of the way verse 12. destruction and misery are in their ways verse 16. 't is as much as if he should say sin first bewildreth and then destroyeth verily there were multitudes that dyed in that wilderness and that which killed them was this wilderness God threatneth it Numb 14 I have heard their murmurings ver 27. your carkases shall fall in this wilderness even all that were numbred of you vers 29. which were Six hundred thousand and Three thousand and five hundred and fifty able to go out to war besides the numerous tribe of Levi which were not numbred and yet perished with the rest Numb 1.46 47 God brings it to pass Numb 64.65 Amongst all these there was not a man that escaped but Caleb and Joshua for the Lord had said of them they shall surely die in the wilderness you have both it and the reason yet more express Josh 5.6 Israel walked in the wilderness till all the people that were fit for war were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord You see what reason I have to say 't was this wilderness made that destructive Zelophehads daughters confession is very remarkable Numb 27.3 Our father died in the wilderness in the beginning of the verse he died in his own sin in the latter end of the verse you have the same conjunction Heb. 3.17 He was grieved with them that had sinned whose carkases fell in the wilderness 1 Cor. 10.5 with many of them God was not pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness It would seem uncharitable and rigid doctrine if we should now say that as many as came out of Egypt yet died in the wilderness so many are born in the world yea in some sort come out of Egypt get some knowledge some light and yet perish and die in sin yet certainly there is a proportion of truth in it that is heaps upon heaps multitudes and thousands upon thousands that are called Israelites that are named Christians do yet perish in this wilderness and there are but a few one of a family and two of a tribe some Joshua's and some Calebs that fulfil to walk uprightly and that come savingly to enjoy a Canaan so destructive is the wilderness of sin More particularly it appears to be so in these four respects The Famine of the wilderness is wasting and consuming The Thorns of the wilderness are rending and tearing The Serpents of the wilderness are biting and envenoming The wilde Beasts of the wilderness are ranging and devouring 1. The famine of the wilderness is dismul and destructive First then You have heard before that the famine of the wilderness is dismal 't is destructive also therefore have you mention not onely of wasting but of dying in the wilderness they and their cattel Numb 20.4 for want of bread and for want of water Numb 21.5 you have mention also of a burning hunger and bitter destruction Deut. 32.24 the same thing is represented by the parable of the lost son Luke 15. you have his confession verse 17. I perish with hunger T is a burning hunger that poor souls undergo that have not a God a Christ a Covenant to feed upon they that are lost must needs perish through this hunger If David oppose an interest in God to all natural good to support life corn and wine c. Psalm 4.6 7. If onely they that fear and seek the Lord are provided for whilst Lions the chief beasts of the wilderness yea yong Lions the chief state of those chief beasts do lack and suffer hunger Psal 34.9 10. and that hunger be as you hear a burning hunger an hunger that eats up the soul as fire doth fewel whilest the soul hath nothing no interest in God no comfort from God to feed upon surely such lost souls such bewildred sinners had need to make much haste home 't is not a hunger unto drying but unto burning not to leanness onely but unto death you perish with hunger what ever food you have to feed upon besides Christ it will not be able as we say to keep life and soul together 't is chaff which prodigals may have yet cannot fill themselves with all and though they feed upon it they must yet perish with hunger Secondly The thorns of the wilderness are rending thorns 2. The thorâ—â— of the wilderness are destructive piercing wounding killing thorns as you may reade Josh 8.7 and 16. you may meddle you think with sin now and not be pricked but if ever God tend your conscience either in wrath or mercy by these thorns it will be that God will teach you as Joshua did the men of Succoth in judgement and as God taught Saul afterwards in mercy how hard it is to kick against the pricks Act 9.5 't is said 1 Tim. 6.10 They erred from the faith pierced themselves through with many sorrows Oh! what piercing what thorow-piercing thorns are here they are called choaking-thorns unto the word Matth. 13.22 and therefore needs must they be choaking-thorns unto the soul sin seems blunt and smooth now you will finde it sharper another day This I speak of the guilt of sin 3. The Serpents of the wilderness are pdisoning and so destructive serpentâ— The Serpents of the wilderness are mortally poisoning Serpents those especially in the old wilderness do best suit with the serpent Sin In the wilderness were fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8.15 yea Numb 21.6 The Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died Sin doth not onely rend the soul but envenom it too and so makes the wound uncurable You have the wicked going astray that is in this wilderness Psal 58.3 You have mention of their poison like the poison of the serpent verse 4. Their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel venum of asps Psaâ—m 104 3. they have sharpned their tongues like serpents adders poison is under their lips so that as Job saith of the arrows of the Almighty Job 6.4 That the poison thereof drinketh up his spirit so must sin which sharpned and envenomed those arrows much more be a soul-destroying poison yea verily what ever poison there is in death it self it is from sin 1 Cor. 15.56 the sting of death is sin let not us therefore tempt Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpents 1 Corinthians 10.9 4. The beasts of the wilderness are devouring beasts Lastly The Beasts the soul meets with in this wilderness are as in the other devouring wilde beasts The sound of these beasts makes the way of the wilderness as you heard before dismal meeting with these beasts makes it destructive I 'le bring lions upon him that escapes of Moaâ— Isa 15.10 the beasts of the field come to devour yea all the beasts of the forest Isa 56.9 see a full Scripture Jer. 5.6 A lion of the forest shall slay them a wolf of the evening shall devour them
a leopard shall watch over their cities every one that goeth thence shall be tom in pieces because their transgressions are many and their back-slidings are increased Jer. 5.6 As long as we are and continue in the wilderness of sin we can meet none but such as like wilde beasts will devour us whether men or devils they all will be found as destroyers unto our souls 1. Men devouring beasts Amongst men I shal primely instance in two ranks that of all others are most so though all sinful men wilderness companions in their kinde and degree are so such were the beasts of Ephesus First Sinful magistrates sinful great ones 1. Evil Magistrates they are wilnerss beasts and greatly destructive to poor souls they lead men by precept by practice into the lions den and leopards mountains they lead men to hell by authority Prov. 28.15 As a ranging lion and a roaring bear so is a wicked ruler over the poor people Secondly Sinful and godless ministers 2. Evil Ministers such are ravening wolves though clothed with the fleece in sheeps clothing I remember the Popish painters humor who limning a Frier in a coul with a wolves head preaching unto a flock of sheep choosing that Text of the Apostles with a little variation God is my witness how I long for you all in my bowels Verily it is not far from the Lords own language Ezek. 22.25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof like a roaring lion ravening the prey they have devoured souls Friends let us Ministers look to it there can be but two kindes of us either shepherds or devouring beasts ruining the souls committed to us Secondly 2. Devils devouring beasts Devils whatever delusions they carry the poor soul away with will be found in the end to be as Peter calls them 1 Pet. 5.8 Roaring lions going about seeking whom they may devour therefore take heed of Satan come he as an angel of light yet is his business to carry you into the pit of darkness the Lions den whence there is no more return Lastly Christ will be found unto such 3. God himself the Lion of the tribe of Judah and surely miserably will that soul be rent which God tears terrible are those expressions I 'le be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a yong lion unto the house of Judah I even I will tear and go away Hos 5.14 so Hos 13. I did know thee in the wilderness vers 5. they have forgotten me ver 6. therefore will I be unto them as a lion as a leopard by the way will I observe them I will meet them as a Bear bereaved of her whelps and I will rent the caul of their heart and there will I devour them like a lion the wilde beasts shall tear them verse 7 8. you see Men rend Devils tear God destroys what can be more sadly thought upon yea the famine consumes the thorns pierce the serpents poison the beasts devour Is not this a destructive wilderness CHAP. VIII Containeth the Application of the former Chapter LEt me improve this unto your Conviction and Exhortation Vse 1 Conviction how fearful is it to die in sin First For conviction Understand from hence what it is to perish in the spiritual wilderness of sin of all places on earth the wilderness in scripture is called most terrible and surely of all deaths dying in the wilderness is most terrible The children of Israel had such a natural horror of that natural wilderness that it seems they had rather have died any where then there Because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness Exod. 14.11 And it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians then to die in this wilderness ver 12. rather do any thing rather suffer any thing rather die any where would we had died when our brethren died before the Lord and why have you brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness that we should die there Num. 20.3 4. O friends did you but consider what it it is to die in this wilderness of sin you would rather choose bondage prison death any thing then sin for fear least you should die in sin There 's that in dying in the wilderness which to my thoughts doth better represent dying in sin then any other kinde of death doth To say nothing more of the sad variety of wilderness-deaths he that scapes the famine is pierced through with thorns he that scapes the thorns is stung and bitten with serpents he that scapes the serpents is devoured of wilde beasts he that scapes the Bear the Lion findes him he that scapes the Lion is torn of Leopards he that scapes the Leopard some other Beast of the forest devours him one plague or another one curse or another will be sure to ruine the sining soul There are these three things observable It is the most remediless death it doth represent a double death it doth figure an eternal death First Dying in the wilderness Wilderness death is remediless is of all deaths the most remediless you may easily phansie it in these three particulars First 1. None to deliver if a man be in danger of death by robbers upon the road he may hope for the coming on of passengers for his rescue but if a man be in danger of death in the wilderness there is no man yea none to be hoped for to redeem him thus it is with the soul that dies in sin Now consider this you that forget God least I come and tear you in pieces while there is none to deliver Psal 50.22 Secondly If there were any to intercede for 2. None can rescue or rescue a poor wretch ready to die in the wilderness yet could they not be able when a yong Lion roareth upon his prey though a multitude of shepherds be called out against him he will not be afraid of their voice neither will he abase himself because of them Isa 30.4 when wife children friends do all of them lift up their voice for the dying sinner if once the Lion take him in his paw none can none shall deliver him Mic. 5.8 If a yong Lion amongst the flocks go through he both treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver so will it be with God Hos 5.14 As a lion will I be to Ephraim as a yong lion unto Judah I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue Lastly If a man be taken by his enemies 3 Thy own câ—ies will be in-effectual he may plead for mercy and plead so haply as to prevent death but if a man become a Lions prey a prey in the wilderness he may cry aloud but the Lion roars louder the Lion understands not the Lion knows not what you say The foolish virgins cry aloud Lord Lord open Matt. 25 11. but God roars louder I know you not
