thou wilt do it at such a time when nothing else shall offer it selfe to be entertained beside Thou must break through some difficulties make some other matters stay to shew thy sincere preferring Christ above all delay it now Thou shalt have as much in the way the next day and thy heart lesse disposed to stand for it The design is to loose and put off the present heat and then a small occasion will do well enough with thee And therefore oh that while thou lingerest as Lot did when he was to go out of Sodom Gen. 19.6 the Angell of the Lord would lay his hand on thee the Lord being merciful to thee and lead thee out of this wretched condition before the fire and brimstone be about thy ears I have now done with what I shall say at this time to the unconverted sinner I have said what the Lord hath stored me with both by way of motive and direction for the recovering of thee that yet there might be some hopes of thee I shall say no more at present thou hast the same things now transmitted to thee that thou mayest look over them again and again and consider of them It may be you and I may live to deal of this business again in other words to the same purpose but salvation can be had upon no other terms but your conversion And if after all that is said nothing abide with thee God knows where and how sad Our last parting may be But I must needs pray and hope that God wil save you from your Lot according to Ps 49.14 15. as judging your impenitent state an hopeless a desperate and wretched estate If your delights in the world hinder these serious thoughts of yours and strengthen your impenitency I must needs pray as the Psalmist Psa 17.13 Deliver me O Lord from the men of this World who have a few vanishing smoaking trifles for their Portion in this life and have a dreadful portion of Fire and wrath remaining for them in the life to come We have thus done with the improvement of this poynt to the ungodly in all the 3 heads forementioned CAP. IX The Observation improved to the Godly in respect of Peace and Comfort and that to such as are but setting out towards God following their Fears and Scruples and clearing up their hopes unto them WE shall endeavour to improve this Doctrine to another sort Viz. To those that fear God and it is to press them to the duty of the Doctrine and that is to take notice of the hopes that God hath left them about the severall states which they may find themselves in and may be apt to think their Condition little otherwise then desperate beware of despairing where God hath left You hopes do not shut up Your selves when God hath yet left You a way out and that 1. In respect of Peace and Comfort 2. Of sin 3. Of Affliction 1. In respect of Comfort and this 1. To Souls that are but begining towards God For we shall desire to take the Work before us and leave none out which God would have us to speak unto You begin to be startled and the old life will serve no longer The time past suffices 1 Pet. 4.3 as the Apostle speaks You have sinned long enough You will have no more of it You think it is time to come in if it be not too sate You have had enough if not too much in the way of sin but You begin now to be affraid least You are the first that shall come too late You think of turning but are afraid You shall not now be received This is an ordinary temper of persons that begin to look towards Heaven Why 1. Consider here is a great change in Your mind erewhile You could hope for Heaven though you lived in sin and now You cannot hope for it though You forsake sin Then You had so much hope and saw so much Mercie in God that You left him neither Truth nor Justice and now You look so altogether at Justice that You leave him neither Truth nor Mercy Alas this is the malice of Satan and the crossness of Nature The Devill would hurrie thee into another extream but the Mean between these two is the right Sinners should not hope nor Penitents despair thy base heart would have no hope unless such an one as would let thee sin too As if because thy false hope is routed in anger thou wilt now have none And for Satan see his hand A long time when we perswaded for peace You were not willing now You are willing he would perswade You God is not willing The truth is he is not willing the Match should go forward and all his design is to break it but if You knew You humoured Corruption and gratified Satan in nursing these thoughts I think you would beware of them and look on them otherwise then You do But 2. There is no question in the World but God is willing if You be willing God will receive You if You come in Penitents shall find Mercie That you have no cause to doubt of Gods shewing Mercie on you upon your coming in take these Demonstrations of it 1. His solemn Word and Oath is gone out upon it 2 Cor. 6.17 Leave your base Companie part with every base thing come out from the way you are in and I will receive you nay he swears As I live I desire not the Death of the wicked but rather that he should repent Ezek. 33.11 Jo. 6.37 and live And Christ saies That those that come to him he will in no wise cast out In no wise he will make no fraudulent distinctions to evade his Promise he will not do it upon any terms in any case now thou saiest the Lord will not receive thee How darest thou say so When the Lord saies he will receive thee Thou saiest thou maiest go in but alas Christ wil pass thee by and Christ saies He will in no wise do it Will you not believe Truth it self when he speaks 2. If Christ should not receive Penitents what did Christ come into the World for or send his Ministers for if Penitents shall not find Mercie then we must say as the Apostle in another case Christ died in vain and our Preaching is also vain 1 Cor. 15.14 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners What was his Incarnation 1 Tim. 1.15 his life of humiliation his painfull death for if penitent Sinners find no benesit by it Why did he take our Nature on him but to pity our Nature and that we might behold Mercie brought neerer to us and more like to be laid hold of by us and he hath employed us Ministers to invite you to come in nay we are Ambassdors for God and we entreat you as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christs stead
God then may or that he doth pity you in their pity I will shew mercies to you Jer 42 12. that he may have mercy upon you God shews mercy in making men shew mercy and pity to others in their Distresses When men shew pity they are set on work bâ— God The Lord it is that hath moved their hearts to compassion or they had been unmoved Surely there is something in it that thy Minister should say to thee as Samuel As for me 1 Sam 12.13 the Lord forbid but that I should pray for you nay the Lord forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you I should sin if I did it not nay further to say I will teach you the good and the right way c. Sure the Lord hath some mercy himself for me when his Officers have their hearts so sensibly set and inclined towards me sure you have high thoughts of us as much too high as of him too low If you think we could move our own hearts to have any pity towards you or to take any care of you 9. Can you be worse then those to whom he hath shewed mercy O what Sinners Repentance hath brought off The first of the sinning kind as to man is generally believed were saved Adam and Eve the Ringleaders of this dangerous course these escaped God put forth a triall of his power upon them The Devill had not the plunder of the first Battell could not carry it off the Field Adam and Eve escaped Thou talkest of great sins Alas what was Davids what was Manasses that filled Jerusalem with Murthers Witchcraft and what not 2 K. 24.3.4 2 Chron. 