and consultation whom he meanes to save This for the first preparative and most generall Use CHAP XII Shewing the desperate estate of secure sinners and danger of a false peace 2 Second sort of uses concern such as yet have notbeen pricked or not sorrowed 1Vse of Instruction not to please themselves with their false peace NOw upon this Triall it will be discovered whether thou hast been pricked wounded convinced and made sorrowfull for thy sinne or not And first if not here is an Use and matter both of Instruction and of Exhortation to thee But if yea then here are other Uses for thee 1 The secure sinner whether of more profane or of civill conversation is hence instructed not to please himself in his secure estate or false Peace He that hath not in some good measure been under the spirit of bondage troubled for his fin pricked and wounded in conscience hath just cause to suspect himself all is not well Many please themselves in their secure courses load their consciences yea wound gash the same with the guilt of many enormous and grosse sins and yet blesse themselves in their condition and remain unsensible and of stupified consciences sorry they would be to be in such case as they have seen or see some others to be in who yet indeed are either in the state of grace or in a good way unto it Yet those other are such as these wretches should be if ever they prove true Converts Those other it may be with David have their sins often before their eys which draw out tears of true hearty yea alsoof saving sorrow repentance from them but these secure ones cast all behind their backs and leave all to be reckoned for hereafter are moved with nothing they either think say or do and are not willing at any time to have ought in their thoughts or before their eyes but such things as may give the flesh content and which may blind their eyes and besot their souls namely sensuall delights and pleasures gain nonours in the world love and favour of men and such like True peace distinguished from false 1 It goes with Righteousnesse Rom. 14 2.2 is grounded on the Gospel That it is no true peace but a fools Paradise and false peace which they enjoy is most evident 1 True peace and righteousnesse go together the Kingdome of God is not meat and drink or pleasures or ought else of that nature but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost But their peace and joy is not such 2 True peace is grounded on the Gospel of peace which works reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 but their false peace cannot endure the Gospel or the reproofs of the word as we see in Ahab hating Michaiah and may see in these men not enduring to be told of their sinnes or to be called to mourn and to weep for the same and for their ensuing miseries 3 It issues out of sorrow for sinne 3 In a word true peace sound and solid comfort is for order of nature yea and working after yea out of true sorrow for sin trouble of conscience and spirit of bondage as hath already plentifully been shewed their 's not being such cannot be good â— Terrour â—secure ones who have not arowed for sin Let me then read thee thy doom thou secure sinner whosoever thou art and shew thee what cause thou hast to suspect thy self till thou hast at least been wounded pricked and pierced in thy couscience for thy sinne in some sense and feeling of Gods displeasure against thee for the same Their secure estate is a signe that they are stil 1 in their naturall condition and in sinne Simil. This is a sign 1 that thou art still in thy natural that is in thy damnable estate in which thou camest into the world and wast by nature a child of wrath as well as others Is sin no burthen to thee It is a signe thou art yet in sin as in thine own element For as the weight of water is not felt in the water as not of a man who shall dive deep into the sea whereas one hoggeshed of water on the land would crush him so to a soul any way separate and divided from sin who her it be in its judgement will or affâ—ction sin will be as it was to David and heavy burthen too heavy for it to bear and will make the soul to cry to God for ease as finding no peace Psal 38.1 2 3 4 rest or health because of its sin whereas if the soul be not in some measure burthened and troubled with sin but do still make light of it as Samson did of the brazen gates of the City and do still bath it self in the delights and pleasures of sinne it must needs prove that it and sinne is yet all one and that there is no separation made between them as yet and consequently that it remains in its naturall and damned estate and that sin unsorrowed for will prove to it as that dead sea of Sodom which causeth all living things to dy that come into it 2 That they are in Satans possession 2 And so this false Peace is also a signe that such an one is in Satans possession all things are so quiet within him Satan molests none so much as those that make from him and those he will not suffer to be quiet as we have heard onely the Lord first by his word troubles those souls he means to save all is so quiet as by the Angel the waters were troubled before any cure was done Now what a condition it is to be in Satans keeping yea possession let any wise man consider 3 and dead in sin 3 This condition of secure sinners doth plainly shew them to be dead in and by sinne and deprived of all spirituall sense and life To be without the sense of feeling is a certain signe of death now these being wounded as being without sense stung and pierced by the word yea hewed by it for such are the effects of the word even 〈◊〉 slay and kil men that is to devote the impenitent to certain destruction yea damnation of soul and body yet shew themselves no whit sensible but are as dead and senselesse blocks under the lashes and strokes of the word herein like the drunkard or as he described Pro. 23.34.35 lying down in the midst of the sea or upon the top of a mast They have strucken me shall be say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not c. 4 That they are far from Repentance 4. It s a signe that secure sinners have not as yet entred the porch or so much as touched the threshold of the School of Repentance whereof this pricking of conscience in my text is made the first stop as hath been so largely shewed and proved It is a strong argument that the word the means and
their hearts melt in true sorrow and their tongue and outward behaviour expresse a great change wrought in them Note 1. Corversion brings a sensible change Hence note first briefly That Conversion where it is in truth breeds and brings with it a sensible and great change not only in the state and condition of sinners who formerly were not a people but now are the people of God and which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2.10 but in their hearts tongues and lives It being indeed a change from darknesse to light Why Ezek. 26.26 1 Cor. 15.51 52 Ephes 5.8 yea of stones into bread shall I say yea into flesh which is softer being a greater change then our last change shall be which is from grace to glory that is from one degree to another this being from sin to grace from nothing to something that is from one kinde to another Example in Paul and An instance of this change may be given and seen in Paul who once a child of wrath was made a vessell of mercy once ignorant Rom. 7.17 1 Tim. 1.13 but after not rude in knowledge 2 Cor. 11.6 12.14 In a word changed first in his judgment and in his estimation of things see Phil. 3. vers 4 5 6 7 8. and so secondly in his affections of love hatred 1 Tim. 1.13 c. and thirdly in his practise once a persecutor of Christ now a preacher once injurious to the Saints now ready to dye for them once a blasphemer of God and his people now a blesser of them The like in the Jailor in the Jaylour Act. 16.24 with 29 30 31 32 33 34. even now thrusting Paul and Silas into an inner prison making their feet fast in the stocks presently after being humbled by an earthquake and so prepared and withall hearing the word of the Lord preached to him he beleeved was baptized he and all his washed their stripes brought them out of the stocks into his own house set meat before them and rejoyced beleeving in God with all his house Vse Of triall whethâ—r we be converted or no. Vse Though the change in all be not alike palpable and sensible yet if we would approve our selves true Converts our own consciences at least must be able to witnesse with us and for us and to say with that young man in S. Ambrose newly converted and afresh tempted by an old acquaintance of his to return to former lusts she saying Know you not me It is I yea but said he Ego non sum Ego I am not the man I was And with S. Paul of Onesimus Once unprofitable Philem. 11. 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. now profitable and of others Such were some of you that is Fornicators Idolaters Theeves Covetous Drunkards Revilers Extortioners But now yee are washed sanctified and justified When thus we finde it we have a blessed and comfortable testimony of the truth of our conversion if especially the change hath been wrought by the preaching of the word pricking the heart as here Whereas profane and civill men who can shew no such inward and outward change can have no such comfort as being the same now after so many yeeres profession if not much worse then they were ever still profaine formall resting in the bare outward performance of duty and so children of wrath Hence note God hath his times for the conversion of sinners Some he sanctifieth in the womb Note 2. God hath his times for the conversion of the Elect. some he calls at the last houre but all that belong to his Election shall at length be converted most certainly but when who knowes Joh. 6.37 SECT 2. Why Christ converted not so many as Peter Quest WHy did not Christ himselfe when he preached convert so many Question 1. or so visibly and miraculously Ans I answer Answer 1. first this was more for the glorifying of his grace and power which he reserved till after his death to make it manifest in by and after his resurrection and ascension for till then Jesus was not said to be glorified he was here on earth to execute his kingly office only moderately and not to put forth his divine power so fully till afterward to the end that he might be put to death which was the chief end why he came into this word which else they would not have done 1 Cor. 2.8 His power was thus more magnified after a seeming weaknesse if they had known him to be the Lord of glory It made more then for his glory now by his servants weake instruments and by an apparent signe from heaven yea and after a seeming weaknesse in dying to shew forth his power and grace then if he had done it formerly for it shews in what favour he was with God now who had been so despised of men and that though he died it was not of weaknesse but of will seeing he could have saved himself from death who gave life not only to the thiefe but now to so many Conversion is a glorious work This shews that conversion of souls by the ministry of men is a glorious worke in and by which the glory of Christ God-man doth wonderfully appear which seeing it tendeth also to the glorifying of the creature should by the converted be ever acknowledged Ephes 1.2 to magnifie the ministry of the Word by man not in word only but in deed to the glory of the praise of his grace c. 2 This was also done and thus referred that he might magnifie the Ministry of the Word and Gospel by man as he had said greater works then those shall ye doe Thus he was pleased yea is still pleased to do greater works by an instrument then immediately by his own sole and only power As we see his like providence wisedome and power in the Load-stone a darke dull and heavie stone which though he have imparted to it an attractive power yet that power is not put forth by the Load-stone it self alone which alone or unarmed drawes but a little but is as it were communicated to the steel or iron with which it is capped so that the same stone which alone could scarce take up seven ounces waight being capped with iron hath very easily and strongly taken up two and twenty pound waight saith he that saw it and hath written of it Mr. Samuel Ward in Magnet is Reductorie Theologico cap. 8. Thus Christ is willing to communicate the glory of this great worke of mans conversion to the weake Ministery of men telling us Whosoever receiveth them receiveth him and whosoever beleeveth in me he shall do greater works then I have done He converted not by any one Sermon that we read of an hundred yet by Peter he at once converted three thousand Thus we again see what a glorious worke the Ministery of the Word by man is what a glorious calling it is Vse 1. To
they heard this Where is first the Act of hearing VVhere 1 The Act of hearing which implyeth preaching Rom. 10.14 15. Secondly The Object what they heard First Hearing implyeth teaching and preaching as here Peter preacheth and they hear and how shall men hear without a Preacher saith Paul and how shall they preach except they be sent first of God So that we have here to note Note 1. The power and efficacy of Gods VVord First the power and efficacie of the Word of God preached Secondly the profit and good fruit of hearing it aright Peter speaking onely in the outward eare they that heard are pricked in the heart and by further hearing are fully converted 1. The word of God is a powerfull word because soundly taught and wisely applyed as here we see where not onely for number three thousand but for quality scoffers mockers yea persecuters were converted by it so the like afterwards and in some measure to the end of the world No word of man no not in the mouth of the most eloquent Oratour can worke such effect as this doth In changing the effections and verting soules Acts 26.18 this hath a power on the soule not onely to move the affections but to change them to renew them to convert them and turn the soule to God from death to life from darknesse to light by opening of the eyes yea from the power even of hell Psalm 19.7 of the very Devill himselfe of Satan unto God The law of God converts soules and changeth stones into bread yea flesh base metall into pure gold beyond all Chymicall transmutation turning beasts into men yea beasts into men in which regard the Church differs from the Arke of Noah a type of it in other things for there the beasts that entred into the Arke received no chainge nor alteration but if they went in uncleane wilde and savage they also came out uncleane wilde and savage but in the Church of God where Gods word is powerfully taught it is not so with every one we come in unclean but go out clean we come in wilde we go out tame we come in wolves lions vultures we goe out lambs deere and doves we come in beasts and go out men yea new men regenerate as one well noteth Here it might be shewed how that by the power of one text only some hath been converted Iun. in vita as Junius reclaimed from Atheisme by casting his eye on Job 1.1 Saint Austin See Dr. Featlyes sermons on this text by taking up the Bible and reading the first place he lighted on which was Rom. 13.13.14 not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wontonnesse c. was fully converted from his wantonnesse yea his friend Alypius desiring to peruse that place and reading the next words Rom. 14.1 Him that is weake in the faith receive you besought Saint Austin to strengthen him in the faith and he became a Convert also And I beleeve if every one would tell their experiences in this kind and how the word either at first or since in their anguish distresse temptations hath strengthened comforted and upheld them we should â—eed no other proof of this truth But whence hath the word this power Not from it selfe 2 VVhence hath it this efficacy from God and his spirit Psal 149.6 7 8 9. but from the Author which is God who when and where he pleaseth maketh it powerfull and effectuall by his spirit accompanying the same It is a two edged sword and cuts both wayes as God shall please to weild and use it either to wound or prick savingly like the Surgeons lancing-knife or to wound to death like the sword of an Enemy but we speake especially of the former work of it whereby it shewes it self quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 whose instrument it is sharper then a two edged sword piercing even to the deviding asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And so it is called the power of God to salvanion to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 that is Gods powerfull instrument by which he worketh faith in men and converts their souls Now as the instrument hath no power of or from it self but onely a fitnesse thus or so to be used and workes in and by the power of the chief workman working in the power of him the principall Agent as the steele with which the Load-stone is capped so it is here The sword cuts not without a hand to weild it and then it cuts according to the power strength and will lesse or more of him that useth it so the word or words of the Preachers being quantity have no efficacy of themselves or considered as a sound or beating and dividing of the ayre but as it is an instrument of God appointed and sanctified to produce such great effects so that the power is from Gods Ordinance and not from the word of the Preachers who by the sounding of rams hornes made the walls of Jericho fall down â—nd by vertue of â—is ordinance as did the rammes horns of old Moses rod in dividing the sea which sounding was rather a signe at which then any cause by which the walls fell even as Moses his rod by which he smote the Sea had not that power in it selfe but by vertue of Gods appointment Moses smote with it because God had so commanded but God did the worke And though the Word preached work after another manner yet the worke done by it whether it be conversion comfort pricking melting bruising c. is from the effectuall power of God and of his Spirit who doth the deed 1 Cor. 3.6 so that Paul may plant Apollos may water but it is God that gives the increase and so the Word is compared to a sword and hammer which bruiseth Jer. 23.29 Isa 55.10 Acts 2.1 3. to a nayle which pierceth and to fire which melts and mollifieth to a mighty winde and thunder which shakes the heart of the stoutest Thus here Gods Spirit being like water both for abundance and strength poured out in the signes of a rushing mighty wind and of fire makes the word of Peter and others thus powerful the power of which spirit shewed it selfe not onely in the tongues of the Preachers but in the hearts of the hearers so afterwards the Apostles being armed with the promise of this power Mat. 28.18 19 20. are sent out to all Nations to convert them which thing they also did but who a few men of no account of no learning some of them of no authority or state whom Kings of the earth whom with these chains comming out from their mouth as is fabled of Hercules Celticus they did binde and bring into subjection under Christ Bodin de rep lib. 4. cap. 7. So wise Philosophers and the learned the proud and refractory but by what meas and
