those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell But what saith our Saviour Suppose you that these were greater sinners above all the men of Jerusalem I tell you nay but except you repent you shall all likewise perish Luke 13.3 All every Mother's Son here present if you turn not from your sinful courses God will meet with you one time or other if you harden your hearts against him be sure Who ever hardned his heart against God and prospered Job 9.4 As long as a man is in this condition his state is woful As many as are in the state of unregeneracy are under the power of Satan 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Mark the Apostles words In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will The state then of the hardned and setled on their lees is as of a bird in a cage taken alive at the will of the Fowler So it is here as long as we continue obstinate and hardned we are taken alive at Satan's will we are at his disposing While we are at liberty we are way-laid by his nets and traps and taken we are at his pleasure As long as we are hardned in heart we are in the Devil's cage true repentance is that whereby alone we purchase our freedom whereby we recover our selves and therefore in Rom. 2.5 Hardness of heart and impenitency signifie the same thing After thy hardned and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Mark then what 's a hard heart It 's an impenitent heart Dost thou harden thy heart Then know that for the present thou art a dead man If notwithstanding all God's threats out of his word thou art not a jot moved thou art dead whilst alive as the woman that lived in pleasure And if thou continuest so thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and the just revelation of God's Judgments God's word is the especial means to recover thee A man that is in a swoon they rub him to recover him because there 's life in him but if dead strong-waters or any thing else cannot restore him Examine thy self then does the working of the Word rub and gall thee It 's a sign there is life in thee but if it make no impression it moves thee not it 's a sign of a dead heart Consider then the danger of this condition for a man to resolve on his evil courses never purposing to alter matters It exceedingly hastens God's Judgments But leaving this I proceed to the second Point which is to direct us how to work our escape Though God threatens us yet if we have but the grace to look about us and remember our selves If God do but cause us to consider we have to deal with a merciful Father and make us meet him by humiliation then though our sins were as scarlet yet submitting our selves to our Judge living as obedient Subjects the storm shall pass from us So that this is the Second Point 2. Notwithstanding God threatens us yet if he gives us but grace to repent and bethink our selves let our sins be never so great we may be sure of mercy O that we could see with what a gracious God we have to deall Canst thou but humble thy self All these things shall speak peace unto thee As an impenitent sinner is under the power of Satan and liable to all misery So contrariwise who ever returns and seeks the Lord is sure to be under his wings and free from all evil Thinkst thou that God makes use of threatnings for thy hurt No he deals not with us as an angry Judge but as a compassionate Father men will take an enemy always at an advantage when they may do him most hurt God's terrors overtake us he threatens us that he will do this and this that we may prevent it He knows that unless his terrors awake us we will rest secure Before he smites us he tells us He will whet his sword He hath bent hiâ— bow and made it ready He hath prepared his instruments of death Psalm 7.12 13. He could shoot thee presently and instantly run the through but he threatens thee that so he may not strike thee Non te vult percutere qui tibi clamat Observa He that saith Look to your self hath no intention to strike thee See what the Prophet Amos denounces from the Lord Cap. 11 12. I have given you cleanness of teeth I have with-holden rain v. 6 7 8. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew v. 9. I have sent amongst you the Pestilence v. 10. yet have you not returned unto me Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel v. 12. What Judgments have befallen us have befallen us for our own use if so be we will be warned by them The reason why God saith he will overthrow us is not because he means to do it but that we may prevent him by repentance Look into Jer. 3 1. and see what wonderful passages are to this purpose There 's a Law case If a man put away his Wife and she go from him shall he return unto her again Shall not that Land be greatly polluted But thou hast plaid the Harlot with many Lovers And in the 20. v. As a Wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel And yet see God's unspeakable mercy Return again unto me And 23. v. Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-sliding turn to me and I 'll not cause mine anger to fall upon you Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God v. 13. See God supporteth us the worst and vilest of all and yet as it were intreats us to return See then â—he Conclusion of the second Point how if God give us but grace to repent let our former evils be what they will the danger is past the terror I mean of eternal destruction so that you may say and not in Agag's delusion the bitterness of death the second death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 But I leave this and come to the Third for which I chiefly chose this Text. You have seen how dangerous a thing hardness of heart is how it brings certain death and that if we have the heart to repent we are safe As to make it appear in an instance It 's not the falling into water but the lying under it that drowns a man Art thou faln into sin only lift up thy head if thou canst be but thus happy the promise of salvation belongs to thee The main thing then is this 3. It behooves us to set about the work of conversion and repentance presently God is angry with us and we know not
The next action is The pouring out of the wine This is my blood saith Christ Drink you all of this Dost thou see the wine poured out at that very instant consider how much blood Christ spilt how much he poured forth and that not only in the very time of his passion when he hung upon the Cross when the spears pierced his sides when the nails bored and digged his hands and feet But that which he shed in the garden in the cold Winter time when he shed great drops great clots of blood thickest blood that pierc'd his garment and ran down upon the ground Consider how much blood he lost when he was whipped and lashed When the spear came to the very Pericardium thus let us weigh his torments and it will be a means to make us much affected with his sufferings for us But this is not all there is another thing yet in the blood This was but the outward part of his sufferings Yet some there are who are against Christ sufferings in his soul If it were so say they then something either in the sacrifices of the old-Testament or in the new Testament should signifie it What ever such persons object against it I am sure there was as much in the sacrifices of the old Testament as could possibly be in a Type to signifie it Now that I may make this to appear know that in every sacrifice there were two parts or two things considerable and those were the Body and the Blood The whole was to be made a sacrifice viz. both Body and blood the body was to be burned the blood to be poured forth Now nothing in a beast can signifie the sufferings of Christ in soul better then the pouring out of the blood Lev. 17.11 The blood was the life and this is that which had a relation to the soul and was therefore as in the same place appears poured out as an attonement for the soul. And to this in our common prayers there is an allusion viz. Grant us gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and to drink his blood that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood And in Isa. 53.12 The Metaphor holds He poured out his soul unto death for us So that whatever some have fondly thought its evident and manifest that Christ suffered both in soul and body Both soul and body were made an offering for sin in the fashion of sin who knew no sin I should have gone further but the time cuts me off HEB. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need IN handling heretofore the Doctrine of the conversion of a sinner I declared and shewed you what man's misery was and what that great hope of mercy is that the Lord proposeth to the greatest sinner in the world I shewed unto you â—he means whereby we may be made partakers of Christ and thâ—t waâ— by the grace of faith which doth let fall all other things in a man's self and comes with an open and empty hand to lay hold on Christ and fill it self with him I shewed you also the acts of Faith as it justâ—fies And now because it is a point of high moment wherein all our comfort stands and in which it lies I thought good to resume it all again so far as may concern our practice that we may see what the work of God's Spirit is from the first to the last and the conversion of a sinner from the corruptions and pollutions of the flesh in which he wallowed and to this purpose have I chosen this place of Scripture wherein we are encouraged by God's blessed Word that whatever we are though accursed and the greatest sinners in the world and that whatever we want we should come to God's throne of grace And we are to think that whatever sins are or have been committed and though our sins are never so great yet that they are not so great as the infiniteness of God's mercy especially having such not only an Intercessor but Advocate to plead the right of our cause so that Christ comes and he pleads payment and that however our debts are great and we run far in score yet he is our ransome and therefore now God's justice being satisfied why should not his mercy have place and free course This is the great comfort that a Christian hath that he may come freely and boldly to God because he comes but as for an acquittance of what is already paid As a debtor will appear boldly before his creditor when he knows his debt is discharged he will not then be afraid to look him in the face Now we may come and say Blessed Father the debt is paid I pray give me pardon of my sins give me my acquittance And this is that boldness and access spoken of Rom. 5.2 In whom we have access by faith Now that I may not spend too much time needlesly come we to the ground and matter in the words Wherein there is 1. A preparative for grace 2. The act it self whereby we are made partakers of the grace of God First the preparatives are two The Law and the Gospel and wrought by them The first preparative 1. Wrought by the Law The Law works in a time of great need or rather by the operative power of the Law convincing us of sin we are made sensible of our need and deep poverty This is the first preparative for a man to be brought to see he stands in great need of God's mercy and Christ's blood so that the sinner cries out Lord I stand in great want of mercy His eyes being thus opened he is no longer a stranger at home but he sees the case is wondrous hard with him so that he concludes unless God be merciful unto me in Christ I am lost and undone for ever This is the first preparative and till we come to it we can never approach the throne of grace The second is 2. Wrought by the Gospel I see I stand in great need but by this second preparative we see a Throne of grace set up and that adds comfort unto me If God had only a throne and seat of Justice I were utterly undone I see my debt is extremely great but the Gospel reveals unto me that God of his infinite mercy hath erected a Throne of grace a City of refuge that finding my self in need my soul may fly unto And now to fit us for this God's blessed Spirit works by his Word to open unto us the rigour and strictness of the Law and our wants to enlighten our understandings that we stand in great need to win our affection and open the Gospel and its comforts Therefore first for the time of need The Law reveals unto us our woful condition to be born in sin as the Pharisee said and yet not
to making up of the match vers 9. Then I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy blood from thee and I anointed thee with oyl I cloathed thee also with embroidered work and shod thee with badgers skins c. That is when Christ comes to cast his affections on us and to wed us unto himself he finds us polluted and naked not with a rag on us Full of filth just nothing have we he takes us with nothing nay we are worse than nothing So that here is the point what ground is there whereby a man that is dead and hath no goodness in him mâ—ke him as ill as can be imagined what ground hath he to receive Chriâ—t Yes To as many as received him to them he gave the power to become the sons of God First The receiving of Christ and then comes Believing It is the receiving of this gift that is the means whereby Christ is offered to us The Apostle joyning the first and second Adam together makes the benefit we have by the second to lye in the point of receiving Rom. 5.17 Object If it be a free gift why is faith required Sol. Because faith takes away nothing from the gift If a man give a beggar an Alms and he reach out his hand to receive it his reaching out the hand makes the gift never the less because the hand is not a worker but an instrument in receiving the free gift Rom. 5.15 If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace hath abounded unto many in Jesus Christ. And vers 17. If by one man's offence death raigned by one much more they that receive abundance of grace shall raign in life by one Jesus Christ Here 's the point then God is well pleased and therefore sends to us Wilt thou have my Son with him thou shalt have abundance of Grace and everlasting life and my love too There 's no Creature in this place but this shall be made good unto if he can find in his heart to take Christ thou shalt have a warrant to receive him Now to receive Christ is to believe in his name and to draw near unto him The word Receiving is a taking with the hand with free entertainment as vers 11. immediately before the Text. It 's not so properly Receiving as Entertaining He came to his own and his own received him not they were like the foolish Gaderens that preferred their pigs before Christ they would rather have his room than his company and so when Christ comes and thou hast rather be a free man as thou thinkest and wilt not have him to raign over thee then thy case is lamentable Then self-will self-have Tâ—e only point is whether we come to Christ or he come to us there is a drawing near If thou comest to Christ he will not put thee back if Christ come to thee by any good motion if thou shut not the door against him thou shâ—lt 〈…〉 him Râ—v 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock iâ— aâ—â— man heaâ— mâ— vâ—ice and open the door I will come in unto him and â—up wiâ—h hâ—m and he wiâ—h me Rev. 1.16 The Lord by the knock of his mouth by the sword that comes out of his mouth would fain come in and be familiar with thee If thou wilt not let him in is it not good reason that as in the Canticles Cant. 5.6 he withdraw himself If he see thy sins and would fain come in what an encouragement hast thou to open Joh. 6.37 He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Canst thou have a better word from thy Prince than this When he holdeth out his golden Sceptre if thou takest hold on it thou art safe