have no Salvation No Christ no Salvation Whatever else men may have if they have not Christ they can never be saved Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see life Poor creature what dost thou dream of Heaven happiness eternal life glory hast no Christ All thy hopes will prove to be but vain dreams and will in the end vanish 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son of God hath not life 4. It is to be reprobate i. e. disapproved disallowed and rejected of God Jer. 6.30 Reprobate or refuse and rejectea silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them 2 Cor. 13.5 Know you not your own solves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates They who are without Christ though they may not be Reprobate as the word is opposed to Elect yet in their present state and as to what appears they are no better then those that are reprobate And continuing under Gospel enjoyments without getting into Christ is a fearful symptome of everlasting Reprobation 5. It is to be Satans If thou art none of Christs thou art the Devils The possession of men in the world is divided betwixt Christ and Satan What Christ possesses not are under Satans power and tyranny Know therefore that if Christ hath no possession of thee thou art possessed of the Devil Most lamentable tydings I bring to all unconverted sinners you are possessed by the Devil you are in the hands of that cruel Enemy of Souls in the paw of that roaring Lyon who goes about seeking whom he may devour Is it not a dreadful thing to have the body possessed See Mark 5.2 5. There met him out of the Tombs a man with an unclean Spirit And alwayes night and day he was in the mountains and in the Tombs crying and cutting himself with stones But how much more dreadful is it to have the Soul in the Devils possession Ah sinner Hast thou any reason to laugh and be merry to enjoy one good hour whilest thou art under the hand of so cruel a master and murtherer of Souls as thou art He hath his will upon thee 2 Tim. 2.26 Who are taken captive by him as his will The evil Spirit worketh in the Children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 He trades there In some he keeps open shop setting forth his wares before the world in those abominations and villanyes by them committed In others he deals more underhand he does not appear so openly but yet he is at work in the heart of every child of disobedience Every sinner is the Devils factor and erelong unless thou withdraw from his service he will pay thee thy wages Every Christless sinner is under Satans power Hence when persons are converted they are turned from the power of Satan delivered from the power of darkness Act. 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness Thus remember and consider that if you have not the Spirit of Christ you are none of Christs and if none of Christs then what and whose you are Mot. 2. If you have not the Spirit you are worth nothing The true worth and value of men is according to what of the Spirit of God is in them And therefore Pharaoh judged right of Joseph on this account that he was an eminent man a man in whom the Spirit of God was Gen. 41.38 But if you are without this whatever rate you may value your selves at or others may value you you are indeed good for nothing For 1. You know nothing of that which is only worth the knowing and to which all other knowledge ought to be subservient You know nothing of the things of God and his Kingdome of the mysteries of union and communion with God in Christ Speculative knowledge you may have but practical saving knowledge you have none for the true saving knowledge of these is only attained by the help of the Spirit which you are without 1 Cor. 2.11 14. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned You have little reason any one of you he that knows most to boast of or be lifted up with your knowledge for you know nothing as you ought to know The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 And therefore whatever you may imagine or speak or reason concerning spiritual things it is but even as the blind mans imagination discourse and reasoning concerning Colours It is very ignorantly You do not really understand any thing about them Si Christum nescis nihil est si catera discis 2. You can do no good thing You have no ability to perform any good action We are all naturally so impotent that we can do nothing that is good unless we have the Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities Which you have not We cannot take any step in a right path without the manuduction and leading of the Spirit Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Psal 51.12 Vphold me with thy free Spirit But you have no such guide All spiritual life and every action of life it comes from the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.11 and without it nothing is to be done And therefore let me tell you who have none of the Spirit of God you never did any thing well in your lives not any thing that God will accept 3. You have no good in you All the good that is or ever was in fallen man it is wrought by the Spirit of God And therefore if you have none of the Spirit of God you have no real good in you You may have these and those good natural dispositions and some shews of good but as for any spiritual saving good that will abide the tryal when God shall judge what is good and what is bad you have none of it And therefore it may be said truly of you whatever you may think of your good heart c. your heart is little worth Prov. 10.20 The heart of the wicked is little worth It is little worth indeed for it is worth nothing Hence is it said Psal 119.119 God putteth away all the wicked of the Earth like dross they being of no worth Thus you see you are worth nothing good for nothing if you have not the Spirit
