Gospel which you enjoy leads you to the Fountain of pardon and peace Iâ—a 53. 5. By his stripes we are healed The voice of the Gospel is peace peace to every one that believeth a rational peace founded upon the full satisfaction of Christ Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Here you see Justice and Mercy kissing each other God satisfied and the Sinner justified for Conscience demands as much to satisfie it as God demands to satisfie him if God be satisfied Conscience is satisfied O blessed are the people that hear this joyful sound Psal. 89. 15. And doubtless it is a joyful sound to every convinced humbled Soul Beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of them that bring good tydings that publish peace It is a Gospel worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. it brings with it a fulness of blessings among the People O England O Dartmouth Provoke not thy God to extinguish this blessed light Great is our wantonness and ominous is our barrenness and ingratitude Yet a little while the light is with you walk whilst ye have the light lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth John 12. 35. Should God blow out this light whither will you go Who shall pour in Balm to your distressed bleeding Consciences ' II. Inference Hence in like manner it follows that the greatness heinousness of past sins is no bar to believing and accepting Christ upon Gospel terms Let no sinner be dismaid by the atrocity and heynousness of sins past from coming unto Jesus Christ for remission and peace I am awar what mischievous use Satan makes of former sins to discourage Souls from the work of Faith by heaping them together he raiseth up a Mountain betwixt Christ and the distressed Soul but behold this day Christ leaping over these Mountains and skiping over these Hills Could this objection be rouled out of the way sinners would go on in hope but certainly if God have given thee a broken Heart and a willing Mind the greatness of thy sin need not discourage thee from believing For 1. thou hast sufficient encouragement from the sufficiency of the causes of pardon whatever thy particular enormities have been there is a sufficiency in the impulsive cause the Free Grace and Mercy of God Exod. 34. 6 7. Micah 7. 18 19. Isa. 55. 7 8 9. It is well there is Mercy enough in God to heal and cover all and there is no less sufficiency in the meritorious cause of pardon the Blood of Jesus Christ which taketh away all sin 1 Iohn 1. 7. 1 Iohn 29. And it must needs be so because it is Divine Blood Acts 20. 28. Neither is there any defect in the applying cause the Spirit of God who hath already begun to work upon thy Heart and is able to break it and bow it and bring it home fully to Christ and to compleat the work of Faith upon thee with power thou complainest thou canst not mourn nor believe as thou wouldst but he wants no ability to supply all the defects of thy repentance and faith Well then if the mercy of God be sufficient to pardon the sin of a Creature if the Blood of Christ the Treasures and Revenues of a King be able to pay the debts of a Beggar if the Spirit of God who works by an Almighty Power be able to convince thee of righteousness as well as sin Iohn 16. 9. I say if all the three causes of forgiveness be sufficient every one in its kind the first to move the second to purchase and the third to apply what hinders but thy trembling Conscience should go to Christ and thy discouraged Soul move onward with hope in the way of believing whatever thy former enormities have been 2. If God raises glory to his Name out of the greatness of the sins he pardoneth then the greatness of sin can be no discouragement to believing but so God doth he raiseth the glory of his Name from the multitude and magnitude of the sins he pardoneth Ier. 33. 8 9. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me And it shall be to me a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good I do unto them And they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it As a cure performed upon a Man labouring under a desperate Disease it magnifies the Physitian and spreads his Name far and near The Devil envies God this glory and thy Soul this comfort and therefore scares thee off from Christ by the aggravations of thy sins David was willing to give God the glory of pardoning his great iniquities and with that very argument moves him for a pardon Psal. 25. 11. Pardon mine iniquitie for it is great You see there are strange ways of arguing in Scripture which are not in use among Men this is one Lord pardon my sin for it is great he doth not say Lord pardon it for it is but a small offence no but pardon it because it is great and the greater it is the greater Glory wilt thou have in pardoning it And then there is another way of arguing for pardon in Scripture which is peculiar and that is to argue from former pardons unto new pardons when Men beg their pardon one of another they use to say I never wronged you before and therefore forgive me now but here it is quite otherwise Lord thou hast signed thousand of pardons heretofore therefore pardon me again such is that plea Numb 14. 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt even until now 3. As great sins as those that now stare in the Face of thy Conscience have been actually forgiven to Men upon their humiliation and closing with Christ. Poor sinners under trouble of Conscience are apt to think there is no sin like theirs God forbid I should diminish and extenuate sin but certain I am that Free Grace hath pardoned as great Sinners as thou art upon their repentance and faith What think you had you had a Hand in putting Christ to Death would not that sin have been as dreadful as any that now discourages you Yea certainly you would have thought that an unpardonable sin and yet behold that very sin was no bar to their pardon when once they were pricked at the Heart and made willing to come to Christ Acts 2. 36 37 38. 4. If it be the design and policy of Satan to object the greatness of your sins to prevent the pardoning of them then certainly 't is neither your duty nor interest
Adam which are as the Sand upon the Sea shore that not only so many persons but all that they have done must come into Judgment even the very thoughts of their Hearts which never came to the knowledge of Men their Consciences to be interrogated all other Witnesses fully heard and examined how great a day must this day of the Lord then be The Second Vse But the main Use of this Point will be for Exhortation that seeing all the offers of Christ are recorded and witnessed with respect to a day of account every one of you would therefore immediately embrace the present gracious tender of Christ in the Gospel as ever you expect to be acquitted and cleared in that great day take heed of denials nay of delays and demurs For if the word spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 2 3. The question is put but no answer made How shall we escape The wisdom of Men and Angels cannot tell how to enforce this Exhortation I shall present you with Ten weighty Considerations upon the matter which the Lord follow home by the blessing of his Spirit upon all your Hearts I. CONSIDERATION Consider how invaluable a mercy it is that you are yet within the reach of offered Grace The mercies that stand in offer before you this day were never set before the Angels that fell no Mediator was ever appointed for them Oh astonishing mercy that those Vessels of Gold should be cast into everlasting Fire and such Clay Vessels as we are thus put into a capacity of greater happiness than ever they fell from Nay the mercy that stands before you is not only denied to the Angels that fell but to the greatest part of your fellow Creatures of the same rank and dignity with you Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his Word to Jacob his Statutes and his Iudgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Iudgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord. A mercy deservedly celebrated with a Joyful Allelujah What vast Tracts are there in the habitable World where the name of Christ is unknown T is your special mercy to be born in a Land of Bibles and Ministers where it is as difficult for you to avoid and shun the Light as it is for others to behold and enjoy it II. CONSIDERATION Consider the nature weight and worth of the mercies which are this day freely offered you Certainly they are mercies of the first Rank the most ponderous precious and necessary among all the mercies of God. Christ the first born of mercies and in him pardon peace and eternal Salvation are set before you it were astonishing to see a starving Man refusing offered bread or a condemned Man a gracious pardon Lord what compositions of sloath and stupidity are we that we should need so many intreaties to be happy III. CONSIDERATION Consider who it is that makes these gracious tenders of pardon peace and Salvation to you even that God whom you have so deeply wronged whose Laws you have violated whose mercies you have spurned and whose wrath you have justly incensed His patience groans under the burden of your daily provocations he loses nothing if you be damned and receives no benefit if you be saved yet the first motions of Mercy and Salvation to you freely arise out of his Grace and good pleasure God intreats you to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. The blessed Lord Jesus whose blood thy sins have shed now freely offers that blood for thy Reconciliation Justification and Salvation if thou wilt but sincerely accept him ere it be too late IV. CONSIDERATION Reflect seriously upon your own vileness to whom such gracious offers of Peace and Mercy are made Thy sins have set thee at as great a distance from the hopes and expectations of pardon as any sinner in the World. Consider Man what thou hast been what thou hast done and what vast heaps of guilt thou hast contracted by a life of sin and yet that unto thee Pardon and Peace should be offered in Christ after such a life of Rebellion how astonishing is the mercy The Lord is contented to pass by all thy former Rebellions thy deep died Transgressions and to sign an Act of Oblivion for all that is past if now at last thy Heart relent for Sin and thy Will bow in obedience to the grâ—at commands and call of the Gospel Isa. 55. 2. 1. 18. V. CONSIDERATION Consider how many offers of mercy you have already refused and that every refusal is recorded against you How long you have tried and even tired the patience of God already and that this may be the last overture of Grace that ever God will make to your Souls Certainly there is an offer that will be the last offer a striving of the Spirit which will be his last striving and after that no more offers without you no more motions or strivings within you for evermore The Treaty is then ended and your last neglect or rejection of Christ recorded against the day of your account and what if this should prove to be that last tender of Grace which must conclude the Treaty betwixt Christ and you what undone wretches must you then be with whom so gracious a Treaty breaks off upon such dreadful terms VI. CONSIDERATION Consider well the reasonable mild and gracious nature of the Gospel terms on which Life and Pardon are offered to you The Gospel requires nothing of you but Repentance and Faith Acts 20. 21. Can you think it hard when a Prince pardons a Rebel to require him to fall upon his Knees and stretch forth a willing and thankful Hand to receive his Pardon Your Repentance and Faith are much of the same nature Here is no legal satisfaction required at your Hands no reparation of the injured Law by your doings or sufferings but an hearty sorrow for sins committed sincere purposes and endeavours after new obedience and a hearty thankful acceptation of Christ your Saviour and for your encouragement herein his Spirit stands ready to furnish you with Powers and Abilities Prov. 1. 23. Turn ye at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my Words unto you and Isa. 26. 20. Lord thou hast wrought all our Works in us VII CONSIDERATION Again consider how your way to Christ by Repentance and Faith is beaten before you by thousands of sinners for your encouragement You are not the first that ever adventured your Souls in this path multitudes are gone before you and that under as much guilt fear and discouragement as you that come after can pretend unto and not a man among them repulsed or discouraged here they have found rest and peace to their weary Souls Heb. 4. 3. Acts 13. 39. Here the greatest of sinners have been set forth for an ensample to you
a draught When they Shall flee as a Cloud and as the Doves to their Windows God now opens a door of opportunity beyond expectation Oh that the Hearts of Ministers and People were suitably enlarged and the People made willing in the day of his Power Fourth Inference Hence we also infer the great dignity of the ministerial Office and the suitable respect and honour due to all Christs faithful Ministers The Lord Jesus himself is represented by them they stand in his stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. his authority is clothed upon them the honours and dishonours given them redounds to the person of Christ Luke 10. 16. The Galathians received Paul as an Angel of Gold even as Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 14. Yet how have their Persons and Office been vilified and despised in this degenerate age How many Learned Pious Laborious Peaceful Ministers of Christ have in this age been hunted up and down the World as wild Beasts been made the filth and off-scouring of all things unto this day I Cor. 4. 13. The Word signifies that dirt and filth which Scavengers rake together in the Streets to be carried to the Dunghil No doubt but Satan drives a great design in this to invalidate their Ministry discourage their Labours and break their Hearts but Jesus Christ will support us under all these abuses wipe off the dirt thrown at us for his Name sake and reserve some of us for better days Fifth Inference Is Christ Present in his Ordinances what a strong engagement then lyes upon you all to attend and wait assiduously upon the Ministry of the Word and to bring all yours that are capable there to wait upon Christ with you We read in the days of Christs flesh when he performed his miraculous Cures upon the Sick what thronging there was after him how Parents brought their Children Masters their Servants pressing in multitudes untyling the House to let down their Sick to him Luke 12. 1. Ah shall Men be so earnest for a Cure for their Bodies and so indifferent for their Souls 'T is true the Spirit of Christ is not tied by any necessity to act always with the World he acts as an arbitrary Agent Iohn 13. 8. The Wind bloweth where it listeth but it is engagement enough to wait continually upon his Ordinances that he sometimes graciously and effectually concurreth with them 'T is good to lye in the way of the Spirit and there is a blessing pronounced upon them that wait continually at his Gates Prov. 8. 34. Oh therefore neglect no season within your reach who knows but that may be the season of Life to thy Soul Sixth Inference What an unspeakable loss is the loss of the Gospel seeing the Presence of Christ comes and goes with it When the Gospel departs the Spirit of Christ departs with it from among Men no more conversions in Gods ordinary way are then to be expected well therefore might the Lord say in Hosea 9. 12. Wo to them when I depart from them The Spirit may in some sense depart whilst the Ordinances are left standing for a time among the People but then expect no such blessings or benefits from them But when God takes away Ordinances and Spirit too wo indeed to that People and are there not Sins amongst us presaging such a Judgment Oh England reflect upon thy barrenness under it where be the fruits answerable to such precious means The Gospel is a golden Lamp the graces of the Spirit communicated by it are golden Oyl as in that stately vision Zach. 4. will God maintain such a lamp fed with such precious Oyl for men to trifle and play by And no less ominous and portentous is that bitter enmity to the Gospel and the serious professors of it which I cannot speak without horror is every where found among us this great hatred brings on the days of visitation and the days of recompence with a swift and dreadful motion upon any people Hosea 9. 7. Seventh Inference If Christ be present by way of Spirit and energy in his Ordinances then there is no reason to despair of the Conversion and Salvation of the greatest of sinners that yet lye dead under the Gospel What though their Hearts be hard their Understandings dark and their Wills never so perverse and obstinate all must give way and open in the day of Christs power when his Spirit joyns himself with the Word This makes it an irresistable Word 't is glorious to observe the hearts of Publicans and Harlots opening and yielding to the voice of Christ Matth. 21. 31. What were those three thousand persons prickt at the Heart by Peters Sermon Acts 2. 36. but the very Men that with wicked Hands had crucified the Lord Jesus And what were the converted Corinthians but Idolaters turned from dumb Idols 1 Cor. 12. 2. Whoremongers Adulterers Effeminate c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. God hath his elect among the vilest of Men The Gospel will find them out and draw them home to Christ when the Spirit of Christ animates and blesseth it Well might the Apostle therefore say that the Gospel preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven is an object worthy for Angels to behold with admiration 1 Pet. 1. 12. What though Satan have strongly fortified their Souls against Christ with ignorance prejudice and enmity yet the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down these strong holds Despair not therefore of your carnal and dead hearted relations bring them to the Gospel upon the encouragement of these words of Christ Ioh. 5. 25. The hour cometh yea and now is that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live Eighth Inference Is Christ Spiritually present in his Ordinances oh then what an indeared affection should every gracious Soul bear to the Ordinances of God! They are the walks of Christ and his Spirit the appointed times and places for your meeting and Communion with him there your Souls first met with Christ there you began your acquaintance with him there you have had many sweet converses with him since that day they were the seed of your regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. The bread of life by which your Souls have been sustained ever since and therefore to be more esteemed by you than your necessary food Iob 23. 12. Here you have found the richest Cordials to revive and recover your drooping Spirits when ready to sink away in a faint fit under sin within you and afflictions upon you Psal. 119. 50. No wonder Davids Soul even fainted for the Courts of God and that Hezekiah desired a sign on his sick bed that he should go up to the House of the Lord. Here are the choicest comforts of the Saints upon Earth all our fresh springs are in Zion Psal. 87. 7. What a dungeon what a barren Wilderness were this World without them Prize the Ordinances love the Ordinances wait assiduously upon the Ordinances and pray for the
