such a Christ pleaseth us well but such a Christ will never do us good 2 This makes a man bold to adventure upon the commission of the grossest evill this makes him fearless to continue in it makes him negligent and regardless by godly sorrow and saving repentance to recover out of it he passeth not he cares not to take his poyson and to drink it in as his daily dyet he carries his 〈◊〉 about him and that which will undoubtedly cure him he may yet maintain union with Christ and communion with his cursed Lusts. 3 This makes a man slight in holy servises so as neither to put a price upon them nor to see an excellencie in them or iudg aright of the necessity of such performances he becomes sleepy and heartless in what he doth he is sure of a Christ that will answer all and therefore he troubles not himself with holy duties if he stumble upon the doing of them so if he neglect the doing of them so he hath a way to help all he can have a Christ he conceives without these and therefore he makes no great matter whether he do these or no. 4 Nay if he may have union to Christ while he is in his corruption if so he is then in a good estate for he that hath the son 〈◊〉 life 1 John 5. 12. Therefore he may have evidence of his good estate without the sight of any saving qualification because he may have a Christ and so be in a good estate without any saving qualification And therefore this Evidence must needs come from an immediate revelation from Heaven for there is no appearance no manifestation of it on Earth either in our hearts or lives in what we have or do and therefore then our good estate may be sure unto us by Christ when we have nothing but sin and do nothing but commit sin And hence because both graces and gracious actions may be wanting in this union to Christ because separable from it thererefore the want of them cannot infer the deniall of a good estate nor the presence of them conclude the certainty of a good estate because they are not proper and peculiar to such a condition for then they could not be severed from it which they may And thus this one Delusion like an Egyptian fog darkens the whol Heavens even the bright beams of the Sun of the Gospel and the everlasting Covenant of Gods free grace cuts the sinews of sincerity and eats out the blood and spirits of the power nd presence and life of Grace and under a pretence of advancing Christ and Free Grace destroies his Kingdom and frustrates the coming of Christ into the World For he came for this end 1 John 3. 8. To destroy the Works of the Devil the Apostle concludes it verse 10. as a proof beyond all question or exception the child of the Devil is manifest in this He that hates his brother and works unrighteousness is the Child of the Devil and yet upon this grant and according to this ground a man may do both these and yet be united unto Christ and so be blessed of him Look we therefore at these so desperate 〈◊〉 not as Rocks and Sands where men may suffer Shipwrack and yet be recovered but like a devouring Gulf or Whirl-pool whereinto whosoever comes there is no hope nor help to come out as cutting a man off from the careful and consciencious use of the means appointed by God in the Gospel to recover him As a Ship that is foundred in the midst of the main Ocean without the sight of any succor or hope of Relief Besides then the Arguments formerly alleaged I shall propound some other to fortifie against this so dangerous a Deceit Reasons to prove that Christ cannot be united to the Soul while it is in its Natural Condition and the state of Unbeleef Taken from John 14. 17. Christ saies he would send them another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive Every man while he is in his corrupt and natural condition he is one of the World Eph. 2. 2. When in times passed ye walked according to the course of this world vers 3. Among whom also we had our Conversations in times past in the lusts of the flesh How otherwise could they be called 〈◊〉 of the World unless they were in it They who cannot receive the Spirit cannot receive the Lord Jesus nor union to him but men Naturally cannot receive the Spirit therefore they must be called out of the World and from the Power of Satan and so be prepared and then receive Faith that so they may receive 〈◊〉 But Conversion being a Creating Work a Work of Creation needs 〈◊〉 preparation to 〈◊〉 or for it 〈◊〉 his Word is 〈◊〉 he calls men his people who are not his people and by calling them so he makes them to be so Preparation is required to the implantation of the 〈◊〉 into Christ not 〈◊〉 regard of God or his work upon us as though he needed any help to the execution of his holy wil but in regard of the thing wrought in us for he working all things according to the counsel of his own will and the rules of his Infinite Wisdom he needs not any help in his work yet it is 〈◊〉 his perfection and sufficiency to go against the wise Order set down in the Dispensation of his Providence for the bringing about of this work the causes of a thing do not help God in Working or Creating they are necessarily required to make up the thing wrought or created there is nothing in a blind eye 〈◊〉 may help God to restore it to sight yet God according to reason must put a power and ability of sight or a 〈◊〉 faculty before he will nay indeed can bring forth seeing God can turn Water into Wine but in reason he must destroy the Nature of Water and then make Wine for it implies a contradiction to say that Water should remain Water and yet have Wine made out of it So it is in the soul he can change a proud and unbeleeving heart into a 〈◊〉 heart but he must first destroy the power of unbeleef 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can bring in faith He that is under the power of infidelity and corrupt Nature he is under the guilt of his sins and in the state of condemnation John 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already and vers 36. The wrath of God abides upon him But he that is in Christ to him there is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. last and for his sake with all that are in him Now to be in the state of condemnation and acceptation together in the state of Life and death to have the wrath of God abiding and the good pleasure of God resting upon a party at the 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 a perfect contradiction and so impossibilities in
Heaven for revenge but when our Savior laid his hand upon the sore and let the light shine in her face and points at the vileness of her practice Thou hast had five Husbands but he whom thou now hast is not thy Husband she then becomes sensible of his soveraign wisdom and her own wretchedness John 4. 18 19 20. So it was with Paul when the Lord met him going to Damascus persecuting the Saints he saw not the sinfulness of his course and therefore was senceless of it Saul Saul saies Christ why persecutest thou me Then he answers Who art thou Lord Jesus said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks when he understood the evil of his way then he stood trembling and astonished saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 5 6. Before the Corinthians were made conscious of their own carelesness neither pitying the soul of the incestuous Corinthian nor yet seeking to reform his sin they gloried over him and prided themselves in their own conceited excellency but when the Apostle had discovered their miscarriage and failings what sorrow and care did it work in them and what serious endeavor to reform the guilty party The Doctrine is true we shall endeavor to make it plain and therefore we shall open several particulars the right conceiving whereof will be as a key to unlock the Treasury of this Truth that each man may take what will serve his turn Enquire therefore we will By what means and after what manner God works this sight of Sin How far the sinner may be said to be active in it Wherein this true sight and apprehension properly consists and so discovers it self The Reason of this Truth and the Lords Order in this proceeding And then we shall make Application of it By what means or after what manner the Lord works this sight of Sin To which I shall Answer in four Conclusions Or the Answer unto which Inquiry will be expressed in four Particulars The Righteous Law of God as it is the Rule of our Lives so it is the Discoverer of our Sins and swervings therefrom and by the light thereof together with that little light of common Principles of Piety and Love left upon our Consciences we come to have our corruption made known to us Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledg of sin insomuch that Paul a learned Pharisee one that profited in the Jews Religion more than his equals he was yet at a loss in discerning and judging of the turnings and distempers of his heart before he takes the light and lamp of the Law So himself professeth Rom. 7. 7. I had not known that lust had been a sin those first stirrings of the Body of death and secret lingrings and inclinations to that which is cross to the wil of God though there be no consent given to them no delight taken in them but that the Law said thou shalt not lust the Sentence of the Law set down his Judgment and therefore the Apostle James compares it to a perfect and curious Looking-glass wherein each man may see the least blemishes or motes if he will present himself before it James 1. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein will lay his mind and heart and life level to the Law of God and hold his heart and apprehensions to the righteous Judgment and Sentence thereof it will plainly discover the smallest imperfections the least stirrings of the most hidden distempers that arise so Rom. 2. 