nor can testifie that For he is the Spirit truth he cannot be deceived himself he will not 〈◊〉 ceive us he is the Spirit of God he cannot lye 1 〈◊〉 he cannot tell it much less give approbation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereunto But the former 〈◊〉 made appear undeniable That it is a Falshood and an 〈◊〉 to say any man living hath right to or can challenge 〈◊〉 spiritual good in Christ before he doth Beleeve 〈◊〉 is no such thing to be found in the Word of 〈◊〉 Therefore the Spirit will never testifie that To affirm that the Spirit should say to any 〈◊〉 that he is in a state of Grace when he is in a state 〈◊〉 Sin that he is justified when he is Condemned 〈◊〉 little less than Blasphemy If the Spirit doth reveal a mans good Estate to 〈◊〉 it is for this purpose that he may know it and he 〈◊〉 inable him to receive that intimation that he may discern it else the one of these Two will follow 〈◊〉 Spirit should reveal this for no end if no good 〈◊〉 got by it or else not attain his end if the party 〈◊〉 not be able to understand what it doth reveal If 〈◊〉 former he should not be a wise Worker If the 〈◊〉 he was not a powerful Worker But know and understand this Testimony the Soul cannot by any power either of Nature or Corruption 1 Cor. 2. 14 The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God neither can he know them because they 〈◊〉 spiritually discerned Nay Rom. 8. 7. The 〈◊〉 of the flesh is not subject unto the law therefore 〈◊〉 unto the Lord nor his Spirit If it be beyond Nature or Corruption then it 〈◊〉 be Grace that must help a man to discern it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a qualification and the first 〈◊〉 of this k nd of saving knowledge must be an 〈◊〉 unto Faith if not Faith it self Fides est ex 〈◊〉 notitia This is eternal life to know thee the 〈◊〉 true God Joh. 17. 3. Two Inferences from the former Cases of Conscience thus Resolved These Two Cases being thus cleered 1 That an 〈◊〉 hath no right to any spiritual Good in 〈◊〉 And 2 That the spirit of God doth never 〈◊〉 known this to such a Soul Hence it s cleer 〈◊〉 manner and order that men have devised to make own the mind of God to a man and to give comfort the Soul in distress being cross to these truths now 〈◊〉 is an Erroneous and False way As for 〈◊〉 You being in distress about your Sins and 〈◊〉 under the Spirit of Bondage you must first lay 〈◊〉 in the bottom lay him in the foundation Christ 〈◊〉 first be yours and so united to you and your 〈◊〉 forgiven by him before you have any Faith or 〈◊〉 qualification wrought in you This Opinion 〈◊〉 sayes That Christ may be united to the Soul and 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted before he have any 〈◊〉 it is a dangerous Opinion a desperate 〈◊〉 that I may say no worse of it Mark what 〈◊〉 here 's the plot of all prophaness the ground of loosness and famalism A man may have Christ 〈◊〉 be Justified and Adopted while he is without 〈◊〉 and therefore while he is under the power of Sins and the Spirit of God may witness this And 〈◊〉 though a man fall into any Sin or live in any sin 〈◊〉 it be he may have recourse to this 〈◊〉 this witness of the Spirit and that 's enough If a man say Prove it Are you in a state of Grace Is Christ yours Prove it then Prove it say they that I cannot do but the Spirit witnesses this to me Ay but prove this witness of the Spirit that it is from God according to his Word They will be forced to confess I cannot prove it neither to my self nor to another only thus I must beleeve it and you must beleeve me I was in trouble and distress about my Sins and then there was a voyce from Heaven the spirit did witness to me That Christ was mine and my Sins were pardoned c. This is a Spirit of Delusion the Devil is there Whatever the Spirit of God sayes it is that which the Scriptures say Therefore if you have a testimony which is not to be found in the Scripture nor can be proved and made good by the Scripture it is the testimony of the Devil not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God and the Word of God ever go together therefore if you say you Have a witness of the Spirit and the Word say No I 'le say It is a Delusion Secondly Hence it follows also There are 〈◊〉 Promises wherein any saving good is Revealed or Evidenced to the Soul but either they are such 〈◊〉 God promiseth to work the Condition or suppose the Condition already wrought either 〈◊〉 mentioning a qualification or necessarily implying 〈◊〉 including the same out of other places to be collected where the same is professedly handled All spiritual good Redemption Justification Salvation purchased by Christ were intended only for them that do beleeve therefore there is no Promise in the Scripture but doth evidence this Sometimes you have the Covenant laid down in 〈◊〉 lump as it were in a brief Expression as in a 〈◊〉 sum comprehending all the whole frame and then 〈◊〉 several actions in their distinct order and manner 〈◊〉 Gods working are to be attended and conceived as though they had been more fully and in the several branches set forth unto us Take a tast of some few Gen. 3. 5. The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head The head of Satan implys Three things Policy Power and Poyson To break this head is to crush and confound all these The Policy and and Power of Satan is overthrown in the work of vocation when the Soul is turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God the venom and poyson of Satan is taken away partly in the 〈◊〉 and punishment which is done away in Justification partly in the stain and pollution of sin which is removed in Sanctification All these Christ doth in 〈◊〉 hearts of all his and some of these all the Saints of God must have evidence of before they can gain evidence that they are within the compass of this Covenant Thus the Apostle John disputes 1 Joh. 3. 3. to 5. Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself as Christ 〈◊〉 pure Why For sin is the transgression of the law and Christ was manifested to take away our sins therefore vers 6. whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Christ came to take away sin and therefore he that abideth in Christ cannot abide in sin and vers 8. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil So again Jerem. 31. 33. I will be their God and they shall be my people Zach. 13. last I will say it is my people and they shall say thou art the
we are Justified 〈◊〉 Resurrection Answers not the Law nor yet 〈◊〉 thing of divine Justice for that which the Law never required by that it never can be Answered But 〈◊〉 Law requires a man either to do that he may live 〈◊〉 to die if he sin but it never requires him to rise 〈◊〉 that 's no part of the Command or the Curse or 〈◊〉 Therefore the Resurrection of Christ 〈◊〉 no part of Payment which is imputed or for which 〈◊〉 are Justified We owed Two things Doing 〈◊〉 Dying these answer the whole Debt the Law 〈◊〉 Justice of God Though the Resurrection of Christ be no part os 〈◊〉 yet it serves for more than a naked 〈◊〉 of our Justification All Interpreters agree in 〈◊〉 that it serves to declare our Justification but I 〈◊〉 there is somthing more in it So the Apostle 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 17. and he makes it one of those 〈◊〉 wherby he urgeth them that deny the 〈◊〉 If Christ be not risen your faith is vain 〈◊〉 are yet in your sins Whereas if this 〈◊〉 may stand That the Resurrection is barely a 〈◊〉 of Justification a man might shew Pauls 〈◊〉 to be a weak one For it doth not follow 〈◊〉 a mans Faith might find success without it 〈◊〉 the Resurrection of Christ doth not give a being 〈◊〉 Justification but only declare it as they say 〈◊〉 the Text says If Christ be not Risen you are yet 〈◊〉 your Sins yet in the gall of bitterness and bonds 〈◊〉 iniquity your sins are not pardoned not subdued Therefore if it be no part of the Payment 〈◊〉 which we are justified and yet more than a bare declaration of it then there can be no other given 〈◊〉 must apply that for which we are Justified it is an 〈◊〉 powerful cause to make Application of 〈◊〉 Merits of Christ to us for which and through which 〈◊〉 stand Justified in the sight of God Not only the text is clear 〈◊〉 it but the nature 〈◊〉 Application cals for it in a special manner For by the 〈◊〉 of man we are lyable to a double evil 1 〈◊〉 the revenging Justice of God 2 To the 〈◊〉 and Power 〈◊〉 Satan and Death For when a 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 himself into the hands of divine Justice it was 〈◊〉 righteous with the Lord to 〈◊〉 up the Soul to the Authority and Vassallage of 〈◊〉 and Satan Now therefore when our Savior Christ by his Death and Obedience answered divine Justice and so took away the first evil it was then 〈◊〉 with the Lord to free lost-man through Christ from the Second evil the Authority and Tyranny 〈◊〉 Sin Mark that place Act. 2. 24. Whom God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up having 〈◊〉 the sorrows of death 〈◊〉 it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should be 〈◊〉 of it 〈◊〉 cannot be meant of being holden by the bonds 〈◊〉 death as if 〈◊〉 were bound to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God when he was in the 〈◊〉 for he that 〈◊〉 satisfied the 〈◊〉 of God could not stand bound to it any 〈◊〉 but when 〈◊〉 had suffered for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Garden and on the 〈◊〉 he had then fully satisfied for the Law of God required no more 〈◊〉 Doing and Dying so that Christ might have 〈◊〉 again as soon as 〈◊〉 he was laid in the Grave but 〈◊〉 he lay so long was for another reason But the 〈◊〉 here is How he can be said to be 〈◊〉 from the pains and sorrows of Death when 〈◊〉 Body was in the Earth and his Soul in Heaven 〈◊〉 say from a sorrowful and painful Death I 〈◊〉 that is true Yet under favor I would say thus 〈◊〉 more It was a kind of pain and grief to the man Christ Jesus as to any 〈◊〉 that his Body was in 〈◊〉 Grave when his Soul was in Heaven which did 〈◊〉 to be united together the keeping of these two 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 to them they are 〈◊〉 friends made to be together the Souls of the Saints now 〈◊〉 in Heaven 〈◊〉 to have their bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now then when Christ had fully satissied 〈◊〉 Justice and removed the displeasure of God it 〈◊〉 not possible he could be held by the sorrows of 〈◊〉 it was not 〈◊〉 that his Body and Soul 〈◊〉 be held asunder then To clear it yet more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be considered in a double regard As it is a punishment the 〈◊〉 whereos may 〈◊〉 Justice 2 As it is a part of that Tyranny 〈◊〉 Satan by sin doth exercise upon a man It is 〈◊〉 Death and Obedience of 〈◊〉 takes away the 〈◊〉 of Death in the 〈◊〉 sense but it is he 〈◊〉 of Christ that takes away the power and 〈◊〉 of Death in the Second sense Again 〈◊〉 that Sin also hath a double 〈◊〉 1 As an Aberration or Transgression of the Law 〈◊〉 with the guilt and punishment that follows 〈◊〉 it 2 As part of the Tyranny that Satan exerciseth over the Soul there 〈◊〉 a hellish authority that 〈◊〉 exerciseth over the Soul by reason of Sin Sin 〈◊〉 the first sense our Savior Christ had imputed to 〈◊〉 the guilt of our Sins was charged upon him and the punishments of Sin was suffered by him by which means he answered Gods Justice and so came to justifie us 〈◊〉 the tyranny and authority which Sin and Satan doth exercise over the Soul that 〈◊〉 away by the Resurrection of Christ. This being laid for a ground it is alwaies required at the Sureties hand not only to pay the Debt for the Debtor but to bring the Debtor out of Prison in despight of the malice of 〈◊〉 Jaylor and strength of the Prison When therefore Christ who is our Surety had laid and paid a ful price for our Surety to God the Father and had fully answered that Debt which we stand bound unto by reason of our offence so that now Justice was wel pleased with us and the Anger of the Lord appeased towards us yet now the soul is in Prison under the power of Sin and dominion of Satan therefore it is requisite that God the Father having taken a payment must let the prisoner go free and the Lord Jesus must undertake also to Redeem the soul from the power of Sin and dominion of Satan though they be never so strong therefore God the Father raised up his Son Jesus Christ and together with him he raised us also The soul by reason of sin comes to be forfeited to the divine Justice of God to be a Prisoner to revenging Justice for the Malefactor is the Kings Prisoner not the Jaylors now Christ by his death satisfying Justice he frees the soul from the authority of revenging Justice but when the soul comes to be fetched out of Prison though Gods Justice be satisfied yet Sin and Satan keeps the soul in Prison and wil not let it go unless by strong hand therefore Jesus Christ by an Almighty power raiseth up himself from the dead and by the power of his Resurrection he rescues the soul from the power of
he part with his beloved lust his Isaac his 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 he will then shew and discover his falsness But are not the Servants of the Lord many times unwilling to bid adieu to their special and ancient 〈◊〉 that have been bred and born with them brought up and lived with them a long time together There is two men in a regenerate man a heart and a heart a will and a will Rom. 7. last Paul delighted in the Law of God after the inward man but in his lust after the corrupt man With my mind I serve the Law of God saies he but with my 〈◊〉 the Law of Sin or as our Savior The Spirit 〈◊〉 willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26. 41. the spiritual part is ever prest and ready and wholly willing for good for he that is born of God so sins not and Paul professeth it 's not I but sin in me but saies he The good that I would I do not and the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7. 18. still the heart and will of a regenerate man stands God-ward against every sin and for every good that he is convinced of The Reasons of the Point are Four and they are of great weight The First is taken from the Nature of the Will of man which since the Fall is wholly tainted and totally infected with corruption which universally overspreads the whol man As he in another case the whol head is sick the whol heart is faint the whol man wholly possessed with sin no sound part As Jobs contagion wherewith the Devil infected his Body and Natural man he was all one botch from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot So in regard of thr Spiritual man the whol man is as it were a man of sin called therefore the old man Eph. 4. 22. As though a corrupt heart were made up of nothing else but Apostacies backslidings and departings from God and swervings from his righteous Law Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh that is sinful and sensual and we are all of us altogether so born and have nothing of the Spirit of Grace in us so the Apostle Jude verse 19. These are sensual having not the spirit The Sons of Adam are all of us partakers of his Image and hence also called the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. that as each Creature and Plant answers the Seed whereof it is made hath no more in it but that so mens hearts are only framed and constituted out of that corrupt 〈◊〉 whereby Satan carried aside our first Parents Paul so professeth of himself In me 〈◊〉 is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 11. nothing that is spiritually savingly and 〈◊〉 good and therefore in the old Law our corrupt Nature is signified by the Leprosie which overspread the whol man The sin of Adam had in it this peculiar to it self more than any nay I may 〈◊〉 say more than all the sins that ever was committed in that it was the Deordination of the whol Nature of man and that against the whol Law of God For Adam did not sin as a particular man so as all the Sons of Adam do sin but as a common stock as one who was in the room of all and had the Humane Nature as the common stock of all Man-kind so that the Nature of Man as one would say Humanity in Adam as it was under the Covenant of the Law so it went wholly against the holy and righteous Law of God and therefore the whol Nature of man broke when it made a breach upon the Law As he that justles his finger against a rock breaks that only he that runs his hand unjoynts that but if all the whol body fall from a steep place upon it it breaks all the whol frame of Nature in pieces So it is comparatively between the sin of Adam and the sin of any of the sons of Adam They sin personally one is unjust and he makes a breach against Justice and so far that disposition of heart is perverted and so unfitted for the work of Justice but in Adam the whol Nature of Mind and Will and Affections which was the subject of all Grace it comes against the Law and so brings a ruine upon the whol Frame of Grace Ad hereunto to make up the Evidence that this was indeed against the whol Law as that wherein he neither loved God nor himself nor 〈◊〉 neighbor But take it here he made a breach upon the seal of the Covenant and trampled that under foot and so consequently made voyd and 〈◊〉 upon the Covenant wholly and cast it behind his back as not worth caring for Now Reason 〈◊〉 that as the Seal confirms and ratifies the 〈◊〉 and all the Conditions of it joyntly so the 〈◊〉 of that nullifies and makes void the whol Covenant So that this transgression of Adam let 〈◊〉 a Deluge of Sin that as in Noahs Flood when the Windows of Heaven were opened and the great depths were broken up the waters covered the face of the whol Earth that no dry Land appeared So 〈◊〉 is here when the deeps are broken up as it were the whol Law opposed by the whol Nature of man the Deluge of corruption spreads it self over the whol face and frame of Nature Therefore the Apostle first Summarily gives in his Judgment in the 3. to the Romans the 9. verse That all are under sin And then Particularly They are all become abominable there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open Sepulchre vents nothing but venemous steams of deadly distempers the poyson of Asps is under their tongues their feet swift to shed blood 12 13 14 15. vers And if all the Parts be such what is the heart within that acts all vents all fills all these That as it befel the Temple of Jerusalem after the destruction of it there was not a stone left upon a stone so with the soul in regard of that glorious frame of Grace which was in it in the first Creation there is not a stone left upon a stone nothing but pollution and corruption remains in the whol Nature of every man But you will say Are there no Reliques left of that glorious Image of God in the Will and Understanding There is somthing left of the Law but nothing left whereby a man can be enabled to do any thing as an act of Spiritual Life that may be acceptable to God In a word there are these Two things to be attended and may be observed in every man naturally at the lowest and the worst as I look at these poor Indians amongst whom we live as the very ruines and rubbish of mankind the forlorn Posterity of Adam 1 They are made for another and for a better 2 They ought to yeild obedience to that other and better But to know the Will of God and do it to be
thing a wicked man had or any action he did might be good or bring good to him in reason it was the Services and Sacrifices wherein he did approach unto God and perform Service to him and yet the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 28. 9. and Tit. 1. 15. To the pure all things are pure but to the unbeleeving there is nothing pure but their very Consciences are 〈◊〉 It is a desperate Malignity in the temper of the Stomach that should turn our Meat and diet into Diseases the best Cordials and Preservatives into Poysons so that what in reason is 〈◊〉 to nourish a man should kill him Such is the venom and malignity of sin makes the use of the best things become evil nay the greatest evil to us many times Psal. 10. 9. 7. Let his prayer be turned into sin That which is appointed by God to be the choycest 〈◊〉 to prevent sin is turned into sin out of the corrupt distemper of these carnal hearts of ours Hence then it follows That sin is the greatest evil in the world or indeed that can be For That which separates the soul from God that which brings all evils of punishment and makes all evils truly evil and spoils all good things to us that must needs be the greatest evil but this is the nature of sin as hath already appeared But that which I will mainly press is Sin is only opposite to God and cross as much as can be to that infinite goodness and 〈◊〉 which is in his blessed Majesty it 's not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distresses that men undergo that the Lord distasts them for or estrangeth himself from them he is with Joseph in the Prison with the three Children in the 〈◊〉 with Lazarus when he lies among the Dogs and gathers the 〈◊〉 from the rich Mans Table yea with Joh upon the dung-hil but he is not able to bear the presence of sin yea of this temper are his dearest servants the more of God is in them the more opposite they are to sin where ever they find it It was that he commended in the Church of Ephesus That she could not bear those that were wicked Rev. 2. 3. As when the Stomach is of a pure temper and 〈◊〉 strength the least surfet or distemper that befals it presently distasts and disburdens it self with speed So David noted to be a man after Gods own heart He professeth 101. Psal. 3. 7. I hate the work of them that turn aside he that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight But when the heart becomes like the Stomach 〈◊〉 weak it cannot help it self nor be helped by Physick desperate diseases and dissolution of the whol follows and in reason must be expected Hence see how God looks at the least connivance or a faint and seeble kind of opposition against sin as that in which he is most highly dishonored and he follows it with most hideous plagues as that indulgent carriage of Ely towards the vile behavior of his Sons for their grosser evils 1 Sam. 2. 23. Why do you such things It 's not well my Sons that I hear such things It is not well and is that all why had they either out of ignorance not known their duty or out of some sudden surprisal of a temptation neglected it it had not been well but for them so purposedly to proceed on in the practice of such gross evils and for him so faintly to reprove The Lord looks at it as a great sin thus feebly to oppose sin and therefore verse 29. he tells him That he honored his Sons above God and therefore he professeth Far be it from me to maintain thy house and comfort for he that honors me I wil honor and he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed verse 30. Hence it is the Lord himself is called the holy one of Israel 1. Hab. 12. Who is of 〈◊〉 eyes than to behold evil and cannot look upon iniquity no not in such as profess themselves Saints though most deer unto 〈◊〉 no nor in his Son the Lord Jesus not in his Saints Amos 8. 7. The Lord hath sworn by himself I abhor the excellency of Jacob what ever their excellencies their priviledges are if they do not abhor sin God will abhor them Jer. 22. 24. Though Coniah was as the Signet of my right hand thence would I pluck him Nay he could not endure the appearance of it in the Lord Christ for when but the reflection of sin as I may so say fell upon our Savior even the imputation of our transgressions to him though none iniquity was ever committed by him the Father withdrew his comforting presence from him and let loose his infinite displeasure against him forcing him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken 〈◊〉 Yea Sin is so evil that though it be in Nature which is the good Creature of God that there is no good in it nothing that God will own but in the evil of punishment it is otherwise for the torments of the Devils and punishments of the damned in Hell and all the plagues inflicted upon the wicked upon Earth issue from the righteous and revenging Justice of the Lord and he doth own such execution as his proper work Isa. 45. 7. Is there any evil in the City viz. of punishment and the Lord hath not 〈◊〉 it I make peace I create evil I the Lord do all these things It issues from the Justice of God that he cannot but reward every one according to his own waies and works those are a mans own the holy one of Israel hath no hand in them but he is the just Executioner of the plagues that are inflicted and suffered for these and hence our blessed Savior becoming our Surety and standing in our room he endured the pains of the Second death even the fiercenes of the fury of an offended God and yet it was impossible he could commit the least sin or be tainted with the least corrupt distemper And it 's certain it 's better to 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 without any one sin than to commit the least sin and to be freed from all plagues Suppose that all miseries and sorrows that ever befel all the wicked in Earth and Hell should meet together in one soul as all waters gathered together in one Sea Suppose thou heardest the Devils roaring and sawest Hell gaping and the flames of everlasting burnings 〈◊〉 before thine eyes it 's certain it were better for thee to be cast into those inconceivable 〈◊〉 than to commit the least sin against the Lord Thou dost not think so now but thou wilt find it so one day But if sin be thus vile in its own nature why do not men so discern it so judg it That I may give a full Answer to this Question I shall first shew the Causes of mistake and secondly the Cure For the first There
they were from the beginning of the creation 〈◊〉 yee not see how men provoke God and prosper and hath it not been so in all ages 〈◊〉 wicked ungodly continue in sinful courses yet succeed according to their own content It was so in the former ages it went best with the worst men it is so in this and wil be so to the end the Lord lookes not after the mean occasions of men upon earth finds himself employment in the affayres of Heaven it matters not what the desert of our sins be we shal never feel what they do deserve so those rulers Amos 7. they put away the evil day far from them and then they cause the seat of violence to come near 〈◊〉 73. 10. 11. those blasphemers who set their mouths against Heaven and their tongue walks through the midst of the Earth they say how doth God know this and is there knowledg in the most high Upon this ground it is that they let loose themselves in the fearless pursuit of 〈◊〉 loathsom abominations then said he unto me the Angel of the Lord of Hosts the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great the land is ful of blood and the city ful of perversness For they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth the Lord seeth not Ezek. 9. 9. For since here we must learn to chase out and keep out such imaginations by setting up the light of the truth in our minds and listening wholly thereunto So the psalmist shewes the cause and applyes the cure Psal. 94. 8. Understand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when wil ye be wise He that plantd the ear shal not he hear he that formed the eye shal not he see Yea the Lord professeth to take notice of these mens wayes in an especial manner to make privie search after them Zeph. 1. 12. he wil search Jerusalem with candles and visit such as sit upon their lees and say who sees us you shal find he knows both good and evil and he wil work both as a reward to such as deserve This Job felt by experience Job 14 16. For now thou numbrest my steps dost thou not watch our my sins my transgression 〈◊〉 sealed up in a bag and thou shalt find it so the Lord wil follow thee step by step and track and trace thee in all thy wandrings and keeps an account of al thy sins sealed up as it were in bags But if the Lord doth see and observe al our evils yet he is patient and wil pass them by and put up those many 〈◊〉 being pitiful and compassionate to poor creatures knowing they be but dust True it is the Lord out of his long sufferance wil bear long with the base dealings of the sons of men yet out of the purity and holiness of his nature he cannot but bring them to account and trial for al the swervings of their lives Psal 50. 18. Thus the secure sinner counted the Lords patience a kind of connivence and allowance of him in ungodly wayes I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I was such a one as thy self that God could wink at wickedness look aside at the slips and swervings of the ungodly and suffer them to go away with it but al in vain For I wil reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee consider this yee that forget God so likewise in Eccles. 11. 9. rejoyce O yong man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the wayes of thy youth walk in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these 〈◊〉 thou shalt come to judgment the Lord wil arrest thee for the wrong done to his holiness and follow the suit against thy soul for al thy injurious dealings and he himself wil come in against thee as a swift witness If thy Conscience condemn thee God himself is greater than thy Conscience and he knowes al things and wil bring to light the hidden things of darkness will make manifest the counsels of the heart When al those dunghil stains of Adulterous lusts and malicious envious and covetous desires shal be layd open to the view of the sun al those swarmes of foolish and wicked imaginations shal be then discovered it s better therefore that thou shouldst see them now in the day of Grace better thou shouldst have them now discovered to thy Conscience for thy humiliation then at the day of judgment for thy confusion But if the Lord will require all then I hope I may use means to satisfy for al when my day beginns to decline and my Sun to set and my glass is run when I am dropping down to the grave and groaning upon my sick bed I wil then betake my self to my prayers tears and repentance for my sins I wil sorrow for my sins seek unto God for mercy I wil repent and reform the evil of my wayes and the Lord wil remove the Plague of them In thy declining daies wilt thou do this Oh deluded creature who knows but this day or before thou hast read over this book the Lord may take away thy soul who knows whether thou shalt have time to seek or a heart to seek or God wil accept of thee when thou seekest Whether a time or no. Whether the date of Gods bounty the day of Grace and period of Gods patience be come to an end When thou hast abused 〈◊〉 many opportunities whether ever he wil give thee leave or time once to look out for 〈◊〉 when thy tongue shal be faultring in thy mouth thy eyes fallen in thy head 〈◊〉 heart sink and dy within thy bosom not able to sigh out one desire and the Lord snatch thee out of the land of the living before thou canst see or consider whithere thou art going Luke 19. 41. 42. If thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes the things of their peace were before their eyes and yet were hid from their eyes Rev. 2. 21. 23. I gave her day to repent but shee repented not therefore I wil cast her in to a bed and 〈◊〉 her children with death shee had no more dayes of repentance but of ruine shee was cast into a bed of sorrow and had not time to pour out her prayers If thou hast time who knows that God will give thee a heart to seek for mercy or sue for Grace It 's true God may help thee but it 's as true God may harden thee he may humble thee and he may 〈◊〉 thee and it 's most likely he wil thou which hast refused to hear he wil refuse to help Ezek. 24. 13. I would have purged 〈◊〉 and thou wouldest not be purged thou shalt never be purged more Jer. 51. 9. we would have cured Babilon but she would not be cured leave her then leave them to the blindness of their
grievous yet the plague-sore of their sins was heaviest upon their hearts and most in their thoughts so it is with a contrite sinner his complaints and thoughts return hither as to their center publish the comforts promises and priviledges of the Gospel the sinner acknowledgeth the promises are precious the comforts are sweet the priviledges great and happy they that ever they were born that have a title thereunto But alas what have I to do with these my heart is yet hard and my sins yet unsubdued Those keep good things from me Lay open al the threatnings of the word the plagues the Lord hath prepared the curses iudgments and punishments that are recorded in the scripture and ever were inflicted by the justice of the Lord the contrite sinner looks presently beyond these plagues to his sins which is the cause of al these and worse than al these and that gives the sting and evil unto al these evils what shal I do I have sinned deliver me from blood guiltiness O God not from the sword though that was threatned but from his sin The sinner that hath his heart thus truly affected and pierced through with his sins is marvelous tender easily to be convinced of a yielding disposition i. e. freely and readily enlarged in the open acknowledgment of an evil that is discovered he stands guilty of As it is with the body when it is pierced or pricked with a stiletto He bleeds inwardly it may be but so as the blood hath no vent nor the party relief hence the life is in hazard but when it s thrust quite through though the wound be greater and wider yet the danger is less because the party bleeds kindly and naturally the wound is more 〈◊〉 to be cleansed and healed there is no fear of festering and rankling inwardly but the Chirurgeon may readily come at it for the cure So it is when the soul is wounded aright with Godly sorrow for its sin it bleeds kindly and naturally ready to see the evil the core the root of that corruption from whence it comes and willing and open hearted that the saving word of the truth either of instruction reproof comfort or exhortation may be applyed for cure and recovery A broken hearted sinner fals immediately before the power of the word takes the sin presently home to himself when ever or what ever is presented with evidence to him without cavilling or gainsaying shifting or winding away from under the authority thereof That resistance and gainsaying opposition is now removed which formerly took possession and the irresistible power of the spirit hath flung down those strong holds of Satan and sin hath conquered and captivated the high thoughts of the mind and sturdy rebellions of the heart unto the obedience of the Lord Jesus and therefore there is an entrance and easy passage made for the truth to take place and the heart to take the impression thereof with some pleasing content parts of the body which are wounded broken and sore and very sensible of the least stir or touch of any thing that comes nigh them they feel presently and are affected with some trouble Oh say we it s my broken Arm my sore Hand the least touch it goes to my heart It 's so with broken spirits they are presently sensible of the least touch of any truth the least intimation or discovery of any sin that comes by the by if from a work that fals occasionally it feels it forthwith yields it and owns it without any more ado That 's the deceit of my heart which I never saw before that 's my distemper unto which I have been addicted the law is holy and good but my heart naught and sold under sin Rom. 7. this was the temper of good 〈◊〉 at the reading of the law which the Lord observes and so much 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 34. 27. because thy heart was tender melted when thou heardest the words of this law he took the impression of the truth at the first without the least appearance of any opposition in any particular or rising of spirit against them though the severity and sharpness of the threatnings were marvailous cross not onely to a corrupt heart but to the outward comforts eminent priviledges of his place pomp and prosperity of his Crown and Kingdom the heart is melted and broken is conquered by the truth and therefore can do nothing against it But can do any thing against its own lusts and the pleasing corruption of his own nature this is part of that preparation which the Baptist the Harbenger of our Savior made to make this plain for his coming into the hearts of his as into his temple Luk 3. The rough things shal be made plain and crooked things straight the rugged and sturdy gainsayings of a rebellious heart are taken away and it 's made easy and readily yielding to the evidence of any part of Gods wil it finds a plain passage into the soul no rub in the way no rising against the righteous and good wil of God If any thing be doubtful he is easy to be informed amiss to be reproved and amended thereby Those crooked aymes and by ends also whereby falshearted hypocrites serve their turn of the Lord Jesus seek for grace and mercy either to quiet the horror of their 〈◊〉 promote their own credit or under a profession against sin to get more liberty to commit sin to sin without suspicion or distraction these rugged distempers must be levelled and the spirit of a man made plyable simple and sincere and then all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord. And unless this de done set thy heart at rest thou canst never see Gods Salvation True indeed I confess the truth many times may be secret and such as at the present exceeds the reach and apprehension of weaker judgments And here wil be and in some 〈◊〉 may a long inquisition and painful and tedious search for the right discovery where the narrow way lyes But there is great ods betwixt an inquisition and serious enquiry that we may see the truth And a quarrelling against the evidence thereof that we may not see it Inquisition is one thing contention against the truth is another that al the Saints should endeavour this none but the ungodly wil practise for it 's given as a never failing note of a graceless person who is appointed to destruction to them who are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness Rom. 2. 8. for where the one is not the other wil be contentious persons joyn sides with their sinful distempers against the truth authority of the righteous law of God openly to maintain a professed opposition against the truth is so loathsom to common sence and 〈◊〉 even to the remainders of light left in the 〈◊〉 of a natural man that hardly any man is come to the height of wickedness that he dare openly own a course so hellish and
put Them into the Possession of it and make it Theirs For the First of these the Doctrine is That Christ hath Purchased all Spiritual good for His 〈◊〉 be Three Particulars to be attended for the 〈◊〉 of this Point 1 What this Spiritual Good is 2 Why Christ Purchased it and How 3 For Whom This Spiritual Good intended is the heap of Grace 〈◊〉 Happiness with all those sweet Fruits and 〈◊〉 which are either in preparation to it or 〈◊〉 upon it the whole Estate and Portion and Patrimony of a Christian the Riches Revenues of 〈◊〉 Gospel what is in Hand what is in Hope what 〈◊〉 Possession what in Expectation the whole Mass 〈◊〉 Inventory of those Everlasting Treasuries which 〈◊〉 stored up from all Eternity for the welfare of His. David thus discovers it Psal. 31. 19. Oh! How 〈◊〉 is that Goodness which thou hast wrought for Them and laid up for Them and laid out for Them 〈◊〉 trust in thee before the Sons of men So the Apostle also Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgivness of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us I would not I should not in a way of orderly proceeding descend to Particulars for that were to 〈◊〉 things out of place I am now only in the general Doctrine which lies open in a Community for the 〈◊〉 of it to all that comes after and therefore nothing proper to this place but that which carries that Community with it The Severals I shal reserve to their particular places Only thus much we may say 〈◊〉 the further manifestation All that Spiritual Good we lost all that we do want or can need all that 〈◊〉 can desire all that we can receive for our everlasting welfare this is that plentiful Redemption which 〈◊〉 meant here Psal. 130. 7. Why is it said that Christ hath Purchased 〈◊〉 Good Because there is a Price laid down for it 〈◊〉 that of equal worth and of valuable consideration 〈◊〉 that which is desired and obtained and that in a righteous way of just proceeding and the Price that 〈◊〉 laid down is expresly named in the Text to be the 〈◊〉 Blood of Jesus You were Redeemed saies 〈◊〉 Apostle not with Silver and Gold these were 〈◊〉 too mean quality and too base a condition being 〈◊〉 and tramitory things and therefore no 〈◊〉 answerable to those everlasting and spiritual and 〈◊〉 good things we look for but with the 〈◊〉 Blood of Christ which is of endless infinite and 〈◊〉 virtue and efficacy and in which the Lord rests 〈◊〉 this is a full Purchase For any Power by strong hand to wrest away 〈◊〉 sinner from under the Almighty hand of God it 〈◊〉 impossible for Justice to lay aside it self and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have her 〈◊〉 righted in a righreous way was 〈◊〉 therefore that Gods Justice might 〈◊〉 and our good procured there was necessity 〈◊〉 an equal price should be laid down for it and 〈◊〉 was the blood of Christ. In a word The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obedience of Christ was the full Purchase The 〈◊〉 out of Justice is bound to manifest the Glory of 〈◊〉 because that is to give every one his own and 〈◊〉 must require satisfaction where any breach 〈◊〉 been made by any transgression and swerving 〈◊〉 the righteous Will of God While therefore 〈◊〉 Savior by his Death satisfied the breach of the 〈◊〉 and for all the sins that ever any of His should 〈◊〉 guilty of and by his Obedience fulfilled all 〈◊〉 and perfectly pleased God He fully 〈◊〉 by way of purchase and compleat payment made 〈◊〉 Divine Justice the removal of all that evil we 〈◊〉 deserved and the enjoyment of all that good we 〈◊〉 and could desire and that by a valuable 〈◊〉 tendered into the hands of Divine Justice in 〈◊〉 behalf Thus we are said 1 Cor. 6. 20. to be bought with a 〈◊〉 And Job 33. 24. the Lord is said to set free the 〈◊〉 through the righteousness of his Son he 〈◊〉 Deliver him because I have found a Ransom 〈◊〉 the Ransom and Payment is tendered to divine 〈◊〉 for to it the Soul stands Prisoner As the 〈◊〉 is the King's Prisoner not the Jaylors so the 〈◊〉 stands bound to divine Justice and is God's 〈◊〉 he is neither the prisoner of Satan who is 〈◊〉 Jaylor nor of Sin which is the Prison properly 〈◊〉 so far as they receive Commission from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to require Satisfaction in her behalf And 〈◊〉 when Justice is satisfied neither of them have right 〈◊〉 power to retain the Soul Therefore the Scripture stiles them redeemed from 〈◊〉 earth Rev. 14. 3. And He gave himself that he 〈◊〉 deliver us from this present 〈◊〉 world Gal. 1. 4 〈◊〉 again Rev. 5. 9. He was slain and 〈◊〉 bought us 〈◊〉 his blood unto God the Father So that by way of Purchase he hath bought us from our selves that is Redeemed us from the tyranny authority and 〈◊〉 veraignty of our own lusts unto which we were 〈◊〉 bondage 1 Cor. 7. 23. He hath bought us 〈◊〉 price from being the servants of men that is 〈◊〉 the slavery and servitude of mens humors and 〈◊〉 When the Law is satisfied the Dungeon and 〈◊〉 can detain the Prisoner no longer Thus However it is out of free mercy and 〈◊〉 grace that Redemption is given to us for it s out 〈◊〉 mercy that Christ is given that he gave his life 〈◊〉 both are bestowed upon us and not upon the world yet in regard of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 payment he hath laid down out of his own 〈◊〉 cost and charges his own blood its justice it 〈◊〉 be bestowed upon him and by justice it may be challenged as that which he hath 〈◊〉 in a 〈◊〉 proceeding Instruction We may here see how great and 〈◊〉 a work it is to obtain the least Spiritual Good that appertains to the everlasting welfare of our souls were it but the giult of the least sin that should be removed were it but the power of the least 〈◊〉 that should be brought under one smile of Gods countenance and one blessed look of his face and favor toward a poor wtetch were it but a saving and a heavenly thought of a mans mind the least spiritual motion or stir of our hearts in any sincere affection to the Lord It is not all the Policy or Parts of men that can procure it not all the power of created Nature in heaven or earth that can accomplish it not all the 〈◊〉 of Pearls mynes of Gold and Silver in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that can purchase this no if it were 〈◊〉 from a vain Conversation from a Tradition from a Delusion you must be redeemed from it by the 〈◊〉 blood of Christ So the text God wil not 〈◊〉 any good of the Covenant of Grace but he 〈◊〉 well paid for it and it comes at such a rate that all 〈◊〉 and all Creatures are not
peccator sed 〈◊〉 crediturus as may appear in this expression As Adam being a common person and root of all mankind and in their room he sinned for himself and all his that is all those that were to proceed of him by natural generation so that if there were any 〈◊〉 should not have been begotten of him as they 〈◊〉 not of his nature no more should they be 〈◊〉 or his fault So it is with the second Adam 〈◊〉 a common root suffered and obeyed for all his 〈◊〉 is all those that should come of him and be 〈◊〉 by spiritual generation so that if there were any 〈◊〉 did not partake of his spirit in effectual Vocation 〈◊〉 Faith neither should they have benefit by his 〈◊〉 so that if the Lord should in his Election 〈◊〉 and create thousands of men 〈◊〉 in holiness 〈◊〉 so save them by a Covenant of works in yielding 〈◊〉 obedience they should never be partakers of 〈◊〉 death and obedience of Christ or have the vertue 〈◊〉 applied to them though Elect. A sinner then under the Covenant of Grace the 〈◊〉 of the Covenant for whom he undertakes to make him self denying and beleeving and so one of the posterity of Christ for him Christ dies and this I chuse 〈◊〉 than that consideration of Elect as Elect for these Reasons 1. Because the merits and mediation of our Savior seem to challenge in Scripture some special respect in the party to himself and put a new kind of relation and consideration upon him Now to be Elect is before or without any such respect God Electing of his out of his meer good will and pleasure not looking to our sin or Savior Eph. 5. 23. Christ is the Savior of his Body vers 25. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that is the called beleeving and this is the reason Paul and the rest of the Saints 〈◊〉 themselves into the company of Beleevers He gave himself 〈◊〉 us Tit. 2. 14. John 17. 20. I pray not for the world but for those that shall beleeve on me 2. In what relation Christ looks at his as the Head of the Covenant in the same he looks at his in the work of Redemption and purchase for that he performs as head But as he is head of the Covenant 〈◊〉 looks at his as Members called by him and to be 〈◊〉 ted to him Therefore in that relation he laid 〈◊〉 his life and blood for them 3. By this means we may perceive a more easie passage for the execution of Gods Judgments and 〈◊〉 and a fitter way to stop the mouths of many 〈◊〉 would fain load the truth with many absurdities 〈◊〉 Hence men are made justly faulty and guilty 〈◊〉 their own death in not beleeving nor relying upon Mediator thus graciously offered in the second 〈◊〉 nant through their own corruption and hardness 〈◊〉 heart neglecting their Savior Though it be as impossible to beleeve as to fulfil the Law yet because 〈◊〉 comes through their own original sin whereby 〈◊〉 refuse beleef in the one as obedience to the other they are punished for both Hence also that cavil is crossed whereby they 〈◊〉 load our Doctrine of special Redemption with 〈◊〉 In vain it is say they to perswade a Reprobate to beleeve for if he could attain it he is 〈◊〉 come within the compass of a person rightly qualified for Redemption for he is not elected Now Election is the Lords work only and not mans no not in innocency and therefore in vain to labor for it when 〈◊〉 was and is impossible to attain it Whereas this gloss is hence plainly confuted For if Christ died for al that shal beleeve in him whosoever shall or will beleeve in him shall not spend his labor in vain If he say he cannot beleeve Answ. The fault is his own let him but lie under the stroke of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resistance and he shall receive it FOR HIS The meaning of that Particle is 〈◊〉 Two things 1. In their room in their stead 2 Sam. 18. last Would God I had died for thee Rom. 5. 7 8. Christ 〈◊〉 for us we being sinners should have died and suffered our selves but Christ did this for us he died in our room 2. For their good He died for us to redeem and save us to make us partakers of that his obedience and suffering for our good and benefit Coloss. 1. 24. I rejoyce in my sufferings for you saies Paul he suffered for their good comfort and encouragement And thus Christ layed down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 11. that they might have life and salvation thereby It 's true in both the second issues from the first the first is the ground of the second The Reasons of the Doctrine come now to be scanned Christ died and merited either for his and the faithful only or for all indifferently If for all then 〈◊〉 shed his blood suffered the pains of the first and the second death and performed whatever was due unto Divine Justice in the behalf of the unfaithful and such which are and shal be damned and that in their stead as their surety for that 's the meaning of those phrases He laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 11. He gave himself for his Church Eph. 5. 25. that is he suffered and performed all in their room as their surety Heb. 7. 22. And that he must be their surety and in their stead perform all may appear divers waies 1 For as the first Adam was a common person and head of the first Covenant and did covenant with God for himself and his so that what he performed or failed in they were all subject unto the same condition and should in the same manner partake thereof So the Lord Christ the second Adam he is the head of the second Covenant of Grace and therefore engaged himself unto God the Father as a common pledg for himself and his posterity that shall come of 〈◊〉 2 What the Lord Christ 〈◊〉 and performed that the Law exacted and the Father required of him even when he endured the direful indignation of God the Father and bore the sierceness of his fury seizing upon him But the Father could neither in Equity exact these punishments or in Justice 〈◊〉 them upon him for any desert of his own for any thing he had that was evil or any thing he did commit which 〈◊〉 contrary to his righteous Will and holy Rule of the Law Being wholly 〈◊〉 from all sin he should be freed from all plagues and death which is the 〈◊〉 of sin where there is no 〈◊〉 no sorrow no 〈◊〉 can be His punishments which he endured and God exacted for there was nothing done but according to his counsel were for sin therefore for 〈◊〉 sins imputed to him therefore he was surety in 〈◊〉 room therefore if he suffereed for all he had the 〈◊〉 of all imputed and so was surety in the place or all 3 Lastly The
Covenant and shall be 〈◊〉 gotren of him by spiritual regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 He hath begotten us again to a lively hope to an 〈◊〉 heritance immortal that fades not away and 〈◊〉 serves us through faith unto salvation The 〈◊〉 must be begotten and born before he can be Heir 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here The Doctrine formerly delivered doth 〈◊〉 dash this Imagination and 〈◊〉 If Christ 〈◊〉 sed all for Beleevers as 〈◊〉 then they must be such 〈◊〉 fore they can challenge and take this Purchase as 〈◊〉 own it is the Condition that Christ requires 〈◊〉 which he communicates all that saving and 〈◊〉 good Take these Arguments for the further 〈◊〉 of this Truth The First is taken from 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that 〈◊〉 the Son hath life in him are hid all the treasures 〈◊〉 Wisdom and Knowledg yea of Grace and 〈◊〉 and therefore it is said 〈◊〉 Father 〈◊〉 given 〈◊〉 us eternal life and that life is in his Son v. 11. 〈◊〉 is the Fountain of all blessings that hath them the 〈◊〉 that communicates them The Spirit 〈◊〉 all of God to the Saints but the Spirit takes all 〈◊〉 the Son before he so doth Joh. 16. 14 15. He is 〈◊〉 accomplishment of all promises in him they are 〈◊〉 and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. All Promises all 〈◊〉 all Life is in Christ Therefore He must be had 〈◊〉 they can be enjoyed But there is no enjoying of 〈◊〉 but by Faith 1 Joh. 12. To as many as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave power to be the Sons of God to as many as 〈◊〉 on his name We have him not before we 〈◊〉 him we receive him not before we beleeve in 〈◊〉 upon this condition God gives his Son John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that as many as beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life God gives him to none but such as beleeve God gives Salvation by him to none but by this means Joh. 17. 3. This is eternal life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou bast sent This is the knowledg of Faith and it is said to be life because it is the only means to bring and derive life from God in Christ to us So that They who alone have Christ they only have life But Beleevers only have Christ. Therefore they only have title unto life Those only have title to Life and Salvation who are under the compass of the Covenant of Grace For there are but Two Covenants under which all men are 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you because ye are not under the law but under grace Gal. 3. 17. the law which was 430 years after cannot make the Covenant of God in Christ of none effect The Covenant of Works was Do and live The Covenant of Grace Beleeve and live Adam had the stock in his own hand and might of himself by Grace received have wrought out his own Salvation All the fall'n Sons of Adam must receive it from 〈◊〉 because they have it not of themselves But I assume no man can be under the Covenant of Grace that is not under the Condition of Faith for 〈◊〉 is that only which brings him into it and estates him 〈◊〉 it and therefore Gal. 3. 9 20. this is made the proper difference and indeed the full description of 〈◊〉 in these estates they which be of Faith are 〈◊〉 with faithful Abraham They which are in 〈◊〉 Covenant of Grace are said to be such as are of 〈◊〉 of the stock and linage and generation of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrought by the Spirit and Word the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto Christ thereby and so hath its 〈◊〉 birch and Being by Faith Faith giving subsistance 〈◊〉 him as he is a Christian But vers 10. They that 〈◊〉 of the Works of the law that is those that are 〈◊〉 the power of the breach of it by Adam they are 〈◊〉 the Curse they act by the power of the breach 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Works and therefore are under 〈◊〉 just judgments of God denounced against such as 〈◊〉 and die therein Hence then I Reason They who are not under the Condition of 〈◊〉 Covenant of Grace they cannot be assured groundedly of their good estate But they who are not Beleevers are not under 〈◊〉 Compass and Condition of the 〈◊〉 of Grace And therefore they cannot be assured of 〈◊〉 good estates They who are really and in truth in the state 〈◊〉 Condemnation they cannot have any grounded evidence of their Salvation and Comfort therefrom because these two are opposite one to another professedly contrary one against the other and therefore can 〈◊〉 more possibly agree together then to be darkness 〈◊〉 light to be in Hell and Heaven together But he 〈◊〉 is without the grace of Faith he is Condemned already he is now under the Sentence and Doom 〈◊〉 utter Condemnation 〈◊〉 3. 18. He is cast in all 〈◊〉 Courts in Heaven and Earth the Law condemns 〈◊〉 because he doth not Do it the Gospel condemns 〈◊〉 because he doth not Beleeve it he cannot satisfie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor yet comes up to the Condition of the 〈◊〉 Therefore Faith is said to be counted for 〈◊〉 Rom. 4. 9. and Rom. 3. 30. It is one God 〈◊〉 justifies the Circumcision by Faith and the 〈◊〉 through Faith It is the common way 〈◊〉 indeed the only way whereby Justification is 〈◊〉 to all the Sons of men who shall ever be made 〈◊〉 thereof This is the 〈◊〉 going link of Pauls 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called them he justisied 〈◊〉 whom he justified them he glorified It s as 〈◊〉 to be Justified before we be Called as it is for 〈◊〉 man to be 〈◊〉 before he be Justified and this 〈◊〉 Calling out of World Sin and Self unto God in Christ undoubtedly includes the Work of 〈◊〉 in it and ever leaves spiritual and saving 〈◊〉 and qualifications upon the Soul Hence 〈◊〉 He that is really under the state of Condemnation cannot challenge any interest in eternal life or have any evidence that his estate is good But he that Beleeves not is Condemned already Called he is not Justified he cannot be in this Condition Therefore he can Challenge no Interest in nor hath any grounded Assurance of Eternal Life A Second Case of Conscience Whether the Spirit of God doth not or may not by a special and immediate revelation witness some spiritual good as pardon of Sin Adoption Justisication to a man before he doth Beleeve It s true a man himself cannot by discourse make it good to himself or to another unless he have Faith But may not the Spirit of God witness to him without and before Faith The Answer is Negative The Reasons 〈◊〉 Two That which is a Falshood and an Error 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Grace the Spirit of God never 〈◊〉 nor will
all from Christ for 〈◊〉 both the Party and it self in its imperfections 〈◊〉 pardoned A Second Pretence is That I cannot know 〈◊〉 my Faith and Grace be good before I know 〈◊〉 my estate be good Where these Two things 〈◊〉 plain 1 A man may be in a good estate in Nature before 〈◊〉 2 A man may know that he is so without the 〈◊〉 or seeing of Faith or Grace The Revelation comes and sayes Thou art a Son 〈◊〉 God thy sins are pardoned and if you once get 〈◊〉 a Revelation though your Faith and Grace be 〈◊〉 you may repair hither this will serve before you do know this you can never know the 〈◊〉 of your Grace and Faith And in truth I suspect here is the Mysterie of this Opinion the very Hinge upon which all the rest turn And therefore though in words they will say This Evidence cannot be before Faith that is In time yet in Nature it may be though this Evidence and Faith are coexisting and coappearing together in time they exist and appear together yet this Evidence may be before Faith in Nature An Opinion which is desperately dangerous For That which contradicts the Gospel is false 〈◊〉 to say a man may be in a good estate before Faith contradicts the Gospel He upon whom the wrath 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 he is not in a good estate but he that beleeves not the wrath of God remains upon him Joh. 3. 36. He that is not within the state of the Covenant of Grace he cannot know himself in a good estate but without Faith no man is in the estate of the Covenant of Grace For they only who are of Faith are within that Covenant Gal. 3. 9. As my Election is so is the Evidence of my Consolation but my Election is without any Eye to Works If 〈◊〉 be the meaning As my Election is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so also is my 〈◊〉 and the Evidence thereof of free Grace it is true But if this be the meaning 〈◊〉 as Election depends upon no Means nor Works no more doth the Evidence of my Consolation it s very false It amounts to this If the Decree of God be independent then is the Execution then which nothing is more contrary to Scripture and common Experience 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the End of your Faith the salvation of your souls Rom. 〈◊〉 13. Filled with joy and peace in Beleeving In a word We are Justified and Saved freely and yet both by Faith and yet we are not Elected by Faith Gather up the meaning of the Question briefly 1 〈◊〉 Evidence is meant The Spirit witnessing and I 〈◊〉 This discerning is by Science of Knowledge and Assurance of Faith the one helps the other 2 It is concerning these Spiritual Priviledges Justification Adoption Reconciliation Glorification It cannot be touching the working of Faith or any Qualification to be wrought because it is without respect to any Qualification and must in their apprehension Evidence none Nay there can be no Evidence that is neither science of spiritual Wisdom or assurance of Faith that God will work the first Condition of Grace Because they are Effects of the first Grace and presuppose it 3 Lastly This Evidence is immediate not in regard of the Word according to which it is dispensed but in regard of any Qualification which is neither expressed on Gods part nor attended on my part though it may be there Now we see the plain meaning of the Question I affirm it to be an Erroneous and dangerous Assertion and therefore do Oppose this against it Viz. The Spirit of God never gives such an immediate Evidence of Spiritual Priviledges without a respect to a Qualification The Arguments now follow The First is taken from the nature of this Work his work of Evidencing is a work of Application 〈◊〉 to be referred and according to that to be 〈◊〉 for the Priviledges themselves Justification Adoption c. carry the marks of Distinction and 〈◊〉 from the World and do appertain only to such as the Lord hath taken for his own Deut. 〈◊〉 last Who is like unto thee O Israel a people 〈◊〉 by the Lord And in this regard they are called 〈◊〉 peculiar taken in from the Common of the 〈◊〉 Acts 26. 18. He turns them from Satan to God and then they receive forgiveness of sins and 〈◊〉 among them that are sanctified by Faith in him When the Soul is called and turned to God 〈◊〉 there is an Application of all spiritual good Hence the Reason follows thus No work of Application is without respect to a Qualification but Evidencing is a work of Application without an act of Receiving there is no Application for the applying of any thing to another ever in common sense implyes some to whom it must be applyed and who must receive it But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Qualification there is no act of receiving 〈◊〉 Priviledges therefore without respect to a 〈◊〉 there is no application of them If the very act of Receiving be performed by a Qualification then without respect to this there is no Receiving But the very act of Receiving is done by a Qualification 1 Cor. 2. 14. The Natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God therefore there must be more than Nature Joh. 1. 12. To. 〈◊〉 many as Received him he gave this Power and Priviledge to be the Sons of God even to as many as beleeve on his name Receiving and Beleeving are all one Thus then Without a Qualification of Faith there is no Receiving and without Receiving respected there is no applying of any Priviledges 〈◊〉 without applying no Evidencing therefore 〈◊〉 respect to a Qualification there is no Evidence 〈◊〉 by the Spirit nor enjoyed by the Soul If the Spirit of God give immediate Evidence of these Priviledges without respect to the Condition 〈◊〉 Qualification 〈◊〉 it gives in Evidence 〈◊〉 the Word But the Spirit never Evidenceth without the Word 〈◊〉 14. 26. When the Comforter is come he will teach 〈◊〉 all things and bring to your remembrance 〈◊〉 I have said unto you but he will teach 〈◊〉 nor evidence nothing else but what Christ hath 〈◊〉 in his Word If there be no Word but the Word 〈◊〉 a Conditional Promise by which the having of 〈◊〉 Priviledges of Justification and Adoption is 〈◊〉 Then the Spirit witnesseth without a 〈◊〉 if it evidence without respect to a 〈◊〉 But there is no Word but that of a 〈◊〉 Promise viz. wherein the Condition is either 〈◊〉 or understood wherein our Justification 〈◊〉 Adoption is Evidenced Mark 16. 16. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gospel is cleer He that beleeveth shall be 〈◊〉 As it is Rom. 3. 30. God is one and the same 〈◊〉 the manner of Justification is one and the same 〈◊〉 never justifies any but by Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain there is no Promise in the Scripture but 〈◊〉 it doth express or imply a Condition Isa. 43. 〈◊〉 I will blot out thy sins sor my
