊〉 a mans Faith might find success without it 〈◊〉 the Resurrection of Christ doth not give a being 〈◊〉 Justification but only declare it as they say 〈◊〉 the Text says If Christ be not Risen you are yet 〈◊〉 your Sins yet in the gall of bitterness and bonds 〈◊〉 iniquity your sins are not pardoned not subdued Therefore if it be no part of the Payment 〈◊〉 which we are justified and yet more than a bare declaration of it then there can be no other given 〈◊〉 must apply that for which we are Justified it is an 〈◊〉 powerful cause to make Application of 〈◊〉 Merits of Christ to us for which and through which 〈◊〉 stand Justified in the sight of God Not only the text is clear 〈◊〉 it but the nature 〈◊〉 Application cals for it in a special manner For by the 〈◊〉 of man we are lyable to a double evil 1 〈◊〉 the revenging Justice of God 2 To the 〈◊〉 and Power 〈◊〉 Satan and Death For when a 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 himself into the hands of divine Justice it was 〈◊〉 righteous with the Lord to 〈◊〉 up the Soul to the Authority and Vassallage of 〈◊〉 and Satan Now therefore when our Savior Christ by his Death and Obedience answered divine Justice and so took away the first evil it was then 〈◊〉 with the Lord to free lost-man through Christ from the Second evil the Authority and Tyranny 〈◊〉 Sin Mark that place Act. 2. 24. Whom God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up having 〈◊〉 the sorrows of death 〈◊〉 it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should be 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 cannot be meant of being holden by the bonds 〈◊〉 death as if 〈◊〉 were bound to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God when he was in the 〈◊〉 for he that 〈◊〉 satisfied the 〈◊〉 of God could not stand bound to it any 〈◊〉 but when 〈◊〉 had suffered for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Garden and on the 〈◊〉 he had then fully satisfied for the Law of God required no more 〈◊〉 Doing and Dying so that Christ might have 〈◊〉 again as soon as 〈◊〉 he was laid in the Grave but 〈◊〉 he lay so long was for another reason But the 〈◊〉 here is How he can be said to be 〈◊〉 from the pains and sorrows of Death when 〈◊〉 Body was in the Earth and his Soul in Heaven 〈◊〉 say from a sorrowful and painful Death I 〈◊〉 that is true Yet under favor I would say thus 〈◊〉 more It was a kind of pain and grief to the man Christ Jesus as to any 〈◊〉 that his Body was in 〈◊〉 Grave when his Soul was in Heaven which did 〈◊〉 to be united together the keeping of these two 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 to them they are 〈◊〉 friends made to be together the Souls of the Saints now 〈◊〉 in Heaven 〈◊〉 to have their bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now then when Christ had fully satissied 〈◊〉 Justice and removed the displeasure of God it 〈◊〉 not possible he could be held by the sorrows of 〈◊〉 it was not 〈◊〉 that his Body and Soul 〈◊〉 be held asunder then To clear it yet more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be considered in a double regard As it is a punishment the 〈◊〉 whereos may 〈◊〉 Justice 2 As it is a part of that Tyranny 〈◊〉 Satan by sin doth exercise upon a man It is 〈◊〉 Death and Obedience of 〈◊〉 takes away the 〈◊〉 of Death in the 〈◊〉 sense but it is he 〈◊〉 of Christ that takes away the power and 〈◊〉 of Death in the Second sense Again 〈◊〉 that Sin also hath a double 〈◊〉 1 As an Aberration or Transgression of the Law 〈◊〉 with the guilt and punishment that follows 〈◊〉 it 2 As part of the Tyranny that Satan exerciseth over the Soul there 〈◊〉 a hellish authority that 〈◊〉 exerciseth over the Soul by reason of Sin Sin 〈◊〉 the first sense our Savior Christ had imputed to 〈◊〉 the guilt of our Sins was charged upon him and the punishments of Sin was suffered by him by which means he answered Gods Justice and so came to justifie us 〈◊〉 the tyranny and authority which Sin and Satan doth exercise over the Soul that 〈◊〉 away by the Resurrection of Christ. This being laid for a ground it is alwaies required at the Sureties hand not only to pay the Debt for the Debtor but to bring the Debtor out of Prison in despight of the malice of 〈◊〉 Jaylor and strength of the Prison When therefore Christ who is our Surety had laid and paid a ful price for our Surety to God the Father and had fully answered that Debt which we stand bound unto by reason of our offence so that now Justice was wel pleased with us and the Anger of the Lord appeased towards us yet now the soul is in Prison under the power of Sin and dominion of Satan therefore it is requisite that God the Father having taken a payment must let the prisoner go free and the Lord Jesus must undertake also to Redeem the soul from the power of Sin and dominion of Satan though they be never so strong therefore God the Father raised up his Son Jesus Christ and together with him he raised us also The soul by reason of sin comes to be forfeited to the divine Justice of God to be a Prisoner to revenging Justice for the Malefactor is the Kings Prisoner not the Jaylors now Christ by his death satisfying Justice he frees the soul from the authority of revenging Justice but when the soul comes to be fetched out of Prison though Gods Justice be satisfied yet Sin and Satan keeps the soul in Prison and wil not let it go unless by strong hand therefore Jesus Christ by an Almighty power raiseth up himself from the dead and by the power of his Resurrection he rescues the soul from the power of
impossible to him or had power above him And hence the Lord delights to set forth the praise of his Mercy and therefore when sin is most vile and hainous and hellish then doth he express his compassion in a most glorious manner it 's the glory of the Physitian when the Disease is most deadly then to do the Cure Isa. 43. 24 25. You have wearied 〈◊〉 with your iniquities and made me to serve with your sins behold I even I am be that blotteth out thy transgressions for my name sake q. d. None but a God of endless Mercy could do it therefore behold it acknowledg it I will blot out your iniquities and remember your sins no more This is the dispute of the Apostle Rom. 5. last having said that our Justification Reconciliation and Life comes by Grace he ads why then serves the Law he answers That sin might abound that sin might be encreased and become more and more hainous because against an express Law but where sin abounded grace abounded much more the Lord gave as it were sin all advantages to do its utmost and yet then Grace would abound so much the more in conquering and raigning over sin And therefore it 's certain if all sins in the world that against the Holy Ghost excepted should meet in one Soul as Waters in the Sea the Mercy of the Lord would abound much more 〈◊〉 those sins did abound The Merits of our Savior Christ are of an 〈◊〉 satisfying vertue and exceed the venom of the guilt of all sins Rom 5. 18. So Paul constantly disputes If by the offence of one sin entred unto 〈◊〉 much more by the death and obedience of our Savior Righteousness entred unto eternal Life And therefore it was that our Savior was pleased to receive our Nature even from the vilest of sinners that he might shew himself a Savior from all sins Matth. 1. Hence also his blood is called a fountain set open for Judah and Israel to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13. 1. i. e. For all kind of sinners and all sorts of sins So that were thy heart a Sink a Sodom a Hell of wickedness if the water of this Fountain might pass through and be applied it would clense all For our Savior 〈◊〉 the infinite wrath of his Father which was due for our sins more he needed not nay should not nay could not have suffered if he died for a thousand worlds of his Elect if they had come from the Loyns of our first Parents And I do beleeve there is vertue enough there to pardon the sin against the Holy Ghost if it were applied but because it was committed against the work of the Spirit so directly it is not just he should and there is no other that will for the Spirit works from the Father to the Son and therefore last of all so that they both have put forth their works before and if therefore his be wronged he will not apply and there is none else that can if the Work of the Father be wronged Christ may intercede if he be blasphemed the Spirit may apply but if he be despighted there is none left that will or can Because the power of the 〈◊〉 is such that he can conquer and overcome all which with his own Honor he can attempt to remove as all but that which is committed immediately against his Operation he wil and doth this is the ground of overcoming which the Apostle gives 1 John 4. 4. You have over come the world because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world That also which Paul propounds for the clensing of the most loathsom puddles 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the Name of Jesus and by the Spirit of our God for that Spirit is above all unclean Spirits and therefore when he will come and work upon the soul and clense it from all its corruptions Sin and the World and the Devil and all give way they cannot hinder his work So that if the Mercy of God be infinite able to forgive all the Merits of Christ of infinite Vertue able to satisfie for all and the Spirit of infinite power to conquer all then the worst of sinners may become broken hearted sinners when the Lord will please to look upon them We have here matter of Admiration to see and stand amazed at the riches of Gods mercy and grace which succors the most desperate sinners relieves at the hardest streights saves even from the nethermost Hell It 's the Collection the Prophet makes from the ground formerly mentioned Mich. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that par donest iniquity and passest by the transgression of the remnant of thine heritage because mercy pleaseth him He intends pardon to such who have nothing that can purchase it do nothing that can deserve it nay practice nothing which is in any manner pleasing which might perswade him to it yea when he is displeased with all things but his own mercy and indeed can be pleased with nothing else when they dishonor his Name wrong his Justice reject his Commands and grieve his Spirit every thing provoketh him yet because his mercy pleaseth him therefore he doth good against evil therefore he overcomes all their evil in goodness Yea When sinners out of their impenitency and malignant enmity of their Spirits would destroy themselves and his mercy also and cast away his compassions his mercy is pleased to honor it self and to save them who is a God like this God and what mercy like this mercy He is not like the Idols of the Heathens even themselvs being witnesses for the followers favorites of Idol Gods who 〈◊〉 upon them in time of prosperity and devote themselves to their Worship yet in the day of distresse their Idols leave them in the lirch and they are forced to look to the Lord for relief Jer. 2. 27. In the time of their trouble they will say Arise and save us But the hope of Israel is not like them when the Disease is most deadly he then cures the condition of the sinner most desperate he then delivers out of the jaws of Satan and botom of Hell he then rescues It s the Prerogative he takes to himself Thy destruction O Israel is of thy self but in me is thy help Hos. 13. 9. It 's that praise which the Saints give as the proper due of the Lord Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thy diseases and Jonah leaves this Cure upon Record after he was landed by the 〈◊〉 Jonah 2. 6. Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God and verse 9. Salvation is of the Lord. Here is a ground of Encouragement to sustain the hearts of such forlorn Creatures as are sunk down in desperate discouragement as past help and hope to provoke them yet to seek out
he part with his beloved lust his Isaac his 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 he will then shew and discover his falsness But are not the Servants of the Lord many times unwilling to bid adieu to their special and ancient 〈◊〉 that have been bred and born with them brought up and lived with them a long time together There is two men in a regenerate man a heart and a heart a will and a will Rom. 7. last Paul delighted in the Law of God after the inward man but in his lust after the corrupt man With my mind I serve the Law of God saies he but with my 〈◊〉 the Law of Sin or as our Savior The Spirit 〈◊〉 willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26. 41. the spiritual part is ever prest and ready and wholly willing for good for he that is born of God so sins not and Paul professeth it 's not I but sin in me but saies he The good that I would I do not and the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7. 18. still the heart and will of a regenerate man stands God-ward against every sin and for every good that he is convinced of The Reasons of the Point are Four and they are of great weight The First is taken from the Nature of the Will of man which since the Fall is wholly tainted and totally infected with corruption which universally overspreads the whol man As he in another case the whol head is sick the whol heart is faint the whol man wholly possessed with sin no sound part As Jobs contagion wherewith the Devil infected his Body and Natural man he was all one botch from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot So in regard of thr Spiritual man the whol man is as it were a man of sin called therefore the old man Eph. 4. 22. As though a corrupt heart were made up of nothing else but Apostacies backslidings and departings from God and swervings from his righteous Law Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh that is sinful and sensual and we are all of us altogether so born and have nothing of the Spirit of Grace in us so the Apostle Jude verse 19. These are sensual having not the spirit The Sons of Adam are all of us partakers of his Image and hence also called the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. that as each Creature and Plant answers the Seed whereof it is made hath no more in it but that so mens hearts are only framed and constituted out of that corrupt 〈◊〉 whereby Satan carried aside our first Parents Paul so professeth of himself In me 〈◊〉 is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 11. nothing that is spiritually savingly and 〈◊〉 good and therefore in the old Law our corrupt Nature is signified by the Leprosie which overspread the whol man The sin of Adam had in it this peculiar to it self more than any nay I may 〈◊〉 say more than all the sins that ever was committed in that it was the Deordination of the whol Nature of man and that against the whol Law of God For Adam did not sin as a particular man so as all the Sons of Adam do sin but as a common stock as one who was in the room of all and had the Humane Nature as the common stock of all Man-kind so that the Nature of Man as one would say Humanity in Adam as it was under the Covenant of the Law so it went wholly against the holy and righteous Law of God and therefore the whol Nature of man broke when it made a breach upon the Law As he that justles his finger against a rock breaks that only he that runs his hand unjoynts that but if all the whol body fall from a steep place upon it it breaks all the whol frame of Nature in pieces So it is comparatively between the sin of Adam and the sin of any of the sons of Adam They sin personally one is unjust and he makes a breach against Justice and so far that disposition of heart is perverted and so unfitted for the work of Justice but in Adam the whol Nature of Mind and Will and Affections which was the subject of all Grace it comes against the Law and so brings a ruine upon the whol Frame of Grace Ad hereunto to make up the Evidence that this was indeed against the whol Law as that wherein he neither loved God nor himself nor 〈◊〉 neighbor But take it here he made a breach upon the seal of the Covenant and trampled that under foot and so consequently made voyd and 〈◊〉 upon the Covenant wholly and cast it behind his back as not worth caring for Now Reason 〈◊〉 that as the Seal confirms and ratifies the 〈◊〉 and all the Conditions of it joyntly so the 〈◊〉 of that nullifies and makes void the whol Covenant So that this transgression of Adam let 〈◊〉 a Deluge of Sin that as in Noahs Flood when the Windows of Heaven were opened and the great depths were broken up the waters covered the face of the whol Earth that no dry Land appeared So 〈◊〉 is here when the deeps are broken up as it were the whol Law opposed by the whol Nature of man the Deluge of corruption spreads it self over the whol face and frame of Nature Therefore the Apostle first Summarily gives in his Judgment in the 3. to the Romans the 9. verse That all are under sin And then Particularly They are all become abominable there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open Sepulchre vents nothing but venemous steams of deadly distempers the poyson of Asps is under their tongues their feet swift to shed blood 12 13 14 15. vers And if all the Parts be such what is the heart within that acts all vents all fills all these That as it befel the Temple of Jerusalem after the destruction of it there was not a stone left upon a stone so with the soul in regard of that glorious frame of Grace which was in it in the first Creation there is not a stone left upon a stone nothing but pollution and corruption remains in the whol Nature of every man But you will say Are there no Reliques left of that glorious Image of God in the Will and Understanding There is somthing left of the Law but nothing left whereby a man can be enabled to do any thing as an act of Spiritual Life that may be acceptable to God In a word there are these Two things to be attended and may be observed in every man naturally at the lowest and the worst as I look at these poor Indians amongst whom we live as the very ruines and rubbish of mankind the forlorn Posterity of Adam 1 They are made for another and for a better 2 They ought to yeild obedience to that other and better But to know the Will of God and do it to be
and the venom of the Serpent in the other Why Have they not nay continue they not to do the lusts of the Devil to this day They have the Spirit of sin and Satan within them and therefore they are their Children and therefore sin and Satan 〈◊〉 a right and title to them Is it not again writ Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom you yeild your selves servants to obey his servants you are As who should say It is a ruled case common and confessed by the verdict of al. If ye yeild your selves to obey sin you are the servants of sin therefore saies sin and Satan since we have such law on our side for our right we crave our right for these have yeilded themselves servants to my temptations saies Satan and to my allurements saies the World and to my instigation saies Sin therefore they are our Servants therefore let us have them still To which the Lord Answers and Justice also Replyes While they did remain the seed of the Serpent and in the state of the Children of wrath so long you have reason to have them and right to challenge them and therefore it is you have detained them as Prisoners to your pleasure to this day Yea but saies the Father The Lord Jesus whom I have sent he hath undertaken to pacifie my wrath and purchase their deliverance and so hath done for he hath bought them of Divine Justice and therefore hath right now to make them the seed of the Covenant of Grace and to bring them to himself and life as they are and have been the seed of the Serpent and estranged from me and happiness and therefore he hath not only done for them what was required on their behalf but he wil work in them what may be answerable to the Covenant and the Condition of it therfore your claim is nothing This under correction I take to be the meaning of that place Rom. 8 2 3 4. which is mysterious and dark and dazels the eyes of Judicious Interpreters that several senses appear to the several apprehensions of men we wil open it briefly as we pass by and apply it to our 〈◊〉 And that which I suppose wil give some light to the true intent of the place and wil be as a Key to the Scripture and set open the sense that an easie apprehension may give a sad guess at the purpose of the Spirit is this I suppose the words must be understood of the work 〈◊〉 the Spirit wrought in us and the impressions of Grace left upon the Soul not of the work of Justification which is wholly without us in the Lord Jesus our Surety and only counted ours And this that Phrase in the 4 th vers seems to me of necessity to imply Where it is evident that the end of the former work of Christ is made this That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Whereas in the work of Justification the truth of the work the meaning of the Lord and expression of Scripture is other 2 Cor. 5. last Christ was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him not in our selves That Righteousness for which we are Justified is fulfilled for us by Christ and is in him it s not fulfilled in us For it is the Doctrine of the Popish Sect who are adversaries to Gods Grace that we are justified for any thing wrought in us and for which we are for ever to renounce them And hence it is Phil. 3. 7. Not having mine own Righteousness but that which is of God in Christ Therefore not in us properly This being granted I shal shortly give you the meaning of this 3 d. Vers. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh The Apostle had evidenced the state of a man in Christ by the fruits of it He walks not after the flesh but after the spirit Vers. 1. The Question might be How comes that about He Answers Vers. 2. The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ as the Head hath freed me and so al his Body and each Member from the Law of Sin that is The Soveraign Rule of Sin and Death But why was the Spirit of Christ necessarily required to do this since the mind of God is in the Law revealed and my Obedience required therein Is it not enough that I understand this and thereby be enabled to follow it The Apostle answers No It was impossible for the Law to enable a man to walk after the Spirit and to be free from the Law of sin for so the Causal For knits this Verse as a proof of the former not because the Law was faulty but because our Flesh our natures were corrupt and thence it is not enough the Lord should tell and teach unless there be some other Spirit and Power to enable But how then comes this other Spirit He Answers 〈◊〉 3. God 〈◊〉 his Son to take our Nature upon him who was like unto us in all but sin and he sent him to take our Nature 〈◊〉 i. e. For the Removal of sin And these words are to be referred to those going before he sent not to those after he condemned sin As thus He sent his Son in the similitude of sinful Flesh for sin for the removal of sin and he condemned sin in the Flesh i. e. In the Vertue of the Sufferings of his Flesh he did abolish and destroy the 〈◊〉 and Jurisdiction of sin so that sin as we may say hath lost his Cause and is as we 〈◊〉 to speak non suited fails wholly in al the Pleas it can or doth make for any right it hath to the Soul of a sinner As we say of a man that is Cast in Law that the Cause went against him His Cause is Condemned or his Cause is Damned his Claim is false and feeble and hath no force to carry the thing he would So here Sin fails of its Claim is wholly Cast in the Suit that it makes for the Challenge of the Soul Divine Justice delivered it into its power because it was wronged but must now deliver it out of the Claim and Authority of sin being satisfied And from hence this will be attained That the Righteousness which the Law requires may by the Spirit of Christ be wrought in me 〈◊〉 by way of 〈◊〉 hereafter in perfection To the like purpose is the meaning of that place also 1 〈◊〉 4. 6. For for this end was the Gospel preached to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit In the sirst Verse from the Death and Sufferings of our Savior he perswaded those to whom he wrote That they should 〈◊〉 that Application by way of proportion That