14. the Heathens with the twi-light or Star-light of the remainders of the Law written in their heart past Sentence against themselves touching the sinfulness of their course But this is not all nor yet enough to make us to attain a right sight of our Sins unless the Lord put a new Light into our minds within as we have the Light of the Law and Counsel of God shining without unto us otherwise the Law may be and wil be a clasped Book and a dead Letter we shall see little in it or receive little from it So Paul Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived Without the Law how could that be since he was an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the Tribe of Benjamin trained up at the feet of Gamaliel a Doctor of the Law prosessed it and practised it according to the most exact Sect of the Pharisees as he speaks But the meaning is that he was without the power of it and the spiritual life and lively efficacy of the Law It was a dead and a killing Letter Look what the sence of the words or some evidence of Reason or Arguments could hold out to a Natural Understanding the bark and shell and outside of such directions he took and entertained But the Spiritualness of the Law For the Law is Spiritual saies Paul and that spiritual and lively power of Conviction and Direction it puts forth upon the souls of the Saints who are subject to it and therefore indeed receive the work of it This Paul once in the time of his unregeneracy was destitute of and then he was alive that is in his own overweening and self-deluded conceit he concluded himself to be a living Christian to have the power and truth of Grace and to live the life of it So that it 's possible nay it 's ordinary and nothing more usual than for men to be without the Law when they have the Law to be without the Life of it while they have the Letter of it to be without the Law as a Soveraign Rule to their Lives while they take upon them the profession of it to be without the Spiritualness of the Law and so to miss the end of it that is closing with God as our last end and chief good which is the sap the pith and substance of the Law though they have the appearance of the practice of it And if they miss the end of the Law at which it aims and unto which it tends they must needs fall short of the Wisdom and Counsel and Spiritual efficacy of the Law which should direct them So in 2 Chron. 19. 3. Now for a long time Israel had been without the true God that is his true Worship that would bring them to him and that is the meaning of that Phrase Ephes. 2. 12. Without God in the World that is without the true Worship of God so that they who want the true Worship of God are without God So they who have the manner of the true Worship and want both Spirit and Truth in which God will be worshiped they have the Appearance but want the Spirit and Truth of the true manner they have So of the rest Thus it is with thousands in the Church which hear and know and have the Letter of the Law and yet are indeed without the Power and Spirit and therefore
the vulgar Herbs of this Nation wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to Mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge Also in the same Book is shewed 1 The time of gathering all Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces 3 The way of making and keeping all manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs The way of mixing the Medicines according to the Cause and Mixture of the Disease and the part of the Body afflicted 5 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women Newly enlarged by the Author in every sheet and Illustrated with divers new Plates 6 Galen's Art of Physick with a large Comment 7 A New Method both of studying and practising Physick 8 A Treatise of the Rickets being a Disease common to Children wherein is shewed 1 The Essence 2 The Causes 3 The Signs 4 The Remedies of the Disease Published in Latin by Dr. Glisson Dr. Bate and Dr. Regemorter translated into English And corrected by N. 〈◊〉 A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the Word of God at Dedham in Essex The Wonders of the Load-stone By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward Clows Chyrurgery Marks of Salvation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr. Love's Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech Vox Pacifica or a perswasive to peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament Time Mr. Symsons Sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks Sermon before the Lord Major Mr. Phillips Treatise of Hell of Christs Genealogy Eaton on the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant shewing that they oblidge not Eleven Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs lately published As also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded 1 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an Holy Art and Mystery 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravations of it 2 Gospel Worship on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general and particularly In Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper and Prayer 3 Gospel Conversation on Phil. 1. 17. Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the Light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal. 17. 14. 4 A Treatise of Earthly-Mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly-mindedness is 2 The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. Verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of 〈◊〉 and Walking with God on Gen. 5. 24. and on Phil. 3. 20. 5 An 〈◊〉 on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea 6 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 7 An 〈◊〉 on the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea being now compleat 8 The Evil of Evils 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Sinfulness of Sin on Job 36. 21. 9 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1. 1. 10 Of Hope on 1 John 3. 3. 11 Of 〈◊〉 by Faith on 2 Cor. 5. 7. Twelve several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into one Volumn Viz. 1 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 2 Satans Power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of His People under Temptation 3 Thankfulness required in every Condition 4 Grace for Grace or the Overflowing of Christs Fulness received by all Saints 5 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 6 Evangelical Repentance 7 The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Beleevers 8 The Woman of Canaan 9 The Saints Hiding-place in time of Gods Anger 10 Christs Coming is at our Midnight 11 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 12 Grace and Love beyond Gifts A Congregational Church is a Catholick Visible Church By Samuel Stone in New England A Treatise of Politick Powers wherein seven Questions are Answered 1 Whereof Power is made and for what ordained 2 Whether Kings and Governors have an Absolute Power over the People 3 Whether Kings and Governors be subject to the Laws of God or the Laws of their Countrie 4 How far the People are to obey their Governors 5 Whether all the people have be their Governors 6 Whether it be Lawful to depose an evil Governor 7 What Confidence is to be given to Princes The 〈◊〉 Samaritan Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians The Best and Worst Magistrate By 〈◊〉 Sedgwick The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries By Matthew Newcomen A Sacred Penegerick By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barriffs Military Discipline The Immortality of Mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized King Charls his Case or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Tryal Mr. Owens stedfastness of the Promises A Vindication of Free Grace Endeavoring to prove 1 That we are not elected as holy but that we should be holy and that Election is not of kinds but persons 2 That Christ did not by his Death intend to save all men and touching those whom he intended to save that he did not die for them only if they would beleeve but that they might beleeve 3 That we are not justified properly by our beleeving in Christ but by our Christ beleeving in him 4 that which differenceth one man from another is not the improvement of a common ability restored through Christ to all men in general but a principle of Grace wrought by the Spirit of God in the Elect. By John Pawson Six Sermons preached by Doctor Hill Viz. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive 〈◊〉 of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Church of Christ. 3 The Spring of strengthening Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4 The strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their strength 5 The Best and Worst of Paul 6 Gods eternal preparation for his Dying Saints The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech on the Scaffold The King's Speech on the Scaffold The Magistrates Support and Burden By Mr. John Cordel The Discipline of the Church in New England by the Churches and Synod there A Relation of the Barbadoes A Relation of the Repentance and Conversion of the Indians in New-England By Mr. Eliot and Mr. 〈◊〉 The History of Monstross and his Actions for 〈◊〉 the First His passions for Charles the Second King of Scots The Institutes of the Laws of England by John Cowel Octavo A description of the Grand Signiors Seraglio or the Turkish Emperors Court By John Greaves Octavo The reigning error Arraigned at the Bar of scripture and
on the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant shewing that they 〈◊〉 not Eleven Books of Mr. Jeremiah 〈◊〉 lately published As also 〈◊〉 Texts of 〈◊〉 upon which they are grounded 1 〈◊〉 Rare Jewel of Christian 〈◊〉 tentment on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein 〈◊〉 shewed 1 What 〈◊〉 is It is an Holy Art and Mystery 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it 4 The Evil of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin of Murmuring and 〈◊〉 Aggravations of it 2 〈◊〉 Worship on Levit. 10. Wherein is shewed 1 The right 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of God in general 〈◊〉 particularly In Hearing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Supper and Prayer 3 Gospel Conversation on Phil. 1. 17. 〈◊〉 is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above 〈◊〉 could be by the Light of Nature 〈◊〉 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those men that 〈◊〉 their Portion in this Life only on Psal. 17. 14. 4 A Treatise of 〈◊〉 Mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What 〈◊〉 is 2 The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. Verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly-Mindedness and 〈◊〉 with God on Gen. 5. 24. and on Phil. 3. 20. 5 An Exposition on the fourth fifth 〈◊〉 and seventh Chapters of the 〈◊〉 of Hosea 6 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 7 An Exposition on the eleventh 〈◊〉 and thirteenth Chapters of 〈◊〉 being now compleat 8 The Evil of 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 Sinfulness of Sin on Job 36. 〈◊〉 9 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1. 1. 10 Of Hope on 1 John 3. 3. 