the reaching of the Conscience and stirring the affection of many others under a common work of the Spirit which usually goeth along with solemn times Fulfilling of the Scripture pag. 142. Edit 2. Oh therefore pray that New England may have such or another such a solemn day before her Sun go down 8. It is necessary to evidence that you have the Spirit that you be earnestly desirous to have more of the Spirit and that both for your selves and others 9. If Christians would in good earnest set to pray for this there would be good hope that the Spirit would be poured out upon us The Lord is not wont to say to his people seek or to stir them up to seek him in vain Isa 45.19 I said not unto the Seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain 30.19 He will be very grasious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee More encouragement to instant prayer for the pouring out of the Spirit see in Mr. I. Mathers Sermon on Isai 44.3 pag. 14 to 19. By all let Christians be perswaded to lift up the hands which hang down and set to prayer with a deep sense of our want of the Spirit with a Soul humbling sense that we have so grieved the Spirit as thus to forsake and with hold its gracious operations from us and also with faith and expectation that God will do this for us for the sake and upon the account of Christ And then we might hope that it would go well with us and that that should be accomplished in us which is prayed for by the Psalmist Psal 90.14 15 16 17. O satisfy us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our dayes Make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil Let thy work appear unto thy Servants and thy glory unto their Children And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Exhortation 2. To All to labour that the Spirit may be poured out upon them that they may hoth have the Spirit and a plentiful measure of the graces of it Let every one endeavour to get the Spirit for himself and so there would be a general pouring out of the Spirit Would we be free from misery would we be happy make this our busmess Let all unregenerate persons rouze and stir up themselves and take the Kingdome of heaven by holy violence Sue and strive by all means that the saving graces of the Spirit may be given to you If we would have the Spirit poured out upon us upon our persons we must be in the way of waiting for it And O that we could use utmost diligence and endeavours in this thing It is a matter of most eminent and everlasting concernment I might here urge those two things hinted in the Text The misery of being without and the blessedness of having the Spirit poured out upon us which comprehend all can be said But more particularly by way of motive consider Mot. 1. If you have not the Spirit you are none of Christs you have no Christ you are Christless persons and have no more to doe with the Son of God in your present state as to any propriety in him then the Devils had Luk. 8.28 You may talk of Christ and it may be profess him but you have no right nor interest in him Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his The Spirit is the bond of union on Christs part and it is the Spirit which works Faith in us which is the bond of union on our part whence Christ dwels in his people by his Spirit Where therefore the Spirit of Christ is not there is no union of that Soul to Christ no faith wrought in the heart and so no Christ dwelling in that soul And now seriously consider what it is to be without Christ to be none of his 1. It is to have no pardon of sin No Christ no forgiveness You are yet in your sins under the guilt of them and can have no pardon so long as you are without Christ All the sins that ever you have committed they stand on file against you and you must answer for them You lye under the heavy load of the guilt of innumerable evils the which if you had any sense might-make your hearts to fail at the thoughts of it Psal 40.12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquityes have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me It is enough to make the heart of any person to fail indeed to see the load of all his sins lying upon him unpardoned What a dreadfull thing is it for us who have been Transgressors from the womb endless in acting of sin to have all our sins to answer for before God Job 9.3 If he will contend with him be cannot answer him one of a thousand We cannot give a satisfying Answer for one single sin of a thousand But we must answer that is we must be called to an account for them all if they be not pardoned and pardoned they are not if we have not Christ In him pardon is to be had Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God But pardon is no where to be had without him 2. It is to have no favour with God No Christ no favour in Heaven The heart of God will never be towards any that are not in Christ and that continue out of him The world is at enmity with God and reconciliation is only to be had in Christ Jesus God will enter into friendship with or shew favour to no person but by the means and mediation of his Son And therefore if thou art and continuest without Christ God does and ever will look upon thee as an Enemy thou shalt find no favour in his eyes He that made thee will not have mercy on thee he that formed thee will shew thee no favour There will never be other then anger in the face and heart of God toward We are all by nature children of wrath and Enemies but they who are gotten into Christ they are thereby reconciled Col. 1.2 22. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemyes in your minds by wicked works yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death c. But for others the wrath of God abides on them and there it will abide to Eternity for they can have no favour if they continue out of Christ Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the Son the wrath of God abideth on him 3. It is to
