not we lovers of our selves covetous proud boasters c. having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 2. c. I might go on and rather make a parallel than a difference between these two and therefore as the Apostle concludes this Jew to be no Jew so we may of this Christian and if those that preach the Gospel will do any good among a formal people they must take their Christianity from them you have a ground for it the Apostle took away Judaism from the Jews you must tell them that 't is not Christianity will profit and bring them to heaven if they be saved they must be convinc'd of this and then that Rule will follow He that thinks himself somewhâ—t when he is nothing deceives himself Gal. 6. 3. and many thousands are so deceived amongst you Use 2 Secondly If this be true Doctrine then rest not till you find in your selves some proof of an inward work some brokenness and softness of heart the heart of stone taken away some newness of spirit something of Christ Jesus Had the Jew found out the entrails of his Religion he had found Christ there over and over but he dreamed of a National salvation as I may almost say by virtue of a Covenant that had Inwards in it but he saw little Let me say to you You have spiritual Ordinances look for Christ in them he is the kernel of all Ordinances Go to God and pray Lord it is thy Covenant-promise to put thy Law into the Inwards of thy people Jer. 31. 33. and that there called Inwards the Apostle calls the writing of the Law in the heart and mind Heb. 8. 10. There are some that are otherways great men that when they come to die whither do they fly Bear me witness I die in the Protestant Faith I die in the Faith and Confession of the Church of England which I have pitied them in for that shews the rightness of the Faith which they profess but not the savingness of their Faith and profession as to them except they look as the Jews did for a National salvation because they are all of the true profession Others there are that when they have incorporated themselves into such a Body whereof the Characteristical mark is a separate opinion from other men then they think they are come into a state of salvation that they have been in Egypt all this while now they are come to Canaan Alas poor souls you will find something else wanting as the Apostle saith Others there are that depend much upon a holiness of their own making Pharisaically Papistically I never like this frame let the holiness that God hath appointed stand and let us stand to that and when all is said that I can say unto you here must be the great work to find an inward work of holiness in your souls though the Ordinances or form be of God as the Jews were much more when the holiness is of your stamping and therefore look for this inward work that ye be not only the Epistle of Christ written with ink in Letter but in the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3. 2. There are two places that I will give you to set home this Exhortation from the most glorious Church that we read of in all the New Testament of highest elevation for variety of spiritual giâ—ts and abilities and they had greatest blots too which was the Church of Corinth to them the Apostle gives this Item in 1 Cor. 10. 5. Brethren I would not have you ignorant that our Fathers speaking in an Ecclesiastical sence did all eat of the same spiritual meat honoured with Sacraments extraordinary the Rock the Manna and both were Christ Yet with many of them God was not wel pleased and he gives the reason of it for they were tempters of Christ they had such sins upon them which you may charge upon your selves mutatis mutandis and yet this Church though they were so high he humbles them with such an exhortation as might shame them that is to a strange thing Examine whether ye be in the Faith and had Christ within them 2 Cor. 13. 5. We are I know not how many forms above that question and yet be sure though profession be never so high that 's the main thing to be inquired for Iâ— Christ in you you can talk of Christ without you but as gallant as you are you must prove your selves if Christ be in you and know that he is in you except you be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobates you are saved by a Christ in you The third Use of this Point is for reproof and I will willingly though I do it sorrowfully put my self into the number of the reproved Let every man therefore reprove himself for the exceeding great outwardness in Religion that abounds amongst us there is fire wanting in us time was and it was indeed the worst of times when Christians the professors of Christian Religion in England were practical and exceedingly addicted to practical holiness keeping a sweet inward communion with God and among themselves their conferences were savoury and their inward experiences communicated were excellent edifying and building up and Christ was 〈◊〉 set out to sale in all markets he was the penniworth held out in all Christian meetings but in these daies I may not wish for persecution I may say that the stomach they say makes better digestion in cold than in hot weather so when times are troublesome and unsafe the heat goes inward to make good digestion now there is necessity to call men to inwardness this and that opinion this and that conceit such a controversie blowing of a feather up