Lord saith that man is a naturall man Now many soule can say I am not perswaded of these things which the Gospell reveales why then the cases cleare thou sayst plainely thou canst not receive the things of God why then the Lord saith the Text saith and God of heaven saith that thou art a naturall man as thou camest into the world and that thou hast not the grace and spirit of Christ But then some may say if I be a natural man what then what hurt is it And therefore in the fourth place it is an use of terrour I presume many that have heard this will say wee are so and shall a man bee ashamed because he is a naturall man Therefore observe from the former doctrine a word of terrour to all naturall creatures under heaven I am almost afraid to speake of the misery of a naturall man my tongue trembles to discover the wretched fearefull damned miserable estate that every naturall man is in you thinke it is nothing to be in a natuturall estate but I tell you did you but know what the Lord hath revealed concerning a naturall man it were enough to breake the backe of a man a naturall man why it is enough to make thee goe sighing to thy grave though thou livest a thousand yeares if thou beest a naturall man thou hast not received Christ nay thou art not neare the things of a better life nay you are not onely still to attaine those things but you are not able to receive the things of the Lord Iesus whereby you may be quickned to entertaine those things and this is that which maketh the soules of naturall men miserable and the misery of those soules the more miserable because they are not onely unwilling to bee out of this condition but they are unwilling to be made willing to be out of it they boast that still they remaine in it for marke what naturall men say they bring a reproach upon Gods Saints and children what say they you are a man of the Spirit you are a spirituall professor one of the holy brethren are you miserable wretch dost thou professe thy selfe that thou art not so but that thou art a naturall man why then thou art a miserable man a naturall man why then a damned man a naturall man why thâ—â— an accursed man thou that professest thou hast no part and portion in the Lord Iesus take heede that one day hee doth not professe that hee hath no part in thee Rom. 8.9 If any man hath 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 he is none of his thou that dost make a matter of mocking at those that doe walke uprightly before God and that have the Spirit of God in them thou that proclamest to the world that thou hast not the Spirit of God the Lord proclaimes it as openly to thee that the Lord Iesus will not owne thee hee will have nothing to doe with thee and then what shall become of thee 〈◊〉 the devill must take thee at the last day when all flesh shall appeare before the judgement seate of God and the booke shall be opened and the actions of men made manifest to Saints and Angells Oh one drop of mercy then one dram of comfort then will bee worth a world Oh then you will wish Oh that Christ would save us no no you that were naturall men Christ will not owne you now you had none at all of the Spirit you have opposed the good Spirit of God and flouted it these are your spirituall men these are your holy ones thus you have mocked and blasphemed you have sayd the Spirit of Christ is not mine and therefore Christ saith hee is none of thine thy estate therefore here is miserable but thrice wretched and miserable will it be hereafter men may imagine great matters and boast of themselves of their riches and their wisedome and their honour and preferment in the world but if they be naturall there is small good at all in them they may have lands and preferments and honours but they have small good in them and therefore miserable needs must their estate bee here but farre worse hereafter Doe not thinke ye may climbe up to heaven by your owne imaginations good Lord how can a man that is in a naturall condition sleepe quietly with what contentment can hee walke when a man goeth into his fields to recreate and delight himselfe and then considers the meanes that God hath offred him whereby hee might attaine unto grace and salvation when the soule thinks with it selfe I may goe into my ground to be eased and refreshed but alas I am but a naturall man what therefore shall become of this poore soule of mine he considers with himselfe I am but in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable damned condition and then when hee returnes home still this strikes in his minde I aâ—â— but naturall flesh and blood and therefore never shall receive any spirituall comfort but when these things shall neither helpe me nor I be helpefull unto them Oh what then shall become of me I have had no part in Christ here and therefore I can never looke that hee will owne me hereafter it is a great evill for a man to have no good but this is the misery of a man that hee cannot procure any good and this is the misery of all miseries that he cannot desire to be out of this misery and yet this is the condition of every naturall man you therefore that are naturall goe into comers and mourne for your selves and those that belong unto you and for those to whom you have relation you husbands that have wives which be naturall and you wives who have naturall husbands goe and mourne for them and for you selves and sigh to heaven for mercy and pray to God that hee would be mercifull unto them and forgive them their sinnes and bring them out of their naturall estate and make them able to entertaine Christ and grace and salvation Parents mourne for your children that are naturall when thou lookest upon thy child whom thou dearely lovest and whom perhaps hath good naturall parts and is obedient unto thee in outward respects when thou beholdest this child of thine and considerest that hee is in a naturall estate then this may peirce thee to the very heart then thou mayst burst out and say woe is me that this child of mine was ever borne for he is in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable condition hee is a naturall child and herefore a child of the divell truly he is my sonne and for ought I know if God have not mercy upon him the child of the divell also a naturall child is a damned child a naturall man is an accursed man consider this doth not the Word say this doth not the Lord say this that a naturall man cannot receive the things of God and therefore deale with your owne soules and with the soules of
not to be perswaded not to bee yoaked and then they think they are the bravest men alive they care not what the Minister saies they care not what the word commands oh these men think they are in the greatest liberty of all men under the Sunne let me speak a little to these men didst thou never see a poore prisoner look out of Newgate and cry bread bread for the Lords sake or didst thou never here of a poore man that was fetter'd and cast into a filthy dark dungeon where light never came where Sunne never shined if you have seene these or heard of these do you think these men free and at liberty I appeale to your owne consciences in this case Why truly these men are free men in regard of that bondage that slavery that vassallage that those men are in which break Gods commandements Thy body indeed may be at liberty and may go from alchouse to alehouse but alas thou hast a poore soule that is shut up in sinne and corruption nay it never saw the Sunne the Sunshine of the Gospell never came unto it never any promise tooke place in thy soule never did any counsell do thee any good and yet notwithstanding these base slaves the miserable prisoners those are they that account of the poore servants of God as if they were the basest persons in the world If there be any poore soules that humble themselves and obey his commandements then they count those poore sneaks and base fellows if God commands any thing they obey it if he threatens they tremble and howle and cry and even breake their hearts because of their sinnes they account this as a base thing they count these men of no spirits but when no feare of man terrifieth them when the word of God cannot â—rule them these are royall hearts and the brave spirits of the world brave spirits for the Lord Iesus sake think of it Of all peasants in the world I tell you they are the basest bondslaves the most miserable vassals that ever breathed on the face of the earth to have sinne to be a mans commander and the devill his jaylor and his heart a hell and to have an ill conscience to be his hangman that continually keepeth the roap about his neck when there is not one haire breadth betweene death and him but if it please God by death to tutne the ladder then he is hanged in hell for ever is this freedome are these the brave spirits of the world the Lord deliver his from such liberty Should we see a malefactor arraygned imprisoned condemned and gone to the place of execution and upon the top of the ladder and the Hangman having the roap about his neck ready to turne him off would wee think this man a free man would we think him a man of a brave spirit that is in this condition I tell thee thy condition if thou beest in a naturall estate is farre worse Thou art a poore soule that hast been imprisoned and â—ettered thou art under the bondage of sinne and Satan and thy evill conscience is like a hangman that every day hath the noose about thy neck and if the ladder by death be but once turned then thou art hanged in endlesse and easelesse torments for ever never to be comforted never to be refreshed and yet these brag and say who is Lord over us why I tell you the devill is Lord over you â—and sinne is your commander you are in the greatest slavery of any men under the cope of heaven This is the first use to shew the miserable slavery that all poore creatures are in In the second place it is a word of exhortation 2 Vse Is it so that all sinnefull men are in such a wretched condition then we ought to be perswaded and intreated especially the servants of God that have had their bolts knocked off and have beene freed from the slavery of sinne and Satan these ought to be exhorted to put on the bowells of compassion and to pitty these poore creatures these poore prisoners and to lend them their helping hand to pluck them out of the mire and clay wherein they stuck It is the custome of the world if a poore prisoner be taken and condemned and is going to the place of execution why reason perswades men thus farre to yearne towards him they will be ready to pitty him and say alas poore man he is alive now within this short time he will be dead and what shall become of his soule who knowes unlesse God have mercy upon him he is like to perish for ever Why doe you see a company of proud persons covetous wretches prophane creatures in the world alas they are going to the place of execution there is but one hayres breadth between them and everlasting damnation if God turne the ladder once and a naturall death creep upon them what then shall become of their poore soules take notice therefore of these poore soules and pitty poore prisoners that are in such a wretched condition If a child that had a farher of good abilitie and of some place in the countrey wherein he lived if he should see his father for some offence apprehended by the officers and committed to prison or if he should see him go begging from doore to doore with his fetters and his bolts about his heeles oh how it would grieve him oh how he would weep and howle and say little had I thought my poore father would have come to this misery or if a wife should see her husband going to the gallowes for some haynous crime committed I know shee would have a heart to mourn for her husband in this kind she would be ready to say little thought I that my husband should have come to such an end it is his owne folly that hath brought him to this Can you pitty those that are overtaken with outward bonds with outward misery and can you mourne for that which is fallen upon their bodies why do thus much more for the soule of thy father for the soule of thy wise for the soule of thy child or thy friend and say little did I think that my father or my husband or my child should ever have been shut up in hell and fettered by Satan little did I think that ever sinne or Satan should be his jaylor that the devill should hale him to the place of execution alas he cannot speak a good word nor perform any good duty he cannot pray in his family but is shut up under pride and covetousnesse and drunkennesse and prophanenesse If thou canst pitty and pray for the body of thy father or for the body of thy husband or friend why then pitty and pray much more for the soule of thy father husband or friend It is that which is observable Deut 10.19 there saith the text you shall deale kindly with strangers why because yee your selves were strangers in the land of Aegypt we that have been in prison
