now as they are indeed and not by report only A man accounts it a matter of nothing to tread upon a worme wherein there is nothing seen worthy either to bee loved or feared and hence a mans heart is not affected with it before the Spirit of conviction comes God is more vile in mans eye then any worme as Christ said in another case of himselfe Psal. 22. I am a worme and no man so may the Lord complaine I am viler in such a ones eyes then any worme and no God and hence a man makes it a matter of nothing to tread upon the glorious Majesty of God and hence is not affected with it but when God is seen by the Spirit of conviction in his great glory then as he is great sin is seene great as his glory affects and astonisheth the soule so sin affects the heart There is a constant light the soule sees sinne and death continually before it Gods arrowes stick fast in the soule and cannot be pluckt out My sinne is ever before me said David in his renewing of the work of conversion For in effectuall conviction the mind is not onely bound to see the misery lying upon it but it is held bound it is such a Sun light as never can be quenched though it may be clouded When the Spirit of Christ darts in any light to see sin the soule would turne away from looking upon it would not heare on that eare Felix-like But the Spirit of Conviction sent to make thorow work on the hearts of all the Elect followes them meets them at every turne forceth them to see and remember what they have done the least sinne now is like a moath in the eye it s ever troubling Those gastly dreadfull objects of sinne death wrath being presented by the Spirit neare unto the soule fixe the eye to fasten here they that can cast off at their pleasure the remembrance and thoughts of sinne and death never prove sound untill the Lord doth make them stay their thoughts and muse deeply on what they have done and whither they are going And hence the soule in lying downe rising up lyes downe and rises up with perplexed thoughts What will become of me The Lord somtimes keeps it waking in the night season when others are asleep and then t is haunted with those thoughts it cannot sleep it looks back upon every day and week Sabboth Sermon Prayer speeches and thinks all this day this week c. the goodnesse of the Lord and his patience to a wretch hath been continued but my sins also are continued I sin in all I doe in all my prayers in all I think the same heart remaines still not humbled not yet changed And hence you shall observe that word which discovered sin at first to it it never goes out of the mind I think saith the soule I shall never forget such a man nor such a truth Hence also if the soule grow light and carelesse at some time and casts off the thoughts of these things the Spirit returnes againe and falls a reasoning with the soule Why hast thou done this what hurt hath the Lord done thee will there never be an end hast not thou gone on long enough in thy leâ—d courses against God but that thou shouldst still adde unto the heap hast thou not wrath enough upon thee already how soone may the Lord stop thy breath and then thou knowest thou hadst better never to have beene borne was there ever any that thus resisted grace that thus adventured upon the swords point hast thou but one friend a patient long-suffering God that hath left thy conscience without excuse long agoe and therefore could have cut thee off and dost thou thus forsake him thus abuse him Thus the Spirit followes and hence the soule comes to some measure of confession of sinne Oh Lord I have done exceeding wickedly I have been worse then the horse that rusheth into the battle because it sees not death before it but I have seen death before me in these wayes and yet goe on and still â—inne and cannot but sinne Behold mee Lord for I am very vile When thus the Spirit hath let into the soule a cleare reall constant light to see sinne and death now there is a thorow conviction But you will say In what measure doth the Spirit communicate this light I shall therefore open the fourth particular viz. The measure of spirituall conviction in all the elect viz. So much conviction of sin as may bring in and work compunction for sinne so much sight of sinne as may bring in sense of sinne so much is necessary and no more Every one hath not the same measure of conviction yet all the elect have must have so much for so much conviction is necessary as may attaine the end of conviction Now the finis proximus or next end of conviction in the elect is compunction or sense of sinne for what good can it doe unto them to see sin and not to be affected with it What greater mercy doth the Lord shew to the elect herein then unto the Devils and Reprobates who stand convinced and know they are wicked and condemned but yet their hearts altogether unaffected with any true remorse for sin Mine eye saith Ieremy affecteth my heart The Lord opens the eares of his to instruction that he might humble Some think that there is no thorow conviction without some affection I dare not say so nor will I now dispute whether there is not something in the nature and essence of that conviction the elect have different from that conviction in reprobates and devils t is sufficient now and that which reacheth the end of this question to know what in asure of conviction is necessary I conceive the cleere discerning of it is by the immediate and sensible effect of it viz. So much as affects the heart truly with sin But if you aske What is that sense of sin and what measure of this is necessary that I shall answer in the doctrine of companction Let not therefore any soule be discouraged and say I was never yet convinced because I have not felt such a cleare reall constant light to see sin and death as others have done consider thou if the end of conviction be attained which is a true sense and feeling of sin thou hast then that measure which is most meet for thee more then which the Lord regards not in any of his but you that walke up and downe with convinced consciences and know your states are miserable and sinfull and that you perish if you dye in that condition and yet have no sense nor feeling no sorrow nor affliction of spirit for those evills I tell you the very devills are in some respect nearer the Kingdome of God then you be who see and feele and tremble woe woe to thousands that live under convicting Ministeries whom the word often hits and the Lord by the Spirit often meets
it to them yet it sinkes againe because its foot is not stablisht upon the rock Christ but upon the weaknesse of the waters of its owne abilities and indeavours what therefore should the soule doe in this case to come to God it knowes not it cannot â—ly from him it dare not it shall not the spirit therefore by revealing how equall and just it is for the Lord never to regard or look after it more because it hath sinned and is still so sinfull makes it hereby to fall down prostrate in the dust before the Lord as worthy of nothing but shame and confusion and so kisseth the rod and turnes the other cheek unto the Lord even smiting of him acknowledging if the Lord shew mercy it will bee wonderfull if not yet the Lord is righteous and therefore hath no cause to quarrell against him for denying speciall mercy to him to whom hee doth not owe a bit of bread And now the soule is indeed humbled because it submits to be disposed of as God pleaseth thus the Church in her humiliation Lam. 3.22 having in the former part of the Chapter drunke the wormewood and the gall at last lies down and professeth it is the Lords mercy it is not consumed and verse 29. he puts his mouth to the dust if there may be any hope and verse 39. why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sinne You think the Lord doth you wrong and neglects your good and his own glory too if he doth not give you peace and pardon grace and mercy even to the utmost of your asking and then thinke you have hence good cause to â—ret and sinke and be discouraged No no the Lord will pull down those mountaines those high thoughts and make you lye low at his feet and acknowledge that it is infinite mercy you are alive and not consumed and that there is any hope or possibility of mercy and that you are out of the nethermost pit and that if he should never pity you yet he doth you no wrong but that which is equall and just and that it is fit your sinfull froward wills should stoop to his holy righteous and good will rather then that it should stoop and be crooked according unto yours Beleeve it brethren he that judgeth not himselfe thus shall be judged of the Lord how can you have mercy that will set your selves up in Gods Soveraigne Throne to dispose of it and will not lye downe humbly under it that it may dispose of you for are you worthy of it hath the Lord any need of you have you not provoked him exceedingly was there ever any that dealt worse with him then you Oh beloved lye low here and learne of the Church Micah 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him It was a most blessed frame of spirit in Aaron when he saw Gods hand against him in cutting off his children and Aaron held his peace so if the Lord should cast thee off or cut thee off never take pleasure in such a polluted broken vessell unfit for any use for him hold thou thy peace quarrell not be silent before him and say as they did 2 Chron. 