11 Of Walking by Faith 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into one Volumn Viz. 1 The Great Gospel Mystery of the 〈◊〉 Comfort and Holiness opened 〈◊〉 applied from Christs Priestly Office 2 Satans Power to Tempt and Christs Love to 〈◊〉 Care of 〈◊〉 People under Temptation 3 Thankfulness required in 〈◊〉 Condition 4 Grace for Grace or the 〈◊〉 flowing of Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Saints 5 The Spiritual Actings of 〈◊〉 through Natural Impossibilities 6 Evangelical Repentance 7 The Spiritual Life and 〈◊〉 of Christ in all Beleevers 8 The Woman of Canaan 9 The Saints Hiding-place in 〈◊〉 of Gods Anger 10 Christs Coming is at our 〈◊〉 night 11 A Vindication of Gospel 〈◊〉 nances 12 Grace and Love beyond 〈◊〉 A Congregational Church is a 〈◊〉 tholick Visible Church By 〈◊〉 Stone in New England A Treatise of Politick 〈◊〉 wherein 〈◊〉 Questions 〈◊〉 Answered 1 Whereof 〈◊〉 made and for what ordained 2 〈◊〉 ther Kings and 〈◊〉 have 〈◊〉 Absolute Power over the People Whether Kings and Governors be 〈◊〉 ject to the Laws of God or the 〈◊〉 of their Countrie 4 How far the 〈◊〉 ple are to obey their 〈◊〉 Whether all the people have be 〈◊〉 Governors 6 Whether it be 〈◊〉 to depose an evil Governor 7 〈◊〉 Confidence is to be given to 〈◊〉 The Compassionate 〈◊〉 Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians The Best and Worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedgwick The 〈◊〉 and Cruelty of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Matthew 〈◊〉 comen A Sacred 〈◊〉 By 〈◊〉 Martial 〈◊〉 Military 〈◊〉 The Immortality of Mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized King Charls his Case or an Appeal 〈◊〉 Rational Men concerning his 〈◊〉 Mr. Owens stedfastness of the 〈◊〉 Vindication of Free Grace 〈◊〉 to prove 1 That we are not 〈◊〉 as holy but that we should be 〈◊〉 and that Election is not of kinds 〈◊〉 persons 2 That Christ did not by 〈◊〉 Death intend to save all men and 〈◊〉 those whom he intended to 〈◊〉 that he did not die for them only 〈◊〉 would beleeve but that they 〈◊〉 beleeve 3 That we are not 〈◊〉 properly by our beleeving in Christ 〈◊〉 by our Christ beleeving in him 4 〈◊〉 which differenceth one man from 〈◊〉 is not the improvement of a 〈◊〉 ability restored through 〈◊〉 to all men in general but a 〈◊〉 of Grace wrought by the 〈◊〉 of God in the Elect. By John 〈◊〉 Six Sermons preached by Doctor Hill Viz. 1. The Beauty and Sweetness of an 〈◊〉 Branch of Peace and Brotherly 〈◊〉 budding 2. Truth and Love happily married 〈◊〉 the Church of Christ. 3. The Spring of strengthening Grace 〈◊〉 the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4. The strength of the Saints to 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ their strength 5 The Best and Worst of Paul 6 Gods eternal preparation for his 〈◊〉 Saints The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech 〈◊〉 the Scaffold The King's Speech 〈◊〉 the Scaffold The Magistrates Support and 〈◊〉 By Mr. John Cordel The Discipline of the Church in New England by the Churches 〈◊〉 Synod there A Relation of the Barbadoes A Relation of the Repentance and Conversion of the Indians in New-England By Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhew The History of Montross and his Actions for Charles the First His passions for Charles the Second King of Scots The Institutes of the Laws of England by John Cowel Octavo A description of the Grand Signiors Seraglio or the Turkish Emperors Court By John Greaves Octavo The reigning error Arraigned at the Bar of scripture and Reason By Franscis Fulwood Octavo The state of Future Life By Thomas White Twelves The Royal and delightful Game of Picquet written in French and now rendered into English Octavo De Copore Politico or The Elements of Law moral and politick By Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury The History of the Rites Customs and manner of life of the present Jew throughout the World Octavo The London Dispensatory in Latin in Folio The London Dispensatory in Latin in Twelves A Poem upon the late Fight at 〈◊〉 between the two great Fleets of England and Holland These several Books of Physick and Chyrurgerie will shortly be printed in English Riverius Observations with 〈◊〉 hundred and seventie other 〈◊〉 and Observations of other men Riolanus Anatomy Bartholinus Anatomy 〈◊〉 the Works of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some few not proper for 〈◊〉 The Idea of Practical Physick being 〈◊〉 compleat Body of Physick And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Works These Books of Divinity will speedily be printed Mr. Burroughs on 1 Cor. 5. 7. and 18 19. 29. And fifty nine Sermons on Matthew 11 28 29 30. 〈◊〉 Books of Mr. Thomas Hooker being the substance of many 〈◊〉 preached in New-England There wil speedily be printed these Several pieces of Mr. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Viz. 1 Scripture Light the most sure Light compared with 1. Revelations and Visions 2 Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrology Delivered in three Sermons on 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Christ in Travel Wherein 1 The Travel of his soul. 2. The first and after effect of his Death 3. His 〈◊〉 rance of Issue 4. And His 〈◊〉 therein Are opened and cleered in 〈◊〉 Sermons 〈◊〉 Esay 53. 11. 3 A 〈◊〉 up 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 in case of 1. Great sin 2. 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉
and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him without destraction 2. As we should lay up all for him so we should lay out all for his praise when ever 〈◊〉 occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it that we may 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 15. So the 〈◊〉 we live no more 〈◊〉 selves labour 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but live only to 〈◊〉 who hath 〈◊〉 all Spirituall good for Us. BOOK II. Matt. 1. 21. He shall save His People from their Sins APPlication was the Second Part of Mans Recovery whereby all that Good which Christ hath purchased for His is made Theirs The Sum of this Description we resolved into Two Divine Truths which take up the Nature of it 1 First Christ hath purchased all Spiritual Good for His. That we have finished 2 The Second now follows for which we have 〈◊〉 these words in which we shall attend only so 〈◊〉 as serves our purpose in hand Christ puts all His into the Possession of all that Good He hath Purchased for Them So much the 〈◊〉 letter of the Text sounds Salvation we know 〈◊〉 the substance and marrow of all that Good which we have or hope for here or in another world it 〈◊〉 the removal and absence of all evil that might 〈◊〉 the presence and confluence of all such 〈◊〉 which either we want or desire or can receive to make us happy they are all comprised in this word Salvation And this our Savior 〈◊〉 purchased not to lay it up and to keep it by him but to lay it out in the behalf of his not alone to provide it but to bestow it actually upon them It is his Name it was his Office and he doth the work he doth 〈◊〉 actually save his People from their sins 1 Cor. 1. 30. 〈◊〉 is said to be made of God to us not only so in 〈◊〉 and the sight of God but he is made to us wisdome Righteousnes Sanctisication and Redemption and therfore the Apostle gives thanks to God who 〈◊〉 blessed us with al Spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1. 3. So that all the treasuries of all kinds of blessings withall advantages are by Christ Communicated to his Hence the Prophet sets out the Particular inventory of those speciall favours which the Lord doles out unto all 〈◊〉 servants and followers to suit them in their occasions and necessities Isay. 61. 1. 2. the Lord hath 〈◊〉 me to preach good tidings to bind up the broken hearted to proclayme libertie to the 〈◊〉 the opening of the prison to those that are in bonds to give them the oyl of joy and Gladness for the spirit of 〈◊〉 that they may be clothed with the garments of praise He not only hath made a 〈◊〉 of gladness but he puts it on and cloathes all his servants with it In a word hence it is Christ is said to be a perfect Redeemer to save to the utermost not only to offer Salvation and redemption to present it before them but to make it good to their hearts and consciences to their everlasting comforts There are two branches of the Doctrine the explication of them severally will shew the breadth of this truth 1. The extent of this Application or the parties who do partake of ir Theirs Or Ours namly all such for whom these good things were purchased 2. The manner how they come to be made partakers herof the Description told us it was made theirs the Doctrine they are put into the possession of them First Touching the Largness and breadth of this Application it s here to be attended according to the purchase by way of paritie and proportion Redemption and Application are of equall extent Christ purchaseth for his and Christ applyeth unto his and to his only al they have this but only they have this 〈◊〉 of those that ever Christ purchased grace and life 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 of it and none but those shall be made possessors of it both these goe hand in hand Those 〈◊〉 those and those only for whom Christ 〈◊〉 this to them and to all them and only to them Christ applyes this This is the paritie and proportion and equall extent of these two Redemption and Application See this made good by some few Arguments Look we at the manner of the three persons working that will give in Evidence unto this truth this worke of application is attributed in a speciall manner to the spirit because his manner of working doth therin Specially appear he works from the father and the Son and this is the last work The Father as the Will Determines it the Son as the wisdom of the Father he disposeth of this work the holy Ghost as the power of the Almighty Consummates the action For whom the Father appointed this redemption for them Christ purchased it to them the Spirit applies it If the Spirit should not apply it to all for whom Christ purchased it that might argue want of power if to any other but such that might argue want of tuth Application of the purchase is the end of purchasing for therefore redemption was purchased for those for whom Christ had undertaken it that as they needed it he intended it for their good so they might partake of it for their everlasting good and benefit thus the current of the Scripture runnes as a mightie stream 1 Pet. 3. 18. for Christ also once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God Titus 2 14. He gaue himselfe for us that he 〈◊〉 redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes 〈◊〉 1. 4. who gaue himself for our Sinnes that he might redeem us from this present evill world I add 〈◊〉 more but that John 17. 19. for their sakes I 〈◊〉 my selfe that is he prepared himselfe on 〈◊〉 for his death and 〈◊〉 that by virtue therof they also might have their corruptions subdued and their hearts purified by the truth and hence it is the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Grace containes not only the manifestation of Gods mind and counsell touching what is done for us but what he will worke in us and 〈◊〉 to us by the power of his grace Ezek. 36. 26. 〈◊〉 will Power clean water upon you and clense 〈◊〉 from all your filthines a new spirit I will give you and a new heart will I work in you and Jer. 31. 33. I will write my lawes in their hearts and 〈◊〉 my spirit in their inward parts and therfore 〈◊〉 lives forever to Save Perfectly all that come unto 〈◊〉 by him Heb. 7. 25. Iftherfore this be the end of 〈◊〉 Purchase that it might be made good upon the souls 〈◊〉 his children either Christ must misse of his 〈◊〉 and not have his end or els they must of 〈◊〉 have all this good which the Father intended to 〈◊〉 and Christ purchased in their behalf aud for 〈◊〉 Speciall benefit 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Salvation by the death and 〈◊〉
