Righteousness that Heaven and Earth may sooner pass away than the least Jot or Tittle of his Law pass away unaccomplished though foolish Sinners make nothing of breaking it Well then the great case is How shall Sin be pardoned and the Sinner saved If Justice come upon the Sinner for satisfaction it will swallow him up in the Gulf of eternal misery Therefore had this question been put to the innumerable Host of Angels in Heaven what way sinful man could be saved and yet Justice satisfied and the Law fulfilled They would have been everlastingly puzled and pos'd no less then the infinite Wisdom of God could ever have found it out which is called Wisdom in a Mystery Now that Mystery is revealed in this glorious Text God the Father hath sent and set forth his own Son in our Natures to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness and Justice as well as his Grace and Mercy in pardoning and saving such and only such as believe in Jesus So that if you neglect Christ and Faith in his Blood do what you will you will be still under the Curse of the Law and the Wrath of God you can never escape Condemnation it 's impossible it should be otherwise without the shedding of Blood there can be no Remission Heb. 9. 22. It cannot be the Blood of a meer Creature that can take away Sin it must be the Blood of that Immaculate Lamb of God And when all this is understood there is another great Truth you must know and that is that there must be Faith in this Blood or there can be no actual Remission of your Sins and therefore in vain do Sinners support their hopes of pardon in Heaven with their own Righteousness saying We have sinned but God is merciful and we now repent and reform and turn to God c. Alas poor Soul can these make Satisfaction and make up a Ransom and Price for a Sinner's Redemption what need Christ have shed his Blood then It 's true these Duties are excellent in their due place and must be performed but will you put them in Christ's room and make Saviours of them then you put an undoing Cheat upon your poor Souls and will miscarry for ever under your Convictions and amidst all your Performances for he that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth on him and he shall not see Life And therefore if you would not quench the blessed Spirit and perish after all his strivings with you and shewing you your Sin and Misery I add in the next Direction 5. Prayer this is an excellent means to prevent miscarrying under the operations and workings of the Spirit of God O let nothing be able to keep God and your Souls asunder Are you under the Convictions of the Spirit and don 't know what course to take for Peace with God and freedom from Condemnation Away to the Throne of Grace and there pour out thy Complaints into the Bosom of God and say O Lord I am a sinful wretched vile miserable Creature I have destroyed my self time was I was ignorant and knew it not but now thy Spirit has awakened my Conscience and opened my blind Eyes to see my Sin and Misery so that I am now convinc'd that I must be damned without Faith in a crucified Christ but alas Lord I have such a cursed base deceitful hard and unbelieving Heart in me that I can't tell what in the world to do for an Interest in Christ Lord I am without strength I beseech thee to pity a poor undone Sinner that is now driven to thy Door by want and misery And here plead hard and make Supplication for an Heart to believe and that in spite of all Discouragements first tell him what thou hast heard of his Benignity and tender Compassion That the King of Israel is a merciful King and that thou hast heard of an Eternal Design of Grace to poor Sinners and how in the Fulness of Time he sent his Son to seek and to save what was lost and opened a Fountain of Grace and established an everlasting Covenant of Grace in the Blood of Christ and now has set forth in the Gospel his Son to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and has made proclamation to all rebellious Sinners to come in and accept of Mercy through Christ and commanded upon pain of Damnation to take Christ and with him all saving good Then plead thy compliance with the Gospel-Call and say O blessed Lord in obedience to thy Call lo I am come here a poor trembling starving Beggar that of all that ever came in and knocked at thy Door none more in need of a Saviour and Salvation than I. Now here suggest thy Wants and say Lord I want Faith I have through thy Mercy awakenings of Conscience but I want to be in Christ that my Nature may be renewed I see my undone state without him but I want union with him Lord while I am without Christ I am without strength O draw me O let it be the Day of thy Power hast thou not said no man can come except thou draw and dear Lord I find the impotency of my own cannot O let me find the Efficacy of thy own Power and feel the vertue of