flesh it is lost service but when In dentures are sealed in Regeneration that the man is bound to God by an hearty dedication of himself to his service and Christ hath given a considerable sum with him and undertaken for his faithfulness then the foul fals to Gods business with hand and heart and God esteems it as service and resolves to teach him the trade of pleasing God on earth that he may be fit to do it in heaven All the Ordinances of God should be for thy good If thou wert but born again and alive spiritually thou shouldst find the Word Prayer Singing Sacraments Sabbaths communion of Saints to be both refreshing and nourishing food to thy soul though now thou canst relish them no more then the white of an egg and receive no more good from them then from a dry chip then they would be as pipes to convey the water of life to chear and satisfie thy thirsty spirit If thou wert a child weak in grace Ordinances would be milk to thee if a strong man they would be strong meat though thy spiritual strength were never so small thou shouldest find they would increase it The father of eternity would take care so to nurse and feed thee that thou shouldst thrive 1 Pet. 2.2 As the head doth by the organs of sinews or nerves convey the animal spirits into the whole body and with them both sence and motion so thy head Christ Jesus would by those organs of Ordinances convey spiritual life sense and motion to thee his member Thou mightest hear the Word with much spiritual hunger and that being thy sauce would make thee both fall to and relish thy food When thou shouldst hear Christ speaking to thee and opening the Scriptures thine heart would burn within thee and as mettal melted be ready for any mould which God would cast thee into The Precepts of the word would be a light to thy feet and a lanthorn to thy paths thou wouldst love them for their purity find them to be exceeding pleasant and turn thy feet into those ways of peace Thine heart would in part answer Gods holy Law as the Counterpain the original Deed and thou shouldst so behold the face of the Lord in the glass of his Word that thou shouldst be changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 The threatnings of the word though they portend and speak dreadful thing as Nebuchadnezzars dream yet those fearful faithful dreams would belong to thine enemies and the interpretation of them to them that hate thee Those doleful threatnings of Gods wrath the delivering up of souls to go on in sin and the eternal torments of Hell like drones would buz about thine ears to keep thee wakeful but could not sting thee to make thee woful wert thou but alive in Christ thou shouldst be dead to the Law and all its curses Rom. 7.4 The promises would be precious also to thee if thou wert converted thou wouldst have the mouth of Faith with which thou shouldst suck much warm heart-cheering milk from those brests of consolation Isa 66.11 To thee the Promises would be encouragements to service the threatnings affrightments from sin the precepts directions to sanctity if thy heart were sorrowful the promises would enliven it if secure the threatnings would awaken it if full of doubts the precepts would counsel and advise it Of the Promises more in the next Head At a Sacrament Christ would sweetly feast thy soul bring thee into his Banqueting house and cause his Banner over thee to be love when others feed onely upon Elements thou shouldest feed on the Sacrament and finde his flesh to be meat indeed and his blood to be drink indeed when others stood at the door and are put off with some poor scraps as much as they came for thou shouldst be called in sit at his own table feasted with the fat things of his house drink of the rivers of his own pleasures continue under his shadow with great delight and know his fruit sweet unto thy taste when thou sawest with the eye of faith the board spred and richly furnished with variety of dainties all the Cordials and sweet-meats of the Gospel among the rest with that love which is better then wine thou shouldst hear a voice from the Spirit within thee Eat O Freind drink abundantly O Beloved which how ravishing it would be to thine ears and how refreshing to thine heart no tongue can tell O Reader hadst thou ever found at a Sacrament what it is to sup with Christ and Christ with thee thou wouldst scorn the life of an Emperor for the life of a new Creature In Prayer God and thy soul would sweetly converse together Thy petitions would ascend up to him and his righthand-kindnesses would descend on thee In this duty thou wouldst call turning his precepts into prayers and he would answer by turning his promises into performances Many many a blessing shouldst thou obtain kneeling This vessel would never return though somtimes it might seem to tarry long but richly laden The crop of Gods answer would be far greater then the seed of thy prayer out of which it grew The Prodigal desired but the liberty of a servant but the Father bestowed on him the dignity of a son the King asked life and thou gavest it him yea a length of days for ever and ever his glory is great in thy Salvation honour and majesty hast thou put upon him Ps 21.4 5. As a merchant in a morning will get Five hundred or a Thousand pound by a bargain truly thou shouldst by a duty in a morning or evening get thousands nay millions at a clap increase of grace a supply of thy spiritual wants the subduing of thy secret wickedness peace of conscience communion with God joy in the spirit which are more worth then the whole earth In brief Christ would be thy Shepherd feed thee in green pastures lead thee by the still waters and take care that thou be fat and flourishing As the root sendeth up its sap through the bark to all its living branches whereby they continue living and bring forth fruit so if thou wert but regenerated and a living branch thou shouldst derive the sap of grace through ordinances from Christ thy root whereby thou shouldst persevere in spiritual life and glorify God by bringing forth much fruit All the promises of God should be thy portion Reader thou art not able to conceive the unsearchable riches which are laid up in the promises Well may the Apostle call them exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 The promises are the great Charter containing all the priviledges which were purchased by Christ like an apothecaries shop they are full of various salves for every sore of precious remedies for every malady of choice cordials to enliven thee with spiritual consolation in the saddest condition One promise is of unspeakable worth As every precious stone so every
blood and confirmed by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9.16 17 18 19. The Lords Supper is precious because it sheweth forth the Lords blood and death 1 Cor. 11.26 pardon of sin peace of conscience the affection of the Father the sanctification of the Spirit are all precious because they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1 Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 2.13 All our comforts run in this channel the blood of Christ is the stream which bears them up and brings them to us yea Heaven it self and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious sparkling stone Heaven is the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 'T is the blood of Jesus which giveth boldness to enter into that holy place Hebr. 10.19 The precious price paid for it will speak it and make it a glorious place If thou wert once regenerated Christ would be so precious to thee at this day that all things would be dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 O the price which true Christians set upon Christ The wise Merchant sold all for this Pearl I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel which was afterwards sold for twenty thousand duckets But Christ to a Saint is better then silver and more desirable then choice gold more precious then rubies yea then many millions of worlds When the Athenian Ladies were boasting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels she told them My jewels are my husband Phocion When Alexander was asked where his treasure was he shewed them his friends Such a Jewel such a Treasure is Jesus Christ in the esteem of his Spouse his Friends Christ is all in all The pious soul is of the same minde with John of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor and made even with his Revenues he looks up to Heaven and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Master Jesus Christ to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of nothing so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ But the Christian hath a choice room in his soul for the blood of his Saviour He prizeth the shameful cross of Christ above the most glorious crown of the greatest earthly Potentate Gal. 6.14 Thus Friend it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted thou wouldst determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified O the honey which thou wouldst suck out of the Carkass the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah When thou shouldest consider that this blood of Jesus Christ is that alone which hath satissied Gods justice Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.20 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. pacified his anger justified thy person sanctified thy nature removed the curse of the Law from thee and thee from the eternal wrath of God and unquenchable torments of Hell would it not be precious blood in thine esteem think of it what a price thou wouldst set upon it but when thou shouldst in Heaven for ever behold the blessed body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and consider that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory when thou shouldst see thousands and millions in matchless and endless burnings from which thou wert delivered and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire and thy soul filled brim-full with unspeakable joy nay every part of thy body and soul enlarged to the utmost and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight and thou shouldst be confident and assured to enjoy this for ever and know clearly all this to be the travel of Christs soul and the fruit of his blood Friend friend what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Christ Surely 't will be precious blood indeed thou wouldst have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood then thou ever hadst here below The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion and the great subject of their eternal admiration Their delivery from sin Satan wrath and hell into a state of liberty love grace and salvation by the blood of Jesus will fill their eyes and hearts with wonder love and joy for ever All the voices there shall sing this song and all the vials there shall be set to this tune Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and glory and blessing Rev. 5.9.10 11 12 to end If the Queen of Sheba when she beheld the wisdom and magnificence of Solomon was so transported that there remained no more spirit in her how will thine heart be transported to see the love and glory of the true Solomon who wept and bled and lived and died to bring thee to heaven Fourthly Thou shouldst know what God is and truly this would be no smal part of thy felicity Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit divine knowledge is the excellency of a Christian and differenceth him from a Heathen The knowledge of humane things hath been so highly esteemed by some of the Heathen that they have profest they would give their whole estates to enjoy their books without interruption what then is the knowledge of divine things worth Aristotle saith That a little knowledge of heavenly things though but conjectural is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act In this world thou canst see but little of him thy sight is so weak but there thou shouldst see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 Now the Christian rather seeth and knoweth God as he is not then as he is we describe him for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions by way of negation to be a Spirit Infinite Unchangeable and the like which particulars tell us what God is not He is a Spirit that is a being without a body for God is not a Spirit as the souls of men and as Angels are I mean not of such a substance The Spirit of God in that expression God is a Spirit Joh. 4. condescendeth to our capacities because we are not able to conceive
The DOOR of SALVATION OPENED By the Key of REGENERATION OR A TREATISE CONTAINING The Nature Necessity Marks and Means of Regeneration As also the Duty of the Regenerate By GEORGE SWINNOCKE M.A. and Pastor of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire Matth. 18.3 Verily I say unto you Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven Non est via ad regnum sine primitiis regm nec sperare porest coeleste regnum cui neque super propriam regnare concupiscentian adhuc datur Bernard LONDON Printed by John Best for THO. PARKHURST at the Three Crowns in the lower end of Cheapside over against the great Conduit 1660. To the right worshipful Sir Charles Herboard Knight To the Worshipful Richard Franklin Esq John Beresford Esq Edward Ironside Esq Richard Beresford Esq And to the Gentlemen Yeomen and the rest of the inhabitants of the parish of Rickmersworth IT is the custom of our Country and if I mistake not a Statute Law of the Nation that children should be kept and maintained by those places in which they were born This book which treateth of the Babe of grace was conceived in your Parish brought forth in your Pulpit and now presenteth it self to you not for your protection and patronage but for your perusall and practice I confess that I am bound to many of you in courtesie to all in duty and I know not better how to express my thankfulness to some and my faithfulness to all then by dealing uprightly with you in the concernments of your souls Rom. 1.9 God is my witness whom I desire to serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers And can through the strength of Christ much more rejoyce in one of your conversions then in all your possessions Ye know what a large Epistle I have already written to you I beseech you to read it often To the Reader in Hell and Heaven epitomized and O that the Lord would write it within you We live in days that are full of division but all that have any face of religion or form of godliness will acknowledge the things which I have written to you to be the commandments of God My cheif work is and hath been to preach unto you Repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ which are of such infinite weight in order to your unchangeable welfares And could I prevaile with you heartily to embrace those essentials of Gods word I should have confidence of your joyful appearance in the other world T is a sign of a very foul stomach to loath such solid food as those vitals of Christianity are and to pick at Kickshaws or Sallads I mean either the new-fangled opinions of some upstart way or the vaine flourishes of humane wit O how gladly would I stand forth to your comfort at the judgment feat of Christ which that I may I earnestly request you again and again in obedience to your blessed Saviour and for the sake of your precious souls to ponder and practice these three particulars Consider that they are not onely commended to you by your weak and dying Minister but commanded you by your Maker who will within a short time reckon with you for the performance of them First Make conscience of be diligent about the means of grace neglect not secret private or publick ordinances Your bodies may as probably live without diet as your souls without duties This is Gods way by which he infuseth grace where it is wanting and increaseth grace where it is As the head by the nerves and sinews as organs conveyeth animal spirits to the whole body So doth the Churches head Christ Jesus by ordinances convey his Spirit and grace to his members Doth not experience teach you that your hearts are like water though heated a little while over the fire of the means of grace yet are no sooner taken off but they are returning to their former coldness Mariners that swim against wind and tide must row hard and continue at it if they intermit but a little while how far and how forcibly are they carried backwards It is not unknown to you if ye have any knowledge in spiritual affaires how busily and unweariedly the Devil world and flesh are drawing you to hell it highly concerneth you to be always by duties fetching in supplies from above if ever ye would arrive at heaven I do not wonder that many in our perillous times who live above duties are given up to sensuality or blasphemies The Papists say that if they can get the Protestants out of their strong holds of Scripture into the open fields of Councils and Fathers they should quickly be able to foil them If Satan can prevaile with men but to throw away the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit and the prayer of faith which engageth Christ himself in the combat he will never doubt the conquest While men wall in the Kings high way between Sun and Sun they have the protection of the Law if otherwise it is at their own peril If you keep the way of God he will be your guard but if you wander and leave him no wonder if he leave you And certainly wo will be to you when God departeth from you A dreadful night of darkness must needs be expected when this Sun is departed The ministry of the word is called the salt of the earth Mat. 5. Saints are called Doves Who are those that fly as doves to their windows Now the property of Doves is to be exceedingly in love with a salt-stone Kites and Rooks care little for it but Doves are mightily incited to it Graceless persons neglect and despise the means of grace but they that ever enjoyed God in them cannot but set a due price upon them The beggar the poor in spirit will know that door again at which he hath received a good dole I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickned me Secondly Mind the religious education of your children Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It was the wish of Crates that he were upon the top of the highest hill in the world that from thence he might cry out against monstrous parents that toile to leave their children great estates but take no care what maner of persons they should be which should enjoy those estates I doubt not but ye are careful to breed your Sons Gentlemen or to bring them up to trades that they may know how to live a few days in this world but alas how few of you are solicitous to breed them new creatures and to bring them up to Christianity that they may know how to live for ever in the other world I remember that Augustine speaks mournfully Some praise my father for being at such cost even beyond his estate in my nurture but alas his care