Diet that provokes to 〈◊〉 by the tast the harsh and unkind language that provokes to wrath and impatience by the Ear But the Mind and Understanding toucheth the Lord directly meets with his Rule and with God acting in the way of his Government there and when it goes off from the Rule as before and attends its own vanity and folly it justles with the Almighty stands in open defyance and resistance against him This also appeared in Adams sin our of the folly of his own deluded thoughts he would have unthroned the Almighty and hoped by Satans Counsels to set himself in the room of God Ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil Gen. 3. and he saw it to be good to get knowledg and so purchase a Deity to himself and so put it to tryal thus the wicked openly profess They say to the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy waies Job 21. when they desire not to have the wisdom of God rule in their minds but set up their own foolish imaginations they say then to God depart from us they shake off the Authority of the Truth and with that the Soveraignty of the Lord himself and his Government Hence the Apostle Collos. 1. 21. They were Enemies and where lay that enmity in their minds in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Discourse in the exercise of the largest act of their Understandings wherein the use of the whol faculty appears and this enmity appears in the fruit of it which wil undoubtedly follow namely evil works Hence Rom. 8. 7. the wisdom of the flesh is said to be enmity against God not an enemy to him that would somtimes cross and oppose him but Enmity the whol being and working of it is carried in constant opposition against the Law And upon 〈◊〉 ground it is when the Apostle Peter would shew Simon Magus the hainousness of his sin he staies not in the outward expression but cals him directly to consider the thoughts of his heart where that 〈◊〉 language was minted and from whence it proceeded When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by laying on of the hands of the Apostles the holy Ghost was 〈◊〉 he perceived how he might get a booty and therefore he fel to bargain tries the Market what shal I give c. The Apostle carried with a zealous indignation against so vile a demand which cast so much contempt and contumely upon the holy Spirit and the gift thereof answers with a holy disdain and denounceth a Curse Thy money perish with thee q. d. thou art in a perishing condition and this money of thine which thou conceivest wil further thy proceedings wil perish also yet he ads a caution for his recovery Oh pray if it be possible that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven Acts 8. 22 23. q. d. Thy sin is so hainous so execrable so detestable it 's almost past al possibility of pardon it 's not in the tongue which uttered the word nor in the hand which offered the money nor yet so much in thine eye that saw the work done for all these met not so directly so immediately with the Lord. The words were propounded to the Apostles the money should have been payed to them but Oh it was the hellish villany of his mind and apprehension which did so basely esteem of the gifts of Gods Spirit as if they might be valued or purchased with money He did so conceive as if the holy Spirit of Grace should Lackey after his lusts and be at the beck and command of such a proud rebellious wretch as that it should be disposed and dispensed according to his will and humor This was in his mind and thought and this made it so hainous an evil that the Apostle put it to a may be if it be possible so that the hellish evil of our imaginations and cursed contrivements of our thoughts may put a man almost beyond possibility of pardon So in the sin against the holy Ghost it 's said our Savior saw their thoughts Mat. 12. ver 25. those gave in evidence of the direfulness and inconceivable hainousness of those contumelious speeches against our Savior when they said He casteth out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils It is not said he heard their words though blasphemous but he saw their thoughts they issued out of their apprehensions their thoughts being calm and quiet it was not some base pang or passion but when they had no provocation their own thoughts carried them against the evidence of all Truth meerly out of the venom of their own hearts This was unpardonable blasphemy and in truth there is no Creature but a reasonable Creature that can close not with the Creature only but with God in his Rule that can sin nor is there any sin properly but where the mind and heart is an Ingredient in it So the ravished Maid though her body was abused yet her person was not charged as guilty of sin nor she polluted therewith because her judgment was not there assenting nor her heart yielding thereunto Look at thoughts in regard of al the other evils of our lives which are acted and appear in our dayly course we may thence come to take a guess at the greatness of the evil of our thoughts for it will appear they are the causes of all other evils and therefore it cannot but be concluded there is more and worse evil in them than in all the rest A mans imaginations are the forge of villany where it 's al framed the Ware-house of wickedness the Magazine of al mischief and iniquity whence the sinner is furnished to the commission of al evil in his ordinary course the Sea of abominations which overflows into al the Sences and they are polluted into all the parts of the body and they are defiled and carried aside with many noysom corruptions Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart comes murders adulteries thefts there is the nest where al these noysom vermine are bred Matth. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the tongue speaks and the hand works If there be pride and snappishness in a mans speech stubbornness in a course 〈◊〉 in a mans Conversation there is abundance of al these and more than these within The Imagination of our mind is the great Wheel that carries al with it That loathsom and execrable wickedness worse than which the Sun never saw the Earth never bore that unpardonable siu excepted the killing of the Lord Jesus the Lord of Life the seed of it was a thought cast by 〈◊〉 into the heart of Judas John 13. 3. it was warmed with a covetous disposition and so brought forth that hideous treachery the 〈◊〉 of the Lord Jesus If 〈◊〉 be evil in the tongue that 〈◊〉 it is it not worse in the heart that indites it Wickedness in our actions and speeches are but the brats and brood of our minds and hearts there they were conceived and fashioned in al
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
put Them into the Possession of it and make it Theirs For the First of these the Doctrine is That Christ hath Purchased all Spiritual good for His 〈◊〉 be Three Particulars to be attended for the 〈◊〉 of this Point 1 What this Spiritual Good is 2 Why Christ Purchased it and How 3 For Whom This Spiritual Good intended is the heap of Grace 〈◊〉 Happiness with all those sweet Fruits and 〈◊〉 which are either in preparation to it or 〈◊〉 upon it the whole Estate and Portion and Patrimony of a Christian the Riches Revenues of 〈◊〉 Gospel what is in Hand what is in Hope what 〈◊〉 Possession what in Expectation the whole Mass 〈◊〉 Inventory of those Everlasting Treasuries which 〈◊〉 stored up from all Eternity for the welfare of His. David thus discovers it Psal. 31. 19. Oh! How 〈◊〉 is that Goodness which thou hast wrought for Them and laid up for Them and laid out for Them 〈◊〉 trust in thee before the Sons of men So the Apostle also Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgivness of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us I would not I should not in a way of orderly proceeding descend to Particulars for that were to 〈◊〉 things out of place I am now only in the general Doctrine which lies open in a Community for the 〈◊〉 of it to all that comes after and therefore nothing proper to this place but that which carries that Community with it The Severals I shal reserve to their particular places Only thus much we may say 〈◊〉 the further manifestation All that Spiritual Good we lost all that we do want or can need all that 〈◊〉 can desire all that we can receive for our everlasting welfare this is that plentiful Redemption which 〈◊〉 meant here Psal. 130. 7. Why is it said that Christ hath Purchased 〈◊〉 Good Because there is a Price laid down for it 〈◊〉 that of equal worth and of valuable consideration 〈◊〉 that which is desired and obtained and that in a righteous way of just proceeding and the Price that 〈◊〉 laid down is expresly named in the Text to be the 〈◊〉 Blood of Jesus You were Redeemed saies 〈◊〉 Apostle not with Silver and Gold these were 〈◊〉 too mean quality and too base a condition being 〈◊〉 and tramitory things and therefore no 〈◊〉 answerable to those everlasting and spiritual and 〈◊〉 good things we look for but with the 〈◊〉 Blood of Christ which is of endless infinite and 〈◊〉 virtue and efficacy and in which the Lord rests 〈◊〉 this is a full Purchase For any Power by strong hand to wrest away 〈◊〉 sinner from under the Almighty hand of God it 〈◊〉 impossible for Justice to lay aside it self and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have her 〈◊〉 righted in a righreous way was 〈◊〉 therefore that Gods Justice might 〈◊〉 and our good procured there was necessity 〈◊〉 an equal price should be laid down for it and 〈◊〉 was the blood of Christ. In a word The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience of Christ was the full Purchase The 〈◊〉 out of Justice is bound to manifest the Glory of 〈◊〉 because that is to give every one his own and 〈◊〉 must require satisfaction where any breach 〈◊〉 been made by any transgression and swerving 〈◊〉 the righteous Will of God While therefore 〈◊〉 Savior by his Death satisfied the breach of the 〈◊〉 and for all the sins that ever any of His should 〈◊〉 guilty of and by his Obedience fulfilled all 〈◊〉 and perfectly pleased God He fully 〈◊〉 by way of purchase and compleat payment made 〈◊〉 Divine Justice the removal of all that evil we 〈◊〉 deserved and the enjoyment of all that good we 〈◊〉 and could desire and that by a valuable 〈◊〉 tendered into the hands of Divine Justice in 〈◊〉 behalf Thus we are said 1 Cor. 6. 20. to be bought with a 〈◊〉 And Job 33. 24. the Lord is said to set free the 〈◊〉 through the righteousness of his Son he 〈◊〉 Deliver him because I have found a Ransom 〈◊〉 the Ransom and Payment is tendered to divine 〈◊〉 for to it the Soul stands Prisoner As the 〈◊〉 is the King's Prisoner not the Jaylors so the 〈◊〉 stands bound to divine Justice and is God's 〈◊〉 he is neither the prisoner of Satan who is 〈◊〉 Jaylor nor of Sin which is the Prison properly 〈◊〉 so far as they receive Commission from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to require Satisfaction in her behalf And 〈◊〉 when Justice is satisfied neither of them have right 〈◊〉 power to retain the Soul Therefore the Scripture stiles them redeemed from 〈◊〉 earth Rev. 14. 3. And He gave himself that he 〈◊〉 deliver us from this present 〈◊〉 world Gal. 1. 4 〈◊〉 again Rev. 5. 9. He was slain and 〈◊〉 bought us 〈◊〉 his blood unto God the Father So that by way of Purchase he hath bought us from our selves that is Redeemed us from the tyranny authority and 〈◊〉 veraignty of our own lusts unto which we were 〈◊〉 bondage 1 Cor. 7. 23. He hath bought us 〈◊〉 price from being the servants of men that is 〈◊〉 the slavery and servitude of mens humors and 〈◊〉 When the Law is satisfied the Dungeon and 〈◊〉 can detain the Prisoner no longer Thus However it is out of free mercy and 〈◊〉 grace that Redemption is given to us for it s out 〈◊〉 mercy that Christ is given that he gave his life 〈◊〉 both are bestowed upon us and not upon the world yet in regard of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 payment he hath laid down out of his own 〈◊〉 cost and charges his own blood its justice it 〈◊〉 be bestowed upon him and by justice it may be challenged as that which he hath 〈◊〉 in a 〈◊〉 proceeding Instruction We may here see how great and 〈◊〉 a work it is to obtain the least Spiritual Good that appertains to the everlasting welfare of our souls were it but the giult of the least sin that should be removed were it but the power of the least 〈◊〉 that should be brought under one smile of Gods countenance and one blessed look of his face and favor toward a poor wtetch were it but a saving and a heavenly thought of a mans mind the least spiritual motion or stir of our hearts in any sincere affection to the Lord It is not all the Policy or Parts of men that can procure it not all the power of created Nature in heaven or earth that can accomplish it not all the 〈◊〉 of Pearls mynes of Gold and Silver in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that can purchase this no if it were 〈◊〉 from a vain Conversation from a Tradition from a Delusion you must be redeemed from it by the 〈◊〉 blood of Christ So the text God wil not 〈◊〉 any good of the Covenant of Grace but he 〈◊〉 well paid for it and it comes at such a rate that all 〈◊〉 and all Creatures are not
〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 than the Application therof so that Christ should die for manie that shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his death it would exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertue of the merits of Christ and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worke of our redemption for then it 〈◊〉 follow The Sufferings and obedience of our Savior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of lesse vertue and 〈◊〉 to save men than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilt of Adams transgression was to condemne 〈◊〉 For Adam did not onely purchas the curse and 〈◊〉 by the breach of Covenant but convey it 〈◊〉 that Certainly to all his posteritie so the Apostle 〈◊〉 2. 3. wee were Children of wrath by nature 〈◊〉 well as others All in whose room Adam 〈◊〉 and so sinned all they had his sin imputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflicted without fail But if Christ fully 〈◊〉 life and blessing for those in whose stead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Suretie but Leaves the Application of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libertie of their owne wills his merits should 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 power and efficacie for the recoverie and 〈◊〉 of his than Adams sin was for the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 Which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in this point wherin he makes Adam a tipe of Christ 〈◊〉 5. 14. 21. For if through 〈◊〉 offence of one many be dead nay death raigned 〈◊〉 Adam to 〈◊〉 and that ovr Children also 〈◊〉 sinned not after the similitude of him much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace of God and the free Gift by Grace 〈◊〉 unto many to 〈◊〉 and life that 〈◊〉 Sin Raigned unto death So Grace might raigne 〈◊〉 Eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Confutation Learn wee in wariness and 〈◊〉 to hold this wholsome word of truth this 〈◊〉 which is according to 〈◊〉 wherby 〈◊〉 may be fensed and have our hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many dangerous errors wherby the vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the carnal hearts of the sinful sons of men are easily 〈◊〉 and taken aside all which will vanish away 〈◊〉 the evidence of this truth 〈◊〉 the smoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wind and the Snow before the Sun And 〈◊〉 we should with more care attend to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Delivered because wee shall have so much use of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes when the Clouds of Errors have 〈◊〉 the world As men doe when the plague or some infectious Disease begins to Spread if there 〈◊〉 some choyce antidotes which are of Speciall 〈◊〉 and virtue to preserve against such malignant 〈◊〉 each man will be sure to have it alwayes in his 〈◊〉 ever readie in his hand Such is this Saving truth 〈◊〉 once taken in and rightly understood and 〈◊〉 will fortify both mind and heart from the infection 〈◊〉 such false opinions which are exceding prejudicial 〈◊〉 Gods free Grace and the comfort and peace of 〈◊〉 own souls Hold this truth then Redemption and Applycation are of equal extent For whom Christ 〈◊〉 to them Christ applyes First then Hence that vain conceit falls to the Ground as Dagon before the Ark that devised distinction wherby Satan and his instruments have darkned the power and 〈◊〉 of Christs death viz. that Christ died for all in point of Impetration but not 〈◊〉 Application that is he Purchased Redemption for all but the Application is not unto all the 〈◊〉 he layed down but the application in 〈◊〉 he left to themselves and their owne free wills in the last resolution As though God in Justice should exact a payment and that to the full of the Suretie and never let it redound to the benefit of the partie As though our Saviour should so fail in wisdom as to lay down his blood a full price for the redemption and reconciliation of men when he well forelaw they would not or could not get any good therby in a word this device is dashed from hence If for whomsoever Christ purchased to them it is applyed the Impetration and Application are of equall extent Hence again it follows by undeniable Evidence That Christ died not for all For if he died only for those to whom the Vertue of his death is applied then he died only for some because the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 is not applied to all some only shall be 〈◊〉 saved by his Death therefore he died but for 〈◊〉 Application is not to all therefore 〈◊〉 was not for all Hence again it 's cleer The Application of Mercy 〈◊〉 Grace purchased depends not upon mans will 〈◊〉 then our Savior had died at uncertainties and it 〈◊〉 been in the power and pleasure of man to have 〈◊〉 frustrate the death of our Savior and the end of 〈◊〉 Redemption purchased thereby For Christ 〈◊〉 it should be applied and therefore purchased 〈◊〉 and the will of man would cross the will of our 〈◊〉 and say it shall not be applied which is indeed 〈◊〉 confound Heaven and Earth and pervert the whol 〈◊〉 of our Savior in bringing back lost man 〈◊〉 God to make Gods saving Grace serve mens 〈◊〉 and humors and the success of the death of the 〈◊〉 Jesus to depend upon the sinful distempers of 〈◊〉 hearts of men Nay hence the Vertue of Christs 〈◊〉 should be lastly resolved into and wholly 〈◊〉 upon the will of man though he intended to 〈◊〉 yet they might chuse and so Christ might have 〈◊〉 his blood in vain We may hence see the reason of that miraculous Dispensation of the Lord Jesus in the work of his Grace upon the sinful 〈◊〉 of men whose salvation 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 in his everlasting Counsel and 〈◊〉 which he made with his Father here lies the 〈◊〉 of the wonderful mysteriousness of that 〈◊〉 That it prevails most powerfully for the good 〈◊〉 sinners when they do most of all oppose it when 〈◊〉 seem to be 〈◊〉 in their wretched courses 〈◊〉 down in their sinful distempers and furthest 〈◊〉 from the waies and hopes of life intrenched 〈◊〉 dayly custom and long continuance in the strong 〈◊〉 of their prevailing corruptions and lusts of their 〈◊〉 and lives when there is many times no 〈◊〉 bility nay not appearance of any possibility in 〈◊〉 that ever they should receive any spiritual good 〈◊〉 being so opposite against it and yet suddenly 〈◊〉 unexpectedly and that by very weak means 〈◊〉 times the Lord Christ most effectually applies 〈◊〉 Word and Work of his Grace to their souls 〈◊〉 we to sit down in silence and look at the 〈◊〉 power of the purchase of Jesus the precious 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 blood of Jesus which though 〈◊〉 and unseen to the eye of the world yet in its 〈◊〉 will undoubtedly accomplish the end intended 〈◊〉 very man should observe it and say such a poor 〈◊〉 wretched creature that out 〈◊〉 God and his 〈◊〉 and all the means of his own good that then the 〈◊〉 should meet with him and stop him and turn 〈◊〉 and call him home to himself O the Vertue of 〈◊〉 Blood of Jesus the power whereof nothing can 〈◊〉 pose the efficacy and success whereof nothing 〈◊〉 hinder he hath purchased the good of this 〈◊〉 creature
not give his Glory to 〈◊〉 Isa. 42. 8. The Lord Jesus as he will not suffer 〈◊〉 Corruption never so strong to hinder his Work when he will accomplish it so neither will he suffer 〈◊〉 of our performances or abilities be they what 〈◊〉 will to joyn Purchasers with him in the 〈◊〉 of Grace as though he were not either able or willing to be the Author and sinisher of our Faith 〈◊〉 No no We must not ad of ours but in 〈◊〉 case take all of him and from him not bring 〈◊〉 own wisdom with us but become fools that we 〈◊〉 be wise and that 's the way which God hath 〈◊〉 to gain information not think to ioyn our 〈◊〉 with Christ and so become Co-partners with 〈◊〉 I speak of the first Work of Conversion to 〈◊〉 our selves Holy Just and Wise but 〈◊〉 our selves we must look that he should be made Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and 〈◊〉 to us Hence the Apostle Phil. 3. 9. professeth he desired 〈◊〉 to be found in Christ not only as not having his 〈◊〉 sins but not having his own 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 by the Law A Real Renouncing of our own worthiness of that Grace and Mercy which we need and without which 〈◊〉 are most miserable this being one Condition of the Second Covenant of Grace made in Christ wherby it 's differenced from that of the Law made with Adam Namely That Holiness and Righteousnes wherewith the Nature of man was beautified in Paradice though it was not so natural as issuing out of the Principles out of which he was compounded and made yet by all Orthodox Divines it is in this sense judged natural in that in Gods wise Providence and righteous appointment it was due to Nature It being cross to the wise proceeding of the infinite wise God to require Obedience from a Creature if he should not have given ability to the Creature to perform it It Arguing weakness and unskilfulness at the least in the Workman to make a thing for an End and not make it able to attain the End 〈◊〉 which it was made But in this Second Covenant of the Gospel it is far otherwise when we in our first 〈◊〉 had mispent the stock the Lord had bestowed upon us we were unworthy to be betrusted with any more and hence it coms to pass when the Lord wil lay hold upon the proud heart of a Sinner and draw him to himself he sinks his Spirit with the sence of his own wretchedness so that he sees and confesseth freely that he is undone without Mercy and yet conceives it 's not possible that ever such a worthless worm should partake thereof acknowledgeth it's just with God to deny to give nay to offer Grace to him that hath slighted rejected opposed Grace from day to day He knowes he cannot procure or Purchase Gods favor challenge he dare not without it he concludes he must perish and yet deserves by his own confession he should never obtain it Dan. 9. 7 8. O Lord Righteousness belongs to thee but unto us confufion of face nothing but shame and confusion belongs to us no mercy nor grace Ezek. 36. 31 32. They shal loarh themselves in their own eyes and not for your 〈◊〉 do I these things saith the Lord be ashamed and confounded O house of Israel In a word then is a man truly worthy that is fit to hear of and to receive mercy when he is rightly really become 〈◊〉 of his own unworthiness The soul now stands ready to side it with Christ for him to take possession of it that though the soul be not able to kill sin yet it 's empty the Coast is cleer as when Joab sent to David to come and take the City so the soul stands ready that if Jesus Christ would come and take possession of it and do that for it which it cannot do it self this is that that it would have the soul is content that Christ should do all as suppose a City that is Garrisoned with Enemies they cannot get them out themselves but they are willing that the General should come with his Soldiers and drive them out and place another Garrison there so the soul is content that Christ should dispossess whatsoever opposeth him and do whatsoever is pleasing to himself Isa. 26. 13. O Lord our God 〈◊〉 Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name as if the soul should say I cannot subdue my sins my self but let Christ do what is good in his eyes the soul is content that Christ should work upon it and do all for it The Second Particular to be attended for the Explication of the Point is to shew the Manner of this Work and that will also appear in Four things The soul of a sinner is meerly patient herein it 's wrought upon him not wrought by him by any power he hath inherent in himself so the phrase and language of Scripture Jer. 31. 18. Turn me and I shal be turned and verse 19. After I was turned I 〈◊〉 that also includes as much Gal. 4. 9. we know God 〈◊〉 rather in this first Work are known of him And therefore it 's no work of Sanctification properly and as it 's taken in a narrow and strict sense for the sinner be ng justified by Faith and having the Spirit of Adoption dwelling in him hath received a principle of life wherby he comes to be active Act. 15 9. Having purified their hearts by faith This only is in way of preparation to fit us for our being in Christ that I may receive this power this is to make room for faith and Christ that having received him I might be enabled by the power of the Spirit to run right which is Sanctification Hence then go no further than this work the sinner as yet is not a good Tree nor can he bring forth good Fruit but is in way of preparation to be made one yet this work as it comes from the Spirit is good and pleasing to God because the Spirit is a good tree and is the Author of this I only am the receiver of it and therefore it is none of my fruit properly nor am I said to do any thing to please God by this because it 's done in me not by me As it is in the infusion of the Grace of Faith look at it as the soul is the subject of the Work the act it self comes from the Spirit and as a fruit of the Spirit it is good and accepted of God yet I cannot properly be said to please God in it because it is not an act done by me Hence those feeble Objections fall to the ground and are wiped away with a wet finger If there be any saving Preparation before the infusion of Faith then the soul brings forth good fruit and is a good tree without Faith And Secondly then there is somthing which pleaseth God
