2 Cor. 1. 9. upon the pronouncing whereof the Law lays heavy fetters and chaines of darkenesse upon the soul that keep it shut up to the hope that afterwards by the Gospel is revealed 3. The proper impressions of this condition must needs be fearfull And thence is this Spirit said to be the Author of bondage to fear And is therefore called the Spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1. 7. This is that fear which the Author to the Hebrews 2. 15. tells us that men may be all their lives long enslaved unto til Christ deliver them A fear of Death i. e. of eternal death the wages of sinne A fear that gives a convinced sinner a tast of hell here it is the very anguish and smart of the arrows of God sticking fast in Job 6. 4. a mans spirit the very wales and furrowes which when the back of conscience is plowed up with the knotted whips of its own guilt do fester and stinke and corrupt as David Psal 38 5 expresseth it that is make the spirit of a man a burthen to it selfe and that intolerable This is the condition which the Apostle expresseth and I am to handle under the notion of the Spirit of bondage i. e. That Work of Gods Spirit whereby he convinceth and terrifieth sinners in order to conversion 4. And when he doth so in the fourth place we are said to receive him that is to be through free grace the patient and submissive subjects of this influence of his bearing the indignation of the Lord because we have sined Lam. 3. 29 against him and laying our mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope until God shall command deliverance for us and pull us out of the horrible pit and out of the deep mire and clay and break those chains of hell and snares of death wherein we are fettered and bring us forth into a large place 5. The Subjects of this Work of the Spirit the Apostle expresseth under the pronoun Ye including the generality of believers among the Romans and in them the generality of beleevers among all Nations in all times these works being of a common nature to all the people of God there being nothing in any one Saint which renders him a more incapable subject of this work then in another and nothing in the Word elsewhere to priviledge one above another herein 6. And lastly the time of the Saints being under this work the Apostle plainly expresseth not to be then when by faith they could call God Father the influence of the Spirit of Adoption enabling them so to do delivered them out of that fearful condition whence it follows that the experience they had of this work was before their Adoption and relation to God thereby as before I have declared And so much shall suffice for this first Chapter the clearing of our Subject And this done wee will proceed to the handling of it in the following Chapters CHAP. II. Wherein the first grand Thesis or Proposition concerning this state of Bondage is explained I Shall begin with this state as a work of the Spirit of God laying this Thesis or proposition for a foundation of our following discourse That those convictions shakings and terrours The first Proposition or Thesis of conscience under which unregenerate sinners suffer bondage when the Law chargeth them home with the guilt of sinne and apprehensions of wrath are ordinarily the works of Gods blessed Spirit I say ordinarily because sometimes Satan brings or at least keeps souls and those the souls of Gods Elect too under this bondage He promiseth liberty when he tempts to sinne but brings into bondage when he accuseth for sinne And therefore we must make a distinction between the bondage which the holy Spirit and the bondage which the wicked spirit brings into or keeps under First therefore There is a bondage which admits and is mitigated by the conjunction of hope of liberty and works towards a deliverance and there is a bondage that excludes all hope and possibility in the apprehension of a sinner of ever being removed A bondage in which the chains with which the conscience is held and fettered are of the same nature with the Devils bonds of death chains of darknesse and despaire Now such as these the holy Spirit knits not except the despair be partial and bear relation only to humane helps and means of escape and such a despair is in every soul that makes out after Christ those that we speak of now Satan lays on the conscience these must needs call him Father because they are black dismal apprehensions like him Such he wrought in Kain and Judas that made the former desperately blaspheme the mercy of God the other deâ—perately to lay violent hands on himselfe and to those despairing terrours is a soul given up when justly excommunicated and therefore is said to be delivered 1 Cor. 5. 5. to Satan for that censure binding sinne upon a man and God having promised to ratifie that sentence in Heaven the Devill the tormentor is at hand to load such a soul with Matth. 16. 19. terrors enough if he do not contemptuously go on adding sin to sin but be any way sensible of it he endeavors to drive him to despair whence the Church is bidden upon this knowledge of Satans devices to comfort such a man and confirm comfort to him by absolution lest he be swallowed up of sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. 8. 11. These satanical terrours have sin in them and therâ—fore as such can no way be the effects of the Spirit of God Indeed the Spirit of God may cause them inchoativè by discovering to a man his sinne and misery but the improvement of these discoveries in such a measure and to such an issue is the work of Satan who in this as in things of other nature can counterfeit the very Spirit of God and so perswade a poor soul that 't is his duty to refuse comfort and despair of Salvation 2. I say these terrours when they are wrought by the Spirit of God are in unconverted sinners which makes a farther distinction between the worke of the Spirit of God and the spirit of Satan herein the Devil makes it most of his businesse to trouble converts As for unconverted wretches that are his fast enough he seldome disturbes them as a Souldier will not disturbe his own Quarters but his enemies a Magistrate will not if he be well advised harrasle his own dominions But the Spirit of God speakes terrour to the Consciences of unregenerate sinners to whom it belongs when he speaks Law he speaks to them that are under the Law Rom. 3. 19. 3. But therin is a difference also If the Spirit of God lay the conscience under terrours it is for conversion they are not penal only but medicinal also they are one sort of Gods â—ods by which he brings men within the bonds of the Covenant Ezek 20
consciences with the flames of unquenchable fire Matth. 37 9 10 12. The Apostles also follow the same method Peter Acts 2. and Stephen Acts 7. and Paul Acts 17. and 24 make it their first work to preach the Law and Judgment So that it seemes needlesse to me to insist any longer on this head 3. The Examples of those Converts the manner of whose conversion is declared in the Scripture hold forth a farther evidence to this Truth Ephraim is so converted Jer. 31. 18. Smites on the thigh Manasseh is humbled greatly and the Crucifiers of our Saviour are pricked in their hearts Acts 2 Chro. 33. 12 2. 37. and the Jailor comes in trembling chap. 16. 29. Paul is smitten to the ground Acts 9. 4. and trembles and is astonished verse 6. And the incestuous Corinthian is even swallowed up of sorrow 2 Cor. 2. 7. And if any examples as those of Zacheus and Lydia seem to speak no such matter yet seeing the Scriptures are not so punctual in the manner but only relate the matter they must rather be rdeuced to this rule then be urged as examples against it Sure if God had dealt with them another way and would have had us to have made any such exceptions from the general rule of his dealing with others he would have been more particular in the recording of those passages that might ground them Besides it is concieved by some of no mean note that they were converted before as members of the Jewish Church and their then conversion was but to Christianity from Judaism which needed no such work As for Lydia 't is clear she was one that before was a Proselyte one that worshipped God the Text saith Acts 16. 14. CHAP. XI The Designes and Intendments of the Spirit in this method of working Conversion in twelve Particulars Quest 4. WHy will the Spirit work this way Answ For several Reasons 1. Hereby is Christ made far more precious then he would be if he dropt this grace into our mouthes without any such sharpning our appetites by the pain of hunger and want to receive him The full soul loatheth or as it is in the Original treadeth under foot the honey comb Prov. 27. 7. The whole will think a fee lost upon a Physician and the man on whom the Law hath not passed will not say Gramercy for a pardon And on the other side it is necessity that endears any thing to us And the more extreme that necessity is the more welcome is the supply A beggar that is pinched with hunger and even starved with cold what course fare and thread bare garments will he beg hard for A man upon the Gallowes and ready to be turned off what will he give for a pardon Sharking Tradesmen know well enough what use to make of the buyers necessity to enhance the price A man will huck and drive the bargain for Christ to half pence and farthings till he be brought to this passe 2. Hereby doth God engage the hearts of men more to him Look over the thankful remembrances of Gods Saints over all the Word and see how great an ingredient their misery is into their thankfulness Ezra We were bond-men yet our God hath not forsaken us in our Bondage c. Ezra 9. 9 David frequently enlargeth upon this common place Psal 18. 5 6 7. The cords of hell compassed me about and the snares of death prevented me In my distress I cryed upon the Lord and he heard my voice c. And so Psal 116. The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell gate hold upon me Then called I on the name of the Lord c. And after followes a thankful enquiry Quid retribuam What shall I render to the Lord q. d. I do not know any return in the world that may be answerable to so great a mercy So Hezekiah Isai 38. 20. after his sad complaint wherein he drawes a picture of his sad condition in all the saddest and darkest colours imaginable at last saith he The Lord was ready to save me therefore will I sing my songs to the stringed instruments all my life long in the house of the Lord. Think how thankful a starving begger will be for an Almes a condemned man for a Pardon a Prisoner in Argier for a Ransom a man that roars under the Stone or Gout or Collick for a cure and in some sort you conceive how engaging such a mercy as Pardon Redemption Healing is to a sinner broken weary laden with the weight of his sins terrified afrighted distracted with the sense of Gods displeasure for them to hear of a Saviour a Redeemer a Comforter how welcome is it How Paul speaks 1 Tim. 1. 13 15 16 I was a Persecutor a Blasphemer injurious c. 3. Love in such a soul will keep even pace with thankfulness Undoubtedly the more low the Spirit sinks us in this dungeon the more low thoughts will men have of themselves and by consequence the more love will they shew to Christ who even in such a condition did not abhor them but took them out of such a condition to advance them unto the neerest friendship with himselfe For a Prince to take a condemned Malefactor from the Prison or Gallowes and advance her to his Bed and Throne how endearing a love would this bee how every way free undeserved unexpected unconceived must it appear This is evident in the former Psalm 18. 1. c. and Psalm 116. 1. c. compared with their following Verses 4. Sinne must needs be far more odious to to such a soul The burnt child dreads the fire 't is the wormwood upon the dug that weans the child from it say to a condemned thief or other malefactor that hath narrowly escaped the gallowes as the wicked tempters are brought in seducing Prov. 1. 11. come with us cast in thy lot among us we will all have one purse will he not except he be a desperately hardened wretch deny the motion with detestation God forbid that I that but now am come off from the Ladder that but now have had the bolts knockt off my hands should any more take up that course that brought me thither Let a mans jolly companions sollicite such an one as hath been acquainted with the Spirit of Bondage whose feet have been hunt in the stocks of the Law and the Iron hath entred into his soul to a drinking match or a stage play or any other of the sinnes and vanities of his former days what will he say but as that Philosopher when the whore valued her common ware at so dear a rate Non emam tanti poenitere Friends forbear to presse me any longer Had you felt those heart aches and cramps those agues and convulsions of conscience which I have done for such courses as those had you been in the Spirits house of Bondage as I have been had you been stretched upon the Spirits rack had you felt the strappado of the Law and