thy Almighty Arm drawing me to Christ Lord perswade me make my Heart to stoop subdue my strong Corruptions dispossess and disarm that malignant party in my Soul demolish those strong Holds of Sin and Hell there O Lord this is a sad condition to be unreconciled to thee and unespoused to Christ O pity and help one that seeth reason enough to believe but has not strength enough my Insufficiencies are equal with my Necessities though I can never get to Heaven without Faith and Holiness and though I know I want both yet Lord thou knowest I am no more able to change my sinful nature and be the Author of Faith to my self than I am to create a World or quicken and raise the Dead but if thou wilt make bare thy Arm it will soon be done my proud Heart shall soon be humble my hard Heart shall soon become soft my unbelieving Heart be made believing O speak but the Word and a poor Sinner that has fear'd burning in Hell hundreds of times shall sing thy Praise O thou that commandest me to turn Turn thou me and I shall be turned And here plead his Promise and Christ's Purchase after some such manner as this Blessed Lord hast thou not promised that thou wilt not cast out him that cometh to thee and that thou wilt give thy holy Spirit to him that asks and that it shall be opened to him that knocks and that thou wilt take away the Heart of Stone and give a Heart of Flesh and give a New Heart and remember Sin no more Lord if these be not thine own Promises I 'll be content to go away empty And are not all thy Promises yea and Amen Is it not
life it is the ready way to Atheisin and Apostacy whereas if you would always keep the eye of your mind open to behold the speedy approach of Death and Judgment as in rem presentem how admirably would it work how serious in casting up your souls accounts and imploring of pardon and eternal Life would you be 15. Another of these youthful sins is Pride and vain Glory which stands in an overvaluing of our selves with reference to the endowments of the Mind or Body such as Wit Parts Beauty Stature Strength Agility c. Young ones have much darkness and ignorance both of God and themselves and hence they set themselves as among the Stars in their own thoughts if they have Parts how prone are they to be proud of them conceiting themselves to have much more than indeed they have and then above measure admiring their own Wit and strength of parts and expecting every one else should admire them too not considering that these mental gifts without Grace makes them more like the Devil that abounds with endowments of this kind and to be more serviceable to him as malignant instrumentals in promoting the ruin of mens souls as Austin told a great but unsanctified Scholar ornari a te diabolus quaerit the Devil seeks to be honoured and served by thee And you read in 3. Gen. 1. Because the Serpent was more subtile than any other beast the Devil used that Creature to destroy mankind Now this Pride of Intellectuals is never more dangerous than when it terminates upon Religion and Souls affairs and there are none more obnoxious hereunto than young people a little knowledge maketh them think they are fit to be Preachers presently whereas the old and experienced Christian with trembling cryeth out Lord who is sufficient for these things Young ones for want of acquaintance with and experience of the wickedness and deceitfulness of their own hearts are apt to think that they have abundance of Grace Paul a young man was highly conceited of his good estate in Religion and spiritual matters till the commandment came in the power of it and revived in him a sight and sense of his cursed and sinful estate by nature 7. Rom. 9. And so the young man in the Gospel according to Matth. 19. chap. 20. All these have I done what lack I yet O young man remember this spiritual Pride is like the flye in the pot of Oyntment make all to stink if you over-value your selves in matters of Religion you may soon undo your selves and fall into the snare and condemnation of the Devil This was the reason why Paul forbids the choosing of a young beginner in Religion to the work of the Ministry Not a Novice lest he should be lifted up with Pride 1 Tim. 3. 