no power receive no profit nor benefit to my own soul and there is a secret conceit that God doth them wrong As she said If it be so Why am I thus Gen. 25. 22. 2. We may know it by a sinking discouragement of heart When the soul wearied with delayes and differings and expectation sits down in a 〈◊〉 condition because he cannot have what he will he will cast away what he hath and conceaves he may be careless of what he might attain As David said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Samuel 27. 1. All men are lyars Psal. 116. 11. Alas Iam not fit to Pray or to Hear I find my heart worse after it none was ever in such a case as I better never to use the means than never to have benefit by them better never to enjoy the Ordinances and Priviledges of God than to get no good by them How now Better never use the means It would be better and best of all if you were deeply humbled and abased in the sight of your own vileness As the Apostle saies What if God will not What 〈◊〉 he will never pardon your sins or shew mercy to your soul If he give you nothing doth he 〈◊〉 you any thing You think your worthiness is not attended you secretly think the Lord hath forgot himself your parts and performances your 〈◊〉 and prayers diligence and endeavors ought upon due to be remembered and recompenced No Thank your proud heart you are not prepared for the presence the peace the comfort the coming of a Savior and therefore you want him Do you think your self worthy to be condemned when you think it much to be denyed deserted punished nay but desayed in the dispensation of Gods goodness He must please your pallat and suit your mind and humor at a beck No no mend your self if you be in so hasty a moode the Lord will make you know that you are unworthy of mercy He will not bribe you nor be beholding to you to wait upon him for his mercy yea be thankful to him that you may wait and wonder that you are not past praying hearing and waiting and all A ground of Encouragement to a poor distressed sinner when Devils assault 〈◊〉 grow strong Conscience accuse and the venome of the vengeance of the Almighty drinks up a mans spirits so that the sinner knows not how to bear his condition nor yet how to help himself out of it so that he is at his wits end His Friends pitty him and the Parents conceave their Child is undone they never thought to have seen this day Why so It is the best day that ever his eyes saw he is now in Gods way the Lord now seems to lay hold upon him and to intend good to him be not afraid of the work but be afraid he should miss and spoil in the working As in Child-bed when throws come thick and strong there is most hope of a speedy and happy delivery but when her throws leave her her life leaves her so it is in the new Birth Stormy gales at Sea toss a man most but soonest land him Therefore do not so much fear the blow as be thankful and be willing to follow the blow nor so much desire to be eased as not to be deceived not so much to have the work over as to have it made good upon thy soul labor to get into and keep in that frame prophesied of in all 〈◊〉 Converts Jer. 50. 4. Going and 〈◊〉 with their faces towards Zion they shall 〈◊〉 the Lord their God Exhortation Suffer then the Exhortation of the Baptist the voyce of him that cries in the Wilderness to sound in your ears and to sink into 〈◊〉 hearts Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight As ever we 〈◊〉 to share in the Merits of our Savior to enjoy him and his presence and everlasting happiness by him address we our selves bestir our souls in the use of all means to 〈◊〉 a Savior and then we may 〈◊〉 expect him and we shall not miss of our expectation There is no lack on his part he is willing and ready He that stands and knocks at the door that he may come in Rev. 3. 20. If the door was open he would come in without question If the way was prepated he hath promised to come speedily and certainly he would not delay his coming I know this manner of entertainment seems hard to flesh and blood loath we are to dislodge so many gainful guests so many special friends darling pleasures and sweet contentments which we have contrived to our selves out of the earthly comforts of this life Hence many are content the King would go another way and secretly wish they had nothing to do with the Lord Jesus there is so much privy search to be made so much examination to be used such a sight of our sins and unworthiness yea that which is worst of all to the corrupt hearted they must vomit up all their sweet morsels shake hands and break league with their beloved darling delights which they tender as their lives they must thrust world and ease prosperity and pompe credit and applause by the head and shoulders out of the doors and turn them going 〈◊〉 therefore I am afraid many 〈◊〉 that in secret in their own hearts which the Devils openly professed What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to 〈◊〉 us before the time to deprive us of our profits to pluck away our pleasures and to dislodge those sweet lusts that we harbored so long in our bosoms and bowels learn we then to press some sound Arguments upon our own hearts that we may perswade and prevaile with them if it be possible to set about this work which is so necessary Consider then First Who we be that must 〈◊〉 And Secondly For whom First Let us consider our selves a company of poor miserable sinful and damned Creatures sinful dust and ashes dead dogs Consider of this and think with thy self Will the Lord of Heaven come down will Christ dwell in my heart will he vouchsafe to look in yea to call in as he goes by upon such a sinful Creature And let this move thee to prepare for his coming We are not worthy as the Centurion said that the Lord should come under our 〈◊〉 1 King 8. 27. There Solomon saith Will the Lord indeed dwell on earth Will he dwel in a house made with hands As if he should say Is it possible Can it be imagined that thou Lord being the great God of heaven whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain shouldest once 〈◊〉 to dwell in a house made with hands in the Temple which I have builded And what may we say Is it so Can it be Shall it be that God will come and dwell under our roof that he will come and dwell under our rotten and sinful hearts that he will dwell
even the very plagues 〈◊〉 hell I have had many Exhortations Instructions Admonitions and Reproofs and as powerful means as may be which 〈◊〉 never did me any good The Lord be merciful to such a poor soul and turn his heart that he may lay hold of Mercy in due time Exhortation Is it so That a plain and powerful Ministery is the means of Preparing the soul of a poor 〈◊〉 for the Lord Jesus Why then when you hear the Word plainly and powerfully preached to you labor that the Word may be so unto you as it is in it self It is a preparing Word labor you that it may prepare your hearts to receive Christ And you that be Hearers every one labor to save the Soul of another let the Father speak concerning his Children and the Husband concerning his Wife and his Family and the Wife concerning her Husband Oh when will it once be when will the time come that my Child may be fitted for the Lord when will it be that my poor Family my poor Wife my poor Husband shall be prepared for the Lord the Lord grant that it may be if not this Sabbath yet on another if not this Sermon then at the next Labour therefore to give way unto the VVord of God and suffer your Souls to be wrought upon by it for the word is powerful to prepare your hearts but the Minister must hew and square your hearts before they can be prepared for the Lord Jesus and you must suffer the words of Exhortation as the Apostle sayes Heb. 13. 22. So likewise suffer the words of Conviction of Reproof of Admonition and hold and keep your hearts under the Word that you may be wrought upon thereby And as when men have set Carpenters a work to build an House then they come every day and ask them How doth the work go on How doth the building go forward When you are gone home do you so reason with your selves and ask your own hearts how the work of the Lord goes forward in you Is my heart yet humbled Am I yet fitted and prepared for Christ I thank God I find some work and power of the Word and therefore I hope the Building will go forward BOOK IV. 2 COR. 6. 2. As he saith in an acceptable time have I heard thee in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee THe general Doctrine of Preparation being dispatched Proeced we to a further enquiry of the Particulars under it And there we have to enquire The 1 Quality 2 Parts of this Work The Quality of this 〈◊〉 wherein are Comprehended those Common Affections which firstly and properly appertain to this Place and as the 〈◊〉 and Spirits pass through the whole Body of a man So these general Considerations convey over a savor and virtue of such truths as they do contain to all the Particulars which follow and 〈◊〉 in reason are to be handled before the rest The quality of this Preparation is to be attended in Two things 1. The Freeness of the Work wrought 2. The Fitness of the time wherein it is Effected For the Discovery of both which I have made Choice of this Text as affording susficient ground for this Discourse 〈◊〉 he saith in an accept able time c. In the handling of which words we shall endeavor Three Things 1 What the Scope of the Text is that so it may appear it naturally fits our purpose and the Point in hand which comes to be 〈◊〉 2 The Sense and Meaning of the words is to be 〈◊〉 into and such Truths to be Collected which serve-our turn and intendment 3 We shall pursue the Explication of each of them in their Order The Scope of the Text which I conceive worth the while a 〈◊〉 to be attended will appear by the Connexion 〈◊〉 it hath with the foregoing 〈◊〉 and the dependance of it is to be fetched 〈◊〉 the 17 th 〈◊〉 of the former Chapter 〈◊〉 from the Consideration of the priviledge and 〈◊〉 they were advanced unto in Christ the Apostle infers and calls sor that newness of life and obedience answerable to that kindness of the Lord and the condition unto which 〈◊〉 were advanced 〈◊〉 any man be in Christ he must be a new 〈◊〉 bebold old things are past all things are made new 2 Cor. 5. 17. And this he shews from the author of this Grace who disposeth of it God 2 From the Mediator who hath purchased it Christ 3 From the Means appointed to Convey and Communicate it to such for whom it was ordained to 〈◊〉 The Ministery of the Apostles All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself through Christ Vers. 18. And whereas the Corinthians being heathens might object True he hath reconciled you Jews but what is that to us He addes in 〈◊〉 19. That God was in Christ reconciling the world 〈◊〉 Beleevers both of Jews and Gentiles to himself and for this cause and to this end hath 〈◊〉 the word of Reconciliation to his Apostles for their good that while they as Ambassadors entreated God by them did beseech them to be reconciled unto him And this was done upon susficient warrant and in a way of righteous proceeding for Christ who knew no sin was made sin even for them 〈◊〉 who should beleeve that they might be made the righteousness of God in him vers last Having thus shewed a full and 〈◊〉 ground for their reconciliation and also of his own Commission for that end He further presseth it in the first Verse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God be thus Gracious Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Commission so Large We 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 together with God 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 you receive not the Grace of God i. e. the 〈◊〉 that word of Grace that bringeth Salvation to 〈◊〉 in vain 〈◊〉 receiving benefit by it and comfort from it to your own Conversion and Salvation And whereas they might Reply It is not in our power to receive the spiritual good of this word nor 〈◊〉 in you that are Apostles to work it or if both were granted it s not yet the Season fitter opportunity will be afforded hereafter To all these the Apostle Answers in the words of the text True the Blessing is the Lords but the Endeavor 〈◊〉 be Ours We must Plant and Water it s in Gods Prerogative and depends upon his good Pleasure to give Encrease however the Time now fits the 〈◊〉 are now afforded and though we cannot Do what we should and ought yet let us do what we can and though we have no Power of our selves to Compass our everlasting Comforts yet we have Gods own VVord and most gracious Promise That in an acceptable time he will hear us And that presumes then that we must pray In the day of Salvation he will help and by that it s taken for granted we must take pains and behold now is the day of Salvation now is the acceptable time let us therefore now call earnestly upon him for a Blessing walk
attend upon him at all 〈◊〉 Say not then out of the shortness of thy spirit I have come often begged much and 〈◊〉 long at the gate of grace I find not the work yet done my heart not yet throughly humbled for my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refreshed with the assurance of Gods Favor Shall I wait any longer Oh fearful Pride Is it come to this If you be in such haste you may go to Hell time enough What not wait See who will have the worst of it God can better keep his Compassions than thou canst want them And as its fit he should so its certain he will make thee to know thou must wait nay bless his Name that you may wait for his mercy The 〈◊〉 of all men that 〈◊〉 breathed have done it So David Min eyes fail with looking for thy Salvation saying O when wilt thou comfort 〈◊〉 Psal. 119. 82. 123 It s enough we may beg the Grace of God as a 〈◊〉 not command it as a Debt Labor we then to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 those proud and impatient distemper whereby we repine and quarrel at the 〈◊〉 on of Gods dealings with us if he answers 〈◊〉 Expectation to the full Others seek and the 〈◊〉 hath bestowed and they have received a great 〈◊〉 sure of Grace with little labor and in a short 〈◊〉 When we have labored long and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet the Lord answers not our 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 us that Spiritual Good we need Learn we now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and controul those boystrous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirits with that of the Apostle Who art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reasonest against God What if 〈◊〉 will not Rom. 9. 20 21 22. What if he will 〈◊〉 ver 〈◊〉 our hearts never pacifie our Conscience pardon our sins save our Souls It is 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he may do what he will and therefore he doth us no wrong what ever he does Fit then it is we should stay his times who hath all times especially of Grace and Life in his own hands While this life lasts and the Gospel is continued that is the particular Season and Period wherein the Lord expresseth his good pleasure to work graciously upon the 〈◊〉 of His. The time of Grace and day of Salvation is here discovered in the Two Periods of it which make up the parts of the Doctrine 1 Grace is only to be gained in this life 2 While the means of Salvation are continued that 's the Season which the Lord usually takes to work upon the Souls of those 〈◊〉 belong to him we shall severally open and prove both 〈◊〉 and after make joynt Application of them Preparation and Conversion of the Soul must be made in this life Seek ye the Lord while he may be found Isaiah 55. 6. The time of our living is one of Gods whiles the time of finding Grace and Mercy if ever we come to share therein The 〈◊〉 of Jacobs Ladder is here on Earth though the top of 〈◊〉 unto Heaven The Lord must dwell with 〈◊〉 here in an humble and contrite heart Isaiah 57. 15. 〈◊〉 else we shall never dwell with him in that high and holy place whither Christ is gone to prepare a mansion for us Now is the time of 〈◊〉 and gaining Grace in the other world we shall enjoy the fruit and sweet of it here we must get the conquest if we think to wear the Crown in another world Reasons are Two Because after the parting of the Soul from the body and the dissolution of the whole Gods peremptory Sentence is passed and the final doom of the Soul is determined a Sentence never to be revoked a judgement never to be repealed and therefore the sinner becomes irrevokably either miserable or happy Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men once to die and after death comes judgement Death and Judgement are coupled immediately one to another the end of the one is the entrance of the other as Death leaves us so Judgement will find us Though the full and compleate execution of the Sentence is deferred until the great day of accounts yet condemnation seizeth upon each part as soon as they be severed the one from the other if they do deserve The body is imprisoned in the dungeon of the grave and the Soul of him 〈◊〉 is wicked is taken instantly and dragged by the Devils into torment Luke 12. 20. This night shall they fetch away 〈◊〉 Soul With the Saints contrariwise Their bodies are laid in the Grave as in a bed of Down perfumed with the precious Death and Burial of the Body of Christ the ashes thereof carefully preserved yea loved by the Lord So the Apostle Rom. 8. last I am perswaded that neither life nor death is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus So that the Lord loves the very dust of the bodies of his Saints in the Grave and receives their Souls to himself in glory as soon as Body and Soul are parted one from another Luke 16. 22. The Soul of Lazarus was by the Angels carried into Abrahams bosome For at the great day of accounts we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether good or 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Sentence we see shall not 〈◊〉 according to that men do in Purgatoty as the Papists dream but according to that only which they did while they had Being and Breathing in this Natural life The Condition of a man after this life is 〈◊〉 For as the Godly after this life ended receive perfect Sanctification and so become wholly 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of God and thereby fully and unchangeably confirmed in the state of Glory never more to be pestered or annoyed with the presence of Sin or Misery Rom. 8. 23. Here in this world we 〈◊〉 but the first fruits of the Spirit but there 〈◊〉 then the full Harvest So contrarily the Wicked after Death are 〈◊〉 delivered up to the tyranny and authority os 〈◊〉 Corruptions and there settled and that 〈◊〉 in a state of rebellion and become utterly 〈◊〉 of receiving any spiritual Grace or 〈◊〉 any spiritual Good but sink down in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without hope of either For those 〈◊〉 Graces whereby the Lord in the time of life 〈◊〉 their distempers and those outward 〈◊〉 Word and Sacraments wholsome Laws and 〈◊〉 Counsels and Examples which formerly 〈◊〉 them from many notorious outrages are now 〈◊〉 away Now the Lord plucks up the Hedge 〈◊〉 pulls down the VVall takes away all the 〈◊〉 Gifts of his Grace vouchsafes not one 〈◊〉 of his Spirit to strive with the Sinner any more 〈◊〉 one check of Conscience to aw him not the least 〈◊〉 of any Good to affect him any more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reins in the neck of the Rebel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose upon him to execute the fulness of the fierceness of his malice to the uttermost 〈◊〉 his rage was consined before he could
nothing more Rom. 10. 3. The Jews that 〈◊〉 establish their own Righteousness they would not submit to the Righteousness of Christ. Therefore if the wayes of 〈◊〉 be pressed and 〈◊〉 with zeal as matters absolutly necessary 〈◊〉 that their commodities seem to be cryed down and their comforts dashed and their persons 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 under 〈◊〉 as that they are 〈◊〉 men even your most civil naturallist a man 〈◊〉 is most 〈◊〉 in his carriage will count it a matter of 〈◊〉 to proceed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such and you shal 〈◊〉 these men most 〈◊〉 and restless in persecution because they do it upon a misconceit as a duty of 〈◊〉 They conclude they are as good as men should be and do as much as any ought Acts 26. 9. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with my self 〈◊〉 to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus and 〈◊〉 Savior Christ 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 16. 2. That they 〈◊〉 think they do God good service in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposing the waies and Servants of Christ and 〈◊〉 in the highest degree So that if the Lord let in any light to such a one to reveal either more or better to him he stands amazed as a man new come out of a dream he knows not where he is or what he hath done all his life long If this be true I never knew either my sin or my self I am of all men most miserable As Paul when the Lord met him and stopt him in his way and broke in upon him with his Converting Grace he falls down trembling and astonished Lord 〈◊〉 thou And What wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 5 6 7. He neither 〈◊〉 Christ nor himself nor his own estate he was as far to seek as if he had never heard of these things therefore the Apostle Peter expresses it thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called you 〈◊〉 darkness to his marvelous light That a man begins to wonder and marvel to see themselves so wonderfully cozened and deluded all their days they have often heard of sin but never saw it before now they have heard of humiliation and faith and sanctisication but never understood what they were but now they begin to see an absolute need of them and there never was any man whom God called effectually to himself but he stands wondering at his sins that they should be so loathsom and yet that he should love them so much at the beauty and excellency of Christ that he hath neglected so much marveling at his own pride and security in that miserable estate that now he finds himself in Gather up the Point then If he neither see 〈◊〉 feel any evil in his Condition and therefore fears no danger in it and therefore blesseth himself in his present estate accounting whatsoever is more required to be foolishness and persecutes whatsoever seems to blemish it then he is and can be no other than abundantly satisfied and settled immovably in the security of his carnal estate The Reasons of it are chiefly Three From the Deceitfulness and Subtilty of sin which pretends nothing promiseth nothing but that which is full of content to the sinner and therefore he pleaseth himself in it for the present As the 〈◊〉 hides his sting that may poyson and shews only his speckled skin that may please the eye so it is with 〈◊〉 it presents nothing to the view but that which may please the flesh either profits to enrich or honors to advance or pleasures to delight either 〈◊〉 of the flesh or the 〈◊〉 of the eyes or the pride of life 1 Joh. 2. 16. As the wise man speaks of the yong man led aside with the harlot that with her oyled words she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he followes her as an Ox 〈◊〉 to the slaughter and a fool to the stocks and knows nothing till a dart strikes through his liver Prov. 7. 22. As the Fisher that shews 〈◊〉 to the Fish but the Bait to allure but hides the Hook that will catch So the Fowl sees nothing but the Grain to feed her not the Net that takes her So it is with the Deceitfulness of sin it promiseth nothing but all the Content that we have and would have but the Hook that should catch us and the 〈◊〉 that should 〈◊〉 us that is kept back for the present If taken from the sensuallity of the Soul of every man naturally which is so suitable to the nature of 〈◊〉 that it tasts nothing but that which 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and therefore they will not beleeve there is any thing there to distaste A sinful heart meets with temptations they do fit and suit one with 〈◊〉 and because the soul takes content in sin it cannot beleeve that there is any thing else there but what it now finds nay somtimes though the judgment is informed and Conscience convinced these 〈◊〉 your sins and these will be your ruine the 〈◊〉 heart saies It is false I taste no such matter As it is in a distempered body when the stomach is 〈◊〉 with noysom humors because the bitterest 〈◊〉 seem sweet to the raste so distempered the Physitian cannot perswade they cannot beleeve that 〈◊〉 are bitter So it is with a distempered heart which tasts nothing but its own lusts and humors which are so incorporated into it and 〈◊〉 with it that let all Ministers and Reasons say what 〈◊〉 can to the contrary say they I beleeve it not 〈◊〉 taste it not It s the best life in the world to follow 〈◊〉 own mind to have my own will and to satisfie 〈◊〉 own lusts Prov. 10. 23. It is a sport to a fool 〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 No pastime is so pleasing to him as to suit the carnal disposition of his heart in his sinful wayes but he 's a fool for it that is A 〈◊〉 man Self-love and Self-ease will not suffer the 〈◊〉 to hear of any thing that may disquiet or distemper and therefore 〈◊〉 the mind and heart with the daily fears and suspitions of terrors and discouragements that attend a good Course that it dare not listen in the least measure to any thing that tends 〈◊〉 way Hence it is there is such a noyse and 〈◊〉 raised against the good ways of Gods Grace and Gods 〈◊〉 that if ever he gives way to the power of them to have his sins revealed and 〈◊〉 by them he thinks he shall never have quiet more 〈◊〉 and therefore in a carnal Family if one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and careful in his course and have got 〈◊〉 knocks from the Word they cry out Their Children are undone and they fear to come under 〈◊〉 stroak of the truth lest they should be troubled 〈◊〉 the meaning of that Psal. 36. 2. The wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself in his own eyes As who should say This is the only way you are in you may 〈◊〉 quietly and comfortably and go to heaven 〈◊〉 all this ado Ay do so and be so saies the heart And as 2 Pet. 3. 2. They are willingly
ignorant A man that is loth to rise shuts his eyes from 〈◊〉 light and stops his ears that he may not hear 〈◊〉 knocks at the door so a man that would sleep 〈◊〉 in the security of his natural state he would 〈◊〉 suffer the certainty of Gods Judgments and the terribleness of them to come home to his soul to awaken him out of his dead sleep Thus the Deceitfulness of Sin promiseth nothing but Good the 〈◊〉 of a mans heart is such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but Good mens Self-love and 〈◊〉 is such it will not suffer any thing but Good to be presented to the view of the soul. These are the Grounds why a sinful Heart settles it self in security and blesseth it self though nothing belongs to him but misery Hence we may see the Reason why sharp and soul-saving Preaching seems so greivous and tedious to the carnal hearts of wicked and natural men they hardly vouchsafe audience but not acceptance What 's the cause It would awaken them out of their sleepy security in which they lye To bring a Candle to a sleepy man is unpleasing but to pluck off the Clothes he will hardly bear it but will let flie at you Why will you not suffer a man to be quiet in his bed c. All men are naturally in a dead sleep of sin therefore to bring the Candle of the Law to them to shew them their condition to pluck away all their coverings and hidings that they may see their sins and themselves as they are it is death to a man in this case Plain dealing and rough dealing evermore finds harsh entertainment here still Musick is pliasing and rocks men asleep but sound blows will awaken men and not suffer them to sleep in their sins and therefore they cannot bear them they have itching ears saith the Apostle heaping up Teachers to themselves after their own lusts and therefore they cannot endure sound doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 3. Such Ministers and such Preaching as answer their desires and please their pallats that they and their sins and all may go to Heaven together this they like very well of Itching ears must be scratched not buffeted You know what he said to Elias Art thou he that troubles Israel And hast thou found me O my Enemy 1 King 18. 17. 〈◊〉 had 400 false Prophets he could endure them well enough because they never disquieted him in his sins but Elias was a troubler of Israel because he troubled his sin therefore he was not able to bear with him Hence again We should be perswaded and informed its the heaviest plague that can befal a man That God should suffer him to sleep in his sins and prosper in a wicked Course Because it argues for ought any man knows that God intends no good to him nor will work no good for him but as if the Lord hath left such a one to be a prey to sin and Satan he is in the hands of his lusts and become a spoil unto them Jesus Christ passeth by him as it 〈◊〉 pitties him not meddles not with him to rescue him out of that Condition as if the Lord should say I have nothing to do with him he is none of mine Therefore know this to your terror all you that never knew what it was to be in distress of Conscience for sin nay when the Word hath come home to you to convince you of your miserable estate for you have not been able to bear it bate of your sleep nor rest you cannot lose any thing of your 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 you will not nay you bless your selves in this condition thinking your case is good enough Mark now The Lord Jesus sees sin and Satan have thee in their power hurrying thee down to Hell with them and he passeth by and saith Let them alone they belong not to me I will not rescue them nor save them my Word and Spirit shall not convince 〈◊〉 nor work upon them this is the heaviest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can befal thee in this world Acts 17. 30. The 〈◊〉 of this ignorance God regarded not they lived in their sins without God and Christ and 〈◊〉 and the Lord never regarded them so as to look after them to recover them out of this estate Acts 14. 16. He suffered the Nations to walk in their own wayes It was the heavie displeasure of God towards them he saw they followed their own wayes and he suffered them so to do to go on still in the broad and the road way that leads to eternal Death All sinners are sick persons and we know 〈◊〉 a sad thing for those that are sick unto death not to be seen not to be helped and succoured when the Physitian will not so much as look in upon them Luke 19. 44. Jerusalem had her day of 〈◊〉 she was sick at the heart and God came to 〈◊〉 her but she would not take his advice therefore the Lord left her and let her alone this is a woful case when the Lord leaves a sinner to himself and doth not visit him with his saving health it s a sign that he hath no love unto nor care to do good to such a soul. Of Tryal Hence we way get undoubted Evidence to our selves whether we are yet in our natural condition or brought out of it I shall press it only negatively now Is the day yet to dawn the hour yet to come that ever thou didst endeavor to come out of thy natural condition nay happily thou never sawest cause why thou shouldest But thou 〈◊〉 and conceivest that all things remain alike with thee from the first beginning unto this day as thou wast thou art thou hast lived quietly and walked comfortably all thy life long Truly know it if thou art not another man than when thou camest into the world thou art but a natural man thou art but a damned man Thou camest flesh and blood into the world thou camest a Child of wrath and thou art so still and if so be thou doest live so and die so thou art sure to be damned for ever for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. We know saies the Apostle that we are born of God and the world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. Brought to bed in 〈◊〉 as the Original saies thou art one that livest in some base wicked courses and liest in the bed of security and thou shalt perish with the world It s observable in the Parable when all things were at peace the strong man kept the house that 's certain As it s said of the City of Laish Judg. 18. 7. They were quiet and secure and had no business with any man Is it so with thee Thou art quiet and secure and hast no business with the Word of God thou dost come and sit and return again as if thou hadst no business with the Lord thy Conscience not convinced thy affections not stirred thy heart not affected with saving