past 〈◊〉 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already is cast in al the Coutrs of Heaven and Earth the 〈◊〉 cannot the Gospel wil not save thee a body 〈◊〉 appeal from Justice to Mercy but if Mercy 〈◊〉 him who shal comfort who can releeve 〈◊〉 what ever he doth where ever he is the wrath God abides upon him thou art not within the 〈◊〉 of Mercy nor the compass of that Redemption 〈◊〉 Lord hath wrought Nay that thou mayest see 〈◊〉 thou art and what to hold to the Lord 〈◊〉 hath sealed up thy destruction by a sollem oath 〈◊〉 can never be repealed He hath sworne he that 〈◊〉 beleeves shal never enter into his rest Heb. 3. 〈◊〉 That which God saies barely he many times 〈◊〉 so the first Covenant Do and live a man may 〈◊〉 do himself and yet live but he that wil not 〈◊〉 God swears and his oath is unchangable 〈◊〉 he shal never enter into life That a man may 〈◊〉 with reverence God himself cannot save a man 〈◊〉 never shal Beleeve because he cannot deny 〈◊〉 and his oath Rest thou mayest in thy vain 〈◊〉 in thy carnal confidence sit down secure in 〈◊〉 self-pleasing humor but thou shalt never enter to Gods rest of Pardon Peace Comfort and 〈◊〉 but shalt be in a restless fear and dread 〈◊〉 and discouragement which wil pursue the 〈◊〉 endless disquiet and the powers of Heaven 〈◊〉 a fford thee releif in this condition if thou 〈◊〉 herein There is no peace saith God to the 〈◊〉 Isay. 57. last But if this be so and you pale in the precious 〈◊〉 demption of Christ into such a narrow 〈◊〉 you wil straiten it and the comforts of sinners 〈◊〉 much and extend as much mercy to Devils 〈◊〉 Unbeleevers for by this means you make the 〈◊〉 probates in as desperate a condition as the 〈◊〉 themselves being wholly voyd of al help and 〈◊〉 of Salvation either in themselves or any 〈◊〉 they cannot save themselves and the Lord wil 〈◊〉 save them A Blasphemous Cavil I Answer The consequent part of the reason unsound and blasphemously false as shal appear 〈◊〉 sundry Considerations The merits of our Saviour and the compleat 〈◊〉 ture of his sufferings is made up or issues out two principles without either of which there new had been any satisfaction to divine Justice 〈◊〉 Divinity cannot suffer the Humanitie canot 〈◊〉 without blood there is no Redemption Justice 〈◊〉 quireth death and unless it be the death of 〈◊〉 that is God there is neither value nor vertue 〈◊〉 to the infinite wrong done and therefore 〈◊〉 satisfaction In that nature therefore the Lord 〈◊〉 offended in that he must he satisfied for the 〈◊〉 of Angels may be annihilated but die or be 〈◊〉 ved they cannot therefore the nature of man 〈◊〉 assumed therefore Redemption and Purchase 〈◊〉 longs to that nature because sufficient 〈◊〉 was only tendred for that Hence al that Beleeve of this nature may be 〈◊〉 ved there is not an impssibilitie in the nature 〈◊〉 the thing To many Persons of this nature God afford means so that if they wil but submit to the 〈◊〉 and be content to receive Grace they shal not 〈◊〉 and that Adam could do and we in him The Gospel doth not require a Man should 〈◊〉 of his own power but that he should be 〈◊〉 and content to be made able to Beleeve and 〈◊〉 of that Grace he is called unto But the fallen Angels differ in al these regards For theirs being the sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 Lord provided no remedy for them For Christ no case took upon him the nature of Angells Heb 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in no wise it was in no case comely or 〈◊〉 enient Their nature not assumed for them no 〈◊〉 was made as the Apostle disputes purposely 〈◊〉 2. 11 12. c. And therefore no possibility they 〈◊〉 receive any good by Christ if possibly they 〈◊〉 Beleeve Therfore the Lord neither provides nor offers any 〈◊〉 to convert them so that there is a broad and 〈◊〉 difference in al these That which is only true in the objection is this at the wicked being dead in sins and trespasses it no more possible for them to help themselves by 〈◊〉 own power on t of this condition than it's 〈◊〉 for a Devil For with Man there is no 〈◊〉 no more than there is with Devils and 〈◊〉 negation admits no degrees in regard of the 〈◊〉 of their nature But the riches of Gods 〈◊〉 on His part in taking our nature entering into 〈◊〉 with His in it providing means and 〈◊〉 with Men for their good by the Covenant and 〈◊〉 no more but the bare receiving of that 〈◊〉 al these shew great ods But Christs merit is infinite and of infinite 〈◊〉 therefore is able to save al Angels and al Men it not The consequence of the reason is false which wil appear by the right understanding how Christs 〈◊〉 rits are infinite and how the sufficiencie of 〈◊〉 can reach all Christs merits are said to be infinite then 〈◊〉 ther properly in regard of the Person of the 〈◊〉 head whence that virtue comes or in regard of 〈◊〉 Persons to whom it is applyed as that it should 〈◊〉 infinite Creatures and this is very improper and 〈◊〉 The merit of him who is an infinit God and of 〈◊〉 finit vertue is not sufficient for infinite 〈◊〉 for then had he taken any nature he had been a 〈◊〉 ficient Saviour which the Apostle contradicts 〈◊〉 2. 11 12. Then had he suffered any outward evil as 〈◊〉 cution the spilling of some drops of his blood 〈◊〉 would have sufficed for that had been the 〈◊〉 of a partie who is infinit and yet justice 〈◊〉 that which requires not only payment from an 〈◊〉 nit Person but in the same kind and nature also 〈◊〉 that upon such conditions as the Covenant 〈◊〉 red before agreed and now exacted Merits from such an infinit Person performed 〈◊〉 such a kind and nature have an infinit vertue to 〈◊〉 swer an infinit justice for al such for whom such Person shal undertake And according to this 〈◊〉 pass it must be conceived that Christs death is 〈◊〉 cient for all else the phrase wil not bear a rigid 〈◊〉 That which I would leave to your thoughts 〈◊〉 be expressed in two things thus 1. Christs death is sufficient to save al 〈◊〉 they shall Beleeve 2. It 's not sufficient to save one Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleeve It s sufficient to save al if they Beleeve and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the meaning of that phrase which is 〈◊〉 amongst judicious writers That if God had 〈◊〉 and Christ intended to save many 〈◊〉 more he needed not nor intruth should have 〈◊〉 any other or any more punishment so 〈◊〉 he must have suffered for the substance of the 〈◊〉 and second death to save one sinner and no 〈◊〉 he needed to have suffered if he should save al
and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him without destraction 2. As we should lay up all for him so we should lay out all for his praise when ever 〈◊〉 occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it that we may 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 15. So the 〈◊〉 we live no more 〈◊〉 selves labour 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but live only to 〈◊〉 who hath 〈◊〉 all Spirituall good for Us. BOOK II. Matt. 1. 21. He shall save His People from their Sins APPlication was the Second Part of Mans Recovery whereby all that Good which Christ hath purchased for His is made Theirs The Sum of this Description we resolved into Two Divine Truths which take up the Nature of it 1 First Christ hath purchased all Spiritual Good for His. That we have finished 2 The Second now follows for which we have 〈◊〉 these words in which we shall attend only so 〈◊〉 as serves our purpose in hand Christ puts all His into the Possession of all that Good He hath Purchased for Them So much the 〈◊〉 letter of the Text sounds Salvation we know 〈◊〉 the substance and marrow of all that Good which we have or hope for here or in another world it 〈◊〉 the removal and absence of all evil that might 〈◊〉 the presence and confluence of all such 〈◊〉 which either we want or desire or can receive to make us happy they are all comprised in this word Salvation And this our Savior 〈◊〉 purchased not to lay it up and to keep it by him but to lay it out in the behalf of his not alone to provide it but to bestow it actually upon them It is his Name it was his Office and he doth the work he doth 〈◊〉 actually save his People from their sins 1 Cor. 1. 30. 〈◊〉 is said to be made of God to us not only so in 〈◊〉 and the sight of God but he is made to us wisdome Righteousnes Sanctisication and Redemption and therfore the Apostle gives thanks to God who 〈◊〉 blessed us with al Spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1. 3. So that all the treasuries of all kinds of blessings withall advantages are by Christ Communicated to his Hence the Prophet sets out the Particular inventory of those speciall favours which the Lord doles out unto all 〈◊〉 servants and followers to suit them in their occasions and necessities Isay. 61. 1. 2. the Lord hath 〈◊〉 me to preach good tidings to bind up the broken hearted to proclayme libertie to the 〈◊〉 the opening of the prison to those that are in bonds to give them the oyl of joy and Gladness for the spirit of 〈◊〉 that they may be clothed with the garments of praise He not only hath made a 〈◊〉 of gladness but he puts it on and cloathes all his servants with it In a word hence it is Christ is said to be a perfect Redeemer to save to the utermost not only to offer Salvation and redemption to present it before them but to make it good to their hearts and consciences to their everlasting comforts There are two branches of the Doctrine the explication of them severally will shew the breadth of this truth 1. The extent of this Application or the parties who do partake of ir Theirs Or Ours namly all such for whom these good things were purchased 2. The manner how they come to be made partakers herof the Description told us it was made theirs the Doctrine they are put into the possession of them First Touching the Largness and breadth of this Application it s here to be attended according to the purchase by way of paritie and proportion Redemption and Application are of equall extent Christ purchaseth for his and Christ applyeth unto his and to his only al they have this but only they have this 〈◊〉 of those that ever Christ purchased grace and life 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 of it and none but those shall be made possessors of it both these goe hand in hand Those 〈◊〉 those and those only for whom Christ 〈◊〉 this to them and to all them and only to them Christ applyes this This is the paritie and proportion and equall extent of these two Redemption and Application See this made good by some few Arguments Look we at the manner of the three persons working that will give in Evidence unto this truth this worke of application is attributed in a speciall manner to the spirit because his manner of working doth therin Specially appear he works from the father and the Son and this is the last work The Father as the Will Determines it the Son as the wisdom of the Father he disposeth of this work the holy Ghost as the power of the Almighty Consummates the action For whom the Father appointed this redemption for them Christ purchased it to them the Spirit applies it If the Spirit should not apply it to all for whom Christ purchased it that might argue want of power if to any other but such that might argue want of tuth Application of the purchase is the end of purchasing for therefore redemption was purchased for those for whom Christ had undertaken it that as they needed it he intended it for their good so they might partake of it for their everlasting good and benefit thus the current of the Scripture runnes as a mightie stream 1 Pet. 3. 18. for Christ also once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Titus 2 14. He gaue himselfe for us that he 〈◊〉 redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes 〈◊〉 1. 4. who gaue himself for our Sinnes that he might redeem us from this present evill world I add 〈◊〉 more but that John 17. 19. for their sakes I 〈◊〉 my selfe that is he prepared himselfe on 〈◊〉 for his death and 〈◊〉 that by virtue therof they also might have their corruptions subdued and their hearts purified by the truth and hence it is the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Grace containes not only the manifestation of Gods mind and counsell touching what is done for us but what he will worke in us and 〈◊〉 to us by the power of his grace Ezek. 36. 26. 〈◊〉 will Power clean water upon you and clense 〈◊〉 from all your filthines a new spirit I will give you and a new heart will I work in you and Jer. 31. 33. I will write my lawes in their hearts and 〈◊〉 my spirit in their inward parts and therfore 〈◊〉 lives forever to Save Perfectly all that come unto 〈◊〉 by him Heb. 7. 25. Iftherfore this be the end of 〈◊〉 Purchase that it might be made good upon the souls 〈◊〉 his children either Christ must misse of his 〈◊〉 and not have his end or els they must of 〈◊〉 have all this good which the Father intended to 〈◊〉 and Christ purchased in their behalf aud for 〈◊〉 Speciall benefit 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Salvation by the death and 〈◊〉
Covenant of the Gospel All 〈◊〉 meerly and only out 〈◊〉 the Covenant of Gods free favor when we lost and forfeited all we had and 〈◊〉 ourselves for what we needed and were unwilling out of the wretched and hellish distemp̄ers of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either to have any thing or to be made capabl of 〈◊〉 thing that grace might appear to be grace indeed 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 for our good not only beyond our desert 〈◊〉 what we have besides Hell is mercy but beyond 〈◊〉 desire That thou mayest forever each day that passeth 〈◊〉 thy head remember it to the Lord and leave 〈◊〉 upon record in thy own Conscience say Hadst 〈◊〉 blessed Lord given me the desire of my 〈◊〉 and left me to my own will its certain I had 〈◊〉 in Hell long before this day when in the days 〈◊〉 my folly and times of my ignorance when out 〈◊〉 the desperat wretchedness of my rebellious 〈◊〉 I was running riot in the wayes of 〈◊〉 When I said to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not to Christians to 〈◊〉 to Governors Admonish not Counsel not 〈◊〉 not Stop me not in the pursuit of sin The 〈◊〉 was I took hold of deceit and refused to return 〈◊〉 resolved in the secret purpose of my own soul would none of thee I would not have that Word 〈◊〉 thine reveal or remove my corruptions I would 〈◊〉 of thy Grace that might humble me and purge 〈◊〉 none of that Mercy of thine that might pardon 〈◊〉 none of that Redemption of thine that might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou then 〈◊〉 me at my word and 〈◊〉 me what I wished and sealed up my 〈◊〉 saying 〈◊〉 thou for ever filthy forever 〈◊〉 and for ever miserable thou wouldest neither 〈◊〉 holy nor happy thou shalt have thy will sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take thy Portion with Devils 〈◊〉 it had been just with thee and I justly 〈◊〉 But to bear with all my baseness to put up all 〈◊〉 wrongs and provocations to strive with me 〈◊〉 good when I took up Arms against thee 〈◊〉 strove against my own good nay when I 〈◊〉 Mercy and then to take away that resistance and to cause me to take Mercy and make it mine when 〈◊〉 us dall the skil I could to hinder my own salvation Oh! the height the depth the length the 〈◊〉 of this Mercy It was Gods expression of his own kindness towards the 〈◊〉 Ezek. 16. 4. 6. In the day of 〈◊〉 Nativity I saw thee in thy blood and then I said 〈◊〉 Consider but thy self and thine own ways and thou wilt sind it thy Condition and therefore take up thy stand again here in admiration when there was no means to help me no man to pitty me and I had not a heart to pity my self when I lay w. ltring in my blood wallowing in my sin when I said 〈◊〉 would die then thou beheldest me and said Live 〈◊〉 poor Creature Live Oh that Mercy for ever to be adored Come down yee 〈◊〉 Angels from Heaven and magnifie that Mercy through eternity 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 perished in despight of Mercy and the Lord made me take Mercy in despight of my heart Train up thy self thus and dyet thy soul with 〈◊〉 daily admiration of this rich Mercy of the Lord 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 daily bread its Mercy that gives Mercy that conti ues Mercy that perfects al spiritual good for thee 〈◊〉 in thee and will do so to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they in the rearing of the frame of the 〈◊〉 Temple All the people cryed Grace grace grace Zach. 4. 7. when it was not power nor policy for the whole Nation was poor and despicable wholly 〈◊〉 and unable to begin or to carry on such a 〈◊〉 Grace then laid the foundation and Grace never left until it added the topstone so here It was meer Grace that provided salvation that 〈◊〉 it offered it made thee able to receive it therefore thou shouldest walk in the wonderment of this Grace and Mercy all thy life long Hence also is matter of Humiliation and daily Self-denyal while we live in this World which may help to pull down our proud hearts and Peacock-feathers and lay us low in our thoughts in the apprehension of our own vileness and baseness 〈◊〉 own weakness and unworthiness When we feel our hearts to be puffed up with the vain apprehension of our own worth parts or performances what we are and what we do look we back to our first beginnings 〈◊〉 aright of our own wretchedness and nothingness yea worse than nothing in that we not only wanted all good but we had it within us to oppose all good and that will cause us to sit down in silence abased for ever when empty Bladders are grown unto too great bulk and bigness to prick them is the readiest way to lessen them when our empty and vain minds swel with big thoughts and high overweening conceit of our own worth learn we to stab and pierce our hearts with the righteous judgment of our own natural vileness which will or at least may let out that frothy haughtiness that lifts us up beyond our measure tell thy heart and commune with thy conscience and say It is not my good Nature that I am not roaring amongst the wretches of the world in the road and broad way of ruine and destruction that I am not wallowing n all manner of sin with the worst of men it 's not my good nature no thank to any thing that I have that I am not upon the chain with Malefactors or in the dungeon with Witches for what ever Hell hath it is in this heart of mine naturally a Cain here a Judas here nay a Devil here The time was O that with an abased heart I may ever think of that time I never looked after the spiritual good of my soul whether I had a soul or no what would become of me and it was the least of my care the farthest end of my thoughts nay loth I was to hear of or know these things when they were 〈◊〉 unwilling to receive them or give way to them when they were offered how did I stop mine Ears shut mine Eyes harden my heart what waies means and devices did I use and invent to shut 〈◊〉 the light of the truth and to stop the passage and power of the Word that it might not convince me that it might not reform me might not recal me 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 how often have I secretly wished that either the Word were taken out of the place or 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 that it might not trouble me in my sinful distempers and when 〈◊〉 had least good I had most ease and took greatest content Oh that such a vile wretch should thus live and yet live to be thus sinful Oh that I might for ever be abased for it As in sores when the proud 〈◊〉 encreaseth there is no way but a Corrosive to eat 〈◊〉 down This consideration of our own 〈◊〉 may
Sin and Satan when Justice is satisfied the Lord Jesus saies I have satisfied for that soul therefore Satan and Sin let him go they say we wil not let him go and they try al conclusions to hold him fast Now the Resurrection of Christ steps in and the Lord Jesus being raised from the dead by a strong hand he breaks the Prison which is Sin and 〈◊〉 the soul from the power of Satan who is the 〈◊〉 and in 〈◊〉 of them both he takes the soul 〈◊〉 them and then puts it into the 〈◊〉 of al 〈◊〉 good So that now the Authority of Sin and Satan is 〈◊〉 away which hindred the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good things and 〈◊〉 is done by the 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ. Hence it is that al special works of Grace 〈◊〉 in the communication of saving good to the soul 〈◊〉 are all given to the 〈◊〉 of Christ. 1 Our Effectual Calling Eph. 1. 19. the work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there expressed on this manner That ye 〈◊〉 know what is the exceeding greatness of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us-ward who 〈◊〉 according to 〈◊〉 working of his mighty power 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 all this it is shewed in the next verse ver 20. 〈◊〉 he wrought in Christ when he raised him 〈◊〉 the dead and set him at his own right hand c. 〈◊〉 the same Power whereby God the Father raised Christ and whereby Christ raised himself by he 〈◊〉 same Power the Lord Jesus works the heart to 〈◊〉 2 Justification is attributed to the Resurrection 〈◊〉 Christ besides that place 〈◊〉 4. last 〈◊〉 and opened before the Apostle in 1 Pet. 3. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptism saves us not the putting away 〈◊〉 the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good 〈◊〉 towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ That is not the outward act of Baptism 〈◊〉 Christ fignified by it the answer or demand of 〈◊〉 good conscience is an effect of the Application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood of Christ to the soul for when the soul is 〈◊〉 a good conscience saies I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins are 〈◊〉 my person accepted Conscience owns 〈◊〉 challengeth this but whence comes this the Apostle here tels us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ That is the Resurrection of Christ is the special means whereby way is made 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the dea h and obedience 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ to the soul and by 〈◊〉 whereof the 〈◊〉 comes to be justified 3 Hence again we are said to 〈◊〉 adopted by the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath 〈◊〉 us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead 4. Hence also Sanctification is commonly constantly attributed to the Resurrection of Christ Rom. 6. 4 5 6 7 8. The reason of all these expressions is because the Resurrection of Christ is the chief cause to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Application of all Spiritual Good to the soul and therefore we are called justified adopted 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 of his Resurrection And there is a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explication from this 〈◊〉 ground Matt. 28. 18. when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the dead he said All 〈◊〉 Heaven and Earth is given unto me he received 〈◊〉 power at his Resurrection by his death and obedience he had purchased all the binding and condemning Power of Divine Justice and all the power of Mercy nay power over all Blessings and Mercies and Creatures they all became his But when he rose again he then received all power over Hell and Sin and Death whereby he is able to vanquish these Enemies of our Salvation and to rescue the Soul for which he hath died from the hands of all these because he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power over al things in Heaven and Earth 〈◊〉 dispose of them for his own glorious ends 〈◊〉 again Revel 1. 18. Christ being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead is said to have the Keys of Hell and Death that is he hath a Sovereign Authority 〈◊〉 dispose of Hell and Death to deliver his Servants 〈◊〉 Hell and Death and therefore also he hath 〈◊〉 to dispense Grace as he will and how he will 〈◊〉 hence it is also that the communication of Grace 〈◊〉 been from the beginning and shall be to the end 〈◊〉 the World and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a larger 〈◊〉 of the Spirit after the Resurrection of Christ than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 39. The holy Ghost was not yet 〈◊〉 because fesus was not yet glorified the Spirit 〈◊〉 given 〈◊〉 but the 〈◊〉 and abundance and 〈◊〉 of the Spirit was not given till after Christs 〈◊〉 for all that was given to all Churches 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 from the beginning of the World was 〈◊〉 vertue 〈◊〉 Christs Resurrection but now the 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 there was a greater measure of the Spirit 〈◊〉 and when Christ 〈◊〉 to Heaven then was 〈◊〉 larger measure than before and when the Jews shall 〈◊〉 called there shall be a greater measure still Hence also Christ having 〈◊〉 Hell and Sin 〈◊〉 Death by his 〈◊〉 he is armed with all Authority to send out 〈◊〉 to his Churches and 〈◊〉 Presence and 〈◊〉 to go along with them Eph. 48. 11 12. When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave gifts unto men he gave Apostles Pastors and Teachers c. Christs 〈◊〉 is one degree of his Exaltation and the fullest 〈◊〉 largest expression of his Kingly Authority to provide 〈◊〉 and to come along with them is from 〈◊〉 so that here you have as it were a Key to open several Scriptures The Frame of this Truth may be discerned in these Particulars The Lord Jesus as the second Adam the Head of the Covenant of Grace hath all Spiritual Good in himself and from him it must be communicated to al the Faithful as his 〈◊〉 That he may communicate al Spiritual Good to his he must be able to crush all that power that shall 〈◊〉 the communication of this Good for if 〈◊〉 were any power more able to oppose than he to communicate the work might be hindred If he must crush all that oppose then he must have a conquering Sovereign Power over all the Power of Hell and Sin and Death for unless he had a Sovereign prevailing Power over all opposing Power he might be conquered and hindred as well as they delivered Therefore he must have that Power that must raise 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 hour and power of darkness Luk. 22. 53. Christ when he was to die said this is your hour and the power of darkness God the Father gave leave unto and left him in the hands of Sin and Satan and they did what they could do to hinder the Work of Redemption by Jesus Christ and Christ felt it and professed it that all the Power of Hell and Sin and 〈◊〉 was let loose upon him and they brought him down to his grave and there they would have kept him But the Lord Jesus by the Power of his 〈◊〉 raised up himself from the power of darkness under which in some sort he then was and
raising up himself with himself he raised up us 〈◊〉 for as he suffered as our 〈◊〉 so he rose again as our Surety and so we were raised with him Therefore when Christ will come and make Application of all Spiritual Good to any soul he doth it by the Vertue and Power of his Resurrection When the hard heart resists the Power of the Word and saies all Threatnings all Promises all Commandements shal not prevail with me and when Sin and Satan 〈◊〉 themselves to the uttermost to keep the soul still in the Gall of bitterness in the bonds of iniquity the Lord Christ comes from Heaven and shews 〈◊〉 Power 〈◊〉 his Resurrection give way Sin give 〈◊〉 Satan that soul is mine and they all give way 〈◊〉 thence comes the prevailing vertue of the Word 〈◊〉 the soul for its effectual 〈◊〉 home to God 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 the Frame of this Truth The Lord Jesus by the Power of his God-head did 〈◊〉 up himself from under the Power of Sin and 〈◊〉 and Death 〈◊〉 he had a Sovereign 〈◊〉 Power over Sin and Satan therefore he is able 〈◊〉 conquer and to 〈◊〉 Sin and Satan where ever 〈◊〉 meets them The Spirit of God also hath a hand in this great Work of Application and indeed it is in a special 〈◊〉 attributed to him not because all the three 〈◊〉 do not joyntly work throughout in all the works of Application for according to the received 〈◊〉 of Divines all the Works of God upon the Creature are common to all the three Persons of the Trinity but because the manner of the Spirits work 〈◊〉 principally appear here There are but three 〈◊〉 Works in the World Creation Redemption and Application which are given to the three Persons of the srinity according to the special manner of their working Creation is given to the Father that 's the first Work and therefore given to the first Person Redemption is given to the Son that 's the second Work and therefore given to the second Person Application of that Redemption is the third and last Work and therefore is in a peculiar manner attributed to the third Person the Holy Ghost Conceive it thus A Malefactor that hath committed high Treason against his Prince and being taken he is imprisoned in the strongest Hold the deepest Dungeon without hope of release imagine a man comes and satisfies the wrath of the King and answers the Law so that the King saies upon satisfaction given the Law is fully answered no wrong is done If he shall so do the King is bound not only to be 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 of himself and the wrong done to 〈◊〉 and his Law but he is also bound to give his 〈◊〉 Hand Authority and Commission to him that paid for the Prisoner that he may go and fetch the Prisoner from the Dungeon and 〈◊〉 him away with him Imagine that the Jaylor grows sturdy and stiff he 〈◊〉 the Prisoner is prositable to him therfore he 〈◊〉 and saies the Prisoner shall not depart now he that hath Authority from the King must be able to break the Prison doors and then to slay the Jaylor and by force to deliver the Prisoner from the bondage he was in Thus it is here every sinner is a Prisoner to Divine Justice Sin is the Prison and the Devil is the Jaylor that holds him in bondage by reason of the power of Sin and by vertue of Commission from Divine Justice Christ Jesus hath come and payed our debts satisfied Divine Justice and answered the Law that God the Father hath professed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased the Law is performed my anger fully appeased and my mercy procured therefore all those sinners for whom thou hast died and obeyed shall be redeemed from the power of Sin and authority of Satan and now God the Father gives him a full Commission to 〈◊〉 those sinners from the hands of sin and Satan But now when Christ comes for the soul Satan and sin refuse they will not let the sinner go therfore Christ by the vertue of his Resurrection and by the power of his Spirit he doth rescue the soul whether sin and Satan and a mans heart will or no he will have the soul and humble him and call him and justisie him and 〈◊〉 him and glorifie him and then deliver him up to his Father at the great day Direction How to help the souls of poor Sinners that are under the work of Application either 〈◊〉 in it or in Preparation to it here is Direction to you al in the greatest streights whatsoever When the Lord gives intimation to sinners that they are not in the right way and he begins to be 〈◊〉 with them and our Savior Christ comes as the High Sheriff when he would put a man into Possession of his Land that is Possessed by those that have no right to it The High Sheriff comes with his Company and knocks at the door now al that are within come and make resistance and labor to keep him out as much as they can So when our Savior Christ comes and saies to a desperate rebellious sinner that soul of thine was never made for Sin or Satan but thou must come and shouldest come out of thy sins and come to me saies Christ when the Word is thus 〈◊〉 with Life and power now the soul is in an uproar now the soul resists this Work he makes al the doors and bolts fast and he that comes in he dies upon it But the Lord presses in stil upon the soul he must he wil conquer and subdue it to himself now the sinner sees nothing but Hel and Death and Damnation before it die he must and that for ever if he stand out and now he sees he should yeild and submit he sees now the body of death that hangs upon him the power of his lusts that prevails with him and he finds his heart shut up under unbeleef under the chaines of pride and vainglory and earthlimindedness and the Devil presents impossibilities to his view canst thou think that ever those sins of thine should be pardoned or that ever that soul of thine should be delivered from under the power of them Now Brethren here the soul 's at a stand above al the stifness and stubborness of a mans own wil no Threatnings no Mercies no Afflictions no offers of Grace can prevail but a man wil have his sins though the Devil have his soul he finds his heart so 〈◊〉 he must have his sin and his wil though he 〈◊〉 for it Ay now what wil you do The Cause 〈◊〉 this work of Application is 〈◊〉 of your self in Christ Therefore send your thoughts and keep your 〈◊〉 upon the Resurrection of Christ set your eye keep your eye there for ever see a passage or two from Scripture here Rev. 1. 18. I was dead but 〈◊〉 am alive and I live for evermore and I have the Keyes Hell 〈◊〉 Death saies Christ Thou
art 〈◊〉 Prisoner of Hell 〈◊〉 up in the chains of pride and infidelitie and the Devil keeps thee under Lock 〈◊〉 Key as it were and thou doest shut out the means 〈◊〉 Grace Why behold Jesus Christ who dyed and hath 〈◊〉 againe he hath the Keys of Hell and Death 〈◊〉 when thou doest say good Lord is it 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 this proud heart of mine should have any good that ever these sins of mine should be pardoned or subdued O look now to the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus beseech him that only can do it that hath a commanding power over Hel and Sin and the Devil beseech him that lives for ever that opens and no man shuts that he would open thy heart and 〈◊〉 thy soul from Sin and Satan cry Lord here 's a proud heart a dead heart and an unbeleeving heart O let that power of thine unlock my heart and 〈◊〉 me of al the evils of my Sins and possess me of al the good things of Jesus Christ therefore have an eye stil to the Resurrection of Christ. But you wil 〈◊〉 It is not possible it is that Jesus that I have sinned against resisted despised and the hour and power of darkness is upon my soul Legions of Devils dwels here prevailing over me and drawing me to sin Ay Brethren yet Christ by the power of his 〈◊〉 can do it for you Acts 2. 24. It was not possible that he should be held by the bonds of death when our Savior Christ was dying upon the Cross having the guilt of the sins of al the Elect upon him al the Devils in Hel came about him then but it was not possible that he should be overcome by them therefore look thou up to him and say Blessed Lord 〈◊〉 thou that wast once under the power of darkness but it was not possible thou couldest be held by it O behold and see and have mercy I am under the power of darkness under the power of sin and Satan and I cannot get loose yet if thou wilt please to open the Prison doors and to bring me forth if thou wilt open my heart nothing can shut it Thus you must have recourse to Jesus Christ as risen from the dead having al power in his own hands if indeed you would 〈◊〉 the work of Application to be a saving and a 〈◊〉 work You that are brought to Christ look hither stil when you find Satan too subtile for you and 〈◊〉 too strong for you be sure to keep your eye here and keep your faith here look to Christ and to his death and to his obedience But look to his Resurrection also Col. 2. 12. You are buried with Christ in Baptism wherin also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead That is our Faith should be 〈◊〉 upon the Resurrection of Christ as that by vertue of which we shal rise with Christ get power against our sins You that have mighty distempers strong corruptions you must look to 〈◊〉 power that raised Christ from the dead this is the skil of faith like the Apothecary when he knows the Disease he goes to the right Box and applies the right Remedy So here thou hast a dead heart a vain mind a heart that canst not apply any saving good to thy self look not now to the Justice of God that wil condem thee but look to the operation of a God that 〈◊〉 quicken and raise up thy dead heart as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ be 〈◊〉 you set your faith upon 〈◊〉 operation of God which raised Christ from the dead without this al our Preaching and your Hearing were in vain as the Apostle 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers on Earth had 〈◊〉 and Preached and 〈◊〉 and done what they could if 〈◊〉 had not 〈◊〉 again al had been in vain we might have flung 〈◊〉 against the wind the Devils would have laughed 〈◊〉 us al you Preach and you Pray as when 〈◊〉 shoot 〈◊〉 shot against a Castle they do but laugh at them for it So here If Christ be not risen our Preaching is in vain and your Faith in vain You 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 and we Preach to commuicate Grace we would have you quickned and you come for that 〈◊〉 now that that must give success to al is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ or else al is in vain So likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one to thee as if Christ had not risen at al if thou 〈◊〉 not the power of it in thy own soul O therefore when you come to the Ordinances of God look up to the Resurrection of 〈◊〉 that the Minister may speak and pray and that you may hear and attend by the power of the Resurrection of Jesus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead heart of thine may find a raising quickning 〈◊〉 from Sin and Death to Grace and 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Second Proposition Having dispatched the First we come to the Second Proposition 〈◊〉 in the foregoing 〈◊〉 concerning the 〈◊〉 of Application 〈◊〉 That that power by which the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Application is an Almighty power This work of Application looks to God as the Author 〈◊〉 it not in regard of any common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence whereby he leadeth out the act of every Creatues abilitity to it's end in al the several kinds 〈◊〉 Acts 17. 28. In him we live and move The strong man faints if God withdraw the weak is strong if God assist Nor yet in regard of that 〈◊〉 which the Lord vouchsafēth to the work of grace 〈◊〉 wrought But 〈◊〉 puts forth an Almighty power upon the soul when he is pleased to bring it home 〈◊〉 himself the Cause is ordinary but the Work it 〈◊〉 is extraordinary there is a mass of Miracles met 〈◊〉 when a sinner is Converted It was a Miracle when the Blind was made to See the Dumb to Speak the Deaf to Hear and the Dead to Live but in 〈◊〉 al these are met together the Blind mind is Enlightned the Dumb mouth is Opened the Heart 〈◊〉 was shut up under hardness is Opened and 〈◊〉 and the Dead soul is restored to Life again Mat. 〈◊〉 5. That power whereby Christ was raised from 〈◊〉 dead is an Almighty power but that he puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woking of faith in al that belong to him Eph. 〈◊〉 18. His exceeding great power according to the 〈◊〉 of his mighty power in you that beleeve as 〈◊〉 wrought in Christ in raising him up from the dead Hence the working of grace is called a Resurrection Rev. 20 6. John 5. 20. The dead shall hear 〈◊〉 voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall 〈◊〉 So again Eph. 2. 1. 2. You that were dead 〈◊〉 sins and trespasses hath he quickned Look we not only at the Weakness but the hellish Opposition that a man hath naturally against al good 〈◊〉 wil appear it must be more than an ordinary power 〈◊〉 gives a being to grace in
such a Christ pleaseth us well but such a Christ will never do us good 2 This makes a man bold to adventure upon the commission of the grossest evill this makes him fearless to continue in it makes him negligent and regardless by godly sorrow and saving repentance to recover out of it he passeth not he cares not to take his poyson and to drink it in as his daily dyet he carries his 〈◊〉 about him and that which will undoubtedly cure him he may yet maintain union with Christ and communion with his cursed Lusts. 3 This makes a man slight in holy servises so as neither to put a price upon them nor to see an excellencie in them or iudg aright of the necessity of such performances he becomes sleepy and heartless in what he doth he is sure of a Christ that will answer all and therefore he troubles not himself with holy duties if he stumble upon the doing of them so if he neglect the doing of them so he hath a way to help all he can have a Christ he conceives without these and therefore he makes no great matter whether he do these or no. 4 Nay if he may have union to Christ while he is in his corruption if so he is then in a good estate for he that hath the son 〈◊〉 life 1 John 5. 12. Therefore he may have evidence of his good estate without the sight of any saving qualification because he may have a Christ and so be in a good estate without any saving qualification And therefore this Evidence must needs come from an immediate revelation from Heaven for there is no appearance no manifestation of it on Earth either in our hearts or lives in what we have or do and therefore then our good estate may be sure unto us by Christ when we have nothing but sin and do nothing but commit sin And hence because both graces and gracious actions may be wanting in this union to Christ because separable from it thererefore the want of them cannot infer the deniall of a good estate nor the presence of them conclude the certainty of a good estate because they are not proper and peculiar to such a condition for then they could not be severed from it which they may And thus this one Delusion like an Egyptian fog darkens the whol Heavens even the bright beams of the Sun of the Gospel and the everlasting Covenant of Gods free grace cuts the sinews of sincerity and eats out the blood and spirits of the power nd presence and life of Grace and under a pretence of advancing Christ and Free Grace destroies his Kingdom and frustrates the coming of Christ into the World For he came for this end 1 John 3. 8. To destroy the Works of the Devil the Apostle concludes it verse 10. as a proof beyond all question or exception the child of the Devil is manifest in this He that hates his brother and works unrighteousness is the Child of the Devil and yet upon this grant and according to this ground a man may do both these and yet be united unto Christ and so be blessed of him Look we therefore at these so desperate 〈◊〉 not as Rocks and Sands where men may suffer Shipwrack and yet be recovered but like a devouring Gulf or Whirl-pool whereinto whosoever comes there is no hope nor help to come out as cutting a man off from the careful and consciencious use of the means appointed by God in the Gospel to recover him As a Ship that is foundred in the midst of the main Ocean without the sight of any succor or hope of Relief Besides then the Arguments formerly alleaged I shall propound some other to fortifie against this so dangerous a Deceit Reasons to prove that Christ cannot be united to the Soul while it is in its Natural Condition and the state of Unbeleef Taken from John 14. 17. Christ saies he would send them another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive Every man while he is in his corrupt and natural condition he is one of the World Eph. 2. 2. When in times passed ye walked according to the course of this world vers 3. Among whom also we had our Conversations in times past in the lusts of the flesh How otherwise could they be called 〈◊〉 of the World unless they were in it They who cannot receive the Spirit cannot receive the Lord Jesus nor union to him but men Naturally cannot receive the Spirit therefore they must be called out of the World and from the Power of Satan and so be prepared and then receive Faith that so they may receive 〈◊〉 But Conversion being a Creating Work a Work of Creation needs 〈◊〉 preparation to 〈◊〉 or for it 〈◊〉 his Word is 〈◊〉 he calls men his people who are not his people and by calling them so he makes them to be so Preparation is required to the implantation of the 〈◊〉 into Christ not 〈◊〉 regard of God or his work upon us as though he needed any help to the execution of his holy wil but in regard of the thing wrought in us for he working all things according to the counsel of his own will and the rules of his Infinite Wisdom he needs not any help in his work yet it is 〈◊〉 his perfection and sufficiency to go against the wise Order set down in the Dispensation of his Providence for the bringing about of this work the causes of a thing do not help God in Working or Creating they are necessarily required to make up the thing wrought or created there is nothing in a blind eye 〈◊〉 may help God to restore it to sight yet God according to reason must put a power and ability of sight or a 〈◊〉 faculty before he will nay indeed can bring forth seeing God can turn Water into Wine but in reason he must destroy the Nature of Water and then make Wine for it implies a contradiction to say that Water should remain Water and yet have Wine made out of it So it is in the soul he can change a proud and unbeleeving heart into a 〈◊〉 heart but he must first destroy the power of unbeleef 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can bring in faith He that is under the power of infidelity and corrupt Nature he is under the guilt of his sins and in the state of condemnation John 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already and vers 36. The wrath of God abides upon him But he that is in Christ to him there is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. last and for his sake with all that are in him Now to be in the state of condemnation and acceptation together in the state of Life and death to have the wrath of God abiding and the good pleasure of God resting upon a party at the 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 a perfect contradiction and so impossibilities in
of Zion who are those to them that turn from transgression If the Lord turn thy soul he will Redeem thy soul and if ever he Redeem thee he will turn thy soul from thy transgressions he will make a divorce between thy soul and sin Hast thou found the strong man bound those temptations which formerly were so sweet thou couldest not 〈◊〉 them those corruptions which were so natural that thou couldest not but yeild obedience yea willingly religne up thy self to the authority and right of 〈◊〉 they challenged over thee and thou wentest as an 〈◊〉 to the slaughter and as a fool to the stocks But now thy heart is revolted from that right and power these corruptions and temptations had over thee and thou waitest only for a way of escape now thou art for a Christ and he wil be for thee for such as thou art alone And therefore this gives in heavie Evidence against sundry sorts of men as such who as yet never came into the suburbs of Salvation never made entrance or preparation towards the enjoyment of Christ and therefore are far from ever coming to the participation or 〈◊〉 of him The first are those which slight this work as a matter meerly superfluous they look at it as an invention of some discouraged and drooping melancholly persons a course which out of dark and misguided 〈◊〉 have contrived but was never required by the Almighty These are of two sorts 1 Such as they who are in a dead sleep of senseless 〈◊〉 conclude their condition good because they never knew what a good condition meant and therefore conceive they need not be troubled they should not be altered from it They observe no Mountains discern no crooked paths nor see their own sins nor the danger of their own condition and therefore fondly conceive they need be no better they should be no other and if men could be as wel contented with them as they are with themselves they see no reason but that they might sit down in quiet without trouble and distraction and yet I will to Heaven also It 's a needless and rigid curiosity of some singular humorous men that require more than needs that they might be counted more than ordinary they cry out as they Yee take too much upon you yee sons of Aaron are not all the Congregation of the Lord holy they wonder why men should be so troubled for their sins distressed in the apprehension of their own condition they count it a blessing they never yet knew what it meant and hope they never shal Thou that never sawest thy 〈◊〉 for a Christ art not yet in a way to be 〈◊〉 thou who never faults the waies which might stop the passage of Christ thou art never like to mend them upon these terms This was Laodiceas temper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. Thou sayest thou art rich and wise and wants nothing and knowest not that thou art poor and naked and miserable and indeed hast nothing nay thou art cut out for confusion fited and prepared on purpose for an everlasting rejection Isay 6. 10. Mark how when the Lord will prepare a people for utter desolation and shut them out from sharing in mercy he sends the Prophet with Commission Go saith he make the ears of this People heavy their eyes dim and their hearts fat that seeing they may see and not understand hearing they may hear and not perceive lest they be converted and I should heal them as if he should have said if they never see if they never be made 〈◊〉 of their sins and selves they will never be converted and so never saved 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish There is not a thought that the King will come on progress when there is no Harbenger to make preparation before 2 To this rank of those who slight this way and work of God are your presumptuous Atheists when the terrors of the Law are denounced and the power of the Truth in the dispensations thereof is planted on 〈◊〉 to make battery against the strong holds of the 〈◊〉 corruptions of mens hearts and lives that they might 〈◊〉 down before 〈◊〉 Christ and 〈◊〉 up all to him These wretches defeat the power and stroke of the Truth by their 〈◊〉 conceits It 's true 〈◊〉 they the Lord requires the soul should sue out an everlasting divorce between it self and sin such emptiness and such underness It 's but a white at which we should aim not which we can hit a Copy after which we should write but though it be scribled and blurred it will serve the turn God requires so much but he will take less he threatens and it's wisdom indeed to affright sinners and in a Spiritual policy as Fathers do terrifie but he intends not Execution it 's but to awe men not to condemn men Let all 〈◊〉 presumptuous Atheists hear and fear and tremble at what the Lord hath said in Deut. 29. 19. He that beareth the words of this Curse and shall bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart to ad drunkenness to thirst Such a one is a subject prepared on purpose for the everlasting wrath of God for the Text saies in the next verse The Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord will smoke against him and all the Curses that are written in the Book of God shall be upon him he shall cut him off and root him out from amongst the number of his People Another sort are such who though they are not come to this height of prophaneness 〈◊〉 as to slight this Work yet they 〈◊〉 another way of coming to a Christ which is as sure as they conceive and much more easie They catch after Christ and comfort in him before ever there be any breach of league with their lusts or sad abasement of their hearts before the Lord in the sight of their Natural condition And thus as Travellers when they meet with deep waies and soul and long lanes that are hardly passable they make bold to cut a way for 〈◊〉 and break over the Fence and Hedg to avoid the 〈◊〉 of the travel so they make a way of their own not keep the Kings Road. So here when this way of preparation is too narrow and tedious a passage they have contrived a narrower course and compass 〈◊〉 their own They will catch at a Christ and press on for mercy and to take hold of a Christ and not come by this coast of breaking the league with 〈◊〉 and renouncing the 〈◊〉 of any 〈◊〉 besides and in a misguided mistake they 〈◊〉 they have carried the cause This was the guise of the stony ground Matt. 13. 20. He 〈◊〉 received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and immediately with joy receiveth it They should first have ploughed up the stones there should have been brokenness of heart
no power receive no profit nor benefit to my own soul and there is a secret conceit that God doth them wrong As she said If it be so Why am I thus Gen. 25. 22. 2. We may know it by a sinking discouragement of heart When the soul wearied with delayes and differings and expectation sits down in a 〈◊〉 condition because he cannot have what he will he will cast away what he hath and conceaves he may be careless of what he might attain As David said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Samuel 27. 1. All men are lyars Psal. 116. 11. Alas Iam not fit to Pray or to Hear I find my heart worse after it none was ever in such a case as I better never to use the means than never to have benefit by them better never to enjoy the Ordinances and Priviledges of God than to get no good by them How now Better never use the means It would be better and best of all if you were deeply humbled and abased in the sight of your own vileness As the Apostle saies What if God will not What 〈◊〉 he will never pardon your sins or shew mercy to your soul If he give you nothing doth he 〈◊〉 you any thing You think your worthiness is not attended you secretly think the Lord hath forgot himself your parts and performances your 〈◊〉 and prayers diligence and endeavors ought upon due to be remembered and recompenced No Thank your proud heart you are not prepared for the presence the peace the comfort the coming of a Savior and therefore you want him Do you think your self worthy to be condemned when you think it much to be denyed deserted punished nay but desayed in the dispensation of Gods goodness He must please your pallat and suit your mind and humor at a beck No no mend your self if you be in so hasty a moode the Lord will make you know that you are unworthy of mercy He will not bribe you nor be beholding to you to wait upon him for his mercy yea be thankful to him that you may wait and wonder that you are not past praying hearing and waiting and all A ground of Encouragement to a poor distressed sinner when Devils assault 〈◊〉 grow strong Conscience accuse and the venome of the vengeance of the Almighty drinks up a mans spirits so that the sinner knows not how to bear his condition nor yet how to help himself out of it so that he is at his wits end His Friends pitty him and the Parents conceave their Child is undone they never thought to have seen this day Why so It is the best day that ever his eyes saw he is now in Gods way the Lord now seems to lay hold upon him and to intend good to him be not afraid of the work but be afraid he should miss and spoil in the working As in Child-bed when throws come thick and strong there is most hope of a speedy and happy delivery but when her throws leave her her life leaves her so it is in the new Birth Stormy gales at Sea toss a man most but soonest land him Therefore do not so much fear the blow as be thankful and be willing to follow the blow nor so much desire to be eased as not to be deceived not so much to have the work over as to have it made good upon thy soul labor to get into and keep in that frame prophesied of in all 〈◊〉 Converts Jer. 50. 4. Going and 〈◊〉 with their faces towards Zion they shall 〈◊〉 the Lord their God Exhortation Suffer then the Exhortation of the Baptist the voyce of him that cries in the Wilderness to sound in your ears and to sink into 〈◊〉 hearts Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths streight As ever we 〈◊〉 to share in the Merits of our Savior to enjoy him and his presence and everlasting happiness by him address we our selves bestir our souls in the use of all means to 〈◊〉 a Savior and then we may 〈◊〉 expect him and we shall not miss of our expectation There is no lack on his part he is willing and ready He that stands and knocks at the door that he may come in Rev. 3. 20. If the door was open he would come in without question If the way was prepated he hath promised to come speedily and certainly he would not delay his coming I know this manner of entertainment seems hard to flesh and blood loath we are to dislodge so many gainful guests so many special friends darling pleasures and sweet contentments which we have contrived to our selves out of the earthly comforts of this life Hence many are content the King would go another way and secretly wish they had nothing to do with the Lord Jesus there is so much privy search to be made so much examination to be used such a sight of our sins and unworthiness yea that which is worst of all to the corrupt hearted they must vomit up all their sweet morsels shake hands and break league with their beloved darling delights which they tender as their lives they must thrust world and ease prosperity and pompe credit and applause by the head and shoulders out of the doors and turn them going 〈◊〉 therefore I am afraid many 〈◊〉 that in secret in their own hearts which the Devils openly professed What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to 〈◊〉 us before the time to deprive us of our profits to pluck away our pleasures and to dislodge those sweet lusts that we harbored so long in our bosoms and bowels learn we then to press some sound Arguments upon our own hearts that we may perswade and prevaile with them if it be possible to set about this work which is so necessary Consider then First Who we be that must 〈◊〉 And Secondly For whom First Let us consider our selves a company of poor miserable sinful and damned Creatures sinful dust and ashes dead dogs Consider of this and think with thy self Will the Lord of Heaven come down will Christ dwell in my heart will he vouchsafe to look in yea to call in as he goes by upon such a sinful Creature And let this move thee to prepare for his coming We are not worthy as the Centurion said that the Lord should come under our 〈◊〉 1 King 8. 27. There Solomon saith Will the Lord indeed dwell on earth Will he dwel in a house made with hands As if he should say Is it possible Can it be imagined that thou Lord being the great God of heaven whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain shouldest once 〈◊〉 to dwell in a house made with hands in the Temple which I have builded And what may we say Is it so Can it be Shall it be that God will come and dwell under our roof that he will come and dwell under our rotten and sinful hearts that he will dwell
even the very plagues 〈◊〉 hell I have had many Exhortations Instructions Admonitions and Reproofs and as powerful means as may be which 〈◊〉 never did me any good The Lord be merciful to such a poor soul and turn his heart that he may lay hold of Mercy in due time Exhortation Is it so That a plain and powerful Ministery is the means of Preparing the soul of a poor 〈◊〉 for the Lord Jesus Why then when you hear the Word plainly and powerfully preached to you labor that the Word may be so unto you as it is in it self It is a preparing Word labor you that it may prepare your hearts to receive Christ And you that be Hearers every one labor to save the Soul of another let the Father speak concerning his Children and the Husband concerning his Wife and his Family and the Wife concerning her Husband Oh when will it once be when will the time come that my Child may be fitted for the Lord when will it be that my poor Family my poor Wife my poor Husband shall be prepared for the Lord the Lord grant that it may be if not this Sabbath yet on another if not this Sermon then at the next Labour therefore to give way unto the VVord of God and suffer your Souls to be wrought upon by it for the word is powerful to prepare your hearts but the Minister must hew and square your hearts before they can be prepared for the Lord Jesus and you must suffer the words of Exhortation as the Apostle sayes Heb. 13. 22. So likewise suffer the words of Conviction of Reproof of Admonition and hold and keep your hearts under the Word that you may be wrought upon thereby And as when men have set Carpenters a work to build an House then they come every day and ask them How doth the work go on How doth the building go forward When you are gone home do you so reason with your selves and ask your own hearts how the work of the Lord goes forward in you Is my heart yet humbled Am I yet fitted and prepared for Christ I thank God I find some work and power of the Word and therefore I hope the Building will go forward BOOK IV. 2 COR. 6. 2. As he saith in an acceptable time have I heard thee in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee THe general Doctrine of Preparation being dispatched Proeced we to a further enquiry of the Particulars under it And there we have to enquire The 1 Quality 2 Parts of this Work The Quality of this 〈◊〉 wherein are Comprehended those Common Affections which firstly and properly appertain to this Place and as the 〈◊〉 and Spirits pass through the whole Body of a man So these general Considerations convey over a savor and virtue of such truths as they do contain to all the Particulars which follow and 〈◊〉 in reason are to be handled before the rest The quality of this Preparation is to be attended in Two things 1. The Freeness of the Work wrought 2. The Fitness of the time wherein it is Effected For the Discovery of both which I have made Choice of this Text as affording susficient ground for this Discourse 〈◊〉 he saith in an accept able time c. In the handling of which words we shall endeavor Three Things 1 What the Scope of the Text is that so it may appear it naturally fits our purpose and the Point in hand which comes to be 〈◊〉 2 The Sense and Meaning of the words is to be 〈◊〉 into and such Truths to be Collected which serve-our turn and intendment 3 We shall pursue the Explication of each of them in their Order The Scope of the Text which I conceive worth the while a 〈◊〉 to be attended will appear by the Connexion 〈◊〉 it hath with the foregoing 〈◊〉 and the dependance of it is to be fetched 〈◊〉 the 17 th 〈◊〉 of the former Chapter 〈◊〉 from the Consideration of the priviledge and 〈◊〉 they were advanced unto in Christ the Apostle infers and calls sor that newness of life and obedience answerable to that kindness of the Lord and the condition unto which 〈◊〉 were advanced 〈◊〉 any man be in Christ he must be a new 〈◊〉 bebold old things are past all things are made new 2 Cor. 5. 17. And this he shews from the author of this Grace who disposeth of it God 2 From the Mediator who hath purchased it Christ 3 From the Means appointed to Convey and Communicate it to such for whom it was ordained to 〈◊〉 The Ministery of the Apostles All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself through Christ Vers. 18. And whereas the Corinthians being heathens might object True he hath reconciled you Jews but what is that to us He addes in 〈◊〉 19. That God was in Christ reconciling the world 〈◊〉 Beleevers both of Jews and Gentiles to himself and for this cause and to this end hath 〈◊〉 the word of Reconciliation to his Apostles for their good that while they as Ambassadors entreated God by them did beseech them to be reconciled unto him And this was done upon susficient warrant and in a way of righteous proceeding for Christ who knew no sin was made sin even for them 〈◊〉 who should beleeve that they might be made the righteousness of God in him vers last Having thus shewed a full and 〈◊〉 ground for their reconciliation and also of his own Commission for that end He further presseth it in the first Verse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God be thus Gracious Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Commission so Large We 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 together with God 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 you receive not the Grace of God i. e. the 〈◊〉 that word of Grace that bringeth Salvation to 〈◊〉 in vain 〈◊〉 receiving benefit by it and comfort from it to your own Conversion and Salvation And whereas they might Reply It is not in our power to receive the spiritual good of this word nor 〈◊〉 in you that are Apostles to work it or if both were granted it s not yet the Season fitter opportunity will be afforded hereafter To all these the Apostle Answers in the words of the text True the Blessing is the Lords but the Endeavor 〈◊〉 be Ours We must Plant and Water it s in Gods Prerogative and depends upon his good Pleasure to give Encrease however the Time now fits the 〈◊〉 are now afforded and though we cannot Do what we should and ought yet let us do what we can and though we have no Power of our selves to Compass our everlasting Comforts yet we have Gods own VVord and most gracious Promise That in an acceptable time he will hear us And that presumes then that we must pray In the day of Salvation he will help and by that it s taken for granted we must take pains and behold now is the day of Salvation now is the acceptable time let us therefore now call earnestly upon him for a Blessing walk
