heaven 4. Persecution to Gods children works for good the godly may be compared to that Plant which Greg. Naz. speaks of It lives by dying and grows by cutting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. The zeal and love of the Saints is blown up by sufferings their joy flourisheth Tertullian saith the Primitive Christians rejoyced more in their persecutions than in their deliverance 5. Death works for good to the children of God it is like the whirle-wind to the Prophet Eliah which blew off his mantle but carried him up to heaven so death to a childe of God is like a boysterous whirle-wind which blows off the mantle of his flesh for the body is but the mantle the soul is wrapped in but it carries up the soul to God this is the glorious priviledge of the sons of God every thing that falls out shall do them good the children of God when they come to heaven as Chrysostom speaks shall bless God for all cross Providences Privi ∣ ledge 12 12. And lastly If we are children we shall never finally perish John 5.24 John 10.28 Those who are adopted are out of the power of damnation Rom. 8.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Will a father condemn his own son God will never disinherit any of his children fathers may disinherit for some fault Reuben for incest lost the Prerogative of his birth-right Gen. 49.4 What is the reason Parents disinherit their children surely this because they can make them no better they cannot make them fit for the inheritance but when we are bad our heavenly Father knows how to make us better he can make us fit to inherit Col. 1.12 Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us meet for the inheritance Therefore it being in his power to make us better and to work in us an idoneity and meetness for the inheritance certainly he will never finally disinherit Because this is so sweet a priviledge and the life of a Christians comfort lies in it therefore I shall clear it by Arguments that the children of God cannot finally perish the entail of hell and damnation is cut off not but that the best of Gods children have that guilt which deserves hell but Christ is the friend at Court which hath beg'd their pardon therefore the vis damnatoria the damning power of sin is taken away which I prove thus 1. The children of God cannot finally perish because Arg. 1 Gods justice is satisfied for their sins the blood of Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price paid not only meritoriously but efficaciously for all them that believe this being the blood of God justice is fully satisfied and meddles not to condemn those for whom this blood was shed and to whom it is applied Jesus Christ was a Sponsor he stood bound for every childe of God as a Surety he said to justice Have patience with them and I will pay thee all so that the believer cannot be liable to wrath God will not require the debt twice both of the Surety and the Debtor Rom. 3.24 25 26. God is not only merciful in pardoning his children but righteous 1 John 1.9 He is just to forgive it is an act of Gods equity and justice to spare the sinner when he hath been satisfied in the Surety 2. A damnatory sentence cannot pass upon the children Arg. 2 of God because they are so Gods children as withal they are Christs Spouse Cant. 4.11 There is a marriage-union between Christ and the Saints every child of God is a part of Christ he is Christ Mystical Now shall a member of Christ perish A child of God cannot perish but Christ must perish Jesus Christ who is the husband is the Judge and will he condemn his own Spouse Arg. 3 3. Every child of God is transformed into the likeness of Christ he hath the same spirit the same judgement the same will he is a lively picture of Christ as Christ bears the Saints names upon his breast so they bear his image upon their hearts Gal. 4.19 Will Christ suffer his own image to be destroyed Theodosius counted them Traytors who defaced his image Christ will not let his image in believers be defaced and rent he will not endure to see his own picture take fire the Sea hath not only stinking carrion but jewels thrown into it but none of Gods jewels shall ever be thrown into the dead Sea of hell Arg. 4 4. If Gods children could be capable of final perishing then pardon of sin were no priviledge the Scripture saith Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32.1 But what blessedness were there in having sin forgiven if afterwards a final and damnatory sentence should pass upon the heirs of promise What were a man the better for the Kings pardon if he were condemned after he were pardoned Arg. 5 5. If the children of God should be finally disinherited then the Scripture could not be fulfilled which tells us of glorious rewards Psal 58.11 Doubtless there is a reward for the righteous God sweetens his commands with promises he ties duty and reward together As in the body the veins carry the blood and the arteries carry the spirits so one part of the Word carries duty in it and another part of the Word carries reward now if the adopted of God should eternally miscarry what reward were there for the righteous and Moses did indiscreetly in looking to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11.26 And so by consequence there would be a door opened to despair By all which it appears that the children of God cannot be disinherited or reprobated if they should lose happiness Christ should lose his purchase and should dye in vain Thus we have seen the glorious priviledges of the children of God What an encouragement is here to Religion how may this tempt men to turn godly Can the world viey with a childe of God Can the world give such priviledges as these as Saul said 1 Sam. 22.7 Will the son of Jesse give every one of you Field and Vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands Can the world do that for you as God doth for his children Can it give you pardon of sin or eternal life Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abjezer◠Is not godliness gain What is there in sin that men should love it the work of sin is drudgery and the wages death They who see more in sin than in the priviledges of Adoption let them go on and have their ears boared to the Divels service CHAP. XX. Containing several Vses drawn from the Proposition Use 1 Reproof Use 1 HERE is a bill of Inditement against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God all profane persons these have damnation written upon their fore-head 1. Scoffers at Religion it were blasphemy to call these the children of God Will a true childe jeer at his fathers picture 2.
it were high-water in the soul 1. When there are indicia irae tokens of Gods Season 1 wrath breaking forth in the Nation England hath been under Gods black Rod these many years the Lord hath drawn the Sword and it is not yet put up O that our tears may blunt the edge of this Sword when it is a time of treading down now is a time of breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts Isa 22.4 5. Therefore said I look away from me I will weep bitterly for it is a time of treading down Joel 2.2 13. A day of darkness and of gloominess a day of cloud c. therefore turn ye even to me with weeping and with mourning Rain follows thunder When God thunders in a Nation by his judgements now the showres of tears must distil When God smites upon our back we must smite upon our thigh Jer. 31.19 When God seems to stand upon the Threshold of the Temple as if he were ready to take his wings and flie * Ezek. 10.4 then is a time to lie weeping between the Porch and the Altar If the Lord seems to be packing up and carrying away his Gospel it is now high time to mourn that by our teares possibly his Repentings may be kindled Season 2 2. Before the performing solemn duties of Gods Worship as Fasting or receiving the Lords Supper Christian Art thou to seek God in an extraordinary manner seek him sorrowing Luk. 2.48 Wouldst thou have the smiles of Gods face the kisses of his lips set open all the springs of Mourning and then God will draw nigh to thee in an Ordinance and say Here I am Isa 58.9 When Jacob wept then he found God in Bethel Hos 12.4 He named the name of the place Peniel for saith he I have seen God face to face Gen. 32.30 Give Christ the Wine of thy tears to drink and in the Sacrament he will give thee the Wine of his blood to drink Season 3 3. After scandalous relapses though I will not say with Donatus there is no mercy for sins of recidivation or relapse yet I say there 's no mercy without bitter Mourning Scandalous sins reflect dishonour upon Religion 2 Sam 12.14 Therefore now our Cheeks should be covered with blushing and our eyes bedewed with tears Peter after his denying Christ wept bitterly Christian hath God given thee over to any enormous sin as a just reward of thy pride and security go into the weeping Bath Sins of infirmity injure the soul but scandalous sins wound the Gospel Lesser sins grieve the Spirit but greater sins vex the Spirit Isa 63.9 And if that blessed Dove weeps shall not we weep When the Aire is dark then the dew falls when we have by scandalous sin darkned the lustre of the Gospel now is the time for the dew of holy tears to fall from our eyes SECT 7. Setting forth the Degrees of Mourning NEXT to the seasons of Mourning let us consider the degree of it the Mourning for sin must be a very great Mourning the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a great sorrow such as is seen at the Funeral of a dear friend * Gravissima peâ—cata gravissimis lamentis indigent Aug. Zach. 12.10 They shall look on me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son The sorrow for an only child is very great such must be the sorrow for sin Ver. 11. In that day there shall be great Mourning as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon In that Valley Josiah that famous and pious Prince was cut off by an untimely death at whose Funeral there was bitter lamentation thus bitterly must we bewail not the death but the life of our sins Now then to set forth the graduation of sorrow 1. Our Mourning for sin must be so great as to exceed all other grief Elies Mourning for the Ark was such that it swallowed up the loss of his two children spiritual grief must preponderate all other We should mourn more for sin than the loss of friends or estate 2. We should indeavour to have our sorrow rise up to the same heighth and proportion as our sin doth Manasseh was a great sinner and a great Mourner 2 Chron. 