is wanting as severall things will be are added So when this new building of Regeneration is erected the Spirit of God makes use of the old substantial materials the soul and its faculties the body and its members which were in man before onely polisheth and purifieth them and squareth them according to the rule of Gods word it hews off what is unsound and sinfull and bestoweth that grace and holiness which is needfull He taketh not away our beings but the wickedness and crookedness of our beings and addeth a new gracious beauty which we had not before We put off the rags of the old man and put on the Robes of the new man and continue in regard of substance the same men Again I call it a renewing partly because of the great change which is wrought in a man converted New things differ much from old for the better O how wonderfully doth the new born soul differ from his former self As Saul when he received the spirit of courage became another man 1 Sam. 10.6 so doth the Christian when he receiveth the spirit of grace He is not in some sense the same man he was before he liveth a new life he walketh in a new way he steereth his course by a new compass and towards a new coast His Principle is new his Pattern is new his Practices are new his Projects are new all is new He ravels out all he had wove before and employeth himself wholly about another work What a change is there when the blind see the deaf hear the dumb speak the lame walk the dead live when the Lion is turned into a Lamb darkness into light sickness into health why all this and more is done in Regeneration when a sinner is changed into a Saint It is therefore most fitly called Conversion Acts 15.3 which is a term borrowed from travellers who being out of their way turn about and so get into it leaving the way in which they were and taking another if need be quite contrary to it The sinner is born with his heart and face towards the flesh the world and hell and with his back towards God holiness and heaven and so he goeth on a many years possibly till God convert him and turn him about then his back is towards the former his face and heart towards the latter his whole life before was a departure every action being a step from God his whole life now is a drawing nigh every duty being a nearer approach to God A man and a beast differ much in their lives but a natural and regenerate person differ far more even as so far as the Spirit of God which is the principle of a Christian life differeth from the rational spirit of a man Extraordinary and strange things are called new Acts 17.19 Jer. 31.22 Well may the Convert be called a new creature the work of Conversion making such a wonderful alteration that carnall men admire it They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.3 4. nay those that are thus renewed wonder at themselves Being called out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Wofull darknesse makes it wonderfull light As a man that hath been all his dayes kept in a dark prison and never beheld the Sun when he cometh to be set at liberty and see the light he stands amazed wondering at it 2 The Subject I call it a renewing of the whole man As in our fist birth not one part or member is born but every one so in our second birth the whole man is new born By our first birth the whole man is polluted and therefore by our second birth the whole man must be purified Original sin defileth the whole man from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet and Regeneration refineth the whole man soul body and spirit Rom. 3.13 14. 1 Thes 5.23 The plaister must be as broad as the sore the leaven of grace doth season the whole lump Old things passe away and behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 The water of life within is not like a Spring which ariseth in some parcel of ground and terminateth in the same but like the Ocean which compasseth about the whole little world of man As when Gods laws were written in Tables of stone The Tables wâ—re written on both their sides on the one side on the other were they written Exod. 32.15 the Tables were written all over they were full of the Law so the spiritual Tables have the Law the image of God written on every side body and soul every part of each an inward conformity in the heart an outward correspondency in the life In the new creature though every part be not throughout sanctified yet he is sanctified in every part throughout he hath a perfection of parts though not of degrees Regeneration like the Sun goeth through the twelve signs of the Zodiack there is nothing hid from the heat thereof it moveth in and worketh upon every faculty of the soul and every member of the body but the image of God is principally in the soul or the inner man Heb. 8.10 Rom. 7.22 Eph. 4.23 As the heart being the forge of the spirits is the chief seat of a natural so also of a spiritual life The Kings Daughter is most glorious within though her cloathing without be likewise of wrought gold there Satan before had his Throne it was as a childs pocket full of trash or as a ditch full of mud and dirt but now Christ will make â—hat place the sâ—at of his Empire and fill it like a Cabinet with precious jewels and indeed the soul being spiritual is principally â—apable of his image who is a spirit I shall shew how the soul in its faculties and the body in its members are both renewed In the soul I shall cousider 1 The Understanding to which the spirit of God makes its approach in the first place inlightning it in the knowledge of sin and the Saviour Eph. 4.23 The understanding to a man is as a window to an house which before being continually shut and little light appearing 't was no wonder that the heart lay so sluttishly and was so full of the deeds of darknesse but now God reneweth the soul in knowledge after the image of him that created him Col. 3.10 before the god of this world had blinded the mind that it could see neither the emptinesse of the world nor the preciousnesse of the word nor the lothsomness of sin nor the loveliness of the Saviour nor the vanity of the creature nor the excellency of the Divine nature but whereas the man was blind before now he seeth being made spiritual he judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.14.15 He judgeth the things of heaven to be far better then the things of earth the concernments of his soul much more worth then the concernments of his body and the affairs of eternity far more
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
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
her and how he shall deal with her or else she will not have him but now Christ by his spirit hath prevailed with the soul and 't is heartily willing to take him for better for worse to resign up all to Christ to part with all for Christ to take all from Christ to be disposed in all by Christ in a word it promiseth with the whole heart to be a loving faithful and obedient wife and now the match is made nay the Saviour and the soul are actually married together And O what an happy joyful day is this If Aaron when he met Moses was glad at his heart how glad is this poor soul now he meets with the Messias The Father accepts him for his child the Son accepts him for his spouse the Spirit hath given earnest already to have the Christians heart for his everlasting habitation the Devils in hell are vexing the Angels in heaven are singing the Saints on earth are shouting for it is meet that they should be merry for this son was dead and is alive was lost and is found was a cursed sinner and is become a blessed Saint So I have dispatched the first branch of this second help to regeneration namely an observation of those several steps whereby the wandring sheep is brought home I come now to the second branch of this help which is a pliable submission to the workings and motions of the Spirit when the Spirit at any time maketh his addresses to thy soul Reader I must earnestly beseech thee if thou hast the least spark of love to thy soul and endless good in the other world that thou be more tender of the motions of the Spirit then of the apple of thine eye When the Holy Ghost cometh to thy soul by its motions to good thy kinde entertainment of it may be as much as thine eternal happiness is worth and probably invite the Spirit to stay with thee perfect the work and abide in thee for ever whereas if thou shouldst grieve or quench the Spirit and affront this Ambassador which is sent to treat with thee about terms of peace between God and thy soul he may be called home and thou never hear of him more We read in Genesis 2.2 Incubabat aquis Iun. Gen. That the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Several read the words The Spirit of God was sitting or hatching upon the waters It is a Metaphor taken from birds or hens they sit and move upon their eggs to hatch them and bring them forth and when they are hatched they still sit and move upon them to cherish and bring them to perfection So the Spirit of God sat or moved upon that face of the deep that by his motion or incubation he might hatch and bring forth out of that vast Chaos the several kindes of creatures Thus the Spirit moveth upon thy heart he sitteth upon he broodeth on thee that he may hatch and bring thee forth a new creature Therefore consider what thou dost and how thou carriest thy self towards him fowls when they have been much disturbed have left their eggs and never hatched them they have come to nothing shouldst thou resist the Spirit in his operations or quench him in his motions when he is brooding on thy soul he may take its eternal flight from thee When the Spirit cometh to thy soul by its motions disswading thee from sin or stirring thee up to holiness Jesus Christ then knocks at the door of thy heart every motion is a knock from the hand of Christ if thou hearkenest and openest he will come in and sup with thee but if notwithstanding his knocking thou wilt not hear though he cometh upon an errand so infinitely for thine advantage he will depart away in a distast as neighbors when they are so uncivilly used and thou mayst never hear of him more Thou art apt to complain that thou wantest help to turn from sin and to turn unto God I tell thee when the Spirit moveth and worketh within thee to minde thy soul and thine eternal estate he offereth thee his help and assistance and if thou hearkenest to and obeyest his motions thou shalt have his help As he was teaching the power of God was present to heal them Luke 5.17 Whilst the Son of man was teaching at that niâ—k of time the power of God was present to heal mens bodies so when the Spirit is moving at that very time the power of God is present to help thy soul now if thou takest that time thou mayst be an happy man for ever If when the windes blow fairly for mens voyage they then hoise up their sails and be going they may through the help of the winde be at their Haven in convenient time but if they neglect the opportunity and will not lanch out whilst the winde offereth its help they may be dead before they have another winde and so never go that voyage Thus if when the gales of the Spirit blow and offer thee their assistance for Regeneration and Salvation thou then presently lanchest out and compliest with its motions through its help thou shouldst be seasonably and safely landed in Christ and at the Haven of Heaven but if thou then liest still and neglectest this oportunity God knoweth but thou mayst be dead before the Spirit blow so favorably for thee again Solomon telleth us that there is a time for every purpose under Heaven and a time to be born Eccles 3.1 2. There is time for every purpose that is an opportunity when the work may be done best and with most advantage yea when it must be done or shall not be done at all now such a time such an opportunity there is for the new birth there is an accepted time 2 Coâ— 6â— Psal 3.6 and 55.6 a time when God may be found when he is near a day of Salvation this is when the Spirit moveth and stirreth and offereth thee his help if thou passest by that time and dost not then strike in thou mayst come as Esau too late for the blessing thou mayst as some idle persons that are tippling and drinking in an Ale-house when they should be in the market let slip thy opportunity and finde it too late to buy the wine and milk in the Gospel It is one great misery of men and women that they observe not neither improve their opportunities The turtle and the stork Ier. 8.7 and the crane and the swallow they all know their opportunity and their time but the generation of mankinde neglect theirs O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things which concern thy peace Opportunity is a transient thing it is quickly gone but it bringeth a lasting treasure along with it which if neglected can never be recovered time is all the while a man liveth on earth but opportunity is onely when the Spirit moveth Me ye have not alwayes saith Christ Friend thou wilt make hay while the Sun shineth
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
