hee was upon the earth called thy blessed Lord and Saviour Divell See Matth. 10.25 Ioh. 7.20 which passeth all I am perswaded that any drunken Belial ever yet fastned upon thee Contemne thou therefore for ever and trample upon with an humble and triumphant patience all their contumelies and contempts Passe-by nobly without touch or trouble without wound or passion the utmost malice of the most scurrill tongue the basest gibe of the impurest Drunkard Doth the World carnall men thine owne friends ormall Teachers suppose and censure thee to be a dissembler in thy Profession and will needes concurrently and confidently yet falsely fasten upon thee the imputation of hypocrisie An heavy charge Yet for all this Let thy truly-humble heart conscious to it selfe of it's owne syncerity in holy services like a strong pillar of brasse beate backe all their impoysoned arrowes of malice and mistake this way without any dejection or discouragement Onely take occasion hereby to search more thorowly and walke more warily Iob may bee a right noble patterne to thee in this point also He had against him not onely the Divell his enemy pushing at him with his poysoned weapons but even his owne friends scourging him with their tongues His owne wife a thorne pricking him in the eye yea his owne God running upon him like a Gyaâ—â— and his terrours setting themselves in aray against himâ— Powerfull motives to make him suspect himselfe of former halting and hollow-heartednesse in the wayes of God yet notwithstanding his good and honest heart having been long before acquainted with and knit unto his God â—â— truth makes him breake out boldly and resolutely protest Till I die I will not remove my integrity from mee My righteousnesse I hold fast and will not let it goe Chap. 27.5.6 Behold my Witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high Cap. 16.19 Art thou a loving and tender-hearted mother unto thy children and hast thou lost the dearest The greatest outward crosse I confesse that ever the sonnes and daughters of Adam tasted and goeth nearest to the heart Yet thy sorrow is not singular but out-gone in this also For the blessed Mother of Christ stood by and saw her owne onely deare innocent sonne the Lord of life most cruelly and villanously murdred upon the Crosse before her eyes Ioh. 19.25 Hast thou lost thy goods or children Doth thy wife that lies in thy bosome set her selfe against thee Doe thy nearest friends charge thee falsely Art thou pained extremely from top to toe Doe the Arrowes of the Almighty sticke fast in thy soule Thy affliction is grievous enough if thou taste any of these severally But doe they all in greatest extremity concurre upon thee at once Hast thou lost all thy children and all thy goods Doth thy wife afflict thy afflictions c. If this bee not thy Case and rufull condition thou commest yet short of Iob a most just man and one of Gods dearest Iewels 4. The exceeding greatnesse and pretiousnesse of the promises In every one of which it is incredible to consider what abundant matter of unspeake-able and glorious joy lies wâ—rpâ— up Oh how sweet are they to a thirsty soule in the â—â—me of angvish and trouble They are like a cloud of raine that commeth in the time of a drought They are very glimpses of Heaven shed into a heart many times as darke as hell They are even rockes of eternity upon which every bruised reed may sweetly repose with impregnable safety A truly humbled spirit relishing spirituall things would not exchange any one of them for all the riches and sweetnesse of both the Indies Tell me deare heart thou that in thy unregenerate time though now happily changed lay soaking in sinnes of cruelty and blood whether that mercifull promise Isai. 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Though your sinnes bee as skâ—rlet they shall bee as white as snow though they bee red like crimson they shall bee as wooll bee not farre dearer unto thee then thousands of gold and silver Or thou who formerly pollutedst thy selfe villanously with such secret execrable lusts which now thou canst not remember without horrour tell mee if it were utterable by the Tongue of man with what dearest sweetnesse and blessed peace thy broken heart was bound up and revived when thou cast thine eye considerately and beleevingly upon that pretious place Ezech. 36.25 I will sprinkle water upon you and you shall bee cleane and from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you c. There was beyond the Seas as my Author reports Christian Matrone of excellent parts and piety who langvishing long under the horrible pressure of most furious and fiery temptations wofully at length yeelded to despaire and attempted the destruction of her selfe After often and curious seeking occasion for that bloody fact at last having first put off her apparrell threw her self head-long from an high Promontory into the Sea But having received no hurt by her fall shee was there by a Miracle and extraordinary mercy strangely preserved for the space of two houres at the least though all the while shee laboured industriously to destroy her selfe Afterward drawne out with much adoe and recovered shee yet still did conflict with that extremest desperate horrour almost a whole yeere But by Gods good providence which sweetly and wisely ordereth all things listening on a time though very unwillingly at first to her husband reading amongst other places that Isa. 