such the second death hath no power This is that we are most nearly concernd in O that all the disputes of the times about Pedo baptism and Church-membership might at last be reduced to this How shall I do to be regenerate how shall I get a better heart how shall I procure evidences for heaven these questions will help to make Converts whereas others wake only Scepticks and Opinionists The temper of most men in our age is to have hot braines and cold hearts their religion evaporates into fume and froth and may be likened to those eares which run onely into straw but I shalt need say the losse the doctrine of Regeneration being so amply and accurately handled in the following Treatise For the author of this work though I have not had much knowledg of him yet by that little converse had with him I judge him to be a man of a serious and gracious spirit t is excellent when the vessels of Gods house retain in them a rellish and savour of that Good wine which they poure out to others This piece I hope may be very profitable and may serve with the blessing of God to be an alarum to awaken drowsie consciences that they sleep not the sleep of death which that it may is the prayer of him who is Thy Friend and Servant in the Lord. Thomas Watson From my study at Stephen Walbrook Ian. 26. 1659. THere is extant likewise of the Authors of this Treatise an excellent Book entituled Heaven and Hell Epitomized The true Christian Characterized As also an Exhortation with Motives Means and Directions to be speedy and serious about the work of Conversion An Exposition on the whole Book of Salomons Song commonly called the Canticles Wherein the Text is explained and useful Observations raised thereupon By John Robotham Preacher of the Gospel Both sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the lower end of Cheapside AN EPISTLE TO THE READER READER IN how happy a time dost thou live when God sendeth so many and so powerfull Messengers to call thee from the ways of sin and death And how miserable and unexcusable wilt thou prove if thou be after all this a stranger to the life of faith of holiness If nature had made thee a spiritual person a child of God and an heir of heaven this Doctrine of Regeneration might then be received as strangely as it was by Nicodemus and as neglectfully as it is by careless worldlings and as disdainfully as it is by unbelieving and malignant enemies of the Holy Ghost But sooner may you hope to find a new way into the world or a state of nature besides the way of humane birth then to find another way into the state of grace and the Kingdom of Heaven beside the New birth by the Spirit Nature proclaimeth its own vitiosity to every diligent observer He that is so carnall as not to observe it in the crosseness and rebellion of his soul against God and the worlds captivity to self and flesh one would think should yet be so rational as to observe it in the confusion and inordinate behaviour of men to one another While self is exalted against the good of friends and Neighbours yea and against the common good and that so uncurably as the wars and calamities of the Nations do signifie For whence come wars and fightings among men come they not hence even of their lusts that war in their members Jam. 4.1 But the corrupted soul is so conforme to the worlds corrupted state that it is no wonder if he perceive no need of a Restorer and so be in heart an Infidel upon that account As a man born blind may think the world hath no great need of the Sun because his eyes are so conform to a state of darkness that the night seemeth to him as good as the day As all the creatures which we daily see condemne the Atheist that denieth their Creator So all the spots and blemishes of the creatures especially the universal pravity of mankind condemneth the Infidel that seeing not Original sin and misery denieth the necessity of a redeemer And the holiness of renewed souls about him doth further condemne him that doth not acknowledge the sanctifier who is the Cause The Reparation of vitiated nature is a mysterious but glorious work of God which Angels desire to pry into and all the Regenerate rejoyce in and admire as having themselves been made partakers of so sweet and excellent a share The Kingdome of darkness is a confederacy of wicked Angels and men that are all ruled by one malicious principal Governour Matth. 12.24 to 30. and 25 41. c. whose work is to marr the work of God that nature may not attaine its primitive and proper end And the Kingdome of Christ is the holy society headed by him that hath made it his undertaken work to be the repairer of depraved nature and to destroy the works of the Divel and to remove impediments and conquer opposition and carry on his healing work that nature may yet attaine its ends in despight of sin and death and Hell As ever you would not be guilty of contemning this wonderful work of Natures Reparation Elevation and Perfection see now that you over-look not the great necessity of it in your selves where one would think as it doth most neerly concern you so it should be most easy to you to perceive it No part of nature is so deploratly vitiated as the soul of man except the Divels This was thy case that readest these words as well as mine and all mens els and if thou art not Restored by renewing grace it is thy case still it is Satans business to keep thee from observing it lest the knowledge of thy misery should waken thee to accept and mind the cure If he can make thee forget it or deceive thee by flatterers and by a seeming formal outside religiousness and quiet thee in thy misery till there be no remedy but time is past and mercy gone then is he the conquerour and hath the prey he aimed at and thou art lost for ever Thy salvation or damnation lieth on thy escaping this deceit and the presumption security and impenitencie that are its consequents For this end thou hast the plain directions of Gods word the frequent warnings the close convictions the fervent exhortations of his Ministers If the Spirit set in and these prevaile and thou give up thy self unreservedly to the Lord thou art a happy man and hath received the beginning of life eternall Regeneration must give thee a new nature suitable to the heavenly Doctrines and duties propounded in the holy Scriptures or else they will seem strange and toilsome things and thou wilt savour them no more then thy food when thou art sick Till thou art Regenerate and hast a new heart and Spirit thou wilt still disrellish those saving truths that call thee higher and put the upon selfdenyal and a holy life especially when they are closely applyed to
thee for these ends Thou wilt disrelish all spiritual prayers and conference especially when they discover and condemne thy unsanctifyed carnal state And thou wilt secretly or openly have a malignant distaste or opposition against the Regenerate that live by that renewing sanctifying Spirit to which thou art a stranger and wilt look on them as a people that condemne thee by their lives unless thou canst cheat thy self into a perswasion that they are but a company of singular proud selfconceited people and really no otherwise regenerate then thy self And all the Religion and wisdome and good â—arriage which thou hast without this spiritual change may easily be thy delusion but will never serve for thy Salvation yea heaven it self would be to thee no heaven if it were set open to thee and thou hadst not the heavenly nature to suit to the heavenly employment and felicity This is the business of a converting and confirming Ministery and of the spirit and grace that works by them and this is the business that above other business lyeth upon thee in this present world even to work now in thy soul that holy love to the most blessed God who is love it self which may cause thee here to thirst after his presence and to seek his favour and to do his will and may fit thee delightfully for ever to enjoy him and everlastingly to be solaced in the beholding of his glory in the feeling of his love and in his heavenly praises and the fulfilling of his will An unregenerate unholy soul is as unfit for this as thy mortal enemy to lye in thy bosome or as toads and serpents to be the familiar companions of men or as thy Ox or Ass is to feed with thee at thy table and lye with thee in thy bed Employments and Enjoyments must have a suitable nature if the Spirit fit thee not here for heaven in this life which is given thee purposely for that end its pernitious folly to hope for a heaven for which thy unsanctifyed nature is unfit and to promise thy self a felicity of which thou art uncapable and which indeed thy very heart doth hate Thou lovest not holiness here nor the very imperfect Saints that have it how much less couldst thou love the infinite holiness of God who hateth thy sins ten thousand times more then the most severe and sharp reprover hates them If thy eyes cannot look upon the smallest candle without offence how then would they endure to look upon the Sun and that in the nearest access unto its glory And if here thy enmity to the holy will of God be such that thou pleasest not him and he and his waies are displeasing unto thee how uncapable art thou of Heaven which is a state of mutual full delight where the Saints do perfectly please the Lord and are perfectly pleased in him and his pleasure Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. They that are after the flesh do mind or savour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God And that which is born of the flesh is but flesh As that which is born of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3.6 It is therefore undenyable that till you are born of the spirit and so made spiritual all your Religion and civility leaveth you but enemies to God and in a state of Rebellion against his will and consequently in a state of death Baptism which is the Sacrament of Regeneration doth signifie this change and containe your profession and engagement to the Lord. But if you have not the Regeneration of the Spirit as well as of the water and the answer of a good conscience as well as the washing of the flesh you differ from Heathens and Infidels but as covenant-breakers differ from them that never entered into covenant with Christ at all But I must not stand too long instructing you at the door when my business is to call you in and to tell you that here is a Message to you from the Lord A Treatise of Regeneration the most necessary Subject in a stile so clean and close in words so pertinent plain powerful and pressing that undoubtedly by a serious impartial perusal joyned with sober consideration and prayer thy soul may receive unspeakable commodity Though I know not the Author I am so far acquainted with the spirit appearing in this Discourse that I dare assure thee he had very much help from heaven and dare encourage thee to study this savoury Treatise as that which containeth most certain sound and necessary doctrine directly tending to the saving of thy soul without any tendency to Heresie Schism or uncharitable cenforiousness A Doctrine necessary for the learned or unlearned the rich and the poor the honorable and the base and for men of all degrees and ranks which if it had been more heartily studied and inculcated in publick and in private by all Preachers of the Gospel instead of the humane inventions and Canons and Opinions and interests of their several Sects the Church and the consciences of the Pastors and their Flocks had been now much wholer and sounder then they are Believe it whatever thou art thou shalt never be saved for being a Lord or a Knight a Gentleman or a rich man a learned man or a well-spoken eloquent man nor yet for being a Calvinist or a Lutheran an Arminian an Anabaptist a Prelatist a Presbyterian an Independent or a Protestant formally and meerly as such much less for being a Papist or of any such grosly deluded Sect but as a Regenerate Christian it is that thou must be saved or thou canst have no hope If once this renewing Spirit have taken possession of thy soul and thou art made partaker of the Divine and Heavenly nature and art become a living Member of Christ thou shalt be saved though thou know not whether Diocesan Bishops Metropolitans Primates and Patriarks or onely Parochial Bishops be most agreeable to the minde of God and though thou know not whether any other Book than the Bible should contain the Liturgy of the Church and though thou know not in a hundred controversies of the times about Orders and Forms and Ceremonies and smaller points of doctrine which party it is that is in the right Holiness will save thee without the formalities of this party or of that but formalities will not save thee without holiness To you that are Regenerate I shall say but this keep very honourable and thankful thoughts of your spiritual birth Live now as the sons of the Eternal God and as the heirs of everlasting life Set your faces now towards Heaven as those that see the grave at hand and the vanities of this world all vanishing into
Affections by sanctification and his Life by reformation he can never obtain Salvation He cannot see that is enjoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusâ—animad lib. 2. cap 2. he cannot have his portion in it or ever attain the enjoyment of it Videre est frui Vision in Scripture is frequently put for fruition as Psa 27.13 Heb. 12.14 Isa â—3 11 Psa 34.12 Matth. 5.8 The Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Kingdom is twofold 1. The Kingdom of Grace here Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of God is not meat aâ—â— drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Matth. 6.33 2 The Kingdom of Glory hereafter 1 Thess 2.12 Now except a man be born again he can have no right to the priviledges of the Kingdom of Grace nor to the possession of the Kingdom of Glory The Text being thus briefly explained I shall glean some few ears by the way before I come to the full sheaf which will afford through the blessing of God much spiritual food to our souls 1. Observe That Christ is very willing to instruct them that come to him notwithstanding their many weaknesses Nicodemus was short in his confession of Christ and faulty in his coming to him only by night yet the meek Master overlooketh this and presently falls upon teaching his untoward Schollar The tender Father doth not turn his weak childe out of doors but lends him his helping hand wherby he might be enabled to go As when a soul is in him he doth not refuse its gold because it wanteth some grains nor its honey though it be mingled with wax Cant 5.1 so when a soul is in the way to him he doth not reject it for its imperfections nor twit it with its corruptions as those flies that love to feed on sores but as the loving parent beholdeth the Prodigal while he is afar off runneth more then half way to meet him and as the true Turtle chirpeth sweetly that he may cluck sinners nearer to himself 2. Observe A man may be a noble knowing person and yet ignorant of and a stranger to regeneration Nicodemus was a Ruler of the Jews either one of the Sanhedrim or great Council or one of the Rulers of their Synagogue one that taught others and yet was himself untaught in this rudiment this A B C of Christianity how childishly doth he talk of this weighty truth vers 4. How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born How deep may a man dive into the mysteries of Nature how sharp-sighted may he be there and yet as blind at a Mole in the things of Grace Nature may in some men be dung'd with industry art education and example and thereby shew fair spread far and overtop others but yet manured to the utmost it is but Nature still Its grapes will be the grapes of Sodom and its clusters the clusters of Gomorrah The natural man like Zacheus is too low of stature to see Jesus he discerneth not the things of God neither indeed can he for they are spiritually discerned Cor. 2.14 The wisest Philosophers that could cunningly pick the lock of Natures Cabinet and behold much of her riches and treasure were meer Ideots and fools in the things of the Spirit and understood no more of these mysteries of Divinity then a Cowherd doth of the darkest precepts of Astonomy Water riseth no higher then its fountain the light within us or Nature is but a rush candle and cannot enable us to see the Sun of Righteousness the light without us or Scripture is the star to the wise men leading us to the place where the Babe of Bethlehem lieth As the eye without the optick vertue is but a dead member so all humane wisdom without divine inspiration is but learned folly and elaborate wickedness 3 Observe That regeneration is one principal thing which Pastors ought to instruct their people in Jesus Christ though the wind of Nicodemus words verse 2 seemed to blow towards some other coast yet he waves all other discourse and speaks directly and home to this as the one doctrine necessary for his unregenerate Disciple to learn Regeneration and Salvation by Christ are the two substantial dishes which the faithful Stewards of God set constantly before the Families committed to their charges Those that preach notions instead of such doctrines do cursedly cozen their guests with flowers instead of meat which may fill the eye of the wanton but not the heart of the hungry soul Oh what a blessed pattern have we here for our practices when our Parishoners come to us or we go to them what more weighty subject can we treat of then their Conversion without which they must be punished with everlasting destruction Alas how boundless and endless is that wrath to which they are liable though their hearts are insensible therefore though their mouths do not call yet their miserie doth cry aloud to us to instruct them in Regeneration as ever we desire they should escape Damnation BUt the Doctrine which I principally intend is this Doctrine That without Regeneration men and women can never obtain Salvation Verily Verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God He or she that is not experimentally acquainted with the Second Birth cannot possibly escape the Second Death Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel Ezek. 18.31 The old heart will unquestionably carry thee to hell the place of the old Serpent He must have a new spirit that will go to the new Jerusalem Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Matth. 18.3 There must be a change from Nature to Grace before there can be a change from Grace to Glory Heaven is the Fathers house Joh. 14.2 provided for none but his children such as are born of him a man must be taken out of the wilderness of Nature and planted in Eden the Garden of the Lord before he can be transplanted into the true Paradise For the illustration of this truth I shall shew first what this Regeneration or New Birth is and then give you the Reasons why none can avoid the Second Death unless they are acquainted with the Second Birth For the first Regeneration is a work of Gods Spirit whereby he doth out of his meer good pleasure for his own glory and the salvation of his Elect at first renew the whole man after his own image by the Ministry of the Word I shall explain this definition by taking it in piece and observing in it the several causes of Regeneration When Arras hangings are opened and unfolded their richness will appear First I call it a work of Gods Spirit here is the efficient principal cause of it The Babe of Grace in this respect calleth none on earth Father It is by the Spirits overshadowing
