especially labour to keep tendernes of heart take advantage of their youth and without delayes and procrastination begin to repent and to shew themselves sensible of their sin and of Gods displeasure lest whilst they presume of more time stregth God give them up to hardnesse and finall impenitency Jer. 13.23 It is hard doing good when once we are accustomed to evil The longer the young plant or tree groweth the deeper root it taketh and whilst custome is not in time resisted it becometh necessity Directions and Means to prevent it 1 Fear it above all evils Therefore that hardnesse of heart prove no let to thy repentance follow these few directions 1 Fear it as thou woulest fear the devil himself blessed is he that thus feareth None are further from the danger of it then those that fear it most the not fearing it is the next way to fall into it or rather a signe it hath taken hold on us already If now when you heare so much of it your hearts be not struck with some terrour but that you account all you heare as an idle and empty sound of words your case is dangerous and much to be suspected Fear it then when it is so and fear it lest it be so with you a Pray against it Now if you fear it as you have good reason then in the next place Pray most earnestly and continually against it pray that God would not take his word and ministery of it from thee whereby thou shouldest be hardened and left without the direction instruction and reproof of the same as he threatens to such as in time repent not by it Revel 2.5 Pray that through thy abuse of the word he deny thee not the blessing of it and make it to thee as the white of an eg as the savour of death Pray that he would not send thee such teachers as never or sleightly reproving thee shall so seem to approve of thy courses and help to harden thee to thy destruction and that thou be not hardened under the reproof of Gods faithfull Ministers as were the Jews Isa 6.10 and 63.17 pray that God would not take away his fear from thee Jer. 32.40 or harden thy heart against it Psalm 51.11 or his holy Spirit which commonly in the motions of it accompanieth the word preached but having given way to thy lusts with David pray with him and say Oh cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from mee Whatsoever thou deny me or take from me be it wealth estate friends office c. yet take not thy holy Spirit from thee Oh beloved it is the Spirit of God which mollifieth the heart and therefore pray that God would never suffer thee so much or so long to provoke him as that he should say of thee as of the old world a little before their destruction Gen 6. Psal 19.13 my spirit shall not alwayes strive with him Pray and say Lord keep me from presumptuous sins and yea pray as he himself hath taught thee lead us not into tentation Psal 81.11.12 Pray that God would not give thee up to thine own hearts lusts to thine own will desires affections or to doe evil without check or controll of thy conscience or of his spirit that he would deny and crosse thee in all evill or hurtfull purposes desires endeavours and teach thee withall to account such crosses thy greatest blessings on earth and that he would in mercy rather hedge up our way then that we should lose our selves by straying out of the right way as Hos 2.6 7. 3 Beware of evil company and example 3 Take heed of evill and lewd company whose example and encouragement may help to harden thee and acquaint thy self with those that are good and provoke and exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne 4 Take heed of such things as make way for hardnes Heb. 3.13 Take heed of such evils and sins as procure it as of all those lets formerly named that of inconsideration First set thy sinne before thee be at some distance with it whilst sin and thou art all one thou wilt never be sensible of it It is an experienced rule The objects of senses being close placed to the organ of the senses makes no sensation as colour near the sight is not discerned and so in the rest And withall take heed of such sinnes as procure hardnesse and provoke God to give thee up to it as especially these first little love to the word and truth this makes God give men up to strong delusion 2 Thes 2.10 11. 2 too much love and desire to be flattered as in Ahab hating Michaiah and giving heed to flattering prophets he shall have such sent him in wrath 1 Kings 22.8 22 23. 3. Idolatry as Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to idols let him alone and Rom. 1.21 22 23 with 24 26. there is like reason for spirituall Idolatry with the creature and when mens hearts are joyned to their lusts 4. Presumptuous sinnes as in Elies sonnes 1 Sam. 2.22 -25. Heb. 10.26.27 and 12.16.17 5. Corrupt affections which provoke God to punish by giving up to a reprobate mind Rom. 1.27 28. 6 generally rejection of God and disobedience to his word Psal 81.11.12 1 Pet. 2.7 8. with scandall unjustly taken at the truth Matth. 15.12 13 14. Let them alone c. 5 Make not light of sinne be not greedy after it retain shamefastnesse Lastly Make not light of 1 sin account no sin light or little make it not so by your extenuations and justifications catch not at occasions of sin be not greedy after sinfull delights gain c. This will either make you or prove you to be past feeling retain shamefastnes tendernes lest once passing those bounds you grow extremely impudent in sinning as Isa 3 9. Jer. 8.12 and as young women or men when once they have lost modesty and shamefastnesse they grow impudent and blush at nothing Or of reproof of the word 2 Of reproof snuffe not at it hate not your reprovers so onely do scorners Prov. 15.12 be not grieved when the word of God finds you out 3 Of Gods threatnings Or of Gods threatnings which strikes terrour into tender souls 2 Cor. 5.11 they tremble at Gods word Isa 66.3 Gods punishments are fear full to them Job 31.23 and Pal. 119.20 account not Gods threatnings as wind Jer. 5.13 make not a jest of them Jer. 23.33 flatter not thy self against them Deut. 29.14 20. These are ill signes and would in time be abandoned Thus you have heard somewhat largely of the hard heart and the evill and danger of it it being a senselesse heart a sensuall heart a fat and grosse heart a seared and a gangrened heart a brawny and callous heart a stony heart in a word a bewitched heart yet not impertinently I hope
softened with the milke of this love of God! ye stout-hearted sinners and be moved therewith be moved and affected with grief to consider and thinke how ye sin against the bountie of God expressed to you in all temporal blessings which you enjoy and they are well nigh infinite in his patience towards you not cutting you off and sending you to Hell in your sinnes but chiefly in his gracious and morcifull disposition to wards you in offering himselfe more willing and ready to be reconciled to you than you are by true repentance sorrow and submission to seek it at his gracious hands O base hearts who by living still in your sinnes and without all sorrow taking pleasure in the same do seek his dishonour Do ye so requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 7 c. Doth not this stab thy heart O my people may God now say to us and much rather than to his unthankfull people of old What have I done unto thee and so in Micah 6.3 4 5. John 10.32 Many good workes may Christ now say to us also have I shewed you from my Father for which of those workes do ye stone me How should you answer but with more humilitie sinceritie and selfe-deniall as it followeth in Micah Verse 6. Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high God Yea and instead of all other sacrifices there mentioned offer that of an humble and contrite spirit and resolve to walke humbly or humble your selves to walke with God O that I could hear your relenting hearts as overcome with his free mercies and offers of his grace to sound and eccho out such voices and to say What any mercie or hope of mercie for such a vile Wretch bold sinner base Varlet as I Might not God many yeares ago in his just displeasure have sent me from the wombe to Hell O Patience Would any man have put up such injuries at my hands as God hath done dishonours or would I my selfe shew like kindnesse to any who had multiplied wrongs against me O it grieves my soul that I have so grieved him beast that I am O how have I been besotted not to see better to answer his love Men and brethren what shall I do to purchase his favour whereof I have made my selfe so unworthily I resolve therefore to wallow in ashes and to repent in dust and ashes and not for a world to offend him as I have done SECT 5. Gods Majesty thought on would abase us 4. The serious thought of Gods high Majesty will humble us HEre again I might direct you to a meditation also of the high and glorious Majesty of the high and holy God of his greatnesse excellencie power wisdom glorie and all other Attributes of God that so we may no longer harden our hearts against him Psal 95 3-8 9. Deut. 10.16 17 18 -20 21. that the immutabilitie of his decrees Job 23.13 14 15 16. and his excellency may make us afraid Job 13.11 37.23 24. that his mighty power may cause us prepare to meet him by repentance Amos 4.12 with 13. as we see in Rahab Josh 2 10.-12 13-18 And that we may at length learne with Job to acknowledge our vilenesse and to abhorre our selves and repent in dust and ashes Job 38.2 3 c. 40.2 3. 42.3 with 6. But I will hasten to the last Direction without which all the rest will be used in vain and it is prayer 〈…〉 SECT 6. Earnest Prayer a means of Humiliation 5 Withall wee must earnestly pray to God who onely can humble us LAstly Seeing God onely as hath been said can humble and soften the hard and stony heart of man wee are if wee truly desire to have tender pliable sensible and humbled hearts most earnestly to seek the same by prayer of God 1 By others 1. If thou canst not through weakness of gifts or distractions pray of thy self desire the assistance of some godly and compassionate Christian to pray with thee and for thee that God would graciously and powerfully work in thee what thou desirest In such case yea howsoever send for the Elders of the Church when thou feelst thy heart any thing hardened or thy self to be in any distress of soul or body that they may pray over thee James 5.14 2 By our selves But 2. Is any among you afflicted or would any of you be indeed truly afflicted in conscience and come to some remorse for his sin Let him pray saith Saint James himself It s hard if any man who hath a true and inward desire of any thing he wants or would have If I say he cannot breathe out one sigh and some way or other though brokenly express himself to God Broken prayers oftentimes shew a broken heart and spirit which God will not despise But as thou art able beg earnestly daily and constantly an humble soft and relenting heart with godly sorrow for all and every sin It s no easie thing to break the pride and stoniness of the heart it requires help from heaven and power from above If God do it not it will never be done Wee have Gods promise But now we have his promise for it if we will earnestly seek unto him for it as for all other things freely promsed Ezek. 36.26 32 37. Beg earnestly that God would melt and soften thy heart and must be earnest be importunate with him till he hear thee his word is past and if thou faint and weary not it shall in Gods fittest time and urgent with him and in that measure and manner which he thinks good be accomplished and fulfilled Challenge God of his promise of powring upon thee the spirit of grace and of supplications that looking upon Christ thou maist mourn c. Zech. 12.10 God as hath been said must by his Spirit breath in before thou canst breathe out by thy spirit one sigh for thy sin And in thy prayer complain to God of thy hardnesse and say Lord why hast thou hardened my heart from thy fear Isa 63.17 Lord I have an hard proud and stubborn heart it is too hard for mee do thou take it down break and humble it If thou art not heard for the present yet cry still give not over yea and constant wait on him for an answer in due time who hath long waited for thee Rom. 10.21 Deut. 22.26 and for thy Repentance Cry aloud to God for help as the virgin was bound in case shee were forced else lost both her reputation and her life Cry to God before for help and after for pardon so shall not thy hardness of heart be imputed to thee or be thy ruine That which unfainedly thou desirest might be done and grievest if it be not done that shall by Gods mercy in Christ be accounted to thee as done And with our prayer wee must joyn 1. Fasting Now to make thy prayer more effectuall
they heard this Where is first the Act of hearing VVhere 1 The Act of hearing which implyeth preaching Rom. 10.14 15. Secondly The Object what they heard First Hearing implyeth teaching and preaching as here Peter preacheth and they hear and how shall men hear without a Preacher saith Paul and how shall they preach except they be sent first of God So that we have here to note Note 1. The power and efficacy of Gods VVord First the power and efficacie of the Word of God preached Secondly the profit and good fruit of hearing it aright Peter speaking onely in the outward eare they that heard are pricked in the heart and by further hearing are fully converted 1. The word of God is a powerfull word because soundly taught and wisely applyed as here we see where not onely for number three thousand but for quality scoffers mockers yea persecuters were converted by it so the like afterwards and in some measure to the end of the world No word of man no not in the mouth of the most eloquent Oratour can worke such effect as this doth In changing the effections and verting soules Acts 26.18 this hath a power on the soule not onely to move the affections but to change them to renew them to convert them and turn the soule to God from death to life from darknesse to light by opening of the eyes yea from the power even of hell Psalm 19.7 of the very Devill himselfe of Satan unto God The law of God converts soules and changeth stones into bread yea flesh base metall into pure gold beyond all Chymicall transmutation turning beasts into men yea beasts into men in which regard the Church differs from the Arke of Noah a type of it in other things for there the beasts that entred into the Arke received no chainge nor alteration but if they went in uncleane wilde and savage they also came out uncleane wilde and savage but in the Church of God where Gods word is powerfully taught it is not so with every one we come in unclean but go out clean we come in wilde we go out tame we come in wolves lions vultures we goe out lambs deere and doves we come in beasts and go out men yea new men regenerate as one well noteth Here it might be shewed how that by the power of one text only some hath been converted Iun. in vita as Junius reclaimed from Atheisme by casting his eye on Job 1.1 Saint Austin See Dr. Featlyes sermons on this text by taking up the Bible and reading the first place he lighted on which was Rom. 13.13.14 not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wontonnesse c. was fully converted from his wantonnesse yea his friend Alypius desiring to peruse that place and reading the next words Rom. 14.1 Him that is weake in the faith receive you besought Saint Austin to strengthen him in the faith and he became a Convert also And I beleeve if every one would tell their experiences in this kind and how the word either at first or since in their anguish distresse temptations hath strengthened comforted and upheld them we should â—eed no other proof of this truth But whence hath the word this power Not from it selfe 2 VVhence hath it this efficacy from God and his spirit Psal 149.6 7 8 9. but from the Author which is God who when and where he pleaseth maketh it powerfull and effectuall by his spirit accompanying the same It is a two edged sword and cuts both wayes as God shall please to weild and use it either to wound or prick savingly like the Surgeons lancing-knife or to wound to death like the sword of an Enemy but we speake especially of the former work of it whereby it shewes it self quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 whose instrument it is sharper then a two edged sword piercing even to the deviding asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And so it is called the power of God to salvanion to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 that is Gods powerfull instrument by which he worketh faith in men and converts their souls Now as the instrument hath no power of or from it self but onely a fitnesse thus or so to be used and workes in and by the power of the chief workman working in the power of him the principall Agent as the steele with which the Load-stone is capped so it is here The sword cuts not without a hand to weild it and then it cuts according to the power strength and will lesse or more of him that useth it so the word or words of the Preachers being quantity have no efficacy of themselves or considered as a sound or beating and dividing of the ayre but as it is an instrument of God appointed and sanctified to produce such great effects so that the power is from Gods Ordinance and not from the word of the Preachers who by the sounding of rams hornes made the walls of Jericho fall down â—nd by vertue of â—is ordinance as did the rammes horns of old Moses rod in dividing the sea which sounding was rather a signe at which then any cause by which the walls fell even as Moses his rod by which he smote the Sea had not that power in it selfe but by vertue of Gods appointment Moses smote with it because God had so commanded but God did the worke And though the Word preached work after another manner yet the worke done by it whether it be conversion comfort pricking melting bruising c. is from the effectuall power of God and of his Spirit who doth the deed 1 Cor. 3.6 so that Paul may plant Apollos may water but it is God that gives the increase and so the Word is compared to a sword and hammer which bruiseth Jer. 23.29 Isa 55.10 Acts 2.1 3. to a nayle which pierceth and to fire which melts and mollifieth to a mighty winde and thunder which shakes the heart of the stoutest Thus here Gods Spirit being like water both for abundance and strength poured out in the signes of a rushing mighty wind and of fire makes the word of Peter and others thus powerful the power of which spirit shewed it selfe not onely in the tongues of the Preachers but in the hearts of the hearers so afterwards the Apostles being armed with the promise of this power Mat. 28.18 19 20. are sent out to all Nations to convert them which thing they also did but who a few men of no account of no learning some of them of no authority or state whom Kings of the earth whom with these chains comming out from their mouth as is fabled of Hercules Celticus they did binde and bring into subjection under Christ Bodin de rep lib. 4. cap. 7. So wise Philosophers and the learned the proud and refractory but by what meas and
but by opposing to it not only practice but secondly reading thirdly the spirit and inspirations fourthly praying which may also answer so many objections 1. Practice as if they needed no more knowledge 1. What can we hear say some that we have not heard the greatest defect is in the practice of duties To which I answer First we may hear that which we have forgot our memories are like leaking vessels Heb. 4.1 or we have made little use of what we know and so stand inneed of stirring up see 2 Pet. 1.12.13 Secondly We must heart to have our affections wrought upon till which time all our knowledge or hearing availes nothing as these Jewes heard formerly from these Apostles and from Christ himself that they never beleeved till now viz. that Jesus was the true Messias and therefore were never pricked in heart or wounded savingly till now So for other affections besides sorrow as joy hope fear zeal Thirdly The same word of God the more it is boulted the more meale like good corne it yeeldeth like a plentifull mine in which the deeper we dig the veine proves the richer 2 Pet. 3 18. Psal 119.18 and we should grow in knowledge and desire to see deeper into the wonders of Gods Law 2 Reading Rom. 10.17 2. Some reject hearing and preferre the reading of the word in publick and in private yea the reading of printed Sermons as more accurate for the most part To these I only at this time oppose Gods Ordinance from which onely we may expect his blessing by vertue of his promise annexed It s said Faith comes by hearing but the hearing is by the word and commandment of God Bare reading is not such preaching as the Scripture commends to us It is the Gospel preached which is Gods power to salvation Rom. 1.16 and the preaching of the Crosse which though it be to such as perish foolishnesse yet unto us which are saved it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.18 Naamans cleansing was no effect properly of the waters of Jordan but of faith and obedience to Gods word c. 3 Some expect to be taught without the ordinary means of hearing 3 Inspirations Iohn 6. Psal 94.12 seeing it is written They shall be all taught of God And Blessed is the man whom thou teachest out of thy Law True God can save without the word and teach us onely by his spirit so he can feed us without bread as he did Moses for forty dayes in the Mount and he fed the Israelites in the wildernesse with extraordinary food from heaven when they wanted ordinary But God works now and usually by meanes not by miracles As therefore no man contemnes ordinary and corporall food because God can feed us otherwise and as the Israelites having the fruits of Canaan to feed on depended not any longer on Manna from heaven so we must not neglect the hearing of Gods word preached because God can give the spirit without it as to elect infants dying in infancy because God doth not at least ordinarily give his Spirit but by the word which where preaching is and may be had it were presumption tempting and mocking of God to expect it yea a provoking of God to give over to delusion of Satan 4 Those that oppose prayer to preaching 4 Prayer that Gods house is an house of Prayer not of Preaching Domus Orationis non Orationum and of Sermons Of Orations to God not from God to us True Christ said indeed his house was a house of Prayer but where said he so was he not then preaching in the Temple to the buyers and sellers and was there not in the Temple as well the Oracle and the Lamp of God dayly burning a type of his word as well as the Altar of Incense But I ask Who can pray aright that knowees neither what to pray for nor how both which are taught us by the word How can we pray aright without faith or call on him on whom they have not beleeved how shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard or how shall they hear without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 And so how can men in prayer confesse sin and yet not know sin by the word c. Not to mention that Prayer and Invocation is often in Scripture taken for the whole worship of God Gen. 4 26. Acts 2.21 and so it includes preaching too Vse 3 Vse 3. Lastly It is a good signe of good intended by God to such as to whom he sends his Word and Ministers It s a good signe where the word is and is reverently heard if especially they reverently and meekly hear and receive the word without quarrelling with it or the Preacher when their sins are discovered they convinced Christ his Kingdom and glory advanced as here comes next to be shewed It s a good signe that God hath some to call convert and save eternally And it may and should encourage all to hear with deligence alacrity and hope to reap the good fruit of their hearing yea to long for and desire it and not to put any barre in the same by their negligence in hearing prejudice had of the Preacher either his person matter and doctrine being Gods pure word though harsh to us or manner and plainnesse As contrariwise where either there is no preaching or no sound preaching or conscionable hearing and practice of things heard it s a signe that whether Christ with draw himself from a people or come by his word to such it is in judgement and for their further hardening and blinding as Joh. 9.39 Isa 6.9 10 11. CHAP. IIII. The object of our hearing generally and specially and what doctrine is like to doe the greatest good With Vses 2 TTe Object of their hearing This 2 The Object of hearing or these things or that which was spoken to them by Peter and the rest on this day when the Spirit came upon them so visibly 1 Generally Gods words 1 In general the Object of our hearing is and should be the word of God only taught by such faithfull Ministers of Christ as he stirres up calls and assists by his Spirit Thus every-where we are called on to hear the word of the Lord Isa 1.10 Jer. in the mouth of Christ and of his Ministers 2.4 7.2 -20. c. the voice of Christ or Christ himself Mat. 17.15 hear him Joh. 5.25 10.3 -16. yea of his Messengers Prophets and Ministers Zach. 7.7 seeing he that heareth them heareth Christ Luke 10.16 Luke 16 29-31 And this is no other then the voyce of the Spirit speaking in by the word as in Noah Gen. 6.3 which God hath of old promised to accompany his word Isa 59.21 and since the ascension of Christ also who hath promised by his spirit and power to be present with his Messengers to the end of the world Mat. 28 18 19 20. and to send the Spirit the Spirit of