are 1. Gods glory 2. Christ his word and truth with the Gospel in the purity and power of it 3. Our own spirituall and eternall good together with the peace and comfort of our own consciences and assurance of Gods favour 4. The greater good of others especially of the Church and that both temporall spiritual and eternall as we shall perceive more by that which followes 2. In what things we must denie our selves 1. In some things simply 2. In others only comparatively as we may see in Christ 2 Tim. 2.13 2. The things in which we are to deny our selves are such as either are absolutely to be denied or only comparatively with respect and in competition with some of those other things named for which we are to deny our selves in them though otherwise good and which absolutely severed from such respects may be sought This first part of the distinction may be better conceived in and by the example of Christ himself till we hereafter give other instances Of him it is said that he cannot denie himself True that is in such things as belong to his nature as his truth and faithfulness there instanced in in his holiness goodness justice who though he cannot at all deny himself in his nature wisedome and the like no more needed we have denied our selves in any thing absolutely at least if we had continued remained and still been our selves as God made us at first in innocency righteousness knowledge holiness and in an estate of immortality And in such remnants of intire nature as yet abide with us not wholly obliterated and defaced we are not absolutely yet according to his will he doth deny himself for a greater good in some such things as without such respect he both may and doth seek himself Phil. 2.6 7 8. as in vailing the glory of his Godhead a while in our nature but only in some respects to deny our selves But now our Saviour Christ who in things respecting his nature cannot denie himself yet out of will and with respect to his Fathers glory and to the spirituall and eternall good of mens souls was content and willing to deny himself many waies and that even before he came into the world and after in that being in the form of God and thinking it no robbery to be equall with God yet he made himself of of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of men and humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Thus he is said to empty himself and to make himself of no reputation and to suffer his glory to be obscured in the dark lanthorn of his humanity whilest he lived here on earth being God he appeared in our base nature and became truly man Being immortall he became in our nature subject to death being the Lord of all he became a servant being the glorious God he humbled himself being the Soveraign Lord of heaven and earth he became obedient unto the Law and unto death and in his ease and name as man being most blessed he was pleased to subject himself to the death of the Crosse which was an accursed shamefull and painful death and so in our nature and for the good especially of his elect he denied himself in his ease by undergoing sorrows and grief for us Hebr. 12.2 in his name by enduring the crosse and despising the shame suffering himself to be reviled spit upon and at length crucified yea and to be a while under the sence of his dear fathers displeasure in all which he sought not his own glory and in his life and will which he submitted to Gods wil for us Matth. 26.39 but his that sent him not his own will but his Fathers insomuch that according to his humane nature without sin having by prayer sought himself saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup of death passe from me yet denying his own will he adds neverthelesse not as I will Vse Of his example to us scil to deny our selves much more for him but as thou wilt Now this example of Christs to note it by the the way inforceth the like practise upon us much more for his sake and glory to deny our selves he thus denied himself for us who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate for us servants wretched and sinfull creatures and all this freely and shall not we for our own good for his glory being so many wayes bound to him our Creator our Lord and Soveraigne our Redeemer our Husband Head and Father deny our unworthy selves And that 1 Absolutely in somethings And first In some things we are absolutely to deny our selves as in whatsoever according to our corrupt nature we now are not our selves either not that which we were at our first creation in the first Adam before the fall or not that which we should be in Christ the second Adam and as new creatures in him In all which things we must flee out separate and make a divorce from our selves denying our selves as 1. In our carnall wisdom and reasonings 1 In our own carnall wisdome and corrupt reasonings whereby men are wise in their own eyes conceive of God according to their own dark hearts Rom. 1.21 making to themselves similitudes of God as they please Exod. 20.4 Rom. 1.23 entertaining no truths but such as agree with their corrupt and carnall reason disputing against the truths of God as John 6.52 -60 -65 on which many do stand so much 66. 1 Cor. 1.20 accounting Gods word preached and his wayes foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.23 never consulting with God in his word or by prayer but directing and ordering all their wayes by their own counsels and so they live by their own rules which they devise and frame to themselves consulting onely with flesh and blood and indeed professing themselves to be wise they become fools Rom. 1.22 Whereas the Apostle's rule is If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 that is let him seâ— his folly and deny his own seeming and carnall wisdome We must see our own folly submit our thoughts and reason to Gods wisdom that he may be wise by that wisdom of God which he is now ready to charge with folly And let all imaginations or reasonings and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God be cast down and every thought be brought into captivitie to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Let the wicked also forsake his way which according to his foolish wisdom he hath chosen and the unrighteous man his thoughts Isa 55.7 even such carnall thoughts as hee hath of Gods Mercie and other Attributes Our own devices will come to nought and must therefore be forsaken onely such counsell as God gives us in
weaknesse and knowing that if we had such an abundant measure of grace and gifts as we desire we would stand in less need of him and be prouder of the gift then of the giver and not rest in him as alone all-sufficient and better then many graces to us Which I say provided we truly thirst and labour after more grace not that upon this pretence any careless liver should take up with any measure of grace or please himself with his infirmities as he will call his grosser and more willfull sins such an one I shall discard from the number of true Christians and genuine sons of God and babes in Christ who will ever out of a true sence be crying for more food and grow by it too but that we all should labour for true grace in sincerity and comfort our selves therein and in Christ our sanctification whilest we strive but cannot attain to that strength and measure of grace which we truly and from the heart desire 2. In our having of the gifts of grace all which without Christ are but glistering sins Secondly then make we Christ sanctification to us not onely in the want but in the having of any gift of grace whatsoever without whom all our gifts and graces are but dead carkases liveless pictures meer formalities yea like the vertues of the heathen who knew not Christ glistering sins Christ is the very life and soul of all graces and must be all to us in them all as our knowledge as what is knowledge of all things else but heathenish science if we know not God in Christ All other knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 2. and if any man teach otherwise and consent not to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ he is proud knowing nothing at least as hee ought to know zeal 1 Tim. 6.3 4. What is our zeal if it be not according to such knowledge its rather fury and madness What is our faith faith hope if Christ dwell not in our hearts by it Eph. 3.17 What is our hope if it be not in Christ 1 Cor. 15.19 but a comfortless and ungrounded presumption What is love or charity if it be not out of a pure heart charity 1 Tim. 1.5 Eph. 5.2 and if we doe not walke in love as Christ also hath also loved us and if our love be not in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 1.14 it s but a fained love patience 1 Thes 1.3 What is patience but a Stoicall blockishness if our labouring and not fainting and so our patience be not for Christs names sake Rev. 2.3 What are our sufferings and bonds but a thankless bearing of deserved evill Our sufferings if they be not in Christ and for Christ Phil. Our good works 1.13 What are all our good workes almes fasting prayer and generally all our wayes if they be not in Christ and living godly and what is all our godly living if it be not in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.12 but a death whereby we have a name that we live and spirituall life but are dead Revel 3.1 What is our spirituall life if we be not made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 and quickned together with him Eph. 2.5 and if Christ live not in us Gal. 2.20 What is it but an artificiall and forced motion such as is in walking engines and in pictures and Images with artficiall rolling eyes or otherwise drawn or carved to the life Our mortification In a word what is mortification but a monkish holiness and apish imitation if we be not dead with Christ Rom. and humility 6.8 or our humility in worshipping of Angels or Saints as not daring come so boldly into Gods immediate presence but pride and a being puft up in our fleshly minds Col. 2.18 and the punishing not sparing or neglecting of the body and hard usage of the body but only a shew of wisedome in will-worship and humility Col. 2.23 What 's sanctification then out of Christ Why should we not deny our selves in all these and in like things further then we do suffer them in Christ In all these wee are to deny our selves that wee may be them all only in Christ 4. Make wee Christ to us Redemption in all the parts of it or why should we be discouraged in some sense of our own wants and imperfections in these when we do and suffer them in Christ in whom they are accepted and accounted sufficient Now lastly considering this Alsufficiency of Christ we have reason to make him and him onely or God in him as God hath made him to us Redemption In which benefit is included salvation from first to last not onely freedom from the guilt of sin by pardon and power over it by the Spirit and so a freedom both from the damnation Luke 1.68 69 71 c. and also domination and power thereof together with finall perseverance in grace to the end by vertue of Gods new covenant with us in Christ Jer. 32.40 but also protection and defence by the ministry of Angels Hebr. 1.14 and otherwise yea and consolation in troubles and a blessing of curses or crosses and afflictions to us in this life Let him be our Consolation 1 In all our Crosses at the end thereof a blessed death and after death a joyfull and blessed resurrection to life and glory for ever And what needs more All this and more then I can expresse to you or you and I conceive within our selves is Christ to us if once by denying our selves in all power of our own whether over sin or other enemies or in all earthly comforts we can seek to be All in all these and that onely in him Let us make then Christ all to us in these things that All in him may be ours whilest he is ours and we his 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. And so let us make him more specially in all our losses 2 and Losses in the losse of goods name friends and what else in all which we lose nothing if we lose not Christ who is all in all these to us Have we lost our goods as 1 Of goods say we with Paulinus Bishop of Nola when the City was sackt by the Barbarians Lord let me not be troubled for the gold and silver for thou art all to me Are we disgraced 2 Name or is a fools cap in disgrace put upon us as once upon one Alexander Cane say we as he Can I have a greater honour done then to be served as my Lord Christ before Herod Have we lost our friends 3 Friends Senec in Consolat ad Polyb. who seemed to be a staffe and a stay unto us what Seneca said in the comforting in such a case of his friend Polybius a Courtier may fitlyer be applyed to a Christian concerning Christ So long as Cesar lives and is thy friend thou oughtest not to complain of thy condition whilest he is safe thou hast