THE VNBELEEVERS PREPARING FOR CHRIST LVKE 1.17 To make ready a people prepared for the Lord. By T. HOOKER LONDON Printed by The Cotes for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at the Blacke Beare in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1638. Severall Treatises of this AVTHOVR 1. THE Vnbeleevers preparing for Christ out of Revelations 22.17 1 Corinth 2.14 Ezekiel 11.19 Luke 19.42 Matthew 20.3 4 5 6. Iohn 6.44 2. The soule Preparation for Christ or a Treatise of Contrition on Acts 2.37 3. The Soules Humiliation on Luke 15. Verses 15 16 17 18. 4. The Soules Vocation or Effectuall Calling to Christ on Iohn 6.45 5. The Soules Vnion with Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 6. The Soules benefit from union with Christ on 1 Cor. 1.30 7. The Soules Iustification eleven Sermons on 2 Corinth 5.21 8. Sermons on Iâ—dges 10.23 on Psalme 119.29 on Proverbs 1.28 29. on 2 Tim. 3.5 PREPARING FOR CHRIST REV. 22.17 Whosoever will let him taste of the water of life freely BEfore the soule of a man can partake of the benefits of Christ two things are required First that the soule bee prepared for Christ Secondly that the soule bee implanted into Christ Concerning preparation there hath beene two doctrines handled out of Luke 1.17 The first of which That the soule of a poore sinner must bee prepared for the Lord Iesus Christ before it can receive him and comfort from him The second doctrine was That a powerfull Ministry is the ordinary meanes that the Lord hath appointed to prepare the soule of a poore sinner soundly for Christ Now we are to proceede in this preparation and in the handling of this generall preparation two things are to be considered First the generall circumstances that pertaine to preparation And secondly the substantiall parts of preparation For the generall circumstances which are most remarkeable in preparation they are twofold some on Gods part and these are First the freenesse of the offer of his grace Secondly the universality of this offer of grace To all And thirdly the easinesse of the condition whereupon he offereth it Whosoever will may receive it and that freely On mans part two things are to be considered First he must consider that his owne corruption doth oppose this grace of God And secondly he must consider that God hath appointed to worke this grace in man and to take away man as corruption which opposeth the same So that there bee five things considerable in preparation Five things in Prepatation as generall circumstances thereof before we come to the substantiall parts of it The first is this 1 1. namely That the offer of grace that God propounds to his 2 2. and will worke in his is free Secondly the condition of grace and Gods offer is this That a man must will to receive Christ and grace before hee can receive Christ and grace 3 3. Thirdly Hâ— that doth truly will to receive Christ and grace shall have Christ and grace 4 4. And fourthly That no man of himselfe naturally can will that hee may receive Christ Lastly That God will work a will in his servants to receive the Lord Iesus Christ 5 5. and then hee will bestow him upon them And these are the five passages which are generall circumstances of preparation And three of these points which are the three first we have in this text Every man that will let him take freely of the water of life here is the free offer of Gods mercy and goodnesse Here also we see that a man must will Christ and grace before hee can have Christ And thirdly that he that doth truly will Christ shall have him and grace and salvation by him Wee will open a word or two in the text and so proceede First wee must see what is meant here by water Secondly what is meant by water of life First what is meant by water by water is meant here the Spirituall grace of God together with the immediate assistance of his holy Spirit in the working of the same upon the soule of man In water here wee may conclude two things not onely the grace which God doth convey to the soules of his people but also the assistance of the Spirit working the same in the soule looke for the truth of this the 7. of Iohn 38 39. He that beleeveth on me saith the text as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Now what are these waters here spoken of in the next verse the text saith This spoke our Saviour of the Spirit which they that beleeved on him should receive from him that is the working assistance of his Spirit So that we see in this place of S. Iohn this phrase is expounded and so the 4. of Iohn the 10. verse the like phrase is used There our Saviour replieth to the woman of Samaria after this manner If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drinke Thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water And so in the 14 vers Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life That is hee that receiveth the grace of Gods Spirit and the assistance thereof It shall be a well of water to him springing up into everlasting life Hence it is that Christ is called The fountaine of the garden and a well of living water Can. 4.15 Ier. 2.14 He is called The fountaine of living waters My people saith the text have forsaken the fountaine of living waters and have hewen unto them Cisternes even broken Cisternes that can hold no water So that Christ Iesus is the fountaine the grace of God are the rivers and the operation of the Spirit as the streames which make glad the City of God or else Christ is the Conduit the graces of God the cocke and the operation of the Spirit is the drawer of the water which comes into the soules of his servants So that we see plainly that by water is meant the graces of Gods Spirit which God is pleased to convey and worke in the soules of his servants The second phrase in the text is water of life and wee must see what is meant by that it is as much as if a man should say quickning grace and that is said to be the water of life in two regards First because it is that which begets a spirituall life in us a man is dead without the Lord Iesus and the graces of his Spirit Without me you can doe nothing saith our Saviour but looke as it is with the graft which is out of the Stocke it prospereth not nor bringeth forth fruite but withereth away So those that are not engrafted into Christ which have not the power of Christ to assist them they are dead in trespasses and sinnes but when this grace and
Christ he would direct me if this my wretched damned soule would give entertainement to Christ he would receive me Oh! what wonderfull love mercy and goodnesse is herein discovered there can no better way be devised how God may expresse more love and shew greater mercy toward us it is the Psalmists phrase open thy mouth wide and I will fill thee lie doth not say goe and provide for your selves and feede yourselves no no the provision is made ready and we need only open our mouthes wide and God will fill them marke here the wonderfull riches of Gods bounty what greater care of provision can be expressed or expected than this that a man should onely open his mouth and that wide and it should be filled it is not spoken of the mouth naturally but of the soule spiritually doe but thou open thy soule and empty thy heart of all other things whatsoever doe but get a heart willing to welcome and give entertainement to the Lord Iesus Christ and he will fill thee full of grace here and glory for ever hereafter this is the bounty of the Lord it is the Lords mercy and goodnesse and it should it ought to be mervailous in our eyes as the Psalmist speaketh in another case we ought to admire the goodnesse of the Lord in that he is pleased to offer us Christ and Salvation upon so reasonable conditions and this is the first use Secondly the second use is a word of terrour it shewes in the second place the just and heavie condemnation of all such as perish they are damned and goe to hell and everlasting destruction because they will be damned for if you would have had Christ and grace you might have received Christ and Grace and Salvation by him Every man that will let him take of the water of life freely let him receive mercy and grace and Salvation and therefore if you have not grace it is because you will not have it and therefore if you perish thanke your selves for you would not bee saved there is never a soule this day in hell buâ— received the fruites of his owne labour the reward of their owne workes and the desire of their owne hearts nay they have their owne will if thou wilt not be recovered and receive mercy offered why then thou must be damned and perish forever he that will not receive the Lord Iesus and entertaine grace so that he may goe to heaven t is pitty but he should be damned into the lowermost pit of everlasting ruine and destruction when men come to this passe once that they are not willing to be the treasury of God but are weary to heare the Word of God preached unto them one houre and notwithstanding God hath revealed himselfe in his Word and that with some glimpse yet wicked men would not be under the power of it because they would have their profits and pleasures and enjoy their lusts and coruptions they will not forsake their lusts and abandon their abominations and receive Christ and mercy when the case stands thus with men it is just with God to plunge them into everlasting misery in the 8 of Prov. 36. there saith the text He that sinneth against me wrongeth his owne soule Prov. 8.36 all they that hate me love death they that hate me saith the text that is they that hate wisedome love death by wisedome there is meant the Lord Iesus revealing the wisedome of the Father in the Word now he that hateth this Word of God he that will not be informed by this Word he that will not be directed by it he that will not be humbled by it his soule taketh up armes against Gods ordinances why he loves death both naturally and eternally when the wrath of God ceaseth upon him he hath that which he loveth you loved this you loved death you have it you loved damnation you doe enjoy it and it is merveilous just with God thus to deale with you you cannot blame God for this but your selves wicked men are desirous to be rid of God and freed from the Counsell of God that may chalke them out the way to Salvation and they desire nothing the knowledge of Gods lawes many wicked carnall man doth not desire the good and Salvation of his owne soule he doth not desire the preaching of the Word for the reformation of his life and the humbling of his soule and directing of him in the wayes of Gods Commandements they say to God now depart from us we care not for thy lawes we will not walke after thy Commandements if he at the last day say unto you Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not then you shall have your desire when the heavens shall melt away with fire and the Sunne and the Moone shall be darkned when all flesh shall appeare before the judgement seate of God at that day men and Angels shall heare the dreadfull doome which shall passe upon you by the Lord you contemned my word and ordinances and therefore away from me ye cursed into everlasting destruction prepared for the devill and his Angels you desired not to be informed you would not be humbled you refused to be directed by my word when it was preached unto you but you desired to fulfill your lusts and enjoy your profits and your pleasures you did not desire to be saved and therefore now you shall have your desire you shall be damned and therefore depart from me I know you not You would have your pride when you were upon the earth when you are in hell you may be as proud as you will you would have your malice when you are in hell you may have your desire you may have your fill of maliciousnesse in hell you may have elbow roome enough to satiate your selves in your lusts and sinfull abominations when the soule of a man doth secretly desire that the Word may not worke upon him then it is just with God to grant that desire of his soule it were just with God that the Word should never worke more that the Spirit should never strive more that mercy and Salvation should never be offered any more that man shall then have what he desired and he may blame himselfe for whatsoever judgement falls upon him in the 2 of Thess 2.12 there saith the text 2 Thess 2.12 that they all might be damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse marke that hee speakes before of those that would not entertaine the truth and the love of it but when God made knowne his will and the way of Salvation they did not love that nicenesse they cared not for that exactnesse and holinesse why what doe you love then saith God upon what is your love placed upon what is the desire of your soule fixed oh saith the text They tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse in contemning opposing hindring and despising the good Word of God and therefore they shall be damned when a
