from him Or otherwise as is said by a good but ungrounded conceit of thy self and of thine own estate being alive before the Law come closer and neerer home to thy conscience thou thinkest thy self safe and in good estate Rom. 7.8 and apprehendest no danger or judgement as belonging to thee but onely to others But in a word know and remember that though thou be thus partiall towards thy self yet God is not as hath been said though thou hide cover and conceal thy bosom sin neither searching it out thy self nor suffering the word to search thee yet God will search thee and finde it out Thy safest way were to judge and condemn thy self that thou mayst not be condemned and judged of the Lord and to imitate the poor and humble Publican who smote on his brest and heart confessing and craving mercy for his sin and to beware of the proud Pharisee his self-justification 5. Flattery of soothing Prophets 5. And as part cause of the former beware of smoothing and flattering teachers who howsoever sometimes they may make a flourish and declame it may be against sin and tell of Gods judgements yet they will have a care that they come not so neer as to offend thee or to touch thee in thy speciall sin if especially thou be one in place or who mayst come even with them again These men heal before they hurt and what stings others the faithfull servants of God have left in the mindes and consciences of any they seek to pluck out and to heal the wound with their oyly words being like the false Prophets of old of whom and of the Priests it was said They have healed the hurt bruise or breach of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace Jer. 6. v. 14. And when Gods deerest servants tell the people of particular judgements belonging to them and so by wounding and pricking their consciences bring them on in a good way towards repentance these flattering Prophets strengthen their hands that they should not return from their wicked wayes by promising them life Ezek. 13.22 onely wounding and making sad the heart of the righteous whom God hath not made sad In this case I must say to you if you would be pricked and savingly wounded for your sins as the Lord in another case said to the Kings of the Nations Therefore hearken not ye to your Prophets nor to your Diviners c. for they prophesie a lie unto you to remove you far from your Land and that ye should perish Jer. 27.9 10. and Jer. 29.8 6. Lastly 6. Vnbelief take heed of unbelief want of faith to beleeve Gods true Prophets when they tell you of the danger of your sin keeps you from applying the threatnings of God to your selves so that you reap no fruit by the word but though fairly warned and called to repentance with hope of mercy perish through your own unbelief in his wrath as it was with those of the old world whereas Noah himself by faith being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his house Hebr. 11.7 So wee read of Enoch Jude v. 7. though but the seventh from Adam and in the beginning of the world who yet set the end of the world or the day of judgement before him prophesying thereof whereas secure men through their unbelief never humble themselves if then till judgements be upon them being herein like such as hearing thunderclaps far off are not moved till they be as present over their heads and some hurt in their sight be done then with Pharaoh they tremble but not till then So want of faith in Christ keeps men from being sensible of their sin and from being pricked in conscience for it When was it that these Converts in my Text were pricked in heart It was when they heard and withall beleeved that Christ whom they crucified was the true Messias So it was foretold Zech. 12.10 that when they should look upon him whom they had pierced they should be pierced themselves and mourn bitterly and be sensible of their sin which shall be fulfilled especially at the conversion of their Nation but then they must no longer abide in unbelief Rom. 11.23 Seeing then faith is the gift of God we must earnestly pray for it and carefully attend to the ministry of the word by which it is begotten To withdraw from the hearing of the word either in regard of presence of body or attention of mind is to keep our selves out of the sphere and compasse within which onely the word of God that sword of the Spirit is active and operative and will reach and pierce us SECT 2. Le ts removed which make the soul senseless And first Sensuality and worldliness 2 Lets keeping the soul from being sensible of pricking BUt men who cannot avoid the stroke of the word the scorching of that fire the smiting of heart and conscience having such teachers as smite home and will not suffer them by their evasions shifts excuses and extenuations to put by the blow yet as experience sheweth shew themselves little sensible of the same neither are they truely made sorrowful thereby being like Jacob or Israel Mens senselsness for blindnesse deafnesse incredulity senselessness and stupidity on whom it is said the Lord poured the fury of his anger and the strength of battell and it set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Isa 42.25 or like the drunkard who may say They have stricken me and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not Prov. 23 25. being past feeling Ephes 4.19 and of cauterized consciences 1 Tim. 4.2 Now there are divers things which bereave men of all spirituall sense and pain which accordingly if we would become true mourners for sin we must carefully beware of and see that wee give no way unto them Men have ways and means by which they for the while especially become insensible of pain by pricking Divers things bereaving men of the sense of bodily pain As Deep sleep Searing burning bone-setting incision cutting off a member and the like as by the use and application of narcoticall or stupefactive medicines and potions by being cast into a deep and dead sleep by which all their senses even that of feeling are bound up so by searing and burning whereby the part is mortified and the inward humidity dried up So I have heard and read Bewithching how in the body of witches in covenant with the Divel in the place where by sucking or otherwise he sets his mark or Sacramental signe the place is so benummed and deaded that a pin of a great largeness and length may be thrust in to the head without the grief or any sense of the party by which means if that mark or bewitched place can be but once found out
but by opposing to it not only practice but secondly reading thirdly the spirit and inspirations fourthly praying which may also answer so many objections 1. Practice as if they needed no more knowledge 1. What can we hear say some that we have not heard the greatest defect is in the practice of duties To which I answer First we may hear that which we have forgot our memories are like leaking vessels Heb. 4.1 or we have made little use of what we know and so stand inneed of stirring up see 2 Pet. 1.12.13 Secondly We must heart to have our affections wrought upon till which time all our knowledge or hearing availes nothing as these Jewes heard formerly from these Apostles and from Christ himself that they never beleeved till now viz. that Jesus was the true Messias and therefore were never pricked in heart or wounded savingly till now So for other affections besides sorrow as joy hope fear zeal Thirdly The same word of God the more it is boulted the more meale like good corne it yeeldeth like a plentifull mine in which the deeper we dig the veine proves the richer 2 Pet. 3 18. Psal 119.18 and we should grow in knowledge and desire to see deeper into the wonders of Gods Law 2 Reading Rom. 10.17 2. Some reject hearing and preferre the reading of the word in publick and in private yea the reading of printed Sermons as more accurate for the most part To these I only at this time oppose Gods Ordinance from which onely we may expect his blessing by vertue of his promise annexed It s said Faith comes by hearing but the hearing is by the word and commandment of God Bare reading is not such preaching as the Scripture commends to us It is the Gospel preached which is Gods power to salvation Rom. 1.16 and the preaching of the Crosse which though it be to such as perish foolishnesse yet unto us which are saved it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.18 Naamans cleansing was no effect properly of the waters of Jordan but of faith and obedience to Gods word c. 3 Some expect to be taught without the ordinary means of hearing 3 Inspirations Iohn 6. Psal 94.12 seeing it is written They shall be all taught of God And Blessed is the man whom thou teachest out of thy Law True God can save without the word and teach us onely by his spirit so he can feed us without bread as he did Moses for forty dayes in the Mount and he fed the Israelites in the wildernesse with extraordinary food from heaven when they wanted ordinary But God works now and usually by meanes not by miracles As therefore no man contemnes ordinary and corporall food because God can feed us otherwise and as the Israelites having the fruits of Canaan to feed on depended not any longer on Manna from heaven so we must not neglect the hearing of Gods word preached because God can give the spirit without it as to elect infants dying in infancy because God doth not at least ordinarily give his Spirit but by the word which where preaching is and may be had it were presumption tempting and mocking of God to expect it yea a provoking of God to give over to delusion of Satan 4 Those that oppose prayer to preaching 4 Prayer that Gods house is an house of Prayer not of Preaching Domus Orationis non Orationum and of Sermons Of Orations to God not from God to us True Christ said indeed his house was a house of Prayer but where said he so was he not then preaching in the Temple to the buyers and sellers and was there not in the Temple as well the Oracle and the Lamp of God dayly burning a type of his word as well as the Altar of Incense But I ask Who can pray aright that knowees neither what to pray for nor how both which are taught us by the word How can we pray aright without faith or call on him on whom they have not beleeved how shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard or how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 And so how can men in prayer confesse sin and yet not know sin by the word c. Not to mention that Prayer and Invocation is often in Scripture taken for the whole worship of God Gen. 4 26. Acts 2.21 and so it includes preaching too Vse 3 Vse 3. Lastly It is a good signe of good intended by God to such as to whom he sends his Word and Ministers It s a good signe where the word is and is reverently heard if especially they reverently and meekly hear and receive the word without quarrelling with it or the Preacher when their sins are discovered they convinced Christ his Kingdom and glory advanced as here comes next to be shewed It s a good signe that God hath some to call convert and save eternally And it may and should encourage all to hear with deligence alacrity and hope to reap the good fruit of their hearing yea to long for and desire it and not to put any barre in the same by their negligence in hearing prejudice had of the Preacher either his person matter and doctrine being Gods pure word though harsh to us or manner and plainnesse As contrariwise where either there is no preaching or no sound preaching or conscionable hearing and practice of things heard it s a signe that whether Christ with draw himself from a people or come by his word to such it is in judgement and for their further hardening and blinding as Joh. 9.39 Isa 6.9 10 11. CHAP. IIII. The object of our hearing generally and specially and what doctrine is like to doe the greatest good With Vses 2 TTe Object of their hearing This 2 The Object of hearing or these things or that which was spoken to them by Peter and the rest on this day when the Spirit came upon them so visibly 1 Generally Gods words 1 In general the Object of our hearing is and should be the word of God only taught by such faithfull Ministers of Christ as he stirres up calls and assists by his Spirit Thus every-where we are called on to hear the word of the Lord Isa 1.10 Jer. in the mouth of Christ and of his Ministers 2.4 7.2 -20. c. the voice of Christ or Christ himself Mat. 17.15 hear him Joh. 5.25 10.3 -16. yea of his Messengers Prophets and Ministers Zach. 7.7 seeing he that heareth them heareth Christ Luke 10.16 Luke 16 29-31 And this is no other then the voyce of the Spirit speaking in by the word as in Noah Gen. 6.3 which God hath of old promised to accompany his word Isa 59.21 and since the ascension of Christ also who hath promised by his spirit and power to be present with his Messengers to the end of the world Mat. 28 18 19 20. and to send the Spirit the Spirit of
suppose beginning in the hand or foot if it be suffered further to spread will be their death when Zipporah saw her husbands life endangered if not her own she circumcised her son and cut off his foreskin which otherwise she was loath to do Thus God presents sinners with a true apprehension of his eternall wrath due unto them for their sinne and sets hell-gates open before them in the way of their lusts and fills their hearts with such terrours and horrours that they see no safety to their souls in the ways of sin and so as Pharaoh by strong hand at length did let the people go and the Philistines sent home the Ark so God if he love us especially makes us weary of sin and saves us even by fear not to say that such as have most smarted for sin at first in the pangs of their new-birth are not so easily drawn back to such or any other sins Again the spirit of bondage becomes to them a spirit of sanctification and it may be observed that such of all others as have been deep liest wounded at the first prove the holiest Christians afterward throughout the whole course of their lives 2 As the spirit of bondage proves a spirit of liberty freeing men from sin 2 God doth this to the increase of their joy and of Sanctification delivering from the power of sin so also it leads men to sound and solid joy and true comfort there is no comfort but to such The first work of the Comforter even when it is sent by that name and to that intent is first to convince of sinne so Habbak 3.16 and Psalm 94.12 13. Ease to sores which being whole do throb and rage is got by pricking lancing searching sleep is sweetest after labour and a pardon from the King most acceptable when after judgement passed the head hath been laid on the block and joy follows the labour of child-bearing 3 as also for their greater honour Rom. 8. 