have him to rule over us Thus in true account and as God takes it you say and do Then let me tell you who this is against whom you thus by and in your pride and stoutnesse and partly ignorance do sin It is Christ the Lord of glory a dreadful Majestie even against the mighty God and their Judge the Soveraigne Lord who is appointed to be your Judge and who shall come in flaming fire rendering vengeance to all that know him not nor obey his Gospel This is he whom you provoke against whom you have so long trespassed whom you have so much dishonoured whom you have crucified and persecuted in his Saints and people whom you as little know or respect as himself who yet are of price and worth to him and as dear as the apple of his own eye whose wrongs he is sensible of as done to himself and which accordingly he will avenge Isai 57.3 4. But do you consider this are you convinced of it Let the daunkard then which should be considered the unclean person and voluptuous the profaner of the Lords Name and Sabbath and every sinner know and that assuredly that God hath made this same Jesus whom ye thus crucifie and wound both Lord and Christ the glorious and dreadful Judge of quick and dead Doth not this strike terrour into your hearts doth it not prick wound and sting your conscience God expects it should If he have winked at the former times of your ignorance Act. 17.30 31 yet now he commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained c. An dear brethren let us not mock when we hear these things or put off repentance as if ye cared not much whether ye perform it or no with the Athenians who heard these things from Paul and 32 and said We will hear thee again of this matter 34. but rather with Dionysius and Damaris there and others Let us cleave to Paul and believe and with these converts here cleave and cling to Peter out of true compunction of heart and repent saying to him and to such as now are in place of him even Gods faithful servants and our teachers who so tell us Men and brethren what shall w do Ah that I could see such blessed effects of the self-same doctrine And so having in a manner done with the instrumental cause of this Compunction and Conversion of these Jews which was their hearing of Gods word preached we come to the effects of the same the first whereof is to be considered in that which they suffered expressed in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked in their heart CHAP. V. SECT 1. The effect of saving hearing is pricking of heart THis pricking in heart notes an Inward Conviction of conscience 2. The effects of this their hearing 1. What they suffered whereby they came at once in the acknowledgement of Christ and his glory to see their horrible sin in murthering and crucifying of him and their own deserved condemnation thereby so bringing the curse of the Law home to their own consciences They were pricked in heart savingly as not able any longer to put by the thrust as I may call it or the dint of Peter's accusation which came as a dagger to the heart and struck them both with fear of wrath through a consciousnesse of this their hainous sin of murder and parricide and with hearty grief and sorrow for their sin not without some mixture of hope which made them enquire after a remedy and say What shall we do Wherein this pricking of heart differs from that cutting to the heart which was in others of the Jews Acts 7.54 who being alike charged by Steven as these were by Peter with the murder of Christ verse 52 yet as others by the same word were cut to the heart deadly Act â—â— 52 54-58 not convinced that Jesus was the Messiah or Christ and so that they were murderers of their Saviour they inwardly justifying themselves when they heard these things were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth and cast him out of the city and stoned him to death as taking ill at his hands thus falsly as they conceived to be charged So that the same Word had a different effect in the Jews in regard of the issue though all of them were some way or other pricked in heart yea cut and wounded the same Word proving the savour of life to the one and of death to the other true compunction of heart in the one where was sorrow not onely in fear of punishment but also in desire general hope and some apprehension of goodnesse and mercy in God which asswaged their fears but in the other a senslesse security and benummednesse of soul not to see their sin and danger with grief and anger onely so to be charged And so in the one was true compunction of spirit or of heart whereby the Aposteme of it was opened as by the prick of a sharp instrument and the corruption of it discovered yea whereby the heart became sick of the love of God and desire after him as the least prick at the heart causeth a present fit of sicknesse and in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.8 Isai 6.9 a spirit onely of compunction or remorse as it may be called or rather as it is translated in our Bible a spirit of slumber whereby God gave them eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear even a spirit of slumber sottishnesse want of spiritual senses and blindnesse not to see the light of Truth and of the Word which yet pricked their hearts as the light of the sun doth fore eyes yea cut them to the heart through the accusations if not convictions of it though they still remained stupid and accordingly perished It concerns us then to see how we hear that we melt by it as was and be not clay Now for this pricking mentioned in my Text it proved a saving and healing wound And we will now consider it according to three several Relations This pricking considered according to three Relations First to Peters Sermon as an effect of it Secondly to the sinners themselves as a fruit and consequent of their sin and so as an affection of sorrow in the subject or convicted sinner Thirdly and chiefly to the whole work of Conversion as the first degree and beginning of the same and as a preparative to Christ and to salvation CHAP V. SECT 11. Pricking of heart considered as the work of the word and of the best kind of preaching 1 To Peters sermon as an effect of it Note The best kind of preaching is that which pricks the heart 1 in what respects 2 For what reasons God himself useth this method 1 the Father 1 AS this
pricking in heart is an effect of Peters Sermon it will teach us this lesson that The best kind of teaching and preaching is that which pricks mens hearts and toucheth woundeth and convinceth their consciences I call it best and that both in regard of Gods glory whose word is thus by convincing men most magnified whether it prove the savour of life or of death seeing men once convinced by it God can more glorifie himself whether in his mercy or justice manifested towards convicted sinners and also in regard of our good and conversion and that for these reasons 1. Because this course is according to Gods own order in the conversion of souls 1 God convinced Adams conscience and so prepared him for the promise of the Messias 2 Christ began his Ministery by preaching repentance 2 Sonne Matth. 4.17 he so dealt with the Jews and with the woman of Samaria Joh. 4 18. 3 yea the comforter 3 Yea the first work of the Comforter is to convince men of sin to their condemnation before he convince them in their judgement of righteousnesse in Christ to their justification see John 16.8.9.10 for indeed there is no true consolation but out of deep humiliation no true joy and comfort but such as issues out of straits of conscience if we speak of men capable and legal convictions The spirit before it comfort it shakes a man and makes him fear see Hebr. 2.14 c. It s a course which God prescribes us his Ministers to use even to cry aloud and not to spare to tell men of their sinnes 2 God prescribes the use of it to cause them to know their abominations and to give them warning of their danger Isa 58.1 2. Ezek. 3.17 and 16.2 3 he blesseth it 3 Lastly its that method which God most blesseth as in Nathans plain dealing with David thou art the man and in other Prophets and in the Baptists preaching Vse 1 For Ministers thus to preach and to leave stings behind them Matth. 3.7 8.9.10 or Luk. 3.7.8 9. with 10 11 c. in his Apostles preaching here Vse 1. It is for the direction of us Ministers who as occasion serves must be full of the wrath of the Lord not preaching pleasing things to tickle the eare but sound saving and wholsome things to prick and wound the heart leaving stings behind us in mens hearts before we bring hony to please their tast first using corrosives by pouring in wine then lenitives oyl to supple heal The words of the wise saith Solomon are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies whech are given from one shepheard Eccles 12 11. Jer. 23.29 yea Gods word in the mouth of his servants is like a hammer not onely to break the rock in pieces but to drive in those nails even to the head into mens not skins onely goads pierce the skin but flesh and hearts too thence to fetch and draw teares which Saint Augustine calls the blood of the soul Our manner of teaching should be such as not to seek applause to our selves but sobs and tears in you our prayse should be your teares your sighs not your hemms not the clapping of your hands To wring tears from their hearers or Plaudite as at a play but the knocking of your breasts and Plangite as at a funerall It was said of one after an oration made to the people of Athens that he left certain stings in their minds so did Peter here and so should we send you home as much as we can weeping to your closets Pericles in a sence of sinne and danger and so should we wield this sword of the spirit as to aim chiefly at your hearts and so stedfastly and strongly follow home the thrust like Masters of defence as not to suffer you to put it by And to convince 1 Sam. 15.13 14. c. Though such conviction prove not saving Gen. 4.7 Call to Newcastle or methods for discovery of sinne in the Ministers method by your shifts evasions excuses extenuations justifications no more if we had the skill then Samuel would suffer King Saul to evade him till he had convinced him and brought him to confesse his sin And this we must do though our reproofs and convictions do not alwayes prove saving so did not Samuels so did not Gods own reproof and conviction of Cain And Stephens reproof and conviction of the Jews to be the murtherers of Christ had not the same effect with Peters here it was the same sword or word of God but with the point it pricked the one savingly and with the one or both of the edges of it it being not kindly received cut the other to the heart and wōunded them mortally 2 For hearers 1 to submit meekly to the reproofs of the word but of this more elsewhere 2 This teacheth you to desire such kind of teaching not to be displeased with such as so faithfully deale with your souls and to learn of these here who though deeply charged by Peter yea pricked and wounded did not rise against him or say what or who is he this that thus boldly chargeth us but meekly receiving the word of reproof and as guilty persons convinced of their sinnes what shall we do its true alas we indeed are guilty neither should you shew your selves unwilling to have your wounds searched to the bottome 2 Therefore the law is now to be taught under the Gospel 3 It s a good sign to be pricked Treat on Ezek. 16.2 or Gods charge to his Messengers concerning conviction of sinners p. 237. c. or to have your sins discovered and brought to triall seeing all sinne is a traytor to God and his glory and by your unwillingnesse to have it found and brought to judgement you make your selves more guilty But of this as also other uses concerning the needfulnesse much more lawfulnesse of preaching the Law now in time of the Gospel not to justification but to the conviction of sinners and to prepare and bring them to Christ as also that it is no ill signe simply to be met withall netled pricked and troubled in conscience by the word so that we seek or accept of ease and help by the word I say of these and such like uses elsewhere more largely and purposedly CHAP. V. SECT 3. Pricking of heart considered as the fruit of sinne and that sin carries a sting with it 2 The second relation which this Pricking hath is to the sinners themselves and to their sinnes THE second Relation that this pricking hath is to the sinners themselves and to their sinne the fruit whereof we see is at best sorrow fear pricking and wounding of the heart and spirit The word they heard brought to remembrance their sinne and their sinne presented them with wrath and so their heart is struck with horrour fear amazement and confusion the conscience awakened would not suffer them any longer to rest
or find content in their present condition they were stung and till they got ease in a very hell Thus it was with these Converts here what will then be the condition and sorrows of such as do remain live and dye impenitent Let it then be hence observed that sinne must never want sorrow Observe Sinne carries a sting with it never wants sorrow it carries a sting with it which will shew it self at one time or other It s like those locusts spoken of Revel 9.7.10 which have faces like men but stings in their tails like scorpions Such a thing is sinne though at first it may seem to have a beautifull face and appearance yet such as dally with it will find it will leave pricks at least and venemous wounds in the conscience such as have been named And though the conscience at length grow to be seared Though the conscience be seared senseles sometime yet it wil awaken here or in hell yet not onely the searing of it is not without pain or without many conflicts and terrours before it be deprived of all fence but God after awakens it to feel the horrour of hel even in this life though he deny such repentance as we see Judas Julian Nero Brutus King Saul who having an evil spirit which formerly had haunted him yet though as Brutus his malus Genius or Ghost which haunted him at Rome having for a while left him yet met with him at Philippi a little before his death though I say it left Saul often yet often it returned especially at Endor where Satan in the likenesse of Samuel told him that to morrow he should be with him 1. Sam. 28 29.20 which struck him with horrible amazement as there was cause Let this be thought on by all such as can find no delight in any thing but in sinne Vse For such as delight in sinne to expect bitternes Prov. 9.17.18 or so farre as there is sinne in the same The forbidden fruit seemed even because forbidden to promise more delight then all other trees yet it proved bitternesse in the end as sin will do so stollen waters and bread of deceit end in hell and prove like poyson given in sugar which may go down sweetly Which young men Eccles 11.9 but kindleth a fire in the bowels and bereaves of life Think of this you young men and rejoyce but know c. as you have lately heard remember the threefold sting which accompanyed and followed that of sin especially that of Conscience and of eternall torments Think of this ye Joviall and merry men of the world and merry men should think of how can ye be merry when so many thousand woes curses and vengeances belong unto you and hang over your heads sorrow you will find enough one day which may be to you without repentance but know assuredly that true repentance and conversion cannot be without sorrow seeing then sorrow must and will follow sin And either by godly sorrow in time to prevent it 1 Learn in time to sorrow soundly for sinne to be pricked wounded and in heart truly grieved for your sinne for such sorrow onely will prove saving and prepare you for through conversion and for sound and lasting joy as in these converts here 2 Otherwise know that you will gain nothing by sin or by living in it 2 Or assuredly to to look for it Grief of heart and pricking and wounding of the soul in some measure is the easiest which if you be afraid of chusing rather to enjoy your ease pleasures liberties then to be interrupted in the same by godly sorrow There is nothing gained by sinne then expect nothing in the end but hellish horrour terrours and torments not a pricking but piercing of the heart a breaking an opening a cutting a cleaving of it it may be even in this life and then a wounded spirit who can hear Prov. 18.14 but assuredly hereafter and for ever in hell For the prevention of which consider now well what you do what will be the end of your courses what the bitter and accursed fruits of your sinnes and of your smothering of the checks of your conscience Be now in time sensible of these things and consider this you that make nothing or but a jest of sinne or of conscience Take heed of lading A wounded name estate and broken bones nothing to the wounding of the spirit Psal 38.4 wounding and piercing your souls by voluntary and wilfull transgressions The soul hereby though for the present it be not perhaps so sensible yet insensibly is wounded and burthened with the guiltinesse of sinne whereby wrath is a treasuring up the burthen increaseth so long till at length your iniquities grow and go over your heads and as an heavy burthen prove too heavy for you Sinne long harboured within will at length fester break out into torments and in a word prove the death of the soul eternally The madnesse of men in falling into the greater evil for avoiding the lesse How is it to be wished then that men were as sensible of pricks and wounds in their hearts and spirits which by sinne are alwayes made though not perceived or believed or that they feared these half so much as they do a wounded body estate or name how sensible are men of the one and how fearlesse of the other hence they receive wounds on the inside and gashes in their consciences that the outside may be saved they will steal and do wrong to prevent poverty and yet poverty no such burthen as the guilt of theft they lye will falsifie word promise and oath to prevent or get out of debt and yet debt with man is no such burthen as debt with God which will exclude them out of heaven They will voluntarily smother the checks of conscience and repell the reproofs of the word that they may sinne more securely and with lesse trouble and yet this fire which thus smothered will once yea and for ever break out into flames doth infinitely surpasse that small seeming sorrow or lesser prickings which are in repentance They will go to witches to gain health and yet no sicknesse so ill as to be the devils devoted slave yea to save their skin their liberties their offices and to avoid reproach for Christ and persecution they will deny the truth of God and give the soul a thousand gashes to keep the skin whole and yet no losse to that of the soul Mark 8.36 What madnesse * Mr. Harris of a wounded spirit saith one is this This is to prick the hand to save the glove to hazard the head for the saving of the hat or of a feather to prick and wound the heart yea to kill the soul rather then to forgo a little vain and sinfull pleasure gain or honour alas they know not yet neither will they be told what the sorrows of a wounded spirit and conscience meane when God shall
