THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL CONTAINING The Riotous PRODIGAL or the Sinners Aversion from God Returning PRODIGAL or the Penitents Conversion to God PRODIGALS Acceptation or Favourable Entertainment with God Delivered in divers Sermons on LUKE 15. from Vers. 11. to Vers. 24. By that Faithfull Servant of Jesus Christ OBADIAH SEDGWICK B. D. Perfected by himself and Perused by those whom He intrusted with the publishing of his Works London Printed by D. Maxwel for SA GELLIBRAND at the Ball in St. Pauls Church-yard 1660. CHRISTIAN READER GOds good Providence doth hand unto thee in this ensuing Treatise The whole Parable of the Prodigal Son both interpreted and improved Doctrinally and Practically for the Spiritual Advantage from the Pen of a Workman who needed not to be ashamed Herein the Sinners Aversion from God Conversion to God and his Acceptation with God are profitably unfolded applied Helps in these several Subjects are well worth every Christians welcome and time seriously spent in perusing such Discourses will not be labor in vain Adam by forsaking God lost his primitive Glory which cannot possibly be repaired in his Posterity but by returning to his Majesty-Man cometh into the World with his Back towards Heaven and with strong Antipathies against God yea his constant course of life is a departing from the Lord till his Highness by Omnipotent Grace doth change both his Heart and Way And when the secure Sinner is well awakened to consider his wofull Apostacy attended with the sad Consequents thereof together with the impossibility of all Creature soccours to relieve him then and not till then doth he seriously think of facing about towards God whom he hath deserted with inexcusable neglect and dishonor Now the self condemning Convict in this dolefull condition upon frequent self-reflexions aggravating his woful Apostacy doth find it very difficult to hold up hope of gaining re-admission into the favor of slighted forsaken Deity This poor Spira did experience as his tears his torments together with his desponding despairing language doth demonstrate But in this pitifull plight the sinking soul may receive strong supports by considering with application what loving Entertainment the guilty worthless Prodigal received from his offended forsaken Father These particulars which we do only hint at are here largely handled for thy profit the effecting whereof is desired and prayed for by Thy loving Friends and faithfull Servants in Christ HUMPH CHAMBERS EDM. CALAMY SIM ASHE ADONIRAM BYFIELD Novemb. 8. 1659. A Table of the Contents THe Scope of the Parable pag. 2. The Parts of the Parable p. 4. Sin is a departing from God p. 8. A Sinner doth voluntarily of his own accord depart from God p. 9. The pleasures of sinning will quickly end and the end of them is extreme misery p. 9. The pleasures of sin are but short proved p. 10. Sin will end in many miseries p. 12. Though sin brings men into straits yet straits do not alwayes bring men from sin p. 22. An afflicted condition no infallible testimony of a safe condition p. 24. The further men go on in sin the worse work they shall find it to prove p. 31. And the Reasons thereof p. 34. And why we do not alwayes see it so p. 37. A sinner will try all wayes and go through the utmost extremities ere he will return from his sins p. 45. How it may appear to be true p. 49. Why it should be thus p. 51. Take head of shuffling with God p. 55. Means to prevent â—his shuffling p. 59. Nothing shall avail this shuffling sinner till he return but God will disappoint all his projects p. 61. made to appear to be a Truth p. 63. Why nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner till he repent p. 64. A serious consideration and right comparison of the miserable estate of a sinfull condition and happly estate of a converted converted condition are steps to true and speedy repentance p. 69. How these two are prime steps to repentance p. 71. Objections That we are ignorant not at leisure it will make us despair answered p. 77. How I may know whether my consideration be right p. 78. Whether consideration of sin may be right when there are some sins that a man thinks not of p. 83. Whether a single consideration of sin be sufficient to repentance p. 84. Rules for right consideration p. 86. Rules for comparison p. 87. Sound Resolution is required to sound Reformation p. 89. The properties of this Resolution p. 90. Why it is requisite p. 92. The benefits and comforts of a firm Resolution p. 95. The Means to raise it p. 97. and maintain it p. 101. True Repentance for sin will bring forth true Confession of sin p. 106. The Reasons of it p. 111. Penitent persons are humble and lowly persons p. 118. Humbleness described p. 120. Why true Penitents are humble persons p. 124. The means to become humble p. 128. Personal Unworthiness is not prejudicial to spiritual Supplication p. 129. Reasons for it p. 131. How we may know that we are truly sensible of our Unworthiness p. 136. Penitent intentions and resolutions should be accompanied with present executions and performances p. 140. Reasons for it p. 142. The Motives and Means for a present execution p. 148. and The Helps p. 154. The very initials of true Repentance are seen by God p. 157. proved p. 159. Evidences of true Repentance though initial p. 163. God is very ready to shew all kinds of mercy to the truly Penitent p. 165. Reasons of it p. 169. By no means despair of mercy p. 174. Objections answered p. 175. Reasons why God makes not known his mercy presently p. 179. How one shall be supported in the interim p. 183. God is pleased not onely to be reconciled but manifests himself so to be unto the penitent p. 184. Reasons of it p. 186. Motive to seek after the seals and tokens of Gods favour p. 188. Means to attain them p. 191. The kindest expressions of mercy do not hinder an humble confession of sin p. 195. Reasons of it p. 196. Motives to it p. 198. God takes no notice of our sins upon our true Repentance but expresseth himself wholly love and kindness p. 199. Reasons of it p. 202. What is meant by the Robe and the best Robe p. 206. How we may know whether we have put it on p. 211. God gives to the penitent person a precious Faith by which he is espoused or married to Christ p. 213. What t is to be married unto Christ p. 213. How Faith marries us unto Christ p. 216. Whether we have this Faith p. 219. What is meant by Shoes on his Feet p. 222. God doth enable the penitent person with Grace and strength for a better and singular course of life and obedience p. 223. Reasons of it p. 227. Every sinfull unconverted man is a lost man p. 234. How a man may know that he is lost p. 237. A lost sinner may be found p. 238. How God finds
