loves him Christ hath satisfyed for him his heart is sanctifyed and his conscience pacified 5. It is a well ending joy A joy which ends A well ending Joy in joy an unconverted man hath his joyes and pleasures but they end in Griefe and horror O my poor Soul said Adrian when he was dying whither art thou now going all thy Mirth and Joy are at an end nec ut soles dabis jocos thou art going away and all thy joyes are going away Luk. 16. 15. But Abraham said to Dives Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Dives fared sumptuously every day he had pleasure on earth but after them his soul went into hell torments he never had pleasure more Babylon it is said of her Rev. 18. 7. how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Job speaking of the Wicked chap. 21. 7. saith That they take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ v. 12. they spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment go down to the Grave Solomon speaks ironically to the Voluptuous Youthes Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy Youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy Youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment So then the converted man's joy is a short joy and a joy that ends in bitterest sorrow But a converted man's joy is a lasting joy and it ends in perfect joy when he dies yet his grace dies not yet his joy dies not Well done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Master's joy the end of life is the beginning of all joy 6. It is a transcendent joy it exceeds all worldly joyes A transcendent joy Psal 4. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Psal 60. 3. Thy loving kindness is better then life Quest 3. Why doth Conversion make the souls condition so Reasons of it joyful Sol. â—t cannot but be so if you consider Conversion either as to God or as to Christ or as to Conscience 1. As to God As to God Conversion is the certain effect of Gods election 1. True Conversion is the certain effect of Gods gracious election Although Conversion be not the cause of election yet it is the fruit of election it is the counterpane of election Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordinaed to eternal life believed 1. Thes 1. 4. Knowing Brethren Beloved the election of God v. 5. For our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power also and in the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure When the word comes to the person in the Letter only this is no sign of his election but when it comes in power and in the Holy Ghost it is for to come in power and in the Holy Ghost is mightily and effectually to change and convert a person and this the Apostle makes an evidence of election and questionless a copy of a man's election cannot but be a cause of great joy Rejoyce saith Christ to his Disciples that your names are written in heaven Oh what a comfort is it to know that God from all eternity hath written and recorded it down This is the man whom I will have mercy on and will glorifie to all eternity 2. True Conversion It is the singular fruit of God's great It is a singular fruit of Gods Love Love and of his rich mercy to a mans soul the sure token of great love God hath a common love and mercy and God hath a choice love and mercy there are some to whom he hath a great love and unto whom he shews rich mercy Now Conversion is a drop out of that great Ocean the man is greatly beloved of God who is converted by God 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God Eph. 2. 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us v. 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us 3. True Conversion brings a soul under all the good and kind It brings a soul under all the smiles of God Language of God under the smiles of God All the Ordinances are as Milk and Honey and Wine and Oyle to a converted man The Word is a good Word to him and the Sacrament is a good Sacrament to him Why when an unconverted man hearts of all the mercy and kindness and happiness which God portions out for a converted sinner I say when he hears of all this and gets but a lick or a taste of it upon the top of his Tongue it effects him and makes him glad Herod heard John Baptist gladly and the stony ground received the seed with joy and shall not the converted man whose due portion all this is shall not his heart have joy and gladness shall a stranger who peeps over into the Garden and is a spectator only at the Feast shall he find a relish and shall not he who hath the Posie at his Nose smell the sweetnesse shall not he who câ—tes at the Table be filled with the goodnesse and fat and marrow and rejoyce and blesse God 4. True Conversion It is a Claspe the Golden Claspe of It is the clasp of the Covenant of Grace that everlasting Covenant of Gods Grace Note here two things 1. All the desireable delicacies of the soul are treasured up in the Covenant of Gods Grace in it are contained all the gracious attributes in God all the gracious affections of God all the gracious relations of God all the gracious promises and engagements of God There you find the reconciled God the merciful God the pardoning God the sin-subduing God the strengthning and helping God the guiding and upholding God the blessing and comforting God you cannot think of a mercy for the soul of a mercy for the body of a mercy for this life of an happiness after this life but there it is but there it is for you but there it is assuredly for you 2. Every converted person is in this Covenant Why the new heart and the new spirit is not this Conversion are a very part of it Ezek. 36. 26. I will give them a new heart and a new spirit If this be so then certainly Conversion brings a person into a very joyful condition Mark a little If the mercies which many receive only from Providence do delight and please them shall not the mercies which men receive from Gods Covenant please and rejoyce them Bread is sweet to an hungry man out of whatsoever hand it comes and is it not more sweet when it
Another is accidental which alters the qualities of man Naaman was the same man when he was a Leper and when he was cured of his Leprosie he was the same for substance of it there was no change but he was not the same for the accidental quality because his leprosie was changed Such a change is there in conversion the sinfull Leprosie is changed and a fair beautiful form of holiness is put into his soul the Glove is now perfumed the bitter water is now seasoned another nature contrary to his former nature is now infused old things are past away all things are become new 2. Cor. 5. 17. Againe observe that the accidental change or alteration of a person is likewise two-fold 1. One is Corruptive which is from good to evil such a change was there in the Angels that fell they fell from heaven to hell from being Children of Light to be the Princes of darkness and such a change was there in Adam that fell O what a change what a sudden loss of great possessions of unspeakable perfections O how good once he was O what a sinner now he is 2. Another is perfective which is from evil to Good Such a change is Conversion Why it is from sin to God It is more then for Joseph to leave the prison and be made a Prince when a man is converted he is now raised and enabled with the nature and life and excellencies of God and Christ true Conversion is a perfecting change One distinction more I cannot omit It is this The perfective change is likewise two-fold 1. Relative and forinsecal as in the Justification of a sinner when a sinner is Justified the state of this sinner is changed before it he was in the state of death and condemnation after it he is in the state of life and absolution 2. Inherent and intrinsecal as here in the conversion of a sinner which is a change within a man a change not so properly of his condition as of his disposition even from one contrary to another and that à Genere ad Genus from one kind of quality to another kind A sinner hath sometimes a contrary motion of good to evil put into him but this is not Conversion for it is not a mutation but a motion A sinners inclination is sometimes withheld that he doth not sin yet this is not conversion for it is a chaining only not a changing of his disposition the Lyon is a Lyon in chains A sinner goes from one sin to another he leaveth his riotousness and turneth to coveteousness he leaveth profaneness and turneth to hypocrisy yet this is not Conversion for his sinful disposition is not altered from kind to kind It is but a shifting from one evil to another evil as the wind from one poynt to another it is not a change from evil to good If a man could leave all the sins in the world and yet he loved and served but one this man is not a converted man because conversion is a change from one kind to a contrary kind which the man comes short of whose heart is still set on any one sin 2. True Conversion is a very great and notable Change It is a very great and not able change there is no change I think in all the world of that height and depth as the conversion of a sinner No not that from Grace to Glory because it is but ab imperfecto and this is à contrario The Scripture doth frequently parallel it even with those changes which are miraculous When Christ made the blind to see and the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak and the dead to live and dispossessed Devils these were very great and notable changes take them single and they were so Now all these miracles are wrought in any one converted person 'T is called a Creation a Resurrection c. because God puts out as much Power in the Conversion of a sinner as he did in creating the World It is the prime work of the Spirit of Christ the top the very highest when any one man is converted the blind is made to see and the deaf is made to hear Isai 29. 18. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the Book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness and the dumb is made to speak and the lame is made to leap Isai 35. 5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped v. 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing Yea and the dead is made to live This my Son was dead and is alive again and so many sins as there are from which the heart is converted of so many Devils is that heart dispossessed thy filthiness was an unclean Devil and thy persecution was a raging Devil every sin that possessed thee was a strong Devil within thee Oh what a great change is it to behold a stone turned into flesh and yet in Conversion The heart of stone is turned into an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. What a change were it to see a stone changed into a Son of Abraham and yet in Conversion a stony hearted sinner is changed into a Son of God what a change were it to see darkness turned into light yet in Conversion it is so Ye were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. What shall I say in Conversion the Bramble becomes a Fig Tree and the Lion becomes a Lamb and the Wilderness is turned into a Paradise and Hell is turned into Heaven the Extortioner turns liberal so did Zacheus the Persecutor becomes a Martyr so did Paul the hideous sinner become a Saint so did Four things seâ— out the greatness of this change Theâ—e is a change of nature in nature the Corinthians the blasphemer now fears an oath There are four things which set out the greatness of the change in a sinners Conversion 1. There is a change of nature in nature there is a man and a man in the same man an old man and a new man in the same man two judgments in one judgment two wills in one will like two Armies in one Field or like the Twins in Rebecca's Womb. 2. There is the strangest unlikeness to a This is in a moment mans self in a moment that ever was in a moment to hate Christ exceedingly and the next moment to love Christ above all to crucifie Christ because he said he was the Son of God and presently confess that he is the Son of God to mock the Apostles as drunkards and presently cry out what shall we do c. this moment to love sin as if it were my only Heaven and the next moment to loath sin as if it were my only Hell Now to count all truth and holiness but as dung to the World and presently to count all the World but as dung
Hos 14. 4. and that he forgives them for his own sake Esa 43. 2. There is Abundant mercy God is Abundant mercy said to be rich in mercy to be plentifull in compassion to have manifold mercies even multitudes of mercy and to pardon abundantly Though the penitent hath many sins to be pardoned and many necessities to be supplied yet the Lord is very ready to multiply pardons unto him not to forgive some sins onely but all the sins committed It is not the quantity of sins for number nor the quality of sins for kind nor the aggravations of sins by circumstances which hinders mercy if a a man be penitent but though the sins were as red as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and though they have been like Crimson they shall be as Wool Esa 1. 18. 3. There is Tender Tender mercy mercy Tenderness consists in an easiness of Compassion and forward willingness to help The tender Mother easily draws out the brests Such a tenderness of mercy is there in God to the Penitent he is most willing to forgive he rejoyceth to shew mercy and doth it with his whole heart Nor doth he upbraid and grieve the sinner when he sheweth mercy but in the shewing of mercy onely shews mercy he will forgive sins and never mention them any more to the forgiven Penitent 4. There is Sure mercy A penitent person may be Sure mercy unsure of many things of his earthly comforts of his worldly friends of his own life but of two things he may be sure of Heaven hereafter and of Mercy presently as soon as ever his heart is taken off from sin his faith may look on mercy Though he hath reason to be grieved for sins yet he hath no reason to doubt the pardon of his sins for that God who hath promised to pardon abundantly hath also said I will surely have mercy on him Jer. 31. 20. 5. There is Loving and Reviving mercy reviving mercy such as takes off the turbulency of the Conscience settles and composeth and speaks peace unto it and admirably refresheth it by the impression of Divine consolations even such mercy is God ready also to give to the penitent even to bind up their bruised spirits and to give them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61. 1 2. He will create lips of peace and words of comfort Speak comfortable to Jerusalem say unto her that her sins are pardoned Isa 40. 〈◊〉 But why is God so ready to shew mercy to the penitent person Sol. There are reasons partly respecting God and the penitent Reasons of it 1. In respect of God 1. It is his nature to be the Lord the Lord God gracious merciful abundant in goodness and truth forgiving iniquity In respect of God It is his nature transgression and sin therefore called a Father and the Father of mercies a Husband Friend Physician Every nature is apt to produce or send out such acts as lye within it and are suitable unto it The Fire is apt to heat and the Sun to shine and the Water to moisten The liberal man it is his nature to be apt to give and the courteous man to speak kindly the nature of the Lord is merciful and therefore no wonder that he is ready to shew mercy 2. It It is his Promise is his promise to shew mercy to the penitent his nature is ready to pity any man in misery and to offer him mercy and help but besides this he is ready to make good his promises he hath passed his holy word of truth that he will have mercy on the penitent the promises are so many that I cannot mention them See Isai 55. Ezek. 18. c. 3. It is his delight to shew them It is his Delight mercy he delighteth in mercy Mic. 7. 18. What any delights in that he is ready to do there is nothing more facile to action or more abundant in action or more unweariable in action then delight delight is no burden when God shews mercy he is doing that wherein he delights Two things God delights in One is a penitent soul there is joy in heaven for his conversion and another is to shew mercy to that Soul Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me v. 9. And it shall be to me a name of joy 4. It is his glory is it the glory It is his glory of a man to pass by an offence and is it not the glory of a God mercifully to pass over transgressions you get by it and God gets by it Isai 30. 18. Therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you there be many things which do exalt God set his glory on high our humility doth it our faith doth it and his own mercies do it Jer. 33. 9. This shall be to me a name of joy and praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth who shall hear all the good that I do unto you When he pardons a sinner and shews him mercy why now he gets him a Name Who is a God like unto thee forgiving iniquity transgression and sin God gets him a name three wayes sometimes by Omnipotent acts as when he works wonders never was the like seen in Israel Sometimes by Vindictive acts as when he over rules and confounds the great enemies of his people so he got him a name upon Pharaoh Sometimes by his Gracious acts as when he pardons a sinner Paul sets it down for all posterity to look on that mercy which was shewed unto him The Lord gives the Penitent mercy and hereby he gets unto himself much Glory 5. His love is great to Penitents and therefore his mercy is ready His love is great to Penitents for penitents his general Love his Philanthropie inclines him thus far as to reveale mercy and to offer mercy and to beseech by mercy even the unkindest Impenitents Why will ye dy turn and live When shall it once be O then what must his special love produce if he be ready to shew mercy to enemies is he not ready to shew it to sons If to Rebels surely then to friends if to them that disobey him how much to them who do humble themselves at his footstool who repent for whose souls he gave the blood of his Son Secondly in respect of the penitent themselves God is very ready In respect of the Penitent to shew them mercy 1. There is nothing in the World that they need like mercy It is the only Plaister for their wound and They need nothing like mercy Anchor for their Ship if they have not mercy they are undone Usually there is in every condition some one thing which the heart of man doth most need if he be sick then health if poor then sufficiency if dejected then comfort Christ tells Martha of