33.12 He humbled himself greatly Manasseh made the streets run with blood and he made the prison in Babylon run with tears * Ut scilicet peccatum lachrymis lavaret Ambr. Peter wept bitterly â— A true Mourneâ— labours that his Repentance may be as eminent as his sin is transcendent SECT 8. Shewing the Opposite to holy Mourning HAving shewn the nature of Mourning I shall next shew what is the Opposite to holy Mourning The Opposite to Mourning is hardness of heart which in Scripture is called Cor lapideum an heart of stone Ezek. 36. An heart of stone is far from Mourning and Relenting this heart of stone is known by two symptomes 1. Insensibility A stone is not sensible of any thing lay weight upon it grind it to powder it doth not feel so it is with an hard heart it is insensible of sin or wrath the stone in the Kidneys is felt but not the stone in the heart Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. An heart of stone is known by its inflexibility A stone will not bend durum est quod non cedit tactui so it is with an hard heart it will not comply with Gods Command it will not stoop to Christs Scepter an heart of stone will sooner break by death than bend by Repentance it is so far from yielding to God that with the Anvil it beats back the Hammer it resists the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Oh Christians if you would be spiritual Mourners take heed of this stone of the heart Hebr. 3.7 Harden not your hearts A stony heart is the worst heart if it were brazen it might be melted in the furnace if Iron it might be bowed with the Hammer but a stony heart is such that only the Arme of God can break and the blood of God can soften Oh the misery of an hard heart 1. An hard heart is void of all grace while the Wax is hard it will not take the impression of the seal the heart while it is hard will not take the stamp of grace it must first be made tender and melting the Plow of the Word will not go upon an hard heart 2. An hard heart is good for nothing but to make fuel for hell-fire Rom. 5.2 After thy hardness of heart thou treasurest up wrath Hell is full of hard hearts there is not one soft heart there there is weeping there but no softness We read of Vessels fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22 Impenitency fits these Vessels for hell and makes them like sere Wood which is fit to burn 3. Hardness of heart makes a mans condition worse than all his other sins besides if one be guilty of great sins yet if he can mourn
is too soone Satan but have presently embraced his tentation have you not put the Devil off and will you put God off 4. It is a foolish thing to adjourn and put off mourning for sin for 1. The longer you put off holy mourning the harder you will finde the work when you come to it A bone that is out of joynt is easier set at first than if you let it go longer A disease taken in time is sooner cured than if it be let alone till it comes to a Paroxysme * Sero medicina paretur cum mala per longas invaluere moras You may easily wade over the waters when they are low if you stay till they are risen they will be beyond your depth O sinner the more treasons thou committest the more dost thou incense heaven against thee and the harder it will be to get thy pardon the longer thou spinnest out the time of thy sinning the more work thou makest for repentance 2. To adjourn and put off mourning for sin is folly in respect of the uncertainty of life how doth the procrastinating sinner know that he shall live to be old What is your life it is but a vapour James 4.14 how soone may sicknesse arrest thee and death strike off thy head may not thy sun set at noone Oh then what imprudence is it to put off mourning for sin and to make a long work when death is about to make a short work Caesar deferring to read the Letter sent him was stab'd in the Senate-house 3. 'T is folly to put off all till last in respect of the improbability of finding mercy though God give thee space to repent he may deny thee grace to repent When God calls for mourning and thou art deaf when thou callest for mercie God may be dumb Prov. 1.24 28. Think of it seriously God may take the latter time to judge thee in because thou didst not take the former time to repent in 4. To respit our solemn turning to God till old age or sicknesse is high imprudence because these late acts of devotion are for the most part dissembled and spurious Though true mourning for sin be never too late * Sera poenitentia raro vera yet late mourning is seldome true †That repentance is seldome true-hearted which is gray-headed 'T is disputable whether these Autumn-tears are not shed more out of fear of hell than love to God The Mariner in a storm throws his goods over-board not but that he loves them but he is afraid they will sink the ship when men fall to weeping-work late and would cast their sins over-board it is for the most part only for fear lest they should sink the ship and drown in hell 'T is a great question whether the sick bed penitent doth not mourn because he can keep his sins no longer All which considered may make men take heed of running their souls upon such a desperate hazard as to put all their work for heaven upon the last hour Hindr. 8 8. Delay of the execution of justice Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evil God forbears punishing therefore men forbear repenting He doth not smite upon their back by correction therefore they do not smite upon their thigh by humiliation Jer. 31.19 The sinner thinks thus God hath spar'd me all this while he hath eeked out patience into long-suffering sure he will not punish Psal 10.11 He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten God somtimes in infinite patience adjourns his judgements and puts off the Sessions awhile longer he is not willing to punish 2 Pet. 3.9 The Bee naturally gives hony but stings only when it is angred The Lord would have men make their peace with him Isa 27.5 God is not like an hasty creditor that requires the debt and will give no time for the payment he is not only gracious but waits to be gracious * Poenitentiam expectat tuam dum patientiam exercet suam Isa 30.18 but God by his patience would bribe sinners to repentance but alas how is this patience abused Gods long-suffering hardens because God stops the Vial of his wrath sinners stop the Conduit of tears That the patience of God may not through our corruption obstruct holy mourning let sinners remember 1. Gods patience hath bounds set to it Gen. 6.3 Though men will not set bounds to their sin yet God sets bounds to his patience there is a time when the Sun of Gods patience will set and being once set it never returns any degrees backward the Lease of patience will soon be run out There is a time when God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive The Angel cryed the houre of his judgement is come Rev. 14.7 Perhaps the next sin thou committest God may say Thy houre is now come 2. To be hardned under patience makes our condition far worse incensed justice will revenge abused patience God was patient towards Sodom but not repenting he made the fire and brimstone flame about their ears Sodom that was once the wonder of Gods patience is now a standing Monument of Gods severity all the plants and fruits are destroyed and as Tertullian saith that place still smels of fire and brimstone * Olet adhuc incendio terra Long forbearance is no forgiveness God may keep off the stroak a while but justice is not dead but sleepeth God hath leaden feet but iron hands the longer God is taking his blow the sorer it will be when it comes the longer a stone is falling the heavier it will be at last the longer God is whetting his Sword the sharper it cuts sins against patience are of a deeper dye these are worse than the sins of the Divels The lapsed Angels never sinned against Gods patience how dreadful will their condition be who therefore sin because God is patient for every crumb of patience God puts a drop of wrath into his Viol the longer God forbears a sinner the more interest he is sure to pay in hell Hindr. 9 9. Mirth and Musick Amos 6.5 That chant to the sound of the Viol and drink wine in Bowles instead of the Dirge the Antheam many sing away sorrow and drown their tears in wine the sweet waters of pleasure destroy the bitter waters of mourning How many go dancing to hell like those fish which swim down pleasantly into the dead Sea Let us take heed of all these hindrances of holy tears Let our Harp be turned into mourning and our Organ into the voyce of them that weep Job 30.31 CHAP. X. Shewing some helps to mourning HAving removed the obstructions let me in the last place propound some helps to holy mourning 1. Set Davids prospect continually before you Psal 51.4 My sinne is ever before me David that he might be a mourner kept his eye still upon sin See what sin is and