Ah sinner how canst thou grieve and dishonour that God that thus feedeth clotheth and comforteth thee on every side Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Yet all will not do neither Judgments nor Mercies can affright or allure the carnal Heart to Jesus Christ. T is his Spirit his Almighty power alone that opens these everlasting Gates and makes these strong Bars give way and fly at his voice I. Inference Behold here the dismal state of nature the woful condition of all unregenerate Souls Christ the Redeemer shut out Sin and Satan shut in This is the horrid state of nature shut up in unbelief Rom. 4. 32. Ah Lord what a condition is this We should certainly account it an unspeakable misery to be shut into a House haunted by the Devil where we should be continually scared and frighted with dreadful noises and apparitions but alas what is an apparition of the Devil without us to the inhabitation of the Devil within us Nay what is the possession of a Body to Satans possession of the Soul Yet this is the very case of the unregenerate Luke 11. 21. The strong Man armed keepeth the Palace till Christ dispossess him by Sovereign victorious Grace Poor wretch canst thou start at a supposed vision of a Spirit and not tremble to think that thy Soul is the habitation of Devils There is a twofold misery lying upon all Christless unregenerated persons Satan is 1. Their Ruler in this World. 2. Their Tormenter in that to come 1. He is their Ruler in this World the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Ephes. 2. 3. Look as the holy Spirit of God dwells and rules in sanctified Souls walks in them as in hallowed Temples guiding and comforting the Souls of the Saints so Satan dwells in unregenerate Hearts actuating their lusts inflaming them with his temptations using their faculties and members as instruments of unrighteousness And then 2ly He will be their Tormenter in the World to come He that Tempts now will Torment then Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Flee therefore and escape for your lives sleep not quietly another Night in so dismal and dreadful estate If the Son make you free then are you free indeed II. Inference What a glorious and admirable effect of Sovereign omnipotent grace is the effectual conversion of a sinner unto God! If every Heart by nature be secured for Satan under so many Locks and Bars then the opening of any Heart to Christ is deservedly marvellous in our Eyes You all acknowledge that the opening of the Graves at the Resurrection will be a glorious display of Almighty power and so it will it will be a wonderful thing to behold the Graves opened and the dead raised at the voice of the Arch-angel and the trump of God but yet give me leave to say That the opening of thy Heart poor sinner to receive Christ is a more glorious work than that of raising the dead It is therefore deservedly put into the first rank of the great mysteries of godliness that Christ is believed on in the World 1 Tim. 3. 16. He that well views and considers Christ may justly wonder that all the Hearts in the enlightned World do not stand wide open to embrace him and he that shall consider the frame and temper of the natural Heart and how strongly Satan hath intrenched and fortified himself in it may justly wonder to hear of a work of Conversion in an age Oh Brethren consider the marvels of Conversion the wonderful works of God upon the Soul that opens unto Christ by Faith. 1. There 's a new Eye created in the mind The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true 1 John 5. 20. Oh that Eye That precious Eye of Faith which shews the Soul as it were a new World a World of new and ravishing objects Eph. 5. 8. All the Angels in Heaven Ministers and Libraries upon Earth cannot create such an Eye give such an Illumination t is only he that commanded the light to shine out of the darkness that thus shineth into our Hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. 2ly And what a glorious supernatural Work is the conviction of the Conscience by the powerful stroak of the saving beams of light upon it Now the Conscience that lay in a dead sleep begins to startle and look about it with fear and horror Life and sense is got into it and now it cries ah sick sick sick at the Heart for sin sick for a Saviour 3ly And no less marvelous an effect of the Almighty power is the bowing of the stuborn Will so efficaciously so congruously and so determinately and fixedly to the Lord Jesus The Will is efficaciously determined so as no power of Hell or Nature can resist or frustrate that Mighty power which worketh effectually in all them that believe 1 Thes. 2. 13. Yet it works not by way of compulsion but in a way congruous and agreeable to the nature of the Will Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the cords of a Man with the bands of love Satan bids for the Soul Christ infinitely outbids all his offers Eternal Spiritual and unsearchable Riches instead of sensitive perishing enjoyments which determin the choice of the Will in its own natural method by the sight of the excelling glory of Spiritual things And thus the mighty supernatural power of God opens that Heart which Satan had secured so many ways against Christ. III. Inference Hence it also follows that Man hath no free will of his own to supernatural good The Will cannot by its own power open it self to receive Christ by faith When it doth open to him it is not virtute innata sed illata not by its natural power but by the power of God upon it The admirers of Nature talk much of the Sovereignty Virginity and Liberty of the Will as if it alone had escaped the fall and that no more but a moral swasion is needed to open it to Christ that is that God need do no more to save Men than the Devil doth to damn them But if ever God make you sensible what the work of â—aving Conversion is you will quickly find that your Will is lame its freedom to Spiritual things gone you will cry out of a wounded Will as well as of a dark Head and a hard Heart You will quickly find That it is God alone that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. That the birth of the new Creature is not of the Will of Man but of God Iohn 1. 13. IV. Inference Learn hence the necessity of Conversion in order to Salvation Christ and Heaven are shut up against you till your hearts be savingly opened unto him
Verily verily I say unto you you must be born again Iohn 3. 5. O sinner that hard Heart of thine must be humbled thy stubborn and refractory Will must be bowed all the powers of thy Soul must be unlockt and opened unto Christ he must come into thy Soul or thou canst never see the face of God in peace It is Christ in you that is the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. Till thy Heart be opened Christ with all the hopes of glory stand without thee And if hopes from the death of Christ without us without the application of his person be enough to save Men then why are any damned Consult 1 Cor. 1. 30. Adams sin damns none but only such as are in him and Christs righteousness saves none but those only that are by faith in him the eternal purposes of the Father the meritorious death of the Son puts no Man into the state of Salvation and happiness till both be brought home by the Spirits powerful application in the work of saving conversion T is good news good indeed that Christ died for sinners t is good news that Christ is brought to our very doors in the tenders of the Gospel and that the Spirit knocks at the door of our Hearts by many convictions and perswasions to open to him and enjoy the unspeakable benefits of his death these things bring us nigh to Christ the next door to Salvation and yet all this may be eventually but a dreadful aggravation of our damnation and will certainly be so to them whose Hearts are but almost opened to Christ. V. Inference See hence the necessity of fervent prayer to accompany the preaching of the Gospel Without the Spirit and power of God accompanying the Word no Heart can ever be opened to Christ Alas such Bars as these are too strong for the breath of Man to break Let Ministers pray and the People pray that the Gospel may be preached with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. It greatly concerns us that preach the Gospel to wrestle with God upon our knees to accompany us in the dispensation of it unto the People to steep that seed we sow among you in tears and prayers before you hear it and I beseech you Brethren let us not strive alone joyn your cries to Heaven with ours for the blessing of the Spirit upon the Word How doth Paul beg of the People as a beggar would beg for an alms at the door for their assistance in Prayer Rom. 15. 30. I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christ sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me For want of such wrestlings with God in prayer there is so little efficacy in Ordinances Martha told her Saviour Iohn 11. 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died and I may tell you that if the Spirit had been here your Souls had not remained dead under the Word as they do this day Oh when the Sabbath draws near let fervent cries ascend from every Family to Heaven Lord pour out thy Spirit with thy Word make it mighty through thy Power to open these Gates of Iron and break asunder these Bars of Brass Second Vse of Exhortation Seeing the Case stands thus that all Hearts by nature are barr'd and shut up against Christ let every Soul do what it can and strive to its uttermost to get the Heart and Will opened to Christ Strive to enter in at the straight gate Christ is at the Door Oh strive with your selves as well as with God now to get it opened now that Salvation is come so near to your Souls Object But have you not told us that no sinner can open his own Heart nor bow his own Will to Christ Answ. True he cannot convert himself but yet he may do many things in order to it and which have a remote tendency towards it which he doth not do and so he perisheth not though he cannot but because he will not Divers things may be done by poor sinners with their own Hearts which are not done and though in themselves they are insufficient yet being the way and method in and by which the Spirit of God usually works we are bound to do them As for Example 1. Though it be not in your power to open your Hearts to Christ yet it is in your power to forbear the external acts of sin which fasten your Hearts the more against Christ Who forceth thine Hands to steal thy Tongue to swear or lye who forces the cup of excess down thy Throat 2ly Though you cannot open your Hearts under the Word yet it is in your power to wait and attend upon the external Duties and Ordinances of the Gospel Why cannot those Feet carry thee to the Assemblies of the Saints as well as to an Ale-house 3ly And though you cannot let the Word effectually into your Hearts yet certainly you can apply your minds with more attention and consideration to it than you do Who forces thine Eyes to wander or closes them with sleep when the awful matters of eternal Life and Death are founding in thine Ears 4ly Though you cannot open your Hearts to embrace Christ yet certainly you can reflect upon your selves when the obvious characters of a Christless state are plainly held forth before your Eyes God hath given you a self-reflecting power The spirit of a Man knoweth the things of a Man 1 Cor. 2. 11. When you hear of Convictions of sin compunctions of Heart for sin deep concernments of the Soul about its eternal state hungerings and thirstings after Christ restless and anxious Days and Nights about Salvation others have felt you can certainly turn in upon your selves and examine whether ever it were so with you and if not methinks it were not hard to aggravate your own misery to take your poor Souls aside and bemoan them saying Ah my poor Soul canst thou endure everlasting burnings What will become of thee if Christ pass thee by and his Spirit strive no more with thee Why can't you throw your selves at the Feet of God and cry for mercy Prayer is a part of natural Worship distress usually puts Men upon it that yet have no Grace Ionah 1. 5. Do but this towards the opening and saving of your own Souls which though it be not in it self sufficient nor puts God under any meritorious obligation or necessity to add the rest yet it puts you into the way of the Spirit And is not thy Soul sinner worth as much as this comes too Have you not taken a great deal more pains than this for the trifles of this World And will it not be a dreadful aggravation of sin and misery to all eternity that you perished so easily Dont you see many striving round about you for Christ and Salvation whilst you sit still with folded Arms as if you had nothing to do for another World
and is not this matter of singular consolation If Salvation be not what is No wonder that the Eunuch went home rejoycing when he had received Christ by Faith Acts 8. 39. That the Iaylor rejoyced with all his House Acts 16. 34. Neither blame nor wonder at Men for rejoycing for 't is the day of their Salvation 'T is true their Salvation is not finished that day there be many things yet to be done and suffered by them before the compleating of it but it is begun that day the foundation is layed in the Soul that day and the Top-stone shall be set up with shouting in due time crying Grace Grace unto it VI. Consolation The opening of a sinners Heart to Christ makes joy in Heaven a triumph in the City of our God above Luke 15. 7. I say unto you likewise that joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance As when a young Prince is born all the Kingdom rejoyceth the Conduits run with Wine all demonstrations of joy and thankfulness in every City and Town 't is much more so in Heaven when a Soul is born to Christ under the Gospel 't is a satisfaction to the Heart of the Lord Jesus who now beholds more of the travel of his Soul and to all the Angels and Saints that another Soul is espoused to him Beloved when the Gospel is effectually brought home by the Spirit to the Heart of a sinner and wounds him for sin sends him home crying oh sick sick sick for sin and sick for Christ the news thereof is presently in Heaven and sets the whole City of God a rejoycing Christ never rejoyced over thee before thou hast wounded him and grieved him a thosand times but he never rejoyced in thee till now and that which gives joy to Christ may well be matter of Joy to thee that 's the Sixth Consolation VII Consolation And then Seventhly That day thy Heart is unlockt unbarr'd and savingly opened by Faith that very day an intimate spiritual and ever lasting union is made betwixt Christ and thy Soul from that day Christ is thine and thou art his Christ is a great and glorious person but how great and glorious soever he be the small and feeble Arms of thy Faith may surround and embrace him and thou maist say with the Church My beloved is mine and I am his for mark what he faith in the Text If any Man open to me I will come in to him That Soul shall be my habitation there will I dwell for ever that Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith what Soul feels not it self advanced by this union with the Son of God Hereby the Believer becomes a Member of his Body Flesh and Bones this is an honour bestowed upon thy Soul above and beyond all that honour that ever God bestowed upon any Angel in Heaven to them Christ is an Head by way of Dominion but to thee by way of vital influence Angels are as the Barons and Nobles of his Kingdom but the Believer his Spouse and all the Angels of Heaven ministring Spirits unto such That 's the seventh Consolation VIII Consolation And then in the Eighth place The opening of thy Heart to Christ brings thee not only into union with his Person but into a state of sweet Soul enriching communion with him So he speaketh in the Text If any Man open the door I will sup with him and he with me Poor Soul thou hast lived many years in the World and never hadst any communion with God till this day Christ and thy Soul have been strangers till now 'T is true thou hast had communion with Ordinances and communion with Saints but for communion with Christ thou couldst know nothing of it till thou receivedst him into thy Soul by Faith. Now thou maist say Truly my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. And thenceforth thy communion with Men is pleasant and desirable IX Consolation The opening of a Mans Soul to Christ by Faith is a special and Peculiar mercy which falls to the share but of a very few God hath done that for thee which he hath denied to Millions Who hath believed our report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed i. e. to how small a remnant in the World Isa. 53. 1. And the Apostle puts the work of Faith among the great mysteries of Godliness among the wonders of Religion 1 Tim. 3. 16. Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World. The found of the Gospel is gone forth into the World Many are called but few are chosen There were many Widows in Israel in the days of Elias but to none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sidon unto a Woman that was a Widow Luke 4. 25 26. To allude to this there were many hundreds that sat under the same Sermon which opened thy Heart to Christ but it may be unto none of them was the Spirit of God sent that day to open their Hearts by Faith but unto thee thou wilt freely acknowledge thy self as unlikely and unworthy as the vilest sinner there Oh astonishing mercy X. Consolation And then lastly In the same day thy Heart opens by Faith to Christ all the treasures of Christ are unlockt and opened to thee In the same hour God turns the key of Regeneration to open thy Soul the key of Free-grace is also turned to open unto thee the unsearchable riches of Christ then the righteousness of Christ becomes thine to Justifie thee the wisdom of Christ to guide thee the holiness of Christ to sanctifie thee in a word he is that day made of God unto thee wisdom and righteousness Sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. All is yours for you are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. ult And thus I have shewn you some of those great things God doth for those Souls that will but do this one thing for him Viz. open their Hearts to receive Christ upon the tenders and terms of the Gospel SERMON IV. Revel 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock c THE verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred I stand is of the praeter tense and would strictly be rendred I have stood but being joyned with a verb of the present tense is here rendred I do stand a frequent Hebraism in Scripture and it notes the continued patience and long suffering of Christ. I have stood and still do stand exercising wonderful patience towards obstinate sinners Which gives us this fourth Observation IV. DOCT. That great and admirable is the patience of Christ in waiting upon trifling and obstinate sinners Thus Wisdom i. e. Christ expresses himself Prov. 1. 24. I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my Hand and no Man regarded Here you have not only Christs â—arnest calls but suitable gestures also to gain attention The stretching out
the Earth bringing Pardon and Salvation with him to stand so long unanswered let who will cry up the goodness of Nature I am sure we have reason to look upon the vileness of it with amazement and horror You could not have found in your Hearts to have made the poorest beggar wait so long at your door as you have made Christ to wait upon you VII Exhortation Seventhly and Lastly Let us all bless and admire the Lord Jesus for the continuation of his Patience not to our selves only but to that whole sinful Nation in which we live We thought the Treaty of Peace had been ended with us many good Men looking upon the iniquities and abominations of these times considering the vanities and backsliding of Professors the Heaven-daring provocations of this Atheistical age concluded in their own Hearts that God would make England another Shiloh Many faithful Ministers of Christ said within themselves God hath no more Work for us to do and we shall have no more opportunities to work for God. When lo beyond the thoughts of all Hearts the merciful and long-suffering Redeemer makes one return more to these Nations renews the Treaty and with compassions rolled together speaks to us this day as to Ephraim of old How shall I deliver thee Look upon this day this unexpected day of Mercy as the fruit and acquisition of the intercession of your great Advocate in Heaven answerable to that Luke 13. 7 8 9. Well God hath put us upon one Tryal more if now we bring forth fruit well if not the ax lyes at the root of the Tree Once more Christ knocks at our doors the voice of the Bridegroom is heard those sweet voices Come unto me Open to me your opening to Christ now will be unto you as the Valley of Achor for a door of hope But what if all this should be turned into wantonness and formality what if your obstinacy and infidelity should wear out the remains of that little strength and time left you and that former Labours and Sorrows have left your Ministers Then actum est de nobis we are gone for ever then farewel Gospel Ministers Reformation and all because we knew not the time of our Visitation What was the dismal doom of God upon the fruitless Vineyard Isa. 5. 5. I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be troden down I will also command the Clouds that they rain not upon it The hedge and the wall are the Spiritual and Providential presence of God these are the defence and safety of his People the Clouds and the Rain are the sweet influences of Gospel Ordinances If the hedge be broken down God's pleasant Plants will soon be eaten up and if the Clouds rain not upon them their Root will be rottenness and their Blossom will go up as dust Our Churches will soon become as the Mountains of Gilboa therefore see that you know and improve the time of your Visitation III. Vse of Consolation I shall wind up this Fourth Doctrin in two or three words of Consolation to those that have answered and are now preparing to answer the design and end of Jesus Christ in all his Patience towards them by the compliance of their Hearts with his great design and end therein O blessed be God and let his high-praises be for ever in our Mouths that at last Christ is like to obtain his end upon some of us and that all do not receive the Grace of God in vain And there be three Considerations able to wind up your Hearts to the height of Praise if the Lord have now made them indeed willing to open to the Lord Jesus I. Consideration The Faith and Obedience of your Hearts makes it evident that the Lords waiting upon you hitherto hath been in pursuance of his design of Electing Love. What was the reason God would not take you away by death though you passed so often upon the very brink of it in the days of your unregeneracy And what think you was the very reason of the revocation of your Gospel-liberties when they were quite out of sight and almost out of hope why surely this was the reason that you and such as you are might be brought to Christ at last Therefore though the Lord let you run on so long in sin yet still he continued your Life and the means of your Salvation because he had a design of Mercy and Grace upon you And now the time of Mercy even the set time is come Praise ye the Lord. II. Consideration You now also see the Sovereignty and freeness of Divine Grace in your vocation your Hearts resisted all along the most powerful means and importunate calls of Christ and would have resisted still had not Free and Sovereign Grace over-poured them when the time of Love was come Ah it was not the tractableness of thine own Will the easie temper of thy Heart to be wrought upon the Lord let thee stand long enough in the state of Nature to discover that there was nothing in Nature but obstinacy and enmity Thou didst hear as many powerful Sermons melting Prayers and didst see as many awakning Providences before thy Heart was opened to Christ as thou hast since yet thy Heart never opened till now and why did it open now Because now the Spirit of God joyned himself to the Word victorious Grace went forth in the Word to break the hardness and conquer the rebellions of thy Heart The Gospel was now preached as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. 12. With the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which things saith he the Angels desire to look into Ah Friends it is a glorious sight worthy of Angelical observation and admiration to behold the effects of the Gospel preacht with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven to see when the Spirit comes along with the Word the blind Eyes of sinners opened and they brought into a new World of ravishing objects to behold Fountains of Tears flowing for sin out of Hearts lately as hard as the Rocks to see all the Bars of Ignorance Prejudice Custom and Unbelief fly open at the voice of the Gospel to see Rebels against Christ laying down their Arms at his Feet come upon the Knee of submission crying Lord I will rebel no more to see the proud Heart centered and wrapt up in its own righteousness now striping it self naked loading it self with all shame and reproach and made willing that its own shame should go to the Redeemer's glory These I say are sights which Angels desire to look into Certainly your Hearts were more tender and your Wills more apt to yield and bend in the days of your youth than they were now when sin had so hardned them and long continued custom riveted and fixed them yet then they did not and now they do yield to the calls and invitations of the Gospel Ascribe all to Sovereign Grace and