not repentance and reformation in a people there is no likelihood that Gods wrath should be pacified by Judgements formerly inflicted but rather that there will be a procedure to further greater and sorer Judgements For when the Soveraign God hath once taken a people thus into his hand it is likely in reason that he will have his will of them or bring them very low mend or mar them bow or break them Lev. 26.23 And if ye will not be reformed by these things and ver 27 28. And if ye will not for all this bearken unto me but walk contrary unto me then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury 3. Because where there is not repentance and reformation under Affliction there will be an encrease of provocation The Lords expectation is frustrated and thereby will he be provoked Besides such who thus frustrate Gods expectation they will grow more hardned in sin and security by affliction if not more bold to sin Zeph. 3.7 I said surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings And this will be like to continue and encrease their affliction Hos 13.2 3. And now postquam moniti fuerint castigati Rivet After they have been warned and chastned they sin more and more Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud as the early dew it passeth away as the chaff that is driven with a whirlwind out of the floor and as a smoak out of the Chimney By which four similitudes the greatness and certainty of their calamity is denoted and that that flourishing prosperity which they hoped for should come to nothing Prop. III. The miseries of such a people will be like to proceed till there be a pouring out of the Spirit from on high upon them to their sound conversion Vntil the Spirit be poured upon us from on high c. Text. ver 15. If God hath once so far taken a people in hand as to set them under a dispensation of Judgement there is no grounded hope of their deliverance and release in mercy till God do in a gracious manner pour out his Spirit upon them or wonderfully work a saving change in them and among them by the effectual operation of his holy Spirit Till abundance of grace be given forth for the procuring and effecting of their found conversion The Spirit is given or poured out for that end that there may be Conversion And that either 1. The Conversion of sinners which is exprest in the Text by the Wilderness becoming a fruitful field Psal 51.13 Sinners shall be converted unto thee The Lord sends down his Spirit for this end to convince awaken convert regenerate and sanctifie sinners Joh. 16.8 11. to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God This is the work of the Ministry Act. 26.18 which works effectually only through the power presence and assistance of the Spirit accompanying of the same It is the work of the Spirit efficiently to deliver sinners out of the power of darkness and translate them into the Kingdome of the dear Son of God to make them of unholy profane proud and vain serious humble holy pious and conformed to the image and will of God to love those things of God which they have not loved nor regarded and to hate and abandon those things of sin world and vanity which they have loved and set their hearts upon 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Or 2. The Conversion of Saints and Christians Which is exprest in the Text according to the interpretation given by the fruitful field being counted for a forrest Peter was converted before Satan fifted him and made him deny his Master for saith Christ I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not But he must be converted again and therefore Christ sayes to him When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22.32 though the relative charge of state in believers is but once wrought it is wrought at once and continues for ever and the real change in their persons by sanctification is perfect in its parts yet this latter admits of degrees It is so wrought in the believer as that it needs constant carrying on in this life and it may so decay as to need to be done over again and so the Christian to pass under the work of Conversion again a second time Hence David prayes when he had as it were lost the work or effect of former Conversion that God would create in him a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within him Psal 51.10 Apprehending himself deprived in a manner of that holy disposition and power of godliness which God had formerly wrought in bm asi before he begged for pardon so here for the sanctification of Gods Spirit The word Renew I conceive hath reference to his former piety which he found greatly decayed in him wherewith he desires to be established again Jackson in loc Now this is the work of the Spirit to renew the work of Conversion and carry on the work of grace in believers He is given for this end for the furthering the work of grace and holiness in believers in renewed and more strong acts of repentance saith and obedience to make them more free from sin end pollution more and more conformable to the will of God in all things more abundantly fruitful in every good work to enlarge them in duty and to make their faces and conversations to shine that they shall in good carnest be engaged for God his service and glory Hence when the Spirit is poured out upon a people All or the generality of them or at least very many among them will be either enquiring for or walking in the way to Zion with their faces thitherward Jer. 50.4 5. In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward Which last expression may intimate their sincere intention and fixed resolution to go on in the way they enquired after To set ones face is to fix the Affections and actions without declining to any other way Wilson Christ Diction Such a people will be bound for God having received the Spirit of God every one will go bound in the Spirit to the performance of his duty and the glorifying and honouring of God They shall be signally carryed out in seeking Gods face and doing of his will There would appear a right and full bent of Spirit for God in persons doing all sincerely in the name and in an evangellical manner exactly according to the