of hypocrisie or a sink of impiety he loves sin or would not yet leâ—ve it the greatest part of our integâ—ity lies in the hearts frame and purpose that man who is resoled to part with all sin hath an heart who loves all good it is only sound grace which breeds sound resolution 2. It will be a It will be an Apology in case of falling great apology in case of falling that yet it is not presumptuous but of Inâ—irmity The evil that I would not do that do I c. Rom. 7. and rather an affect of a strong temptation then of any secret affection of the heart to sin for where the purpose and resolution of the heart is set against a sin and makes its resistence though the sinning may be great yet it is not presumptuous Four effects this firm Resolution worketh about sin either it doth 1. Cease the motions of it or 2. Abates and lessens them or 3. Disappoints and frustrates them as Joseph about his mistress or else 4. It mitigates and corrects them in the degree of guilt either it keeps me sound or else causeth that the wound is less 3. Such a man may confidently go to God for help and Such a one may confidently go to God for help assistance If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer said David but verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my Prayer Psal 69. 18 19. Thou shalt not struggle with sin in vain nor cry unto God in vain if once thou couldst be firmly resolved against sin thou shouldst more confidently repair to Christ and shouldst assuredly find more Victory over it as Paul Rom. 7. 24 25. What have I to do any more with idols I have heard him and observed him I am like a green Fir-Tree from me is thy fruit found Hos 14. 8. 4. And more confidently expect the remission of sins past with what face can a mâ—n embolden himself before the And Confidently expect Remission of sins past Lord O Lord I beseech thee to pardon such or such a sin and I trust thou wilt do it but I am not yet resolved to leave it And when a person can come before the Lord and say Search and tell me O Lord if there be any way of wickedness which I know and allow against which I am not resolved and strive Now O Lord thou art a gracious God I beseech thee for thy mercies sake forgive my sins blot them out I hate them with an unfeigned hatred do thou for thine own sake pardon and subdue them 5. You shall much free your selves from the ancient suggestions of Satan about particular Sins It will free us from the Suggestions of Satan about particular sins Resist the Divel and he will flee from you Jam. 4. 7. Where there is no hope of Victory there will be little encouragement to fight firm resolutions are like rocks against which the waves may beat and strike but cannot move nor alter Satan may indeed somewhat molest but the heart is in a sort impregnable which is stedfastly resolved Christiana sum said she I am a Christian who was much assaulted to deny the Faith and Luther in Gen. so silenced all threats and allurements for the abnegation of Christ When they saw Paul's resolution fixed for Jerusalem they gave off their importunity so Temptations will slack when our Resolutions are settled It is in vain I will not hearken thou mayest molest me Satan but I will never yield unto thee 6. You will be less interrupted in your holy services Whilest the heart is any thing indifferent and flexible sinfull motions We shall be less interrupted in our holy services like the Birds will return and flock about the Corn if the Watchman be now there and anon removed When the Minister is speaking to your ear Sin will be speaking to your heart and when your tongues are speaking to God your thoughts will be busied in giving Sin an answer or the World But if the heart were more resolved against sin it would be more united in duty the thoughts and mind and affections would be more collected and center'd upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work in hand it would not scatter so much it would not follow that which it cares not for but peremptorily abhors The next Use shall be for Direction and that in two particulars Vse 2. Direction 1. How to raise a solid Resolution 2. How to keep and maintain it First The Means to raise it There are some things of How to raise a solid Resolution which you must take heed and strive against as being vigorous impediments to the rearing of this frame and twisting of this firm cord Take heed of 1. A secret favouring of sin As long as your hearts cunningly connive at and harbour your lusts those evil Inmates A secret faâ—ouring of sin you will never throughly come to a Resolution to cast them off For love will untwist many arguments and prevail against strong Motives it will let down your mind as fast as reasons do raise it up It is the best Friend and strongest Advocate that sin hath You see a Parent perhaps David against Absalom resolved to exile his Child from his presence but natural affection turned him and wrought so after a while that David longs for Absalom again As a Spring will work out that which is cast in so will a secret affection to sin work off the impression of all Arguments and any such preposterous Resolves against sin 2. A tenderness or delicacy of spirit I mean an inordinate Delicacy of spirit self-love Love of sin and so also the love of our selves both of them are adversaries to a penitential Resolution If a man will go to Heaven asleep have his ease and his friends and his liberty and his safeties and his quiet and his pleasures and great matters he will never come to a through Resolution God likes no such bargain no condition as I am willing to serve thee but I am resolved never to suffer for thee I will be good if I may be safe I will go to sea but on condition I shall meet with no storms I will enter into the war but on condition that I will have no blows We must be at a point for all things except what is good if we be resolved to be good indeed no not Life it self must be dearer to us than that which is far better than Life 3. A perversness of spirit on self-wilfulness if you do resolve A perversness of spirit to be your own Master you can never resolve to be Gods Servant if your hearts be not disposable to his will they will never be flexible and fixed on his work You must in many things be contented to deny your own thoughts and to captivate your own judgments and reasonings and to submit both your judgment and will to a Divine Rule and
holy men Glory and Salvation is their end some end by way of corruption as when the beauty of a thing is marred or a goodly body is turned and ends in a loathsome carkass or sweet Wine turns to sharp Vineger After this manner doth sin end or a sinful course end as it was with the day in which Sodom was destroied it began with the pleasant light of the Sun but it ended in fire and brimstone Thus was it with those sinners their delightful flames of lust ended in horrid flames of Vengeance There are two sorts of sorrow and trouble one Penitential and the other Judicial one of these sin must end in Achans wedge pleased his eie but it lost his life Ahabs desire was satisfied to get Naboths Vineyard but his blood paid for it in the portion of Jezreel Gehazi obteined the garments and talents and at the end a Leprosie to his dying day Judas gets favour with the chief Priests and money to betray his Master but he got horrour of conscience final despair and damnation for his treachery The young man in the Proverbs is inticed with the filthy flattery of the Prov. 7. 