the Privy Seal For 1. Upon your humble praying for pardoning mercy you do feel your consciences more quieted and setled and revived with better confidence and expectation of mercy 2. You find your hearts more enflamingly resolved that you will never give over you will now follow on to know the Lord and his mercies It was a sign anciently that God regarded prayers when â—ire came down upon the sacrifice as 1 Kin. 18. 24. 2 Chro. 7. 1. so is it a singular argument that God accepts of your prayers for mercy or grace when upon your prayers he doth enlarge and enliven you more earnestly to seek him in those kinds If God doth himself hold up thy suit he will not long hold off his answer when we will have no Nay then Be it unto thee as thou wilt If he prepare thine heart he will at length incline his â—ar And fell on his neck and kissed him You have seen already the Eyes of Mercy to espie a returning Penitent and the Feet of Mercy its speedy pace to meet a returning Penitent the Father ran and of the Bowels of Mercy He had compassion on him In all which we have discovered that singular readiness which is in God to shew mercy to a true Penitent Now there yet remain 1. The Arms of Mercy Amplexus misericordiarum And he fell on his neck 2. The Sealings of all this mercy though not verbally yet most significantly expressed towards the returning Prodigal and kissed him What they say of Scire that though we do know yet this satisfies us not unless another doth know Nisi tâ— scire hoâ— sciat alter that we do know the same is true of Love and Mercy though we have loving affections and mercifull intentions towards any yet this is not enough to the party unless he be made to know the same Therefore here are singular expressions as well as admirable intentions the Box of Ointment is opened Joseph cannot contain himself but cries out I am Joseph The Father of the Prodigal doth forgive and accept of him and testifies all this by falling on his neck and kissing of him There be divers Kisses Not to speak of the Kiss of Subjection and Reverence which David calls for Psal 2. 12. Nor of the Kiss of Incivility and Filthiness the whorish kiss of which Salomon speaks Prov. 17. 13. Nor of the Kiss of Falshood and Treachery Judas-kiss Matth. 26. 49. Nor of the Kiss of Courtesie common to all friends the Heathens used it as Xenophon and Herodotus relate Nor of the Kiss of Charity used among the primitive Christians especially before the Lords Supper The Kiss in the Text is a Kiss of Merciful Affection and it is given unto the Prodigal by his Father in signum Reconciliationis that He and his Father were now friends and in a state of love and kindneâ—s In signum Pacis to take off all fears and doubts all was exceeding well and in signum Laetitiae to intimate unto him what a welcome child he now was His Father was not more grieved at his sinfull departure but he is now much more gladded at his penitential return Doct. God is not onely reconciled but manifests himself so to be unto the Pâ—nitent The proper Observation from this I conjecture is That God is pleased not onely to be reconciled but also to manifest and declare himself as one reconciled to penitent people Joh. 14. 21. I will love him and manifest my self unto him Rev. 3. 20. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to â—at of the hidden Manna and I will give him a white Stone and in the Stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us This is a Proposition of deep consequence and also of some difficulty and therefore must be the more warily opened and attended Some things premised Gods Râ—câ—nciled favour is demonstrable to a â—itted soul For the sense and meaning of it premise these particulars 1. That Gods reconciled favour is a thing demonsirable to a fitted soul .i. it is not besides the nature of Divine favour to open it self so that it may be apprehended no more then it is against the nature of Light to reveal it self Nor is it beyond the capacity and proportion of a penitential soul tobe cognoscitive i. to be able to look on and know Divine favour In Universali the Papists and others do grant as That God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself but more then this I affirm in particulars There is not only a Notional knowledge in the general but there may be an Experimental knowledg in particular of Divine favour By this saith David I know thou favourest me And S. Paul of Christ Who loved me God hath actually manifested his love and favour to his people of old Son be of good comfort thy sins are for given thee Mat. 9. And Rom. 8. Paul had it and all the Saints had it And he doth manifest it and will manifest it to all true penitents But then 2. There is a double manifestation of his favour One is Natural A double Manifestation of his favour Naturall and this is when God doth imprint such qualities on the soul which are the sole fruits of a reconciled Love as when he bestowes on it the sanctifying graces of his Spirit Another is Formal wherein he doth evidently make over the goodness of Formall his Love i. make us directly to know that he doth love us and is reconciled unto us which is done two wayes either 1. By the Testimony of the Word apprehended by faith 2. By the Testimony of his Spirit causing in us an express evidence and sense of Gods love as a witness and as a seal Now one of these wayes God is pleased to manifest his reconciled favour or to evidence it unto the penitential soul and sometimes both 3. The time which God taketh to declare or make known in a The time of this manifestation is aâ—bâ—trary more formal way of evidence his reconciled love unto the penitential soul is not necessary and determinate but arbitrary and free It is not restrained to the very birth or hour of our Conversion nor limitted to any one part of time after it more then an other But God is pleased differently to make himself known and his loving favour known Lydia partaked of Joy as soon s the partaked of Grace but with other Christians it may be perhaps as with Simeon that their eyes do not see their Salvation till near their death in the latter end 4. The measure of Gods dispensation in this particular is also The measure of Gods Dispensation of it is very different very different and various â—very
Penitent hath not one and the same degree that another hath and he who hath most of it in evidence hath it but mixt and imperfect A Declaration there is to every penitent soul that God loves it but not equall nor absolute 5. This Declaration of Divine Love though it be very comfortable This Declaration is separable at least in the sence of it yet it is very separable especially in the sense and feeling of it For it is for the duration of it an effect of meer favour which is let out ad Bene placitum only and it is not an essential to the Christian condition therefore it may go off So that this is the sum of the Proposition That Gods reconciled favour is a thing which may be known and God is pleased to make it known to all penitents either Naturally or Formally at some time or other in some measure or other so long as he himself shall judge best The Reasons where of are these 1. His promise is not only to Reasons of it Gods Promise is to make knowne his love to them love his people but likewise to make known his love to them not only the affection but the declaration of it is in promise Ezek. 34. 30. They shall know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God 2. It is the thing which the penitential people of It is the thing which Gods people desire God do exceedingly crave and desire Psal 4. 6. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me Psal 4. 6. Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me Psal 17. 7. Shew thy marvellous loving kindness Psal 106. 4. Remember me O Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy people O visit me with thy salvation Psal 119. 132. Look upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name Cant. 1. 2. Let him kise me with the kisses of his mouth for thy love is better then Wine Now I pray consider two things that 1. The prayers which God commands his people to make 2. The things which God promises to grant where promises are made and commands are made there if prayers be made God will fulfil them The manifestation of Gods favour is that which the people of God are commanded to seek Seek ye my â—ace Psal 27. 8. and God hath promised to declare his loving favour to them and therefore if they seek it he will 3. It is the thing which they do exceedingly need Though not sim-ply It is the thing which they Need. to their esse yet respectively to their Bene esse The loving kindness of God it is their life and it is the Joy of their salvation and it is their reviving it is the binding up of their wounds the setling of their fears the strength of their soul the peace of their conscience the anchor of their ship the Ark of rest 4. The Lord will grant unto his people even in this life the God will give his people here the first fruits of a Glorious life first fruits of their glorious life though hereafter they shall see him face to face yet here they shall know him as through a Glass here they shall tast how good he is that they may more earnestly look after a full and Beatifical fruition of him 5. And likewise to let them know the difference twixt a sinful To let them know the difference twixâ— a sinful and penitential course To distinguish twixt the pleasures of sin and the joy of the Holy Ghost and penitent course in the one they shall know how just he is in wrath to hate and punish sin in the other how gracious and merciful he is to comfort and revive a penitent 6. Yea yet more he doth declare his reconciled favour to them that they likewise may distinguish twixt these poor false miserable jollities and pleasures which they had by sin and twixt those soul reviving transcendently affecting comforts unspeakeable joies unconceivable peace which arise to them upon the knowledg of