transgression of the law and shew what the sense of guilt is which few there are that have in a saving way Observ 3. Every soul in the world is guilty before God of the transgression of the Law And all the world may become guilty before God This hath been proved where we have shew'd that All have sinned and come short of the glory of God This guilt is threefold which is set home upon every sinners heart when convinc'd of sin by the spirit 1. The guilt of Adams sin which stands charg'd upon every sinner in the world while under the law Rom. 5.18 2. The guilt of the corruption of our natures sinne in the fountain as I have shewed which is likewise upon every Son or Daughter of Adam they are all corrupt Psal 14.1 wherein lies the exceeding sinfulfulnesse of sin 3. The guilt of actuall rebellion against God sinne brought forth and acted in the outward man against God Now under this threefold guilt is every sinner in the world while under the law the effect of which if not reconciled is punishment sutable to the guilt which is Thou shall surely dye And The wages of sinne is death eternall death Rom. 6. last Use 1. This may therefore inform and convince that every sin brings guilt upon the soul and so deserves death and everlasting wrath from God you that make light of sin to lye to profane the name of the Lord be in worldly discourses on the Lords day in any way of sin whatsoever weigh this in thy conscience There 's not the least sin but makes thee guilty before the tribunall of God God the law Angels Conscience are all witnesses against thee where 's the soul that will think to avoid this charge shall I prove every soul of you guilty and that before God If this were proved by the power of the word in the conscience I know what and I shall shew it you will be the effect of it lay your consciences to the Word and if thou art found guilty before the Lord this day go home with the sense of it upon thy soul and do as a guilty sinner should do 1. Consider first as to what concerns God immediately The Law requires Thou shouldst have no other Gods but him Exod. 20. Which Jesus Christ interprets is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul now Hath God had thy whole heart and soul darest thou say so Hath not the world had more of thy heart then God Dost not thou love the world and the things of it Do not thy affections thoughts desires of thy heart even day and night go after it yea you cannot but grant that 't is so Then God and Angels are witnesse that thou art guilty of the damnable sin of Idolatry And such a one shall not as such enter into the kingdome of God Eph. 5.5 Know by that Scripture A covetous heart may send thee to Hell as well as any sin in the world No Covetous man who is an Idolater shall enter into the kingdome of God read over the place every day and tremble at it Here 's guilt already enough to damn thee 2. Thou hast worshipped God superstitiously and idolatrously after the traditions and commandments of men you that are elderly people are all guilty here in a grievous manner in the time of your ignorance when superstitious Ceremonies were practised and the Common-prayer-Book worship was upheld when you polluted the Ordinances of Jesus Christ coming to Sacraments with sins upon your souls from which sins you are not converted and changed to this day which the Apostle calls eating and drinking damnation or judgment under which guilt you still lye and would heap up more of this guilt were not some more tender of your souls then your selves Here 's guilt to purpose who is free from it and how many unhumbled under it to this day Art thou not now ready to cry out Oh hold hold you need go no further my conscience is smitten oh guilt great guilt lyes upon me Oh that 't were the cry of many souls before the Lord how might it end in mercy that shall be for ever 3. But yet further to pursue thy conscience for that 's the nature of guilt doth not the Lord require in his law that thou shouldst not take his Name in vain Exod. 20.7 Now sinner stave off this guilt if thou canst How oft hast thou abused and profaned this great and dreadfull Name the Lord thy God by swearing or in thy by-words crying oh Lord oh God for Gods sake for Christs sake upon every foolish vain occasion with no more reverence of his Name then the most Common name in the world And some of you have as many dayes as you have lived since your childhood bin frequently guilty of this great evil which thou hast made a small matter of which if ever God pardon it it will appear to be odious guilt from the height of thy heart-Atheism How oft hast thou heard the word and thy heart bin after the world and thine eyes gazing up and down that t is easie to discern thou regardest not what is spoken from God to thee and the same in prayer how oft hast thou babled ore the Lords prayer like a charme with no reverence of Gods Majesty upon thy soul in thy bed it may be in a drowsie manner or if otherwise not understanding the words thou speakest much lesse thy heart affected with them or it may be saying over the Creed and the Commandements or some Service-book prayers as abundance do grievously profaning Gods Name and offering lip labour which his soul abhorreth yea know what hath bin often proved that thy prayers and all thy worship and good deeds as thou callest them are an abomination to the Lord while thou art in thy sin an unconverted and unholy person yea the way of thy worship in which thou placest thy greatest confidence hath bin the highest aggravation of thy sin in offering up to God that which his soul hateth Esay 1.11 12 13 14 15. When you make many prayers saith the Lord I will not hear you c. And as to the sanctifying the Sabbath which thou shouldest make a holy rest unto God thou hast made it a meer fleshly rest consuming the day upon thy lusts in vanity idlenesse carnall and worldly discourses in families in the streets to the high dishonour of the Name of God and hardening of thy heart against the truths of God rendring thereby the preaching of the Gospel wholly unprofitable to thy soul A carriage farr unlike a man that hath the grace of God upon him and a most invincible argument to thy conscience that thou makest not God his word ordinances sabbaths a holy delight and knowest not the excellency and sweetnesse of Communion with him Say sinner and lay thy conscience to this conviction is hearing and that with love praying praising meditating conferring of holy things the very heaven of thy