ver 12. And now friends what think you of dying in sin I may say to you and to my self what the prophet speaketh Amos 3.8 The lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can hut prophesie 2. Wilderness death a double death Secondly Dying in the wilderness doth best represent the double death of sin If a man dieth on his bed yea amongst his enemies yet doth he die but once his body is buried and returns unto the dust in peace from whence it came but if a man perâ—sh in the wilderness where body and soul are parted a sunder his carkase also is rent in pieces and being rent is devoured of wilde beasts and so findes as it were a living grave and do you not know that such a grave is hell The Lord threatneth it as a sad judgement upon the people that after death their carkases should be devoured of wilde beasts Jer. 7.33 Their carkases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and beasts of the earth and none shall fray them away Therefore doth the Lord compare that which by Iohn is called the second death unto some beast of the forest opening his mouth and widening as it were his throat to swallow down the prey Isa 5.14 therefore hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure I tell you hell hath a wide mouth and open throat to receive the carkases the souls I mean of those that perish in the spiritual wilderness of sin 3. Wilderness death an eternal death Lastly Israels dying in that wilderness was a type of eternal death surely dying in this wilderness will be seconded with that Heb. 4.17 18. They that fell in that wilderness could not enter into his rest That rest was as it is there expounded a type of heaven so that falling short is expounded also a figure of eternal ruine Let us therefore fear least a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short Heb. 5.1 Exhortation to lean upon Christ Secondly Be exhorted to lean upon the Lord Jesus that you may come forth of the destructive wilderness of sin If the famine the thorns the serpents the wilde beasts of the wilderness be so killing Oh! what need have we of a Christ Christ is Jesus and can be life unto us notwithstanding all exigencies First In this wilderness-famine Who is 1. Bread in this famine the Lord Jesus is Manna bread from heaven angels food bread of God what can a poor famishing creature desire more 1 Cor. 10.3 4. They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink and that was Christ Secondly 2. Healer of these rents and piercings If thy soul be pierced through or torn with the thorns of this wilderness the guilt of sin The Lord can binde up that which was broken Ezek. 34.16 as well as seek that which was lost in the wilderness therefore let us take their counsel in Hosea 6.1 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn us and he will binde us up Thirdly 3. Curer of these serpents bitings If thy soul be bitten by the serpents of this wilderness you have heard of Israels cure Numb 21.8 't is also ours the brazen Serpent the Lord Christ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so was the Son of man lifted up that whosoever belived on him should not perish but have eternal life John 3.14.15 Lastly If thy soul once get an interest in the Lord Jesus 4. Rescue from these beasts devourings thou need'st not fear what all the beasts of the wilderness can do against thee This is that spiritual David that slaies both the Lion and the Bear 1 Samuel 17.36 and he verily that reads not Christ there misseth of the best part of the story First Then Christ is able to secure thee 1. Being a lion for he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 therefore despair not onely believe Secondly 2. Able to bring honey and â—ood He is that Sampson that brings honey out of the Lions carkase Judges 14 8. thaâ— can make even Satans temptations thine advantage food for thy faith and matter of thy Christian experience for thy future support Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the heads of Levi than and gavest him to be food for a people inhabiting the wilnerness Thirdly He shall as a Lion arise for thy salvation 3. Able to make thee as a lion Psal 31 4 5. Like as a lion and a yong lion roaring upon his prey that will not be afraid of a multitude of shâ—pherds so will the Lord of hosts come down for mount Sion and for Jerusalem as birds flying so will the Lord defend it defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it Thus wil the Lord Christ wil make thee through his strength prevail against all thy spiritual enemies be they never so many yea thou shalt be more then Conqueror through Christ that loves thee Mic. 5.8 The remnant of Jacob in the midst of many people shall be as a lion amongst the beasts of the forest as a yong lion amongst the flocks of the sheep who if he go through treadeth down and tears to pieces and none can deliver CHAP. IX Containeth the third Branch or Evidence of the first Doctrine showing that the coming out of the wilderness of sin is difficult and as to our own power desperate Third evidence The coming out of the wilderness difficult and desperate YOu have seen sin like the wilderness both in its first view and entry and in its further discoveries and progress We come now to the third Sin is a wilderness to the last as well as from the first Therefore Thirdly The coming out of the wilderness is difficult and desperate so is the coming out of sin I may say Facilis descensus eremi Sed revocare gradus Hic labor hoc opus est 'T is easie Friends to finde the way into the wilderness and into sin The Israelites were soon gotten into the wilderness Exod. 13.20 I believe they were not forty hours in getting into it but they were forty years in getting out of it Adam his posterity were in a few hours got into sin Adam and his posterity are not to this day got out of it There were not many hours from the Creation before we were all bewildred in sin Gen. 3.6 There are thousands of years since the Creation and yet are not we got out of sin The way of life is soon lost and mist of but it it is not so quickly found again There are these things considerable in the wilderness which make the coming out of it difficult and desperate and the same too truly hold in sin The wilderness is great this great wilderness is full of divers ways these various ways are perplexed these perplexed ways are uneven these uneven ways are
think of leaving thee there Old ones Vse 1. Encouragment to Old ones desirous to come out of the wilderness hath God touched any of your hearts this day have you any unfeigned desires to travel out of your old wilderness in your old age If you have speak and then ' I le speak Truly if you have but yet an ear to hear in good earnest know that though it be impossible with man to transplant such an old tree and to make it take root in a new soile or to take such a withered branch and to graft it into a living stock yet with the Lord nothing is impossible for the grace of the Gospel nothing at all is too hard That God that is able to make the hypocrite though a green tree to be dried up is able yea and according to his promise willing to cause thee though a dead and a dry tree to flourish read Ezek. 17.24 Yea but wilt thou say as well thou maist my strength as you said I finde is gone I would travel after Christ but my strength is spent in wandring in the wilderness I fear never was any converted whose case was so desperate yea but it was so with the lost sheep Luk. 15. It had spent its strength in the wilderness and could not go but Christ could carry it and so he can thee he took it and laid it upon his shoulder v. 5. If then thou canst not come out of the wilderness but by leaning upon his arm 't is no unmannerliness Beg of Christ with importunities to take thee and to lay thee upon his shoulder Object not thy lameness to come to Christ But for you aged ones 2 Terror â—o those that resolve to stay there that have lain under the droppings of this word of grace this day but yet despise the day of your visitation so neer night and will not hear his voice to day but harden your hearts as in the former dayes of your provocation in the wilderness know that it shall fare with you as with the dry trees there those drops of rain that cause other trees to sprout forth falling on them cause them to rot the sooner This word shall soake into thine heart Oh! thou dead tree and rot thee within more and more untill thou by thy rottenness be perfectly fitted for Gods furnace Job 22.15 16. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden who have been cut down out of time whose foundation was overflown with a flood Thou hast troden the same paths even paths of wickedness and of the wilderness Thou shalt be rooted up and the flood of Gods wrath shall overflow thy foundations Thou shalt be cut down out of time and committed to eternity and the everlasting flames of wrath shall take hold upon thee Think of this your aged ones that are in the twelfth hour of your day If you have not found the way out of the wilderness whilst your day shall last know that when the night comes you shall never find any way save to bed onely I mean to the grave to hell CHAP. VI. The dying hour a bewildring hour to lost souls and Hell a wilderness to departing sinners opened and applyed BUt sevethly 7. The dying hour a bewildring hour unto poor lost souls The dying heart is a bewildring hour unto poor souls And every one that dyes in the state of sin dyes in the wilderness The Lords threatning to the old Israel for their old unbelief was this Your carkeses shall fall in the wilderness Numb 14.27 And the same sin being renewed by the same people this threatning is renewed in a plainer dress John 8.21 You shall seek me but you shall dye in your sins whither I go you cannot come I go to Canaan saith Christ but thither you shall never come for you shall dye in the wilderness of your sins Ioshua walked uprightly but Israel did not Yea saith Christ You shall seek me but you shall dye in your sins That is you that have wandred in the wilderness thus long but would not be turned when you see the Lion fain would ye flee to the shepherd then when night comes fain you would get out of the wilderness but then you shall seek me as a guide but shall not finde me You shall seek me as a way but shall not light upon me for as you have lived so shall ye die You have lived in your sins you shall die in your sins and friends you have heard that to live in sin is to live in the wilderness You now hear that to dye in sin is to dye there Therefore Zelophehads daughters joyn both together Numb 27.3 Our father dyed in the wilderness he dyed in his own sin Three things make the sinners death a wilderness to his soul Three things make death a wilderness to him 1. Horror of what is past 1. The horror of what he hath been Do you think friends that when all the sins that ever he hath committed shall stand round in order about him the thoughts and horror of them is not enough to bewilder him Now he sins and takes not any notice perhaps or at least but a little He was drunk and forgets it He committed uncleanness such and such a time and hath forgotten but God that remembers will also make him remember God will methodize his sins and they shall come in their order and stand before him when God reproves him and that of all times most eminently at the hour of death Psal 50.21 And surely if single sins could wilder us much more can they all when they are set in order before us Oh! such a day in the forenoon I met with such a company and in in that company fell into such sins and that â—fternoon I met with such company and then I wandered in such siâ—ns and that night when I came home I acted with such and such fresh siâ—s and sirs I would have you believe that if you would studie you cannot half so orderly remember the sins of yesterday as God will make you able the to remember the sins of your whole lives And if your will not yet think this a Wilderness Listen Sirs listen whose voice is thaâ— in the next verse viz. verse 22. Consider this you that forget God lest I come and tear you in pieces whilest there is none to deliver If that be not the voice and roaring of a Lion then let not your methodized guilt and horror of your sins be called a Wilderness Here you have sins set in order and would you know what order it is Why this is the order his sins are set round about him yea so near him that they take hold upon him yea so many of them that they are more than the hairs of his head yea they reach so far that they are innumerable so that he is not onely unable to get out but even unable to look out of this Wilderness This is the souls condition till
