their right to glory and salvation 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that when the houses of our earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved we shall enjoy a building of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens So 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Job 19.25 2 Tim. 1.12 And all this assurance of adoption justification perseverance in grace fruition of glory which Saints have doth proceed from their assurance of their regeneration 1 John 3.14 We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren Regeneration or holiness is the first fruits which do ensure the harvest and the earnest which doth confirme the bargain and ensure the full sum Now Reader having given thee some motives to quicken thee to try thy soul I shall lay down the markes and bring thee to the test And they shall be taken from the nature and effects of regeneration First examine thine heart by the nature of this true holiness Now there are two things in the nature of this new creature In every birth there is Generatio unius corruptio alterius saith the Philosopher something generated and something destroyed so in this new birth there is the production of grace and the destruction of vice the life of righteousness and the death of sin the setting up of the Arke and the throwing down of Dagon The sinfullness of our souls by our first births consisteth in their aversion from God and good and in their conversion to the evil one and evil in having the image of Satan imprinted on them and the image of God blotted out of them The sanctity of our souls by their second births consisteth in their conversion to God and their aversion from sin in having the image of the Devil razed out of them and the image of the Saviour stamped on them As we have born the image of the earthly so we must bear the image of the heavenly And these two parts of the good part are like two Buckets in a Well as the one namely the interest of God cometh up the other namely the interest of sin and Satan goeth down the higher the Sun getteth the more still it scattereth the darkness First there is in this new nature a dying to sin The Apostle calleth it a putting off the old man Eph. 4.22 and a dying to sin Rom. 6.11 Conversion like the ship-mans fatal star is never seen but before the wrack and death of sin The spring of grace is a living fountain and cleanseth it self of mire and dirt Grace like Christ increaseth and sin like the Baptist decreaseth The expression of the holy Ghost about this is worthy our serious consideration Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin Lo here sin is served by Christ the same sauce which it formerly served Christ Sin crucified him when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh and he slayeth it when he cometh into the soul by his Spirit but in the words of the Apostle observe Sins appellation and its execution For its appellation it is called first the Old man partly because it is derived and propagated from Adam the eldest of men partly in comparison of renovation and renewing the whole man It is called secondly the body of sin partly because mans corrupt nature like a body or stock brancheth forth into divers actual sins as members Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.19 partly because of the strength of it as also because men are as much naturally in love with their sins as with themselves But take notice of the execution of this old man of this body of sin in the regenerate The old man is crucified Sin like an old man in them which are new made doth decay and decline every day it is every hour growing weaker and weaker and nearer to its grave and utter abolition Regeneration giveth sin its deaths wound though as those that are crucified it dyeth lingringly yet it dieth certainly Sin like a man in a consumption in a converted person is always wasting and dying till at last it 's quite dead One that is mortally wounded sprawleth and moveth for a time but afterwards giveth up the Ghost so sin while Saints live though it be mortally wounded doth rage and stir but it abateth in strength and dyeth with them St. De civit dei l. 8. c. 6. Augustine relateth of the Serpent that when she groweth old she draweth herself through a narrow hole and by this means stripping off her old skin she reneweth her age Ambulare in peccatis est sic versari in pec catis ut iâ— vocaâ—ione sua ordina ria Daveâ— in Col. 3. Truly thus the Christian is made new by putting off the old coat of the old man The Scripture speaketh expresly He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.9 that is constantly sin is not his design or imployment and chearfully sin is not his delight or element for sin is against his new nature now a man can do nothing against his nature cordially or constantly Sin may rebel within him but it cannot reign over him he looks on sin as his greatest enemy and therefore 't is impossible that he should converse with it in a way of amity Nay as fire and water heat and cold never meet but they fight so this new life is in continual war with every lust the new creature is like unto God Of purer eyes then to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 the evil of sin cannot ordinarily get a good look from him he cannot meet this ugly guest in any corner of his house but his heart riseth against him he considereth what a Lord sin displeaseth what a Law sin transgresseth what a beautiful image sin defaceth what a glorious name fin dishonoreth what a lovely loving Savior sin buffetted shamefully and tortured cruelly what a precious soul and peerless salvation sin was like to have lost him eternally And Oh 't is a killing look which this soul giveth his dearest lust Ah thinks he that ever my nature should hatch and harbour such hideous monsters that ever my heart should be a polluted bed to breed and bring forth such a poisonous brood 'T was my iniquity that bid defiance to the highest Majesty 't was my corruption which scourged the back wounded the head nailed the feet and hands yea pierced the very heart of Jesus Christ my wickedness was the weight which caused his bloody sweat my lust was the murderer which put to death that Lord of life 't was my covetousness which betrayed him my cowardliness which condemned him and my cruelty which executed him and shal I be a friend to that Traytor which was such a foe to my Redeemer Well whatever it cost me through the strength of Christ I le have justice upon these murderers through the help of heaven these brats of hell shall have their
brains dasht out his great care is every day to conquer his corruptions The body of sin and death to which he is tied is as noisom to his soul as a dead body to his senses Lust is as burthensom to him as a withered arm which hangs on a man like a lump of lead Never did prisoner more ardently desire to be rid of his fetters then this Saint to be freed from subjection to his sins The distressed Jews did not groan so much under their Egyptian slavery as this true Israelite for spiritual liberty O wretched man that I am saith he who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death Rom. 7.29 His great end and endeavor in every providence and every Ordinance is not the repression but the ruine of this evil of sin If the Sun of mercy shine warm upon him he makes use of it to put out the kitchin fire of wickedness When God folaceth his spirit with extraordinary kindness the sacrifice of thanksgiving that he offereth up is the beast of some sin which he layeth on the Altar and poureth forth its blood before the Lord When the storm of affliction ariseth he enquireth for the Jonah which raised the tempest and endeavoureth that he may be cast over-board and drowned And as he makes use of divine Providences so likewise of divine Ordinances for the weakening his corruptions In prayer like the sick childe he pointeth at the place of his pain he indicteth accuseth and condemneth sin and intreateth that it may be executed his prayers and tears are his daily weapons wherewith he fighteth against his most inward and secret wickedness When he perceiveth lust like Adonijah usurping the throne of his heart he goeth in to God as Bathsheba to David sighing and saying Did not my Lord promise his servant that the true Solomon should reign in my soul that Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace should sway the scepter in my spirit And now behold his foes which thou hast sworn to make his footstool have trayterously aspired to the Crown and forcibly made me subject to their commands As Esther he is very desirous of these Hamans destruction and watcheth continually for a fit opportunity to present his Petition to the King of Kings for that end and when in any duty he seeth the God of glory to hold out the golden Scepter of mercy towards him O then he beggeth for justice If I have found favour in thy sight O King and if it please the King let the life of my soul be given me at my Petition and the death of my sins at my request Did thy dear Son die for sin and shall thy poor servant live in sin shall not these thine enemies which would not have thee to reign over me be slain before thy face Order my steps by thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 Thus by prayer as by one main piece of his spiritual armour he becomes prevalent The Romans overcame their enemies sitting that is the Senate by their prudent counsels but the Christian kneeling by his holy valour he wrestleth with God and through the power of Christ gets the victory 2 Cor. 12.6 And because the devil of some lusts will not be cast out without fasting and prayer therefore he joyneth fasting to supplication and trieth to starve his corruptions Before-hand he fitteth himself for that day of purging out his ill humors by the preparatory potion of meditation The consideration of his sins how bloody and hainous in their nature how crying and crimson in their circumstances makes his physick work the better He thinketh before The day of mourning for offending my father is coming and then I will slay my brother Jacob my dearest and nearest sin This man bringeth under his natural body which he may lawfully cherish that he may abate the strength of the body of death as men sometimes in a feaver open a vain and let out their blood though it be not bad that they may weaken their enemy In reading and hearing the Law of God he setteth his lusts naked before that sword of the Spirit that they may be hewn by the Prophets and slain by the words of Gods mouth He desires that it may pierce deep to the dividing of soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow and to the discovering of the thoughts and intents of his heart His voice to the Minister is like the Prophets to his neighbour Smite me I pray thee and likes him best that in smiting wounds his sin most he approves of that Chirurgion that searcheth his wounds throughly though he put him to pain he rejoyceth that the Preacher revealeth to him his errors that he may follow them with Hue and cry till they are taken and punished and so Gods pursuit of him may be prevented If the Minister give him a bitter pill of reproof he doth not like a queasie stomach favour his malady and loath his medicine but takes it down willingly knowing that though such things be not toothsom yet they are wholesom and that they must be bitter things that breaks the bag of worms in his stomach sweet things will nourish and cherish them He is glad that the word is fire that thereby his dross may be consumed that it is water because his heart thereby may be washed and purified He hideth the word in his heart that he may not sin against God Psal 119.11 He goeth to the Lords Supper that the blood of his sins may be shed by the blood of the Saviour The Cross of Christ is the souls armour and sins terror there is life in it for the death of sin Pliny saith that the fasting spittle of a man will kill Serpents Sure I am the blood of Christ applied by faith will mortifie sin and therefore the Saint frequenteth the Sacrament He goeth to it as Naaman to Jordan to be cured of his spiritual leprosie when he approacheth the table of the Lord and seeth in the bread broken and the wine poured out by faith Jesus Christ crucified before his eyes O how his heart burneth within him in hatred and indignation against his sins and in desires after and delight in his Redeemer He beholdeth there the knives of his pride unbelief hypocrisie malice and the like all redded in the blood of the Mediator and now his eyes sparkle with fire and fury and his soul swelleth with wrath and revenge against them were but his hand answerable to his heart I mean his power to his will he would put sin to as much pain make it suffer as much shame cause it to undergo as cursed a death as ever Jesus Christ did Now this frame of spirit exceedingly pleasing to the King of Saints he bespeaks the soul at the Sacrament as Herod did the damsel Ask of me what thou wilt and I will give it thee to the half nay to the whole of my Kingdom The soul having before consulted with his regenerate part for this
themselves godly men must be like candles which being lighted kindle others Grace is compared to oil which is of a diffusive spreading nature Matth. 25.4 and it doth like the oil in the widows barrel increase by pouring out the oil never ceased running till she ceased pouring The more thou improvest thy little stock of Grace the more thy master will trust thee with Peter Martyr speaketh of some mountains of salt in Cumana which whilst they lay common for the good of many never wasted though Merchants carried away in abundance but when they were once ingrossed to one mans use they consumed away He that hath greatest layings out for God shall have greatest comings in from God The loaves increased not whilst they were whole in the basket but whilst they were breaking and distributing to others Womens milk increaseth by drawing if the brest be not drawn it will dry up Prov. 11.14 15. He that soweth liberally shall reap liberally Believe it Friend the onely way to make thy one pound ten pounds is by trading with it I speak not of thy intruding into the Ministers calling but of dealing faithfully with the souls of thy friends and relations in thy place and station Truly one would think that every time thou considerest the dreadful danger of poor sinners thine heart should almost bleed within thee Jesus Christ groaned and wept for dead Lazarus How did David mourn for dead Absolom At a funeral though there be much cost yet there is no chear because one is dead What bowels of pity shouldst thou have towards them that are dead spiritually nay dying eternally Dost thou not remember there was a time when no eye pitied thee when God passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood yea when thou wast in thy blood he said unto thee Live behold that time was the time of love to thy soul canst thou now behold others wallowing in their pollutions weltring in their soul blood and thine eyes not affect thine heart with pity to them Especially we that are parents should use all means for the Regeneration of our children and relations We have a little sister that hath no breasts what shall we do for her said the Jews Cant. 8.8 Have not we little Children that have no Christ no hope no grace O what shall we do for them in the day that they shall be spoken for When Samson had found honey in the carcass of the lyon he did not onely eat himself but carryed some to his father and mother thou hast found hony and sweetness in the carcass of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah in a crucified Christ wilt thou not endeavour that thy relations and friends may share with thee Friend canst thou think without trembling on the unnaturalness of most fathers and mothers towards their children All their care is to get earth enough for them but never mind the instating them in heaven the Ostrich leaves her eggs in the earth Iob 39.14 15 and warmeth them in the dust where the foot crusheth them and the wild beast breaks them thus worldly men warm the fruit of their bodies in the earth are diligent to leave them dust enough but consider not that the foot of Gods fury will crush them and the roaring Lion devoure them if they be not Regenerated O the many soul murders which worldly parents commitâ— but if thou art born again I am perswaded nay I am confident of better things of thee thou darest not but teach thy sons Gods ways and labour that thy servants may be converted to him Christianity doth not diminish but rectify thy natural affection it causeth thee to love thy relations not less but better then thou didst before grace makes thy love to run out towards their souls and their spiritual and eternal good O what an honour and priviledge is it that thou mayst be instrumental for the saving of souls Jam. 5.2 ult which that thou mayst be take these three words for thine help First Be sure that thou set them a good pattern let thy life be so exact that others may write after thy copy with credit Look on thy self as new born for this end that thou mightest adorn the Doctrine of God thy Saviour Parents and Masters are often authentick patterns to all their inferiours their zeal will provoke many and if they fall as tall cedars they beat down many shrubs O therefore do nothing of which thou mayst not say to thy family and neighbours as Gideon to his souldiers Iudg 7.17 Look on me and do likewise It is reported of the Hares of Scythia that they teach their young ones to leap from bank to bank from rock to rock by leaping before them which otherwise they would never learn and by this means when they are hunted no beasts can overtake them Do thou set others a pattern in the performance of duties and in the exercise of graces that others learning by thine example may thereby be secured from Satan the great destroyer The morall is good of the fable The old crab bid the young one got forward Shew me the way saith the young crab the mother goeth backward and sideling the daughter followeth her saying Lo I go just as you do Truly thus thy little ones will quickly imitate thy doings Be careful therefore how thou livest walk circumspectly consider of every expression and action not onely whether it be lawful but also whether it be expedient and exemplary Thy religious pattern may do more good then the Ministers preaching they preach with their lips one day in a weak but thou by thy life preachest all the week long 1 Pet. 2.12 Have thy conservation honest among others that they may glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2.12 Secondly Let thy prayers be constant and instant for their Regeneration How can I see the death of my childe said Hagar Alas how canst thou see the eternal death of thy dear children When thou kneelest to prayer with thy wife children and servants and considerest that death will shortly break up thy house and then heaven and hell will claim their due The Regenerate shall go to heaven the unregenerate to hell Thou and they who live together are likely to be parted asunder for ever Good Lord How shouldst thou pray for them with what fervency with what importunity Thou art new born and knowest that hell and heaven are no jesting matters Iohn 4.23 doth not thine heart ake to think that any of thine should dwell in everlasting burnings O go to Christ as the Centurion for his sick child Sir come down ere my child die Lord come down ere my poor children die for ever And as the woman of Canaan Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil Lord help me If thou canst do any thing help them Lord pitie poor children and form thy dear Son in them thus carry thy little children
but are filled only with wind but Saints only can praise him properly after his manner in such a way as he accepteth praise is the highest the most excellent part of Divine Worship Now excellent speech becometh not a fool Pro. 17.7 as every sinner is But praise is comely for the upright Ps 33.1 The water of Saints praises is drawn out of a deep spring the heart and so it is sweet and pleasant This is God's great end in sowing the precious seed of grace that he might reap a crop of glory Acts 15.14 God did at first visit the Gentiles and take out of thim mark a people for his name He makes them partakers of his Nature that they might be a people for his name So Isa 43.21 This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise God formed all the people in the world for himself for his own praise Even a Pharoah is created and advanced that God might be exalted Rom. 9.17 But this regenerated people is the people which God principally designeth for his own praise This people I have formed for my self other people I have passed by like old pieces of mettal leaving them in their dust and rust but this people I have thrown into the fire of my Word have cast them anew and made them vessels of gold meet for my own service and glory They shall shew forth my praise They Alas others may praise him ignorantly as the arrow hiteth the mark but knoweth not its own motion or forcedly as he squeezeth confessions from them of his Justice and strength when they are under the rod or upon the wrack Exod. 9.27 And this is no thank to the Will of man but to the power of God who like the Huntsman useth the rage of the dogs to his own end and maketh the wrath of man to praise him Psal 7â— 10 or at best they praise him but notionally and by hear-say as one born blind may commend the Sun or a stranger the Countrey he never saw How far short must these come when no creature can do God right or limb out his vast perfections in their several dimensions surely these must do him wrong and blot his name with the most curious pensil of their most studied praises but this people shall shew forth my praise Alexander would have none draw his picture but Apelles or cut his statue but â— ysippus because none else had art enough to do it well Certain it is none have skil and wisdom to shew forth God's praise but that people which he formed for that purpose This people which have felt the weight of their sins and smarted with wounds in their souls this people which have sometime been terrified under the apprehension of my unspeakable fury and the expectation of the unquenchable fire this people that have seen their corruptions in their colours suffered divine terrors given themselves over for dead damned creatures and then were by bottomless mercy drawn out of the depth of misery translated out of death and darkness into the Kingdom of light and life this people which I have purchased with the blood of my Son beautified with the graces of my Spirit interessed in rich promises entitled to the heavenly possession this people which have been carried like the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon into the temple 2 King 20.12 and seen all the richness and glory thereof the pleasures and comforts therein tasting me to be gracious sitting under my shadow with great delight solacing their souls with the means of grace and rejoycing in hope of eternal glory this people shall praise the greatness of my power the manifoldness of my Wisdom the sweetness of my Love the sureness of my Word the riches of my Mercy the freeness of my Grace the beauty of my Image the preciousness of my Christ and all this upon their own knowledge and experience O the Hosannah's and Halelujahs the praise and glory and honor and thanks which this people shall give to the Lord and to the Lamb for ever The harps of Saints are tuned to these songs on earth but who can conceive what ravishing musick they will make in running division on these several notes in heaven Surely surely the greatest revenues of praises which come into Gods Exchequer are from the hearty acclamations of his sanctified and saved ones as they receive the choycest mercies the love of God the blood of Christ pardon peace grace glory so they return the highest praises The building of mans body is so stately a structure the rooms in it so curious the hangings and furniture so rich and costly embroidered as with needlework that the owner of the house hath a considerable rent of honor paid for it I will praise thee saith David for I am fearfully and wonderfully made my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest part of the earth Psa 139.14 15. The setting up of the new creation as it is more glorious the image of God's own perfections though it be imperfect in this life the heart of a Saint being bespangled like the heavens with those glistering stars of graces and his life being a legible comment on the divine Law so it brings the author a larger income of honor This is the Lords doings and it is marvellous in the godly mans eye 1 Tim. 1.13 14 17. 1 Pet. 1.3 but when the good work now begun shall be finished then Gods praises shall be perfected when the foundation of this spiritual Temple is laid in this world they cry grace graces but when the top-stone shall be laid in the other world then they shall cry Glory Glory Blessed are they that dwell in that house they ever praise him in that Temple doth every one speak of his glory Therefore the Psalmist observeth that when the Lord shall build up Sion then he shall appear in his glory Psal 10â— 6 While his Church is building he is glorious but as the Sun under a cloud not appearing so to the beholders we can see but little of his infinite beauty because of our weak eyes and receive but little of his infinite bounty because of our narrow hearts but when Sion shall be built up in heaven our eyes shall be strengthned to see the King in his glory to see him as he is and the water-pots of our souls enlarged and filled up to the brim with those streams which make glad the City of God then the Lord shall appear in his glory then he shall have the honor of all his Attributes the praise of all his Providences and the glory of all his Perfections for then he shall appear in all his royalty embroidery magnificence and glory When the Saints shall have sailed in the vessel of their Saviour through the boisterous waters of Mens wrath Devils rage and the Laws curse and be safely landed in Heaven then God shall have his full price of honor and glory for
through the streets of London with twenty mules laden to show his pomp but as the triumph passed through Cheapside the beasts stumbled brake their collars cast their coffers and then the lids flying open discovered his riches to be nothing but old shooes and boots torn stockings old iron and totter'd rags I tell thee Reader though now thou mayst be wonder'd at for thy spiritual wealth yet as soon as thou stumblest into the other world 't will be tried 't will be known whether they be real or imaginary riches Paul told his Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.19 I will come to you shortly and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power What will ye shall I come to you with a rod or in love O Friend not Paul but Jesus Christ himself will come to thee by death shortly and will know not thy speech in being puffed up with a shadow of profession but the power and try whether thou hast the substance of Religion Now man what wilt thou shall he come to thee with a rod or in love shall he send good Angels to guard thee to Heaven or evil Angels to drag thee to Hell When David was going to encounter with Goliah he told Saul that he could not go with the armor which Saul had put on him because he had not proved it 1 Sam. 17.39 And darest thou enter the list against a far greater enemy even death with that armor which was never proved be confident if thou fightest without armor of proof death will foil thee The day of Judgement will try thee then naked breasts will be in fashion and God will rip thee open before the world nay if thou wilt not now examine thy self to thy conversion he will examine thee then to thy confusion When the Judge shall be a consuming fire and the whole world be in a flame and thou be tried by a fiery Law Hebr. 12.28 2 Peter 3.10 Deut. 33.2 'T was a sharp kind of examination by which Paul was examined Acts 22.14 The chief Captain commanded that he should be examined by scourging 'T is a sad kinde of examination by which many Countreys examine Malefactors upon the wrack putting them to exquisite pains Reader Remember that if thou dost not examine thy self at this day God will examine thee at the last day and 't will be an examination upon the wrack an examination with scourging it will be a word and a wound every blow will fetch blood every interrogation will be a stabbing stinging killing question When Christ shall say to thee Sinner how didst thou dare thus to cozen and undo thy soul what madness possessed thee thus to dally about matters of infinite and endless moment Hadst thou examined thy self according to my word and found thy self lost there had then been some hopes of life but I tell thee now 't is too late Well I le rip thee open before Angels and men and cause thy conscience with its gnawing worm and stinging gripes to examine thee eternally The fire of hell shall try what mettal thou art that will prove thee to purpose O friend think of this seriously and speedily for that day of Christ will declare thee and Alas alas who shall abide the day of his trial or who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like refiners fire and as fullers sope All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom thou shalt then have to do If thou art afraid to venture a trial in the low Court of Conscience where his Word shall be thy Judge with what fear and trembling wilt thou appear at his bar when he that searcheth thine heart trieth thy reins and will reward thee according to thy works shall sit upon the Bench Therefore cast up thy accounts before God and thy soul whilst there is hope of making all even lest thou do as some Tradesmen who neglect so long to cast up their books till at last their books cast them up Thirdly consider it is possible to know whether thou art new born or no. I do not set thee to beat the air or to work at the labour in vain A Christian may be assured of his regeneration and thereby of his salvation They which have the law of God written in their hearts may be able to read it David when his deeds and evidences were not blotted with his foul offences could discern them clearly Thy law is within my heart Psalm 40.8 When the Sun ariseth he bringeth his naturall light with him whereby he is discovered to the world A diamond set in a gold-ring bringeth such an orient sparkling with it that it causeth men to discern it truly so the Sun of righteousness when he ariseth in the soul bringeth a spiritual light along with him which helpeth the new creature to behold him and the Diamond of Grace casteth such a sparkling lustre in the heart of a Christian that it thereby becomes visible Regeneration makes a wonderful change and alteration now great alterations of State are not without observation Doth a Kingdom change its Governor a cruel arbitrary Tyrant that fleeced them and slew them at pleasure for a mild merciful peaceable Prince that ruleth them with a righteous scepter and not take notice of it Can a creature change his master sin and flesh for Christ and his Spirit his work of serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 for serving the Lord with singleness of heart and not observe it When the man is new made Christ cometh into his heart with his Spirit Graces Gospel great Guests when they come into an house have many eyes upon them the King of Glory doth not come with such a train and retinue in secret the gradual change from grace to grace is not so visible but a specifical change from nature to grace is undoubtedly sensible when the ground that before brought forth nothing but weeds and thistles comes to bring forth wheat an ordinary person may perceive the difference though how this wheat groweth is not so perceptible Every new creature doth not know the time nor manner nor means of his conversion but every one may know that he is converted The mother doth not know how she comes to be quick but she knoweth that she is quick for the feeleth the childe to stir in her womb how the shadow moveth on the dial we cannot see but that it moveth we see plainly in that its opposite at night to the place where it was at noon Though conversion be not ever sensible in the act yet it is sensible enough by its effects and the reason why it is not in all alike visible is because it is not in all alike violent God converteth some by Boanerges sons of thunder others by a Barnabas a son of consolation to some he comes as on Mount Sinai Exod. 19. with thundrings lightnings and a great noise to others as to
wanting but it may be made up by this blessing If thou dost hearken unto the voyce of the Lord thy God blessed shalt thou be in the city and in the field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out and blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in Deut. 28.1 to 14. verse Thou wouldst be a blessing to thy neighbours as a conduite yield clear water for others comfort If they were prophane they might be brought to mind piety by thy precepts and pattern If they were good they would rejoyce at thy conversion to God and like Abraham make a feast at the weaning of thee a child of the promise from the breasts of the creatures Thou shouldst be blessed in thy name The memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10.7 Thy name would be heir to thy life as soon as ever thy nature were religious thy name would be reverend and when thou diest thou wouldst go out of this world like some sweet perfume leaving a fragrant savour behind thee O Reader how many sheets might I write in relating thy felicity How honourable shouldst thou be having blood royal running in thy veins and being heir apparent to a Kingdom of glory How rich having a key to Gods treasury and being interested in the covenant of grace which hath more wealth in it then heaven and earth How comfortable having the promises for thy cordials and being garrisond within with that peace of God which passeth all understanding How beautiful having the robes of the righteousness of God to adorn thee which is infinitely more comly then the unspotted innocency either of Adam or Angels The infinite God would be thy God blessed Angels thy guardians beautiful Saints thy companions durable riches thy portion the flesh of Christ thy food his own robes thy raiment and his own mansion house thine everlasting home Thou couldst not cast an eye but it would see matter of mirth nor send forth a thought but it would return with a report of mercy Whether thou lookest up to thy father in heaven and his glorious attendants there or lookest down to his creatures on earth and the signs of his manifold wisdom and mighty power here or whether thou lookest into conscience or Scriptures every thing all things would yeild thee cause of comfort and give thee occasion of inward exaltation In all conditions be they never so sad thy soul would be safe and thine everlasting estate secure The vails are incertain but the standing wages are certain What ballast is to a ship that regeneration would be to thy spirit If the vessel be sound and well ballasted though it may be tossed and rocked with windes and waves yet it shall not be ruined So if thine heart were stablished with grace thou shouldst be steady in the greatest storm nay though thou wert naked in deep waters in the mighty Sea yet Christ thine head being ever above water thou couldst not possibly sink When thou shouldst come to die and to throw thy last cast for Eternity thou mightest walk in the valley of the shadow of death and fear none ill for God would be with thee Psal 23. When pale-faced death knocks at the door of thine house of clay by the hand of some mortal sickness thou needst not be daunted at his grim looks but mightest boldly open to him and bid that Messenger heartily welcom as knowing that he comes from a God in Covenant to give thee a passage into fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures It s reported of Godfry Duke of Bulloign in his expedition to the Holy-Land that when his Army came within view of Jerusalem beholding the high Turrets and fair Fronts which were the skelitons of far more glorious bodies they were so transported with joy that they gave such a shout that the very earth was said to ring again How might thine heart leap with joy when thou upon thy death-bed shouldst with the eye of faith behold the stately Turrets and pearly gates of the New and Eternal Jerusalem Thou mightest contentedly leave thine earthly habitation for the Fathers house and joyfully bid adieu to thy corruptible silver and airy honors for an enduring substance and an eternal weight of glory How cheerfully mightest thou forsake thy meat and drink and all thy carnal comforts to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven and to bathe thy soul in angelical delights With what courage mightest thou bid farewel to thy stately dwelling dearest wife most lovely children all thy kindred and acquaintance to go to mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant Hebr. 12.22 23 24. Thou shouldst comfortably think of thy bodies being laid in the grave to sleep there till the morning of the Resurrection for that bed would be sweet to thee being perfumed with the precious body of thy Saviour for thee And with what joy mightest thou think of the day of Judgement when thy body should be awaken out of its sleep united to thy soul fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and both soul and body made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity O the felicity of the regenerate How blessed are they whom God chooseth and causeth by Regeneration to approach unto him Friend Friend Can the world do half this for thee Why then dost thou spend thy strength for what is not bread and thy labour for what will not satisfie Will not God do all this and much much more for thee Why then dost thou forsake the fountain of living waters and hew unto thy self broken cisterns that can hold no waters Ah didst thou but know the gift of God and who it is that offereth these things to thee thou wouldest ask of him and he would give thee living waters John 4.10 Reader what sayest thou to these things Is there not infinite reason why thou shouldst speedily give a Bill of divorce to thy most beloved lusts and strike an hearty Covenant with the Lord Jesus Art not thou fully convinced of the matchless gain of godliness Let conscience speak one would think such powerful arguments could not be denied that so many and such costly Loadstones should draw thee towards Heaven though thine heart were as hard as iron or steel If thou art for profit man here is profit indeed and to purpose Thus whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul The Felicity of the Regenerate in the other World THough in what I have already offered in the Name of the blessed God I have unspeakably out-bid Devil World and Flesh yet to manifest
