to be brought into straits Things are here expressed as we heard according to appearance a man is not pinched with want till he feels it and is oppressed with it Hence DOCT. When God intends saving Grace to any he first makes them effectually sensible of their own miserable and undone state God in the ordinary and usual method of converting sinners under the means of Grace begins with the discovery of their empty needy poor and miserable condition Here began the ground and motive of the young man's returning to his Father though it did not presently work to this end had he not been reduced to the greatest straits he had never thought of returning his being in want was that which set him to seeking relief and this is it which did at last though not immediately drive him home Among the works ascribed to the spirit of God there are some which are called common and preparatory common because they may be found in Reprobates preparatory because they are wont in the Elect to be steps towards conversion or works preparing the soul as a rational Agent to entertain Christ as he is tendered in the Gospel The first of these works is Conviction which hath two things for objects viz. Sin and misery one is the cause the other the effect Conviction usually proceeds Analytically it first discovers the effect and from thence searcheth after the cause The conviction of misery is that which here hath its consideration that of sin follows afterwards The first remove of the young man was he felt himself to be in want he found when the famine came and encreased that now he had nothing to live upon In the Explication we may consider 1. What is this conviction of misery 2. How it is wrought 3. The reasons of the Doctrine 1. What is this conviction of misery Answ It is the first legal work that is usually wrought in a sinner making him to apprehend his present state of perdition notwithstanding all that is either in himself or in the world It is though not the full of a lost estate yet leading to it or a step towards it In the Description observe 1. I call it a legal work now Divines are wont to call those works legal 1. Which are usually wrought by the application of the Law in which is the curse and by which is the knowledge of sin Rom. 7. 8. Misery ariseth out of the curse and the curse comes upon the breach of the Law Gal. 3. 12. The Law therefore firstly discovers it 2. Which are common works and not in themselves saving and so the word legal is often used in Divinity of which nature is this before us Conviction of misery may befal hypocrites Isa 43. 14. Yea of it self this is hell begun in the soul or conscience 3. I call it the first legal work my meaning is that God usually begins here and so man for the most part is made to look upon the effect before he discovers the cause yea is led by it thereunto he first sees and feels misery upon himself and thence is led to see sin as the blameable meritorious cause of all this misery Man usually apprehends that he is condemned before he apprehends sin to be the just condemnation he feels himself miserable before he justifieth God for though it be sin which the law condemns and hence he must so far see sin as to know that he hath broken this law yet he is not made to know sin in its just merit but rather counts it a rigour of the law which makes him angry with that and not with sin Rom. 7. 5. 3. The proper effect of this conviction is to make him know and feel his perishing condition at present that he is now going to perdition viz. that he is under the curse of the law bound over to eternal death and that he is in the way to it being held under the curse the young man found himself perishing with hunger 4. The efficacy of this conviction is that it unmasks the former delusion under which he lay making him to see that he hath no remedy against this misery either in himself or in the world In respect to himself he finds that he hath spent all in regard to the world he finds that there is a famine in that land and the conclusion that ariseth from hence is that he is sensibly in what i. e. he still wants that freedom from the curse notwithstanding all God's favours or his interest in the creature this is the summe of this conviction in which though we must confess that there is a change now made in the sinner yet it is not a saving change of his state For 1. His state was as bad before only the difference is he then saw it not but now he doth he thought himself rich and the world a trusty friend both these were mistakes and now he finds them so to be so that the substance of rhis charge is now he is convinced that before he cheated himself Hence 2. His state is not properly mended by this conviction for though he sees his misery in some degree yet this sight doth not free him from it Conviction is not Conversion though God can when he pleaseth make it a step towards it Conviction doth not make any man really better though it doth give us hopes that where the spirit begins he may carry it on for Cain and Judas fared never the better by it though many souls have by Divine Grace 2. How this conviction is wrought Answ 1. If we speak of the Author or efficient Cause of this work it properly belongs to the spirit of God who in a work of common grace brings the creature to the sense and apprehension of this misery I deny not but that rational conviction may be gathered and applyed from the rational consideration of things but that this sensible conviction depends on a special work of the spirit appears 1. Because the same means of conviction are used with others who yet are not thus convinced We preach sin and misery to a great many discourse with them of the distressed condition of the poor prodigal man but it is but now and then one that is touched with remorce and cries out of it or acknowledgeth it sensibly 2. Because the same means may have been formerly used with this person and yet did not gain their effect It may be he had heard the same thing many a time and his judgment assented to it to be truth but yet he regarded it not nor was affected with it yea possibly he had had it more urged with more strength of argument and pressed with more morally perswasive motives by others but yet it never gained upon or got within him till now and why now rather than at any other time there was as much to have driven it home before it must needs therefore proceed from the power of the Holy Ghost working when he sees meet But 2.