words are mandatory for all counsels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command Keep thy heart Here is Gods solemn charge to every man like the Judges charge given upon the Bench. I shall first explain then apply 1. Keep the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep hath various significations 1. Sometimes it signifies munire to arm or fence a stroak at the heart kills fence thy heart 2. Sometimes it signifies câ—rare to take care of a thing that it be not lost as one would take care of a piece of plate that it be not taken away 3. Sometimes it signifies custodire to keep in safe custody so keep thy heart lock it up safe that it may be forth-coming when God calls for it 2. Thy heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart is taken diversly in Scripture sometimes it is taken for the vital part Judg. 19.5 sometimes for the soul Deutr. 13.3 sometimes for the mind Prov. 10.8 sometimes for the conscience 1 John 3.20 sometimes for the will and affections Psal 119.36 I shall take it in its full latitude for the whole soul with all its noble faculties and endowments this is the depositum or charge every man is entrusted with the heart 3. With all diligence the original carries it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all keeping the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to keep with watch and ward a Christian is to set a continual guard about his heart Some read the words Keep thy heart supra omnem custodiam above all keeping * Junius nothing requires such strict custody a Christians heart must ever be in his eye 4. For out of it are the issues of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heart is the fountain of life if the heart lives the body lives if the heart be touched death follows So the soul is a spiritual fountain out of it issues either sin or grace from this spring-head flow the streams either of salvation or damnation In the words there is 1. A duty Keep thy heart 2. The manner with all diligence 3. The reason for out of it are the issues of life Doctr. Doctr. It must be a Christians great care with all keeping to keep his heart we are to keep our eyes Job set a watch there Job 31.1 I made a Covenant with mine eyes c. We are to keep our lips David bridled his tongue Psal 39.1 I will keep my mouth as with a bridle but especially we are to look to our hearts Keep thy heart with all keeping The heart like Dinah will be gadding abroad and it seldom returns home but it is defiled It was the saying of an Heathen I never come home with such good desires as I went out with Christian thy chief work lies with thy heart Keep thy heart The Serpent when any danger is near keeps his head and to preserve his head will expose his whole body to injury so a wise Christian should especially keep his heart he should adventure his skin to keep a wound from his heart To amplifie this I shall shew that the heart must be kept 1. With all kind of keeping 2. At all times 3. The Reasons enforcing 1. The heart must be kept with all kinde of keeping 1. Keep the heart with all kind of keeping 1. Keep thy heart as thou wouldst keep a Temple the Temple was an hallowed place set apart for Gods worship so the heart is Augustissimum Dei Templum * Seneca the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 This heart-temple must be kept pure and holy no filth * 2 Chron. 29.16 musâ— lie here sweep the dust out of the Temple * Mundemus â—oc Templum quod non fumo nec pulvere sed malâ— cogitatio nibus sordidatur Lactan. the vessels of the Temple were cleans'd 2 Chr. 29.15 Thus the memory affections conscience these Temple-vessels must be cleansed 2 Cor. 7.1 Christ whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple John 2. The cares of the world will be crowding into the heart now you must get a whip made of the threatnings of the Law and drive these money-changers out of the Temple of your heart let not Gods Temple be made an Exchange the Temple had a fire burning on the Altar take heed of strange fire but keep the fire of zeal and devotion flaming upon the Altar of thy heart do Temple-work offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart When the heart is Dei sacrarium a consecrated place an Holy of holies now God will walk there Many a mans heart is a Pest-house a Bedlam being polluted with sin this is to put Swine into Gods room this is to let the Divel come into Gods Temple Davids heart was a Temple dedicated Psal 119.38 2. Keep thy heart as thou wouldst keep a treasure A man that hath a great treasure of money and jewels will keep it with lock and bolt that it be not stollen Christian thou carriest a precious treasure about thee even all that thou art worth an heart * Particula divinae aurae the Divel and the world would rob thee of this jewel oh keep thy heart as thou wouldst keep thy life if thou art robbed thou art ruined few know the value of their hearts an husbandman can set a price upon corn but not on pearle men know not the worth of that treasure they carry about them therefore prefer other things keep thy heart as a treasure 3. Keep thy heart as thou wouldst keep a Garden Thy heart is a Garden * Caâ— 4 1â— weed sin out of thy heart Among the flowers of the Spirit weeds will be growing the weeds of pride malice covetousness these grow without setting therefore every day be weeding thy heart by prayer examination repentance 1. Weeds hinder the herbs and flowers from growing the weeds of corruption hinder the growth of grace where the weed of unbelief grows it hinders the flower of faith from growing 2. Weeds spoil the walks Christ will not walk in an heart over-grown with weeds and bryars Christ was sometimes among the lillies Cant. 6.3 never among the thistles Poor sinner thou complainest thou hast not communion with God time was when God did make himself known to thee but now he is grown strange and never comes near thee this is the reason sin hath spoiled Christs walks thy heart lies like the field of the sluggard Prov. 24.30 And will Christ walk there Indeed we read Christ was once in the wilderness when he was tempted Matth. 4.1 But he did not go thither for delight but that he might duel and skirmish with Satan 't is the garden Christ delights in oh weed thy heart daily let not thy heart be a Thicket for Satan 4. Keep thy heart as thou wouldst keep a Garrison The heart of man is a Garrison * Cor hominis tanquam castellum Bern. or Fort-royal this Garrison is besieged the Divel shoots his fiery darts of tentation
evils A true penitentiary is troubled not only for the shameful consequence of sin but the loathsome nature of sin not only the sting of sin but the deformed face How did the Leper loath himself Lev. 13.45 The Hebrew Doctors say the Leper pronounced unclean was to put a covering on his upper lip both as a Mourner and in token of shame * Maimony cap. 10. The true Mourner cries out O these impure eyes this heart which is a conclave of wickedness he not only leaves sin but loaths fin he that is fallen in the dirt loaths himself * Hos 14.1 7. Gospel-Mourning must be purifying our tears must make us more holy we must so weep for sin as to weep out sin our tears must drown our sins we must not only mourn but turn Joel 2.12 Turn to me with weeping What is it to have a watry eye and a whorish heart 't is foolish to say it is day when the Aire is full of darkness So to say thou repentest when thou drawest dark shadows in thy life It is an excellent saying of St. Austin He doth truly bewail the sins he hath committed who never commits the sins he hath bewailed * Ille vere plaugit commâ—ssaqui non commutit plungenda Aug. True Mourning is like the water of jealousie * Num. 5.12 it makes the Thigh of sin to rot Psal 74.14 Thou breakâ—st the heads of the Dragons in the waters The heads of our sins these Dragons are broken in the waters of true Repentance true tears are cleansing they are like a Flood that carries away all the rubbish of our sins with it the waters of holy Mourning are like the River Jordan wherein Naaman washed and was cleansed of his Lepâ—osie 'T is reported there is a River in Sicilia where if the blackest sâ—eep are bathed they become white so though our sins be as scarlet yet by washing in this River of Repentance they become white as snow Naturalists say of the serpent before it goes to drink it vomits out its poyson in this be wise as serpents before thou thinkest to drink down the sweet cordials of the promises cast up the poyson that lies at your heart do not only mourn for sin but break from sin 8. Gospel-Mourning must be joyned with hatred of sin 2 Cor. 7.11 What indignation We must not only abstain from sin but abhor sin the Dove hates the least feather of the Hawk * Aldrovand a true Mourner hates the least motion to sin a true Mourner is a sin hater Amnen hated Tamar more than ever he loved her 2 Sam. 13.5 To be a sin-hater implies two things 1. To look upon sin as the most deadly evil a complicated evil it looks more ghastly than death or hell 2. To be implacably incensed against it a sin-hater will never admit of any terms of peace the War between him and sin is like the War between Rehoboam and Jeroboam 1 Kings 14.30 There was War between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their dayes Anger may be reconciled hatred cannot true Mourning begins in the love of God and ends in the hatred of sin 9. Gospel-Mouâ—ning in some cases is joyned with Restitution 't is as well a sin to violate the name as the chastity of another if we have eclipsed the good name of others we are bound to ask them forgiveness * Fama pari passu ambulat cum vita if we have wronged them in their Estate by unjust fraudulent dealing we must make them some compensation Thus Zacheus Luk. 19.8 If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him four-fold according to that Law Exod. 22.1 Saint James bids us not only look to the heart but the hand James 4.8 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts if thou hast wronged another cleanse thy hands by Restitution be assured without Restitution no Remission * Non remittitur peccatura nisi restituatur ablatum Aug. 10. Gospel-Mourning must be a speedy Mourning We must take heed of adjourning our Repentance and putting it off till death as David said I will pay my vows now Psal 116.18 so should a Christian say I will mourn for sin now Luke 6.21 Blessed are ye that weep now as Popilus the Roman Legat when he was sent to Antiochus the King made a Circle round about the King and bade him make his answer before he went out of that Circle so God hath incircled us in the compass of a little time and chargeth us presently to bewail our sins Acts 17.30 Now God calleth everywhere to repent we know not whether we may have another day granted us Oh let us not put off our Mourning for sin till the making of our will Do not think holy Mourning is only a death-bed duty you may seek the blessing with tears as Isaac when it is too late Quamdiu cras saith Austin How long shall I say I will repent to morrow why not at this instant Mora trahit periculum Caesars deferring to read his letter before he went to the Senate house cost him his life The true Mourner makes haste to meet an angry God as Jacob did his brother and the Present he sends before is the sacrifice of tears 11. Gospel-Mourning for sin is constant there are some who at a Sermon will shed a few tears but this land-flood is soon dryed up the hypocrites sorrow is like a vein opened and presently stopped the Hebrew word for Eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also a Fountain to shew that the eye must run like a Fountain for sin and not cease but it must not be like the Lybian Fountain of the Sun which the Ancients speak of in the Morning the water is hot at Mid-day cold the waters of Repentance must not overflow with more heat in the Morning at the first hearing of the Gospel and at Mid-day in the midst of health and prosperity grow cold and be ready to freeze no it must be quotidianus planctus a daily weeping as Paul said 1 Cor. 16.31 I dye daily so should a Christian say I mourn daily Therefore keep open an issue of godly sorrow and be sure it be not stopped till death Lam. 2.18 Let not the apple of thine eye cease It is reported of holy Mr. Bradford scarce a day passed him wherein he did not shed some tears for sin daily mourning is a good antidote against back-sliding I have read of one that had an Epilepsie or falling sickness and being dipped in Sea-water was cured the washing of our souls daily in the brinish waters of Repentance is the best way both to prevent and cure the falling into Relapses Even Gods own children must mourn after pardon for God in pardoning doth not pardon at one instant sinnes past and furure but as repentance is renewed so pardon is renewed should God by one act pardon sinnes future as well as past this would make void part of Christs Office What need were