otherwise thou art a dead man thou canst not have a greater security all the point is Faith is a drawing near unto Christ and Unbelief is a going from him The Gospel is preached to those that are afar off and to those that are near Eph. 2.17 He came to preach peace to you that are afar off and to them that are nigh Who were they that were afar off they were those that had uncircumcision in the flesh without Christ Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that had no hope to these Christ came these that were afar off by faith drew near that expression is a singular one Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith What is that but if any man draw back that is if any man be an Unbeliâ—ver my soul shall have no pleasure in him Faith makes a man come and draw near to Christ. It 's a shame-faced bashfulness that makes a man draw back its unbelief if any draw back and to believe is to go on with boldness We are not of them which draw back unto perdition but of them c. What an excellent encouragement is this to come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace that we may find help in time of need So that now let thy estate be what it will if thou wilt not hold off but dost entertain Christ though thy sins be as red as scarlet be not discouraged they shall be made as white as wool Isa. 1.18 The very sinner against the Holy Ghost is invited and why is that unpardonable Can any sin be so great as to over-top the value of Christ's blood There is not so much wretchedness in the heart of man as there is Grace Goodness and Mercy in Christ But then it is unpardonable Why Because it is the nature of the disease that will not suffer the plaister to stick on It counts the blood of the Covenant wherewith we should be sanctified an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 If this sinner would not pluck off the plaister and tread it under foot he should be saved but this is it when God is liberal and Christ is free we have not the heart to take him at his word and come To open this Word this is the point of all this is the free preaching of the Gospel indeed when a man hath nothing desirable in him but is stark naught and stark dead and is not worth the taking up that yet he may challenge Christ and be sure of all Unless thou hast Christ thou hast nothing by Promise not so much as a bit of bread by Promise if thou hast it it is by Providence All the Promises of God are in him 2 Cor. 1.20 that is Christ yea and Amen Ye are the Children of the Promise in Christ Gal 3.29 and 4.28 but you have nothing till you be in Christ. The Question is What must I do in this case What encouragement shall I have in my rags when I am abominable worth nothing There are certain things that are preparations to a Promise such as are Commands Precepts Entreaties which encourage them to it and then comes a proposition I being a Believer shall have eternal life If Christ
is to let slip this time This is the acceptable day Esay 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found call on him while he is near When a man refuses God's day God will not hear his prayer all his sighs and sobs his groans and cries shall not prevail Esay 66. I will choose their delusions and will bring their fears upon them because when I called none did answer when I spake they did not hear When men will needs be choosers of what God would not have God will have his choice too and it shall be that which will be displeasing to them I will choose their delusions and will bring their fears upon them HEBREWS 4.7 Again he limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said to day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts THe last day I entred on the opening of this place and shewed How the Lord had proposed a limited time for our conversion unto him in which we should hear and obey his voyce We shewed farther how it was Satan's policy to make men seem wiser than God that when God proposes a certain time and limits us a day wherein he will be found we will not have his but our own True say we God calls on us and it 's fit and convenient to hearken unto him but yet I 'll stay for a more seasonable opportunity There is nothing provokes God so much against us as when we will thus scorn that acceptable time he hath proposed Nor can there be a greater hinderance to repentance then to stop our ears at his counsels and to suffâ—r him to call and cry unto us so long and yet to abuse his patience by a foolish neglect It accuses us of Rebellion and high presumption on such infirm grounds to put from us the day of salvation Folly it is in the highest degree to trust on the future when as in our own hands we have neither space nor grace for such a business God is the Lord and owner of them both and will not part with his Prerogative Go to you that say to day or to morrow we will return unto the Lord You add to presumption both folly and Rebellion Jezebel had space to repent yet she repented not for she had not the grace that without this will not benefit Seeing then these are not in your power harden not your hearts as in the provocation nor offer despight unto the Holy Ghost by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption Ephes. 4.3 If we embrace not God's day we despise the riches of his goodness long suffering and patience Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of God's grace not knowing that the long-suffering of God leadeth to repentance There can be no higher presumption then this to bid defiance to the Spirit of God Nor can there be greater contempt of mercy then to set light of the time of our repentance and returning unto God making that the greatest argument of our delay which God uses to draw us to him God gives us space that we may repent and we repent not because he gives us space He gives us life that with fear and trembling we may set about the business of salvation and we through strong delusions put from us the proffers of his grace as if they were unseasonably offered What madness is it to frustrate the Almighty of his ends and purposes The Lord is not slack touching his promise 2 Pet. 3.9 It 's a great stop and hinderance to our progress in goodness and the work of repentance when we distrust God and take him not at his word He sends abroad his Embassadors who proclaim This is the accepted time this is the day of salvation to day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts 2 Cor. 6.2 Psalm 95.7 8. yet we put this day from us and say hereafter is a more acceptable time I have this delight this Pleasure to take first in the World I am not so weaned from it as I would be As if God would take it well from our hands that we should then return to him when there is no remedy I le first use all the pleasure the World affords me and then Lord have mercy on me will serve the turn This is the very stifling of the beginning and proceedings of Christianity Let this be well and speedily weigh'd as we tender our good and comfort Obj. But may some say what needs this hast may we not use leisure Soft and Fair goes far Sol. True Soft and Fair goes fairly in the way In this case though thou go but softly thou mayst come to thy journeys end but the doubt remains still there is a question whether thou art in the way or not Happy are we if we are although we can but halt and limp on in this way although this should be no ground for us to content our selves therewith We must not trifle in the wayes of holiness It 's that concerns our life and must be seriously thought on and that speedily too Mat. 5.25 Agree with thine Adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him God is thine Adversary unless thou agree with him speedily his patience will break forth into his fury Psal. 