dwels in mens hearts by putting his fear into them when he causeth them to delight in his wayes to love his commands and to be afraid of his Judgements but when instead of this they thrust away his law refuse to hearken to his counsel and are not awed by his Judgments their will cannot submit to his when conscience is stifled or lulled asleep and men sin securely and without any dread now they are gone far from God 2. For the evidence of the Doctrine that it is so the Scripture is plain it is the very character of wicked men as we heard Psal 73. 27 They that are far from thee shall perish And that their prosperity emboldens them to it the Psalmist also ascertains us Psal 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God And he that observes the boldness security confidence fearlesness irreclaimableness of wicked men especially if the providence of God smiles upon them will easily conclude these men are far from God Reas 1. From the natural rebellion and enmity of the heart of man against God Men hate God they abhorre his holiness his Laws disrelish their carnal aims and ends cross and contradict their natural desires and concupiscences his promises savour not with them his threatnings irritate and provoke them the summe is proud and sinful man would be at the greatest possible freedom to take his own course without any controle and knowing how contrary Gods Government is to his wicked will how opposite Gods grace is to his impiety hence he desires to be from under it Men cannot so quietly and securely sin whiles God is near them The Prodigal knew that if he dwelt near his Father he must expect to be disturbed by wholsom counsels and admonitions and that would mar a great deal of his mirth he should not with so much liberty and content follow his mad courses Reas 2. From the natural tendency there is for the sinful heart of man to be strengthned in this rebellion by outward prosperity When men have their Portion large and great they hope they can now vye it with God the Prodigal had no more use or need of his father now he had his Portion and therefore as long as that lasted he regarded not to come at him If God speak to back-slidden Judah in her prosperity She will not hear prosperity makes men proud Psal 73. 5 6. They are not in trouble as other men therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain Men can now do well enough without God yea best when he is furthest off from them and they must be reduced to aâ— afflicted and distressed condition before they will think of a return Hos 5. 15. We hear nothing of the Prodigals returning to his Father till his folly had laded him with insupportable misery USE 1. This serves to discover the great wickedness and horrid ingratitude of the Children of men that strengthen themselves in rebellion by that which should soften and break their hearts That those cords of kindness by which God would bind engage their souls to love him must be turned into cords of vanity to bind their hearts more strong in rebellion against him It is a very sore charge which God draws up against Judah to the observation oâ— which as a thing most unreasonable and horrible he calls heaven and earth as witnesseâ— Isa 1. 2. I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me How rightâ— our is the condemnation of sinners that God kindness should set their hearts more against him that goodness should engender hatred This is a strange Antiperistasis Let it theâ— convince us what wicked hearts we have naturally and humble us before God that iâ— should be so USE 2. It plainly discovers to us that the conversion of a sinner is not of himself noâ— from any leading motion or inclination of his own heart for the very Bias of a mans heart doth naturally draw him to turn away from God yea to run as far from him as possibly he can and he would never return any more if God did not draw him by his Almighty power There must be the irresistable attraction of the Spirit of God to encline the soul to seek him before it will look after him If all Gods outward favours make him worse there is no hope till there be something inward to change his heart that he will ever be better Wonder not then if we see men growing worse under the best of means and outward mercies for the sinful nature of man takes advantage by these things to be so but let us pray earnestly to God for the pouring out of his spirit and workby his power USE 3. To teach us that it is sometimes a great favour of God to withhold from men the enjoyment of a great Portion of outward blessings or take them away from them Augustin's Periissem nisi Periissem is observable whither would some men have gone how far had they run away from God had he not laid chains of affliction upon them and bound them in fetters David was going astray before he was afflicted and how far might he have gone if God had let him alone think not your selves then to be hardly dealt withal because you are held under the restraints of Providence the day may come when you may bless God for it USE 4. For tryal It may put us upon it to examine our selves and see what improvement we make of those blessings and favour which God indulgeth us with Much of ouâ— true spiritual condition is to be known by this Have you Gods blessing have you parts oâ— worldly comforts and do they make you weary of Gods wayes more careless of his fearâ— and more secure in sinning these are thâ—â— notes and characters of a Prodigal only a rebellious Child will do so But if Gods favours are thankfully received and his cords of love engage your hearts to love him and to study his fear if they make you more to delight in his wayes and diligent in his service if they oblige you to improve them to his glory this is indeed a fruit of his spirit grace in the soul and to be acknowledged as an evidence that his spirit dwels in you They only are godly men who do carefully honour God with all his gifts and if you so do you shall be acknowledged by God and he will never repent of what he hath done for and bestowed upon you SERMON V. VVE have thus heard of the place whither the young son carried his estate telling us that wicked men love to have the greatest advantage to sin without any restraint We might also have taken notice of the comparison which is used in the text to illustrate his Apostasie viz. a journey he took his journey or went a Pilgrimage whence we may take notice of this DOCT. That wicked men grow to the height of prophaness by degrees Men conversing in the region of sin are upon