Matth. 11. 25 26. The issue then is If it proceed from Gods free pleasure that Means are 〈◊〉 revealed blessed then is there a full freedom 〈◊〉 all and it must be so for these Reasons There is nothing man hath that can Purchase this Simon Magus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and its probable enough 〈◊〉 would nor have stuck at the price had the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never so great Acts 8. 18 19. And when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Holy Ghost was given through 〈◊〉 on of hands be offered them ' Money to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 But the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 Thy Money 〈◊〉 with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast thought that the Gift of God may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 think such a thing impossible 〈◊〉 for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Purchases are made by such things as carry some kind of proportionable worth to that which is to be Purchased But there is nothing that can be compared with wisdom and the Spirituall Grace in Christ Prov 3. 15. Much less can be accounted of an answerable Rate and value thereunto There is nothing a man can do of himself whereby he may procure and obtain this spiritual good Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that Wills nor in him that Runs It is not said in him that goes carelesly about the work but it is not in him that improves the best of his abilitie and that with speed though he 〈◊〉 in this race but it is in God only that shews 〈◊〉 If thou shouldest mark O Lord what is done a miss who should abide it Psal. 103. 3. The best are so far from obtaining favor by any desert of their doings that it is well with them they are not consumed by his displeasure for the failing of their best actions There is no Promise made to any Natural man whereby he can challenge this at the hands of the Lord All men by nature are children of 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 3. Heirs of perdition if they have their own place its Hell if they have no more but their own Portion Confusion and eternal 〈◊〉 is that they must look for if they have the fruit of their own tree the wayes of their own work it s nothing but wo and misery 〈◊〉 3. 11. All Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. made and performed in him alone they that are out of Christ therefore what they have besides Hell is 〈◊〉 Mercy The Sum then is It man by nature have nothing to Purchase any Spiritual good can do nothing to deserve it have no Promise to challenge it it is freely out of Gods good pleasure that any 〈◊〉 of any share therein Here then is matter of Thanksgiving to all the 〈◊〉 of God who have been made partakers of so 〈◊〉 favor to wit Their 〈◊〉 should be filled with his praise and their 〈◊〉 with a 〈◊〉 admiration of this so 〈◊〉 a mercy so much undeserved and so 〈◊〉 bestowed notwithstanding The greater and more free the goodness of the Lord is the greater should our 〈◊〉 be in the receiving of it This made the Prophet stand amazed Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7. 18. Men will see somthing in us to move them and expect some good from us to perswade them to shew favor but who is like unto our God who shews mercy not because we can deserve it or have any right to challenge it not because we can please him but because mercy pleaseth him and he doth it only because he VVill now his VVill be done and blessed he his glorious Name for ever Go thy way then in secret thou that hast found this acceptation from the Lord in sincerity of Soul present thy self as in his presence and say Good Lord Why is it How comes it That since many that have lived 〈◊〉 the same Place dwelt in the same Family sare in the same Seat and heard the same Word are yet in the Gall of Bitterness in the Bonds of Iniquity yet in the Kingdom of Darkness under the Power of their Sins and like to perish for them for ever Lord Lord VVhy are mine eyes enlightned to know the things belonging to my peace VVhy my heart touched with any saving remorse for my Sins That I should have any desires after thee any longings for thee Oh its Grace it s thy Free Grace Otherwise I had never been made partaker of any Spiritual good nay I had never known it Father VVhat am I that thou shouldest be thus mindful of me that thou shouldest thus remember me yea mindful of me when I was not mindful of my self remembrest me when I had forgotten thy glory my own soul and mine own everlasting good Was not I as blind as ever any and knew not as careless as ever any and respected not yea stubborn and stout hearted gainsaid I not yea rejected thy compassions so often tendered in the Ministery of the Word and forced upon me by those heart-breaking Exhortations of thy faithful Ministers to reveal these Spiritual good things when out of negligence I did not know them yea then to press them upon my Conscience and by the effectual work of thy Spirit then to prevail with my heart when at first I did oppose and cast them behind my back let me for ever return all praise to thy Majesty out of whose free mercy it is that I have been made partaker of any saving work for the good of my Soul Yea I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast revealed these things to babes and sucklings and bid them from the wise and prudent That the Learned of the world are befooled and thou hast taught me a poor ignorant silly wretch That many noble and honorable are cashiered and thou hast accepted of a base worm plucked me out of a smoaky Cottage out of a Corner of Hell to receive me into the Kingdom of thy Christ to bear me in thy own bosom here wildering up and down in this valley of tears that thou maiest glorifie me with thy self when all tears shal be wiped away from mine eyes Oh! it is thy Free thy Free Mercy let my Soul for ever bless thee and walk worthy of thee and it that I may serve thee with a good and a glad and a free heart as I have received freely from thine own Hand whatsoever either I have or Hope for Here is also ground of great Encouragement to all distressed and disconsolate 〈◊〉 who labor under the weight of the guilt of their many sins and sight of their own unworthiness The right Consideration of the former truths may be as a spiritual Cordial whereby their hearts may be quickned to seek unto the Lord as their hopes sustained to expect that succour and supply which may be most seasonable for their Relief Because as there is no worth on our parts that can move the Lord so there is no vileness so great that can hinder him from doing what good he
his fury was at the height when breathing out threatnings against the Church he came armed with authority and hellish resolution to carry all to Prison Acts 9. In a word while Paul proceeds furiously with a 〈◊〉 intention to oppose Christ to persecute his Members and in the issue to procure and hasten his own everlasting ruine then our Savior prevents him and pitties him and doth him most good while he strives to do most harm and to make havock of the Church the truth and his soul also yea then works his conversion when he most seriously endeavors to work his own Confusion of himself and such as professed the Faith in sincerity the aim of God in all the Apostle directed by the Spirit expresseth to be this 1 Tim. 1. 16. I was a Persecutor but I obtained Mercy to the end that the Lord in me might shew all long-suffering to the example of those that should beleeve on his Name Such a forlorn Sinner at that time was the fittest subject to receive the full print of Gods love and compassion in great Letters as it were that he might be a pattern to all 〈◊〉 of the boundless compassions of the Lord. That as Seamen after a dangerous wrack and miraculous deliverance set up a Monument of their Preservation to all that pass that way to work fear in them to prevent shipwrack and yet hope of Recovery if they do To the like purpose is the Conversion of the Apostle in this heat of his Rebellion set upon Record in publick view As though the Lord should say Look here you forlorn sinners see a desparate Rebel running post-haste to his everlasting ruine and behold withal the hand of Mercy then stopping of him in his way Paul persecuting Christ in his Members Christ then pittying and preserving Paul the one most kind when the other is most vile and 〈◊〉 Oh the madness of a deluded Soul 〈◊〉 reason But Oh the Compassions of a Savior beyond all compare Be afraid you never proceed to such hellish folly and yet bless God That there is such a Savior if you do These be the Seasons of Gods acceptation the first here principally intended the rest not excluded and in these opportunities thus appointed by God in his Wisdom according to his good will he doth put forth the work of his Grace to bring home the Souls of his unto himself Hence we learn That a long life is a great blessing in it self a great temporal blessing as it comes from the Lord. Why Because all that while a man is in the way Mercy may meet with him and he may meet with it While there is life there is hope unless a man have sinned against the holy Ghost Physitians observe all the while there is strength in Nature there is hope the Physick may prove profitable It is much more for the comfort of the Soul while there is life there is yet a possibility Thy heart is stubborn and rebellious and proud but thou yet livest and the Lord lives and his Mercy lives therefore it may be he may shew mercy to thee But when a man is dropped down into the grave and the pit hath shut its mouth upon him then all his thoughts perish then with a sad heart he may remember all the helps he had the opportunities he had but never had a heart to get any good by them Then he reads over all the Sermons he heard by the flames of Hell and remembers all the kindnesses of the Lord and then there is no hope You therefore that know your bosom abominations you have your back doors and your base haunts you know your sins are not pardoned you have not repented of them when you are gone home go your waies and bless God that you live For let me tell you This is all the hope in the world that yet you are alive and therefore the Lord may shew Mercy to you if your dayes were ended and you gone down to Hell then not all the world nay not Christ nor the Mercy of God it self could not save you then therefore look as it was with a Child which was followed by a Bear into a pond the Child cryed out to the people that were running and came to the ponds sides Oh help help and still as the Bear 〈◊〉 him first his Arms than his Legs and still he cryed out Oh help help yet I am alive yet I am alive this is your condition beleeve it Not Bears but Sins and Devils are upon you they have you in their clutches tearing and devouring your Souls Oh look to Heaven and cry out unto the Lord and say Lord a proud stubborn Creature but yet I am alive the Devil is Devouring my soul but Lord help me and deliver me yet I am alive bless God you are so and know its all you have to shew for your everlasting welfare For while there is Life there is Hope Matter of Caution and Advice to fence our souls and fortifie our selves against that hellish distemper of self-Murther that our hearts may be carried with hatred of it and our souls preserved from the commission of it when partly from discontentments and partly from terrors of Conscience men are not able to bear with themselves but they will run to a Halter or a Knife they will put an end to their lives that they may put an end to their sorrows they wil not live that they may not live thus and thus Why Consider Art thou sure of a better life They will Answer No that 's my misery I see all my sins before me and Hell gaping for me and the Devils attending to seize upon my Soul and it makes me weary of my life Weary of your life Take heed of that bless God for your life and pray for life and seek to preserve your life what you may for while your life lasts you are in the way to Mercy Dives had so much experience of the torments of Hell that he sends to those that were alive Oh take heed of coming hither you are in a better condition than I what ever your case be Learn therefore for ever to fear and flie from temptations to self Murther as that which would put an end to your life and to put an end to all hopes and possibilities of Mercy from the Lord. But the main Fruit of the Point which properly belongs to this Place is a Use of Instruction which ought to be observed and settled upon the Consciences of us all Doth the Lord then usually accept of the Soul and do good to it while he provides and continues the means of Grace What then remains but we should give all dilligence to attend upon his times take his means and improve all to the 〈◊〉 for our Spiritual good Suffer me here to stay a while and urge the Collection with an Argument or Two and yet go no further than the Words nor take other Reasons than the Text will
must be a stranger from the life of Christ Rom. 8. 1. hath not yet his Spirit is in the state of Condemnation and that if he so continue he shall perish but whether he shall be converted and brought home at last by the Almighty Power of the Lord it rests only in his own bosom depends alone upon his good pleasure leave we then the Sentence with the Lord who will either recover him out of his sin or most righteously judg him for it Of Consolation Here 's also a Cordial to keep up the fainting hearts of decrepit and aged sinners whose noysom lusts plead prescription of continuance as though they were beyond the Authority of any Law to cast them out I confess it indeed Oh that ancient men would consider it the case is very desperate and brought to the last cast Is it not a marvelous streight that the great work of Everlasting Life lies upon the moment of an hour as it 〈◊〉 to follow the words of the Parable 〈◊〉 considering it is not usual for men then to be 〈◊〉 The little twig such may take hold on is this hath been done and therefore there is hope it may done again and this hope it is which keeps the 〈◊〉 above water never too late to forsake our 〈◊〉 the Lord accepts at the Eleventh hour 〈◊〉 must not then suffer our own fears or Satans 〈◊〉 to pluck up our resolutions and 〈◊〉 by the roots with any false shews of hopeless possibilities When a decrepit sinner hath tired 〈◊〉 in his ungodly courses grows weary with 〈◊〉 burden of an accusing conscience and 〈◊〉 of an ill led life and begins to bethink himself is not in a right way suddenly the Enemy 〈◊〉 to his view the number and nature of his many 〈◊〉 and withal suggests the way so long 〈◊〉 the time to return so short better not set out 〈◊〉 not to be able to get home In vain now saies 〈◊〉 to begin so great a work of Preparation when 〈◊〉 have so little opportunity and so great an 〈◊〉 thereunto To what purpose is it to strive 〈◊〉 we cannot overcome to enter upon the 〈◊〉 when in all likely hood we shall be benighted see 〈◊〉 Sun is but an hour high and never come to the 〈◊〉 of it Oh shake off those sluggish discouragements sit 〈◊〉 down and perish there is yet hope in Israel 〈◊〉 this thing 't is true the work is hard yet God 〈◊〉 done as much for others and therefore can do much for thee also Thy time is short thou hast 〈◊〉 foot in the grave but the Arm of the Lord is 〈◊〉 shortened that he cannot help thou hast ancient 〈◊〉 he hath ancient mercies his loving kindness 〈◊〉 been ever of old When thou hast neither time 〈◊〉 strength to relieve thy self the Lord notwithstanding at the last hour and when thou doest least expect it and hast least deserved it who knows but yet he may call thee into his Vineyard listen therefore unto his voyce make hast to answer his call and leave the success with him Lastly If the Lord put forth this work of Preparation most ordinarily in our middle age all those whom more especially it concerns who are yet in the flower of their years whose Breasts run full of Milk and their Bones full of Marrow as Job speaks they are to be exhorted in the Lord to take the safest and the easiest course for themselves even the counsel of the wise man Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the daies of thy youth before thy evil daies come the time that God useth to bless most let us be wary to improve most for our good A wise Traveller useth to take the day before him and 〈◊〉 accounts the middle of the day most safe for his passage the Rule is most true and useful also for us while we are wildring onward towards the end 〈◊〉 our hopes rise we early prevent the morning watch to make speed to run the waies of Gods Cammandements while the best of our Natural abilities are about us the middle of our age like the middle 〈◊〉 the day will be most safe for our spiritual Travel and endeavor considering we carry such a charge about us even our souls and the care of their Salvation and happiness lest deferring till our old age and our evening shut in upon us we be wholly spoyled of both for Preparation put off untill our crazy time is like never to be or very uncomfortable if 〈◊〉 be attained It 's not likely we shall ever share in so glorious a work they who are setled so long upon their 〈◊〉 are hardly ever removed considering the company 〈◊〉 common infirmities troops and multitudes of sicknesses and sorrows which seize upon old age and surprize it as 〈◊〉 prey decay the Sences enfeeble the Judgment weaken the Memory as though all the passages were now stopped and gates shut whereby Grace should have any entrance How shall Faith come to him by hearing whose Ears are become deaf that he cannot hear How shall he search the Scriptures in which Grace and Life are to be found who hath not an eye able to see much less to read them How shall he be able to fatham the depths and mysteries of Salvation who is become a child in understanding not sufficient to conceive of the most common things Hence it is the Prophet gives such a man for gone past recovery as it were Isa. 65. 20. The sinner of an hundred years old shall be accursed a Curse is the Portion that is carved out unto him he must look for nothing else that 's his allowance an old rotten post is only fit to be chipped out for the fire no waies prositable to be laid in the Building no not to make pins for it He that hath seen an hundred yeers and yet never came to the sight and rellish of the saving work of Grace farewell he as we use to speak I will not say it is impossible for him to avoid the Curse I must say it is unusual For how justly may God deny to entertain him who would not so many years give way and entertainment to his Word and Spirit What Captain will entertain a Soldier that is not able to fight What Master will hire a Servant that is not able to work in his Vineyard Why should the Lord 〈◊〉 wise chuse such weaklings aged and decrepit who shall not be able to strike one stroke for him in the defence of his Truth or set one foot forward in 〈◊〉 waies of his Statutes As Achish spake of David when he came to the 〈◊〉 and seigned himself mad 1 Sam. 21. 15. What 〈◊〉 I need of mad men that you have brought this man to me shall he enter into my house So the Lord may say Have I any need of dead men that you have brought these aged 〈◊〉 ruinous carkasses before me shall they ever find acceptance or entrance into the Kingdom of Grace or Glory Hath
nothing more Rom. 10. 3. The Jews that 〈◊〉 establish their own Righteousness they would not submit to the Righteousness of Christ. Therefore if the wayes of 〈◊〉 be pressed and 〈◊〉 with zeal as matters absolutly necessary 〈◊〉 that their commodities seem to be cryed down and their comforts dashed and their persons 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 under 〈◊〉 as that they are 〈◊〉 men even your most civil naturallist a man 〈◊〉 is most 〈◊〉 in his carriage will count it a matter of 〈◊〉 to proceed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such and you shal 〈◊〉 these men most 〈◊〉 and restless in persecution because they do it upon a misconceit as a duty of 〈◊〉 They conclude they are as good as men should be and do as much as any ought Acts 26. 9. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with my self 〈◊〉 to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus and 〈◊〉 Savior Christ 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 16. 2. That they 〈◊〉 think they do God good service in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposing the waies and Servants of Christ and 〈◊〉 in the highest degree So that if the Lord let in any light to such a one to reveal either more or better to him he stands amazed as a man new come out of a dream he knows not where he is or what he hath done all his life long If this be true I never knew either my sin or my self I am of all men most miserable As Paul when the Lord met him and stopt him in his way and broke in upon him with his Converting Grace he falls down trembling and astonished Lord 〈◊〉 thou And What wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 5 6 7. He neither 〈◊〉 Christ nor himself nor his own estate he was as far to seek as if he had never heard of these things therefore the Apostle Peter expresses it thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. Who hath called you 〈◊〉 darkness to his marvelous light That a man begins to wonder and marvel to see themselves so wonderfully cozened and deluded all their days they have often heard of sin but never saw it before now they have heard of humiliation and faith and sanctisication but never understood what they were but now they begin to see an absolute need of them and there never was any man whom God called effectually to himself but he stands wondering at his sins that they should be so loathsom and yet that he should love them so much at the beauty and excellency of Christ that he hath neglected so much marveling at his own pride and security in that miserable estate that now he finds himself in Gather up the Point then If he neither see 〈◊〉 feel any evil in his Condition and therefore fears no danger in it and therefore blesseth himself in his present estate accounting whatsoever is more required to be foolishness and persecutes whatsoever seems to blemish it then he is and can be no other than abundantly satisfied and settled immovably in the security of his carnal estate The Reasons of it are chiefly Three From the Deceitfulness and Subtilty of sin which pretends nothing promiseth nothing but that which is full of content to the sinner and therefore he pleaseth himself in it for the present As the 〈◊〉 hides his sting that may poyson and shews only his speckled skin that may please the eye so it is with 〈◊〉 it presents nothing to the view but that which may please the flesh either profits to enrich or honors to advance or pleasures to delight either 〈◊〉 of the flesh or the 〈◊〉 of the eyes or the pride of life 1 Joh. 2. 16. As the wise man speaks of the yong man led aside with the harlot that with her oyled words she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he followes her as an Ox 〈◊〉 to the slaughter and a fool to the stocks and knows nothing till a dart strikes through his liver Prov. 7. 22. As the Fisher that shews 〈◊〉 to the Fish but the Bait to allure but hides the Hook that will catch So the Fowl sees nothing but the Grain to feed her not the Net that takes her So it is with the Deceitfulness of sin it promiseth nothing but all the Content that we have and would have but the Hook that should catch us and the 〈◊〉 that should 〈◊〉 us that is kept back for the present If taken from the sensuallity of the Soul of every man naturally which is so suitable to the nature of 〈◊〉 that it tasts nothing but that which 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and therefore they will not beleeve there is any thing there to distaste A sinful heart meets with temptations they do fit and suit one with 〈◊〉 and because the soul takes content in sin it cannot beleeve that there is any thing else there but what it now finds nay somtimes though the judgment is informed and Conscience convinced these 〈◊〉 your sins and these will be your ruine the 〈◊〉 heart saies It is false I taste no such matter As it is in a distempered body when the stomach is 〈◊〉 with noysom humors because the bitterest 〈◊〉 seem sweet to the raste so distempered the Physitian cannot perswade they cannot beleeve that 〈◊〉 are bitter So it is with a distempered heart which tasts nothing but its own lusts and humors which are so incorporated into it and 〈◊〉 with it that let all Ministers and Reasons say what 〈◊〉 can to the contrary say they I beleeve it not 〈◊〉 taste it not It s the best life in the world to follow 〈◊〉 own mind to have my own will and to satisfie 〈◊〉 own lusts Prov. 10. 23. It is a sport to a fool 〈◊〉 do 〈◊〉 No pastime is so pleasing to him as to suit the carnal disposition of his heart in his sinful wayes but he 's a fool for it that is A 〈◊〉 man Self-love and Self-ease will not suffer the 〈◊〉 to hear of any thing that may disquiet or distemper and therefore 〈◊〉 the mind and heart with the daily fears and suspitions of terrors and discouragements that attend a good Course that it dare not listen in the least measure to any thing that tends 〈◊〉 way Hence it is there is such a noyse and 〈◊〉 raised against the good ways of Gods Grace and Gods 〈◊〉 that if ever he gives way to the power of them to have his sins revealed and 〈◊〉 by them he thinks he shall never have quiet more 〈◊〉 and therefore in a carnal Family if one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and careful in his course and have got 〈◊〉 knocks from the Word they cry out Their Children are undone and they fear to come under 〈◊〉 stroak of the truth lest they should be troubled 〈◊〉 the meaning of that Psal. 36. 2. The wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself in his own eyes As who should say This is the only way you are in you may 〈◊〉 quietly and comfortably and go to heaven 〈◊〉 all this ado Ay do so and be so saies the heart And as 2 Pet. 3. 2. They are willingly
ignorant A man that is loth to rise shuts his eyes from 〈◊〉 light and stops his ears that he may not hear 〈◊〉 knocks at the door so a man that would sleep 〈◊〉 in the security of his natural state he would 〈◊〉 suffer the certainty of Gods Judgments and the terribleness of them to come home to his soul to awaken him out of his dead sleep Thus the Deceitfulness of Sin promiseth nothing but Good the 〈◊〉 of a mans heart is such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but Good mens Self-love and 〈◊〉 is such it will not suffer any thing but Good to be presented to the view of the soul. These are the Grounds why a sinful Heart settles it self in security and blesseth it self though nothing belongs to him but misery Hence we may see the Reason why sharp and soul-saving Preaching seems so greivous and tedious to the carnal hearts of wicked and natural men they hardly vouchsafe audience but not acceptance What 's the cause It would awaken them out of their sleepy security in which they lye To bring a Candle to a sleepy man is unpleasing but to pluck off the Clothes he will hardly bear it but will let flie at you Why will you not suffer a man to be quiet in his bed c. All men are naturally in a dead sleep of sin therefore to bring the Candle of the Law to them to shew them their condition to pluck away all their coverings and hidings that they may see their sins and themselves as they are it is death to a man in this case Plain dealing and rough dealing evermore finds harsh entertainment here still Musick is pliasing and rocks men asleep but sound blows will awaken men and not suffer them to sleep in their sins and therefore they cannot bear them they have itching ears saith the Apostle heaping up Teachers to themselves after their own lusts and therefore they cannot endure sound doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 3. Such Ministers and such Preaching as answer their desires and please their pallats that they and their sins and all may go to Heaven together this they like very well of Itching ears must be scratched not buffeted You know what he said to Elias Art thou he that troubles Israel And hast thou found me O my Enemy 1 King 18. 17. 〈◊〉 had 400 false Prophets he could endure them well enough because they never disquieted him in his sins but Elias was a troubler of Israel because he troubled his sin therefore he was not able to bear with him Hence again We should be perswaded and informed its the heaviest plague that can befal a man That God should suffer him to sleep in his sins and prosper in a wicked Course Because it argues for ought any man knows that God intends no good to him nor will work no good for him but as if the Lord hath left such a one to be a prey to sin and Satan he is in the hands of his lusts and become a spoil unto them Jesus Christ passeth by him as it 〈◊〉 pitties him not meddles not with him to rescue him out of that Condition as if the Lord should say I have nothing to do with him he is none of mine Therefore know this to your terror all you that never knew what it was to be in distress of Conscience for sin nay when the Word hath come home to you to convince you of your miserable estate for you have not been able to bear it bate of your sleep nor rest you cannot lose any thing of your 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 you will not nay you bless your selves in this condition thinking your case is good enough Mark now The Lord Jesus sees sin and Satan have thee in their power hurrying thee down to Hell with them and he passeth by and saith Let them alone they belong not to me I will not rescue them nor save them my Word and Spirit shall not convince 〈◊〉 nor work upon them this is the heaviest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can befal thee in this world Acts 17. 30. The 〈◊〉 of this ignorance God regarded not they lived in their sins without God and Christ and 〈◊〉 and the Lord never regarded them so as to look after them to recover them out of this estate Acts 14. 16. He suffered the Nations to walk in their own wayes It was the heavie displeasure of God towards them he saw they followed their own wayes and he suffered them so to do to go on still in the broad and the road way that leads to eternal Death All sinners are sick persons and we know 〈◊〉 a sad thing for those that are sick unto death not to be seen not to be helped and succoured when the Physitian will not so much as look in upon them Luke 19. 44. Jerusalem had her day of 〈◊〉 she was sick at the heart and God came to 〈◊〉 her but she would not take his advice therefore the Lord left her and let her alone this is a woful case when the Lord leaves a sinner to himself and doth not visit him with his saving health it s a sign that he hath no love unto nor care to do good to such a soul. Of Tryal Hence we way get undoubted Evidence to our selves whether we are yet in our natural condition or brought out of it I shall press it only negatively now Is the day yet to dawn the hour yet to come that ever thou didst endeavor to come out of thy natural condition nay happily thou never sawest cause why thou shouldest But thou 〈◊〉 and conceivest that all things remain alike with thee from the first beginning unto this day as thou wast thou art thou hast lived quietly and walked comfortably all thy life long Truly know it if thou art not another man than when thou camest into the world thou art but a natural man thou art but a damned man Thou camest flesh and blood into the world thou camest a Child of wrath and thou art so still and if so be thou doest live so and die so thou art sure to be damned for ever for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. We know saies the Apostle that we are born of God and the world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. Brought to bed in 〈◊〉 as the Original saies thou art one that livest in some base wicked courses and liest in the bed of security and thou shalt perish with the world It s observable in the Parable when all things were at peace the strong man kept the house that 's certain As it s said of the City of Laish Judg. 18. 7. They were quiet and secure and had no business with any man Is it so with thee Thou art quiet and secure and hast no business with the Word of God thou dost come and sit and return again as if thou hadst no business with the Lord thy Conscience not convinced thy affections not stirred thy heart not affected with saving
remorse for thy sinful condition truly know The strong man keeps house there unto this day Nay Let me tell you this That all may hear and fear and be awakened if Christ never awaken thee he will never give thee light and if ever he give thee light he will awaken thee first Nay the truth is So long as thou livest so senseless and careless know it Christ never came into the world to do thee any good Luke 19. 10. The Son of man came to seek and to save that which is lost They that are sensible of their lost and undone condition by reason of their sins against the Lord they see Hell gaping God plaguing and Conscience accusing being every day ready to drop into Hell Christ came to save such But thou that never yet in any measure wast troubled about thy condition and humbled for thy sins Christ will never seek thee nor save thee nay he was not sent to seek or save that miserable soul of thine God will make thee sensible of thy evils before ever thou canst have any hope that he intends good to thee I will not now Dispute how far God may awaken a man and yet not communicate saving grace that belongs to another place That I Urge now is this That its certain He that never yet was awakened or brought out of his carnal Security never was nor can be made partaker of Jesus Christ. Exhortation To all you secure dead hearted sinners that have been carried on in a Calm all your days Oh! know it and consider of it a man becalmed is drowned 〈◊〉 stir up thy self and think of the time of awakening it will come and as Marriners becalmed seek for winds so should you for the Gales and Breathings of the Spirit of Christ. Many of you have been 〈◊〉 up in good Families and many of you are civil honest quiet people all things remain with you as they were from the first until now you know not what Sin means nor what Faith and Repentance means in the power and practice of them you have a quiet life but a miserable life It s easie for a Marriner to be in a Calm at Sea he hath quiet there but he dies there Women in Child-birth longs for Throws if their Throws leaves them their life leaves them and all but if they have many and strong Throws then they hope well so go your wayes and call 〈◊〉 the Throws of Conversation For a Child to be born into the world and the Mother asleep it s against Nature and Reason and Sense and Experience and all so before ever you be born again before ever Christ be formed in you it will cost you many Prayers and Tears and much Sorrow but if 〈◊〉 Throws come thick then there is hope Oh! therefore call for the sight of sin and sorrow for sin for conviction and humiliation as you love your Lives and Souls call for these You know what they said to 〈◊〉 Chap. 1. 6. when the Sea was fierce and the Winds high and the Storm great every man fell to his Prayers and they came to Jonab 〈◊〉 thou sluggard arise and call upon thy God So if God raise a storm in your Consciences be sure you call upon Jonab those sluggish hearts of yours Awake and call upon your God I would advise those men that could never yet say they have any grace in their hearts they cannot say they have any thing more than they brought with them into the world they come to sit and hear but for Humiliation Conversion for the saving work of God upon their souls they know no such thing Let me advise you thus much Be suspicious of your estates certainly all is not well all is not right unless I be born again and repent and be another man and have another heart and life I cannot enter into Heaven thus suspect your self And when you have done so do not leave it there but betake your self to some faithful Minister or Christian and debate your condition with them and be sure you quiet not your self till you come to see what you are it may be they may help you and shew you the state of things with you If it shall appear upon good ground by sound Reasons from the Word that your estate is naught then go away convictedly 〈◊〉 it is so Attend not those carnal Reasons that may take off the edg of that conviction and hinder the working of it but sit down without any cavil against it but say the truth is I never saw my estate before but now I do I hope I shall never deny it Excuses and carnal Reasons have taken me aside but now I 'le hear nothing against it the truth is I am a miserable sinful damned Creature Arise with this in the morning 〈◊〉 lie down with this at night and walk with these thoughts all the day long I am a Christless graceless man and if the Devil say hereafter time enough hereafter loon enough Ay but say I may die suddenly and 〈◊〉 I am damn'd eternally and if your own heart say Am not I as good as such an one and shall not I hope to do as well as such an one Away with that too I am a miserable damned man give your self for gone and hold it here 〈◊〉 hear nothing the Devil saies that my heart saies that the world or my friends say I am in a miserable damned condition think so and sleep so and 〈◊〉 so if you can And when it 's come to this you may happily be prepared for the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. BOOK VII ROM 8. 7. The Wisdom of the flesh is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law neither indeed can be WE heard there were three Particulars wherin the Dispensation and Gods Manner of working upon the soul when he will prepare it for himself was discovered 1 The Soul Naturally is setled in the security of a sinful estate And of that before 2 That being thus lodged in his lust and brought 〈◊〉 bed in his sinful distempers it 's wholly unwilling to be severed from them 3 By a holy kind of Violence as it were the soul is driven out of this condition and drawn 〈◊〉 the Lord Christ by God the Father We are now to attend the discovery of this second Divine Truth the Explication whereof makes way for the mysterious manner of Gods dealing with the sinner when he would bring him from under the power 〈◊〉 of his lusts And for this purpose we have chosen this Text as that which will afford us foothold for our following discourse The Aim and Scope of the Words is by force of Argument to fortifie the conclusion formerly expressed in the foregoing verse i. e. To mind the things of the flesh is death which is thus proved That which is Enmity against God will undoubtedly bring death as opposing the God of Life and Comfort but the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God
lastly is the meaning of that text Rom. 7. 6. wherein a man is said to be married to his sin for the comparison holds As long as the Husband lives so long the Wife is bound and is subject to him so while we remain in our natural condition under the Covenant of Works we are in Covenant with our sins and married to them so that we cannot be to any other we are hand-fasted and cannot part 1 Sin claims a propriety in the soul. 2 Takes possession of it 3 It wholly orders and acts it as the woman hath not power over her self but the man On the 〈◊〉 side the Soul 1 Gives it self away to it 2 Submits to the authority of it And 3 Is wholly acted by it Therefore it is That they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. The act of Sin cannot please but the Spiritual 〈◊〉 of the Soul is acted by Sin therefore it cannot please God while a man is in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This KEY will Open many Doors Hence it follows Original Sin is not a meer Privarion or want of Original Righteousness but an active 〈◊〉 or running wrong of all the wheels the Faculties of the Soul of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only take away his Image but 〈◊〉 up the soul to the power of Corruption and 〈◊〉 its discovered by the actions of Fighting 〈◊〉 5. 7. The Flesh lusts against the Spirit 〈◊〉 Rom. 7. 21. The Law of Flesh 〈◊〉 against the law of my mind captivating the 〈◊〉 erecting and setting up a soveraignty and height 〈◊〉 jurisdiction in the soul there is a law of sin and 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 2. As Adam actually by his own Fault and Folly 〈◊〉 away the Holiness and Righteousness of God 〈◊〉 himself to the sinful distemper of his own 〈◊〉 so he doth also Meritoriously work i. e. by 〈◊〉 sin deserve that God should take away the one 〈◊〉 deliver up to the power of the other And if 〈◊〉 then also Actually for to work a 〈◊〉 meritoriously is so to do a thing according to 〈◊〉 of Covenant our selvs and that we should 〈◊〉 another should do to us or for us what is sutable 〈◊〉 the Covenant either broken or kept In a word As Adam works his own death by 〈◊〉 so also 〈◊〉 procures both the loss of the Image of God the 〈◊〉 of Corruption to take possession of him and 〈◊〉 for both these are included in that Thy 〈◊〉 is of thy self Oh Israel Hos. 13. 9. Hence also it comes about That the law is the 〈◊〉 of sin 1 Cor. 15. 56. and sin as strong as the Law because the Law of God gives 〈◊〉 to sinful distempers to take possession of it So 〈◊〉 look what power the Kings Commission is of in 〈◊〉 hand of the High Sheriff the same power hath 〈◊〉 Sheriff when he hath that Commission So look what strength there is in the Commission from Divine Justice the same strength sin hath which hath that Commission Hence again All sins Original and Actual which follow therefrom are punishments of the 〈◊〉 of Adam as they come from God Its 〈◊〉 with God That he that wil reject his Wisdom 〈◊〉 Holiness should be deprived of it its just that 〈◊〉 that wil chuse his own Delusions and 〈◊〉 before Gods directions and Covenant should be delivered up to the power of them and staked 〈◊〉 in them Thou wouldst be so why remain so 〈◊〉 And every putting forth of Original Corruption takes occasion from this act of revenging 〈◊〉 pushing the soul away from him But as they 〈◊〉 from Adam so they are sins properly called For Adam doth not properly punish himself he 〈◊〉 not the execution of any act of Justice 〈◊〉 is it 〈◊〉 that he doth evil but it is his delight 〈◊〉 takes content therein even to depart from God which is the sentence of the second Death Hence lastly There is no possibility that a 〈◊〉 should be recovered by any power he hath or by 〈◊〉 vertue of any Creature to deliver the wil of a 〈◊〉 from under the power of his sin or from 〈◊〉 carried with it Because he is sealed up under 〈◊〉 by the Curse of the Covenant broken and the 〈◊〉 of it in a righteous Course For as 〈◊〉 could be no other reward of a good work but to 〈◊〉 immutably carried by the Spirit of the Lord and enabled to work so for ever We can go no farther than the last end to please God is the last end 〈◊〉 chief good of the Creature the immutable 〈◊〉 and constancy in that is al the good we 〈◊〉 have Do and Live That is Do and Do 〈◊〉 me once and please me for ever that is Thou shalt be enabled for ever to please me and to be happy in so doing So contrary wise The Curse of the breach of the Covenant is for ever to be acted by the power of sin 〈◊〉 break it Do not and Die that is Displease 〈◊〉 by Disobedience and be so accursed that thou 〈◊〉 ever displease me The just punishment which is answerable to our 〈◊〉 of the Lord and our chief good is that 〈◊〉 shal ever reject it For if a man could please God and so 〈◊〉 his end after his Disobedience and 〈◊〉 of Covenant he might then be happy and 〈◊〉 be in his sin and so never be punished for it which is impossible The Sum of this Argument in short returns to thus much That if the Will of a man be under Commission of Divine Justice and is delivered up to 〈◊〉 power of Sin to be possessed of it and acted by it therefore it is not nay cannot be willing to be 〈◊〉 from its sins The Third Reason of the Doctrine is taken from the Power which Satan hath to lead and so to 〈◊〉 all sinners wholly according to his own desire 〈◊〉 the lord hath given him allowance thereunto As 〈◊〉 said to Satan touching Job All that he hath is 〈◊〉 thy hand Job 2. 6. So al these that wil not be my Subjects but are turned Traytors lo they be in 〈◊〉 hand they shal be thy slaves Thus he rules in the Children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. Thus he 〈◊〉 them at his will 2 Tim. 2. last He is the strong man that maintains possession in the Soul and the sinner goes as he is led 2 Cor. 12. 2. Malefactors are the Kings Prisoners but under the keeping of the 〈◊〉 so sinners have their Mittimus and they are put into Satans hand he keeps them in the chayns of 〈◊〉 and reserves them to the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 day if they be not rescued out of his hand by Jesus Christ. The last Reason is taken from the Naturalness and neer Alliance there is between our hearts and our lusts that we count it death to part with them nay we cannot be without them hence in Scripture they are called as the members of our body Col. 3. 5. mortifie your members and those the dearest and tenderest the right
eye and the right hand Mark 9. 43. 47. They are as the skin of our hearts Jer. 4. 4. circumcise your hearts They are as our selves hence we are commanded to deny our selves that is our lusts Matt. 16. 24. If any man will be my 〈◊〉 let him deny himself the old man Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is crucified Nay they are our very lives 1 Tim. 5. 6. they that live in sin our very heaven and happiness the yong man went away sorrowful when he should exchange his Possessions for the Kingdom of Heaven So that first the corrupt Will must cease to be or else it cannot but be willing to maintain its distempers for every thing labors to preserve it self for to destroy itself is to be contrary to it self and therefore the corrupt Will cannot but preserve its Corruption for it is it self and it cannot destroy it self So that now to gather up al If the dominion of sin wholly possesseth the soul the power of Satan wholly leads it the naturalness of sin wholly contents it then it is not possible that ever the carnal heart should be willing to part with his Corruptions Here 's a dominion that cannot be gainsaid a power that cannot be opposed a contentment that cannot be bettered therefore there is no other expectation but that the corrupt Will should be unwilling to be severed from its sins Hence we may learn It is the heaviest plague in the world for a natural man to have his own will It is the direful dread of the vengeance of the Lord when he delivers a man up to the distemper of his own heart to follow it aud to have it and to be under the power of it and that follows thus To be severed from God and never to be severed from his sins is the greatest plague in the world But 〈◊〉 man naturally wil never be severed from his sins this is the desire of his heart therfore to have this is the heaviest plague that can befal a man in this world As it is in Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me so I gave them up to the lusts of their own hearts to walk in their own counsels Is it so That as they did thou dost and as they would thou wouldst that thou professedst the same inwardly I wil none of the wayes of God but I wil have my own wil and my own lusts then this is the plague of God upon thy soul thou shalt have thy 〈◊〉 and Hell with them too thou shalt have nothing of God nothing of his Grace here nor of his Glory hereafter Hath the Lord so ordered it towards thee That as it s said of David he never displeased Adonijah never crost him of his wil so thou hast had thy wil stil and hast prospered in a 〈◊〉 course this is a sign that God never intends good to thy soul that he hath thus delivered thee up to the distempers of thy own heart When Physitians give men for gone they leave them and say Let him eate what he wil if he cal for Milk or Drink let him have it he 's but a dead man live he cannot Is it so with thee That God hath given thee over and left thee to thy self that now thou hast what thou wilt and dost what thy corrupt wil carries thee to This is the most dreadful plague of al Thou dost walk in the counsels of thine own heart to thy own eternal ruine Hence it s also cleer The Will of a Natural man is the worst part about him The worst thing he hath and the greatest Enemy he hath is his own Heart and Will It follows thus It is that which maintains al the sinful distempers of his soul it keeps the whole Army of Corruptions al in their Ranks that Victuals them and provides for them that hinders a man from using the means or from getting good by al the means of Grace It s the corrupt wil of a man that keeps him under the power of his sinne and keeps off the power of an Ordinance that would procure his everlasting good I speak it the rather to dash that dream of wickedmen when they do ill and speak ill yet say they my heart is good It s true I cannot speak so wel nor do so wel nor make such a shew as others can but my desires are good No truly If thy Life be naught thy Heart is worse It s the worst thing thou hast about thee Matt. 12. 34 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And an evil man out of the evil treasure of 〈◊〉 heart brings forth evil things There is a treasury of evil in thy heart variety and abundance of wickedness there The Heart is the store-house a mans carriage in his life is but the shop men do not use to bring out al into their shop but keep it in their store-house that is ful stil So be it known unto you you who in your speeches and carriages discover it you are desperately proud and wordly and carnal and prophane there 's a thousand times more of that wickedness in your hearts there 's a treasury a store-house of al abominations Nay the deceitfulness of the Heart is above al the masterfulness of the Heart is beyond al that we can conceive A man may discern a mans life and perceive what is there sutable or cross to the Will of God but the heart is desperate decentful who can know it Jer. 17. 9. The Will of Man is uncontroulable That which the Apostle James speaks of the tongue That it is an unruly evil ful of deadly poyson none can tame it Jam. 3. 8. It is much more true of the heart for whatever wickednes is vēted by the tongue its first in the heart and it s there much more men may gag a mans mouth and fetter his hands and feet but Oh the corrupt will of man who can restrain that The truth is it wil stand out against al Reasons and Arguments and nothing can move the wil except God work upon it As they said in 1 Sam. 8. 19. When Samuel gave them Reasons against Monarchy they say not Your Reasons are not good we wil Answer them and bring better Reasons for what we desire No but we will have a King And as the Lord saies to the House of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes why will you die Give me the reason of it It is not my wil you should die I forbid it it s not sutable to reason that gain-say it it s not agreeable to nature that abhors it to have your sins and to have the plagues of them for ever nay but we wil have our sins whatever come of it This is the nature of the Corrupt wil of every carnal man Hence again we may see how cross to Reason and common sense the corrupt carriage of ungodly men is when they be left to their own wils we look at
it not as a part of weakness but a madness in truth if a Malefactor wil lie in the Dungeon when means of deliverances is afforded for a man to chuse his fetters and to keep on his chains and bolts when he may be freed yet this is the case and condition yea the disposition of men who are not willing to be severed from their sins nor to be set free from those chains of darkness wherewith they are fettered and go up and down imprisoned in the world Sin is compared to a deadly poyson the poyson of Asps is under their tongue Rom. 3. 13. that is Such 〈◊〉 which is deadly and venomous which admits no remedy no cure no recovery Now shouldest 〈◊〉 see a Patient that should be offended with the Medicine that would Cure him or with the Physitian that would counsel him and recover him out of 〈◊〉 Disease Or take it heinously and grievously that any should keep him from drinking the Poyson that would destroy him Each man would conclude that his brain were more distempered than 〈◊〉 body as doing that which is directly cross even to nature which desires the preservation of it self even in unreasonable Creatures Turn but the tables as we say consider aright thine own carriage 〈◊〉 thou wilt confess it is thy case thou art the man Thou art poysoned with the loathsom and 〈◊〉 lusts of thine own Heart which threaten thy everlasting ruine and that beyond recovery in 〈◊〉 course of ordinary means Thou art not able 〈◊〉 hear the Counsel that would direct thee for 〈◊〉 Cure nor bear a savory and seasonable 〈◊〉 which would take away the poyson of those 〈◊〉 distempers Thou canst not endure to be severe from that which wil sever thy soul from God 〈◊〉 canst not abide the Word or the Messengers 〈◊〉 would take away that from thee which wil take 〈◊〉 way thy peace thy comfort thy happiness and a Thus Herodias waited for the Baptists life 〈◊〉 he endeavored to cross her in her Incestuous 〈◊〉 and loathsom abominations Mark 6. 19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel a secret grudg again him and would have killed him She lay at 〈◊〉 she was watchful and covetous to observe and 〈◊〉 any hint of opportunity offered to do him harm because he desired and endeavored to do her the greatest good that he could A type of this we may 〈◊〉 in the Israelites when their own hearts could tel them and their own experience could testifie and that unto their own sense it was the greatest pressure that ever they found the 〈◊〉 of the wrath of Pharoah and that they sighed under it and their groans went up to heaven And yet they would return to their own ruine and to the house of bondage And Would God said they we had died in Aegypt Aegipt typifyed the kingdom of darkness the state of sin and death and Pharoah was a type of Satan who exerciseth the fierceness of his fury upon the souls of those that are under his power somtimes men wil cry unto the Lord by reason of the hard usage they find from Sin and Satan yet when God comes by his Word and the Counsels of his Servants to pluck them out of their sins and out of their bondage they cannot endure that they wil rather return again unto and lie down under the bondage of sin and Satan than be delivered from it John 5. 40. Our Savior Christ tels the Jews there You will not come to me that you might have life Christ hath Purchased it and Promised it and Offred it yet saies he You wil not come to me you wil not though you may have life and happiness for the coming for Here 's also a ground of Tryal We may hence discern and that undeniably and easily what our condition is Whether we be yet in our Natural estate so far from the interest and possession of Christ or any saving work of his Spirit as that indeed we have not attained any through preparation hereunto We need not send up to Heaven to look into the Cabinet Counsels of Gods everlasting Decrees what is 〈◊〉 concerning us Descend thou into thy own soul thou hast that in thy bosom wil be the best discovery of thy condition Ask but honestly plainly and in earnest thy own heart and that wil cast the ballance and that beyond al question Such as thy will is such is thy condition look what thou wouldest be that thou art in truth and in the account of the Almighty The Lord cares 〈◊〉 for al the Court Complements thou canst express in the wayes of Christianity he 〈◊〉 not for 〈◊〉 thy fair 〈◊〉 and the quaint appearances of 〈◊〉 was thy carriage gilt over with the most glorious shews of Godliness and thy tongue tipped with the language of heaven this wil not do the deed This would not answer the Lords expectation nor thine own hopes and comforts in the issue It was said concerning Eliab Davids elder brother when it was conceived that he should be the man appointed for the Kingdom and indeed holy Samuel was deceived in his goodly stature Surely this is the Lords Annointed The Lord himself checks his judgment Man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh upon the heart 1 Sam. 16. 7. Look we then as God looks and judge we as he judgeth if we would have comfort and truth in our judgment that we may not fail in that and so our hopes and happiness and al fail in the issue Thou saiest Thy 〈◊〉 is savory and free thy understanding large thou art able to search the Mysteries of Grace thou knowest in a great 〈◊〉 the things of Grace and art able fully to express what thou knowest and thou pretendest readmess and zeal for the service of the Lord. Thou 〈◊〉 al these are thus And I say What is thy heart thou lookest to these I say Look to thy heart and then to these that is Gods way The people in Deut. 5. 28. made as full and free a profession as all the world could desire but the Lord desired somwhat more 〈◊〉 went further They have well said but Oh that 〈◊〉 were such a heart in them v. 29. It is the heart then that gives the casting Evidence of a mans condition and wil not deceive The Woman that hath two Suiters that make love and express their 〈◊〉 to her if she ask her own Spirit that will easily speak which is the man that must be her Husband the Answer which will 〈◊〉 it is this Such a one hath her heart he hath got her good will and therefore hath gained the woman 〈◊〉 is his to give one all good language and 〈◊〉 entertainment that is nothing if another hath the heart So if the Question be which is indeed a Question of the greatest consequence in the world Whether art thou to be matched to thy Sin or to thy Savior to thy Lusts or to the Lord Jesus This will put it beyond peradventure hath some bosom
lust got the will of thy soul and holds it to this day thou art certainly a corrupt and carnal wretched Creature All thy 〈◊〉 carriage and 〈◊〉 entertainment or good language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus it 's nothing thy lusts have thy heart and Satan hath thy heart by means of them and this is thy condition to this very day It 's 〈◊〉 as experience proves it that he that is the Owner of a Country may be forced by the power of an Enemy 〈◊〉 in upon him to forsake the Skirts and Borders of it but if yet the strong Places 〈◊〉 and Citadels be in his possession which command the Country each man concludes he is Lord and 〈◊〉 of the Country still hecause he hath these 〈◊〉 and strong Forts whereby he can command it at his pleasure As in the Country so in the Rule of a mans Carriage and Conscience possible it is nay ordinary that there may come some 〈◊〉 Power and Evidence of Truth and the Lord may so mightily assault the soul with the Battery of his Word and levy such Forces of Arguments against the prevailing power of sin in our practice as that 〈◊〉 may cause our corruptions to retire and forsake the Frontiers and out-works the tongue and hand and behavior but if yet the will which is the main Castle and hath command of all if that I say be still at league with our Lusts and the power of corruption is there entertained and acknowledged thou art yet under the power of Satan and possession of thy sin The unclean Spirit may now and then go on walking and be cast out from exercising that Sovereignty and extent of Jurisdiction as to act the hand and eye and tongue to the practice of evil but as long as his house is swept and garnished the soul willing to give way and welcom to any bosom distemper he returns again and prevails as much nay more than ever Matth. 12. 43 44 45. Whatever thou hast received if thou hast not a heart against thy sin thou hast nothing will do thee good Whatever thou givest to God or doest for him unless thou givest thy heart unto him and bestow that upon his Service thou doest nothing that will stand thee in any stead The want of this was that which Moses so heavily complained of Deut. 29. 3 4. You have seen all that the Lord hath done for you the signs and wonders that he hath wrought for you yet the Lord hath not given you an heart unto this day As who should say all these will but aggravate your sins and encrease your plagues your naughty hearts will abuse all and bring a Curse upon all the Blessings you enjoy All thy Services without a heart severed from thy sins is but as a dead Sacrisice which the Lord loaths As she to Sampson though he pretended all love yet this she looked at as an evidence of want of love because his heart was not with her How canst thou say thou lovest me when thy heart is not with me So the Lord to all the fair pretences of fals-hearted Professors How can you say you love me when your hearts are not with me you wil not part with your Lusts. But you will reply This is a hard saying who can hear it who can bear it this is all we have to bear up and support our hearts and hopes with True it is our Natures are naught and corrupt our distempers strong infirmities many and failings great we cannot deny that which our actions discover we are too frequently and shamefully snatched aside and surprized by our corruptions and our distempers overbear us yet the Lord knows and we would have you to know we would be other we want power against our distempers yet we want not will to be severed from them So said and so done well and good You profess so prove what you profess and it 〈◊〉 I wish it were so and that 's the worst I wish you but try it then and be sure you do not fail for you are brought to the lowest and the last cast it 's as the Book to the Malefactor This is the very Door of Grace and the Gate of Heaven to be willing to be severed from sin God never wrought upon you for good unless this be wrought in you The Evidences are Four He that is willing to part with his sin is speedy and unweariable in seeking and improving of those means whereby he may get rid of it and which may remove it from him The Will is the great Wheel which sets all and keeps all a going and will cause a man to break through all discouragements and 〈◊〉 that can be cast in the way neither difficulties nor oppositions be they what they will be can either daunt it wholly or put it upon delaies the hands may be bound the feet fetter'd either want of liberties or opportunities may prejudice a 〈◊〉 practice or the opposition may be so 〈◊〉 and fell that may force a man for the while to cease the performance of his work but if the will be setled and resolved that cannot be removed So the Apostle Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me though he cannot do what he is enjoyned God requires and Duty 〈◊〉 yet he can will what he cannot do so the Prophet David Psal. 119. 4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy Precepts Oh that my heart were so upright and my waies so directed that I might keep them I do not I cannot do as my Duty is but Oh that I could do so I cannot do as I should yet I cannot but wish it This you shal find when the faithful are at the greatest under when some spiritual damps and qualms come over their hearts yet these privy yernings of their hearts towards God and the waies of his Grace will appear As in a swound when al the acts of the Sences are bound up and the Pulse is not to be perceived yet hold a glass to the mouth of a fainting man and you shal perceive some 〈◊〉 breathing ever So it is when al abilities enlargements seem to fail when temptations desertions and violent surprizal of some venemous distempers take away sence and feeling power and performance yet you shall perceive his breathing if you bring the soul to a Command or a Promise Oh that my heart were so upright Psal. 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Commandements at all times 〈◊〉 David and 〈◊〉 Paul Rom. 7. 19. The good I would I do not the evil I would not that I do I do evil but I would not do it I do not the good but I would do 〈◊〉 And therefore as blind Bartimaeus when his heart was set to seek the recovery of his sight as soon as he heard that Christ passed by he cryed out Jesus thou son of David have mercy upon me they rebuked him and he cried yet more earnestly thou son of David have mercy