Martyrs he was earnest to know what it was which carried them through with so much courage One of them there being two and twenty at that time under the tormentors hands answered Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Upon the hearing of which words Adrian was converted and sealed the truth with his blood Thou hast heard much more concerning the happiness of the Saints in the other world then one verse of Scripture how art thou taken with it Doth the joy there nothing affect thine heart nor enlarge it in salleys out after it O that that joy that glory that house that eternal heaven were mine Doth it nothing resolve thee against sin and for Christ answer God in thy conscience Some write that forty one of Alexanders friends drunk themselves dead for a crown of gold of One hundred and eighty pound weight which the King had provided for them which drank most God offereth thee a crown of glory not corruptible as silver and gold are but eternal art not thou ashamed that those swaggerers should cursedly lose their lives and souls for a fading crown when thou wilt not leave thy lusts thy sins for an ever-flourishing crown of glory O man bethink thy self whilst thou hast time and do not as prophane Esau prefer thy mess of pottage before these spiritual priviledges and the eternal purchase Cleopatra the Egyptian Princess told Marcus Antonius when she saw him-spending his time vainly and meanly much below the quality of a Prince It is not for you to fish for Gudgeons or Trouts but for Towns and Cities and Castles and Kingdoms So say I to thee It is not for the to lie spending thy time and strength and beating thine head and heart for an hoard of dust or an heap of earth which shall shortly take its eternal leave of thee but for spiritual riches for durable riches and righteousness it 's not for thee to busie thy self about toyes and trifles but about the image of God the blood of Christ the Covenant of Grace the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Heaven the eternal weight of Glory O these are worthy of all thy thoughts and words and actions of all thy time and strength and health of all thy name and estate and interest whatsoever If thou att a rational creature Swinham Court of Wards and Liv. let reason prevail with thee and shew thy self a man of understanding It was the custom formerly in England to try one that was beg'd for a fool in this manner an apple or a counter with a piece of gold was set before him if he take the apple or the counter he is cast for a fool in the judgement of the Court as one that knoweth not the true value of things or how to make choyce of what was best for him Truly thus it is with thee God setteth before thee the counters and carnal comforts of this world the true gold and unutterable happiness of the other world nay he layeth before thee the eternal pains of hell and the eternal pleasures of Heaven to try which thou wilt take now if thou wilt take a poor portion below and leave the purchased possession above if thou wilt to abide in thy sensual lusts chuse the torments of hell and refuse by not submitting to the rule of Christ the joys of heaven art thou not a fool in grain surely the Devil will beg thee for a fool for ever therefore shew thy self wise by chusing that which is of greatest worth I call heaven and earth to record this day against thee that I have set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live Deut. 30.19 The third Subject of Consideration The Excellency of Regeneration THirdly Consider the excellency of that which the Lord requireth of thee for the avoiding of that easeless endless misery of the damned and the attaining the unspeakable and unchangeable felicity of the saved Reader I pray thee speak to God in thine heart and tell him what is the reason thou art so willing to go to Hell and so unwilling to go to Heaven Sure I am as thou art a living creature much more as a rational man thou hast a natural inclination and propensity towards thine own good and felicity and therefore thou canst not love Hell directly as it is torturing and wracking of thy soul and body though thou dost love it eventually as 't is the end of thy fleshly ungodly life Well I le undertake for once to dive into thine heart and tell thee the reason of thy backwardness towards heaven and thy forwardness for hell The reason is this thou lookest on the power of godliness as distasteful to thy flesh or disgraceful to thy name the yoke of Christ is too strict t is not the end that displeaseth thee thou couldst contentedly be happy but t is the narrowness of the way and the straitness of the gate with which thou art dis-satisfied 't will not afford thee room enough for thy beloved lusts is it not so let conscience speak Well I hope by the help of God to make thee of another minde when thou hast throughly read this Head which I am now writing of It is the saying of Plato That if moral Philosphy could be seen with moral eyes it would draw all mens hearts after it Sure sure I am that if Regeneration or the Divine nature were seen with divine eyes 't would draw mens hearts and heads and hands and all after it All that ever struck at it did it in the dark They spake evil of things which they knew not Reader what is that which God requireth of thee Is it not to leave thy slavery to Satan thy bondage to sin and to accept and enjoy the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Is it not that thou shouldst be divorced from sin that mishapen monster and spawn of the Devil whose person is deformed whose company is defiling and whose portion is damnation and that thou shouldst be married to Jesus Christ the fairest of ten thousands the heir of all things who would adorn thee with the jewels of his graces beautifie thee with the Imbroydery of his Spirit wash thee with his own blood array thee with his own righteousness and present thee to his father without spot to be blessed in his full immediate enjoyment for ever Is it not that thou shouldst cease thy drudgery to Hells-Jaylor live above the perishing profits bruitish pleasures empty honors of the world and flesh and that thou shouldst walk after the Spirit walk with God warm thine heart at the flame of his love bathe thy soul in angelical delights have thy conversation in Heaven here and thy habitation there hereafter Is not this Man the sum and substance of what the Lord requireth of thee and art thou not shroudly hurt would not these
Had he studied a thousand years for a name he could not have called it by a worse name then its own sinful sin Luther saith that could a man but see perfectly the evil of his sins on earth it would be an hell to him such a frightful ugly monster is sin Look on sin which way thou wilt and it is exceeding sinful the evil of evils Take it in its nature it is a deviation from Gods Law a wandring from his word a casting his Law behinde the back the Law is strait sin is crookedness Psal 125.5 The Law is holy sin is defilement Rom. 7.12 2 Cor. 7.1 The Law is just sin is unrighteousness 1 John 1.7 The Law is liberty sin is bondage Jam. 2.8 12. 2 Tim. 2.26 Sin is a defacing of Gods image it blots and blurs that fair and beautiful writing not onely meritoriously as it provokes God to withdraw his Grace but physically Numb 15.30 Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.12 as one contrary expels another Hereby it dishonours Gods name and reproacheth his Majesty for what greater disgrace can be done to a Prince then to tread his orders under foot and tear and scratch and deface his picture Nay Lev. 22.26 Zec. 11.8 Rom. 8.7 Rom. 1.30 1 Sa. 15.23 Isa 1.2 Rom. 6 16. Psal 14.1 it s a defying and fighting against God a walking contrary to him a daring of him it is enmity against him loathing him hatred of him contrariety to him it is against his Soveraignity and so is rebellion against his mercy and so is unkindness against his justice and so is unrighteousness against his wisdom and so is folly against his will Omne seccatu est deicidium and so is stubbornness Were it strong enough it would ungod him were the sinners power according to his corrupt heart he would pluck God out of Heaven I would I were above God saith Spira When the body of sin is nailed as a thief on the Cross yet even then it will rage as he and spit out poison against Heaven Reader Canst thou finde in thine heart to hug and embrace such a Traytor against the gracious and blessed God! To stretch out thine hand against God as every sinner doth and strengthen thy self against the Almighty Vid. Car. in loc 10 this purpose Job 15.25 Stretch out thine hand against God! No man should lift up a word against God our mouthes should shew forth his praise Stretch out thine hand against God! no man should lift up a thought against God our meditations of him should be for him Stretch out thine hand against God every man should bow down and worship before God and be satisfied in what ever he saith and doth Stretch out thine hand against God! thou art bound to stretch out thine heart and hand and tongue to think and speak and act and all for God and all little enough Take sin in its effect and what evil is like it Eccl. 1.3 it is the cause of all other evils Dost thou consider the emptiness vanity and vexation in the creatures the heavens fighting against man the earth bearing thorns and briars the diseases in mens bodies the burning Feavor watery Dropsie aking teeth running Gout wracking Stone renting Collick the quivering lips trembling loins gastly looks of dying men The horrors of conscience flashes of the infernal fire curses of the Law wrath of God torments of Hell all these are the fruits of sin All misery calleth sin mother this is the root of bitterness upon which they grow the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 ult and 5.12 that big-bellied word Death hath all these woful brats in its belly and Sin is the father that begat them Sin turned Adam out of Paradise Angels into Devils Sodom and Gomorah into ashes flourishing Families Cities Kingdoms into ruinous heaps Sin shuts heaven against man laid the foundation of that dark vault of hell Sin kindled the fire of hell Sin feeds it with fuel and will keep it burning for ever Oh what an evil is sin who would not hate it more then hell Is it good to play with such fire as sin is didst thou believe sin to be the cause of all this thou wouldst never open thy heart or mouth more for it Dost thou know that as where the effect is good the cause is better so where the effect is bad the cause is worse Can there be worse effects then eternal separation from God and suffering the vengeance of eternal fire how bad is sin then which is the cause of them Take sin as a punishment and 't is the evil the only evil there is no suffering like to this to be given up to a course of sining Reader take heed of continuing an hour longer in thine ungodly practices it may be thou hast been ready to think it a great happiness to sin without controle to run in the road of the flesh and to meet with no rubs to prosper though thou art wicked I tell thee and think of it the longest day thou livest for it highly concerneth thee that the infinite God never claps a more dreadful curse on any man or woman on this side hell then to give them up to sin If God should give thee up to the sword famine most painful diseases to thy most cruel potent and malicious enemies to be wrackt by them at pleasure these were nothing to this to be given up to one sin When God hath used his rods scourging men and they will not reform then he takes this ax and presently execution followeth to be delivered up to the power of men may be the lot of Gods sons but to be delivered up to the power of sin is the portion of Rebels of Reprobates This is the stinging whip with which God punisheth Ephrahim 2 Tim. 3.13 2 â—hess 2.10 11. Ephraim is joyned to Idols there is his impiety but what grievous punishment shall he have for his God-provoking Idolatry Let him alone Hos 4.17 It is not I will send the raging pestilence or cruel famine or bloody sword but he is joyned to idols let him alone I will not have him disturbed or molested but he shall have his will though it prove his everlasting woe Rom. 1.21 22. Psal 81.11 12. Hos 8.11 It is a woe with a witness 1 Cor 5. comp with 2 Cor. 7. for God to let thy lusts like so many ravenous Lions loose upon thee and to lay the reins of thy sins upon thy own neck We read of one delivered up to Satan yet he was saved but never of any delivered up to their sins but they were damned It was a sad sight which Abraham saw when he beheld flakes of fire rained from heaven upon the Sodomites but it was a sadder which Lot beheld when he saw the fire of hell burning in their hearts and breaking out in their lives and his righteous soul was vexed therewith Reader have a care that thou never in thy heart plead more for
cause thee to blossom and bud and ripen in the fruits of holiness There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Psal 130.4 Why doth he send the nipping winter of adversity but to kill the hurtful weeds of thy lusts This is his end in afflicting even the taking avay of sin Isa 27.9 He useth the flail that the huskes may flie off when one key will not open the door of thy heart he will try another Why doth he interweave mercy and affliction that his providences towards the children of men are chequer-work white and black black and white mercy and affliction affliction and mercy but because his infinite wisdom seeth that this mixture will suit best with his ends the purifying and renewing his creature If all the year were summer the sap of the trees would be quite exhausted if all were winter it would be quite buried If thou hadst nothing in thy body but natural heat it would burn thee up if nothing but moisture it would drown thee therefore thy radical moisture allayeth thy natural heat and thy natural heat giveth bounds to thy radical moisture and each well tempered make an excellent constitution of body If thou hadst nothing but mercy thou wouldst be wanton and conceited if nothing but misery thou wouldst be too much dejected therefore God sendeth mercy to make thee cheerful and misery to keep thee awful The good Physician tempers his drugs wisely and weigheth them exactly and so prescribes and gives them as they may best conduce to the carrying on of his own end the spiritual health of his Patients Fifthly Regeneration will appear to be excellent in that it is the special work of God himself Grace is the immediate creatue of God man can ruine but not renew himself Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 1.13 Man may lay some claim though there also God is the principal to the fatherhood of our fleshly beings but God onely can lay claim to the fatherhood of our spiritual beings Holiness is a beam of light darted forth from none but the Sun of righteousness We are his workmanship Ephes 2.10 His workmanship both by way of efficiency and excellency How beautiful is that structure which hath such a Builder what a rare work must that be which hath such a workman Surely that is a choice plant which is of Gods own planting O who would not be in love with so fair a child for the fathers sake The creation of our outward beings as we are men Iob 10.8 1.10 is the work of God Thy hands have made me and fashioned me Psal 119.77 God makes every man as well as the first man Nature and natural causes are nothing but the order in which and the tools with which he is pleased to work Now this work of God is excellent it is the Master-piece of the visible Creation Man is the fair workmanship of a wise Artificer saith one Heathen The bold attempt of daring nature saith another One of the Ancients calleth man The Miracle of miracles Another The measure of all things A third The worlds Epitome The world in a small volume The body which is the worst half of man Psal 1 â—9 14.15 is curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth and made in secret as curious workmen when they have some choice piece in hand they perfect it in private and then bring it forth to the light for men to gaze on In thy book were all my members written Psal 139.14 15. A skilful Architect who is to set up some stately building will draw a model of it in his book or upon a table before he will adventure to set it up to be sure that it shall be done exactly So to shew what an exact piece the body of man is God is said to work it by the book But the soul which is Gods work too is a more exquisite piece the body is as it were the sheath Dan. 7.15 the soul is the glittering sword the body is but the cabinet this is the jewel 't is by this that man claims kindred with the Angels in Heaven and surpasseth all creatures on Earth Consider then if this work of Gods hands this visible Creation be so excellent how excellent is the invisible Creation the creating man in Christ unto good works Surely that is curious work workmanship indeed The Tables of stone hewed immediately by the hand of God and on which he had with his own fingers written the Law was such a piece that mortal eyes could not behold it without astonishment and admiration What a rare Manuscript was that where the book the matter the writing were all of Gods own making and doing But the writing of the Law in the fleshly tables of the heart by the Spirit of God is much more glorious I am very willing Friend to convince thee of the excellency of Regeneration and therefore would speak more to this head Think of what thou pleasest which thin eunderstanding can judge excellent and thou shalt finde the image of God far more excellent Is wealth excellent Luk. 16.11 1 Tim. 6 7. Mat 6.19 â—0 Prov. 8.18 this is the true riches others are but the shadow this is the substance other riches are but for a short time these are for ever durable riches and righteousness Other riches will go only as brass farthings in some particular places in this beggarly low world of earth but these like gold and silver go in all countries are currant coyn even in the higher world of Heaven Is wisdom excellent this is wisdom the fear of the Lord is the beginning the word fignifieth the apex the top the perfection of wisdom Prov. 1.7 Job 28.2 The pious man is the prudent man He alone can judge rightly of things set a due price upon things propound to himself the noblest ends and use the best means therefore he is called by way of eminency A man of wisdom Mic. 6.9 The knowing subtle Pharisees for want of this were but learned fools Matth. 23.17 Sinner and Fool are Synonima's in Scripture The English word Fool is thought to come from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth wicked Is beauty excellent Grace is the greatest beauty the beauty of holiness Psal 110.5 O how comely is the new creature never any saw it but fell in love with it The Spouse of Christ is the fairest among women Thou art all fair my love thou art all fair Cant. 4.1 Godliness is such a beauty that as I have said before God himself is taken with it Sin is a spot a defilement this beauty is inward it sits upon the face of the most noble part of man the Soul and thereby is the more comely its lasting not liable to the rage of a disease or wrinckles of old age but always increasing whilst here to a greater perfection Is pleasure excellent Godliness is
oyle to the lamps which will keep them ever burning Philosophers tell us that elementary fire wants no fuell though culinary doth Divines tell us that the Spirit of God needs not ordinances for he is infinite in power but that he will not work without them where he affords them is manifestly his pleasure Reader if thou art humbled as I have before spoken thou lookest on thy self as a vile creature even as a dog I would have thee now very careful that thou wait patiently for the bountiful house-keeper of the world is preparing some good food for thee and do not eatch too hastily at the childrens bread the promises lest it be taken from thee and thou meet with a blow When a wound is deep there is much wisdome required to keep it some time open with a tent and not to heal it up too soon lest its cure be imperfect Do thou wait Gods leisure bemoaning thy sins abhorring thy self praying fervently for thy soul and be confident that Jesus Christ who is already upon his way will arise upon thee speedily with healing under his wings It may be that this tender able Physitian cometh nearer to thee he doth not onely shew thee the nature and danger of thy disease and make thee who wert before sensless apprebensive of it by feeling thy sickness but doth also discover to thee an excellent and costly remedy which hath cured many of thy very disease and will unquesionably heal thee if thou wilt but accept it thankfully and apply it prudently I mean the spirit presenteth to thee when thou art full of anguish and sorrow that rare salve of the blood of Jesus Christ which spread upon a promise is the onely healing plaister for a wounded conscience He acquainteth thee with the alsufficiency of Jesus Christ to save sinners that he is a Saviour of Gods own appointing one in whom God hath given under his hand that he is well pleased a redeemer that hath in him infinite meritoriousness because he is the onely begotten of the father if he sheweth thee long bils of others debts which have been canceld by the blood of Christ and assureth thee that he is not onely able but truly willing to save thee that he was wounded for thy transgressions and bruised for thine iniquities and by his stripes thou mayst be healed The Holy Ghost possibly setteth the King of Saints before thee in all his robes and riches and righteousness as it were thus bespeaking thee Come poor sinner that lyest weltring in thy blood hearken to me and thou shalt see what I can and will do for thee though by thy wilful breach of the Law thou art liable to such endless boundless fury as thou couldst neither abide nor avoid yet I will be a Skreen between thee and the unquenchable fire I le satisfy the law and pacify my father I le not onely deliver thee from sin and Satan wrath and death and damnation but adopt thee for a Son interest thee in that inestimable treasure the covenant of grace and make thee an heir of the eternal weight of glory and all this thou shalt have freely and surely if thou wilt but accept me thankefully and heartily for thy Saviour and Lord. At the hearing of which loving language thou probably art amazed and ready to say as Mephibosheth when David told him that he should eat bread at his table continually What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am Thou admirest the riches of Christs merits the freeness of his mercy and the happiness of his members thy soul begins to be exceedingly in love with him and affectionately longing after him O thinkest thou Had I but Christ for my portion though I were never so poor in temporals I could be heartily contented Now Christian the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto thee thou art now upon thy quickening be but careful there and thou art made for ever I know that thy broken heart is willing to go to Jesus Christ but have a care that thou carry nothing to him that thou keep nothing from him thy miscariage in either of these may quite break off the bargain between Christ and thy soul as near as t is driven I say carry nothing to Christ Thy next step must be quite out of thine own doors the Devil knoweth how to slay thee as well by thy righteousness thy mournful contrition for sin as by thine unrighteousness thy wilful commission of sin which made Austin say That repentance damneth more then sin nay thy trusting upon thy prayers or tears or any good in thee doth alter the nature of them and turn them into sin in this many stick they are hardly brought off from their own bottoms When mens houses are on fire their covetousness to save their goods hath often lost them their lives when mens souls are in a flame their pride to carry out with them their good prayers and good desires and good resolutions hath lost them eternal life they will pay some of their brass-farthings towards the reckoning and God therefore makes them pay the whole shot O how unwilling is the creature to be beholden to Christ his Surety for the payment of all his debts though he be a meer bankrupt yet he hopes he may compound with his Creditor and pay something towards his satisfaction and this ariseth partly from his ignorance of that righteousness which alone can satisfie the Law or pacifie the Lord For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness Rom. 10.3 They were ignorant first how perfect that righteousness must be for which God will justifie a sinner that if there be the least spot in it his pure eyes cannot accept it secondly they were ignorant how compleat that righteousness is which the Law requireth how the Law reacheth to the inward as well as the outward man how it damneth for the smallest idle word wandring thought or complying motion of the heart with sin Did they but know that that righteousness which pleaseth God for their justification must answer the Law in its full latitude and all its dimensions they would not offer their drossy duties no nor their golden graces for currant coin which being weighed in that ballance of the Sanctuary must needs be found infinitely too light Partly from his pride For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 Mark They have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God Proud man esteems it submission a condescention to be beholden to Jesus Christ for remission and salvation he hath though a beggers purse yet a proud heart and is loth to trouble Jesus Christ so much and to take all his mercies as almes out of the basket of the Redeemers merits Reader now thou art in a storm if thou lovest thy soul do not run to shelter
Regeneration First Vse and attend on the means of grace The ordinances of God are the Marts and Faires whereat Christians must trade for grace At them thou mayst buy spiritual commodities without money and without price The ever blessed God hath upon a twofold account enjoyned the use of his ordinances partly out of soveraignty over us that we might thereby acknowledg that homage and fealty which we owe to his Majesty Partly out of mercy to us that we might therein receive of his Spirit and grace By our attendance on ordinances as by a pepper-corn for all that we can do is very little we acknowledg of whom we hold and to whom we are bound and also they are the door at which God giveth his gracious doles The manna of the spirit doth usually fall down in the dews of ordinances Thou hast Gods command for thy warrant Mat. 7.7 8. Isa 55.1 2 3 5. and his promise for thy motive In all places where I record my name there I will come and will bless thee Exod. 20.24 And if thou wouldst know what blessing what alms God giveth at those places There the Lord commandeth his blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.3 God giveth not such blessings anywhere as there there are the mercies of the Throne pardon love peace conversion increase of grace joy in the Holy Ghost the kidneys of the wheat the finest of the flowre and the honey out of the rock of mercy It is said of Constantine that he impoverished all his Empire to enrich Constantinople God doth pass by other parts of the world as waste ground or as a wilderness but the place where he records his Name is his garden that he will dung and dig and dress and take care that it bring forth good fruit there he commands his blessing It is an allusion possibly to great persons to a General or an Emperor Where the word of a King is there is power The Centurion said I say to one Souldier Go and he goeth to another Come and he commeth to a third Do this and he doth it So God commandeth one ordinance Go and build up such a Saint and it goeth he saith to another ordinance Come and call home such a sinner and it doth it Gods word and work goe together Men cannot enable others or give them power to obey them they may bid a lame man walk or a blinde man see but they cannot enable them to walk or see God with his word giveth strength to do the thing commanded as in the old so in the new creation He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psal 33.9 But there the Lord commands his blessing even life for evermore The stream of Regeneration or a spiritual life which shall never cease but still go forward and increase till it swell to and be swallowed up in the Ocean of eternal life even life for evermore Thou hearest Reader where thy wants may be supplied through what pipes the water of life is conveyed do thou like the impotent man wait at the porch of Solomons Temple begging and expecting some alms God may do more for thee as for him Acts 3.2 8. then thou dost ask or think It was as easie for Boaz and it might have been done with as little charge to have given Ruth as much corn at first as would have yeilded an Epah of barley and so have sent her away without any more ado but he will have her glean it and then break it So God could infuse Grace immediately but he will have men hear read and pray attend on Ordinances though not as masters yet as means of Grace He giveth earthly riches to them that are diligent in their particular callings so he giveth heavenly riches to them that are diligent about their general calling Secondly Observe in this third help a serious constant use of all the means of Grace appointed for this end David in meditation findeth the Spirit kindling that fire which at last broke out into an holy flame Psal 39.3 While I was musing the fire burned The two disciples at godly conference found Jesus Christ to make a third while they were discoursing of him he presents himself to them causeth their hearts to burn within them and openeth their eyes to know him Dead coals are kindled by live ones O 't is good for thee to be among the Saints Thomas by missing one meeting did his soul unspeakable dis-service Cornelius at prayer in his house Acts 10. initiâ— had a messenger from heaven directing him whither to send for one to instruct him in the way of Salvation Prayer hath been a prevalent Orator at the Throne of Grace Many that have gone thither with prayers and petitions have come away with praises and thanksgivings Jacob added tears to his prayes and as a Prince prevailed with God He wept and made supplication and prevailed Hosea 12.4 Musick sounds best upon the waters such water of a sinner mingled with the blood of a Saviour hath melted the very heart of God A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 When Daniel was fasting his body an angel is sent to feast his soul Dan. 9.21 While some have been casting themselves down God hath been raising them up Papists on their fasting dayes deny themselves flesh but have dainty fare costly sweet-meats Thou mayst Reader if thou humblest thy self under the mighty hand of God expect that he should in his own time lift thee up These duties have helped to increase and also to beget holiness The Eunuch was reading the Scripture when Philip was commanded by commission from the Holy Ghost to joyn himself to his Chariot and to instuct him in the knowledge of Christ Act. 8.33 Junius by reading Joh. 1. Augustine by reading Romans 13. were converted The three thousand Act. 3. by hearing came to love and truly many thousands have found the Gospel of Christ preached to become the power of God unto Salvation Cyprian confesseth that he was converted from idolatry and negromancy by hearing the history of the Prophet Jonas read and expounded by Cecilius whom therefore he calleth the father of his new life Faith and repentance are both wrought by hearing Rom. 10.14 Acts 3.37 The wandring sinner is most frequently reduced by the Scripture either read or heard God cals to him when he is running away saying Return Return O Shulamite Return Return In all Gods great works there is ordinarily a word accompanying it as in the creation God said Let there be light when Christ raised Lazarus Lazarus come forth when he converted Paul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me At the great day Arise ye dead and come to judgment The Devil got in at first into mans heart by his eare The Dragon bites the Elephants eare and thence sucks his blood knowing that to be the onely place which he cannot reach with his trunk to defend The Spirit of God comes in with the word 2
Affections by sanctification and his Life by reformation he can never obtain Salvation He cannot see that is enjoy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusâ—animad lib. 2. cap 2. he cannot have his portion in it or ever attain the enjoyment of it Videre est frui Vision in Scripture is frequently put for fruition as Psa 27.13 Heb. 12.14 Isa â—3 11 Psa 34.12 Matth. 5.8 The Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Kingdom is twofold 1. The Kingdom of Grace here Rom. 14.17 The kingdom of God is not meat aâ—â— drink but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Matth. 6.33 2 The Kingdom of Glory hereafter 1 Thess 2.12 Now except a man be born again he can have no right to the priviledges of the Kingdom of Grace nor to the possession of the Kingdom of Glory The Text being thus briefly explained I shall glean some few ears by the way before I come to the full sheaf which will afford through the blessing of God much spiritual food to our souls 1. Observe That Christ is very willing to instruct them that come to him notwithstanding their many weaknesses Nicodemus was short in his confession of Christ and faulty in his coming to him only by night yet the meek Master overlooketh this and presently falls upon teaching his untoward Schollar The tender Father doth not turn his weak childe out of doors but lends him his helping hand wherby he might be enabled to go As when a soul is in him he doth not refuse its gold because it wanteth some grains nor its honey though it be mingled with wax Cant 5.1 so when a soul is in the way to him he doth not reject it for its imperfections nor twit it with its corruptions as those flies that love to feed on sores but as the loving parent beholdeth the Prodigal while he is afar off runneth more then half way to meet him and as the true Turtle chirpeth sweetly that he may cluck sinners nearer to himself 2. Observe A man may be a noble knowing person and yet ignorant of and a stranger to regeneration Nicodemus was a Ruler of the Jews either one of the Sanhedrim or great Council or one of the Rulers of their Synagogue one that taught others and yet was himself untaught in this rudiment this A B C of Christianity how childishly doth he talk of this weighty truth vers 4. How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born How deep may a man dive into the mysteries of Nature how sharp-sighted may he be there and yet as blind at a Mole in the things of Grace Nature may in some men be dung'd with industry art education and example and thereby shew fair spread far and overtop others but yet manured to the utmost it is but Nature still Its grapes will be the grapes of Sodom and its clusters the clusters of Gomorrah The natural man like Zacheus is too low of stature to see Jesus he discerneth not the things of God neither indeed can he for they are spiritually discerned Cor. 2.14 The wisest Philosophers that could cunningly pick the lock of Natures Cabinet and behold much of her riches and treasure were meer Ideots and fools in the things of the Spirit and understood no more of these mysteries of Divinity then a Cowherd doth of the darkest precepts of Astonomy Water riseth no higher then its fountain the light within us or Nature is but a rush candle and cannot enable us to see the Sun of Righteousness the light without us or Scripture is the star to the wise men leading us to the place where the Babe of Bethlehem lieth As the eye without the optick vertue is but a dead member so all humane wisdom without divine inspiration is but learned folly and elaborate wickedness 3 Observe That regeneration is one principal thing which Pastors ought to instruct their people in Jesus Christ though the wind of Nicodemus words verse 2 seemed to blow towards some other coast yet he waves all other discourse and speaks directly and home to this as the one doctrine necessary for his unregenerate Disciple to learn Regeneration and Salvation by Christ are the two substantial dishes which the faithful Stewards of God set constantly before the Families committed to their charges Those that preach notions instead of such doctrines do cursedly cozen their guests with flowers instead of meat which may fill the eye of the wanton but not the heart of the hungry soul Oh what a blessed pattern have we here for our practices when our Parishoners come to us or we go to them what more weighty subject can we treat of then their Conversion without which they must be punished with everlasting destruction Alas how boundless and endless is that wrath to which they are liable though their hearts are insensible therefore though their mouths do not call yet their miserie doth cry aloud to us to instruct them in Regeneration as ever we desire they should escape Damnation BUt the Doctrine which I principally intend is this Doctrine That without Regeneration men and women can never obtain Salvation Verily Verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God He or she that is not experimentally acquainted with the Second Birth cannot possibly escape the Second Death Make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel Ezek. 18.31 The old heart will unquestionably carry thee to hell the place of the old Serpent He must have a new spirit that will go to the new Jerusalem Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Matth. 18.3 There must be a change from Nature to Grace before there can be a change from Grace to Glory Heaven is the Fathers house Joh. 14.2 provided for none but his children such as are born of him a man must be taken out of the wilderness of Nature and planted in Eden the Garden of the Lord before he can be transplanted into the true Paradise For the illustration of this truth I shall shew first what this Regeneration or New Birth is and then give you the Reasons why none can avoid the Second Death unless they are acquainted with the Second Birth For the first Regeneration is a work of Gods Spirit whereby he doth out of his meer good pleasure for his own glory and the salvation of his Elect at first renew the whole man after his own image by the Ministry of the Word I shall explain this definition by taking it in piece and observing in it the several causes of Regeneration When Arras hangings are opened and unfolded their richness will appear First I call it a work of Gods Spirit here is the efficient principal cause of it The Babe of Grace in this respect calleth none on earth Father It is by the Spirits overshadowing
the soul that this New creature is conceived and brought forth godliness is not natural but adventitious to man not by propagation but by donation Man cannot generate himself naturally much less regenerate himself spiritually they which are born of the flesh contribute nothing to their own beings neither do they which are born of the Spirit bring any thing to their new beings unless it be a passive receptiveness as they are reasonable creatures Some read the Text and not unfitly for the original will fully bear it Except a man be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above or from heaven and therefore in the fifth verse of this third Chapter of John Christ telleth us Except a man be born of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God and in Tit. 3.5 it is called a renewing of the holy Ghost so 1 Joh. 12.13 Jer. 31.18 19.2 Cor. 3.5 1 Pet 1.1 2 3. Ephes 2.10 1 Pet. 2.9 10. This work is somtimes called a transplanting out of the natural wilde olive-tree and ingraffing it contrary to nature into a true good Olive-tree Rom. 11.24 out of the first into the second Adam now the Cions cannot transplant or ingraff it self It is termed a new creation 2 Cor. 5.17 To create or bring something out of nothing is beyond the power of the strongest creature it is above the strength of all men and Angels to create the least pile of grass God challengeth this as his prerogative royal Isa 40 26. As the old heaven and earth were the work of his hands Gen. 1.1 so are the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Isa 65.17 Austin said truly To convert the little world Man is more then to create the great world It is further stiled a Resurrection from the dead Ephes 5.14 and 2.5 It is a great work to recover a dying body a far greater to restore one that is dead to life but the greatest of all to enliven a dead soul in the former there is no opposition in this there is much In spight of man and devils to pull down the ugly rotten frame of sin and set up the lovely lasting Fabrick of sanctity requireth no less strength then Omnipotency The Almighty God putteth forth the exceeding greatness of his power in forming the New creature Ephes 1.19 20. nay the same power which he did in raising up Iesus Christ from the dead who had beside the watch of Romans and the malice of hell such an heavy weight as the sins of the world to keep him down Repentance and Faith are the two chief ingredients in this rare composition and neither of them are such drugs as grow in Natures Garden no they are fetched from far It is God that giveth to the Gentiles repentance unto life Acts 11.18 2 Tim 2.25 The stones will as soon weep as mans heart of stone unless he that smote the rock force water out of it by turning it into a heart of flesh for Faith also it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Phil. 1.29 None come to the Son but such as are drawn by the Father Joh. 6.44 He alone that caused iron to swim 2 King 6.6 can keep the humbled sinner that is pressed down with the burden of innumerable iniquities from sinking in the gulf of desperation To part a man from his dearest carnal self and to make him diligently seek the destruction of what before he sought the preservation to make him cut off his right hand and pluck out his right eye hate father mother wife childe name house land u◠do all he had done go backward every step he had gone see things with a new light understand things with another heart and in the whole course of his life to swim against the stream and tide of nature and winds of example to bring a soul to this I say which is all done and much more in conversion requireth the infinite God's operation Flesh and blood can neither reveal these things to a man nor work these things in a man but the Father which is in heaven The Minister like the Prophets servant Instrumentum non movet nisi moveatur may lay his staff on the dead childe but he cannot raise it to life till the Master cometh Paul may plant and Apollo water but God only can give the increase Cor. 3.6 Without him we can do nothing John 15.3 We may preach out our hearts unless God affords his help our people will never be holy As Protogenes when he saw a picture in a shop curiously drawn cryed out None but Apelles could do this So when thou seest the beautiful image of the blessed God lively portrayed on the soul thou mayst say This is the finger of God None but a God could do this Secondly I say Whereby God out of his meer good pleasure here is the impulsive or moving cause of Regeneration Of his own will begat he us again by the word of truth Jam. 1.18 Gods good will is the highest moving cause of this gracious work 't was not any fore-sight of Faith or good works not any thing without him that turned the scale of his thoughts for thy purity and peace but only his own good pleasure and pity Ezek. 36.21 22. therefore he is said to give a new heart verse 26 27. because he bestoweth it freely not for mans merit but from his own mercy The gift of grace is meerly of grace For we our selves saith the Apostle were sometimes disobedient foolish serving divers lusts and pleasures But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3.3 4 5. so Ephes 2.1 to 6. verse If you would know the grand reason why some are taken by the net of the Word let down in the sea of the world when others are left why some like wax are melted before this fire of Scripture when others like clay are hardned why some have the light side of this glorious pillar towards them when others have the dark side of it why the same path of the red sea is salvation to some when it is destruction to others why the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to babes when they are hid from the wise and prudent I must give you the same reason which Christ himself doth Even so Father because it seemeth good in thy sight Matth. 11.27 his will and mercy are the cause of all our felicity Rom 9.18 1 Pet 1.3 Deut 7.7 8. Grace chuseth thee Rom 11.5 There is a remnant according to the election of Grace so Ephes 1.5 Grace calleth 2 Tim 1.9 Who hath called us according to his purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the world began so Gal 1.15 Grace distinguisheth and differenceth thee from others By the grace of God I am what I am 1