God will not but let them stay upon the Lord they may injure themselves and dishonour God in this one farther work of Darknesse as much as in all the rest that were before it 6ly A mixt darkness of all these Sixthly and lastly A mixture of all that have been named is a bewildring darknesse to many a soule some things they know not and there they are in the dark other things that they know they doe not consider and so they are in the dark and bewildred still that which they doe consider they will not be perswaded of or unto and so from such willfull unperswasion passe on to Presumption and from Presumption strait forward when time serves unto Despaire and surely all these blended together are enough to make a darknesse more darke then that of Aegypt Therefore when the Apostle tells you what Methods Satan hath to bewilder souls Eph. 6.11 He calls the Devills immediately verse 12. The Rulers of the darkness As a Commander would order such and such a Party for one place such an one for another a Forlorn-hope a Left-wing a Right-wing a Reserve c. So doth Satan Marshall and order various darknesses to undoe poore soules for he is the Ruler of them that if Ignorance can't doe it Inconsideratenesse may if that will not that willfull unperswasiblenesse may if God sometimes almost perswade as he did Agrippa that Presumption may still hold or if ever Presumption leaves them that cursed despaire may seize upon them for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Ruler or Generall or Commander of Darkness CHAP. XIX Containes the second sort of bewildring darknesse viz In conversion whereof three kinds 1. Such as relate to our selves Foure particulars removed THe second sort of bewildring Darknesses 2d Sort of darkness In Conversion are such as attend the soule in or unto Conversion And these are a wildernesse of Gods own providing not a wildernesse of sinne but a wildernesse wherein to afflict the soule for sinne as it is said of that Wilderness wherein the Lord led Israel forty years that it was to humble and to prove them Deut. 8.2 And to do them good in their latter end ver 16. So when God intends to convert a soule he brings it usually if not alwaies first into a Wildernesse but the designe of God is to humble it and to prove it and at length to doe it good The first view that soules have of God is as if his waies were a Wildernesse a Land of darknesse and it is the pleasure of God it should be so Hos 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse that 's a dark dispensation indeed Oh! but then saith God I will speak comfortably to her I will first bewilder her to humble her and then at her latter end I will do her good Verily sirs if you will walke as we all naturally doe in the darke wildernesse of Soul-transgression though you be the deare Elect of God yet shall you walke in the darksome wildernesse in Soul-affliction and be as those Isai 50.10 Walking in darknesse and seeing no light at all As God tells Israel Ezek. 20.34 c. so will he deal with the soule that he brings home to himselfe I will bring you out of the people and ver 35. I will bring you into the wilderness of the people and there will I plead with you face to face and verse 37. I will cause you to passe under the Rod and bring you into the bond of the Covenant and verse 38. I will purge out the Rebels from among you These are the pure designes and aims of God in bringing soules into such a Darknesse into such a Wildernesse namely to gather them out of other Countries i. e. from the world and their vaine Conversation to cause them to passe under the Rod that is to humble them and to bring them as Israel in the Wildernesse into a new bond of Covenant and to purge out the Rebells c. that is by making sinne the hearts rebellion a bitterness to their soules to give Corruption a Deaths-wound in their soules As God of old by bringing Israel into the Wildernesse thereby first brought them out of Aegypt and then humbled them to purpose there and â—ade them enter into Covenant to be his people and there he wasted the rebellious ones that were amongst them so usefully however irksome it was for Israel to be brought into that Wilderness and verily so needfull is it if not much more in all these respects that God should first lead a soul into this darksome Wilderness before he lead them into Canaan or speak comfortably unto them Neither may a sinner take this ill at the hands of God for if he find a Convert perverting his way he will make him know that he wae againe in the Wilderness by bringing him back by an Hedge of thornes and by setting darkness in his paths and fencing up his waie that he cannot pass therefore wonder not at the Thornes Hos 2.6 7. or the Wilderness verse 14. Onely as you know how busie Satan was to lead them whilest they were in that Wildernesse into temptation so that it is called The day of temptation in the wilderness Heb. 3.8 So verily will he be sure exceedingly to endeavour to make this time of thy being led into the Wilderness of Gods owne providing an houre of temptation unto thee that so he may in sinne bewilder thee whilst God designes by such bewildring of thee to lead thee out of the wilderness of sinne I shall rank the bewildring-darkness of such a day Of these three kinds under this Threefold Head such as respect our selves such as respect God such as respect the way of Reconcliation betwixt us and God All which God at least disposeth for our good though in them Satan purposeth our ruine First In the time of Conversion 1. Kind such as relate unto our selves we are exceedingly subject to be bewildred with much darkness relating unto our selves as to have exceeding darke thoughts of our selves Of this kind are to passe darke sentences upon our selves to take up dark resolves concerning and against our selves and make darke resolutions with our selves First 1. Darke thoughts concerning and of our selves Soules in such a time have dark thoughts of themselves and in them they are bewildred before they were be wildred in sinne now they are bewildred in the sence of sinne so that they cannot find any way out no way but one and that is Death there they must die for it they must fall in this Wildernesse Memorable is that passage The sence of sinne Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed that is the sence of sinne then it followes verse 11. For sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me When the terrours of the Law joyne with the serious sense of sinne and these surround the soul this is the entangling killing wildernesse
shee thought had more perfectly denyed mercy Yet I believe the woman to be a good woman something of refreshment she had e're she went away This is the of sinne a bewildring darkness to such a soule aggravate your sinnes as much as you will onely by their aggravation take heed of diminishing the freeness or fulness of Gods grace Secondly Soules in such a case 2. Pass darke sentences on our selves lose themselves in the dark sentences that they pass upon themselves Paul tels you that sin by the Law slew him that is passed a sentence of death upon him according to that phrase 2 Cor. 1.9 Who received the sentence of death in our selves Poor soules will save God as I may so say a labour in the condemning of them for they will condemne themselves and their sentence shall be very dark even as dark as death it selfe Oh! never did any deserve Hell more then my selfe thither I am a going and there I must receive a just recompence of reward Let me go to Hell said one for that is the fittest place for me Thirdly They often in such a season take up dark Resolves concerning themselves 3ly Take up dark resolves concerning themselves they themselves passed Sentence and now they proceed to Execution They say they have deserved Hell and it must be so they must go to Hell there 's no helpe for 't say what you can to comfort me my sinne will slay me doe what you can for me my sinne will slay me I have heard such language and now the soule 's at an utter loss Oh! I shall verily die in my sinnes Jer. 15.18 My pain is perpetuall and my wound incurable Oh! if the terrours of the Lord were but for a day or a year I might better beare them saith such a soul but they are perpetuall eternall death is the wages of my sinne what shall I doe Oh! if my wound were curable though it be great and terrible but I am without any expectation of recovery past all hope Thus poore ones in this darksome wildernesse do resolve concerning themselves 4ly Dark resolutions with themselves 4ly From dark Resolves concerning themselves they sometimes pass to darker resolutions with themselves Their hearts language is not onely I may be damned and I must be damned there 's no other way but even almost I will be damned There 's no comfort for me and I will take no comfort to me Jer. 15.18 My pain is perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Not onely incurable that is that cannot be healed but that refuseth to be cured that is that will not be healed and verily as for soules that have a long time said Note that there is no mercy or comfort that belongs unto them there is a kind of spirituall pride in the lowest ebbe of very despaire they have so long said that they shall perish that when they begin through mercy to be better perswaded they are very loath to think that it shall be otherwise and so refuse to be healed so Asaph Psal 77.2 My sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted Oh! take heed of thrusting Gods precious Consolations so often or so long from you as to get an habit of refusing him habits are hardly left though there be never so great reason to disswade us from them Sometimes poore soules in this darksome wilderness are ready to be of his minde and vote who desired that he might be in Hell that he might know the worst of his torment yet God that allures into the wilderness fastens comfort oft-times upon such a soul These are bewildring-darknesses as to our selves CHAP. XX. Contains the second kind of bewildring darkenesse in conversion viz. relating to God in foure particulars removed BUt secondly 2d Kind such as relate unto God There are attending upon conversion bewildring darknesses as relating to God Dark thoughts concerning the Purposes the Thoughts the Providences the Justice and mercy of God towards us 1. 1. Darknesse as to Gods purposes Such a day many times bewildes poore soules in dark thoughts concerning Gods purposes about themselves Oh! saith many a soule I should be glad to pray to repent to believe to do any thing for God but I am a Reprobate I know God hath from all eternity cast me away and therefore it is in vaine for me to doe any thing but as my deserved portion is everlastingly to despair Here is the blacknesse of darkness indeed but who told thee that thou are a Reprobate Why I am sure I am a Reprobate But why dost thou think that Gods eternall purpose was to pass thee by Why I am sure I am a Reprobate My Brethren I know it is the great duty of every Saint to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure and so saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.16 We ought to make sure that is be assured of our election so that we might conclude it and comfortably assert from our Calling that is because we find that we are converted to rest assured that we were elected because called therefore that we were chosen of God But ther 's no Scripture that either bids or warrants us to make our Reprobation sure that is to stand assured that we are reprobated no not because we are unconverted You 'l say the Apostle bids us to examine our selves upon such terms 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates the word i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why Jesus Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate Is this thine argument truly then thou must also say that there was a time when Paul was a Reprobate that spake it for there was a time when Christ was not in Paul Yea that the Saints that are in heaven were once Reprobates for certaine it is that they were once Christless and if this be so then to be Reprobate is no more then to unconverted and if this be thy meaning why should'st thou despaire upon the thoughts that thou art a Reprobate for though thou be Christless and by such reasoning a Reprobate to day as Paul before Conversion yet maist thou bee saved as well as he and so reprobation shall no more hinder thy salvation then unconversion But it is evident from the dark despaire that rests upon their spirits unto whom I speake that conclude they cannot be saved because as they thinke they are Reprobates that they are not so criticall as to distinguish betwixt Reprobate as opposed to Elect and opposite to Gods present approbation which an Elect but unconverted person may not have but take Reprobate in the saddest sence in which I cannot apprehend how any with reason can make unconversion an assuring token of it onely glad they are poor souls to take up any staffe wherewith to beat themselves I shall therefore in a word tell you what I think from these two
A SCRIPTURE-MAP OF THE Wildernesse of SIN And VVay to CANAAN OR THE SINNERS Way to the SAINTS REST. WHEREIN The close Bewildring sleights of Sin wiles of the Devill and windings of the Heart AS ALSO The various Bewildrings of Lost Sinners yea even of Saints Before In and After Conversion the necessity of LEANING upon Christ ALONE for SALVATION with directions therein As also the Evident and Eminent Danger of False Guides False Wayes False Leaning-stocks are plainly and practically Discovered Being the Summe of LXIV Lecture SERMONS Preached at Sudbury in Suffolk on CANTIC 8.5 By FAITHFVL TEATE M. A. Minister of the Gospel They wandred in a Wildernesse in a solitary way they found no City to dwell in Psal 107.4 Therefore the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost Luk. 16.10 He led them forth by a Right Way that they might go to a City of Habitation Psal 107.7 By a New and a living Way Heb. 10.20 even The Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 Therefore there remaineth a Rest for the People of God Heb. 4 9. London Printed for G. Sawbridge at the Bible on Ludgate Hill 1655. Aprilis 25. 