can never be able to find or bring about in or by it self which may lead us to the more particular way of the Holy Ghost's working this power in the soul in the saved ones of God 1. In the working of Faith in the soul it is first brought to see an impossibility of coming to God as in its self or by its self concluded under an utter unability to pacifie God or make up a righreousness in it self to get access with God The soul is emptyed from vessell to vessell till all the things that it counted gain before become losse for Jesus Christ This is the first work of the Spirit it emptyes a poor sinfull Creature of all its refuges all its dependencyes all its sufficiencyes and so becomes naked in its guilt before God and therefore is brought to this that its acceptance to God if ever it be accepted must be out of its self what ever become of him he must perish as in himself 2. In the work of saith The soul is brought to see that this was the end of the Revelation of Jesus Christ of Gods setting him forth to be a propitiation that he might work forth Redemption and Righteousnesse for some that this is a way of Gods own ordaining Jesus Christ was set forth for this very end even by God himself and therefore the soul is brought to this conclusion to venture the issue of its life and eternall salvation upon it and so throwes it self as in a sinking condition upon the the grace blood righteousnesse of Jesus Christ sink or swim live or perish saved or damned there the soul casts Anchor there it pitcheth to this it will stand or fall before the righteous God If there be not enough in the blood of Jesus to give it acceptance with God the soul resolves to Hell it must and will There saith a poor self-emptyed soul I cast even away my self if it might be upon it Phil. 3.9 3. The soul is brought on to believe the report that God in his word makes concerning his Son Jesus Christ and of the price value merit and all-sufficiency of his blood to save a poor sinner even to the utmost that comes to God by him Heb. 7.25 to answer all the wants and distresses of a poor soul namely in pacifying the Justice of God fulfilling the Law making atonement removing guilt procuring remission of sins reconciling to God Rom. 5.9 10. Much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life In all which things the soul is enabled to believe the report of the Gospell that the blood and death of Jesus Christ can do all this for poor sinners that shall pitch upon it 4. In this working of faith the soul comes to see and fasten upon an absolute unlimited Free promise where any sinner that will may come to Jesus Christ and so have the vertue of his death and blood applyed to it and therefore that he as well as any other sinner in the world may come to him and make claime to his blood and plead it before God whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. Now saith a poor self-emptyed sinner I do not find that I am any where excluded but invited and called upon to come to the Lord Jesus and claime an interest in his blood and that I may plead it even at the throne of his justice and that I may warrantably safely upon good grounds given out from the mouth of God himself take hold of the Lord Jesus in such a promise and there is no sin or unworthinesse can exclude me unlesse I will frowardly and wretchedly exclude my self I do not find saith a poor soul that any sin is too great for the sacrifice of that blood of Jesus so the sinner will come to it yea that 't is the greatest sin and the top of condemnation not to come to it that I more injure God by standing off from Jesus Christ then by all the filthinesse blasphemies ungodlinesses my soul ever wallowed in Heb. 10.29 The blood of Christ is a price sufficient for the sins of the whole world therefore saith a poor soul For mine He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world therefore he can take away mine and I am freely call'd and invited to it and t is my rebellion not to come what can I have more And so sense of peace and reconciliation falls in upon the Soul 5. The soul by its often renewing of such Acts of believing comes at last to see the blood of Jesus Christ appropriated to him now it can stay it self upon the word of promise and can sometimes rejoyce in believing If I rolle my self upon the blood of Jesus I have the word of God for it that I shall be saved we shall be saved from wrath through him not it may be but we shall be saved and all upon the account of being justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 which justification ariseth upon this believing we have mention'd Thus have I opened the nature of faith as it is precisely justifying as it applyes and appropriates the blood and righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus for remission of sins and Justification unto eternall Life I might insist upon the discovery of the effectuall operations of faith in the soul as may distinguish it from a mere belief of the History of the death of Jesus Christ take two or three 1. When the soul by faith doth act upon the blood of Jesus Christ for justification it doth also bring the power and efficacy of it for the purging of the soul Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offer'd himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God So Act. 15.9 Purifying your hearts by faith There is a purifying vertue in the blood of Jesus Christ upon the souls of believers They are for the purging away the filth as well as the guilt of sin There 's no believing soul but cryes out Purge me Oh Lord purge me and thoroughly from my filth 2. The soul hath a secret yet reall fellowship with the death of Jesus Christ to crucifie and destroy the body of sin in a justified believer which ariseth from its union with Christ Rom. 6.5 6. For if we have bin planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection knowing that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Every true believer can really say I am or I would be Crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 Which the Apostle there brings in as an effect of Justification by faith 3. Every justified believer looks upon this as one great end of his Justification