6. Paul was a wise man he well knew the subtilties of Satan and the want of experience in young ones would soon insnare them and betray them into the hands of this sin And then with respect to Pride in bodily endowments as Beauty Strength Stature c. Alas how is the Youth of the present Age grown monstrous herein Never did Pride ride in such state when it went abroad in the Streets of Sodom as at this day it doth in this Nation wherein I was born and in this City wherein I now breathe Alas what wandering eyes wanton dresses foolish fashions apish imitations extravagant washings profane patching in a word a practical devotedness to the vile Body that is but a fine skin full of filth Flegm Choler and Corruption abounds in this City O the Arts Studies Pains among us all for the neatifying priding pampering this piece of earth that e're long will be meat for the Worms O young people what will a white skin or strength of Limbs or a rosie Complexion signifie when God rebuketh man for sin his beauty will consume as a Moth. 39. Psal 11. One fit of an Ague can alter thy beauty or a visitation with the Small Pox can change it into its contrary 16. Another sin Youth is ordinarily prone to is quenching and stifling the holy motions of Gods Spirit This more especially they are liable to that are the seed of the Righteous and that dwell among those whose chief scope and aim is to promote your Conversion by their daily Prayers Instructions and holy examples Such young ones as are thus educated in righteous Families and used to a constant attendance through the care of their godly Parents or Masters on the means of Grace both publick and private they do meet with innumerable inward motions of the spirit of God striving in and with them they lie more obvious to the Lords grace and I am perswaded that there is not one to be found among these that are come to years of understanding but what must own the truth of this But oh the woful opposition that is commonly made by young ones against these holy suggestions and illapses of the blessed spirit they are usually like the sparks falling into a Sea of water when they are at a Sermon how many knocks and secret jogs touches of Heart and Conscience do they meet with to consider soberly about their spiritual and everlasting state But what through the subtilty of Satan and the love of foolish mirth and pleasures and vain company c. presently as soon as they return they lose all quench those begun convictions and just were it if the abused spirit should depart for ever and strive no more Be assured young people you cannot sin at so cheap a rate as an old sinner that never had the heavenly gales breathings operations motions to conversion interruptions and checks in sinful courses as you have had O it is this that accents Gospel condemnation that light is come and men love darkness rather than light 3. John 19. When because light reproves gauls the sinner therefore it is hated this is dreadful indeed O ponder a while what an infinite mercy of God it is to your poor miserable souls to have the strivings and negotiatings of the holy spirit of God 147. Psal 19. he hath not dealt so with all of your ranks and standing How many thousands are let alone like young Dagons now to resist these and to sin against the light argueth such a love to sin and aversation to God as justly may place you in the forefront of desperate sinners 17. The next sin Youth are prone to is Atheism c. ridiculing serious Religion The holy Apostle distinctly foretold by a spirit of Prophesie this very sin in the 2 Peter 3. 3 4. knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming surely these are those last days wherein we live and never did this sin of Atheism and deriding at goodness obtain such a vogue till of late in this irreligious Age wherein the main Articles of the Christian Faith are shaken in the minds of
necessity of a waking working Conscience in order to Conversion for it is the property of Conscience to turn in upon the Soul and debate matters discursively in a kind of silent reasoning with the Soul it hath both a directive and reflexive power iâ— takes that light that lay cold and uselesâ— before in the mind and brings it down in â—way of home application to the Soul 3. Laâ— 40. 119. Psal 59. And now I come â— make good what is proposed namely Thaâ— Youthful Lusts stupefie and beâ—uâ— this faculty of Conscience and so indispoâ—â— the Soul to Conversion Look you Siâ—s although it is not in the power of young oâ— old Sinners to rase out and expunge this Faculty out of their Breasts for it is so esseâ—tial to the Soul as that the Soul can't be Soul wirhout it nothing can be more it separable than this bosom Judge which oâ— calleth sensus praejudicium judicij divinâ— Yet though I say they can't get rid on they may and often do by a love and life â—â— sin gag it muzle and stifle it for the present they cast Conscience into a deep sleep by yielâ—ing to their Lusts One calleth the Love â—â— Sin the Devil's Opium whereby he luâ—â— Conscience asleep Hence it is that you read of its being past feeling and seared as with an hot Iron Ephes 4. 19. and 1 Tim. 4. 