3 I might adde that God takes this course with such as he will convert to glorifie them the more thus to sanctifie them and to make them the more glorious in holinesse and holinesse we know or sanctification is the beginning of our glorifications Yea it is their glory thus to be made vessels to bear the name and glory of Christ before men which none do more then such as have been deepliest humbled Such of all other are fittest and ablest to glorifie God as having most experience of his justice mercy wisdome goodnesse and can best speak to his praise which to do is our glory more then his God gets nothing by us our acknowledgement of him makes him no wiser juster holier happier then he ever was even before any creature was made when he then sets and imprints on us the stamps of his glory and shews forth in us his justice mercy goodnesse c. That is in deed and for substance our gloglory not his There is somewhat excellent truly added to us nothing to him 2. God takes this course with converts for his owne honour And yet we may truly say God takes the aforesaid course with those he means to convert for his own glory that is for the further manifestation of the same and for this main end that the whole worke of conversion may appear to be his not ours 1. That of his Justice 1. His very Justice manifests its selfe in and by these terrours of conscience whilst the convicted sinner is made to see the depth of his own ill deservings is presented with the sight of hell which by such is acknowledged and made inwardly to acknowledge that it were but justice in God to cast him into the same yea so strong is this apprehension in some that for a long time they can see nothing but justice Howsoever this makes them at first and ever after to confesse and give the glory of justice to God acknowledging how just their condemnation should be if God did deal with them according to their deserts being ready ever to justifie God as cleer whensoever he judgeth Psal 51 4. Rom. 3.4 Thus all by sin are brought under the Law and the Law is let loose upon sinners threatens damnation and nothing but justice appears and vers 19. that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God God will not in this work of conversion suffer his justice to be swallowed up of mercy he must and will be acknowledged just before mercifull taking us as it were by the throat Mat. 18.28 bidding us pay all we owe when indeed with that poor woman 2 King 4.1 we have nothing at all to pay And so in every convert he takes away all matter of glorying letting them see the depth of their desert and their own both unworthinesse of mercy and inability and impotency to make themselves any help Isâ— 66.2 Job 9.13 2 His mercy which thus is more felt And by so doing whilst the best are made to tremble before him and that the proud helpers do stoup under him he makes way for his mercy that he may be the more glorified both by shewing mercy and by the acknowledgement of mercy by those that finde mercy as it is Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve or as Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up or concluded them all i. both Jew and Gentile in unbeleef that he might have mercy on all For so by shuting all up under sin and wrath his mercy is more felt and admired by such as finde mercy and thankfully acknowledged The foregoing terrours of justice in the converted which makes them smart makes mercy relish better with them and be more esteemed by them yea all the world may now see and that acknowledge the receiving and conversion of sinners is meerly of mercy None derogate more from Gods mercy and the freenesse and power of his grace then such as not sensible enough of their wounds and misery by sin ascribe somewhat in their conversion to themselves neither can they be so truly thankfull as others And by thanks or offering praise unto God God professeth himself to be glorified So that God by thus humbling men Pal. 50.23 as is said with terrours doth but make way and prepare matter of praise and thanksgiving to himself in due time which accordingly we see given unto him by Paul even upon this ground 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 16 17. I saith he being before a blasphemer and persecuter and injurious obtained mercy And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering Now unto the King eternall c. be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen So elsewhere crying out in a sence
dog whose mouth you had stopped will awaken against you and fly in your faces and then be your greatest terrour when you most stand in need of comfort and to have conscience your friend 3 Or howsoever you shall be given up to Desperation and therein to perish for ever as we see in Judas who repenting of his sin meerely out of horrour not hatred of it 3 or to utter desperation and neglecting in hope to seek to Christ and to shew true sorrow for his treachery against him was in Gods justice given up to desperation to be tormented by Satan in this life till he grew weary of it as is seen in Judas and to hasten his own eternall torments with him in hel Even thus little pricks or bruises neglected prove not only extremely painfull but often deathfull and rods are turned into scorpions How was it with Francis Spira whose lamentable story is so well known who smothering a good while such checks of conscience and Francis Spira as being hearkened unto would have kept peace in his conscience was given up to be lashed in his naked soul for a long while by so many strokes of conscience as with so many iron rods and at length for all that could be done or said vnto him to dye most miserably and without comfort God by such remarkable examples though they fall out rarely in such noted manner yet by the terrour of them would and doth warn all men not to neglect conscience or to whist and smother the reproofs and checks of it that so more securely and with lesse controll they may still enjoy their lusts their sinfull gains pleasures offices honours liberty favour with men and what else they are wedded to more sorrow for such things whilst stings of conscience are followed home with godly and repentant sorrow with self deniall in them will much sooner bring a man to sound ease and solid rest then the injoying of them with a false peace by silencing deading and dulling of conscience But now supposing thou art an elect child of God who art so wounded which that thou art yea in the elect there will follow thou canst not know till thou be made truly sorrowfull and be throughly converted and attain to true faith yet though thy first prickings of conscience be such as shall prove saving to thee yet I say if thou follow not home this work of humiliation and sorrow once begun these things will follow either 1 an easie return to sinne and the best thou canst expect will be either an easy return to former sinnes so sleightly sorrowed for and an often relapsing into the same sins as we see in Abraham twice denying Sarah to be his wife and may see it much more in others not onely the wicked as is said as in Ahab Judas Felix c. but even the elect of God or 2 a questioning the truth of conversion or an uncomfortable walking all thy life time with a continuall questioning the truth of thy conversion and so nothing but deadnesse and doubting or it may be or 3 a new beginning again a coming back again under the bondage of the Law as having the whole work to begin after a dead and unfound profession for many years whereby thou hast deceived thy self or 4 crosses from God further to humble them or lastly great crosses and afflictions sent from God to humble thee yet more and more as why not in Jobs cases who by afflictions was made to remember and possesse the sins of his youth perhaps not so truly sorrowed for at the first You see then that there is no resting or taking up with every light or little pang of conscience A reproof of such as 1 seek comfort and lay hold on pardon too soon many by seeking or snatching at comfort too soon do altogether misse of it they will believe the promise of pardon ere they be prepared sufficiently for it they take too great and wide a stride at once seeing there are many steps between such sleight terrours wrought by the Law and true faith to believe the pardon of sin Others after some apprehension of wrath shaking it off 2 Shake off all former sense of sin and punishment do think it basenesse to suffer themselves to be so much disquieted as sometimes they have been and hereupon most desperately harden themselves against the word and resolve to outstare the Ministers of it they will no longer be such children as they have been they will do as they have done let Jeremy if he were among them or all the Ministers in the world say against them what they will or can But for men of this stamp I must leave them seeing by this their obstinacy and hardning of themselves which is a fearfuull case they shew that God hath left them to their own gracelesse hearts in his greatest displeasure to run on headlong without fear to their own eternall destruction as not meaning and yet who knows the mind and mercies of the Lord to give them repentance that he might save them God may do much for such and in meere mercy by his mighty power soften and reclaim them but neither may they presume thereon nor dare I promise it I therefore turn mee to such as have some sense of sin and are or shall be touched with some gripings and stings of conscience though for the present it be onely in apprehension of judgement to these I would speak a word of Exhortation and of Direction SECT 5. The former Exhortation further followed The exhortation further followed that our sorrow may be to repentance TO you then I say seeing the word hath taken hold on you and wounded you See that your sorrow be to purpose that is indeed to repentance and to salvation and that it be according to God or after a godly manner that it work and bring forth carefulnese 1 Cor. 7.8 9 10 11. and other such fruits as godly sorrow wrought in the Corinthians upon Paul's reproof of them and such as this here in my Text wrought in these Jews by Peter's conviction of them the first fruit whereof was carefulness what shall wee do upon which question they were directed to repent verse 38. they were first pricked in heart yet had not repented that was after prescribed to them as a salve and as the end of their pricking So that wee see the one of these is but a beginning a preparative and the way to the other men may be wounded heavie laden and burdened with their sin and yet not converted not as yet come and brought to Christ Matth. 11.28 Men must be first sinners in their own sense that done they are called to repentance The weight of sin may lie on one and he as yet not truly or not sufficiently humbled See then yee be humbled enough And that we be humbled enough Num. 16.14 Most come short in this great work
the next way to conversion and Converts they were in Gods purpose and intention saying Would you know what to do Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins c. ver 38. for the promise is to you and to your children c. where he chiefly cals on them though in words not so expresly for faith in the promise and that by repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ which presupposeth faith especially in men of yeers who shall be converted they would seek assurance of the remission of their sins which onely as the case was with them and is with others distressed in conscience would afford them comfort And first saith he Repent become other men be of other mindes then formerly let this and your other sins be your sorrow and not only confesse this your hainous sin of crucifying your Saviour And not onely to consesse by which ease pardon comes and take shame to your selves and restore to God and Christ his glory hereby whereby also you shall get ease to your Consciences as David did after his heart had smitten him and that he had confessed and acknowledged his offence 2 Sam. 12.13 and chap. 24.10 and Psalm 32.3 4 5. else not but to judge our selves Prov. 28.13 but also judge and condemn your selves Jam. 4.10 be humbled under Gods hand resigne your selves wholly unto him and to his mercy but withall lay your necks upon the block and deprecate your Judge Pray that these your sins may be forgiven you and he will be favourable unto you and you shall see his face with joy Job 33.26 27 28. This in effect is his advice to them and to others also in like case 3 To make a right use of our baptism in which pardon of sin is sealed 3. Yea saith he seeing nothing can comfort the distressed conscience but assurance of the pardon of sin to this end be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ on whom ye beleeve for remission of sins vers 39. that the promise of pardon which is made to you and to all that shall truely repent and confesse their sins Prov. 28.13 1 John 1.9 may in your baptism be sealed unto you whereby also having your beleeving hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and your bodies washed with pure water Hebr. 10. v. 22. you may in the accusations of your conscience of Satan and of other enemies be able to make and give the answer of a good conscience towards God and so wee come to answer all doubts of conscience by your faith and repentance thus sealed in your baptism for herein the effect of saving baptism is made to consist and not in the putting away of the filth of the flesh thereby 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism is no idle ceremony but such as is said to save as the Ark saved Noah whilest we stick to it and to Gods promise sealed by it we are safe as Noah in the Ark and need not doubt of pardon of sin and so of salvation In case of doubting then being baptized look back to baptism as men do in case their titles to lands be questioned unto their fathers and fore-fathers grants especially to their sealed Wils and Testaments In the right use of all these faith repentance baptism And to wrap up all in one consider that Baptism is into the death of Christ it is also to repentance and joyned with confession of sins Matth. 3.6 11. Rom. 6.3 Mark 1.4 Acts 13.24 And therefore if being baptized as the case is with us sin causeth in thee doubts and trouble of conscience that thou maist be comforted and assured of pardon by faith have recourse to Christ and to the promise yea humble thy self by unfained repentance and hearty confession of thy sin to God we come to be assured of pardon to our comfort Numb 14.25 Ainsw ibid. This is the way if any to finde comfort and rest to the soul Thus in a mystery the Israelites sinning in the wildernesse by murmuring and unbelief are sent back towards the red-sea a type of Christs blood wherein they formerly had been baptized 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Exod. 14. Which was to humble them by repentance that through faith in Christ they might have entrance into the Kingdom of heaven otherwise they should perish for ever as indeed their carcasses not repenting nor beleeving by making a right use of their baptism though thus occasioned by being brought back to the sight of the sea in which they had been baptized perished in the wildernesse These are such directions as the Apostles of Christ and so Christ himself do give As then in trouble of conscience for sin and sense of wrath due unto it wee are to seek our cure and comfort onely from the faithfull Ambassadours of Christ who are in Christs stead to instruct exhort and comfort Isa 50.4 or in part also from godly wise meek and experienced Christians 2 Cor. 1.4 So These Directions are to be followed and to be given by Ministers By these we may judge of other advice seeing the wisest and faithfullest give onely such directions as have been named we must both wisely judge by these of such other advice as our own mindes and judgements or other men would give us and diligently and conscionably put the same in practice yea all Ministers and others may and must from the example of Paul and Peter here learn in case they be sought unto for advice how to temper their spirituall physick especially they must make use of faith and be kept from following ill courses and from falling either into despair lest when they get no ease by common externall and false remedies they following their own distempered judgements and Satans suggestions seek to end their sorrows in a halter or by violent death and of Repentance not seeking comfort too soon lest they presume and turn Libertines both in judgement and in practice or licentiousness as many who seemingly have been humbled and in conscience it may be pricked and wounded have done Peter here directs such as were pricked in heart to repent that is to be more and further humbled and made sorrowfull as Christ calls sinners such as are sick and burthened with sense of their sin and misery Matt. 9.12 13. to repentance not to cast off all sense yea conscience of sin and fears of wrath but rather to proceed and go on in their sorrow onely converting such sorrow as is from sense of wrath for sin unto sorrow for sin it self as sin as the proper cure of the former and of all hellish or legall fears and terrours Especially by repentance As it is a very fit cure of the haemorage or bleeding of the nose to divert the flux of blood by phlebotomie or blood-letting in the arm And when once the stream of our sorrow is diverted into that channell it