have him to rule over us Thus in true account and as God takes it you say and do Then let me tell you who this is against whom you thus by and in your pride and stoutnesse and partly ignorance do sin It is Christ the Lord of glory a dreadful Majestie even against the mighty God and their Judge the Soveraigne Lord who is appointed to be your Judge and who shall come in flaming fire rendering vengeance to all that know him not nor obey his Gospel This is he whom you provoke against whom you have so long trespassed whom you have so much dishonoured whom you have crucified and persecuted in his Saints and people whom you as little know or respect as himself who yet are of price and worth to him and as dear as the apple of his own eye whose wrongs he is sensible of as done to himself and which accordingly he will avenge Isai 57.3 4. But do you consider this are you convinced of it Let the daunkard then which should be considered the unclean person and voluptuous the profaner of the Lords Name and Sabbath and every sinner know and that assuredly that God hath made this same Jesus whom ye thus crucifie and wound both Lord and Christ the glorious and dreadful Judge of quick and dead Doth not this strike terrour into your hearts doth it not prick wound and sting your conscience God expects it should If he have winked at the former times of your ignorance Act. 17.30 31 yet now he commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained c. An dear brethren let us not mock when we hear these things or put off repentance as if ye cared not much whether ye perform it or no with the Athenians who heard these things from Paul and 32 and said We will hear thee again of this matter 34. but rather with Dionysius and Damaris there and others Let us cleave to Paul and believe and with these converts here cleave and cling to Peter out of true compunction of heart and repent saying to him and to such as now are in place of him even Gods faithful servants and our teachers who so tell us Men and brethren what shall w do Ah that I could see such blessed effects of the self-same doctrine And so having in a manner done with the instrumental cause of this Compunction and Conversion of these Jews which was their hearing of Gods word preached we come to the effects of the same the first whereof is to be considered in that which they suffered expressed in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked in their heart CHAP. V. SECT 1. The effect of saving hearing is pricking of heart THis pricking in heart notes an Inward Conviction of conscience 2. The effects of this their hearing 1. What they suffered whereby they came at once in the acknowledgement of Christ and his glory to see their horrible sin in murthering and crucifying of him and their own deserved condemnation thereby so bringing the curse of the Law home to their own consciences They were pricked in heart savingly as not able any longer to put by the thrust as I may call it or the dint of Peter's accusation which came as a dagger to the heart and struck them both with fear of wrath through a consciousnesse of this their hainous sin of murder and parricide and with hearty grief and sorrow for their sin not without some mixture of hope which made them enquire after a remedy and say What shall we do Wherein this pricking of heart differs from that cutting to the heart which was in others of the Jews Acts 7.54 who being alike charged by Steven as these were by Peter with the murder of Christ verse 52 yet as others by the same word were cut to the heart deadly Act â—â— 52 54-58 not convinced that Jesus was the Messiah or Christ and so that they were murderers of their Saviour they inwardly justifying themselves when they heard these things were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth and cast him out of the city and stoned him to death as taking ill at his hands thus falsly as they conceived to be charged So that the same Word had a different effect in the Jews in regard of the issue though all of them were some way or other pricked in heart yea cut and wounded the same Word proving the savour of life to the one and of death to the other true compunction of heart in the one where was sorrow not onely in fear of punishment but also in desire general hope and some apprehension of goodnesse and mercy in God which asswaged their fears but in the other a senslesse security and benummednesse of soul not to see their sin and danger with grief and anger onely so to be charged And so in the one was true compunction of spirit or of heart whereby the Aposteme of it was opened as by the prick of a sharp instrument and the corruption of it discovered yea whereby the heart became sick of the love of God and desire after him as the least prick at the heart causeth a present fit of sicknesse and in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.8 Isai 6.9 a spirit onely of compunction or remorse as it may be called or rather as it is translated in our Bible a spirit of slumber whereby God gave them eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear even a spirit of slumber sottishnesse want of spiritual senses and blindnesse not to see the light of Truth and of the Word which yet pricked their hearts as the light of the sun doth fore eyes yea cut them to the heart through the accusations if not convictions of it though they still remained stupid and accordingly perished It concerns us then to see how we hear that we melt by it as was and be not clay Now for this pricking mentioned in my Text it proved a saving and healing wound And we will now consider it according to three several Relations This pricking considered according to three Relations First to Peters Sermon as an effect of it Secondly to the sinners themselves as a fruit and consequent of their sin and so as an affection of sorrow in the subject or convicted sinner Thirdly and chiefly to the whole work of Conversion as the first degree and beginning of the same and as a preparative to Christ and to salvation CHAP V. SECT 11. Pricking of heart considered as the work of the word and of the best kind of preaching 1 To Peters sermon as an effect of it Note The best kind of preaching is that which pricks the heart 1 in what respects 2 For what reasons God himself useth this method 1 the Father 1 AS this
pricking in heart is an effect of Peters Sermon it will teach us this lesson that The best kind of teaching and preaching is that which pricks mens hearts and toucheth woundeth and convinceth their consciences I call it best and that both in regard of Gods glory whose word is thus by convincing men most magnified whether it prove the savour of life or of death seeing men once convinced by it God can more glorifie himself whether in his mercy or justice manifested towards convicted sinners and also in regard of our good and conversion and that for these reasons 1. Because this course is according to Gods own order in the conversion of souls 1 God convinced Adams conscience and so prepared him for the promise of the Messias 2 Christ began his Ministery by preaching repentance 2 Sonne Matth. 4.17 he so dealt with the Jews and with the woman of Samaria Joh. 4 18. 3 yea the comforter 3 Yea the first work of the Comforter is to convince men of sin to their condemnation before he convince them in their judgement of righteousnesse in Christ to their justification see John 16.8.9.10 for indeed there is no true consolation but out of deep humiliation no true joy and comfort but such as issues out of straits of conscience if we speak of men capable and legal convictions The spirit before it comfort it shakes a man and makes him fear see Hebr. 2.14 c. It s a course which God prescribes us his Ministers to use even to cry aloud and not to spare to tell men of their sinnes 2 God prescribes the use of it to cause them to know their abominations and to give them warning of their danger Isa 58.1 2. Ezek. 3.17 and 16.2 3 he blesseth it 3 Lastly its that method which God most blesseth as in Nathans plain dealing with David thou art the man and in other Prophets and in the Baptists preaching Vse 1 For Ministers thus to preach and to leave stings behind them Matth. 3.7 8.9.10 or Luk. 3.7.8 9. with 10 11 c. in his Apostles preaching here Vse 1. It is for the direction of us Ministers who as occasion serves must be full of the wrath of the Lord not preaching pleasing things to tickle the eare but sound saving and wholsome things to prick and wound the heart leaving stings behind us in mens hearts before we bring hony to please their tast first using corrosives by pouring in wine then lenitives oyl to supple heal The words of the wise saith Solomon are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies whech are given from one shepheard Eccles 12 11. Jer. 23.29 yea Gods word in the mouth of his servants is like a hammer not onely to break the rock in pieces but to drive in those nails even to the head into mens not skins onely goads pierce the skin but flesh and hearts too thence to fetch and draw teares which Saint Augustine calls the blood of the soul Our manner of teaching should be such as not to seek applause to our selves but sobs and tears in you our prayse should be your teares your sighs not your hemms not the clapping of your hands To wring tears from their hearers or Plaudite as at a play but the knocking of your breasts and Plangite as at a funerall It was said of one after an oration made to the people of Athens that he left certain stings in their minds so did Peter here and so should we send you home as much as we can weeping to your closets Pericles in a sence of sinne and danger and so should we wield this sword of the spirit as to aim chiefly at your hearts and so stedfastly and strongly follow home the thrust like Masters of defence as not to suffer you to put it by And to convince 1 Sam. 15.13 14. c. Though such conviction prove not saving Gen. 4.7 Call to Newcastle or methods for discovery of sinne in the Ministers method by your shifts evasions excuses extenuations justifications no more if we had the skill then Samuel would suffer King Saul to evade him till he had convinced him and brought him to confesse his sin And this we must do though our reproofs and convictions do not alwayes prove saving so did not Samuels so did not Gods own reproof and conviction of Cain And Stephens reproof and conviction of the Jews to be the murtherers of Christ had not the same effect with Peters here it was the same sword or word of God but with the point it pricked the one savingly and with the one or both of the edges of it it being not kindly received cut the other to the heart and wōunded them mortally 2 For hearers 1 to submit meekly to the reproofs of the word but of this more elsewhere 2 This teacheth you to desire such kind of teaching not to be displeased with such as so faithfully deale with your souls and to learn of these here who though deeply charged by Peter yea pricked and wounded did not rise against him or say what or who is he this that thus boldly chargeth us but meekly receiving the word of reproof and as guilty persons convinced of their sinnes what shall we do its true alas we indeed are guilty neither should you shew your selves unwilling to have your wounds searched to the bottome 2 Therefore the law is now to be taught under the Gospel 3 It s a good sign to be pricked Treat on Ezek. 16.2 or Gods charge to his Messengers concerning conviction of sinners p. 237. c. or to have your sins discovered and brought to triall seeing all sinne is a traytor to God and his glory and by your unwillingnesse to have it found and brought to judgement you make your selves more guilty But of this as also other uses concerning the needfulnesse much more lawfulnesse of preaching the Law now in time of the Gospel not to justification but to the conviction of sinners and to prepare and bring them to Christ as also that it is no ill signe simply to be met withall netled pricked and troubled in conscience by the word so that we seek or accept of ease and help by the word I say of these and such like uses elsewhere more largely and purposedly CHAP. V. SECT 3. Pricking of heart considered as the fruit of sinne and that sin carries a sting with it 2 The second relation which this Pricking hath is to the sinners themselves and to their sinnes THE second Relation that this pricking hath is to the sinners themselves and to their sinne the fruit whereof we see is at best sorrow fear pricking and wounding of the heart and spirit The word they heard brought to remembrance their sinne and their sinne presented them with wrath and so their heart is struck with horrour fear amazement and confusion the conscience awakened would not suffer them any longer to rest
or find content in their present condition they were stung and till they got ease in a very hell Thus it was with these Converts here what will then be the condition and sorrows of such as do remain live and dye impenitent Let it then be hence observed that sinne must never want sorrow Observe Sinne carries a sting with it never wants sorrow it carries a sting with it which will shew it self at one time or other It s like those locusts spoken of Revel 9.7.10 which have faces like men but stings in their tails like scorpions Such a thing is sinne though at first it may seem to have a beautifull face and appearance yet such as dally with it will find it will leave pricks at least and venemous wounds in the conscience such as have been named And though the conscience at length grow to be seared Though the conscience be seared senseles sometime yet it wil awaken here or in hell yet not onely the searing of it is not without pain or without many conflicts and terrours before it be deprived of all fence but God after awakens it to feel the horrour of hel even in this life though he deny such repentance as we see Judas Julian Nero Brutus King Saul who having an evil spirit which formerly had haunted him yet though as Brutus his malus Genius or Ghost which haunted him at Rome having for a while left him yet met with him at Philippi a little before his death though I say it left Saul often yet often it returned especially at Endor where Satan in the likenesse of Samuel told him that to morrow he should be with him 1. Sam. 28 29.20 which struck him with horrible amazement as there was cause Let this be thought on by all such as can find no delight in any thing but in sinne Vse For such as delight in sinne to expect bitternes Prov. 9.17.18 or so farre as there is sinne in the same The forbidden fruit seemed even because forbidden to promise more delight then all other trees yet it proved bitternesse in the end as sin will do so stollen waters and bread of deceit end in hell and prove like poyson given in sugar which may go down sweetly Which young men Eccles 11.9 but kindleth a fire in the bowels and bereaves of life Think of this you young men and rejoyce but know c. as you have lately heard remember the threefold sting which accompanyed and followed that of sin especially that of Conscience and of eternall torments Think of this ye Joviall and merry men of the world and merry men should think of how can ye be merry when so many thousand woes curses and vengeances belong unto you and hang over your heads sorrow you will find enough one day which may be to you without repentance but know assuredly that true repentance and conversion cannot be without sorrow seeing then sorrow must and will follow sin And either by godly sorrow in time to prevent it 1 Learn in time to sorrow soundly for sinne to be pricked wounded and in heart truly grieved for your sinne for such sorrow onely will prove saving and prepare you for through conversion and for sound and lasting joy as in these converts here 2 Otherwise know that you will gain nothing by sin or by living in it 2 Or assuredly to to look for it Grief of heart and pricking and wounding of the soul in some measure is the easiest which if you be afraid of chusing rather to enjoy your ease pleasures liberties then to be interrupted in the same by godly sorrow There is nothing gained by sinne then expect nothing in the end but hellish horrour terrours and torments not a pricking but piercing of the heart a breaking an opening a cutting a cleaving of it it may be even in this life and then a wounded spirit who can hear Prov. 18.14 but assuredly hereafter and for ever in hell For the prevention of which consider now well what you do what will be the end of your courses what the bitter and accursed fruits of your sinnes and of your smothering of the checks of your conscience Be now in time sensible of these things and consider this you that make nothing or but a jest of sinne or of conscience Take heed of lading A wounded name estate and broken bones nothing to the wounding of the spirit Psal 38.4 wounding and piercing your souls by voluntary and wilfull transgressions The soul hereby though for the present it be not perhaps so sensible yet insensibly is wounded and burthened with the guiltinesse of sinne whereby wrath is a treasuring up the burthen increaseth so long till at length your iniquities grow and go over your heads and as an heavy burthen prove too heavy for you Sinne long harboured within will at length fester break out into torments and in a word prove the death of the soul eternally The madnesse of men in falling into the greater evil for avoiding the lesse How is it to be wished then that men were as sensible of pricks and wounds in their hearts and spirits which by sinne are alwayes made though not perceived or believed or that they feared these half so much as they do a wounded body estate or name how sensible are men of the one and how fearlesse of the other hence they receive wounds on the inside and gashes in their consciences that the outside may be saved they will steal and do wrong to prevent poverty and yet poverty no such burthen as the guilt of theft they lye will falsifie word promise and oath to prevent or get out of debt and yet debt with man is no such burthen as debt with God which will exclude them out of heaven They will voluntarily smother the checks of conscience and repell the reproofs of the word that they may sinne more securely and with lesse trouble and yet this fire which thus smothered will once yea and for ever break out into flames doth infinitely surpasse that small seeming sorrow or lesser prickings which are in repentance They will go to witches to gain health and yet no sicknesse so ill as to be the devils devoted slave yea to save their skin their liberties their offices and to avoid reproach for Christ and persecution they will deny the truth of God and give the soul a thousand gashes to keep the skin whole and yet no losse to that of the soul Mark 8.36 What madnesse * Mr. Harris of a wounded spirit saith one is this This is to prick the hand to save the glove to hazard the head for the saving of the hat or of a feather to prick and wound the heart yea to kill the soul rather then to forgo a little vain and sinfull pleasure gain or honour alas they know not yet neither will they be told what the sorrows of a wounded spirit and conscience meane when God shall
set himself against them yea them against themselves making them a terrour to themselves A wounded name estate leg or arm wounded or broken may be born but who can bear a wounded spirit saith Solomon when the bones within are broken will it not cause roaring ask David Psal 32.3.4 and 51.8 ask Hezekiah Isa 38.13 And yet what is all this to the eternall endlesse and easelesse torments of hell These things would be considered Oh consider this then in time you that are so secure and fearlesse that care not what you say or do how many oaths you swear how many Sabbaths and Sermons you neglect how many you cozen or wrong in their goods name chastity your sinne one day will shew it self in its colours and your consciences will prove burthens to you heavier then mountains your hard hearts shall be broken and you crushed punished and tormened for ever Rather in time chuse to be when ye hear these things and in the timely belief of them savingly pricked as these here were who in the apprehension of such effects of sinne as you have now heard did presently seek to prevent them and being thus pierced and pricked sought help and healing which accordingly they presently found becoming true converts and partakers of Christ And so leaving the consideration of this sorrow as a bare affection in the sinner The third Relation of this pricking of heart is to the whole work of Conversion as the beginning thereof and an effect of sinne we come to speak more of it in relation to this great work of conversion and as the first step and beginning thereof leading to Christ and to salvation So that taking these first words They were pricked in heart with those their other words following what shall we do and upon direction given them their doing accordingly verse 38.39 c. they will afford unto us this observation That a legal terrour of conscience and sorrow for sin through sence of misery thereby deserved is the beginning of Repentance and first step to Conversion So that we are occasioned here to take notice or at least to consider of the order of conversion and of the steps and degrees thereof and how men are brought to Christ to faith and to salvation which we will speak of in its place after some generals are first observed CHAP. V. SECT 4. Pricicking of heart considered as the first step to true Conversion And that Conversion must begin at the heart with reasons and uses of the point THe most generall observation which we will hence first raise is this Doctr. Conversion must begin at the heart that true and saving Conversion begins and must begin at the heart By heart in Scripture is generally meant the soul and all the severall powers and faculties of the same as understanding What is meant by heart here memory conscience will and affections joyntly and severally as might easily be shewed but for our present use we here by heart chiefly understand the Conscience and will with the affections which by this pricking came both to be pained and to be severed and parted from sinne which was all one with it and the corruption of the same to be let out Yet I take the Conscience here is more specially meant Especially the conscience as in Davids case when he came to see and to be convinced of his sinne of Pride in numbring of the people it is said and Davids heart smote him and David said as these here were pricked in heart and said 2 Sam. 24.10 c. and we shall anon see that this pricking issued out of the conclusion of that practicall syllogisme which being thus convinced their consciences made The heart in true conversion must first be pricked wounded and put to pain as David was in his repentance and as it was here with these Converts yea and as God requires of all true Penitents Turn you even to me saith the Lord by Joel with all your heart and rent your heart and not your garments Joel 2.12.13 c. Reasons why Reasons why Hebr. 3.12 The heart is the First and chief offender Math. 15.18.19 It hatcheth and harbours sinne Jer. 4 14. 1 The heart is the first and chief offender It first turns from God and by unbelief departs from him if the body or bodily parts act any evill that evil is first hatched and forged in the heart for out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies which defile a man yea it is the heart that harbours sinne and evil thoughts as in a common June O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge with in thee yea it is the receptacle and lodging of the Devil himself who takes up the chief rooms thereof And Satan and filleth the same Act. 5.3 Joh. 13.2 The whole imagination and all the purposes and desires of the thoughts of the heart are onely evil continually Gen. 6.5 It s a proud heart festered The heart of man is a proud heart swollen with pride as is a bladder and therefore stands need of pricking It is a festered heart full of corruption and putrifying sores and stands need of opening searching and lancing by the knife of the law and sword of the spirit which is the word of God It is a hard heart hard as a stone and stands need of breaking and bruising There is a stone in the heart and hard heart hard 1 as a stone the cure whereof is like that which is of the stone in the bladder there must be sharp incision and God must come with his pulling and plucking instruments ere sin and that hardnesse can be got out of it 2 as mettal Yea It is hard as mettal men being said to have their necks as iron sin news and their brow brasse Isa 48.4 Jer. 6.28.29 whereby is meant the hardnesse of their hearts and obstinacy and to be brasse and iron so that the founder often melteth in vain the bellows that is the lungs of the Preacher shall sooner be burnt then the wicked and their wickednesse plucked away Yet being so hard it must be not onely broken with the hammer of the Law but molten if it be possible with the fire partly of Gods judgements threatned by the Prophets and in part executed by God himself who threatens to blowe upon his obdurate people in the fire of his wrath Ezek. 22 18-20 21. and to melt them in the midst thereof but chiefly of his love in the Gospel ere it can be cast into a new mold It then especially musst be dealt withal in the first place 2. The heart is most acceptable to God 2 The heart of all other parts is the most acceptable sacrifice to God indeed seasoning all the rest God requires it as his sacrifice My son give me thine heart Prov. 23.26 It s that which every one accounts
highly of All delight to have the hearts of men The Pope giving his devoted servants leave for a while to go to our Church in England in the first yeers of Queen Elizabeths raign in the words now lastly mentioned required of his sons and children that so doing they should give him their heart He knew if he had their heart he could soon command all the rest So the devil is well enough pleased to let his devoted servants make shew of Religion or of some good duties as of alms good words c. so long as he can keep their hearts glued first to any one or more lusts The like I may say of lovers seeking chiefly to insinuate into the hearts love and affections of their beloved Yea great Kings on earth who stand not in much need of their meaner subjects yet like well to be loved of all and to have their hearts And even thus it is with God himself who chiefly requires the heart who knows if it be wanting nothing can be sincere or lasting and where it is it will bring on all the rest The broken heart is Gods sacrifice He requires the heart as his sacrifice for and in stead of a sacrifice yea before all sacrifice But what heart If the heart be a saccrifice then as other sacrifices it must be slain and mortified at least pierced and wounded It must be a broken heart else it is not right It is not whole or entire with God Non est Cor integrum nisi sit scissum till it be broken and cut Outward sacrifices where beasts were slain and offered were but types of this sacrifice of a contrite heart so that where the heart was not contrite the sacrifice was an abomination To this man will I look saith the Lord even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word But of others it is said He that killeth an ox as if he slew a man Isai 66.2 3. he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood c. God will none of such sacrifices where the heart which should give him praise and prayer is wanting Psal 50.9 10-14 15. I will take no bullock out of thine house c. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High And call upon me in the day of trouble and 51.16 17. So again Thou desirest not sacrifice saith David else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offerings The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise For as one noteth the visible sacrifice of beasts slain is but a Sacrament August l. 10. de civit cap. 5. that is a holy and sacred signe of the invisible sacrifice of the heart Even as in Circumcision God required chiefly and firstly the circumcision of the heart Deut. 10.16 by which is meant this pricking and cutting of the heart This is that true Circumcision which being in and from the heart Rom. 2.28 29. findes praise with God This circumcised heart is the truely humbled heart unto which a promise and a blessing doth belong Levit. 26.41 42. If their uncircumcised heart be humbled c. or bowed down or at the Chaldee hath it be broken and it is opposed to pride as when it s said 2 Chro. 52 26. King Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride or lifting up of his heart And so it implieth repentance and turning in heart to the Lord as 2 Chron. 32.26 Yet divers of Ashur c. humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem when others mocked as these here now were pricked when formerly they or others mocked Hence it is truely said by one God pours not the oil of his mercy Bern. save into a broken vessel Vse 1 This shews the preposterous course of Popish penitentiaries who professing compunction and pricking of heart and spirit 1. To confute Popish penitentiaries whip onely scourge and otherwise afflict the body and make that a matter of satisfaction and merit and so under such shew of austerity and humility Coloss 2. not sparing the body they become vainly puffed up with pride in their fleshly mindes They seem to shew a kinde of revenge which yet is not against their sins lodged in the heart which they spare yea and fatten it in pride but onely against their skins and carcases which without the heart have done little or nothing Let the flesh be tamed and outward senses restrained as cause shall require but first let the heart and inward affections be mortified and subdued else it is but a mock-repentance Pag. 34 35. But of this a little before 2. To instruct and direct us to begin at the heart So do true Converts 2 A second Use is to learn hence to begin our repentance and conversion at the heart so do true converts First King Davids heart smote him then he confessed saying I have sinned The poor publican smote on his brest and then said God be merciful to me a sinner he by so smiting aimed at the chief offender Their sorrow is in the heart before it be in the face or sowre countenance as in a like case of Nehemiah mourning for the afflictions of his people which the King took notice of saying Why is thy countenance sad Nehem. 2.2 this is nothing but sorrow of heart So it was with good King Josiah who in heart and soul first apprehending his and his peoples sins and the wrath of God due to the same then rends his clothes and weeps Therefore saith God 2 Chro. 34.27 Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self i. e. in heart first before God and didst rend thy clothes and weep c. As sadnesse of countenance in true penitents argues and presupposeth sorrow of heart and their sorrow is first in the heart before it be in the garment so it is quite contrary with hypocrites Not so hypocrites Joel 2.12 13. to such God speaks by his Prophet Joel saying Turn unto me with all your heart and rend your hearts and not your garments The countenances of hypocrites onely are sad but not their hearts like hired mourners Know we then Matth. 6. that outward expressions of sorrow are not further good then so far onely as they come from inward grief and affection as in these converts here who by saying What shall we do shewed much inward grief in the apprehension of wrath much fear care and anxiety of spirit but then they were first upon such apprehension and fear pricked in their heart 3 Exhortation to begin our reformation at the heart Why 3 Let us hence be exhorted to begin our conversion and reformation at the heart you have heard reason enough for it otherwise it were but to lop off boughs and to leave the corrupt and bitter root to purge