2. defiled polluted 1. Tit. 15. not performing their offices being deaf to every holy suggestion of God's Spirit O young people your lusts served and obeyed will make your Consciences to be like Lot when he was made drunk by his Daughters of whom it 's said That in the Morning he knew nothing what he had done in Gen 19. Thy Lusts will breed such sottishness and stupidity in thy Conscience as will most certainly hinder thy Conversion Conscience is a Witness but if that witness be dumb who shall tell thee of thy Sin and danger Conscience is a Schoolmaster to direct and correct but if that Schoolmaster be blind or craz'd or lie like one stark mad or dead who I pray shall admonish you and administer reproof to you alas we speak without you it 's Conscience that is as a thousand Witnesses within you and if that be like an Idol what hope of Conversion Conscience is the Candle of the Lord within thee and if this be put under a Bushel how easily may the Devil hurry thee blind fold to Hell and Damnation Conscience is appointed of God to be that to the Soul as the Pilot is to the Ship amidst Rocks Sands suppose now that the Pilot have either lost his Compass to steer by or has no supernal light to make an Observation by how improbable is it that the Ship should ever come safe to Harbour So if Conscience be stupified how unlikely is it that ever that Soul should be converted It hath been and still is to me just ground of wonder and astonishment that when a Minister comes in the Name and by the Authority of the Great Jehovah Maker of Heaven and Earth to a Congregation of sinful Worms and there preach and prove to them out of the infallible Scriptures that they are born in Sin and that in their natural conditions they are but a few steps off Eternal Damnation and that there is a blessed Jesus come to seek and save what is lost and that he is able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come to him and yet after a Minister hath done alâ— this not one probably of many Scoreâ— in the Auditory that brings the Doctrine preached home to his own Soul saying Thiâ— is my Condition my Soul's portion I am by Nature a Child of wrath God's Law hath found me ouâ— and convinced me oâ— sin that there are none more guilty than I and more worthy of Hell I am the Man the Woman whom it curseth as sure as if my Name was mentioned but the generality detain the Truth in Unrighteousness they go away and live as wickedly aâ— before Now the Lord be merciful to us how could ever Dust and Ashes be thus unconcerned did but Conscience roundly and soundly do its work viz. to bear witness to pass sentence c. But here is the bane of all and the true Cause of mens Impenitency and Unconversion they hearken and yield to their lusts and thereby Conscience is laid asleep O young people see the malignity of Sin 's influence and say Away ye cursed Lusts it 's high time O my Soul to flee these Awake Conscience awake it 's high time to regard thy message 3dly These youthful Lusts they increase that natural rebellion that is in the Will against turning to God and so they indispose the Soul to Conversion the Will is an excellent part or power of the reasonable Soul it is compar'd by some to the Primum Mobile in the Heavens that carrieth all the inferiour Orbs away in its own motion or like a Queen sitting upon its Throne exercising its dominion over the other parts of the Soul And as Conscience hath several offices and acts so hath the Will The Schoolmen marshall up several as Volition and that either absolute and efficacious or more languid and imperfect 2. Fruition 3. Intention 4. Election 5. Resolution and Consent c. but I shall only shew you how impossible a saving and found Conversion of the Soul can ever be except the Will this superiour faculty in the Soul be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ and then shew you how youthful Lusts not only hinder that subjection of the Will to Christ but strengthen its resistance and rebellion against it 1 How impossible a thing Conversion is without the Will be brought into obedience to Christ When God first created Man upon Earth this noble part of the Soul the Will was in a most perfect and holy conformity to the Will of God but since Sin entred the Will is so far fallen from its primitive honour that Bernard saith voluntas tua infernus est tuus that mans Will now is his Hell of a Virgin she is now become like a polluted Whore So that naturally we will not come to Christ John 5. 40. We will not be made clean Jer. 13. 27. We will walk after our own Devices Jer. 18. 12. Now how impossible a thing is it that there should be a through Conversion till this natural Rebellion of the Will is slain and removed for the Will is the man and it 's everlastingly true and will be found so That his you are whom you willingly obey whether it be of Sin unto Death or Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6. 16. 2. Youthful Lusts yielded unto strengthen that natural averseness and obstinacy that is in our Will and so it indisposeth the Soul to Conversion We read that Whoredom and Wine take away the Heart in Hosea 4. 11. Why may some say was the Heart set upon God before No not at all but by it is meant that those