to eternity But 2. That thou acknowledgest the Justice of God herein gives good hope of thee To accept of the punishment of our iniquity and to acquit God is one good sign of the truth and soundnesse of humiliation When a man is humbled as low as hell takes it for his portion and deserved too sure God useth not to be deaf to such an acknowledgment as this The Judg at the Bench is never more inclined to mercy then when an Offendor takes his guilt on him and acquits the Bench and the Jury and confesseth his condemnation is and execution will be just 3. We may possibly offend in bringing down God to the line of men in this case and therefore there are Promises of acceptance to such as thou art Hos 14. 4. Jer. 3. 22. Though thou canst not go to God upon meer grounds of probability yet thou maist upon his own Promises and Engagements Object But possibly I have sinned against the Holy Ghost Answ 1. Every sin against the Holy Ghost is not the sin against the Holy Ghost the emphatical sin against the Holy Ghost Every Apostasie is not that sin then Peter had sinn'd unpardonably and Cranmer and divers others in the late times that have recanted the Truth and have returned againe to their stedfastnesse and dyed for it Every wilful sin against convictions is not that sin then had David no doubt in his plotted murder and adultery sinned against the Holy Ghost in this unpardonable way So had Abraham in denying his wife and Peter also in denying his Master sure they knew such acts were sins That sin is all these but you must add to make up the full nature of it that it must be a total Apostacy against full light ending in a malicious persecution of the knowne Truth and wayes of holinesse The Pharisees were such Persecutors and Reproachers of the Doctrine and Works of Christ as coming from Satan which by the miracles that accompanied him they could not but in their consciences believe came from God and therefore Christ chargeth them justly with that sin Malice there must be for persecution out of ignorance in Pauls example is pardonable 1 Tim. 1. 17 18. And in an heat of passion one godly man hath persecuted another So Asa 2 Chron. 16. 10. Lastly That thou hast not sinned that sin is clear in that thou art affraid of it and that fear is thy greatest grief and burthen c. That sinne carries with it an heart that cannot repent a seared conscience However look on thy present condition as very dangerous although not desperate Penal hardnesse of heart and the fore-mentioned attendants of it are a rode way to it Timely caution may prevent thy falling so far Please not thy selfe in such sins with this conceit that yet thou hast not sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost and therefore mayst yet go on in them with hope of mercy Presumptuous sinnes are the ushers to the great transgression Psalm 19. 13. as we render the word CHAP. XXV An exhortation to certain duties proper to this condition of bondage HEre is also an Exhortation to such as are under this condition 1. Be patient under the present hand of the Spirit A man will bear a great trouble patiently when he can see likelyhood of a good issue in it A sick man is contented to be made sicker for healths sake Finis confert amabilitatem mediis say the Schoolmen and a man that hath a gangrened arm or legge will endure the sawing it off willingly to save the whole body Troubles of conscience are grievous troubles But so long as they are in the hand of the spirit as instrumental means to facilitate conversion how patiently shouldest thou undergo them If they were to thy eternal confusion patience were meet partly as to a punishment deserved and of thy own choice partly as to a condition which repining at it may augment but never remedy How much more when these troubles are converting saving troubles or are used by the spirit to that end The good ground brought forth its fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. And if ever thou wilt see fruit of thy soul troubles thou must stay the time 2. Keep up hope under all discouragements I know a thousand discouragements are ready upon every occasion to beat thee off thy hold and hopes And against them set those promises which Scripture is every where full of to persons in thy condition together with the examples of others recorded there and to these add thy own experience both in the persons of others and thine own Think how many such sad souls in all ages Gods Spirit hath conducted through the wildernesse and caused them to rest in the full assurance and undoubted evidence of his love Read over the sad complaints of David in his convictions and soul troubles and how God at last compassed him about with songs of deliverance set in joynt all his broken bones and bestowed on him the joy of his salvation Nay how many of those Saints that you dayly do or may converse withall can speak no lesse from their own experience Thou art under a condition of hope whiles thou art under this work it is the method of the Spirit in conversion as was before shewed It is with thee as with the people Ezra 10. 2. though thy case be sad yet now God hath affected thy heart with thy sinne and misery and made thee confesse and bewail thy sinnes before him now there is hope in Israel concerning this as Shechaniah saith after the humiliation of the people for their strange wives in the preceding Chapter Thou art yet a prisoner but a prisoner of hope Zech. 9. 12. See what advice and encouragement the Church from her own experience gives Lam. 3. 26 27 28 c. It is good for a man to hope for the salvation of the Lord why so See verse 31 32. For the Lord will not cast off for Lam. 3. ever but though he cause grief yet will hee have compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies O saith the soul what is my strength that I should hope as Job 6. 11. alas the Lord hath cast me off for ever I see my present agony and distresse of spirit that he intends to break all my bones and send me ver 4. to hell with all my bones broken on the wheele of his displeasure The more I cry ver 8. the more deaf he seems to be unto my prayer ver 4 6. he hath brought me into darknesse and made my skin old he hath builded against me fortified ver 5. his kingdome against all my attempts by a resolution that I shall not enter into his rest he hath compassed me with gall and travel hee ver 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. 13. 15. 16. hath set me in dark places he hath hedged me about and made my chain heavie he shuts out my prayer he is a bear and a lion
our wants except we make them known in prayer Phil. 4. 6. All my springs are in thee saith the Psalmist Psal 87 ult i. e. in God conveyed in the way of Ordinances and Duties for he speaks there of the glory of the Church in its Ordinances So Jam. 1. 5. which I have quoted above If any lack wisdom i. e. special wisdom for an afflicted condition let him ask it of God If we be too proud to aske God is too wise to give 6. A man under affliction is lyable to many sinnes more then he is subject to in another condition As 1. Vnbelief Psalm 116. 11. Isai 38. 11. Unbelieving forecasts 2. Impatience as may be seen in Job himselfe the patterne of patience as he is recorded Jam. 5. 11. yet in the third Chapter of his book what a fit of passionate fervency is he in so great that he talks idlely 3. Putting forth our hands to iniquity and indirect means Thus in affliction oftentimes an Abraham shuffles and equivocates Gen. 20 2. A David dissembles 1 Sam. 21. 13. A Peter denies his Master Mat. 26. 69. Now against all these temptations next the word the readiest help is prayer whence the Apostle Ephes 6. after the enumeration of all the pieces of the Armour of God to be put on in a day of tryal that a man may be able to stand v. 13. to 17. will have them buckle on all those armes and handle them by prayer v. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit c. All prayer ejaculations and set duties publick and private alone and in company c. 7 An afflicted Saint hath then special arguments which he may urge in prayer which no other condition yeilds As 1. Gods bowels of fatherly pity and compassion Gods eyes and Gods hand and Gods heart are parts attributed to him in relation to all the ordinary affaires that concerne his people but the bowels of God are peculiar to the suffering and afflicted condition of his people only and mercy and pity affections which are most proper to an afflicted condition are set forth by bowels in the Scripture therefore when the Prophet expresseth great compassion and a grief sutable to it he cryes out O my bowels my bowels Jer. 4. 19. And towards Ephraim in affliction see what part of God is most affected Jer. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him Therefore the Church in affliction is expert in this Argument Where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me Isai 63. 15. And God delights exceedingly to shew his pity and his tender mercies to his people in such a time he is a God that delighteth in mercy Micah 7. 18. and therefore delights to be urged with it and to have it pleaded in a time of misery And for this very reason he maketh our greatest misery and most forlorne condition a time of love and mercy Ezek. 16. 4 5 6. Ps 136. 23. Luk. 1. 48. And no wonder he takes such a time seeing hee hath most glory from his people for remembring them in a low estate 2. Adde to this another which indeed is the occasional motive to it our own misery the proper object of mercy and the correlative of it This is a good argument to plead with God Lord now I am a fit object of mercy thou art a God of tender mercies and thy compassions faile not If ever any soul needed tender mercies I am that soul Behold Lord my affliction see Lord and consider behold Lord and consider remember O Lord what is come upon us c. saith the Church often in the Lamentations Lam. 1. 9 20. 2. 20. 3. 1. Thence the people of God in Scripture use to make such large descriptions of their sad condition as Psalm 38. throughout Psalm 41. 5 6 7. 69 throughout Isai 37. 14 15. A beggar that hath a maim a souldier that hath the scarres of his dangerous wounds to shew hath a great advantage in begging above those ordinary beggars that can shew no such arguments and inducements to pity Misery speaks aloud when he that suffers it it may be hath not a tongue to utter it 3. The seasonablenesse of relief in such a time may bee a prevailing motive Gods season of mercy and pity is our depth of want and misery relief in such a condition divers times is double relief When God helps an Abraham upon the mount when he steps in between a man and the very brink of danger this endears a mercy Now when a man can plead with God thus Lord thou hast made me hear much of thy mercy pity and bounty Lord if ever thou wilt give me an experiment of it now is a fit time to do it now I am at a losse every way else now I am at the very brink of despaire O what a season mayest thou now take to engage my heart unto thee As it is prevalent with a friend to urge Sir You have often bid me make use of you you have promised me many times what you would do for me now Sir if you will ever relieve me now is the time when you may do me a most engaging kindnesse Thus David prayes Psalm 69. 13. My prayer is unto thee O Lord in an acceptable time save me now deliverance will be welcome So Psalm 143. 7. 4. The present hindrance that a man finds in the service of God by an affliction is of much importance by way of Argument in such a season For Gods main inducement in all that he doth is his own glory And 't is a great discovery of a gracious spirit when a man desires not his own ease so much as Gods glory nor his own ease but for and in subservience unto Gods glory in such petitions there is much self-denyal and therefore such petitions please God most These kinds of pleas are very usuall in the Saints and servants of God through all the Scripture In death saith David there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Psalm 6. 5 And what profit is there in my bloud when I go down to the pit shall the dust praise thee Psalm 30. 9. And Heman Psalm 88. 10 11 12. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead c. shall thy wonders bee known in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of forgetfulnesse In the same tune is Hezekiah Isai 38. 18 19 The living the living they shall praise thee the grave cannot praise thee Lord say they this sicknesse this danger of life hazards the the losse of many opportunities to do thee service in the World therefore grant life and health When a man can go to God and say in sicknesse Lord thou knowest I would live to glorifie thâ—e I have done thee little service I would fain do thee more ere I go hence and be no more seen cut me not off in the midst of my days c.