the streams when the fountain and spring is muddy In a word it is the next way to hypocrisie in conversion it s but an acting of humility not a being humble a shew onely of humility and devotion not the having of the grace of the same in the heart I say then Humble your souls and hearts before the Lord if ye would enter into the Holiest Heb. 10.19.22 draw neer with a true heart and have your hearts first sprinkled from an evil conscience and then your bodies washed with pure water first be renewed in the spirit of your mindes and then shew your reformation without as Ephes 4.23 with 24 c. and 28. Let him that stole steal no more This is the right order This is the right order first to change the heart and then the life first to hate sin in heart and then to leave it first to fear an oath and then to forbear swearing rashly first to loath drunkennesse in heart and to be touched with remorse of soul for it and then withal to give over drunkennesse Till this be done that the conscience inwardly be pricked and convinced of the vilenesse of every or any sin the life will never be thorowly or constantly reformed otherwise sin will break out again Simil. if then It is but as with the hand to hold down the water in a spring which will ever be springing up or as by force to hold a blown bladder under water which will be bolting up again whereas if it once be pricked it will with little ado be kept under or sink of it self This is the reason why we Preachers who truely intend and seek your true and thorow conversion in our applications and otherwise do still aim at your hearts it is the mark the butt The heart the butt and white which godly Ministers chiefly aim aâ— yea the white which we chiefly shoot at and direct the point and edge of the sword of the Spirit the Word of God against till we pierce and hit that we think we have done nothing Though when we do onely civilize you and that you through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 escape the common pollutions of the world it be also the work of our Ministery and tend to much outward order peace and comlinesse yet alas this makes little for your inward peace and comfort when thus by the over powering force of the Word you are curbed kept in and constrained as it were through fear or shame to bite in your sins where this is onely you will be ready to be again intangled and overcome and so your later end will be worse then the beginning Therefore our aim is still at the heart as knowing that unlesse it be pierced and wounded sin still lives in you and like a bitter and venemous root or corrupt spring will ever be sprouting and sending out bitter fruit and muddy waters but if the heart once be savingly wounded mortified cleansed we know the outward man and conversation will soon be reformed as when the root is deaded the fruit and leaves fall of themselves and the branches wither if the fountain be once stopt the streams soon dry up which makes them not so eager against the outward carriage and fashions of men always Will you then know why wise and discreet Preachers do not in their Reproofs insist so much and so long and frequently at least in inveighing against mens wearing of long hair womens cut locks men and womens garishnesse in their attire and fashions gestures and outward unseemly behaviour some kindes of sports and abuse of lawful sports Is it because they allow and applaud you in such things Nothing lesse make not that ill use of our silence or more sparing reproofs But know the true reason hereof is because we are assured that if these things were outwardly reformed and yet the heart not touched or pricked they like Samson's hair once clipt would soon grow again the heart not mortified all vice would be sprouting again yea to cry out against such things and not to convince the heart of the sinfulnesse and danger of them would never have any good effect Nay we may I know as well hope to rob a bear of her whelps as to make you leave such fashions so long as your hearts are set thereon experience shews it No arguments perswasions disswasives threatnings though out of Gods Word will prevail with men to leave such fashions and customs till the heart be wounded and pierced And when this is done all these will in great part fall of themselves and people will not be ashamed to be out of the common and corrupt fashions and customs of the time Give us leave then to preach such Doctrines and make such Applications as may be as hammers shall I say yea as goads and nails as pricks and the point of a sword to prick your hearts and to touch you even in your best beloved sins that so we may take your hearts from off them and make them bitter and loathsom to you The heart must indeed first be humbled and then there will follow moderation in outward things and reformation of life and conversation and the outward behaviour will suit well with the inward disposition of the humbled heart the heart as the first or master-wheel in the clock being well set will order both the tongue as the bell and conversation and outward behaviour as the hand and pointer there will be a consonancie among them Let no man then deceive himself and tell me he thanks God his heart is good to God ward and he hath a good heart and meaning howsoever he outwardly frame to the times and common customs of the world if the heart were so good as is pretended the hand tongue eye and generally the whole outward conversation would not be so dissonant at least so much and so constantly as is in many who yet brag much of that which few sees of their good hearts Now as saving Conversion must begin at the heart so it would not be much out of our way to observe that it and all the consequents of it all the comforts of a regenerate condition and all the happinesse of heaven All Comforts begin with some sorrow as All Sin ends in sorrow begins with pricking and wounding with sorrow and compunction Wherein God is contrary to the devil the world and sin which make offer and promise of much pleasure gain and honour at the first and men finde some such like thing at first as gives content to their sensual desires and corrupt taste but all at the last ends in bitternesse and sorrow endlesse and easelesse Neither do such things long enjoyed See this in Dives and Lazarus Luke 16.25 give that content they promised as on the other side such as make trial of the ways of God finde much more content in and comfort from them then they could have
expected finding themselves to have been worse afraid then hurt This should teach us wisedom and not either to be led away with pleasures present or to be so out of love with Gods ways But I hasten CHAP. VI. How Peters Converts came to be pricked in conscience BEfore we particularly shew the Order and Degrees of Conversion It would first be inquired and considered How these converts came to be pricked Answ how these Converts here upon Peters Sermon came thus to be pricked I answer They God opening their hearts as he did Lydia's to attend came upon Peters wise and skilfull handling and applying of the sharp sword of the spirit or word of God which pierceth to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and by piercing pricketh at once to see and be convinced within themselves of their sinne against Christ in crucifying of him 1 Generall and of Gods wrath thereupon and vengeance hanging over their heads and of their own just damnation and hereupon were pricked in heart struck with fear made sorrowful When Peter so deeply charged them that they were the crucifiers of Christ they knew well and remembred that they indeed had desired Pilate to crucifie him and now hearing and by such apparant signes from heaven as on that day which in some degree had astonished them all seeing a divine power therein and being told that it was Jesus now exalted to glory Verse 33. who shed forth that which they did now see and hear and apprehending him to be indeed a King the Christ and that Lord who now as David foretold did sit at the right hand of God they are afraid of him as of an avenger now raigning in heaven whom on earth as a bountifull and mercifull Saviour they contemned and slew 2 Particular By being convinced of their sinne 1 Of murder 2 Parricide More particularly they hearing and generally believing that to be true which they were told concerning Christs glory do see and are convinced 1 Of sinne their sinne 1 Of murther whereby they procured or consented to the death of Jesus as a man yea an innocent man 2 Of Parricide and withall of extream ingratitude and unthankfulnesse in crucifying him as Jesus as a Saviour yea as their own Jesus who came to save them 3 Of Infidelity and unbelief whereby they so long had rejected him their onely Messias or Christ 3 Of unbelief refusing him that spake unto them and whom God had annointed to be their teacher or their Prophet 4 Disobedience and their Priest yea King 4 Of Disobedience in not submitting themselves to him as their Lord and King 5 Of Impenitency 5 Impenitency obstinacy and hardnesse of heart in not repenting and relenting at his doctrine and preaching who was incarnate and came into the world to call them to repentance 6 Ignorance 1 Cor. 2.8 6 Lastly of their Ignorance of him as Lord of glory whom if so they had sooner known to be they would not have crucified him But now conceiving of him as Lord and Christ they are wounded and pricked in that they wounded and pierced him Even as Pauls conscience was touched a little after he had reviled the high Priest when once he came to know him so to be Act. 23.5 but much more when he came first to know Christ and that it was he even the Lord of glory whom he persecuted in his ignorance and unbelief Act. 9.5.6 1 Tim. 1.13 2 of judgement which made them 1 fear 2 These Jews thus convinced of their sinne 1 fear and quake in apprehension of Gods judgements due to such grievous sinnes and offences as have been named whilst they now see that as Christ himself told Paul afterwards they did all this while but kick against the pricks and run upon their own death and destruction in provoking the mighty God and Christ their Lord and King against them Now they look upon him whom they had peirced and see him whom they slew to be one who being Lord of heaven and earth was able yea for ought they then saw ready to destroy them in souls and bodies and therefore they tremble 2 Despair of themselves 2 Yea they withall despair in themselves and see themselves unworthy of that salvation which they rejected and are at their wits end not knowing what to do to undo what they have done or to appease Gods wrath Thus they came to be perplexed troubled and sorrowfull and pricked in heart 3 Sorrow They came thus to be pricked by reasoning within themselves Now this was done by a kind of reasoning with themselves and communing with their own hearts by a practicall syllogisme The Proposition whereof the Law written in their hearts and word of God afforded them in effect this Murtherers especially of their Saviour and of the Lord of life are under the curse Gal. 3.10 and no murtherer or none that hates his brother hath eternall life abiding in him John 3.15 But saith Peter and their own consciences We are murtherers and that even of Christ then follows the conclusion Therefore we are under the curse and debarred of life Now out of this conclusion made by conscience follows in the affections fear despair in themselves sorrow horrour and perplexity in a word wounding and pricking and it is as when an evil doer a secure sinner thief or murtherer Out of the conclusion of which syllogisine issued this pricking is apprehended and brought to the barre where the Judge giving the charge declares what is Law what sinnes and crimes are against Law and by Law deserve death after which the Malefactour is accused of such crimes as deserve death and by sufficient witnesse proved to be guilty and he himself cannot deny the fact whereupon the Judge passeth sentence of condemnation and of death at which the party is stricken with astonishment and pricked at heart as with the point of a sword Such is the work of conscience in sinners the same conscience being as a Law to inlighten and to judge generally of good and evil it is also a witnesse to convince and lastly a Judge to give sentence against it self and so to terrifie Thus it was with these Jews and no otherwise it is with other Converts as comes now to be shewed so that looking on this pricking of heart as the beginning of or first step to conversion we do raise and make this Generall observation following namely that CHAP. VII SECT 1. That all true Converts must first be pricked in heart Hence with the explication of the point True Converts must first be pricked in heart SVch as God will convert and save must lesse or more be first pricked in heart for their sin Such as to whom God intends to shew mercy must in some measure be troubled in mind and conscience in sight of their sinne and miserie So that so long as sinne never troubles men there is no conversion as we see
in those many other Jews who hearing the same Sermon yet were nothing moved The method of handling this point Concerning this large and usefull point of Doctrine we will proceed in this method first to shew the truth of it and that it is so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 then the or reasons why it is so 3. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or manner order and degrees and steps of conversion 4. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the uses of the point and so we are to give you this point with its 1. Explication 2. Illustration 3. Demonstration 1 The Explication of it 1 It s not meant of infants so dying 4. Application 1 For the explication of this point it holds true in men 1 Of age and understanding living under the means I do not say that elect Infants dying in the womb birth or in their Infancy have such prickings or convictions of conscience as having no knowledge of sinne or of wrath and judgements Gods work on them is a work of mercy not so much of power whereby through the spirit more immediately without the word he both imputes Christ and the benefits of his death to them by vertue of his covenant and free promise How Infants are converted and sanctifies them in the womb or after but not always in outward baptism by a habitual principle of grace wrought immediately by the Spirit of Christ which was merited for them as well as for others and is accordingly given and applyed to them by it whereby as members of Christ they as wel as others 1 Cor. 12.13 by one spirit are baptised into one body are made to drink into one spirit 2 It holds not on the contrary that all that are pricked in conscience shall be converted 2 I do not say on the contrary that all such as are pricked in conscience or troubled for sinne are therefore or shall certainly be converted or saved unlesse their trouble proceed orderly and to such a degree of contrition as to which the promise doth belong and may be proved otherwise in regard of other graces concomitant to be saving of which trialls and measure of saving sorrow hereafter Much more then a bare legall terrour of conscience and other works are required in true Converts That the Impenitent wicked and reprobate may be pricked It is plain All come not to it as being given over to a reprobate mind and shut up in hardnesse of heart yet many who come to it yet go no further and so they miscarry in the end as we see in King Ahab who was humbled when he heard of Gods judgement for killing of Naboth As we see in King Ahab yet returned to other like sinne hating Michaiah and perished in the guilt of it unrepented so in King Saul who was pricked and relented after he had wronged David King Saul and yet saw Davids integrity yea he wept and yet returned to that sinne of persecuting him So many after their sinne of dunkennesse whoring murther have no doubt some legall qualmes of conscience some fits some stirrings and stingings thereof but no more as we see in Felix Felix Acts. 24.25 who hearing Paul reason of righteousnesse temperance and Judgement to come trembled yet he shuffled off the matter and continued in his unrighteousnes Intemperance as we may well deem in his security without fear of Gods judgements otherwise he would neither have expected mony as a bribe that he might loose Paul nor yet have left him bound to gratifie others And what think we of Cain and Judas both which confessed their sin to be great Cain Judas and had horrour thereupon and were wounded yet Judas was a devil and died desperately Cain did wear it away as much as he could by building him a strong City The other Jews and though conscience of his sinne still pursued him he never truly repented but died a reprobate And as we have heard before divers of the Jews who heard Stephen preach to them and charge them with the death of Christ as these here were charged by Peter seemed to be more then pricked Acts 7.52.54 they were cut to the heart through the accusations and convictions of the word yet they sought not to the remedy as these here but stoned Stephen and so increased their own condemnation Yea these here being pricked are yet verse 38. bid to repent Lastly the very fiends of hell do tremble The devil and yet are not capable of repentance But speaking of men we may conclude that it falls out with many of them These either despaire as it doth with some women who in false conceptions and abortions though they be put to grievous pains as much as they that come to their full time yet they miscarry in the birth so these hypocrites sometime they be much abased by the Law yea even to despair yet they are either swallowed up in that pit or are healed sleightly and so grow secure or els they have bin falsely healed with fair words by temporizing teachers and popish mountebanks and so in Gods wrath given up to security imagining it to be true peace of conscience and to hardnesse of heart sleeping dying in that senseles estate or otherwise seek to put away such heart-qualms by mirth musick merry company drinking gaming or by wordly employments that they may no longer hear the noise and cry of conscience within or put away their sorrow by following sports c. dealing with their conscience as some with those poor innocent children which being sacrificed to Moloch in Topheth whilst they were tormented in the brazen bull or calf by fire put under drums and other noise were used and raised to drown the cries of the poor infants as well as the parents pity Legal terrour then is but a common gift and doth not necessarily bring on conversion Quest. This pricking being but a common gift what is the difference between the elect and reprobate in their legal sorrow If you now ask me what may be the difference between one truely and savingly pricked in conscience and an hypocrite between an elect childe of God and a reprobate and how one may be known from another when and whilst they are both wounded and pricked I answer It s hard at first for a by-stander to judge of them till the event and effect of their sorrow and other concomitants do shew the same and so we shall try it afterward Onely we may say there is a difference though we cannot for the present see it Both may be under the spirit of bondage a while and apprehend slavish fear and terrour of heart as Rom. 8.15 2 Tim. 1.7 This spirit of bondage is common to the elect with the reprobate but with much difference 1. in regard of God 2. themselves and 3. the event and different issue The difference is 1. in Gods intention shewed 1. Gods
the Lord as water out of buckets whilst they fasted and prayed And did they not after fear and confesse their sin Did not Davids heart smite him before he repented of that his sin in numbering the people And did he not David Psal 32.3 4. before he confessed and got ease in another case roar all the day Josiah 2 Chro. 34.27 How did Josiah's heart melt and how did he weep upon hearing of Gods threatnings Did not Ephraim bemoan himself and smite upon his thigh Jer. 31.18 19. these Jews Zech. 12.10 And was not that foretold which here in my Text was in part effected that they should look on him whom they had pierced and mourn and so be pierced and pricked themselves And was not the ax laid to the root of the hearts of those Jews whom John the Baptist converted Luke 3. Did not he convince them to be a generation of vipers before they did flee from the wrath to come Did not penitent Mary wash Christs feet with tears Was not Paul struck from heaven Mary Paul Acts 9.6 charged with persecution of Christ and his people and so made to see his sin before he was converted Yea after did not the sense of his sin make him cry out Miserable man that I am Rom. 7. and 2 Cor. 12.7 8. c. yea and complain of a prick or thorn in the flesh c And was not the converted Jaylour in the like plight the Jaylour Act. 16.29 30. when the earth did quake under him and his heart within him Moe examples need not Psal 4.4 We know that before we can cease to sinne we must tremble in the sight of sinne and there must be a spirit of bondage unto fear before the spirit of adoption to free us from that fear Matth. 11.29 A man must be heavy laden before he can come to Christ and lost in his own sense before Christ seek and save him sick and feel his sicknesse before he seek to the Physician and get cure to his wounded conscience as these here As then there is no birth without the pain of travail going before Simil. though some have easier labour then others as the Hebrew women Exod. 1. So no true Repentance without some terrours of the Law Thinkest thou then to convert and come to heaven when these holy men so roared and were wounded canst thou be saved in thy security and before thou be in thine own sense lost CHAP. VII SECT 3. That all in some measure must be pricked though not all alike and why BUt to Illustrate and make this point more clear we will first seek to satisfie this main doubt and question which some make concerning this point of doctrine Quest Whether all Converts are thus pricked and wounded Reason of this doubt whether all converted are necessarily subject to terrors of conscience whether all must be thus wounded prick'd humbl'd who are truly converted The reason of this doubt may be because many of whose sound coversion and sincerity of grace and of repentance we have no cause to doubt yet cannot themselves name the time meanes oâ— instrument or other circumstances of their conversion which in all likelyhood if it were truly effected they could not be ignorant of or at least not easily forget seeing conversion is our new birth and marriage to Christ and few or none but can tell either by the relation of witnesses or otherwise their own age the time of their marriage place where and person by whom they were married and we read of some that have been made other men then formerly with little or no trouble of conscience as Matthew who at his first conversion as it is thought entertained Christ with a feast as Lydia did the Apostles But I answer Answ All in some measure must be pricked and troubled though I acknowledge a great difference in the manner and measure of this work of conversion yet it must not be denyed but that for the substance of it there must be at least some pricking some griping of conscience and trouble of thoughts Even as there is no birth without some pain lesse or more both to the mother and child if it come alive into the world though sometime the extremity of the birth and straits it pasteth maketh it seem yea the mother too as dead for the time after which yet the pains revive and return which is shewed 1 From Satans opposition 1 Can it be denyed but we all naturally are by sin under the power of Satan Acts 26.18 who hath got possession of us and may we think he wil willingly without some violence and greater power part with his prey and if so must not the poore soul which of it self is as willing as he to remain in its former condition as yet not knowing any better must it not I say be miserably distracted and almost rent in pieces as the poor lamb which David delivered out of the jaw of the lion and paw of the bear will not Satan the strong man like Pharaoh put his power out to the utmost to keep his hold and to keep out the entrie of the stronger there may be peace till then but no longer til it after a full deliverance and freedom be better grounded and bottomed the Israelites in Egypt found their burthens increased ere they departed so here II From that close union and marriage beween sin and the soul 2 Is not sin and the soul in a manner all one before conversion yea is not sinne every sinne which a man delights in and every man delights in some sinne more then other as a God in him commanding his thoughts and affections and is it not more and sooner obeyed then God himself Now before a man be converted unto God and made plyable to his will as these Converts here were saying in a self deniall what shall we do or as Paul was Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do he must be averted which cannot be severed from the soul yea and divided and separated from himself and his own will and so that knot that union and onenesse so to call it which was between the soul and sinne comes in some measure to be broken and the soul and sinne to part which how can it be done or how can the venome or corruption lying in the ventricles of the soul be let out without some pricking at least of the heart if not some deeper incision which therefore God is pleased to make use of causing men to feel the smart piercing and woundings and burthen of sin that the soul may be willing to part with it or the soul divorced from sin and to be severed from it which if it as formerly found onely delight ease and pleasure in it would never yield or submit it self to the obedience of Christ such pricking wounding and sorrow must first make the divorce between the soul and sinne