17. Whore her bed was perfumed with Myrrhe but her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death those chambers 17. of delight prove chambers of death But to open this in some particulars Quest 1. To what extreme miseries and streits may sin bring the sinner Sol. 1. To those of Body sin may be rottenness of his bones and may infect him with the most nasty irking painful diseases Miseries of body that he shall have no rest in his flesh it may so poison his marrow inflame his spirits corrupt his humors that many times the body which was the instrument of sin proves to be the great torment of the sinner 2. To those of Estate sinning may eat out a goodly estate as the worm which is gnawing at the root of Oâ— estate a tree disrobes it disflourishes it pines and shrivels it though a man hath quick parts ample dealings yet if he has secret waies of sinning his sins will blast him they will be as the Moth which eats out the garment or as the canker to the brass or iron How many by such such sinnings are quickly stript laid low brought to a morsel of bread and are cloathed in rags as the Prodigal here in the tex wasted himself out of all 3. To those of Name Of name which is one of the three precious and tender things viz. a mans Eye a mans Conscience and a mans Name This is a precious Fama Fides Oculus ointment a mans life is as his name is yet sinning casts a flie into that ointment a blur upon that copie it procures reproach and shame an hissing a Proverb a by-word an odious name a name that shall perish 4. To those of Conscience which are Of conscience streits indeed so that a man is almost distracted knows not which way to turn himself either to God or man day nor night is weary of life and yet afraid to die he fears God he fears man he fears himself he fears the shadows of things 5. To those of the imagining and thinking part of man a mans heart shall do nothing Of the imagiâ—ing and thinking part of man but meditate terrour apprehend guilt see the formâ— of bitter sinnings and the Idea's of infinite wrath kindling from God against him so that he shall be still amazed at the representation of his former sinnings or at the expectation of future judgments 6. To those of the affecting part all his aâ—fections shall rise up as a tumult Of the affecting part within him burthens of cruel fear tremblings of a fainting grief and thick throws of hopeless despair Quest 2. But why is it that sins or sinful courses end in such extreme miseries and streits Sol. Reasons thereof are many Reasons of it 1. Because though the beginning of sin be from a deceived heart yet The ending of sin is from a just God the ending of sin is from a just God The corrupt heart begins sin deluded thereto by sinful pleasure but God puts a period to the sin in just judgment in wrath and tribulation upon every soul that does evil What we conceive about sin is one thing and what God will do to the sinner is another thing we make it sweet but God will make it bitter at the latter end The intentional way of theft is with delight but the judicial end of theft is death so Finis 1. â—peris 2. operantis is it in all sinnings the intention of the sinner is to please his own corrupt heart but the judicial end of it which belongs to God he being the righteous Judg offended is misery 2. The true effects of sin must be made manifest Men would not The â—rue 〈◊〉 of sin must be made manifâ—st onely question the Righteousness of God but the unlawfulness of sin if sinning should end peaceably Well might they say with him I have cleansed my heart in vain if sin should end in peace and blessing but God by this dolefull Catastrophe of sin doth convince man that sin deceives them while it pretends so much pleasure delight contentment and at length repays them with shame loss horrour and despair 3. Hereby men should learn To put a difference betwixt them that fear God and that fear him not that there is a difference twixt them who fear God and such as fear him not For indeed in this among many other things do godly ways and the ungodly differ The Godly begin oft times in sorrow in trouble but the end of them is peace at the last we see and meet with the worst of our journey at the first as the Israelites did with the Wilderness and Sea but they came to Canaan at length but the Ungodly ways yield their best at first their vanity delights like painted colours fall off and their worst is hidden and appears at last Alas thou doest not imagine that hell which thy sinnings are kindlings or that sword which it is unsheathing or that death which it is breeding or that horrour which it is maing within thee against thee these are now hid from thy eyes but yet they are the end of thy sinnings I now come to the application of this point Is the entrance of sin pleasant and is that pleasure but short and ends that pleasure Vse in miserable extremity then 1. for 1. Information We may hence be informed That all things are not right and safe which yet are pleasant The ways of a man Information All things are not safe which yet are pleasant seem right in his own eyes said Solomon and the motives of sin seem pleasant to our corrupt hearts yet sinfull ways are false and sinfull pleasures are nought and short The first demand of any in point of opinion should be how
to take heed of sinning though mixt with pleasures and delights Consider these motives Motives 1. What thing that is wherein thou doest take pleasure Why What is that wherein thoâ— doest take pleasure what is it O man that hath enticed thee and what is it O man which in thee is so enticed It is sin that hath enticed thee and it is thy soul which is thus enticed by sin Sin enticeth thee then which no evil is worse thy soul is enticed then which no part in thee is so precious And wilt thou adventure that precious soul that immortal soul which must live for ever wilt thou adventure it for a sin for one draught of sinfull pleasure Wouldest thou adventure all thy earthly estate for one draught of Beer as Esau did his for one mess of pottage Thou wouldest not Yet wilt thou adventure the eternal being of thy soul for one minutes pleasure of sin Though thy sins be pleasant in thine eyes yet they are odious in Gods sight though thy sins do delight thee yet they do grieve him they do incense and provoke him Hast thou nothing to take pleasure in but that which provokes thy God and will damn thy soâ—l 2. Thou mayest enjoy thy pleasures without sin Hast thou not Thou mayest enjoy thy pleasures without sin a Wife to delight thee an Husband Children many outward comforts not a God not a Promise not a Christ that thou longest onely for forbidden fruit 3. Is sin a thing to take pleasure in did it not shed the bloud of Is sin a thing to take pleasure in Christ doth it not break a righteous Law transgress an holy Will grieve the Spirit of God cast the clouds of threatnings over our heads bring down all our Judgements on body kindle our terrours in Conscience heap up all our wrath against the day of wrath is this the thing of thy pleasure call you this a delight If one should say unto thee Be drunk commit filthiness and within an hour after thy whole body shall be roasted in a fire or thy skin shall be flead off thee or every bone in thy body should be distinctly broken in pieces wouldst thou now sin And what are these punishments to sins themselves and what are these