wholly and only on him we lose the benefit of his death and of pardon and so die in our sins 3. As an example to us of all Holiness 3. He is moreover a most perfect example to us of all holiness in our nature of humility meekness patience sobriety temperance chastity to take us off from bragging of any of these in our selves and to shame and humble us who come so far Behind 4. As our Iudge 4. Let us conceive of Christ as of him that must be our Judge and before whose bar and judgement seat we must all appear and stand Rom. 14.10.11 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 So shall we not stand upon our own justification but in all self-deniall judge our selves that we be not judged of him for ever with the judgement of condemnation 2. Christ is to be admired in his Fulness and All-sufficiency 2. Learn we to admire Christ in his fulness and all sufficiency that we may be all in him when by self-deniall we are nothing at all in our selves So we shall be no loosers by denying our selves in other things as these here were not They flying out of themselves were sent by the Apostles to Christ only and directed to profession of his name alone by being baptized into the same Acts 16.30 31 38. and 10.43 to faith in his Name and to repentance for the remission of sin so as that through his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins Now here let our care be above all by faith and self-denyall to get into Christ to attain a new Being in him to regain our selves being lost in the first Adam in him the second Adam in whom onely All fulnesse of grace life righteousnesse holinesse is stored up and of all good and saving things besides and from whom onely as from a full fountain we can hope to have them derived and conveyed unto us who is a fountain of grace to us God hath set and pitched his love onely on Christ his Son and loves no man savingly but onely in him He makes him a fountain of life grace and glory to his chosen For so it pleaseth the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 And that of his fulness we should receive and grace for grace John 1.16 grace according to our necessity and measure for and according to that fulness and variety of all grace laid up in him as our Head and proposed as an Head and second Adam for us to be dispensed to us according to our severall necessities diversities of our callings severall measures of grace and so as no grace laid up in Christ as in a treasury for us shall be wanting to us as our need shall be Our chief care should be to be all in him There is a Being 1 Out of Christ before the fall and since 1 A naturall 2 Sinfull and 3 Worldly Being Prefer we then in our thoughts that Being which is in Christ before all other Beings without him We had a Being out of him as a Saviour first before the Fall in innocency which was happy but not stable Secondly after the Fall and that both a naturall Being for in him as God we live move and have our being Acts 17.28 this is good but not saving As also in and under Sin and Misery which Being we have onely in the first Adam Rom. 5.12 1 Cor. 15.22 and it is a miserable being Yea and a worldly Being as a being rich and wealthy a being wise after the flesh a being mighty a being noble c. And this is a Being such as most desire yet not most desirable But the Being which most of all we should admire desire and delight in is a Being by faith in Christ 2 In Christ by faith not by bare and outward Profession onely as some whole Churches are said to be wherein all were not so sound as 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.22 but a Being in Christ by true faith and according to power such as Paul preferrs before all outward priviledges and righteousnesse of the Law when denying all these he so preferrs and desires to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 and speaking of himself I knew saith he a man in Christ c. 2 Cor. 12.2 This is that Being which we read of 1 Joh. 5.20 where it is said And we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life This our Being in Christ in effect is all one with Christs being in us whereby also Christ it in us whereby God and Christ is said to dwell in us and we in him 1 Joh. 4.15 16. of which Christ saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood which is not orally and carnally but by faith dwelleth in me and I in him John 6.56 and Abide in me and I in you he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.4 5. Thus we once being in Christ are one in him and in the Father John 17.21 As thou Father art in me prayeth Christ and I in thee that they also may be one in us This Being in Christ is to be admired and preferred before all other Beings as alone being 1 Stable and better then that we had in the first Adam This is the Being to be desired of us above all Beings else as being 1 A stable Being and therefore much better and firmer then that we had in Adam before the fall or then that which many yet would have and hold in the first Adam whilest they ascribe to themselves such a power of will and naturall abilities that being especially helped generally by the illustration of grace they have power to beleeve and repent if they will and so to stand and persevere if they will and if they will to fall but how in comparison of this our stable and established Being in Christ who are assured of it by being annointed sealed and by receiving the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.20 21 22. are we if we had even Adams innocency as well as power of will to deny our selves in the same 2 Spiritual better then either our naturall or worldly Being 2. It is a spirituall Being and therefore better then any naturall Being we have on earth which for it when the case so requires is to be denyed As is also our worldly Being and all earthly respects Hence the Apostle opposeth this our Being in Christ for the comfort of such as were otherwise base and could deny themselves in other things against being wise mighty noble in the flesh God calls not many such but chuseth foolish weak and base things of the world that no flesh should glory in his presence or stand upon such terms with him But saith he to such as were chosen and savingly called though otherwise but mean in all these worldly respects of him are ye in Christ Jesus
little time may seeme to be left unto us and accordingly labour and see that what we want in time we may redeeme by our zeale that as Peter directs 1 Pet. 4.2 3. we should live no longer the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God That the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles Especially considering our many sinnes so long continued in and the great dishonours done to his name thereby together with the greatnesse of Gods love in pardoning and receiving us at length to mercy Let this enflame our love and zeale to him let this love of God constrain us and teach us to love him much Luke 7.47 with that repenting woman that is zealously because much or many sinnes are forgiven us Vse 5 5 Lastly Let this teach us all now living in this our Nation to admire Gods goodnesse to us and ours To be thankful for being kept to these blessed times yea to all converted or not converted and to be thankfull that God at length hath had mercy on us and reserved us to these blessed times of the Gospel and peace withall 1 Tim 1.17 Rom. 11.30 33. c. Let us make use of this blessed time or otherwise this great mercy will turne to our greater condemnation CHAP. 2. Concerning the persons converted their quality number SECT 1. That some devout men need conversion 2 The persons coverted They. For quality 2 THe persons who They When they heard this they were pricked They are not named but onely noted generally and indefinitely first for quality to be some of them devout men vers 5. that is 1. Devout men such as generally acknowledged they expected the Messias promised but knew not neither were convinced that Jesus whom they persecuted and put to death was he Others to be meere scoffers and deriders of the Apostles vers 13. however generally to be such as by wicked hands took crucified and slue the Lord of life verse 23. 36. at least to be impenitent persons unbeleevers and in state of damnation as may be gethered from verse 38 39 40 47. Whence we first observe as concernes those devout men That Note Many devout men stand in need of repentance Ioh. 4.27 Outward profession of Christ devotion and formes of godlinesse are not enough to mens salvation or to make men true Christians Such may and usually doe worship they know not what as the Samaritans Athenians Acts 17.23 as the Jewes to this day who professe Faith in a Messias yet acknowledge him not but serve God as they think and are devout in their kinde Blinde devotion is not to be rested in Yea Papists generally adoring Christs body in the Sacrament which they know not to be present And common Protestants who seem to shew much devotion in frequenting the Church in publick prayers and hymnes and hearing yet rest in the outward performance and take up with the duty done though it be in them only a lip-labour without true knowledge faith humility and obedience 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. as Isa 1.12 66.3 Jer. 7. having only a form of godlinesse but denying the power of it as being still lovers of themselves and of pleasures more then of God without all life of Religion or power of godlinesse standing in as much need of true conversion nay it may be more then open deriders and persecuters of Gods truth and people who will sooner be convinced then they To these I commend the care of attending diligently to the word of God preached in power peradventure with these here they may be wrought upon and be convinced of their sinnes of unbeleefe impenitency yea of hatred of Christ and his people c. as being yet wiâ—h these devout Jewes till now in a damnable condition even as the Pharisees persecuting Christ ignorantly Acts 26. Phil. 3.9 2 Scoffers Secondly As concerning the rest or themselves it may be who some were scoffers all persecuters and crucifiers of Christ we observe from their attentive hearing now and conversion The power and wonderfull efficacy of the word of God faithfully and wisely taught Note The power of Gods word 1 Sam. 19.28 Acts 9.20 preached and applied Here we see how men are changed by it of Wolves made sheep of persecuters true penitents even as King Saul intending to take and kill David fell a prophesying and was changed or as that other Saul hastening to persecute the Church by Christs voyce was made a preaching Paul or as those stout Souldiers who were sent to apprehend Christ Joh. 7.45 46 47. But of this anon when we speake of the act of hearing as also the duty of good hearers SECT 2. God freely singles out some of many of whom his Church consists 2 They for number 1 Many And those of all sorts of men 2 THey are noted from their number or quality discrete to be of the multitude verse 6. and those of every nation under heaven vers 5. Parthians and Medes c. vers 9.10 11. they were both of Israel and Judah who by Gods providence were gathered together to that gerat feast of Pentecost out of all nations or who dwelt in Jerusalem of these three thousand now and afterwards many more Acts 4.1 2 3 4 were converted by the Apostles preaching Whereby might seeme in part at least fulfilled the prophesie and type concerning the two sticks VVho make one Church for Judah and for Joseph joyned together Ezek. 37.16 17 19 20 21 c. noting that the effectuall calling of Jewes and Israelites as also Gentiles and their union in Christ or in the hand of the Lord Christ being the Fathers hand and arm whereby they became one Kingdom under Christ or David their King partaking of the same benefits by vertue of the communion of Saints as in the following verses in Ezekiel may be seen So that there is but one only Catholick Church not many and Christ the onely King Pastour and Head thereof 2 Yet not all having no generall Vicar here on earth Now to this Communion none belongs or yet truly come but such as the Father drawes who though here they are many yet all that heard beleeved not they were but some of the whole multitude who received the word gladly vers 41. yet those were gathered out of all sorts without difference of sex age calling countrey and nation or condition And this notes the Freenesse of Gods grace As he excepts not any one sort or calling of men so hee by effectuall calling Note The Freenesse of of Gods grace in singling out some from among all 2 Thes 2.12 13. singles out from the universality of men and sinners and adds to his Church such as shall be saved as here verse 47. Who are those Onely such as he hath elcted from eternity unto salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beleef of