dispenced forth in his Son Iesus Christ Ioh. 5.21.26 The Son quickneth whom he will for as the the Father hath life in himself So he hath given to the Son to have Life in himself Because I live ye shall live also Iohn 14.19 Now naturally all sinners are dead in the old Adam and utterly unable to beget life in themselves who can make alive his own soul but when they were New-born as new Creatures they are said to be quickned in Christ Ephes 2.5 As God breathed life into man at first and so he became a living soul so in the new Creation the soul is said to be created into Christ Eph. 2.10 and to be made Alive in him Rom. 6.11 2. If there were not a reall union of the soul with Christ life if it should be given without it would not be preserved in the soul Thou holdest our soul in life Psal 66.9 As the branch through it was once quickned cannot preserve it life if cut off from the root And therefore a continued supply of life from Jesus Christ to the soul is necessary as to all its spirituall actings as a new Creature 3. By being in Christ the soul is made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 by which the regenerate part all gracious habits are infused in the soul whereby the New-Creature is formed up in believers Hence it is that all grace and holinesse is infused into the soul as distinguish'd from Common grace that at last withereth John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered c. therefore a necessity of being in Christ 4. Without being in Christ the power and raign of sin the body of sin will not be destroyed no destroying the body of sin by any possible endeavors but by the influence of the death of Iesus Christ and a reall fellowship therewith which cannot be attained but by being planted into Christ Rom. 6.5 6. For if we have bin planted together into the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin be destroyed that hence forth we might not serve sin All the proper mortifying power that believers have of the body of sin is drawn from fellowship with the death of Iesus Christ which fellowship ariseth only from being one with him 5. The Image of God cannot be renewed upon us but in Christ As we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.19 So Rom. 8.29 we are made conformable to the Image of his Son By union a soul is made partaker of the fulnesse of Iesus Christ as all grace is laid up in him and of that fulnesse partakes by measure of every grace from him Iohn 1.16 And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace that is grace according to the patern of Jesus Christ partaking of every grace in him according to the measure allowed to every member and branch in him 6. Without being in Christ no duty is accepted with God by being in Christ we are accepted in the righteousnesse of Christ whereby all the dutyes of a Child of God are accepted with the Father 1 Pet. 3.5 as performed by a principle of life from Iesus Christ and offered up to God in the name and righteousnesse of Christ otherwise let praying and all other dutyes be never so strictly frequently devoutly performed they find no acceptance with God and the soul is not bettered by them Without me ye can do nothing John 15. saith Jesus Christ 7. Without being in Jesus Christ there can be no holy fruit in conversation brought forth to God John 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit All the fruit that is of our own stock comes to nought but the fruit that is brought forth in Christ from implantation into him is precious fruit unto repentance Reformation holinesse and righteousnesse and doing of any good unlesse it proceed from the life we have in Christ is Pharisaical and comes to nothing and will be burnt up in the day of the Lord wherefore sanctified believers are call'd the trees of righteousnesse Esay 61. as planted engrafted into Jesus Christ whereby they bring forth all their favory fruit unto God Use See now the great and weighty and indispensable necessity of getting into Christ of having union with him the main pillar upon which hangs all your Comfort Do what you will and be out of Jesus Christ and t is an accursed loathed sacrifice Do what thou wilt from thy own stock and 't is bitter fruit A dram of what is performed in Christ is of more worth then a mighty daily bulk of dutyes without it not hereby to lessen a believer as to muchnesse of duty but to shew the unacceptableness of all duties though never so many long devout till a poor soul performes all from a new principle and power of life in the soul from Iesus Christ and so a new Creature Oh! that poor souls were thoroughly convinc'd of this who so they perform dutyes never consider this Oh! lay to heart thy dead condition and the infinite necessity of getting into Christ No life in thy soul no preserving of life till Jesus Christ nothing of the divine nature upon thee no destroying of sin nothing of the Image of God upon thee that is saving no duty accepted no fruit unto God in thy conversation till thou hast the reall experience of this blessed Mystery in thy soul of being one in Christ through the spirit till thy soul knoweth what union fellowship with the Son of God meaneth Therefore souls that fall short here their knowledge profession conversation is lost labour is to the great matter of eternall life and salvation 2. If all that are truly and savingly New-Creatures are in Christ then a New-Creature any other way is but a semblance and appearance of it and not so indeed and reality If from our selves from the power of the Law upon the Conscience or upon any other account whatsoever And therefore I still say the more we consider of this matter of the more narrow enquiry do we find it to be There is a semblance and likenesse of being New-Creatures which is not really so a semblance of holinesse a holy fruit which is not truly so but will at last wither and hence all the withered professours in this day as we shall presently shew I shall not here speak of such as pretend to no manner of change inward or outward such as are in all things the same that ever they were as such as live in known grosse sins they have no appearance or pretence of claim to the Title and Character of the New-Creature By their own concession and acknowledgment they are still the same as ever they were therefore not so much as pretend to be made New