If we speak of the means by which it is wrought I answer God's spirit doth it sometimes by the ministry of the Word sometimes by the concurrence of wisely ordered Providences speaking in them to the soul and it is a very frequent thing for God to back the Word in his providence for the bringing of a sinner under the power of this conviction yea providence sometimes begins and gives a general conviction the Word then sets in and more particularly points out his condition Providence many times tells a man that he is miserable and then the Word comes and tells him how he came to be so More particularly 1. The Word of God gives a full demonstration of the natural state of all mankind it tells us both what we are and how we came to be so it declares the wrath of God and shews how man came to be subjected to it it convinceth by clear and plain evidence it is a Glass in which a natural man may see his own face without those paintings wherewith carnal reason is wont to varnish and hide it It is one of the ends for which the Scripture is given 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2. Divine Providence concurrs to the setting home of this truth thus 1. God often brings secure sinners into an afflicted condition who were before that prosperous and whiles prosperous they were secure but now Gods begins to open their eyes Thus it was with this younger son Text and Context 2. In this afflicted estate men are apt to ponder and think of their condition Affliction puts men upon consideration and makes them usually more ready to hear and take into their meditation such things as may concern them Hos 5. 15. 3. Now God many times brings home the Word to them and moves them to a more serious and particular consideration of it Their own concerns are now in it whereas they looked at themselves as unconcerned before In prosperity they would not hear but novv the Word is made more to affect them than formerly 4. Now the spirit of God takes an opportunity to make many truths which before were very unwelcome to them and they had put them away to be thought upon and credited so that 1. They now feel that they are mortal and must go shortly to another world they could not endure to think of this formerly nor did practically believe it but now they apprehend it as a reality and matter of concern 2. They are made to discern that trust in themselves and in the world is vain and that by reason of the foregoing truth They now rememher that they have been hitherto thinking of time and providing for that but had forgotten eternity They thought of no heaven but in the enjoyment of the world and favous of it but now they see that all this will not avail them for an everlasting state 3. They now remember the curses of the Law against such as do these and those things or against all the progeny of fallen Adam in a natural condition and are convinced that they are the men against whom they are denounced and now apprehending themselves hasting to eternity and to have done nothing in way of providing for it this becomes a terrible thought in them and they are extreamly terrified with the thought of a future state for which they have been taking no care The severity of the word and the fears of death oppress them and they know not how they shall do to go into another world and now they begin to be in want all is leaving them and they are naked and have no portion and the world cannot keep them alive for there is a famine The thoughts of dwelling with everlasting burnings possesseth them with fearfulness Isa 35. 14. Reas From the usefulness there is of this conviction in order to Conversion It is useful 1. For the seasonableness of it God intending to advance himself in man's Salvation and his Glory being declarative for his essential Glory is incapable of any advancement hence the more gracious he appears to be the more Glory redounds to his great Name Now the greatness of grace herein appears in one discovery of it viz. the greatness of the misery from which the subject of this grace is delivered For the illustration whereof this work is very fit and seasonable For 1. Man must see his own misery or else he will never admire God's mercie 2. The best knowledge of this misery is by a sensible apprehension of the distressing efficacy of it 3. The sense and apprehension cannot be so well after conversion because then the apprehension of God's mercy applyed to faith in the promise cannot but afford some relief against the sense of misery Though it is true the right improvement of this is after mercy hath been apprehended yet still the remembrance of this distress is a main help to fill the soul with admiration Isa 53. 6. 2. For the necessity of it in order to the receiving of Christ in the tenders of the Gospel For 1. Christ's work is Salvation work Hence he is called Jesus the Saviour and said to come on this errand 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ came to save sinners 2. Hence this work is for none but such as need Salvation and that is such as are miserable What should a Physitian do among men that are hail and sound Luk. 5. 31. 3. Hence till men feel this misery they will certainly despise Christ till then they will bid the Almighty to depart from them Job 21. 14. USE 1. For Information hence learn 1. That they make more hast than good speed that are great Professors of Faith in Christ before ever they were made throughly sensible of their own misery A Faith that antedates Conviction may justly be suspected He that never knew his own distress never went to Christ as a Saviour There are indeed divers steps from this conviction to true conversion but yet this is one step from natural security and usually the first Though a man cannot see sin sinful which is the true conviction of sin but by an eye of faith yet by the common work of Illumination he may see the woful estate of it God like a wise builder digs for a foundation before he layes it Conviction of misery is not our foundation Christ is the only foundation Faith is that which only builds us upon him but by Conviction the loose and unstable earth is removed the false and failing hopes of men are dug up God is not wont to give hope before he hath brought the soul to despair he applyes not comforts antecedent to conviction It may therefore put us upon it to enqiure whether ever it were thus It may be now you are rich in your own conceit like Laodicea but did you ever know your selves to be poor and miserable and blind and naked if not your riches are but a fancy and your hopes are empty 2. That there are some grounds of hope for those whom the spirit of
in all these respects to be but husks 1. Because they are not fitted to the soul of man they are too mean for it that is a spirit but these are carnal things that is a durable substance but these are things that perish in the using Col. 22. 22. 2. Because they are unsatisfying The soul of man is of a large reach and the desire of it aspire after more and greater things than this lower world comprizeth in it many men complain of too much of the world i. e. Of the cares and burthens and perplexities that it brings upon them but no man was ever yet satisfied with it They are poor empty things Pro. 21. 5. USE 1. Hence see their folly who spend their whole time about the world and the things of it They spend their mony for that which is not bread Isa 55. 2. Is it not an horrible debasing of a man's nature to aspire no higher nor seek for any thing better than that which can neither sute nor satisfie him To gather husks and more especially such as enjoying the Gospel have a better trade opened to them Such before whom the way is presented in which they might come to inherit substance And what are such as are full fraught with the things of the world shall we count them rich and happy I pray what is a Ship-load or a Ware-house full of husks worth True grace though it makes but a little show is a Jewel more worth than a whole world of such pittiful lumber USE 2. Let it then awaken us all to lay out our time strength and care about better things be not content with this world If these things are not better than husks leave them to swine if you are men seek mans meat Consider 1. There are better things There is a better happiness to be had from God in Christ tendered to you in the Gospel than all you can hope for in the world Psal 144. ult Happy is that People whose God is the Lord. 2. We are commanded to make these better things the object of our pursuit Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life Hence there is hope that we may obtain it if wediligently seek it 3. Ere long there will be no husks The things of this world will certainly fail in a very little time and then woe will be to him that hath nothing better to trust to distress and anguish must need sieze upon him he only is a wise man that now takes care to be provided against these things fail Luk. 15. 