God reconciled to them in and through Christ That there is not that juice that support that delight that singularity of contentment in any way as in a good way nor the like life and spirit to be drawn from any sinful or earthly springs as from the goodness and kindness of his loving favour that a God reconciled is the only happiness of the soul Doth the Lord manifest unto penitential persons his reconciled Use Satisfy not your selves without the seales of Gods favour favour Then you who take your selves to be converts and penitents satisfie not your selves be not contented until you find the SEals and tokens of Gods favour You have I know his Word and Bond for your reconciliation and your condition really is the state of reconciliation you do love the Lord and the Lord doth love you But yet advance somwhat farther strive to find the kisses the gracious expressions and evidences from God that he is reconciled unto you The Motives to excite you hereto are many and forcible Motives The differences twixt God and you have been very great 1. The differences twixt God and you have been very great and high such as have much provoked the Lord and they have been of long continuance such as have deserved ten thousand Hells Noâ— why will you not strive to make it out of doubt that God hath pardoned you and is in Christ graciously reconciled unto you If there have been differences betwixt us and a man of place we will use all the means to take up the controversie and get a release of all things how much more having to do with God 2. This Reconciled Love is worth the suing out No love like Reconciled love is worth the suing out it partly because it doth so immediately concern the soul of a Christian It is a love which accepts of a sinner and makes the sinner accepted it is more to him then the Princes pardon to a Traitor Indeed it is his passing from death to eternal Life What should become of a sinner if the Lord were not reconciled to him If the Lord be his enemy and holds distance the soul can never stand before him in Judgment Farewel Peace farewel Heaven without it Partly because it is the choicest chiefest Love that God doth bestow There is no one whom he doth imbrace with the love of friendship and reconciliation but Elect persons and such as he intends for Glory Therefore this Love is called the ancient Love great Love Eph. 2. and the free Love and the Love of his chosen and a Love which is sure and a Love which neither Powers nor principalities nor world nor life nor death nor things present nor things to come can extirpate or abolish You may partake of his common Love and the common effects of that Love yet you may
or Instrument of the Divine spirit for much good unto believing souls Among the rest it hath a singular virtue to breed assurance of Gods love and therefore it is called a Seal in Ro. 4. 11. In it Christ Jesus in whom God is reconciled is most distinctly represented in his Passion as making peace by his blood for our souls In it the same Christ Jesus is particularly offered and applyed unto us with all the benefits and efficacies of his person Take eat this is my body which was given for you 1 Cor. 11. 24. As if God should say As surely as I give thee this bread and wine so I give thee my Son and the purchase of his death even reconciliation and pardon and mercy A believing celebration of the Sacrament is a most admirable means to remove our doubts and to establish our hearts with an Fervent and patient Prayer assurance that God is reconciled unto us 3. Fervent and patient Prayer prizing the favour of God as David did Psal 63. 3. Hungring and thirsting after it as he hid Psal 106. 4 5. And thus continuing to seek with diligence being withall tenderly careful in our hearts and wayes to please the Lord we shall have the desires of our Souls crowned with the testimonies of his love here and with the full glory of his face and favour hereafter Luke 15. 21 22 23. 21. And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 22. But the Father said to his servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his hand and Shoes on his feet 23. And bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry These words contain in them 1. The real acting of a penitential intention The matter whereof in his humble and sad confession I have insisted on already when I touched on v. 18 19. Now I shall observe a little more from the circumstance and manner of it 2. The strange alteration of his condition The heart of man never alters from sin to its prejudice the best courses ever draw after them the best comforts While he was a prodigal he had neither bread to eat nor Rags to cloath him nor house to lodg him much less Jewels to adorn him and feasts to entertain him But now he becomes a penitent here is a Father to admit him into a house to put the best Robe on his back and the Ring on his finger and Shoes on his feet and likewise to provide meat even the choicest for his belly Before I touch on these distinctly and particularly there are some Propositions which I will briefly touch on v. g. Doct. That no not the kindest expressions of mercy do silence a The kindest expressions of mercy do not hinder an humble confession of sin truly penitential heart from an humble confession of sin Kindest mercies draw out humblest confessions The Father pities meets embraces kisseth this penitential Prodigal What doth he rise up and slight all that hath been evil Oh no! mercy melts him down and he confesseth with tears Father I have sinned c. q. d. What is this that thou shouldst so easily so freely so mâ—rcifully behold so sinful so unworthy a wretch as I have been As David when God declared unto him the intentions of his further mercies for him and his posterity He sate before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto So is it with the true penitent upon the Declaration of pardoning and accepting mercy Now O Lord God who am I I who have done so wickedly yet to be remembred so graciously The same you find in Paul who though he received a testimony of his pardon and acceptance by a messenger graciously dispatched from Jesus Christ himself Acts 9. 17. Yet he doth most frequently and humbly acknowledg and confess the kinds and greatness of his former transgressions There is for the time a twofold Confession 1. Antecedent There is a twofold Confession Antecedent Consequent which is that humbling way which God designs for the assecution of mercy See Prov. 28. 13. 1 Jo. 1. 9. To make us indite and condemn our selves that he may acquit and pardon us 2. Consequent which is that judging and self-condemning way after mercy is obtained The sight of mercy breeds four notable effects in a true penitent 1. Much Admiration Oh that God should look on me 2. Much Detestation Oh that God should ever pardon me 3. More contrition Oh that I should sin against such a God 4. More Confession I have sinned and done very foolishly to sin against a God much in mercy 2. This consequent confession which followes the expressions or Consequent confession hath these qualities It is an ac-â— knowledgment of sin with more compunction testimonies of pardoning mercy hath these qualities 1. It is an acknowledging of sin with more compunction of spirit Sight of pardon doth not only open our lips but our eyes and fetcheth forth not only words but tears the heart doth break out when mercy breaks forth The heart never confesseth sin with more filial grief then when it apprehends sin much sin discharged with a paternal love the wind breaks the clouds but the Sun melts them most into showers so c. 2. It is an acknowledging of sin with more indignation The greaâ—er mercy makes a penitent With more indignation to be the sharper Judg the more God is now pleased with him the more is he displeased with himself for sinning against him When God remembred his Covenant Ezek. 16. 60. then did the penitential Israelites remember their wayes with shame v. 61. And when he made it known to them that he was pacifyed towards them then were they confounded and never opened their mouths more v. 63. 3. It is an acknowledging of sin with more With more aggravation aggravation Servile confessions are usually more deceitful and partial as Adam did acknowledg his sin but puts it on Eve no coâ—fessions are so free and full as such which arise from the apprehension of mercies David got his pardon for a great transgression but then hoâ— exact is he in the distinct accusation of himself and humble acknowledgment of his sin in all the articles and circumstances of it Psal 51. 4. It is an acknowledgment of sin with more detestation Evidence of pardon produceth two With more detestation effects One is more ardent affection of love to God Another is which necessarily followes a deeper hatred of sin which opposed so gracious a goodness All that good which God mentions in the Covenant Ezek. 36. 25. to the end of v. 30. produced a better remembrance of former evils and also a deeper loathing of themselves for their iniquities v. 31. As Job upon Gods appearing to him and conferring with him now abhors
