thee to come unto God I tell thee all thy sinnes shall not damne thee never a one of thy sinnes shall rise up in judgement against thee whatsoever thy conscience whatsoever the devil hath against thee whatsoever feares terrours discouragements are upon thee they shall never withhold thee from eternal life do but come to Christ and lay hold upon him and here he offers himself unto thee thou art not excepted or excluded unlesse thou exclude thy selfe If thou beleeve not thou shalt be damned but whosoever beleeves shall not perish but have everlasting life Vse 4. In the last place this is for use to those that are obstinate namely to be as hell fire and the flames of Tophet in their soules and consciences You have heard the tender of Christ that salvation is in Christ and none other What a miserable taking are you then in that will not have him if we should carry the Gospel up and down into any place would not every one make it welcome If we should carry it into Innes and Taverns and amongst the basest wretches in the Countrey would they not say we will have Christ a man would think so as God saith Matthew 21.37 Certainly they will reverence my Sonne not as if God were deceived in his expectation but he speaks of the probability of the thing in all reason one would think if they may have eternal life and Gods good will and pleasure toward them that they may have acquittance from all damnation that they may be happy for ever certainly they will receive my Sonne gladly they will take him and receive him in all reason one would think it were so but we see it is otherwise they will not take up Christ and abandon their own courses they will be vaine they will be company keepers they will be worldly and will neglect the best things they will have their pleasures and they will have their fopperies and fooleries they will not have Christ there be many things in Christ that every man would have the very devils in hell would have it namely to be redeemed from hell to have some peace in their consciences but the Regiment of Christ the dominion of Christ to have all Christ this they will not this therefore is no comfort to stubborne sinners but hell and damnation is the portion of all that refuse him Ezechiel 34.16 See what the Lord there saith I will destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement you that have fat hearts and strong your hearts are strong and your consciences are strong and all our Sermons are not able to make you shake those that are fat and strong saith the Lord I will feed them with judgements none of the mercies and comforts of the Gospel belong to such And assure your selves if you care not for Christ Christ cares as little for you as the Prophet speaks Esay 49.5 Though Israel be not gathered I shall have glory in his eyes so though you be not called and brought home though you be not saved I shall have glory saith Christ I shall be known to all eternity to be a Saviour to be a Prince to be the glory of the world I shall be glorious in heaven and in earth and in hell to all the world to all eternity Though Israel be not gathered if you be obstinate and will have your sinnes take them and perish with them I shall never rue your absence in heaven therefore Christ is at a point if you will have him here he is if you will not assure your selves you shall die in your sinnes except you beleeve in him you shall die in your sins COL 1.23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature under heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister WE have spoken of a Christians call by the general indifferent propounding of the Gospel to every creature without exception now the effectualnesse of this call lieth here that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the soul though the man be one of Gods chosen he doth not presently give him faith but doth open a little door of hope to the soul First the Lord brings his Law to a man and layeth him dead in Law utterly undone past all hope of recovery in himself he is a lost creature a miserable wretched creature having no hold to stay upon but a fearful looking for of vengeance he seeth nothing but wrath now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Gospel of peace the Lord lets in a little hope into the soul whereby he doth draw the soul to seek out unto him and makes it look out with hope of salvation the soul seeth now that there is mercy in Christ and grace in Christ and eternal life in Christ and he seeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it and out of these two branches of general faith spirings this hope now thinks the soul I may have it as well as another the dole is free the mercy is free and why may not I be saved why may not I finde mercy and forgiveness and be ingraffed into the Lord Jesus Christ before this the soul was groaping for hope if it could have told where to have had it as Acts 2.37 they were there groaping where to have it Men and brethren say they what shall we do they do not say there is nothing to be done there is no hope but what shall we do as who should say there is something to be done some course to be taken you that are Ministers of God is there no way whereby we may be pardoned whereby we may be saved whereby we may have a new heart and the favour of God and be delivered from the wrath to come but when the Gospel comes they see now a possibility and this breeds this hope so that this is the next point That when God doth effectually call a soul by his Gospel at the hearing of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jesus Christ the Lord doth let in a possibility of mercy and every grace into the soule and this doth help the soul with hope and this doth make the soul to trace God in all his wayes and he hath some encouragement that God will be found of him and that he may attaine salvation this the first thing the Lord puts in hope attaining of it the Lord deales with his people in this kinde as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon Zech. 9.12 they were prisoners in Babylon now when God would deliver them out of Babylon he did first put in hope into their souls he made them prisoners of hope there was first a pouring of hope into their souls and then he opened the prison doors So the Lord makes his people prisoners of hope
our corruptions would be weak our carnal hearts would be weak we should not be so able to goe against God and his commandements I can doe nothnig against the truth saith Paul why he had a strong light he saw so clearly that it was the truth of God and it was the way to be damned for ever to goe against it and he saw so clearly what an admirable thing the truth was that he could do nothing against it as Joseph saith How can I commit this great wickedness c He had such a light and so saw the nature of the evil that he durst not do it for a world the understanding is a very strong thing see it in that which is in wicked wretches what a deal oâ— strength hath that little knowledge of God that is in their hearts when a wicked man knowes that his courses are of the Devil and he is informed and reads it in the Word of God he knows his wayes are condemned of God I tell you this knowledge keeps a great deal of stir in his heart and makes his conscience afraid and sometimes qualms come over his heart and sometimes makes him resolve I will be a drunkard and adulterer no more it makes him that he cannot goe so freely about his wicked courses Mark 6.20 When Herod knew John Baptist was a godly man this made him fear him So when Saul knew assuredly that David should be King though he went out to destroy him he let him goe nay a very persecutor if he knows they be the people of God he persecutes it will make his very heart ake and will make him give over his persecution except he be marvellous strong Isa 11.9 Why how will God bridle persecutors The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord There shall be such a deal of knowledge that they shall not be able to hurt in my holy mountain nay this knowledge may make wicked men mightily to deny themselves Balaam though he was greedy after riches and preferment yet when he knew that it was Gods mind that he he should not curse Israel he should provoke God saith he If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord c. Nay knowledge may work Reformation After they escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 Now if knowledge be such a thing where it is not rooted soundly in the mind then how strong would it be if we did get our understandings soundly informed if we would get knowledge rooted in us the very knowledge that God hath commanded us to serve him and fear him that he hath revealed his wrath from Heaven upon all disobedience that Christ is the Saviour of the world it would strengthen us against sin and to do good therefore let us labour to have strong minds Secondly Let us labour to have a strong will as David had Psal 119.15 16. I will meditate in thy precepts I will delight my self in thy statutes I will not forget thy Word You see how absolutely he is set upon it I will do thus and thus and I will not do the contrary this is a strong Will and therefore you see what admirable things he could do because his Will was strong what is the reason people are so weak they cannot resist sin they cannot give over such a lust they cannot get life and quickning in prayer and other duties if an Enemy come they cannot put it up if affliction come they cannot bear it patiently if they are called to stand for God they cannot put off carnal fears this is the weakness of our Wills if our Wills were absolutely set that way we should be marvellous strong and break through all oppositions all the strength of a man lies in the Will of a man if a mans Will be set upon a thing he will go through fire and water he will do it therefore we should labour that our Wills may be strong in the works of God to the pleasing of God and hatred of evil and opposing of all the wayes of the flesh as David saith Psalm 119.10 I have sought thee with my whole heart We should do thus you may see this in wicked men when their hearts are absolutely set to do evil how do they go through difficulties nothing shall hinder them how wonderfully did Saul persecute David over hills and dales and caves of the earth over rocks and craggy places if he had not been furious and mad he could not have followed him in such places nay he spurned against conscience God met with him oftentimes and infatuated his counsels which could not but be as hedges in his way but he broke over all Whence was this his Will was absolutely set 1 Sam. 23.23 he was resolved if David were to be found under the copes of Heaven he would have him so if our hearts our wills were absolutely set to finde God and his grace if we would say if Christ be to be found we will have him if he be in Heaven or Earth we will have him we will run over all Ordinances and duties what sin will we not leave what course will we not take if he be to be found we will have him A man might go through any difficulty if his Will were absolute the Will is a strong faculty it hath the command over the whole man the mind thinks and the heart intends and the affections stir and the tongue speaks and the foot walks and the hand works but the Will sways all nay if a mans appetite be to a thing yet if he will not do it he may refrain it the Will is the strongest faculty in a man as soon as we heare the Prodigal had a Will to goe to his Father the next news we hear he did go I will arise and go to my Father and now nothing could stay him if our Wills were set earnestly towards God that we would serve him and obey him and would not be carried away with our lusts what a deal of strength would this help us with we should be strong to trample Satan under our feet and mortifie our lusts and this is the reason God accepts the Will above all if there be a willing mind God accepts it nay not only accepts it but rewards it also 1 Cor. 9.19 If I do it willingly I have my reward The will is the strongest faculty God knows if he hath a mans will he hath all that ever a man can do he hath all his power nay he hath more then his power the will is able to go beyond a mans power as it is said of the Macedonians 2 Cor. 8.3 they did to their power and beyond their power the will is a mighty strong thing therefore if we will be strong in the Lord let us labour for strong wills Thirdly Let us labour for sound affections that our affections may be conversant about
opening of the hellish sink of sin that is in your hearts be you willing to hear it and let us do it 't is true we must be ready to poure in Oyle into every bruised spirit but first we must come with the hammer of the Law to breake and then bind up let me tell you as many as go on in your sins and are yet without Christ let me tell you what your condition is be it known from the Lord whatsoever you may think you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity hell is moved for your coming and the pit is digged for such as you are you are under the wrath of heaven and though God be gracious and full of mercy yet he will never save those that disobey him and stand out against his Holy and Heavenly Word though Christ died for sinners yet he is a stumbling block and a rock of offence to those that are disobedient and stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 Whatsoever you may think of your selves and do not think of these things but suffer the world and your pleasures to take up your mindes think of it what a woefull case you are in know that the great God of Heaven and Earth hath bitter things against you and you shall heare it with both eares when it is too late there is no mercy but for them that repent and forsake their sins there is no Kingdome of Heaven for you you have no hope the Devils and you have one hope What turned so many Angels of Heaven into Hell was it not sin you have that very sin upon you you do not see your misery but if your eyes were open and would but heare what God saith you would loath your selves in dust and ashes and your knees would knock together for anguish of heart What no conversion yet no new creatures yet then no Christ no Heaven no Happiness what a woful thing is this I beseech you think of it and apply it and tell your soules either sin must down or else no Heaven to be looked for either I must be an holy man either God will give me grace and holinesse here or else I shall never see his face with comfort hereafter either I must have my life changed and my conversation made spiritual and godly by Jesus Christ or else I do but deceive my own soul to think of any happinesse this is certaine therefore do not think lightly of any sin there is no sin so small but is able to damn thy soul unlesse thou embrace the Gospel and the Kingdome of God If it were possible that thou never hadst sinned but one sin that one sin will damn thee unlesse thou be a new creature and by Faith embrace the Son of God thou canst not be saved there is no sin so small but the wrath of God from Heaven is revealed against it if people did but see their sins like so many Devils if they did but once see these Cockatrices stings if people were but affected with their estates and conditions something might be said but unless mens sins be laid before their eyes and charged upon their souls what hope have we to do them any good Thirdly this is for comfort to those that are humbled such as have had the Law come unto them and hath knocked them off that they have nothing to trust to and they see what miserable creatures they are look up and hear what the Gospel saith the Gospel of God sheweth mercy freely to be had and delivers promises freely to be apprehended and doth proffer eternal life without money or moneys worth though a man be never so vile and wretched if you see your misery you have Davids own argument go and use it Psal 25.16 Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted all the Saints of God have no other argument but this in begging of mercy as who should say I am a miserable creature no grounds whereupon to expect any mercy I am a desolate afflicted undone man in my self all my hope is in thee go to God and lie at his gate and plead this argument submitting to the Gospel Have mercy on me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted and here now comes in effectual calling when the Law hath shewed a man his wretched estate and his blindness and nakedness and captivity if the Lord do mean any mercy to a man here comes in his effectual calling 2 THES 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ I Have spoken already of the prepatory work that goes before Effectual Calling the next thing I am to speake of is the parts of Effectual Calling and they are two First the offering of Christ and his merits the objective propounding of Christ and his benefits when Christ comes and offers himself to a man in the Gospel he came to his own John 1.11 but his own received him not he came and offered himself to them I am the way the truth and the light I am the Messias and the Saviour of the world and I have eternal life and here I am take me and all with me this is the first thing in Effectual Calling the objective propounding of Christ to a man The second thing is the receiving of Christ not only the offering of Christ to a man for so he offers himself to those that are not of God even to all but in Effectual Calling as there is an offer on Gods side so there is a reflection on Gods side as many as received him c. John 1.12 they received him these two now make up Effectual Calling the offering of Christ and the receiving of him when Christ calls a man to him and he answers to his call thus you see the parts of Effectual Calling First to speak of the first the objective propounding of Christ and all the things of Christ to a man and this hath two degrees like the morning light that hath two parts the dawning of the day and the Sunnes arising so there are two parts in this objective propounding of Christ to the soul the first is that general propounding of him to every creature now the soul thinks what to every creature then it is propounded to me as well as to any body else but the effectualness of this call is that it breeds the seeds of grace in a man it breeds saving desires and saving longings and saving and kindly mournings for the want of this sweet good when it sees such an excellent good and a possibility of it and that it is propounded to every creature then the soule thinks I may be one as well as any body else and so the soul longs after it The second thing is the personal propounding of this to those that have these seeds of Grace the first was general to one as well as to another but now this is to this mans
