saving worke thereof Therefore plow up all by sound saving sorrow labour to have thy heart burthened for sin and estranged from it and this is good husbandry indeed the want of this was the wound of the thorny ground as you may see in the parable those hearers had much of the world in them much ease and profit and pleasure and these choaked the word and made it utterly unfruitful and so they never received comfort nor mercy afterwards This is that which the Prophet David saith A contrite and an humble heart O God thou wilt not despise If you would have your hearts such as God may â—ake delight in and accept you must have them broken and contrite David saith The Lords voice breaketh the Cedars of Libanus So the voice of the Lord like lightning must thunder into the corrupt heart of sinfull creatures A contrite heart is that which is powdered all to dust as the Prophet saith Thou bringest us to dust and then thou sayest returne againe yee sonnes of men So the heart must be broken all in pieces to pouder and the union of sinne must be broken and it must be content to be weaned from all sinne as you may make any thing of the hardest flint that is broken all to dust So it is with the heart that is thus fitted and fashioned If there be any corruption that the heart lingers after it will hinder the worke of preparation If a man cut off all from a branch save one sliver that will make it grow still that it cannot be ingrafted into another stocke So though a mans corrupt heart depart from many sinnes scandalous abominations yet if he keepe the love of any one sinne it will be his destruction as many a man after horror of heart hath had a love after some base lust or other and is held by it so fast that he can never be ingrafted into the Lord Jesus This one lust may breake his necke and send him downe to hell So then if the soule onely can be fitted for Christ by â—ound sorrow then this must needs pierce the heart before Christ can come there but the heart cannot be fitted for Christ without this and therefore of necessity the heart must be truly wounded with sorrow for sinne The last reason is this because by this meanes the heart comes to set a high price upon Christ and grace either the grace of God offered in the gospell or that good way which God hath commanded us to walke in If the heart finde the greatest evill to be in horror and vexation then ease and quietnesse from these will be the greatest good but now the soule seeth grace to be truly precious because it seeth sinne to be truly vile and this is the end why the Lord makes the soule see the vilenesse of sinne that the heart may be brought to see the excellency in Christ and prize him above all Now there are two questions to be answered First whether this sound sorrow be a work of saving grace and such a worke as cannot be in a reprobate Secondly whether God doth worke this in all men that are truly converted and brought home to Christ and whether he workes this in all alike or no. For the first whether is this a worke of saving grace yea or no and such as cannot be in a reprobate for answer to this First I will shew the order that this worke hath to the other workes Secondly I will shew the difference of this from sanctifying sorrow and yet it comes to be sanctifying sorrow For the order first the heart in this worke is not yet conceived to be in Christ but only to be fitted and prepared for Christ. If you stoppe here in your consideration and despute not of any worke to come it is only in the way to be ingrafted into Christ but so that undoubtedly that soule which hath this worke upon it shall have faith powred into it for this is the meaning of that place The Lord Iesus came to socke and sâ—ve that which was lost Now to be lost is not because a man is sinfull and miserable in himselfe but he is lost that seeth the evill of sinne and the punishment that comes therby comes to be lost in his owne apprehension in râ—gard of his owne estate and he that is thus lost shall be sure to have Christ and salvation by him It was the end why Christ came and therefore it shall be fulfilled But he that is truly sensible of his sinne and the vilenes of it and abhors himself for it he is truely lost he is not yet settled on Christ for then he were safe enough but he is truly sensible of his lost estate and therefore shall have faith and Christ though yet he partake not of them yet he shall be everlastingly saved and redeemed by Iesus Christ. Quest. And therefore this is an idle question what if a man die in this worke of preparation before he come to have faith I say it is an idle question because it is impossible that he which is thus prepared for Christ and grace but he shall have them before he die As the Prophet saith Behold I will send my messenger before me to prepare my wayes When the heart is fitted and prepared the Lord Christ comes immediatly into it The teÌ„ple is the soule the way is the preparation for Christ so as the soule is yet to be conceived as in the way of preparation for Christ not to have any formall worke of grace whereby he is able to do anything for himselfe The next thing is the difference of the sound saving sorrow from sanctifying sorrow and you must know there is a double sorrow First there is a sorrow in preparation Secondly there is a sorrow in sanctification The sorrow of the soule in this preparative worke of it is thus to be conceived when the word of God leaves an impression upon the heart of a man so that the heart of it selfe is as it were a patient and onely beares the blow of the Spirit the Spirit of the Lord and the over-powring force of the same forceth the soule to beare the word and hence come all those phrases of Scripture as wounded pierced pricked and the like only in the passive voice Because the soule is a patient and the Lord by the almighty hand of his Spirit breakes in upon the soule so that this sorrow in preparation is rather a sorrow wrought upon me then any worke comming from any spirituall ability in my selfe This is sorrow in preparation when I am a patient and wherein I receive the worke of the Spirit and am forced and framed by the spirit to doe that which I doe in this kinde But then Secondly there is a sorrow in sanctification and that is thus that sorrow that doth flow from a spirituall principle of Grace from that power which the
THE SOVLES PREPARATION FOR CHRIST OR A TREATISE OF CONTRITION Wherein is discovered How God breaks the heart and wounds the Soule in the conversion of a Sinner to Himselfe PSAL. 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise LONDON Printed for ROBERT DAVVLMAN at the signe of the Brazen-serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1632. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS A ALl-sufficiencie in God a meanes to enlighten our dead hope 214. Application of particular sins a way to make us see them 64. How the word affects when applied 65. then hitting soonest 65. sinking deepest 67. for this it is ministers are so hated 68. B Bondage the spirit of bondage how it helps to the sight of sin 124. Broken heart is made by meditatioÌ„ of the word preached C Carnall men can give no comfort to wounded consciences 220. 240. Christ three grounds why the soule flies not to Christ 118. Labour to see the necessitie of Christ 122. sight of sinne a meanes to drive us to Christ. 