and down between man and man matters of no concernment as he said and he was a very observing man do so take us up that the tree of knowledg is in greater request then the tree of life exceptis paucissimis omnis câ—tus Christianorum sentina vitiorum We may see our outwardness easilie and for it tax our selves our sabbath discourses what are they but tales or news We preachers preach our parts and you pray your gifts Nay St James saith sometimes you pray your lusts we studie our religion that we may conform to rising times parties customes we set our dials by the countenances of mortal men and which way that looks we set our profession our worship is but a carcass because we are but carkasses in it not answerable to that God who is a spirit whom we should serve in spirit and truth we conferre our notions or some lighter ware when we meet together we are seldome or rare in the duties of self-examination run over the daily circuit of our devotion that we have chosen to perform in our families as a post-horse runs his stage our fastings are but disguised self-seeking and our Religion it self a kind of Policie What need I go on to instance in those things that you take to
God puts in a mighty hand and an absolute will I will put my Law c. in the other he guides by his Spirit and a grace is given not so infallibly to bring the effect which is good not simply necessary to salvation because if you sin by not doing your duty yet your estate is not in danger and here let me suggest a meditation or two to such as are fit to make use of them First Let the regenerate consider that whereas they have resisted grace and the motions of it a thousand tmes and since their Conversion have grieved the Spirit by indulgence of their lusts against the motions of the Spirit and the dictates of their own consciences if God had permitted them unto themselves and let them have done so in the act of Conversion they had for ever perisht and their resistance at other times shews they might or would have done so then if God that may let his child slip and take a knock did not yet keep a hand upon them that they fall not into the fire Secondly Let them learn to understand God a right and to take comfort that though in other acts he please to suffer them often and very grievously to fall shewing thereby the perverseness of their spirits yet remaining so as that they may fear they may lose all and fall so as never to arise more yet be comforted that in such things as salvation lyes in he will be sure and an infallible God to his Elect to support and raise them up again and let them also remember that God so makes good the condition of his Covenant in things essential unto salvation to work them infallibly I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. or as it is said Psal 37. 23 24. The Lord or dereth a good mans steps and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand though he fall in the Covenant he shall not fall from it Reas 4 Fourthly and lastly Converting grace in the act of it cannot be resisted and defeated because it is given to that end to subdue and overcome the resistance of flesh and blood now that which is given to take away resistance no resistance can stand against it therefore in the work of Conversion it will leave in the heart no actual rebellion that shall perk up to defeat the work A nullo duro corde râ—spuitur it is not resisted by the heart that 's hard because it takes away the hardness and gives a heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 27. I will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh take away the heart untractable and give a heart that 's tractable I will take away the heart that 's hard as stone to resist and give them a tender heart to feel their own misery I may give it by this comparison In a room if the windows be not shut the darkness cannot resist the light because it s given to that purpose to expell the darkness And when God gives any thing to take away an opposition that opposite cannot stand in its place so this Divine grace is refused by no hard heart of man when it comes with the meaning and purpose of God to carry it on because then it comes with commission and authority to remove obstacles and pull away bars that it may overcome And this much be spoken of Conversion as it denotes the act of God drawing or Converting and the deportment of mans heart under it The second consideration is as Conversion denotes the action of man Converting to God upon and by vertue of this drawing of God And what is the deportment of the heart when it is toucht by this loadstone and drawn by this grace freedome say I and willingness there follows thereupon a coming nay a running after God in Cant. 1. 4. For the power of God and willingness of man do consist together thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110. 3. Now therefore I will say that man cannot be supposed in this act of Conversion as it is his to resist or be unwilling because he is made willing and the resistance for this act is overcome and subdued And therefore it is said as God draws so man comes and his coming is an act not of force but of freedom being both powerfully and sweetly drawn by the cords of man by the bonds of love Hos 11. 