Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	commit_v	great_a	sin_n	5,813	5	5.3912	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95609	A Scripture-map of the wildernesse of sin, and vvay to Canaan. Or The sinners way to the saints rest. Wherein the close bewildring sleights of sin, wiles of the Devill, and windings of the heart, as also the various bewildrings of lost sinners, yea, even of saints, before, in, and after conversion; the necessity of leaning upon Christ alone for salvation, with directions therein: as also, the evident and eminent danger of false guides, false wayes, false leaning-stocks, are plainly, and practically discovered. Being the summe of LXIV lecture sermons preached at Sudbury in Suffolk, on Cantic. 8.5. / By Faithful Teate, M.A. minister of the Gospel.	Teate, Faithful, b. 1621.	1655 (1655)	Wing T615; Thomason E839_1; ESTC R203761	372,945	489

the dark valley of the shadow of death It deceived me how is that truly thus much I can say to it from the experience that I have had of poore soules in such a condition Darkning us that their sense of their sinne hath beene more then true even greater in some respect then their sinne Consult with Paul who tells you here that he was deceived but doth not tell you wherein 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe Why how could that bee Paul was before Conversion a sober blamelesse man as touching the Law Phil. 3.6 Zealous according to his light if you urge his persecuting of the Church why still there are as great if not much greater sinners then he for 1 Tim 1.13 He did it ignorantly Yet still when the Law stirres up the sence of sinne as encompassing poore Paul this is that that kills him that he is the chiefe of sinners Thus is it with our poore hearts Oh! when we see the brightnesse and glory of the Law of the Lord how Holy and just and good it is and how vile and sinfull and abominable our selves are Oh! never was there any sinne like ours never any guilt like ours What sinne against such meanes as I against such light as I against such mercies as I against such calls of Grace as I Oh! never any one sinned as I have done Yes friend thinke as bad of thy selfe as thou wilt others as sinfull as thou have gone before thee Now this is one bewildring darknesse● in the fence of sinne which may more humble then hurt you I would many were allured into this wilderness this day But now comes Satan as I said before Darkning that splendor of Gods mercy unto us and his businesse is to raise the darksome fogges of thy selfe-condemning and soul-bewildring thoughts yet higher so as not onely to bedarken all that is within thee but to cloud the face of mercy and to obscure the glory of Christs undertakings by the black guilt of thy sinnes Here is a worse deceiving by the sense of sin through Satans temptation and this makes the formes Wildernesse much more bewildring and the poore lost Creature ten thousand times more at a loss then it was before when the soule comes to see its sinnes greater then any other sinnes of the Children of men Satan striketh in and takes advantage to make it account its sinnes greater then any of Gods pardons and this is a deceiving indeed unto slaying and such I believe was the dark bewildring sence that Cain and Judas had of their sinnes take heed take heed of this deceipt in your sensibleness of your sinnes and yet even in this dark wilderness are many deare unto God for a season left and as it were lost till God come and speake comfortably unto them I can give you two eminent instances both of mine owne knowledge Instance The one was when I was a little one A rich man was walking and there comes a poor Creature to him with death in his face and begges of him some reliefe the man was an hard man and denyed the poor wretch importunes and through importunity prevailes thus farre saith the rich man come to my house to morrow and I will give you something Oh! sir saith the poore one I shall die before morning if I have not something to succour me this night yet could not the Rich man be then prevailed with that very night the begger dyed was sound dead the next morning the Rich man laies this to hear as I confess well he might was so terrified that for much time not the least comfort could be fastned on him but never was any guilt or sinne like his by night he was faine to have constant company and Candles burning with him and it would frequently cry out That now the Devill was ready to seize on him He was through providence brought unto a godly Minister where I was and to whom I was related I being little was left in the roome when the Minister and he were together Oh! it would have broken any heart that had the least of tendernesse to see the poore man what paines he tooke to load himselfe with misery and to obstruct the way of mercy and this was the upshot of all never was there such a Murtherer as he that obtained mercy I remember for the afflicted mans carriage made the discourse take more impression on me the Minister instanced in Davids Murther and aggravated it what a man David was of what profession under what mercies c. and what a man Uriah was a godly man a faithfull subject a publique spirited man c. and what a murther it was known wilfull devised plotted longed for and pleasing to David when accomplished and yet I remember would not that poore man bee perswaded but that his sinne was farre greater then Davids and so such as God would not pardon although at length it pleased God by that Minister to fasten some comfort on him Instance The other was mine owne experience also not long since Indeed the good woman desired me for Caution unto others concealing her to take some occasion to speake of the thing Her great sinne for which shee thought there was no mercy no pardon was a lie and on this manner she was private at duty in a roome that was said to be haunted as the phrase is in the night and there came by the Chamber doore a man of the house that hearing some stirring there asked her it being very dark whether she was there or no calling her by her name she being unwilling that hee should know that she used to be there of the suddaine answered that it was not she he urged her again and again she denyed At length the man halfe affrighted prayed her as ever she look'd for mercy from God that she would tell him if it were she and shee being much moved and yet unwilling through the strength of the present temptation to unsay what she had spoken denyed it yet again I thus farre agreed with her that it was indeed a very great sinne and deeply to be sorrowed for but her language was that it was the greatest sinne that ever was committed and that there could be no mercy for her because she had denyed the mercies of the Lord. I instanced in Peters denial of Christ once twice thrice till it came to cursing and swearing and perfect disowning of his Saviour I know not the man I aggravated it from Peters solemne profession of Christ his engagement not to deny him c. and yet notwithstanding he obtained mercy But for all I could say I could not for the present perswade the woman but that her denyall was a farre greater sinne then Peters and though she believed that there was mercy for him and salvation for him that declaredly denyed his Saviour yet could I not perswade her that there was any mercy for her who as