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I bee alwaies wroth for the spirit should faile before mee and the soules which I have made I say listening to these words the Holy Ghost drawing her heart shee begun to reason thus within her selfe God doth here promise to revive and comfort the heart of the contrite and spirit of the humble and that hee will not contend for ever neither bâ— alwayes wroth But I have a very contrite heart and a spirit humbled 〈◊〉 to the dust one of the acknowledgement and sense of my sinnes and divine vengeance against them Therefore peradventure God will vouchsafe to revive and comfort my heart and spirit and not contend with 〈◊〉 for ever nor bee wroth against mee still c. Hereupon by little and little there flowed by Gods blessing into her darke and heavy heart abundance of life lightsomnesse spirituall strength and assurance In which she continued with constancy and comfort many a yeere after crowned those happy dayes and a blessed old age with a glorious and triumphant death and went to Heaven in the yeere 1595. What heart now but Hers that felt it can possibly conceive the depth of that extraordinary un-utterable
Christ calls Him and set to His seale that God is true which not to doe shall ever bee an unmannerly madnesse and willfull cruelty to a mans owne conscience Hee is then quite gone out of His kingdome of darkenesse and an immortall Soule is pulld out of His Hellish Paw for ever This is the true reason why Hee so rageth when Hee sees a weary Soule make towards Iesus Christ for rest I have often foretold you of Satans methode and malice in managing His temptations in this kinde that beeing fore-warned yee may be fore-armed He plots first and prevailes with most amongst us to keepe them from terrour and trouble for sinne But if they bee once happily wounded that way then His next plot is to allay and take away the smart by outward mirth or dawbe and draw over a skinne onely with unsound and superficiall comfort But if Hee find that it bleeds still and will not bee stanched but onely by the blood of Christ and that no earthly pleasure can any whit asswage the paine then in a third Place doth Hee cast about and contend with all cruelty to keepe the poore Soule in a perpetuall sad slavish trembling that it may not dare to meddle with any comfort or apply the promises but cherishing the bruise against the counsell of the Prophets bleede inwardly still And this Point Hee plies with more eagernesse and fury because the very next step to wit but even reaching out of this spirituall Gulfe and griefe for sinne towards the mercifull hand of Christ holden out to helpe Him up is the next and immediate Act by which a man is quite and for ever puld out of His power and put into the Paradise of grace Or in a word and shorter thus Tho thou commest freshly out of an Hell of hainous sinnes and hitherto hast neither thought or spoke or done any thing but abominably yet if now with true remorse thou groans under them all as an heavy burden and syncerely longest for the Lord Iesus and newnesse of life thou art bound presently ipso facto as they say immediatly after that Act and unfained resolution of thy Soule to take Christ Himself and all the promises of life as thine own for ever All delaies demurres exceptions objections pretexts standing out scruples distrusts contradictions to the contrary are dishonourable to Gods mercy and free grace disparagement to the Promises derogatory to the Truth tender-heartednes of Iesus Christ an unnecessary detainement of the Soule in terrour and onely a gratification of that roaring Lion whose trade is to teare soules in peeces and torture them all Hee can For as soone as wee are poore in spirit we are presently blessed Mat. 5.3 As soone as we are weary of our sins the Hand of Christ is ready to take off the burden Mat. 11.28 As soone as wee thirst in the sense I have said the Fountaine of the water of life is set wide open unto us Rev. 21.6 As soone as we have got contrite and humble spirits wee become royall Thrones for the High and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity to dwell in for ever Isa. 57.15 And now come and take abundantly mighty Arguments and invincible motives which neither Man nor Divell nor natural distrust can ever any waies possibly disable Not to lie any longer being in the proposed and supposed state upon the racke of terror but to lay hold upon the Rock of eternity I meane to rest and establish thy trembling heart upon the Lord Iesus with everlasting peace and safty and after walke watchfully and fruitfully in the holy way untill thine ending houre 1. And first take notice that Iesus Christ God blessed for ever keeps an open house for all such hungry and thirsty soules Let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will In whose heart soever the holy Ghost hath wrought an effectuall earnest hearty will that supernaturall syncere desire described before which prizeth the Well of life before the whole world and is ever accompanied with an unfained resolution to sell all for the Pearle of great price I say such an One may come and wellcome and that without bidding and drinke his fill of the Rivers of all spirituall pleasures If there were no more but this this is more then enough to bring Thee to Iesus Christ. If a Proclamation should bee made that such or such a great Man kept open house for all commers there need no more to bring-in all the poore hungry people in the Countrey without any further waiting or inviting But heere above all degrees of comparison the hunger is more importunate and important the Feast-maker more faithfull and sure of his word the fare more delicious and ravishing And why doest thou refuse Thou hast a warrant infinitely aboue all exception The Lord of life keepes open house for all that will come And thou knowest in thine owne Conscience and canst not deny but that Hee hath already honored Thee with that singular favour as to plant in thy Soule a