lusts of Malice and Envy against â—im that most pure peaceable meek and â—eavenly Doctrine of the Gospel which Christ had taught among them could have â—o entertainment in nor government over â—heir Hearts to win them to him because â—â—eir hearts were engaged to their Lusts So â—â— is here when God calls and Ministers â—ll and the dangers and miseries of thy neeâ—â—y Soul calls O young man consider thy â—ays remember thy Creator know that â— will bring thee to Judgment alas theâ—e â—usts deasen and drown all O wretched â—very tho' Life and Death be set before thee tho' thou art allured with all the glorious promises of pardon and Eternal Lifâ— on the one hand and tho' thou art constrained with all the Terrors of the Lord thâ— Curses of the Law and the everlasting Flame of Hell on the other hand yet these Lusâ— slight make nothing of all these amazinâ— and tremendous Truths as if they were nâ— worthy of one quarter of an hours serioâ—â— Consideration they do so haunt aâ— shackle poor Sinners as that they hold theâ— Prisoners arctâ custodiâ in close bondagâ— and will not allow them the liberty of coâ—sideration and bethinking themselvâ—â— Hence these Lusts are stiled Snares Neâ— Bonds Eccles 7. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 26. and this respect are Sinners compared to Caâ—tives and Prisoners kept up Isa 61. 1. aâ— Chap. 42. 7. Hence Simon Magus by reâ—son of his being under the dominion of thâ— lust of Covetousness tho' he was also undâ—â— a Christian profession and had been but jâ— before Baptized yet you read Acts 8. 23. see saith Peter that thou art in the Gallâ— Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity Aâ— so that young man of whom you read the 19. Matth. he seemed to be near to â—â— Kingdom of Heaven but he was chaiâ—â— fast by the Love of Riches and that set hiâ— quite back again O young men yoâ— Lusts if you give way to them will â—â— come so ravenous outragious and tyraâ—â— noâ— lusts malign Influences what cause have you to Flee these Lusts Another means on our part of Conversion is Prayer thus we read in Jer. 31. 18 19. of Ephraim when he was about turning he prayeth to the God of all Grace Turn thou me and I shall be turned In this respect Peter counsels Simon Magus Acts 822. Repent saith he of this thy Wickedness and Pray to God if perhaps the Thought of thine Heart may be forgiven thee Pray mind this Scripture q. d. though thou art in the very Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity yet supposing there remains only a possibility a perhaps of Pardon and Salvation yet thou art bound to Pray I know there are many deboist lewd Youngsters in this Age that imitate those prophane Wretches of whose hellish Language you read in the 21. Job 14 15. They say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Ways And what is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit is it if we Pray to him But there is little hopes of their Conversion However this is most certain that Prayer is an Institution of God's in order to Conversion as you may see in those two Scriptures Hosea 14. 1 2 3. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquities In that Verse you have God's Invitation to Conversion and then in the second Verse you have his Direction how to go about it Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all Iniquity and receive uâ— graciously And then if you read thaâ— 36. Ezek. 26 27. where you have God promising the Grace of Conversion in those words A new Heart will I give unto you and presently enjoyning Prayer as a means on our part ver 27. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be sought by the House oâ— Israel to do it for them If you ask What Prayer is I answer Prayer is the offering up of ouâ— Desires to God for things agreeable to hiâ— Will in the name of Christ These Desire must proceed from an Heart touched with the sense of our sin and misery and the apprehension of God's mercy in Christ anâ— they must be servent and constant like thâ— Publican God be merciful or propitious â—â— me a Sinner Luke 18. and Gen. 32. 25. I will not let thee go except thou bless me Luk. 18. 1. to this end our Saviour spake that Parable to instruct us that we ought to Pray and not faint like that important Woman of Canaan who would know no discouragements being once entred and engaged in this heavenly Exercise It is not meet saith our Lord to take Childrens Bread and give it to Dogs she owneth it Truth Lord saith she Matth. 15. 