die foolish Soul thou must be judged and condemned and suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire there 's no shifting it off or escaping it 't is a plain case the Evidence is full and undeniable lay it to heart for of a truth thou art in an evil case Here-upon as the effect of this Conviction follows 3. Consternation Now the bold Sinner is knock'd in the Head and laid on his back now his old hopes give up the Ghost and Fear and Astonishment take hold upon him This Convincing Spirit is the same which is called the Spirit of Bondage working Fear Rom. 8.15 And when he is thus broken by Fear and feeling all his hopes and supports falling under him gives himself for a lost and undone Man then he is made ready to the hand of him that comes to seek and to save that which is lost He from whom just now nothing was heard but God I thank thee I am not as other Men is now brought to his O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me Presumptuous Sinner thou art never like to be happy till thou be undone there 's no hope of thee till thou be overcome of Fear O cry unto the Lord to cure thee of thy confidence to work thee to harder thoughts of thy present state if ever thou lookest it should be well with thee hereafter What dost thou yet retain thine old confidence wilt thou yet do all thou canst to maintain that good opinion of thy state which thou hast hitherto had what dost thou herein do but resist that Spirit of God who would but break thee that he might build thee up for ever Wilt thou not be undeceived wilt thou not be convinced wilt thou never know thy danger till it be too late to be prevented But how shall I do to get mine heart awakned out of this dangerous state Why wouldst thou be delivered Then 1. Dread Presumption more than ever thou dreadedst Conviction Every hard word every close word from a Minister of Christ how do Sinners shun it and hide themselves as much as they can from it Fear the fair speeches and smooth words that thy false heart speaks to thee more than the sharpest rebukes thou receivest from the Mouth of God Be willing to know the worst of thy case before it be too late to be recovered Be afraid to be deceived flatter not thy self and be afraid of the flatteries of others Know it to be safer for thee to think worse of thy self than thou art than to think it better than ' t is 2. Wait for and help on as much as thou canst a thorow-Work of Conviction upon thee 1. Give heed to and improve the convincing Word Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick powerful and sharper than a two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit of the Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart But as quick and powerful as this Word is yet it will not cut nor pierce unless it be duly heeded Therefore as the Apostle speaks in another case Heb. 2.1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard to every thing to every word that the Lord speaks not only to his sweeter and softer words his promising and comforting words but to his sharper and harder words his convincing and threatning words every word of God is needed by us and no word will do its work if it be not heeded Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words as these He that committeth Sin is of the Devil He that doth not Righteousness is not of God The Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God He that walketh after the Flesh shall die He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If any Man love the World the love of the Father abides not in him Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except ye repent ye shall all perish Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words consider whose words are these Is not this the Word of the Lord Thou shouldst bethink thy self to whom doth the Lord speak thus Is it not to me Am not I one of this number Am not I Unrighteous Am not I a Servant of my Flesh Hath not my Life been a wicked Life a worldly Life a meer carnal Life Have I been born again and become a new Creature Have I the Spirit of Christ Is this proud Spirit this froward Spirit this vain Spirit this lying contentious Spirit is this the Spirit of Christ Have I repented of my Sins and returned from my sinful and foolish wayes Speak O my Conscience do not lye to me but tell me truth how dost thou find it Sure I have been a Sinner and a worldly and wicked liver and I cannot find that I have repented or been new-Born and become a new Creature to this day How then can I conclude but that God hath spoken this word to me Thou art the Man that shall die and shall not see the Kingdom of God And how canst thou but take these words from his Mouth into thine own and confess I am the Man 2. Pray for the Convincing Spirit The Word without the Spirit can do nothing neither convince nor comfort thee When God sent a Word into the World he sent his Spirit along with it to make it prosper He was promised to be sent to this very end amongst others to Convince the World of Sin John 16.8 O pray for this Spirit when thou hearest a word that strikes upon thy sore lift up thine Heart to the Lord let thy Spirit thine Almighty Spirit set home this Word upon mine Heart I hear such a word as makes both mine Ears to tingle and I cannot deny but it belongs to me but for mine Heart I cannot get it to stick let the Spirit of the Lord sharpen this Nail and drive it home Here 's a poor Minister does what he can speaks as plainly as closely and as powerfully as he is able does what he can to startle me and to humble me and break me But poor Man he cannot do it this Heart is too deep for him to reach it too hard for him to pierce it But where is the God of mine Heart O let the Spirit of the Lord take the Pulpit and set an edge upon this two-edged Sword that its Iron may enter into my Soul Cry thus unto the Lord Say not as once Israel did Let not the Lord speak to us any more but let Moses speak Let this be thy Prayer Let Moses speak and the Prophets and Pastors and Teachers speak but let the Lord speak also and then there 's hope I may hear 3. Receive and retain the convincing Word when it comes Do not pray Lord speak and then turn away the Ear Lord come in and then shut the door against him pray for the Holy Ghost and then see that you resist not the Holy Ghost What
