calleth the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen (t) Heb. 11.1 though we must distinguish between faith of Adherence and Faith of Evidence between the first Act of Faith whereby we believe and the second Act or as some call it an act flowing from faith (u) Actus a fide emanans between the work of Faith which is Believing and the fruit of Faith which is Assurance A Christian may have faith in the Seed and not in the Harvest the fire of Faith may warm his heart yet not flame forth in Assurance he may have the direct act of Faith both a Negative exclusive act whereby he renounceth all other ways and means of Salvation a Positive exclusive act whereby he rests wholly upon Christ for Eternal life yet not have the Reflex act whereby he knoweth that he believeth and that Salvation belongeth to him yet where Faith is called a Believing to Salvation (w) Heb 10.39 and Salvation is said to be the end of Faith (x) 1 Pet. 1.9 4. Love The joys of Heaven are said to be prepared God for those that love him (y) 1 Cor. 2.9 Ambrose in his Funeral Oration for Theodosius describing his religious death brings in the Angels Arch-angels hovering about his departing Soul to carry it to Heaven And asking him what Grace it was he here practised on earth that gave him so ready an admittance into Heaven He replyed I have loved I have loved Love is as strong as Death the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement Flame z In the flames of this fire it is that the devout Soul ascends to Heaven as the Angel once in the flame of Manaoh's sacrifice 5. Humility As the Philosopher being asked What is the first thing required in an Orator answered Pronunciation what was the second what the third answered still Pronunciation Pronunciation So saith Austin Iâ— I where asked what is the readiest way to attain Truth and so Happiness I would answer The first the second and the third thing is Humility Humility as often as I were asked I would say Humility Humility doth not only entitle to Happiness but to the the highest degree of Happiness Whosoever shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (a) Cant. 8.6 6. Heavenly-mindedness There is no one thing so much hindereth the attaining eternal life as Earthly-mindedness there are some Fowls they call Polysurchoi which though they have wings like other Fowls to fly with yet they have such heavy ponderous bodies that they seldome flye higher than the stub of some Tree but live most-what like beasts upon the earth worldly-minded men like these Fowles who though they have intelectual immortal fouls by which they should have converse in Heaven yet they are so eaten up with the world that they have no time and less mind to look after Heaven Chrysostome observeth that other beasts thougâ— they are made so as they look down to the earth yeâ— sometimes especially in their extremity they lift up their heads towards Heaven only the Camel is so depressed with the bunch of flesh upon his back that he is alwayes poring upon the earth and is never observed to look up toward Heaven To other beasts he compareth other sorts of sinners who though great strangers to Heaven yet sometimes have some thoughts of God and Heaven only the covetous worldling like the Camel is bowed down to the earth that he liveth as if there were neither a God to be served not a Heaven to be looked after this sin therefore we must in a special manner take heed of it is not more impossible for the same eye at the same instant to look downward toward the Earth and upward toward Heaven than to have the hearts both upon the World and Heaven if we desire and hope for Heaven we must be Crucified to the world must set our affections on things above not on things on the Earth we must never expect Heaven when we die if we be strangers to Heaven while we live In Physical transmutations the form is introduced in an instant but there are some antecedent qualities some previous dispositions that preparethe body for that change though the soul in the instant of death quits Earth and mounts up to Heaven yet it must be prepared for Heaven by conversing there before-hand such as novv live strangers to Heaven shall never intermeddle vvith those joyes b 7. To these vve must add the grace of perseverance some have seemed to begin well yet ended miserably others have begun ill but ended happily perseverance is all in all other graces run the race but only perseverance receiveth the Crovvn Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life (c) Rev. 2.10 Solomon saith better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof (d) Eccles 7 8. The grace of the Comedy lyeth chiefly in the last Scene it is the evening that Crovvneth the day Seneca saith the last day judgeth all the precedent happy are they whose last dayes are the 〈◊〉 dayes vvhose works are more at last than at fiâ— vvheras vvhen men seem to begin vvell and aftâ—â—vvard turn from the holy Commandment it had 〈◊〉 better for them never to have known the way of Righteâ—â—â—ss (s) 2 Pet. 2.21 Among other Prodigies vvhich vvere 〈◊〉 bout the time Julian came unto the Empire tâ— vvas one after a plentiful Vintage there vvere wâ— grapes appeared upon their Vines vvith vvhich maâ— Wise men vvere much affected looking upon it 〈◊〉 ominous When men seem to abound in the fruits 〈◊〉 Righteousness and aftervvard bring forth the wâ— grapes of sin and disobedience it is a sad Prognostiâ—â—â—â— of their eternal ruine as the falling of the leaâ— is the forerunner of vvinter so the falling away men in this life presageth that winter of 〈◊〉 wrath vvhen the storms and tempests of Divâ— vengence shall for ever beat upon them haviâ— then put our hand to the Plow vve must taâ— heed of looking back again the promise of eterâ—â—â— happiness is made to such as persevere He thâ— endureth to the end shall be saved (t) Matth. 10.22 FINIS