9. DOCT. II. Natural man would fain find content and satisfaction in these mean things of the World The young man if he could have had his fill of husks would have thought himself happy It is an hard matter to perswade a blind sinner that his misery is any where else to be repaired his great longings are to be filled with husks to have his desires answered in the things below This is evident 1. From the restless endeavours which natural men use for the obtaining of the things of this life That which a mans utmost desires and endeavours are laid out about that is that which he builds his hopes upon and such is the world to the men of the world All mens projects aims and endeavours run this way their heads are alwayes roling their hands and feet alwayes moving to this for this it is they rise up early sit up late wear themselves out in restless labour that they may grasp in as much as they can of these things yea the Psalmist undertakes to tell us what are their inward thoughts Psal 94. 11. Their inwards thought is that their houses shall continue for ever 2. From the confidence which worldly men place in their enjoyment of the things of the world If once they prosper they presently grow high and proud and self-conceited though formerly they carried themselves low and humble yea now they begin to be become regardless of convictions and too good for reproofs yea they are strongly confident and presumptuously take up their rest here They are upon this account called their strong City Pro. 18. 11. 3. From the miserable complaint which they make when they lose these things they are presently undone their gods are taken from them their hopes vanish and they begin to despair they now think all joy is departed and they must never expect to see good day more their bladders are prickt and now they sink And did not men lean their weight upon those things they would not so anxioussy perplex their souls at the loss of them Reason 1. From the sensuality which possesseth the heart of every natural man Man i become a slave to his sense whence it comes to pass that he is perswaded to judge these thing to be most sutable for him sin having thrown all out of order sense is now gotten above reason hence as swine run after husks because they sute their nature and are proper for their kind so natural men find and taste a sensitive sweetness in the things of the world and that makes them to say Happy is the People that is in such a case Psal 144 ult Reas 2. From the natural ignorance which there is in unregenerate men of better things Man by sin hath lost the knowledge and apprehension of spiritual and heavenly things he understands not what they mean 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not i. e. into his understanding the things of the spirit of God The highest reach of his understanding is to find and apprehend some seeming outward repast in the comforts and conveniencies of this world and hence he aspires no higher As a beast is not acquainted with the excellency of a rational life and hence he accounts his own the best looks after no better Now every man is become brutish as the Scripture informs us Reas 3. From the delusion of Satan and the World who promise to vain man more from the enjoyment of these things than ever they can perform for him and the credulous soul is ready to believe them and the rather because these things are seen whereas spiritual things are not seen Satan presents the world in a fine and fair dress and the heart of man is easily deluded he thinks it to be all out as good as it looks for and so his affections are stollen away Isa 44. 20. USE 1. Hence wonder not to see the men of the world carried out so instantly and with such eagerness in pursuit of the things of this life their poor hungry starving souls want supply and they hope to fill their bellies with these things they are their happiness could we but see the inside of the greedy worldling and know what conceptions he entertains himself withall how he promiseth himself all peace comfot content and felicity in the creature our saviour characterizeth him to the life in Luk. 12. 17 18 19. We would no
them undo and destroy themselves and become guilty of their blood 3. Chuse them not for your counsellors and companions Who would account it his commendation or profit to associate with a fool or make himself the intimate of one that is out of his wits None but fools delight in fools USE 4. It may exhort the people of God true Believers to great thankfulness to God for his wonderful love to you that you are by his grace restored to a sound mind as when we look upon one that is distracted and see what strange imprudent misguided foolish actions he performs it is a lesson to all that look on shewing them how deeply they are bound to thank God and how much they ow him for their wits and understandings so when we see what mad courses prodigal sinners drive how they are carried head-long after their own lusts go from God spend all in riot enslave themselves to Satan and wast away their time in the midst of restless and unsatisfying vanities neither knowing nor regarding an higher happiness labouring for husks and not filling of themselves and yet presuming that they are in a way to do well Oh how should you acknowledge that Grace from whence you have received more noble principles and are disposed to higher imployments That he hath given you a judgment and spirit of discerning between good and evil especially remembring that you had been once of that society and had lived in their Bedlam still if he who alone is the great Physitian of souls had not applyed his grace and so cured you of this distemper USE 5. It may also serve for a word of conviction to such as are in their natural estate let such be perswaded that they are beside themselves Were you but willing to consider of it there is enough to make it evident 1. In your departing from God and bidding him to go away from you who only can make you happy and who can make you miserable You forsake the fountain of living water 2. In your resolutely continuing in a course of sin which is nothing less than running upon a swords point and exposing of your selves to fearful plagues 3. In placing your hope and confidence in the creature which is empty and deceitful a broken cistern in which is no water Jer. 2. 13. 4. In laying all out upon your lusts which fight against your souls and are but sed and nourished to your utter undoing But I pass DOCT. II. God in order to the conversion of a sinner first works upon the understanding The first step to true conversion is Divine Illumination The Prodigal before he thinks of returning to his Father first comes to himself The ground of this is in three things 1. Man is a reasonable Creature and a cause by counsel of his own actions The understanding in man is the light in him by which he regulates all his wayes and as he seeth so he practiseth The reason why sinful men place their hopes in perishing things is because they call evil good This therefore is a main part of man's misery that his understanding is perverted Psal 53. 