your minde stands deferre not the time but welcome him and give entertainment unto him now presently do not put him off with delayes but presently embrace his kinde offer and be married unto him for if you will not now take him he will come in a flaming fire hereafter to take vengeance of you all that now refuse and reject him and therefore I beseech you let 〈◊〉 get your good will for this every man that will let him take grace and salvation freely tell mâ—â— then will you have mercy and salvation oh take heed of refusing it for if you do the time will come when you shall never have it though you never so earnestly desire it if you obtaine it you are made for ever if you enjoy it not you are for ever damned returne therefore I beseech you a comfortable answere to the demand which the Lord maketh if you will receive grace and Christ and Salvation from him then speake to the Lord in this case let your soules answere him cheerefully we will Lord the Lord saith come unto me ye sinfull sonnes of men and I will hâ—ale your rebellions answere the Lord and say we come Lord for thou art our God thinke upon this and worke your soules hereunto graâ—nt Christ your good wills in this kind if you will but prize him and choose him above all things in this world if you be resolved to cleave onely to him and forsake all other things in the world for him if your soules be but willing to receive Christ I proclaime mercy and salvation unto you we are as I told you before Christs messengers sent to speake a good word for Christ and to get your good wills for him oh that we may have our errant from you shall I say to the Lord Iesus all the poore soules that have heard the Word this day and received the tender of Salvation this day I have all their hands they have all writ downe their names that they will have Christ and they will have salvation offered unto them is it thus with you if it be so then I may goe and returne a chearefull answer to Christ but doe not doe not I beseech you give me the deniall doe not say I cannot live by grace I must provide for family for wife and children can you not so why I must not take this answer from you let not Gods messengers go drooping to heaven and returne this uncomfortable answer to the Lord in this case let us not say we offered mercy no body would receive it we tendred salvation but no body regarded it shall we returne this answer no no we must have another answer from you and therefore I beseech you worke yet more upon your soules and turne unto us a chearefull answer in this case for God looketh for a comfortable answer he wooeth from heaven and therefore never give her the deniall Deut. 5.29 In the 5. of Deut. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in my people to feare me and keepe my Commandements that it may goe well with them and with their children after them thus hee writeth thus wee speake what answer shall wee have from you that you will not have Christ and you will not have grace and salvation Oh take heede of this wee come for your hearts and wee must have your hearts therefore shut up your doores against all other lovers and come and say cheerefully wee will Lord wee will cleave to thee onely goe home therefore and whatsoever you now resolve this way persevere in it and take heed that no man inveagle you and withdraw your love from the Lord Iesus and when you come at home reason with your owne soules and say Lord I have followed raâ—ties heretofore I have had profits and pleasures do looke after but now I care for nothing but for the Lord Iesus if I may but have him I care for nothing else I â—are not whether I ever see good day againe or no and therefore if pleasures call if profits entise if lusts and corruptions stirre then I will answer I am married to Christ I will have Christ and I will have salvation nothing shall make mee forsake him thus cleave fast unto Christ forever let every soule resolve that hath heard mee this day that they will have Christ and let them take heede that they never start backe from him and say to your soâ—â—es before so many witnesses in the Congregation the Lord called and asked whither I would have him and I answered I was willing and what shall I now breake off my resolutionâ— no never doe it for shame for if you doe for sake Christ and do not keepe close to your resolution at the last day when the Angels of God a whole Congregation shall come and witnesse against you what a miserable estate will you then bee in therefore resolve to hold fâ—st to Christ and keepe this resolution unto the end 1 COR. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth noâ— the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned WEE have propounded heretofore five generall circumstances of preparation First a man must know that the offer of grace is free Secondly that a man must will Christ and grace before hee shall have Christ grace Thirdly he that doth will Christ shall have Christ and salvation by him all which we have already handled out of that place Revel 22.17 Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely And now wee are come to the fourth circumstance which is that no man by nature can will Christ and Grace and for this purpose I have chosen this Text. And a little to make way for our selves if you take your eyes backe to the beginning of the Chapter about the 3 4 and 5. Verses you may see how the holy Apostle doth expresse his earnest desire to preach nothing not know any thing but Christ Iesus and him crucified and therefore hee lookes not after the excellencie of humane eloquence or wisedome of men though hee could have had this too and happily expressed this also yet hee proclaimes it in the eares of the Corinthian Doctours that hee desired nothing in that Vniversity for Corinth was a famous Vniversity as Cambridge and Oxford is but to know the Lord Iesus and him crucified and therefore his speech and preaching was not with entising words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power the Corinthâ—an Doctors bragged of that humane wisedome and learning wherewith they were endued but hee tells them he desired not this nor never lookâ— after it Now least some might cavill at the Apostles neglecting of this elegance whereby 〈◊〉 might sugar over his doctrine that was to be dâ—â—â—vered by him to the people least by the nor regarding of this he might bring a neglect upon himselfe and upon his doctrine the Apostle therefore to remoove these filly objections and secret
cavills discovers unto us from the fift Verse to the end of the Chapter the excellency of the Gospell of the Lord delivered in the plainenesse of it in the sixt Verse there saith he howbeit we speake wisedome among them that bee perfect yet not the wisdome of this woâ—â—â— nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery even the hidden wisedome which God ordained before the world unto our glory as if he had said though you thinke O yee Corinthians that there is no learning but humane learning yet you must know that wee speake wisedome too and that to those that are the perfectest men in their owne understanding I tell you wee speake wisedome which the world and the princes thereof those that have the greatest parts never knew never obtained you Corinthian Doctors bragge much of your learning and knowledge but you have received it of other humane authors but wee teach unto you the wisedome of God and of the Gospell which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive for God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit where wee may observe by the way that hee which teacheth the Gospell in the plainenesse of it teacheth the deepest things that can be conceived for here S. Paul speaketh of things which the wise of the world never heard of never conceived But then they might reply further how can you know these things and why may not others know them as well as you These are the two objections that might bee made against that which the Apostle had before spoken of How came you to know them and why may not others know them as well as you The Apostle answereth these two questions And he answeres the first how he came to know them from the 10. Verse to the 14. God saith he hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God now wee have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God as if he had sayd The spirit of God knoweth these things and teacheth a poore soule these things as farre as is convenient for him the Spirit of God understandeth these things and makes knowne these things to his servants they know not these things of themselves but by the power of God Spirit the Spirit of God assisting and working effectually in them teacheth them these secrets But then why doe not wicked men come to understand these great matters also To this the Apostle answers in the Text The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse unto him c. they doe not know them because they cannot A naturall man doth not know these things they are wonders and miracles unto him tell him how a poore soule comes to be humbled and broken and have his sinnes pardoned and bee received to mercy why these things are wonders to a carnall man the Text saith he doth not understand these things because hee cannot and the ground of this is because they have not the spirit to teach them this I take to be the scope of the Apostle in the Text and in the verse we are to observe onely one point meete for our purpose for as we have sayd before there are five generall circumstances of preparation observable three we have handled and the fourth is this No man of himselfe by nature can will to receive Christ and this is here plainely set open in the text and therein manifestly expressed it is the maine scope of the holy Ghost in the words a naturall man receiveth not nay he cannot receive the things of God but before wee can come to gather the point two things must be discovered unto us First what is meant by a naturall man Secondly what is meant by the things of the spirit of God First what is meant by a naturall man the Corinthians might have replyed upon the Apostle what are you a man of the spirit onely what meane you by a naturall man I answere he is a naturall man in phrase of Scripture which hath not the worke of grace soundly wrought in him which hath not the spirit of God whosoever he be that lyeth in the bosome of the Church whosoever he be that hath a name to live and yet is dead all