set himself against them yea them against themselves making them a terrour to themselves A wounded name estate leg or arm wounded or broken may be born but who can bear a wounded spirit saith Solomon when the bones within are broken will it not cause roaring ask David Psal 32.3.4 and 51.8 ask Hezekiah Isa 38.13 And yet what is all this to the eternall endlesse and easelesse torments of hell These things would be considered Oh consider this then in time you that are so secure and fearlesse that care not what you say or do how many oaths you swear how many Sabbaths and Sermons you neglect how many you cozen or wrong in their goods name chastity your sinne one day will shew it self in its colours and your consciences will prove burthens to you heavier then mountains your hard hearts shall be broken and you crushed punished and tormened for ever Rather in time chuse to be when ye hear these things and in the timely belief of them savingly pricked as these here were who in the apprehension of such effects of sinne as you have now heard did presently seek to prevent them and being thus pierced and pricked sought help and healing which accordingly they presently found becoming true converts and partakers of Christ And so leaving the consideration of this sorrow as a bare affection in the sinner The third Relation of this pricking of heart is to the whole work of Conversion as the beginning thereof and an effect of sinne we come to speak more of it in relation to this great work of conversion and as the first step and beginning thereof leading to Christ and to salvation So that taking these first words They were pricked in heart with those their other words following what shall we do and upon direction given them their doing accordingly verse 38.39 c. they will afford unto us this observation That a legal terrour of conscience and sorrow for sin through sence of misery thereby deserved is the beginning of Repentance and first step to Conversion So that we are occasioned here to take notice or at least to consider of the order of conversion and of the steps and degrees thereof and how men are brought to Christ to faith and to salvation which we will speak of in its place after some generals are first observed CHAP. V. SECT 4. Pricicking of heart considered as the first step to true Conversion And that Conversion must begin at the heart with reasons and uses of the point THe most generall observation which we will hence first raise is this Doctr. Conversion must begin at the heart that true and saving Conversion begins and must begin at the heart By heart in Scripture is generally meant the soul and all the severall powers and faculties of the same as understanding What is meant by heart here memory conscience will and affections joyntly and severally as might easily be shewed but for our present use we here by heart chiefly understand the Conscience and will with the affections which by this pricking came both to be pained and to be severed and parted from sinne which was all one with it and the corruption of the same to be let out Yet I take the Conscience here is more specially meant Especially the conscience as in Davids case when he came to see and to be convinced of his sinne of Pride in numbring of the people it is said and Davids heart smote him and David said as these here were pricked in heart and said 2 Sam. 24.10 c. and we shall anon see that this pricking issued out of the conclusion of that practicall syllogisme which being thus convinced their consciences made The heart in true conversion must first be pricked wounded and put to pain as David was in his repentance and as it was here with these Converts yea and as God requires of all true Penitents Turn you even to me saith the Lord by Joel with all your heart and rent your heart and not your garments Joel 2.12.13 c. Reasons why Reasons why Hebr. 3.12 The heart is the First and chief offender Math. 15.18.19 It hatcheth and harbours sinne Jer. 4 14. 1 The heart is the first and chief offender It first turns from God and by unbelief departs from him if the body or bodily parts act any evill that evil is first hatched and forged in the heart for out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies which defile a man yea it is the heart that harbours sinne and evil thoughts as in a common June O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge with in thee yea it is the receptacle and lodging of the Devil himself who takes up the chief rooms thereof And Satan and filleth the same Act. 5.3 Joh. 13.2 The whole imagination and all the purposes and desires of the thoughts of the heart are onely evil continually Gen. 6.5 It s a proud heart festered The heart of man is a proud heart swollen with pride as is a bladder and therefore stands need of pricking It is a festered heart full of corruption and putrifying sores and stands need of opening searching and lancing by the knife of the law and sword of the spirit which is the word of God It is a hard heart hard as a stone and stands need of breaking and bruising There is a stone in the heart and hard heart hard 1 as a stone the cure whereof is like that which is of the stone in the bladder there must be sharp incision and God must come with his pulling and plucking instruments ere sin and that hardnesse can be got out of it 2 as mettal Yea It is hard as mettal men being said to have their necks as iron sin news and their brow brasse Isa 48.4 Jer. 6.28.29 whereby is meant the hardnesse of their hearts and obstinacy and to be brasse and iron so that the founder often melteth in vain the bellows that is the lungs of the Preacher shall sooner be burnt then the wicked and their wickednesse plucked away Yet being so hard it must be not onely broken with the hammer of the Law but molten if it be possible with the fire partly of Gods judgements threatned by the Prophets and in part executed by God himself who threatens to blowe upon his obdurate people in the fire of his wrath Ezek. 22 18-20 21. and to melt them in the midst thereof but chiefly of his love in the Gospel ere it can be cast into a new mold It then especially musst be dealt withal in the first place 2. The heart is most acceptable to God 2 The heart of all other parts is the most acceptable sacrifice to God indeed seasoning all the rest God requires it as his sacrifice My son give me thine heart Prov. 23.26 It s that which every one accounts
expected finding themselves to have been worse afraid then hurt This should teach us wisedom and not either to be led away with pleasures present or to be so out of love with Gods ways But I hasten CHAP. VI. How Peters Converts came to be pricked in conscience BEfore we particularly shew the Order and Degrees of Conversion It would first be inquired and considered How these converts came to be pricked Answ how these Converts here upon Peters Sermon came thus to be pricked I answer They God opening their hearts as he did Lydia's to attend came upon Peters wise and skilfull handling and applying of the sharp sword of the spirit or word of God which pierceth to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and by piercing pricketh at once to see and be convinced within themselves of their sinne against Christ in crucifying of him 1 Generall and of Gods wrath thereupon and vengeance hanging over their heads and of their own just damnation and hereupon were pricked in heart struck with fear made sorrowful When Peter so deeply charged them that they were the crucifiers of Christ they knew well and remembred that they indeed had desired Pilate to crucifie him and now hearing and by such apparant signes from heaven as on that day which in some degree had astonished them all seeing a divine power therein and being told that it was Jesus now exalted to glory Verse 33. who shed forth that which they did now see and hear and apprehending him to be indeed a King the Christ and that Lord who now as David foretold did sit at the right hand of God they are afraid of him as of an avenger now raigning in heaven whom on earth as a bountifull and mercifull Saviour they contemned and slew 2 Particular By being convinced of their sinne 1 Of murder 2 Parricide More particularly they hearing and generally believing that to be true which they were told concerning Christs glory do see and are convinced 1 Of sinne their sinne 1 Of murther whereby they procured or consented to the death of Jesus as a man yea an innocent man 2 Of Parricide and withall of extream ingratitude and unthankfulnesse in crucifying him as Jesus as a Saviour yea as their own Jesus who came to save them 3 Of Infidelity and unbelief whereby they so long had rejected him their onely Messias or Christ 3 Of unbelief refusing him that spake unto them and whom God had annointed to be their teacher or their Prophet 4 Disobedience and their Priest yea King 4 Of Disobedience in not submitting themselves to him as their Lord and King 5 Of Impenitency 5 Impenitency obstinacy and hardnesse of heart in not repenting and relenting at his doctrine and preaching who was incarnate and came into the world to call them to repentance 6 Ignorance 1 Cor. 2.8 6 Lastly of their Ignorance of him as Lord of glory whom if so they had sooner known to be they would not have crucified him But now conceiving of him as Lord and Christ they are wounded and pricked in that they wounded and pierced him Even as Pauls conscience was touched a little after he had reviled the high Priest when once he came to know him so to be Act. 23.5 but much more when he came first to know Christ and that it was he even the Lord of glory whom he persecuted in his ignorance and unbelief Act. 9.5.6 1 Tim. 1.13 2 of judgement which made them 1 fear 2 These Jews thus convinced of their sinne 1 fear and quake in apprehension of Gods judgements due to such grievous sinnes and offences as have been named whilst they now see that as Christ himself told Paul afterwards they did all this while but kick against the pricks and run upon their own death and destruction in provoking the mighty God and Christ their Lord and King against them Now they look upon him whom they had peirced and see him whom they slew to be one who being Lord of heaven and earth was able yea for ought they then saw ready to destroy them in souls and bodies and therefore they tremble 2 Despair of themselves 2 Yea they withall despair in themselves and see themselves unworthy of that salvation which they rejected and are at their wits end not knowing what to do to undo what they have done or to appease Gods wrath Thus they came to be perplexed troubled and sorrowfull and pricked in heart 3 Sorrow They came thus to be pricked by reasoning within themselves Now this was done by a kind of reasoning with themselves and communing with their own hearts by a practicall syllogisme The Proposition whereof the Law written in their hearts and word of God afforded them in effect this Murtherers especially of their Saviour and of the Lord of life are under the curse Gal. 3.10 and no murtherer or none that hates his brother hath eternall life abiding in him John 3.15 But saith Peter and their own consciences We are murtherers and that even of Christ then follows the conclusion Therefore we are under the curse and debarred of life Now out of this conclusion made by conscience follows in the affections fear despair in themselves sorrow horrour and perplexity in a word wounding and pricking and it is as when an evil doer a secure sinner thief or murtherer Out of the conclusion of which syllogisine issued this pricking is apprehended and brought to the barre where the Judge giving the charge declares what is Law what sinnes and crimes are against Law and by Law deserve death after which the Malefactour is accused of such crimes as deserve death and by sufficient witnesse proved to be guilty and he himself cannot deny the fact whereupon the Judge passeth sentence of condemnation and of death at which the party is stricken with astonishment and pricked at heart as with the point of a sword Such is the work of conscience in sinners the same conscience being as a Law to inlighten and to judge generally of good and evil it is also a witnesse to convince and lastly a Judge to give sentence against it self and so to terrifie Thus it was with these Jews and no otherwise it is with other Converts as comes now to be shewed so that looking on this pricking of heart as the beginning of or first step to conversion we do raise and make this Generall observation following namely that CHAP. VII SECT 1. That all true Converts must first be pricked in heart Hence with the explication of the point True Converts must first be pricked in heart SVch as God will convert and save must lesse or more be first pricked in heart for their sin Such as to whom God intends to shew mercy must in some measure be troubled in mind and conscience in sight of their sinne and miserie So that so long as sinne never troubles men there is no conversion as we see
Gen. 3.15 and that both on the behalf of the Jews to whom he was made known by promises sacrifices and types as we know and also of us Gentiles Isa 42.1 4 His Exhibiting of Christ to the world in the fulnesse of time 4 The Exhibition of Christ in person by incarnation Gal. 4.4 Joh. 3.16 when the two natures divine and humane were in the womb of the Virgin united into one Person the humane assumed into the unity of the person of the Son of God 5 As our surety by imputing our sin to him 5 Gods imputation of our sinnes to him as our surety who was therefore made under the Law Gal. 4.4 and our Champion to maintain our quarrel against Satan that braving Goliah and all other enemies as well as to discharge our debt with God which Imputation was yet of force to them who before his Incarnation believed on him the Messias to come as well as to us as those other effects of his love which follow 6 His making him a Sin offering also for us and a curse 6 As a Sacrifice for us Gal. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 whose death was an expiatory sacrifice he carrying as our sinnes so our griefs and sorrows Isa 53.3 and 12. Heb. 9.26 28. Herewithal we may consider the sufficiency of this his sacrifice yea the efficiency of it seeing he offered it by the eternal spirit Heb. 9.14 and his blood was the blood of God Acts 20.28 All sufficient 7 Gods acceptation of it 8 with his invitation of us to partake of it 7 Gods Acceptation of it as sufficient for all and efficient and effectuall for the elect Matth. 3.17 and 12.18 Ephes 5.2 the Kingdome of heaven being thus opened 8 His Invitation of us hereupon and Calling us by the preaching of the Gospell to faith and to Conversion which Gospell he freely according to his eternall love and purpose sends so to one place as at the same time not to another Act. 16.6 7. c. See for this his invitation 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Isa 55.1 2 3 c. 9 His acceptation of us by vertue of it 9 His Acceptation of us the elect who do believe by vertue of Christs Sacrifice and for his Sonnes sake in whom he hath made us accepted Eph. 1.6 or which is all one in effect his imputation of it to us and of all his benefits 1 Cor. 1.30 31. 