be throughly converted CHAP. VIII Shewing the reasons why God will have all Converts of age to be first brought under the spirit of bondage THese Reasons I reduce to these two generall Heads 3 The Demonstration or reasonâ— of the main Doctrine And why God will bring all Converts under the spirit of bondage This he doth with respect 1 to their good 1 To their profit 1 Mans own Good 2 Gods Glory 1 God will in his providence have our hearts to ake by bringing us in some measure under the spirit of bonage and have us thus wounded at least pricked before he receive us for our own Good who otherwise would neither know our selves aright nor acknowledge our want and need of Christ whilst we missed him not nor prize him aright For methods sake know the good which God intends his elect by thus dealing with them is according to that usuall division of good Profitable Comfortable Honourable 1 The Profit of this method which God useth with his so far as it is to be reaped in this life may be referred to their Justification and Sanctification 1 God thus brings home to himself wandring sinners as he did the Prodigall 1 To their Justification who never had any thought of returning to his fathter till all outward means and succours failed him and till he saw himself destitute of mony friends food yea of very husks the meanest of meats he like a man out of his wits and not himself never came unto himself neither thought of coming or returning to his father till then Luk. 15. Now in this prodigall every wandring sinner who proves a true Convert is meant who is also compared to a lost or wandring sheep after which the shepherd sends out his dog to bring it into the fold Particularly God will have us feel somewhat of our own burthen and see as it were the flashes of hell-fire Particularly and so he turns the Law loose upon us a while both in the strict commands of it 1 To cause them see their own guiltinesse as also in the curse annexed to the transgressours of it 1 That we might acknowledge see and be convinced of our own guiltinesse and of the infinitenesse of our desert and debt which our Saviour signifieth unto us in the parable of the debter who ought his Master ten thousand talents which howsoever he at length did graciously remit yet before he forgave it he strictly required the whole debt of him commanding all he had to be sold even wife and children that it might be paid yet this was but to bring him on his knees that he might desire beg sparing and compassion Matth. 18.25 26. God thus wounds the spirit and lets men feel the burthen of their sinne which who can beare that so they may cry out with Davd Mine iniquities are gone over mine head Psal 38.4 as a heavy burthen they are too heavy for me 2 God thus doth 2 To humble them in sight of their inability that in a sense of our burthen of our own inability to undergo it we might be humbled and have those proud high and lofty thoughts which we have had or have of our selves brought down and levelled with the ground Till this be done the sinner will ever find something in himself to oppose against the work of grace who els would never seek to Christ Luk. 8.43.44 either his own righteousnesse and morall vertues and civil life his own power of will or somewhat ese like the woman in the Gospel whom Christ healed of her bloody issue who so long as she had any thing of her own left to bestow upon Physicians she never thought of Christ onely when after twelve years she had spent all her living upon Phsicians neither could be healed of any she sought to Christ and was healed Man naturally is like the wild asse colt or like the asse used to the wildernesse Jer. 2.24 that snuffeth up the winde at pleasure which must first be taken down and tamed and like the wild young horse that must be ridden in deep and tough lands run against the wall and otherwise affrighted by being brought to the brow of some high hill and rock before it be tamed or made serviceable 3 To make them willing to seek after help 3 Thus God makes the heart plyable and bores the ear to receive instruction and to hearken after the means by which it may receive help or ease making it to seek help out of it self else where as Paul smitten down from his horse Lord what wilt thou have me to do and as the Jailour humbled by an earth quake What shall I do to be saved and as these in my Text who when they were pricked in heart said What shall we do as the hunted or shot hart flees to his harbour or to Dictamnum the herb which causeth as they say the dart to fall out or as the stout lion which sought to Androgeus a man to get the thorn pulled out of his foot 2 Cor. 12.4 Or to accept of it being offered as Paul having a thorn in the flesh sought earnestly and often unto Christ 4 At least men thus are made willing to accept of help when it is offered which so many daily having never been in such straiâ—s nor suffered any pangs of conscience do neglect the sick only not the whole do see their need of the Physician 5 To prize Christ 5 God will thus beat men off their own bottomes to see their accursed condition that they may more highly prize Christ and his benefits as thirst makes us relish our drink and by sickness we better know how to value health by imprisonment liberty and in a word as one contrary makes us better to judge of the other None can ever so truly prize the worth of Christs bloud as those that have groned under the burthen of their sinne and have been filled with Gods wrath God then by such stings in the conscience causeth men seek to Christ and make use of him as of old he sent fiery serpents Numb 21.8 that such as were stung by them might look to the brazen Serpent which was a type of Christ crucified and be healed as Absolom set Joabs corn on fire 2 Sam. 14 30. to cause him to come unto him 2 God takes this course with sinners 2 Their sanctification and to affright them from sin to make them weary of their sin and willing to part with it which otherwise would never be there is that nearnesse yea Onenesse between the soul and sin as hath been said The corruption of the soul would never be let out but for this pricking When are men willing to pluck out the right eye or When do they yield their hand or foot to the surgeon to be seared or cut off but when they see and are perswaded that they cannot retain these and their lives too when the Gangrene
suppose beginning in the hand or foot if it be suffered further to spread will be their death when Zipporah saw her husbands life endangered if not her own she circumcised her son and cut off his foreskin which otherwise she was loath to do Thus God presents sinners with a true apprehension of his eternall wrath due unto them for their sinne and sets hell-gates open before them in the way of their lusts and fills their hearts with such terrours and horrours that they see no safety to their souls in the ways of sin and so as Pharaoh by strong hand at length did let the people go and the Philistines sent home the Ark so God if he love us especially makes us weary of sin and saves us even by fear not to say that such as have most smarted for sin at first in the pangs of their new-birth are not so easily drawn back to such or any other sins Again the spirit of bondage becomes to them a spirit of sanctification and it may be observed that such of all others as have been deep liest wounded at the first prove the holiest Christians afterward throughout the whole course of their lives 2 As the spirit of bondage proves a spirit of liberty freeing men from sin 2 God doth this to the increase of their joy and of Sanctification delivering from the power of sin so also it leads men to sound and solid joy and true comfort there is no comfort but to such The first work of the Comforter even when it is sent by that name and to that intent is first to convince of sinne so Habbak 3.16 and Psalm 94.12 13. Ease to sores which being whole do throb and rage is got by pricking lancing searching sleep is sweetest after labour and a pardon from the King most acceptable when after judgement passed the head hath been laid on the block and joy follows the labour of child-bearing 3 as also for their greater honour Rom. 8. 3 I might adde that God takes this course with such as he will convert to glorifie them the more thus to sanctifie them and to make them the more glorious in holinesse and holinesse we know or sanctification is the beginning of our glorifications Yea it is their glory thus to be made vessels to bear the name and glory of Christ before men which none do more then such as have been deepliest humbled Such of all other are fittest and ablest to glorifie God as having most experience of his justice mercy wisdome goodnesse and can best speak to his praise which to do is our glory more then his God gets nothing by us our acknowledgement of him makes him no wiser juster holier happier then he ever was even before any creature was made when he then sets and imprints on us the stamps of his glory and shews forth in us his justice mercy goodnesse c. That is in deed and for substance our gloglory not his There is somewhat excellent truly added to us nothing to him 2. God takes this course with converts for his owne honour And yet we may truly say God takes the aforesaid course with those he means to convert for his own glory that is for the further manifestation of the same and for this main end that the whole worke of conversion may appear to be his not ours 1. That of his Justice 1. His very Justice manifests its selfe in and by these terrours of conscience whilst the convicted sinner is made to see the depth of his own ill deservings is presented with the sight of hell which by such is acknowledged and made inwardly to acknowledge that it were but justice in God to cast him into the same yea so strong is this apprehension in some that for a long time they can see nothing but justice Howsoever this makes them at first and ever after to confesse and give the glory of justice to God acknowledging how just their condemnation should be if God did deal with them according to their deserts being ready ever to justifie God as cleer whensoever he judgeth Psal 51 4. Rom. 3.4 Thus all by sin are brought under the Law and the Law is let loose upon sinners threatens damnation and nothing but justice appears and vers 19. that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God God will not in this work of conversion suffer his justice to be swallowed up of mercy he must and will be acknowledged just before mercifull taking us as it were by the throat Mat. 18.28 bidding us pay all we owe when indeed with that poor woman 2 King 4.1 we have nothing at all to pay And so in every convert he takes away all matter of glorying letting them see the depth of their desert and their own both unworthinesse of mercy and inability and impotency to make themselves any help Isâ— 66.2 Job 9.13 2 His mercy which thus is more felt And by so doing whilst the best are made to tremble before him and that the proud helpers do stoup under him he makes way for his mercy that he may be the more glorified both by shewing mercy and by the acknowledgement of mercy by those that finde mercy as it is Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve or as Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up or concluded them all i. both Jew and Gentile in unbeleef that he might have mercy on all For so by shuting all up under sin and wrath his mercy is more felt and admired by such as finde mercy and thankfully acknowledged The foregoing terrours of justice in the converted which makes them smart makes mercy relish better with them and be more esteemed by them yea all the world may now see and that acknowledge the receiving and conversion of sinners is meerly of mercy None derogate more from Gods mercy and the freenesse and power of his grace then such as not sensible enough of their wounds and misery by sin ascribe somewhat in their conversion to themselves neither can they be so truly thankfull as others And by thanks or offering praise unto God God professeth himself to be glorified So that God by thus humbling men Pal. 50.23 as is said with terrours doth but make way and prepare matter of praise and thanksgiving to himself in due time which accordingly we see given unto him by Paul even upon this ground 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 16 17. I saith he being before a blasphemer and persecuter and injurious obtained mercy And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering Now unto the King eternall c. be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen So elsewhere crying out in a sence
instrument working by the spirit without the fruit of the word true repentance hath not had as yet any healing or saving work on the soul What vertue is there in that Physick which makes not the Patient sicker then he was and puts him not to pain What healing vertue is in the plaister if it smart not and it s a sure signe that the dislocated or broken bone is not brought right to its place if there be no pain felt in the setting Where no sorrow follows sin where no remorse of conscience is in sinners and come short of Reprobates as not so humbled and sensible as was 1 King Ahab 2 King Pharaoh who confessed his sinne they may justly seem to be in worse case then many who now are deeply plunged into hell How many have we that never hung down the head with King Ahab nor were moved with any denunciation of judgement How many who never yet were so much humbled as King Pharaoh a very reprobate but remain yet obstinate and obdurate they are called upon to let their beloved and gainfull sinnes go and to part with them as he was to let the people of Israel to go out of his land which at length he did though with little thanks being forced thereunto by the extremity of plagues from God but do many of us so much as he Exod. 9 27.28 and 10.16 17. he confessed his sin and said I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked intreat the Lord for it is enough c. and I have sinned against the Lord your God said he to Moses and Aaron and against you sought the prayer of Moses and 12.31 32 33. now therefore forgive and intreat the Lord your God that he may take away this death onely yea at length he did according to Gods command let the people go yea was urgent upon them apprehending nothing but death for him and his who said we be all dead men and dismissing them he said go and at length though forced did obey be gone and blesse me also But have we not many that never yet confest their sinness as he did who never intreated Moses or any faithfull Minister of God to pray for them in all their life who never yet obeyed God or put away their beloved sins neither in love to God nor in fear How many amongst us are there that never see not confess their sin or shew any readiness to turn from their evil way when God stands in their way by his judgements threatned as yet did Balaam Num. 22.34 that never had any such good motions savoury thoughts and speeches as hee had 3 Balaam but wil go on in the very face of God and in despite of his judgements threatned yea it may be also inflicted as Isa 57.17 and so in other sins God meets men in the way of infamy for their uncleanness and yet they wil go on in that way stil in the way of their hatred and plotting mischief against Gods faithful servants and yet they wil on stil in that way which yet Balaam did not for seeing at length the Angel and his sword drawn in his hand hee bowed down his head and fell shat on his face saying I have sinned for he went with a purpose to curse Gods people now therefore if it displease thee Numb 22.31 -34. I wil get mee back again How many who never relent for any wrong they do Gods faithful servants as yet did Saul a reprobate towards David 4 Saul 1 Sam. 24.16 17 18 19. 