which is also on our behalf most needfull for as we are miserable and stand in need of mercy so also helplesse yea wholly impotent unable unfit yea unwilling as of our selves to convert or come to Christ Our need of Gods power in our conversion 1 Cor. 1.23 we must be drawn if we come at all our hard hearts must be changed prepared made willing that so Christ who to the Jews is a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness may be made unto us which are called both Jews and Greeks the power of God and the wisdom of God There is a yoak on our necks which God onely can take off Hos 11.4 by drawing us with cords of a man even bands of love God must prepare us for faith and grace by removing all blocks which lie in our way and that prejudice which wee generally have of Christ and take from us the stony heart We are dead in sin and trespasses and no less power is required then that which raised Christ himself from death Joh. 6.44 Ephes 1.19 20. Rom. 8.11 We are under darkness yea under the power of Satan and to turn us from darkness to light Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God requires the power of God Nay when we are turned 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. we stand in need of the same power of God to keep us through faith unto salvation Conversion not wrought all at once Now this work of Gods power is manifested also by degrees and in a certain order whereby he brings those he loves from nothing to something from infidelity to faith 1 By driving them out of themselves and by self-denyall 2 By bringing them to true contrition and other further grace 3 And so by these and other preparatory works but by some preparatory works to through conversion and to true faith which faith and grace of conversion is not wrought all at once in one instant at least it appears not in any all at once nor is it wrought alike soon or late in all but as the Baptist was to prepare the way to Christ as to the onely City of Refuge by filling every valley and bringing low every mountain and hill so Gods messengers make way for his coming in the spirit savingly and powerfully by preparing the soul for Christ that is by pricking and wounding the conscience by casting down all high thoughts in men by humbling them first and then by raising them up by hope c. This work of power then would be traced from its highest originall also The order and steps of conversion which is double Know we then that the order and degrees by which the grace of conversion and of faith as it depends on power is wrought may be considered two ways 1. There is an order in regard of the persons and means working it 2. In regard of the work it self SECT 2. The persons and means used in Conversion 1. In regard of the persons and means working it It is originally from God 1 THis grace as all other grace is originally in from God and so comes to be wrought in us in a certain order by himself yet not always without means but in and by the use of his own Ordinances and by the Ministery of such persons as he pleaseth to imploy in the dispensation of his ordinances The summe is this 1 The Father 1. God the Father is first in order who is said to draw such as by him in love are given unto Christ to save John 6 37-44 Jerem. 31.3 Faith being therefore called the faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead Vse Therefore not from us Coloss 2.12 It not being of our selves Ephes 2.8 or originally from us as if we first beleeving moved God to elect us We are his workmanship Ephes 2.20 2. Next is God the Son 2 Son Hebr. 12.2 Vse Christ saveth by power as well as merit who works Faith and Conversion also For whatsoever the Father doth the Son doth likewise Joh. 5.19 Christ is a Saviour not onely by his merit but by his power himself not we applying effectually what he hath merited else he were but an half Saviour 3 Holy Spirit 3. Now the Father and Christ shew their power by the holy Ghost or Spirit of them both which we know was in visible signes on this day of Pentecost given by the power of which these many here were converted and faith given to them it is therefore called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.15 and by it faith is given of God Vse Therefore it is a free work John 3.8 1 Cor. 12.9 Whence it is that all that hear the word of Faith do not beleeve the Spirit is a free worker herein like the winde blowing where it listeth And the whole work of conversion must from these authors and workers of it needs be acknowledged to be a work of such power as far transcends the power of nature Vse of all This work is 1. Divine and not of man John 1.13 and of mans supposed free-will as if a man from the birth or otherwise wanted a naturall and bodily hand or eye who could give it him but the God of nature So who can give faith which is the hand and eye of the soul but God onely And all these three Persons had their work in the conversion of these Jews Luke 24.49 Acts 1.4 5-8 It is therefore a sure work 2 Sure as depending on 1 the Fathers Love 2 Sons merit 3 Power of the holy Ghost Now the Spirit or the Father and Son by the Spirit all whose power is one works this grace of Conversion and applyeth grace and faith to the soul either more immediately or mediately by the word and Ministery of it The Spirit works conversion either Immediately as in elect infants dying 1. Immediately as in elect Infants dying in their infancy where though the chief work shewed on them be a work of mercy and of free imputation yet their natures are sanctified and changed by the infusion of an habituall principle of grace wrought by the Spirit without which they could not enter into heaven But of this formerly The like we say of such elect ones as are born deaf and dumb or By means by the word 2. The Spirit ordinarily works not but by means and begets faith and grace by the ministery and preaching of the word as here Act. 2.37 Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God i.e. by the command ordination and appointment of God Isa 59.21 which therefore carryeth along with it his power and blessing so that though conversion may seem in Scripture or other wise to be ascribed to divers other things as 1. to the Sacraments Conversion is not wrought but by the word that of Baptism especially called the washing of the new birth 2 to voices from heaven 3. to
be plyable and yielding both to God and man 1 It stands not out against or resists Gods word but quakes at threatnings melts at promises is humbled at judgements as 2 Chron. 30.10.11 not such as was in Zedekiah 2 Chron. 36.12 of whom it is said he did evill in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord or in Belshazzar framing to his will Dan. 5.21.22 who did not humble his heart though he knew all such evils and judgements as befell his father for hardening his mind in pride verse 20. In a word the soft heart yields like soft wax to the impressions of Gods grace word and spirit and like molten metal frames to the form and obeys that form of Doctrine whereto it is delivered as the phrase is Rom. 6.17.2 The tender heart shews it self also towards others by shewing forth bowels of pity to men in misery and man by pity and kindnesse Heb. 13.3 and of kindnesse and forgivenesse to such as do it wrong Ephes 4.32 2. This heard heart I speak of as it is stiffe stony and unpliable so it is also insensible void of all spirituall sense especially that of feeling this is through want of spiritual life 2 unsensible and without life where no life is there is no sense at all and where life is though other senses may be wanting yet not that of feeling that sense though it be not the most noble for so is the sense of sight and hearing yet it is the most necessary sense there being no life without it where it is wholly wanting or lost it of all senses alone is diffused throughout all parts almost of the whole body and it being lost there is no more intercourse of vital and animal spirits or influence of them by the nerves into other parts and consequently no longer any proportion or harmony of qualities or of temperament in which proportion the native moysture and heat is founded and consisteth So that feeling and sense of pain is needful to the very being of every creature arguing spiritu-death and so is spiritual feeling as necessary to the being of the new creature so that we may conclude that the heart which is an insensible heart is a dead heart Eph. 4.18.19 alienated from the life of God at least and that is bad enough possessed with a spirit of slumber and dead sleep whilest not one but all the senses of the soul are holden in it as the bodily senses in and by bodily sleep and that through a kind of dregginesse which stoppeth the passages of the spirits Or at least a dead sleep depriving men of their spiritual senses by which the whole heart and soul is made unsensible for hereby men are without 1 Hearing Isa 6.9 2 Seeing Isa 6.9 Ephes 4.18 3 without all spiritual Tast Rom. 8.5 4 Smel 2 Cor. 2.16 Lastly without feeling Ephes 4.19 having their hearts fat and insensible Isa 6.10 yea in a dead sleep and sleep of death and therefore insensible insensible of good and evil of mercies and of judgements of grace and sin without true love desire and joy in the one and without Fear Being contrary to the sensible heart 1 Kings 3.9 shame anger and godly sorrow in the other contrary to which heart is that which having a new life put into it and it awakened out of the Lethargie or rather death of sin begins spiritually and savingly 1 to hear for so we read of an hearing heart for which Solomon prayed 2 to see Ephes 1.18 1 Cor. 2.14.15 3 to tast 1 Pet. 2.2 3. with Psal 34.8 Cantic 4.11 4 to smel Cantic 1.3.13 16. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 2.14.16 and 5 lastly to feele when by self-denial the fat of this grosse heart as it is called Mat. 13.15 which makes it also without sense Psal 119.70 Mat. 13.15 is consumed and offered in sacrifice to God according to the type Levit. 3.3 such a sensible heart was in these converts here who being self convinced self condemned and denying themselves were pricked in heart and through sense of pain cried out and sought help elsewhere then in themselves and accordingly found it I have thus set the benefit of the tender sensible heart against the other that by the opposition I might better shew the wofull condition and miserable estate of such as who being past feeling The miserable condition of senselesse and hard-hearted sinners give themselves over whether unto Laciviousnesse or to any other sensual and sinful course of life and who accordingly are given over in Gods most terrible but just wrath to this the worst of all evills on earth even the judgement of an hard and senselesse heart and all with this further aym that hereby the sinner that would attain to true compunction and pricking of heart for his sin and so to true conversion and salvation would above all be most afraid of this heavy judgement of hardnesse of heart and of whatsoever may cause or procure the same Such as are given over to it are irrecoverably left to the judgement of the great day seeing their judgement here is to be denied all sense of their dangerous and damned condition into which they have voluntarily brought themselves and so being left to themselves and to their own lusts as incorrigible Psal 81. and to Satan Hardnesse of heart the greatest Let to saving pricking 2 Pet. 2 4. and most to be laboured against as his prisoners to be reserved in chains of darknesse of mind and dedolent and final impenitencie kept and brought forth to that judgement wherein their case is now become like that of the devil and his angels whose judgement that is Of all lets then to this pricking of heart take heed of this of hardnesse of heart for where it is the judgement is to be deprived of all sense of sin and feeling of wrath till the soul be plunged into hell and become irrecoverably miserable and then lie under the sense of Gods severest wrath and eternall displeasure not to fear it is a signe of it Oh therefore get your hearts possessed continually with fear of this dismal evil and ever be afraid to be given over to it Now let me tell you not to fear it when you hear so much of it is a signe it hath already seazed upon you and benummed your spirituall senses especially if you have any long while lived fruitlesly or presumptuously under the means Young men especially to take heed of it and therefore especially it belongs to young men to take notice hereof who by reason of their age are not yet perhaps so hardened in sin through the deceitfulnesse of it There is a naturall tendernesse in us whilst we are young or a lesser degree rather of hardnesse which gets strength and proves habituall through use and age if it be not in time prevented Let such then
