when we come to see him we may be pierced and be in bitternesse for him Yea 3. That a Soul may truly and in earnest feel and discern its need of such a Jesus to bear and deliver from that wrath When such a glimpse of God upon it such a shaking such an abasement in its own vilenesse such a tasting of wrath then a Christ to quiet and calm a desolate soul is worth looking after indeed But it will presently be enquired whether every Soul is brought into Christ this way I will first open the height of this tempest upon a Soul and then I will satisfie this Query It is thus When God musters up our sins and sets them in order before our eyes Psal 50.21 When he will make sin appear exceeding sinfull to be abounding sin When God writes bitter things against a Soul and makes it to possesse the iniquity of its youth I need seek no further then the 38. Psalm for this tempest and the 88. In both of them you have a description of this tempest upon a poor creature Thine arrows stick fast in me There is no rest in my bones because of my sin Mine iniquities are gone over my head and are a burthen too heavy for me to bear Troubled and bowed down and go mourning all the day filled with his terrours as Heman To this as it may be conceived to have been the case with David and Heman in both these Psalmes is usually added some sharp affliction either of sicknesse or of the imbittering some choice creature-comfort our spirits were inordinately let out unto which causeth this shaking and tempest to be the more grievous that we become as David speaks even as broken vessels under the mighty hand of God This also by the sufferance of God is often heightned by Satans violent assaults black and horrible suggestions blasphemous accusations representing sin as unpardonable joyns with an accusing conscience and all our fleshly reasonings that God is in a way of destroying and beginning of wrath here and therefore is apt to suggest self-destruction so crossing Gods design perswading the Soul to fly from God as an Enemy when Gods main design is mercy to turn it to him Now then take all these the appearing of a great and holy and terrible God shaking a poor earthly creature the powerfull awakenings and enlightenings of his Word a sense of his fierce wrath the dread of a miscarrying soul the burthen of sin the accusations of conscience the afflicting hand of God the desperate assaults of Satan these like several windes make a tempest in the whole man and make it to cry out Thy waves O Lord and thy billows go over my soul who is able to abide thine appearance These like severall windes meeting in a cranny of the earth make a concussion and mighty shaking upon the spirit of a sinner when the Lord thus takes him in hand Now to answer the question whether every Soul be brought in to Christ such a way in the height of this tempest This is more then I dare assert yet that many a poor Soul comes thus shipwracht Christ thus tempestuous and forlorn I know I need not insist to prove This I may call the storming of a Soul when Christ takes a Soul by his great power suddenly breaks down all the strong holds and high things 2 Cor. 10.5 This is usually the way of an open sinner though not in the same height neither in every open sinner at his first conversion But then sometimes Jesus Christ takes a Soul as I may so speak upon easier terms brings it in leni afflatu with a more gentle gale yet so that in the progresse of it there will be some shakings something of this tempest upon it though the Soul hath a glimpse of Christ and his hand more sensibly supporting it which I clear thus First If the seed of grace be sown early in the heart as sometimes it is that some Souls cannot remember the first work of it yet if the Soul grow up to any measure of experience it must be more shaken in order to its further subduing and purifying It will meet with some kinde of tempests ordinarily I never spake with any as to this Point but more or lesse did allow of it But when the work of God is begun at some further ripenesse of years then certainly it shall meet with what I have set forth in some measure Consider for a Soul to be awakened out of the deep sleep of carnall security which sin hath bound him in To have Satan the strong man dispossest by a stronger then he To have the guilt and filth of sinne discovered by the holy Spirit To have Christ destroy the works of Satan the power and peace of corruptions that will set against him with all the reasonings of flesh and bloud mustered up To have in a word the secure dead earthy dark hard proud atheisticall unbeleeving heart of an obstinate wretch of death to become life of darknesse light of a stone flesh To have a grain of faith break through all naturall impossibilities spirituall wickednesses all discouragements within and without when nothing within us to help forward beleeving but every thing against us as I shall further shew Though all these be not enough to hinder the Lord Jesus when he by his strong arm will work Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall let it yet certainly this work is not wrought forth in a dream as we use to speak of things insensibly done not without some shaking and concussion upon the spirit something of this tempest upon it partly in the beginning and partly in the progresse of conversion Fides non fit sine multo motu saith Melancthon faith is not wrought forth without much motion in the Soul Yea I might here shew into how many tempests from without and within many a poor Soul specially such whom God will most humble and fit for some speciall service fals into how many overwhelmings of spirit and gusts of temptations it is frequently shaken with but I intend to keep my self chiefly to the discovery of the souls first approach to Christ It may yet be further enquired What is the lowest measure of such conviction in the bringing in of a Soul to Christ In this there have been extreams somtimes I presume gracious men giving forth the tenour of their own conversion as a generall rule to all others But in this case I may safely assert that the first work of the Spirit is to convince of sin Joh. 16.7 And that such a convincement that shall give a creature such a sight of sin that it must appear exceeding sinfull to be abounding sin Rom. 5.18 to be tyrannizing fin filthy sinne condemning sinne which must not only flote in the head but convince the conscience and affect the heart that it must needs humble and abase a creature as he goes out of himself and rowls upon Jesus Christ yea he shall come in a