will this way with a witnesse as they say For what wouldest thou not part with to have assurance of thy part in Iesus Christ What wouldest thou not give if it might be bought to heare Him speake peace unto thy Soule and say sweetly unto it I am thy salvation And therefore if thou come not in presently and take the comfort of this pretious Place and Promise setting to thy seale that God is true Consider by the premisses whether thy terrours and temptations bee not justly upon thee in the meane time 2. If this will not serve which God forbid then in a second Place Thou art invited solemnly by the Feast-Maker as it were Himselfe with his owne mouth which is an infinite mercy honour and comfort Come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Here is no exception of sinnes times or Persons And if thou shouldest reply Yea but alas I am the unworthiest man in the world to draw neere unto so holy a God to presse into so pure a presence to expect upon the sudden such glorious spirituall and heavenly advancement most impure abominable and beastly wretch that I am readier farre and fitter to sinke into the bottome of Hell by the insupportable waight of my manifold hainous sins I say then the Text tells thee plainely that thou mightily mistakes For therefore onely art thou fit because thou feeles so sensibly thy unfitnesse unworthinesse vilenesse wretchednesse The sorer and heavier thy burden is the rather shouldest thou come In a word it appeares by thine owne words expressing such a penitent apprehension of thy spirituall poverty that thou art the onely man and such as thou alone which Christ here specially aimes-at invites and accepts 3. Thirdly Hee knowing our frame our sluggish dull and heavy disposition our spirituall lazinesse naturall neglect of our owne
is very much delighted 2. Cause us with peace and patience to submit unto and depend upon His mercifull wisedome in disposing and appointing times and seasons for our deliverances and refreshings For Hee well knowes that very Point and Period of time first when His mercy shall bee most magnifyed secondly His childrens hearts most seasonably comforted and kindlily enlarged to poure out themselves in praisefulnesse thirdly His and our spirituall enemies most gloriously confounded 3. Quicken and set on worke with extraordinary fervency the spirit of prayer fright us further from sinne for the time to come fit us for a more fruitfull improovement of all Offers and opportunities to doe our Soules good to make more of ioy and peace in believing when we enioy it And to declare to others in like extremity Gods dealing with us for their support c. Wee must learne then to expect and bee content with Gods season And hold up our hearts in the meane time with such considerations as these first we performe a very acceptable service and a Christian Duty right pleasing unto and much prevailing with God by waiting See Isa. 40.31 and 64.4 And 49.23 Lam 3.25 Secondly By our patient dependance upon God in this kinde wee may mightily encrease and multiply our comfort when His time is come For He is woont to recompence abundantly at last His longer tarrying with excesse of ioy and over-flowing expressions of His love Thirdly wee must ever remember that all the while Hee exerciseth us with waiting that season is not yet come which in His mercifull wisedome Hee holds the meetest to magnify the glory of His mercy most and wiseliest to advance our spirituall good Fourthly And that which is best of all If the true Convert resting His weary Soule upon the Lord Iesus and Promises of life should bee taken away before Hee attaine His desired comfort Hee shall bee certainely saved and undoubtedly crowned with everlasting blessednesse For Blessed are all they that waite for Him Isa. 30.18 A Man is saved by Believing and not by ioy and peace in Believing Salvation is an inseparable companion of Faith But ioy and peace accompany it as a separable accident As that which may be remooved from it yea there is cause why it should bee remooved The light would never bee so acceptable were it not for that usuall entercourse of darkenesse c. Take here notice upon this occasion That as a truly humbled Soule receiving Christ in the sense I have said hath power given Him thereby to become the Sonne of God so Hee doth draw also from that glorious obiect of Faith so full of all amiablenesse excellency and sweetnesse 1. Sometimes by the mercy of God a very sensible stirring and ravishing ioy unspeakeable and full of glory which tho it be many times very short yet is unutterably sweet 2. If not so yet an habituall calmenesse of conscience if I may so call it Which tho wee doe not marke it so much or magnifie Gods mercy for it as we ought yet it makes us differ as far by a comfortable freedome from many slavish guilty twitches an universall contentednesse in all our courses and Passages thorow this vale of teares from the worlds dearest Minion and most admired Favourite as the highest region of the Aire from the restlesse and raging Sea Especially if that unhappily happie wretch have a waking conscience 3. Or at least ever a secret heavenlie vigour whereby the Soule is savingly supported in what state soever though it be under the continued pressures of most hideous temptations The tyth of the terrour whereof would make many a wordling make away Himselfe because Hee wants this stay And suppose they should last unto the last gaspe even unto thine ending houre Nay entrance into Heaven yet notwithstanding thy spirituall state is not thereby prejudiced but thy salvation is still most sure and thy first taste of those eternall ioyes shal bee the sweeter by how much thy former temptations and trials have been