the world to honor him to esteem him yet 〈◊〉 dasheth all what avails it so long as this Pride 〈◊〉 peevishness this frothy vain heart remains within me When the heart is assaulted with some sudden qualm or deadly fume that assaults the spirits 〈◊〉 ye drive it from his heart nothing will do him good Oh he is sick at the heart now I thank the Lord it 's gone from my heart So it is with the plague of 〈◊〉 that assaults the heart a man that knows it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is really sick of the lusts and corruptions that are in his heart he can never be at quiet till he find his heart in some measure freed from the power and poyson of those sinful distempers as Rebecca said If Jacob should take a wife of the Daughters of Heth what good shall my life do me Gen. 27. last So what good wil my credit my profit my profession all my priviledges and performances do me if my heart be married to any base lust 〈◊〉 my corrupt will and my wayward peevish stiffness and malignancy of heart continue with me still But thou that canst lift up thy head and know all these evils in thee that God knows and thou knowest there are such bosom abominations which thy heart finds and takes contentment in thou canst live with them talk with them lie down and sleep with them and arise with them again nay and thy corrupt heart is restless if it may not be pleased and satisfied with thy lusts Amon is sick of Incest Ahab of Covetousness unless they may enjoy 〈◊〉 lusts they cannot enjoy their lives Grace I would not trouble my self or spend any time to prove that such have any grace When a mans sins are so far from being his vexation that it is his vexation that he cannot have free 〈◊〉 to commit his sins that he is vexed with the word that discovers his evil vexed with Conscience that checks him for it plagued and tormented with all that come in his way that will cross him in his lusts if there be a graceless heart in Hell thou art one to this very day thou didst never know what it was to put off the will of sinning Observe where the will takes up its last stand and what it looks at as that which lastly satisfies its desire either in pretended parting with sin or in performance of duties or improvement of means The end steers the action and gives in evidence of the goodness of it The Merchant and the Pyrate goes in the same channel useth the same wind to carry them the same Compass to direct the one about his honest Affairs to serve Gods Providence and his own Duty and the other to serve his own covetous and unlawful lusts of Theevery and spoiling So here I speak it for this purpose because it 's one of the cunning cheats of a deceitful heart he will perform such Duties and forsake such sins not because he either loves the Duty or loaths the sin but because he would land himself at the place where he would be at some other end of his own Nay it 's possible and ordinary for a man to part with his sin for a push when indeed it is only that he may keep his sin As Paul spake of Onesimus he departed from him for a season that he might be received for ever and as the Adultress chides her mate before others that she may enjoy him more freely without fear or suspition so it 's usual for a false heart to chide with his corruptions and to speak great words against them when yet the secret 〈◊〉 is but to enjoy them more freely by that means therefore let not the Devil cozen you with colors your confessions and resolutions your prayers and tears against your sins and that in secret and that unto God if your hearts 〈◊〉 these but as means for your own ends you never were willing to part with sin The 〈◊〉 of a gracious heart is Never to take up his stand till he come to God and the guidance of his Grace and Spirit Hosea 14. 2 3. c. Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously what have I to do any more with Idols c. and the heart wil never more have to do with these sins but with God he sees these evils sorrows for these 〈◊〉 to have these removed that he may be under the power of God and his Grace As Samuel said to Israel 1 Sam. 7. 3 4. If you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away your gods and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only So if you be indeed resolved to forsake your sins and renounce your corruptions then abandon them and al occasions leading to them and al beginnings of them and submit your selves your thoughts and affections to the Lord and to his Word and serve him only Lodg thy soul here and let it never take up its stand until it come hither The last Use is of Exhortation and Direction both together It should guide us and it should perswade us to take the right way of Reformation Never leave thy prayers and tears and sorrows and remorse until thou come to thy very heart thy tongue professeth fair and thy hand forbears the practice of evil but ask thy heart Heart what sayest thou Shame may prevail with thee Authority of men may constrain thee and conscience may force thee to abstain from evil I but what saies thy Heart art thou willing to part with thy sin I do not do it I dare not do it but Will what sayest thou Heart what sayest thou Never cease before you be able to answer I am really willing to part with every sin I am convinced of It was the great complaint of Moses concerning the People of Israel that notwithstanding al that the Lord had done for them yet they had not a heart to fear him and to walk in obedience before him So 〈◊〉 may say God hath crowned thee with 〈◊〉 honored thee with encouragements thou hast the Esteem of others thou hast all Liberties and opportunities to be as good as thou shouldest be but truly all these will do thee no good unless thou hast a heart for God and against thy sin therefore rest no where until thou hast this The great Fort that must be taken is the Will or else all the rest is as good as nothing he that wil cure a disease must not only skin it over but must take away the core of it if he think to heal it throughly and cure it fully So here it is not enough to wash a mans mouth and to wipe his hands but the core of a mans corruptions must be got away thy soul must be brought off from the Will of sinning as wel as from the Practice of sinning or else thy soul will never be brought home to God stay not therefore till thou comest hither and be sure to make sound work
but is acted by another As it was in the raising of Lazarus when he stank in the Grave not only those noysom distempers were removed and the unnatural 〈◊〉 which attended his body chased away but the 〈◊〉 also was returned and brought again to Union 〈◊〉 his Body So here The Nature of this Drawing and special 〈◊〉 of it It s the motion and powerful Impression of the Spirit of God upon the Soul not any habit of Grace in it nor any act of the Soul which concurs with the work of God in this first stroak of Preparation For The soul that is wholly possessed by the Habits of Sin is not yet capable of the Habit of Grace 〈◊〉 my flesh dwels no good thing Rom. 7. 18. The Vessel cannot be ful of filthy and puddle water and at the same time receive that which is pure It is the aim of this work to make way and room for the Habit of Grace to be received and therefore it is not a habit nor any act of a habit in the soul as yet Therefore it s said God first turns from darkness and then to light Acts 26. 18. Takes away the heart of stone before he gives a new heart Ezek. 11. 19. This is the influence of Light and Vertue into the Mind and Will by the receiving whereof they may be elevated and lifted up above their own ability to supernatural Works in future times and therfore this cannot be the act of the Will and 〈◊〉 since they cannot of themselves let in any 〈◊〉 into themselves Therefore the Lord takes 〈◊〉 to himself as his own Work Hither belongs 〈◊〉 Question Whether Nature or Grace be the first subject of 〈◊〉 Nature cannot For 1 Cor. 2. 14. The 〈◊〉 man receives not the things of God nor can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Grace cannot do it for 〈◊〉 there should be Grace before the FIRST 〈◊〉 Grace is attended in a double Respect 1 As it 〈◊〉 a habit or gracious quality received into the Soul As it is a gracious impression upon the soul The 〈◊〉 must be prepared before any habit of Grace 〈◊〉 be received but there needs no disposition in 〈◊〉 soul to receive the work of the Spirit that must 〈◊〉 there needs no preparation to make way 〈◊〉 the work of Preparation but there needs 〈◊〉 to make way for the habit That which 〈◊〉 the first disposition needs no former not yet 〈◊〉 any former It s not Nature but the Soul prepared that is the 〈◊〉 of the First Habit. The Soul unprepared 〈◊〉 the Subject of the Spirit that prepares it The Means how God works the Cords by which 〈◊〉 Draws The Spirit of the Lord lets in some powerful light 〈◊〉 the Truth into the Soul when he is passing on in 〈◊〉 wayes of destruction and tels him This is not 〈◊〉 right way to Life and Salvation you must go 〈◊〉 way if ever you go to heaven The poor deluded blinded Creature never dreaming of 〈◊〉 such matter so that he drives the sóul to 〈◊〉 thoughts If this be the streight way to happiness 〈◊〉 have been out of the way al my life time If this 〈◊〉 true my Condition is miserable Isa. 65. 1. I 〈◊〉 sought of them that asked not for me I am found 〈◊〉 those that sought me not Thus the shepheard pursues the wildring sheep If he had not found it it 〈◊〉 never found home How many give in Evidence 〈◊〉 of their own Experience in this kind I never doubted of my estate nor ever 〈◊〉 of any necessity to be other or do other I went as others did it may be for fashion sake either company carried me or custome prevailed with me or may be the novelty of the thing inticed me to go I as little thought of my death as ever to have my sin and shame discovered Job 36. 9. When the Lord gets man into fetters then he shews them their transgressions and how they have exceeded Thus the Lord is said To stand and knock at the door of the soul when the sinner is fast asleep Rev. 3. 20. He dazles the apprehension by some mighty flash of truth like lightning darted in which makes the soul at a maze by reason of the suddenness and unexpectedness and strangness of it This knock makes the sinner so far to hear and to take notice of it that some body is at the door and causes him happily to make enquiry Who is there So Acts 9. 4 5 6. There shines a suddain Light about Paul and a voyce heard from heaven Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me As who should say Thou art utterly mistaken thou knowest not where thou art what thou doest thou mistakest a Friend in stead of an Enemy And therefore he amazed and astonished Answers and 〈◊〉 Who art thou Lord Thus the sinner is made to look about him where am I this is not the way to Heaven And though the soul would shut its eyes against the Evidence and Power of the Truth which carries a kind of amazing vertue with it and therefore invents shifts to defeat the work of it yet the Lord wil follow it and fasten it upon the soul so as that it shal not avoid it he that stands knocking at the door wil lift up the latch and make the Truth break in as the Sun rising wil break through the least crevis This is the first means whereby the Lord comes to lay hold upon the mind and soul of a sinner he hath the sinner in chase as it were that he cannot get out of his sight or make an escape Thus by the hook of Instruction he laies hold upon him He encloseth him with the Cords of Mercy whereby he 〈◊〉 the soul and compasseth the heart on every side with the tender of his compassions Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the Cords of a man the bonds of love this the Lord doth to take off those desperat discouragements which otherwise would dead the heart and split the hopes of a forlorn sinner and so pluck up his endeavors by the roots under the appearance of impossibilities It can never be attained why therefore should it be expected or endeavored after To abate therefore of these overbearing 〈◊〉 which otherwise would sink the heart and swallow it up the Lord casts in some discovery of the largeness of his compassions and intimates there is no danger to be feared in coming to the Lord because there is none intended When Christ stands at the door and knocks men are afraid to let in Enemies that intended our ruine so it 's 〈◊〉 the sinner he is afraid of Gods Justice because of his 〈◊〉 deservings What is Christ at the door Is it not that Christ whose Grace I have refused whose Spirit I have grieved whose Words I have cast 〈◊〉 my back he certainly comes to destroy me who have destroyed his Truth and trampled his honor 〈◊〉 my feet And therefore the Lord lets in that Evidence to the
for his amendment and repentance puts him in mind and lies pulling at him with these cords of his Compassions Isa. 30. 18. He waits to be gracious He takes fresh and renewed throws of Patience and travels as it were in expectation of the return of a sinner Jer. 13. last Oh Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when will it once be As a Woman in travel Oh when wil the good hour come Oh! consider this Is it not a shame for you to suffer the Lord Christ to meet with you at every turn to follow you from place to place to attend upon you in the Seas where you have 〈◊〉 upon the shoars where you have landed in the houses where you dwel to pursue you in the fields to hang his pardons at your doors and to kneel to you at your bed-sides when you lie down and when you awake Oh! when wil it once be Let this day be the last day of sinning of lazying in a Christian course of carnal formality let this time this night be the last night of provocation unprofitableness under al the priviledges means of Grace you enjoy Once at last let that proud heart be humbled that peevish Spirit meekned those covetous desires unclean affections be changed when wil it once be See how the Lord sends by the Prophet and pleads with them and puts them beyond al appearance of any pretence Turn ye turn ye why will ye die Oh ye house of Israel Ezek. 33. 11. Have ye any reason to desire or endeavor your own destruction against your own reason your own good my will why wil you die Plead thus with your own hearts for your own comfort I have reason to return but no reason to die what is most for my good and the Lord so much desires Let me endeavor it See then how these cords of 〈◊〉 compass about the sinner and lie hard at him to draw him from his sin The Lord proclaims his Mercy openly freely offers it heartily intends it waits to communicate it layes siege to the Soul by his long sufferance There is enough to procure al good distrust it not He freely invites fear it not thou mayest be bold to go he intends it heartily question it not yet he is 〈◊〉 and wooing delay it not 〈◊〉 but hearken to his voyce But if these limetwigs of Love cannot catch you these Cords of Mercy cannot hold you he hath iron Chains which wil either pluck you from your evil wayes or they wil pul you al in pieces The Third Means therefore by which the Lord Draws is the Cord of Conscience If the Bonds of a man and of kindness wil not prevail with us the iron Hook of Conscience wil drag us with a witness to forsake our beloved lusts to come to the Lord to be ruled and to be saved Now the Hooks whereby Conscience holds us are Three principally whereby it tears the heart away from those wretched distempers and holds the sou from under the power of such base Corruptions which have taken greater place and exercised greater power over it God stirs up Conscience and arms it with Authority for the stilling and settling of such unruly distempers which heretofore have refused his power and neglected his law and so took much place in the Soul and carried lt to the Commission of much evil against the mind of Conscience So that whereas Conscience was kept under before by reason of the Mutinies and Conspiricies of many Corruptions in the heart and was blinded 〈◊〉 and benummed with the violence and unruly rage of many wretched lusts so that either it did not see what was to be done or could not be heard in what it would speak at least was utterly unable to prevail The Lord now hath awakened Conscience and put that Life Vertue and Authority into it That now Conscience begins a fresh to take upon him and to shew his Soveraignty and Rule he wil not take it as he hath done but publickly proclaims his 〈◊〉 Charge and Edicts not to be contradicted or controuled upon the pain of the severest punishments This is the first work of Conscience to be a forewarner and to admonish the soul of evil to exercise a severe Charge and give uncontroulable Commands against sin So that Corruption comes to be snubbed and checked and the soul kept in aw under him which it scorned before It fares in this case with Conscience as with an High Sheriff or some special Officer of note in the Country in the absence of the King while he is gone aside there ariseth a Mutiny and Tumult of unruly persons which tear his Commission withstand his proceedings and offer in an outragious manner to lay violent hands upon his Person so that as he can do nothing so he dares shew little distaste but express no strong opposition against them as not having power enough to surprise and crush them in their 〈◊〉 but is compelled to sit still and say nothing knowing as David said You are too strong for me you sons of Zerviah He finds his party too weak to deal with them thefrore puts up al contempts and indignities for the while Nay as it is with many 〈◊〉 their numbers being many their carriage furious and unreasonable somtimes they strike the Constable instead of being ruled by him but when the King returns renews his Commission and gives him more power than ever and sends supply to aid and 〈◊〉 him then the Sheriff lifts up his head having got a larger 〈◊〉 comes with more undaunted courage and resolution having got assistance 〈◊〉 to support himself and he makes open Proclamation That whereas there hath been such and such 〈◊〉 be it known that they are al to be 〈◊〉 and commanded in the Kings Name upon 〈◊〉 notice hereof to lay down all weapons to stil al 〈◊〉 disorders upon pain of death to any that shall 〈◊〉 the Law in that case So it is with Conscience when by the crowd and 〈◊〉 of many accursed lusts and corruptions 〈◊〉 eye is blinded the edg dulled the commands of 〈◊〉 corned so that men make a mock of conscience 〈◊〉 your Conscience wil not serve you your 〈◊〉 wil not suffer you to lye to laze to 〈◊〉 to deceive your Conscience wil not allow it 〈◊〉 you make a fool of your 〈◊〉 what care 〈◊〉 for Conscience or you either I wil do what I like what I list for al Conscience Thus a company of 〈◊〉 imprison the High Sheriff or beset his house 〈◊〉 when God shal awaken Conscience and quicken 〈◊〉 and renew the Commission in the hand of 〈◊〉 so that it comes enlightened and armed with 〈◊〉 from Heaven he then makes open 〈◊〉 to the sinner forewarns and threatens the 〈◊〉 thou that hast had no care of the 〈◊〉 of God but slighted al Directions and 〈◊〉 of his Word be it known unto thee by 〈◊〉 received from Heaven I charge thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus as thou wilt answer it
〈◊〉 and Earth shal never hold it As he must needs go whom the Devil drives so 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 come whom God wil draw Though 〈◊〉 Means prevail not thy Prayers speed not thou 〈◊〉 not able by al thy Endeavors to bear up against 〈◊〉 stream yet God is able and it s his work here stay they heart God can do it and who knows but 〈◊〉 may Briefly the DISCOURAGEMENTS are Three First The Assaults of Satan he comes in amain and makes batteries against the Heart he Musters up al his Forces and presents to the view of the sinner al the darkness of the kingdom of Darkness and 〈◊〉 the venom of sin in the twinckling of an eye 〈◊〉 presents al his Sins that ever he hath committed with al the aggravating Circumstances against Mercies Covenants Checks of Conscience Lo saith Satan do you not see al these and they come in 〈◊〉 troops there is no end of them not only in New-England but upon the Sea in the Land of our nativity and he brings him to his Cradle and 〈◊〉 him how he came a Child of wrath into the world Withal Satan lets in the guilt of al these sins upon the soul Sayes Satan if one sin deserve everlasting Condemnation as you know it doth what then is deserved by so many sins Committed continued in repeated against Means and Mercies why Hell is too little for such a Rebel God must make a new Hell for such a wretch And withal Satan tells him the date of Mercy is past your best dayes are done you have had Means and Mercies and Friends to Counsel you very good now Mercy is gone and past you shal hear no more of the Mercy of God or of Jesus Christ. Now Satan hurries the 〈◊〉 when he hath got him hither the multitude of his sins the guilt of his sins and Mercy past why now had you not better go out of the world than to live without Hope and multiply your sins and so your plagues forever Here he hurries the soul up and down and gives him no leave to think of Mercy Oh! sayes the soul Is there no hope in Jesus Christ the Means of Grace and the Spirit of God Why sayes Satan Do not you deceive your self you have had Means and Mercies and you are just in the place where you were therefore you had best put an end to your sins and self and life and all Now mark 〈◊〉 In this Case you should have recourse to the former Doctrine Satan wil not cannot be entreated that 's true Aye but God is stronger than Satan and he can cast him out of thy Soul It is not Arguments that can do it but God can do it Say therefore Though my Prayers my Endeavors my Heart my Hopes fails me yet God 〈◊〉 do it though my Soul cannot leave my sin 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 wil not cannot leave my soul yet God can force away my sin from my soul and command my soul to return from iniquity God can do this Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall beat down Satan under your feet shortly What ever become of your Sense and Feeling listen not attend not to his temptations be sure to Retire hither as to your Castle God can do it it is the Almighty work of God there stand there live and there die Christ told his Disciples He saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightening Luke 10. 18. That is Suddenly and strangely And Joh. 16. 11. Now shall the Prince 〈◊〉 this world be judged God wil judge Satan for al those Temptations and Delusions of his do not you own them and God wil Condemn him for them Nay as it is Isa. 43. 6. I will say to the North Give up to the South Keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the earth Though thou shouldst be in the mouth of Hell or in the bottom of the Sea yet God is able to call thee from thence He that saith to the Sea Give up thy dead he can say to Hell Give up thy damned Therefore bear up thy Heart and Hopes and Expectation that God may do that for thee which thou art not able to conceive of But yet there is another ground of Discouragement Satan he 's Malicious but Oh! the world and the snares thereof are so many so mighty that the soul is still in a maze taken in a net as it were and knows not which way to turn him And there are some kind of sins which snare a man exceedingly by the world As when loose Companions have 〈◊〉 within a man and licentious Courses have taken away the heart of a man Oh! the heart comes 〈◊〉 hardly there The sinner shakes at the sight of 〈◊〉 Companions he is convinced and resolved 〈◊〉 them and yet he goes away to them and is led by them and when the Adulterer is taken with his Adulterous Mate they scarce ever return again 〈◊〉 lamentable what those that are acquainted with Cases of Conscience this way do know still 〈◊〉 mates tempt and these Companions over-bear though they resolve and promise and vow 〈◊〉 pray yet they are in again just in the place 〈◊〉 they were so that the soul sayes I am not able 〈◊〉 resist these temptations I am never able to get 〈◊〉 of these snares therefore sin I shal and sin I must and perish I must temptations are desperate here a man lies prostrate under them not able to recover out of them Now Brethren when you are in such a Case as this you see your sins you confess them pray against them and yet are taken aside by them your heart is strongly engaged and ensnared you are not able to get from under these sins Here 's all the hope I can give you It is in Gods hand yet to pluck off thy soul and to take away thy heart for al that You know how Solomon the wisest and Sampson the strongest they were Deluded and snared and taken by their own Corruptions and snares of the world Sampsons head upon Dalilahs lap he would sit and lie though he died for it Brethren it is here only God may do good unto you If I 〈◊〉 tel you It is in the power of Means and Mercies and any Congruity of Means or Liberty of your own Wills your souls might be deceived but would never be Comforted But look up to the Lord there is Hope in him there is Mercy with him Joh. 16. last Be of good Comfort sayes our Savior Christ I have overcome the world Yea the Lord professeth it Ezek. 〈◊〉 32. They shall loath themselves in the sight of all their doings that have not been good Say then God is able to make me loath my self and my snares and al the sinful entanglments that my heart is so taken aside withal this is that only that wil sustain thee and support thee Joh. 16. 10. I have other sheep and they shall hear my voyce and them I must bring I must bring the 〈◊〉
When thy heart was Satans home and the power of darkness dwelt in it when he had levyed al his Forces he was strengthened and encouraged by al the advantages that might be he had the hold of the heart and entrenched himself in the stubbornness and invincible stiffness of my Will and that I was resolved to leave my life but never to leave my lusts nor renounce his temptations which I entertained as my delight and sided with al alurements and stood in open 〈◊〉 against the Holy One of Israel If Satan in his ful power could not keep his hold nor my heart but the Lord cast him out when he is Conquered and his Forces spoiled by the Lord Christ Shal he not for ever keep him out When I was under the power of Satan he then rescued me being now rescued from his rage and beyond his power shal he not preserve me He that destroyed the works of Satan when he was in his ful strength intrenched fortified in the unconquerable stiffness of his Will and took away his Armour being Disarmed Dispossessed and Conquered shal he ever be able to recover and set up his works again By no means The Third and Last USE of this Doctrine is of Exhortation First To the Converted Then To the Unconverted Here is somthing for both First the Converted are hereby to be provoked to follow the dealing of the Lord Here is a pattern to order their daily practice by Hath God doth God deal so with poor Creatures as to draw them from their sins to 〈◊〉 Christ Go thy wayes and do thou likewise Herein shew your selves Children of your heavenly Father be merciful as he is merciful And if in any case I take it Mercy is herein to be discerned ought to be practised and expressed As the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy Col. 4. 11. If you be the Elect of God shew it in this if ever you have received Mercy express it if ever God hath shewed favour to you shew the fruit thereof in shewing compassion to others put too the best of your endeavors even by a holy kind of violence to pluck away poor sinners from their sins unto the Lord. So David Psal. 51. 13. I will teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shall be Converted unto thee I wil take no nay at their hands they are stubborn I was so they resist I did so they are unwilling to part with their sins I was so and yet the Lord hath done me good and overcome al my evil with goodness when I was in my blood when I lay weltring in the guilt and filth of my sins when I said I would have my sins and I would die and was resolved to destroy my self then he said unto me Live poor Creature Live You cannot get your heart away from your Corruptions the Lord wil do it for you nay he can do it for you without you If he wil put forth the same power upon your soul as he hath done upon my soul you shal be drawn from your sins to Jesus Christ. In a word 1 Do what you can your self 2 Help them with supply from others First do what you can your self let every man in his own particular set upon al such loving Means as are in your power Compassionately and Couragiously to draw sinners from their sins to Christ Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily lest any be bardened through the deceitfulness of sin 1 Thess. 5. 14. Now we exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men As who should say Lay about you to do al the good you can he makes a Christian man to be as busie as a Bee that he should go no whither but should seek and find occasion of doing good to one or other you wil meet with some that are unruly warn them and instruct them and some that are weak labor to strengthen them some that are feeble minded and discouraged Christians labor to quicken and encourage them Let not those thoughts be found once in thy heart Am I my Brothers keeper Yes thou art or else thou art his murtherer wilt thou defend his house from a thief his body from 〈◊〉 nay wouldest thou ease and raise his Ass from falling and return his Ox from straying and wilt thou not do much more for his Soul Therefore take al opportunities that are offered and seek what is no offered and improve what you have to the 〈◊〉 Jude 23. And others save with fear plucking them out of the fire If thy neighbors Ox were in the pit or himself in the fire thou wouldest break 〈◊〉 the door and not strain Complements much more when his soul is fallen into his distempers as into a deep ditch his soul is 〈◊〉 on fire from Hell 〈◊〉 away the Drunkard from his Cups and hale the Covetous man from the world and those whom you see to be 〈◊〉 by any special Corruption do 〈◊〉 you can to rescue them from the snare of the Devil and double thy forces lay battery against the heart to it again and take better hold it may be he sees his evil and acknowledgeth his sin and yet returns to it again return thou to thy prayers and tears an 〈◊〉 if he forget thy Counsels Counsel him again admonish again besiege him lie at him when thou meetest him in the way walkest in the field 〈◊〉 at the table leave some remembrance upon 〈◊〉 of those you converse withal say and do som thing that may help to draw their souls from their sins to Christ. God hath dealt so with thee therefore deal thou so with others Succour them also by all other Means 〈◊〉 thou according to thy power and place to 〈◊〉 them under the means of Grace As they said one 〈◊〉 another Isa. 2. 3. Come let us go up to the house 〈◊〉 the Lord he will teach us of his wayes And as 〈◊〉 good man Cornelius when Peter was to come 〈◊〉 Preach the Gospel to him Acts 10. 24. he Calls 〈◊〉 his friends and kindred together that the Lord 〈◊〉 work upon them and sayes he We are all here ready to hear what the Lord hath commanded thee This especially belongs to al such as have power and authority over others as Magistrates may compel the Subjects the Master may compel his Servants and the Father his Children to use the Means for they can go no farther than a moral violence and to be under those Ordinances which they in their own Consciences are convinced of to be the Means of Conversion and Salvation And look as they did when our Savior Christ came to any place they brought the blind and the deaf and dumb and those that were possessed of Devils and laid them down before him and intreated him to Cure them Mar. 2. 4. So if thou hast a stubborn Servant or a Rebellious Child al the Means thou hast used can do no good upon him bring
impossible to him or had power above him And hence the Lord delights to set forth the praise of his Mercy and therefore when sin is most vile and hainous and hellish then doth he express his compassion in a most glorious manner it 's the glory of the Physitian when the Disease is most deadly then to do the Cure Isa. 43. 24 25. You have wearied 〈◊〉 with your iniquities and made me to serve with your sins behold I even I am be that blotteth out thy transgressions for my name sake q. d. None but a God of endless Mercy could do it therefore behold it acknowledg it I will blot out your iniquities and remember your sins no more This is the dispute of the Apostle Rom. 5. last having said that our Justification Reconciliation and Life comes by Grace he ads why then serves the Law he answers That sin might abound that sin might be encreased and become more and more hainous because against an express Law but where sin abounded grace abounded much more the Lord gave as it were sin all advantages to do its utmost and yet then Grace would abound so much the more in conquering and raigning over sin And therefore it 's certain if all sins in the world that against the Holy Ghost excepted should meet in one Soul as Waters in the Sea the Mercy of the Lord would abound much more 〈◊〉 those sins did abound The Merits of our Savior Christ are of an 〈◊〉 satisfying vertue and exceed the venom of the guilt of all sins Rom 5. 18. So Paul constantly disputes If by the offence of one sin entred unto 〈◊〉 much more by the death and obedience of our Savior Righteousness entred unto eternal Life And therefore it was that our Savior was pleased to receive our Nature even from the vilest of sinners that he might shew himself a Savior from all sins Matth. 1. Hence also his blood is called a fountain set open for Judah and Israel to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13. 1. i. e. For all kind of sinners and all sorts of sins So that were thy heart a Sink a Sodom a Hell of wickedness if the water of this Fountain might pass through and be applied it would clense all For our Savior 〈◊〉 the infinite wrath of his Father which was due for our sins more he needed not nay should not nay could not have suffered if he died for a thousand worlds of his Elect if they had come from the Loyns of our first Parents And I do beleeve there is vertue enough there to pardon the sin against the Holy Ghost if it were applied but because it was committed against the work of the Spirit so directly it is not just he should and there is no other that will for the Spirit works from the Father to the Son and therefore last of all so that they both have put forth their works before and if therefore his be wronged he will not apply and there is none else that can if the Work of the Father be wronged Christ may intercede if he be blasphemed the Spirit may apply but if he be despighted there is none left that will or can Because the power of the 〈◊〉 is such that he can conquer and overcome all which with his own Honor he can attempt to remove as all but that which is committed immediately against his Operation he wil and doth this is the ground of overcoming which the Apostle gives 1 John 4. 4. You have over come the world because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world That also which Paul propounds for the clensing of the most loathsom puddles 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the Name of Jesus and by the Spirit of our God for that Spirit is above all unclean Spirits and therefore when he will come and work upon the soul and clense it from all its corruptions Sin and the World and the Devil and all give way they cannot hinder his work So that if the Mercy of God be infinite able to forgive all the Merits of Christ of infinite Vertue able to satisfie for all and the Spirit of infinite power to conquer all then the worst of sinners may become broken hearted sinners when the Lord will please to look upon them We have here matter of Admiration to see and stand amazed at the riches of Gods mercy and grace which succors the most desperate sinners relieves at the hardest streights saves even from the nethermost Hell It 's the Collection the Prophet makes from the ground formerly mentioned Mich. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that par donest iniquity and passest by the transgression of the remnant of thine heritage because mercy pleaseth him He intends pardon to such who have nothing that can purchase it do nothing that can deserve it nay practice nothing which is in any manner pleasing which might perswade him to it yea when he is displeased with all things but his own mercy and indeed can be pleased with nothing else when they dishonor his Name wrong his Justice reject his Commands and grieve his Spirit every thing provoketh him yet because his mercy pleaseth him therefore he doth good against evil therefore he overcomes all their evil in goodness Yea When sinners out of their impenitency and malignant enmity of their Spirits would destroy themselves and his mercy also and cast away his compassions his mercy is pleased to honor it self and to save them who is a God like this God and what mercy like this mercy He is not like the Idols of the Heathens even themselvs being witnesses for the followers favorites of Idol Gods who 〈◊〉 upon them in time of prosperity and devote themselves to their Worship yet in the day of distresse their Idols leave them in the lirch and they are forced to look to the Lord for relief Jer. 2. 27. In the time of their trouble they will say Arise and save us But the hope of Israel is not like them when the Disease is most deadly he then cures the condition of the sinner most desperate he then delivers out of the jaws of Satan and botom of Hell he then rescues It s the Prerogative he takes to himself Thy destruction O Israel is of thy self but in me is thy help Hos. 13. 9. It 's that praise which the Saints give as the proper due of the Lord Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thy diseases and Jonah leaves this Cure upon Record after he was landed by the 〈◊〉 Jonah 2. 6. Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God and verse 9. Salvation is of the Lord. Here is a ground of Encouragement to sustain the hearts of such forlorn Creatures as are sunk down in desperate discouragement as past help and hope to provoke them yet to seek out
many prayers promises resolutions continues still yet it may be otherwise saies Hope this holds up the head from sinking the heart from failing But despair takes away this you have tried used the means expected help but you see it comes to nothing nay there is no hope it will ever be set your heart at rest it will never be This stops all the passages that there is no hope for any good or comfort to accrue to the soul. This is the Instrument of death whereby the Enemy at once makes an end of the very life of our comfort The hope of Salvation is made the Helmet of a Christian so the Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 8. Put on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation Well-grounded evidence and assurance of Gods Love in Christ is as it were the head and the highest top of a Christians comfort hope is the Helmet for when our sence and feeling experiences and performances yea our hearts fail in regard of any present sweet or refreshing we have yet hope saies it may be it will be better hereafter and this holds the aking head of a Christian The Devil who ever fights at the head labors to shake our assurance and comfort and if he can dash a mans hopes by despair he kils him dead in the head there is no help nor recovery to be looked for know this and be wary and wise for after times 2. As it dams up the way and stops the passage that there is no possibility of any good to come so it deads all a mans endeavors takes off the edg of a mans abilities puts all out of joynt and off the hooks that there is no striving after a good when there is no hope to attain it All men that are carried by counsel if not fools or mad-men they ever have an end in their eye at which they look and for which they labor this is the white they shoot at the price they run for for this they devise and contrive means and use what they have attained improve what they take in hand in hope the end they have attended may be brought about Now where there is no hope which 〈◊〉 casts off there is no good to be expected therefore no possibility to attain our end therefore no reason to attend our labor in that behalf Why should I se k saies the despairing man when I have no hope to find Why should I spend my labor in praying hearing reading improving any Ordinance when there is no possibility I should speed that ever God should help or hear or bless as good sit still as rise and fall So Cain when he had laid that desperate conclusion My sin is greater than can be forgiven he flies into the Land of Nod drowns himself in sensual delights but forsakes the Lord. The Hope of Good is the Load-stone of a mans labor it carries on our course with speed and resolution So they in Jonah 3. 9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not Therefore do these two things Let not Satan make conclusions from our weaknesses nor do thou listen to them nor beleeve them if he should make them We should be wary not to suffer our selves to be deluded by his false collections Thy Conscience saies thy corruptions are strong and many and of long continuance therefore there is no hopes saies Satan Temptations are violent and subtil saies thy experience thou feelest them so therefore there is no expectation of relief or abatement saies Satan the inference is unreasonable and grosly false the sins of Manassah Paul these Converts in the Text were such and yet such received the work of Grace and Mercy also therefore listen not to him who is the father of lyes Look not to the power of means we do enjoy the abilities we have the performances we take up for we shall find them all broken staves and bruised 〈◊〉 they will not only break under us but pierce us 〈◊〉 they will fail us and our hearts also there is no sufficiency for our succors and therefore no sound ground of Hope But we should keep our eye constantly and continually upon the sufficiency of Gods saving health and incomprehensible power Who is able to do abundantly above all that we can ask or think Eph. 3. 20. Do you not see saies the Enemy the means do not work your prayers do not profit the abilities you have and the endeavors you take up serve rather to encrease your sin than to help you they nor you are able to subdue the least sin to gain the least assurance not able to procure the least peace True be it so Yet God is able Thus our Savior to his Disciples dismayed with the difficulty of the work Lord say they who then can be saved he answers With man it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible Matth. 19. 26. It 's not possible saies Satan so many waies have been tryed so many means used and yet all is in vain Ay but saies Christ though with man and means it is impossible yet with God it is possible Psal. 73. 26. My 〈◊〉 fails and my heart fails but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever So much for that Point We are come now to enquire the Particulars expressed in the Description and here also presented to our view And first touching the sight of sin whereby the sinner is made rightly apprehensive of his own corruption and his condition by reason thereof The Point thence is this There must be a true sight of sin before the heart can be truly broken for it A right apprehension goes before through Contrition The Judgment must be rightly enlightened to see the nature of our sins before the heart can be pierced with that sence and sorrow that is meet This is Gods way which he takes in whose hand it is only to do this work Job 36. 8. to 11. When sinners come to be bound in fetters and holden in cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions wherein they have exceeded and then bows their ear to Discipline and commands them to turn from iniquity So repenting Ephraim prosesseth it was the course the Lord took with him After I was instructed I repented Jer. 31. 19. That which the eye sees not the heart rues not that which is not apprehended by the understanding is not affected by the will so in 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. when 〈◊〉 word comes home in power and plainness so that the thoughts of his heart come to be discovered he falls down and saies God is in you of a Truth The want of this was the reason why the Woman of Samaria manifested such sawcy impudency and peremptory boldness in her conference with our Savior though she could not be ignorant that those abominable loose haunts of hers would call to
at such a time the light of the word broke in upon my soul and after that I never heard the Minister preach but I received somthing and my heart did close with more than I could bear away but I could understand then and remember also ever after that time This is palpably true in cases of Conscience I wil issue this point thus 2 Pet. 2. 9. who hath called you out of darkness to his mervailous light the soul now begins to wonder and to be amazed at the vileness of sin at the frame of his heart at the patience of God that hath suffered him so long and he marvails with himself where he hath been and what he hath been doing all his dayes he is in another world as it were and if ever you have had this work of the spirit calling and turning of you from darkness to light it wil 〈◊〉 you a wondering you will see sin and your self and grace and Christ and the Ordinances and all after another fashion than ever you saw them before How far the sinner may be said to be active in this sight of sin The answer to this may be expressed in severall particulars that that way of God and the work of his spirit may more distinctly be discovered There is a weakness impotencie and insufficiencie in the understanding to reach this right discovery of sin for however there remaynes so much glimmering in the twilight of Natural reason and so much sensibleness in the stupid benummedness of the corrupt conscience of acarnal man that it can both see and sensibly check for some grosser evil or some such sins or venom of sin as crosseth his own peace and Comfort or those ends which he sets up as the chiefest good at which he aymes but to search into the entrales of sin and discern the spiritual composition of the accursed nature therof he can in no wise attayn this by all the labor and light he hath 2. Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things that is these heavenly graces whereof the chief were faith and heavenly knowledg mentioned before he is blind and cannot see afarr of he may like a purblind-man give guess or have a confused conceiving of things after a dym and dazling fashion if the things be neer as the man in the gospel saw men walking like Trees but there be secrets in sin depths in the disstempers of mens hearts which are far removed from outward appearance and ordinary apprehension these he cannot perceive As it is in natural things and the several actions which issue from them each man is able to hear the sound of a mans words to discern the sence and reason of them and wil easily grant from the received principles of reason that they come from a man and evidence undeniably that there is a reasonable soul there which is and must needs be the cause thereof because they are properties that appertain to creatures of that kind alone and argue a life of the highest excellency nor Trees nor beasts can do so It s beyond their kind and the bounds of their ability But what this reasonable soul is in the constitution and composition therof this is further removed from our sence and so from our apprehension and it wil excercise the most sharp and ablest understanding and that furnished with Learning and reading to apprehend or discover so it is in sin when we hear the falsness of mens language when they speak thay care not how to cover their own shame or deny that which might bring danger to them when we see the cruelty and fiercness of their carriage in stealing or killing each man out of ordinary principles will condemn those these be as it were the words and hands of sin Ah but the spirituall pride and soveraignty of will which lifts up it self above the law and will of God justles his holiness and holy command to the wall this is the inward soul of sin thousands which condemn the former have and harbour and maintayn these to their dying day they never saw the evil of them How the sound of their actions strik outwardly they hear and observe but how the wheels of their mind and wil go inwardly and swerve al the day long and all their lives long in the whol inward frame of the whol man they be as far to seek as though there were no such thing The Conscience checks and the worst of men see the loathsomness of the evil if he should stab and take away the Life of a man but every Blasphemer stabs the Lord and yet his Conscience doth not so check him there because he sees the grossness of the one its near but the spiritualness of the other he doth not see it is a far off To stick in the medium and fall short of the object is feebleness That is the proper intendment of the Apostle when he layes open the seebleness of the wisdom of the most Eminent heathen Rom. 1. 21. they knew God but did not glorify him as God but became vayn in their discourse i. e. they fell short of their end of God whom they pretended to worship they missed of him that was their vanitie and they worshipped the creature in the room of God And hence the Prophet expresseth the practice of such as those who be wholly misguided in their course by reason of their mistakes Isay. 5. 20. They call evil good and good evil they put darkness for light and bitter for sweet and therfore it is they are so easily cousened by Satan and do so easily cousen themselves And upon this ground it is though they in Acts. 17. 23. worshipped an unknown God and Paul would have taught them the true God whom they ignorantly worshipped they would follow their own fancies and worship Gods of their own making but the true God blessed for ever they might have heard of him and been instructed concerning him his being and Worship they would not own nor entertain the Apostles Counsel in that behalf nay verse 32. they mocked him when he spake to them of 〈◊〉 things There is an incapability in our minds to receive this spiritual light by which we might be enabled to come to the right discovery of our Corruptions John 1. 5. The Light shined in darkness and the darkness Comprehended it not This is the Condition of every man by Nature So the Apostle ye were darkness Eph. 5. 8. Now one opposite will oppose and resist another but will not nay cannot entertain another and hence the Apostle gives that to be the ground of that resistance against the truth 2 Tim. 3. 8. They are men of corrupt minds therefore they resist the truth as Jannes Jambres did As it is in Nature when any sense hath lost his right temper and wholsome Constitution it is not possible to put forth its operation with any right discerning or discovery of that which comes to it the tast is corrupt the tongue tainted and over-grown
Psal. 19. 7. the law of God makes wise the simple 2. Tim. 3. 15. it's able to make us wise unto Salvation 3 There 's a Sufficiency of God to content and satisfy us Blessed are they who walk in his wayes and blessed are they that keep his Testimonies Psal. 119. 1. 2. Great prosperity have they that love the law and nothing shal offend them ver 16. and in truth there can be no greater reward for doing wel than to be enabled to do well he that hath attayned his last end he cannot go further he cannot be better Now by sin we justle the law out of its place and the Lord out of his Glorious Soveraignty pluck the Crown from his head and the Seepter out of his hand and we say and profess by our practice there is not authority and power there to govern nor wisdom to guide nor good to content me but I wil be swayed by mine own wil and led by mine own deluded reason and satisfied with my own lusts This is the guise of every graceless heart in the commission of sin so Pharaoh who is the Lord I know not the Lord nor will I lett Israel go Exod. 5. 2. in the time of their prosperity see how the Jews turn their backs and shake off the authority of the Lord we are Lords say 〈◊〉 we will come no more at thee Jer. 2. 31. and our tongues are our own who shal be Lords 〈◊〉 us Psal. 12. 4. So for the wisdom of the world see how they set light by it as not worth the looking after it Jer. 18. 12. we wil walk after our own devices we wil every one do the imagination of his own evil heart yea they sett up their own traditions their own Idols and delusions and Lord it over the law making the command of God of none effect Math. 15. 8. 9. So for the goodness of the word Job 22. 17. Mal. 3. 14. It is in vayn to serve God and what profit is there that we have kept his ordinances yea his Commandemnts are ever grievous It s a grievous thing to the loose person he cannot have his pleasures but he must have his guilt and gall with them It s grievous to the worlding that he cannot lay hold on the world by unjust means but Conscience layes hold upon him as breaking the law Thou that knowest and keepest thy pride and stubbornness and thy distempers know assuredly thou dost justle God out of the Throne of his glorious Soveraignty and thou dost profess Not Gods wil but thine own which is above his shall rule thee thy 〈◊〉 reason and the folly of thy mind is above the wisdome of the Lord and that shal guide thee to please thine own stubborn crooked pervers spirit is a greater good than to please God and enjoy happines for this more Contents thee That when thou considerest but thy Course dost thou not wonder that the great and Terrible God doth not pash such a poor insolent worm to pouder and send thee packing to the pitt every moment 2 It smites at the Essence of the Almighty and the desire of the sinner is not only that God should not be supream but that indeed he should not be at all and therefore it would destroy the being of Jehovah Psal. 81. 15. sinners are called the haters of the Lord. John 15. 24. they hated both me and my Father Now he that hates endeavours if it be possible the annihilation of the thing hated and its most certain were it in their power they would pluck God out of Heaven the light of his truth out of their Consciences and the law out of the Societies and Assemblies where they live that they might have elbow room to live as they list Nay what ever they hate most and intend and plott more evil against in al the world they hate God most of all and intend more evil against him than against all their 〈◊〉 besides because they hate all for his sake therefore wicked men are said to destroy the law Psal. 126. 119. the Adulterer loaths that law that condemns uncleaness the Earthworm would destrow that law that forbids Covetousness they are sayd to hate the light John 3. 21. to hate the Saints and Servants of the Lord John 15. 18. the world hates you he that hates the Lanthorn for the lights sake he hates the light much more he that hates the faithful because of the Image of God and the Grace that appears there he hates the God of all Grace and Holiness most of all so God to Zenacharib Isa. 37. 28. I know thy going out and thy Comming in and thy rage against me Oh it would be their content if there was no God in the world to govern them no law to curbe them no justice to punish no truth to trouble them Learn therfore to see how far your rebellions reach It is not arguments you gainsay not 〈◊〉 Counsel of a Minister you reject the command of a 〈◊〉 ye oppose evidence of rule or reason ye 〈◊〉 but be it known to you you fly in the very face of the Almighty and it is not the Gospel of Grace ye would have destroyed but the spirit of Grace the author of Grace the Lord Jesus the God of all Grace that ye hate It crosseth the whol course of Providence perverts the work of the Creature and defaceth the beautiful frame and that sweet correspondence and orderly usefulness the Lord first implanted in the order of things The Heavens deny their influence the Earth her strength the Corn her nourishment thank sin for that Weeds come instead of herbs Cockle and Darnel instead of Wheat thank sin for that Rom. 8. 22. The whol Creature or Creation grones under vanity either cannot do what it would or else misseth of that good and end it intended breeds nothing but vanity brings forth nothing but vexation It crooks all things so as that none can straiten them makes so many wants that none can supply them Eccles. 1. 15. This makes crooked Servants in a family no 〈◊〉 can rule them 〈◊〉 inhabitants in towns crooked members in Congregations ther 's no ordering nor joynting of them in that comly accord and mutual subjection know they said the adversary sin hath done all this Man was the mean betwixt God and the Creature to convey all good with all the constancy of it and therefore when Man breaks Heaven and Earth breaks all asunder the Conduit being cracked and displaced there can be no conveyance from the Fountain In regard of our selves see we and consider nakedly the nature of sin in Four particulars It s that which makes a separation between God and the soul breaks that Union and Communion with God for 〈◊〉 we were made and in the enjoyment of which we should be blessed and happie Isai. 59. 1. 2. Gods ear is not heavy that it cannot hear nor his hand that it cannot help but your iniquities have separated betwixt God and
you your sins have hid his face that he wil not hear for he professeth Psal. 5. 4. that he is a God that wills not wickedness neither shal iniquity dwell with him Into the new Jerusalem shal no unclean thing enter but without shal be doggs Rev. 21. 27. The Dogs to their Kennel and Hogs to their Sty and Mire but if an impenitent wretch should come into Heaven the Lord would go out of Heaven Iniquity shall not dwell with sin That then that deprives me of my greatest good for which I came into the world and for which I live and labor in the world and without which I had better never to have been born nay that which deprives me of an universal good a good that hath all good in it that must needs be an evil but have all evil in it but so doth sin deprive me of God as the Object of my will and that wills all good and therefore it must bring in Truth all evil with it Shame takes away my Honor Poverty my Wealth Persecution my Peace Prison my Liberty Death my Life yet a man may still be a happy man lose his Life and live eternally But sin takes away my God and with him all good goes Prosperity without God will be my poyson Honor without him my bane nay the word without God hardens me my endeavor without him profits nothing at all for my good A Natural man hath no God in any thing and therefore hath no good It brings an incapability in regard of my self to receive good and an impossibility in regard of God himself to work my spiritual good while my sin Continues and I Continue impenitent in it An incapability of a spiritual blessing Why trangress ye the Commandement of the Lord that ye cannot prosper do what ye can 2 Chron. 24. 20. And He that being often reproved hardens his heart shal be consumed suddenly and there is no remedy He that spils the Physick that should cure him the meat that should nourish him there is no remedy but he must needs dye so that the Commission of sin makes not only a separation from God but obstinate resistance and continuance in it maintains an infinit and everlasting distance between God and the soul So that so long as the sinful resistance of thy soul continues God cannot vouchsafe the Comforting and guiding presence of his grace because it 's cross to the Covenant of Grace he hath made which he will not deny and his Oath which he will not alter So that should the Lord save thee and thy Corruption carry thee and thy proud vnbeleeving heart to heaven he must nullify the Gospel Heb. 5. 9. He 's the Author of Salvation to them that 〈◊〉 him and forswear himself Heb. 3. 18. He hath sworn unbeleevers shall not enter into his rest he must cease to be just and holy and so to be God As Saul said to Jonathan concerning David 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. So long as the Son of Jesse lives thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom So do thou plead against thy self and with thy own soul So long as these rebellious distempers continue Grace and Peace and the Kingdom of Christ can never be established in thy heart For this obstinate resistance differs nothing from the plagues of the state of the damned when they come to the highest measure but that it is not yet total and final there being some kind of abatement of the measure of it and stoppage of the power of it Imagine thou sawest the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds and heardest the last trump blow Arise ye dead and come to judgment Imagine thou sawest the Judg of all the World sitting upon the Throne thousands of Angels before him and ten thousands ministring unto him the Sheep standing on his right hand and the Goats at the left Suppose thou heardest that dreadful Sentence and final Doom pass from the Lord of Life whose Word made Heaven and Earth and will shake both Depart from me ye cursed How would thy heart shake and sink and die within thee in the thought thereof wert thou really perswaded it was thy portion Know that by thy dayly continuance in sin thou dost to the utmost of thy power execute that Sentence upon thy soul It 's thy life thy labor the desire of thy heart and thy dayly practice to depart away from the God of all Grace and Peace and turn the Tomb-stone of everlasting destruction upon thine own soul. It 's the Cause which brings all other evils of punishment into the World and without this they are not evil but so far as sin is in them The sting of a trouble the poyson and malignity of a punishment and affliction the evil of the evil of any judgment it is the sin that brings it or attends it Jer. 2. 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back slidings shall réprove thee know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing that 〈◊〉 hast forsaken the Lord. Jer. 4. 18. Thy waies and doings have procured these things unto thee 〈◊〉 it is bitter and reacheth unto the heart Take miseries and crosses without sin they are like to be without a sting the Serpent without poyson ye may take them and make Medicines of them So Paul 1 Cor. 15. 55. he plaies with death it self sports with the 〈◊〉 Oh death where is thy sting Oh Grave where is thy Victory the sting of death is sin All the harmful annoyance in sorrows and punishments further than either they come from sin or else tend to it they are rather improvements of what we have than parting with any thing we do enjoy we rather lay out our conveniences than seem to lose them yea they encrease our Crown and do not diminish our Comfort Blessed 〈◊〉 ye when men revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my sake for great is your reward in Heaven Matth. 5. 11. There is a blessing in persecutions and reproaches when they be not mingled with the deserts of our sins yea our momentary short affliction for a good cause and a good Conscience works an excessive exceeding weight of Glory If then sin brings all evils and makes all evils indeed to us then is it worse than all those evils It brings a Curse upon all our Comforts blasts all our blessings the best of all our endeavors the use of all the choycest of all Gods Ordinances it 's so evil and vile that it makes the use of all good things and all the most glorious both Ordinances and Improvements evil to us Hag. 2. 13. 14. When the Question was made to the Priest If one that is unclean by a dead Body touch any of the holy things shall it be unclean And he answered Yea. So is this People and so is this Nation before me saith the Lord and so is every work of their hands and that which they offer is unclean If any good