precious then the rattles and trifles of time and all by reason of the new sight bestowed on him Satan truly carrieth men hoodwinkt to hell as Higlers carry their fowls in Dorsers to the City where they are killed that they cannot see one foot of the way neither know they whether they are going but God doth not carry men blindfold to bliss but as in the old so in the new creation he beginneth with light The Undestanding in Regeneration is illuminated to see two things especially Sin to be the greatest evil and God in Christ to be the greatest good and I verily beleive the mistake of the man before about these two things were a principal cause of the many miscarriages in his heart and life Before he looked on sin through the Devils spectacles and beheld that strumpet drest in her gaudy attire of pleasure and profit whereby she was to him as the forbidden fruit to Eve pleasant to the eyes But now he beholdeth sin through the glass of the Law in its opposition to the blessed God and his own happiness stript naked of all those counterfeit and borrowed ornaments and it is the evil of evils sinful sin indeed He judgeth it worse then diseases or disgraces then losses or crosses yea then Serpents or Devils Rom 7.13 Heb 1.25 Dan. 3.17 and 6.10 Formerly he â—aw no such hurt in sin that Professors were so shie of it and Preachers so hot against it that the Son of God must die and the greatest part of the world be damned for it but now he hath other thoughts of it for he seeth its contrariety to the Lord and his precepts and subscribeth unfeignedly to the righteousness of the Law Before he saw little desireableness in the infinitely amiable God He saw no form nor comeliness in him that when he beheld him he should desire him Isa 53. He wondered what made others so much in love with him his voyce was to a Christian What is thy Beloved more then another Beloved that thou dost thus follow hard after him forsake all for him dedicate thy self wholly to him that thou prayest so fervently hearest so diligently servest him so chearfully art so careful to please him so fearful of offending him he judged him happier that had plenty of the creature then him that had God in Christ for his portion but now his mind is enlightned â—o know the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent John 17.3 He seeth such beauty in his being such equity in his laws such infinite excellency in the Divine nature such unspeakable felicity in the fruition of his favour through Jesus Christ that he esteemeth his very life yea all that he is worth for this and the other world as Iacobs in Benjamin to be bound up in the love and life of God Psal 73.25 and 63.3 Secondly The Conscience is also renewed to this Faculty the Spirit makes its address in the next place the Conscience of the man naturally was so hard and obdurate that as ice through the extremity and continuance of a great frost you might have driveâ—â—carts heavy laden over it and it would not break though mountains of lusts more heavy then lead lay upon him he complained not Ier. 8.6 But now his Conscience is as the water which hath such a tender film of ice upon it that yeildeth at the least touch a small stroak of sin maketh an impression upon it before it was seared with a red hot iron 1 Tim. 4.2 and past feeling Ephes 4 17 18 19. as that member which the Chyrurgeon intendeth to cut off is so mortified by means applied to it for that end that it feeleth not the Saw or Instrument which parts it from the body so the conscience was by custom in sin so cauterised that it felt not the sword of the Spirit neither Ministry nor Misery nor Miracle nor Mercy could prevail with it but now it becomes tender and flexible a little prick with a pin is painful to it as the eye it is offended with the smallest dust 2 Chron. 22.19 it is void of offence towards God and man Acts 24.16 Before it like Micaiah to Ahab never spake good to the man but frighted him with fears and terrified him with the pre-apprehensions of his eternal torments it followed him to bed and board and dog'd him day and night like a Sergeant to arrest him at the suit of the most High for the vaste debts which he owed to the Divine Majesty The man and his conscience were like fire and water they never met if the hands of conscience were not tied down by force but they fought Like some contentious couple they were always scolding one with another and striving for the mastery The endeavor of conscience was as the Angel to Balaam to stand in the sinners way with a drawn sword and stop him in his cursed course the care of the sinner was to serve conscience as Herod did the Baptist even to cut off its head for having a tongue in it so bold as to check him for his crimes Heb. 2.15 Rom. 2.15 Heb. 9.14 But now conscience being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus is purged from dead works and so being purified is pacified The creditor now is satisfied by the payment which the surety hath made and thereby the debtor is discharged Conscience now waits on the Christian not as a Sergeant to molest him but as a Servant to assist him to its utmost power The Convert and his conscience are now like two in consort that keep tune and time together or as some loving Husbands and Wives who strive most which shall please the other best Conscience strives to please the Christian by asking the Law at Godâ—s lips and making Scripture its Counsellor the Christian strives to please his conscience by yielding hearty subjection to its holy counsels Heb. 9.14 1 Tim 1.5 Rom 5.1 The renewed conscience giveth the new creature more solid comfort in one duty then the natural man though he equal Methuselah's age hath all his days Phil. 4.4 Thirdly The Will is also renewed the Will before was carnal crooked stubborn rebellious against God and his will the works of the Devil he will do Joh. 8.44 And as for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not do it Jer. 44.16 It is resolved for evil and against good Ephes 2.3 John 5.40 This is Satans Fort-Royal wherein he continually secures himself in the unregenerate when he is in a skirmish beaken out of the out-works by some sudden conviction and in this as Samsons in his hair his whole strength lieth Take away Will and you take away Hell But this faculty is now made pliable and flexible to the Divine Majesty It is made so spiritual regular and consonant to the will of God that the Convert may safely if humbly say with Luther Lord let my will be done because it is thy will God and the godly man do
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
in hope of glory In the middle there stands the fairest of ten thousands adorned as a bridegroom with his richest attire glistering with the jewels of those graces with which his humanity is adorned in a greater degree then the heavens could though every star in it were a glorious sun but O how the diamond of his deity sparkleth in the souls account that millions of worlds would be but a muck-heap to it Ah how lovely is he in the sinners eye How infinitely ravishing to his heart How blessed are those souls thinks this sinner that are interested in such a Saviour Vncâ—nceiveably happy is that spouse which hath so beautiful so accomplish'd so lovely so loving an husband God is hers earth is hers heaven is hers all is hers holiness is her nature and happiness is her joynture O that I O that I might be so blessed as to be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb Who can expresse the vehement violent longings of this man after Christ as the loadstone of his affections as the onely center of his soul the proper remedy for all his maladies had he the beauty of Absolom the renown of Solomon the wealth the worth of the whole world like the wise Merchant he would sell all to buy this pearle of price and think it the best bargain that ever he made nothing is so dear to him but he will give it nothing is so difficult but he will do or suffer for Christ he is of the same mind with the Martyr None but Christ none but Christ It is reported of a woman that was in these throws that she should say I have brought nine children into the world with as much pain as most women yet I would bear them all over again and bear them all my days for Christ There is mention made of a bird in Egypt near Nilus called the bird of Paradise which they say if it be once ensnared is unquiet and mournful till she be delivered so is this convinced sinner now he feels himself entangled in the bonds of iniquity and snares of the Devil he is unquiet till he be delivered Talk to this man of his respect and friends and riches in the world they are as the white of an egg or a dry chip without any savour relish or nourishment to him but tell him of Jesus Christ an able Surety to discharge all his debts O that is the savory meat which his soul loveth As a man that is sick and extreamly pained when you talk to him of his calling or estate he heareth not he regardeth not but tell him of one that can cure him of his disease and ease him of his paine then he will hearken to you thus t is with this sinner all his delight is in hearing of Christ all his longing is to hear from Christ The poor prisoner that is condemned to be hanged and hath sent a messenger to sue for a pardon never longed so much for his return with joyful news as this poor creature for an interest in the Mediatour Thus the Spirit having convinced the soul of its beggery and nakedness bondage and misery causeth it to breathe and long after the riches liberty and righteousness which is in Christ The fourth step is lamentation the soul that breatheth after a Saviour is truly broken for his sins his groans after liberty are accompanied with grief for his slavery Now the clouds gather and thicken over the soul and fall down in tears his sorrow under the conviction of his misery was legal but now t is for his abuse of mercy and so Evangelical His heart before was as a cloud broken by a thunderbolt being torn in pieces violently and making a mighty noise but now like the cloud melted by the shining of the Sun upon it it dissolves down sweetly into a fruitful showre Vemo possit poenitentiâ—m agerâ— nisi qui speraverâ—t indu geâ—tiam Amb He looked on sin before as t was damning as that which would cast his soul and body into hell but now he looks on sin as t is defiling as that which makes him unlike to God and as that by which he hath abused love and mercy and the consideration of this warmeth his heart and kindly thaweth it The man hath now some small hope of mercy and that like the nearer approach of the Sun softneth that earth which was hardned under the frost of legal terrors The pump of the sinners heart was dry till the water of gospel grace apprehended and hoped for was poured in and then it sendeth forth abundantly He returneth now to God with supplication weeping and mourning As Joseph so this sinner seeketh for a place to weep in He goeth into his chamber falleth down before God and poureth out his heart at his eyes and tongue He accuseth shameth condemneth abhorreth himself because of his sins He doth not dissemble his birth but acknowledgeth the pollution of his conception Behold I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51.5 and in sin did my mother conceive me He confesseth the transgressions of his life Psa 58.3 that he hath gone astray from the womb that ever since he was able to go he went astray He acknowledgeth his transgressions and is sorry for his sins with Ephraim he smites upon his thigh saying What have I done with the Publican he beats on his breast crying out God be merciful to me a sinner With the Prodigal he is ashamed to look up to God yet sighs out Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am unworthy to be called thy child He throweth himself down at Gods feet bemoaning himself thus Lord I am the greatest of sinners less then the least of all thy mercies I have defaced thine image broken thy Laws sinned against thy majesty against thee thee I have sinned and done evil in thy sight I have done the work of Satan thine enemy and my wages is nothing but death how thou pleasest to deal with thy worthless creature I know not but however thou deal with me thou art righteous and I will lay my hand on my mouth If thou say that thou hast no pleasure in me â—o here I am do with me what seemeth good in thy sight yet O save my soul ten thousand Hells are my portion but if out of thy bottomless mercy thou shalt pluck my feet out of this bottomless misery my soul shall admire thy free Grace my tongue shall sing aloud of thy rich mercy and O the obligations which this vile wretch shall have to be faithfully and uprightly serviceable to thy majesty His contrition runneth all along parallel with his confession his heart worketh more then his lips and hands his affections are much more self-abasing and humbling then his expressions he seeth him whom he hath pierced and mourneth Calvary is a Bochim a place of weeping to him his eyes are so full that though Christ be nigh him yet like Mary he cannot see him for tears
I mean improve opportunities for the good of thine outward estate when the heavens offer thee their help then thou wilt cut thy corn or hay and make it and carry it in For thy soul sake do not neglect the Spirit when he offereth thee his help for a spiritual harvest when the Holy Ghost moveth like the Angel upon the waters then at that nick of time if thou steppest down art pliable to its motions thou mayst be healed The Spirit of God is a tender thing saith one grieve it once and you may drive it away for ever Grieve not the Spirit Ephes 4.30 much less quench it least of all resist it Masters of a calling will not be check'd 1 Thes 5.19 Acts 7.51 The Client by losing a term hath lost his Suit Saul by losing his opportunity lost a Kingdom 1 Sam. 10.9 13. Reader the way to lose the Kingdom of Heaven is to neglect and slight the motions of the Spirit the onely opportunity for thy Salvation For thine help herein I shall direct thee how to demean thy self towards the Spirit when he maketh his addresses unto thy soul for thy regeneration and quickening in which I shall take thee as indeed thou art in thine unregenerate estate for a patient dangerously sick yea unto death eternal though thou thinkest thy self whole and the Spirit of God as he is for a skilful able and compassionate Physitian First I supose that this tender Physitian beholding thee very sick notwithstanding thy conceit that thou art well enough and daily increasing thy distemper doth come to thee and acquaint thee that thou art a diseased person and that unless thou forbearest such and such sins such and such things which feed thy disease thou wilt make thy condition which is already dangerous to be desperate and incurable I mean the Holy Ghost enlighteneth thy mind to lee and convinceth thy conscience of thy sins and misery that whereas before thou thoughtst that thou wast rich and increased with goods and hadst need of nothing yet now thou seest that thou art wretched Rev. 3 1â— and miserable and poor and blind and naked and that such and such courses which thou takest will unavoidably tend to thy ruine Possibly thou art one accustomed to wicked company to the Ale-house to deal unrighteously in thy particular calling to lay aside praying hearing reading and the like duties now the Spirit of God in thy conscience moveth thee to lay down these ungodly customs which thou hast taken up and to take up these duties and performances which thou hast laid down and convinceth thee by the word that this is the will of God O now Friend look to thy self that thou dost not sin against this light nor play by that candle which the Spirit of God sets up for thee to work by If thou hadst a guest of any quality in thine house and shouldst burn things of an ill savour in his chamber which thou knewest he hated or shouldst fill the room wherein he lodgeth with filth and uncleanness wouldst thou not provoke him to speed away in a distast and to resolve against ever coming at thine house again I must tell thee that shouldst thou go on in the commission of those iniquities and neglect of those duties which the Spirit convinceth thee of it would be far more distastful to