that they are eternal is still annexed Sometimes the punishment of Hell is called the Wrath to come [w] Luke 3.7 1 Thess 1.10 sometimes the Wrath of God [x] Eph. 5.5 Rev. 14.10 This is the sad condition of those Wretched creatures they lie under the wrath of a justly incensed God but that which makes their Condition most sad is because this Wrath is an abiding Wrath [y] John 3.36 compared to a stream of Brimstone [z] Isa 30.33 It is a fearful thing saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the living God [a] Heb. 10.31 it is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a just God who can as well cease to be God as to be just whose Justice obligeth him to revenge every sin committed against him A fearful thing to fall into the hands of an Almighty God who is able to revenge the wrongs which are done him by daring mortals but of all it is most fearful to fall into the hands of the living God as it is a great happiness to Believers that they have such an High-Priest who ever liveth to make intercession for them [b] Heb. 7.25 So this is the great misery of wicked men they fall into the hands of God who for ever liveth to revenge himself upon them Sometimes it is called a Worm which is nothing else but the stinging and corroding of Conscience which is one of the greatest punishments in Hell as every man here hath the chiefest hand in his own sin so he shall have hereafter in his own Punishment though the Devil hath a hand in tempting men and one man tempts another yet every man is his own chief Tempter Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and [c] James 1.14 enticed though Satan tempted Ananias yet Peter layeth the blame upon Ananias himself Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost (d) Acts 5.3 and as thus in the Temptation so in the Punishment though the Devil bâ— commissionated by God to torment wicked men and probably one wicked man shall help to tormenâ— another yet every man will be his own greatest Tormentor when he shall consider on the one side the punishment of loss what a great happiness he hath for eveâ— lost when the understanding shall be enlarged to apprehend the greatness of his loss when Consciencâ— shall be awakened to apply this loss to himself Thiâ— loss is my loss I am the man that have seen Affliction when the thoughts that are now taken up about otheâ— things shall be wholly intent upon this loss wheâ— he shall further consider upon what fair terms Salvâ—tion was offered how much time he had to worâ— out his Salvation what variety of means and help God afforded him For what petty inconsiderablâ— things he lost it when besides this punishment â— loss he shall find by sad experience what before hâ— would not believe what a dreadful place Hell is what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of tâ— living God When he shall further Consider hoâ— often he was warned to flee from the wrath to come what means and helps God afforded him to escape the damnation of Hell and that nothing could prevailâ— upon him When he shall further Consider that he himself was the cause of his own ruine that he lyeth down upon a bed of his own making that he is fettered in cords of his own twisting that he walks but in the light of his own fire and in the sparks of his own kindling when he shall add this to the former that his condemnation was through his own choice God set before him life and death and he chose his own delusions Oh! the rendings and tearings of Conscience which must needs result from these and the like sad reflections which successively pressing upon the soul like the impetuous waves of a raging Sea one after another must needs afford everlasting matter for this Worm to feed on These considerations will be as the Wood Conscience as the Worm those as Fuel this as the Flame the one as Tow the other as a Spark they shall both burn together and none shall quench them For this is that which will make this worm most unsufferable because it is a never dying worm (e) Isa 66.24 Mark 9.44 Sometimes it is called fire a Furnace of Fire a Lake of Fire (f) Isa 66.24 Mat. 13.42 Rev. 19.20 All which speak it terrible but that which makes it most terrible is because it is an unquenshable Fire (g) Mat. 3.12 an Everlasting Fire [h] Mat. 25.41 Fire here must be fed with continual supplies of Fuel or else it goeth out but this by the breath of God which like a stream of Brimstone kindleth it [i] Isa 30.33 So that look how long God liveth so long this fire burneth Wicked men shall burn in an eternity of Fire to and if possible beyond an eternity of duration Sometimes it is called a Prison [l] 1 Pet. 3.19 and wicked men are said to be bound hand and foot [m] Mat. 22.13 We read of a Prison amongst the Persians which was deep and wide and dark and only one hole at the top into which the Prisoners let in could no way get out therefore was called by them Lethe forgetfulness Such and far more grievous is the Prison of Hell out of which there is no redemption they are lying Histories which