26. yet the Dogs may eat of the Crumbs that fall from their Masters Table O when a poor Sinner cometh to God by Christ and knocketh for converting Grace out of a sense of its damned undone condition if he prevail not and cryeth out O thou most patient tho' provoked God it 's matter of admiration that thou sufferest such a Viper as I am to live and breath in thy common Air O pity me a Hell-deserving Sinner for the sake of thy dear Son who made satisfaction by his bitter Death and Passion to thy Justice and grant me this favour in thy sight the forgiveness of my Sins and the Spirit of Grace to subdue the power of my lusts and to renew me in Soul and Body O Father of Mercies if thou do not shew me this favour and mercy I shall live thine enemy and shall I know not how soon dye miserably to mine own eternal undoing O draw me into Union with thy blessed Son unto whom none can come except thou draw O let me never rest till it be out of doubt that I am converted and that God in Christ is mine let my Tears be my Meat night and day while I have a being till I obtain Grace and Mercy to help my needy miserable Soul After this manner is this Exercise to be performed and it brings God's Institution it is under a promised Blessing and many can set to their seals that their labour herein hath not been in vain with reference to Repentance and Conversion Now giving way to youthful lust directly opposeth Conversion both as it withdraws you from it and withereth your Soul in the performance of it Alas when your Lusts grow clamorous and you obsequious to them they will breed in you an aversation opposition to Prayer you will not find a Heart inclined to but wretchedly dis-inclined from God which is a sad case indeed and to have a hard Heart that cannot Pray was the note of an Eminent Saint and Servant of God now ascended compleateth a Soul's misery it pulls down fury and destruction upon the Heads of such as you may see in the 10. Jer. 25. O what care should you take to preserve your comfortable access
calling and you are not sure but the present Call may be his last And O how deplorable is a Sinner's case when the Lord shall say Because I have called and you have refused I will call no more for ever he that is unjust let him be unjust still aâ— he that is filthy let him be filthy still Rev. 2â— 21. Which brings me to speak of the second Branch wherein thy time of Graâ—â— consists and whereof it is constituted namely the inward strivings and motions of thâ— Spirit of God how uncertain these aâ— So that suppose thou hadst an assurance oâ— the continuance of the outward Calls of thâ— Word yet what assurance hast thou of thâ— inward strivings and operations of the Sprit without which all the outward meaâ— will be ineffectual Alas how long mâ— we poor Ministers stand at your Doors anâ— knock and call Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead er'e one Siâ—ner will stir until that omnipotent Ageâ— put forth his virtue and influence As thâ— Waters of Bethesda had no sanative healiâ—â— Vertue in them till the Angel at a certaiâ— time of the day moved and troubled thâ— Waters So let Minister's abilities anâ— gifts be what they will they do but plougâ— upon the Rocks as it were until the Spiâ— concur to take away the stony Heart anâ— open those Iron Gates of the Soul as hâ— did Lydia's Now this blessed Spirit doâ—â— ordinarily in time of hearing the Worâ— afford to men especially to young one many good Motions and Excitations to repentance in Enlightnings Awakenings setting their Sins before them in theiâ— bloody guilt and condemning nature bringing them into straits of Conscience stirring up affections and good purposes of leaving their Sins putting them upon Prayer and coming to Christ c. All which pretious Motions and workings of the Spirit with the Word in the Souls of young persons are choice Mercies and if they were wise without delay incontinently and presently to comply with the same it might be as much as their eternal Happiness is worth whereas on the contrary if they quench these blessed motions by delays and prorogations as Felix did it may amount to the damage of Damnation and who can tell what that amounts to God may be provoked to withdraw his Spirit and say My Spirit shall strive no more with them For there is nothing more uncertain than the strivings and motions of the Spirit of God it is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it listeth John 3. 8. It is not like our Tydes that come at certain and 〈◊〉 times so that if you miss the Morning Tyde you may â—ake the Evening no no but it 's like the Wind which sometimes rises as we say and then all of a sudden falls and lies still sometimes it â—loweth cut of one corner and then the quite contrary way so are the workings of the Spirit he may deal with thy Soul to day and afterwards withdraw from thee move in your Hearts now and for hereafter be for ever silent and therefore thou shouldst do as the Mariner who kâ—owing that he hath not the Wind at his own command and that he cannot make his Voyage without its gales what doth he do why he lieth by and watcheth for the season when the Wind maketh for him and when such a season cometh he is careful to lay hold of it and to hoise up Sail and be gone So