but is acted by another As it was in the raising of Lazarus when he stank in the Grave not only those noysom distempers were removed and the unnatural 〈◊〉 which attended his body chased away but the 〈◊〉 also was returned and brought again to Union 〈◊〉 his Body So here The Nature of this Drawing and special 〈◊〉 of it It s the motion and powerful Impression of the Spirit of God upon the Soul not any habit of Grace in it nor any act of the Soul which concurs with the work of God in this first stroak of Preparation For The soul that is wholly possessed by the Habits of Sin is not yet capable of the Habit of Grace 〈◊〉 my flesh dwels no good thing Rom. 7. 18. The Vessel cannot be ful of filthy and puddle water and at the same time receive that which is pure It is the aim of this work to make way and room for the Habit of Grace to be received and therefore it is not a habit nor any act of a habit in the soul as yet Therefore it s said God first turns from darkness and then to light Acts 26. 18. Takes away the heart of stone before he gives a new heart Ezek. 11. 19. This is the influence of Light and Vertue into the Mind and Will by the receiving whereof they may be elevated and lifted up above their own ability to supernatural Works in future times and therfore this cannot be the act of the Will and 〈◊〉 since they cannot of themselves let in any 〈◊〉 into themselves Therefore the Lord takes 〈◊〉 to himself as his own Work Hither belongs 〈◊〉 Question Whether Nature or Grace be the first subject of 〈◊〉 Nature cannot For 1 Cor. 2. 14. The 〈◊〉 man receives not the things of God nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Grace cannot do it for 〈◊〉 there should be Grace before the FIRST 〈◊〉 Grace is attended in a double Respect 1 As it 〈◊〉 a habit or gracious quality received into the Soul As it is a gracious impression upon the soul The 〈◊〉 must be prepared before any habit of Grace 〈◊〉 be received but there needs no disposition in 〈◊〉 soul to receive the work of the Spirit that must 〈◊〉 there needs no preparation to make way 〈◊〉 the work of Preparation but there needs 〈◊〉 to make way for the habit That which 〈◊〉 the first disposition needs no former not yet 〈◊〉 any former It s not Nature but the Soul prepared that is the 〈◊〉 of the First Habit. The Soul unprepared 〈◊〉 the Subject of the Spirit that prepares it The Means how God works the Cords by which 〈◊〉 Draws The Spirit of the Lord lets in some powerful light 〈◊〉 the Truth into the Soul when he is passing on in 〈◊〉 wayes of destruction and tels him This is not 〈◊〉 right way to Life and Salvation you must go 〈◊〉 way if ever you go to heaven The poor deluded blinded Creature never dreaming of 〈◊〉 such matter so that he drives the sóul to 〈◊〉 thoughts If this be the streight way to happiness 〈◊〉 have been out of the way al my life time If this 〈◊〉 true my Condition is miserable Isa. 65. 1. I 〈◊〉 sought of them that asked not for me I am found 〈◊〉 those that sought me not Thus the shepheard pursues the wildring sheep If he had not found it it 〈◊〉 never found home How many give in Evidence 〈◊〉 of their own Experience in this kind I never doubted of my estate nor ever 〈◊〉 of any necessity to be other or do other I went as others did it may be for fashion sake either company carried me or custome prevailed with me or may be the novelty of the thing inticed me to go I as little thought of my death as ever to have my sin and shame discovered Job 36. 9. When the Lord gets man into fetters then he shews them their transgressions and how they have exceeded Thus the Lord is said To stand and knock at the door of the soul when the sinner is fast asleep Rev. 3. 20. He dazles the apprehension by some mighty flash of truth like lightning darted in which makes the soul at a maze by reason of the suddenness and unexpectedness and strangness of it This knock makes the sinner so far to hear and to take notice of it that some body is at the door and causes him happily to make enquiry Who is there So Acts 9. 4 5 6. There shines a suddain Light about Paul and a voyce heard from heaven Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me As who should say Thou art utterly mistaken thou knowest not where thou art what thou doest thou mistakest a Friend in stead of an Enemy And therefore he amazed and astonished Answers and 〈◊〉 Who art thou Lord Thus the sinner is made to look about him where am I this is not the way to Heaven And though the soul would shut its eyes against the Evidence and Power of the Truth which carries a kind of amazing vertue with it and therefore invents shifts to defeat the work of it yet the Lord wil follow it and fasten it upon the soul so as that it shal not avoid it he that stands knocking at the door wil lift up the latch and make the Truth break in as the Sun rising wil break through the least crevis This is the first means whereby the Lord comes to lay hold upon the mind and soul of a sinner he hath the sinner in chase as it were that he cannot get out of his sight or make an escape Thus by the hook of Instruction he laies hold upon him He encloseth him with the Cords of Mercy whereby he 〈◊〉 the soul and compasseth the heart on every side with the tender of his compassions Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the Cords of a man the bonds of love this the Lord doth to take off those desperat discouragements which otherwise would dead the heart and split the hopes of a forlorn sinner and so pluck up his endeavors by the roots under the appearance of impossibilities It can never be attained why therefore should it be expected or endeavored after To abate therefore of these overbearing 〈◊〉 which otherwise would sink the heart and swallow it up the Lord casts in some discovery of the largeness of his compassions and intimates there is no danger to be feared in coming to the Lord because there is none intended When Christ stands at the door and knocks men are afraid to let in Enemies that intended our ruine so it 's 〈◊〉 the sinner he is afraid of Gods Justice because of his 〈◊〉 deservings What is Christ at the door Is it not that Christ whose Grace I have refused whose Spirit I have grieved whose Words I have cast 〈◊〉 my back he certainly comes to destroy me who have destroyed his Truth and trampled his honor 〈◊〉 my feet And therefore the Lord lets in that Evidence to the
constraint it must be forced away It wil not depart away of its own accord because of the 〈◊〉 and naturalness it 〈◊〉 to the heart in which it is The Eye wil not go out of the head in which it is seated unless it be plucked out The hand wil not fal off from the body unless it be cut off The Soul would not willingly forsake the Body unto which it is received and in which it takes up its abode unless by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which breaks the union betwixt it and the body it being driven away and forced away Now our lusts in our hearts are like the Members in our bodies Col. 3. 6. They are tender as the eye 〈◊〉 as the hand as dear as our souls yea even the soul of our souls and life of our lives while we are and remain in our natural and corrupt estate Therefore they must by constraint be driven out they wil not go out yea it is against Reason and in truth cross to common Sense That the quality should of its own nature 〈◊〉 from the subject they who have agreement one with another should as enemies and as 〈◊〉 as be at ods and difference go from the other and this is the Condition and Disposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nature of man they are in the neerest League of love one with another and therefore of themselves as in truth they cannot so they would not depart one from another Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may you also which are 〈◊〉 to do evil They are not spots that are taken occasionally or sootiness that is smeared upon them but they issue out of their natural Constitution and the very seed which they are made of and therefore their nature must be altered before they can be removed Look we at the Opposition between the Spirit of Grace that doth remove the Corruption and the 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 that is removed And we shal 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 Evidence and that 〈◊〉 of the former Conclusion One Contrary drives away another out of the subject in which it is by Constraint and Violence But the work of the Spirit as contrary to Sin drives it out of the soul in which it is seated as in its natural subject therefore this must be done with violence The first part is plain by the Principles of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 received i. e. That the ground of al Constraint is that crosiness and contrariety between the 〈◊〉 of things and their actions every thing is 〈◊〉 to that which is sutable to its own nature our 〈◊〉 it s own proper power and inclination there needs no constraint to make the Fire burn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 roar and 〈◊〉 things to descend a Wolfe to prey and raven But to make heavie things to ascend the Lion to be as mild as a Lamb the 〈◊〉 as harmleis as a Kid there must be a strong hand of an almighty power to make such a change and by a kind of violence to 〈◊〉 the crossness and 〈◊〉 which carries these in professed opposition The second part is as 〈◊〉 out of pregnant proof from Scripture which settles it as sure as Mount Zion Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of Sin and Death There is a Soveraignty of 〈◊〉 rule set up in the Soul and therefore it gives Law to the whole man for that is the prerogat ve of a supream Commander Now there is a Repeal of these Laws a Crushing and a Conquering of the Supream power by the Spirit of Life in Christ which therefore disannuls al those Edicts and Commands that Carnal sensual Lusts of the Old man had thus set up and erected 2 Cor. 10. 3 4 5. The Weapons of our warfare are mighty through God When the Gospel carries the power of God with it to 〈◊〉 it flings down the strong holds that 〈◊〉 themselves against Christ and 〈◊〉 every 〈◊〉 to the obedience of Christ. Thus it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corruptions And this is done in way of Contrariety Gal. 5. 17. The Spirit lusts against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the flesh against the spirit and these two are contrary And therefore it s termed a Fight and 〈◊〉 Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my Members rebelling against the Law of my mind 〈◊〉 carrying of me 〈◊〉 Fighting is 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 and violence where there is 〈◊〉 and Enmity there is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 not kindness and perswasion only Such is the Work here Look we at the Nature of the Work That also wil of necessity require as much Whether 〈◊〉 Sin or Satan the Dominion of the 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 and the Power of the other 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of these can be brought about but by a 〈◊〉 of violence 1 The Dominion of Sin The Lord now quels and crusheth utterly that soveraignty and supremacy it hath formerly exercised over the sinner So the Apostle Rom. 6. 14. brings in this as the ground of that spiritual deliverance from the authority of our Distempers Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace When ever we be come under the Covenant of Grace and the Lord Jesus the second Adam 〈◊〉 us and begets us to himself as soon as we are of the seed of that Covenant he thereby takes off that dominion unto which we were formerly subject while we were under the Covenant of the Law broken it did break us and deliver us to the authority of our Distempers This was typed by the year of Jubile under the Old Law when the Slave or Servant was freed from his Masters rule and claim and therefore when our Savior is promised as he that should bring Jacob 〈◊〉 unto God and so become light and salvation to the Ends of the Earth Isa. 49. 5. 8 9. To be the head of the Covenant of Grace And that which is added is marvellous strange To establish the Earth and to cause to inherit the desolate places That restauration which comes by Christ it brings a new face or frame upon the Creatures even those that are of the most despicable condition desolate persons and hearts and lives when wicked men and their waies are like wildernesses overgrown with weeds Then the Lord 〈◊〉 to the prisoners go forth and to such as are in darknest shew your selves They that were buried and over whelmed with the dimness of their own distempers and delusions they should come out of the Dungeon and Grave of darkness Be revealed the word is in the Pastive the Truth should be revealed in you to you to give you a light you had not to act you and carry you to see that you did not your selves should be revealed to your selves and your sins to your souls the first is a power put into them the second an act wrought in them and by them the word in the Original signifying both So that though they might be pursued by their sins they should never
be imprisoned more that was not now their state to be Prisoners but to be free men for ever though clouded with darkness of their sins yet never overwhelmed with darkness but they should be able to see their sins and to see a way out of them in which they should walk This is that also which is expressed by the Apostle John 1 Joh. 3. 5. 8. That our Savior came to destroy the works of the Devil Now he was the Author of sin and the first sinner and therefore called the Evil One the Father of Lyes and that when he tels Lyes he tels them of his own the first Original comes from him and al lusts are but his brood John 8. 44. The Lusts of your Father ye will do they are but the seed of Satan cast into the souls of men Now Christ came to destroy all these That which destroyes corruption must needs offer a kind of violence to corruption for each thing desires the preservation of it self and it is against the will of sin to destroy it self It 's Calvins Expression upon the place The works of the Devil will never destroy themselves therefore Christ by his Spirit must destroy them by a strong hand It is therefore a sleepy Dotage and a deluded Dream to make such an Explication that by some Moral perswasions presented unto the blind mind of a sinner sin should be perswaded to destroy it self or which is the 〈◊〉 of that Opinion rightly expressed that there should be some Arguments propounded to corruption to draw out the power of corruption to destroy the power of corruption In which falshood there is such a senseless kind of silliness that it is a wonder that men who arrogate the excellency of the depths of disputes and would have the world conceive them the darlings of Wisdom cut out of purpose to search into the secrets of al 〈◊〉 should ever be taken aside by such a dream but that the Lord in his just Judgment righteously delivers men up to their own devices when they despise his Counsel For better explication than that which I make no man can ever make of that imagination according to truth for a moral 〈◊〉 in the proper Nature and work of it is not to give power to the subject that had it not but to draw forth the power it hath to perform any action so that when a sinner as we have proved is wholly acted by the power 〈◊〉 of his corruptions things in that are spiritual i. e. though he hath some reliques of the Image yet left within him some common stock of Moral abilities imprinted upon him yet whatever his shews his appearances his performances be in Civil Services the sovereignty of corruption in the heart is such it over-rules all to false ends and suiting of it self and giving satisfaction to the flesh so that in the 〈◊〉 to stir up the sovereign power of sin in the soul of a 〈◊〉 to forsake sin is to draw forth the power of 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 it self which hath not the least appearance of a 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 with it So that I conclude this third Argument which is open and plain I hat which destroyes the power of sin that offers a holy kind of violence to it But the Lord by his 〈◊〉 destroyes the power of sin therefore he offers a holy kind of violence to it Hence before we pass for to this place this Consideration is proper we may see the difference between restraining Grace in the Reprobate and Hypocrite and saving and effectually converting Grace The act of sin only in the one is hindred the power of sin in the other is subdued the one curbs and confines the corrupt Nature as a Fox in a chain a Wolf in a grinn they have the same Nature still but they have not the same liberty to put forth their ravenous desires and 〈◊〉 and therefore will do it when opportunity serves Converting Grace severs the subtil and cruel dispositions from them 〈◊〉 and overcomes and conquers the cruelty of their Natures so that as they do not so in truth they cannot put forth such savage practices as before The one abates the resistance that is in the heart against God his Truth and Waies for the while makes a mans distempers recoyl and 〈◊〉 themselves and makes them not appear for the present But this takes away the Sovereignty and prevailing power of resistance As it is in War when a pitched field is fought and the Bodies of both Armies meet each standing in the defence and 〈◊〉 of its own 〈◊〉 but when the day is got and the battel won and the forces of the 〈◊〉 not only defeated and 〈◊〉 but slain and cut in pieces so that their strength is broken and they utterly disabled to make head with any hope of recovering the field or repairing their losses there may happily some scattered companies be sculking here and there and pilfering and molesting the State but they have no hope to recover their power the Country and Kingdom falls wholly to the Conqueror So here when the corrupt heart comes in professed opposition against the Lord Jesus in the power of his Ordinances and the Lord is pleased to put sorth his power to the vanquishing and subduing the soul unto himself the sinner gathers up al his forces as loth to lose his delightful lusts as somtimes the 〈◊〉 against the coming of the Ark 1 Sam. 4. 7 8 9. The Philistims were afraid and they said God is come into the Camp and they said woe unto us who shal deliver us from the hands of these mighty Gods Be strong and quit your selves like men O ye Philistins that ye be not Servants to the Hebrews So the soul rises up in way of resistance against the Word and Power of his Grace but in the issue the Dominion of these distempers is so quelled and the power of them so crushed that it can never make head against the power of the Spirit only the remainder of those wretched lusts will be still pilfering provoking and molesting the good Spirit of God and work of his Grace but can never recover the Rule it once had but the Country the Heart and Conscience of a sinner falls wholly to the dispose of Christ. Thus Saul goes into the field hath a pitcht Battel against the Lord Christ as resolving to fight it out to the last man but in the end when he saw there was no hope to prevail instead of fiercely resisting he humbly gives way and laies down not only the act of opposing but the will of opposing Lord saies he what wilt thou have me to do This seems to be the meaning of that old Sentence of Austine which all Divines embrace and follow and I desire no more for the cause if it be rightly scanned and considered God makes of an unwilling will a willing will For the right understanding of which Truth observe these Particulars 1 The Will is wholly unwilling to receive any
utter insufficiency in what he hath or doth for to procure the least spiritual relief unto his soul now the Coast is cleer that Faith may come to us and we by that be enabled to come to Christ. We are now to pursue these two according to the order propounded And first of the former the Sum of which Work may thus be described Contrition is that Preparative Disposition of Heart when by the sight of sin and the punishment due to the same the soul is brought to sound sorrow for it and so brought to detest it and to sequester it self from it The Description stands upon two Passages mainly I. The Causes which bring in this Contrition 1. Sight of Sin 2. Sorrow for Sin II. The Effects which nextly discover this and whereby it comes to be known 1. Detestation of Sin 2. Sequestration from sin And here I desire that still may be remembred which I mentioned and discovered before That all these are things rather wrought upon us by the impression and motion of the Spirit than performed by any inward principle and habitual power of Grace received and this the manner of the expressions in the words of the description plainly intimates the soul brought to see his sins brought to forrow for them brought to detest them and sequester it self from them For the sinner would not look upon the loathsomness of his soul and the filth of his sinful distempers but the Lord laies it before him and holds his apprehension to it follows him with the remembrance of it and forceth his thoughts to give attendance thereunto Psal. 51. 3. My sin is ever before me which way soever he turns his thoughts his sins stared him in the face and were full in his view they dwelt with him and were dayly in his presence that where ever he was they were he could not look off from them look which way he would 2. The sinner would shake off the sorrow that now seizeth upon him and seems to overbear him like a mighty stream he labors to beat back the blow and to make an escape from under the stroke of the Truth that stabs and wounds his heart with the direful expression of Gods displeasure and dreadfulness of the evil that doth attend him but he can neither avoid it nor remove it neither keep himself from the wound nor cure it Psal. 40. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me that I cannot look up a similitude taken from the Prey that flies from the Pursuer though he would have fled from the terrors of the Almighty wrested and rescued himself from under the attachment yet they overtake him and take such hold of him that he cannot escape Psal. 38. 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thine hand presseth me sore he would have plucked out the Arrows of Gods indignation but his skil and strength failed him he could not be eased they could not be removed from him until at length the soul feeling the wrath of the Almighty and seeing no way to avoid an everlasting separation from the Lord if yet his sins be entertained by him being thus pressed by the power of that undeniable Truth which laies open the loathsomness of his sin and makes him feel the bitterness thereof he is carried with detestation against it and driven to make a sequestration from it Of the fuller meaning of both these when we shal come to the particular scanning of them in their proper place For the ground of my following discourse I have taken the words of the Text in which you have the grounds and hints of all the former Truths not implyed only by way of collection but expresly 〈◊〉 down and professedly aimed at as evidently discovering the manner of Gods dealing herein The knowledg of their sins set down with the Causes thereof when they heard these things Hearing not that every hearing or bare hearing would serve the 〈◊〉 for it 's beyond question that thousands do and many there did hear those savory Truths seasonably dispensed by Peter which were never either throughly convinced nor had their hearts in any manner affected therewith the meaning therefore must needs be this When by their hearing they rightly discerned and cleerly conceived those things i. e. the nature of those sins which Peter had discovered and charged so punctually upon them Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. When they so heard that they yielded and assented fully to that which was 〈◊〉 peremptorily 〈◊〉 by the Apostle then they were pricked to the heart We have then here the fight and knowledg of their sin together with the Causes by which they came to attain it and those were here intimated in the words Their Conviction in that they stood here indited and accused by Peter and condemned in their own Consciences that they were the guilty persons guilty of no less than the blood of the Lord Jesus the Son of God and Savior of the World who is now advanced at Gods right hand as Lord and King and shall come in flaming fire as a Judg to condemn them for their bloody sins who came in the flesh as a Redeemer to save them from their sins But they rejected him and their own mercy and safety and this saies the Apostle admits no opposition no disputation at all Let the House of Israel know assuredly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's a Truth that stands as Mount Zion that cannot be stirred it is beyond all cavelling questioning doubting 〈◊〉 all probability or 〈◊〉 to be other a Truth not subject to any slipping or uncertainty so the word signifies The particular application that the Apostle here useth of their special sins he doth not hover in generals shoot at rovers but le ts fly point blank in the faces of them This Jesus whom ye have crucified He names not any other blames not any other now saies not 〈◊〉 was a wretch that betraied Christ the Soldiers cruel and injurious that took him and bound him Pilate 〈◊〉 fearful and unjust that condemned him he will not now speak to men absent but you are they that crucified him you that cried let his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us you shall have blood enough plagues enough this particular application sets hard 〈◊〉 deep they heard these their sins thus ripped up and themselves arrested for them There is a serious 〈◊〉 and attention here also implyed The word is in the Participle Hearing noting a continued act Hearing bearing these sadly attending and pondering of them in their thoughts they came then to be pierced Thus we have the sight of their sins here laid open to us together with the Causes thereof The second thing in this contrition is sound and through sorrow and that is expressed in the next Phrase they were pierced not in their eyes only which made them weep but in their hearts which made them bleed inwardly with Godly sorrow Their