tell us that Trajan was delivered out of Hell by the Prayers of Gregory and Falconella by the Prayers of Teclaes No he that goeth this way never turneth again nor ever taketh hold of the paths of life The Prisoners here are not Prisoners of hope as we said of the Jews in their captivity in Babylon [n] Zech. 9.12 and may be said of other Prisoners but are Prisoners of desperation being once doomed to these Prisons of Fire they must continue for ever Fettered under Chains oâ— darkness lying there like a wild Bull in a Net in vaiâ— roaring and begging for mercy through the grateâ— of their eternal Dungeons Agree with thine adversarâ— quickly whiles thou art in the way lest at any time thâ— Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison Verâ—ly I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing (o) Mat. 5.25 26. But that I may contrive a large Picture in a smalâ— Ring to use Philoes expression and contract the Images of great things into a little Glass Is it called Darkness Do wicked men go from one darkness to another from inward to outward darkness That Darkness is said to be Eternal For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever (p) Jud. 13. Is it called Death The wages of sin is death it is a death thaâ— never dieth (q) Mors sine morte Death
to see desperate sinners running headlong upon their own damnation and wofully embruing their hands in the blood of their own souls Lots righteous soul was vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites Jeremiahs soul wept in secret for the pride of the Jewes and wished that he had in the Wilderness a place of wayfaring men to leave his people because they were all Adulterers and Adulteresses but when God at the last day shall clear his Justice in the just condemnation of ungodly men they shall not onely approve of the equity of Gods proceedings but according to the forenamed Texts it will be a matter oâ— rejoycing to them 3. They shall have no pity from the Devils and their fellow-damned Companions but on the contrary those who now tempt and draw them to sin will then insult in their torments They shall be an abhorring to all flesh * Isa 66.24 4. They shall not so much as pity themselves the Scripture Speaketh of weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth heavy chear saith Latimer where weeping and wailing is served-up for the first course and gnashing of teeth cometh in for the second but thus it will bee in Hell as they shall weep and wail for their misery so they shall gnash their teeth at their own folly and shall be filled with such a hellish rage against themselves that they will never cease to vex and torment themselves CHAP. VIII Of Lamentation for those at ease and careless of Eternity from three several Aggravations with Expostulations 1. THe Doctrinal part being handled the Application follows which I mainly intend Socrates is said to bring down Philosophy from Heaven because he first reduced it unto practice and certainly that preaching is best which cometh nearest to the end of preaching which is to excite men to a practical improvement of divine Truths and I know no one truth more capable of a more close Application than this of Eternity That therefore I now come to 1. Hence have we ground I know not whether of reprehension or lamentation or whether of lamentation or astonishment If this be a certain truth that there is an eternal condition of every man after this life that every man must after a short time enter upon an eternity either of happiness or misery Then behold ye despisers and wonder and perish tremble ye men and women that are at ease in Sion who live as if you had no Souls to look after as if there were neither a Heaven to be cared for nor a Hell to be feared nor any being of man after this life yea all ye that pass by behold and see and stand astonished at the desperate sottishness of the Sons of men when our Saviour told the Woman of the Water he gave of which whosoever drinketh shall never thirst she beggs Sir give me this water (a) Joh. 4. when he speaks of the bread that comes down from Heaven and giveth life to the world the Jews cried Lord evermore give us this bread (b) Joh. 6. and truly it might be expected that when men hear of the eternity of happiness in Heaven they should be so affected with it that some as conscious of their former carelesness should with Ephraim smite upon the Thigh and passionately bewail their neglect of so great Salvation that others with those Gospel-Converts should ask What shall we do that we might inherit eternal life that others as full of Heavenly admiration should stand like the Cherubins with bowed faces as desiring to pry further into this mystery that others as Naaman when he was cured went away resolving to serve no other God but the God of Israel so they should take up peremptory resolutions to make it their great business to get interest in this happiness On the other side one would think that when men hear of the eternity of Hell-torments they should almost think and speak and enquire after nothing else but how they should flee from the Wrath to come that they would run up and down from one Minister to another and from one Christian to another enquiring what they should do to escape the damnation of Hell all this might be expected But alas who hath believed our report or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Oh fools and slow of heart to believe what the Scripture