sorrow occasioned by these sins bears a more immediate relation to the holinesse of God who only is offended by them they being such as none else can take cognizance of II. If a man under soul troubles be full free ingenuous and impartial in his confessions of sin and in his censures concerning himself I love in such a case to hear a soul say the worst of it self that can be when it sayes it sensibly and cordially as in such soul troubles it hath little stomack to complement or dissemble Oh what a vile wretch am I I am perswaded thousands of my betters are in hell Did you ever know any one guilty of my sins with my aggravations Thus was Paul in his conversion for to that time his confession refers 1 Tim. 1. 15. convinced that he was the chief of sinners Now among all aggravations of sin if you lay the comparison the most ingenuous are such as are drawne from abundant mercies large and liberal means frequent convictions infinite patience c. A soul that chargeth it self home here seems to have some touches of a more then ordinary spirit There is a Promise to this condition as a threatning to the contrary Proverbs 28. 13. III. If a man justifie God and the Law by which he stands condemned For herein is a very great measure of humiliation evidenced and hereby is God mightily honoured And certainly then is our design for happinesse most likely to be successefully carryed on when it involves Gods honour with it This heart is throughly broken when it will not resist God so much as in a thought although he go to hell for ever Another that is not so kindly wrought upon Rom. 7. 12. Psal â—1 â— may possibly confesse that with his lips but yet secretly the heart rising against God and the Law for tying up man so close and inflicting eternal wrath upon temporary sins and in stead of being troubled for sin is secretly troubled that there is a Law against it IV. If the trouble be trouble of mind i. e. be settled fixed rooted in the judgment and reason as well as in the passions and affections And so it be not easily to be removed or diverted by worldly avocations Ordinarily when God strikes home he doth not onely make men cry and roar as children nay dogs will do but grieve as men do upon some extraordinary losse when they apprehend it so as that they do not only mourne but judg they must do so and therefore all other things must yeild to that affection such a mourning was that of Isaiah in another case Isaiah 22. 4. a resolved mourning Look away from me I will weep bitterly labor not to comfort me c. V. If which is a notable prognostick of a good issue to conscience troubles a mans greatest trouble be for that he is selfish in his troubles that his grief for sin is so much of kin to his own desire of salvation and fear of hell and punishment O saith such a soul indeed I grieve and am troubled but in all this I am but a base selfish creature if it were not for fear of hell and desire to go to heaven I should sin all my dayes and never be troubled It doth not affect me that God is dishonoured by my sins that they are contrary to the purity of his holy nature and this selfishness in my trouble is my greatest trouble Said I that this frame prognosticates a good issue to the bondage of the spirit That is too little it immediately foreruns if not accompanies a good a renewed heart For this evidently shewes some love to God or at least some earnest pressing on towards it and for my part let me find a soul in such a frame I shall tell him his salvation is near and his warfare well nigh accomplished This reflex trouble if I may so call it or superfoetation of the spirit of Bondage declares something in this work more then ordinary To be troubled first for sin and then for the sin of those troubles declares that a man pants and longs after a perfect holiness as well as happiness and that is a blessed condition VI. And lastly If such a soul be shy and fearful of taking sanctuary in promising and resolving For this is a good sign that he will not split upon the rock of self-Justification and that at present he is so throughly humbled that he dares not arrogate to himself one thred in the whole web of his salvation that he throughly knowes the evil and plague of his own deceitful heart Seldom any great Promisers under the work of Convicton are sure pay-masters CHAP. XIX Past experiences improved for the comfort of those that are gone through this work TO those that have been under and have happily gone through this work of the Spirit of Bondage consolation in two or three branches 1 In that they may now stand on the farther bank of the River on the farther shoar of the tempestuous sea and sing Songs of Deliverance as Moses and Israel did Exod. 15. Forsan haec clim meminisse juvabit Sayes the General in a storm to his fainting followers With what delight do old men tell over the adventures and hazardous services of their youth to their young ones Those things that are most hard and unpleasant to undertake are most sweet and refreshing to remember when we have gone through them That that kept David mourning that he had little heart to sing as we say whilst he was under it becomes a great part of his Songs of praise when he is gone through it See Psal 40. 116. c. 2 Hereby they may ground themselves very firmly in the assurance of their effectual calling and conversion to God Indeed if this evidence from the manner and method of our conversion because of the earlinesse of the work as it may fall out or by reason of the speediness of our passage through it cannot be easily discerned it is sufficient for our comfort if God enable us to see the fruits and effects of grace such as hatred of sin love of holinesse and of every thing that promotes it for its sake a precious esteem of all Gods Saints because they are such c. but the evidence that is drawn from bâ—th is most full and satisfactory As when a mans Title to Land is questioned 't is true it is sufficient to be able to prove that his evidenceâ— are true but that will be more cleared if he can alledg that they were sealed at such a time in such company upon such and such considerations circumstances of an action being so many partial witnesses to the reality of it I have heard that a promise though proved is no sufficient ground for a suit in Law except the grounds and terms on which it was made appear also 3. Hereby they are assured if the work have been deep and through not only sleight and superficial if it have been attended with a
dyed in Egypt How often have we longed for quails for our lust bin discontented at Gods allowance and thought all we had even precious manna gracious meltings for sin a tender fear of offending God an holy importunity in following after God c. nothing if we were not presently assured of his love and kissed with the kisses of his mouth Think how much of unbeliefe impatience pride peevishnesse unthankfulnesse despaire hard thoughts against God wearinesse of his service unjust censures against your selves blasphemous murtherous thoughts c. hath God past by and in all these provocations kept you from falling off from your present convictions and the benefit of them and held you in his hand and conducted you through the wild and roaring wildernesse till he hath brought you to Canaan 4. The multitude of those who perish under convictions and notwithstanding them nay perish the deeper for them When a man considers that the same troubles of spirit which drove Judas to the Gallowes and Cain to despair and to many thousands under the means of grace become barely means of hardening the heart and increasing their condemnation prove to him the throws of a new birth the rough passage to a Kingdom of liberty and glory the straight doore to a pallace of spiritual peace and comfort Distinguishing mercy is engaging mercy And distinguishing mercy is greatest when to the persons distinguished every thing is common but that very distinction As if in a common guilt some are pardoned whiles others dye and in a common disease some perish and others are preserved so here in common soul troubles one man despairs and sends himself to hell the sooner another presumes and fends himself thither the surer c. Others are effectually converted and eternally saved Oh what a deep engagement to thankfulnesse is this 4. Pitifulnesse and tendernesse to other persons in that condition Our own experience may tell us what grievous burthens soul troubles are and how much need there is that those that are with young should be gently led Our Saviour was pleased to submit to temptation for that very reason that he might be a mercifull high Priest able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. But I have spoken to this also before CHAP. XXII Several considerations to humble such as have gone through this work ineffectually II. HEnce also let all those be exhorted that have been under these troubles of spirit and have gotten over them without any real work of conversion or saving grace attained by them to 1. Labour seriously to bewail the inefficacy of such hopefull means for their good O friends 't is a sad thing to come out of any trouble muâ—h more such a trouble as this is and get nothing by it What a complaint do the Church make in relation to their temporal afflictions Isay 26. 17 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have brrught forth wind c. That that comforts a woman in her throws is the hope of a child and this is that that makes her forget it when it is over John 16. 21. But if a woman fall into grievous pains and all proves but a Tympany or an abortive conception or a monster this will not quit the cost of such throws and therefore when shee thinkss on this time she bewails it ever after Much more should such an affection as this possesse a man when he considers how near he was to the Kingdom of God as Christ saith to the Scribe Mar. 12. 34. To perish within sight of the harbour and so to come within a stride of the goale and misse it O how vexing a thought should this be 'T were well if it were so with most men in this World whiles they have time to repaire their losses Hereafter 't will be a trouble to eternity irremediable and that irremediablenesse will be the greatest part of the trouble Here to help this work may be considered that hereby 1. The Spirit of God is disappointed quenched resisted 'T is Gods Spirit that hath contested with thy proud obstinate rebellious heart and 't is that Spirit whom thou hast so often repulsed That Spirit is a free spirit and is not bound to move any more Psal 51. 't is a Spirit of grace and if he move not Zach. 12. 10. thou canst never recover again and when he hath been so repulsed how canst thou expect his farther attempts God doth justly resolve many times concerning such persons as Gen. 6. 3. That his spirit shall strive no more 2. Your hearts are hardened Believe this for a certain truth that the more the heart is melted and softened if it grow hard again it grows the harder for it Thence 't is it may be for I am not certain the sin against the Holy Ghost is there meant that the Apostle saith it is impossible to renew such to repentance when they fall away Heb. 6. 6. impossible that is as to the strength and power of ordinary means that work on other men and if God convert such an one it is by an act of his absolute power besides the ordinary regulated way of his proceedings So is the word taken Mat. 19. 26. that that is impossible with men i. e. which is beyond the reach of men to conceive how it can be done is possible to God Now for such a man to be converted is impossible to men not only in that he hath no power in nature to effect it for so is every mans conversion impossible but in that a man cannot rationally judge him capable of benefit by any of the ordinary supernatural means of conversion The Word of God and whatever other means of conversion will grow so familiar with such a man that all that was affecting in them will through acquaintance grow contemptible and sinnes which at first view and in a mans first convictions appeared fearful and terrible having once or twice affrighted the soul and done no more will afterwards lose their monstrousnesse by a frequent fruitlesse view of them nay hell it selfe as bug hears to children after they begin to find that there is nothing in them but the name will appear but an old wives fable and its fire but a painted flame such as scares more then it hurts and so no wonder if all these restraints removed such an one 's latter end be worse then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. ult Sins before softenings are like weeds in a ground which before plowing and harrowing wee hope to root out thereby but afterwards they are like invincible weeds that no plough or harrow will tear up and therefore such ground is nigh unto cursing 3. Conscience is checked and discouraged That tendernesse which before possessed it upon every sinne is in a great measure lost and whereas it before passed a right censure concerning thy estate now it is grown partial and flattering For there is no man can get out of soul troubles without the leave of his