33 2.13 that intangled the people in so much sin that God would not pardon it afterwards but Plagned the Land for it when he was gone yet this Manasseh comes off and the Lord is entreated of him What should we say of Mary Magdalen of the very Jews that Crucified Christ Saul that persecuted him If you think he did that only to Paul did that once which he will do no more the Text tells you he did it for a Patern to them which should come after 1 Tim. 2.15.16 The Lord will shew mercie to as great sinners as any he hath saved yet if they repent and come in unto him The Lord hath a design to magnifie the Attribute of his Mercie as much in the work of Redemption as he did the Attribute of his Power in the work of Creation and therefore it is a dangerous thing to talk of great Sins before infinite Mercy Consider if as much Mercy as brought off these Sinners in Scripture will bring off thee thou maiest hope for God hath done nothing to any but he will do the like to thee if thou repent and come in as they did 10. God hath excepted no penitent sinner what ever his sin be And besides if penitent Sinners be not saved who shall God doth not say if such Sinners come I will forgive them and others I will not but all sorts of Sinners unrighteous persons Isa 55.7.8 indefinitely let them come and I will shew mercie unto them The very sin against the Holy Ghost Divines conceive it might be pardoned for the sin but that God never gives repentance for it The Devill that tempred the young man and he fled to Christs Death I saies the Devill How will you prove he died for you nay saies the young man prove that he did not die for me So how will you prove that mercie doth not belong to you for if penitent Sinners find not Mercie what is this Throne of mercie for It is for some bodie the Angels that stand never needed it the Angels that fell must not have it the Saints in Glory they are secured wicked men on Earth matter not for it There remains therefore but one sort of men more and those are Sinners that repent of sin and these are they this mercie is on purpose for Thou talkest thou art unworthy was ever any worthy Thou art but unworthy and never any was saved by this Mercie that did deserve it It remains therefore clear that God is willing that if thou repent God will receive thee 3. And sure thou art willing This is supposed all along in the former head the matter is at a neerer issue than is ordinarily thought of we need not solicitously enquire whether God be willing to save a Penitent or no Know but that thou thy self art willing that thou art a Penitent and thou hast the answer It is brought to that now but if the Fit of doubting be on thee thou wilt make ashift to get hold here and thou wilt to pleasure this humour and distemper of thy soul question this whether thou art willing or no whether thou repentest or no! If the doubt be only here thou wilt doubt here though till the other was cleared this on thy part was little doubted of well then to help thee about what God hath wrought in thee and to clear thy grounds of hope from hence and though thou maiest think none knows thy mind better then thou yet give me leave to desire thy answer to a few questions whereby I think thon mayest clear to thy self that it sticks not at thy willingnesse not so much to prove what is in thee as if any thing of thy own as what the Lord hath wrought for thee Hast not thou forsaken the old way given over some grosse sins which before thou couldst have lived in nay didst take delight in hast thou not resolved against them however thou farest for thine acceptance with Christ upon thy coming in Iust like a rebel that when proclamation of pardon is out upon his laying down of his Armes and coming into the King It may be at present he dares not shew his face to the King to claim the benefit of his pardon and the Kings favour but he lays down his armes and will fight no more Why this is a good beginning so one may take some Soules between their sins and their actuall sense of their application of Christ Thou hast at present laid aside thy hostility thou hast done with thy rebellion Though thou darest not yet see the Kings face yet thou hast done fighting against him as Saul when sticken down in his way to Damascus why he had done at first dash with his commission from the High Priests and Elders he had enough of persecuting and whether Christ would have him or no he at present had done with his breathing out threatning against the brethren he would stand by at no more stonings nor bind no more for Jerusalem that followed this way It is a good preface a good beginning that thou art standed in thy former course that thou hast laid down thy Hostility wilt fight no more against Christ Like the man whom a Minister overtooke after a Sermon and asked him how he liked the Minister and what he remembred saies the
may be again pacified we are to look at God under conviction of sin as placable yet as provoked at it It is not to hope that God is not angry but that his anger may be turned away again David had contrived and carried on his wickedness but thus it concludes The thing that David had done displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult the Lord was really offended at it Jehosophat the Lord would pardon him yet there was wrath out against him for what he had done 2 Chron. 19.2 We are to hope yet not so as to force kindness from God upon our selves to fancy that God looks over our miscarriages without any distast of them to fancy that such things as these shall never be lookt after as the profane Athiest that saies Psal 10. Tush the Almighty regards not he will not require it Who ever do thus it is not such a hope that God hath left them not such an Antinomian fancy to think that God loves us so fondly as to love us in the very act of sin in our very wickedness This is not Faith we ought not to hope thus which is besides all reason and Scripture grounds there may be hope yet displeasure too 3. Not so to hope As not to be ashamed truly before God for what we have done it is Impudence in us to look upon God as confidently as if we had done nothing amiss this setting a Face upon our sins as if we had not offended at all Ezra was ashamed and confounded and could not stand before the Lord Ezra 9. ult Could not look God in the face because of that they had done Shecaniah doth not propose these hopes to take off the shame that was due to them for sin We are not to hope so as not to be ashamed Jer. 6 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush This was a great Complaint and God threatens them for it Therefore they shall fall among them that fall Jer. 2.26 As a Thief is ashamed so is the House of Israel ashamed As a man reputed to be honest is catcht stealing is ill abasht or one that hath used stealing and is catcht so doing is made to carry his stoln Goods back again in his hand is fearfully ashamed of it So is a Sinner that is apprehended by the Spirit of God with his sin upon him and so sadly and miserably is to carry in Gods presence because of it and yet hope too 4. Not so to hope As not to be very much humbled and vile in his own Eyes He is not so to run to his hopes as to save his due humiliation for what he hath done to think basely and vilely of himself for his miscarriage we are apt either to despair in our selves and God too or else to hope in God and our selves too whereas we must divide in this case and hope in God yet utterly despair in our selves Oh! upon such a straight we ought to see the vileness and weakness of our selves herefrom Oh! this is my base and perverse Spirit this is my folly and wretchedness this is that which is the best my heart will bring forth c. and yet hope in God 5. Not so to hope 1 Tim. 1.1 As not to see our absolute need to Christ to hope so in such cases is sinfull hope The Apostle speaks of Christ Jesus who is our hope Though sin should not drive us to despair yet it should drive us to Christ alone to hope in We are so far to be troubled as to make sute to our Blastus to speak a good word for us Hope to skip besides or without Christ to Souls ease is sad preposterous and unchristian hope 6. Not so to hope As not to combat and strive to the utmost against the sin We are not to hope that the sin shall be pardoned if we still allow it It is not an hope to let the sin alone we are not to despair so neither to hope with the sin still upon us not to hope to save us any further labour about the business but to engage to the utmost against our sin upon the ground of this hope which the Lord hath left us in our difficult case But secondly How is it to be understood We are not in cases of sin to give way to consternation of mind so far As 1. in generall 1. To undo any of the conclusions concerning Gods goodness that are made from Scripture grounds Sin concerns us but Forgiveness belongs to God what we have done we ought to be humbled for but what he will do hereupon doth not concern us to determine against What