mercie break in upon it Psalm 40.12 Encompassing horrors For saith David innumerable evils have compassed me abeut mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore mine heart fails me These are the very words and if this do not make a very Wilderness I know not what can Now when is the time that God sets the sinners sins in such order as this is He tels you in Job 36.8 9. They be holden in the coards of affliction and bound in fetters then he shews them their transgression wherein they have exceeded that is to English the word Transgressions their bewildrings wherein they have gone astray 2. As the horror of what hath been 2. Sorrowfull thoughts of what is so the distracting thoughts of that which is are enough to bewilder him Balshazzar in his dying day though he were in the midst of his Nobles his Concubines his wise men and Astrologers his wine his women his dainties his delights yet in the midst of them all was he in the midst of this Wilderness and as you know at an utter loss for saith the Text His thoughts troubled him Dan. 5.6 What thought he must I now die and leave all this Leave all this and be taken away Be taken away and know not whether And must I leave this Crown this companie this glorie these delights to lie down in the dust and in the noysom grave O! such and thousands more such were his thoughts and if these were not enough to make him at such a loss as he was Encompassing sorrows and so to bewilder him See Psalm 116.3 The sorrows of Death compassed me Observe the Phrase the sorrows of Death are surrounding and therefore they are bewildring sorrows As sorrowfull friends stand round about the dying mans bed so do these bewildring sorrowfull thoughts stand round his dying heart Pray Sits What do ye now think you will then think of Certainly you cannot tell 3. Fears of what shall be Thirdly as the horror of what hath been sorrow for what is so fears of what is like to be nay what is sure to be cannot but bewilder the dying sinner You have heard that the horror of sin is an enclosing horror you have heard the sorrows of the grave are enclosing sorrows Encompassing fears and so are these fears enclosing and therefore bewildring fears Jer. 46.5 Fear was round about on the right hand and on the left hand above beneath forward backward Look which way the sinner will or the sinner can there are these fears Look backward sin makes him afraid on the right hand and the wrath of the Lamb scares him on the left hand and the roaring Lion frightens him upward and God and Heaven and Judgment make him afraid and downward and Hell fils him as full of fears as it is of such sinners as himself is So that here is fear round about and therefore a Wilderness If these horrors and sorrows and fears were onely on the right and on the left one might get out before or behinde but seeing they encompass you cannot but think that they bewilder O●her● a Wilderness to dying sinners I might add that as the dying sinner is a Wilderness to himself so usually others are a Wilderness unto him He makes choice of wicked and vain and carnal companions for his friends whilest he lives and in his health and God in judgment hemms him in with them when he comes to die Is there nor many a dying sinner in whose conscience Hell-flames break forth in his sick bed and then O! for such a Minister such a Christian He vomits up his sins and cannot be quiet casts up mire and dirt and yet he cannot rest he must speak with them and carnal friends are about him that would not perhaps have any thing break out because they have had fellowship with him in his sins and they smother all again The Minister's not at home We sent to such a man and he will not come at you when perhaps there 's no such matter Yea the carnal Physician must counsel O! let not him be sent for if he come the sick man will spend his spirits and it will be enough to undo him to spend himself with speaking Or thus You shall not need so to trouble your self or them You shall not die but live saith the Physician No fear of dying this bout and yet presently drops the poor bewildred sinner into the dust whilest these carnal friends stand just like the greener and fresher Trees of the Wilderness round about him And as you have heard whilest they be thus folden together as Thorns they shall be devoured as Stubble fully dry Nahum 1.10 And this leades me unto thoughts of Hell it self As Death so Hell is a Wilderness to the wicked for Hell followed with him Rev. 6.8 The souls that depart in the Wilderness of sin must hence to the howling Wilderness of Hell 8. Hell a Wilderness to departing sinners there shall be weeping and wailing yelling and houling and gnashing of teeth I would have you to reckon no more difference betwixt Sin and Hell than just betwixt the Wilderness unkindled Hell a Wilderness but set on fire and the Wilderness set on fire For Wickedness burneth as a Fire it shall devour the Briars and Thorns it shall kindle the thickets of the Wilderness and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is this Land darkened and the People Mark the People are the Trees of the Wilderness shall be as fuel of the fire no man shall spare his brother Isai 9 18 19. Sinfull mates in that day shall betray and accuse and do what they can to make one another brands in the burning that have been here as brethren in iniquitie Therefore houl ye for this day of the Lord it shall come as destruction from the Almighty Isai 13.6 And where shall this fall but upon the houling Wilderness For when the boughs thereof are withered that is fit for burning they shall be broken off the women shall come and set them on fire and he that made them will not have mercy on them Isai 27.11 For this he hath resolved that he will go through them and burn them up together v. 4. So true is that which God speaks figuratively in that sense which is most spiritual Sin shall have great pain Ezek. 30.16 God speaks it of that material Wilderness that is of the People that dwelt round about that desolate place You will finde it as fully and sadly true of the spiritual Wilderness of sin if ever you come to Hell When Sin comes to have great pain when this Wilderness is set on fire that 's Hell Reade Ezek. 20.47 And thus you see from first to last the unregenerate are spiritually bewildred young and old living and dying they are in a Wilderness of sin From