confession he is the man who abounds most with the thankful Lip the watchful Heart the fruitful Hand and tender Conscience Two things make us hardned and careless Forgetfulness of Mercies from God and of Sins against God But no more of this Assertion There is another implicit Observation from the carriage of the Father to this penitential Prodigal upon his Confession It is this As there is nothing in the Sons thoughts and expressions but his Sins so there is nothing in the Fathers Intentions and expressions but Kindness The Son he thinks of his sins intends to leave his sins and to confess them and so he doth The Father he thinks of mercies and compassions intends to accept and pardon him and when he comes he doth not speak a word of his sins but every expression is mercy and peace and kindness Fetch the best Robe put on the Ring c. Whence I conjecture this Proposition is observable That God takes no notice of our sins upon our true Repentance Doct. 2. God takes no notice of our sins upon Repentance but expresseth himself wholly in love and kindness God takes no notice of former sins There is Notitia Intuitiva Notitia Charitativa but wholly expresseth himself in love and kindness There are two Branches of this Assertion 1. One that God takes no notice of former sins upon our true Repentance There is a threefold notice of sin in respect of God 1. Notitia Intuitiva which is his all observing eye of Omniscience from which nothing can be hid but every Creature and operation of the Creature whether open or secret is visible and manifest unto God that distinction of known and unknown secret and open hath no place in God to whose eye all things are naked In this respect the former sins of a penitent fall within Gods notice for the goodness of Divine Mercy doth not blind-fold the eye of Divine Omniscience 2. Notitia Charitativa which is a notice of sins as a kind Creditor takes notice of Debts owing unto him and set down in his book his eye is on them and his Pen also to cross and dash them out And in this respect also God takes notice of former sins namely so as out of rich love and gracious favour to cross and forgive them unless we will fondly imagine that God forgives sins by hap-chance at an adventure never seeing and considering what he doth 3. Notitia Vindictiva which is a Judiciary notice as a Judge takes notice Notitia Vindictiva of the evil facts of a Malefactor to Condemn him or to trouble and vex him In this respect upon true Repentance God takes no notice of former sins .i. either to condemn the penitent person for them or to upbraid him and dishearten him by casting them into his dish or hitting of him in the teeth as we speak Proverbially Hence those phrases in the Scripture upon supposition of Repentance Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more Not that Repentance makes God forgetful for he is no capable of such a defect as Oblivion but that when men cease to sin God will cease to argue and speak with them after a Judicial manner for their sins So Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed ver 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him he means in any harsh judicial and cutting way More such phrases there are as that he will cover our sins cast them into the depths of the sea and cast them behind his back and though they be sought for yet they shall not be found The second Branch is that he expresseth himself wholly in He expresseth himself wholly in love and kindness love and kindness the which is most evident in Jer. 31. 19. when Ephraim repented and confessed his sin all the expressions now from God are full of tender Love Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child I do earnestly remember him still Ephraim thinks that I have forgotten him that I regard him not but there is no such matter my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him Hos 14. 2 3. Israel is repenting and confessing and praying and how doth God answer him See v. 4. I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Ver. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel Yet here we must distinguish 1. Twixt Gods expressions which Distinguish Twixâ— Gods expressions And the Penitents Apprehensions are alwayes very gracious gentle closing up comforting and reviving of the penitent And the penitents apprehensions which by reason of several principles in him are sometimes misplaced and mistaken God is just and he is a sinner he is a penitent sinner and God is merciful Now whiles the penitent apprehends his Sins only and not his Repentance or Gods Justice only and not his Mercy that tender graciousness and loving kindness is not so acquitted by him in his apprehensions Not that God is not really tender to him but that he through mistake and error apprehends it not so 2. Again you must distinguish Gods tender love and kindness as it is considerable in Divine promise and in Humane sense and Distinguish of Gods love as it is considerable 〈◊〉 Divâ—ne Proâ—â—â—es and Humane sense feeling You can no sooner repent but God is wholly in termes of tender love if you will behold his behaviour towards you in his Promises In them indeed you have the Idea as it were of his mind and affection they are the right glasse to behold the face of his mercifulness in through which if you look you shall not find any one harsh word or look or intention towards a penitent but all his thoughts in them are thoughts of peace and all his words in them are lips of peace Though the Samamaritan poured both Oile and Vinegar into the wound yet God through his promises pours out only the Oile of gladness But if you consult with his sense and feeling which is out of the roade of Faith then indeed this gracious tenderness is not so evident but we are apt through incredulous hastiness and ungrounded mis-judgings to exclaime with Zion But my God hath forgotten me or with David He hides away his face from me or with Job it was in the fits of impatience He writes bitter things against me 3. Thirdly You must distinguish of the penitent behaving himself Distinguish of the behaviour as a Penitent or as a Delinquent either ad modum penitentis as a penitent ad modum peccantis as a delinquent Let him repent and keep on in the wayes of repentance he shall meet with nothing from God but sweetness of love and mercy every step of righteousness is a path of peace and joy but if he step aside if he goes to a by-Lane he may quickly lose the sight
Saints pressing earnestly and that by the Lord Jesus that they live and walk as becometh Saints and as becometh the Gospel and that the Name of Christ be not blasphemed and as as who hath called them is holy so should they be holy in all manner of conversation Quest But how should our lives be so led that it may appear The manner â—f a Pâ—nitents life we are Penitents indeed Sol. For the manner of life which the truly Penitent should lead either it respects 1. God in duties of Piety And here these adjuncts of Life are necessary As it respects Goâ— in duâ—ies of Pieâ—y 1. Solid and not formal performances of Religious Services in the main Duties not an empty cloud a naked vizard a life without life 2. Adequate and not partial ways of obedience like and dislike 3. Constant and not light and changeable exercises of holy acts without wavering and unsetledness Secondly Men And here the walking or conversation must be As it respects Men. 1. Wise and not ridiculous 2. Meek and gentle and not turbulent 3. Proâ—itable and not vain or evil 4. Mercifull and not cruel 5. Humble and not censorious 6. Just and not scandalous and injurious 7. In all things circumspect without offence Thirdly Those in relation to us And here the life must be an Observance without contempt and slighting of those to whom honour is due 2. Affection with love and pity without scorn or rigour 3. A Care with furtherance of their souls without neglect and weariness For this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found And they began to be merry These words seem to be an Abridgement of the whole Parable of the Prodigal Child And they comprehend in them 1. His natural sinfull or unconverted condition This my son was dead and was lost A natural man is a dead man and a lost man either of these expresses a sad misery but both of them conclude him compleatly miserable 2. His supernatural changed or converted condition and is alive again and is found No man lives till he be a converted man Fuit said Seneca non vixit ab eo tempore censemur ex quo in Christo renascimur saith Hierome 3. The joy comfort and delight of that altered condition And they began to be merry Joy is a drop distilled from Grace the condition is then comfortable when it is godly I begin with the first part and there with the lost estate of the Prodigal where observe That every sinfull or unconverted man is a lost man This my son was lost There are two sorts of sinners in Scripture Doct. 1. Every sinfull unconverted man is a lost man who are stiled lost 1. Finally impenitent These are irrecoverably lost lost and never found Thus Judas was lost None of them is lost but the son of perdition Joh. 17. 1. And of such the Apostle speaks If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. 2. Temporary wanderers who quantum ad statum presentem are lost but quoad decretum de futuro shall be found To these that saying seems to refer in Luk. 19. 10. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Again One may be said to be lost 1. who is stept out of the way Every sinning is a straying and every straying is a kind of lostness thus even a converted man is many times lost I have gone astray saith David Psal 119. 170. like a lost sheep 2. Who is not as yet come into the way Thus the unconverted man is lost Psal 58. 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they be born And Psal 14. 3. They are gone aside And Rom. 9. 