the Spirit of God then all the forementioned uncivil usage could be to an Emperour The Holy Ghost is compared to fire Act. 2. as the word quenching implyeth Now how is fire quenched and put out both by throwing water on it and by taking away the wood from it Shouldst thou notwithstanding its checks and convictions continue in any way of open wickedness thou throwest water upon it and shouldst thou omit those holy duties thou withdrawest fuel from it and therefore be confident the fire will be quencht and go out By sinning against these convictions and light thou art a profest defier and darer of him and maist confidently expect that he should give thee up to judiciary inward darkness which is but the forerunner of utter darkness Rom. 1.20 21 22. Jam. 3. ult Pro. 5.11 12 13. John 9.41 If thou improvest that little stock of help which the Holy Ghost affordeth thee well thou may hope that thy master will trust thee with more every act of obedience fitteth for greater obedience but if thou squanderest that away prodigally by sinning against it thou mayst look for no more Dear friend be tender of the first motions of the Spirit thou sittest cold and frozen in thy natural estate now as ever thou wouldst have a good fire to melt thee kindly to thaw thee throughly to warm thy heart eternally make much of those sparks As thou desirest a spiritual flame which may ascend to heaven take heed lest by presumptuous sins thou blowest out those sparks As the best way to quench the fiery darts of the Devil that evil spirit is to reject them to disobey them in the first motions when the Devil first kindleth them then throw water on them then detest them and that fire of Hell will be quencht So the readiest way to quench the fiery darts of the good spirit is to slight the first motions of it if thou strive against these first motions of him he may never strive with thee more Gen 6.3 It may be thou art a drunken wretch an unclean person a scoffer at godliness a swearer a lyar a cheater by false weights or measures or the like and the Spirit of God whispereth thee in the eare Man dost thou know what thou dost thou art in a lost estate in a damnable condition Turn at my reproof saith God and I will pour my Spirit upon thee Pro. 1.23 Forbear such sins and I will assist thee for the recovery of thy soul O now look to thy self venture by no means upon the forbidden fruit I have read of one that being troubled with sore eyes asked a Physitians advice The Physitian told him that if he did not forbear his drunken intemperate courses he would lose his sight Vale lumen amiâ—um He makes no more of it but presently crieth out Farwell sweet sight farwell sweet sight He was resolved to lose his sight rather then leave his sin Thou art diseased the tender Physitian cometh to thee without sending for and giveth thee his blessed counsel without asking and t is this that thou must forbear thy lewd sinful ways or else thou wilt lose thy soul thy Saviour thy God thine happiness for ever Now wilt thou by continuing in such courses and rejecting his first counsel say Farewel pretious soul Farwel dearest Saviour Farwel blessed God Farwel glorious Angels Farwel perfect Spirits Farwel fulness of joy Rivers of pleasures Farwel to you all I and farwel for ever Take heed what thou dost with these first motions of the Spirit lest he take of thee his last leave and bid thee farwel for ever When a noble person should come to
the way to save a soul Reader didst thou never know of any that were in a journey and coming to some deep dirty pochy lane they thought to avoid it and broke over the hedge into the field but when they had rod round and round they could finde no way out but were forced to go out where they got in and then notwithstanding their unwillingness to go through that mirie lane or else not to go that journey Truly so it is in thy journey to Heaven thou art now come to this deep lane of humiliation through which all must go that will reach that City whose builder and maker is God do not think to avoid it no not the least part of it for this is the narrow way and strait gate that leadeth to life Suppose thou shouldst run to the world or any thing here below now thou beginnest to be sensible of thy sickness and pain and so in an hopeful way of recovery First 't is impossible that any of those things can cure thee Miserable comforters are they all and Physitians of no value Can a silver Slipper cure the gout or a golden Crown the head-ach or the greatest Empire in the world the pain of thy teeth much less can these things cure the diseases of thy soul All the wrapping of thy foot that hath a thorn in it though with never such fine scarlet cloth will be altogether ineffectual to ease thee of thy pain for the thorn must be pulled out so must sin be pluck'd out its guilt removed before thou canst possibly be eased But my great reason is which I desire thee to consider seriously shouldst thou throw off this medicine of thy spiritual Physitian because it is somewhat sharp and run to the Empericks and Mountebanks of the world thou wilt provoke thy tender able Physitian to leave thee for what man will bear such affronts and where art thou then what will become of thee for ever Those that work in Coal-mines finde by experience that the earth sendeth up damps which quench and put out their candles and what then becomes of the men that are there they are often slain Shouldst thou like Jonah run from the presence of the Lord to more pleasing employments then the work of a thorow humiliation either he will bring thee back again to the same business by storms and tempests or else such damps will arise from thine earthly interruptions as will quench Gods Spirit and eternally ruine thy spirit The evil spirit I know will be busie to perswade thee to smother and put out the sparkes which the good Spirit hath kindled within thee by heaps of worldly rubbish and dirt but take heed what thou dost for thy soul is at stake if those sparks should die thou art like to live in hell fire for ever Observe how it fared with unhappy Felix He was a Prisoner to his Prisoner and in a ready way to have been one of Christs freemen but now hells jaylor was like to lose one of his captives for I question not but Satan for fear of losing him trembled more then he what therefore through the Divels advice must Felix do He must needs cure himself of his convulsion by an abruptdiversion When the Spirit struck in with the word and caused him to tremble he sendeth Paul away till another season and we never read when that time came Had Felix struck in with the Spirit when the iron of his heart was hot he might have been happy indeed but he quencheth those motions which were so likely to recover his soul and thereby in all probability misseth salvation Some say that Samsons mother was forbidden wine and strong drink all the while she was with child of him partly because that wine and strong drink are naught for the child in the womb I am confident that carnal diversions that To put back thy pangs by earthly affaires much more by wine and strong drink is infiniely prejudicial to the babe of grace and many to one but it may cause thine eternal miscarriage Friend that which in this case I would advise thee to do is to betake thy self to thy closet or chamber and there to fall down before the most high God and to accuse indict and condemne thy self for thy sins poure out thy soul before the Lord in acknowledging the pollution of thy nature the transgressions of thy life with all their bloody aggravations confessing the righteousness of the law and thy obnoxiousness thereby to the infinite and eternal wrath of the Lord. O now is the onely time to repent with that repeniance which is never to be repented of if ever thou wouldst draw water and pour it out before the Lord it must be now the spirit hath thawed the tap neglect this season and it may freeze again speedily When Nathan came from God to David after his fall when he had lain in his impenitency many months and told him of his sins and convinced him that he was worthy to die what doth David do doth he run to his crown or honour or power in the world No. Doth he hastily snatch at the promises No but he goeth to God as appeares by the title and body of the 51. Psalm bewaileth his original and actual sins condemneth himself justifieth God offereth up the sacrifice of a broken heart beggeth hard for pardon and holiness O do thou follow this blessed pattern if thy body were sick of a violent feaver and nature were so far thy friend as when thou wast in thy bed to put thee into a fine sweat and thereby give thee hope of evacuating the ill humours which cause thy disease through the pores what wouldst thou do in this case wouldst thou rise presently and run into the cold aire or wouldst thou not rather abide still in thy bed and if need were call for more cloaths to increase thy sweat whereby thy body might be perfectly cured Thus it is in the state of thy soul thou art sick unto death the Spirit of God is so much thy friend as to help thee to sweat out thy distemper by humiliation and godly sorrow t were a madness in thee now to run to the open air of the world or to do any thing which might hinder this sweating thy onely way is to encourage and increase it by betaking thy self to thy chamber and there to look into thy heart and consider how full it is of unholiness to look back upon thy life and consider how contrary it hath been to the Divinâ—law to look up to God and consider the Majesty holiness and mercy which are in him whom thou hast provoked this is the way to continue and increase thy humiliation and thereby for the spirit delighteth to proceed in assisting those that thus cherish his motions to be perfectly healed Duties now are the Spirits pleasant garden in which he will delight to walk with thee they are like bellows to blow up the heavenly fire into a flame or as
the Serpent that stings thee to death is from thy warming and hatching that egg in thine own breast All the men on earth and all the devils in hell could not damn thee were it not for thy wilfulness in sin And canst thou expect that Jesus Christ should save thee against thine own will that he should carry thee to heaven whether thou wilt or no Believe it a state of sin and wrath is the matter of thine own choice The door which shuts thee out of the fathers house is bolted against thee by thine own hands Answer me this question or else never more make this objection Art thou willing to turn from sin unto God Art thou willing to take the son of God for thy Saviour and Lord If thou art willing I am sure God is willing he hath confirmd it with an oath Ezek. 33.11 Jesus Christ is willing that sinners should live or he would not so willingly have died such a death he hath paid the price of thy ransom and offereth thee an happier estate then that of which Adam deprived thee If thou art willing to accept of thy freedom thou mayst have it If any man will let him drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22. And if thou art not willing why dost thou complain Fourthly I answer the fault is clearly in thy self because thou neglectest to do what thou hast power to do Thou hast power without any special grace to perform duties to hear the word to pray in secret and with thy family to forbear thy wicked company thy swearing lying drinking scoffing at godliness and yet dost not mind those duties constantly nor forbear those sins shall a servant friend be thine own judge which is trusted with five pound to imploy for his Masters honour spend this in whoring and gaming and then blame his master for not trusting him with thousands When man broke by his fall there was some stock left in his hands not enough to set him up again but that which might do him some good now they spend this profusely they throw away those checks of conscience which escaped the ruines of the fall they corrupt themselves in what they know and wickedly refuse to do what they can and yet are so impudent as to flie in the face of the ever-blessed God that he doth not give them power to do more Fifthly thy weakness and impotency should drive thee to Christ for strength Lex data ut gratia quaereretur gra tia data ut lex impleretur Aug. de Spi. et l. 1. cap. 19. Thy misery by the first Adam should cause thee to mind thy recovery by the second Adam The word of God discovereth to thee the necessity of regeneration thine own inability to do it that thou mightst ply the throne of grace flie to Jesus Christ for help and succour A man that is lifting a peice of timber and finds it too heavy for him will call in help thus the Law is a School-master to drive thee to Christ When thou considerest with thy self that thou must be regenerated or damned in hell for ever and that thou art altogether unable to renew and sanctify thy self how diligent should it make thee in attendance on Jesus Christ for his Spirit and grace How shouldst thou wait on thy redeemer in reading hearing praying meditating using all those meanes which he hath appointed for the conversion of thy soul The second objection answered That unregenerate men sin in performing duties and attending on ordinances SEcondly it may be thou wilt say You presse me much to pray and hear and frequent the means of grace but I sin in doing so I sin in praying I sin in hearing and singing and would you have me sin I answer First thou sinnest in eating and drinking and following thy calling in not doing these things upon right principles and for right ends and wilt thou therefore forbear them thou wilt pamper and please thy body right or wrong not onely in the use but even in the abuse of the creatures but how ordinary an excuse will make thee neglect thy soul Secondly Regenerate men themselves sin in all their performances though not in such a manner as unregenerate ones do and should they therefore lay them down Thirdly no pretence whatsoever can excuse from obedience to clear precepts remember also that the commands of God do not interfere or contradict each other Now God expresly commandeth thee though thou art in a natural estate to perform duties Peter when he had told Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity yet he bids him pray to the Lord Acts 8.22 if peradventure the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him our sinning in duties cannot abrogate that Law of God which enjoyns duties as Gods precepts are not measures of our strength so they are not lessened by our weakness The Ninivites though unregenerate as some think yet when threatned with destruction did both pray and fast and found that it was not in vain Jonah 4.3 Fourthly thou sinnest less in performing duties then in neglecting them If thou art resolved to go on in a course of sinning and damning thy soul I know not what to say to thee the Lord pitty thee but if thou hast any desire of Salvation in a Gospel-way thou offendest far far less in waiting on God in his Ordinances then those do that refuse them in performing duties without suitable grace thou failest in the manner of Divine worship others that omit duties fail both in the matter and manner thou owest God outward as well as inward service the confession of thy mouth as well as the conversion of thine heart surely then if thou givest God the former though without the latter thou dost not sin so much as they that give him neither Fifthly shouldst thou neglect the means of grace thou wouldst make thy condition which is already dreadful to be desperate if ever God meet thee it must be in his own way Rom. 10.15 17. Prov. 8. I believe thou scarce ever heardst of any man converted while he cast by the means of grace which God afforded him Sixthly If thy condition be so sad that thou sinnest in all thou dost thou hast the more need to hasten out of it Ah who would be quiet one hour in such an estate wherein what ever he doth is abominable to God! Men that are weak and sickly do not therefore forbear food because they are not able to digest it well and it may possibly yeild some nourishment to their disease but do therefore eat that they may get strength and be enabled to overcome their distempers Seventhly God may meet with thee in the means of Grace The Ordinances of God are the golden pipes through which he conveyeth the oil of Grace from Christ the olive tree God doth not bid thee to wait upon him for nothing thousands have found by happy experience that they are blessed which watch at Wisdoms gate