the sorer For wee must ever hold fast this blessed Truth That wee are justified by casting our selves upon Christ not by comfort by Faith not by feeling by trusting the sure Word of God not by assurance But I desire to come yet neerer to thy Conscience and to presse comfort upon thee with such strong and unresistable Arguments which all the subtilety of the infernall powers will never bee able to dissolve Thou sayest and I suppose so That thou art weary of all thy sinnes hungers and thirsts after the righteousnesse of Christ prizes Him before all the world hast cast thy selfe upon His Truth and tender-heartednesse for everlasting safty And yet Thou feeles no speciall sensible joy in thine heart thereupon Bee it so yet upon this occasion Take my counsell and at my request addresse thy Selfe again and have recourse afresh unto the Promises Settle thy Soule upon them seriously with fixed meditation and fervent prayer Set thy selfe purposely with earnestnesse and industry to sucke from them their heavenly sweetnesse And then how is it possible that thine humble upright heart should make resistance to those mighty torrents of spirituall joyes and refreshings which by a natural and necessary consequence spring abundantly from the ensuing comfortable Conclusions grounded upon the sure Word of God and thine owne inward sense and most certaine un-deniable experience Whosoever hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse is blessed from Christs owne mouth Mat. 5.6 And this blessednesse compriseth an absolute and universall confluence of all excellencies perfections pleasures and felicities in this World and in the World to come begun in some measure in the Kingdome of Grace and made compleate in the Kingdome of Glory thorow all eternity But I mayst thou say out of evident feeling and experience finde my selfe to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Therefore I am most certainely blessed and inter-essed in all the rich purchases of Christs dearest blood and merit which is the full price of the Kingdome of Heaven and all the glory thereof c. Whosoever is athirst hath his Part in the Fountaine of the water of life Rev. 21.6 and 22.17 Ioh. 7.37 Isa. 55.1 But I mayst thou say cannot deny dare not belie my selfe but that my poore heart thirsts unfainedly to bee bathed in the heavenly streames of Gods free favour and Christs soveraigne blood Therefore undoubtedly I have my part in the Well of life everlastingly Whence what delicious streames of dearest joy doe sweetly flow Whosoever labours and is heavy laden may justly chalenge at the hands of Christ rest and refreshing Mat. 11.28 But I feele all my sinnes an intolerable burden upon my wounded Soule and most willingly take Him as a Saviour and a Lord Therefore I have my portion in His spirituall and eternall rest The High and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy and who dwells in the High and holy Place dwelleth also in every humble and contrite spirit as
and Orient Mines of all those sweetest mercies folded vp within the Bowells of Gods dearest compassions and of the Mysterie of his free grace and love through the Sonne of his lous vpon purpose to invite and allure those that are without to come in and to stirre vp our Hearers to bring broken hearts bruised Spirits bleeding Soules unto the Throne of grace upon the same ground but infinitely more gracious that incouraged the Seruants of Benhadad to addresse themselves towards the King of Israel And his Servants said unto Him Behold now wee have heard that the Kings of the House of Israel are mercifull Kings Let vs I pray thee put Sackecloth upon our loines and ropes upon our heads and goe out to the King of Israel peradventure hee will save thy life The most desperate Rebels heretofore upon present true remorse for their former rage in sinne resolving sincerely to stand on Gods side for ever hereafter may safely and upon good ground thus reason within themselves Alas wee have done very villanously we have served Satan a long time we walk up downe as condemned men ripe for destruction long agoe Hell it selfe even groanes for us wee may justly look every moment for a Mittimus to cast us headlong into the dungeō of Brimstone and fire and yet we will trie we will goe and throw downe our selves before the Throne of grace in dust and ashes and cry as the Publican did unto the great God of heaven for Hee is a mercifull God gracious long suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne And then not onely peradventure but most certainely they shall bee received to mercy and hee will save the life of their Soules I say for this Point of Preaching mercy onely to hearten Men to come in and to nourish in them a hope of pardon in Case of penitency c. See my discourse of true happines p. 173. And I will only adde and advise at this time this one thing of great importance in the Point That after a plentifull magnifying and amplifying the mercy of God by its infinitenesse eternity freenesse and imcomparable excellency every way onely upon purpose to assure the greatest sinners of most certaine acceptation and pardon if they will presently turne with truth of heart from Sathan to the living God from all sinne to his holy Seruice I say that wee then take heed and make sure as much as in us lies that no impenitent unbelieving wretch none that goes on in his trespasses or lies willingly and delightfully in any one sinne receive any comfort by any such discourse as though as yet Hee had any part or interest at all in any one drop of all that boundlesse and bottomlesse Sea of mercy that were a meanes to naile Him fast to His naturall estate for ever But onely thence conceive that if Hee will