call at their doors all the days of their life that he will please to turn aside to thy Soul and wait and knock there for entrance I say here is one of the greatest acts of favour that can be shewn to the Soul of a sinner How many Souls be there in the World equal in natural Dignity to yours and of sweeter natural Tempers whom yet the Lord Jesus lets alone in the quiet possession of Satan Luke 11. 21. There is a deep silence and stilness in their Consciences no stirrings nor disturbances by Convictions but through a dreadful Judgment of God are left in a deep sleep and if their Consciences at any time begin to grumble how soon are they husht and quieted again by Satan What the condition of the World was in former Ages we may see in Acts 14. 16. Who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways O 't is the greatest Mercy in the World for the sleepy Conscience of a sinner to be roused by Convictions because it is introductive to all other Spiritual Mercies I confess this act of Grace is little apprehended by the Sons and Daughters of Men much rather would poor sinners be let alone than be thus disturbed by troublesom convictions and when Christ disturbs their rest how do they startle at the knocks of his Word and Spirit How angry be they that they cannot be let alone to enjoy their quiet sleep in sin till the flames of Hell awaken them Mr. Fenner that great and eminent Instrument of God in this Work tells us in one of his Sermons how it fared with a certain Man that came to hear him Preach It seems the Word had got entrance into his Conscience and gave it a terrible Allarum and as he was going home some that followed him heard him thus blaming and bemoaning himself O what a fool what a beast was I to come under this Sermon to day I shall never have peace and quietness any more And what is the reason that smooth and general Preaching is so much applauded and affected in the World And close convincing Doctrin so much shunned and hated but this that sinners are very loath to be disquieted and have their Consciences throughly awakned Well whatever your apprehensions be certainly it is an unspeakable Mercy for Christ to knock and disquiet the Souls of sinners by his calls That 's the first thing 2ly The next thing implied in this action of Christ is this That the first motions towards the recovery and Salvation of sinners begin not in themselves but in Christ. We never knock at Heavens door by Prayer till Christ hath first knockt at our doors by his Spirit Did not Christ move first there would be no motions after him in our Hearts we move towards him because he hath first moved upon our Souls Christ might sit long enough unsought and undesired did he not make the first motion All our motions are secondary and consequential motions Isa. 65. 1. I am found of them that sought me not As we love him because he first loved us so we seek after him because he first sought us Alas poor sinners are as well satisfied as any people in the World can be to lye fast asleep in the Devil 's Arms. When the Spirit of God goes forth with the Word of Conviction he finds the Souls of Men in the very same posture which the Angels that had surveyed the World reported the whole Earth to be in Zach. 1. 11. Behold all the Earth sitteth still and is at rest Every Man setled and satisfied in his own way what a strange stilness and midnight silence is there amongst sinners Not a sigh not a cry to be heard for sin So the Psalmist Psal. 14. 2. represents the case of sinners The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside c. There is one thing that is admirably strange in this case that even those Men and Women whose Rattles of earthly pleasures and delights which brought them into this sleep and security are taken away from them by the Hand of Providence I mean their Estates Health Children c. yet they awake not there are no stirrings after God. O what a dead sleep hath sin cast the Souls of sinners into You have a notable Scripture to this purpose in Iob 35. 9. 10. they are the words of Elihu concerning Men and Women under grievous oppression persons squeezed and ground by the cruel Hands of wicked Men by reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the Arm of the Mighty but none saith where is God my Maker who giveth songs in the night i. e. Succour Comfort and Refreshment to the afflicted Here are Men turned out of their Estates thrown into Prisons cast upon all extremities and miseries and what do these poor creatures do Why saith he they cry by reason of their oppression O my Father or my Mother my Wife my Child my Estate my Liberty but none saith where is my God O my sin or my misery by reason of sin where is he that giveth Songs in the night The People of God when they lye musing upon their beds under affliction they have their Songs in the Night in the midst of the multitude of their troubled thoughts within them the Comforts of God delight their Souls Those are their Songs in the Night but no such word or thought in carnal Men how plain is it that all the first motions of Salvation have their first spring and rise in God and not in us That 's the Second thing implied in Christ's knocking Thirdly Christ knocking at the door of the Heart implies the method of the Spirit in Conversion to be congruous and agreeable to the nature of Man's Soul mark Christ's expression in the Text he doth not say Behold I come to the door and break it open by violence no Christ makes no forcible Entries whether sinners will or no he will come in by consent of the Will or not at all I stand and knock if any Man open the door I will come in to him There is a great difference between a friendly admission by consent and a forcible entrance in a forcible entrance bars of Iron are brought to break open the door but in a friendly admission one knocks and the other opens Forcible actions are unsuitable to the nature of the Will whose motions are free and spontaneous therefore it is said Psal. 110. 3. The people shall be willing in the day of thy power 'T is true the Power of God is upon the Will of Man in the day of his Conversion or else it would never open to Christ but yet that Power of God doth not act against the freedom of Man's Will by co-action and force no but of unwilling he makes it willing taking away the obstinacy and
Fathers Face from Eternity before this time but now the smiling Face of God was hid and a strong impression of his Wrath made upon him And now Brethren you see what Christ hath endured both in his Body and in his Soul and all for the sake of Sinners What think you now is not Christ an earnest Suiter Doth not all this fully and plainly speak the ardours of his Love the fervencies of his desires after union and communion with us If this do not then nothing can demonstrate Love and Desire That 's the first thing the greatness of the Sufferings which he endured Secondly Let us next consider the Use and Intention of these Sufferings of Christ and how this also demonstrates the earnestness of his desires after Conjugal union with us Now there was a double Use and End of the Sufferings of Christ. 1. To make us free that we might be capable of Espousals 2. To win our Affections by the argument of his Sufferings I. One End of Christs death was to purchase our Freedom that we might be capable of being Espoused to him for you must know that we were not in a capacity whilst under the curse of the Law to be married unto Christ the Apostle Rom. 7. 2 3 4. compares the Law to a Husband to whom the Wife is bound as long as he liveth and not capable of a second marriage until her Husband be dead The Death of Christ was the Death of the Law as a Covenant of Works holding us under the bond of a Curse of it and so it gave us a manumission or freedom from that bond and a capacity of espousals to Christ as vers 4. Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead A Slave to another is not capable of being disposed in marriage until made Free you were in bondage to the Law the slaves of of Sin and Satan Christ bought out your liberty for his Blood is call'd a ransom Matth. 20. 28. and so put you into a capacity of being espoused unto himself here you see Christ loved you not for any advantage he could have by you for you had nothing to bring him nay he must purchase you and that with his own Blood before he can be united to you O incomparable love O fervent desires II. Another design and end of the Death of Christ was to win and gain our Hearts and Affections to himself by the argument of his Death this himself hath declared to be the very end and intention of it Ioh. 12. 32. And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all Men unto me this he said signifying what Death he should dye Christ endured all that you have heard and infinitely more than the Tongue or Pen of Man can express and all to draw thy Soul and win thy consent to come unto him the Lord Jesus by his sufferings casts a threefold cord over the Souls of Sinners to draw them to himself 1. The Death of Christ obtains compleat righteousness for guilty sinners and if any thing in the World will draw the Heart of a sinner this will the anxious search and enquiry of a convinced sinner is after a perfect righteousness to justifie him before God. O that 's it the sinner wants Conscience saith thou hast broken all the Laws of God and art therefore a Law condemned wretch the sentence of the Law casts thee for Hell Now what would a poor sinner give for a release from this sentence of the Law O ten thousand Worlds for a Pardon Why here it is saith Christ Come unto me and thou shalt receive a free full and final pardon my Blood cleanseth from all sin my righteousness answers all the demands of the Law. I have taken away the Hand-writing that was against thee and nayled it to my Cross Col. 2. 14. Come unto me and take up thy Bonds thy cancelled Bonds come unto me and that dreadful attribute of Divine Justice shall never scare or fright thy Conscience any more nay thou shalt build thy hope upon it you read Rom. 3. 25. That God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Iesus Here you see the justification and pardon of a sinner built upon that very Attribute which was so frightful and dreadful to him before Well then poor sinner is there guilt upon thy Conscience And doth thy Soul shake and quiver to think how it shall stand before the Just and Terrible God in the great Day Hearken to the voice of Christ crucified who calls thee to him to receive thy discharge which if thou refuse the Law still stands in its full force and vertue against thy Soul. This is one cord Christ casts from the Cross over the Souls of guilty sinners to draw them to him 2ly The Death of Christ purchases and procures perfect cleansing from the filth and pollution of sin to wash the defiled Souls of sinners from all their uncleanness For this is he that came by water and by blood not by blood only but by water also 1 Joh. 5. 6. He comes by way of Sanctification as well as by way of Justification Lord saith a convinced sinner what an unclean Nature Heart and Life have I O I am nothing but a heap of uncleanness an abhorence to God and my self how shall such an Heart as mine such an Augean Stable be cleansed Come unto me saith Christ I came by Water as well as Blood in me thou shalt find a Fountain for Sanctification as well as Justification come unto me and my Spirit shall undertake the cleansing of thy Heart he shall take away the pollutions of sin perfectly so that it shall be presented to God without spot 3ly And lastly The transcendent love of Christ shines out in its full strength upon the Souls of sinners from the Cross and there 's nothing like love to draw love when Christ was lifted up upon the Cross he gave such a glorious demonstration of the strength of his love to sinners as one would think should draw love from the hardest Heart that ever lodged in a sinners Breast Herein is love saith the Apostle not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4. 10. q. d. Here 's the triumph the riches and glory of Divine Love never was such love manifested in the World. There 's much of Gods love in Temporal Providences but all 's nothing to this this is love in its highest Elevation Love in its Meridian Glory before it was none like it and after it shall none appear like unto it And thus you
no conclusion or agreement made Christ and you may yet part The Lord help you therefore to ponder and deliberate with all speed and seriousness the terms propounded by Christ in the Gospel to count the cost and yet not always to be deliberating neither but to bring matters to an Issue and that with all the convenient speed you can in order whereunto lay two things before you weigh and seriously ponder them 1. What are the advantages you will gain by Christ 2. What is the most you can lose by your consent to his terms and then bring your thoughts to an Issue I. Ponder well the advantages you will gain by Christ these are so great and manifold that it is impossible for me to enumerate or value them it shall suffice in this place to shew you one of those bunches of the Grapes of Eshcol that by it you may estimate the riches and fertility of that good Land setled upon you by Christ as a Dowry or Joynture and these are four 1. The payment of all your debts to the Law 2. An Honour above Angels 3. An eternal inheritance in Heaven 4. A glorious and joyful presentation of you to the Father in the great day by Christ as his Spouse and Wife 1. The same day and hour you give your cordial consent to take Christ upon Gospel terms that is to say Christ with his yoak of obedience and Christ with his Cross of Sufferings all your debts to the Law are discharged and paid what have you been doing ever since you came into the World but runing upon score to God deeper and deeper every day O what a vast sum owest thou to his Justice And not able to pay one farthing If thou consent not to Christs offer the Bailiff and Executioner Death and the Devil will shortly be upon thy back and hurry thee away to that prison from whence thou shalt not come out until thou have paid the last farthing Matth. 5. 25 26. If thou consent to Christs terms thy debts are paid upon thy marriage day thy bonds cancelled and thy discharge in Heaven sealed Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ and the reason is given vers 4. in this That the righteousness of the Law is fulfill'd in us that believe But how in us Certainly the meaning is not that the To credere the act of Faith doth as it is a work of ours satisfie the demand of the Law and fulfil its righteousness no but it apprehends the righteousness of Christ applies it and makes it ours and so the righteousuess of the Law is fulfilled in us that believe Is it an ease is it a comfort to be out of debt Then embrace the offer of Christ for after thy espousals to him the Law cannot touch thee by any act of condemnation it goes to the Husband Christ thou art discharged Well then resolve what to do shall the debt run on and increase till Justice come to levy it upon you in Hell Torments Or will you accept of Christ and the riches of righteousness that are in him and so be fully and finally acquited from all your debts at once and so be able to lye down in peace and enjoy your lives without slavish fear He that ows nothing fears no Bayliffs but may as we use to say whet his Knife upon the Counter threshold 2ly Your consent to Christs terms will advance you to an Honour above and beyond the Honour of Angels 'T is said That the Children of the Resurrection shall be equal unto Angels and it is most sure that in some respect their union with Christ advances them far above Angels for the Apostle tells us Heb. 1. 14. They are ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of them that shall be heâ—rs of Salvation As the great Peers and Nobles in a Kingdom count it no dishonour to perform their service to the Heir apparent The Ministry of Angels is a mystery which we little understand but by it we receive great and manifold advantages and it certainly puts a great deal of Honour upon all the Members of Christ. 3ly Christ will not only pay all your debts and exalt you to a dignity above Angels but in that day wherein you cordially consent to his terms he will intitle you to the most glorious inheritance purchased by his Blood You shall be heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8 17. O what an inducement is here to close the match betwixt Christ and our Souls If I consent to take Christ upon Gospel terms I shall thereby be intitled to all the glory that is in Heaven it shall be mine as truly as it is Christs 'T is true the glory of Christ will in some respects far surpass the glory of the Saints he will shine among them as the Sun compared with the Stars but yet the glory which God gave him that is the communicable glory shall be truly theirs as it is his Iohn 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them Tell my Brethren saith he Iohn 20. 17. I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and your God. This you shall gain also by closing this Treaty with an hearty consent to Christs terms and proposals 4ly If you will consider and consent you shall be presented by him to the Father pure and spotless with exceeding joy and gladness in the great day This will be such a presentation of your persons to God as will make your Hearts leap for joy to read what the Scriptures speak about it This methinks should induce every Soul without further delay to present himself Soul and Body chearfully and willingly to Jesus Christ. For 1. Christ will bring you in the great day to his Father in the shining beauty of perfect holyness not a spot or wrinkle upon your Souls Ephes. 5. 27. The Blood of Christ perfectly washes off every spot of guilt for then the Spirit of Christ hath perfectly cleansed the Soul from all the desilement and filth of sin so that it shall come to God a pure and beautiful Creature out of Christs Hand 2. This presentation will be made with greatest honour and solemnity we little think in what state and triumph Christ intends to bring the poorest believer to his Father Psal. 45. 14 15. With joy and gladness shall they be brought c. So Iude vers 24. They shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Joy running over Joy upon all Hands God himself will rejoyce that ever he created such a Soul as hath sincerely bestowed it self upon Christ. Jesus Christ will rejoyce that ever he shed his Blood for that Soul that now places his sole righteousness therein the Holy Spirit will rejoyce that ever he came with a commission from the Father and the Son to draw such a Soul to Christ who hath obeyed his voice the Angels will rejoyce with joy unspeakable Luke 15.
