there take forth directions for your lives how contrary soever to your own conceits and delights 4. A faintness of spirit If you make the work absolutely impossible A faintness of spirit you do but cool and quash resolutions There is a need of bellows not waters for tender sparks for no man will attempt a hopeless work or that which he knows will certainly prove fruitless Do not side with such thoughts as these I shall never be able to get victory over such strong sins and long corruptions Or I shall never be able to do what the Lord requires so much and with such affections nor shall I ever bear such reproaches losses disgraces indignities Never consult with flesh and bloud in a case of holy Resolution nor credit Satan about the leaving of sin but if thou wilt consult with what may fear and dishearten thee consult also with what may encourage and quicken thee Though thy sins be strong yet they are conquerable onely true Grace is invincible It is possible for a sinfull nature to be altered and renewed and therefore it is not impossible for any sin to be subdued Though thy own strength be insufficient yet Christ's is not He who hath commanded thee to combat with Sin hath likewise promised to conquer sin if thy duty be active he is able to work in thee both to will and to do if thy duty be passive he can give thee not onely to do but to suffer for his sake if thou must not be less then a Sufferer he can make thee more than a Conqueror Thy helps are far greater than thy discouragements there are more with thee than against thee Therefore fear not to resolve 't is a vanity to talk of another or fitter season you will be more unwilling to leave sin the more time you take to commit sin II. There are some things which you must in some measure Labour for possess if ever you would be brought to a penitential Resolution 1. Get as distinct a knowledge of sin as clear conviction as Clear Conviction you can It is our blindness which keeps us in service and the Will is usually perverse because the Judgment is greatly dark Did we know sin aright truly fully experimentally you have attained to Reasons enough why you should resolve against it Sin carries its own condemnation with it Sometimes the particular effects of sin do half perswade us to be Christians to leave the service of sin a stroke or two upon the Conscience do thus far prevail as to pause and stop If then we knew sin in the latitude of its bitter effects and in the intensiveness of them beyond all thoughts for bitterness and perpetuity as also that extreme vileness in the formal nature of it which is the vast womb and Ocean out of which these bitter waters do flow if we did know sin as the darkest blot and loathsome blur opposite to the truest Glory of purest Holiness and as the most deformed and highest Rebellion to the most equal Laws and Rules of Divine Soveraignty and as the very Eclipse and utter Inconsistence with all real Happiness and as the infallible and unavoidable Precipice of our intollerable and eternal Damnation At least this would be an occasional excitation if not a strong foundation upon which to raise a Resolution to quit and forsake it Sure I am the defect of this that men know not sin makes them bold and venturous obstinate and tenacious they will not desist from the practice of sin because they know not the evil of sin 2. You must get an hatred of sin else you will never truly and Cordial detestation effectually resolve against it All the actions of our lives are fed by the affections of the will these are in morals principia immediate vincentia and of all the affections as the Anatomists observe in the body two master-Veins Vena cava vena aorta so in the soul there are two which are Soveraign and bear sway one is Love and the other is Hatred that bears sway in matters elegible and practicable this in matters sinfull and declinable Resolutions against sin not rooted in hatred will slack like a deceitfull Bow and Resolutions to a better course not raised from love will be but as the morning dew It is hatred which makes us bent and peremptory againct evil and it is love which makâ—s us resolute and stedfast for good Hatred hath three properties in it against an evil Object Enmity Flight and Irreconcileableness And Love hath two properties in it Union and Adhaesion Ruth clave in love to Naomi and was seâ—ed in it never to leave her And Ephraim was strong in detestation and therefore peremptorily in resolution What have I to do any more with Idols 3. There must be Faith and then there will be Resolution Faith Faith 1. To believe the Word of God discovering and threatning an evil condition and course 2. To believe the excellency of a good Condition and Life and Rewards If thou didst indeed believe that sin would damn thee wouldst not thou resolve against it if thou didst indeed believe that the holy life were the happy life couldst thou by Faith see him that is invisible and the beauties of holiness which are hid from the World and those great consolations and rewards reserved for a pious heart and conversation thou wouldst quickly turn the Scale mâ—ke the choâ—ce and resolve 'T is true I must leave my sins but I shall gain my God their pleasures but I shall gain his delights I may forfeit the love of Friends but I shall find kindness of God I quit Earth but I shall get Heaven I leave but filthiness but guilt but misery but Hell I shall get holiness and peace and Christ and Comfort and Heaven I am insufficient but God is sufficient 4. Vehement Prayer that the Lord would give a heart willing Vehement prayer to forsake sin and willing to choose him and his ways For the purposes of our hearts are from him Resolution should be a Posâ—e of Prayers steept in prayer blown up by the breath of Heaven Psal 119. 5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes v. 8. I will keep thy statutes O forsake me not utterly What you undertake without prayer you will forsake without câ—mfort All resolutions are best made which are made upon the knee of prayer Secondly The means to maintain and keep up this Resolution The means to maintain this resolution Let it not be presumpâ—uous but humble If you would attain to a solid and permanent Resolution then 1. Let your Resolution not be presumptuous but humble If you raise your Resolutions upon your own strength you will shortly quit them by your own weakness No spiritual frame or work is safe or strong which is reared upon it self alone it must not be less than a rock higher than our selves upon which we must build The wings bear the body of the
causes in Christ to accept of him and to resign up to him rather than to sin or world or any thing else and when the Will is wrought upon so as to accept of Christ in his Person and Offices and Estates the soul is now matched or married to Christ by Faith It bestows it self and gives Christ all the right and cleaves unto him in an indissoluble bond of affection and service Quest 3. The third resolveable is concerning the Subject of this The subject of this faith faith who hath it The Text resolves that by telling us that the Ring was put on the returning Prodigals finger so that the penitent person is he who wears the Ring i. who is an espoused The penitent person is onely married unto Christ or married person by Faith unto Christ You may be married to your Lusts and to the World though you be impenitent yet none but Penitents are married unto Christ by Faith Not that Repentance goes before Faith in Christ for no Grace habitually considered is in time before another though in operation it be Nor that Repentance is the cause of Faith for it is a most improper Assertion to make one Grace to be the cause of another Grace when as every Grace doth come onely from the Spirit of Reasons Christ as the cause But because 1. The penitent person is only the The penitent person onely hath faith subject of Faith which doth marry us to Christ no person is a believer who is not a penitent person The Prodigal while onely a Prodigal he hath neither Garment nor Ring but when he is a returning Prodigal then he hath both and not till then 2. Onely penitent persons can evidence their faith and espousal unto Onely penitent persons can evidence their faith Christ Another who is impenitent can no more evidence his interest or title to Christ then an Alien that never heard of this Land can evidence or conclude his title and right to any Goods or Chattels of yours The title to Christ is proper onely to the Penitent for them he lived and for them onely he died Now if any should yet further demand Why the Lord should Why will the Lord give this to penitent persons To convince the world there is no loâ—s in leaving sin To support the soul of the heavy laden give unto penitent persons a precious faith to espouse them to Christ I conjecture briefly that these may be the Grounds or Reasons 1. To convince all the world that there is no loss in leaving of sin Abjice tectum tolle coelum said one The repentant person forsakes his sins but presently finds a Saviour he is divorced from that which would damn him and by faith is espoused unto one that will save him 2. To support the soul of the penitent which of all other is most sick and heavy laden It is most sensible of sin and guilt and Gods displeasure on all which it cannot long look alone If the penitent person had not faith to see a Mediatour he would not long have an eye to look upon his transgressions It is a truth that Repentance could never act it self unless the penitent person had faith to act it self too The sorrow in Repentance would infinitely sink into despair and the forsaking of sin would turn into a forsaking of God if Faith saw not a Mediatour for Transgressions and a mercifull God through him 3. Lastly The Lord intends singular mercy to the penitent God intends singular mercies to the Penitent persons to perform many precious promises of pardon and grace and comfort unto them and therefore gives them Faith unto which all the Promises are made The promises may be considered two ways either in respect 1. of Intention so they look unto the Penitent of Application so onely Faith is the Hand in the Penitent which actively applies the Promises Again you know that the Promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ i. they are all sealed by him and made good unto us by him so that first we must have Christ before the Promises made good unto us by Christ And therefore God gives unto the penitent person the Grace of Faith to espouse him unto Christ that so he may settle upon him all the Dowry upon the Marriage of the rich mercy and good in his precious Promises The main Use which I will make of this assertion is To try our selves whether we have this precious Ring of Faith a Ring Vse Try our selves whether we have this precious faith A necessary trial if we consider The paucity of true believers more precious than that of Gold put on our fingers yea or no. It is as necessary a demur as ever you were put unto all your dayes whether you consider 1. The paucity of true believers All men have not faith saith the Apostle All men nay very few Who hath believed our report said the Prophet We preach we offer Christ unto you we beseech you to accept of the Lord of Life to give up your hearts and lives unto him but who believes our report We tell you that Christ is better than all the world his bloud is better than sin it 's better to love and serve him than world or sin but who believes our report Men care not to know the excellencies of Christ they prize him not they care not to hear him speak in his Ordinances they will in no wise consent and yield to his terms and conditions 2. The Vtility The utility of it of it To the Sacrament of the Lords Supper if we come without our Wedding-Ring it will be as sad a day to us as to him who came without his Wedding Garment We do not onely receive no good at the Sacrament for we have neither hand nor mouth to take and eat if we have not Faith not title at all to the intrinsecal benefits by Christ if we have not faith in him Nay we occasion much evil and Judgment upon our selves we adventure to eat and drink our own damnation not discerning the 1 Cor. 11. Lords body And righteously may the Lord judge us for coming to his Sacrament without Faith for as much as in so doing we do not onely presume against an express prohibition that we should hold off but also we do at the least interpretatively assay to make God a Liar and a favourer of all villany as if he would put his Seal of Pardon and mercy and for all the good of his Covenant in Christ to a wicked impenitent and unbelieving sinner 3. The Hypocrisie of our hearts so apt to deceive themselves with shadows in stead of substances not The hypocrifie of our hearts considering that Satan can delude a man with the shew of any grace Every Ring is not a Ring of Gold nor is every Faith a precious and unfeigned Faith There is a thing called Presumption which is bold enough but it is not Faith and there
so for other duties 5. Spiritual joy will exceedingly It will exceddingly facilitate the way and work to heaven facilitate the way and work for heaven It is our facundus Comes which is pro Vehiculo As the fear of the Lord is our treasure Isa 33. 6. So the joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8. 10. An heavy dull sad spirit is a burden ofâ— it self and is very apt to make every thing else a burden Now spiritual joy it takes off dulness and deadness and enables us to run the way of Gods Commandments and to run the race that is set before us Amanti nihil difficile it makes our spiritual work to come off the Wheels run if oyled Quest This is true will some reply but what should converted What should converted persons do to walk joyfully persons do that they may walk joyfully Sol. There are two sorts of converted persons Incipientes who are newly called newly wrought on newly brought home and these ordinarily are full of fears of doubts of temptations of conflicts of heaviness Proficientes who are long standers in the wayes of grace Will you favour me to speak a few words to either of these 1. To persons newly converted I would humbly present Directions To persons newly converted these directions as proper means or Conduits of joy and comforts to their souls 1. Draw up your spiritual condition to some issue Do not live with a doubtful suspition perhaps you are converted perhaps Draw up your Spirituall condition to some Issue you are not converted As ignorance is an enemy to grace so doubtfulness is an enemy to comfort That man who is still in suit whether his Conversion be true will not dare to lay claim to the joyes which result from Conversion If I fear my grace I shall much more fear my comfort Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Therefore do this bring thy souls estate to the word that is the rule that is the fire that is the touchstone if the Word of God will approve and decide for thee bless God and maintain the truth of thy spiritual estate against all the suggestions of Satan and cavils of thine own heart when once that doth say truth of grace is in thee conscience will say truth of comfort belongs unto thee 2. Get a little more faith one dram more would turn the the scale and settle thine heart Faith trades with the Fountain Get a little more saith with the God of Comfort and of Peace and with Jesus Christ It is Faith that lets you into Christ and it is Faith which lets comfort into you The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. There are five priviledges of Faith It hath the first look of Mercy it hath the first kiss from Christ it hath the first news of acceptance unto Life it hath the first answer of Peace it hath the first draught of Joy Oh get a little more faith a little more faith would weaken the grounds of thy fears quell the motions of thy doubts clear thy way to the fountains of comfort imprint on thy heart a most joyful Communion with thy God and Christ no life of joy but that of faith 3 And Learn to live by faith and then you will have more Learne to live by faith joy and comfort Four things would make a mans life very joyfull and comfortable 1. If he were eased of all burthens 2. If he were secured from all prejudices 3. If what he had were good and enough 4. If he were assured that whatsoever good he should need of that he should not fail but be supplied with it in due time Now the life of faith 1. Easeth you of all your burthens There are but two burthens upon us 1. The sinfull Faith sees this taken off by Christ He bare our sins 2. The earthly of cares Faith sees Gods providence taking that off The Lord is a Sun c. Psal 84. I will never leave thee Heb. 13. Bread shall be given to him his waters shall be sure Isa 33. 16. Cast your care on him for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. 2. Secures you against all prejudices and hurts Faith finds us still in Gods hands and in a safe custody Though there be evils in the world yet they shall not come nigh you and his work goes on though ours do not God is with you who can be against you There 's a Deluge but Noah's in the Ark a storm but you are in an hiding place He holds you in his hand and covers you under his wings makes all things to work for good Faith sees the Trouble and the Sanctuary both Occurrences and Providence both ruling carrying on observing watching preserving If Earth won't keep you safe Heaven shall 3. It renders the present possession as good and enough Your portion is so For what is a Christians portion Is not God is not his favour And is not God enough is not his favour better then life He who cannot be contented with a God and a Christ and a Covenant of Grace and Heaven will be satisfied with nothing You have but little of Earth Aâ— but you have God and Christ If a man have but a little Garden yet if he have a large field c. A little of Earth and much of Heaven makes a fair Estate 4. It assures you of supplies universal and seasonable Vniversal I shall not want Psal 23. 1. No good thing will he withhold Psal 84. 11. No good for soul no good for body you have his Bonds for both and this is for life Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life Psal 23. Nay for everlastingness I will marry thee to my self for ever Hos 2. 19. 2. Seasonable In an acceptable time c. In the mount God will be seen 4. Get a little more understanding and judgment about your converted Get more understanding and judgment about your converted condition and gracious condition Shall I help thee a little with a few Considerations and Informations Know then 1. The great Fountain of thy Joy lies more in thy Justification then in thy Sanctification Thou hast not so much Holiness as another but thou hast of Christs Righteousness thou canst not apprehend so strongly but thou art apprehended as strongly Christ lays as fast hold of thee 2. That Grace and Weakness may dwell together It may be very true though very weak the smoaking flax and the bruised reed and the grain of mustard-seed A Father hath one Child in the Cradle and another in the Shop a Shepheard hath Lambs in the flock as well as Sheep the Gardiner hath Plants as well as Trees and Christ hath Babes as well as strong Men belonging to him 3. That the least Grace and the great Love of God do go together The little drop of Grace comes out of the Ocean of his great Love