Cor. 15.10 Grace justifieth Rom 3.24 being justified freâ—ly by his Grace Grace glorifieth Ephes 2.8 For by grace are ye saved Grace doth lay both the foundation and the top-stone of glory that deserveth the thanks and praise of our beginning progress and perfection in holiness Every step in our ascent to mount Sion is free-stone Every link as one observeth well in the golden chain of mans salvation is richly enameled with Free-grace O how lively doth this lovely Attribute play its part from first to last in the recovery of lost man Thirdly Here is the instrumental cause I say by the Ministry of the Word Of his own will begat he us again by the word of truth Jam 1.18 Scripture is the ordinary means of conversion The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 God indeed is a free agent working when in what manner and by what means he pleaseth though he tieth us to means he doth not tie himself to means he doth sometimes make relations the instruments of Regeneration some by being matched to Christians have been married to Christ some matches which have begun in the flesh have ended in the spirit therefore the Apostle telleth the beleiving Wife she knoweth not but she may save her Husband and the beleiving Husband he knoweth not but he may save his wife 1 Cor. 7.16 1 Pet. 3.1 God hath made pious education effectual for childrens conversion The mornings draught of wholesom instruction hath preserved many young ones from infection by and perdition with others 2 Tim 3.15 Prov. 22.6 Some Masters have also been spiritual fathers to their servants there are those that by being of the family of the faithful have come to be of the family of Faith Acts 10.1 Iosh 24. God sometimes converteth by sufferings Affliction like the Shepherds dog hath brought those home into the fold of Christ which went astray like lost sheep God hath cast some Manasses and Prodigals that were hard mettal into some hot fire and thereby melted them and fitted them to receive his own impression and image Luke 15. 2 Chron 33.11 12 13. But usually the Minstry of the word is the pen in the hand of the Holy Ghost with which he writeth the Law of God in the heart The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 'T is the incorruptible seed of the word which by those spirituall husbandmen is thrown into the soil of mens hearts that through the influence of the Son of righteousnesse and dews of heaven springeth up in grace and holinesse 1 Pet. 1.23 Ordinarily there is no other way to beget grace then the word of grace and it tendeth not the least to Gods dishonour nay rather the weakness and meanness of the instrument in such cases commendeth the workman because he hath manifested this to be his pleasure it pleased him through the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 He will give light to the world onely by the Sun though he could do otherwise therefore as some observe though light were made the first day yet the Sun was not made till the fourth day to shew that God could give light to the world without a Sun Thus God could convey the Spiritual light of holiness without the Sun of scripture but it is his will to make that his ordinary means It is the word which makes clean the filthy John 15.3 which sanctifieth the unholy John 17.17 which begetteth grace in those that were graceless Acts 2.37 For this cause it is called the ingrafted word James 1.21 for as the Cions of a good apple grafted into a crab-tree stock doth change the harsh sowr nature of it and maketh it sweet and pleasant so the word preached for of that he speaketh verse 19.20 can change the stony cannal earthly heart of man and make it soft spiritual and heavenly Some have indeed been converted by reading as Luther Augustine Junius and others confess they were but most commonly it is by hearing that mens souls come to live Rom. 10.14 There is a blessing for Readers and there may be a fish or two caught in the net that is let down in an heap but that is rare it is not the net lapped up together but haled out at length and spread all abroad that bringeth in the draught So it is the spreading out the word the dilating on the matter in hand which usually catcheth souls The Law like John Baptist prepareth the way of the Lord by opening and searching the festred wounds of the finner by making him sensible of his sores his sins and misery and heartily desire a Physician a Redeemer Rom. 7.9 then the Gospel perfecteth the cure by pouring oil into the wounds and binding them up by acquainting the soul with and interesting him in the free and rich mercy of God in Christ 2 Thes 2.14 The Law like Moses bringeth to the borders but the Gospel like Joshua leadeth into Canaan Thus the Scriptures as is wittily expressed by one are the bells which ring all in which call people into the Church of God The Poets speak of musick which hath made stones leap into walls this word of God hath turned stones into flesh of stones it hath raised children unto Abraham Fourthly Here is the formal cause of regeneration whereby God doth at first renew the whole man after his own image now because this is the cause which doth specifically difference a thing and this being opened its nature will best appear I shall speak the more to it and observe in it these four particulars 1 The act renew 2 The Subject the whole man 3 The pattern after his own image 4 The season or time at first 1 For the act I call it a renewing and so doth the Apostle Titus 3.5 Eph. 4.23 24 upon a double account partly because in Regeneration nature is not ruined but rectified The Convert is the same man but new made The Faculties of his soul are not destroyed but they are refined the same Viol but new tuned Christ gave not the blind man new eyes but a new sight to the old ones Christ did not give Lazarus a new body but enlivened his old body So God in Conversion doth not bestow a new understanding but a new light to the old nor a new Soul but a new life to the old one The powers of the man are like streams not dryed up but turned into another Channel The truth is that man by his fall from God is so exceedingly degenerated and polluted that repairing and mending will not serve he must be wholly and throughly new made as the house infected with the leptosie scraping would not do it must be pull'd down and new set up but as when an house pul'd down is new set up we use possibly the same timber and stones and materials which were in it before onely they are new squared and polished what is rotten or amiss in them is pared off and what
is wanting as severall things will be are added So when this new building of Regeneration is erected the Spirit of God makes use of the old substantial materials the soul and its faculties the body and its members which were in man before onely polisheth and purifieth them and squareth them according to the rule of Gods word it hews off what is unsound and sinfull and bestoweth that grace and holiness which is needfull He taketh not away our beings but the wickedness and crookedness of our beings and addeth a new gracious beauty which we had not before We put off the rags of the old man and put on the Robes of the new man and continue in regard of substance the same men Again I call it a renewing partly because of the great change which is wrought in a man converted New things differ much from old for the better O how wonderfully doth the new born soul differ from his former self As Saul when he received the spirit of courage became another man 1 Sam. 10.6 so doth the Christian when he receiveth the spirit of grace He is not in some sense the same man he was before he liveth a new life he walketh in a new way he steereth his course by a new compass and towards a new coast His Principle is new his Pattern is new his Practices are new his Projects are new all is new He ravels out all he had wove before and employeth himself wholly about another work What a change is there when the blind see the deaf hear the dumb speak the lame walk the dead live when the Lion is turned into a Lamb darkness into light sickness into health why all this and more is done in Regeneration when a sinner is changed into a Saint It is therefore most fitly called Conversion Acts 15.3 which is a term borrowed from travellers who being out of their way turn about and so get into it leaving the way in which they were and taking another if need be quite contrary to it The sinner is born with his heart and face towards the flesh the world and hell and with his back towards God holiness and heaven and so he goeth on a many years possibly till God convert him and turn him about then his back is towards the former his face and heart towards the latter his whole life before was a departure every action being a step from God his whole life now is a drawing nigh every duty being a nearer approach to God A man and a beast differ much in their lives but a natural and regenerate person differ far more even as so far as the Spirit of God which is the principle of a Christian life differeth from the rational spirit of a man Extraordinary and strange things are called new Acts 17.19 Jer. 31.22 Well may the Convert be called a new creature the work of Conversion making such a wonderful alteration that carnall men admire it They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.3 4. nay those that are thus renewed wonder at themselves Being called out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Wofull darknesse makes it wonderfull light As a man that hath been all his dayes kept in a dark prison and never beheld the Sun when he cometh to be set at liberty and see the light he stands amazed wondering at it 2 The Subject I call it a renewing of the whole man As in our fist birth not one part or member is born but every one so in our second birth the whole man is new born By our first birth the whole man is polluted and therefore by our second birth the whole man must be purified Original sin defileth the whole man from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet and Regeneration refineth the whole man soul body and spirit Rom. 3.13 14. 1 Thes 5.23 The plaister must be as broad as the sore the leaven of grace doth season the whole lump Old things passe away and behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 The water of life within is not like a Spring which ariseth in some parcel of ground and terminateth in the same but like the Ocean which compasseth about the whole little world of man As when Gods laws were written in Tables of stone The Tables wâ—re written on both their sides on the one side on the other were they written Exod. 32.15 the Tables were written all over they were full of the Law so the spiritual Tables have the Law the image of God written on every side body and soul every part of each an inward conformity in the heart an outward correspondency in the life In the new creature though every part be not throughout sanctified yet he is sanctified in every part throughout he hath a perfection of parts though not of degrees Regeneration like the Sun goeth through the twelve signs of the Zodiack there is nothing hid from the heat thereof it moveth in and worketh upon every faculty of the soul and every member of the body but the image of God is principally in the soul or the inner man Heb. 8.10 Rom. 7.22 Eph. 4.23 As the heart being the forge of the spirits is the chief seat of a natural so also of a spiritual life The Kings Daughter is most glorious within though her cloathing without be likewise of wrought gold there Satan before had his Throne it was as a childs pocket full of trash or as a ditch full of mud and dirt but now Christ will make â—hat place the sâ—at of his Empire and fill it like a Cabinet with precious jewels and indeed the soul being spiritual is principally â—apable of his image who is a spirit I shall shew how the soul in its faculties and the body in its members are both renewed In the soul I shall cousider 1 The Understanding to which the spirit of God makes its approach in the first place inlightning it in the knowledge of sin and the Saviour Eph. 4.23 The understanding to a man is as a window to an house which before being continually shut and little light appearing 't was no wonder that the heart lay so sluttishly and was so full of the deeds of darknesse but now God reneweth the soul in knowledge after the image of him that created him Col. 3.10 before the god of this world had blinded the mind that it could see neither the emptinesse of the world nor the preciousnesse of the word nor the lothsomness of sin nor the loveliness of the Saviour nor the vanity of the creature nor the excellency of the Divine nature but whereas the man was blind before now he seeth being made spiritual he judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.14.15 He judgeth the things of heaven to be far better then the things of earth the concernments of his soul much more worth then the concernments of his body and the affairs of eternity far more
now as two friends will and nill the same thing Psal 40.6 7. As the Will is a servant it is now chearfully subject to its Master in heaven its voice is Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 And speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. do but shew it your commission from the King of Kings for what you require and it presently doth obey not dispute your commands As a Master for 't is a Centurion in authority which hath many at its command it saith to one faculty go and it goeth to another come and it cometh to a third do this and it doth it it ruleth now according to Divine Writ and gives Laws to all under it according to the Orders which it receiveth from God its Commander in chief were the Christians power but answerable and equal to his will he would be as holy on earth as he shall be in heaven Psal 119.5 Rom. 7.15 18 19. The iron gate indeed of mans Will is far from opening of its own accord the Will is hardest won of any Faculty it is like the strong fort of Zion in Ierusalem which Joshua himself could not surprise the Son of David alone can do it But the Spirit of God doth powerfully though sweetly incline it to chuse God and for God The Understanding discovering to the Conscience the necessity excellency and benefit of proclaiming and prosecuting an open and eternal war against all sin and of accepting and embracing an everlasting covenant with God in Christ and of submitting to the guidance and government of the Spirit conscience doth in the name of God whose Officer it is charge the will to close with these things the will the spirit striking in yieldeth contentedly and resolveth accordingly God perswades this Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem. 4 The Affections are likewise renewed The Understanding and Will the superiour Officers being won these like faithfull private Souldiers readily follow their leaders or as dutifull handmaids they obey the commands of their Master and Mistris They are called by some the shapings or formings of the will in severall motions according to the object presented so that the will like the Sun moving heavenward these like Sun-flowers must necessarily follow its motion Before these affections were in severall regards full of corruption but now they are purified for the Masters use Before they were carried out towards wrong objects hatred was set upon God Rom. 1 30. his word Prov. 1.29 Psalm 50.17 and people John 15.19 Love was bestowed on sensual delights Psalm 4.3 Jer. 5.31 2 Tim. 3.2 and 4. and sin Micah 3.2 Prov. 1.22 But now the man loaths what formerly he loved and loves what formerly he loathed though sin were the luscious meat which did so exceedingly please his pallat that his teeth were alwayes watering after it and he roll'd it as a sweet morsel under his tongue yet now he serves it as Amnon did Tamar the hatred wherewith he hates it is far greater then the love wherewith he loved it Psalm 119.104 Rom. 7.15 he cannot see this knife with which he had cut the throat of his precious soul and dearest Saviour but his eye affects his heart with sorrow and anger O 't is a killing look which he now gives his most beloved lust he cannot meet this brat of hell this ugly guest in any room of the house but his heart riseth against it And as hatefull as God was to him before Psalm 14.2 Rom. 8.5 7. yet now he alone is the savoury meat which his soul loveth Psal 18.1 and 73.25 If this dish stand on his table though all others be removed he hath that dish which he loveth best His joy before in the creatures is now in Christ Amos 6.13 Prov. 2.14 Rom. 5.2 3 4. Phil. 4.4 his sorrow was before for sufferings but 't is now for sin 2 Cor. 7.9 10 11. His fear was before lest he should lose his flocks or his friends or outward mercies but now 't is lest by sin he should lose Gods favour Psalm 4 6. Isa 8.12 13. His desire was before enlarged after go'd as hell but now 't is after grace as heaven Hos 7.14 Psalm 42.1 Matth. 5 6. Psal 63.1 The desire of our soul is thy name and to the remembrance of thee Isa 26.8 Before the affections were also carried out inordinately after objects that were lawfull The man was like to be drown'd in the shallows of lawfull enjoyments when he joyed in the creatures he would over-joy and turn thereby his mirth into madnesse when he loved his relations he would over-love them and change thereby his love to them into self or soul-hatred so for his anger Eph. 4.26 it would exceed its limits even where it was lawful For these passions of the mind are like the water of the sea usefull and profitable if kept within their bounds but if they overflow the banks they are very hurtfull and threaten a Deluge but the regenerate person doth moderate and rectifie these affections Col. 3.1 1 John 2.15 1 Cor. 7.29.30 He keepeth his fire so watchfully that it doth not burn his house Besides the affections were corrupt before in regard of the contrariety which is in them They did torture and tear the child of disobedience one drawing him one way another plucking him the contrary way but grace composeth the affections which could never agree one with another before Conversion hope and fear joy and grief humility and resolution were repugnant each to other but regeneration makes them good friends when the new creatures heart leaps with hope of heaven he is then fullest of fear lest he should displease God when he is mourning for sin he can rejoice in his Saviour as the heavens can shine and shown at the same time he can be meek and fiery as Moses Numb 12. humble and resolute as Paul and yet not like Rebeckah have two contrary Nations struggling within him The understanding will and conscience are the chief strings in the soul to which all the rest are tuned now they being by the spirit set up to their due height and holinesse the affections are wound up accordingly and so make a compleat harmony of the whole and yields a gratefull sound in the ears of God 5. The Memory is renewed This master of the Rolls or keeper of the antient Records was formerly as a grate suffering the pure and clear water to go through retaining only the mud and filth but now it is like a fan casting away the chaff and keeping the good corn it was before as a sive letting the fine flower go through and holding still the bran but now it is like the Ark wherein the two Tables are safely laid up The sanctified mans memory is a spirituall Treasury he layeth up the things of God as Mary in his heart Luke 2.19 and as occasion serveth bringeth them forth and layeth them out in his life he remembreth the commandments of God to do them Exod
in him that is really united to him There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 A Virgin hath no right at all to the honors and treasures of a man notwithstanding some well wishes towards him till she be married to him and become one flesh with him so a Christian hath no right at all to the great and good things which are Christs till he be married to the Lord Jesus and become one Spirit with him Union is the ground of communion probably when the flood came many hung about the Ark but the waves quickly washt them off those onely that were in the Ark were saved thus all that hang only about Christ the true Ark by a general profession will be drowned will be damned when the deluge of wrath cometh they only that are in him by a real implantation shall be saved Now saith the Apostle and observe it Reader if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore regeneration is required because by it the creature is planted into Christ Regeneration cutteth the man off from his own stock and grafteth him into the Lord Jesus Regeneration troweth the siner off from his own bottom and builds him on the Saviour as a sure foundation Regeneration is as it were the Minister which marrieth Christ and the soul together therein the soul giveth it self unfeignedly to Christ and Christ giveth himself really to the soul and thereby the sins and weaknesses of the soul the Wife become the Husbands and the riches and righteousness the home and heaven of Christ the Husbands become the Wives When God converteth a sinner he sendeth his Messenger as Abraham his Steward to provide a Wife for his only Son the Minister like the servant with Rebeckah treateth with the soul telling it how infinitely blessed his Masters Son is how rich even the heir of all things how beautiful even the fairest of ten thousands and altogether lovely how exceedingly this marriage will be for its advantage upon this the Spirit striking in the soul consenteth to take Christ for its Lord and Husband and so becometh the Spouse of the God of Isaac and hath heaven entailed on it for a Joynture I proceed now from the Explication to the Application of the Doctrine and it may be useful to us several ways FIrst By way of Information If without Regeneration men and women can never attain Salvation then it informeth us in the first place how gross and how great is the delusion of graceless and irreligious persons How exceedingly do most sinners cheat and cozen their own souls Reader it may be thou art a Drunkard a Swearer a Scoffer at godliness an Atheist in thy heart in thy soul and yet thou hopest to get to heaven O desperate delusion I tell thee either this Text which I write of and which is the word of the true and living God must be false which the Devil himself is not so great a Blasphemer as to think or thou art a brand for the unquenchable fire Do but look into the black list of those that are for utter darkness and thou mayst read thy very name written there in broad letters 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrightous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived O soul-cheater neither Forn cators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers noâ— Extortioners shall inherit the kingdom â—f God See Gal. 5.19 20 21. Gal. 6.7 8. Ephes 5.5 6. Friend I could name forty texts of Scripture which pass sentence of everlasting condemnation on thy soul and yet thou thinkest in despight of God and his word to be saved I assure thee prophane wretch thou comest short of hundreds which shall come short of heaven Many bid fair to the eyes of men by civility morality and common grace but come not up to the price to Regeneration and so miss of that place thou art every day adding sin to sin drunkenness to thirst posting in the road to hell and yet sayst that thou shalt arrive at heaven well within a few days it shall be tried whose words are truest God's or thine But if thou mayst be convinced of thy soul-flattery before it bring thee into endless misery I shall shew thee the utter impossibility of thy salvation while thou remainest in this condition There are four gates through which all must go that get into the new Jerusalem every one of which is shut lockt bar'd and bolted against thee 1. They that get to heaven must go through the gate of Election As all that were not reckoned by Genealogy were put by the Priesthood as being polluted Ezra 2.62 so all are excluded eternal life whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 20. ult Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire Now this gate of Election is shut against prophaness thou hast not the least ground to imagine that thou art elected whilst thou art unconverted because God decreed all them to be sanctified whom he decreed to be saved Mark that 2 Thess 2.13 14. Who hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth The end and the way were both in Gods thoughts together Those whose names are registred in heaven their natures are regenerated on earth Whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8.30 The first rise saith one and spring of mercy is Election which breaketh out by effectual Calling and so floweth down in the channels of Faith and Holiness till it lose it self in the ocean of glory Vocation is the outward expression of God's inward intention to save a sinner or the first impression of the seal upon the wax therefore Election and Vocation are both conjoyned Rev. 17.14 nay the one is put for the other 1 Cor. 1.26 27. because they are inseparable companions so that if thy name be written in the book of life thy nature would be renewed to live a spiritual life 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.2 Therefore Reader if ever thou reachest heaven in this estate of unholiness thou must make a blot not onely in the Bible but in the very Book of Life 2. All that get to heaven must go through the gate of Christs Passion There is no name under heaven given among men by which we may be saved but the name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 And it is the death of Christ which purchaseth eternal life for Christians as the sown seed by dying bringeth forth a plentiful increase so Christ by dying bringeth many Sons to glory Joh. 12.24 Heb. 2.10 but this gate is shut against thee for those for whom Christ purchased glory for them he purchased grace The Son of God laid down the same price for both so that if ever he deliver thee from the condemning power of sin he will deliver thee from
the commanding power of sin Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works so Luk. 1.71 72 74 75. Ephes 5.25 26. He gave himself for his Church observe the end that he might sanctifie and cleanse it He died for sin that all his might dye to sin Joh. 17.19 he poured out his heart blood that God might power down his holy Spirit His name is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 not only from the punishment but also from the power of their sins Now canst thou think O Atheist to make Christ an half Saviour as the Papists do a Purchaser of pardon but not of purity then questionless thou canst be but half saved and have the greatest part of thy misery still upon thee to wit thy slavery to sin But surely thou canst not think that when Justification and Sanctification are joyn'd together in the purpose of the Father and the purchase of the Son it shall be in thy power to part them asunder A third gate through which all must go that get to heaven is the gate of Scripture The Promises are the gracious deeds and evidences which Saints have to shew for their right to that glorious inheritance And it is cursed presumption to expect heaven without a promise Now God hath in many places excluded thee but in no place promised heaven to thee Look from the beginning to the end of the Bible and thou shalt not finde one good word spoken to thee there are woes and curses threatnings and judgements which thou mayst challenge as thy part and portion but no promise or saving blessing All the promises of salvation are conditional Matth. 5.8 11.28 John 3.16 yea including and expressing this very condition of conversion He that believeth shall be saved saith God Mark 16.16 And repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 the body and soul do specifically constitute the whole new man and upon those two hinges of Faith and Repentance do all the saving promises in the Bible hang therefore thy expectance of the benefit of the promise without the performance of the condition is soul-damning delusion Thou mayest like a dog snatch at the children bread the Promises but assure thy self thou hast no part nor lot in these matters This Reader is the difference betwixt presuming and believing he that believeth finding in his own soul the conditions mentioned in the promises of eternal life as namely that he walks after the spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh hath his conversation in Heaven Rom. 8.1 Phil. 3.19 and the like relieth on Christ for pardon and life upon the warrant and security of his word and promise Psal 119.114.145 He that presumeth looketh that God should perform his part of the promise in giving salvation but never mindeth whether he perform his part of the promise in observing the condition Let thy conscience be judge whether thou art not such a presumtuous person and therefore doest in vain look for the fruit of the promise 4. All that get to heaven must go through the gate of mediate communion heaven must be nigh thee before thou canst be in heaven it is fellowship with God in this world which fitteth for fellowship with God in the other world without holiness none shall see God Heb. 12.14 because without holiness none can see God an unholy mind cannot behold him an unholy will cannot enjoy him unholy affections cannot delight in him an unholy man in heaven could not finde it a place of happiness for 't is not a Turkish Paradice but a place of holy pleasures 't is mediate communion which doth capacitate the soul for immediate communion and as the weaker eyes may behold the Sun in its beams then in its glorious body at the highest in a clear day so a smaller degree of holiness will enable the soul to see God in the glass of his ordinances then to see him face to face Now thou canst not enjoy him in this imperfect degree much less in a state of perfection If thou sayest that thou hast fellowship with him and walkest in darkness thou liest 1 Joh. 1.6 Mark If thou sayest that thou enjoyest fellowship with God and leadest a sinfull life thou tellest a broad lye all that enjoy the Ordinances of God do not enjoy the God of Ordinances all that go to Church do not meet with Christ What cummunion hath light with darkness or Christ with Belial truly no more hath God with thy soul Princes are not so prodigal of their intimate friendship and favour as to throw them away upon their foes Thy carnal minde is emnity against God God is a profest enemy to thee and therefore can they ever walk together till they be agreed now there is a necessity of walking with him before thou canst be translated to him Gen. 5.21 or else thou hast found out a nearer way to heaven then the children of God went in Besides the Scripture speaketh plainly that he who hath a true hope of heaven doth purifie himself as God is pure 1 John 3.3 True hope begetteth and increaseth holiness now doth thy hope cause thee to purifie thy self when like an infant thou pollutest thy self liest contentedly in thy filth and never mindest cleansing Now tell me Reader whether thou doest not sadly cozen thy self in dreaming of salvation without regeneration when God predestinated all to be conformable to the image of his Son in purity whom he predestinated to be conformable to the image of his Son in glory Rom. 8.29 when Jesus Christ suffered not onely to procure pardon but for all his freedom from the power of sin when the promises of the Gospel do express regeneration as the indispensable qualification of all that shall be saved Acts 3.19 and when thou art so far from being capable of immediate communion hereafter that it is impossible that thou shouldest in thy carnal estate have mediate communion with him here canst thou continue in thy thoughts that heaven shall be open to thee when the hand of Almighty God hath shut it against thee and blocked up every way which leads to it to keep the out and how deceitfull and desperately wicked is thy heart to promise thee if thou wilt serve sin and the world the beautifull Rachel of heaven when after all thy slavery to thy lusts thou shalt be put off with the blear-eyed Leah of Hell Believe not O Reader The wicked one if thou lovest the life of thy soul he may by his lying spirit in thy heart as sometimes in the mouth of Ahabs false prophets perswade thee to go on in thy sinfull courses and promise thee as he did Ahab that thou shalt prosper but if thou doest not perish if thou followest such counsel the Lord hath not spoken in his Word I tell thee man God hath no birthrights for such prophane Esaus nor inheritances for such
a gracious man yet be without grace as the Ape imitateth the actions of reasonable men yet is without reason or as a Tragedian acteth the part of a passionate man but is all the while without passion Some men have wrought hard at duties when a naturally inlightened Conscience not God hath been the Master to set them on work they would but cannot neglect duties at so cheap a rate as others as he said Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I could find in my heart to think there were no God but could not As they say of the Wolf in the body if you feed not it it will feed on you so if Conscience when its mouth is opened should not be fed with duty it would feed on them and therefore to keep it from gnawing them they stop its mouth with performances though they never do them from a renewed Principle Do not therefore Reader hang the weight of thy soul upon such weak wyers since men do so ordinarily take the way of duties no otherwise then Amaziah did the way of the garden-house 2 Kings 9.27 meerly for necessity to escape an enemy that followed him wherein he was at length pursued and slain Remigius a Judge of Lorraighn telleth us how the Devil gave some in those parts mony which at first appeared to be good coin but being laid up and when need was taken out to be spent it proved to be nothing but dry leaves Reader I wish it may not be so but it is possible for thee to drive a great Trade in duties while thou livest to hoord up a a great heap of those riches and they may seem to be currant coin good silver to have the image and stamp of the King of heaven upon it but when thou comest to die that thou art to spend it for then thy works will follow thee and God will give thee according to thy works it may then prove but dry leaves of no worth or profit to thee Though these unsound bottoms hold out well enough in a fair sea when they are put to no stresse yet stormy weather will quickly discover their rottennesse Not a few take up duties onely because they were educated in such a Religious manner not from any rellish or savour which they find in them and truly 't will be an easie matter to part him and his work who never took any pleasure in it The stone for a time may against its nature be mounted upward but when the force of that imprest vertue which moved it is spent 't will fall downward according to its nature Partridges that are hatched under an hen may walk with her and answer her call for a time but anon they flie away and shew what they are Reader I write not these things to dishearten thee from duties which are the body of Religion but to quicken thee to mind Regeneration which is the soul of it Sixthly The commendation of others though they be real Saints will not prove thee to be in a state of salvation The holiest mans confidence of thee is a pittiful evidence that thou shalt be happy How many have there been in the City who made a great noise were cried up by their knowing judicious neighbors to be very rich and to be worth thousands when on a sudden we have heard of their breaking and being worse as we say then naught so many even by them which are godly and discerning may be counted rich in grace rich towards God and on a sudden either by some temptation or at their dissolutions they break and God takes away from them what they seemed to have How was good David mistaken in Achitophel Surely he thought him Gods Favourite otherwise he would never have made him his familiar and bosom friend It was thou O man mine equal my friend and my acquaintance we took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company Psal 55.12 13 14. How was Simon Peter deceived in Simon Magus who believed wondered at the miracles which were wrought and was baptised but notwithstanding that was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8.13 20. How was holy Paul mistaken in Demas Luke the beloved Physitian and Demas greet you Coloss 4.14 there he ranks him with one that was eminently religious but Philemon vers 24. he puts him before Luke and calls him his fellow-laborer yet 2 Tim. 4.10 which Epistle was the last of all Pauls Epistles Demas hath forsaken me having embraced this present world he turned as some write Idol-priest he followed the chase till he met with the honey and Jonathan-like then left the pursuit How much were all the holy Apostles deceived in Judas If Peter as their mouth speaks of their faith Judas is included Joh. 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God When he speaks of their good works Judas is not excepted Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee Matth. 19.27 Further when a Traytor is mentioned Judas is not suspected his carriage was so fair that they were more jealous of their own hearts then of him Mat. 26.22 and yet he was a Traytor a Devil Infallibility was never annexed to the godly mans choice Dedalus made an image that moved it self by art which made the spectators believe that it had a living principle the Hypocrite may walk so exactly perform duties so devoutly that Saints may judge such motions to flow from a principle of spiritual life Because men have the exact resemblance of Christians therefore godly men who are charitable abroad and censorious at home judge them to be true Christians Now in regard there may be a resemblance of a Christian in external actions where there is not the essence of Christianity in internal sanctified affections therefore they though they sin not yet sometimes they err in their judgements 1 Sam. 16.6 7. When Samuel came to Jesse being sent to annoint a King and seeth Eliab a proper handsom person he presently crieth out Surely the Lords annointed is before him but mark what God saith Look not on his countenance nor the height of his stature for I have rejected him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart So when godly men see their neighbors lovely in their lives civil in their practices high in their profession strict in performances they according to their duty say inwardly at least Surely the Lords annointed is before him these are the blessed of the Lord annointed to the Kingdom of heaven but God may often answer them Look not on their profession or their performances for I see their hearts that they serve not me but themselves of me We read of Zeuxes the Painter that he drew grapes so to the life that he deceived the birds who came flying to them and pecking at them as if they had been real grapes Certainly a graceless man may have such a compleat