perishing condition as I am to shew in the next Point To deny such preparations and qualifications not such I mean as of our selves but from the spirit is to reason against the method of the Spirit witnessed by Scripture and experience If the spirit of a sinner be naturally bound up in blindenesse hardness of heart insensiblenesse security peace then it will not make out for salvation by Christ till the Spirit of God comes upon that blindenesse c. and so causeth the Soul to discern its own condition and this as the rebellions of our hearts begin to be subdued by that spirit causeth a mutiny distemper some kinde of tempest in the whole inward man till the Spirit draweth vertue from Jesus Christ more and more to work some measure of serenity and composure upon it as we are to shew in the close 3. Say some This is a way to bring a Soul into bondage and tormenting fear No such matter 'T is the way to bring him out of it in order to the delivery from bondage that bondage must be first discovered to and owned by the captive which naturally he feels not as above To shew the captive his bondage in order to his suing for deliverance is the way for liberty this clear Rom. 8.17 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption implying ye are not now under the Law and so in bondage again as once you were intimating they were so and felt themselves to be so and that the Spirit did reveal it and so brought them out of it and wrought forth and witnessed Christ to them whereby they cried Abba Father 4. How long is a Soul to lie in his bondage humbling himself Till he cast up an eye to Jesus Christ to seek liberty in in him Certainly though a Soul is to renew his humblings under his bondage ye not so to lie under it but presently to make in to Jesus Christ to be freed from the guilt condemnation bondage service of sin pleading his own gracious pdrposes to him as expressed 1. Joh. 3.8 't was his purpose to destroy the works of the devill as I will pursue in the third point And thus briefly I have opened what I here mean by this tempest in a poor soul seeking Christ and life and peace in him the way and lowest measure of it If Jesus Christ by his Word and Spirit doth thus awaken enlighten convince raise some kinde of tempest in a poor soul before it truly seeks out for life and peace in him Let me in the first place speak to the secure peacefull soul that perswades it self it hath hope enough for heaven good interest enough in Jesus Christ and yet is not acquainted in any measure with such workings of the spirit as this coming in with an awakning voice upon the naturall blindenesse and security and bondage thou art bound up in Let me tell thee Soul Better were the fiercest tempest upon thy spirit then such a calm 'T is sitting with folded arms under the shadow of death 'T is sinne in its power bondage peace upon thy spirit the strong man Satan keeping peace that thou maiest sleep the sleep of Death But you will say What will you disturb the peace of my conscience that I have enjoyed all the daies of my life Ah Soul miserable peace miserable calm none of Christs making Spare me a little let me then freely bespeak thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5 Oh awake from thy deadly calm and peace Hear the voice of the Son of God and live Joh. 5. Sinner drowsie carelesse heartlesse sinner that hast been all thy life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Hearken consider arise thy security safety and peace is the death of sin upon thy soul a captive in a dungeon of darknesse and with fetters about thee and seest it not this is thy temper thou hast been at ease from thy youth and setled on thy lees Jerem. 48.11 Thou hast heard the first work of the spirit is to awake to Christ and Heaven to hear the voice of God in thy Soul rushing in upon thy sinfull peace So Adam Gen. 3. when after his sinne he had thought to lie hid from God in peace covered with his fig-leaves he heard the voice of the Lord God in the Garden and then they were afraid and further saw their own nakednesse What voices of God were they Adam where art thou Hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat of To the Woman What is this thou hast done v. 8 9 10. c. So the Lord speaks to a soul at first sometimes in an Ordinance sometimes in a sudden voice out of it Soul where art thou what is thy state and condition as to eternity what provision for heaven if thy soul should be now taken from thee What is this thou hast done so presumptuously and peaceably to sinne against thy God to side with the devil and the world against the peace of thy own soul What is this thou hast done to neglect the care of a desolate soul what will it profit thee to gain the whole world and lose thy own soul and to be a castaway a castaway from the holy blessed eternall rest of God into the company of devils in endlesse unredeemable torment What Soul what means thy eager pursuit of vanity and so heartlesse to the things of heaven and eternity With some such voices God speaks and then the soul is made awake for heaven and then it cries after God confesseth humbleth bemoaneth chargeth it self then the Lord directs that soul to means ordinarily whereby he will do it good and reveal the way of life in Christ unto it to destroy the power of sin in it and then though after back-slidings and much unsetlednesse and wavering many reasonings and temptations as shewd the soul settles in some good measure in the tastings of the power and love of Christ in it as I shall further shew Oh that such a voice or any of these might secretly glide in the soul of any poor creature that hath hitherto withstood it and might cause the deep thoughts of eternity to seize upon thee Let me reason with thee as in the counsel of God to raise a tempest in stead of that peace fear it not for I will shew thee a Christ to calm all to destroy sin to set at liberty to fill thy soul with joy and peace that shall never be taken away never fear to passe through such a tempest better go to harbour in a storm then perish becalmed in the sands Why then in thy most serious and retired thoughts be putting such Questions as I have mentioned to thy self if thou art moved and excited by these and such like then this is the voice of God in them if all that is within thee is stirred up to seek after Christ and our interest in