hath spoken and what Ministers preach (c) Isidor It was the complaint of one That eternal happiness in Heaven is every way unspeakably great and is freely offered to us and yet who spends so much as one hour in the meditation and pursuit of it Who is it that talketh of it to his Wife and Children and Family We can riot in the praises of our Native soil but are ashamed to speak of our Heavenly Country our everlasting Home in the things of this life our Understandings are quick enough to conceive them our hearts to embrace them our tongues to speak of them but in the things of Eternity how deep is our silence how slow our speech How seldome our Meditations and as the same Author addeth we forsake the eternal happiness in Heaven for earthly things which will soon forsake us and though this as barely considered in it self be so great a sottishness as can never be enough lamented yet it may be further aggravated from these following Considerations 1. If we consider how frequently and earnestly men are called upon to make provision for Eternity It was John Baptist's pathetical expostulation O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come (d) Mat. 3.7 I would ask who hath not warned you which of Gods faithful Ministers or what Sermon almost is it in which they do not either directly or consequentially make this the great business they preach and press upon you and when they Preach they desire to do it in the most powerful and moving way they are able when they preach of Heaven and eternal happiness they strive to speak in a silken dialect cloathing their speech with the soft raiment of the most pleasing and winning Expressions so as the Pulpit seems to be another Mount Olivet full of delight and sweetness when they Preach the terrors of the Lord the damnation of Hell they strive if possible not to speak Stone only as he said but Thunder-bolts desiring that every sentence might fall like a clap of Thunder rending in pieces the adamantine hearts of men The Philosopher saith that men continually breathe fire though it be not seen and when they preach of Hell they desire if possible to breathe flames that they might thaw a frozen Generation and scare men out of their sins by throwing some flashes of Hell into their Consciences so as the Pulpit seems to be as another Sinai where there is nothing but fire and lightning and thunder When they go about to perswade men to flee from the Wrath to come and lay up treasure in Heaven they bring Line upon Line and Precept upon
at their desired Haven for want of a little care split upon the Rocks and leave all they have got a prey to the merciless waters If then we be such as have taken some pains and made some considerable progress in the way to Heaven let that we have already done engage us to do something more that we might not lose all our labour men have this wisdom in other things he that hath already ventured much will shoot another Arrow in hope to make good former losses the Husbandman that hath bestowed some cost upon a piece of ground and seeth it doth not answer his expectation will bestow more cost and lay on more compost that he may receive some fruits of his cost and labour A man that hath lent money and hath no security for it will be willing to bedge in one debt with another to lend a greater fumme that he may get security for that and the other too in like manner having done something by way of securing eternal happiness let us go thorough with this work that all our former labour may not be in vain 10. Consider what opinion we have of our selves in reference to our interest in eternal happiness the way of man is right in his own eyes saith Solomon every man is naturally apt to think well of himself and his condition and probably it may be so with us we may think our selves rich and encreased with goods and not far off from the Kingdom of God if so think what a sad thing it would be to deceive our selves in a thing of such infinite and everlasting concernment Scipio said it is a shameful thing in war to say I had not thought it war being of so great consequence that a man must probably either conquer or die every mistake here is dangerous the Moabites seeing the water look red through the shining of the Sun upon it concluded this is blood the Kings are surely slain and thereupon encouraged themselves Moab to the spoyl but going to fight upon this presumption were themselves conquered (c) 2 Kings 3. and if it be dangerous to be mistaken in matters of war certainly much more in that great business of Salvation in which if we be deceived we are undone eternally This deceit hath two great evils attending it 1. It hindreth men from labouring for it what he said of Learning is as true in this many men might have obtained it but that they thought themselves to have already attained it Conviction is the first step to Salvation there are none further off from the Kingdom of Heaven than they who presume upon the goodness of their condition 2. This false perswasion will add much to our misery the Church made this an aggravation of her sad condition We looked for peace and there is no good and for a time of healing and behold trouble (d) Jer. 14.19 And think what an amazement it will be when thou shalt one day say I looked for Heaven and behold Hell is my portion I looked for eternal happiness and behold everlasting misery if thou hadst never hoped nor promised better things to thy self thy confusion