doth environ This Pharaoh knew well enough when he said as Exod. 14.3 The wilderness hath shut them in And this last adds as much as all the rest as giving strength unto the rest unto the exceeding greatness of the difficulty of coming out of the wilderness were the wilderness Ten thousand miles in length and withal but very narrow yea were it when thou comest to any part of it open to the east though it were wilderness Ten thousand miles towards west and north and south thy recovery then were not so desperate but this is the utmost and it is enough the wilderness it doth surround yea the wilderness hath shut thee in and how shouldst thou then get out again And if it be not so with sin see Heb. 12.1 Let us lay aside the sin that so easily besets us and run c. There is no running I 'le tell you friends till sins surroundings be removed It seems Sin useth to beset us and Satan when he seeth us ready to find a gap through mercy out of the wilderness makes it his immediat business to stop that gap and to environ us still with Sin as for instance such a Minister is like to do thy soul good and Satan seeth thou beginst to have a glimering of light and a little to see the open field through the thickets now will Satan if he can remove thee from his ministry or raise some discontent that his ministry may be unto thee ineffectual and a thousand such waies hath he to hedge thee into the wilderness yet again as fast as God plucks up the brambles that hinder thee Satan wil endevour to plant and set more and surely if God were not quicker at plucking up temptations and obstructions then Satan is in planting them never could any soul get out of the wilderness of Sin Thus deceitful are thy first appearances thus dismal and destructive are thy waies thus difficult and desperat are thy comings out O thou wilderness of Sin Application To those that come up from the wilderness First Then to thee freind whosoever art come up from this wilderness I have a great message from this truth Surely if if any truth in the world can heighten the thoughts of Saving grace unto thy soule this very doctrin may do it in the highest kind What shall I say I am come to call for the expression of that mercy which is beyond expression thoughts of grace beyond thoughts Oh the height and the length and the depth and the bredth of that love which brought thee up from a wilderness so long so broad so great so terrible I may say as Paul elsewhere what shall we say then to these things Thou wert a wilderness a barren parched solitary destitute waylesse waste wilderness thou art made the garden of the Lord. Thou wert amidst the famine thorns Serpents savage beasts of this wilderness ready to be devoured doubly irrecoverably everlastingly And yet are thou now come forth out of this wilderness and thy life is given thee for a prey Thou wert in the great variously-pathed perplexed stumbling dark thorny surrounding waies of this wilderness and yet art thou now in the one good living way the way of peace Oh! mayst thou say when I was intangled in the wilderness I did never think or hope of getting hither but the Lord hath found me when I was lost the Lord hath led me when I was bewildred Admire then for ever wonder at the finding mercy and the leading grace of God 1. Admire that God should chuse thee thence First Ever retain high thoughts of the electing mercy of the Lord what consideration can raise it higher when I was as a wilderness and in a wildernses when I was barren and when I was lost that is when I was neither fit for service nor worthy of favour the Lord was pleased to pitch his electing grace upon me Surely if we will but grant election let schooles expound it what way they will this cannot chuse but lift it up beyond even admiration that God should chuse us when he foresaw us under these Spiritual and soul bewildrings This is that which in Israels case is noted if I mistake not as I think I do not the whole Israel of Gods election which are Gods portion and the lot of his inheritance as you shall find Deut. 32.9 now this I say is that whereby he heightneth the thoughts of that mercy in which he singles out Jacob for his portion ver 10. He found him in a desart land and in the waste howling wilderness Surely this is Spiritually to be laid to heart though it hath its allusion to Jacob's history in the letter for neither was all that Jacob Spiritually the Lords people portion or lot of inheritance Neither were all they that were the Lords among them found in that visible wilderness being all the old ones of them brought out of Egypt into the wilderness 'T is as if the Lord should say Israel was a wilderness and Jacob in a desert I found him in a desert land that is he was forsaken I found him in a wilderness which was wast that is useful unto none I found him in a howling wilderness that is amongst Lions and Leopards Beares Dragons and yet have I allotted him to be my portion and inheritance so that this Scripture is in substance in my thoughts the same with that memorial of the Lords dealing with his people in their natural condition 2. Admire that ever God should bring thee thence and in sin Ezek. 16.3 c. cast out into the open field c. Secondly For ever wonder at the calling mercies of the Lord. Thou wert in a wilderness that ever God should send a Christ to call thee thence wert a lost sheep in that wilderness that ever Christ should bestow the pains to look thee out and to take thee up to lay thee upon his shoulder and to bring thee home again O what exceeding great mercy is here God might have given thee for gone and though he had found thee in the wilderness yet might he have left thee alone and left thee as he did so many of the Israel of old to die in the wilderness or which is all one so many of Israel afterward to die in their sins John 8.24 but having found his Jacob in the wilderness and having chosen him thence for his own portion he crowns his finding-mercy with a leading-mercy his directing with a protecting mercy He seconds his protection with provisions he supports and supplies He found him in the howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him kept him as the apple of his eye as an eagle stireth up her nest fluttereth over her yong spreads abroad her wings taketh them and beareth them on her wings Deut. 32.9 10 11. Thus hath God dealt with thy poor bewildred soul he hath taught thee the way he hath led thee in the way he hath protected thee from danger and as in