holy men Glory and Salvation is their end some end by way of corruption as when the beauty of a thing is marred or a goodly body is turned and ends in a loathsome carkass or sweet Wine turns to sharp Vineger After this manner doth sin end or a sinful course end as it was with the day in which Sodom was destroied it began with the pleasant light of the Sun but it ended in fire and brimstone Thus was it with those sinners their delightful flames of lust ended in horrid flames of Vengeance There are two sorts of sorrow and trouble one Penitential and the other Judicial one of these sin must end in Achans wedge pleased his eie but it lost his life Ahabs desire was satisfied to get Naboths Vineyard but his blood paid for it in the portion of Jezreel Gehazi obteined the garments and talents and at the end a Leprosie to his dying day Judas gets favour with the chief Priests and money to betray his Master but he got horrour of conscience final despair and damnation for his treachery The young man in the Proverbs is inticed with the filthy flattery of the Prov. 7. 17. Whore her bed was perfumed with Myrrhe but her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death those chambers 17. of delight prove chambers of death But to open this in some particulars Quest 1. To what extreme miseries and streits may sin bring the sinner Sol. 1. To those of Body sin may be rottenness of his bones and may infect him with the most nasty irking painful diseases Miseries of body that he shall have no rest in his flesh it may so poison his marrow inflame his spirits corrupt his humors that many times the body which was the instrument of sin proves to be the great torment of the sinner 2. To those of Estate sinning may eat out a goodly estate as the worm which is gnawing at the root of Oâ— estate a tree disrobes it disflourishes it pines and shrivels it though a man hath quick parts ample dealings yet if he has secret waies of sinning his sins will blast him they will be as the Moth which eats out the garment or as the canker to the brass or iron How many by such such sinnings are quickly stript laid low brought to a morsel of bread and are cloathed in rags as the Prodigal here in the tex wasted himself out of all 3. To those of Name Of name which is one of the three precious and tender things viz. a mans Eye a mans Conscience and a mans Name This is a precious Fama Fides Oculus ointment a mans life is as his name is yet sinning casts a flie into that ointment a blur upon that copie it procures reproach and shame an hissing a Proverb a by-word an odious name a name that shall perish 4. To those of Conscience which are Of conscience streits indeed so that a man is almost distracted knows not which way to turn himself either to God or man day nor night is weary of life and yet afraid to die he fears God he fears man he fears himself he fears the shadows of things 5. To those of the imagining and thinking part of man a mans heart shall do nothing Of the imagiâ—ing and thinking part of man but meditate terrour apprehend guilt see the formâ— of bitter sinnings and the Idea's of infinite wrath kindling from God against him so that he shall be still amazed at the representation of his former sinnings or at the expectation of future judgments 6. To those of the affecting part all his aâ—fections shall rise up as a tumult Of the affecting part within him burthens of cruel fear tremblings of a fainting grief and thick throws of hopeless despair Quest 2. But why is it that sins or sinful courses end in such extreme miseries and streits Sol. Reasons thereof are many Reasons of it 1. Because though the beginning of sin be from a deceived heart yet The ending of sin is from a just God the ending of sin is from a just God The corrupt heart begins sin deluded thereto by sinful pleasure but God puts a period to the sin in just judgment in wrath and tribulation upon every soul that does evil What we conceive about sin is one thing and what God will do to the sinner is another thing we make it sweet but God will make it bitter at the latter end The intentional way of theft is with delight but the judicial end of theft is death so Finis 1. â—peris 2. operantis is it in all sinnings the intention of the sinner is to please his own corrupt heart but the judicial end of it which belongs to God he being the righteous Judg offended is misery 2. The true effects of sin must be made manifest Men would not The â—rue 〈◊〉 of sin must be made manifâ—st onely question the Righteousness of God but the unlawfulness of sin if sinning should end peaceably Well might they say with him I have cleansed my heart in vain if sin should end in peace and blessing but God by this dolefull Catastrophe of sin doth convince man that sin deceives them while it pretends so much pleasure delight contentment and at length repays them with shame loss horrour and despair 3. Hereby men should learn To put a difference betwixt them that fear God and that fear him not that there is a difference twixt them who fear God and such as fear him not For indeed in this among many other things do godly ways and the ungodly differ The Godly begin oft times in sorrow in trouble but the end of them is peace at the last we see and meet with the worst of our journey at the first as the Israelites did with the Wilderness and Sea but they came to Canaan at length but the Ungodly ways yield their best at first their vanity delights like painted colours fall off and their worst is hidden and appears at last Alas thou doest not imagine that hell which thy sinnings are kindlings or that sword which it is unsheathing or that death which it is breeding or that horrour which it is maing within thee against thee these are now hid from thy eyes but yet they are the end of thy sinnings I now come to the application of this point Is the entrance of sin pleasant and is that pleasure but short and ends that pleasure Vse in miserable extremity then 1. for 1. Information We may hence be informed That all things are not right and safe which yet are pleasant The ways of a man Information All things are not safe which yet are pleasant seem right in his own eyes said Solomon and the motives of sin seem pleasant to our corrupt hearts yet sinfull ways are false and sinfull pleasures are nought and short The first demand of any in point of opinion should be how
will prevent all that bitterness Sol. 1. You cannot repent at pleasure though you sin at pleasure nay the more pleasant thy sins are the more they do disable thee to repent for they by thy delights do hold thy affections more firm and increase â—hy sinfull acts more often and both of these do cross repentance 2. But suppose thou shouldest repent yet must thy sins be bitter unto thee though thou mayest believe with joy yet thou must repent with sorrow Repentance is a mourning weed a sad lamentation a reformation with tears 3. And believe me thy penitential work will be the more sowr by how much the more sweet thy sinnings have been In Physick if I mistake not they hold that Dulcia cito vertuntur in bilem the sweet meats are most easily turned into bitter choler so shalt thou find experimentally thy sweetest sins to prove even if thou doest repent thy sharpest burthens and griefs Davids adultery cost him more tears then any sin of his that we read of A third Use shall be of Direction If any man of us hath been enticed that we have taken the sweet bait that sin hath insnared Vse 3. Direction us by its pleasures my advice is Let him vomit up the morsels again and no more to embrace the sin for the pleasure but to abhor the pleasure for the sins sake The rules which I would prescribe are these 1. Presently to imbitter those sinfull pleasures Do you your Presently imbitter those sinfull pleasures self begin the work defer it not to God if you begin it in a penitential way God will spare you in a judicial way Judge yourselves and ye shall not be judged of the Lord. See and consider what thou hast done True I have had the pleasure but by sinning God hath had the dishonour much dishonour great dishonour frequent dishonour Oh grieve for this that thou shouldest ever delight in that which grieves thy God that sin should be pleasant to thee which is so dishonourable unto him Afflict thy soul and do this presently take down thy sins the second time with bitter herbs which at the first thou swallowedst down with sweet delights or rather cast them out with hearty sorrow which thou didst hastily take in with vain pleasure 2. For time to come let two thoughts lodge between thine eyes viz. 1. Former sins have been bitter though pleasant 2 Future Think of the bitterness of former sins and that future sins will be more bitter sins be they never so pleasant will prove more bitter O let these be engraven in thy soul never believe thy thoughts thy hopes thy confidences nor Satan any more nor thy own false heart sin was pleasant heretofore but it ended bitterly if thou any more hearken unto it it will be less pleasant and much more terribly bitter the second surfeits of sin do either breed more stupefaction or more confusion in the conscience 3. Study to find and taste that pleasure which ariseth from an entire communion with God and a conversation which is upright Study to find and taste pleasure in communion with God Talk what thou wilt the soul will have some pleasure or other if it pitcheth not on God for it it will stray aside to sin for it Now then strive to take pleasure in the Lord and in his work and in his way and in his Graces and in his Christ This shalt thou find of spiritual pleasure Spiritual pleasures are 1. It is more sweet a thousand times then that of sin One glass of Spring-water is more sweet then a Caldron of Sea-water More sweet though the Sea be larger it is fouler and mixt 2. It is more lasting and durable Ah thou needest not to repent of it it is More lasting a Spring and not a Puddle and its foundation is constant never forsake thy mercies for lying vanities 3. It is More affecting more affecting then the other That of sin goes not beyond the sense and affections but this of God enters into the conscience which is the seat of truest comfort or saddest misery 4. It Will drown our sinfull pleasures will drown your sinfull pleasures Oh thou shalt find such a real value such a surpassing excellency such a full contentment in the all-sufficient God that thou mayest well say as Ephraim What have I to do any more with Idols So thou with the vain piercing false short pleasures of sin Therefore set thy heart not on sin but holiness though it may fall out that at the beginning the ways of God and holiness may seem bitter unto thee yet know 1. This bitterness either is by reason of thy former pleasant sins or thy present sinfull nature 2. That assuredly thy delights in holiness will bring thee at last to that right hand where there are pleasures for evermore for as sin though pleasant in entrance is bitter in conclusion so holiness though it sets forth with a storm shall land safely in a calm And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that Luke 15. 14. Land and he began to be in want And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey and he sent him into his fields to feeds swine 15. The Prodigal hath done with his Estate and all the pleasures of it now we are to consider him both in his streights and in the immediate use which he made of them Touching the former I shall say little onely you may observe 1. The occasion of it a great famine 2. His sence of it he began to be in â—ant Touching the latter you may observe two things 1. His practice under his streights And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey 2. His success or reward And he sent him into the field to feed swine By the Citizen generally is expounded the Divel by the Countrey the World by Swine wicked Men. There are two Propositions which I would hence observe viz. 1. That though sin brings men into straits yet straits do not always bring men from sin 2. That the further men go on in sin the worse work they shall find it to prove That though sin brings men into straits yet straits do not always 1. Doct. Though sin brings men into straits yet straits do not always bring men from sin Distinguish betwixt Possibility and Infallibility Representation of sin and Reformation of sin bring men from sin You see here the prodigal is pincht with famine and yet he comes not home to his Father but goes on further in his own ways For the opening of this Assertion a little you must distinguish betwixt 1. Possibility ut medium and Infallibility ut remedium 2. Betwixt Representation of sin and Reformation of sin Straits and miseries are ordinarily the Looking-Glasses wherein we may see the face of our sinnings but they are not always the Physick-Glasses wherein we find the cure of our sins they are more
in a more permanent and deliberate sense When a sinner is exempted from the times of rashness and is able to see and judge of his wayes and courses to be sinful Yet is it possible that he may suffer not a little but much evil not in one kind but in manifold kinds not for a short time but for some long duration many weeks yea perhaâ—s many years ere his heart doth yield to return from his sinful wayes to God Thus briefly have you the Explication of the Assertion Now I will touch two things more and so proceed to the Application One how this may be manifested to be true Another why it is or should be thus with a sinful heart Quest 1. How it may appear that a sinful person will try all c. ere he will return How this may appear to be true Sol. It may manifestly appear if you consider these particulars 1. The patient continuation of spiritual means without any By the continuance of Spiritual means without any fruit of Conversion fruit of Conversion God hath used incessant means and followed and pressed upon sinners by his Servants the Messengers of his Word many times and for a long time yet they repented not nor turned from their sins 2 Chr. 36. 15. The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending he did send and send again Ver. 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until there was no remedy So Matth. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Rom. 10. 21. And to Israel he saith All the day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people 2. The large expectations of God for the returning of sinners By the large expectations of God for the return of sinners without success without any success Luke 13. 7. Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this figtree and find none Num. 14. 11. The Lord said unto Moses How long will this people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signes which I have shewed among them Ver. 27. How long shall I bear with this evil Congregation which murmur against me Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Hos 8. 5. How long will it be ere they attain to innocency Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be 3. The long and exceeding complaints of God concerning sinners By the long and exceeding complaints of God concerning sinners That he is forced still to bear with them insomuch that their continual sinnings have grown as it were exceeding of Gods patience too much for God to bear any longer Amos 2. 13. I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves Jer. 15. 6. Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord thou art gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee I am weary of repenting Isa 43. 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities 4. The Non-plusses if I may so phrase it that wicked and obstinate persons by continuing in their sins have put God unto By the non-plusses that obstinate sinners have put God unto Hos 6. 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away This is an Antropopathy a speech after the manner of men Not that God doth not know what to do but he expresseth himself after the manner of a person who hath used all the wayes and means to reclaim another and yet the other though sometimes cunningly he pretends a reformation falls away again Now saith a father such and such wayes have I used and such wayes and nothing doth avail my son still is wicked he runs on from evil to worse I know not what to do with him I can think of no course c. So Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it wherefore when I looked for grapes brought it forth wild grapes 5. Nay the kinds of Despair as it were which God hath conceived after many dealings to do any good or to reclaim them By the Despair which God hath conceived after many dealings to do any good from sinful wayes Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my place Isa 1. 5. Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Jer. 23. 29. I will utterly forget you and I will forsake you reprobate silver shall men call them 6. Yea those dying knells and farewel wishes and resolutions By those farewel wishes and resolutions of God because of their Impenitency of God because of the impenitency of persons demonstrates this ttuth Expostulations upon utmost terms Why will ye dye And You shall dye in your sins and I will forsake you and I will utterly destroy you Luke 19. 41. He beheld the City and wept over it Ver. 42. O that thou hadst known even thou at the least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with him 7. Lastly It may appear that sinners will try all wayes ere they turn and endure much By the multiplication of many By the multiplication of many Judgments Judgments and repetition of manifold calamities The many wedges which are knockt in one after another shew that the wood is tough and unyielding this giving pill after pill shews that the corrupt humor is strongly rooted Mic. 6. 13. I will make thee sick in smiting thee because of thy sins So that when all is done and suffered God must say and do what he promises in Isa 57. 17. I was wroth with him and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Ver. 18. I have seen his wayes and will heal him When all is done one thing more God must do he must come into the heart and over-rule and heal and turn it and then it shall be turned Qu. 2. Now for the second Question Why it should be thus that sinners should try all the wayes and indure to the utmost rather Why it is thus then to turn from their sinful courses I answer It is not either 1. Because sin is such an Excellent It is not Because sin is really beneficiall to the soul thing or really beneficial to the soul by reason of which excellency and use a man might be