Prayer that God will make the waters of the sanctuary healing waters to you that he will give your souls a special and particular visit in an ordinance that he will not suffer your fleece to be dry when others round about you are wet that he will open your eyes that you may see wonders out of his Law Psal 119 18. and open your hearts that you may feel them too that you may not be dead hearers or bare hearers that the Law may not be a meer representing glasse to shew you the black-moors skin and leopards spots but an operating glasse working your very hearts and soules to loath and abhor them and fly to the fountaine opened in the Gospel for sin and uncleannesse to wash them out The reason why the word wounds so few is this People seldome or never lift up such a prayer as this before they come and therefore t is no wonder if they come and goe stones and blocks and a convert even when the Gospel is abundantly dispensed bee as rare as a black Swan that Gods Ministers and those of the richest annointings every where complaine that they have laboured in vaine and spent their strength for nought Isa 49. 4. in comparison to what successe there hath beene formerly to the labours of others 3. Thou canst set thy selfe in a grave reverend and attentive positure of body in the Congregation stir thy selfe up when thou art sleepy and dull with the thoughts of the greatnesse glory and Majestie of him with whom thou hast to doe For this is but the same moral preparation that you would bring to the hearing of an earthly great man Thus had Cornelius and all his family set themselves in a readinesse for Peters Sermon Act. 10. 24 25 33. And we see how effectual it was upon them ver 44. whiles Peter yet spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard True the Spirit of God can and doth often times meet with such as come on purpose to scoff at a Minister and his Doctrine and such as have come to catch a Minister in malice God hath caught them ere their departure in mercy And therfore even from this ground I wish with my soul that I could but prevaile with people to heare the word even the bitterest enemies for who knows but God may spread nets for them at that very time Saul was a spreading his nets to take the Saints at Damascus and at the same time God caught him True Paul was not at an ordinance but that so much more aggravates the miraculousnesse of Gods mercy in his conversion But sundry examples God hath made in ordinances of this kind A more especial example we have John 7. 32 45 46. yet lest God should hereby give encouragement to men in such insolent acts of rebellion God hath not made any promise to any such hearers nay hee expresly threatens them Ezek. 33. 30 31. Son of man saith he the people are speaking against thee still by the wall and in the doors of the houses c. Come say they and let us hear the word of the Lord i. e. in a scoff come let us go hear a preachment to day c. for my part I am not so skilled in their language as to be able to repeat it at large They sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they wil not do them Now the next words are read very variously as you may see in the Margin of your Bibles with their mouth they shew much love but the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shir gnagabim afterward a song of loves They make loves or jests their mouths are full of scurrilous laughter as at a filthy song c. These were more modest then divers of ours for it seemes they did this but in corners ut supra but wee meete with those that can scarce refraine such carriage in a Congregation But what saith God to them see v. 33. When these things come to passe i. e. the truths they set so light by then they shal know i. e. by sad experience that there was a Prophet among them and see what things those are in the preceding part of the Chapter God doth usually prepare people to receive a preacher before he doth them good by the word see Gal 4. 14. Reverend attendance upon the Word is certainly a great meanes to fit the heart for serious impressions from it As in any affaires of weight there is nothing that is more apt to impresse serious thoughts then the reverence which we beare to the managers of them Thence all affaires of justice are dispensed in such a way of solemnity as may stir up reverend thoughts in those present this is the use of scarlet Robes and Halberts and Trumpets and standing uncovered in civill Courts 4. 'T is in thy power to call in such stragling thoughts as carry thy heart away from the businesse in hand For certainly I have power of mine owne thoughts and I can command them if I have many businesses off from one to the attendance of another and if I have one of more serious importance then all the rest I can fix them upon that And when the heart is fixed on a businesse it is most likely to be affected Transient objects are quickly forgotten but objects that are long in our eye which we take a through view of remain longer Now I shal easily grant here that a natural man cannot by his longest dwelling upon such a subject affect his owne heart but I say still that hee may thereby put himselfe into a positure of soule as is most likely to be affected The very reason why he T people but now spoken of Ezek. 33 32 did not make benefit of the word was because their hearts were after their covetousness whilst they sate before the Lord. Gather in your stragling thoughts at such a time with considerations of this nature that t is God speakes that the things he speakes are of nearest concernment to you that you heare them now and perhaps may heare them no more this opportunity may be the last or it may bee however this the last time that you may heare such a Sermon so close so particular that if man thy equal much more thy better spake to thee a thing that concerned thee far lesse nay not at all thou wouldst in good manners hear and mind what he said 5 Minding what is thus preached it is very hard if thy memory without much adoe with it will not carry away somthing of what thou hast heard if not I am sure to most it is an easie thing to helpe memory with their pens And truly friends let mee tell you this if you were now at the barre to be tryed for your lives you would if you distrusted your memories have your note book by you and write down all material passages and if you could not your selfe you would desire some friend to helpe you and
satisfied There is as much difference between these two acts of the Spirit as there is between such a plea as diverts a judgment against a man at present and that wherein by an evident deed or writing it is certainly determined on his side And so we may distinguish Comfort and Assurance and Comfort and Peace For though Comfort alwayes follow Assurance so that there can be no assurance but it must comfort yet where ever there is comfort it followes not there must be Assurance For there may be comfort in a lesse evil compared with a greater and a poor soul may take comfort in this that although he be not sure he is included in the Promise yet he is not excluded but Assurance presupposeth an actual perswasion that a man hath a share in the Promise A man may be comforted with this that although it is bad with him now yet it may be better but Assurance supposeth a sense of his good condition at present Now to apply this distinction to the answer of the Question propounded I am not satisfied that any man can draw Assurance as it is thus distinguished from support and comfort from an Absolute Promise because an Absolute Promise is no legal plea for me in particular as to my present Title to God though it be for my future hopes of such a Title And my ground is this That which all are called upon to believe and which is offered to all alike cannot be a grounded plea to put a distinction between me and others but particular Assurance puts a special Mark of distinction between me and others and absolute Promises are offered to all alike and therefore Assurance cannot flow from an Absolute Promise Nay let me add it is the constant guise of Presumption to plead Absolute Promises in point of Evidence as the Promise of giving Christ to dye for sinners and therefore they are confident he is theirs as well as others All that Gods Saints draw from hence is a comfortable ground of applying themselves to Christ with constancy and perseverance because the Spirit testifies to them that they are capable of the mercy that is held forth in such Promises if they so adhere to them and leave not to urge God with them And the case is the same with general offers Gods general Offers and absolute Promises are of the same nature in this case Both may support comfort a man for the present but are no evidences for the future As a Prince proclaimeth an Act of Grace an Act of Pardon and Oblivion to Traitors and invites in general terms all persons to come and receive it upon such and such conditions among the rest one that apprehends himself more guilty then all others doubts whether it shall reach to him or no he comes into such a Market and hears the Proclamation to all Traitors c. whatsoever hereby is the man so far quieted and supported with this newes Now saith he I hear I am not excluded I am not unpardonable But now if this man go no farther but a while after come to tryal of Law for his Treasons and he thinks to plead the general Proclamation and the mercy of the Prince extending it selfe to all Malefactors will this serve for a Legal evidence to a Jury that he is a pardoned man Will it not be asked Sir What Evidence have you that you laid down your Arms and accepted this pardon Here now is required another kind of testimony So here God proclaims mercy in Christ to the greatest sinners and this he declares to proceed from his vast and unspeakable love and therupon invites all sinners to come and accept of it for he is a God merciful and gracious abounding in mercy and truth and Exod. 34. 6. will abundantly pardon returning sinners Now a poor soul doubts whether he be included in this offer Doubt it not saith the Spirit in a Sermon or other Ordinance be of good cheer man the pardon offered concerns all Now if a man rest here and believe hereupon that he is pardoned because in Gods absolute and unconditioned invitation he is not excluded when conscience is awake it will say But might not Judas and Cain c. plead as much as that How can you make it appear that you have accepted that pardon by Faith Here need Marks and conditional Promises I may plead absolute Promises and general offers to God in Prayer but I cannot plead them before God in Court God saith I will give you a new heart I will powre out the spirit of grace and supplication and so in Zech 12. 