in him that is really united to him There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 A Virgin hath no right at all to the honors and treasures of a man notwithstanding some well wishes towards him till she be married to him and become one flesh with him so a Christian hath no right at all to the great and good things which are Christs till he be married to the Lord Jesus and become one Spirit with him Union is the ground of communion probably when the flood came many hung about the Ark but the waves quickly washt them off those onely that were in the Ark were saved thus all that hang only about Christ the true Ark by a general profession will be drowned will be damned when the deluge of wrath cometh they only that are in him by a real implantation shall be saved Now saith the Apostle and observe it Reader if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore regeneration is required because by it the creature is planted into Christ Regeneration cutteth the man off from his own stock and grafteth him into the Lord Jesus Regeneration troweth the siner off from his own bottom and builds him on the Saviour as a sure foundation Regeneration is as it were the Minister which marrieth Christ and the soul together therein the soul giveth it self unfeignedly to Christ and Christ giveth himself really to the soul and thereby the sins and weaknesses of the soul the Wife become the Husbands and the riches and righteousness the home and heaven of Christ the Husbands become the Wives When God converteth a sinner he sendeth his Messenger as Abraham his Steward to provide a Wife for his only Son the Minister like the servant with Rebeckah treateth with the soul telling it how infinitely blessed his Masters Son is how rich even the heir of all things how beautiful even the fairest of ten thousands and altogether lovely how exceedingly this marriage will be for its advantage upon this the Spirit striking in the soul consenteth to take Christ for its Lord and Husband and so becometh the Spouse of the God of Isaac and hath heaven entailed on it for a Joynture I proceed now from the Explication to the Application of the Doctrine and it may be useful to us several ways FIrst By way of Information If without Regeneration men and women can never attain Salvation then it informeth us in the first place how gross and how great is the delusion of graceless and irreligious persons How exceedingly do most sinners cheat and cozen their own souls Reader it may be thou art a Drunkard a Swearer a Scoffer at godliness an Atheist in thy heart in thy soul and yet thou hopest to get to heaven O desperate delusion I tell thee either this Text which I write of and which is the word of the true and living God must be false which the Devil himself is not so great a Blasphemer as to think or thou art a brand for the unquenchable fire Do but look into the black list of those that are for utter darkness and thou mayst read thy very name written there in broad letters 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrightous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived O soul-cheater neither Forn cators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers noâ— Extortioners shall inherit the kingdom â—f God See Gal. 5.19 20 21. Gal. 6.7 8. Ephes 5.5 6. Friend I could name forty texts of Scripture which pass sentence of everlasting condemnation on thy soul and yet thou thinkest in despight of God and his word to be saved I assure thee prophane wretch thou comest short of hundreds which shall come short of heaven Many bid fair to the eyes of men by civility morality and common grace but come not up to the price to Regeneration and so miss of that place thou art every day adding sin to sin drunkenness to thirst posting in the road to hell and yet sayst that thou shalt arrive at heaven well within a few days it shall be tried whose words are truest God's or thine But if thou mayst be convinced of thy soul-flattery before it bring thee into endless misery I shall shew thee the utter impossibility of thy salvation while thou remainest in this condition There are four gates through which all must go that get into the new Jerusalem every one of which is shut lockt bar'd and bolted against thee 1. They that get to heaven must go through the gate of Election As all that were not reckoned by Genealogy were put by the Priesthood as being polluted Ezra 2.62 so all are excluded eternal life whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 20. ult Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Now this gate of Election is shut against prophaness thou hast not the least ground to imagine that thou art elected whilst thou art unconverted because God decreed all them to be sanctified whom he decreed to be saved Mark that 2 Thess 2.13 14. Who hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth The end and the way were both in Gods thoughts together Those whose names are registred in heaven their natures are regenerated on earth Whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8.30 The first rise saith one and spring of mercy is Election which breaketh out by effectual Calling and so floweth down in the channels of Faith and Holiness till it lose it self in the ocean of glory Vocation is the outward expression of God's inward intention to save a sinner or the first impression of the seal upon the wax therefore Election and Vocation are both conjoyned Rev. 17.14 nay the one is put for the other 1 Cor. 1.26 27. because they are inseparable companions so that if thy name be written in the book of life thy nature would be renewed to live a spiritual life 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.2 Therefore Reader if ever thou reachest heaven in this estate of unholiness thou must make a blot not onely in the Bible but in the very Book of Life 2. All that get to heaven must go through the gate of Christs Passion There is no name under heaven given among men by which we may be saved but the name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 And it is the death of Christ which purchaseth eternal life for Christians as the sown seed by dying bringeth forth a plentiful increase so Christ by dying bringeth many Sons to glory Joh. 12.24 Heb. 2.10 but this gate is shut against thee for those for whom Christ purchased glory for them he purchased grace The Son of God laid down the same price for both so that if ever he deliver thee from the condemning power of sin he will deliver thee from
the commanding power of sin Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so Luk. 1.71 72 74 75. Ephes 5.25 26. He gave himself for his Church observe the end that he might sanctifie and cleanse it He died for sin that all his might dye to sin Joh. 17.19 he poured out his heart blood that God might power down his holy Spirit His name is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 not only from the punishment but also from the power of their sins Now canst thou think O Atheist to make Christ an half Saviour as the Papists do a Purchaser of pardon but not of purity then questionless thou canst be but half saved and have the greatest part of thy misery still upon thee to wit thy slavery to sin But surely thou canst not think that when Justification and Sanctification are joyn'd together in the purpose of the Father and the purchase of the Son it shall be in thy power to part them asunder A third gate through which all must go that get to heaven is the gate of Scripture The Promises are the gracious deeds and evidences which Saints have to shew for their right to that glorious inheritance And it is cursed presumption to expect heaven without a promise Now God hath in many places excluded thee but in no place promised heaven to thee Look from the beginning to the end of the Bible and thou shalt not finde one good word spoken to thee there are woes and curses threatnings and judgements which thou mayst challenge as thy part and portion but no promise or saving blessing All the promises of salvation are conditional Matth. 5.8 11.28 John 3.16 yea including and expressing this very condition of conversion He that believeth shall be saved saith God Mark 16.16 And repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 the body and soul do specifically constitute the whole new man and upon those two hinges of Faith and Repentance do all the saving promises in the Bible hang therefore thy expectance of the benefit of the promise without the performance of the condition is soul-damning delusion Thou mayest like a dog snatch at the children bread the Promises but assure thy self thou hast no part nor lot in these matters This Reader is the difference betwixt presuming and believing he that believeth finding in his own soul the conditions mentioned in the promises of eternal life as namely that he walks after the spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh hath his conversation in Heaven Rom. 8.1 Phil. 3.19 and the like relieth on Christ for pardon and life upon the warrant and security of his word and promise Psal 119.114.145 He that presumeth looketh that God should perform his part of the promise in giving salvation but never mindeth whether he perform his part of the promise in observing the condition Let thy conscience be judge whether thou art not such a presumtuous person and therefore doest in vain look for the fruit of the promise 4. All that get to heaven must go through the gate of mediate communion heaven must be nigh thee before thou canst be in heaven it is fellowship with God in this world which fitteth for fellowship with God in the other world without holiness none shall see God Heb. 12.14 because without holiness none can see God an unholy mind cannot behold him an unholy will cannot enjoy him unholy affections cannot delight in him an unholy man in heaven could not finde it a place of happiness for 't is not a Turkish Paradice but a place of holy pleasures 't is mediate communion which doth capacitate the soul for immediate communion and as the weaker eyes may behold the Sun in its beams then in its glorious body at the highest in a clear day so a smaller degree of holiness will enable the soul to see God in the glass of his ordinances then to see him face to face Now thou canst not enjoy him in this imperfect degree much less in a state of perfection If thou sayest that thou hast fellowship with him and walkest in darkness thou liest 1 Joh. 1.6 Mark If thou sayest that thou enjoyest fellowship with God and leadest a sinfull life thou tellest a broad lye all that enjoy the Ordinances of God do not enjoy the God of Ordinances all that go to Church do not meet with Christ What cummunion hath light with darkness or Christ with Belial truly no more hath God with thy soul Princes are not so prodigal of their intimate friendship and favour as to throw them away upon their foes Thy carnal minde is emnity against God God is a profest enemy to thee and therefore can they ever walk together till they be agreed now there is a necessity of walking with him before thou canst be translated to him Gen. 5.21 or else thou hast found out a nearer way to heaven then the children of God went in Besides the Scripture speaketh plainly that he who hath a true hope of heaven doth purifie himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 True hope begetteth and increaseth holiness now doth thy hope cause thee to purifie thy self when like an infant thou pollutest thy self liest contentedly in thy filth and never mindest cleansing Now tell me Reader whether thou doest not sadly cozen thy self in dreaming of salvation without regeneration when God predestinated all to be conformable to the image of his Son in purity whom he predestinated to be conformable to the image of his Son in glory Rom. 8.29 when Jesus Christ suffered not onely to procure pardon but for all his freedom from the power of sin when the promises of the Gospel do express regeneration as the indispensable qualification of all that shall be saved Acts 3.19 and when thou art so far from being capable of immediate communion hereafter that it is impossible that thou shouldest in thy carnal estate have mediate communion with him here canst thou continue in thy thoughts that heaven shall be open to thee when the hand of Almighty God hath shut it against thee and blocked up every way which leads to it to keep the out and how deceitfull and desperately wicked is thy heart to promise thee if thou wilt serve sin and the world the beautifull Rachel of heaven when after all thy slavery to thy lusts thou shalt be put off with the blear-eyed Leah of Hell Believe not O Reader The wicked one if thou lovest the life of thy soul he may by his lying spirit in thy heart as sometimes in the mouth of Ahabs false prophets perswade thee to go on in thy sinfull courses and promise thee as he did Ahab that thou shalt prosper but if thou doest not perish if thou followest such counsel the Lord hath not spoken in his Word I tell thee man God hath no birthrights for such prophane Esaus nor inheritances for such
through the streets of London with twenty mules laden to show his pomp but as the triumph passed through Cheapside the beasts stumbled brake their collars cast their coffers and then the lids flying open discovered his riches to be nothing but old shooes and boots torn stockings old iron and totter'd rags I tell thee Reader though now thou mayst be wonder'd at for thy spiritual wealth yet as soon as thou stumblest into the other world 't will be tried 't will be known whether they be real or imaginary riches Paul told his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.19 I will come to you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power What will ye shall I come to you with a rod or in love O Friend not Paul but Jesus Christ himself will come to thee by death shortly and will know not thy speech in being puffed up with a shadow of profession but the power and try whether thou hast the substance of Religion Now man what wilt thou shall he come to thee with a rod or in love shall he send good Angels to guard thee to Heaven or evil Angels to drag thee to Hell When David was going to encounter with Goliah he told Saul that he could not go with the armor which Saul had put on him because he had not proved it 1 Sam. 17.39 And darest thou enter the list against a far greater enemy even death with that armor which was never proved be confident if thou fightest without armor of proof death will foil thee The day of Judgement will try thee then naked breasts will be in fashion and God will rip thee open before the world nay if thou wilt not now examine thy self to thy conversion he will examine thee then to thy confusion When the Judge shall be a consuming fire and the whole world be in a flame and thou be tried by a fiery Law Hebr. 12.28 2 Peter 3.10 Deut. 33.2 'T was a sharp kind of examination by which Paul was examined Acts 22.14 The chief Captain commanded that he should be examined by scourging 'T is a sad kinde of examination by which many Countreys examine Malefactors upon the wrack putting them to exquisite pains Reader Remember that if thou dost not examine thy self at this day God will examine thee at the last day and 't will be an examination upon the wrack an examination with scourging it will be a word and a wound every blow will fetch blood every interrogation will be a stabbing stinging killing question When Christ shall say to thee Sinner how didst thou dare thus to cozen and undo thy soul what madness possessed thee thus to dally about matters of infinite and endless moment Hadst thou examined thy self according to my word and found thy self lost there had then been some hopes of life but I tell thee now 't is too late Well I le rip thee open before Angels and men and cause thy conscience with its gnawing worm and stinging gripes to examine thee eternally The fire of hell shall try what mettal thou art that will prove thee to purpose O friend think of this seriously and speedily for that day of Christ will declare thee and Alas alas who shall abide the day of his trial or who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and as fullers sope All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom thou shalt then have to do If thou art afraid to venture a trial in the low Court of Conscience where his Word shall be thy Judge with what fear and trembling wilt thou appear at his bar when he that searcheth thine heart trieth thy reins and will reward thee according to thy works shall sit upon the Bench Therefore cast up thy accounts before God and thy soul whilst there is hope of making all even lest thou do as some Tradesmen who neglect so long to cast up their books till at last their books cast them up Thirdly consider it is possible to know whether thou art new born or no. I do not set thee to beat the air or to work at the labour in vain A Christian may be assured of his regeneration and thereby of his salvation They which have the law of God written in their hearts may be able to read it David when his deeds and evidences were not blotted with his foul offences could discern them clearly Thy law is within my heart Psalm 40.8 When the Sun ariseth he bringeth his naturall light with him whereby he is discovered to the world A diamond set in a gold-ring bringeth such an orient sparkling with it that it causeth men to discern it truly so the Sun of righteousness when he ariseth in the soul bringeth a spiritual light along with him which helpeth the new creature to behold him and the Diamond of Grace casteth such a sparkling lustre in the heart of a Christian that it thereby becomes visible Regeneration makes a wonderful change and alteration now great alterations of State are not without observation Doth a Kingdom change its Governor a cruel arbitrary Tyrant that fleeced them and slew them at pleasure for a mild merciful peaceable Prince that ruleth them with a righteous scepter and not take notice of it Can a creature change his master sin and flesh for Christ and his Spirit his work of serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 for serving the Lord with singleness of heart and not observe it When the man is new made Christ cometh into his heart with his Spirit Graces Gospel great Guests when they come into an house have many eyes upon them the King of Glory doth not come with such a train and retinue in secret the gradual change from grace to grace is not so visible but a specifical change from nature to grace is undoubtedly sensible when the ground that before brought forth nothing but weeds and thistles comes to bring forth wheat an ordinary person may perceive the difference though how this wheat groweth is not so perceptible Every new creature doth not know the time nor manner nor means of his conversion but every one may know that he is converted The mother doth not know how she comes to be quick but she knoweth that she is quick for the feeleth the childe to stir in her womb how the shadow moveth on the dial we cannot see but that it moveth we see plainly in that its opposite at night to the place where it was at noon Though conversion be not ever sensible in the act yet it is sensible enough by its effects and the reason why it is not in all alike visible is because it is not in all alike violent God converteth some by Boanerges sons of thunder others by a Barnabas a son of consolation to some he comes as on Mount Sinai Exod. 19. with thundrings lightnings and a great noise to others as to