of blood yet at length sin shall sting like an adder and bite like a serpent of the wilderness Prov. 23.32 Vse To yong ones Now to come up from the the wildernes Hearken then you yong ones unto me and I will shew you an excellent way Youth I know is of all ages and states most desirous and indeed most free for travel but it pities me to think that so much gallant youth and the strength thereof should be spent in wandring up and down in the worthless wilderness of sin Encouragement 1. The fitness of youthful time for that travel rather if you will be traveling remember Canaan Oh! what a time is the strength of your youth to make out your way from the wilderness of sin Thou hast some strength to rush through the thickets more then an old man hath and if thou lose a little of thy flesh in breaking through the thorns thou art yong and thy flesh will come again if thou lose by repentance as to carnal respects there 's time enough before thee to have amends made thee I observe as the yong ones were those of the Israelites that got through the wilderness unto Canaan Numb 26.64 so at this day those that are converted are converted yong ten to one of those that live to be old and yet come to be new born If old men will have their old ways still and scorn to learn a new lesson being old yea if their joints be stiff and their knees feeble that they cannot travel yet let us yong men get up and be going and the Lord be with us This day the Lord calls you yong ones from the Lions de● and Leopards mountains if you refuse this call to day you will mourn at the last when your strength is consumed and say How have I hated instruction and mine heart despised reproof Prov. 7.11 12. Take a tree from the wilderness when its young set it in your Garden keep it and water it c. and little fear of its death but take an old tree from the wilderness and transplant it in your Orchard and do what you will there is little hope of the life of it if there be 't will cost much ado much weeping to water it c. hear David crying Psalm 25 6 7. Remember thy tender mercies remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions If thou have only thy youth transgressions or bewildrings to reckon for it will be work enough for thee though thou have thy youth strength to do the work in Secondly As this is the fittest time for thee 2. The acceptableness of youth herein unto God so is it the most welcome time to God young ones if you did but know how kindly the Lord would take it to see you come up from the wilderness such youthfull Spouses leaning upon the Beloved it would ravish your hearts within you I le give you a tast for God hath bidden me go and cry in your ears saying Thus saith the Lord I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Jer. 2.2 Oh Christ the Shepheard is come into the Wilderness to seek and to save that which is lost Oh if thou wilt in thy youth be so kind as to follow him till thou shall come to Canaan God will never forget this love of thine espousals say not that thou art too young to marry Christ the younger thou art the better Christ will like thee CHAP. III. A fifth particular to wit that mans estate is a bewildred estate the world is a wilderness proved generally proved particularly the first particular poverty a wilderness opened and applyed Fifthly Mans estate a bewild red estate FIfthly Men and women as soon as they enter upon the world as we say that is upon the heart of the world they enter upon the heart of the Wilderness The world is a Wilderness to the unregenerate for here grow those Thorns that choak the word of God The world is a wilderness here are the thorns Mat. 13.22 He that hath the word choaked by the Cares of this world is said to receive it among thorns When the Word meets with a worldly heart it is like good seed sown in a thorny wilderness Worldlings you that hear me this day I appeal to your consciences if it be not so In comes a note or an observation an advice or a conviction and up start the thorny worldly thoughts that are within thee even whilst thou art within the reach of the word and choak that good seed Here are the the entangling waies that it brings not forth Again The world is a wilderness to the unregenerate for here are those crooked and foul waies that are the entanglements of the poor soul the Apostle 2 Pet. 2.20 mentioning the pollutions of the world saith They are entangled therein and overcome The world is a thorny thicket and entangling wilderness to the unconverted My friends were it only your Babes and children They that enter upon the world enter the very midst of the wilderness and youth that were bewildred it were less to be feared you might hope that when they came to have experience of and to understand the waies of the world they might come to understand their own waies or at least if you were not your selves lost you might set them into the way But let me tell you what ever you think or speak of Men of the world know not what way they wal in or unto any man Oh say you I know well enough what I do and about what I go and what way I am in there is not an unregenerate heart amongst you but is so far bewildred as not to know the way that thy soul is in Prov. 20.4 Mans goings are of the Lord how then can a man understand his own way He that is a stranger from Gods waies is altogether ignorant of his own waies nay how can he understand them Mans goings are known of the Lord The interpretation of this Scripture may be according to Prov. 5.21 Mans waies are before the Lords eyes and he pondereth all his wayes T is Gods prerogative to understand not only his own waies but thy waies as it is the Saints prerogative that know God not only to understand their waies but Gods waies but it is thy misery neither to know Gods waies nor thine own Prov. 12.26 The way of the wicked seduceth him Seduceth that is his very way leads him out of his Way It seems a right way unto him but the end thereof are waies of death Prov. 14.12 The end of his way he thinks is thriving and riches and a comfortable life this thinks he will be the end of his grinding the faces of the poor and cheating the rich and this he thinks is a right way he may lawfully buy as cheap and sell as dear as he can But the end