be throughly converted CHAP. VIII Shewing the reasons why God will have all Converts of age to be first brought under the spirit of bondage THese Reasons I reduce to these two generall Heads 3 The Demonstration or reasonâ— of the main Doctrine And why God will bring all Converts under the spirit of bondage This he doth with respect 1 to their good 1 To their profit 1 Mans own Good 2 Gods Glory 1 God will in his providence have our hearts to ake by bringing us in some measure under the spirit of bonage and have us thus wounded at least pricked before he receive us for our own Good who otherwise would neither know our selves aright nor acknowledge our want and need of Christ whilst we missed him not nor prize him aright For methods sake know the good which God intends his elect by thus dealing with them is according to that usuall division of good Profitable Comfortable Honourable 1 The Profit of this method which God useth with his so far as it is to be reaped in this life may be referred to their Justification and Sanctification 1 God thus brings home to himself wandring sinners as he did the Prodigall 1 To their Justification who never had any thought of returning to his fathter till all outward means and succours failed him and till he saw himself destitute of mony friends food yea of very husks the meanest of meats he like a man out of his wits and not himself never came unto himself neither thought of coming or returning to his father till then Luk. 15. Now in this prodigall every wandring sinner who proves a true Convert is meant who is also compared to a lost or wandring sheep after which the shepherd sends out his dog to bring it into the fold Particularly God will have us feel somewhat of our own burthen and see as it were the flashes of hell-fire Particularly and so he turns the Law loose upon us a while both in the strict commands of it 1 To cause them see their own guiltinesse as also in the curse annexed to the transgressours of it 1 That we might acknowledge see and be convinced of our own guiltinesse and of the infinitenesse of our desert and debt which our Saviour signifieth unto us in the parable of the debter who ought his Master ten thousand talents which howsoever he at length did graciously remit yet before he forgave it he strictly required the whole debt of him commanding all he had to be sold even wife and children that it might be paid yet this was but to bring him on his knees that he might desire beg sparing and compassion Matth. 18.25 26. God thus wounds the spirit and lets men feel the burthen of their sinne which who can beare that so they may cry out with Davd Mine iniquities are gone over mine head Psal 38.4 as a heavy burthen they are too heavy for me 2 God thus doth 2 To humble them in sight of their inability that in a sense of our burthen of our own inability to undergo it we might be humbled and have those proud high and lofty thoughts which we have had or have of our selves brought down and levelled with the ground Till this be done the sinner will ever find something in himself to oppose against the work of grace who els would never seek to Christ Luk. 8.43.44 either his own righteousnesse and morall vertues and civil life his own power of will or somewhat ese like the woman in the Gospel whom Christ healed of her bloody issue who so long as she had any thing of her own left to bestow upon Physicians she never thought of Christ onely when after twelve years she had spent all her living upon Phsicians neither could be healed of any she sought to Christ and was healed Man naturally is like the wild asse colt or like the asse used to the wildernesse Jer. 2.24 that snuffeth up the winde at pleasure which must first be taken down and tamed and like the wild young horse that must be ridden in deep and tough lands run against the wall and otherwise affrighted by being brought to the brow of some high hill and rock before it be tamed or made serviceable 3 To make them willing to seek after help 3 Thus God makes the heart plyable and bores the ear to receive instruction and to hearken after the means by which it may receive help or ease making it to seek help out of it self else where as Paul smitten down from his horse Lord what wilt thou have me to do and as the Jailour humbled by an earth quake What shall I do to be saved and as these in my Text who when they were pricked in heart said What shall we do as the hunted or shot hart flees to his harbour or to Dictamnum the herb which causeth as they say the dart to fall out or as the stout lion which sought to Androgeus a man to get the thorn pulled out of his foot 2 Cor. 12.4 Or to accept of it being offered as Paul having a thorn in the flesh sought earnestly and often unto Christ 4 At least men thus are made willing to accept of help when it is offered which so many daily having never been in such straiâ—s nor suffered any pangs of conscience do neglect the sick only not the whole do see their need of the Physician 5 To prize Christ 5 God will thus beat men off their own bottomes to see their accursed condition that they may more highly prize Christ and his benefits as thirst makes us relish our drink and by sickness we better know how to value health by imprisonment liberty and in a word as one contrary makes us better to judge of the other None can ever so truly prize the worth of Christs bloud as those that have groned under the burthen of their sinne and have been filled with Gods wrath God then by such stings in the conscience causeth men seek to Christ and make use of him as of old he sent fiery serpents Numb 21.8 that such as were stung by them might look to the brazen Serpent which was a type of Christ crucified and be healed as Absolom set Joabs corn on fire 2 Sam. 14 30. to cause him to come unto him 2 God takes this course with sinners 2 Their sanctification and to affright them from sin to make them weary of their sin and willing to part with it which otherwise would never be there is that nearnesse yea Onenesse between the soul and sin as hath been said The corruption of the soul would never be let out but for this pricking When are men willing to pluck out the right eye or When do they yield their hand or foot to the surgeon to be seared or cut off but when they see and are perswaded that they cannot retain these and their lives too when the Gangrene
visions and dreams 4. to the constancy of the martyrs sufferings 5. to Miracles 6. to Afflictions yet these all are to be considered onely either as Preparatives to conversion and furtherances of the work of the word and Ministery and not barely or as seals and confirmations of the truth of Gods promises made known and propounded in and by the Word 1 By the Sacraments 1. For the Sacraments they for their efficacy especially come in the order of nature after faith to confirm and strengthen the same the Sacraments seal and assure onely that which the word promiseth and that is Christ upon the condition of faith and repentance and so he is promised and truly offered in the Word and Sacraments both to good and bad Men grown professe faith and repentance before they be admitted to Baptism and so beleeving are baptized Mark 16.16 Infants within the Covenant promise so much by their sureties which if coming to yeers they perform not then they receive Christ onely sacramentally specially not by Baptism and retain onely the external sanctification of Baptism a subsequent faith is required of them when they shal be capable without which they have no internall effects of sanctification by the Spirit The change made in the soul is not by water or by the bare work wrought in Baptism but by Faith and that is the effect of the word Christ is the substance life and vigour of all Sacraments whom therefore no unbeleever doth receive now Christ and his Spirit are not divided he is not received without his Spirit nor but by his Spirit given by the word which is the ministration of the Spirit Vse Not to trust to Baptism or Profession without faith So that Baptism works not of it self without the Word and Spirit which for Vse doth teach us not to ascribe too much to outward Baptism or Profession without true faith and the effects of the word on our souls and in our lives so that we may say of Baptism as was said of Circumcision Rom. 2 25-28 29. It verily profiteth if wee keep the Law else it becomes no Baptism true Baptism is that of the heart in the spirit 2. Some are said to be converted by voices from heaven 2. Not by voyces Aug. Confes l. 8. c. 12. as S. Austin tels us of himself that by a voice from heaven saying to him take up and read he being by Gods providence directed to the place in Rom. 13.13 14. Not in chambering and wantonnesse c. was throughly converted as his friend Alipius by reading the next words Rom. 14.1 as formerly hath been mentioned And wee know for certain that S. Paul Act. 9. was by the voice of Christ from heaven converted But Saint Austin was not ignorant of Gods word which hee had then by him and was not unacquainted with his will Therefore being formerly a wanton and having much strife within himself and shewing a lothnesse to leave his pleasant sin this voice prepared him to yeeld more reverence and obedience to the word known which in effect though read by him yet being thus by divine providence directed to this passage and it by this means specially applyed to him and his present occasion the perfecting of his conversion formerly begun was thus effected by the power of the Word Vse Not to depend on immediate teaching from heaven or Hell Yet as wee now are not to depend on this manner of immediate direction from heaven so if it did not confirm to us the doctrine of the Scriptures neither it nor any doctrine brought us by voyce from Heaven or Hel would prove effectuall to work faith or to convert But though such voyces should teach us the same truths which the Scripture doth wee are not to depend thereon See Luke 16.27 28 29 30 31. The like wee say for Saint Paul's conversion hee knew what doctrine hee persecuted but beleeved it not till now howsoever it was Christs voice and word which changed him and his conversion was further perfected by the preaching of Ananias to him 3. Not by visions and dreams 3 Some mens eares are opened and their instruction sealed in a dream in a vision of the night c. and so are withdrawn from their purpose yet it is the word of the messenger an interpreter one of a thousand which makes all effectuall see Job 33.15 16 17 c. with 23 24 c. 4 Some have been converted by seeing the constancy of innocent Christians in their sufferings 4 Not by seeing the constancy of Martyrs Euseb l. 4. c. 8. and their rejoicing to suffer for Christ as Justin the martyr witnesseth of himself in his Apology to Antoninus But this was onely an occasion sanctified of God to him and others both then and of later times to sift enquire into that truth which they knew not before by vertue of which when by the teachers thereof they were acquainted with it they were converted as Lactantius also sheweth so that we are hence taught not to judge of truth simply by mens sufferings for no true conversion wil alwayes follow thereupon but of their sufferings by the cause and truth for which they suffer 5 Not by miracles 5 So Christ wrought many Miracles upon the sight of which many believed on him but what did they believe the word taught by him which formerly they did not rellish Miracles were not without the word they onely made way for it The word by the Spirit did truly and effectually convert them when once they were convinced by the miracle that it was the very word of God the miracles onely occasioned their convesion 6 Afflictions often are the occasion of mens conversion 6 Not simply by afflictions Anno 496. See Doctour King on Jon. lect 40. as well as miracles so Clodoveus a French King upon a great discomfiture was converted to be a Christian but he was first instructed by his Lady Crotildis and moved to embrace the Christian faith The like we see in King Manasseh 2 Chro. 33.11.12.13 Then he knew that the Lord was God he knew him before for the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people but they would not hearken as verse 10. onely afflictions brought him to acknowledge God and to be convinced that it was hee whom hee had to deal withall and to hearken to his word and obey it by repentance So David before he was afflicted went astray but now saith hee have I kept thy word Psal 119. Hee knew Gods word before but now hee kept it This wee see in divers others on whom Gods word hath not its powerfull work in humbling them till some grievous crosse losse sicknesse or danger come to second the word and to occasion a more serious consideration and use-making of it all which work in and by the power of the word In all the forenamed instances Conversion is from the power of the Word and from other things onely
occasionally And that it may further appear that Gods power goes along with the Word preached and heard wee will briefly shew this first In the persons who preach and hear secondly in the work of the Ministry it self and in the order thereof The power of which is further shewed 1 In the persons of Preachers who by the power of God are 1. Called 1. There is a power goes along in the very calling and sending of Ministers their calling and abilities are from Gods power When Christ called Peter and Andrew James and John from their fishing trade Matth. 4.18 19 20 21 22. was there not a secret power drawing them to leave both ship and father Zebedee and to follow him but especially in calling Matthew from that gainfull trade the receit of custome Matth. 9.9 who forth with arose and followed him so in calling of Paul to be an Apostle and after when the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul c. Acts 13.2 Men may not arise from their ordinary callings and thrust themselves into the ministery unlesse God more immediately and extraordinarily do call them as Christ did these named where to his authority he adds inward power to obey Men may not then thrust in themselves into the Ministery as of themselves that power and authority belongs to God and Christ to call them 2. Inabled with gifts 2. Men even the best are of themselves insufficient to these things and unable to discharge such a weighty duty what through bodily what especially through spirituall defects and inabilities but yet God enables such as he calleth and makes them able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Vse c. who therefore are taught not to trust to their own gifts studies and endeavours men so doing fail most of all as might by instances be shewed 3. Made willing and encouraged 3. Men often are unwilling by reason of the greatnesse and danger of the task to undergo or undertake such a great difficult and hazardous work as we see in a like work how unwilling upon this ground of inability Moses was to obey Gods call but see Exod. 3.11 12. and 4.10 11 12. Jeremy was foretold of such things but strengthened and encouraged against them see Jer. 1.6 7 8 9 19. And when he was by discouragements ready to give over Gods spirit quickned and set him to his work again Jer. 20.2 From this power it is that godly Ministers do so constantly holdout and still preach for all their discouragements and that they dare oppose and reprove even great ones for their sins as John did Herod who if either they resist the word or hate and persecute their reprovers for their faithfullnesse they so doing do resist the power and spirit of God in them and the ordinance of God There is a wisedom and spirit by which these speak which the ungodly though learned otherwise are not able to resist Acts 6.10 In a word when Christ sent his Apostles to preach to the Gentiles saying go teach all nations and it is premised Mat. 28.18 19 All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth which was spoken for their encouragement who had a mighty work in hand the Conquest of nations to Christ and were to meet with the wisdom and power of the world to withstand them 20. This promise is extended to us even unto the end of the world 2 For hearers 2. Of hearers whose 1 Hearing or willingnesse to hear is a work of power first It is a work of power that men come to hear being called It is God that humbles them and gives them an heart to do his will in obeying even the commandment of godly Magistrates therein as 2 Chron. 30.11 12. That some being called by the bell or otherwise come to church to hear Gods word especially as Gods word and as in obedience to him with desire of profit as verse 8. when others having the same call refuse go to cards drinking walking abroad or to a Masse in a word refuse to come It is not from any power of mans will but from the spirit of God moving the heart of the one effectually and leaving the other to their own hardnesse who as Popish and profane Recusants now being by Moses the godly Magistrate called on refuse obstinately saying we will not come up which Numb 16.12 Vse by the way 1 shews The justness of Gods judgements on all such Recusants being given over to their hearts lusts and 2 teacheth all such to acknowledge his power and mercy to them whose hearts tell them they come to the hearing of his word in obedience and with desire to profit thereby 2 When men thus lend their presence 2. So their attending yet it is God onely who by his Spirit opens their hearts 1 to attend as he did Lydia's Acts 16.14 So that it is a signe when men do not attend to the word which they hear that corruption and Satan is strong 2Vnderstanding of the word 2 To understand the Scriptures which otherwise they could not though delivered to them by the mouth of Christ himself Those to whom he expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself stood in need that he should also by his power open their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Vse See Luke 24.27 with 45. So that men must not so much trust to their own piercing wits and understandings in their giving the sense of the Scripture or expounding the mysteries of Religion especially those deep points of Predestination and Election 2 This power is shewed in the effect of the Ministery 2. And so we come to see Gods power in and by the Ministery who by his Spirit goes on with his own work and makes it powerfull to conversion as 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. 2 Cor. 3.3 whosoever be the Planter yet it is God who by his Spirit gives the blessing and increase Whatsoever be the pen yet it is God who by his Spirit writes with it It is Gods ordination yea and power by which hearing faith and obedience cometh Rom. 1.16 10.17 All which should teach us 1 to magnifie the ministry of the word even in the mouth of weake man if otherwise faithfull as Gods power to salvation And 2 to see and try our selves whether it be so powerfull in us or yet have such a powerfull and saving worke in us as it hath in many others SECT 3. The order of the work of Conversion and first of the Law 2. The order of Conversion in regard of the work it self The popish order disallowed ANd thus we come more particularly and neerer to the work it self and to shew in what order God by his word doth work conversion and beget faith in us Schoolmen and Papists make three degrees of penance or of repentence 1 Compunction 2 Confession 3 Satisfaction the first is of the Heart the second is of the Mouth the third
servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howl for vexation or for breaking of spirit Isa 65.13 14. Such as now are pricked in heart and broken in spirit shall be bound up and everlastingly comforted whereas such as will not now be pricked shall then be broken in heart and spirit without any healing following after CHAP. XIV SECT 1. Containing a removal of lets And first of such lets as hinder the word to pierce 2 Directions and means of humiliation and sorrow ANother thing to be considered for the furthering of these Motives and setting forward the Exhortation is Direction Motives may make a man by Gods grace more willing but Directions by the same grace make him more able to do his duty Here then we must direct you to the means of self-humbling and how such sorrow may be wrought in your hearts The first of which or that which is first to be done But first is a removall of lets and impediments thereunto Le ts removed which are of two sorts 1 Lets hindering the word to hit and pierce Now the Lets to godly sorrow and pricking are either such as by which the point as I may say of the sword of the Spririt or word of God is diverted put by blunted or otherwise kept from hitting or piercing or such as by which though the Word hit and pierce yet it pains not it puts to no grief men still remain insensible of it and are farre from true Contrition Of the first sort are these 1 Want of Meditation and of Application 1 Inconsideration and want of Meditation without which all Motives prove inavailable for want of this they are not brought home by Application and so men are not touched or but lightly touched and so as not to be much moved by them All actions require time and space for their operation as fire to burn and so all arguments used to the soul even the most piercing as Gods judgements though they be of a fiery nature will not warm melt or mollifie the heart which is like green wood whose sap is in it unlesse by constant meditation they be holden and applied close to the soul and the soul to them by setled and serious cogitation He onely that meditateth burneth as David saith of himself Psalm 39.3 While I was musing the fire burned As a man may take fire in his hand and not feel the effects of it if he presently throw it from him again Either then resolve to set thy self seriously to meditate on the aforesaid Motives or such like or never expect to have any saving sorrow unto which thou naturally art so averse wrought in thee It is not here as in sinfull or naturall objects which like lightning being once apprehended passe thorow the soul and affect the same unto which the heart and affections of men are like unto drie tinder soon enflamed by the same In this case then set times apart to meditate on such things as may move and affect thee and resolve that nothing shall interrupt or hinder thee in the same and watch against Satans wiles 2 Misconceit of Gods anger against sin 2. Here take heed of misconceit of Gods Justice and Anger against sin this blunts the edge and point of that sword and word of God which otherwise would pierce and though wound thee yet by wounding and pricking would heal cure and saye thee Who knows the power of his anger when once he sets our iniquities before him our secret sins in the light of his countenance Psal 90.5 7 8 -11. O think but on the wrath of a King on earth if he should be displeased with thee The Kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19.12 And when God as a lion roars who wil not fear Amos 3.8 even as all beasts quake when the Lion roareth Ah beloved great and terrible is this God whom we have to deal withall even a very consuming fire to such Heb. 12.29 who by impenitency set themselves as briers and thorns against him in battel though otherwise fury be not in him towards such as take hold of his strength that they may make peace with him Isa 27.4 5. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.31 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his fury is powred out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1.3 4.5.6 Presume not then on Gods lenity in thy sin be once humbled and let thy heart smite thee for the same as Davids heart smote him and then but not till then thou mayst hope in his mercy and chuse to fall into the mercifull hand of God whom so thou shalt have lesse cause to fear then man 3 Stoutness of heart in withstanding God 3. And now I hope I need not advise thee to beware of Pride and stoutness of heart in standing out with God when once thou apprehendest him angry And yet such hath been the pride and madness of some as that when apparantly they have seen God to fight against them they have as it were in despite of him gone on obstinately in their sin and hardened themselves against him as Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that said in the pride and stoutness of heart The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stone the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars But what saith God Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him and they shall devour Israel with open mouth for all this his anger is not turned away c. for the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail c. Isa 9.10 11 12 13 14. Thou canst never humble thy self if thus thou fearest not God 4. Self-love 4. But if thou canst not thus resist God in his anger by thy pride yet it may be such is thy love to thy self as that though thou acknowledge God an angry and just God with sinners yet thou canst not think he can or will be so angry with thee thou canst not conceive nay indeed thou wilt not be convinced that thy case is so bad or that his threatnings are true of thee and so thou puttest and postest them off to others as not concerning thee as if thou hadst not this need to be so humbled And thus thou puttest by the blow or thrust from thy self to others or else so hidest denyest or excusest thy sin some beloved sin or other as if when search and examination is made for it there were no such traytor hid in thy house or heart Or else thou seekest to bribe conscience or to stop the mouth of it by one trick or other as some being arrested make the Officer drunk that so or by some other means they may escape
