worketh one way or other if not to life it will be unto death it is sharper then a two-edged sword which cuts on both sides for the hardning or converting of the sinner if a man believe and obey it it is life to him it brings about his good and safetie if not it falleth a working also to augment his naturall blindnesse hardnesse and to binde him guiltie unto judgement it alwaies helpeth or hurteth the hearer Therefore you shall do well to observe what sort of working it hath upon you that so you may be framed to the better by it Observe under which effect of it you lie is it a savour of life or of death to you For your Humiliation and to break the heart to repentance I will give foure Convictions whereby it may appeare to your owne conscience that it is a dead unsavorie unfruitfull thing unto you that you never yet did rellish any thing of life in it 1 The first is Because you take so little delight in it and so little paines about it for 't is the propertie of every blessed man to delight in the law of God to meditate in it to walk in it both day and night Ps 1.1 2. My delight and my counsellonrs Ps 119.24 How doth his soule break out in holy longings and love to the law of God And also to take paines for this bread of life the Queene of the South came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisdome of Solomon Mat 12.42 Wheresoever the carkasse is thither will the Eagles be gathered together As Eagles by a naturall instinct flie to their food so where Christ is preached believers by the motion of the spirit will resort to him Can yee tast honie and no sweetnesse in it Can yee want bread take no paines for it Take us and all we have for Bread said they to Joseph you labour for meat that perisheth because there 's life in it so would you after the meat that endureth to eternall life if yee did rellish it Joh. 6.27 Labour not for meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life that is labour more for eternall life O what a deale of contriving sweating of unwearied diligence to raise an estate to raise posteritie to enlarge possessions to live And yet how it shall goe with you and how you shall live eternally did did never put you to the trouble of one houre 's serious consideration or paines God is our chiefe good and all our happinesse consists in his love therefore it should be valued and sought above all things The very businesse we have in this world is to glorifie God and to provide for a better life And yet how little doe you set by the meanes of life You will not be at the paines to acquaint your selves or familie with the doctrine of salvationâ— I cannot perswade you to read the Bible and other good books or to learne the grounds of Religion in some Catechisme or to sanctisie the Lord's day in holy exercises of prayer selfe-examination Hearing the word Nay with much coldnesse do you come to the congregation These things are burdensome irksome unsavorie to you you finde no life in this holy course and why Because you are dead soules Let me speake unto you Husbandmen Tradesmen and Labourers consider your waies and your daies spent in toyle and labour up to worke early there 's much to be done in the mornings no time in the evenings the head is heavie unfit for spirituall matters The Sabbath is your day God in mercy provided it for your rest for your soules refreshing also yet that day is too much from your worldly businesse In the morning goe see such a piece of ground or such a parcell of sheep or such a customer then to Church if time be left poore soules what doe you thinke Is this to delight in the word O how little doe you set by heaven If you did but take halfe so much paines and delight for heaven as for the world I should think you did finde some spirituall life in the word I speake to you Careles daughters perhaps once in the day you give us the hearing and stay at home the other part you trifle away the Sabbath-mornings about Children you spend idly as much time as your necessary affaires of house require therefore yee cannot come to Church perhaps in the afternoone yee have some Cloaths to mend or starch This providing for and trimming of the body is your Sabbath-daie's worke as if you were borne to be drudges and poore and so to the grave O what a fearefull spirit of slumber is upon our people Not more ignorant earthly-minded in any parish there is no signe that you rellish the Ministrie of the word as a word of life you taste no such thing in it all your carriage savours of death if you had tasted life in it you would have love to it and thinke nothing too much that you could possibly doe You would have zeale to rouze you and faith like the spring in a watch to set all the wheeles of your soules agoing The zeale of thy house hath even eaten me up Conclusion I conclude with that of Heb. 12.16 Looke diligently least there be any Fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his Brith-right He rellished good in the morsell of meat none in his Birth-right Esau must have food what with the losse of his