would not have been so great but to live and dye with confident hopâ—s of Heaven and at last to fall from so high a Pinacle of Hope to that dismal pit of everlasting despair this will wound deeply When Hamilcar lay before Syraâ—usa he thought he heard a Voice intimating to him that he should the next night sup in Syracusa and thereupon concluding he should certainly conquer it He commanded his Army to prepare for a fight but they beginning to mutiny the Citizens took that opportunity brake in upon them took Hamilcar prisoner and that night he supped in Syracusa but not as a Conqueror as he imagined but as a Captive which was the more grievous to him because he was before so confident of Victory (e) Val. Max. in like manner for those who are confident of Heaven to be doomed to Hell for those who make no question of seeing and enjoying God in the land of the Living to be eternally excluded his glorious presence this will double their damnation and be a matter of the greatest confusion believe it it is a sad thing for men to have hopes for Heaven and yet evidences for Hell to have Heaven in their hopes and Hell in their hearts to say to themselves Soul take thine ease and God to say Devil take his Soul If then we be such as are perswaded it shall be well with us let that engage us to all seriousness and diligence in securing eternal happiness that we may not be thus wofully deceived in our expectations 11. Eternal happiness is not to be had without our labouring for it the things of this world are not usually had without labour The soul of the sluggard desiâ—eth and hath nothing (f) Prov. 13.4 21.25 The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour much lesse is Heaven to be had without it As God hath propounded happiness as the end so he hath appointed labour as the means labour for the meat that endureth to Eternal life work out your salvation and what God hath joyned together let no man think to put asunder it is in vain to expect happiness upon any other terms as soon may wee think to pluck the Sun out of Heaven or remove the earth from its Center as soon may the silly flye mount up to Heaven and with her narrow wings darken the Sun and with her feeble seet stay the motion of the Primum Mobile as we be able to alter the Decrees of Heaven and invert that order that God hath set let foolish men think so much labouring to be more than needs and cavil against the strictness of Religion God hath said without holiness no man shall see him and whose words shall stand Godâ— or theirs who shall determine upon what conditions happiness is to be had but he that giveth it as our endeavors without God cannot so God without our endeaâ—ours will not ordinarily save us though God giveth the earth to the meek yet he giveth Heaven only to the violent the violent take it by force (u) Mat 5.5 and 11.12 Jacob got the blessing by putting on the garments of his Brother Esau Esau signifieth working if ever we would wear that rich Garment of Salvation we must get it by working our Saviour indeed saith of the Lillies that they toyl not neither do they spin yet Solomon in all his Royalty was not arrayed like one of them but it is otherwise with this Garment of Salvation we must Win it with Labour before we wear it with Triumph it is an infinite mercy that Salvation is to be had upon so fair terms We must not think to impose upon God and make conditions of our own 12. Consider men may do much and go far yet miss of heaven for want of coming up to Gods terms many at the
yet they are materially good in regard of the matter accepted of him though doing these Duties be not a degree in the thing ye it is a degree to it though in the state they were it is not available to Salvation yet b this a man renders himself more c pable of Salvation and presents himself as a subject more fit for God to work on though I cannot say with the Romanists that he who improves his natural abilitâ—es doth out of congruity merit justifying and saving Grace or that God hath absolutely bound himself upon the exerting and putting forth of these natural abilities to bestow supernatural Graces because that of our Saviour To him that hath shall be given is to be understood in the same kind yet certainly God is never wanting to those who are not wanting to themselves the Apostle saith that God will have all men to be saved (e) 1 Tim. 2.3 As a King really willeth and desireth the welfare of all his loyal Subjects though not with that degree of willingness that he doth the welfare of some special Favourite whom he raiseth to great preferment in like manner though God doth not will the Salvation of all with that degree of willingness that he doth the Elect yet he willeth it with a true and real will though not with an absolute efficacious will and resolution as a thing which he absolutely resolveth shall come to pass as he doth the Salvation of his Elect yet he doth it with a conditional will if they will come up to the terms of the Gospel though he doth not deal with all men in a Covenant of Grace yet he dealeth with all in a Covenant of righteousness if I may so term it if they do well they shall be accepted if they believe and repent they shall be saved and he bestoweth upon them many means and helps to this end no man shall have any cause to plead at the last day I knew thou wert a hard Master reaping where thou hast noâ— sown I was not wanting in using the Mean but thou wert wanting in giving