carnall Gospellers and hyppocrites those that are coloured over with the name of Christians and religion whosoever they be that have not that saving worke of grace and the new frame of grace set up and reared in their soules by the assistance of Gods Spirit all these how ever they may be coloured over if they have not had the sanctifying worke of Gods Spirit upon them all these are sayd according to the Phrase of the Apostle to be naturall men and voyd of the spirit as may appeare by the words going before the Text and following after First compare them with the words going before in the 10. and 12. Verses Wee have received the Spirit of God faith the Text the naturall man and the spirituall are opposed one to another Wee saith the Apostle have received the Spirit so that hee that hath Gods Spirit is a spirituall man and therefore hee that hath not the Spirit of God in him hee that hath not the will of God revealed unto him by the Spirit he is a naturall man Looke also in the words after the Text Vers 15. He that is spirituall discerneth all things he that hath a heart truly humbled and a soule truly sanctified he that is adopted he is a spirituall man so that he which is voyd of the Spirit he is a naturall man the phrase is excellent in this kind Iude 19. Iude 19. these bee they saith the Text that separate themselves sensuall not having the Spirit the words there interpret one another hee was speaking before of wicked wretches and those that lived after their owne ungodly lusts in the 18. Verse saith the Text there shall be mockers in the last time who shall walke after their owne ungodly lusts where we may note that we shall never see a mocker one that opposeth Christ and the Gospell and is jearing at the Saints of God but he walkes after ungodly lusts They are sensuall men who be those sensuall men those that have not the Spirit of God as wee may see Verse 19. and therefore whosoever he be or whatsoever hee be be his appearance never so good if hee be not truly sanctified by the spirit of God though he be a new man outwardly if hee be not sound in his conversation hee is a naturall man hee that hath not the Spirit of God ruling and domineering over his lusts he is in a naturall estate The second thing which is to bee discovered is this vid. what is meant by the things of
empty the soule of these lusts and abominations and prepare him for grace before grace can be put into him before he can receive grace from God the fallow ground that hath a great many thistles and is full of weedes and nettles and grasse this ground we use to say is yet arable ground it may be plowed and made fit to receive seede and beare fruite but it must first be plowed for all the while this trash is in it it is not fit for seed though it may be made fit by tilling of it so the soule of a sinner is arable God can fit it and prepare it to receive grace and eternall life but he must be first plowed and made fit he is overrunne with all corruptions and therefore of himselfe for a while before the Lord humble him and fit him and prepare him to entertaine Christ and receive grace he cannot receive it Ioh. 5.44 Ioh. 5.44 There saith the Text Hoâ— can you beleeve which receive honour one of another and sâ—eke not the honor which commeth from God onely As who should say these things cannot stand together that a man should be full of sinne and at that time goe to the Spirit to have his sinnes crucified these thing cannot stand so that there is a kinde of indisposition and impossibility for the present Rom. 6 20. that a naturall man should receive grace Rom. 6.20 There saith the Text When you 〈◊〉 servants to sinne you were free from righteousnesse that is when a mans corruptions rule over him when a man yeelds himselfe to be under the power of his lusts when sinne is a mans master insomuch that he must do every thing which that commands him if malice command him to hate then he must obey malice and hate and envy his brother when covetousnesse is a mans master and if that bids him gripe and cheate and cozen he must then doe it iâ— a man be thus a servant to sin he is free from righteousnes he cannot be made partaker of grace and salvation so long as he remaines in this estate and condition Fourthly the fourth passage is this as the soule of a naturall man declines from grace offered and revealed as it opposeth grace pressed so in the fourth place it is not willing to be wrought upon that it may be fit to receive grace and be made capable of it there is no naturall man under heaven that is willing to be wrought upon that hee may be capable to receive grace Luke 19 14. hee would not have grace and Christ and though he might in the 19. of Luke the 14. and 27. verses our Saviour Compares himselfe to a master that was to goe into a farre Country to receive a kingdome and therefore gives over his estate into the hands of his servants hee called his ten servants and gave them ten pounds saying Occupie till I come Now when hee is gone marke what the Text saith in the 14. Verse We will not have this man to rule over us the Citizens hated him and sent a messenger after him saying We will not have this man to rule over us Herein is implyed two things first that God would rule over the hearts hee would informe their judgements and fit their soules to receive grace but marke what they say We will not have him to reigne over us wee will not have the Lord Iesus take possession of our hearts and rule and guide them in the way of grace and salvation and so say all naturall men when the truth of God is followed and pressed and their consciences awakened and their minds enlightned then they cry out we will not be troubled and pestered with these matters in the 8. of Rom. 7. there saith the Text the carnall minde is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeede can be A naturall man is not subject to God he is not nay hee cannot be subject to the Law of God the Text doth not say he doth not obey the Law of God but hee is not subject to it for it is one thing to obey the word and Spirit of God and another thing to be subject unto it as for example suppose a master command his servant to doe something that is unjust and unlawfull and if hee will not doe it then beats him the servant is then said to be subject to his master hee may beare the blow and endure the stripes of his master but if he be honest and will not doe the thing hee cannot bee sayd to obey his master so likewise if it please a Prince to deale harshly with his subject and punish him unjustly his subject may submit himselfe unto him but he doth not obey him but this is the madnesse of our sinfull natures that wee will not be subject to the Word of God we will not beare the blow nor indure the stroake of the Spirit that so it may plucke us out of our corruptions and frame us and fashion us in this case and make us fit to receive grace but when the word discovereth our sinnes unto us and our misery in regard of the same the soule beginns to swell and take up an indignation against the truth revealed it endeavours what it may and labours what it can to acquit it selfe of the word and to cast out the same wee professe that wee will not have our hearts informed and our mindes enlightned wee will not be humbled and prepared to receive grace and salvation offered by the Lord Iesus If it bee not thus what meane those swellings and bublings of heart against the word when it is preached sometimes a mans conscience is opened and touched by the Word of God and what followes why presently hee professeth hee will never heare that Minister more hee saith t is pittie hee should ever preach more and tw'ere good hee were out of the Country and that the kingdome were rid of him alas what doth the Minister this while what doth he intend all this while that you take such distaste at him why you have a proud heart hee would humble it he would plucke you out of your corruptions that you may be prepared for grace but your soules say you will not be wrought upon and framed that you may receive grace and salvation however you doe not professe so much with your mouthes yet your actions testifie as much there is never a faithfull Minister of God but speakes home to the consciences of men and tells them of their beloved sinnes and bosome corruptions and hee doth this to prepare way for the Lord Iesus He knowes you must be fitted to receive grace and salvation before you shall be made partakers of grace and salvation he knowes that there are many mountaines to bee levelled and crooked things to bee made straight and many rough things to bee made smooth and plaine and therefore hee intends nothing but to have your soules broken and prepared for
Christ but you say you will not bee humbled and framed and made fit to see the things that belong to your peace here and your salvation hereafter and therefore you cannot receive the things of God so then to gather up all together if it be so that when the things of grace and salvation are revealed and offered a naturall man doth turne away from them if it bee so that though the Lord striveth with a naturall man and labours by his Spirit to winne him and wooe him to receive grace yet he resists the Spirit and takes up armes against the offer of grace if it bee so that when the Lord followes him with grace yet a naturall man is not capable of grace if it bee so that the heart of a naturall man is not subject to the Word of God and would not bee wrought upon that he may be made fit to receive grace then it is cleare that a naturall man cannot receive the things of God if hee goes away from grace offered and resists grace pressed if hee be not capable of grace and is unwilling to be made capable then the point is evident and the doctrine undeniable namely that a man in his naturall estate cannot receive the things of grace and salvation and this is a thing so cleare to a gracious heart as nothing more wee see then the proofe of the point a naturall man cannot receive the things of God the reasons of the point why a naturall man cannot but doe thus as he doth withdraw himselfe from grace offered and resist and oppose the Word of God The grounds of it are three the first argument alledged is taken out of the words of the Text and it stands thus a naturall man cannot receive the things of God why because they are spiritully discerned what is that the meaning is this hee that will receive spirituall things must have some spirituall ability and power about him some spirituall helpe vouchsafed unto him for the performance of this work a man that will discern spirituall things must have a power answerable to that hee would discerne a man must have spirituall helpe from heaven before hee can entertaine spirituall graces for spirituall graces and the spirituall worke of the Lord are onely agreeable and fitting one for another but now no naturall man hath any spirituall power these two things are differâ—nt in their kindes namely nature and the Spirit a naturall man hath nothing of the Spirit no spirituall ability in him but hee must have a spirituall ability that can discerne the things of the Spirit and therefore a naturall man cannot discerne spirituall things thus I reason no naturall faculty can put forth a supernaturall worke a thing that is barely within the compasse of nature cannot put forth an action above the nature of it because every thing workes within its compasse as the tree that growes it cannot goe and walke as the beast doth the beast that hath the sensuall facultie that walkes and sees and heares and feeles but it cannot reason man hee hath the reasonable facultie and he reasons and performes such actions as belong to him now every one of these worke within their owne compasse they have their severall kinds of operations the tree growes the beast feeles and man reasons and none of these can exceede their owne nature or put forth a worke above their nature so that then wee see no naturall power can performe a supernaturall worke but a naturall man as hee came into the world hath nothing but nature in him and therefore he cannot discerne the things of God