3. And therefore as mans resistance of Gods work and his free coming in to God cannot stand together in the same act there is reason in nature for that a man may as well move East and West at the same time as resist and be willing to come all at one time for there is a contradiction in the terms to say though a man doth believe yet he will not believe for man will not resist being made willing to comply with God and this is the miracle of Gods power and grace in mans Conversion that the heart so prone and apt to run into sin so headlong and uncontrouled should upon the touch of this loadstone of grace be made so free and delightful to come to God and by this marriage consent to joyn hands with God loathing in comparison of God the thoughts of those lusts and pleasures which he so doated on in the dayes of his captivity to sin and saying as they said to their Idols Fie upon you get you hence and therefore there can be no resistance remaining in this coming so that its clear that neither in the act of Gods drawing or in mans act of turning will there be found a victorious resistance an habitual corruption there will remain but that it is bridled at any time let it magnifie for ever Gods mercy and grace we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth saith the Apostle But though this may well be spoken to magnifie the grace of Conversion to set you to pray for it and to teach that God is able to carry man out of himself in despight of his teeth as I may say as Iron toucht with the loadftone cannot but move to the North yet withall to let you see to humble you the abomination that is in your hearts what enemies you are to Conversion and faith in Christ and consequently to your own salvation Serm. 11 NOw having said this concerning the grace put forth and exercised in the act of Conversion and shewn thaâ— Converting grace flowing from the purpose of God is in the act of Conversion victorious over the resistance of the corrupt heart and though it do not suddenly extirpate all the degrees of habitual perverseness and rebellion yet it binds up the actual resistance at that time as that it is imprevalent to divert the work of so powerful grace I come to the point wherein the resistance offered to the grace of God doth lie and
sad and serious meditation he found no place for repentance I confess learned men with whom sometime I have gone in the exposition of this place say he found no place for the repentance of his Father he could not find means to make his Father repent for bestowing his blessing on his younger son yet truly it may well and conveniently be expounded He found no place for his own repentance though he sought it very carefully the Gift is gone from thee thou hast lost thy time And though thou Blubberest and Cryest to me with doleful tears I cannot help thee And therefore the Best counsel I can give any man in this point is this Work out your Salvation while God works make hay while Sun shines Somewhat like to that Phil. 2. 12. Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that workes in you both to will and to do Giving the Reason from Gods working that we should work lest God that offers his Grace and stretches out his hand should pull it in again after his long suffering and waiting and offer no more And learn to know your day before it be lapsed for the lapse of this day is Fatal I may some say that 's worth the knowing Object But how shall I do that Answ First do ye find a prizing of and an Appetite to the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby that 's a sign that you are new-born babes the Child that cryes to suck is not dead look for this thirsting appetite Secondly If the spirit of God strive with you still Convincing and reproving are your hearts often Convict of secret sins if unfaithful in your calling you find no quiet it s a sign God hath not done with you for while the spirit strives its a day of Grace My spirit shall not alway strive with man Gen. 6. 3. Thirdly Do you find God making a thorny hedge about you ways and doth it stand and is not pulled up is there a restraint that a man cannot run out but his Conscience pricks him And when ever he sins in commissions or omissions the thorny hedge is still goreing and pricking him Hosea 2. 6. I will make a thorny hedge that thou shalt not find thy path not find Content in sin an Evident sign the door of grace is yet open Lastly Do you find pulsations beatings knocking 's doth any body rap at the door still as they have done behold saith God I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3. 20. if any man will open I will come in and sup this is an admirable sign the invitation of God holds out still motion upon motion beseeching upon beseeching the knocker at the door is seldome quiet by these you may know your day of Grace and therefore I say Call for the bellows while there is fire Blow the sparks which lie in the Embers and not all dead blow them up For if the sparks die if God call in his spirit from striving with you you shall blow among the dead ashes in vain Oh the miserie of man that doth not know his time especially the time of his visitation as Jerusalem For whereas the swallow and the stork do know their time yet in the 9. or 12. ver man knoweth not his time and therefore they are snared in an evil time and Chap. 8. 