unconverted may sometime be full of fear and horror Caligula used all the art he could to blow out this light and fortified himself with all the arguments he could get against a Deity but could not accomplish his ends for as often as it thundred he was miserably affrighted and would run under a bed So we read that Felix an Heathen trembled when Paul reasoned of judgement to come Act. 24.25 Sin in its dooms-day dress as 't is cloathed with fire and fury may be terrible even to the ungodly And the consideration of this may make them leave many sins that do not loath any sin The Mariner throweth over-board those goods in a storm which he wisheth for and it may be gathereth up in a calm As a man in a feaver loveth drink yea longeth much for it yet dares not meddle with it because 't will make him worse The sinners in Sion saith the Prophet are afraid fearfulness hath taken hold on hypocrites Why what 's the matter Who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can abide devouring flames Isa 33.14 Mark it is not Who ever abused such an ocean of love who ever despised such a matchless life who ever provoked such a gracious Lord but who can dwell in everlasting burnings The sting of sin to the unregenerate is punishment and the sting of punishment to the regenerate is sin Exod. 9.28 Hos 14.1 to fear sin as it bringeth an heavy rod usually proceeds from nature but to fear sin as it is a wandring from an holy rule can proceed only from grace Truly as Phaltiel parted with his wife Michal whom Saul had injuriously taken from David and given unto him so unregenerate men part with their sins when David came to the crown he sendeth for Michal Phaltiel dares not disobey the King but he brings her on her way weeping and bemoaning his loss he looks after her as far as Bohurim many a sad thought he had for her when she was by force divorced from him Thus unregenerate men may leave their lusts when they are afraid to keep them but many a longing heart they have after them and are not by choice but constraint separated from them As parents they go to the funeral of those children of their corrupt hearts with no small sorrow Sickly persons forbear some meats which they love dearly because those meats do not love them they either feed their diseases or are hardly digested Some sinners dare not feed in their actions on some sins which are as sweet to their affections as the honey and the honey comb because they fear that they will rise in their stomacks and the reckoning will be too heavy for them to pay Or possibly thou art entring upon some solemn act of devotion and upon that account at present forbearest thy corruptions as some write of Serpents they lay by their poison when they go to drink and afterwards take it up again Thou mayst like Abraham to his servant bid thy sin stay below while thou goest up to the mount to worship Gen. 22. and when the duty is done return to it again Reader do not relie upon these affections which thou seest may be in them which are not regenerated for as the Sorcerers seemed to do as much as Moses but did nothing in reality so thou mayst seem to do as much as a Christian when all is but counterfeit Thy fear of sin may be forced not flow freely from thee Fearfulness hath taken hold on the hypocrites Isa 33.14 as a Serjeant takes hold on a bad debtor or an armed man on a coward being more bold then welcome Thou mayst fear sin as the Medes and Persians the Jews when the fear of the Jews fell upon them Esther 8.17 when the presence of this fear is as Christs presence is to the Devils a torment to thee Mat. 8.29 Nay thy fear may be only for a fit like a mushrom which groweth up in a night and perisheth the next day The people when they saw Amasa weltring in his blood in the way stood still but he being quickly removed they went on When thou thinkest of others weltring in their soul-blood in hell or seest the judgements of God upon others thou mayst be afraid and stand still a little at present but these thoughts being soon removed thou mayst go on in the way of thine own heart It is reported of Cassander that he trembled at the sight of Alexanders Statue when Alexander was dead and Cassander had gotten possession of Macedonia The regenerate man when he seeth with the eye of faith the curse of the Law the wrath of God the torments of hell his flesh trembleth for fear of them and he is afraid of Gods righteous judgements though they are all dead to him he being not under the Law but under grace but it may be t is the life in them and their power to hurt thee which makes thee afraid of them Friend in all these passions thou mayst but like a Stage-player in the robes of a Prince act the part of a Christian and therfore canst not thence conclude thy right to the revenues of his place The whole life of a man unregenerate is but an interlude Regeneration alone can make a man live in good earnest Reader if thou art a civil person a great Professor enjoyest the outward Priviledges of the Gospel aboundest in Duties and Performances if God hath given thee gifts and parts if godly men commend thee and thou art sometimes confident of thy own good condition If thou walkest according to thy natural light and joynest with them that fear the Lord If some good affections like a flash of lightning on a sudden surprise thee though most of these are good yet do not hence conclude thy undoubted right to salvation for all these may consist with unregeneracy and Christ telleth thee That except thou art born again thou canst not see the Kingdom of God As the Alchymists gold appeareth as good as the true gold but it will not endure the seventh fire nor comfort the heart as a cordial both which the true gold will so if all these should meet in thee they would make thee look like a Saint but beleive it they will never endure the fire of Scripture which must shortly trie thee whether thou art true gold or counterfeit nor comfort thy soul as a cordial when Physitians shall give over thy body THirdly If without Regeneration none can attain salvation it informeth us of the difficulty of salvation that it is an hard thing to get to heaven it is no easie matter to be regenerated and made holy and therefore 't is no easie matter to be glorified and made happy Where the gate is straight 't is hard to get in If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4.18 The Apostle there intendeth not the uncertainty but the difficulty of the salvation of the godly If it be so hard for them to be saved
others all spiritual children are not brought forth with the same strength and labour I shall mention three or four sorts of persons who are not so soon as others perswaded to real and unfeigned piety and truly my end is that they may be powerfully roused and effectually renewed before they be eternally ruined First The meer civil moral man This man Narcissus like dotes on himself and thereby is hardly brought to deny himself the more the tooth is fast'ned to the gum the harder it is to part them the more the man like a tree is rooted in the earth of self the more difficult to stock him up The civil man looks on himself in the glass of scandalous sinners lives and finding his face so clean and fair in comparison of theirs he falls extraordinarily in love with himself which many times proves his destruction He takes his civility for sanctity that which is less then the shadow for the substance and without question 't is not easie to make him eager after godliness when he is confident he hath it already a profane person is not seldom sooner convinced and converted then this conceited civilian for that man will sooner acknowledge himself sick but this Patient though sick unto death looks on himself as whole and so to have no need of a Physician In this sense I suppose the words of our Lord are spoken That Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 21.31 As a ship that is under sail though in a contrary course is sooner brought about then one that lieth aground in the Harbor can be lanched forth so he that is in motion though in a sinful conversation is often sooner reduced then he that lieth still in the thoughts of his own good condition As I can sooner overtake a childe that runneth from me then my shadow which tarrieth nigh me so it s easier to recover a gross offender then this shadow of the Civilian for though he run not so far from grace as the other yet he will be sure to keep his distance He useth his outward unblameableness as a shield to fence off the power of godliness he usually compareth himself with them that are very evil as a coward choosing a weak adversary and because he much excelleth them therefore concludeth that he is very good Reader It is far from my thoughts to discourage civility much less to encourage open impiety though the whole will of God must be taught what use soever corrupt hearts will make of it but to make thee watchfull that thy outward harmlesness prove not a hinderance to inward holiness Secondly The Hypocrite is one who is with more difficulty then ordinary converted Hypocrisie is like a fistula which hath a very small orifice but many turnings and windings in the body like coney-burrows so that 't is very hardly discerned and cured this man seems to be what a Saint is indeed and because he is like a godly man performing the same duties and forbearing the same iniquities as to the external part therefore he gathers that he is one indeed but he embraceth a cloud instead of Juno he appeareth to be near the Kingdom of God but never careth to come at it as a parallel line he keeps a scantling with the way of godliness but never meeteth with it There is some particular exception which this man hath taken against Christ and his ways that though he may often cheapen yet he seldom buyeth the pearl of price he escapes storms and Pirats at Sea and makes shiprack in the Haven where destruction is no less sure but much more miserable he escapes the gross lusts of Publicans and Harlots and yet is further then both from eternal life It is harder to convince this man of his sins then others If I tell a drunkard a swearer or an adulterer of his transgressions and the necessity of conversion this mans foul conversation is a forcible conviction to him yea and his own conscience will possibly flye in his face take part with me and give evidence against him but if I tell an Hypocrite of the necessity of sanctification and pursue him with the pieces of the Law he presently betakes himself like the beasts to his den of duties and therein shelters himself nay his naturall conscience being fed and bribed with a few performances may plead for him at least not say a word against him Besides when this man is convinced of his lost estate it s harder to break this mans heart then anothers for his heart hath not onely a naturall hardness but an extrordinary acquired hardness such an hardness as is acquired by duties and ordinances Now as where the Sun is most powerful there are the hardest mettalls so where the Sun-shine of spirituall blessings is most plentifully enjoyed and thus wretchedly abused there are the hardest hearts No softning like Gospel softening no hardening like Gospel hardening Tell a man that never heard of the Gospel or very seldom when he is convinced of his sins and misery of the love of God in sending his onely Son into the world to die that poor sinners might not perish tell him of the infinite love of Christ in giving himself a Sacrifice for his soul how freely Christ invites him how fully he provides for him how willing he is to accept him how welcome he will make him O how this man sometimes falls a weeping wringing his hands and renting his heart that ever he should abuse such love and mercy refuse such incomparable merits walk in the whole course of his heart and life unworthy of such a blessed glorious holy and gracious God the word of God doth wound this man to the soul but say all this and much more to an Hypocrite his heart is like the rock not at all moved The promises of God do not cleanse him from pollutions but they are as physick to which his body hath been much used which stirs him not at all nor purgeth away any ill humours Threatnings do not work with him be they never so dreadful and terrible as a Smiths Dog being accustomed to it he can sleep securely though the sparkes of the Forge flye about him nay though the flames of hell flash in his face Reader if thou shouldst be one of this sort for the Lords sake mind soundness with speed for hypocrisy will harden thine heart insensibly and every day widen the breach betwixt God and thy soul Thirdly The rich man The man that is rich in this world is hardly brought to mind the riches of the other world his heavy load of earth doth much hinder him in his journey to heaven His riches claspe about his affections as the Jvy about the Oake sucking out the heart of it for its own leaves and berries This man taketh up with his present possessions in comparison whereof he disesteemeth the Saints reversions As a Vessel that is exceedingly laden when it meets with storms and tempests
is with more difficulty kept from sinking then one which hath but just enough to ballast it so it s more hard to keep him from sinking into hell that hath a great estate then him that hath according to Agurs wish neither poverty nor riches And the reason is because though spirituall comforts run low this rich man is contented in regard that his temporal comforts run full-tap He makes up the absence of Christ with the presence of creatures when it may be poverty might cause him as the prodigal to think of returning to his fathers house where is spiritual plenty Quintus Aurelius in the dayes of Sylla had a fair Grange which lay convenient for some great person which caused him to be put in among them that were to be put to death but as soon as he saw his name among those that were in the list he cried out my Land at Alba hath kild me Some mens Lands have cost them their lives and been the knife to cut the throat of their bodies but many a mans gold hath lost him his God and been the knife to cut the throat of his soul Rich men like pamperd horses are the more unruly leaping over the hedges of divine precepts the hardlier kept within their bounds because full fed the young mans silver lost him his precious soul He went away from Christ sorrowful because he had great possessions Had the man been poor for a few days he might have been rich for ever but alas his wealth here through the wickedness of his heart caused his everlasting want whereupon Christ tels us How hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdome of Heaven I say unto you that it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of an Needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 19.23 24. Heaven is a stately Palace with a narrow portall through which this Camel with his thick bunch of clay can hardly get It is observed amongst Anglers that Pickerils are not easily nor often caught A man may catch an hundred Minums before he take one Pickeril and the reason is he preyeth at pleasure on the lesser fish and therefore seldom hath any stomack to bite at the bait so it faireth with rich men their stomacks are so cloyed with the things of this world that they have no appetite to the dainties of the word when the poor are Gospellized They contentedly take that for their portion which God intended only for their pension and make their wealth their throne to sit down upon with delight which God designed for their footstool and the faithfull laid at the Apostles feet In some fenny places in England it s storied where they are much troubled with gnats the people hang up dung to which when they flye they are caught with a net provided there for that purpose The dung of profit is the Devils bait with which he catcheth many persons Well may it be called the Mammon of unrighteousness for it both prompteth them to many sins as well as pierceth them through with many sorrows Gregory saith that sitting in the sea of Rome when it flourished he trembled every time he thought on that text Son remember that thou hadst thy good things in thy life time lest his outward plenty should be all his portion If Reader thou art wealthy be watchfull over thy heart lest like Birdlime it hinder the wings of thy soul from mounting up to heaven What the Egyptians sayd of the Israelites They are intangled in the land the wilderness hath shut them in Exod. 4.13 may fitly be applied to many men that are wealthy They are intangled in the world this wilderness hath shut them in like Lot's wife they set out for the Zoar of heaven but their hearts hanker after the Sodom of earth and so they look back perish in the way Ah 't is rare indeed to be very rich and truly religious Such men are often taken out of the world before the world be taken out of them Be careful O Friend if the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee in earthly enjoyments that they prove not heavenly impediments that his mindfulness of thy body do not make thee forgetful of thy soul lest thy wealth like Achans wedge of gold cleave thy soul in sunder Fourthly The old sinner is not easily converted but like an old maid when married hath harder labour then ordinary The longer the ground of mans heart lieth fallow bringing forth nothing but weeds unploughed up by repentance the harder it groweth and with the more difficulty is broken up 'T was hard to cast out the Devil who had for a long time possessed the man the Apostles could not do it and when Christ himself did it 't was not without much renting and raging Mark 9.21 26. Common experience telleth us that a ship the longer it leaketh the harder it is to be emptied An house the longer it goeth to ruine the worse to repair a nail the farther it is driven in the harder to get out Christ raised two to life in the Gospel besides others one was a maid newly dead Luk. 8.54 to whom Christ spake but little Maid I say unto thee arise and the work was quickly done the other was one who had been dead so long till he stunk now mark what work there was to enliven him Joh. 11.41 Christ weepeth groaneth in spirit prayeth to his Father then turneth to Lazarus and cryeth with a loud voyce Lazarus come forth I only allude to it When the sinner hath been but few years dead in sin a low voyce of Christ can raise him up but when a man hath been not four days but forty or fifty years rotting in the grave of corruption that he stinks in the nostrils of others it must be a loud voice indeed which must quicken him How hard is it to turn the old swine the old drunkard to temperance and the old goat the old adulterer to chastity though they be so old that their bodies cannot act them yet their hellish hearts affect them when they have nothing left but the dog-dayes of their age their bodies full of sores yet their souls are fuller of sins The longer the tree standeth in the ground the more it roots and the faster it setleth it self so that though a child might sometime have removed it yet now all the men in the Parish cannot pluck it up Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Custom in sin takes away all conscience of sin and hardeneth the heart more against God and godliness As a youth when he first cometh to be Apprentice to some handicraft trade his hand is very tender and no sooner is it set to work but it blisters and puts him to pain but he continuing long at the trade his hand hardens and he can follow his work not onely without pain but with
much pleasure so when a man is a young sinner conscience is tender like a a queasie stomach troubled much with the least thing that offends it but continuance in sin makes conscience seared and brawny that afterwards the sinner like the Ostrich can digest iron and like the Turkish slaves feed on Opium and his stomach not at all recoil or complain It is reported of the Cretians that when they cursed their enemies they did not wish fire in their houses nor a dagger at their hearts but that which would bring greater wo ut mala consuetudine delectentur that they might delight in an evil custom for custom is not another nurture but another nature and that which is natural is not easily reduced Some say there is no transplanting trees after seven years rooting I am sure it is hard to transplant them out of a state of nature into a state of grace who have been seventy years rooting in the earth old servants will not easily leave their masters they will many times have their ears boared and be everlasting slaves rather then be made free T is with old sinners saith one as with them who have lived long under a Government Gurnals Armour they like to be as they are though but ill rather then to think of a change or like those who in a journey have gone out of their way all day such will rather take a new path over hedge and ditch then think of going so far back to be set right Old sinner for the sake of thy soul proceed no further knowest thou not that every step thou takest in thine unconverted state maketh thy condemnation more deep thy condition more dangerous and thy conversion more difficult Is it not high time for thee to begin to work out thy salvation when the sun of thy life is setting Ah 't is one of the saddest spectacles in the world to behold a man full of silver hoary hairs that is void of a golden sanctified heart surely of all men alive thou hast cause to abound in sorrow who doest to this day abide in thy sins THe second Use which I shall make of this doctrine shall be by way of Examination If without the second birth thou canst not escape the second death nor obtain eternal life Then Reader Try whether thou art new born or no commune with thy heart and see whether this work be done that thou mayst know how thou shalt fare in the other world Wherefore brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 The first fountain of our felicity is election and the manifestation of this is our calling by vocation God bringeth to pass in time what he appointed from eternity As a word is an outward thought and a thought an inward word so vocation is outward election or election put into act and made visible and election is inward vocation or Gods intention to convert and save Election is eternal calling Calling is a temporal election so that by ensuring thy calling thou ensurest thy election make thy calling sure be not satisfied to let thy salvation hang in suspence to follow Christ as the people followed Saul trembling not knowing how it shall fare with thee but strive for full assurance that an abundant entrance may be ministred unto you into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 I have read of an old wicked Usurer who had nothing in his mouth but It is good to be sure if his servant went to receive money he would follow after him and being asked the reason would answer It is good to be sure If he had told his money once he would do it a second yea a third time saying It is good to be sure If he locked his door himself he would arise out of his bed to feel it locked still pleading for his reason It is good to be sure It came to pass that this man fell desperately sick his servant calleth to him desirous to make him sensible of his sins Master have you been at prayers yea John saith he Sir said the servant go to prayers again you know 'T is good to be sure That 's more then needs saith the Usurer I am sure enough of that Truly this mans heart is the resemblance of most men they are all for security in bargains sales and purchases if they buy an inheritance on earth how sure will they make it the tenure shall be as strong as the brawn of the Law or the brains of Lawyers can devise what Bonds Deeds Fines Recoveries Leases Evidences and if any scruple collateral security are there to ensure it but alas who ensures the inheritance above how few are there that take any pains to secure their right to those everliving pleasures Like Jacob though in another sense men put their right hand of care caution and diligence upon the younger Son the body and their left hand on the elder the soul How few make their calling and election sure But Reader if thou wouldest make sure thy predestination and fore-appointment to glory it must be done by making sure thy Regeneration and translation into a state of grace Thou canst not ascend into heaven and see thy name written in the Lambs book of life but thou mayst descend into thine own heart and see it by the seeds and principles of a spiritual life as if any man would know whether the sun shineth or no he need but look on the ground and see the reflection of its beams and not on the body of the Sun which will but the more dazzle his eyes the pattern is known by the picture the cause by the effect the original by the copy Election by regeneration the soul that is conformed to Gods Law may know that he is inrolled in Gods list If I have chosen God I may safely conclude that God hath chosen me The Historian reporteth how a Senator relating to his son the great honors decreed to a number of Souldiers Tacitus whose names were written in a book the Son was importunate to see the book the Father shewed him the out-side it seemed so glorious that the son desired him to open it by no means saith the Father it is sealed by the Council then saith the son Tell me if my name be there the Father saith The names are secret to the Senate the Son studying how he might get some satisfaction desired his Father to declare the merits of those inscribed Soldiers which the Father doing and the Son consulting with his own heart found himself to be none of them Reader though the Book of life which includeth the names of those whose heads are destined to glorious Diadems be secret yet the deserts of those inscribed there are open they are as a chosen generation a peculiar people so also an holy nation a royal Priesthood a called company a sanctified society a regenerated remnant they are culled out of the world called by the word
was a pious plot laid before onely put off till a convenient day asketh the head of some lust in a charger the King sendeth presently commandeth execution to be done accordingly The new creature doth now with a joyful heart look up to Heaven and saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath this day avenged me of mine enemy would to God that all the enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up within me against thy Laws were as that one Lust He also withdraweth those things which have fed his spiritual diseases he takes away the fuel that he may put out the fire he hates the very cup out of which he formerly drank his loathsom physick he cuts off those pipes which have supplied his Adversaries he avoideth the occasions of evil he knoweth that his corrupt heart is gunpowder and therefore wheresoever he goeth he is fearful of the least spark He hateth the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 19. He endeavoreth that his raiment may not onely be preserved from burning but as the three childrens from sienging He is a true Dove that doth not only flye from the Hawk from sin but will not so much as smell of a feather which falleth from the Hawke he abstaineth from appearances of evil he dares not come near the brow of the hill so far is he from falling to the bottom Thus the sanctified man useth all means for the murdering of his sins Now Reader consider how is it with thee hast thou applied these several particulars to thy self What sayst thou Is it thy endeavor by every providence and thy end in every ordinance to mortifiethy corruptions to bring those Traytors to execution Is it thy design to cover sin or to kill sin do'st thou pray against sin as Austin confest he did before his conversion as one afraid that God should hear thee and grant the request not of thy heart but of thy lips or is the death of thy sins the very desire of thy soul an unconverted man may put up many prayers but no desires against sin An unregenerate person fighteth against sin Livy as the Athenians against Philip of Macedon with words rather then with swords Or as some that openly prosecute the Law against a Malefactor and yet favor him underhand so this man makes a shew of pursuing sin unto the death accusing arraigning it witnessing against it in prayer and desiring judgement but inwardly he so minceth the matter taketh off the edge of the evidence against it as one resolved that it shall live His expressions cry out of sin as the Jews of Christ Away with it away with it 't is not worthy to live Let it be crucified but his affections call with much more ardency as Pilate Why should it die what evil hath it done we finde no fault in it or at lest as Austins heart Not yet Lord not yet A little longer he would willingly laze upon the bed of lust A little more slumber a little more steep saith this spiritual sluggard Truly all this shew of warring against sin is but false fire which you know can do no execution Fencers at a prize sometimes ply one another so home and strike so hard that they seem to be in earnest when they are all the while but in jest their intentions are to please the people and thereby to advance their profit by getting a little money but not at all to wound one another at lest not dangerously a slight wound possibly may happen Thus unsanctified men combat with sin they seem by their praying reading hearing to aim at its death to be in earnest when indeed their intentions are to carry on their own interest and their resolutions that however they may raze sin slightly for their own ends not to wound it deeply Friend I know not but God knoweth whether it be thus with thee or no Dost thou by civility by the performance of duties by attendance on ordinances tell the world that thou wouldst crucifie thy corruptions when such a thing is not in thy retired thoughts as Caligula with banners displayed battel ranged trumpets sounding set his souldiers to gather cockles Or doest thou enter the list against thy lust as David against Goliah reckoning to kill or be killed resolving through the help of heaven the ruine of the uncircumcised Philistine Is the fight between thy judgment thy wil between thine inlightned conscience and thy affections or btween the spirit and flesth the law in thy mind and the law in thy members the regenerate and the unregenerate part Dost thou hate and fight against sin as sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. and so against every sin for all true hatred is against the whole kind Dost thou loath it as much when it riseth in thy heart as when it rageth in thy life in thy dearest friends as in thy bitterest enemies It was said of Anthony that he hated a Tyrant not tyranny dost thou abhor the disease or the patient canst thou say as David I hate every false way Psal 119.104 Universality in this is a sure sign of sincerity Herod spits out some sins when he rolls others as sweet morsels in his mouth An hypocrite ever leaves the Devil some nest-egg to sit upon though he take many away Some men will not buy some commodities because they cannot have them at their own price but they lay out the same money on others so hypocrites forbear some sins yea are displeased at them because they cannot have them without disgrace or diseases or some other disadvantage but they lay out the same love upon other sins which will suit better with their designs Some affirm what the Sea loseth in one place it gaineth in another so what ground the corruption of the unconverted loseth on way it gaineth another There is in him some one lust especially which is his favorite some King-sin like Agag which must be spared when others are destroyed In this the Lord be merciful to thy servant saith Naomi But now the regenerate laboreth to cleanse himself from all pollutions both of flesh spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Grace is like Caesar who would admit of no superior nay like oyl t will allow of no mixture Sin may be in the Saint as rawness and illness in water but the fire of Grace worketh it out by degrees sending it forth in the scum The least drop of water is contrary to and opposed by fire as well as the full vessel so the least sin is contraty to and opposed by Grace is well as the greatest The shepherds dog forceth the whole flock to flie but hath a special eye to one sheep to which he is directed by the staff or a stone from the shepherd Or as the hounds saith a Divine drive the whole herd of Deer before them yet have a special eye to one Deer which is singled out by the dart of the Huntsman that however others may scape yet that shall
be killed so regeneration though it work in the soul a detestation of and a resolution against every sin yet the severest exercise of this hatred and opposition is against the mans beloved and delightful sin resolving however others should escape yet this shall be put to death As the Syrian commanded his Souldiers to fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel so truly the bent of the sanctified heart is most against this royal King-sin as that sin whereby God hath been most dishonored and his soul most deeply wounded Ambrose relates a story of a dog In Hexam lib. 6. c. 4. whose Master being slain by one of his enemies he lay by him all night with great lamentation howling and barking In the morning many came to see the dead corps amongst whom was the murderer the dog no sooner saw the Homicide but presently fell upon him Friend is thy greatest hatred and anger against thy Saviour-and-soul-murderer that Master-sin in which thou didst formerly take the greatest pleasure Canst thou say as David observe that character of uprightness I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquitie Psa 18.23 Mark from mine iniquity The godless man though he do much will be sure to faile here and the godly man will strike home here where-ever he be favourable An horse that is not sound but founderd will favour one foot if not more the Lapwing some observe will cry and make a great noise but 't is when she is farthest from her nest the Hypocrite may keep a great stir about many sins but there is one sin which he medleth not with Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. serm 3 There is saith a learned Divine no greater argument of unsound repentance then indulgent thoughts and reserved delight and complacency in a master sin As some grounds are most proper soiles to breed and nourish some particular weeds So are some mens hearts for some particular sins As Cains for envy Corahs for arrogancy Pilates for Cowardliness the young man for covetousness and this sin is ordinarily the greatest block in the way of conversion rather then men would leave this sin they have lost Salvation Mark 10.22 John 12.42 43. The Devil holds them as fast by this one link as by ten thousand As it is with a Rabbits skin it comes of very well till it come to the head and then there is haling and pulling and much ado before it stirs So the creature may do much at the command of God but there is old stir and pulling before this sin be separated from him if this be once done throughly the man is converted truly for nothing but a saving work can cause a man to loath that sin which he loved as himself And therefore an uncoverted person will ever be false in this Jehu may throw down the idolatry of Baal but not the Calves at Dan and Bethel The young man in his worldliness Herod in his uncleanness Balaam in his stubbornness must be excused The converted soul is in this most careful as Craumer he will put that unworthy right hand first in the fire with which by his subscription he had so much dishonoured Christ and Religion Mahomet the Great Turk Hist. first Emperour of the Turkes cut off his fair Irenes head with his own hands in whom he had so exceedingly delighted to assure his Bashaws that he had rather promote the publick peace and good then please and satisfy his own passions The true Christian is a far greater conquerour and out of love to God and his own Salvation obtains a more lawful and noble victory over the Mistris of his affections He knoweth no sin be it never so near or dear to him worth hazarding the loss of Gods favour and his eternall welfare for And therefore though his sin be an Absolom concerning which corrupt nature like David gives a special charge Spare the young man Absolom Deal gently with him for my sake He seeth like Joah that the way to scatter the army of lusts is to slay the General this commander in cheife And therefore he resolveth to make sure work of him and for that end takes three darts and strikes him through with them all when one would have done the deed Reader I confess I have been much larger in this head then I intended but if thou examine thine heart faithfully and prudently by it thou wilt have no cause to be sorry for it I have read that it was wont to be the way of tryal whether land belonged to England or Ireland by putting toads or serpents or other venemous creatures into it If they lived there the land belonged to England if they died to Ireland sure I am thou mayst try whether thou at present belongest to heaven or to hell to a Covenant of Works or to the Covenant of Grace whether thou art converted or unconverted if venemous lusts do live in thee thou art English land in a state of nature and wrath if they die daily in thee thou art in Christ and belongest to the Land of promise Yet I would not be understood as if I meant that Godly men are never overtaken with sin or that corruption never gets the better of them For I know that the purest on earth are holy but in part they are like watermen rowing hard against the stream of corruption but through a sudden and violent blast of temptation they may be driven backward But observe this is violent against their fixed and deliberate resolutions their obedience to the law of sin is forced as to an Usurper not free as to a liege Lord. Ahab indeed sold himself to sin 1 King 21.20 bat Paul was sold under sin Rom. 7.14 The former was a volunteer and agent the latter a prestman a meer patient Augustine setteth out the difference between sin in the regenerate and unregenerate by a comparison of Tarquine Lueretia Peccatum factum est de illa non ab illa Aug. de civit dei where speaking of her ravishment there were saith he two bodies but one guilty of adultery and concludeth the sin was committed upon her not by her Consonant to which is that of the Apostle For that which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that I do Now if I do what I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.15 to 21. The converted person like the betrothed Virgin is forced he crieth out and therefore in Gods account is innocent Our committing sin will not speak us unsanctified but our submitting to it will Secondly There is in this new creature as a dying to sin so also a living to God in all wayes of obedience Rom. 6.11 As the old man is put off so the new man is put on besides the expulsion of sin there is the infusion of holiness An habit or principle of grace is bestowed on the soul