12.5 The Lord is righteous but I am vile let him doe with me what seems good in his own eyes and thus the Lord Jesus by the law doth dead the soule to the law untill it be made to submit like wax or like clay to the hand of the potter to frame it a vessell to what use he pleaseth and as the Apostle most excellently Rom. 7. diverceth it from its first husband i. e. Sin and the Law that it may be marryed unto Iesus Christ. In a word when the Lord Christ hath made the soule feele not onely its inability to help it selfe and so saith as Paul Gal. 2.20 It is not I but also it s owne unworthinesse that the Lord should help it and so cryes out with Iob Behold I am vile now at this instant t is vas capax a vessell capable though unworthy of any grace Iam. 4.6 The last Question remaines What measure of Humiliation is here necessary Look as so much conviction is necessary which begets compunction so much compunction as breeds humiliation so so much humiliation is necessary as introduceth faith or as drives the soule out of it selfe unto Christ for as the next end of conviction is compunction and that of compunction is humiliation so the next end of humiliation is faith or comming to Christ which wee shall next speak unto And hence it is that the Lord calls unto the weary and heavy laden to come unto him Mat. 11.27 So much as makes you come for rest in Christ so much is necessary and no more If any can come without being thus laden and weary in some measure let them come and drink of the water of life freely but a proud heart that will make it selfe its owne Saviour will not come to the Lord Jesus to be his Saviour he that will be his owne Physitian so long cannot send out for another Nay let me fall one degree lower if the soule cannot come to Christ as who feel not themselves unable when the Lord comes to draw and find not the Lord Jesus comming unto them to draw them and compell them in yet if the soule be so far humbled as not to resist the Lord by quarrelling with him and at him for not comming to him as unworthy of the least smile as worthy of all frownes verily the Lord will come to it and no more is requisite then this and thus much certainly is For thus the whole Scripture runs He gives grace to the humble James 4.6 I dwell with the contrite and humble Esay 57.16 The poore afflicted shall not alway be forgotten Psal. 9.12 18. When their uncircumcised hearts are humbled so as to accept of the punishment of their iniquity the Lord then remembers his Covenant Lev. 26.41 42. Conceive it thus There can be no union to Christ while there is a power of resistance and opposition against Christ. The Lord Christ must therefore in order of nature for I now speak not of order of time first removere prohibens remove this resistance before he can and that he may unite I doe not meane resistance of the frame of grace but as was said of the Lord of grace when he comes to work it Now there is a double resistance or two parts of this resistance like a knife with two edges 1. A resistance of the Lord by a secret unwillingnesse that the Lord should worke grace Now this the Lord removes in compunction and no more brokennesse for sinne or from sinne is necessary there then that 2. A resistance of the Lord by sinking discouragements and a secret quarrelling with him in case the soule imagines he will not come to work grace or manifest grace Now this the Lord takes away in humiliation and no more is
evidence of favour from any Christian obedience or sanctification in holy duties or that a Christian should profanely cast off all duties because they cannot save themselves by them No no the Lord will search with candles one day for such sonnes of darknesse and exclude such foolish virgins that have neither oyle in their vessels nor light in their lamps I onely speak of that good that righteousnesse which is rested in without Christ and lifts up men above Christ which in deed in truth is not true righteousnesse but only a true shadow of it And therefore as Beza well observes from Rom. 9.32 Why did not Israel that followed after righteousnesse attain it Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law they were not fruits of sincere obedience to the Law but as it were the works of the Law now this saith the Apostle verse 33. is the stumbling stone in Sion Christ will have all flesh vaile and be stript naked and made nothing before him before they shall ever be built upon him now this men stumble at they must bring something to him they will not be vile emptinesse and nothingnesse that he may be all to them verily observe your selves you shall find if there be little humiliation there is little of Christ if much humiliation much of Christ if unconstant humiliation uncertain fruition of Christ if reall humiliation reall possession of Christ if false humiliation imaginary fruition of Christ. Know it you cannot perish if you fall not short here you must perish if you do Be exhorted therefore to lye down in the dust before the Lord and under the Lord nay intreat the Lord that he would put thee upon his wheele and mould thy heart to his will why will you rest in any good you have Oh remember thy father was a Syrian ready to perish and thy selfe polluted an infinite endlesse evill What ever good thou dost is it not a polluted stream of a more polluted spring Nay suppose the Spirit works any good in thee yet is it not polluted by thy unclean heart Nay suppose any actions should be perfect yet remember the Lord spared not the Angels that sinned perfection present cannot satisfie Justice for pollution past Cry out therefore and say Oh Lord now I see not onely that my sinne is vile but that my self and all my righteousnesse is vile also and now though the Lord stands at a distance speaks no peace heare 's no prayers yet because thou art very vile lye downe under him that if he will he may tread upon thee and thereby exalt himselfe as well as lift thee up and exalt thee Be not carelesse whether the Lord help or no but be humble not to quarrell in case he should not For 1. Suppose thou art not onely miserable but sinfull and the Lord thou sayst takes it not away yet remember that to quarrell with God for withdrawing his hand is a sin also Lam. 3.39 and wilt thou adde sinne to sinne 2. Why art thou quiet and still when the Lord denyes thee any common mercy Is it not because the Lord will have it so Now look as we say of him that hates sin as sin that he hates all sinne so he that is meekned with Gods good pleasure in any one thing because of his good pleasure in it upon the same ground will at least desire to stoop in every thing Suppose therefore it be the Lords good pleasure to deny thee mercy I grant you must pray for it yet with submission to the good will of the Lord saying The Lords will is good but mine is evill otherwise thou hast no meeknesse in any thing that art not meekly subject to his will in every thing 3. The greatest pride that is in man appeares here for suppose the Lord should deny thee bread or water or clothes was it your duty to murmur now nay was it not pride if the heart would not lye down and say Lord I am worthy to have my bread pluckt from my mouth and my clothes from my back Now if it be pride to murmur in case the Lord denyes you smaller matters the offals of this life dost not thou see that its far greater pride for thee to sink and quarrell with him if he denyes thee greater and the things of another life is he bound to give thee greater that doth not owe thee the least Suppose a begger murmur at thy doore if thou dost deny him bread or a cup of drink wilt thou not account him a proud stout begger but if thou givest him that and then he quarrell and murmur at thee because thou dost not give him a thousand pound or thy whole estate when he asks it will you not say I never met with the like insolencie the Lord gives you your lives blessed be his name but you aske for treasures of grace and mercy thousands of pounds Christ himself and all that he is worth and the Lord seems to deny you and now you sink and grow sullen and discontent and quarrell and murmur at God not directly but secretly and slily may not the Lord now say Was there ever such pride and insolency And therefore as Christ spake of himselfe Iohn 12.24 25. A corne of wheat cannot live unlesse it die first so know it you shall never live with Christ unlesse you die and perish in your selves unlesse you be sowne and lye under the clods of your owne wretchednesse faith will never spring up in such a soule As t is in burnings the fire must be first taken out before there can be any healing so this impatient spirit which torments the soule must first be removed before the Lord will heale thee 4. Consider the approaching times I do beleeve the Lord at this day is comming out to shake all nations all hearts all consciences all conditions and to teare and rend from you your choicest blessings peace and plenty both externall and internall also for there is need of it our age growes full and proud and wanton a mans price is falne in the market unlesse his locks and new fashions commend him to the world Oh consider when God comes to â—end all from you then you may finde a need of the exercise of this duty it may be the time is comming wherein you shall have nothing to support your hearts you shall find rest in no way but this I know assurance of Gods love may quiet you but what if the Lord shake all your foundations and deprive you of that what will you doe then and therefore as Zephany cap. 2.3 having foretold of the evill day cryes unto his hearers Seeke meeknesse yee meeke of the earth seek meeknesse so say I to you for you will find all little enough Come downe from thy throne and be the footstoole and threshold of Christ Jesus before the dayes of darknesse come upon you be content to be a cipher a stepping-stone the very offall of the