2 4. 2. Faith which is wrought in conversion is grounded upon knowledge Psal 9. 10. God dealeth with his creatures according to the manner of their being and acting Faith is a chusing and so a closing with God but every choise ariseth from a rational and convincing discovery of the sutablenese of the object chosen and preference which it is conceived to deserve above others now this discovery is made to the understanding which is the eye of the mind whereby it seeth and judgeth of things Hence 3. It is impossible that the heart of man which is naturally glewed to the vanities of the world and hath been deeply setled in his high opinion of it should ever be made to renounce cast off and utterly to refuse to have any thing more to do with them or to place any more confidence in them and make choice of God in Christ and preferr him above all till he be throughly enlightned in and fully perswaded of his own misery the creatures emptiness and the glorious fulness that there is in God The things which he hath so loved must appear to be evil and the God whom he hath forsaken must appear to be good an unknown evil is not forsaken an unknown good is not chosen Hence the absence of saving knowledge is the ground of destruction Hos 4. 6. Hence conversion it self is often Synechdochically called knowledge and understanding because that is a main ingredient in it And then a man begins to come to himself when he becomes to have a discerning of the truth of things USE 1. Here we have a rule directing us what course to take for the conversion of sinners we must imitate God in this if ever we would do sinners any good we must endeavour their conviction we must first deal with their understandings to raise the affections without informing the mind is a fruitlesse unprofitable labour and serves but to make zeal without knowledge Man must firs see before he will repent of his evil he must first know if ever he will love God Psal 9. 10. USE 2. It tells us that there are great hopes of men when they begin to come to themselves If God begins once to cure men of their frenzy to take them off their wild opinions and vain conceits of happiness in the profits pleasures and honours of this world to make them see the emptiness of these things and their own misery for want of a better stay to trust to these are in an hopeful way to conversion hence USE 3. To teach us what to pray for in behalf of unregenerate sinners i. e. that they may come to themselves that their eyes may be opened that God will illuminate their understandings and give them to see things in their nature truths in their plainness It may be they may think you beside your selves for so doing but it 's the greatest love you can shew them and the blessing which they nextly stand in need of Would God be pleased but to settle mens mindes and open their eyes we should soon hear them cry out of their own madness and folly and condemn their prodigality and riot and be earnestly enquiring after God and Christ and seeking something better than the world affords to save their sinking souls from perdition Act. 2. 37. SERMON XI 2. VVE are to take a view of the things deliberated which are two 1. Motives and encouragements to return to his father in the rest of the verse 17. in the which we have both the motives themselves and the way in which they became beneficial to him The general truth contained in these motives was before a matter of conviction to him it was that which made him to be in want but it wrought not kindly upon him till he came by serious consideration to apply it more closely to his own condition Before
Psal 81. 11. Israel would none of me But when the will is turned the work is done when the heart is given to God all is his 6. The Will will never be gained till all the forementioned obstructions be taken away For they are so many fortresses in which it serleth and secureth it self As long as the heart remaineth deceived it is also unperswadable Isa 44. 20 A deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot deliver his soul Whiles men call good evil and evil good whiles a mans own way is right and pleasant and accustomed and God's wayes are uneasie and unprofitable whiles he finds substance in a way of Sin and fills his house with spoil and he sees no profit in praying to God and serving him how can he desire the knowledge of his wayes Nay he will say to the Almighty depart 44. 16 17 18. And till he finds Sin to be bitter the way of it dangerous the end death till he grows weary of this way and sees the beauty in holiness he will never reject his old and make choise of a new way 7. The way wherein the spirit of God worketh this conviction is by bringing man under serious considerations nor is it to be expected other wayes to be effected for 1. There is no truth any further affects us or moves with us than as it is applyed particularly to our minds and consciences The truths of the word of God are ever the same for they are everlasting truths It was ever a truth that the wayes of Sin lead to that chambers of death that they are bitterness in the latter end that the wayes of wisdom are wayes of pleasantness and their latter end is peace but these are general truths and the reason why men practice not accordingly is because they never applyed these truths to themselves or compared their wayes by them hence that complaint Isa 1. 3. My People doth not consider And hence that is the first direction of the Prophet Hag. 1. 5. Now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your wayes 2. This particular application of the truth to our selves is the work of consideration this lets in the first distinct light into the soul whereby it is made privy to its own state and stirred up to seek the bettering of it Consideration then may be thus described It is a deliberate pondering of such things as nearly concern us giving credit to them and drawing useful practical conclusions from them All this is implyed in the word He said Consideration is an inward discourse or ratiocination but more particularly 1. The act it self is a deliberate pondering in the mind called Communing with the heart Psal 4. 4. The mind of man is naturally roving consideration fixeth it it is compared to chewing the cud wherein the food is turned over and over It is a looking upon and into a thing with diligent inspection it is called a laying a thing to heart Isa 42. 25. which is a close and serious minding and weighing it 2. The matter which it is conversant about is such things as nearly concern us It is every ones work to look to the concerns of his own soul if thou be wise be wise for thy self Our conversion is not advanced in being busy in other mens matters but in our own thy wayes and thy doings is that which the Scripture directs us to be thinking of 3. That which gives weight to these things within us is that we give credit to them If we do not believe the things they will be of no moment in our consideration many a man hears weighty and seasonable truths spoken in the ordinances but he believes them not and so rejecteth them Truth must be believed before it can be improved Hence that Psal 106. 