Wilderness perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankincense Chap. 3.6 So saith that Word of Promise Chap. 4.6 His smell shall be as Lebanon And when Jesus Christ breathes in his Ordinances upon blessed Souls it is as a sweet and delightsome Perfume to them Fifthly There is a new feeling wrought as an effect of this new life which the Soul hath in Christ when a new Creature is in him The natural man is without feeling as a dead man is let never so great a weight lye on a dead man and he feels not but now take a Soul created into Christ and he feels a new Weight within him Heb. 12.1 Sin is not onely a burden as to the weight of guilt but every corruption even when the sense of guilt is removed by Jesus Christ is a Weight to the Soul under which the Soul cryes out mourns groans to be delivered Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Sin hangs like a dead body about him Vse If the Gospel-new-creature is a living new creature and doth exercise Spiritual Life and hath new spiritual senses Let this then be a word of Tryal to discover the state of your Souls Can you say I that was dead am alive I was once spiritually dead without feeling did neither see nor hear nor taste in a Spiritual way but now the Lord in rich grace hath opened my deaf Ear and my blind Eyes now I have heard the Lord himself speak to my soul now I have seen the Lord and my Heart is taken with him Now I savour the Word of Grace and the Ministration of the Gospel is a sweet savour in Christ to me the Name of Jesus Christ is as good Ointment to me Now I feel a body of sin and groan under it and press after the destroying and crucifying of it Souls If this be not your Experience you are dead you are without the Life of God and Christ in you Oh! go to God sinners as you have been exhorted and cry to him to open your ear to hear and your eye to see Be convinced that as yet your Ear hath been stopt as to hearing the Lord himself speak to you Oh say Woe is me that I am where the Lord useth to speak under the Ministration of his Gospel and yet he never spake to my Soul Doth the Lord love me and never speak to me Pity Lord Pity a poor deaf blind stupid unsavoury Wretch and breathe life into me And then wait for the Lord's Voice in his Word Now let the Spirit himself speak unto me and unveil my heart that I may see into the Mysteries of Jesus Christ and may savour them upon my poor Soul 2. Let living Souls in Christ exercise their Spiritual Senses keep the Ear open to and waiting for the Spirits Voice be prying into the mystery of God in Christ and all Gospel-Truths get a clearer sight of Jesus Christ till you shall be infinitely taken with him and love him for himself And keep the heart savoury and the precious scent of Gospel-grace upon your Spirits and labour so to feel the weight of the body of sin how it poyseth polluteth cloudeth the Soul that you may come to that frame to cry out to be delivered from it And let it be abundant matter of praise to the riches of grace that God hath given life and senses to your souls which he might have left under the death of sin to all Eternity 5. The next Discovery of our Gospel New-Creature is this namely He hath a new heart So Ezek. chap. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit which the Lord hath in Free-grace promised in the New-covenant Chap. 36.26 A new heart will I give you which I shall precisely consider and shew particularly wherein the heart is made new 1. The heart naturally in its old corrupt frame is a rebellious heart Jer. 5.23 This people have a rebellious heart the usual complaint of the Prophets Now when the Lord makes the heart new he begins to take away the rebellion of heart as it naturally opposeth the Word Power and Spirit of God and the heart is made obedient and plyable to the power of the Word the Spirit 's Teachings Isa 1.19 If ye be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured c. My people shall be willing in the day of my power Psal 110. The heart of it self is stubborn obstinate unwilling to stoop to the power of Truth to yield to Jesus Christ but when it is made new it becomes of an yieldable frame to the practical Obedience of Gospel-Truths 2. The heart as an effect of the former is naturally hard and impenitent Rom. 2.5 cannot mourn for sinne But When 't is made new God makes it soft Ezek. 36.27 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh which is a soft and tender heart whereby a Soul can pour out its complaints to God yea the heart will pour out it self like water to the Lord Lam. 2.19 The Heart receives impressions of truth as by its softness 't is more and more wrought to a new frame as in the hand of the Lord. 3. The Heart is naturally proud and makes the sinner self-conceited and well-opinioned of his own condition and will not suffer the sinner to abase himself to God and to take shame to himself But when a new Work of God's upon it the sinner humbles himself under the mighty hand of God bears his reproach before him and cryes out Oh! What shall I do for an humble heart Lord take away subdue Pride in a wretched creature Jam. 4.10 Now he becomes a poor self-emptyed creature undone helpless and to a full Christ he at last goes 4. The Heart is naturally hypocritical The hypocrite in heart heaps up wrath Job 36.13 Now when God makes the heart new then it begins to be sincere in some good measure for God before the poor deceived sinner thought he did all with a good heart that he did bear much upon that he did all with a good heart but when God shews him his heart by the Candle of his Word and Spirit then the poor Creature sees what a Hell of Hypocrisie was and is within him that he acted in all Duties as from himself so to himself and not uprightly unto God But when the Lord new frames the heart then the Soul is after new sincere holy aims for God in all it does is most abased for selfish and hypocritical mixtures and would account nothing well done but as God is designed in it and labours to walk in simplicity of heart and godly sincerity as of God and in the sight of God c. 2 Cor. 1.12 5. The old Heart is full of all uncleanness and impurity and cares not to be cleansed So saith Christ to the Jews Mat. 23.27 Within you are