Gods anger must not sinne therefore bee first removed in our justification before wee can have Gods anger allayed in our reconciliation so that as in our justification the Lord accounts us just so in our reconciliation himselfe being at peace with us hee accounts us friends indeed our meritorious reconciliation is by Christs death as the Kings son who procures his fathers favour toward a Malefactor who yet lyes in cold irons and knowes it not and this is before our justification or being Rom. 5.9 but actuall and efficacious reconciliation whereby we come to the fruition and possession of it is after our justification Rom. 3.24 25. Christ is a propitiation by faith and here the Malefactor hath tidings of favour if he will accept of it Ephes. 2.15 17. and of this I now speake God and man were once friends but by finne a great breach is made the Lord onely bearing the wrong is justly provoked Isa. 65.2 3. man that onely doth the wrong is notwithstanding at enmity with him and will not bee intreated to accept of favour much lesse to repent of his wrong Ier. 8.4 5 6 7 8. the Lord Jesus therefore heales this breach by being mediator between both he takes up the quarrell and first reconciles God to man and man to God in himselfe in redemption and after this reconciles God and man by himselfe in or immediately upon our justification This Reconciliation consists in two things chiefly 1. In our peace with God whereby the Lord layes by all acts of hostility against us Rom. 5.1 2. In love and favour of God I doe not meane Gods love of good will for this is in election but his love of complacencie and delight for till we are justified the Lord behaves himselfe as an enemy and stranger to us who are polluted before him but then he begins thus to lâ—ve us 1 Ioh. 4.10 16. Col. 1.21 22. A Gardiner may intend to turne a Crab-tree stock into an an Apple-tree his intention doth not alter the nature of it untill it actually be ingraffed upon so we are by nature the children of wrath Ephes. 1.3 The inâ—ention of God the Father or his love of good will doth not make us children of favour and sonnes of peace untill the Lord actually call us to and ingraffe us into Christ and then as Christ is the delight of God so we in him are loved with the same love of delight Peace with God and love of God are different degrees of our reconciliation A Prince is at peace or ceaseth warre against a rebell yet he may not bring the Rebell before him into his bosome of speciall favour delight and love but the Lord doth both towards us enemies strangers Rebels devils in our reconciliation with him Oh consider what a blessed estate this is to be at peace with God It was the title of honour the Lord put upon Abraham to bee the friend of God Isa. 41.8 I am not able to expresse what a priviledge this is t is better felt then spoken of as Moses said Psal. 90. Who knowes the greatnesse of his wrath So I may say who knowes the greatnesse of this favour and love 1. That God should be pacified with thee after anger this is exceeding glorious Isa. 12.1 2. What is man that the Lord should visit him or looke upon him though he never had sinned but to look upon thee nay to love thee after provocation by sinne after such wrath which like fire hath consumed thousand thousands and burnt downe to the bottome of hell and is now and ever shall be burning upon them Oh blessed are they that finde this favour 2. That the Lord should bee pacified wholly and thorowly that there should be no anger left â—or you to feele The poore afflicted Church might object against those sweet promises made her Isa. 27.1 2 3. that she felt no love You are mistaken saith the Lord Fury is not in me vers 4. Indeed against bryars and thornes and obstinate sinners that prick and cut me to the very heart by their impenitencie I have but none against you Out of Christ God is a consuming fire but in Christ he is nothing else but love 1 Joh. 4.16 and though there may bee fatherly frownes chastisements reproofes and rods though hee may for a time hide his face shut out thy prayers deferre to fulfill promises c. yet all thâ—se are out of pure love to thee and thou shalt see it and feele it so in thy latter end Heb. 12.8 9. Never did David love Ionathan whose love exceeded as the Lord loves thee from his very heart Now thou art in Christ by faith 3. That the Lord should be pacified eternally never to cast thee off againe for any sinnes or miseries thou fallest into this is wonderfull Those whom men love they forsake if their love be aâ—used or if their friends be in affliction they then bid them good night but the Lords love and favour is everlasting Isa. 9.7 The mountaines may depart out of their places and the hills cast downe to valleys but the Lords kindnesse never shall never can He hath hid his face a little moment whiles thou didst live in thy sinne and unbeleefe but now with everlasting mercy he will imbrace thee nay which is more the abounding of thy sinne is now the occasion of the abounding of his grace Rom. 5.20 thy very wants and miseries are the very causes of his bowels and tender mercies Heb. 4.15 16. Oh what a priviledge is this Did the Lord ever shew mercy or favour to the Angels that sinned Did not one sinne cast them out of favour utterly Oh infinite grace that so many thousand thousands every day gushing out of thy heart against kindnesse and love nay the greatest dearest love of God should not incense his sorest displeasure against thee I the Lord that powred out all his anger upon his own Son for thee and for all thy sinnes cannot now poure out nay he hath not one drop left though he would to poure out upon thee for any one sinne 4. That the Lord should be thus pacified with enemies a man may be easily pacified with one that offends him a little but with an enemy that strikes at his life as by every sinne you doe this is wonderfull yet this is the case here Rom. 5.7 8. 5. That the Lord should be pacified even with enemies by such a wonderfull way as the blood of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.7 8. this is such love as one would think the infinite wisdome of a blessed God could have devised no greater by this v. 6. he commanded and set out his love which though now it grow a stale and common thing in our dayes yet this is that which is enough to burst the heart with astonishment and amazement to thinke that the party offended who therefore had no cause to seeke peace with us againe should finde out such a way of peace as this is woe to the world
and therefore though I may be spared for a while yet there is a time wherein Christ himselfe will come out against me in flaming fire To this purpose doth the Spirit worke for beloved the great meanes whereby Satan overthrew Man at first in his innocencie was this principle although thou dost eate and so sin against God yet thou shalt not dye Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely die the Serpent doth not say Ye shall not die for that is too grosse an out-facing of the Word Gen. 2.17 but he saith Ye shall not surely die that is there is not such absolute certainty oâ— it it may be you shall live God loves you better then so and is a more merciful Father then to be at a word and a blow Now look as Satan deceived and brought our first parents to ruine by suggesting this principle so at this day he doth sow this accursed seed and plant this very principle in the soyl of every mans heart by nature they do not think they cannot beleeve that they are dead men condemned to dye and that they shall dye eternally for the least sinne committed by them Men nor Angels cannot perswade them of it they cannot see the equity of it that God so mercifull will be so severe for so small a matter nor yet the truth of it for then they think no flesh should be saved And thus when the old Serpent hath spit this poyson before them they sup it up and drink it in and so thousands nay millions of men and women are utterly undone The Lord Christ therefore when he comes to save a poore sinner and raise him up out of his fall convinceth the soule by his Spirit and that with full and mighty evidence that it shall dye for the least sin and tels him as the Lord told Abimelech in another case Gen. 20.3 Thou art but a dead man for this and if the Spirit set on this let who can