here Men that cleer ground they content not themselves to lop off the tops of trees but they stub up the roots then they make cleer work So here be sure you stub up the heart and will of sinning that 's the root of all or else al that you do is in vain it was our Saviors expression to the Pharisees Luke 11. 39. Ye fools that make clean the outside of the cup and the platter but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness they began on the wrong side they contented themselves to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 their outward conversation to manward and left corruption in their hearts unsubdued unremoved and therefore our Savior Christ calls them fools and hypocrites for their labor What can you say to my life what hath any man against me if thou hast no more 〈◊〉 say for thy self than that comes to thou hast nothing at al 〈◊〉 thy heart be not clensed from those iecret corruptions of thine Let me leave Two or Three Directions here that are just in my way not interfering with any thing to be spoken afterward Know that the greatest work of Reformation Repentance and the comfort of a mans spiritual condition it lies mainly in the Will the greatest work and the greatest difficulty lies here Brethren If you look at it as a matter of ease that thou canst do it with the turning of a hand and make wash-work of it thou never knewest it and thou shalt never attain it It 's one of the Devils greatest delusions whereby he cozens thousands to perswade men it 's an easie matter to be Religious No 〈◊〉 know it unless you find it the greatest work in the world you will never find endeavors suitable nor success answerable for the comfort of your own souls Oh therefore that every man would go home convinced and perswaded God hath helped me to temper my tongue and to keep my hands the Lord hath given me an enlightened Judgment a reformed life but Oh the difficult work is behind this wretched heart of mine the hardness of that the impossibility of that conclude it therefore and resolve upon it it wil cost me hard work and unless the Lord enable me and set in mightily and constantly upon my soul the work will never be done The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17. 9. there is no hope of it as it were the hand and eye and tongue may be reformed but the heart is desperate who can know it who can mend it who can overpower it If thou hast found it easie nay if thou didst never stand amazed at the difficulty of the work about thy heart to get that severed from thy sins thou never hadst the right discerning of it to this day Paul cried out of the Body of Death Rom. 7. last who shal deliver me from it not from the eye or the hand but from the heart the will of Pride the wil of Uncleanness the will of 〈◊〉 and here he is at a stand at an amaze with himself who shal deliver me Beleaguer thy heart and will with the cleer evidence of the Truth of God that it may not be able to make an escape from under it It is with subduing the Will as it is in winning a strong Hold it 's marvelous hard to 〈◊〉 unto it no battery can be made against it those that are do not prevail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking of it then they besiege it so that none shall come in to bring any help 〈◊〉 none go out to find any relief then in time they will be famished out and so forced to surrender Do so with thy soul thou hast a crooked proud 〈◊〉 will that hath outbid al the Ordinances of God no battery could ever prevail against it therefore labor to besiege it with the Evidence and plainness of undeniable Arguments of Truth from the Word that nothing may come in nor out listen not to any carnal Reasons within suffer not either honor or profit or pleasure from without to enfeeble the power of the Truth but so besiege it with the Evidence of the Word that the soul may say this is my sin this is my plague this is my state it will be my ruine unless the Lord shew mercy to me this wil tire the heart of a man and there is no other way in the world and it 's certain that the heart wil either lay down his corruption or his conviction but this is our misery that some go out and some come in and so the heart is relieved and holds the siege long The last Direction which may prepare us for the next Point viz. The hand of the Lord to work this for us When thou art perswaded this stubborn heart will cost me many a prayer and tear and bring me often upon my knees it wil never do else if I think it 's easie I never knew what it was and when thy heart is so besieged that it finds no relief Then Brethren look often up to Heaven He only that made the heart can frame the heart to the blessed obedience of his own wil al that we can do is to use the means and lie under the Ordinances that God may do that for us which he requires of us It 's the Lords own Promise Ezek. 36. 26 27. I will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh therefore go and cry to Heaven and say Lord it is not in our hands to do it but thou hast said thou wilt give unto thy servants a heart to hate sin we come and beseech thee deny it not unto us Look to him we should in whose hand our hearts are that he may do that for us which we cannot do for our selves BOOK VIII JOHN 6. 44. No man can come to Me unless My Father which sent Me Draw him WE have already Debated and Dispatched TWO of those Divine Truths wherein the Dispensation and manner of Gods working upon the Soul in preparation was conceived and described 1 That he finds the sinner settled upon his 〈◊〉 and in the security of a sinful Condition 2 That he was wholly unwilling to be severed therefrom That it is a Death to him to be awakened out of this dead sleep when he saw no danger nor feared any but pleased himself in his Dreams and deluded 〈◊〉 of his own happy Condition 3 The Third and last Point now comes to skanning and Consideration wherein indeed the Pith and Marrow of this so deep and mysterious a Dispensation of the Lord upon the Soul discovers it self The Two former only made way for the more plain Explication of this last and the more easie Apprehension of it by those who are willing to understand Namely That by a holy kind of violence he is driven out of his sin and Drawn unto Christ by God the Father notwithstanding al the 〈◊〉 and utter unwillingness to the contrary And for the foundation of our following Discourse we have chosen these
Psal. 19. 7. the law of God makes wise the simple 2. Tim. 3. 15. it's able to make us wise unto Salvation 3 There 's a Sufficiency of God to content and satisfy us Blessed are they who walk in his wayes and blessed are they that keep his Testimonies Psal. 119. 1. 2. Great prosperity have they that love the law and nothing shal offend them ver 16. and in truth there can be no greater reward for doing wel than to be enabled to do well he that hath attayned his last end he cannot go further he cannot be better Now by sin we justle the law out of its place and the Lord out of his Glorious Soveraignty pluck the Crown from his head and the Seepter out of his hand and we say and profess by our practice there is not authority and power there to govern nor wisdom to guide nor good to content me but I wil be swayed by mine own wil and led by mine own deluded reason and satisfied with my own lusts This is the guise of every graceless heart in the commission of sin so Pharaoh who is the Lord I know not the Lord nor will I lett Israel go Exod. 5. 2. in the time of their prosperity see how the Jews turn their backs and shake off the authority of the Lord we are Lords say 〈◊〉 we will come no more at thee Jer. 2. 31. and our tongues are our own who shal be Lords 〈◊〉 us Psal. 12. 4. So for the wisdom of the world see how they set light by it as not worth the looking after it Jer. 18. 12. we wil walk after our own devices we wil every one do the imagination of his own evil heart yea they sett up their own traditions their own Idols and delusions and Lord it over the law making the command of God of none effect Math. 15. 8. 9. So for the goodness of the word Job 22. 17. Mal. 3. 14. It is in vayn to serve God and what profit is there that we have kept his ordinances yea his Commandemnts are ever grievous It s a grievous thing to the loose person he cannot have his pleasures but he must have his guilt and gall with them It s grievous to the worlding that he cannot lay hold on the world by unjust means but Conscience layes hold upon him as breaking the law Thou that knowest and keepest thy pride and stubbornness and thy distempers know assuredly thou dost justle God out of the Throne of his glorious Soveraignty and thou dost profess Not Gods wil but thine own which is above his shall rule thee thy 〈◊〉 reason and the folly of thy mind is above the wisdome of the Lord and that shal guide thee to please thine own stubborn crooked pervers spirit is a greater good than to please God and enjoy happines for this more Contents thee That when thou considerest but thy Course dost thou not wonder that the great and Terrible God doth not pash such a poor insolent worm to pouder and send thee packing to the pitt every moment 2 It smites at the Essence of the Almighty and the desire of the sinner is not only that God should not be supream but that indeed he should not be at all and therefore it would destroy the being of Jehovah Psal. 81. 15. sinners are called the haters of the Lord. John 15. 