thinks for 108 to 118. Heavens happiness described largely Page 273 to 300. Hells horror described in six particulars Page 227 Hypocrites not converted without much difficulty 119 120 121. Hypocrites are partial in their obedience 177. Hypocrites have usually some beloved sin Page 166 167. I. ILlumination the first thing wrought in order to Regeneration Page 23 349. The Image of God is the pattern of regeneration 36. The excellency of Gods Image Page 303 K. THe Kingdom of God twofold Page 5 6 A man may be knowing and yet unregenerate Page 7. A person regenerated is taught the Knowledge both of God and of sin Page 23 24 25 26. M. THe Memory renewed in regeneration Page 37. Ministers ought to instruct their people in the nature of regeneration Page 8 O. OLd sinners are not regenerated without much difficulty Page 125 126. Saints mind Ordinances for the death of sin Page 157 158 159. Ordinances are delightful to the regenerate 171 172 178 Ordinances are cursed to them that continue in sin 219 220. Ordinances are profitable to Saints 254 255. Attendance on Ordinances a great help to regeneration 413. All Ordinances which are converting to be minded by such as would be regenerated 416. Ordinances must be minded with seriousness 420. With constancy 422. with expectance of a blessing from God Page 426. Vide Duties P. TO joyn with this or that party no sign of regeneration Page 95 Good patterns helpful to convert men Page 461. Perseverance in Grace the portion of all the regenerate Page 261. Our Preservation an obligation tâ— serve God Page 239. The bare enjoyment of spiritual Priviledges no sign of regeneration Page 69 70 71. A great Profession no sign of regeneration Page 65 The Promises of salvation belong only to the regenerate 55 332. The preciousness of the Promises 258. All the Promises are the regenerate mans portion 257. The great Promise 262. The full extent of the Promises shall be known to us in heaven 290 291. Our Promises to God must be minded Page 343. Prosperity trieth some men 137. Prosperity is cursed to men out of Christ Page 215 All Gods Providences are blessed to the regenerate Page 244. R. VVIthout Regneration there can be no salvation 9. VVhat Regeneration is 10 152 170. Regeneration called a renewing in two respects 19. In Regeneration the whole man is renewed 22. principally the inner man 23. How Regeneration and sanctification differ 38. Regeneration prepares a man for heaven 45. All that a Christian is worth for the other world dependeth on his Regeneration 133. Regeneration not in all alike visible 146. Because not in all alike violent Page 147. The Regenerate are dead to sin 152. alive to God 170. They that are regenerated themselves will labor to Regenerate others 189. The great happiness of the Regenerate in this world 243. and the other world 273. In all their performances they are welcome to God Page 250. The excellency of Regeneration 300. shewed in five particulars It is the Image of God 303. The destruction of sin 305. It cost the blood of Christ 312. It s Gods end in his works 314. It is the special work of God himself 317. The absolute indispensable necessity of Regeneration Page 52 to 60. 325. to 336. The several steps by which a soul is regenerated Page 348. Regenerate persons should blesse God 445. In heart by admiring his mercy 448. In life by walking sutably 452. The Regenerate should labour to convert others 456. By their prayers patterns and precepts Page 456 460 461. Redemption a strong obligation to obedience Page 341. Rich men not regenerated without much difficulty Page 122. S SIn may raign in a civil man 62 63. A man may leave many Sins and not loath any Sin 103. Beloved Sins hardly parted with 104 112 167. Man by nature exceedingly in love with Sin 116. Saints dye to Sin 153. To all Sin 164 to their beloved sin 165. Sin will be Sin in hell 232. Senslesness in Sin dreadful 240 241. Sin the greatest evil shewed in three particulars 306 to 312. All Sorrow for Sin will not speak regeneration Page 99 100. The Spirit of God the principal efficient of regeneration 10 11 12 13. The Spirit when he regenerates causeth the soul to mourn for Sin 372. The motions of the Spirit must be cherished by all that would be regenerated 385. to 390. Directions how to carry our selves towards the motions of the Spirit in three cases When the Spirit convinceth 390. When the Spirit humbleth the sinner 396. When the Spirit perswadeth to believe Page 404. T TEmptations profitable to Saints Page 248. The preciousness of Time known in hell Page 236. It is a Christians duty to Try himself 129. God will Try men either here or hereafter 136. The day of judge ment will Try men 143. Some marks to Try our estates by 152. Christians in the Tryal of themselves should proceed till they come to an issue Page 194 195. U THe Understanding is renewed in Regeneration Page 24. To see two things especially Page 25. Universality a sighn of fincerity Page 175. The Unregenerate should mind Regeneration 198. The misery of tht Unregenerate in this world 214 215. In the other World Vide hell All that Unregenerate ones enjoy is cursed to them 215. to 220. They sin in all they do Page 221. W THe objection Touching mans Weakness and inability to regenerate himself answered Page 429 430 431. The Will renewed in Regeneration Page 29. The Word of God is the ordinary instrumental cause of Regeneration Page 15 418 419. The emptiness of this World will appear in the other World Page 228. Books printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside Flio's A Commentary upon the Holy Writings of Job David and Solomon That is These five Job Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs Being part of those which by the Antient were called Hagiographa Wherein the diverse Translations and Expositions both Literal and Mystical of all the most famous Commentators both Antient and Modern are propounded examined and censured And the Texts from the Original much Illustrated For the singular benefit of all that be studious of the Holy Scriptures By John Mayer Doctor in Divinity A Practical Commentary or an Exposition with Observations Reasons and Uses upon the first Epistle General of John By that pious and worthy Divine Master John Cotton Pastor of Boston in New-England A Learned Commentary or Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians being the substance of many Sermons formerly Preached at Grayes-Inn London by that Reverend and judicious Divine Richard Sibbs D. D. sometimes Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge and Preacher to that honourable Society Published for the publick good and benefit of the Church of Christ by Tho. Manton B. D. and Preacher of the Gospel at Stoke-Newington near London ΤΑ ΔΙΑΦΕΡΟÎΤΑ or
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
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
whereby it breatheth after exerciseth and delighteth it self in the wayes and worship of God there is an inward frame and disposition infused into the new Creature different from nay contrary to his former inclinations The stream of his heart and life before ran swiftly after the flesh and the world The creature sate upon the throne in his inward man commanding all things at pleasure earth was the mans heaven the world lay in his heart and all the mans affections and actions were ordered and disposed for the advancement of that interest But now the tide is turned the waters run in another channel the Lord is exalted in his affections as his chiefest good and in his conversation as his utmost end the Law of God is written in the heart and commented upon in the life the inward man is of a good constitution and the outward man of a good complexion Grace is a tendency of the soul Godward his understanding knoweth God to be the greatest good John 17. His will chooseth him his affections love him his desire is after him his delight is in him his fear is of him his trust is on him his care and endeavor is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Joh. 17.3 Psal 16.5 6. 73.25 26. Isa 7.8 Psal 37.4 Gen. 42.18 like the Sun-flower he followeth the motion of the Sun of righteousness Now Reader try thy self Art thou alive to God Doest thou take him in Christ for thy happiness and make him thine end Is it thy business and trade to do his will thy calling and employment to finish his work Is thy heart devoted to his fear and thy life to his honor how art thou affected to his word and worship Dost thou perform duties out of love to God with complacency in God It it thy ment and drink to obey his precepts How is thy soul ravished with the sweetnesses of his promises Art thou joyful in the house of prayer Is the Sabbath thy delight Is the Scripture sweeter to thee then the honey and the honey-comb At the Sacrament canst thou fit under Christs shadow with great delight and finde his fruit sweet unto thy taste Doest thou esteem the yoke of thy Saviour easie his service liberty his wayes wayes of pleasantness and all his paths peace Canst thou say One day in Gods Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere Hast thou found that 't is good for thee to draw nigh to God If thou wert put to thy choice hadst thou rather solace thy soul with sensual recreations or in communion with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Examine thine heart for if thou hast the divine nature divine and spiritual things will be natural and so pleasant to thee A man whose nature is covetous how exceedingly doth he delight in viewing and feeling money as the Roman Emperor would putt off his cloaths and tumble up and down in heaps of silver If a mans nature be proud how exceedingly pleased is he in the cap and the knee in being flattered and respected it is meat and drink to him as we say to be reverenced in mens carriage and honored in their language men love those things a life because they suit with their natures So when a man hath a new nature a spiritual holy nature things which are spiritual and holy will be acceptable to him because they are suitable to his nature the word will be welcom prayer will be pleasant ordinances will be as savory as food to the hungry the man will love the habitation of Gods house and the place where Gods honour dwelleth though his flesh be weak his spirit is alwayes willing He may be weary at a duty that the wheels of his soul should so be clog'd with the dirt of infidelity and make him to drive so heavily but he is never weary of duties though corruption and Satan now dog him at and disturb him in his performances yet 't is the comfort of his soul that he now drags them in chains after the triumphant chariot of Grace and he rejoyceth to think how he shall leave the body of death behinde him at the entrance of his soul into the Capitol of Glory His heart leaps now when his feet do but creep in the way of obedience when he goeth to the house of God it is with the voice of joy unto the altar of God yea his God and excceeding joy Whatsoever a man doth from an ingrafted propensity he doth it not onely in sincerity but also with alacrity He delights in it as the fish in the water as the mole in the earth it is his proper element God and the things of God are his element He would still be and live in this element He delights to know God to worship him to believe in him to meditate on him to sanctifie his day to glorifie his name to observe his Laws to view his children he is never so well as when he is walking with God if there were no heaven to prefer the obedient and no hell to punish the disobedient yet he would fear the Lord and delight greatly in his commandments But on the other side speak Friend Art thou listless and dead to spiritual things are they irksom and tedious to thee Probably the commandments of God are bonds and cords the Sabbath thy toilsom day not a day of rest and refreshment the Sanctuary is thy prison the service of God is snuft at by thee and wearisom to thee thou art glad that the duty is done the day is over thy conscience quieted like a Tenant who is glad his rent is paid to his Landlord but took no pleasure in parting with his money thou rejoycest at the end not at the beginning of thy duty thou countest Amen the best word in a prayer not because it 's the fruit of thy faith but because it puts a period to thy petitions the Blessing is the best part of Divine Worship thou esteemest no part to be before it because that is last and nothing comes after it Religion is but possibly thy by-business and a Lacquey to thy lusts a pass and a convoy which thou hast need of in thy travelling through the world It may be thou goest to duty as a Bear to the stake it goeth against the hair with thee to walk in the way of holiness though necessity compel thee sometimes or once or twice a day to take a turn in the path of piety Conscience will roar unless it may finde rest in some outward performance Or thou mayst now and then perceive good company walking in the narrow way which leadeth to life and so as travellers care not if they go a mile or two out of their way for company especially if the way be fair and the company pleasing so thou mayst go out of thy own way sometimes and walk a little with the Saints for company Reader be faithful to thy soul A real fire differeth from a painted one by its heat and so doth