claw it off I tell you beloved never did poore condemned Malefactor more certainly know and hear the sentence of condemnation past upon him by a mortall man then the guilty sinner doth his by an immortall and displeased God therefore those three thousand cry out Act. 2.37 Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued We are condemned to dye what shall we doe now to be saved from death Now the soule is glad to enquire of the Minister Oh tell me what shall I do I once thought my selfe in a safe and good condition as any in the Town or Countrey I lived in but now the Lord hath let me heare of other newes dye I must in this estate and t is a wonder of mercies I am spared alive to this day There is not onely some blind feaâ—es and suspitions that it may possibly be so but full perswasions of heart dye I must dye I shall in this estate for if the Spirit reveale sin and conviâ—ce not of death for sin the soule under this work of conviction being as yet rather sâ—nsuall then spirituall wil make a light matter of it when it sees no sensible danger in it but when it sees the bottomlesse pit before it everlasting fire before it for the least sin now it sees the hainous evill of sin the way of sinne though never so peaceable before is full of dâ—nger now wherein it sees there are endlesse woes and everlasting deaths that lye in wait for it Rom. 6.21 And now saith the Spirit you may goe on in these sinfull courses as others doe if you see meet but oh consider what will be the end of them what it is to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and to be tormented for ever for them in the conclusion for be assured that will be the end and hence the soule seeing it selfe thus set apart for death looks upon it selfe in a farre worse estate then the bruit beasts or vilâ—st worme upon the earth for it thinks when they dye there is an end of their misery but oh then is the beginning of mine for ever hence also arise those feares of death of being suddenly cut off that when it lyes downe it trembles to think I may never rise againe because it 's convinced not only that it deserves to dye but that it is already sentenced for to dye hence also the soule justifies God if he had cut him off in his sin and wonders what kept him from it there being nothing else due from God unto it hence lastly the soule is stopt and stands still goes not on in sin as before or if it doth the Lord gives it no peace Ier. 8.6 Why doth the horse goe on in the battell because it sees not death before it but now the soule sees death and therefore stops oh remember this all you that never could beleeve that you are dead condemned men and therefore are never troubled with any such thoughts in your mind I tell you that you are far from conviction and therefore far from salvation if God should send some from the dead to beare witnesse against this secure world concerning this truth yet you will not beleeve it for his messengers sent from heaven are not beleeved herein woe be to you if you remaine unconvinced of this point But you will say how doth the Lord thus convince sin and wherein is it exprest which is the third particular All knowledge of sin is not conviction of sin all confession of sin is not conviction there is a conviction meerely rationall which is not spirituall there are three things in spirituall conviction There is a cleare certaine and manifest light so that the soule sees its sin and death due to it clearely and certainly for so the word Ioh. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to evidence a thing by way of argumentation nay demonstration the Spirit so demonstrates these things as that it hath nothing to object a mans mouth is stopped hee hath nothing to say but this behold I am vile I am a dead man for if a man have many strong arguments given him to confirme a truth yet if he have but one objection or doubtfull scruple not answered he is not fully as yet convinced because full conviction by a cleare sun-light scatters all dark objections and hence our Saviour Iude 15. will one day convince the wicked of all their hard speeches against him which will chiefly be done by manifesting the evill of such wayes and taking a way all those colours and defences men have made for such language before the Spirit of Christ comes man cannot see will not see his sin nor punishment nay he hath many things to say for himselfe as excuses and extenuations of his sin One saith I was drawne unto it the woman that thou gavest me and so layes the blame on others Aâ—other saith It is my nature Others say All are sinners the godly sinne as well as others and yet are saved at last and so I hope shall
Christ and yet opened not her heart to lament her sinne and misery in her estate without Christ suppose she were without Christ is more then can be proved from the Text for t is said Her heart was opened to attend unto the things that were spoken by Paul and can any think that Paul or any Apostle ever preached Christ without preaching the need men had of him and could any preach their need of Christ without preaching mens undone and sinfull estate without Christ and doe you think that Lydiae was not made to attend unto this doe you think that when Philip came to open the 53. of Esay to the Eunuch that Christ was bruised for our iniquities that he did not let him understand the infinite evill of sinne and misery of all sinners and of him in speciall unlesse the Lord Jesus was bruised for him In examples recorded in the Scripture of Gods converting grace doe not think they had no sorrow for sinne because it is not distinctly and expresly set downe in all places for the Scripture usually sets downe matters very briefly it oftentimes supposeth many things and refers us to judge of some by other places as Acts 6.7 it is said Many of the Priests were obedient to the faith doth it therefore follow that they did immediately beleeve without any sense of sinne Look to a fuller example Acts 2. and then we may see as the one were converted to the faith so were the other having a hand in the same sin 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Paul he was a persecuter but the Lord received him to mercy and that Gods grace was abundant in faith and love doth it hence follow that Paul had no castings down because not mentioned here If we look upon Acts 9. we shall see it otherwise Doe not judge of generall and common workings of the Spirit upon the souls of any to be the beginnings of effectuall and special conversion for a man may have some inward and yet common knowledge of the Gospel and of Christ in it before there be any sorrow for sinne yet it doth not hence follow that the Lord begins not with compunction and sorrow because common work is not speciall and effectuall work when the Spirit thus comes he first begins here as we shall prove The terrours and feares and sense of sinne and death be in themselves afflictions of soule and of themselves drive from Christ yet in the hand of Christ by the power of the Spirit they are made to lead or rather drive unto Christ which is able to turn mourning into joy as well as after mourning to give joy and therefore t is a vaine thing to think there is no need of such sorrows which drive from Christ and that Christ can work well enough therefore without them when as by the mighty power and riches of mercy in Christ the Lord by wounding nay killing his of all their carnall security and self-confidence saves all his alive and drives them to seek for life in his Son These things thus premised let us now hear of the necessity of this work to succeed conviction Else a sinner will never part with his sin a bare conviction of sin doth but light the candle to see sin compunction burnes his fingers and that onely makes him dread the fire Cleanse your hearts ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded men saith the Apostle Iames Chap. 4.8 But how should this be done He answers verse 9. Be afflicted and mourne and weep turn your laughter into mourning So Ioel 2.12 the Prophet calls upon his hearers to turne from their sin unto the Lord but how Rend your hearts and not your garments Not that they were able to do this but by what sorrow he requires of all in generall he thereby effectually works in the hearts of all the elect in particular for every man naturally takes pleasure nay all his delight and pleasure is in nothing else but sinne for God he hath none but that Now so long as he takes pleasure in sinne and finds contentment by sinne he cannot but cleave inseparably to it Oh t is sweet and it onely is sweet for so long the soule is dead in sinne Pleasure in sinne is death in sinne 1 Tim. 5.6 So long as t is dead in sinne it is impossible it should part with sinne no more then a dead man can break the bonds of death And therefore it undenyably followes that the Lord must first put gall and wormwood to these dugs before the soule will cease sucking or be weaned from them the Lord must first make sinne bitter before it will part with it load it with sinne before it will sit downe and desire ease And look as the pleasure in sinne is exceeding sweet to a sinner so the sorrow for it must be exceeding