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and thou perish from the right way Thou hast no assurance of thy life thou mayst be snapt off whilst thou thinkest it time enough to repent and return As long as we go out of the way of repentance we are in the way to Hell and the farther a man goes in a wrong way the nearer is he to Hell and the greater ado to return back and in this regard Soft and Fair may go far but 't is far out of the way far in the way to perdition and destruction As long as we are out of the right way to Heaven and happiness we are in the path that leads directly to the Chambers of death But let me in this particular rip up the heart of a natural man What 's the reason that when God gives men a day and cries out This is the day of salvation this is the accepted time what in the name of God or the Devils name rather for he is the adversary who maligns our Salvation should cause them to put salvation from them To defer and desire a longer time Thus a natural man reasons with himself I cannot so soon be taken off from the Profits and pleasures of the World I hope to have a time when I shall with more ease and a greater composedness of mind bring my self to it or if it be not with so much ease yet I trust in a sufficient manner I shall do it Wherefore for the present I le enjoy the Profits and Delights of the State and Condition where I am I will solace my self with the pleasures of sin for a season I hope true repentance will never be too late This is well weighed
Christ should be lyable to these Passions But it is certain God the Father made an immediate impression of pains upon his soul his soul did immediately suffer Look on him in the Garden he was not yet touched nor troubled by men and yet he fell in a sweat Consider the season of the year this was then when they that were within doors were glad to keep close by the fire he thus did sweat in the Garden when others freez'd within this was much but to sweat blood thick blood clotted congealed blood for so the word will bear it not like that in his veins and yet it came through his garments and fell to the ground this is a thing not to be comprehended Our blessâ—d Saviours encountring with his Father he falls a trembling and is overwhelmed as it were with the wrath beseeching God intensively saying Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Mat. â—7 39 thou mayst give free pardon which affections in Christ are such a thing as pusâ—els us all we must not say Christ did forget for what he came but he did not remember these words proceeded from the seat of passion which while it is disturbed reason suspends its Acts. Christ had Passions though no impurity in them As take a clear Vial full of water from the fountain and shake it it may be frothy yet it will be clean water still Christ did not forget only he had the suspension of his faculties for a time As a man in a sleep thinks not what he is to do in the morning and yet he is said properly to forget He cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.40 He was contented to be forsaken for a time that thou mighst not be forsaken everlastingly and this was no faint prayer if you will read the place in the Psalm He cryed out unto God And Heb. 5.7 It 's said Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears He cryed to the Almighty he made Gods own heart to pity He would break Isa. 53. yet his heart is repenting and rolled together so that he sent an Angel to support and comfort him Psal. 27. those strong cries are expressed with a more forcible word My God my God why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Consider how it was with Christ before any earthly hand had touched him when he beseeched God for his life this shews the wonderful suffering of Christ and for that point Why hast thou forsaken me Consider it was not with Christ as with the Fathers they suffered a great deal of punishment and taches and would not be delivered yet Christ was more couragious than they all He had a spirit of fortitude he was anointed abve his fellows and yet he quivers Our Fathers cryed unto thee they trusted in thee and were not consumed they were delivered but I am a worm and no man I can find no shadow of comfort Lord Why art thou so angry with me this speech came not from the upper part of the soul the seat of reason but from the lower part the seat of Passion My God my God these were not words of desperation He held fast to God Why hast thou forsaken me these are words of sense thus you see the price is paid and what a bitter thing sin is God will not suffer his Justice to be swallowed up by Mercy It must be satisfied and our Saviour if he will be a Mediator must make payment to the uttermost farthing Consider what a time this was when our Saviour suffered The Sun with-draws his beams the earth shakes and trembles What aileth thee O thou Sun to be darkned and thou earth to tremble was it not to shew his mourning for the death of its Maker The soul of Christ was dark within and it 's fit that all the world should be hung in black for the death of the King of Kings But mark when he comes to deliver up his life and to give up the Ghost the vail of the Temple rent in twain and that was the ninth hour which in the Acts is called the hour of prayer it was at three a Clock in the afternoon Hence it is said Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening sacrifice The Priest was killing the Lamb at that time there was a vail that severed the Holy of Holies it was between the place of oblations and the Holy of holies which signifies the Kingdom of Heaven Assoon as Christ died the vail rent and Heaven was open the Priest saw that which was before hidden Our Saviour saith the Apostle entred through the vail of his flesh unto his Father and fit it was that the vail should give place when Christ comes to enter but what becomes of Christ's soul now his soul and body were pull'd asunder and through the vail of his flesh as it were with blood about his ears he entred the Holy of Holies unto God saying Lord here am I in my blood and here is blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel that cries for vengeance this for blessing and expiation of our sins JOHN 1.12 But to as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name HAving heretofore declared unto you the woful estate and condion wherein we stand by nature I proceeded to the Remedy that God of his infinite Mercy hath provided for the recovery of miserable sinners from the wrath to come And therein I proposed two things that our Saviour that was to advance us and raise us out of this condition when we had lost our selves in Adam did both deliver us from the punishment which we had deserved and also translate it upon his own person He did his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 We having eaten sour grapes he was to have his teeth set on edge we accounted him smitten of God and buffeted but we had sinned and he was beaten That when the Lord in his wrath was ready to smite us he underwent the dint of God's sword and stood betwixt the blow and us the blow lighted on him that was equal with God and deserved not to be beaten Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow The sword was unwilling to strike him and thus being smitten he became a propitiation for our sins The chastisement of our peace was on him He offered himself a sacrifice Here are two things considerable 1. How Christ was offered for us 2. How he is offered to us First For us and so he offered up himself a Sacrifice a sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God Eph. 5.2 Mark the point is he is not only the Sacrifice but the Sacrificer He offered up himself saith the Apostle He was the Priest and