12. They are all gone out of the way Now an unconverted man may be called a lost man in eight And may be so called in eight respects He hath lost his God respects Because 1. He hath lost his God Every man at the first had God to be his God but man sinned and by sin every man lost God We never lose our selves but when we lose our God and we never lose our God but by sinning There was one once who lost his Kingdome for a draught of Water and Lysimachus we in Adam lost our God for rhe taste of an Apple This is a great loss to lose our God A Child may lose his Father and yet live the Mariner may lose his Anchor and yet sail But if the World doth lose the Sun it loseth all But if Man loseth his God he loseth him who is better than All. There are four great losses in that one loss of God There is a loss 1. of the Image of God that Royal Crown is gone 2. of the Favour of God that friendly look is gone 3. of the Society of God that sweet fruition is gone 4. of the Happiness of God that onely life is gone A Just God remains still and a Mighty God remains still but the Gracious God is lost but the Blessed God is lost 2. He hath lost his Paradise Paradise was the garden of Lost his Paradise blessings and of all delights and some conjecture that all happiness consists in delight but the impenitent wandring unconverted sinner is â—ar from blessing or comfort The child of disobedience is only an heir of the curse Write that man childless said God of Coniah so may it be said of an unconverted sinner Write that man comfortless Or as Jeremiah said of Pashur Thou shalt be called Magor-missabib terrour round about the same may be affirmed of this sinner He is exiled from all comfort and blessing there is no peace unto him no blessing he cannot justly expect one crop of mercy not one good day all his days the womb is a prison the world a sea sin a grave life a wilderness death an hell to a wicked man 3. He hath lost his soul And what is left when my soul is lost There are divers kinds of losses some Losses are Gain Lost his soul to us such was Pauls loss Phil. 3. Some Losses are a Pain to us a little diminution an excire onely of this or that comfort some lose Sin and get Christ some lose Earth and get Heaven but no loss like the loss of the Soul Now every unconverted man hath lost this Jewel this Soul of his He hath lost his Soul 1. To Satan who hath the dominion and use of it he rules and he works mightily in it and over it a wicked mans soul is the Devils slave he takes it captive at his pleasure 2. To a condemning and revenging God The soul that sins shall die the Lease is forfeited sin forfeits the soul into the hands of a condemning God and there it is stayed for ever unless a price be paid by the bloud of Christ to ransome and recover it 4. He hath lost his Excellencies His Glory is
house If so why doest thou yet run away run abroad to Sin for delight to the Creature for satisfaction 6. If God hath graciously found thee and brought thee out of Thou wilt be afraid to lose thy self again thy lost and wandring condition Thou wilt be afraid to lose thy self again to wander again to go astray again from thy God who hath found thee There are six things which the found and recovered person doth apprehend 1. The great iniquity in his formerly lost and wandring course of life 2. His great vanity all that while to forsake his own mercies to sow the wind and reap the whirlwind What profit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 3. The great kindness and love which God hath manifested towards his lost soul in bringing him back to himself and now to own him as a Father doth a Son 4. The great ingratitude to displease that mercy which was pleased to find him 5. The madness of folly to return to an experimental misery and to forfeit sweet mercy which he hath liberally tasted since he was found 6. The great hazard whether mercy will ever look after him any more who hath so presumptuously abused mercy received O no the found sinner hath found such freeness fulness sweetness of entertainment such rich mercy such free love such wonderfull kindness that as Peter in another case it is good for us to be here or as the returning Church it is best being with my first Husband or as Paul about his being with Christ so he about continuing and complying with his God It is best of all And therefore he cries out against all temptations Shall I return to folly when God hath spoken peace shall I sin again since Gad hath given me such a deliverance as this O no O no Canaan is better then Egypt Paradise is better then a wilderness a Fathers House is better then to serve Swine plenty is better then famine Now God smiles on me and shall I raise his frowns Now conscience speaks peace shall I turn this oyle into a Sword O let me never unjoynt the Bones which mercy at length hath set O let me never darken the Sun which shines so comfortably O let me never feed on husks who may still feed on bread O let me never run from a Pallace to a Prison It was Gods mercy and my happiness to be rescued out of a lost condition let it never be my sin and curse to throw my self out of Heaven to cast my self out of Paradise again for a sins sake which formerly lost me to depart from mercy which hath graciously found me 7. If a found person doth stray he cannot be quiet until he be If he do stray he is not quiet till he come back again found and come back again to his God I sal 119. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep seek thy servant There is this difference twixt the strayings of the Godly and of the wicked when a wicked man strayes he is then at home sin is his home and sinful paths are the paths in which he loves to wander the mire and dirt are the delightful home of the Swine and therefore he delights to be abroad and cares not to come back again But a Godly man if he strayes if he sins he is now from home he seeth some steps of lostness in every step of sinfulness his heart is apt presently to smite him for it Alas what have I done whether am I going shall I go again from my Fathers House what ayled me thus to step aside I cannot rest thus I will home again what ever comes of it And back he comes with an ashamed heart as Ephraim did and with a mourning heart as Peter did and with a self-judging heart as David did O my God O my Father I even I have sinned sinned again yet for Christs sake accept of me again Me thinks it is with him just as it is with a poor Child whom evil company hath seduced from home his heart akes and he slips from them and under a Bush he sits and there bethinks himself and sighs and weeps as if his heart would break after which he riseth and home he comes and steals to the door and listens and knocks softly and the Servants comes forth and say they where have you been all this while O your Father wonders at you and hath been much troubled that you have dealt thus with him Now the child takes on and is cut to the heart and will not my Father be pacifyed I know that I have oftended him and dealt unkindly with him Never had a Child so good a Father I pray you speak for me and tell him I am without Let him come in saith his Father In he comes and falls down and with floods of tears acknowledges his strayings and humbly intreats his Father to pass by this wandring and to own him again and to look on him as he was wont to do O Sir saith he I cannot live without your favour nor will I live out of your house Even thus is it with a found Child of God if he happens to stray and sin his heart smites him and his heart akes O saith he what have I done to deal thus with my good God and Father I am ashamed and grieved To one Minister he goes and perhaps to another Do you think that the Lord will be merciful to me again Yea to God he goes and confesseth all and beseecheth him to deal with him like a Father Lord saith he it hath been a woful and bitter time to me I cannot stand it out I come in unto thee sin is my burthen and thy displeasure is my burthen I beseech thee to pardon the trespass of thy servant and be reconciled unto me and own me with thy favour and mercy once again 8. He who is truly found by Gods Grace and Mercy doth desire He endeavours so find others and endeavour to find others or that others may also be found Jâ— 1. 43 45. Christ finds Philip and Philip finds Nathaniel There is no good man who would pertake of Grace and Heaven alone and there is no wicked man who would enjoy sin and hell alone Wicked men are like those that are drowning who catch hold on others and every good man is like a Candle which being lighted holds out light to others or like a stick of fire which being kindled would kindle more sticks Good Lord the same Mercy the same Grace the same Christ the same reconciled God and Father for my poor Child too and for my poor Husband too and for my poor Parents too O Lord pity them too they are lost and they know not the misery of a lost condition nay the happiness of a found condition Good Lord open their eyes and bring them home to thy self in Christ And to his friends he goes O continue not in this condition you are lost I was so