power of God and do not limit the holy one of Israel the Lord may pardon thy sins and renue thy heart therefore look unto the power of God When Christ told his Disciples Mat. 16.24 that it is easier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven they were all astonished O say they who then can be saved Oh saith Christ look unto God 't is true with men it is impossible for the heart and affections of a man are so glued to the things of this world and he hath so much pleasure and delight in the things of this life that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency it is as impossible as for a cable to go through a needles eye but saith he look to the power of God he is able to work it a rich man may be saved for all this if a rich man be touched with the sence and feeling of his sinnes and have a heart to come to God though he meet with never so many difficulties in his way let him look unto the power of God to whom nothing is hard Secondly look to the freenesse of Gods promises the indifferency and universality of the tender of them whosoever thirsteth let him buy wine and milk without money Esay 55.1 when a doale is tendred to all at the doore Why may not every beggar hope to receive it so if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it why mayst not thou look up with hope if thou hast an heart to it thou mayest if thou hast not an heart thou art none of Gods but if thou hast an heart look up to God and be not dismayed but see the infinitenesse of Gods mercy that as the heavens are higher then the earth so his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehensions and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more there are many poor souls that would come to Christ but thorough their daily distempers and untowardnesse and the temptations of Satan they are repelled they would come to God but know not how they have hardly any hope these things are spoken for such poor creatures Thirdly send often unto God call upon his Name as it is said of Felix when he hoped to receive money of Paul he sent often for him to commune with him Acts 24.26 So send often to God and be often communing with God and calling upon his name above all duties under heaven there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth or that the heart is more against then that not pray out of formality or in a perfunctory manner but to pray indeed of all duties I commend unto thee that go to God and pray often if thou wouldest hope to receive mercy at his hands JOHN 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me WE come now to the second degree of effectual calling and that is a personal call of this or that man by a particular word when the Lord doth particularize his promises and tenders them to this or that man come unto me and here is free grace and mercy for thee come and believe and rest upon me for it when the Lord doth speak a particular word to the soul as you may see Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name thou art mine when God effectually calls a man he calls him by name he calls him with a particular word come unto me here is pardon rely upon me and thou shalt have it here is peace of conscience rely upon me and thou shalt attain to it thou art an undone creature in thy self here is mercy for thee not only when there is a general word propounded to the soul but when the Lord joynes with the word and follows it to the soul and conscience come to me man when God calls a man by name so it is said of Matthew Christ saw him sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him follow me he called him in particular and directed a particular word to his heart and bid him follow him and depend upon him for all good so it was with Zacheus when Christ looked up and saw him in the fig-tree he said Come down Zacheus he directed a particular word to him this is the thing now I do not meane the outward word onely in the Scripture either preached or read But secondly when it is inwardly spoken by God himself to the soule and set on when God bids a man believe and come unto him this is the thing and this we have heard in the Text Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me for the coherence of these words you must know that in the former verses our Saviour Christ had told them that he was the bread that came down from heaven inviting them to come unto him ver 41 42. and you may see what effect this wrought in their hearts how they murmured at him they were so far from yeilding to his call that they fell a murmuring at him And secondly see how they alledge reasons for their murmuring v. 42. Is not this Jesus the Sonne of Joseph c. as who should say if he came from the earth how did he come from heaven therefore you may see what answer Christ makes v. 43. First he reproves them and said murmur not among your selves as who should say this is no murmuring matter it is a mourning and lamenting matter you should bewaile your condition and turne your murmuring into mourning Again he bids them not wonder at it v. 44. For no man cometh unto me except the Father draweth him as who should say it is no news to me that you stumble at my words and will not hear what I say for none can come to me except my Father draw him you care not for me but murmur against me and your hearts are stout against the Lord you cannot attain unto it for no man c. Thirdly he shews that some would come to him for all this though some would not yet some would even all his Elect therefore he quotes this saying out of the Prophets Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me the word shall not only come to the outward eare but they shall be taught of God and then they will come home to me and then concludes with the words of the Text Every man that hath heard c. as who should say though you will not yet I am sure every man that hath heard my Father speak to his heart that hath heard him preaching from heaven in his bosome that man will come to me so that God can call those things which are not as if they were though a man be never so rebellious and averse from Christ yet when he speaks a particular word to the soul it comes But you will say
of the day away when our minds run into the world we must curbe them and remember that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God Reas 3 Thirdly Another Reason is That our Cattel and Servants and Children may rest as well as our selves they are to labour six dayes and one of seven they are to rest Reas 4 Another Reason is Because he hath sanctified it therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it Now then if the Lord hath sanctified the seventh day and appointed it if he hath set it apart for that purpose for spiritual employments and not to be filled up with any thing else we are guilty of Sacriledge if we do not give him this as Levit. 27.28 the Lord saith Whatsoever is devoted unto the Lord that is most holy unto him now God saith he hath devoted the seventh day to himself therefore we are to keep it holy Nebuchadnezzar a very heathen when he knew that the Vessels came out of the Temple of the Lord he would not employ them to a common use Dan. 1.2 He put them into the house of his god which was the holiest place he had Reas 5 Fifthly This is necessary because we are apt to be worldly and carnal and non-resident from Prayer and from the Word and serious humbling of our selves before God if we be never so little taken off how suddenly do our minds cleave unto the world and grow vain and unfit and distempered Now if God should not once in seven dayes have a day to take us off from the world as six dayes are employed in worldly affairs so if there were not a seventh day to take us off there would be no hoe with us therefore there must be a whole day to accustom us and habituate us to the Service of God otherwise we should drown our selves in the world The Sixth Proposition is this That as it must be one of seven so it is not indifferent which of the seven dayes we keep holy but it must be that day whereupon God rested therefore it hath the name of a Sabbath Sabbath is nothing but rest The reason of the name is Two-fold First Because God rested upon that day And Secondly Because we are to rest upon that day The Seventh Proposition is this That all that is in the fourth Commandment is not essential to the Commandment the fourth Commandment delivers only these Two things First That God will have a seventh day Secondly That this seventh day is to be the day of Gods rest This is the whole meaning of the fourth Commandment now all other particulars in the fourth Commandment are not essential to the fourth Commandment as that God made Heaven and Earth in six dayes and rested the seventh day c. It is not essential to the fourth Commandment but because at that time when God delivered the Decalogue there was no greater work then theâ— Creation and the rest from that work was the rest from the greatest work in the world thee fore it was kept upon the last day of the week upon which God rested from the Creation Now the meaning of the fourth Commandment is in the eighth Verse all the other particulars are but Commentaries to open it to the Jewes Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy this is the fourth Commandment The Sabbath that is the day that God rested on and the day that we are to rest upon this is the holy day that is devoted to the Lord now it was kept upon the last day of the week because God created heaven and earth and rested upon that day and the Creation of heaven and earth was the greatest work that God then had done But then you will say Why doth the Commandment say That in six dayes God created Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day I Answer 1. It is no strange thing to see some things in the Commandments which are not essential to them because the Commandments were delivered to the Jewes though they concern the whole world yet the persons that actually stood before God when the Decalogue was delivered were only the Jewes Deut. 5.22 God spake to the Jewes now no wonder that God speaking to the Jews did speak divers particulars according to them and in their phrase which if we had been alive and they to succeed us God would have spoken according to us as he did according to them 2. Secondly We see plainly there are some things in the Commandments which do not concern the whole world but only the Nation of the Jewes as in the first Commandment I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of Bondage Thou shalt have no other gods but me That is the Commandment but though they together with the other were put into the Tables of Stone yet it concerns only the Jewes 'T is true indeed it is a type of our deliverance that we are delivered from Hell and Sin and Satan as they were delivered out of Egypt and the house of Bondage but literally these words belong only to the Jews and the Commandment is this Thou shalt have no other gods but me So it is for the fourth Commandment Again There is something in the Fifth Commandment that doth not concern us but only them Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the thy God giveth thee that belongs only to the Jews it is meant particularly of the land of Canaan This then is the effect of the Commandment Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan So that the first words are the Commandment and the later part belongs only to the Jewes So Deut. 5.14 the Fourth Commandment it was put into the Tables of Stone thus Remember the seventh day to keep it holy for the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou that belongs to us as well as to them but then it follows Remember thou wert a servant in the Land of Egypt Here you see the Jewes have another Argument besides the Arguments that we have but though we have not that Argument yet the Commandment stands still and the Commandment is only thus much namely That there must be a Seventh day and that seventh day God rested upon now whereas the Jewes kept the last day of the week that was only by a temporary Commandment because the making of heaven and earth was the greatest thing that God had then done and God rested from that upon that day but now if God work a greater work then the Creating of heaven and earth and rest from that then by vertue of the fourth Commandment we are to keep that day holy upon which he rested from that work Now I
as if a man should go about a thing that he hath no heart to so people go about prayer and the hearing of the word as if they had no heart to it they have no heart to prayer they have no heart to think soundly of God and of their latter end they come to duties but their hearts are a thousand miles off Thirdly There is senselesness of conscience it is not tender of little sins it feels them not at all and as for great sins it feels them but a little may be peoples consciences find fault with them from day to day for doing what they do and tells them they ought not to do it but yet they will not leave their sins it tells them thus and thus they ought to do but it hath no power to make them do it may be it accuseth them but they are never the better peoples consciences are dull and blunt and have no force at all Fourthly For coldness and lukewarmness of affections the affections of a man are not set upon God they pray without affections and hear without affections the doctrine of eternal life doth not affect their hearts hatred of evil is cold and love of God and goodness is cold as Christ saith the love of many shall waxe cold and so their desires are cold and languish and come to nothing we can find tears for other matters but not for our sins we can have our affections soon stirred when our selves and our own wills are crossed but God may be dishonoured a thousand wayes and we never grieved or moved at it so when we hear a fine story and carnal news this delights but when we hear the word of God the truth of God that concerns our eternal well doing we are not moved or affected at all with that Fifthly Another ingredient of this sin is the weakness and faintness of endeavours if people have any endeavours any kinde of putting themselves forth to that which is good it is with faintness as if they cared not whither they went about it yea or no as Solomon saith Prov. 13.4 people desire mercy and pardon and would have hope and salvation and the Kingdom of God but will not be at the cost and charges they ought to be at for these things this is nothing but the deadnesse of our hearts Lastly That same dulness and drowsiness of the whole man though men be careful enough of outward things yet how careless are they of their souls were our hearts broken and contrite under these things we should be soon quickned as the Lord saith Isa 57.15 I revive the spirit of the contrite one so God would revive us if we were sensible of these distempers of ours if we would humble our selves before God and plead to him for help he would help us but when we do not lay these distempers to heart and seek out to God for redress no marvel though we are dead and dull still well then is it so that there are so many horrible ingredients in this sin of deadness then how should we labour to fling it away and use all means to be quickned the Apostle being to disswade from following the will of the Gentiles he useth this very argument the abundance of the vile ingredients that is in the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3 so you may see how the wise man disswades Prov. 26.25 when he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart so let us think there is seven abominations yea seventy times seven abominations in this sin of deadness therefore let us look out that God may help us and quicken us and revive us in all our wayes The second motive is to consider that as long as we are dead we cannot Motive 2 pray Psal 80.18 Lord quicken us and we will call upon thy name as who should say Lord we are not sit to pray and call upon thy name except thou quicken us therefore quicken us that we may call upon thee So Ministers cannot preach unless they be quickned as Dr. Ames tells a story of a godly man of France there was such cold preaching that he was fain to go out of the Town to sit under a powerful Ministry therefore we cannot preach if we be dead the Scribes and Pharisees preached without Authority and life they were dead and therefore had no authority in their preaching but Christ preached with Authority if we were quickned we should be the better able to preach So again you are not able to hear unless you be quickned a dead heart may hear a thousand Sermons but what doth it work upon them even as good as nothing if Paul or Apollos or an Angel from heaven should preach to us unless God quicken us all is nothing nay Christ tells us that his own Ministry and Johns Ministry there were not two such in all the world again yet how dead and fruitless were they whereunto shall I liken this generation c. Mat. 11.16 c. the meaning is this John the Baptist he came mourning and in a doleful manner fasting and afflicting himself and crying out Repent he mourned but none would relent Christ he came piping he came in another manner he came eating and drinking and he preached gracious things the Kingdom of God and the acceptable year of our Lord now saith he you have not daunced all these things have not affected your hearts a jot you are as blockish as if you had no Ministry at all as Christ saith Mat. 8.22 let the dead bury their dead what doth he mean by that he means those that are dead in their souls those that are dead in their spirits and souls they are fit for dead imployments and nothing else the coherence was this there was a man came to Christ and was willing it seems to be the Disciple of Christ but oh saith he first I pray thee let me go and bury my father bury thy father saith he any man may serve for that let the dead bury their dead those that are fit for nothing else may do that but if thy heart be alive thou art fit for me thou art fit for spiritual employments but when a man hath a dead heart he is fit for nothing as Christ he gave the bag to Judas he was the fittest man for that so let a man be in office if he be dead he hath no heart to punish sin no not so much as to use his faithful endeavour to root it out nay he will pull down the guilt of the sins of the parish upon his own soul rather then he will stickle a little for God Judg. 4.8 how backward was Barak to go against the enemies of the Lord if you will go I will go saith he to Deborah otherwise he had no heart to go so Esther how dull was she to stand for the Church of God she would let the Church be ruinated rather then she would go and speak to the King in