whereby it breatheth after exerciseth and delighteth it self in the wayes and worship of God there is an inward frame and disposition infused into the new Creature different from nay contrary to his former inclinations The stream of his heart and life before ran swiftly after the flesh and the world The creature sate upon the throne in his inward man commanding all things at pleasure earth was the mans heaven the world lay in his heart and all the mans affections and actions were ordered and disposed for the advancement of that interest But now the tide is turned the waters run in another channel the Lord is exalted in his affections as his chiefest good and in his conversation as his utmost end the Law of God is written in the heart and commented upon in the life the inward man is of a good constitution and the outward man of a good complexion Grace is a tendency of the soul Godward his understanding knoweth God to be the greatest good John 17. His will chooseth him his affections love him his desire is after him his delight is in him his fear is of him his trust is on him his care and endeavor is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Joh. 17.3 Psal 16.5 6. 73.25 26. Isa 7.8 Psal 37.4 Gen. 42.18 like the Sun-flower he followeth the motion of the Sun of righteousness Now Reader try thy self Art thou alive to God Doest thou take him in Christ for thy happiness and make him thine end Is it thy business and trade to do his will thy calling and employment to finish his work Is thy heart devoted to his fear and thy life to his honor how art thou affected to his word and worship Dost thou perform duties out of love to God with complacency in God It it thy ment and drink to obey his precepts How is thy soul ravished with the sweetnesses of his promises Art thou joyful in the house of prayer Is the Sabbath thy delight Is the Scripture sweeter to thee then the honey and the honey-comb At the Sacrament canst thou fit under Christs shadow with great delight and finde his fruit sweet unto thy taste Doest thou esteem the yoke of thy Saviour easie his service liberty his wayes wayes of pleasantness and all his paths peace Canst thou say One day in Gods Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere Hast thou found that 't is good for thee to draw nigh to God If thou wert put to thy choice hadst thou rather solace thy soul with sensual recreations or in communion with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Examine thine heart for if thou hast the divine nature divine and spiritual things will be natural and so pleasant to thee A man whose nature is covetous how exceedingly doth he delight in viewing and feeling money as the Roman Emperor would putt off his cloaths and tumble up and down in heaps of silver If a mans nature be proud how exceedingly pleased is he in the cap and the knee in being flattered and respected it is meat and drink to him as we say to be reverenced in mens carriage and honored in their language men love those things a life because they suit with their natures So when a man hath a new nature a spiritual holy nature things which are spiritual and holy will be acceptable to him because they are suitable to his nature the word will be welcom prayer will be pleasant ordinances will be as savory as food to the hungry the man will love the habitation of Gods house and the place where Gods honour dwelleth though his flesh be weak his spirit is alwayes willing He may be weary at a duty that the wheels of his soul should so be clog'd with the dirt of infidelity and make him to drive so heavily but he is never weary of duties though corruption and Satan now dog him at and disturb him in his performances yet 't is the comfort of his soul that he now drags them in chains after the triumphant chariot of Grace and he rejoyceth to think how he shall leave the body of death behinde him at the entrance of his soul into the Capitol of Glory His heart leaps now when his feet do but creep in the way of obedience when he goeth to the house of God it is with the voice of joy unto the altar of God yea his God and excceeding joy Whatsoever a man doth from an ingrafted propensity he doth it not onely in sincerity but also with alacrity He delights in it as the fish in the water as the mole in the earth it is his proper element God and the things of God are his element He would still be and live in this element He delights to know God to worship him to believe in him to meditate on him to sanctifie his day to glorifie his name to observe his Laws to view his children he is never so well as when he is walking with God if there were no heaven to prefer the obedient and no hell to punish the disobedient yet he would fear the Lord and delight greatly in his commandments But on the other side speak Friend Art thou listless and dead to spiritual things are they irksom and tedious to thee Probably the commandments of God are bonds and cords the Sabbath thy toilsom day not a day of rest and refreshment the Sanctuary is thy prison the service of God is snuft at by thee and wearisom to thee thou art glad that the duty is done the day is over thy conscience quieted like a Tenant who is glad his rent is paid to his Landlord but took no pleasure in parting with his money thou rejoycest at the end not at the beginning of thy duty thou countest Amen the best word in a prayer not because it 's the fruit of thy faith but because it puts a period to thy petitions the Blessing is the best part of Divine Worship thou esteemest no part to be before it because that is last and nothing comes after it Religion is but possibly thy by-business and a Lacquey to thy lusts a pass and a convoy which thou hast need of in thy travelling through the world It may be thou goest to duty as a Bear to the stake it goeth against the hair with thee to walk in the way of holiness though necessity compel thee sometimes or once or twice a day to take a turn in the path of piety Conscience will roar unless it may finde rest in some outward performance Or thou mayst now and then perceive good company walking in the narrow way which leadeth to life and so as travellers care not if they go a mile or two out of their way for company especially if the way be fair and the company pleasing so thou mayst go out of thy own way sometimes and walk a little with the Saints for company Reader be faithful to thy soul A real fire differeth from a painted one by its heat and so doth
he kindleth others All good is diffusive of it self and the more of goodness in any the more of diffusiveness If Peter be converted he will strengthen his brethren if David be reduced he will teach sinners Gods ways None are more desirous of children then they who have God for their Father The true Christian that hath tasted God to be gracious and found good entertainment at his table cannot but commend his hous-keeping to others and advise them to accept of the same chear As the sun refresheth many with his warm rays especially them that are near it so doth the Saint benefit many by his fervent prayers for them occasional counsels and constant pattern to them but especially those that are of his own family There indeed are his most cherishing beams and enlivening influences O how diligent is he that the King of Saints may have his throne in every heart within his house Like the Bee he goeth to the flower of this duty and to the flower of that Ordinance sucking some honey some soul-sweetness and then carrieth all home to his hive to his family He will study and strive that his cottage may become a Church his house Gods lesser heaven 'T is a mercy to be his Wife he will labor that Christ may be her Husband 'T is an happiness to be his children he will endeavour that God may be their Father 'T is a priviledge to be his servant he will do his utmost that such may be heirs of salvation His house is an healthful air for the souls of others to breathe in Grace like fire cannot be hid you may as soon conceal musk in your hand as grace in your heart The turning of a sinner from evil to good is like the turning of a bell from one side to another which reporteth its own motion The Convert is resolved as Elijah to shew himself and in this among the rest in bringing more customers to that shop where he had such cheap and kind usage The Devil was no sooner fallen but he laboured to draw man to the same wickedness and wretchedness with himself the dead in sin are no sooner raised to spiritual life but they endeavour to draw others to the same holiness and happiness with themselves These things I write unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship which is the only good fellowship is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son 1 Joh. 1.3 The childe of God cateth not his morsel alone but loveth company he is very covetous to make Proselites unto Christ We have a saying That he was unworthy to be born by whom another is not born Sure I am he may question whether he were ever born again that doth not labour that others may be so also Reader Try thy self by this touchstone art thou an heavenly Merchant to ingross spiritual commodities to thy self or art thou desirous that others should share with thee Is the voyce of thy heart like Cains Am I my brothers keeper or like Moses Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Canst thou stand â—y and see others lose their God and Christ and souls for ever and not be at all troubled so thy stakes are saved Dan. 6.14 or dost thou with Darius labour hard to keep poor creatures from the roaring lion and with Abraham pray heartily that poor Sodomites may be preserved from fire and brimstone Is it all one to thee whether thy neighbors and relations sink or swim be sinners or Saints be saved or damned truly then its a sign thou art not born of God for wert thou his son thou wouldst endeavour by thy prayers pattern and precepts to raise up seed to thine elder brother Jesus Christ Reader Credo Domine vera fide etsi languida fide Oecolampad It is far from my thoughts to disown or discourage the least degree of grace I know that the Embryo in the womb is reckoned towards a childe the break of day a part of the day A palsie shaking hand is a true hand and may receive a jewel as surely though not so steadily as another hand A weak hand of Faith is a true faith and may receive the pearl of price as certainly though not so chearfully as a strong Faith If thy desires after these particulars be sincere and accompanied with suitable endeavours it will speak much for thee I am not bringing thy graces to the ballance to weigh them that I may know their quantity and degrees and how rich thou art but to the touchstone to try them that thou mightest know their quality and truth whether thou art poor in spirituals or poor in spirit whether thou art worth any thing or nothing for thine endless estate in the other world To sum up this Use I would request thee to be so great a friend to thy precious soul as to be impartial and faithful in its search and trial Look much at the constant bent and inclination of thy heart One act will not speak an habit nor a few good or bad motions an holy or evil heart Thou mayst have some cogitations of heaven when thy conversation is not in heaven The air is light yet not a lightsom body because it 's lighted by the presence of another when that is removed its dark as in the night So if thy light of holiness in any of the forementioned particulars be only like a flash of lightning for a fit it is a sign the root of the matter is not in thee On the other side thou mayst have flesh in thee and yet thou not be in the flesh Thou mayst be in the right way to heaven though thou art sometimes stopt and hindered in thy journey A stream or vent of a river may be to go downward yet the River may be dammed up for a while but 't will rise higher and higher and at length beat down and overcome that which hindereth it so if the tendency of thine inward man its ordinary frame and temper be but towards God and the Divine nature be not discouraged though there may be the mud of corruption to stop the stream for this living water of grace will be so beating upon it that t will over-power it and ride triumphantly over it But be sure that thou bring the matter in debate to an issue by no means desist till thou bringest it to some result If Satan can but perswade thee either to daub about it for his his speech will be like that of Peter to Christ Master pity thy self or to leave the question still in doubt he knoweth that he shall spoil the working of all this Physick be it never so good I know that thine heart will be as hard to be kept to it as an eel in thine hands therefore serve thine heart as the Judge serveth the Jurors at an Assize First they are sworn to be true and faithful in deciding and determining
the difference between party and party next they hear the evidence and proofs on both sides After that they are shut up together and have neither fire nor candle nor bread nor drink allowed them till they are agreed on their verdict which when they have done they bring it into the Court and there 't is entred and recorded Go thou and do likewise when thou art got into thy chamber first make thine heart to engage and promise before the Judge of the whole earth that it will through the strength of Christ be true and faithful in determining this weighty controversie between God and thy soul Whether the land of promise belong to thee or not next let conscience be called which is as ten thousand witnesses and speak what it knoweth of thy right and title to that estate according to the known Laws of the Lord and if thou lovest the life of thy soul do not wink upon that witness or fee him underhand to make him to mince the matter and be partial in his testimony Foolish pity here is soul-damning cruelty but tell him he is upon his oath and in the presence of the infinite God and charge him to speak the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth O do but give conscience leave to be faithful at this time and t will be thy friend to eternity When the evidence is thus examined let nothing hinder a verdict call upon thy heart again and again whether it be resolved for thee or against thee till this be done give thy self no rest if one day will not serve take two never give over till it come to an issue one way or other Of what infinite concernment is this to thee when all that thou art worth for the other world dependeth on it When thou art agreed of a verdict let it be entred and ingrossed in the Court of Conscience namely that such a day thy title to the inheritance of the Saints in light was tried before the Judge of quick and dead and upon a full hearing of evidence on both sides such or such a verdict was brought in If thy heart find for thee how may this fill thee with joy that thy name is written in the book of life it may keep thee steddy in the greatest storm that thou art an undoubted heir to the eternal weight of glory When the waters of affliction overtake thee and the Devil throws his stones into them to trouble them and make them muddy that thou mayst doubt and distrust thine eternal felicity how quickly may the remembrance of such a verdict upon full evidence settle them again and how clearly mayst thousee thy sincerity like a true diamond sparkling gloriously at the bottom of those waters thou mightest gather Once in Christ and ever in Christ and I was once in him therefore I can never be out of him O Friend thy priviledges are high and unspeakable and therefore thy practices should be holy and answerable But I cannot stay to speak farther to thee here my work groweth in my hands already much beyond my thoughts yet I shall speak to thy dignity and happiness in the second subject of consideration under the first Use of Exhortation and to thy duty and holiness in the second Use of Exhortation if the book swell not too big But Reader if thine heart find against thee that thou art not born again what canst thou say for thy self why sentence of eternal death should not be awarded and executed upon thee according to Law yea according to the Gospel Hast thou read the reasons of the Doctrine and the first use of Information and dost thou not see the absolute indisponsable necessity of Regeneration in all that would be saved Hath not the God of truth as it were confirmed it with an oath Verily verily I say unto thee that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Canst thou think to make the author of this Text a liar by getting to heaven in an unregenerate condition Dost thou believe that the thoughts of his heart stand for ever and the counsels of his majesty be established to all generations Suppose thou shouldst dye this day Alas how many diseases attend thee the feet of those that carried others to their long homes are ready to carry thee also Good Lord what will become of thee for ever ever ever Art thou able to dwell in everlasting burnings canst thou endure unquenchable flames For the sake of thy precious soul hasten out of this Sodom this natural estate which will undoubtedly be punished with fire and brimstone For thine help herein I have written the next Vse which I earnestly beseech thee as thou wouldest leave this world with comfort and look into the other world with courage that thou give it the reading thou knowest not what an hour may bring forth and the Lord give it his blessing THirdly This doctrine may be useful by way of exhortation and that to two sorts of persons 1. To the unregenerate If without regeneration men and women can never obtain salvation then it exhorteth thee Reader if in a state of nature to minde and labor for this second birth as ever thou wouldst escape the second death Dost thou not perceive by the word the living God That except thou art converted thou canst in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God! Matth. 18.3 Alas what then is like to be thy case shouldst thou die in this condition Assure thy self that all thy Friends and Lands honors and pleasures yea all the help which this whole world can afford thee cannot keep thee one quarter of an hour out of Hell This Law this standing Law of Heaven That except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God is like the Law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered By their Law That which was written in the Kings Name and sealed with the Kings seal might no man reverse Esth 8.8 Friend is not this written not onely in the name but with the very hand of the King of Kings I say unto thee and sealed with his own seal Verily verily and doest thou think poor worm to reverse it to turn the truth of the Eternal God into a lie I tell thee and I would speak it with reverence to the highest Majesty that God himself cannot do it 'T is his perfection that it is impossible for him to lye Tit. 1.2 His hand cannot but make good what his mouth hath spoken His will and word have joyned regegeration and salvation together and his faithfulness and truth will not suffer them to be parted asunder Therefore think of it timely and turn to God truly otherwise there is a necessity of thy perishing everlastingly Thou doest not know as strong and lusty as thou art how soon death may come behinde thee and throw thee and O 't will be thine eternal overthrow though as on Sodom thy morning be Sunshiny yet thou canst not tell
how soon it may overcast nay it may be followed with flakes of fire before night Sure I am that God hath given thee no lease of thy life and that others have died of the same age and likeliness tolive and why thou shouldst promise thy self a priviledge beyond others that thou shalt live longer I know no reason unless this That the Devil and thine own heart have conspired together to murther thy soul by getting thee to future and put off thy conversion till thou comest to Hell-fire and then thy ruine will be past remedy Suppose the same voice should come to thee which did to Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live meaning speedily What woulst thou do thy house is not in order thy soul Man is all out of order and therefore death would come to thee as Abijah to Jeroboams wife with heavy tidings with such news as Samuel brought to Eli which will make thy ears to tingle and thine heart to tremble Ah how will he do to die that never knew how to live The black Usher of death will go before and the flaming fire of Hell will follow after Didst thou but believe the word of God as much as the Devils do thou couldst never depart this life in thy wits who hast not led thy life according to Gods will One would think the noise of this murthering piece of this great Cannon Death though it should not be very near thee might awaken and affrighten thee when that deluge of wrath cometh that the fountain of fury from below is broken up and the flakes of fire from above are rained down thou hast no Ark no Promise no Christ to shelter thy self in For Regeneration is the plank cast out by God himself to save the sinking sinner by bringing him to the Lord Jesus and thou wantest it Dost thou not see that thy Sentence of death if thou continuest so is already passed in the High-Court of Heaven entred and engrost in the Book of Scripture and God knoweth how soon the word of command may be given to some disease for thy execution What comfort therefore canst thou take in all the creatures while thou wantest this new creation It is reported of Xerxes Plutarch in vit Themist the the greatest of the Persian Monarchs that when the Grecians had taken from him Sardis a famous City in Asia the less he commanded one every day at dinner to cry before him with a loud voice Sardis is lost Sardis is lost It seems to me that thou hast far more cause to have a Friend without or Conscience within to be thy Monitor every day and every meal to sound in thine ears Friend Thy Soul is lost Thy Soul is lost Certainly such a voice might mar thy greatest mirth sauce every dish with sorrow make thy most delicate meat a medicine and thy sweetest drink distastful to thee O didst thou but know what it is to lose thy soul thy God thy Christ thine Heaven and all for ever thou wouldst in the night be scared with dreams and visions and in the day be frighted with fears and terrors When Vriah was bid by David to go down to his house and refresh himself he answered The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lie with my wife As thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 2 Sam. 11.11 Mark The good man could take no pleasure in relations or possessions because the natural lives of others were in danger nay he forswears the use of those comforts for that very cause How then canst thou solace thy self with lying vanities when thine Eternal life is not in jeopardy but lost really and thou canst not assure thy self one day for its recovery Shouldst thou see a condemned prisoner which knoweth not whether he shall be hanged on the morrow or the day after hawking or hunting sprucing himself or sporting with his jovial companions what thoughts wouldst thou have of such a man wouldst thou not think surely this man is mad or desperate were he not beside himself he would minde somewhat else since he is so near his end But Friend turn thine eyes inward and see whether there is not infinitely more reason why thou shouldst wonder at thine own folly and madness who art by the word of the dreadful God condemned not to be hanged but to be damned not to the gallows but to the unquenchable fire and canst not tell whether this night or to morrow morning justice shall be done upon thee and yet thou art buying and selling eating and drinking pampering the perishing body never minding or thinking what shall become of thy poor precious soul to eternity The wise mans advice is that if thou art indebted to men and liable to their arrest and imprisonment thou shouldst not give sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids before thou hast made thy peace Prov. 6.1 2 3 4. What speed shouldst thou then use when thou art infinitely indebted to the Almighty God at his mercy every moment liable continually to be arrested by that surly Serjeant Death and by him to be hurried into the dark prison of Hell to agree with thine Adversary while thou art in the way and to get the black lines of thy sins crost with the red lines of Christs blood and so for ever blotted out of the Book of Gods remembrance As the Chamberlain of one of the Persian Princes used to say to him every morning Arise my Lord and have regard to the weighty affairs for which the great God would have you to provide So say I to thee Awake O man out of thy carnal security and have regard to the great end for which thou wast born and the great errand for which the great God hath sent thee into the world Reader that thou mightest avoid the endless wo of the damned and attain the matchless weale of the saved I shall do two things in the prosecution of this exhortation I shall both give thee some helps towards regeneration and remove some hindrances First I shall offer thee three helps unto holiness and thereby unto Heaven Secondly I shall answer three objections which probably may arise in thine heart If thou hast any real desire after thine eternal welfare ponder them seriously and practice them faithfully And the good Lord make them successful O how happy might it be for thee if the getting of a regenerated nature were the main taske of thy whole time Believe it thou wilt have no cause to repent of it For the helps towards Regeneration and thereby towards Salvation The first help to Regeneration Serious Consideration 1. THe first help which I shall offer thee is serious consideration He that goeth in a wrong path and never thinketh of it will not return back or turn about though
he is void of true wisdom and liveth without this serious consideration Isa 1.2 3 4 5. They consider not the conclusion and therefore are confident in the commission of sin They consider not their last end therefore they come down mightily Lam. 1.9 A Divine writeth well how subtil Satan is to hinder mens consideration Satan saith he is very jealous of the sinner afraid every Christian that speaks to him Gurnals Armor part 1. pag â—2â— or ordinances he hear should inveigle him by his good will he should come at neither No nor have a thought of heaven or hell from one end of the week to the other and that he may have as few as may be he keepeth him full handed with work The sinner is grinding and he is filling the hopper that the mill may not stand still He is with the sinner as soon as he wakes and fils his wretched heart with some wicked thoughts which as a morning-draught may keep him from the infection of any savour of good that may be breathed on him by others in the day time All the day long he watcheth him as the Master would do his man that he fears will run away And at night like a careful Jaylor he locks him up again in his chamber with more bolts and fetters upon him not suffering him to sleep as he lieth on his bed till he hath done some mischiefe Ah poor wretch was ever slave so lookt too as long as the Divel can keep thee thus thou art his own sure enough Now as that Father said of the Gospel that it must needs be excellent because Nero prosecuted it with so much violence so this consideration must needs be an excellent help to holiness because the Divel doth prosecute it with such implacable hatred if he can keep this door of thy soul shut he feareth not Christs entrance into thy heart I have sometime read of a religious father that had a deboyst lewd son that was a great grief to him when the father was on his death bed he made this son to promise him that he would be every day of his life half an hour alone by himself The son making some conscience of his solemne engagement to his dying father used afterwards to retire himself daily for that space of time where at first he busied himself vainly in thinking of the honours and delights of the world but afterwards he began to consider what end his father had in binding him to such retiredness and then thought of his own folly in wandring from God and embracing a dying and lying world and the Spirit striking in with those meditations he became a new man O that Reader thou wouldst go and do as he did Is it not an easy remedy If God should require ten hours every day to be spent in secret about thy soul and salvation I profess to thee I know not how thou couldst spend thy time better or so well I am sure t were worth the while O Friend to be amongst Divels in everlasting torments or with Christ in everlasting pleasures are other manner of things then thou canst imagine but I do request of thee on the behalf of God and thy soul but one half hour every day that thou wouldst retire thy self into thy chamber or closet The beautiful bridegroom is bashful and cometh seldom to his Church Cant. 4.11 or any Christian in a crowd and there consider seriously of some things which I shall from the Lord propound to thee Let not the cheapness of the receipt make the refuse it thou seest somtimes that simple hearbs that grow in our own gardens cure those distempers which costly drugs fetched from far cannot As the Generals servant said to him when he raged and fretted at the counsel of the Prophet for the cure of his Leprosy If the Prophet had bid the do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it how much rather when he saith wash and be clean 2 Kings 5.13 so say I to thee if I should request more time in a day if I should desire far greater things of thee for the killing of that Leprosy which otherwise will kill thee wouldst thou not do it Ah didst thou but know the price of a Christ thou wouldst sell all to buy that pearle didst thou but know the wrath of a just holy and infinite God thou wouldst do any thing do all things possible to escape it How much rather when I desire onely one half hour in a day for serious consideration If thou wilt not do this for the avoiding of Hell dost thou not deserve to burn for ever think of it Reader whoever thou art I am very loath to leave thee before I have prevailed with thee dost thou not sqander away many an hour vainly nay sinfully in working out thy damnation and wilt thou not spare one half hour in a day to work out thy salvation in how many years hast thou spent in the service of thy brutish flesh and is half an hour in a day when thou art not sure to live a week too much for thine angelical spirit What saist thou Wilt thou promise thy Maker and Redeemer that thou wilt do this whose advantage is it like to be thine or mine If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self but if thou art a scorner thou alone shalt suffer Prov. 9.12 Well if thou wilt not grant me this little time thou art like to grieve for the refusal eternally And truly if thou wilt hear God in this I have hopes that he will hear thee in far greater Set thine heart therefore to all the words which I speak unto thee this day for it is not a vain thing but it is for thy life Deut. 12.46 47. I Shall upon presumption that thou wilt for thy souls sake use that cheap help of Consideration assist thee by laying down five particulars as subjects of thy most serious thoughts and I know not one of them but hath such weight that when thou are considering if the blessed God vouchsafe a meeting it may do the work The first subject of Consideration The misery of the unregenerate matchless endless FIrst Consider the misery which thou liest under or art liable to whilst thou art unregenerate And were I but able to charge and discharge this great gun fully it might probably fire thee out of all thy sinful holds and force thee to seek unto Christ for help But as the Roman said of his fellow-Citizen That he was beyond all expressions wicked so may I say of thee that thou art beyond not only all expressions but all conceptions wretched No ink is black enough to describe those dismal clouds of fury under which thou livest in this world But O what tongue can tell the thousandth part of those fiery torments to which thou art liable in the other world While thou livest thou art a cursed sinner and when thou diest thou shalt be a damned creature While thou livest thou art
a cursed sianer that roll of curses twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad is thy right Zach 5.4 Thou art a breaker of the Law and out of Christ and therefore an heir of the curse and wrath of the Lord. The curse of God hangs every moment over thine head like a Blood-hound it followeth thee where ever thou goest as thy shadow it accompanieth thee whatever thou dost thou art continually under the dropings and spouts of the Almighty Gods indignation and canst as soon slye from thy self as from it till thou art regenerated Thou art cursed in all thou hast whether they are natural civil or spiritual enjoyments they are all cursed to thee For thy natural parts thy wit memory knowledge head heart are all cursed to thee They are employed in the service of Satan and with them thou fightest against God and thy soul As Jehu against his Master so thou marchest furiously against thy Maker with his own Soldiers Thy Memory is Satans treasury thy Will an agent for hell thy carnal mind enmity against God the Handmaids of thy affections like Hagar crow over their Mistris and make even thy Reason a slave and Lacquey to thy sensual lusts all thy natural endowments are Satans ornaments and as the more sharp and keen the weapon is the more mischief the murderer doth with it so the more witty thou art the more wicked thou art thy wisdom being from below earthly sensual devilish Jam. 3.15 For thy civil advantages Thy wealth credit house-delights friends are all cursed to thee Thy riches make thee the greater rebel and thereby further thine eternal ruine Thy fulness breeds forgetfulness Where the richest Mines are the earth is most barren Thy wealth is like fuel to feed thy wantonness Thine Honor like wind puffeth up the bladder of thine empty heart with pride The more God lifteth thee up the more thou casteth him down the respectful breath of thy neighbours doth but blow the vessel of thy soul towards Hell Thy pleasures are prejudicial to thy precious soul like the wasp thou drownest thy self in those pots of honey and as the silly fish swimmest merily down the silver streams of Jordan till thou fallest into the dead sea and perishest Thy Relations and friends if wicked are cursed to thee they breathe on thee and thou takest the infection wanting this preservative of regeneration They are actually what Michal was to David intentionally in regard of Saul snares unto thee Thy house is cursed The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked Prov. 3.33 what ever cost be there there can be no true cheer for there is Gods curse which mars all this will either rot the timber and pull it down or undermine the foundation and blow it up Possibly there may be in thine house a loving wife lovely children many servants stately rooms costly furniture dainty fare great earthly delights But man The curse of God is there A spoonful of this like Copris will turn all thy wine into ink thy sea of honey into gall and wormwood How can thy sweetest dish be savoury when the curse of God is thy sauce Or thy most sugared cup be pleasant when the curse of God lieth like a toad swel'd at the bottom or thy finest rayment delight thee when in every suit there is the curse of God like a plague sore or how can thy most beautiful building content thee when this curse of God on thee for thy wickedness turns it into a prison to keep thee who art in the bond of iniquity till the hour of death the time of thine execution There is a place which some speak of in the West-Indies where there is extraordinary luscious fruit growing but the inhabitants are so scorched with the heat of the Sun by day and multitude of gnats stinging them by night that they cannot either eat or digest their sweet meats with any comfort for which cause the Spaniards call the place Comfits in hell Reader what delight canst thou take in thy table though it be spread with various earthly enjoyments when every dish is served in with the scorching wrath of God and stingings of a guilty conscience As a feast to him that sate under a naked sword as wine to a condemned malefactor as Dives dishes followed with the unquenchable fire so are all the comforts of this inferiour creation to an unregenerate person Thou art a curse to thy children its ill to have relation to thee who art under the indignation of God The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned Isa 14.20 so Job 5.3 4. If thy children are good thou art their grief if wicked thou wilt make them worse The best of them may smart temporally for thine iniquities When the body of the tree faleth the branches fall with it Exod. 20.5 and O how much more is it to be feared that thou wilt draw them after thee both to sin and Hell It is not safe to be thy neighbour if it be ill to dwell near him whose house is on fire surely 't is not good to be nigh him who is under Gods fury When an overflowing storm sweepeth away the wicked the tayle of it may dash at their best neighbours Though they shall not perish with thee yet they may smart for thee Thy name is cursed The name of the the wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 Thou mayst be honorable in the esteem of thy graceless neighbours but thou art contemptible in the account of Christ and his members and when ever thou diest thou wilt go out like a candle leaving behinde thee a stinking savour in the nostrils of the Saints Thy calling what ever it be is cursed thine eathly imployment proves an heavenly impediment Thou art cursed in the City and cursed in the field cursed in thy basket and cursed in thy store cursed in the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and increase of thy kine and flocks of thy sheep cursed when thou comest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord will send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto until thou be destroyed and perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken the Lord Deut. 28. init per tot As thy natural parts and civil advantages so also thy spiritual priviledges are cursed to thee till thou turnest from sin â—hou enjoyest Sermons Sacraments Sabbaths seasons of Grace and like the Spider suckest poison out of those sweet flowers Roses some say kill horse-flies Is it not sad that those precious mercies should hasten and increase thy misery Thine unregeneracy like some desperate disease turneth those medicines which are administred to cure it into the nourishment and confirmation of the sickness it self the word of God is the savour of death unto death unto thee â— Cor. 2.18 Thou surfeitest of that bread of life then which no surfeit is more dangerous thou growest black and wanzy in the
will be so heavy So now thou art born up with the streams of worldly comforts thy sins are easie and light but when thou comest once to touch at land at thy long home they will be so poysonous for their nature and so ponderous for their weight that thou wilt cry out sadly and despairingly what Paul did sorrowfully yet believingly O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7.24 The god of this world now blindeth thine eyes that thou neither seest their number nor colour but in that long long night of blackness of darkness all those Ghosts will walk and then they will be gastly indeed Those arrows of sin which now thou shootest out of sight will then fall down upon the head of the Archer 4. It will teach thee the worth of a Saviour when thou feelest the want of a Saviour thou shalt know by woful experience the worth of a Saviour Sickness now probably teacheth thee the worth of health and pain the comfort of ease truly those torturing pains and wracking diseases with which thou shalt be eternally affected will teach thee though 't will be a miserable learning the great price and worth of the Physitian of souls Jesus Christ is more worth to a Saint in this world then the whole world If all the rocks were rubies and all the dust gold or the whole Globe a shining Chrysolite yet he would count all but dross and dung in comparison of Christ nay of one hours or moments communion with him But thou seest here no such vertue in his blood no such value in his passion no such beauty in his person no such excellency in his precepts But when thou shalt feel the wrath of God the curse of the Law the torments of Hell the poyson and sting of sin then a Redeemer will be a Redeemer indeed Now the Son of the ever blessed God tendereth himself to thee with many entreaties goeth after thee up and down night and day knocking at the door of thine heart with all his graces comforts and fruits of his death by the ministry of his word the motions of his spirit multitudes of temporal and spiritual mercies but thou unworthy wretch slightest both him and his precious Attendants and esteemest thy shop and stock thy corn and carnal comforts far before him but when thou shalt see what a weight of glory what Rivers of pleasures others enjoy through the Saviour and thy self feel more torment and pain then thou canst now possibly think or fear for want of a Saviour surely thou wilt have other manner of thoughts of him then now thou hast 'T would be as much worth to thee as Heaven now to know Jesus Christ and him crucified but 't will be the Hell of thine Hell to know him there O how deeply it will cut thine heart with horror to think that that Christ whom thou shalt see at his Fathers right hand waited on thee till his head was wet with the dew and his locks with the drops of the night called frequently and fervently after thee Turn turn O sinner why wilt thou die and run thus upon thy ruin and yet thou wert as deaf as an Adder and wouldst not hear the voice of that sweet Charmer 5. It will teach thee the preciousness of time Eternity will learn thee the value of time when in that long evening and night which shall never have a morning thou shalt remember and consider that thou hadst a day of Grace O Thou wilt think Time was when I had the tenders and offers of all that love and life mercy and merits heaven and happiness of which yonder blessed souls are possessors when mercy came kneeling to me for acceptance Grace came a begging at the door of my heart for admittance it followed me to bed and board abroad and at home beseeching me for the love of God for the sake of my poor soul to turn from lying vanities to the living God how often did the Minister with many entreaties invite exhort beseech me to pitty my dying soul to leave my damning sins 2 Cor. 6.2 and heartily to embrace my loving Saviour with all speed assuring me from the word of the Eternal God that then was the onely accepted time then was the onely day of Salvation but I despised and deferred all I thought I had time enough before me and wo and alas it is now too late the sun of my life is set the gate of mercy is shut I did not work in my day and now the things of my peace are for ever hid from mine eyes Alas alaâ— poor creature what wilt thou do in such an hour Now thou wantest wayes to spend thy time were it not for the Ale-house or good fellowship or some sinful or vain sports thou couldst not tell what to do with thy time Now thou esteemest it as a meer drug that hangs upon thy hand How many a precious hour dost thou throw away though the revenues of the whole world cannot purchase or call back a moment but then thou wilt cry as that foolish Lady on her death-bed who wantoned it away in her life time Plutarch in Pelopid Call time again Call time again but all in vain When thou art once entred upon thine Eternity there can be no recalling of Time I have read of Archias the Lacedemonian that whilst he was carousing in his cups amongst his jovial companions one delivers him a letter purposely to acquaint him that some lay in wait to take away his life and withal desired him to read it presently because it was matter of concernment O saith he Cras seria serious things to morrow but he was slain that night so whilst thou art wallowing in the mire of sensual pleasures a messenger from God is sent purposely to tell thee that Satan and Sin lie in ambushment to murther thy soul and withal intreateth thee to minde it speedily that thou mightest prevent it but thou cryest at least in thy heart and practice Serious things to morrow Repentance Faith and Holiness hereafter but before that hereafter come thou art in Hell and then present time will be precious when its past Thou wilt then remember how exceeding careful thou wast to plough and sow thy ground in its season and how mad and foolish to put off the ploughing up the fallow ground of thy heart and sowing to the Spirit till the season of Grace was past 6. It will teach thee the knowledge of Eternity though indeed this Lesson will be ever learning by thee and never learned Thou shalt suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude v. 7. and be tormented day and night for ever and ever Rev. 14.10 Thou wouldst not burn an whole year no not one day in one of thy Kitchin fires for a Kingdom But O then thou shalt be in a ten thousand times hotter fire and for ever Ah! Who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can endure unquenchable flame Isa