ever we are we must leave God as we find him in Scripture while we bring down our selves we must not go about to bring down him too while we truly discover our own badness we must be carefull we disparage not his Goodness what ever case we are in Psal 86.5 103.8 Exod. 34.7 Neh. 9.17 we must still conclude that God is where he was A God ready to forgive a God slow to anger a God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Thou art to say what thou hast done that thy sin is great c. but to say it cannot be forgiven this is not left to thee to determine on what God will do to thee is altogether with him he is a gracious and a mercifull God still 2. Nor to make any peremptory conclusion about the event and issue of the thing To say I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul To say 1. Sa. 27.1 I am cut off my hope is perished from the Lord. To say I cannot be saved this will bring me to Hell I am sure I must perish this is to prevent God It is not for thee to make Decrees thou knowest not what ever thou art at present what yet God may make thee Mat. 19.26 and what thou mayst come to before thou diest With God all things are possible Sinners ought therefore to be sparing in their finall determinations concerning themselves for secret things belong to God And many such things are with him It is a mercy thou art not in Hell already and it may be hoped thou shalt not in the end ever come there 2. More particularly We are not to let down our hopes 1. For a Sinner upon his Conviction he is to hope that upon his repentance he may yet find mercy God hath given forth his Son That whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life 1 Jo 3.16 The vilest Sinner that comes in upon the Proclamation of pardon is bound to believe he shall find acceptance 2. For the Godly upon any failing or sin they are faln into or discover in themselves 1. They are to hope so as not to cast down all their evidences of grace in their Souls raised and duly gathered before for this one sin one
sin doth not evidence the want of Grace He that is born of God sinneth not 1 Jo. 3.9 The Seed of God abideth in him This Seed of God that bringeth him off makes him humble and turn to God abides in him Thy sin may argue a defect of strong Grace but not of true Grace 2. They are Not to conclude against perswasions of Gods love to them if ever they had any upon Scripture grounds I am God I change not God doth not cast off for every Offence Mar. 3.6 1 Sam. 12.21 God will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make them his People 3. They are Not to conclude this sin less pardonable then another God can forgive this as well as he hath forgiven others and will do it upon their repentance for it Psa 151.1 Forgive my sin for it is great A great Sin infinite Mercy can forgive If we sin he is not only Mercifull but just and faithfull in respect of his Justice so fully satisfied by Christ and his Truth of promise whereby he is engaged to forgive us our sins CAP. IV. The Grounds of the Sinners Hopes as before stated 3. THe Reasons why a Sinner should take notice of and cherish his hopes in his worst condition 1. Because of the large footing God hath given for a Sinners hoping in any state almost R. 1. he can be in by his sin 1. The first ground is the Lords disposition and nature of mercy and placableness towards a poor Sinner Which gives him footing for his hope abundantly in any particular case As 1. From his Name and Attributes whereby he hath made himself known to his people God proclaims his Name to Moses to be the Lord the Lord God the powerfull the mighty Jehovah Exod. 34. which ministers comfort when annexed to his manifestation of himself in this way of mercy Mercifull inclined to pity the sin and misery of his people ready to relieve them in their distress and not only just to require the due Service and punish the defaults Gracious of an affable condescending descending nature not standing upon the distance that he is in as a great King above all his Creatures he may be petitioned sought unto and prevailed with by his poor Suitors Long-suffering that is not hasty to use severity with the worst of Sinners usually taking all other waies first with them 1 Tim. 2.4 Willing that all men should repent and come to the knowledge of the truth Trying many that repent not with much goodness to draw them to it Rom. 9.22 Enduring with much patience the very Vessells of wrath before he brings Destruction on them And one that with his own Children bears abundantly takes them not at the worst in every thing they do Suffers their manners in the Wilderness Can take great Indignities at their hands and pass them by upon their repentance Micah 7.18 and put them up That passeth by the transgression of his people If his people want good things though they deserve them not at his hands yet he hath Goodness out of which he is ready to supply them he can satisfie them out of his goodness he hath made them promises of mercy upon all occasions of their sin and repentance And he is a God of truth He holds himself though no Debtor to us yet a Debtor to his own good Word to his Servants and both these in no stinted manner but he is abundant in them We cannot need him so far but his goodness and truth abounds to us he will multiply his goodness and truth to us upon occasion many have had experience of his mercy but this exhalts it not to those that come after He keeps mercy for thousands not only shews mercy but reserves mercy for thousands and not only in some cases but in all cases he forgives Iniquity transgression and sin Now observe he proclaims himself by this Name when the people had finned a great and fearfull sin in making a Calf in Horeb when he was highly provoked Would have destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach c. Yet for all this Ps 106.23 this great provocation could not make him change his Name but though he declares his resolution to visit for obstinate sin yet he will for all that be known by no name but this in respect of the truly penitent 2. He is described to be slow of anger Ps 103.8 not easily provoked men are soon provoked great men usually expect more punctuall observance then others and are easily incensed if they be not observed in every circumstance But God is slow to anger It were sad for us if we had such an one of him so hard to please so very criticall so easily moved as some Children and Servants have Parents and Masters of us But God is not so he would have us slow to wrath Ja. 1.19 for so should we be Children of Our Father which is in Heaven for such a one indeed is he 3. Not apt to stir up all his anger upon any enforcing occasion or provocation Moses was frighted over the people Deut. 9.19 when he saw the Lords wrath waxed hot for he saw nothing but a consuming fire in it for them But many times he turns his anger away and puts up some peevish untowardness in us Psa 78.38 And when he is angry he doth not stir up all his wrath it would be sad if he did 4. Not apt to be long angry he will not retain his wrath Ps 30.5 6. 86.5 Isa 57.16 he will not contend with his Creatures for then the Spirit would fail before him and the Soul that he hath made Many of us for no cause can be angry and heartily angry and long angry but if we have just cause of provocation we rather study how to express our anger then how to bear the Offence and few think at all how to proportion our anger so as to know how they can bear it against whom it is stirred Ps 103.14 But he though provoked is considering our frame and remembring not only what he can do against us and what we have done against him to provoke him to it but what we are and what we can undergo of what he might lay upon us Now who ever they are that make it their first work to despait in every difficult case they must needs have other thoughts of God then what these expressions manifest of him If he be such a one what case is there but one may have some hopes about it 2. The second ground is That full and compleat way of mercy that he hath found out and set forth for us in Jesus Christ He is one not only with whom Mat. 3. ult but in whom he is well pleased well pleased with all that have interest in him He is every way such an high Priest as became us