his Word and therefore I will not let go Such a strong faith had Abraham contrary to reason God's Word is true he gives me his Word and I will trust him So a child of God will not be put off though God write bitter things against him he will not forego him We have an excellent example in the woman of Canaan the end of it is O woman great is thy faith Matth. 15.28 But how doth the greatness of it appear Lord have mery upon me my Daughter is grievously afflicted c. Why not rather Lord have mercy on my daughter the reason is because she was afflicted in her daughter's affliction By the way we may hereby understand the meaning of the Commandment where it is said he will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him But why to the third and fourth generation because I may see the third and fourth generation and may see the judgment of God on them and may remember my sin for which they are plagued the case is mine and not theirs only Lord have mercy upon me for my daughter is diseased I see my own sin is punished by the judgment on her in my sight Poor woman Christ will not hear her she might have been dashed out of countenance the Disciples were weary of her clamorous cryes and say Send her away for she troubleth us What saith Christ Is it fit to take the children's bread and cast it unto dogs This was enough to dash her quite before she was discouraged by silence but to be called dog it were enough quite to discourage her but see the fruit of faith she seeks comfort of that which would have undone another What am I a dog under the table there I shall get a crum others of the children that are better let them have the loaves I account my self happy if I may but get a crum O woman great is thy faith This is great faith when it goes contrary to all sense that when God calls me dog when he spurns at me and frowns on me I will not be put off Faith is of the nature of the Vine if it have but the least hold on the wall it makes use of it and climbs higher and higher So out of the least thing that drops from her Saviours mouth she raiseth her faith higher So though we have this peace with God yet oft times he with holds the notification of it to us 3. The last thing is to note the difference between the peace of a carnal and a spiritual man carnal peace is mixed with a great deal of presumption and pride but the more spiritual peace thou hast the more thou art dejected in thy self the more cast down see it in Ezekiel Ezek. 16.60 61 62 63. I will establish with thee an everlasting Covenant then shalt thou remember thy ways and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy sisters thy elder and thy younger and I will give them unto thee for daughters but not by thy Covenant and I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord When God is pacified yet they hold down their heads and are ashamed when a man knoweth that God hath pardoned his sins he is ashamed that he hath carried himself so wickedly against God of whose mercy he hath now such experience When God is pacified a man remembers his former sins and is confounded as it is Ezek. 36.31 Then shall you remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight fer your iniquities and for your abominations in that time when I am pacified toward you That which would work in a carnal man security and pride for he never thinks himself better than when there is peace within will work in the child of God the grace of humiliation In the last Chapter of Job God had manifested himself wonderfully to Job and however before he had very sharp afflictions his sufferings in soul were next to the sufferings of Christ. I believe never any man suffered so much as Job did insomuch that the arrows of the Almighty stuck in him the poyson whereof saith he drinketh up my spirit Job 6.4 This was the case of Job and he stood upon terms of justification he wished that God would dispute with him that God would either be the Opponent or the Answerer If God would answer he would oppose or if God would oppose he would answer God comes as he would have him and Job is not at that point that he was before when God draws nigh unto him he saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now my eye seeth thee Job 42.5 Well this may make thee a proud man and elevate thee no saith he now I abhor my self in dust and ashes The nearer God draws unto us and the more merciful he is unto us by that light we the more discern our own abominations That which would make another man proud brings Job to the knowledge of his vileness Therefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes 3. Now another thing is Who is this peace-Maker This I shall but touch We have peace with God But how Through our Lord Jesus Christ he is our peacemaker and interposeth between his Fathers wrath and us Ephes. 2.14 For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down that partition wall between us we have not only peace with God through Christ but Christ is the very peace not only the peace maker but the peace There was a middle wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles and between God and us Christ breaks it down sin shall no longer be a wall of partition Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make himself of twain one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross. There was hatred between God and us Christ hath crucified that hatred with the nails wherewith he was fastened to the Cross he hath kill'd it by his crucifixion and now enmity being slain peace must needs be alive there is peace and reconciliation made You are come saith the Apostle to the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 whereas the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance against Cain the murtherer This blood cries for peace it out-cries all our sins sin hath a voice it s said The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah went up into the ears of the Lord Every sin thou committest hath a voice to cry but the blood of Christ hath a shriller voice and out-cries the cry of thy sins it is so preheminent it speaks for peace and doth
Law loose to have its course And thus as in the work of Redemption he would have the height of Justice appear so would he have it appear in the application of our Redemption that Justice should not be swallowed up of Mercy But even as that woman 2 King 4. Who had nothing to pay was threatned by her Creditors to take away her two Sons to put them in prison So though we have nothing to pay the Law is let loose upon us to threaten Imprisonment and Damnation to affright and terrifie us and all for the magnifying of God's Justice which also we satisfie not by what we suffer yet it is meet we should acknowledge and learn thereby more highly to value the suffering of our Saviour But farther God hath set forth many terrible threatnings in his Word against sinners shall all these be to no purpose The wicked they are insensible of them must they therefore be in vain Some people there must be on whom they shall work Shall a Lyon roar saith the Prophet and we not be afraid Amos 3.8 Since then those who should will not some there be who must tremble and those even of God's own dear Children This the Prophet excellently sets forth Isa. 66.2 where the Lord sheweth who he will regard But to this man will I look even to him that is of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word So that you see even some of his own must tremble and be thus humbled of necessity and that it is not without a just cause that God doth deal with his own Children after this manner though it be sharp in the experience We must fear tremble and be humbled and then we shall receive a spirit not to fear again That vain courage which some brag they have so as not to fear Death is not it which is meant here fâ—â— alas such braggers out of ignorance of the thing and desire to be out of misery in this Life may embrace Death unwillingly hoping it may put an end to their sorrows But this spirit not to fear again is such a spirit that assures me of the forgiveness of all my