a Blessing I did what I could on my part but thou failedst on thy part no God will silence any such plea as he did with that unprofitable servant Why didst thou not put out my money to the Exchangers Why didst thou not improve that power I gave thee God will then make it appear that every mans destruction is of himself that God would have healed Babylon but she would not be healed that he would have gathered men as the Hen doth her Chickens but they would not Seeing then Gods bowels are not straitned to us let not us be straitned in our own bowels let us carefuly use the means God hath appointed improve those talents put forth that power he hath given us it is in vain to expect God should help us unless we help our selves as we can do nothing without Gods assistance so God ordinarily will do nothing without our co-operation 3. We should carefully observe and improve those seasons and opportunities which God puts into our hands though the whole time of life be given us to make provision for Eternity yet there are some particular seasons when this may best be done some certain articles of time when God maketh more immediat offers of Eternal happiness As 1. When we find some more than ordinary impulse to seek God in some duty of his own appointment sometimes when our thoughts are taken up with other things we find a motion darted into our minds to seek God by prayer or some other duty and many times one motion after another and when God thus provokes us to seek him it is a sign that is a time when God is willing to be found of us When God bad Moses come up into the Mount to him it was an argument he would meet him when he came there When Christ told his Disciples Behold I go before you into Galilee there shall you see me the Disciples going found as he had said In like manner when God prompts us into his presence it is a good argument we may then prevail with him 2. When God prepareth the heart and puts it into a frame and temper in some measure suitable to the duty as when there is wrought in us an aweful apprehension of the Majesty and holiness of that God before whom we come alively sence of our own unworthiness to come into his presence a serious consideration of the solemnity of the duty we are about an earnest desire to meet God in the way of his own appointments when God is pleased to work up our hearts into such a frame these preparations are not in vain Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Psal 10.17 3. When God is pleased to enlarge the heart and vouchsafe a special assistance in the duty when a man stirreth up himself to take hold of God and continueth wrestling with God by a holy importunity He shall approach to me for who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me (i) Jer. 30.21 and let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me (k) Isa 27.5 and he shall make peace with me 4. When the hearts of Gods Ministers are enlarged when those goads nails given from one Shepherd are powerfully fastned upon the the conscience by the Masters of the Assemblies When Christ was teaching it is said The power of God was present to heal It holds true in regard of spiritual healing (l) Luk. 5.17 when the Word is powerfully preached God whose way is in the Sanctuary whose Walk is in the midst of the golden Candlesticks is then more specially present to make his word effectual We then as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain then followeth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation (m) 2 Cor. 6.1 5. When there is wrought in the heart some remorse for sin When John Baptist preached in the Wilderness of Judea the people went out to him and were baptised of him in Jordan confessing their sins and then he tells them Now also is the Axe laid to the root of the tree (n) Mat. 3.10 6. When there are stirred up in the soul some desires after grace and Salvation Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters then Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon while he is near (o) Isa 55.1 7. When God by threatning or inflicting some great judgment doth awaken and terrifie the Conscience Thus the Prophet having threatned a sore judgment he adds Therefore now also saith the Lord turn to me with all your heart c. (p) Joel 2.12 8. The time of sickness when a man cometh to apprehend he must die forthwith enter upon his eternal condition Tully observeth when men draw near to death then they begin to think of Vertue and
silence Conscience by running to worldly diversions or snatch at comfort before Humiliation hath had its perfect work and by this default all comes to nothing with Ephraim they flee like a Bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception and possibly never recover the like advantage Infinitely therefore doth it concern us when we have so fair a gale for Heaven to improve this opportunity to the best advantage which cannot be neglected without great hazard of losing Eternal happiness 4. We should be careful to cherish the good motions of Gods Spirit exciting us to this work As the best way to overcome sin is to resist the first motions of it upon that in Gen. 3. The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Austin saith What is the Serpents head but the beginning of Sin Resist that and thou breakest the Serpents head so the best way of working out our Salvation is to cherish those good motions the holy Spirit breatheth into the Soul if thou blowest