117. Common depravation of our nature no plea for us to slight sinne 40. Confession of sinne needfull for the cure thereof 57. It must be open and free 219. a large confession may come from a wicked man 221. when hypocriticall 225. the difference betweene true and false confession 227. popish confession what 230. To hide our sinne a fearefull and dangerous sinne 235. To what persons how they should be qualified that we must confesse unto 239. Motives 241. Companions when evill a great hindrance to the working of grace and bow 95. Conscience a help to meditation 123. Consideration of Gods goodnesse a meanes to breake our hearts 101. Contrition what 2. a contrice heart acceptable 163 164. this contrition is wrought in all though not in the same manner and measure 170. Conviction of the soule for sinne â—ow 23. why God convinces 31. meanes of conviction 36. other meanes to worke sound conviction 200. D Death of sinne must be in us 256. Delight in sinne damnable 190 191 192. F Freenesse of Gods promises revives our hope 215. G God is All-sufficient 6. mercifull 6.210 Gods goodnesse considered a meanes to breake the heart 101. so also his justice 103. Gods abundant mercy a meanes to revive our hope 217 H Heart which feares discovery is evill 79. It is broken by meditation on the word preached 81. so also by consideration of Gods goodnesse 101. so also of his justice 103. what is meant by heart here 130. when our hearts are like stones 181. an ignorant heart is a naughty heart 33. Hatred of sin what 246. differences betweene sorrow for him and hatred of sinne 241. wherein this hatred consists 250. Help must be conveied to a wounded soule 190. Hearing the word how we may with profit 76. Hell torments how in some sort to judge of them 55. Hiding sinne a fearefull sinne 80. Hope supports the hearts of the sorrowfull 205. an antidote against despaire 208. It incourageth our indeavors 209. the soules anchor 112 how it is maintained and fed 214. I Ignorant heart is a naughty heart 33. Iustice of God a meanes to breake the heart 10 K Kindnesse of God a meanes to breake the heart 101. Knowledge of our sinne a meanes of conviction for it 377. L Law a meanes to convince us of sinne 38. M Meditation of Gods word preacht a meanes to breake our hearts 81. what it is and how to be done 83. it brings the word more powerfull to the heart and there fastens it 88. the lamentable neglect of this duty lamented câ—nsured 93. the comfort that ariseth from this duty 98. the ground the manner power thereof 100. how to be followed 109. when damped in us how revived 122. Mercy with what cautions a prophane person may seeke it 5. abundant mercy in God a meanes to revive our hope 217. God is mercifull 210. Ministers must first humble before lift up 61. they are much based for speciall application 6â— playn preaching is the best way 71. they should be skilfull mercifull faithfull men 240. N Nature no plea to help us to lessen our sinnes 41. Nature of God is tender and mercifull 210. O Opposites to the word deeply plagued 127. P Pitty belongs to wounded and troubled consciences 183. c. Popish divices cannot help a wounded conscience 191. Pricking or piercing the heart wherein it consists 129. Promise of God being free lifes up the head and revives hope 215. R Repentance not in our owne power 52. Reprehension 〈◊〉 sharpe a meanes to move us to see our sinnes 64. S Shifts a sinner uses to beate backe the power of the word 40 Sinne must be truly seene before the heart is broken 11. what this sight of sinne is 12. the properties thereof 14 the evill of sinne is farre greater then the evill of punishment reason thereof 15. It is a departing from God 19. why men cannot see the vilenesse of their sinne 20. how to see them convictingly 36 grounds why we slight our sinnes 40. particular sinnes closely applyed a meanes to see them 64. sight of sinne a meanes to drive us to Christ 117. sinne wounds the soule why 158. when we make sinne our God 174. all are not alike wounded for sinne 178. A truly sorrowfull soule hath a restlesse distast of sinne 245. Sinners in an high degree may be reconciled 4 All sinners are fighters against God 18. open and scandalous sinners commonly have a greater measure of sorrow 179. Soule how prepared for Christ 247. when it is said truly to be broken 255. Sorrow if godly it is a deep sorrow 134. how wrought 135. how procured 142. how the soule should behave it selfe under this sorrow 150. It is restlesse till it have obtained mercy 155. It drives unto God 157. this makes us highly to prize Christ 164. whether sorrow for sinne is a worke of saving grace 165. how sorrow of preparation is knowne and how sorrow of sanctification 167. whether this sorrow is wrought alike in all 170. not in the same manner 177. when sorrow is made a maske to cover sinne 193. It must not be slight but solid 198. the fruits thereof 203. Spirit of bondage how it helps to see sinne 1â—4 T Thoughts that are sinfull how produced 44. how and in what respects sinne in thought is more vile 44. W Word must be submitted unto 39â— and never shifted off 40. the threats must not be shifed off 48. when closely applyed it much affects 64 65. the word preacht must be meditated on 81. the opposers of the word in great danger 127. Worthinesse in our selves none to moue Christ to pitty us 119. Wrath of God is an insupportable burthen 56. Places of Scripture inlightned Cap. ver pag. Deut. 1.14.51 32.6.102 Iosua 7.24.211 1 Ki. 20.21.64 2 Cr. 36.16.127 Iudg. 1.12.101 Iob 5. last 85 6.12 â—6 7.20.30 13.27.25 14.17.22 19.23.184 22.13.48 36.6.126 9.12 10. ib. 40.3.39 Ps. 39.24.255 38.2.2 Ps. 58.8.77 74.4.2
and I would have a man to bind his heart hand and foote that they may not dare to have any brabling against the revealed will of God that so what ever truth is delivered though never so crosse and contrary to our corrupt nature the soule may be willing to be under the blow of it and let the strength of the word come full upon the heart And this will make us feelingly to understand our conditions as in Iob when God had taken downe his proud heart see how he submits himselfe Behold I am vile what shall I say I will lay my hand upoÌ„ my mouth I have sinned but I will go nâ— further as thogh he had reasoned thus with himselfe I have I confesse pleaded too much for my selfe I have made more shift for my selfe theÌ„ was needfull I have gainsaid thy word but now no more Now if any man seeme to quarrell take up armes against the truth of God let that man know he was never truly huÌ„bled for his sins It is a sinfull rebellious spirit that carries it selfe thus against God his word the shifts whereby the soule labours to beate backe the power of the word may be reduced to these three heads First the soule hath a slight apprehension of sin and thinketh that it is not so hainous and so dangerous as those hot spirited ministers beare men in hand this is usually the common conceit of all men naturally and even of us all more or lesse to make a slight account of sinne and that for these foure respects First in respect of the commonnesse of it because that every man is guilty of it we slight it what saith one Good now what then are not all sinners as well as we though we have many faylings yet we have many fellowes If we were drunkards or whoremongers then it were somewhat Thou sayest true indeed thou hast many fellowes in thy sinnes and thou shalt have share with many fellowes in the punishment to come there is roome enough in hell for thee and all thy fellowes hell hath opened her mouth wide nay the more companions thou hast had in thy sinnes the more shall be thy plagues Quest. O saith one all the world lies in sinne and we doe no more then the world doth Answ. But if the world lies in sin Christ never prayed for the world and he will never save the world What a senselesse thing is this to be such a 〈◊〉 as God hates Is this all thy pleasure that thou art a hater of God What ods is it for a man to be stabbed with a penknife or with a speare or for a man to be murdered in the streets or in his bed so though thy sinnes be not hydious blasphemies and the like yet if they be petty oathes they are enough to sinke thy soule It is not your great swearer but no swearer shall come into the Kingdome of heaven the text saith not no great liers shall enter into heaven but no liers shall enter into heaven What differeÌ„ce is there between a man that goes to hell for open rebellion and a man that goes to hell for civill profession and what difference is there betweene an open adulterer and a secret adulterer Quest. But some will say are not all sinfull by nature and are not some saved and why not I as well as others Answ. For answer I say no man is saved by nature but if any be