presently lay downe armes against the Majesty of Heaven and come in with a truly penitent humbled soule thirsting heartily for Iesus Christ and resolve vnfainedly to take His yoke vpon Him there is no number or notoriousnesse of sinne that can possibly hinder his gracious entertainement at Gods mercy-Seate For this end let vs tell all such that though the mercies of God be infinite yet they are dispensed according to His Truth Now the Oracles of Divine Truth tell us that those who shall find mercy are such as confesse and forsake their sinnes Who so confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy Proverb 28.13 Those then who doe not confesse and forsake them shall haue no mercy That the Parties to whom good tidings of mercy and comfort are to bee preached are the poore the broken hearted them that are bruised those that labour and are heavy laden All that mourne c. Luk. 4.18 Mat. 11.28 Isa. 61.2.3 That the man to whom the Lord lookes graciously is even Hee that is poore and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at his word Isa 66.2 That whosoever by his free mercy through Christ is borne of God doth not commit sin 1. Ioh. 3.9 I meane with allowance purpose perseverance No sinne raignes in such a One c. And yet alas How many miserable men will needs most falsely perswade themselves and others that they have a portion in the mercies of God and hugge with extraordinary applause and embracement the formall flattering messages of Men-pleasers and Time-servers to dawbe over such rotten hopes who yet notwithstanding goe on still in their trespasses who were never yet sensible of the burden of their corruptions and spirituall beggery never wounded in conscience or troubled in minde to any purpose for their sinnes never mourned in secret and sincerely for the abominations of their youth could never yet find in their hearts to sell all for the buying of that one pearle of great price nor ever yet so prized Iesus Christ as to leave their darling pleasures though very base and abominable to enjoy the unspeakeable and glorious pleasures of His gratious kingdome Nay such as heartily serve some Captaine and Commanding sinne in heart or life or calling as their owne consciences if they consult with them impartially in cold blood can easily tell them as Lust the world ambition the times the fashion their pleasures their profits their Passions their ease selfe love pride revenge the dunghill delight of good fellow-ship or the like And here then Let mee discover a notable depth of Sathan whereby hee doth baffle and blind fold His slaves most grossely you know full well and heare often the common Cry of all carnall men especially under any conscionable Ministery against preaching of judgement and for preaching of mercy See the causes why they cannot downe with downeright dealing and powerfull application of the law Disc. of true Happinesse pag. 179 c. But what doe you thinke is the reason that they gape so greedily after Preaching of mercy Not that they can endure the preaching of it as I now have taught and as it onely ought to those that are without To wit To have first the dearenesse the sweetnesse the freenesse the full glory of Gods immeasurable mercy revealed unto them onely as a motive and incouragement to come in but ever at the Close and conclusion to bee made to understand and know certainely that not so much as one drop of all that bottomlesse depth of mercy and bounty in Iesus Christ doth as yet belong unto them lying in any state of unregeneratnes or in any kind of Hypocrisy whilest they regard any wickednesse in their heart and are not willing to plucke out their right eyes and cut off their right hands I meane to make an everlasting divorce from their former dearest sensuall delights and sinnes of their bosome for onely they who confesse and forsake their sinnes shall have mercy Pro. 28.13 This way of preaching mercy would nettle and gall them as much perhaps as pressing of
bee said Hee died in a Ditch They are Desolators not Consolators as Austin somewhere calls them Not sound Comforters but true Cut-throates Besides that which I have said before of the precedency of the working of the Law and of the spirit of bondage to make way for Christ let mee further tell you upon this occasion that it may appeare that much more is to bee done herein then is ordinarily imagined before comfort may upon good ground and seasonably bee applied to the Conscience awaked what an excellent Divine both for depth of learning and height of holinesse delivered somewhere in this Point to this purpose No man must thinke this strange that God dealeth with men after this strange manner as it were to kill them before Hee make them alive to let them passe through or by as it were the gates of Hell to Heaven to suffer the spirit of bondage to put them into a feare into a shaking and trembling c. For Hee suffers those that are his to bee terrified with this feare 1. First in respect of His owne glory For the magnifying both of His iustice and of His mercy 1. Hee glorifies His iustice when lessening or altogether for the time abstracting all fight of mercy Hee lets the Law Sinne Conscience and Satan loose upon a Man to have their course and severall comminations and sets the spirit of bondage on worke c. Thus as in the great worke of redemption Hee would have the glory of His iustice appeare so would Hee have it also in the application of our redemption that iustice should not bee swallowed up of mercy But even as the Woman 2. King 4. who had nothing to pay was threatned by Creditours to take away her two sonnes and put them in prison so wee having nothing to pay the Law is let loose upon us to threaten imprisonment