1654. I allow these 64 Sermons on Cant. 8.5 preached by Mr. Faithful Teate for the Presse Thomas Gataker TO My Dear Friends of the Burrough and Town of SVDBVRY Together with all Christian Auditors of the ensuing Lectures THough the Intricacy of the Text the Importance of the Subject with the sense of mine Insufficiency for these things have sometimes overcast mee with a Cloud of Discouragement yet durst I not but follow that bright Pillar of truth which like their Starre in the East passed on before mee I have beleeved and therefore have I spoken knowing that Gods Truth never needed my Lye and from whom should I look for thanks should I lye for God I can say in simplicity so farre as I have known my wretched heart that I have feared to strain but hated to pervert the holy Scriptures whereof I reckon the CANTICLES a portion so transcendently spiritual that I accord with those that judge it to be understood most rightly if the sense be fair and scriptural when most spiritually I know the difficulty of demonstrating that one and not another is the sense of the abstruse passages thereof hath occasioned the giving and taking of much Liberty that I say not latitude by Interpreters whereby Satan hath gotten advantage of us who as hee is a known enemy to the Scriptures in general so hath ever been a professed Adversary to this Book in particular which confirms mee the more that the weapons thereof are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down his strong holds and therefore to be made use of by every good souldier of Jesus Christ I am not ignorant of his old Device which prevailed on the people to whom this scripture first came and by whom it was taken to be an Oracle of God who excluded all under 30 years of Age from the reading thereof so favouring shamefacednesse but not fearing sacrilege At this day hee shews his inveterate hatred by a new wile viz. whilest one understands it grosly and carnally another Historically a third Prophetically though the most and Best understand it Mystically of Christ and his people Saith Satan you cannot demonstrate adventure not to interpret and so should it lye by as a Book that is sealed And as for mee my feet were almost gone and my steps had wel nigh slipped whilst I was thus tempted untill I went into the Sanctuary then understood I that this Scripture was profitable for Doctrin for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousnesse being led of the Lord as I hoped and you beleeved to understand by being in the Wildernesse the lost estate of sinners by comming up Conversion by leaning saving faith by the Beloved the only Lord Redeemer Jesus Christ Yet little thought I of divulging my thoughts on this Text further then your Pulpit would carry them There is nothing that more nauseats my Natural genius than to see a surfit-sick press disgorging crudities into the lap of a nice and criticall Generation But and if I had judged my clusters to be ripe for the presse who on the contrary am very conscious to their immaturity it would have been small inducement to mee to appear in Print at such a time when one may easily discern the evill of the Age by the Appetite of the Presse which almost professedly disgusting the simplicity of the Gospell of peace craveth only what is curious or contentious to the former all may see that I am a stranger and if I mistake not in my self I am more than so to the later Yet have I chosen to displease if not to disadvantage my self and to incur the censure of strangers in the impression rather than to grieve some poor hearts of you in the suppression of the following discourse wherefore whilest I do what I durst not deny I would have all men know that though I ever thought obscurest Oblivion a winding sheet good enough for the best of my papers yet I never judged any Age or Eye too good to view the plainest of Gods Truths And now I come at your call in my plain Pulpit-dress upon your Affections the second time with those truths that were right welcome to them at the first wherefore as I had great joy to find many of you out in the Wildernesse of your sins who can easily remember the wormwood and gall the thorns and the stings the bruises the runing sores of your destitute disconsolate and desolate souls in that day when the chief Shepheard both searched you and sought you out I shall now have no greater when ever I leave you than to leave you walking in the faith and such as I found lost to leave leaning and such of you as I found scattering your waies unto strangers to leave you espoused to one husband even Christ And now blessed be God who hath so prospered my journey to you whilst I came to wooe a wife for the son of my Lord. My speech hath indeed been as rude as my person contemptible but my errand into this Wildernesse was to look for lost sheep not to loyter about flowers and 't was my happinesse to meet with such Travailers as craved plain guidance rather than quaint eloquence and would willingly stoop for their manna to the plain ground being long lost and throughly hunger-bitten in this spiritual Wildernesse Yet knowing that I have prophecied but in part I would willingly lead you through this plain Porch of the sinners Wildernesse to that excellent Discourse of Mr. Richard Baxters of the Saints Rest It is most certain wee are all Pilgrims as were our Fathers and have begunne our Travailes in the SINNERS WILDERNESSE oh that our end after all may bee THE SAINTS EVERLASTING REST. In order whereunto I beseech you suffer a word of EXHORTATION First As for the
thy good husbandry shall never save thee thy fruit lives and dies grows and rots with thee the Lord complains of thee Hos 10. 1. Israel is an empty vine he brings forth fruit to himself Though he be never so fruitful yet is he empty if onely fruitful to himself though thou be never so like a fruitful garden yet I will count thee a barren wilderness if onely fruitful to thy self Thirdly If the wilderness be fruitful unto men 3. Wilderness brings forth to the fornace it is for fuel not for food for their chimney not their table the fruit of the wilderness is thorns and bryers bad food but good fuel such are the fruits of sin they are thorns Cant. 2.2 As the lily among the thorns that is the saint among sinners such God will not set upon his table but surely put them into his fornace Heb. 6.8 That earth which bears thorns and bryars he speaks it of a sinful Apostate is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Me thinks your souls within you should tremble Tell me now what fruit do you use to bring forth good or wilde Every tree that brings not forth good fruit t is a wilderness tree shall be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Think again to whom hast thou brought forth fruit to God or thy self If onely to thy self thou art still a wilderness and you know how God threatneth Israel who onely looks after himself his children and his own family without any taking notice either of God or Gods Hos 9.16 17.10 1. Oh! what wilt thou be able to answer God another day thou that hast been a wilderness unto God here when the Lord shall minde thee of all the fruit which his mercy and providence hath brought forth unto thee Beloved you have a sad condition Jer. 2.31 Have I been a wilderness unto Israel The conviction is this O Israel thou hast been a wilderness unto me thou hast brought me forth no fruit or if grapes behold wilde grapes Have I been a wilderness unto thee that thou shouldest so serve me hath not my Sun shined and my rain on thee fallen O England England think of this of all the Nations of the world we cannot say the Lord hath been a wilderness unto us and yet what a wilderness what a barren wilderness have we that are called the garden of the world been to the Lord to this very day O read Jer. 9.9 10 11 12 13. I fear the Lord means England there If a sinner be fruitful t is a fruit unto death Rom. 7.5 2. Wilderness dry and moistureless Secondly The wilderness is drie and moistureless so is sin Psalm 107.35 The wilderness and dry ground are made all one so Jer. 50.12 A wilderness a dry land Hos 2.3 I le make her a wilderness and set her as a dry land Zeph. 2.13 I le make Ninevoh a desolation and dry like a wilderness and therefore you have mention of the heath of the wilderness Jer. 48.6 and 17.6 And so it is with sin Our Savior compares a sinner under mercy unto parched ground under seed Mat. 13.6 good seed is sown in parched grounds and for lack of moistures there it dies the dew falls upon parched grounds and for lack of a principle of moisture in themselves doth them no good the Sun shines upon them and scorcheth them quite up This word is to you ye parched consciences ye feared sinners from whose hard hearts and dry eyes all the judgements of God mercies of God Gospel of God cannot squeeze one tear of godly sorrow Oh! how hath the Lord in these times crumbled the scorched consciences of men to pieces yet how few are melted The Lords people are a melting people Psalm 22.14 My heart is like wax it is melted within my bowels a great difference their heart is like wax other mens like the wilderness The more the Sun shines upon the wax the more it softneth it the more it shines upon the wilderness the more it scorcheth and hardens it Now speak soul Art thou like wax under a judgement a mercy a sermon or art thou like a wilderness Hast thou a relenting giving mourning melting heart or art thou as hard as dry as parched as ever or more then before thou art a wilderness thou maist finde thy character 1 Tim. 4.2 Thy conscience is a seared conscience and what do men do with feared Trees Hew them down saith the owner why cumber they the ground if fear-wood be fit for the fornace surely such seared consciences are fit for hell A Chymicks Limbeck they say will extract moisture out of seared sticks and hardest stones Gods Limbeck will melt thee O thou seared sinner whether thou wilt or no time shall come that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat then shall the wilderness melt even thy soul Jer. 9.12 compared with Isaiah 35.1 CHAP. III. Containeth the Explication of the third and fourth consideration shewing the dismalness of wilderness sin because solitary and companionless desolate and provisionless 3. Wilderness solitary THirdly The wilderness is solitary and companionless so is the wilderness of sin This wilderness is companionless mistake me not I do not say its void of passengers but void of company there are upon this road too many catch-poles and cut-throats as you shall hear more when we come to open the destructiveness of the way there are not wanting Lions and Leopards and Dragons and Bears and Wolves and wilde Boars and wilde Bulls but there is no company for a man as Job 38.26 It is termed The wilderness where there is no man There you may meet with beasts savage beasts that make it their business to destroy one another and thee too but saith the Text There is no man there So in the ways of sin you may meet with Devils and Drunkards Whoremongers Sabbath-breakers Murtherers Thieves and Hypocrites that make it their business to destroy one anothers souls and thine too but thou shalt meet with no good company to comfort thee to direct thee No God Psal 5.4 No Christ or Spirit 2 Cor 6.15 No Angel Psalm 34.7 No Saint Gen. 49.6 to secure thee no not in all the wilderness no God no Christ no holy Spirit there no good Angel no Saint so far as sanctified Oh! what dismal travelling is here here 's scrieching of Owls and the howling of Dragons the roaring of Lions the bellowing of Bulls the yelling of Wolves but not the voice of one Man here 's roaring and swearing and lying and cursing and blaspheming and back-biting and evil-speaking but not a prayer not a thanksgiving not a gracious word Oh! think what a terror it would be unto you to travel amongst wilde ravenous beasts all your days such are sinners scriprure usually terms them so Lions and Bulls of Bashan wilde Boars of the forest wilde Asses of the wilderness Beasts of Ephesus they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.31 that is
fed out their time in the wilderness of sin at length they have not so much as an hand or a foor or a heart to strive they have not so much as a tongue to beg or a mouth to receive any of those provisions that the Lord hath made for poor souls in Jesus Christ Thus is the wilderness provisionless as for food As for raiment what you have the wilderness the thorns the brambles can rend away and tear from you but all the wilderness cannot help you with one garment So it is with sin if you have any cloathes on any good parts or good nature as they call it the thorns and brambles and temptations of sin can tear them off Oh! how many gallant parts and good natures hath sin rent to pieces but if you be naked you must walk naked for all sin sin can strip you but it cannot clothe you you are all naked whilest you are bewildred Ezek. 16.8 and there is none to help you Therefore till you come out of the wilderness leaning upon Christ and have gotten him up on whom you lean to cast his skirt over you you walk naked and God sees your shame there is no raiment to be had for the soul but onely where Christ keeps his Markets Rev. 3.18 and so for other accommodations all which being thus makes me sadly say Sin is a wilderness that is provisionless O how evil is sin to men and which is saddest of all yet yet are men kinde to sin Sin cannot feed you and yet speak your consciences do not most of you feed sin and cherish and nourish sin sin cannot clothe you O what shall become of those men for their courtesie that cover sin In a word sin cannot make provision for you therefore I beseech you close with the Apostles counsel Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof CHAP. IV. Containeth the two last considerations shewing the dismalness of wilderness-sin because both are wayless waste and husbandless As also the application of the first consideration Exhortation Labor to finde Christ to thy soul a Gardiner to make thee fruitful FIfthly The wilderness as it thus provisionless The wilderness is wayless upon which account there is no encouragement to abide in it so also is it wayless there is no way to get out of it This vain Poets could conclude as the most dismal travelling in the world viz. when they were to go per avia that is wayless places and this indeed the holy Ghost imports as alike dismal to the people and princes of the earth whom God thus punisheth Job 12.24 He causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way And thus it is with sin you are not to think that there are no ways in the wilderness there is as you read the track to the Lions den and