so others have found who have had the very same fears you have I say the question is not whether you be able but whether you be heartily willing Christ asks but your Will he will provide Ability the greatest Believer in the World cannot say I am able to suffer this or that for Christ but the least Believer in the World must say I am willing the Lord assisting me to endure and suffer all things for his sake and this is the Second thing included in opening to Christ. 3ly The Third thing which perfects and consummates the whole act is an entire choice of of Jesus Christ upon all those terms prescribed by him the entireness of the choice without halfing or dividing excepting or reserving makes the consent full and effectual There is a twofold consent of the Will to Christ. 1. One partial and with exception 2. The other entire and without any reservation I. There is a partial consent which is always hypocritical defective lame and ineffectual thus the hypocrite consents to the offer of Christ he is really willing to have the pardons of Christ and the glory purchased by Christ but to part with his beloved lusts and to give up his earthly enjoyments that his Will cannot consent to II. There is a full and entire consent of the Will called a believing with all the Heart Acts 8. 37. Now this integrity and fulness of the Wills choice is that which closes the match betwixt Christ and the Soul and frees a Man from the danger of hypocrisie And there are three things which make the consent to and choice of Christ compleat and full 1. When we give up all we are and have to him 2. When we derive and draw all we want from him 3. When we are ready to deny any thing for his sake 1. We do then heartily consent to be Christs when we give up all we are and have to him so that after this choice of Christ we look upon our selves thenceforth as none of our own but bought with a price to glorifie God in our Body and Soul which are his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Soul and Body is all that we are and both these parts of our selves do now pass by an act of our own consent into the Redeemers right we are not to have the dispose of them that belongs to him that purchased them You know in all purchases property is altered you did live as your own followed your own Wills Lusts Passions were under the dominion and at the beck of every Lust but now the case is altered Titus 3. 3. We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures So many Lusts so many Lords but now the case is altered we have given our selves to Christ no more to be swayed this way or that against his Word and the voice of our own Conscience Thus our Souls and Bodies are his hallowed dedicated things to Christ Temples for God to dwell in and then all other things follow of course if I am the Lords then my time my talents and all that I have is his 2ly As we must give up all to Christ so we must derive and draw all we want from him else your choice of Christ is not entire and full God hath stored up in Christ all that you want a suitable and full supply for every need and made it all communicable to you 1 Cor. 1. 30. Who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness sanctification and redemption All the believers fresh springs are in Christ Have I any difficult buisness to do that requires counsel Then I must repair to Christ the Fountain of Wisdom Am I under any guilt Then I must repair to Christ for righteousness Is my Soul defiled by corruption Then must I go to Christ for Sanctification Do I groan under troubles of Soul or Body temptations afflictions c. then must I relieve my self by the Faith and Hope of that compleat Redemption and final deliverance procured by Christ from all these if you consent to be Christs you must not look for Justification partly upon his Righteousness and partly upon your own Graces and Duties but must make mention of his Righteousness even of his only If there be but one Conduit in a Town and not a drop of Water to be had elsewhere then all the Inhabitants of that Town repair thither for Water In the whole City of God there is but one Conduit one Fountain and that is Christ there 's not a drop of Righteousness Holiness Strength or Comfort to be had else where Then do we fetch all from Christ when we live upon him as the new born Infant doth upon the Mothers Breast 3ly Then is our consent to and choice of Christ intire and full when we are ready to deny give up and part with any thing we have for his sake reckoning nothing to be lost to us which goes to the glory of Christ how dear soever our Liberties Estates or Lives are to us if the Lord have need of them we must let them go thus you read Rev. 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death These three things shew saving Faith to be another manner of thing than the World generally understands it to be and it is impossible for any Mans Will to open to and receive Christ upon terms of such deep self-denial as these until there be 1. A Conviction of our sin and misery 2. A Discovery of Christ in his glory and necessity 3. The drawing Power of the Spirit upon the Soul. 1. Conviction of our sin and misery makes these terms of Religion acceptable poor sinners stand huckling with Christ excepting and objecting against his terms until the Lord have shaken them by Conviction over Hell made them to see the dreadful danger they are in and then the next cry is Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2. 37. q. d. Prescribe any means impose upon us the greatest difficulties we are willing to comply with them 2ly Nor will Souls ever comply with these terms of the Gospel until a discovery have been made to them of Jesus Christ in his glory and necessity when a Man feels his wants and sees a compleat remedy his Will then complies and bows readily and freely the convinced sinner sees a full and suitable supply in Christ for all his wants a compleat Saviour in whom there is nothing defective but in all respects according to the wish of a sinners heart 1 Cor. 1. 24. 3ly To all this must be superadded the powerful drawings of the Spirit in the vertue whereof the Will comes home to Christ Iohn 6. 44. No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him When these things are past upon the Soul then it hears Christs voice his powerful call which breaks asunder all the ties and bonds betwixt a Man and his Lusts a Man and his Earthly enjoyments and without these things the Will is
most satisfying of all Come on poor trembling Soul dont be discouraged stretch out the small weak Arms of thy Faith to that great and gracious Redeemer open thy Heart wide to receive him he will not refuse to come in he hath sealed thousands of pardons to as vile Wretches as thy self he never yet shut the door of Mercy upon a willing hungering Soul. It is a great matter to have the Way beaten and the Ice broken before thee in thy way to Christ. If thou wert the first sinner that had cast his Soul upon Christ I confess I should want this encouragement I am now giving thee but when so many have gone before thee and all found a welcom beyond their expectation What incouragement doth this breath into thy trembling discouraged Heart to go on and venture thy self upon Christ as they did what an Example have we in Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. from vers 3. to 12. An Idolater one that used Enchantments and Divinations familiar Spirits shed innocent Blood in the Streets of Ierusalem a Man might rake the World and hardly bring â—o sight a viler Wretch a greater Monster in sin and wickedness yet his Heart being broken and his Will bowed this Man found Mercy How great a sinner was Mary that came to Christ in the House of Simon the Pharisee Luke 7. 39. So notorious a sinner that Simon took offence at Christ for suffering so vile Wretch to come into his presence If this Man were a Prophet saith he he would have known who and what manner of Woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner Yet Maries Heart being broken for sin and made willing to accept of a Saviour what a gracious demonstration of welcom did Christ give her and to all other sinners a singular encouragement in her Example Once more you have an eminent Example of the abundant welcom of another sinner to Christ who owned himself for the greatest of Sinners a Persecuter a Blasphemer Injurious but saith he I obtained Mercy 1 Tim. 1. 16. And the Example of his gracious Entertainment with Christ is recorded on purpose for an encouragement unto all that should hereafter believe How many thousands are there now in Hell that never stood guilty of greater enormeties than the Corinthians did Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers Thieves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners such were some of them yet Sanctified Washed Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. If ever Christ would have shut the door of Mercy upon any if ever he would have been coy and shy of coming into any Souls certainly these were the Souls he would have disdained to come near O what a demonstration is here of that comfortable Point before us That Christ will not refuse to come into the Soul of the vilest Sinner when ones it is made Heartily willing to open to him IV. Evidence A further Evidence of this comfortable Truth shall be taken from the Scripture resemblances of the abundant Grace of God and riches of Mercy in Christ towards all broken Hearted and willing Sinners There are some chosen resemblances and excellent Emblems which bring down the Grace of God before the very Eyes of Men amongst which I will single out three glorious Resemblances of Free Grace chosen by his Wisdom on purpose for the incouragement of poor drooping Sinners A Resemblance from the Heavens a Resemblance from the Sun and a Resemblance from the Sea all such as the Wisdom of Men and Angels could never have chosen for such a purpose as this is I. A Resemblance from the Heavens those vast extended Heavens that cover and compass this Earth what an inconsiderable spot is the whole Terrestrial Globe to those high and all-surrounding Heavens and yet these Heavens are not at so vast a distance above the Earth as the pardoning Grace of God is above the guilt yea and the very thoughts of poor Sinners For of the pardoning Grace of God to penitent and willing Souls that precious Scripture speaks Isa. 55. 8 9. Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon O saith the Soul I cannot think God will ever have Mercy on such a Wretch as I why saith he vers 8. My thoughts are not your thoughts and 't is well they are not but as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts You cannot take the height nor sound the depth of my pardoning Grace That 's one Emblem from the unconceivable height of the Heavens above the Earth II. Another is taken from the Sun in the Heavens a Creature of admirable Power and Vertue you know that anon this part of the World will be the Throne of Darkness the Sable curtains of the Night will be spread over all the beauties of this part of the Earth and it may be in the Morning a thick Fog or Mist will cover it thick and dark Clouds may darken the Heavens but behold this glorious Creature the Sun chasing before him the darkness of the Night breaking up the Mists and Fogs of the Morning scattering the dark and thick Clouds of Heaven they are all gone and there is no appearance of them Just so saith God shall it be with thy sins and thy Cloudy fears arising out of sin Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy sins Thy Soul is beclouded thy fears have bemisted thee so that thou canst not see the grounds of thine encouragement but my Grace shall arise upon thee like the Sun in the Heavens and scatter all these dismal Clouds both of guilt and fear and make a clear Heaven over thee and a clear Soul within thee Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. III. Another Resemblance you have from the Sea the great Abyss that vast Congregation of Waters whose depth no line can fadom Veer out as much Line as you will you cannot touch the bottom To this unfathomable Ocean the pardoning Grace of God is also resembled Mich. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea. If the loftiest Pyramid or highest Mountain were cast into the depth of the Sea it would never be seen more by the Eyes of Men. God hath on purpose chosen this Emblem of his Grace to obviate that common discouragement of Satan taken from the greatness and aggravation of sin and in that case thou art to make use of them and bless the Lord for them he
word And thus much of the general nature of Christs Spiritual Internal voice but all this gives us but a remote imperfect knowledge of it Therefore Thirdly I shall endeavour to open the innate characters and special properties of this Internal Spiritual voice of Christ which must be heard or there can be no opening the door of the Heart to receive him I. Character And the first Character is this It is a secret and a still voice whereby somewhat is as it were whispered into the Ear of the Soul making a particular application of what is spoken Externally to the Ear much like that of Nathan to David Thou art the Man. This still voice sounds throughout the whole Soul yet none hear it but the Soul concerned in it it is said 1 Sam. 9. 15. The Lord told Samuel in his Ear the night before c. That is he whispered the secret into the Prophets mind so the Spirit of Christ whispers a word into the Ear of a sinner which makes his Heart to tremble after this manner This is thy very state and condition this is thy sin which is now opened by the Gospel in thine Ears This is a voice without sound or noise to any others but very intelligible to the Soul unto whom it is â—poken You read in 1 Kings 19. 11 12. when Elijah stood upon the Mount before the Lord there came a great and strong wind which rent the Mountains and brake in pieces the Rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire a still small voice And it was so when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle c. So it is here Dreadful things are thundred against men by the voice of the Law the Terrours of the Lord are made known Hell and Damnation are set before the eyes of Sinners but until the Lord come in the still voice of his Spirit and apply those things to the Conscience the Sinner never covers his face with shame and confusion nor goes aside to mourn and lament his misery This voice of God sounds to the very Centre of the Soul. As for the outward voice of the Gospel alone it signifies little in hearing men hear not Matth. 13. 13. They have the voice of Man but not the voice of God They hear the sound but feel not the power of the Word What is spoken externally dyes in the ear that hears it But this still voice of the Spirit by secret passages makes its way to the heart and none knows what God speaks but the Soul to whom he speaks That is the first Character II. Character The internal spiritnal voice of Christ is a personal and particular voice speaking distinctly and particularly to the case and state of the Soul as if it were by name Ministers do and must speak in general they draw the Bow of the Gospel at an adventure not knowing to whom God will direct the Arrow but the Spirit guides it to the Mark. He applies general Truths unto particular persons so as the Soul to whom he directs it is fully convinced and satisfied the Lord intends and means it in such a convictive and threatning Expression O saith the Soul hath the Lord singled me out in special this is my very state and case You read Iohn 10. 5. that Christ calleth his sheep by name How doth he call them by name but by speaking directly and particularly to their Condition and Case as if he called them by their particular Names He doth not now in an extraordinary way as of old call Samuel Samuel or Saul Saul but he sends a Beam of convincing light into the Conscience plainly discovering this or that to be our sin danger or duty and so as to the effect it is all one as if God named him And truly till it comes to this the Word hath no saving operation upon the Soul. A man may hear ten thousand general Truths assent to them and never be the better for them How still and quiet was David's Conscience till Nathan struck the nail upon the head by an home personal application and then his Conscience startled Thus God singles out one man or woman from among a thousand in the Congregation speaks to the heart rips up the secure Conscience the rest hear the same words but feel not the same efficacy And truly 't is a choice mercy when God shall please thus to single out one person from among many after this manner to speak to his heart As Christ said in Luke 4. 25 26. Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias c. but to none of them was Elias sent save unto Sarepta a City of Sydon unto a woman that was a widow so here Multitudes sate with you under the same Prayer or Sermon but unto none of them at that time was the Spirit sent to make a particular convictive application thereof but unto thee In this the peculiar goodness of God shines out and should for ever be admired in the eyes of that Soul. III. Character Thirdly This spiritual internal voice of Christ is distinguishable by the Soul that hears it from all other voices Iohn 10. 4. The Sheep know his voice As in the style of the Scriptures there is a weight and majesty which distinguishes it from all human composures so in this voice of Christ there is a Majesty a peculiar Efficacy a divine and awful Authority by which the Soul distinguishes it from all human voices It was said of Christ in the days of his flesh Iohn 7. 46. Never man spake like this man. The same may we say of his spiritual voice the Soul never heard such a voice before it seals the truth upon the heart so firmly that no Objections are left against it It was not so when we heard the voice of man. And there are two things in this inward voice of Christ which apparently difference it from all human voices 1. A marvellous light comes into the Soul with it which discovers all the secrets of the heart God shines into the heart the same time he speaks unto it 2 Cor. 4. 6. and now the secrets of the heart are manifest and God is acknowledged to be in that Word of Truth 1 Cor. 14. 25. 2ly A marvellous Power accompanieth this voice to make a deep and firm impression of what is spoken upon the Soul and this Power is an innate Character of the voice of God whereby the Soul receives it as his with much assurance as the Apostle speaks 1 Thess. 1. 5. Our Gospel came not to you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance They could not be more certain of any thing in the world than they were of this That it was the Lord that spake to them in that Word