all might be hazarded thereby yet there was Hopes because they had to do with a gratious God one that is slow to anger of great kindnesse that is ready to forgive Jâ—el 2.13 â—oâ—ah 4 2 If we were in any ones hands but Gods we were gone there were no hopes for us But we have infinite compassions to hope in There are termes of pardon on Gods part tendered to sinners that have got themselves into plagues for such like miscarriages If they had sinned and gotten into captivity for it and yet should bethinke themselves and turne to the Lord the Lord would yet shew favour to them why then much more 1. K 8.46 10.51 if we repent and reforme we may prevent the judgement his infinite bowels and goodnesse makes me hope He is a God that can overlook transgressions Mic. 7.18 that can put up great injuries passe by great offences And therefore there is Hope he hath been used to forgive ever since he had a people he knew what adoe he should have with the sons of men when he took any of them to be in covenant with him He is armed with infinite mercy and patience when he goes about to deal with us he is not deceived in us when he findes much untowardnesse and frowardnesse in us He will forgive us for he hath been used to forgive in many the like cases and is a God that can do it 2. There is Hope in respect of our selves I looke upon the matter as much more hopefull now then lately or before there are some signs of good amongst us 1. In that the people are generally sensible of the sin Women and Children are here flockt about thee it should seeme they are sensible of the miscarriage and willing to mourne with thee 2. Psal 78.34 In that they are gotten thus forward without a judgment people that have sinned themselves into the judgment have yet by repentance gotten off though they have not sought him till he shew them yet upon their repentance he hath tried them and shewed mercy to them but we have the advantage to seek mercy on this side of the judgement We may better discern the truth of the repentance in that no judgment is on us to force it from us we were not quite shut up though the execution had been served but there is more hope if we make our peace before the Writ be broken up and we attached it cannot but save us much charge There is very much in it in turning betime some they seek God when they have no soar no sickness no judgment on them and yet they tremble before the Lord assuredly it is a very good signe If you were afflicted in sorrow yet your condition might be hopefull but when onely convinced into sorrow when you have ways enough besides to take if your hearts would let you it is much better 3. Lam. 3.33 There is hopes in that I believe the people are willing to amend The Lord that doth not willingly afflict the Sons of Men if he see us so willing to reform without judgment is very ready to spare the Rod. I do judge from these grounds that our hopes are yet alive that there is yet Hopes in Israel concerning this Thing CAP. II. The Observation and the severall cases wherein Sinners may Hope THe Observation from the example of this good man in the text which I shall raise hence is this That men in the greatest straights about sin should yet take notice of and cherish the hopes which God hath left them about their State Matters that are dangerous should not be counted desperate It was a commendable practise in Schecaniah that he yet took notice of the Hopes God had left in Israel about this thing I shall insist on this doctrine in these three heads Shewing 1. In what case sinners should yet count of their Hopes 2. How farr or in what sense this is to be understood 3. The reasons why they should thus take notice of their Hopes in the straits they are in about their State 1. In what cases sinners should yet count of their Hopes We shall briefly hint at some heads in the generall to cleare the scope of the discourse till we come to the application where we shall resume the most materiall of them and endeavour to lay more particular weight on them These cases therefore may be considered 1. In respect of their outward estate 2. In respect of their inward estate Outwardly and that 1. Nationally 2. Personally 1. Nationally Things may be dangerous in respect of the Church Matters may be out of order be hindered gone back yet if the work be the Lords there should be hopes in such cases The work here went poorly on First they set up an altar then begin the Temple that with much adoe is gotten up at two bouts When that was up many years after Ezra would restore the sacrifices this is heavily clogged with the great sin of the strange Wives after all this Nehemiah comes and gets but up the wals so difficultly goes the worke on and yet it is all this while going on God hath it on foot and is secretly bringing it on for all this And so in Davids case He as soone as he was made King though Saul in all his raigne would never thinke of bringing up the Arke he makes it his first designe 2. Sa. 6. But now behold in the way God makes a breach upon Vzzah upon which David is displeased he thinks it is too sacred a businesse for him ever to meddle with so as to have hopes to effect it he can not be able to bring it up it turnes aside to the house of Obed-Edom yet God blesses that house where it was makes David see the Arke lovely and they enquire into the matter of the right order and after all these breaches and discouragements 1 Chr. 13.15.13 they bring up this Arke with shouting to its place And so the work of reformation though by the meanes of enemies and false brethren it seeme to receive obstruction that God seemes to refuse the service that his poor Ministers would do him therein hath made breaches upon us on some eminent reformers in the very worke yet there is Hope in this thing Reformation hath a blessing with it where it is 2 Chr. 20.33 and when God hath prepared the heart of his people to seek him in the right way the Arke of God may yet rest in his own place in the midst of us This matter hath yet life in it and there is hopes in Israel it will revive 2. Personally If in great outward afflictions what ever thy straight is 1 Cor. 10. there is yet a way out God will with the temptation whatever it is find out a way to escape he can still find a way for thee to get out of it David was in a great straight yet he encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sa. 30.6
and the Lord brought him off Alas If thou be in a straight and sayst thou shalt never get past this it is no more then what thou hast said many another time If thou hadst perisht and been undone as oft as thou hast said thou shouldst thou hadst not been alive to have said so now It seems thou hast been deceived before and so maist be now there is yet Hope in this thing 2. Inwardly In respect of some straights sinners may be in about their spirituall estate They may look on their cases as dangerous and yet should not count them desperate 1. In the case of grosse sin upon the instant of the first conviction The soul is attached by the Lords Writ convinced of the sad course he hath lived in hath his sin layd before him set in order before his eyes Psal 15. he sees himself in an evill case and is apt now he is beaten off presuming to run upon the coast of despair It is ordinary for sinners either to count their sins too little to repent of or too great to be forgiven So Cain Gen. 14.13 my sin is greater then can be forgiven Not my sin is greater then I can bear but my sin is greater then God can bear now a soule in this case though it be hard set as the securest sinner will be if God do but open his eyes there being no thing but a little ignorance between him and the brinke of the very gulfe of dispair yet it should take notice of the Hopes which God hath left to such a one even vile sinners are invited to repent Let the wicked indefinitely be he what sort of wicked man he can be Is 55.7 let him forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts Let him resolve upon a through change and turn to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Mat 12.31 All blasphemy wherewith soever men shall blaspheme shall be forgiven There is Hopes for the pardon of all sin that men can repent of and therefore a sinner in this straight should take notice of the way God hath prescribed in which such a one may come off 2. In the case of Apostasy 1. Great and more generall apostasy Such a soul thinks its case dangerous and so indeed it