Isa 46.8 and shew your selves men bring it again to minde O ye transgressors This is the way to bring men to true shame and compuction withall for their sins yee shall remember your wayes saith the Lord and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled Ezek. 20.43 36.31 and ye shall your selves in your own sight for all your iniquities and for your abominations So David when upon Nathans coming to him hee confessed and bewayled his sins complaining of broken bones Psalm 51.3 8. indeed of a broken heart and sorrowfull soul which he desired might be made to rejoyce he set his sin ever before him This helped to humble him when he considered what he had done Remembrance of sin causeth sorrow whom he had offended and that his sins had deprived him of the comfortable presence of God without which consideration and viewing of a mans wayes no trouble of heart or repentance can be expected I hearkened and heard saith the Lord but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse Jer. 8.6 saying what have I done As the remembrance of a deceased deer friend reneweth a mans sorrow As of our deceased friends when he so thinks of his losse so the remembrance of such sins as whereby wee have estranged God from us or hazarded the losse of him altogether wil at least should wound the soul and cause it grieve for grieving him so good a God and particularly 1 Gather Catalogues of thy sins or read them in Mr Perkins Mr Bifield Mr Brinsley in his first part of the Watch. Dr Downams Abstract Now to this end it were good 1. To gather a Catalogue of thy daily sins both omissions or neglects of duty and commissions and to set them down in writing as some have done or often to make use of such helps as are afforded by some good Writers of late who have gathered the particular sins under each commandement and often to read the same and examine our selves therewith 2 To take the advantage of sins newly committed and presently whilest conscience is not hardened through delay to work upon thy heart 2 Look on sins newly committed seeing sin is then better known and all such circumstances better remembred by which it may be aggravated so some upon their drunkennesse have come to repentance 3 Often remember some of thy foulest faults 3 Howsoever labour to keep in memory some of thy foulest and grossest faults whether lately or longer since committed two three or moe of them being such as by which thou hast most wounded thy conscience or such as thou wouldst most of all be ashamed of if they were written in thy forehead and publickly known and compell thy self daily or often to remember them as God would have Israel do Thus the Lord would humble Israel Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord to wrath in the wildernesse Deut. 9.7 So did Paul 1 Cor. 15.9 This kept Paul low in his own eyes and no question much wounded his spirit when he called often to minde and recorded it how he had been a blasphemer and a persecuter 1 Tim. 1.13 Thus David remembred the sins of his youth Psal David 25.17 intreating the Lord not to remember them and Job and Job in reading such bitter things as God did write against him had his soul imbittered whilest he was made to possesse the iniquities of his youth Job 13.26 Thou whosoever whose heart tels thee of thy wickedness or whose sins are or have been more gross and scandalous think thou of this Grosse sinners sooner repent then civil men and justiciaries Matth. 21.31 By making good use hereof thou mayst be neerer the Kingdom of heaven then such as seem to be not far from it much neerer then such as live or have lived more civilly as that rich young man Matth. 19.20 who could say All these things that is the duties of the second Table have I kept from my youth up who yet went away from Christ sorrowful So did not Publicans and harlots those great and known sinners who coming to Christ sorrowful went away from him rejoycingâ— Such commonly repent sooner then civill Pharisees Matth. 21.32 as being sooner convinced of their sins The heart of a Turk Jew or Pagan is not so hard as of a ceremonious hypocrite The vail of the Temple rent in twain the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves were opened and many bodies of dead Saints arose at Christs death and resurrection Matth. 27.51 52. when none of the hypocriticall Pharisees so much as trembled but remained hard-hearted senseless and still dead in their sins 4 But seeing the least sin is gross bad and foul enough it will behove thee to think and consider how foul a thing sin is 4 Consider the foul nature of every sin which made of Angels such foul fiends being impurity it self how it is compared to mire to the filthy vomit of a dog and they no better then dogs and swine that defile themselves therewith 2 Pet. 2.22 This should make thee hate and loath it and for ever to have an aversion of will from it But considering also that it is unthankfulness disobedience and the provocations in it and dishonour to God and is against his goodness and mercies against his Soveraignty yea and glory it should make thee quake pierce thy heart and bring thee to true contrition and repentance left for such thy provocations thou be utterly consumed in his wrath 5 Above p. 113. Look on thy sins in all the aggravations thereof especially 1 In their multitude 2 Thy relapses 3 Thy willingness with the weaknesse of the temptation 4 and strength of means to resist it 5 Consider thy sins in all the aggravations thereof many whereof wee have touched already to which I referr Think moreover of the multitude of thy sins how often in the same kinde thou hast relapsed how voluntarily thou hast sinned how weak and light the temptations have been nay how thou hast tempted thy self yea tempted Satan to tempt thee by walking carelesly and not watching lastly against how many and strong means of grace thou hast sinned which makes thy sin and condemnation greater then that of Sodom Matth. 11.24 So that if such Infidels as never heard of Christ shall yet perish and suffer the vengeance of hell fire Rom. 2.12 Jude 7. yea if poor Infants as one well noteth deserve death and damnation Rom. 5.24 who yet sin not actually or yet against knowledge or means what dost thou deserve and what will be thy doom Sin would thus be weighed and poised Thus take up thy sins and weigh them and though they may seem light and little and thou be not sensible of them yet thou shalt feel the burthen of them at length and be laden with them Thou perhaps now goest as lightly away with thy sins as Samson with the brazen gates of
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
is a new Creation it is either a Being of nature or a Being of grace each respectively of nothing as it is taken negatively But man and before it we the best are nothing both negatively in respect of his Being of grace since the fall through sin in which he is dead and that in all powers and faculties is nothing First negatively I mean not in regard of substance either of soul or of faculties but of the qualities of those faculties according to which he was at first made after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness holiness and in the truth of them all Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.24 so that before his calling he is a meer Non-ens and hath no being for God is said to call those things that are not 1 Cor. 1 28. So the heathen before their calling were no people and 2. privatively not before but after the habit of grace lost both in act and power Rom. 10.19 Deut. 32.21 Hos 1.10 And 2. privatively not in a physicall sense as Philosophers speak of privation who make it a principle of generation and to include in it a disposition to the habit which it precedes but in the logicall and more proper sence as it implieth a deprivation of some former habit as in our case of the image of God and that not such as sleep is but such as death is being a privation not of the act and exercise onely of the faculty as in sleep but of the faculty and power it self we being dead in sin and not made alive with respect to spirituall and supernaturall objects of which the rule holds that from the privation to the habit as from death to life thore is no return that is ordinarily and by naturall causes Otherwise if we speak of an extrordinary regresse and miraculous none who is not an Atheist makes any question Only we may grant a remote possibility and capability especially in man as also in the lapsed angels so farre as Gods most holy and just will puts no bar but we must deny all disposition in the instruments and of the subject it self to the habit but by the effectuall power of Christ and so must exclude all active power in man to his own conversion which is not by Gods grace newly infused into him who works not only the will or power to will but the deed and act of will Phil 2.13 And so Christ becomes the cause and fountain of new life unto his elect who by his mercy and power are ingrafted into him as into a new stock from whom we receive new life being as dead and buried so also risen and quickned with him Col. 2.12 13. and from whom we receive forgivenesse of sin redemption and life whereby our youth is renued like the Eagles Psal 103.3 4 5. And we return to the daies of our youth Job 33.24 25. Which change being by the renuing of our mind Rom. 12.2 is wrought by the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 and is continued and wrought by degrees daily whereby such as wait on the Lord renew their strength and mount up with wings as Eagles c. Isai 40.31 SECT 3. Use 1. Of Instruction and Exhortation to deniall of our selves as in other things so particularly in duties concerning Conversion Vse 1 WEe To deny our selves and to acknowledge who would shew our selves true converts and such as truly hope to be saved must hence learn in all things to deny our selves especially in this great business of our salvation and indeed to see and acknowledge our selves to be nothing in our selves at best but as a rude lumpe and Chaos like the earth at the first creation our selves to be Nothing which being made of nothing was it self then without form void and dark Gen. 1.2 We must ever acknowledge that without Christ and faith in him which in in its own nature implieth and includes selfe-deniall all our gifts of nature or of common grace are nothing so that as Paul said concerning one grace 1. In regard of gifts charity so I may say of Christ and of faith in Christ without Christ and true justifying faith in him though I had the gift of prophesie and understood all mysteries and all knowledge though I spake with the tongues of men and Angels and though I had all miraculous faith 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. and had not Christ and true justifying saith in him I am nothing All knowledge is nothing 1 Cor. 8.1 1 Tim. 6.3 4. And as all our gifts 2. In regard of priviledges without Christ so all priviledges without Christ must be accounted nothing That of a Jew or Circumcision Gal. 6.15 and 1 Cor. 7.19 3. Of our Confidences As riches Idols Isai 44.10 1 Cor. 8.4 strength of kingdomes power of will That of the Gentile which was wisedome as we have heard is nothing All our Confidences or things which men trust in are nothing as Riches Prov. 23.4 5. with Psal 37.16 Idols in which the Gentiles trusted and Idolaters now are nothing All the strength of Kingdoms and nations with God Nothing less then nothing Isai 40.15 17. All power of will or other wise in man nothing Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 All our own endeavours like those of Peters who fished all night and catched nothing till Christ came Luke 5.5 Joh. Indeavours righteousnesse 21.3 In a word all confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.5 6 7 8. all our legall righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 Yea Christ himself Christ himself if he be not all to us if he be not all to us shall profit us nothing Gal. 5.2 Though in nothing we be behind the best yet we must say as Paul did that in and of our selves we are nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 All without Christ must be accounted but as cyphers and that is nothing So that if any man thinke himself to be something when he is nothing and that is the state of us all he deceiveth himself Gal. 6.3 We must then see and acknowledge our own nothing The knowledge hereof is rightly made the fountain of all other vertues The knowledge of our own nothingness is the beginning of all goodnesse He only that knowes what this nothing or his nothingness is First how inconstant and vain all earthly things are Secondly how weake his own nature is Thirdly how base and vile sin is and how of no reckoning evill and sinfull men are he will 1. Not set his heart on earthly or transitory things but on heavenly and divine things 2. He will be humble and distrust himselfe and set his rest and put his trust only in God his mercy truth and power 3. He will avoid sin and sinfull company as vile and as finding no content therein In a word he will love desire affect and admire nothing but that which shall be judged something and that is nothing in or of himselfe as the new creature 1 Cor. 7.19 2 Cor. 5.16 17 2.