that this mourning will make us melancholy Hindr. 3 We shall drown all our joy in our tears but this is a mistake Lose our joy tell me what joy can there be in a natural condition what joy doth sin afford is not sin compared to a wound and a bruise Isa 1.6 David had his broken bones Psal 51. Is there any comfort in having the bones out of joynt doth not sin breed a palpitation and trembling of heart Deutr. 28.66 Is it any joy for a man to be a Magor-missabib a terror to himself Surely of the sinners laughter it may be said it is mad Eccles 2.2 Whereas holy mourning is the breeder of joy it doth not eclipse but refine our joy and make it better * Homine ad Deum converso mutatur gaâ—dium non tollitur Aug the Prodigal dated his joy from the time of his Repentance Luke 15.24 Then they began to be merry 4. Checking the motions of the Spirit the Spirit sets Hindr. 4 us a mourning it causeth all our spring-tides Psal 87.7 all my springs are in thee Oft we meet with gracious motions to prayer and repentance now when we stifle these motions which is called a quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 then we do as it were hinder the tyde from coming in When the dew falls then the ground is wet when the Spirit of God falls as dew in its influences upon the soul then it is moistned with sorrow but if the Spirit withdraw the soul is like Gideons dry fleece a ship can as well sail without the wind a bird can as well flie without wings as we can mourn without the Spirit Take heed of grieving the Spirit do not drive away this sweet Dove from the arke of thy soul The Spirit is res tenera delicata if it be grieved it may say I will come no more and if it once withdraw we cannot mourn 5. Presumption of mercy Who will take pains with Hindr. 5 his heart or mourn for sinne that he may be saved at a cheaper rate How many Spider-like suck damnation out of the sweet flower of Gods mercy Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners is the occasion of many a mans perishing Oh saith one Christ died for me he hath done all What need I pray or mourn Many a bold sinner plucks death from the tree of life and through presumption goes to hell by that ladder of Christs blood by which others go to heaven It is sad when the goodnesse of God which should lead to repentance Rom. 4.2 leads to presumption O sinner do not hope thy self into hell take heed of being damned upon a mistake Thou sayest God is merciful therefore goest on securely in sinne But who is mercy for the presuming sinner or the mourning sinner Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him no mercy without forsaking sinne and no forsaking sinne without mourning If a King should say to a company of Rebels Whosoever comes in and submits shall have mercy such as stood out in rebellion could not claime the benefit of the Pardon God makes a Proclamation of mercy to the mourner but such as are not mourners have nothing to do with mercy The mercy of God is like the Arke which none but the Priests were to meddle with none may touch this golden Arke of mercy but such as are Priests unto God * Rev 1.6 and have offered up the sacrifice of tears 6. A conceit of the smalnesse of sinne Gen. 19.20 Is Hindr. 6 it not a little one the Devil holds the small end of the Perspective-glasse to sinners To fancy sinne lesse than it is is very dangerous an opinion of the littlenesse of sinne keeps us from the use of means Who will be earnest for a Physitian that thinks it is but a trivial disease and who will seek to God with a penitent heart for mercy that thinks sinne is but a slight thing But to take off this wrong conceit about sinne and that we may look upon it with watry eyes consider 1. Sinne cannot be little because it is against the Majesty of heaven there is no treason small it being against the Kings person 2. Every sinne is sinful therefore damnable a Pen-knife or Stilletto makes but a little wound but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon there 's death and hell in every sinne Rom. 6.23 What was it for Adam to pluck an Apple but that lost him his crown 'T is not with sinne as it is with diseases some are mortal some not mortal the least sinne without repentance will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven 3. View sinne in the red glasse of Christs sufferings the least sinne cost the price of blood Would you take a a true prospect of sinne go to Golgotha Jesus Christ was fain to vail his glory and lose his joy and pour out his soul an offering for the least sinne read the greatnesse of thy sin in the deepnesse of Christs wounds Let not Satan cast such a mist before your eyes that you cannot see sin in its right colours Remember not only great rivers fall into the Sea but little brooks not only great sinnes carry men to hell but lesser Hindr. 7 7. Procrastination or an opinion it is too soone yet to tune the penitential string When the Lamp is almost out the strength exhausted and old age comes on then mourning for sinne will be in season but it is too soone yet That I may shew how pernicious this opinion is and that I may rowle away this stone from the mouth of the Well that so the waters of repentance may be drawn forth let me propose these four serious and weighty considerations 1. Dost thou know what it is to be in the state of nature and wilt thou say it is too soone to get out of it Thou art under the wrath of God John 3.36 and is it too soone to get from under the dropping of this Vial Thou art under the power of Satan Acts 26.18 and is it too soone to get out of the enemies quarters 2. Men do not argue thus in other cases they do not say It is too soon to be rich they wil not put off getting the world till old age no here they take the first opportunity Is it not too soone to be rich and is it too soon to be good is not repentance a matter of the greatest consequence Is it not more needful for men to lament their sinne than augment their estate 3. Gods call to mourning looks for present entertainment Heb. 3.7 8. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts A General besieging a garrison summons it to surrender upon such a day or he will storme it Such are Gods summons to repentance To day if ye will heart his voice sinners when Satan hath tempted you to any wickednesse you have not said It
him in the Gospel they have a withered hand and cannot stretch it out to good uses They have all quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are a Kin to the Churl Nabal 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take my bread and my water and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be It was said of the Emperour Pertinax he had a large Empire but a narrow scanty heart * Augustum imperium angustum animum There was a Temple at Athens which was called the Temple of mercy it was dedicated to charitable uses and it was the greatest reproach to upbraid one with this that he had never been in the Temple of mercy 't is the greatest disgrace to a Christian to be unmerciful Covetous men while they enrich themselves they debase themselves setting up a Monopoly and committing Idolatry with Mammon thus making themselves lower than their angels as God made them lower than his Angels In the time of Pestilence it is sad to have your houses shut up but it is worse to have your hearts shut up How miserable is it to have a Sea of sin and not a drop of mercy Covetous hearts like the Leviathan are firm as a stone Job 41.24 One may as well extract oyle out of a flint as the golden oyle of charity out of their flinty hearts The Philosopher saith that the coldness of the heart is a presage of death * Corde infrigidato moritur animal When mens affections to works of mercy are frozen this coldness at heart is ominous and doth sadly portend that they are dead in sin We read in the Law that the Shell-fish was accounted unclean this might probably be one Reason because the meat of it was inclosed in the Shell and it was hard to come by They are to be reckoned among the unclean who inclose all their Estate within the Shell of their own Cabinet and will not let others be the better for it How many have lost their souls by being so saving There are some who perhaps will give the poor good words and that is all * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Jam. 2.15 If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of food and one of you say to them Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful what doth it profit Good words are but a cold kind of charity * Veritas fundatur in aliquo esse the poor cannot live as the Camelion upon this Ayre let your words be as smooth as oyle they will not heal the wounded let them drop as the honey-comb they will not feed the hungry 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speak with the tongue of Angels and have not charity I am but as a tinkling Cymbal 'T is better to be Charitable as a Saint than Eloquent as an Angel Such as are cruel to the poor let me tell you you unchristian your selves unmercifulness is the sin of the Heathen Rom. 1.31 While you put off the bowels of Mercy you put off the badge of Christianity Saint Ambrose saith that when we relieve not one whom we see ready to perish with hunger we are guilty of his death * Pasce fame morientem si non paveris occiâ—isti Ambr. If this Rule hold true there are more guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandment than we are aware of St. James speaks a sad word Jam. 2 13. For he shall have judgement without mercy that shewed no mercy How do they think to find mercy from Christ who never shewed mercy to Christ in his members Dives denied Lazarus a crumb of bread and Dives was denied a drop of water At the last day behold the sinners Inditement Matth. 