6. because to every purpose there is time and judgement if man hit the time well and Good but mark saith he because man doth not know his time take the nick therefore the misery of man is great upon him Second proposition which is a doleful one that In this day of grace when a man may take Heaven and Salvation by the Fore-lock as we use to say many times the things belonging to his eternal peace are hidden from his eyes which is by the Apostle made the marke of a lost man In 2 Cor. 4. 3. if our Gospel be hid that a man sees no beauty in it finds no power it s hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded their minds that the light should not shine into them And it was the observation of Christ that in Jerusalems day the things of her peace were now hid from her eyes Luk. 19. 42. never could blindness have fallen upon her or any man else in a worse time in the day of his visitation when the things of his peace are offered to him Now is the day in which as God opens the door widest so now the devil is most conversant about the eye least faith the Apostle the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into them the devils aim is to pick out the eyes of men this he most frequently aims in this day Thirdly Those that either refuse the grace that is offered to them or fall quite off from those initials and beginnings thereof which they had Received as I shewed when I handled the point of Apostacy they might do they bring themselves by both into a worse condition then such as remain in their natural estate blind and without all light then such as never had such offers made unto them And without all question you who either stand out against those offers to refuse them or desert relinquish those beginnings of grace that you have received no heathen man in the world is in a worse condition then you for this Christ also taught Matth. 10. 14 15. Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement then for them Matth. 11. 21. we to thee Chorazin and Bethsaida Cities of Galilee where Christ walked It shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon Heathen Cities shall escape easier then such where the mighty works of Christ have been shewed forth Oh that men can hear these things with dull and drowsie ears doth nothing of this sit upon you It is a sign that your eyes are hidden in this your day if the mighty works had been shewn in them which have been shewn in you they would have repented And they have been shewn in you and you repent not And as this is said of the recusancy of Grace the greatest and most vulgar crime among us so it may be said of those under the Apostacie of it in 2 Pet. 2. 21. It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness then having known it to turn away from the holy Commandment given unto them Let this bound your wandring fancies and afright you from your Apostacy from God For as the Iron of the Stethee is the harder for the often knocking upon it so the heart of man that 's naturally hard by the often knocking and pressing the word of God upon it is made the harder And if the salt that seasons other things be in it self infatuate its good for nothing what shall season salt they that are in this case heavier judgement waits on them and
known and received Come forth to this day this day of grace for the longer it hath been the shorter it is Examin the success and fruit Oh England London I am loth to speak though I do not speak it as ominous In the old World when God said the days of man should be one hundred and twenty years it s not to be understood of mans age that 's but a simple meaning But the Days of my Patience toward him how many did the long suffering of God gather all this while I cannot say but out of the stood out of a world of men the Apostle Peter observes that which I observe to you In 1 Pet. 3. 20. there were but few that is but eight persons saved from water in this long day of grace dispenst to a world of men therefore Gather your selves together not in Congregations and companies but your thoughts together oh nation not desired lest the decree bring forth for the thing may be decreed and ye be as chaff that passes on a day Zephan 2. 1 2. for without all question when the winnowing day comes for England there will be many thousands found like chaffe that passes before the wind in a winnowing day and though you may think with your selves that the sun of the Gospel yet shineth bright yet remember so did the sun shine bright on Sodom the morning that the fire came on it the sun shines bright many times when its very near setting Oh Lament the sins of England we very well know and it s an observation well made that Josiah one of the last was one of the best Kings that ever sate upon the throne of Judah for whom was great lamentation that made an admirable reformation and entred into the Covenant with the Lord a reformation a none-such there comes in a bitter Pill after this Notwithstanding the Lord turned not away from the fierceness of his anger because of all the Provocations of Manasseth 2 Kings 23. 26. There were the sins of his Ancestors In Deuteronomy you have to deal with a Jealous God and in 1 Joh. 2. 