saved the Lord opens his eyes and breakes his heart and so it must be with thee too if ever thou thinkest to receive any mercy from God Secondly there is also a naturalnesse in a sinfull course and they say it is my nature and infirmity and I am of a cholericke disposition I shall sometimes sweare when I am angry and I cannot but be drunke sometimes when I light into good company Quest. What would you have of us Saints on earth Answ. I either Saints or Devills never sanctified never saved never pâ—rged never glorified as the Apostle Saint Iohn saith He that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as he is pure he striveth with his whole endeauour to be pure and alwayes he hath a respect to all Gods commandemeÌ„ts And as the author to the Hebrewes saith pursue faith and holinesse without which no man can be saved If thou dost say if it were an honour to pray in my family if Gentlemen and Knights did it I would doe it I tell thee if holines doth seeme to fly away by disgrace persecution theÌ„ you must pursue it Nay dost thou say it is thy nature to sinne Then I say the greater is thy wickednesse if it be thy nature so to doe We hate not a man because he drinkes poyson but we hate a â—oad because it is of a poysonus nature therfore rather mourne the more for thy sinnes because it is thy cursed nature so to doe And say Lord did only temptations or the world allure me to this there were some hope that thou wouldest have mercy upon me but O Lord I have a cursed nature and though there were no Devills nor world no temptations outwardly yet this cursed nature of mine would sinne against thee They that have received Christ have a new nature and therefore if I have a carnall corrupt nature then my condition is most fearefull And say did temptations the world allure me then there were some hope of mercy but it is my nature to sinne and therefore my estate and condition is most miserable wretched Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Thirdly many say words are but winde and all this winde shakes no corne And so when we presse men to the inward worke of the soule not onely to keepe men from the halter but to tell them they must pull downe their proud hearts and be humbled for their sinnes and the like then they reply thoughts flie away suddenly and thoughts are free To which I answer these words are such winde as will blow downe thy soule into the bottomlesse pit of hell It is not I that say so but our Saviour himselfe By thy words thou shalt be justisfied and by thy words thou shalt be condemned though you make nothing of your swearing and idle thoughts and revilings of Gods people yet the God of heaven will require them at your hands and you shall either receive acquittance from Christ of them or else vengeance for ever for them For the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints in flaming fire to punish not onely murtherers and adulterers and the like but all ungodly ones the Lord will call thee to an accompt for all thy abominations nay for all thy speeches against the people of God upon thy ale-bench when thou diddest tosse theÌ„ too and fro and the Lord will set thy sinnes in order before thee nay he will call thee to an accompt for them for all thy thoughts though
of the soule be sucked up Meditation breakes the soule and layeth waight upon the soule in this case It is a passage remarkable of Peter the text saith when our Saviour told Peter that before the cock crew twice he should deny him thrice in the last verse of the chapter the second time the cocke crew Peter remembred the words of our Saviour when he thought therupon he went out and wept bitterly the word in the originall is this the holy man catcht all together and heaped all the circumstances together and reasoned thus the cocke crowes now I remember the words of Christ oh what a wretch am I that should deny such a master that called me such a master as found me such a master as was mercifull unto me when I never saw my selfe nor my sinnes he plucked me out from my sinnes It is that master I have denyed he came to doe me good to save me and I have denyed him Nay even at a dead lift if ever I should have defended him I should have defended him now if ever stood for him I should have stood for him now but to deny my master and forsweare him that I should do it an Apostle beloved an Apostle thus honored that I should doe it when I professed the contrary what such a master denied by me such an Apostle at such a time before such persons and forced to it by such a silly maiden All these sinfull circumstances the manner of them the nature of them the haynousnesse of them the holy Apostle laid all these to his heart and his heart sunck under these circumstances thus gathered together and he went out and wept bitterly Looke as it is in war were there many scores that came against an army they might be conquered or many hundreds might be resisted but if many thousands should come against a small army it would be in danger to be overcome Meditation leadeth as it were an army of arguments an army of curses and miseries and judgements against the soule how ever one misery or plague will not downe but a man may brooke it and goe away with it yet meditation brings an army of arguments and tells the soule God is against thee wherever thou art what ever thou dost And then the heart begins to cry out as Elisha's servant did Master what shall I doe what so many sinnes and so haynous and so many judgements denounced and shall fall upon me for them Lord how shall I doe how shall I be delivered from these pardoned for these thus meditation brings home sin more powerfully to the heart The second argument is this as meditation brings in all bills of account so secondly meditation fastens sinne upon the consciences of those to whom the word of God is spokē more strōgly in so much that the soule cannot make escape from the truth of God delivered and from the judgements of God denounced against him Sometimes when men heare the word and threatnings denounced then their hrarts are touched and they goe away resolved not to commit sinne as they have done But when they are gone it workes not but the heart recoyles againe and goeth to his owne course againe The reason is because you meditate not on the word It is with the word as with a Slave if a man have never so good a salve which will helpe a soare in foure and twentie houres if a man shall doe nothing but lay this salve to the wound and take it off it would never heale the wound and no wonder Why he will not let it lie on the best salve under heaven will not heale a sore and eate out a corruption unlesse it be bound on and let lie So it is with the good word of God many a soule heareth the word of God and his heart is touched for his sinne and his conscience beginnes to be awakened but when he goeth out of the Church all is gone his affections die and his heart dies and his conscience is not touched no wonder you will not hold the word to your soules you heare sinne and not heare it you wil see sinne and not apprehend it and therfore it is that the word over-powers not your corruptions Do you thinke the salve will work when you keepe it not on The word of God is the salve conviction of Conscience is like the binding on of the salve meditations like the binding of it to the sore remember the truth which touched thee first and keep that on let nothing take it away from thy minde hold that good word close to the soule and it will keepe thy heart in the very same temper after the delivery thereof as it was in the delivery The Apostle Iames compares a slight hearer to a man that lookes his face in a glasse slightly that forgets himselfe what visage he had but saith Who so looketh unto the law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the word this man shall be blessed in his deeds the Law of liberty is the Law of God and this Law being a glasse You must not onely heare and be gone and slight and neglect it but you must continue in looking and then you shall see the complexion of your