shee thought had more perfectly denyed mercy Yet I believe the woman to be a good woman something of refreshment she had e're she went away This is the of sinne a bewildring darkness to such a soule aggravate your sinnes as much as you will onely by their aggravation take heed of diminishing the freeness or fulness of Gods grace Secondly Soules in such a case 2. Pass darke sentences on our selves lose themselves in the dark sentences that they pass upon themselves Paul tels you that sin by the Law slew him that is passed a sentence of death upon him according to that phrase 2 Cor. 1.9 Who received the sentence of death in our selves Poor soules will save God as I may so say a labour in the condemning of them for they will condemne themselves and their sentence shall be very dark even as dark as death it selfe Oh! never did any deserve Hell more then my selfe thither I am a going and there I must receive a just recompence of reward Let me go to Hell said one for that is the fittest place for me Thirdly They often in such a season take up dark Resolves concerning themselves 3ly Take up dark resolves concerning themselves they themselves passed Sentence and now they proceed to Execution They say they have deserved Hell and it must be so they must go to Hell there 's no helpe for 't say what you can to comfort me my sinne will slay me doe what you can for me my sinne will slay me I have heard such language and now the soule 's at an utter loss Oh! I shall verily die in my sinnes Jer. 15.18 My pain is perpetuall and my wound incurable Oh! if the terrours of the Lord were but for a day or a year I might better beare them saith such a soul but they are perpetuall eternall death is the wages of my sinne what shall I doe Oh! if my wound were curable though it be great and terrible but I am without any expectation of recovery past all hope Thus poore ones in this darksome wildernesse do resolve concerning themselves 4ly Dark resolutions with themselves 4ly From dark Resolves concerning themselves they sometimes pass to darker resolutions with themselves Their hearts language is not onely I may be damned and I must be damned there 's no other way but even almost I will be damned There 's no comfort for me and I will take no comfort to me Jer. 15.18 My pain is perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Not onely incurable that is that cannot be healed but that refuseth to be cured that is that will not be healed and verily as for soules that have a long time said Note that there is no mercy or comfort that belongs unto them there is a kind of spirituall pride in the lowest ebbe of very despaire they have so long said that they shall perish that when they begin through mercy to be better perswaded they are very loath to think that it shall be otherwise and so refuse to be healed so Asaph Psal 77.2 My sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted Oh! take heed of thrusting Gods precious Consolations so often or so long from you as to get an habit of refusing him habits are hardly left though there be never so great reason to disswade us from them Sometimes poore soules in this darksome wilderness are ready to be of his minde and vote who desired that he might be in Hell that he might know the worst of his torment yet God that allures into the wilderness fastens comfort oft-times upon such a soul These are bewildring-darknesses as to our selves CHAP. XX. Contains the second kind of bewildring darkenesse in conversion viz. relating to God in foure particulars removed BUt secondly 2d Kind such as relate unto God There are attending upon conversion bewildring darknesses as relating to God Dark thoughts concerning the Purposes the Thoughts the Providences the Justice and mercy of God towards us 1. 1. Darknesse as to Gods purposes Such a day many times bewildes poore soules in dark thoughts concerning Gods purposes about themselves Oh! saith many a soule I should be glad to pray to repent to believe to do any thing for God but I am a Reprobate I know God hath from all eternity cast me away and therefore it is in vaine for me to doe any thing but as my deserved portion is everlastingly to despair Here is the blacknesse of darkness indeed but who told thee that thou are a Reprobate Why I am sure I am a Reprobate But why dost thou think that Gods eternall purpose was to pass thee by Why I am sure I am a Reprobate My Brethren I know it is the great duty of every Saint to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure and so saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.16 We ought to make sure that is be assured of our election so that we might conclude it and comfortably assert from our Calling that is because we find that we are converted to rest assured that we were elected because called therefore that we were chosen of God But ther 's no Scripture that either bids or warrants us to make our Reprobation sure that is to stand assured that we are reprobated no not because we are unconverted You 'l say the Apostle bids us to examine our selves upon such terms 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates the word i● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why Jesus Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate Is this thine argument truly then thou must also say that there was a time when Paul was a Reprobate that spake it for there was a time when Christ was not in Paul Yea that the Saints that are in heaven were once Reprobates for certaine it is that they were once Christless and if this be so then to be Reprobate is no more then to unconverted and if this be thy meaning why should'st thou despaire upon the thoughts that thou art a Reprobate for though thou be Christless and by such reasoning a Reprobate to day as Paul before Conversion yet maist thou bee saved as well as he and so reprobation shall no more hinder thy salvation then unconversion But it is evident from the dark despaire that rests upon their spirits unto whom I speake that conclude they cannot be saved because as they thinke they are Reprobates that they are not so criticall as to distinguish betwixt Reprobate as opposed to Elect and opposite to Gods present approbation which an Elect but unconverted person may not have but take Reprobate in the saddest sence in which I cannot apprehend how any with reason can make unconversion an assuring token of it onely glad they are poor souls to take up any staffe wherewith to beat themselves I shall therefore in a word tell you what I think from these two