and damnation to affright and terrifie and all this for the manifesting of His iustice Furthermore the Booke of God is full of terrible threatnings against sinners Now shall all these bee to no purpose The wicked are insensible of them to them therefore in that respect they are in vaine Some there must needs bee upon whom they must worke Shall the Lion roare saith the Prophet and no man bee affraide Sith then they who should will not Some there bee who must tremble This the Prophet excellently setteth â—orth Isai. 66.2 where the Lord sheweth whom Hee will regard But to this man will I looke even to Him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word Neither is it without good cause that God dealeth thus with his owne in this manner tho it bee sharpe in the experience First wee must feare tremble and bee humbled and then wee shall receive a spirit not to feare againe 2. His mercy also is thereby mightily magnified Which would never bee so sweet nor relish so well nor bee so esteemed of us if the awfull terrour of iustice had not formerly made us smart A King sometimes doth not only suffer the Law to passe upon some grievous malefactor for high treason but also causeth him to bee brought to the place of execution yea and lay downe his head upon the blocke ere Hee pardon and then mercy is mercy indeed and melts the heart abundantly with amazâ—mâ—nt and admiration of it So God dealeth with us many times Le ts the Law loose against us puts us in feare casts us into Prison and threatneth condemnation in Hell for ever so that when mercy commeth to the Soulâ— beeing now lost in it selfe and at the Pits brinke it appeares to bee a wonderfull mercy the riches of exceeding mercy most seasonable most sweet most ravishing Why doe so many find no savour in the Gospell Is it because there is no matter of sweetnesse or delight in it No it is because they have not tasted of not been soundly toucht and terrified by the Law and the spirit of bondage They have not smarted nor as yet been afflicted with a sense of the bitternesse of sinne nor of iust punishment due unto the same God therefore sends into our hearts the spirit of feare and bondage to prepare us to rellish mercy And then the spirit of adoption not to feare againe And thus by this order the one is magnified and highly esteemed by the fore-going sense of the other 2. Secondly for our good and that two waies first in Iustification secondly and in Sanctification 1. For the first wee are such strangers unto God that wee will never come unto Him till wee see no other remedy being at the Pits brinke ready to starue hopelesse c. Wee see it in the prodigall Sonne He would never thinke of any returne unto his Father till all other helpes failed Him money friends acquaintance all sorts of food Nay if Hee might have fed upon huskes with the Swine Hee would not have thought of returning any more to his Father This beeing denied him the Text saith Hee came to Himselfe shewing us that when Men runne on in sinfull courses they are mad men out of themselves even as wee see thâ—se in Bedlam are beaten kept under denâ—ed comforts till they come to themselves And what faith Hee then I will arise and goe to my Father and will say unto Him Father I have sinned against heaven and against Thee c. So it is with us untill the Lord humble and bring us low in our owne eyes show us our misery and spirituall poverty and that in us there is no good thing that wee bee stript of all helpeâ— in and without our selves and see that wee must perish unlesse wee beg His mercy I say untill then wee will not seeke his face and favour nor have recourse to Iesus Christ the rocke of our salvation It is with us in this Case as it was with the Women whom Christ healed of the bloody issue How long was it ere shee came to Christ She had been sicke twelve yeeres She had spent all her living upon Physitions neither could she bee healed of any Now this extremity brought Her to Iesus Christ. This then is the meanes to bring to Christ To bring us upon our knees to drive us out of our selues hopelesse as low as may bee To shew us where helpe is onely to bee found and make us runne unto it The hunted Beast flies unto his Den The Israelites being stung by fiery Serpents made hast to the Brazen Serpent a Type of Christ for helpe The Man-killer under the Law chaced by the avenger of blood ranâ—e a pace to the City of refuge Ioab being pursued for his life fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord and laid fast hold upon the horneâ— of the Altar A wounded man hies unto the Surgeon Proportionably a poore Soule broken and bruised with the insupportable burden of all his abominations bleeding at heart-roote under sense of Divine wrath by the cutting edge of the Sword of the Spirit managed
pendas sed propter hoc saltem maxime gemas quoniam peccatoruÌ„ dolorem non sent is Non enim hoc provenit quòd peccatum noÌ„ mordeat sed quòd anima peccans sâ—t insensata Peccantes non dolere magis eum indignari facit irasci quà m peccare Chrysost. ad pop Antioch Hom. 46. Quòd si quis existet qui Diaboli plag is non persentiat nimirùmillius norbus ex illâ indolentiâ ingravesett Quemcunque enim plaga una inflicta non mordet neque attristat is certè facile alteram excipit itemque hac acceptâ tertiam neque enim intermitit ad extremum usque spiritum feriens â—efarius ille quoties invenit animam supinam prioresque plagas contemnenten Idem de Sacerdotio lib. 6. Isti quisanos seputabant multò periculosius desperatiùs aegrotahant August de verbis Apost Serm. 9. But Satan is not willing to deale so roughly with the unregenerate if Hee could chuse for Hee stands ever in most danger of losing them when Hee carries Himselfe towards them in so hard a fashion wherefore Hee rather flatters and faunes endeavouring to rocke them asleepe still if hee can in the Cradle of securitie and presumption Neither will Hee storme thus to wit labour to pull them by the strength of utter despaire as it were quicke into Hell and to make them kill themselves or doe some other most grosse and unnaturall crime but when hee sees his advantage in regard of some bodily crosse or distemper or that hee sees the Lord will needs awaken their sleepy consciences Whately New-birth Cap. 5. Qui jugum suscipiunt Diaboli Diabolus eos delectat decipit ne discedant à malo impij usque ad mortem suam Incertus Author In Mat. Cap. 11. Hom. 28. Galat. 