said to watch so that there is a sleep of the soule and a watch of the soule as the Apostle speaks 1 Thes 5 6. So that this watchfulnesse is nothing else but the active prudence of the soule whereby it stirs up all the faculties to look about that if any good be towards it it may get it if any danger be towards it it may abhor it this is the watchfulness here spoken of for this drowsinesse and sleepinesse is a part of the corruption of our natures whereby we are marvellous careless of God and eternal life that though we be in the gall of bitterness and by nature the children of wrath yet this is the corruption of our nature to look sleepily upon this that danger may be upon us and we never observe it and though there be eternal life to be had yet we are as it were asleep we doe not study how to attain it though there be misery insupportable and unspeakable and sure and certain to fall upon us unlesse we be delivered yet we doe not think of these things we have no fear at all or else our hearts are drowsie and are content to make any thing serve the turn Now when the soule is rowzed up and made to have a due consideration of these things now is is awakened now it is watchful The Point we observe from hence it this That it is an excellent soveraign thing for a Christian to watch and therefore Christ commends it to his disciples and commends it to all people to the end of the world Mark 13.37 That which I say unto you I say unto all watch Now it is good to watch in five respects Reason 1 First In regard of our selves for our own selves are false unto our selves if we be godly men and women we are two selves we have a bad selfe whereby we are apt to be proud and carnal and ungodly in all our wayes and to forget God and we have a good selfe that is better minded Now it is an excellent thing when this good selfe shall watch over this bad selfe and have an eye to it as if a man had a pilfering servant in his family would he not watch him and eye him would he not watch him what money he had in his house and observe what is in his house from day to day So we having such a deceitful selfe about us we had need to watch continually as the Apostle speaks 2 John 8. Look to these that we lose not those thingâ— c. As who should say you will lose the benefit of all the good things that are in you if you doe not look to them there is a thief in thy bosome a deceiver that will steale and cosen thee of all if thou look not to it And here first we should watch our own hearts for our own hearts are deceitful as the Prophet speaks The heart is deceitful above all things Jerem. 17.9 It is very sly and how easily doth it deceive us and carry us aside therefore we had need watch over it as the wise man saith Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence If a man were to ride upon a wilde horse would he not have a care to keep the bridle would he let the bridle goe then he would run away and he should hardly catch him again his business will be hindered and his time spent so it is here a mans heart is like a wild Colt like an untamed Heifer if a man let it go a man had need alwayes to have the bridle in his hand if a man do not watch it and observe it and hold it in it will run away and a man cannot catch it again as a man that is ringing a bell if he let the rope go he cannot readily get hold of it again so a mans heart is slippery therefore a man had need ever to be watching of it Secondly We had need watch our thoughts what slippery things are our thoughts if they be upon that which is good will they be long there they are now there now gone again therefore how careful should we be to hold our thoughts to that which is good the thoughts are so loose and fickle and unconstant and uncertain that though they be on good things for a minute of an hour they will be ten times as long upon vain things there is no trusting of our thoughts we need not say as David of the men of Keilah will they deliver me to Saul will the lusts of my heart deliver me to Satan nay they will deliver us if we watch not over our selves Thirdly We should watch over our affections they are admirable things if we set them upon the things that are above and be watchful to keep them there what admirable advantages are they they are the wings of the soul to help us in prayer and any good duty we go about they will wipe away the difficulties of the wayes of God but they are marvelous uncertain things that if we be not alwayes looking to our selves though our joys and delights c. be upon heaven and heavenly things they will run upon the world again and lose themselves there so that our affections had need to be looked unto Fourthly The Conscience had need to be looked unto for though the Conscience be the best part of a man yet it will flatter us and speak peace to us if we look not to it where is no peace and will check us very carelesly and will not hold forth our duties nakedly if we do not watch over it Fifthly So again We should set a watch over our tongues over our very words that we speak as David saith I will set a watch before the door of my lips Psa 141.3 when a man speaks his words it is as if he should bend his bow to shoot now when a man bends his bow to shoot he had need level well or else he will not hit the mark so if we be not watchful over the words we speak we shall speak vainly and to Gods dishonour therefore saith Solomon he that keeps his mouth keeps his own soul he that watcheth over his lips that he may not offend watcheth over his own soul Secondly It is good to watch in regard of the world for the world will Reason 2 get in and undo us if we take not heed when we are about our callings when as we let our eyes look upon our wares and commodities upon our barns or our Cattel or the like whatsoever comes into our eye is apt to poyson us and whatsoever we see or touch or handle is apt to do us mischief how many thousands are carried away by their eyes by what comes into their senses as Amazâ—ah cryed out 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall I do for the hundred talents he could not lose an hundred talents but his eyes were marvellous eager after them they were a stumbling block to him he could not go so freely
about the commandments of God for fear he should lose them Demetrius having commings in by his calling when the word of God shewed what an unwarrantable calling he had he had rather put off the word of God then his calling O saith he by this calling we have our gain So powerful is the world over men that it can keep men in unwarrantable courses the world windes into men and makes their affections earthly how many thousands are there that can hardly find any competent time to serve God 〈◊〉 they are so taken up with the world when they come to the Ordinances of God their hearts are so spent upon the world that the Ordinances cannot work upon them therefore had not a man need to watch over himself as a man that eats fish may choak himself if he take not heed so our Saviour tells us that the cares of this world are choaking things a man had need be careful how he speaks of the world and thinks of the world for fear he be made listless and heartless to the things of God this is the reason why people have no more heart for heaven because they do not watch against the world the world poysons and choaks them â—et a man have never so sweet dispositions and be never so awakened and startled yet if he give way to the world and the things of the world his heart will be taken off again from these things Reas 3 Thirdly It is good to watch in regard of the Divel in regard of Satan it is the Apostles own exhortation 1 Pet. 5.8 be vigilant and sober for your adversary the Divel goeth up and down like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour Consider first what a subtle enemy he is if a man were to deal with a subtle enemy he would watch and have a care of himself lest he should have advantage against him he would think with himself There is some mischief intended towards me he would look to all his wayes lest a snare should be laid for him when David knew that Saul dealt subtilly with him you see how he looked to himself he scouted everywhere that Saul could come nowhere but David looked to himself he was very careful of himself so that Saul saith I hear he deals subtilly So it were good that the Divel heard that we dealt subtilly for he deals subtilly with us and collogues and colours and varnisheth in matters of evil he sets the best side outward and in matters of good the worst side outwards if any good be to be done he labours to make a man dead in the doing of it if any thing be sinful he hides the danger of it and shews a man nothing but the pleasure and delight and profit of it and a man shall see nothing else almost the Divel is so subtle that he knows what we delight in and where he may have us he knows what sins we are prone to and where he may get us he knows what will hit our humour best he knows what will like us best there was but one passage wherein Peter was naked and the Divel caught him there if he had taken any other course a hundred to one but he had withstood him he seeth where the water is low and there he leaps over therefore how careful should we be when he is so subtle Secondly Consider how diligent he is he is ever trudging up and down from place to place as Saul hunted David up and down Town and Country so the Divel hunts up and down all places are full of him the streets the market the house the fields our beds and closets our Pulpits wheresoever we are he will be sure to be there too he is diligent to follow us everywhere now if we do not watch we shall be caught by him we may say of Satan in some sense as David of the spirit of God whether shall I go from thy spirit and whether shall I flee from thy presence c. so whether shall we go from Satan we can go nowhere but he will follow us he is as busie as a fly about a bald head though they be beaten off again and again yet they will come again though our Saviour Christ beat him off yet he comes again and again and hath more and more flings at him nay he set Peter to tempt Christ He rangeth over all the earth therefore we had need watch Thirdly Consider his strength he is a strong enemy he is the strong man Mat. 12.29 't is true notwithstanding all his strength he cannot force us to sin he can but say as he did to Christ cast thy self down he can but say lye and covet c. he cannot force a man nay whatsoever he puts into us it is not a sin if we give not way to it a man may put it out again if he will he did but provoke David to number the people he might have resisted it he cannot force a man but yet he is a strong enemy and comes with fiery darts and he is strong in regard of our lusts and corruptions that are so strong there lies the Divels strength he hath that in our own bosomes that is so mightily on his side therefore we had need to watch Fourthly Again Consider the malice of this enemy he is the enemy that doth it as the Apostle Peter saith your adversary the Divel he is an adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his temptations may be overthrown but his malice can never be overthrown a man can never make his peace with him so long as he lives in this world he is like a frenzy man as 't is said he is full of wrath knowing his time is short Fifthly Again Consider the Divel hath nothing else to do if the enemy had something else to do a man might be the less careful as it was a comfort to David that Saul had something else to do when Saul was on one side of the mountain David on the other because he had something else to do the Philistines invaded his land this took him away but the Divel hath nothing to employ his time about but only to watch to do mischief therefore we had need be wondrous watchful over our selves Fourthly It is good to watch in regard of the wicked the Divels instruments Reas 4 and where shall we not meet with them we must go out of the world if we will go where they are not they are everywhere Now if we do not watch it is impossible for us to walk up and down in the world but we shall be surprized and learn their works how many thousands are poysoned with the errours of the wicked for want of watchfulness the Galathians if they had watched they had never been drawn from the truth so for practical errours how many cursed principles get into mens hearts and appear in their lives that such kind of Religion is good Religion that such kind of faith is good
about every duty and please God in all his wayes in some measure a little faith is strong so love is a strong grace it is as strong as death Cant. 8. If a man hath but a little true love to God it will enable him to doe strange things it will make him suffer any thing doe any thing leave any thing for God Now natural people they say they love God but it is a weak love it cannot make them leave a lust for God it cannot make them doe any thing for God it cannot carry a man beyond nature but all the graces of Gods spirit are marvellous strong things therefore as ever we desire to have a sign and token that we are true Christians and have the grace of God in truth in any measure in us we should labour to strengthen all the good things that are in us for if we doe not strengthen them they are not of the right stamp Reas 2 Secondly We can never doe any act of new obedience unless we be strengthened as the Lord saith to Joshua Josh 17. Onely be thou strong and doe my commandements c. He would have him strong that he might observe all the Law of God as who should say Joshua thou canst never be able to observe my Law there be mighty performances things that flesh and blood can never reach unto therefore unless thou hast strength and divine strength thou canst never be able to doe this therefore be strong strengthen thy self labour to have all the courage and might that may be God bids us do nothing but he requires all the strength of the whole man Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy strength it must be thus if the water man be to rowe with the tyde and the wind he puts forth no strength the stream will carry the vessel but if he be to rowe against wind and tyde now he must put forth all his strength else the boat cannot go nay it will go the contrary way so if we would please God and work the workâ— of God and attain to his heavenly Kingdom we must rowe against wind and tyde and without tugging and hailing and putting forth a great deal of strength we shall never do it as suppose a man be wronged and offered an inâ—ury he cannot be quiet an hour together but he is abused and misused and mocked and opposed now he cannot be patient unless he be strong and have great strength to deny himself as Col. 1.11 Be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness As who should say if you would have patience you must be strengthned with all might specially if you would be patient with joy may be a man may be patient but then he is surly and lumpish and all amortâ— may be he bears but he is like a block or stock he cannot joy in tribulation he had need have a great deal of strength to do this so if a man would pray can he pray without a great deal of strength it is not a little heave will lift up a mans heart to God I lift my heart to thee he gave a great lift to his heart and Heb. 5.7 it is said that Christ prayed with strong cries we cannot pray aright unlesse we come with strong cries and strong desires so if a man hear the word if it awaken him and quicken him he will lose all again and be as blockish as he was before unless he be strong we can do no good duty without strength and therefore we had need to labour for strength Thirdly We can never overcome temptations nor make our part good Reas 3 against temptations without strength nay we cannot resist them or combate with them or stand in the field against them but we shall be beaten out and be overwhelmed if we have not strength if we would go to heaven we shall be sure to meet with abundance of temptations and if temptations will put us out of the way we shall have enough of them if they can sway us and make us do this and that we shall not want temptations if a bowl hath bias the strength of the arm will take away that though the bias be never so strong as long as the strength of the arm lasts the bias goeth according to the strength of the arm when the strength of the arm is gone then the bias begins to sway it So if a man have strength it will swallow up the bias of temptations but when a man hath no strength then the bias of temptations carries him away then the world bows him then pleasure and his natural inclination sways him this way and that way whereas if a man had strength he might resist temptations 1 Cor. 15.58 be stedfast and unmoveable abounding in the work of the Lord that is if you were strong you would be unmoveable and abound in the work of the Lord all the world could not withdraw you from the work of the Lord for all temptations you would abound in good things what infinite need have we to resist temptations none of us can arrive at heaven unless we be able to go through thick and thin and a world of temptations blessed is the man that endures temptations he shall have enough of them and happy is the man that can endure them and overcome them if we be not strong if we have not this spiritual might what shall become of us if we have not strong love to the truth we shall be hooked away from it if we have not strong love to obedience we shall be disobedient if we have not strong love to the wayes of God we shall be pulled away from them by force of temptations Reas 4 Fourthly Without strength if we should chance to fall we cannot get up again what man is there that falls not in many things we offend all how often doth the godly man fall into sin through weakness and infirmity and ignorance and sometimes in a worse manner now if he have spiritual strength in him then he may rise up again if he hath a strong relation to God in Jesus Christ that cannot be broken then he may get up again as the body if it hath abundance of sores and blains and divers diseases and distempers upon it yet as long as the strength of nature lasts it may work them out again if you give this man Physick as long as the strength of nature lasts Physick may do him good but if the strength of nature be gone the disease will overcome him it will be his death so it is with a Christian as long as there is any spiritual strength in him it will work out corruption if a man have strong relation to God strong interest in Christ strong apprehension of the evil of sin and of the goodness of Gods wayes strong fear of God and a strong judgement these will work out