2 Cor. 5.21 This implies Remission or the not imputing of our sins to us 2 Cor. 5.19 and then the imputation of his satisfaction righteousnesse and obedience All these are meere acts of Gods Love most free and depend on no condition in us unlesse you will say the last named which requires faith as a condition before the Love of his good pleasure become also the Love of his Complacency concerning which I list not contend 10 His reall Communication of saving grace to us 10 Lastly as depending on all the former there is Gods Communication of all grace unto us the grace of effectuall calling Conversion faith and other saving graces which is done by the power of his spirit Christ being a Saviour both by the merit of his death and efficacy of his grace and spirit whereby Christ comes to be formed in us Gal. 4.19 and we are made to partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3.4 But this belongs to his power Vse To shew us 1. the freenesse of his grace The Vse of what is said shall be briefly to take notice hence of the 1 freenesse 2 firmnesse 3 fountain of all grace in us call it Conversion Faith habituall and actuall holinesse or if you will of the whole work of our salvation 1 These are free gifts and benefits grace in us depends originally on Gods Grace that is his free love and favour to us being all of them effects of his Fatherly Love which in him is an act of his goodnesse not of Justice as if deserved or procured by any thing done or foreseen to be done by us 1 To humble us Which teacheth us 1 humility not to ascribe any grace to our selves any worthinesse any thing which might move God to elect us before others or in his eternal Predestination to prepare grace for us or to bestow it upon us in the temporall dispensation of it 2 To make us thankfull 2 Thankfulnesse in the acknowledgement of his free grace in our free love of him who first loved us and in a free consecration of our selves wholly to his honour and service But of these more fully * In notes on 1 Cor. 1.30.31 pag. 255. c. pag. 85. c. 2 The firmnesse of his grace to assure us of our perseverance else where 2 These benefits are firm also as depending on God and on his love not as yet to say power and not on us or on anything in us and so as the freenesse of his love prevents our pride so the firmnesse of it or fears of falling away assuring us of our finall perseverance in grace once truly received which flows to us from such a spring as never drieth up And so the Originall of all grace in us well considered prevents our errour c. 3 The fountain of all grace 3 We are hence taught and directed whither to go for true and saving grace for conversion faith and all other grace The Fountain of all is in heaven in Gods free love so that though we may and must use the meanes of grace the word preached and other ordinances of God yet we must not rest in them These are but streams leading to the fountain for our direction that we take not up with the means and being separate from the free grace of God in Christ they are but empty cisterns The word ministers sacraments may all say faith the grace of conversion perseverance c. are not in us One main reason why many misse of grace of faith other benefits is because they seek them from the meanes only from the minister his person or from themselves and their own indeavours in which they rest and with which they take up But we are hence directed to begin at Gods love to look first to God in Christ then to the meanes First to Gods love then to his power so to use the meanes as from Gods power in and by the means to expect a blessing yet first and withall to pray earnestly and to beg the blessing from God and from his free grace And thus of this work of Conversion as it is an effect of his love CHAP. X. SECT 1. Of the Order of Conversion as it is a work of Gods power and that in regard both of the persons and means working it as also of the work it self 2 Conversion is also an effect of Gods power BUt we are chiefly to consider this grace of conversion and so of faith as an effect and work of Gods power and effectuall grace in us
instrument working by the spirit without the fruit of the word true repentance hath not had as yet any healing or saving work on the soul What vertue is there in that Physick which makes not the Patient sicker then he was and puts him not to pain What healing vertue is in the plaister if it smart not and it s a sure signe that the dislocated or broken bone is not brought right to its place if there be no pain felt in the setting Where no sorrow follows sin where no remorse of conscience is in sinners and come short of Reprobates as not so humbled and sensible as was 1 King Ahab 2 King Pharaoh who confessed his sinne they may justly seem to be in worse case then many who now are deeply plunged into hell How many have we that never hung down the head with King Ahab nor were moved with any denunciation of judgement How many who never yet were so much humbled as King Pharaoh a very reprobate but remain yet obstinate and obdurate they are called upon to let their beloved and gainfull sinnes go and to part with them as he was to let the people of Israel to go out of his land which at length he did though with little thanks being forced thereunto by the extremity of plagues from God but do many of us so much as he Exod. 9 27.28 and 10.16 17. he confessed his sin and said I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked intreat the Lord for it is enough c. and I have sinned against the Lord your God said he to Moses and Aaron and against you sought the prayer of Moses and 12.31 32 33. now therefore forgive and intreat the Lord your God that he may take away this death onely yea at length he did according to Gods command let the people go yea was urgent upon them apprehending nothing but death for him and his who said we be all dead men and dismissing them he said go and at length though forced did obey be gone and blesse me also But have we not many that never yet confest their sinness as he did who never intreated Moses or any faithfull Minister of God to pray for them in all their life who never yet obeyed God or put away their beloved sins neither in love to God nor in fear How many amongst us are there that never see not confess their sin or shew any readiness to turn from their evil way when God stands in their way by his judgements threatned as yet did Balaam Num. 22.34 that never had any such good motions savoury thoughts and speeches as hee had 3 Balaam but wil go on in the very face of God and in despite of his judgements threatned yea it may be also inflicted as Isa 57.17 and so in other sins God meets men in the way of infamy for their uncleanness and yet they wil go on in that way stil in the way of their hatred and plotting mischief against Gods faithful servants and yet they wil on stil in that way which yet Balaam did not for seeing at length the Angel and his sword drawn in his hand hee bowed down his head and fell shat on his face saying I have sinned for he went with a purpose to curse Gods people now therefore if it displease thee Numb 22.31 -34. I wil get mee back again How many who never relent for any wrong they do Gods faithful servants as yet did Saul a reprobate towards David 4 Saul 1 Sam. 24.16 17 18 19. 5. Herod Who never reverence Gods Ministers or hear them gladly or upon hearing reform and do many things as yet did Herod who yet afterwards took off John's head and yet not without sorrow Who never tremble when they hear Discourses and Sermons of righteousness temperance and judgement to come as yet Felix did and yet they I beleeve as unrighteous 6 Felix Acts 24.25 intemperate and lyable to judgement in many other regards as Felix was Nay never complain so much as Cain did 7 Cain either of sin or punishment or of being cast out of Gods presence but rather please themselves in their sins and cast themselves daily out of Gods presence and favour and make themselves unworthy to partake with Gods people in the communion of Saints Yea lastly Have we not many who come short even of Popish penance who never were yet so compunct in heart and troubled in conscience as was Judas 8 Judas who never confessed their sins by name and with aggravation of it as he saying I have sinned in betraying innocent blood neither ever made restitution as he did of goods ill gotten or sought to give satisfaction for any wrong done by them The folly of such secure sinners Oh then the extreme folly and madness of such secure sinners who think themselves in good case and wil hope to be saved as wel as any and yet come short of very reprobates But if those named and such like who shewed more compunction of heart and therein and in their confessions of sins and other works and their certain damnation Jude ver 7. have so far outstripped and gone before you be yet gone to hel to the divel and to destruction and now suffer the vengeance of eternal fire what wil become of you secure and senselesse sinners who feed sport play minde the world use means of unlawful gain without all fear of Gods judgements so much and so often threatned in his name by his ministers and executed by himself on others How shal you escape the damnation of hell where shall you appear who yet shew not such remorse as these reprobates did You must needs then in this your case be thought to be next door to hel and to the estate of damned spirits being so stupified as not to be moved with Gods threatnings no not with his gracious promises and peremptory commands Vnlesse they do not onely outstrip these but all Temporizers whosoever And yet my deerly Beloved whose salvation I long after and do thus seek though you should do as much as these named yea though you should go as far in humiliation sorrow zeal and reformation as either these or any other bare Temporary yea as far as hee did to whom our Saviour said Thou art not far from the Kingdom of heaven even as far as Jehu in zeal against other mens sin as far as Ananias to part with a great portion of thy goods for the publick good of others as far as Demas and Alexander to forsake the world and thy hopes in it and to follow poor Christ yea to venture thy self as Alexander the Coppersmith did in cleaving to the truth as far as Nicolas who was chosen Deacon by the Church for that reverend respect they had of his gifts or lastly as is said as far as Judas who being an Apostle could both pray and preach with great
blood if it be done and therefore becoming man for us his head was pricked with thorns his hands and feet pierced with nails his heart pricked pierced and wounded with a spear his body broken for us yea his soul heavy grieved wounded in a sense of his Fathers wrath against him making him not onely sweat drops of blood being in an agony but complain and cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All this and more then I can expresse the onely beloved Son of God suffered from his Father ere he overcame death or recovered the sense of his Fathers love or yet a possibility of salvation for thee And what we Vnlesse here we sorrow savingly and dost thou think to passe thy whole time in pleasures ease vanity and sinne and yet not so much as be pricked in heart or wounded in conscience for thy sin and troubled in sould in the fear and apprehension of thy so justly deserved damnation yea wilt thou also expect and presume of heaven and the joyes thereof Let me then tell thee from God that unlesse thou in time beest pricked in thy heart for thy sin yea many sins especially such as these converts as hath been said were pricked for crucifying of Christ unthankfulnesse unbelief impenitency rejection of him in the offers of his grace hardnesse of heart obstinacy ignorance and disobedience c. I say neither shal Christs pricking and piercing his wounds and sufferings avail thee any thing and which more is thou thy self in thine own person most inevitably shalt and must suffer the vengeance of everlasting fire must in our own persons suffer in well and all those sorrows eternally which the Son of God did suffer as thy surety if thou couldst believe and rest on him and repent and which made him so cry out And then see how thou wilt be able to endure it or rather O my brother O my sister O every one of you now in love to your own selves consider this in time O consider this saith God himself unto you what your own ill doings and desert Psal 50.22 and yet my patience and forbearance a while now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Consider that the sins thou hast not sorrowed for which would be considered thou must sorrow for here or hereafter chuse where thou wilt have thy portion whether here where thy sorrow may be saving accompanied with inward and true joy and followed with eternall and unspeakable comfort or hereafter where endlesse sorrows in soul and body shall be the just reward of thy security now Thy sins will be thy ruine one day Sin else will be our ruine and tear thee in pieces if thou be not their ruine now by mortification of them and of thy self so farre as to be pierced and wounded savingly for them in time God forgets them not though thou do they are written before him as with a pen of iron and point of a diamond in his book which one day will be opened against thee and be more terrible to thee then was the hand writing against Belshazzar for such an hand writing there is for every sinne of thine unrepented and uncancelled how many then are the curses wraths and vengeances that are due to thee and will most inevitably befall thee for thy so many sins not repented of A wonder that any in this case can be merry Isa 5.14 how can you then be merry or light-hearted when so many thousand woes belong unto you compasse you about and dog you continually at the heels all waking and watching against you like so many hungry bears starved wolves and lions yea when hell it self gapeth for you enlarging her self and opening her mouth without measure as for all other sinners so particularly for such as follow strong drink and in whose feasts are the harp and viol tabret pipe and wine but no regard of the works of the Lord with 11 12. no consideration of the operation of his hands or of any thing either their own sins or Gods judgements which is seasonable Futher to convince the secure a few questions are propouneded to them O then in the feare of God be convinced of these truths and of the necessity of such sorrow and let me ask thee yet a a question or two 1 Dost thou so live or canst thou so live as not to sin or transgresse Gods Law surely no thou wilt say at least thou wilt find that is impossible Wel then 2 art thou able to undergo the curse and penalty of the Law by suffering Gods wrath everlastingly no alas thou accountest that and well mayest intollerable 3 I ask again what wilt thou then do seeing thou art so many wayes a transgressour and liable to all this wrath If thou resolvest to do nothing but sittest still in thy security and setlest still on thy lees thou mayest certainly conclude against thy self as the foure lepers at the gates of Samaria suffering a famine within and a siege of strong enemies without that thou shalt undoubtedly perish and die Oh then be sensible at length of thine own danger see thine own inevitable destruction unlesse in time thou humble thy self with God and judge thy self that he judge thee not in hell be sensible of the fire of his wrath and of hel hold no skreens any longer between thee and it seek to quench it in time by thy tears and hearty sorrow for sin lest thou be cast into it irrecoverably and in consideration of the torments of it now cry earnestly to God in Christ O Lord here give me my part of sorrow and teach my heart more truly to mourn for my sinne and be mercifull unto me here O God here burn cut launce wound prick and pierce my heart savingly that I never may know what belongs to everlasting burnings woundings and gnawings 4 Or now again to bar thee off and to stop all starting holes dost thou think that thou art exepted and exempted from this curse and wrath Will God be partiall for thy cause Doth not thy sin bring thee under this curse and wrath as well as others Deceive not thy self see Deut. 29. where verse 10 c. All without exception of any present or absent born or not yet born are either in their own persons or persons of their Parents presented before the Lord Deut. 29.10.18 19 20. c. to enter into his covenant lest saith Moses there should be any among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God c. And it cometh to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses
seeing nothing is more opposite or a greater enemy to this pricking of heart or to the tender plyable humble and contrite heart such as I desire and endeavour to bring you to then is hardnesse and senselesnesse of heart and soul And thus having according to my office endeavoured to prepare the way for you and to gather out the stones I will come a little nearer to direct you to the Means Isa 62.10 by the use of which with Gods blessing you may attain to true compunction of heart and contrition of spirit the thing I aim at CHAP XV. SECT 1. Of the means of true compunction and sensiblenesse and first of Gods word heard Meanes of compunction and sensiblenesse such as was in these Jews and shall be at their calling again recalled and applyed THis pricking of heart as we have heard doth imply first tendernesse and withall pliablenesse to Gods word and will Secondly sensiblenesse and sorrow for sin not excluding fear of Gods judgements such as was in these Converts in my Text who were 1 pricked in heart that is wounded in conscience and made sensible of their sin and danger 2 Pliable to Gods will saying what shall we do And such as shall be again in these Jews at their conversion when first they also being convinced and made sensible of their sin in piercing and crucifying their Saviour shall mourn bitterly for the same Zach. 12.10 and shall no longer be stiffe-necked or abide in unbelief Rom. 11.23 such a heart was that of King Josiah and such as was in good King Josiah which was both tender and humbled yea rent and sorrowfull which made him both mourn within himself and send to enquire of the Lord with readinesse of heart to obey 2 Chron. 34.19 21 27. That then which I desire to bring or at least to direct you to The divers phrases signifying this compunction of heart is that which the Scripture in variety of phrases signifies not onely by the tender heart and heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 but thus to have the heart pricked as in my Text to be of an humble and contrite heart Isa 57.15 to be of a wounded spirit Prov. 18.14 of a broken heart Psal 51.17 and to have the caul of the heart rent as Hos 13.8 Joel 2.13 God onely can and doth soften the heart Now howsoever we are exhorted hereunto and directed to the means by which it may be wrought in us yet we must know it for an undoubted truth that it is God who onely makes the heart truly humble tender and senfible Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Jer. 23.29 I will give them an heart of flesh which he doth by the meanes of his word which becomes as fire and as an hammer by his Judgements Mercies which yet he doth by Meanes 1 by his word and Corrections c. which he requires we attend unto and make a right use of by hearing meditation application and prayer so that whilst we thus do we are said to humble our selves though it be God by whose hand and power such hearts are given us 2 Chron. 30.11 12. 1 by our hearing his word faithfully taught 1 Make conscience of hearing of Gods word as it is taught especially by such as Peter here and other the Apostles were who without flattery in a zeal of Gods glory and of the Conversion of those they preached unto in power also and demonstration of the spirit now more abundantly powred upon them told these Jewes and convinced them of their sins that they were the crucifiers of Christ whose glory also they set forth Such teaching convinceth and judgeth the harers yea makes them judge themselves fall down and worship God and whilst the secrets of their hearts are made manifest acknowledge a divine presence and power in the preacher 1 Cor. 14.24 25 So was it here with these Converts who found a greater and more effectuall power in the word preached and thus brought home to their consciences The power of Gods word in pricking the heart which Miracles did not in these Jews then in all the miracles which God shewed either before and at the death of Christ when yet the very stones and rocks and the vail of the Temple were rent asunder or now at this time when besides the mighty noise and shew of fire or fiery tongues from heaven they saw and heard the Apostles men of no note nor learning speak in all languages the wonderfull things of God Acts 2.13 so in David they mocked at that but were pricked wounded with this Thus David after his sin of numbring the people came to a sense of his sin and his heart pricked or smote him for it and brought him to confession of it but when after the Lord had sent the Prophet Gad unto him to convince him by offering him an hard choice for that is given as the reason so that a Sam. 24.10 11 12. I do not say the word is alwayes thus powerfull or in all some are more hardened by such a ministery as the anvile by the strokes of the hammer God justly denying them his grace and not working in power with his word onely I say if the word thus preached do not prick if the word do it not nothing will do it wound and mollifie the heart nothing will do it If God by his word and spirit breath not upon the soul the soul cannot breath out so much as a sigh for sin if that wind blow not the waters of repentance will not flow if he send not out his word Psal 147.17 18. Exod. 17.6 our icy hearts will not be thawen if Gods presence promise and power be not there mans indeavours are not of effect If God stand not upon the rock our rocky hearts though Moses smiting the same shall never bring forth water onely where God will soften and wound the heart he by such a Ministery as is named shews out his power and poures out his spirit and makes his word effectuall to that purpose Wherefore if indeed we would have such hearts wrought in us we must indeavour to live under such a ministery we must desire yea and strive to live under a searching and forcible Ministery where we may hear such doctrine and so handled and applyed as that the secrets of our soul our secret sins and our hearts may be ransacked sifted and tried we may be made known to our selves and become vile in our own eys the deceits of our false hearts discovered and our sin and danger fully revealed to us without all flattery and partiality Till we be within such a distance and compass as within which the word is onely except extraordinarily active wee can expect no such at least saving effect from it Buy the truth then and spare for no cost rather then want it and accordingly to spare for no cost that is such wholsome and powerfull teaching account
hate every false way True hatred is out of true judgement So by stronger resolution against sin as in Joseph who had not so much sorrow for sin that wee read of as he had strong resolutions and reasonings whereby hee withstood very strong temptations by more watchfulnesse as in Job 3 Of watch fulnesse I made a covenant with mine eys why then should I think upon a maid Job 31.1 and in David Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes c. So by more obedience by more carefulnesse 4 Of obedience carefulnesse and other fruits of godly sorrow by more faith in flying to Christ for acceptance by anger against our selves when we have sinned by a greater measure of fear lest wee offend God so again by more vehement desire to please God better by more zeal and by a holy revenge on our selves and sins in the mortifying of them By these wee either prevent sin and consequently the cause of sorrow or otherwise both give to others and get to our selves testimony that our sorrow if it be not so very much for the measure as it was not in Joseph Zacheus Lydia or with these Converts in my Text yet that it is true and sound for the nature of it SECT 2. Signes of true sorrow and what sorrow is not sound 3 Judge when thy sorrow is enough by the signes of true sorrow THerefore thirdly Learn to judge of thy self and of thy sorrow by the true signes of godly sorrow Wouldest thou then know whether thou be savingly pricked or no This may be tryed known and distinguished from unsound sorrow 1 By the Antecedents causes and grounds of it 2 By the Concomitants of it 3 By the Consequents and effects thereof which two last we will not speak of so much severally as joyntly seeing the effects and consequents may in a large sense be called and accountted Concomitants And first by the antecedents and causes of it Gods word working by his Spirit 1 True Contrition is the fruit and effect of Gods word onely faithfully taught convictingly applied both by the teacher and hearer and made effectuall by the holy Spirit of God as in these Converts here who when they heard were pricked and Jer. 23.22 It is the causing the people to hear Gods onely word not mans which turns them from their evill way and from the evill of their doings Which conversion and sorrow though it be often occasioned by judgements felt or feared yet it is wrought effectually by the holy Ghost accompanying the word The spirit of grace and supplication was first promised to be poured out as it was on the day of Pentecost and then it s said They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him and be in bitternesse c. Zech. 12.10 Such sorrow is not sound as is caused Now try thy sorrow from hence whether it be not a sorrow and pricking 1. From Envie many men sorrow and their sorrow is very great and inward 1 By envie at the prosperity either of the wicked but the true cause of it is envie thus the Psalmist or Asaph was envious at the wickeds prosperity but it was onely in a temptation and in a short fit Thus saith he my heart was grieved or leavened and sowred and I was pricked in my reins Psalm 73.21 Lo here a pricking in the reins and grief of heart and that in a godly man yet it was no godly sorrow Psal 73.22 but such as argued much folly and ignorance and was repented of and sorrowed for Which though it be in godly men yet is no godly sorrow And now doubtlesse many good men grieve and inwardly fret to see or to have seen evill doers prosper in their way and to bring wicked devices to passe ready to think them the onely happy men but this their sorrow is no fruit of Gods word but of their own ignorance folly yea brutishnesse Psalm 73.22 and 92.6 7. Neither should such simply justifie themselves in this their grief which seems bent against wicked men or think they do well in it It is an ungrounded grief there is no cause for it or ground in Gods word which dehorts every where from it as Psalm 37.1 Prov. 23.17 and 24.1 Such grief argues not true zeal against the wicked but rather some discontent with Gods government and providence Or much lesse of the godly whom to see prosper is a grief to the wicked How much lesse then may they justifie themselves in their grief whose sorrow is grounded on the welfare of Gods people to see them prosper to see their horn exalted with honour and that they have or see their desire upon their enemies The wicked shall see this and be grieved Psalm 112.8 9 10. he shall gnash with his teeth and melt away poor comfort may such have of their sorrow and I beleeve it is the onely or chief sorrow that some especially in these dayes do shew though somewhat else may be pretended to justifie their grief though perhaps through their blindnesse and love to their own conceits opinions and superstitions they pretend it is upon other and better grounds as to see religion and devotion with reverence to holy things as table altar Temple-wals and to names as to the bare empty name and sound of Jesus even when it is indevoutly pronounced and heard so of Church Lord-bishop and the like neglected and not regarded and learning to be discouraged c. 2 By anger when upon the reproofs and discoveries made by the word men are angry at the teachers of it 2. There is a sorrow and that upon hearing of the word faithfully preached and applyed but it is meerly grounded upon anger such as was in those that heard Stephen Acts 7.54 who when they heard such things as he most truly and faithfully taught were cut to the heart and gnashed upon him with their teeth through grief anger and indignation Consider whether ever any other sorrow or upon other ground hath been wrought upon thee in the hearing of the word Thou perhaps hast gone out of the Church and go away sorrowfull Matth. 19.22 grieved and sorrowfull but no otherwise then that Justitiarie that rich youung man went from Christ sorrowfull why his hypocrisie was by Christ discovered and he tryed in his affection and love to his bosome sin of covetousnesse This made him displeased with that doctrine and sorrowfull in himself so I believe it is with too many now who come jocund and well conceited of themselves and of their own righteousnesse and innocency to the hearing of the word but return sorrowfull from it but their sorrow is out of anger against their teachers who convince them of their sins and beat them from their vain holds and confidence in themselves which sorrow therefore being not an effect properly of the word or yet spirit of God but of the spirit of anger