24. They despised the pleasant land they believed not his word 4. The improvment of it is to draw useful practical conclusions from it All truths lead to practice and that consideration that issues not here is fruitless The work of consideration is to say what have I done or what have I to do if these things be thus or so Now till the soul comes unto this it is not so much as in the way to conversion for though the spirit draws yet the soul follows and that not as a blind or dead thing but as it is affected or perswaded by the efficacy of that which leads it sweetly after and whereof it can give an account and render a reason for what it doth Thus Lydia's heart was touched and she hearkned c Thus the Prodigal comes to himself and then he reasons within himself USE 1. For Information we may hence learn 1. The reason why there are so many under the clearest Gospel dispensations that live and ly in Sin It is not for want of light for Scripture truths are written with Sun-beams it is not for want of evidence for they are full of demonstration it is not because men are not concerned in them for their everlasting concerns are therein contained but it is for want of due consideration Men come and go they hear the Word the most pertinent and profitable truths but few make personal application few enter into their own souls and debate the matter with themselves It is God's complaint Jer. 8. 6. No man repented of his wickedness saying what have I done Men rush into the wayes of Sin and are bold and fearless though God seeth and threatens and why Because they do not consider of this Hos 7. 2. They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Jerusalem is obstinate till she be ruined and why see Lam. 1. 9. She remembreth not her last end therefore she came down wonderfully The young fool followeth his harlots till a dart striketh through his liver and how is this Prov. 7. 25. He knoweth not that it is for his life The sons and daughters of men are wilfully blind because they shut their eyes and will not receive counsel If men would look into their sinful wayes and compare them by the word of God they might find enough to terrifie and fright them therefrom but they cannot abide to think of it If they would enquire into the wayes of God they might discover the purity and pleasantness of them but they will not suffer their thoughts to dwel there Hence they are called sottish children Nay if the spirit of God begin to touch and prick them they are never well till they have banished all the thoughts of seriousness or sense of regret hence they are compared to men that are drunk and asleep that cannot abide to be awakened and if they are made to rub their eyes they soon fall asleep again Hence also it is that they cannot endure soul-searching truths lest they should be disquieted and thus men go on till they drop into hell for want of consideration 2. The reason why Satan especially under powerful means so much endeavours to keep men from consideration and
condemnation the first grace must come from him and it is at his pleasure whether he will give you to believe or no. He hath indeed freely engaged himself in promise to believers but he hath not promised to you that he will make you such and if he do not you cannot since then the case is such that without Faith no Salvation and you no way deserve that God should give it you but have many wayes provoked him to deny it what remains but that you cast your selves down at his feet and ask it not only as beggars that deserve no alms but as traitors that have forfieted your lives and stand to the courtesie of their Prince of his own free favour to pardon and restore them 2. You that are believers here is that which may teach you to carry it humbly all your days and in all respects There is none hath more reason to be humble than a child of God whose all is of grace hath nothing but what he hath freely received in particular walk humbly towards God and towards man 1. Carry it humbly towards God and that both in respect of his special and spiritual grace and in respect of his outward Providences 1. In respect of his special and spiritual grace and the both in regard of the first gift of saving grace and progress of it 1. In respect of the first gift of saving grace let the constant remembrance of it serve to make and keep you humble And therefore remember 1. Who thou wast to whom God brought this grace Ezek. 16. begin One in thy blood 2. That thou didst nothing to the working of this great work Eph. 2. 9. Not of your selves 3. How much thou didst to obstruct it how often thou didst resist God's calls and counsels wert obstinate rebellious not hearkening to his Spirit shutting thine eyes stopping thy ears rising up against reproofs c. God often came to thee and entreated thee but thou hadst no mind to hear him but didst all thou couldst to have undone thy soul 4. The patience which the great God used with thee how long he waited upon thee pittying chine obstinacy bewailing the hardness of thy heart and would not let thee alone though many a time thou baddest him departfrom thee 5. Much meditate upon the distinguishing grace which was revealed in thy conversion 1. How few are saved and that thou shouldest be one of them 2. That thou art no better than they hast nothing more to commend thee to God than Cain or Judas had nothing out of God could move him 3. Thou didst many wayes more dishonour God before thy conversion than any of them did that young man Mat. 19. might shame thee 4. That the same means which hardened others converted thee And when thou hast laid all these things together put thy mouth in the dust and let God's converting grace make thee nothing in thine own eyes and let this grace never be forgotten but alwayes magnified by thee only by humility is converting grace glorified 2. In respect of the progress of grace in your souls the people of God meet with many changes exercises temptations and in these diversities of out-lettings and withdrawings of grace and without humility cannot carry it right in these interludes in particular 1. Limit not God to such a measure or or manner of the dispensation of his grace as we should desire all grace so we should be thankful for every portion of it Beggars must not be chusers Paul would have grace to vanquish temptation God would have him content with grace sufficient to keep him from being vanquished by it If you have any Grace it is a gift and if you would have more you must be humbled 1 Pet. 5. 5. 2. Be humble when God denies thee the special communication of grace Whether it be of enlarged assistance though ragged and poor and canst scarce do any thing but art ready to slip and fall thou hast earned nothing and God knows what is best for thee Or in respect of consolation thou hast not those ravishing apprehensions which thou wouldest but he seems to hide the light of his countenance complain not he is soveraign and just resolve to wait Isa 5. 17. Be not discontented Thou takest much pains waitest diligently on all means and their seems to be but little coming in let not this make thee weary thou art sowing it is not yet harvest grieve but fret not pray but pine not and know the harvest will come in God's time Gal. 6. 9. 3. Be willing to follow hard after God though through many difficulties We are forward while our way is fair but if grace comes to a tryal now we shrink and are discouraged But this is a time that calls for us to be humble we must now follow God as good souldiers we must endure hardship God is worthy to be followed it is his mercy thou hast any grace which may be exercised and the end shall be happy 1 Pet. 1. 