but when a man hath a care to improve his baptism It is noted of Abraham that he had faith before his circumcision but he received circumcision the seal of the righteousness of faith for this that he might be the father of the faithful Rom. 4.19 Now he could believe incredible wonderful strange things that would have staggered him before So when David was to fight against Goliah he was a great warrier and a mighty souldier and David a weak stripling now see how he strengthned himself against Goliah he useth three argument and one is taken from the Sacrament of Gods covenant he was an uncircumcised man but David was circumcised and within the covenant What is this uncircumcised Philistin to one that is circumcised and in covenant with God and he hath given me the Sacrament of it that he will help me and be with me and stand by me in all estates and conditions So it was with the Gaoler before when the Magistrates bid him put Paul and his fellows in the worst prison he durst do no other and when he saw the prison doors open he would have killed himself he was not able to have any power over himself but when he had faith and was baptized now he was able to take them out of the prison and carry them to his own house and give them the best entertainment though the Magistrates counted them Roagues and vagabonds he had gotten strength now Secondly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is of great force being used with faith and due preparation according to Gods Ordinance it is a Sacrament for the very nonce to help a mans faith and strengthen him in every good thing First Because this is the very nature of the Sacrament it is the Sacrament of growth and increasing in grace the other Sacrament puts a man into the estate of grace and this strengthens a man in the estate of grace therefore when Christ administred the Sacrament he tells us we may receive it as our very bread now Psal 104.15 bread strengthens a mans heart He tells us if we come to the Sacrament aright as our bodies receive bread and it strengthens them so we may receive that which will nourish our souls take eat this is my body will not this bread nourish you directly my body is such a thing that do but take it by faith it shall strengthen you just as this bread strengthens the body as Eliah went in the strength of that meat he eat forty dayes and forty nights so if we come to this Sacrament understandingly and preparedly it is most certain we shall have strength may be not that we would have our selves may be we would have more grace and more assistance but we shall have that strength whereby we shall be able to go on in the service of God doing good and shunning evil from day to day My flesh is meat indeed c. And indeed it will nourish a man as it is said of Jonathan he was weak and faint and his eyes grew dim but when he tasted a little honey his strength came to him again So the Sacrament received by a true Communicant that sets himselfe to prepare his soul to partake of it he shall have his eyes enlightned and his heart quickned he shall have some succour and relief from it to go about every good word and work Secondly It is a seal of Gods Covenant and therefore must needs strengthen a man that is in Covenant with God if he come to it as it ought to be come unto for what is the Covenant a true believer is in I will make an everlasting Covenant never to turn away from them to doe them good and I will put my fear into their hearts c. Jer. 32.40 It is an everlasting Covenant I will never let them goe I will put a strong fear into their hearts that they shall not doe as the wicked doe they shall stand in awe of God it is a strong light others shall be deluded they shall not be deluded it is a strong apprehension of the Word and Will of God this is the Covenant of God Now when a man shall come to have this sealed when God shall give this Sacrament to make this good and he takes the Sacrament upon it that he will walk according to this Covenant according to the grace that God hath given him this man hath all the witnesses in heaven and earth why should he be weak in faith then There be but three witnesses in heaven he hath these that hath faith there be but three on earth the spirit water and blood by spirit is meant the same spirit that works true faith and obedience in the hearts of his people then water that is the water of Baptism and bloâ—â— that is the blood of the Lords Supper the Lord doth witness eternal life to this mans heart therefore what can this man want Thirdly This Sacrament is Communion with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ c. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament aright he hath communion with Jesus Christ therefore he must needs be strengthened though he were never so weak before as Solomon saith of the Coniâ—s they are a feeble folke and yet they make their houses in the Rocks Prov. 30.26 So true Christians are a feeble folk and yet they make their houses in the Rock where they eat this spiritual meat and drink this spiritual drink they drink of that Rock Jesus Christ when they draw neer to this Table they draw neer to Christ and therefore must needs gather strength they come to this Rock to be rooted and established in this Rock and therefore must needs get strength Fourthly Because this Sacrament is a Sacrament of communion with the members of Christ a man that rightly receives it doth increase the communion of Saints over all the world though he never saw them yet he is loved more and more of all the Saints therefore he must needs grow stronger Take a man that is woven into every man there is hardly any man of any power but loves him he hath friends everywhere this man is a strong man as it is said of Absolom he grew strong for the people increas'd continually with him 2 Sam. 21.15 So a Christian must needs grow strong that truly heares the Word and receives the Sacrament for people still come flocking more and more unto him for still as the Church comes to grow or any soul comes to believe in Christ he strengthens himselfe as Paul was strong in every Town where he went in regard of the communion of Saints such a man is strong in regard of his infirmities he hath many to help him to bear them he is strong also in regard of advice and counsel he shall have the counsel of the Saints Job 4.3 If a man be doubtful what course to
him with boyles and blains and woful sicknesse but yet save his life you shall not take away his life so God deals with the life of his Saints though he may let the Devil horribly tempt them and the World horribly carry them away and the lusts of the flesh horribly vanquish them yet saith God he is my childe and the Devil and the Flesh and the Temptations of the World shall never kill him save his life let him never be dead in trespasses and sinnes as a wretch But you will say What is it that doth remain and what shall for ever remain in the children of God You know David fell into adultery to lie with another mans wife he fell to that pass that he laboured to defend his sin and maintain it that it might not come abroad he added murder to it what grace what fear of God what love to his Majesty what regard of Gods commandements what goodness or holiness at all was in Davids heart now at this time So Solomon when he gave way to Idolatry over all Israel to the Idols of Moab and Ammon and Edom and the Philistins round about that the true God was not truly worshipped what grace had he was there any goodness or piety in Solomon at that time So when Peter denied his Master and forswore him and confirmed it with an oath and cursed himself if he knew the man what grace was in Peters heart at that time So when Asa threw the Prophet into prison when he came to reprove him what grace remained in him at that time Thus the enemies of this Doctrine argue against it therefore they say a child of God may fall totally Was there any grace at all in Davids heart when he was committing adultery and murder was there any grace at all in Lots heart when he was committing drunkennesse and incest one night after another I answer There are four things which shall ever remain in Gods children and shall never be taken away quite and clean after they are once converted and brought home to God First They have an Unction an anointing from the holy one and that is in them and shall abide in them for ever 1 John 2.27 The anointing which ye have received of him dwelleth in you c. This same anointing it abides in the people of God for ever By this same anointing I mean the opening of their eyes whereby they look upon God and Christ and his goodness and holinesse and righteousnesse and the commandements of God and sin and hell and the world and profits and pleasures they look upon the things of the world and upon the things of heaven in another manner then any other people doe God opens their eyes that they look upon things in a different manner from other men and this unction shall abide in them for ever 'T is true sin may horribly dazle their eyes by reason of the corruptions of the flesh and the deceivablenesse of sin they may be marvellously weakened in this unction and darkness and deadness of soule may blinde their eyes and dimme their looks but it can never be quite taken away they will have a better sight of God and Heaven and Christ and heavenly things and of the Ordinances of God and of the world and their callings and the businesse of the world they shall see these things after a different manner from the world as for example A child of God shall see more of the word then any other others may see the word and yet continue in sin still but a godly man shall see that in the word that he dares not live in any sin for a thousand worlds So for the Sacrament he seeth more then a natural man a natural man seeth nothing in the Sacrament but he may come to it as he doth come to it he may live in his sins still he sees nothing in the Sacrament he doth not see that he eats and drinks his own damnation if he come unworthily but a childe of God seeth that in the Sacrament that he dares not come unpreparedly and unworthily by any means he seeth that in the Sacrament that requires preparation and worthinesse so for sin he seeth that in sin that he dares not goe on in it he will rather die at stake rather then doe as the world doth though through weakness and want of cautelousnesse sin may get great advantage against him yet it shall never bear him down and the unction keeps him that he dares not lay the reins upon his neck This is one thing shall ever remain in a child of God and this appears by two things First by this That if ever the Devil get a childe of God to commit sin he cannot carry it away as others doe but it makes the heart bleed and wounds the conscience he seeth such things in yielding to sin and giving way to the Devil I speak of known sins the unction doth so wound him that he cannot carry it as others doe if he tell a lye he cannot bear it as the wicked can doe they can be merry and jovial and carry it away it never troubles them but where this unction is it lies heavy upon the soul as the Prophet David had this unction in the midst of all his falling into adultery for you may see for all he lived ten months in the sin before he came to thorough repentance 't is true he did so yet all this while he had this unction for so himselfe confesseth Psalm 51. My sin is ever before me Though he never sought to God soundly and thoroughly for ten months together yet still good things were in him his sins were ever before him it did haunt him as a ghost and wound his conscience his unction did shew him what a beast am I what a wretch what have I done Secondly It appeares too by this That a childe of God though he hath sinned never so much yet he cannot stand it out but let him be soundly dealt with he is not able to hold out but he must submit to the Lord it is a signe this unction is in him for he seeth Gods Word his displeasure his grace and goodnesse a childe of God may be horribly peevish and horribly transported in this fashion to the dishonour of God and opening of the mouthâ— of the ungodly but come and deal with him shew him his sins he is not able to maintain bucklers against it he seeth that in your reproof which will burst all his bones and make him stoop and fling away his sins and cast away his disguisements as it was with David when Nathan came to him O saith he I have sinned he resented presently the unction made him see that in Nathans Sermon that he was not able to hold out any longer but now his soule bleeds and melts within him so when a childe of God comes to the word and heares his sins reproved he cannot carry himselfe as the wicked doe they can heare
another time he helped the enemies of the Lord and loved them that hated the Lord I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab and goe up to Ramoth-Gilead and when he had done this and had humbled himselfe for this he did it again 2 Kings 3.7 And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough as it ought to have been yet saith the Text 2 Chro. 19.3 There are good things in thee because he was upright the Lord was pleased to accept him nay I will tell you more look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover and came horribly unprepared the Text saith they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses which was a grievous thing yet the Text saith the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation now on the other side what goodly men doth God reject not being upright and sincere as Jehu what a glorious King was he I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he fate upon the Throne what to root out Baal and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests and to be zealous in it come and see my zeal for the Lord these were admirable things yet the Lord doth discharge him and would have none of him because he was not upright Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees the nonesuches and mirrours of their times that was a Proverbe in Israel that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other Pharisee they were thought to be the holiest men in the world yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart he denounceth woe upon woe against them Fifthly Consider That if we be upright it will help us to profit by all Gods Ordinances take the preaching of the word Micah 2.7 the Prophet brings in the Lord speaking thus that the word shall do such people good is there any man in the world that walks uprightly that my word doth not do good unto that it doth not comfort his heart and quicken his soul to obedience is it not a light unto his feet and a Lanthorne to his paths so that an upright man when he comes to the Ordinances of God he shall be the better for it when he goes to prayer he shall be the better for it when he comes to the Sacrament he shall be the better for it all the Ordinances of God shall doe him good whereas if a man have a false heart the word hardens him prayer deads him if he come to the Sacrament it is not for the better but for the worse if he be reproved for his sins if he have not a sincere heart he is so much the worse it will do him no good it will make his heart rise up against those that reprove him and hardens his heart so much the more Sixthly Consider that if we be upright what a deal of comfort this will be to our hearts there is no comfort in the world comparable to the comfort of one that hath walked uprightly as Hezekiah when he had received the sentence of death what did comfort him did all his wealth and greatness and renown comfort him no but remember Lord how I have walked before thee with an upright heart marke what he saith he doth not say Remember Lord how I have reformed the Church and purged the Temple and thrown out all the abominations in the Land and purified the Passeover and set the Ordinances of God in his house in due order's no none of all these comforted his heart but looke what he did he did with an upright heart as who should