shall despair of fastening any nailes in you by the hammer of the word by which ye may be surely nailed sewed and fastened to Jesus Christ a sensuall heart is a senselesse heart like that of Nabals whose drunken heart 1 Sam. 25.37 though merry within him died and he became as a stone CHAP. XIIII SECT 3. Where three more lets removed which are great sins lesser sins custome in sinning 2 Great and hâ—inous sinnes 2 SEcondly and more brieflly take heed of great sins such as lay wast and dead the conscience As the body is subject to two kinds of diseases and maimes some that affect and afflict sense some that deprive of sense as violent blows so is the soul also As then a prick will make a man start but a heavy blow will dazzle and stond or astonish him which astonish and make us unsensible of lesser sins so some lesser sinnes will be felt when greater shall not at least not so soon or easily as we see in David who no sooner had received the muster of the people whom in pride he would needs have to be numbred but his heart did smite him and he was pricked and wounded in conscience but in the case of Bathsheba but especially of Vriah he lay long dead and senselesse till after many months Nathan being sent of God brought life at least sense into him again Watch then and pray with David Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over mee so shalt thou be innocent from the great transgression Psal 19.13 If a man once by some great blow be stonded he is not easily sensible of smaller hurts or prickings so for one that is cast into a deep or dead sleep or being the divels vassal is marked by him by his sucking life and sense out of him or casting him into a trance c. Give once way to grosse impiety to wilfull profannesse or obstinate contempt of God his word and ministers and never look that lesser sins shall any why annoy or trouble thy conscience of which thou wilt never make bones as we say or scruple the soul so becomes desperate and carelesse hardened and past feeling to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse this is when men once give themselves over unto lasciviousnesse Ephes 4.19 or to any other like grosse sin The heart is so full of corruption and filthy matter as it is not sensible grieved or pained when otherwise it is pierced and met withall by the word and threatenings yea curses woundings and hewings of the Law and Prophets of God 3 Lesser sins against conscience 3 Yet neglect not small sins as they may be accounted or beginnings to give way wittingly and against conscience to the least sin leads the way to hardnesse of heart to senselesnesse and stupidity of conscience Tendernesse of conscience would be preserved The heart commonly of young men especially if wel educated 2 Chro. 34.27 as we see in King Josiah is tender and startles at the least sin and thought of Gods judgements is soon pierced and troubled the least sin will trouble it and make it tremble which being given way unto make way for hardnesse of heart but if once least way be given to such small sins or to beginnings especially against knowledge or that a man begins once to detain the truth in unrighteousnesse to quench the spirit and to quell checks of conscience the heart by degrees grows hard and senselesse and at length can swallow and without any great trouble digest even greater and grosser evils without all sense of sin or fear of wrath One well compares it thus The heart at first being tender will endure nothing but the least sin will trouble it as water when it begins to freeze will not endure any thing no not so much as the weight of a pin upon it but after a while will bear the weight of a laden cart against which we must watch Let young men especially make use of this yea let all men take heed of giving way to the least sins against conscience Sin at first to a conscience not enured thereunto may seem intolerable and unsupportable but unlesse the heart watch well over it self and maintain its life tendernesse and sensiblenesse or if once it begin to favour it self and wittingly give way to the least beginnings of sin lest we become at length senseless as in examples it shall be given over by degrees to senselesnesse and searednesse of conscience yea to delight in desire defend and plead for it as in King Hazaâ—l first abominating that cruelty which he after practised and in Alipius Saint Austine's friend first abhorring the bloudy spectacles of the gladiatory combatants but giving himself leave by the importunity of friends to be but present though at first he winked and would not open his eys to behold the same yet at length not onely beheld them and that with delight but drew others to behold that which at first himself loathed Thus the soul by steps descends to hell when men shew not themselves from first to last sensible of sin Bernard makes the steps to be seven Seven steps to hell whereby sin seems 1 Insupportable a burthen not to be born 2 afterwards onely Heavie 3 Light 4 Insensible 5 Delightfull 6 Desirable 7 Defensible or pleaded for and justified If ever then thou wouldst be truely sensible of and sorrowfull for sin It s not to dally with suggestions first thoughts of sin take heed and watch against the first suggestions and occasions of sin and that especially by the government of the senses as two things especially undid David Otium Oculus his ease and his eye so against Cogitation or of tossing any sinful objects in thy thoughts or of dallying with them These are the divels baits at which wee must not nioble and his harbingers which if kindly entertained he is invited to come with his legions and so thou art intangled with delight and drawn on to consent resolution practice yea custome and so to senselesnesse defence and boasting as Isa 3.9 Jer. 6.15 Psal 52.1 And thus sin like a serpent whilest â—tstings benums us and casts us into a deadly sleep and lethargie of which we die 4 Custome of stnning ab assuetis non fit passio 4. Specially beware of Custome of sinning It s an old and experienced saying Custome of sinning takes away all sense of sin neither are we much moved with such things as wee are much used to use and custome makes men sleep quietly by the falls of great waters and where much noise is and not to be afraid of that which at first was terrible as in Nottingham-shire upon the murther of a woman Which bereaves of sense of sin buried and hid under a tree in a wood a voyce was heard in that place of one hollowing and whooping at which all were afraid and passengers left that way but
continuing long and no hurt done to any they took to their old way without any terrour as formerly and asked by strangers what it was It is said they the Whooper of the Wood and made no more of it So it is with sin if we accustome our selves thereunto it brings us to carelesnesse and that to senselesnesse so that at length custome our own and others shall be pleaded and at length is pleaded for and made to justifie wicked acts and made a justification of our wicked practices as we see in those idolatrous women pleading for their Idolatry we will do as we have done Jer. 44.17 So Papists harden themselves in their superstitions and common people in their profaning the Sabboth by their sports may-games and in other their sinfull customes Thus the heart is hardened at length and becomes senselesse Simile even as some parts of the body become through use callous brawny dry and dead a dead and thick skin growing over the flesh which may be pricked or pared without sense of pain as we see in labourers SECT 4. Two moe lets Gods secret vengeance and Hardness of heart with the nature and danger of it and Means to prevent it 5 Gods secret vengeance 5 THere is Gods secret vengeance which wee are to take notice yea to take heed of whereby he gives obstinate and presumptuous sinners over to stupidity and senselesnesse denying and withholding his grace and the blessing of his word and other means from such as have neglected or abused the same whereby he bereaves obstinate sinners of sense Thus he tels Isaiah what the effect of his prophesying should be Go tell this peopple Hear ye indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceive no make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavie â—and shut their eyes lest they see with their eys and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed Isa 6.9 10. which terrible doom wee now are the more to be afraid of because it is six times made use of in the New Testament Matth. 13.14 Mark 4.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 Acts 28.26 Rom. 11 8. which is more then is done by any other Text of the Old Testament So elsewhere Isa 29.10 The Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eys the Prophets and your Rulers the Seers hath he covered c. Here my counsell is Take heed you do not so long dally with God smother his truth blind your own eys neglect his call who are taught not to dally with God make light of the offers of his grace despise his threatnings and corrections that you provoke him to curse his own Ordinances to you and give you up to senselesnesse and final impenitency and Indolency Hearken then to his first call Heb. 3.7 and to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts lest he give you up to finall hardnesse as now it follows 6 The not fearring the judgement of hardness of heart 6. Lastly As fear God who thus by our dallying may be provoked to deprive us of all spirituall sense and feeling so also be afraid of Hardnesse of heart whether acquired and attracted by your own means by your sensuality presumption carelesnesse giving way to beginnings custome of sinning or inflicted by Gods just judgement giving you wholly up to your own lusts or to Satan to harden you Keep so much sense as of all other evils and judgements to be most afraid of this for if God once give a man up to it which if we wil avoid we must fear it is worse then to be given up to the divel so was the Incestuous Corinthian who came to sense of his sin and repented to life and salvation but these are denyed that which they never cared for true sense of sin sorrowing for it and repentance and so are next door to hell it self It is a fearfull judgement and evill which opens her mouth for them they being in condition next to the estate of damned spirits seeing their damnation is sealed upon them and they kept under darknesse and in the insensible chains of the guilt of their sins and of their obstinate hardnesse to the judgement of the great day making men 1Vnpliable to the word stif-necked stony This hard heart is 1. An unpliable heart a dry stiffe and stony heart whereby men become stif-necked wilfull strong-headed like untamed beasts that will not admit of the yoke It is that Adamantine heart spoken of Zech. 7.12 implying a stony hardnesse Physicians would call it a Tophos or a callositie or brawny hardnesse like unto that white hard and dry substance that conglutinates broken bones It is according to S. Paul Ephes 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blindnesse or rather hardnesse of heart Such in the soul as when in the body any part of it whether inward as the liver or spleen or outward becomes hard through the dyring up of the inward humidity Dry and seared whether by any infirmity as scirrous tumours or by searing or burning with an hot iron as in beasts which are gelt and then seared or by labour Such is a hard heart being destitute of the moysture of Gods grace and of his spirit a stiffe and obstinate heart which will not bow nor yeeld to Gods word by obedience matth 23.17 It s an impudent heart as Ezek. 2.14 and 3.7 by which men grow worse and worse till they perish Impudent It is an impenitent and unyeelding heart Impenitent like metal unmolten an heart resisting the word and spirit Acts 7.51 It is such a heart as was in the Jews before and now is in them since they are cast off Rom. 11.25 on whom is Cains curse It s a heart of Belial a wicked heart without yoke Deut. 15.9 that Beasts heart which was given to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.16 Howsoever it is a disobedient and gainsaying heart disobedient and unyeelding Rom. 10.21 and makes men so I is such an heart as is not moved at threatnings so as to be broken thereby or at promises so as to be molten by them at judgements inflicted to be humbled or at mercies to rejoyce or be thankfull at injunctions or commands of God to obey or perform them being contrary to the tender heart or fleshy heart which is obedient Contrary to which is the tender heart the soft fleshy and plyable heart such as was in these Converts here who being pricked presently offered themselves ready to obey saying What shall we do so in Paul Lord What wouldst thou have mee to do and in the Jaylour What shall I do to be saved This is the heart of flesh in mercy promised to 〈◊〉 as shall be saved Ezek. 11.19 and. 36.26 The tender heart pliable shewing its tenderssene both to God such as was in good King Josiah 2 Chron. 34.27 whose property is to
be plyable and yielding both to God and man 1 It stands not out against or resists Gods word but quakes at threatnings melts at promises is humbled at judgements as 2 Chron. 30.10.11 not such as was in Zedekiah 2 Chron. 36.12 of whom it is said he did evill in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord or in Belshazzar framing to his will Dan. 5.21.22 who did not humble his heart though he knew all such evils and judgements as befell his father for hardening his mind in pride verse 20. In a word the soft heart yields like soft wax to the impressions of Gods grace word and spirit and like molten metal frames to the form and obeys that form of Doctrine whereto it is delivered as the phrase is Rom. 6.17.2 The tender heart shews it self also towards others by shewing forth bowels of pity to men in misery and man by pity and kindnesse Heb. 13.3 and of kindnesse and forgivenesse to such as do it wrong Ephes 4.32 2. This heard heart I speak of as it is stiffe stony and unpliable so it is also insensible void of all spirituall sense especially that of feeling this is through want of spiritual life 2 unsensible and without life where no life is there is no sense at all and where life is though other senses may be wanting yet not that of feeling that sense though it be not the most noble for so is the sense of sight and hearing yet it is the most necessary sense there being no life without it where it is wholly wanting or lost it of all senses alone is diffused throughout all parts almost of the whole body and it being lost there is no more intercourse of vital and animal spirits or influence of them by the nerves into other parts and consequently no longer any proportion or harmony of qualities or of temperament in which proportion the native moysture and heat is founded and consisteth So that feeling and sense of pain is needful to the very being of every creature arguing spiritu-death and so is spiritual feeling as necessary to the being of the new creature so that we may conclude that the heart which is an insensible heart is a dead heart Eph. 4.18.19 alienated from the life of God at least and that is bad enough possessed with a spirit of slumber and dead sleep whilest not one but all the senses of the soul are holden in it as the bodily senses in and by bodily sleep and that through a kind of dregginesse which stoppeth the passages of the spirits Or at least a dead sleep depriving men of their spiritual senses by which the whole heart and soul is made unsensible for hereby men are without 1 Hearing Isa 6.9 2 Seeing Isa 6.9 Ephes 4.18 3 without all spiritual Tast Rom. 8.5 4 Smel 2 Cor. 2.16 Lastly without feeling Ephes 4.19 having their hearts fat and insensible Isa 6.10 yea in a dead sleep and sleep of death and therefore insensible insensible of good and evil of mercies and of judgements of grace and sin without true love desire and joy in the one and without Fear Being contrary to the sensible heart 1 Kings 3.9 shame anger and godly sorrow in the other contrary to which heart is that which having a new life put into it and it awakened out of the Lethargie or rather death of sin begins spiritually and savingly 1 to hear for so we read of an hearing heart for which Solomon prayed 2 to see Ephes 1.18 1 Cor. 2.14.15 3 to tast 1 Pet. 2.2 3. with Psal 34.8 Cantic 4.11 4 to smel Cantic 1.3.13 16. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 2.14.16 and 5 lastly to feele when by self-denial the fat of this grosse heart as it is called Mat. 13.15 which makes it also without sense Psal 119.70 Mat. 13.15 is consumed and offered in sacrifice to God according to the type Levit. 3.3 such a sensible heart was in these converts here who being self convinced self condemned and denying themselves were pricked in heart and through sense of pain cried out and sought help elsewhere then in themselves and accordingly found it I have thus set the benefit of the tender sensible heart against the other that by the opposition I might better shew the wofull condition and miserable estate of such as who being past feeling The miserable condition of senselesse and hard-hearted sinners give themselves over whether unto Laciviousnesse or to any other sensual and sinful course of life and who accordingly are given over in Gods most terrible but just wrath to this the worst of all evills on earth even the judgement of an hard and senselesse heart and all with this further aym that hereby the sinner that would attain to true compunction and pricking of heart for his sin and so to true conversion and salvation would above all be most afraid of this heavy judgement of hardnesse of heart and of whatsoever may cause or procure the same Such as are given over to it are irrecoverably left to the judgement of the great day seeing their judgement here is to be denied all sense of their dangerous and damned condition into which they have voluntarily brought themselves and so being left to themselves and to their own lusts as incorrigible Psal 81. and to Satan Hardnesse of heart the greatest Let to saving pricking 2 Pet. 2 4. and most to be laboured against as his prisoners to be reserved in chains of darknesse of mind and dedolent and final impenitencie kept and brought forth to that judgement wherein their case is now become like that of the devil and his angels whose judgement that is Of all lets then to this pricking of heart take heed of this of hardnesse of heart for where it is the judgement is to be deprived of all sense of sin and feeling of wrath till the soul be plunged into hell and become irrecoverably miserable and then lie under the sense of Gods severest wrath and eternall displeasure not to fear it is a signe of it Oh therefore get your hearts possessed continually with fear of this dismal evil and ever be afraid to be given over to it Now let me tell you not to fear it when you hear so much of it is a signe it hath already seazed upon you and benummed your spirituall senses especially if you have any long while lived fruitlesly or presumptuously under the means Young men especially to take heed of it and therefore especially it belongs to young men to take notice hereof who by reason of their age are not yet perhaps so hardened in sin through the deceitfulnesse of it There is a naturall tendernesse in us whilst we are young or a lesser degree rather of hardnesse which gets strength and proves habituall through use and age if it be not in time prevented Let such then
seeing nothing is more opposite or a greater enemy to this pricking of heart or to the tender plyable humble and contrite heart such as I desire and endeavour to bring you to then is hardnesse and senselesnesse of heart and soul And thus having according to my office endeavoured to prepare the way for you and to gather out the stones I will come a little nearer to direct you to the Means Isa 62.10 by the use of which with Gods blessing you may attain to true compunction of heart and contrition of spirit the thing I aim at CHAP XV. SECT 1. Of the means of true compunction and sensiblenesse and first of Gods word heard Meanes of compunction and sensiblenesse such as was in these Jews and shall be at their calling again recalled and applyed THis pricking of heart as we have heard doth imply first tendernesse and withall pliablenesse to Gods word and will Secondly sensiblenesse and sorrow for sin not excluding fear of Gods judgements such as was in these Converts in my Text who were 1 pricked in heart that is wounded in conscience and made sensible of their sin and danger 2 Pliable to Gods will saying what shall we do And such as shall be again in these Jews at their conversion when first they also being convinced and made sensible of their sin in piercing and crucifying their Saviour shall mourn bitterly for the same Zach. 12.10 and shall no longer be stiffe-necked or abide in unbelief Rom. 11.23 such a heart was that of King Josiah and such as was in good King Josiah which was both tender and humbled yea rent and sorrowfull which made him both mourn within himself and send to enquire of the Lord with readinesse of heart to obey 2 Chron. 34.19 21 27. That then which I desire to bring or at least to direct you to The divers phrases signifying this compunction of heart is that which the Scripture in variety of phrases signifies not onely by the tender heart and heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 but thus to have the heart pricked as in my Text to be of an humble and contrite heart Isa 57.15 to be of a wounded spirit Prov. 18.14 of a broken heart Psal 51.17 and to have the caul of the heart rent as Hos 13.8 Joel 2.13 God onely can and doth soften the heart Now howsoever we are exhorted hereunto and directed to the means by which it may be wrought in us yet we must know it for an undoubted truth that it is God who onely makes the heart truly humble tender and senfible Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 Jer. 23.29 I will give them an heart of flesh which he doth by the meanes of his word which becomes as fire and as an hammer by his Judgements Mercies which yet he doth by Meanes 1 by his word and Corrections c. which he requires we attend unto and make a right use of by hearing meditation application and prayer so that whilst we thus do we are said to humble our selves though it be God by whose hand and power such hearts are given us 2 Chron. 30.11 12. 1 by our hearing his word faithfully taught 1 Make conscience of hearing of Gods word as it is taught especially by such as Peter here and other the Apostles were who without flattery in a zeal of Gods glory and of the Conversion of those they preached unto in power also and demonstration of the spirit now more abundantly powred upon them told these Jewes and convinced them of their sins that they were the crucifiers of Christ whose glory also they set forth Such teaching convinceth and judgeth the harers yea makes them judge themselves fall down and worship God and whilst the secrets of their hearts are made manifest acknowledge a divine presence and power in the preacher 1 Cor. 14.24 25 So was it here with these Converts who found a greater and more effectuall power in the word preached and thus brought home to their consciences The power of Gods word in pricking the heart which Miracles did not in these Jews then in all the miracles which God shewed either before and at the death of Christ when yet the very stones and rocks and the vail of the Temple were rent asunder or now at this time when besides the mighty noise and shew of fire or fiery tongues from heaven they saw and heard the Apostles men of no note nor learning speak in all languages the wonderfull things of God Acts 2.13 so in David they mocked at that but were pricked wounded with this Thus David after his sin of numbring the people came to a sense of his sin and his heart pricked or smote him for it and brought him to confession of it but when after the Lord had sent the Prophet Gad unto him to convince him by offering him an hard choice for that is given as the reason so that a Sam. 24.10 11 12. I do not say the word is alwayes thus powerfull or in all some are more hardened by such a ministery as the anvile by the strokes of the hammer God justly denying them his grace and not working in power with his word onely I say if the word thus preached do not prick if the word do it not nothing will do it wound and mollifie the heart nothing will do it If God by his word and spirit breath not upon the soul the soul cannot breath out so much as a sigh for sin if that wind blow not the waters of repentance will not flow if he send not out his word Psal 147.17 18. Exod. 17.6 our icy hearts will not be thawen if Gods presence promise and power be not there mans indeavours are not of effect If God stand not upon the rock our rocky hearts though Moses smiting the same shall never bring forth water onely where God will soften and wound the heart he by such a Ministery as is named shews out his power and poures out his spirit and makes his word effectuall to that purpose Wherefore if indeed we would have such hearts wrought in us we must indeavour to live under such a ministery we must desire yea and strive to live under a searching and forcible Ministery where we may hear such doctrine and so handled and applyed as that the secrets of our soul our secret sins and our hearts may be ransacked sifted and tried we may be made known to our selves and become vile in our own eys the deceits of our false hearts discovered and our sin and danger fully revealed to us without all flattery and partiality Till we be within such a distance and compass as within which the word is onely except extraordinarily active wee can expect no such at least saving effect from it Buy the truth then and spare for no cost rather then want it and accordingly to spare for no cost that is such wholsome and powerfull teaching account