sinnes and the vilenesse of your corruptions when the drunkard heareth the basenesse of his sinnes and the adulterer the basenes of his abominations they looke themselves slightly in the glasse of the Law But they must carry away the glasse with them and looke themselves still the adulterer must say I am a prophane creature and my heart is polluted Conscience defiled and this soule hardned and I shal be damned if a man should thus looke and view his sinnes and carry away the glasse with him continually he would see his life so ugly and his heart so base that he could not be able to beare it If the pills be never so bitter yet if a man swallow them suddenly there is no great distast but if a man chaw a pill it wil make a man deadly sicke because it is against the nature of it so our sinnes are like these pills they goe downe somewhat pleasantly because we swallow downe our oathes prophannes our malice and contempt of God and his ordinances and we make it nothing to mocke at the religion of God and the professors of it you swallow downe pills now but God will make you chaw those pills one day and then they will be bitter Though the swearer swallowes down his oathes now yet at last the Lord will make him remember that he will not hold him guiltlesse but araigne him at the day of judgement and make him cry guilty at the barre and againe will make you chaw over your malice you hated the Lords word and the workes of his Spirit and this will condemne you Againe meditation doth beset the heart of a man that he cānot escape wheresoever he is meditation brings
and pitch of meditation thus farre see and affect and drawe your hearts to the consideration of your sinnes that the soule may be forced to goe to Christ and use all meanes to find him pray for a Christ heare for a Christ use all meanes and see a need of a Christ to blesse thee in all thy services and see a need of a Christ to pardon thy sinnes and then you take a right course And thus much for the second passage now we see how to follow meditation home that the soule may be affected therewith and holden thereto Ay but you will say our thoughts are dull and our meditation fraile and our wants heavy and little good we get by this meditation we fall to sinne againe how shall we come to get the life of meditation that it may be to us as it ought to be I answer the meanes to make meditation powerfull are two I confesse after a man hath mused and pondered it is possible that a corrupt heart may recoile and fall backe againe therefore there are two helpes to put more life into meditation First labour to call in the helpe and assistance of conscience that meditation may be more fruitfull and powerfull conscience is a great commander it is Gods vicegerent and chiefe officer and God is the general overseer of all the affaires of the world but conscience hath authority to execute Judgement according to the sentence God hath revealed and hath a greater command with the heart then bare meditation hath understanding and reason are but the underlings of the wil they are but servaÌ„ts subjects to the wil and these only suggest and advise unto the will what is good as a servant may suggest to his master what is good and yet his master may take what he list refuse what he please in this kind But conscience hath a greater command Rom. 2.15 conscience is said to accuse or excuse a man and conscience comes with a law and a command as the Apostle saith 1. Iohn 3.20 If our hearts condemne us conscience makes the heart to yeeld I compâ—â—e it thus look as it is happily with a man that is in debt if a man have a writ out for him he is not troubled greatly with that he will not goe to prison because of that nay though he shew it him yet he will not goe but if he brings the Sergeanâ—â—o arrest him then he must go and and then he must be imprisoned whether he will or noe So it is here meditation brings in the writ and sheweth a man his sinnes layeth open all his duties neglected so many hundred duties omitted so many thousand sinnes committed so many prophanatioÌ„s of Sabbaths so many oathes so many blasphemies but the soule saith What is this to me I have sinned and others have sinned and I shall doe as well as others but conscience is a Sergeant and Sergeants do your office these are your sinnes and as you will answer it at the day of Judgement take heed of those sins upon paine of everlasting ruine When conscience begins thus to arrest a man then the heart comes and gives way to the truth revealed and conscience thus settles it upon the heart The Second meanes whereby meditation may get power upon the soule is this we must cry crave and call for the spirit of humiliation and contrition that God by that blessed spirit of his which in Scripture is called the spirit of bondage would set to his helping hand assist conscience his officer take the matter into his owne hand and because there are many rebellious corruptions that oppose Gods truth we must call to heaven for helpe that God would seise upon the heart and breake it A perverse heart will linde the Judgement and say I will have my sinnes though I be damned for them and when conscience comes and saith I will beare witnes against you for your pride and covetousnesse and prophanesse They resist conscience Looke as it is if a Sergeant arrest a man he may escape his hands or kill the Sergeant but if the Sheriffe or the King himself come take the prisoner in hand then he must goe to prison whether he will or no so it is here though a corrupt heart can stoppe conscience stay conscience yet there is a commanding power of Gods spirit the spirit of humiliation And when God comes from heaven to aide his officer the heart must stoope and be governed Looke as it is with a child that is under government his father perhaps bids the servant correct him now it is admirable to see how the child will taunt with the servant and struggle with him mightily now when the father heareth this he saith Give me the rod and he tells the child you would not be whipped but I will scourge you and he will set it home and plague him so much the more because he resisted the servant So it is here the Lord hath revealed his will and sent his ministers to discover your sins and verrifie your hearts it is strange to see what resistance we finde one scornes to heare and rebells against the minister Well however the voice of the minister or the word cannot make the blow fall heavy enough for the time yet if the Lord take the rod into his owne hand he will make the stoutest stomack stoope and the hardest heart come in when the father takes the rod into his hand and lets in hell fire he will set it home take it off who will or can the Apostle cals it the spirit of bondage and observe the place When the spirit of bondage commeth then commeth feare The spirit of bondage is said to be the spirit of feare as who should say the Lord sheweth a man his bondage by the Almighty power of his Spirit and will make the soule feele it and stoope unto it In Iob the Lord doth shew unto men their workes and then he commands them to returne he openeth their eare to discipline saith the text and commandeth that they returne from iniquity he openeth the eye and maketh a man see his sinnes and then he commands the heart to returne whether it will or no. When the Lord doth shew unto man his sinnes and holds him to his sinnes that he cannot looke off them this is the worke of the spirit of bondage when conscience hath done his duty and yet his mouth is stopped then the Lord himselfe comes and however the word by the mouth of the ministery could not prevaile yet God will set the sun-light of his spirit to your soules and then you shall see your sinnes and stoope under them When a man would cut off the sense of sinne yet where ever he is and what ever he doth the Lord presents his sins to him when he goeth in the way he reades his sinnes in the pathes when he is at meate his sinnes are before him when he goeth to lie downe he goeth to read