punishments to those of Conscience or to that of Hell 4. God can easily shorten thy pleasures of sin and he hath many God can easily shorten thy pleasures of siâ— waies to do it First Is not his Word of mighty power is it not a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart can it not divide twixt the marrow and the joint Is it not a light and a fire Is it not the sword of God a two-edged sword able to pierce and that with quickness and that with sharpness Or Secondly if yet thou be able to maintein thy sins and by the strength of sensual pleasures to beat off the purest convictions and revelations and pursuits of the Word cannot the Spirit of God drive home the sharp displeasure of God cannot he break through the midst of all thy resolutions and delights and so enter into thy conscience can he not in a moment awaken that drouzie conscience can he not inliven that seared conscience can he not injoin it to stand up and act its accusing power when he hath irresistably inlightned it and set the great sins of thy delight before thee and when conscience is deeply wounded where then are all thy pleasures O it will be as bitter then unto thee as hell the wrath of God felt and the guilt of sin felt and the terrors of Conscience felt O how will they drown thy pleasures sink thy spirits and if God be not the more merciful confound thy soul Yet this God can do and he can easily do it if he saith but the word My wrath be upon him Conâ—cieâ—ce arise and accuse him it is done and then where are thy dâ—lights Those sins of thine unto which thou hast been enâ—iced by a little false pleasures even they alone shall rise up and be the sufficient punishment for all their pleasures Or Thirdly He can shorten thy pleasures by many Judgements he can lay such a disease upon thy body or such a loss on thy estate or such a rottenness on thy name or such a vexation upon thy spirit or such a madness in thy mind or such a cross in thy delight that thou shalt find no more pleasure in any thing Or Fourthly Can he not send forth the King of Fears that which thou least thinkest of and which will make thy joynts to tremble Death it self upon thee Hath not He the Keys of Life and Death and when life is gone where then are the pleasures of thy sin Sin makes way for death and death to a wicked man though it makes not an end of his sinning yet it makes a full end of the pleasures of sinning thou shalt never rejoyce in the way of thy wickedness more thou shalt never taste delight more neither lawfull delight nor unlawfull delight And cannot God do this suddenly and art thou able to withstand him art thou greater then he 5. Thy pleasures of sin will end in bitterness Read the Scripture Thy pleasures of sin will end in bitterness see whether it be not so and I beseech thee tell me hast thou not found it so already canst thou not say That thy sin hath been an evil thing and bitter Canst thou not say What fruit have I in those things whereof I am now ashamed Two things remember There is a certainty of bitterness for former sinnings Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment 2. Thou knowest not the manner of that bitterness The sinning that is thy work but the punishing of thy sins that is Gods work thou hast taken the pleasures which sin delivered unto thee and thou must now take the bitterness which God will inflict on thee And canst thou tell 1. When the Lord will begin to account with How sudden thee either to night or to morrow thou art not secure a moment Secondly How the Lord will begin with thee whether How great in thy body or in thy soul or in both in conscience or estate Thirdly How far the Lord will extend the cup unto thee perhaps How endless it shall be in thy hand a cup of fury and trembling and amazing horrour and whether he will have thee to drink to the lowest dregs of his wrath how knowest thou This bitterness after thy pleasures may be purely judicial which shall not be tempered with any comfort nor yet at all with the hope of any mercy it may be an endless displeasure from God Object Yea but we mean to repent hereafter and so we
thee and will not a worse judgment then attend us for worse sinnings It is with divine punishments as with the messengers of a displeased King who in his name summons us to yield and become loial and if you despise a few messengers they indeed may return but then more and greater are sent perhaps not to parley but to destroy If one punishment brings not off from sin it doth onely go back to fetch a greater and thou canst not tell but that the next messenger may be death itself and then somthing worse then dearh The last use which I will observe from this point is since miseries do not alwaies bring men off from sins therefore to apply Vse 3. Apply our selvs to such waies under our miseries as may bring us off from our sins In general A sanctified heart A sanctified use In particular 〈◊〉 Repentance our selves to such waies and to get those things under our miseries which may bring us off from our sins In the general two things are available hereto 1. A sanctified heart until the heart be sanctified can it possibly break off from sin 2. A sanctified use you must not be sensless nor yet impatient but under every hand of God seek for direction and blessing from God Secondly in particular I conjecture these things mainly conduce 1. Repentance which you know takes into it these branches 1. Serious consideration of the present condition and of the end of present afflictions 2. Solid humiliation 3. Earnest praier 4. Effectual reformation 2. Love of God and more intire communion and delight in him and with him Afflictions will drive you off from Love of God God unless you love him Even a small stroke is enough to mend and bring in a loving child 3. Faith to believe our pardon and acceptance Nothing more avails with the soul to leave the course Faith of sin then when it can be assured if it comes back to God it shall receive the pardon of sin Therefore God generally propounds to his afflicted people an hope of mercy as the great motive to bring them home from sin to himself by true repentance Joel 2 c. All which are wrought by the Spirit of God in the use of the Word and shall be given unto us if under our miseries and straits we do earnestly crie and pray unto the Lord. And he sent him into his fields to feed Swine You have heard of the Prodigals design under his misery to relieve himself he did not return to his father but joined himself to a citizen of a far country Now yee are to hear of the success of this design how much it mended his poor and famished condition viz. nothing at all and that will appear in two particulars One in the basestness of his service That citizen sent him into his fields to feed swine Of all creatures the most nasty and filthy these must he serve and none but these his whole service was to be base and therefore he is sent into the fields to perform it any houshold-service and homeservice though mean had been tolerable Another in the nothingness of his reward or wages he did the basest service and without the least husk of paiment for it follows in vers 16. That he fain would have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him