24. they hated both me and my Father Now he that hates endeavours if it be possible the annihilation of the thing hated and its most certain were it in their power they would pluck God out of Heaven the light of his truth out of their Consciences and the law out of the Societies and Assemblies where they live that they might have elbow room to live as they list Nay what ever they hate most and intend and plott more evil against in al the world they hate God most of all and intend more evil against him than against all their 〈◊〉 besides because they hate all for his sake therefore wicked men are said to destroy the law Psal. 126. 119. the Adulterer loaths that law that condemns uncleaness the Earthworm would destrow that law that forbids Covetousness they are sayd to hate the light John 3. 21. to hate the Saints and Servants of the Lord John 15. 18. the world hates you he that hates the Lanthorn for the lights sake he hates the light much more he that hates the faithful because of the Image of God and the Grace that appears there he hates the God of all Grace and Holiness most of all so God to Zenacharib Isa. 37. 28. I know thy going out and thy Comming in and thy rage against me Oh it would be their content if there was no God in the world to govern them no law to curbe them no justice to punish no truth to trouble them Learn therfore to see how far your rebellions reach It is not arguments you gainsay not 〈◊〉 Counsel of a Minister you reject the command of a 〈◊〉 ye oppose evidence of rule or reason ye 〈◊〉 but be it known to you you fly in the very face of the Almighty and it is not the Gospel of Grace ye would have destroyed but the spirit of Grace the author of Grace the Lord Jesus the God of all Grace that ye hate It crosseth the whol course of Providence perverts the work of the Creature and defaceth the beautiful frame and that sweet correspondence and orderly usefulness the Lord first implanted in the order of things The Heavens deny their influence the Earth her strength the Corn her nourishment thank sin for that Weeds come instead of herbs Cockle and Darnel instead of Wheat thank sin for that Rom. 8. 22. The whol Creature or Creation grones under vanity either cannot do what it would or else misseth of that good and end it intended breeds nothing but vanity brings forth nothing but vexation It crooks all things so as that none can straiten them makes so many wants that none can supply them Eccles. 1. 15. This makes crooked Servants in a family no 〈◊〉 can rule them 〈◊〉 inhabitants in towns crooked members in Congregations ther 's no ordering nor joynting of them in that comly accord and mutual subjection know they said the adversary sin hath done all this Man was the mean betwixt God and the Creature to convey all good with all the constancy of it and therefore when Man breaks Heaven and Earth breaks all asunder the Conduit being cracked and displaced there can be no conveyance from the Fountain In regard of our selves see we and consider nakedly the nature of sin in Four particulars It s that which makes a separation between God and the soul breaks that Union and Communion with God for 〈◊〉 we were made and in the enjoyment of which we should be blessed and happie Isai. 59. 1. 2. Gods ear is not heavy that it cannot hear nor his hand that it cannot help but your iniquities have separated betwixt God and
have been wrought what benefit thou mightest have received hadst thou but suffered and received the helps provided for that end which when thou diddest oppose and not suffer thy self to be convinced thou didst oppose thine own everlasting welfare and therefore art guilty of thine own blood Luke 7. 30. The Publicans and sinners justified God and were baptized but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the Counsel of God against themselves i. e. against their own good and happiness Yea so the Apostle to the gainsaying Corinthians when he had disputed long and manifested the Truth in the cleer evidence of it Acts 18. 14. and they gainsayed still and blasphemed he shook his rayment in sign of distast and indignation and said your blood be upon your own heads I am clean he was innocent And so one day thou wilt be forced to confess and to cleer the innocency and faithfulness of Gods Servants I was the cause of my confusion my own wayward gainsaying Spirit else I might have been recovered they did their duty with much painfulness but my perverse spirit would not receive that counsel which would have directed and comforted me but now condemns me So Paul to the contradicting Jews Acts 13. 46. Because ye put away the Word and judg your self unworthy of eternal life thou wilt then be forced to yield it I am unworthy that ever the Promises of the Gospel should establish my heart who would not be convinced of the goodness of them unworthy that ever the Gospel should be the savor of life to me who have cast it behind my back as unsavory Salt He sins against the Ordinances the Faithfulness Truth and free Grace of God therein revealed and dispensed for his everlasting good he casts all these behind his back and out of a slight neglect wil not give the least entertainment thereunto This quarrelling disposition like a squeazy stomach spils the Physick when he cannot endure to take it flings away the dainties provided when he is not willing nor hath not a heart or appetite to feed on them and how hainous this contempt is the Apostle intimates Hebrews 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation It sins against Gods Spirit in a more than ordinary manner he would seem in his gainsaying frame to try masteries with the Lord and in the highest strain of rebellion to contest with the Almighty Spirit of Christ in the utmost defyance as refusing to yield in the least appearance I call it the highest strain of 〈◊〉 to try Masteries with the Almighty and that may be thus observed When our Savior was to leave the world and to go to Heaven to possess the glory he had with the Father before all worlds he comforts the hearts of his Disciples touching his departure with the Consideration of the incomparable benefit that would accrew therefrom John 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I go away so if I go not away the comsorter will not come but if I depart I will send him that is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus would not dispense the powerful work of his Grace in such an abundant measure unless he ascended unto the Throne of his Grace for the largeness of the dispensation thereof and that in reason until that time The Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified John 7. 39. When he ascended up on high he then gave gifts unto men even for the Rebellious Eph. 4. 8. And herein appears the powerful dispensation of his Grace and operation of his Spirit then when the Comforter is come he shal convince the world of sin he shal set down the Consciences of the Sons of men in the sight of their vileness and guilt This is as it were 〈◊〉 Master-piece of the work of the Spirit when he is sent from Heaven from the Father and the Son with full Commission and Power from our Savior advanced to the highest pitch of supreamest excellency of his Kingly Prophetical and Priestly Offices and that for this end in the first place as the prime and hardest work to convince the world of sin Now to gainsay and contradict this Spirit in this Work for which he hath received this Commission is to contest for Masteries with the Almighty Heb. 12. 25. If they escaped not who refused Moses who spake on Earth how shall we escape if we refuse him that speaks from Heaven And this is the highest strayn of rebellion when a 〈◊〉 wil not give way nor yield in the least but 〈◊〉 out this authority of the spirit from having any entertainment even in the suburbs 〈◊〉 our apprehensions and understandings while we continue in this gainsaying frame there wants nothing but light and malice to make it 〈◊〉 sin against the Holy Ghost Here is the hainousness of the sin See the Curse of it that is dreadful Thou makest way for Satan in the means which are appointed by God to oppose him John 13. 27. The Devilentred into Judas with a sopp so he enters with an admonition and counsel while thou doest oppose that truth which should help thee against his power and subtilty but yieldest thy self fully to be possessed by both Thou wilt not be guided by the counsel of God therfore thou shalt be cousened by the delusions of the Devil Christ in his righteous dealings and according to thy just deservings delivers thee up to the power of Satan whenas thou wast willing to yeild up thy self to his possession So Paul 1. Tim. 3. 20. delivers Hymenoeus and Philetus unto Satan and in Church discipline obstinacy in the least evil is answerable to the greatest offence because by that means the soul shakes off the authority of the Lord Jesus and so is to be cast out Because thou hast gainsayed his dispensations he wil have no more dealing with thee Math. 23. last you shal see me no more He wil pass by and not speak with thee He wil instruct 〈◊〉 admonish others but he wil 〈◊〉 thee no more reprove thee no more He wil not change a word with thee in the 〈◊〉 ' My 〈◊〉 shal not alwayes 〈◊〉 Gen. 6. 3. That spirit which thou hast resisted and opposed shal stir in thee and strive with thee no more thou wouldest 〈◊〉 see thou shalt not see therefore thou wouldest not have thy conscience stirred it shal be seared therefore Thou art every day ripening for 〈◊〉 and reserved in the chayns of darkness til the judgment of the great 〈◊〉 and therefore thy condition is like that of the Devil himself thou hast only the liberty of thy chain that is liberty to encrease thy sins and thy plagues when the Lord would prepare a people for destruction he saves 〈◊〉 a. 6. 10. he seals them up under the curse of a 〈◊〉 mind and a hard heart Hear ye indeed but understand not and see yee indeed but perceiv not 〈◊〉 the heart of this people fat and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes
and understand with their heart and convert and be healed 〈◊〉 Instruction why men of the greatest ability for depth of brain and strength of understanding are most hardly brought to brokennes of heart and to be wounded with Godly sorrow for their sins the ground is from the point in hand because they are hardest brought to see their sins the power of carnal reason doth so mightily prevayl in them being now in their natural condition the strength of their abilities becomes wholly perverted to their own hurt and the maintaining of their own distempers their subtilty deceives themselves they abuse the sharpness of their wit to beat back the authority of the 〈◊〉 and to wind away from the evidence of argument that is 〈◊〉 to their view They shut out the light of the truth from coming into their hearts and therefore it s not 〈◊〉 it should work upon them 〈◊〉 or effectually prevail with them for God Hence that peremptory 〈◊〉 of the Apostle not many wise men after the flesh 1. 〈◊〉 1. 26. because the wisdom of the 〈◊〉 is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. 〈◊〉 it is as a weapon in the hand and under the command of our fleshly hearts It fortifies most strongly against the evidence and essicacy of the truth wil not suffer a conviction to fasten upon the Conscience and therefore no Godly sorrow to affect the soul of a sinner As it is in war when the trenches and outworks are slight and the wal of the City low and the Castle weak it s no matter of danger or 〈◊〉 for a wise Commander with compitent forces to surprise it to carry the place and Conquer the people their defence was but feeble but were their out-works strong their walls high the Citadel and Castle impregnable it wil abide many assaults and stand out long even against the 〈◊〉 power that shal 〈◊〉 them and happily be forced to raise the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place as not able to prevail It is so in our spiritual condition when the Lord coms to lay siege to the soul of a sinful creature who is now under the power of darkness and the soveraign command of his corruptions which rule as supream Lords over him There is no Conversion without Conviction as hath been shew'd in 〈◊〉 the point It s not possible the heart should be content to leave sin unless the understanding clearly see the loathsomness of it the out-works and walls of the soul are our apprehensions and understanding now where there is wiliness depth and subtilty of 〈◊〉 large reaches of carnal reason these the Apostle calls strong holds 2. Cor. 10. 4. and they wil abide the battery and force of the most plain evidences strongest arguments that can be devised and alleadged with the best skil and yet hold it out against all where the opposition is not so strong the entrance is more easy and subjection is sooner yielded to the evidence of the truth This is the ground the prophet gives of that invincible stiffness pride and contempt of Babilon as being unteachable under al dispensations Thy wisdom and thy knowledg they have perverted thee or caused thee to rebell Isa. 47. 10. It was the reason of that stubbornness of which the Lord complains in the Scribes and 〈◊〉 the great Rabbies of the world Luke 7. 30. 31. the Publicans and sinners 〈◊〉 God because of John Baptists doctrine and so yielded themselves and were overcome of the evidence of the truth but the Scribes and Pharisees rejected the counsel of God They put it by and would not suffer the counsel of God to take place or to prevail with them Paul never found worse entertainment and greater opposition than at Corinth and Athens the 〈◊〉 of sciences and Store-house of learning and learned men the excellency of whose parts and the conceit of 〈◊〉 and wisdom did so transport them and puffe up their earthly minds that they slighted the simplicity that was in Christ and trampled upon the meaness of the Gospel Acts. 17. 18. Phylosophers of the Epicure and Stoicks they encountred Paul and said what will this babler say and v. 〈◊〉 some mocked As though the 〈◊〉 of the meaner sort though they had no heart to receive the Gospel yet they had no skil to resist or were able and 〈◊〉 durst not grapple with his arguments These only who had more learning they gave the encounter and openly contemned both his purpose and doctrine As it is with men who are but weak and unskilful at the weapon not able to 〈◊〉 a blow or put by a thrust it 's no hard matter to get within them but those who are 〈◊〉 of defence are dextrous and handy at their weapons there is little hope to hit them or to come within them So here men of meaner capacities and of shallow reach they yield more easily and are forced to let fal their weapons but such who are skilful are masters of defence can devise devices the subtilty of their own reason is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 suggestions they wil latch allmost any blow and put by the plainest truth for the present push that there is no hope to come in to them And this also is the ground why your painted Formalists and subtil hypocrites who are grown cunning in the craft of profession for so they make it they are so hardly brought on to beleeve Publicans and sinners and Harlots shal goe before them And for this cause it is our Lord so marvailously distasts this condition Rev. 3. 17. I would thou wert either cold or hot Lukewarmnes is worse than prophanness not that fals shewes are worse than grosser evils when heart and life outside and inside are both ill but intruth because such are more difficult to be convinced of their evils and therefore not likely to be amended or brought out of them q. d. As though the Lord had sayed if thou wert openly naught thou mightest be brought to see acknowledg thy naught iness Here Paul issues the strength of that resistance against the Lord and his Gospel 1. Coloss. 21. Enemies in your minds by wicked works but in the original Enemies by reason of your discourses set or attent to evil works It 's the first step to wisdom to become a fool and that 's hard to him that is highly in love with his own wit Examination we may hence gain certain evidence whether ever the Lord 〈◊〉 made any entrance upon this great work of preparation and so any expression of his purpose 〈◊〉 to call us to himself to this day or no. happily the Lord Christ hath been knocking oft at thy dore as he passeth by in the dispensation of his Ordinances in the wayes of his providence in which he hath walked towards thee hath called in upon thy Conscience presented the guilt of thy sins and layd heavy things to thy charge and knocked hard at thy dore awake thou that sleepest so that thou hast heard a confused noyse as it were
is more store of Commodities in the Ware-house yet the false light of the Shop makes them so much the worse because it makes them not appear as they are words darkens much of the Truth that is in the heart which would make against sin and covers and colers over that which is evil that it might not appear to be such that the heart purposeth and concludes certainly it wil have it because it likes it yet could a man but hear the privy Verdict which knowledg and conscience gives 1. He should see them consenting to the Truth 2. Condemning the wil of sin Reason tels the heart this is the way and the will of God and you should not reject it this is your Duty and Gods Command you perish for it if you do oppose here Truth appears as wel as distempers But when the Cause comes to be 〈◊〉 and pleaded outwardly by words the tongue hides the verdict of knowledg and conscience suffers not their testimony or the Truth once to come to light But the corruption that the heart would have it pleads for it under the color and pretence of that which is Lawful and allowable So much light and knowledg as would discover the sin that is suppressed The evil that was there suppressed that is by color of cunning and false words varnished over and pleaded for under pretence of that which is good and Lawful So that here is a double evil more in our words than in our hearts 1. A Silencing of the Truth when the testimony of Judgment and Conseience must not come to light 2. Coloring of the loathsomness of sin that it might not appear like it self by the paint and varnish of lying words Thus some translate that of James and though it be not the ful meaning yet I see not but it is part of the meaning The tongue is a world of evil James 3. 6. is an ornament of evil when lying language 〈◊〉 fair colors and pretences upon foul and unlawful practices So the paint of words hides the foul visage of sin Thus you shal observe in the Scribes and 〈◊〉 Acts 4. 16 17. It 's manifest to all and cannot be denied yet that it spread no further let us streightly 〈◊〉 them that they speak no more in this name If 〈◊〉 Consciences might have been heard to speak they would have testefied that the wonder is great and argues the Finger of God and the worth of the men and that it should be published and God honored but their tongue turnes it another way this man is but an Impostor his name must not be had in regard his person in respect so it was with them they would have forced the blind man to have spoken against our Savior John 9. 24. This man is a sinner give Glory to God and so endeavored to have him deny the truth of the miracle which in their own hearts they did undoubtedly acknowledge so it was with the false witnesses packed by Jezabel let Conscience be examined and suffered to give in evidence and you see the truth Did Nabal blaspheme God and the King no is he worthy to dy no Is it not treachery for any to plot and pretend this It is so saies Conscience there is no truth at all but treacherie but their false tongues hide the truth and put an appearance of truth upon that which is false Somtimes a man out of an ignorant custom or neglect holds forth more evil in his words than he either conceives or attends in his own apprehension this is usual amongst Children conversing with naughty and leud company they speak the evil words they hear frequently with their mates when they know not what they speak or what the words imply that they speak It may possibly be conceived that many of those children who cryed to Elisha come down thou bald pate 2 Kings 2. 23. spake what was commonly said amongst their Parents not knowing the evil of the words they spake All the while the evil is Confined and concealed in the closet of the heart it 's not dangerous nor yet infectious to any but only to the soul of the party that harbours it But when the wickedness of the heart walks abroad in our words and communication it conveyes a taint and pollution with it And herein lyes a greater evil in our words than in our hearts in point of infection the heart is like a dunghil of noysom abominations but our speech and words let out the steem of it which is able to annoy al that are in presence or pass by with the stench of it Compare the evil of our words with our practice also it wil appear that in many particulars the scales wil be cast this way and the 〈◊〉 of the evil wil ly here Our words are as it were the panders and provokers more universally to al kinds of evil than our practice can be There be many sins that come not within the compass of our practice as errours false opinions and those that do they come not within our power or possibility for the while But there is no error so gross no delusion so loathsom but our speech can vent and broach it No practice so 〈◊〉 but by our words and communication we can present it together with al the occasion to the heart to draw forth those sinful inclinations there to linger after and to seek for opportunity to commit it 1 Cor. 15. 