25.42 I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink Christ doth not say Ye took away my meat but Ye gave me none ye did not feed my members then follows the sentence Ite maledicti Depart from me ye cursed When Christs poor come to your doors and you bid them Depart from you the time may come when you shall knock at heaven gate and Christ will say Go from my door Depart from me ye cursed In short Covetousness is a foolish sin God gave the Rich man in the Gospel that appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou fool Luk. 12.20 The Covetous man doth not enjoy what he doth possess he imbitters his own life he discruciates himself with care either how to get or how to increase or how to secure an Estate and what is the issue and result often as a just reward of sordid penuriousness God doth blast and wither him in his outward Estate That saying of Gregory Nazianzene * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is to be seriously weighed God many times lets the Thief take away and the Moth consume that which is injuriously and unmercifully with-held from the poor Before I leave this Use I am sorry that any who go for honest men should be brought into the Inditement I mean that any Professors should be impeached as guilty of this sin of covetousness and unmercifulness Sure I am Gods Elect put on bowels Col. 3.12 I tell you these devout Misers are the reproach of Christianity they are wens and spots in the face of Religion I remember Aelian in his History reports that in India there is a Griffin having four feet and wings his Bill like the Eagles 't is hard whether to rank him among the Beasts or the Fowle So I may say of penurious Votaries they have the wings of profession by which they seem to flie to heaven but the feet of Beasts walking on the Earth and even licking the dust 't is hard where to rank these whether among the godly or the wicked Oh take heed that seeing your Religion will not destroy your Covetousness at last your Covetousness doth not destroy your Religion The Fabulist tells a Story of the Hedge-hog that came to the Coney-Burroughs in stormy weather and desired Harbour promising that he would be a quiet Ghuest but when once he had gotten entertainment he did set up his prickles and did never leave till he had thrust the poor Coneys out of their Burroughs So Covetousness though it hath many fair pleas to insinuate and wind it self into the heart yet assoon as you have let it in this Thorn will never leave pricking till it hath choaked all good beginnings and thrust all Religion out of your hearts SECT 8. Perswading to mercifulness Use 3 Use 3 I Proceed next to the Exhortation to beseech all Christians to put on bowels of mercies Exhort be ready to indulge the miseries and necessities of others Saint Ambrose calls charity the summe of Christianity and the Apostle makes it the very definition of Religion James 1. ult Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the widows
things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes A father will teach his children the childe goes to his father Father Teach me my Lesson so David goes to God Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God The Lord glories in this title Isa 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit Gods children have that anointing which teacheth them all things necessary to salvation they see those mysteries which are vail'd over to carnal eyes as Elisha saw those Horses and Chariots of fire which his servant did not see 2 Kings 6.17 The adopted see their own sins Satans snares Christs beauty which they whom the god of the world had blinded cannot discern whence was it that David understood more than the Ancients Psal 119.100 He had a Father to teach him God was his Instructer Psal 71.17 O God thou hast taught me from my youth Many a childe of God complains of ignorance and dulness remember this thy Father will be thy Tutor he hath promised to give his spirit to lead thee into all truth John 16.13 And God doth not only inform the understanding but incline the will he doth not only teach us what we should do but enable us to do it Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes What a glorious priviledge is this to have the star of the world pointing us to Christ and the load-stone of the Spirit drawing 7. If we are children this gives boldness in prayer Privi ∣ ledge 7 the childe goes with confidence to his father and he cannot finde in his heart to deny him Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him All the father hath is for his childe if he comes for money who is it for but his childe If thou comest to God for pardon for brokenness of heart God cannot deny his childe Who doth he keep his mercies in store for but his children And that which may give Gods children holy boldness in prayer is this When they consider God not only in the relation of a Father but as having the disposition of a Father Some parents are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a morose rugged nature but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 He begets all the bowels in the world in prayer we should look upon God under this notion a Father of mercy sitting upon a Throne of grace we should run to this heavenly Father in all conditions 1. In our sins as that sick childe 2 Kings 4.19 He said unto his father my head my head assoon as he found himself not well he ran to his father to succour him So in case of sin Run to God My heart my heart O this dead heart Father quicken it this hard heart Father soften it Father my heart my heart 2. In our tentations A childe when another strikes him runs to his Father and complains so when the Devil strikes us by his temptations let us run to our Father Father Satan assaults and hurles in his fiery darts he would not only wound my peace but thy glory Father take off the Tempter 't is thy childe that is worried by this red Dragon Father wilt not thou bruise Satan under my feet What a sweet priviledge is this when any burden lies upon our spirits we may go to our Father and unload all our cares and griefs into his bosome Privi ∣ ledge 8 8. If we are children then we are in a state of freedom Claudius Lysias valued his freedom of Rome at an high rate a state of son-ship is a state of freedom this is not to be understood in an Antinomian sense that the children of God are freed from therule of the Moral Law this is such a freedom as Rebels take Was it ever heard that a childe should be freed from duty to his parents But the freedom which Gods children have is an holy freedom they are freed ab imperio carnis from the Law of sin Rom. 8.2 This is the sad misery of an unregenerate person he is in a state of Vassaladge he is under the tyranny of sin * Quamobrem dignitatem tuam abjicis teque servum peccati constituis Bern. Justin Martyr used to say It is the greatest slavery in the world for a man to be subject to his own passions A wicked man is as very a slave as he that works in the Gally look into his heart and there are Legions of lusts ruling him he must do what sin will have him a slave is at the service of an usurping Tyrant if he bid him dig in the Mine hew in the Quarries tug at the Oar he must do it Thus every wicked man must do what corrupt nature inspired by the Divel bids him if sin bids him be drunk be unchaste he is at the command of sin as the Ass is at the command of the Driver sin first enslaves and then damns But the children of God though they are not freed from the in-being of sin yet they are freed from the Law of sin all sins commands are like Laws repeal'd which are not in force though sin live in a childe of God yet it doth not reign Rom 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you Sin hath not a coercive power over a childe of God there is a principle of grace in his heart which gives check to corruption This is a believers comfort though sin be not removed yet it is subdued and though he cannot keep sin out yet he keeps sin under the Saints of God are said to crucifie the flesh Gal. 5.24 Crucifying was a lingring death first one member dyed then another every childe of God crucifies sin some limb of the old man is ever and anon dropping off though sin doth not dye perfectly it dyes daily this is the blessed freedom of Gods children they are freed from the Law of sin they are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 This Spirit makes them free and chearful in obedience 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 9. If we are children then we are heirs apparent to Privi ∣ ledge 9 all the promises the promises are called precious 2 Pet. 2.4 The promises are a Cabinet of jewels they are breasts full of the milk of the Gospel the promises are enriched with variety and are suited to a Christians present condition Doth he want pardoning grace there is a promise carries forgiveness in it Jer. 31.34 Doth he want sanctifying grace there is a promise of healing Hos 14.4 Doth he want corroborating grace there is a promise of strength Isa 41.10 And these promises are the childrens bread the Saints are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heirs of the promise Hebr. 6.17 There is Christ and heaven in a promise and there is never a promise in the Bible but an adopted person may lay a Legal claim to it and say This