If he had had any thing afforded either to have nourished or to have procured nourishment though it had been but mean nay the meanest but to have nothing at all for the fordidest service of all yet this was the fruit of his sinful design that he was set upon a most base work and without any profit or relief at all whence I conjecture we may ohserve this Doct. 2. The further men go on in sin the worâ—e work it will prove Here is premised second conclusion That the further men go on in sin the worse work they shall find it to prove You see it a manifest truth here in the Prodigal his sin drew down his penury notwithstanding this he proceeds to his sins and now he is sent to the Swine c. For the better opening of this Assertion premise with me some few particulars 1. A supposition viz. That wicked men do use to go on in sin They are said in Scripture to proceed from evil to worse and to A Supposition Wicked men use to go on in sin add drunkenness to thirst and to fill up the measure of iniquity and to know no shame and to revolt more and more and to grow Worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. therefore is sin in them compared to a Canker which frets from place to place or eats up from part to part and to a fretting Leprosie which diffuseth it self 1 Tim. 2. 17. Levit. 13. 8. 1 Kin. 8. 38. 1 Cor. 5. 6. from a lesser to a larger compass and to a Plague which by degrees seizeth on all the spirits and to Leaven which spreads over all the lump And this is verified of them every way whether they live in ease or live in misery prosperity and ease do but flesh them the more adversiâ—y and punishments do not turn them at all smiles or frowns word or rod mercy or misery neither of them do alter but after both they yet put forth they will lanch further As he in the Proverbs concerning his Wine When I shall awake I will seek it yet again that may be said of evil men though they have felt many a smart blow from God for Prov. 23. 35. theâ—r sinnings already yet they will look back to this trade again they will still deal unjustly What David spake in another case they will fully act in this of Sin I will be yet more vile 2. A Posiâ—ion which is this Though after punishment they will be progressive in sin yet they shall never be successfull in sin A Position Tâ—ough after puâ—ishment men be progressive in sin yet they shall never be successfull They may renew their work but they shall never amend their wages they may set up again but they shall break again if they after so great a shaking will build upon the same foundation they shall find their future labours to end in the same ruine Nay that 's not all but as Joshuah's curse upon the man who should again build the City Jericho was that He should lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest son he set up the gates of it Jos 6. 26. So will it prove to the person whose sins God did strive to demolish and overthrow by former punishments if he again will presume to set up the gates of them recover them to their strength by future love and further progress he shall be so far from being hereby more successfull that his condition doth become more fearfull he doth lay his foundation again in the ruine of his soul and shall build up the gates with
sometimes in the heat of a punishment how our hearts perhaps fall down before the Lord and we are very urgent on him and very diligent spend much time in his service and a kind of watchful tenderness is come upon us against sin but then we let fall our hands and our candle quickly burns more dimly our task abates our affections grow slack our purposes our services wear away and we begin to grow as forward to our sins as before the liking of God and of his waies and services cool and sinful occasions grow as pleasing and acceptable Remember it that man will be quickly bad who grows negligently good and the soul which is weary of Gods service is ready for sins work 6. Partial reservations when men in or after punishment will Partial Reservations profess against the great bulks of sin and as Pharaoh at length was willing to let the people go but to stay the little children so we wil bid defiance and seem to take resolution against our former great iniquities in the greatness of them but yet we will keep back and not part with such and such things which perhaps formally are not sinful but occasionally they may to our corrupt affections prove so Why how can it be but such a soul should make yet a progress in sin who reservs still an incendiary motive a quick and captivating incentive unto sin The river will quickly over-spread and fill the channel if you give it way spare but your self in occasions and they will bring on first the lesser trials of sin and the lesser trials will quickly ingage you to greater adventurings and some adventurings will easily bring you to your old courses In the second place let us apply our selvs to such waies as may Directions take us off from sinning yet more after punishment which you have heard doth make the condition yet worse The directions which I would commend unto you are these 1. In all punishment for sinning follow the writ open it and see In all punishment for sin search out thâ— Cause whose name is in it my meaning is enquire into thy self search diligently for whose sake this evil befals thee as the Mariners in Jonah concerning the tempest they did cast lots that they might know for whose cause that evil was upon them so should we in the presence of our punishment when Gods hand is in any kind upon us search and lift up our hands unto God to shew us the special reasons of his wrath and indignation for though earthly parents do many times inconsiderately in passion chastize their children after their own pleasure yet God doth it wisely and never without cause we may say of all our punishment what the Prophet saith to the Israelites Jer. 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness c. Punishments never prove reformations until first they be informations they never cure the heart unless first they clear the eye We must first spell the Lesson before we can take it forth therefore this do if thou canst not find the specialty of thy provocations 1. Look thy afflictions and punishments well in the face perhaps thou mayest in them see the very feature of thy sin which hath caused God to punish thee very usually that punishment which is a Rod is also a Glass it shews us the fault for which we are lashed 2. Observe thy self in the estate when thy punishment doth come do but recal thy bent of heart course ways imagination devices sometimes a man is taken by the punishment when he is dealing in a way which doth more especially provoke God 3. Peruse the Word and well consider what sins have brought down such kind of punishment Pares culpae Pares poenae God doth many times keep his course of the same punishments with the same sins else the Apostles dehortation of the Corinthians from Idolatry and Uncleanness which was the Israelites sins for fear of the like punishments were somwhat vain 4. Lastly Regard the first and more frequent verdicts of thy own conscience There are two times when Conscience deals more home