33. Evil words corrupt good manners and the Apostle specifies none but implies a taint and pollution of al the sting of the Serpent we know spreads over the whol body taints al the blood at an instant so there is the poyson of Asps that is under the lips of the ungodly So the Apostle James 3. 6. the tongue amongst the members defiles the whol body Conference and Communication affects the whol man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up the heart to effect the head to plot 〈◊〉 eye to look the hand to work c. Speech drives the chollerick man into a passion the melancholick man into discontent the loose and vain person to be transported with his lusts and uncleanness Therfore the same Apostle compares it to a 〈◊〉 vers 5. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth a spark of fire sets a whol house a whol town on a flame before one be aware As wordstaint more universally so they 〈◊〉 of greater force and prevail more powerfully draw more effectually to the commission of evil the sin is committed and the commission leaves a scandalous example behind it and that as it were passively and in silence presents itself to the memory of him that attends it but our words do not passively present a thing to the view of another but awaken him and work upon and actively and prevailingly cal out any inclination to an evil and that with 〈◊〉 and overbearing importunity Examples only offer the bait if the heart wil nibble and take it but words perswasions take hold upon a man
these are your sins these will be your ruin And I summon thee here to answer it before God in the sight of men and Angels at the great day When the heart cannot shuffle nor shift nor shake off the strength and cleerness of the Truth it 's compelled to own its sin and misery though happily not willing to leave the one nor knows not how to avoid the other True indeed then Meditation hath attained its proper and powerful work and is effectually blessed of God when our hearts are so affected with the evil of our sins as in our judgments rightly informed we did conceive them and in our most serious 〈◊〉 concluded them and indeed we should shine to our utmost to attain this and never give the Lord rest nor our own souls any rest until our hearts feel the bitterness of sin as by meditation we have found it made known in the word This is beyond our power and reach only its good to run after it and though we cannot go as far as we should yet thus far we may go We may put the heart to silence for the while stop and stisle such gainsayings for a time and turn and get the last word of the wil as it were notwithstanding the waywardness thereof This hath its mervailous use and leaves a great restraint upon the soul that it dare not vent it felf in ungodly practices but with a kind of awe and fear It deals with our souls as the Angel with Sarah when she laughed in herself as conceiving it impossible she should have a son in her old age though the Angel had said it Gen 18. 12. the Lord asked why did Sarah laugh and she denied it because she was afraid and sayed I did not laugh but the Lord followed her and held her to it and would not let her go away so nay but thou didst laugh So when the heart would fly off from the evil that is evidenced and charged either excusing or lessening the hainousness of the evil or slighting the danger of it either it was not my fault or it s not so great or the punishment is not so grieous and fearsul as men would bear us in hand Hold the heart to it and do not suffer it to go away Yes it was you that did it you must own it you shal find it upon your score one day you know and God knows and I know it the time when they were committed the manner how and how aggravated with many heightning circumstances It is so know it and thy damnation sleepeth not do not slight it you wil never be able to endure it Yes but I can God wil abate it or I can bear it nay you cannot God cannot abate it if you live in your sins and you cannot bear it Take the leave of your heart thus when you go to bed this is your condition this wil be your misery The sum of this first Rule returns to these three particulars 1 Summon the heart to answer the charge 2 Force the heart to own it 3 Silence the heart for the while under it When thus Meditation hath come into the heart let it lay hold upon the heart That 's the Second thing in this fastening when it hath arrested the soul the undeniable Evidence of the Truth then keep it under the arrest as Officers do such as they have attached not suffered them to go out of the room nor to be out of their sight or presence When thou hast with strong hand as it were forced thy heart by the power of the Truth raised by Meditation from every Coast as it were from all particular circumstances and occasions that it yield the Charge which it cannot gainsay owns the guilt under which it lies and the punishment which it hath deserved sits down silent under the Soveraignty of the Truth which it cannot controul keeps the heart under this awful disposition for ever Do not suffer thy mind to go off from the Duty of Meditation or thy wil and affections from under the impressions which were left upon it thereby For if thou thus givest way out of sloth or wearish negligence thou art in hazard not only to lose thy labor but to leave thy soul much worse by the abuse of an Ordinance than it was before thou did'st enjoy the liberty and practice of it As Iron or any Mettal once melted if it cool it grows more hard than before and more unsit to be fashioned to any use It 's so with the heart awed and melted as it were and made coming under the power of Meditation if once thou growest careless and it grows cold it becomes more unteachable hard and unfit to receive any impression of the Truth with what ever power it be dispensed Therefore by dayly consideration keep the power of the Truth and discovery of thy sins within ken stil before the eyes and sight of thy soul that so thou mayest keep the same heat and temper of Spirit that awful under and silent subjection to the Authority of the Truth the terror and dreadfulness of thine own sins and here our greatest watch is to be improved to follow this direction because the policy of Satan the proneness of our own hearts and professed opposition that the Spirits of the sons of men have against this Dispensation on Gods part and this disposition on ours we are loth to bear it Satan and the wicked are loth to suffer it in us to have the rod dayly shaked over us the silth and guilt and plagues due unto our sins continually presented and pressed upon our consciences it 's exceeding tedious and irksom unto our natures Flesh and blood is very loth to bear it Satan and the world are unwilling we should continue in such a course because they know it 's the next way to make us weary of our lives and of our sins therefore our corrupt hearts are willing to shake off such considerations and they are as restless to pluck our hearts from under the power of such an Ordinance It wil be our comfort let it be our care to have dayly meditation keep us company in our dayly course it wil keep the heart in an awful and under temper Therefore the Apostle joyns both together 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate on these things and be in them under the power and prevailing vertue of them As it 's sure of al so of this Truth also John 8. 31 32. Continue in the Truth and it shall make you free It 's not enough for an old cankered sore to make it open but we must keep it open not only lance it but tent 〈◊〉 to force a Truth by Meditation lanceth the sore attention to the same Truth in Meditation is the tenting of the sore and that brings though a slow yet a persect Cure Dog the heart with the dayly consideration of the discovery of sin formerly set on it wil tire a man out of his distemper force the soul either to leave
the power of it while he was under the terror of it So that there is nothing in the world that wil sever betwixt the heart and its lust Prov. 27. 22. Bray a fool in a morter yet wil not his folly depart from him By this the great bar and hinderance of the coming of our Savior is removed even the hellish resistance whereby the soul was carried against him For it 's a peremptory Truth Gal. 4. 17. The flesh lusts against the Spirit and the conclusion is express Joh. 3. 9. That which is born of the flesh is flesh but every Son of Adam being wholly born of the flesh doth wholly resist the Spirit They who are wholly flesh do wholly resist they who do wholly resist cannot receive for receiving and wholly resisting cannot stand together therefore this resistance of a fleshly heart must be removed and that is done by this 〈◊〉 That Sorrow whereby the bar and hindrance which stops the coming of our Savior is removed that sorrow is of necessity required but by this sorrow that hindrance is removed In regard of our selves Either the heart must thus be pierced or else a man without this in his Natural condition is capable and disposed to receive Faith and Christ either necessary thus to be disposed or Nature without this is fit to entertain him but that is professedly contrary to the Truth 2 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is not subject to the Law neither can it be It 's not possible there should be two Suns in the Firmament two Kings in one Throne two Gods in one heart to be in Heaven and Hell at once to serve God and Mammon So that as God must give Grace before we have it so he must give us power to receive it or else we are not capable of it A Subject cannot be capable of contrary habits at the same time John 5. 