Vse 1. This condemns all such doctrines whether Popish or Lutheran as make either Christ but half a Saviour To condemn such Doctrine as makes or us so much 1. Christ but half a Saviour 1. The Popish sort make Christ but in part a Saviour first in part only a Prophet adding doctrines of men of the pretended Church and Traditions to his written word by which as by a rule he teacheth us and our teachers too yea by ascribing to their Popes a power of judging and determining of Controversies Secondly in part a Priest setting up a sacrificing Priesthood now in the New Testament whereby they really and effectually pretend to offer up Christ for the sins of the quick and dead which was his work alone who was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 9.28 and 10.14 and who by one offering of himself hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified which his work they make common to every Masse-priest yea by ascribing merit and satisfaction to the works and sufferings of men laid up in the supposed treasury of their Church and by dividing the work of Intercession between him and the Angels and Saints Thirdly in part a King making the Pope to have a plenitude of power and Soveraignty both spiritual over mens consciences and temporal over their persons also and over all the Kingdoms of the earth 2. Which makes us so much 2. Both Popish and Lutheran and Arminian doctrine make us Men half Saviours with Christ if not more whilst they teach that mans nature is not so sinful and disabled by sin as it is ascribing much to nature and to the power of mans will giving him the casting voice or the casting of the balance in this work of grace saying Christ gives us grace indeed and power but so none is yet converted it is a common grace given to all so the grace and power is onely grace to believe if we will to repent and convert if we will to be saved and persevere if we will and so ascribe merit indeed to him and to his death but efficacie and application to themselves derogating from Christ to give to man whereas it is God onely that works and gives both power and will Phil. 2.13 1 Cor. 4.7 and that effectually worketh in us both to will and to do and that onely of his good pleasure his grace onely makes the difference Where such doctrine as this is taught 2. Hence a Trial of Doctrines and of Religions That Religion truest which gives most glory to God and teacheth and practiseth self-denail there is little hope of any good to be done to mens souls That which hath been taught may also be a Rule of discerning of true Religion or Doctrine and the false It is a sure and infallible Rule That Religion which takes away from our selves not onely teaching but working self-denial making men go out of themselves and truely humbling them and which gives all glory to God is the true Religion But such is our Religion and such is not the Popish Religion no nor Lutheran so far Do they not teach beside what is said of them already that they have no original sin in them after they are washed by Baptism VVhich 1. Popery doth not That men are able to fulfil and keep the Law fully in this life yea more do more then God commands even such things as they call works of supererogation whereby they merit heaven for themselves and others Whereas we teach that even after Baptism men have cause to cry out not onely of actual but original sin and to say with Paul Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death or from this body of death and to say as Christ saith to us When we have done all that we can do we are but unprofitable servants An Objection answered I know false Religions seem to teach self-denial but it is in word onely not in deed The Papists will humble the body by afflicting it many ways punishing and not sparing it Here is a shew of humility unlesse onely in shew and of self-denial yet it is but a shew being Will-worship and a voluntary humility arguing indeed much more pride then humility whilst they are as without command from God so puffed up thereby with an opinion of merit and of satisfaction whereby they derogate from Christ and arrogate to themselves whom therefore we justly charge as Paul did such Volunteers in humility as they imitate See Coloss 2 18-23 to be under such shews of humility vainly puft up by their fleshly mindes i. e. falsly humble truely proud humbled in body proud in minde and hearts which may call to them whilst they are whipping the body or macerating it in the words of King David when God sent a pestilence which destroyed seventy thousand of his people Lo I have sinned I have done wickedly 2 Sam. 24.17 but these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be against me and against my fathers house so we are still proud hearts wicked hearts c. what hath the body done without us Let thine hand be against us to humble us I say the like of Popish penance where in their confession to the Priest is a shew of humility and self-denial in shaming themselves yet in that their other work of penance or satisfaction is pride with a witnesse And though some other urge self-denial and humility and meeknesse in receiving the Word and in word seem to ascribe much to Gods grace 2. nor Arminianism yet what pride is this and errour to make this humility if not a cause yet a condition even of the grace of Gods election as it concerns particular persons at least a respect a point or term from which election flows and so no fruit or effect of it as yet true humily and all other graces are 3Vse to shew why so few are savingly pricked 3 Vse Here we see the true cause why few are savingly pricked in heart and truely humbled namely ignorance of the worth office excellency and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and of our own vilenesse sinfulnesse and damned condition whereof we are not nay will not be convinced as yet these here now were The truth is The reason is their ignoronce till we see and acknowledge Christ not onely in his natures and offices but in his exaltation and glory and as Lord over all and Judge of quick and dead as also our own basenesse sinfulnesse guiltinesse impotency desperate and damned condition we shall never be truely humbled in our selves or have nay not so much as seek interest in him or salvation by him 1. Of Christ and his glory 1. Ignorance of Christ and his glory against whom we daily sin is one main cause why men reject him and why he rejects them We see it in the Jews who 1 Cor. 2.8 if they had known him to be
the Lord as water out of buckets whilst they fasted and prayed And did they not after fear and confesse their sin Did not Davids heart smite him before he repented of that his sin in numbering the people And did he not David Psal 32.3 4. before he confessed and got ease in another case roar all the day Josiah 2 Chro. 34.27 How did Josiah's heart melt and how did he weep upon hearing of Gods threatnings Did not Ephraim bemoan himself and smite upon his thigh Jer. 31.18 19. these Jews Zech. 12.10 And was not that foretold which here in my Text was in part effected that they should look on him whom they had pierced and mourn and so be pierced and pricked themselves And was not the ax laid to the root of the hearts of those Jews whom John the Baptist converted Luke 3. Did not he convince them to be a generation of vipers before they did flee from the wrath to come Did not penitent Mary wash Christs feet with tears Was not Paul struck from heaven Mary Paul Acts 9.6 charged with persecution of Christ and his people and so made to see his sin before he was converted Yea after did not the sense of his sin make him cry out Miserable man that I am Rom. 7. and 2 Cor. 12.7 8. c. yea and complain of a prick or thorn in the flesh c And was not the converted Jaylour in the like plight the Jaylour Act. 16.29 30. when the earth did quake under him and his heart within him Moe examples need not Psal 4.4 We know that before we can cease to sinne we must tremble in the sight of sinne and there must be a spirit of bondage unto fear before the spirit of adoption to free us from that fear Matth. 11.29 A man must be heavy laden before he can come to Christ and lost in his own sense before Christ seek and save him sick and feel his sicknesse before he seek to the Physician and get cure to his wounded conscience as these here As then there is no birth without the pain of travail going before Simil. though some have easier labour then others as the Hebrew women Exod. 1. So no true Repentance without some terrours of the Law Thinkest thou then to convert and come to heaven when these holy men so roared and were wounded canst thou be saved in thy security and before thou be in thine own sense lost CHAP. VII SECT 3. That all in some measure must be pricked though not all alike and why BUt to Illustrate and make this point more clear we will first seek to satisfie this main doubt and question which some make concerning this point of doctrine Quest Whether all Converts are thus pricked and wounded Reason of this doubt whether all converted are necessarily subject to terrors of conscience whether all must be thus wounded prick'd humbl'd who are truly converted The reason of this doubt may be because many of whose sound coversion and sincerity of grace and of repentance we have no cause to doubt yet cannot themselves name the time meanes oâ— instrument or other circumstances of their conversion which in all likelyhood if it were truly effected they could not be ignorant of or at least not easily forget seeing conversion is our new birth and marriage to Christ and few or none but can tell either by the relation of witnesses or otherwise their own age the time of their marriage place where and person by whom they were married and we read of some that have been made other men then formerly with little or no trouble of conscience as Matthew who at his first conversion as it is thought entertained Christ with a feast as Lydia did the Apostles But I answer Answ All in some measure must be pricked and troubled though I acknowledge a great difference in the manner and measure of this work of conversion yet it must not be denyed but that for the substance of it there must be at least some pricking some griping of conscience and trouble of thoughts Even as there is no birth without some pain lesse or more both to the mother and child if it come alive into the world though sometime the extremity of the birth and straits it pasteth maketh it seem yea the mother too as dead for the time after which yet the pains revive and return which is shewed 1 From Satans opposition 1 Can it be denyed but we all naturally are by sin under the power of Satan Acts 26.18 who hath got possession of us and may we think he wil willingly without some violence and greater power part with his prey and if so must not the poore soul which of it self is as willing as he to remain in its former condition as yet not knowing any better must it not I say be miserably distracted and almost rent in pieces as the poor lamb which David delivered out of the jaw of the lion and paw of the bear will not Satan the strong man like Pharaoh put his power out to the utmost to keep his hold and to keep out the entrie of the stronger there may be peace till then but no longer til it after a full deliverance and freedom be better grounded and bottomed the Israelites in Egypt found their burthens increased ere they departed so here II From that close union and marriage beween sin and the soul 2 Is not sin and the soul in a manner all one before conversion yea is not sinne every sinne which a man delights in and every man delights in some sinne more then other as a God in him commanding his thoughts and affections and is it not more and sooner obeyed then God himself Now before a man be converted unto God and made plyable to his will as these Converts here were saying in a self deniall what shall we do or as Paul was Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do he must be averted which cannot be severed from the soul yea and divided and separated from himself and his own will and so that knot that union and onenesse so to call it which was between the soul and sinne comes in some measure to be broken and the soul and sinne to part which how can it be done or how can the venome or corruption lying in the ventricles of the soul be let out without some pricking at least of the heart if not some deeper incision which therefore God is pleased to make use of causing men to feel the smart piercing and woundings and burthen of sin that the soul may be willing to part with it or the soul divorced from sin and to be severed from it which if it as formerly found onely delight ease and pleasure in it would never yield or submit it self to the obedience of Christ such pricking wounding and sorrow must first make the divorce between the soul and sinne