And is this excuse to pass for currant hath not God dealt Answered with thee often didst not thou more often harden thine own heart willingly withdraw thy self and all out of a love to sin 2. Though thou couldst not convert thine own heart yet this thou mightest have done in the times of afflictions c. considered what might move the Lord thus to deal with thee all or some of the causes which thy own conscience did freely suggest and the ends which God pointed thee to to reform them And then to have gone to him by vehement prayer to convert thy heart from thy sins to teach it righteousness to submit to his instructions Thou mightst thus have gone to him who can convert and have waited on him in the means of conversion but thou didst nor desire after him nor delightedst to seek him c. 2. But What may we do to prevent this shuffling and assaying of means to support us in sinning when the Lord deals with us and Means to prevent this shuffling calls upon us for the leaving of sin Sol. I would commend these five Directions 1. Strive to be convinced of this That as long as the Course is a sinfull Course it Be convinced of this That a sinfull course cannot be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 safe course can never be a safe Course We may weary our selves in the multitude of our imaginations and ways but run what course you please and pursue your own devices yet this ye shall reap of the Lord you shall lie down in your shame and sorrow you may run to new experiments but misery will follow your sins the next time as well as this and in every way as well as one way Your sins will find you out and as long as you carry your sins with you you cannot keep off calamities from you 2. Of necessity you must return or perish Your sinfull course is You must return or perish a by-path and leads to death It is sinfull and you know it and being sinfull it must be miserable To what end doth the Patient excuse the taking of the Receipt the wholsome Balm he must die if he doth not receive it So consider To what end do I thus vary my paths and shuffle and seek supports there is nothing strong enough to secure a sinner and let me sadly consider that I must one time or other leave these sinnings or else farewel my Soul and Salvation 3. It cannot but be best the sooner it is I must return or perish too soon I cannot return and the sooner the better A Our Return is best the sooner it is Best For Safety Souldier of a middle age a Counsellor of a grave age and a Penitent of a young age are still the best The work which must be done is best done when soonest Best for Safety for thy life is very uncertain and if thou doest not leave thy sins to day thou mayest be in Hell for ought thou knowest for thy sins to morrow For Acceptance the Lord likes it best when For Acceptance one word of Mercy can cause us to trust and one shaking of the Rod can cause us to tremble and when one command sufficeth to turn us when upon the first Arrest we give up our Weapons it pleaseth Soveraignty best For Quietness for we do hereby deliver not onely our Souls but Bodies also from many troubles For Quietness the sooner we do repent and plainly yield why Conscience speaks peace the sooner and God commands mercies the faster strong Sins breed long afflictions but give up the Sins and God gives up the Quarrel throw over Bichri's head to Joab and he will presently remove the siege If a man had health he might take sleep the better but as long as the body is diseased it is unquiet 4. Strive against those diverting Principles which do draw thee from the right and onely way and put thee on by-thoughts and Strive against diverting Principles as Presumption of Mercy Or of thy own Power by-paths and a vain assayment of means to support us As 1. Presumption either of Mercy though thou doest add drunkenness to thirst and still findest out thine own inventions or thine own Power Thou mayest be hindred of the time which thou doest project and mayest want strength to execute thy purposes For sinfull practises do altogether weaken our power whilest they delude us with a conceit of strength hereafter 2. Stoutness and pride of spirit Do not in a bravery of villany dispute with the Almighty Stoutness and pride of spirir God it may prove a sad Victory to thee that thou art able to reject good counsel and to quench all good motions 3. Delight Delight in sin in sin which drowns the errand of all afflictions c. 5. Beseech the Lord at the very first to circumcise the stubbornness Beseech the Lord to câ—rcumcise the stubbornness of your hearts of your hearts and to give you the understanding ear and the obedient spirit that when in the Word he calls upon you to turn from your sins your hearts may fall down and cry out O Lord turn me and when by afflictions he calls upon you to turn you may presently humble your hearts and cry out O Lord pardon me O Lord heal me O Lord turn and save me Let us all think of this You know that the Lord is displeased with us and we have hitherto hardened our hearts against the Lord God hath dealt with us once twice often in publick in private ways and still we seek our own ways delude the work of Repentance set nothing to heart nor repent of our evil doings I I. Now I proceed to the Second thing which is The final The final disappointment of all the Prodigals designs Doct. 2. Nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner till he return but God will disappoint all his pâ—ojects Some things premised This is meantâ— of a sinner whom God intends to convert disappointment of the Prodigals assays and designs in these words And no man gave unto him Whence I observe That nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner until he doth turn from his sins but God will disappoint all his projects batter down all his confidences frustrate all his expectations drive him out of all his harbours and overthrow all the means and ways which he flies unto Before I confirm this Assertion let me premise a few particulars that so you may rightly conceive the scope of it Thus then 1. I intend the Assertion of a sinner whom God doth intend to convert others he may leave to prosper in their imaginations For you see it raised from the disappointment of a Prodigal one whose conversion at length attended his manifold afflictions and as manifold contrivances to keep up his sinfull conversation though such a person knows not it nor thinks on it yet God is secretly against him and thrusts him off from all the Cities of Refuge
received unless the apprehension of their kindness and goodness descends to the affections they never stir up thankfulness and as it is with the promises unless their excellency and sutableness come down from the mind to the will they never excite faith so is it with sin unless besides the consideration of it there be not an operation and influence upon the heart to grieve and mourn it will never prove right and penitential Thou sayest thou knowest thy sins as well as any man can tell thee Be it so but if thy heart remain hard not humbled abased broken grieved for these sins alas as their unworking faith Jam. 2. so thy unaffected speculation of sin is vain but findest thou this that upon the serious consideration of thy sins thy heart is humbled and abased in thee that thou art cast down in the sense of thy exceeding vileness O wretched man that I am O Lord to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion and that thy heart is grieved within thee and afflicted that bitter mournings arise because of bitter sinnings my soul hath them in remembrance and is humbled within me Lam. 3. Thy heart melts before the Lord I assure thee this is a right and blessed consideration of sin 3. If it work in him Detestation of sin Griefe seemes to be more If it work Detestation of sin passionate but hatred is a more fixed quality as I may so phrase it Ezek. 36. 31. Ye shall remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good here is the consideration we speak of and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and your abominations here is detestation the proper effect of true consideration for in a right consideration the singular causes or reasons of hatred do arise v. g. Excess of evil absolute repugnancy to our best good effectual prejudice and greatest injury Repugnans Offendens the Schoolmen make the two chief grounds of hatred Vide Summistas in 1. 2dae q. 29. But I will not prosecute that Now then peruse thy self Hast thou considered of thy sinnes aright if thou doest not hate them thou hast not Seest thou sinne and art thou brought to hate it Let me but propound a few things unto thee that thou mayest see whether thou loathest and hatest sin or no. Is it peace or is it war If sin lies quietly in the soul it is peace it is not hatred hatred breeds variance enmity opposition conflict Paul hated sin Rom. 7. 15. and wars with it v. 23. Is it a deadly war is it for life will this suffice thee that sin doth not terrifie thy conscience or wilt thou not be satisfied till sin be mortified and crucified in the lusts and affections thereof Is it like Davids war wherein he left not one Amalekite to escape and carry tidings and not like Sauls to kill some and spare the rest Canst thou say Lord I hate the thing that is evil Psal 97. 10. and I hate every false way Oh if there be raised in thee upon the consideration of sin a deadly enmity and defiance with it an implacable general dislike abomination resistance and desire to root it out happy art thou thy consideration of sin is rightly and effectually penitential 4. If it work in him Reformation of sin Do you not read in If it work in thee Reformation Psal 119. 59. that David considered and thought on his wayes I thought on my ways saith David so do many many indeed do so but not as David did for after he had said I thought on my ways he addeth and turned my feet unto thy testimonies He so thought of his ill ways that he left them and betook himself unto good ways If thinking on sin doth not produce leaving of sin it is nothing if thinking of sin doth not breed leaving of sin then going on in sin will make you leave thinking of sin And though we think of an ill way yet if we do not enter into and walk in a good way it is nothing There is a two-fold leaving of sin one which is proper to the condition of Glory another which is proper to the condition of Grace I speak not of the former which is the absolute dissolution of sin but of the latter which is an imperfect though true separation from sin consisting in Affection wherein the Will is alienated from sin the evil which I would not do saith the Apostle In Mourning O wretched man who shall deliver me from this body of death In Endeavour willing or endeavouring to live honestly Heb. 13. 18. There is a purpose to walk in new obedience and an hearty desire so to do and not to serve sin any longer and also an active endeavour to put off the former conversation and to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof To consider of sin and yet still to love it and still to live in it to study to fulfil the lusts of it to give up our selves to the service of it to walk in darkness to be the same in our affections to it and in our obedience unto it this is not onely a vain but a fearfull consideration But if when we have throughly considered of sin in the vileness of it we are effectually wrought upon to arise from our sinfull course O Lord I have sinned exceedingly and done very foolishly I am resolved to leave this sinfull way Lord help thou me give me thy grace turn thou me and I shall be turned turn away my heart and eyes cause me to put off my old conversation enable me to walk and live in newness of life This is an happy Fruit especially if it hath two other Effects accompanying it viz. 1. Fervent Supplication if it carries the soul to God in Christ for mercy for grace for strength The resolution to reform if it goes no further than the strength of the soul it will easily cool and quickly fail us if ever it prove right it must carry us to Christ for as much as it is by his strength and by his grace that we get our hearts turned from sin or that we are able to forsake our sins Hast thou considered of thy sins why and doest thou not discern such infinite guilt in them as makes thee for ever accursed if thou hast not mercy in Christ and doest thou hereupon apply thy self in all humbleness of heart to the Throne of mercy O Lord be mercifull to me a sinner according the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Behold me through the bloud of Christ yea O Lord heal my sinfull soul O Lord change my heart O Lord dissolve the powers of sin in me by thy mighty power subdue my iniquities turn me from all sin make me a servant of righteousness 2. Diligent application of our selves to the Means private and publick ordinary and extraordinary through the right use of which we may expect sufficient grace from God to work
demand what are become of the many sick-bed resolutions of those that you made when the hand of God was upon you you vowed much unto God as he did in a storm c. but as the King said of Mordecai What hath been done to Mordecai for this so what have you done to make good your resolutions I believe your hearts are speechless your consciences do condemn you that health hath been the time of more sinning though sickness was the time of more resolving The same may be said for others whose consciences have been more actively and fiercely stirring Oh! if the Lord would abate that wrath and cool that inflamed spirit c. yet what are the fruits of many such resolutions As the Divel said of Job But now stretch forth thy hand and he will curse thee of thy face so here on the contrary as soon as the Lord takes off his hand these are as ready to continue and proceed on in their sins as the Israelites were when they were delivered out of the Land of Egypt from the fiery furnace Yea and of others is it not manifest that they are fare enough from present executions when they voluntarily defer the acting part of Repentance to old age Hereafter is time enough c. 2. Others perhaps do act and execute presently yet they are exceedingly out For 1. Though it be presently yet it is partially they act resolutions as Saul did his Sword upon the meanest and poorest not upon the greatest they do not answer their resolutions to the full Deal kindly with the young man for my sake said David So when many persons come to execute their Resolutions against sin they fail they falter they do not execute Agag some pleasant corruption which will mar all finds favour 2. Though it be presently yet it is but presently the present execution of the purpose is but a present a transient execution an hanging down the head for a day or for a week a busie and earnest reformation for a while but this Assize like ours here is but for a few dayes it breathes away the heart turns again to sin and the next convenient occasion is too prevalent it carries away the Soul 2. But to draw nearer to our selves however we have been defective Vse 2. Let us set upon a present execution to answer our manifold resolutions by present executions and practices yet now let us for the time to come as he said of words so I of purposes vertere proposita in Opera Not be like Clouds seeming to be full of Water but to pour down Let us act the parts of Penitents as the Prophet said to the hovering Israelites if God be God serve him so here if Repentance be a necessary duty to be performed let us then act it act it presently For this I will only propound two things 1. The Motives 2. The Means for a present Execution 1. The Motives 1. A present Execution is the truest part of Repentance At the Motives A present execution is the truest part of Repentance best you are but in a preparation in a meer disposition towards Repentance until you act it it is not so much what you would be as what you are what you intend as what you practise that will give the most real testimony of your Repentance 2. A present execution it is the safest part of repentance Of the two he is in the more sure condition who resolves to leave a wicked And the safest part of Repentance life and doth indeed forsake it and resolves to lead a holy life and doth indeed enterprize it than he who resolves on both but practiseth neither The doer of good is a thousand times more sure then the resolver something in some cases may be said to stay a person from his resolutions yet if nothing comes of the resolutions I assure you the scales will hang trembling but action doth more fully determine the estate and the Scripture is more clear for the spiritual estate as it lies in practise then as it lies in purpose 3. A present execution it is the comfortablest part While repentance lies only in resolution it is but as a Tree in And the comfortablest part of Repentance the Winter perhaps well rooted but it lives dry but when repentance breaks out into action it is as a Tree in the Spring well rooted well flowered and well smelling too There is more comfort to do then to intend to do indeed to cease a sinful course and indeed to walk an holy life this opens all the comforts of of the promises draws down the favour of God assures us more of interest in Christ excuseth more in the conscience reviveth more in all occurrences 4. A present execution it is the wisest part we cannot say what we shall do to morrow when we cannot assure And the wisest part our selves what and where we shall be to morrow He is wisest for Divine Glory and for his own happiness who acts an immediate duty of salvation upon present terms There are four things which declare wisdome One to sow in season Another to sail in season A third to accept and receive the Word of Grace in season A fourth to act repentance in season even now while it is called to day 2. The means If we would execute our penâ—tential resolutions then we must 1. Take heed of the impediments of this Meanes present Execution 2. Make use of the helps and furtherances of it 1. The impediments of a present execution are many Take heed of the Impediments Imbâ—cillity of Resolution 1. Imbecility of resolution Debile fundamentum fallit opus if the foundation be weak how can the building be strong the house which was built on a Rock did stand but that which was erected on the Sands fell down Where resolutions are either weakly raised on strong grounds or suddenly raised on weak and mutable occasions there is either no execution or uncertain for no effect doth exceed the virtue of his cause Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian this left King Agrippa still in Heathenisme You will never go through with the work if you attain not to a thorow resolution when you have an heart that goes and comes you will have only fits of repentance which will come and go Of two things be sure if ever you would penitentially act to purpose One that you see strong and prevalent reasons to change your course of life such as may not be over topped by any arguments that sin may suggest hereafter they are the spirits in the brain which confer to motion in the Hands and Legs Another that you resolve not on deceitful and fallible grounds If your resolutions be upon Motives either mutable or conditional you may be troubled with much temptation but you will never advance in much penitential actions 2. Servile fear When we so exalt the opinions of men and their Tongues and their Power what will they