brains dasht out his great care is every day to conquer his corruptions The body of sin and death to which he is tied is as noisom to his soul as a dead body to his senses Lust is as burthensom to him as a withered arm which hangs on a man like a lump of lead Never did prisoner more ardently desire to be rid of his fetters then this Saint to be freed from subjection to his sins The distressed Jews did not groan so much under their Egyptian slavery as this true Israelite for spiritual liberty O wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Rom. 7.29 His great end and endeavor in every providence and every Ordinance is not the repression but the ruine of this evil of sin If the Sun of mercy shine warm upon him he makes use of it to put out the kitchin fire of wickedness When God folaceth his spirit with extraordinary kindness the sacrifice of thanksgiving that he offereth up is the beast of some sin which he layeth on the Altar and poureth forth its blood before the Lord When the storm of affliction ariseth he enquireth for the Jonah which raised the tempest and endeavoureth that he may be cast over-board and drowned And as he makes use of divine Providences so likewise of divine Ordinances for the weakening his corruptions In prayer like the sick childe he pointeth at the place of his pain he indicteth accuseth and condemneth sin and intreateth that it may be executed his prayers and tears are his daily weapons wherewith he fighteth against his most inward and secret wickedness When he perceiveth lust like Adonijah usurping the throne of his heart he goeth in to God as Bathsheba to David sighing and saying Did not my Lord promise his servant that the true Solomon should reign in my soul that Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace should sway the scepter in my spirit And now behold his foes which thou hast sworn to make his footstool have trayterously aspired to the Crown and forcibly made me subject to their commands As Esther he is very desirous of these Hamans destruction and watcheth continually for a fit opportunity to present his Petition to the King of Kings for that end and when in any duty he seeth the God of glory to hold out the golden Scepter of mercy towards him O then he beggeth for justice If I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it please the King let the life of my soul be given me at my Petition and the death of my sins at my request Did thy dear Son die for sin and shall thy poor servant live in sin shall not these thine enemies which would not have thee to reign over me be slain before thy face Order my steps by thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 Thus by prayer as by one main piece of his spiritual armour he becomes prevalent The Romans overcame their enemies sitting that is the Senate by their prudent counsels but the Christian kneeling by his holy valour he wrestleth with God and through the power of Christ gets the victory 2 Cor. 12.6 And because the devil of some lusts will not be cast out without fasting and prayer therefore he joyneth fasting to supplication and trieth to starve his corruptions Before-hand he fitteth himself for that day of purging out his ill humors by the preparatory potion of meditation The consideration of his sins how bloody and hainous in their nature how crying and crimson in their circumstances makes his physick work the better He thinketh before The day of mourning for offending my father is coming and then I will slay my brother Jacob my dearest and nearest sin This man bringeth under his natural body which he may lawfully cherish that he may abate the strength of the body of death as men sometimes in a feaver open a vain and let out their blood though it be not bad that they may weaken their enemy In reading and hearing the Law of God he setteth his lusts naked before that sword of the Spirit that they may be hewn by the Prophets and slain by the words of Gods mouth He desires that it may pierce deep to the dividing of soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow and to the discovering of the thoughts and intents of his heart His voice to the Minister is like the Prophets to his neighbour Smite me I pray thee and likes him best that in smiting wounds his sin most he approves of that Chirurgion that searcheth his wounds throughly though he put him to pain he rejoyceth that the Preacher revealeth to him his errors that he may follow them with Hue and cry till they are taken and punished and so Gods pursuit of him may be prevented If the Minister give him a bitter pill of reproof he doth not like a queasie stomach favour his malady and loath his medicine but takes it down willingly knowing that though such things be not toothsom yet they are wholesom and that they must be bitter things that breaks the bag of worms in his stomach sweet things will nourish and cherish them He is glad that the word is fire that thereby his dross may be consumed that it is water because his heart thereby may be washed and purified He hideth the word in his heart that he may not sin against God Psal 119.11 He goeth to the Lords Supper that the blood of his sins may be shed by the blood of the Saviour The Cross of Christ is the souls armour and sins terror there is life in it for the death of sin Pliny saith that the fasting spittle of a man will kill Serpents Sure I am the blood of Christ applied by faith will mortifie sin and therefore the Saint frequenteth the Sacrament He goeth to it as Naaman to Jordan to be cured of his spiritual leprosie when he approacheth the table of the Lord and seeth in the bread broken and the wine poured out by faith Jesus Christ crucified before his eyes O how his heart burneth within him in hatred and indignation against his sins and in desires after and delight in his Redeemer He beholdeth there the knives of his pride unbelief hypocrisie malice and the like all redded in the blood of the Mediator and now his eyes sparkle with fire and fury and his soul swelleth with wrath and revenge against them were but his hand answerable to his heart I mean his power to his will he would put sin to as much pain make it suffer as much shame cause it to undergo as cursed a death as ever Jesus Christ did Now this frame of spirit exceedingly pleasing to the King of Saints he bespeaks the soul at the Sacrament as Herod did the damsel Ask of me what thou wilt and I will give it thee to the half nay to the whole of my Kingdom The soul having before consulted with his regenerate part for this
sunshine of the Gospel the table of the Lord is to thee the table of devils the leaven of thy unregeneracy turneth that passover into pollution Christ himself is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Peter 2.8 This Sun of Righteousness which the sound eye of the regenerate beholds with much pleasure is not beheld by thy sore eyes without much pain The Red-sea of his blood through which the true Israelites pass safely into the celestial Canaan is destruction to thee being an uncircumcised Egyptian The very Grace of God is turned by thee into wantonness Jude vers 4. Thou makest sowre vinegar of that sweet wine and makest use of those gales to help thee to Hell which were sent to help thee to Heaven Vnto thee who art unbelieving and defiled is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 As the Earth hath the greatest cold in the bottom of it when the Sun shineth on it with the greatest heat to qualifie it So is thine heart dead and cold under all the warm influences of ordinances What a dreadful condition art thou in that those priviledges which are choice blessings to others should be cursed to thee and greaten both thy sin and suffering The fruit of those trees which stand in the Sun groweth greater then of those which grow in the shade so do thy sins under the Gospel of Christ wax greater then of those which want it Matth. 11.21 22 23. Hebr. 10.28 29. And as these sacred advantages increase thy corruption so also thy destruction When the physick which should remove the distemper cooperates with it it brings death with the more speed and pain No creature more terrible then fire and no fire so terrible as that which is taken from the Altar Take fire from the Altar and scatter it over the City Ezek. 10.2 they thought the fire of the Altar had been onely for the expiation of sin Calv. in loc but God makes them know that t was for the desolation of their City But thou art not onely cursed in what thou hast but also in what thou doest All thine actions whether inward or outward whether worldly or religious are all sinful and cursed Like the Leper under the Law thou taintest what ever thou touchest and makest it unclean Thy thoughts the first-born of thy soul and thy purest off-spring are all vain thine heart is a sink of sin an ocean of corruption and therefore is ever sending forth and bubbling up mire and dirt The imaginations and thoughts of thy heart are evil only evil and that continually Gen. 6.9 Thy words are wicked the inward wheels of thy spirit being disordered the clock of thy tongue cannot strike true The inward dunghil reaketh and sendeth forth its stench much this way Rom. 3.13 14. Thy mouth is full of cursing and bitterness The poison of Asps is under thy lips thy throat is an open Sepulcre like a grave when opened sending forth noisom and stinking exhalations Thy calling is not without its corruption The ploughing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 Thy very eating drinking sleeping buying selling what ever thou dost is evil though such actions are indifferent in themselves for all indifferency lieth in generals yet as done by thee from wicked principles and for wicked ends they are stark naught Nay thy very religious actions are sinful and unacceptable to God The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 Thine incense stinks of the hand that offereth it therefore the heart of God cannot away with it Isa 1.13 14 15. 66.3 The vessel of thine heart is not clean and God will not taste of the liquor which cometh out of it because thy person is not accepted thy performances are all rejected Thou art in the flesh and therefore canst not please God Rom. 8.8 Thy duties are done without heart or heat and being dead carcases without spiritual life must needs be unsavory Thus man art thou miserable who art in a state of nature thine unregenerate heart being like some filthy fen or as some write of the Lake of Sodom which continually sendeth up poysonous vapors O into what dangerous Dilemmas doth thine unregeneracy bring thee If thou enjoyest the means of Grace by abusing them thou increasest thy misery Hebr. 10.28 If thou neglectest them thou leavest thy self without remedy and perishest unavoidably Prov. 29.18 Rom. 10.15 If thou art in prosperity the sunshine thereof doth but ripen thee for ruine as the Sun the grape for the wine-press of the Lords wrath Prov. 1.31 Psal 69.22 If thou art in adversity the fire thereof doth but harden thine heart of clay 2 Chron 28.22 Thy misery as Plutarch writes of drums to Tygers maketh thee mad Plutarch lib. de uper sat thou frettest like one in a frenzy 2 Kings 6.33 against the Lord If thou rejoycest thy laughter is from the teeth outward Is not thine heart many a time heavy when thy looks are lively Prov. 14.13 Doth not conscience when thou like Belshazar art carousing in thy cups spread forth an hand-writing before thee a black List of thy sins and Gods wrath which turneth all thy mirth into mourning at best thy laughter is but like the crackling of thorns under a pot which maketh a short blaze and busling noise and then vanisheth into smoak and ashes Dan. 5.5 6. Isa 57.21 If thou weepest thy tears are puddle-water and so thy worldly sorrow here but a pledge and earnest of thy sufferings hereafter If thou livest long thou heatest Hell the hotter every day treasuring up wrath upon thine head against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 If thou diest soon thou makest the more haste to Hell taking a short cut to thy long and doleful home If thou lookest upward thou maist see God frowning and his wrath revealed from Heaven against thee Rom. 1.18 thou mayst behold as it were the Heavens and their Host ready every moment to discharge Gods curse like a thunderbolt upon thee if thou lookest downward thou mayst see hell gaping as the earth did to Corah and opening its mouth wide to swallow thee up quick if thou lookest within thee thou mayst see conscience which thou hast abused as the Philistines did Samson by putting out its eyes causing it to grind at the divels mill and making sport with it resolving when it shall recover its strength to be avenged on thee and to make thee perish though it perish with thee If thou lookest without thee there is no sight but what may call thee to sighs and sobs If thou lookest upon the creatures are not they armed with stings and murdering Instruments on the behalf of their Creatour and alwayes ready to let fly at thee who art a Rebel against his Majesty If thou lookest into Scriptures there is a table richly spread which they that are born of God sit at with Adoption remission peace love the purchase of Christ the comforts of the Spirit which thou as the unbelieving Lord mayst see but
it possible for them to speak to thee when thou art in the other world it must be the same answer which the King of Israel gave a poor widow in her distress Help my Lord the King saith she If the Lord help not I cannot help saith the King such would their answer be to thee If the Lord help not we cannot help But friend what will thy case be when they cannot help and God will not help what a poor helpless creture wilt thou be for ever Secondly It will teach thee the severity of the Lord. Now possibly thou knowest what the pain of the teeth is or what the fury of a fevor or what the violence of the gout or what the wrack of the stone is but not what the wrath of the Lord is though these things speak it somewhat yet thou dost not believe it at all but then feeling will be believing Suppose every part of thy body were as much tortured as ever thou hast felt any one part and that for ten thousand years how heavy would it be to bear This were but a fleabiting to what thy body must undergo in hell And yet the torments of thy soul will be the soul of thy torments in the other world thou shalt know what the worm that never dieth what the fire that never goeth out what blackness of darkness what to be tormented day and night what weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth what destruction from the presence of the Lord what the wrath of the lamb meane Mark 9.43 44. 2 Thess 1.7 8. O t is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 12.31 His wrath is as the roaring of a lyon Amos 3.4 as a terrible earthquake which makes the hils to quake Psal 18.7 8. as the rage of a bear robbed of her whelps Hos 13.8 It is a devouring fire the most terrible of all Gods creatures Tophet is prepared of old for unregenerate ones it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Isa 3. ult Fire which is so irresistible that thou art but straw and stubble before it so intolerable that thou wilt moan and mourn sigh and sob under it so unquenchable that when it is kindled in Gods anger it shall burn to the lowest hell Deut. 32.6 This fire I say will speak a little what that great fury is which thou shalt feel I have read that a frown of Queen Elizabeth kild Sir Christopher Hatton Cambden Elizab. the Lord Chancellour of England What then will the frowns of the King of Nations do If the rocks rent the mountains melt and the foundations of the earth tremble under his wrath what wilt thou do When God shall with one hand strike thee according to his infinite anger and with his other hand support thee by his infinite power to feel the stroak of that fury who can expresse or conceive what thou shalt endure When thou considerest that the wrath of God hath thrown millions of Angels our of heaven drownd a whole world destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone opened a flood-gate of matchless miseries and let them in upon Adams posterity thou mayest conceive a little what it is But when thou considerest that this cup of the Lords wrath made Jesus Christ who in his person was true God when he did but sip of it to be all over in a bloody sweat in a cold winters night and that in such abundance that the clods of blood trickled down from his face to the ground and when he drank it off to cry out in bitterness of soul and anguish of spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me what apprehension wilt thou have of the indignation of the Lord Well all this must fall on thee if thou diest in this estate how darest thou any longer to provoke the Lord to anger art thou stronger then he 1 Cor. 10.22 The Roman would not contest with his Soveraign that could command Legions Wilt thou by sin contend with that God Matth. 