sins shewing me my freedome by Christ Jesus from Hell and eternal Damnation making me live a holy Life and from hence not to fear and so sealing me up unto the day of Redemption as you shall hear more when we come to speak of the witness of the spirit This now is for the glory of Gods Justice Secondly it is requisite that the comforter should first work in men a fear for the glory of Gods mercy which would never be so sweet relish so well nor be so highly esteemed of by us if the awful terrour of Justice had not formerly made us smart As we may see in that parable whereunto our Saviour likeneth the Kingdom of Heaven of the man that owed ten thousand Talents unto the King his master he shews him mercy and forgives him all but what did he first Why first he requires the whole debt of him and because he had nothing to pay he commands him his Wife and Children and all that he had to be sold that payment might be made first he would have him pincht throughly that he might know much he was indebted and in that case how great that favour was which he received in having all that he owed forgiven him Thus a King many times casts men in Prison suffers the sentence of condemnation to pass on them and perhaps orders them to be brought to the place of execution before he pardons them and then mercy is mercy indeed and so God deals with us many times he puts his Children in fear shews them how much they owe him how unable they are to pay casts them into prison and threatens condemnation in Hell for ever after which when mercy comes to the Soul then it appears to be wonderful mercy indeed even the riches of exceeding mercy Why do so many find no savour in the Gospel Is it because there is no sweetness or matter of delight in it No it is because such have had no tast of the Law and of the spirit of bondage they have not smarted nor found a sense of the bitterness of sin nor of that just punishment that is due unto the same Even as the King will suffer the Law to pass on some greivous malefactor for high Treason bring him to the place of Execution and lay his head on the block before a pardon he produced as we have had experience in the Country of a man who otherwise would not cry nor shed a tear for any thing Despising Death and not affraid to meet an host of men Such a one having now at an instant a pardon brought from the King how wonderfully doth it work upon him causing softness of heart and tears to flow from his eyes when nothing else could whilest the wonder of this mercy which now appeareth so sweet and seaâ—onable is beheld and admired he is so struck that he knows not what to say for this cause therefore God shews us first a Spirit of bondage to prepare us to relish mercy and then he gives a Spirit of Adoption not to fear again And thus by this order the one is magnifyed and highly esteemed by the foregoing sense of the other If therefore this terrour and fear be hard and troublesome unto us yet if it be for Gods glory let us endure If he will give me over to a wounded terrified conscience to fears tremblings astonishments yea or to draw me into the fire it self or any other punishment so we see he dealt with his Church of old he brought her through the fire and water before she came into a wealthy place Psal. 66.12 Since it is for his glory I must be contended But what do I say He gets nothing by us of all that we do all is for our selves our Acknowledgments of him make him no stronger wiser juster or better then he is but in glorifying of him we do glorify our selves and so pass from glory to glory until we come to be fully transformed into his Image And herein consists our happiness in acknowledging of his wonderful Attributes that by the reflex and knowledge of them we grow up in them as much as may be God was as glorious powerful wise just happy and good before the World was made as now and if the case be put concerning glorifying of him the three persons of the Trinity were only fit and worthy of so great honour not we as we may read Prov. 8.30 There wisdom shews how it was with the Father before all time and that they did mutually solace themselves in the contemplations of one anothers glory Then says Wisdom Was I by him as one brought up with him and I was dayly his Delight rejoycing always before him and in 17 John There we read the same thing in effect where Christ prays And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the
say what comfort then may I have of the first work of the Spirit in me For as yet I have found none of these things I have not been thus humbled nor terrifyed nor had such experience as you speak of in that state under the spirit of bondage I answer though this be a work of the spirit yet it is not the principal justifying and saving work of the spirit yea the children of the Devil may come to have a greater measure of this then Gods own dear Children whom for the most part he will not affright nor afflict in that terrible manner as he doth some of them but the consequence of this is more to be accounted of then the measure to see whither that measure I have what ever it be leads me For if the measure were never so absolutely necessary to salvation then all Gods Children should have enough of it But I make a difference still between humiliation and humility which is a grace of it self and leads me along with comfort and Life Thus therefore I think of humiliation if I have so much of it as will bring me to see my danger and cause me to run to the medicine and City of refuge for help to hate sin for time to come and to set my self constantly in the ways and practice of holiness it is enough And so I say in the case of Repentance if a man have a sight of sin past and a heart firmly set against all sin for the time to come the greater and firmer this were the lesser measure of sorrow might suffice for sins fore-past As we see a wise Father would never beat his Child for faults that are past but for the prevention of that which is to come for we see in time of Correction the Child cryes out O I will never do so any more So God deals with us because our resolutions and promises are faint and fail and that without much mourning humiliation and Stripes we attain not this hatred of sins past and strength against them for time to come therefore it is that our humiliation and sorrow must be proportionable to that work which is to be done otherwise any measure of it were sufficient which fits us for the time to come But I will add there are indeed divers measures of it according unto which the conscience is wounded or eased when there is a tough melancholy humour that the powers of the soul are distracted good Duties omitted and the heart so much the more hardned When upon this the Lord le ts loose the band of the conscience oppressing the same with exceeding fears and terrours this the Lord uses as a wedge to cleave in sunder a hard piece of wood God then doth shew us because we would not plough our selves we shall be ploughed If we would judge our selves saith the Apostle we should not be judged and therefore the Church confesses and complains Psalm 129.2 That the ploughers ploughed upon her back and made deep furrows Why How came this she did not plough up her own fallow ground wherefore the Lord sent her other strangers and harsh ploughers that ploughed her soundly indeed Wherefore doth God thus deal with his Children because he is the great and most wise Husband-man who will not sow amongst thorns Therefore when he is about to sow the seed of Eternal Life in the soul which must take deep root and grow for ever he will have the ground throughly ploughed The way then to avoid these things that are so harsh and displeasing to flesh and blood is to take the Rod betimes and beat our selves for when we are slow and secure and omit this God doth do the work himself But yet God makes a difference