while thou livest As a burnt child thou shouldest ever dread that fire thy broken hone being once well set would be stronger then before Compare 2 Sam. 11.4 and 15. with 1 Câ—ron 11.18 19. Mark 14.29 with Iohn 21.15 16 17. thou shouldst after thy falls walk more dependingly on Christ more compassionately towards others and more watchfully over thine own heart What ever thy condition were it should tend to thine eternal consolation Every wind that blew whether the nipping North-winde of adversity or the cherishing South-winde of prosperity should neither of them wrong thee for Christ would give them a charge concerning thee as David his Captains concerning Absolom Do this young Convert no harm no discourtesie but deal gently with him for my sake yea they should both blow a blessing to thy soul though the providences of God might be sometimes painful to thine outward yet they should be alwayes profitable to thine inward man Infinite love would send all infinite wisdom would temper all and infinite power would dispose all for thy benefit the rod would ever be in the hand of a loving Father and therefore never used to ruine or harm thee but ever to reform and heal thee As in the revolution of the Heavens every Planet moveth in its proper orb their motions are various nay opposite yet by the wheeling round of the primum mobile they are all brought about to one determinate point And as the wheels of a watch though they move contrary wayes yet all serve to carry on the end of the workman to tell us the time of the day So though the providences and dealings of God be never so cross seemingly yet they should all tend to thine advantage really and finally and to carry on Gods design which is thy spiritual and eternal felicity In a word if afflictions did wait upon thee if temptations watch against thee if mercies did flow in or by iniquity thou didst fall down whether the dayes of thy pilgrimage were cloudy or clear shining or showring whatever weather thou travellest in towards thy Father House All things should work together for thy good if thou didst once love God and wert called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 As all Gods providences should be profitable to thee so also in all thy performances thou shouldst be acceptable to God When thou shouldst approach the Lord of Glory he would give thee a meeting in the means of Grace he would bid thee welcom into his presence and warm thine heart with his spiritual influences thou mightest hear him speaking to the solace and wonder of thy soul O my Dove shew me thy face let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Cant. 2.14 The Spirit of God would assist thee in all thy performances enabling thee to offer up to God what came first from God and O how exceedingly would the Father be taken with and delight in his own childe The fruits of his Spirit would be pleasant fruits indeed Rom. 8.26 Cant. 4. ult Thou shouldst in every sacrifice give God thine heart which he could not but take kindly at thy hands Thy prayer would be his delight Sozomen said of Apollonius 〈◊〉 at he â—ever as â—ed that thing of God which was denied Prov. 15.8 Thy sweet breath would abundantly please him no musick could be so melodious to thee as thy prayers to him thou shouldst never ask any thing but he would grant it either in specie or pondere in money or money-worth The King of Heaven is not he that could do any thing against thee as that earthly King said Jer. 38.5 Thy prayer should come before him like incense and the lifting up of thine hands as morning and evening sacrifices which his soul would smell a sweet savour in His eyes would be alwayes open upon thy person with acceptance and therefore his ears would be open to thy prayers with audience Gen. 4.4 Thou like Esther shouldst be arrayed in thy best raiment the robes of thy Saviours righteousness and so appearing in the presence of the King shouldst finde such favour in his eyes that thy Petition should be granted and thy request performed though it were to the half to the whole of his Kingdom Thy duties should be performed with sutable graces At a Sacrament or in a Prayer thou shouldst draw nigh to him by faith Hebr. 10.22 Know thy distance from him by godly fear Hebr. 12.28 be made one with him by love John 17.23 which would enlarge thy heart in desires after him and ravish thy soul with delight in him Psal 73.25 Job 22.26 and thou shouldst walk with him throughout the duty with one foot of hope and the other of humility Thus graciously shouldst thou look up to him and he would graciously look down upon thee little dost thou think what powerful loadstones these Graces would be to draw forth his love Observe and admire Thou hast * Taken away my heart or behearted me Hebr. ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck How fair is thy love my sister my spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine oinments then all spices Cantic 4.9 10 11. to the end Besides all thy performances would be perfumed by the Mediator There would indeed still be imperfection in thy graces which are poured by the Spirit into thy soul as pure liquor into a foul vessel Spring waters as they pass thorow the veins of the earth will taste of the minerals which they there salute so would thy gracious actions have their faults and defects because thou wouldst have stil an unregenerate part therefore duties as they came from thee would not have a good savour but Christ the Angel would stand at the Altar with sweet incense intercepting thy sacrifices and prayers in their passage to heaven purge away the iniquities of thy holy things with his own blood perfume thy duties with his infinite merits and so present them to his Father in his own name without the least defilement and then O then how pleasing and acceptable must they needs be to him Revel 8.3 4. As when a Servant is with a Master upon liking he doth his business so coldly and carelesly and is so indifferent about it that his Master takes little notice either of him or his work and all that time is lost But when he is once bound and the Indentures sealed and his father engaged for his faithfulness the Apprentice falls to his work with another manner of spirit and the Master now esteems it as service carrieth himself towards him as a Master resolves to teach him his trade and his time every day goes on So whilst a man is unregenerate he serveth God so coldly hypocritically and carnally that God accepts it not nay loaths it his performances they are as the cutting off of a dogs neck or the offering up of swines
flesh it is lost service but when In dentures are sealed in Regeneration that the man is bound to God by an hearty dedication of himself to his service and Christ hath given a considerable sum with him and undertaken for his faithfulness then the foul fals to Gods business with hand and heart and God esteems it as service and resolves to teach him the trade of pleasing God on earth that he may be fit to do it in heaven All the Ordinances of God should be for thy good If thou wert but born again and alive spiritually thou shouldst find the Word Prayer Singing Sacraments Sabbaths communion of Saints to be both refreshing and nourishing food to thy soul though now thou canst relish them no more then the white of an egg and receive no more good from them then from a dry chip then they would be as pipes to convey the water of life to chear and satisfie thy thirsty spirit If thou wert a child weak in grace Ordinances would be milk to thee if a strong man they would be strong meat though thy spiritual strength were never so small thou shouldest find they would increase it The father of eternity would take care so to nurse and feed thee that thou shouldst thrive 1 Pet. 2.2 As the head doth by the organs of sinews or nerves convey the animal spirits into the whole body and with them both sence and motion so thy head Christ Jesus would by those organs of Ordinances convey spiritual life sense and motion to thee his member Thou mightest hear the Word with much spiritual hunger and that being thy sauce would make thee both fall to and relish thy food When thou shouldst hear Christ speaking to thee and opening the Scriptures thine heart would burn within thee and as mettal melted be ready for any mould which God would cast thee into The Precepts of the word would be a light to thy feet and a lanthorn to thy paths thou wouldst love them for their purity find them to be exceeding pleasant and turn thy feet into those ways of peace Thine heart would in part answer Gods holy Law as the Counterpain the original Deed and thou shouldst so behold the face of the Lord in the glass of his Word that thou shouldst be changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 The threatnings of the word though they portend and speak dreadful thing as Nebuchadnezzars dream yet those fearful faithful dreams would belong to thine enemies and the interpretation of them to them that hate thee Those doleful threatnings of Gods wrath the delivering up of souls to go on in sin and the eternal torments of Hell like drones would buz about thine ears to keep thee wakeful but could not sting thee to make thee woful wert thou but alive in Christ thou shouldst be dead to the Law and all its curses Rom. 7.4 The promises would be precious also to thee if thou wert converted thou wouldst have the mouth of Faith with which thou shouldst suck much warm heart-cheering milk from those brests of consolation Isa 66.11 To thee the Promises would be encouragements to service the threatnings affrightments from sin the precepts directions to sanctity if thy heart were sorrowful the promises would enliven it if secure the threatnings would awaken it if full of doubts the precepts would counsel and advise it Of the Promises more in the next Head At a Sacrament Christ would sweetly feast thy soul bring thee into his Banqueting house and cause his Banner over thee to be love when others feed onely upon Elements thou shouldest feed on the Sacrament and finde his flesh to be meat indeed and his blood to be drink indeed when others stood at the door and are put off with some poor scraps as much as they came for thou shouldst be called in sit at his own table feasted with the fat things of his house drink of the rivers of his own pleasures continue under his shadow with great delight and know his fruit sweet unto thy taste when thou sawest with the eye of faith the board spred and richly furnished with variety of dainties all the Cordials and sweet-meats of the Gospel among the rest with that love which is better then wine thou shouldst hear a voice from the Spirit within thee Eat O Freind drink abundantly O Beloved which how ravishing it would be to thine ears and how refreshing to thine heart no tongue can tell O Reader hadst thou ever found at a Sacrament what it is to sup with Christ and Christ with thee thou wouldst scorn the life of an Emperor for the life of a new Creature In Prayer God and thy soul would sweetly converse together Thy petitions would ascend up to him and his righthand-kindnesses would descend on thee In this duty thou wouldst call turning his precepts into prayers and he would answer by turning his promises into performances Many many a blessing shouldst thou obtain kneeling This vessel would never return though somtimes it might seem to tarry long but richly laden The crop of Gods answer would be far greater then the seed of thy prayer out of which it grew The Prodigal desired but the liberty of a servant but the Father bestowed on him the dignity of a son the King asked life and thou gavest it him yea a length of days for ever and ever his glory is great in thy Salvation honour and majesty hast thou put upon him Ps 21.4 5. As a merchant in a morning will get Five hundred or a Thousand pound by a bargain truly thou shouldst by a duty in a morning or evening get thousands nay millions at a clap increase of grace a supply of thy spiritual wants the subduing of thy secret wickedness peace of conscience communion with God joy in the spirit which are more worth then the whole earth In brief Christ would be thy Shepherd feed thee in green pastures lead thee by the still waters and take care that thou be fat and flourishing As the root sendeth up its sap through the bark to all its living branches whereby they continue living and bring forth fruit so if thou wert but regenerated and a living branch thou shouldst derive the sap of grace through ordinances from Christ thy root whereby thou shouldst persevere in spiritual life and glorify God by bringing forth much fruit All the promises of God should be thy portion Reader thou art not able to conceive the unsearchable riches which are laid up in the promises Well may the Apostle call them exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 The promises are the great Charter containing all the priviledges which were purchased by Christ like an apothecaries shop they are full of various salves for every sore of precious remedies for every malady of choice cordials to enliven thee with spiritual consolation in the saddest condition One promise is of unspeakable worth As every precious stone so every
individual promise hath its vertue and value It is the saying of one Mallemus carere sale coeâ—o c Selveccer in Paedag. Christian We had better want meat drink air light all the elements then that one sweet sentence of our Saviour Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Mr. Burroughs saith that there is more of God in that one verse John 3.16 then in heaven and earth beside God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And Mr. Baxter I remember In his Everlasting â—est hath an expression to this purpose That he would not for all the world that that verse John 17.24 had been left out of the bible Father I will also that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory One promise hath revived the saints when they have been almost dead with sorrow and held their heads up that they have not sunk in deep waters Melib. Adamus in vit Beza was refreshed by that John 10.27 28 29. Mr. Bilney that blessed Martyr by that 1 Tim. 1.15 Father Latimer at the stake by that 1 Cor. 10.13 Mr. Robert Bolten that famous preacher and eminent saint was comforted under a sad affliction by that Isa 26.3 Now if one promise be so pretious how happy shouldst thou be wert thou but regenerated to have an interest in all the promises That whole book should be thine wherein every leafe drops myrrhe and mercy love and life Thou mightst walk in the garden where those choice flowers pleasant fruits and sweet spices grow and abundantly delight thy soul with their fragrant smell and luscious taste The promise is to you and to your children and to then that are a far off and to as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.39 Observe the silver thread upon which all the jewels of the promises hang To as many as the Lord our God shall call When thou art called and born of him all the promises would be thy portion As all the rivers meet in the Ocean so all the promises meet in regeneration I will name two or three promises that thou mayst see how well t would be with thee wert thou once in Christ All thy sins should be pardoned though they were never so great and greivous yet the blood of Jesus Christ would cleanse thee from them Didst thou but know what a great price was laid down to procure a pardon Heb. 9.22 14. what dreadful punishments sinners undergo in hel for want of pardon Jude 7. what sorrows and sighs broken bones and waterd couches the Saints suffer when they are but doubtful of their pardon Psa 38.1 2 3 4. thou wouldst say O blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Psal 32.1 2. Now thou shouldst obtain this blessedness God would esteem thee perfectly righteous Solinus reports of a river in Boetia which maketh black sheep if washed therein white truly wert thou never so black a sinner yet thou shouldst be made white by the blood of the lamb Rev. 7.14 As all thy sins should be remitted so thy person should be adopted Thou shouldst of a child of wrath become the child of God Joh. 1.12 David reckoned it a great honour to be the Son in Law of King Saul Seemeth it saith he to Sauls servant A light thing to you to be a Kings son in Law seeing that I am vile and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 O what is it then to be the Son of God of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Behold what manner of love hath the father loved us with that we should be called his children 1 John 3.1 The greatest admiration is too little for such infinite condescention yet this priviledge should be thine The boundless God who hath millions of glorious Angels for his servants would own feed cloath protect maintain and portion thee as his son Thou shouldst be sure to persevere in grace Being once in Christ thou shouldst be ever in Christ though the wind should blow and the waves beat against thee yet thou shouldst not fall being built upon the true rock The very gates of Hell should not prevail against thee Though thou mighst fall foully yet thou shouldst never fall finally because the seed of God would remain within thee 1 John 3.9 Phil. 1.6 1 Thes 5.23 24. Thy life would be hid in Christ as the sap in the root and therefore though thou mightst have thine Autumne yet thou shouldst spring again Thy stock of grace would not be in thine own but in Christs hands and for this cause thou couldst not possibly prove as Adam a bankrupt Though the flame of a zealous profession might be abated yet there would be fire on the hearth under the ashes true grace in thine heart the love of God to thy soul would be everlasting love Jer. 33.3 The kindness of thy Redeemer to thee everlasting kindness Isa 54.8 The Spirit of Grace would abide in thee for ever Joh. 14.16 The Covenant into which thou shouldst enter with God would be an everlasting Covenant Hebr. 13.20 And in that very Covenant thy Saviour would undertake for thee that thou shouldst never depart away from him but abide in him for ever Jer 31.33.34 and 32.40 Christ himself would be ever in thee and Christ saith one may as soon die in Heaven at his Fathers right hand as in the heart of a Believer To sum up all the promises in one God would be thy God And how much wealth is in this golden mine would nonplus the tongues of all the men in the world to express and the understandings of all the Angels in Heaven to conceive This is the great new-Covenant Promise Hebr. 8.8 9 10. I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people The Author of all Promises is the matter of this Promise Surely t is the Main the Ocean a large Promise indeed when it contains him whom the heavens and Heaven of heavens can never contain The Book of Promises is as a glorious Crown but this is the most sparkling Diamond in it Friend dost thou consider what it is to have God for thy God All that God is would be thine the Father thine to adopt thee for his own Son the Son thine to purisie and present thee acceptable to the Father the Spirit thine to dwell in thee as a witness seal and earnest of thine everlasting inheritance All that is in God should be thine all his attributes and perfections should be laid out for thy profit His wisdom would be thine to direct thee his power thine to protect thee his grace thine to pardon thee his mercy thine to pitty thee his goodness thine to comfort thee and his glory thine to crown thee Thou canst not
blood and confirmed by the death of the Testator Hebr. 9.16 17 18 19. The Lords Supper is precious because it sheweth forth the Lords blood and death 1 Cor. 11.26 pardon of sin peace of conscience the affection of the Father the sanctification of the Spirit are all precious because they are the fruits and effects of this precious blood 1 John 1. and 7. Rom. 5.1 Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 2.13 All our comforts run in this channel the blood of Christ is the stream which bears them up and brings them to us yea Heaven it self and the Crown of Glory have weight and worth from this precious sparkling stone Heaven is the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 'T is the blood of Jesus which giveth boldness to enter into that holy place Hebr. 10.19 The precious price paid for it will speak it and make it a glorious place If thou wert once regenerated Christ would be so precious to thee at this day that all things would be dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord to them that believe Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 O the price which true Christians set upon Christ The wise Merchant sold all for this Pearl I have read that the Duke of Burgundy had a Jewel which was afterwards sold for twenty thousand duckets But Christ to a Saint is better then silver and more desirable then choice gold more precious then rubies yea then many millions of worlds When the Athenian Ladies were boasting to Phocion's wife of their Jewels she told them My jewels are my husband Phocion When Alexander was asked where his treasure was he shewed them his friends Such a Jewel such a Treasure is Jesus Christ in the esteem of his Spouse his Friends Christ is all in all The pious soul is of the same minde with John of Alexandria sirnamed the Almoner when at the years end he had given all he had left to the poor and made even with his Revenues he looks up to Heaven and thanked God that he had nothing left but his Lord and Master Jesus Christ to whom he longed to flye with unlimed and untangled wings The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of nothing so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ But the Christian hath a choice room in his soul for the blood of his Saviour He prizeth the shameful cross of Christ above the most glorious crown of the greatest earthly Potentate Gal. 6.14 Thus Friend it would be with thee here if thou wert conveted thou wouldst determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified O the honey which thou wouldst suck out of the Carkass the death of this Lion of the Tribe of Judah When thou shouldest consider that this blood of Jesus Christ is that alone which hath satissied Gods justice Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 Col. 1.20 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. pacified his anger justified thy person sanctified thy nature removed the curse of the Law from thee and thee from the eternal wrath of God and unquenchable torments of Hell would it not be precious blood in thine esteem think of it what a price thou wouldst set upon it but when thou shouldst in Heaven for ever behold the blessed body of Christ shining with incomprehensible beauty far above the brightest Cherub and consider that every vein of that body bled to bring thee to glory when thou shouldst see thousands and millions in matchless and endless burnings from which thou wert delivered and behold thy body made far more glorious then the Sun in his high noon attire and thy soul filled brim-full with unspeakable joy nay every part of thy body and soul enlarged to the utmost and fully fatisfied with unconceiveable delight and thou shouldst be confident and assured to enjoy this for ever and know clearly all this to be the travel of Christs soul and the fruit of his blood Friend friend what thoughts then wilt thou have of the blood of Christ Surely 't will be precious blood indeed thou wouldst have other manner of thoughts of him that came by water and blood then thou ever hadst here below The work of our redemption will be the matter of the Saints communion and the great subject of their eternal admiration Their delivery from sin Satan wrath and hell into a state of liberty love grace and salvation by the blood of Jesus will fill their eyes and hearts with wonder love and joy for ever All the voices there shall sing this song and all the vials there shall be set to this tune Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and glory and blessing Rev. 5.9.10 11 12 to end If the Queen of Sheba when she beheld the wisdom and magnificence of Solomon was so transported that there remained no more spirit in her how will thine heart be transported to see the love and glory of the true Solomon who wept and bled and lived and died to bring thee to heaven Fourthly Thou shouldst know what God is and truly this would be no smal part of thy felicity Knowledge is the excellency of a man and differenceth him from a bruit divine knowledge is the excellency of a Christian and differenceth him from a Heathen The knowledge of humane things hath been so highly esteemed by some of the Heathen that they have profest they would give their whole estates to enjoy their books without interruption what then is the knowledge of divine things worth Aristotle saith That a little knowledge of heavenly things though but conjectural is better then much certain knowledge of earthly things what then is the knowledge of the God of heaven worth The excellency of the object doth much dignifie the act In this world thou canst see but little of him thy sight is so weak but there thou shouldst see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 Now the Christian rather seeth and knoweth God as he is not then as he is we describe him for indeed he is infinitely above all definitions by way of negation to be a Spirit Infinite Unchangeable and the like which particulars tell us what God is not He is a Spirit that is a being without a body for God is not a Spirit as the souls of men and as Angels are I mean not of such a substance The Spirit of God in that expression God is a Spirit Joh. 4. condescendeth to our capacities because we are not able to conceive
things exceedingly injure thee Is not God a hard Master to desire such things of thee Ah didst thou but know the worth of them hadst thou ever beheld their excellency or tasted the comforts which is in them thou wouldst scorn this lower world with all its pomp and pride and pleasures for them and befool thy self to purpose for ever refusing or neglecting them I shall endeavour in some few particulars to shew thee the worth and excellency of that to which thou art so unwilling and possibly thou mayest thereby be convinced of thy madness and folly in sticking at that which would be thine honour and felicity Pliny saith that an exact face can never be drawn but with much disadvantage Without doubt Regeneration or the new Creation can neither be admired nor declared by any no nor by all the Saints on earth according to its worth It is the beauty glory and wonder of Saints and Angels in Heaven First Regeneration is the image of God who is an infinite and most perfect good Vide p. 36 37. Here friend at first flight I soar high One would think if I should speak no more in commendation of it here is enough to ravish thine heart with admiring it for ever it is the picture of Gods own perfections Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph 4.24 As it is the same light that shineth forth in the morning which shineth in the body of the Sun in its Meridian so it s the same holiness that shineth in its degrees in the Christian which shineth in perfection in God Regeneration would make thee pure as God is pure Gods will is the rule and his nature the pattern of the Saints holiness Heb. 1.3 Rom. 8. The coin hath the image and impressions of the King Christ is the express image of his fathers person and the Saints are conformable to the image of his Son The Church is Christ unfolded Christ is not a monster Mr Ball of faith p. 285. the head and members are homogeneal like to each other By Reason man excelleth beasts by holiness he excelleth himself inferiour onely to the Angels in degree and made like unto the Lord as far as a creature may be to his creatour Now how excellent is the image of God! the picture of a King is esteemed and valued at an high rate but what is the picture of a God! Some say that the naked body of man was so glorious in his estate of innocency that all the beasts of the field admired it and thereupon did homage to him O how beautiful and glorious is his soul become by Regeneration the image of God that both Saints Angels and Jesus Christ are taken with it and wonder at it He that would not hear when the disciples were speaking and wondring at the buildings of the material temple but contemned it did both hear see and admire at one piece of this spiritual temple when Jesus heard the Centurions words he marvelled and said to them that followed him I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Mat. 8.10 15 and 28. Nay Christ is so taken with it that his heart is ravished and lost with it he he is behearted with it Cant. 4.9 10. It is observable that the blessed God after every days work in the creation of the world Gen. 1. takes a view of what he had made he saw it was good but when he had made man the sixth day after his own image and then took a review of his works and saw every thing that he had made behold it was very good or extream good So good that it caused delight and complacency in God and called for wonder and contemplation from man Behold it was very good no doubt but the making of man so noble and holy did above all the visible creatures so affect the heart of God that he liked the house much the better because of so rare an inhabitant which he had made to dwell in it Therefore when he had made man he made no more man being so fair a peice such curious workmanship that the infinite God resolved to rest and delight in him So when he createth a soul in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 he rejoyceth over his new workmanship with exceeding joy and resteth in his love Eph. 3.17 But when he shall finish his new creation for he will print mans holiness in the second edition in a larger letter and fairer character then it was at first and bring it forth in the other world t will infinitely surpass the stately fabrick of heaven and earth And O how how will it take not onely perfect spirits but even the God of the spirits of all flesh Friend can that be less then eminently excellent which doth thus ravish the heart of God himself with admiration at it and affection to it Would this tend to thy dishonour or disadvantage to be made like unto him who is the foundation and ocean of all excellencies and perfections Secondly Contraria â—uxta se pâ—sita magis cluces cunt Regeneration is the destruction of sin the greatest evil therefore it must needs be excellent Contraries put together will illustrate one another the baseness and loathsomness of sin will be a good foil to set off the beauty and loveliness of Grace For which cause I shall speak the more to the filthiness of sin For as the better any good is the more excellent it is to be full of it So the worse any evil is the more excellent it is to be free from it Besides dying to sin being one essential part of Regeneration I shall not at all digress Now Sin is the greatest evil in the world there was none like it before it nor ever shall be after it This Brat of the Devil is so vile and abominable that it is very hard to finde out a name futable to its ugly nature Those terms by which it is called of leprofie spot plague vomit mire scum ulcers issues dead carkass exhalation from a grave the vessel into which nature emptieth it self filthiness superfluity of naughtiness the pollution of a new born Infant and many more these all come far short of shewing the poysonous evil which is in sin Therefore the Apostle when he christens this child of disobedience calls it by its sirname That sin by the commandment might appear exceeding sinful Rom. 7.13 The Apostle there doth discharge the Law and charge all upon his own lust which by the commandment takes occasion as water at a bridge that stops and hinders it to rage the more or possibly as a foul face by a glass so sin by the commandment appeared to be exceeding sinful Mark the Apostle doth not say that sin by the glass of the Law appeared to be exceeding foul and filthy or exceeding deformed and ugly or exceeding hellish or devilish but exceeding sinful this includes all them and much more
prophaning it either by idleness or worldly labours or omission of duties and ordinances against the fifth in not carrying himself according to his duty towards them that are above him equal to him or below him Against the sixth seventh eighth ninth and tenth in wronging his neighbours either in regard of life chastity goods name relations either in thoughts words or actions It sheweth him the darkness of his understanding the stubbornness of his will the disorderedness of his affections the hardness of his heaâ—t the searedness of his conscience the mis-improvement of his outward parts how his eyes have beheld vanity his ears been open to iniquity all his senses been through-fares to sin all the members of his body instruments of unrighteousness how from the crown of the head to the soals of his feet there is no sound part in him nothing but wounds bruises and putrified sores It is not one or two sins that trouble this sinner but innumerable evils compass him about whole swarms of these Bees flie in his face and sting his conscience it may be one sin did first set upon him some sin against the light which God had given him and now that creditor hath cast him into prison all the rest come and clap their actions upon him to keep him there his sins in his dealings with men in his duties to God his sins against seasonable corrections against merciful dispensations his sins against the motions of Gods Spirit against the conviction of his own spirit against light love purposes promises they all compass the sinner round that he cannot escape now he sees the ugly loathsomness of all his lusts how they are against an infinite God against a righteous Law against a precious soul how by reason of them he is wholly unlike God and become the very picture of the Devil and truly now he is far from having those flattering thoughts of himself and favourable thoughts of his sins which formerly he had for sins part t is abounding polluting poisonous sinful sin He seeth the wrinckles of this Jezabels face under her paint and O how ugly is she in his eyes and for himself he is more out of love then ever he was in love with himself Some say after they have had the Small-pox that they come to see themselves in a glass they look so ugly by reason of their spots that they cannot endure to see themselves Truly this poor sinner beholding himself in the glass of the Law and viewing those hellish spots of sin all over his soul and body he abhorreth himself in dust and ashes This is the first thing the Spirit convinceth the soul of and that is sin When he is come he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 God never cured a spiritual Leper but he caused him to fall down first and cry out unclean unclean Secondly The Spirit convinceth him of his miserable and dreadful condition Now the commandments of God come to the soul sin reviveth and the sinner dieth He thought before that he was whole a sound man to have little need of a Physician but now he both seeth his sores and feeleth his wounds Ministers before had frequently told him of his dangerous damnable estate but he had a shield to keep off all their darts He was not so bad as they took him to be somewhat they must say for their money and besides though he were as bad as such precise censorious Preachers would make him to be yet God was a merciful God and Jesus Christ died for sinners and he hoped to be saved as well as the best of them but now God comes to him as he did to Adam after his fall Adam where art thou Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I said unto thee thou shalt not eat Sinner where art thou Dost thou know what thou art doing and whether thou art going how darest thou prophane my day blaspheme my name scoff at my people neglect my worship cast my Laws behinde thy back and hate to be reformed Darest thou provoke the Lord to anger art thou stronger then he how will thine heart endure or thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Dost not know poor dry stubble that 't is a fearful thing to fall into my hands for I am a consuming fire Now the sinner heareth the voice of God and is afraid Alas alas thinks he I am a dead a damned man the Almighty God is angry the weight of my sins at present is heavy but the sufferings which I am every moment liable to are infinite and eternal O that I should ever be born to do as I have done Now the lightnings of divine fury flash in his eyes and the canons of the Laws curses thunder in his ears he seeth a sharp sword of pure wrath hanging by a slender thread of life over his head he feeleth the stingings of his sins those fiery serpents at his heart There is no rest in his flesh because of Gods anger nor quietness in his bones because of his sins the arrows of the Almighty are within him and the poison thereof drinks up his spirit the waves and billows of God go over his soul and he sinketh in deep waters God writeth bitter things against him and makes him to possess the sins of his youth Now the man is calmed he will hear what God speaketh before though God himself had told him out of his word what a wicked wretched man he was he would not minde it but storm and rage at it he was like a wilde Ass snuffing up the wind and as an untam'd heifer impatient of the yoke he would kick and fling like a mad man What he give credit to the doctrine and submit to the severe discipline of a few whimsical Puritans that must be wiser then all their neighbors no not he though they shewed him the very hand of God in Scripture to those warrants which they desired him to obey But now he is of another mind for the Law hath shut him up under sin and guilt Gal. 3.22 The Law hath pent him in and shut him up that he cannot possibly get out As Lions Bears and wilde beasts are tamed by being shut up and kept in so the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 shuts the sinner up under it and keeps him in that his former starting holes cannot help him and thereby tames him While he was unconvinced of his sins and misery his conscience was seared not troubled at all the threatnings which were denounced against him but now his conscience is sore touch it which way you will you put him to pain tell him under this conviction of his drunkenness or swearing or atheism or eagerness after this world heartlesness about the things of the other world his neglecting God in secret of not instructing and praying with his family tell him how cold and customary he was in his devotion saying to others that they took more pains for heaven