Judges 11.35 Alas my daughter thou hast brought me very low so may the soul say Alas my sin thou hast brought me very low thou hast brought me almost to the gates of death 3. Sickness doth eclipse the beauty of the body This I ground on that Scripture Psal 39.11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man thou makest his beauty to consume away like a Moth. The Moth consumes the beauty of the cloth so a fit of sickness consumes the beauty of the body Thus sin is a soul-sickness it hath eclipsed the glory and splendor of the soul it hath turned ruddiness into paleness that beauty of grace which once sparkled as gold now it may be said How is this gold become dim †* Lam. 4.1 That soul which once had an orient brightness in it it was more ruddy than Rubies its polishing was of Saphyr the understanding be spangled with knowledge the will crowned with liberty the affections like so many Seraphims burning in love to God now the glory is departed Sin hath turned beauty into deformity as some faces by sickness are so disfigured and look so ghastly they can hardly be known So the soul of man is by sin so sadly Metamorphiz'd having lost the image of God that it can hardly be known Joel 2.31 The Sun shall be turned into darkness Sin hath turned that Sun of beauty which shined in the soul into a Cimmerian darkness and where grace is begun to be wrought yet the souls beauty is not quite recovered but is like the Sun under a cloud 4. Sickness takes away the taste a sick man doth not taste that sweetness in his meat so the sinner by reason of soul-sickness hath lost his taste to spiritual things The Word of God is pabulum animae it is bread to strengthen wine to comfort but the sinner tastes no sweetness in the Word A childe of God who is spiritualized by grace tastes a savouriness in Ordinances the promise drops as an honey-comb Psal 19.10 but a natural man is sick and his taste is gone since the tasting of the forbidden Tree he hath lost his taste 5. Sickness takes away the comfort of life a sick person hath no joy of any thing his life is a burden to him So the sin-sick soul is void of all true comfort and his laughter is but the pleasing dream of a sick man he hath no true title to comfort his sin is not pardoned he may be in hell before night for any thing he knows 6. Sickness ushers in death it is the prologue to death sickness is as it were the cutting of the Tree and death is the falling of the Tree so this disease of sin if not cured in time brings the second death 2. What the diseases of the soul are Adam by breaking the box of original righteousness hath filled the soul full of diseases the body is not subject to so many diseases as the soul I cannot reckon them all up Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors * Psal 40.12 Only I shall name some of the worst of these diseases Pride is the tympany of the soul lust is the feaver error the gangrene unbelief the plague of the heart hypocrisie the scurvy hardness of heart the stone anger the phrenzy malice the Wolf in the breast covetousness the dropsie spiritual sloth the green sickness apostasie the epilepsie here are eleven soul-diseases and when they come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the full heigth they are dangerous and most frequently prove mortal 3. The third thing to be demonstrated is that sin is the worst sickness To have a body full of plague sores is sad but to have the soul which is the more noble part spotted with sin and full of the Tokens is far worse as appears 1. The body may be diseased and the conscience quiet Isa 33.24 The Inhabitant of the Land shall not say I am sick He should scarce feel his sickness because sin was pardoned but when the soul is sick of any reigning lust the conscience is troubled Isa 57. ult There is no peace to the wicked saith my God When Spira had abjured his former faith he was put IN LITTLE EASE his conscience burned as hell and no spiritual physick that Divines did apply could ever allay that inflammation 2. A man may have bodily diseases yet God may love him Asa was diseased in his feet 2 Kings 15.23 He had the Gout yet a Favourite with God Gods hand may go out against a man yet his heart may be towards him diseases are the Arrows which God shoots pestilence is called Gods Arrow Psal 91.5 This Arrow as Gregory Nazianzene saith may be shot from the hand of an indulgent father But soul-diseases are symptoms of Gods anger as he is an holy God he cannot but hate sin he beholds the proud afar off Psal 138.6 God hates a sinner for his plague-sores Zach. 11.8 My soul loathed them 3. Sickness at worst doth but separate from the society of friends but this disease of sin if not cured separates from the society of God and Angels The Leper was to be shut out of the Camp this leprosie of sin without the interposition of mercy shuts men out of the Camp of heaven Rev. 21.8 This is the misery of them that dye in their sins they are allowed neither friend nor Physitian to come at them they are excluded Gods presence for ever in whose presence is fulness of joy Use 1 1. See into what a sad condition sin hath brought us it hath made us desperately sick Inform. nay we dye away in Branch 1 our sickness till we are fetch'd again with the water of life O how many sick bed-rid souls are there in the world sick of pride sick of lust sin hath turned our Houses and Churches into Hospitals they are full of sick persons What Davids enemies said reproachfully of him is true of every natural man Psal 41.8 An evil disease cleaveth fast unto him He hath the plague of the heart 1 Kings 8. And even those who are regenerate are cured but in part they have some grudgings of the disease some ebullitions and stirrings of corruption nay sometimes this Kings Evil breaks forth to the scandal of Religion and from this sin-sickness ariseth all other diseases * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys de poen hom 5. Plague Gout Stone Feaver 1 Cor. 11.29 30. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself for this cause many are weak and sickly among you Branch 2 2. If sin be a soul-sickness then how foolish are they that hide their sins it is folly to hide a disease * Insipientium malus pudor ulcera celat Job 31.33 40. If I covered my transgression as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosome let thistles grow instead of wheat c. The wicked take more care to have sin covered than cured if they can but sin in private and not be suspected they
think all is well there is a curse belongs to him who puts sin in a secret place Deutr. 27.15 The hiding and concealing a disease proves mortal Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper 3. If sin be a soul-sickness then what need is there Branch 3 of the Ministry Ministers are Physitians under God to cure sick souls God hath set in his Church Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 The Ministers are a Colledge of Physitians their work is to finde out diseases and apply medicines 't is dura provincia an hard work while Ministers are curing others they themselves are nigh unto death Phil. 2.30 They finde their people sick of several diseases some have poysoned themselves with error some are surfeited with the love of the creature some have stab'd themselves at the heart with gross sin O how hard is it to heal all these sick gangren'd souls many Ministers do sooner kill themselves by preaching than cure their Patients * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but though the work of the Ministry be a laborious work it is a needful work while there are sick souls there will be need of spiritual Physitians How unworthy then are they who malign and persecute the Ministers of God 1 Cor. 4.9 O unkind world thus to use thy Physitians Can there be a greater injury to souls would it not be a piece of the highest cruelty and barbarism if there were an Act made that all Physitians should be banished out of the Land And is it not worse to see multitudes of sick souls lie bleeding and to have their spiritual Physitians removed from them which should under God heal them This is a wrath-procuring sin 2 Chron. 36 16. They misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy See what is inscribed in Levies blessing Deutr. 33.8 11. And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy One bless Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite through the loyns of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again The Lord will wither that arme which is stretched out against his Prophets Use 2 1. If sin be a soul-disease let this serve to humble us Exhort the Scripture often calls upon us for humility 1 Pet. Branch 1 5.5 Be ye cloathed with humility if any thing will humble this consideration may sin is a soul-disease if a woman had a fair face but a cancer in her breast it would keep her from being proud of her beauty So Christian though thou art endued with knowledge and morality which are fair to look upon yet remember thou art diseased in thy soul here is a cancer in the breast to humble thee this certainly is one reason why God leaves sin in his own children for though sin be healed as to the guilt of it yet not as to the stain of it that the sight of their sores may make their Plumes of pride fall There are two humbling sights a sight of Gods glory and a sight of our diseases Uzziah the King had no cause to be proud for though he had a Crown of gold on his head he had the Leprosie on his fore-head 2 Chron. 26.19 Though the Saints have their golden graces yet they have their leprous spots seeing sin hath made us vile let it make us humble seeing it hath taken away our beauty let it take away our pride if God saith Saint Austin * Si Deus superbientibus Angelis non pepercit did not spare the proud Angels will he spare thee who art putredo vermis but dust and rottenness Oh look upon your boyles and ulcers and be humble Christians are never more lovely in Gods eyes than when they are loathsome in their own those sins which humble shall never damn 2. If sin be a soul-disease and the most damnable Branch 2 disease let us be afraid of it Had we diseases in our bodies an ulcer in the lungs or hectick feaver we would fear lest they should bring death oh fear sin-sickness lest it bring the second death Thou who art a Drunkard or a Swearer tremble at thy soul-maladies I wonder to see sinners like the Leviathan made without fear Why do not men fear sin why do they not shake with this disease surely the reason is 1. Stupidity as they have the Feaver of sin so withall a Lethargy 1 Tim. 4 2. Having their conscience sear'd with an hot iron He that hath an unbelieving heart and a sear'd conscience you may ring out the Bell that mans case is desperate 2. Presumption Many fancy that they can lay a fig upon the boile though they be sick they can make themselves well it is but saying a few prayers 't is but a sigh or a tear and they shall presently recover but is it so easie to be healed of sin is it easie to make old Adam bleed to death is it easie when the pangs of death are on thee in an instant to have the pangs of the new birth oh take heed of a spiritual lethargy fear your disease lest it prove mortal and damnable Physitians tell of a disease which makes men dye laughing so Satan tickles many with the pleasure of sin and they dye laughing 3. If sin be a soul-distemper then account them your Branch 3 best friends that would reclaim you from your sins The Patient is thankful to the Physitian that tells him of his disease and useth means to recover him When Ministers tell you in love of your sins and would reclaim you take it in good part the worst they intend is to cure you of your sickness David was glad of an healing reproof Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head Ministers are charged by vertue of their office to reprove 2 Tim. 4.2 They must as well come with Corrosives as Lenitives * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly as a Chyrurgion searcheth a wound and then lanceth and cuts out the gangren'd flesh or as a Physitian useth Leeches and Cupping-glasses which put the Patient to pain but it is to restore him to health so must the Ministers of Christ rebuke sharply that they may help to save their dying Patients Who is angry with the Physitian for prescribing a bitter potion Why should any be angry with Christs Ministers for reproving when in regard of their office they are Physitians and in regard of their bowels they are fathers but how few are they who will take a reproof kindly Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate But why do not men love a reproof 1. Because they are in love with their sins a strange thing that any should love their disease