his sinnes on the teaster of his bed this is thy covetousnesse and thy pride and for these thou shalt be plagued Looke upon these sinnes they are thine owne thou hast deserved punishments to be inflicted upon thee for them thus we see the grouÌ„ds how meditation must be raised We see how we may bring meditation home to the heart we see how also we may get the life power of meditation I thought to have propounded an example that you may see the practice of the truth delivered as imagine it were the sinne of the opposing of the word I would breake my soule withall first by meditation cast the compasse of this sin looke into the word see whatsoever the word hath revealed of this sinne The text saith by this meanes the anger of the Lord is marvelously provoked in so much that he will laugh at the destruction of such Nay by this meanes Christ himselfe is despised nay our condemnation is hereby sealed irrecoverably 2. Chron. 36.16 the text saith They despised Gods word till the wrath of the Lord arose and there was no remedy Nay hereby we aggravate our condeÌ„nation For Christ saith Mat. 11.22 Woe be to thee Bethsayda Woe be to thee Chorazin for if the mightie workes which have beene done in thee had beene done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented in dust and ashes But it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgement then for thee Nay the Author to the Hebrewes saith 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation The case of such a man is desperate how shall we escape Thus you see the reach how farre this sinne goeth gather up all then and tell your hearts of this when they rebell and oppose the word of God How dare I doe this what provoke God so farre as to laugh at my destruction what despise Christ and his Spirit nay make my case irrecoverable and aggravate to my condemnation but if the heart will not stoope under this then call for conscience conscience to your charge and then conscience comes and chargeth the soule on paine of everlasting condemnation to heare and to be humbled And if this will not doe intreat the Lord to take the rod into his owne hand and bring these truths home unto the soule that it may never be quieted till it be humbled this is the course I would have you take to bring the truth home to your soules When the minister hath done his sermon then your worke beginnes you must heare all the weeke long he that never meditates of his sinnes is never like to be broken hearted for his sinnes take notice of this The text saith of these converts They were pricked in their hearts This clause of the verse discovers unto us that which brings in this shiverednesse and contrition of spirit which the Lord cals for at the hands of his servants Now give me leave to make way for my selfe by opening of the words that having taken away all the vaile from them you may more clearely see the truth delivered First let me shew you what this piercing or pricking of the heart is Secondly what is meant by heart You must know that sound sorrow or sorrow soundly set on is here meant by pricking and this word pricking resembles sorrow in three degrees For the word in the originall imports not only a bare pricking but a searching quite through and we have no word in our English tongue to answere the same word but onely a shiverednesse of soule all to pieces I say there are three things wherein pricking resembles sorrow First the body cannot be pricked but there must be some paine some griefe some trouble wrought by it and accompanying of it Secondly it is the separation of one part from another as the naturall Philosophers couceive and as the Physitian gives us to understand it is the sundering of two parts Thirdly the parts being thus pricked there is the letting of it out and if any blood or water be in that part thus pricked so answerably in this sound sorrow in heart there are three things I meane in that sorrow which is set home by the Almighty First there is a great griefe and vexation of soule Secondly by reason of the burthen that lieth upon the heart that cursed knot and union and combination betweene sinne and the soule comes in some measure to be severed and parted the soule being thus grieved with the sinne is content to be severed from it this is the thing we aime at Thirdly this knot of corruption being loosened and this closure being broken and the souldring betweene sinne and the soule being removed there is now a passage for the letting out of all these corruptions that the heart may be taken from under the power of sinne and be subject to the power and guidance of God This is the true nature of sorrow And by the way consider this unlesse the Lord should thus wound and vexe the soule the heart that prizeth corruption as a God as every naturall man doth would never be severed from it did the soule see onely the delight in sinne it would never part from it and therefore God is forced to make us feele this that we may be severed from our sinnes and be subject to him in all obedience Secondly what is meant by heart not to tyre you with any matter of signification this word implieth two things specially which concerns our purpose both may be implied and intended but the first is mainely implied and intented it is not the naturall part of a man which is in the middest of the body that is a fleshly heart but it is the will it selfe and that abilitie of â—oule whereby the heart saith I will have this and I will not have that As the understanding is setled in the head and keepes his sentinell there so the will is seated in the heart when it comes to taking or refusing this is the office of the will and â—t discovers his act there As our Saviour saith Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also And as the Apostle saith a man confesseth with his mouth and beleeveth with his heart So then they were not onely pricked as with a pinne but this sorrow seiseth upon the soule and pierceth unto the very will it was not outward overly sorrow but that which went to the very root and entred into the very heart From these words thus opened the Doctrine I might have handled from this point is that sins unpardoned are of a piercing nature they were not onely pricked because they heard the words but their sins peirced them but I will not meddle with this point though otherwise is were very usefull The use is this might take off the Imagination of those that thinke there 〈◊〉 no delight but in sinfull courses they are much deceived There is no gall but in sinne and there is no sorrow but from sinne
himselfe displeased with me it is the God of all grace and comfort that hath filled my heart with the venom of his wrath if there be any pitty or compassion in you lend helpe and succour such poore distressed soules if a woman be in travell and her strength faileth her oh what bitter cries shee puts forth with that all her neighbours come to helpe her and when they have done all they can they pray to heaven for that they cannot doe themselves And as it is with a man that is swounding away they runne for strong cordiall water and for this man and that friend to succour him and they cry all help help for the Lords sake he is cleane gone this is all well it is a worke of mercy and pitty But men brethren and fathers you know not the heart breaking sorrows that are in the soules of these poore creatures he lies as it were in childbed and is in the very pangs of conversion and his heart is even now at a ha even now to be converted and loosned from sinne and to have Christ brought into his soule O that God would send some amongst you that you might see some experience of it Oh faith the poore soule will these and these sinnes never be pardoned and will this proud heart never be humbled thus the soule â—ighes mournes and saith Lord I see this and feele the burthen of it and yet I have not a heart to be humbled for it nor to be freed from it Oh whence will it once be did you but know this it would make your hearts to bleed to heare him it is not the swounding away of a man in a qualme No No the sword of the Almighty hath pierced through