a soul then this nothing makes it more difficult to believe pardon when humbled for it therefore 't is that many poor souls fear they have sin'd the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost because they have sinned against knowledge and light which though while they are humbled before the Lord it cannot be that they have so sinned unpardonably yet in as much as 't is the sin that borders next upon the sin against the Holy Ghost it much greatens sin to a poor soul under the sense of it Such a sinner is said to reproach the Lord Numb 15.30 31. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin James 4. last To him it is sin that is great sin of which God will take the severest account Therefore such as have the profession of Christianity and the knowledge of the Word in some measure and yet go on unpenitently in sin they are the greatest sinners in the world will have the greatest damnation And this circumstance in sin makes or should do so such souls that never lived in notorious sins be under deep abasement because though their sins were not so gross as many others yet they were against great light and knowledge which makes every little sin continued in great in the account of God and great in the account of the sinner when he comes before the Lord in the sense of it Oh I pleased my self in sins that I knew to be sins and was convinced by the word of God of them yet I went on and loved them 5. Continuance in sin much greatens sin to a poor soul that is after pardon specially such as are not very early converted God will wound the hairy scalp of such a one that goeth on still in his trespasses Psal 68.21 Oh I added sin unto sin saith a poor soul spending the choise time of my youth in sin when I might have been getting the knowledge of Jesus Christ and honouring of God This lay close upon David's spirit as appears in this 25th Psa 7. Oh remember not the sins of my youth c. Yet we do not find that Davids youth was notoriously sinful but in as much as he spent not his youth to get knowledge and to serve the Lord fully 't was his burden and complaint before the Lord much more such whose youth was spent in nothing but vanity prophaness lying swearing prophaning of the Sabbath sports pastimes excess of riot and the like when God layes it in upon their consciences must be grievous and abominable to their souls 6. Multitudes of sins do make sin appear great this made David cry out for multitude of mercies Psa 51. and Psa 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me One sin but a sinfull thought is worthy of a thousand hells much more multiplyed numberless infinite sins in thought words walkings calling worship in all I have done I did nothing else but sin therefore the least sinner in the world is a great sinner when God lays his account before him 7. Another thing that greatens sin is that it was against purposes and resolutions of forsaking such and such sins and yet all broken sometimes against solemn vowes against prayers this consideration upon many a poor soul sticks hard and layes low and makes his sin grievous indeed that against purposes vowes prayers he should return to his sin this makes him cry out Oh my sin is great great indeed Doth will the Lord pardon such a wretch c. 8. Sin appears great when seen by a poor soul because it was reigning sin Rom. 5. 6. Sin reigned to death c. Oh saith a poor humbled sinner I did not only commit sin but I was the servant and slave of sin I obey'd sin as a lord and that willingly I obey'd it in the lusts thereof where God Christ his Spirit Word Law should have dwelt and reigned there sin and lusts bore sway and had the command of my soul A little sin when a reigning sin is a great sin All that sin can do is but to rule the sinner and so it doth the least sinner that is under it though it break not forth into grosse notorious actings against the Lord and this doth much greaten it 9. Sin in the fountain makes it great As it may be said there is more water in the fountain then in the pools and streams it makes because there is a continual issuing and flowing out of it which is able to make far greater streams so sin in the nature in the heart is there as in the fountain and therefore 't is more there than in the breakings forth of it in the outward man so that though a sinner in his youth hath been restrained from many great sins yet in as much as sin in the fountain was as full as in any sinner in the world though restrained pent in which the sinner was not beholding to his own heart for it renders him a great sinner before the Lord when savingly enlightned The want of this consideration makes outwardly righteous persons not look upon themselves as great sinners they see and feel not sin infinite in the fountain of it which mostly greatens it above all the actings of it in life 10. A sinner drawing nigh to God for pardon sees his sin as great because thereby he was led captive by the Devil at his will He that committeth sin is of the Devil 1 John 3.8 comitteth sin so as in a state of sin under the power of sin and not born of God why such a one is of the Devil under the power of the Devil of the Devil and not of God and this because of sin which gives this dominion to the Devil Oh saith a poor Creature I that was the creature of God and should have lived to him lived to the Devil and the service of him and took part with him against Christ his Word his Saints and was an enemy to them this greatens my sin before the Lord. 11. Sin appears great because great is the wrath of God against sin sinners are said to heap up wrath Rom. 2. and they are called the Children of wrath God to manifest his displeasure against sin is fain to powre out everlasting wrath upon an unpardoned sinner to leave the sinner under endless torment of soul and body God hates nothing but sin and for sin and so hates it that infinite endless wrath must be the vengeance of it Oh when God gives a sinner a glimpse of this Oh the greatness of every little sin to deserve such wrath How shall I flee from and escape the wrath to come who can stand before such wrath who can bear it 12. The way of any sinner's deliverance from such wrath shews sin to be exceeding great in the price and ransome
25. Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make clean the out side of the cup and platter but with they are full of extortion and excesse so with the same woe pronounced verse 27. Ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse verse 28. Even so also ye outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocrisie and iniquity Mark the Lords words within ye are thus and thus As if the Lord should say God regards not what you are outwardly and your observing the law with the outward man seeing you have abundance of all iniquity within which every unregenerate soul in the world hath so you may see that an outward keeping of the law standes for nothing in the account of God whatever it do with men and your selves which you hear Jesus Christ gives forth as the mark of an Hypocrite Now you have heard the law requires inward as well as outward perfection perfect holinesse within as well as righteousnesse in the outward man I verily believe want of this conviction upon the soul sends more soules to Hell then any other thing in the world besides how confident are poor Creatures if they are a little consciencious in dealing and sober and blamelesse to men this you may be and be no better then devils as in your selves in Gods account and thy best Character from Jesus Christ Mat. 23.26 is a Blind Pharisee Every place I fear abounds with them therefore this inveterate cursed plea of being outwardly blamelesse in keeping the Law will not in the least tender you more accepted with God but t is at the best but painted Hypocrisie And yet wretched souls that you are none so well perswaded of themselves as these This the fourth reason 5. All the best keeping of the Law doth not cannot make satisfaction to God for one sin of thy soul therefore t is worth nothing Gods Justice is wronged and if the sinner be remitted God must be satisfied by the sinner himself or by another Now all the obedience of a sinner cannot make satisfaction to God in the least If he had the whole world to offer up to God it could not satisfie him for the the wrong of one sin see that known place Micah 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Implying that there is nothing that a poor sinner of himself can offer up to God to make atonement or satisfaction to God for the least sin of his soul should he offer up thousands of prayers rivers of tears whole ages spent in services to God take up to a severe new obedience if you should so take up to a new course as never to sinne more all your dayes it would not make God satisfaction or atonement for one evil thought of thy soul Now observe this for if thou art not rightly convinced of this thing thou art lost for ever T is naturally upon every man and womans heart that hath sinned to imagine that when they have sinned they can put off God as to his displeasure with something or other they will reckon what good they have done gone to Church as you style it given Almes bin just to men or some such thing and the poor blind Creature imagines and pleaseth himself in it that this good thus done will well enough pacifie God for his sins or at least he will go over some prayers be strickt for a little while and then they doubt not but God because also he presently smites not with judgment is well enough apayed and he need no more trouble himself Is not this the very way of your hearts hath not the word found you out Object But you will say why cannot these duties and this obedience satisfie and pacifie God well enough for sin Answ 1. Because there is sinne mixt in them they come from a profane heart as is shew'd in the last reason though thou ignorantly because thou knowest not thy heart call'st it a good heart now that which is in it self sinfull cannot sure satisfie for sinne 2. Because of the infiniteness of Gods justice as well as purity of it A finite creature cannot offer up a proportionable atonement to an infinite God Suppose a poor man were under the guilt of treason condemn'd to dye and he should go offer up a little coorse broken bread to the Prince would any one think that this would satisfie the Prince for his treason So poor deceived creature thou art guilty of treason and rebellion against the great and most high God and thou comest and offerest up to him thy poor polluted broken obedience and duties and thinkest he will be satified with this whereas God may in the same moment justly send thee to Hell for the iniquity of them A poor sinfull soul thinkes that because such doings and services do satisfie himself his own conscience therefore he thinks they will satisfie God also because they quiet him upon any trouble for guilt he thinks they will also quiet God and take off his anger and justice from punishing him poor creature this thy way is thy folly and the ready way to come under the severe justice of the Almighty who will not thus be dealt with nor be thus bribed with thy cursed sacrifices This is a further convincement of the point All the creature can do cannot pacifie God for one sin and therefore all his best keeping of the law cannot justifie a poor sinner before God nor give him acceptance in the least with him till he sees pacification another way and takes up obedience from another principle and to another end as we are to shew 6. All a mans endeavour in setting himself to keep the law to the utmost cannot give him acceptance with God because it cannot give life to the soul Gal. 3.21 For if there had bin a law which would have given life verily righteousnesse had come by the law Man hath procured death and weaknes upon his soul and the law cannot give life nor strength to obey it All that righteousness which leavs the soul dead comes to nothing while a soul is under the law and upon the fulfilling of it as he hopes in a good measure still the soul is as dead as sin left it and void of the life of God true A poor soul thinkes himself alive by his legall performances as Paul thought Rom. 7.9 but he is dead in sin and under the sentence of death by the Law and all the performances towards the keeping of it can never give a drop of life to such a poor soul they are dead