admiration of God had cast her away I asked her if she were resolved to harbour sin and to hold her iniquity till she should die that she did so determine that she was a Reprobate The poor heart brake out into a passion of tears and said Oh! no I had rather be damned with holinesse then carry sin to heaven with me for God knows I hate it with a perfect hatred These are the souls I speake unto that are under this bewildring temptation because of their darkness in respect of the purposes of God of whom I am bold to conclude that though they bee their own Reprobates yet are they none of Gods 2ly Darkness as to Gods thoughts 2ly They are bewildred in exceeding much darknesse as to the thoughts of Gods heart toward them You know in generall we are very apt to measure every ones thoughts by our own The proud Spirit wonders that every one doth not think him worthy of that respect that he thinks himselfe worthy of and again the lowly Spirit that thinkes meanly of himselfe wonders that any one should think better of him then he doth of himselfe that any Godly Minister or Christian should think well or speak well of him when he cannot bestow a good thought upon himselfe and indeed whatever it be that we have taken up a strong perswasion of we admire that every one thinks not as we thinke Now when once poore soules come to harbour those sad thoughts that I have spoken of against themselves they are much in the dark concerning Gods thoughts being wholly disposed to measure Gods thoughts by their own When a Minister brings them a comfortable word they cannot be perswaded that God is of that mind because they are not of that mind When David brings lame creeple Mephibosheth to eat bread at his own table 2 Sam. 9.7 He can't be perswaded that he means as he saith that he should eat bread alwaies there ver 8. What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke on such a dead Dog as I am What would you make me believe that God hath any thoughts of saving such a dead soule as I am such a sinner how can it be I know mine owne thoughts that I would never find in mine heart to do such a thing for such an Enemy of mine and of my good as I have been unto God and unto his glory therefore I can never thinke it I thinke if I were as judge I should undoubtedly damne such an one as my selfe is and therefore let me alone God can have no thoughts of good concerning me Now hold a little whilest we read Isai 55.7 8● Let the wicked forsake his waies Why what shall he get by that is there any hope of good for a wicked man Yes God will have mercy upon him Yea but saith thy soule not upon such a grievous sinner as I am yes God will abundantly pardon Do you say so O but I can never think that Yea but friend that 's an unrighteous thought and you must forsake it Let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts Forsake it why ver 8. For saith God My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your waies my waies but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my waies then your waies and my thoughts higher then your thoughts ver 9. So that it is a bewildring darkness for thy poor heart to conclude that God thinks no thoughts of peace towards thee because thou canst not think thy soul worthy of that peace c. For saith God I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace Jer. 29.11 3ly Poor souls in such a day 3ly Darkness as to Gods providence are much in the dark as to Gods providential dispensations Oh! saith the soul if God intended to pardon me in the end he would never thus long keep me upon the rack if God intended to save me in the Conclusion he would never suffer Satan thus to buffet me unbeliefe to have so much power over me temptations to blasphemous thoughts and despairing words thus far to prevaile against me c. Therefore doth Eliphaz sinfully and uncharitably conclude concerning good Job Jo. 22.5 c. That his wickednesse was great and his iniquities infinite c. because ver 20.11 That snares were round about him and darkness that he could not see c. And thus think poor souls of themselves that because they are under darker dispensations as they think then any others that therefore their sins are greater and their conditions more desperate then any others Now this is darkness for this is to judge according to the appearance and not with righteous judgement Thus though God had brought comforts to Zion and tels her that he will have mercy upon his afflicted Isa 49.13 Yet because she was afflicted verse 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me He would never have staid so long saith the soul but that he hath quite forgotten me he would ●ever have served me so and so but that he hath quite forsaken me Now how much darknesse there is in this kind of arguing you may easily see in the next verses though a Mother forget her Child and can that be yet I will not forget thee saith the Lord for thou art graven upon the palms of mine hands verses 15.16 4ly Darkness as to Gods justice and mercy 4ly They have exceeding darkness upon their thoughts as to the justice and mercy of God and hereby they are also bewildred They poor Creatures can not think but that God is more inclined to justice then to mercy towards them and here still they judge according to flesh blood Indeed flesh and blood saith it is the glory of a man to revenge himselfe upon them that have wronged him but the Spirit saith It is the glorie of a man to pass by an infirmitie Now this they cannot but judge that God will have more glory in damning them then in saving them therefore they conclude that they shall be damned justice must passe upon them Now such thoughts are very darknesse for verily neither is Gods delight so much in nor his glory so much advanced by taking of revenge upon his Enemies though vengeance be his and he will repay as in shewing mercy unto poore souls 1. God delights most in mercy 1. Scripture seems to hold forth that there is nothing so much of Gods heart in punishing as in pardoning as is cleare in those two known Scriptures Isa 28.21 Where judgement is called his work but his strange work his act but his strange act as if he did not know how to goe about it How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. but Mich. 7.18 God pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression because he delighteth in mercy he delighteth in mercy in the worke of pardoning sin in the act of passing by transgression as if hee knew not how to go about any other work how dark then