18. â— 18. and 21.13 Iude 6 7 12. ver Mark 9.44 who can command fire to burn thee chains to binde thee brimstone to choak thee Lions to tear thee Serpents to sting thee scropions to scourge thee darkness to fright thee Devils to wrack thee Worms to gnaw thee millions of woes to seise on thee and Hell to hold thee to feel all this for ever Ah! who knoweth the power of thine anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Psal 90.11 3. It will teach thee the woful nature and fruits of sin Now thou canst mock at mischief and sport with sin as if it were nothing but Good Lord what thoughts wilt thou have of thy most pleasureable wickedness in the other world when the sensual delightful streams thereof shall be dried up with the scorching heat of Gods wrath and nothing left but the mud of horror and vexation Sin dogs thee up and down all the while thou livest as the Fowler doth the flying bird conscience will ever now and then give thee a gripe have a fling at thee whether thou wilt or no but when the bird settles then the gun goeth off so when thou art settled in thine own place then expect the murthering piece After thy death the vermin of thy lusts will crawl in thee and feed upon thee Thou shalt see all thy millions of sins like an Army set in order and marshald in rank and file before thine eyes and every one with their envenomed arrows poysonous bullets and wounding weapons set in array against thee First Original sin the Commander in chief marcheth up in the front after that thine innumerable actual transgressions thy carnal-mindedness unbelief pride adultery hypocrisie drunkenness swearing lying malice hatred envy unrighteousness atheism blasphemy profanation of the Lords-day undutifulness to parents unthankfulness for mercies unprofitableness under the means of Grace incorrigibleness under afflictions thy secret private publick sins thy omissions commissions thy personal relative sins all these and many which thou now never thinkest of shall let flie whole vollies of shot upon thee Then thou wilt know that 't is sin which hath made thee so like to Satan that 't is sin which hath separated God and thy soul that 't is sin which hath shut heaven against thee that 't is sin which hath brought thee into Hell that though sin be delightful in the act yet t is dreadful 't is damnable in the end O 't will be sin indeed there Now thou walkest lightly under the weight of those grievous sins which make the whole Creation to groan but then thou wilt feel sin to be a burthen too heavy for thee to bear A massy piece of timber floating upon the waters and swimming may be drawn this way or that way by one man but when it is once grounded he cannot stir it 't
well-head and therefore needest not fear the least want Thine appetite there would be ever fresh after God and thy satisfaction ever ful in God God would be to thee any thing every thing all things which thy heart could possibly desire God is so sweet and satisfying a good to his people on earth that they have found the loss of other things abundantly made up in his favour and love Hab. 3.16 17. 1 Sam. 30.6 though he communicated himself but in small drops by slow degrees unto them O then what would God be to thee in heaven when he would give of himself abundantly and continually unto thy soul If all the delightful objects and pleasures which the whole creation here below affordeth were united into one and bestowed upon thee and thou wert to live a thousand years in the enjoyment of it this were not worth one day in Gods courts in this world much less one hour or one moments enjoying him in the other world In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Psalm 16. ult Though all words are too weak to utter the Saints happiness there yet David speaks much in this verse For quality there is joy there is pleasure What canst thou wish which is not contained in those two words hope of future joy made the man of sorrows contented under his shameful and bloody cross how comfortable wilt thou be when thou shalt have it in hand For quantity fulness of joy or a torrent of which thou shouldst drink full draughts without interruption or intermission Thy joy would be pure without mixture and perfect without measure The Masters joy or the joy of thy Lord In his presence the fruition of God is the fairest flower in the Garland of Honor and that alone which gives compleat satisfaction to the soul He is the Heaven of Heaven and other things are but accessary to this Principal yet other things there would afford comfort through the God of consolation The sights there would please thine eyes for thou shouldst behold not onely perfect Saints but the pearless Saviour thine eyes should see the King in his glory there is a great difference between seeing a King in his ordinary attire and on his throne with his robes and all his signs of Majesty The sight of the Saints would much delight thee to see those heirs in the possession of their inheritances When Cyneas the Ambassador of Pyrrhus had beheld the state and magnificence of the Roman Senators and People he was so exceedingly taken with it that at his return from that City of Rome being asked how he liked it and what he thought of that state he answered That he saw as many Emperors as Senators and that it was a Commonwealth of Kings Such would Heaven be to thine eyes a Common-wealth of Emperors and Kings wherein every Saint would have a robe of honour a scepter of power a throne of majesty and crown of glory Surely such sights would fill thee with wonder and joy to behold all the children in their Fathers house so richly clad so daintily feasted and so highly advanced as they shall be there But O the joy which will possess thee at the sight of the Lord Jesus who as the Sun will shine gloriously indeed in the midst of those Stars and as a Judge be known by his robes from all the Justices on the Bench. If it were so good to behold him here in his estate of humiliation and in his mourning weeds what will it be to behold him in his estate of exaltation and in his bright sparkling and glorious robes Truly that light will be sweet and it will be pleasant to behold that Sun As the sights there would please thine eyes so the sounds there will please thine ears I have read of a Divine that when he heard rare musick on Earth he was much taken with it presently cried out O the ravishing musick which is in Heaven How will thy spirit be taken when thou shalt hear the new song the song of the Lamb sung by the pleasant voices and play'd upon the harps of the thousand thousands that are before the throne of God who rest not day or night but say and sing Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4 8. and ult O how much might I expatiate here and shew thee that whatever is requisite to happiness would be enjoyed by thee there If honor could make thee happy thou shouldst there have an eternal weight of glory such a weight that if thou wert not upheld by the power of God would press thee down If pleasures can make thee happy thou shouldst drink of the rivers of pleasures which flow from the blessed God for ever such pleasures as thine eyes never saw thine ears never heard and thine heart can never conceive If a gallant glorious seat could make thee happy thou shouldst be happy Thou shouldst dwell in a City Rev. 21.19 20. whose Builder and Maker is God its gates are of pearl and its pavement of pure gold The house which thou shouldst live in is the Fathers house that house which the mighty Possessor of Heaven and Earth hath erected with his own hands to be the place wherein he will shew all his riches magnificence grace goodness and glory If rest could make thee happy thou shouldst rest from all thy labours enjoy an eternal Sabbath There the spiritual oppressors cease from troubling there the weary are at rest If good company could make thee happy thou shouldst have the society of all the Saints sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Prophets Apostles and all the children of God in the Kingdom of Heaven thou shouldst enjoy the many millions of holy Angels the dearest Jesus and the ever blessed God If food can make thee happy thou shouldst eat of the hidden manna of the bread which came down from Heaven of the tree of life which groweth in Paradice and drink of the water of life Rev. 22.1 2. which is clear as Crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. If life can make thee happy thou shouldst have that eternal life which is from God in God and with God In a word whatever were needful for thee or could be joyful to thee or desired by thee in order to thy happiness thou shouldst have it Thirdly Thou shouldst know the vertue and preciousness of the blood of Christ the Apostle doth not without cause when he compares the blood of Christ with silver and gold infinitely prefers it before them and call it precious blood 1 Pet. 1.19 Indeed 't is that which as the diamond to the ring addeth worth and value to what ever 't is joyned The two Testaments are precious because they are both sprinkled with the
Martyrs he was earnest to know what it was which carried them through with so much courage One of them there being two and twenty at that time under the tormentors hands answered Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Upon the hearing of which words Adrian was converted and sealed the truth with his blood Thou hast heard much more concerning the happiness of the Saints in the other world then one verse of Scripture how art thou taken with it Doth the joy there nothing affect thine heart nor enlarge it in salleys out after it O that that joy that glory that house that eternal heaven were mine Doth it nothing resolve thee against sin and for Christ answer God in thy conscience Some write that forty one of Alexanders friends drunk themselves dead for a crown of gold of One hundred and eighty pound weight which the King had provided for them which drank most God offereth thee a crown of glory not corruptible as silver and gold are but eternal art not thou ashamed that those swaggerers should cursedly lose their lives and souls for a fading crown when thou wilt not leave thy lusts thy sins for an ever-flourishing crown of glory O man bethink thy self whilst thou hast time and do not as prophane Esau prefer thy mess of pottage before these spiritual priviledges and the eternal purchase Cleopatra the Egyptian Princess told Marcus Antonius when she saw him-spending his time vainly and meanly much below the quality of a Prince It is not for you to fish for Gudgeons or Trouts but for Towns and Cities and Castles and Kingdoms So say I to thee It is not for the to lie spending thy time and strength and beating thine head and heart for an hoard of dust or an heap of earth which shall shortly take its eternal leave of thee but for spiritual riches for durable riches and righteousness it 's not for thee to busie thy self about toyes and trifles but about the image of God the blood of Christ the Covenant of Grace the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Heaven the eternal weight of Glory O these are worthy of all thy thoughts and words and actions of all thy time and strength and health of all thy name and estate and interest whatsoever If thou att a rational creature Swinham Court of Wards and Liv. let reason prevail with thee and shew thy self a man of understanding It was the custom formerly in England to try one that was beg'd for a fool in this manner an apple or a counter with a piece of gold was set before him if he take the apple or the counter he is cast for a fool in the judgement of the Court as one that knoweth not the true value of things or how to make choyce of what was best for him Truly thus it is with thee God setteth before thee the counters and carnal comforts of this world the true gold and unutterable happiness of the other world nay he layeth before thee the eternal pains of hell and the eternal pleasures of Heaven to try which thou wilt take now if thou wilt take a poor portion below and leave the purchased possession above if thou wilt to abide in thy sensual lusts chuse the torments of hell and refuse by not submitting to the rule of Christ the joys of heaven art thou not a fool in grain surely the Devil will beg thee for a fool for ever therefore shew thy self wise by chusing that which is of greatest worth I call heaven and earth to record this day against thee that I have set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live Deut. 30.19 The third Subject of Consideration The Excellency of Regeneration THirdly Consider the excellency of that which the Lord requireth of thee for the avoiding of that easeless endless misery of the damned and the attaining the unspeakable and unchangeable felicity of the saved Reader I pray thee speak to God in thine heart and tell him what is the reason thou art so willing to go to Hell and so unwilling to go to Heaven Sure I am as thou art a living creature much more as a rational man thou hast a natural inclination and propensity towards thine own good and felicity and therefore thou canst not love Hell directly as it is torturing and wracking of thy soul and body though thou dost love it eventually as 't is the end of thy fleshly ungodly life Well I le undertake for once to dive into thine heart and tell thee the reason of thy backwardness towards heaven and thy forwardness for hell The reason is this thou lookest on the power of godliness as distasteful to thy flesh or disgraceful to thy name the yoke of Christ is too strict t is not the end that displeaseth thee thou couldst contentedly be happy but t is the narrowness of the way and the straitness of the gate with which thou art dis-satisfied 't will not afford thee room enough for thy beloved lusts is it not so let conscience speak Well I hope by the help of God to make thee of another minde when thou hast throughly read this Head which I am now writing of It is the saying of Plato That if moral Philosphy could be seen with moral eyes it would draw all mens hearts after it Sure sure I am that if Regeneration or the Divine nature were seen with divine eyes 't would draw mens hearts and heads and hands and all after it All that ever struck at it did it in the dark They spake evil of things which they knew not Reader what is that which God requireth of thee Is it not to leave thy slavery to Satan thy bondage to sin and to accept and enjoy the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Is it not that thou shouldst be divorced from sin that mishapen monster and spawn of the Devil whose person is deformed whose company is defiling and whose portion is damnation and that thou shouldst be married to Jesus Christ the fairest of ten thousands the heir of all things who would adorn thee with the jewels of his graces beautifie thee with the Imbroydery of his Spirit wash thee with his own blood array thee with his own righteousness and present thee to his father without spot to be blessed in his full immediate enjoyment for ever Is it not that thou shouldst cease thy drudgery to Hells-Jaylor live above the perishing profits bruitish pleasures empty honors of the world and flesh and that thou shouldst walk after the Spirit walk with God warm thine heart at the flame of his love bathe thy soul in angelical delights have thy conversation in Heaven here and thy habitation there hereafter Is not this Man the sum and substance of what the Lord requireth of thee and art thou not shroudly hurt would not these