18. if men understood the word when they read it John gave a true Character of the last times of the Jewish nation that 's the true meaning of it and you make use of that Scripture because you apply it to the Last day there are many Antichrists by which you may know it is the last time Let us Consider it as a Character that sits too close on us one preaches himself Christ another takes away his Deity Christ sets a character of the last times on Jerusalem This long you are to continue and then your day of grace is gone do you fear least your day of grace be swallowed up by those multitudes of heretical teachers that swarm among you It s true as the saying is Now a man may be as holy in England as he will without fear of persecution for holiness sake that the meaning and truly I may well say for it must be ballanced a man may be as negligent as he will as wild in his opinions without fear of giving an account or coercion and were it not for the goodness of servants and I beseech you in your places abuse not the common liberty you might take a master could be no master of his house nor could not undertake Joshua his undertaking I and my house will serve the Lord nor keep his sheep out of Rotting pastures except the conscience the heart be principled in orthodoxal and Godly ways of truth You read in the New Testament that the masters influence on his house in matters of Religion was great such a one baptized and all his house what consequence in that why that by example instruction or power one way or other did work them to come to the same bonds of Religion with themselves The Lord grant that you may see the day grace that in it those that have power may exhort the people under their roofs to day while It s called to day least they be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Use 2 For particulars mark how Lovingly the scripture speaks to men that have the word and day of grace I shall name some places and by the way this point is mightily tended to in the epistle to the Hebrews which was written purposely to stir up the Jews that were running into by-wayes to hold fast the profession of the Gospel the first place is that Heb. 2. 3. wherefore having heard this doctrine we ought to give the more diligent heed least at any time we let them slip like Riddle dishes that hold not water put into them for if the law had punishments for sin how shall we escape if we c. meaning This is the last pull you have for the salvation of your souls the last draw that ever you shall make for your souls are damned by the law but yet you may live this is the last lot that falls if you neglect Salvation so great salvation there lies the sting of the words how shall we escape S t Mark lays down the tenour of the Gospel he that believes not shall be damned which is as peremptory speech as a man finds ordinarily in the law and more peremptory and John Baptiss which is a place also mistaken speaking of the Jewish state in Matth. 3. 10. tells them Now your Saviour is come to preach the Gospel look to it your time is at an end your destruction is nigh after the Gospel is come and refused Now the Ax is laid to the root of the tree Cut it down And consider that place Heb. 4. 1. let us fear least having a promise made us of entring into rest any of you should seem to come short of it a place full of sweet meditation as the Jews when they went out of Aegypt went on a promise of a rest in Canaan and yet came short of it so may we fear c. me thinks the heart of men should be pierc't with these Scriptures And Heb. 12. 14 15. looking diligently least any man fail of the Grace of God when preached to him he neglects it refuses it makes light of it as he did who was invited to the marriage of the Kings son And in Heb. 3. 12. take heed oh take heed least there be in axy of you an evil heart of unbelief to depart from the living God that your unbelief do not carry you away to continue in this resistance of the Grace of God Let not the day of grace be a day of provocation But exhort one another daily while it is called to day There are two Motives whereby I would move this point unto you and then dismiss it for still there will be backwardness Oh that our Lord Jesus would work a miracle on the dry land Mot. 1 First Thy particular day of grace wherein it is offered to thee may not be so long as the day of the nation nor so long
men not raised untill the time and that power that quickned him was put forth Israel in Aegypt was never more free notwithstanding Gods purpose of an afterwards deliverance which he did intend unto them till Moses the deliverer came Paul while he was an elect vessel not called was never the more holy for that untill the time of his conversion came For Election is unto the means as well as to the end which it could not be if holiness should precede For though there be a holiness before the End in regard of execution you have your fruit unto holiness and the end Eternal life Rom. 6. 22. yet there is no such thing before purpose and decree Elect through the sanctification of the spirit unto obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. And therefore the Scripture constantly gives the natural character of the Elect of God the same as non-elect there is a double Character given of them a personal and a natural the personal Character is many times worse then that of others they confess that I was a Persecutor a Blaspheamer chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1 13 14. In their natural character they are described as of the same temper lump and mould with other men Among whom we also had our conversation in times past and were by nature Children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 3. And we our selves were also sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3. 