nor lusts nor barrennesse nor earthlinesse nor deafnesse nor blindenesse shall stand before him Come then oh come with such and expectation and thou shalt know the mighty power of his word But to the fearing Soul I need not I hope further encourage thee to come to Christs Ordinances Only a word Hast thou waited on them but not a comfortable answer yet Consider well Hast thou come to hear Christ speak I will hear what God the Lord will speak Hast thou not too much hang'd on the Preacher upon his lips This may be a snare Eye the promise Isa 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace saith the Lord and I will heal them So Is 55.10,11 speaking of the word It shall accomplish that which I please know If all the host of glorified Saints and Angels should joyn with all the holy Preachers of the Earth and should encompasse thy soul to speak life or peace unto it and beseech thee to be comforted unlesse Christ speak by them 't would be all fruitlesse Therefore get thy heart into a clear expectation for Christ to speak to thy heart by the Preacher that is to distill the dews and consolations of his spirit by it or all to no purpose So the Spouse Cant. 2.8 The voice of my Beloved v. 10. My Beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my Love and fair One and come away So Gant 4.16 Awake O North-winde and come thou South and blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out which is the Spirit of Christ blowing upon the Ordinances causing the vertues thereof to flow out Therefore if thou still continuest a disquieted fearing perishing soul and pants after comfort and assurance Pray thy heart may be raised up to abstract from any power as the voice of man but wait that the Spirit of Christ may breathe in the voice and then thou art in a readier posture for the Lord to rebuke the Tempest of fears upon thee A poor Soul may take further encouragement beside the promises from the blessed experiences of many and many a comfortlesse creature who after many tempests perishings fears sinkings of spirit have at last by waiting publikely and privately for Christs voice found the rebuking power of it and their distempers sweetly allayed And even a sudden heavenly calm upon them There was a great calm saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to smile such a calmnesse stillnesse such a wonderful serenity that is after a storm when the heavens and the earth seem as it were to smile So Christ smiles upon a soul having withheld his face and beauty and causeth a blessed serenity clearnesse quietnesse to be upon it sometimes by a sudden breaking in sometime by a secret graduall illapsing into a soul that it becomes comforted it knows not how ere it was aware Oh blessed for ever blessed the souls that wait and finde this And finde it Soul thou shalt if thou art in this posture described Let the Storm be what it will the clouds never so dark one ray and beam from Christ shall raise even a heaven in thy Spirit c. Thus far have I brought a Soul bottomed upon free and faithfull promises to the immediate expectation of Christ to rebuke the tempest and fears upon it to succour its perishing condition The Lord grant it may settle thee upon the power promise purpose delight of the Lord Jesus to do it I will a little speak of the wonders thou maist expect Obs 6. The calmed Soul is filled with the wonders of Christs power and love They marvelled saying What manner of man is this that the Windes and the Sea obey him His Name Isa 9. is called Wonderfull described to be Wonderfull in Counsell Excellent in Working Isa 28. last We may view those Meditations of the Saints when thus in the admiration of his wonderfull goodnesse and sweetnesse Psal 90.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to usward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred So Psal 34.2 c. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord c. Oh magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me out of all my sears This poor man cried unto him and he saved him out of all his troubles Oh taste and see that the Lord is good Blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psa 36.7 How excellent is thy loving kindenesse O God c. Psa 116.7 Return unto thy Rest O my Soul c. And what shall I render unto thee So Mic. 7.18,19 The Church is brought in so admiring Christ Who is a God like unto thee why that pardonest iniquity and passest by transgressions c. He will turn again though he hide his face he will have compassion upon us yea it will break forth Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul yea then Soul thou shalt know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards them that beleeve according to the working of his mighty power Eph. 1.19 These wonders of Christs power and love will be thus enlarged in thy soul Oh the wonders of his power Who is like unto thee Indeed Lord who wast able at first to lay hold of me and take me as a brand out of the fire Oh Am I not saved as a brand out of the fire Zech. 3.2 Thou who wast able to say unto me Live when I was in my bloud dead as a stone in my sins Thou who wast able to subdue all the strong rebellion and obstinacy of my heart to turn the violent stream of it from earth to heaven yea thou wast able to deal with all mine iniquities and corruptions the least of which had been too strong for me yea thou wast able to rebuke all the tempestuous assaults of Satan such tempests such a perishing condition such fears upon a poor soul to command the waves to be still and they were so Oh who is like unto thee my Almighty glorious Lord Joyn this to the greater wonders of thy free-love who hadst love and bowels enough to regard such a rebellious wretch when thus in his bloud serving his lusts and loving pleasures more then God When I was daringly and delightfully sinning against thee Oh infinite Love to pity and support and succour such a poor tempestuous wretch as I was after thou hadst awakened me when fitter my self being Judge to have been a cast-away from thy presence for ever Oh the Ocean of grace Oh the wonders of thy love Oh the unfadomed heights and depths of it Eternity will but serve to admire and adore thee in it So sings the Spouse in the Song c. 3.6 filled with the loves of Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like pillars