Leopards mountain there are ways further into the wilderness but there is no good way no right way no way out again no peaceable and secure way c. Thus there are many too many ways of sin and into sin but there is not one good way amongst them all Sin acquaints sinners with ten thousand ways and yet amongst them all the way of peace have they not known Rom. 3.17 The ways of sin are ways to the Lions den c. Prov. 7.27 Her house is the way to hell and Prov. 5.5 Her feet go down to death her steps take hold on hell Least thou shouldst ponder the path of life her ways are moveable she hath ways great store but not so much as one good living way as one foot-path of life amongst them all therefore as we are to shew afterwards though sin hath as many ways as the wilderness yet may we in the same sense that the holy Ghost calls the wilderness without way conclude sin wayless If you will have it the ways of sin are wayless ways so that as one saith of the way to the Lions den vestigia terrent Omnia te adversum spectantia nulla retorsum So saith the holy Ghost of sin many beasts went to the Lions den but none return back again Prov. 2.19 None that go to her return again neither take they hold of the pathes of life The wilderness is waste and husbandless Lastly 'T is dismal because waste and husbandless and so is the whole region of sin you have the wilderness and waste places as importing one and the same thing Isa 51.3 The Lord will comfort all her waste places and make her wilderness like Eden yea you have waste the character of the wilderness Deut. 32.10 In a desert land and in the waste howling wilderness and surely it must needs be so if that be true which we have heard Scriptures already speak In the wilderness there is no man Job 38.26 no man to plant no man to pluck up no man to plough no man to sowe how should it be but waste In this as in the rest is sin a dismal wilderness there are no provisions there as you have heard for it is desolate there are none like to be for it is waste and desert The plain English of the word desert is what God expounds it Isa 27.10 The habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness Therefore when any soul through sin is a wilderness you may write upon that soul desert the Lord hath forsaken it This is a sad consideration when the soul goes on a long time in sin and then God comes with a judicial act and doth as it were bind it in its sins The soul saith I am willing to be as a wilderness unto God unfruitful to him c. and God saith If thou wilt be a wilderness thou shalt also be a desert I will forsake thee Thus God threatens for sin to set Jerusalem and make her as a wilderness Hosea 2.2 Now this is most sadly true when the soul hath been under the pains and charges of the Lord as you say this piece of ground I have fallowed plough'd sown thus often tryed thus long and it hath brought me forth nothing answerable to mine expectations I have lost say you my time toil and cost about it and now you cast it up So the barren Fig tree Mat. 21.19 as God gave them up Psalm 81.12 Let what will become of it you will never look after it more Now is this ground left DESERT Thus the Lord telleth Isai 5. what husbandry he had bestowed upon Israel his Vineyard v. 7. which yet brought forth none but wilderness-fruit viz. wilde Grapes v. 4. I le tell you saith God v. 5. what I will do with it I will take away the Hedg and it shall be eaten up and break down the Wall and it shall be trodden down I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up Briars and Thorns and I will command the Clouds that they rain no rain upon it v. 6. And O what a dismal Wilderness must
that way again yet cannot tell thinks it hath changed its condition yet cannot tell till by and by Satan brings it round into the same sin and then it findes that it is in the same wilderness therefore Prov. 5.6 Her ways are moveable ways there 's the number movable there 's the nature viae versatiles wily ways Sometimes they seem right unto a man as Prov. 14.12 at the beginning of the verse sometime they seem the ways of death as at the end of the verse In these is the soul intangled and hence it proves so difficult to get out of the wilderness of sin I could spend much time in instancing in the wilyness of this wilderness one word for many Satan makes some believe they shall surely be damned and therefore they think they may sin as they list Satan makes some believe they shall surely be saved and therefore they think they may sin as they list here are different pathes yet both leading into the same way here is the wiliness of temptations these are the entanglings of this wilderness It s no less then a miracle that any soul should ever get out of it because of them CHAP. X. Adds four other Reasons and concludes the first Doctrine with Application as also a word of Caution what use ought not to be made of this doctrine That sin is a wilderness FOurthly the ways of the wilderness are rough The wilderness ways are uneven crooked and uneven and these obstruct the coming out therefore the ways of the wilderness must needs be stumbling ways upon this account the prophet heightens the Lords mercy toward bewildred Israel Isa 63.13 He led them as an horse in the wilderness that they might not stumble It seems if an horseman travel in the wilderness he had need lead his horse and not his horse carry him so crooked rough and uncouth are the ways of the wilderness You have mention of desert ways Isa 40.3 they are called crooked and rough places ver 4. this makes them stumbling ways And is sin short of a wilderness in this rather then before Compare scriptures Prov. 2.13 Whose ways are crooked and pray what means the word Iniquity but unevenness these are those ways that are laid with stumbling-blocks Rev. 2.14 and therefore as he that travels in the wilderness and thinks perhaps now certainly to get out but in the mean time stumbleth he knows not how and by that stumbling loseth that view which he had out of the thicket into the open field and so falls into some pit of darkness so saith the Holy Ghost of the way of sin expresly Prov. 4.19 The way of the wicked is as darkness they know not at what they stumble O Sir I would fain leave my swearing but an oath drops out I know not when O Wife I would fain leave my drunkenness and gaming c. but when I am in company I am drawn in and overcome and I know not how I would fain saist thou leave my vain thoughts but I am in the midst of them before I know it this is the way of the wilderness and you fall in it and yet know not at what you stumble But of this more afterwards 5. Wilderness ways dark ways Fifthly These stumbling ways are also dark ways The wilderness is full of thickets wickedness shall kindle like fire in the thickets of the Forest Isa 9.18 and these thickets must needs be dark and shady when the trees thereof grow so thick together and so interwoven with under-woods with bryars and brambles that the very light of the sun is hid away and when the very brightness of heaven doth not break thorow must it not be difficult for the bewildred passenger to break through must it not be difficult for the be wildred passenger to break through when he is not able to see any way before him neither doth any light come to him well may he be quite lost You have mention of the thick boughs and shadowing shroud of Lebanon Ezek. 31.3 And are there not such thick boughs such shadowing shrouds in the wilderness of sin are not they that being bewildred want Christs guidance such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death then reade Luke 1.71 Is not the way of the wicked darkness then reade Prov. 4.19 Yea are not thickets of this wilderness I mean Satans temptations and natural corruptions so great that the Sun shines upon the wilderness yet cannot enter in the light darts upon your souls yet are your souls still dark within and the light of the glorious Gospel of God shines not unto you then reade 2 Cor. 4.4 Can you wonder now that the coming out of this spiritual wilderness is so difficult when the coming in of the spiritual light is so obstructed This is thy misery poor wilderness-soul the light shines at top and the ayr is full of it thy head perhaps is full of knowledge and yet thine heart that lies at bottom is shrouded over by the thick boughs it s no wonder thy works are darkness for thy ways are such These wilderness ways are thorny ways Sixthly These dark ways are full of thorns and as you heard before that these make the wilderness way destructive so they make the coming out of it exceeding difficult for as one moves to the right hand a thorn takes hold upon him as he breaks from that a left hand bramble catcheth him you know what flow stirring there is in a thicket and such verily are the ways of sin thorny as you heard before and therefore such as will catch hold upon you on this hand to hinder you on that hand to interrupt you and all to stop your motion and to make your coming out of sin desperate and therefore as you would phrase your hindrance by brambles or thorns or bryars Oh! say you they caught hold upon me and as soon as I got off from one I was presently hung upon another on the other hand and seldom could I get off from any without a rent so the holy Ghost phraseth temptations So she caught him Prov. 7.13 and she caught him by his garment and he left his garment in her hand Gen. 39.12 I appeal friends to your experiences if temptations are not just like bryars unto your souls even herein also to retard your stirrings towards God yea to rend you if so be you yet get from them Doth thy wife never catch hold upon thee O good husband do not strike the childe good husband be not so strict and rigorous in your office you 'l lose your customers and get nothing but hatred from your neighbors are carnal friends never hindring thee in the ways of God nor rending thee if thou get off from the ways of sin these are the thorns of the wilderness take heed of being laid hold on by them Lastly 7 The wilderness is encompassing Therefore is the coming out of the wilderness difficult yea indeed desperate because the wilderness
verse 12. he hath made provision for thee This is the Song of Moses and truly I am the bolder to make improvement of it to all converts because it is also the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15.3 Now Friends look to it if after God hath found you thus like Jacob and hath dealt so with you and you instead of a thankful humble holy and continual remembrance thereof with Jesurun wax fat and kick that 's rebel against him and grow carnal and forsake the Lord and lightly esteem this rook of your salvation as ver 15. know that it will provoke the Lord to jealousie as verse 16. as zeal is the height of love so is jealousie of indignation jealousie you know follows upon miscarriage after greatest engagements A man is fearful of his foe but jealous of his friend of his bosom friend of one that he hath done most for is he most jealous if he begin lightly to be esteemed Take heed friends The Lord tells you Prov. 6.34 35. Jealousie is the rage of a man and if so surely it is the sury of the Lord and therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance he will not regard any ransom neither will he rest content though thou offer many gifts It may be yea if God have set his love upon thee it shall be that thou shalt be saved but thou shalt yet pay dearly for thy sin thou shalt offer gifts and yet not be accepted yea many gifts and yet not finde thy services regarded thou wilt never finde the Ten thousandth part of that sweetness in sin Therefore if ever God have brought thee out of the wilderness take heed of venturing in again If ever God bring thee out it shall be through the thorns and bryars Thus much for use of the point I have but one thing more upon my thoughts and that is the taking off the use I would rather call it the abuse of such a truth as this is which sinners make unto themselves Is sin a wilderness may a prophane heart say What use ought not to be made of sins being a wilderness are there thickets dark and shady places there That 's it saith he that I would have for my part let who will love it I hate the light and care not for coming to it then what care I though it come not to me my works are works of darkness my time is tempus tenebrionum the times of Lions rising for their prey the twy-light the evening the black and dark night Is' t a wilderness I am glad you tell me of it 't is so fit for my purpose I love to go from sin to sin and I was afraid I should never have found ways of sin enough never enough cheating varieties never enough diversities of uncleanness I am almost weary of tracing backward and forward the same paths I am glad I can hear of fresh paths there I can walk with new delight I am glad to hear of such thickets Oh! there I can please my minde with security and sin with shelter I am glad you tell me of these wiles and entanglements I hope now you Ministers shall never be able to finde me out I was afraid of nothing but lest these thickets should have been cut down and least the Sun should then look in upon me lest a gap should have been made into the wilderness and all your Pulpit-terrors have made an inrode upon me and either frighted me from my prey as they have been sometimes ready to do or at leastwise to have made me eat my prey in fear and so to have sinned with less delight Poor wretch Is this it that so satisfies this prophane phansie That thou hast now got shelter from the storms and light of God and that thou shalt not now be found out Thou might'st think that though