power of God and do not limit the holy one of Israel the Lord may pardon thy sins and renue thy heart therefore look unto the power of God When Christ told his Disciples Mat. 16.24 that it is easier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven they were all astonished O say they who then can be saved Oh saith Christ look unto God 't is true with men it is impossible for the heart and affections of a man are so glued to the things of this world and he hath so much pleasure and delight in the things of this life that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency it is as impossible as for a cable to go through a needles eye but saith he look to the power of God he is able to work it a rich man may be saved for all this if a rich man be touched with the sence and feeling of his sinnes and have a heart to come to God though he meet with never so many difficulties in his way let him look unto the power of God to whom nothing is hard Secondly look to the freenesse of Gods promises the indifferency and universality of the tender of them whosoever thirsteth let him buy wine and milk without money Esay 55.1 when a doale is tendred to all at the doore Why may not every beggar hope to receive it so if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it why mayst not thou look up with hope if thou hast an heart to it thou mayest if thou hast not an heart thou art none of Gods but if thou hast an heart look up to God and be not dismayed but see the infinitenesse of Gods mercy that as the heavens are higher then the earth so his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehensions and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more there are many poor souls that would come to Christ but thorough their daily distempers and untowardnesse and the temptations of Satan they are repelled they would come to God but know not how they have hardly any hope these things are spoken for such poor creatures Thirdly send often unto God call upon his Name as it is said of Felix when he hoped to receive money of Paul he sent often for him to commune with him Acts 24.26 So send often to God and be often communing with God and calling upon his name above all duties under heaven there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth or that the heart is more against then that not pray out of formality or in a perfunctory manner but to pray indeed of all duties I commend unto thee that go to God and pray often if thou wouldest hope to receive mercy at his hands JOHN 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me WE come now to the second degree of effectual calling and that is a personal call of this or that man by a particular word when the Lord doth particularize his promises and tenders them to this or that man come unto me and here is free grace and mercy for thee come and believe and rest upon me for it when the Lord doth speak a particular word to the soul as you may see Esay 43.1 I have called thee by name thou art mine when God effectually calls a man he calls him by name he calls him with a particular word come unto me here is pardon rely upon me and thou shalt have it here is peace of conscience rely upon me and thou shalt attain to it thou art an undone creature in thy self here is mercy for thee not only when there is a general word propounded to the soul but when the Lord joynes with the word and follows it to the soul and conscience come to me man when God calls a man by name so it is said of Matthew Christ saw him sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him follow me he called him in particular and directed a particular word to his heart and bid him follow him and depend upon him for all good so it was with Zacheus when Christ looked up and saw him in the fig-tree he said Come down Zacheus he directed a particular word to him this is the thing now I do not meane the outward word onely in the Scripture either preached or read But secondly when it is inwardly spoken by God himself to the soule and set on when God bids a man believe and come unto him this is the thing and this we have heard in the Text Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me for the coherence of these words you must know that in the former verses our Saviour Christ had told them that he was the bread that came down from heaven inviting them to come unto him ver 41 42. and you may see what effect this wrought in their hearts how they murmured at him they were so far from yeilding to his call that they fell a murmuring at him And secondly see how they alledge reasons for their murmuring v. 42. Is not this Jesus the Sonne of Joseph c. as who should say if he came from the earth how did he come from heaven therefore you may see what answer Christ makes v. 43. First he reproves them and said murmur not among your selves as who should say this is no murmuring matter it is a mourning and lamenting matter you should bewaile your condition and turne your murmuring into mourning Again he bids them not wonder at it v. 44. For no man cometh unto me except the Father draweth him as who should say it is no news to me that you stumble at my words and will not hear what I say for none can come to me except my Father draw him you care not for me but murmur against me and your hearts are stout against the Lord you cannot attain unto it for no man c. Thirdly he shews that some would come to him for all this though some would not yet some would even all his Elect therefore he quotes this saying out of the Prophets Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me the word shall not only come to the outward eare but they shall be taught of God and then they will come home to me and then concludes with the words of the Text Every man that hath heard c. as who should say though you will not yet I am sure every man that hath heard my Father speak to his heart that hath heard him preaching from heaven in his bosome that man will come to me so that God can call those things which are not as if they were though a man be never so rebellious and averse from Christ yet when he speaks a particular word to the soul it comes But you will say