Christ have you put it on yea or no Consider 1. It is such a Garment that of all other thou needest most Our It is a Garment that of all others we need most best Garments are many times superfluous we need them not we can attire our selves well enough without them but this best Robe is the most needful thou canst not live without it nor mayst thou dye without it How naked art thou with thy filthiness before the eyes of a pure God And how at once may his wrath pour out it self like fire and consume thee having no covering at all to shelter thee Friend said he to that intruder in the Gospel How camest thou in here without thy Wedding Garment When thou goest to Prayer or steps to the Sacrament or art giving up thy Soul into the hands of God and hast no covering for any of thy sins may not God in the same way of judgment say unto thee and bespeak thee How dost thou present thy self before me with all this sinfulness thou knowest that I am a God of purer eyes then to behold sin and there is no communion twixt light and darkness I tell thee that there is No acceptance of thy person without this Robe the Lord cannot abide the sight of thee without it for thou canst not but provoke him as oft as thou appears before him in thy nakedness and vileness No respect unto thy services not that the Lord doâ—h dislike any duty but that the person must be first covered with the righteousness of Christ if he would have his offering to be accepted 2. By nature we are born naked utterly destitute of this By nature we are born naked precious Robe As for the nativity said God to Jerusalem in the day that thou wast born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in Water to supple thee neither wast thou salted at all nor swadled at all Ezek. 16. 4. Or as Christ to the Church of Laodica Thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked So we by nature cloathed only with raggs of corruption with filthy raggs Isa 64. 6. and as Joshua in Zach. 3. 3. Cloathed with filthy Garments destitute of God of Christ of all righteousness as if you should see a naked child born with Sores and Boils and Plagues and Leprosies running and spreading from top to toe 3. You are of We are of no excellency without this Robe no excellency without this Robe Then only we come to excellent Ornaments when this is put on All the Robes you get on you are but the shrouds of dead men or like Velvet cast over an Herse As Solomon said of beauty in a foolish woman it is but as a Jewel in a swines snout So we say of all other Garments they are Ornaments put on a base dead and loathsomesoul 4. The Robe of There is none like it Christs righteousness there is none like it for thy good and benefit For 1. It is an Ornament as well as a Garment All our acceptance It is an Ornament as well as a Garment before God is as we are cloathed with it then are we cloathed with the Sun now are we precious in his eyes it makes us beautiful and lovely and accepted in the eyes of God 2. It is armour as An Armor as well as an Ornament well as Ornament For the preciousness of it it is a vesture of pure Gold and for the strength of it it is as a Coat of Mail Let us put on the Armor of Light Rom. 13. 12. We may by it keep off the strongest accusations of Satan and stand even before the judgment-seat I am black but comely saith the Church Cant. 1. 5. though in her self black yet in this righteousness comely It can answer all our own imperfections and all that Satan can object against us or the Law or our own fearful hearts Sins and imperfections and defects cannot answer God but a perfect righteousness can 3. It is a Garment for warmth as well as for sight When we look on our selves and our own righteousness our spirits may dye within It is a Garment for warmth as welâ— as for sight us but peace and comfort â—low from the righteousness of Christ it was perfect and meritorious and accepted and this will chear the heart above all if we be found in Christ having his righteousness There goes wonderful virtue from the hem of this Garment both to satisfie God and to pacifie the conscience as Jacob got the blessing with the elder Sons Garment so do we get all our mercies and comforts and blessings by being cloathed with the Robe of Christs righteousness But how may we know that we have put on this best Robe How may we know that we have put it on Have we put off our own Rags Sol. I will instance but in three particulars to discover this 1. If we have put on Christs Robe we have put off our own Rags we have put them off 1. Affectu 2. Conatu As it was with Joshua Zach. 3. 4. His filthy Rags were taken away and then he was cloathed with change of Raiment So here no man can assure himself that he is cloathed with Christs righteousness unless he doth dismantle himself of his own unrighteousness Eph. 4. 21. If ye have been taught as the truth is in Jesus v. 22. Put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts v. 23. And put on that new man c. Rom. 13. 12. Cast off the Works of Darkness and put on the Armor of light For a man to imagine that he hath the Robe of Christs righteousness and yet to walk in the paths of unrighteousness in chambering and wantâ—nness in strife and envying in all voluptuousness and beastliness c. No man saith Christ soweth a piece of new Clâ—ath to an old Garment Mark 2. 21. 'T is true that none but sinners are cloathed with this Robe but then it is as true that no sinners are cloathed with it but strive with all their might to put off their sinful rags by hearty contrition and confession and conversion 2. Only â—aith puts on this Robe Only faith puts on this Robe And therefore as this Robe is called the righteousness of God both for designation imputation and acceptation So it is also called the righteousness of Faith Not that Faith in a formal sense is our righteousness For Faith did not dye for us noâ— can Faith of it self merit for us nor is Faith of it self compleat but imperfect but because it is the instrument which apprehends Christ and his righteousness and by which we put on Christ with his righteousness Have you Faith or have you not Nay but deceive not your selves The Faith which puts on this righteousness must be able 1. To deny our own righteousness to take of all confidence in the flesh Faith cannot put on Christs righteousness until
it hath put off your own 2. To see a need of this righteousness and to prize and desire to be found in it above and before all other the Laodiceans must see that they are naked and then buy Raiment Rev. 3. 3. To unite us to Jesus Christ It must work in us both estimation for our judgments and acceptation for our wills so that it must make us one with Christ and so we come to be cloathed with the Garment of Christ But perhaps you can rest upon your own good meanings works innocency You are rich and need not to borrow any Garment you are united to your lusts and will not part with them for Christ nor for all his Ornament 3. This Robe This Robe and that of holiness are inseparable of righteousness and that other of holiness are inseparable It is granted that inherent holiness is not formally the same with imputed righteousness it is granted that the one is in Christ the other is in us that the one is perfect the other is imperfect that the one is meritorious the other though it be precious yet it is not meritorious Yet as the light and heat of the Sun though the one be not the other yer they go together so the Robe of righteousness and the Robe of holiness go together the new Garment is only to be seen upon the new man Therefore you read that Christ is made not only Righteousness but also Sanctification Righteousness this is a grace without us whereby we are advanced Sanctification this is a grace wrought within us by which we advance and glorifie God that respects the State this the nature of the person As Grace must reign through righteousness to eternal life Ro. 5. 21. So also holiness must reign to everlasting life Ro. 6. 22. The one as a cause the other as a means Now then as if thou canst discern any light in the morning thou concludest that the Sun is risen so if thou canst discover any true holiness in thy heart thou maist conclude that the Sun of righteousness is risen the appearing of holiness is a sign of the rising of righteousness Yea the Prophet speaking of the Sun of Righteousness saith He shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. to intimate That where righteousness comes there holiness comes Ah! dost thou find no change in thy Nature in thy Judgment in thy Mind in thy Will in thy Affections why as sure as the Lord lives thou hast not yet put on this Robe of righteousness Doth Christ present thy person unspotted before God and doth he thinkst thou leave thy heart with all its spots and filthiness And put a Ring on his Hand This is the second favour conferred on the penitent Prodigal by his Father A Ring is such a piece of substance which is put on the finger partly for Ornament and partly to testifie Nuptial union and conjunction S. Chrysostom doth conjecture that the Ring in this place is Nuptiarum insigne quibus Christus Ecclesiam Sponsat an embleme of the Espousals twixt Christ and his Church So that then we have this Proposition to insist on That God gives unto the penitent person a precious Faith by Doct. 2. Gâ—d gives the penitent person Faith by which he is married to Christ which he is Espoused or Married unto Christ There are three things which being explained will give up unto us the full sense of this Assertion 1. What it is to be married unto Christ 2. That Faith doth Espouse and Marry a person unto Christ and what faith that is and in what respect 3. That the penitent person hath this faith Quest 1. For the first of these What it is to be Espoused or What it is to â—e married unto Christ Married unto Christ which is here signified by putting on the Ring Sol. They who write of Marriage do conjecture that these six things concur unto it 1. Mutuus Consensus a mutual Consenting 2. Mutuus Contractus a mutual Contracting 3. Mutua Obligatio a mutual Obliging 4. Mutua Conjunctio a mutual Union and Conjunction 5. Mutua Potestas a mutual faculty or Right 6. Mutua Societas a mutual use or Society Translate this from a Civil to a Spiritual consideration and then to be married to Christ implyes 1. A Consent to take or accept of Christ Though knowledg of persons be necessary and â—it yet it is not sufficient to marriage It implyes A Consent without conâ—ent for marriage ought to be a voluntary transaction of persons and in it we do in a sort give away our selves but then this is not without our selves yea and therein we do elect make choice for our selves and therefore consent is a necessary concurrence to marriage Now this consent is nothing else but a free and plain act of the will accepting of Jesus Christ before all other to be its Head and Lord. Christ offers himself in the Gospel unto a person I am the only Saviour of sinners and Lord of all designed to be Priest Prophet and King art thou willing to accept of me canst thou like of me before all others dost thou so dost thou make choice of me for thy Saviour and Lord 2. A Contracting of the Soul with Christ Contractus is nothing A mutual Contract else but consensus explicatus a contract is a consent expressed in words but then they must be words proper to make Marriage They must not be verba dubia dubious words as I will marry none but you but verba clara affirmativa affirmative I will marry you for the Rule of the Casuists is good Consensus non datur per meram negationem And as they must not be verba dubia but affirmativa so they must not be verba futura conditionata hereafter or upon such a condition but verba de presenti I now accept or take c. Then a man is Married unto Christ when he doth freely and absolutely and presently receive the Lord Jesus Not I would have Christ if it did not prejudice my worldly estate ease friends c. Or hereafter I will accept of him when I come to dye and be in distress but now when Salvation is offered now while Christ tenders himself I now yield up my heart and life unto him 3. An obliging of the Soul to Christ for ex contractu oritur vinculum A mutual Obligation some call this traditio or resigâ—atio and therefore Marriage is a Knot or Tye wherein persons are mutually limitted and bound each to other in a way of Conjugal separation from all others and this in Scripture is called a Covenant So when any one Marries Christ he doth therein discharge himself in affection and subjection from all that is contrary to Christ and solemnly Covenants and binds himself to Christ alone He will have no Saviour and no Lord but Christ and to him will he cleave for ever Simpliciter indissolubiliter persona statu
of a Father I am that Father in whose house there is bread enough and to spare Do but come back unto me and all shall be well Canst thou live without Bread canst thou live without my Mercy Mercy shall be thine if thou wilt return from thy lost and sinfull courses 4. By directing him into the way of coming back As 1. With mournfull confession of his sins By directing him into the way of Returning Hos 14. 2. Take with you words and return unto the Lord say unto him Take away iniquity and receive us graciously 2. With penitential reformation Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 3. With believing application Thou must go saith God to my Son for he is the way and the life and he came to seek and to save that which was lost Seventhly By laying hold upon him by his Almighty Grace and putting into him a returning heart Now notwithstanding all this the lost sinner is not perfectly found and therefore the Lord doth one thing more he doth with this lost sinner as the shepherd did with the lost sheep who took him on his shoulders and brought him home So the Lord lays hold on this poor lost soul by his Almighty Spirit of Grace and puts into him a returning heart an other heart and makes him willing and glad to leave his sinfull wayes and to return to himself and to implore his reconciled favour and acceptance in Jesus Christ Which being done now is the lost sinner found indeed for then and then onely is a lost sinner found when he in truth turns back to God and enjoys him as his reconciled God in Christ Jer. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding children Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Quest 3. Why doth God thus look after and find a lost sinner Why God doth thus find a lost sinner Sol. The Reasons may be these 1. Although the sinner be not worth the looking after yet the soul of a sinner is worth the looking after The sinner is the Devils creature but the soul is Tâ—e soul is worth the looking after Gods creature The soul that I have made saith God Isa 57. 16. The lost sheep was worth the looking after and so was the lost groat surely then a lost soul is worth the looking after which is at least of as much value as a lost Groat Christ saith Theophylact on Matth. 18. was the man who left the Ninety nine sheep and lookt after one lost sheep he left the the society of Angels in Heaven to find one lost Soul on Earth O the Soul of Man is a precious a valuable Substance made only by God and fit only to match and converse with God 2. As God knows God knows the loss of a soul the worth of a soul so God knows the loss of a Soul O Sirs we make little account of losing souls but verily no loss like the loss of a soul As Christ spake of the fall of that house The fall thereof was great that 's true of the loss of a soul the loss thereof is very great A man in the event loseth nothing though he loseth all the world if his soul be not lost But if the soul be lost all is lost all is lost to an eternity and therefore the Lord out of unspeakable pity looks after a lost sinner Christ hath â—aid down a price for souls 3. Jesus Christ hath laid down a price for some souls and Jesus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul he shall have his purchase to the full value 4. God will have some to magnifie the God will have some to magnifie the riches of his Grace riches of his glorious Grace and Love and Kindness and Mercy yea and to enjoy eternal Glory with himself therefore he will find some lost sinners For no sinner but a found sinner can either glorifie God or be glorified with him The first Use shall be for Examination of our selves Whether Vse 1. Examination Whether our lost souls be found our lost souls be found thus of God or no I will propound unto you 1. Some Arguments or Motives to put you upon this Trial. 