away whole Families unpeopled Towns and Countreys and but here and there one did escape with his Life if any of you were sick of this deadly Disease would you not conclude your Life were in danger would you not be afraid you should not escape O this Plague of the Heart how much more mortal is it than the Plague of the Flesh What multitudes doth it sweep away into the Pit when but here and there one is left for Life and Glory 2. Consider the constant miscarriage and succeslesness of all the means that have been hitherto used for thy Conversion This is not the first time thou hast been preached to thou hast been warned of thy Sins thou hast heard of Christ and been perswaded to come into him long before this day and not once nor twice but it may be all thy dayes And what hath been yet done upon thee Behold Man after so long a time yet thou art in thy Sins yet thou art blinded and hardned and running the same course as heretofore O how little hope is there that that same Word should work at last that hath hitherto done nothing upon thee Will the Sword of the Spirit be more like to cut to the Heart after it hath been so long blunted upon thine Iron Neck Will the Devils Tenure be weakned by Prescription Will he the easier out by having so long held possession will this old Man grow weaker through Age will thy Disease grow more curable by continuance upon thee or is it likely the very same Remedies will prevail at last which have been so long used in vain If you were under some bodily Disease and had used all the means that can be had If you had had Physician upon Physician Medicine upon Medicine the best Physicians the best Medicines and still you were as short of a Cure as ever If one Physician should have come and prescribed to you and you would not take his Physick or if you took it yet it would not work If after him should come another and another and still no success but your Disease should continue yea and grow under the hands of all your Physicians would you not conclude your case were deadly and but little hope left that you should be recovered Consider Sinners what hath the Lord hitherto done what Ministry have you had how many Physicians have been trying their utmost skill upon you convincing you warning you beseeching you to turn from your Vanities to the Living God Hath not the Lord God by the Ministry of his Servants been dealing with you and treating with you these many years about this thing and yet how far off how ignorant of Christ how obstinate against Christ and how resolved for your old wayes What and yet for all this so much without fear that all will be well at last Look to your selves and know for certain that by how much the more means have been used without success by so much the more desperate is your case grown It 's true the Lord may make his Word to Work at last to convert an obstinate Sinner an old Sinner He may do that by small means which greater and more likely means have not done the last stroke may break the Flint the last Arrow may cleave the Pin the last Word may do the Work when so many have been lost and done nothing But when there are so many Instances to the contrary when it is so very seldom seen wilt thou not only put thy self upon such a desperate adventure but remain without fear of any hazard At most there is but a Peradventure for it The Servants of Christ must be patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God may give them Repentance 2 Tim. 2.25 When we are sent forth to Preach to Sinners in the Name of the Lord this is all we have for it as to any particular Persons Who can tell what God may do whether he may bless our word to them or not Peradventure he may and peradventure he may not Now that the Word is once again Preached to you this day peradventure it may prosper upon some of you peradventure you may hear and be humbled and be converted Who can tell whether some or other of you may not But there is a great doubt whether it may be so with thee or no either now or ever hereafter what and yet not afraid 3. Consider the potent Adversaries there are and the mighty opposition they make and will make against thy Conversion Know and lay to heart these three things 1. If all that the Devil can do to hinder thee will prevail Thou shalt never be Converted 2. If all that thine own flesh can do to hinder thee will prevail Thou shalt never be Converted 3. If all that the World can do to hinder thee will prevail Thou shalt never be Converted 1. If all that the Devil can do to hinder thee will prevail thou shalt never be converted nor escape the Wrath and Curse of God The Devil is great with Sinners he can rule them at pleasure 2 Tim. 2.25 They are led captive by him at his Will The Devil's Will is a Law to Sinners and such a Law as they are willingly subject to The Devil's Government is not like to