5. Herod Who never reverence Gods Ministers or hear them gladly or upon hearing reform and do many things as yet did Herod who yet afterwards took off John's head and yet not without sorrow Who never tremble when they hear Discourses and Sermons of righteousness temperance and judgement to come as yet Felix did and yet they I beleeve as unrighteous 6 Felix Acts 24.25 intemperate and lyable to judgement in many other regards as Felix was Nay never complain so much as Cain did 7 Cain either of sin or punishment or of being cast out of Gods presence but rather please themselves in their sins and cast themselves daily out of Gods presence and favour and make themselves unworthy to partake with Gods people in the communion of Saints Yea lastly Have we not many who come short even of Popish penance who never were yet so compunct in heart and troubled in conscience as was Judas 8 Judas who never confessed their sins by name and with aggravation of it as he saying I have sinned in betraying innocent blood neither ever made restitution as he did of goods ill gotten or sought to give satisfaction for any wrong done by them The folly of such secure sinners Oh then the extreme folly and madness of such secure sinners who think themselves in good case and wil hope to be saved as wel as any and yet come short of very reprobates But if those named and such like who shewed more compunction of heart and therein and in their confessions of sins and other works and their certain damnation Jude ver 7. have so far outstripped and gone before you be yet gone to hel to the divel and to destruction and now suffer the vengeance of eternal fire what wil become of you secure and senselesse sinners who feed sport play minde the world use means of unlawful gain without all fear of Gods judgements so much and so often threatned in his name by his ministers and executed by himself on others How shal you escape the damnation of hell where shall you appear who yet shew not such remorse as these reprobates did You must needs then in this your case be thought to be next door to hel and to the estate of damned spirits being so stupified as not to be moved with Gods threatnings no not with his gracious promises and peremptory commands Vnlesse they do not onely outstrip these but all Temporizers whosoever And yet my deerly Beloved whose salvation I long after and do thus seek though you should do as much as these named yea though you should go as far in humiliation sorrow zeal and reformation as either these or any other bare Temporary yea as far as hee did to whom our Saviour said Thou art not far from the Kingdom of heaven even as far as Jehu in zeal against other mens sin as far as Ananias to part with a great portion of thy goods for the publick good of others as far as Demas and Alexander to forsake the world and thy hopes in it and to follow poor Christ yea to venture thy self as Alexander the Coppersmith did in cleaving to the truth as far as Nicolas who was chosen Deacon by the Church for that reverend respect they had of his gifts or lastly as is said as far as Judas who being an Apostle could both pray and preach with great
in the rest but in all through the breach of every Commandement and neglect of every duty though of some more then other 3 Continnance 3 For long continuance in thy sin til it may be thou art old in the same and hast given the Divel and thy lusts the best of thy time 4 Danger Yea 4. For Danger as bringing thee into hazrard of hardnesse of heart and final impenitency yea of hell torments and so in the apprehension thereof thou must feel thy sin to abound 5 Weight 5. For waight and burthen without making light of it as formerly II. From the curse and judgements due to sin Sin will have sorrow here or hereafter II. Come then tel me again Do not these thy sins bring thee under the Curse wil they not hale thee to judgement either going before thee or following after to judgement Wil not sin even thy sin have sorrow here or hereafter for ever Shall you always rejoyce Is not God of most pure eys Ah! who knows the power of his anger What are millions of men to him though they be never so great when hee is angry What are those glorious Angels of light which he made to him if once they provoke him shewed 1 In examples as of the Angels 2 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Doth hee not turn both Angels and men to destruction for their sin God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be reserved unto judgement c. and that for their pride and it may be thou comest but little short of them in Luciferian pride thou man thou woman Yea he spared not the whole race of mankinde which sinning in Adam Of the whole race of mankind in Adam was with him cast out of Paradise into a state of damnation and what was his sin was it not the doing of that which was forbidden him a tasting of forbidden fruit And do thou think with thy self how guilty thou art not onely of that original and first sin of thy nature but of many actuall and wilfull transgressions since and that in the same kinde most eager after such things as of which thou art most restrained And was not the whole world of men women The old world and children eight onely excepted drowned for like lâ—sts violence excess and secure eating and drinking c. as thou art guilty of Did not God turn the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes for their lusts and uncleanness pride fulness of bread Sodom Idleness and uncharitableness And did hee not bring first the Captivity Ezek. 16. The Jews and since that fearfull dispersion and curse of Cain upon the Jews which lyeth upon them in soul as wel as body to this very day and all for their unbelief and rejection of Christ added to their other sins And in effect art thou not guilty of the same sins who rejectest Christ in his grace and in his offices Ah! think not onely on such hellish torments as often seize on wicked men here on earth 2 In the torments of hel in regard of terrours and horrours of conscience but of the torments of hell it self both endlesse and easelesse prepared for secure sinners when God shall unresistibly come in fury and judgement against them and against all such as now contemn or neglect the time of mercy when his wrath being once kindled shall burn to the bottom of hell into which they shall be cast where their worm dieth not Mark 9.44 and the fire is not quenched This shall be effected on all out of Christ when Christ shall come and be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 which would seriously be thought on by secure ones now and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Ah whose heart trembles not at these things ah that men would seriously think of that tearing of heart and gnashing of teeth which will be in that eternall separation The heart which is not now pricked will be gnawn and eaten yet not consumed which were a mercy by that worm of conscience when in those hellish torments which are endlesse easelesse remedilesse men shall consider how God every Sabbath did stretch out his armes of mercy to embrace them The worm which then will gnaw and they would not how Christ offered a plaister of his own hearts blood to cure them if they would have been but pricked in heart but they made light accout of it and trampled it under their feet The holy Ghost put good motious into their heart convincing them of sinne and judgement and inviting them to godly sorrow with hope of pardon but they rejected those motions and would not be interrupted in their ease joy and false peace The Minister pressed hard to have them yield but they withstood him Oh the deep wounds the grievous bitings and stingings and the hellish cries that these and like thoughts then but too late will work and fetch from such poor souls And what a grief is it now to the hearts of their godly and conscionable Ministers and others who wish them well parents friends and kindred that these men wil not lay any of these things now in time to heart or be perswaded or intreated to prevent their own everlasting ruine as if all were fables which we tell them and framed onely to scare them What fables and scarecrows Ah dearly beloved let neither the Devil or your own treacherous hearts delude you but know that God is truly displeased with your sins as being many wayes dishonoured grived and wounded in his name and glory by the same yea 3 In and by the sufferings of Christ and of Gods severity against sin appearing therein is infinitely just as as well as mercifull and that howsoever he gave his Sonne in the greatest mercy to become man for us yet his justice against sin did equally appear in subjecting him his onely dear and beloved Son to such a cursed shamefull and opprobrious and painfull death for sinners in whom thus dying we may see Gods severity which was shewed against this his beloved Son oncestanding in our stead His justice could not be satisfied with Gold or any thing corruptible not with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl yea 1 Pet. 1 18 19 Micah 6 7. Psal 49.7 8. not with the death and sacrifice of our onely or first-born children The redemption of souls is precious and in regard of any humane or created power price or means ceaseth for ever It is not the death or intreaty of an Angel could do it no nor barely the intreaty of God the Son himself How Christ was pricked for us It must cost the price of his
it a curse when especially through your own defaults you are deprived of it yea a leaving of you and a giving up to hardness of heart if not a sealing altogether of your destruction 2 By our calling the word heard to minde 2 Having such teaching you must remember call to minde ruminate and meditate on what you have heard the word heard must ever be in your ears as here the word used in my Text implyeth a continuall act and hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or when they had heard they were pricked The word left a sting behinde it they could not forget it the voice of Christs blood was ever in their ears after once they were by the word charged with it and convinced and so it came to work such a stinging effect in their hearts Thus Peter himself had formerly come to see his sin and judge himself for it It s said Hee remembred the words of Jesus and hee went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26.57 By such remembrance and meditation on the word and continuance in the things we have heard yea and seen 2 Tim. 3.14 whilest we look our selves in the glass of the word and continue therein Jam. 1.24 25. these nails at first entred by the masters of the Assemblies come to be fastened and struck further home to the pricking nay piercing and wounding of the conscience In a word remember often such truths as first or at any time wounded or touched thee wound and prick thy heart therewith in the often remembrance of them 3 By our applying the word to our selves 3. To which end Apply also to thy self what is applied to thee by thy teachers or what more generally is taught concerning such sins as thy conscience tels thee thou art guilty of Help them who have fitted the plaister to thy sore to binde and fasten the same unto thee by thine own application that by lying and continuing close to it may have its wished and saving effect Repell not what the Minister applyeth Apply to thy self especially the terrours of the Law for so is this pricking wrought especially the terrors of the Law Suffer the Preacher to do it but especially do it thy self till this be done there will be no pricking This is the way to be stung by the word in soul yea such cannot but be stung as thus apply which rightly applyed will sting As in like cases as when in body a man is stung with an adder or pricked with the point of a sword or heareth heavie news which concern himself If one of Job's messengers should come and tell thee all thou hast thy cattell thy goods are taken away violently by enemies or robbers the fire hath burnt up thy store thy sons and daughters are slain crush'd drowned or dead would not this move thee and cause thee to rend not onely thy mantle Job 1.15 16 17 18 19 20. as it did Job but thine heart When David came to Ziklag with his men and found it burnt with fire and their wives and their sons and daughters to be taken captives it is said he and the people that were with him lift up their voyce and wept 1 Sam. 30.3 4. until they had no more power to weep this was when he and they apprehended the loss as their own men weep not so commonly in other mens losses Now certainly such as shall be saved are secretly drawn Such as God wil save are secretly drawn to apply threatnings to themselves they know not wel how to be perswaded that the doctrine taught doth concern them and so to be touched with it as to judge themselves most miserable and to loath themselves for all their filthy abominations to beleeve their own misery and without any exception or self-flattery or posting it off to others to cast away all deluding conceits which may hinder the work of the word so that when it presseth them they do not repel it or cast off the burthen from them but say O wretch that I am this is my case I am the man the Scripture means 1 Cor. 6.9 10. I am that swearer whom God will hold guilty I am that adulterer whom God wil judge I am that fornicator that effeminate person that idolater that thief that covetous person that drunkard that reviler that extortioner that shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Wo is my soul I shall die in the guilt of this or these my sins unlesse I speedily repent Ah Beloved without such faith and application by faith of the threatnings of the word and so they come to be pricked and vengeance due to our sins and to us for our sins we shall never be savingly touched onely such apprehension and application will by Gods mercy do it as the condemned malefactor is as what makes the malefactor tremble at the bar but fear of the sentence of death when he seeth so many and evident proofs against him which sentence when once it is spoken of and pronounced how doth it strike him as a dagger to the heart how is hee wounded with it in the certain looking for and expectation of execution and death which now looks him in the face SECT 2. Of the consideration of our sin c. 4 By our consideration according to his word of our sins 4 AS a further help to the aforesaid duty to humiliation of the soul and to sensiblenesse learn aright to be affected with thy sins to which end follow these Directions 1. Consider and seriously think of thy birth-sin 1 Originall In which we may see what creatures wee are 1 how loathsom of the pollution of thy nature by it now loathsome thou art to God in that regard both in thy person yea in thy prayers and all thy performances yea in thy very righteousness which all of them are defiled with the contagion and hatefull plague and leprosie of natures pollution 2 how miserable Think also how thereby thou art become mortall miserable deprived of all good depraved by sin forward and prone onely to evill froward and backward to all goodnesse not favouring either goodnesse or truth in a word an enemy to God and under the displeasure of the Almighty Meditate hereon and on the vilenesse of thy nature lest otherwise thou think thy self something when thou art nothing Gal. 6.3 Thou wilt never be out of love with or loath thy self till thus thou dost thou mayst and wilt remain like a filthy dunghill which unstirred sends forth no noysom savour till it be raked into or the sun shine hot upon it 2 Actuall Which wee must finde out and remember 2. Caâ—â— to remembrance thy actuall sins to which end examine and sift thy self well and unpartially use the reason God hath given thee and be not bruitish in letting thy sins passe and escape thee without examination Here I may say to thee as God to the idolater Remember this