none could come in to thee to disturb thee yet are there enough within thy wilderness to devour thee The Lions are but yet asleep not yet rouzed from their den there 's time enough for conscience to awaken yet and then what shall become of thee but to let this pass Know that Though sin be a wilderness unto thee that thou canst not finde a way to God yet is it not a wilderness unto God but that God can easily finde a way to thee There are two things remarkable concerning God with respect unto the wilderness wherein thou art 1. The Lord can and will discover it and what wilt thou now do 2. The Lord can and will shake it and what wilt thou now do First Though thou hide thy self in the thickets of Carmel yet will God search and take thee out thence Amos 9.3 God knows and well observes all the secrecies passages windings and turnings of this wilderness of sin This is that which the Psalmist speaks Psal 29.9 The voice of the Lord discovereth the forests and in his temple we must speak this unto his glory It seems the wilderness may for a time cover thee but what wilt thou do when the Lord discovers that The heart-searcher is you see a searcher of Carmel and the heart-discoverer is a discoverer of the wilderness This is his glory which if you perceive it not in his Temple now you shall rest assured of it whether you will or no another day Secondly Though thou lie secure at the bottom of these thickets and think that no danger shall reach thee yet even there as his language is in Amos 9.4 He shall commaud the serpent and he shall bite thee Thou goest into the wilderness for shelter thinking to bear off storms of wrath and conscience by farther sining but Psal 29.8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh What wilt thou now do A man goes into a forest or thicket c. to keep off the rain that falls in smaller drops and it doth so for a season but by and by there riseth a great wind a shaking wind Who hath the best on 't now he that 's in the wilderness amongst the thickets or he that is in the open field Now that that would have fallen before but in small drops and this winde would have dried again falls upon him nay rather is poured down upon him as it were full viols and this winde drives it thorow him These are the direct issues of these shakings of the wilderness Death is a shaking wind to all but yet it is a drying wind to those that are got out of the wilderness that have an interest in Christ but a drenching wind to thy soul whoever art in sin Consider this before the Lord arise as he is determined Isa 2.24 tearibly to shake the earth I but say you we shall hold together and chear one another for all this therefore saith God Isa 9.18 Wickedness burneth as the fire it shall devour and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest yea Nahum 1.10 Whilest they be folden together as thorns they shall be
mercie break in upon it Psalm 40.12 Encompassing horrors For saith David innumerable evils have compassed me abeut mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore mine heart fails me These are the very words and if this do not make a very Wilderness I know not what can Now when is the time that God sets the sinners sins in such order as this is He tels you in Job 36.8 9. They be holden in the coards of affliction and bound in fetters then he shews them their transgression wherein they have exceeded that is to English the word Transgressions their bewildrings wherein they have gone astray 2. As the horror of what hath been 2. Sorrowfull thoughts of what is so the distracting thoughts of that which is are enough to bewilder him Balshazzar in his dying day though he were in the midst of his Nobles his Concubines his wise men and Astrologers his wine his women his dainties his delights yet in the midst of them all was he in the midst of this Wilderness and as you know at an utter loss for saith the Text His thoughts troubled him Dan. 5.6 What thought he must I now die and leave all this Leave all this and be taken away Be taken away and know not whether And must I leave this Crown this companie this glorie these delights to lie down in the dust and in the noysom grave O! such and thousands more such were his thoughts and if these were not enough to make him at such a loss as he was Encompassing sorrows and so to bewilder him See Psalm 116.3 The sorrows of Death compassed me Observe the Phrase the sorrows of Death are surrounding and therefore they are bewildring sorrows As sorrowfull friends stand round about the dying mans bed so do these bewildring sorrowfull thoughts stand round his dying heart Pray Sits What do ye now think you will then think of Certainly you cannot tell 3. Fears of what shall be Thirdly as the horror of what hath been sorrow for what is so fears of what is like to be nay what is sure to be cannot but bewilder the dying sinner You have heard that the horror of sin is an enclosing horror you have heard the sorrows of the grave are enclosing sorrows Encompassing fears and so are these fears enclosing and therefore bewildring fears Jer. 46.5 Fear was round about on the right hand and on the left hand above beneath forward backward Look which way the sinner will or the sinner can there are these fears Look backward sin makes him afraid on the right hand and the wrath of the Lamb scares him on the left hand and the roaring Lion frightens him upward and God and Heaven and Judgment make him afraid and downward and Hell fils him as full of fears as it is of such sinners as himself is So that here is fear round about and therefore a Wilderness If these horrors and sorrows and fears were onely on the right and on the left one might get out before or behinde but seeing they encompass you cannot but think that they bewilder Oâ—herâ— a Wilderness to dying sinners I might add that as the dying sinner is a Wilderness to himself so usually others are a Wilderness unto him He makes choice of wicked and vain and carnal companions for his friends whilest he lives and in his health and God in judgment hemms him in with them when he comes to die Is there nor many a dying sinner in whose conscience Hell-flames break forth in his sick bed and then O! for such a Minister such a Christian He vomits up his sins and cannot be quiet casts up mire and dirt and yet he cannot rest he must speak with them and carnal friends are about him that would not perhaps have any thing break out because they have had fellowship with him in his sins and they smother all again The Minister's not at home We sent to such a man and he will not come at you when perhaps there 's no such matter Yea the carnal Physician must counsel O! let not him be sent for if he come the sick man will spend his spirits and it will be enough to undo him to spend himself with speaking Or thus You shall not need so to trouble your self or them You shall not die but live saith the Physician No fear of dying this bout and yet presently drops the poor bewildred sinner into the dust whilest these carnal friends stand just like the greener and fresher Trees of the Wilderness round about him And as you have heard whilest they be thus folden together as Thorns they shall be devoured as Stubble fully dry Nahum 1.10 And this leades me unto thoughts of Hell it self As Death so Hell is a Wilderness to the wicked for Hell followed with him Rev. 6.8 The souls that depart in the Wilderness of sin must hence to the howling Wilderness of Hell 8. Hell a Wilderness to departing sinners there shall be weeping and wailing yelling and houling and gnashing of teeth I would have you to reckon no more difference betwixt Sin and Hell than just betwixt the Wilderness unkindled Hell a Wilderness but set on fire and the Wilderness set on fire For Wickedness burneth as a Fire it shall devour the Briars and Thorns it shall kindle the thickets of the Wilderness and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is this Land darkened and the People Mark the People are the Trees of the Wilderness shall be as fuel of the fire no man shall spare his brother Isai 9 18 19. Sinfull mates in that day shall betray and accuse and do what they can to make one another brands in the burning that have been here as brethren in iniquitie Therefore houl ye for this day of the Lord it shall come as destruction from the Almighty Isai 13.6 And where shall this fall but upon the houling Wilderness For when the boughs thereof are withered that is fit for burning they shall be broken off the women shall come and set them on fire and he that made them will not have mercy on them Isai 27.11 For this he hath resolved that he will go through them and burn them up together v. 4. So true is that which God speaks figuratively in that sense which is most spiritual Sin shall have great pain Ezek. 30.16 God speaks it of that material Wilderness that is of the People that dwelt round about that desolate place You will finde it as fully and sadly true of the spiritual Wilderness of sin if ever you come to Hell When Sin comes to have great pain when this Wilderness is set on fire that 's Hell Reade Ezek. 20.47 And thus you see from first to last the unregenerate are spiritually bewildred young and old living and dying they are in a Wilderness of sin From
the dark valley of the shadow of death It deceived me how is that truly thus much I can say to it from the experience that I have had of poore soules in such a condition Darkning us that their sense of their sinne hath beene more then true even greater in some respect then their sinne Consult with Paul who tells you here that he was deceived but doth not tell you wherein 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe Why how could that bee Paul was before Conversion a sober blamelesse man as touching the Law Phil. 3.6 Zealous according to his light if you urge his persecuting of the Church why still there are as great if not much greater sinners then he for 1 Tim 1.13 He did it ignorantly Yet still when the Law stirres up the sence of sinne as encompassing poore Paul this is that that kills him that he is the chiefe of sinners Thus is it with our poore hearts Oh! when we see the brightnesse and glory of the Law of the Lord how Holy and just and good it is and how vile and sinfull and abominable our selves are Oh! never was there any sinne like ours never any guilt like ours What sinne against such meanes as I against such light as I against such mercies as I against such calls of Grace as I Oh! never any one sinned as I have done Yes friend thinke as bad of thy selfe as thou wilt others as sinfull as thou have gone before thee Now this is one bewildring darknesseâ— in the fence of sinne which may more humble then hurt you I would many were allured into this wilderness this day But now comes Satan as I said before Darkning that splendor of Gods mercy unto us and his businesse is to raise the darksome fogges of thy selfe-condemning and soul-bewildring thoughts yet higher so as not onely to bedarken all that is within thee but to cloud the face of mercy and to obscure the glory of Christs undertakings by the black guilt of thy sinnes Here is a worse deceiving by the sense of sin through Satans temptation and this makes the formes Wildernesse much more bewildring and the poore lost Creature ten thousand times more at a loss then it was before when the soule comes to see its sinnes greater then any other sinnes of the Children of men Satan striketh in and takes advantage to make it account its sinnes greater then any of Gods pardons and this is a deceiving indeed unto slaying and such I believe was the dark bewildring sence that Cain and Judas had of their sinnes take heed take heed of this deceipt in your sensibleness of your sinnes and yet even in this dark wilderness are many deare unto God for a season left and as it were lost till God come and speake comfortably unto them I can give you two eminent instances both of mine owne knowledge Instance The one was when I was a little one A rich man was walking and there comes a poor Creature to him with death in his face and begges of him some reliefe the man was an hard man and denyed the poor wretch importunes and through importunity prevailes thus farre saith the rich man come to my house to morrow and I will give you something Oh! sir saith the poore one I shall die before morning if I have not something to succour me this night yet could not the Rich man be then prevailed with that very night the begger dyed was sound dead the next morning the Rich man laies this to hear as I confess well he might was so terrified that for much time not the least comfort could be fastned on him but never was any guilt or sinne like his by night he was faine to have constant company and Candles burning with him and it would frequently cry out That now the Devill was ready to seize on him He was through providence brought unto a godly Minister where I was and to whom I was related I being little was left in the roome when the Minister and he were together Oh! it would have broken any heart that had the least of tendernesse to see the poore man what paines he tooke to load himselfe with misery and to obstruct the way of mercy and this was the upshot of all never was there such a Murtherer as he that obtained mercy I remember for the afflicted mans carriage made the discourse take more impression on me the Minister instanced in Davids Murther and aggravated it what a man David was of what profession under what mercies c. and what a man Uriah was a godly man a faithfull subject a publique spirited man c. and what a murther it was known wilfull devised plotted longed for and pleasing