will of the Lord Jesus heartily giving thanks to God and the Father by him Col. 3 17. The Spirit of God and of holiness will breath and be manifest in them There will be a godly sorrow and mourning for sin in All Ezek. 7.16 But they that escape of them shall escape and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity A hearty grief that they have displeased dishonoured and provoked God by their sin And a sincere and earnest care and endeavour to repair the honour and glory of Gods Name by future holy obedience These are the immediate effects and fruits of the pouring out of the Spirit And till the Spirit be thus poured out and these gracious effects of it in some good measure obtained to the Conversion and Sanctification of a people under Judgement their misery and sorrow will be like to procead and continue And that 1. Because the profaneness unbelief and impenitency of sinners and the unholiness and unfruitfulness of Christians are the causes of these sorrows and miseryes And as till the causes be removed there is no probability that the effect should cease Josh 7.12 neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from among you So in order to the removal of these from a people the pouring out of the Spirit from on high upon them to their sound conversion and sanctification is the grand expedient And therefore till this be they will remain a generation of Gods wrath His anger will not be like to be turned away from them till this work be wrought in and for them 2. Because till the Spirit be in some measure poured out upon them they will not be fit for mercy They will not duely acknowledge nor improve it but profane and abuse it Till by the gracious work of Gods Spirit in them they be brought to a complyance with his will they will not be in a posture to receive mercy They will not carry it aright under mercy Psal 106.8.13 21. Nevertheless he saved them for his Names sake But they soon forgat his works they waited not for his Counsel They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things And therefore there is little probability that God will bestow Salvation upon such a people 3. Till then they will be provoking God Though the Lord be striking them they will certainly be adding new provocations Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return Isai 57.17 For the iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart After this manner will they certainly do till Soveraign grace heal them till such time as there be a gracious effusion of the Spirit from on high upon them to change convert and sanctifie them And therefore notwithstanding all the evil God hath done unto them it will be probable that his Anger will not be turned away but his hand stretch-out still against them Prop. IV. When the Spirit from on high is poured out upon a People to their sound Conversion there will be a restoration and multiplication of sure mercyes and blessings upon them Though such a people were under affliction and expressions of divine displeasure before The Seal of Gods providence would then turn towards them and there would be a remarkable glorious and happy change among them Text ver 16 17 18. Then there should be a new face and aspect of divine providence upon them and the clouds of divine displeasure would blow over What before was taken away or withheld from them should be then restored or given and what mercy they want bestowed upon them They should have mercyes and blessings indeed that are worthy the name of blessings store of sure mercyes and blessings 1. There would be great holiness Holiness would abound There would be Holiness to the Lord as it were engraven in bells and pots Zech. 14.20.21 Holiness would be conspicuous both in persons and actions Judgment and righteousness would dwell and remain every where both in the wilderness and in the field Text ver 16. Then Judgement shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field 1. We should then see sinners studying and following after Holiness Christians might then see those ignorant profane wicked creatures whom they now with grief behold or hear of that they mind nothing but their vanity their pride excess intemperance disorder who now will not be perswaded to pray to read or hear the word of God with diligence reverence and obedience who will be profane wanton intemperate negligent irreligious who will do any thing but what they should and every thing that they should not But then we might see them serious humble attentive to what is good acting in the fear of God diligent and studious to know the will of God careful to please God fearful of displeasing him circumspect in their actions Christian in their behaviour adorning the doctrine of the Gospel denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly righteously godly in the world Tit. 2.12 Isai 32.4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge Such as were heady and inconsiderate as fond and foolish persons usually are shall then be better advised and by attending to the word of God come to understand aright the will of God And the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly Men by their religious speech and communication at which they did but stammer when they assayed ought before shall now manifest the inward alteration and change of their hearts Engl. Annot. There are many who having little or nothing of Religion in their hearts little or no discerning or taste of things of the Spirit of God when they are put upon it to speak of any spiritual matters or to perform any religious duty they do miserably stammer sumble and falter they cannot speak or but very brokenly though it may be they can speak fast enough and are of voluble speech in other things But were there abundant effusion of the Spirit upon these it would loose their tongues and make them able to speak distinctly understandingly and feelingly of spiritual and holy things Isai 29.18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness Those that were deaf to all the calls and warnings of God by his word and rod they would not hearken that were blind that could not would not see notwithstanding all that glorious light of Gods truth was held forth before them they shall be recovered of those their former maladies and by the Spirit of God effectually working with his word they shall come to have their cars