Birth-right The Constant call of the Scripture is Strive to enter in at the straight gate Work out your salvation with feare and trembling Walk precisely not as fooles but as wise Conforme your selves not to this present world The judgement of the carnall world is otherwise These rules are too strict and precise if we live by them we were as good goe out of the world O are yee wiser then all the world Shall I make myselfe a laughing-stock to the world Nay but will you be wiser then God 2 Cor. 2 16. THe third Conviction followes whereby it may appeare to your consciences that hetherto the Gospell hath been but a dead and unsavorie thing upon your spirits and that is by the little account of any spirituall good received by all that you heare it hath left dead hearts dead unrenued affections under an outside profession you have not felt the experience of the things taught and heard you doe not understand it feelingly it affects not it alters not the judgement nor affections There is a twofold knowledge of matters in Religion the one is by rule the other is by proofe triall or experience the one is gotten out of the letter of the Scripture only so men have it but by rule the other is learout ofâ—â— the scripture too but it is felt to be the sword of the spirit for the bettering of us As in all trades and sciences there is a knowledge which one getteth by rule and instruction
only yet for want of experience when where how to buy sell plant c. he may decay and grow behind hand So the Christian hath not only the rule but the proofe of his knowledge how it hath been effectuall to assure him of his own salvation to change his heart to comfort to overcome temptations how good God is in his waies c. He is the true Christian indeed to the one it 's a dead to the other a lively savour As for example He that only reads in a booke that he is miserable by nature and what his soule stands in need of but never felt himselfe miserable nor felt his severall wants is dead while he liveth He that reads in a book or heares in a Sermon what repentance is what the cleansing of the heart is what striving of the spirit against the flesh is c. But never felt his owne heart purged his owne conscience stricken with feares c. This man hath a rule but not the savour of life in the Gospell To read or heare of comforts is one thing to feele them in the conscience is another 'T is one thing to be of such a judgement in matters of religion to hold such and such principles to be right in his tenets and to hold that men must be religious 'T is another thing to be so to feel our unkindnesse to Christ our deadnesse of heart to him our pantings and longings after Christ A man by the light of Scripture may confesse that God is the best portion that he that enjoyes God hath all that all earthly things are perishing contentments yet will not for Gods sake for conscience sake forsakeany thing This man's judgement saies that God is our chiefe God but his heart and affections never said so But he that can take up a Crosse to follow Christ deny himselfe cut off a right hand for righteousnesse sake he saies indeed and in heart God is my portion God is my chiefe good The savour of Christ's knowledge doth import a sensitive expeperimentall feeling knowledge such as we have of fire that it is hot of honie that it is sweet c. Taste sweetnesse in obedience Conviction 4 Look what it is that does most affect thee in a Sermon What matter what manner of preaching There is much to be discerned by mens praises or dispraises liking or disliking in this kinde Imagine a carnall and spirituall hearer conferring about a Sermon was it a good Sermon Yes What was the doctrine What was the reason what have you learnt by it My memory is short A good sermon and you get no good by it What did most affect you O'twas a deep sermon He did handle the Antinomians notably or he did worthily confute the errours of the times What else did you like His manner of deliverie it was delivered in good language a good stile and I like it well to have good matter cloathed in a good dresse Yea but what was there of Christ in it that might cleanse the heart bring one into pardon of sin crucifie your lusts build you up in holinesse make you sound in repentance Yes it was a morall good sermon O but said the spirituall man may not you heare such preaching all daies of your life and yet be never the wiser for your salvation If you savour that which is but the naturall frothy part that which is least worthy of notice in that work are yee not carnall if you commend and love that which you least understand and be pleased best with that which doth tickle the eare and not rectifie the conscience are yee not carnall your carnall judgement in this point bewraies that the Ministrie is not a Ministrie of life and power to thee but of forme and moralitie of good order that it has not carried you beyond placing your religion in Baptisme in Church Constitutions in outward garbs and the smaller matters or bark of religion your soules all the while being