with a fals-harted 〈◊〉 as it did with the wife of Jeroboam when she came to enquire of her sick Child all the while she had received no certain evidence whether it would 〈◊〉 or live her heart was 〈◊〉 and comforted in her present hopes But when Abijah the Prophet related the message of the Lord Come in thou wife of Jeroboam why fainest thou thy self to be another behold I am sent to thee with heavy 〈◊〉 the Lord 〈◊〉 bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam and wil cut off him that is left get thee home to thy house and assoon as thy feet enter into thy house the Child shal dy this sunk her hopes so fares it with a fals-harted ignorant sinner he may be quieted with the persent appresion of his good condition when he hath no evidence to the contrary But when the Lord sets up an overpouring conviction in the mind which may give in 〈◊〉 and infallible witness of its 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 estate 〈◊〉 thou fals-hearted hypocrite why 〈◊〉 thou thy self to be another and befoolest thy self with vayn hopes behold here is heavy tidings sent unto thee from the Lord of hosts thou art yet in the gal of bitterness in the bond of iniquity and if thou diest so thou 〈◊〉 certainly 〈◊〉 from the presence of the Lord for ever This fastening the truth upon the conscience comes home and forceth the heart to feel and to be affected therewith Ignorance frustrates wholly the end of all the means we use and the endeavours we take up for reformation of the evills of our hearts and lives For. 1. First it misleads all our endeavors that they succeed not it misleads our whol course and our proceedings against our sins and out of mistakes presents our corruption as appearing sweet through our misguided apprehension and causes us to oppose our Saviour Christ and his truth that would subdue them This Paul professed to be the ground of his 〈◊〉 carriage when he should have persecuted the enemies of the Church he 〈◊〉 the Church and that out of 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. 6 concerning zeal I persecuted the Church so far from finding his sin bitter to him 〈◊〉 having his heart broken from it as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the practice of it with the greatest expression of zeal as that which deserved the best of his endeavour and wherein he might spend the best of his pains and that you may see how ready we are in the dark to put up Snakes in our bosoms instead of sweet 〈◊〉 He nakedly and ingeniously confessed whither his 〈◊〉 led I did verily think in my self I should do many things against the Name of Jesus Acts. 26. He that conceived it as a matter of duty to do such things his heart upon such grounds under such delusions would never be carryed against these Ignorance wil make a man swallow the worst 〈◊〉 any change 1 John 16. 2. the time will come that they who shall kill you will think they do God good service that which keeps the soul insensible of the bitterness of sin and from feeling of the weight of sin that will also keep it from being weary of it and willing to part with it It 's a popish practice and a principle of the power of darkness Ignorance is the Mother of devotion when men cannot tell how to lead themselves or see their own way you may lead them 〈◊〉 way you wil and if once Satan can keep a man from the sight of his sin he wil keep him sure under the command of sin and drive him to do his drudgery and that with delight and resolution when the Phylistians had put out Sampsons eyes they led him whither they would and made him do what they would Paul in his ignorance strikes a Friend instead of an Enemy and strikes he neither knowes nor 〈◊〉 who Acts. 9 who art thou Lrod 2 As thus ignorance misleads a mans whol course that it succeds not so it perverts the power of all means that they profit not misapplies al the means he hath and so spoyles them and his own peace and comfort also insomuch that his corruptions grow more strong and incorporated into him and he more unwilling to part with them and that 's the fruit of ignorance the promises and comforts of the Gospel which do not appertain to him he catcheth greedily at them as a portion provided for 〈◊〉 and goes away with that dream and swels unmeasurably 〈◊〉 presumption and self-confidence Are not al the Congregation holy what needs this severing and differencing of men what are 〈◊〉 who would be the only Saints are not we al sinners and Christ dyed for such and for us as wel as for them the threatnings and curses which the Lord denounceth against the ungodly 〈◊〉 cast them away with a fearless contempt as such as do in no wise touch them or concern 〈◊〉 particulars and therefore should not trouble them tush say they we have made a league with death and a covenant with Hell and when the destroying scourge passeth over it shal not come near to them Isay. 28. 15. yea they do commit evil and yet say they are delivered by the Lord Jer. 7. Thus they grow 〈◊〉 and hard hearted the wholsom counsels and directions of the word which should be light unto their feet and a discovery of al their failings they slight the exact attendance thereunto as that which God wil not exact at their hands because in many things we sin al and so become careless or negligent as though they should not answer and the Lord would not exact what they cannot do It s with an ignorant sinner in the midst of all means as with a sick man remaining in an Apothecaries shop ful of choycest 〈◊〉 in the darkest night though there be the choycest af all receipts at hand and he may take what he needs yet because he cannot see what he takes and how to use them he may kill himself or encrease his distempers but never cure any disease so here with an ignorant person he enjoyes al means and yet abuses them he may encrease his corruptions but not reform them his heart grows more hard and his corruptions more strong but he cannot in reason expect any help Hence we learn by way of Instruction An ignorant 〈◊〉 is a naughty heart whether out of blindness they do not or out of prophaness they wil not understand and look into their estates He that never saw his sin aright he never yet saw good day nor the least appearance of any saving work of Gods grace in his soul yea he is so far from attaining such a condition that in truth he is not in the way to it We wil go no further than the consideration of the former truth and then let thy Conscience be judg in the case propounded Suppose then thou shouldest hear a distressed creature under the terror of his Conscience freely and ingeniously lay open his condition unto thee The day is yet
to dawn and the hour yet to come that ever he was touched with any sence of sinful rebellions never yet Godly sorrow came into my soul nor remorse into my Conscience for al my many 〈◊〉 before God and men wounds of Conscience burdens of spirit and brokenness of heart for our daily departures and provocations they are wonders and riddles I have heard of such dispositions but am a stranger to the having of the least work that way I appeal to thy own Conscience what wouldest thou think of such a party who thus confesseth and is as he confesseth me thinks I hear thee answering and thy heart shaking before thou givest it What! senceless of his sin how fearful is his estate Where there is no sence there can be no sorrow no repentance therefore no Christ nor pardon nor Salvation for unless ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Never broken God will never bind so far from being good that he is not yet in the way to receive any good Wo unto him that hath thus sinned and thus continues Oh poor ignorant Creature thine own mouth hath condemned thee thou hast past 〈◊〉 against thine own soul thou never hadst a true sight of thy sins therefore thou couldest never have a true sence of them or sorrow for them thou never hadest a sound apprehension thou canst not have a through contrition for them It came not near thy heart to break it when it never touched it in Truth nay it never was within thy ken to see it in aright manner See yet thy misery further in enlarged these several Degrees following There is no evil thou canst prevent no good thoucanst receive no mercy thou canst expect and when thou hast looked sadly upon these thou wilt have thy load Liable thou art to all the hazards that Devils can devise or intend men endeavor or thy self deserve A blind man is subject to all kind of injurious dealings from the feeblest persons yea from Children plot they may he cannot perceive do they may he cannot avoid It is so with an ignorant person in his Spiritual condition he is a prey to his sins and a spoyl in the hands of Satan that catcheth him at his pleasure and carrieth him headlong and hood-winked to everlasting destruction every snare entraps him allurement intangles him temptation foils him he can see nothing prevent nothing but goes like an Ox to the slaughter and a Fool to the stocks and knows nothing Nay were there no Devils to tempt thee thou wouldest run into all evils of thine own accord An ignorant heart like a blind man stumbles at every block fals into every ditch yea rusheth with greediness to the practice of the most hellish evils It was the Jews case out of ignorance they chose Barabbas a Murderer and rejected the Lord of Life they were violent to take away his blood that came to take away their sins and this out of ignorance for so our Savior in his prayer Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23. 34. He that walks in darkness knows not whither be goes though he go to Hell 1 John 2. 11. There is no good he can receive from any means remaining in this blindness Counsels do not take place 〈◊〉 cannot perswade Judgments Threatnings do no awaken Admonitions Exhortation are of no force they are beyond the reach of all these they cannot come at them therefore cannot work upon them But as in some desperate diseases when they are come to the greatest extremity as in a Quinsie when it hath swelled beyond measure that speaking and swallowing are wholly hindred each man that sees will easily conceive and conclude Alas he is but a dead man he can take nothing therefore it 's not possible he can continue The Disease indeed is curable but how should his Physick cure him or his Diet nourish him if he can take neither there is no good to be expected to be done when he can take nothing that can do him good So it is in the soul ignorance stops the passage of the power and work of al Gods Ordinances There is no corruption but the means are mighty through God to relieve if they could be taken were the heart proud if the Word were received and welcomed it would humble it if stubborn it would meeken and calm it if unclean it would purge it But ignorance stops al the passages intercepts the work of the Word the understanding conceives it not and the heart cannot profit by it nor be bettered therewith There is no Mercy thou canst expect And this is able to 〈◊〉 a mans heart and hopes in irrecoverable discouragements for though our endeavors prevail not means prosper not yet mercy can outbid both and relieve beyond both but if mercy suffer thee to be blinded mercy wil suffer thee to be damned It 's Gods own resolution expressed Isai. 27. 11. They are a people that have no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them nay he will shew no mercy to them It 's the determination he hath 〈◊〉 as a conclusion beyond controul Hos. 4. 14. The people that do not understand shall perish It 's the last execution he will put forth 2 Thes. 1. 8. He will come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know him not They are the mark in the first place against which the fiercest of his fury expresseth it self They that wil not now see their sins by the word they shall be forced to see them and to look them over by the flames of 〈◊〉 at the day of Judgment Hence again it follows To be hard to be convicted is a dangerous sin and a dreadful curse to the party that is tainted with such a disposition of spirit We wil go no further than the Doctrine delivered and that will give in undeniable evidence to both parts of the collection 1 To be hard to be convinced is a dangerous sin and that more waies than one He sins against his own soul the happiness and peace of it as being accessary and that in a special manner to his own everlasting ruine and imbrewed his hands in his own blood as it were when the helps that God hath appointed provided and now also presents before him and puts into his hands he willingly yea wilfully rejects refuseth the use of them and opposeth the work of them and so consequently his spiritual good that might come thereby When the Patient out of sullenness and waywardness of spirit refuseth the Physick or Diet provided for his good at last Nature becomes so low that he is utterly disenabled to take it and so is starved and 〈◊〉 each man concludes he was accessary to his own death So when God hath sent his faithful Servants to admonish thee his Ministers to convince that gainsaying Spirit of thine to ransack the corruption of thy cankered Conscience so that the core might have been searched and thy distempers 〈◊〉 Who knows what good might
is the way that God hath appointed and he wil bless the order which he hath set in his infinite wisdom and which he wil prosper If you would find his blessing walk in his way if you expect success attend his order and direction which he hath left to bring us to his Christ and so to life and happiness If you see not your sins you are in hazard never to see good day while you live nor when you dye Christ is said to stand at the dore and knock and if any man wil open unto him he wil come in and supp with him Rev. 3. 20. Saving Contrition is a shooting back the boults of our base lusts a severing and unlocking the heart from the Soveraignty of ones noysom Corruptions that stop the passage and hinder the coming of our Saviour this clear and convicting sight of our sins is as it were the lifting up of the latch or letting in of the Key the powerful dispensation of the truth and operation of his spirit whereby the knot and combination between sin and the soul is broken and severed and the way made that the authority of the truth may come at the heart and work kindly upon it for good An error here in the entrance is hardly ever recovered to miss here is mervailous dangerous it spoyles our whol proceeding in the great work of our calling and everlasting comfort as the naturallist and Physitian observe an error in the first concoction is never recovered in the second for the Lord in his wisdom and the course of nature hath so ordayned that each part doth that which is its proper and peculiar work but doth not rectify or redress that which was done amiss by another and so the goodness of the nourishment is never recovered or the body strengthened or health so comfortably preserved herby as were to be desired So it is in the entrance of 〈◊〉 great work of preparation for Christ and our effectual bringing home unto him never see sin aright the soul cannot be affected with it in a right manner never truly see the need of a Savior never seek after him or come to him this through sight of sin is as it were the setting open of the window whereby the light and good of the truth and the loath 〈◊〉 of sin is laid open unto the soul and comes in a main upon the Conscience to prevayl with it whereas shut this window and stop this passage the soul is cooped up in the dungeon of darkness and delusion be the ordinances never so powerful the means never so effectual there 〈◊〉 no coming into the heart no hope to work upon it or to prevail with it for good the evil of sin is not acknowledged and therefore not prevented that which his reason cannot see a man cannot shun the excellency and necessity of a Christ is not discerned and therefore not endeavoured after as were meet It befalls the soul smote with this spiritual blindness as with the Assyrian Host when they came to surprize Elisha 2 Kings 18. 19. 20. He prayed Lord smite this people with blindness he did so and they saw nothing before they were in the midst of their enemyes so here when the sinner is misguided by the dimness of his deluded mind he goes on in an evil way and knowes not whither he goes or where he is before he be in the botintoless pit Oh be wise and wary therefore that we err not here least we rush into ruine and that past alrecovery Expect then Gods blessing upon our endeavour but in Gods order attend his work in his own way It is the aym of our Saviour in sending and the office of the Holy Ghost in coming into the world when he intends to work effectually the saving good of his people to intitle them to the pardon of their sins and to establish their hearts under the government of his spirit John 16. 7. 8. If I depart I wil send the Comforter and when he is come he wil reprove he wil convince and set down the world by 〈◊〉 conviction of sin of righteousness of judgment of righteousness that the law is satisfied justice answered and that fully because he that was in prison is now released and therefore the debt payd and he gone to heaven to his Father Of judgment the power of his Kingdom government erected and set up in the soules of his servants and children in that by death he overcame him that had the power of death that is the Devill and therefore he is judged and falls in his cause as having no right nor in reason can challenge no rule in the hearts of those for whom Christ hath satisfied divine justice and therefore are free from that authority that sin and Satan had of them thereby But before we can share either in the righteousness of Christ for our justification or the rule of his spirit in our Sanctification the Holy Ghost must and doth convince us of sin that we have rejected and not entertained this Saviour If we do not convictingly see our sin in settling upon the root of our Corrupt rebellions and casting away the riches of Christs mercy the rule of his Grace it s not possible that those spiritual benefits should ever be made ours As ever therefore you desire to see and find the mercies of Christ sealed up unto your Consciences in pardoning of sins and acceptation of your persons As ever you would find the Kingdom of Satan cast down in your hearts and the government of his Grace and spirit there set up labor for this clear and convicting sight of sin begin you where the Holy spirit begins that you may find his presence with you his effectual power and blessing to accompany your endeavours in that way Catch not disorderly at pardon look not for peace of Conscience or hope to see the government of Christs Grace set up in your souls before you come to 〈◊〉 your sins by convicting evidence of the Holy Ghost The holy spirit of Grace wil not cross his course to gratify our Corruption That I may further set on the exhortation I shal endeavour to do these two things First To propound some means to help in 〈◊〉 work Secondly Some motives to quicken you therein The means are these that follow First Labor we to see that unconceivable excellency of holiness that is in the Lord and search we into the 〈◊〉 and the righteous laws there recorded for the direction of our daily course and that wil make us see the loathsomness of our own hearts and the vileness of 〈◊〉 As it s said of darkness it cannot be seen by it self but its light that discovers it self and darkness It s as true of sin it is not by it self to be discerned for it is spiritual darkness the light of Gods Holiness and wisdom which by sin are wronged and the law which is transgressed these are both lights God is light and in
him is no darkness John 1. 5. The law is a light and the Commandement a lamp unto our feet Prov. 6. 23. And by the sight of both these we come to have a ful discerning of sin which is opposite to them both Our ignorance of God breeds the ignorance of our own hearts and the hidden waies of wickedness and the cunning conveyances of corrupt distempers which are there in Psal. 14. 1. 2. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and then it followes they are become abominable he makes bones of no sins at al for herein lies the spiritualness or spiritual evil of sins and that hidden poyson and malignity of the corruption of our natures that they justle professedly against the Almighty so far as he is pleased to communicate himself unto us in the waies of his Holiness and goodness Thus the blasphemer is said to pierce God by his oaths Levit. 24. 11. and the wicked are said to walk contrary to him Levit. 26. to 〈◊〉 him to weary him to load him while then we see not him whom we do oppose by our sins no wonder that we neither see nor are sensible of the sins by which we do oppose him Whereas could we grope after the Almighty as the Apostle professeth we may because he is not far from any of us nay in him we live and move in every spiritual action of our minds and hearts So that did but a wicked man or could he perceive that in every thought of his mind motion of his wil stirring of any affection that he did justle with the infinite Holiness and purity of the Lord who meets with him in every action and motion of his mind and wil It were able to sink the soul of a sinful creature and make him sit down confounded in the sight of the loathsomness of his own 〈◊〉 nature as being wholly opposite to so infinite a good in all he is or doth thus it was with Job when the Lord had schooled him out of the whirlwind discovered the surpassing excellency of his Glory to him he puts him beyond al pleas of his own worth Job 40. 4. Behold I am vile yea more expresly he gives this as the reason of the discovery of his own wretchedness I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine eye sees thee wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes Job 42. 4. So it was with the Corinth who was convinced by the preaching of the Word he saw God before he saw the secret vileness of his own heart presented to his view 1 Cor. 14. 24. God is in you of a truth Search we into the holy Law of God and examine our hearts and lives thereby and see how far they stand guilty of the breach thereof but view the compass of the Law and what is vertually contained therein for though the words are few yet the things are many that are comprehended in them And especially look not at the Letter but at the Spiritual Sense and Mind of the Almighty in each thing there required that the whol heart must close with God and his Will as the chiefest good look at and lift up his Glory as his last end in every duty we do and that we make a breach in al those particulars in every sin we do commit our heart is not with him nor make we choyce of him set not up his Name but seek our own base ends thereby and serve our selves and not him By this narrow search and dayly observation of our dayly course we shal be able to see the frame of our hearts and carriages presented to our view and so discern to the ful the loathsomness of those noysom 〈◊〉 that leprosie-like overspreads our whol man Thus James adviseth James 1. 25. that we should look our selves into the Law of Liberty that is a Cristal and cleer Glass and wil discover what is amiss even to a mote the smallest sins and 〈◊〉 and that unto their ful view Paul a learned Pharisee he saw more of sin and more of himself by the Law than either 〈◊〉 conceived or suspected to 〈◊〉 to him Rom. 7. 7. 9. I had not known that lust had been sin but that the Law saith Thou shalt not 〈◊〉 nor did he think himself bad or his condition so miserable but when the Law came that is the light and discovery of the Law he perceived his sin alive but himself dead When the Lord in any Ordinance by the Truth shall discover our sins our Conscience shall come in as a witness to 〈◊〉 or as a Sergeant and Officer by Commission from the Almighty to arrest and condemn us for any evil we should attend both to see Gods mind to the utmost therein and then it 's certain we shal see We must beware that neither out of carnal fear nor sensual security of our sinful hearts we be willing to lay aside the evidence of the truth as content not to hearken to the Verdict of it 〈◊〉 desirous not to listen to the dictate of Conscience but to shake off the Consideration of either lest we should sink down in discouragement It 's certain Truth is terrible and the Dictates of Conscience are dreadful when they come with Commission from the Almighty yet true it is walking humbly under Gods hand we should be so far from fearing the discovery of our sins that we should be comforted in this that they are discovered to us and we should compose our hearts in quietness with the right consideration of the manner of Gods dealing in this kind and commune with our selves on this manner It 's a fearful thing indeed to fall into the hands of the Almighty who is a consuming fire but yet herein the faithfulness of the Lord is seen he deals so with me as he doth with those that he intends good unto he makes His see their sins and that 〈◊〉 before they ever see his pardon of them or power against them if he never convinceth he never 〈◊〉 He sent his holy Spirit into the World for this purpose to perform the work this is the way to Grace and Christ I bless his Name I am in the way I wil hearken to the Evidence of the Truth that I may understand al that God intends and listen to the checks of Conscience that I may know to the full the Nature of my sin When we have a little inkling either by an Ordinance or Conscience take hold of the least intimation and leave it not until you come to the bottom and perceive the utmost vileness in such a course It was so with David who took hold of the reproof of the Prophet Nathan and though he mentioned but one thing wherein the grosness and greatness of the evil appeared yet hence he took occasion to overlook his whol course to consider every circumstance and to ravel out all until he came to the bottom he confesseth al the falsness of his heart
is more store of Commodities in the Ware-house yet the false light of the Shop makes them so much the worse because it makes them not appear as they are words darkens much of the Truth that is in the heart which would make against sin and covers and colers over that which is evil that it might not appear to be such that the heart purposeth and concludes certainly it wil have it because it likes it yet could a man but hear the privy Verdict which knowledg and conscience gives 1. He should see them consenting to the Truth 2. Condemning the wil of sin Reason tels the heart this is the way and the will of God and you should not reject it this is your Duty and Gods Command you perish for it if you do oppose here Truth appears as wel as distempers But when the Cause comes to be 〈◊〉 and pleaded outwardly by words the tongue hides the verdict of knowledg and conscience suffers not their testimony or the Truth once to come to light But the corruption that the heart would have it pleads for it under the color and pretence of that which is Lawful and allowable So much light and knowledg as would discover the sin that is suppressed The evil that was there suppressed that is by color of cunning and false words varnished over and pleaded for under pretence of that which is good and Lawful So that here is a double evil more in our words than in our hearts 1. A Silencing of the Truth when the testimony of Judgment and Conseience must not come to light 2. Coloring of the loathsomness of sin that it might not appear like it self by the paint and varnish of lying words Thus some translate that of James and though it be not the ful meaning yet I see not but it is part of the meaning The tongue is a world of evil James 3. 6. is an ornament of evil when lying language 〈◊〉 fair colors and pretences upon foul and unlawful practices So the paint of words hides the foul visage of sin Thus you shal observe in the Scribes and 〈◊〉 Acts 4. 16 17. It 's manifest to all and cannot be denied yet that it spread no further let us streightly 〈◊〉 them that they speak no more in this name If 〈◊〉 Consciences might have been heard to speak they would have testefied that the wonder is great and argues the Finger of God and the worth of the men and that it should be published and God honored but their tongue turnes it another way this man is but an Impostor his name must not be had in regard his person in respect so it was with them they would have forced the blind man to have spoken against our Savior John 9. 24. This man is a sinner give Glory to God and so endeavored to have him deny the truth of the miracle which in their own hearts they did undoubtedly acknowledge so it was with the false witnesses packed by Jezabel let Conscience be examined and suffered to give in evidence and you see the truth Did Nabal blaspheme God and the King no is he worthy to dy no Is it not treachery for any to plot and pretend this It is so saies Conscience there is no truth at all but treacherie but their false tongues hide the truth and put an appearance of truth upon that which is false Somtimes a man out of an ignorant custom or neglect holds forth more evil in his words than he either conceives or attends in his own apprehension this is usual amongst Children conversing with naughty and leud company they speak the evil words they hear frequently with their mates when they know not what they speak or what the words imply that they speak It may possibly be conceived that many of those children who cryed to Elisha come down thou bald pate 2 Kings 2. 23. spake what was commonly said amongst their Parents not knowing the evil of the words they spake All the while the evil is Confined and concealed in the closet of the heart it 's not dangerous nor yet infectious to any but only to the soul of the party that harbours it But when the wickedness of the heart walks abroad in our words and communication it conveyes a taint and pollution with it And herein lyes a greater evil in our words than in our hearts in point of infection the heart is like a dunghil of noysom abominations but our speech and words let out the steem of it which is able to annoy al that are in presence or pass by with the stench of it Compare the evil of our words with our practice also it wil appear that in many particulars the scales wil be cast this way and the 〈◊〉 of the evil wil ly here Our words are as it were the panders and provokers more universally to al kinds of evil than our practice can be There be many sins that come not within the compass of our practice as errours false opinions and those that do they come not within our power or possibility for the while But there is no error so gross no delusion so loathsom but our speech can vent and broach it No practice so 〈◊〉 but by our words and communication we can present it together with al the occasion to the heart to draw forth those sinful inclinations there to linger after and to seek for opportunity to commit it 1 Cor. 15. 33. Evil words corrupt good manners and the Apostle specifies none but implies a taint and pollution of al the sting of the Serpent we know spreads over the whol body taints al the blood at an instant so there is the poyson of Asps that is under the lips of the ungodly So the Apostle James 3. 6. the tongue amongst the members defiles the whol body Conference and Communication affects the whol man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up the heart to effect the head to plot 〈◊〉 eye to look the hand to work c. Speech drives the chollerick man into a passion the melancholick man into discontent the loose and vain person to be transported with his lusts and uncleanness Therfore the same Apostle compares it to a 〈◊〉 vers 5. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth a spark of fire sets a whol house a whol town on a flame before one be aware As wordstaint more universally so they 〈◊〉 of greater force and prevail more powerfully draw more effectually to the commission of evil the sin is committed and the commission leaves a scandalous example behind it and that as it were passively and in silence presents itself to the memory of him that attends it but our words do not passively present a thing to the view of another but awaken him and work upon and actively and prevailingly cal out any inclination to an evil and that with 〈◊〉 and overbearing importunity Examples only offer the bait if the heart wil nibble and take it but words perswasions take hold upon a man
our minds whereby the eye of our understanding is more cleerly enlightened to see our sins and our misery in them He that joyns many fires together they wil not only warm him but scorch him if he stand neer them So it is with the Word which is a fire the joynt Testimony of so many Scriptures or so many 〈◊〉 Admonitions taken and applied neer as those which attend our Particular they wil not only warm and affect the heart a little slightly but scorch a mans Conscience with the terror as wel as cleer a mans apprehension with the light that is one thing in the 1 Cor. 14. 24. The simple Ideot when he comes before God in the Assembly and the Word is published and seconded the Text 〈◊〉 he is judged of all and condemned of all and so the thoughts of his heart are made man fest and 〈◊〉 falls down and saies these sins are mine I have committed them all these plagues and threatnings and judgments are mine I have deserved the Lord should lay them upon me all this guilt belongs to me how shal I answer it or be able to undergo it All these thus taken home by Spiritual application become as so many weights added to the burden which makes it unsupportable Look as it is in Chyrurgery it 's not enough to have the Salve and apply it yea and bind it also but it must be 〈◊〉 renewed and so quickened and then it wil work 〈◊〉 and marvelous forcibly So it is when by our own conviction and the dispensation of the Ministry the light of our apprehension is made more cleer by the instruction of the Word the strength of our own conviction established by the conviction of the Word we apply afresh follow them and fasten them afresh upon our souls and that makes them prevail more effectually than before like a fresh gale it makes us go faster on the way we intended Make and keep the evil of sin really present in thine apprehension and that 's the last way to see the vileness of it and find the venom of it in its greatest efficacy It was the Observation of the Natural Phylosophers and Experience and Reason gives in approbation of the course the neerer we bring an Object of evil to our view the more it affects and stirs the heart of him that beholds when they would terrifie a Malefactor and wrest out a confession of Truth they 〈◊〉 the gibbets and instruments of Death that be prepared set him upon the Rack make him ascend the Ladder that the neerness of the evil now approaching may strike terror and fasten fear and dread upon his Soul deal thou so with thine own heart for thy spiritual good See the evil of sin in the execution of it upon others and set them before thine eyes and act it also upon thy self by a through consideration of thine own course Set the evil of sin before thine Eyes in the execution of it upon others This was the advice the Lord gives to the rebellious and unbeleeving Jews 〈◊〉 he would have them sensible of the danger of their own 〈◊〉 he sends them to see the ruine that sin hath 〈◊〉 the havock it hath wrought in the places of greatest renown persons of greatest respect for their 〈◊〉 and account before God and men Jer. 7. 12. Go now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I set my Name at the first and see what I have done to it for the wickedness of my people Israel Though that was the place of my Worship where in my Name and Honor was great and therefore might in reason be preserved they the people of my choyce and 〈◊〉 ones and therefore might expect pity and commiseration yet were destroyed and laid wast without remedy and recovery So will I do to this house which is called by my Name in which you trust and unto the place which I gave unto you and your Fathers as I have done unto Shiloh So also when he would make them see the loathsomness of their unnatural departing away from him to other gods he sends them to other Nations that they may convince and condemn them for their course so contrary to reason and the very carriage of the Heathen Jer. 2. 10. Pass over to the 〈◊〉 of Kittim and send unto Kedar c. Not that they should make a Journey thither by their bodily presence but send their thoughts afar off and in serious consideration present those evils really to their own view see what sin hath done to others and be perswaded it wil bring the like evil upon their own souls Let me so speak to thee and do thou so practice Go thou hard-hearted sinner to the red Sea and hear there Pharaoh belching out his blasphemy against the Lord Who is Jehovah I know not Jehovah nor will I let 〈◊〉 go See there the Wheels of his Chariots taken off and he and his Egyptians crying and flying Let us fly from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them See them drowning and dying and their dead Carkasses cast upon the shore This is the hideous and direful destruction that hardness of heart hath wrought Go thou rebellious sinner into the Wilderness into the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram See them rising up against the Lord and his Officers and reproaching their persons and proceedings Ye take too much upon you ye sons of Levi seeing all the Congregation are holy Numb 16. 4. Stay but a while and see them standing in their Tent doors they and theirs and see presently the Earth opening and swallowing up them and all that appertained unto them they went down alive to the pit 〈◊〉 to Hel And hear al Israel flying at the cry of them lest the Earth swallow us up also See the others that offered Incense burning in the 〈◊〉 and see what rebellion against God his Officers and Ordinances works Go thou proud hearted wretch to Babylon see Nebuchadnezzar walking and vaunting himself upon the top of the Turret 〈◊〉 wildering amongst the Beasts of the field and from thence pass on to the Pallace of Herod See him set upon his Throne venting his venom against the dear Servants of the Lord and the people crying The voyce of God and not of man Acts 12. 22. he taking the Honor to himself in his heart and not giving it to God Follow him thence into his Chamber and see him breathing out his heart upon the bed of sorrow the Lice eating out his 〈◊〉 Go thou covetous Earthly-minded 〈◊〉 to Jerusalem unto Judas hear him there plotting and bargaining with the Scribes and Pharisees 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus the Lord of 〈◊〉 for thirty pieces of Silver see him 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Money and so betraying his Master follow him thence into the High-Priests Hall see his pale face his ghastly looks and shaking hands hear him yelling out of the horror of his heart I have sinned Matth. 27. 3 4. See him flinging his money away and follow
of the good we would do and the comfort we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore we should go aside and plead the sentence of the desiled leaper behold I am unclean I am unclean Levit. 13. 45. every man fayles in this let every man ingeniously own and acknowledg his sin and that 's the best way to make us to be humbled and abased for it let every man lay his hand upon his heart take it to himself Oh this laying aside the duty of meditation it s my sin so say yee husbands and answer yee wives it s our sin also speak yee parents to your 〈◊〉 this is our sin we have not practised nor taught it answer the children and confess no wonder we did not know it therefore never did it nor never could endeavor after it And it s our shame each man hath a mind and can spend it unweariably where he setts himself set but the covetous man about the world the voluptuous man about his pleasure each man about his comforts and conveniences and we sit at it nay no man wil suffer his thoughts to be taken off from these they eat with them drink with them walk with them talk with them What a loathsom thing is it others muse how to commit sin and we not how to redress it they meditate how to contrive their own ruin and shal not we how to prevent it Shortly there be two sorts of people whom this matter of complaint may especially concern and those are either such 1. Who stand in professed opposition to this practice 2. Who continue in an open neglect thereof and conceive they may have a dispensation for their carelesness First those who were typed out by the unclean beasts in the Law who never chew the cud nor cal over their courses by serious meditation who studiously endeavour to contrive all waies and means how they may take off their minds from this service their care for themselves and their counsel also unto others is to shake off these dumpes as they cal them they look at this mopish kind of Melancholly musing as a practice deeply prejudicial to their peace and comfort conceive it as a piece of extream folly as though a man should not find trouble enough in the world but should devise means to torment and vex his own soul and therefore they avoyd the meditation of the danger of 〈◊〉 sins as their rack and engine of unsufferable vexation and that upon a double ground partly that they might not be crossed in their sensual 〈◊〉 but that they might have elbow room and go on with ease in their ungodly lusts wheras the consideration of the danger of our finful 〈◊〉 damps dashes mens delights deads mens endeavors and hearts knocks off their wheels that they draw heavily spoyls al the sport as we say and deprives them of the pleasures they did expect Therefore it is a rule of 〈◊〉 Amos. 6. 3. 4. 5. they put far away the evil day and then 〈◊〉 the seat of violence to draw near c. q. 〈◊〉 the thoughts of that would spoyl the other Partly it ariseth from hence the privy guilt of their own Consciences makes their hearts misgive them The number of their abominations is so great the nature so hainous the plagues so direful and dreadful which attend upon them as their due that they are afrayd to view the ugly visage of their sins or to take a right seantling of the dreadful plagues they must expect and therefore study to forget both that they may not be tyred with either as bankerupts are loth to view their account books when they cannot pay their debts they would not remember what they are not able to satisfy To these men I would say two things 1. By way of terror to awaken them 2. By way of advice to counsel them Let them know their folly When they would avoyd their miserie they take the only way to encrease it They keep in the fire and make it flame more dam the stream and cause it to swel over the banks while they defer 〈◊〉 accounts they encrease the debt and the danger also You wil not see your sins you shal see them you wil not see them here by the light of the word for your Humiliation you shal see them by the flames of Hell fire and there be forced to read over al your wretchedness for your everlasting ruin you would not have your hearts break for them while there was hope to be cased you shal burn in the 〈◊〉 pit when you wil be beyond hope ever to be recovered Thou wouldest forget them and cast them behind thy back know assuredly thy distempers wil meet thee like an armed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil mind thee of them These things thou 〈◊〉 done and set them in order before thee and tear thee in pieces when there wil be none to deliver thee Psal. 50. 21. 22. Then thou wilt curse thy self and thy 〈◊〉 and wish oh that I had hearkened oh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 Let this counsel be acceptable to such sear to commit sin but never be afrayd to see it and 〈◊〉 the vileness of it to the ful and the worse they appear to thy apprehension the better and more 〈◊〉 thy condition and estate is A 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 knowledg of a disease is the ready means to cure it Do thou remember them God wil forget them 〈◊〉 them be in thy 〈◊〉 and the Lord wil cast them out of his and 〈◊〉 away his face from thy sins when thou 〈◊〉 turn thy mind and thoughts to a through 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of them Jerem. 31. 18. 19. 20. 〈◊〉 have heard 〈◊〉 bemoaning himself c. I will surely have mercy upon him saith the 〈◊〉 Another sort though they give allowance and approbation to the duty propounded yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many 〈◊〉 to plead why either as their case stands they may be 〈◊〉 or dispensed with all in the neglect of it 1 Here then comes into scanning and consideration the hinderances the men plead which may excuse the omission of the Duty 2. The wayes and helps how to remove them which go hand in hand We 〈◊〉 handle both together namely the causes and the cure of this neglect The first and main hindrance whereby men are taken off from this so spiritual a service is a conceit that goes current in the world that its matter only of indifferency this daily meditation and so left by God himself and therefore we should not exact more than the Lord requires and so lay burdens upon men when we would profess we cal for obedience at their hands and therefore we should not impose a needless necessity upon men but leave it to their Christian liberty he that can receive it let him as our Saviour in another case he that doth not cannot be blamed You have the cause attend now the cure you see the hindrance consider the help that 〈◊〉 rémove this stone out of the way 1. Know then It was the profession of the
of their course their distempers are such that they stink above ground and yet they poor creatures feel nothing but bless themselves in their present condition Rom. 2. 5. They have hearts that cannot repent heaping up 〈◊〉 against the day of wrath The daily and ordinary commission of any one sin delivers up the sinner to become a prey to the power of al corruptions even the most detestable sin lays wast the soul that it becomes a through-fair and lyes open to the most hellish provocations or distempers that can be presented before it and nothing comes amiss that 's the inference when the heathen had no delight to have God in their knowledg had notliking to such and such righteous and good wayes of God he delivered them up to a reprobate sence Rom. 1. 28. they had no delight to be ruled by the truth and the wisdom and holiness thereof no delight 〈◊〉 know or rellish any good God takes them at their word and leaves them in the hands of their sins they should have minds that should never know the truth hearts that should never approve of it See presently when the soul is thus layed wast what a drove and inroad of hideous abominations come in and take possession and make a prey and spoyl of the poor wretched creature as they wil then ver 29. 30. they are ful of all Unrighteousness Covetousness Fornication Envy proud Boasters beady high minded 〈◊〉 breakers False Unfaithful Disobedient Unnatural nothing is a miss what ever the heart of Belzebub or the bottom of Hel can harbour It 's the ground of the cohaerence of that place also Eph. 4. 19. Who being past feeling they have given up themselves to work al uncleanness with greediness the poor creature is at the 〈◊〉 and beck of any base abomination no temptation presseth in but prevayles no allurement is presented but it surpriseth and taketh aside no corruption 〈◊〉 but it carryes and acts him without gainsaying the Devil and his distempers take him alive and take him at their pleasures lead him as they 〈◊〉 and he knows not where he is before he be in the bottomless pit This is the quintessence of vengeance an unseen evil 〈◊〉 in truth unconceavable the terrors of death and the torments 〈◊〉 hell are nothing in comparison of this When the glorious and blessed God through the just desert of sin leaves the creature at the lust of Satan and his diftemper Loe he is in your 〈◊〉 do what you wil with him I wil have nothing to do with him more this is the sentence passed upon the backslider Prov. 14. 14. the backslider in heart shal be 〈◊〉 with his own wayes he shal have his belly 〈◊〉 Thus as the saints are sealed up in the day of Redemption the wicked are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up under the soverainty of their sins 〈◊〉 the day of destruction thou 〈◊〉 have thy pride and stubbornness 〈◊〉 be thou for ever proud and for ever 〈◊〉 and for ever 〈◊〉 hearted continu so and perish 〈◊〉 There is no judgment like to this and this is the 〈◊〉 of sin and that which the Lord reserves as the choycest of al his plagues the last and worst 1 Prov. 26. 28. 31. Yee shall call but I wil not hear yee shall seek me and shall not 〈◊〉 me one would think this is heavy and harder measure could hardly be found yes the Lord hath worse because ye despised my counsel and set at naught al my reproof 〈◊〉 they shall eat the fruit of their own wayes and be ful of their own devices they who srame and devise devises to contrive Contentments to their own carnal and corrupt 〈◊〉 carry a forge of falshood and 〈◊〉 about them to succeed in these one would have thought is the 〈◊〉 content such a person could take true it is so and that is the greatest and most dreadful plague that could befal them When the Lord Christ takes away 〈◊〉 of himself and his spirit from the 〈◊〉 and leaves him wholly to himself and the power of Satan his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distempers nothing of Gods wisdom 〈◊〉 their own folly shal mislead them nothing of Gods 〈◊〉 but the perverse rebellion of their own hearts shal rule them and so destroy them this is to be in hell before he come there and so be a Devil before he come among them They come to be helpless in regard of all means that the Lord hath provided or the mercies that the Lord hath offered unto them and doth yet strive with them in Its sin that stops the entercourse between God and the soul his ordinances and our Consciences takes and 〈◊〉 the passage that the power of the means never work upon us the sweetness of his mercies never affect us the virtue of his ordinances find no place leave no impression upon the soul This is the fruit which the prophet layes forth of the rebellions and 〈◊〉 of the Jewes which made them ripe for everlasting ruine Isa. 6. 9. 10. Make the heart of this people 〈◊〉 and their ears heavy and by that time they are sure enough for ever seeing the face of God or receiving 〈◊〉 by any means seeing they may see and not perceive hearing they may hear and 〈◊〉 understand least they be converted They are far enough from conversion and so from salvation It s that also which is of necessity implyed in the former expression they shal be filled with their own devises so there is no entrance no acceptance of any direction from the wil and word of God As it is in vessels that are brim ful of liquor ready to run over there is no room for a spoonful of the most precious liquor to be put into them So through the just desert of their sin they are so fully possessed with the power of their corruptions which have had commission to rule them that as our saviour said John 8. 37. There is no place for the word Their minds so ful of pride of their own carnal reason that therē is no room for instruction to direct or inform them their hearts so ful of stifness and perveriness that there is no place for reproof that may prevail with them and reform them the spirit so ful of falsness and ready to take hold upon 〈◊〉 that there is no place for the 〈◊〉 of the truth to frame them to the 〈◊〉 and singleness of carriage as suits with Gods mind so that all means of grace and ordinances take their leave of the sinner work no more upon that heart that hath 〈◊〉 long and so often opposed the work thereof 〈◊〉 51. 9. We would have healed Babilon 〈◊〉 she would not be healed leave her then leave instructions and leave exhorting c. so it is with the ordinances the Lord passeth by and wil not so much as speak a word to a rebellious heart the threatnings that troubled before now stir not the instructions that convinced before now awe not at al the reproofs
and exhortations that awakened and affected the heart now slide away like water upon a rock and there is no print or the least appearance of any impression left behind the ruine of mens comforts lives and liberties which sin hath brought are open but oh the woful desolation of souls could it be seen of al as it is felt of some whose heart God toucheth it would make sin exceeding sinful and unsupportably evil as they in the Prophet complayned bitterly Why are our hearts hardened from thy fear Isa. 63. 17. Besides this bitter fruit which the sinner is forced to tast of sin in his own particular view wee the extent of that evil which sin doth unto others and that partly which is common to every corruption of what ever kind or degree it is of great or smal open or secret whether more loathsom and not 〈◊〉 to the eyes of men or that which is esteemed less in the account of the world that which is an ingredient into the nature and constitution and making up of every corruption that it makes a breach upon the righteous law of God i. e. not onely shaks of the rule and soveraignty of the law but preferrs in truth the supremacie of our lusts before the authority of the Lord himself which ho hath and ought to exercise over our souls For the sinner in the practice of any sin proclaims this unto the world it s not the royalty of the righteous law of God but mine own distemper shal rule me not his wil but mine own wayward corruption shal 〈◊〉 the ballance It s not the wisdom of the word but my folly and the vanity of my ignorant mind shal lead me in what I do It s not the goodness of the Law of Gods holiness but the pleasing corruptions of mine own carnal heart shal content me in a word each man professeth God shal not be his God but he sets up his lust in his room and doth homage therunto than which what greater indignity can be done to the Almighty Al men look at it as a most hellith expression of the Jews 〈◊〉 him but Barabbas Barabbas was a murtherer vile and base yet a man and therefore somthing of God in him but more hideous is the hateful blasphemy which the practice of every sinner proclaymes not God but sin he advanceth sin in his choyce which is nothing but baseness it self above the infinite holiness of the only blessed God so their profession was they said to the Almighty depart away from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes thou saiest in thy heart as much when in the secret resolution of thy soul thou baddest humility depart the pride of thine own heart should carry thee to meekness depart so to the God of Grace and holiness depart the knotty stoutness of thine own spirit was the Liege Lord thou yieldest homage and obedience unto Out of mens Atheism and ignorance this is not thought on and therefore men thinke their sins little nor are they apprehensive of that infinite wrōng that they do to the holy and infinite Majesty of the blessed God Besides this wrong that is common to al sins there be some especially open and scandalous that become out of measure sinful Committed against many mercies against many means against many mercies wherwith God hath 〈◊〉 and allured them that he might have overcome their unkind hearts w th his tender compassions had they but a spark of any good nature or ingenuity within them Thus they sin against more of God therfore their sin becoms unmeasurably 〈◊〉 against the bowels of a Father that hath yerned towards them the blood of a Christ that hath been shed for them the tears of a saviour that have been wept over them Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the consolation and intimations of the spirit who hath striven and entreated Oh do not do so and sin against God and yet impudently presumptuously and pertinaciously thou wouldest break through al these armyes of compassions to commit that sin that wil be thy ruine how vile thy carriage and how just thy plague Thus Nathan pleads with David when he would lay open the loathsomness of his evil before him 2 Sam. 12. 7. 8. 9. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I annoynted thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy masters house and thy masters wives into thy bosome and gave thee the house of Israel and the house of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the command of the Lord The heart of the holy man sunk down in sorrow I have sinned Yea these coals of fire if gathered and heaped up I mean these compassions rightly considered and weighed and layd upon the heart they are able almost to melt the most flinty disposition Jud. 2. 1. 2. 3. So the Angel overbore the rebellious spirits of the Israelites I made you to go up out of Egipt and have brought you into the land which I sware unto your Fathers and I said I will never break my Covenant with you and ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land you shal throw down their altars but ye have not obeyed my voyce why have ye done this and it came to pass when he spake these words unto al the Children of Israel that the people lift up their voyces and wept This brake their hearts al in pieces though perverse and rebellious they ceased answering and fel to weeping their tears and mourning were instead of words they would return in their defence Against many means wherwith the Lord hath striven with us to stop us in the pursuit of sin and to reclame us from our iniscarriages God hems in a poor creature on every side by publick dispensations and private 〈◊〉 by ordinary and extraordinary helps way-layes a sinner and hedgeth up his path 〈◊〉 thorns and builds a wal about him that he might find the ways of ungodlyness no more Hos 2. 8. He that adventures upon the commission of sin against such means and breaks through such armyes of ordinances there is a multiplication of many sins in the commission of one because it is against the multiplication of many truths or one truth in a manifold dispensation he sins against so many instructions so many comforts so many counsels he hath heard Confessions he hath made and prayers he hath put up for himself and others have made in his behalf every one of these dispensations hath an action against the soul because it hath been wronged by the sinner John 12. 48. He that heareth and rejecteth hath one that judgeth even that word that I have spoken and he hath heard wil judg him saith our Saviour Christ. Those reproofs that thou haft heard and not submitted to Instructions that thou hast heard and not embraced thou shalt need no other
judg those wil judg thee and how heavy wil that judgment be then John 15. 22. If I had not come they had had no sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Wrong to our brethren their honor and lives goods and good names especially when open and scandalous wee sin against the souls of our brethren lay stumbling blocks before them and here one sin may become many millions of offences as the numbers may be many that shal hear of it Who knows how others may be emboldned and encouraged in sin by our example how others hindred and provoked to speak evil of the good ways of Gods grace because of our wretchedness Woe be to the World because of offences Mat. 18. 7. Who knows but the blood of many who perish by our means may be required at our hand nay that our sinful example may live when we are dead 2 Sam. 12. 14. By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Rom. 2. 24. the name of God is blasphemed amongst the heathen through you and therefore the Prophet David though God hath pardoned his sin and published it by Nathan he would not pardon himself but left his repentance upon record as wel as his fal Peter went out and wept bitterly that others might hear of his sorrow and humiliation for his sin who had heard of his backsliding Many wil ly and curse with Peter but he that hath his Grace wil go out with Peter and mourn bitterly Many can easily fal into filthiness as David but if he have his spirit he wil labour to have his heart and bones broken with David Add unto al the former the time wherein a man hath continued in his sins and the frequency of them having often committed one and the same sin stumbling again at the same stone taken aside again by the same 〈◊〉 and temptations after they have been confessed bewailed resolved against Psal. 78. 32. For all this they sined stil c. Psal. 40. 12. they are more than the haires of my head I am not able to look up Thus wee must survey severally the particulars which may be able to present the vileness of sin to us but that is not al nor yet sufficient but We must sum them up joyntly by serious meditation that so they may fal-upon the heart in the ful weight of them and prevail more effectually and this also helps forward the work of contrition in a special manner He that parts every stick in the bundle and takes them severally and singles them one from another he may carry them easily and lightly never be loaded or troubled with them but when he hath gathered them from several places where they lay scattered and 〈◊〉 them together he wil then find them a burden he is not able to lift much less able to stand under and bear so here that is also another and special work of Meditation besides those mentioned formerly it doth not onely look over the several aberrations of mans practice and gather up our particular miscarriages scattered up and down in our dayly course but laies and bundles them all together and so they become a burden unsupportable that seems to be one part of the meaning of the place Psal. 38. 4. My sins are passed over my head and are become too heavy for me to bear It 's a comparison say Interpreters and those very judicious taken from Waters that look as the Land-floods when the waters flow in from every Riveret and Gutter and from every Hill and Furrough at last they meet all in the main Channel and so becomes an overbearing stream that swels above the Banks and bears down all before it whereas each petty Gutter was such as any might wade through and step over the might of the Flood none can withstand So it is here with Meditation it doth not only search the several aberrations and goings aside in the several occasions of our life which when they are singled one from another seem very smal yet when our several distempers and dayly swervings become like the drops of rain not falling forty daies and forty nights but may be so many months or yeers of continued provocations the great depths of the corruption of our Nature are set open and our sins like the Waters of the Sea gathered together by sad musing pass over our heads and are past our strength to bear them and without special supporting mercy would sink us into everlasting discouragement As it is with a Bankrupt arrested some petty debts or smal bils that are charged upon him he might easily answer and be able without any great difficulty to discharge but when al his Bils are brought in from each Creditor and his 〈◊〉 summed up the Summa totalis amounts to so much that it sinks his estate and breaks his back utterly So here a slighty apprehension of such and such slips or some circumstances of our miscarriages look over them severally they 〈◊〉 but little in themselves but laid together and taken in the ful Sum unto which they amount the guilt and filth of them wil appear inconceivable and unsupportable that the sinner wil never be able to answer or to bear It is the mind and intendment of the Spirit the meaning yea the proper meaning of that word Mark 14. last when he had thought of his sins saies our Translation when he had cast all the particular and heightning circumstances together as the word properly signifies when he had summed up his several miscarriages by a serious Meditation then his heart breaketh within him though the Cock had crowed and our Savior had looked upon him and he remembred at a sudden push of apprehension his evil yet he stood it but when he had laid al together cast up the Summa totalis of his fearful departures from the Lord by denying falsefying cursing with al the aggravating circumstances that he that was not only a Christian but entertained as a Servant yea called to be an Apostle who was so seasonably and with such earnestness forewarned of his back sliding and false dealing who had promised and resolved with such courage against it that he should not only forsake his Master in a covert manner but openly and shamefully renounce him yea 〈◊〉 blaspheme and curse and that often and now especially in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouble in the day of our Saviors distress when the Innocency of his cause the Honor of his person yea his life lay at hazard that such a Servant and Apostle should so basely and 〈◊〉 deny and forswear his Master and Redeemer and that at this time of need upon so slight an occasion as the voyce of a silly Damsel or some ordinary man he laid al these together and 〈◊〉 them upon his heart and he was not able to bear it but went 〈◊〉 and wept bitterly The Art of Meditation appeared especially in two things as the special and proper parts of it 1.