say I might have done all these things but if it had not been with an upright heart it had been nothing that which I did I did from my heart with a fear of thy command I sought thee in it and no by-ends all my care was to approve my selfe before thee â—ow Lord remember this remember the infinite goodnesse and promises that thou hast made to those that are upright before thee Nay if thou hast an upright heart whatsoever troubles come upon the earth or upon thine own soul if thou beest cast into prison or made to flie from one Country to another I tell thee in the midst of all thy afflictions and troubles if thou hast an upright heart thou shalt have peace and comfort Psal 97.11 in the midst of darkness in the midst of afflictions there is some light some cranney some hold some comfort for the righteous on the other side if a man be not upright what a woeful case is this man in nay though a man be upright yet if he doe not apprehend himselfe to be so what a lamentable case is he in he can have no comfort all the skilful Physitians in Gilead can hardly fasten comfort upon that man tell him of all his reformations and prayers and good duties he hath performed O saith he all this is but hypocrisie I am so dead and dull God hath not all my heart tell him of his good desires and purposes and endeavours he is affraid he is not right tell him of Gods promises to pardon him he saith I am not sincere I am not upright Lastly If we be upright we shall be blessed our selves and not only our selves but our very posterity shall be blessed as the Prophet David saith Psal 112.2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth he speakes of the upright not onely himselfe shall be blessed but he layeth up a blessing for the generation that shall come out of his loins so Prov. 20.7 his very children are blessed after him if thou set thy selfe to serve God uprightly with all thy heart though thou canst not leave thy children any great outward matters yet thou shalt leave them a blessing from Heaven thy children shall fare the better for it if we would know what shall become of our children and would faine provide for them let us be upright and that is the way to lay up a blessing in store for our children now on the other side if a man be not upright he is so farre from treasuring up mercy for his children that he rather treasures up wrath both for them and his own soul nay though a man hath been never such a convert to outward appearance never so strangely reformed that all the Country admires at it as it was the case of Simon Mâ—gus he was a Conjurer yet this man was converted very much to see too he was wonderfully reformed and gave over his Conjuring and embraced the Gospel and would follow the Saints and joyned himselfe to Peter and to Philip also when he came to Town yet having not an upright heart the Text saith he had no Lot nor portion in
carry you through from the beginning to the end Vse 1. Then certainly the thing is a possible thing a man may be able to say so it is a thing may be known effectual calling whosoever is partaker of it that man may know he hath it though it be such a great jewel such an admirable thing and happy is that man that ever he was borne when he seeth it yet it is such a thing you may come to see and know every man may know what estate he is in whether he be good or bad the conscience doth not onely excuse in good actions but also in a good estate preserve my soul for I am holy saith David Psal 86.2 his conscience did not excuse him onely in that he had done holy duties but in that he waâ— an holy man his conscience could witness with him that he was an holy man and on the other side the conscience doth not onely accuse in evil actions but also in an evil estate I and my people are wicked saith Pharoh Exod. 9. his conscience did not onely accuse him that he did evil actions but that he was in an evil estate not onely that he had done a wicked thing but was a wicked man and the reason of this is because how else should a man be commanded to shun a bad and follow a good estate if it were not discernable who are in a good and bad estate as we see we are called to avoid the one and follow hard after the other therefore it is a thing that may be attained to nay it is not onely a thing that may be attained unto but the children of God are wont to know it as Paul here to Timothy he hath called us we are able to speak it our consciences choake us not in speaking of it nay the doubtfullest man that ever was was Heman Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation I have cryed night and day unto thee as who should say I am very much bewildered and much to seek and lost in doubts and fears marvelously oppressed and overwhelmed yet this I can say thou art my God the God of my salvation thou hast effectually called me to pertake of thy mercy and I have relation to that thou hast given me union with thee thou art the God of my salvation and so it was with David when he was at his worst hath God forgotten to be gracious will he cast off for ever c Psal 77. though he had named all their grievous passages of feare and despaire as a man would think yet at the self same time ver 5. I have considered the dayes of old he was able to lay hold upon this certainty I have been called such a time the Lord was gracious and merciful unto me I have believed I have tasted of Gods goodness and pertake of his mercy and known the forgiveness of my sinnes he looked unto the dayes of old he could not deny it though he were now miserably put to it he could not deny this but in the dayes of old God had been his God and he his servant and so Jonah when he was dejected and cast down and seemed to be in the belly of hell Lord saith he I am cast out of thy sight as if he had been cast off and quite at a losse yet at the selfe same time saith he I will look towards thy holy Temple Jon. 2.4 as who should say I cannot deny but thou hast effectually called me I have looked to thy Temple heretofore I have looked to Christ and rested upon thee for eternal life and for mercy and thou art my refuge therefore I will look againe to thee So Joh. 14.5 6 7. Thomas he speaks as if he had not known Christ Thomas saith he ver 7. thou dost know me nay when he made a vow that he would not believe except he saw the print of the nailes yet this was but in a fit for within a little space he saith my Lord and my God Joh. 20. I will prove this by reason that a man that is quite to seek that a man that is not able to speak with any certainty he hath not a jot of faith in this point to believe that he is the Lords for that man walks in darkness our Saviour makes it a brand of a man that walks in darkness that knoweth not whether he goeth Joh. 12.35 He that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth whither to heaven or to hell whither he goes right or wrong to Christ or not it is a shroad signe that that man is in a bad estate that God never yet took him out of the world to the fellowship of Jesus Christ The first reason is because it is the office of the Spirit to make known to a man the things given him of God 1 Cor. 2.12 now saith he we have received the Spirit not of the world but the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God as who should say as God hath given us such and such things So we have the Spirit of God that can tell us the things that God hath freely given us when God hath given a man effectual calling it is a free gift and then it is the Spirits office to let a man know it and the Spirit will do his office nay when God effectually calls a man by his Spirit the Spirit saith to a man as the disciples of Christ said to the man that was brought to Christ Matth. 10.40 Be of good cheare he calls thee so when God effectually calls a man the Spirit saith arise be of good cheare the Lord calls thee the Lord of heaven and earth gives thee a gracious call to come to his heavenly Kingdome to believe in his name and to rest upon him for Salvation and for every needful thing for this life and the life to come the Spirit whereby a man is called doth speak internum verbum as Divines speak an inward word which the soul hears as well as the outward eare hears the external word our Saviour sheweth this Joh. 6.45 he that hath heard and learned of the Father saith he cometh unto me when a man is effectually called to come unto Christ he hears of the Father there is a word that the Father speaks not onely the word of the Minister but an inward word and that man hears a word from the Father and how can it be but a man may know it when he hears it for there is a word and an audible word a word whereby the Lord of glory speaks to a man when he effectually calls him to come out of his sins Secondly Because a man that is effectually called of God he is commaded by God to make his calling and election sure as we may see 2 Pet. 1.10 as who should say you may make it sure 't is true in legal precepts this doth not follow that if so be God bid a man to do it
to some purpose Sixthly Thou canst not sweetly go on in the waies of God all the duties of Religion will be a burthen to thy soul and thou wilt be weary of them which would be light and pleasant if thou didst know thy effectual calling of God but now they will be burthensome and thou wilt think the Sabbath comes too often and good duties come too often about they come so fast that thou hast no heart or minde to them for want of that which should sweeten the wayes of God to a man the knowing of God and what he goeth about and the knowing of him he hath to deale withal without this a man can never go on nay it is a wonder that thou hast not broken thy neck before this day that thou hast not turned back to folly and revolted cleane to the wayes of sinne that thou hast not turned back to be a drunkard and profane person againe it is a wonder that thou prayest in thy family that thou hast not given over all holy duties and reassumed the works of the flesh and cast off all the courses of a godly life it is a wonderful mercy of God that thou hast not apostatized Take a man that knows he is effectually called it is a wonder to see that man fall I marvel saith Paul that ye are soone removed Gal. 1.6 A man may wonder what ayleth that man that knows he hath an effectual call of God and falls that man is besides himself he is not his own man certainly if he turne back to folly when he knows God to turne from his Commandements to yeild to the lusts of the flesh and grow carelesse and negligent it is a wonder that such a man should be removed back but he that never knew of any such things he hath no knowledge of Gods goodness towards him it is a wounder that he doth not quite fall off for the knowledge of a mans effectual calling is that which doth preserve a man Jude 1. the Apostle saith Jude a servant of Jesus Christ to them that are preserved in Christ and called when a man hath an effectual call he hath that which should preserve him therefore when a man comes to know it what a sweet thing is this to be preserved of God to be kept and carried through when Gods people know not this they are subject to falls and returning back without the Lords wounderful mercy Seventhly What difference is there between thee and a very wretch as long as thou knowest not that thou art effectually called of God what difference between thee and one that is in darkness and under the power of darkness in thy own sence and feeling when David was but afraid of falling into this passe Psal 28.1 O Lord saith he be not silent least I be like them that go down into the pit he was afraid of falling into that estate of doubting of Gods love and the assurance of his love and favour least he should be like unto those that go down into the pit so may I say of those that are unsetled in their minds and do not know whether they have any good at all wrought in their hearts what difference do you see between your selves and those that are wicked and abominable you can hardly pitch upon any thing wherein you differ from a wicked man as Throgmorton said brother what will you say if I dye a reprobate so such speeches may come out of thy mouth what will you say if I dye a reprobate as David when he had committed those two foule sins and had blurred his evidences and could not see Gods goodness and mercy towards him he was faine to begin the world again create in me O Lord a cleane heart c. as though he were to begin from the very ground againe as if he had lost all and had nothing in him what a miserable thing is this Eightly Thou art of all men most miserable if thou knowest not thy effectual calling for other men though they have no comfort in heaven yet they have comfort in the world but as for thee thou hast neither comfort above nor here below the wicked of the earth they care not for thee because thou professest religion and thy conscience that mistrusts that God cares as little for thee because thou art not right and so thou art as a meteor hanging in the ayre cast out from men and God conscience will not let thee close with God nor close with the wicked not with God because thou doubtest whether thou art his or no not with the wicked because thou art strongly convicted that their courses are damnable now what comfort canst thou have when a man cannot tell whether to go this is the case of a man that knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no. Nay lastly Let me tell thee this if thou be totally uncertaine thou wert never effectually called of God to this very day but still remainest under the guilt of thy sins and the wrath of God and the curse of the law and the damnation of ungodly men for if a man be called he presently comes to be faithful chosen and faithful Rev. 19. it is faith that makes up the effectual call for this call differs from the other in that this call makes a man come to God by faith so that a man is a believer if he be effectually called now if a man be a believer there is some knowledge in faith Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength saith the text look up and down in all the Scripture there is some surety in every believer that he hath righteousness in God that he hath salvation in his name as the Church saith Isa 53.15 doubtlesse thou art our Father it is the speech of people that are marvelously troubled with unbelief and doubting yet at last they conclude it doubtlesse thou art our Father they cannot deny it so saith David Psal 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life 1 Joh. 5.19 We know that we are of God he doth not only say it is thus but we knows it is thus nay take the doubtfullest man that ever was which was Heman Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation saith he he was able in some measure to speak it that God was the God of his salvation he was not totally uncertaine of it wheresoever there is faith there is some knowledge But then you will say what is the difference between the uncertainty that is in believers and other people it is true that all believers are effectually called of God but yet a man may be uncertaine now the question is how differs the uncertainty of a true believer that is called of God and others the difference is in these several particulars First A man that is effectually called of God as it may be he cannot say it so he cannot deny it
and my Redeemer Againe the children of God that are effectually called though they doubt never so much yet their faith is of a contrary nature to their doubting and excludes doubting Mat. 21. If you believe and have faith and doubt not saith the text not as though faith cannot have doubtings stand with it but faith is of that nature as excludes and expells doubtings and fights against it as fire against water and such a man fights against doubtings as he would fight against temptations to murther adultery he knows that infidelity is the mother of all sinne and therefore faith fights against doubting and goeth to the throne of grace to be established Lastly Though a child of God doubt of his condition yet this is certaine that Christ is the power of God to that man though he know not whether he be effectually called by Christ yet Christ is the power of God to his soul as 1 Cor 1.24 Vnto them which are called Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God He is powerful to his soul for the humbling awakening quickenning of him for strengthening of him against sinne for the making him hold out in the waies of God he is of power to him in all his ordinances in prayer in hearing the Word and in all his wayes But it is not so with others that question the effectual calling Christ is not the power of God to them Christ is of no effect to them he may be of some effect for enlightnings and stirrings and outward reformation but to bring them to goodness and holiness indeed and to hatred against sinne Christ is not the power of God to those persons but he is foolishness to them Now the next thing that I will shew you is a point that hath been a little touched but I will passe over what hath been spoken and will speak more at large of it I desire to speak more particularly and punctually of this same effectual calling And the first point we will take out of it is this that effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ the first making of men to come to Christ the first putting of a man into the estate of grace it is the very portall to religion the very entry into eternal life it is the first bringing of a man to pertake of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have fellowship with him so it is called in Scripture the gathering of the elect home Isa 56.8 I will gather saith the Lord the out casts of Israel he prophesieth there of the effectual calling of the Gentiles and God saith here this is the first thing that I will do I will gather them to my people I will make them come home to the Lord Jesus Christ this is set forth unto us by our Saviour Christ in two principal parables one of the Net Mat. 13.47 48. againe the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Net