5.21 Prov. 14.14 a Quin hinc est â—ur malus non libenter sit solus nec libenter vivat secum sed semper consortia quaerat sodalitia bominum voluptuariorum cum quibus possit tempus fallere Est enim solitaria vita eipermolesta partim propter recordationâ—m sceleru partim propter met um poenarum partim denique quia scit quòd secum non consentiat quòd conscientia evigilatura ingentem eì moestitiam allatura sit Kecker n. Syst. â—th lib. 1. cap. 3. Can 6. Quisquis incorde premitur malâ conscientiâ quomode quisquis abstillicidon exit de demo suâ out d fume nonibi sepatitur babitare sic qui non baber quietumcor habit arâ— incorde suo libentèr non potest Talesfords exeunt à seâ—psis aniâ—â— intentione de hiâ— quae foris sunâ— circa corpus delectantur quietemin nugis inspectaculis in luxirijs in omnibus mal squaerunt Quare for is volueruni sib benè esse Quia non est illâ—â— iniâ—s bene unde gaudeans inconscientiâ— suâ— August in Psal. 101. page 288. b Beati qui gaudent quando merant in corsâ—um nihil mali ibi inventunt Attendat sancticas vestra quomo to noline intrare domus suas quâ— babent malas axores quomodâ— exeâ—â—nt ad forum gaudent caepu hora esse quâ intraturi sunt in domum suam contristantur Intraturi sunâ— enim ad taedia ad murmura ad amaritudines ad eversiones quta non est domus composita abi intervirum uxorem pax nud a est Et melius illi est furis circumire Si ergò miseâ—i sunt qui cum redeunt ad parietes suos timen ne aliquibus sunrum perturbationibus coertantur quantò sunt â—â—sertores qui ad conscientiam suam redire nolunt ne ibi litibus pecâ—atâ—rum evertantur Ergo ut possis libens rediâ—e ad cor tuum munda illud Auser inde cupiditatumsordes auser labem avaritiae auser trabe superstitionum aufer sacrilegia malas cogitationes odia non dicâ— adverâ—â—â— amitum sed etiam adversus inimicum Auser ista omnia intra cor tuum gaudebis c. August in Psal. 34. c Those Christians have this heaven upon Earth who are come from under the storme and tempest of temptation and 〈◊〉 in the sweet 〈…〉 and feeling 〈…〉 mercies of their 〈…〉 in Christ Iesus sealed unto them by the testimony of the Spirit of God Yates d In the broken 〈◊〉 contrite spirit 〈◊〉 the Lord will 〈◊〉 despise A 〈…〉 have his 〈…〉 uprightly 〈…〉 is painefuâ—ly 〈◊〉 a good 〈…〉 may be◠〈…〉 and troubled 〈…〉 e Hujusmodi 〈◊〉 est instarferae alicujus quae quamdiu dormit videtur esse cicur neminem lâ—dit sed excitata in hominem involat dilâ—cerare conâ—â—â—â— Diligenter itaque cavenda est â—alie conscientia quâ—ppequae nâ—nnunquam per totum vitae curriculum quieta manet alto lethargo oppressa jacet seâ— aegritudine aliquâ— graviore veletiam mâ—rte appropinquante excitatura Deo truculentâ suâ immanitate hominem terret Alst. Theol. Casuum Cap. 2. In peace there is a totall dâ—position both of Armes and Enmity all hostile affections are put off In a truce there is but a suspension and a cessation of Armes for a season so as duriâ—â— the same there is stilâ— provision of more foâ—â—ces and a preparation of greater strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 2.19 d Voluptas perpetui vermis nutrix ad tempus admodùm breve possidentem demulcet Postremò verò acâ—â—bioris exitum tristitiae sortitur Basil. Exhort Ad. Baptisâ—um e Grave siquidem grave inquam onerosum est peccatum omni plumbo ponderosius Chrysost. Ad. Pop. Antioch Hom. 31. f Mortuus est autem peccator maximè ille quem moles consuetudinis premit quasi sepultus Lazarus Parùm enim erat quiâ— mortuus etiam sepultus August de temp Serm. 48. Ephes. 2.1 g Neque negari potest non minoris esse virtutis immò aliquantò majoris è morte animas mortuas excitare ac corpora mortua Musc. In Evang. Ioan. cap. 5. Ier. 13.23 h Primum enim divini amoris objectum est ipsa Deitas ac Filius ille dilectus 2. Res creatae in genere 3. Angeli 4 Genus humanum 5. Electi Til. p. 1. Syntag The. 40. pag 113. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss. 1.13 i Deo nihil est in odio nisi malum hoc est nihil est ei invisum o â—iosum excerabile nisi malum Hoc autem est peccatum ipsum praetereà nihil Zanch. De naturâ Dei Lib. 4. Cap 7. * Ephes. 5.4 Gal. 5.21 Matth. 5 28. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—st Posterio Anal. Lib. 1. Text. 15. l Illud quod maximè videtur Deus odissi scilâ—ceâ— Diabolum non odit nisi ratione peccati eum amaret si peccatum non esset tanquam creaturam suam Vâ—de Sap 11. Nihil odisti eorum quae feâ—isti Quod intelligendum est nisi propter peccatum adjunctum quod ipse non secit Peral m Quae