the Almighty hath afflicted me Thus the good woman was humbled in Gods sight who had deprived her of her husband and two sonnes in a strange land and that doubtlesse in sight of her sin and unworthinesse and acknowledgement of Gods just hand upon her 2 To joyn with God 1 By justifying him 2. Secondly when God by afflictions humbles and bruiseth thee joyn with him in humbling thy selfe 1. Justifie God in his chastisements confesse him righteous and thy selfe the sinner and justly met withall this is one main end of Gods chastisements Levit. 26.41 that our hard and uncircumcised hearts be humbled and that we when his hand is upon us accept of the punishment of our iniquity and condemning our selves Do thou then follow home the affliction lament thine own unto wardnesse and if especially his hand lie long on thee or that his strokes be multiplied say Lord what an hard heart have I and senslesse that needs all this hammering and melting this battering and bruising that none of this could be spared Thus at length by Gods mercy thy hard and unrelenting heart shall be bruised softened and humbled 2. 2 By taking advantage of the occasion and time Take the advantage of the time when Gods hand is upon thee Men of the World both know and are carefull to observe the fittest Seasons for ploughing and breaking up of their grounds and God lookes that we do the like for the breaking up of the fallow and hard ground of our hearts Jer. 4.3 which he expects from us as a duty Eccles 3.4 There is a time to weep and a time to mourn God by his judgements on us by crosses and afflictions softens bowes and masters our stout stomackes brings down our high lookes and thoughts when we finde him stronger than our selves which perhaps we thought not on before and to take from us such stayes and props whether wealth friends health c. as on which we rested our selves more than on him Seeing men commonly under cresses are somewhat softened Job 23.15 16. Now hereby God workes in men more selfe deniall at least remorse and some more fitnesse and pronenesse to repent then at other times Thus saith Job I am troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him for God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me And in regard of troubles and distresses David complaineth to God saying I am poured out like water Psal 22.14 and all my bones are out of joynt my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels And thus in some measure the unregenerate finde it with them in their troubles and feares whereby they finde themselves more disposed to pray and more disposed to pray and to repent and to repent as the Israelites though unsound and unconstant when God slew them they sought him and returned Psal 78.34 Isay 26.16 and Lord in trouble have they visited thee saith Isay they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them At such times the hearts even of hypocrites become more remorsefull as we see in men in their sicknesse and distresse Now as Ministers should take such opportunities to worke upon mens hearts Job 33.22 so should they themselves especially as the iron when it is hot is soon bowed and fashioned by hammering and as the Wax when it is warme and soft may better be wrought and formed as we please which opportunity would be followed home My advice then to thee who desirest this pliable and sensible heart is to take the oportunitie of thy deep afflictions and crosses to follow home this worke Is any afflicted Let him pray saith Saint James Let him humble himselfe in prayer Jam. 5.13 confesse heartily his sin and seek mercy Art thou affected with sorrow upon the death suppose of some dear Friend Parent Childe or Associate Husband or Wife Whatsoever the occasion of thy grief be yea or if a secret sadnesse or pensivenesse come upon thee so as thou findest thy selfe disposed to weep omit not such a fit season now that thy countenance is sad the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 that is more soft and yielding to good impressions and our sorrow turned the right way the Lord thus softens and inclines thy soul to fresh sorrow for sin and would have thee to turne the stream of thy natural sorrow or melacholicke pensivenesse into the right chanel from the out ward or inward occasion from the known or unknown cause of thy heavinesse to sorrow and mourning for thy sin from the effect to the cause seeing nothing is truly to be sorrowed for but sin which is the onely true cause of all our other sorrowes and afflictions Blessed is such a crosse losse or affliction as bereaving us of earthly if not sinfull comforts and confidence sends us to seek our comfort and to place our trust onely in God by seeking our peace with him with true teares of godly sorrow sor our sin by which he was offended 3 To come 3. Thirdly for evils to come and judgements threatened or feared in this life or at and after the end of it Death it selfe Hell and the last Judgement the dreadfulnesse and terrour of which should make us afraid and such fear will or should worke sensiblenesse and tendernesse in us as apprehension but of temporal judgements made Josiahs heart to melt though there was in him some mixture also of love to God and zeal to his honour howsoever As 1. Temporal judgements threatened it made him with teares seek peace with God for himselfe and his people for the aversion of his judgements from them If an earthly Prince should threaten us how would we fear and by humbling our selves seek to make our peace again with him How submissively did Jacob carry himselfe toward his brother Esau when he came towards wards him as an enemie Thy servant Jacob and Let me finde grace in the sight of my lord Gen. 32.20 33.15 How much more should we fear and humble our selves Amos 38. when the Lord God hath spoken when this Lion roares who will not fear and humble himselfe before him How also did the thought of death humble not onely a good King Hezekiah but an hypocrite King Ahab 2 Death Isay 38.1 2 3. 1 Kings 21 19-21 27.29 Jon. 3.5 c. and the Ninivites Let the living then lay death to heart Eccles 7 2 and apprehend it as near that as men in apparent danger of death both by sea or land on their death-beds or as men condemned to die they may be humbled sorrowfull and penitent Let us thinke often also of Hell and of that place of torments 3 Hell and how it is prepared as for all impenitent sinners so also for the secure and voluptuous livers Luke 16.27 c. 4 The last judgement such as was Dives and his brethren so of the dreadfull
the nail home to the head that thou mayst at length be fast and close joyned to Christ if God have met with thee by the reproof of the word or stung thee by his threatnings see his mercy in it let the sting remain till his work be wrought let him have enough even his fill of thee till thy proud heart be fully humbled Lest else wee get hurt by such prickings and thy corruption drawn and purged out otherwise look for no ease but greater sorrows Wee have a little venemous flie or midge * At Dantzigk where this was preached here you know that if when it seiseth on the flesh hand face or legs you let it alone till by sucking it be filled with your blood it will leave you of it self and leave behinde it little or no venome at all Simil. onely if you put it off before and seek ease by scratching the place affected wil swell with the poyson of it and put you long to pain especially if you be bit in divers places neer together This is soon applyed to our purpose here Prickings of conscience in sight and sense of sin and judgment being suffered to have their full work in our deep humiliation whilest wee maintain the power of them and seek not ease too soon are so far from hurting that they purge us and draw out our corruption whereas the sudden and too hasty healing of them causeth the wound to fester the soul to swell with self-conceit and security and greater sorrows in the end at least to seise on it As God then by such legall terrours of conscience begins with thee so follow God in his work think not the work done when it is onely begun Go not which is an holy mans expression raw from Gods school through fear of the rod and go raw out of Gods school and service lest thou prove a bad proficient in the Universitle buy not out your time and yeers of service before you have well learned your trade lest you be forced to come and be brought again under servitude to the Law and under the spirit of bondage In a word comfort not your selves too soon If it be natural sorrow in the loss of friends wealth good name liberty c. which hath taken hold on thee first cease not till thou turn it into sorrow for sin that it may be more lasting If it be legal terrour that is a sorrow for sin not as it is sin but as it presents thee with displeasure from God and with punishment see that it end in sorrow for sin as it is sin and learn to grieve for the offence of God though there were no hell to punish thee hereafter no shame reproach pain or punishment on earth to follow it sorrow most for that which is the cause of all sorrow We must see that Compunction end in Contrition c. See that thy compunction end in true contrition that the pricking and breaking of thy heart which may stand with hardness may end in bruising and melting in some apprehension of Gods love and hope of mercy whiles it is softned melted and made pliable to Gods will See that despair in thy self send thee to hope in God that self-judging send thee to seek absolution and pardon from God that seeing thine own damned condition thou look to Christ and esteem of him above many worlds that fear of wrath make thee more earnestly desire mercy that sense of wrath make thee at least consult and cast about what to do to be saved as it did these here who being pricked in heart said What shall we do SECT 4. Divers Reasons why men are not to take up with legall qualms till they be humbled enough Why we are not to rest in every slight sorrow NOw why are we thus to do why are we not to take up onely with some few whorish tears or legall terrours but to see that we be humbled enough 1 Because it is but a preparative to Conversion in the elect 1. Because all the fore-named works of the Law are but preparations to Conversion and far off degrees thereof and indeed common to many reprobates to Pharaoh Ahab Herod Felix Cain and Judas and to many others now in hell as hath been said even to the Divels themselves who have such stings in their consciences and tremble but without hope though in and to the elect these prickings are truly preparative to their Conversion and yet but preparative 2. These prickings being common to the reprobate and elect tend as well if good use be not made of them to the hurt of the one as health of the other 2 because being not followed home in others God is provoked to give them up either yea they are but beginnings of mens damnation both furthering and increasing the same But how and why is this Because where such woundings and prickings are neglected and not followed home it is just with God yea and usual to give men over either to senselesnesse and hardnesse of heart which is the first entrance into Hell or to anguish of soul when they most stand in need of comfort yea to utter desperation so that when such men come to die it is either like Nabal as a stone and blocke or as Judas in despair 1 to senselessnes and deadnesse 1. If when conscience smites stingeth pricketh and accuseth it be neglected and that men so fairly called on and admonished by so good a friend otherwise proceed not on to godly sorrow and repent not it will ere they be aware give over its office of accusing checking and awaking them by jogging as it were and pricking yea be quiet and silent in effect saying as God himself saith Why should ye be stricken any more This is when being smitten in heart with David for sin they do not repent and seek mercie with David A wounding conscience saith one neglected will prove a dead conscience as an ungracious childe after many corrections is hardened thereby and at length quite given over and cast off A wound neglected or falsely healed festers the more and often causeth mortification of the flesh numnesse deadnesse rottennesse Neglect we not then the first stingings and prickings of conscience by which God comes near and makes some offer to us You may perhaps make light account of the rebukes of men or of us Ministers and so especially do great men rich noble and generally proud men yet if ye be wise neglect not conscience if it accuse you to your selves do you accuse your selves much more to God least otherwise he give you up to deadnesse and securitie Or 2. to anguish of conscience in their death 2. Or if not that and that is bad enough and more dangerous because more pleasing then to anguish of soul on your death-beds at least when conscience which lay asleep before and the guilt of your sin which only lay at the doore like a sleeping lion or a
enough of that they have been men of sorrows and labour they have scarce had any respite or breathing time from crosses sicknesses aches in regard 1 of crosses pain povertie toyl and labour in their calling all their life time they hope they have now sufficiently dreyed their Penance that 's the phrase of some of the more Popish sort of them God forbid that God should lay any more sorrow upon them either here or hereafter they hope there is no more for them to suffer hereafter they have had their punishment and sorrow enough in this life Now as for true contrition and sorrow for sinne tell them of that or call on them for it and they will presently stop your mouth yea and answer satisfie or rather suffocate and choak their own consciences by telling you of their sorrows in this life 2 of toil and labour in their callings and that they laboured truly in their callings and wrought hard for their livings and have not eaten the bread of idlenesse they hope God will require no more of them neither will they be convinced of the necessity of any other sorrow for sin In the rank of these we reckon such as popishly and foolishly conceive that if a woman die in child bearing she is undoubtedly saved 3 Of death in Childbearing as if that sorrow were sufficient and expiatory or satisfactory to Gods justice ah poore souls wretched creatures to think Gods Justice can so be satisfied or that God should do them wrong if he required any more at their hands here or hereafter if they be not saved who shall be saved seeing they have toiled moiled and laboured hard in their callings let rich men as was Dives who was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day look to go to hell as for them Gods Justice is not so satisfied they are like Lazarus who went to heaven Thus as in the former of women dying in childbed they can abuse Scripture to their own perdition But let such know that neither Lazarus nor any other went to heaven or escaped hell torments for their poverty sicknesse sorrows labour and toil in this life unlesse they also forrowed for their sins neither is such sorrow from naturall externall causes sufficient and withall sought to the all sufficient sorrows and sufferings of Christ for them by true faith without which all sorrows of this life are but beginnings of eternal sorrows no sorrows sufferings or obedience either active or passive of ours save onely that of Christs can satisfie Gods Justice which is infinite Sin must and will have sorrow if not in this life then everlastingly hereafter as hath been shewed largely and therefore their sorrow being not for their sin nor humbly and willingly undertaken will never save them Sorrow from inward distemper by Melancholy is not true or sufficient sorrow And as for Melancholick dumpish fits of heavinesse they must not simply be taken for sufficient or saving sorrow being the effects of naturall causes and ill constitution and temper of the body I know where sorrow for sin and such a disposition and temper meet in in any one the sorrow becomes the greater and the party is further off from receiving comfort by the the Gospel but this increase of sorrow in such belongs not to Godly and Evangelical Contrition so much as to the work of the law in a deeper apprehension of wrath and punishment furthered by the cunning malice of the Devil whotaking advantage of that dark Though it may and doth increase sorrow for sin neither in the godly dull and ill disposition of their bodies presents strange fancies to their brain and dreadfull apprehensions yea and apparitions to their souls whereby the soul seeing nothing but through such dark and foggy mists and being distempered with the distempers of the body beholds nothing but black darknesse and is disquieted with needlesse and excessive fears and doubts and that often till it come to desperate resolutions tending to the destruction of themselves or those they otherwise dearly love as husband wife child or friend unlesse God mercifully stay them But in such case their sorrow for sin as it is sin may be little enough nay if it were more the other would be lesse seeing true sorrow for sin is not without some apprehension of goodnesse and graciousnes in God and love and hope in themselves who so do sorrow But as melancholie in such doth not argue a greater measure of godly and true saving sorrow in them nor in some other whose naturall distempers being healed so in some others it argues none at all of it self and simply Let such be cured of their melancholy of their naturall and bodily distemper and we shall see that the Divines work is to begin in them when the Physician hath left them sorrow for sinne is to begin pensivenesse for sin is to begin in their souls after sadnesse fullennesse foolish fancies and fears with the cause thereof distemper hath left them in their bodies Not but that where the distemper of body is not very great the Divine may and should take the advantage as much to work on that soul for good as Satan for evil None of these sorrows then caused or occasioned from either sinfull worldly or naturall causes must be mistaken for godly sorrow at all much lesse for sufficient and saving contrition neither are they to be rested in Nor that whereby some in their bodily infirmities especially distempers of brain withall fall a weeping and crying when by others they are spoken to and pitied 4. Such sorrow and Repentance is not sound which is the effect of any power of will in man Before I shew positively what sorrow is and may be taken as sufficient for the present in the young penitent so as to afford him comfort in the assurance it is well-grounded I advise men who it may be little question the truth of their godly sorrow and repentance to consider well with themselves whether they do not ascribe their repentance as other graces to some power of free will in themselves as if God onely by externall motives in the word and by some internall excitations thereupon did let them see what to do and some necessity of doing it but the doing it is of themselves and from the good use of their own free-will and naturall power without the powerfull prevailing and determining grace of God Such men have cause to suspect themselves and their repentance See Matt 9.13 as built upon a weak foundation and standing upon feet of clay as well as iron The work being of men wil undoubtedly come to nought as in another case was said We have heard Acts 5.38 and shall hear more that true contrition and godly sorrow proceeds from and followeth upon self-denyall True sorrow is grounded on self-denyall and felf-despair of a mans own wisdom worth will power as in my