which is a supernaturall worke wrought by the Spirit of God for so saith the Text they are spiritually discerned The second argument is this all naturall men are altogether fleshly that is wholly overpowred with sinne marke that place in the third of Iohn and sixt there saith the Text whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh Iostn 3.6 and that which is borne of the Spirit is spirit but now marke all the things of God as first election secondly conversion thirdly sanctification fourthly justification fiftly glorification and the like they are nothing else but spirituall they are spirituall things the grace of God is spirituall and the Word of God is spirituall now marke what followeth in the fift of Galathians the 17. Gal. 5.17 there saith the Text The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh these now are contrary the one to the other that is a naturall corrupt heart resists and is contrary to the worke of Gods Spirit they lust one against another and are contrary one to another then marke how I reason from the former ground if the soule of a naturall man be professely opposite and contrary to the Spirit of grace then the soule of a naturall man will not of it selfe nay it cannot receive and entertaine Christ and grace they that oppose and would destroy one another they will not entertaine one another as for example fire and water are contrary one to another and therefore they will not meete together and entertaine one another but continually seeke to destroy one another so light and darkenesse they are contrary and therefore will not receive one another but seeke the destruction one of another as when light comes darkenesse is gone and when darkenesse comes light that must be gone but now marke the heart of a naturall man is all flesh and the things of God are all Spirit and therefore these two are contrary and therefore oppose and would destroy one another the heart of a naturall man is contrary to God and grace and therefore cannot receive and entertaine God and grace but seeke to destroy them and therefore it is observeable in the 8. of Rom. 7. Rom. 8 7. the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to the Spirit of God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeede can be when the heart of a naturall man begins to feele the blow by the hand of Gods Spirit stirring and striving in him to humble him and make him fit for grace it flyeth backe presently and will by no meanes be are the blow of the Spirit it will not give way to the worke of God Now marke how I dispute that which will not nay that which cannot be subject to the Spirit of God that will never receive grace which is the worke of the Spirit of God but a naturall man whatsoever he hath even his wisedome is not subject to the Spirit hee will not beare hee will not away with the worke of the ministery and therefore hee cannot receive grace and this is the second passage If the nature of a naturall man be altogether flesh and is contrary to grace and will not be subject to the Spirit then it cannot receive grace but all naturall men are contrary to grace they are altogether flesh and resist the spirit and therefore they cannot entertaine grace The third
thy friends as men use to doe with those that are sicke hast thou a child or a husband sicke of any disease thou goest to the Phisitian to aske his counsell concerning the diseases he tells the disease is not dangerous and deadly it may be helped and if hee be but able to receive those things which he shall prescribe he will warrant his recovery but now if the disease continue and hee be not able to take any food on receive any Phisicke then the disease cannot bee helped health cannot be procured you that are naturall men you are sicke of corruptions the disease I must confesse is not deadly if you can but take mercy receive grace which is the phisick of the soule then you may recover but as long as you remaine in your naturall estate you can receive no spirituall foode no spirituall phisicke but cast up all and therefore you are gone you are but dead men I tell you you have many brethren many friends many children that are sicke I tell you they are proud and carelesse and loose and prophane but this is their greatest miserie above all the rest they cannot take any spirituall foode they cannot receive any spirituall good thing but cast up all and vomit up all the 〈◊〉 of the Gospell prevailes not your counsell they will not heare the Ministers exhort admonish reprove they will not regard they cannot away with any spirituall phisicke I tell you this will be their death and if God be not mercifull their damnation also and therefore goe and mourne for your children and for your friends if they be naturall and pray for them When a man is sicke of some disease if hee can take no foode if no phisicke will stay with him nor worke upon him 〈◊〉 he casts up all then his wife shee sits in one corner of the house weeping and his children in another corner mourning and lamenting now if one comes in and askes them how doth your husband or how doth your father Oh then they fallâ— wringing their hands Oh my father or my husband is but a dead man if hee could but take any thing then there were some hope of life but 〈◊〉 nothing will stay with him but as soone as he takes it he vomits it up againe and therefore now there is no expectation of his recovery this is the condition of many of your friends and children they can take nothing which should doe them good they can receive no spirituall good things 〈◊〉 counsell can take place with them the word of God prevailes not with them O mourne for them therefore they are in a miserable estate they 〈◊〉 but dead men they will be damned if they could but receive the things of the Spirit then there were some comfort but alas how can a man receive salvation is it not by the Word why then if the Word will not prevaile with them or take any place in them nor worke upon them how then shall they come to salvation why they must therefore be damned they must therefore perish they must be cast into utter confusion and destruction for evermore Oh mourne therefore and pray for those which belong unto you if they be in a naturall condition In the last place if it be so dangerous to bee in a naturall condition then it is a word of exhortation to you all that you would labour to get out of this naturall corruption I intreate you for the Lord Iesus sake as you love your owne soules whoever you be that heare this doctrine if you be naturall men give no sleepe unto your eyes not slumber unto your eye lids give no rest to your soules nor contentment to your hearts untill you have studied by all meanes possible to recover your selves out of your naturall condition beginne speedily and persevere constantly in the meanes that God hath appointed that the Lord may bestow that power upon you whereby you may bee enabled to receive grace and salvation offered you that so it may goe well with you for ever Iohn 3.27 there saith the Text Iohn 3.27 a man cannot receive any thing unlesse it be given him from heaven so then the case is cleare though thou of thy selfe canst not receive grace and salvation yet God can give abilitie to receive them away therefore from yourselves look up higher flie unto God for strength and sufficiencie I would have such a naturall man feare continually that God will cut him off and than he is damned for ever Oh consider of 〈◊〉 a naturall man why hee may be affraid that Gods judgements will every moment in every place 〈◊〉 upon him both at home abroad within without hee may feare they will fall upon him upon every occasion hee meetes withall when heâ— goeth in the way when hee sitteth still when 〈◊〉 eates when he sleepes what businesse soever hee is about in every place at all times upon all occasions hee may feare that the curse of God will fall upon him A naturall man may continually stand in feare and consider if God should cut 〈…〉 by death what then would become of me my body must returne to the ground and my soule that 〈◊〉 go into everlasting torments in hell fire among 〈◊〉 devill and his angels where the worme never 〈◊〉 nor the fire never goeth out and therefore sure 〈◊〉 estate is woefull and my condition miserable 〈◊〉 you will say a naturall man cannot receive 〈◊〉 good why should hee then be counselled to receive the things of God as grace and salvation this is a cavill of Bellarmin and thus I answer it we have no spirituall abilitie in our selves to performe any spirituall duty but yet wee have ability to performe some morall actions a man hath restaining and preventing grace whereby he is able to waiâ—â— upon God in the meanes that so he may be enabled to receive grace and therefore as long as the parts and members of your bodies and the faculties of your soules continue as long as your understandings and memories indure why cannot you bestow your bodies to come to Church as well as to goe to the Alehouse why cannot you bestow your eyes as well in reading as in carding and dicing God hath given you liberty to use these meanes that so you might receive grace and therefore this objection is onely a cavill of Bellarmine God doth not punish a man because he cannot get faith but because he will not use the meanes whereby he might get faith wee may waite upon God in his ordinances wee may attend upon the meanes these things you may doe and those things you have power to doe you may doe naturall and civill actions and therefore you should imploy your selves in hearing the Word and reading and praying you should use the meanes which God ordained for the working of grace in yours soules when you come under the ministery of God hereby you may be converted and therefore you must come that so grace may
be wrought in your hearts and that you may be converted And therefore I will advise you of three things which are in the power of natural men to performe as directions to the use of the former meanes appointed by God for the working of grace First I would have every naturall man throughly convinced of the misery hee is in and informed of his owne insufficiencie Ier. 10.23 there saith the Text O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to 〈◊〉 his owne steppes and the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 taketh it to himselfe I know saith hee that 〈…〉 selfe there dwelleth no good thing this is a 〈◊〉 matter that wee presume of our selves we 〈◊〉 we can stand of our selves though we never use the meanes to have our weakenesse strengthned 〈◊〉 this is the reason that wee never seeke to God 〈◊〉 the use of the meanes take therefore 〈◊〉 course of the Apostle and say in me dwelleth 〈◊〉 good thing suffer your selves to be throughly â—â—formed and convinced of your owne miserie 〈◊〉 weakenesse and confesse this truth I confesse I am a naturall and carnall man and therefore a my flesh there is no good at all Secondly 〈◊〉 you have thus done and when your hearts are â—â—â—swaded of your owne misery and you coâ—â—â—â— there is no good in you when you can say 〈◊〉 what a stout heart have I what a many graâ—â—â—â— promises and godly councells have I had and 〈◊〉 never would receive or give way to any of theâ— and therefore there is no good in mee and 〈◊〉 thirdly when you have done this then convâ—â—â— your owne hearts that there is an All-sufficiencie in the promise that the Spirit is able to doe good unto your soules Ezech. 11.18 Ezech. 