bitter before the soule will part from it T is true I confesse a man sometime may part with sin without sorrow the uncleane spirit may goe out for a time before he is taken bound and slain by the power of Christ. But such a kind of parting is but the washing of the cup t is unsafe and unsound and the end of such a Christian wil be miserable for a man to heare of his sinne and then to say I le doe no more so without any sense or sorrow for it would not have been approved by Paul if he had seen no more in the carelesse Corinthians in tolerating the incestuous person but their sorrow wrought this repentance No the Lord abhors such whorish wiping the lips and therefore the same Apostle when he reproves them for not separating the sinner and so the sin from them he summes it up in one word You have not mourned that such a one might be taken from you because then sin is severed truly from the soule when sorrow or shame some sense and feeling of the evill of it begins it Not onely sinne is opposite to God but when the Lord Jesus first comes neare his elect in their sinfull estate they are then enemies themselves by sin unto God And hence it is they will never part with their weapons untill themselves be throughly wounded and therefore the Lord must wound their consciences minds and hearts before they will cast them by Now if there be no parting with no separation from sin but sin is as strong and the sinners as vile as ever before hath Christ who now comes to save his elect from sinne the end of his work what is the man the better for conviction affection to Christ name what you can that remains still in his sins When the Apostle would summe up all the misery of men he doth it in those words Ye are yet in your sinne So I say thou art convicted but art yet in thy sinne art affected with Christ and takest hold of Christ but art yet in thy sin He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy You
necessary here then the removall of the power of this which makes the soule in the sense of its owne infinite vilenesse and unworthinesse not to quarrel at the Lord and devil-like grow fierce impatient before and against the Lord in case he should never help it never pitty it never succour it the Lord will not forsake for ever if the soule thus lies down and puts its mouth in the dust Lam. 3.30 31. Which consideration is of unspeakable use and consolation to every poore empty nothing that feels it selfe unable to beleeve and the Lord forsaking it from helping it to beleeve And I have seen it constantly that many a chosen vessell never hath been comforted till now and ever comforted when now they never knew what hurt them till they saw this and they have immediately felt their hurt healed when this hath been removed In comforting Christians under deep distresse tell them of Gods grace and mercy and the riches of both you doe but torment them the more that there should be so much and they have no part nor share in it and think they never shall because this is not the immediate way of cure tell them rather when they are full of these complaints that they are as they speak vile and sinfull and therefore worthy never to be accepted of God and that they have cause to wonder that they have their lives and are on this side hell and so turne all that they say to humiliation and selfe-loathing verily you shall then see if the Lord intends good he wil by this doe them good and the weakest Christian that cannot come to Christ you shall see first or last shall see cause to lye downe and be silent and not quarrell though the Lord should never come to him And that this is necessary may appeare thus Otherwise 1. The Lord should not advance the riches of his grace the advancement of grace cannot possibly be without the humiliation and abasement of the creature the Lord not onely saves but calls things that are not that no flesh might glory 1 Cor. 1.28 29. 2. Otherwise the Lord should not be Lord and disposer of his owne grace but a sinfull creature who quarrells against God if it be not disposed of not as the Lord will but as the creature will If a stranger comes to our house and will have what he wants and if he hath not he quarrells and contends with the master of the house what would he say Away proud begger dost think to be lord of what I have dost draw thy knife to stab me if I doe not please thee and give thee thy asking no thou shalt know that I wil doe with my owne as I see good thou shalt lye downe on the dust of my threshold before I give thee any thing So t is with the Lord. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy It is his principall name I will be mercifull to whom I will be mercifull and therefore if you will not beleeve me yet beleeve the Lords oath Esay 45.23 Vnto me shall every knee bow and doe you come to lord it over him and quarrell and fret and sink and grow sullen and vex if the Lord stoop not unto your desires No no you must and shall lye upon his threshold nay he wil make thee lay thy neck upon the block as worthy of nothing but cutting off and then when this valley is filled all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord Esay 40.5 Thus humiliation is necessary in this measure mentioned Not that I deny any subsequent humiliation after a Christian is in Christ arising from the sense of Gods favour in Christ then which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelicall spirit more ashamed of himselfe yet I dare not exclude this which is antecedent arising from the spirit of power immediately subduing the soule to Christ that it may be exalted by Christ 1 Pet. 5.6 It is true all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse are received by faith 2 Pet. 1.3 yet faith it self is a saving work which is not received by another precedent faith Faith therefore is to be excepted not onely as begotten in us but as it is in the begeâ—ting of it in the conviction and humiliation of every sinner Hence see what is the great hindrance betweene the mercy of God and the soule of many a man if it be not some sinne hardnesse of heart under it whereby he cares not for Christ to deliver him then t is some pride of spirit arising from some good he hath whereby he feeles no need of Christ hoping his owne duties shall save him or else is above Christ and not under him willing to be disposed of by him And hence the Lord makes this the high way to mercy Levit. 26.40 if first they shall confesse their sinne secondly humble themselves both which I know the Lord must worke then he will remember his Covenant Look as it is with a vessell before it can be fit for use it must first passe through fire and the earth and drosse severed from it then it must be made hollow and empty which makes it vas capax a vessell capable of receiving that which shall be powred out into it if O Brethren the Lord hath some vessells of glory which he prepares before-hand and makes capable of glory Rom. 9.21 22. if the Lord doth doth not sever you from sinne in compunction and empty you of your selves in humiliation you cannot receive Christ nor mercy you cannot hold them and if ever you misse of Christ by faith your wound lies here How many be there at this day that were once profane and wicked but now by some terrours and outward restraints upon them they leave their sinnes and say they loathe them and purpose never to run riot as they have done and hence because they thinke themselves very good or to have some good they fall short of Christ and are still in the gall of bitternes in the midst of all evill It were the happines of some men if they did not think themselves to have some good because this is their Christ. Oh you that live under precious meanes and have many feares you may perish and be deceived at the last But why doe you feare I know you will answer Oh some secret unknown sin may be my ruine It is true and you do well to have a godly jealousie thereof But remember this also not onely some sinne but some good thou thinkest thou hast and restest in without Christ and lifting thee up above Christ may as easily prove thy ruine because a mans owne righteousnesse rested in doth not onely hide mens sinnes but strengthens them in some sinne by which men perish Trusting to ones owne righteousnesse and committing iniquity are couples Ezek. 33.13 Nor doe I hereby run into the trenches of that wretched generation of the Familists denying all inherent graces