10 general offers Let whoever will come and drink of the water of life freely I may go to Apoc. 12. 17 God on these Promises and Offers and say Lord give me a new heart Lord give me Christ But if I stand before the Court of Conscience and plead these in way of Evidence That I have a new heart that I have Christ I must not prove it by Gods promising these blessings in general to me with all others but by the Evidences of my acceptance of these Offers and Gods fulfilling of these Promises I must be able to say here Lord thou hast made such offers and my heart hath accepted them Thou hast tendred Christ unto me and I have taken him upon thine own terms Thou hast promised a new heart and I blesse thy name I find my heart renewed Are not these the badges and proper cognizances of thy children and servants May I not conclude a saving interest in thee who have received such saving mercies and bounties from thee Thus have I showen you that although general offers and absolute Promises may support and in a sort comfort yet conditional promises alone properly assure CHAP. IX The maine Proposition applyed A Case concerning Election and that the misapprehension thereof hinders its Evidence NOW comes to hand the application of this point And in the first place this may reconcile the thoughts of many precious ones under bondage to a good opinion of their present condition in that it is not only the Spirits usual method where hee becomes a Spirit of Adoption to become first a spirit of of Bondage as in the former Thesis was declared but that when he hath been such a spirit of bondage hee usually becomes a Spirit of Adoption witnessing our Adoption It is a great encouragement to a sick man though hee be grievously pained at present that his disease is such out of which most recover that though sometimes it be yet seldome it is mortal Object Yea but you tell us the persons to whom it is not mortal and to whom it usually ends in ravishing comforts are the elect of God But I doubt I am none of them and therfore I may and shall die of this disease for any thing you have said and never see the face of God in comfort here or hereafter Answ 1. Observe the policy of Satan in dealing with thy soule Now
hee hath gotten an oar into the spirits boat Thou maist discerne him by his usual guise of tempting which is to direct thee from the study and care of things revealed to things secret and uncertaine In mens unregeneracie when they wallow in sin securely the word threatens curses and wrath against them see then how Satan withdrawes them from the study of and surrendring their hearts unto the power of that word by a false prophecie I shal have peace Deut. 29 19. I may live many a fair day yet and repent and die a child of God Ye shal not die Gen. 2. And so he drives men to presume And if I be elected saith such a wretchlesse sinner I shal be saved at the last let me walke how I will in the meane while But I hope I am not a reprobate c. will such an heart bee apt to assume and the issue is a resolution to continue in sinne and put it upon the adventure But when a soul is under a Spirit of bondage he turns his note but how is it Is it not the same plot new dressed Now he prophesies an utter irrecoverablenesse to thy condition and upon what ground why forsooth hee hath looked over Gods booke of life and hee cannot find thy name there and therefore do what thou wilt thou canst hope for no better but worse rather then what thou now feelest He will not suffer thee now to conclude at the same rate as before that thou hopest thou art not a Reprobate but maist for any thing thou knowest be elected as well as any other The only remedy thou hast in such cases is to consult the written Word of God Satan saith thou art not elected but is there any Mark in the whole Word of God by which a man may know he is not Elected No God in his infinite wisdom and goodnesse hath not given any such Marks by which men may know Reprobation that so he might retard no mans endeavours after grace Indeed there be marks of Election by which we may make that sure to our selves 1 Pet. 1. but the want of these doth not discover Reprobation because these are all wanting in the dearest Saints of God till they be truly converted and so if that consequence were sound Such true Graces discover Election therefore the want of them discovers Reprobation it would follow that Gods Saints before they are converted seeing they want those graces are either not elected and so Election would not precede Calling contrary to Rom. 8. 30. and Election would not be from eternity contrary to Ephes 1. 4 or else they could at one and the same time be Elect and Reprobate which implies a manifest contradiction The Word speaks plainly in this case Deut. 29. 29. Secret things belong unto God c. 2 Thou hast abundant grounds to believe the contrary viz. That thou art Elected if thine eyes were open to see them The Sanctification of the Spirit is a certaine consequent and therefore a sure evidence of Election 1 Pet. 1. 2. and Rom. 8 1. In stead therefore of searching the Decrees of God whether thou be elected or no search into thy own heart and see whether thou canst find that thou art called and so in any measure sanctified the discovery of grace in thy heart though but one grain and that of mustard seed will assure thee of thy Election and final salvation Canst thou not find in thy heart any sorrow for sin any earnest desires after holinesse any solicitousnesse to please God any tenderness of conscience and fearfulness to offend him c If thou canst think these be flowers that use not to grow in Natures garden Well conclude then I hope I am called and therefore elected and therefore shall be assured in due time CHAP. X. Excitation and encouragement to labour for the experience of this work IN the next place how effectually should this stirre up all of us that are converted by way of a Spirit of Bondage to labour after a Spirit of Adoption in its witnessing act 1. You see that the Spirit of Adoption is attainable and especially by you of all other men You are under the qualification of those to whom he doth especially belong See Isa 61. 1 2 3. To you is the word of this salvation sent Christ was annointed with the Oyl of gladnesse for your sakes Are not your hearts broken are not you mourners in Sion are not you the subjects of a spirit of heavinesse a wrinkled a contracted spirit as the Word signifies a Spirit even grown old and wrinkled with grief Here then is a word of encouragement for you let it not fall to the ground What striving is there for places when they fall in the Universities under such and such qualifications how doth every one within the qualifications bestirre himself for his interest And will you being in such a capacity lose the priviledge of that capacity 2 The Spirit of Adoption in its assuring act is a precious mercy Friends do you count it a great matter to be assured of such a temporal inheritance Will you think it worth your time to search Deeds and Records and Offices to confirm a title to your selves and your heirs and is it worth no pains to assure your immortal souls of an eternal inheritance When a Merchant adventures a ship to the sea if he adventure much in the Vessel how doth he hye him to the Assurance Office that if he can he may be no loser by his Adventure what ever chance befal him O Friends you are every day lanching forth into the Ocean of eternity your Fraught is your precious souls that are more worth then all the world The Spirit keeps an Assurance Office hye you to the Spirit and never leave till you have assured your present Adventure 1. I am assured of this Without the witnesse of the Spirit that you are the children of God no soul here deliberately dares to dye Possibly a Roman Valour may carry men on upon desperate dangers when the temptations of honour c. are present to put out of their minds the thoughts of an adventured eternity with the hopes of the present life Those Parents that sacrificed their children to Moloch could not have endured the cryes of their dear little ones roasted alive in the Arms of the cursed Idol had not the Drummes and other loud Instruments drowned the noise And truly no man can deliberately sacrifice his soul to Satan or adventure his soul neer the borders of hell whiles his ears are open to the fearful yellings scriechings of damned spirits and therefore Satan makes a terrible din in their eares jingles the fine things of this world and makes such a noise with them that he leads them first into a fools Paradise and from thence into utter darknesse Friends Did such thoughts as these possesse any of you now and then Here I crawle up and down in the world a poor worm of two or three cubits
long and after a few minutes more be spent it may be this night this hour the foot of death may tread me into the earth I carry a Jewel in this earthly Cabinet that is more worth then all the world If Satan lay hands on it I am infinitely miserable to all eternity and whether if I dye this night the divels may not come to fetch away my soul I know not O if I could dye into another world once and have hopes to live again and recover my condition if it proved worse then my expectation I might adventure one of those lives upon an uncertainty but when as I must dye into eternity that my Sun must set and never rise again that what is said of a war is more true of death that in it non licet bis errare that though the tree that is cut down through the sent of water may grow again yet when a man dyes he cannot live again in this world Job 14 9 10. 14 but must measure out either wo or happinesse by the minutes of eternity O what is it worth to have the Spirit of God testifie that we are his children new born to the Inheritance of the Saints in light O how precious a mercy is it to have the zeal and earnest of that Spirit to assure it beyond Question 2. I am assured of this also that without the witnesse of the Spirit you cannot so fully have your hearts untyed from wordly encombrances It is true indeed that a soul that hears of the excellency of Christ and the glory of those things that are within the Vail may be convinced by the Spirit of God to adventure all that he hath for them but 't is still with fear lest he should miscarry in the losse of both As a Merchant that is fully assured that there is Merchandise in the Indies that is more precious then those English Commodities that he adventures for it may be drawn to put his whole estate in hazard that he may make a voyage thither but still there are misgiving and distracting cares attend this adventure O saith he I have put all I have into such a bottom indeed if it return safe I may be a hundredfold gainer but sea and Pirates may rob me of all my hopes and then I am lost both in my present estate and future expectations So a man to whom the Gospel is preached upon the presenting Christ as infinitely precious to the soul may be brought to deny himself and forsake all to follow Christ out of hopes to enjoy him but 't is with much fear True saith he if I get Christ I am an infinite gainer But if Satan cheat me or if Christ will not entertain me then I am of all men most miserable I have lost all my comforts my portion of this life and eternity too And therefore till the soul be sure of Christ it ever casts an eye backward as Lots wife on Sodom though Grace check those fears and keeps the soul on in its course yet still I say it meets with many temptations to think upon its adventure especially if Christ frown a while and to wish that it were to do again and many sad strâ—glings of spirit it hath with these temptations 'T is an hard thing for a poor soul to adventure all the world and have nothing in hand for it but only to expect its returnes hereafter What sayes the worldling A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and that Cardinal Give me my part in Paris and take who will my part in Paradise And as some say now as well as in the Apostles time Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye 1 Cor. 15. 