a spark says the Wise man thou shalt have fire if thou spit upon it it will go out and both out of one and the same mouth The Spirit of God is compared to Fire in Scripture as that phrase of quenching the Spirit implieth there is no man but sometimes hath a spark of this fire warming his heart if we be careful to blow this spark we may have fire to light our feet into the ways of peace if we quench or neglect to cherish it we make our selves fitter Fuel for everlasting burnings The Spirits working is compared to the blowing of the Wind (z) Cant. 4.16 John 3.8 Mariners when they have a fair wind use to put forth but if they neglect that opportunity may stay some time before they have another wind and perhaps may lose their intended Voyage when the North South wind of Gods Spirit bloweth upon the Garden of our Souls then is our time to set out for heaven if we neglect these sweet gales we must know the Spirit bloweth where when it lifteth we cannot expect it should blow at our pleasure It is said of the Ostrich That she leaveth her Eggs in the Earth and warmeth them in the dust and forgetteth that the foot may crush them or the wild beast break them (a) Job 39. Some Naturalists say when she thus leaveth her Eggs she doth it with an intent to return to them again and for that purpose usually takes her mark by the seven stars but having staid some time in seeking her food and the seven Stars being removed from the place where they were she in vain looketh for her Eggs and so they are either broken or miscarry for want of brooding Many men have good motions put into their hearts many purposes to set about that great work of their Salvation but at present they lay them aside thinking they may re assume them when they please but neglecting at present to prosecute those good motions the Spirit being grieved withdraws it self and when the Spirit withdraws its assistance it will be in vain to think to effect this work by their own strength when therefore the blessed Spirit of God warmeth our hearts with good motions it should be our care to follow good motions with good purposes and purposes with promises and promises with endeavors and endeavors with performance and performance with perseverance whereas if we quench these motions and stifle these births of the Holy Ghost in our Souls it will be just with God to withdraw his Spirit so God threatneth Be instructed oh Jerusalem lest my Soul departeth from thee and wo to them when I shall depart from them saith God (b Jer. 6.8 Hos 9.12 But to press this further Behold saith Christ I stand at the door and knock (c) Rev. 3.20 this knocking is chiefly by the motions of his Spirit Knocking is first a vehement motion men knock hard when they desire to come in so doth the blessed Spirit Secondly It is an iterated motion men knock and if they be not heard knock again so the Spirit Thirdly It is a gradual motion men knock first more gently then with a louder noise so likewise it is with the Spirit But then fourthly Knocking is a finite motion men will not always continue knocking we have a saying if a man knock three times and none answereth it is manners to be gone and when the Spirit of God knocketh time after time if we shut up the doors of our hearts it is but just that he should give over and never knock more Again He is not only said to knock but Call behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice though he doth not speak by an audible voice yet he doth by words spoken inwardly to the mind by a secret inspiration as Austin saith he felt something within him but what it was he could not tell for it was neither a voyce to be heard by the Ear nor any colour to be discerned by the Eye nor any scent to be perceived by the smell it was neither hard nor soft that it might be felt yet there was somthing God did which he easily felt but was not able to express As when the Lightning saith Cyprian breaketh through the Cloud the sudden splendour of it doth not so much enlighten as dazzel the Eyes so thou sometimes feelest thy self touched but dost not see him that toucheth thee thou hearest words spoken inwardly to thy Soul but dost not perceive him that speaketh to thee by such a Voice God often speaketh to men a Voyce sweetly acquanting us with Gods will such a voyce as is spoken of Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying this is the way walk in it f) Isa 30.21 and if when God thus speaketh we be ready to hear if when he saith seek my face our hearts eccho thy face Lord will we seek when he saith let him that hath an ear to hear our hearts answer speak Lord for thy Servants hear when he saith Return ye backsliding Children our hearts answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God (g) Jer. 3.22 If when he cryes List up your heads Oh! ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors that the King of Glory may come in we forthwith hear his voyce and open the door he is most ready to come in and sup with us and to give us to sup with him But here is the great misery God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not (h) Job 33.14 and when we turn a deaf ear to Gods Call we hereby provoke him to take up that peremptory resolution Because I called and ye refused I will also laugh at your Calamity then shall they call upon me and I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me Somtimes he is said to strive with men and this he doth in such manner that it