Judas some doe confess their sin or if they confess sin do it either meerly out of terror not hatred is it not meerly out of horror of conscience and a while to stop the mouth of it do they not return with Judas and Pharaoh to the same or like sins again till at length they utterly perish herein like the dog which casts up his meat not because he loaths it Simile but because his stomack is burthened and troubled with it and therefore after a little ease he returns to lick up his vomit again Or if not so wholly yet doe not many when they are called urged and pressed to confesse their faults or hypocritically and cunningly or that conscience on their sick-bed or otherwise drives them to their Minister I say do not many go cunningly to work to deceive others but indeed themselves worst of all confessing some known or smaller sins whilest confessing sins known sufficiently already and which they cannot deny or it may be some such infirmities as may stand with grace as distractions in good duties some hardnesse of heart some hastiness but concealing their bosome and greater saults angry and peevish disposition of nature and the like yet wittingly hide under their tongues and in the secret cabinet of their heart their beloved darling and bosome sin be it some base and noysome lust pride ambition covetousnesse revenge or some such like secret sin by which meanes sin still sticks at the bottome the coar comes not away Satan who hath filled their hearts keeps his hold and is uncast out though the room seem somwhat swept or at least returns to his old lodging in the heart with seven worse spirits then himself which these conveâ—ts did not It was not so here with these converts in my Text who though deeply charged by Peter and that with sins of as foul a nature as any could be even murther parricide unbeliefe ingratiude ignorance disobedience impenitency all which and more being included in the sin of crucifying Christ vers 36. yet neither denied the same nor went about to lay the blame on their rulers who perswaded them to it but in effect acknowledge all to be true they were charged withall and accordingly seek direction what to do to get comfort to their guilty and wounded consciences SECT 4. 2. Detestation of Sin an Effect of true Sorrow for Sin 2 Detestation of sin accompanieth true sorrow for it NOw secondly with confession went an inward dislike hatred and detestation of their sin and both these the fruits and effects of their contrition They finding the weight and burthen of their sin hate and abominate the same their heart is turned from it for ever and they cast it from them as a filthy and polluted thing they with Ephraim will have no more to do with it Hos 14.9 as in these here They now loath it and themselves for it and accordingly to shew their dislike of it and of all the occasions of it they forsake the society of the obstinate Iewes who as yet were not pricked in heart and of the Priests Scribes and Pharisees and joyn themselves to the despised and persecuted church of God and in other converts And thus it is with other converts they now loath what formerly they liked and hate what once they loved yea thus it should be with us if we would approve our sorrow for sin to be sound Is thy sorrow then for sin followed with hatred and loathing of it and of thy selfe for it Application To such as may seem angry with sin but hate it not It may be thou art only a little angry with it but fallest in with it presently again such indeed is the nature of anger but true hatred which is bent against an enemie aimes at his utter destruction and death so true hatred of sin seeks the death or mortification of it at least cannot endure the sight of it but through an inward loathing of it Arist Rhet. lib. 2. and seek not the death of it wisheth it and whatsoever might represent it to the soul as lovely quite out of sight as the Prophet brings in the repenting Church throwing away Idolatrous ornaments as one throwing away a menstruous clout Isai 30.12 saying to it get thee hence Sin would bee looked upon as an enemie to Gods glory and to our souls as of an enemy now the more true love we bear to God and to our selves the greater hatred we will bear against sin And as it seeks our lives for the soul that sinneth shall die death is the wages thereof so should we seek the death and mortification of that which otherwise will be our death as if we met with any venemous poysonfull Simile or hurtfull creature such especially as hath formerly end angered us or stung us we cease not so far as is in our power till we see it dead Now sin is as dangerous an enemy to the soul as any such creature or enemy can be to our bodies I now only ask Neither are well affected to the meanes of mortifying it if thy behaviour be such towards those sins of thine which thou sayest have bâ—en thy sorrow seekest thou and usest thou the meanes by which sin may be truly mortified in thee doth thine heart rise against the occasions and first approaches of sin and art thou afraid of hurt by it when it first begins to arise in thine heart as not nipping it in the head when it first riseth then seeking to dash it in the shell as a man would be loth to give a known and malicious enemy the least welcome or entertainment in his house or otherwise neer him how likest thou it when Gods Word and thy Minister seeks to make thy sin hatefull and loathsome to thee when he layes about him neither liking that Word of God which would by sharp reproofs kill it in them and not only discovers and layeth open the vileness thereof but by sharp reproofs and threatnings seeks to hit wound and kill it in thee canst thou blesse God for it c. desire or at least approve well of such teaching and teachers Thus thou shouldest do even in true love to thine own soul if thou truly batest or yet hast truly mourned for thy sin whereas wee should bitterly hate it as each thing seeks its own preservation so shouldest thou hate sin as well as sorrow for it accounting it the greatest evill of all evill as separating between thy soul and God and our hearts fret at it Thus shouldest thou not only weep for thy sin but with Peter weep bitterly as having the bitter gall of godly indignation hatred and detestation mingled with thy brinish and salt teares thy heart will not only be pricked Cant. 5.4 Frementibus visceribus Jun. but will fret within thee yet not against the Word or Minister but against thy sin and self Thus for these
long inwardly groane under the burthen of it till they feel it as fire hid and smothered within them or their consciences as a close-stopt burning oven whereby at length they are forced through Gods goodness to them to give vent to the fire to seek ease to their consciences by acknowledgement of their sin to God and also to men as the case may require which they might much sooner have attained unto if they had sooner sought to or made use of the remedy This was Davids case Psal 32.3 4.5 This may teach such when with these converts here they are inwardly smitten and pricked in their heart to take heed of bleeding inwardly which is ever dangerous It s dangerous to keep the divels counsel let them rather without denying or concealing any longer their sins seek after the meanes of helpe and cure And if they have any doubts or temptations within themselves let them be sure not long to conceal or smother the same or to bleed inwardly This were to keep the Divels counsel which hath had in some very fearfull and dismall effects whereas the making known of such doubts and inward close temptations upon suggestions of Satan hath both defeated him and freed them of their anguish and many desperate feares The longer such things are concealed the longer at the best are the patients held in torture and the more doubtfull if not desperate the cure will prove 2. Hearers once made to tremble and troubled by the word must take and make use of the season 2. A more generall Use is for hearers whose consciences doubtless are often touched so that whilest with Felix they hear discourses of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come their guilty consciences make them to tremble and do inwardly prick smite wound and sting them Now what should they do in this case Shall they with Felix shuffle off the businesse this great and weighty work till they have a convenient season God forbid so did Felix indeed but that season never came yet so that his trembling proved to him but a summoner to hell and a harbinger to Gods judgement as the like trembling neglected will prove now to others who make no better use of it then he did Oh no the only season is now when God by his word faithfully taught and brought home to the soul doth begin to trouble the conscience For as when the Angel Joh. 5.4 went down at a certain season into the pool of Bethesda and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had So the season would be watched and presently taken when the Angel or messenger and minister of God by the word smites wounds and troubles the conscience to procrastinate or put all off to another season till sickness dispatch of other business old age or time of death is desperately to neglect a mans self and soul If then thou wilt follow wholsome advice Wholsome advice which is presently to get the sting and thorn removed so soon as thou findest thy conscience struck by the word and thy heart pierced so soon after hearing retire thy self into thy closet withdraw thy self from vain company examine wel thy conscience help to drive and strike home these nails to the head defer not to step in presently for cure into these waters which are healing look up forthwith being thus stung to Christ figured by the brazen Serpent put it not off till some other time least thou die of the wound and stinging Be here in this case as the shot or wounded Hart which presently seeks to dittanie as his only remedie to cause the dart fall out If you have received into your bosome any such dart seek presently to get it pulled out least otherwise it be your death Learn of Paul who not only at his first conversion being struck and charged in conscience with his sin of persecuting of Christ in his members Acts 9.6 sought to Christ for direction but afterward having some sting prick and thorn left sticking in him 2 Cor. 12.7.8.9 deferred not but early and late sought to Christ by earnest prayer to have it plucked out and he received a gracious Answer of which he had comfort Yea learn of these here who when upon heating they were pricked in heart presently seek for direction and remedy and not so only but wisely also they seek to the true meanes of cure of their consciences and betake themselves to Peter and to the other Apostles seeking help ease and direction from them which is the third point to be considered CHAP. XXV SECT 1. Where and of whom to seek comfort to our troubled Consciences only of Gods faithfull Ministers And said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Third Point The parties of whom they sought cure and direction Considered according to a threefold relation 3. THis is the third circumstance concerning the parties to whom they spake and of whom they sought help and cure Now these here are to be considered in a threefold relation 1. To God as his messengers or as the Apostles of Christ 2. To these converts and as the same that wounded them 3. To some of these again as being the same who formerly had beene neglected yea mocked and derided by them 1. To God and as his Apostles and Ministers Who are considered 3. wayes 1. These here sought unto are the Apostles of Christ Peter and the rest whom according to the Text we will consider First and chiefly according to the quality of their persons or nature of their office Secondly according to their Order here mentioned Thirdly Number 1. These Apostles here were properly the eleven with Matthias added unto them by lot in the room of Judas 1. According to their office who were Apostles Acts 1.16 who were immediatly chosen and called by Christ whilst he remained on earth Matth. 10.2 3 4 c. First specially to preach to the Jewes only or to the lost sheep of the house of Israel vers 5 6 7. to prepare them to receive Christ himselfe and his doctrine What is that Mat. 28.17 20 then after his resurrection and ascension to preach to the whole world and to plant Churches among the Gentiles being first commanded to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father untill they should be endued with power from on High Acts 1.4 and Luke 24.49 Which accordingly the tenth day after his Ascension on this day of Pentecost they received whilest the Holy Ghost was in visible manner poured out upon them and they thus solemnly inaugurated ordained and declared to be the Apostles of Christ as it were then given from heaven by Christ unto the Church These were to be speciall witnesses of Christs Resurrection Ephes 4.7 11 Acts 1.22 and Ambassadors sent of him into the whole world there to plant Churches being immediatly inspired by the Holy Ghost both to
against the ground But Peter here his first predecessor as he would have it took no exception at men meaner then Princes yet accepted by Peter and the other Apostles who called them all brethren by which kind acceptance of the title they shew how the men of God though the greatest Apostles should not only be content to be esteemed of by the meanest of their hearers Vse 1 even as their brethren And not to be disdained by Gods Ministers now 1 Pet. 5.3 who must behave themselves as brethren First with the people but to account of the meanest as of their Brethren and to shew the same by carrying them selves as tender shepherds to the flock not as being lords or lording it over Gods heritage Let them behave themselves as brethren First with their flock 1. By tenderness of affection and sympathy learning the same from their great master Christ Jesus Hebr. 2.7 and 4.15 and from Paul Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.24 25. 