unacquainted with the essentialls of Religion in power puritie in joy in righteousnesse in peace in assurance of salvation Whereas for the matter that sermon is best wherein we manifest the truth and commend our selves to the consciences of men in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 And for the manner that is best which is set forth not in the enticing words of man's wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.3 It is a curse to have the Gospell in a strange tongue and so in a stile frame of words not easily understood by the people 1 Cor. 14 9. Except yee utter words easie to be understood how shall it be knowne what is spoken For yee shall speake into the ayre The Apostle doth reprove their carnall judgement in this point because they so much admired the gift of tongues ver 20 21. It s a childish thing to be delighted with words ver 21. It is a judgement to have the Gospell in a way not understood it is a signe God is not pleased to make the same a meanes of conversion And therefore forasmuch as God doth make use of languages and tongues for a punishment it is not fit matter of boasting or glorying 2 Carnall judgement Come we to their dispraises How doe you like the sermon I doe not like it 't was nothing but ordinary matter yea scarce fit for a Sermon he reproves such petty faults as sleeping and playing with children and dressing our selves c. There 's nothing of study of learning in it He may preach after that rate all day long c. 'T is dead and unsavorie matter Well view it againe such matter was delivered upon what occasion Why his doctrine from the Text was that many heare the word to their hardning and what think you is it not true Yes goe on what kinde of hearers were they that did so Why they were the sloathfull carelesse customary hearers that doe not examine and apply the Truths taught or else heare it as an exercise of wit or else be offended at the reproofes c. And what think you of it Is not all this true Did he not prove it Yes there is spirituall matter in it much morall evill and danger discovered not so much in the action as in the heart Res parva magnum indicium others see spirit and life in that matter an evill heart of unbeliefe to lie at the bottome if you doe compare the doctrine with the reproofes and your soules with both you will be found to be in a wrong course you will be guided into a saving way to walke in all well pleasing before God In their counsell you will finde mercy and peace their paths are paths of peace to deliver you from death You cannot slight Note nor deride religion and yet at the same time live under the saving operation of the word The fourth doctrine followes to the one-to the other But to which of these is it a savour of life
to which of death In them that are saved we are a sweet savour of God unto life in them that perish a savour of death Doctrine 4 Men are to be reckned in a state of being saved or of perishing according as they doe or doe not receive the Ministry of the Gospell according as it is savorie and fruitfull and good unto them or a dead and unsavorie thing upon their spirits so are the persons here distributed God is glorified and our Ministry accepted both when people perish and when they are converted Unto the saved ones we are a savour of life to the other a savour of death and an occasion of their hardning Joh 8.46.47 If I say the truth why doe you not believeme He that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because yee are not of God Here our Saviour distinguisheth them that be of God from them that be not by their different respect and relish of God's word they that are of God and led by his spirit will hearken endeavour to doe his will the rest who are not of God but of Satan hate and resist the truth So doth Christ mark out his own sheep Joh. 10.27 My sheep heare my voice and follow me and I know them and give unto them eternall life So Mat. 7.24 26. He compares his hearers to wise and foolish builders of their owne salvation the one who heareth and doth them is blessed is safe from danger Blessed are they that heare the word and keep it When people rellish life in it they are in the rank of blessed and saved ones when they remaine dead under it hardned in their sins it is a sad fore-runner of their everlasting destruction How can this be so sure an evidence of life and death seeing Hypocrites goe far yea doe all in this kinde that a sound Christian may doe They may doe much as Herod did to John Baptist and Ezekiel's hearers cap. 33. 