c. So that here speaking of the effectual calling of people this is said to be the first act of God in it namely the gathering of them for the Kingdom of heaven by the preaching of the Word and this net is the Gospel that is preached the sea is this world the fishes are men and the good and bad are elect and reprobate not as though the elect were good before they are effectually called but they are called good because of Gods designation and decree to make them good and he looks upon them as such as shall be good and such as he hath purposed to make good in his time Now the Gospel doth draw out of the world Gods elect by a general call it calls both elect and reprobate but effectual calling is the gathering of good fishes that in the end of the world shall be put into vessels by themselves so that effectual calling the first act of it is the gathering of men to God the other parable is Luk. 15.4 5. What man having lost an hundred sheep c. all the lost sheep of Israel and of Gods election that are in their lost estate as well as other people before God takes them in hand here you see the first act God doth towards them before which they were altogether lost and are now found againe is the fetching of them home the taking of them upon Christ his shoulders and bringing them home unto him I say effectual calling it is Gods first making of a man to come to Christ you may see it 1 Pet. 2.4 To whom coming as to a living stone ye also are built up c. he alludes unto their first effectual calling when God did first deale with them he made them to come to him to be put into this building the children of God after that they are effectually called are said to be in this building but this first act of God is the putting of them into this building the bringing of them to be laid into this excellent edifice for there is no such building in the world is it a building whose foundation is Christ and all the Saints of God are built upon it it is the most admirable building in the world now effectual calling brings a man and layes him into this building before a man is effectually called he is as a stray sheep as a sheep scattered abroad and roaming and ranging up and down the waies of sin and of death whom the devil hath pounded as a stray he is departed from God and is roaming up and down in the world he is in a lost estate till God come with this effectual calling and bring him home 1 Pet. 2.25 For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to your shepheard that is ever since your effectual calling you are come home to God that was your returning time before you were as chickens subject to the kite till this hen gathered you under her wings and made you safe so againe it is called the drawing of a man unto Christ Joh. 6.44 No man cometh to me except the Father draweth him that is except the Father effectually call him he cannot come unto me now this bare and naked calling cannot do it without drawing therefore it is here called drawing of a man before which a man was altogether out of Christ therefore this is the first act God performes upon a man to draw him to Christ the man is as unwilling to come to Christ naturally as any else his lusts draw him another way and he is as heavy as a milstone and his heart is lumpish to the things of God till the father draws him and pulls his affections and thoughts and minde to come home unto Christ this is the first act God doth and againe it is called the bringing of a man to Christ Joh. 10.16 other sheep also have I saith Christ which I must bring unto this fold he speaks here how that he means to call the Gentiles all the elect of God among them now because
were his enemy and would slay him and now he was willing to do it so the Lord deals with a stubborne soul if it belongs to him he will overcome his heart and make him let fall his sinnes he will make as though he would slay him he will make him a weary of keeping his lusts before he hath done with him The Lord deales in this case as he dealt with the Philistins they would not send home the Arke what course did he take to make them send it home and send it home in pomp and great respect God did fling down Dagon which was their chief Idoll and the Lord smote them with Emerods And now they think with themselves let us send home the Arke of the Lord and how shall we send it home Let us provide golden Mice and Emerods they sent it home with cost and offerings So the Lord deals with those that belong to him he tires them in their own ways and makes them willing to come out at last Lastly the Lord doth it to knock his people quite and cleane off from all every man naturally hangs upon something and above all hangs upon his good works and good prayers and performances and this keeps his heart from seeing what a miserable creature he is this keeps him from mourning and zeal and fervency and all this while that he hangs upon these his heart is hard'ned he will never stoop and yield to God now when the Lord means to do a man good he knocks him quite off and plucks out of his hands all his works and makes him let all go not that he ceaseth to work but as the Apostle speaks Rom 4.14 He makes him as a man that worketh not not as though he worketh not for there is no carnal man works more then this poor soul in this estate he keeps a great deal of stir to find out mercy and obtaine grace from God there is none that mournes and laments more and goes to Sermons more but yet he is no worker now he is faine to go to his father to him that justifies the ungodly all his wayes are loathsome and abominable he seeth nothing to trust upon but is driven to him that justifies the ungodly he sees he is a vile wretched creature he sees no worth no reason why God should look upon him he is now pennilesse and worthlesse and miserable in himself the Lord makes him a very bankrout he thought he was a rich Merchant but now he makes him a very bankrout and makes him appeare to be naked First here all Dawbers are to be reproved that preach nothing but mercy and the promises of the Gospel many love alife to be upon such theames O say they the promises are best to humble a man and bring him out of his sins whom shall we believe God or man This not the way Ezek. 13.22 the text saith Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked wayes by promising him life When a man preacheth the promise of God before wicked and ungodly men this hardens their hearts and strengthens them that they will not returne from their wicked wayes because the promises are propounded to them and the Minister makes no distinction between the precious and the vile this strengthens them in their sinnes and makes them think they are not so vile but they hope they are in a good case for all this therefore Saint Austine calls such men desolatores not consolatores such work desolation in their hearers and no sound consolation such Ministers as make their Sermons to be pillowes under peoples elbowes they make themselves guilty of the peoples blood and their souls shall be required at their hands they are the cause of peoples miscarriage when a Minister thinks to do people good by crying peace peace when the Prophet saith there is no peace to the wicked this rather drives people further off from God may be it may make them seeme outward professors but it will never make them sound in the faith rebuke them sharply saith the Apostle that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 sharp rebuking the powerful delivering of the Law and Gospel is the meanes to mahe men sound in the faith the more humble a man is made to be the more faith he comes to have our Saviour saith of the Centurion he had not found the like faith in Israel how came this the text shewes plainly that we shall hardly heare of a man so humble in an age as he was he did even grudge to think that Christ should come into his house he thought he was unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe though he were in the dayes of his humiliation in the forme of a servant his heart was employed and brought low he had no hope in himself all the worth he saw was in Christ this helps a man to the more faith the more a man is emplyed the more may be poured in Wherefore serve all those texts in Scripture The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evill flesh and blood can never enter into the Kingdome of God that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and such a one can never please God while the world stands Wherefore serve all these texts of Scripture when Gods flings balls of fire upon men that live in their wicked wayes Why do we not open them and presse them upon mens consciences Why do we not apply them to those to whom they belong are they not in the Bible were the Prophets fooles were the Holy Pen-men of the Scripture mistaken in putting such texts into the Bible If they be there they ought to be utâ—â—red and applied and if they be to be applied to whom but to those to whom they belong Then such persons had need to look to themselves and we that are Ministers woe unto us if we do not preach terrour to whom terrour belongs as well as mercy to whom mercy belongs but you will say are not we Ministers of the Gospel 't is true and so was Christ yet mark what he saith repent and then believe first he discovers their miserable conditions and breaks their hearts and then bids them lay hold upon the Gospel of peace this is the Method that we that are the Ministers of God should take first wound and then heale first lance and then bind up first detect mens sinnes and shew them their miseries and then shew them a remedy first let them see what they are and then see how they may be better Then you must be content to let us go up upon Mount Eball and pronounce the curses of God upon those that go on in their sinnes you must be content to have your estates and conditions ripped up be not ready to be snappish and murmuring against the revelation of the Law and the
Wildernesse the Lord doth as it were entice a man thus and thus it shall be with thee if thou wilt follow me it is done after such a manner therefore it is called a voice The third thing is how we may know whether the soul hath heard this voice or no I answer first there is a power goeth along with the Word when this voice of the Father goeth with it there is a power put into the promises not only the Minister speaks them or the bare letter of the word utters them but when the Spirit speaks with them there is a power goeth along with them as John 6.44 there is a power to draw the heart when the Lord calls a man when he speaks to a man he puts a power into the promise that it draws the heart of a man the truth the goodness the excellency freenesse attainableness of it the Lord puts a power into these things to draw the heart so that that man is drawn to look after heaven and come to God from day to day the excellency and incomparable worth of these things having the power of God in them woeth the heart and enticeth it and draws it and hales it to come to God and weaneth it from the world and he lets them go more and more not seeing such worth in them to draw his minde away more and more hence the Gospel is call'd the power of God to salvation Rom. 16.6 when God calls a man by the Gospel he puts a power into all the promises to draw a man home to pull a man effectually and powerfully unto him he is enamoured of them and must have them and will have them and casts himself upon God for the having of them when any soul obeyeth the call of God what is the reason that it obeyeth it it feels a power in the Word in the promises of God when he hears it preached as 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not unto you in Word onely but in power the Lord calling of these good Thes By his grace there was a power went along with the Word and made them receive the Word and that drew their hearts to take it though by nature they were averse from it though by nature they were stubborn and rebellious and would not submit to the Gospel yet when the Lord puts this power into the promise to overwoe the soul more then lusts and sinnes and things of the world could do more then the inclinations of the soul could do it came with a stronger power then all these to the soul and this made the soul hear this voice Secondly he that hears this voice hears more then a man or any creature say unto him beleeve saying unto him come unto Christ cast thy selfe upon God here is mercy here is a promise here is peace that thou needest when he doth not onely hear the Minister say it all the Congregation hears him speak it and no man stirs but when a man hears more then a Minister say so he feels such a coming of the Word to him that all the created powers in heaven and earth could never move him in that manner then he heares the voice of the Spirit of God for when God calls a man effectually he makes the Gospel a glasse for a man to see the glory of God thorow as you may see 2 Cor. 3.18 he means by the glasse there the Gospel the Lord when he calls a man he makes the Gospel a glasse to him that he may behold the glory of God the infinite graciousnesse and lovelinesse of God the infinite goodness happinesse and blessednesse of God and what an infinite fountaine of all goodnesse he is in his own Son Jesus Christ he lets him see not only the Gospel every man seeth the Gospel but every man hath not this glasse it is not this glasse to him to let him see the glory of God when God turns a man he comes with this glorious light thorow the Gospel to his soul there is a great light shines from heaven about a man as there did about Saint Paul the Gospel it self a light and every man seeth this light but there is darkness upon the minde still for all that but when God calls a man there is a great light comes into the soul you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2.9 mark there is a marvellous deal of light the Lord lets into the soul that the soul can now see how the devil and sin and the world deluded him and how the world and all profits and pleasures are a meer painted thing and are meerly vexations of Spirit now he sees how to distinguish between things and things there is a glorious and a marvellous light come in he sees the wiles of his own heart and how he was beguiled before and betwitched by the devil before he seeth all the folly and the Popery of his own heart such a deal of light comes in that it discovers all so far forth as is necessary to bring him to God now he sees that his moaping and blundering upon his sins and condemning of himself it had a form of humility but it was nothing but pride and stubbornnesse of heart and he would rather have him be without mercy then have it upon Gods termes he beholding the glory of God seeth the wyles and deceits of his own soul this light sheweth him the glory of God and propounds to him these things and makes him beleeve them Thirdly this same voice of the Father when the Father speaks to a man it is the irrefragable propounding of the promise to him when the promises of the Gospel are delivered in an irrefragable mannner contrary to all the objections of the heart of man all the pleas that can be brought against it it comes in an irrefragable manner and holds itself before him that he may believe not that he may not be tempted to the contrary but he sees that they are but temptations O saith the soul I see I am unwilling to do good duties what of that if thou wouldest be willing the promise is free may be saith the soul I am full of stubbornnesse and rebellion and unprofitableness what of that that is nothing saith the promise if thou come to me I can heal thee of this stubbornnesse beleeve in me this is the way to be rid of thy stubbornnesse and to have a better heart and more abilities as long as it is a burthen to thee beleeve in me it comes in an irrefragable manner so that the soul can say I refused comfort all this while as David saith Ps 77. comfort was propounded to me but I would not have it I was sullen and peevish and put it off and withstood my own comforts now the soul seeth its putting off of Gods mercie and the forsaking its own mercies and the gracious proffers tendred to it I say when the Spirit speaks this voice to the soul it speaks in a marvellous