32 and after death we know not where we shall fare better But a man that gets the witnesse of the Spirit is like one that adventures for a present Commodity a Commodity in hand a thousand times beyond his price or hath the earnest of his bargain put into his hand is certainly assured of the faithful delivery of the whole at an appointed time He never looks back upon his bargain so as to be tempted to repent it but rather as rejoycing that for so little he hath gotten so much See how the Apostle triumphs in this Phil. 3. 7 8. and 2 Cor. 4. 17. and those Saints Heb. 11. 9 26 35 and 10. 34. 3 I am assured also that you cannot be assured of your state of Adoption but by the Spirit of God The Arguments from which carnal men draw their evidences for Gods love how weak how fallacious are they God lâ—ts me thrive saith one therefore he loves me Ah fool so doth the Grazier fat his beast for the day of slaughter My conscience never troubles me saith another O mad man 't were thy happinesse if it did No more doth the man in a Lethargy complain of pain and yet he is the nearer to death for it But I live under the Gospel and go to Church c. Thou shalt lye the deeper in hell for that if it prevail not with thee to conversion But I pay every one his due So did many millions that are now in hel Heathens and Pharisees But God is merciful and I hope will have mercy on me at the last Though he be so he hath damned many millions in hell already that had as much confidence in his mercy as thou But I am not such or such a sinner So said the Pharisee Luke 18. 11. and yet was unjustified The Angels sinned but once and that it is likely in thought and are in hel and many thousands are there that have sinned far lesse then thou But Christ hath dyed for all men and so I have a share in his bloud O desperate Delusion Doth not Scripture say He laid down his life for his sheep and are all his sheep are not the most of men goats and shall be set at his left hand Might not all the damned in hel have hoped for heaven upon that ground as well as thou And are they not disappointed But I have gifts more then ordinary I can pray and expound Scripture and convert and build up others And yet thou maist be like sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Those that are converted they seek Assurance in unlikely wayes too till they receive the Spirit of Adoption One resolutely chears up his heart and as it were enforceth himselfe to take comfort and to be at peace in the assurance of his good condition without following God in Duties and Ordinances for it Another begins to idolize his Duties c. and now sure saith he my estate is good for I hear attentively pray affectionately shed tears over my sins abundantly c. Another reasons himself into this perswasion fetching from the Word such and such grounds which he perswades himself suites his condition and thence concludes all wel And you shall see hereafter how fallible these are 3
Hebrews 6. 4 5 6. and 10. 26 27 28 29. And one in the second of Peter 2. 20 21. In the ambiguity of some dark phrases in those Texts of Scripture doth Satan perplex the soul and this is a strong hold that he will not presently surrender Thus he perswades them that every neglect of duty every vain thought or wicked action after illumination and the work of conviction utterly and totally excludeth them from repentance or pardon and therefore it is in vain to endeavour their comfort who have sinned against the Holy Ghost that should comfort them and that unpardonably and irrecoverably I have spoken to this already in the second point and shall again hereafter And therfore it shall suffice at present to warn you of this rub which Satan laies in the way of your peace and to intreat you to take no heed to it when it is obtruded to barre you from laying hold of the promises of mercy and pardon which are proclaimed unto you For take this for a certain rule God never intends any terrours of Scripture as bugbears to affright any sinner from Christ who earnestly desires him the severest scorpions of the Law are intended only to drive us to Christ Gal. 3. 24. much lesse doth he intend that any of them should conclude any soul under an apprehended impossibility of pardon for then he would be chargeable with all those desperate conclusions which men usually draw from such premises But he always encourageth the greatest sinners to beleeve and supposing that to take comfort from the boundlesnesse of his mercy in pardoning all maner of sinnes Isay 55. 7. and 1. 18. How frequently doth he for their sakes display his bowels of tender mercies as if he foresaw that the greatest difficulty of his work would lie in perswading them of those CHAP. XII Certain other Hinderances removed A Sixth Hinderance is 6. Keeping Satans counsel Many a soul bears sad burthens in this kind oftentimes because he is ashamed to utter what it is that troubles him As many a man bears a Disease in some part which he is loath to discover and will not be knowne of it till there be no remedy but he must dye of it This is Satans policy to represent the soul before conversion as beautiful in all the ornaments of civility and good nature as we say and formality as is possible But after conversion when the soul pants after Assurance of Gods love then to shew it its own face in as black a glasse as hell or its Landskip an accusing terrifying conscience can afford And therefore he enlargeth ordinary infirmities into monstrous Apostacies and sins against the Holy Ghost and if the soul be satisfied that its sins are not of that dye because it never entertained a thought of malice and envy against God or his wayes which is required to that sin Then he will inject fearful suggestions into the mind horribilia de Deo c. horrid thoughts of God Christ Religion Scriptures c. And then he acts as a wicked Whore when he hath laid these brats of his at a Saints door then he pursues him as the father of them for maintenance solicites Reason to defend them or at least to dispute them and if a soul throw them out as fast as he casts them in then he makes it his next businesse to perswade it to keep his counsel in these thoughts and temptations for saith he what will godly people think of thee if thou shouldst discover such things as these No one that fears God would ever come nigh thee any more So concerning thoughts of self-murder temptations to fearful and horrid pollutions c. If he cannot fasten them upon the heart he will labour at least to prevail for our secrecy in them And then he knowes he can make great advantages of those concealments As a loose companion when he hath tempted an honest woman to uncleannesse and cannot prevail his next designe is to perswade her to keep his attempt close and to allow him her company still which if he can do he will afterwards as being one that regards not his owne reputation blast her as if she were really guilty of the Fact and endeavor to make her concealment of his temptations and continued converse with him the Argument to prove her so So if Satan can prevail so far he will quickly perswade a soul that he hath consented to what he hath concealed and so lay all that load of desperate conclusions which would follow from the sins themselves upon the suspicion of them And therefore as a woman that is honest and wise will discover such sollicitations to an husband or near friend and desire them to watch over her lest she be overcome by importunity to an act she so much abhors and if need be will reveal them more publickly by way of Caution for her fuller Vindication So in this case it is the best way to deal with Satan Let no such thought arise but away first to God and then to a godly Minister or a godly friend and unbosom thy selfe for hereby thou shalt be able to call witnesse against Satan upon every occasion and take away the advantage from him of suggesting many desperate thoughts to thee which if he have so much footing as thy bare silence he will inject with a great deal of vehemency On the other side he will quickly be discouraged from tempting if what he speaks in secret were published upon the house tops 7 Secret tempting of God and dependance upon such means and such men for peace and limiting God to such and such a time and resolving not to wait on God beyond that time or not to expect it from any other meanes It may bee slighted means and an unexpected time shall bring thee that comfort which thou hast in vain looked for from more likely instruments and more probable seasons Truly friends God will have peace as well as grace to be every way free and unconfined Say not such a Minister indeed is an honest man and preacheth well but I shall never profit by him if ever I have comfort it must be from such or such a mouth Say not if God answer me not in such an ordinance or such a duty I am hopelesse c. It oftentimes falls out here as it doth in dangerous diseases among great personages They perswade themselves that such or such a plain honest Physician whom they vouchsafe to consult with in ordinary cases is able to do them no good in their present distempers he is not studied or hath not experience enough and therefore they must advise with such or such a Court Doctor of eminent practise and then they think they cannot misse of a cure But many times it so happens that after they have spent their strength and estate on fees and bills and are come down into the Country to dye a plain countrey Physician and a little Kitchin-physick hath restored them Truly friends 't is
the wings of duty if you present unconquerable difficulties before it And when once the wings of duty are clipped that it cannot fly abroad to gather sustenance for faith no wonder if that pine away and dye too And if faith dye assurance is hâ—pelesse CHAP. XIII Another Hindrance removed THere remains yet one Hindrance more to be discovered in this Chapter which is eleventhly and lastly over-scrupulousness and scepticall-question-fulness in the businesse in hand Satans policy in troubling souls is like that which he useth in deceiving them First He sets them a gogge as we use to say perswades them they must try all things therefore they must question all things they must hold no principles meerly by a tenure of faith but of their own reason and then he inveigles their snarled apprehensions and makes their entangled and immethodical reason to find knots in every bulrush and those knotts being too dâ—fficult to be untyed by their weak heads he brings them at last to condemn all truth upon meer suspicion of error and renders them so confident of the justice of that sentence that they become obstinate and irrecoverable hereticks So in troubling the conscience or continuing it in trouble he perswades the soul in the first place to question every thing that ever it hath had experience of from the first moment of convictâ—on nay those things that have been as sensible and palpable as can be yet they must now be suspected whether in point of past and present practice or in point of comfort In point of past practice whether it have not sinned in such or such things which when done were done with the fullest assurance possible of their lawfulnesse And so in present practice hee will scarce suffer a poor soul in such a troubled condition to eat drink or sleep without scruple A tender conscience is a great mercy but a scrupulous conscience is a great affliction Such a conscience doth not only hinder a man from that which is evill but abates much of the life activity and comfort that is in good actions And so in point of comfort Urge to a soul in trouble Such and such gracious works God hath wrought in you therefore sure you are one of his Such experiences you have had with which you have been formerly satisfyed I question that saith the soul whether there were any such things or no. I once believed that there were but I doubt I was then deceived c. and so I may be now if I grant any such things as you say A soul under this frame although very well experienced in the School of Christ and who hath been banquetted in Christs own Parlour many times may be turned quite off the hinges meerly by his own over-scrupulousnesse The Disciples were well acquainted with Christ yet when he came to them upon the sea they were afraid thinking it had been a spirit Matth. 