and faithfully with us One is when we are to die Another is when we are to suffer in a time of judgment and affliction we find as Josephs brethren did the remembrance of former evils Surely this is befallen us because of our brother c. said they So our hearts tell us Well assuredly this comes upon me for my Swearing for my Drunkenness for my Uncleanness for my Covetousness c. 2. When your sins are brought to light that you can say Here is my punishment and there are my sins then go to God When the sin is discovered go to God in an humbâ—e confession of iâ— with them to him that smote thee By most humble and broken Confession that thou hast done wickedly but the Lord hath dealt most righteously acquit him but condemn thy self Accuse and indite thy sinning soul O Lord thus and thus have I sinned and provoked thee c. Deal ingenuously with the Lord and freely confess unto him and never leave until thy soul be afflicted for sinning as well as thy body until thou canst grieve a thousand times more for thy sins than for thy punishment for the dishonour which God hath felt by thy sinnings than for the smart which thou feelest under thy punishments By most vehement and constant Petition and that for two things especially Go to God by earnest petition for viz. 1. Reconciliation with that God whom thou hast so much provoked by thy sinnings As Moses said to Aaron Take a Censer Reconciliation Numb 16. 46. and put fire therein from off the Altar and go quickly to the Congregation and make an attonement So let us speedily strive to reconcile our selves unto the Lord beseeching him to love us freely to receive us graciously to pardon us for his own sake to remember our sins no more not to contend with us for ever but to cast our sins into the depths of the Sea and mercifully to be our God And in this business of reconciling our selves with God take notice 1. Of the meritorious cause of it which is the bloud of Christ called therefore our attonement Rom. 5. and our Propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 1. Now beseech the Lord to look on thee in Christ and to remember the bloud of the everlasting Covenant which was shed for the remission of sins and to make peace Beseech him to be reconciled unto thee in and through Christ and do thou stedfastly trust unto him by faith for it 2. Of the means of it To the Word to Prayer O be earnest for such dispositions upon which the Lord will â—eal mercy and forgiveness He will be gracious to the cry of the mournfull soul Isa 30. 19. and to the penitent 2 Chron. 7. 14. 2. Sanctification Alas if the Lord should lay upon thee Sanctification as many and
to another Use Which shall be Not to hide our sins but to declare and acknowledge them in a right penitential manner before the Lord that Vse 2. Exhortation To confess our sins in a penttential manner Not to cover our sins so we may declare our selves true Penitents This exhortation you see consists of two parts Not to Cover To Discover I. Not to hide and cover our sins There is a two-fold Covering of our sin One is natural which is that Vail of Ignorance and blindness drawn over the soul by Original sin keeping the mind in spiritual darkness not able to see it self nor acts nor wayes aright This is such a Cover wherein we our selves are hid from our selves There is another Covering which is voluntary and artificial wherein we dig deep to hide our counsels intentions delights actions from the Lord cunningly contriving and feigning a secrecy as if we could put a curtain or a cloud twixt Gods eyes and our actions doing evil and saying None shall see it And when it is done never bringing that forth by a penitential confession which we did bring out by a sinfull commission Oh take heed of this though we be forward to sin beware lest we be artificial to conceal it If we cannot have eyes to foresee and strength to prevent evil yet let us have hearts to bewail and tongues to confess it Consider seriously 1. This hiding quality is a very ill quality it is an embleme This is a very ill quality of an heart that will not yet be rid of sin As Beggars that will not be cured of their sores for if thou wouldst be cleansed why concealest thou thy disease 2. It adds much to your sin To commit a sin may be an act of It adds much to your sin infirmity but to hide and conceal it argues either strong Atheism that the sinner thinks God regards it not though it be vile or else perverse wilfulness he will not humble he will not turn unto the Lord. 3. It adds nothing to our safety Adam hid himself in the thicket what got he by it what if you keep the fire close in the thatch It adds nothing to our safety You may put gold in a secret place and perhaps it may be under a safer custody but he who will hide his sin doth but put a fair cloth upon a dangerous wound which now rankles gangrenes kills Of all sins those do most endanger the soul for which we are not truly humbled or do not seriously confess them unto God Why should God shew thee mercy who wilt not acknowledge thy self guilty and how can sin but be fiercely reigning where it is most willingly harboured and concealed 4. Nor doth it add to our secrecy For all things are naked and Nor doth it add to our secrecy bare before God c. God can easily discover thy sin 1. He sees it he has an all-seeing eye 2. He can make thy conscience the rack of torment at confession 3. And will at the last day Nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest In two things doth the inconfitent sinner much prejudice himself by hiding of his sins One that he contrives himself for a sore punishment another that he reprieves himself for an open shame It is Gods disposition this that when we discover our sin and condemn our selves then will he cover those sins and not judge our persons 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged But when we with wile and guile contrive to keep them close God then will publish and manifest them for there is nothing in this kind secret which shall not be made manifest Nay simply manifestation is not all judiciary is it he will so discover them as to question as to arraign as to convict as to sentence as to condemn your sins Object But sinners are ready to object Who is able to confess his sins Doth not David say Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Psal 19. Sol. It is true every particular numerical thought and act of sin is not possible to be cited and confessed but who urgeth that This belongs to thee 1. To study thy heart and life 2. To observe what the Lord forbids and commands 3. To hear what thy Conscience will speak for kinds and acts 4. To give diligence to find out as many of thy sins as thou canst and by no means to omit thy special sins and so to spread all of them with humble hearty and mournfull acknowledgment before the Lord. Object This is the way to breed despair to see an Army of sins on a sudden raised up in the soul Sol. 1. See them you must first or last either now to your humiliation or hereafter to your confusion better see them now when you have time to get God to pardon them then after life when it is Gods time onely to condemn you for them And 2. He who bids thee to see thy sins bids