man to God his whole self is both the agent and the patient faith comes in to justifie the whole man and sanctifie the whole man and renew the whole man therefore no wonder it is such an act as the whole man doth put forth not only the mind by assenting but the heart by relying and the affections by placing themselves upon God Fifthly there be abundance of graces besides faith that are in all the powers of the soul as livelihood is in the whole and unblameablenesse 1 Thess 5.23 and perseverance is in the whole man so that the mind must not only persevere in saving knowledge but the heart also in saving confidence perseverance runs through all the soul and why not faith many graces have a complext and compounded nature in one regard they may be said to be in the minde in another in the heart in another in the memory in another in the affections in another in the body so it is with faith in one regard in regard of assent it is in the mind in regard of confidence and affiance it is in the will Here we see that though faith be sure of salvation and justification in regard of the event yet it is not alwayes sure of it in regard of sense and feeling for true faith is not the apprehending of salvation it self but the apprehending of Christ for salvation when a man placeth all his affiance in Christ and all the good he looks for spiritual good temporal good help comfort meanes and maintenance and particularly the pardon of his sinnes this is justifying faith though for sense and feeling there is much uncertainty faith is certaine for the event the man that believes is justified and shall be sanctified and saved but in regard of sense and feeling it is not alwayes certaine Joh. 3.15 He doth not say whosoever believes he shall have eternal life hath it but whosoever believes in me he shall have it though he be afraid he shall not have it yet if he believes in me he shall have it certainly if with heart and minde and soul and all he resigne up himself to me to be guided and ruled by me in all his wayes if he commits himself to me he shall have eternal life may be he is afraid he shall not have it a man hath that affiance in Christ that is confident in Christ for salvation and commits himself to Christ for all his comfort and hope and stay and is fully resolved by the Grace of God never to leave him he is inwardly purposed never to forsake him he will ever set himself to please him he will ever follow his Commandements and ever strive against his corruptions and whereas he may be tempted to be carried from him he hath an inward principle in his soul for a rule which he goeth by that he must please God and not man there is an inward rule rooted in his soul that thus it is and this man commits himself to Christ for audience in his prayers for acceptance in his duties for the resisting of his corruptions and for the salvation of his soul when he dieth and for the comfortable resurrection of his body at the last day yet notwithstanding this man would give a world to be assured of Gods favour though he casts himself upon God for it and commits himself and betrusts himself with Jesus Christ he doth so believe in him that he dares follow him in all his wayes and he dares cast himself upon him whatsoever it will cost me I will follow Christ may be it may cost me the ill will of my friends may be of my husband may be it may cost me the ill will of all the Countrey yet that way I will walk though it cost me fire and faggot may be I shall be persecuted and imprisoned it is no matter here is eternal life and no where else here I come for it and here I trust that Christ will give it to me it is he only that can help me he only that can give me audience in prayer he only can bring me to acceptance in heaven here I come to him for it and cast my self upon him in all my wayes yet may be this man would give a world for this favour that he hath committed himself to Christ for he would give all the world to the shirt upon his back that he had the sense and feeling of it many times between hope and despaire he even staggers and knows not what to think yet he will cast himself upon Christ and trust to him yet he hath much ado to believe certainly there is a great deal of feares and doubtings in his faith the reason is when a man hath trusted in Christ and lookes upon his faith he shall finde may be such strength of worldly allurements such yieldings to the assents of the flesh and himself sometimes foiled with a paultry and petty lust he shall finde such a deal of deadnesse and so much untowardnesse and such a company of corruptions marching before him that he is afraid 't is true I have cast my self upon Christ but I doubt my faith is not of the right stamp not as though a man can believe in hugger mugger and a man knows not what he doth for a man sees it and knows it for the spirit of a man knows what is in him ask the man Sir do you not do thus and thus Yes have you not these and these workings in you he cannot deny it do you not hate your self for every sinne you know and do you not know your own sinnes and do you not grieve to see what a vile creature you are do you not labour after more sincerity in your wayes and more quickning in good duties He cannot deny but he hungers after these things and do you not still follow Christ and cleave still to Christ and do you not still labour to deny your selfe He cannot but confesse it why then you have faith 't is true saith he I go out of my self but it is I know not how I am at this passe if I perish I perish here I stick and here I wil adhere but yet I fear I am not right the Scripture saith true faith doth thus and thus and thus but here I see such a corruption so strong and such a lust so mighty I say true faith may be without sense and feeling of it there may be much feare and trembling in regard of assurance of salvation though a man do truly and confidently cast himself upon Christ and I will prove this unto you by five Arguments First the event is not the object of a justifying faith that a man shall be justified sanctified and saved this is the event of a justifying faith that he lookes for Now the object of a justifying faith is not the event that it shall fall out thus with him he commits this to God he believes in the general that all that believe shall be saved and
faith then look that you have no other gods but me look that you honour me in all my wayes and stoop to me and obey my Word as the Lord propounded the one so he set before them the other a man forgets that God is his God by faith if he keeps not his Commandements beware saith Moses least thou forget the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandements How can a man believe in God when he forgets that which he should believe When a man forgets to be subject to God and to give up himself in all his wayes The Promises and Commandements are tyed together with bonds of adamant and no man can pull them asunder as it is with sinne and the threatnings if a man go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings light upon him they are bound together by bonds of adamant and everlasting coards let a man do what he can if he howle and roare to God to take away his plagues to take away Hell fire and damnation if he go on in sinne it will never be they hang together in an everlasting truth The way of the wicked shall perish and if a man soweth iniquity he shall reap misery saith the Wiseman As a man soweth so he shall reap do not deceive your selves We are marvelous apt to reason as Eve did to put in perhaps perhaps you shall dye Nay assuredly we shall dye if we go on in sinne and will not live that life which God hath set before us the life of faith the life of God the life of Heaven the life of true Holinesse and righteousnesse if we will not submit to this and give up our selves to be brought under it we shall assuredly perish never did any man live and goe on in sinne but he dyed in perdition Never any man lived a wicked and ungodly life but had a wicked wretched and damned death if a man do go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings of God light upon him he cannot avoyde them so it is on the other side the Promises and the Commandements go together and if a man do observe the Commandements of God by a true and lively faith he shall assuredly have the promises and if he reject the Commandements or be unsound in the doing of them he cannot have the Promises if he have the one he must have the other he can never make a faithful Plea for Peace for Pardon for Heaven or any thing that God hath promised that bindes not himselfe over to God to do his will in every thing Nay the strength of Faith puts forth it selfe in as strong an act towards the Commandements as towards the Promises and if there be any difference it is on the Promises side for the Promises are more supernatural then the Commandements for they were once written in the heart therefore the Commandements are not so supernatural a man was once acquainted with them but the Promises of Mercy and Pardon and Redemption are more supernatural and we see this in poore weak beleevers that go on and are enabled to make good conscience of their wayes and to be very carefull of sinning against God and walk in very good strictnesse diligence and circumspection and yet have much ado to apply the Promises and appropriate them to themselves I say broken-hearted people that are weak in faith in regard of personall confidence may yet notwithstanding be very strong in the doing of the Commandements of God The reason is because obedience flows from a direct act of faith and this bearing a man upon the Promises from a reflect act of faith it flowes from a consciousnesse of obedience when a man is conscious that he is sincre then and never before can a man have confidence that the Promises are sealed to him this is a reflect act of faith but it is a direct act that makes a man obey Gods Commandements so that faith must needs work obedience for if there be this blessed couple propounded to the soule in the Gospel together with the Commandements Faith looking on both takes one as well as the other Fourthly there is another close couple that faith looks upon and that is as upon a Title to the Kingdome of Heaven so also to a fitnesse for the Kingdome of Heaven and one is as needfull as the other as things without which a man cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Now Faith as it helps a man to a title to Glory so it helps a man more and more with fitnesse because it seeth it cannot be otherwise When David had committed his two fowle sinnes of murther and adultery though he had not lost his title to the Kingdome of Heaven yet he could not enter into it he could not have actual possession of it Why Because he was unfit Heb. 12.14 Without holinesse a man cannot see God though a man hath all the titles in the world though he be elected to it before all worlds yet till he is made fit for it he cannot enter into it flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God as the Apostle Peter speakes it is an inheritance holy and undefiled and a man must be holy before he can be made partaker of it Joseph must shave himself before he come before Pharaoh Ahasuerus women must be prepared and purified with spices and odours and mirrhe Hest 2.11 And then they came before the King when they were prepared and adorned and made sweet and perfumed So a man must first be prepared and fitted for the Kingdom of heaven or else there is no admission into it heaven is too fine a place for adulterers and drunkards c. As soone as ever the Angels of heaven though glorious creatures began to sinne against God God thrust them out of heaven they left their habitation it was too fine for them and do you think the Lord will admit the Devill into heaven againe in his members what a thing is it when every drunkard and profane person shall think himself meet company for the blessed trinity it cannot be God will never take such foule loathsome creatures into fellowship and Communion with him they are too neare him already in the world and therefore be will fling them out of his presence into Hell in Heaven is nothing but beatifical vision viewing of God and delighting in God and not thinking a thought but of God and therefore no roome for those that are empty of grace and not fitted and prepared for it now faith knowes this and believes this and therefore as it layeth hold on Christ for title so it never leaves till it hath gotten fitnesse from Christ as the Apostle speakes Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet c. God makes all meet for Heaven that he brings thither and till they are so they cannot be admitted thither if a man will go to heaven he must be a vessel of honour 2 Tim. 2.21 Therefore Faith
such a sin and all the power that is in God it is to him-ward Secondly Faith doth fetch down power from Heaven in a moral manner by considering the exceeding greatnesse of the recompence of reward as it s said of Moses Hebrewes 1.25 I say faith looks unto Christ looks unto the favour of God unto the forgivenesse of sinnes and Title to Gods Kingdome it looks unto eternal life unto those admirable joyes that are at Gods right hand for evermore which are promised to them that believe it seeth these things and this makes him able to deny any thing to overcome any thing to go about any thing shall I have Heaven the favour of God a Kingdome shall I be happy for ever Shall I have all these things if I will pray and heare the Word Obey God and give over vaine company and joyne to Gods people and hate all manner of evil if I will labour to crosse my own thoughts and desires and approve my selfe to God in all my wayes shall I have all these things this makes him able to do it he looks to this and so goeth about it and when the flesh shall object hardnesse and difficulty and opposition and losse of comfort and losse of carnal ease and delight faith goeth and sets these admirable things against them it sets Heaven and the Kingdome of Heaven and Christ and the joyes of Gods right hand against them and this makes him do it it sets the will of God against his will the favour of God against the favour of men the joyes of Heaven against carnal joyes eternal happinesse for evermore against the sufferings here for a moment weighs one in one scale and the other in the other and so works with them Here we may see what little faith there is among people certainly there is but little faith because if there were much faith there would be much obedience given to God we should have admirable Townes gracious Congregations we should have never a drunkard never a prophane person but all Saints and holy men and women every one would be thinking of God and his wayes and heavenly minded if there were much faith people would have their lives changed and their conversations altered as Christ saith When the Sonne of man comes shall he finde faith upon the Earth So may I say if the Sonne of man should now come among us should he find faith among us He should find it very rare for this is certain there are not very many that professe faith drunkards and the greatest company of prophane persons are such as have not the face of holinesse and faith and amongst this little number that professe it how few are there that have true faith indeed You see none have true faith but those that are obedient unto God true faith doth bend the soul to God it makes the soul spiritual and holy and humble and cleane another man from that he was before that he shall be resigned over to God to live at his dispose this is true faith therefore faith is hardly to be found upon earth it is a pitiful thing to see how little Gods will is regarded up and down and though God be our Maker and his hands have formed us though we professe we are his people whom he hath redeemed though we know he hath sent Christ into the world and the blood of his own Sonne is cried up and down in the streets and calls upon men to believe and take hold on it though we do know these things yet for all this equity of obedience to God and notwithstanding the necessity of obedience how do people sleight the will of God it is his will we should be fruitful under the meanes heavenly in holy duties fervent in calling upon his Name that we should have the true feare of his Name before our eyes it is his will that we should serve him in sincerity all the dayes of our lives that we should stand for him and glorifie him before men that we should walk with God and be strangers upon earth and wean our selves from the world and be taken up with him more then with any thing in this life that we should count nothing deare for him and deny our selves in every thing it is his will for us to do these things but who looks after these things As if we were possessed with a legion of Devils we go slighting and contemning and breaking all bonds of equity and necessity of obedience and Gods will is not obeyed his worship is not promoted his name is not feared few give their minds to do these things if God had not thrown millions of devils into hell for sinning against him if God had not revealed his wrath against sinne and iniquity and all unrighteousnesse if God had not showen how jealous he stands upon keeping his Lawes and observing his Commandments and his holy and heavenly Word if God had not revealed himself unto us it had been another matter but he hath revealed these things yet how secure are we He hath made it appear Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that doth evil and cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant Jer. 11.63 And he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all that obey not the truth 2 Thes 1.8 These things are spoken and delivered and we know these things and confesse them yet God is not respected for all this Nay such is the impudency of men that they will acknowledge that God ought to be obeyed and served and it is good to serve him and it is a dangerous thing not to serve him and yet for all this they will not do it as if it were nothing to be damned and as if they would try whether they can bear hell nay such is the impudency of mens faces that notwithstanding they have heard they are unconverted and their hearts are not subject to God yet they hope they have true faith in God and their sins are infirmities whereas you see it cannot be true faith unlesse it make a man to be obedient to God in all his wayes and binde a man in a perpetual bond to God for ever never to depart from him Thirdly it may be an Use of examination to see whether we obey God or no for if our faith be the faith we hope it is it will make us obedient First then true obedience is a willing affectionate hearty obedience Prov. 3.1 My son let thy heart keep my Commandments the Lrod will have such obedience as proceeds from the bottome of the heart not when a mans heart is dull and dead and hangs off but when the heart poures forth it self in his wayes and performing his gracious pleasures from day to day this the Lord requires that it be done with the affection of the heart as well as the thing be done in the thing done the wicked may go as far nay further