31. But herein they fall short they doe not yeeld the word a sincere universall respect obedience they heare but doe it not they heare are offended at the word It is the honest heart that heares brings forth fruit with patience an hypocrite may do much but he cannot do this he may make many prayers heare many sermons use fasting cleave to the best side approve of a sound ministrie forsake scandalous sins and be reformed in some measure by the word c. Yet this he cannot doe he cannot with an honest heart bring forth fruit with patience he doth not in all things give the word a divine power over his heart he cannot yeeld universall obedience thereto out of love to God Therefore slight not this doctrine the power of it expressed in your consciences will witnesse your soundnesse true fellowship with Jesus Christ against all temptations Ps 119.161 My heart stands in awe of God's word you dare not resist any truth that yee heare but you will yeeld unto it make conscience of it desire and endeavour to obey it and put it in practise This I say will witnesse with you and for you 1. Th. 1.5 For the Gospell came not unto you in word only but also in power Of Exhortation Therefore come to the Ministrie as to an ordinance wherein life and death are sealed Take these Motives You must live for ever in heaven or in hell and the question must be resolved upon our obeying or not obeying the Gospell Therefore bethinke thy selfe what thou wert best to doe Is not heaven worth all the sins which the word would crucifie in thee And will thy unsubdu'd lusts and the pleasure thereof make amends for all the torments which the disobedient are sure to endure in hell Is thy conscience convinced of this truth If it be how darest thou now goe on in thy common carelesse course against the light of the word in thy own conscience How darest thou live as loosely heare as carelesly Spend the Sabbath as profanely slubber over the worship and service of God as slightly as formerly thou hast done To have this question resolved on thy side me thinkes thy heart should breake through all oppositions scornes and temptations and forthwith set thy selfe wholly about the worke and to cast off every weight and with full resolution of heart to lay thy soule at the feet of Christ and his Ministrie and say Lord here I am what wilt thou have me to doe Doe with my heart and mould it to thine owne minde will Motive 2 Consider the terrour of the Lord against all wilfull people that despise the savour of life depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie into the place of torments you know the Sodomites are in an ill case in hell yet it shall be more tolerable for Sodom then for thee they sinned against the light of nature thou against the light of the Gospell they against the Law thou against the Remedie against the mercy of a Redeemer Heb. 10.29 Of how much serer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the blood of the covenant c. Woe to poore sinners for their madnesse against their own soules Consider your case art thou able to beare the wrath of God for ever When he shall come in flames of fire taking vengeance on them that know him not and obey not the Gospell of his Son 2. Thes 2.10 Thou canst not endure the voice of the Cock of a poore Minister that awakens thy conscience How then wilt thou endure the voice of the Trumpet Arise yee dead and come to judgement Death is terrible sicknesse is painfull thou canst not endure thy finger in the fire one houre how then wilt thou endure everlasting fire The tooth-ake the stone the Gout make thee roar and cry out O Lord help me the torments of hell made Dives cry out Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to coole my tongue you that will cry out then pity pity a poore tormented soul should doe well to pity your selves now when we cry out unto you to pitty your own soules if thou wilt be entreated to pity thy selfe thouwilt need no man's pity then but here 's your misery our infelicitie you will not believe your own miserie you will not believe our report if you did believe it you would soone cast away every sin that hangeth on so fast you would no longer stand off but deliver up your soules into Christ's doctrine to be transformed renued and moulded by it you would presently enter into a strict covenant with God to be his people you would never content your selves with a cold formall livelesse profession but labour for the life of grace and that too while the day of grace doth last Heb. 3.14 Motive 3 It will torment you one day to remember what yee have lost what blessed opportunities which cannot be recalled to remember how eagerly the world was pursued when your salvation lay at stake if you had spent but one of those yeares to get the knowledge of Christ unto unfeined conversion you had been for ever happy whereas now your miserie is past recoverie and all through your owne fault and doings It will cut you to remember how often did the Minister call upon me how faine would he have had me to be saved to be converted and escape these torments but I would not I counted him mine enimie I made a jest of his compassionate beseechings when he told me 't was not well with me and shewed me my own heart I thought him too busie with other mens estates though he were more willing to save me then I my selfe to be saved How fresh will these things come into thy minde gnaw thy heart like a worme thou wilt be a terrour to thy selfe What will yee doe now upon these Motives resolve for life before God take you away in his wrath FINIS