'T is true at the first instant the Soul may be amazed and at a loss as Peter when he was delivered out of Prison Acts 12 11. thought at first he had seen a Vision but when he was come to himself Now said he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel c. Thus it is with the Soul it is amazed and doubts what manner of Call or Power this is sure it is it never heard such a voice nor ever felt any thing like this before But the matter is quickly cleared up when the Soul hath reflected duly upon it and finds as it quickly doth such a wonderful change of the frame and temper of the heart following upon it I now speak not of those into whom Grace is distilled in the way of godly Education in their tender years but of adult persons and especially such as have been grosser Sinners IV. Character This spiritual internal voice of Christ is a surprizing voice altogether unexpected by the Soul that hears it I am found of them that sought me not Isai. 65. 1. Little do we foresee the designs God hath upon us in bringing us to such a place and under such a Sermon at such or such a time even as little as Saul thought of a Kingdom when he was seeking his Fathers Asses 'T is much with us as it was with the Apostles when Christ called them little did Matthew think when he sate at the Receipt of Customs or Saul think when posting unto Damascus upon the Devils errand that Christ and Salvation had then been so near them Some have come to scoff and deride the Messengers and Truths of God others to gratifie their curiosity and many in a customary course not knowing where else with peace to themselves or reputation with others to spend that hour But God's thoughts were not theirs the time of mercy was now come and whatever sinful or low ends brought them thither the Lord's design was then and there to manifest himself to them It is with such Souls in some respect as it was with the Spouse Cant. 6. 12. to whose expression I may here allude Or ever I was aware my Soul made me as the Chariots of Aminadab I went to the Congregation for Company I was fitting under the Word with a careless wandring heart as at other times when lo above all the thoughts of my heart an Arrow of Conviction was suddenly shot into my Conscience which so startled wounded and disquieted it as it is now beyond the power of any but Christ himself to settle and satisfie it V. Character Fifthly This spiritual internal voice of Christ is energetical great and mighty in power piercing the heart cleaving as it were the very reins full of efficacy to the Soul that hears it The power of God comes along with this voice of God. You read Hebr. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit of the Ioynts and Marrow Now this efficacy is not inherent in the Word it self it works not thus as a natural Agent then all would feel this power that come within the sound of it No this comes from the Spirit of Christ speaking in it to the Sinners Conscience when it is the administration of the Spirit then it becomes thus efficacious You read in Psalm 29. from v. 3. to 10. of the wonderful efficacy of God's providential voice the voice of the Lord is powerful The voice of the Lord is full of majesty it breaks the Cedars divides the flames of fire shakes the wilderness maketh the Hynds to calve This the providential voice of God in the winds thunders and lightnings can do but alas what 's this to the efficacy of his spiritual voice What is the breaking of the Cedars of Lebanon to the breaking of the heart of a Sinner what is the shaking of the Trees in the wilderness to the fears of wrath to come which shake the Souls of convinced Sinners and make their very hearts to tremble Acts 16. 30. What is the dividing of the flames of fire to the dividing of a Soul from its beloved Lusts The weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Here be the glorious effects of this voice which plainly discover from whom it comes The voice of God is no less to be admired in its magniâ—icent effects in the new Creation than in the first Creation with which the Apostles compares it 2 Cor. 4. 6. God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts It was marvellous to see at the word of Christ Lazarus that was dead in his Grave to come forth bound in his Grave-cloths and no less to see a Soul dead in sin bound in the bonds of corruption at a word of Christ to arise and come forth with spiritual life Iohn 5. 25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live VI. Character This spiritual voice of Christ is so convictive to the Conscience of a Sinner that it puts a final end to all shifts and evasions Whilst Man only spake the Soul had a thousand shifts to evade and put off what was spoken but now all Disputes and Debates are at an end No more Subterfuges and cunning Evasions now The Spirit when he cometh he shall convince the World of sin John 16. 8. The word signifies to convince by demonstration and that is to shew a thing to be impossible to be otherwise than we represent it to be Formerly when the Terrours of God were threatned against sin the shuffling heart was wont to say This concerns me no more than others if it go ill with me it will go ill with thousands as well as me 'T is true this is my Evil and who is without them I have some evils in me but yet I have some good too But no sooner doth the Spirit speak conviction to the Conscience but all these pleas are out of doors It may be the state of the Sinner's Soul was doubtful to him before but it is not so now It had some fears of Hell but ballanced with some vain hopes of Heaven But now the Debate is ended the great Question determined Whatever I am or have whatever Duties I have done and whatsoever sins I have avoided I see I am not regenerated I am in my natural Christless state and except I be changed I must be damned This was the effect of Christs convictive voice unto Paul Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died He had read the Law many a time and had the litteral
knowledge of it but under these things his vain hopes lived and flourish'd until the spiritual sense of the Law came home to his heart by the teaching and voice of the Spirit and then his vain hopes gave up the ghost and his sin and guilt stared in the face of his Conscience VII Character The voice of Christ whereof we now speak is generally and ordinarily conveyed to the Souls of men through the Word preached which is the chosen Organ or Instrument of its Conveyance We cannot absolutely and universally affirm that Christ always speaks to men this way but certainly this is his standing and ordinary course 1 Thess. 1. 5. Our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost Our Gospel because preached and ministred by us but had that been all it had come to you in word only as it doth to many thousand others in the world who hear and feel nothing in it more than what is human but unto you it came in power and in the Holy Ghost that is our words were the Vehicle or Organ through which the vital power of the Spirit was conveyed into your Souls Providences have their voices as well as the Word and sometimes the voice of Christ hath accompanied the voice of Providence to the conversion of mens Souls but this is more rare and unusual The established and ordinary way of Christ's speaking to the hearts of Sinners is by the Word and especially the Word preached which upon that very account and consideration as it is the Organ of conveying the voice and power of Christ to the Soul is therefore called the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. This Instrument the Lord generally 〈◊〉 and honours for the conveyance of spiâ—itual life into the Souls of men though it be despised and contemned in the world The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. i. e. the chosen Instrument by which the saving power of God communicates it self to the Souls of men And although God may exert his saving power through Providences yet we seldom or never find he doth so where the Word may be had but is despised and neglected And truly herein God consults our peace and satisfaction for suppose he should make use of another medium as a voice from Heaven c. and after Calling which is an usual case the called Soul should question all and say How do I know bâ—t all this may be a Delusion may not Satan impose upon poor Mortals and this voice from Heaven be a counterfeit voice my Eternal estate depends upon it and I had need to be sure it was the very voice of God himself In such a case as this it would be hard to give such clear distinguishing Characters as might be to the satisfaction of the Soul and clearly difference the one from the other But now when God makes the Word his Instrument in this matter it yield abundantly more satisfaction we have a more sure Word of Prophesie surer than a voice from Heaven 2 Pâ—t 1. 19. And though Paul was converted by a voice from Heaven yet the Lord sends him to Aâ—anias to preach the Gospel to him Acts 9. 17. The Lord will honour his Word Providences may make way and prepare the heart but the Word is the Instrument by which the Lord puts forth his power ordinarily to salvation VIII Character The voice of Christ leaves abiding effects and lasting impressions upon the Soul that hears it The words of men are scattered into the wind but the effects of Christ's voice are durable and lasting things Psal. 119. 93. I will never forget thy Word for by it thou hast quickned me How many hundred Sermons have we heard and all those excellent Truths vanished away as a Dream Oh but if ever thou heardest Christ speaking to thy heart in any Sermon or Prayer to be sure that will stick by thee for ever His words are sealed upon the Soul for ever they are written in the heart Ier. 31. 33. What Iob wished concerning his words that is really perform'd in the words of Christ they are written as in the Rock for ever We have slippery Memories but the weakest Memory will and must retain the words of Christ spoken to the heart by his Spirit for they are sealed upon it Iob 33. 16. He sealeth their instructions and this secures them Thus you have the innate Characters of Christ's voice Fourthly I shall next speak unto the personal Objects unto whom Christ ordinarily directs this his internal efficacious and saving Voice or Call. And although it be true that the Spirit of Christ is a free Agent acting with the greatest liberty and calleth whom he will according to that Iohn 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth And it is true de facto That Christ hath made some of all sorts and ranks of men to hear his voice yet if we consider the way he commonly takes we shall find that it is very rare and seldom that Christ directs this saving voice or call of his to the great and wise of this world 1 Cor. 1. 26. You see your Calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called He saith not any but not many Some Christ doth call Lest as one notes the world should think that Christians were deceived through their simplicity and weakness One rich Ioseph of Arimathea one honourable Niâ—odemus but not many Men of the greatest fame and renown in the world have been the greatest and fiercest Enemies against Christ. Gallen the chief Physician Porphyry the chief Aristotelian Plotinus the chief Platonist Lybanus and Lucian the chief Orators were all the professed Enemies of Christ. Two things make a man great in the eye of the world The external endowments of Providence heaping up Riches and Honours upon the outward man and internal gifts and endowments of the mind adorning the inward man as strong Reason sharpness of Wit c. when both these meet as many times they do in one and the same person they make him great in the eye of the world and usually in his own eyes too yea too great to stoop to the simplicity of the Gospel and the humbling self-denying terms thereof These the Lord usually passes by and directs his voice to the poor the poor receive the Gospel God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and Heirs of the Kingdom James 2. 5. And this choice of God Christ blesseth him for Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee O father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemeth good in thy sight And indeed the wisdom of God deserves our admiration in this dispensation For 1. hereby the freeness of his Grace is vindicated None can
now pretend that any earthly excellency commends any man to God or that the favour of Heaven is engaged by the same motives that the respects of this world are For now you see the truth of that Scripture Iob 34. 19. before your eyes He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor for they are all the work of his hands Earthly Riches and Honours as empty things as they are yet are too much idoliz'd by men What would they be could they procure our favour and acceptance with the Lord 2ly By such a choice as this the Lord plainly shews us That Religion needs not worldly props to support it As at first it was spread by the power of God in the world by poor contemptible men so it is still upheld without human policy or riches The church is called the Congregation of the poor Psal. 74. 20. The Lord will have us know that he is able to maintain and carry on his counsels in the world without the wealth of rich men the authority of great men or the policies of wise men he needs them not 3ly By this choice he pours contempt upon those things which are most admired among men So he tells us 1 Cor. 1. 27. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty And certainly shame and confusion of face will cover the great ones of this world in the world to come when they shall see those poor Christians whom they contemned and scorned upon earth as not worthy to come into their presence to be so infinitely preferred before them in the favour of God. In a word this efficacious spiritual voice of Christ is directed but to a few even of the many that sit within the sound and call of the Gospel Matth. 22. 14. Many are called but few are chosen Christ's flock is a little flock There be many Birds of prey to one Bird of Paradice Many common Pebles to one Saphir or Diamond 'T is not for us to dispute the Reason but to adore the Soveraignty of God in this matter And of those few whom he calleth the greatest part are of the lower rank and order of men The glitter and dazel of this world blinds the eyes of the greatest Extremity of pinching wants diverts the mind of the very lowest but betwixt these two extreams there is a third sort of persons whom the Lord most usually calls Fifthly If it be queried why the voice and call of Christ should be directed to this person rather than to that Certainly it is not from any dignity or excellency outward or inward that Christ sees in one above another for all are shut up under the same common sin and misery of the fall and therefore the Apostle told the Ephesians who had heard and answered the voice of Christ That they were by nature children of wrath even as others Eph. 2. 3. If it were not so Man would have something to glory in before God but Christ resolves this whole dispensation into its proper cause the good pleasure of the Divine Will Matth. 11. 26. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight This good pleasure of the Will of God sometimes orders those to hear the voice of his Son that seem to stand at a far greater distance and improbability to hear it than others do 'T is said of the Ephesians that they were a far off Eph. 2. 13. yet they heard the voice of Christ when that discreet Scribe Mark 12. 34. who was not far from the Kingdom of God and Agrippa Acts 26. 28. who almost or within a very little was perswaded to be a Christian never heard it therefore it is said Matth. 8. 11 12. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness O marvelous dispensation Many a poor Soul under the greatest disadvantages a poor Servant that hath but little time and multitudes of encumbrances yet such a one is often called effectually by this voice of Christ when those that enjoy multitudes of opportunities and have abundance of time lying upon their Hands which they know not what to do with who have the choicest Books at command yet hear nothing feel nothing amidst all these advantages to any purpose all this is wholly to be resolved into the good pleasure of the Will of God. Sixthly In the next place let us view the effects of this voice of Christ upon the Souls of Men and we shall find divers remarkable effects wrought upon the Heart by it I. Effect And the first Effect of the voice of Christ is Conviction upon the Conscience Conviction both of sin and misery Iohn 16. 9. The Spirit when he cometh shall convince the World of sin This is a voice of terror it strikes dead the vain hopes of a sinner Rom. 7. 9. Now the Soul that was before secure and quiet becomes the seat of trouble and anxiety 'T is true there was a general Conviction of sin before they knew that all are sinners that they denied not but alas this general Conviction is quite another thing to what the Soul feels now now it can shift and wave the matter no longer This voice of Christ shews them their iniquities and how they have exceeded as the expression is Iob 36. 8 9. exceeded in number and exceeded in heinousness of aggravation A general Conviction of sin affects a Man no more than the sight of a painted Lion upon a Sign-post but when a particular Conviction is set on upon the Conscience by this special inward voice of Christ sm is now like a living Lion meeting a Man in the way and roaring dreadfully upon him This is the first Effect of Christs voice and is introductive unto the II. Effect Which is humiliation and contrition of Heart for sin those threats of Scripture against sin and sinners which were wont to be sleighted are now trembled at those Iews Acts 2. 37. to whose Hearts Christ spake in Peters Sermon as soon as ever they heard his voice sounding Conviction in their Consciences they were presently pricked at the Heart no Sword or Poyniard can make such a wound and put a poor creature into such pain as a sight of sin will do therefore Zach. 12. 10. they are said to mourn for Christ as for an only Son. Now this is the glorious prerogative of Jesus Christ to be able to reach and wound the Heart with a word The voice of Man cannot do it but the Spirit of a Man lies naked and open both to be wounded and healed by a word from the Mouth of Christ. No sooner hath a poor sinner heard the awful voice of Conviction spoken to his Conscience by the Lord Jesus but he feels himself sick at Heart home he goes