his Meditation or his corruption It was that which caused the venom of Gods vengeance and the poyson of his own abominations to enter into his bones Psal. 51. 4. My sin is ever before me And this is the peculiar work of Meditation to keep things in present view and fresh apprehension it keeps sin ever before mens eyes The sinner is forced to walk and talk with it to wake and sleep with it to eat and drink his sins and curses due to him for the same they are 〈◊〉 out to him in every cutting and 〈◊〉 before him in every 〈◊〉 that is set at the Table Psal. 119. 98. It was Meditation that drew out the marrow 〈◊〉 quintessence of Counsel and Wisdom out of the Command so that David came to have more understanding than the Antient Because thy Commandements are ever with me Meditation drains and draws out the dreadful venom of a mans distempers and makes it ever with him where ever he goes in every 〈◊〉 he takes the guilt of his sins is before him to accuse and Hell gaping to devour him where ever he is his sin and guilt his fears and terrors his curses and confusion is with him to astonish him to al eternity To have a wound or sore is troublesom but to be raking in it dayly though it were never so smal were in truth intollerable So it is here Meditation is the multiplication of al these stings and terrors When Meditation hath thus taken hold of the heart it then drags it to the Throne of Justice and then drives it to seek out for payment and satisfaction without which it cannot be eased nor delivered This is the Markstone within which the bounds and limits of Meditation are to be confined that it may be ordered and acted aright according to the Method of the Almighty and a right Rule When the soul is summoned to answer the Charge and is under the Arrest and not able to escape it finds now the severity of Gods Justice that exacts all even the utmost the greatness of the debt and it 's own inability to answer yet pay he must or else he must perish It drives the soul to see a need of a Christ and mercy and that it ought to seek out thither for relief and satisfaction This is the aim of the Duty and Gods end in fastening thus the filth and guilt and desert of sin upon the soul and it should be our end also And here a Three-fold extream unto which the soul is very subject in the exercise of this Service is especially to be avoided 1 Desperate Discouragements 2 Hellish Provocations 3 False Conceivings of the measure of Gods Work or the manner of his proceedings which we frame to our selves in our own thoughts All which are aberrations from the right way and Rule and prove marvelous prejudicial in our proceeding And the Enemy strives to put us upon all these by al the malice and policy he can use If he cannot keep us in security and hinder us from setting out in a Christian course his next endeavor is to wrack us upon rocks and fholes and sands and so to hazard our passage A word of all First We must beware of desperate discouragements in the consideration of our evil waies for first Satan useth al the crafts and wiles that he can that we may not see our sins if we never know the danger we wil never avoid can never escape it But if he see the sinner resolved to make a through search and to make work of it he then labors to carry him as much to the contrary extream that he shal see nothing but sin before he bore him in hand he needed no pardon now he perswades him there is no hope of pardon Before his estate was safe and good and need not be altered nor he trouble himself about it it 's now so vile and desperate there is no help and cannot be recovered Before he soothed up the sinner it was in his power to reform when he would now he perswades there is no possibility in Heaven or Earth to relieve Do you not see saies Satan the greatness of the guilt of your former sins that 's dayly before you the power of present corruptions prevailing more and more do you not see that all the means you have and endeavors you use do you no good only you encrease your sin the more by the abuse of Duties and Ordinances and God hath forsaken you rejected your person cast out your prayers blesseth not his Ordinances to you for good talk not you of Grace and Mercy you have deluded your self with those dreams too long look not out for any such relief which you know you have formerly neglected and it 's now too late to expect cease further troubling your self sit down in your sorrows and sink under the weight of your sins that is the reward you have deserved and the portion that is prepared for you of the Lord. This is Satans Logick who would have us to abuse this blessed Ordinance and to go beyond the bounds and Lawful limits of Meditation set out by the Lord himself who would have us to see and search our sins so as to see a need of Mercy and to seek out after the unsearchable riches of his Grace 〈◊〉 to keep us in our sins but that we may be carried out to him who wil recover us out of them Abraham considered not his own dead Body or Sarahs barrenness Rom. 4. 19. he considerd them so far as to put him beyond hope in himself that he might hope above hope and it 's the Lords command Isai 45. 22. Look unto me from all the ends of the Earth and be ye saved Look upon your sins miseries dangers depths of despair but look up to me out of all these The Second Extream is Hellish provocations which we are to watch against in this Work When the sinner hath set himself as he conceives 〈◊〉 Gods way and about his work and yet finds no success in what he doth our self-seeking hearts are apt to 〈◊〉 with the Lord snarl at his 〈◊〉 and so rise 〈◊〉 and fly in the face of the Almighty 〈◊〉 that wretched King said in 〈◊〉 Siege of Samaria 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is from the Lord why should I wait any longer So the soul I have done what I can endeavored what I am able he doth not bless what I do I find no more strength but my corruptions grow strong my heart worse my hopes and comforts less I do but encrease my sin and hasten my 〈◊〉 in what I do why should I endeavor any more I Answer in three things briefly 1. Do not set too high a price upon our own performances and overween our worth and over value the services we do for that is a root of bitterness and a cause of these Hellish risings when we secretly conceit God doth not consider our care and the weight of our work and endeavor if
he did he would otherwise reward us As Taul saith Rom. 9. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God 2. Beware I say beware of bringing the righteous Command and holy Law of God which discovers our sins and requires our Duties and our ability and feebleness together as though the power and principle of the Work must come from us and we go out in that For there wil follow bigh and hellish provocations fierce and fel rebellions against the Lord when out of thine own heart thou dost tug against thine own heart and corruption for instead of the first principle of working which is not in us but in the Lord Jesus we become the first principle of sinning and then direful and dreadful effects wil follow which I profess I am afraid to speak lest I should occasion some tender hearts through mistakes to question 3. Check and 〈◊〉 all those risings with that of the Apostle Rom. 9 21 22. What if God will not and deny any Spiritual power of thine own and stand stil and expect no principle of any performance in thy self but that which is from God in and by his Word and let him alone with thy heart Say I have nothing it 's fit I should have nothing it's righteous that God should give me nothing I do not expect to do any Spiritual good of my self nor yet expect that God should give me Grace for what I do because al that I do is sin only I know it is with him to do what he wil the wil the power and thework is al from him therefore I wil lie in his way and be at the pool it may be he wil cast me in I know he can and who knows but he may if not I have no reason to rise up against him Men devise new Rules and make new Gospels of their own and set such a measure to themselves in their own apprehensions which unless they can compass they are resolved to take no content nay not to follow any other direction than that they have coyned in their own conceit and thus they please themselves in their own apprehensions and resolve to dwel in the consideration of their sins until their hearts were brought so low see themselves so vile the soul so through broken under the weight of their evil and their own unworthiness else what have they to do with a Christ or once to look toward him How we come to grapple with the heart by Meditation we heard before and because this Work is wearisom in it self and tedious to our corrupt Nature to be ever raking in the Wound set a mans heart upon the rack and keep it in restless disquiet that the venom of a mans guilt and plagues should ever be before his eyes and the Summons to Judgment ever sounding in his Ears the soul is not able to bear the unsupportable weight thereof and therefore it cannot get to Christ to be cured and healed it winds and turns every way that yet it may be eased therefore the sinner tries al conclusions that possible may be that he may drive away the dismal thoughts of his sinful condition and cast aside those stabbing considerations that makes his heart die within him Therefore he turns every stone if he can drink it out or game it out or work it out or pray it out or any waies or by any means wear out the thoughts that weary him of his life Thus he strives if he cannot get good by his Mediration yet to get rid of it because he cannot be bettered by it he would not be troubled with it As the Patient when he is not able to bear the extremity of the Corrosive that would eat out the proud flesh takes it off and laies it aside rather keep his sore though it hazard his life than suffer the smart of it and may be his perversness costs him his life A serious consideration set on and kept on upon the soul is like this extream Corrosive the rebellious heare is not able to endure the continuance of it and therfore at last it wil make an escape from under the sting and strength of it if possibly it may and usually it doth unless the Lord put forth his powerful hand in some special help and therefore herein lies the last and the hardest part of Meditation to get above the heart and to get the better of it And to this purpose the Directions are Three Labor to possess thy heart aright with a dreadful fear of thy sinful and desperate condition maintain it alive in thy self that it may go along with thee that will keep thy Meditation alive also and mightily prevailing Where a mans fears are his thoughts wil be they carry a mans consideration uncontroulably with them Fear is a faithful Watch-man it sends post between the head and heart it cals up our consideration and thoughts and carries them along with them as the occasion is presented and it 's beyond al a mans skil either to prevent the coming or gainsay the power and overbearing force of fears If once Satan get the heart fearless it becomes careless and thoughtless as I may so speak Eliphas couples them together Job 15. 14. Thou casrest off fear and restrainest prayer thou hast taken off the activity of fear fear hath fallen from his authority and then it follows thou restrainest prayer Fear keeps Centinel gives the 〈◊〉 dayly to the soul of the approaching plagues as the deserts of our sins cals up the best ability of our minds and strength of our thoughts to attend the 〈◊〉 so that there is no sleeping nor idling under such a watch-man What wil be the Judgments which your sins deserve who can conceive and how soon they may come who can tel Come they wil that 's certain but when they wil come that 's uncertain think and ever be inusing how to prevent those evils that ye are never able to avoid nor bear Job compares fear to an Army of mighty force that commands where it comes Job 30. 15. Terrors are turned in upon me they pursue me 〈◊〉 the wind therefore by an over-ruling command they cal for attendance of the strength of the mind and man and they cannot be put off or laid aside or silenced but press a man to his most serious consideration to be exercised with all diligence how to foresee and prevent the evils expected Psal. 48. 6. Fear is said to seize and lay hold upon the sinner as travel upon a woman with child We know when the appointed time of Travel comes on there is no preventing or delaying of the work as that the party can stay til the 〈◊〉 day or week or hour nor yet can she put off her work to another as she may do her other occasions as a friend may go this way for her a servant may do that which she desires but when her throws come no body can stay them no body must bear them but her self and
Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent of the world and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight It should provoke in us all the 〈◊〉 fear in the 〈◊〉 of the greatest means our deadliest bane may come from the best Ordinances this is speeding Physick it wil work either one way or other either kill or cure Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree 〈◊〉 3. 10. When Christ came then was their destruction coming on with most hast 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 When the 〈◊〉 had discovered the excellency of his Gospel in the plainness and power of it he leaves with that Supposition If our Gospel be hid it 's hid to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perish When Moses was coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellent means of Grace 〈◊〉 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these as though they had inhaerent prevailing power in themselves Bless not thy self barely by having of these say I may have these Ordinances and yet have death as wel as life yea I may hear of Christ may seek after him and enjoy his presence here in the means and yet never have any saving good by any of these Luke 2. 34. He is as well for the fall of many as for their rising Exhortation to stir us up to use all means and when thou seest the benefit received by som seek thou also for a blessing upon them as Esau said bless me me also So say thou such 〈◊〉 proud heart hath found the Word humbling of him such a discouraged heart hath felt the Word comforting of him Lord let the Word humble me also pierce me also comfort me also The Husband-man sows and waits for the first and latter rain and as David said mine eyes fail for thy Salvation saying when 〈◊〉 thou comfort me when wilt thou enlighten me quicken me when wilt thou break my heart when wilt thou make me spiritual and painful and thriving in 〈◊〉 Christian Course Lastly Return praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for what thou 〈◊〉 receive and find in the powerful dispensations of the Word God hath marvelously separated his mercy unto thee in giving not Physick but health in it not Bread but the staff of nourishment with it not the Word but the life and profit of it Be thou marvelous thankful and careful not to come and hear as 〈◊〉 but set thy heart to the Word bring a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the hearing of it Do not powr out thy words in prayer but powr out thy 〈◊〉 c. Again Secondly Look who these are who are now wounded and pierced with the preaching of Peter and we shal find them some of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 wretches who were not only guilty of the death of 〈◊〉 but such who now set themselves in an inhumane manner against the Apostles of Christ and carried themselves with 〈◊〉 and contempt against their persons and proceedings the publishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the great things of God in the 〈◊〉 strain of opposition for 〈◊〉 ye look back into the 12 and 13. verses you shal there see the miracle of tongues wrought a twofold effect in the hearers some were amazed verse 12. some mocked verse 13. and to these Peter addresseth his speech his spirit being stirred in a holy indignation against so hellish distempers against the gracious and miraculous expression of the Spirit of the Lord to them he saies ver 14 15. 〈◊〉 it known unto you that these men are not drunk 〈◊〉 ye suppose c. to these 〈◊〉 and deriders he now speaks and they are now Pricked Some 〈◊〉 wounded and these were the worst and such as did oppose Hence the Doctrine to be observed 〈◊〉 The Lord many times makes the Word pierce and prevail most powerfully in the hearts of sinners for their everlasting good when they oppose the power thereof and their own good therein In a word The Lord often makes the Word work then effectually when the scornful heart is 〈◊〉 against the work and 〈◊〉 at a distance from it This is the Lords profession 〈◊〉 43. 21. Even the people that he formed for himself and such 〈◊〉 should shew forth his praise those whom 〈◊〉 would make most 〈◊〉 to himself 〈◊〉 so did yet see in the following words how he found these and when he formed these for his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24 25. Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no 〈◊〉 Cane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Ordinances and cast his commands behind their back yea thou hast made me serve with thy sins and thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities instead of serving God they made his Ordinances and the Priviledges he provided and so his Love and Mercy and himself therein to serve their 〈◊〉 and sensual Hearts they put God to it his Patience and long-suffering that he could no longer endure their lewdness Yet then he ads he would do most good to 〈◊〉 when they had no care of their own good and then enlarge his compassions to them when they multiplied 〈◊〉 provocations against him I even I for mine own sake will blot out thine iniquities and remember thy sins no more This was Gods dealing with Ephraim and the season of that his saving health he extended towards him when he rushed on in the waies of 〈◊〉 according to thè waies of his own heart Isai 57. 17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness of his evil lustings I was 〈◊〉 with him I 〈◊〉 him I hid my self and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart here is the highest strain of rebellious sturdiness of Spirit When God is angry he smites the soul and hides away himself yet to be froward in the mid'st of al these heavy expressions of his displeasure that might reform him yea to go on after in the 〈◊〉 of wickedness If ever a people seemed to be past cure prepared for ruin and confusion past all hope either of enjoying or profiting by the means this might seem to be the time these the men but Gods waies and thoughts are not as ours for mark the next words I have seen his waies and I will lead him and heal 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 comfort to him and those that mourn with him Then God will see him when he cannot see himself then God will heal his frowardness who cannot help himself then God will guide him when he cannot guide himself then he wil make him mourn and others mourn with him and mourn for him and he wil comfort them both And our Savior for this very end hath ascended up on high to receive gifts for men even for the rebellious that
mind and the Rule of the Law and therefore cannot save you yet thy sinful neglects impudent and scornful contempt of the way and means of Grace will undoubtedly damn thee This is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light John 3. 17. The Scribes and Pharisees despised the Counsel of God against themselves Luke 7. 30. The Law and Command was given to Adam in innocency and to thee in him to Husband all advantages and to lay out thy self in all thy sufficiencies to advance Gods Name and to do his will to love him and serve him with all thy mind and with all thy might 〈◊〉 22. 37. How ever thou beest changed yet the Law is not changed however thy ability is not the same by reason of 〈◊〉 wound thou hast taken by original corruption yet thy Duty is the same to this day Gods will is done in Heaven and should be done in Earth The Debtor that borrows the money and stands bound to the Creditor to answer the Debt though his state alter and he be impoverished and made unable to pay yet his Bond for payment continues in full force against him and he will be constrained to make it good Though all that thou canst do can neither prepare thee for Grace nor purchase Grace for thy self yet the means through Divine Institution are mighty God by them can work effectually and if it seem good to ' his good pleasure he will wait upon him only for that good thou wantest from whom only it can be received As the Leapers in the time of the Famine resolved to try what might be done by others for their safety who could do nothing for themselves That is Gods way and means try what God will do in whose pleasure it is to give or deny I might ad what Divines speak and seasonable 〈◊〉 to the Point in hand While thou art endeavoring as thou canst it lessens thy sin and prevents further plagues unto which thou wilt be subject through Gods just Judgment and thine own just deserving Abab's 〈◊〉 humiliation prevented the 〈◊〉 plague though it did not free him from the eternal 1 Kings 21. 29. Seest thou 〈◊〉 Ahab humbles himself I will not bring the evil in his daies A Patient that hath a Wolf in her Breast and an 〈◊〉 Gout knows neither can be recovered yet both may be eased by use of Physick and moderate Diet and therefore he intends both Cast away the evil of your works but keep your works still keep some Rules if thou canst not keep all better save one side of thy 〈◊〉 good than both naught If thou canst not avoid al sin avoid as much as thou canst Is it then beyond the power and any possibility of man to attain Grace Yes It 's not in man to direct his own way Jer. 10. 23. It 's beyond the power of a dead man to restore himself to life And our Savior is express and peremptory in giving Sentence in this case and his determination is conclusive Matth. 19. 26. when he said it 's as easie for a Chamel to go through the eye of a needle as for a rich man to be saved The Disciples ask Who then can be saved He returns this definitive Answer With man it is impossible but with God all things are possible Look we at the power and performances of man there is no sufficiency 〈◊〉 possibility for of our selves we are not able to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. But if we look at the Almighty Power of God there is nothing hard to him who hath Hardness at Command But is any man tied to impossibilities and can any be punished because he 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 that which is impossible to him Impossibilities are of two sorts 1. Some are absolute that exceed the compass of our being or all that ability we ever received 2. Impossibilities by supposition which though the things be possible yea easie in their Nature and with reference to their first order and institution yet by reason of some inconveniences hindrances weaknesses which fall in beside and cross to the course and constitution of things as they were at first that which formerly might easily have been compassed there is in ordinary course no possibility to attain unto it And to such 〈◊〉 a man may be justly tyed and failing in his performances may justly be punished by the Law of Nature Nations right Reason and the righteous Rule of God The 〈◊〉 hath borrowed so much money which he may improve and is bound to repay at such a day appointed if he through his prodigality and riot shal vainly mis-spend not only the Sum he borrowed but his stock a fair estate unto which he was born so that it 's now impossible to him thus impoverished to satisfie May not the Creditor according to al the Rules of Right and Reason require his Money in the default of payment punish or imprison No Nation ever questioned it It was not only possible for Adam but easie to love God above all if he through his fall hath brought impossibility of payment upon himself the Lord may in Justice require it and punish him for it And certain it is God justly may and doth deny Reprobates Grace not only because they do not what they may but also because they do that which through the corruption of their own hearts they cannot avoid As namely because of the enmity of the wisdom of the flesh they are not nor cannot be subject to the Law and 〈◊〉 Will of God Rom. 8. 7. That for which God condemns the wicked for that he denies them Grace and Glory For Condemnation implies both and cannot admit either But they are condemned not only because they do not so much but because they did such and such Duties to false ends not because they did not fast and pray but because they did both to a wrong end to serve themselves and lusts and not to serve God and yet they could not aim at Gods Glory as their last end If for the not doing of such Duties they should and might do they only want 〈◊〉 then if they had done such and such according to their power as they could and improvement of their abilities then they had received Grace undoubtedly which hath been fully confuted by the former Arguments To issue this Point that we may fence our selves against so dangerous a conceit let us take in and store our hearts with some saving Truths as a Soveraign Antidote against such fals-hoods and herein I shall not only speak mine own Judgment but the Judgment of all my fellow Brethren as I have just cause and good ground to beleeve that so you may receive them 〈◊〉 Truths under the Testimony of many Witnesses Ballast therefore thy heart with the Conclusions following All men are by Nature dead in sins and trespasses A dead man can not prepare himself for life much 〈◊〉 hath power to
honor of his justice and to save thy soul thou sinful rebel Nay he can tel how best to provide most for his own glory when he pardons most sins I beseech thee pardon my sins for they are many Psal. 25. 11. He lets the power of darkness proceed to its ful strength that the power of his exceeding mercy might shew it self in delivering from the nethermost hell He gives sin advantage that it might do its worst and raign unto death that so his grace might raign over sin death unto eternal life According to the soveraignty of his wil whereby he subdues al things to himself Eph. 3. last and here thou mayest yet feel firm bottom to bear up thy fainting heart from sinking down into everlasting discouragement Thus you see the compass of this encouragement which issues from Gods free grace But least some proud flesh should arise by this healing preservative if it should heal too fast to keep thee under this encouragement and yet to keep thee from presumption take these Cautions It 's possible God may do thee good notwithstanding all indispositions and oppositions But know 〈◊〉 for certain he never will do it but in his own way If he save thee he wil humble thee if he pardon that guilty soul and Conscience of thine he wil pierce both to the quick there is not a possibility he should save thy soul 〈◊〉 thy sin also set it down for an undenyable conclusion I cannot have my stubborn and rebellious heart and have any hope that ever I shal have either Grace or Mercy If thou wilt sin that mercy may abound as the Apostle brings in the sons of Belial speaking Rom. 6. 1. thou mayest have thy sin but upon these terms thou shalt never have mercy Either expect that God should take away thy sin or else never expect he should prevent thy ruin When the Lord lets in some light to discover the loathsomness of thy corrupt Nature and begins to grapple with thy Conscience so that thou stand'st convinced of the vileness of thine own waies the worth and excellency of his Grace when God hath thee upon the Anvil and under the Hammer to break thee in the fire to melt thee 〈◊〉 fear fear lest thou should'st make an escape from under the hand of the Lord and fall back again to the old base course it 's a dreadful suspicion of Gods direful displeasure lest either the Lord wil cease to do thee any further good or give thee up to those hellish departures that thou shouldest make thy self everlastingly uncapable of mercy 1. It 's a sore suspicion that the Lord purposeth to leave striving and to meddle with thee no more when the Lord suffers thee to wind away from under the power of the means which formerly thou wert subject to It 's Gods usual manner to make such unexcusable and never make them good that they might go self-condemned and so go to Hell It 's that of the Prophet 〈◊〉 which he makes a Symptom of the out-cast condition of the Jews that they were dross Jer. 〈◊〉 30. Reprobate Silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them How proves he that Verse 29. The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away To this purpose is that of our Savior when he had long striven with the rebellious Jews clocked to them as a Hen to her Chickens and would have gathered them under the wing of his saving Providence by the preaching of the Gospel and ye nothing would prevayl they would drive Christ out of their sight and he smites them with a plague answerable Math 23. 2 last ver ye shal see me no more until ye shal say blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. And this his word hath taken hold upon them unto 〈◊〉 day the poor forlorn Jewes have not had a sight of Christ this sixteen hundred yeers scriptures they have prophecyes promises yea they have the Gospel while they 〈◊〉 the Gospel for so the Apostle Gal. 3. The Gospel was preached to Abriaham saying in thy seed shal al the Nations of the earth be blessed they see al this but the vayl is over their eyes they see no Christ in promises ordinances and therefore no salvation leaving secret things to God So it befals many falshearted Apostates when God hath had them in the fire and they come out too hastily from horror and humiliations before half melted It s a great adventure they never come to Christ but wanse away in a powerless kinde of formality and content 〈◊〉 with the enjoyment of some outward priviledges and ordinances and names of profession they have the scriptures and ordinances but never see a Christ in any of them nor wil the Lord look upon them nor once speak to them when he passeth by but let them live and perish as heartless Christless men Thus our savior dealt with his people in former times when he had sent the spyes into the Land of Canaan Heb. 3. 18. Numb 14. 23. and they returned convinced by their own experience of the goodness of the land as flowing with milk and honey and out of a slothful cowardice because there were iron Charrets and walled cities and mighty Giants they withdrew the duty and Gods charge and disheartened also the people the text sayes the Lord sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest When God swears it shewes his purpose is unchangable and his execution wil not be altered Canaan is a type of the Kingdom of grace and so of Glory when the Lord let in some evidence of the excellency thereof and the heart cannot but acknowledg it 〈◊〉 leaves off rather than it wil take the paynes to grapple with those Giant-like corruptions that iron and 〈◊〉 hardness of heart why shouldest not thou fear least God should swear thou shalt never enter into his rest thou shouldest never find the power of the death of Jesus in killing the body of death so that thou shouldest cease from thine own works and from the sinful distempers of thy corrupt heart Fear again lest the Lord give thee up to thy old distempers that thou should'st make thy self everlastingly uncapable of any good and sin that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost When thou goest against those Convictions of thy Conscience those tasts of approbation which somtimes thy heart took in the good Word and waies of God for by this back-sliding thou art in the ready way to run upon that rock This was that which helped Paul the possibility of mercy 1 Tim. 1. 14. But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly it was his zeal that he persecuted the Church i. e. his blind zeal but should he have done so against the Dictates of his Conscience and the evidence of Truth in his own heart he could hardly have seen a way for mercy So the Apostle to the
Hebrews 6. 8. The Earth that often drinketh in the rain and yet brings forth thorns and 〈◊〉 is nigh is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned The rain is the Word heard understood embraced acknowledged and yet have their malicious venemous conspiracies against the Gospel of God and Saints of Christ and that in 〈◊〉 like thorns under the leaves like bryars under pretence of moderation and humility can scratch bitterly it 's a heavy suspicion their end wil be burning Take heed thou content not thy self in thy rebellious condition for upon this supposition that thou wilt have this thou puttest thy self out of any possibility of good goest against Gods Order Course and Covenant and the whol Work of Redemption Christ comes to bless his by turning them away from their sins Acts 3. last and therefore when the Lord comes to hale thee out of thy sins take heed thou dost not go from under Gods strivings lest he strive with thee no more EXHORTATION We have hence special motives to quicken the desires and provoke the endeavors of the most carnal minded men in the world to attend with all the care and diligence they may upon the means of Grace But you wil tel us It is not in our Preparations Performances and Improvements that our Spiritual good depends there is nothing we can do can procure it it depends wholly upon the good pleasure of the Lord Why then should we trouble our selves to endeavor any thing I Answer The Inference is the quite contrary way All is in God and his good pleasure attend therefore upon him in his own means that thou mayest receive al from him If a man should reason thus I can do nothing for my self therefore I wil take a course that no man shall do any thing for me it were not a weakness but a kind of madness but rather in common sence a man would be provoked to press his own heart thus I can do nothing of my self therefore I must attend upon God in those means which he useth to do for all those he useth to do good unto So the Disciples to our Savior when he would arm them against his departure Will ye also go away John 6. 68. They answer Lord whither should we go thou only hast the words of eternal life Christ only can humble and convert Christ only hath peace and pardon therefore only go to him We are so wise for our bodies where one is most like to speed every man is most willing to go especially considering as nothing can purchase his favor 〈◊〉 nothing can 〈◊〉 the expression of his good pleasure when he wil go therefore what ever thy condition is When thou art at the weakest here is supply As he said Why stand you gazing fainting and famishing get ye into Egypt for Corn that we may live and not die though thou livest in the height of the perversness of thy heart in the out-rage of thy rebellion though thou carriest a scornful contemptuous spirit with thee yet go who knows when is Gods time what he may do bring your own souls your rebellious Servants and disobedient Children fall down at the foot of Christ in his Ordinances and say Here are a company of Hellish Traitrous hearts which bring proud stubborn scornful rebellious distempers like so many bloody weapons even to wound thy good Majesty withal Oh pluck these weapons out of our hands these treasons out of our hearts that would pluck us to thee and so to destruction As we cannot deserve any thing so our wretchedness cannot hinder thy Work And because thou knowest not the season of mercy take al seasons thou knowest not what time God may or wil work because it is in his own pleasure therefore attend upon him at al times 2. Tim. 2. 25. Proving if at any time God will give thee Repentance Attend upon him in all Ordinances because it is in his pleasure to breath in which he wil and to bless which he wil for thy Spiritual Comfort Sow thy Seed in the morning and in the evening because thou knowest not which may prosper this or that Eccles. 11. 6. Thou knowest not whether Prayer or Meditation or Reading wil prosper and which of these or any other Ordinance God wil bless for the saving good of thy soul. When thou findest the Lord stirring moving enabling and working in thee move thou and work thou also As the Marriner when he finds the gale coming any way he tacks about 〈◊〉 way to take the advantage God was tampering with the heart of Agrippa it was at a ha now a ha Thou hast almost perswaded me to become a Christian saies he to Paul Acts 26. 28. Ah what a pity was it he should fal back again It 's matter os wonderment able to swallow up the heart of a sinner with the everlasting admiration of this 〈◊〉 unmatchable kindness of the Lord. Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardonest iniquity and passest by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he 〈◊〉 in mercy he will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea You that have tasted how good the Lord is and found this Truth made good in your own hearts by your own experience as Paul was wont to recount his course I was a persecuter blasphemous and injurious but I obtained mercy I doubt not but many of you may say if ever there was a Fiend in Hell or a Rebel upon Earth I was one an opposer of the Gospel a despiser of the means of Grace a hater of the holy waies of the Lord and his servants that walk therein yet then God did me good when I desired and 〈◊〉 my own hurt Get ye homeye blessed Saints and in the secret of your Closets cal Heaven and Earth together and leave these compassions upon Record Say the time was this carnal mind of mine plotted my wretched 〈◊〉 and mine own ruin but then the Lord prevented both I opposed 〈◊〉 entreaties and he yet pursued me and would take no 〈◊〉 he called after me wept over me Turn ye turn ye why will you die I provoked him he pitied me I resisted him he imbraced me I said I would have none of him nor his Grace he said he would have no denial I resolved to walk on in the frowardness of mine own 〈◊〉 and to perish in the despight of al means and he would and did shew me mercy in the despight of the pride and rebellion of this heart or else I had never seen this day nor never had hope to see his face in glory Be astonished and confounded at this O ye Devils and come down ye blessed Angels from Heaven and magnifie this mercy Leave this in your last will and testament to your little ones O ye Fathers leave
that are daily before his eye the Lord wil force him to look further to see and feel something more and worse than ever yet he found before he have done with him therefore he makes the wound deeper rests not before he be at the root of the heart quite through comes to the very quick and sees the bottom Hence the Lord leads the soul from the terror and sting of sin to view the stayn and filth of it which was more deer to the soul than its own 〈◊〉 and yet worse to the soul than al the misery and vexation that could befal it Open here a little There is something in the wil above the natural or physical being of it look at its being meerly as it ariseth from the power of those natural principles whereof it s made there is something above these and so better then these unto which theseare subject and subordinate namely those divine principles of grace which were at the first imprinted upon it and by which those natural abilities should be carried beyond their physical being to close with God and so attayn an eternal and in that 〈◊〉 a supernatural happiness I say in that sence supernatural though it was Naturae debitum because Adam should not nay could not please God put forth such a divine act out of the faculties of understanding and wil for then the 〈◊〉 in Hel now might please him for their natural faculties stil remain but it was as they were acted and carryed by the image of God wisdom holiness and righteousness that were bestowed upon them So that these principles of grace in the wil were above the wil and better than the natural being of it Since the fal of Adam original corruption is come into the place and room of that original righteousness and by a Soveraignty of power takes possession of the heart and wil so and so the whol man rules it carryes it captivates it in subjection and subordination to it self So that to a son of Adam now in the state of sin corruption exerciseth a soveraign power and command over the wil and is better to the sinner than his natural being corrupt self is of more power and more neer and intimate to the soul then natural self Hence the souldier wil rather loose his life than take the lye he wil fight for it and dye for it his honor is nearer to his heart than his being thus the Ambitious among the heathen the desire of vain glory amongst the Jesuites that they may be-canonized for Saints makes them put their necks into the halter And a corrupt heart wil loose Christ and ordinances and safety and life and al rather than not satisfy his own humer So Saul kill me that it may not be sayd the uncircumcised Slew me after he had been dead he would never have felt the disgrace but his ambitious humor was more dear than his blood When the blow reacheth hither then ye are come to the root of the heart and the heart is pierced quite through when the heart and the power of corruption are parted Therefore when the Lord intends to make through work with a poor wretch whom he hath upon the rack in his horror and perplexities there he holds him he shal not go or get from hence before he go further and forceth the sinner to further consideration If it be so why am I thus thou lookest upon hel and the torments thereof as loathsom and fearsul what are thy sins then that deserve these thou viewest thy plagues which are diresul and unsufferable what are thy sins then that procure these Sayes the Lord. Psal. 107. 17. Foolish men are plagued because of their transgressions Psal. 38. 8. there is no quietness in my bones by reason of my sin Jer. 4. 18. thy sins and iniquities have brought these therefore thy wickedness is bitter because it reacheth unto the heart Hither the Lord brings and here keeps the soul my sins are before me Psal. 51. 3. he leaves the thoughts of his punishment and turns his eye to the power of his distemper and the distance that they work between God and his soul. Here Satan bestirs him that he may darken the way of the distressed sinner and deceive him by some wily fetch And therefore he deviseth how he may shift shoulder and change his habitation and not be thrust wholly out And therefore he is wel content to gratify the sinner here that he should look upon some sin that is attended with shame and loathsom to the light of nature to the dictates of the common principles of natural conscience and there he wil suffer him to lay on load and to follow it with great fierceness and indignation that so when the heart is come to a calm and the storm is over he may take aside with some lesser evils that he may but color them over with the pretence of religion thus many men have changed their special corruptions not truly parted with them and for the while have fallen short of this through sorrow The Devil doth with sin as great men with their houses they have their winter houses and their summer houses and they remain there where they have most conveniency and suitableness so when a mans speicial sin of his constitution hath fallen and the parties have conceived the day is theirs their hearts have been truly broken when the Devil onely alters his habitation they grow to be disobedient servants and sharp wives and that under pretence of Religion the servant must go pray when he should go to work his Master is a carnal man the wise froward and perverse her husband wants the power of Religion why should she look at him and this upon mine own knowledg hath discovered the 〈◊〉 and hath been a means to many to begin again and to make through work therefore the Lord follows the soul afresh that it must feel sin as sin and therefore every sin and else none truly Cursed is every one that continues not in al things written in the law Gal. 3. 10. there must not be great breaches but no breaches not gross sins but no sin that God wil bear or we should keep knowest thou not sayes Saul to Jonathan that as long as the son of Jsha remaines alive thou wilt never be established 1 Sam. 20. 31. So Conscience to the soul that as long as the league life of any of these distempers concontinu doest thou not know thou wilt never thou canst never be established in the kingdom of grace Nay the sinner beginns now to reason with himself why was I born why came I into the world wherein consists my good or what is my hapiness is it not to please God to be one with him and happy in so being should I carry this proud stubborn rebellious heart to heaven with me heaven would be a hell to me and I a devil in it Now however this work be thus punctually in the several parts of
the old man stil. Here the main knot and the great Question remains still The looking over and skilful discerning of these first impressions left upon us may nay in truth will stand by us and relieve us in the darkest daies of our greatest distresses we may find some foot-hold here when al the rest seem to be gone from us to our own sence apprehension It 's Gods usual way many times to put his Servant to it as he tried Abraham to make them sacrifice their Isaacs even to burn the 〈◊〉 and pledges he hath given them for the 〈◊〉 of the Covenant and established their hearts therein For Isaac was all the pledg that the Lord had given That in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blesfed now he commands him to cast his Evidence into the fire brings him to his beginnings Gen. 22. 1 2. So the Lord doth often with his Enlargements fail the heart is dead their Graces bed-rid their peace disturbed their assurance gone so that they find nothing feel nothing in their own sence and apprehension all is in the ashes God begins with them upon the bare board as we say they sit down with a heart yielding and melting a heart burdened with sin though it cannot disburden it self a heart loosened from his lusts willing that God should remove them though he cannot subdue them The Second thing to be opened is How God sets on this Sorrow and makes the soul to feel sin its greatest evil when Naturally it finds greatest content in it OR How it 's possible that the soul 〈◊〉 wholly possessed with sin can be made to feel the weight of sin as to be severed from it where there is no room for a habit in the subject there can be no work of a habit for habits of Grace and sin work so far as they be in their subject and have 〈◊〉 from the subjects in which they be Corruption must be in the heart before it carry and command the heart Grace must be in the soul before it can act and quicken the soul to its work Now how the soul should come to feel and be loosened from it's corruption when there is nothing in it but corruption when God comes to work upon it how doth God bring this about If by Sorrow a man be 〈◊〉 from sin then it must have this 〈◊〉 before it be loosened because it is an effect of it If so then it must have a gracious frame and be possessed with the presence of Grace when it 's wholly possessed with sin which cannot be I Answer In these Secrets and depths of Gods Spiritual Dispensations with the souls of men we must learn to be wise to sobriety and adore the waies of God which are too wonderful for us and if any paths of his Providence in an ordinary course are beyond our ken and past finding out I suppose his complyings with the consciences and hearts of men in their Conversion are some of the chief It 's of our Natural Birth David speaks Psal. 139. I am fearfully and wonderfully made much more may it be said of our new birth The wise man Eccles. 11. 5. saies 〈◊〉 thou knowest not the way of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do grow in the womb of her that is with Child so thou knowest not the 〈◊〉 of God nor of his Spirit how he fashions the frame of the mind and heart of him he wil bring home to himself curious we should not be careless we must not be I shal leave therefore some such 〈◊〉 Expressions so far as my light goes and occasion the judicious to consider further for the further cleering of Gods Work That which I shal say here for the Answer and Explication of the Second thing I shal east into 〈◊〉 conclusions 〈◊〉 I conceive that is 〈◊〉 easiest and openest way to help the weak In a right sence it 〈◊〉 be truly said that sin is truly cross and opposite to the Nature of the soul and the greatest evil that doth or can 〈◊〉 I say opposite to the Nature of the foul 〈◊〉 a right 〈◊〉 Look at the soul in respect of the end for which it was created and that impression which is 〈◊〉 and left upon it unto this day whereby it 's restlesly carried in the search and for the procurement of that good for which it was made though it 〈◊〉 the right 〈◊〉 of what it is and falls short in the 〈◊〉 of it The soul was made for 〈◊〉 end and good and therefore for a better than it self therfore for God therfore to enjoy union with him and communion with those blessed excellencies of his so far as they are communicable and it were capable this impression remains still upon the soul though the work thereof is wholly prejudiced and it self disappointed wholly of that good which would satisfie the desires thereof and it misseth 〈◊〉 being possessed with sin the Judgment is blinded and deluded that it mistakes utterly and perceives not this good and so pursues other things in the room of it yet restless and unsatisfied in what it-hath and attains but it hath not that for which it was made thus Paul speaks of the Romans Rom. 2. 14. Being without the Law they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience excusing or accusing this ever appears in the heart corrupt I was for a 〈◊〉 the ambitious man he seeks his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man the World 〈◊〉 gots the booty and yet is not 〈◊〉 in that which he gets I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 which should 〈◊〉 and yet 〈◊〉 doth not satisfie And 〈◊〉 they know no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these and are not satisfied with these therefore they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried after more of these vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honor more Wealth more 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 blinded 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by what light 〈◊〉 is carried to no other by the power and principles it hath This is the reason the Apostle Peter gives why carnal hearts 〈◊〉 see spiritual 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 9. Because they are blind and cannot see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things are far 〈◊〉 and blind men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 the light help and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the reason follows That which crosseth the end and good of the soul for which it was made that is so far contrary to the nature of the soul and the greatest evil that can befal it But sin as such and such and that onely crosseth the end and greatest good of the soul. If sin in the venome and pollution of it were discovered and brought home effectually to the nature of the soul it might be made sensible thereof and deeply affected and burdened therewith this followes undeniably from the former That which carryes the crossness of the greatest evil to the nature of the soul were it but so seen did it but so act upon the soul it would
affect it with the greatest grief and burden for sorrow in al the proportions of it issues from these two grounds A crossness of an evil truly apprehended by the judgment the venome acting really upon us where these are in a greater or lesser measure there sorrow is greater or less upon this ground the Apostle evidenceth the grief and burden of the creature Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whol creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now and that because it was made subject to vanity and this is their vanity because their end is crossed and so their good is hindred for wheras it is their desire to serve such as may serve God when they serve the humors and corruptions of carnal men they become vain and miss their end and so their good and this is as it were a grief to them Were the venome of sin but discovered and acted upon the nature of the soul it could not but groan under the evil and vanity thereof as that which wholy deprives it of its end and good While the soul stands fully under the power of corruptions possessed with it and acted by it it 's not possible it should apprebend the evil of sin nor the nature of the soul tast the venome thereof Sin carryes no crossness of opposition of evil to it self and therefore 〈◊〉 disquiet to it self 〈◊〉 so no separation from it self But sin wholly possessing and wholly acting the soul it makes the mind and heart apprehend not according to the nature of the soul and impression left upon it when created but according to the distemper by which it is possessed and carried So did they to Samuel 1 Sam. 8. 19. they said nay but we wil have a King Jer. 18. 12. So they to Jeremiah we wil walk every one in the imagination of his own heart Give the sick man the most pleasant potion though the Physitian profess it and give reasons and others by experience find it so he no sooner tasts it but he puts it away as that which is exceeding bitter because his tast is corrupted and tongue furred with the foulness of his stomack he rellisheth the drink not according to what they say and what it is or what the natural constitution of the palate would perswade but what his distemper which now possesseth and disordreth his tast tel him So it was with Judas though he was told before that it were better he had never been born that would not do the deed his covetous heart found another rellish nay when he flung away his money out of vexation yet he rellished hismurther stil and therefore hanged himself And this is the reason why they who sin against the holy Ghost even against the evidence of reason the corruption of their heart rellisheth other than reason tells Hence the Lord Christ by the irresistible power of his spirit doth countermand the authority of sin makes it appear that its commission is come to an end the date of it is expired Namely sin after Adam withdrawing himself received a commission from divine justice that 〈◊〉 the soul would not be ruled by him and his law It should be possessed and acted by corruption the date of the commission lasts until the Lord Jesus the second Adam who 〈◊〉 for the sinner comes by covenant to take the soul to himself and then he appearing in this behalf sin is forced back and not to exercise her power and then the evil of sin is brought home to the soul and set on with the ful venome of it and the nature of the soul is made sensible of it I say made sensible and deeply affected therewith This me thinks is the binding of the strong man Math. 12. 29. Wherby the Devills armour that is his comission by vertue of which 〈◊〉 holds the soul is taken away from him stopp the sluice and stream that drives the mil and then you turn the wheel another way which otherwise while under the sourse of the stream cannot be stirred Thus God commands the soul to return from iniquity Job 36. 10. And if he do but stop the commission for a sudden turn then there may follow a tast which such as sin against the holy Ghost may have of whom the Apostle speaks Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. The Lord Jesus by the virtu of his death puts an end to the commission that divine justice gave disanuls the right and power that sin challenged and by which it acted the soul of a sinner wherby it kept the soul under its command that no means could work upon it or be made effectual to it 1. Pet. 3. 18. Christ dyed for us that he might bring us to God For when Adam and so we in him wilfully departed from God would not be guided by his rightous law and just wil divine justice gave a commission to sin to take vengeance of the soul and keep it under that no good may come to it or it receive any now Christ by his death having satisfyed justice the commission is cancelled there is nothing on Gods part which hinders And there is nothing on our parts can hinder the authority of sin is disannulled his claym made voyd that soul is mine saies Christ hands off 〈◊〉 hands off sin the claym answered authority disannulled power stopped now there is way for light to come to the mind and for the nature of sin as discovered to be set on upon the soul and it made to seel the venom thereof as upon those termes it may utsupra So our Saviour 〈◊〉 1. 18. I was dead but am alive and I have the keyes of hell and death i. e. hath supream authority to shoot back al boults to open al dores As the first Adam by natural generation 〈◊〉 power and commission from divine justice to turn the souls of his children from God to sin so the second Adam having satisfyed and answered divine justice hath power to turn the soul from satan and sin to God satan and sin are at his devotion the soul at his command The third particular to be opened How far the soul is or may be truly said to be active in this work of Contrition or this spiritual sorrow when it comes to receive the right impression of it for sin as such The Answer may be conceived in the following particulars There is no power in man to remove that resistance that is in his heart against God the work of his grace that which out of its own corrupt principles doth wholly resist and cannot but resist the operation and dispensation of al spiritual means that would prevayl with it for good that cannot take away the resistance for resistance cannot take away resistance it implyes a palpable contradiction as that which is professedly cross to common sence but the corrupt heart of a natural man while he is in the state of nature and corruption doth and cannot but wholly resist the work of
them with any quiet or content Thus when sin should be grievous as the Psalmist speaks the waies and Commands of God are ever grievous to such it 's a grief to him to be counselled checked crossed in a sinful course was 〈◊〉 any man truly sensible of a burden that would not be 〈◊〉 any man oppressed with a load that would not be content to have it removed and taken away from him Of this temper were those the Lord delivered up to a reprobate sence Rom. 1. who did not delight to have God in their knowledg they bear a secret spleen against such saving Truths as would search the core of those noysom corruptions of their hearts It 's certain such never knew what Godly sorrow for sin meant since we have heard that such are willing to attend all means but take most content in those that work most powerfully for the removal of their special distempers A third sort who fall short of this saving Work is your self-conceited Pharisee who hath such an overweening apprehension of his own worth and excellency that 〈◊〉 is not able to take shame for 〈◊〉 sin therfore cannot endure to be convinced of it what he wil not do he wil not know loth to confess his course shameful and vile because then he concludes there is no color of common sence to continue in it but he must be forced to reform it unless he would openly proclaim to al the world that he is resolved to go against Knowledg and Conscience which is too loathsom and gross even to ordinary prophaneness therefore he pretends nothing but the search of the Truth 〈◊〉 further information of the mind of the Lord and if that once could appear how glad would he be to receive it and more glad to follow it because this plea is beyond exception 〈◊〉 carries an appearance of consciencious and judicious watchfulness in a mans course which cannot 〈◊〉 a Cavil but is secretly resolved of the Conclusion the reasons shal never be plain to him that would press and perswade to the practice of that which doth not please his 〈◊〉 heart which he purposeth to satisfie let men say what they can if he may have approbation and allowance from others to follow his own heart it wil be more credit for him and he shal find more ease if not he determines to do what he list without leave and allowance holds out this in his ordinary and dayly profession it 's the way of Truth he desires to find the Rule he would see the mind of God he endeavors to know and follow that he pretends but intends indeed to walk in his own way and follow his own mind and therefore if things answer not his intents suit not his expectation but Arguments seem strong that perswade to the contrary and the evidences of Reason look and lead another way he then keep afoot his old course confesseth he is yet in the dark those reasons do not carry him those arguments do not convince him he desires further light and shal be willing to submit and follow i. e. if men would be willing to submit to his conceit and follow his humor thus he holds his sin and holds his enquiry keeps off al conviction that he may keep his corruption and his course in it As we know it in the Country from whence we came some wily headed persons get possession of a living keep the Owner in suit and restless wrangling many yeers together against the evidence of their own Conscience and Reason because so long they can keep the Living and reap the Commodity of it So while men keep an enquiry and dispute what they should do all that while they do what they list but only waiting for better light Numb 23. 34. when Balaam had gone against the express Counsel and Command of God to listen to Balack to gratifie his malicious desires the Angel of the Lord met him and withstood him in the perversness of his way he crooked his way and perverted his path against Gods express charge observe how pliably he comes in to the Angels reproof I knew it not that thou stoodest in the way now therefore if it displease thee I will get me back he knew it displeased God and though he said so yet he kept his disposition and resolution to curse Israel and so to displease God still and therefore he contrives all waies to compass his 〈◊〉 and therefore here he builds seven Altars and there he builds seven Altars that he might ask leave of the Almighty and when that would not do it he went without leave Numb 24. 1. This is one part of that of the Prophet to lay hold of deceit and so of sin whereas a broken-hearted sinner as we have heard because the holds of sin are cast down and the crossness and resistrance of the 〈◊〉 removed and his soul loosened from his sin he is easily willing to be convinced sensible of the least inkling and intimation of any evil that is or shal be discovered and sits down under the Evidence of it 〈◊〉 but when Reasons are so pregnant that he cannot gainsay and Answers so undeniable that they cannot be shaken yet to stand off from the Truth with a pretence of waiting for a further discovery argues a person strengthened in the stiffness of his Spirit which holds out Truth at the staves end and was never yet subdued to the Soveraignty and Authority thereof he keeps the blow off and therefore breaks not under it shuts the Truth out of their Souls and therefore it stirs not works not at all upon the soul such are afar off from God The fourth sort is your complaning Hypocrite whose Conscience hath been awakened with horrors and fears and the heart startled with the terrors of the Almighty and affected with the sight and sence of his sins and the venom and dread of those Curses that the Truth hath revealed and fastened upon the soul he sees he is now in Gods hand and that he hath him at an infinite advantage to bear it is beyond his power to avoid it is beyond his Skil to resist is bootless and against Reáson and Sence that were to hasten his own ruin his heart is filled with grief and his eyes with tears and his mouth with heavy complaints to God to man and he is free and full this way and that usually and this he hopes may move the Lord to pity and to spare him and abate him of those plagues which he hath denounced in his holy Word and he cannot but confess he hath deserved by reason of his sin and he presumes this wil go for good pay with the Lord considering those many human infirmities that do attend us since the Fall and that it is beyond our power to help our selves and free our selves from our corruptions thus he keeps his complaints and keeps his sins he mourns over his distempers and maintains them while he doth so thus they bath
their sins as he said but do not drown them with those heart-breaking Sorrows which in truth are poyson to them thus it was with Ahab when he had received that dreadful Message from the mouth of the Lord That he would require the Blood of Naboth at his hand and cut off his house he rent his cloaths and put on Sackcloth and fasted c. 1 Kings 21. 27. the Lord himself observes how he acts this work of 〈◊〉 and that in a comly manner Stage-Player like and abates him for the present execution of the plague the Lord loves his own Work and Ordinances that as it is with a Parent that affects a Child the very Picture of it pleaseth him so it is with God he likes his Ordinances and the acting and using of them but this did not cure but encrease his corruption for he that was an Enemy to Elijah verse 20 he professed after 1 Kings 22. 8. He hated Micaiah his sorrow was too overly and slighty he rent his cloaths when he should have rent his heart Thus it was with those Hypocrites Isai. 5. 8. 2. 3. We have fasted say they and thou regardest not we have humbled our souls and thou respectest it not the Lord Answers You fast for strife and debate and to seek your own pleasure they made way for the maintaining and practising their sins not for the removal of them from their hearts and it 's admirably strange how this delusion wil cozen a man and how far it wil carry him it wil make him Sermon-Proof and help him him to 〈◊〉 his heart against the most sharp and searching Words As he how came he to desire and delight in the most powerful preaching and yet never knew what it was to need a 〈◊〉 or to be relieved by him Answ. I conceive such threatnings are intended against them that wil not repent and sorrow for their sins but that will I. Nay it hath been found by experience from the confessions of many that they would weep over their sins and then fal to commit them men make their lamentation over their distempers and then return to the Commission of them As old friends weep at their parting not because they would be quit one of another but it 's a grievance they should part and they hope to meet again shortly The fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the discouraged Hypocrite whom the Lord hath exercised under his heavy displeasure and the poyson of his corruptions hath been Gall and Wormwood to his Conscience the floods of iniquities have followed at the heels and forced him to find his heart and prayers and endeavors and yet al in vain he finds no relief at all no ease no good at all by any means the Lord hath appointed and he improved according to his ability the sinner sinks down in desperate discouragement and casts off the thoughts of mercy and the continuance of any further endeavor he sees no profit accrewing and concludes there is no possibility of obtaining his hands grow feeble and his heart faint he concludes as good sit still as rise and fall I shal never attain it thus and so long I have tried and therefore why should I endeavor it So wretched Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. God hath forsaken me and answers me neither by Urim nor by 〈◊〉 thus also that wicked King 2 Kings 6. last This comes of the Lord why should I pray to him or waitupon him any longer and thus it was with them Ezek. 33. 10. Men pine away in their sins lie under the weight and never look out for help This is not 〈◊〉 or brokenness of heart for that makes a man restlessly importunate in seeking the Lord it s not therefore sorrow for sin but a kind of sullen waywardness of Spirit a dogged kind of self-willy disposition because the pressures grow heavy and unsufferable and the Lord withdraws himself from our desires 〈◊〉 it 's beyond our power and ability to relieve our selves God denies to hear and will not help and we cannot help our selves nor command help els-where in sullen way wardness the heart casts off any further attendance upon the Lord. Whereas Godly Sorrow rightly set on and that for sin and departure from God wil not suffer the soul to depart further that which takes away the resistance of our corrupt hearts that wil not suffer them yet further to depart these desperate discouragements are Valleys and Ditches that must be filled up before the Lord Christ come into the soul Luke 3. 5. TERROR It shews the direful condition of all hard-hearted 〈◊〉 who are not only in the Chains of darkness and held with the Cords of their own iniquities as the Scripture speaks but shut up in the Dungeon of everlasting destruction and locked in within the Iron Gate of a hard 〈◊〉 stupid heart without the least preparation or expectation of good from the Almighty This Hardness is double there are two sorts at least two 〈◊〉 of it 1. Such as sleep in a careless and secure Course never yet saw at least were not sensible of the plague of Sin or the sting and punishment that is attending thereupon 2. Such as have been in the fire scorched with the fury of the Almighty which hath drunk up their spirits but when God hath abated them of the expression of his Displeasure and allayed the flame they grow cold and careless as the Iron that hath been heated with a long and strong Fire grows more hard when it grows once cold than ever it was before They have been gashed and 〈◊〉 in pieces with the terrors of Conscience but 〈◊〉 worn out their Terrors and Fears they are more seared and senceless than ever Such who are drowned in senceless security have their hearts glutted and surfeted with pleasures and 〈◊〉 of the flesh and contents of this present world To sit moping in a corner sink under the burden of their sins and smoak out their dayes in a melanchollick pressure and pensiveness of spirit they account it a matter of scorn a silly kind of sottish behaviour unbeseeming persons of a generous spirit they wonder what men ayl and conclude its more in mens conceit than that there is any just cause for such a carriage for they bless God they never knew what it meant and they hope they never shal And hence they fearlesly adventure upon the practice and commission of known evils and it never stuck in their stomach nor are they troubled with it but are delighted in it that which is a plague to the broken hearted Saints they are plagued with their pride froward perversness of spirit but it s a pastime a may-game it 's their 〈◊〉 and matter of merriment in their meeting my 〈◊〉 rebuked me sharply saies the Servant my Mother chid me sayes the child but I think I 〈◊〉 them they would have their way and wil and would have it done after their manner And I did it with a witness so il-favoredly that I know