cause thee to blossom and bud and ripen in the fruits of holiness There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Why doth he send the nipping winter of adversity but to kill the hurtful weeds of thy lusts This is his end in afflicting even the taking avay of sin Isa 27.9 He useth the flail that the huskes may flie off when one key will not open the door of thy heart he will try another Why doth he interweave mercy and affliction that his providences towards the children of men are chequer-work white and black black and white mercy and affliction affliction and mercy but because his infinite wisdom seeth that this mixture will suit best with his ends the purifying and renewing his creature If all the year were summer the sap of the trees would be quite exhausted if all were winter it would be quite buried If thou hadst nothing in thy body but natural heat it would burn thee up if nothing but moisture it would drown thee therefore thy radical moisture allayeth thy natural heat and thy natural heat giveth bounds to thy radical moisture and each well tempered make an excellent constitution of body If thou hadst nothing but mercy thou wouldst be wanton and conceited if nothing but misery thou wouldst be too much dejected therefore God sendeth mercy to make thee cheerful and misery to keep thee awful The good Physician tempers his drugs wisely and weigheth them exactly and so prescribes and gives them as they may best conduce to the carrying on of his own end the spiritual health of his Patients Fifthly Regeneration will appear to be excellent in that it is the special work of God himself Grace is the immediate creatue of God man can ruine but not renew himself Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 1.13 Man may lay some claim though there also God is the principal to the fatherhood of our fleshly beings but God onely can lay claim to the fatherhood of our spiritual beings Holiness is a beam of light darted forth from none but the Sun of righteousness We are his workmanship Ephes 2.10 His workmanship both by way of efficiency and excellency How beautiful is that structure which hath such a Builder what a rare work must that be which hath such a workman Surely that is a choice plant which is of Gods own planting O who would not be in love with so fair a child for the fathers sake The creation of our outward beings as we are men Iob 10.8 1.10 is the work of God Thy hands have made me and fashioned me Psal 119.77 God makes every man as well as the first man Nature and natural causes are nothing but the order in which and the tools with which he is pleased to work Now this work of God is excellent it is the Master-piece of the visible Creation Man is the fair workmanship of a wise Artificer saith one Heathen The bold attempt of daring nature saith another One of the Ancients calleth man The Miracle of miracles Another The measure of all things A third The worlds Epitome The world in a small volume The body which is the worst half of man Psal 1 â—9 14.15 is curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth and made in secret as curious workmen when they have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to the light for men to gaze on In thy book were all my members written Psal 139.14 15. A skilful Architect who is to set up some stately building will draw a model of it in his book or upon a table before he will adventure to set it up to be sure that it shall be done exactly So to shew what an exact piece the body of man is God is said to work it by the book But the soul which is Gods work too is a more exquisite piece the body is as it were the sheath Dan. 7.15 the soul is the glittering sword the body is but the cabinet this is the jewel 't is by this that man claims kindred with the Angels in Heaven and surpasseth all creatures on Earth Consider then if this work of Gods hands this visible Creation be so excellent how excellent is the invisible Creation the creating man in Christ unto good works Surely that is curious work workmanship indeed The Tables of stone hewed immediately by the hand of God and on which he had with his own fingers written the Law was such a piece that mortal eyes could not behold it without astonishment and admiration What a rare Manuscript was that where the book the matter the writing were all of Gods own making and doing But the writing of the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart by the Spirit of God is much more glorious I am very willing Friend to convince thee of the excellency of Regeneration and therefore would speak more to this head Think of what thou pleasest which thin eunderstanding can judge excellent and thou shalt finde the image of God far more excellent Is wealth excellent Luk. 16.11 1 Tim. 6 7. Mat 6.19 â—0 Prov. 8.18 this is the true riches others are but the shadow this is the substance other riches are but for a short time these are for ever durable riches and righteousness Other riches will go only as brass farthings in some particular places in this beggarly low world of earth but these like gold and silver go in all countries are currant coyn even in the higher world of Heaven Is wisdom excellent this is wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning the word fignifieth the apex the top the perfection of wisdom Prov. 1.7 Job 28.2 The pious man is the prudent man He alone can judge rightly of things set a due price upon things propound to himself the noblest ends and use the best means therefore he is called by way of eminency A man of wisdom Mic. 6.9 The knowing subtle Pharisees for want of this were but learned fools Matth. 23.17 Sinner and Fool are Synonima's in Scripture The English word Fool is thought to come from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth wicked Is beauty excellent Grace is the greatest beauty the beauty of holiness Psal 110.5 O how comely is the new creature never any saw it but fell in love with it The Spouse of Christ is the fairest among women Thou art all fair my love thou art all fair Cant. 4.1 Godliness is such a beauty that as I have said before God himself is taken with it Sin is a spot a defilement this beauty is inward it sits upon the face of the most noble part of man the Soul and thereby is the more comely its lasting not liable to the rage of a disease or wrinckles of old age but always increasing whilst here to a greater perfection Is pleasure excellent Godliness is
that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Gen. 28.20 21. Truly do thou say as he did Since the Lord is the God that keepeth me in all my wayes that gives me bread to eat and raiment to put on he shall be my God O do not give him ever cause to complain Hear O heaven and give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up a child and he hath rebelled against me Deut. 32.15 Thirdly Is there not all the reason in the world that wares or houses or any other thing should be for the use and service of him that paid a dear price for them If thou shouldst buy a beast at an high rate thou wouldst think thou couldst never have service enough of him Friend Thou didst cost the blood of the Son God Jesus Christ bought thy service at a dear rate Thou art not thine own thou art bought with a price therefore glorifie God in thy body and spirit for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20 Thou needst not grudge the Lord Jesus thy time and talents thy thoughts and words and estate and the utmost which thou art able to do Alas he paid dearly for it He died that he might be Lord of dead and living that whether we live we should live unto the Lord or die we should die unto him Rom. 14â— 8. O how little is thy service worth that Christ should purchase it with such an infinite sum We say of some children they had need to be dutiful children they cost their mothers dear many sharp throws and great danger of death O how dutiful hadst thou need to be who didst cost Christ such hard labour such throws from God and men death and divels thou art never able to conceive what a price thy Redeemer paid what pain he suffered to procure thy service and wilt thou deny the Lord that bought thee Plinie saith that blood will quench fire should not the blood of Jesus Christ quench the fire of thy lusts In all countries the ransomer of a bondman is to be his Lord no slavery so great as thine was no price ever paid so great for liberty therefore no service so great as that which thou owest If thou hadst done all that he commandeth thee thou hadst done but thy duty and mightst say thou wert an unprofitable servant what art thou then that never didst any thing O think of it seriously Redemption by the blood of the Saviour is a bloody obligation to service and if thou continuest a rebel t will be a bloody aggravation of thy sin What evil hath Christ done to thee that thou walkest contrary to him Ah friend to render good for evil is divine but to render evil for good is divelish Fourthly Is there not all the reason in the world that he who hath bound himself Apprentice to a Master promised solemnly to be his faithful servant sealed Indentures before witness engaged himself by vows covenants protestations and oaths should perform his promises and walk in every thing answerable to his bonds and obligations Wast not thou in Baptism solemnly dedicated to the service of God Did not thy parents seal the Indenture on thy part before the Lord Angels and Men that thou shouldst live according to the Laws and for the glory of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Hast not thou listed thy self under the colours of Christ the Captain of thy Salvation and sacredly tied thy self to obey his commands and to fight under his banner against the devil world and flesh and wilt thou run from thy colours and turn to thine enemies and conspire and fight against Jesus Christ It was a custom in the Primitive times that such as were baptized did wear a white Stole a ceremony signifying the purity of life which the baptized were to lead Now there was one Elpidophorus Fulgentes animas vestâ—s quoque candida signat who after his baptism turned a persecutor Muritta the Minister who baptized him brought forth in publick the white Stole which Elpidophorus had worn at his baptism and cried unto him O Elpidophorus This Stole do I keep against thy comming to Judgement to testifie thy apostacy from Christ So be thou assured the water with which the Minister by whom the people before whom thou wast baptized will rise up against thee in Judgement if thou dost not walk in newness of life Luther speak of one that when tempted by the devil to sin answered that she was baptized and could not yield to him Remember that thou hast received thy Saviours press-money and therefore mayst not fight Satans battels Wast thou never partaker of the Lords Supper Didst thou not then with John stand by the cross of Jesus Christ and behold his blessed body bleeding under the knife of his Fathers wrath how 't was wounded for thy transgressions bruised for thine iniquities when thou didst take a sacred oath to be the death of those sins which were the death of thy Saviour and to live to him that died for thee when thou didst espouse Christ and his quarrel to thy self and engage to live and die with him and canst thou like a dishonest wife run a whoring after thy heart-idols and forget the Covenant of thy God Was there not a time when thou didst lie upon a sick bed and in thine own apprehension wast nigh the gate of death when thy sinful fleshly life began to flie in thy face and O the thoughts which thou hadst concerning thine appearance before God in the other world and thine endless estate there when thou didst pray hard O spare me a little Lord spare me a little that I may get some grace some spiritual strength before I go hence and be no more seen when thou didst promise O if God would then hear thee and try thee a little longer in this world thou wouldst turn over a new leafe lead a new life forbear thy former corruptions evil companions mind the service and glory of the infinite God and thine own eternal good And is all this nothing now God hath heard thee and delivered thee shouldst not thou now hear him and obey him Did thy sik-bed promises die when thou didst recover Psal 66 13 14. 116. 3 4 9. O follow Davids practice I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in distress Theodoricus Archbishop of Colen Aenâ—â—d Sylv lib 2. com de reb Alphon. when the Emperor Sigismund demanded of him the most compendious way to happiness made answer in brief thus Perform when thou art well what thou didst promise when thou wast sick Friend look back upon the time when the guilt of thy sins perplexed thee the fear of death surprised thee and the horror of Hell began to lay hold on thee and remember the promises
which then thou didst make and as ever thou wouldst have God trust thee again be true to thy word be not as the marble watry and moist in such stormy weather and yet still retain thine hardness These are I suppose rational questions and surely thou canst not but be satisfied of the equity in them Well art thou resolved to the obey the counsel of God and to live like a rational creature Surely here is a threefold nay a fourfold cord which is not easily broken Canst thou slip those oaths as easily as Monkies do their collars and break these bands in sunder as Sampson did his cords O consider that man was possessed with a devil whom no cords could hold and without question thou art also if such bonds oaths obligations as these are cannot hold thee do not draw thee to the Lord and binde thee to his commandments To end this first help to holiness which is serious consideration I must request thee to read it again and weigh the particulars which I have offered to thee If thou wilt ever be taken I should think that one of these baits should catch thee either that the necessity of Regeneration should drive thee or the felicity of the regenerate draw thee or the misery of the unregenerate affright thee or the equity of regeneration perswade thee unto holiness Here are all sorts of arguments imaginable if thou art ingenuous here is love and mercy to melt thee if thou art stubborn here is endless and easeless misery to move thee if thou art for the best things here is excellency for to allure thee if thou art rational here is equity to prevail with thee Friend what shall I say to thee or wherewith shall I overcome thee Hath not the world conquered thee with arguments which had not the thousandth part of that weight which the least of these hath and shall not thy Maker Preserver Redeemer prevail with thee by setting before thee the horror of hell the happiness of heaven the beauty of his image the reasonableness of his service and the indispensable necessity of thy being his servant Is it possible that thy soul so closely besieged round about with fear and fury and fire on the one side with favour and love and life on the other side should not surrender unto Christ What objection canst thou have which here is not answered What good canst thou desire which here is not offered and why wilt thou not yield It is thy priviledge that thou art a subject capable of Gods image It was mans primitive purity Gen. 1.26 oh 3.6 Gen 6.9 Col. 3.10 Psa 17. ult that he was adorned with the image of his Maker Ah what a glorious shining piece was he when he came newly out of Gods Mint it is mans unspeakable misery that he hath lost Gods image his recovery here consisteth in having Gods image imprinted on him in part and his felicity and pefection hereafter in having this image stamped on him fully and compleatly And canst thou then be unwilling to be made like unto the blessed God Surely sin hath bound thee strongly and Satan possessed thee strangely if none of these things overcome thee Friend Art thou not desirous to fare well in the other world then ponder these Subjects of consideration seriously and frequently when thou liest down and when thou risest up when thou goest out and when thou comest in thou little thinkest what such serious frequent thoughts may produce Whilst David was musing a fire was kindled within in him Psal 39. Consider what I have said and the Lord give thee understanding in all things The second help to Regeneration An observation or knowledge of those several steps whereby the Spirit of God reneweth others souls and a pliable carriage and submissions to its workings and motions in thine own soul I Come now to the second help which I promised towards Holiness and Regeneration and that will branch it self forth into these two particulars First An observation or knowledge of those several steps whereby the Spirit bringeth home wandering sheep into the fold of Christ Secondly A pliable submission to the workings and motions of the holy Ghost as at any time he maketh his addresses unto thee For the first of these thou art to understand that conversion is not wrought all together and at once but by decrees as in the generation of a childe first the brain heart and liver is framed next the bones sinews nerves and arteries then the flesh is added so in regeneration first the sinner hath the seed of repentance and faith in the sense of his sins and misery and the sight of the mercy of God in Christ then some desires after Christ next some affiance on Christ and after these an hearty acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour The match between Christ and the soul is not hudled up in haste Christ first goeth a woing The Father offereth a large portion with his Son the creature considereth his terms how lovely his person is what his precepts will be what advantage he shall have by the marriage and by a deep and powerful energy of the Spirit consenteth to take him for his Lord and husband First the first step is Illumination The spirit of God doth in the first place open the eyes of the blind Vide more of this p. 24 5. and turn men from darkness to lght here is illumination and then from the power of Satan to God here is regeneration Act. 26.18 Before the Sun of righteousness ariseth on the soul there is a day-break of light in the understanding John Baptist who was the forerunner of Christ and sent to prepare his way before him did it by giving knowledge of salvation Luke 1.76 77. It is observable that in the covenant of grace the mind is still spoken of to be renewed before the heart Heb. 10.8 9. Jer. 31.33 For t is by the understanding that grace slips down into the affections Satan indeed that cruell Jaylor secures his captives in the dark dungeon of ignorance They are strangers to the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 When that uncircumcised Philistine hath taken any Sampson prisoner the first thing he doth is to put out his eyes when this is done he can make sport enough with him The evil spirit strikes men blind as the Syrians were and then leads them whither he pleases But the good spirit opens their eyes and sheweth them that they are in their enemies hands liable every moment to be murdered and then sets bread and water before them Conversion is called a translation out of darkness into marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.3 The sinner travelleth in the dark night of his natural estate and mistaketh his way he loseth himself in the mist of ignorance but when the morning commeth the man seeth that he hath gone in a wrong path then he befools and is displeased with himself and turneth about All the while the