2. By love and good agreement avoiding all unnecessary suits and jarres with such as they instruct 1. By sympathy as they desire to see any good fruit of their labours among them 2. Good agreement yet they must also take heed of becomming through too much or needless familiarity with them in good fellowship as they call it Brethren in evill 2. Among themselves 2 Let them carry themselves also as brethren among themselves as here all these Apostles agreed in one and conversed lovingly together which is not so soon done as said seeing before the death of Christ some of these Apostles by themselves and friends sought preheminence above their brethren yea all of them strove who should be greatest though now upon our Saviours reproof of them and that they had all received the gifts of the holy Ghost which taught them humility they carry themselves as loving brethren one towards another without envy or contempt one of another A reproof or discovery of some mens pride It were to be wished that it were so now adaies that pride or at least high place and lordliness did not make some to disdain to account or call others as faithfull it may be and as painfull in the ministery as themselves their brethren unlesse perhaps with the distinction of brother or fellow-Presbyter least that brother should think himself a Bishop though for Scripture Bishops he may be assured he is one and as true a Chaplain of Jesus Christ as some other who carry a greater port on earth Here the Apostles took it not ill to be called men and brethren as indeed they were in a large sense brethren in that they were men In what sense the Apostles were Brethren to these Jews and of the same Country and Nation and as now they were growing to be brethren in affection and spirituall obligation as Christians This was the humility of the Apostles and yet it was no pride in these humbled souls to speak to them in the stile of Men-brethren But you will say Whether beasts be our brethren Dr. F. Are there any brethren that are not men Yes saith one if we will beleeve the Legend of S. Francis for he saluted ordinarily beasts when he met them in this manner Brother Oxe brother Bear brother Wolf But this is a note beneath Gamoth and a degree below lowlinesse it self I add it is as much under true humilitie being a shew and affectation of it in a proud Friar as the other is above it in a proud Pope and Prelate Vse 2 As this said especially concerneth Ministers so now a word more by way of Vse as it concerneth hearers For the people Dr. Featly on this Text. Egeon Askew of brotherly Reconcilement c. For I list not enter upon the large discourse of Christian Brother-hood the distinctions of brethren yea or yet the Exhortation to maintain such brother-hood Others have done it largely and learnedly and I would nott too much burthen my Discourse which already is grown much bigger then at first conception of it I conceived it would prove Hearers are to conceive of their Teachers as brethren and accordingly 1. To be perswaded of their love and sympathy Let Hearers then conceive of their Teachers being faithfull especially not onely as men subject to like passions but as brethren Accordingly let them 1 Be perswaded of their love even when they do rebuke and reprove and of their sympathie towards them in anguish of conscience as of loving brethren neither of which these Jews could expect from their own Rabbies the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees no more then Judas found from them 2. To be more familiar with them 2 Let them have especially in like trouble of conscience recourse more familiarly to them by conference and craving their advice even because they are brethren assuring themselves that none but inhumane and disdainfull men will take it ill to be sought unto in such case Where they have a faithfull Minister they may confidently expect from him tender-heartednesse and sympathie and accordingly loving usage as from a naturall brother 3. Not to despise them though they themselves be great on earth 3 Lastly Great ones on earth as wel as others are taught to honour good Ministers as their brethren and not to scorn or to account meanly of them or of their calling They are our brethren and so far our equals the calling being in it self as honourable and they in regard of their calling as any other Nay they are to be respected and honoured as our elder brethren seeing they come in stead of the most honourable in the Family these being as elder brethren even of the first-born Numb 3.12 who before the Levites were taken in their steads did minister to the Lord as Exod. 24.5 The first-born then even among Lords and Dukes were to perform that office then neither were it any disparagement to their birth if so it were now at least they should not in regard of the calling despise their Brethren And thus for the Compellation Now of the Consultation in these words What shall we do CHAP. XXXII Consultation of many about the good of their souls is no Conventicle c. 2 The Consultation and how occasioned THese are words full as of sorrow and fear yet not without some hope as formerly hath been shewed so of care and perplexitie of spirit They are now convinced of their own guiltinesse they are forced to acknowledge that Christ whom they crucified is indeed the true Messias exalted by the right hand of God to sit at the right hand of God and to have shed forth this which they did now see and hear being now ready to make his foes and who were they more then his crucifiers his foot-stool Acts 2.33 34 35. They being by the word also convinced hereof apprehend wrath and damnation as most justly due unto them And therefore as men at their wits end and as having no help in
God or against his People Or 3. by security Acts 5.38 39. Or by security not fearing his wrath who will not rather take hold on his strength both by meditation and faith that he may make peace with him Isai 27.4 5. as did Jacob with Esau Rahab with Joshua Josh 2.10 12 13. 18. and so the Gibeonites Josh 9.3 4 c. with 11.19 20. 3. In his holiness that we do not justifie our selves 3. Admire only the holiness and righteousnesse of God whose name is holy Isai 57.11 and who is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his works Psal 145.17 and thence learn upon no conceit of thine own righteousness or innocency either to swell against thy brethren Isai 65.5 Or to plead it with God Jer. 2.35 or otherwise either to justifie thy self Job 9.15 20 21. Or to condemn God Job 40.2 and 8. saying as v. 4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee c. For how should man be just with God If he contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand Job 9.2 3. 4. In his will 4. Acknowledge his will only soveraign Psal 115.3 that thou mayest have no will of thine own 5. In his goodness and grace 5. His grace and goodness in the freeness power and plenty of it that thou mayst not stand on any worthiness gift or ability of thine own 1 Cor. 4.7 and that nothing may content thee but mercy ever acknowledging thy self lesse then the least of his mercies 6. In his blessednesse 6. His blessedness in himself and him the fountain of all happiness that thou mayest not admire any thing here below or place thy felicity in the same or yet measure and judge of thy self by it but mayest make God thy portion accounting his favour better then life 7. In his glory Lastly Learn to prefer in thy thoughts prayers and desires and in all thy doings and sufferings the glory of God above all things else desired injoyed done and performed by thee that thou mayest judge thy selfe worthy of nothing but shame and not seek thyself in any thing accounting it thy honour when in any thing even by thine own shame for his name and other sufferings thou canst glorifie him though by thine own death as Joh. 21.19 In a word that as hath been lately shewed before his Glory may be dearer to thee then thine own soul and if need were then the salvation of it SECT 12. Shewing we are to deny our selves secondly for Christ in his excellencies and all sufficiency by making him All and in All things to us 2. All must be subordinated to Christ 2. BUt God the Father chiefly seeks his own glory by honouring Christ his Son in our nature John 8.54 in whom all the attributes of glory which immediatly looked upon would overwhelm us do so shine out as that with safety and to our comfort we may behold the same these especially his goodness and mercy his justice and his wisedome in whom the Father will be glorified reconciling infinite justice with infinite mercy Thou art my servant saith God to Christ under the name of Israel in whom I will be glorified Isai 49.1 2 3 -5 Therefore Christ now near his death prayeth saying Father the hour is come glorifie thy son that thy son also may glorifie thee And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I as God had with thee before the world was Joh. 17.1 5. Learn we hence then to seek Gods glory by seeking Christs glory and that with good reason seeing God seeks his own glory by seeking Christs and so by admiring only Christ and God in Christ learn to deny thy self in thine own name and glory And here be ravished in the admiration 1. of the excellency of Christ Christ should be admired by us Secondly of his fulness and all sufficiency and so deny thy self in all things yea wholly empty thy self that Christ only may fill thee and be all and in all things yea every way all sufficient to thee that so by such deniall of thy self thou mayest savingly and everlastingly find thy self again in Christ 1. In his excellencies 1. Conceive of the person of Christ in our nature as one preferred for person office and gifts far above all Angels Hebr. 1.4 5 c. being for his person otherwise the brightness of the Fathers glory and as he stands in relation to us and the expresse image of his person v. 3. And then down with all humane excellencies and with all high conceits that any man can have of himself in respect of birth gifts parts indowments or any prerogative whatsoever look upon him as he stands in relation to us and then see if we have ought of our own to stand upon or to own for ours 1. As our Head who must acknowledge 1. Our inferiority 1. He is our head the head of the body the Church that in all things he might have the preheminence Col. 1.18 In regard of this his eminencie and high dignity and headship learn we to acknowledge 1. our own inferiority in regard of any worth or excellency in us and that we are not worthy to unloose the lachet of his shooes as the Baptist said of him Joh. 1 15.-17 and 3.30 He that cometh after me is preferred before me And He must increase but I must decrease 2. Our Subjection So as Christ increaseth in our estimation we will decrease and be more vile and low in our own eyes 2. Our Subjection under him our mysticall head Hebr. 2.8 whom we ought to obey and to deny our own wills knowing our selves to be only at his disposall 3. Our dependance on him 3. Our dependance on him as the cause of all our spirituall being life sence and motion which by way of influence are derived from him our Head to us his members that so without him we may acknowledge our selves even the best of us but as dead and liveless stocks as of our selves and not able to do any thing of which more in the next branch of his fulness 2. As our Surety 2. He is also our Surety and wee the debtors who have nothing of our own to pay hee is one that by his obedience active and passive pleased God and appeased him towards us who must thence see our own weakness and the worthlessness of all we can either do or suffer for him He is one who to work our reconciliation with his father stepped in between his fathers wrath and us and paid our ransome by the price of his blood to teach us to acknowledge the enmity we lay under the greatness of our debt and desert yea that most certain and inevitable damnation under which we are whilest we are in our naturall condition and shall for ever be if not denying our selves in our conceited innocency righteousness and goodness and not relying
lost nothing in him thou hast all he to thee is in stead of all I am sure such a one is and will be Christ unto us if once we make him ours 3 In all our Wants And as in our losses so in our wants on earth all which are supplyed unto us from Christ and his fulnesse so that with one Attalus we may oppose the name Christian to all things else and with him say whilest others brag of their wealth honour friends c. But I am a Christian and with Paul in want I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content c. I can do all things both be full and hungry abound and suffer need through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4.11 12 13. 4 In Death Yea and as in life so in death we by denying our selves may and should seek to be gainers by gaining him as Paul Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ takes away the sting of death and of most terrible makes it desirable and changeth the condition of it so that one in Christ may desire with Paul to depart and to be with Christ and having once truly by faith seen Christ with Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 30. In which regard death when especially we are called to suffer it for his Names sake should be no death to us so that by it we may more fully and immediately enjoy Christ and in death truly say 1 Cor. 15.18 1 Thes 4.16 as Peter of old and one Lambert of later times None but Christ Nothing but Christ For blessed are they that die in the Lord nay blessed are they being dead from henceforth saith the Spirit that they may nest from their labours and their works do follow them 5 After death where our gain is Glory Revel 14.13 Then our gain is glory and an eternall retribution then do wee enter into our Masters joy which like a sea is so great that it cannot enter into us Who need now fear who can but deny himself for such a Christ And if thus we can once truly conceive of Christ as these young converts in my Text began to do It will be no hard matter to us to deny our selves for him SECT 13. Shewing we are Thirdly to deny our selves in other things for the eternall good of our souls 3 Our souls are to be thought more precious then the whole world NOw in the third place Next after Gods glory and Christ our own Souls compared with all things of this life would be thought on and respected as more excellent then them all which all of them even the whole world it self must be denyed and lightly esteemed and accounted of in comparison of it which is to be denyed for it The world and things of it being unworthy that the soul should either be hazarded for them All things of this life are nothing to it for worth and price seeing Christs blood and not the world or ought in it could redeem it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. And therefore it should not either be hazarded or so much as imployed seriously about the things of this world and life which are not worth a mans labour Prov. 23.4 or that especially the soul being a spirituall and immortall substance should be made a drudge to earth or seek any happinesse from things mortall and momentany Man and the powers of his soul are made and redeemed by Christ as for other ends even for God and his glory who made man for himself and not for the world to love follow seek and serve it so for higher objects and that is himself too that the end of his labours might be the fruition of God himself in glory and of his own eternall happinesse in God or that either the noble faculties of it should be much imployed about worldly things as the Vnderstanding Memory How unworthy a thing then is it how dissonant and disproportionable that the faculties of the soul should be seriously imployed about the world or the best things in it that either the understanding and thoughts and so mans head should plot or be filled with cares of this life Luke 12.22 or that the memory should be so burthened that with the thought thereof a mans heart taketh not rest in the night Eccles 2.23 Or that the Conscience should be defiled therewith Conscience yea galled and secretly nipped in the guiltinesse of goods ill gotten and not by right or of our precious time mis-spent about earthly things with neglect of better Will Or that the Will of man whose object should be God should so absolutely and so resolutely propend and lean to such things 1 Tim. 6.9 Or that his Affections of Love Affections Desire and Delight should be so intensive towards and in the same 1 Tim. 6.10 Psal 4.6 Or or yet our Labour All which being rightly imployed would bring us to better things that the Heart should be set thereon Psal 62.10 Or lastly that a mans labour should so much be imployed about them Psal 127.2 when especially the things of this life so impensively sought and the Soul cannot both be enjoyed or had together each requiring the soul especially the whole man Matth. 6.24 33. 1 John 2.15 16 17. with Jam. 4.4 Yea and considering that the noble powers of mans soul being rightly imployed and mans labour and pains wisely ordered would with much lesse adoe bring him to much better riches honours happiness even to true wisdom and saving knowledge to righteousnesse joy in the holy Ghost and at length to eternall life and salvation Why then should we so over-value the world and under-value our precious souls as not to deny our selves in all things of this world rather then either mis-imploy our chief care or hazard the life of our souls for the gaining of the world This was the care of these self-denying Converts and should be ours who should ever oppose the excellency and preciousness of our souls against all worldly allurements temptations and offers which the world can make us But of our care of it I have spoken but lately SECT 14. Shewing Fourthly that the publick good of others of Church and Common-wealth is to be preferred before our own 4 The publick good of Church Common-wealth and publick persons is to be preferred before all private respects all which are to be denyed for the other FOurthly and lastly We are much to propose unto our selves the publick good of others especially of the true Church of God on earth which should of us in our thoughts and affections be preferred above our chief joy Psal 137.6 in respect to which all the enemies of it and of Gods people should be basely accounted of though otherwise and in other respects and references neer and deer unto us yea and prayed against as there ver 7. Nay our