And now my Soul is poured out upon me the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me The hand of God is gone out against us and notwithstanding all that is come upon us his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still The Almighty though admirably just and holy is dealing bitterly with us Psal 60.3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment 1. Misery and distress grow general and universal As Job 30.14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me The Lord is compassing and afflicting us on every side As Isai 29.3 I will camp against thee round about c. Affliction comes up as it were from all quarters and makes its way to all places and persons almost more or less In our late and present troubles of sword sickness and mortality there is scarce any but seels some thing whereof they are ready to complain either in person estates relations And fears of what may yet come by this or the other means are even ready to amaze the hearts of all that are so serious to consider any thing So that there is an eminent accomplishment upon us at this day of that solemn word in Ezek. 21.15 16 17. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates that their heart may faint and their ruines be multiplyed Ah it is made bright it is wrapt up for the slaughter Go thee one way or other either on the right hand or on the left whithersoever thy face is set I will also smite my hands together and I will cause my fury to rest I the Lord have said it 2. God hears not our Prayers i.e. Our publick prayers or prayers for the publick There is no time so bad but God hears the prayers of his dear Servants though they may not alwayes be able to perceive it that watch and keep their garments which they make to him for grace and mercy to their own Souls Ezek. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own Souls though their own they should deliver But publick petitions put up for publick deliverance help and mercy seem to be thrown by not to be received or granted And this is an Argument of a dispensation of Judgement God is wont when he favours his people to be nigh to them in all things that they call upon him for Deut. 4.7 But when he sets his sace against them then he denyes audience to their prayers Jer. 14.12 When they fast I will not hear their cry He forbids his faithful Servants to pray for them Jer. 11.14 Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble And if the eminentest of his Servants do pray for them he will not hear them Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be towards this people The Lord does as it were abscond withdraw and conceal himself from such a people that he may not be found by them seems to cover up himself that their cry and prayer may not come at him to trouble him in that which he intends not to do Lam. 3.8 44. Isai 29.1 2. Let them kill Sacrifices yet I will distress Ariei and there shall be heaviness and sorrow And after this manner is the dispensation of God to us at this day And therefore oh that we could see that we are in a bad case that we were indeed sensible of the misery and danger of our condition being thus set under Judgement It is our great misery that nothing will a waken us How foolish are we what sottish Children Shall God break us to pieces make us to go backward to stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken and stop his ear to our cryes and shall not we be affected with our misery Oh that we could hold up our hard hearts to be broken by the powerful hand of a gracious God Lord smite these Rocks Make us sensible Make us relent Make us mourn under thine anger VSE 3. Hence see a reason of the continuance and growing of our sorrows We are set under a dispensation of Judgment and the Spirit is not yet poured out from on high upon us And therefore no wonder if our troubles grow more extensive numerous and general and more intense sharp and piercing God hath in just anger set himself against us and we are not yet turned and set for him by the effectual pouring out of the Spirit upon and working of it in us For 1. How little kindly and sincere mourning for sin is there among us That is one special effect of the pouring out of the Spirit on a people that have been rebellious They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12.10 They shall mourn for their abominations and for their neglects of Christ But how little of this mourning do we hear of amongst us in these dayes Men and Women are heart whole though there be much guilt upon them and it may be their corruptions are yet whole and entire in them They can do this and that evil and neglect this and that duty and yet not mourn There are many poor creatures can rejoyce in their sins But Alas how few are in bitterness for them where are the persons that sow in tears that go forth and weep bearing precious feed as Psal 126.5 6. Many are apt to make their moan for want of health want of peace want of money c. But how few are there that lament and mourn truly for want of a broken heart for want of pardon of sin the favour of God and his grace Were there more of this there would be hope As is the Proverb Corn sowen in a flood comes up like a wood Were there this sowing in floods of tears of true repentance we might then hope for an abundance of the fruits and graces of the Spirit and the blessings accomyanying them to follow But alas how low are our hopes from this ground 2. How little activity and delight in the service and worship of God and reaching after Communion with God therein is there among us how dull cold and unspiritual are most in the work and service of God Now the Spirit is a quickning Spirit and if that were poured out on us we should be lively active and vigorous in the service and worship of God Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth We should serve God with utmost intention and affection we should be never better then when in his presence reaching after communion with him As David Psal 27.4 and 42.1 2. But alas how little is our bea rt drawn out to and strength put forth in the house worship and Ordinances of God! we drive too heavily we