is of the Hand in and by works but because they explain themselves dangerously in these and because a reprobate may have them all as well as their converts for all three were in Judas I leave them The order noted which some others observe Others much better make the order this by reducing the whole work to these six heads 1. This trouble of minde and conscience upon sight of sin and misery 2. Consultation hereupon what in such case to do 3. To be broken-hearted humble and contrite 4. Secret desire of forgivenesse with confession of sin and hope 5. Forsaking of all and highly prizing the pearl of the Gospel 6. Application of Christ and his promise Thus that worthy Divine old Mr. Rogers See also who list Mr. John Rogers of Faith Seven Treatises Treat 1. Chap. 4. Treat of the Christians Apparelling by Christ part 3. Sect. 73. on 1 Cor. 1.30 pag. 117 c. Chap. 2. I have also my self endeavoured to shew how faith is wrought and from thence discovered many mens false faith Onely now I will briefly note thus much Before the grace of Conversion and Faith be fully wrought the Spirit works orderly by the word assisted as is said sometimes by Miracles Afflictions c. so that there is first a work of the Law then of the Gospel not but that the Gospel hath also some work on the soul like unto that of the Law which therefore so far I refer to the work of the Law if not of Moses There is a double orderly work of Gods power both of the Law and Gospel 1. By the precept Mark 11.15 yet of Christ The Law then yea and so the Gospel hath a work 1. In and by the Precepts of it as when it saith Thou shalt have no other gods besides Mee and so in the other Commandments Yea so also the Gospel Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel and so it works on the understanding 2. In the Sanction of it 2 By the Sanction Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 whereby it is established and a curse annexed to the breakers of it Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them So faith the Gospel Except ye repent ye shall all perish And Hee that beleeveth not the Son Luke 13.5 shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3.3 6. And thus it works on the Conscience By both which works men are brought under the spirit of bondage brought to self conviction and beat out of themselves despairing wholly of themselves or of any help or succour from their own wisdome righteousnesse holinesse power The distinct works of the Law The distinct and 〈◊〉 works of the 〈…〉 1 Revealing of sin 2 Increase of sin and orderly proceeding of it I take to be this whereby it makes way for the mercy of the â—â—â—â—â—el This it doth 1 by revealing sin which formerly lay hid Rom. 3.20 2 By increasing sin not but that the law is holy but this it doth accidentally through our corruption for the commandment once coming to the conscience and shewing its spiritual nature sin which lying in the heart as well as in the outward man was thought to be dead reviveth Rom. 7.9 and taking occasion by the commandment Vers 11. deceiveth us and thereby slayeth us and worketh in us all manner of lust when the commandment cometh sin aboundeth and appeareth to be sin yea out of measure sinfull This the law doth in and by the precepts of it 3 Causing of wrath 3 By causing wrath that is by revealing foreshowing and threatning of wrath convincing the soul thereof and shewing God to be truly angry Rom. 1.18 that his wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousness of men and against theirs in particular 4 Horrour and fear 4 Hereupon follows horrour and amazement through fear of this wrath and of the Justice of God The soul is at a stand the hammer of the Law hath given it such a blow that it is dazzeled confounded and knows neither what to think of it self nor what to do as it was with Saul posting to Damascus yea it with Belshazzar see 's the vengeance written and the hand-writing of condemnation against it self apprehending nothing but some fearful and sudden wrath ready to befall it so that it begins to quake and tremble as he did in the midst of his jollitie in an expectation of some fiery indignation his life even that of his soul hanging in doubt before him fearing day and night as having no assurance of it and having nothing in his eye but his sin the cause of his fear and damnation and death as the wages and fruit of his sin which seeing God hath him in chase he knowes not how soon or suddainly it may befall him And this is that spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1.7 Rom. 8.15 and of bondage spoken of in scripture Heb. 2.14 5 Sorrow and griefe 5. Now with this or upon this apprehension of cause of fear there goeth or followeth sorrow wounding pricking of heart stinging of conscience and present feeling of hell torments lesse or more For what is painfull when it is present is not without pain in the certain expectation of it as on the contrary a man may and the true Christian doth even under affliction rejoyce in hope of glory so these I speake of do sorrow and feel sensible grief in the fear of hell the soul is wounded pierced and stabbed as with the point of a sword hell is already begun in the conscience which saith I have thus and so sinned against a just God and damnation is my portion and thus the curse of the Law particularly seizeth upon the soul 6. Self-despair 6. This is accompanied with self-Judging and through a sight of its own inability to help it self with self-despair also whereby the soul lies plunged as a bull in the net and by striving is more intangled seeing its own help-lesse and so hope-lesse condition lying in bondage under the fear of death and of eternall wrath Now this as the three former is as from the Sanction of the Law and curse annexed and denounced to the breach of it so especially it flowes from the conclusion of that practicall syllogisme spoken of which conscience makes where is both self-judging an act of conscience and affections sutable stirred up in the will and soul 7. Consultation and a driving of a man out of himself 7 Now this desperate condition of the soul makes it it may be but alwayes with those whom God will convert look about to see as it were if any help or meanes of help be neer and causeth a consultation and an inquiry after them if possibly there may be cure as in these here in Saul or Paul and in the Jaylour and this I make also a work of the Law and of natural conscience the law being
qualifications or to derogate from free grace or to hold men to a legal faith c. And the main Doctrine repeated Such an order as this there is in the work of Conversion which I name not to bind the Lord to an order or to an uniform dealing with all converts some whereof he humbles more some lesse and accordingly comforts some sooner then others in some he works all these in a shorter time it may be at one Sermon whereas others are long held under the spirit of bondage before they come to hope or to any assurance some stick longer in the birth then others neither do I intend to tye every convert to give a strict account of all these particulars or of the severall degrees and steps by which he hath been brought along But my chief aim in naming these in this order is to shew and declare and withall to make good the former point of Doctrine which is that such as God will convert and save must first be pricked in heart that Conversion and faith is not wrought in an instant without some preparatory works going before and that in the generall God first humbles before he comforts there is constantly this Order first sight of sinne sense of wrath wounding pricking self-despair and then and not before or not without the other hope of mercy joy comfort true conversion faith assurance 5 The application and use of the said Doctrine perseverance and salvation So that now at length this main doctrine being explaned illustrated Demonstrated and both reasons of it given and the manner order steps and degrees of Conversion shewed It remains that it be applied and made use of CHAP. XI Containing an use preparative to the rest or of triall 1Vse of triall of our estate 1 THe first Vse shall be preparatory to the rest and it is for Triall and by way of Query I ask thee then whosoever whether thou ever hast been savingly or at all pricked in in conscience or wounded in spirt for thy sins thou mayest try thy self and know the state and condition of thy soul by that which hath been taught and proved at least negatively so that not finding such things and such effects of the word of God and particularly of the legal part of it wrought in thee thou hast just cause to suspect thy faith yea undoubtedly to conclude that as yet thou art no true Convert nor in state of grace and that thou hast not Christ as wanting faith for when all such effects of the Law are wrought in thee thou hast yet much to do but if these things be not done then art thou farre off from grace and if so in that state before thou be so humbled thou diest thou art for ever undone Now whereas these works are the effects of the Law and word 1 preached Foure Interrogatories put to each conscience whereby sinne both against the Law and Gospel is made known and discovered 2 Applyed whereby sinners are convinced and made guilty 3. Pressed upon them and followed home with curses and denunciations of wrath c. whereby 1 in the conscience follows self-judging and self-condemnation 2 In the Affections horrour sorrow shame self-despair Yea and 3 it may be hereupon in the understanding consultation what to do I ask first dost thou know thy self and thy wayes to be sinfull and vile Dost thou now see that evill by thy self which formerly thou knewest not 1 Concerning our knowledge Doth thine uncleannesse evill concupiscence covetousnesse appeare to thee no longer tricks of youth naturall desires good thrift and husbandy and thine excesse and abuse of Gods good creatures in and for company of others no longer good fellowship and neighbourhood and sociablenesse and so in other particulars where thou hast called evil good and good evil by condemning in thy self others and the good wayes of God of too much precisenesse humour folly and madnesse but do the aforesaid vices now shew themselves to thee in the glasse of the Law and word preached to be what indeed they are horrible sins of dishonour done to God provocations of the eyes of his glory pernicious to thy soul c. and hast thou another judgement then formerly of the good wayes of God and of his people This is a good beginning and signe that God intends further good unto thee and throughly to convert thee But if thou art not touched with a sight or sense of thy evill estate and wayes if yet through thy ignorance thou be alive in thine own conceit I must tell thee thou art dead in sinnes and in thy naturall and lost estate and so continuing shalt die in thy sinnes and perish for ever 2 Concerning the judging of our selves Revel 3.17 2 Hast thou yet never been made by the word and Law to judge thy self thine estate and wayes Hast thou never been made guilty self-convinced self condemned to be under wrath or at least to be most worthy of wrath I must tell thee thou must then be judged of God and that eternally Hast thou not been sensible of thine estate under darknesse under Gods wrath under the curse and damnation and so hast thou not been weary of thy naturall estate and condition I say then thou hast cause to fear eternal darknesse wrath and damnation Dost thou think thy self in good estate and wast thou never convinced or sensible of worser condition then thou art in Suspect thy self all is not well with thee He that dreams of a conversion or state of grace and of a fulnesse without some sense of his former estate shall when he a wakes prove hungry empty of grace deceived in and by a false birth yea and hardened to his destruction Judge then thy self in time that thou be not for ever judged of the Lord I exhort thee to take heed of security to arraigne thy self at thine own bar and to suffer the word to judge try yea and to condemn thee Try by it not onely thy cursed estate by nature and thy grosser sinnes but thy omissions yea thy best actions thy vertues and righteousnesse thy services and sacrifices in which thou restest and seemest to trust 3 Concerning our sorrow 3 Let me ask thee hast thou never yet sorrowed when thou hast heard and been wounded for thy sinne nor trembled at the voice Habbak 3.16 I must say and tell thee the more is behind and for the present thou art far from true joy know that sorrow must be in the evening before there be joy in the morning thou must sow in tears before reap in joy 4 Concerning our consultation Lastly hast thou never as yet either questioned thine estate or come so farre as to consult about the bettering of it and to come out of thine old and naturall condition I say do both the one and the other in time and know now till I tell thee more fully of it hereafter on this Text that God fills those mens heads with care