were requisite as none but Christ could give 3. Christ came as a Physitian out of the sweetness of his Nature he is like the good Samaritan who had compassion on the wounded man Luke 10.33 A Physitian may come to the Patient only for gain not so much to help the Patient as to help himself but Christ came purely out of sympathy there was nothing in us to tempt Christ to heal us for we had no desire of a Physitian nor had we any thing to give our Physitian as sin made us sick so it made us poor so that Christ came as a Physitian not out of hope to receive any thing from us but was prompted to it out of his own goodness Hos 14.4 I will heal their back-slidings I will love them Love set Christ awork not only his Fathers Commission but his own Compassion moved him to his spiritual Physick and Chyrurgery King David banished the blinde and lame out of the City 2 Sam. 5.8 Christ comes to the blinde and lame and cures them it is the sounding of his bowels that causeth the healing under his wings 3. The third particular is That Christ is the Only Physitian Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other c. There 's no other Physitian besides Verinus Non plures medici sed satis unus erit The Papists would have other healers besides Christ they would make Angels their Physitians all the Angels in heaven cannot heal one sick soul indeed they are described by their wings Isa 6.2 but they have no healing under their wings Papists would heal themselves by their own merits Adam did eat that Apple which made him and his posterity sick but he could not finde any herb in Paradise to cure him our merits are rather damning than healing to make use of other Physitians and medicines is as if the Israelites in contempt of that brazen Serpent which Moses set up had erected other brazen Serpents O let us take heed of that turba medicorum Indeed in bodily sickness it is lawful to multiply Physitians when the Patient hath advised with one Physitian he desires to have others joyned with him but the sick soul if it joyns any other Physitian with Christ it surely dies 4. How Christ heals his Patients Answ There are foure things in Christ that are healing 1. His Word is healing Psal 107.20 He sent his Word and healed them His Word in the mouth of his Ministers is healing when the Spirit is wounded in desertion Christ doth create the lips that speak peace Isa 57.19 The Word written is a Myrothecium or Repository in which God hath laid up Soveraign oyles and balsomes to recover sick souls and the Word preached is the pouring out of these oyles and applying them to the sick Patient He sent his Word and healed them We look upon the Word as a weak thing What is the breath of a man to save a soul but the power of the Lord is present to heal Luke 5.17 Christ makes use of his Word as an healing medicine the Receits which his Ministers prescribe he himself applies he makes his Word convincing converting comforting Caution Not that the Word heals all to some it is not an healing but a killing Word 2 Cor. 2.16 To the one we are a savour of death unto death Some dye of their disease two sorts of Patients dye 1. Such as sin presumptuously though they know a thing to be sin yet they will do it Job 24.13 They are of those that rebel against the light this is dangerous * Num. 15 30. David prays Psal 19. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 2. Such as sin maliciously when the disease comes to this head the Patient will dye Hebr. 10.29 But to them who belong to the election of grace the Word is the healing medicine Christ useth He sent his Word and healed them 2. Christs wounds are healing Isa 55.3 With his stripes we are healed Christ made a medicine of his own body and blood the Physitian dyed to cure the Patient * Ille Colaphizatus lauceatus spinis corenatus in cruce suspensus ut per ejus mortem nobis medelam pararet Aug. in Evang. Joh. The Pelican when her young ones are bitten by Serpents feeds them with her own blood to recover them Thus when we were bitten by the old Serpent then Jesus Christ prescribes a Receit of his own blood to heal and restore us Sanguis Christi salus Christiani * Corpus Christi est aegris medicina languorem sanans sanitatem servans Bern. The blood of Christ being the blood of him who was God as well as man had infinite merit to appease God and infinite vertue to heal us This this is the balme of Gilead that recovers a soul which is sick even to death Balm as Naturalists say is a juyce which a little shrub being cut with glass doth weep out This was anciently of very precious esteem the favour of it was odoriferous the vertue of it Soveraign it would cure ulcers and the stinging of Serpents * Pliny This balm may be an emblem of Christs blood it hath a most Soveraign vertue in it it heals the ulcer of sin the stinging of tentation it merits for us justification Rom. 5.9 O how precious is this balm of Gilead by this blood we enter into heaven 3. Christs Spirit is healing the blood of Christ heals the guilt of sin the Spirit of Christ heals the pollution of sin the Spirit is compared to oyle it is call'd the anointing of the Spirit Isa 61. to shew the healing vertue of the Spirit oyle is healing Christ by his Spirit heals the rebellion of the will the stone of the heart though sin be not removed it is subdued 4. Christs rod is healing Isa 27.9 Christ never wounds but to heal the rod of affliction is to recover the sick Patient * Unguento utitur medicus item ferro igue Bern. Davids bones were broken that his soul might be healed God useth affliction as the Chyrurgion doth his Launce to let out the venome and corruption of the soul and make way for a cure Quest But if Christ be a Physitian Quest why are not all healed Answ 1. Because all do not know they are sick they Answ 1 see not the sores and ulcers of their souls and will Christ cure them who see no need of him many ignorant people thank God they have good hearts but that heart can no more be good which wants grace than that body can be found which wants health 2. All are not healed because they love their sickness Answ 2 Psal 52.3 Thou lovest evil many men hug their disease Augustine saith before his conversion he prayed against sin but his heart whispered Non adhuc Domine Not yet Lord he was loth to leave his sin too soon how many love their disease better than their Physitian while sin is loved Christs medicines are loathed 3. All are not
healed because they do not look out Answ 3 after a Physitian If they have any bodily distemper upon them they presently send to the Physitian their souls are sick but mind not their Physitian Christ John 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Christ takes it as an undervaluing of him that we will not send to him some send for Christ when it is too late when other Physitians have given them over and there is no hope of life then they cry to Christ to save them but Christ refuseth such Patients as make use of him only for a shift Thou that scornest Christ in time of health Christ may despise thee in the time of sickness * Medicum spernens sanari nequit Bern. Answ 4 4. All are not healed because they would be self-healers they would make their duties their saviours the Papists would be their own Physitians their daily sacrifice of the Mass is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly Office but Christ will have the honour of the cure or he will never heal us not our tears but his blood saves Answ 5 5. All are not healed because they do not take the physick which Christ prescribes them they would be cured but they are loth to put themselves into a course of physick Christ prescribes them to drink the bitter potion of Repentance and to take the pill of Mortification but they cannot endure this they had rather dye than take physick if the Patient refuseth to take the Receits the Physitian prescribes no wonder he is not healed Christians you have had many Recipes to take have you taken them ask conscience There are many hearers of the Word do like foolish Patients who send to the Doctor for Physick but when they have it they let the physick stand by in the glass but do not take it it is probable you have not taken the Receits which the Gospel prescribes because the Word hath no operation on your hearts you are as proud as earthly as malicious as ever Answ 6 6. All are not healed because they have not confidence in their Physitian it is observable when Christ came to work any cure he first put this question Believe ye that I am able to do this Matth. 9.28 This undoes many oh saith the sinner There 's no mercy for me Christ cannot heal me Take heed thy unbelief is worse than all thy other diseases Did not Christ pray for them that crucified him FATHER FORGIVE THEM Some of those were saved that had an hand in shedding his blood * Acts 2.36 37 Why then dost thou say Christ cannot heal thee unbelief dishonours Christ it hinders from a cure it closeth the Orifice of Christs wounds it stauncheth his blood Matth. 