shouldst thou do young man never imagine that thou hast the Spirit of God at thy command or that ever thou canst sail to Heaven without his gracious Gales but diligently lie by the Waters of the Sanctuary waiting and watching for his sacred Movings thereon and when thou hast them then immediately and obedientially open the surled Sails of thy Soul and say Adored be thy heavenly Majesty for this gracious Visitation of thine to me a wretched Sinner Welcome welcome to my blind and hard Heart are these Convictions and Pulsations of thine O let me not miscarry and perish between Convictions and Conversions but perfect thy work dear Lord now thou hast me on the Wheel O defist not thy operation till thou hast formed me a Vessel of Mercy and brought me out a new Creature in forming Christ in me Thus be thou kind to thy own Soul in being careful to close with the present advantages which are vouchsafed to thee in this thy time of Grace and encourage thy self in this the Spirit of God will be with you 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you are with him if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will cast you off O consider the danger you run when you put off all with this hereafter hereafter you will obey his Motions and receive his Instructions This is the ready way to be for ever deserted and cast off by him It is reported of Hannibal that bewailing the loss of his opportunity that he once had to take Rome he should say When I could I had no mind to take Rome When I would I had no power There will be I fear innumerable and incurable instances in the other world that will confess to all Eternity that when the Spirit in their time of Grace wooed them to repent and be converted that their Sins might be blotted out they had no mind to it but when they would after their desertion and rejection upon a Bed of Death they had no power O young men who now put it off it is never enough considered by you what infinite hazards you run of perishing for ever a while longer and a while longer had almost ruined Augustine when he was young as himself owneth in his 8th Book of Conseience when he would not answer the Convictions of the necessity of Repentance he craved Forbearance not to do it yet I know not saith he what to answer Non erat quod responderem veritate convictus nisi tantum verba lenta somnolenta Modò ecce modò sine paululum sed modò modò non habet modum sine paululum in longum ibat Aug. in Confes being convinced oâ— the truth but onlâ— sluggish and sleep words anon beholâ— anon suffer me little but anon anâ— anon had no measure and bear with mâ— a little held long afterwards In chap. 1â— of that Book he finding the Devil flattering his Soul with perswasions to delaâ— his Repentance at last he violently breaâ— out usque quo Domine quamdiu quam â—â— cras cras quare non modò quare â—â— haec hora est finis turpitudinis meâ— O mâ— God saith he how long wilt thou suffeâ— me thus How long shall I say to morrow and to morrow Why should I not do now and this hour end that filthiness â— Life which otherwise will ruin me It is pleasing to Satan to steal away our pâ—â—cious seasons of Grace one after anotheâ— until we have not one more remainiâ—â— O young man who is it think
When we withdraw from the means as Prayer and the Word and Holy Watchfulness these are as materials to keep in the Fire and when we decline or restrain these we quench the Spirit in his Influences they decay and dye away within us Miscarriages of this kind Divines call Omissions 2. When though we do not decline Ordinances we adventure upon commissions of Sin this now extinguisheth and directly quencheth the Spirit 's light and heat this is as water cast on it presently puts out the Fire O that young ones would attend hereunto for want of regarding these things many perish and go to Hell If ever any thing was to be deplored in this world this is to be deplored that the Spirit of God when he comes with his Light and Heat to sanctifie and save us we grieve him resist him tempt him vex him quench him these are all Scripture expressions O Lord what account shall there be at that great and terrible Day for these things Learn hence young ones that when you have this blessed Spirit either in Sermon-time or other times like a Sun rising and shining into your dark Soul's shewing you as clear as Noon-day that your Courses have been naught that thus and thus hast thou done and that without the New Creature Faith Repentance c. thou art undone for ever and shewing thee farther that thou hast before thee a blessed offer of Christ and the great Salvation purchased with his Blood asuring thee if thou cast away thy Trangressions and come in and accept the Grace offered thou shalt not perish but have Everlasting Life and probably this blessed Spirit goes on further awakening thy Conscience stirring up thy Affections that