is one that hath backsliden very sore forsaken his first love fallen back into his wicked course again returned with the dog to the vomit again Or 2. a child of God that for one particular act hath done untowardly as David yet even in these cases these poor creatures are not shut up Jer. 3. v. 1. There is a way out for such sinners A woman that hath done wrong to her husband can not come back againe the land would be greatly polluted to have such a one pardoned the Adulteress is to dye ver 22. but you have committed fornication with many lovers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord I can receive when none in the like case would or can receive I can do that which none else can do Returne ye backsliding Children I will heale your backslidings Ye backsliding Children I will not plague you for your backslidings but will heale them 1 Sa. 12. v. 20.21.22 the people had sadly sinned in rejecting God to be their King God thunders upon them frights them with raigne in harvest the people were convinced of their sin saw the justice of God directly against them what is now to be done is there any remedy left for such sinners is there any way for such sinners to come off is there any way but going on in rebellion and standing out in the way as long as they could or sitting down in despaire waiting for inevitable destruction yea there is another way For all you had done this wickednesse yet turn not aside from following the Lord for then you shall follow after vaine things which can not profit for the Lord will not forsake his people The Father will own his Child yet if he would come in only fear the Lord and serve him c. and all this evill may be done away you may yet come off though the matter be very bad yet there is hope still for such as you David is convinced plainly and particularly of a very great and foul Miscarriage he confesses I have sinned I have done very foolishly Ay 2 Sam. 12.13 but saies Nathan There is hopes still to come off The Lord hath done away thy sin Thou shalt not die In this difficult case of greater or lesser falling back there is a way left to come off in 3. In the case of Darkness a Soul is in trouble the Lord with-draws his favour nay may make positive expressions of Indignation against the Soul and when the Lord makes trouble who can give quietness Job 34.29 onely yet there is hope that he himselfe will make peace again and a Soul in this dark condition is not to be without hopes David puts it to the question whether and saies God will be gracious no more yet after he saies Psal 77 9.10 This is my infirmity there is hope in the thing Let him that walks in darkness and hath no light Isa 50.10 yet trust in the Lord and stay himself upon his God There is hopes of such a Creatures reviving again the Case is hard but not desperate CAP. III. The Nature of the Sinners Hope as his Priviledge and Duty truly stated 2. HOw far or in what sense is this to be understood that sinners in such cases as these should yet take notice of and cherish their hopes In this we shall by the way endeavour to set out how far we should give way to trouble in case of sin in our daily course and how far we must avoid it How near we may come to consternation in such cases and how far or wherein we must fly from it 1. How it is not to be understood We must in these cases hope yet 1. Not so as not to see and confess our sin we are not so to clap on the Plaister as to hide instead of healing the Sore the Sore must be opened and searched before the Plaister be laid on This else were a way to cover rather then cure the sin He that covereth his sin cannot prosper Prov. 28.23 but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy David while he kept silence would have hidden his sin he was in sad distress of Soul but when he resolved to acknowledge his transgression then he found ease It is a weary restless condition of Soul that any man can look for notwithstanding all the hopes if he yet hide his sin 2. Not so as not to be under a sense of Gods displeasure for what we have done this hope is not to be so fomented as to make a man think that God is not displeased with what we have done though there may be hope he
is none of you that most grieve us at present but God can make you to seek our Beloved with us Caut. 6.1 Gal. 1. ult God can make us glorifie God in you that you should profess the way that sometimes you have persecuted we are thinking sometimes at some of you that are so zealously set for sin mad against the people of God that endeavour so earnestly to serve sin that you are but cutting out an example what manner of serious Christians you must be when God turns you Oh! this will be a rare Motive to put you on when you come in to labour more abundantly then all because you stand out so long and have done so much the other way We delight our selves in our God to think what men you will be when God works this Change upon you And all this wickedness is but to cut you out a Copy of high Endeavours in the right way when you return God can send home Onesimus Ro. 6.20 that he may depart for a season to return home for ever into Christs possession This is the worst we wish you and this we hope in and it is that which God can by his mighty power work at the turning of his hand This despised way God can make any of you a Professor of it when he pleaseth And this might by a side-blow in the mean time strike upon your Consciences if God be pleased to set in with it what hopes you can have in the way you are in when our hopes of you is to see you out of it Ministers thou maist say have hopes of me but not in the way I am in how dare I then hope in this way or why should I dare to go on in it if it be a way I must leave If I design Salvation The Lord help you and your thoughts herein for this will verily prove just as we say 3. This we know of you that if you repent not God will own his own way and you must never do well if you repent not We know thus far of the worst of You that if You knew what You did You would never stand out and that if God set for it it is not You that can stand out and this we have further for our own encouragement in respect of the event concerning You whether You will come in or no we know not but this we know if ever you do well you must come in If ever You be saved You must turn to Christ we may have Your companie yet in Gods way as averse as You are and it must be so or Your Souls to all eternity must pay for it and therefore we resolve to stick where we are knowing that all that will do well must take the same course and seek Christ as we do but for the course You are in if You intend to perevere in it there is no hopes for You if You will not repent and turn to Christ we will never ask the Lord to shew mercy to You we will beg repentance for You or we dare not beg mercy for he will only shew mercy to the Penitent Psal 58.5 Be not mercifull to any wicked Transgressor Prayers made by such a one as David are Prophetick Determinations God will not be mercifull to any wicked Transgressors Sinners that go on in sin that will not repent to give God the Glory they are sure to reap the fruit of their doings God will not shew mercy on them For You in this way to be faved Consider 1. It is against Gods truth God hath declared the contrary and think whether You have not cast Your matters on a narrow miserable Point that you must either be damned or the most holy One of Israel make himself a Lyar. 2. It is against his admirable contrivance in this way he hath appointed wherein only Mercy and Justice is reconciled and is it likely that he will go out of this Glorious way to save thee in a way of thine own 3. It is against all reason that men should be saved in a way of their own that will not be saved in Gods way Is it reason that God or You should appoint a way of Reconcilement Or doth God so gain by Your Salvation Or is he sure to lose so by Your ruine That if he cannot have You up to his terme he must needs come down to Yours Oh! my Brethren do not You believe this venture not Your precious Souls on such desperate sensless Presumptions And therefore now You see what You are like to trust to if You would know what hopes there is of You. Why what do You intend to do it is at Your own selves Psa 58.5 If you will frame your waies and your doings to turn to the Lord There is riches of