to David when accomplished and yet I remember would not that poore man bee perswaded but that his sinne was farre greater then Davids and so such as God would not pardon although at length it pleased God by that Minister to fasten some comfort on him Instance The other was mine owne experience also not long since Indeed the good woman desired me for Caution unto others concealing her to take some occasion to speake of the thing Her great sinne for which shee thought there was no mercy no pardon was a lie and on this manner she was private at duty in a roome that was said to be haunted as the phrase is in the night and there came by the Chamber doore a man of the house that hearing some stirring there asked her it being very dark whether she was there or no calling her by her name she being unwilling that hee should know that she used to be there of the suddaine answered that it was not she he urged her again and again she denyed At length the man halfe affrighted prayed her as ever she look'd for mercy from God that she would tell him if it were she and shee being much moved and yet unwilling through the strength of the present temptation to unsay what she had spoken denyed it yet again I thus farre agreed with her that it was indeed a very great sinne and deeply to be sorrowed for but her language was that it was the greatest sinne that ever was committed and that there could be no mercy for her because she had denyed the mercies of the Lord. I instanced in Peters denial of Christ once twice thrice till it came to cursing and swearing and perfect disowning of his Saviour I know not the man I aggravated it from Peters solemne profession of Christ his engagement not to deny him c. and yet notwithstanding he obtained mercy But for all I could say I could not for the present perswade the woman but that her denyall was a farre greater sinne then Peters and though she believed that there was mercy for him and salvation for him that declaredly denyed his Saviour yet could I not perswade her that there was any mercy for her who as
8.5 Oh! it was a long time this last bout ere she could finde that which she had lost in a nights steep of sloth and security At first you see her at a loss chap. 3.1 and coming out of the wilderness ver 6. But now you must read from Chap. 5. to Chap. 8. before you heare of her coming up from the wilderness At first she comes up in full sense of her glory she is a perfumed Spouse Next bout she comes up in full sense of her infirmity she is now a leaning Spouse Th re was more sparkling flaming smoaking perfumes of joy before but more serious sober setled humility and dependance now Before she was more proud of her Beloved and lesse ashamed of her selfe But now how glad in her Saviour and yet how sad in her self Yea herein her heart although she lean and come up from the wilderness is ready still to faile because after she had tasted of his love she fell asleep And although she were out of the first Wilderness viz. that of the state of Condemnation yet fell into the second Wilderness even that drowsinesse of spirit after Conversion Therefore let not any poor heart among you for whose sake I have spoken all this say that it was never truly brought out of sin because it is now or hath been upon the wrack of new terrours because of its after-conversion drowsinesse or security Onely if ever thou be as no doubt thou wilt be brought out of the Wildernesse the second time covet rather to come out a leaning Spouse than a perfumed Spouse I mean rather desire to be kept low and in dependance by Grace than to be raised over-high by comfort Thus much of the first bewildring darknesse after Conversion as to the enjoyment of our comforts I would not let him goe chap. 3.4 That 's her language at her coming first out of the Wildernesse and 't is pretty high and confident but chap. 8.1 2. O that thou wert as my Brother I would lead thee and bring thee c. this is her Dialect at her second coming up from the second Wilderness here 's more humility and dependance CHAP. XXIII Two farther particulars dark providences on Gods part and backslidings on our parts darkning our comforts as also two particulars darkning our graces THe second sort of after-conversion darknesses is 2. Dark providences as to our outward man Darke Providences as to our outward man and hence we are many times bewildred and at a loss as to our inward As they that I spake of were found despairing before conversion so these repining after conversion if God lead us into a Land of seeming darknesse it will be to us a wildernesse Ier. 2.32 Surely saith the soul I have been but deluded in spirituals to think that God would save my soule for in naturals I am at a great straight and God doth not provide for my body If he loved me he would never keep me so low he would never so afflict me Now this is Darknesse for saith Divinitie If he should not afflict thee surely he doth not love thee Such a darke cloud of providence in Jobs outward Estate makes him at a loss for his inward hope Hear his language Iob. 19.8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot passe he hath set darknesse in my paths that 's the darknesse that I now speak of for vers 9. He hath Stript me of my glory and what of that why vers 10. Mine hope hath he removed when his outward glory his attyring glory for saith he He hath stript me is lost his inward hope is lost too because his enjoyment of earth is gone for the present he is at a losse for the hope of heaven c. And this is our very usual and bewildering darknesse to measure and account Gods inward love or hatred from what providentiall dealing outwardly is before us but no man knowes it thereby Eccle. 9.4 Gods chastisements then to Gods own children Gods chastisements on his Saints a cloud a dark cloud are Clouds so full of darknesse that they are often bewildred as to Gods Inward favour and the light of his countenance which they have sometimes accounted better then life that sun sets in this cloud A cloud it is and a dark one too under which without great wisdome from above we may sadly lose our selves as to our comforts But Gods chastisements to his people in their owne nature are and so doth God intend them onely as Israels Cloudy pillar in their Wildernesse 'T was very dark but verie usefull 1. For Protection 2. For Guidance But 1. A protecting Cloud 1. This is a darke but a protecting Cloud God makes those providences serve to keepe his Saints wherein they thinke they shall be lost what dark thoughts have many of the Saints of God had of that authoritie and power as if all should be undoubtedly lost under it which God hath made our protection hitherto crosse providences frequently keep us out of danger As when your child is crost in bringing of it in from under the horses heels or like danger in the streets It 's good for me saith David That I have been afflicted That is It would have been worse if it had not been so bad It 's better to be poor and godly then to be rich and proud by the dark cloud of poverty God protects them from the danger of pride and vanity c. 2. A directing Cloud 2. Gods chastisements are a darke but a guiding Cloud and such was that to Israel And my Brethren no matter how darke it be if God by it point thee to thy way this is the very use of Gods darkest dispensations to his deare ones Psa 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have learnt thy precepts No matter how black the Rod be by which thy guide points out thy way 3. Dark back-slydings 3ly The Third sort of bewildring darknesses after conversion are from our partiall apostacie and wretched back-slydings In this darke we lose our comforts No sooner doth Satan turne us aside but he bewilders us he turns us aside from holinesse and bewilders us as to comforts For my part I judge it impossible for any even for any Saint to maintaine spiritual comfort in turning aside to a carnal conversation If you will adventure into the dark of sinne you shall be lost sadly though not finally in the dark of sorrow Mich. 7.8 9. When I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of God because I have sinned against him From hence you may observe thus much 1. That the back-slydings or fall of Saints shall not be unto death as the sinnes of the wicked I mean to death eternall 2. But yet if they will dare to sinne they shall find darknesse wherein they may fall 3. Yea and if they fall into sinne they shall sit that is continue
from every evill way that I may keepe thy word Keepe the Word and it shall keepe thee If so be that the Lord have graciously found thee Keepe thy feet and thou shalt keepe the word The third Part of this Treatise 3. Part. discovers the great concernment of lost Soules viz. to come up from the Wilderness of sinne CHAP. I. Containes two precious Doctrines 1. That there is a way from the Wildernesse of sinne 2. That it is an uphill way The latter is largely opened and applyed ANd thus much of the second maine point in our Text That every Christlesse or unregenerate soule is a bewildred and so a lost soule We passe on to the Third main Doctrine That It is the great concernment of poore bewildred soules to come 3d. Main Doctrine under which two previous Doctrines even to come up from the wilderness of SIN And so you have the third thing propounded in the draught of this MAP viz. Moses on Pisgah turning his back on the wilderness and pointing towards Canaan Before I come to handle this point I must minde you of two previous and implyed truths in these words Cometh up from the wilderness First That there is a way from the wilderness of sinne Doct. 1 The Spouse in the Text found that WAY and so left That there is a way from the wilderness and came out of that WILDERNESSE But this point I shall but mention here because I shal have occasion to explain it afterward shewing Who is this way viz. Christ how he is and came to be this way what manner of way he is and what improvement we ought hereof to make Doct. 2 The second is this and I shall a little speake to it that The way out of the wilderness of SIN The way from the wilderness of sin is an up hill way is an up-hil WAY Who is this that comes up from the Wilderness My Brethren my businesse is to chalk out unto you the best and truest not the easiest way You would have small cause to thank any man that should lead you into the way of the valleyes when your way is the way of the hills and life and death depends on the dispatch of your journey I had as live Christ should have no followers as such as will not follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes so Rev. 14.4 Now the usual posture of the Lord Jesus is Leaping over the Mountaines skipping upon the Hills Cant. 2.8 When God calls a soule by conversion 't is like his Call to Lot in Sodome Gen. 19.14 Up get you out of this place for the Lord will destroy this City Up gâ—t you out of the state of sinne for the Lord will set fire on the thickets of this VVilderness Up get you out so saith Christ to the Spouse Cant. 2.10 Rise up my love my faire one and come away Himselfe was upon the Hills and Mountaines v. 8. and therefore he calls her to come up thither that as his phrase in John is VVhere he is she may be also Therefore I said Christ had as good have no followers as such that will onely follow in the way of the plaines Proofe of it Now that the way from the Wilderness of sinne is an up-hill way I shall labour to prove by induction of Particulars considerable in that motion the terms of the motion and remarkable circumstances as to the motion of the soule in the way that leads from the Wildernesse of sinne 1. By induction of particulars 1. By induction of particulars I shall mention these four 1. Repentance 2. Faith 3. Obedience 4. Gospel-converse And verily for proof of each these I think I shall need little more then your owne ordinary expressions of your owne ordinary experience Oh! what a-doe have I saist thou to get up mine heart unto true Gospel-sorrow for my sinnes Oh! what an hard worke is it saith another To bring my heart up to a beliefe of the promises to trust God in difficulties c. Oh! how difficult to get up the hil of Gospel-obedience what pains must I take to get to Communion with God in the spirit c. 1. The way of Repentance is an up-hil way 1. The way of repentance is an up hil way This is the language of the repentant Prodigal Lu. 15.18 I will arise and go to my father without getting up nothing can be done as to repentance Sin is asleepe it is a death at the bottom of the hill and there is no repentance without an awaking an arising a getting up to the top of the Hil. Thinke with your selves and remember you that have been acquainted with repentance whether mortification for sinne mortification of sinne dying under it by the Law and dying unto it by the Gospel were an hard or an easie matter an up-hill or an down-hill way Secondly Faith is an up-hil way Have you not heard of the fath of Abraham 2. The way of faith as the scripture saith of the patience of Job Now where was it that Abraham was canonized for the father of the faithful why you have the story of it Gen. 22.14 't was in the place named Jehovah-Jireh In the Mount of the Lord it will be seen Faith must get up to the top of the Mount the Mount of the Lord e're ever it can see what it would what it should see as we go to the top of an hil for a prospect when we desire to see a great way round about us and the higher the hil is the more paines is it to get up but when we are up the farther we see Prov. 18.10 The name of the Lord which is that you know that faith leans upon is a strong Tower the righteous running into it is safe A Tower why that 's usually scituate on an Hil as there is Tower-hil in our great City and if so then he that wil into the Tower must up the hill and he that wil into the name of the Lord for security must up the Mount of the Lord by beleeving 3. Of obedience Thirdly Gospel-obedience is an up-hil way It s hard to get a great weight up an hill therefore when the Apostle presseth Gospel-obedience he bids us lay aside the weight that we may runne with patience Heb. 12.1 The old Adam is a clog to our obedience and weights easily pull us down and if down to rise againe it is up-hil work such is obedience Gods call for our obedience is like his command to Moses Gen. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye there So go up into thy Closet and kill thy Corruptions let thy dearest lusts dye there pluck out thy right eye there and cut off thy right hand there I had as live dye saith a stubborn spirit as do such a thing and such verily is our natural stubbornness against God When God bids us up do this or that flesh and blood had as live dye as do it When the Gospel bids