then they needed to do of his justifying himself in his transgressions and taking part with Satan against his own soul he crieth Guilty Guilty when such Bills of indictment are read against him but every word in them is a deep wound to him the wolf in the brest and worms in the belly do not cause half that pain which his wickedness doth by gnawing in his conscience Tell him of the Gospel how infinitely merciful God is and how inconceivably meritorious Christ is and how freely the glad tidings of the Gospel are offered to all O this toucheth him to the quick the sword of the Gospel cuts him more to the heart then the sword of the Law O saith he This this is my death were it not for this I should have some hopes of life but alas I have abused mercy which is the only friend I have left I have despised Christ and neglected the great salvation which was tendred to me in the Gospel Vile creature that I am Mercy Love and Grace came many a time woing me how did Jesus Christ himself with pardon and life come beseeching me begging of me to open my heart and let him in and yet cursed wretch that I was I denied him when the world could lie warm in my bosom all night and sin get a good room in my soul yet my Saviour must stand without and not be thought worthy to be let in I have most unworthily spurned against his bowels of compassion scorned his sweetest and most affectionate perswasions most desperately refused the only means of my recovery and therefore I what shall I do whether shall I go If one man sin against another the judge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2.25 but if a man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him If I had sinned only against my Creator my Redeemer might have satisfied for me but I wretched I have sinned against my Redeemer and therefore who shall intreat for me O the frights and fears the horrors and terrors which this poor creature suffereth under the sight and sence of his sins and guilt but the fore-thoughts of an everlasting miscarriage in the other world sinks him quite down that he is able to hold up no longer Thus the Spirit first plougheth up the fallow-ground of the heart before he casteth into it the seed of grace he first captivates the sinner and brings him into a spiritual dungeon under chains of guilt and horror that the very irons enter into his soul before he proclaimeth liberty to the captive Isa 61.1 2. and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Some indeed are brought lower then others with legal terror but surely not a few have sailed to Heaven by the very gates of Hell God is resolved that men shall feel sin either here or hereafter Thirdly The Spirit convinceth him of the impotency and weakness of all the things in the world to help him that in the whole garden of Nature there is never an herb which can make a salve to heal his wounded conscience Now the sinner is scorched with the heat of Gods wrath he is like a man in a burning feaver full of pain and he tumbleth and tosseth from one side of the bed to the other trying and hoping for ease he goeth to this carnal comfort or that humane help to have his pain abated and his sores cured but none of them will do as fast as he claps on those carnal plaisters the Spirit causeth his conscience to rub them off It may be first the man useth forreign drugs he being troubled in conscience goeth with Cain to the building of Cities to earthly imployments that the noise of the hammers might drown the voice of conscience that his minde and body being occupied about other things conscience might have no time nor leasure to proceed in preaching its cutting Lectures or else like Saul he runneth to his musick to carnal contentments to merry meetings jovial companions his preferment or pleasures in the world or some carnal diversion if it be possible to turn the water of his thoughts into another channel and so to keep that mill from going which makes such a clacking dreadful noise in his ears and threatneth to grind him to powder Thus sinfully foolish is man as soon as ever a fire is kindled in his soul which would aspire to heaven he runneth with his buckets to earthly springs and fetcheth water thence to quench it the throws of the new birth do no sooner come upon him but he like some simple women takes cooling things which cause his labour to go back again But the Holy Ghost for I am now speaking of one in whom the Spirit goeth through with the work makes all these things empty to him the vertue of those poor cordials is soon spent and now the man is as sick as before Conscience for all these interruptions still followeth him with its Hue and Cry by a warrant from Heaven for the breach of Gods Statutes that the sinner can house nowhere in any of these worldly comforts but conscience is at his heels raising the Town upon him and giveth him no rest the man finds this physick but like hot water to one in a cold fit of an ague which warms a little at present but makes his hot fit the more violent When the sinner findes that his exotical drugs will not cure him he will try in the next place Kitchin physick he will be his own both Doctor and Apothecary he hopeth that his praying and grieving and trouble of minde and resolution to be better will satisfie Gods justice and pacifie his own conscience and heal it throughly O how the man endeavors to lick himself whole man is a proud creature unwilling to beg or borrow of his neighbors very solicitous rather to make a poor shift with what he hath of his own The Mariners will row hard in a storm to get to shore by their own power before they will awake Jesus with Save us Master or we perish But the Spirit convinceth him of the insufficiency of all his prayers and tears and duties to appease God or satisfie his Law the Spirit sheweth him the narrowness and shortness of all his rags how they cannot possibly cover his nakedness conscience telleth him that by his very duties he is so far from paying his old score that he runneth further in debt Alas saith Conscience thy very duties may damn thee He who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity seeth a thousand holes in thy best coat the holy God seeth sins enough in them to send thee into Hell for them Canst thou poor begger with thy counterfeit farthings think to pay an infinite sum Can thy poor finite performances satisfie infinite Justice for the violation of his righteous precepts And for thy resolutions of better obedience canst thou think that future obedience can satisfie for former disobedience No though thou couldst offer thousands of rams and ten
thousands of rivers of oil nay though the first-born of thy body all these could no be a propitiation for one of the least sins of thy soul no no the redemption of a soul is more precious for all these it must cease for ever Thus God ferrits the sinner out of all his Borows and causeth the poor Prodigal while he is wandring from his Father to finde a famine in all the creatures As a General that besiegeth a City doth not onely play in upon it with his Cannons and Granadoes but also secure the several passages stop all provision that no relief can come to it then they will yeild upon his terms So when the Spirit besiegeth the soul it often plyeth it hard with the batteries of the Law and alwayes stoppeth relief from coming in either from the world or a mans own righteousness and then and not till then will the creature yeild upon the terms of the Gospel Fourthly The Spirit convinceth him of the willingness sutableness and al-sufficiency of Jesus Christ to help and heal him The sinner now in his burning fit is very thirsty like Hagar he sits weeping for his bottels are empty and his creature comforts are found by experience to be broken cisterns which can hold no water he knoweth not what to do how can I see the death of my soul thinks he When the sinner is brought to this strait the spirit of God openeth his eyes to see a well of salvation even Jesus who delivereth from the wrath to come The spirit discovereth to the sinner that though his wound be dangerous because the God whom he hath provoked is resolved either to have his law satisfied or his eternal wrath endured yet that it is not desperate for there is Balm in Gilead and a Physitian in Israel that can heal his soul It convinceth him that Christ is a sutable help bread to the hungry water to the thirsty rest to the weary and heavy-laden that he hath a precious salve made of his own blood which is a proper and pecular remedy for his sores It convinceth him that Christ is an alsufficient help that he can supply all the souls wants be they never so many and bear all the souls iniquities be they never so weighty that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 It presenteth to the soul his fitness and fulness in regard of his natures and offices and the impossibility of his being unfaithful to this great work of saving poor sinners for which he came into the world It sheweth the sinner the infiniteness of Christs merits and his omnipotency to help because he is God the examples of other wounded diseased persons who surrendred themselves to the care of this Physitian and were cured He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father and ye see me no more John 16.9 10. That is the world shall be convinced that there is righteousness enough in me to satisfy both the law and law-giver in that I shall appeare in my fathers presence and that with acceptance he would not send an Angel as his officer to roll away the stone and release the surety out of prison the grave and bring him before the Judge with so much credit and countenance if the law were not satisfied and the debt fully discharged Heaven could never have held me ye would have seen me upon earth again if I had not done that work perfectly which the Father gave me to do He shall convince the world of righteousness because I go to the father It convinceth him that Jesus Christ is exceeding willing to save poor sinners that he is joyful that any will accept him for their Saviour that he came from heaven to earth was born meanly lived miserably and died shamefully meerly upon this errand that he might seek and save them that are lost that he inviteth him to come to him and promiseth that he shall be welcom that he calleth them that go from him but casteth away none that come to him Thus when the prodigal is in a far country and cannot fill his belly so much as with husks that he is ready to perish for hunger he is shewd and convinced that there is bread enough in his Fathers house When the sinner is like the Israelite in the wilderness beholding the curse of the law like the Egyptian behind him and pursuing him hard the red sea of divine wrath before him into which he is hastening his crimson and bloody sins like mountains on each side of him incompassing him round that he knoweth not what to do then the spirit biddeth him look up to Jesus and he shall see the salvation of God The third step which the spirit takes is anhelation to cause the soul of the convinced sinner to breath and pant after Jesus Christ breath is the first effect of life Conviction hath emptied his stomach of creature confidence and self righteousness made him poor in spirit and O how hungry he is after the righteousness of Jesus Christ the bread which came down from heaven As the thirsty ground cleaves and opens for drops as the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth his soul after Jesus Christ God blessed for ever thinks he O when shall I come and appear before him His voice is like Rachel Give me children or I die Give me the holy child Jesus or I die or like Abraham Lord what wilt thou give me if I go childless Ioh. 12.21 O what wilt thou give me if I go Christiess or like the Jews to Philip Sir we would fain see Jesus Mat. 28.5 If the Angel should meet him he might bespeake the soul as he did the woman I know what thou seekest thou seekest Jesus which was crucified O the ardent desires the vehement longings the unutterable groans which this poor creature hath after his Saviour as David he cryeth out Who will give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Where is that blessed guide that can leade me and help me to drink of the water of life Methinks I see how Jesus Christ presents himself to the eye of the dejected souls understanding in all his glory and gallantry in his sutableness unto the sinners indigencies and sufficiency for all his necessities with the freeness of his mercy the fullness of his merits and the sweetness of his love how he appeares before the soul with all his retinue and train of graces comforts his blood his spirit the favour of God freedom from sin wrath hell on the one hand of him there stand his gracious promises of pardon peace adoption sanctification heart-chearing love and everlasting life On the other hand of him there stands his precious precepts of self denyal crucifying the flesh walking after the Spirit despising the sensual pleasures honours and profits of this world and delighting in God walking with him having the conversation in heaven and rejoycing
in hope of glory In the middle there stands the fairest of ten thousands adorned as a bridegroom with his richest attire glistering with the jewels of those graces with which his humanity is adorned in a greater degree then the heavens could though every star in it were a glorious sun but O how the diamond of his deity sparkleth in the souls account that millions of worlds would be but a muck-heap to it Ah how lovely is he in the sinners eye How infinitely ravishing to his heart How blessed are those souls thinks this sinner that are interested in such a Saviour Vncâ—nceiveably happy is that spouse which hath so beautiful so accomplish'd so lovely so loving an husband God is hers earth is hers heaven is hers all is hers holiness is her nature and happiness is her joynture O that I O that I might be so blessed as to be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb Who can expresse the vehement violent longings of this man after Christ as the loadstone of his affections as the onely center of his soul the proper remedy for all his maladies had he the beauty of Absolom the renown of Solomon the wealth the worth of the whole world like the wise Merchant he would sell all to buy this pearle of price and think it the best bargain that ever he made nothing is so dear to him but he will give it nothing is so difficult but he will do or suffer for Christ he is of the same mind with the Martyr None but Christ none but Christ It is reported of a woman that was in these throws that she should say I have brought nine children into the world with as much pain as most women yet I would bear them all over again and bear them all my days for Christ There is mention made of a bird in Egypt near Nilus called the bird of Paradise which they say if it be once ensnared is unquiet and mournful till she be delivered so is this convinced sinner now he feels himself entangled in the bonds of iniquity and snares of the Devil he is unquiet till he be delivered Talk to this man of his respect and friends and riches in the world they are as the white of an egg or a dry chip without any savour relish or nourishment to him but tell him of Jesus Christ an able Surety to discharge all his debts O that is the savory meat which his soul loveth As a man that is sick and extreamly pained when you talk to him of his calling or estate he heareth not he regardeth not but tell him of one that can cure him of his disease and ease him of his paine then he will hearken to you thus t is with this sinner all his delight is in hearing of Christ all his longing is to hear from Christ The poor prisoner that is condemned to be hanged and hath sent a messenger to sue for a pardon never longed so much for his return with joyful news as this poor creature for an interest in the Mediatour Thus the Spirit having convinced the soul of its beggery and nakedness bondage and misery causeth it to breathe and long after the riches liberty and righteousness which is in Christ The fourth step is lamentation the soul that breatheth after a Saviour is truly broken for his sins his groans after liberty are accompanied with grief for his slavery Now the clouds gather and thicken over the soul and fall down in tears his sorrow under the conviction of his misery was legal but now t is for his abuse of mercy and so Evangelical His heart before was as a cloud broken by a thunderbolt being torn in pieces violently and making a mighty noise but now like the cloud melted by the shining of the Sun upon it it dissolves down sweetly into a fruitful showre Vemo possit poenitentiâ—m agerâ— nisi qui speraverâ—t indu geâ—tiam Amb He looked on sin before as t was damning as that which would cast his soul and body into hell but now he looks on sin as t is defiling as that which makes him unlike to God and as that by which he hath abused love and mercy and the consideration of this warmeth his heart and kindly thaweth it The man hath now some small hope of mercy and that like the nearer approach of the Sun softneth that earth which was hardned under the frost of legal terrors The pump of the sinners heart was dry till the water of gospel grace apprehended and hoped for was poured in and then it sendeth forth abundantly He returneth now to God with supplication weeping and mourning As Joseph so this sinner seeketh for a place to weep in He goeth into his chamber falleth down before God and poureth out his heart at his eyes and tongue He accuseth shameth condemneth abhorreth himself because of his sins He doth not dissemble his birth but acknowledgeth the pollution of his conception Behold I was shapen in iniquity Psal 51.5 and in sin did my mother conceive me He confesseth the transgressions of his life Psa 58.3 that he hath gone astray from the womb that ever since he was able to go he went astray He acknowledgeth his transgressions and is sorry for his sins with Ephraim he smites upon his thigh saying What have I done with the Publican he beats on his breast crying out God be merciful to me a sinner With the Prodigal he is ashamed to look up to God yet sighs out Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am unworthy to be called thy child He throweth himself down at Gods feet bemoaning himself thus Lord I am the greatest of sinners less then the least of all thy mercies I have defaced thine image broken thy Laws sinned against thy majesty against thee thee I have sinned and done evil in thy sight I have done the work of Satan thine enemy and my wages is nothing but death how thou pleasest to deal with thy worthless creature I know not but however thou deal with me thou art righteous and I will lay my hand on my mouth If thou say that thou hast no pleasure in me â—o here I am do with me what seemeth good in thy sight yet O save my soul ten thousand Hells are my portion but if out of thy bottomless mercy thou shalt pluck my feet out of this bottomless misery my soul shall admire thy free Grace my tongue shall sing aloud of thy rich mercy and O the obligations which this vile wretch shall have to be faithfully and uprightly serviceable to thy majesty His contrition runneth all along parallel with his confession his heart worketh more then his lips and hands his affections are much more self-abasing and humbling then his expressions he seeth him whom he hath pierced and mourneth Calvary is a Bochim a place of weeping to him his eyes are so full that though Christ be nigh him yet like Mary he cannot see him for tears
never fountain sent forth water more freely then this sinner doth godly sorrow when he considereth what he hath done how he hath sinned what a God he hath greived sorrow and grief overwhelm his spirit The fifth step is implantation into Christ the Spirit now leadeth the childe by the band unto Christ nay grafteth him into Christ The soul being convinced of the necessity it stands in of Christ of the endless misery which it must undergo without Christ of the al-sufficiency that is in Christ how willing how able he is to binde up the broken heart and to save the sinful soul doth by the help of the Holy Ghost venture its self and its everlasting estate up-Jesus Christ resolving to stand or fall live or die at his feet The sinner is now between hope and fear not knowing how he shall fare As the four Lepers that were shut out of the City in the famine of Samaria considered with themselves If we enter into the City the famine is in the City and we die there Kings 7.3 and if we sit still here we die also Now therefore come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but die and accordingly they went to the Syrians camp found food there and lived So the sinner pondereth in his heart If I go to the world and the lying vanities thereof I perish vanity of vanities is written upon all its enjoyments the famine is there there is nothing that is bread its whole shop cannot afford a plaister which can heal my wounded conscience if I sit still in this condition under the weight of mine iniquities I perish they will unquestionable sink me into Hell now therefore I will fall into the hands of the Lord Jesus If he save my soul I shall live if he deny to receive such an unworthy wretch as I am I shall but die I can but perish I will therefore venture and accordingly the soul goeth to him and findeth life in him I have sometime thought that when the sinner is come thus far he carrieth himself much like Esther When the King had made an irrevocable decree for the destruction of her self and people what doth she do she fasteth and prayeth and sendeth word to Mordecai I will go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish Esth 4. ult Thus the poor broken-hearted sinner perceiving that the King of Kings hath made a Decree That the soul that sinneth shall die eternally and he is a grievous sinner he fasteth he mourneth he prayeth and at last resolveth Well I will go in unto the King though it be not according to the Law which shutteth me up under guilt and wrath If I perish I perish possibly he may hold out the golden Scepter of Grace and I may live in his sight thus the poor creature goeth maketh supplication believingly and prevaileth The Devil now layeth all the blocks he can possibly in the souls way to hinder its journey to Christ As when the woman talked to her husband of going to the Prophet for the enlivening of her dead childe he presently endeavoureth to disswade her that 't would be to no purpose Why wilt thou go 't is neither new moon nor Sabbath but yet she went and had her childe restored to life Thus To what purpose shouldst thou go to Christ saith the Devil to the penitent sinner Canst thou think that so holy and righteous a God will have the least respect for such a wicked notorious hell-hound as thou art I tell thee he hath sent thousands that never sinned as thou hast done into Hell and canst thou have any thoughts of Heaven Thou hast done my work all thy dayes and now lookest for a reward from God No no I le pay thee thy wages in blackness of darkness for ever if thou hadst intended for life thou shouldst have minded it sooner thou hast dayes without number broken the Law and many a time rejected the Gospel and now 't is too late God called and thou wouldst not hear now thou mayst call long enough for he will not hear thee he tells thee as much with his own mouth Prov. 1.25 to 32. Therefore thou mayst spare thy pains and prayers for all will be to no purpose Surely thou hast a impudent face and a brazen forehead to expect such choice blessings as pardon and life from that Christ whom thou hast persecuted in his people rejected in his Laws preferring the world and thy flesh before him and daring him to his very face Thus he that was the sinners tempter to those sins turns his tormentor for them and he that when the soul was posting to Hell bid it not doubt of Heaven doth now the creature is creeping towards eternal life perswade him that 't is impossible to escape eternal death But notwithstanding these discouragements the sinner will go to the great Prophet of the Church for the life of his dead soul He thinks 'T is true I am a grievous sinner but I know that he is a gracious Saviour I see nothing but misery and hell in me but I see mercy and heaven in him for my warrant Mat. 11.28 I have â—his precept Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy-laden for my encouragement I have his promise I will give you rest Ioh 6.33 him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out I will therefore go what ever come of it and lay my self at his feet if he condemn me and spurn me into Hell I le justifie him peradventure he may lend me his hand and raise me up with hope of Heaven others have gone to him and he hath bid them welcom O the rings and robes the kisses and embraces which many returning Prodigals have had of him who knoweth but he may be gracious to me if he had not been willing that poor sinners should live he would not have dyed if he had been unwilling that I should come why doth he call me Well what ever come of it I will go it may be I may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Thus Faith at first standeth but on one weak foot I suppose that when the sinner is in this condition the very command of God enjoyning him to believe in the name of his Son is a special instrument in the hand of the Spirit to draw him unto Christ like Abraham he being called of God obeyed not knowing whither he went he being called of God to cast himself on Jesus Christ obeyeth not knowing how he shall speed The Disciples when they hear Christ speaking to them in the morning Cast on the other side of the ship and ye shall finde answer him We have fished all night and caught nothing nevertheless at thy command we will let down the net So the penitent man having tried this and that means and found no water no meat
no solid food for his hungry and thirsty soul heareth at last Christ calling to him Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters buy wine and milk without money and without price cast thy sins thy soul on me and thou shalt finde rest Lord thinks he I have tried creatures and they cannot help me I have tried duties and they cannot ease me I have taken much pains and caught nothing and should I come to thee wouldst thou open thine eye upon such a wretch my unworthiness makes me mistrust the success nevertheless at thy command I will do it and now he cometh in his sinking estate to take hold on the arm of the Lord which the Gospel stretcheth out to him and thereby he is saved The last step is a resolution of the sinner to give up himself to all the Laws of Christ or an hearty acceptation of the Redeemer as Saviour and Soveraign The heart of the man is so melted by Evangelical sorrow for sin and the heat of Gods love to his soul that he is like soft wax for any impression God may command him what he pleaseth he cleaveth to the Lord with full purpose of heart Before he was like the Prodigal he must go as far as he could from his Fathers house the orders there were too pure the Laws there too strict the discipline there too severe he travelleth therefore into a far Country but now the man is hungry he will submit to do the duty of a Son so he may but have the childrens bread and diet nay now he is come to himself it is his meat and drink to do the will of God he seeth such equity in Gods will such beauty in his worship such excellency and comfort in his wayes that he would not part Jesus Christ and his holy precepts which he now savoureth for all earthly pleasures he is tied so firmly to his Master with the bond of unfeigned love that Satan himself will but work at the labour in vain when he goeth about to separate him and his service He writes Holiness to the Lord upon his body soul estate family relations and all that he hath thankfully acknowledgeing Gods propriety in all and his own felicity to consist in improving all for God He considereth how infinite his obligations to God are what an hell of endless horror he is redeemed from what an heaven of love and happiness he is called to and wisheth that he had or could do something worthy of such a God And because he hath nothing more or better he gives himself to God as Aeschines when he saw his fellow-schollers give their Master Socrates large presents being poor and having nothing to give went and gave himself to his Master acknowledging that he was his devoted servant The sinner before was unbroken and so as unfit for subjection as the unbroken colt for the saddle but now the heart being humbled the eare is heedy to whatever God speaketh Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 It is with an humbled M. Fenner of the kiling power of the Law and with an unhumbled sinner as with two men that are going to market whereof the one hath need he and his family are in extreme want ready to perish for bread now this man will go what ever weather come if it raine never so fast he will go when he comes there whatever the price be he will buy though he pawn his cloaths he will have bread why he is like to famish for want of it bread he comes for and bread he must have The other hath no great need therefore if he like the weather he will go if not he will stay at home if he goeth when he comes to the Market he will buy or forbear as the price of things pleaseth him he is indifferent whether he lay out his money or no if commodities are held at an high rate he will go as he came and buy nothing and all because he hath no need he can do well enough without them thus an humbled sinner seeth nay feeleth his extreme need of Christ that he must perish everlastingly without an interest in him and therefore what ever it cost him he will have Christ he is resolved to deny himself to crucifie the flesh to hate father mother house name land all for Christ let God hold the price of his Son never so dear he will sell all but he will buy this pearl and what is the reason truly because this man hath need he knoweth the absolute necessity which he standeth in of Christ that none but Christ can deliver him from the weight of his sins the Almighty Gods fury and the vengeance of eternal fire therefore a Saviour he comes for and a Saviour he will have what ever commands or prohibitions are joyned with him but an unhumbled finner feeth not his extream need of Christ and therefore though when he heareth of the infinite perfections in Christ and the unspeakable priâ—iledges which the regenerate have by Christ he will acknowledg that the wares are good he hath nothing to say against them but the price is too dear he will not come up to it and why truly because he seeth not his need of Christ he thinks he can do well enough without Christ If God would let him serve Christ and the world and flesh with him he would not care much if he did buy but if he cannot have Christ at his own price farwel Christ and pardon and mercy and God and eternall life Mat 9.12 farwel for ever for him and all because the man is an whole man unbroken unhumbled But you have read in the former steps that the sinner before he comes thus far is throughly melted and therefore he is for any mould which God thinks good Yet I believe that a man or woman whom the Spirit of God hath brought over to Jesus Christ doth by the new nature bestowed on them or the law of God written within them resolve upon all known duties and against all known iniquities more out of love to God and holiness then out of any slavish fear of wrath and hell The man seeth by the law the contrariety of sin to the image of God and consequently to his own real and spiritual good whereby there ariseth within him not onely an estrangedness from but an emnity against sin though it were the object of his affections before yet t is the object of his passions now So for duties the soul is brought through working of the Spirit to approve and delight in the good and perfect and acceptable will of God Communion with God and conformity to God are the utmost of his desires and indeavours O how willingly doth this Christian take upon him the yoak of Christ not complaining of its uneasiness but of his own unholiness The man formerly was as a Virgin before marriage she standeth upon her terms she will indent with her Sweet heart what shall be setled upon
her and how he shall deal with her or else she will not have him but now Christ by his spirit hath prevailed with the soul and 't is heartily willing to take him for better for worse to resign up all to Christ to part with all for Christ to take all from Christ to be disposed in all by Christ in a word it promiseth with the whole heart to be a loving faithful and obedient wife and now the match is made nay the Saviour and the soul are actually married together And O what an happy joyful day is this If Aaron when he met Moses was glad at his heart how glad is this poor soul now he meets with the Messias The Father accepts him for his child the Son accepts him for his spouse the Spirit hath given earnest already to have the Christians heart for his everlasting habitation the Devils in hell are vexing the Angels in heaven are singing the Saints on earth are shouting for it is meet that they should be merry for this son was dead and is alive was lost and is found was a cursed sinner and is become a blessed Saint So I have dispatched the first branch of this second help to regeneration namely an observation of those several steps whereby the wandring sheep is brought home I come now to the second branch of this help which is a pliable submission to the workings and motions of the Spirit when the Spirit at any time maketh his addresses to thy soul Reader I must earnestly beseech thee if thou hast the least spark of love to thy soul and endless good in the other world that thou be more tender of the motions of the Spirit then of the apple of thine eye When the Holy Ghost cometh to thy soul by its motions to good thy kinde entertainment of it may be as much as thine eternal happiness is worth and probably invite the Spirit to stay with thee perfect the work and abide in thee for ever whereas if thou shouldst grieve or quench the Spirit and affront this Ambassador which is sent to treat with thee about terms of peace between God and thy soul he may be called home and thou never hear of him more We read in Genesis 2.2 Incubabat aquis Iun. Gen. That the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Several read the words The Spirit of God was sitting or hatching upon the waters It is a Metaphor taken from birds or hens they sit and move upon their eggs to hatch them and bring them forth and when they are hatched they still sit and move upon them to cherish and bring them to perfection So the Spirit of God sat or moved upon that face of the deep that by his motion or incubation he might hatch and bring forth out of that vast Chaos the several kindes of creatures Thus the Spirit moveth upon thy heart he sitteth upon he broodeth on thee that he may hatch and bring thee forth a new creature Therefore consider what thou dost and how thou carriest thy self towards him fowls when they have been much disturbed have left their eggs and never hatched them they have come to nothing shouldst thou resist the Spirit in his operations or quench him in his motions when he is brooding on thy soul he may take its eternal flight from thee When the Spirit cometh to thy soul by its motions disswading thee from sin or stirring thee up to holiness Jesus Christ then knocks at the door of thy heart every motion is a knock from the hand of Christ if thou hearkenest and openest he will come in and sup with thee but if notwithstanding his knocking thou wilt not hear though he cometh upon an errand so infinitely for thine advantage he will depart away in a distast as neighbors when they are so uncivilly used and thou mayst never hear of him more Thou art apt to complain that thou wantest help to turn from sin and to turn unto God I tell thee when the Spirit moveth and worketh within thee to minde thy soul and thine eternal estate he offereth thee his help and assistance and if thou hearkenest to and obeyest his motions thou shalt have his help As he was teaching the power of God was present to heal them Luke 5.17 Whilst the Son of man was teaching at that niâ—k of time the power of God was present to heal mens bodies so when the Spirit is moving at that very time the power of God is present to help thy soul now if thou takest that time thou mayst be an happy man for ever If when the windes blow fairly for mens voyage they then hoise up their sails and be going they may through the help of the winde be at their Haven in convenient time but if they neglect the opportunity and will not lanch out whilst the winde offereth its help they may be dead before they have another winde and so never go that voyage Thus if when the gales of the Spirit blow and offer thee their assistance for Regeneration and Salvation thou then presently lanchest out and compliest with its motions through its help thou shouldst be seasonably and safely landed in Christ and at the Haven of Heaven but if thou then liest still and neglectest this oportunity God knoweth but thou mayst be dead before the Spirit blow so favorably for thee again Solomon telleth us that there is a time for every purpose under Heaven and a time to be born Eccles 3.1 2. There is time for every purpose that is an opportunity when the work may be done best and with most advantage yea when it must be done or shall not be done at all now such a time such an opportunity there is for the new birth there is an accepted time 2 Coâ— 6â— Psal 3.6 and 55.6 a time when God may be found when he is near a day of Salvation this is when the Spirit moveth and stirreth and offereth thee his help if thou passest by that time and dost not then strike in thou mayst come as Esau too late for the blessing thou mayst as some idle persons that are tippling and drinking in an Ale-house when they should be in the market let slip thy opportunity and finde it too late to buy the wine and milk in the Gospel It is one great misery of men and women that they observe not neither improve their opportunities The turtle and the stork Ier. 8.7 and the crane and the swallow they all know their opportunity and their time but the generation of mankinde neglect theirs O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things which concern thy peace Opportunity is a transient thing it is quickly gone but it bringeth a lasting treasure along with it which if neglected can never be recovered time is all the while a man liveth on earth but opportunity is onely when the Spirit moveth Me ye have not alwayes saith Christ Friend thou wilt make hay while the Sun shineth
the way to save a soul Reader didst thou never know of any that were in a journey and coming to some deep dirty pochy lane they thought to avoid it and broke over the hedge into the field but when they had rod round and round they could finde no way out but were forced to go out where they got in and then notwithstanding their unwillingness to go through that mirie lane or else not to go that journey Truly so it is in thy journey to Heaven thou art now come to this deep lane of humiliation through which all must go that will reach that City whose builder and maker is God do not think to avoid it no not the least part of it for this is the narrow way and strait gate that leadeth to life Suppose thou shouldst run to the world or any thing here below now thou beginnest to be sensible of thy sickness and pain and so in an hopeful way of recovery First 't is impossible that any of those things can cure thee Miserable comforters are they all and Physitians of no value Can a silver Slipper cure the gout or a golden Crown the head-ach or the greatest Empire in the world the pain of thy teeth much less can these things cure the diseases of thy soul All the wrapping of thy foot that hath a thorn in it though with never such fine scarlet cloth will be altogether ineffectual to ease thee of thy pain for the thorn must be pulled out so must sin be pluck'd out its guilt removed before thou canst possibly be eased But my great reason is which I desire thee to consider seriously shouldst thou throw off this medicine of thy spiritual Physitian because it is somewhat sharp and run to the Empericks and Mountebanks of the world thou wilt provoke thy tender able Physitian to leave thee for what man will bear such affronts and where art thou then what will become of thee for ever Those that work in Coal-mines finde by experience that the earth sendeth up damps which quench and put out their candles and what then becomes of the men that are there they are often slain Shouldst thou like Jonah run from the presence of the Lord to more pleasing employments then the work of a thorow humiliation either he will bring thee back again to the same business by storms and tempests or else such damps will arise from thine earthly interruptions as will quench Gods Spirit and eternally ruine thy spirit The evil spirit I know will be busie to perswade thee to smother and put out the sparkes which the good Spirit hath kindled within thee by heaps of worldly rubbish and dirt but take heed what thou dost for thy soul is at stake if those sparks should die thou art like to live in hell fire for ever Observe how it fared with unhappy Felix He was a Prisoner to his Prisoner and in a ready way to have been one of Christs freemen but now hells jaylor was like to lose one of his captives for I question not but Satan for fear of losing him trembled more then he what therefore through the Divels advice must Felix do He must needs cure himself of his convulsion by an abruptdiversion When the Spirit struck in with the word and caused him to tremble he sendeth Paul away till another season and we never read when that time came Had Felix struck in with the Spirit when the iron of his heart was hot he might have been happy indeed but he quencheth those motions which were so likely to recover his soul and thereby in all probability misseth salvation Some say that Samsons mother was forbidden wine and strong drink all the while she was with child of him partly because that wine and strong drink are naught for the child in the womb I am confident that carnal diversions that To put back thy pangs by earthly affaires much more by wine and strong drink is infiniely prejudicial to the babe of grace and many to one but it may cause thine eternal miscarriage Friend that which in this case I would advise thee to do is to betake thy self to thy closet or chamber and there to fall down before the most high God and to accuse indict and condemne thy self for thy sins poure out thy soul before the Lord in acknowledging the pollution of thy nature the transgressions of thy life with all their bloody aggravations confessing the righteousness of the law and thy obnoxiousness thereby to the infinite and eternal wrath of the Lord. O now is the onely time to repent with that repeniance which is never to be repented of if ever thou wouldst draw water and pour it out before the Lord it must be now the spirit hath thawed the tap neglect this season and it may freeze again speedily When Nathan came from God to David after his fall when he had lain in his impenitency many months and told him of his sins and convinced him that he was worthy to die what doth David do doth he run to his crown or honour or power in the world No. Doth he hastily snatch at the promises No but he goeth to God as appeares by the title and body of the 51. Psalm bewaileth his original and actual sins condemneth himself justifieth God offereth up the sacrifice of a broken heart beggeth hard for pardon and holiness O do thou follow this blessed pattern if thy body were sick of a violent feaver and nature were so far thy friend as when thou wast in thy bed to put thee into a fine sweat and thereby give thee hope of evacuating the ill humours which cause thy disease through the pores what wouldst thou do in this case wouldst thou rise presently and run into the cold aire or wouldst thou not rather abide still in thy bed and if need were call for more cloaths to increase thy sweat whereby thy body might be perfectly cured Thus it is in the state of thy soul thou art sick unto death the Spirit of God is so much thy friend as to help thee to sweat out thy distemper by humiliation and godly sorrow t were a madness in thee now to run to the open air of the world or to do any thing which might hinder this sweating thy onely way is to encourage and increase it by betaking thy self to thy chamber and there to look into thy heart and consider how full it is of unholiness to look back upon thy life and consider how contrary it hath been to the Divinâ—law to look up to God and consider the Majesty holiness and mercy which are in him whom thou hast provoked this is the way to continue and increase thy humiliation and thereby for the spirit delighteth to proceed in assisting those that thus cherish his motions to be perfectly healed Duties now are the Spirits pleasant garden in which he will delight to walk with thee they are like bellows to blow up the heavenly fire into a flame or as