11.18 there saith the Text I will give them one heart and put a new 〈◊〉 within them I will take away their stony heart 〈◊〉 give them a heart of flesh so that however it is 〈◊〉 that we have no sufficiencie in our selves yet 〈◊〉 Lord Iesus hath enough the spirit is able to the that for us which wee are not able to doe for 〈◊〉 selves and therefore in the third place 〈◊〉 thou art throughly informed of these two things then come unto Gods ordinances and looke up unto God and waite upon him in the use of this meanes it is a fine passage of David Lord saith he teach me the way of the Spirit as if hee had sayd Lord I have a naughtie spirit I have a naughtie heart but Lord thou hast a good Spirit lead 〈◊〉 by that good Spirit of thine in the wayes of uprightnesse Thus doe you waite upon God in 〈◊〉 ordinances and say Lord thou hast promised thaâ— thou wilt put a new soule into thy people and create a new heart in them and throw their sinnes 〈◊〉 the bottome of the sea and that thou with 〈◊〉 them to walke in thy wayes Thou hast promised to give thy Spirit to them that seeke it Lord 〈◊〉 good this thy promise unto mee take away 〈◊〉 wretched sinfull heart of mine and 〈◊〉 a new heart in me and direct me by thy Spirit to 〈◊〉 in the wayes of thy Commandements It is 〈◊〉 Lord a Leaper cannot take away his spoâ—â— a Blackamoore cannot change his hew but 〈◊〉 thou canst make a Blackamoore white 〈…〉 canst cleanse the Leaper though I be a dead 〈◊〉 thou canst put life into me though 〈…〉 thing yet thou canst doe all things I 〈…〉 more but thou canst make me of a 〈…〉 am a Leaper but thou canst take away my 〈◊〉 I am naturall and carnall in me there 〈◊〉 thing but Lord thou eanst make me 〈…〉 rituall things good Lord grant that thy 〈◊〉 Spirit may teach me to know the things 〈◊〉 to my everlasting peace this doe above all take heede that you doe not deferre the time Oh deferre not the wayting upon God in the use of the meanes Why because you have no power in your selves to helpe your selves it is not in you power to receive Christ and entertaine salvation and therefore begin speedily to attend upon 〈◊〉 ordinances that at length the Lord may put a 〈◊〉 spirit into you and worke upon you to your ever lasting peace and comfort I exhort you 〈◊〉 all things not to deferre the time and say wee 〈◊〉 gather the flower while it is greene while 〈◊〉 youth continues we will follow our pleasures 〈◊〉 take up out sports and when wee come to be 〈◊〉 then we will turne over a new leafe and on our death beds then wee will repent alas alas 〈◊〉 wilt thou thinke to doe it in thine old age whâ— thou couldst never doe it in thy youth and therefore doe not thus delude thy owne soule thoâ— thinkest when thou lyest on thy death bed if 〈◊〉 doest but send for a Minister then hee will 〈◊〉 salvation to thee presently but I tell thee thoâ—gâ— all the Ministers under heaven should preach mercy unto thee though all the Angels in heaven should exhort and intreat thee to entertaine salvation though thou shouldest have all glory and all happinesse layd downe as it were upon a table before thee if the Lord should say here is all glory and happinesse doe but beleeve and take it and it shall be thine thou shalt be made partaker of if for ever yet consider in thy naturall condition thou hast no power to receive happinesse and glory thus offered if God should open heaven gates and bid thee goe into heaven yet thou hast no power if thou beest a naturall man to receive mercy and salvation upon those tearmes which God hath offered them thou couldst not enter into heaven though God should open the gate wide and intreate thee to enter in what a thing is this then when neither Minister can perswade thee nor Angels exhort thee nor Christ himselfe intreat thee to take mercy yet thou shouldst thinke in thy old age or upon thy deathbed to have mercy and salvation at command why deferre not therefore this worke untill the last but make speede beginne betime and hold on constantly to the end that at last God may take away your corruptionâ— and give you his spirit and raise you out of the graver of your sinnes doe this because you see it is needfull to be done it is not in your power to doe good unto your soules or receive good and therefore 〈◊〉 â—â—ginne betimes and wait upon God in the meanes that so you may have grace and salvation thereby EZECH 11.19 I will take away their stony heart and give them a heart of flesh ACoording to our Order intended and Course propounded wee have laid downe five generall circumstances have chosen severall texts answerably whereout we might observe the same foure of those five we have already handled and now we are come to the last Circumstance which is this Howsoever a naturall man cannot receive the Lord Iesus yet the Lord will make all his that belong to
the blow that is 〈…〉 upon it so it is with a stony heart there is a 〈◊〉 union betweene sinne and it secondly by 〈◊〉 of this union sinne comes to have a 〈…〉 power in the soule and not onely so but in the third place there is a great resistance in the soule against Gods Command Looke as it is with a stone of a man striketh a blow upon it it resistes the blow and beates it backe so it is with the soule with a stony heart the Word the Sacraments Admonitions Reproofes Counsells Exhortations they enter not into it they prevaile not with it but it resists and obpposeth all meanes of grace and salvation that are offered unto it what helpe soever God bestowes upon it it beates it backe it will not be disposed it will not be framed and fashioned according to Gods holy Will Zach. 7.12 there saith the Text Zach. 7.12 They made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should beare the lâ—s and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent by his Spirit in the Ministery of the former Prophets that is they closed with their corruptions and grew strong in their corruptions and resisted the commandements of the Lord and therefore it is said of Pharoah that he hardened his heart that is hee strengthened his heart in sinne and would not obey the commandement of the Lord but refused to let the people of Israel goe when there comes to be a neare union betweene sinne and the soule then the soule doth strengthen it selfe in sinne and opposeth the Law of God the proud man saith he will have his lust let God say what hee will the covetous man hee will have his corruption let God say what hee will and the drunkard hee will have his owne way and the adulterer hee will take up his owne course let God say what he will they grow strong in their sinnes and therefore resist all meanes which may be for their good untill the Lord by his almightie power doth breake this fast knot that is betweene corruption and the soule and removes the power and strength of sinne and then by a strong hand takes away this resistance and over-powers a soule in this case so that then to gather up all together if it be so that the union betweene sinne and the soule cannot be dissolved but by God alone if the strength and power of sinne and Satan cannot be vanquished but onely by the Lord if the resistance that commeth from sinne cannot be taken away and removed but by the worke of the Spirit of God then the case is cleare and the point evident That it is God which taketh away the stony heart and giveth a heart of flesh if God alone by his almighty power doth these things then he is the author of this worke it is his worke to doe this in the soule of a poore sinnefull creature The first Vse is an use of instruction from hence wee may see that therefore this great worke of conversion the fitting and preparing of a poore sinner to entertaine the Lord Iesus it is a worke of great weight it is a worke not of ordinary but of marvellous and admirable difficulty if it be the worke of the Lord onely if nothing else can doe this worke but it lieth upon Gods alone almightie power if all meanes faile nay if the wisedome of men Angells stand agast amazed at this work then I must conclude it is the Lords worke and is ought to be marvellous in our eyes And from hence it is that it is a marvellous wonder that any creature that is under the power of sinne and Satan it is a wonder it is a miracle that after all teaching after all meanes used any soule is humbled and prepared to receive mercy from the hand of the Lord Iesus Christ Nay hence it is that wee see little profit come from the worke of the Ministerie when wee see the greatnesse of this worke of conversion wee may wonder how it commeth to passe that any are converted and brought home unto the Lord the Ministers are faine to lift up their voyces like trumpets and spend their hearts as it were they pray againe and fast againe and preach againe and yet all will not d ee for when is the heart of any humbled when is the soule of any turned and converted unto God and therefore away with that cursed delusion that harbours in the minds of many men they will repent and they will beleeve when they list why Alas it is not in your power it is the almighty worke of God thou hast not the worke of repentance to command at thy pleasure it is not talking and saying I doe repent with all my heart and doe beleeve that will serve the turne this will not doe the Lord must worke effectually in thy soule by his almighty power or else the union that is betweene sinne and thy soule will not be dissolved or else the strength of sinne and power of Satan that is in thy soule will never be vanquished or else the resistance that is in thy soule and which commeth from this strength against the blow of the Spirit and all meanes that may fit it and prepare it for to receive the Lord Iesus and mercy from him will never be removed a man shall sometimes find that the indisposition of his soule to any good shall be a little abated by the power of the Word the edge of it will a little be blunted but a poore soule cannot be freed altogether from this untill it shall please the Lord by his almightie hand to remove it and therefore in the first of Iames the 18. Verse the text saith Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth that wee should be as the first fruits of his creatures Ioh. 1.13 and Ioh. 1.13 To them that received him saith the Text he gave power to be the sonnes of God to them which beleeve in his name which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And therefore thinke of it Ministers that teach the Word and people that heare the Word wee must know that unlesse the Lord steppeth in and doth the worke for us all our labour is lost it must be I â—ay the Lord that must take away the stony heart and it must be hee that must give the heart of 〈◊〉 it is not talking and making a profession that can plucke sinne out of the soule of a man in this kinde but it must be the almighty power of the Lord that must doe it The second Vse is a ground of comfort whereby the soule of poore sinners may be supported and the hearts of those that have sinne hunging about them may be cheared when the soule considers that it is laden with abundance of corruptions and abominations then it is quite discouraged and thinkes with all that it shall never be recovered