could be a disciple and part with nothing lose or venture nothing he would rest as he was and hope his being an honest sober man and well thought of would bring him to Heaven and so for ought appears cheated his soul to Hell The case of Paul hath bin often shew'd you he was as many of you think your selves blamelesse Phil. 3.6 lived in no known sin outwardly against the law frequented the publick worship made conscience of his dealings was zealous of the traditions and customes of his Fathers in the matters of God and yet do you not hear him crying out of it all as losse verse 7. 8. He thought it was his gain before that it would have gained him Heaven but now t is all losse his keeping the Church his outward blamelessenesse stands him not in the least stead but cryes out t is All All losse for Jesus Christ the same Paul that before boasted and thought very well of himself and was in much peace and persecuted all beyond his formall profession now cryes out Away with this fig-leave righteousnesse of mine own 't is as dung I tread it under my feet for Iesus Christ he that thought himself so blamelesse before now cryes out I am the Cheif of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And I am carnall sold under sinne Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death A marvellous Change indeed and such that is made upon every soul that is really brought off from the righteousness of the law to that which is of Iesus Christ Now to bring what hath bin spoken to this point to a more particular Application Use 1. If it be so that the best endeavour of any mortall creature to keep the law of God as well as they can will not give them acceptance with God Then you that have so imagin'd and thereby spoken peace to your selves namely that you hope if you keep the Church as you use to speak and harme no body and do any body any good you can live not in grosse sins be well thought of by your neighbours you shall do well enough for Heaven and you must hope well Ah poor creature thou errest not knowing the way of the Lord nor of thy own heart how art thou befooling thy self and deceiving thy own soul No sinner in so ready a way to Hell as thou if thou continue thus and let not go thy hold and get a new bottome for thy naked soul which I am to shew thee Consider man or woman young or old whoever thou art thou hast bin proved guilty of the breach of the whole law of God thou hast bin shewed of the exactnesse of the justice of God and the spirituality of the law how it reacheth the inmost motions of thy heart thou hast been shewed the tenour of it as it was given forth as a Covenant that the law will not admit of the least breach though but in thought but it condemns as if the whole law were transgressed even every soul that is under it here is the rigour of it And thou hast bin shewd that the law admits not of endeavours nor of the will for the deed if thou wert once in Christ indeed it would be so but not as now thou art thou hast bin shew'd that there 's sin enough in every one of thy best performances to damn thee for ever that thy righteousnesse reacheth but the outward man within didst thou see it thou art full of iniquity that what ever thou hast done cannot make God the least satisfaction as thou flatterest thy self for the least sin All thy obedience and duties cannot give life to thy soul but still leave thee as a dead tree dead in thy sin that by this vain confidence thou doest utterly make void the death of Jesus Christ as to any vertue or effect to thy own soul soul here is thy very case plainly set forth A thousand thousand sins to damn thee and that righteousnesse obedience good thou hopest thou hast done towards God and man not in the least able to rescue thee cover thee deliver thee from the guilt of one of the least of these sins nor save thee from wrath to come but leave thy soul as sinfull guilty naked wretched condemned as if thou hadst bin nothing else but sinning all thy dayes Oh wretched condition that the devill and thy own heart have flattered thee in Oh let this serve to convince unbottome legall professours who have spoken peace to themselves in being as good as they can and obeying the law as well as they can so hope God pardons where they fail Oh you are ignorant of the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.3 Either what righteousnesse God requires in the law as to be justified by it or what is the righteousnesse of the Gospel which is of Jesus Christ by faith Oh you who like that young man have bin righteous from your youth up brought up religiously look to this whether you make not this your confidence but though under some kind of sorrowings for sin and walking exactly yet never emptyed of your selves and renouncing your selves and all that was of you and come poor and nothing to Jesus Christ to be found in Him who have not trembled as much at being found in your own righteousnesse which is of the Law as at living in the greatest sinne whatsoever You who have taken up from grosser sins of your life your youth and now think you are safe and bottome your hope upon your new outward obedience but have not the experience of your closing with Jesus Christ for righteousnesse in which alone you could stand before God nor rooted into Jesus Christ in the carrying on of your new obedience which I am also further to open Alas poor soul thou art yet to seek for a bottome for thy peace and for heaven as much as the