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
thing a wicked man had or any action he did might be good or bring good to him in reason it was the Services and Sacrifices wherein he did approach unto God and perform Service to him and yet the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. and Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure but to the unbeleeving there is nothing pure but their very Consciences are 〈◊〉 It is a desperate Malignity in the temper of the Stomach that should turn our Meat and diet into Diseases the best Cordials and Preservatives into Poysons so that what in reason is 〈◊〉 to nourish a man should kill him Such is the venom and malignity of sin makes the use of the best things become evil nay the greatest evil to us many times Psal. 10. 9. 7. Let his prayer be turned into sin That which is appointed by God to be the choycest 〈◊〉 to prevent sin is turned into sin out of the corrupt distemper of these carnal hearts of ours Hence then it follows That sin is the greatest evil in the world or indeed that can be For That which separates the soul from God that which brings all evils of punishment and makes all evils truly evil and spoils all good things to us that must needs be the greatest evil but this is the nature of sin as hath already appeared But that which I will mainly press is Sin is only opposite to God and cross as much as can be to that infinite goodness and 〈◊〉 which is in his blessed Majesty it 's not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distresses that men undergo that the Lord distasts them for or estrangeth himself from them he is with Joseph in the Prison with the three Children in the 〈◊〉 with Lazarus when he lies among the Dogs and gathers the 〈◊〉 from the rich Mans Table yea with Joh upon the dung-hil but he is not able to bear the presence of sin yea of this temper are his dearest servants the more of God is in them the more opposite they are to sin where ever they find it It was that he commended in the Church of Ephesus That she could not bear those that were wicked Rev. 2. 3. As when the Stomach is of a pure temper and 〈◊〉 strength the least surfet or distemper that befals it presently distasts and disburdens it self with speed So David noted to be a man after Gods own heart He professeth 101. Psal. 3. 7. I hate the work of them that turn aside he that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight But when the heart becomes like the Stomach 〈◊〉 weak it cannot help it self nor be helped by Physick desperate diseases and dissolution of the whol follows and in reason must be expected Hence see how God looks at the least connivance or a faint and seeble kind of opposition against sin as that in which he is most highly dishonored and he follows it with most hideous plagues as that indulgent carriage of Ely towards the vile behavior of his Sons for their grosser evils 1 Sam. 2. 23. Why do you such things It 's not well my Sons that I hear such things It is not well and is that all why had they either out of ignorance not known their duty or out of some sudden surprisal of a temptation neglected it it had not been well but for them so purposedly to proceed on in the practice of such gross evils and for him so faintly to reprove The Lord looks at it as a great sin thus feebly to oppose sin and therefore verse 29. he tells him That he honored his Sons above God and therefore he professeth Far be it from me to maintain thy house and comfort for he that honors me I wil honor and he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed verse 30. Hence it is the Lord himself is called the holy one of Israel 1. Hab. 12. Who is of 〈◊〉 eyes than to behold evil and cannot look upon iniquity no not in such as profess themselves Saints though most deer unto 〈◊〉 no nor in his Son the Lord Jesus not in his Saints Amos 8. 7. The Lord hath sworn by himself I abhor the excellency of Jacob what ever their excellencies their priviledges are if they do not abhor sin God will abhor them Jer. 22. 24. Though Coniah was as the Signet of my right hand thence would I pluck him Nay he could not endure the appearance of it in the Lord Christ for when but the reflection of sin as I may so say fell upon our Savior even the imputation of our transgressions to him though none iniquity was ever committed by him the Father withdrew his comforting presence from him and let loose his infinite displeasure against him forcing him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken 〈◊〉 Yea Sin is so evil that though it be in Nature which is the good Creature of God that there is no good in it nothing that God will own but in the evil of punishment it is otherwise for the torments of the Devils and punishments of the damned in Hell and all the plagues inflicted upon the wicked upon Earth issue from the righteous and revenging Justice of the Lord and he doth own such execution as his proper work Isa. 45. 7. Is there any evil in the City viz. of punishment and the Lord hath not 〈◊〉 it I make peace I create evil I the Lord do all these things It issues from the Justice of God that he cannot but reward every one according to his own waies and works those are a mans own the holy one of Israel hath no hand in them but he is the just Executioner of the plagues that are inflicted and suffered for these and hence our blessed Savior becoming our Surety and standing in our room he endured the pains of the Second death even the fiercenes of the fury of an offended God and yet it was impossible he could commit the least sin or be tainted with the least corrupt distemper And it 's certain it 's better to 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 without any one sin than to commit the least sin and to be freed from all plagues Suppose that all miseries and sorrows that ever befel all the wicked in Earth and Hell should meet together in one soul as all waters gathered together in one Sea Suppose thou heardest the Devils roaring and sawest Hell gaping and the flames of everlasting burnings 〈◊〉 before thine eyes it 's certain it were better for thee to be cast into those inconceivable 〈◊〉 than to commit the least sin against the Lord Thou dost not think so now but thou wilt find it so one day But if sin be thus vile in its own nature why do not men so discern it so judg it That I may give a full Answer to this Question I shall first shew the Causes of mistake and secondly the Cure For the first There
sight of their fellow drunkards shall encrease their torments and they shall curse themselves and the day that ever they saw one another Upon this Consideration it was that 〈◊〉 gave the awaking 〈◊〉 2. Pet. 3. 10. The time will come when the Heavens shall melt with fire and the Earth and all the works thereof shall be burnt up All the ryot of the Epicure the rage of the Oppressor the greedy pursuit of the Worldling all the works on Earth shall be consumed no more matchings and quaffings with Drunkards only that that touched the Lord as an eternal God that shall continue and that is the Holiness of that Obedience that was sincere that was performed to God and the guilt of the sin that was committed against him all the carnal contents that accompany a sinful course they are but works of the Earth they will be consumed But that which was against Heaven and against God that will never be consumed neither wild-fire nor Hel-fire will consume that but it will live there to work thine everlasting ruine Labor therefore to make these things present with thy heart and real to thy own apprehension be not deluded by Gods long 〈◊〉 the longer the blow is coming the heavier it will be the greater 〈◊〉 the greater vengeance and thou that 〈◊〉 had the Treasury of Gods Bounty and Goodness 〈◊〉 out unto thee Thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of Gods 〈◊〉 Judgments Strive mightily to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 sight of God himself as he is pleased to dispense himself in his Holiness and Goodness to the soul to be enjoyed as 〈◊〉 all-sufficient good beyond all created Excellencies in the Creature It was the advice of our Savior Rev. 3. 18. I counsel thee to buy of me eye-Salve that thou mayest annoint thine Eyes that so thou mayest see For darkness is not seen but only by the help of light Crookedness by the Rule of Straightness He that knows not the Rule of true Latin will never be able to know what is false and and so it is in any Art he that knows not the Rule of building planting he will never discover an error in either The like we may say and conceive touching the discovery of sin because it is a swerving from the righteous and holy wil of God in his government communication of himself to the Creature it is a professed jusling with that and his wisdom and goodness therein unless 〈◊〉 Eyes be anointed with Eye Salve to see him and the purity and spiritualness of his pleasure as that which only should rule us and only can satisfie us We shall never see 〈◊〉 in its own nakedness and Nature And hence it is when the wicked in the trouble and terror of their Consciences feel the fierceness of the fury of the Almighty 〈◊〉 upon their Souls they know now the smart of sin and God also as a 〈◊〉 Judg whose anger they can neither avoid nor bear This is only a Consequent and a fruit of sin and comes after it But to see a right the Soveraign 〈◊〉 of his Wisdom to guide them and the all-sufficiency of his Goodness far exceeding all created excellencies and their 〈◊〉 as a going from both these if they be misguided in the one they cannot but mistake the other Job 42. 4. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye sees thee therefore I 〈◊〉 my self when 〈◊〉 saw God cleerly he saw his 〈◊〉 So the Convert in 1 Cor. 14. 24. When he had the thoughts of his heart 〈◊〉 ed and made manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is in you of a truth because he neither saw God 〈◊〉 himself before and when he sees the one he sees 〈◊〉 1. John 3. 7. He that 〈◊〉 sin hath neither seen him nor known him and these be the terms of true conversion so set by the Apostle turned from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. q. d. they fell short of the Soveraign Power and Holiness of God before We have 〈◊〉 with the First What it is to see Sin 〈◊〉 We are now to enquire of the Second Wherein this true sight of Sin 〈◊〉 that is we must see it also convictingly what it is to us in the work of it as wel as what it is in it self in the Nature of it This appears in a double act or in two Things 1 We must apply sin particularly to our selves 2 It must be setled with an over-powring strength upon a mans own soul. We shall open both these in the order propounded He that sees his Sins convictingly must 〈◊〉 content himself with the 〈◊〉 and speculation of Sin to speak freely of it to 〈◊〉 out the 〈◊〉 of his corruption or to lay 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 thereof in a judicious and pregnant 〈◊〉 This a wicked man may learn this a right godly man may somtimes do and yet do himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it Therefore it is required he must see it with a particular application of it to himself and his ownestate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same sentence upon those he 〈◊〉 in his own 〈◊〉 which he did upon any when they 〈◊〉 presented to his own 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 There are two things 〈◊〉 we shall open both He must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye inward follow his own 〈◊〉 home 〈◊〉 his own 〈◊〉 and cause his own judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon his own 〈◊〉 and corruptions This is called in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the people of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them and deliver them to the enemy so that they 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they shall bethink themselves the Original thus if they shall bring it back to their own heart They had common apprehensions of sins as they saw them committed by others or as the word revealed them in the evil of their own nature but they did not look inward to the loathsom vileness of 〈◊〉 evils which lay in their own bosoms until they came into Captivity Thus the Prodigal is said to come to himself Luk. 15. 17. he had lived without any search and consideration of his own waies lost himself in letting loose his thoughts in the eager pursuit of his own lusts now he began to take an account of his own course to see how the case stands with him in regard of his own corruption and condition in particular The want of this the Prophet Jeremy makes to be the principal 〈◊〉 why men rush into the commission of sin and continue therein without any 〈◊〉 Jer. 8. 56. Why is this People of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit and refuse to return they 〈◊〉 themselves with some false imaginations quiet themselves by some self-deceiving mistakes and so think they need not and therefore do not return the reason is rendred in the next words I hearkned and heard and no man repented and why that No man said what have I done
have been wrought what benefit thou mightest have received hadst thou but suffered and received the helps provided for that end which when thou diddest oppose and not suffer thy self to be convinced thou didst oppose thine own everlasting welfare and therefore art guilty of thine own blood Luke 7. 30. The Publicans and sinners justified God and were baptized but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the Counsel of God against themselves i. e. against their own good and happiness Yea so the Apostle to the gainsaying Corinthians when he had disputed long and manifested the Truth in the cleer evidence of it Acts 18. 14. and they gainsayed still and blasphemed he shook his rayment in sign of distast and indignation and said your blood be upon your own heads I am clean he was innocent And so one day thou wilt be forced to confess and to cleer the innocency and faithfulness of Gods Servants I was the cause of my confusion my own wayward gainsaying Spirit else I might have been recovered they did their duty with much painfulness but my perverse spirit would not receive that counsel which would have directed and comforted me but now condemns me So Paul to the contradicting Jews Acts 13. 46. Because ye put away the Word and judg your self unworthy of eternal life thou wilt then be forced to yield it I am unworthy that ever the Promises of the Gospel should establish my heart who would not be convinced of the goodness of them unworthy that ever the Gospel should be the savor of life to me who have cast it behind my back as unsavory Salt He sins against the Ordinances the Faithfulness Truth and free Grace of God therein revealed and dispensed for his everlasting good he casts all these behind his back and out of a slight neglect wil not give the least entertainment thereunto This quarrelling disposition like a squeazy stomach spils the Physick when he cannot endure to take it flings away the dainties provided when he is not willing nor hath not a heart or appetite to feed on them and how hainous this contempt is the Apostle intimates Hebrews 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation It sins against Gods Spirit in a more than ordinary manner he would seem in his gainsaying frame to try masteries with the Lord and in the highest strain of rebellion to contest with the Almighty Spirit of Christ in the utmost defyance as refusing to yield in the least appearance I call it the highest strain of 〈◊〉 to try Masteries with the Almighty and that may be thus observed When our Savior was to leave the world and to go to Heaven to possess the glory he had with the Father before all worlds he comforts the hearts of his Disciples touching his departure with the Consideration of the incomparable benefit that would accrew therefrom John 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I go away so if I go not away the comsorter will not come but if I depart I will send him that is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus would not dispense the powerful work of his Grace in such an abundant measure unless he ascended unto the Throne of his Grace for the largeness of the dispensation thereof and that in reason until that time The Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified John 7. 39. When he ascended up on high he then gave gifts unto men even for the Rebellious Eph. 4. 8. And herein appears the powerful dispensation of his Grace and operation of his Spirit then when the Comforter is come he shal convince the world of sin he shal set down the Consciences of the Sons of men in the sight of their vileness and guilt This is as it were 〈◊〉 Master-piece of the work of the Spirit when he is sent from Heaven from the Father and the Son with full Commission and Power from our Savior advanced to the highest pitch of supreamest excellency of his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Offices and that for this end in the first place as the prime and hardest work to convince the world of sin Now to gainsay and contradict this Spirit in this Work for which he hath received this Commission is to contest for Masteries with the Almighty Heb. 12. 25. If they escaped not who refused Moses who spake on Earth how shall we escape if we refuse him that speaks from Heaven And this is the highest strayn of rebellion when a 〈◊〉 wil not give way nor yield in the least but 〈◊〉 out this authority of the spirit from having any entertainment even in the suburbs 〈◊〉 our apprehensions and understandings while we continue in this gainsaying frame there wants nothing but light and malice to make it 〈◊〉 sin against the Holy Ghost Here is the hainousness of the sin See the Curse of it that is dreadful Thou makest way for Satan in the means which are appointed by God to oppose him John 13. 27. The Devilentred into Judas with a sopp so he enters with an admonition and counsel while thou doest oppose that truth which should help thee against his power and subtilty but yieldest thy self fully to be possessed by both Thou wilt not be guided by the counsel of God therfore thou shalt be cousened by the delusions of the Devil Christ in his righteous dealings and according to thy just deservings delivers thee up to the power of Satan whenas thou wast willing to yeild up thy self to his possession So Paul 1. Tim. 3. 20. delivers Hymenoeus and Philetus unto Satan and in Church discipline obstinacy in the least evil is answerable to the greatest offence because by that means the soul shakes off the authority of the Lord Jesus and so is to be cast out Because thou hast gainsayed his dispensations he wil have no more dealing with thee Math. 23. last you shal see me no more He wil pass by and not speak with thee He wil instruct 〈◊〉 admonish others but he wil 〈◊〉 thee no more reprove thee no more He wil not change a word with thee in the 〈◊〉 ' My 〈◊〉 shal not alwayes 〈◊〉 Gen. 6. 3. That spirit which thou hast resisted and opposed shal stir in thee and strive with thee no more thou wouldest 〈◊〉 see thou shalt not see therefore thou wouldest not have thy conscience stirred it shal be seared therefore Thou art every day ripening for 〈◊〉 and reserved in the chayns of darkness til the judgment of the great 〈◊〉 and therefore thy condition is like that of the Devil himself thou hast only the liberty of thy chain that is liberty to encrease thy sins and thy plagues when the Lord would prepare a people for destruction he saves 〈◊〉 a. 6. 10. he seals them up under the curse of a 〈◊〉 mind and a hard heart Hear ye indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceiv not 〈◊〉 the heart of this people fat and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes
they were from the beginning of the creation 〈◊〉 yee not see how men provoke God and prosper and hath it not been so in all ages 〈◊〉 wicked ungodly continue in sinful courses yet succeed according to their own content It was so in the former ages it went best with the worst men it is so in this and wil be so to the end the Lord lookes not after the mean occasions of men upon earth finds himself employment in the affayres of Heaven it matters not what the desert of our sins be we shal never feel what they do deserve so those rulers Amos 7. they put away the evil day far from them and then they cause the seat of violence to come near 〈◊〉 73. 10. 11. those blasphemers who set their mouths against Heaven and their tongue walks through the midst of the Earth they say how doth God know this and is there knowledg in the most high Upon this ground it is that they let loose themselves in the fearless pursuit of 〈◊〉 loathsom abominations then said he unto me the Angel of the Lord of Hosts the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great the land is ful of blood and the city ful of perversness For they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth the Lord seeth not Ezek. 9. 9. For since here we must learn to chase out and keep out such imaginations by setting up the light of the truth in our minds and listening wholly thereunto So the psalmist shewes the cause and applyes the cure Psal. 94. 8. Understand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when wil ye be wise He that plantd the ear shal not he hear he that formed the eye shal not he see Yea the Lord professeth to take notice of these mens wayes in an especial manner to make privie search after them Zeph. 1. 12. he wil search Jerusalem with candles and visit such as sit upon their lees and say who sees us you shal find he knows both good and evil and he wil work both as a reward to such as deserve This Job felt by experience Job 14 16. For now thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch our my sins my transgression 〈◊〉 sealed up in a bag and thou shalt find it so the Lord wil follow thee step by step and track and trace thee in all thy wandrings and keeps an account of al thy sins sealed up as it were in bags But if the Lord doth see and observe al our evils yet he is patient and wil pass them by and put up those many 〈◊〉 being pitiful and compassionate to poor creatures knowing they be but dust True it is the Lord out of his long sufferance wil bear long with the base dealings of the sons of men yet out of the purity and holiness of his nature he cannot but bring them to account and trial for al the swervings of their lives Psal 50. 18. Thus the secure sinner counted the Lords patience a kind of connivence and allowance of him in ungodly wayes I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I was such a one as thy self that God could wink at wickedness look aside at the slips and swervings of the ungodly and suffer them to go away with it but al in vain For I wil reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee consider this yee that forget God so likewise in Eccles. 11. 9. rejoyce O yong man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the wayes of thy youth walk in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these 〈◊〉 thou shalt come to judgment the Lord wil arrest thee for the wrong done to his holiness and follow the suit against thy soul for al thy injurious dealings and he himself wil come in against thee as a swift witness If thy Conscience condemn thee God himself is greater than thy Conscience and he knowes al things and wil bring to light the hidden things of darkness will make manifest the counsels of the heart When al those dunghil stains of Adulterous lusts and malicious envious and covetous desires shal be layd open to the view of the sun al those swarmes of foolish and wicked imaginations shal be then discovered it s better therefore that thou shouldst see them now in the day of Grace better thou shouldst have them now discovered to thy Conscience for thy humiliation then at the day of judgment for thy confusion But if the Lord will require all then I hope I may use means to satisfy for al when my day beginns to decline and my Sun to set and my glass is run when I am dropping down to the grave and groaning upon my sick bed I wil then betake my self to my prayers tears and repentance for my sins I wil sorrow for my sins seek unto God for mercy I wil repent and reform the evil of my wayes and the Lord wil remove the Plague of them In thy declining daies wilt thou do this Oh deluded creature who knows but this day or before thou hast read over this book the Lord may take away thy soul who knows whether thou shalt have time to seek or a heart to seek or God wil accept of thee when thou seekest Whether a time or no. Whether the date of Gods bounty the day of Grace and period of Gods patience be come to an end When thou hast abused 〈◊〉 many opportunities whether ever he wil give thee leave or time once to look out for 〈◊〉 when thy tongue shal be faultring in thy mouth thy eyes fallen in thy head 〈◊〉 heart sink and dy within thy bosom not able to sigh out one desire and the Lord snatch thee out of the land of the living before thou canst see or consider whithere thou art going Luke 19. 41. 42. If thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes the things of their peace were before their eyes and yet were hid from their eyes Rev. 2. 21. 23. I gave her day to repent but shee repented not therefore I wil cast her in to a bed and 〈◊〉 her children with death shee had no more dayes of repentance but of ruine shee was cast into a bed of sorrow and had not time to pour out her prayers If thou hast time who knows that God will give thee a heart to seek for mercy or sue for Grace It 's true God may help thee but it 's as true God may harden thee he may humble thee and he may 〈◊〉 thee and it 's most likely he wil thou which hast refused to hear he wil refuse to help Ezek. 24. 13. I would have purged 〈◊〉 and thou wouldest not be purged thou shalt never be purged more Jer. 51. 9. we would have cured Babilon but she would not be cured leave her then leave them to the blindness of their