2. Then the Trials or Characters of a person whom God in mercy hath found The Arguments which may move us to a serious Trial whether Motives to a serious Trial. we be found persons or no are these 1. Every man is lost but every man is not found All are lost but few are found Every man is lost but every man is not found the way of sin is general but the way of mercy is special Mat. 7. 13. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat v. 14. But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and â—ew there be that â—ind it You read of a general complaint They are all gone out of the way but you read not of a general acclamation They are all returned into the way Take the way of finding a lost sinner and bringing him home to God either 1. by Repentance Why the number of sinners is exceeding large but the number of repenting sinners is very scant As he said once of an Army Here are many Men but few Souldiers so may it be said in this case Sinners are like the Sands in the sea very numerous but Penitent Sinners are like Pearâ—s in thesea very rare and precious 2. By Faith All are sinners but few very few are â—rue believers Historical Faith though it be a common faith yet it is not very common Who hath believed our report They are the â—ewest part of the world who do credere Christum believe that there is a Christ but how few even of these do credere in Christum believe in Christ And Men are never found till Faith be found in them 2. It is a very bad and a very sad condition not to be found It is a very sad condition not to be found out of but to be found still in a lost condition If it were no more but this That such a person cannot find himself under the clasp or compass of any saving mercy this were heavy To be in a Dâ—sert and not to know that ever he shall come alive out of it to be in the Ocean and not to know that ever he shall come safe to Land to be in a sinfull condition and not to know wheâ—her ever Divine Mercy will pull him out of this condition Yet this is the case of a lost sinner he cannot tell whether ever Divine Mercy will look after him or no perhaps it will perhaps it will not But besides this let 's consider what may find that lost sinner whom Divine Mercy hath not
Without saith it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11. 6. 2. But let us proceed further and search what Reasons may be produced to demonstrate the Assertion That the natural or Reasons of it unconverted man is spiritually dead and as to spirituals altogether dead Thus then 1. He who hath no Communion at all with Hâ—â—ath no communion with the principles of spiritual life the principles of spiritual life is in a spiritual sense altogether dead for where there is no principle of life there cannot be any thing but death Tolle animam tolle vitam but the impenitent and unconverted sinner hath no communion with any one principle of spiritual life Therefore c. There is a twofold principle of this life 1. A primitive conjunction with God in the estate of Innocency but this is lost 2. Arenewed Conjunction with God by Christ but yet this is not attained to by an unconverted sinner It is a confessed truth that Jesus Christ is the Author of spiritual life to the sinner He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Joh. 5. 17. And the sinner hath it partly by Faith which taking Christ takes life from him by the Spirit of Regeneration which renews and makes him alive but the unconverted sinner hath neither the one nor the other had he either he were then converted 2. Original sin whilst reigning is a compleat cause of spiritual Original sin is a compleat cause of spiritual death death But original sin reigns in the impenitent and unconverted sinner therefore he is dead The Fathers have diversly Phrased Original sin some call it Venenum Syerpentis so Cprian others Plagam serpentis so Ireneus others Vitium parentum so Pauâ—inius in Austin the Apostle Paul calls it sometimes the body of sin sometimes the body of death sometimes the Law of sin and death sometimes the Vncircumcision of the heart Our Divines generally conceive two things in it viz. In Original sin there is 1. A total deprivation of original righteousness The Faculties remain but the Rectitude is gone It is reported of an excellent Philosopher that he fell into a Disease which dashed out all the Learning that ever he acquired so that he forgat even his own Name Original sin is like the extinguishing of a Candle the Candle remains still but the Light is gone Or like the quenching of red Iron the Iron remains but the fiery redness is all gone Or like a Tree the Limbs remain but the Life is gone It is an Universal spoil it hath robbed us of all our supernaturals worse to us than the Devil to Job who took away all that he had yet spared his Life But Original Sin not onely took away Paradise and Righteousness but all self-power so much as to desire to be good 2. A total depravation of all the man Seges ubi Troia The Soul of Man was once like a Garden fully set with the sweetest Flowers of Righteousness but now it is become like a Wilderness run over and filled with Briars and Thorns Or it is like a Face which once was the most curious of features every part expressing most amiable sweetness now it is like the same Face most deformed with the clusters of the Pox and the very shame and reproach of it self There is not a Faculty in the Soul but it is like the Bough of a fruitfull Tree thickly laden with Iniquity It is a Spring bubling out nothing but aversation enmity resistance to spiritual good and readiness inclination eagerness unsatiableness to all that is evil God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man was onely evil continually Gen. 6. 5. The best of men complain of blindness of dulness of deadness Alas then what or how is it with the worst of men Paul could not do good a wicked man would not do good Paul complains for want of power what then may an unconverted man do By all this I think it manifectly appears That the unconverted man is spiritually dead because Original Sin reigns in him if in any then in him and where Original Sin reigns there is a total privation or absence of all spiritual Life and total corruption or presence of spiritual Death in the Soul The terms used in Scripture to express conversion 3. The Terms used in Scripture to express a sinners conversion do seem sufficiently weighty to prove That before his conversion he was spiritually dead For it is set forth sometimes By the Resurrection of the dead Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead By the Generation of a person Of his own good will begat he us with the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. By Creation 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Now observe if Conversion be a Resurrection a spiritual Resurrection then the soul before Conversion was spiritually dead if Conversion be a Regeneration then a new life is brought into the soul which it totally wanted before If Conversion be a Creation and the converted man qua talis be a new creature then he had no spiritual being before If spiritual Life be a creature onely of Christ's making then c. 4. To me those spiritual Promises which God makes of giving The promises of giving a spiritual being and life a spiritual being and life do abundantly clear that man is dead As of pouring forth the Spirit of Grace giving his Spirit taking away the heart of Stone and giving the heart of Flesh of giving Knowledge Love Fear c. Such kinds of Promises imply three things 1. Our total want and need 2. Gods undertaking to bestow them 3. A free and total donation of them to us on Gods part 5. S. Austin useth the Duty of Prayer to prove this Assertion The duty of Prayer against the Pelagians Petenda à Deo bona omnia ergo nihil boni ex nobis possumus And in an Epistle to Vitalis he saith Prorsus non oramus Deum sed orare nos singimus si nos ipsos non illum credimus facere quod oramus 6. I will add but one Argument more viz. That man is totally dead quantum ad spiritualia who cannot so much as Man cannot prepare himself to life prepare himself no not remotely no not in any degree unto the life of Grace But the Unconverted man cannot virtute propria and without supernatural aid in the least degree prepare himself c. for without that aid he cannot desire deliverance out of his sinfull estate nor mourn over it nay not feel it nay not spiritually know it The Use which I desire to make of this Point I shall reduce unto 1. Information 2. Trial 3. Instruction 1. For Information Is every natural and unconverted man a Information spiritually dead man Hence we may be informed of several The unconverted man is in the saddest condition Truths 1. That the
proud heart an unbelieving heart an heart in which there is no good in which is all evil Ah poor man thou art a dead man no feeling no complaining no crying out of thy heart against all those many many vile and notorious sins 2. An universal and constant coldness If life be gone heat is gone the Feet are cold and the Hands are cold and the whole An universal and constant coldness Body is cold and the very Heart is cold too A living man may have cold hands and feet but he never hath a cold heart for life is there and heat is there Why there is no one converted man under heaven but he hath some heat in him though not much in some of his actions yet certainly some in his heart O saith he I approve of what is good and I would do good and I delight in the Law of God after the inward man I believe Lord help my unbelief But now an unconverted man hath 1. A cold heart unto any spiritual good Suppose he be at Prayer and at Sermon why but he hath no heart to or in these duties he hath no mind to these works no delight in them or in the Sabbath or in a Fast and though his body be present yet his heart is afar off it goes after his covetousness 2. And this Coldness is universal There is not any one spiritual Duty unto which his heart is not dead or cold He will tell you when he hears Catechizing I should like Preaching and so when he hears Preaching I could like Praying and so when Praying comes I could like Reading and when Reading comes I could like Meditating and when that comes I could like Practising and when Practising comes I could like Understanding But he dissembles he loves not one Duty at all his heart to these is like a sick stomack that seems to like any thing but what it hath but indeed likes no meat 3. And it is also constant I confess even a good and converted heart may find sometimes more actual indispositions to good than at other times and sometimes a greater measure of dulness and deadness but an heart constantly cold from one end of the year to another all the life long still to loath spiritual services never to attain unto a delightfull and affectionate communion with God This is a Token of a dead soul 3. Where the Word preached is but a dead Letter unto the hearer Where the Word preachâ—d is but a dead Letter certainly that man is in a dead condition If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost saith the Apostle So may I say If our Gospel be dead it is so onely to them that are dead The Gospel is the great Trumpet of Christ the Silver Trumpet by which he raiseth the dead as at the last he shall raise the dead by the Voice of the Trumpet this is that by which Jesus Christ quickens and pulls a soul out of its sinfull condition 1. It lets in light to see that condition 2. It affects Conscience to feel it 3. It puts in Faith to go to Christ to fetch life Yet many men are not wrought on at all by the Gospel preached Unmoveableness is the token of a dead man 4. A delight in dead things and in dead works plainly declare A delight in dead works a dead condition Paul in Ephes 2. 1. tels the Ephesians that they were once dead but how did that appear See vers 2. In time past ye walked according to the course of this world And vers 3. Ye had your conversation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind 1. In dead things Dead men are heavy and descend to the earth worldly things are the Optima and the Vltima of an unconverted heart Who will shew us any good Psal 4. If that of Paul Col. 3. 1 2. If ye be risen with Christ then seek those things that are above and set your affections on things that are above be a true sign of a living raised man then è contra to seek to settle affections on things below is a true sign of a dead man 2. In dead works These opera mortua mortifera And truly nothing doth more discover a spiritual death than a delight and a service of sin certainly such a man is yet an unconverted man The last Use shall be for Instruction unto several Duties I will but glance a them 1. Have as little society with wicked men Vse 3. Instruction Have as little society with unconverted men as may be as may be for they are dead men Would any man living have a dead man to be his companion There is a two-fold Society with men 1. One is necessary in respect of our Relations or of our Commerce and Trade which cannot well be avoided 2. Another is arbitrary in respect of our Election avoid this do not make choice of wicked society There are two Reasons to hearken to this advice One is You shall never get any spiritual good by their society a wicked man is an unprofitable man Can any one gather Figs of Thorns or Grapes of Thistles Who is the better for a dead man Another is You shall receive much hurt by such society The Jews were unclean if they did but touch a dead body It was the practice of a Tyrant once to tie a dead man to a living man that the filthy savour of the dead man might infect and destroy the life of the living man O you who are to marry your children take heed of marrying them to the dead and you who are Free-men take heed of embracing society with the dead There are three notorious mischiefs will ensue hereupon 1. Dead society will by degrees bring you into a deadness of heart wicked company will certainly abate your zeal and holy affections as waters do the flaming fire 2. Dead society will quench your Life in spiritual Duties they will not onely interrupt but mitigate your sweet and wonted society with God and good men 3. Dead society will in time corrupt you to dead works Remember Solomon 2. Lament and bewail thy unconverted Friends and Kindred Lament thy unconverted friends You read that David wept for Absalom O Absalom my son my son c. and you read that Christ wept for Lazarus being dead and you read of both of these weeping also for those that were spiritually dead David Psal 119. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because men keep not thy Law Christ came near to Jerusalem and wept over it saying Oh if thou hadst known even thou at the least in c. Wouldst not thou weep to see thy Fathers or Mothers or Sisters or Brothers dead body carrying out to the grave and say Alas my Father alas my Brother alas my Child How then canst thou refrain tears for their dead souls Why doest not thou pity the dead and unconverted soul of thy Father