the City Gaza thou carriest I may say the very gates of hell upon thy back and goest upright under many execrable abominations unclenness drunkenness oppression profanation of the Lords day and other impieties and yet art not pressed therewith though God be even as a cart laden with sheaves Amos 2.13 and groaning as it were under the burden thou hast a whole sea of Gods wrath upon thee Without which we cannot feel the burthen of it and yet as the fishes in the sea or as one diving under water feelest not the burthen But now that thou mayst feel it and be sensible of it consider thy sin in the forenamed aggravating and greatning circumstance thereof and so lay it upon thy shoulders and thou shalt finde it heavier then thou canst bear as David did Psalm 38.4 as one shall do a small vessel of water laid on his back on dry land Sins taken severally and barely and slightly looked on may seem small and little and nothing burdensome but if thou lookest on them in the heap or as on the sand lying on the sea-shore thou wilt finde them and the grief of them heavier then the sand of the sea as Job speaks of his grief and calamitie when it is throughly weighed and laid in the balance together Job 6.2 3. A weight suppose of many hundreds whilest it lieth on the ground is not felt in the burthen and heaviness of it till we begin to pluck and heave at it no more is thy sin till thus thou weigh it in the balance of the sanctuary and take it into deep and serious consideration Hold thy self then constantly to this duty of consideration and pondering thy sin Serious consideration of our sin is needful and then a small sin like a small weight which we carry far and long being much thought on will prove a burthen and make thee in the sense thereof cry and by repentance and faith come to Christ that thou mayst be eased In case thou receive an injury from man or a small affront by much thinking on it thou makest it very great Thus deal with the injuries thou dost unto the great and holy God and which lie upon thy score and I suppose thou wilt finde and feel them a burthen intolerable heavie pressing and oppressing thy heart SECT 3. Gods judgements on our selves past present and to come should humble us 2 God softens our hearts also by his judgements and afflictions 1 On our selves Which accordingly and to that end wee are to make use of Whether the afflictions be NOw moreover seeing God often wounds mens spirits and softens their hearts by his Judgements by Afflictions and Corrections working with his word let us take the advantage thereof and make a right use of the same whether they be his corrections and crosses which befall or belong to our selves or more directly and firstly do concern others 1. God would work in us true and saving sorrow by such outward evils as he is pleased to inflict upon us being otherwise justly procured and deserved by our sins which may and should be diligently considered and made use of by us to the same end and that whether wee consider them as past present or to come 1. We are to call to minde especially being of riper yeers and judgement what great things wee have suffered 1 Past and what fore afflictions have befallen us by dangerous sicknesses hurts wounds extreme perils and sharp corrections of God when we were young or howsoever in former times whether lately or longer since when it may be either through childishness ignorance or otherwise by distraction of thoughts or sharpness of bodily pain or astonishment of our senses we could not so well meditate on the same or take things into such serious consideration as was meet Such corrections would not now be forgot but seriously called to minde and considered of as then sent of God in his displeasure against us for our sins whereby we provoked this patient God so to smite us that so we may now do that which he expected from us then Which wee must remember and be humbled for them that is be humbled in soul and come to true sorrow and repentance for our sin Thus Jeremy in the name of the faithful Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall my soul hath them stil in remembrance and is humbled or bowed in mee Lament 3.19 20. That which was bitter to the body in the present feeling thereof is now bitter to the soul in remembrance thereof and in consideration of sin the cause thereof Thus should it be with us 2 present By which God humbles and converts 2 If Gods hand be upon thee by any outward cross and affliction for the present which hee sends of purpose to humble thee be sure thou let him not smite thee in vain Afflictions by Gods mercy prove means of conversion as in King Manasseh though not without the word Psal 94 12. and 2 Chr. 33.10 12 18. It s said when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers his affliction prepared and made his heart fitter to receive profit by the words of the Seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord. and calls to weeping Isa 22.12 God humbled Manasseh and he humbled himself God at such times cals to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth and by such means would break the hardness stoutness and stoniness of our hearts thus bringing us under his hammer and stroke to bruise us into his fire and furnace to try fine and melt us unless we be reprobate silver In such case then let thy cross drive thee home first to thy self in consideration of thy sin the cause meritorious of thy cross then to thy God and Father with the Prodigal the efficient and inflicter of thy cross where 1 We are to be sensible of Gods displeasure And here first learne to be sensible of Gods displeasure God will be known by executing judgement he will have thee know he is angry and displeased with thee and would have thee sensible of his displeasure See what God said concerning Miriam after her sin against Moses the servant of the Lord for which she was smitten with leprosie when Moses prayed for her healing the Lord tels him saying If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven dayes Numb 12.14 Let her be shut out seven dayes c. Even thus when God shewes any token of his displeasure against thee be ashamed and humbled smite on thy breast with the Publican and on thy thigh with Ephraim Thus Naomi which signifieth pleasant disclaimes her name Call not me Naomi call me Mara that is bitter for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth 1.20 21. Why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath testified against me and
day of the general judgement when Christ shall come in flaming fire c. as 2 Thess 1.5 6 7 8 9. Matth. 25.31 32 to the end That so by serious thoughts thereof and by timely judging of our selves we may prevent the Lords judging of us O let the terrour of that day fall upon us that at the least fear of that judgement and true love to our selves may now bring us on our knees before Christ to seek our peace with him in time by hearty sorrow for our many and great offences before we come to be judged SECT 4. Others sufferings especially Christs should move us 2. 2 God would soften us by his judgements on others so that we are to go to the house of mourning Eccles 7.2 GOd would also humble us and teach us to mourne by looking on the afflictions and mournfull condition and dispositions of others like our selves but especially on the sufferings of his onely and beloved Son Jesus Christ for us That then we may be softened in heart made sensible and learne truly to mourne let us often repair and go to the house of mourning that is much better than in our securitie to go to the house of feasting and drinking Go to to the house of mourners both bodily and in practise go also in minde and in thy meditation and so go and consider the case and condition both of private Christians of the Churches of Christ yea and of Christ the head of all Christians and Christian Churches 1 To private Christians 1 Even Enemies And for private Christians 1. It were much to bid thee go to the house of such as other wise are thine enemies and yet thus to go or thus to consider of their evils and afflictions is both a meanes to humble us and hath been done by such as knew well enough what did belong to their dutie as by David Psal 35.12 13 14. who speaking of his enemies saith They rewarded me evil for good But as for me when they were sicke my cloathing was sackcloath 2 Friends Whether their trouble be 1 outward I humbled or afflicted my soul with fasting I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother 2. But howsoever go resort to such and consort thy selfe with such as be in sorrow for the hand of God upon them whether it be by outward crosses losse of friends estate libertie or health whom thou shouldest often visit in their sorrowes sicknesse and imprisonment if especially they suffer for Christ and his cause The constancie and comfort which such do manifest in their sufferings and death 2 in minde and as they are mourners in Israel So we shall profit hath been by Gods blessing an occasion of the conversion and like sufferings even of their persecutours as hath been said or whether it be from a fight or sense of their sinnes and through tender heartednesse for so thou mayest and by Gods blessing shalt be much furthered in this worke 1. By their example 1 By their example for thou wilt readily within thy selfe reason and say Doth such an one mourne for the neglects of Dutie and is his conscience so troubled for smaller failings and slips yea to see others sin so as to question the love of God and whether he be in the state of grace or no Doth he or she make such conscience of an Oath or of prophaning and neglecting the duties of the Sabbath in publike and private yea and doth he so mourne for the miseries of the Church O then what an hard heart have I that being guilty of many mo and much greater sinnes never yet shed a tear never yet was wounded in spirit for the same yea never sorrowed either for mine own or others sinnes and miseries 2. By their exhortation and encouragement 2 By their exhortation the benefit of which we get by conversing with godly and humble Christians what is that we are kept from departing from the living God but how It followes Hebr. 3.13 But exhort one another dayly while it is called to day least any of you be hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sin Mutual exhortation then is a good meanes to prevent hardnesse of heart and to keep us from securitie and from the prophanenesse of the Times and to work and preserve tendernesse and sensiblenesse of heart in us when in this manner we in evil Times especially fearing the Lord Mal. 3.16 do oft speak one to another And how were the Disciples hearts wrought upon and as it were melted even burning within them Luke 24.35 while Christ talked with them by the way 3. By their admonitions and reproâ—fs 3. By their admonitions and seasonable reproofes which as it is a Dutie Lev. 19.17 so it hath a blessing being ordained and sanctified of God to bring men to a saving sight and sense of their sin and to keep them from hardening their hearts therein as Matth. 18.15 16 17. 2 Thess 3.15 Count not his case desperate till this course hath been taken with him In a word and generally we must seek helpe to mourn from true mourners si vis me flere c. seeing the best men and Christians are generally though chearfull in God yet of mournfull dispositions and apt to weep its good to be much in their companie that we by them may learne and be excited to be of like temper and to weep by their example Christians and especially Ministers must shew themselves sensible and reprove sin fellingly and first mourne to those whom they would bring to mourne for their sin Matth. 11.17 And such as would so do must seek this helpe not onely in publike but in private from them and from such godly Christians as justly may be called mourners in Israel as in a like case the Lord provoking his people to humiliation and repentance bids them consider and call for the mourning women Jer. 9.17 18. to take up a wailing for them to what end but that their own eyes might run down with toares and their eye-lids gush out with waters Thus allusion is made to their custome in funerals and other mournfull occasions which was it seemes to hire certain women and why not men and minstrels skilfull in singing and playing dolefull songs to increase their heavinesse and to make them more apt to mourne By like proportion we are to make use of the best helpes to provoke our selves to mourne for our sinnes and to that end to associate unto us such as are true mourners in Israel 2. 2 We are to consider lay to heart and be affected with the miseries of other Churches Go in thy meditation and present to thine own thoughts the afflictions miseries and oppressions and dolefull condition of the Churches of God in other places by the incursions violence spoiles done and evils perpetrated by the enemies of Gods Church and people by Turkes and Turkish Pyrats violently taking divers of good note
wounding and pricking was not meerly Legall with respect to punishment only but Evangelical tending to true contrition and Repentance and therefore not wholly an effect of the law but in part also of the Gospel and a work of the saving spirit of God CHAP. XVIII SECT 1. Signes of true sorrow from the true grounds of it And first that it is and must be for sin TRy we our sorrow then henee whether it be wrought by the Gospel Other Tryals of our sorrow from the grounds of it or only by the Law If it be true and saving sorrow it is grounded 1. On some sight and sense of sin 2. On some glimpse of mercy and goodness in God True sorrow is procured 1 by the sight of sin and is for sin 1. He that savingly sorroweth seeth his sin and miserie by sin and groanes under the burthen of both Matth. 11.28 he is sensible thereof his heart is become like his eye tender and sensible of the least sin as it is of the least mote in it he looking on his sin mourns and that heartily and secretly If then the sight of sin be not the procurer of thy sorrow thou hast cause to suspect it Yea but how shall I know whether my sorrow be for my sin and fault or for the punishment of it either felt or feared This is a needfull quaere Herein many deceive themselves seeing men are commonly more sensible of the evill of smart then of the evill of fault and of sin and if their sorrow be either only by sorrowing more for the punishment then for sin or more for the shame and punishment of sin in this life or in hell then for the fault it is unfound howsoever it may seem or be pretended to be only for the sin Many herein being like one Polus an Actor who being to act a sorrowfull part on the stage to move him thereunto had secretly conveyed into a corner of the Stage his fathers or some dear friends Urne in which were the ashes of the deceased on which whiles he looked his sorrow was so much the more excited only with this difference he being to fain sorrow came thus to act it truly and truly to mourn these while they pretend to sorrow truly for their sin do it but in seeming for sin but truly for the punishment of it on which their eie is chiefly set Howsoever it is a good sign when men grieve when Gods hand is upon them or threatned It is not denied but that men may and ought to shew themselves sensible of and grieve for the punishment of their sin be it present and incumbent whether it be publike or private and personall or imminent and only threatned Nay it is an ill sign for men not to be moved in such case but to give themselves to feasting and jollity when God by his judgements calls to weeping and mourning Jer. 5.3 as Isai 22.12 13 14. where God threatens the want of it and elsewhere complains by his Prophet that though he had stricken them yet they grieved not And the best men in such case fear and tremble most and shew greatest humiliation The best do it as David in time of pestilence 2 Sam. 24.17 Jehoshaphat when God threatned an invasion 2 Chron. 20.3 4. and generally the godly in their own and the Churches miseries So true converts do mourn even in respect of the evill and miserie which their sin threatens them withall as reverencing his Word and are made to fear the falling into the like sins again as Job 31.23 The reason hereof is Because they reverence Gods Word and fear all signs of his anger And this God pleaseth to sanctifie as a beginning of saving sorrow as in these converts in my Text. So that we here conclude as formerly we have shewed that it is a sign of an ungracious and hard heart that is not some way humbled under the tokens of Gods wrath on or towards our selves or others and that such come short of many Reprobates To tremble at Gods word and judgements a good sign as of Pharaoh Ahab Jehoram c. 1 Kings 21.29 and 2 Kings 6.30 And on the other hand it is a good sign of true sorrow indeed and such as God doth accept of when men tremble at Gods word and at the tokens of his displeasure Isa 66.1 2. so do hearts truly humbled which howsoever before they were stout and stubborn against God and relented not at his judgements yet now an angry word of God humbles them And when it is so as it was with good King Josiah Such as are not humbled at Judgements and at the word are not sound 2 Kings 22.10 11. its a good sign of a heart truly compunct contrite and humbled Let such look to this as hearing of Gods judgements with Ahah doe quarrell with the Minister as he with Micaiah as never speaking good unto them far are they from the humble spirit of good K. Hezekiah who though he had sinned through pride yet soon humbled himself for it when Isaiah so sore threatned him saying 2 Chro. 32.26 Isai 39.8 Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken A heart truly humbled for sin and hating it can be content to have it searched out by the word discovered and reproved Yet such sorrow is not enough Psal 139.24 Yet though it be a thing needfull that in reverence to God to his Word and threatnings men do humble themselves under Gods hand and stroke and in apprehension of his dipleasure befalling or otherwise due for their sins unlesse it be also and chiefly for sin yet this is to be taken as a sign of true contrition and saving sorrow when withall or chiefly their sorrow is for sin and upon the sight thereof as it was in Josiah and Hezekiah more then for punishment who formerly had tasted of Gods goodness and now finding God displeased upon the breach of his Commandments and by reason of the dishonours done unto him melt into teares and sorrow and in true grief of heart for their own and peoples sin seek to appease his wrath by humbling of themselves If then we would know whether our sorrow be sound and good we must try and consider whether it be for sin or for the punishment of sin and that first when Gods hand of correction is upon us for our sin Hypocrites may then humble themselves as is said but true converts only mourn and are humbled for sin as cause of those judgements yea more for the sin then for the judgement Such was the sorrow of David who was willing to endure punishment The judgement and evill inflicted they are most willing to undergoe but the sin procuring it is intollerable as we see in David when for his sin the Pestilence devoured his people in whose multitude and strength he trusted too much and gloried Lo saith he I have sinned and I have
Judas some doe confess their sin or if they confess sin do it either meerly out of terror not hatred is it not meerly out of horror of conscience and a while to stop the mouth of it do they not return with Judas and Pharaoh to the same or like sins again till at length they utterly perish herein like the dog which casts up his meat not because he loaths it Simile but because his stomack is burthened and troubled with it and therefore after a little ease he returns to lick up his vomit again Or if not so wholly yet doe not many when they are called urged and pressed to confesse their faults or hypocritically and cunningly or that conscience on their sick-bed or otherwise drives them to their Minister I say do not many go cunningly to work to deceive others but indeed themselves worst of all confessing some known or smaller sins whilest confessing sins known sufficiently already and which they cannot deny or it may be some such infirmities as may stand with grace as distractions in good duties some hardnesse of heart some hastiness but concealing their bosome and greater saults angry and peevish disposition of nature and the like yet wittingly hide under their tongues and in the secret cabinet of their heart their beloved darling and bosome sin be it some base and noysome lust pride ambition covetousnesse revenge or some such like secret sin by which meanes sin still sticks at the bottome the coar comes not away Satan who hath filled their hearts keeps his hold and is uncast out though the room seem somwhat swept or at least returns to his old lodging in the heart with seven worse spirits then himself which these conveâ—ts did not It was not so here with these converts in my Text who though deeply charged by Peter and that with sins of as foul a nature as any could be even murther parricide unbeliefe ingratiude ignorance disobedience impenitency all which and more being included in the sin of crucifying Christ vers 36. yet neither denied the same nor went about to lay the blame on their rulers who perswaded them to it but in effect acknowledge all to be true they were charged withall and accordingly seek direction what to do to get comfort to their guilty and wounded consciences SECT 4. 2. Detestation of Sin an Effect of true Sorrow for Sin 2 Detestation of sin accompanieth true sorrow for it NOw secondly with confession went an inward dislike hatred and detestation of their sin and both these the fruits and effects of their contrition They finding the weight and burthen of their sin hate and abominate the same their heart is turned from it for ever and they cast it from them as a filthy and polluted thing they with Ephraim will have no more to do with it Hos 14.9 as in these here They now loath it and themselves for it and accordingly to shew their dislike of it and of all the occasions of it they forsake the society of the obstinate Iewes who as yet were not pricked in heart and of the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and joyn themselves to the despised and persecuted church of God and in other converts And thus it is with other converts they now loath what formerly they liked and hate what once they loved yea thus it should be with us if we would approve our sorrow for sin to be sound Is thy sorrow then for sin followed with hatred and loathing of it and of thy selfe for it Application To such as may seem angry with sin but hate it not It may be thou art only a little angry with it but fallest in with it presently again such indeed is the nature of anger but true hatred which is bent against an enemie aimes at his utter destruction and death so true hatred of sin seeks the death or mortification of it at least cannot endure the sight of it but through an inward loathing of it Arist Rhet. lib. 2. and seek not the death of it wisheth it and whatsoever might represent it to the soul as lovely quite out of sight as the Prophet brings in the repenting Church throwing away Idolatrous ornaments as one throwing away a menstruous clout Isai 30.12 saying to it get thee hence Sin would bee looked upon as an enemie to Gods glory and to our souls as of an enemy now the more true love we bear to God and to our selves the greater hatred we will bear against sin And as it seeks our lives for the soul that sinneth shall die death is the wages thereof so should we seek the death and mortification of that which otherwise will be our death as if we met with any venemous poysonfull Simile or hurtfull creature such especially as hath formerly end angered us or stung us we cease not so far as is in our power till we see it dead Now sin is as dangerous an enemy to the soul as any such creature or enemy can be to our bodies I now only ask Neither are well affected to the meanes of mortifying it if thy behaviour be such towards those sins of thine which thou sayest have bâ—en thy sorrow seekest thou and usest thou the meanes by which sin may be truly mortified in thee doth thine heart rise against the occasions and first approaches of sin and art thou afraid of hurt by it when it first begins to arise in thine heart as not nipping it in the head when it first riseth then seeking to dash it in the shell as a man would be loth to give a known and malicious enemy the least welcome or entertainment in his house or otherwise neer him how likest thou it when Gods Word and thy Minister seeks to make thy sin hatefull and loathsome to thee when he layes about him neither liking that Word of God which would by sharp reproofs kill it in them and not only discovers and layeth open the vileness thereof but by sharp reproofs and threatnings seeks to hit wound and kill it in thee canst thou blesse God for it c. desire or at least approve well of such teaching and teachers Thus thou shouldest do even in true love to thine own soul if thou truly batest or yet hast truly mourned for thy sin whereas wee should bitterly hate it as each thing seeks its own preservation so shouldest thou hate sin as well as sorrow for it accounting it the greatest evill of all evill as separating between thy soul and God and our hearts fret at it Thus shouldest thou not only weep for thy sin but with Peter weep bitterly as having the bitter gall of godly indignation hatred and detestation mingled with thy brinish and salt teares thy heart will not only be pricked Cant. 5.4 Frementibus visceribus Jun. but will fret within thee yet not against the Word or Minister but against thy sin and self Thus for these