he kindleth others All good is diffusive of it self and the more of goodness in any the more of diffusiveness If Peter be converted he will strengthen his brethren if David be reduced he will teach sinners Gods ways None are more desirous of children then they who have God for their Father The true Christian that hath tasted God to be gracious and found good entertainment at his table cannot but commend his hous-keeping to others and advise them to accept of the same chear As the sun refresheth many with his warm rays especially them that are near it so doth the Saint benefit many by his fervent prayers for them occasional counsels and constant pattern to them but especially those that are of his own family There indeed are his most cherishing beams and enlivening influences O how diligent is he that the King of Saints may have his throne in every heart within his house Like the Bee he goeth to the flower of this duty and to the flower of that Ordinance sucking some honey some soul-sweetness and then carrieth all home to his hive to his family He will study and strive that his cottage may become a Church his house Gods lesser heaven 'T is a mercy to be his Wife he will labor that Christ may be her Husband 'T is an happiness to be his children he will endeavour that God may be their Father 'T is a priviledge to be his servant he will do his utmost that such may be heirs of salvation His house is an healthful air for the souls of others to breathe in Grace like fire cannot be hid you may as soon conceal musk in your hand as grace in your heart The turning of a sinner from evil to good is like the turning of a bell from one side to another which reporteth its own motion The Convert is resolved as Elijah to shew himself and in this among the rest in bringing more customers to that shop where he had such cheap and kind usage The Devil was no sooner fallen but he laboured to draw man to the same wickedness and wretchedness with himself the dead in sin are no sooner raised to spiritual life but they endeavour to draw others to the same holiness and happiness with themselves These things I write unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship which is the only good fellowship is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son 1 Joh. 1.3 The childe of God cateth not his morsel alone but loveth company he is very covetous to make Proselites unto Christ We have a saying That he was unworthy to be born by whom another is not born Sure I am he may question whether he were ever born again that doth not labour that others may be so also Reader Try thy self by this touchstone art thou an heavenly Merchant to ingross spiritual commodities to thy self or art thou desirous that others should share with thee Is the voyce of thy heart like Cains Am I my brothers keeper or like Moses Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Canst thou stand â—y and see others lose their God and Christ and souls for ever and not be at all troubled so thy stakes are saved Dan. 6.14 or dost thou with Darius labour hard to keep poor creatures from the roaring lion and with Abraham pray heartily that poor Sodomites may be preserved from fire and brimstone Is it all one to thee whether thy neighbors and relations sink or swim be sinners or Saints be saved or damned truly then its a sign thou art not born of God for wert thou his son thou wouldst endeavour by thy prayers pattern and precepts to raise up seed to thine elder brother Jesus Christ Reader Credo Domine vera fide etsi languida fide Oecolampad It is far from my thoughts to disown or discourage the least degree of grace I know that the Embryo in the womb is reckoned towards a childe the break of day a part of the day A palsie shaking hand is a true hand and may receive a jewel as surely though not so steadily as another hand A weak hand of Faith is a true faith and may receive the pearl of price as certainly though not so chearfully as a strong Faith If thy desires after these particulars be sincere and accompanied with suitable endeavours it will speak much for thee I am not bringing thy graces to the ballance to weigh them that I may know their quantity and degrees and how rich thou art but to the touchstone to try them that thou mightest know their quality and truth whether thou art poor in spirituals or poor in spirit whether thou art worth any thing or nothing for thine endless estate in the other world To sum up this Use I would request thee to be so great a friend to thy precious soul as to be impartial and faithful in its search and trial Look much at the constant bent and inclination of thy heart One act will not speak an habit nor a few good or bad motions an holy or evil heart Thou mayst have some cogitations of heaven when thy conversation is not in heaven The air is light yet not a lightsom body because it 's lighted by the presence of another when that is removed its dark as in the night So if thy light of holiness in any of the forementioned particulars be only like a flash of lightning for a fit it is a sign the root of the matter is not in thee On the other side thou mayst have flesh in thee and yet thou not be in the flesh Thou mayst be in the right way to heaven though thou art sometimes stopt and hindered in thy journey A stream or vent of a river may be to go downward yet the River may be dammed up for a while but 't will rise higher and higher and at length beat down and overcome that which hindereth it so if the tendency of thine inward man its ordinary frame and temper be but towards God and the Divine nature be not discouraged though there may be the mud of corruption to stop the stream for this living water of grace will be so beating upon it that t will over-power it and ride triumphantly over it But be sure that thou bring the matter in debate to an issue by no means desist till thou bringest it to some result If Satan can but perswade thee either to daub about it for his his speech will be like that of Peter to Christ Master pity thy self or to leave the question still in doubt he knoweth that he shall spoil the working of all this Physick be it never so good I know that thine heart will be as hard to be kept to it as an eel in thine hands therefore serve thine heart as the Judge serveth the Jurors at an Assize First they are sworn to be true and faithful in deciding and determining
he is void of true wisdom and liveth without this serious consideration Isa 1.2 3 4 5. They consider not the conclusion and therefore are confident in the commission of sin They consider not their last end therefore they come down mightily Lam. 1.9 A Divine writeth well how subtil Satan is to hinder mens consideration Satan saith he is very jealous of the sinner afraid every Christian that speaks to him Gurnals Armor part 1. pag â—2â— or ordinances he hear should inveigle him by his good will he should come at neither No nor have a thought of heaven or hell from one end of the week to the other and that he may have as few as may be he keepeth him full handed with work The sinner is grinding and he is filling the hopper that the mill may not stand still He is with the sinner as soon as he wakes and fils his wretched heart with some wicked thoughts which as a morning-draught may keep him from the infection of any savour of good that may be breathed on him by others in the day time All the day long he watcheth him as the Master would do his man that he fears will run away And at night like a careful Jaylor he locks him up again in his chamber with more bolts and fetters upon him not suffering him to sleep as he lieth on his bed till he hath done some mischiefe Ah poor wretch was ever slave so lookt too as long as the Divel can keep thee thus thou art his own sure enough Now as that Father said of the Gospel that it must needs be excellent because Nero prosecuted it with so much violence so this consideration must needs be an excellent help to holiness because the Divel doth prosecute it with such implacable hatred if he can keep this door of thy soul shut he feareth not Christs entrance into thy heart I have sometime read of a religious father that had a deboyst lewd son that was a great grief to him when the father was on his death bed he made this son to promise him that he would be every day of his life half an hour alone by himself The son making some conscience of his solemne engagement to his dying father used afterwards to retire himself daily for that space of time where at first he busied himself vainly in thinking of the honours and delights of the world but afterwards he began to consider what end his father had in binding him to such retiredness and then thought of his own folly in wandring from God and embracing a dying and lying world and the Spirit striking in with those meditations he became a new man O that Reader thou wouldst go and do as he did Is it not an easy remedy If God should require ten hours every day to be spent in secret about thy soul and salvation I profess to thee I know not how thou couldst spend thy time better or so well I am sure t were worth the while O Friend to be amongst Divels in everlasting torments or with Christ in everlasting pleasures are other manner of things then thou canst imagine but I do request of thee on the behalf of God and thy soul but one half hour every day that thou wouldst retire thy self into thy chamber or closet The beautiful bridegroom is bashful and cometh seldom to his Church Cant. 4.11 or any Christian in a crowd and there consider seriously of some things which I shall from the Lord propound to thee Let not the cheapness of the receipt make the refuse it thou seest somtimes that simple hearbs that grow in our own gardens cure those distempers which costly drugs fetched from far cannot As the Generals servant said to him when he raged and fretted at the counsel of the Prophet for the cure of his Leprosy If the Prophet had bid the do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it how much rather when he saith wash and be clean 2 Kings 5.13 so say I to thee if I should request more time in a day if I should desire far greater things of thee for the killing of that Leprosy which otherwise will kill thee wouldst thou not do it Ah didst thou but know the price of a Christ thou wouldst sell all to buy that pearle didst thou but know the wrath of a just holy and infinite God thou wouldst do any thing do all things possible to escape it How much rather when I desire onely one half hour in a day for serious consideration If thou wilt not do this for the avoiding of Hell dost thou not deserve to burn for ever think of it Reader whoever thou art I am very loath to leave thee before I have prevailed with thee dost thou not sqander away many an hour vainly nay sinfully in working out thy damnation and wilt thou not spare one half hour in a day to work out thy salvation in how many years hast thou spent in the service of thy brutish flesh and is half an hour in a day when thou art not sure to live a week too much for thine angelical spirit What saist thou Wilt thou promise thy Maker and Redeemer that thou wilt do this whose advantage is it like to be thine or mine If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self but if thou art a scorner thou alone shalt suffer Prov. 9.12 Well if thou wilt not grant me this little time thou art like to grieve for the refusal eternally And truly if thou wilt hear God in this I have hopes that he will hear thee in far greater Set thine heart therefore to all the words which I speak unto thee this day for it is not a vain thing but it is for thy life Deut. 12.46 47. I Shall upon presumption that thou wilt for thy souls sake use that cheap help of Consideration assist thee by laying down five particulars as subjects of thy most serious thoughts and I know not one of them but hath such weight that when thou are considering if the blessed God vouchsafe a meeting it may do the work The first subject of Consideration The misery of the unregenerate matchless endless FIrst Consider the misery which thou liest under or art liable to whilst thou art unregenerate And were I but able to charge and discharge this great gun fully it might probably fire thee out of all thy sinful holds and force thee to seek unto Christ for help But as the Roman said of his fellow-Citizen That he was beyond all expressions wicked so may I say of thee that thou art beyond not only all expressions but all conceptions wretched No ink is black enough to describe those dismal clouds of fury under which thou livest in this world But O what tongue can tell the thousandth part of those fiery torments to which thou art liable in the other world While thou livest thou art a cursed sinner and when thou diest thou shalt be a damned creature While thou livest thou art