the working of his Spirit is in us so the presence of his mercyes and blessings will be with us his presence or absence will be much according as our spirits are working towards or from him 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you So Psal 18.25 26 27. If any shall say Then setting aside what God in his Soveraignty may do We hope it will go well with us It is probable it will so For there are sure these workings of the Spirit among us In Answer hereto I shall only add that it will be needful to consider these things further 1. Whether these workings of the Spirit supposed among us may in any sense be said to be general That there are some few here and there one that keep themselves close to God and have a good measure of the Spirit breathing in them for whose sakes we fare the better is I suppose beyond question But whether there be a sufficient number to obtain the sparing or saving such a place of light and means as New-England is at least without the feeling of more sorrow first may yet be a question For I am ready to take this for granted that the same number of righteous persons that might save a sinning Sodom would yet not be enough to save a sinning Israel And that because of what the Lord sayes Am. 3.2 You only have I known of all the Familyes of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities 2. Whether those workings of the Spirit that appear among us be for the most part effectual and saving Whether they be not mostly or in great part common and ineffectual and so issue only in formalities It is the inward saving and effectual operation of the Spirit that gives us grounded hope of the expectation of sure mercyes and blessings 3. Whether the breathings and workings of Gods Spirit are more or less among us then when we were first set under a dispensation of Judgement If they be less yea if they be not more there is little likelihood that we should be delivered from under that Judgment For it is not probable that that should remove anger which was not sufficient to keep it off If the want of such and such graces and fruits of the Spirit hath brought us under the Lords displeasure the same defect will sure be like to continue us there This therefore must not escape our consideration what difference there is betwixt us then and now That there is more sin and that iniquity abounds more since Gods hand hath been out against us I think is the general observation of all that take notice of any thing According to that Zeph. 3.7 I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings 4. Whether the workings of the Spirit are now growing or decaying among us If there be more more of this gracious work of the Spirit breaking forth dayly it is well But if it grow more rare and less and less and the loss of good men and women in whom the Spirit of God eminently was is not in some good measure made up by the resting of the same Spirit upon others rising up in their stead our case looks threatning But I shall say no more in this matter Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them For the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Hos 14 9. VSE 5. Of Exhortation 1. To all such among us as have any Interest at the throne of grace earnestly to pray that God would pour out of his Spirit upon us from on high Let Gods favourites among us be earnest in crying unto God in this matter If there be any strength for wrestling with God left improve all the Interest you have with God and with his Son that you may prevail for this blessing For Motive Consider Mot. 1. It is the manner of and is becoming to Gods people to supplicate and wait upon him for all their mercyes It is meet we should receive all our special blessings from God upon our knees Thus Gods Servants have done Psal 123.1 2. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until that he have mercy upon us We must not expect to receive any signal mercy unless God say the word and that in answer to our earnest prayers What ever mercy God bestows on his people he will be sought to by them for it When he hath any mercy to bestow on his people he is wont to stay till his people ask it though it is God that puts it into their hearts to ask it Hence we are bidden in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known unto God Phil. 4.6 We must ask the Father in Christs name for all And therefore for this great blessing of the pouring out of the Spirit there is all reason that we should wait upon God by humble prayer As the Apostles were commanded to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father the sending down of the Spirit Act. 1.4 and most or much of that time they spent in praying ver 14. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication And this no doubt was a special or main part of their prayer that God would accomplish his promise in the actual pouring down of his Spirit 2. Nothing else is like to do us good unless God will pour out his Spirit on us We have had experience of the inefficacy of means upon us to bring us into order and to a good frame Much and frequent instruction and warning by the word hath not done it We have been taught what people this day in the world more It may be said of us as Zeph. 3.5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof every morning doth he bring his Judgment to light he faileth not The word of the Lord hath been to us precept upon precept line upon line We have been in that respect planted in the house of the Lord But have we not been as the fig-tree barren Or as the Lord speaks of his Vineyard Isai 5.4 Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes Judgements have not done it We have been under many But yet may it not be said of us after all as of them Am. 4. Yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord How true is it of us The people turneth not to him that smiteth them We have not received correction but refused to return Deliverances do not do it We have been respited And when we have seen there hath been respite have we not been secure still As it was said of Pharaoh Exod. 8.15 But when Pharaoh