this naturall and neare union between sinne and the soule must offer a kind of violence upon the soule otherwise this union could not be parted To speak punctually to every ones capacity I appeale to any here present is it not a violence to pluck a branch from the tree or an arme from the body every man will say you â—â—are and pluck it the arme naturally is knit to the body and the branch naturally growes to the tree our sinnes are as arme to the body and our corruptions as branches to the tree therefore the Lord Iesus when he comes to pluck off these armes and cut off those branches must offer a kind of violence to the soule before this union and combination betweene sinne and the soule will be parted and broken this is the second reason if there be such a naturall neare union betweene sinne and a corrupt heart then if God will pluck corruption from the soule and sever this union he must offer a kind of violence but there is a naturall neere union and league betweene sinne and the soule and therefore the Lord must dissolve this league and breake this union by a kind of violence and constraint The third and last argument is this The third Argument As in regard of that union that is betweene the soule and sinne the soule must by a holy kind of violence be drawn from sinne so also in the second place if wee consider that soveraigne kind of power that sinne hath over the soule and prevaileth within the soule which kind of resistance and soveraign command must be drawne away and removed from the soule we shall see that this cannot be done unlesse there be an almighty hand to work this and offer a kind of conquering and constraining violence upon the soule in this case the soveraigne rule that sinne doth exercise in the soule is such that unlesse the Lord by his almighty hand doth overpower this there is no kind of prevailing in the soule of a sinner in this case now to shew how the Lord Iesus doth overpower the strength of sinne and corruption observe it in two particulars how the Lord Iesus is pleased miraculously to overpower that rule which sinne hath over the soule the first is this The soule of a sinner being wholly possessed with and defiled by corruptions is so farre carried against God that it doth nothing but resist against God it is naturally so farre overwhelmed and possessed with sinne in every kind that it doth nothing but resist nay it can do nothing but resist the work of the spirit it beateth back the work of the spirit that it may not work upon it nor take place in it Ier. 2.31 there saith the text oh generation see yee the word of the Lord have I been a wildernesse unto Israel a land of darknesse wherefore say my people we are Lords we will come no more unto thee as who should say do you think to rule us or do you think that your commands shall take place with us no no our corruptions corruptions are our Lords wee will come at you no more we will neither heare your words nor obey your commands in this kind Secondly when the soule doth nothing but resist when the Lord would work upon the heart when the soule beateth back the work of the Spirit and doth nothing nay can do nothing but resist the Lord Iesus the Lord Iesus then takes away that stony heart he gives us a fleshy heart whereby we may lay hold on the meanes and be fitted to receive the good motions of the Spirit There is an old phrase which Saint Austin propounded in his time and Divines take it up with one consent in this case and that is this that God of an unwilling will doth make a willing will the word being truly interpreâ—ed I desire no more for the work in hand which implyeth a holy kind of violence to be offered thereunto and expressed thereupon before the work can be brought to passe For the opening of the poynt observe these particulars in the sentence before spoken of that I may speak punctually and precisely first the soule of a man naturally is altogether unwilling to receive grace secondly that the Lord doth bring willingnesse out of this unwillingnesse as light out of darknesse thirdly that God must take away this unwillingnesse before he can bring willingnesse into the soule lastly wherein lieth the strength of the poynt the Lord he only must do this unwillingnesse will not destroy it selfe the soule is altogether corrupt corruption will not destroy it selfe and therefore there is nothing else in the soule of a sinner but only the Almighty hand of God and his conquering power that must take away this unwillingnesse and put willingnesse into the soule The Text saith in the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4.6 that God bringeth light out of darknesse how must he do this why he must first destroy darknesse before he can bring light out of it for one contrary cannot make up another both remaining but darknesse must be destroyed before light can be brought forth So it is with the soule God brings willingnesse out of unwillingnesse first therefore he must destroy this unwillingnesse he must destroy that darknesse that is in the soule before he can bring willingnesse and light to the soule he must conquer that resistance against the Spirit which is in the soule before he can make it plyable and frameable to his owne will and pleasure It is a pretty passage Acts 9. there Paul went into the field against Christ and pitched a combate betweene Christ and him he had gotten letters from the Synagogue of Damascus and hee was resolutely bent to kill and slay all poore Christians when he came the Lord Iesus met him by the way and there was a fight betweene the Lord and Paul and in all reason he was resolved to fight against God to try it out to the last now the Lord met him and the battell was fought and the Lord Christ overcame him and what followeth instead of fierce resisting the Lord hee comes to submit himselfe humbly to the Lord he doth not only put off the act of resisting but the will of resisting also as we may see vers 6. there saith the text he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me for to doe Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith the Lord it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Why Lord saith he what wilt thou have me to do Paul was not willing to take up his owne heart for that was madd against the Lord but he did submit himselfe and his will unto Christ Briefly then to gather up the point if it be so that the Lord doth destroy and bind and conquer Satan if the Lord break that naturall union and combination that is betweene sinne and the soule if it be so that the Lord by his almighty power and conquering hand doth overcome the power of sinne in the
hee will bee made fit for mercy Vse 2 The next use is a word of terrour it discovers the fearefull estate and wofull condition that those men are in which purpose to set themselves against that work of preparation which God meaneth for to work upon the soules of men Is this the work of the Lord that hee doth by an holy kind of violence draw a sinner from corruption to himselfe out of the bowells of his compassion what then shall we think and judge of those men that use all meanes and all slights that employ their wits to draw sinners from God to sinne is it Gods great work his Master-piece the greatest good that hee intends for his people to pluck them from their corruptions and draw them to himselfe what then wil become of those men that go professedly against God and oppose the work of God in this kind if there be any such persons here as I doubt there are many such in the congregation I tell you if God be an holy God then thou art an unholy man if God bee mercifull to poore sinners to save them then thou art cruell to damne them if God bee a gracious God and would draw poore sinners from sinne unto himselfe then thou art a gracelesse man and in a miserable condition that wouldst draw poore soules from God to hell and yet do no our townes swarme with such wretches and are not our villages pestered with such ungracious miscreants such as the wise man in the Proverbs speaketh of that eat the bread of wickednesse and drink the bloud of violence and they cannot sleep unlesse they cause some to fall the God of heaven open these mens eyes and awaken their consciences that they may see their wretched estate such as eat the bread of wickednesse and drink the wine of violence unlesse they can get such a man to bee drunk with them and such a woman to play the whore with them and such a fellow to couzen and cheat their hearts cannot be at quiet they are not at rest in this case their sleep departeth from their eyes unlesse they cause some to fall if the Lord let in a light into the soule of a sinner and discover unto him that he is in a wrong way and that hee must take up a better course if the Lord by the cords of mercy seeke to prevaile with a sinner nay if he lay the hooks of conscience upon a sinner to pluck him from sinne to himselfe there are a company that are mad the contrary way and they labour to cut the cords of mercy and breaketh the hookes of conscience and labour to hale a poore sinner downe to hell and destruction nay wicked men have invented cord against cord and hook against hook in this kind the devill hath his factors and his brokers under him which lay cords upon poore sinners to withdraw them from the Lord to sinne as God plucks heaven-ward so they pluck to hell-ward nay they have a cord for a cord God hath not so many cords to pluck from sinne to himselfe but they have as many to pluck men from God to sinne and into the paths of ungodlinesse that they may perish for ever the Lord hath mercies to allure and they have profits and pleasures to perswade and entice the Lord hath the hooks of conscience to awaken and they have base shifts this way also I will therefore discover these two things first the cunning of men in this course secondly the miserable condition that they are in which continue in this course I take it they are in the most wofull and wretched estate of any men under heaven First to see the cunning of sinners in this kind they will work upon the heart and draw the soule and cut Gods cords and break Gods bonds that God may not draw a poore sinner from sinne to himselfe they have a cord for a cord and a hook for a hook in this kind First if God let in the light of knowledge into the understanding of a poore sinner a young man perhaps receiveth direction by the word that hee is not in the right way the spirit that calls after him and tells him he is wrong and saies this is the good ancient way walk in it when the Lord lets in the light thus into the soule of a sinner and reveales the good way to him when the Lord thus turneth a man out of the mouth of the Lyon and paw of the Beare then happily he goes into a corner and mournes for his sinnes and resolves to forsake them hee will not keep company with his old companions but seeks God alwayes and prayes to God continually Now mark what hooks they apply to pull him off from this good course they use a company of carnall reasons to perswade him to the contrary when the master father or husband seeth that God is drawing his wife or his servant or his child unto himselfe why then the towne is in an uproare as if there were some fire in the towne mark what the husband saies my wife was wont to be carefull to go about her businesse but now shee leaves all at six and seven and is so precise that she is alwayes praying or poring upon a booke The child hee thinks his father distracted his father perhaps gives him a strict charge not to prophane the Sabbath any more no more gaming now sirra no more sporting now the child wonders at this and stands amazed he admires what is become of his father hee was wont to suffer him to do these things without any controulment and because now he commands him the contrary he thinks his father is out of the right way And as the child is to the father so is the father to the child if the understanding of the child be enlightned and he be creeping to salvation if hee will not do as he did in former times if hee will not runne on in those wicked practises which hee did before then the father thinks his sonne is undone his sonne was wont to yeeld obedience to him and hee was wont to have service from him but now hee is growne so curious and exact that he expects no goodnesse from him hee can look for nothing to be done by him I now give him over for lost and as their hearts are thus troubled so they pluck with a kind of violence from God as God plucks to himselfe so they labour to pluck a poore soule from God and they begin to chide taunt and chafe and brawle what say they will you alwayes be reading and will you alwayes be praying I warrant you think your mother and I are not in the right way because we doe not as you doe you thought heretofore such a man to be an honest man and your friend also and yet hee doth not do thus as you do nor you your selfe were not wont to do thus in former times neither Thus mark what cords they lay upon a man that hath