thou goest from the Sermon smitten wounded as with an Arrow sticking within thee so that thou hast some Light and Heat too a mercy thou canst never enough value If now thou triflest and growest careless of means and through neglect of Prayer and omission of other Duties sufferest these Sparks to dye in the Embers then thou art verily guilty of this horrible Sin of quenching the Spirit much more if instead of calling for the Bellows and blowing while there is a Fire thou adventurest to cast on Water i. e. to run into Evil Company to yield to thy vile Corruptions to drink the poysoned Cup and eat of the forbidden murdering Morsels then be sute with an high hand with a witness you are guilty of quenching the Spirit O the unspeakable misery this brings O that ever you can hear these things without Trembling This is the first direction to get a true Knowledge what this Sin is 2. When you know it study the grievous and hainous nature of it that your wanton Hearts may be awed and affrighted from the lest approaches towards it for time to come O young people is it now a time of the Spirit 's striving in you stirring of you and striving with you O take heed for now is Satan most conversant and instant to pick out your Eyes to blow out the Light And this he can never do without thy own agency and compliance with him though he is a Creature full of Malice Subtilty and of great Power yet blessed be God he cannot force you oppose you he will you must expect it now more than ever for now he is afraid of losing you Luke 11. 42. therefore look for your share but though he hath an opposing Power yet he hath not an enforcing Power Hence in James 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will flee But now if instead of resisting the evil Spirit you should resist the Good Spirit for both may be resisted O the grievous and hainous Nature of this Sin words can't express it without all question it 's greatly influential towards the filling up the Measure of Sin and the Vials of God's Wrath. And it may be said of such as the Apostle hath it in 2 Pet. 2. 21. It had been better they had never known the Way of Righteousness than having known it to turn away from the Holy Commandment given to them They are in danger of these threatned Judgments John 12. 40. and Prov. 1. 28. and Psal 81. 12. and Hos 4. 17. and Ezek. 24. 13. and Heb. 3. 11. and Heb. 6. 4 5 6. O that young ones would read and tremble at these Scriptures to deter them from quenching the Spirit as they would ever escape having their lot and portion in such dreadful and tremendous Judgments as are contained in those places O take warning Young Men lest you be hardned to destruction God hath removed many a one of your Equals already neglected Talents have been taken away from many Drones and Dallyers according to that 13. Matth. 12. Whosoever hath not i. e. improves not from him shall be taken away that which he seems to have There is no prevention of this Judgment but by improving your Talents and knowing the things of your Peace in your day 3. Never rest in Convictions till they bring you to rest in Christ Many when under some sense of Sin and Misery and some apprehensions of Mercy they will go and pray and may be weep too and upon this without real union to and application of Christ and his Blood they grow well again and think now all the danger is over I am a new man I was Prayerless now I Pray I was a careless wretch careless of God and my Soul but now I bless God things are quite otherwise with me and my House is swept and garnished and the unclean Spirit that is gone will return no more c. Here multitudes take up their Rest short of Christ patching up a Righteousness of their own hoping by their pedling Wares to maintain themselves and all this while ignorant of Christ and his Righteousness or at least see no such absolute necessity of him so that the Peace and Rest they get is not from Christ's Blood but their own Prayers and Tears not from his attonement but their own amendment c. And as multitdes take up their stand here so from hence may they date their fatal fall Wherefore I beseech you rest not in any thing of your own short of Christ and to the end you may not I add in the next place 4. Study that great Scripture in Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and what followeth pray mark twice it 's expressed to declare his Righteousness in Remission of Sins and in the close of the 26. verse That God might be just in justifying the Sinner that believes in Christ For the opening of this a little I beseech you consider the case between God and man stood thus God made man upright man sins falls under the sanction of that Law he broke viz. In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye Now such is the Holiness of God's Nature that he cannot but hate Sin and such is the Impartiality of his Justice and