in sin did my mother warme as it is in the Originall 5 For bosome sins or conceive me Psal 51.5 5 Is thy sorrow as much for thy beloved bosome and darling sins such as have brought thee in unlawfull gain delight and pleasure and have procured thee favour respect yea advancement it may be with and from evill men as for other sins not so much feeding thy corruption By this I beleeve many mens sorrow will be found too light whilest their hearts are not so much pricked and wounded for these their sins as that the Word and Ministers of God will not suffer them without galling their conscience and with quietness and false peace to enjoy them still 6 For sins of the first Table aswel as the second 6 Is thy sorrow for thy sins against the first Table or four first Commandments of the Law as well as for sins against the second Table respecting more immediately thy neighbour and against the second as well as first 1. It may be it would be thy grief if thou hadst offended dishonoured and disrespected thy father or thy mother thy Magistrate and thy Prince but canst thou as truly mourn for the dishonour done to God If thy father on earth shew his displeasure and spit in thy face Numb 12.14 it may be thou wouldst be ashamed seven dayes but art thou so when thou provokest God to anger I know if any of you should kill a man though uupurposedly it would trouble your conscience somewhat and be grief unto you but I doubt whether when you do that which God accounts an offence equal to murther as when the Jew killed an oxe in sacrfice to God trusting in the work done and living without faith repentance and reformation of life or as when the Christian comes unreverently and in his sins to the Lords table and eats and drinks unworthily you are any whit troubled in conscience for the same when of the one God said hee that killeth an oxe is as if hee slew a man Isa 66.3 and so he that prayeth heareth and offers other Christian sacrifices without an heart humble and contrite penitent and beleeving is the like and of the other S. Paul Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord as if he had been the Judas or the Pilate or one of the Jews who crucified him Thou again maist perhaps be ashamed of adultery to do thy penance for it as in Popery c. but yet please thy self in thy spiritual adultery against God going a whoring from under him by thine idolatries and superstitions and shew no shame sorrow or grief for it And so on the other hand and for sins against the second Table as well as against the first Thou maist be troubled some way in conscience if thou shouldst worship an Idol frame ceremonies and superstitions of mens devising break out into blasphemy taking Gods name in vain or into open profanation of the Sabbath but yet makest no conscience and art not troubled for dishonouring thy parents and superiours speaking evill of lawfull authority or otherwise offending against thy neighbours life wife or chastity goods or good name either by sins of commission or of omission towards them Jam. 1.27 This is no true Religion nor is the other godly sorrow if thou sorrowest not alike for these 7 For evil cleaving to our best actions 7 Canst or dost thou as well sorrow for thy failings and imperfections or for thy unworthy and unprepared and unreverent medling with holy things in thy hearing preaching praying and communicating at the Lords Table as for thy omission of such duties or commission of evils and sins apparently forbidden There is an evill cleaving oftentimes to our best performances through distractions carelesnesse irreverence confidence in the doing of the duty do these things trouble thy conscience or not Grosse and open sins would perhaps trouble thee but are these things a trouble and burthen to thee I am sure they should and wee should put away by hearty sorrow and amendment the evils even of our best doings and sacrifices Isa 1.16 Dost thou judge thy self as thou oughtest even for want of due preparation to the Sacrament thou shouldst so do as well as for open profanenesse seeing there is sin and dishonour done to God in the one as well as in the other To conclude Thou must know that thou truely grievest not for any sin as it is sin and with respect to God if thou grievest not for all known sins and that particularly if as one well saith thy very unprofitablenesse idlenesse peevishnesse unconstancie trouble thee not yea I add if thy hardnesse of heart and thy want of grieving as thou shouldst grieve do not grieve thee 2 If thy sorrow be right and good for sin as sin it will also be thy grief to see and know others to sin against God 2 True sorrow is also for sin in others and by sin to dishonour him to disgrace Religion and profession and to cast away their own souls This is the property of true mourners Ezek. 9.4 Thus mourned David Psalm 119.136 and Lot 2 Pet. 2.6 So should wee mourn for the sins of the Land For the sins of the Land Town or place where we live especially if Gods judgements be upon the same or towards it and that more for the sins provoking God then for the judgements themselves as in the aforesaid examples Sometimes in case of Pestilence War Famine and other great evils and dangers wee meet and are called together to fast and pray to mourn and humble our selves and otherwise are much disquieted and vexed but what is the true cause of our mourning is it as it should be our own sins or the sins of the Land place or Kingdome Nay alas these are least thought of or at least but generally acknowledged and slightly bewailed a signe our sorrow is not for sin or with respect to God but to our selves So of our families if they be the sins of our own Families wee cannot approve our own sorrow for our own sins such as it should be if we do not also mourn for and bewail the sins thereof as of our own children as Job did Chapt. 1.5 of our parents and fore-fathers as Nehemiah did Nehem 1.6 and Daniel Chap. 9.8 and one of another of those that are neerest us every family mourning apart Zech. 12.12 and as the Corinthians were blamed for not mourning for the sin of Incest committed by one of them As wee are to shew a generall dislike of sin in all even in those that in other respects are neer and dear unto us as King Asa who allowed not his mother in her Idolatry 1 King 15.12 so should wee both shew our care and endeavour to reclaim others from their sins but however mourn to God for them if wee can do no more Such as regard not
Judas some doe confess their sin or if they confess sin do it either meerly out of terror not hatred is it not meerly out of horror of conscience and a while to stop the mouth of it do they not return with Judas and Pharaoh to the same or like sins again till at length they utterly perish herein like the dog which casts up his meat not because he loaths it Simile but because his stomack is burthened and troubled with it and therefore after a little ease he returns to lick up his vomit again Or if not so wholly yet doe not many when they are called urged and pressed to confesse their faults or hypocritically and cunningly or that conscience on their sick-bed or otherwise drives them to their Minister I say do not many go cunningly to work to deceive others but indeed themselves worst of all confessing some known or smaller sins whilest confessing sins known sufficiently already and which they cannot deny or it may be some such infirmities as may stand with grace as distractions in good duties some hardnesse of heart some hastiness but concealing their bosome and greater saults angry and peevish disposition of nature and the like yet wittingly hide under their tongues and in the secret cabinet of their heart their beloved darling and bosome sin be it some base and noysome lust pride ambition covetousnesse revenge or some such like secret sin by which meanes sin still sticks at the bottome the coar comes not away Satan who hath filled their hearts keeps his hold and is uncast out though the room seem somwhat swept or at least returns to his old lodging in the heart with seven worse spirits then himself which these conveâ—ts did not It was not so here with these converts in my Text who though deeply charged by Peter and that with sins of as foul a nature as any could be even murther parricide unbeliefe ingratiude ignorance disobedience impenitency all which and more being included in the sin of crucifying Christ vers 36. yet neither denied the same nor went about to lay the blame on their rulers who perswaded them to it but in effect acknowledge all to be true they were charged withall and accordingly seek direction what to do to get comfort to their guilty and wounded consciences SECT 4. 2. Detestation of Sin an Effect of true Sorrow for Sin 2 Detestation of sin accompanieth true sorrow for it NOw secondly with confession went an inward dislike hatred and detestation of their sin and both these the fruits and effects of their contrition They finding the weight and burthen of their sin hate and abominate the same their heart is turned from it for ever and they cast it from them as a filthy and polluted thing they with Ephraim will have no more to do with it Hos 14.9 as in these here They now loath it and themselves for it and accordingly to shew their dislike of it and of all the occasions of it they forsake the society of the obstinate Iewes who as yet were not pricked in heart and of the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and joyn themselves to the despised and persecuted church of God and in other converts And thus it is with other converts they now loath what formerly they liked and hate what once they loved yea thus it should be with us if we would approve our sorrow for sin to be sound Is thy sorrow then for sin followed with hatred and loathing of it and of thy selfe for it Application To such as may seem angry with sin but hate it not It may be thou art only a little angry with it but fallest in with it presently again such indeed is the nature of anger but true hatred which is bent against an enemie aimes at his utter destruction and death so true hatred of sin seeks the death or mortification of it at least cannot endure the sight of it but through an inward loathing of it Arist Rhet. lib. 2. and seek not the death of it wisheth it and whatsoever might represent it to the soul as lovely quite out of sight as the Prophet brings in the repenting Church throwing away Idolatrous ornaments as one throwing away a menstruous clout Isai 30.12 saying to it get thee hence Sin would bee looked upon as an enemie to Gods glory and to our souls as of an enemy now the more true love we bear to God and to our selves the greater hatred we will bear against sin And as it seeks our lives for the soul that sinneth shall die death is the wages thereof so should we seek the death and mortification of that which otherwise will be our death as if we met with any venemous poysonfull Simile or hurtfull creature such especially as hath formerly end angered us or stung us we cease not so far as is in our power till we see it dead Now sin is as dangerous an enemy to the soul as any such creature or enemy can be to our bodies I now only ask Neither are well affected to the meanes of mortifying it if thy behaviour be such towards those sins of thine which thou sayest have bâ—en thy sorrow seekest thou and usest thou the meanes by which sin may be truly mortified in thee doth thine heart rise against the occasions and first approaches of sin and art thou afraid of hurt by it when it first begins to arise in thine heart as not nipping it in the head when it first riseth then seeking to dash it in the shell as a man would be loth to give a known and malicious enemy the least welcome or entertainment in his house or otherwise neer him how likest thou it when Gods Word and thy Minister seeks to make thy sin hatefull and loathsome to thee when he layes about him neither liking that Word of God which would by sharp reproofs kill it in them and not only discovers and layeth open the vileness thereof but by sharp reproofs and threatnings seeks to hit wound and kill it in thee canst thou blesse God for it c. desire or at least approve well of such teaching and teachers Thus thou shouldest do even in true love to thine own soul if thou truly batest or yet hast truly mourned for thy sin whereas wee should bitterly hate it as each thing seeks its own preservation so shouldest thou hate sin as well as sorrow for it accounting it the greatest evill of all evill as separating between thy soul and God and our hearts fret at it Thus shouldest thou not only weep for thy sin but with Peter weep bitterly as having the bitter gall of godly indignation hatred and detestation mingled with thy brinish and salt teares thy heart will not only be pricked Cant. 5.4 Frementibus visceribus Jun. but will fret within thee yet not against the Word or Minister but against thy sin and self Thus for these
Saviour Mat. 18.6 Who so shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea CHAP. XXII An Exhortation to men of all sorts to get this mournfull disposition of soul for sin LAstly A Second use of exhortation to all that we labour after a sorrowfull disposition of soul for sin in our selves as a thing 1. Necessary 2. Seasonable and befitting 1. The times 2. The persons 1. Of Kings and great ones 2 Chron. 37.27 Why to conclude all Be we again exhorted all of us to be so far from condemning this mournful disposition in others that we rather conceive it needfull and necessary for our selves seeing mourn we must for sin either here savingly if we willingly undertake it and frame our hearts to it or hereafter eternally and hellishly as hath been said And it is a disposition not only such as befits the times it being the time of Jacobs trouble and of the Churches miseries in many parts of the world but all sorts and conditions of men and women 1. Kings and great ones who are tenderly brought up may seem if any most of all exempt yet behold David a King watering his couch with his teares King Hezekiah turning to the wall and weeping but above all King Josiah humbling himself rending his clothes and weeping before the Lord Why Though to other men they be as gods yet to God whom by their sin they offend they are but men and it is the great God they are to deal withall and who will deal with them as well as with others seeing he is no respecter of persons It s no shame but the honour of the best and greatest on earth to humble and abase themselves before the great and dreadfull God Who should not be ashamed to humble themselves But I am sure it shall be pride and matter of shame in meaner men not to do it when such great and godly Kings as have been named have not been ashamed so to do 2. Rich men if they be as yet unhumbled are called on to weep and howl 2. Rich men their danger being so great and their salvation so difficult by being told what else in the end will befall them Jam. 5.1 2 c. 3. And poor men should strive to be also poor in spirit 3. Poor men their outward poverty and wants inviting them thereunto as we see in the Prodigall whose poverty and wants though deeper matters be implied humbled him and sent him home unto God his Father 4. Young men should begin betimes 4. Young men and so by godly sorrow prepare themselves to do God long and cheerfull service they should make use of and maintain that naturall tenderness which is in them least by time and continuance in sin they grow more sencelesse and hard-hearted 5. And older men though perhaps lesse disposed to weep 5. Old men yet have the greater cause by reason of their long continuance in sin and as being in all probability nearer either heaven or if they have not formerly mourned hell and the everlasting torments thereof which cannot otherwise be prevented but by timely sorrow here on earth 6. Nay it concerns us all generally whatsoever our relations are on earth 6. All generally whether considered 1. As men Jam. 4.9.10 who by St. James are called on to be afflicted and mourn and weep Let your laughter your carnall rejoycing saith he be turned to mourning let it be the matter of your sorrow that you have so carnally rejoyced and your joy to heaviness Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God c. It becomes us all thus to do Are we men since sin came into the world the world it self is but a vale of teares whose condition is to be here on earth as in a vale of misery a house of mourning and mortality and surely mad mirth and laughter doth not become it or us being as men banished into a strange land from heaven the place of joy But are we Christians are we members of Christ 2. As Christians that we may Phil. 3.10 be conformable to Christ Then weeping and mourning will well become and befit us that we may be conformable to him our Head in his death and sufferings here as we hope be like him in glory hereafter 2 Tim. 2.11 12. This is a faithfull saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer with him we shall also raign with him saith the Apostle and suffer with him Matth. 