Mercie to receive You and great hopes of You but if You intend to persist in the course you are in speak no more of the business it is impossible If God can cease to be true wise and just then thou in Impenitencie maist be saved What! a man be saved in his Impenitencie do not Lord do not do it saies the holie man But this shall suffice in the second part of this Use for the Information of wicked men of their severall dangerous Estates CAP. VII The truth improved against the impenitency of wicked men to perswade them to come in 3. LEt this then be improved against your impenitency Motives Since there might be Hopes if you repent be perswaded to repent and turne from the sinfull wretched course that you are in Oh! leave your sins Turne ye turne ye why will yee dye 1. Consider what an hopefull condition yours might be if you would turne 1. How hopefull in respect of your reconciliation 2. Of the consequences of it Hopes of Reconciliation Hopes from Reconciliation Hopes of your reconciliation In that 1. Christ stands ready to receive you if you will but come in Isa 38.18 Ezek. 33.11 he waiteth to be gratious he will glorifie himselfe to shew mercy how solemnly he protests he desires not your death perswades you to turne he stretches out his hand all the day long unto you his heart is not to be wrought to an inclitation to be friends with you it is wrought already he hath been used to desperate cures such festred sores to such worthless adventures he is gratious and ready to forgive this is a great advantage He stands ready for your comming there needs no preparing of him he is alwaies ready the change is only resting at thee if thou wouldest be drawne to come 2. All your former waies may be forgiven unto you he will not remember against you your former iniquities you have gone on in rebellion thus long lay down your armes now all that is past shall be forgotten he will remember ogainst you your sins no more Isa 43.25 Ezek. 33.12 to the 17. If you will come in your former waies shall not be remembred the Lord
care not who knows it we cannot be towards you as towards other men while we live But if you take to Christ we shall soon take to you and with bowels of love embrace you you may soone have our warm hearts if we can see you but once breathing after Jesus Christ and it is no small matter to have thy Minister one with thee Gal. 1.23.24 6. All good men will be reconciled unto you you shall have their love and friendship they heard That he which had persecuted the way was now a preacher of it what did they not take him down did they not indeavour to be revenged on him now he was come into their power for the injuries he had done them no but they glorified God in him they rejoyced exceedingly that he was thus brought in Psal 129.74 if thou turne The righteous will be glad at heart when they see thee thou wilt find more true love amongst the serious professors of religion then can be found elsewhere Mr. Dod said he lost one naturall brother for Christ and he had 200 Gospell brethren and sisters instead of him and so thou wilt find them ready to receive thee into the heart of them they will helpe thee with harty councell their lips will feed thee Pro. 27.9 10.21 thou shalt find thy heart made better and not worse by converse here When a sinner is converted the lost groat found the Ministers call in Christians to rejoyce here as Christ doth the Angells to rejoyce in Heaven Oh the mercy to be admitted into the affection and society of Gods children they are men that can helpe you with a prayer they have interest in Christ they can speak to the King of Heaven for you and these stand all ready to entertaine you if you would come in turn your own heart towards the Lord and you turn at once all the hearts of Gods people towards you as the heart of one man the hopes of your being converted will satisfie all the scruples that can be against you in the hearts of any and they are forthwith ready to receave you 7. All the Creatures will be reconciled at present there is enmity between you and them they grudge to serve you while you serve not Christ they groan under your bondage and take themselves subject to vanity while subject to you Ro. 8.20.21 and you out of Christ they are willing any one of them to enterraine the Office of dispatching you and to bring you to hell would venture to attach you but they would have you in how willingly would the beere choake the drunkard and the aire poyson the swearer c. but now if you come in Hoa. 2.18 Job 5.23 they will all be in covenant and league with you You shall be at agreement with the stones and Beats and foule of the Aire all ready to serve thee and if any of them kill thee yet they will not bring thee to Hell if thou be in Christ This for the latitude of your reconciliation or the consequents of it with respect unto others But then Secondly in respect of your selves if you but come in great advantages will follow upon this reconciliation First here Secondly Hereafter Here 1. You shall have sweetness in ordinances which you never had before by which these solemn duties will be made easie and delightfull to you as also you shall receive that true and solid satisfaction which hither to you had been estranged from The next to the comfort of Heaven is the joy of Gods house and ordinances Oh how sweet can God make his word to a soul Oh! Psal 65.4 The man is blessed whom God chooseth and causeth to approach near to God that he may dwell in Gods house he shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of his House even of his holy Temple there is the goodnesse of Gods house to delight mens souls in wherein so much comfort is to be had and this you shall upon your conversion be admitted unto you shall now know what it is to be made glad in the House of Prayer Isa 56 7. Psal 4.7.8 and to have that comfort that passes that Comfort of Corne and Wine and Oyle 2. You shall have covenant mercies that is that which you have shall come in the tenure of a promise and not of providence only your outward good things are like if not to be more yet to be better then heretofore of a better kind these things when they come in love when they come as tokens of what God will do more for us when they come as part of the inheritance as having this Motto on them This till thou commest to Heaven and Heaven it self annexed as the upshot of that Mercy which brings in this unto you why this makes outward mercies far more high then before Isa 65 21 22 23. Hos 2 21. to the end 3. You shall have ready support under all difficulties be reconciled and you shall be prayer free the most admirall conveniency for our wilderness travell that can be thought of Alas as you are you may make much of prosperity but if ever you be in trouble you know not which way to turn you are oft in Gods hand but you know not how to deal with him to claim the least mercy from him Jo 9.31 God heareth not the Prayers of sinners but now the reconciled Isa 65.24 They are made forthwith free at the throne of Grace To the Godly God saith call on me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee but to the Wicked Psal 50.15.16 God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy Mouth c. Oh what a conveniency is it that still when any trouble or affliction comes one may turn aside and find that help in our own closet that all the world cannot afford the like to us wicked men must abroad and seek their help at second hand and at many hands and at last go without it too when as if thou be reconciled there is no crosse can befall thee but thou maist have free recourse to him that hath the ordering of all matters and maist have help from him in every businesse and needest no more 4 Thou maiest have satisfaction to thy hart whatever comes godly men have all contracted into one whatever outward thing they want they are sure to be satisfied about it for they are nearer to the thing then any one else their God hath the disposing of it and if they ask it of him if it be good for them he will sooner give it them then any others Or else 2. they can make shift without it the fire may as well be put out by withdrawing fuell as throwing on water God can withdraw the desire and it is all one as if he fulfilled the desire of his people If God either give him the thing or give him something more of himself Psal 4 6.7 Jer. 16.5 to 9.