and consultation whom he meanes to save This for the first preparative and most generall Use CHAP XII Shewing the desperate estate of secure sinners and danger of a false peace 2 Second sort of uses concern such as yet have notbeen pricked or not sorrowed 1Vse of Instruction not to please themselves with their false peace NOw upon this Triall it will be discovered whether thou hast been pricked wounded convinced and made sorrowfull for thy sinne or not And first if not here is an Use and matter both of Instruction and of Exhortation to thee But if yea then here are other Uses for thee 1 The secure sinner whether of more profane or of civill conversation is hence instructed not to please himself in his secure estate or false Peace He that hath not in some good measure been under the spirit of bondage troubled for his fin pricked and wounded in conscience hath just cause to suspect himself all is not well Many please themselves in their secure courses load their consciences yea wound gash the same with the guilt of many enormous and grosse sins and yet blesse themselves in their condition and remain unsensible and of stupified consciences sorry they would be to be in such case as they have seen or see some others to be in who yet indeed are either in the state of grace or in a good way unto it Yet those other are such as these wretches should be if ever they prove true Converts Those other it may be with David have their sins often before their eys which draw out tears of true hearty yea alsoof saving sorrow repentance from them but these secure ones cast all behind their backs and leave all to be reckoned for hereafter are moved with nothing they either think say or do and are not willing at any time to have ought in their thoughts or before their eyes but such things as may give the flesh content and which may blind their eyes and besot their souls namely sensuall delights and pleasures gain nonours in the world love and favour of men and such like True peace distinguished from false 1 It goes with Righteousnesse Rom. 14 2.2 is grounded on the Gospel That it is no true peace but a fools Paradise and false peace which they enjoy is most evident 1 True peace and righteousnesse go together the Kingdome of God is not meat and drink or pleasures or ought else of that nature but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost But their peace and joy is not such 2 True peace is grounded on the Gospel of peace which works reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 but their false peace cannot endure the Gospel or the reproofs of the word as we see in Ahab hating Michaiah and may see in these men not enduring to be told of their sinnes or to be called to mourn and to weep for the same and for their ensuing miseries 3 It issues out of sorrow for sinne 3 In a word true peace sound and solid comfort is for order of nature yea and working after yea out of true sorrow for sin trouble of conscience and spirit of bondage as hath already plentifully been shewed their 's not being such cannot be good â— Terrour â—secure ones who have not arowed for sin Let me then read thee thy doom thou secure sinner whosoever thou art and shew thee what cause thou hast to suspect thy self till thou hast at least been wounded pricked and pierced in thy couscience for thy sinne in some sense and feeling of Gods displeasure against thee for the same Their secure estate is a signe that they are stil 1 in their naturall condition and in sinne Simil. This is a sign 1 that thou art still in thy natural that is in thy damnable estate in which thou camest into the world and wast by nature a child of wrath as well as others Is sin no burthen to thee It is a signe thou art yet in sin as in thine own element For as the weight of water is not felt in the water as not of a man who shall dive deep into the sea whereas one hoggeshed of water on the land would crush him so to a soul any way separate and divided from sin who her it be in its judgement will or affâ—ction sin will be as it was to David and heavy burthen too heavy for it to bear and will make the soul to cry to God for ease as finding no peace Psal 38.1 2 3 4 rest or health because of its sin whereas if the soul be not in some measure burthened and troubled with sin but do still make light of it as Samson did of the brazen gates of the City and do still bath it self in the delights and pleasures of sinne it must needs prove that it and sinne is yet all one and that there is no separation made between them as yet and consequently that it remains in its naturall and damned estate and that sin unsorrowed for will prove to it as that dead sea of Sodom which causeth all living things to dy that come into it 2 That they are in Satans possession 2 And so this false Peace is also a signe that such an one is in Satans possession all things are so quiet within him Satan molests none so much as those that make from him and those he will not suffer to be quiet as we have heard onely the Lord first by his word troubles those souls he means to save all is so quiet as by the Angel the waters were troubled before any cure was done Now what a condition it is to be in Satans keeping yea possession let any wise man consider 3 and dead in sin 3 This condition of secure sinners doth plainly shew them to be dead in and by sinne and deprived of all spirituall sense and life To be without the sense of feeling is a certain signe of death now these being wounded as being without sense stung and pierced by the word yea hewed by it for such are the effects of the word even 〈◊〉 slay and kil men that is to devote the impenitent to certain destruction yea damnation of soul and body yet shew themselves no whit sensible but are as dead and senselesse blocks under the lashes and strokes of the word herein like the drunkard or as he described Pro. 23.34.35 lying down in the midst of the sea or upon the top of a mast They have strucken me shall be say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not c. 4 That they are far from Repentance 4. It s a signe that secure sinners have not as yet entred the porch or so much as touched the threshold of the School of Repentance whereof this pricking of conscience in my text is made the first stop as hath been so largely shewed and proved It is a strong argument that the word the means and
sins unsorrowed for an enemy to God how much better then to be pricked here for our curing as a tumor gets ease by pricking then to be put to indure the whole wrath of God hereafter and to be stung to death forever Where we may also note and might consider for our encouragement and seeing wee shall not lose by sorrowing here that the greatest sorrows we here suffer when wee mourn for our sins savingly are in comparison but prickings Note The greatest sorrows of the elect are but prickings yea as flea-bitings considered with the eternal torments of the damned which by timely sorrow now may nay undoubtedly shal be prevented as it was with these mourners here who though whilest they looked on Christ whom they pierced they mourned for him as one mourneth for his onely son and were in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first born and shall be much more so at their calling and at the conversion of their whole scattered Nation and though some few be longer holden under sense of sin and wrath here then most other converts are which should incourage us yet what lost these Jewish converts by this their sorrow and smaller wounds by pricking when they were presently healed and withall obtained the pardon of their sins ver 38. the favour of God freedom from condemnation Rom. 8.1 and from eternal sorrows in hel yea and right of sons and heirship to eternal life and glory No more shalt thou lose by thy sorrow here if in time thou give over thy profane carnal worldly courses and secure living and betake thy self in time to the serious exercises of Repentance and godly sorrow Dost thou think 〈◊〉 â—xhortaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 by Motives or canst thou imagine that thou hast no cause so to do Come tell me have you who are now so secure and merry no true cause of mourning or of being touched and pricked in conscience and soul 1 From the consideration of our sin 1 Orginiall 1. Are ye without sinne 1. Are ye not inwrapped all of you in the guilt of Adams transgression I wil not charge you to have brought each of you for your parts in that regard sorrow sin and damnation upon all men that are or shall be damned though some wil have it so and yet I cannot say but that thou art guilty and sharest in the guiltiness of that sin which did all this And if so it wel weighed were enough to break thy heart that thou and I and each of us have had in our first parents a part in bringing damnation on our selves and others But howsoever know that there is in regard of Original sin that corrupt fountain within thee that leaven that bitter root seed and sink of sin in thy nature whereby as thou art wholly indisposed yea backward and ready to oppose all goodnesse and truth so inclined to do as wickedly as ever did sinners even as did the Sodomites and other heathen and as Judas and those Jews who betrayed Christ and crucified him yea as such Christians as sin that unpardonable sin the sin against the holy Ghost nothing hindering but Gods mercy restraining or sanctifying them And is not this enough to humble thee should it not make thee fear lest taking such liberty in thy ways as thou now dost God leave thee to thy self and to these thy natural and corrupt inclinations and give thee over to commit the same or like wickedness and to come to like ends 2 Actuall 1 Our own considered with their aggravations Job 13.11 which are many 2. But I am sure thou canst not but confess thy self to be guilty of many actuall sins which are obvious to every eye and ringing in every mans ear that lives neer thee Wil not these bring thee to be ashamed of thy self or should they not trouble thee Is not the least of thy sins 1 Against the great and holy God and then shall not his excellency make thee affraid and his dread fall upon thee 2 Against his mercies and goodness and art thou not ashamed of thine unthankfulness and of thy base usage of him and abuse of his favours 3 Against his threats and examples of his judgements on others and shall not that daunt thee 4 Against thy conscience and knowledge especially in these days of light and doth not conscience smâ—te and prick thee See Luk 12 47 Wilt thou stil hold the truth in unrighteousness and yet not fear Gods wrath revealed from heaven against such Rom. 1.18 5 Against thy Covenant with God and vows often renewed and dost thou not fear to receive the just reward of a traytor and of perfidiousness Wherefore should God be angry at thy voyce Eccles 5.4 5 6. Why dost thou by breaking wedlock with him for by covenant thou art become his provoke the eyes of his jealousie and glory against thy self canst thou thus do and yet live secure Ezek. 16.8 3. Other mens which we make ours helping to damn them 3. Nay Besides thine own personal sins think how many thou hast helped to send to hel before thee by having an hand head or heart in their sins Didst thou never intice any to commit folly with thee to cast in their lot with thee in some wicked enterprise Didst thou never incourage provoke counsel or command any to do evil Hast thou never made other mens sins thine own by thy silence consent connivance commendation defence or at least want of sorrow for them Hath not thine example presence and familiarity with sinners in their vanities drawn many into sin and hardened them in the same and hast thou not by such means become a murtherer of their souls And if they be dead in their sins in hel before thee hast not thou sent them thither or helped at least And if so what comfort canst thou have on earth Matth 18.7 to have them so many of them there to curse thee continually unlesse by hearty and timely sorrow thou get the pardon of all thy sins sealed to thy soul Which our sins should cause in us great sorrow Here know it also for certain that if ever thou wouldest kindly grieve the Law must not onely reveal sin unto thee and give thee cause of sorrow but it must cause the offence to abound and so afford thee cause of great sorrow so that if ever thou partake of Gods abundant grace Rom. 5.20 or be saved thou must by the Law see thy sin to be exceeding sinful and to abound considering how they abound 1 For hainousnesse Which therefore see First for hainousnesse according to all the aggravations of it and in the vilenesse of it as by sinning against so much and so long patience in God and against such means of grace which have wrought so effectually in many others 2 Multitude Secondly For multitude and that thou hast been a sinner not in this or that particular being ready to justifie thy self