thee to confess them and he who bids thee to confess them hath promised also to pardon them Object But I shall be ashamed to confess them so many so foul transgressions Sol. 1. If it were to Man then thou mightst blush and fear he might wonder at thee and perhaps incompassionately censure and blab 2. But it is to a God onely One who is very mercifull and will keep counsel he is very ready to pity and to spare thee 3. The commission of sin should be a shame but the confession of it is an honour it is an honourable thing that a sinner will glorifie God and confess and forsake his sins Let the disease be what it will thou wilt discover it to the Physitian why then this sinfull modesty to reveal thy sins to God And 4. especially if thou considerest thus much that thy confession is not to give him knowledge of any fact with which he is not acquainted but to yield a testimony of thy obedience and repentance and grief and to get thy acquittance and discharge II. But discover and confess them and to move you to this consider 1. Though it be a shame to commit sin yet it is an honour But discover and confess them Motives to confess it My son give glory to the God of Israel and confess unto him said Joshua cap. 7. 19. to Achan 2. Though the commission of sin brings heavy guilt yet the confession of it brings peace and ease It is the letting out of corrupt ulcerous matter which rages and swelleth and boils in the conscience 3. Is it so great a matter being greatly guilty freely and humbly to confess If the Prophet had bid thee to have done some Is it so great a matter for the guilty person freely to confess great thing c. so if the Lord had required of thee some great matter proper and high satisfaction for the wrongs thou hast done unto him thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oyl c.
of a Father I am that Father in whose house there is bread enough and to spare Do but come back unto me and all shall be well Canst thou live without Bread canst thou live without my Mercy Mercy shall be thine if thou wilt return from thy lost and sinfull courses 4. By directing him into the way of coming back As 1. With mournfull confession of his sins By directing him into the way of Returning Hos 14. 2. Take with you words and return unto the Lord say unto him Take away iniquity and receive us graciously 2. With penitential reformation Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 3. With believing application Thou must go saith God to my Son for he is the way and the life and he came to seek and to save that which was lost Seventhly By laying hold upon him by his Almighty Grace and putting into him a returning heart Now notwithstanding all this the lost sinner is not perfectly found and therefore the Lord doth one thing more he doth with this lost sinner as the shepherd did with the lost sheep who took him on his shoulders and brought him home So the Lord lays hold on this poor lost soul by his Almighty Spirit of Grace and puts into him a returning heart an other heart and makes him willing and glad to leave his sinfull wayes and to return to himself and to implore his reconciled favour and acceptance in Jesus Christ Which being done now is the lost sinner found indeed for then and then onely is a lost sinner found when he in truth turns back to God and enjoys him as his reconciled God in Christ Jer. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding children Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Quest 3. Why doth God thus look after and find a lost sinner Why God doth thus find a lost sinner Sol. The Reasons may be these 1. Although the sinner be not worth the looking after yet the soul of a sinner is worth the looking after The sinner is the Devils creature but the soul is Tâ—e soul is worth the looking after Gods creature The soul that I have made saith God Isa 57. 16. The lost sheep was worth the looking after and so was the lost groat surely then a lost soul is worth the looking after which is at least of as much value as a lost Groat Christ saith Theophylact on Matth. 18. was the man who left the Ninety nine sheep and lookt after one lost sheep he left the the society of Angels in Heaven to find one lost Soul on Earth O the Soul of Man is a precious a valuable Substance made only by God and fit only to match and converse with God 2. As God knows God knows the loss of a soul the worth of a soul so God knows the loss of a Soul O Sirs we make little account of losing souls but verily no loss like the loss of a soul As Christ spake of the fall of that house The fall thereof was great that 's true of the loss of a soul the loss thereof is very great A man in the event loseth nothing though he loseth all the world if his soul be not lost But if the soul be lost all is lost all is lost to an eternity and therefore the Lord out of unspeakable pity looks after a lost sinner Christ hath â—aid down a price for souls 3. Jesus Christ hath laid down a price for some souls and Jesus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul he shall have his purchase to the full value 4. God will have some to magnifie the God will have some to magnifie the riches of his Grace riches of his glorious Grace and Love and Kindness and Mercy yea and to enjoy eternal Glory with himself therefore he will find some lost sinners For no sinner but a found sinner can either glorifie God or be glorified with him The first Use shall be for Examination of our selves Whether Vse 1. Examination Whether our lost souls be found our lost souls be found thus of God or no I will propound unto you 1. Some Arguments or Motives to put you upon this Trial. 2. Then the Trials or Characters of a person whom God in mercy hath found The Arguments which may move us to a serious Trial whether Motives to a serious Trial. we be found persons or no are these 1. Every man is lost but every man is not found All are lost but few are found Every man is lost but every man is not found the way of sin is general but the way of mercy is special Mat. 7. 13. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat v. 14. But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and â—ew there be that â—ind it You read of a general complaint They are all gone out of the way but you read not of a general acclamation They are all returned into the way Take the way of finding a lost sinner and bringing him home to God either 1. by Repentance Why the number of sinners is exceeding large but the number of repenting sinners is very scant As he said once of an Army Here are many Men but few Souldiers so may it be said in this case Sinners are like the Sands in the sea very numerous but Penitent Sinners are like Pearâ—s in thesea very rare and precious 2. By Faith All are sinners but few very few are â—rue believers Historical Faith though it be a common faith yet it is not very common Who hath believed our report They are the â—ewest part of the world who do credere Christum believe that there is a Christ but how few even of these do credere in Christum believe in Christ And Men are never found till Faith be found in them 2. It is a very bad and a very sad condition not to be found It is a very sad condition not to be found out of but to be found still in a lost condition If it were no more but this That such a person cannot find himself under the clasp or compass of any saving mercy this were heavy To be in a Dâ—sert and not to know that ever he shall come alive out of it to be in the Ocean and not to know that ever he shall come safe to Land to be in a sinfull condition and not to know wheâ—her ever Divine Mercy will pull him out of this condition Yet this is the case of a lost sinner he cannot tell whether ever Divine Mercy will look after him or no perhaps it will perhaps it will not But besides this let 's consider what may find that lost sinner whom Divine Mercy hath not