shall inherit the earth Matth. 5.5 If heaven can make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.3 If all things could make thee blessed thou shouldst be blessed Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. two last verses Reader I shall do my utmost so to set forth the felicity of the regenerate which no pen can fully that thou mayst admire it How goodly are thy tents O. Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel Numb 24.5 and not only as Balaam desire their deaths Let me die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like his Numb 23 10. but also endeavour to live their lives and to have thy conversation like theirs While thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul and when thou entrest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorions Saint In this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul in every condition into which thou couldst come in every relation in which thou dost stand at all times and in all places whatsoever All the Providences of God should be profitable to thee If Gods hand were enlarged in mercy thy heart should be enlarged in duty If God should prosper thee in temporals the streams of his bounty should lead thee as the water course either upward to the spring or downward to the ocean to the source and fountain of all thy happiness Thy heart would still be in heaven where thy best things were even then when thy body were busied among earthly good things 1 Cor. 7 29 30 Phil. 3.19 Some observe of the seed called Henbane that it killeth all birds save sparrows and to them it is nourishing food and they give this reason because their veines are so narrow that the fumes of the seed cannot passe through them to their hearts truly thus t would be with thee though thou sands of others are poisond with their worldly portions because the fumes thereof penetrate into their vitals but if riches increase thou shouldst not set thine heart upon them nay thou shouldst get nourishment from them As Jehosaphat the more honour and wealth thou hadst the more thy heart would be lifted up in the ways of God 2 Chro. 17.5 6. If thine estate were but little yet t would be perfumed with love and that lump of sugar in thy cup would make the liquor sweet be it never so small As the waters which flow from the hils of some of the Islands of Molacca taste of the Cinamon and Cloves which grow there so should thy guift though it were but water taste of the good will and special grace of the giver Thy little with the fear of the Lord would be better then the riches of many wicked men Psal 37 15. As a little ring with a very costly Diamond in it is far more worth then many great ones without it so thy estate though it were but a penny should be joyned with the pretious jewel of that love which is better then life and enjoyed by special promise and thereby be infinitely more worth then the thousands and millions of others bestowed meerly from common bounty and enjoyed onely by a generall providence If the black frost of adversity overtake thee thou shouldst as Conies thrive the better thy soul being hail thou wouldst become thereby the more healthy By affliction thou shouldst be partaker of Gods holiness Heb. 12.10 The waters of affliction should wash out the diri of thy corruption and the more they increased they would raise thee as the flood the Arke higher above the earth and mount thee nearer to heaven Torches burn the better for beating Spices smell the sweeter for pounding Vines bear the more for bleeding and the more thy soul were kept down by those weights like the Palm-tree the more thou shouldst grow That scouring and rubbing which fretteth others should make thee shine the brighter Psal 94.12 Divine corrections should make thee learn thy sacred lessons It is said of the Lacedemonians that when all other people were undone by war they onely grew rich Truly thus when ungodly ones are the worse for outward miseryes and wants like Ahaz in their distress they sin more against the Lord thou shouldst thrive the better grow the richer in grace and good works The diminution of thy temporal should be an addition to thy spiritual estate Job 36.9 10. As spring-water smoaketh when other waters are dried up because that is living and these are dead nay t is observed waters arising from deep springs are hotter in winter then in summer the outward cold keeping in and doul â—â—g the inward heat So the waters of thy graces should not onely continue having a living principle when the Sun of calamity scorcheth and drieth up the dead ponds of unregenerate professors Mat. 13.21 but also increase in spiritual heat Job 17.8 9. Philip. 1.14 If the Devil assaulted thee with temptations they should never be for thy perdition but probation Rev. 2.10 The Captain of thy Salvation would so strengthen thy soul with the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit that thou shouldst not onely defend thy soul from all deadly wounds but offend thine Enemy and be more then a Conqueror over Principalities and Powers through him that loveth thee It would possibly be grievous and terrible to thee to be tempted but if God did not see it needful he would not suffer it nay if he could not make it useful he would not send it by those thorns of the flesh he would prick the vein and let out the ranck blood of thy spirit It is said of Telephus that he had his impostume opened by the dart of an Enemy which intended his hurt Truly so God would make to thee the fiery darts of the Devil though they were intentionally mortal to be eventually medicinal 1 John 5.18 The evil one should not touch thee that is with a mortal or deadly touch As a sound tree shaken with the winde thou shouldest not fall but root thy self the â—â—â—ter thou shouldest like Sampson fetch meat out of the Eater and out of the Strong sweetness thou shouldst get honey even out of this roaring Lion thy Regeneration like Pollium would be a special preservative against the poyson of that croocked Serpent Nay when thou shouldest fall into the evil of sin even that should turn to thy good God no thanks to thee like the skilful Apothecary would make wholsom treacle of such poisonus drugs If thy corruption should at any time get the mastery and break out in thy life thou shouldst be so well purged by the Physician of souls with the bitter Aloes of Repentance that as those who have had ill humors of their bodies getting head and breaking out in the small-pox and do well thou shouldst be the healthier in thy soul
while thou livest As a burnt child thou shouldest ever dread that fire thy broken hone being once well set would be stronger then before Compare 2 Sam. 11.4 and 15. with 1 Câ—ron 11.18 19. Mark 14.29 with Iohn 21.15 16 17. thou shouldst after thy falls walk more dependingly on Christ more compassionately towards others and more watchfully over thine own heart What ever thy condition were it should tend to thine eternal consolation Every wind that blew whether the nipping North-winde of adversity or the cherishing South-winde of prosperity should neither of them wrong thee for Christ would give them a charge concerning thee as David his Captains concerning Absolom Do this young Convert no harm no discourtesie but deal gently with him for my sake yea they should both blow a blessing to thy soul though the providences of God might be sometimes painful to thine outward yet they should be alwayes profitable to thine inward man Infinite love would send all infinite wisdom would temper all and infinite power would dispose all for thy benefit the rod would ever be in the hand of a loving Father and therefore never used to ruine or harm thee but ever to reform and heal thee As in the revolution of the Heavens every Planet moveth in its proper orb their motions are various nay opposite yet by the wheeling round of the primum mobile they are all brought about to one determinate point And as the wheels of a watch though they move contrary wayes yet all serve to carry on the end of the workman to tell us the time of the day So though the providences and dealings of God be never so cross seemingly yet they should all tend to thine advantage really and finally and to carry on Gods design which is thy spiritual and eternal felicity In a word if afflictions did wait upon thee if temptations watch against thee if mercies did flow in or by iniquity thou didst fall down whether the dayes of thy pilgrimage were cloudy or clear shining or showring whatever weather thou travellest in towards thy Father House All things should work together for thy good if thou didst once love God and wert called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 As all Gods providences should be profitable to thee so also in all thy performances thou shouldst be acceptable to God When thou shouldst approach the Lord of Glory he would give thee a meeting in the means of Grace he would bid thee welcom into his presence and warm thine heart with his spiritual influences thou mightest hear him speaking to the solace and wonder of thy soul O my Dove shew me thy face let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Cant. 2.14 The Spirit of God would assist thee in all thy performances enabling thee to offer up to God what came first from God and O how exceedingly would the Father be taken with and delight in his own childe The fruits of his Spirit would be pleasant fruits indeed Rom. 8.26 Cant. 4. ult Thou shouldst in every sacrifice give God thine heart which he could not but take kindly at thy hands Thy prayer would be his delight Sozomen said of Apollonius 〈◊〉 at he â—ever as â—ed that thing of God which was denied Prov. 15.8 Thy sweet breath would abundantly please him no musick could be so melodious to thee as thy prayers to him thou shouldst never ask any thing but he would grant it either in specie or pondere in money or money-worth The King of Heaven is not he that could do any thing against thee as that earthly King said Jer. 38.5 Thy prayer should come before him like incense and the lifting up of thine hands as morning and evening sacrifices which his soul would smell a sweet savour in His eyes would be alwayes open upon thy person with acceptance and therefore his ears would be open to thy prayers with audience Gen. 4.4 Thou like Esther shouldst be arrayed in thy best raiment the robes of thy Saviours righteousness and so appearing in the presence of the King shouldst finde such favour in his eyes that thy Petition should be granted and thy request performed though it were to the half to the whole of his Kingdom Thy duties should be performed with sutable graces At a Sacrament or in a Prayer thou shouldst draw nigh to him by faith Hebr. 10.22 Know thy distance from him by godly fear Hebr. 12.28 be made one with him by love John 17.23 which would enlarge thy heart in desires after him and ravish thy soul with delight in him Psal 73.25 Job 22.26 and thou shouldst walk with him throughout the duty with one foot of hope and the other of humility Thus graciously shouldst thou look up to him and he would graciously look down upon thee little dost thou think what powerful loadstones these Graces would be to draw forth his love Observe and admire Thou hast * Taken away my heart or behearted me Hebr. ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck How fair is thy love my sister my spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine oinments then all spices Cantic 4.9 10 11. to the end Besides all thy performances would be perfumed by the Mediator There would indeed still be imperfection in thy graces which are poured by the Spirit into thy soul as pure liquor into a foul vessel Spring waters as they pass thorow the veins of the earth will taste of the minerals which they there salute so would thy gracious actions have their faults and defects because thou wouldst have stil an unregenerate part therefore duties as they came from thee would not have a good savour but Christ the Angel would stand at the Altar with sweet incense intercepting thy sacrifices and prayers in their passage to heaven purge away the iniquities of thy holy things with his own blood perfume thy duties with his infinite merits and so present them to his Father in his own name without the least defilement and then O then how pleasing and acceptable must they needs be to him Revel 8.3 4. As when a Servant is with a Master upon liking he doth his business so coldly and carelesly and is so indifferent about it that his Master takes little notice either of him or his work and all that time is lost But when he is once bound and the Indentures sealed and his father engaged for his faithfulness the Apprentice falls to his work with another manner of spirit and the Master now esteems it as service carrieth himself towards him as a Master resolves to teach him his trade and his time every day goes on So whilst a man is unregenerate he serveth God so coldly hypocritically and carnally that God accepts it not nay loaths it his performances they are as the cutting off of a dogs neck or the offering up of swines
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
all that would partake of Gospel-priviledges It is necessary in regard of the purpose of God Elect according to the fore knowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Though God did not choose men because they were holy yet he chose men to be holy though he appointed not men to be saved because they were Saints yet he appointed men to be Saints and then to be saved It is necessary in regard of the passion of Christ he died for sin that men might die to sin he laid down his life that men might lay down their lusts his passion is a City of Refuge to the Penitent not a sactuary to the presumptuous God intended it to help men out of not to hold them in the mire of sin He is the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him Hebr. 5.9 He died because men were sinners but he died that men might be Saints He suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Now man and God can never be brought together till the emnity which is in the heart of man against God be removed If ever thou have Christ for thy Priest to satisfie Gods Justice for thy sins it is absolutely necessary that thou accept him for thy Prince to subdue thee to his service Had Christ come to procure man a pardon Gur. Arm. â—par â—17 and not to restore his lost holiness he had been a minister of sin and instead of bringing glory to God he had set sin in the throne and onely obtained a liberty for the creature to dishonour God without controle Again saith the same accurate writer In vain do men think to shroud themselves under Christs wings from the hue and cry of their accusing consciences while wickedness finds a sanctuary in them Christ was sent from God not to secure men in but to save men from their sins It is necessary in regard of the promises of God Thus saith the Lord of hosts turn to me saith the Lord of hosts and I will turn to you saith the Lord of hosts Zach. 1.3 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4.8 If ever God draw nigh to thee in mercy thou must draw nigh to him in duty He that shall have the reward must do the work The precepts of God must be written on the heart otherwise the promises of God shall never fall down on thine head Isa 1.16 17 and 55.7 1 King 8.35 Prov. 28.13 Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 'T is the pure heart alone that hath the assurance of the pure heaven Thou seest now I hope clearly the absolute necessity of Regeneration what therefore canst thou think to do without it O ponder this again and again that there is no escape no evasion God will not vary from his Law Thy dying to sin is necessary sin must die or thy soul cannot live If ye live after the the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 6. Gal. 6.6 7. Surely thou canst not think that Heaven will be a stye for swine or a kennel for dogs that feed on filth and carrion Believe it if any iniquity be let go thy life