creature hath his understanding darkened he walketh in the way of the flesh and the world and believeth that to be the right way to happiness but when the spirit of God enlightneth the mind the man seeth that he was exceedingly mistaken begins to wonder at his own folly and wickedness to abhor himself and change his course I will bring the blind by a way which they knew not Isa 42.16 17. I will lead them in paths that they have not known I will make darkness light before them then what followeth they shall be turned back they shall be greatly ashamed Till the understanding of a man be enlightened to see the deformity of sin and the beauty of holiness he will never heartily loath and grief for the former love and long for the latter As it is in some hot climates though the Sun shine very hot there yet when there is no entrance for it into mens houses t will not scorch or heat the inhabitants sin is of a scorching nature but when the understanding which is the window into the house is kept shut that it can have no entrance into the heart no wonder if the sinner feel no pain God hath made the same organ for seeing and weeping T is the eye of knowledg which affects the heart Zach. 12.10 They shall see him whom they have pierced and mourn sight of sin doth precede sorrow for sin as soon as ever the infant cometh into the light it cryeth though all the time it was in the dark prison of the mothers womb it was quiet Secondly Ioh. 16.9 10. the second step which the spirit takes is conviction to convince the sinner The sun which did before enlighten his mind doth now slide down with its heating and scorching beams into the conscience That knowledge which the sinner had of his sins before was speculative but now becomes practical making sin like a lump of lead upon tender flesh that the conscience is exceeding press'd and oppress'd with it Conviction is the application of the nature of sin and danger of sinners to himself in particular which before he knew in the general as in the twilight before the Sun ariseth a man may see abroad but he cannot see in his own house but when the Sun ariseth a man can see both abroad and at home within his own doors So before the Spirit approacheth the soul in a way of conviction the sinner could see abroad he knew that the soul that sinneth must die that they which do such and such things cannot inherit the Kingdom of God he knew these things in the general but he could not see in his own house in his own heart that he himself was a great sinner a dead a damned creature for though he would in his prayers acknowledge that he had broken the Law and was thereby liable to the wrath of the Lord yet he did it but customarily and formally not beleeving what he spake for should another man come to him and tell him O Friend you daily provoke God and are every hour in danger of hell he would flye in his face and tell others that he was a very uncharitable man and all because the sinner could not see in his own house but when the Sun of righteousness ariseth the sinner can see within as well as without doors he seeth the hainous nature of his own sins and the grievous danger of his own soul The Spirit of God convinceth the sinner of four things First the Spirit convinceth him of his great and innumerable corruptions The man before knew in the general that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and would confess himself a sinner formally and slightly but now he feels himself a sinner and finds experimentally that he is a polluted poisoned creature The Spirit of God holdeth the glass of the law before the eyes of his soul and makes him whether he will or no see what dirt and deformity is in the face of his heart and life Without the law there is no transgression and without the knowledge of the law there will be no conviction As one of the persecutors in the days of Queen Mary searching an house for a Protestant askd an old woman in the house Where is the Heretick she points to a Chest of linnen upon which stood a looking-glass and bid him look there and he should see him he lookt there and still asked Where is he She meant that he himself was the Heretick and in the glass he might see himself So before the Holy Ghost came to convince this sinner if the minister at any time had preached against pride unbelief carnal-mindedness hypocrisie and the like his voice was Where are these men Surely the Minister meets with such and such in his Sermon but now the spirit in his conscience speaketh to him what Nathan did to David Thou art the man Thou art the proud carnal hypocritical cursed sinner which the word of God meaneth the man cannot deny it The Holy Ghost puls off his rags and plaisters and makes him see all his nakedness and sores it lanceth his wounds before his eyes and now he beholdeth the venemous matter and corruption which is in them that he little thought of before Formerly he esteemd himself to be sound comparing himself with them that were worse or not minding the inward meaning and extent of the law of God but now by the law the spirit brings him to the knowledg of sin Rom. 7.7 It sheweth him the depravation of his nature how full it is of pollution even as full as ever toad was of poison how empty it is of all good nay what an enemy it is to God and godliness it sheweth him the abominations of his heart how the imaginat on s and thoughts of his heart have been evil onely evil and that continually the provocations of his life how full that hath been of lusts and sins even as the firmament of stars it sheweth him the evil of his thoughts of his words of his deeds his omissions in his closet in his family his commissions abroad at home it sheweth him his idolatry in setting up Self as his God in bowing down to it and worshiping it his adultery in going a whoring after the creatures loving fearing and trusting them more then the creatour who is blessed for ever It sheweth him how he hath dishonoured the name of God grieved the spirit of God undervalued the Son of God violated every command of God how he hath sinned against the first command in not worshipping and glorifying God as the only true God and as his God and in giving that honour to others which is due to him alone against the second in not worshiping God according to the word but according to the traditions of others or his own inventions against the third in not reverencing the name word and works of God against the fourth in not sanctifying the Sabbath to Gods service but
prophaning it either by idleness or worldly labours or omission of duties and ordinances against the fifth in not carrying himself according to his duty towards them that are above him equal to him or below him Against the sixth seventh eighth ninth and tenth in wronging his neighbours either in regard of life chastity goods name relations either in thoughts words or actions It sheweth him the darkness of his understanding the stubbornness of his will the disorderedness of his affections the hardness of his heaâ—t the searedness of his conscience the mis-improvement of his outward parts how his eyes have beheld vanity his ears been open to iniquity all his senses been through-fares to sin all the members of his body instruments of unrighteousness how from the crown of the head to the soals of his feet there is no sound part in him nothing but wounds bruises and putrified sores It is not one or two sins that trouble this sinner but innumerable evils compass him about whole swarms of these Bees flie in his face and sting his conscience it may be one sin did first set upon him some sin against the light which God had given him and now that creditor hath cast him into prison all the rest come and clap their actions upon him to keep him there his sins in his dealings with men in his duties to God his sins against seasonable corrections against merciful dispensations his sins against the motions of Gods Spirit against the conviction of his own spirit against light love purposes promises they all compass the sinner round that he cannot escape now he sees the ugly loathsomness of all his lusts how they are against an infinite God against a righteous Law against a precious soul how by reason of them he is wholly unlike God and become the very picture of the Devil and truly now he is far from having those flattering thoughts of himself and favourable thoughts of his sins which formerly he had for sins part t is abounding polluting poisonous sinful sin He seeth the wrinckles of this Jezabels face under her paint and O how ugly is she in his eyes and for himself he is more out of love then ever he was in love with himself Some say after they have had the Small-pox that they come to see themselves in a glass they look so ugly by reason of their spots that they cannot endure to see themselves Truly this poor sinner beholding himself in the glass of the Law and viewing those hellish spots of sin all over his soul and body he abhorreth himself in dust and ashes This is the first thing the Spirit convinceth the soul of and that is sin When he is come he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 God never cured a spiritual Leper but he caused him to fall down first and cry out unclean unclean Secondly The Spirit convinceth him of his miserable and dreadful condition Now the commandments of God come to the soul sin reviveth and the sinner dieth He thought before that he was whole a sound man to have little need of a Physician but now he both seeth his sores and feeleth his wounds Ministers before had frequently told him of his dangerous damnable estate but he had a shield to keep off all their darts He was not so bad as they took him to be somewhat they must say for their money and besides though he were as bad as such precise censorious Preachers would make him to be yet God was a merciful God and Jesus Christ died for sinners and he hoped to be saved as well as the best of them but now God comes to him as he did to Adam after his fall Adam where art thou Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I said unto thee thou shalt not eat Sinner where art thou Dost thou know what thou art doing and whether thou art going how darest thou prophane my day blaspheme my name scoff at my people neglect my worship cast my Laws behinde thy back and hate to be reformed Darest thou provoke the Lord to anger art thou stronger then he how will thine heart endure or thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Dost not know poor dry stubble that 't is a fearful thing to fall into my hands for I am a consuming fire Now the sinner heareth the voice of God and is afraid Alas alas thinks he I am a dead a damned man the Almighty God is angry the weight of my sins at present is heavy but the sufferings which I am every moment liable to are infinite and eternal O that I should ever be born to do as I have done Now the lightnings of divine fury flash in his eyes and the canons of the Laws curses thunder in his ears he seeth a sharp sword of pure wrath hanging by a slender thread of life over his head he feeleth the stingings of his sins those fiery serpents at his heart There is no rest in his flesh because of Gods anger nor quietness in his bones because of his sins the arrows of the Almighty are within him and the poison thereof drinks up his spirit the waves and billows of God go over his soul and he sinketh in deep waters God writeth bitter things against him and makes him to possess the sins of his youth Now the man is calmed he will hear what God speaketh before though God himself had told him out of his word what a wicked wretched man he was he would not minde it but storm and rage at it he was like a wilde Ass snuffing up the wind and as an untam'd heifer impatient of the yoke he would kick and fling like a mad man What he give credit to the doctrine and submit to the severe discipline of a few whimsical Puritans that must be wiser then all their neighbors no not he though they shewed him the very hand of God in Scripture to those warrants which they desired him to obey But now he is of another mind for the Law hath shut him up under sin and guilt Gal. 3.22 The Law hath pent him in and shut him up that he cannot possibly get out As Lions Bears and wilde beasts are tamed by being shut up and kept in so the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 shuts the sinner up under it and keeps him in that his former starting holes cannot help him and thereby tames him While he was unconvinced of his sins and misery his conscience was seared not troubled at all the threatnings which were denounced against him but now his conscience is sore touch it which way you will you put him to pain tell him under this conviction of his drunkenness or swearing or atheism or eagerness after this world heartlesness about the things of the other world his neglecting God in secret of not instructing and praying with his family tell him how cold and customary he was in his devotion saying to others that they took more pains for heaven
thousands of rivers of oil nay though the first-born of thy body all these could no be a propitiation for one of the least sins of thy soul no no the redemption of a soul is more precious for all these it must cease for ever Thus God ferrits the sinner out of all his Borows and causeth the poor Prodigal while he is wandring from his Father to finde a famine in all the creatures As a General that besiegeth a City doth not onely play in upon it with his Cannons and Granadoes but also secure the several passages stop all provision that no relief can come to it then they will yeild upon his terms So when the Spirit besiegeth the soul it often plyeth it hard with the batteries of the Law and alwayes stoppeth relief from coming in either from the world or a mans own righteousness and then and not till then will the creature yeild upon the terms of the Gospel Fourthly The Spirit convinceth him of the willingness sutableness and al-sufficiency of Jesus Christ to help and heal him The sinner now in his burning fit is very thirsty like Hagar he sits weeping for his bottels are empty and his creature comforts are found by experience to be broken cisterns which can hold no water he knoweth not what to do how can I see the death of my soul thinks he When the sinner is brought to this strait the spirit of God openeth his eyes to see a well of salvation even Jesus who delivereth from the wrath to come The spirit discovereth to the sinner that though his wound be dangerous because the God whom he hath provoked is resolved either to have his law satisfied or his eternal wrath endured yet that it is not desperate for there is Balm in Gilead and a Physitian in Israel that can heal his soul It convinceth him that Christ is a sutable help bread to the hungry water to the thirsty rest to the weary and heavy-laden that he hath a precious salve made of his own blood which is a proper and pecular remedy for his sores It convinceth him that Christ is an alsufficient help that he can supply all the souls wants be they never so many and bear all the souls iniquities be they never so weighty that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 It presenteth to the soul his fitness and fulness in regard of his natures and offices and the impossibility of his being unfaithful to this great work of saving poor sinners for which he came into the world It sheweth the sinner the infiniteness of Christs merits and his omnipotency to help because he is God the examples of other wounded diseased persons who surrendred themselves to the care of this Physitian and were cured He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father and ye see me no more John 16.9 10. That is the world shall be convinced that there is righteousness enough in me to satisfy both the law and law-giver in that I shall appeare in my fathers presence and that with acceptance he would not send an Angel as his officer to roll away the stone and release the surety out of prison the grave and bring him before the Judge with so much credit and countenance if the law were not satisfied and the debt fully discharged Heaven could never have held me ye would have seen me upon earth again if I had not done that work perfectly which the Father gave me to do He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father It convinceth him that Jesus Christ is exceeding willing to save poor sinners that he is joyful that any will accept him for their Saviour that he came from heaven to earth was born meanly lived miserably and died shamefully meerly upon this errand that he might seek and save them that are lost that he inviteth him to come to him and promiseth that he shall be welcom that he calleth them that go from him but casteth away none that come to him Thus when the prodigal is in a far country and cannot fill his belly so much as with husks that he is ready to perish for hunger he is shewd and convinced that there is bread enough in his Fathers house When the sinner is like the Israelite in the wilderness beholding the curse of the law like the Egyptian behind him and pursuing him hard the red sea of divine wrath before him into which he is hastening his crimson and bloody sins like mountains on each side of him incompassing him round that he knoweth not what to do then the spirit biddeth him look up to Jesus and he shall see the salvation of God The third step which the spirit takes is anhelation to cause the soul of the convinced sinner to breath and pant after Jesus Christ breath is the first effect of life Conviction hath emptied his stomach of creature confidence and self righteousness made him poor in spirit and O how hungry he is after the righteousness of Jesus Christ the bread which came down from heaven As the thirsty ground cleaves and opens for drops as the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth his soul after Jesus Christ God blessed for ever thinks he O when shall I come and appear before him His voice is like Rachel Give me children or I die Give me the holy child Jesus or I die or like Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me if I go childless Ioh. 12.21 O what wilt thou give me if I go Christiess or like the Jews to Philip Sir we would fain see Jesus Mat. 28.5 If the Angel should meet him he might bespeake the soul as he did the woman I know what thou seekest thou seekest Jesus which was crucified O the ardent desires the vehement longings the unutterable groans which this poor creature hath after his Saviour as David he cryeth out Who will give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Where is that blessed guide that can leade me and help me to drink of the water of life Methinks I see how Jesus Christ presents himself to the eye of the dejected souls understanding in all his glory and gallantry in his sutableness unto the sinners indigencies and sufficiency for all his necessities with the freeness of his mercy the fullness of his merits and the sweetness of his love how he appeares before the soul with all his retinue and train of graces comforts his blood his spirit the favour of God freedom from sin wrath hell on the one hand of him there stand his gracious promises of pardon peace adoption sanctification heart-chearing love and everlasting life On the other hand of him there stands his precious precepts of self denyal crucifying the flesh walking after the Spirit despising the sensual pleasures honours and profits of this world and delighting in God walking with him having the conversation in heaven and rejoycing