7. 4. Humbly depend upon and go to God for all supplies of grace in every work you have to do Proud man would have his stock in his own hand to make use of when and as he pleaseth but God will have us to come and ask for every Grace wait on him for it and the humble soul will do so If you consider that you deserve nothing you will be glad that you may have it for asking Remember you are but Children and have not wisdom enough to manage your own stock but would soon prove bankrupts this should animate you that whatever you want God is ready to give if you ask Mat. 7. 7. 5. Carry it humbly towards God though he doth not bestow so much grace upon you as on others We are sometimes ready to say though I deserve nothing at God's hands yet I am as deserving as another God can afford such an one so much wisdom faith patience comfort c. and why may not I have it as well This spirit of envy and emulation is contrary to Humility and this very argument rightly improved might make thee silent Is God a free disposer is it his own that he gives and may he not deal it out at his liberty is thy eye evil because his is good doth not poor man challenge as great a liberty as this is and will you deny it God nay because thou art unworthy thou hast cause to be thankful that thou hast any at all when there are so many millions that have none and who hath made thee to differ from them yea call thy self to an account how hast thou husbanded thy little if ill that should humble and silence thee if well then comfort thy self that he who improved his two talents well had his master's Euge and entred into the Lord's joy yea how knowest thou but that their work and temptation is greater than thine and therefore stand in need of more 2. Carry it humbly in respect of Gods outward providences
practice of every true penitent True Repentance begins at the heart but it ends in the life It rests not in thoughts and purposes but proceeds to practice Hence DOCT. True Repentance is practical Repentance In the work of Conversion there are not only deliberate purposes but real acts In order of nature there must be first resolving before doing yet where true grace is when men are resolved they will do Although the will be the first mover yet it is not the sole mover it rests not in Elicite but proceeds to Imperate acts Of the nature of rising and going I have before spoken that which we have now to enquire into is the inseparable connexion between grace in the heart and grace in the life We saw before the Prodigal's resolution was gracious and the Reason given was because it was the root and spring of practice it was the beginning of the work in the superiour faculties which was to influence the whole man And the sincerity of it herein discovers it self because as he said so he did as he resolved so he acted It gives us a note of difference between false and true Repentance Here then we may consider 1. The evidence of the truth of the Doctrine 2. What is this practice of Repentance 1. For the evidence of the truth of the Doctrine take these Conclusions 1. There may be some kind of deliberations and purposes in the heart of a sinner that is unconverted about repenting and returning to God Every purpose is not an evidence of sincerity A man held under the sting and lashes of an awakened accusing Conscience may be made to vomit up his morsels and in a fright to make forced promises of leaving off his sinful wayes and upon the hearing of the Gospel may resolve as John's Generation of Vipers te flee from the wrath to come distressed Consciences are often hurried to it rashly to throw themselves upon such resolutions and some visible practise and that violent for the while 2. That which discovers the falshood of these resolutions is that they are very short-lived they soon expire many of them do not live long enough to make any visible shew in practice but die in the womb many a sick man in horror promiseth Reformation if God will spare him but he recovers not so fast as his resolutions decay and die Others that have had a more forcible impulse do a little seemingly but are like the stony ground Mat. 13. they are often too violent to be permanent and by this discover that they are acted by external force and not an inward principle 3. The whole man is gone away from God by sin and therefore the whole must return by repentance Not only the heart is defiled but the life is polluted not the inward man alone but the outward too is gone away from God and must return to him now true Repentance is not a partial but a whole turning we ow God the whole man Soul Body and Spirit 1 Thess 5. 23. 4. The declarative glory of God is the great thing which all our doings should aim at In Conversion therefore we are not only to praise him but to shew forth his praise and how is this done but in life Repentance God only sees the heart men observe and judge of our lives 5. The Will being commandress over the whole man is not only to resolve for it self but for the whole man Purposing or resolving is properly an act of the will but it is for the whole it being representative of all and being able to indent for all thus the young man promiseth for himself I will arise true purposes are an obligation laid on the whole man for the performance of them 6. Hence if the Will be indeed sincere in purposing practice will follow This is unquestionable to him who knows what power it hath in man You shall find in Scripture that impenitence or unconversion is charged here Ezek. 33. 11. Joh. 5. 40. Psal 81. 12. and why but because where the Will leads the whole man naturally and necessarily follows at least in true and real endeavours A Believer may indeed fail in the manner of performance when his Will is intense but yet where purposes have been taken and promises made of Repentance and not put forth in endeavour but men sit still where they were those promises were made with a deceitful heart Isai 44. 90. and this hinders thorough repentance Psal 78. 37. their heart was not right where the heart is truly given to God such an one will not sit still but be up and doing 2. What is the practise of Repentance which is requisite Ans It is a speedy constant and industrious endeavour in the mortifying of Sin and quickening of Grace by the help of Gods Holy Spirit When the Spirit of God hath wrought the habits of Grace in the heart he alwayes adds the bringing of them forth into act which is their end and use He that works the Will works the Deed too Phil. 2. 13. so that the Soul no sooner is furnished for its work but it sets about it when Christ raised any or healed them they rose and walked so that practical Repentance is nothing else but improvement of Grace 1. The business of this Grace or that about which it is conversant is the mortifying of Sin and quickening of Grace rising out of Sin is a rejecting relinquishing casting it off which is done in mortification Sin claims the power of a Prince in a natural man commands him Reigns over him Rom. 6. 12. It must therefore be vanquished its dominion cast off by such as rise out of it Sin so dwells in us that it is no more left than it is mortified returning to God is an exciting of Grace a quickening of it it is an exerting of faith in him and love to him in these Repentance consists Rom. 6. 11. 2. That which is to be done in this business is 1. To be using all means to strengthen hatred of Sin the more we hate Sin the more we are gone from it he whose heart most abhors it is gotten furthest off from it Hence there is an using such helps as may make it loathsome which are a viewing the evil nature of it as discovered in the Word of God viz. its pollution its contrariety to God the wrong it doth the Soul and also the cross of Christ on which we should crucifie the World and its Lusts Gal. 6. 14. 2. To be by all wayes engaging our hearts to God to love and fear him and hence to get more and more perswaded of his goodness of the riches of Grace in Christ of the great happiness of those whom he admits into favour with himself the better we are acquainted with and perswaded of God the more intense will be the actings of our Grace Psal 9. 10. 3. The qualities of this act are these three 1. It is a speedy work if repentance be begun in the heart it cannot rest