must go for its life The Jaylors paid dear for letting Peter escape Act. 12. Herod commanded them to be put to death Truly so dear must thou pay for the escape of sin 't wil bring the second death even eternal death upon thee be thy sin as near and as dear as Isaac it must be sacrificed be it never so small it must not be spared Cesar was stab'd with bodkins I have somewhere read that a man and a Crocodile never meet but one dieth 'T is certain sin and the soul never meet but one dieth if sin live the soul dieth if sin die the soul liveth there is no parting stakes or retreating upon equal terms Maurice of Newport told his Souldiers when he had sent away his boates that there was no flying the Spaniards being before them and the Sea behinde them Either ye must eat up and destroy those Spaniards or drink up this ocean Friend such is thy case either thou must destroy thy sins or drink up the bottomless ocean of the Lords wrath Answer me seriously thou wilt say thou dost not love such a man so well as to be hangd for him Dost thou love sin so well as to be damned for it Dost thou love thy Drunkenness and Swearing and Uncleanness and scoffing at Godliness so well as to burn eternally in hell for them Dost thou love thy pride and worldliness and lustful thoughts and Atheisme and carnall mindedness so well as to be tormented day and night for ever and ever for them A very Coward will fight when he must either kill or be killed Willt not thou fight manfully when sin will kill thee if it be not killed by thee Ahab out of foolish pitie gave Benhadad his life when he ought to have slain him but the requital which Benhadad made was to kill Ahab 1 King cap. ult v. 31 34. such a requital sin will make thee if thou favour it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the masculine article sheweâ—h that it s to be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Manton on â—ude p. 38. Follow after peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 Observe how peremptory God is in that place that without holiness no man shall see God It is not said that without peace no man shall see God but without holiness no man shall see God Peace may be broken in the quarrel of truth and holiness and yet for all that a man may see God Jeremiah was a man of contention and yet a man for the beatifical vision but they that are not holy cannot see God A pure eye onely can see a pure God As the eye which hath dust in it without or thick vapours stopping the nerves within cannot see except it be cleansed from the one and purged from the other So a man the eye of whose mind is clouded with the mist of sin cannot behold God till he be cleansed The Christians happiness in heaven consisteth in such a vision of God as shall make him like God 1 John 3.2 but a dusky glass cannot represent an image When the Sun of righteousness shall shine upon a pure Christal glass a clean unspotted soul t will cause a glorious reflection indeed To wind up this fourth subject of consideration Reader Affaires of absolute indispensable necessity should like weighty things make a deep impression upon thy spirit Urge thy soul often with this that of all things in the world regeneration is the one thing necessary Let conscience press it on thee I must be converted or condemned here is the word of the living God for it and such a word
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
then they needed to do of his justifying himself in his transgressions and taking part with Satan against his own soul he crieth Guilty Guilty when such Bills of indictment are read against him but every word in them is a deep wound to him the wolf in the brest and worms in the belly do not cause half that pain which his wickedness doth by gnawing in his conscience Tell him of the Gospel how infinitely merciful God is and how inconceivably meritorious Christ is and how freely the glad tidings of the Gospel are offered to all O this toucheth him to the quick the sword of the Gospel cuts him more to the heart then the sword of the Law O saith he This this is my death were it not for this I should have some hopes of life but alas I have abused mercy which is the only friend I have left I have despised Christ and neglected the great salvation which was tendred to me in the Gospel Vile creature that I am Mercy Love and Grace came many a time woing me how did Jesus Christ himself with pardon and life come beseeching me begging of me to open my heart and let him in and yet cursed wretch that I was I denied him when the world could lie warm in my bosom all night and sin get a good room in my soul yet my Saviour must stand without and not be thought worthy to be let in I have most unworthily spurned against his bowels of compassion scorned his sweetest and most affectionate perswasions most desperately refused the only means of my recovery and therefore I what shall I do whether shall I go If one man sin against another the judge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2.25 but if a man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him If I had sinned only against my Creator my Redeemer might have satisfied for me but I wretched I have sinned against my Redeemer and therefore who shall intreat for me O the frights and fears the horrors and terrors which this poor creature suffereth under the sight and sence of his sins and guilt but the fore-thoughts of an everlasting miscarriage in the other world sinks him quite down that he is able to hold up no longer Thus the Spirit first plougheth up the fallow-ground of the heart before he casteth into it the seed of grace he first captivates the sinner and brings him into a spiritual dungeon under chains of guilt and horror that the very irons enter into his soul before he proclaimeth liberty to the captive Isa 61.1 2. and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Some indeed are brought lower then others with legal terror but surely not a few have sailed to Heaven by the very gates of Hell God is resolved that men shall feel sin either here or hereafter Thirdly The Spirit convinceth him of the impotency and weakness of all the things in the world to help him that in the whole garden of Nature there is never an herb which can make a salve to heal his wounded conscience Now the sinner is scorched with the heat of Gods wrath he is like a man in a burning feaver full of pain and he tumbleth and tosseth from one side of the bed to the other trying and hoping for ease he goeth to this carnal comfort or that humane help to have his pain abated and his sores cured but none of them will do as fast as he claps on those carnal plaisters the Spirit causeth his conscience to rub them off It may be first the man useth forreign drugs he being troubled in conscience goeth with Cain to the building of Cities to earthly imployments that the noise of the hammers might drown the voice of conscience that his minde and body being occupied about other things conscience might have no time nor leasure to proceed in preaching its cutting Lectures or else like Saul he runneth to his musick to carnal contentments to merry meetings jovial companions his preferment or pleasures in the world or some carnal diversion if it be possible to turn the water of his thoughts into another channel and so to keep that mill from going which makes such a clacking dreadful noise in his ears and threatneth to grind him to powder Thus sinfully foolish is man as soon as ever a fire is kindled in his soul which would aspire to heaven he runneth with his buckets to earthly springs and fetcheth water thence to quench it the throws of the new birth do no sooner come upon him but he like some simple women takes cooling things which cause his labour to go back again But the Holy Ghost for I am now speaking of one in whom the Spirit goeth through with the work makes all these things empty to him the vertue of those poor cordials is soon spent and now the man is as sick as before Conscience for all these interruptions still followeth him with its Hue and Cry by a warrant from Heaven for the breach of Gods Statutes that the sinner can house nowhere in any of these worldly comforts but conscience is at his heels raising the Town upon him and giveth him no rest the man finds this physick but like hot water to one in a cold fit of an ague which warms a little at present but makes his hot fit the more violent When the sinner findes that his exotical drugs will not cure him he will try in the next place Kitchin physick he will be his own both Doctor and Apothecary he hopeth that his praying and grieving and trouble of minde and resolution to be better will satisfie Gods justice and pacifie his own conscience and heal it throughly O how the man endeavors to lick himself whole man is a proud creature unwilling to beg or borrow of his neighbors very solicitous rather to make a poor shift with what he hath of his own The Mariners will row hard in a storm to get to shore by their own power before they will awake Jesus with Save us Master or we perish But the Spirit convinceth him of the insufficiency of all his prayers and tears and duties to appease God or satisfie his Law the Spirit sheweth him the narrowness and shortness of all his rags how they cannot possibly cover his nakedness conscience telleth him that by his very duties he is so far from paying his old score that he runneth further in debt Alas saith Conscience thy very duties may damn thee He who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity seeth a thousand holes in thy best coat the holy God seeth sins enough in them to send thee into Hell for them Canst thou poor begger with thy counterfeit farthings think to pay an infinite sum Can thy poor finite performances satisfie infinite Justice for the violation of his righteous precepts And for thy resolutions of better obedience canst thou think that future obedience can satisfie for former disobedience No though thou couldst offer thousands of rams and ten
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
never fountain sent forth water more freely then this sinner doth godly sorrow when he considereth what he hath done how he hath sinned what a God he hath greived sorrow and grief overwhelm his spirit The fifth step is implantation into Christ the Spirit now leadeth the childe by the band unto Christ nay grafteth him into Christ The soul being convinced of the necessity it stands in of Christ of the endless misery which it must undergo without Christ of the al-sufficiency that is in Christ how willing how able he is to binde up the broken heart and to save the sinful soul doth by the help of the Holy Ghost venture its self and its everlasting estate up-Jesus Christ resolving to stand or fall live or die at his feet The sinner is now between hope and fear not knowing how he shall fare As the four Lepers that were shut out of the City in the famine of Samaria considered with themselves If we enter into the City the famine is in the City and we die there Kings 7.3 and if we sit still here we die also Now therefore come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die and accordingly they went to the Syrians camp found food there and lived So the sinner pondereth in his heart If I go to the world and the lying vanities thereof I perish vanity of vanities is written upon all its enjoyments the famine is there there is nothing that is bread its whole shop cannot afford a plaister which can heal my wounded conscience if I sit still in this condition under the weight of mine iniquities I perish they will unquestionable sink me into Hell now therefore I will fall into the hands of the Lord Jesus If he save my soul I shall live if he deny to receive such an unworthy wretch as I am I shall but die I can but perish I will therefore venture and accordingly the soul goeth to him and findeth life in him I have sometime thought that when the sinner is come thus far he carrieth himself much like Esther When the King had made an irrevocable decree for the destruction of her self and people what doth she do she fasteth and prayeth and sendeth word to Mordecai I will go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish Esth 4. ult Thus the poor broken-hearted sinner perceiving that the King of Kings hath made a Decree That the soul that sinneth shall die eternally and he is a grievous sinner he fasteth he mourneth he prayeth and at last resolveth Well I will go in unto the King though it be not according to the Law which shutteth me up under guilt and wrath If I perish I perish possibly he may hold out the golden Scepter of Grace and I may live in his sight thus the poor creature goeth maketh supplication believingly and prevaileth The Devil now layeth all the blocks he can possibly in the souls way to hinder its journey to Christ As when the woman talked to her husband of going to the Prophet for the enlivening of her dead childe he presently endeavoureth to disswade her that 't would be to no purpose Why wilt thou go 't is neither new moon nor Sabbath but yet she went and had her childe restored to life Thus To what purpose shouldst thou go to Christ saith the Devil to the penitent sinner Canst thou think that so holy and righteous a God will have the least respect for such a wicked notorious hell-hound as thou art I tell thee he hath sent thousands that never sinned as thou hast done into Hell and canst thou have any thoughts of Heaven Thou hast done my work all thy dayes and now lookest for a reward from God No no I le pay thee thy wages in blackness of darkness for ever if thou hadst intended for life thou shouldst have minded it sooner thou hast dayes without number broken the Law and many a time rejected the Gospel and now 't is too late God called and thou wouldst not hear now thou mayst call long enough for he will not hear thee he tells thee as much with his own mouth Prov. 1.25 to 32. Therefore thou mayst spare thy pains and prayers for all will be to no purpose Surely thou hast a impudent face and a brazen forehead to expect such choice blessings as pardon and life from that Christ whom thou hast persecuted in his people rejected in his Laws preferring the world and thy flesh before him and daring him to his very face Thus he that was the sinners tempter to those sins turns his tormentor for them and he that when the soul was posting to Hell bid it not doubt of Heaven doth now the creature is creeping towards eternal life perswade him that 't is impossible to escape eternal death But notwithstanding these discouragements the sinner will go to the great Prophet of the Church for the life of his dead soul He thinks 'T is true I am a grievous sinner but I know that he is a gracious Saviour I see nothing but misery and hell in me but I see mercy and heaven in him for my warrant Mat. 11.28 I have â—his precept Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden for my encouragement I have his promise I will give you rest Ioh 6.33 him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out I will therefore go what ever come of it and lay my self at his feet if he condemn me and spurn me into Hell I le justifie him peradventure he may lend me his hand and raise me up with hope of Heaven others have gone to him and he hath bid them welcom O the rings and robes the kisses and embraces which many returning Prodigals have had of him who knoweth but he may be gracious to me if he had not been willing that poor sinners should live he would not have dyed if he had been unwilling that I should come why doth he call me Well what ever come of it I will go it may be I may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Thus Faith at first standeth but on one weak foot I suppose that when the sinner is in this condition the very command of God enjoyning him to believe in the name of his Son is a special instrument in the hand of the Spirit to draw him unto Christ like Abraham he being called of God obeyed not knowing whither he went he being called of God to cast himself on Jesus Christ obeyeth not knowing how he shall speed The Disciples when they hear Christ speaking to them in the morning Cast on the other side of the ship and ye shall finde answer him We have fished all night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy command we will let down the net So the penitent man having tried this and that means and found no water no meat