important a Concern And truly this Caution is no more than needs for Satan is never more busie with the Souls of men than when Christ gives them their first Call to himself O what a thick succession of Discouragements do impetuously assault the Soul at this time Art thou young then he insinuates that it is too soon for thee to mind the serious things of Religion This will extinguish all thy pleasure in a dull melancholy thou maist have time enough hereafter to mind these matters This Temptation Augustine confesseth kept him off many years from Christ. But certainly if thou art old enough to be damned thou art not too young to mind Christ and Salvation There are Graves just of thy length and abundance of young Sprigs as well as old Loggs burning in Hell flames Besides all those godly young ones which turned to the Lord betime as Iosiah Abijah Timothy and many more will be your Judges and condemn you in the great day Never any repented that they opened to Christ too soon Thousands have repented that they kept him out so long Art thou old then he scares thee with the manifold sins of thy youth and rouls them as blocks in thy way to Christ. And whether young or old he will be sure to present the Sufferings Reproaches and Persecutions of Godliness to discourage thee from hearkning to the voice of Christ. But what are the Sufferings of Christ here to those Sufferings from Christ hereafter what are the pains of Mortification to the pains of Damnation Besides all the Promises of Christ promises of strength comfort success c. go along with the Command of Christ to believe and shall surely be performed to the obedient Soul. See therefore that thou refuse not his voice III. Vse for Trial. But you will say All that hear this spiritual voice of Christ are said to live Iohn 5. 25. Now I am much in the dark whether ever this vital voice of Christ hath founded unto my Soul. Alas I feel little if any thing of the spiritual life in my Soul. I am dead and dark By what means doth the Life of Christ discover it self in the Souls of Men I Answer There are divers Signs of spiritual life and blessed is the Soul that finds them First There is a spiritual sense and feeling flowing from and accompanying the spiritual life I speak not only of the sense and feeling of comfort for many a Soul that is in Christ feels little of that but certainly there is a sense and feeling of the burthensomness of sin Rom. 7. 24. And 't is well that we can feel that for there are Multitudes in the world that are past feeling Isâ— 6. 9. 10. 'T is a sign Christ hath spoken to thy heart if sorrows for sin begin to load it Secondly Spiritual Motions towards Christ are a sign of spiritual life at least that God is about that quickening work of Faith upon thy Soul Iohn 6. 45. Every man that bath beard and learned of the Father cometh unto me The effectual voice of God sets the Soul in motion towards Christ the Will is moving after him the Desires are panting for him The voice of God makes the Soul that hears it restless As for others their Wills are fix'd there is no moving of them Iohn 5. 40. Now consider how it is with thee Reader Art thou one that art weighing and pondering the terms of the Gospel strugling through discouragements and temptations to come to Christ upon his own terms lifting up thy heart to him for power to believe crying with the Sponse Draw me I will run after thee This is a comfortable sign Christ hath spoken to thy heart Thirdly A Spirit of Prayer is an Evidence of spiritual life as the effect of Christ's voice to thy Soul. Assoon as ever Christ had spoken effectually unto Paul's heart the first effect that appeared in him as a sign of spiritual life was Prayerbreath Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayeth God hath no still-â—orn Children Measure thy self by this Rule Time was when thou couldst say a Prayer and wast very well satisfied with it whether thou hadst any Communion with God in it or no but is it so still Is there not an holy restlesness of spirit after God since the time that his Word came home to thy heart Surely thou eanst remember when it was not with thee as it is now Fourthly There is a spiritual relish a divine gust resulting from the spiritual life which is also evidential of it Omnis vita gustu ducitur If God have spoken life to thy Soul there will be in it an agreeable pleasure and delight in spiritual things Psal. 63. 5. My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness c. Now thy thoughts can feed with pleasure upon spiritual things which they nauseated before Fifthly Spiritual aversations as well as spiritual inclinations speak spiritual life Every Creature hath an aversation to that which is noxious and destructive to it Now there is nothing so destructive and dangerous to the spiritual life as sin that 's the deadly poison which the renewed Soul dreads Psal. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins It cries out as a man that finds himself upon the brink of a Pit or edge of a Precipice Keep back thy Servant Such aversations to sin and tremblings under temptations tending thereunto are comfortable Sign Christ hath spoken life to thy Soul. Lastly Heavenly tendencies and propensions after God are an excellent Sign thy Soul hath heard his voice and been quickned with spiritual life by it Sanctification is a Well of water springing up into everlasting life Iohn 4. 24. If thou hast seen the beauty felt the power and heard the voice of Christ thy soul like an uncentred Body will be still propending gravitating and inclining Christ-ward When thou hast once heard his effectual Call Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me thy Soul will be continually echoing with the Spouse Rev. 22. 17. Come Lord Iesus The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say Come A sweeter Sign of thy hearing Christ's voice can hardly be found in the Soul of man than restless longing to be with Christ in a state of perfect freedom from sin and full fruition of the beloved and blessed Jesus SERMON IX Revel 3. 20. If any Man hear my voice and open the door THE powerful voice of Christ is the Key that opens the door of the Soul to receive him The opening of the heart to receive Christ is the main design aimed at in all the external and internal administrations of the Gospel and Spirit The Gospel hath two great Designs and Intentions One is To open the heart of God to men and to shew them the everlasting counsels of Grace and Peace which were hid in God from Ages and Generations past that all men may now see what God had been designing and contriving for their happiness
world to hear of it The very same power that wrought that must also be put sorth to work this or else it would never be wrought So again Eph. 2. 8. By Grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of your selves You are no more able to believe in Christ than you were to raise him from the dead No more able to come one step towards him by Faith in your own power than Lazarus was able to unbind himself in the Grave and come forth Yea in Eph. 1. 18 19 20. the work of believing is ascribed unto the exceeding greatness of the power of God Nothing but power can do it no other power but the Almighty power of God can do it It exceeds the power of Ministers yea of Angels Three things will evince the difficulty of this work Viz. 1. The Nature of it 2. The Subject of it 3. The Enemies of it First The Nature of the work of Faith which is wholly supernatural it is no less than the gaining over the hearty and full consent of the Will to take Jesus Christ with his yoke of Obedience Matth. 11. 29. and with his Cross of Sufferings Matth. 16. 24. And how far these will carry a man into outward dangers losses torments and sufferings who can tell and all this upon the account of an unseen happiness and glory dearest Lusts and Corruptions must be mortified sweetest Pleasures and Profits in the World abandoned and forsaken all Reproaches Losses Pains and Penalties the Devil and the World can lay upon us for Christs sake must be embraced and wellcomed and can it be supposed that any power beneath the Almighty Power of the Lord any voice except the efficacious voice of Christ can prevail with the Will to give its firm explicite consent to such difficult and self-denying terms as these Secondly Consider the Subject wrought upon viz. the dead hard obstinate heart of a blind perverse sinner an heart harder by Nature than the nether Millstone It is as easie to melt the most obdurate Rock into a sweet Syrup as it is to melt the heart of a Sinner into penitential forrows for sin What! to bring a dead heart to life To make that man bitterly bewail the sins that were his pleasure and delight more than ever he bewailed the death of the nearest and dearest Relation in the world To make a proud heart renounce its own self-righteousness which it so dotes upon and take all shame and reproach to it self upon the account of sin This is wonderful You would think it a strange thing to see the course of the Tyde stopt with the breath of a man but O what a marvellous thing is here that at the preaching of the Gospel by a poor worm the Lord should turn the Tyde of the Will and thus work about the Soul to a ready compliance with his most self-denying terms and proposals Thirdly And that which farther encreaseth the difficulty of believing is the fierce and obstinate opposition made by the Enemies of Faith All the powers of Hell and Earth Devils and Men without us are confederate and in league with the Corruptions within us to resâ—â—t and hinder this work of believing Never is the Devil more busie than when Christ and the Soul are treating about Union Oh the Discouragements Objections and Difficulties that are rowled into the way of Faith One while it is the highest Presumption another while it is impossible and utterly too late Sometimes blasphemous injections like fiery Darts are shot reeking hot out of Hell into the Soul Otherwhile the invincible difficulties of Religion are objected all Losses Torments c. opposed unto this work The Tempter casts himself into a thousand shapes to hinder the Souls passage out of Nature unto Christ. Sometimes objecting the greatness of sin and sometimes the lapse and loss of the proper season and opportunity of mercy together with the want of due qualifications to come to Christ. Thus and many other ways he endeavours to rap off the fingers of Faith from taking hold of Christ. And as every Devil in Hell opposes this work so every Carnal interest we have in the world is an Enemy to Faith. We have Enemies enough within us as well as without us both conspiring together to obstruct this work All things increase the difficulty of believing Thirdly We are next to speak of the instruments imployed in this great design and these are 1. Principal or 2. Subordinate 1. The Principal instrument in whose efficacy the Heart is opened is the Spirit of God without whom it is impossible the design should ever prosper neither Ordinances Providences or Ministers can successfully manage it without him If the Lord will make use of any Man for the Conversion and Salvation of anothers Soul he may rejoyce in it but withal must say as Peter to the Jews Acts 3. 12. Why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk So may the ablest Minister in the World say when God blesses his labours to the conversion of any Soul look not upon me as though by the strength of my reason or power of my gifts I had opened thy Soul to Christ this is the work of Gods Spirit in whose hand I am an instrument 1 Cor. 3. 7. He that plants is nothing and he that waters is nothing Nothing in himself the very first stroak of conviction which is introductive to the whole work of conversion is justly ascribed to the Spirit Iob. 16. 9. The Spirit when be cometh shall convince the world of sin He is the Lord of all sanctifying and gracious influences Ordinances are but as the sayls of a Ship Ministers as the Seamen that manage those sayls the Anchor may be weighed the sayls spread but when all is done there is no sayling till a gale come We preach and pray and you hear but there is no motion Christward until the Spirit of God comparded to the wind Iohn 3. 8. blow upon them till he illuminate the understanding with divine light and bow the Will by an Almighty power there can be no Spiritual motion Heaven-ward Now the Spirit of the Lord is a free agent tyed to means time or instruments but as at a certain time an Angel came down upon the waters of Bethesda and put a healing virtue into them so it is here Therefore never come to any Gospel Ordinance without an Eye to the Spirit on whom all their blessing and efficacy depends Oh lift up your Hearts for his blessing upon the means as ever you expect saving benefits from them 2ly The Subordinate instrumental means by which this blessed design is effectually managed in the World is the Gospel-ministry 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed This is the ordinary stated method of begetting Faith and though God hath not tyed himself to this
Satan to God. So Luke 11. 21 22. When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace his goods are in peace But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoil Fourthly Thy present vileness and unworthiness can be no bar to Christs entrance into thy Soul because Christ never yet objected to any man his unworthiness but his unwillingness to come unto him Iohn 5. 40. You will not come unto me that you might have life And again Matth. 23. 37. How oft would I have gathered thy Children and ye would not Indeed you find something like a repulse from Christ to that poor Canaanitess Mat. 15. 24 26. Lord help me said that poor distressed Soul but he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs However harshly and discouragingly these words sound yet certainly it was none of Christs intent to damp and discourage her faith but to draw it forth to a more excellent and intense degree which effect it obtained vers 27. Fifthly Neither would Christ have made the tenders of mercy so large and indefinite had he intended to have shut out any Soul upon the single account of personal unworthiness provided it be but willing to come unto him Cast thine Eye poor discouraged Soul upon Christs invitations and proclamations of grace and mercy in the Gospel and see if thou canst find any thing beside unwillingness as a bar betwixt thee and mercy harken to that voice of mercy Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat come buy wine and milk without money and without price i. e. without personal desert or worthiness So again Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the bride say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Here you see personal vileness and unworthiness is no obstacle in the way of Christ. Once more see Iohn 7. 37. In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Thus you see what Christs coming into the Soul is and what evidences there are that when once the Soul is made truly willing Christ will certainly come into it and no former vileness or present unworthiness shall be a bar to obstruct his entrance Thirdly In the next place I shall shew you That when Christ comes into the Soul he will not come empty handed 'T is Christs marriage day and he will make it a good day a festival day bringing such comforts along with him as the Soul never tasted before he spreads as it were a Table furnishes it with the delicates of Heaven I will sup with him saith the Text What those Spiritual mercies are which Christ brings a long with him to the opening willing Soul comes next in order to be spoken to And 1. When Christ comes into the Soul of a sinner he brings a Pardon with him a full a free and a final pardon of all the sins that ever that Soul committed This is a feast of it self good cheer indeed Christ thought it to be so when he told the poor Palsey-man Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee He doth not say Be of good cheer thy Palsey is cured thy body recovered from the grave but be of good cheer thy sins are pardoned O how sweetly may the pardoned Soul feed upon this And this is not any peculiar mercy designed for some special favorites but what is common to all believers Acts 13. 43. By him all that believe are justified from all things Christ and pardon come together and without a pardon no other mercy would relish no feast no musick no money or honour have any favour or comfort with them to a condemned man but the comfort of a pardon reaches to the very Heart Isa. 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith the Lord Speak comfortably to Jerusalem or as in the Hebrew Speak to the heart of Jerusalem But what are the ingredients of that cordial that will comfort Ierusalems Heart Why Say unto her that her iniquities are pardoned that carries along with it the Spirit of all consolation And there are four things in the pardon of sin that make it the sweetest mercy that ever the Soul tasted comfort which is impossible to be communicated to another with the same sense that the pardoned Soul hath of it Rev. 2. 17. First That which makes the pardon of sin ravishingly sweet is the trouble that went before it The labourings and restless tossings of the troubled Soul which were antecedent to this pardon make the ease and peace that follows by it incomparably sweet As the bitterness of Hell was tasted in the sorrows of sin so the sweetness of Heaven is tasted in the pardon of it Secondly The nature of the mercy it self is incomparably sweet for it is a mercy of the first rank Pardon is â—uch a mercy as admits no comfort to come before it nor any just cause of discouragement can follow after it If God have not spoken pardon to the Soul it can have no fetled ground for joy Ezek. 33. 10. And if he have there can be no just ground for dejection whatever the troubles be that lye upon it Isa. 33. 24. The inhabitants shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities Thirdly The third thing that makes this mercy delicious and ravishingly sweet to the Soul are the properties of it which are four 1. God writes upon thy pardon frank 't is a free mercy which cost thee nothing Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace Thou hast bought me no sweet Cane with money yet I even I am be that blotteth out thy transgression for my own names sake 2. God writes upon thy pardon full as well as free the pardon extends to all the sins that ever thou committedst Acts 13. 43. By him all that believe are justified from all things The sins of thy nature and practice the sins of thy youth and age great sins and lesser sins are all comprehended within thy pardon Thou art acquitted not from one but from all Certainly the joy of Heaven must come down in the mercy of remission O what a feast of fat things with marrow is this single mercy a pardon free without price full without exception And then 3. its final without revocation the pardoned Soul never more comes into condemnation Thine iniquities are removed from thee as far as the East is from the West as those two opposite points of Heaven can never meet so the pardoned Soul and its pardoned Sins can never more meet unto condemnation Psal. 103. 12. 4. God writes upon the pardon another word as sweet as any of the rest and that is sure 'T