Faith doth doth act for relief and will hold some communion with God 6. They are abated by the Ordinances 7. They are but for a time 8. They end in fullest setling and glorious comforts and likewise with advantage to their gracious condition And truly it is impossible that wicked and ungodly men should ever enjoy that serenity and peace as the godly do for as much as all the principles and causes of uncomfortableness abide on the wicked 1. Sin is in them in all its strength They have a thousand hells and arrows of guilt sticking in their hearts they have souls full of plague sores the deadly strokes of death the restless motions of evil spirits 2. They carry a roaring Lion in their brests I mean an evil accusing smiting wounding racking condemning Conscience which if it once awake it will tear the caul of their hearts and crush them with the flames of unavoidable unsupportable and continual wrath 3. They have no City of Refuge open to their succour no land or shore no place to cast anchor no portion in Christ and therefore the Law of God stands in full force against their souls and under its curse they lie and at that Bar of Justice must they be tried 4. They end in an éternal and perfect Hell 5. Take them at their best God is their Enemy they never yet made peace with him and all their outward blessings are steeped in gall and drenched in Wormwood as their sorrows so their blessings are distributed in wrath 2. Many converted persons are not really sad and uncomfortable Many converted persons are not really sad they onely seem so but onely seem so to the mean and childish opinions of vain men 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowfull yet always rejoycing The joy of Christians is an hidden joy Hidden Manna Revel 2. 20. it is a spiritual joy to which thou art a stranger meat to eat which thou knowest not of Suppose that thou rejoycest not in a fine Baby and a Toy which is a Childs great delight art thou therefore sad All objects yield not contentment to an high mind nor joy to a good man he cannot take pleasure in an Alehouse and Tavern in swaggering and masking in dicing and carding and swearing and whoring but yet he can take delight in a reconciled God in a Christ in the Word of God in praying to God in gracious returnes from God in expectation of the Glory of God A swine delights in mire but a man doth not The Moon is oft times dark to the world when yet that part which faceth to the Sun is beautiful and lightsome The countenance and carriage of a Christian as to the world seems dull and uncomfortable but if you could look into the heart of him which faceth towards heaven O there is Righteousness there is Peace there is Joy in the Holy Ghost 3. If any converted persons be sad and want actual joy and comfort If they be sad Conversion is not the cause of it yet their Conversion is not the cause thereof Can the Sun be any cause of darkness But amongst others these are the Causes of it Either 1. Thy unconversion It is the unconverted husband child master which makes sadness in the heart of the converted wife father c. It is thy drunkenness thy cursing and swearing thy scorning and scoâ—â—ing thy resisting and shifting the offers of Grace thy lying and slandering thy pride and loosness which makes the hearts of Ministers ready to break and the hearts of thy godly friends ready to sink in them O they tremble at thy condition and they grieve to see God so extremely dishonoured Psal 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law ver 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. The wicked deeds of the ungodly Sodomites vexed the soul of righteous Lot Luke 19. 41. It was Jerusalems proud obstinacy that would not know in her day the things which concerned her peace that made Jesus Christ to weep 2. Their Captivities to sin Pauls conversion did never trouble him but this did trouble him that he did the evil which he would not his Corruption not Conversion That the Law of his members led him captive against the Law of his mind It was not Peters Conversion but Peters transgression that made him go forth and weep bitterly It was not Davids Conversion but Davids great sinning which made him go so heavily and roâ—r so greatly Psal 32. 3. The Fears and Suspitions that they are not yet truly converted O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O they feel so many working Corruptions still and so little of the strength of Christ still and so much unbelief still and so many indispositions still and so many failings still and so many doubts about these This â—race is not right the saving Work is not begun and these things make them â—o sigh and weep and go heavily all the day long 4. They are but newly crept out of the shell The Spirit of Bondage is yet hardly worn off some legal Dints stick on them they are either still in travel or but newly delivered Or if they be got out of the state of Bondage yet they are for the present under spiritual conflicts and as spiritual Bondage before Conversion so spiritual conflicts after conversion suspends the taste of a present and actual joy Or if that be not the damp then perhaps it is some ignorance or unexperience they are not yet come to read their Fathers Will and Christs Testament what portion is left and laid out for the Children of God Or if that be not it then perhaps it is a present fit of unbelief they cannot yet be perswaded that God means so much mercy and so much love and so many great things for them Is it so That â—onversion brings the person into a very joyful Vse 1. condition Hence then 1. We may be Informed of four Information things 1. That they are enemies to their joy and comfort who are adversaries They are enemies to their joy who are enemies to Conversion to their Conversion Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye Scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledg Six things shew one to be in an unconverted condition Unsensibleness Love of sin Path of evil hatred of Reformation despising the Means of Conversion loathing of Converted-Persons There are some persons who hate to be reformed who hold fast their â—â—ns and will not let them go they are like those stiff-necked Jewes who alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost a disobedient people to the Call of God they refuse to put their necks into the yoak of Jesus Christ and will not be bound with his cords They love their sinful wayes and will not return to the Almighty Why Write that man childless said God of Coniah So I