any one of them it is a sign that thou livest if the child doth not go yet if it sucks this shews life if it doth not speak yet if it cry it is alive if it doth not cry yet if it breath it is a sign of life If there be groanings under the burden of sin and â—ighings for help for grace for Christ c. they are a sign of life O Christian the spiritual life is sometimes more open and full and lively and quick in actions and sometimes it is reduced to desires to a will to a complaint to a tear to a sigh to a groan O that I could pray O that I could believe 2. Dictinctly to the particular Cases Obj. 1. Thou fearest that thou art not alive because much Distinctly to the particular cases I am not alive because much sin is living in me Answered sin is yet living in thee To which I answer 1. It is with the Christian made alive by Grace as it was with Lazarus made alive by Christ who had for a while his grave cloathes on him and he was bound hand and foot and yet he was made alive so there may be many sinful corruptions yet cleaving to that soul which is indeed quickned with spiritual life Nay if thou didst feel no sinful corruptions I should question whether yet thou werâ— made alive for spiritual life or grace doth give unto the soul 1. The clearest sense of sin 2. And the greatest grief for sin 3. And the strongest combate and conflict with sin 2. There is a difference twixt a feeling of sin still stirring in us and of the life of sin still ruling in us Thou feelest sin living in temptation but dost thou feel sin living in thy affection Thou feelest sin molesting of thee as a Tyrant but dost thou acknowledg sin ruling over thee as a King 3. And what doest thou when thou findest sin thus working Dost thou dye daily If thou feelest sin as if it were alive doth not this humble thee and doth not this hasten thee by Faith unto Christ for more crucifying virtue Obj. 2. Thou fearest that yet thou art not alive because thou There is much duâ—ness and deadness in my affections and operations Answeâ—ed discernest mâ—ch spiritual dulness and deadness in thy affections and operations Sol. I answer 1. Even the living have soâ—nd too much spiritual deadness in their hearts Davids soul was heavy and cast down and indisposed and a deadness possessed him and he prayes of enâ— O Lord quicken me 2. But is there not a difference twixt deadness and death death is the total privation of life where there is spiritual death there is not so much as the habit of grace but deadness is some diminution or some damp upon the habit of grace that it steps not out to its acts with that liberty and that alacrity as it was wont and such a deadness may be in a living soul And thirdly Thou feelest this deadness and thou dislikest it and thou bewailest it and thou prayest how often how earnestly Lord quicken this dead heart of mine Is it thus where death prevails do dead men do thus 4. The actions of life are various Let the action for the quantity be what it will greater or lesser quick or dull free or checked and interrupted yet if what thou dost be done in the strength of Christ if it be wrought with an humble and an upright heart assuredly thou art not a dead sinner but a living though perhaps troubled Christian Obj. 3. But I have no power to do any good I cannot believe I cannot pray I cannot mourn Sol. 1. What no Power at all I have no power to do any good Answered never any power no power from thy self nor any power from Christ no power perhaps to this work but what no power to any spiritual work no power perhaps at this time to an eminent act but then is there not a power to pray for power Though power appears not in the work doth not power yet appear in the will and desire Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but to perform that which is good I find not I cannot do it but I would do it 2. If there be a power living in the will it is the best sign of life A wicked man doth often the good which his will is against and the good man often doth not the good cannot do the good which his will is yet for Now God looks upon the will more then upon the work If gracious acts be couchant in the will life is in thee 3. However although thou hast not power sometimes let down for spiritual work yet thou hast so much power still remaining as to lifâ— up weak hands for more power Though thou canst not believe nor repent nor mourn as thou thinkest yet there is an heart to seek unto God in Christ for this power to believe c. Obj. 4. But my old lively affections are gone my old estimations My old lively â—ffâ—ctions are gone Answered my old hungrings and thirstings my old delightful communion with God in prayer and in his ordinances Sol. To this I would only say thus much 1. There is a difference twixt the intensive swiftness or flash of affections and the intensive strength and weight of the affections A young Christian is most in the former an old Christian who acts more upon Judgment and Faith is most in the latter 2. The case seems rather to be of a living man like to dye then dead Of a man decaying in Grace rather then totally deprived of grace of a sick Christian rather then of a dead Christian 3. And therefore seriously search the causes of the remission of thy first love of thy ancient favour in holy communion O look whether a dead flye be not fallen into the ointment whether some insnaring lust fleshly or worldly hath not robbed thee of thy strength 4. If so Be humbled greatly and repent and do thy first work Obj. 5. But where there is life there is growth but I find it not I finde no growth Answered Sol. A word to this The denial of growth may be either 1. Negative Never any at all this is impossible if life be wrought 2. Comparative Not so much as another not so much as I have found under such or such means not so much as I desire and this may be where there is life I have finished two Proposition from this Text One respecting the death and the other respecting the life of a sinner I now proceed to a third which is That a very great and notorious Doct. 3. A very great sinner may be converted sinner may be at length converted and changed This my Son was dead and is alive again This Son and who was he or what was he in the precedent Verses you may see his picture you may read
convert thee this should move thee to seek him perhaps he will not this may affright thee to stand out any longer against him Therefore to be bold in sin because God can and sometimes doth convert a great sinner may move thee rather to conclude he will not he intends not to convert thee than that he doth When Divine Goodness is made encourageable to sin against that Goodness when it is not a melting Sun but an hardning Sun it is a presage rather of a mans subversion than of his conversion 3. Though God can and doth sometimes convert a great sinner yet usually the greater sinner comes off with the sharper conversion The great Malefactor sometimes hath his Book and his Life too but he is burned in the Hand and in the Shoulder Paul was a great sinner and was converted but his great sins which were a troubling to Christ did prove a trembling to his heart God puts such a sinner upon the Rack he strikes and wounds him that all the Countrey shall hear of the troubles which his Conscience feels for his sinnings against God God doth as it were singe him with the flames of Hell before he meets him with the kisses of Heaven 4. Most usually those great and notorious sinners whom God converts are such who have thus sinned under their ignorance I was a blasphemer c. saith Paul but I did obtain mercy for I did it ignorantly and through misbelief He did not know what he did he thought he had been in the right You seldome read of one knowing Pharisee who persecuted Christ that was converted yet you read of many of the Jews and of the Elders that were converted for they did not know Jesus Christ to be the Lord of Glory I will not say that no knowingly notorious sinner shall ever be converted but certainly Conversion is very rare where Knowledge holds the Candle to long and great works of Darkness Those sinners who go on against the workings of an enlightning Spirit fall very rarely within the favour of the converting Spirit Therefore let no man gather poyson from this honey c. The last Use shall be a word of Direction to any great and notorious Vse 3. Direction to such converted sinners Take pains to be assured of pardon sinner whom God hath been pleased mightily and graciously to convert I would commend these Advisoes unto him 1. Let him take much pains to get his Acquittance fairly writ and sealed I mean to be well assured that his sins are pardoned Believe it no man shall find his title so questioned his heart so assaulted with often doubts and fears of pardon as one who hath been a great sinner The Provocations have been great and Conscience hath been boistrous and Satan can lay in shrewd exceptions c. 2. Let Conscience be exceeding tender O awake Keep conscience tenâ—er it not displease it not by new adventurings all the old wounds will bleed afresh A little new sin committed will raise up the old ghosts it will revive the sense of all the old great sins which although they be pardoned yet thou wilt now think they are not A person who before his Conversion lived as if he had been in Hell should after his Conversion live as if he were in Heaven 〈◊〉 3. Love much and do much do some great thing Love much and do much for Gods Glory This my Son was dead and is alive again Alive again but how came this about what was the occasion of this Prodigals Conversion look back unto v. 15 16. he was brought so low as to feed Swine and would have been glad of the Husks but no man gave unto him and he is ready to perish with hunger and now returning thoughts came into his mind now he resolves to come back again unto his Fathers house Whence observe That great afflictions are sometimes an occasion of the Conversion of Doct. 4. Great afflictions are sometimes an occasion of great sinners conversion a great sinner There are two sorts of afflictions 1. Inward which set upon the conscience these are sometimes an occasion of Conversion A troubled conscience doth many times end in a renewed conscience troubles of heart are oftentimes closed with change of heart The great storms occasion the Traveller to come in for shelter The biting Serpents occasioned the Israelites to look to the brasen Serpent the avenger of blood made the guilty person to flye to the City of refuge and a condemning conscience oftentimes makes a poor troubled Soul to come in unto Jesus Christ for ease and rest 2. Outward which light upon the body and estate of a sinner these also sometimes serve to fetch in a sinner as he once said periissem nisi periissem I had perished unless I had perished Josephs brethren had never found Joseph and craved food of him unless a famine had befallen them If God had not deprived some men of their wordly goods they had never come in to seek heavenly Treasures We may say of them that if they had been fed they had been famished and if they had not been famished they had never been fed with the bread of life Again these outward afflictions may be considered two wayes either 1. Simply and nakedly in themselves so they cannot convert any sinner no more then the pool of Bethesda alone could heale a diseased Person or Elijahs salt could heal the Waters 2. Concomitantly as accompanied with and sanctifyed by Gods Spirit It is not the hammer but the fire which softens the iron It was not the Water but the Angel that stirred the water which made the water medicinal It is not the Rope but the strength of the hand upon the Rope which draws in the Boâ—t Afflictions in themselves are privations of a comfortable good but if God sanctifies them they may then be a means of our everlasting good God can use them as a bridle not only to stop us running out of the way but also to turn us into the right way Hos 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness By alluring he means a gracious and effectual perswasion a prevailing even to Conversion but then he will bring her into the wilderness God brings men into the Wilderness into a barren desolate miserable condition and then allures or converts them Manasses was a great sinner and yet God humbled him greatly and as it is thought converted him but what means did he use for this See 2 Chro. 33. 11. The Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the King of Assyria who took Manasseh among the Thorns and bound him with fetters and carryed him to Babylon v. 12. And when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly Nebuchadnezzar was a proud and lofty sinner and therefore God puld him down he did drive him from men and he did eat Grass as Oxen and his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven
not to lose the cause of all our discomforts It was a miracle that the three children were in a fiery furnace yet not one hair of their heads was singed It was a miracle that Moses bush was burning and not consumed Oh it is a sad wonder that so many afflictions are upon men and not one sin troubled not one sin consumed mortifyed 2. Many persons though much afflicted and long afflicted yet are not converted God complained of old they return not to him Many persons though much and long afflicted are not converted Eâ—ghâ— so â—s of personâ— Stupid sinners Dâ—pâ—rate sinners that smites them and in another place yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. There are eight sorts of men whose afflictions have not been effectual to their Conversion 1. Stupid Sinners who know not from whom afflictions are sent nor for what end Wherefore hath all this evil befallen us said they 2. Desperate Sinners who forsake God in their afflictions They cry not when he bindeth them Job 30. 13. This evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord any longer said he in 2 Kin. 6. 33. 3. Bold sinners who grow worse and worse under their affliction as Bold sinners the Anvile by blows is more hardened like Ahaz in his distresses who sinned yet more 2 Chr. 28. 22. 4. Proud Sinners who repine and murmur and complain against God fretting against him and Proud sinners perhaps cursing of God as they in Iâ— 8. 21. 5. Careless Sinners who Careless sinners regard not the operations of Gods hands and lay nothing to heart The unjust knows no shame Zep. 3. 5. 6. Politick Sinners who think Politick sinners Despairing sinners to make up their losses by any temporizing compliances 7. Despairing Sinners who sink under the burden of worldly losses and crosses a worldly sorrow doth seize on them even unto death and crush them as Rachel c. 8. Hypocritical Sinners who seem to turn unto God in Prayer and Fasting but it is like Judah friendly Hypocritical sinners not with their whole hearts at the best they doe but stop in sinning but they do not forsake their sins their righteousness is but as the morning dew Hos 6. I will but say three things to all these men 1. It is a sure sign that the afflictions are whips of wrath and not rods of love they come not from a Father but from a Judg. 2. It is a sure sign that greater afflictions are to follow I will chastise you seven times more Lev. 26. 21. or else which is worse eternal destructioâ— Reprobate Silver shall they be called Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged till I cause my fury to rest upon thee 3. It is a sign that men are very wicked drowned in the love of sin or the World or that a spirit of Atheism prevails and reigns in them I now proceed to another Proposition which is implyed in these words That there is an Almighty Power required to convert or change a Doct. 5. There is an almighty power required to convert a sinner sinner no less then is requisite to quicken a dead man This my Son was dead and is alive again To awaken a man out of sleep needs no great power a word a call a cry a little stiring may do it but to quicken a dead man here calls and cries and stirrings will not do it all the power of Men and Angels will not do it In Acts 2. 41. you read of three thousand converted at one Sermon And in Acts 4. 4. of five thousand converted at another Sermon so many so quickly converted certainly the Power that wrought this must be Almighty Jesus Christ himself must come and he must cry and he must cry with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Joh. 11. 43. The Apostle speaks of the exceeding greatness of Gods Power towards them that believe and of the working of his mighty Power Ephes 1. 19. Even such a Power as God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead v. 20. There is a twofold opinion about the power which is put forth The power put forth in conversion Not moral only in a sinners Conversion 1. Some hold it to be Moral only because this is most congruous to the will of man which is a moral subject God they imagine doth offer and propound such Objects with such Arguments which do wooe and allure and prevail with the will of a sinner Sol. It is true that the outward means work only after a moral way The word which is the ministry for Conversion it doth offer to the sinner Arguments of life and death It reveales and commands and promiseth and threatneth But a moral suasion as they call it is not sufficient to convert And there are four Reasons which to me seem very strong and unanswerable against it 1. The Proved very Phrases by which a sinners Conversion is expressed in Scripture do surmount a moral suasion There is no less power to convert a sinner then there was 1. To create man at the first 2. There shall be to raise the dead at the last when a sinner is converted he is said to be created again to be born again to be regenerated his heart is said to be opened and circumcised his strong heart is taken away an heart of flesh is given unto him surely all this is more then a moral power 2. This moral suasion must necessarily presuppose some power and abilities in him with whom it deals as if you counsel a man you suppose something in him to incline him to hearken if you do not suppose such a power then it must be supposed that your counsel is in vain as if you should counsel an Ethiopian to change his skin or a blind man to see this were in vain for there is no power in them to do these 3. The conversion of a sinner in respect of God should be then contingent It might be and it might not be Though God intends to convert a man yet he may fail and miss of the event for as much as a moral work is resistable and may easily be put by How often would I have gathered your children and you would not yee alwayes resist the Holy-Ghost 4. Yea the Conversion of a sinner should in the event depend more upon the will of man then on the will of God The grace offered is common and it is made peculiar and differential by mans will the right use of grace is not of grace but of free will so that discrimen siliorum Dei seculi is a natura not ex gratia The moral suasion is presented unto two sinners the suasion is alike why doth it bring this man and not the other man to Conversion There can be no reason given but this that the one would hearken to it the other would not so that the effect of Conversion