there is a coming into life so it is here as the Apostle saith there is a conceiving of a man in the womb before he is Gal. 4.19 My little Children of whom I travel in Birth till Christ be formed in you There is the Conception 't is true wicked men have many Conceptions but they do not bring forth Christ is not formed in them they may have many stirrings that way but they perish in the Birth but Zion travels and brings forth Children Isa 66.8 Fourthly Again As it is in the Natural Birth None is brought forth without the pains of travel So there be pains in this new Birth legal terrours which the Reprobate are killed with and die under but the godly come forth from under them safe and bettered Fifthly Again As it is in the first Birth the Child that is born and comes into the world he comes from no Being to a Being from no Existency to an Existency so it is here in this new Birth those which were no people are now made the people of God those that had no being in Christ now have a being in him they are come into a new world into a new heaven and a new earth others live in this world but they live in a new world Sixthly Again As it is in the first Birth A man comes to have Children to have Brothers and Sisters so in this Birth a man comes to have new Kindred all the Godly in the world are of his Consanguinity though they be counted the Puritans of the Parish yet they are of his bloud and Christ himself is their Brother and Abraham is their Father under God and Sarah is their Mother there is a new Kindred Indeed here is the difference that the Children of the first Birth they are visible and their lives and courses are visible and their alliance and kindred is visible and all that they are and do is visible but the Children of the second Birth are not visible indeed their persons are visible as well as others but their life is an invisible thing their excellency their glory this new creature in them this is invisible it is like that River in Spain which runs fourteen miles under ground whence they have a Proverb That the Bridge over the River is fourteen miles long So there is a River in Surry that is just the like it runs under the ground invisible they cannot see it so these new creatures they cannot be seen their lives run under ground their lives are hidden with God indeed their persons and outward actions and courses may be seen nay wicked men may do those very outward actions which they do they may Pray together with them and come to Church together with them but this new workmanship they cannot see that runs along under ground the world seeth it not neither can they know it because they know not Christ the Author of it Thus we see the second thing namely Why it is so called Now the Third Thing is Wherein this blessed Work doth consist and it consists in Two Things Joh. 1.12 The Evangelist saith To as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God Here be Two Things and both these Regeneration consists of First A Passive receiving of Christ Whosoever receives him Secondly An Active Title to God as to a Father They have power to become the Sons of God First A Passive receiving of Christ To as many as received him for he came to his own and they received him not his own even his own Elect would not receive him till he made them receive him but as many as received him as many as were made passively to receive him did receive him also actively so that this word implyes the Passive receiving of Christ for there is none can receive any thing except it be given him from above Joh. 3.27 That is except there be first a passive reception of it It is a strange phrase Nâ— man can receive Christ till Christ is first received of him he can never take Christ till Christ come into him till Christ ingraft himself into him and him into Christ this is an act of God it is a passive receiving of Christ the reason is because all the Graces and all the Activity of Gods people flowes from this their Faith and all for Faith is an act which receives from the passive receiving of Christ as Paul speaks to the Colossians â—s you have received Christ so walk in him Faith receives Christ that is an active receiving of Christ but there was a passive receiving of Christ first for a man is in Christ first in a passive manner before he is in him in an active manner Christ hath taken him already before he can take Christ actually This is the first Thing wherein this work of Regeneration consists The Passive receiving of Christ Secondly It consists in having an active power and title to become a Son of God together with Jesus Christ These are the Two Things wherein Regeneration consists I know many Divines branch it otherwise and make Regeneration to consist otherwâ—â—e First Of Mortification Secondly Of Vivification First Of Mortification Whereby the Spirit kills the Lusts of the Flesh more as Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but â—â— ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the Flesh ye shall live Mark here is Mortification and it is done by the Spirit if you through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Secondly There is Vivification that is when a man doth not only die unto sin but rise up again to a new life Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the other work of Vivification when a man is made alive unto God and is made able by the spirit of God to be alive unto God and to wind himself out of death into life by the spirit of the holy One. These be the Two Parts whereof many Divines make Regeneration to consist of but though they beat at the same thing yet I rather make them the Effects and Consequents of Regeneration as flowing from Regeneration this passive work goeth before a man never goeth on in mortifying the works of the Flesh and never raiseth himself up to this heavenly life till he be Regenerated so that regeneration is the first ingrafting of a man into Christ whereby he is alive that he may do all these things it is a power put into him whereby he may believe and repent so that Believing and Repentance and Mortification and Vivification are acts of the new creature a man must therefore be a new creature first now this is by Regeneration so that Regeneration consists only of these Two Things First Of a passive receiving of Christ the Son of God Secondly In having a title to be the Son of God and Regeneration doth not only bring a relative
live forty years after the Ceremonies were ceased I would have you have a care of the Sabbath and delight in hearing of the word of God and meditating upon it and so forth and if any occasion come that you fall into the hands of your enemies pray that your flight be not in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day as who should say If it be in the Winter that will do hurt and be troublesome to your bodies and so if you fly upon the Sabbath day that will trouble your consciences if you regard Gods commandment and the good of your own consciences if you regard or fear Gods name it will grieve you to fly on the Sabbath day whereby you shall be deprived of the Congregation of Gods Saints therefore pray that your flight be not upon that day Intimating that it was Morall for if it had been Ceremoniall he would not have wished them to pray that it might not be upon that day Now whereas our Saviour doth so often condemn the Pharisees in regard of their strictnesse of the Sabbath it is not as if he did disallow the keeping of it but they were foolishly precise they strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel they crowded out and regarded not Mercy and Judgment they would not pull a poor beast out of a pit or relieve a poor man upon the Sabbath day they found fault that a man should be helped from deaths door by our Saviour upon the Sabbath this was their folly Now our Saviour did not condemn strict keeping of the Sabbath but he did condemn their Superstition for ever since Adams time it was lawful to do works of Mercy on the Sabbath it was Lawful to pull a beast out of the pit and do works of Mercy and Necessity upon the Sabbath day And whereas the Law saith The Jewes might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath day if we were in their case we might not neither for they were in the Wildernesse in an hot Countrey where they needed no Fire and having their Food provided to their hands And being in an hot Countrey if they kindled a Fire it was out of wantonnesse but if it had been a cold Countrey in Adams time and Abrahams time and in all times it was lawful to kindle a Fire Reas 7 Againe another Argument is this The very Heathen themselves have ever kept a Sabbath day though they could not tell which the day was some kept the Eighth day and some the Ninth yet they ever kept a Sabbath day Yea it is certain many of the Heathen themselves kept the Sabbath after their manner Alexandrinus a godly Father that lived but a little after Christ saith That the Heathen did count the Seventh day an Holy day And it is related of Alexander Severus Emperour of Rome though he were a Pagan and Infidel yet every Sabbath day he retired from his Warlike affaires and went up into the Capitol to worship his gods And it is reported againe in Heathen Histories our boyes go not to School upon the Sabbath day neither are Humane Arts taught on that day but we have a Rest upon that day Nay some of the Heathens tell us That they keep it from the Creation therefore Philo tells us That the Sabbath day is the Creation day and divers other poor people that never had Scripture or Prophet or Minister among them but went meerly by the light of Nature and what they had learned from their Ancestors and Fathers they did keep the Sabbath day Nay one of them saith That on the Seventh day all the Host of Heaven and Earth was finished Therefore seeing the very Heathen have learned to keep this day Holy it is an Evident Argument that this is a Moral Commandement I conclude the Proof of this Point with the saying of our Saviour Christ Mat. 5.18 Heaven and Earth shall passe away but not one jot or title of the Law shall passe away Marke our Saviour saith there that there shall not one jot or title of the Decalogue passe away As for the Ceremonial and Judicial law they stand not still but the whole compasse of them is removed the Ceremonial Law is quite and clean abolished and the Judicial Law in many particulars therefore our Saviour meant it not of those two Laws but he speaks of the Decalogue and he saith Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot of it shall passe away much lesse an whole branch be rooted out And Gal. 3.10 the Apostle saith Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in this Law to do them not only he that continueth not in the first or second or third Commandment but he that continueth not in the fourth and fifth and all the rest And Jam. 2.10 the Apostle there saith If a man should keep the whole Law of God and be guilty only in one point he is guilty of all Suppose thou didst keep the Three first Commandments and all the Six last if thou keepest not the Fourth Commandment thou art guilty of the breach of all the Commandments I let this passe and come now to the last Proposition which is this That though the last day of the week were kept for the Sabbath till the coming of Christ yet the first day of the week that seventh day is now the Lords Day and is so to continue to the end of the World I frame it thus The change of the seventh day to the first day of the week is not by Ecclesiastical Law or by the Law of man or Apostolical Tradition but it is by the Institution and express Commandment of God The first Argument to prove it is taken out of Psal 118.24 It is an Argument Reas 1 used by the Church of God in all Ages ever since twelve hundred years agoe Saint Austin did use it in his time the Psalmist Prophecieth of the Resurrection of Christ the Stone which the builders refused is become the Head-stone of the Corner this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Our Saviour Christ Mat. 21. doth expound it of his Crucifying and Resurrection This is the day that the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoyce in it The Psalmist speaks here of the Resurrection of Christ now speaking of this very day saith he This is The day that the Lord hath made And we for our part that are godly and desire to be built upon this Corner Stone we will be glad and rejoyce in it we will keep it as a glorious day a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing in God The thing is plain see Isa 56.1 2. the Prophet Prophecyeth of the Day of Christ and saith They are blessed that keep the Sabbath thus saith the Lord Keep Judgement and Justice for my Salvation is at hand to come and my Righteousness is to be revealed Blessed is the man that doth this and keepeth my Sabbaths This is a Prophecie of the day of our Lord and
purifies a mans heart pares off a mans flesh weanes a man from the world and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more and pulls downe a man before God makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant and to be holy and righteous as he is it knows unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome he can never come there we should look to this and it should make us feare and tremble and look to our selves for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there John 3.3 Except a man be borne againe c. That is except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it Except he have Heavens frame and disposition and Heavens conversation except his conversation be in Heaven here he can never come there and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem without are Dogges the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence this is another reason why Faith workes obedience because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven he must look to be fitted for the same Fifthly because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do it is the whole work of a Christian John 6.29 This is the work of God c. That is this is eminently all the workes of God But is there no work but this Yes there are many other works but this is the work of God that ye believe because this is eminently all that God looks for as the Apostle speaks 1 John 3.22 This is his Commandement that ye believe c. Is there no other Commandement but this is this all we must do and no more No but this is eminently the Commandement there are other Commandements but all are included in this of beleeving so faith is eminently all graces all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root so that do this and do all do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and what wilt thou not do it will make thee give over thy sinnes and be humbled and mortified it will make thee give over vaine company and delight in all goodnesse make thee zealous and fervent and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God it will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy tongue with joy it will make thee do any thing if thou believe Acts 16.31 As who should say believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all there will be nothing left as Christ saith If thou believe all things are possible So I may say if thou believe all things will be done and thou wilt stick at nothing be backward in nothing but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing it is like the turning of the Cock if the Cock be turned the water will flow forth so if a mans heart be opened by faith all the heart runnes to God a Wind-mill if the Sailes go the stones and all go so if faith be once working and operating all the soul is turning it self towards God though never so Heavy and Carnal and Vaine and Earthly before yet now all is going in the wayes of God As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage Whatsoever he bids you do do it So faith saith thus to all the soul look whatsoever Christ commands look you do it minde those things he bids you minde affect that he affects retaine that he bids you remember it is like Abner that brought all Israel to be the servants of David so faith when it comes into the soul it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ thus you see that faith works obedience in a man The first Use is this to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey Quest. How doth it make a man obey Answ I answer by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul and how deeply they have eaten into the soul it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will and minde and thoughts and affections and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself from his own will his own reason his own parts his own nature though he had never so good a nature Nay how he shall be hindered and hampered and opposed by himself faith lets him see this and so pulls him down before God to abhor himself in dust and ashes it was thus in Paul Rom. 7.24 O miserable man c. It made him finde this that he could not do the good he would thus faith empties a man of himself and makes him to renounce himself and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet never to stand alone never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ it makes a man see what a damned will he hath what a damned reason he hath what a damned heart and disposition he hath O! saith he here is Wisdome indeed here is a disposition indeed I will never be ruled by this disposition and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires here be desires indeed and thoughts indeed and here is an horrible frame and this makes him renounce himself and thus faith works obedience in a man by driving of him out of himself and dividing a mans self from himself that he will not be led by his own thoughts nor carried by his owne imaginations it seeth Hell in all these and that he can do nothing without Christ live in his heart by faith without faith you can do nothing saith Christ and faith tells a man this it makes him know what a wretched creature he is and what a damned nature he carries about with him and that he must not follow and please and give satisfaction to that at any time Now a natural man may see his insufficiency of himself and the vilenesse of his nature but conscience only shewes him this but because he hath not faith it doth not humble him and put him down but he will follow his own thoughts and go after his own reason for all this he hath not true and saving faith to reveal these things in power to him but when faith comes into the soul it doth it to the purpose it makes a man not to be a little affected with his sinnes but soundly affected and makes him see that he is undone for ever if he go on