his heart and he is breathing out his sorrow as though he were going downe to hell and he saith if there by any mercy any love any fellowship of the spirit have mercy upon me a poore creature that am under the burthen of the Almighty O pray and pitty these wounds and vexations of spirit which no man finds nor feeles but he that hath been thus wounded It is the signe of a soule wholy denoted to destruction that hath a desperate disdaine against poore wounded creatures O saith one I hope you have hearing enough have you not it may be you will tumble downe into a well or hang your selfe will you not Oh fearefull is it possible there should harbour such a spirit in any man there is not a greater brand of a man denoted to destruction then this I doe not say onely he is starke naught for the present but it is a fearefull brand of a man denoted to eternall destruction if the devill himselfe were upon earth I cannot conceive what he could doe worse When the woman was about to be delivered the Red Dragon was there ready to destroy the child see what the Prophet David saith of such Lord powre out thy wrath upon the heathen that know not thee and the Kingdomes that have not knowne thy name let thy wrathfull displeasure take hold of them that adde iniquity unto iniquity let them not come into thy righteousnesse let them be blotted out of thy booke What 's the reason of this why did David make this imprecation and say Lord seâ— open the gates of hell that thy wrath may fall upon the soules of such as these are the text saith they persecute him whom thou hast smitten the Lord smites a poore sinner and thou art ready to persecute him too the Lord hath wounded him wilt thou stabbe him to the heart Good Lord adde iniquity to iniquity The sin is marvelous and the curse unconceivable When Amaleck met Israel and tooke them at advantage because they were weake and weary Remember saith the text what he did to thee in the way how he feared not God and the Lord saith I remember what Amaleck did to the people of Israel goe therefore and blot out his name from under heaven and kill all both young and old This is a true type of such as are enemies to the poore Saints of God that are thus desolate and wounded in their consciences their being in the wildernes was a type of the Saints conversion and their comming to Canaan was a type of the Saints ariving at the heavenly City Jerusalem Now canst thou jeere at the Saints that are thus wounded and canst thou wound them further and pierce him to the heart and discourage him The Lord will remember thee in the day of thy death and as thou hast shewed no mercy so shalt thou receive no mercy in that day I have knowne many such opposers of God and his Grace that have beene forced to lay violent hands vpon themselves and when the Lord hath gotten some of them upon their sick bed they lye roaring there and the Lord layes his full wrath vpon them If there be any such in this congregation I pray God let them see some sudden veine of his vengeance that if it be possible they may finde and feele the waight of this trouble of conscience that they themselves also may finde mercy from the Lord. The second part of the Vse is this as we must pitty those thus wounded so hereby we see the best way to send help to such as are wounded in their hearts the woâ—nd is in the heart therefore let the salve be applyed to the heart It is in vaine to tell a poore wounded soule of Hawkes or Hounds or the like hee is not wounded in his body but in his heart the physicke must be applyed to the part diseased If the head be sick or sore you must not apply a salve to the arme and if the brest be ill you must not apply a salve to the foot so it is a vaine thing to offer riches or pleasures or profits to a man that is wounded in his conscience for sin the wound is not there if the wound were in disquietnesse then pleasure will cure it if the wound were in poverty then riches would cure him if the wound were in basenes and contempt then honours would cure him No thy heart is wounded and the conscience is terrified in the apprehension of Gods wrath And therefore apply the spiritual Balme of Gilead even the blood of Christ the case is cleare that all the Crosses and Crucifixes and Agnus dei in the world al the popish pardons can doe no good to a wounded Conscience There is never a popish shaveling under heaven can cure a wouÌ„ded soule hee cannot apply that spirituall salve that should comfort him hee may delude him and lead him into the commission of sinne but he cannot minister any true comfort unto him thus they cure a poore Christian by searing of his conscience and make him sinne so much the more and neuer be troubled for sinne as if a man should kill a sicke person and say now he feeles no hurt so it often fals out that a man
let us admire and blesse this good God and not quarrell with his ministers nor providence and say other men have comfort and therefore why am I so troubled and disquieted how now It is endlesse mercy that thou livest therefore downe with thy proud heart and stifle those distempers of Spirit and say The Lord hath broken and wounded me but blessed be his name that I may come to Church and that he hath not dealt with me as I have deserved but in goodnesse and mercy I hope God in his season will doe good to my soule Secondly let us be wise to nourish this same blessed worke in our hearts for ever let us have our hearts more and more strengthened because thereby our hearts will be more more inabled to beare and undergoe any thing if you have but a little glimpse of hope cover it and labour to maintaine it and if ever God let in any glimpse of mercy into your hearts let it not goe out it is ever good to take that way that God takes the Lord sustaines our hearts with hope hope is the sinewes of the soule therefore strengthen it As a marriner that is tost with a tempest in a darke night when he sees no starres he casts anchor and that cheares him this hope is the anchor of the soule whereby it lookes out and expects mercy from God the poore soule seeth no light nor comfort nothing but the wrath of an angry God and he saith God is a just God and a jealous God even that God whose truth I have opposed is displeased with me then the soule is tossed and troubled and runnes upon the rockes of despaire how shall the soule be supported in this condition you will finde this true one day therefore looke to it before you vile drunkards are now sayling in a faire gale of pleasure and carnall delight but when the Lords wrath shall seaze upoÌ„ you wheÌ„ he shal let in the flashes of hel fire then you are tossed sometimes up to heaven now downe to hell therefore cast anchor now and this hope will uphold you for this hope is called the anchor of the soule Thou dost not yet see the Lord refreshing of thee but it may be otherwise The people of NiniviÌ„e said Who knowe's but God may repent this upheld their hearts and made them seeke to the Lord in the use of the meanes and the Lord had mercy on them If you belong unto the Lord he will come against those drunken proud hearts and rebellious hearts of yours and dragge them downe to hell and make them sorrow for their sinnes And remember this against that day Who knowes but the Lord may shew mercy and therefore yet heare and pray and fast and seeke unto him for mercy We fence those parts of our bodies most that are most pretious and the hurt whereof is most dangerous Hope is called the helmes of salvation and the assurance of Gods love is the head of a Christian now take away a Christians head and he is cleane gone the devil ever labours for that and saith You come to heaven prove it Loe you thinke God hath need of drunkards and adulterers in heaven and will God provide a crowne of glory for his professed enemies Hath God made heaven a hog-fâ—ie for such uncleane wretches as you are No no there is no such expectation of mercy this wounds the head of the soule but hope is the helmet that covers the head of a Christian makes him say I confesse I am as bad as any man can say of