the man should offer to hold any part of it backe we will not abate him any thing we will have it all because it cost deare I tell you pardon of sin peace with God the adoption of sonnes the spirit of grace perseverance to the end the kingdome of glory the riches of mercy have beene bought for you by a deare and great price the precious blood of Christ and therefore if the justice of God should hold back any thing or thy owne unbeliefe tell thee these are too great and many for so vile a creature as thou art to enjoy yet abate the Lord nothing say thou art vile yet Christs blood that bought not some but all these is very precious and therefore take them all to thy selfe as thy portion for ever and blesse the Lord as David doth Psal. 16.7 that gave thee this counsell Whiles you are in peace it may be you may neglect so great salvation but the time of distresse and anguish may come wherein you may feel a need of all even of those hidden depths of mercy above your reach and reason and therefore as bees gather in your honey in summer time and with Ioseph lay up in these times of plenty wherein the exceeding riches of grace is opened and poured out at your heeles for those times of approaching famine and for those many yeers of spirituall desertion and distresse wherein you may think Can it stand with the honour of God to save such a poore sinfull creature as I am what iron heart is not drawn by this love for the Lord to invite you to possesse 〈◊〉 or nothing Dives in hell was desirous of a drop to coole his tongue and behold the very depths and seas of grace are opened for thee to come in and partake of if the Lord Jesus should be offered unto thee to pardon some sinnes but not all to pardon all sinnes but not to heale thy nature also or to heale some back-slidings but not all to supply thy spirituall wants but not outward also as may be best for thee or to supply outward but not inward and spirituall if he should offer to doe thee good in this life but not in death nor after death you might refuse to come in but when all is offered all that mercy which no eye ever saw to pitty thee all that love wherewith Abraham David Paul c. were embraced now to refuse to come up and possesse these how can you escape the sorest vengeance of a jealous God that neglect so great salvation Oh Lord what extremity of anguish and bitternesse wilt thou one day be in when the contempt of this grace glowing upon thy conscience shall presse thee downe with these thoughts I am now under all misery but I might have had all Gods grace all Christs glory but wretch that I am I would not Me thinks if your owne good hereby should not draw you yet the exceeding great glory the Lord shall have hereby should force you to accept of all this grace for if thou didst receive a little grace beleeve a little mercy toward thee this makes thee sometime exceeding thankfull doth it not and the very hope of more makes thy heart break forth into a holy boasting and glorying in Christ Who is a God like unto thee Suppose therefore you drank in all and received all that which the Lord freely offers should not the Lord be exceedingly magnified then couldst thou containe thy selfe then without crying out Oh Lord now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene and my soule hath now possession of thy salvation wouldst not call to the hills and seas and earth and heavens and Saints and Angels to break forth into glorious praises and blesse this God But what have I to doe to come that am so poore and empty and full of woes and wants and sinnes never was any so miserable and blind and naked as I. If Faith commeth for all to Christ and fetcheth all from him then never be discouraged because thou hast nothing to bring unto him let all thy wants and miseries be arguments and motives therefore to come unto him Revel 3.17 18. Because thou art poore and naked nay because thou knowest it not and art not affected with it therefore come unto me and buy eye-salve and gold and white rayment Lord pardon my sinne saith David because it is great have mercy upon me for I am consumed with griefe and am in trouble Let mercy and truth continually preserve me for innumerable evills have compassed mee round about Let us returne unto the Lord because hee hath wounded us I am a dogge therefore let me have crums said the woman of Canaan oh this is crosse to sense and reason and we cannot beleeve while we are so exceeding poore empty vile that the Lord should look upon us but beloved you little think what wrong you doe to your selves the Lord Jesus hereby for by this means Christ is not so much exalted nor the creature humbled both which concurring in faith make those acts of faith most precious for while you stand upon something and would have something to bring to Christ you hereby exalt your selves but when you come with sense of nothing else but woes and wants and see Christ now making of you welcome oh this is not only mercy but ravishing mercy If you should come with sense of somewhat to Christ and to see his love to you you might glorify mercy in the height and length and breadth of it but not in the depth of it unlesse you see it reaching its hand to you when you are fallen into so low and poor a condition as nothingnesse and emptinesse and misery it selfe And therefore doe not come to Christ only for the benefits of the covenant but for the condition of it also when you feele a want of faith it selfe as Hezekiah did Isay 38.14 Lord I am oppressed undertake for me 1 Kings 8.57 58. Doe not undertake to fulfill any part of the covenant or any condition in it or any duty required of thee of thy selfe but goe empty to Christ and say as David Lord I will run the wayes of thy salvation if thou wilt set my heart at liberty Psal. 119.32 33. Quicken me and I will call upon thy name Psal. 80.18 Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might but not of thine owne But I come for all and am never a whit the better but as poor and miserable still as ever I was If the Lord keeps you poor and low yet the same motive that made thee come let it make thee stay it may be the Lord sees thou wouldst grow full and lifted up if he should give thee a little therefore keeps thee low better be humble then full and proud Let us goe unto the Lord because hee hath wounded broken and slaine us But they might object we doe come but find no help no cure
soone as he was made but wee need Vocation unto Christ before we can be sanctified by Christ we need this call to make us come to Christ to put us into Christ and therefore much more before we can receive any holinesse from Christ the ground of our coming by faith is Gods call 2 Thes. 2.13 14. chosen to salvation through sanctification the remote end of Vocation and beleefe of the truth the next end of it whereunto he hath called you there is the ground of it The explication of this call is a point full of many spirituall difficulties but of singular use and comfort to them that are faithfull and called I shall omit many things and explicate only those things which serve our purpose here in these three particulars 1. I shall shew you what this call is or the nature of it 2. The necessity of it 3. How it is a ground of coming and what kind of ground for Faith 1. The nature of this Call I shall open for your more distinct understanding in severall Propositions or Theses Our Vocation or Calling is ever by some word or voyce either outward or inward or both either ordinary or extraordinary by the ministery of men or by immediate visions and inspirations of God I speak not now of extraordinary call by dreames and visions and immediate inspirations as in Abraham and others before the Scriptures were penned and published nor of extraordinary call by the immediate voyce of Christ as in Paul and some other of the Apostles for these are ceased now Heb. 1.1 unlesse it be among people that want ordinary meanes and elect infants c. whose call must be more then by ordinary meanes because they want such means we speak now of ordinary call by the ministery of men 2. This voyce in ordinary calling home of the elect to Christ is not by the voyce of the Law for the proper end of that is to reveale sinne and death and to cast down a sinner but by the voyce of the Gospell bringing glad tidings written by the Apostles and preached to the world He hath called you by our Gospell These things are written that you might beleeve By the foolishnesse of preaching the Lord saves them that beleeve I meane preaching at the first or second rebound by lively voyce or printed Sermons at the time of hearing or in the time of deep meditation concerning things heard the Spirit indeed inwardly accompanies the voyce of the Gospell but no mans call is by the immediate voyce of the Spirit without the Gospell or the immediate testimony of the Spirit breathed out of free grace without the word Eph. 1.12 13. And therefore that a Christian should be immediately called without the Scripture and the Scripture only given to confirme Gods immediate promise as a Prince gives his letter to confirme his promise made to a man before as Valdesso would have it is both a false and dangerous assertion This voyce of the Gospell is the voyce of God in Christ or the voyce of Jesus Christ although dispensed by men who are but weak instruments for this mighty work sent set in Christs stead but the call the voice is Christs it s the Lords call Rom. 1.6 it is certaine some of the messengers of Christ called the Romans by the Gospell yet Paul saith they were called of Christ Iesus the dead heare his voyce and arise and live and when the time of calling comes they listen to it as his call and hence it is styled Heb. 3.1 because the Lord Christ from heaven speakes takes the written word into his owne lips as it were Cant. 1.1 2. and thereby piâ—rcâ—th through the eares to the heart through all the noyse of feares sorrowes objections against beleeving and makes it to be heard as his voyce the bowels of Christ now yerne toward an humbled lost sinner bleeding at his feet therefore can contain no longer but speaks and calls and makes the soule understand his voyce so that this call is not a mean businesse because the Lord Jesus himselfe now speaks whose voyce is glorious The substance of this call or the thing the Lord calls unto is to come unto him for there is a more common calling or as some tearme it a particular calling of men as some to be Masters or Servants 1 Cor. 7.24.20 21. or to office in Church or Common-wealth as Aaron Heb 5.4 and the voyce there is to attend unto their work to which they are called There is also a remote end of vocation which is to holinesse 1 Thes. 4.7 and unto glory also 2 Thess. 