15.58 Millions dye of their disease because they do not believe in their Physitian 5. The fifth and last particular is That Christ is the best Physitian That I may set forth the praise and honour of Jesus Christ I shall shew you wherein he excels all other Physitians no Physitian like Christ 1. He is the most skilful Physitian he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no disease too hard for him Psal 103.3 Who healeth all thy diseases The Pool of Bethesda might be an emblem of Christs blood John 5.4 Whosoever first after the troubling of the water step'd in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had There are certain diseases Physitians cannot cure as a consumption in the lungs some kinde of obstructions and gangrenes Non est in medico semper relevetur ut ager Some diseases are opprobria medicorum the reproaches of Physitians * Rhetor non semper suadebit nec Iatros sanabit but there 's no immedicabile vulnus no disease can pose Christs skill he can cure the gangrene of sin when it is come to the heart he healed Mary Magdalen an unchaste sinner he healed Paul who breathed out persecution against the Church insomuch that Paul stands and wonders at the cure 1 Tim. 1.13 But I obtained mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was bemercied Christ heals head-distempers and heart-distempers which may keep poor trembling souls from despair O saith the sinner never was any so diseased as I but look up to thy Physitian Christ who hath healing under his wings he can melt an heart of stone and wash away black sins in the crimson of his blood there are no desperate cases with Christ * Omnipotenti nihil insanabile Aug. he hath those salves oyles balsomes which can cure the worst disease Indeed there is one disease which Christ doth not heal namely the sin against the Holy Ghost this is called a sin unto death if we knew any who had sinned this sin we were to shut them out of our prayer There is a sin unto death I do not say that he shall pray for it 1 John 5.16 There 's no healing for this disease not but that Christ could cure this but the sinner will not be cured The King could pardon a Traytor but if he will have no pardon he must dye The sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable because the sinner will have no pardon he scorns Christs blood despights his Spirit therefore his sin hath no sacrifice Hebr. 10.26 29. 2. Christ is the best Physitian because he cures the better part the soul * Christus medicus animarum Aug. other Physitians can cure the Liver or Splene Christ cures the heart they can cure the blood when it is tainted Christ cures the conscience when it is defiled Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead works Galen and Hippocrates might cure the stone in the Kidneys but Christ cures the stone in the heart he is the best Physitian which cures the more excellent part The soul is immortal angelical man was made in the Image of God Gen. 1.27 Not in regard of his body but his soul Now if the soul be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so divine and noble then the cure of the soul doth far exceed the cure of the body 3. Christ is the best Physitian for he causeth us to feel our disease The disease of sin though it be most damnable yet least discernable many a man is sin-sick but the Divel hath given him such stupifying physick that he sleeps the sleep of death and all the thunders of the Word cannot awaken him but the Lord Jesus this blessed Physitian awakes the soul out of its lethargy and then it is in an hopeful way of recovery The saylor was never so near a cure as when he cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sirs What must I do to be saved Acts 16.30 4. Christ shews more love to his Patients than any Physitian besides which appears five wayes 1. In that long journey he took from heaven to earth 2. In that he comes to his Patients without sending for The sick send to their Physitians and use many entreaties here the Physitian comes
obedience The Saints renowned of old have ever received their commendations and titles of honour from their obedience Moses a man mighty in words and deeds Acts. 7.22 Cornelius a man fearing God giving much alms When Christ pronounceth the sentence of absolution see how it runs Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat thirsty and ye gave me drink Matth. 25.34 35. Christ is not said at the last day to reward men according to their knowledge but their deeds Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his works shall be Rev. 22.12 So then if the Scripture that Mercurial rod points out no other way to happiness but practice then it is in vain to expect it any way else 2. It appears by Reason happiness is not attainable but in the use of means now the use of means implies practice Salvation must not only be sought out by knowledge but wrought out by practice Phil. 2.12 There can be no Crown without running no recompence without diligence If happiness comes only in the use of means then it is neither imaginable or feasible without practice Use 1 1. If it be only the doing part of Religion makes men happy Reproof Then it sharply reproves them who know much yet do nothing they talk of God but do not walk with God men are all for knowledge because it is counted an Oâ—nament they would be stuck with this gay flower but one leaf of the tree of life is worthy all the tree of knowledg T is better to practice one truth then to know all herein most Christians are defective they have with Rachel good eyes but they are barren Mephibosheth caught a fall and became lame 2 Sam. 4.4 Since Adams fall men are lame on their feet they walk not in the wayes of obedience Men know coveteousness is a sin The Greek word for coveteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an immoderate desire of getting * Ex vi nominis significat studium semper plus habendi Ger. like Midas who desired every thing he touched might be turned to gold the several species of sin grow upon this root of coveteousness 2 Tim. 3.2 Yet men live in this sin and nothing can cure them of this dry dropsie Amos 2.7 that pant after the dust of the earth Men know swearing is a sin for this the land mourns Jer. 23.10 Sinners let their oaths flie and God sends a flying roul against them Zach. 5.2 3. Yet they will not leave this sin They know drunkenness to be a sin there is death in the Cup yet the drunkard will drink it off Men know uncleanness to be a sin Exod. 20.14 it wasts their strength blots their name wounds their conscience wronges their posteritie damnes their souls Rev. 22.15 yet they will follow this sin and burn in lust though they burn in hell Transiens est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat Men know they should be winged with activity in the duties of religion but they can be content to let these duties alone They know they should mortify the flesh pray in their families be just in their dealing give alms to the poor but if there were no other Bible to teach us these things than the lives of most we should not know there were any such duties Commanded For the most part men are no changlings what they were twenty thirty years ago they are the same still as proud and unreformed as ever The best Tooles have been either broke or worn out upon their rockie hearts yet they are as unhewn and unpolished as ever The Bellows are burnt the lungs of Gods Ministers are wasted yet how much reprobate silver remaines still in many of our Congregations If none are happy but doers of the word how few will be saved But why do so few come up to the Practical part of religion Surely it is 1. for want of deep humiliation he that hath the spirit of bondage let loose upon him apprehends himself as it were in the Forlorne-hope he sees the sea of his sins before him ready to swallow him up and the justice of God behind pursuing and ready to overtake him he cries out as St. Paul Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me do Wilt thou have me repent believe I stand ready prest to what ever service thou Commandest the humbled sinner doth not dispute but obey The seed that had not depth of earth withered and came to nothing Math. 13.5 6. The reason men do not bring forth the fruits of obedience is because they have not depth of earth they were never yet deeply humbled for sin A proud man will never obey instead of trampling his sins under his feet he tramples Gods Laws under his feet Jer. 43.3 4. He who stoops in humility is the likeliest to put his neck under Christs yoak he that sees himself within an inch of hell asks the Jailors question What must I do to be saved Act. 16.30 What will not a condemned man do for a pardon 2. Want of Practice is for want of faith Isa 53.1 Who hath believed our report This makes Sermons to be like showres of raine falling upon a rock they neither mollifie nor fructifie because men are in part infidels they had rather dispute then believe such as live Scepticks die Atheists Did men believe sin were so bitter that wrath and hell followed it would they take this serpent into their bosom Did they believe there were a beautie in holiness did they believe godliness were gain that there were joy in the way and heaven at the end would they not turn their feet into the way Men have some slight transient thoughts of these things but their judgments are not fully convinced nor their conscience fully captivated into the belief of them This this is Satans master-piece his draw-net by which he drags millions to hell by keeping them in infidelitie he knows if he can but keep them from the belief of the truth he is sure to keep them from the practice of it 3. Mens backwardness to Practice is from the difficultie of the practical part of religion it is easie to hear a truth to give some assent to commend it to make a profession of it but to digest a truth into practice this is hard and men are overgrown with sloth they are loth to put themselves to too much trouble Prov. 19.15 Can men dig for gold and not for the Pearl of price Can they take pains in the pursuing of their sins and will they be at no paines for the saving of their souls I dare be bold to say It costs many a sinner more sweat and labour in toyling about his lusts then it costs a Saint in serving his God * Impij quare strenuè serviunt diabole Cypr. 4. The World comes between and hinders The thorns choak the seed of the Word Men practice so much in the world