me heaven is a holy place and and I have no goodnesse at all in me yet there is hope the Lord may breake this proud heart of mine and take away these distempers of Spirit Now by this meanes the head of a Christian is kept sure Quest. But some will say how shall we maintaine this hope in our hearts and by what meanes may we feed this hope Answ. The meanes are especially three First take notice of the Al-sufficiencie of God as he hath revealed himselfe in his word say not as many do I cannot conceive it or I cannot finde it but what doth the word say Is not God able to pardon thy sinnes away then with those I cannot conceive it and the like Is there any thing hard for me saith God Whatsoever thy estate is there is nothing hard to him that hath hardnesse at command when our Saviour said It is as easie for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle as for a rich man to goe into heaven Good Lord said they Who can be saved But Christ said with God all things are possible if you looke unto man how he is glued to the world so that all the ministers under heaven cannot pull him away but still he will lie and cozen Reason and Judgement cannot conceive how this man should be saved but with God all things are possible See what the Apostle saith Abraham above hope beleeved under hope that he should be the Father of many nations this he did because he knew he which had promised was able to performe it and this did feed his hope he did beleeve above hope in regard of the creature under hope in regard of God As if he had said I have a dead body but God is a living God and Sarah hath a barren wombe but God is a fruitfull God It may be thou sayest Object if any exhortatioÌ„ would have wrought upon me then my heart might have beene brought to a better passe but can this stubborne heart of mine be made to yeild And can these strong corruptions of mine be subdued Howsoever thou canst not doe it Answ. yet God can quicken thee and although thou art a damned man yet he is a mercifull God this all-sufficiencie of God is a hooke whereon our soules hang when the Apostles had prayed that the minds of the Ephesians might be opened and that they might be able to know the love of Christ because some one might say how shall we know that which is above knowledge the text saith Now to him that is able to doe abuÌ„dantly above all that we can thinke or aske according to his mighty power that worketh in us to him be glory As though he had said though you cannot thinke or aske as you should yet God is able to doe exceeding abundantly more then we can thinke or aske so then no more but this we are not able of our selves to thinke a good thought yet there is sufficient power in God and though we are dead hearted and damned wretches yet there is sufficient salvation in God Let us hang the handle of hope on this hooke Secondly the freenesse of Gods promise marvelously lifts up the head above water as the beggar saith The doale is free why may not I get it as well as another This sometimes dasheth our hopes when the soule begins to thinke what mercy is offered he saith
hides his sinne take heed that God say not Amen when thou art going the way of all flesh Then thou wilt cry for mercy but then the Lord will say remember that impostumed heart of thine might have been launced and cured but thou wouldest needs keepe thy lusts and corruptions still For the Lord Jesus Christs sake now pitty your selves if you desire your everlasting comfort now take shame to your selves that you may be for ever glorified O now launce those proud rebellious hearts of yours that you may finde some ease teare now in pieces those wretched hearts that the coare being let out the cure may be good sound Secondly this reproves the cunning hypocrit howsoever he is content to be ashamed for his sinne and to shew the foulnesse of it yet it is admirable to consider what sly passages and trickes he will have before he comes to open any thing sometimes he sends for a faithfull minister and it is his entendment to confesse his folly and yet he goes backe againe and confesseth nothing at all but if the Lord follow the close hearted hypocrit and let in some more of his indignation and make his wrath to seaze upon his soule then he sets downe a resolution to confesse all and yet there is such dawbing such secret acknowledgment of sinne it stickes in his teeth something he will say that may be every man can say against him and then he speakes of hardnesse of heart and of wandering thoughts and that which even the best of Gods people are troubled withall but he never comes to those sinfull lusts that lie heavyest upon his soule If a man that is sicke have a foule stomacke but yet is unfit to vomit it may be he casts the uppermost up but the spawne of it remaines so it is with the hypocrite he saith something and now and then a word fals from him he would faine bite it in againe if he could but there is a witnesse within that must not be seene When Rachel had stolne her Father Labans Idolls he followed after Iacob for them and searched among the stuffe but Rachel being something foolishly addicted that way sate still upon them and Laban must not search there So it is with the close hearted hypocrite he is content to confesse that which all the world cryes shame of him for but there is some Idoll lust as secret uncleannes or private theft that he will not confesse Now for the terrour of all such gracelesse persons I desire to discover two things in the point First that this is a marvelous fearfull sinne Secondly it is a dangerous sinne First me thinkes the sinne it selfe is like the sinne of Ananias and Saphyra hee sold all that he had and as the Lord moved him and commanded him he gave way to it that it should be given to the poore But when it was sold he kept backe one part of it and when Peter said Did you sell it for so much Is this all the price Yes saith he Now mark what Peter saith Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou hast not lyed to man but to God Satan many times steps into the heart but when he is said to fill the heart he shuts out the worke of judgement and reason and the Word and Spirit and all good Resolutions in those particular occasions which concerne a man As if Sathan should say Knowledge shall not direct him the Spirit shall not perswade him the word shall not prevaile with his heart but I will take possession of him in despite of all these this is Sathans filling of the heart Thus it is with the Hypocrite his conscience is awakened and saith Thou must confesse thy sinnes or else thou shalt be damned for them the word commands thee and the Spirit perswades thee to confesse thy sinne and hereupon thou saist This is my condition and there is no ease nor comfort to be had in private means and therefore I must goe to some faithfull Minister and reveale my selfe to him and when thou hast done thou keepest backe halfe from him and thou lyest against Conscience the Word and Spirit and all and when the Minister saith Is this the bottome of thy sinne Diddest thou not commit such and such a sinne Oh! no I was never guilty of any such matter and yet thou lyest Marke what I say this is to have Satan fill thy heart thou givest up thy heart into the possession of the Devill Knowledge directs thee not the Spirit perswades not and the Word prevailes not but the Devill crowds into every corner of thy heart and thou wilt cover thy sins and so perish for them everlastingly But secondly as the sinne is vile and odious so it is as dangerous Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper saith the Wiseman Howsoever thy heart may be still for a while yet thou shalt not prosper in thy Family nor in the Word and Sacraments but all meanes are accursed to thee thou shalt receive no mercy at all hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall finde mercy but he that confesseth not his sinnes shall not finde mercy As wee use to have a neast egge to breed upon so it is the Devils cunning to leave a neast egge some bosome lust or other in thy soule