13. He that is truly meek and pities the souls of men most he wil shew least pity to their sins all sharpness of rebuke and yet al meekness of spirit do wel accord The exhortation to the people is that as ever you desire to see your sins and have your hearts brought to sorrow for them you must desire it and delight in it that you may have the light brought home to your souls in way of particular applycation to your own sins there is no means so effectual as this therefore desire God that your ministers may take such paines that they may speak to your Consciences Take three considerations here Weigh sadly that when the Minister speaks in way of Applycation so as to discover thy sins he doth no more than he may nay no more than he should in point of Conscience his life lyes at stake if he should not deal plainly and faithfully and therefore know its unreasonable for thee to quarrel with the Minister or with that he speaks when he hath the word for his warrant in what he does Look at the good of the dispensation of an ordinace and overlook the 〈◊〉 of it As some would not see but drink of the Physick minding the wholsomness and bearing with the unpleasantness of it for the present As it 's wearisom to the Surgeon to be raking in the sore so it is to the Minister but it is for thy good and therfore though it be painful and cross to thy carnal affection yet thou shouldest take contentment in such a dispensation of the word as is such an effectual means of thy good When thou findest thy heart 〈◊〉 consider that an under quiet taking in sharp reproof it s a sound argument of the sincerity of thy heart and truth of thy love to God and his word When a man 〈◊〉 to be shaken in his Comforts and a sharp and keen reproof comes home to a man to force him to see and be humbled reform his evil wayes if he can 〈◊〉 receive and yield 〈◊〉 to such a reproofit's a sign his heart is sincere in the sight of God when he saies as they did Zach. 13. 6. these are the wounds I received in the house of my friends When they heard this We heard before that application and special discovery of our particular corruptions what force it had to break the heart We have here yet a Second means couched in the manner of the 〈◊〉 expressed in the Text. The word is read in the Participle and carries a kind of 〈◊〉 endeavor with it a 〈◊〉 of mind about that which was heard In hearing they heard it and when the Sermon was over they had received the message of the Lord delivered by the Apostle when they happily were departed yet that word departed not out of their Ears and hearts They heard it over again they mused upon it it stuck by them their thoughts recoiled afresh upon the consideration thereof it pressed heavy upon their hearts Conviction brings the sin Application laies it Meditation settles it upon the heart that it sinks under it as unsupportable Hence then the Doctrine is Through Meditation of sins applied is a special means to break the heart of a sinner As men that are stoned and pressed to death while the stones are few that are cast and the weight not great may be they are troubled and wounded in some measure but their bones are not broken nor yet their lives hazarded but while they stil continue flinging and adding to the number and weight their bones break and their lives fayl under the overbearing pressure that is put upon them A serious thought and right apprehension and application of a sin toucheth and troubleth the sinner but daily meditation flings in one terror after another and followes the soul with fresh consideration of yet more sin and yet more evil and that more hainious and yet more dangerous beyond al pprehension and imagination so that a sinner is stoned to death as it were and breaks under the burthen of it Thus the repenting Church Lam. 3. 19. 20. In remembring mine affliction the wormewood and the gall my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me in remembring I remembred they were daily musing and continually poring and that made them pierce in wardly look as it is in the body it is so in the soul meat minced if never 〈◊〉 and digested it never nourisheth A potion prepared and given if not retayned and kept in the stomack it never purgeth or worketh kindly for cure So here in the soul Applycation carves out a fit potion of truth to the sinner but Meditation is that which digests it and makes good blood of it Applycation compounds the potion a particular reproof which is keen in the working brings it home but meditation retaynes it that so it may work kindly put forth the 〈◊〉 powerful effect for the loosening of those loathsom lusts which are like noysom and corrupt humours which threaten the death and ruin of the soul. This is one thing which is undoubtedly implyed in that place by the consent of al interpreters that I know Psal. 77. 10. While the prophet was taking up his thoughts with attendance to his own distempers and sinful provocations and the Lords departure from him by reason of the same he sits down almost overwhelmed with the direful apprehension thereof I said this is my death but I wil remember the changes of the right hand of the most high this poring upon his own sins and 〈◊〉 was his death therefore he turns the tables and turns his thoughts another way and that was the cure of those discomforts even the remembrance of the former the former expressions of Gods favour and faithfulness it s also one part of the meaning of that text Psal. 40. 12. My sins have taken such hold of me that I cannot look up when we lay hold upon them by serious meditation then they lay hold upon us and when our minds attend not but slip aside from the serious consideration of them then they slip away from us For explication we shal 1 Shew what this meditation is 2 Apply the general Doctrine to the particular occasion and see how this helps forward this work Then 3 We shal make use For the first Meditation is a serious intention of the mind whereby wee come to search out the truth and settle it effectually upon the heart An intention of the mind when one puts forth the strength of their understanding about the work in hand takes it as an especial task whereabout the heart should be taken up and that which wil require the whol man and that to the bent of the best ability he hath so the word is used 〈◊〉 1. 8. thou shalt not suffer the word to depart out of thy mind but thou shalt meditate therein 〈◊〉 and night when either the word would depart away or our corruptions would drive it
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
this as a pattern of compassions to all ensuing Ages that they may love this God and fear this God c. They were pierced in their hearts The persons have been considered in those respects which were material and suitable to the aim of the Text We are now come to enquire of the Work it self that is termed here piercing 2. The place or subject in which this was it was in their hearts Pierced The word in the Original is a compound and implies more than bare pricking nor have we any English word fit to express it A shivering and pulling all asunder for it is so to prick as to pierce and enter dig on every side to pierce not overly but quite through the soul as some of the Antients render it It 's found only in this place in the new Testament though the Seventy Interpreters used it often in the Old in the 〈◊〉 of several words in several places according to the intendment thereof But that is remarkable that the Hebrew Root which they somtimes expressed by the word in this place it signifies such a kind of piercing as when the body of a travelling woman is wounded with the sorrow of Child-birth when the Child is severed from the Womb and brought into the world And it usually implies as here a work of sound sorrow laid upon the soul whereby sin and the soul come to be parted each from other And this resemblance and similitude between this Spiritual Sorrow and piercing stands in three Particulars 1. Piercing and digging is ever grievous and tedious to the part that feels it 2. There is a loosning and parting of those things which were united and closed before there is dissolutio continui as the Physitian speaks the parts that were firm and continued become now to be parted and severed more or less one from another 3. By this severing and sundring the parts there is a way and a passage made that corruption or any other humor which was in the part may be drawn out So in sound sorrow there be three things answerably The soul comes to be wounded and pained extreamly with the pressure of corruption stung with those distempers which stab and torment the heart Hence the cursed union betwixt sin and the soul comes to be loosened when the sinner cannot find that sweetness in his lusts which have suited with him so exceedingly in former times When this sweetness like the soder by which the heart and corruption lay couched so neer and so incorporate as it were that they became one continued thing is as I may say by this prevailing sorrow melted and removed the knot and combination between our hearts and our lusts come to be broken Hence there is way made for the letting out of those corruptions unto which the soul was endeared formerly and the sinner brought from under the supream and soveraign commanding power of his distempers Thus the Church converted in Hos. 2. 8. when they had sought their Lovers and could not find them followed them and could not overtake them they begin to take up other thoughts I will go to my first Husband for it was better with me then than now Heart It properly signifies that chief part in a mans Body wherein the Fountain of the Vital Spirits lies that which lives first as they say and dies last that 's the Natural signification But here it 's Spiritually understood and it 's put for the Will and Affections which have their proper place of abode there and express their special Operations in a principal manner according as Objects are presented and occasion offered And thus it 's taken in this place not to trouble you with other variety of apprehensions thus you shal find it frequently in the Scripture The heart shal fear Deut. 28. 67. Joy of heart Isa. 65. 14. Sorrow of heart Levit. 26. 16. c. And out of the heart comes murders and adulteries Matth. 15. 19. All which carry undeniably the work of the Will and Affections according as they put forth several Operations as they meet with several Objects So that this was not a slight and overly ripling of the skin but a piercing to the quick reached unto the very heart-root that which cut asunder the Soveraignty of the choyce of the Will and made that stand back and go off from those loathsom corruptions which were as neer as the soul to the soul and they were all pricked as one man in the one and the same manner in the heart they were al wounded as though there had been but one heart in them all Hence we shal propound divers Points and pursue that which is the main Sins unrepented of and continued in make way for piercing and perplexing terrors I say unrepented and continued in make way for terror They do not alwaies immediately let in Gall and Wormwood into the Soul presently after the acting of them plagues are then in preparation and only those over-bearing and dreadful Judgments which the Lord is devising against the ungodly are then in the birth and the Lord will not bring them forth until they be come to their full growth as the fittest time for the execution of his vengeance It fares with sinners as it doth somtimes and for the most part with Malefactors they make an escape from the hand of Justice and they please themselves in the practice of their wickedness and contenting their own lusts until their destruction surprize them so as they cannot avoid it nor bear it Had you but seen these scorners and despisers of our Savior formerly when they run riot in their out-rage and opposition carried all before them as if they had the world at will Away with him away with him not Christ but Barrabbas You would have conceived nay if thou had'st asked themselves they would have concluded they had been beyond all gun-shot terrors and perplexities could not have touched much less seized upon them Yet see them here and see how their condition is altered they who scorned the Apostles now come trembling to them they who cared not what they did before now are at their wits ends which way to turn themselves and it 's certain the fire was then making which now scorched the sins were then committed which now sunk their hearts with unsupportable horrors There be pleasures of sin but they are but for seasons Heb. 11. 25. and those are but the Seed times of Sorrows and Judgments Joy is sown for the Righteous and somtimes in deep sorrows the longer it is growing and ripening the larger is the Harvest of Comforts So troubles and horrors hellish and heart-breaking amazements are sown for the wicked and that in their greatest delights and the longer these are in growing and ripening their Harvest of Horrors of Conscience will be out of measure dreadful As the Prophet to those who carried al before them in their sinful contrivement Jer. 5. last The Prophets prophesie falsly the Priests bear
that are daily before his eye the Lord wil force him to look further to see and feel something more and worse than ever yet he found before he have done with him therefore he makes the wound deeper rests not before he be at the root of the heart quite through comes to the very quick and sees the bottom Hence the Lord leads the soul from the terror and sting of sin to view the stayn and filth of it which was more deer to the soul than its own 〈◊〉 and yet worse to the soul than al the misery and vexation that could befal it Open here a little There is something in the wil above the natural or physical being of it look at its being meerly as it ariseth from the power of those natural principles whereof it s made there is something above these and so better then these unto which theseare subject and subordinate namely those divine principles of grace which were at the first imprinted upon it and by which those natural abilities should be carried beyond their physical being to close with God and so attayn an eternal and in that 〈◊〉 a supernatural happiness I say in that sence supernatural though it was Naturae debitum because Adam should not nay could not please God put forth such a divine act out of the faculties of understanding and wil for then the 〈◊〉 in Hel now might please him for their natural faculties stil remain but it was as they were acted and carryed by the image of God wisdom holiness and righteousness that were bestowed upon them So that these principles of grace in the wil were above the wil and better than the natural being of it Since the fal of Adam original corruption is come into the place and room of that original righteousness and by a Soveraignty of power takes possession of the heart and wil so and so the whol man rules it carryes it captivates it in subjection and subordination to it self So that to a son of Adam now in the state of sin corruption exerciseth a soveraign power and command over the wil and is better to the sinner than his natural being corrupt self is of more power and more neer and intimate to the soul then natural self Hence the souldier wil rather loose his life than take the lye he wil fight for it and dye for it his honor is nearer to his heart than his being thus the Ambitious among the heathen the desire of vain glory amongst the Jesuites that they may be-canonized for Saints makes them put their necks into the halter And a corrupt heart wil loose Christ and ordinances and safety and life and al rather than not satisfy his own humer So Saul kill me that it may not be sayd the uncircumcised Slew me after he had been dead he would never have felt the disgrace but his ambitious humor was more dear than his blood When the blow reacheth hither then ye are come to the root of the heart and the heart is pierced quite through when the heart and the power of corruption are parted Therefore when the Lord intends to make through work with a poor wretch whom he hath upon the rack in his horror and perplexities there he holds him he shal not go or get from hence before he go further and forceth the sinner to further consideration If it be so why am I thus thou lookest upon hel and the torments thereof as loathsom and fearsul what are thy sins then that deserve these thou viewest thy plagues which are diresul and unsufferable what are thy sins then that procure these Sayes the Lord. Psal. 107. 17. Foolish men are plagued because of their transgressions Psal. 38. 8. there is no quietness in my bones by reason of my sin Jer. 4. 18. thy sins and iniquities have brought these therefore thy wickedness is bitter because it reacheth unto the heart Hither the Lord brings and here keeps the soul my sins are before me Psal. 51. 3. he leaves the thoughts of his punishment and turns his eye to the power of his distemper and the distance that they work between God and his soul. Here Satan bestirs him that he may darken the way of the distressed sinner and deceive him by some wily fetch And therefore he deviseth how he may shift shoulder and change his habitation and not be thrust wholly out And therefore he is wel content to gratify the sinner here that he should look upon some sin that is attended with shame and loathsom to the light of nature to the dictates of the common principles of natural conscience and there he wil suffer him to lay on load and to follow it with great fierceness and indignation that so when the heart is come to a calm and the storm is over he may take aside with some lesser evils that he may but color them over with the pretence of religion thus many men have changed their special corruptions not truly parted with them and for the while have fallen short of this through sorrow The Devil doth with sin as great men with their houses they have their winter houses and their summer houses and they remain there where they have most conveniency and suitableness so when a mans speicial sin of his constitution hath fallen and the parties have conceived the day is theirs their hearts have been truly broken when the Devil onely alters his habitation they grow to be disobedient servants and sharp wives and that under pretence of Religion the servant must go pray when he should go to work his Master is a carnal man the wise froward and perverse her husband wants the power of Religion why should she look at him and this upon mine own knowledg hath discovered the 〈◊〉 and hath been a means to many to begin again and to make through work therefore the Lord follows the soul afresh that it must feel sin as sin and therefore every sin and else none truly Cursed is every one that continues not in al things written in the law Gal. 3. 10. there must not be great breaches but no breaches not gross sins but no sin that God wil bear or we should keep knowest thou not sayes Saul to Jonathan that as long as the son of Jsha remaines alive thou wilt never be established 1 Sam. 20. 31. So Conscience to the soul that as long as the league life of any of these distempers concontinu doest thou not know thou wilt never thou canst never be established in the kingdom of grace Nay the sinner beginns now to reason with himself why was I born why came I into the world wherein consists my good or what is my hapiness is it not to please God to be one with him and happy in so being should I carry this proud stubborn rebellious heart to heaven with me heaven would be a hell to me and I a devil in it Now however this work be thus punctually in the several parts of
affect it with the greatest grief and burden for sorrow in al the proportions of it issues from these two grounds A crossness of an evil truly apprehended by the judgment the venome acting really upon us where these are in a greater or lesser measure there sorrow is greater or less upon this ground the Apostle evidenceth the grief and burden of the creature Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whol creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now and that because it was made subject to vanity and this is their vanity because their end is crossed and so their good is hindred for wheras it is their desire to serve such as may serve God when they serve the humors and corruptions of carnal men they become vain and miss their end and so their good and this is as it were a grief to them Were the venome of sin but discovered and acted upon the nature of the soul it could not but groan under the evil and vanity thereof as that which wholy deprives it of its end and good While the soul stands fully under the power of corruptions possessed with it and acted by it it 's not possible it should apprebend the evil of sin nor the nature of the soul tast the venome thereof Sin carryes no crossness of opposition of evil to it self and therefore 〈◊〉 disquiet to it self 〈◊〉 so no separation from it self But sin wholly possessing and wholly acting the soul it makes the mind and heart apprehend not according to the nature of the soul and impression left upon it when created but according to the distemper by which it is possessed and carried So did they to Samuel 1 Sam. 8. 19. they said nay but we wil have a King Jer. 18. 12. So they to Jeremiah we wil walk every one in the imagination of his own heart Give the sick man the most pleasant potion though the Physitian profess it and give reasons and others by experience find it so he no sooner tasts it but he puts it away as that which is exceeding bitter because his tast is corrupted and tongue furred with the foulness of his stomack he rellisheth the drink not according to what they say and what it is or what the natural constitution of the palate would perswade but what his distemper which now possesseth and disordreth his tast tel him So it was with Judas though he was told before that it were better he had never been born that would not do the deed his covetous heart found another rellish nay when he flung away his money out of vexation yet he rellished hismurther stil and therefore hanged himself And this is the reason why they who sin against the holy Ghost even against the evidence of reason the corruption of their heart rellisheth other than reason tells Hence the Lord Christ by the irresistible power of his spirit doth countermand the authority of sin makes it appear that its commission is come to an end the date of it is expired Namely sin after Adam withdrawing himself received a commission from divine justice that 〈◊〉 the soul would not be ruled by him and his law It should be possessed and acted by corruption the date of the commission lasts until the Lord Jesus the second Adam who 〈◊〉 for the sinner comes by covenant to take the soul to himself and then he appearing in this behalf sin is forced back and not to exercise her power and then the evil of sin is brought home to the soul and set on with the ful venome of it and the nature of the soul is made sensible of it I say made sensible and deeply affected therewith This me thinks is the binding of the strong man Math. 12. 29. Wherby the Devills armour that is his comission by vertue of which 〈◊〉 holds the soul is taken away from him stopp the sluice and stream that drives the mil and then you turn the wheel another way which otherwise while under the sourse of the stream cannot be stirred Thus God commands the soul to return from iniquity Job 36. 10. And if he do but stop the commission for a sudden turn then there may follow a tast which such as sin against the holy Ghost may have of whom the Apostle speaks Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. The Lord Jesus by the virtu of his death puts an end to the commission that divine justice gave disanuls the right and power that sin challenged and by which it acted the soul of a sinner wherby it kept the soul under its command that no means could work upon it or be made effectual to it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ dyed for us that he might bring us to God For when Adam and so we in him wilfully departed from God would not be guided by his rightous law and just wil divine justice gave a commission to sin to take vengeance of the soul and keep it under that no good may come to it or it receive any now Christ by his death having satisfyed justice the commission is cancelled there is nothing on Gods part which hinders And there is nothing on our parts can hinder the authority of sin is disannulled his claym made voyd that soul is mine saies Christ hands off 〈◊〉 hands off sin the claym answered authority disannulled power stopped now there is way for light to come to the mind and for the nature of sin as discovered to be set on upon the soul and it made to seel the venom thereof as upon those termes it may utsupra So our Saviour 〈◊〉 1. 18. I was dead but am alive and I have the keyes of hell and death i. e. hath supream authority to shoot back al boults to open al dores As the first Adam by natural generation 〈◊〉 power and commission from divine justice to turn the souls of his children from God to sin so the second Adam having satisfyed and answered divine justice hath power to turn the soul from satan and sin to God satan and sin are at his devotion the soul at his command The third particular to be opened How far the soul is or may be truly said to be active in this work of Contrition or this spiritual sorrow when it comes to receive the right impression of it for sin as such The Answer may be conceived in the following particulars There is no power in man to remove that resistance that is in his heart against God the work of his grace that which out of its own corrupt principles doth wholly resist and cannot but resist the operation and dispensation of al spiritual means that would prevayl with it for good that cannot take away the resistance for resistance cannot take away resistance it implyes a palpable contradiction as that which is professedly cross to common sence but the corrupt heart of a natural man while he is in the state of nature and corruption doth and cannot but wholly resist the work of