displease Sinners for his Law is That every one should please himself He looks for no more than that every one should do what is right in his own Eyes Therefore shall this Bramble be King as long as Sinners can carry it If it should be put to vote in the World who should be Ruler God or the Devil the Sinners of the Earth would give their vote for the Devil as for the Lord God they would say the same concerning the Father as once those wicked Ones did concerning the Son Luk. 14.19 We will not have him to reign over us The Devil is mighty with Sinners he is their Prince and their Ruler as far as God lets him alone he can order them at pleasure they will follow this Lion whither ever he goes And this Devil is an Adversary to Souls they shall certainly die and be damn'd if he can do it 1 Pet. 5.8 He walketh up and down seeking whom he may devour Sinner when dost thou mean to return into the way of Life When wilt thou to Christ The Devil hath such power with thee that if God leave thee to thy self thou art never like to come to Christ till he be willing to let thee come And when will that be Who is it that hath kept thee from him all this time I will tell thee when he will drag thee to Christ but by his good will thou shalt never go before If he can but hold thee from him till the Judgment then he will drag thee before him to receive thy Sentence for all thine ungodliness When the Season of Grace is over then thou mayest go but if he can help it never till then 2. If all that thine own
not but in doing mischief 2. The Devil loves to dwell where he may be at rest That is not from Work his Work is his rest but from Resistance or Opposition In carnal and unclean Hearts the unclean Spirit may be at rest there 's nothing to disturb or give him disquiet He may dwell at ease and rule and domineer at pleasure Nay if he please he may be at rest not only from Opposition but from Work too he may take up such Habitations for his Houses to sleep in his Work goes on whether he wakes or sleeps Wicked Hearts do the Devil's Work to his hand he may save himself much of his labour they will run on to Death and Hell without the Devils driving them Foolish Sinners are apt to think themselves secure from the Devil they live in I constant calm and find no such buffetings and blusterings of the Devil upon them as some of the Saints do but are in quiet and at peace and thereupon are confident there 's no Devil near them But stay Friends not so confident cast an eye upon Luk. 11.21 there you may read When a strong Man armed keepeth the House his Goods are in peace It is not because the Devil is not near you that you hear no more of him but because he hath you sure enough and needs not keep a stir to make you surer Do but offer to depart and make an escape give but a shake at his Yoke to get it off and get you away towards Christ and then you shall find whether the Devil be at hand or no. He is at rest in thee Sinner and that 's the reason thou hearest no news nor noise of him he hath thee safe enough or else thou shouldst be sure to find he were not far off from thee Seeking rest and findeth none He goes through these dry places from Saint to Saint from Heart to Heart in hope to find entertainment but is still disappointed Here 's little rest for me to be had these dry places I see are no place for me Here 's such watching and wrestling and warring against me such jealouses and suspicions of me so much praying and complaining against me that thre's no stay for me here This whether it be the Truth of the Text or no I will not peremptorily determine but a certain Truth it is The Devil seeks entertainment in the Saints but cannot find to his mind Then he saith I will return to mine House from whence I came out Well I see there 's no hope of rest for me here but I know whither I may go and be welcome I 'le back to my old Habitation And when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished A little cleaner and handformer than when he left it the Devil can allow Sinners a little Reformation But though it be a little cleaned and garnished yet it lies empty still there 's no other Tenant hath taken it up though the Devil went out yet Christ was not let in but there it lies void for the next that comes Then goeth he and taketh seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that Man is worse than his first Beware of a returning Devil the Devil at his return often makes seven-sold worse work than before he did Friends it may be there be some among you in whom the unclean Spirit hath been ruling and spurring and riding you post on upon all manner of wickedness Drunkenness Whoredom Swearing Cursing and all manner of Abominations But at present it may be he is for a season departed and hath a little with-drawn from you and now you are grown more sober and temperate and chast much reformed of what you once were you are swept and garnished you have laid by your former profaneness and taken up the Profession of Religion and put on a Form of Godliness there is a better face upon you and upon your wayes and now you think all 's well you are become new Men and your state is happy But do you not stand empty still Hath Christ taken up these Hearts for his own Habitation If the Unclean Spirit be gone out is the Holy Spirit come in How much soever you are Reformed of what you have been are you transformed by the renewing of your Mind Are you not only garnished with common Grace but are you furnished with special Grace Is Christ within you If not O take heed the Devil may come about again and make his re-entry upon