Nature say the Philosophers God say we allots unto them Therefore living Christians are compared to a sucking and thriving child which sucks and growes by sucking And to living branches that grow into more strength and in Scripture True Grace which is the same with spiritual life it is of an increasing and growing nature Christ compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed which is little at first but in time growes and spreads exceedingly and Solomon compares it to the Sun which riseth more and more to the perfect day Paul commends the Corinthians that they did abound in all Grace and praies for the Philippians that their love might a bound yet more and more in knowledg and in all Judgment And he himself forgat what was behind and pressed forward and counted himself not to have apprehended O you who take your selves to be alive do you grow in grace Many men grow worse and worse under the means of Grace many grow in notions but they do not grow in Grace many grow into new opinions but they do not grow in holy affections But do you grow in Grace and do you grow in all Grace and do you grow according to the means of Growth Alas many men decay apace and many men like pictures retain the same dimensions sin is no more weakned after forty years living then at the first their old sins retain their old strength and their faith receives no augmentation they are no more able to trust on God for their bodies nor to rely on Christ for their souls then heretofore The barrenness and unfruitfulness of Christians is an unspeakable dishonour to the Gospel and an evident testimony that they have but a form of Godliness without the power of it I might now have shewn you that true spiritual Growth is 1. Especially an inward Growth 2. And a general Growth 3. And the Growth comes in by the Growth of Faith 4. And appears best in the Growth of humiliâ—y 5. A spiritual cry or breath is another sign of spiritual life There is a spiritual breath If a man can but groan and breath that man is a living man When Paul was converted Ananias was sent unto him as to a chosen Vessel Behold said God unto him he prayeth in Zach. 12. 10. The Spirit of Grace and of Supplication are joyned for the one never goes without the other But will some reply This cannot be a sure sign of spiritual life for a wicked man may pray and cry to God we read of their Prayers and cries in Scripture often I grant it But 1. There is a difference twixt a spiritual cry and a natural cry their cries arise from natural principles but not from a spiritual principle 2. It is the cry of a distressed man but not of a renewed man 3. It is a cry for natural and outward good but not for spiritual and everlasting good 4. And when they cry for mercy and heaven it is not that mercy may bring them into an holy communion with God but only that mercy may keep them from wrath and Hell 6. Lastly A spiritual manner of working is an infallible evidence There is a spiritual manner of working of a spiritual quickningâ— When the Lord converts a man and makes him spiritually alive he now works spiritual work 1. By Spiritual Rules 2. From Spiritual Principles in the strength of Christ by Faith and from love 3. With Spiritual Affections willingly cheerfully and delightfully 4. For Spiritual ends 1. By Spiritual Rules To as many as walk according By spiritual rules to this Rule peace be on them Gal. 6. 16. A dead and unconverted man lives by the Rules of his sensual Lusts or the customes of the World or the wisdome of carnal policy sin rules him and men rule him and his profits and pleasures rule him But when the man is converted now God rules him he stands in awe of Gods Word and lives as 1 Pet. 4. 2. To the Will of God His actions intentions desires steps are measured by the word t is not An libet but An licet The word lets him out and brings him in Whether the living Creature went thither the Wheeles went so c. 2. From spiritual Principles O Sirs From spiritual principles a man may do much work which we call spiritual from a Carnal and low principle self-self-Love vain-Glory Education a quick Conscience may set out much But the living Christians work arises from union with Christ all is done in the strength of Christ and Faith fetcheth strength from Christ to pray and to preach and to mourn and to repent c. 3. With spiritual affections With spiritual affections There is a connaturalness twixt a spiritual heart and a spiritual work Thy word was the rejoycing of my heart I was glad said David when they said unto me let us go to the House of the Lord. I delight saith Paul in the Law of God after the inward man It is good for â—e to draw near to God There are affections in the works of a living man his works drop out of his heart another mans fall out of his parts 4. For spiritual ends So that Christ may be glorifyed we live For spiritual ends unto the Lord unto him that dyed for us Whatsoever ye do do it to the Glory of God that God in all things may be glorifyed through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 4. 11. Obj. But will some say if these be signs of the life of Complaints of the want of all these Grace of one being made spiritually alive then I am in a sad condition For 1. I find much sin still living in me 2. And I find very dull if not dead affections and I find 3. Exceeding impotency to what is good 4. And I cannot find that old appetite and those old â—ervent crieâ— of Prayer which here 〈◊〉 I found 5. And as for grow hunder spiritual means O my heart sinks to behold the rich seasons of Grace and my barrenness and unfruitfulness under them Sol. I should Answered be â—â—â—th that any truly living Soul should go away with a sad heart therefore give me leave to answer thy fears 1. Generally 2. Then distinctly 1. Generally thus 1. Such complaints as these ordinarily Generally are the language not of the dead but of the living When shall you hear such inditâ—ments from a base lewd sin-loving and serving person O no these are the complaints of an heart that is spiritually sensible and spiritually tender and spiritually jealous and which would not be deceived in its spiritual condition 2. If such complaints as these be attended with inward humblings and abasings of the heart and with desires and endeavours of help assuredly they are the Testimonies of a living man Who shall deliver me O wretched man was the complaint of living Paul 3. If thou canst not at all times find every one of the forenamed Symptomes of life yet if at any time thou canst find
convert thee this should move thee to seek him perhaps he will not this may affright thee to stand out any longer against him Therefore to be bold in sin because God can and sometimes doth convert a great sinner may move thee rather to conclude he will not he intends not to convert thee than that he doth When Divine Goodness is made encourageable to sin against that Goodness when it is not a melting Sun but an hardning Sun it is a presage rather of a mans subversion than of his conversion 3. Though God can and doth sometimes convert a great sinner yet usually the greater sinner comes off with the sharper conversion The great Malefactor sometimes hath his Book and his Life too but he is burned in the Hand and in the Shoulder Paul was a great sinner and was converted but his great sins which were a troubling to Christ did prove a trembling to his heart God puts such a sinner upon the Rack he strikes and wounds him that all the Countrey shall hear of the troubles which his Conscience feels for his sinnings against God God doth as it were singe him with the flames of Hell before he meets him with the kisses of Heaven 4. Most usually those great and notorious sinners whom God converts are such who have thus sinned under their ignorance I was a blasphemer c. saith Paul but I did obtain mercy for I did it ignorantly and through misbelief He did not know what he did he thought he had been in the right You seldome read of one knowing Pharisee who persecuted Christ that was converted yet you read of many of the Jews and of the Elders that were converted for they did not know Jesus Christ to be the Lord of Glory I will not say that no knowingly notorious sinner shall ever be converted but certainly Conversion is very rare where Knowledge holds the Candle to long and great works of Darkness Those sinners who go on against the workings of an enlightning Spirit fall very rarely within the favour of the converting Spirit Therefore let no man gather poyson from this honey c. The last Use shall be a word of Direction to any great and notorious Vse 3. Direction to such converted sinners Take pains to be assured of pardon sinner whom God hath been pleased mightily and graciously to convert I would commend these Advisoes unto him 1. Let him take much pains to get his Acquittance fairly writ and sealed I mean to be well assured that his sins are pardoned Believe it no man shall find his title so questioned his heart so assaulted with often doubts and fears of pardon as one who hath been a great sinner The Provocations have been great and Conscience hath been boistrous and Satan can lay in shrewd exceptions c. 2. Let Conscience be exceeding tender O awake Keep conscience tenâ—er it not displease it not by new adventurings all the old wounds will bleed afresh A little new sin committed will raise up the old ghosts it will revive the sense of all the old great sins which although they be pardoned yet thou wilt now think they are not A person who before his Conversion lived as if he had been in Hell should after his Conversion live as if he were in Heaven 〈◊〉 3. Love much and do much do some great thing Love much and do much for Gods Glory This my Son was dead and is alive again Alive again but how came this about what was the occasion of this Prodigals Conversion look back unto v. 15 16. he was brought so low as to feed Swine and would have been glad of the Husks but