much more then will it concern others to try themselves hereby who are so ready to be deceived in this point mourning not to God but to themselves and therefore hypocritically CHAP. XX. An Vse of Comfort to the truly contrite HAving now spoken to mourners or to such as at least pretend to mourn and that by way of Caveat more briefly A third Use more concerning such as mourn as also more largely by way of Counsell we must speak a word or two of Comfort to such as upon Triall doe find themselves truly and sincerely to have mourned or now to mourn for their sin And I wish I knew many such among you that I might also be as large in this point as in the last and in some others which concerned the secure Doest thou then find that thou are truly touched in conscience for thy sin thou hast then true cause to rejoyce and never till now Comfort to such as truly mourn for sin As there is no sound joy but such as issues out of true sorrow so true sorrow for sin alwaies sooner or later ends in joy There is cause of joy even in and for such sorrow to sin is cause and matter of sorrow shame but to sorrow for sin is cause and matter of unspeakable joy glory and thanksgiving Such sorrow affords cause of joy as being wrought by the holy Spirit of God Zech. 12.10 for none can so in a godly manner mourn but by the holy Spirit of God he cannot pour out any tears for sin till God pour upon him and into him the spirit of grace and of supplication then shall they mourns and not till then as it was with these converts on whom inwardly as well as on the Apostles outwardly on this day of Pentecost the spirit was poured out The very spirit of bondage as Gods spirit is called in that it discovers sin and misery and affects the heart therewith is in that regard and a gift of God Rom. 8.15 requiring our Thankfulness a gift which we are said to receive how much more when it proves also a spirit of Adoption And if a gift yea a saving gift what cause of thankfulness have such seeing God might have left them in a senceless blockishness to perish therein for ever or otherwise to stick in themselves and so utterly to despair how ought such to rejoyce in this so great a testimony of his goodness and mercy to them Comfort promised to such Such as so sorrow shall not sorrow alwaies God hath promised them comfort God himself will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble Isai 57.15 and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrit spirit God is said to be one that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 Be thou then but truly cast down in thine own eies and God will comfort and raise thee up Comfort and ease belongs to none but such thus to tremble is the way to true quietness Habbak 3.16 Thus the Prophet Habbakuk I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble I may truly say the only remedy against not only all worldly crosses but especially against all legall desperate hellish and comfortless feares and sorrows is true sorrow and repentance for sin Such sorrow for sin is the remedie of all hellish fears and sorrows and that thereby we have offended God which is that medicine which Peter prescribed to those here who were pricked in heart for crucifying Christ Repent saith he and shew your sorrow not as you now seem to do with respect only to your selves out of fear of wrath but with respect to God that you have so offended him and sinned against your Saviour Thus weep for your sins and you shall withall have assurance of the remission of your sins And assuredly never do nay finde such comfort in God and in his mercy as when they are deepliest humbled and weep most bitterly for their sins How true is it even in regard of inward joy in God after trouble for sin which is said and promised Isa 29.19 The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoyce in the holy one of Israel Come then and let us reason a little together Comfort 1 to the pricked and wounded 1 Art thou pricked indeed and wounded in conscience for sin fear not it is not the wound of an enemie that seeks to kill thee but of thy Surgeon who means to cure thee such wounds are not mortall but medicinable Thou hast a stone in thine heart and it must be broken and thou cut for it But as in the cutting of one for the stone in the bladder the pain may be sharp and sore for the present but it is to ease the patient of continuall and greater pain for ever after so is it it here Thou gettest ease and comfort for ever by Gods mercy especially after this life ended for putting thy self to some smaller sorrow now for sin so it be sincere and true and truely humble sorrow 2 To such as tremble at Gods wrath threatned 2 Quakest thou in the fear of wrath from him whom by sin thou hast offended yet hope well God may shew himself terrible to thee but no otherwise then Joseph shewed himself rough to his brethren with purpose to reveal himself as a loving brother yea father unto them This fear of wrath is a signe it shall not befall thee even as the rain-bow though it threaten rain yet it is a signe yea a seal to assure us wee shall not be drowned by it As therefore on the one hand security and not to fear wrath is a signe that wrath shall befall as we see in the world destroyed by water and are told of like destruction to befall such by fire in the end of the world 1 Thes 5.3 so contrariwise terrours upon a due apprehension and acknowledgement of deserved wrath is a sign no such thing shall come upon us 3 To the sininen and bruised 3 Hath God smitten thee in thy conscience for sin he will also binde thee up Hos 6.1 2. his rod even smiting comforts Psal 23.4 he will not break the bruised reed we have his promise for it Isa 42.3 and elsewhere He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds and griefs Psal 147.3 I will binde up that which was broken saith the Lord and will strengthen that which was sicke Ezek. 36. ver 16 4 To the burthened in conscience 4 Art thou burthened in conscience for sin God and Christ thereby calleth thee to him that coming thou mayst finde ease Matth. 11.28 Therefore in such case as it was said to the blinde man Be of good comfort the Master calleth thee Thou thus burdened
tender humble soft and relenting hearts and when we have got them to keep and preserve them so in and by the frequent use of the same and other like means and keep them so How and holy exercises of prayer meditation hearing reading conference with such as have been humbled through neglect of which we shall find ovr hearts insensibly to grow hard and through cold performance of duty to freez again Even as the water in the cold of winter soon freezeth into hard ice which once broken in some parts of it that cattell may drink thereat or for other uses is kept open by daily breaking of it which care being for some few dayes neglected requires greater pains to break and open it again Simile So a soft heart and Gods Spirit once had are easily kept by daily care but hardly recovered when through negligence we have lost them CHAP. XXIII Where is shewed what these Converts said and that the heart being once affected sheweth it self by words and thereby may be discovered It followeth And said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren The second effect of Peters Sermon or What these Converts said What shall we do IT hath already been considered what these Converts heard and what they suffered we must next consider what they said And said unto Peter c. where me thinks I see them framing into true Christians and becoming like a well set and tuned clock where the heart which in them was pricked and moved is like the master-wheel They are compared to a clock moving by the weights of their own sin and of Gods wrath not without some sense allurement and hope of mercy their tongue like the bell on which the hammer after the moving of the first wheel doth strike which truely sheweth the inward disposition of the heart and how it is affected and then their hand like the pointer shews it self ready to do and put in execution whatsoever it according to Gods word shall be directed unto as being right in heart tongue and hand as we should be in all other duties as of thankfulnes for they being pricked in heart said What shall we do here is heart tongue and hand agreeing in a sweet harmony together in this first work of conversion as indeed they do and should do in all other parts and particulars of Christian practise and duty as in our thankefulnesse towards God where the heart must begin Non sola vox sonet sed manus consonet verbis facta concordent Aug. in Psal 149. and in the inward acknowledgement of Gods mercies and Attributes love God Psal 116.1 and the soul yea all that is within understanding memory will and affections must praise him Psal 103.1 Then accordingly our mouths must speak of and shew forth his praises Psal 51. and our hands work and shew us really thankfull which is the end of all mercies temporall Psal 105.43 44 45. Deut. 10.12 13. and spirituall Luke 1.74 75. So God would have us perform duty to men even to our enemies much more to himself as Matth. 5.44 45. where you will finde both a Diligite of the heart and of love of enemies Love your enemies a Benedicite of the tongue Blesse them that curse you and a Benefacite of the hand This their behaviour is a signe of the sincerity of their sorrow Do good to them that hate you And so here It was a good signe that they were rightly and savingly pricked in heart when in this humble and loving manner they spake unto the Apostles sought direction from them and offered themselves ready and willing to do accordingly Others being pricked are more hardened then before and kick against the prick hating that word and those persons that do rebuke them as those other Jews did Stephen Acts 7. which puts a manifest difference between such as are savingly pricked and such as are not Four particulars to be spoken of here by which we may and should examine and try our selves 1. Who thus spake and said Such as were pricked Here we will consider 1 Who thus said or spake 2 When. 3 To whom 4 What said they 1 Who Such as were pricked in heart No marvell if thus by the tongue they shewed the grief and sorrow of their hearts It s a signe they were now sensible of their own hatefull sins and of Gods just judgements due unto them of both which formerly they were insensible as indeed the greatest evils always are such as men are least sensible of as the heathen Philosopher instanceth in ignorance folly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. 2. injustice c. Now that Gods word and grace began secretly to put some life into them and that they began to be at some distance with their sin having it now not so much in them as before them they become sensible of the same and shew so much by speech Where the heart is truely and inwardly affected in any kind especially where it is inwardly wounded and in anguish Doctr. The heart shews it self by words and thereby may be judged it shews vents and bewrayeth it self by the mouth and by words Words will burst our like fire which cannot be hid David resolving to keep his mouth with a bridle Psal 39.1 2 3. while the wicked was before him yet when by holding his peace his sorrow was stirred my heart saith he was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue So in matter of joy where the heart rejoyceth Acts 2.26 the tongue will be glad so where faith is in the heart there wil be confession of faith in the mouth Rom. 10.10 where the heart boyleth bubleth up or as we English it enditeth a good matter there the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdome and his tongue taketh of judgement Why The Law of his God is in his heart Psal 37.30 31. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evill for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh Luke 6.45 This here appears in the passion of sorrow where being pricked in heart especially in sorrow and anguish the tongue expresseth truely the sorrow of it as the stroaks on the instrument or voice of the singer answers the notes that are prickt in the rules Dr. Featly So that by the quality and nature of the speech or words uttered the inward condition the sincerity and soundnesse or unsoundnesse of its sorrow is commonly discovered as we see differently in David David's conscience being inwardly troubled for sin whilest he kept silence he found Gods hand still more heavie upon him Then said he I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not
hid I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 32.3 4 5. These here in effect do the same by these words of theirs confessing as hath been said their sins and finding like mercy ver 38. On the other hand Cain being pricked in heart and conscience for his bloody sin and in Cain doth also speak and utter and some other Jews but what words of despair so those Acts 7.54 being cut to the heart gnashed upon Stephen with their teeth and uttered words of desperate rage and madnesse crying out with a loud voice and stoning him v. 57. And howsoever in affliction the tongue sometime belie the heart Hypocrites may counterfeit Psal 78.34 35 36. as in the grosser hypocrite yea also self-deceiver who when God smites them enquire early after him as did the Israelites in the wildernesse Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues Yet I say in true grief the tongue truly sympathizeth with the heart and expresseth the affections of it truly as in the Parrot Yet they bewray themselves by their words c. which being beaten cryes like it self with its naturall voyce and not as at other times like a man artificially And though Pharaoh Judas and many like unto them seem to shew by their words and confession some compunction of heart yet both their words being well weighed at least their after-deeds do shew the hypocrisie or deceit of their hearts and that their grief was not true and genuine for their sins but for the punishment and through legall terrours or meer naturall conscience within them Contrariwise a good heart being smitten of God will either be silent unto God and not dare to mutter or murmure against him or withall it will utter onely good words as we see in Job chap. 1.21 22. and chap. 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Thus it is constantly with it though perhaps in a fit it may forget it self and utter words of discontent as we see in the same Job and Jeremiah and others The reason of all this is that sincerity and integrity which is in the heart of those whom God doth soundly touch Reason which is a single heart not a heart and a heart or a tongue and life different from the heart which it seems Nature it self would teach us all seeing Anatomists teach that the heart and tongue hang upon one string Dr. F. ibid. so that when the heart is moved with any passion or perturbation the hammer as in the former resemblance beats upon the bell and the mouth soundeth and answers the motions and affections of the heart Vse 1 In our sorrows to shew our sincerity by our words and by the nature of them Let us therefore when Gods hand toucheth us shew by our words and deeds also sutable that our hearts are inwardly well affected and truly humbled under his hand for our sins truly desirous how to pacifie him and to procure true peace to our consciences It s a signe the hearts of many are but lightly pricked or touched with remorse for their sins they do so little complain or make their moan to others who may afford them ease by their counsell and good directions As on the other hand such as most complain out of an inward feeling of their sins and who accordingly move doubts and questions concerning their estate of soul are none of the worst Christians at least they are in a good way 2 And so generally For more general Vse It were to be wished that men by their words and language as also by the nature and quality of their discourse and speech did shew the soundnesse holinesse and integrity of their hearts within more then they do The heart will be venting it self by the tongue and commonly according to that abundance which is in the heart the mouth will be speaking A reproof of such as pretending good hearts yet are tongue-tied Many talk much of their good hearts to God ward but if their hearts within were so good holy hearts believing hearts humble hearts hungering hearts zealous hearts as they pretend they would not be so tongue-tied as they are either to God-ward or towards others If Gods word were in the heart of many Ministers 1 In Preaching at least as a burning fire they would soon grow weary with forbearing to preach and to speak in his Name Jer. 20.8 9. though his word should be made a reproach to them and a derision daily So if the hearts whether of many Ministers or others 2 In Prayer were truly pinched with sense of their own and peoples wants they could not take up with bare generall forms of words in their seeming prayers or with a generall invitation of others to pray or at best to joyn with them in rehearsing more then praying the Lords prayer The heart truly touched with a sense of its own guiltinesse and of Gods displeasure or of its own wants could not take up with forms of words framed by others or at least long rest in them but would vent it self by words at least by sighs and groans sutable to its condition Such as complain that for any expressions of their own they are tongue-tied in Prayer let them strive to get better hearts sensible hearts sanctified hearts hearts full of the spirit of God which is a spirit of grace and of supplication Zech. 12.10 for were they full of it they would otherwise vent themselves then they do whereas now they draw neer to God onely with the mouth and with their lips honour him but have their hearts removed far from him Isa 29. ver 13. their hearts are more tyed and shut up then their tongues and so in effect both are tyed to God-ward So many are and some complain that they are not so profitable in discourse and in private conversation with others by holy conference as they should be 3 In speaking of good things by instructing exciting and for God exhorting encouraging of others yea admonishing and reproving them for their vanity oaths reviling of Gods people and his people and for their speaking evill of Gods good ways But if these would look into the true cause hereof they would finde that either the Law of God is not at all in their hearts for then they would speak wisdome and their tongue would talk of judgement or that their hearts are not so holy so charitable and compassionate towards others so zealous for God and his honour and such beleeving hearts as they should be or for time of profession calling and means might be But for a tongue that straitens it self to speak of better things then are in the heart A dissembling tongue reproved c. either in matters of God and of profession of godliness or in duties and profession of love towards others this is
teach and write so that their doctrine now written was to be the only Canon and rule of all Christian doctrine and religion to the end of the world Though the office cease who had speciall gifts of miracles to confirm the same whose office though in regard of the speciall priviledges of it which were many was temporary and ceased with them yet their doctrine unto which the Church of God ever since is tied and ministery which was as to pray so to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments ceaseth not yet not according to the common duties of it prayer preaching c. which continue still but is to continue in such as succeed them therein to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 20. God promising the direction and assistance of his Spirit to them and to all such as shall teach the same doctrine These were they who by preaching Christ unto these Jewes and by the extraordinary work of the holy Ghost now sent down upon them pricked and wounded their consciences unto whom accordingly they seek for direction ease and comfort as to their only spirituall Physitians Doctr. The only way to be directed and eased in conscience is to seek to Gods faithfull ministers Whence from their example men are taught how to get ease to their wounded consciences namely by having recourse to the messengers of God and faithfull ministers of Christ For so the Apostles are to be considered here namely as preachers of the Gospel and such as under Christ did know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Isai 50.4 Quest Why did not these here seek to their own Rabbines to the chief Priests learned Scribes Quest Why did not these here seek to the Scribes and Pharises devout and zealous Pharisees as they would be taken who sate in Moses seat Answ Alas They could expect poor comfort or direction from them whom they saw to be in the same condemnation with themselves Answ They were guilty Mat. 27.3 4 and the crucifiers of Christ more then they were They might consider what little comfort Judas in the distresse of his conscience found from them he might go hang himself for any comfort they either could or would give him and so he went from them immediately to the gallows or Tree Where the heart is truly touched it seeks only to Gods faithful messengers for cure and help It is ill seeking comfort to our consciences from such as are deep in sin yea in the same sins as we our selves Such great Rabbies as these in all ages know better how to wound and intangle mens consciences then to heal them and knew better to intangle consciences then to cure them They care least for men of scrupulous and tender consciences Such as make no conscience at all of sin unlesse in hypocrisie like themselves who Matth. 27.6 seemed to make some conscience of putting into their Treasury the price of blood but none at all of taking it out such I say are fittest for their turnes Only the faithfull Ministers of Christ can afford true comfort Why No they must be the faithfull Ministers of God and of Christ that can afford true comfort to troubled Consciences and that for these Reasons 1. This comfort and cure of Consciences is originally only in God and Christ that good Samaritan who was sent to heal the broken in heart 1. They only are in Christs stead who is the author of comfort as we have heard out of Isai 61.1 2 c. and Luke 4.18 19. Yet thus he is not alwaies in person or yet by his Spirit alone but by his word and the preaching of it which is the ministration of the Spirit So that those only and they are rare that dispense the Gospel most faithfully as the Ministers of Christ in his name and according to his will and word are they by whom Christ affords true and solid comfort to wounded consciences and by whow he refresheth the weary soul See Job 33.19 20. to 26. The blessing to be expected only from Gods ordinance These and none but these have commission from him and the power as to bind so to loose Mat. 16.19 John 20.23 Gods ordinance then is to be looked unto who having appointed the preaching of the Gospel to the same end hath also annexed his promise thereunto where his word is faithfully dispensed from which ordinance only of his we may expect a blessing 2. The same hand of the Surgeon which wounds is fittest to heal 2. The same hand that wounds is fittest to heal seeing the wounds made by the word are not the wounds of an enemy but friend Surgeon and Physitian If the Surgeon lance and cut as he doth it with intention to heal so he onely is the fittest to undertake that cure he that pours in wine is fittest to pour in oyl also Such an ones words are like if any truth be in it the sword which making the wound doth also the cure if the weapon-salve be applyed unto it or as they say concerning the wounds made by the darts of Achilles which could no otherwise be cured but by his salves Onely Gods faithful Ministers are the men that savingly both wound and heal We had need then be well directed and guided yea know well to whom or to what to have recourse for comfort to our grieved hearts SECT 2. False means of cure to be abandoned Vse 1 1 IN such case then when thou art pricked in conscience or inwardly troubled in soul To seek for cure of conscience only to Gods faithful Ministers seek onely to such as have been named and seek directions chiefly from Gods faithfull Ministers not neglecting the advice of godly faithful and experienced Christians and not 1 To merry company and drinking And here take heed Satan is a Mountebank and his Apothecaries will prescribe poysons Some yea thine own false heart perhaps will bid thee go to mirth and merry company so to drink away sorrow which yet will return and prove like the hand-writing to Belshazzer on the wall 2 To musick some to other sports and to musick as Saul when the evill spirit came on him must have a Musician to play unto him 3 To sleep some lie down and sleep that they may forget their sorrow 4 To their wealth some seek to comfort themselves in the sight or thought of their gold and silver store and abundance which no more can cure these prickings of conscience then the stone or gout or not so much some in trouble of conscience 5 To physick as if it were but meer melancholy fly to physick and to the bodily Physician with neglect of the spirituall as King Asa 6 To the Divell and witches some will send thee to the godâ— of Ekron with King Ahaziah 2 King 1.2 or to the witch of Endor with King Saul in his great straits 1 Sam. 28.15
themselves they flee to the Apostles and consult with them what they should do to procure a pardon of their bloody sins and how to flee from and escape wrath and in a word how to save their poor souls saying What shall we do And the meaning is no other then that of the Jaylour who in like case and distresse of soul trembling and falling down before Paul and Silas said Sirs What must I do to be saved Acts 16.29 30. 1 Who consult 1 Now in that they all being many ask saying What shall we do 1 For number they were many A blessed conspiracy It notes 1. A blessed conspiracy in these young Converts in that they compasse their teachers round about and thus flock unto them for advice and counsell as others also did about John Luk. 3.10 12 14. and as you all now that are attentive hearers make semblance of Thus to do especially in trouble of conscience is no unlawfull meeting no Conventicle no matter of accusation No Conventicle nor combination in evill as such like meetings in rehearsing calling to minde and examining the conscience after hearing of the word whether with their Teachers or other experienced Christians have been made by such as either can endure no such meetings as wherein they themselves are not the speakers or none but such as their own are in Taverns Ale-houses Gaming-places and the like whereby they may be justified by other mens like practice which now being so unlike exasperates the malice of the unsound and profane who yet many of them will also gather about their Teachers and Instructours nor such as whereby the wicked gather about their Ministers either in hypocrisie but then it is in hypocrisie with purpose and desire to catch and get matter of accusation against them and so the Scribes and Pharisees flocked to Christ At least with no purpose or desire to obey or follow the wholesom instructions of the word but rather to scoffe and jeer as God of old told Ezekiel saying The children of thy people still are talking against thee by the wals and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you Ezek. 33.30 31 32 33. and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee and sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them and so on And as those other dissembling hypocrites in Jer. 42.1 2 c. 19 20 21. who great and small flocked and came neer to Jeremiah requiring by him of the Lord that which they meant not not obeying the voyce of the Lord nor doing any thing for which either they sent him unto the Lord or for which the Lord sent him unto them even as many now adayes seek advice in matter of their unlawfull marrying or otherwise and yet never mean to follow it if it prove contrary to them and their former resolutions Yea if this were all it were not so bad as when they hearing such things from the faithfull Ministers of Christ as please them not or in rage and fury gather about them in fury and in rage as the Jews dealt with Stephen Acts 7.54 -57 58. run upon them with one accord and either stone them or otherwise by open insurrection rebellion and massacring put them and all that hold of the truth with them to death See also Acts 16.19 -22. CHAP. XXXIII That there is the same means of cure in like case for all distressed in conscience 2 For inward motive and end they are directed to the same means by the same Spirit 2. IN that they being so many do all with one accord seek to the same means it notes that There is the same work of the Word and spirit of Compunction in all who are truely touched in heart for sin As it humbles all in sight of sin and misery so it heals by sending all to the same remedy Note There is the same work of the word and Spirit and the same means of cure generally for all even to the word and the faithfull Ministers of it not to other means such as have been named there being the same remedy though as the case may require somewhat divesly to be applyed according to the rules and method of spirituall physick for all Converts and wounded consciences So that the same spirit working in all hath like effects for the generall in all 2 Cor. 4.13 Vse In like case to inquire and make use of other mens experiences Would any then being wounded by the word know how to finde comfort and saving direction let him inquire how others in like case have found it and let him do accordingly All finde it as these all here did finde it They being all of them both touched and directed by the same Spirit sought and found direction and ease from the ministry of the word onely and not from any other men or means which they were well assured would afford them no help The word onely being faithfully dispensed will fit all sorts and callings of men it will answer and resolve all their doubts and cases Luke 3.9 10 11. In such case then it will behove us to look into this and the like examples in Scripture and to inquire of such as having been in our case how they found comfort what directions they followed Other mens experience will be of great profit to us if we wisely make use of it The reason is because as Gods promise is the same to all who are alike prepared and qualified to receive it so his dealing is alike with all he not being partiall This made David propound his experience to others and say The humble shall hear thereof and be glad I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears They also looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed saying This poor man cryed Who literally David mystycally Christ but spiritually every humbled sinner and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles Whence the generall is inferred The Angel of the Lord encampeth about all them that fear him and delivereth them Psal 34.2 3 4 5 6 7. CHAP. XXXIV The chief care of Christians should be how they may save their souls 2 About what they consult A Second thing to be hence observed is about what they consult Now in that they all consult concerning so weighty a businesse as is the saving of their souls we may learn from hence that Note Our chief care should be to save our souls The chief care of all and each of us ought to be concerning our souls and how we may save the same These here had never a serious thought of this main businesse till now that by the word savingly taught and applyed unto them they were convinced of their sin and thereupon apprehended Gods wrath