of good education in those who have kept themselves from the common pollutions and gross sins of the times it pleaseth God saith comes into them they know not how nor the time Grace drops in by little and little now a little and then a little by degrees sin is more and more hated and the heart inflamed with a desire of good things in a conscionable Life But in a measure I say such must have had have or shall have fears and terrours so much as may keep them from sin and quicken them to go on constantly in the ways of holiness or when they fly out of the way they shall smart for it and be whipped home again yet for the main they find themselves as it were in Heaven they know not how But if a man have stuck deep and long in sin he must look for a greater measure of humiliation and fear and a more certain time of his calling there must be hawling and pulling such a man out of the fire with violence and he must not look to obtain peace and comfort with ease God will thunder and lighten in such a man's conscience in Mount Sinai before he speak peace unto him in Mount Zion A second time there is also of a great measure of humiliation which is though a man may be free from great gross sins and worldly pollutions when the Lord intends to shew the feeling of his mercy and the sense thereof to any in an extraordinary measure or to fit them for some high services then they shall be much humbled before as we see St. Paul was Act. 8.9 God did thunder upon him and beat him down in the High way to the ground being stricken with blindness for three days after Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken of the 15th verse touching the Spirit of Bondage and the spirit of Adoption The Apostle tells them they may thank God the spirit of fear thus came that hereafter they might partake of the Spirit of Adoption to fear no more he stirs them up as it were to be thankful because now they had obtained a better state Why what estate A very high one vers 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God ROM 8.16 The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God HAving spoken concerning the Spirit of Bondage and the Spirit of Adoption in the former verse the Apostle in these words that I have now read doth as it were stir up those unto thankfulness to whom he writes because they had now attained to a better state The Spirit it self bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God The thing then is to know our selves to be the children of God there must be sound evidences here then are two set down whose Testimony we cannot deny I will touch them as briefly as I can and so will make an end First the witness of our spirit Secondly the witness of God's Spirit with our spirits These are two Evidences not single but compounded wherein you see there may be some work of our spirit But some may say our spirit is deceitful how then can our own spirit work in this manner to
Christ Now when the spirit hath wrought this will in me and I come and take God at his word and believe in Christ laying hold by degrees on the other promises of life winding and wrapping my self in them as I am able it is faith But that perswasion only which many have that they shall go to heaven is not faith but rather a consequent hereof The promise is made unto those that believe in Christ For in him says the Apostle all the promises are yea and Amen If a man weep much and beg hard for the remission of sins he may weep and be without comfort unto the end of his life unless he have received Christ and applyed his vertues home unto his trembling soul. A man must first receive Christ and then he hath a warrant to interest himself in all the promises So that now this being done if such a man were asked hast thou a warrant to receive Christ Yes I have a warrant says the soul for he keeps open house unto all that come wellcoming all and I have a will to come this is a good and sufficient warrant for me to come if I have a will wrought in me and then if I do come this is the first thing to be observed in the witness of our Spirit Now if a man do stagger for all the King keeps open house so as he will not or does not come then in the second place comes Invitation because we are slow to believe therefore God invites us as in Matthew 11.28 Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Many object O I am not worthy to come but you see here is invitation to encourage me to come yea the sorer and heavier my load is I should come so much the rather So that in this case if the question should be asked of such a one friend how came you hither What warrant had you to be so bold Then he shews forth his ticket as if he should say Lord thou gavest me a word of comfort a warrant of thy invitation in obedience to thy word and faith in thy promise I come hither Now this invitation is directed to them who as yet have no goodness in them when then my Spirits warrants this much unto me that upon this word of promise and invitation I have come in for releif and ease of may miseries unto Christ Jesus the great Physician relying on him for cure and lying as it were at his feet for mercy this is the testimony of my Spirit that I do believe and a ground for me to rest on that now I am in the way of life and justified by his grace Thirdly sometimes Christ meets with a dull and slow heart lazy and careless in a manner what becomes of it not knowing or weighing the dangerous state it is in making excuses here Christ may justly leave us for is it not much that the King should invite us for our good as he did these in the Gospel who for refusing to come to his Supper were excluded from ever tasting thereof strangers being fetched in in their places God might so deal with us but you see in 2 Corinth 5.20 God sends as Embassage to entreat us erects as it were a new office for our sakes saith he Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconcile unto God This may seem to be needless we being weaker than he Ambassadours for the most part are sent unto those that are stronger The Apostle reasons the matter are we stronger than he do we provoke the Lord to anger But here we see and may admire his infinite rich goodness that he comes and sues to us to be reconciled as we see it is a kind of indignity for a great Monarch to sue for peace to them that are far below him and his inferiours This dishonour God is willing to put up at our hands and sues unto us first when it rather became us upon our knees to beg and sue first unto him The effect of the Embassy is that we would be friends with him and receive that which is so highly for our advancement when therefore I see that this quickens in my heart so that as S. James speaks of the engrafted word that is able to save our souls I can bring it home having some sweet relish and high estimation of it in my heart that it begins to be the square and rule of my life then I am safe If this or any of these fasten upon the soul and thereupon I yield and come in it is enough to shew that I am a justified person And from hence our spirit may witness and that truly this is a third thing in the witness of our spirit Fourthly if none of all this will do then comes a farther degree a command from the highest you shall do it as in 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his commandment that we should believe on his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment In the Parliament of Grace there is a Law of Faith which binds me as strictly to believe as to keep any of the commandments Says the Apostle Rom. 3. Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of works nay but by the Law of Faith So that if I will not believe on the Lord Jesus who eases me of the vigour of the Law and so is my righteousness I must perish for ever What may one object must I needs believe Yes thou art as strictly bound to believe as not to murder or not to be an Idolater not to steal or commit adultery nay I will add more that thy infidelty and contempt of that gracious offer thy disobedience to the Law of Faith is greater than thy breach and disobedience to the Law of Works when thou dost fling God's grace in his face again and as it were trample under foot the blood of the Covenant See for this John 16.9 What is that great sin which Christ came to reprove even this infidelity saith he because they believe not in me which in two respects is a great sin First because it is a sin against God's mercy Secondly because it is a chain which links and binds all sins together Thus our Faith is sure when it relies on the word otherwise all other thoughts are but presumption and will fail a man in the time of need for what is faith but my assent to believe every word of God he hath commanded me to believe and so endeavour the practice of it Fifthly if none of these prevail there comes threatning then God swears that such as refuse shall never enter into his rest If a Prince should sue unto a Beggars Daughter for marriage and she should refuse and contemn him do you think he would be well pleased So it is with us when the King of Heavens Son sends unto us Will you
Christ. If we would have comfort therefore let us mark the knocking of the spirit and not grieve him by withstanding holy motions and then we shall find him sealing up our salvation witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God Men you see wait for the wind and not the wind for them otherwise they may wait long enough before they reach home so must we watch the knocking 's of Christ and let him in that his spirit may seal us up to the day of Redemption Thirdly Another thing the true witness of the spirit leaves behind it is Love It makes a man more inflam'd with love to God If a man do not love God more after such an enlightening it is false and counterfeit Psalm 116. I will love thee dearly O Lord my God because thou hast heard my voice And says the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us And therefore if we be obedient Sons we will shew it in loving and honouring our Father more and more as the Prophet speaks Malach. 6. A Son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master if then I be a Father where is mine honour These are the trials before and after a true illumination to try it from the counterfeit which that we may always find and observe in our selves Let us pray O Lord our God c. FINIS A TABLE TO THE SERMONS A ACceptation and Affiance two acts of Faith 95 Active Obedience See Obedience Aggravations of sin 37 A temporary Believer desires Christ only in Affliction 119 120 Assurance no part of justifying faith 97. It is attainable 150. Why so many Christians want it 141 B. BAptism what it obliges to 23. It hath not its full effect till the day of our death ibid. To believe is a hard matter 22 96 To believe is our duty 88 Five words or Scripture-ways that God uses to perswade sinners to Believe in Christ viz. General Proclamation 86. Special invitations 87. Entreaties 87. Commands 88. Threatnings 89 To Believe is to come to Christ 111 It is exprest by Hungring and Thirsting 113 A Believer's case like the Beggars 114 A true Believer distinguished from a Temporary 1. by the ground of his desires 119. 2. by his desiring Grace as well as Mercy 122. 3. by his Love to God 122 A Believer's privilege 150 C. GOd Calls sinners to Christ by five words 86 Christ's equality with God 68. It renders his Humiliation the greater and more meritorious 68 Christ's Humiliation the extent degrees and particulars of it 69 72. Part of his Humiliation to be God's Servant 74. He was a Servant on earth in respect of men 70. Vsed and valued at the rate of a bondman 71 Christ's sufferings the more meritorious because voluntary 74 Christ's Active Obedience in the course of his life 74. his Humiliation and sufferings from his Conception to his death described 75 c. Christ's death described in the Accursedness of it 78. in the shame of it 78. in the painfulness of it 78 Christ suffered not the pains of Hell proved 80. yet he suffered in his Soul immediately from God 80 Whether Christ takes away all the sins of the world 83 Christ's being offered for us no comfort unless he be offered to us 66 That Christ died sufficiently for all is an improper speech 66 To receive Christ what 84. Christ offered freely 83 86. He that hath a will to receive Christ hath a warrant to receive him 86 Christ the proper and immediate Object of justifying Faith 93. Christ loved and valued above all by true believers 96. Christ and the Cross go together in this life 96 Christ very compassionaee 111 Christ is our peace 149 To be a Christian indeed is no easie maâ—ter 96 Civil Righteousness See Morality Men deceived by Comparing themselves with others 20. and with themselves 20 The Conditions of Faith and Obedience required hinder not the freedom of Gospel Grace 80 92 Confession of sin necessary and why 114 Carnal Confidence as to our spiritual estate dangerous the vain grounds of it discovered 19 Conscience one of the Tormentors in Hell 62 Peace of Conscience See Peace Conviction necessary to Conversion 17 33 Conviction a work of Gods Spirit 109 Two hindrances of Conversion 2 A limited time for it 4 Crucifying a Cursed Shameful Painful death 77. The manner of it 79 The Curse follows sin 40 The Curses attending an unregenerate man in this life 48 c. The Curses on his Soul 51 The Curses at his death 53 Custom in sin hardens the heart 12 D. DAy of grace limited 45 15. The folly and danger of neglecting it 13 Death the wages of sin 45. The comprehensiveness of the word Death 48 Death terrible 45. The terribleness of Bodily Death set forth in three particulars 53 c. What the first and second Death is 48 The Death of Christ described 78 c. Death-bed Repentance See Repentance Deferring Repentance dangerous 7. The reasons of Carnal mens Deferring Râ—pentance 9 c. The vanity of them ibid. Desires after Christ may be stronger in Tâ—mporaries than in true believers 119 120 The Devil takes possession of those whom God leaves 43 44 The Reason of Christians Doubting 141 E WHat use to make of the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation 15 Encouragements for sinners to come to Christ 86 Examination of a mans self See Self-Examination F. FAith why required to the receiving of Christ since he is a free gift 84 Faith consists not in a mans being perswaded that God is his God and that his sins are pardoned 86 91. It s proper and immediate Object is not that forgiveness of sins but Christ 93 Faith must have a ground for it out of the word 91. What Faith justifies 118 c. Faith justifies not as a vertue but in respect of its object 93. Faith justifies not as a Habit but as an act 132. The Acts of Faith 94. By what sins the Acts of Faith are hindred 92. How those obstructions are removed ibid. Faith an instrument to receive Justification not to procure it 135 140 Why Faith chosen for an instrument of justification rather than any othâ—r grace 141. A weak Faith justifies as much as a strong 140. yet a strong Faith is to be laboured for and why 140 How Faith alone justifies 140 Faith may be certainly known There may be Faith where there is no feeling 90 96 113 128. Faith strongest when sense least 147 Encouragements to Faith 86 Carnal Fear its sinfulness and danger 56 57 Men apt to Flatter themselves as to their spiritual estate 18 Five false glasses that cause this self Flattery 18 c. Forgiveness of sins not a distinct thing from Imputation of Righteousness 85 c. Forgiveness is properly of sins past only 125. It is one continued act 131. and therefore may be prayed for by a justified person ibid. Forgiveness frees from guilt and punishment 133 God forsakes none till they forsake him 44 True believers forsake