to soul-weariness as that of the body and to both as well as wee Tell me Christians you that know by experience what is the houre of your spirituall wearinesse is it not the houre of your spirituall travaile Read what is said of Sion Jer. 4.31 I have heard the voyce of a woman in travell the anguish c. the voyce of the daughter of Sion woe is me now my soule is wearied And minde what the Lord saith of Christ Isai 53.11 He shall see of the travell of his soule Here you have Christ in soul-travell and if any shall make doubt of his soul weariness at that time let them compare the language of travelling Sion with the voyce of her travelling King Mat. 26.38 He saith unto his Disciples My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death sorrowfull unto death What is that but wearinesse of his life Hitherto refers all that former tyring travell of his pilgrimage on earth where you read of his groaning in spirit and trouble in spirit Joh. 11.33 and Joh. 13.21 Sirs what do you think of the travell of his soule when he cryes out My God my God whay hast thou forsaken me Think you that this was not a tyring travell for my part I believe that never was there any one soule that knew most of the terrors of the Lord those wearying woes and tyring terrors that ever came neare unto the sufferings of Christ in degree for hee drank the very dregs of the Cup of Gods wrath his Cup of Vinegar and Gall that he drank with his bodily mouth I reckon but a shadow and type of the tedious bitternesse of his soule and well therefore might that Patheticall Poet make it the burthen of his sad song when he personates the passion of lamenting Jesus in the language of lamenting Jeremy Was ever griefe like mine And you may say to your Saviour Was ever weariness like thine Surely if eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor heart understood the glory of that REST which Christ hath purchased by that travell neither have they perceived the wearinesse that Christ underwent in that travell we shall never fully know the one till we know both nor be able to conceive of that weariness till we be able to receive that rest Onely thus we may argue in our straightned understandings That if the terrors of one sin and the guilt of one soule be so wearying to us that nothing but infinite mercy can refresh us what tyrednesse must there needs be upon the soule of the Lord Jesus Christ 2ly He did imputatively bear the tyring guilt curse c. of our sins For as the next particular tells us The Lord Christ did though not properly and so as either to be involved in the guilt or depraved by the stain imputatively beare and takes upon himselfe the sinnes of many soules even of all the Elect to beare the weight of the sin and the Lords wrath for the sin in behalfe of their soules who is therefore said 2 Cor. 5.21 To be made sin for us not for all but for us or if for all yet but for all us Isai 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all These are the many considered in themselves though they be but few comparatively whose sins he is said to bear vers 12. when he powred out his soul unto the death And this leads me to 2d Part It was to our weaknesses wearinesses and for our sakes not his own The second Proposition That it was our weakness and weariness rather then his own that Christ tooke on him and for our sakes rather then his own This I passe over as being the full and plain importance of Isai 53. throughout the Chapter and as necessarily deducible from what I have here already proved and therefore I shall proceed to 3d. Part. That Christ thereby became a sutable support for us The third Proposition That the Lord Christ by being subjected unto our weaknesses and wearinesses is hereby become an apt support and leaning stock unto us I have before shewed that the 110 Psalm is by the Apostle expounded of Christ which closeth with this briefe prophesie of the sufferings of Christ and the issue of them verse 7. He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift up the head It 't is not said then shall he lift up his head or therefore shall he lift up his own head though that were true but indefinitely the head that is as his own so the head of those that are bowed down because his owne head was bowed down to drinke of the brook of the waters of Marah that is therefore he is become a sutable Saviour to lift up the head that is to stay to strengthen to support the hearts of poore disconsolate ones because himselfe had his own head in the brook before us for two things are here imported which are both expressed by the Apostle to the Hebrews For 1. Thereby he gat skill as knowing our weaknesses and wearinesses experimentally First That because Christ himselfe was once subject to weaknesses and wearinesses like as we are therefore he hath skill to succour us as knowing our grievances indeed known unto the Lord God are all our sufferings sorrows sicknesses c. but it is Cognitione intuitûs with a viewing knowledge Known they are to the Lord Christ Cognitione sensûs with a feeling knowledge Thus Heb. 2.18 For in that himselfe suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted So in that himself was weary and had need of refreshing in his journeyings on earth and had need of strengthning in his Agony therefore he is an accomplished high Priest able to support the weak and to succour the weary 2ly Therefore also he hath will to succour 2ly Therefore he hath as good will also because of sympathy as well as ability Thou knowest the heart of a stranger saith God to Israel because thou wast a stranger in Egypt So Christ knows the heart of an afflicted groaning troubled weakned wearied soule because it was once thus with himselfe This Antecedent and Consequence the Apostle hath both together Heb. 2.17 Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren in all things that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Hence is that sympathy of Christ in Heaven with sorrowing Saints on Earth whose language is as Pauls 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak take two Scriptures for it the one Isai 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted and Act. 9.4 Why persecutest thou me so saith Christ to Satan when he assaults a weak Christian Why temptest thou me He was in Himselfe persecuted before now in his Saints tempted before in his own soule now in his members weak and weary before is his naturall body now in his mysticall body therefore doth his fellew-feeling engage him to faithfulness and his communion in sufferings to commiseration on