3. For otherwise these three things would follow thereupon First The mystery of comparative Election why Jacob and not Esau would cease for the reason being open and known voideth the mysterie Secondly The distinction and difference of one man from another would be of man himself Thirdly The production of Grace would not be de novo by Creation You are his workmanship Created in Christ Jesus but would rather be as the Bellows that begers fire where there were sparks before then the putting in new sire where there was none before Prop. 2 Secondly The deserters of grace by them received and the resisters of Grace by God offered are Justly deserted by God and the offers in time taken from them The deserters of Grace received I mean that which they call common grace are such as either do put out the sparks or let them dye and go out Such as the Foolish Virgins whose lamps went out or as the two Grounds the stony and thornie whose green blade was blasted or choaked And such we have many amongst us that for a time and season do put forth blossoms they have Enlightnings Convictions and do pretend great affections some sence of sin at some time especially some desires of Deliverance and are like flowers in a waterpot that will keep fresh and maintain a greeness for a time but as the Scripture saith they have no root and so they wither and are extinguished Object But you will ask me What order or tendency have these workings unto regeneration Answ These are common to the Elect and non-Elect and they are Precedaneous and Previous works of grace towards regeneration being initial things that by the management of God do come to some effect in Gods elect but yet in themselves are such as may be suffocated and choaked for God doth not usually convert any of his people by way of sudden Ethusiasms as if one should think of life put into a stone or stock as if in an instant a stone should change into a man a heart of stone immediately change to a heart of flesh But God moulds prepares the heart by the ministry of the word and excitations of the spirit as it is said of Peters hearers in Acts 2. 37. they were pricked in their hearts and made to enquire what they should do to be saved For as it is in natural Generation there are many previous dispositions that go before the induction of the forme which gives it the specifical Being so are men brought to a spiritual nativity unto regeneration not by a sudden strait God doth work by these previous workings and in the way of his administrations he doth impart certain Initials or beginings of grace unto men Object 2. If this be that the men in whom these are wrought may desert extinguish and fall off why then will some say is this so culpable a thing to quench these that have no regenerating life in them Answ These are they against which the Scripture pours out so much wrath and declares so great danger in this case to such as shall desert forsake or extinguish these workings of initial beginnings as in that phrase Heb. 10. ult my soul shall have no pleasure in them that withdraw to perdition not because these have any root at the present for so our Saviour describes them in Matth. 13. 21. but because the things in themselves have a tendency to further ripening and perfection as the egg to the Chicken the Bud to the fruit and the embryo to the Child not yet actually perfect Gal 4. 19. I travel in pain till Christ be formed in you In which respect they are said to know the way of Righteousness 2 Pet 2. 20 21. And for this reason it is so culpable because they do destroy the fruit in the bud But then may some say Object 3. This renewing and converting grace comes immediately from God and doth not require any previous or precedaneous workings Answ The comparison of natural generation will give some light what to say of this for suppose the rational soul be infused not meerly traduced poured in from heaven by the hand of God yet notwithstanding there is use of marriage and many preparatory dispositions are required tending to the generation of a man so that you may rightly conceive here if grace be which yet I dispute not the begetting of a man to God there may notwithstanding be required many previous dispositions tending thereunto which that it is so may be evident to you by the means and instruments that God uses in Conversion the instruments are men the means are the ministry of the word I have begotten you by the Gospel saith the Apostle in 1 Cor. 4. 15. And if God was pleased immediately which I know not that any of you Expect and should be sorry you should be deluded so I say immediately to convert and suddenly to snatch a man out of his unregeneracy without conviction foregoing without knowledge and sorrow for sin desire of pardon and deliverance then neither would there be need of the ministry of men nor word preached neither need the Minister rightly divide the word as the Apostles phrase is that is plowing down the ridges of the law or laying up the furrows by the Gospel preaching this grace therefore is that which may be deserted and these offers of grace are many a time resisted and are by many finally resisted to the great danger of their souls and the loss of them And therefore it is just with God to desert these and