thee look about all things Father Mother Wife Children Lands Houses Life and Leave Forsake Hate them all and then thou shalt be a Disciple unto Gospel-obedience Is not this every whit as much as go up to Mount Nebo and dye there surely he never yet found this way that hath not found it to be an up-hil way 4. Of Gospell converse in spiritual duties Fourthly The way of Gospel-Communion or Converse with God with Christ with Saints in the Spirit in an Ordinance My Brethren is not this an up-hil way Is it not this that makes your hearts sweat againe to get up or keep up your Spirits duly in this way Our Saviour went up into a Mountaine to pray and unlesse thou canst come up into the Mountaine thou wilt very hardly come to pray The Spouse looked for Christ in the high-wayes that is as I said before the Ordinances but she had not looked yet high enough for to find him Cant. 7.5 The King is held in the Galleries If thou be as the Spouse Cant. 2.14 In the secret places of the stayrs I am come to meet thee this day to tell thee that the King is above in the Galleries his voyce then to thee is this Come up hither for I saith Christ do not use to come down lower the King is held in the Galleries that is If you be in the Spirit whilst you are in the Ordinances you shal find Christ and not unlesse you be under spiritual Communion Christ wil not shew himselfe lower the Hebrew word bears thus much the King is bound in the Galleries Christ hath bound himselfe by promise to be found in spirituality of duty and hath as it were bound himself that he will not be found lower not in formality I judge it may refer hither that we read of the Mountains of Prayer the Mountaine of Holiness the Mountaine of Praise typing that the way of Gospel-Communion is an Up-hil way Secondly If you consider the terms of the motion 2. By consâ—deration of the terms of the motion of the soule that comes from the wildernesse of sinne to grace the term from which the term to which First The term from which is the Wildernesse 1. The terme from which is so low and it it is so low a scituation that you cannot possibly come out of it but you must come up out of it Paradice was a lofty state and as it were a lower Heaven but in the day that Adam was cast out of it he went to inhabite so low a soyle sinne I meane that it is said of it Prov. 5.5 Its steps take hold of Hell If the sinner were but one step lower he would be in Hell Nay what if I should say that the wilderness of sinne is in a sort as low as Hell nay in a sort an Hell Psal 86.13 Thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest Hell Sinne is an hell but I can't say it is the lowest Hell the lowest hell is the second death If thou be in the state of sinne thou art in Hell already understand it soberly He that beleeves not is condemned already Joh. 3.18 Damned already onely the Grave-stone is not yet rowled unto the mouth of this Grave the gulfe is not yet fixed the way is yet open and poor soules may come out by beleeving Secondly The term unto which soules move 2. The terme unto which it is so high when they come from the Wildernesse of sinne speakes it to be an up-hil way You have heard of an higher and lower hell and you may hear of an higher and lower Heaven As sinne is the upper Hell so grace is the lower Heaven Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven Pauls and the converted Philippians conversations were in heaven that was in the lower Heaven Memorable is that passage Heb. 10.22 23. Ye that is living Saints are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus c. If this way that shall lead hitherto be not up the hil judge ye 3. By consideration of this eminent circumstance in the motion viz. If your foot slip you doe not get nearer to grace by it but more back again into the wildernesse Thirdly If you consider but the remarkable Circumstances of the motion as this now Would you know whether or no the way out of the Wildernesse be an Up-hil way observe when thy foot slips whether thou gettest nearer grace or nearer sin by that slip If thou get nearer sinne as thou dost undoubtedly then sinne undoubtedly is the down-hil way for we slip not up the hill but down we fall not upward but down-ward Now this Circumstance is clear in scripture in experience and where not and it is convictive hereof viz. That the way from the Wildernesse of sinne is up-hil for upon any slip our soules slip to sinne so that the Lord instantly cryes out Returne ô backslyding Children c. Jer. 3.22 c. All the wayes of sinne are backslyding wayes therefore they are down-hil wayes and therefore the way from the Wildernesse is to come up Thus much for proof and surely of this mind was Solomon when he said that The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath Prov. 15.24 Whether you respect the hell of sin or of suffering for sinne which are both beneath but the way of life whether of holinesse or happinesse is above to the wise that is an Up-hil way Use 1. Challenge 1. That takes no pains yet thinks to come out of the wilderness From hence a word of Challenge a word of Caution and a word of Exhortation 1. Hence let me challenge soules Sirs how is it that you dare hope of comming at length out of the Wildernesse when you take no paines to walke in the up-hil way surely to let repentance and faith and obedience and the duties of holinesse alone is to resolve to dwell in the Wildernesse yet still for that is the valley of the shadow of death and these are the Up-hil wayes Come up come up from the wilderness you idle hearts that love to walke onely in the way of the plaines Oh! but say you I have tryed to come out but I have made no progresse I can easily go in farther and farther but why can I not as easily go out no wonder at all going in to it is down-hil comming out of it is up-hil therefore never think of coming out of it unless thou take as much nay more paines to get out of sinne then ever thou didst in sinne And by the way 2. That take paines to goe farther into it let me further challenge poor wretches of very madnesse that in stead of taking paines to come up from
assent to this truth thou must needs infer that it is a tyring travaile 2ly Only beds of thornes to rest upon Secondly As wearying as the wayes are so when ever thou comest to lye down at night you have but tyring entertainment in the wayes of sinne and nature He travailes with paine all the day and this saith God You shalâ— have of mine hand you shall lye down in sorrow Isai 50.11 Oh! how wearying must it needs be to travaile in sinne and then when we have done to lie downe in sorrow 'T is want of sence in thee not of truth in these Scriptures that thou dost not thus feel it for the present but there is time enough before thee for thee to know it in 3ly From experience Thirdly For Experience I shall appeale to Heaven to Earth to Hell to all things Created or uncreated God Men and all other Creatures for their Vote herein 1. Gods owne experiedce Your wildernesse wayes have wearied him First I shall appeale to the experience of God himselfe what ever the matter is that thou art not weary of thy Christlesse wayes there 's enough in them all in the best of them all to weary God himselfe Hear him speak First There is enough in thy worst waies Isai 43.24 Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities It may be so saith some selfe-righteous One with the wicked God may be angry and with their iniquities be wearied but surely not with my services with my devotions Yes Yea even the best of them 2. With thy best services Isai 1.13 14. Your Oblations New Moons Sabbaths solemne services Though these were Gods own appointments they are saith God a trouble to me I am weary to beare them Secondly I appeal to the experience of all men 2ly Experience of al men as soon as they come but to understand things as they are whether Noahs Dove or his Raven I meane the best or the worst of men First For the Saints they can say I dare say for them 1. Saints experience that the Lord made them weary of other things as a man would be of carrying a load of dross or a burthen of dung when Gold or Silver is offered unto them in their stead Phil. 3.8 or as a childe that would quickly be weary of its lapfull of stones when one comes and offers it an apron-full of plums 2dly For the worst of men Those that are in Hell 2y Experience of the worst of men have already found they that are yet on this side Hell shall quickly find what weariness there is in the wayes of sinne and vanity Isai 2.20 In that day that is the day of Conviction shall a man cast his Idols of Gold and his Idols of Silver which they have made each one for himselfe Mark that every mans particular Corruptions and beloved lusts to the Moles and to the Bats that is they shall be utterly weary of them let who will take up their trade after them they 'l follow it no longer Thirdly I appeale to all other Creatures 3ly Experience of the whole Creation all wearied under the burthen of sinne even this whole Creation I tell you that the Sun is tyred in its Orbe with beholding the abominations of the Children of men by day and the Moon and the Stars in their courses by seeing their works of darknesse in the night I tell you the Earth would sink under you as it did under Corah Dathan and Abyram as weary to beare the burthens of your sins if the Lord would but give it a discharge Yea how doe the very houses of Clay that sinners dwell in spew them up and cast them forth in a few yeares as if weary of being so long possessed by them Yea how doth the very Gluttons and Drunkards stomack tell him to his face that it is weary of bearing his surfeiting and drunkennesse and therefore disburtheneth it selfe upon the ground This is no Notion or Hyperbole of mine but a very expresse truth of God and so to be by you laid to heart Rom. 8 20. The Creature was made subject to vanity And we know ver 22. that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in paine together untill now The very Heavens are weary of covering and the Earth of bearing wretched sinners and their continuall groan in their kind unto God is Oh! when shall there be an end of sinning Oh! when shall we be delivered verses 19.21 2ly Aggravated Your not being weary when you are wearied a symptom of spiritual death Secondly Is it so that there is so much in sinne to weary thee and yet thou art not weary truly this is the most dangerous and mortall symptome that can be imagined As it is the saddest signe of a red-sea ruine to be humbled so often with Pharoah and yet not to come once to be humble so it is for thee to be so often wearied by sinne and never to become once weary of it Sinners I dare appeale as the last appeale unto you Consciences even such as they are whether you have not often wearied your selves with drinking drabbing c although you were never yet weary of the sin for the kind yet wearied by the sin in the act Thus those wretched Sodomites who were now near a double Hell even first an Hell from Heaven and then an Hell in Hell Gen. 19.11 They wearied themselves to find the doore wearied yet not weary And wilt thou not be weary Yes friend thou must and thou shalt be weary onely thy wearinesse shall be when times of refreshing shall not be but when thy case is beyond Cure thus was Moab and oh let every one of us all take up that lamentation from the mouth of the Prophet Isai 16.11 My bowels shall sound like an Harpe for Moab and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh Why what 's the matter ver 12. It shall come to passe when it is seene that Moab is weary on his high place that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray but he shall not prevaile Oh! now father Abraham one drop of refreshing water to coole my tongue but it shall not be granted 'T is said of the Grave that there the weary be at rest but the quite contrary shall be said of Hell Oh! sirs you are not weary enough to drinke in the waters of refreshments to day I had almost said here is much water and little or no thirst there shall be thirst enough such as it will be but no water When a sick man hath been a long time tossing his wearied body on this side of the bed first and then on that and after all these weariednesses come to lye still and stupid and senslesse of any wearinesse what doe we I pray you reckon this but the sleepe of death When wretched sinners come to be wearied with every sinne so that the Lord can say they weary themselves and yet their cursed hearts can say We are not weary eternall death is in