in the suspected party it is accounted detection sufficient So when a member of the body becomes once to be gangrained by excessive heat Gangrenes or upon a wound or hurt not looked to in time it becomes to be void of sense as being deprived of vital heat and spirit to be blasted and like wilde-fire some call it S. Anthonies fire to spread and so tends to the destruction of the party So when that uneven swelling or tumour called a Cancer possesseth any part Cancers that part comes to be black or wan and without all sense or pain In like manner where much fatness is or corruption Mcuh fatness corrupt matter the outward skin or rind once pricked or pierced the pin weapon or instrument being thrust further in is not much felt such corruption hath no sense in it and that part is so far without sense till the corruption be drawn or purged out Now if we would be truly sensible and mourn savingly for sin in a sense of Gods displeasure as also spirituall pain and grief when and after that the word meets with us Let us take heed of such things as in a proportionable manner stupifie benum and bereave the soul of all spirituall sense of sin or judgements Take heed then of these things 1 Sensuality and worldlinesse First of sensuality love of pleasures gluttony drunkennesse good fellowship to which also let me adde cares and too much minding of the world Some give themselves purposely to sensuall courses to stop the mouth and cries of their conscience and to prevent or put away heart-qualms as they will call them binds all the spirituall senses Howsoever such courses as these do besot and stupifie the conscience dull and fill the spirituall senses of the soul cast it into a dead sleep whereby through present delectation in sin and sensuall courses and through cares of the world Isa 6.9 they have not eyes to discern distinctly of any thing or object which concerns them not an eare for God or for his word and judgements so as to hear the rod and who hath appointed it when God calls them to mourning Micah 6. sensuall courses cry louder and more prevailingly with them Isa 22.12 and 5 11 12. Psal 34.8 1 Pet. 2.2 3. God and the works of his hand can have no attention they are so taken up with sensuall delights they cannot be brought to taste the things or goodnesse of God and of his wayes all wayes leading them to repentance are so distastfull to them all the good means used for their good humbling are the savour of death to them 2 Cor. 2.16 yea their hearts are fat and so brawny that they are past feeling and insensible herein like unto Idols and images Ephes 4.19 having eyes and see not ears and hear not c. Psal 115.6 Howsoever as outward heat abates the inward as the love of one thing lessens the love of another and as the distempered eye will not let a man see any thing in its own and right colour but like it self Simil. so mens love and affection to their lusts and other distempers of their souls will not suffer any thing to work upon or affect them but what is sensuall they are so taken up in their thoughts and affections with such things as that what savours not of the flesh or of the world doth no whit affect them Talk of Religion especially of duties of mortification to a voluptuous man he hath no eare for that and of like duties to the worldling and you shall find his soul so filled and taken up with the love of the world that you shall have him go a way sorrowfull from you indeed but not for his sin or covetousnesse but because you interrupt his thoughts and courses which he is not minded to leave as we see in that rich young man who upon that ground though he seemed to have an ear to obey in all things else Matth. 19. yet not in that his love to the world made the duty of self deniall unpleasant to him So generally wine women and the world steal away and besot the heart the immoderate use of yea or love to any earthly thing takes away all spirituall sense the more sensible the soul is of such things the lesse it is of spirituall and so the soul as well as the body becomes spiritually drunken and casts into a dead sleep and so farre senselesse when once it is drowned and drenched with the pleasures and cares of the world this casts it into a dead sleep which binds all the senses of the soul and possesses it with a spirit of slumber Isay 29.10 Rom. 10 7 8. The godly like the five wise virgins may sometimes slumber but yet their heart waketh but these mens hearts are asleep yea even in a dead sleep to whom that belongs Eph. 5.14 awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead they cannot be got awaked like such as be oppressed with soporiferous diseases Abernethy physick for the soul chap. 7. as with Lethargies Caro's Catalepsies Cataphoraes or Typhomanes which are all deadly except they be speedily cured Now to prevent senselesnes from sensuality I onely tell you of our Saviours advice and commend it to you The Remedy is watch fulnesse Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for so it came upon the old world Luk. 21 34.36 Matth. 24.37 watch ye therefore and pray alwayes c. yea the Scripture joynes fasting and prayer together Math. 17.21 that so we might take heed of bodily drunkennesse as well as spirituall All deadly sleeps proceed of a cold humor or vapor replenishing the brain and oppressing the animal spirits and senses so this deadly spirit of slumber is when men are frozen in the cold dregs of their sins and sensualitie and sobriety Jer. 48.11 whom God therefore will visit Zeph. 1.12 Take heed then of ebriety both corporall and spirituall and be ye sober and watch As ebriety causeth sleep 1 Pet. 5.18 so sobriety keeps men waking and sensible Let us be sober both in body and in mind that we also may be kept waking and affected with such things as do concern us even with sense of sin and wrath Let us not onely when we heare Gods word but at all times wholly put away the lusts of youth and for other delights and cares use a moderation The like let us spiritually do in all our joyes yea sorrows in our desires delights designes hopes and confidence take we heed especially of spirituall drunkennesse and of the immoderate love and use of the creature especially when we go about any good duties as this of hearing Gods word For my part I otherwise in handling this argument of godly sorrow compunction and conversion
shall despair of fastening any nailes in you by the hammer of the word by which ye may be surely nailed sewed and fastened to Jesus Christ a sensuall heart is a senselesse heart like that of Nabals whose drunken heart 1 Sam. 25.37 though merry within him died and he became as a stone CHAP. XIIII SECT 3. Where three more lets removed which are great sins lesser sins custome in sinning 2 Great and hâ—inous sinnes 2 SEcondly and more brieflly take heed of great sins such as lay wast and dead the conscience As the body is subject to two kinds of diseases and maimes some that affect and afflict sense some that deprive of sense as violent blows so is the soul also As then a prick will make a man start but a heavy blow will dazzle and stond or astonish him which astonish and make us unsensible of lesser sins so some lesser sinnes will be felt when greater shall not at least not so soon or easily as we see in David who no sooner had received the muster of the people whom in pride he would needs have to be numbred but his heart did smite him and he was pricked and wounded in conscience but in the case of Bathsheba but especially of Vriah he lay long dead and senselesse till after many months Nathan being sent of God brought life at least sense into him again Watch then and pray with David Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over mee so shalt thou be innocent from the great transgression Psal 19.13 If a man once by some great blow be stonded he is not easily sensible of smaller hurts or prickings so for one that is cast into a deep or dead sleep or being the divels vassal is marked by him by his sucking life and sense out of him or casting him into a trance c. Give once way to grosse impiety to wilfull profannesse or obstinate contempt of God his word and ministers and never look that lesser sins shall any why annoy or trouble thy conscience of which thou wilt never make bones as we say or scruple the soul so becomes desperate and carelesse hardened and past feeling to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse this is when men once give themselves over unto lasciviousnesse Ephes 4.19 or to any other like grosse sin The heart is so full of corruption and filthy matter as it is not sensible grieved or pained when otherwise it is pierced and met withall by the word and threatenings yea curses woundings and hewings of the Law and Prophets of God 3 Lesser sins against conscience 3 Yet neglect not small sins as they may be accounted or beginnings to give way wittingly and against conscience to the least sin leads the way to hardnesse of heart to senselesnesse and stupidity of conscience Tendernesse of conscience would be preserved The heart commonly of young men especially if wel educated 2 Chro. 34.27 as we see in King Josiah is tender and startles at the least sin and thought of Gods judgements is soon pierced and troubled the least sin will trouble it and make it tremble which being given way unto make way for hardnesse of heart but if once least way be given to such small sins or to beginnings especially against knowledge or that a man begins once to detain the truth in unrighteousnesse to quench the spirit and to quell checks of conscience the heart by degrees grows hard and senselesse and at length can swallow and without any great trouble digest even greater and grosser evils without all sense of sin or fear of wrath One well compares it thus The heart at first being tender will endure nothing but the least sin will trouble it as water when it begins to freeze will not endure any thing no not so much as the weight of a pin upon it but after a while will bear the weight of a laden cart against which we must watch Let young men especially make use of this yea let all men take heed of giving way to the least sins against conscience Sin at first to a conscience not enured thereunto may seem intolerable and unsupportable but unlesse the heart watch well over it self and maintain its life tendernesse and sensiblenesse or if once it begin to favour it self and wittingly give way to the least beginnings of sin lest we become at length senseless as in examples it shall be given over by degrees to senselesnesse and searednesse of conscience yea to delight in desire defend and plead for it as in King Hazaâ—l first abominating that cruelty which he after practised and in Alipius Saint Austine's friend first abhorring the bloudy spectacles of the gladiatory combatants but giving himself leave by the importunity of friends to be but present though at first he winked and would not open his eys to behold the same yet at length not onely beheld them and that with delight but drew others to behold that which at first himself loathed Thus the soul by steps descends to hell when men shew not themselves from first to last sensible of sin Bernard makes the steps to be seven Seven steps to hell whereby sin seems 1 Insupportable a burthen not to be born 2 afterwards onely Heavie 3 Light 4 Insensible 5 Delightfull 6 Desirable 7 Defensible or pleaded for and justified If ever then thou wouldst be truely sensible of and sorrowfull for sin It s not to dally with suggestions first thoughts of sin take heed and watch against the first suggestions and occasions of sin and that especially by the government of the senses as two things especially undid David Otium Oculus his ease and his eye so against Cogitation or of tossing any sinful objects in thy thoughts or of dallying with them These are the divels baits at which wee must not nioble and his harbingers which if kindly entertained he is invited to come with his legions and so thou art intangled with delight and drawn on to consent resolution practice yea custome and so to senselesnesse defence and boasting as Isa 3.9 Jer. 6.15 Psal 52.1 And thus sin like a serpent whilest â—tstings benums us and casts us into a deadly sleep and lethargie of which we die 4 Custome of stnning ab assuetis non fit passio 4. Specially beware of Custome of sinning It s an old and experienced saying Custome of sinning takes away all sense of sin neither are we much moved with such things as wee are much used to use and custome makes men sleep quietly by the falls of great waters and where much noise is and not to be afraid of that which at first was terrible as in Nottingham-shire upon the murther of a woman Which bereaves of sense of sin buried and hid under a tree in a wood a voyce was heard in that place of one hollowing and whooping at which all were afraid and passengers left that way but