thy self under the rotten house of thy own righteousness for be confident 't will fall about thine ears and thou like Zimri will perish in it The Law of man denieth allowance from the Parish to them that have any thing of their own to subsist by and the Gospel of God denieth allowance from the righteousness of Christ to all them that have of their own for their maintenance Do not think to piece thy rags up with Christs robes for it will not be allowed go to Jesus Christ stark naked for his glorious raiment altogether poor for his precious riches there is a necessity of being found wholly in him or wholly out of him there is no medium The Hare which being pursued trusteth to her own legs is torn in pieces by the Dogs when the Coney that runneth to the holes of the rock is safe The man that pursued by the Law leaneth on his own sanctity loseth his own soul when he that fleeth to the wounds of a crucified Christ is sure to be saved Behold saith God I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tried stone Isa 28.16 1 Pet. 2.6 a precious corner-stone a sure foundation He that believeth on him shall not be confounded As I would have thee careful that thou carry nothing to Christ so also that thou keep nothing from Christ When Israel went out of Egypt to serve God there was not a hoof to be left behinde There must be no reservation no exception but an absolute hearty dedication of thy self and all thou hast unto Jesus Christ if thou halfest or haltest now thou art an undone man As Samuel asked Jesse Are all thy sons here and denied to sit down and feast with him till all were present so truly Christ will deny to close with thy soul to sit down and sup with thee unless all thou hast be present and unfeignedly devoted to his service But in a special manner be careful that no sin be kept from the stroke of Christ As when Paul came to Ephesus the whole City was in an uproar so now the Lord Jesus is coming into thine heart there will be old stir among thy corruptions how strongly will they plead if not for their formes open allowance yet at least for a secret inward connivance little dost thou think how busie Satan will be for a writ of partition that since he cannot prevail for all thy heart that yet he may be admitted an equal sharer with Christ he will tell thee but remember that he was a Liar from the beginning that thou mayst keep thy sins and thy Saviour too that Christ is not so strict but that for a fair agreement he will allow somewhat to the flesh But I beseech thee not to think of any League with the least of thy lusts Surely if thou seest any loveliness in Christ thou canst not but judge every sin loathsom besides he were a poor Saviour if he could not make thee amends for thy parting with the most pleasureable or profitable sin Who would think that thou like David shouldst plead for Absolom for sin when it seeks to bereave thee of thy crown and life Truly shouldst thou gratify Satan so far as to hide any wedg of gold or Babylonish garment any one lust I must tell thee that one be it never so small would like a little boy put in at a casement open the door of thine heart for many theevish lusts and great ones too to enter in If thou allow the old Serpent but room for his head he will quickly wind in his whole body Sir Francis Drake being in a dangerous storm upon the Thames was heard to say Must I who have escaped the rage of the Ocean be drowned in a ditch Surely thou mayst so far comply with Christ as to take thy leave of scandalous enormities yet if thou reservest favourable thoughts towards any secret iniquity thou destroyest thy self And it will be all one whether thou art slain by a small Pistol or by a great Cannon Corruption may close with religion a great way saith a Divine and hear gladly and do many things Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. ser 7. but there is a particular point of strictness in every unregenerate mans case which when it is set on close to him causeth him to be offended and stumble as in the young man and Herod This is the difference between hypocritical and sincere conversion That goeth far and parts with much and proceeds to almost but when it comes to the turning point and ultimate act of regenerate he then plays the part of an unwise son and stays in the place of the breaking forth of children as a foolish Merchant that in a rich bargain of a thousand pound breaks off upon a difference of twenty shillings but the other is content to part with all and to suffer the loss of all to carry on the treaty to a full and final conclusion to have all the armour of the strong man taken from him that Christ may divide the spoiles Reader thou knowest upon what terms thou mayst contract a bargain with Christ for the saving of thy soul that thou must not think to have him for thy Saviour unless thou wilt accept him for thy Lord also As Boaz told his kinsman that if he would enjoy the inheritance of Ebimelech he must have Ruth the Moabitess to be his wife so say I to thee if thou wilt have the inheritance the portion of Jesus Christ thou must have his person for thy husband and resign thy self to be ruled by his precepts The Jews that stayed themselves upon the God of Israel and yet continued rebellious were more bold then welcom Isa 48.1 2. Now thou art come thus far do not go back and to save a pin lose a Kingdom Thou mayst be confident that nothing can ever be enjoined thee by Christ but what is reasonable and honourable tending to thy real and eternal good as well as his own glory therefore now the Master is come and calleth for thee do thou answer Lo I come to do thy will O my God thy law is in the midst of my heart Friend if the Spirit of God hath been so favourable to thee as to kindle such motions as I have mentioned within thee for the Lords sake cherish them obey them lest thy quenching the Spirit bring thee to that fire which can never be quencht To day if thou wilt hear his voice harden not thine heart lest he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest The third help to Regeneration A serious constant use of all the means of grace which God hath appointed for the renewing of souls with an expectation of a blessing from God THirdly if thou wouldst be Regenerated Be serious and constant in the use of all the means of grace which God hath appointed for the begetting souls unto Christ with looking unto God for a blessing Reader Observe five particulars in this third help to
Cor. 3.8 Rom. 1.12 Gal. 3.2 As that word of God to Abraham Sarah thy wife shall have a Son Gen. 18.10 That word I say gave birth and being to Isaac when there was no likelyhood or possibility of his being from his parents so the word of God give a spiritual birth and being to men and women when there is no likelyhood or possibility in nature yea when their natures are in flat opposition and contrariety to it The word discovereth our diseases Rom. 7.7 Jam. 2.9 makes us feel our sickness Rom. 7.9 applyeth the medicine for our cure Mat. 11.28 Isa 55.1 Rom. 10.14 The word killeth sin casteth down Satan enliveneth the soul Eph. 6.15 Jer. 23.29 Rev. 12.11 Joh. 5.24 Joh. 17.17 Isa 11.6 7 8 9. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 Jam. 1.18 Thus thou seest that the Physitian of souls hath several meanes for the cure of thy malady do not thou neglect any neither reading nor hearing neither fasting nor praying neither meditation nor godly conference neither secret nor private nor publike duties for thou knowest not which may do the deed Christ may wait at that very door which thou keepest shut at that ordinance which thou omittest to enter into thy soul If thou desirest that he should meet thee in any duty do thou meet him in every duty How foolish art thou to take any one horse out of the team when the load is so weighty even thine endless welfare and all little little enough to draw thine untoward heart towards heaven The Husbandman that hath a piece of ground which lyeth at the end of his fallow still balked before will be sure to plough that up and expecteth a better crop out of that then out of any such quantity of ground in the field Reader if thou hast balked any of the forementioned duties for thy souls sake set upon it speedily for undoubtedly thou mayst reap a greater harvest by it then thou imaginest Friend have a care of secret private publike duties for all must be minded by them that would be new-moulded How many thousands among us do wilfully murder their souls some poison them by crying enormities others starve them by the omission of duties It was a pitiful equivocatiof the Duke D' Alva before Harlem that promised the Souldiers their lives and afterwards kild them with hunger saying That though he promised them their lives yet he did not promise that they should have food Art not thou a cheater and murderer of thy foul in promising it spiritual life when thou denyest it the means of life As ever thou wouldst have an harvest of grace do thou plough up and sow the ground of thine heart with all the means which God hath ordained for that end Thirdly be thou serious in thine attendance on the ordinances of God Be in earnest when thou art about soul affairs consider when thou art praying or hearing or reading or conferring with Christians it is for thy life it is for thy soul it is for eternity and do whatsoever the Lord calleth thee to do for the quickening thy dying soul with all thine heart with all thy might for there is no doing it in the grave whither thou art hastening When Samson would destroy the enemies of God He bowed himself with all his might Judg. 16.30 When David was waiting upon the Ark of God He danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6.14 So when thou hearest for the death of thy sins thou shouldst hear with all thy might Ezek 40.4 When thou prayest for the life of thy soul thou shouldst pray with all thy might 1 Thes 5.17 Ah how should they hear and read and pray for regeneration that have but a few days nay hours possibly to do it in between whom and eternal burnings there is but a little airy breath and if they be not Regenerated before they die they are ruined they are damned for ever A childe may handle the mothers brest and play with it and kisse it but all this while he gets no good till at last he layeth his mouth to the breast gets the Nipple fast sucks with his might and strength and then he draweth nourishment Reader it may be thou hast minded duties and frequented ordinances yet possibly hast got no good by them 't is likely then that thou dost but play with them dally about them doing them as if thou didst them not if ever therefore thou wouldst get good by them thou must be serious and in earnest about them do them with all thy soul with all thy strength knowing that they are of infinite weight and endless concernment to thee considering that if God do not now hear thee in thy day of grace he will never never hear thee and if thou do not now hear him thou shalt shortly never never more have such an offer I doubt not friend but thou art serious about toys and trifles thou canst rise early and go to bed late and work hard all day and have thy mind stedfastly occupied about these foolish things of the world from which within a short time thou shalt be parted for ever How busie are vain men like a company of Ants to increase their heap of earth O think of it is it not pity such a plant should grow in Egypt which would thrive so well in Canaan How fitly how finely would that seriousness and fervency which thou usest about earth become and sute with heaven Ah t would be worth the while to be most covetous and sedulous about the things of God and Christ thy soul and Eternity Fourthly Be constant in the use of the means of Grace pray and wait hear and wait read and wait watch and wait In the morning sow thy seed in the evening with-hold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good Eccles 11.6 in every morning sow thy seed pray read meditate in the evening with-hold not thine hand do the same for thou knowest not which shall prosper at which the Spirit of God will give thee a gracious effectual meeting for thy conversion or salvation or whether both shall conduce equally to thy spiritual and eternal advantage Do not expect like the Hyperboreans to sow and reap in a day allow some distance between seed time and harvest Physick doth not work immediately when it s taken into the body be confident thou shalt reap in time if thou dost not faint Suppose thou wert sick of some mortal painful disease a dead man in thy own and others thoughts and an able faithful Physitian should warrant thy cure in time upon condition that thou wouldst follow his advice and diet thy self all the while wouldst thou not use all that he prescribed and wait and long to be recovered Thou wast wounded in a moment but art not so soon recovered 't is good to wait Gods leisure what Christ said in regard of his coming in Judgement I say in regard of
his coming in mercy Watch therefore for thou knowest not when the Son of Man will come whether this day to morrow or next week lose no time Amici diem perdâ—di Hodie non regnavimus neglect no opportunity the Heathen Titus could bewail the loss of that day wherein he had done no good Friends I have lost a day and wilt thou wilfully lose half a day when every moment is of more worth to thee then a Kingdom Naaman the Syrian washed seven times in Jordan the six times washing could not do it 't was upon the seventh time washing that he was cured of his Leprosie and his flesh came again like the flesh of a childe Do thou often bathe thy soul in the waters of the Sanctuary at one time or other if thou faithfully practisest this help thou wilt finde them healing waters observe what Saul lost by not waiting Gods leisure Samuel had told Saul 1 Sam. 10.8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal seven dayes shalt thou tarry till I come to thee and shew thee what thou shalt do This precept was enjoyned Saul I suppose not because Samuel might be hindred by some necessary occasions till seven dayes were come which reason some give but for the trial of Sauls obedience to God in waiting his appointed time Now Saul 1 Sam. 13.8 and 13. waited six dayes nay towards the latter end of the seventh day for Samuel but because he waited not full seven dayes he lost the Kingdom Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God saith Samuel to Saul for now would the Lord have established thy Kingdom for ever but now thy Kingdom shall not continue for the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart O how sad was it that Saul should lose a Kingdom for want of two or three hours patience had he tarried a little longer he had had the Kingdom for ever but is it not sadder if thou shouldst lose the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven by not tarrying Gods time by not waiting his leisure Reader Lie at the pool and give not over till the Angel doth move upon the waters When one of the Fathers had it suggested to him by the Devil That it was in vain for him to minde God for he should never get to Heaven Then saith he I will follow hard after God that I may enjoy as much of him as is possible on earth When Blinde Bartimens was rebuked by the Disciples for calling after Christ for his bodily sight he cryeth the more earnestly Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me Mark 10.15 What ever discouragements thou meetest with in thine attendance on God in Ordinances be like the English Jet fired by water and not like our ordinary fires quenched by it let them add to not diminish thy resolution and courage let not one repulse beat thee off be violent give a second storm to the Kingdom of Heaven Parents sometimes hide themselves to make their children continue seeking He that would not at first open his mouth nor vouchsafe the woman of Canaan a word doth upon her continued and fervent Petitions at last open his hand and give her what ever she asked O woman be it unto thee as thou wilt continued importunity is undeniable oratory And truly if after all thy pains thou findest Jesus Christ will it not make amends for thy long patience Men that venture often at a Lottery though they take blanks twenty times if afterwards they get a golden basen and ewer it will make them abundant satisfaction Suppose thou shouldst continue knocking twenty nay forty years yet if at last though but one hour before thou diest thy heart be opened to Christ and he be received into thy soul and when thou diest Heaven be opened to thee and thy soul received into it will it not infinitely requite thee for all thy labour O think of it and resolve never to be dumb while God is deaf never to leave off prayer till God return a gracious answer And for thy comfort know that he who begun his Psalm with How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me comes to conclude it with I will sing unto the Lord for he hath dealt bountifully with me Psal 13.1 and ult Fifthly Be serious and constant in the use of all the means of Grace which God hath appointed for the renewing of souls â— Kings 18.3.6 but expect the blessing onely from God Elijah when he had filled the trenches with water put the wood in order laid the Sacrifice on the Altar then he looks up to Heaven for a blessing and then fire came down from Heaven whereby God manifesteth his acceptance So do thou hear as for Heaven sigh as for thy soul perform every duty as for eternity attend on Ordinances with such seriousness as one that believeth his unchangeable estate is at stake in them but when thou art doing them and when thou hast set all in order then let thine heart look up to Heaven for success expect the fire of the Holy Ghost to come down from above be as diligent about duties and ordinances as if they could regenerate thee and do all things but depend on God as one that knoweth that without him they can do nothing Offer the sacrifice of righteousness and trust in the Lord Trust in the Lord and do good Psal 4.5 and 37.9 Look on ordinances onely as for indeed they are no more then the order in which and the instrument with which he is pleased to work trust in God will not consist either with the neglect of or with trust in means Be thou but faithfull in following these directions and doubt not of Gods benediction expect that he who commandeth thee to seek should enable thee to finde Do not as unwise Archers that shoot their arrows at random never looking to see them again but as Jonathan who when he had shot his arrows had one ready to fetch them again Expect to reap the fruit of those duties which thou sowest Go to Gods house in the multitude of his mercies Psal 5.7 looking that mercy should give thee a meeting and grant thee a blessing I will direct my prayer to thee and will look up Psal 5.3 that is I will trade I will send out my spritual commodities and expect a gainfull return I will make my prayers and not give them for lost but look up for an answer God will bring man home by a way contrary to that by which he wandered from him man fell from God by distrust by having God in suspition God will bring him back by trust by having good thoughts of him O how richly laden might the vessel which thou sendest out come home wouldst thou but long and look for its return I come now to remove some hinderances or answer some Objections which arise in mens hearts against the truths delivered The first
thy dying soul What more weighty busines hast thou to do then to set upon those things whereby thou mayst avoid unquenchable burnings and arive at fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Is thy ploughing or sowing thy buying or selling nay thine eating and drinking half so necessary as the Regeneration of thy soul without which the everliving God hath told thee over and over that thou shalt not be saved O that thou didst but believe what it is to be in heaven or hell for ever ever ever I have read of a woman that when her house was on fire she was very busie and wrought hard in carrying out her goods but at last bethought her self of her onely child which she never minded before for eagerness about her goods but had left it burning in the flames and then when it was too late she cryeth and roareth out sadly O my child Ah my poor child Truly thou art in danger thine everlasting estate is every moment in jeopardy if thou now busiest thy self wholly in scraping and carking and caring for thy body forgetting thy poor soul leaving that to the fire that shall never go out consider there is a time I would say an eternity coming when thou wilt think of it though then t will be too late and then O then how sadly how sorrowfully wilt thou sigh and sob howl and roare and screech out O my soul Ah my poor soul how wretchedly have I forgot my precious soul It is an unconceivable mercy that yet thou hast a day of grace wherein thou mayst think of and indeavour the good of thy soul For thy souls sake for the Lords sake O dear friend mind it speedily hear God now he calleth or then though thou callest loud and long he will never never hear thee When the mother of Thales urged him to marry Diog. Laert. he told her that t was too soon she continuing still importuning him he told her afterwards that t was too late Regeneration is thine espousal unto Jesus Christ the father of eternity calleth upon thee wooeth beseecheth commandeth thee now while it is called to day to accept of his own Son for thy Lord and husband do not O do not say T is too soon I will do it hereafter I assure thee before to morrow night God may say T is too late and then thou art lost for ever Hear counsel and receive instruction that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end lest thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed when thy soul is in hell tormented and say How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine care to them that instructed me Pro. 19 20. Pro. 5.11 12 13. An Exhortation to the Regenerate First to give God the glory of that good work which is wrought in them Secondly to do what good they can to the souls of others especially of their relations I Come in the last place to a word of exhortation to the regenerate If without Regeneration none can attain salvation then O new born creature it highly concerneth thee to be thankeful to God and to be faithful to men First be thou thankful to God What wilt thou render to the Lord for this great inestimable benefit Is not thine heart ravished in the consideration of that good wil which took such notice of thee a poor worm Praise saith the Psalmist waiteth for thee in Sion Psal 65.1 and well it may for of Sion it may be said This and that man was born in her Psa 87.5 6. An heathen had three reasons for which he blessed God One of them was that he had made him a man a rationall creature I am sure thou hast more cause to blesse God that he hath made thee not onely a man but a Christian not onely a rational but a new creature They that are new born in Sion have infinite reason to honour God with the songs of Sion If David praised God Psa 139.14 15. because he was wonderfully made in regard of the frame of his body what cause hast thou to praise him for the curious workmanship of grace in thy soul Thou canst never give too great thanks for whom God hath wrought such great things Do thou say The Lord hath done great things for me whereof I am glad Ps 125.3 What joy is there at the birth of a great heir or a prince What ringing of bels and discharging of guns and making of bon-fires when those infants are born to many crosses as well as to crowns nay and their Scepters wither and crowns moulder away O the joy which thou mayst have in God who art born a child of God an heir of heaven of a kingdom which can never be shaken Do wicked men keep the day of their natural births with so much pleasure and delight when they were therein born in sin and brought forth in iniquity when by reason of those births they are obnoxious to eternal death and wilt thou not keep the day of thy spiritual birth with joy whereby thou art purified from thy natural pollution and assured of entrance into the purchased possession where thou shalt be perfectly purified It was the speech of Jonadab to Ammon Why art thou lean from day to day being the Kings son so say I to thee Why art thou sad who art Gods son Rejoyce O Christian thy name is written in the book of life thy soul hath the infalliable token of special and eternal love It was matter of great joy that Christ was born at Bethlehem Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy For to you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2.10 11. but I tell thee it may be matter of greater joy to thee that Christ is born in thine heart For notwithstanding the birth of Christ in Bethlehem thousands and millions go to hell but Christ was never formed in any ones heart but that man went to heaven It is reported of Annello who lately made an insurrection at Naples that considering how mean he was before and to what greatness he was raised he was so transported that he could not sleep O how shouldst thou be transported with the thoughts of that infinite happiness of which thou art an heir Serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing for it is he that hath new made us and not we our selves enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankeful unto him and bless his name Psalm 100. per tot Give thanks to God in thine heart by an humble admiration and in thy life by an holy conversation First Give thanks to God in thine heart by an humble admiration of his bottomless mercy If David when he considered the glorious heavens which God had made for man cryeth out so affectionately What is man that thou art mindful of
glorious body of his Son and our souls like unto his blessed Majesty in holiness beauty and delight O what are we and what our fathers houses that God should do any thing for us As Perillus when Alexander promised his daughter fifty talents for her portion cryeth 't was too much ten were sufficient And when David sent to take Abigal to wife she wondred at it she counted it an honour to wash the feet of his servants 'T was too much to be his wife So we cannot but count it a favour to wait upon his servants to be his door keepers and stand without 't is too much we think to be marryed to Christ the eternal Son of God and to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever We can hardly be perswaded that God will thus dignifie such worthless worms but then seeing and enjoying will be believing then we shall say It was a true report which I heard in the lower world what God would do for poor creatures in heaven howbeit I believed not till I came and mine eyes have seen it and behold the half was not told me my glory and joy exceedeth the fame which I heard Sixthly Thou shouldst enjoy all the forementioned good things and more then I can speak or thou think without intermission interruption and for ever The good things of this life are intermitted partly by contrary and evil things as our health lost by sickness our wealth by want partly by necessary diversions the body must have sleep and then we lose the comfort of the creatures but there thy day of comfort should never be overcast for all tears will be wiped from thine eyes and thy fruition of God should be without intermission thou shouldst ever stand in his presence and behold his face thou shouldst ever be with the Lord 1 Thes 4.16 Hadst thou here a confluence of all comforts yet because thy life is short thy joy could not be long but there thy life will be an everlasting life and thy joy therefore everlasting joy I wil see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you saith Christ Joh. 16. Eternity will perfect thy felicity indeed It is a boundless duration without intermission and end Suppose that all the vast space between heaven and earth were filled with sand and once every ten thousand years a bird came and carried away a crum in her bill what a long while would it be before this vast heap would be carried quite away but suppose after the bird had done that it was to come every ten thousand years and take one drop of water out of the sea what a while would it be before it could empty the Ocean but after all this thou shouldst have as long to continue in thy joy and delights as at thy first entring into heaven If thou shouldst have but one glimpse of God as he was passing by thee as Moses had it were an happiness beyond all that this world can give thee but thou shalt there not have a transient view but a permanent vision of God thy God would not passe by but stand still that thou shouldst never lose the sight of him When the object would be so lovely and the act so lasting would not thy spirit be chearful and lively As the damned shall be without all hope ever to be released of their pains so thou shouldst be without all fear ever to be deprived of thy pleasures O who would not serve such a Master that giveth after poor imperfect works done for him such infinite eternal rewards 'T is bottomless love indeed which giveth such a boundles life Thus Reader I have given thee a taste of that of which thou if regenerated shouldst have a full draught Whilst thou continuest in this world thou shouldst be a blessed soul blessed in thy body in thy soul in thy calling estate relations children and name All the providences of God should be profitable to thee in all thy performances thou shouldst be acceptable to God all the ordinances of God should further thy good The precious promises one of which excels the whole world should all be thy portion When thou enterest into the other world thou shouldst be a glorious Saint Thou shouldst be perfectly holy and infinitely happy in the knowledg of the blessed God in finding the incomparable fruits of Christs blood and in experiencing the extent and certainty of Gods promises and thou shouldst enjoy all this not for a year or an age or for a million of ages but for ever ever ever Now what saist thou to this subject of consideration hast thou not unspeakable cause by an hearty marriage to close with the Son of God and accept him for thy Lord and husband when he offereth such matchless priviledges here and such an heavenly joynture hereafter Good Lord is it possible for man to be such an enemy to his soul as to neglect such great Salvation What an hard stone is the heart of man that neither misery nor mercy can move it Ah Friend thou art bewitched indeed if neither the wonderful woe of the unregenerate nor the unheard of weal of the regenerate can prevail with thee But before thou readest farther make a pause and consider what is included in these two subjects of consideration The Heathen tell us that such as cannot be perswaded by profit or disprofit are unperswadable Think of it here is the greatest advantage imaginable if thou wilt turn to Christ Here is the greatest damage conceivable if thou continuest in thine ungodly course surely thou art resolved upon thine eternal ruine or such reasons as these are will reforme thee Ponder this seriously if thou refusest the Lord Jesus as thy Saviour and Sovereign thou art a cursed damned sinner if thou acceptest him thou art a blessed saved creature in the one scale there is hell in the other scale there is heaven upon the turning of either is the turning of thy precious soul its making or marring for ever if thou wilt not embrace Christ upon his own conditions thy soul is lost O the loss of a soul thy God thy Heaven is lost O the loss of a God! no eye ever saw greater losses all other losses are nothing to these If thou dost thy soul is saved how sweet is that word Saved Thy God thy Heaven is gained O the gain of a God! how savoury is that sentence read it again If thou takeâ— Christ thy God is gained Dost thou know what is included in the gain of a God no nor all the men on earth nor all the Saints and Angels in heaven there never was such a gain before it nor ever shall be after it Ah who would not wade through thick and thin for such a gain What sayst thou shall not things of such concernment as these are stir thee It is reported of Adrianus an Officer under Maximinianus the Tyrant Laurent Sur. in vit that beholding the constancy of the
sin who would open his mouth for such a monster when there is no evil like it Doth God offer thee any thing to thy hurt when he would make a separation between thy soul and thy sins doth he desire any thing to thy disadvantage when he desireth thee to give a bill of divorce to sin which is the sourse of all sorrows the onely enemy of thy best friend the ever-blessed God and to be given up to which is the greatest plague and punishment on this side hell Tell me is not regeneration excellent which killeth such venemous serpents which executeth such traytours which mortifyeth these earthly members and dasheth these brats of Babylon against the wall Thirdly the price paid for this pearle doth loudly speak its excellency Reader little dost thou think what regeneration cost I tell thee and thou mayst well wonder at it The son of God came from heaven suffered the boundless rage of Divels and infinite wrath of God in mans nature upon this very errand to purchase regeneration and sanctification for poor sinners Read and admire Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 19. See the worth of this ware by that which it cost The precious blood of Christ surely it was a jewel of inestimable value which the Son of God thought worth his precious blood As lightly as thou thinkest of the death of sin and the life of righteousness the Lord Jesus underwent more then any one in hell feels to buy them of his father for the sons of men Ah none knoweth but God and Christ what it cost to buy off mans debts and guilt and to procure a new stock of holiness for his poor bankrupt creature to set up with again Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 Had man kept his original purity the Lord Jesus might have spared all his pains T it 2.14 Ioh 10.10 The second Adam came to restore that jewel to man of which the first Adam robd him This rare jewel this choice mercy was regeneration and holiness and this Christ looks upon as the full reward of his sufferings He shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied Isa 53.11 The truth is Christ had exceeding hard labour the Greek Fathers call it unknown sufferings he had many a bitter pang many a sharp throw but for joy that children are born of God that those throws bring forth a numerous issue of new creatures he forgets his sorrows He shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied Consider friend did Christ esteem regeneration worthâ— his blood to merit it and is it not worth thy prayers and teares and utmost indeavours to obtain it Did Christ come to destroy the works of the Divel which is sin 1 John 3.8 and wilt thou build them up did the Lord Jesus come to build up the temple of holiness and wilt thou pull it down did Christ think it worth the while to be reproached condemned crucified and all to make thee holy and wilt thou be such an enemy to the cross of Christ as by continuing in sin to deprive him of that which he earnd so dearly Why wilt thou bind thy self to be a slave to Satan when he redeemed thee with such a vast sum Did the mercifull God send his son into the world to bless thee in turning thee from thine iniquity and canst thou look upon that great blessing as thy bondage Acts 3. ult Believe it God had servants enough even Angels that are ever ready to do his will to send ordinary gifts by surely then t was some extrordinary present that he thought none worthy to carry and would trust none with but his onely Son God sent him to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities I hope reader thou wilt have higher thoughts of holiness and worse thoughts of sin all thy dayes surely the son of God was not so prodigal of his most precious blood as to poure it out for any thing that was not superlatively excellent Fourthly Regeneration and the renewing of man will appear to be excellent in that it is the great end of God in his works The more noble any being is the more excellent ends it propounds to it self in its working thence it is that a man hath higher ends then a beast the ends of a beast are onely to please sence but the ends of a man are to satisfie his understanding Hence also the ends of a Christian are more excellent then the ends of other men his being is more noble and so are his ends To please glorifie and enjoy God How excellent then is that which the infinitely perfect God makes his end Surely the Most High cannot propound any low ends in his operations he that is the onely wise God must have eminent designs and ends Now unclasp the secret book of Gods decree and look into it as far as the word will warrant thee and thou shalt finde that in that internal work of Election God had the renewing of man after his image in his eye and to be his end According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.4 As an Artificer or Statuary that hath many pieces of stone all alike hewn out of the same Quarry in his yard sets some apart from the rest in his own thoughts intending to make some choice Statue some special piece of them So when all mankinde was before God he did in his eternal thoughts set some apart to be choice pieces to be holy and without blame Go from Gods decree to its execution from his inward to his outward actions and thou shalt finde thy renewing after his image to be still in his eye In thy creation he thought of thy regenerationâ— Prov. 16.4 Psal 100.4 5. Rev. 4. ult he made thee that he might new make thâ—â— Thou art a man that thou mightst become a Christian God made thee a rational creature that thou mightst be made a new creature He gave thee the matter in giving thee a body and a rational soul that thereby thou mightst be capable of the form which is the impression of his image on both There must be a tree before it can be hewed and squared for some curious building God did not make thee to eat and drink and sleep and toil in thy calling but to honor him and to live to him which are the actions of the new creature Trace God further from creation to providence and therein also thou mayst observe this to be his end Why doth he send the warm Summer of prosperity and refresh thee with his clearing beams and influences but to