irresistable operation of his Spirit when the soul having that impediment removed it comes to be in the next passive power and immediately disposed to a Spiritual Work vult moveri God leaves a powerful impression upon the will acts this capability to carry it from sin in a right order to God at the entrance of which the soul is moved and takes the impression having taken the impression or motion it moves again and in vertue of that is said to act and consent so that this consent is not from our selves though not without our selves And thus we are put beyond any principle of our own or to be the beginners of our own work by any thing we have in our selves which cuts the sinews of the Covenant of Works and hither many times God wil bring us to our beginnings to the bare board even to leave our souls with him that he may carry us from sin to himself and act us upon himself and keep us with himself for ever Thus David Psal. 119. 29. Take from me the way of lying 〈◊〉 could not take it away himself Hos. 14. 2. Take away all iniquity they leave themselves in Gods hand that the Lord would cause them to turn from iniquity So that in this Condition it 's true to say a man hath not a principle of concurrence with God as by sanctified habits we have but the Spirit puts in us a power whereby we are carried to God The Fourth Particular for opening of the Point The behavior of the heart under this stroak and that appears in the Particulars following When this Sorrow is rightly set on and the soul rightly affected therewith the sinner hath the loath somness of corruption ever in his sight keeps it ever within his ken he could not be brought before to take to heart the hainousness of 〈◊〉 evil Ministers pressed him with it in publick others minded him of it in private forewarned him of the direful venom and 〈◊〉 that lay in those distempers of his that one day he was like to feel to the hazard of his everlasting happiness it would be bitterness in the latter end but he turned the deaf ear to al would not so much as take it into consideration not once look back into the danger of his rebellions nor listen to any thing that may force the same upon his soul but now the case is altered he that could not be brought to see sin before now he wil see nothing but sin cannot be brought to look off from it he feels now the plague of those provocations of his and finds by woful proof and experience the truth of al that formerly hath been told him and hath time enough now to recount the savory counsels those seasonable reproofs directions entreaties which would have kept him from the commssion of those evils the hainousness whereof he is not able to conceive the bitterness and poyson whereof he is not able to bear now he is constrayned to feel the sting thereof He hath now leisure to survey the folly and perversness of his spirit in former times and to sit down in silence and shame now he can seal to that as an eternal truth of God which before he east behind his back as slight and vain Oh I now see the Ministers were faithful watch-men which foresaw the danger and foretold me how dreadful the evils would be which did attend my distempers If I would not leave my sin mercy and blessing would leave me and my heart feels it so The Christians were loving and compassionate which laboured by earnest and affectionate entreaties to with draw me from the wayes of wickedness which with drew me from God by woful experience I sind it so Though it were a sharp yet it was a sure safe word that I have often heard but would never receive It were better to cut off my hand to pluck out mine eye and to enter lame and maimed into the Kingdom of Heaven lame and maimed in comforts and credit and carnal and sensual delights than to have 〈◊〉 these and go to hell where the worm never dyes and the fire never goes out and now my Conscience confesseth it is so Lord where was my mind that could not see this how hard and senseless my heart that could not be affected with this the sinner thus wounded his hand is ever upon the sore his eye upon his distemper as the extream danger that hangs over his head and the deadliest enemy that is in pursuit of his soul he sleeps wakes eats and drinks with this as his daily diet a standing dish carryes it up and down as his daily companion Psal. 51. 3. My sin is ever before me listen to him when he sighes out his prayers in secret ye shal observe his complaints run upon this confer with him enquire of his condition his speech ever returns to this point and al his questions lead stil to the discovery of the loathsomness of his rebellions As it is with a commander or General of the field when he sees the enemy come on furiously his numbers many his power great his souldiers skilful and couragious so that he sees al ly at stake the shock is like to be sudden fierce either conquer al or loose al A prudent commander seeing where the stress of the battle and the strength of the enemy lyes and the safety or ruin of the whol consists he leaves the thoughts of comforts conveniencies wife and family the profits and priviledges which he hath formerly enjoyed and prized bends al his thoughts exerciseth the utmost of al his 〈◊〉 now to defeat the enemy how to encounter him how to overcome him and this takes up the whol mind and the whol man its vayn to attend other things when the neglect of the enemyes approach is the loss and overthrow of al. So it is with a broken hearted Christian when the numberless company of those hellish abominations of heart and life lay siedg against and threaten his everlasting ruin either he must destroy them or they wil undoubtedly destroy his comforts he leaves the consideration of other things and looks to the main chance If my sin live I dye for it either I must be separated from them or they from me and therefore bends al his forces bestows al his thoughts how the hainousness of this may be forever discovered the heart forever freed from the power and authority thereof The Apostle Paul hath his sin ever in his eye he keeps it in fresh remembrance and consideration never hath occasion to mention any thing of himself but stil he strikes upon that string to me the least of all Saints and then the chiefest of all sinners I was a persecuter and blasphemer the main evil was there and his eye and thoughts were most upon that So the lamenting church Lam 5. 16. wo to us because we have sinned the plague famine and sword though they were beyond measure
absurdly unreasonable and therefore your cunning hypocrite he colors over his treachery under another pretence and therefore his conspiracy comes under the name of enquiry but in the issue if the wil of God suit not with his wil and his 〈◊〉 commands cross the corruptions of his heart which he is resolved to maintayn he casts al away in 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 So they to the prophet 〈◊〉 Jer. 42. 3. they sayed to the prophet 〈◊〉 let our supplycations be accepted before thee and 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 the Lord thy God that be may shew us the way 〈◊〉 we may walk and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may do and 〈◊〉 5. The 〈◊〉 be a true and faithful witness 〈◊〉 us if we do 〈◊〉 even according to al things for which the Lord 〈◊〉 God shall end 〈◊〉 to us whether it be good 〈◊〉 evil we wil obey But when he had consulted with the Lord and returned his mind that they should not go down to Egipt which no way suited their privy resolutions which they had taken up within themselves They oppose him to his very face and give him the lye Jer. 43. 2. Thou speakest falsly the Lord thy God hath not sent thee to say go not into Egipt to sojourn there when he did not speak that which they would have him Thus your false hearted hypocrites deal with the truth of God as the Jewes dealt with Paul who banded themselves together and bound themselves under a curse that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul and they carryed it thus they came to the Priests Acts 23. 14. 15. we have bound our selves c. Now go ye with the counsel signify to the chief Captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow as though you would enquire somthing more fully and we ere-ever he come neer wil be ready to kill him So treacherous hypocrites deal with the truth their enquiries are indeed conspiracies against the wisdom and counsel of the Lord they say they would enquire more perfectly and see more and more fully what the mind of God is But if things please not their pallat suit not their conceit answer not their corrupt desire and carnal ends they are resolved what to do only ask God leave to do what they list and therefore they make no bones to cross the truth when it crosseth their expectation when that which is answered they cannot remove it that which is alledged they cannot gainsay yet hold their own apprehensions and so cast the commands of God behind their back and refuse utterly to follow them Whenas a broken-hearted sinner who hath this resistance taken away he in earnest is content to part with his corruption and therfore readily gives way to what ever truth is revealed in the evidence thereof Both these dispositions the Apostle expresseth as contrary one to another answerable to the contrary conditions of nature and Grace Rom. 6. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin that is an evidence of their Natural condition But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine unto which ye were delivered that is they were ready and easie to take the impression of every Truth that was published and dispensed to them Certain it is he that is not willing to be convinced and to give way to the Authority of the Truth made known and to submit thereunto is led with his own lusts and is a Servant of sin to this very day He that hath his 〈◊〉 pierced through and is truly affected with his sins he loaths himself and his soul for it sees that shame is his due and that which his sin hath deserved and therefore is willing to take that which is his due and desert desirous to shame and dishonor that which hath been the greatest shame and blot to his person and profession and the greatest dishonor to God this is made the guise and behavior of all those whom God doth kindly and really break off from their sins and bring them to himself Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall ye remember your evil waies and doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Ezek. 6. 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me because I am broken with your whorish heart which hath departed from me and with your eyes which go a whoring and they shall loath themselves for the evils they bave committed in all their abominations Ezek. 16. last Then shalt thou remember be ashamed and confounded and never open thy mouth more The soul in this condition sees and feels now the 〈◊〉 and the greatness of the evil of sin that rebellion and opposition by which it hath been carried against God and the separation it hath made from him and therefore it loaths that most wherein most of this evil is harbored and by which it hath been practiced and that is his soul which hath been the sink of these sinful distempers the root from whence all these bitter fruits arise and grows the fountain or dunghil rather whence all those 〈◊〉 steams of loathsom abominations have been sent in speeches practices and behavior in our dayly course the filth of sin is most loathsom and there is most of that in the heart therefore he loaths that most of all It 's true there be some sins so detestable to the light of Nature and the common principles left in a corrupt Conscience that they are not fit to be named Murders Adulteries 〈◊〉 and Sodomy bruitish Drunkenness and excessive Riots which abase a man below the very bruit Creatures and make the Earth spue out such Inhabitants as fitter for the company of Devils than the communion of men It 's a shame to speak of those things which were done of them in secret Eph. 5. 12. And therefore Reprobates do and Hypocrites can and all even the worst of men may when they come to themselves in cold blood and take things in a right consideration loath these practices because shameful and scandalous fling filth in their faces disparagement upon their persons and cast them out of the society and communion of reasonable men and make them abhorred of humanity even a terror to themselves but alas when this is over they look not to the nest of these noysom abominations which lodgeth in their bosoms where they have their being and breeding in their hearts the Cage of these unclean Birds the Den of these bruitish Lusts but if they can wipe the mouth with the Harlot and wash their hands as Pilate did and keep themselves from the contempt of men and the stroak of Authority they can maintain a privy communion between these lusts and their souls and suck out the sweet of these by speculation and never be troubled nor affected therewith Judas flings away his money he fingers that no more looks at his treasonable practices as detestable to the very Scribes but he stil keeps his murder in his
Isa. 66. 3. I wil look saith the Lord i. e. with a gracious look of mercy upon this man that trembles at my word that trembles at a counsel least he should despise it at commands promises least he should not receive them The Lord is terrible out of his holy places When the terror of the truth of God is fallen upon the soul then what ever exhortations directions come from the word he dares not resist or gainsay but submit and fal under the wil of God made known there then a man wil fear to go from under a command as to go to hell it self EXAMINATION we may hence know whether ever the word hath wrought kindly and left this impression of broken heartedness this is a never fayling evidence As thy subjection is to the word so thy contrition is If the word hath pierced thee the word wil awe thee 1 Thes. 1. 6. Our Gospel came not in word but in power and ye became followers of us and of the Lord. Did the word over-power thy heart then thou art a follower of the faithful Ministers of God who left those impressions upon thy soul the word is mighty through God and brings every thought into the obedience of Christ hence 2 Cor. 8. 5. they gave up themselves to the Lord and then to us by the wil of God so far as they set forth the Goverment of Christ. This fals heavy upon two sorts Those that are open rebells sons of Belial that acknowledg no Lord no Law what to tremble at every word that is delivered No they are not such Babies c. Conspirators and traitors that pretend and profess subjection and yet maintain rebellion in their hearts they yield fainedly but when it comes to reallity to stoop to the authority of the truth they wil not these are traitors to the truth 〈◊〉 the Swissers wil be enemies when they cannot serve their own turns and friends when they do 〈◊〉 the Papists in England they are content to take the benefit of the Law but when it comes to take the oath of Allegiance they wil by no means do it because they are sworn Vassels to the Pope or Pensioners to the King of Spain though they equivocate to serve their own turns so these when they come to take the oath of Allegiance to set up Christ as supream in their hearts and minds to submit to the power of the truth then they take up armes against Christ and his word and wil not submit This is the evidence of a servant of sin Rom. 6. 17. when men receive the power of the Gospel they are not servants of sin else they are Psal. 45. 5. a man that wil not fal before the truth the arrows of Christ never stuck fast in his heart What shal we do We have done with the parties to whom the complaint was made men and brethren c. The complaint it self is ful of bitterness some things are implyed in it some things expressed That which is implyed in this complaint may be attended in four particulars Their ignorance and inability how to help themselves An absolute necessity to come 〈◊〉 of this condition which now they find themselves in A secret hope to receive advice and relief from the Apostles The price and excellency they now put upon the 〈◊〉 from their sins for this is the end of their request that which is supposed and implyed as the end of their complaint namely to bedelivered from that which was the plague sore of their souls and did so extremely pierce and pinch them That which the jalour in the like case did openly mention and these also did intend Sirs what shal I do to be saved Acts. 16. 30. namely from those sins which now overwhelm his soul. Sinners in distress of Conscience are ignorant and unable to help themselves The manner of the speech proclaimes so much to each mans experience at the very first inckling and hearing of it They speak as men at their wits end what shal we do we know not what to do it 's beyond our skil and above our reach either to bear or avoyd to make an escape from his sins and the plagues due therunto As Ruben said when he went down into the pit found not his Brother Joseph there being sold before he returned to his bretheren the child is not I whither shal I go Gen. 37. 30. So it is with the soul in distress of Conscience seeing it self forsaken of God Because he hath forsaken him by his backslidings and departures God is gone my God is not to this poor soul and I 〈◊〉 shal I go whither shal I look if to heaven there justice wil reject and condemn me if to hell there the Devils are ready to torment should I take the wings of the morning fly to the utmost parts of the earth there the wrath of the Almighty shal pursue and if I look into my own soul there is a Conscience to accuse 〈◊〉 a hell of horror to confound me for ever We know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way to take 〈◊〉 we are 〈◊〉 of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes it more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know 〈◊〉 how to get either relief or release We are at a loss 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 we are at a loss in our thoughts how we may find succor and deliverance you 〈◊〉 are the seers of Israel shew us the way of help Paul acknowledgeth as much at his first Conversion Acts 9. 6. when the Lord had met him and discovered the evil and 〈◊〉 of his way he then conceived he did not wel and yet could not conceive what to do Lord what wilt thou have me to do I do not know and therefore I cannot tel how to do thy wil nor yet how to procure mine own peace When the Israelites were driven to perplexities by the expression of Gods 〈◊〉 against their 〈◊〉 carriage in chusing themselves a King and 〈◊〉 cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us for we have sinned 1 Sam. 12. 〈◊〉 they durst not go to the Throne of Grace themselves but forced out of guilt and horror they were ready to go the wrong way and therefore Samuel by seasonable prevention stops their passage Ye have sinned yet turn not aside from following the Lord q. d. the distressed sinner as a Traveller in amazement when they have once missed their way the further they go the further they go aside Reasons are Two The 〈◊〉 of Grace and Life unto which men are to turn at the times of their Conversion they are hidden and secret and men in their Natural Condition when the Lord is pleased first to stop their passage and build a wall before them they are wholly unacquainted with the narrow path that 〈◊〉 to Christ and life by reason of that inbred blindness of their minds and the dayly 〈◊〉 of their lives and that from their 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 part of the description of the Grace 〈◊〉 to enter in at the straight gate for straight 〈◊〉
unsearchable and marvelous things without number This may support thy heart and carry thee on with some Hope in a waiting way They who are truly pierced for their sins do in an especial manner prize and covet deliverance from them For this is the scope of their complaint and the end and aim of their request that they might be freed from that which they found so bitter and indeed unsupportable to their souls and it 's of 〈◊〉 implied in their speech that which in the like case was openly expressed by the Jaylor Acts 16. 30. He came trembling and astonished saying what must I do to be saved not what shal I do to be eased of my destraction cured of my fears freed from my shame but what shal I do to be saved from my sin he was plagued most with the remembrance of that prizeth most freedom from it the venom of his transgression is that which lies heaviest upon his heart and thence it is to be safe-guarded from that is of highest esteem in his account Saved from the guilt of sin as that which sets the Almighty at a distance from him and raiseth the controversie between God and the soul and forceth him to withdraw his favor and loving kindness which is better than life which David felt by woful experience and therefore sues with such importunity Psal. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness After the Commission of these evils by David the Lord threatened the sending of the Sword that might hazard the safety of his person and the prosperity of such as should succeed him So Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 10. The Sword shal never depart from thine House he threatens to raise up cruel and subtil conspirators out of his own bosom and bowels as Absalon out of his own Counsel and Kingdom as Achitophel and Jeroboam whose plottings and conspiracies should shake the Pillars of the Kingdom and the peace of his Government all which were marvelous bitter potions and heavy expressions of Gods displeasure but the sting of all those troubles the venom of al that vengeance issued from his sin that is the evil in all evils and therefore he overlooks al the rest and seeks most earnestly to be rescued from this Deliver me from blood-guiltiness it 's not the cruelty of the Sword that wil destroy nor the conspiracy of Enemies that desire to undermine my Crown and Kingdom and Safety which I so much fear nonso much labor to be freed from but deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God of my Salvation q. d. that is the deliverance I look for and long for and here in the Salvation of a God wil appear and shew it 〈◊〉 and wherein the soul of thy servant shal most rejoyce Saved also they would be from the 〈◊〉 of corruption which carries the soul from God and keeps the 〈◊〉 estranged from him and hence it is the 〈◊〉 Church makes 〈◊〉 the matter of their most bitter complaint Isai. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear and caused us to err from thy waies When they withdraw their hearts from God he 〈◊〉 his gracious presence and 〈◊〉 from them when they would not deliver up themselves to the Authority of his Truth and holy Will to be ruled thereby he delivered them up to the power of their own perverse Spirits they that would not be guided in his 〈◊〉 by his holy Spirit they should be hardened from his fear by the perversness of their own Spirits this is the most dreadful plague of al plagues the deliverance from which they so highly prize and seek it with such importunity Look down from Heaven thy holy Habitation where is the sounding of thy bowels are they restrained Oh why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear The price the contrite sinner puts upon this deliverance from his sin discovers it self in four Particulars In the lack of this the soul is not cannot be quieted though it doth enjoy all other things the World can afford and his heart could desire The want of this takes off the sweetness of al the comforts contentments the sap and 〈◊〉 of al priviledges and the consluence of all Earthly Excellencies that can be enjoyed in this Pilgrimage when the soul is under the pressures of Gods displeasure and the tyranny of his own distempers which carries him from God and keeps him under the dreadful indignation of the Almighty present him then with the beauty of al the choycest blessings that ever any man had on Earth yea what ever others hoped for but in vain Put them into his hand conceive him possessed of the fulness of al worldly perfections Crowns Kingdoms Honors and preferments the broken heart 〈◊〉 al under 〈◊〉 with neglect what is that co me saies the soul had I al the Wealth to enrich me al Honors to advance me Pleasures and Delights to content me and my sins stil to damn me miserable man that ever I was born in the 〈◊〉 of al these falsly conceived comforts This sowr Sawce spoils al the Sweet-meat this dram of poyson makes deadly al the delights and pleasures that 〈◊〉 can be attained or expected As 〈◊〉 when he was recalled from his Banishment and had the liberty and use of his House and all the conveniencies and helps that were at his Command but was charged not to see the Kings face upon a two yeers tryal he found a straightness of all his Comforts in these enlargements 〈◊〉 he thus expresseth his resolution to 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 14. 32. What avails me to be at Jerusalem and in my House to come from Geshur if I may not see the Kings face let me see his face and let him 〈◊〉 me It is so with the broken-hearted sinner What avails it me to be compassed about with al conven ences my heart can desire and be compassed about with my corruptions to see all Earthly happiness heaped up together but never to see the face of God in another world the belly filled and back cloathed and house stored and the soul damned and east out from Gods presence in whose Presence there is fulness of joy and pleasures for ever more These are but dead things sapless shadows and are to a man of a contrite Spirit as though they were not nay the 〈◊〉 he hath 〈◊〉 more trouble he hath because there is more sin and more guilt more curse and condemnation he sees in all and expects by all from God and so remains restless in all He is content with this though he want all the rest because he prizeth this more than all Skin for Skin and al that a man hath wil he give for his life c life and al for the Salvation of his soul. For sin now he 〈◊〉 it now he hath found it to be more bitter than death and therefore to be saved from it he judgeth and that truly to be better than