2.14 Phil. 3.14 but we now speak of more speciall calling the next end of which is to come unto Christ the soule hath lived many yeares without him the Lord Jesus will now have the lost prodigall to come home to come to him the soule is weary and heavy laden and the Lord Jesus could easily ease it without its comming to him but this is his will he must come to him for it Mat. 11.27 Ier. 3.7.22 I said after shee had done these things turne unto me come unto me ye backsliding children I le heale your back-slidings Jer. 4.1 If thou returnest returne unto me This voice Come unto me is one of the sweetest words that Christ can speak or man can heare full of Majesty mercy grace and peace a poor sinner thinks Will the Lord ever put up such wrongs I have offered him heale such a nature take such a viper into his bosome doe any thing for me if there be but one in the world to be forsaken is it not I the Lord therefore comes and calls Come unto mee and I will pardon all thy sins I will heale all thy back-slidings I will be angry no more Jer. 3.12.13 Though thou hast committed whoredome with many lovers yet returne unto me saith the Lord. Ier. 3.1 Though thou hast resisted my Spirit refused my grace wearied me with thine iniquities yet come unto me and this will make me amends I require nothing of thee else but to come for Gods call is out of free grace Gal. 1.6 and therefore calls for no more but only to come up and possesse the Lords fulnesse Luke 14.17 1 Cor. 1.9 This call to come is for substance all one with the offer of Christ which consists in three things 1. Commandement to receive Christ as present and ready to be given to it as when we offer any thing to another it is by commanding them to take it 1 Iohn 4.23 and this binds conscience to beleeve as you will answer for the contempt of this rich grace at the great day of account 2. Perswasion and intreaty to come and receive what we offer for in such an offer wherein the person is unwilling to receive and we are exceedingly desirous to give we then perswade so doth Christ with us 3. Promise to offer a thing without a promise of having it if we receive it is but a
mock-offer and hence you shall find in Scripture some promise ever annexed unto Gods offer which is the ground of faith Ier. 3.22 This call or offer hath three speciall qualifications first it is inward as well as outward for the Lord calls thousands outwardly who yet never come because they want an inward call to come an inward whispering still voyce of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said He that hath heard and learned not of man only but of the Father commeth unto me Iohn 6.45 The Lord doth not stand at the outward doore only and call to open but the Lord Jesus comes in he comes neare unto the very heart of a poor sinner makes that understand Hos. 2.14 and the Lord makes his grace glorious and his mercy sweet unto the hearts of his Elect Look saith the Lord Jesus how I have left thousand thousands in the world and have had greater cause so to have left thee but behold I am come unto thee oh come thou now unto me 2. It is a particular call for there is a generall call and offer of grace to every one Now though this be a meanes to make it particular yet the Spirit of Christ which is wont to apply generalls unto particulars particularly makes the call particular that the soule sees that the Lord in speciall means me singles out me in speciall to beleeve otherwise the soules of the elect will not be much moved with the call of God so long as they think the Lord offers no more mercy to me then to any reprobate and therefore the Spirit of Christ makes the call particular Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name Iohn 10.5 He calleth all his sheep by name not that the Lord calls any by their christen name as we say as the Lord did extraordinarily call Samuel Samuel and Paul Paul but the meaning is look as the Lord from before all world 's writ down their names in the book of life and loves them in speciall so in Vocation the first opening of Election the Lord makes his offer and call special and so speciall as if it were by name for the soule at this instant feeles such a speciall stirring of the spirit upon it which it feels now and never felt before as also its particular case so spoken unto and its particular objections so answered and the grievousnesse of its sinne in refusing grace so particularly applyed as if God the onely searcher of hearts onely spake unto it and so dares not but thinke and beleeve that the Lord meaneth mee 3. It is effectuall as well as inward and particular Luk. 14.23 Compell them to come in Iohn 10.16 Christs other sheep shall heare Christs voice and those he must bring home for every inward call is not effectuall There came a man in without his wedding garment Mat. 22.6 7 8. whence our Saviour saith Many are called but few chosen but this I now speak of is a calling out of purpose Rom. 8.28 and therefore never leaves the soule untill it hath reall possession of Christ and rests there this call falls upon a sinner humbled not hard hearted hence the call is effectuall Mat. 9.12 13. 2 Chron. 30.10 11. it is such a call as was in creation Rom. 4.17 And hence the soule cannot but come and when t is come it cannot depart like Peter Lord whither should we goe and therefore though it hath never so many objections in comming to Christ never so much weaknesse or heartlesnesse to close with Christ yet the Lord brings it home and there keeps it and now it infinitely blesseth God that ever the Lord gave it an eye to see an heart to come and seek after Jesus Christ. Thus much of the nature of this Call now follows the necessity of it which appears in these three particulars 1. No man should come unlesse first called as it is in calling to an ordinary office so t is in our calling much more unto speciall grace the Apostle saith Heb. 5.4 that No man takes this honour but he that is called of God so what hath any man to doe with Christ to make himselfe a sonne of God and heire of glory thereby but he that is called of God what have we to doe to take other mens goods unlesse called thereto what have we to doe to take the riches of grace and peace if not called thereto t is presumption to take Christ whiles uncalled but not when you are called thereunto 2. Because no man would come without the Lords call Mat. 20.6 7. Why stand you here all the day idle The answer was No man hath hired or called us thereto When there is an outward call onely yet men will not come in Mat. 23.37 and therefore there must be an effectuall call to bring men home Esay 55.5 and therefore you shall see many let there be a legall command suppose to sanctifie a Sabbath or to speak the truth they have no objections against obedience unto this but presse them to beleeve shew them Gods call for it they have more feares and objections rising against this then there be haires on their head because the soul would not close with this 3. Because no man could come unlesse called Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me unlesse the Father draw him and how doth the Father draw any man but by this call if the Lord should not come and speak himselfe and make his call the most joyfull tidings and the sweetest message that ever came to it it would say I have no heart I cannot I am not able for Rom. 11.32 wee are shut up under unbeliefe and therefore the Lord Jesus Luke 15.5 must bring his sheep home upon his shoulders else it will dye in the wildernesse of its own droopings whereas when the Lord effectually speaks the soul cannot but come Lastly how this call is a ground of faith and what ground of faith For answer hereunto I doe not make this call considered without the promise the ground on which Faith rests for that is Gods free grace in the promise but the ground by which it rests or wherefore it rests upon the promise The mind sees 1. the freenesse of mercy to a poore sinner in misery and this breeds some hope the Lord may pitty it 2. The fulnesse and plenteous riches of mercy and this gives very great encouragement to the soule to think The Lord if I come to him surely will not deny me a drop Psal. 130.7 8. The Prodigall comes home because of bread enough in his fathers house though he was not certaine he should have any 3. The preciousnesse and sweetnesse of mercy makes the soule long vehemently for it Psal. 36.6 7. and makes it set all other things at a low rate to enjoy it but when unto all this the Lord sends a speciall commandement a speciall message on purpose and calls it to come in and accept of it and take mercy as its own and that for no