you and then you have not been so wicked heretofore but you may become seven times more vile and your latter end may be worse than your beginning Beloved I hope and am perswaded that there are divers among you from whom through the abundant Grace of God towards you the unclean Spirit is not only withdrawn but cast out that you are not only a little overly swept and garnished but established in the Grace of God I hope and believe that there are many here in whom the Holy Spirit hath gotten such footing that the Devil shall never come in again to set up his Throne or take up his Rest in you But yet I warn you especially the younger Professors among you to maintain a Godly Jealousie of your selves and to fear how it may be with you Now Friends consider what hath been said Are there Preparations for Grace which yet are no Grace Are there Images of Grace which yet are no Grace And may they be so well like that they are often taken to be the same May you have many Properties of Sincere Christians and yet be no Christians May all you have of them go back and come to worse than nothing Believe this and see if it work not fear in you Objection But is this the Work of a Minister of the Gospel to fill poor Christians Heads and Hearts with Doubts and Fears The Word of the Gospel is a Word of Peace a comforting Word and that 's the charge laid upon the Ministers of the Gospel Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my People speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem cry unto her that her Iniquity is pradoned And the poor People of God have need enough to be comforted they have fears enough from the World and their own evil Hearts and do you make Christ to be the Minister of fear to them also Our Doubts are our Sins our Fears are our Infirmities and do you go about to nourish our Diseases The Word of Christ is the Food of Souls and 't is but poor feeding for Christ's Sheep to feed them with Fear Solution 1. All are not Christ's Sheep that are found in Sheeps Clothing the Devil hath some Goats in Christ's Fold All are not Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 And whilst it is really a question whether thou be not one of the Devil's Goats he does thee no harm that puts thee in fear whether thou be or no. This fear is not to
fruits may sprout forth and grow up again the root was not touched whatever was done upon the boughs The heart-Adulteries and heart drunkenness the swearing and lying and oppressing heart the root of all these wickednesses remained untouch'd Let that inward corruption of Nature which is the root of Actual sin be first and most effectually laid at The root of sin is to be destroyed By the Word of Christ By the Blood of Christ 1. By the Word of Christ Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick and powerfull sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow It reaches to the inwards and pierces the Entrails Like the Lightning it will melt the sword in the scabbard 't will break the bones 't will slay the babe in the womb When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts Act. 2.37 Friends do not open the Ear only but open the Breast to the Word set the point of this Sword to the very heart of your sins and count not that it hath done its work whatever slaughter it hath made of your sins without till the Soul of them the inward pravity of your Natures and the inward lusts immediately issuing thence have received their mortal wound 2. By the Blood or Death of Christ Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with him Ay that 's it that must do it 't is Christ crucified that must crucifie sin We read Mark 5.29 of a Woman that had been many years afflicted with an issue of Blood who by the influence of Christ through the touch of his hemme had the fountain of her blood dried up and so her bloody issue cured The irruptions and breakings forth of lust into action are as so many Issues of blood running upon us the workings of pride the workings of Covetousness sensuality and the like are a filthy fluxe so many unclean issues or running sores upon us Those that sport themselves with their sins are as men that make a sport of their filthy ulcers and unclean diseases Now the way of cure of these unclean issues may be illustrated from that Scripture There are three things to be noted in the cure of that woman 1. The bloody Issue was cured by the drying up the Fountain of her blood These filthy fluxes of lust and wickedness will never be cured till their Fountain be dryed up till the Body of sin be destroyed 2. The fountain of her blood was dried up by vertue issuing from Christ There went out vertue from him 't is said upon which the woman was cured Sin can never be slain but by vertue and influence from Christ Therefore he is said to be a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Here 's a Fountain prepared against a Fountain and a fountain of blood against a fountain of blood the blood of Christ is a fountain opened to drayn out and dry up our fountain of iniquity 1 Joh. 