Cruelty to that which flew to him for refuge Dost thou fly to Christ pursued by Sin Satan and thine own Conscience and dost think he will slay thee The Emperour that proclaimed Who ever would bring in such a Rebell should have so much money The man came in and demanded the Reward himself and the Emperour gave it him Can such Nobleness be found amongst the Creatures and will you think the Lord will not pardon and reward in like manner the Sinner that brings in himself the Rebell unto him If a man could afford to do thus bountifully God can much more Edward 1. King of England Faxe 's Acts and Monument when a Servant of his on the other side of the River crossed him in his sport and he said he would have rebuked him if he had him on that side the man seemed to set him at defiance in that he was on the other side Whereupon he makes his Horse take the River and ventures his life to revenge himself on him the man seeing his Rage never over-ran him but came and held his Neck to his Sword This submission of his cooled him which the River could not and he put up his Sword and touched him not Satis est prostrasse leoni And do you think the Father of Mercies Graciousness and Goodness will come so far behind as to slay the Soul that falls down at his Feet and humbly comes in unto him Certainlie you distrust that in God in the present case which you would not doubt to obtain from many a man in the like case Prov 19.11 It is mans Glory and what not Gods too to pass by a transgression 6. He hath shewed mercy when he hath declared Judgement and will he not shew mercy when he hath promised mercy He said plainly Jon. 3.4 Yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be over-thrown Joxah took it absolutelie thought much it was not over-thrown there was a reserve still for repentance a tacit exception if they repented not And do we think when he promises Mercie upon this condition expresly that he will refuse to shew it Mercie rejoices against Judgment The Penitent hath alwaies such influence on God that Judgments threatned still must be put by if repentance come in and shall Mercie promised to Repentance be denied Jonah saw God so inclined to Mercy that he saies he thought it was no going of a Message of Anger from him to say peremptorily Wrath should follow his prediction Sure then Jon. 4.3 if Jonah had been sent of our Message he would have gone merrily upon it to shew Mercy to the Penitent this was a Message of a matter of the right kind and that which the Lord hath evermore been famous for and never failed the Messenger in performance of it and fulfilling according to his word Mercy breaks forth when Judgments are threatned upon the tacit condition of repentance can we think Mercy will be denied where it is expresly promised to the Penitent Repentance is a thing the Lord hath alwaies so looked at that he hath abated of a Judgment threatned for but the shew of it Ahab did but humble himself in Sackcloath 1 Kin. 21.27.29 and walked softly and the Lord shews Elijah this and defers the Judgment for it to his Sons daies Certainly if he had seen Ahab repent in earnest he that delaied it for a shew would have taken it quite off for true repentance and would have said I will not bring this Judgment upon him at all O the gratious disposition of God to shew mercy may encourage the Penitent to hope in his mercy in this plain case he is in 7. Christ Jesus did never refuse any diseased person that came to him and needed his help when he was on Earth Mat. 8.7 He took on him our Infirmities and bare our sicknesses Though this was especially done when he suffered for our sins on the Cross as you have it applied elsewhere yet in this place Christ when he saw the sicknesses of our nature that came on us for sin 1 Pet. 2.24 in tending to satisfie for sin he was so pitifull that he took himself concerned in those pitifull Maladies he found upon the Nature which he had assumed and as fellowfeeling with us took part with us therin and stirred up his Divine Power for the release of the severall persons so affected Now if Christ did never turn back any poor diseased Creature that came to him with their Bodies but still healed them all Mat. 9.2 and this further usually began at pardon of sin with all his Patients and healed the Soul into the Bargain though seldome that was looked for by them Do we think that he will turn off thee Mat 9.2 that comest to him with a diseased Soul and further seekest for pardon of sin in the first and chief and only place If Jesus Christ turn a diseased Soul off that comes unto him for Cure he doth that which he hath said he will not do nay I may say he doth that which he never yet did And further thou findest him much changed from that gratious disposition that he had when he was here And sure that can never be He is not on the Throne of Mercy in Heaven an Advocate with the Father for his c. to have less pity and mercy then heretofore he had for poor Sinners It is triumphant Mercy now and therefore what he did before he will do that and much more now He ows not a Mite to Justice he is come through all the Demands goes to the Father released from the Grave sin having no more to charge upon him and therefore now he is in his Royalty of Mercy and Interest for us and so sure can want of nothing which ever he shewed of pity to poor Creatures while he was here Now did he ever do as thou fanciest he will do with thee 8. Will he not shew pity How come men to shew pity to you Ministers that see you in trouble that can pity you their hearts are turned towards you for all your Aversions and untowardness heretofore upon a change You are to them as if you had never rebelled and never been otherwise In our esteem and affection we look upon you in unregeneracy and converted as not the same persons Our hearts are opened to you upon your coming in and do you think that we that are but finite streightned hard-hearted Creatures can have so much affection towards you and God who is infinite in mercy that is the Fountain of all pity that he can want favour for you Sure if the Masters chief Stewards be so kind to you they have some Intimation from their Master of his good will towards you or they are not so good to be so forward of themselves or sure they do think it is not against their Masters mind or they durst never shew that favour to you which they do That men should pity you it is a sign that
herein Now as long as any sin remains in this kind that the soul retains and from which it will not part Christ may answer such a one the matter stickes not at me Thou art not yet prepared thou art not yet resolved on the match for thine own part But if it be come clearly to this that the matter is at waiting thou wilt finde that either 1 Christ will come speedily or 2 make it easy to thee to wait for him as if he doe either it will serve thee and be a great mercy to thee and 3. When he comes he will abundantly recompence his delay a small moment I have forsaken thee but with everlasting kindness will I gather thee Es. 54. And therefore study to bring it to this and thou wilt have no reason to cease from hoping in such a way 3. Consider you are not alone of Gods children in this affliction God hath had many of his children in this wilderness hath made their valley of Achor their door of Hope David and Heman and Hezekiah c now this sure might stay thy heart a little in this condition of thine to think 1. That many of Gods eminent servants have been thus heretofore 2. That many of Gods children besides thee are so now or have been 3. That it is a condition many have escaped from many have blessedly been delivered out of this state A disease many have been recovered from and few have perished of a curable a comfortable disease 4. It is the condition which God hath stil chosen to lead his best children through eminentest Christians for life and experience God hath thus trained them Therefore this might stay thee at present thou art under the chastisement of Sons the discipline of Children in these bitterest conflicts thou canst be in as to instance Jon. 2.4 Jonah said he was cast out of Gods sight yet he would look again towards Gods holy Temple He thought in the Whales belly he should never have been seen nor found out more but he would have the other look at Christ for the Temple was a type of him before he quite gave up all and you know he was brought out of that miserable deep and manifold prison againe Ephraim is bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18.19.20 For afflictions that stuck by him God chastised him and he was chastised God makes afflictions to tarry if he sets them on Lan. 3.3.54 he was likewise troubled with an unruly heart Was like a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke Yet he begs of God to turn and this bemoaning Ephraim is a pleasant Child in Gods eies and he remembers him still nay earnestly remembers him still and will have mercy on him The Church concludes her self to be cut off and laid in the dungeon and a stone upon her made sure for coming forth yet she thence cryed to God and though none else could hear her where she was yet she got the Lord to hear in that place and he drew neer to her notwithstanding the dungeon and stone and says fear not Nay the Church is gotten into further misery Ezek. 37.11 to 16. she is not only in the grave but rotten come to dry bones and says her hope is lost and she is cut off for her part Whatever the Lord will do with others says many such a soul I think for my part I may as well sit still as stir any further I am