Scriptures that I have mentioned 1. That souls that have Christ and are converted may from thence be sure that they are elected but yet that it doth not hence follow that souls that are yet Christless and unconverted as yet are reprobated But yet Againe so much I presume the second Scripture speaks that no soul can come to say I am not reprobate I know I am not but by being able to say Christ is in me although another soule may not say because Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate Christ is in me therefore I am no Reprobate that Scripture concludes undoubtedly true Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate that Scripture concludes not neither can it so conclude for it is a lie sinners in hell may say we are all Reprobates therefore Christ is not in us sinners upon Earth may not say Christ is not in us therefore we are all Reprobates for though Christ be not in you to day who can or dare say but that God may convert you to morrow I shall illustrate the whole of this 2. Simile by a similitude obvious to you You have in your Town an hundred shifts by a Benefactors will to be dealt forth to an hundred poor men and women whom the Trustees shall choose out of all the poor They are chosen before the Dole which is to be at twice and in two severall places some to be distributed in the fore-noon at one place of concourse some in the after-noon at another the man or woman that receives in the forenoon may rest assured that he or she was elected or chosen because they have received but he that stands by and receives not cannot rest assured or be sure that he is not elected because although he receives not then yet he may in the afternoon Sinners that are timously converted may be sure they were elected because they have received the gift of God But sinners that are yet unconverted I grant they have abundant reason to question whether they be elected or no and a great deal of reaon to fear lest God should call them Reprobate silver but they cannot be sure they may not conclude that they are Reprobate because God may at the eleventh hour send them into the Vineyard Though hee that receives not in the forenoon may fear he is not chosen yet he may not conclude so as to neglect to wait in the afternoon it may be he may then receive Unconverted ones have reason to fear that they are unelected ones and let this to purpose humble them but let them not so wretchedly conclude as to despair and so as to neglect the afternoones dole yea surely they should be the more humbly solicitous because there is but one part of the day to deal in and if that be over and Christ the gift of God not received they may then conclude they were reprobated but whilst they are yet on this side Hell let them return to God for who knows but God may return to them and leave a blessing behind him Jon. 3.9 So then my conclusion is that whatever thy Conversation hath been it is not for thee to conclude if now thine heart be in any measure inclined towards God that thou art a Reprobate onely let prophane and impenitent ones know that I speak to poor distracted Consciences this day Your arguments are such as these Object 1 1. The greatness of your sins in themselves Oh sai'st thou Never were such great sins committed by any elect therefore I am a Reprobate Ans I do seriously believe that if Davids murther with Adultery and Peters deniall had been committed by thee thou wouldst have thought as I believe they did that they were the greatest sins in the world yea greater than those very sins that thou arguest thy reprobation from But this is no argument for they were the elect of God Object 2 2. Oh! but my sin hath been against light of Conscience against profession of God against vowes and Covenants c. my sins admit of all manner of aggravations therefore I am a reprobate Ans Read the entire stories of David and Peter and if thou maist not unfeignedly judge that if thou hadst been the aggravator of their sins as thou art of thine own thou wouldest have spoken as bitter things of their sins as thou now dost of thine own and found as sad circumstances whereby to heighten them supposing them thine then I had almost said be disconsolate still Thirdly Oh but mine whole Conversation hath been a very Object 3 trade of sinning I have done evills over and over again and again even as I could with both hands greedily even unto this end of my dayes and now I am just agoing out of the world and therefore I am a Reprobate Ans I confesse this is very sad indeed but yet I must say Here is not enough in the premises whence to infer the conclusion For the Thiefe Luk. 23. was a Thiefe to his dying day whose whole trade was to sin he lived upon it and no question used both hands in it delighted in it and which is sad 't is said that both the Thieves at first reviled Christ and cast the blasphemous reproaches of the wicked multitude into Christs teeth Mat. 27.44 And this was the very day that the Thiefe that was saved went to be hanged so Mark 15.32 And yet this Thiefe presently falls a reproving the other condemning himselfe justifying Christ praying unto Christ believing in Christ and saith Christ unto him Verily this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luk. 23.39 40 41 42 43. Therefore he was Elected and therefore thou canst not hence conclude that thou art a Reprobate as opposite to Elect for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes to be taken for one that is as yet unsound though he may be elect But to close this I pray you who are the reprobates that I am now speaking to even such as I could wish the most of you that hear me this day were if they be not already such even such as Job was Chap. 27.2 The almighty hath taken away my judgement saith he that is God hath rejected me he will have nothing at all to doe with me and yet ver 3.4 5. he saith againe All the while my breath is in me my tongue shall not utter deceit nor my lips speake wickedly I will hold mine integrity until I die My brethren they are such among you that fear the Lord and obey the voyce of his servants that walk in this darknesse and see no light Isa 50.10 I remember once I was in discourse with a poore woman whose whole complaint against her selfe was in conclusion this that she was a Reprobate I perceived much good in the womans spirit yet this was at the end of all I asked her why she concluded so hardly against God and her selfe that whatever God had done as to others whose mercy to others she was wrapt up in the