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 3. The vertue of Christ was received and the cure wrought by a touch of the hemme of his garment that is by the faith of the woman who said that is who believed If I may touch the hemme of his garment I shall be whole Her faith was it which got out the vertue as Christ himself afterwards testifies vers 34. Thy faith hath made thee whole Friends would you be healed of your plagues Go to Christ for a cure Put forth the hand of faith and touch touch not the hemme of his garment but his side and his heart his hands and his feet touch this Jesus as a crucified Jesus Christ can heal you with a touch but he will not touch your diseased Souls unless your faith first touch him We read Numb 21. that a look of a stung Israelite which was the same thing with this womans touch on the brazen Serpent got out such vertue from him who was signified by that Serpent as cured him of his sting Christ look'd on by faith will not only heal thee of the sting but will kill the Serpent that it shall never smite thee with such a deadly sting again Go to Christ sinner say within thy self If I can but touch him I shall be made whole look to the brazen Serpent and both thou shalt be healed and the fiery Serpent slain Believe that there is such vertue in Christ as will do the cure and lay hold and relye upon him for it Bring thy unclean fountain to that fountain which is opened for sin and for uncleanness and thou shalt certainly find that this blood of Christ shall cleanse thee from all sin Thou that art a Saint mayst set thy Probatum est to this remedy thou hast been with Jesus and thy Faith hath made thee whole thine Old man is crucified with him and the body of sin is destroyed onely because the cure is but begun and must be perfected by degrees by the same remedy as long as thou livest in this imperfect state by renewed acts of faith upon the blood of Christ expect thy total cure From the continual issuing forth of the same vertue by which sin hath received its deaths wound let it die daily till it cease to be for ever 2. Put a knife to the throat of sin My meaning is cut it short of that Provision that would feed and nourish it The old man is given to Appetite and you know what the counsel is in that case Prov. 23.2 Put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Look how many lusts there are so many sorts of feedings there are to keep them in heart Pride must have ornaments or honour applause respect and observance and for want of other feeding 't will feed upon thoughts upon our self-reflections and dotages any vain conceit of some worth or excellency we find in us Covetousness must have money houses and lands the hopes of getting and the content of possessing them Sensuality must have carnal pleasure and mirth wine and strong drink and dainties and varieties c. and whilest the flesh may have its lust it growes head-strong and imperious there 's no way to keep it tame but by keeping it short of what it craves Make no provision for the flesh saith the Apostle Rom. 13.14 to fulfill the lusts thereof And you may observe it that he prescribes this as a remedy to cure those intemperances riot and drunkenness chambering and wantonness strife and envying mentioned ver 13. It may be thou complainest sometimes of thy corruptions of the impetuousness of lust of the unruliness of thy spirit and confessest it and prayest against it but whilest thou prayest thou canst not find in thine heart to make thy lust to fast it must have its provision still allowed it It may be even when thou art praying against thy pride thou letst it feed upon thy very Prayer thy eloquence or affectionate Enlargement or
any thing thou apprehendest to be praise-worthy this must be meat for thy pride It may be thou prayest against thy covetousness or sensuality but as soon as thou art off thy knees away thou goest to work for the one or to thy play to please the other When some of thy last words are lead us not into temptation it may be thy very next steps may be running into temptation this is but mocking of God and deluding thy self If thou would'st prosper against this enemy whil'st thou stormest it by seeking to God starve it by denying thy self 3. Put a bridle on its Jaws My meaning is restrain it from its actings if thou canst not prevent its conception strangle it in the birth if the fire be kindled within yet give it no vent allow not the lust of thine heart the priviledge of thy mouth or the command of thine hand if thou canst not restrain thy covetous desires yet hold in from covetous practices if thou lovest the wine and the strong drink yet withhold the cup from the lip if thou canst not so easily rule thy spirit yet bridle thy tongue the fire of passion doth not waste by spending but rather increases the ordinary preventing and restraining the acts of sin will weaken its habits I have heard some persons vainly speaking at this rate when I have anger in mine heart out it must and then I am friends and so take it for their vertue rather than their sin that they cast out all their mire and dirt in a storm because then a calm follows Thou fool hast thou conquered thine unruly spirit by suffering thy self to be thus conquered by it what do'st thou think of him that conquers his lust by going to an Harlot when thou hast eas'd thy stomach by thy Bedlam-language then there is a calm but thou neither considerest the sin of letting fly thine angry words nor yet wilt mind that the fire will kindle the sooner for that it finds so easie a vent Damme up the furnace and that 's the best way to quench the coals 4. Set thy foot on the neck of Sin Have any of thy lusts fallen before thee make them sure tread them under thee that they rise not up again do not slight them as conquered enemies which now thou needest no more to fear those which are now under thy foot if thou look not well to them may be Lords over thee again Hath the Lord humbled thy proud heart broken thy unruly spirit and seem'd to turn a Lyon into a Lamb whilest thou sayest I hope I shall never be proud again never be so froward or