14 26. And the reason was they were then in such a Tempest that they feared every thing and so suspected Christ himself when he came to relieve them Quest But what shall I do in such a case If I be over-credulous and too easie of belief I may ruin my self that way and if I bee too scrupulous I may undo my self that way too Ans 1 Labour for a distinct knowledg of the nature of grace in general and the known Marks by which it is distinguished from hypocrisie And although you labour for the greatest means of grace yet enquire diligently into the Signes and Tokens by which you may know the least I confesse this would be better done before trouble of mind comes There is a great advantage that a well catechized Christian hath of an ignorant person in this present case viz. the discrimination and distinguishing true grace from counterfeit 'T is bad laying principles in a mind full of confusion that by reason of darknesse can see nothing distinctly Those should be laid before in tender years or at least calmer seasons But if there have been a neglect either in the person or those under whose inspection he hath lived so that he be to learn to spell now when he had need be able to read the works of the Spirit of God distinctly then I would advise such a soul to search into the Word with the advice of godly Ministers and Christians after those proper distinguishing Marks betweene sincerity and hypocrisie upon which he may ground his own enquiry after his own condition If I should make an Hue and Cry after a man or cry an horse or cow in â—e Market and know not by what marks to describe him or if I search among many other cattel for mine own and know not what Ear-mark or Flesh-mark or Hair-mark they have I cannot hope but to spend my labour in vain I might say the like concerning thy spiritual condition If thou be to seek what grace is under darkness no wonder if thou be scrupulous to own it when it is presented to thee But thou must take heed here that thou do not enquire after the tokens of the least mâ—asure of grace that thou maist rest in it and think thou art well enough secured to eternity if thou have but just so much as denominates thee a child of God For this is a shrewd signe that thou dost not desire grace for its own sake but meerly as a bridge to heaven and if thou do so 't is a thousand to one but partly by Gods just judgment and partly by thy own spiritual sloath thou wilt be endangered to cut it an inch or two too short to reach the other side of the bank But if thou desire to know the least measure of grace meerly for this reason that thou maist not like an unskilful Gardiner weed it up when it is tender for a weed of hypocrisie but cherish it and water it and improve it to greater measures of perfection this is a good design 2. Give way to no Scruples without a word Enquire of thy own heart what word occasions such a doubt such a question and where thou findest no word lay it by This is a good rule in our actings There is much superstition oftentimes in Scruples if that may be taken for superstition which is supra institutum over and above Gods revealed will and the ground of superstitious fears is fancy The way to confute a superstitious Worshipper is to require a word for his practice so the way to silence a superstitious Scruple is to demand a Scripture reason for it Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou thus disquieted within me Psa 42. 5 11. and 43. 5. q d. Soul you are troubled but is that trouble a warrantable trouble is it a trouble that God allowes if so shew me his warrant for it So when Satan pursues thee with Scruples and Fears and arrests thee as a prisoner in Gods name ask him presently Quo warranto as Lawyers say Satan let me see your warrant 't
as a disputant in that case may lawfully require at such a time when my mind by reason of some great oppression or other businesse is not at liberty to recollect its strength or before such Judges as are already prepossessed by him and strongly engaged on his side c. I may very justifiably decline it and answer his challenges with silence and provocations with slighting seeing so disingenuous a carriage on his part deserves no other So when I am sollicited to put my evidences for salvation in dispute at such a time when I want my wonted influences from the Spirit of God when as the Church Psalm 74. 9. complains in another case I see not my tokens when my spirits are overwhelmed and swallowed up with the oppression of soul-troubles when lastly I perceive I must plead my cause before sense and reason who are already prepossessed and fee'd on the adversaries side I may very justly refuse to enter the lists upon such terms and reflect the disgrace of so dishonourable a challenge upon my adversary before God and conscience 3. When I find such doubts concerning my condition injected or suggested upon Designe to hinder and disturbe mee in some present service wherein I have special use of Assurance To put them off at least till a more convenient time in such a case is a special part of spiritual wisdome It is found by the usual experience of Gods Saints that when they have most to do for their Assurance they shall have it most to seek Suppose when they go to pray especially upon any extraordinary occasion when they addresse themselves to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper when they are under some heavy affliction it may be when they are in some sort called forth to suffer for God Now it is plain that when our doubts and troubles of spirit in our observation usually returne upon us at such seasons they are then injected upon a special designe to hinder us in the present services Wherefore seeing by admitting so much as a dispute upon them at such a time I yield the Divell his known designe I may very safely reject them except I think it a course more eligible to gratifie the enemy of Gods glory and mine own good with the neglect or heartlesse performance of a duty then to break through a bug bear impediment purposely laid in my way and set about it with that furniture which God hath graciously vouchsafed to enable me thereunto And so much shall suffice for the Answer of this case concerning the way of turning a troublesome incruder out of doors But it may be farther objected Object But they pretend still they come from the Spirit seeing you tell me the beginnings of them occasional grounds of them may be from the Spirit of God and I find withal that they have grown out of such works of the spirit as you have but now described how shall I know how farre the Spirit of God leads me and where Satans work begins that I may submit to the one and resist the other Ans In general seeing I have before given you some non-ultra's beyond which the Spirit cannot go and therefore must referre you to those for particulars I say in general That whiles nothing is pressed upon you but what may stand with the supposal of a renewed estate what ever motions yeild you your title to God and grace and neither in their nature or in their grounds tend to weaken your evidences must be obeyed as the motions of Gods Spirit though never so harsh or unpleasing as farre as they have any command or allowed example in the word You must not take it for a motion of Satan that bids you repent of confesse mourn for renewed sinnes that bids you examine your heart and ways and turn to the Lord under afflictions c. But if such motions be improved to the questioning of the whole work of God upon the soul this is suspicious and so farre you must not go along with it CHAP. XXXVIII Some grounds upon which Satan useth to reduce converted and once assured souls into trouble answered Wherein also are some cases concerning falling into sinne after these mercies received Object YEa but the grounds me-thinks upon which these thoughts are pressed and urged upon my soul are such as seem to come from the Spirit of God and therefore although the Spirit of God never become a Spirit of Bondage again where he hath been a Spirit of Adoption yet hee may by such grounds as these convince me of my former mistakes in apprehending him to have been a spirit of Adoption when he was not And t is good to lay a sure foundation Answ T is good to lay a sure foundation but if upon every slight suggestion that it is amisse I must be bound to remove it and new-lay it I shall neither ever lay a foundation to the purpose nor build upon it as I ought to do Suppose thy foundation rather to be good and strive to build holinesse upon it and thou wilt thereby be satisfied in the truth of the foundation But what are those grounds upon which thou conceivest Gods Spirit tells thee thou hast been formerly mistaken in thy condition Object 1. I am told that a child of God especially after sound assurance had of his salvation cannot commit such sinnes as I have done since the time of my supposed Assurance A. I answer 1. No child of God is either by converting or assuring grace secured from the acts of any sinne while he lives here below but from the love custome and trade of sinne That in many things we sinne all the Apostle James tells us and puts himself in the number though certainly he was a Saint of the highest attainments in point of assurance and comfort James 3. 2. I need not tell you of the dangerous fall of Peter afer conversion nor of the fowl falls of Noah Lot and David It is strange that meere pretenders to Religion should be able to urge their examples to harden themselves and you cannot make any use of them to support your selves 2. It may make for Gods greater glory and your greater good that you have fallen so fowly if in stead of drawing discouraging conclusions from thence you make your repentance as visible and eminent as your falls if you learne hereby and shew hereafter a professed distrust of your own heart carefully watch against temptations and occasions of the like sins and renew your addresses to God for fresh assistance of strength to fortifie your renewed resolutions against them A Saint gets ground by stumbling whiles he hastens to recover his pace the more for it 3 You can never bring either of those blessed fruits Gods glory or your own good out of your presâ—nt condition in the way wherein you now are For God is not glorified in your unbelief supposing you the greatest sinners in the world but rather in this that you dare adventure an hideous