thine house one by whom thou expectest to be promoted highly and inriched greatly or one whose heir thou lookest to be how welcome wouldst thou make such a man especially the first time that he commeth to visit thee and upon those very accounts I mean for thy advantage he must have the best room the best fare the most pleasing language the most respectful carriage all things must be done as much as possibly can be according to his mind and nothing must be done which is known to be offensive to him and all lest he should be provoked to forsake thee to cast thee off and to do nothing at all for thee Reader is there not far more reason that when the infinite Spirit of the blessed God cometh to thine heart who onely is able to promote thee to become the child of God an heir of heaven and to inrich thee with the image of God in Regeneration that when he cometh first to thee and for these very ends thou shouldst give him all the respects imaginable that thou shouldst follow his counsel forbeare what thou knowest grieves him do what thou knowest will please him lest he depart away from thee and do none of these things for thee Saul by disobeying the counsel of Samuel from God concerning the slaughter of the Amalekites did so grieve his spirit that Samuel tels him plainly That God had rejected him from being King 1 Sam. 15 â—3 ult And the text saith expresly That Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death that is never nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul Truly now the Spirit of God delivereth thee counsel to destroy those notorious fins which if thou wilt thou canst forbear should thou spare those fat those King corruptions though the Spirit of God may mourn for thee that thou shouldst be such a wilful soul-murderer and reject the counsel of God against thy self yet he may utterly reject thee from being any of the heirs of the heavenly Kingdom and thou mayst see him no more to the day of thy death If thou livest under the Gospel I question not but the Holy Spirit doth move thee to forsake thine ungodly comrades thy scandalous crimes and to set upon prayer in secret in private Scripture and meditation which I must tel thee that if thou haft will at home as we say thou hast power enough in thine hands to do again and again I pray thee to cherish and obey such motions the Spirit makes short work with some least he bid thee adieu and clap such a curse upon thee that thou never clawest off while thou livest no not whilst thou hast a being It may be this skilful Physitian proceedeth further he doth not onely shew thee thy disease and tell thee what things are bad what things are good for it but also gives thee Physick in order to thy cure and such Physick as works to purpose and makes thee heart sick indeed I mean the Spirit of God proceedeth from illumination to humiliation it doth not onely convince thee of thy wounds and putrified sores but also lanceth and cutteth them applieth a stinging corrosive to eat up thy proud flesh and putteth thee to great pain the Spirit sheweth thee sin and wrath in their colours making thee see the former more frightful then a devil and feel the latter more painful at thy heart then a dagger possibly he takes thee and holds thee as it were over Hell making thee see the smoak of that bottomless pit smell the brimstone and feel the scorchings of that eternal fire that thou beginnest to sink under the weight of thy wickedness and to cry out Mine iniquities are gone over my head Psal 38.1 and they are a burthen too heavy for me to bear Those sins which were as sweet as honey in thy mouth are now taken down into thy belly and they are there more bitter then gall The Law chargeth thee home with its great guns that thou fearest and tremblest and knowest not whither to flie for succor If thou art come thus much of thy journey I would bid thee welcom so far and would tell thee for thy encouragement that these pangs and throws seem to foretell the new birth to be coming if thou sufferest not the Devil and thy corrupt heart to be at thy labour to try their experiments and tamper about thee for questionless they would destroy both thee and the babe of Grace in thy womb but sufferest the Spirit of God to be the midwife and followest his directions I durst be the man that should prophesie an happy and fafe delivery But thou knowest that the condition of one in travel is very ticklish a little miscarriage may then undo both mother and child therefore it behoveth thee now to be extraordinary careful what thou dost and how thou carriest thy self it is as much as thy life is worth For thy direction I shall tell thee what thou shouldst not do and what thou shouldst do Be sure that thou do not run to creatures for comfort Foolish people when sometimes an able Chirurgion hath laid some sharp medicine to their festered wounds which puts them to much pain though unless by such means the rottenness of them be eaten up and the corruption in them forced out they can never be cured yet they are ordinarily so impatient that they will not endure it but as this good woman and that neighbour if they do not know a milder medicine for such a sore surely say they this medicine which the Doctor useth will never do it we finde the member or part very angry and extreamly raging and then some one or other acquainteth them with gentler means which they presently apply and thereby skin over their sores before they are half searched that afterwards the wound either breaks out again and puts them to more pain if ever they be healed or else it keeps still in overspreads the body and kills them Thus thus do too many with the Physitian of their souls and thereby do often undo themselves The Spirit of God applyeth the terrors and consternations the Law to make way and prepare them for the dainties and consolations of the Gospel the good Samaritan poureth wine into the wound to search it before he poureth oil to heal it now foolish men are impatient not able to bear such sad melancholy thoughts as they call them and therefore they often break away from the Spirit of God before they are throughly humbled and run to their earthly enjoyments whereby they get some present ease but here or hereafter far greater pain It is reported of the Italians that in a great thunder they ring their bells and shoot off their canons that the noise of them might drown the voice of the thunder Thus do some with the voice of their awakened and terrified consciences they seek to drown it by the noise of worldly businesses recreations or it may be ungodly delights But surely damning a soul is not
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
the soul that this New creature is conceived and brought forth godliness is not natural but adventitious to man not by propagation but by donation Man cannot generate himself naturally much less regenerate himself spiritually they which are born of the flesh contribute nothing to their own beings neither do they which are born of the Spirit bring any thing to their new beings unless it be a passive receptiveness as they are reasonable creatures Some read the Text and not unfitly for the original will fully bear it Except a man be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above or from heaven and therefore in the fifth verse of this third Chapter of John Christ telleth us Except a man be born of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God and in Tit. 3.5 it is called a renewing of the holy Ghost so 1 Joh. 12.13 Jer. 31.18 19.2 Cor. 3.5 1 Pet 1.1 2 3. Ephes 2.10 1 Pet. 2.9 10. This work is somtimes called a transplanting out of the natural wilde olive-tree and ingraffing it contrary to nature into a true good Olive-tree Rom. 11.24 out of the first into the second Adam now the Cions cannot transplant or ingraff it self It is termed a new creation 2 Cor. 5.17 To create or bring something out of nothing is beyond the power of the strongest creature it is above the strength of all men and Angels to create the least pile of grass God challengeth this as his prerogative royal Isa 40 26. As the old heaven and earth were the work of his hands Gen. 1.1 so are the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Isa 65.17 Austin said truly To convert the little world Man is more then to create the great world It is further stiled a Resurrection from the dead Ephes 5.14 and 2.5 It is a great work to recover a dying body a far greater to restore one that is dead to life but the greatest of all to enliven a dead soul in the former there is no opposition in this there is much In spight of man and devils to pull down the ugly rotten frame of sin and set up the lovely lasting Fabrick of sanctity requireth no less strength then Omnipotency The Almighty God putteth forth the exceeding greatness of his power in forming the New creature Ephes 1.19 20. nay the same power which he did in raising up Iesus Christ from the dead who had beside the watch of Romans and the malice of hell such an heavy weight as the sins of the world to keep him down Repentance and Faith are the two chief ingredients in this rare composition and neither of them are such drugs as grow in Natures Garden no they are fetched from far It is God that giveth to the Gentiles repentance unto life Acts 11.18 2 Tim 2.25 The stones will as soon weep as mans heart of stone unless he that smote the rock force water out of it by turning it into a heart of flesh for Faith also it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 None come to the Son but such as are drawn by the Father Joh. 6.44 He alone that caused iron to swim 2 King 6.6 can keep the humbled sinner that is pressed down with the burden of innumerable iniquities from sinking in the gulf of desperation To part a man from his dearest carnal self and to make him diligently seek the destruction of what before he sought the preservation to make him cut off his right hand and pluck out his right eye hate father mother wife childe name house land u◠do all he had done go backward every step he had gone see things with a new light understand things with another heart and in the whole course of his life to swim against the stream and tide of nature and winds of example to bring a soul to this I say which is all done and much more in conversion requireth the infinite God's operation Flesh and blood can neither reveal these things to a man nor work these things in a man but the Father which is in heaven The Minister like the Prophets servant Instrumentum non movet nisi moveatur may lay his staff on the dead childe but he cannot raise it to life till the Master cometh Paul may plant and Apollo water but God only can give the increase Cor. 3.6 Without him we can do nothing John 15.3 We may preach out our hearts unless God affords his help our people will never be holy As Protogenes when he saw a picture in a shop curiously drawn cryed out None but Apelles could do this So when thou seest the beautiful image of the blessed God lively portrayed on the soul thou mayst say This is the finger of God None but a God could do this Secondly I say Whereby God out of his meer good pleasure here is the impulsive or moving cause of Regeneration Of his own will begat he us again by the word of truth Jam. 1.18 Gods good will is the highest moving cause of this gracious work 't was not any fore-sight of Faith or good works not any thing without him that turned the scale of his thoughts for thy purity and peace but only his own good pleasure and pity Ezek. 36.21 22. therefore he is said to give a new heart verse 26 27. because he bestoweth it freely not for mans merit but from his own mercy The gift of grace is meerly of grace For we our selves saith the Apostle were sometimes disobedient foolish serving divers lusts and pleasures But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3.3 4 5. so Ephes 2.1 to 6. verse If you would know the grand reason why some are taken by the net of the Word let down in the sea of the world when others are left why some like wax are melted before this fire of Scripture when others like clay are hardned why some have the light side of this glorious pillar towards them when others have the dark side of it why the same path of the red sea is salvation to some when it is destruction to others why the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to babes when they are hid from the wise and prudent I must give you the same reason which Christ himself doth Even so Father because it seemeth good in thy sight Matth. 11.27 his will and mercy are the cause of all our felicity Rom 9.18 1 Pet 1.3 Deut 7.7 8. Grace chuseth thee Rom 11.5 There is a remnant according to the election of Grace so Ephes 1.5 Grace calleth 2 Tim 1.9 Who hath called us according to his purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began so Gal 1.15 Grace distinguisheth and differenceth thee from others By the grace of God I am what I am 1