by this opinion is manifestly placed in the liberty of a sinners will whereas the Scripture plainly ascribes it to the will of him who calls not to the will of him who is called 2. Others hold it to be much beyond this To be a most High Power a Iâ— is a most high power a creating power Creating Power a Divine Power an Almighty Power such a Power as overpowers all the sinful power in man bears it down and overcomes a proud stubborn resisting heart though it doth not totaliter eradicare yet it doth actualiter predominari vincere resistentiam voluntatis Now that no less power is sufficient effectually Proved to convert a sinner may be cleared by these Arguments 1. If you consider the nature of Conversion it self there are two From the nature of conveâ—sion things which Conversion doth denote One is an immediate work of God renewing man or giving unto him a new birth this cannot be done without an almighty Power Our Divines in the Synod of Dort call this Mirabilem operationem Prosper calls this Grace Bonorum in nobis creatricem This is the creating work to bestow a Soul upon the Soul a Spirit of life upon a spirit this must be the work of an almighty God indeed Omnipotentissima potestas inclinandi humanorum cordium Austin de Cor. Gra. c. 14. No man nor Angel can make a creature only a God can make creatures and new creatures The Ethiopian cannot change his skin and can any but a God change the heart the nature of a sinner Another is A work of man by Faith and Repentance turning himself unto God some term the former conversionem primam and the latter conversionem secundam these two in the order of time cannot scarce be distinguished but in order of causality they are the work of God converting man is before and it is a cause of the action in man converting unto God Now Conversion in this sense depends upon an almighty Power even the believer cannot believe without Gods mighty Power there is a wonderful Power required to draw out the act of believing Oh how much power is necessary to make any troubled broken heart actually to come unto Christ actually to believe to embrace Jesus Christ how many Seas must be divided first how many Mountains levelled and removed out of their places first It must come from the Father if any do come unto the Son See Jo. 6. 37. 45. Vnto you it is given to believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the gift of God and the act of Faith is the gift of God too a renewed will is from God and when it is renewed even now to will is from God God works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. there must be his good will to make us will good and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his work to make us to work 2. If you consider the strength of sin in mans nature we look upon two things in From the strength of sin in mans nature sin the guilt of it Oh this was so great so mighty that it could never be expiated but by an almighty satisfaction even the blood of the Son of God the filth and corruption of it why thus considered it is of that strength in the Soul that no Power but what is Divine can overcome it an almighty Power is necessary to this it must be a stronger then the strong that must dispossess this strong man they are no weak weapons but mighty weapons and mighty through God which must pull down these strong holds the heart of man is full of evil saith Solomon it is desperately wicked saith Jeremy I beseech you pause a while upon two Considerations 1. There is an exceeding strength in Sin even in the Regenerate and converted Person Paul cries out I am sold I am led captive David is weeping for no less sins then of Adultery and Murder Peter weeps bitterly for no less sin then denying of Christ then for swearing and cursing In the very best the flesh lusteth against the Spirit So that they cannot do the Good they would and cannot overcome the evil that they hate Now mark if there be so much strength in sinful nature dying how great is the strength in sinful nature living If there be so much power in a broken arm how great is the power in a perfect strong unbroken arm If all the Christians Grace he hath be sometimes too weak for his sinful inclination assuredly then all external counsels advises reproofs are too weak to alter the whole sinful nature for the quality of Grace is much more strong then the exhortation unto Grace 2. That there is such a strength in sin that all the degrees of Grace unto which a converted person can possible attain in this life are not able totally to rid the soul of it Till the mud-wall be quite pulled down some of the Ivy will stick unto it Jacob went halting unto his grave Till death makes an end of our lives Grace cannot make an end of our sins Is it thus with the converted person that neither Counsels nor Exhortations nor Grace received can utterly extirpate sin nay is sometimes too weak for sin verily then there can be no conversion of a sinner without an Almighty power the power of sin in an unconverted man being in fullest strength in every faculty and making highest resistance to Grace because naturally of deepest contrariety thereunto 3. Nay thirdly consider as there is a mighty strength From that strength joyned with Sin to oppose the sinners Conversion in sin so there is a mighty strength joyned with sin to oppose the sinners Conversion and the sinner cannot be converted until both these armies be conquered 1. Satans strength is joyned with the strength of sin the sinner is under the dominion of sin and he is likewise under the dominion of Satan and as sin is a powerful Lord so Satan is a powerful Prince he is the God of this world he works mightily in the Children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. He takes them captive at his pleasure and as Pharaoh raised all his host when the Children of Israel were to go out of Egypt so doth Satan stir up all his policy and put forth all his power to withhold a person from being converted He arms the Judgment with reasons exceptions shifts disputes and he arms the Will with aversness unreasonableness stubbornness pride And he arms the Conscience and he arms the Affections O what corrupt reasonings how many proud denials what hideous representations of the wayes of Grace what delights what profits we have had by sin what impossibilities what disputes what feares what terrors what dampings of the Word what distractions in Prayer what agonies and continual and vehement and violent conflicts doubts scruples c 2 All these must be answered and all these must be conquered if the
soul be converted And can all this be done by a morall power O no it must be an Almighty power which must rescue a poor soul out of the hands of two such mighty Lords The people of Israel could not be delivered from one King and with a temporal deliverance but by the exceeding greatness of Gods power and by an high and insuperable working of divine Grace 4. There is more then an ordinary power required for effects which fall short of Conversion and if From the effects which fall short of Conversion no less then an almighty power be required for these which are at the best but subordinate and preparative workes to the main work of Conversion questionless then the work of Conversion depends and must depend on an almighty Power Such a quantity of power cannot be denied for the greater which yet must be granted for the lesser works in the same Order There are some good and learned Divines who handling the preparatives Synod Dâ—rdr pag. 160. to Conversion do conceive four precious acts or works wrought before it v. g. 1. Notitia divinae voluntatis a knowledg of the Divine will 2. Sensus peccati a sight and feeling of our sins and sinful condition 3. Cogitatio de liberatione some thoughts and desires of deliverance 4. Spes veniae an hope at last of a possibility of mercy and pardon all which God works by the preaching of the Word As upon Peters sermon they came to a â—ense of their sin and fear and trouble and desire and had some hope of deliverance preached unto them the promise being made to them and unto their Children upon which God converted them Now mark me There is a necessity of an almighty Power to produce these antecedaneous and inferior works None but the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory can inlighten the eyes of the Ephesians c. 1. 17 18. Surely then none less then he can open the heart of the Ephesians for which is the greater work to open an eye or to open an heart Is it not more to give life to the dead then to give sight to the blinde None but God can make a sinner sensible of his sins When the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7. 9. Now which is the greater work to make me feel my sins or to make me forsake my sins to trouble my heart or to alter my heart to feel my disease or to heale me of my disease to shew me my â—etters or break off these â—etters 5. It is at least as great a work to convert a sinner as it is to From the power required to preserve a sinner converted preserve a sinner converted and one would think a greater work for to the one man is dead to the other he is living Is iâ— not more to make the house then to repair the house but to preserve or keep a converted person stedfast to the end there needs no less then the power of a God We are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. therefore to convert a sinner doth require no less power then that of a God Now put all these things together the nature of Conversion the Power of a sinful heart the Strength of Satan the Power required for lesser works then conversion the Greatness of making then keeping and then I think it wil manifestly appear That no less then an almighty Power is necessary to a sinners Conversion Is there an almighty power required to convert a sinner Vse 1. as great a power as to make a dead man alive how To humble us from the consideration of the Dâ—pth of our disease may this humble all our thoughts and all our hearts you may judg of the depth of the disease by the bredth of the Remedy so may we of the greatness of our fall by the greatness of the power which is required to raise us up O who can utter the sinfulness of a sinner who of us would believe that there is so great a strength in one of his sins that all the powers in heaven and earth less then Gods are not able are not sufficient to turn his heart from it That one lust of Pride that one lust of Uncleanness that one lust of Covetousness that one lust of vain-Glory c. is too strong for thee and it is too strong for all the men on earth and it is too strong for all the Angels in heaven Though one puls and the other puls and all of them pull together they cannot pull it from thy heart nor thy heart from it you read in 2 Kings 4. 31. that Gehazi went before Elisha and laid the staff upon the face of the Child but there was neither voyce nor hearing wherefore he went again to meet Elisha and told him saying The child is not awaked Why thus it is with thy heart under all the means of life and Grace they may all turn back to God and say This sinner is not yet awakened he is not yet turned The word of God may say I cannot with all my Instructions with all my Reproofs with all my Exhortations convert him nor can I saith Conscience nor I saith Affliction nor I saith the Minister nor I saith the Father The proud Pelagians Papists Arminians dream in this Point of a sleeper but think not of a death they talk of a prison and opening the doore but think not of the chains wherewith the prisoner is bound and fettered they talk of a Counseller but forget the Physitian they write as if a sinner were to be converted with Logick and Râ—etorick but alas if any word converts a sinner it must be an almighty word God must quicken as well as call God must heal as well as speak God must work as a God or else the sinner will remain an eternall sinner 2. If such an almighty Power be necessary to convert a sinner It is foolish presumption to defer Repentance upon a pretence of turning when we list then what a foolish Presumption is it to defer to beg Repentance supposing a lurking dormant power in the heart to turn when we list But O vain man why yet a little sleep more and yet a little slumbring more and why to morrow or why hereafter what is thy power or what is thy strength to come off from thy sins or to overcome and turn thy sinful heart Why Go and try some lesser thing change the Leopards spots turn night into day raise thy dead child out of the grave stop the course of the Sea and sweeten it Read the word and make thy self to understand it Read thy heart and make thy self to humble it if thou canst not do the lesser the weaker why wilt thou endanger thy self with a presuming to do the greater the stronger Is it credible that a sinner is able to do the work of a God thou canst not break the thred and shalt thou be
delight in him Plusquam mea plusquam meos plusquam me said Bernard 4. When the Lord converts and changeth a person the man presently Steps into the path of new Obedience when Grace hath changed the Heart the Heart instantly changeth its Master and its service O it will not live as it hath done for a thousand Worlds It is a servant of sin no more but a servant of righteousness look on any converted man since the Word began as soon as ever Grace dropt into his Heart a newness of Obedience dropt into his Life against all Ease Pleasures Profits Encouragements Discouragements Threats Dangers It was so with Abraham with Paul with all those thousands in the Acts with all those Ephesians And indeed it cannot be otherwise forasmâ—ch as all their external course is but the pulse of the Heart The Pondus of the will is changed it is at the command of the Heart which being brought into God the services of the heart are also brought in with it O that you would peruse your selves in this second Tryal what present contratiety you find in your Hearts It is a very neer Tryal and a most Infallible discovery of the truth or falshood or your Change 3. The last Contrariety or Change which I shall but touch As to the time future respects the time Future there are five admirable Properties for the time future which may be found in every truly Changed and Converted person 1. He is very tender and fearful least he should sin against his God Keep thy servant from presum ptuous sins cleanse thou me from secret faults Psal 19. 12 13. Should we again break thy Commandments said Exâ—a c. 9. 14. How can I do this Great wickedness and sin against God! said Joseph Gen. 39. 9. There is in a Changed and Converted man 1. A tender Jealousy over a Deceitful heart 2. a tender Watchfulness against Alluring temptations 3. a tender Conscience which feels the first Risings of sin 4. a tender Dissidence of his Own strength 5. a tender Fear and aweful Regard of Gods Presence and Goodness He is afraid to sin although the sin be Secret and although it be Commodious and although it be Pleasant I will but name the rest 2. He is very Zealous and Active for God Paul even besides himself 3. He is very Faithful and Constant unto God 4. He is very Serious and Industrious to get assurance of Gods love and of his inheritance in the highest heavens Give all diligence c. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 5. He strives for the Conversion and change of others The next Use must be of Comfort and Support to all such who find this change wrought in their hearts by converting Grace Use 2. There are four Adjuncts which make this Converting change Comfort to those who are changed unspeakably Comfortable and Joyous 1. Next to Christ it is the choicest and chiefest gift that the heart of man is capable of in this life The gifts of God are of several Orders and several Next to Christ it is the choicest gift the heart is capable of Natures uses and ends some are in order to a natural preservation as food and raiment and Health Some are in order to an extrinsecal condition or State of Life as Honours and civil Authority Some are in order to private society and relation as Wife and Husband and Children Some are in order to secular converse as Father and Friends politick wisdome and parts c. These are all of them good in their kind but as it is said of diverse Captaines belonging to David although they did great matters yet they attained not to the acts of the three first Worthies So none of these rise or mount either to that intrinsecal Dignity or to that supernatural and ultimate End which the change by Grace doth The least drop of Grace is more then all the Ocean of the World The Apostle Paul saith it is a change from Glory to Glory the work is a work of Glory and the man becomes glorious who is a converted man S. Peter saith He is now made partaker of the Divine Nature The excellencies of God are stamped on thy soul the Sun is now risen within thee as the Glory of God filled the Temple so when a man is converted the beams of grace do fill his soul thou art precious the filthy rags are taken away 2. It is an evidence of great love and rich mercy Eph. 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he It is an evidence of great love loved us when we were dead hath quickned us c. It is a testimony of the greatest love as it is of the greatest hatred in God to be left to our sinful lusts and wayes 3. Converting grace it is the first visible and sure characteristical It is the first visible distinction betwixt hell and heaven distinction twixt Hell and Heaven twixt Death and Life twixt a Goat and a Sheep twixt a wicked condition and a Godly condition There is a twofold distinction of persons touching their everlasting estates One is in decreto which lies in the brest and counsel of God the other is in decreto which is to be found in the heart of man Now quoad nos quantum ad objectum Converting grace makes the difference it shews who is loved and who is hated it shews who is for Heaven and who is for Hell It is not honour nor wealth nor strength nor parts nor civility nor meanness nor poverty nor education nor knowledg nor trouble of conscience nor restraint nor profession nor external action which is the partition wall which divides and decides the state for the present and future If Ministers or Angels should assure thee of an interest in Christ and of remission of thy sins and of future happiness while yet thy heart is unconverted they do certainly delude and deceive thee for if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature But if God hath converted and changed thy heart thou art assuredly past from death to life thou art among the first born of God No sorts of wicked men are in this changed and converted condition no prophane person no hypocritical person as soon as any is converted it may be said of him as Christ of Zacheus This day is salvation come to him for as much as he also is a child of Abraham 4. It never goes alone it is alwayes accompanied with justification It never goes alone pardon interest in Christ reconciliation with God Jesus was sent to bless them in turning them away from their iniquities Acts 3. 26. Be converted that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. Come now and let us reason together Isai 55. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctifyed but ye are justifyed c. It is the most comfortable condition 5. It is the most comfortable and joyful condition for now there is