joyn thereunto 1 Religious Fasting as it will give an edge to thy prayer so the afflicting of thy body if it be done without superstition will help well to the afflicting and humbling of thy soul and heart for so fasting is called And wee know that the hearts of Gods people have been wonderfully softned at such times as Judg. 20.26 1 Sam. 7.6 So David I humbled my self with fasting Psalm 35.13 and 69.10 2 Watchfulness especially against worldly cares and distractions 2 Watchfulnesse watch and pray Watch against all the former Lets named but especially against all worldly cares take heed of a heart busied with the world and earthly thoughts Distractions from the world keep the heart from minding such things as might affect it with godly sorrow as a man hastily and suddenly smitten whiles hee mindes his business is less sensible at least for the present of pain and grief from the hurt Simil. then hee would be in the apprehension of it beforehand and for the present when especially he cannot avoid or divert the blow And as a man forgets his pain when a friend talks with him which is the reason why such as are sick and sorrowfull for the loss of friends are comforted by company as having their thoughts and mindes by conference taken off in good part from thinking of their sorrow and why on the night time and in solitariness men are more sensible of their sickness and sorrow as in their other senses of hearing c. seeing all sense is from the soul Alex. Probl. l. 1. Prob. 118. it is the soul which sees which hears which feels and which accordingly being distracted with many objects is the less sensible in each So by like reason if the soul and thoughts be taken up with wordly cares and distracted therewith it can less be afflicted with such things as otherwise by gods blessing would prick and wound it To which end in our prayer andâ— meditation wee are to retire our selves In which regard it will help wel when we would meditate and pray to retire and withdraw our selves from company into some solitary place which we are also taught both by precept and practice of Christ himself His precept wee have Matth. 6.6 so Psam 4.4 Commune with your hearts upon your bed His practice Mark 1.35 So Peter went up to the top of the house to pray Acts 10.9 So Jeremiah's soul did weep in secret chap. 13.17 And of these Jews and Converts it was foretold they should mourn every family apart the husband apart and the wife apart Zech. 12.12 Retiredness both of place and thoughts is fittest to work our hearts unto goldly sorrow SECT 7. A reproof of the secure with an Exhortation and Caveat Conclusion of the Directions NOw for conclusion of these Directions It were good and it is needfull that such as have heard or now read the same would well consider with themselves whether they have in any measure followed or yet so much as do resolve to follow the same or to take any pains with their hearts hereabout Where 1 A triall and reproof of such as yet remain secure and sensless 1 It is to be suspected that many continue still secure careless and slothfull and do still go on in their old courses as inconsiderately as ever without a right knowledge of the power of Gods anger and are as stout-hearted partiall and self-loving both flattering themselves and as desirous to be flattered by time-serving and false Prophets and as much hardened against the true and faithfull servants of God by unbelief as ever And that they are still sensuall and worldly and remain still senseless without fear of being hardened either by great sins which lay waste the conscience or by giving way to smaller sins against conscience or by custome of sinning or yet by and in Gods secret vengeance giving them up to this heavie and dismal judgement of an hard impenitent heart neither afraid of it as the worst of Gods judgements on earth and as the first and irrecoverable entrance into hell nor praying against it nor carefull to avoid evill company and examples and such other things and sins in speciall which are the procurers of it whilest they still make as light of sin of reproof of the word and of Gods threatnings as ever before all of them signes of an hard and dedolent heart especially considering how little they care for hearing of such teachers as would most help them in this work of conviction pricking and wounding their conscience or for calling to minde Gods word and such truths as have come neer them or for applying it to themselves And as for their sins Originall or Actuall they are far from raking into that dunghill from questioning or yet loathing themselves for the same from keeping an account or catalogue of their sins either for number or foulness or aggravation of the same never weighing or pondering with themselves how thereby they draw upon themselves the heavie weight of Gods vengeance And as little do they make use of Gods severe judgements and corrections whether on themselves past present or threatned and in expectation as of death hell and the last generall judgement or on others either private Christians in their sorrows and true mourners in Sion or whole Churches of Christ or of the sorrows of Christ for them or of the unparalleld love of Christ so dying for them and of other the mercies yea and high majestie of God against whom without all ingenuity or fear they daily trespass And as for the exercise of prayer accompanied with fasting and watchfulnesse it s a duty they are wholly strangers unto they are without sense of their wants they have no true desire of this so needfull a work of humiliation they can spend no serious thoughts thereon nor time being so taken up with their delights vain pleasures worldly cares and imployments Now what may a man think of such men This their little care and study after true compunction this their disaffection to the means thereof is an apparant signe of their unsensibleness and securitie and consequently that all the evils and miseries mentioned formerly lie heavie upon them as that they are still in their natural and damned condition dead in and by sin in Satans possession farre from the first step to repentance and salvation and that they come short of very reprobates Pharaoh Felix Saul Cain and Judas and under certain expectation of eternal wrath seeing their sin will have sorrow if not here yet undoubtedly hereafter even such as made the eternal Son of God crie out on the Crosse as he did for a time and which they must suffer and undergo eternally without end or ease 2 An exhortation and a caveat to take heed that repentant sorrow be not swallowed up of Ah then dear Sirs ye that yet cannot say or give any good proofe that your hearts are or have been pricked for your
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
unto otherwise then by prescribing rules of moderation on both sides seeing he goes not by Peters rule Nay the truth is he goes not by the same rule with these Apostles here or with Peter but in like case prescribes unlike remedies for how doth he and his Priests satisfie wounded consciences or comfort men distressed for their sins but in like case prescribes unlike remedies he goes not Peters way here nor Pauls who send men to Christ to receive pardon and so true comfort by beleeving on him and resting on his only merits and satisfaction by true repentance and to the right use of Baptisme to seal their pardon and comfort No such consciences by them are healed only with a false peace whilest for pardon they are sent to mumble over their beads and to the saying of so many Ave-Maries as Ave Maries and Pater-nosters to go on Pilgrimage pilgrimages and works of satisfaction and to visit the tombes and relicks of such or such Saints to workes of satisfaction by whippings and hard usage of the body when it is the soul which chiefly sinneth and should be humbled or after this life to their satisfactory sufferings in Purgatory and so telling them of Purgatory penance if now and in death they can be free and liberall to procure Masses Dirigies c. they may hope by the Indulgence and great mercy of the Pope who keeps the keyes to have those dayes of Purgatory-pennance shortned So they are sent to salute holy graves so to holy graves and crosses hallowed by the Pope and dispersed into other countries which will purchase them a pardon for a 100. yeares if not a plenary indulgence or to the shriving of themselves to Popish shavelings and so to Popish pardons and power of absolution to popish pardons especially at the houre of death and so to their extream unction at that time to holy water crosses and crucifixes unctions to Agnus Dei's to their Masses as if thereby were made that most speciall application of Christs merits and to their Sacraments crucifixes masses even the very bare work done and wrought which yet even Baptisme it self which in the right use of it is and to the bare partaking of the Sacrament as is said for remission of sin is not effectuall by any power of its own but of the word and promise of God and so as joyned with faith Acts 8.37 and for the Eucharist upon the same superstitious conceit that remission is necessarily conferred in and by the bare partaking of the Sacraments it is by them held necessary to be administred to parties ready to depart this world that whatsoever their troubles of conscience are or have been they may die with comfort Such superstitious waies and meanes Peter and Paul never used or injoyned any to use Ill then may the Pope be thought to be Peters successor No comfort to be expected from such as teach the doctrine of doubting as not going by Peters rule In a word never a Popish Priest in the world can soundly cure a wounded conscience or apply that spirituall salve which should comfort it without delusion so long as they teach that most uncomfortable doctrine of doubting If they sind men in trouble of mind and in doubtings they so hold them and are sure to leave them in the same if not in desperation or at best they can bid them but hope well yet so as still to be in doubt and fear but true faith would expell all such slavish fear and bring assurance of pardon and certain comfort So much for this first relation CHAP. XXVII Gods word cures as well as kills The second relation of these Apostles being the same that wounded 2. COnsider These who are sought unto for comfort and direction are the parties who by their preaching and convictions did first wound these Jewes And thence we may note That the Word of God rightly taught and applied doth cure as well as cut heal as well as hurt binde up as well as bruise save as well as kill yea save by sauciating cure by killing Note Gods word heals the wounds it maketh Isai 53.5 and bring to heaven by the very gates of hell The wounds of the word being the wounds of a friend are like the wounds of Christ of a healing nature for by his stripes we are healed Isai 53.5 The word heals in and by vertue of Christs suffering for us This is the mercy of the word It cures when it might kill It cures whom in some sence it doth kill Not that every one who is pricked by it is therefore healed but that those whom God will save being of yeares and capable he will have to be pricked and those who so are pricked in heart by the word and in their own sence dead and slain shall also be healed and quickned by it The wounds of it are to health and life This is from Christ only whom the word throughout teacheth and aimeth at Reason hereof from Christ crucified whom it teacheth and applieth Who came with healing under his wings The wounds of Christ properly heal as procuring pardon and favour The Scriptures and word of God make these known to us and the faithfull Ministers of the word apply them and these wisely and rightly applied heal our wounds he being wounded for our transgressions that we being pricked in our eies sides and hearts with the thorns of our sins brought close to us by the word might not be hurt but healed and that our wounds might not prove mortall but saving Christ died and was wounded that those for whom intentionally he died might not die in or by their sins eternally Pricked wounded and to our own sence dead we must be in our selves before we be healed or revived that we might know our own desert and case if the whole burthen of our sin were to be born by us as also how to prize the benefit of spirituall health and life and how to give God his glory Vse 1. It concerns Ministers 1. Use who are hence taught to see that they be not only as ready and forward For Ministers to be as willing and able to answer doubts us to make them but also as able to heal as to hurt to raise up with true comforts as to cast down by terrors and convictions Some can apply the word to the wounding convicting and amazing the conscience and perplexing the heart by laying home the judgements of God and beating men from all their false holds and from resting in their own performances yea and on Christ in a false manner a thing most needfull yet it were to be wished they were as clear in laying down distinguishing notes of trial and of true sincerity and did direct how to lay true hold and to rest savingly on Christ and how clearly to to see it when it is so and not to leave the soul perplexed for want of clear and
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