and the Devill sits upon this same as upon a neast egge and when the Devill is cast out by a slight overly confession of your sinnes yet there is some secret lust still left in the heart and that will breed a thousand abominations more in you For I beseech you take notice of this the Devill returnes and brings seven Devils more then himselfe and he hatcheth seven times more uncleannesses then there was before therefore as you desire that Satan may not fill your hearts and as you desire to have any meanes blessed to you come off kindly and currantly eyther not confesse at all or else confesse currantly that you may finde mercy in the time of need The second Use is for Instruction to shew us that a broken hearted sinner is easily convicted of his sinnes and willing to under-goe any reproofe hee that will confesse his sinnes freely of himselfe will easily yeeld when hee is called upon to doe it If the word lay any thing to his charge he will not deny it a man need not bring any witnesses against him he will never seeke to cover his sinne but if any occasionall passage of speech come that may discover his sinne he takes it presently and yeelds to it and saith I am the man I confesse this is my sinne and my folly he doth not fence his heart against the truth To whom shall I looke saith God even to a man that hath a contrite heart and trembles at my word this is the root and this is the fruit the heart must be contrite and broken by the hammer of Gods Law before it can shake at the hearing of the word A
well pleased that any minister should meet with the base haunts of his heart and if the word hit wound that master-sinne of his hee is marvelous content therewith hee cares not from whom the help comes The sharpest and keenest reproofes that will shake his very heart and draw blood out of sinne and the most powerfull deliverer of Gods word that divides betweene the marrow and the bones hee likes best Nay though the great Cannons roare and Gods ordinances worke mightily upon his heart so that his corruptions may bee killed and subdued hee blesseth the Lord and saith Blessed be the Lord I have had a good day of it the Lord layed battery against this wretched heart of mine I blesse God for these reproofes and judgements threatned my heart is in some measure broken under them I hope my corruptions have gotten their deaths wound this day Thirdly as hee desires to see sinne killed in himselfe so hee is not able to see sinne in others but so farre as God hath put authority and opportunity into his hands he pursues it with deadly indignation As a man that hates a murderer hee will not onely keepe him from his owne house but hee pursues him even to the place of Justice So the Soule that truly hates sinne will not onely keepe sinne from his owne heart but hee will plucke it from the hearts of others so farre as possibly he may When Haman had a spleene against Mordecai hee was not onely desirous to kill him but hee would kill all the nation of the Iewes this was hatred indeed so it is with a broken heart If a broken hearted father have had a proud heart and hath beene wearyed with it hee labours to kill all the brood of those cursed distempers in his children Lastly hee labours to crosse and undermine all those occasions and meanes that have given any succour to his corruptions of heart the soule hath such a secret grudge against the thriving of sinne that it lothes all occasions that may maintaine his sinne as the drunkard and adulterer hate the place where they went in to commit sinne As in warre haply they cannot take the enemy but they will drive him out of the Country and burne downe all his Forts and fill up all his Trenches that hee may finde no provision so the heart that truly hates sinne and hath beene truly broken for it will hate all occasions and whatsoever may be any meanes to strengthen it Even all these proud and whorish lockes and these Spanish cuts all these wanton and garish attires and light behaviours which were nothing else but the Tent wherein his vaine filthy light heart hath lodged Thus it was with Mary Magdalen the reason why it is so is this because the heart that hath beene broken for sinne and burdened with the evill of it hath now found by wofull experience that sinne is the greatest evill of all others and therefore for the preservation of it selfe it will hate that sinne which separates betweene God and the Soule and with which the safety of the soule cannot stand Every thing in reason desires the safety and preservation of it selfe the soule knowes sinne to be the greatest enemy and therefore it is most invenomed with violence against sinne and â—aith Whence come all these miseries and what is the mint out of which all these plagues and Judgements come Is it not my sinne It is not povertie it is not sicknesse nor disgrace that pincheth mee but my sinne first caused all these It is the poyson of sinne in povertie and the poyson of sinne in shame and the wrath of God in all these by reason of my sinne These evills were not evill to mee but that my sinnes make them so Had I a heart to feare GOD and to love him and depend upon him in poverty God would inrich mee and in shame hee would honour mee and in misery hee would comfort mee It is not povertie nor shame that doth hurt mee but sinne lyes and venomes my soule And therefore the soule now cryes Men and Brethren What shall I doe to bee freed from these corruptions Great are the evills that I have found and marvellous are the plagues that I have felt by reason of my sinnes but farre worse will that portion bee that I shall have in hell in endlesse torments hereafter this will bee the perfection of all misery let it bee any thing rather then this it is better here now to be plagued then everlastingly damned The first Use is a ground of admirable comfort and strong consolation to all such as have found this dislike and hatred of sinne hee may be sure his heart hath beene broken for sinne and so consequently hee shall certainly have Christ and grace I doubt not but every soule is perswaded of this and saith Indeed if I could finde my soule greeving within me for my rebellions and sinnes then I did not doubt it but how shall I know whether my soule hath beene ever as yet truely wounded for sinne as sinne Answ. I answer if thou hast this hatred and thy heart is carried against thy sinnes with an utter indignation against them then certainely thy soule hath been truly broken indeed sometimes a man doth hate his sinnes more then ever he hath been burthened with them but thus it is commonly if thy hatred be good thy sorrow hath been sincere for how can thy heart goe against sinne except thou have found some evill in it and how canst thou be an enemy to corruption except thy heart hath beene wounded with it therefore let me advise all those that desire to have an evideÌ„ce of the worke of grace in their soules to goe in secret and examine their hearts whether they can make hue and cry after their corruptions can you be content that all your sinfull distempers even those that would affect you most should be made knowne either in publique by the ministry of the word or in private by some faithfull Christian and can you be content that he should come home to your hearts and dragge out your corruptions before the world then you have beene wounded for sinne and are enemies against it as David saith Trie me O Lord and examine me and prove my heart and my reines and see if there be any wickednesse in me He deales like a good subject that lockes all the doores and bids the officers search if there be any traitor in his house if any one hide the traitor he is a traitor himselfe in so doing so David as it were sets open the doore of his heart and saith Good Lord if there any wickednesse in me yet not discovered Lord let that word that Spirit and that messenger of thine finde it out reprove me convince me Lord and discover my hypocrisie and pride of heart This is an honest heart certainly Secondly when thou hast found out thy sinne by the help of the minister then