gone I think for one But God says he would come to their very graves and open them and call them forth and put his spirit into them and make these very dry bones to live The soul in a very far gone condition the Lord will make it to live again He will fetch it out of the grave and bring it back from corruption when it says it is cut off for its part The soul now in this condition from these considerations may move the Lord as David Deal with me Psa 119.132 as thou usest to do to those that love thy name or according to thy custome to those that love thy name Men that give freely at their doors shall not want custome and so if they intend not to be troubled they will say at first If we use them to this we shall never be without such guests now God hath a design to shew mercy and so he hath still used poor people to his doors They can challenge nothing at his dole door but only his custome of giving He hath alwaies been wont to shew favour to those that were distressed and thou mayest hope he will be no worse to thee then to another and thou mayest be well assured of it It is a good house very good to the poor and therefore if thou be needy call at it and hope for relief 4. In this very condition thou art in Es 57.15.16 66.1.2 The Lord hath tender thoughts towards thee The Lord the high and lofty one whose name is Holy c. These are attributes that fright a poor sinner of any The Lord the high and lofty one If I were righteous I would make Petition my only plea so infinite is he and I am nothing before him But then he is an holy God and dwells in the holy place I says the sinner this affrights me for he will not endure sin I am unclean I am a sinfull man my hope is gone to deal with so pure a God God hath mentioned these affrighting attributes on purpose and this high God this holy God will single out this man also will look at him dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit that is broken in peices for sin and that trembleth at his word His greatness will condescend to thy meaness his purity to thy sincetity and to thee of all other will he look And so hè speaks affectionately of a bemoning Ephraim Jer. 31.20 since I speak against him I earnestly remember him still The child cries in secret and the mother that hath beaten it is ready to cry too Josephs Brethren are pitifully troubled and Joseph gets into his chamber and weeps too one would have thought they had beene of no kinne to hear them talke together but Joseph did but this to bring them to repentance Joseph chides to their faces and weeps in a corner and at last weeps on their neck as their dear Brother Joseph The Lord hides great bowels from you all this time of your correction but you will know he is choice of you while he speaks bitterest unto you sure thou art one very gratious with God An eminent divine says if he were to choose a mans prayers he would desire the prayers of such an one above any mans Isa 54 11. O thou afflicted tossed too and fro and not comforteà c. The Lord takes notice of all these passages can call her by the name of all afflictions and sufferings which shews how much his heart is toward poor reatures in this condition Nay he
says plainly in all their afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 Why thou wilt say then why did he not spare himself and me too prethe why doth the mother whip the child whilst at the same time she could cry rather then strike it but she will rather grieve her self then undoe the child and so is thy fathers Wisdome and affection tempered towards thee 5. Soules in this condition should not untowardly put off comforts when they are offered unto them sometimes the word brings something neare you you know not how fairly you can put it off And yet you do not take it you are affraid of applying any comfort Take heed you be not wilfull in your trouble 1. Corruption and Satan is often gratified in a despairing humour in the hearts of Gods children some they study industriously to evade comfort Set themselves to doubt think it good for them count all them unfaithfull that would tender any comfort unto them Alas corruption hath gotten an end in these troubles Psa 77.7.8 9. vers 10 and this pevish discontented sadness pleases thee and thou art therefore thus resolved on it Now this is thy infirmiti So David complaned of such an humour in him he describes how he said God had forgotten to be gracious c. After he censures it says This was his infirmity And so this is thy infirmity and corruption in thee thou studdyest to be sad Never did carnall man study so to presume as some troubled Soules in a righthand-extreame study to despaire 2. It is a great sin for thee to do on this fashion 1. It brings up an evill report on the good Land It is not only thy own suffering or self deniall but Religion suffers herein Alas what will carnal men say of Religion but that it makes folk mad makes them mopish and they will blesse themselves from Religion As indeed who would not be discouraged from putting himselfe into that Physitians hands if all his patients lay languishing and pining in a pittifull condition Certainly our sorrow is better then their carnall mirth but our cheerfulness would be better then our sorrow I cannot but think some of you that are dejected and resolvedly sorrowfull out of hatred to your selves yet you would be loath to be sâ— out of your love to Religion if you knew you prejudiced others by it 2. 1. Jo. 3.23 It is disobedience It is the command of God that we should believe Yeild to Christ and lay hold of him have honourable thoughts of Gods tendernesse and mercy and readily cast your selves upon him Though I judge that in believing there is more then affiance yet I think affiance is not excluded 1. Jo. 5.10 He that believeth not that God will accept of a poor sinner that desires to come to him in his way hath made him a lyar And therefore this unbelief is a matter of high concernment sure thou wouldst not sin if thou knewest it shall I tell thee thy great sin at this day is thy studied drooping thy invented tricks to put off the Lords consolations This is thy sin 3. It hinders thy Christian course Thou cryest O I could be cheerfull if I could but doe such and such duties Labour to be cheerfull and that were the next way to be able to doe those duties Thou talkest of deadnesse and unaptnesse to any thing that is good why alas thy soul is under a generall discouragement and this must needs make thee unactive but if thou hadst comfort this tree would thrive in the warme sun and on the back of the chimney if any where Neh 8.10 The joy of the Law is our strength Our joy in God puts us on and makes us much more able for service then otherwise we could be 4. It is a dishonour to God not to trust him upon his word not to beleive him further then we see him We will believe nothing he hath said further then we can find it evidenced upon our own hearts The vilest usurer will trust when he hath a pledge as good or better then the thing he lends Jo. 2â— 29 so thou wilt trust God if he lay in a pledge with his word Thomas would believe if he might see Blessed saies Christ is he that hath not seene yet hath beleived Herein is the Lord glorified when we beleive his word and rest in that though we find not things within our selves as we could desire In these respects it is thy sin to put off comforts 3. Put not off comforts for cheerfull holyness is better then sinning sorrow Thou thinkest thou doest well to be sad I tell thee no sorrow even not holy sorrow is a condition to dwell in but only to pass thorough Our aim should not be at it though we should be content in it but the height of Christianity is holy rejoycing in the Lord Psa 37.4 To delight in God Our very sorrows are better then the worlds joys but our joyes are better then our sorrows This is not the condition we should rest in To take pleasure in God Isa 58.14 to blesse him to serve him in Holiness without fear is that the Lord delights most in The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy He takes delight to be hoped in as well as feared Psa 147.11 Cheerfulness should be aimed at sorrow is oft our way but not our choise proper or chiefe work 4. Remember and treasure up comforts formerly received As Mr. Baxter says what are our memories for if we will beleive Gods kindness to us no longer then he is just telling us of it David remembred the days of old Art thou in trouble hath the Lord never comforted thee is there never a piece of a ring nor old Gold no token of love a great while since given thee whome he loves once he loves for ever and therefore think of what is past for thy comfort 5. In this very condition thou art in Bless the Lord Surely there is very much in this thing Thou canst not pray it may be thou art so dark-hearted so overpressed with fears see whether thou canst not praise him Praise him sayst thou how Or for what 1. For thy life Though thou art a troubled soul blesse him thou art a living soul Thou mighst have been dead and out of all Hopes and at the farthest of thy fears 2. That thou hast an healthfull body if it be so with thee that thou art not taken off the means of thy soules good 3. That God hath shewed many Mercies to thee of old For all these troubles those old favours must not be forgotten Isa 45.5 The Lord girded thee when thou didst not know him 4. That he still doth provide outwardly for thee Many a one is poore and hath much adoe to live If thou wert so it would be a great addition to thy present trouble If thou wert in doubt about thy soul and put to it for thy