Poenit cap. 8. Art Respondeo si admit teremus o Id. Ibid. p Argumentum rectè probat â—os qui timorem servilem habent inor dinatos malos esse c. Id. Ibid. Art Respondeo argumentum q I grant the Lord who is the most free Agent takes liberty and workes as it pleaseth Him and there is oddes and difference for time measure and such things But for the generall alwayes the same By humbling first then comforting c. Master Rogers of Dedham Of Faito cap. 2. pag. 67. r David Psal. 38. beeing put in minde by His sicknesse of Gods wrath against sinne was full sorely afflicted in Soule So that Hee cries There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for mee I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long I am seeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietnesse of my heart My sorrow is continually before mee s But how may this reâ—â—â—siâ—ation with as great if not greater 〈◊〉 than at first turâ—ing unto God 〈◊〉 which â— Rom. 8.15 〈…〉 received the 〈◊〉 it of Boâ—dage againe to â—â—arâ— which seemes to iâ—port thus much that Gods Childâ— receiâ—eâ— the spirit of bondage no more after Hee hath once received the spirit of adoption revealing and evidencing â—nto Him that Hee is a Sonne and that God is His Father In answer The same Spirit produceth these contrary effects By the 〈◊〉 feare and terrour By the Gospell peace and prayer â—acit duâ—s spiritus 〈…〉 adoptionis his contraria tribuit effecta ùon quò tâ—â—t 〈◊〉 Spirits 〈◊〉 â—â—quod â—iasâ—em spiritus diversa contraria sint effecta per Legem per Evangelium â—er Lege◠〈◊〉 Spiritus sanitus arguit mundum de peccaâ—o de iâ—â Dei malediâ—â—â—oce aterâ—â—â— c. Par. in â—oc Now at the first taking a Man in hand to turne Him unto the 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage by the worke of the Law doth testifâ—e unto the Soule that it is in a wretched and lamnable state bound over in the guilt of it's owne sinne and Godâ—â—â—ry wrath to dâ—â—th and Hell and damnation for ever that so it may bee driven to Iesus Christ for release and pardon But after the plantation of Faith and presence of the 〈…〉 â— never testifies so againe because it would be an untruth It may afterward workâ— an apprehension that God is angry but not that He is not a Father The hiding of Gods face which may often befall His Childe the darknesse of our owne spirits 〈◊〉 which may revive all the old guilt againe and the Divels cruell pressing 〈…〉 â—pon such advantages raise these hideous mists of horror I have in hand 〈…〉 after-tempests which are so terrible Of which our Onely-wise and All-power 〈…〉 makes excellent use both for our selves and others and attaines thereby His owne most glorious secret and sacred end as appeares in the following Passage t 〈…〉 est â—word diâ—â—re 〈…〉 qui patâ—â—batur non ut puniretur sed ut â—robaretur August Tom. 9. p. 1. pag. 1487. a 1. Prima generalior causa afflictionum sunt peccata vel nostra vel aliena 2. Altera ut exerceamur probemur ne peccemus cauti reddamur 3. Tertia ut declaretur in nobis gloria potentiae ac bonitatic Dei Musc. in Ioan. cap. 9. Docet Christus ut maximè omnes homines peceatores sint non tamen omnes afflictiones propter peccatorum merita contingere Nam Deus habet in homines quos affligit diversos respectus alterum impeccata alterum in suam gloriam Si gloriam suam respiciat affligit non propter peccatum sed ad gloriam manifestandam Sic afflixit Iosephum Israelitas in Aegypto c. Brentius Ibid. b Now whether a MaÌ„ after Hee is in state of grace may feele this wound bleed afresh is a question with some through their weakenesse Tho if we consult with Scripture and experience the question is out of question Loe all these things saith Elihu truly worketh God oftentimes with a Man that Hee may turne backe His Soule from the Pit Examples are frequent c. Sclater in hâ—â— S.S.S. * 1. Cor. 2.12 c It is not unknowne in Lancashire what Horses and Cattell of her Husbands were killed upon His grounds in the night most barbarously at two severall times by Seminary Priests no question and Recusants that lurked there abouts And what a losse and hindrance it was unto Him being all the stocke He had on His grounds to any purpose In the story of the holy life and Christian death of Mistris Katherin Bretteâ—gh pag. 6. d Ibid. in Mast. Leyghs Postscript to Papists c Et sipeccatum in quibuscunque calamitatibus causae locum semper habeat nempe efficientis originalis tamen non semper peccati poena finis est is quem intuetur Deus c. f Si Deus peccata respiciat iniquitatis merita nullam est adeò ingens supplicium quo non merito affligamur omnes quotquot originâ—m nostram ex Adamo ducimus Si enim Deus iniquitatem observauerit quis sustinebit Psal. 130.3 Brent In Iohan. Cap. 9. 2. Chron. 33.11 g Gods Children are bruised Reeds befâ—re their conversion and often times after Before Conversion all except such as being bred up in the Church God hath delighted to shew himselfe gracious unto from their Child hood yet in different degrees as God seeth meet and as a difference is in regard of temper parts manner of life so Gods intendment of imployment for the time to come For usually hee empties such of themselves and makes them nothing before Hee will use them in any great services Doctor Sibbes Bruised Reed pag. 10. h Quan vis resipiscentia dolorem semper secum adferat de peccatu â—raeteritis praesentibus non tam proprie tamen aut â—ssentialiter consistit in dolore atque in aversatione odio peccati in firmo proposito hom prosequendi Amos 5.14.15 Odio habete malum amate bonum Amesius Medull Theol. lib. 1. cap. 26. Sect. 32. i Nâ—n nocent peccata praeâ—eâ—â—ta si non plaâ— câ—t prâ—sentia August De temper Serm. 1â—1 cap. 10. Peccata non nâ—cent si non placent Ideâ— k It thou be truly and unfainedly gâ—ievâ—d for this that thou canst not â—ee grieved thy humiliation shall bee accepted Perkins Case of Conscience 〈◊〉 cap. 5. Scit 2. Case Dulcat quâ— quia peccavit quia Deum offâ—ndit aut salâ—e doleat quia 〈…〉 doleâ—cisae 〈…〉 â—it ut Deo magis placeat homini utiliuâ— sit velle esse 〈…〉 sâ—atire contritionem aut deâ—otionem quta velle habere non habere general afflictunen â—oâ—dis Itaâ—â— dot trascere tibi ipsi atque damnabilem te iudica quò 〈…〉 non deleaâ— quanâ—â—â—