immediately go before and ordinarily usher in Conversion so it is sad and bitter and sharp for there the law imprints a sense of sin and of wrath and a spirit of bondage to fear the Needle pricks and the Sword cuts and wounds and the Hammer bruiseth and the Plough rents and tears 2. Formaliter as it is a perfective change and alteration even from hell to heaven from basest lusts to sweetest holiness and thus it is at the least a fundamental radical and virtual joy 3. Consequenter For the Crop and present harvest which results out of Conversion thus it is the Musick after the tuning of the strings the fruit of righteousness is peace so the fruit of conversion is joy and delight There are three things unto which I desire to speak about this point 1. That upon Conversion the condition becomes very joyful and pleasant quod sit 2. What kind of joy and pleasure Conversion doth bring quale sit 3. Reasons why so cur sit and then the useful Application Quest 1. For the first of these that Conversion doth bring the soul into a very joyful condition Sol. There are four things which demonstrate the quod sit of The quod sit demonstrated this 1. Many pregnant places of Scripture Psal 52. 11. Shout for joy all ye that arâ— upright in heart Psal 132. 9. By Scripture Let thy Saints shout for joy Isai 35. 10. The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isai 65. 13. Behold my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed v. 14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart Isai 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Prov. 3. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace 2. Many pregnant testimonies and instances By Instances When Zacheus was converted he came down joyfully and received Christ Luke 19. 6 9. When the three thousand were converted there ensued singular gladness and joy Acts 2. 41. When the Eunuch was converted he went home rejoycing Act. 8. 39. When those in Samaria were converted the Text saith There was great joy in that City Acts 8. 5 6. When the Jailor was converted He rejoyced believing in God with all his house Acts 16. 34. When they to whom Peter wrote were converted they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. The many Comparisons by which converting grace is expressed By Comparisons doth confirm it that it makes the souls condition very joyful and delightful The estate of grace is set forth by all the things which are esteemed pleasant and delightful and joyful Men take Delight and Joy in Honour Beauty Strength Youth Riches Pearls and Jewels in Birth in Wisdome and Knowledg in Springs Orchards Spices Perfumes Buildings Victories Life Duration Friends Why when converting grace is conveyed into the heart the man now is honourable and of high dignity now the beauties of Christ are on his soul all his graces are more precious then Pearls and Gold and Silver he is rich in spiritual treasures he is one born of the Spirit of God never truly knowing and wise till now c. Nay grace is phrased by such things which yield a general and universal contentment and delight to the whole man It is sometimes called Light which is pleasant to the eye Oyntment which is pleasant to the smell Wine which is pleasant to the tast Musick or the joyful sound which is pleasant to the ear Nay yet again it is sometimes called Truth and that is pleasant to the understanding Goodness and that is pleasant to the will a Kingdome and that is pleasant to desire an Inheritance and that is pleasant to hope Communion and that is pleasant to love a Possession and and that is pleasant to joy a Victory and that is pleasant to hatred a Security and that is pleasant to fear Heaven the Kingdome of Heaven and that is pleasantness itself and all this even under fears and combates when at the first and weakest and lowest Nay yet once more it is set out by all the occasions and by all the times of joy to the birth of a man-child for joy that a man-child is born said Christ A converted man is a new-born To the day of Marriage which some call the only day of joy a converted man is marryed to Christ To a Feast Isai 25. 6. Every dish is filled with mercy To a Coronation day which was a day of gladness of heart to Solomon Cant. 3. 11. There is a crown of life for every converted soul To the time of Harvest when the Husbandman reaps with joy Isai 9. 3. To the returns of Merchants upon the increase of Wine and Oyle Psal 4. To a ransome and release from bondage and captivity a converted man is set at liberty he is a freeman in Christ 4. Consider Conversion in the Causes of it or in the very By the Causes of it Nature of it or in the Acts flowing from it certainly by all of them you may be induced to believe that it makes the Condition joyful and pleasant 1. The Causes of it which are four 1. The Radical cause Why Conversion drops out of the Eternal Love of God to a mans soul Behold what manner of Love 1 Jo. 3. 1. as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts. 13. 2. The Meritorious cause Who loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2. It is one part of Christs purchase he merited Grace and Glory for his 3. The Efficient cause immediately efficient it is the first breath of Gods sanctifying Spirit the Spirit of true Comfort and Joy 4. The Instrumental cause the word which is called sweet and sweeter then the Hony and the breasts of Consolation is the instrument of Conversion Jam. 1. 2. It s owne Nature Converting Grace hath three things intrinsecal unto it 1. Goodness it is By the Nature of it good and it only makes us good Now Goodness is the foundation of Delight Nothing is truly pleasant but what is truly good 2. Suteableness There is nothing so suteable either to the nature of the soul or end of the soul as true Grace 3. Perfection it is the Glory of the Soul 3. The acts flowing from it If the acts flowing from Conversion be such as God himself takes delight in He takes delight By the acts flowâ—ng from it in the prayer of his servants in the broken hearts of his servants in the Faith and in the Fear and in the Hope of his servants all their services are a sweet savour unto him as Noahs sacrifice was Surely then Conversion is able to make the converted
Faith doth doth act for relief and will hold some communion with God 6. They are abated by the Ordinances 7. They are but for a time 8. They end in fullest setling and glorious comforts and likewise with advantage to their gracious condition And truly it is impossible that wicked and ungodly men should ever enjoy that serenity and peace as the godly do for as much as all the principles and causes of uncomfortableness abide on the wicked 1. Sin is in them in all its strength They have a thousand hells and arrows of guilt sticking in their hearts they have souls full of plague sores the deadly strokes of death the restless motions of evil spirits 2. They carry a roaring Lion in their brests I mean an evil accusing smiting wounding racking condemning Conscience which if it once awake it will tear the caul of their hearts and crush them with the flames of unavoidable unsupportable and continual wrath 3. They have no City of Refuge open to their succour no land or shore no place to cast anchor no portion in Christ and therefore the Law of God stands in full force against their souls and under its curse they lie and at that Bar of Justice must they be tried 4. They end in an éternal and perfect Hell 5. Take them at their best God is their Enemy they never yet made peace with him and all their outward blessings are steeped in gall and drenched in Wormwood as their sorrows so their blessings are distributed in wrath 2. Many converted persons are not really sad and uncomfortable Many converted persons are not really sad they onely seem so but onely seem so to the mean and childish opinions of vain men 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowfull yet always rejoycing The joy of Christians is an hidden joy Hidden Manna Revel 2. 20. it is a spiritual joy to which thou art a stranger meat to eat which thou knowest not of Suppose that thou rejoycest not in a fine Baby and a Toy which is a Childs great delight art thou therefore sad All objects yield not contentment to an high mind nor joy to a good man he cannot take pleasure in an Alehouse and Tavern in swaggering and masking in dicing and carding and swearing and whoring but yet he can take delight in a reconciled God in a Christ in the Word of God in praying to God in gracious returnes from God in expectation of the Glory of God A swine delights in mire but a man doth not The Moon is oft times dark to the world when yet that part which faceth to the Sun is beautiful and lightsome The countenance and carriage of a Christian as to the world seems dull and uncomfortable but if you could look into the heart of him which faceth towards heaven O there is Righteousness there is Peace there is Joy in the Holy Ghost 3. If any converted persons be sad and want actual joy and comfort If they be sad Conversion is not the cause of it yet their Conversion is not the cause thereof Can the Sun be any cause of darkness But amongst others these are the Causes of it Either 1. Thy unconversion It is the unconverted husband child master which makes sadness in the heart of the converted wife father c. It is thy drunkenness thy cursing and swearing thy scorning and scoâ—â—ing thy resisting and shifting the offers of Grace thy lying and slandering thy pride and loosness which makes the hearts of Ministers ready to break and the hearts of thy godly friends ready to sink in them O they tremble at thy condition and they grieve to see God so extremely dishonoured Psal 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law ver 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. The wicked deeds of the ungodly Sodomites vexed the soul of righteous Lot Luke 19. 41. It was Jerusalems proud obstinacy that would not know in her day the things which concerned her peace that made Jesus Christ to weep 2. Their Captivities to sin Pauls conversion did never trouble him but this did trouble him that he did the evil which he would not his Corruption not Conversion That the Law of his members led him captive against the Law of his mind It was not Peters Conversion but Peters transgression that made him go forth and weep bitterly It was not Davids Conversion but Davids great sinning which made him go so heavily and roâ—r so greatly Psal 32. 3. The Fears and Suspitions that they are not yet truly converted O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death O they feel so many working Corruptions still and so little of the strength of Christ still and so much unbelief still and so many indispositions still and so many failings still and so many doubts about these This â—race is not right the saving Work is not begun and these things make them â—o sigh and weep and go heavily all the day long 4. They are but newly crept out of the shell The Spirit of Bondage is yet hardly worn off some legal Dints stick on them they are either still in travel or but newly delivered Or if they be got out of the state of Bondage yet they are for the present under spiritual conflicts and as spiritual Bondage before Conversion so spiritual conflicts after conversion suspends the taste of a present and actual joy Or if that be not the damp then perhaps it is some ignorance or unexperience they are not yet come to read their Fathers Will and Christs Testament what portion is left and laid out for the Children of God Or if that be not it then perhaps it is a present fit of unbelief they cannot yet be perswaded that God means so much mercy and so much love and so many great things for them Is it so That â—onversion brings the person into a very joyful Vse 1. condition Hence then 1. We may be Informed of four Information things 1. That they are enemies to their joy and comfort who are adversaries They are enemies to their joy who are enemies to Conversion to their Conversion Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye Scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledg Six things shew one to be in an unconverted condition Unsensibleness Love of sin Path of evil hatred of Reformation despising the Means of Conversion loathing of Converted-Persons There are some persons who hate to be reformed who hold fast their â—â—ns and will not let them go they are like those stiff-necked Jewes who alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost a disobedient people to the Call of God they refuse to put their necks into the yoak of Jesus Christ and will not be bound with his cords They love their sinful wayes and will not return to the Almighty Why Write that man childless said God of Coniah So I
say of these men Write them comfortless Will the Lord lye for you Or will he misplace his hands for you Peace is the effect of righteousness and Joy is the fruit of Conversion And shalt thou have pleasure who takest pleasure in unrighteousness Shalt thou know the wayes of Peace who wilt not know the path of Holiness Did ever God smile on him who hated God Or clasp him with joy who despised his grace with hatred Go enquire and search all the Springs of joy and knock at all the Gates of pleasure diligâ—ntly ask What of delight they contain for thee Knock at the mercy-seat which is the Gate of God and ask Lord hast thou not joy for one who will go on in his sins and will not return unto thee No saith God not any but he who â—orsakes his sins shall have mercy and he who hardens his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28. 13 14. Knock at the Gospel which is the gate of Christ and ask Blessed Jesu hast thou no word of comfort for him who resists thy spirit and will not come in unto thee No not I saith Christ not any thou despisest the goodness of God and by thy impenitency and hardness treasurest unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Knock at conscience which is the gate of thine own soul and ask O conscience hâ—st thou not a word of peace to speak to one who loves his sins and is an enemy to God and godliness Who I saith conscience not I thou art an enemy of righteousness and in the gall of bitterness and except thou repent thou shalt certainly perish Knock at the Scriptures which are the Gate of truth and ask May not the wicked and unconverted person suck at the brests of your consolation are not thâ—se wells of salvation open for me to draw joy and comfort out of Oh no say the promises we are childrens bread and legacies for sons if thou be a believer we are a Fountain opened for thee if thou be an unbeliever we are a Fountain sealed against thee Knock at the Creatures which are the Gate of Providence and ask Have ye no Commission of Comfort for one who cares not to remember his Creator O no say all the Creatures Sin long ago hath cast thee out of Paradise and turned the earth into a curse and thy blessings are cursed and thy sinnings do poison all the flowers in our Garden unto thee Nay Knock at thy very Sins which are the Gate of Hell and ask them Ye of all other are my dearest friends and choicest masters and have ye no Joyes and Comforts for me O yes say they we have but they are forbidden fruit but they are pleasures of sin for a season but they will end in everlasting torments and sorrow Thus is every wicked and unconverted man in Cains condition who cryed out Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth Gen. 4. 14. 2. That they are enemies and slanderers of the goodness and They are slanderers of the sweetness of Gods ways who thus reproach the state of Conversion sweetness of the wayes of God who load the estate of Conversion with all the ignominious reproaches of sadness and heaviness and mopishness and melancholy and bitterness and grave of all joy and pleasure As the Spies of old traduced the good and pleasant land of Caâ—aan which abounded with milk and hony O it was a land that did eat up the Inhabitants thereof But as God spake once to Aaron and Miriam How were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses so I to these How are ye not afraid to reproach the wayes of the living God Is not God the God of comfort Is not Christ the consolation of Israel Is not the Holy Ghost the comforter are not the Scriptures written for our consolation are not the Promises the breasts of Consolation are not all the pathes of Wisdome pathes of pleasantness are not the Graces of God the very beds of Spices Is not the peace of Conscience a peace that passeth all understanding Doth David find the Word sweeter then the hony comb Doth Job find it better then his appointed food Doth Jeremiah find it the Rejoycing of his heart Doest thou read of so many Converted persons in Scripture full of joy and gladness rejoycing in Christ rejoycing in the hope of the Glory of God reâ—oycing in Troubles in Persecutions yea in Death it self and yet darest thou to revile and scandalize the converted mans condition as the only sea of Bitterness and darkest night eclipsing all joy and comfort I pray thee to consider 1. This doth arise from the gall of thy wicked and imbittered Spirit hating and despising the goodly excellencies of holiness and holy persons 2. It doth shew a cursed heart to call good evil as it doth to call evil good and as he that justifies the Wicked so he that condemns the just is an abomination to the Lord How much more then he who condemns Righteousnes it self 3. This doth shew an Universal rage against Gods glory and mans happiness So heavily dost thou load the pathes of Conversion that so much as in thee lies thou disswadest and discouragest all the men on earth from leaving off their sins so that God shall have no Glory from them nor they any true happiness from God 4. And lastly Take heed least God deal with thee as once he did with the lying spies shut them out of Canaan and destroyed them with a remarkable Judgment 3. That they have hitherto deluded and deceived themselves with false joy in stead of true joy who as yet never saw a converted They who never were converted delude themselves with false joy condition All thy mirth and joy hath been but false fire a madness not a joyfulness sparkles of thy own kindling thou hast fed on the husks all this while on a fancy on a Dream thou hast never in all thy life took in one draught of true â—oy nor ever shalt thou till God convert thy soul Take heed of setling your souls or resting your souls on any works or any affections which are antecedent to conversion even the sorrows and troubles before conversion are no matter of joy and comfort if any joy depends on them it is rather because conversion hath followed them and the joys which many men take before their conversion certainly they are false joys poor joys they are not pleasures of Gods right hand There are three properties of true Joy 1. It is not the Vsher which goes before but the Handmaid that follows after Grace 2. It is not a Surfet to dead but a Cordial to strengthen and it is not a Feast to satisfie but a Sawce to quicken communion with God 3. It is not a temptation to sin but upholds against the new temptations of sin True Joy never goes