greatest sinner in the world and if you go no further you will certainly perish for ever I beseech you souls Admit of this conviction into your consciences Saith the first Covenant of the law A whole law kept or nothing Saith the Gospel-Covenant which you are now to look after A whole Christ closed with or nothing Mind it most seriously you that stand upon your termes and will not endure any thing that may shake you and disturb your peace There 's more danger of your righteousness then your sin your sin it maybe you would sin leave because it may damn you if continued in but your righteousnesse your confidence in it you would not leave because you hope that shall save you and pacifie God for you and this will be your ruine if you stick here But first to strike off some Objections that the heart of such a legall professour doth put forth Object 1. But you will object Why do I speak thus would I beat people off a good conversation Is not a blameblesse conversation and honest walking a good signe and ground for ones hope
and fetch your daily supplies from him Walk in the Spirit after the Spirit as much as may be and see that you keep close to Rule to the revealed Will of God and not to Delusions Be able to appeal to God Judge me oh God according to mine integrity Psal 26.1 that you may have this peace and comfort in all your ways Thou upholdest me oh Lord in mine integrity And see you walk humbly before GOD and Men and in love to all that profess love to Christ and they do in some measure really express it and carry it justly and compassionately towards all men Learn above all the Experience of the Life of Faith live not in or upon what you have received but live out of it upon the Fulness of the Lord as if you had received nothing Oh ply the Throne of Grace that you may be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ and to walk in this present World as near as may be after the Holinesse Patience Meeknesse Wisdome and Love of Jesus Christ which he shewed towards all men having your Hearts and Conversations in Heaven where your Treasure is 11. The New-Creature doth in all things labour its own perfection and is therefore still in conflicting with destroying crucifying purging out the old Creature the old man all of the Old Adam till it sits down in Victory in a full perfection of Holinesse and Glory which it shall have and not till then at the appearing of Jesus Christ Ephes 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and be renewed c. Knowing this that our Old Man is crucified with Him that the body of sinne might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 This is the main Work of the New-Creature where it is really formed in Christ to destroy and purge out the Defilements and Dregs of the Old Man of Sin Self Corruption that it may be as a new Lump as a Vessel made meet for the Lord's use as formed up set apart anointed sanctifyed for God and his Use here and for ever AMEN To the Blessed God Alone be all the Glory FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by Edward Brewster at the Crane in Paul's Church-yard 1 DR William's Right-way to the best Religion wherein at large is explained the principal Heads of the Gospel in Fol. 2 Dr. Jermin on the Proverbs Fol. 3 Mr. Stock upon Malachy Fol. 4 Mr. Elton on the 7th 8th 9th Romans Fol. 5 Mr. Hildersham on the 4th of John Fol. 6 Mr. Edward Leigh's Annotations on Job Psalms Proverbs Eccles and Cant. Fol. 7 The Largest Church-Bible Fol. 8 Consilia Decreta Leges Constitutiones in re Eccles Orbis Britannnici opera Studio Henrici Spelman Eq. Aur. Fol. 9 Briggs Trigonometria Brittannica Fol. 10 Mr. Birckbeck his Protestants Evidence taken out of good Records Shewing that for 1500 years next after Christ divers worthy Guides of God's Church have in sundry weighty Points of Religion taught as the Church of England now doth A most learned and judicious Work Fol. 11 Johnson's History of Birds and Fishes Fol. 12 Mr. Bentham's Christian Conflict Quarto 13 Mr. Calamy's Sermons quarto 14 Mr. Cawdrey his Inconsistency of the Independent way with Scripture and it self quar 15 His Answer to G. Firmin about Baptism quar 16 Canaans Calamity or The Destruction of Jerusalem quar 17 Mr. Cook of Infants Baptism quar 18 Mr. Dod on the Commandements quar 19 Mr. Elton on the Commandements and Lords Prayer quar 20 Mr. Collier's Treatise of the Sabbath and against free admission to the Sacrament quar 21 A Collection of several Sermons preached before the Parliament quar 22 The English Presbyterian and Independent reconciled quar 23 Several Sermons of Mr. Paul Bayn quar 24 Mr. Negus of Faith and Obedience quar 25 Mr. Newcomens Sermons preached before the Parliament quar 26 Mr. Jenkins his Sermons quar 27 Against John Goodwin in two Books quar 28 Galeni Opuscula varia Annot. D. Gulstoni Gr. Lat. quar 29 Spelmani Psalterium Saxonicum quar 30 Mr. Geer against Bishops quar 31 Against the Anabaptists c. quar 32 Mr. Randal on the 8th of Romans quar 33 On the Church quar 34 A short History of the Anabaptists of Germany quar 35 Mr. Rutherford of Church-government and Excommunication Quarto 36 Dr. Potter on the Number 666. quar 37 Mr. Stalham against Universal Redemption quar 38 Against the Anabaptists quar 39 Against the Quakers quar 40 Dr. Slater on Malachy quar 41 On the 4th of Romans quar 42 Mr. Udal on the Lamentations quar 43 The Vindication of the Presbyterian Government and Ministery quar 44 Mr. Whitaker's Sermons quar 45 Mr. Wheatly's New-Birth quar 46 Motives to a good life in Ten Sermons By Barton Holiday D.D. quar 47 Mr. Abbot against Brownists Octavo 48 Ball 's Catechism Octav. 49 Doctrine of the Bible Octav. 50 Masterson's Arithmetick Octav. 51 Baker's Arithmetick Octav. 52 Wingat's Logarithms Octav. School-Books 53 Danesii Grammat Lat. Quarto 54 Herodiani Historiae Gr. Lat. Octav. 55 Dux Grammaticas Duodecimo 56 Helvicus Colloques Duodecimo 57 Brinsley 's Translation of Corderius in Eng. Octav. 58 His Puerilis Confab Eng. Octav. 59 Farnaby on Marshal's Epig. Octav. 60 On Ovid Metamorph. Octav. 61 On Juvenal Octav. 62 Epigrammata Selecta Gr. Lat. Octav. 63 Geer's Troposchematologia Octav.