that he came out of hâ—s Fathers bosome for thee wept for thee bled for thee powred out his life nay his soule to death for thee is now risen for thee gone to heaven for thee sits at Gods right hand and rules all the world for thee makes intercession continually for thee and at the end of the world will come againe for thee who hast loved him here that thou mightest live for ever with him then But is this our life in these evill and luke-warme times How many bee there that beleeve in Christ that they may live as they list If to drink and whore and scoffe and blaspheme if to shake a lock and follow every fond fashion if to crosse and cringe before a piece of wood if to be weary of the Word and outwardly zealous for long prayers if to seek for purity of ordinances in Churches and to maintain impurity in hearts in shops in families if to set our hearts upon Farmes and Merchandizes and so to bee covetous if to set up our owne selves and parts and gifts with a secret disdaine of Gods Ministers if to cry downe learning and set up ignorance if to set up Christ and destroy sanctification and obedience if to be a sect-master of some odde opinions if to cracke the nut of some superlunary and Monkish notions and high-flown speculations if to heare much and do little if to have a name to 〈◊〉 and yet dead at the heart if this be to liâ—e the life of love we have many that live this life the Lord Jesus wants not love if this be to love But oh woe unto you if you thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise The Lord knowes we may complaine as Paul did Every man minds his owne things and none the things of Iesus Christ none in comparison of that huge number that thinke they are religious enough if they be baptized and say that they beleeve in Jesus Christ verily the time drawes neere wherein the Lord will come for fruits from his Vineyard and if he findes it not assuredly he will not be beholding to us for obedience he can raise his glory out of other people and there carry his Gospel to them who shall bring forth the fruits of it the Lord will shortly lay his axe unto the root of our tree and if wee will not serve the Lord in this good Land in the abundance of peace and mercy we shall serve our enemies in hunger cold and nakednesse if we will not serve him in love we must serve our enemies in feare doe not think that the Lord will bee put off with venerable names and titles shadowes and pictures what is most mens profession at this day but a meer paint which may serve to colour them while they live but will never comfort them unlesse conscience bee asleep when they come to dye Oh â—yâ—e heed of such formality I can never think enough of Davids expression Psal. 119.167 I have kept thy Commandements and I love them exceedingly should he not have said first I have loved thy Commandements and so have kept them Doubtlesse hee did so but he ran here in a holy and most heavenly circle I have kept them and loved them and loved them and kept them if we love Christ we also shall live such a life of love in our measure and his Commandements will be most deare when himselfe is most precious FINIS A TABLE OF the principall Contents A. ADoption what it is pag. 280 The manner thereof 282 B. Beleevers in a blessed condition 251 C. Conviction of sinne wrought in every Beleever 6 What that sin is which the Lord first convinceth of 9 How the Lord doth convince the soule of sinne 23 What measure and degree of conviction God workes in all his 32 Conviction of sin to be first preached 34 96 A sad thing to stand out against conviction 36 Meanes of conviction 39 Compunction immediately followes conviction 45 The Necessity thereof 48 Rules observable about compunction 49 Wherein it doth consist 65 What measure of compunction God workes in the Elect. 84 How and where the Soule should come to Christ. 177 Meanes of enabling the Soule to come to Christ. 239 In what manner we should come to him 248 E. What evill in sinne God most affects the heart withall 89 A three-fold evill of sinne 91 F. Feare of Gods displeasure necessary to conversion and wherein it consists 66 The nature of Faith 156 The efficient cause thereof 163 The subject matter of Faith 173 The Forme thereof 178 The end of Faith 198 The ground and meanes of Faith 215 How to discern Faith from presumption 169 Whether an absolute testimony of actuall favor and justification be not the first ground of Faith 227 G. Glorification what it is 313 Greatnesse of mens sinne in not comming to Christ. 246 H. Humiliation for sinne what it is 125 What need there is of it 126 What meanes the Lord useth to worke this 129 What measure of Humiliation is necessary 138 Wherein to expresse Humiliation 150 I. A Christian is not justified before faith is sought 107 Sanctification does not goe before justification 109 What true justification is 253 Who is it that justifieth and why 256 The meanes whereby the Father justifieth 257 Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie 261 L. Loosening from sinne how wrought in the soule 88 A life of Love requisite in beleevers 328 The life of Love appears in 5. things 338 The Law not to be slighted 334 P. How Christ doth save by his Power 4 Audience of Prayers a speciall priviledge 305 What are those Prayers that Christ will hear 306 Why God heareth Prayers 311 R. A double Resistance of grace in men 100 Regenerate and unregenerate how differenced 194 Reconciliation with God wherein it consists 274 S. What is it to see sinne 43 Sense of Mercy cannot turn a soule to Christ without the Sight of sinne 59 Sorrow for sinne accompanies Conversion wherein it consists 73 Separation from sin wrought in Beleevers 82 What true Sanctification is 289 The benefits thereof 294 V. Union unto Christ goes before Communion with him 101 Whether Vocation doth not goe before Iustification 102 Vocation is not all one with Sanctification 113 The nature of true Vocation 217 The necessity thereof 224 How it is a ground of Faith 225 W. The Whole soul goes to Christ in conversion 183 How to know when the Whole soule comes to Christ. 190 FINIS See the Sincere Convert Quest. Answ. Quest. Ans. Con. 1. Rom. 3. Quest. Answ. What those particular sinnes are which the Lord convinces men of in theiâ— conversioâ—â— â—on 2. â— Con. 3. Answ. Luk. 19 4â— Esay 6.9 How God gives a reall sight of sinnes Hâ—s 4.4 Psal. 51.3 Lam. 3.51 Job 33.16 17. Vse 1. Lam. 2.14 Prov. 1.23 Vse 2. Psal. 36.2 Vse 3. 1. Help 2. Help 3. Help 2 Cor. 5.10 Vse 4. 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Joh. 16.7 Levit. 19.17 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. 3. â—onah 3.5 Answ. 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Rule 5. Rule 6. Rule 7. Rule 8. Rule Joh. 16.20 Hos. 6.1 2 3. Reas. 1. 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Cor. 5.2 1 Cor. 15.17 Pro. 28.13 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. Cor. 7.1 2. Reas. 2. Mat. 9.21 Jer. 2.31 Luke 14. Luke 15.17 Ram. 5.6 7 8. Col. 3.7 2 Cor. 5.14 Reas. 3. Mat. 9.13 Luk. 4.18 Luk. 15 7. Reas. 4. Quest. Answ. Acts 9.6 Acts 16. Psal. 10.5 Acts 16. Psal. 9.20 Rom. 8.15 Amos 3.8 Luk. 23.40 Judg. 2.1 Jer. 31.18 Hos. 6.1 2. Zach. 12.11 Cap. 13.1 Eccles. 7.26 Psal. 38.1 â— Prov. 18.14 Psal. 32.2 3. Psal. 40.12 Jer. 31.19 Daâ— 9.12 Jer. 3. ult Matth. 10.37 Hos. 6.1 2. Psal. 51.8 2 Chron. 53.11 12. Lam. 3.44 Psal. 39.10 11. Esay 5.8.5 Esay 58.5 Prov. 28.13 Jâ—b 33.15 16 17. Answ. Hos 6.1 Joh. 5.40 Quest. Answ. Jer. 8.11 Quest. Answ. Mat. 10.37 Acts 3.26 Quest. Answ. Luk. 15.7 Esay 33.6 Heb 7.25 Esay 56.8 Vse 1. 1. Cons. Scho. orth Spec. cap. 30 31 32. 2. Cons. 3. Cons. 4. Cons. 5. Cons. Jer. 4.3 4. Vind. grat p. 7 11 13 John 14.3 4 5. Gal. 2.20 Vse 2. Vse 3. Esa. 43.4 Vse 4 Jer. 30.15 Esay 57.16 Answ. Answ. Phil. 3.7 Gal. 2.19 Answ. Rom. 7.9 10 11. Lam 1.16 1 Cor. 11.31 Levit. 10.3 Answ. Vse 1 Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. Vse 3. Deut. 6.19 4. Answ. Rom. 10.9 10. Rom. 8.28 Ps. 36.7 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 1.8 John 6.64.65 Heb. 4.18 19 20. Object Answ. Heb. 11.11 Esay 55.1 2. Mat. 21.28 Psal. 62.5 Psal. 81.12 13. Quest. Answ. Heb. 4.1 Object Answ. Ps. 116.7 Eph. 3.14 18. Object Answ. Ps. 25.11 31.9 Psal. 40.11 12. Hos. 6.1 2 Obj. 1. Answ. Hos. 6.2 3. Rom. 1.17 Rom 8.30 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Thes. 2.14 Joh. 20.31 1 Cor. 1.21 with 26 Joh. 5.29 2 Thess. 2.12 13. Isay 55.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Mark 16.15 Luc. 14 17 Vse Joh. 1â— 22 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Act. 2.39 13.47 4. 5. Quest. Answ. Quest. 1 Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Answ. Esay 43.25 4. Answ. 2 Cor. 5.20 5. Answ. 6. Answ. Rom. 4.5 Esa. 4.1 2. Isa. 54.10 1 Cor. 3.22 Isa. 56.5 Mat. 6.31 32. Rom. 8.14 Tit. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 2.28 2. 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 Act. 9.31 Mic. 4.5 Deut. 18.18 19. Col. 3.3 Rev. 4.10 11. Prov. 3.17 Quest. Answ.