conceive much less endure First Thy Case to common Reason leaving secret things to God seems past cure it 's a great suspicion the day of Grace is over the date of mercy past the period of Gods Patience come to an end all means have been used and conclusions tryed with thee the invincible stiffness of thy Spirit hath won the day thou hast tried Masteries with all means Law and Gospel Promises 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the unconquerable hardness of thy heart hath out-bid all Dispensations thou art Cannon proof Law proof Gospel proof Threatning proof there is no other means of good in Heaven or Earth and thou art worse by them all which are provided to better others and have so done without means thou hast no reason to think that God wil work and thou hast had the try al of al and thou art beyond 〈◊〉 in thy stifness and therefore beyond all helps in an ordinary way Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved 〈◊〉 his heart shall be destroyed and that without remedy he that casts away the salve that should cure him spils the Physick that should recover him casts away the meat that should nourish him how should he be either cured or supported There are no Commands that awe no Promises perswade no Terrors awaken then there is no Remedy He must be deluded that opposeth the Wisdom that only can guide him he must be cursed that resists the mercy that only can save him he must be damned that 〈◊〉 upon the blood of Jesus that only would redeem him there is no other Remedy no other Name but the Name of Jesus wherby men must be saved Acts 4. 12. Nay not only means fail him but God himself seems to forsake Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man He hath striven by his Terrors by his Mercies striven and laid hold upon thee by heart-breaking 〈◊〉 Turn ye why will ye die turn ye and cause others to return and so iniquity shall not be your ruin Ezek. 33. 11. Oh that there were such a heart in them to fear me alwaies that it might be well with them Deut. 5. 29. but thou hast wound away from Gods hand and forsaken him and he hath forsaken thee there is Word and Promises but no God in them Terrors and 〈◊〉 but no God in them Thou art without God and art thou not then without hope When the throws of a travelling Woman leave her her life leaves her So here It 's said of a company of Despisers of Christ That they 〈◊〉 him again unto themselves Heb. 6. 6. When they resist one Christ and resist that Salvation that hath been offered either they must have another Christ or he anew crucified if ever they be saved So there must be a new Christ and new Scriptures before such miserable wretches can be relieved the Blood of Jesus the Spirit and Promises of Jesus Grace and Salvation hath been tendered to these stubborn-hearted and they have opposed and cast all away either there must be another Christ or he must die again All the Commands and Comforts in the Word all the Rules and Directions 〈◊〉 and Counsels have been used and tryed without any profit and prevailing power therefore there must be another Covenant 〈◊〉 and Scriptures if thou beest saved that 's incredible therefore the other impossible 〈◊〉 can ye escape that neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 2. I appeal to your selves You will go from the Law to the Gospel from justice to mercy but whither wil you go when you have departed away from mercy and mercy is departed away from you Thy judgment hastens thou canst not not escape it nor prevent it and truly it's coming more speedily and suddenly then thou art awar of Thou bringest upon thy self swift destruction though thou sleepest yet thy damnation sleeps not Hebr. 6. 8. the earth that often receives rain from heaven and yet brings forth thorns is near unto cursing look every day that God should curse al thy comforts thy out-goings and thy in-comings Prov. 28. 14. He that bardens his heart fals into mischief fals into it and is overwhelmed with it al of a sudden he may fal into any tempration he opposeth that counsel that should preserve him falls into sins he casts away that grace and resists that spirit that should strengthen him nay being past feeling such a one wil run to commit al wickedness with greediness Eph. 4. 19. Hell and Divills and 〈◊〉 are let loose upon such the light of nature evidence of reason dictates of of Conscence authority of the law terrors of judgments intreaties of mercies the hard heart hath cast away al these and therefore rusheth into what evil comes next against Conscience command reason sence nature men put of the principles not of humanity but of sence and become more base than the beasts themselves do that which beasts wil not do and morality is ashamed to speak As the ship when the anchors are broke and cable cut and a mighty tempest arises she is wholly left to the rage of wind and weather When men harden their hearts God swears they shal never enter into his rest Hebr. 3. last Ground of COMFORT to support the sincking spirits of broken hearted sinners when they seem to faint under the fierce displeasure of the Almighty and to be 〈◊〉 with the unsupportable weight of the wickedness of their own souls which they are neither able to avoid nor 〈◊〉 to undergo Here hence is matter of sound refreshing both to the parties that are the patients and bear 〈◊〉 bitterness and burden of their sorrow to their friends who as spectators do mourn with them and are affected with a fellow feeling of the evil of that which they find experimentally let me speak a word severally to them both Know therefore to thy comfort thou distressed soul this sorrow and anguish which now oppresseth thee it s not unto death nay it s the onely way and means to deliver from death from the death of sin and that security in which thou lyeft without either sence of thy misery or the least appearance and possibility of deliverance from the death everlasting of thy soul unto which thou wast hastening amain As it is with a dead body when with rubbing chafing and pouring in of hot waters there is some kind of warmth coming and overspreading the parts there is good hope the soul is again returning the man reviving again It s so in this spiritual quickening of a soul dead in sin stone dead stiff insensible of the distempers that lodge within him take possession of the whol frame of the inward man as stif coldness takes possession of a dead body when the Lord begins to affect the sinner und makes throughly sensible with Godly sorrow by rubbing and chafing in of sharp reproofs and passionate exhortations there is a kind of spiritual warmth coming into the soul and certain evidence like a harbenger or immediate
of spirit are such they cannot express and their pressures beyond strength more than they are able to undergo We should yern towards them in mercy and put on the bowels of tenderness and compassions towards them in lending what possible relief may be to the utmost of our abilities not only Religion will enjoyn this and reason perswade but even Nature and Humanity might compel and constrain us hereunto It was that which the Law enjoyned Deut. 22. 4. Thou shalt not see thy Brothers Ox or his Ass fall down by the way and hide thy self from him but thou shalt surely Surely help him q. d. Let all alone use no pleas make no excuses this must and ought to be done Doth God take care of Oxen No it is for our sakes it was spoken Shal the Ox be burdened not the heart under pressures be relieved Shal the Ass fallen be raised again and the Conscience bowed and crushed under the weight of everlasting vengeance not be comforted There Life natural is only endangered here Eternal Salvation is hazarded therefore their greater need calls for the greater pity As Job complained Job 19. 21. Have pity upon me O my friends have pity upon me for the hand of God hath touched me The spirit of a man will 〈◊〉 his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear Lend a hand therefore at such a dead lift and help him to bear that that no creature of himself is able to undergo have such in your minds dayly carry them in your prayers keep them dayly in your hearts when a party is in a fainting fit dying away how readily doth Humanity lead men to lend present help one man holds another rubs and chafes a third applies warm cloaths each man strives to come first and to do most I pray you take of my Water take of my Bottle c. that 's but a sudden 〈◊〉 over the heart that wil suddenly pass away but this is a wound that hath pierced through the soul bleeding and sinking with Hellish horrors breathing out his sighs Oh when Oh when wil it once be He that hath not put off Humanity and the very Nature of a man he cannot but put on tenderness and commiseration towards such and therefore what shal we think of those who instead of tenderness and pity which they should express towards such their hearts rise in bitterness and indignation against them yonder be your broken-hearted persons c. It 's no great matter you may see what they have got by Sermon gadding what may we think of such We may say and think as Job speaks he that is in misery should be comforted by his Brethren but men have forsaken the fear of the Lord Job 6. 14. It 's an Evidence of an Egyptian when an Israelite is going out of Egypt he stinks in his Nostrils nay a sad argument of a soul devoted to destruction Deut. 25. 17 18 19. EXHORTATION As to proceed the right way so never to rest until 〈◊〉 come to the right pitch of this saving sorrow otherwise we shall lose our labor all the pains and 〈◊〉 and trouble we take wil prove indeed unprofitable we shal lose our labor and our souls and all we should not content our selves therefore with a slighty touch to have the skin happily a little rippled or the heart stabbed now and then with an overly stroak but stay not until we come to the bottom to be pierced through and through again until we see our 〈◊〉 bleeding out their heart blood and the core of our corruptions coming out true it may be it wil cost hot water time and toyl before that day come be it so but it wil quit cost when ever it comes the longer the seed time the larger the Harvest They 〈◊〉 sow in Tears shall reap in joy let us not lose all for a little The Patient wil tel you why should I be cut for the stone in the Reins if the stone never be taken away and I cured Hath then the punishments which have been threatened the stroaks and terrors of Conscience which thou hast felt the dreadful displeasure of the Almighty which hath been denounced and seized upon thy soul have they happily wrested tears 〈◊〉 of thine eyes bitter confessions out of thy mouth and forced thee to pensiveness in thy carriage and perplexity in thy Spirit c. All this is good so far but it wil do thee no good if thou goest no further Say with thy self what sorrow have I more than Judas had what do I do more than Cain did what difference betwixt my complaints and Esau's tears Do I out of horror of heart vomit out my sins by confession So did Judas Do I make Restitution So did Judas Do I wander up and down racked in a restless condition So did Cain like a Vagabond upon the face of the Earth Do I sue to God for a blessing So did Esau and that with tears and that with importunity Take not up thy stand here but say Oh Lord that I may have somthing more than Hypocrites do somthing more than Reprobates can do have I suffered all these terrors wept al these tears in vain If so be it be in vain Oh let me not have sorrow only but that true sorrow that may cause repentance never to be repented of Go then beyond al horrors and fears and stay not before thou findest and feelest thy sin worse than al thy plagues or else thou never feltest them aright Look not to punishments that are cross to thy comfort and 〈◊〉 but look to the stubbornness and resistance of 〈◊〉 heart which 〈◊〉 cross to God and his Holiness and holy Laws 〈◊〉 that be heaviest of all other evils which indeed is the greatest evil of all This too much hast 〈◊〉 the new 〈◊〉 makes many 〈◊〉 Christians still born not begotten again to a 〈◊〉 hope 1 〈◊〉 They heal themselves before God heal them make 〈◊〉 before sound 〈◊〉 not that they can apply too soon if they apply truly but they think they do apply 〈◊〉 they neither do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep thy heart in foak by godly Sorrow until thou 〈◊〉 thy corruptions like noysom weeds come up kindly by the roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feelest sin as sin in the bitterness thereof that thou fearest al sin in the least appearance thereof that whatever shal be conceived or be discovered to be such the 〈◊〉 notice inclination disposition or suspicion thereof thy heart may 〈◊〉 to come 〈◊〉 any provocation leading that way and may readily listen to what ever may 〈◊〉 help or direction to avoid it or subdue it Bear thy burden till the Lord ease thee be in prison and let the Iron 〈◊〉 into thy soul until the Lord 〈◊〉 and deliver thee and bring thee out of the house of Bondage then shal thy mouth be filled with laughter and thy heart with joy and that joy shall no man take away from thee travel the appointed months of
weare away the 〈◊〉 that stuck in his heart and therefore fondly conceited he could make a 〈◊〉 to beare the weight that should befal that he might possess and injoy the pleasures and content his 〈◊〉 courses did promise to his carnall heart But he finds it otherwise his heart say les him under pressure of one sin Psal. 130 3. If thou shouldest mark what is done amis Lord who should 〈◊〉 it An ignorant soul settled in his secure condition out of self deluding pride of his own spirit would 〈◊〉 that he could abide the misery and so the danger that might accrew to him by his distemper and so is fearless to maintain it But now he findes he is not able to abide that which his sin doth bring let him put the best of al his abilities together to emprovement 〈◊〉 14. can thy heart endure c. the time was they thought their hearts could endure the frollick Epicure and flinty hearted sinner he wonders at he feebleness of the distressed and broken-hearted that they should be such children persons of such feeble and milksop dispositions to sink at a Sermon and be troubled at the words of a Preacher tush his Conscience is cannon proof he can heare and bear al and yet pleal 〈◊〉 and bless himself in the pursuit of his lusts as before times Oh thou 〈◊〉 do so while men deal with thee thou mayest avoyd their blow or make an escape out of their hands but when God shal deal with thee in that day when thou fallest into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10. who lives to torment the to eternity what wilt thoudo The shadow and appearance of the hand-writing shook Belshazzars heart when he was quaffing in his cups in the ruff of his riot what would the stroke of that hand have done and this hand now the 〈◊〉 finds and finds himself absolutely unable to 〈◊〉 the evil of 〈◊〉 sin and therefore concludes it absolutely 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 of it whatever it cost him He knowes now by proof this evil to be such as that no other can equal it the evil such as no contrary good in this world can countervail it And therefore he sees reason and chooseth never to have any good in this world rather than to have his sin to part withal rather than not part with this or be plagued with it Rather undergo al evils and suffer the utmost extremity 〈◊〉 suffer his sin to remain with him Math 16. 26. What wil it profit a man to gain the whol world and to Ioose his soul or what shal a man give in exchange for his soul. The broken in heart he sees now by proof also the cursed combination that is amongst corruptions a league 〈◊〉 lusts if any corruption rule in the heart it makes a man a slave to what ever distemper presents it self unto the soul In a word He that wil keep 〈◊〉 sin he keeps himself under the power of al corruptions he keeps off the power of al the means of grace and good for working upon or prevailing with the soul for its 〈◊〉 wolfare The keeping of one sin keeps possession for Satan and his right unto the soul and under the Allegiance of all the accursed lusts that either can come from without or arise from within one 〈◊〉 the Soveraignty but he is a slave to al as special occasion may be offered he wil serve any 〈◊〉 that he may suit the beloved distemper of his heart 〈◊〉 Tim. 2. last the 〈◊〉 rakes them captive according to his wil. and therefore its 〈◊〉 of the thorny 〈◊〉 in that the nick of 〈◊〉 they fel away 〈◊〉 8. 15. Whither sel it Nathely it gave 〈◊〉 to whatover either error in opinion or 〈◊〉 in practice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or satisfyed the 〈◊〉 desire of the soul. He that misseth the right way be is for any by way that comes next in view a City that is under the command of the chief Captain they must be subject to the out rage of any or al of his 〈◊〉 or underlings that wil but execute his wil and attend his tyrannous commands so it is in the soul if one lust rule it it s a salve unto what ever distemper may be serviceable and seem to give content to that they went as they were led 1 Cor. 12. 1. 2. The heart pierced with this through sorrow perceives also by woful experience that the keeping of one corruption keeps off the power of any ordinance that it cannot work kindly or 〈◊〉 effectually for any spiritual good it way 〈◊〉 the work of an ordinance The heady and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would have a King and they would hear no counsel nor yet take the savorest argument into Consideration that did concern their peace and prosperous proceeding in their way 1 Sam. 8. 18. the 〈◊〉 Idolaters run madding after their Idols they cast off al the advice of the Prophet with scorn contempt Jer. 44. 16. As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we wil not hearken to thee Nay when they are set upon is they profess plainly there is no hope but we wil walk every one after the vanity of his own imaginations Jer. 18. 12. so that the sinner now 〈◊〉 and resolves either he must part withal or els for ever be deprived of al good and be a slave to al sin TRYAL We may hence gain undoubted evidence whether ever our hearts were soundly soaked in this Godly sorrow for sin 〈◊〉 or no. Contrition if it be of the right stamp it hath a constraining power with it to force the heart against corruption It silenceth al shifts puts by and puts off al false pleas scatters al sluggish pretences that are made in behalf of our distempers 〈◊〉 a word it casts the ballance against al carnal reasons that are 〈◊〉 and stirring and usually cast in by Satan and our sensual disposition to keep us in our former estate and to procure some if not toleration yet mitigation in our 〈◊〉 against our 〈◊〉 It layes and leaves a pressing 〈◊〉 upon the soul that overbears what ever may come on the contrary part to plead for any connivence for any sin in any kind As we say in the Proverb there is no reasoning against sence a man hath no patience to hear words 〈◊〉 or appearances which are against a mans feeling experience If any stander by should perswade a man the potion is pleasant when a man 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 and his stomach 〈◊〉 it or that the fire is cold when he finds it 〈◊〉 and burn he can hardly give him the hearing but disdains him an answer say what you wil I regard not what you say shal not I trust mine eyes or so far befool my self as to go against mine own feeling I pass not that you speak in that behalf So it is with a broken hearted sinner what ever Satan shal suggest his carnal friends and companions counsel his deceitful
heart pretend or plead what need he be so strict in his way so 〈◊〉 against his sin so resolute to abandon al his former courses and his antient 〈◊〉 with whom he hath had so much content there is no such need now to set upon the work herafter wil be time enough or no such danger in maintaining a dalliance with such and such distempers which are no great matter nor is there any great harm in them the burdened sinner hath not patience to hear but disdaines to enter parly about such things as he hath past sentence upon long before this day tel not me talk not to me of such things there is no speaking against mine own experience I have felt and found the contrary my heart knowes otherwise and that by woful 〈◊〉 therefore I pass not what you speak God wil allow none I can bear none no not the sting of the least sin when God wil let it in nor you neither when once the Lord wil pursue you with the least expression of his displeasure I cannot have any sin seem it never so smal but I must 〈◊〉 under the power of al nor ever have any possibility of any good As Ruth to Naomi when she advised her to stay or return when she came with her she puts an end to al such perswasions intreat me not for I wil not leave thee so 〈◊〉 is with a soul sensible and soundly affected with the evil of his sin he is beyond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and carnal reasonings he wil hear nothing the soul is overpowred with a soveraign kind of absolute necessity he hath found by proof which puts to silence what ever can be said to the contrary q. d. cease reasoning about that for which no reason can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that which hath no ground of perswasion it 〈◊〉 admit a case of exception therefore I wil not once take it into consideration nothing can be spoken of weight or worth and therefore 〈◊〉 to speak further It s not necessary I should not be poor 〈◊〉 despised It 's absolutly necessary I should not be sinful I have no 〈◊〉 from God I should not leave and loose my life my liberty but I have a 〈◊〉 charge without al exception I should leave my sin Art thou come to that with the three Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17. 18. Our God can deliver but if he wil not be it 〈◊〉 unto thee 〈◊〉 wil not fall down and wroship c. It s necessary we should maintain the truth of Gods worship it s not necessary 〈◊〉 should maintain our lives Resolvest thou with them Hos. 14. 3. Ashur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save us 〈◊〉 wil we go down to 〈◊〉 nor say any more to the work of 〈◊〉 hands ye are our Gods I wil no more be proud or perverse no more loose or vayn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liften to the pleasing dalliance of mine own heart that Dale 〈◊〉 mown that is determined long since by long and woful experience it s beyond consideration keep thy spirit ever in that temper and thou wilt keep 〈◊〉 undoubted evidence of the sound work of contrition with thee Hence therefore this Doctrine 〈◊〉 a Bill of 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ and Heaven fall away totally and finally from the Truth in the end The first sort are your NEUTERS who study to compose al their course with prudence and conveniency but conceive it not so safe to put a necessity upon each Service in this kind but only serve their own turn and that is the compass they stere by and walk by As your Neutral Towns they pay to both the Armies but sight for neither only keep their own safety and peace So is it with those Neuters in Religion they would capitulate with Christ and the Rule and enter into Articles of Agreement with the Gospel therefore they take up profess and practice Godliness but with Cautions and Provisions that they may walk at 〈◊〉 in their own deluded hearts but to put it to the 〈◊〉 of this absolute necessity and that they may dispense as they 〈◊〉 fit that they wil decline they count it and conceive it matter of comliness and conveniency nay prudence and Christian Wisdom nay necessary if occasions suit to attend the narrow 〈◊〉 of Gods Command if occasions suit provided that no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and desperate inconveniences and hazards appear to the contrary they plead a dispensation to relieve themselves by to be necessitated and tied to inconveniencies they conceive it unreasonable Thus the Chapman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisling and ready to 〈◊〉 his day and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 payment and perform his 〈◊〉 according to promise if means and moneys come in comfortably and his 〈◊〉 may be seived as wel as his Creditor payed then it 's necessary But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 and he cannot pay but with much 〈◊〉 to his Estate either to part with that which is profitable or upon low rates and for loss then he 〈◊〉 he may be dispensed 〈◊〉 and it 's not necessary 〈◊〉 that case to pay If a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world then it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wife that is froward she 〈◊〉 had she a head and husband so wise and able and gracious there were reason and necessitie she should carry her self in a 〈◊〉 and sweet and humble manner but one that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for his place nor answers her comfort nor his carriage so prudent as she could desire if then she carry her self pettishly and perversly in such a case a tolleration may be given So these persons put no necessity of parting with their sins but of preventing their inconveniencies It 's certain thou never foundest the evil of sin that canst take and leave thy sin with these exceptions thou never seekest Christ for himself but only as he may serve thee not take his but make thy own 〈◊〉 But if ever God do thee good he wil make thee know that God 〈◊〉 laies a necessitie upon a gracious man nor intruth upon any man to sin but 〈◊〉 necessitie and that absolute he should not sin And therefore al those pleas alas my occasions many my necessities great pinching extremities prevailed with me but as soon as convenienoies suit then I wil c. Therefore thou 〈◊〉 be just and true in promises and performances only when thou hast no necessities when thy conveniencies serve not for conscience sake No thou wilt find thou had'st better go maimed and halt with thy 〈◊〉 eye plucked out and thy right hand cut off than to keep thy sins and go to Hell with them When thy conveniencie suits thou wilt serve God and when Gods conveniencie serves he wil save thee There is another sort of Formal Professors that pretend great kindness and large affection to the Lord and the Gospel and therefore profess they wil go far to accommodate the Lord Jesus and give
him full and free entertainment Only there is a reservation they make to themselves of that which shall not be much prejudicial to the presence of his Majesty if God will abate them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all they look for As men that take in Mates they let all but reserve only a room to themselves and they 〈◊〉 they go very far to pleasure them So these men wil keep some one lust and they must be spared in that Rachel reserves her Fathers Idols Ananias and Saphira they give half and keep half Acts 5. 2. It 's certain thou never knewest the evil of sin if thou never 〈◊〉 an absolute necessity to part with all Thou sayest The Lord be merciful to me only in this No thou wilt never have mercy if thou keep this Thou sayest Is it not a little one and my soul shall live It 's certain thy soul cannot live if thou canst not leave this INSTRUCTION We here see the Reason of all that uneven and unsteady walking of many men Somtimes they are zealous and somtimes cold and careless men are off and on somtimes so 〈◊〉 that they cannot abide the appearance of any sin somtimes bold to adventure upon that which they know to be evil This is certain either thou never had'st the work of Contrition or thou keepest it not alive in thy soul 1 Cor. 5. 1 2. You are puffed up and do not mourn If they had mourned for the evil they would have been zealous to reform DIRECTION how we may keep a readiness of heart to 〈◊〉 every corruption and occasion leading thereunto that a man may have a steady even spirit keep thy heart affected dayly with the evil of thy sins and that wil over-bear al corruptions and inclinations to any sin at any time As the Naturallists say of the Nightingale she sets her Breast against 〈◊〉 Thorn that when she begins to nod the Thorn may awaken her he that lies hard wil not sleep long Two Rules here Keep the Judgment setled Conscience convinced and Heart 〈◊〉 of this Truth that the evil of sin is so great that no evil is equal no good can countervail it and then this wil certainly follow thou wilt rather chuse to have nothing in this world 〈◊〉 than to have thy sin and part with al profits and commodities and comforts 〈◊〉 not to part with thy sin suffer any evil rather than sin lose any good rather than keep thy sin Keep this in the thoughts of our hearts for ever there is no evil like to my sin Matth. 16. 26. What shall a man profit to win the world and lose his soul Do not give a hearing to any consideration of any Cavil that is cast in to the Contrary Say it 's past consideration do not therefore entertain the motion As in the Chancery or Courts of Justice when a Cause hath been tried and proved by Witnesses and Sentence past upon it if a wrangler shal then put in a motion the Judg wil not hear him but casts out 〈◊〉 motion Deal thou so with thine own 〈◊〉 reason and 〈◊〉 when thou hast seen and found the greatness of the evil of sin by thine own tryal and experience if now carnal reason should put in and say This is to be considered and that is to be considered cast out al these Cavils give no audience to any motion made for any tolleration for sin And this is the way to keep the Channel 〈◊〉 and the passage currant that your souls may be carried cheerfully in the stream of Gods Truth and that will make a man ever like himself keep this Truth 〈◊〉 in your 〈◊〉 there is an absolute necessity of it I must not sin It 's inconceivable what this Truth in the lively work of it wil do There is a secret Hope wherewith the Lord supports the hearts of such as be soundly Contrite Though the case be dangerous and their condition miserable they do not cast away all as though it were utterly impossible they do not say Men and 〈◊〉 there can nothing be done we see nothing our selves and we 〈◊〉 you discern nothing and we conclude there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil 〈◊〉 can do any good Nay their words seem to issue from another principle and foundation what shal we do q. d. there may be waies we see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 through our folly and ignorance of this condition and unacquaintedness with the dealings of the Almighty and his special and mysterious Dispensations with the sons of men do not conceive nor can they come so easily and readily within our reach and apprehension yet we suppose you that are the Seers of Israel and the Spiritual Physitians to the souls of 〈◊〉 sinful Creatures you that are of Gods Counsel and acquainted with his secrets we should yet think it there is yet somthing to be done Oh that we may know it and that direction that may do us good So that there is a secret kind of unknown expectation in their hearts as presuming there is some course to be taken for their cute and comfort It is true somtimes there be strong assaults of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in by 〈◊〉 strong Suggestions of impossibilities which of a sudden seem to 〈◊〉 over the soul when after long strife and 〈◊〉 held against our corruptions we are frequently and desperately foyled with the violence of our own distempers and our own 〈◊〉 the sinner out of height 〈◊〉 too much 〈◊〉 of Spirit is ready to 〈◊〉 away all I shall one day perish All men are Lyars The soul tired with extremity and by constant consideration as it perceives so it supposeth its condition forlorn upon a sudden push may lay aside all willing to look no further the Lord by this means in his infinite wisdom out of the deceit of our carnal Reason and by a present pang and out-rage of 〈◊〉 doth crush and confound all the pride and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Reason which by no other way happily could so easily be quelled when our own carnal 〈◊〉 conclude according to our misguided 〈◊〉 there is no way of escape or means to shift Where is now your wit that thought to 〈◊〉 your power that thought you were able to 〈◊〉 up your 〈◊〉 But this is but a present push like the rage of a 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall of rain a hurry of Spirit a 〈◊〉 as it were But when the soul comes to it self as the man that swouned away it lifts up it self and looks out It may be and it 's possible Let me therefore 1. Shew you in a 〈◊〉 or two the Nature of this Hope and 〈◊〉 it differs from that which 〈◊〉 wrought in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's wholly of another kind in the Nature and the work of it 2. The Reason why God leaves this Hope First Touching the Nature of this Hope I term it a secret kind of unknown expectation by which the heart is carried on to look for relief and help which out of the sence of
its own burden and preservation of it 〈◊〉 it willingly would have but knows not where to find it nor yet obtain it 〈◊〉 it did appear It may be discovered in two things In the rise and ground of it the Lord leaves upon the Understanding of a 〈◊〉 sinner a real apprehension of his own 〈◊〉 in such 〈◊〉 and about such conditions and yet 〈◊〉 of the experience and knowledg of others and 〈◊〉 of Providence in such difficulties beyond his reach both which lead the 〈◊〉 and apprehension of a man to look out and provokes the heart in this 〈◊〉 condition to put forth 〈◊〉 endeavor because al the 〈◊〉 of possibilities are not stopped up and 〈◊〉 of relief wholly taken away For be it he know none yet this also he 〈◊〉 there may be some way and others may and do 〈◊〉 conceive more 〈◊〉 of succor than his shallow conceiving is able to know or hath 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 therefore look out he wil and expect what further may be made to appear in the way of Providence and from Direction and skil of others And hence it is they come here upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Brethren What shall we do We 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 in our own thoughts we are strangers to our own hearts and distempers and distresses unto which through our just deservings we have brought our selves yet you that have more experience and better acquaintance with the Dispensations of the Almighty in such dealings with miserable Creatures though we know not what may help 〈◊〉 selves yet we know that we have need to seek for succor and we know not but we may speed therefore we are resolved to put it to the trial put it to the venture see what wil become of it Upon this ground the Ninivites resolve to betake themselves to seek out for their own preservation from the destruction 〈◊〉 and now drawing on Jonah 3. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and shew mercy that was perish not 〈◊〉 can 〈◊〉 it is beyond al the skil we have to contrive and the power we have to accomplish any thing for our own 〈◊〉 but yet we cannot tel but God may turn from his 〈◊〉 wrath and leave a blessing behind him 〈◊〉 of a curse as men who fal into strange and desperate sicknesses the danger they see but cannot see how to cure themselves yet the apprehension of their own ignorance and consideration of the experience and wisdom of others is thus far a help as to provoke them to seek out not altogether without expectation of supply from them for though they easily conceive they understand not what is good for their own sicknesses yet they cannot conclude but others do or may understand more than themselves So here Men and Brethren we knew not our sins before nor now how to be quit of them You that from God know how to discover them we cannot but think but you may shew us a way of escape and deliverance and therefore we cannot but enquire though the sinner cannot say it wil yet he doth not know it wil not be therefore I term it an unknown expectation it secretly swaies and carries the heart Hence this Hope is confused and uncertain it doth not nor can bottom the heart in any grounded assurance and settle it upon any certaintie for the attainment of that which now it needs But keeps this on foot in the consideration of the sinner that there be unknown passages of possibilities for his spiritual relief and therefore this sends the heart out after search and enquiry And those possibilities provoke the sinner to put to with what diligence and endeavor may be to see what he can make of them whether they wil hit or miss what wil become of him and his comforts that he may know what to make of himself and his condition which as yet he knows not Joel 2. 13. Who knows if God wil return Who knows whether these sins may be pardoned grace and mercy shal be extended to this miserable soul of mine Who knows what wil befal I wil yet try what shal befal I wil see the issue Such a kind of possible uncertaintie caused the Leapers to make proof what would be the event they may slay us and yet they may save us So Benhadads Servants Ahab may proceed in his indignation against us and yet he may also pardon therfore we wil try So the soul here Whereas the Hope that issues from Faith and is found in the hearts of Beleevers as the fruit thereof it hath a sure and cleer ground to sustain and settle it upon which a mans hopes may hang and a special and infallible assurance it brings that wil never fail that is as certain which is thus in hope as that which we have in hand that which is in expectation as that which we have in present possession so called the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. This Hope never makes ashamed Rom. 5. 5. A man never misseth of his expectation as the ground of our Hope is most sure and the success is most certain and the ground is the love and faithfulness of God in the undoubted performance of the Promises he makes Rom. 5. 4. Because the love of God it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our hearts by the 〈◊〉 Ghost 〈◊〉 this unknown expectation ariseth from the apprehension of some 〈◊〉 presented which because they are unknown what they may be therefore the restless contrite sinner puts forth his endeavour to prove what wil be the issue The reasons are 〈◊〉 summed up in so many words Because this hope is a privy support wherby the heart is under-propped from sinking utterly under those unsuportable evils which it feels now in part fears stil daily to come in upon them and yet not onely beyond his strength but beyond his thoughts and therefore as the Lord smites with the one hand he sustaynes and upholds him by the other It s the reason which the Lord alleadgeth why he wil not alwayes contend least the spirit should fayl before him and the souls that he hath made Isa. 57. 16. As the wise Physitian when the disease is violent and the portion strong he 〈◊〉 the heart with some cordial least while he should purge the humor he should destroy nature the Lord is as a wife merciful Physitian he would melt us by Godly sorrow but not consume us he would have us loose our sins but not our hopes This hope is an inlet into the soul whereby the Lord makes way for the work of the means hereby the contrite sinner is ready to attend and give entertainment to the ordinances while he hath any hope of any good to be communicated unto himself because the patient knows not but the receit may do him good he is content to take it and try what it wil do whereas desperate discouragement stops al the passages that the power of an ordinance cannot come to take place Upon
unsearchable and marvelous things without number This may support thy heart and carry thee on with some Hope in a waiting way They who are truly pierced for their sins do in an especial manner prize and covet deliverance from them For this is the scope of their complaint and the end and aim of their request that they might be freed from that which they found so bitter and indeed unsupportable to their souls and it 's of 〈◊〉 implied in their speech that which in the like case was openly expressed by the Jaylor Acts 16. 30. He came trembling and astonished saying what must I do to be saved not what shal I do to be eased of my destraction cured of my fears freed from my shame but what shal I do to be saved from my sin he was plagued most with the remembrance of that prizeth most freedom from it the venom of his transgression is that which lies heaviest upon his heart and thence it is to be safe-guarded from that is of highest esteem in his account Saved from the guilt of sin as that which sets the Almighty at a distance from him and raiseth the controversie between God and the soul and forceth him to withdraw his favor and loving kindness which is better than life which David felt by woful experience and therefore sues with such importunity Psal. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness After the Commission of these evils by David the Lord threatened the sending of the Sword that might hazard the safety of his person and the prosperity of such as should succeed him So Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 10. The Sword shal never depart from thine House he threatens to raise up cruel and subtil conspirators out of his own bosom and bowels as Absalon out of his own Counsel and Kingdom as Achitophel and Jeroboam whose plottings and conspiracies should shake the Pillars of the Kingdom and the peace of his Government all which were marvelous bitter potions and heavy expressions of Gods displeasure but the sting of all those troubles the venom of al that vengeance issued from his sin that is the evil in all evils and therefore he overlooks al the rest and seeks most earnestly to be rescued from this Deliver me from blood-guiltiness it 's not the cruelty of the Sword that wil destroy nor the conspiracy of Enemies that desire to undermine my Crown and Kingdom and Safety which I so much fear nonso much labor to be freed from but deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God of my Salvation q. d. that is the deliverance I look for and long for and here in the Salvation of a God wil appear and shew it 〈◊〉 and wherein the soul of thy servant shal most rejoyce Saved also they would be from the 〈◊〉 of corruption which carries the soul from God and keeps the 〈◊〉 estranged from him and hence it is the 〈◊〉 Church makes 〈◊〉 the matter of their most bitter complaint Isai. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear and caused us to err from thy waies When they withdraw their hearts from God he 〈◊〉 his gracious presence and 〈◊〉 from them when they would not deliver up themselves to the Authority of his Truth and holy Will to be ruled thereby he delivered them up to the power of their own perverse Spirits they that would not be guided in his 〈◊〉 by his holy Spirit they should be hardened from his fear by the perversness of their own Spirits this is the most dreadful plague of al plagues the deliverance from which they so highly prize and seek it with such importunity Look down from Heaven thy holy Habitation where is the sounding of thy bowels are they restrained Oh why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear The price the contrite sinner puts upon this deliverance from his sin discovers it self in four Particulars In the lack of this the soul is not cannot be quieted though it doth enjoy all other things the World can afford and his heart could desire The want of this takes off the sweetness of al the comforts contentments the sap and 〈◊〉 of al priviledges and the consluence of all Earthly Excellencies that can be enjoyed in this Pilgrimage when the soul is under the pressures of Gods displeasure and the tyranny of his own distempers which carries him from God and keeps him under the dreadful indignation of the Almighty present him then with the beauty of al the choycest blessings that ever any man had on Earth yea what ever others hoped for but in vain Put them into his hand conceive him possessed of the fulness of al worldly perfections Crowns Kingdoms Honors and preferments the broken heart 〈◊〉 al under 〈◊〉 with neglect what is that co me saies the soul had I al the Wealth to enrich me al Honors to advance me Pleasures and Delights to content me and my sins stil to damn me miserable man that ever I was born in the 〈◊〉 of al these falsly conceived comforts This sowr Sawce spoils al the Sweet-meat this dram of poyson makes deadly al the delights and pleasures that 〈◊〉 can be attained or expected As 〈◊〉 when he was recalled from his Banishment and had the liberty and use of his House and all the conveniencies and helps that were at his Command but was charged not to see the Kings face upon a two yeers tryal he found a straightness of all his Comforts in these enlargements 〈◊〉 he thus expresseth his resolution to 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 14. 32. What avails me to be at Jerusalem and in my House to come from Geshur if I may not see the Kings face let me see his face and let him 〈◊〉 me It is so with the broken-hearted sinner What avails it me to be compassed about with al conven ences my heart can desire and be compassed about with my corruptions to see all Earthly happiness heaped up together but never to see the face of God in another world the belly filled and back cloathed and house stored and the soul damned and east out from Gods presence in whose Presence there is fulness of joy and pleasures for ever more These are but dead things sapless shadows and are to a man of a contrite Spirit as though they were not nay the 〈◊〉 he hath 〈◊〉 more trouble he hath because there is more sin and more guilt more curse and condemnation he sees in all and expects by all from God and so remains restless in all He is content with this though he want all the rest because he prizeth this more than all Skin for Skin and al that a man hath wil he give for his life c life and al for the Salvation of his soul. For sin now he 〈◊〉 it now he hath found it to be more bitter than death and therefore to be saved from it he judgeth and that truly to be better than
life it self willing not only these things should not be but that himself should not be that he might not be sinful Let the Lord take all away yea life and all only take away my sin and it sufficeth he counts it the best day that ever yet dawned the best news that ever came to his distressed Conscience if he can gain any assurance get any evidence but one good look from Heaven a smile of Gods face and 〈◊〉 that the sins he hath seen he shal never see them more the corruptions that have 〈◊〉 and plagued him in his dayly Conversation indisposed him to do the Duties God required and unfitted him for the 〈◊〉 Christ hath purchased God hath tendered to him in his holy Word That pride that 〈◊〉 those passions that perversness and self-willy waywardness of heart that hath been the plague-sore of his soul have interrupted the comfort of his heart peace of his Conscience communion with his God The very possibility and expectation that the Lord may save him from the guilt and power of those prevailing distempers supports his Spirit But if he can but live to see the day that the thing is done he desires to live no longer Lord let thy Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since mine eyes have seen thy 〈◊〉 2. 29 30. Since thou hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusts mighty stifness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al Convictions though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gainsay al Arguments though never so 〈◊〉 slight al Directions though never 〈◊〉 evident mighty self-considence and hellish haughtiness of Spirit whereby I could swel above man and means and God himself Let thy Servant depart in peace This Peace let it never be interrupted this saving power of thy spirit never weakened never enfeebled more Let me lose my life with the 〈◊〉 let me die that they may never live more And therefore the distressed Christian sees not the meanest Christian in the 〈◊〉 miserable condition but he prefers him above al the 〈◊〉 on Earth and wisheth himself in his place Oh if my soul were in his souls stead saved from his corruption therefore he is in a safe and a blessed condition Salvation if it be of the right stamp to deliver from sin not to ease from plagues and sorrows such a kind of saving carries ever satisfaction with it hath a 〈◊〉 fulness which answers unto al poor and imprisoned yet saved though persecuted reproached yet saved though despised and killed and yet saved delivered from his 〈◊〉 there is no evil of the first or second death that shal hurt him 〈◊〉 have any power over him And therefore the contrite sinner contents himself in this as Jacob in a like case I have enough Joseph is yet alive I have enough my soul shal yet be saved In a wrack he that saves his life is abundantly satisfied When so many thousands suffer 〈◊〉 split al their Professions Hopes and Comforts upon the Rocks and Sands of Pride and Self-love Oh what a mercy satisfying mercy that thou who wert in as much danger as they stands alive upon the shoar when they are dying and drowning and 〈◊〉 under the power of their sins The 〈◊〉 sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price he is resolved in good 〈◊〉 readily to endeavor any thing to compass that he makes so much 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Brethren what shall we do Command what ye wil we shal do it give what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 please we 〈◊〉 follow them prescribe 〈◊〉 means you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal improve them 〈◊〉 it is you shal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enjoyn be it never so cross to our own carnal 〈◊〉 never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and haza 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 not haggle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you but we shal endeavor 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 we do whatever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉 do what we 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do what we cannot out of our weakness perform or out of our ignorance so readily conceive how 〈◊〉 accomplish So they Isai. 30. 22. The Converts there it 's said They 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Silver and ornament of Gold and cast them away as a 〈◊〉 cloth and say get thee hence The price and worth of their Image might have enticed them if not to have kept them yet converted them to their own use but they casheir them wholly without the least consideration of any Commodity that they might have contrived for their own content therefrom So Zacheus 〈◊〉 19. 8. When once he began to be sensibly affected with his corrupt and covetous course and the danger thereof and the evil therein see how comfortably restitution which is so difficult a work comes off a hand without any grudging because that was the means appointed by God to quit his heart and hands of the guilt of that sin Behold Lord half that I have I give to the poor and if I have wronged any man by forged Cavillation I restore him four-fold So lastly the holy Apostle Paul when the Lord Jesus had discovered his sin and abased his heart in the right apprehension of it so that he is come to Gods bent What wilt thou have me to do Behold I wil send thee far hence to the Gentiles Acts 26. 17 19. He did not consent with flesh and blood nor so much as pretend either doubt or 〈◊〉 but immediately addressed himself to follow the direction That which a man prizeth indeed he wil bid fair for nor wil he scotch for a little cost but is resolved to have it what ever it 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 not for the cost at all So it is here a 〈◊〉 sinner comes easily and resolutely to Gods terms to do any thing He that 〈◊〉 this price upon Salvation and 〈◊〉 from sin his heart is upon it and his prayer is improved for the most part for this particular his thoughts about it 〈◊〉 Listen to him in 〈◊〉 secret devotions his confessions about this his Petitions spent upon this he harps upon this 〈◊〉 stil. But for things of the world they are out of his mind his thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them as though he 〈◊〉 nothing or cared for nothing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh deliver me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ask him what he would have or desire if he might obtain and have what he would he answers Oh that I might be saved as Abraham for Ishmael 〈◊〉 17. 18. 〈◊〉 that Ishmael might live before thee 〈◊〉 he for his own soul Oh that my soul may live before thee or as blind 〈◊〉 said Oh that my Eyes might be opened and that my heart might be opened and freed from my corruptions Oh that Jesus Christ would do this for me who cannot do it for my 〈◊〉 Because 〈◊〉 distressed soul finds the presence of all 〈◊〉 ther things do no whit prejudice a mans everlasting happiness either the good or comfort of his soul either the having or 〈◊〉 of his Spiritual 〈◊〉 the presence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may 〈◊〉 do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any 〈◊〉 person a 〈◊〉 is never
a whit the worse and the Lord loves him never a whit the less because his pressures and sorrows 〈◊〉 upon him but that is the season of Gods saving health 〈◊〉 is most neer when there is most need and our 〈◊〉 makes way for the enlargement of his love and mercy to us Joseph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prison land God is with him with his in the fire 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 not and the Waters that they drown 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Isa. 43. 2. God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 25. 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 is seven times 〈◊〉 and the three children 〈◊〉 into it then the Son of God 〈◊〉 visibly with them in the 〈◊〉 thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 all manner of 〈◊〉 then God doth al manner of good for great 〈◊〉 your reward in Heaven So that what the Apostle enjoyns the sinner now finds true by proof that we have reason to count it all joy when we fall into many temptations James 1 2 3 4. For in al those wants which out 〈◊〉 befal become 〈◊〉 and intire and want nothing spiritually and 〈◊〉 the contrite is content to bear these when he finds they do not hinder the happiness of the soul. He now finds that the presence of his sins only poysons all the Comforts he hath with a curse and 〈◊〉 off the Hope and Expectation of any blessing from the hand of the Lord in al the Dispensations in the waies of Providences or Ordinances towards him nothing can prosper Why transgress ye the Commandement of the Lord for ye cannot prosper Sin stops the passage and puts him beyond al possibility of 〈◊〉 or good 〈◊〉 to be extended towards him sor the Lords determination is past and it 's peremptory there is no peace to the wicked saies my God Isai. 57. 21. he hath said it the word is past out of his mouth and no 〈◊〉 can 〈◊〉 it You know what a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Messenger the thing was so reasonable What! peace so long as the 〈◊〉 of thy mother 〈◊〉 remain Jos. 7. 12. It 's that which the Lord professeth so peremptory I 〈◊〉 be with you no more except you destroy the 〈◊〉 thing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 his blessing and 〈◊〉 in al the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 is the meaning he would not be with 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Warring in 〈◊〉 going forth and coming in he wil not be with them in 〈◊〉 in receiving praying improving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal not work Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place a man 〈◊〉 have them but no 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 no Spirit with 〈◊〉 no Blessing upon them no good from them at al. That which poysons al the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay in truth the evil of al evils with it He now finds the removal of 〈◊〉 would set open the floodgate of the infinite favor and goodness of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in amain upon the 〈◊〉 Jer. 5. 24. your 〈◊〉 with-hold good things from you God doth not with-hold them or keep them from us 〈◊〉 onely through the desert of our sins his arm is not 〈◊〉 that he cannot help nor his 〈◊〉 heavy 〈◊〉 he cannot hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power that he cannot nor mercy that he wil not help It s his desire Oh that there were such a heart in them that they might fear me and keep my commandements that it may go wel with them and theirs for ever 〈◊〉 5. 29. Nay he hath taken a sollemn oath As I live saith the Lord I desire not the 〈◊〉 of a sinner but that he 〈◊〉 repent and live 〈◊〉 18. 32. so that he wants not mercy but we want 〈◊〉 unworthy of the mercy he tenders uncapable Yea unwilling to receive the grace he offers Oh 〈◊〉 man that wil let him come and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of life freely Rev. 22. 17. If you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it God wil give 〈◊〉 and no man wants it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s he that wil have it and it s his corruption that keeps him that he 〈◊〉 not nay is not subject nay would not be made able to receive this mercy Come out of them my people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and touch not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he offers himself readily I 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 God I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and walk with them he wil constantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comfort them by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 18. 19. He wil walk up and down see their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for them answerable to al their needs and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which brings 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we should prize as a good 〈◊〉 above al 〈◊〉 things we should prize it INSTRUCTION We here seethe 〈◊〉 why the most men in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Physitian never looked for 〈◊〉 because they were never sensible of their thraldom c. REPROOF A bil of inditement to accuse and 〈◊〉 thousands giving in evidence that they never 〈◊〉 the work of God upon their souls Two sorts especially The secure sinner who is so far from seeking and coveting deliverance that he wil not take it when it s offered but is content to be in the prison of his natural condition and to lye in the boults and 〈◊〉 of his sins stil. Of this temper were those Jews in captivity that had so long lived in Babilon they were content to remain there when liberry was proclaimed and the way opened deliver thy self O Zion thou that dwellest with the daughter of Eabilon Zach. 2. 7. yet they stayed behind in Captivity stil so it is with many a sluggish 〈◊〉 he is content to perish rather then do any thing to deliver himself he blesseth himself in his misery and so is a devoted slave to the Devil as Exo. 21. 6. If when the servant had his liberty to go out free he said plainly I love my Master I wil not go out free then his ear was to be bored with an awl and he was to be his servant for ever the boaring of his ear did signify his yielding obedience to the Command of another So when Christ comes to set a man at liberty offers mercy and grace and pardon if a man then say I love my master Pride perversness and Idleness let me have and live in my sins if God say Amen thou art a bond servant of 〈◊〉 for ever thou 〈◊〉 a miserable 〈◊〉 creature for ever The sluggish professor or hypocrite that hath had some conviction of his sins and remembrance of the stings of his distempers and some promises and purposes of amendment the blow is no sooner over but al is at an end lazy prayers and feeble endeavours but when it comes to the poynt he wil do nothing he wil give you the hearing of counsels and admonitions you would think the man were in a very
good temper you may wind him about your finger but in cases of Tryal you shal find him just where he was he wil do nothing nay wil do contrary to what he professed to submit unto he is not thorough and real in his desire and endeavors for deliverance from sin c. We are now come to these Things that are plainly expressed 〈◊〉 the Words And here we shal content our selves with Two Collections which are most plain and suit best to our present purpose in hand They who are truly pierced with Godly sorrow for their sins are willing openly to confess them when they are called thereunto Or. True contrition is accompanied with confession when God calls thereunto So do these converts here in the place they come here of their own accord they do not stay til they be arrested and summoned to the court but they readily arrest indite arraign and accuse themselves before Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and bretheren you have discovered many sins and the dreadful condition of the sinners who 〈◊〉 guilty thereof loe we are the men thus and thus we have done By us the Lord Jesus was opposed and pursued by us he was 〈◊〉 rayled upon and blaspherned by us it was that he was 〈◊〉 and we are they that have embrewed our hands in his most precious blood we are they that 〈◊〉 it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 with him not him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they roundly readily told al this in secret we plotted against 〈◊〉 life and liberty thus we consented unto those that should attempt the treason and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them in their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding we 〈◊〉 they that gloryed and rejoyced in the unrighteous 〈◊〉 of the innocent son of God we applauded 〈◊〉 selves in that we so prospered in our unjust practises Oh so would we have it Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly here 〈◊〉 it we openly and nakedly acknowledge it they are our 〈◊〉 which you have discovered and we are the sinners against whom you have truly proclaimed the judgments of God our sins intollerable and our condition miserable 〈◊〉 are the men we are those accursed cruel 〈◊〉 whereof you speak and what shal 〈◊〉 do Observe the like expression in the like estate and condition when al sorts of people came to the Baptists ministery and the Lord was pleased to direct him to pierce their hearts by the preaching of the truth they lay open their sins and sores before him and crave fuccor and relief as it appears by 〈◊〉 he gives he applies several directions according to the several diseases Luk. 3. 12. 13. Then came the Publicans anon the Souldiers saying 〈◊〉 shal W E do and he answers suitably they made known their maladies and he applyes the 〈◊〉 As it is in an inward cankerd sore if it be lanced throughly and to the quick it then bleeds kindly and freely so with the soul If the heart feel the sin really the tongue wil freely express it when the season shal require the point is clear we wil see 〈◊〉 we can make it plain There be three particulars in the doctrine which desire 〈◊〉 1. When a sinner is called into 〈◊〉 2. When confession is serious and hearty 3. How contrition 〈◊〉 in such a confession To the first of these Before I can come to lay forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must premise two things That sins are of three sorts as they come to our present 〈◊〉 in the case in hand First some 〈◊〉 publick and noterious done in the sight of the sun open unto the view of al that are in the place to see it 〈◊〉 come to the hearing of it such are practises which are impudent when men are fearless and 〈◊〉 in their way They declare their sin as Sodom Isa. 3. 9. al may see and they pass not much what they do so in the case of Eli's sons 1 Sam. 2. 17. 23. Secondly Some are private between party and party to which none are privy but themselves either the offence don to another As Josephs mistress when they were alone inticeth him Gen. 39. 7. The Adulterous woman meets with the young man allures yea tempts him impudently by her loose speech and behavior Or 〈◊〉 they are Sociates together in the same evil as of Simeon and Levy bretheren in iniquity Gen. 49. 5. Thirdly Some sins are secret 〈◊〉 no eyes sees no man living apprehends but a mans heart and conscience he commits the evil alone and he alone knows it and God onely who knows the secret of al 〈◊〉 By open confession I understand the discovery and acknowledgment of the sin to any who knew not of it before whether it be publickely to many or privately to some one because a man is brought thus to open himself to such and to make them privy to that which formerly he did not apprehend these two things thus by way of preparation premised the answer to the first question wil be referred unto three heads touching publick and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al which particulars there be particular directions to settle a mans judgment and to 〈◊〉 practices in a right way 〈◊〉 publick sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here what ever sins have been publickly committed or bring private come to be made publick of such God 〈◊〉 publick acknowledgment and confession two branches 〈◊〉 I wil touch both If the publick scandals and evil which have broke out in our practice to the offence of others and stumbling of the weak the grief of the good the encouragement of the wicked who may be provoked in the like carriages or confirmed in them by reason of our example then it s requisite and necessary men should take open shame by sollemn acknowledgment It s the rule which Christ. hath left unto the Church who sin openly rebuk openly 1 Tim. 5. 20. and if a rebuk according to the rule of God ought to be dispensed it ought to be received And that is a main end 〈◊〉 on both hands ought to be looked at both in giving and receiving publick censure that the delinquent be ashamed and brought to acknowledg his sin judg himself for it So Joshua to Achan Jos. 7. 19. tel me what hast thou done 1 Thes. 4. 14. If any man obey 〈◊〉 the Gospel note such a man set a brand upon him by a sad censure that he may be ashamed and so see his evil and come to acknowledgment of it And hence men should lay shame upon him and he answerably ought to take it And when men are out of the Church that the power thereof cannot reach them the connivence and 〈◊〉 of humane lawes wil not see execution done upon them It s commonly the way of providence that the Lord doth force men to do that out of horror of conscience which they wil not do out of Conscience to Gods holy command Sometimes the Lord arrests men upon their sick beds and constraineth them to bear the shame of that
which they would not be brought to see in the dayes of their folly Then send for such and such who have been deeply wronged by me for such who have been corrupted by my example The evil counsel that I have given the loathsom carriages and unsavory language and speeches that I have expressed those subtil insinuations and baits that I have layd to entice and entangle them I desire now that God would pardon and they forgive yea such who have been ringleaders to their wicked and leud courses they were not able to abide their persons and practice either take him away or remove me hence sayes the sick party thus they brought their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them openly in the view of all when once God brought their hearts to a through sight and sorrow for their sin Acts. 19. 19. Sometimes upon the place of execution God constrains me 〈◊〉 vomit out their wretchedness to leave shame upon themselves and to 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 for a reproach and 〈◊〉 behind them and to confess now to be condemned when they would not confess in humility to seek and receive 〈◊〉 to be pardoned Oh beware by my example that you never rebel against Parents reject the counsel and 〈◊〉 of Governors that was my sin hath been my bane and made me rush on headily to mine own ruin and confusion Nay Secondly If the commission of them were private and yet they be made publick by 〈◊〉 way in a course of providence stil God calls for confession answerable as the season shal require and opportunity 〈◊〉 As suppose a mans secret fact come to open view either by others care or by the weakness of any according to my defect in al these cases open acknowledgment is requisite as for instance in the severals The house is broke the goods stoln conveyed and hid at length the owner sees chalengeth pursues him in the open court of Justice and yet righteously and that which was cunningly carryed before comes now openly to be censured again suppose that there is an offence given to a brother in Church Covenant and while the 〈◊〉 is in 〈◊〉 and depending between them 〈◊〉 the party offended against the rule of our savior carelesly and 〈◊〉 relates this to several persons some without some within the Church and they also report it heedlesly to others so that it growes common and the report publick though they of the Church for the rule of our Savior binds them properly because they have power to reforme or prevent evil and doth not in many cases reach others out of that relation though they I say did sinfully and disorderly make it publick yet this is ground sufficient for a gracious heart and that according to Gods Command to 〈◊〉 the open shame of the evil as seeing Gods hand so pursuing of him for purposes best known to his Majesty for the reality and venom of the scandal issues properly from his sin though the report came occasionally and disorderly from others Since then the Scandal goes so far and the hurt like to be so common by means of his sin it 's requisite the salve should be as large as the sore that the report of the confession for the recovery of the evil may go as far as the infection hath done by the report of the evil committed Nay if through my just desert it be made publick when private Counsels take not place nor admonitions awe nor reasons prevail when no private means that the Lord Jesus hath appointed 〈◊〉 have been improved do good but that they are constrained to appeal to the publick this shews the strength of the distemper and the danger of it and therefore the sinner needs more deeply to be affected with it and with greater shame and sorrow to bewail it As when the Offender wil not hear one nor yet two or three that the stiffness and obstinacy grows so high that the Brethren are constrained to call in the help of the whol Congregation and our Savior is constrained to raise the whol Army the Body of the Church to make head against an evil it argues the corruption grows malignant and deadly and the condition dangerous and desperate and therefore the Confession must be suitable must 〈◊〉 in soak and be of more than usual efficacy or else it wil in reason be no way satisfactory Touching private sins In case of wrong and injury that is done betwixt man and man miscarriages are expressed between party and party in the dayly occasions of their lives in which they are to deal one with another The Apostles Rule is plain and pregnant without doubt and dispute James 5. 16. Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another In our common converse miscarriages commonly break out and appear either harsh unkind discourteous or injurious carriages men should not slight such evils and sit down carelesly for the healing or removing of them but be as careful to apply the Cure as men are heedless to avoid the sin get a heart consciencious and ready to 〈◊〉 those evils and that constantly as we are ready to commit and practice them else our prayers and our comforts wil be prejudiced which by this advice may be quickened and enlarged each for others 〈◊〉 for while we commit offences and not 〈◊〉 we set our hearts and 〈◊〉 at a distance one from another and therefore we cannot pray so affectionately and 〈◊〉 as otherwise we would did 〈◊〉 see the hearts of our 〈◊〉 so easily coming in to the Authority of the Truth and so affectionately carried against the sinful 〈◊〉 of their own souls This 〈◊〉 the ground of that so 〈◊〉 a warning which our Savior suggests Matth. 5. 23 24. When thou 〈◊〉 to offer thy Sacrifice and remembrest that thy Brother hath 〈◊〉 against thee i e. hath any just exception against any sinful miscarriage go first and be reconciled and then come and offer Touching secret sins there is the 〈◊〉 difficulty how to discern when a party is called of God to make confession thereof For Answer there be Three Rules which may serve for our right information therein If the Lord shall as he hath promised in his holy Word seal up the acceptation of our persons and the pardon of our sins as it seems good to his Will when we shall make confession thereof unto himself we then need not 〈◊〉 in truth we should not make confession of our secret sins to man First 〈◊〉 it is God may yea many times nay most usually doth evidence the 〈◊〉 of our sins unto our souls when we humbly and unfeignedly bewail them unto himself So the Apostle John concludes it as beyond question 1 〈◊〉 1-2 last verse If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to clense us from all iniquity nay we shal not only have forgiveness granted in Heaven but evidenced to our hearts on Earth Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy If a mans