no man gave unto him and he is ready to perish with hunger and now returning thoughts came into his mind now he resolves to come back again unto his Fathers house Whence observe That great afflictions are sometimes an occasion of the Conversion of Doct. 4. Great afflictions are sometimes an occasion of great sinners conversion a great sinner There are two sorts of afflictions 1. Inward which set upon the conscience these are sometimes an occasion of Conversion A troubled conscience doth many times end in a renewed conscience troubles of heart are oftentimes closed with change of heart The great storms occasion the Traveller to come in for shelter The biting Serpents occasioned the Israelites to look to the brasen Serpent the avenger of blood made the guilty person to flye to the City of refuge and a condemning conscience oftentimes makes a poor troubled Soul to come in unto Jesus Christ for ease and rest 2. Outward which light upon the body and estate of a sinner these also sometimes serve to fetch in a sinner as he once said periissem nisi periissem I had perished unless I had perished Josephs brethren had never found Joseph and craved food of him unless a famine had befallen them If God had not deprived some men of their wordly goods they had never come in to seek heavenly Treasures We may say of them that if they had been fed they had been famished and if they had not been famished they had never been fed with the bread of life Again these outward afflictions may be considered two wayes either 1. Simply and nakedly in themselves so they cannot convert any sinner no more then the pool of Bethesda alone could heale a diseased Person or Elijahs salt could heal the Waters 2. Concomitantly as accompanied with and sanctifyed by Gods Spirit It is not the hammer but the fire which softens the iron It was not the Water but the Angel that stirred the water which made the water medicinal It is not the Rope but the strength of the hand upon the Rope which draws in the Boâ—t Afflictions in themselves are privations of a comfortable good but if God sanctifies them they may then be a means of our everlasting good God can use them as a bridle not only to stop us running out of the way but also to turn us into the right way Hos 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness By alluring he means a gracious and effectual perswasion a prevailing even to Conversion but then he will bring her into the wilderness God brings men into the Wilderness into a barren desolate miserable condition and then allures or converts them Manasses was a great sinner and yet God humbled him greatly and as it is thought converted him but what means did he use for this See 2 Chro. 33. 11. The Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the King of Assyria who took Manasseh among the Thorns and bound him with fetters and carryed him to Babylon v. 12. And when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly Nebuchadnezzar was a proud and lofty sinner and therefore God puld him down he did drive him from men and he did eat Grass as Oxen and his body was wet with the Dew of Heaven
not to lose the cause of all our discomforts It was a miracle that the three children were in a fiery furnace yet not one hair of their heads was singed It was a miracle that Moses bush was burning and not consumed Oh it is a sad wonder that so many afflictions are upon men and not one sin troubled not one sin consumed mortifyed 2. Many persons though much afflicted and long afflicted yet are not converted God complained of old they return not to him Many persons though much and long afflicted are not converted Eâ—ghâ— so â—s of personâ— Stupid sinners Dâ—pâ—rate sinners that smites them and in another place yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. There are eight sorts of men whose afflictions have not been effectual to their Conversion 1. Stupid Sinners who know not from whom afflictions are sent nor for what end Wherefore hath all this evil befallen us said they 2. Desperate Sinners who forsake God in their afflictions They cry not when he bindeth them Job 30. 13. This evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord any longer said he in 2 Kin. 6. 33. 3. Bold sinners who grow worse and worse under their affliction as Bold sinners the Anvile by blows is more hardened like Ahaz in his distresses who sinned yet more 2 Chr. 28. 22. 4. Proud Sinners who repine and murmur and complain against God fretting against him and Proud sinners perhaps cursing of God as they in Iâ— 8. 21. 5. Careless Sinners who Careless sinners regard not the operations of Gods hands and lay nothing to heart The unjust knows no shame Zep. 3. 5. 6. Politick Sinners who think Politick sinners Despairing sinners to make up their losses by any temporizing compliances 7. Despairing Sinners who sink under the burden of worldly losses and crosses a worldly sorrow doth seize on them even unto death and crush them as Rachel c. 8. Hypocritical Sinners who seem to turn unto God in Prayer and Fasting but it is like Judah friendly Hypocritical sinners not with their whole hearts at the best they doe but stop in sinning but they do not forsake their sins their righteousness is but as the morning dew Hos 6. I will but say three things to all these men 1. It is a sure sign that the afflictions are whips of wrath and not rods of love they come not from a Father but from a Judg. 2. It is a sure sign that greater afflictions are to follow I will chastise you seven times more Lev. 26. 21. or else which is worse eternal destructioâ— Reprobate Silver shall they be called Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged till I cause my fury to rest upon thee 3. It is a sign that men are very wicked drowned in the love of sin or the World or that a spirit of Atheism prevails and reigns in them I now proceed to another Proposition which is implyed in these words That there is an Almighty Power required to convert or change a Doct. 5. There is an almighty power required to convert a sinner sinner no less then is requisite to quicken a dead man This my Son was dead and is alive again To awaken a man out of sleep needs no great power a word a call a cry a little stiring may do it but to quicken a dead man here calls and cries and stirrings will not do it all the power of Men and Angels will not do it In Acts 2. 41. you read of three thousand converted at one Sermon And in Acts 4. 4. of five thousand converted at another Sermon so many so quickly converted certainly the Power that wrought this must be Almighty Jesus Christ himself must come and he must cry and he must cry with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Joh. 11. 43. The Apostle speaks of the exceeding greatness of Gods Power towards them that believe and of the working of his mighty Power Ephes 1. 19. Even such a Power as God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead v. 20. There is a twofold opinion about the power which is put forth The power put forth in conversion Not moral only in a sinners Conversion 1. Some hold it to be Moral only because this is most congruous to the will of man which is a moral subject God they imagine doth offer and propound such Objects with such Arguments which do wooe and allure and prevail with the will of a sinner Sol. It is true that the outward means work only after a moral way The word which is the ministry for Conversion it doth offer to the sinner Arguments of life and death It reveales and commands and promiseth and threatneth But a moral suasion as they call it is not sufficient to convert And there are four Reasons which to me seem very strong and unanswerable against it 1. The Proved very Phrases by which a sinners Conversion is expressed in Scripture do surmount a moral suasion There is no less power to convert a sinner then there was 1. To create man at the first 2. There shall be to raise the dead at the last when a sinner is converted he is said to be created again to be born again to be regenerated his heart is said to be opened and circumcised his strong heart is taken away an heart of flesh is given unto him surely all this is more then a moral power 2. This moral suasion must necessarily presuppose some power and abilities in him with whom it deals as if you counsel a man you suppose something in him to incline him to hearken if you do not suppose such a power then it must be supposed that your counsel is in vain as if you should counsel an Ethiopian to change his skin or a blind man to see this were in vain for there is no power in them to do these 3. The conversion of a sinner in respect of God should be then contingent It might be and it might not be Though God intends to convert a man yet he may fail and miss of the event for as much as a moral work is resistable and may easily be put by How often would I have gathered your children and you would not yee alwayes resist the Holy-Ghost 4. Yea the Conversion of a sinner should in the event depend more upon the will of man then on the will of God The grace offered is common and it is made peculiar and differential by mans will the right use of grace is not of grace but of free will so that discrimen siliorum Dei seculi is a natura not ex gratia The moral suasion is presented unto two sinners the suasion is alike why doth it bring this man and not the other man to Conversion There can be no reason given but this that the one would hearken to it the other would not so that the effect of Conversion