in the beginning and thus his children his brokers and factors do in the end of the world these are the two sonnes of Satan the chiefest schollers in his schoole they are able to bring many to destruction and confusion Rev. 12.4 there the Text saith that the Dragon stood before the woman that was to bee delivered for to devoure her child as soone as it should bee borne the woman is the Church the Dragon is the divell the child to be borne is the soule that is to be converted when the Church doth bring a soule to life why then the Dragon watcheth when the child is borne that he may devoure it if there be any that looke to heaven if there be any whose hearts are humbled whose minds are inlightned and consciences awakened the divell watcheth when this soule is borne that hee may devoure it so it is with wicked persons that beare the image and exercise the practise of the divell if there be any that God is pleased to work upon why wicked men they court them at all times and occasions that can be all is too good for them in this kind nicenesse and exactnesse and precisenesse and madnesse and all is cast upon them to devoure poore sinners and hinder poore Saints to hinder the birth of the child that the Church travelleth withall why wouldst thou devoure a poore creature that God in mercy would deliver from sinne here and bring to salvation hereafter Dost thou envy him dost thou by cursed perswasions and wicked devices endeavour to pluck from God to sinne I tell thee if there were ever a divell in a man there is one in thee if there were ever a child of the divell that was wicked here and shall be damned hereafter thou art surely one and this is the first thing wherein the miserable condition of these men is discovered they are the children of the divell the Lord of heaven open your eyes and awaken your consciences and reveale these things to your soules that you may forsake these base courses secondly as they are most like to the divell so also their wretched estate appeares in this that they are the greatest and deadliest enemies to God that place formerly named will serve for the opening of this Acts 13.10 there saith the Text thou child of the divell and enemy to all righteousnesse Paul calls Elymas the sorcerer because hee withstood him and resisted the work of God not only the child of the divell but an enemy to all righteousnesse mark that as who should say he that withholds a Saint of God hee that would pluck a soule from walking uprightly before God he is an enemy to all righteousnesse and this is a most fearfull thing for other kind of sinnes are of a lesse nature for a drankard is an enemy to sobriety an unjust person is an enemy to justice a lyer is an enemy to truth an adulterer is an enemy to chastity and a malicious man is an enemy to charity but he that is an enemy to the saving work of Gods grace in the soule of a man he that withstands and resists the worke of conversion hee is an enemy to all righteousnesse for how shall a man walk holily before God or righteously before his brethren how shall he love God above all things and his neighbour as himselfe unlesse grace be wrought in the soule of a man and unlesse the word of God bee placed in the heart of a man men ought to keep Gods Cōmandements that they may receive comfort from God now unlesse God bestow faith and grace and his spirit upon a man how shall hee do this but when thou sayest I would not have such a man converted I would not have the spirit work effectually in his heart when thou hinderest the work of God in this kind then thou hinderest a man from performing obedience to Gods Commandements and therefore thou art an enemy to God Gods Sabbaths can never be sanctified the life of thy neighbour can never be tendered the chastity of thy neighbour can never be preserved thou art a drunkard thou art an adulterer thou are a murtherer he that murthereth a man is an enemy to the life of a man but he that will not suffer the word of God to take plane in the soule of a sinner he is the murtherer of the soule of a man he is an enemy to all righteousnesse he cannot performe any service unto God there is no duty to be performed no sinne to bee omitted but thou art an enemy to all for when thou dost hinder a sinner from receiving of grace and from being made partaker thereof thou dost hinder a sinner from honouring of God here and receiving of comfort hereafter and what a wofull wretched condition is this to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and not only so but full of all mischiefe for so saith the Text aforenamed thou enemy of all righteousnesse and full of all mischiefe marke the opening of the words full that is brimme full top full ready to runne over with wickednesse and the cause is this it s naught for a man to be wicked and to resolve to be no better is worse but for a man not only to be wicked and resolve to be no better but to hinder others also from being good this is the very height of all impiety this is to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and to be full of mischiefe Thirdly as they are the children of the divell and enemies to all righteousnesse so also they are the greatest enemies to the salvation of mens soules they compasse sea and land to make a Proselyte I beseech you take notice of it thou art a drunkard and a blasphemer and a wretched lewd person thou art not only bad thy selfe but such a man hath had his mind inlightned and his conscience awakened but thou by thy wicked counsells and carnall reasons and sinfull arguments catchest him and with drawest him againe into his former wicked courses and base practises and then the end of that man is worse than the beginning and hee becomes twice a child of the divell well he shall perish and so shalt thou he shall be damned but the Lord shall require his bloud at thy hands and this is the maine cause why men perish and go downe to hell namely the wicked counsells and cursed perswasions which sinfull damned persons use to hurry poore soules downe into destruction as though they could not go fast enough of themselves to hell but they must lay these base sinfull cords upon them to draw them headlong into the bottomlesse pit of confusion Well the time will come when these poore creatures shall call for vengeance at the hand of God to bee executed against you they will accuse you at the last day and curse you and call for vengeance to be poured downe upon your heads you that are guilty of this whensoever you meet with the day of death here or with the day of judgement
acquaintance together saith the Text and then he saith to Peter we are all here present-before thee to heare all things that are commanded thee of God and it was that passage Ezech. 33.3 there the people speake one to another saying Come let us goe up to the house of the Lord and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord mark how they call one another together and rap at one anothers doore thus do you counsell men to come unto the Lord and heare his word they will never come under the power of the hammer else that they may bee stricken hale them and draw them to the ministery of the word that so what you cannot do privately that the word may do in publick Ioh. 5.4 there was an Angell went downe at a cortaine time into the poole of Bethesda and troubled the waters then whosoever first stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had now there lay a poore lame man at the brinke of the waters and because he was not able to step in every one stepped in before him and no man would help him mark how hee complaineth in the seventh verse I have no man saith he when the water is troubled to put me into the poole but while I am comming another steppeth downe before me he would faine have got in bâ— could not the word of God is like this poole of Bethesda when the word of God is opened and plainly and familiarly discovered when the spirit moveth upon the waters why put a poore soule into the water fling the soule of your child or your servant or your friend into the poole perswade what you may and compell those that are under you to come unto the word of God wheÌ„ the word of God is soundly revealed delivered why put a poore soule into the waters such a man hath a lame heart hee is lame in his practise and lame in his praying and lame in the performance of holy duties he is a cripple from his cradle why bring such of your neighbours and put them into the water and intreat the Lord to work upon them that the Angell may move from heaven and work conversion and salvation to the soules of them secondly as you must labour to bring them under the power of the word so secondly when God hath made knowne his word to the hearts of them follow you the blow as much as in you lyeth if there bee any exhortation settle it if there be any admonition presse it if there be any reproofe apply it home unto their soules strike thou while the iron is hot if thy child were touched and inlightned by the word when the Lord hath strucken his heart follow thou the blow when the Lord is pleased to smite his soule bring thou the blow home unto the heart of him remember that Deut. 6.7 there saith the Text these words which I command thee shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children the word in the originall is thou shalt sharpen them thou shalt teach them that is thou shalt sharpen them upon the soules of thy children and upon the soules of thy servants the Ministers do what they can and you heare reproofes and exhortations and when you go out of the Church leave them in your stooles behind you but you should sharpen them and bring them home to the hearts of your wives and your children and servants and they that belong unto you you should follow the blow home when the Lord is pleased to exhort exhort you when the Lord is pleased to reprove reprove you it is no great matter haply to bring your children or servants under the word but when they are here they play and sport and talk and runne about as though there were no God here and therefore you should tell your children and servants it is the word of the Lord child and it is the word of the Lord servant it is not the word of man as you may think but it is the word of the Lord by which you shall one day be judged the Minister told you that God hateth a proud man and and a drunkard and an adulterer and a swearer why this was the word of the Lord thus bring the word home unto their soules and this is the way to bring them home unto God here that they may receive salvation hereafter we should use all the cords of mercy and love and anger and indignatioÌ„n that so if it were possible we might hale the soules of poore sinners to God oh blessed spirit of Saint Paul in this kind I wonder what is become of that love zeale that was in him as we may see in the 19. of the Acts he travells from place to place froÌ„ countrey to countrey he goes from house to house and rappes at every mans doore perswading men with all patience to be reconciled to God he dealeth as the nurse doth with her child the child cries and shrâ—ikes and wrawles and yet the nurse beares all so doth the Apostle Paul he met with much opposition here mocked there imprisoned there set in the stocks and scourged and yet he beares all with patience and perswades and beseeches men to be reconciled I say this power this zeale this love is gone if wee had hearts and hands and endeavours much more might be done in this case and God might work more mercifully with us powerfully by us for the conversion of poore sinners and this doth not lie only in the Ministers hands but Masters in yours and Officers in yours and so much shall serve for this poynt The next thing considerable in the Text is from the order first drawing then comming you cannot come unto me except my father draweth you the point is that God must first pluck us froÌ„ sin before we will fasten our soules upon the Lord Iesus it is evident Mat. 12.29 no man commeth into a strong mans house saith the Text unlesse he first bind the strong man first there must be binding and casting out before there can be taking of possession the house is the heart and the strong man is Satan the Lord must bind the one before he can take possession of the other the soule must be drawne before it will come to God however for the manner of this drawing it be divers God dealeth with some one way and some another some hee drawes with the cords of his mercy and some with the hookes of conscience yet this is certaine there must be a drawing before there can or will be a comming Gal. 3.22 it is said that all men are shut up under sinne c. Ioh. 1.12 As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God now before the Lord Iesus can be received the bonds of sinne must be removed and the lock must bee opened before the Lord Iesus can come in and bee entertained but God doth loose these locks divers wayes as sometimes