confession be of the right make not counterfeit but currant he shal not only have mercy 〈◊〉 for him in the Deck but he shal have the use of it find the sweet of it he shal find mercy pardoning pitying pacifying comforting and saving mercy As when we have sought the thing that we have in our house we say we have found it when we have it in our hand and for our use Yea God is marvelous ready to meet the sinner half way in his mercy and compassions when he perceives that with a serious purpose of heart he sets himself 〈◊〉 this work Psal. 32. 5. I said saith the Prophet I wil confess my sin and thou forgavest 〈◊〉 iniquity The unfeigned purpose of Spirit this way God takes in good part and is so marvelously pleased therewith that he gives him pardon and forgives his sins before he can mention by his words what he purposed in his mind 1 Kings 8. 38. 〈◊〉 prayer shall be made by any man that shall know the plague of his heart he will hear in Heaven and forgive c. And in this Case we need not nay we should not make confession of our secret sins for we have no Command to carry us unto this no Example to warrant such a practice nor yet have we the Institution of any Ordinance which may challenge our attendance to it And this you must carefully heed and maintain against that cunning forgery of the Popish consession which they have imposed upon al their followers and drudges Their 〈◊〉 and Opinion is this That every man is bound once at the least before the Sacrament to confess in particular all and every one of his mortal sins whereof he stands guilty into the Ear of the Priests the memory whereof by due and diligent premeditation may be had even such as are hidden and are against the two last Commands of the Decalogue together with the Circumstances which may alter the kind of the sin If not say they let him be accursed This Canonical Institution is the erecting of an Engine of Cruelty to rack mens Consciences and pick mens Purses to satisfie their own greedy covetous desires and to set up their Lawless Soveraignty in the hearts of such who have captivated themselves to their Directions and Counsels for thus they have a noose upon mens Consciences and hold men between hopes and fears leaving them between Heaven and Hell as they suit their minds If they please their Humors then they pardon them and pull them out of Hell If they satisfie not their expectations in giving so much for good use or paying so much yeerly to further the Catholick Cause then their sins are such to Hell they must go they cannot be acquitted This made their Drudges even weary of their lives as never seeing an end of their misery nor knowing what would become of their souls And it 's that which is called by John in the 〈◊〉 The torment of a Scorpion when he stings a man Rev. 9 6. That men shall seek death and 〈◊〉 not find it and shal desire to die and death shal fly from them And holy and judicious Brightman expounds it of this sting That the Jesuites keep men upon the rack of this Confession never knowing what wil be come of their souls nor an end of their misery further than it suits their conceits And the Popish School who were more ingenuous have delivered in their Judgments from these unnecessary burdens which the Jesuits as hard Task-Misters have laid upon other mens 〈◊〉 and which they wil neither 〈◊〉 nor move the least finger to 〈◊〉 any ease That which the soul hath obtained from Heaven at the hands of God that is needless we should desire from the hands of men whose only help is to evidence Gods mind But by humble confession in secret to God the soul hath received pardon srom Heaven sealed up in his bosom by Gods Spirit and the testimony of his own 〈◊〉 therefore it 's needless to desire it from the hands of men when we have what we desire and that in a better manner than they can give it Again To be wise above that which is written is unlawful and to do more than we have warrant for is ever unacceptable to God but the Lord in his Word requires no more before the Sacrament but that a man should 〈◊〉 himself and by the exercise of Faith and Repentance gain assurance of the pardon of his sin not go to confess his secret sin to another therefore to do that is more than Christ and the Gospel 〈◊〉 or God wil accept When the soul lies under the guilt of secret sins if the Lord in the use of all other means denies either POWER or PEACE Power to oppose and master the Corruption so that stil the soul is overborn by the violence and malignity of it Or denies Peace so that the old guilt returns afresh after all prayers and confessions we make cries and 〈◊〉 we put up in fervency and importunity unto the Lord After the improvement of al means of Reformation and Repentance yet the Lord for Reasons best known to himself denies to seal up the assurance of Love and the forgiveness of sin unto the Conscience then the Lord cals to this Duty of Confession to such who are fitted and enabled to lend help and relief under God in such a case That which the Lord hath promised to bestow and we are bound to obtain we are bound consequently to use al 〈◊〉 means appointed by God for this purpose that we may be made 〈◊〉 thereof But the pardon of our 〈◊〉 the acceptation of our 〈◊〉 and the peace of our 〈◊〉 God hath promised to bestow and we 〈◊〉 bound to obtain therefore we must improve al means to this end If then we find by experience that God is not pleased to dispense power or peace by our own 〈◊〉 on improvements of al means by our selves he then cals us to use the help of the prayers and counsels of others who are called the 〈◊〉 of our Faith and Joy who are appointed to build us up in our holy Faith whose duty it is to comfort the feeble minded and to instruct the ignorant and whose prayers are effectual means to obtain the removal of sicknesses and the forgiveness of sins James 5. 15. And some sins there be as secret Adultery and murder which God never usually pardoneth to the heart of the Offender but he compels him to lay open those Hellish corruptions by open confession unto some other Nay as he never usually pardons them to his commonly he never suffers them to go away 〈◊〉 even in the wicked but when men are not willing to take shame by private confession he forceth them by horror of Conscience to vomit out their 〈◊〉 in the face of the world and to bear their 〈◊〉 and leave 〈◊〉 names an everlasting reproach when they 〈◊〉 out their 〈◊〉 upon the 〈◊〉 or upon the 〈◊〉 of their sicknesses
discouraged in the bearing of it for to be contented and yet discouraged cannot stand together but such a soul sits down in silence submits himself 〈◊〉 under the hand of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 away well 〈◊〉 with whatever disparagement is cast upon him by reason of his desert and takes it as an allowance set out unto him by the Lord he can look upon it and lie down 〈◊〉 it with 〈◊〉 and quietness of Spirit So the Apostle recals and recounts his former loathsom miscarriages upon each occasion breaks kindly with the fresh abasement of himself in the sight of God and man I was a persecuter blasphemous and injurious not worthy to be called an Apostle for I persecuted the Church Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief So Dan. 9. 17. Oh Lord Righteousness belongeth to thee but unto us shame and confusion of face he looks at it as their due owns it as their portion which is appropriated to them and belongs to them of right and rests satisfied therein Nay the heart truly called is here indeed most comforted when it can take the greatest shame with greatest content and that when it seems most loathsom and himself for it The sick Patient is most comforted with the Vomit when it works most vehemently 〈◊〉 he knows the more sick it makes him the sooner it wil make him wel but when it lies like a dead drug in the stomach stirs him least endangers him most Oh saies the Patient it made me marvelous sick but I was marvelous glad it wrought kindly upon the Humor and I expect a Cure my stomach is much clensed periissem nisi 〈◊〉 the greatest shame that ever I received did me the most good was the best Physick I could ever take I had never parted with my sin but my shame weaned me from it Whereas a false heart never yet truly turned from his sin and sincerely humbled if the venom of Gods vengeance give him a Vomit and make him cast out all his 〈◊〉 by confession in his own face there follows such wearish wrastlings of Spirit such restless and 〈◊〉 hurries of thoughts sits down disconsolate Rachel like cannot be comforted because their Honor is not their Credit and Respect is not lies a bleeding as they suppose and not likely to be recovered he cannot look upon his reproach but he is weary of his life his spirit faints his 〈◊〉 wil not down his 〈◊〉 departs what avails all if yet his shame remains he would be any thing and any where rather than under the foot of contempt A heart that is content to take shame wil not choose unlawful means in cold blood and upon consideration to remove it he is discontended with his sin not with his shame he wil not therefore choose sinful means to be freed from it So the good theif Luk 23. 41. we are justly here receiving the due reward of 〈◊〉 deeds the punishment and plague a heart absed takes as just and therefore wil not do that which is unjust to be quit of them whereas the haughty 〈◊〉 is so impatient under reproach that he wil rather break under his shame than with quietness bear it he cares not what he doth or suffers if he may not suffer that So Abimelech Judg. 9. 54. Saul 1. Sam. 31. 4. Achitophel 2. Sam. 17. 23. al of them used unlawful means to be rid of their shame Job was of another temper though his 〈◊〉 were strong to carry him and counsel wretched which was given to perswade him to another course Job 2. 9. dost thou stil continue in thine 〈◊〉 blessing God and dying q. d. you may see what you get by your holiness and dependance is it not better not to be than to be thus this is the meaning but his answer shewes another resolution shal we receive good from the hand of God and not evil the good God owes us not and yet he gives it the evil we deserve and therefore should be quiet if he bring it The fourth use is for EXHORTATION If you know these things as I am perswaded you do then be entreated in the name of the Lord Jesus to walk in that way that God hath revealed this is the baseness of our hearts we are loath to unbuckle our vile and secret distempers they are shameful themselves and yet we are loath to take shame for them therefore deal openly and freely with your selves and confess your sins 〈◊〉 fully that God may deal 〈◊〉 with you hath the 〈◊〉 at any time 〈◊〉 in this horror into thy soul and is thy heart now troubled at the word and after al thy prayers and tears and pains and means using with uprightness do thy 〈◊〉 stil remain are they not yet subdued canst thou not yet get assurance of the pardon of them I say then cast away thy shameful hideing and 〈◊〉 of sin and do not say what wil men and Ministers say of me away with these shifts God calls thee to confession the Saints have done it and thou must nay thou wilt if ever thy 〈◊〉 be kindly broken as it should be in some measure pleasing to God and profitable to thy self But some may say how should we do it For answer hereunto I wil first give some directions how to do it Secondly I wil give some motives to work our hearts to the same Be wise in choosing the party to whom you confess your sins for every wide mouthed vessel is not fit to receive precious liquor so this confession is not to be opened to every carnal wretch that wil blaze it abroad nor to every Godly man no nor Minister neither The Minister to whom you confess ought to have these three graces First he must be a skilful and able Minister of God one that is trained up and is master of his art and so experienced that he might be able in some measure to find out the nature of the disease Not that any Minister under heaven can give pardon to a poor sinner but onely he is able Ministerially to do it under God he must be able to approve himself as the Minister of God he must have the tongue of the learned and be able to speak a word in season Isa. 50. 4. he must be able to break the heart and prepare the soul for Christ and then to apply the promises of the Gospel to him He must be a merciful Physitian one that wil pity a poor soul they that have experience of trouble and misery in themselves are most compassionate to others in distress he that hath been tossed in the sea wil pity others that have been in the same danger Lastly he must be a faithful Minister one that wil not fit mens humors nor answer the desires of their hearts in speaking what they would have him but his faithfulness must appear in two things 1. In dealing plainly with a man about his spiritual estate what ever a mans place and condition be if he have
a proud heart he must labor to humble him he must apply a salve fitting for the sore 2. And he must be faithful in keeping secret the sin that is laid open to him that nothing may fly abroad no not after his death except it be in some cases Now what remains but that you al be moved to take up this duty and provoke your hearts freely to confess your evil wayes to which purpose let me give you three motives First because it is a very honourable thing and wil exceedingly promote the cause of a Christian you wil hardly yield to this on the sudden a man thinks that if the Minister knew his vileness he wil abhor him for it but I assure you bretheren then is nothing that doth more set forth the honor of a Christian and win the love of a Minister than this Indeed it is a shame to commit sin but no shame to confess sin upon good grounds nay when the heart comes kindly off its 〈◊〉 to see how a faithful Minister wil approve of such persons his love is so great towards them Oh saith the Minister it did me good to hear that man confess so freely I hope the Lord hath wrought kindly in him certainly now he is in the way to happiness Oh how I love him I could be 〈◊〉 to put that man in my bosom whereas this overly and loos dealing of yours is loathsom to us do you think we perceive it not yes we may feel it with our fingers and when you are gone I tel you what we thinke surely that man is an 〈◊〉 he hath an hollow heart he is not willing to take shame to himself for his sin his confession never came to the bottom 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 of great 〈◊〉 I take this to be the onely cause why many a man goes troubled and gets neither comfort in the pardon 〈◊〉 his sin nor strength against it 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 not off kindly in this 〈◊〉 of confession when you do nakedly open your sins to a faithful Minister you go out in battle against sin and you have a second in the field to stand by you but especially there is comfort in this particular 〈◊〉 the Minister wil discover the lusts and deceits of your heart which you could not find out and he wil lay open the 〈◊〉 of Satan and that means of comsort that you never knew I am able to speak it by experience this hath broke the neck of many a soul even because he would go out in single combat against Satan and do what he could not revealing himself to others for help was overthrown for ever As it is with the impostumed part of a mans body when a man lets out some of the corrupt matter and so skins it over never healing it to the bottom at last it cankers inwardly and comes to a gangrene and the part must be cut off or else a man is in danger of his life so when you let out some corruptions by an overly confession but suffer some bosom lust to remain stil as malice or uncleanness c. then the soul cankers and Satan takes possession of it and the soul is carried into fearful abominations Many have fallen foully and lived long in their sins and al because they would not confess freely therefore as you desire to find out the deceitfulness of your corruptions confess them from the bottom of your souls This open and free confession may maintain the secrecy of the soul for the onely way to have a mans sins covered is to confess them that so they may 〈◊〉 be brought upon the stage before al the world Oh saith one this is contrary to common reason we are afraid to have our sins known that is our trouble we keep our sins close because we would preserve our honor I say the onely way for Secrecy is to reveal our sins to some faithful Minister for if we confess our sins God wil cover them if you take shame to your selves God wil honor you but if you wil not confess your sins God wil break open the dore of your hearts and let in the light of his truth and the convicting power of his spirit and make it known to men and Angels to the shame of your persons for ever If Judas had taken notice of his sin and yeelded to Christs accusation and desired some conference with Christ privately and said good Lord I am that Judas that hel-hound that have received mercy from thee in the outward means and have been entertained among thy people yet it is I that have taken the thirty pence Lord pardon this sin and let this iniquitie never be 〈◊〉 to my charge I doubt not but though Judas his soul could not be saved because that now we know Gods decree of him yet God would have saved him from the publick shame that was cast upon him for it but he did not so but hid his malice in his heart and professed great matters of love to Christ and killed him thus he thought to cover his 〈◊〉 wisey but what become of that the Lord forced him to come and throw down his thirty pieces and to vomit out his sin to the everlasting shame of his person I have sinned sayes he in betraying innocent blood So you that keep your sins as sugar under your tongues you wil be loos and unclean and malicious and covetous stil wel you wil have your thirty pieces stil and they are layed up safe as Achans wedg of gold 〈◊〉 remember this God wil one day open the closets of your hearts and lay you upon your death-beds and then happily you wil prove mad and vomit up al were it not better to confess your sins to some faithful Minister now If you wil not give the Lord his glory he wil distrain for it and have it from your heart blood as Julian the Apostat said when the arrow was shot into his heart he plucked it 〈◊〉 and cryed saying Thou Galilean thou hast overcome me the Lord distrained for his glory and had it out of his heart blood We are now come to the last Doctrine layd forth in the words and that is The soul that is truly pierced with Godly sorrow for sin is carryed with a restless dislike against it and separation from it This is the main thing that was in the eye and aym of these 〈◊〉 and intended principally in their complaint Men and bretheren the sins which you have discovered we cannot but own and therefore we do confess them openly and freely in the sight of God and you his servants and the dangers which you have also made known by reason thereof we cannot but expect the evils are great which we fear oh the sins are far worse by which we have offended what shal we do direct any thing we wil follow it command any thing we wil obey and submit thereunto with glad hearts that we may be rid of those evils It
a broken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his great request unto God that he may not go 〈◊〉 again to his 〈◊〉 In this 〈◊〉 from sin the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We here see the reason of al those 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of such 〈◊〉 promised better things the 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 man to the world after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the same men they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their former follyes and are as bad as ever These men were never cut off from their corruptions the union was there stil the soul was in league and love with sin stil and therefore it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 and therefore they 〈◊〉 and grow worse and worse many years after If thou hast a privy lust harbored in thy heart that wil be thy ruin thou wilt be as bad or 〈◊〉 than ever EXHORTATION To 〈◊〉 all our endeavors to see a 〈◊〉 of it and to seek to heaven that God may work it in us let this be alwayes in thy prayers Lord that I may hate my sin that I may put off the love of sinning whatever thou hatest sin is worse than that it s worse than reproach disgrace sickness poverty thy love to sin should be turned into hatred and thy hatred to it should be greater than ever thy love hath been And if thou dost not hate thy sin its certain the God of Heaven wil hate thee the froward in heart is an 〈◊〉 to the Lord Prove 3. 32. Thou thy self 〈◊〉 an abomination to the Lord if thy 〈◊〉 be not an abomination to thee If thou wilt part with thy sins the Lord wil set his love upon thee Jer. 3. 1. though thou 〈◊〉 done evil things as thou couldest yet return unto me It 's said Judg. 10. 15. 16. when the people of Israel came bewailing their sins crying for mercy and putting away their Gods that then the soul of the Lord was grieved for the misery of Israel and he had mercy on them He is the same God stil and if he sees thee grieving for thy sins he wil grieve for thy sorrowes When Ephraim bemoaning himself judging himself for his sin and crying out unto the Lord turn me and I shal be turned it s said he heard Ephraim bemoaning himself and his bowels were troubled for him and I do earnestly remember him stil I wil surely have mercy upon thee saith the Lord. Jer. 31. 18. 19. 20. FINIS The Contents BOOK IX On Isa. 57. 15. I dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit DOCT. THe Heart must be contrite and humble before the Lord will take up his dwelling in it 5 Reasons two In regard 1 Of our selves there be two Hindrances 7 1 Contentedness in a Natural 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 removes 〈◊〉 2 Sufficiency to help a mans self Humiliation removes that 9 2 Of God his Word will not cannot take place till the soul 〈◊〉 contrite and 〈◊〉 10 Uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Terror to hard-hearted sinners God wil not dwell with them 11 2 Instruction teaching us to delight in chuse and dwel with such as are contrite and humble 13 3 Exhortation to seek for 〈◊〉 in Gods way and order viz. 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 14 BOOK X. On Acts 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do 15 DOCT. 1. Stubborn and bloody sinners may be made broken-hearted 20 Reasons three taken from  1 The infinite Mercy of God 22 2 The infinite 〈◊〉 of Christs Merits 23 3 The Almighty Power of the Spirit 24 Uses three hence  1 Matter of Admiration at the riches of Grace 25 2 Encouragement to keep distressed sinners from despair yet no ground of presumption 26 3 Instruction shewing the 〈◊〉 nature of despair It 's 29 1 Injurious to God 30 2 Dangerous to the Soul 32 Helps against Despair are two  1 Listen not to 〈◊〉 Conclusions 34 2 Attend not our own 〈◊〉 but Gods Mercy and Power 34 DOCT. 2. There must be a true sight of sin before the heart can be broken for it 35 For Explication four things  1 How God works this sight of sin 37 1 The Law of God discovers our sins ibid 2 There is a new Light put into the mind 38 3 The Spirit takes 〈◊〉 the Rule of darkness out of the mind 41 4 The Spirit leaves a set upon the understanding God-ward 42 2 How far the sinner is 〈◊〉 in this sight of sin 43 1 There is an insufficiency in the Understanding to reach the right discovery of sin 1 ibid 2 An incapability also to receive Spiritual Light 45 3 Christ forceth the Understanding to bear the 〈◊〉 of his Spirit whereby 〈◊〉 47 1 Destroyes the Soveraignty of 〈◊〉 Reason 48 2 Fits it to receive the impression of Spiritual Light 50 4 This Light received the Understanding is acted by it and so acts in vertue of it and so the sinner comes truly to see his sins 51 3 Wherein this true sight of sin is discovered 52 1 It is a cleer sight of sin 53 1 In regard of God as 54 1 It would dispossess God of his Soveraignty 55 2 It smites at the Essence of God 57 3 It spoils all the Works of God 59 2 In regard of our selves as ibid 1 It separates 〈◊〉 God and 〈◊〉 ibid 2 It makes us uncapable of any good 60 3 It 's the Cause of all other evils 62 4 It brings a Curse upon all Blessings ibid Hence sin is the greatest evil ibid Why do not men see sin thus 166 The Causes are ibid 1 The Delusions of Satan ibid 2 Men judg of sin by present sence 67 3 Or by present pleasure and profit 68 4 Or by the long suffering of God 70 5 Want of Spiritual Light 71 The Cure of these mistakes 72 1 Look upon sin so as it will look upon thee at death and Judgment ibid 2 Get a cleer sight of God 73 2 It is a convicting 〈◊〉 75 That implies  1 A particular application to our selves ibid 1 A man must reflect upon his own sins ibid 2 And pass an impartial Sentence against them 78 1 An over-powring settling of them upon the Conscience and that 79 1 Undeniably 80 2 Immovably 82 3 Invincibly 85 Reasons two Because  1 Nothing comes to the heart but by the Understanding 86 2 Ignorance frustrates all our Endeavors in the use of means 88 Uses five hence  1 Instruction An ignorant heart is a naughty heart 90 Such a one 1 Is liable to all evil 92 2 He can receive no good ibid 3 He can expect no mercy 93 2 To be hard to be convinced is 94 1 A dangerous sin ibid 1 Against a mans own soul ibid 2 Against Gods Ordinances 95 3 Against the Spirit of God ibid 2 A dreadful Curse 97 1 It makes way for Satan ibid 2 God
1 It 's a Duty belonging to all 244 2 How far we are cast behind hand for want of it 245 3 What need we have of it ibid. 4 The Soveraign vertue of it 247 Directions to help in the practice of Meditation 249 1 Enquire after the Nature of a sin ibid. In this Enquiry  1 Look to the Rule to Authorize us to the work ib. 2 For the manner of proceeding 250 1 Survey particular sins 251 1 In the Root ibid. 2 In the fruits of them ibid. 2 Sum them up joyntly 262 2 Fasten it upon the soul 265 1 By grappling with the heart ibid. 2 By getting the better of the heart ibid. Here take heed of three extreams 272 1 Desperate discouragements 273 2 Hellish provocations 274 3 False conceivings of the measure and manner of Gods work 275 Directions to help here are three  1 Possess the heart with the fear of thy sinful and dangerous estate 276 2 Awaken and call for the help of Conscience 279 3 Seek to the Lord for the Almighty hand of his Spirit to set on thy Meditations 282 DOCT. 5. The same Word is profitable to some not to others 283 Reasons two Because  1 God hath several ends to attain by the dispensations of his Word 284 2 God will shew the Soveraignty of his good pleasure ibid. Uses four hence  1 Learn to fear in the enjoyment of greatest means 285 2 The profitable fruit of the means is not in the means ibid. 3 Exhortation Use means in dependance upon God 386 4 Be thankful when thou dost profit by them ibid. DOCT. 6. The Lord somtimes makes the Word prevail most when it 's most opposed 287 The Lord works many times  1 Upon men when they seek not 〈◊〉 289 2 Upon the worst of men 294 3 In the height of Rebellion ibid. Reasons four Because  1 The greatness of his Power is hereby discovered 292 2 The 〈◊〉 of his mercy 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 294 3 The Lord will stain the Glory of all flesh 295 4 And discovers the depths of his 〈◊〉 296 〈◊〉 Three hence  1 Instruction The work of Conversion depends 〈◊〉 upon any preparation that man can make 297 Hence that 's a dangerous Error 〈◊〉 If a man do what he can God will give 〈◊〉 Grace 300 1 It undermines the Soveraign good pleasure of God ibid. 2 It cuts the sinews of the Covenant of Grace 301 3 It crosseth the end of the means of Grace 302 2 To support the hearts of the most wretched sinners with some hopes of good notwithstanding all their wickedness God may and can if he will work upon them  Cautions here 309 1 God will do thee good in his own way 316 2 Fear lest thou make an escape from the hand of the Lord 317 If thou doest  1 It 's suspicious the Lord hath lest thee ibid. 2 He will deliver thee up to thy sins again 219 3 Exhortation to quicken our desires and endeavors in the use of the means 320 4 Admiration at the riches and freeness of Grace 323 DOCT. 7. Sins unrepented of make way for piercing Terrors 325 Reas. Because the heart is more estranged from God and bardened in sin 327 Uses Three hence  1 Judg not of sin by the present sweetness but by the after sorrows ibid. 2 It should be our greatest care to rise presently after falls into sin 329 3 Terror to such as continue in their sins 330 DOCT. 8. The Truth is terrible to a guilty Conscience 332 Reas. Because it's a Witness to accuse a Judg to condemn an Executioner to torment ibid. Use. It discovers the guiltiness and falsness of such as are afraid of the Truth ibid. Differences between the Saints trembling at the Truth and an Hypocrite 333 1 Though the Word speaks against the corruption yet it speaks for the condition of the Saints ibid. 2 The Saints 〈◊〉 sweetness in the sharpest Truths and close with God in them ibid. DOCT. 9. Gross and scandalous sinners God usually exerciseth with heavy breakings of heart before they be brought to Christ 334 Reasons Three  1 From the Holiness of Gods Nature 340 2 That sinners may not be encouraged in their sins 341 3 That the sinner himself may be 342 1 Throughly recovered from 〈◊〉 sin for the present ibid. 2 Preserved from sin for the time to come ibid. Uses Five hence  1 The easie and sudden Conversion of scandalous sinners is to be suspected God doth not use to save men per 〈◊〉 343 2 Support to scandalous sinners when they meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 347 1 Such are in the way of Mercy 349 2 The workmay prove speedy and successful 350 3 This makes way for Comforts 351 4 It's honorable for such to be under heavy breakings of heart 353 3 Advice to Ministers who by their Calling are to deal with scandalous sinners in such horrors 354 1 Be not 〈◊〉 in the search 355 2 Nor 〈◊〉 to heal the wound ibid. 3 Nor suddenly confident of the Cure 356 4 Direction to such persons who have had experience of such heart-breakings ibid. Be not weary of Gods Dispensations  5 Exhortation to keep our selves and ours from scandalous sins 357 DOCT. 10. Sorrow for sin rightly set on pierceth the heart of the sinner through that is rightly affected therewith 358 For Explication four Things 362 1 The Manner how Sorrow for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the soul. 363 1 Either successively or by degrees in some ibid. 1 The evil and danger of his sin is 〈◊〉 in the general ibid. 2 He is surprized and pursued with fear 364 3 The Curses and Punishments of sin are fastened upon him 366 4 He is made to feel the evil of sin 〈◊〉 sin and that as his greatest evil 368 2 Or suddenly and throughly 〈◊〉 once in some others 372 3 Or secretly and insensibly in others 374 1 Some are Sanctified in the Womb 375 2 Some wrought upon in Child-hood ibid. 3 Some under good Education Counsels Means are gradually yet really wrought upon ibid. Cautions here  1 Though the manner and measure of Contrition differ in most yet the substance of the Work is the same in all ibid. 2 Though some may not know the time yet every one should and if gracious can give evidence of the Workwrought 360 3 It 's a safe way often to review and to act over the first workings of Contrition 377 For  1 A wound here is never recovered 378 2 Clear this and cleer all ibid. 2 How this Sorrow comes to be set on and the soul made to feel sin its greatest evil 379 1 Sin is cross to the Nature of the soul as such 380 2 If the evil of sin be discovered to the Nature of the soul it may be made sensible thereof 382 3 While the soul is fully and only possessed with sin it cannot feel the evil of it ibid. 4 The Spirit countermands the Authority of sin 383 5 Christ by the
vertue of his death puts an end to the Commission of sin 384 3 How far the soul is active in Contrition 385 1 There is no power in man to remove the resistance of his heart against God and Grace 385 2 The Lord must put a Spiritual power into the will before it can put forth an act for removing this resistance 386 3 The influence of this spiritual power is not by a gracious habit but by the motion of the spirit upon the soul 388 4 In removing this resistance the will is a meer Patient 〈◊〉 5 This resistance being removed the will consents to a divorce between it self and sin 393 4 The behavior of the heart under this work 396 1 The contrite sinner hath the loath somness of fin ever in sight ibid. 2 He is tender and easie to be convinced 399 3 He loaths himself for his sins 404 4 He fears all fin and provocations thereunto 406 5 He delights most in those means that discover and remove corruptions 407 6 He is restlesly importunate in seeking Christ and mercy 411 Reasons four Because  1 Such a sorrow for sin is only true in Gods account 414 2 Without this the heart can never be separated from fin 415 3 By this the resistance of the heart against Christ is removed 416 4 Without this he cannot receive Christ. ibid. Uses four hence  1 Humiliation for the want of this saving sorrow ibid. Five sorts want it  1 The heedless Professor 417 2 The treacherous 〈◊〉 419 3 The self-conceited Pharisee 423 4 The complaining 〈◊〉 425 5 The discouraged Hypocrite 427 2 Terror to 〈◊〉 sinners As 428 1 Secure sinners that never were 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 and feel their sins 429 1 Such are out of the way of God 431 2 So continuing God hath appointed no good for them 432 3 Christ came not to save such 434 2 Relapsed sinners who have been awakened to see and feel their sins but have fallen back again and their hearts grown harder than before ibid. 1 It is suspicious the day of Grace is past with such a one 436 2 Their Judgment hastens 438 3 Comfort ibid. 1 To broken-hearted sinners themselves their sorrows are not to death but in the way to deliver from death and so to bring unto life 439 2 To their friends and well-wishers they are now and were never before in the way of mercy 444 4 Exhortation Labor for this saving sorrow of Contrition 447 1 Do not tug with the resistance of thy heart by thine own power 449 2 Do not fear the terror of the Truth so as to step aside from under it but think of the goodness of it 450 3 Possess thy soul with the ticklishness and danger of miscarrying in this work 451 DOCT. 11. They whose hearts are pierced by the VVord are carried with Love and respect to the Ministers of it 453 Reasons two Because  1 They know more now than they did before 454 2 〈◊〉 hath more Liberty now to express what they know 455 Uses two hence  1 Sound Contrition makes a strange and sudden 〈◊〉 557 2 Terror to such as after Conviction hate both the Word and Ministers of it 558 DOCT. 12. He that is pierced by the Word truly is busie to enquire and ready to submit to the mind of God 560 1 He is busie to enquire ibid Reasons two Because  1 He now finds the evil of sin 562 2 And the folly of his former conceits 563 Uses two hence  1 Terror to hard-hearted sinners who never enquire after the mind of God 564 2 Direction teaching the way to make men serious in their enquiries after Christ viz. Maintain the work of Contrition 570 2 He is ready to submit to the Ministers making known the mind of God ibid. Reasons three Because  1 The pride of their carnal Reason is conquered 572 2 The stubbornness of their wills is tamed 573 3 They have found the truth and terror of the Word ibid. Uses two hence  1 See the Reason of that unreadiness and unwillingness of man to submit to the evidence of the Word they want broken-heartedness ibid. 2 Tryal discovering such as were never broken-hearted at all 574 1 Open Rebels ibid. 2 Secret Traytors 575 DOCT. 13. Sinners in distress of Conscience are ignorant what they should do 576 Reasons two taken from  1 The Secrecy of the waies of God 577 2 The blindness of the distraction of their minds 579 Uses two hence  1 Instruction Men in distress of Conscience are apt to be mis-led 580 2 Advice to mourners in Sion Be careful to whose Counsel you commit your selves 582 DOCT. 14. A Contrite sinner sees a necessity of coming out of his sinful Condition 583 1 He propounds no terms of tolleration 584 2 He maintains no reservation ibid. 3 He admits no case of exception 385 Reasons three Because  1 He hath felt the severity of Gods Justice against every sin ibid. 2 He finds it impossible to bear the weight of the least sin 587 3 He perceives the combination of all Lusts. So that any one sin 589 1 Keeps possession for Satan ibid. 2 Keeps off the power of Gods Ordinances 590 Uses three hence  1 Tryal whether we have found this absolute necessity of parting with all sin ibid. It discovers the falshood of  1 Neuters 593 2 Formal Professors 594 2 Instruction See the reason of mens un-even and unsteady walking viz. The want of 〈◊〉 593 3 Direction how to keep the heart opposite to every sin ibid. 1 Be convinced sin is the greatest evil ibid. 2 Confider not of any cavil to the contrary ibid. DOCT. 15. There is a secret Hope wherewith the Lord supports the hearts of contrite sinners 596 This Hope differs from that which a Beleever hath in two things  1 In the ground of it 598 2 In the uncertainty 600 Reasons two That so he may thereby  1 Secretly support the 〈◊〉 601 2 Make way for the work of the means ibid. Uses three hence  1 Instruction See the reason why Satan so much endeavors to dead the hopes of the Contrite by suggesting 602 1 He is not elected ibid. 2 The day of Grace is past 606 3 He hath sinned against the holy Ghost All which are answered ibid. 2 Observe how easie it is with the Lord to confound a sinner with his own imagination 607 3 Exhortation to nourish this Hope ibid. Therefore be perswaded  1 Of thine own ignorance and inability to relieve thy self 608 2 Of Gods All-sufficiency who can do beyond what thou canst conceive ibid. DOCT. 16. They who are truly pierced for their sins do prize and covet deliverance from their sins ibid. 1 In the want of this the soul is not quieted 610 2 He is content with this though he want other things 611 3 He is resolved to submit to any Counsel 613 4 His 〈◊〉 is upon it his prayers dayly about it 614
〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 than the Application therof so that Christ should die for manie that shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his death it would exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertue of the merits of Christ and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worke of our redemption for then it 〈◊〉 follow The Sufferings and obedience of our Savior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of lesse vertue and 〈◊〉 to save men than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilt of Adams transgression was to condemne 〈◊〉 For Adam did not onely purchas the curse and 〈◊〉 by the breach of Covenant but convey it 〈◊〉 that Certainly to all his posteritie so the Apostle 〈◊〉 2. 3. wee were Children of wrath by nature 〈◊〉 well as others All in whose room Adam 〈◊〉 and so sinned all they had his sin imputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflicted without fail But if Christ fully 〈◊〉 life and blessing for those in whose stead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Suretie but Leaves the Application of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libertie of their owne wills his merits should 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 power and efficacie for the recoverie and 〈◊〉 of his than Adams sin was for the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 Which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in this point wherin he makes Adam a tipe of Christ 〈◊〉 5. 14. 21. For if through 〈◊〉 offence of one many be dead nay death raigned 〈◊〉 Adam to 〈◊〉 and that ovr Children also 〈◊〉 sinned not after the similitude of him much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace of God and the free Gift by Grace 〈◊〉 unto many to 〈◊〉 and life that 〈◊〉 Sin Raigned unto death So Grace might raigne 〈◊〉 Eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Confutation Learn wee in wariness and 〈◊〉 to hold this wholsome word of truth this 〈◊〉 which is according to 〈◊〉 wherby 〈◊〉 may be fensed and have our hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many dangerous errors wherby the vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the carnal hearts of the sinful sons of men are easily 〈◊〉 and taken aside all which will vanish away 〈◊〉 the evidence of this truth 〈◊〉 the smoke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wind and the Snow before the Sun And 〈◊〉 we should with more care attend to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Delivered because wee shall have so much use of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes when the Clouds of Errors have 〈◊〉 the world As men doe when the plague or some infectious Disease begins to Spread if there 〈◊〉 some choyce antidotes which are of Speciall 〈◊〉 and virtue to preserve against such malignant 〈◊〉 each man will be sure to have it alwayes in his 〈◊〉 ever readie in his hand Such is this Saving truth 〈◊〉 once taken in and rightly understood and 〈◊〉 will fortify both mind and heart from the infection 〈◊〉 such false opinions which are exceding prejudicial 〈◊〉 Gods free Grace and the comfort and peace of 〈◊〉 own souls Hold this truth then Redemption and Applycation are of equal extent For whom Christ 〈◊〉 to them Christ applyes First then Hence that vain conceit falls to the Ground as Dagon before the Ark that devised distinction wherby Satan and his instruments have darkned the power and 〈◊〉 of Christs death viz. that Christ died for all in point of Impetration but not 〈◊〉 Application that is he Purchased Redemption for all but the Application is not unto all the 〈◊〉 he layed down but the application in 〈◊〉 he left to themselves and their owne free wills in the last resolution As though God in Justice should exact a payment and that to the full of the Suretie and never let it redound to the benefit of the partie As though our Saviour should so fail in wisdom as to lay down his blood a full price for the redemption and reconciliation of men when he well forelaw they would not or could not get any good therby in a word this device is dashed from hence If for whomsoever Christ purchased to them it is applyed the Impetration and Application are of equall extent Hence again it follows by undeniable Evidence That Christ died not for all For if he died only for those to whom the Vertue of his death is applied then he died only for some because the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 is not applied to all some only shall be 〈◊〉 saved by his Death therefore he died but for 〈◊〉 Application is not to all therefore 〈◊〉 was not for all Hence again it 's cleer The Application of Mercy 〈◊〉 Grace purchased depends not upon mans will 〈◊〉 then our Savior had died at uncertainties and it 〈◊〉 been in the power and pleasure of man to have 〈◊〉 frustrate the death of our Savior and the end of 〈◊〉 Redemption purchased thereby For Christ 〈◊〉 it should be applied and therefore purchased 〈◊〉 and the will of man would cross the will of our 〈◊〉 and say it shall not be applied which is indeed 〈◊〉 confound Heaven and Earth and pervert the whol 〈◊〉 of our Savior in bringing back lost man 〈◊〉 God to make Gods saving Grace serve mens 〈◊〉 and humors and the success of the death of the 〈◊〉 Jesus to depend upon the sinful distempers of 〈◊〉 hearts of men Nay hence the Vertue of Christs 〈◊〉 should be lastly resolved into and wholly 〈◊〉 upon the will of man though he intended to 〈◊〉 yet they might chuse and so Christ might have 〈◊〉 his blood in vain We may hence see the reason of that miraculous Dispensation of the Lord Jesus in the work of his Grace upon the sinful 〈◊〉 of men whose salvation 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 in his everlasting Counsel and 〈◊〉 which he made with his Father here lies the 〈◊〉 of the wonderful mysteriousness of that 〈◊〉 That it prevails most powerfully for the good 〈◊〉 sinners when they do most of all oppose it when 〈◊〉 seem to be 〈◊〉 in their wretched courses 〈◊〉 down in their sinful distempers and furthest 〈◊〉 from the waies and hopes of life intrenched 〈◊〉 dayly custom and long continuance in the strong 〈◊〉 of their prevailing corruptions and lusts of their 〈◊〉 and lives when there is many times no 〈◊〉 bility nay not appearance of any possibility in 〈◊〉 that ever they should receive any spiritual good 〈◊〉 being so opposite against it and yet suddenly 〈◊〉 unexpectedly and that by very weak means 〈◊〉 times the Lord Christ most effectually applies 〈◊〉 Word and Work of his Grace to their souls 〈◊〉 we to sit down in silence and look at the 〈◊〉 power of the purchase of Jesus the precious 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 blood of Jesus which though 〈◊〉 and unseen to the eye of the world yet in its 〈◊〉 will undoubtedly accomplish the end intended 〈◊〉 very man should observe it and say such a poor 〈◊〉 wretched creature that out 〈◊〉 God and his 〈◊〉 and all the means of his own good that then the 〈◊〉 should meet with him and stop him and turn 〈◊〉 and call him home to himself O the Vertue of 〈◊〉 Blood of Jesus the power whereof nothing can 〈◊〉 pose the efficacy and success whereof nothing 〈◊〉 hinder he hath purchased the good of this 〈◊〉 creature
and therefore nor Hell nor Sin nor 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 can ever prejudice it It 's the 〈◊〉 which our Savior usually gives of the powerful 〈◊〉 wonderful communication of himself to sinners 〈◊〉 in that 17. chapter of John 〈◊〉 2. That he 〈◊〉 give 〈◊〉 life to as many as thou hast given 〈◊〉 vers 6. I have manifested thy Name to those 〈◊〉 thou hast given me 〈◊〉 8. I have given unto 〈◊〉 thy words and they have received them and 〈◊〉 12. Those that thou 〈◊〉 me I have 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 lost i. e. Those whom the Father 〈◊〉 mended to the care and keeping of Christ as if 〈◊〉 should say I will have all these to be 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 fied our saviour he undertakes to purchase and 〈◊〉 fect redemption for them and it therfore 〈◊〉 he gives them his word and gives them 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 he will not loose them and they cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are given into the hands of Christ nor 〈◊〉 nor temptations nor Delusions shall ever 〈◊〉 to take them out of his hand Upon this 〈◊〉 it is our 〈◊〉 puts the necessitie of the 〈◊〉 of sinners that belong to him John 10. 16 〈◊〉 other sheep which are not of this 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 called yet 〈◊〉 up in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of mercy when the Lord Jesus undertooke for 〈◊〉 them also I must bring and they shall hear my 〈◊〉 And let it be observed by any whom the 〈◊〉 hath effectually brought home to himself if 〈◊〉 Look into their first 〈◊〉 in all the dealings of 〈◊〉 Lord the 〈◊〉 of him self in the wayes of 〈◊〉 ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards them 〈◊〉 shall generally and easily observe some impressions 〈◊〉 power of the prayer and the vertue 〈◊〉 the blood 〈◊〉 purchase of Jesus by all judgments corrections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their faylings or performances what 〈◊〉 good or 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 them what ever good or 〈◊〉 hath been done by them the Lord hath either 〈◊〉 or restrayned reformed convinced quickned to 〈◊〉 endeavours and overwrought all and never left 〈◊〉 till the stroke was struck indeed to the full Hence 〈◊〉 a Saint of God can say that the Lord 〈◊〉 been 〈◊〉 with him from the time of his 〈◊〉 and all along in the places where he lived 〈◊〉 strange horrors and strokes of conscience 〈◊〉 strange sins that he fell into 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for them Grace 〈◊〉 wrought yet that 's true but its working the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the blood of Christ is now at 〈◊〉 and will never leave the Soul for which Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be a full and effectuall application of 〈◊〉 saving good see all this and in a holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wonder at the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ. To direct the hearts of distressed and 〈◊〉 sinners how to demean themselves in the work 〈◊〉 Application for their own succour and relief look 〈◊〉 to this purchas and blood of Christ if ever you 〈◊〉 have the work goe forward When some times the means of Grace are 〈◊〉 and leave some sad impressions and remembrances 〈◊〉 their owne conditions upon them what they are 〈◊〉 what they should be how far short they fail of 〈◊〉 which the Lord requires the rule and their 〈◊〉 Comforts may justly call for at their hands 〈◊〉 their consciences are struggling within them 〈◊〉 present them with Direfull apprehensions of the 〈◊〉 of their sins and the punishments which they 〈◊〉 diserved when they feel the Lord also striving 〈◊〉 them by the Convictions of his spirit and the 〈◊〉 expression of his heavie Displeasure by reason of the sins and yet are at a stall and a stand in their 〈◊〉 spirits they can make no worke of it forward 〈◊〉 cannot goe and backward they dare not goe 〈◊〉 they have that cannot repent they cannot part 〈◊〉 their sins nor give way and welcome to the 〈◊〉 tie of the truth that might worke upon them nor 〈◊〉 power of the promises of the gospell which might 〈◊〉 their soules to the Lord Jesus and here the 〈◊〉 may stand long And it 's hard but one time or 〈◊〉 God meets with every man that lives under the 〈◊〉 there are many knocks that men have in their 〈◊〉 that all the town knows not of I must not do 〈◊〉 nor be thus I must either be another man or a 〈◊〉 man and then the man is at a set backward he 〈◊〉 not forward he will not What will you doe now O Looke to the power of the blood and purchase 〈◊〉 Christ that is the effectuall meanes to attaine this 〈◊〉 it never fails to bring application with it as suits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure of the Lord no 〈◊〉 but this can 〈◊〉 it and this never fails to attain this end 〈◊〉 let the eye of thy soul look thither still Doe not 〈◊〉 trouble thy selfe to pry into Gods counsells 〈◊〉 suffer thy self to be bewildred in such curious 〈◊〉 as to search the depths of Gods everlasting 〈◊〉 whether thou wert elected or no thou wilt 〈◊〉 thy selfe there because that way is unlawfull 〈◊〉 thou medlest with that which belongeth not to 〈◊〉 Secret things belong to God But this is 〈◊〉 that as the blood of Christ hath purchased all good 〈◊〉 the end of this purchase is the application of it which 〈◊〉 will never fayle to attain Thou wilt say O that I 〈◊〉 that the blood of Christ had purchased for me 〈◊〉 with that for thou shalt never have the work of grace or the knowledg of grace but by the vertue of this blood therfore you must look to this to worke 〈◊〉 if you would have both What God will do 〈◊〉 that to him this is the means he hath appoynted 〈◊〉 the attainment of this end therfore look thou to that As the Leaper said to our Saviour if thou wilt 〈◊〉 canst make mee clean here onely cleansing 〈◊〉 is to be had thither he looks there he waits and Submits that 's his Dutie whether God will give it or no that's in the libertie of his owne free will that 〈◊〉 Leaves to him So do thou whether God will do 〈◊〉 for thee or no that 's his prerogative if he give thee nothing he ows thee nothing but that Christ hath purchased it for this end and that I should expect it from hence that 's his will and my dutie Wee have doné with the extent of this application to whom it appertaines we are now to enquire into the second branch of the Doctrine 2. The manner how it 's wrought The principle saith thus It 's made theirs the Doctrine thus They are put into possession of all saving good by Christ. Here three things are implyed 1 They cannot make it their own 〈◊〉 they cannot put themselves into possession 2 The manner and order how this is done 3 The cause that doth it Of these we shall speak in their order 1. It is not in any Mans power to make 〈◊〉 of any Spirituall good which
the soul let the best obects be presented the most perswasive and strongest 〈◊〉 pressed to a man under the power of his sins 〈◊〉 these wil never prevail with him Let God come 〈◊〉 Heaven and preach to Cain Gen. 4. 6. 7. Let our Savior preach to and weep over Jerusalem with many tears O Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee Mat. 23. 37. Let Judas live in the Family of Christ yet if there be no more but an ordinary power Cain wil be Cain and Judas wil be Judas and go to Hell for all this For 1 The Soveraignty of Mans 〈◊〉 Will is such that it exceedeth all created power in Heaven and Earth Amos Chap. 4. See what conclusions the Lord there tries upon the rebellious Israelites I 〈◊〉 given you cleanness of teeth and want of bread 〈◊〉 6. I have witholden the rain from you vers 7. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you with blasting vers 9. I have sent among you the 〈◊〉 and overthrown you as Sodom vers 10. 11. And still this is added at the end of every instance Yet ye have not returned to me Rev. 16. 11. They blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and sores and they repented not Dan. 9. 13. All this evill is come upon us yet made we not our prayer c. The Seventy years Captivity was ended but their repentance was to begin When the Jews had travailed forty years in the Wilderness and been spectators of the wonders of God yet they wanted a heart to turn unto their God Deut. 29. 4. There is nothing but God that made the Will that is above the Will and can bow it and frame it to the obedience of his own Will 2 Besides the strength of the corrupt Will look we at the power of Satan that hath possession of the soul Mat. 12. 29. The Devill is said to be as a strong man that keeps the house till a stronger than be comes and binds him he improves al his policy and power to the utmost to keep the soul under the power of it's sins and there is no created policy or power above that of Satan He is only subject to the Almighty power of God to be driven out and 〈◊〉 thereby Look to the nature of that good which the soul is to be made partaker of It 's a supernatural good That which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man what the Lord hath prepared for those that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It 's meant not only of the things of glory but the things of grace Now a man is naturally and wholly corrupted and possessed with sin Jo. 3. 6. That which is born of 〈◊〉 is flesh that which comes by Generation is but either nature or corruption Gal. 5. 19. The flesh lusteth against the spirit Therefore it is beyond the power of the flesh to close with the spirit because contrary thereunto therefore Paul concludeth it Rom. 7. 14. The law is spiritual and I am carnal sold under sin Again that which must lift up Nature to act above its self must be something above nature for nothing can act beyond its own sphere and compass Trees grow but they have not sence Beasts have sence but not reason Devils have 〈◊〉 but they cannot close with God That that must cause the Dog not to return to his vomit again must change the nature of a Dog into a Lamb It 's beyond the power of darkness to bring light so 〈◊〉 It must be as the Apostle expresseth it 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness that must shine into our hearts to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 of power not only to work something out of nothing but something out of that which is contrary to it And therefore this work of the Application of Redemption to a lost sinner is harder than the work of Creation it self for as the Lord had nothing then to help him so he had nothing to hinder him in Creating the World but here the Lord must take 〈◊〉 the heart of stone he must turn the heart of flint into a heart of flesh he must cause light to shine out of darkness and work one contrary out of another Why then are commands so frequent it Scripture as make you a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. Turn ye turn ye why will you die Ezek. 33. 11. Beleeve in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 31. If a man have no power to turn himself to what purpose are these commands if there be need of an Almighty power to work these why are they required of us 1 These and the like commands of God in Scripture do shew not what we can do but what we should do not what our ability is but what our duty is and what would be acceptable to the Lord if we could perform the same 2 When the Lord gives a command together with the command he gives a power unto al his Elect to enable them to obey the command as when he commanded Lazarus to come forth Jo. 5. 20. 3 When we are commanded to return to repent and beleeve the meaning is not that we of our selves by our selves and our own power should do this but thus that we should be content that the Lord should work in us what he requires of us we should lie under the stroke of the truth and receive the powerfull impression of the spirit and be content to be made able The Third Proposition We have heard 1 That God himself is the Principal Cause of Application and 2 That the Power which he puts forth in this Work is an Almighty Power Now Thirdly Those means which the Lord is pleased to appoint and to use are the instrumental causes of Application This meets directly with that vain conceit of the Familists Doth the Lord do all the Work it seems then a man may sit still and do nothing nothing is required of us there is nothing for us to do It was a wise speech of one of the Antients He that created thee without thy self will not save thee without thy self know therefore we must God by his Almighty Power is the Principal Cause and those means that he hath appointed are the Instrumental Causes These are First The Word accompanied by the presence and operation of the Spirit Isa. 59. 21. My Word and my Spirit shall never depart away from thee The word he hath sanctified and promised to accompany for this great Work and it is the Word of the Gospel mainly which makes this Application for our good He hath left an Impression of his own 〈◊〉 upon it It is called the Ministration of the Spirit 〈◊〉 of Life 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8. but the Law is a killing Letter it shews a man what he is and what he 〈◊〉 but the Gospel shews the means
into his Fathers Concubines in the view of the people that he might settle the hearts of the people more sure to him in that there was no hope of reconciliation and agreement betwixt him and his Father and so establish his own safety Common Soldiers if their numbers encrease though they be but weak and unskilful yet give encouragement to the trayned band and the Commanders themselves yea their very appearance in the field though they strike not a stroke helps much in the Fight So the Prophet in the former place chargeth this evil upon 〈◊〉 in siding with Ahab in his design 2 Chron. 29. 2. Shouldest thou help the ungodly he that yields to the Counsel of the ungodly and joyns hands with them in their way and work he helps the ungodly and is guilty of their sin and blood Thou that art resolved to soldier with the Society of the ungodly and so suit them in their way to maintain what they say and do let them say and do what they wil thou helpest a false tongue to lye a malicious heart to reproach and 〈◊〉 an unjust hand to oppress for thou wilt defend what they do let them do what they wil that is naught Thou that art thus deluded and taken aside with the invegleings of others though the Lord looks at them as Leaders into evil and so will reward them Yet know thou must that thy condition is far worse in some 〈◊〉 more dangerous than theirs and thy plagues will prove more heavy so 〈◊〉 art thou from hoping for any 〈◊〉 or pity to thy self because thou art 〈◊〉 that thy sin and judgment wil hereby be encreased It 's the sad doom of our Savior and worthy of most serious consideration Matth. 23. 15. Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite that is to make one of their Sect and humor one of their hang-by's that must be pinned to their sleeves melt into their Opinions and imbrace their practice when they have made him their own their sworn Vassal al of a string that they can stir him and turn him as they wil mark the issue They make him twice more the Child of the Devil than themselves That Perdition comes to be their Portion and Hell for their Inheritance they are the heirs of it and they have a double portion there their plagues twice more heavy and therfore their sins must carry the same proportion twice more vile than those that were their Leaders into that leudness Brethren what a dreadful thing is it for one to think of it The Scribes Pharisees who were cruel oppressors 〈◊〉 exactors who devoured widdows Houses false Hypocrites blind guides painted Tombs Serpents and a generation of Vipers who cannot escape the damnation of Hell and one would think Hell it self had scarce any worse Yet when they had miss-led some poor Sneaks and deluded some ignorant silly people by their importunities and painted appearances of Holiness brought them to the bent of their bow captivated them wholly to their Opinions and Practices what a dreadful thing is it to think that these poor 〈◊〉 Creatures should be twice more the Children of Hel than such who to common apprehensions might seem to be the scum of Hell Hear and fear and let your hearts sink and shake within you you poor 〈◊〉 Creatures take a scantling of your condition by the former example Imagine you saw a proud Pharisee a man of a 〈◊〉 tongue ful of turnings and windings he cannot live without lying he is froward in spirit and 〈◊〉 not to 〈◊〉 the straight wales of the Lord that he may please his own wil suit his own humor bend the Rule to his mind not his heart to the Rule one of an uncontroulable Spirit that wil contend with God and men if they 〈◊〉 him in a sinful course Suppose thou sawest this man receive his Sentence at the day of Judgment and sent down to the pit For without shall be lyars c. 〈◊〉 22. 15. They who pervert the straight 〈◊〉 of the Lord are the Children of the Devil Acts 13. 10. And such as sow contentions amongst brethren and are contentious and obey not the Truth tribulation and wrath and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one such Rom. 2. 8. He hath learned thee his Trade of Lying miss-led thee into the like perverse contentious courses How shalt thou escape the damnation of Hell Oh thou wilt reply Lord it was his counsel that cozened me his 〈◊〉 and insinuations that drew me to those evils I had never done them else I hope therefore I may be pitied though he be plagued I may be excused though the Curte fall upon him who was the cause and Author of all No no poor misguided creature thou art utterly mistaken He is the Child of the Devil and hath received now his 〈◊〉 thou hearest him yelling in the bottomless pit he hath his load more than he can bear but thou art twice more the child of Hell this is able to sink thy heart with the very thought of it Thy slavery is far greater thy obstinacy more and therefore thy recovery harder than his he is a slave to his sins thou art a slave to the man and sin and all he wil hear reason if it be propounded thou knowest nothing and therefore receivest nothing unless thou be allowed by thy Leader the less hope that ever thou shouldst be convinced or reformed The Lord is forced 〈◊〉 let in the flashes of the fiercest of his fury into the faces of such misguided creatures to bring them to the consideration of him and themselves and to deal punctually for their conviction Psal 50. 18. When thou sawest a Thief thou consentedst and thou wast partaker with Adulterers q. d. they perswaded 〈◊〉 and thou didst imbrace their perswasion Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother he points out the time the place the company the crew amongst whom they sate These things thou hast done and I kept silence and thou thoughtest that I was altogether like thee but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Oh consider this ye that forget God You forget you misguided sinners that God was present and saw what you plotted that God is Omniscient and knows what you intended that he is the righteous Judg of all the World and will bring the secret things of darkness to light and make known the hid Counsels of the heart Therefore let me end with the Advice and Counsel of Moses do not think to excuse your selves because deluded by your company but leave counsel and company share not in their sins and Societies if you wil not share in their plagues Numb 14. 26. Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men touch nothing of theirs their counsels and perswasions and they 〈◊〉 his Counsel good and 〈◊〉 own experience gave proof They fled and cried whenthe Earth opened lest the Earth
swallow us up also So be not you deceived also lest you be damned also stay not amongst wicked company lest you perish among them A Fourth Shift which seems to lessen mens sins and to take off the strength of Conviction and the danger of the evil is the strength of such provocations which as they pretend constrain them against the heart and hair to the commission of evil and therefore might excuse them in it Why say men under such assaults their speeches were so harsh and uncomely I had almost said unchristian and cross to rule their carriage so cross and unreasonable beyond the compass of humanity yea cross to common sence their provocations so great so many that they were unsufferable they would have angred a Saint If there fel any thing uncomly as it 's impossible but in reason it should the fault is in him that gave the provocation a man in that case may seem to be freed from blame such unreasonable passages would put an Angel beyond his patience flesh and blood cannot bear it True flesh and blood cannot bear it therefore flesh and blood cannot please God therefore flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God flesh and blood cannot save you therefore should not rule you if you wil hear the Rule of Christ it 's plain 1 Pet. 3. 9. We must not render evil for evil railing for railing and if any man desire to see good daies and to seek peace this is the way which God appoints and blesseth If you wil see the practice of our Savior Christ it 's also plain and precedential He gave his cheeks to the Buffeters and 〈◊〉 back to the Snuters and as a Lamb was dumb before the Shearer in all his sufferings and he was more innocent than you suffered more wrong had more reason and Authority also if it had been a Rule so to have righted himself But he would not do so 1 Pet. 2. 29. When he was reviled he reviled not again nay the Text saies he durst not do so and that when he dealt with the Devil the Accuser of the Brethren for so many Interpreters understand the place and I cannot see but it's safe and suitable safe for the sence and suitable to the Context Jude 8. 9. reproving that sin of reviling verse 8. he confutes and condemns it thus Yet Michael the Arch-Angel when contending with the Devil he 〈◊〉 about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation This Michael who appeared now as the Messenger of the Covenant and in the form of a Servant and therefore contested with Satan as in the daies of his flesh when tempted If Christ durst not how dares any man If not to the Devil how any to such as are in Dignity But come we neerer to the Shift and examine the vanity of it and that wil appear in Two things 1 It 's very Unreasonable 2 Very Dishonorable that others provocations should prevail with us to break out unto any unseemly practice It is an unreasonable thing Because another 〈◊〉 me wrong that therefore I should wrong the Lord my soul my place It 's not an evil in Truth but an honor and wil be a mans comfort and bring a reward with it to bear an injury harsh dealing and hard measure Blessed are ye when men persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you they bring great reward But to revile and deal harshly with others because so dealt withal is to be injurious to God to my profession to the peace and comfort of my own Conscience Because a man cuts my finger should I go and stab my heart men would look at it as a way of Frenzy Because men set themselves against me should I set God against 〈◊〉 also This is the Apostles cure 1 Pet. 3. 12. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil Nay how cross to common sence is it when thou thinkest the carriages of men are unreasonable their provocations unsufferable yet thou wilt do the like and so condemn thy self by thine own doing It 's marvelous dishonorable to God We do not 〈◊〉 up his Name that is called upon by us and express the vertues of him that hath called us to his marvelous Light and out of the world that we might shine as Lights in a crooked generation what serves your strength for but for a time of trial you say flesh and blood cannot bear why good now what serves your Grace for but to do other and better than flesh and blood can do This kind of distemper overtook Moses and it cost him dear and the Lord would not once vouchsafe to hear an excuse or to abate him of the 〈◊〉 Psal. 106. 31. 32. It went ill with Moses for 〈◊〉 sakes because they provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips The fore Moses himself said Deutr. 1. 37. the Lord was angry with me for your sakes saying thou shalt not go into the Land nay Deutr. 3. 26. the Lord would not hear him saying speak no more to me of this 〈◊〉 This is a great dishonor to God and grace when we are overcome of evil whereas we ought to overcome evil with goodness Rom. 12. 21. Whereby men labor to put by the stroke of the truth that either it shal not hit at least not wound either not touch them or not trouble them it is they FORGET their duty wholly and therefore did it not The throng of business pressed in upon them and that somthing unexpectedly did distract them that croud of occasions coming in like a mighty sea did so take up their thoughts surprise and hurry them they remember not what they should do and therefore did not perform what they ought it was the slip of a mans memory no such great matter nor wil be so sadly charged upon a man they hope It were hard if it should It was but my forgetfulness But forget thy duty man what couldest thou say more wherein thou mayest aggravate thy fault in a most heavy manner Is not this the express wil of God that a man should do with all his might what his hand finds to do Eccles. 9. 10. That he should abide in the calling unto which God hath called him 1 Cor. 7. 20. Is not this the great errand of a mans life the end why we came into the world to do Gods wil the only charge that is laid upon us by the Almighty wee are not charged to be rich or honorable to gain the profits and pleasures of this world there is not such a 〈◊〉 to be seen in the whol Bible thou only liyest to discharge thy duty if thou forgettest that thou forgettest why thou livest and the very excuse is a far greater sin than that was which thou didst seem to excuse and thy punishment wil be answerable when out of thine own mouth thou wilt be condemned As