noble immortal spirit of a Man. 2. Hypocrites have their delights and comforts in a false imaginary happiness which they fancy to themselves but this is a vanishing shadow they take comfort from their groundless hopes of Heaven whither they shall never come 't is a feast in a dream Isa. 44. 20. Thus they make a bridge of their own shadow and are drowned in the waters Such sensitive and false comforts and pleasures Men may have but no true solid scriptural joy takes place in any mans Heart before Christ come into it IV. Inference Guess from hence what Heaven is if there be such a feast to the Soul in the very foretasts of it If a relish a taste of Heaven in the earnest thereof be so transporting and ravishing what then is the full fruition of God! If these be unutterable what must that be Give me leave to say Whatever the comforts and joys of any believer in this World may be yet Heaven will be a surprize to him when he comes thither The joys of Gods presence are other manner of things than our present comforts are though these be of the same kind with them yet in a far inferiour degree There is a fix-fold difference betwixt the Spiritual comforts of believers on Earth and the joys that are above They differ 1. In Quantity 2. In Constancy 3. In Purity 4. In Efficacy 5. In the Society 6. In the Durability of them First They differ in quantity Here we know but in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. When the Scripture speaks of the comforts communicated to Saints on Earth it usually expresses them in some diminutive terms or other calling them first-fruits earnests and the like and indeed it is necessary we should receive them here with such alloys and in remiss degrees because the imperfection and weakness of our present state will not bear them in their plenitude and perfection Here the joy of the Lord enters into us but there we are said to enter into that joy Matth. 25. 21. 'T is too great to enter into us therefore we enter into and are swallowed up in it Secondly They differ in Constancy the best comforts upon Earth are found to be intermitting comforts a Sun-blast and a Cloud a good day and a bad you know houskeepers feed upon two sorts of meat dayly-bread and dainties rarities come not every day to the Table The dayly-bread upon which believers live is the recumbence and affiance of faith as for assurance and joy those come but now and then Thirdly They differ in Purity as well as Constancy here we have the comforts of the Spirit but we mingle sin with them and usually the sin of Spiritual pride which spoils all Yea many times the Lord suffers Satan to mingle his temptations and injections with them lest we should be exalted 2 Cor. 12. 7. But above the comforts of the Saints are as the pure water of life clear as Cristal Rev. 22. 1. Fourthly They differ in Efficacy as well as in Purity The highest comforts of the Spirit here are not perfectly transformative of our Souls into the image of God as they are in Heaven 1 Iohn 3. 3. We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Here after we are comforted by him we grieve the comforter himself by sin neither do the comforts of the Spirit in this state produce the fruits of obedience in their perfect maturity as they do above there is the same difference in in point of efficacy as there is betwixt the influence of the Sun beams in the winter-months and those in May and Iune Fifthly There is a great difference in respect of Society Here the believer for the most part eats his pleasant morsels alone one Christian eats and another hungers but in Heaven they all feast and feed together at one Table Matth. 8. 11. They shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God. O what is it to rejoyce in the fellowship of Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles where the joy of one is the joy of all Sixthly They differ also in Durability sin here puts a stop to our comforts but in Heaven as there is no comma so there shall never be a full point or period Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads There 's an eternal feast no taking away the cloth no rising from that feast 2 Thes. 2. 16. 'T is everlasting consolation We shall be ever with the Lord. II. Vse This point puts serious matter of Exhortation into my mouth The Lord direct it to the Hearts of all whether they be in Christ or out of Christ. First To those that are out of Christ and will not yet be perswaded to open their Hearts and consent to his terms O what a spiritual infatuation is here What shut the door of thy Heart against Christ and all the delights and comforts of this and the coming World What madness is this Hear me thou poor deluded sinner that wilt not be perswaded to part with thy sinful sensual delights in exchange for Christ and the peace comfort and joy that follow him I have a few things to speak on Christs behalf at this time O that they might prevail O that by them the Spirit of the Lord might perswade thy Spirit thou poor unregenerate creature Let me offer four or five Considerations or Pleas on Christs behalf if haply they may prevail and make way for his entertainment in thy Soul. And I. Let me plead thine own necessity with thee a mighty argument which in other cases useth to make its way through all oppositions and make all difficulties fly before it thou art a poor necessitous pining famishing Soul however thy body be accommodated thou hast not one bit of spiritual bread for thy famishing Soul to live upon Christ is the bread that cometh down from Heaven the starving Prodigal Luke 15. v. 16 17. is the lively Emblem of thy Soul he fed upon husks and thou feedest upon that which is not bread Isa. 55. 2. Thou art wretched and miserable poor blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. Thy body hath often been fill'd and refresht with the good creatures of God but thy Soul never tasted one bit of spiritual bread since it came into thy body it never smackt the sweetness of a pardon the deliciousness of a promise the joy and comfort of Christ the choicest food that ever thou tastedsts was such as thy Soul cannot live upon II. Christ is at the door of thy Soul with plenty and variety of heavenly comforts costly dainties purchased by his blood if thou wilt but open to him Thou shalt be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and drink the rivers of pleasure Psal. 36. 7 8. He that believeth as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water John 7. 38. meaning the graces and
safety and security lyes in drawing nigh to God Psal. 73. 27 28. They that are far from thee shall perish But it is good for me to draw near to God. 'T is good indeed not only the good of comfort but the good of safety is in it Deut. 33. 12. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him You know the gracious presence of God is your shield and safety and if you will have the Lord thus present with you in all your fears straights and dangers see that you keep near to him in the Duties of communion For the Lord is with you whilst you are with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. XII Excellency 'T is the Honour of the Soul and the greatest honour that ever God conferr'd on any creature 't is the glory of the holy Angels in Heaven to be always beholding the face of God Matth. 18. 10. Oh! that God should admit poor dust and ashes unto such a nearness to himself To walk with a King and have frequent converse with him puts a great deal of honour upon a Subject but the Saints walk with God so did Enoch so do all the Saints 1 John 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus They have liberty and access with confidence the Lord as it were delivers them the golden key of prayer by which they may come into his presence on all occasions with the freedom of Children to a Father XIII Excellency 'T is the Instrument of mortification and the most excellent and successful instrument for that purpose in all the World Gal. 5. 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the works of the flesh Walking in the Spirit is the same thing with walking in communion with God. Now saith the Apostle if you thus walk in the Spirit in the acting of faith love and obedience throughout the course of holy duties the effect of this will be that ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh he doth not say You shall not feel the motions of sin in you or temptations to sin assaulting you but he saith you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh sin shall not have dominion over you this will let out the life-blood of sin A temptation overcome this way is more effectually subdued than by all the vows resolutions and external means in the World as a Candle that is blown out with a puff of breath may be rekindled by another puff but if it be quencht in water 't is not so easily lighted again So it is here you never find that power or success in temptations when your hearts are up with God in the exercises of faith and love as you do when your hearts hang loose from him and dead towards him The Schoolmen assign this as one reason why the Saints in Heaven are impeccable no sin can fasten upon them because say they they there enjoy the beatifical vision of God. This is sure the more communion any man hath with God on Earth the freer he lives from the power of his corruptions XIV Excellency 'T is the Kernel of all Duties and Ordinances Words gestures c. are but the integuments husks and shells of Duties Communion with God is the sweet Kernel the pleasant and nourishing food which lies within them you see the fruits of the Earth are covered and defended by husks shells and such like integuments within which lye the pleasant kernels and grains and that 's the food The Hypocrite who goes no farther than the externals of Religion is therefore said to feed of Ashes Isa. 44. 20. to spend his mony for that which is not bread and his labour for that which satisfieth not Isa. 55. 2. He feeds but upon husks in which there is little pleasure or nourishment what a poor house doth a Hypocrite keep Words Gestures Ceremonies of Religion will never fill the Soul but communion with God is substantial nourishment My Soul saith David shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness whilst I think and meditate on thee Psal. 63. 5 6. It would grieve ones heart to think what airy things many Souls satisfie themselves with feeding like Ephraim upon the wind well contented if they can but shuffle over a few heartless empty duties whilst the Saints feed upon this hidden Manna are feasted as it were with Angels food XV. Excellency 'T is the Light of the Soul in darkness and the pleasantest light that ever shone upon the Soul of Man There 's many a Soul which walketh in darkness some in the darkness of ignorance and unbelief the most dismal of all darkness except that in Hell. There are others who are Children of light in a state of reconciliation yet walk in the darkness of outward afflictions and inward desertions and temptations but as soon as ever the light of Gods countenance shines upon the Soul in the duties of communion with him that darkness is dissipated and scattered 't is all light within him and round about him Psal. 34. 5. They looked unto him and were enlightned they looked there is faith acted in Duty and were enlightned there 's the sweet effect of Faith. The horrors and troubles of gracious Souls shrink away upon the rising of this chearful light as wild Beasts come out of their Dens in the darkness of the night and shrink back again into them when the Sun ariseth Psal. 104. 20 21 22. So do the fears and inward troubles of the people of God when this light shines upon their Souls Nay more this is a light which scatters the very darkness of death it self It was the saying of a worthy Divine of Germany upon his death-bed when his Eye-sight was gone being askt how it was within Why said he though all be dark about me yet pointing as well as he could to his brest hiâ—sat lucis here is light enough XVI Excellency 'T is Liberty to the straightned Soul and the most comfortable and excellent liberty in the whole World. He only walks at liberty that walks with God Psal. 119. 45. I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Wicked men cry out of bands and cords in Religion they look upon the duties of goldliness as the greatest bondage and thraldom in the whole World Psal. 2. 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us q. d. Away with this strictness and precisness it extinguishes the joy and pleasure of our lives give us our Cups instead of Bibles our prophane Songs instead of Spiritual Psalms our Sports and Past-times instead of Prayers and Sermons Alas poor creatures how do they dance in their shackles and chains When in reality the sweetest liberty is enjoyed in those Duties at which they thus snuff The Law of Christ is the Law of Liberty the Soul of man never enjoys more Liberty than when it is bound with the strictest bands of Duty to God. Here 's liberty from enthralling lusts
and from enslaving fears The Spirit of Life which is in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. And here is freedom indeed If the Son make you free then are you free indeed John 8. 36. And here is freedom from fears Luke 1. 74 75. Those that will not endure any restraint from their lusts they will have their freedom to sin a freedom they shall have such as it is Rom. 6. 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness Let none therefore be prejudiced at the ways of Duty and strict Godliness The law of Christ is the perfect law of liberty James 1. 25. Not liberty to sin but liberty from sin XVII Excellency 'T is a Mercy purchased by the blood of Christ for Believers and one of the principal Mercies setled upon them by the new Covenant grant A peculiar mercy which none but the Redeemed of the Lord partake of a mercy which cost the blood of Christ to purchase it I do not deny but there are thousands of other mercies bestowed upon the unregenerate they have Health Wealth Children Honours Pleasures and all the delights of this Life but for communion with God and the pleasures that result therefrom they are uncapable of these No supping with Christ upon such excellent privileges and mercies as these till the heart be opened to him by faith you cannot come nigh to God until you be first made nigh by reconciliation Eph. 2. 13. Heb. 10. 19 20 21 22. What would your lives Christians be worth to you if this mercy were cut off from you There would be little sweetness or savour in all your outward mercies were it not for this mercy that sweetens them all And there is this difference among many others betwixt this mercy and all outward mercies You may be cut off from the enjoyment of those you cannot from this no prison can keep out the Comforter O bless God for this invaluable Mercy XVIII Excellency 'T is Natural to the new Creature the inclination and instinct of the new Creature leadeth to Communion with God. 'T is as natural to the new Creature to desire it and work after it as it is to the new-born babe to make to the breast 1 Pet 2. 2 As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby There is a law upon the regenerate part which inwardly and powerfully obliges it to acts of Duty and converse with God in them Communion with God is a thing that riseth out of the principles of grace You know all Creatures in this lower World act according to the Laws of Nature the Sun will rise and the Sea will flow at its appointed time and the gracious Soul will make towards its God in the times and seasons of Communion with him They are not forced on to those Duties by the frights of Conscience and the fears of Hell so much as by the natural inclination of the new Creature Two things demonstrate Communion with God to be co-natural to the regenerate part called the inner-man and the hidden-man of the heart viz. 1. The Restlesness of a gracious Soul without it Cant. 3. 2. The Church in the first verse had sought her beloved but found him not doth she sit down satisfied in his absence No no I will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my Soul loveth 2. The Satisfaction and Pleasure the rest and delight which the Soul finds and feels in the enjoyment of Communion with God plainly shews it to be agreeable to the new Nature Psal. 63. 5. My Soul shall be satisfied whilst I think on thee And when it is thus then Duties become easie and pleasant to the Soul 1 Iohn 5. 3. His commandments are not grievous Yea and such a Soul will be constant and assiduous in those Duties That which is natural is constant as well as pleasant what 's the reason Hypocrites throw up the Duties of Religion in times of difficulty but because they have not an inward principle agreeable to them The motives to Duty lie without them not within them XIX Excellency 'T is the Occupation and trade of all sanctified persons and the richest Trade that was ever driven by men This way they grow rich in Spiritual Treasures the Revenues of it are better than Silver and Gold There be many of you have Traded long for this World and it comes to little and had you gained your designs you had gained but trifles This is the rich and profitable occupation Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation is in Heaven Our Commerce and Trade lies that way so that word signifies There be few Christians that have driven this Soul-enriching Trade any considerable time but can shew some Spiritual Treasures which they have gotten by it Psal. 119. 50. This I had because I kept thy precepts As Merchants can shew the Gold and Silver the Lands and Houses the rich Goods and Furniture which they have gotten by their succesful Adventures abroad and tell their Friends so much I got by such a Voyage and so much by another So Christians have invaluable treasures though their humility conceals them which they have gotten by this heavenly Trade of Communion with God. Their Souls were weak and by Communion with God they have gotten strength Psal. 13 8. 3. I cryed and thou strengthnedst me with strength in my Soul. They have gotten peace by it a treasure inestimable Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them They have gotten purity by it Psal. 119. 3. They do no iniquity that walk in thy ways O what rich returns are here Nay they get sometimes full assurance by it The riches of both the Indies will not purchase from a Christian the least of these mercies These are the rich rewards of our pains in the Duties of Religion In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward XX. Excellency 'T is Oyl to the Wheels of Obedience which makes the Soul go on chearfully in the ways of the Lord Psal. 119. 32. Then will I run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart Non tardat uncta rota Oyled Wheels run trig and nimble How prompt and ready for any Duty of Obedience is a Soul under the influences of Communion with God! Then as Isaiah having gotten a sight of God Here am I Lord send me Isa. 6. 8. Now the Soul can turn its hand to Duties Of 1. Active And 2. Passive Obedience I. Hereby the Soul is prepared and fitted for the Duties of Active Obedience to which it applies it self with pleasure and delight Psal. 43. 3 4. Then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy or as it is in the Hebrew the gladness of my joy It goes to prayer as an hungry man to a feast or as a covetuous man to his