peevish again whil'st thus thou hopest thou shalt not yet still fear lest thou should'st whil'st sin hath any life in it thou art still in danger as we use to say of dying men whil'st there is life there is hope so may it be said of these dying beasts while there is life there is fear Let that fear be as the foot upon their necks to prevent their rising and return upon thee Well thus set upon sin let it be destroyed reward it as it would serve thee and because it will be long a dying let it be killed all the day long draw not back thine hand whil'st its life is left in it O what an advantage will the death of of sin be to the life of holiness when the body of sin is dead 't will stink dead bodies will do so and all the issues of it will be noisome and loathsome to thee Lust is never deadly but when it lives and is sweet and pleasant when it dies and stinks and is become an annoyance to thee it will be the less thine hindrance it hath now done its worst the more it offends the less it will hurt Do'st thou find sin sweet Is it still a pleasure to thee beware of it 't is a sign 't is still alive it would stink if it were dead thou would'st nauseate it thy stomach would rise against it O this stinking pride this stinking covetousness these stinking pleasures away with them my very soul is sick with the stench they make and when sin stinks then holiness will be pleasant and the work of holiness a delight the very severities of Religion will be sweet when the pleasure of sin ceases The death of sin is all our diseases cured the lean and consumptive Soul will now revive and recover and be strengthened for its work The crucifying of sin is the casting off our weights that hang on to hinder us in our way Heb. 12.1 2. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth easily be set us and run with patience the race that is set before us 't is ill running with weights upon our backs Lust is such a weight upon the Saints as Conscience is upon sinners some sinners Consciences make them drive heavily on in their way of sin when they can once knock off this weight when they can kill Conscience and get themselves rid of its checks and controuls then they rush on upon iniquity as the horse rusheth into the battel let the Saints serve their Lusts as Sinners do their Consciences and then they may run with patience the race which is set before them There is a sore evil that is seen under the Sun Sinners all upon the Tantivie riding post towards Hell O how sprightly O how hot are they upon their chace of sin and vanity and poor creeple-Christians but barely wagging on by a Snail-creeping motion heavenward O 't is a sign that the weights do yet hang on thou art yet heavy loaden thou carriest too many bundles of thorns upon thy back too many burthens of earth and flesh upon thine heart to make any hast heaven-ward lay aside these weights tread down these worldly lusts throw off these worldly cares and carnal desires and delights yea get this carnality which is the body of Sin and the very soul of that body to be slain and crucifyed with Christ and when thou art dead with Christ thou shalt live the better to him He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and vers 18.22 Being made free from sin ye then become the Servants of Righteousness and so shall have your fruit unto holiness and your end everlasting life O what a visible improvement should we quickly see on the professing world did we prosper more in our mortifying work then would the languid and pale-fac'd Saints have blood in their cheeks and more spirits in all their veins the young man within would be fresh and ruddy were the old man once well laid then would the Plants grow up into Trees and the Shrubs into Cedars then will the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb be loosed then would this vile image of earth and flesh vanish and disappear and the Spirit of Glory and of God would more visibly rest upon us and we should go forth as the Sun out of his Chamber and rejoyce as the
than others said Christ to his Disciples Math. 5.47 I have not done by others as I have done by you they have not been taught as you have been taught they have not been fed as you have been fed they have not seen nor heard nor tasted what you have done think not that it can be born that you do no more nor no better than they Coloss 2.6.7 As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Is Christ in thee let the life of Christ be made manifest in thy life as he was so be thou in the world he went about doing good go thou and do likewise Hast thou faith hast thou the love of Christ in thee where is thy work of faith where are thy labours of love hast thou been filled with the fruits of righteousness with meekness humility mercy patience let them all have their perfect work that thou may'st be entire lacking nothing Our first fruits must be brought forth upon our selves our first care and business must be to work out our own Salvation to keep every one of us our own vineyard Thou hast an heart of thine own to keep and a tongue to keep and eyes and hands to look to and govern well thou hast thy thoughts and thy passions and thine appetite and thy Conscience and thy conversation to take care of and the grace thou hast received is firstly to be exercised upon thy self But though thy work begin there yet it must not end there thou hast thy family to govern thou hast thy father's family the houshold of faith to look after yea and thou hast a larger charge than this as thou hast opportunity do good to all Gal. 6.10 thou art set to be a guide