thy self under the rotten house of thy own righteousness for be confident 't will fall about thine ears and thou like Zimri will perish in it The Law of man denieth allowance from the Parish to them that have any thing of their own to subsist by and the Gospel of God denieth allowance from the righteousness of Christ to all them that have of their own for their maintenance Do not think to piece thy rags up with Christs robes for it will not be allowed go to Jesus Christ stark naked for his glorious raiment altogether poor for his precious riches there is a necessity of being found wholly in him or wholly out of him there is no medium The Hare which being pursued trusteth to her own legs is torn in pieces by the Dogs when the Coney that runneth to the holes of the rock is safe The man that pursued by the Law leaneth on his own sanctity loseth his own soul when he that fleeth to the wounds of a crucified Christ is sure to be saved Behold saith God I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone Isa 28.16 1 Pet. 2.6 a precious corner-stone a sure foundation He that believeth on him shall not be confounded As I would have thee careful that thou carry nothing to Christ so also that thou keep nothing from Christ When Israel went out of Egypt to serve God there was not a hoof to be left behinde There must be no reservation no exception but an absolute hearty dedication of thy self and all thou hast unto Jesus Christ if thou halfest or haltest now thou art an undone man As Samuel asked Jesse Are all thy sons here and denied to sit down and feast with him till all were present so truly Christ will deny to close with thy soul to sit down and sup with thee unless all thou hast be present and unfeignedly devoted to his service But in a special manner be careful that no sin be kept from the stroke of Christ As when Paul came to Ephesus the whole City was in an uproar so now the Lord Jesus is coming into thine heart there will be old stir among thy corruptions how strongly will they plead if not for their formes open allowance yet at least for a secret inward connivance little dost thou think how busie Satan will be for a writ of partition that since he cannot prevail for all thy heart that yet he may be admitted an equal sharer with Christ he will tell thee but remember that he was a Liar from the beginning that thou mayst keep thy sins and thy Saviour too that Christ is not so strict but that for a fair agreement he will allow somewhat to the flesh But I beseech thee not to think of any League with the least of thy lusts Surely if thou seest any loveliness in Christ thou canst not but judge every sin loathsom besides he were a poor Saviour if he could not make thee amends for thy parting with the most pleasureable or profitable sin Who would think that thou like David shouldst plead for Absolom for sin when it seeks to bereave thee of thy crown and life Truly shouldst thou gratify Satan so far as to hide any wedg of gold or Babylonish garment any one lust I must tell thee that one be it never so small would like a little boy put in at a casement open the door of thine heart for many theevish lusts and great ones too to enter in If thou allow the old Serpent but room for his head he will quickly wind in his whole body Sir Francis Drake being in a dangerous storm upon the Thames was heard to say Must I who have escaped the rage of the Ocean be drowned in a ditch Surely thou mayst so far comply with Christ as to take thy leave of scandalous enormities yet if thou reservest favourable thoughts towards any secret iniquity thou destroyest thy self And it will be all one whether thou art slain by a small Pistol or by a great Cannon Corruption may close with religion a great way saith a Divine and hear gladly and do many things Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. ser 7. but there is a particular point of strictness in every unregenerate mans case which when it is set on close to him causeth him to be offended and stumble as in the young man and Herod This is the difference between hypocritical and sincere conversion That goeth far and parts with much and proceeds to almost but when it comes to the turning point and ultimate act of regenerate he then plays the part of an unwise son and stays in the place of the breaking forth of children as a foolish Merchant that in a rich bargain of a thousand pound breaks off upon a difference of twenty shillings but the other is content to part with all and to suffer the loss of all to carry on the treaty to a full and final conclusion to have all the armour of the strong man taken from him that Christ may divide the spoiles Reader thou knowest upon what terms thou mayst contract a bargain with Christ for the saving of thy soul that thou must not think to have him for thy Saviour unless thou wilt accept him for thy Lord also As Boaz told his kinsman that if he would enjoy the inheritance of Ebimelech he must have Ruth the Moabitess to be his wife so say I to thee if thou wilt have the inheritance the portion of Jesus Christ thou must have his person for thy husband and resign thy self to be ruled by his precepts The Jews that stayed themselves upon the God of Israel and yet continued rebellious were more bold then welcom Isa 48.1 2. Now thou art come thus far do not go back and to save a pin lose a Kingdom Thou mayst be confident that nothing can ever be enjoined thee by Christ but what is reasonable and honourable tending to thy real and eternal good as well as his own glory therefore now the Master is come and calleth for thee do thou answer Lo I come to do thy will O my God thy law is in the midst of my heart Friend if the Spirit of God hath been so favourable to thee as to kindle such motions as I have mentioned within thee for the Lords sake cherish them obey them lest thy quenching the Spirit bring thee to that fire which can never be quencht To day if thou wilt hear his voice harden not thine heart lest he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest The third help to Regeneration A serious constant use of all the means of grace which God hath appointed for the renewing of souls with an expectation of a blessing from God THirdly if thou wouldst be Regenerated Be serious and constant in the use of all the means of grace which God hath appointed for the begetting souls unto Christ with looking unto God for a blessing Reader Observe five particulars in this third help to
Objection answered namely Mans weakness and inability to turn unto God THou mayst probably object against this Exhortation to minde Regeneration That thou hast no power to leave and loath sin to believe in and submit to Jesus Christ Therefore why do I call upon thee so earnestly to what purpose do I bid thee make thee a new heart and a new spirit turn unto God and embrace his onely Son as thy Lord To this and the other subsequent objections concerning Election and thy sinfulness in performing duties I might answer onely with the Apostle Who art thou that replyest against God Rom. 9.20 or with Eliphaz Shall mortal man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his Maker Job 4.17 But I will answer with Elihu Suffer me a little and I will shew thee what I have to speak on Gods behalf I will fetch my knowledg from a far and will ascribe righteousness to my maker For truly my words shall not be false He that is perfect in knowledge is with me Job 36.2 3 4. First I confesse See more of mans Impotency p. 111. to 117. that thou art unable either to loath sin or love God by thine own strength The precepts of the word speak mans duty but Gods power They teach us not what we can do but what we should do because a man ought to pay his debts therefore it doth not follow that he is able to pay them Divine commands are to convince men of their weakness not to shew their strength I acknowledg that by nature thou art dead in trespasses and sins and canst neither see nor hear nor savour spiritual things Eph. 2.1 Thou art without strength Rom. 5.6 not able to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 nor to speak a good word Mat. 12.34 nay thou canst do nothing that is acceptable to God Joh. 15.3 or profitable to thy self None can be aforehand with God We cannot seek him till we have found him he will be sought that he may be found and found that he may be sought saith Bernard Secondly I answer that the cause of mans weakness is from himself the fault is not in God God made man upright but he hath found out many inventions Eccles 7.29 What was there wanting on Gods part He created man after his own image in knowledg righteousness and true holiness he gives him a law to direct him a threatning to warn him a promise to encourage him ability and power to carry himself uprightly Man hearkeneth to Satan distrusteth God despiseth the Law tryeth new inventions whereby he undoeth himself Is God to be blamed Surely no. The foolishness of man perverteth his way and then his heart fretteth against the Lord. Pro. 19.3 If thou urgest the objection farther That one man sinned and the whole generation of men suffer that thy weakness proceedeth not from thy fall but Adams I answer That a child may as well complain that his Prince is unjust because he is born the Son of a Beggar or a Traytour indeed it is an unhappiness to thee that thou art so descended but not unrighteousness in God If God gave thy father an earthly estate of a thousand pound per annum and he prove a prodigal and leave thee not a thousand farthings wilt thou blame God Is he to be charged for thy fathers riotousness truly thus it is in spirituals God gave Adam a sufficient stock he wasted it by wilful disobeying the command given him and thereby leaves all his children poor and beggarly is God now in the least fault Because thou hast lost thy power of obeying should God therefore lose his right of commanding a servant that makes himself drunk and thereby unable to do his Masters work is not therefore disobliged from his service A prodigal debter though he hath spent his estate in drinking and dicing may justly be called upon and sued for his debts But thou mayst sayst say thou didst not consent to trust thy stock in Adams hands I reply Hath not a father power to oblige and bind his son Adam was the father of all and did bear without question an extraordinary natural affection to his children His own interest was involved with theirs he and they lived and died stood and fell together he had full power over his own will Satan could not force him to sin his obedience for all was no less easie then for himself There was nothing commanded him but what was equal and just and what he was throughly enabled to do If Adam had stood thou hadst shared in his gains which had been unspeakably great therefore it is but righteous that thou shouldst share in his losses Besides Shepherds since oâ— convert edit 5. p. 44. though thou didst not make any particular choice of Adam to stand or fall for thee yet God made choice of him for thee who being goodness it self bears more good will to thee then thou to thy self and being wisdom it self made the wisest choice and took the wisest course for the good of man This way made most for mans safety and quiet For if he had stood all fear of losing our happiness had quite vanished whereas if ever man had been lest to stand or fall for himself a man would ever have been in fear of falling And again this was the surest way to have all our estates preserved for Adam having the charge of the estates of all the men that ever should be in the world he was the more pressed to look about him left he should be robbed and undo so many thousands Adam was the head of mankind and all mankind are members of that head now if the head plot and act treason against the King the whole body is found guilty and the whose body must suffer If these things satisfie not God hath a day coming wherein he will declare his own righteous proceedings before Angels and men Rom. 2.4 Reader take heed of darkening counsell by words or thoughts without knowledg for we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth Job 38.2 Rom. 2.2 3. I answer That thine impotency lyeth in thine obstinacy Thou pretendest that thou canst not but the truth is thou wilt not Luke 19.41 John 5.40 Thou art resolvedly evil and then fliest out against God himself that thou canst not do good Eccles 8.11 Jer. 44.16 Thy disease is deadly and dangerous the Physitian of souls offereth thee his help and he is both willing and able to cure thee now thou wilfully throwest away his Physick feedest on such things which thou canst for bear and knowest will increase thy disease and then tellest the world that thou art not able to cure thy self Is this honest or rational dealing If a naked man be offered cloathing oâ— a man ready to starve food and they throw it away from them and flatly deny to accept of them who is to blame if these perish with nakedness and hunger Thou hadst a poisonous egg from thy father but
which wait at the posts of her doors Prov. 8. latter end The Ninivites when Jonah had foretold their ruine fast and pray saying Who can tell if God will repent and turn from his fierce anger that we perish not Jonah 3.9 So now God hath foretold in his word the eternal destruction of all in thy condition do thou fast and pray read and meditate who can tell but God may turn and have mercy upon thee pour down his Spirit and holiness into thee that thou perish not Thou mayst hear and read of the success of others others have found him in his house of prayer and why not thou The Mariner cannot make either winde or tide yet he lieth ready upon the waters and waits for them The Husbandman cannot cause an harvest yet he ploughs and soweth hoping that the Heavens will help him Thou canst not heal thy self wait therefore at the means Christ may come when thou little thinkest of it and cure thee God delights to bless mans industry his usual course is to meet them that meet him he hath been found of them that sought him not and will he hide himself from thee when thou seekest his face for thine encouragement thou hast his word which is truth it self That if thou seek him early thou shalt finde him Prov. 8.17 Whilst there is life there is hope thou livest under the means O resolve to give God no rest till he give thee Regeneration The third and last Objection answered If I be elected I shall be saved let me live never so wickedly and neglect the means prescribed for my recovery THirdly It is possible thou mayst object That if thou art predestinated to life thou shalt be saved though thou neglectest all these means of salvation and if thou art not elected these will do thee no good I answer first that this looks like the language of one already in Hell though it be found too too often in the mouths of swaggerers upon earth in evil things the Devil would make thee separate the end from the means Think not of Hell but go on in sin saith he in good things the means from the end never trouble thy self with holiness yet doubt not of Heaven Secondly suppose that thou shouldst live and die in this desperate conclusion wouldst not thou certainly be damned without all controversie in the other world thou wouldst finde what a fine cheat the Devil had put upon thee by bringing thee into an opinion which will bring thee inevitably into destruction Believe it thou shalt know in the other world who shall have the worst of such cursed conclusions God or thy self Thirdly The Decree of God is a sealed book and the names in it are secret therefore thy part is to look to Gods revealed will namely to make thine Election sure by making thy Regeneration sure Dost thou not know that secret things belong to God but revealed things to us and our children O 't is dangerous to meddle with the secrets of Princes Fourthly This opinion is not believed by thee but is onely pretended as a cloak for thy wickedness and idleness for if thou dost believe that if God hath elected he will save thee however thou livest why are not thy practices answerable to such principles why dost thou not leave thy ground unsowed and thy calling unfollowed and say If God hath decreed me a crop of corn I shall have it whether I sow my ground or no and if God hath decreed me an estate I shall have it though I never minde my calling why dost thou not neglect and refuse eating and drinking and sleeping and say If God have decreed that I shall live longer I shall do it though I never eat or drink or sleep for God hath decreed these things concerning thy ground estate and natural life as well as concerning thine eternal condition in the other world When I see that thou throwest off all care and means of preserving thy life on earth expectest notwithstanding to continue alive then I may believe that thy forementioned thoughts are really such in regard of eternal life but till then I shall be confident that this conclusion is onely a feigned plea in the behalf of the Devil and thy carnal corruptions Fifthly The word of God which must shortly try thee for thine everlasting life or death doth declare to thee fully and clearly that God predestinateth to the means as well as the end where then wilt thou appear that neglectest the means that the means and end are joyned together in Gods decree is fully proved to thee in the 53 and 331 pages of this book therefore let not Satan so far delude thee as to make thee part them I shall conclude my answer to this objection for truly 't is so irrational that I do not think it worthy of six lines with a story which I have sometime read Ludovicus a learned man of Italy by sinful beginnings came at last to this conclusion It matters not what I do or how I live if I be predestinated to life I am sure to be saved if otherwise I cannot help it Thus with this desperate opinion he lived a long time till at last he fell dangerously sick and sent for a skilful Physitian earnestly desiring his advice the Physitian before-hand acquainted with his opinion told him Surely it will be needless to use any means for your recovery for if the time of your death be come it will be impossible to avoid it Ludovicus upon this began to consider of his own madness and folly in neglecting the means for his soul bemoaned his sin sincerely took physick and was through the blessing of God recovered both in soul and body O that what I have written might work such an effect upon thy spirit Consider Friend if notwithstanding Gods Decree means must be used for thy temporal estate should they not also for thine eternal estate Be not wise in thine own eyes but fear the Lord and depart from evil Labour to cleanse thy ways by taking heed thereto according to his word Prov. 3.7 Psal 119.9 REader I have now finished this weighty exhortation which doth so nearly concern thy precious soul and unchangeable condition in the other world Thou seest how large an epistle I have written to thee with mine own hand many an hours sleep have I lost to awaken thee out of thy carnal security but I am ignorant whether the work be done or no which is of such unspeakable waight or whether thou art resolved to set upon it through the strength of Christ in good earnest I preach to thee I pray for thee I desire and endeavour so to live as to set thee a pattern O that I knew what to do that might be more effectual for thy recovery Friend ponder seriously the truth and concernment of the particulars delivered Is there not infinite reason why thou shouldst speedily and heartily submit to the counsel of the Almighty God for the enlivening of