you do if you still demur and delay your damnation is just inevitable and unexcusable Hear me therefore you unregenerated Souls in what rank or condition soever providence hath placed you in this World whether you be rich or poor young or old Masters or Servants whether there be any stirrings of conviction in your Consciences or not For however your conditions in this World differ from each other at present there is one common misery hanging over you all if you continue in that state of unbelief you are now fixed in And first Harken to the voice and call of Christ you that are exalted by providence above your poorer neighbours you that have your Heads Hands and Hearts full of the World men of trade and business I have a few solemn questions to ask you this day I. You have made many gainful bargains in your time but what will all profit you if the agreement be not made betwixt Christ and your Souls Christ is that treasure which only can enrich you Matth. 13. 44. Thou art a poor and miserable wretch whatever thou hast gained of this World if thou have not gained Christ thou hast heaped up guilt with thy riches which will more torment thy Conscience hereafter than thy estate can yield thee comfort here 2ly You have made many assurances to secure your floating Estates which you call Policies but what assurance have you gotten for your Souls Are not they exposed to eternal hazards O impolitick man To be so provident to secure trifles and so negligent in securing the richest treasure 3ly You have adjusted many accounts with men but who shall make up your accounts with God if you be Christless What shall it profit a man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Matth. 16. 26. Say not you have much business under your Hands and cannot allow time you will have space enough hereafter to reflect upon your folly Secondly You that are poor and mean in the World what say you Will you have two Hells one here and another hereafter No comfort in this World nor hope for the next Your expectations here laid in the dust and your hopes for Heaven built upon the sand O if you were once in Christ how happy were you though you knew not where to fetch your next bread Poor in the World but rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which God hath promised James 2. 5. O blessed state If you had Christ you had then a right to all things I Cor. 3. 22 23. You had then a Father to take care for you but to be poor and Christless no comfort from this World nor hopes from the next this is to be truly miserable indeed Your very straights and wants should prompt you to the great duty I am now pressing on you and methinks it should be matter of encouragement that the greatest number of Christs friends and followers came out of that rank and order of men to which you belong Thirdly You that are Seamen floating so often upon the great deeps you are reckoned a third sort of persons between the living and the dead you belong not to the dead because you yet breath and scarcely to the living because you are continually so near death What think you friends have you no need of a Saviour Do you live so secure from the reach and danger of death Have your lives been so pure righteous and innocent who have been in the thick of temptations in the World abroad Ponder that Scripture I Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with man-kind c. Ponder it I say and think whether you have not as great and pressing a necessity of Jesus Christ as any poor Souls under Heaven You have had many temporal Salvations from God great and eminent deliverances and will these satisfie you Is it enough that your bodies are delivered from the danger of the Sea though your Souls sink and perish in the Ocean of Gods wrath for ever If you will yet accept Christ upon his terms all that you have done shall be forgiven Isa. 55. 2. The Lord now calls to you in a still voice if you hear his voice well if not you may shortly hear his voice in the tempestuous storms without you and a roaring Conscience within you Poor man think what an interest in Christ will be worth wert thou now as shortly thou maist be floating upon a piece of wreck or shivering upon a cold and desolate rock crying mercy Lord mercy Well mercy is now offered thee but in vain wilt thou expect to find it if thou continue thus to despise and reject it Fourthly You that are aged and full of days hearken to the voice of Christ God hath called upon you a long time When you were young you said 't is time enough yet we will mind these things when we are old and come nearer to the borders of Eternity Well now you are old and just upon the borders of it will you indeed mind it now you have left the great concernments of your Souls to this time this short very short time And do the temptations of your Youth take hold upon your Age what delay and put off Christ still as you were wont to do Poor Creatures you are almost gone out of time you have but a short time to deliberate what you do must be done quickly or it can never be done Your night is even come upon you when no man can work Fifthly You that are young in the Bud or Flower of your time Christ is a Suiter for your first Love he desires the kindness of your youth your Spirits are vigorous your Hearts tender your Affections flowing and impressive you are not yet entred into the incumbrances and distracting cares of the World hereafter a crowd and thick succession of earthly employments and engagements will come on sin will harden you by custom and continuance now is your time you are in the convertible Age few that pass the season of youth comparatively speaking are brought over to Christ afterwards 'T is a rarity the wonder of an Age to hear of the conversion of aged Sinners besides you are the hopes of the next Generation Should you be Christ-neglecting and despising Souls how bad soever the present Age is the next will be worse Say not we have time enough before us we will not quench the sprightly vigour of our Youth in melancholy thoughts Remember there are Sculls of all sizes in Golgotha Graves of all lengths in the Church-yard You may anticipate those that stand nearer the Grave than you seem to do O you cannot be happy too soon As young as you are did you but tast the Comforts that be in Christ nothing would grieve you more than that you knew him no sooner Behold he standeth at thy Door in the morning of thy Age knocking this day for admission into thy Heart Sixthly You that
of sin and still continue in it How shall we that are dead to sin continue any longer therein Rom. 6. 2. Trust Providence for the supply of your wants and the wants of yours in ways of Duty and Righteousness A little that a Righteous man hath is better than the Riches of many wicked You 'l have more comfort in Bread and Water with peace of Conscience than in full Tables with Gods curse You 'l lye more at ease on a burden of Straw than on a Bed of Down with a grumbling conscience III. Instance How many lye under the condemnations of their own consciences for the lusts of Uncleanness in which they live and though they read and their consciences apply to them such Scriptures as that 1. Cor. 6. 9. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankind c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God a dreadful Sentence and that Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Yet convictions are overborn and stifled by 1. The Impetuous Violence of carnal Lusts which permit not of calm debates but hurry them on to the sin and leave them to consider the evil and dangerous consequences afterward Thus they go as an Oxe to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks Prov. 7. 22. Lust besots them To give counsel now is but to give Physick in a Paroxisme or counsel to him that is running a Race Lust answers conscience as Antipater did one that presented him a Book treating of Happiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have no leisure to read such Discourses 2. Others would feign solve their scruples with the sinful failings of good men as David Solomon c. not considering what brokenness of Heart it cost David Psal. 51. and the other sorrow more bitter than death Eccl. 7. 26. Laeta venire venus tristis abire solet This is a presumptuous way of sinning and how dreadful that is see Numb 15. 30. IV. Instance Truth is often held in unrighteousness by sinful Silence in not reproving other mens sins and thereby making them our own We are sometimes cast into the company of ungodly Men where we hear the name of our God blasphemed the Truth Worship or Servants of God reproached and have not so much courage to appear for God as others have to appear against him In such cases Conscience useth to instigate men to their duty and charge it home upon them in the authority of such a Scripture as that Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him O saith Conscience thy silence now will be thy sin This poor wretch may perish for want of a seasonable plain and faithful rebuke Thy silence will harden him in his wickedness No sooner doth such a conviction stir in the Conscience but many things are ready to lay hold on it as 1. A Spirit of Cowardice which makes us afraid to displease men and chuses rather the wrath of God should fall on them than that their wrath should fall on us We dare not take as much liberty to reprove sin as others do to commit it They glory in their shame and we are ashamed of what is both our glory and our duty 2. Dependance on or near relation to the Person sinning 'T is a Father an Husband a Superior on whose favour I depend and should I displease him I may ruine my self this is the voice of the Flesh. Hence duty is neglected and the Soul of a Friend basely betrayed Our Interest preferr'd to Gods and thereby frequently lost for there is no way to secure our own interest in any mans heart as to settle it by our Faithfulness in his Conscience and by being willing to hazzard it for Gods interest and glory The Lord blesseth Mens Faithfulness above all their sinful Carnal Policies Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his lips 3. Mens own Guilt stops their Mouths and silences them They are ashamed and afraid to reprove other mens sins left they should hear of their own Fear of Retortion keeps them from the duty of Reprehension Thus we fall into a new sin for fear of reviving an old one He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame and 〈◊〉 that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a bist Prov. 9. 7. But this is the fruit of our Pride and Ignorance What we fear might turn to our benefit The Reproof given is a Duty discharged and the Retortion in return a fresh call to Repentance for sin past and a caution against sin to come V. Instance Another Instance of Convictions of unrighteousness imprisoned in mens Souls is in not distributing to the necessities of others especially such as fear God when it is in the power of our hands to do it and Conscience as well as Scripture calls us to our Duty Men cannot be ignorant of that Text Math. 25. 40 41. where by a Synecdoche Charity to the Saints is by Christ put for the whole of Obedience and mens Eternal States are cast according to their observance of this command though I fear few very few study and believe it as they ought Thou canst saith Conscience if thou wilt relieve such or such a poor Christian and therein express thy love to Christ yea refresh the bowels of Christ do it God will repay it if thou refusest how dwelleth the love of God in thee 1 Ioh. 3. 17. This is the Voice of God and Conscience but divers Lusts are ready to lay hold on and bind this Conviction also assoon as it stirs viz. 1 The excessive love of Earthly things The World is got so deep in mens Hearts that they will rather part with their peace yea and with their Souls too than to part with it Hence come those Churlish answers like that of Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men whom I know not whence they be 2. Unbelief which denies to give Honour and due Credit to Christs Bills of Exchange drawn upon them in Scripture and presented to them by the hands of his poor Saints They refuse I say to credit them though Conscience protest against them for their Non-compliance Christ saith Mark 9. 41. Whosoever shall give you a cup of cold water to drink in my name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward He shall gain that which he cannot lose by parting with that which he cannot keep 3. The want of love to Jesus Christ. Did we love Christ in sincerity and were that love so fervent as it ought to be it would make thee more ready to lay down thy neck for Christ than thou now art to lay out a shilling for him 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 'T is our Duty in some cases
to spend our blood for the Saints So it was in the primitive times Behold â—said the Christians Enemies how they love one another and are willing to dye one for another But that Spirit is almost extinguished in these degenerate dayes VI. Instance How many stand convinced by their own Consciences what a sin it is to spend their precious time so idly and vainly as they do When a day is lost in vanity duties neglected no good done or received at night Conscience reckons with them for it and askes them what account they can give of that day to God. How they are able to satisfie themselves to lye down and sleep under so much guilt and yet when the morrow comes the vanity of their hearts carries them on in the same Course again the next day and whilst they keep themselves in vain Company they are quiet till Conscience finds them at leisure to debate it again with them Now the things which master Conviction are 1. In some men their Ignorance and Insensibility of the Preciousness of time They know 't is their sin to spend their time so vainly but little consider that Eternity it self hangs upon this little Moment of Time and that the great work of their Salvation will require all the time they have and if it be not finished in this small allottment of time it can never be finished Ioh. 9. 4. 2. The Examples of other vain persons that are as Prodigal of their precious time as themselves and entice them to spend it as they do 3. The charming power of sensual Lusts and Pleasures Oh how pleasantly doth time slide away in Playes Alehouses in relating or hearing taking Stories News c. 4. Inconsiderateness of the sharp and terrible rebukes of Conscience for this on a Death-bed or the terrors of the Lord in the day of Judgment In all these Instances you see how common this dreadful evil of holding the truth in unrighteousness is yet these are but a few selected from among many 5. In the next place I am obliged to shew how and why the imprisoning of Convictions or holding the Truths of God in Unrighteousness so dreadfully incenseth his Wrath. And this it doth upon several accounts 1. Knowledge and Conviction of sin is an excellent means or choice help to preserve Men from falling into sin There be Thousands of sins committed in the World which had never been committed if Men had known them to be sins before they committed them Every Sinner durst not make so bold with his Conscience as you have done The Apostle tells us the reason why the Princes of this World crucified the Lord of Glory was because they knew him not 1 Cor. 2. 8. Had they known him they would not have dared to do as they did And so it is in multitudes of lower and lesser sins than that Satan mops their Eyes with Ignorance then uses their Hands and Tongues in Wickedness he is the Ruler of the darkness of the World Eph. 6. 12. But when Men do know this or that to be sin and yet venture on it here an excellent Antidote against sin is turned into a dreadful aggravation of sin which highly incenses the Wrath of God. 2. Knowledge and Conviction going before adds presumption to the Sin that follows after it and presumptuous Sin is the most provoking and daring Sin from this way of sinning David earnestly beseeches God to keep him Keep back thy servant saith he from presumptuous sins When a man sees sin and yet adventures on it in such sinning there is a despising of the Law of God A Man may break the Law whilst he approves reverences and honours it in his heart Rom. 7. 12 13. but here the Commandment is despised as God told David 2 Sam. 12. 9. 'T is as if a Man should say I see the Command of God armed with threatnings in my way but yet I will go on for all that 3. Knowledge and Conviction leave the Conscience of a Sinner naked and wholly without excuse or apologie for his sin In this case there is no plea left to extenuate the offence Iohn 15. 22. Now they have no cloak for their sin if a man sins ignorantly his ignorance is some excuse for his sin it excuses it at least a tanto as Paul tells us thus and thus I did but I did it ignorantly Here is cloak or covering an excuse or extenuation of the sin but knowledge takes away this cloak and makes the sin appear naked in all the odious deformity of it nothing left to hide it 4. Light or Knowledge of the Law and Will of God is a very choice and excellent Mercy 't is a choice and singular favour for God to make the light of Knowledge to shine into a Mans mind or understanding 'T is a Mercy withheld from multitudes Psal. 147. 19. and those that injoy it are under special engagements to bless God for it and to improve it diligently and thankfully to his Service and Glory but for a Man to arm such a Mercy as this against God to fight against him with one of his choicest Mercies this must be highly provoking to the Lord 'T is therefore mention'd as an high aggravation of Solomons sin in the 1 Kings 11. 9. that he sinned against the Lord after the Lord had appeared unto him twice 5. This way of sinning argues an extraordinary degree of hardness of heart 'T is a sign of little tenderness or sense of the evil of sin Some Men when God shews them the evil of sin in the glass of the Law they tremble at the sight of it So did Paul Rom. 7. 13. When the Commandment came sin revived and he died he sunk down at the sight of it But God shews thee the evil of sin in the glass of his Law and thou makest nothing of it O obdurate heart When the Rod was turned into a Serpent Moses fled from it was afraid to touch it but though God turns the Rod into a Serpent and discovers the venomous Nature of Sin in his Word thou canst handle and play with that Serpent and put it into thy bosome this shews thy heart to be of a strange complexion 6. To go against the convincing warning voice of Conscience violates and wounds a Mans Conscience more than any other way of sinning doth and when Conscience is so wounded who or what shall then comfort thee 'T is a true Rule Maxima violatio Conscientiae est maximum peccatum The more any sin violates a mans Conscience the greater that sin is The sin of Devils is the most dreadful sin and what makes it so but the horrid violation of their Consciences and malicious Rebellion against their own Light and clear Knowledge Iames 2. 19. They know and sin they believe and tremble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they roar under the Tortures of Conscience like the Rote of the Sea or noise of the Rocks before a Storm O then if there be any degree of sense