life it self willing not only these things should not be but that himself should not be that he might not be sinful Let the Lord take all away yea life and all only take away my sin and it sufficeth he counts it the best day that ever yet dawned the best news that ever came to his distressed Conscience if he can gain any assurance get any evidence but one good look from Heaven a smile of Gods face and 〈◊〉 that the sins he hath seen he shal never see them more the corruptions that have 〈◊〉 and plagued him in his dayly Conversation indisposed him to do the Duties God required and unfitted him for the 〈◊〉 Christ hath purchased God hath tendered to him in his holy Word That pride that 〈◊〉 those passions that perversness and self-willy waywardness of heart that hath been the plague-sore of his soul have interrupted the comfort of his heart peace of his Conscience communion with his God The very possibility and expectation that the Lord may save him from the guilt and power of those prevailing distempers supports his Spirit But if he can but live to see the day that the thing is done he desires to live no longer Lord let thy Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since mine eyes have seen thy 〈◊〉 2. 29 30. Since thou hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusts mighty stifness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al Convictions though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gainsay al Arguments though never so 〈◊〉 slight al Directions though never 〈◊〉 evident mighty self-considence and hellish haughtiness of Spirit whereby I could swel above man and means and God himself Let thy Servant depart in peace This Peace let it never be interrupted this saving power of thy spirit never weakened never enfeebled more Let me lose my life with the 〈◊〉 let me die that they may never live more And therefore the distressed Christian sees not the meanest Christian in the 〈◊〉 miserable condition but he prefers him above al the 〈◊〉 on Earth and wisheth himself in his place Oh if my soul were in his souls stead saved from his corruption therefore he is in a safe and a blessed condition Salvation if it be of the right stamp to deliver from sin not to ease from plagues and sorrows such a kind of saving carries ever satisfaction with it hath a 〈◊〉 fulness which answers unto al poor and imprisoned yet saved though persecuted reproached yet saved though despised and killed and yet saved delivered from his 〈◊〉 there is no evil of the first or second death that shal hurt him 〈◊〉 have any power over him And therefore the contrite sinner contents himself in this as Jacob in a like case I have enough Joseph is yet alive I have enough my soul shal yet be saved In a wrack he that saves his life is abundantly satisfied When so many thousands suffer 〈◊〉 split al their Professions Hopes and Comforts upon the Rocks and Sands of Pride and Self-love Oh what a mercy satisfying mercy that thou who wert in as much danger as they stands alive upon the shoar when they are dying and drowning and 〈◊〉 under the power of their sins The 〈◊〉 sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price he is resolved in good 〈◊〉 readily to endeavor any thing to compass that he makes so much 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Brethren what shall we do Command what ye wil we shal do it give what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 please we 〈◊〉 follow them prescribe 〈◊〉 means you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal improve them 〈◊〉 it is you shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enjoyn be it never so cross to our own carnal 〈◊〉 never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and haza 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 not haggle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you but we shal endeavor 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 we do whatever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 do what we 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do what we cannot out of our weakness perform or out of our ignorance so readily conceive how 〈◊〉 accomplish So they Isai. 30. 22. The Converts there it 's said They 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Silver and ornament of Gold and cast them away as a 〈◊〉 cloth and say get thee hence The price and worth of their Image might have enticed them if not to have kept them yet converted them to their own use but they casheir them wholly without the least consideration of any Commodity that they might have contrived for their own content therefrom So Zacheus 〈◊〉 19. 8. When once he began to be sensibly affected with his corrupt and covetous course and the danger thereof and the evil therein see how comfortably restitution which is so difficult a work comes off a hand without any grudging because that was the means appointed by God to quit his heart and hands of the guilt of that sin Behold Lord half that I have I give to the poor and if I have wronged any man by forged Cavillation I restore him four-fold So lastly the holy Apostle Paul when the Lord Jesus had discovered his sin and abased his heart in the right apprehension of it so that he is come to Gods bent What wilt thou have me to do Behold I wil send thee far hence to the Gentiles Acts 26. 17 19. He did not consent with flesh and blood nor so much as pretend either doubt or 〈◊〉 but immediately addressed himself to follow the direction That which a man prizeth indeed he wil bid fair for nor wil he scotch for a little cost but is resolved to have it what ever it 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 not for the cost at all So it is here a 〈◊〉 sinner comes easily and resolutely to Gods terms to do any thing He that 〈◊〉 this price upon Salvation and 〈◊〉 from sin his heart is upon it and his prayer is improved for the most part for this particular his thoughts about it 〈◊〉 Listen to him in 〈◊〉 secret devotions his confessions about this his Petitions spent upon this he harps upon this 〈◊〉 stil. But for things of the world they are out of his mind his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them as though he 〈◊〉 nothing or cared for nothing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh deliver me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ask him what he would have or desire if he might obtain and have what he would he answers Oh that I might be saved as Abraham for Ishmael 〈◊〉 17. 18. 〈◊〉 that Ishmael might live before thee 〈◊〉 he for his own soul Oh that my soul may live before thee or as blind 〈◊〉 said Oh that my Eyes might be opened and that my heart might be opened and freed from my corruptions Oh that Jesus Christ would do this for me who cannot do it for my 〈◊〉 Because 〈◊〉 distressed soul finds the presence of all 〈◊〉 ther things do no whit prejudice a mans everlasting happiness either the good or comfort of his soul either the having or 〈◊〉 of his Spiritual 〈◊〉 the presence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may 〈◊〉 do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any 〈◊〉 person a 〈◊〉 is never
good temper you may wind him about your finger but in cases of Tryal you shal find him just where he was he wil do nothing nay wil do contrary to what he professed to submit unto he is not thorough and real in his desire and endeavors for deliverance from sin c. We are now come to these Things that are plainly expressed 〈◊〉 the Words And here we shal content our selves with Two Collections which are most plain and suit best to our present purpose in hand They who are truly pierced with Godly sorrow for their sins are willing openly to confess them when they are called thereunto Or. True contrition is accompanied with confession when God calls thereunto So do these converts here in the place they come here of their own accord they do not stay til they be arrested and summoned to the court but they readily arrest indite arraign and accuse themselves before Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and bretheren you have discovered many sins and the dreadful condition of the sinners who 〈◊〉 guilty thereof loe we are the men thus and thus we have done By us the Lord Jesus was opposed and pursued by us he was 〈◊〉 rayled upon and blaspherned by us it was that he was 〈◊〉 and we are they that have embrewed our hands in his most precious blood we are they that 〈◊〉 it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 with him not him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they roundly readily told al this in secret we plotted against 〈◊〉 life and liberty thus we consented unto those that should attempt the treason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them in their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding we 〈◊〉 they that gloryed and rejoyced in the unrighteous 〈◊〉 of the innocent son of God we applauded 〈◊〉 selves in that we so prospered in our unjust practises Oh so would we have it Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly here 〈◊〉 it we openly and nakedly acknowledge it they are our 〈◊〉 which you have discovered and we are the sinners against whom you have truly proclaimed the judgments of God our sins intollerable and our condition miserable 〈◊〉 are the men we are those accursed cruel 〈◊〉 whereof you speak and what shal 〈◊〉 do Observe the like expression in the like estate and condition when al sorts of people came to the Baptists ministery and the Lord was pleased to direct him to pierce their hearts by the preaching of the truth they lay open their sins and sores before him and crave fuccor and relief as it appears by 〈◊〉 he gives he applies several directions according to the several diseases Luk. 3. 12. 13. Then came the Publicans anon the Souldiers saying 〈◊〉 shal W E do and he answers suitably they made known their maladies and he applyes the 〈◊〉 As it is in an inward cankerd sore if it be lanced throughly and to the quick it then bleeds kindly and freely so with the soul If the heart feel the sin really the tongue wil freely express it when the season shal require the point is clear we wil see 〈◊〉 we can make it plain There be three particulars in the doctrine which desire 〈◊〉 1. When a sinner is called into 〈◊〉 2. When confession is serious and hearty 3. How contrition 〈◊〉 in such a confession To the first of these Before I can come to lay forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must premise two things That sins are of three sorts as they come to our present 〈◊〉 in the case in hand First some 〈◊〉 publick and noterious done in the sight of the sun open unto the view of al that are in the place to see it 〈◊〉 come to the hearing of it such are practises which are impudent when men are fearless and 〈◊〉 in their way They declare their sin as Sodom Isa. 3. 9. al may see and they pass not much what they do so in the case of Eli's sons 1 Sam. 2. 17. 23. Secondly Some are private between party and party to which none are privy but themselves either the offence don to another As Josephs mistress when they were alone inticeth him Gen. 39. 7. The Adulterous woman meets with the young man allures yea tempts him impudently by her loose speech and behavior Or 〈◊〉 they are Sociates together in the same evil as of Simeon and Levy bretheren in iniquity Gen. 49. 5. Thirdly Some sins are secret 〈◊〉 no eyes sees no man living apprehends but a mans heart and conscience he commits the evil alone and he alone knows it and God onely who knows the secret of al 〈◊〉 By open confession I understand the discovery and acknowledgment of the sin to any who knew not of it before whether it be publickely to many or privately to some one because a man is brought thus to open himself to such and to make them privy to that which formerly he did not apprehend these two things thus by way of preparation premised the answer to the first question wil be referred unto three heads touching publick and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al which particulars there be particular directions to settle a mans judgment and to 〈◊〉 practices in a right way 〈◊〉 publick sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here what ever sins have been publickly committed or bring private come to be made publick of such God 〈◊〉 publick acknowledgment and confession two branches 〈◊〉 I wil touch both If the publick scandals and evil which have broke out in our practice to the offence of others and stumbling of the weak the grief of the good the encouragement of the wicked who may be provoked in the like carriages or confirmed in them by reason of our example then it s requisite and necessary men should take open shame by sollemn acknowledgment It s the rule which Christ. hath left unto the Church who sin openly rebuk openly 1 Tim. 5. 20. and if a rebuk according to the rule of God ought to be dispensed it ought to be received And that is a main end 〈◊〉 on both hands ought to be looked at both in giving and receiving publick censure that the delinquent be ashamed and brought to acknowledg his sin judg himself for it So Joshua to Achan Jos. 7. 19. tel me what hast thou done 1 Thes. 4. 14. If any man obey 〈◊〉 the Gospel note such a man set a brand upon him by a sad censure that he may be ashamed and so see his evil and come to acknowledgment of it And hence men should lay shame upon him and he answerably ought to take it And when men are out of the Church that the power thereof cannot reach them the connivence and 〈◊〉 of humane lawes wil not see execution done upon them It s commonly the way of providence that the Lord doth force men to do that out of horror of conscience which they wil not do out of Conscience to Gods holy command Sometimes the Lord arrests men upon their sick beds and constraineth them to bear the shame of that
which they would not be brought to see in the dayes of their folly Then send for such and such who have been deeply wronged by me for such who have been corrupted by my example The evil counsel that I have given the loathsom carriages and unsavory language and speeches that I have expressed those subtil insinuations and baits that I have layd to entice and entangle them I desire now that God would pardon and they forgive yea such who have been ringleaders to their wicked and leud courses they were not able to abide their persons and practice either take him away or remove me hence sayes the sick party thus they brought their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them openly in the view of all when once God brought their hearts to a through sight and sorrow for their sin Acts. 19. 19. Sometimes upon the place of execution God constrains me 〈◊〉 vomit out their wretchedness to leave shame upon themselves and to 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 for a reproach and 〈◊〉 behind them and to confess now to be condemned when they would not confess in humility to seek and receive 〈◊〉 to be pardoned Oh beware by my example that you never rebel against Parents reject the counsel and 〈◊〉 of Governors that was my sin hath been my bane and made me rush on headily to mine own ruin and confusion Nay Secondly If the commission of them were private and yet they be made publick by 〈◊〉 way in a course of providence stil God calls for confession answerable as the season shal require and opportunity 〈◊〉 As suppose a mans secret fact come to open view either by others care or by the weakness of any according to my defect in al these cases open acknowledgment is requisite as for instance in the severals The house is broke the goods stoln conveyed and hid at length the owner sees chalengeth pursues him in the open court of Justice and yet righteously and that which was cunningly carryed before comes now openly to be censured again suppose that there is an offence given to a brother in Church Covenant and while the 〈◊〉 is in 〈◊〉 and depending between them 〈◊〉 the party offended against the rule of our savior carelesly and 〈◊〉 relates this to several persons some without some within the Church and they also report it heedlesly to others so that it growes common and the report publick though they of the Church for the rule of our Savior binds them properly because they have power to reforme or prevent evil and doth not in many cases reach others out of that relation though they I say did sinfully and disorderly make it publick yet this is ground sufficient for a gracious heart and that according to Gods Command to 〈◊〉 the open shame of the evil as seeing Gods hand so pursuing of him for purposes best known to his Majesty for the reality and venom of the scandal issues properly from his sin though the report came occasionally and disorderly from others Since then the Scandal goes so far and the hurt like to be so common by means of his sin it 's requisite the salve should be as large as the sore that the report of the confession for the recovery of the evil may go as far as the infection hath done by the report of the evil committed Nay if through my just desert it be made publick when private Counsels take not place nor admonitions awe nor reasons prevail when no private means that the Lord Jesus hath appointed 〈◊〉 have been improved do good but that they are constrained to appeal to the publick this shews the strength of the distemper and the danger of it and therefore the sinner needs more deeply to be affected with it and with greater shame and sorrow to bewail it As when the Offender wil not hear one nor yet two or three that the stiffness and obstinacy grows so high that the Brethren are constrained to call in the help of the whol Congregation and our Savior is constrained to raise the whol Army the Body of the Church to make head against an evil it argues the corruption grows malignant and deadly and the condition dangerous and desperate and therefore the Confession must be suitable must 〈◊〉 in soak and be of more than usual efficacy or else it wil in reason be no way satisfactory Touching private sins In case of wrong and injury that is done betwixt man and man miscarriages are expressed between party and party in the dayly occasions of their lives in which they are to deal one with another The Apostles Rule is plain and pregnant without doubt and dispute James 5. 16. Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another In our common converse miscarriages commonly break out and appear either harsh unkind discourteous or injurious carriages men should not slight such evils and sit down carelesly for the healing or removing of them but be as careful to apply the Cure as men are heedless to avoid the sin get a heart consciencious and ready to 〈◊〉 those evils and that constantly as we are ready to commit and practice them else our prayers and our comforts wil be prejudiced which by this advice may be quickened and enlarged each for others 〈◊〉 for while we commit offences and not 〈◊〉 we set our hearts and 〈◊〉 at a distance one from another and therefore we cannot pray so affectionately and 〈◊〉 as otherwise we would did 〈◊〉 see the hearts of our 〈◊〉 so easily coming in to the Authority of the Truth and so affectionately carried against the sinful 〈◊〉 of their own souls This 〈◊〉 the ground of that so 〈◊〉 a warning which our Savior suggests Matth. 5. 23 24. When thou 〈◊〉 to offer thy Sacrifice and remembrest that thy Brother hath 〈◊〉 against thee i e. hath any just exception against any sinful miscarriage go first and be reconciled and then come and offer Touching secret sins there is the 〈◊〉 difficulty how to discern when a party is called of God to make confession thereof For Answer there be Three Rules which may serve for our right information therein If the Lord shall as he hath promised in his holy Word seal up the acceptation of our persons and the pardon of our sins as it seems good to his Will when we shall make confession thereof unto himself we then need not 〈◊〉 in truth we should not make confession of our secret sins to man First 〈◊〉 it is God may yea many times nay most usually doth evidence the 〈◊〉 of our sins unto our souls when we humbly and unfeignedly bewail them unto himself So the Apostle John concludes it as beyond question 1 〈◊〉 1-2 last verse If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to clense us from all iniquity nay we shal not only have forgiveness granted in Heaven but evidenced to our hearts on Earth Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy If a mans
Conscience and knows more than he can express or thou perceive in thy self However it is He had thee in his intendment in what he said If thou wert faulty to reform the evil if not faulty to forewarn thee For a faithful Minister should intend the good of all in al it 〈◊〉 and they should receive it If happily thou be freed from the outward practice of the evil yet thou hast the spawn of it in thy soul and that which wil provoke thee unto it and that corrupt part hath given approbation to the evil thou hast not set thy self so much against the evil and that hath made thee so far share in the evil and so justly subject to share in the reproof Thus the Apostle chargeth the Jew Rom. 2. 1. When the Jew would plead his Innocency from such evils of the Gentiles because he is ready to condemn and judg them in that behalf saies the Apostle Thou therefore that judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou thy self dost the same things but it might have been replyed We do not we are not whisperers back-biters guilty of 〈◊〉 malice covetousness c. Interpreters answer that the Apostles meaning is Though they committed not such evils yet the corruption of their Nature suited with them and so shared in them and therefore justly liable to the like 〈◊〉 of the Law more or less He meant what he said and what his words meant If there be any evil in them bear witness of the evil John 18. 23. and it 's just a man should bear his blame Would'st thou fish more out of a mans meaning than thou canst find in his words I fear thou meanest to be a Caviller It 's a certain Argument of a captious and contentious disposition and commonly of a man that carries a galled Conscience that seeks waies and means to make a fault when he cannot find one It 's a word 〈◊〉 Exhortation 1. To Ministers 2. To People To Ministers what they should do To the People what they should desire To the Ministers They have a pattern here for their 〈◊〉 If we wil be faithful to our Places and the Work commended to our Care faithful to the souls of the People if we would further the Work of the Lord and the Word and see the fruit of our labors to the conviction and conversion of such as belong unto Gods Council This is Gods way in which we must walk if we purpose to find Gods blessing that others may reap the profit and we the comfort of our pains at the great Day of our Account we must by particular Application make men see their sins if ever we hope they shal see the Salvation of the Lord. How to stere our course in this so tickle a Channel and so tender a Work these following Directions will not be unseasonable First We must learn to bottom our Application upon the blessed Word of the Lord rightly apprehended and opened plainly by undeniable Evidence Then our Application wil come with uncontroulable power to the Conscience when it comes guarded with Authority and 〈◊〉 of the Truth and men cannot but give way to those Reproofs when they cannot gainsay the evidence of Gods mind and Counsel therein That however carnal hearts wil secretly be weary of them yet they wil not dare openly to oppose them because they perceive that they must oppose the Counsel of God plainly dispensed therein and in their own Conscience also Therefore I have ever judged it most seasonable if I would pursue a sinful course breaking out not by the by to pull it into a discourse but to take a Text on purpose wherein it is plainly condemned That the people may hear God in his Word speaking before we speak this is to shew our Commission before we do Execution and this wil stop mens mouths Never balk any thing that is in the Text never wrest any thing out of the Text that is not there for that savors too much of a mans own spirit or passion or private ends al which must be avoided as much as Hell If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. not our fancies or passions or conceits but let Gods Oracles be heard only It 's lawful for a Minister so to cast the mould and carry the frame of his Application that the guilty parties may conceive it and their Consciences find and feel 〈◊〉 that they be the parties that the Lord points out and intends of purpose to 〈◊〉 and pursue Matth. 21. 41. 45. Thus our Savior laies out the corrupt carriages of the Scribes and Pharisees and paints them out so lively that they felt him and were forced to give in evidence of their own condemnation against themselves as in verse 41. They say he will miserably destroy those wicked men and verse 45. When the chief Priests heard this they perceived that he spake of them In case either some false Opinions are spreading or some corrupt and sinful practices are like to grow and leven and that speedily and dangerously It 's lawful in way of caution and prevention to discover mens sins and errors in their own words that others may avoyd them the better and they be ashamed of them the more Thus Peter discovers the faults and wretched behaviour of the Jewes to our saviour in their own words Acts. 3. 14. you denyed that holy and just one and desired a murderer to be granted to you Not him but Barabbas 1. Cor. 15. 22. How say some among you that there is no resurrection Nay it s lawful to name special persons in an evil if there may thereby be special warning given to others from falling So Paul to Timothy 2. Tim. 1. 15. of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes it's Calvins 〈◊〉 upon the place they were more famous and therefore their Apostacy might be a means to draw others therefore he gives warning concerning them If any man say this is to shame men I answer their sins should be made shameful they should take shame for them that they may sorrow for them and forsake them Let our Application go so wel guarded and fensed against al exceptions and cavils that a sinner may not be able to rescue himself or make an escape by carnal reason As Acts. 6. 10. It 's said they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake Math. 22. 34. our saviour Christ put the Sadducees to silence Let it be done with pity and tender compassion to mens souls though with zeal and indignation against their sins 2. Tim. 2. 24. 25. the servant of the Lord must be patient and gentle towards al in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves As a Chirurgeon may be most compassionate when he cutts most deep even to fetch up the core and therefore the Apostle adds both to Titus shew all meekness to all men and therefore to the Cretians and yet rebukes them sharply Titus 1.