Esau Gen. 33. 4. Each doth now as it were breath himself into the others bosom they exchange souls manifesting by dumb signs that love which is too great for words to express so that by this expression we are taught 1. That God gives himself to the sinner to be his and takes him to himself makes himself to be his portion and bequeaths himself to him and receives him into arms of mercy making him his peculiar treasure and jewel 2. That he now infuseth his grace into his soul by breathing spiritual life into him He falls upon him with his spirit and grace and layes the foundation of spiritual life in him by putting a principle of it into his soul quickening him who was dead 3. He kissed him this is the last thing in the act and here is great favour indeed that when he might have killed him he kisseth him this word hath divorse expressions of love contained under it 1. God now opens and reveals that secret and everlasting love of his to his soul kissing was an outward act to intimate an inward affection Men often did it dissemblingly but God alwayes doth it really Now God begins to give the soul to perceive what was his purpose of good will to him from eternity what were his ancient thoughts about him this is a visible confirmation of that secret love 2. God now reveals that he is fully reconciled to and at peace with him that all former distances and alienations of heart are wholly taken away he is no more angry nor will any more condemn him David kissed Absolom to let him understand he was now reconciled God never kisseth and killeth as Joah dealt with Amasa his heart alwayes goes out with his promise It is a justifying kiss intimating that this soul shall never more have any more cause to fear the suffering the punishment of his sins or being exposed to condemnation 3. The father by this manifestly takes his son into the state of a son It is a kiss of Adoption David thus acknowledged Absolom The sinner had made himself an abject God now restores him again to that inheritance which he had rooted himself out of he is thus taken again into his fathers house and made to enjoy the priviledge of a Child 4. God by this draws out the love of the soul to him breaks his heart and wins him to himself By this testification of his love he attracts a reciprocal love from the sinner makes him now to chuse God and give himself up to him put himself into his hands and devote himself to his service for all this presently follows vers 21. Thus it is a sanctifying kiss 5. All this is done to restore comfort to the soul Sense of his sin and the great wrong that he had done to his father by so vilely leaving him and profusely spending his estate had filled him with sorrow and bitterness his Father now kisseth him to comfort him They are called the kisses of the mouth Can. 1. 2. which are given in the application of the promises to the soul and enabling of him to close with them suck the sweet out of them and draw to his consolation the good that is in them and thus it is also a glorifying kiss Put altogether and it telleth us what a wonderful declaration of God's love it is that comes into the soul at the hour of Conversion USE 1. For Information 1. We hence learn that the soul is passive in vocation I do not mean as it is a Rational but as it is a spiritual Agent If God had not come to the sinner he had never come to God nor could he have done it As well might the widows son lying upon the bier and carrying to the grave have fetcht back his departed soul as a sinner dead in trespasses and sins recover the lost Image of God Hither every Regenerate man ows his spiritual original viz. Not to the strength of his nature or flexibility of his will but to God who came to him there where he lay a dying and whence he was not able so much as to lift up his eyes towards heaven without God put the ability into him by reviving Grace And this proclaims the wonderful concescendency of the great God to undone men and women in that he is not only ready and willing to receive them when they come to him but he runs forth to meet them and to do them good The condition that all men are lying in at such time as he speaks that happy word to them live tends mightily to enhaunce or illustrate the unspeakable kindness of God and hence deserves an ingemitiation Ezek. 16. 5 6. None eye pitied thee thou wast cast into the open field I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live 2. Here we see that in Regeneration the whole body of graces are brought into the soul at once and together In effectual vocation the soul receives Christ himself and that not only relatively by receiving his person into such relations wherby he becomes his Redeemer and Saviour applyes his righteousness to him for Justification and by marrying him admits him among the Adopted Children of God but also really by the communication of his graces and filling him with his spirit He falls upon his neck and kisseth him all grace is communicated in this act and there is great reason for it for Christ in giving of himself to the soul becomes its life Gal. 2. 20. Christ lives in me And Christ thus becomes his spiritual life not only by changing his relative state from what it was but especially life being a principle of operation by putting this new principle into him in which are contained all such habits and dispositions as are requisite to fit him to live spiritually i. e. the habits of all graces for all flow from one and the same principle viz. spiritual life 3. As a consectary from the former we hence see that at the instant of effectual vocation the soul is made partaker in every grace Justification and Adoption fully Sanctification and Glorification inchoatively and in their degrees these come all together and inseparable and are made over to the soul in the instant in which God converts him For when God gives Christ he gives all things with him Rom. 8. 32. Yea he gives him to be all to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is made of God to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption There is a succession of these Graces 1. Doctrinally they are to be handled orderly methodically and distinctly in the opening of the Doctrines of the Gospel 2. In the apprehension of a Believer who doth not immediatly discern all of them 3. In order of nature and consequence But in time they are contemporary and the reason is because the whole Covenant is sealed up in Conversion and all that is contained in it i. e. all grace 4. We here see the