saw that there was respite he hardned his heart and hearkned not Renewal of stroaks hath not done it After respite and deliverance granted God hath taken us into his hand again But alas that it should be too truly said of us We set not our hearts to this also So that there is little or no hope till this be till God by his Spirit work a saving through change in our hearts Truly we are grown so irrational as to spiritual concernments that it is not Gods working upon us only in a rational way that will reclaim us or bring us to his will There must be in a more then ordinary manner the real energetical operation of his Spirit in us to make us other men and women then we are first 3. An universal languishing in the inner man is and will be upon us for want of this pouring out of the Spirit You your selves Christians by your own confession are not so capacitated to the exercise of grace duty for want of this Things go hard with your Souls Those things which remain are even ready to dy As Rev. 3.2 Faith love and other graces they are as it were under a Consumption very feeble and languid Iniquities prevail corruptions get loose and waste the strength and vigour of the Soul And will not you stir up your selves to pray for the Remedy This is lamentable Isai 64.6 7. We all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away And there is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee And how do sinners pine away in their iniquities not regarding God nor their own state and condition whilest they are without the effectual strivings of the holy Spirit with them Will you not pity them and earnestly pray for this healing Remedy to be given to them Can you see your own Souls pining and others Souls perishing and not be importunate with God to put forth his hand to revive and save respectively what will become of faith holiness love to God his word Ordinances wayes and one another unless God be pleased to pour out his Spirit on us 4. The work of Christ is like quickly to ly by unless this be If God do not graciously appear to give forth his holy Spirit the work of Christ will be like ere long and it may be not long first to fall to the ground for want of persons spirited to manage it and carry it on And can you be willing to see that day or that it should come though you do not see it and not improve the utmost of your interest with God to prevent it Are you Christs and not concerned that the work of Christ should or should be in danger to lye by Indeed we are like to run all to confusion and misery if God doe not wonderfully and graciously appear this way to work for us to revive us by his Spirit to set us into and keep us in that order which is according to his will There is therefore absolute necessity of the effusion of the Spirit for the continuance of Gods work and glory among us 5. This will be our great security against the expressions of Gods anger Ezek. 39.29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel saith the Lord God And so it will be our security in the enjoyment of all blessings and mercies Indeed it is the only sure way we have to all or any good The nearer God the greatest good is to us the farther sin the greatest evil will be from us there will be peace quietness and rejoycing in the favor of God and in the gracious effects of it 6. It will be for the great honour of Christ By the pouring out of the Spirit is manifested the efficacy of his Redemption and the end and fruit of it obtained which redounds to his honour It is a great evidence of the power of Christs Redemption and demonstrates him to be a strong Redeemer when there is of the travel of his soul to be seen and his people are made willing in the day of his power hence is he glorified Joh. 17.8 10. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me And I am glorified in them And will not you pray that Christ may be honoured in his subduing the hearts of men to himself that this crown of Glory may be set upon his head 7. You have a promise to improve of Gods pouring out his Spirit This is that which the Lord hath spoken that he will doe especially under the Gospel Isai 44.3 I will pour my Spirit on thy Seed and my blessing upon thine offspring So Joel 2.28.20 Whence you have a bottome for faith to rest upon an argument to plead in prayer for your children of the rising generation You are the Lords people and to such God in these promises gives hold to be taken of himself in this matter Beg therefore that God would fulfil his own word accomplish his own promise Object But it may be some will say These promises and so the Text also respect the latter times and Gods pouring out his Spirit upon the Jews at their conversion and bringing home And therefore what improvement can we make of them for our times Sol. If it be granted that they do respect a signal dispensation of God to the Jews in the last times yet that hinders not but that there is many a like dispensation of God in accomplishing these promises under the Gospel Prophetical Scripture is often fulfilled And though there be in special one grand accomplishment of Scripture Prophesies and promises yet there are also many Specimens beginnings of fulfilling them partile accomplishments like dispensations of Gods providence wherein those prophesies and promises are fulfilled in their measure and degree And so this Prophesy and promise of Gods pouring out his Spirit however it may have its full and compleat accomplishment in some particular glorious time hereafter yet there hath been a glorious accomplishment of it already in the Apostles times as we are informed Act. 2.16 17 18. But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to pass in the last dayes saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh c. Yea and it is fulfilled in a degree wherever the Gospel comes with power Yea further it is observed by some that There is no particular Church where the light hath shined but hath had its special times some solemn day of the pouring out of the Spirit before the Sun went down Which may be observed either at the first breaking up of the Gospel or at some remarkable time and change of her condition Whence a great tack of Souls to Christ hath followed besides