word and presently to yeeld our selves in obedience to it offering our selves ready to obey God according to his word and will to shew our selves ready to obey God in the matter and businesse 1 Of salvation as especially in matter of salvation so also of Religion and generally of Obedience both active and passive 1 For the great businesse of salvation we are to deny our selves as is said in all our own works and worth and in all humble acknowledgement of our guiltinesse to be content to be directed by the word and to follow cheerfully the directions of the same totally submitting our selves to obey God in all things even to the cutting off of hand and foot and plucking out of the eye and parting with all even with every lust for Christ where especially we are to take heed of hypocrisie and self-deceit and that sincerely such as might seem to be in him that said Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest and in those other who would follow Christ but upon conditions Luke 9.57 58 59 c. and more especially in that young man and Ruler not as the young Ruler who in all haste to shew his readinesse came running to Christ and in all humility as it might seem Mark 10.17 c. Matth. 19.16 c. Luke 18.18 c. kneeled to him and said Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have and inherit eternall life Herein in shew like these sincere Converts in my Text and like the Jaylour What must I do to be saved All of them seeming ready to offer themselves ready to obey and follow direction in all things that young man being directed by Christ of all others seemed most ready as having done already as much as Christ now directed him unto saying All these things have I done kept and observed from my youth up And as if like another Hercules it had been more easie for him to do then for Christ to bid him do What lack I yet who wanted sincerity and would keep his bosome sin saith he But the truth is he lacked the main of all and that was sincerity and a good heart and honest his heart was glued and wedded to his wealth and to the world which he truely and heartily loved more then Christ or yet his own soul and the salvation of it if he could enjoy and have both well and good he liked Christ well and salvation well if he might have had them upon his own conditions but when Christ touched and tryed him in his beloved sin his covetousnesse which he well hoped he might have by way of surplusage in the bargain and bade him sell all and give to the poor though he were promised better treasure in heaven yet he went away from Christ sorrowful for he had great possessions Of this stamp at best are our begging Friers who build their Order upon this personall command which yet was onely for conviction of this forward mans hypocrisie and all such as pretend they can do all that Christ commands them yea more in and by their works of supererrogation and by following Councels more then commands of perfection in effect with their Ancestours and Predecessours of old asking of God the Ordinances of justice Isa 58.2 as if God had been wanting to their readinesse to obey him But these here in my Text which these converts did not onely ask what they shall do being truly willing and sincerely resolved to do that even to forsake all and every lust for Christ and yet presumed nothing on their own strength but hoped as for direction from his Apostles so for power from him to do accordingly being otherwise pinched in heart and poorer in spirit then any proud hypocrite that either in love to some lust or open presumption of his own worth or power of wel-doing shall deceive himself nor Paul who sincerely submitted himself to God in all things Such a sincere convert was also Paul who though he was going on a wicked errand and upon a malicious designe against the faithfull people of God yet when Christ met with him by the way humbled him and convinced him of his sin of persecution he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.4 5 6. And this he said out of an honest and good heart with a true and stedfast purpose to perform accordingly which he also fully and constantly did even unto the end Which his sincerity will better appear if we compare and consider it with Balaams deceit of heart who whose sincerity is compared with Balaams hypocrisie riding on with a like wicked intention and purpose of destroying the lives of Gods people and being also met withall by an Angel in the way and reproved for his sin so directly against the charge given him Numb 22.12 Thou shalt not go thou shalt not curse the people seemed to relent and repent I have sinned and to offer himself ready to get him back again saying Now therefore if it displease thee I will return back again yet for all this his heart carried him secretly on in the way of his covetousnesse and of cursing Fain he would go on such was his love to the wages of unrighteousness yet seeing apparent danger if he did he faintly offereth to turn back with an If it please thee He could not be ignorant that his evill intent to curse Gods people for his own promotion was most evill in the Lords eyes and the cause why the Angel came out as an adversary against him yet he conceals that and makes a fair shew of repentance and obedience which his hypocrisie God in wrath punished by giving him his desire and leaving him to his own lusts which he followed to his destruction a just reward of such as not hearkening to the expresse and known will of the Lord are given up by Gods withdrawing of his grace to the perverse intendments of their own hearts to walk and perish in their own counsels Psalm 81.11 12. Here then we see that there must be true and hearty submission of soul to God and a totall resignation of our wils to Gods will with a readinesse to obey both heartily and totally in all things made known to us No lust may be reserved without reservation of any lust whatsoever no true conversion without this universall obedience and hearty willingness and readiness to obey in all things as it was with these converts here and with Paul but not with the young man nor with Balaam nor with Herod who though when he heard John preach which he did gladly he did many things yet keeping in his heart the love of his whore by an incestuous marriage of his Brothers Wife he could not when he was reproved for it obey John or God in that and so with the other and with all such hypocrites came short of Christ of God and of salvation 2 Of Religion and worship
my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek And elsewhere Lo I come Psal 40.7 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart This was chiefly verified in Christ who herein is an example to us Hebr. 10.5 so if God call us to suffer of whom also we must learn to become obedient if need be unto death even the death of the Crosse that is the most shamefull painfull and accursed death if we bee called thereunto for his names sake Rev. 2.10 In all these we must obey First before laying aside 1. All excuses Now in all these whether in matters of salvation religion and worship or of obedience generally we are being called to obey God cheerfully and sincerely as is said laying aside before 1. all excuses whereby we shew our selves both to obey as did Moses Exod. 4.1 2. 10.13 with whom God was therefore angry vers 14. Where God injoynes any thing hard dangerous and impossible to us we must trust to his promised assistance which is ever implied 2. 2. All delayes All delayes I made haste said David and delayed not to keep thy Commandments 3. All feares Psal 119.60 3. All feares such feares would not excuse Saul in his disobedience but increased his sin as fearing man more then God 1 Sam. 15.24 Let us hear what God said to Jeremy Whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speake Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them Jer. 1.7 8 17. Yea let us consider what Christ saith to his Disciples and to us incouraging and comforting against persecution Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell Matth. 10.28 2. After we have done any thing which is good 1. Let us lay aside all opinion of merit Secondly After we must 1. Renounce merit and empty and cast down our selves before him confessing that as Christ adviseth us when we shall have done all those things which are commanded us we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous Job 22.2 3. understand it of our gratifying and adding ought to God which he hath not otherwise our obedience rightly performed is a thing pleasing and acceptable to him If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he at thine hand Job 35.7 Our well doing extendeth not to him Psal 16.2 neither for our works faith or any other grace done or foreseen to be done Rom. 3.28 and 9 11. hath he saved us and called us but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 and Tit. 2.5 2. And as we are to renounce merit so are we not to rest in any duty done by us though never so good and holy and not performed without some assistance from Christ 2. Not rest in the duty done so as to thinke the duty is good and commanded which we have done yea and we as we thinke have done it with a good heart and intention too therefore our estate is good and we doubt not of salvation Indeed duties sincerely and in poverty of spirit and self-deniall performed are testimonies of true faith and so of election as being effects of the same and may assure us as hath been said of our finall perseverance and salvation 2 Pet. 1.10 But then we must not take up therewith and rest therein as done by our selves or own strength or for our selves and our own ends unlesse as we acknowledge them to proceed from the free and powerfull grace of God in us so they carry us further even to Christ and that wee give God the glory of his grace in us and expect acceptance only from his favour and grace and good will in his Christ with whom only he is well pleased and accept of us and all we doe in his beloved Eph. 1.6 It s a sign of one left to himself and out of Christ as yet to rest in his own legall righteousness and to take up with the performance simply of his duty but of denying our selves in duty formerly SECT 2. An Exhortation to obedience with the comfort of it at Christs coming contra Conclusion of all exhorting and shewing the needfulness 1 Of submitting our selves to the word at first NOw for the conclusion of this and of the whole Treatise how will it concern us all first to become and truly to be as these converts here ready to submit in all things to the convictions and ordering of Gods holy word in the ministerie of it to be guided by it to embrace Christ upon his own termes not barely by outward profession but by answering effectually our baptisme and by performing the vowes and promises there made wherein we seem to make as free an offer and to profess as much if not more and as fair as these here and by an effectuall faith in Christ and obedience and submission to the Gospell 2. Of living according to it over after Secondly to walk constantly with God throughout the course of our whole lives according to the only rule of his Word framing our selves to the obedience thereof as in the main business of our salvation so in the religion worship and service of God and generally in all duties both of our generall and particular callings and that constantly to the end Thus doing besides the true and full content and satisfaction 1. The comfort of so doing at Christs coming which for the present we shall find to our wounded 02 consciences if ever we be truly pricked in heart for our sins it will be matter of unspeakeable comfort for us to be found when Christ comes to us either by death or by the last judgement and shall find us each one walking in his uprightness or before him Isa 57.2 Oh blessed and for ever blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing Matth. 24.46 When Christ shall come and find us his servants hard at work watching and in a readiness nor only to every good work but at his coming ready to give up our acounts to him with joy With what boldness may such stand before the Lamb as not only being now at peace with him but found in his service and doing his work when hee comes and his reward with him Paul was such an one who as at his first conversion submitted to the voice of Christ as we see in Paul and by his confidence at death and freely offered himself to do whatsoever Christ should direct him to saying Lord what
without pain ere ever it consent to marry to Christ Now can there be a divorce wrought between loving couples otherwise most loth thereunto without sorrow ask Phaltiel who being married to Michal when David her first husband sent for her 2 Sam. 3.16 went with her along weeping behind her 3 From the nature of Conversion which is such a change as a man cannot but be sensible of it first or last 3 This brings us to consider of the nature of conversion which implyeth as much as I intend which being a change from darknesse to light from bondage to liberty in a word from one contrary to another how should a man discern of his contrary new estate without feeling in some measure the horrour of his former condition under darknesse and bondage at least he can have no comfort in his Conversion unlesse he find and feel a difference between the one estate and the other which cannot be felt without some shaking and affrightment as he apprehends the greatnesse of the benefit of his deliverance by Christ so is he touched with a proportionable fence of his danger either imminent or passed as we have heard of some who having at first in their sleep drink or otherwise ignorance passed some very great danger as over some narrow or broken and crackt bridge pit or the like being brought after to see their danger they have quaked trembled been amazed if they have not wholly expired and given up the Ghost Thus such as perhaps at the very first are not so sensible of their dangerous condition or yet of their change as others are Christ being truly in them yet afterwards when they come to better consideration and deeper apprehension of their wayes and former dangers they find a proportionable measure of inward trouble terrour yea and grief for such their hainous offences whereof they were not so sensible before and so they have their portion of terrour first or last in lesse or greater measure Lastly whom doth Christ call to Repentance 4 From Christs calling of such Matth. 9.13 Even of such onely as are sinners and laden and 11.29 Lost enemies 2 Cor. 5 Isa 27.5 in bondage Rom 8.15 2 Tim. 1. he came to call sinners to repentance such as in their own sense are sinners and if Christ call none but such to repentance who can have repentance but such yea but such as are heavy laden with sin and sense of Gods wrath for sin for these and such onely he calleth also to come unto him And as he came to call such so to save the lost sheep but who are these but such as feel themselves to be lost Christ calls and sends his Ministers to call us to be reconciled to him and to make peace with him but who will ever thus do that doth not first find and feel himself under his displeasure and can a man find that and not be troubled he calls us to liberty and must we not then first be under the spirit of bondage that unto fear In a word how can any either hunger after Christ or prize him aright as a Saviour and Redeemer till they through fence of misery and of their hopelesse helplesse worthlesse and desperate condition see their need of him or who will ever fly to him till by the Law as by a Schoolmaster discovering their fearfull condition to them they be whipped and scourged and so forced to go out of themselves to him This Law then must go before and as the needle by pricking doth pierce the cloth and make way for the threed to follow and sow so it must prepare the way for faith to follow by which we are knit to Christ otherwise we would prove but loose Christians and break off when we list as we know many Libertins to do who tell us much of comfort and joy they find in and by Christ and his Spirit but neither they nor any other can tell us of any sorrow wounding or pricking going before I shall ever suspect that joy yea that Conversion which issues not in some measure out of true sorrow pricking compunction and contrition for sinne It s but a dream of joy and a false conception and birth This point yet further cleared and it shewed that though all be wounded yet not all alike Here then for the further clearing of this point of doctrine we must know that all who are truly converted do not suffer trouble and terrour of conscience in the same measure or yet manner neither doth God deal with all alike some are pricked onely as with a Pinne others as with a spear yet all pricked There are three degrees as in divers Resemblances and all of them saving by Gods mercy 1 A pricking as in my text wherein were some grudgings of conscience and such a hurt as was presently healed again and they filled with the holy Ghost 2 A wounding or a wounded spirit and who can bear that such as was sometime in Job and David from whom God seemed to withdraw himself by forsaking them c. and in such as wrestle long with God yea and with diffidence in themselves even many yeares before they can out wrestle their sorrows which at length they do And 3 there is a killing whereof Saint Paul speaks Rom. 7.9.10.11 Sinne revived and I died and the commandement which was ordained unto life I found to be unto death for sinne taking occasion by the commandement deceived me and by it slew me and yet lo Paul alive to God so All are shut up under the spirit of bondage as in a prison Gal. 3.23 before faith come we are kept under the Law shut up unto faith some as Jeremy let down to a dungeon Jer. 38.6 some as Paul put into an inner prison and his feet fast not in the mire in which Jeremy did sink but in the stocks some onely as Joseph who though a prisoner yet found favour and had more liberty Gen. 39 20.21.22 And so all being locked up under infidelity some are more easily set at liberty and their hearts sooner opened being like new and fresh locks easily opened whereas others are like old rusty locks which the key hardly and with much ado opens if at all so that they must not be broken by force and violence such is the difference of mens hearts some kept clear from rusting by restraining grace good education and example others are old rusty and cankered in sin whose doores must be broken open by strong hand and consciences awakened by terrours All hearts are hard naturally as we have heard but some as stones some as mettal which must not onely be broken but molten and as among stones some are softer then others and soon crushed some are harder as the flint without seams and sutures so is it with hearts some sooner humbled and made to relent then others some are more hardy bold crabbed and crooked then others an angry word or look will work more upon
some soft spirits then many blowes will do upon some harsh crosse and sturdy natures CHAP. VII SECT 4 Who are more roughly and who are more gently dealt withall Who they are that are more roughly or more gently dealt withall in their Conversion The difference is to be considered with respect to their different conditions VVHO then are they with whom God deals more roughly and who are they who are more gently dealt withall 1 We heard but now that some have more stout and sturdy natures then others and hard and knotty wood must have a hard wedge Some have more tender consciences then others and are of a fearfull nature apprehensive of the least sin and judgement threatned so that the same thing which scarce troubles another doth wound them deeply Yea they apprehend cause of fear and trouble needlessely and through the predominancy of naturall melancholy suffer such fears to prevail with them and so lie long under such slavish fears before they will be satisfied and comforted Thus they are afraid if they be alone in the dark 1 present some being at the time of their conversion 1 Of more hard and sturdy natures then others of more tender and fearfull consciences as if the devill were ready to seize on them and to carry them to hell The sense of any thing fearfull as of fire lightning thunder boysterous winds uncouth apparitions presents them with no lesse then with sudden destruction if not with the fire of hell Yea they dare hardly eat drink or apparrell themselves further then extream necessity or shame drives them to it because of their unworthinesse and least they so increase their own condemnation and so they bereave themselves even of lawfull and necessary comforts which otherwise they are bound to use even of their necessary food and sleep and withall have their minds quite taken off their lawfull callings not able through a conceit of their own unworthinesse and as if all such labour were in vain to do any ordinary work of their speciall callings Thus Satan working through Gods permission with their melancholick disposition and too tender or apprehensive consciences holds them a long time under bondage when others of stouter spirits sounder judgements and not of so nice or timerous consciences escape these needlesse and slavish feares which yet the other by Gods mercie break through at length too 2 Of greater parts gifts and places and so more puffed up thereby Again some men are puffed up with high conceits of themselves in regard of their gifts parts places and high callings which keep many from hearkening to any ordinary means and motives which are used to humble them and so indeed wholy from Conversion Now if God intend the Conversion of such he deales with them commonly after a rougher manner seeing a small thing will not tame their lofty fierce and fiery spirits so he took down Paul yea struck him down by a visible apparition and audible voice from heaven when being highly conceited of his own legal righteousnesse and strongly confident of the goodnesse of his cause and Profession in the height of his zeal he was galloping hard on in the way of persecuting of the Saints of God On the other hand many that have not any great matters in them to stand upon and being of meaner rank and estimation in the world have nothing to oppose against the reproofs of the word or against the simplicity and seeming meannesse of the Preacher and so are sooner convinced and stand not in need of such terrours to tame them 2 Some have been more grievous sinners 2 Past having been either great siners and have run both deeper and longer in debt with God then others they are deeply defiled in sin double died their sins are scarlet sins and have taken deeper root in them through custome and continuance and have more poysoned and corrupted their natures other wise bad enough In which regard if God intend any mercy to such as indeed his mercy when he pleaseth to shew it shines most in such he more deeply and sensibly humbles them then others When once he opens their eyes to see their sin in the right hue of it it being of so grosse a nature appears most loathsome and ugly and more foul then sinnes of lower stature and growth and so the guilt and consequently the burthen thereof will lie more heavy upon the soul and presse it more down to hell then sins of lesse hatefullnesse till it please God in mercy to remove it and to assure them of pardon As sin brings them deep in debt with God so before they get a discharge from God they must proportionably pay for it not by way of satisfaction but of humble acknowledgement whilst they are made to feel in their own consciences some weight of it proportionable to the greatnesse of their sin for the greater the burthen is the greater will be the pain of the back though afterward finding ease their comfort is also answerable in measure to their former dejections and oftentimes much more then theirs who having not formerly sinned in like gorsse manner finde not it may be at first those terrours yet afterwards in the course of their lives they pay for it and what they escaped at the beginning they meet withal in their progresse finding an abatement of the others comforts in which regard some have compared the former sort to such as pay a great fine and sit on a small rent Simil. the later to such as pay but a little fine but then their rent is greater Hence it comes to passe that some mens sins are not so easily washed and done away as others are their poison not so soon purged out their wounds and festered sores not so soon cured as some sores may be let out with the pricking of a pin when others will scarce be cured with much and painful launcing and cutting Some are well educated and brought up in religious families and places where they are watches over or better educated instructed and well catechized where they for the most part see good examples and are kept from evil and lewd company These have grace instilled into them by degrees drop by drop and consequently not having laden their consciences with grosser sins when they come to be convinced of the guilt of original and their other lesser actual sins they are not so deeply stricken and wounded in heart therewith as others are who have more given the reins to their lusts and made a longer trade of sin These as they are more insensibly wrought upon by the Law and sooner humbled herein as one compares them like to Neias hawks which being taken out of the nest Simil. though they have a wilde nature yet are sooner manned then the haggards which have long preyed for themselves which must be kept from sleep hooded and much pains taken with them ere they be thorowly tamed and brought to the Lure so