to the blind a light to them that are in darkness an instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes an example of the believers yea and of the unbelievers also in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Now Christians know your work and set to your work serve the Lord with the best you have and serve the Lord with all you have and all this in fear lest you should receive the grace of God in vain I beseech you saith the Apostle take heed of that 2 Cor. 6.1 I beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain Then the grace of God is received in vain not only when nothing is done by it but in a degree it may be said to be received in vain when its fruits are not proportionable there is not so much done as might have been done When he that hath received ten talents brings forth no more fruit than might have been brought forth with five when he that hath received five talents hath done no more good than might have been done with two all our receivings that are over and above the proportion of our fruits all the over-plus of them is received in vain He that is a knowing Christian if he lives not to better purpose than a Christian of little knowledge he that is an ancient experienced Christian if he be no more useful in his life than he that is but a babe that which he hath received above what this babe hath received is received in vain and the Lord may say to him wherefore is this waste What art thou a man of knowledge and hast had such long acquaintance with God and such experiences of his special love and kindness to thee and do'st thou keep all so much to thy self that thou art of little more use in thy generation than a child Hath the Lord taken thee into his heart shewed thee his loves comforted thee in Prayer counselled thee in his Word feasted thee at his Table caused his grace so to abound towards thee and made thee glad with the light of his countenance and all for no more but this hath he furnished thee and fitted thee for every good work and yet art thou thus barren and unfruitful An unuseful and unactive spirit in a Christian is an unhappiness and an unworthiness which yet possibly some that are none of the lowest form for attainments may have reason enough to charge themselves withall and to conclude that though they have not altogether yet they have very much received the grace of God in vain Brethren beloved let us study and let us learn that wisdom which is from above which is full of good fruits dare not to be found among the barren of the flock nor of those trees which do little better than cumber the ground Once more let me put the spur to the side What if the Lord should come among his fig-trees and find so little fruit upon thee art thou not afraid thou might'st hear that word Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Consider friend what fruits are there found upon thee the fruits of the flesh may be are still hanging on what clustres are there of them hatred variance emulation strife wrath envying pride covetousness what a vintage is there of these wild grapes but where are the fruits of the spirit what a small gleaning is there of them to be found and what shrivelings are those that are would'st thou that thy Lord should find it thus with thee we read Cant. 4.16 when the Church was in a thriving fruitful state she prayed Let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Do'st Thou make that Prayer O no I am afraid he should come and find me thus thy Prayer is more like to be Let my Lord delay his coming But how long must he stay thine heart would shake within thee to think that he should find thee thus but when O when shall it be better with thee Take this pruning hook fear will serve thee for such an use and lop off these evil fruits that the fruits of righteousness may spring up in their room When shall the Roses and the Pomegranates bud when shall the fragrant spices flow forth those blessed fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance when shall these sprout once Christians do you not wish 't were better with you can you bear your own barrenness Is not this vain empty fruitless life an offence to you do you not confess 't is low water with you do you not complain of your uselessness and unprofitableness But shall this be all shall we never have better fruit to bring before the Lord but our confessions and complaints of our want of fruit but our self-bemoanings and self-judgings for our barrenness Better this than nothing but when shall it be better when shall we hear the voice of joy and praise and thanksgivings to the Lord for blessing our fields with increase when shall we be able to say See O Lord thy blood hath not been shed in vain thy spirit hath not been poured
3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion fear the severity of Christ against Irreligion Thou canst not bear the work of Righteousness but how wilt thou bear the wages of Unrighteousness if thou canst not be tied up so strait by the cords of his Discipline how wilt thou endure the chains of his indignation If the severities of his service be to thee a stumbling-stone the wrath of the Lamb will be a mill-stone if this stone fall upon thee it will grind thee to powder Matth. 