26.37 38. Now his sufferings were for our sins when his soul was exceeding sorrowfull even to the death and he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5.7 Now though his sorrows and sufferings being alone satisfactory were to ease and free us from everlasting sorrows yet sorrow we must not by way of satisfaction but of sympathie not by way of satisfaction but of sympathy and so far only as by tasting the bitterness of our own sin we may not only so far suffer with him but feel and expresse the more joy and thankfulnesse to him who drunke the very dregs of that cup of trembling and of wrath which we should have been made to swallow down as shall the damned who now by not sorrowing in time lose the benefit of Christs death and sufferings but whereof we who are now touched and pricked in heart for our sins do only sip and taste a little Moe lets of godly sorrow with their remedies barely named You have heard of Le ts to this godly sorrow which I endeavoured to remove and to which I do refer some moe might here be added such as are from the suggestions of Satan telling us such an austere course is a needless strictness from distractions occasioned by other men and other businesses from our selves and from that naturall indisposition unto duties of this nature and from a love of pleasures and lothnesse to bid vain pleasures adieu unto all which must be opposed watchfulnesse prayer good consideration of the straitnesse of the way and gate of life and the necessity of the duty The sweet content and true pleasure which is in these waies of God when sensuall men can find no pleasure no not in things otherwise necessary naturall and lawfull unlesse there be sin in them and some tang of the forbidden fruit and leaven of corruption Whereas there is no such pleasure as to overcome pleasure no such delight in the acting of sin as pleasure in resisting the temptation thereunto c. But we may seem to have said enough already of such things Conclusion exhorting to get soft hearts Therefore let us as we love our soules shew care to make good use of the things we have heard and known aboue all things labouring in the use of the meanes abovesaid to get
themselves wholly in their names and respect with men in their offices and liberties ashamed to make open profession of him as Nicodemus a Pharisee Joh. 3.2 who in himself approving well of Christ and his doctrine yet loth to be known to favour one who was so much hated and accounted a ring-leader to a faction came stealing to Christ by night least others should perceive it and discover him Joseph of Arimathea John 19.38 39. Such an one was Joseph of Arimathea a while who is said to be a Disciple of Christ but for fear of the Jewes Yea what shall 〈◊〉 say of Peter who so confidently bragged what he would do whilest he trusted to himself and to the strength of his own resolution Matth. 26.44 Though all men shall be offended because of thee I yet will never be offended yet left to himself a while how was he ashamed to confesse and acknowledge Christ in his sufferings Peter and how did he thrice deny him even with an oath saying I know not the man Peter had not yet so fully denied himself as afterwards when he boldly confessed Christ before the High Priests to the manifest hazard of his life It s also said many chief Rulers John 12.42 43. that among the chief rulers many beleeved on Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God And how is it in our daies when many are ashamed of the afflictions of Gods people for the Gospels sake many among our selves who are ashamed of profession in the power of it and to make any other then an outward bare cold and dead profession themselves lest they should go under the common reproachfull titles and termes of the world and be thought to be Puritanicall seditious factious and enemies to Caesar The truth is shame which belongs only unto sin is now cast upon profession of godlinesse Thus the Officers sent to take Christ but justifying his doctrine as also Nicodemus speaking but a word for Christ are reproached for so doing Are ye also deceived and art thou also of Galilee Joh. 7.46 47 c. and 52. Yea the man who was born blind and healed by Christ asking the Pharisees who so strictly examined him saying Jo◠9.27 28. Will ye also be his Disciples was reviled and that not without scorn disdain and contempt of Christ Thou are his Disciple but we are Moses Disciples 2. Faith which excludes all works and confidence in our selves 2. Faith and belief on Christ of necessity presupposeth self-deniall and a renouncing of the condition of works or of whatsoever worth excellency or righteousnesse is in a mans self And therefore till we renounce our own righteousness and all we doe as filthy clouts and as losse we cannot beleeve on Christ Yea such as renounce their own righteousness and confesse their sin with Cain but yet despair of help do it out of stoutness and through want of self-deniall as hath been shewed formerly They have not worth or strength enough of their own and they will not go to God for it so men that a respect their credit with men cannot beleeve Joh. 5.44 3. Repentance 3. Repentance what is it but a disclaiming with sorrow of lll our former courses and waies and a renouncing of all such usts as we have formerly delighted in which is sorrow for former lusts and so a denying of our elves in our vain delights and carnall pleasures in our unlawull waies of gain in our pride ambition c What keeps men in their sins without repentance but unwillingness and lothness to deny themselves in their former lusts and a casting them off which will plead hard I mean the sinful self in man what will ye leave us for ever shall we never be merry agai◠will leud queanes or companions say It will be here as when Ezra reformed strange marriages exhorting the people to separate themselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives Ezra 10.9 10 11. which they also did confessing their sins and amending This could not be done heartily and truly without much self-deniall Self humbling requires much self-deniall Micah 6.6 c. 4. But these Jewes here so seriously asking 4. New-obedience what they should do plainly shew how willing and resolved they were to obey God and his Apostles and how ready to deny themselves that they might obey him in doing and suffering whether by doing or suffering But this could not be done without much deniall of themselves active duties as to beleeve obey the Gospel and the like are contrary to corrupted nature which requires much self-deniall as above nature so far as it remains intire which cannot be performed till a man cross his corruptions and deny himself in them in his ease delights gain c. much more must he deny himself in things to be suffered and passive duties which are not only against corrupt nature but against nature intire which also must stoup and be denied 5. Self deniall it self if it be not in all things and with respect to God 5. These here whilest they ask this question stand upon nothing in themselves and deny themselves fully and in all things without any reservations or respects to themselves Many men seem to deny themselves in some things as in their oathes stealing whores ease and some comforts of this life as some civill formalist superstitious and meriting Papist who spares not his own body Some men seek themselves whilest in some things they seem to deny themselves All self-respects in duties even of mortification to be denied but macerates it with whippings fastings or pilgrimages and yet all this is done in self-respects in the one because to do otherwise will not stand with his honour and credit among men who it may be also will stoup to suffer scorn and nicknames for Christ and his profession which he finds to be more advantageous to him some other way in the other is an opinion of merit and hope to escape the pains of Purgatory howsoever all this is both from and for themselves who required these things at their hands And what God appoints not is not done to him Such deniall of a mans self stands in need of true Self-deniall which is in true converts absolute universall and without reservations to our selves and self-respects SECT 4. Containing a more generall Exhortation to Self-deniall and shewing in what things we are first simply and absolutely to deny our selves Generally we are to denie our selves in all things here 1. For what things we must denie our selves They are four LEt us then be exhorted to deny our selves generally in all things And here let us know what those things are which we should chiefly if not only respect and seek after and what we are to deny our selves in 1. The former
grace from whom is both the will and the deed the power and the act Phil. 2.13 Even speciall and effectuallâ— It was Gods effectuall work on the heart of these converts that they were so willing to obey and so desirous to be directed what to do by such as they now judged able and faithfull to direct them aright even as it is with others both in and after their first conversion Such desire onely to know what to do that is pleasing to God and they are ready to do it yet do they not ascribe the power to themselves but to Gods grace and the effectuall work of his Spirit so David Cause me to know the way wherein I shall walk and teach me to do thy will as in David It seems then he was willing ready and resolved to walk in that way and to Gods will when once the one or the other should be made known unto him But what will he do this by his own strength though now converted no for besides the force of the words cause me to know and teach me to do which imply more then a generall direction even an effectuall knowledge and practice he hereunto craves the speciall help and effectuall assistance of Gods holy Spirit or as some read the words is assured of the same Thy Spirit is good lead me or thy good Spirit shall lead me into the land of uprightness quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake Psal 143.8 10 11. Howsoever thus it is with true converts and in these Converts as with these here who as they were willing and ready to follow good direction given which was to repent and beleeve so this readinesse as also the act and performance after was Gods work in them As on the contrary the high Priest and whole councell of Elders and Scribes being in like manner charged and convinced by Stephen as these here by Peter to be the betrayers crucifiers and murtherers of Christ opposed and stoned him Acts 7.51 52 c. and the doing thereof was the work of the Divell in them and of their own wicked and obstinate wils whereby being stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears they resisted the holy Ghost and became the authours of their own hardening and damnation But we rather hasten to the Vse of the former Point and to an end of all By what is said wee see what to judge of disobedient and refractory sinners Vse 1 and of all such as being convinced of their sins as these here were and called to repentance Of reproof of such as resist the work of grace and withstand their own salvation proudly withstand God without any trembling at his word Isa 66.1 2. and are ready to say with proud Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce and with those citizens by whom such as I speak of are meant wee will not have this man to reign over us Luke 19.14 And Our lips are our own who is lord over us Psal 12.4 These very Jews both more anciently as also Gentiles Pilate and Herod and others that rejected and persecuted Christ are meant by David therein a type of Christ in his sufferings when he brings them in Acts 4.27 28. saying Let us break their that is the Fathers and the Sons bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Psal 2.1 2 3. These bands Jer. 27.2 3 -6 7. and cords Job 39.13 Ezek. 4.8 were signes of subjection and restraint yet though these bands of Christ be also bands of love Hos 11.4 and his yoake be easie Matth. 11.29 30. these proud and disdainfull ones refuse to serve Christ and will none of him Such are also their scholers who now being called upon and now in and by the ministery of the word to repent convert and turn from their own evil wayes and to be subject to Christ as their Prophet Priest and King will none of Christ will not deny their own wisdom that they may be wise onely by his word will have as an hand in the meriting and work of their own salvation so other Priests and Intercessours then he whether refusing to take on them Christs easie yoak and in a word will not submit themselves to him as their King to be guided by his word to repent and beleeve on his name or to forsake any sin for which they are reproved and of which convinced being ready to say Who is the Minister what saucy and bold fellow is he who thus reproveth us As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth Jer. 44.16 17. This if it be not so openly said of all yet is done by all such as answer not Gods call when they are invited to repent and told of Gods heavie judgements if they repent not yea also by such as by outward profession and seeming repentance have been thought to have taken Christs yoak upon them but are such as have revolted or casting it and his cords off after a seeming profession and played the Apostate from him by making defection to Popery Antichristianisme Arminianisme Lutheranisme and to other errours and to the doctrine at least practice of Libertinisme by imbracing this present evill world in the lusts of it and by licentiousnesse of life being such as the Princes of Judah of old were Hos 5.10 who were like them that remove the bound as not willing to be kept within the limits of Gods word and like those great men to whom Jeremy did speak Jerem. 5.5 and of whom he saith But these as well as the poor and meaner sort of people have altogether broken the yoake and burst the bands Their doom But their doom there follows ver 6. as also the like or worse doom of all disobedient impenitent and refractary sinners elsewhere not onely a lion out of the forrest shall slay them but God himself will be as a lion unto them as he threatned Ephraim saying I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a young lion which is more fierce to the house of Judah I even I. the great glorious and mighty God will tear and go away Hos 5.14 15. not tear and heal unlesse timely repentance follow Hos 6 1. but tear and go away and leave them for ever unlesse in time they in sense of their guiltinesse acknowledge their offence and seek my face But of these mens doom more hereafter We are hence taught and instructed Vse 2 when God calls us to repentance Of Instruction and exhortation especially by his Ministers and messengers sent of purpose to that end not to harden our necks not to be stiff-necked as we and others formerly have been but to give the hand or yeeld our selves unto the Lord c. 2 Chro. 30.8 to humble our selves to walk with our God to tremble at his