weaknesse and knowing that if we had such an abundant measure of grace and gifts as we desire we would stand in less need of him and be prouder of the gift then of the giver and not rest in him as alone all-sufficient and better then many graces to us Which I say provided we truly thirst and labour after more grace not that upon this pretence any careless liver should take up with any measure of grace or please himself with his infirmities as he will call his grosser and more willfull sins such an one I shall discard from the number of true Christians and genuine sons of God and babes in Christ who will ever out of a true sence be crying for more food and grow by it too but that we all should labour for true grace in sincerity and comfort our selves therein and in Christ our sanctification whilest we strive but cannot attain to that strength and measure of grace which we truly and from the heart desire 2. In our having of the gifts of grace all which without Christ are but glistering sins Secondly then make we Christ sanctification to us not onely in the want but in the having of any gift of grace whatsoever without whom all our gifts and graces are but dead carkases liveless pictures meer formalities yea like the vertues of the heathen who knew not Christ glistering sins Christ is the very life and soul of all graces and must be all to us in them all as our knowledge as what is knowledge of all things else but heathenish science if we know not God in Christ All other knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 2. and if any man teach otherwise and consent not to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ he is proud knowing nothing at least as hee ought to know zeal 1 Tim. 6.3 4. What is our zeal if it be not according to such knowledge its rather fury and madness What is our faith faith hope if Christ dwell not in our hearts by it Eph. 3.17 What is our hope if it be not in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 but a comfortless and ungrounded presumption What is love or charity if it be not out of a pure heart charity 1 Tim. 1.5 Eph. 5.2 and if we doe not walke in love as Christ also hath also loved us and if our love be not in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 1.14 it s but a fained love patience 1 Thes 1.3 What is patience but a Stoicall blockishness if our labouring and not fainting and so our patience be not for Christs names sake Rev. 2.3 What are our sufferings and bonds but a thankless bearing of deserved evill Our sufferings if they be not in Christ and for Christ Phil. Our good works 1.13 What are all our good workes almes fasting prayer and generally all our wayes if they be not in Christ and living godly and what is all our godly living if it be not in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.12 but a death whereby we have a name that we live and spirituall life but are dead Revel 3.1 What is our spirituall life if we be not made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 and quickned together with him Eph. 2.5 and if Christ live not in us Gal. 2.20 What is it but an artificiall and forced motion such as is in walking engines and in pictures and Images with artficiall rolling eyes or otherwise drawn or carved to the life Our mortification In a word what is mortification but a monkish holiness and apish imitation if we be not dead with Christ Rom. and humility 6.8 or our humility in worshipping of Angels or Saints as not daring come so boldly into Gods immediate presence but pride and a being puft up in our fleshly minds Col. 2.18 and the punishing not sparing or neglecting of the body and hard usage of the body but only a shew of wisedome in will-worship and humility Col. 2.23 What 's sanctification then out of Christ Why should we not deny our selves in all these and in like things further then we do suffer them in Christ In all these wee are to deny our selves that wee may be them all only in Christ 4. Make wee Christ to us Redemption in all the parts of it or why should we be discouraged in some sense of our own wants and imperfections in these when we do and suffer them in Christ in whom they are accepted and accounted sufficient Now lastly considering this Alsufficiency of Christ we have reason to make him and him onely or God in him as God hath made him to us Redemption In which benefit is included salvation from first to last not onely freedom from the guilt of sin by pardon and power over it by the Spirit and so a freedom both from the damnation Luke 1.68 69 71 c. and also domination and power thereof together with finall perseverance in grace to the end by vertue of Gods new covenant with us in Christ Jer. 32.40 but also protection and defence by the ministry of Angels Hebr. 1.14 and otherwise yea and consolation in troubles and a blessing of curses or crosses and afflictions to us in this life Let him be our Consolation 1 In all our Crosses at the end thereof a blessed death and after death a joyfull and blessed resurrection to life and glory for ever And what needs more All this and more then I can expresse to you or you and I conceive within our selves is Christ to us if once by denying our selves in all power of our own whether over sin or other enemies or in all earthly comforts we can seek to be All in all these and that onely in him Let us make then Christ all to us in these things that All in him may be ours whilest he is ours and we his 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. And so let us make him more specially in all our losses 2 and Losses in the losse of goods name friends and what else in all which we lose nothing if we lose not Christ who is all in all these to us Have we lost our goods as 1 Of goods say we with Paulinus Bishop of Nola when the City was sackt by the Barbarians Lord let me not be troubled for the gold and silver for thou art all to me Are we disgraced 2 Name or is a fools cap in disgrace put upon us as once upon one Alexander Cane say we as he Can I have a greater honour done then to be served as my Lord Christ before Herod Have we lost our friends 3 Friends Senec in Consolat ad Polyb. who seemed to be a staffe and a stay unto us what Seneca said in the comforting in such a case of his friend Polybius a Courtier may fitlyer be applyed to a Christian concerning Christ So long as Cesar lives and is thy friend thou oughtest not to complain of thy condition whilest he is safe thou hast
prophesie falsely witness the Arminian and Popish doctrine taught by many and the Priests bear rule for whose demerits Princes are left to themselves and are strengthened by their meanes and that the people also love to have it so what will we doe in the end thereof Jer. 5.30 31. What can be expected that good is It is said The anger of the Lord was first kindled against Israel and then he moved or suffered Satan to move King David against Israel to say to Joab though unwilling go number Israel and Judah and all to the end that a plague might come upon Israel 2 Sam. 24.1 Now our people have besides all their other provocations so generally complied with their Priests for so in a more Popish sence they will be called and with their Prophets and strengthned them by their readiness to entertain their opinions superstititions and new Ceremonies and are yet such enemies to Reformation yea and yet so generally senceless of our present sufferings in the true causes thereof that we have just cause to thinke that his Majesty whose Throne ever be guiltlesse is what by the demerit of their ill deeds what by their ill counsell and instigation moved to say go number England and Wales array as many as you can c. and all that the deserved wrath may at length fall upon themselves as the first and chief procurers of these evills and that withall the better affected among them may be further tried humbled approved and prepared for after mercies Yet good hope upon our humiliation and reformation Howsoever our good hope is that upon our more solemn yea and daily humiliations in compunction of heart for our own sins and the sins of the land and times God after some triall will graciously be pleased to crown the pious laborious and constant indeavours of this present Parliament with an happy end both for our selves with a peaceable and blessed conclusion and happy Reformation now to be begun and in due time further to be setled according to his word in our own Churches of great Brittain and Ireland other nations and as our hope is to be followed in his good time also by others in other Countries by degrees and so long till the great stumbling block and main hinderance of the Jewes conversion and calling again in and by the downfall of Rome be removed out of the way and especially the Jewes Now that the Iewes shall be called and again received as from the dead and graffed into their own Olive-tree their sins according to Gods election and love taken away and the vail of their ignorance removed we need not doubt whose calling and conversion we expect See Rom. 11 12.-15-23 24. to 29.2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. And for the occasions and grounds thereof we may more then probably conclude when they shall be pricked in heart upon like grounds that by Gods blessing they shall be the same for effect and in the general which they were by the same grace working effectually to these in this my Text where that old prophesie of Zachary only began to be fulfilled God having on that day of Pentecost in outward and visible signs and otherwise poured upon them the hearers as well as teachers the spirit of grace and supplications And saith the Lord Zach. 19.9 10 11. they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born Now when was it that these were so pricked in heart and mourned as were these Jewes here in my Text but when they were convicted first of Christs glory and that Jesus the son of Mary being now advanced to glory at the right hand of the Father was made and declared of God to be both Lord and Christ Secondly or withall of their own sin and unworthy carriage towards him whom they were truly charged to have crucified as appeares by the close of Peters Sermon in the words immediatly preceding my Text Acts 2.36 And when shall the body of the scattered Nation of the Jewes mourn and convert to God but when they also shall be convinced namely first of the glory and power of Jesus Christ and withall of their own wicked blasphemies and sins against him so loving a Saviour Vpon conviction and fight 1. Of the glory of Christ 1. Christ to their conviction will at length even here on earth though I will not say by a bodily appearance and residence amongst us shew himself King of his Church and deliver as once the Israelites from Pharaoh and the Ark from the Philistines and himself out of the power of death and the grave so it from the tyranny of Antichrist and from all yokes of superstitious ceremonies and of his power and victory over Antichrist and other enemies spirituall and bodily and tyrannicall government which hath so long and that in part even since the time of Reformation lien upon the necks of his people as also from all licentious doctrines and practises The Kings of the earth and of the world whom those three unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of the Dragon Beast and false Prophet shall gather to the battell of that great day of God Almighty into a place called Armageddon to make war against Christ Rev. 16. or as he is called the word of God King of Kings and Lord of Lords who sits on the white Horse and against his Army Rev. 19.11,12 -18 19. those Kings I say by their ill successe shall at length see and acknowledge as the power of Christ against whom they warred so their own madness in opposing him and his people and how they have been deluded and so not knowing what to do or how to be saved in their own Religion and way shall at length abandon the same embrace the truth and way of Christ and submit to his Scepter Then shall they hate the whore and see the abominations of poperie and so shall Euphrates be dried up that is as a good Author doth interpret the succours Mr. Cotton on the sixt viall supplies and revenues of Rome that the way of the Kings of the East whom the best Interpreters make the Jewes may be prepared Revel 16.12 13 c. for then also by the same successe of the battel in Armageddon shall the Jewes see the mighty power of Christ in rooting out all Idolatry and superstitions and prophanenesse of Professors which have so long kept and hindred them from comming to the knowledge and acknowledgement of their Messias 2. Of their own sin in crucifying and rejecting him 2. Then also upon conviction of their sin against their Messias and King now acknowledged by them there shall be great mourning but in a godly manner as at the mourning of Hadadrimmon upon the death of good King Josiah in the valley of Mageddon unto which this Armageddon may allude Which mourning shall be in compunction such as this in my Text was and with contrition of heart not only because Jesus now acknowledged their Messias and the King of glory was crucified by them but also for them and his blood shed even for them that spilt it Yet their sin in crucifying and rejecting him so long yea of cursing the name the Lord Jesus in their Liturgies praying that it might perish from under these heavens and from above this earth shall be their sorrow also as having so long brought them and their fathers under the curse of Cain Gen. 4.14 and made them no better then fugitives and vagabonds in the earth Thus when the enemies of the Church and that man of sin shall as well by the mouth â—f the sword as by the sword of the mouth be destroyed Rev. 19.21 these Jewes convinced by them both shall mourn and come to true repentance After which Christ shall reign in the purity and power of his Ordinances here on earth and in due time after make his appearance as a glorious King and judge of quick and dead and come to wipe all teares from the eyes of true mourners according to his gracious promise Joh. 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there may yee be also Rev. 22.20 Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus Dantzick October 30. 1642. FINIS