21.44 Sinners let their tongues run at a wild rate I must have my ease I must have my liberty I was never in bondage and cannot now endure it to come under such a severe restraint But thou that professest thy self to be one of his Disciples wilt thou say as these say I cannot bear it I cannot endure it Canst thou burn what thinkest thou of the everlasting severity Consider what thou dost either submit to Christs Pastoral Rod or fall for ever under his Iron Rod wherewith he will crush thee to pieces like a Potters Vessel Why is this the case must I bow or burn must I come under his Government or be ground under his Milstones O I have done no more reasoning with flesh and blood no more picking quarrels with Religion whatever there be in it I dare not but submit to it all for fear a worse thing come unto me Well but wilt thou submit then wilt thou set thine heart to all his words wilt thou set thy Neck to all his works This is the third thing now I exhort you to follow after Severity and strictness in the wayes of the Lord which because it hath something more of asperity and roughness in it than those that follow there will be so much the more need of Fear to bring us to it 4. Simplicity Severity may be in Hypocrisie the Scribes and Pharisees were severe severe in their Fasts disfiguring their faces looking with sad and dejected countenances severe in the observation of the Rites Customs and Traditions of their Fathers yea and of the Letter of the Law of God there were very strict sects of them Act. 26.5 and yet they were Hypocrites Simplicity notes The Heart in our work Singleness of heart 1. Simplicity notes Heartiness in our Work nothing is plain and honest but that which is hearty doing the Will of God from the heart Ephes 6.6 Ye have obeyed from the heart Rom. 6.17 My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 What is it to give God the heart This is one thing comprehended in it to give him the heart for a servant or to serve him with the heart He that gives God the heart gives him the best he hath and gives him all he hath the heart will command the tongue and the hands and the time and the Estate to be all at his service which way the heart goes all goes Serving the Lord with the heart is serving him in good earnest we do but play with duty we do but mock God where the heart is not 't is only serving him in spirit that is serving him in truth Friends be real and in good earnest in what you doe let all your Religion come deep let your Prayers and your Prayses and all the exercising your selves to Godliness of life be the streamings and issuings forth of your hearts to the Lord. Whatever you doe do it heartily as unto the Lord. Serve the Lord as you have been used to serve your flesh in good earnest What you have done for your Estates what you have done for your Names or for your safety you have done it heartily and shall that only which we do for God and for our Souls be done without an heart what is God what are our Souls and the concernments of them that they should be thus put off Is this heartless service all that God is worthy of will he accept it at our hands or is it no matter whether he accept it or no Is this spiritless service answerable to the worth of our Souls and the weight of Eternity will you venture all upon shadowes and lyes Are we but in Jest when we talk of a God or a Christ or a World to come Are our hopes and fears about hereafter but delusions and dreams Do you believe from the heart and dare you not obey from the heart How can you say you believe there is a God indeed that of a very truth there is such an Heaven and such an Hell in one of which your immortal Souls must dwell for ever how can you believe such things and not feel your very inwards even all the Powers of your Souls engaged about them Am I speaking to those that believe not is it not to you that believe that I now direct my words Consider friends The God in whom you believe is a Spirit and will be served in Spirit and in Truth God is a great God and infinitely worthy of the best and of all you have your Souls are precious eternal Life and eternal Death are serious things and which of these two will be your lott is a serious question and sure these most serious things do call for your most serious and hearty attendance upon them Away with all guile and hypocrisie provoke not the jealous God fool not away your Souls by trusting to lyes Worship God in the Spirit lift up your Souls in your Prayers chasten your Souls in your Fastings And as your Souls must be in your Lips in your Eyes in your Ears while you are solemnly worshipping of God so let your Hearts be in you Hands too in all that you have to doe Let your heart have an hand in all the actions of your lives Eccles 9.10 Whatever thine hand findeth to doe do it with thy might that is do it with all your heart the heart is the might of the man God is the strength of the heart and the heart is the strength of the man Sinners when they go forth upon service for the Devil they carry their heart in their hands Micah 7.3 They do evil with both hands earnestly Earnestly there 's the heart in their hands They do their worst that God will suffer them Thou hast done iniquity as thou couldest Jer. 3.5 as much as ever thou wert able As Sinners do their worst so let Christians do the best they can Whatever thou hast to do for thine own Soul by gathering in and treasuring up against the time to come do the most and the best thou canst be as hearty in laying up treasure in Heaven as ever thou hast been in laying up treasure on Earth Whatever service thou hast to do for God in thy generation by doing good to others do it with all thine heart In your instructing admonishing counselling reproving in your working righteousness in your shewing mercy in your promoting and encouraging any good work or preventing evil in your propagating serious Religion in your pulling poor sinners as