45. How can yee believe who seek honour from man Hence therefore its plain that the substance and truth of this preparative work it must be and is enstamped upon all that belong to God though it is in a diverse manner wrought in the most If this sorrow be onely true and of the right stamp If by this sin is severed from the soul the hinderance of our Saviors coming removed and the soul made capable of faith and Christ then this of necessity is required of al and it 's certainly wrought in al whom the Lord brings effectually home unto himself Here is matter of complaint we may justly take up against this secure age in which we live and it shewes how little very little saving sorrow there is in the world and therefore how little saving grace If no preparation no Implantation certainly never fitted for a Christ never made partakers of him never hewed or squared to the building and therfore never put as spiritual stones into the building Had we but Jeremiahs fountain of tears we might mourn day and night that there is no true mourning and if the Lord should send an 〈◊〉 to see and mark such as mourn in secret how few should he find the former doctrin is a bil of inditement and fals very heavy upon five sorts of people Your heedless and fearless professors who notwithstanding lift up their head ful high and would bear the world in hand that they desire unfeinedly to fear the Lord nay pretend a Conscientious care to Gods Command and conceive they have been affected with their sin and that not in a smal measure but have had both sight of and sorrow for their failings and they hope to good purpose and would be loath prejudice being laid aside it should appear to be other You say wel and if you prove what you say happy it is for you which I 〈◊〉 desire But are you willing to put your case to the tryal let us a little parly about the buisiness and because we wil deal plainly your own practices and your own consciences shal bring in evidence and those I hope are beyond exception you careless servants in the family you careless hearers in the Assemblies and you careless professors in the plantations you are here indited that the practice of this heart-breaking sorrow for sin is a stranger to you and you a stranger to it in your daily course we shal then agree upon the grounds on which we shal proceed You wil not you cannot deny but you have wholsom and savory counsel daily suggested the commands of God are line after line precept after precept here a little and there a little and your duties daily layd before you in publick in private your failings bewailed grace and help begged from the Lord for you the truth your judgments do not gainsay and your hearts cannot but approve as lawful and suitable to your places and according to Gods mind yet no sooner out of the assembly where you hear out of the presence of your master who commads from your knees where you have prayed and confessed but the commands are layd by that is not attended this not discharged that is neglected you return again to the old distempers and you say you did not remember it you have 〈◊〉 it you did not think of it What need we more evidence 〈◊〉 own words shal be thine own 〈◊〉 and appeal to thine own Conscience let that be 〈◊〉 own judg didst thou ever hear any man that 〈◊〉 under the load that was two heavy for him wearied with the burden that is beyond his strength as not able to bear nor to ease himself say he did not remember the burden that 〈◊〉 him he did not think of the weight of the load that clogges and tires him would you not 〈◊〉 such expressions as cross to common sence or would you not conclude either the man had no burden or else his words had no truth Ah but thou saiest If they had been gross evills it had been somthing but they are petty things and therefore need no great care what need we any more evidence thine own words wil be thine own wittness therefore thou carest onely for great sins fearest onely gross and scandalous evils then thy care and fear is naught and thy course so and thy Conscience so and thy condition also he that feels al sin as such he fears al sin yea the least sin more than the greatest evil if thou fearest only loathsom and scandalous practices thy fear is fals and thy heart fals thy sorrow was never found nor yet thy condition that I must confess when I 〈◊〉 mens infinite heedlesness if they did know what God were or what sin was what Conscience what a command what the reckoning to come were did not most men live without God in the world they could not live so The second sort who are hence shut out from having any share in this Godly sorrow or the through impression of the
a good word 〈◊〉 their persons and proceedings and professions yea that they wil confess but it was directly against their own judgment and knowledg and Conscience myne own heart often gave my tongue the lye when I did so speak and so 〈◊〉 their conversation otherwise I must have condemned 〈◊〉 own course and Conscience also but the Lord is with them and the 〈◊〉 is with them and a 〈◊〉 wil undoubtedly follow them Ask why these poor pierced sinners did not go to the Scribes they would tel the truth Oh it was 〈◊〉 that deceived us led 〈◊〉 drew us to the commission of this hellish wickedness we cannot cal them teachers but 〈◊〉 they could never help themselves therefore not help us INSTRUCTION Sound contrition and brokenness of heart brings a strange a sudden alteration into the world varies the price and valew of things and persons beyond imagination turnes the market upside down makes the things appear as they be the persons to be honored and respected as they are in truth that look what the truth determines reason approves and Conscience witnesseth that account is current in the hearts and 〈◊〉 of those whose hearts have been pierced with godly sorrow for their sins Because 〈◊〉 not by outward appearance as it is the guise of men 〈◊〉 corrupt minds but upon experience that which they have found and felt in their own hearts what they have seen and judged in their own spirits they cannot but see so and judg so of others Those who were mocked as men ful of new wine are now the precious servants of the Lord flouted to their 〈◊〉 not long since now they attend them honor and reverence them yea fal at their very 〈◊〉 It was before men and drunkards now men and bretheren the world you see is wel amended but strangely altered It was said of John Baptist the fore-runner of our Savior and the scope of 〈◊〉 doctrine was mainly to prepare the way for the Lord it 's said of him that Elias is come and hath reformed al 〈◊〉 a new face 〈◊〉 frame in the profession of the Gospel Math. 17. 11. Turned the disobedient to the wisdom of the just men the hearts of children to the fathers that though they were so degenerate that Abraham would not own them had he been alive yet when the Ministery of John had hammered and melted them for the work of our Savior they became to be wholly altered their judgments altered and their carriage also For in truth the reason why men see not the loathsomness of other mens sins or else have not courage to pass a righteous sentence upon them It is because they were never convinced to see the Plague sore of their own corruptions never had their hearts affected with the evil of them in their own experience but their own Conscience was misled out of authority and stifled that it durst not outwardly condemn that which inwardly they could not but approve They therefore who either do not see their own evil or dare not proceed in open judgment to condemn they wil either not see or not pass a 〈◊〉 judgment upon others so Paul intimates to Agrippa Acts 26. 8. 9. let it not seem strange Oh King for I my self did think I should do many things against the name of Jesus which I also did q. d. whiles thou so 〈◊〉 thou wilt see as I 〈◊〉 and do as I did but after God had entered into 〈◊〉 with him and spoken dreadfully to his soul see 〈◊〉 is another man and of another mind he destroyed the Churches now takes care of them he that hated the name and Gospel of Jesus counts al things dung and dross for the excellent knowledg of Jesus the world is wel amended but its mervailously altered and therfore we have found this man a Pestilent fellow Acts 17. 16. he hath subdued the state of the world TERROR this shewes the dreadful and miserable condition of al those who after al the light that hath been let into their minds conviction into their 〈◊〉 horror into their hearts touching the evils that have been committed and come now to be discovered unto them they loath the light that hath layd open their evils distast those persons and preachers and Christians most that have dealt most plainly to descover the loathsomness of their distempers it shewes the 〈◊〉 corruption of the mind and heart that grows worst under the best means and cleaves most to its sins under al the choycest means that would pluck their sins from their heart and their heart from them they are either fools or mad men that 〈◊〉 endure the presence of the Physitian without whose help they could not be cured This is made an evidence 〈◊〉 the estrangment of Gods heart from a people and an immediate fore-runner of their ruin Isa. 9. 13. 14. 17. For this people turneth not unto him that smote them neither do they seek the Lord therefore the Lord wil cut off from Israel head tail branch ush one day therfore the Lord shal have no pify on their young men nor mercy on their fatherless for every one is an Hipocrite It takes away al pity in God al hopes in themselves of any good After Pharoah had many qualmes recoylings of spirit by Moses dealing with him the miracles which he had wrought for his repentance at last sides it with the hellish stiffness of his own stubborn heart so that he cannot endure the speech or presence of Moses any more Exod. 10. 28. get thee from me see my face no more for the day thou seest my face thou shalt die God sends ' Moses no more but sends his plagues to destroy his first born he wil not see the face of Moses he shal feel the fierceness of the wrath of the Lord. He that is truly pierced by the Ministry of the word he is buisy to enquire and ready to submit to the Ministers of God making known his mind therein They who never had thought of their own condition never craved nor cared for the counsel direction of any in the things of God as seeing no need of either but now the case is otherwise every mans heart is now ful of fears his mind sul of doubts and he is stored with questions they al with one mouth and one mind as one man that had but one heart they said one spake it but al consented q. d. that is al our cases that is al our de 〈◊〉 men and bretheren we can find no rest in our hearts nor resolution in our judgments we could not but come and seek and we shal be more glad to receive counsel and guidance from you So that broken heartedness doth two things which are the two Parts of the Doctrine 1. It makes men buisy to enquire 2. Ready to receive direction from Faithful Ministers A true fight and sence of a mans finful condition sets men upon the search awakens