as Mal. 1. 8. and that of David 2 Sam. 24. 24. So on the other side if childish bashfulnesse come in in stead of childlike reverence or servile fear in stead of filial awfulnesse he considers Gods mercy bounty truth Christs merits and mediation his own relations through him c. And so balanceth that scale when it weighs too low Such counter considerations as these the soul hath at hand to balast it selfe even in all the parts of Duty And this shall suffice for the clearing of these cases CHAP. LVI Some comfortable informations from this Thesis and for an upshot a Case how I shall know whether my actual fervency and boldnesse bee from Gods Spirit or Satan or any natural principle c. THis affords matter of abundant comfort to all who have this boldnesse and fervency from the operation of this witnessing Spirit in prayer 1. In the work it self Certainly it is a sweet thing to be able in all things to make a mans requests known to God with confidence How incomparable an ease is it to a man to have a bosome-friend and him such a one as is able not only to hear but hear and help to make of ones counsell in the weightiest and most important businesses in the greatest and most unsupportable burthens especially to a child to have such a father This is the happinesse ascribed to the Jews above all other nations meerly upon the account of an outward propriety a visible Church propriety and liberty of approach Deut. 4. 7. to have God so nigh to them in all that they called upon him for 2. In the rise of it This is a main work of the Spirit of Adoption You are arrived as high in point of communion with God as you can possibly in this state of distance The witnesse of the Spirit is our most comfortable enjoyment and the prayers and prayses that proceed from it our most comfortable employment that we are capable of here below And the comfort of it lies in this that it is an act of influence from the Spirit of the most noble and heavenly nature of any other 't is an evidence of a large and abundant measure of the Spirit 3. In the Issue of it what may not such an one do with God But that the cause of miraculous works is ceased and so 't is a tempting God to put him needlessely to extraordinary expences surely I may say such an one might as our Saviour saith say to this or that mountain be thou plucked up by the roots and cast into the depth of the Sea and that with assurance of successe Mat. 17. 20. 21. 22. Now if this be true of the least degree and measure of faith though but reliance as it is much more undoubtedly of acts of assurance and such an one is this spiritual boldnesse and confidence in prayer Qu. But how shall I know whether my fervency and boldnesse of spirit in prayer come from Gods Spirit of Adoption or mine own spirit or possibly Satans spirit of delusion Answ This question is weighty and I must answer distinctly to both parts 1. For fervency it is true 1. Sometime 't is but natural Great wants produce earnest intreaties Beggers ready to starve begge in earnest Terrours of God and frights of conscience many times make fervent 2. Sometimes it may also be the work of a deluding and prestigious spirit who I know not why he may not counterfeit the Spirit of prayer in this operation as well as the Spirit of grace in many others But 3. The discovery of the difference lies in these particulars 1. In the nature of this fervency and that consists in these things 1. In the lively actings of all our graces in prayer This I have shewed you before is the course of Gods Saints to stirre up all within them to the performance of the duty The bow that is serviceable must bee bent in all parts alike else it will faile the expectation of the Archer A counterfeit fervency or a meer natural fervency is partial Desire may seem to be fervent in prayer but humility and sorrow for sinne and thankfulnesse are cold Many a man askes what he wants with great earnestnesse but confesseth sinne and gives thanks for mercies received superficially This puts a great suspicion upon the Duty 2. In a zealous watchfulness over a mans heart against all those things that may coole deaden or distract it And thus a gracious soul is not only then fervent when it may be a landfloud of affections drownes for the present the actings of formality wandring thoughts c. but even when these are most stirring it shews its fervency by labouring and wrestling against them Another may be fervent now and then upon such or such a particular impression of spirit as suppose in the sense of some imminent danger some extraordinary conviction but hee doth not keep his watch or stand so upon his guard as to preserve himselfe in that temper but suffers himself to decline into formality and deadness again as soon as that impression is a little layd by the vent it finds in a Duty 2. In the matter wherein one is fervent A man may be fervent in such things as concern his own present necessity Isai 26. 16. They powred out a prayer when thy chastening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was upon them effuderunt or liquefecerunt orationem they seemed to be meltingly fluent as mettal when it runs by the force of fire but that is a fervency that holds no longer then the fire lasts In those things that concerne the glory of God and are more remote from a mans private concernment there is more coldnesse and indifferency In petitions for pardon of sin much heat little in petitions for grace c. 3 In the concomitants of this fervency It doth beget a sutable frame of spirit 1. In all places Many an one is very appearingly fervent when hee prayes before others But is there the same heat in private or rather are our private closet prayers cold and formal Satans spirit a spirit of vain-glory c. may make a man fervent before others but the Spirit of God only supplies a private fervency to wrestle with God in private as Jacob did by night and alone is likely to be gracious fervency 2. In all duties A man that hath a kindly heat of affections in prayer will not bee without some impressions of it in other duties In the hearing of the word a mans heart will burne Luke 24. 32. In his place and calling there will be a zealous endeavour to do good a zealous anger against sinne a zealous grief for sin This is seen in David Ps 119. 32. 139. 102 Ps throughout a zealous and fervent love to all the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 22. 4. In the rise of it 1. It is gotten in the Saints by industry kindled by meditation and most commonly they know how they come by it how much ado it costs them
special mercy of God and excellency in prayer that we become thereby so far Masters of our selves And so much the greater because it is the greatest misery in the world to be torn to pieces as Actoeon in the Poet by a mans own kennel of unmortified passions to bee condemned to eat up and devour a mans self because he cannot better his own condition or hurt others to gnaw a flint whence a man can get nothing but broken teeth and in a word to adde affliction to a mans affliction by acting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vexing himselfe and tire a mans selfe like a skittish Jade more with flinging then with his burthen 3 It is a comfortable evidence of and help unto the 1 Present Sanctification 2 Future good issue of our afflictions 1 Present sanctification of afflictions is both discovered and promoted by the kindly temper of the soul towards and in the duty of prayer 1 Discovered because it actually fulfils one of those gracious ends which God aims at in affliction the bringing us upon our knees Physick then doth most good when it opens proper passages to vent noxious humours Then the rod doth a child good when it brings down his stubborn heart to his knees Therefore we leave not whipping till a child begs forgiveness And on the other side take this for a certain Rule A prayerlesse affliction is alwaies an unsanctified affliction It was then grievousest charge that Jobs friends gave in against him that in his affliction he restrained prayer Job 15 4. 2 Promoted because it fetcheth a power from heaven to improve the rod. As every other creature of God so the rod is sanctified by the word and prayer But much of this hath been touched upon before Wherefore I passe it here 2. The future good issue of an affliction may be concluded and is promoted by the prayer fulnesse of the Spirit in trouble And this issue is 1. Partly the glory and honour of our graces arising from such a tryal 't is in prayer that a suffering Saint most acts faith patience humility sorrow for sinne c. The honour of our graces as the honour of Knighthood in England is usually received upon the knee And no wonder for Prayer is the paloestra the arena the theatre the artillery-yard of all our graces in which they shew their activity 2. Partly the removal of trouble it selfe God like a good Physician till wee sweat kindly lays on more cloaths and applies more heat but when we do so he withdraws them as fast in such a method and proportion as our necessity will permit I will not saith he contend for ever nor will I be alwayes wroth lest the spirit should faile before me and the soul which I have made Let God march never so much like an enemy towards a poor creature yet he is so generous an enemy that he never puts to the sword a submitting supplicating foe As 't is said of the Lion Satis est prostrasse c. Ira suum finem cum jacet hostis habet That prostration abates his rage and he never preyes upon a man that he finds fallen flat upon the ground Sure the Lord will not be so cruel as to give no quarter to a poor creature begging it at his hands You know how Benhadad escaped by casting himselfe upon the mercy of the King of Israel Coe tâ—ou and do likewise For the Lord delights not to grieve or vex the children of men Lam. 3. 33. He looketh on men and if any say I have finned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not He will deliver his soul from going down into the pit and his life shall see the light Job 33. 27 28. I might adde divers other motives but the reasons may all be revived here as inducements and I hasten Object But here lies the sadnesse of my condition I am under grievous afflictions and when I set my selfe to complain of them to God I cannot pray my tongue is strangely tyed that I have scarce a word to say what shall I thinke of my felf What shall I do in such a case Answ Thou that thus complainest art either 1. An utter stranger to the duty of prayer at other times or 2. One that at other times hast been well acquainted with God and that duty but now art in an unwonted deliquy or swound of spirit that thy wonted spirits faile thee to performe it And according to this difference of persons must my Answer to this Case be different 1 Thou that art a stranger to all acquaintance with God in this way 1. Look on this as a just band of God upon thee and that which is intended by him and should be received by thee as an heavy aggravation of his present judgment upon thy soule that thou who when thou wast free wouldst not pray and didst neglect to get acquaintance with God should'st now be so shut up as not to be able to speak a word for thy selfe in so needfull a time God deals with thee as justly as may be You would not pray saith God and now you shall not pray And 't is a sad symptome that at least for the present God intends little good to such a soul that he leaves at this passe For if when God intends no good to a people he forbids his servants to pray for them and stops the mouths of his Prophets as Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. 14. 11. Much more when he restrains a man in misery from speaking in his own condition For when God intends to hear he prepareth the heart to pray Psalm 10. 17. 2. Be humbled and afflicted greatly before the Lord for the former neglect of acquaintance with him and know that God intends this straightening of thy spirit in so needfull a time of trouble as thy greatest affliction Take it then as such and account it thy greatest burthen that God should be so farre displeased with thee as that he will not only not hear thee when thou speakest but also shut up thy mouth that thou canst not so much as speak to him As when a Prince bids stop the mouth of a Petitioner As hardening the heart judicially is the greatest judgment that can befall a man on this side Hell because it shuts a double doore on a man to exclude him from mercy both a doore of mercy and admittance on Gods part during that condition and a door of repentance and penitent addresses on his own So doth this judicial shutting up the heart against prayer put a carnal man in the inner prison of judgment and wrath and puts his feet in the stocks so that the soul which ordinarily goes to God on the feet of prayer cannot now stirre so much as one step towards reliefe Now therefore acknowledge and bewayle thy former neglect of calling upon God whiles he was near God is farther off from unconverted sinners in adversity then in prosperity because then it is a