be another not till after ten years may be twenty forty nay who can tell how long grace is free therefore no man can prescribe any time the wind blows where it listeth and how long it listeth and how long it will be ere it blow again who knoweth Reas 1 The Reasons of this first in regard of Satan he fights most of all against the children of God his fingers itch to be at them and at them most his greatest spight is against them the very bowels of the enmity is between him and them the children of God come to take his place that he once had in heaven the children of God are set up against Satan as David was put in the room of Saul therefore I say all the strength of hell is still a working against the Church of God and the Saints of God and every one of them from that very moment that the woman was delivered of a man child he sought to destroy it Simon Simon saith Christ Satan desires to winnow thee c. Luke 22.31 he is the god of this world and his temptations are welcome enough with any body but the children of God none resist his dominion but they he is the Gaoler and hath all the world in close prison but only them they are the only ones that have broken loose that have gotten away out of the power of Satan therefore all his malice and all the gates of hell they are up to send hue and cry after them to hook them in again if they can he is just like a Pyrate a Pyrate will rather set upon one rich ship then upon a thousand beggarly barks because there he may have a rich prize so the Divel knows he can advantage his Kingdom if but one fall that is a Saint more then by the falls and the notoriousest falls of millions of others therefore no wonder that a child of God should grow remiss and careless at any time that he may have a mischief for it is all the Divels business he hath nothing else to do but do mischief to be busie to get a child of God down and if he have him down to hold him down if he can Secondly Another reason is in regard of the children of God themselves Reas 2 they carry flesh about them as well as other men they have a Traitor in their own bosomes that lies in scout every moment to work them woe as Paul saith I find another law in my members c. Rom. 7.23 though a child of God hath wounded all his lusts nay though he hath given them their deaths wound yet there is never a one but may revive and make head again if he take not heed and that in a woful degree as the Lord saith of the Caldeans Jer. 37. I quote it only for a similitude ver 10. though you had smitten all the whole army of the Caldeans yet they shall come and fire the City when Judah had provoked God though they had wounded all the Caldeans yet those wounded men should come and fire the City so let a man take heed he doth not give way to sin for though his lusts be mortified and he hath given them their deaths wound yet these wounded Caldeans may come and fire all his soul if he take not heed Thirdly In regard of God himself God is pleased to try his people to Reas 3 withdraw himself now and then from them to leave them to themselves and the grace they have received to let them alone with that and when he doth thus no wonder though they fall for every man hath some vileness and rottenness in his heart the wholest simplest heart in the world hath a deal of rottenness in it I say the Lord doth sometimes leave his children to themselves as he did Hezekiah in the business of the Ambassadors 2 Chro. 32.31 as the Church saith Cant. 5.6 my beloved had withdrawn himself the lovingest mothers may sometimes let their little child go alone though they know he will fall they provide may be a rouler about his head that whither they fall backward or forward or any way they may not break their skull and do themselves a mischief to undo themselves but when they have done thus they will sometimes leave them to themselves to go though they know they will fall so the Lord doth put a rouler upon his people that when they fall they may not fall totally and finally as the wicked men do they shall never strike into a wicked course as the ungodly of the earth do that he takes order for but he doth many times leave them not out of any ill will to them but he leaves them to themselves though he knows they will fall and that for divers reasons First That they might be patterns to others of Gods people that if they should fall as they may do when they are down they may have wherewithal to get up again I say the Lord leaves the eminentest of his people to themselves to fall into lamentable miscarriages that they may help inferiour people and they may have something to encourage them that God will recover them and relieve them again and that God will not cast them off for ever as Paul shews 1 Tim. 1.16 saith he for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them who shall hereafter believe as who should say there may be a persecutor a blasphemer smitten a vile wretch a fighter against God and Jesus Christ such a one may be smitten and come to see his damned estate a thousand to one but this man will be overwhelmed and drowned in despair but saith he The Lord though I was one of his elect yet he let me fall to this pass that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe so we may say of Gods children after conversion David may say For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self the Lord let me fall so fouly and lifted me up again that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord and the infinite compassions and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name we should never believe the mercy of God the freeness of his grace the goodness of his nature towards his beloved towards those whom he hath effectually called were it not for such examples Secondly The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people and their security many times what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security it is a stealing sin it is a secret and cunning sin that comes closely and slightly upon a man before he is aware if he look not to himself now when a man grows to be secure the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out to
opening of the hellish sink of sin that is in your hearts be you willing to hear it and let us do it 't is true we must be ready to poure in Oyle into every bruised spirit but first we must come with the hammer of the Law to breake and then bind up let me tell you as many as go on in your sins and are yet without Christ let me tell you what your condition is be it known from the Lord whatsoever you may think you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity hell is moved for your coming and the pit is digged for such as you are you are under the wrath of heaven and though God be gracious and full of mercy yet he will never save those that disobey him and stand out against his Holy and Heavenly Word though Christ died for sinners yet he is a stumbling block and a rock of offence to those that are disobedient and stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 Whatsoever you may think of your selves and do not think of these things but suffer the world and your pleasures to take up your mindes think of it what a woefull case you are in know that the great God of Heaven and Earth hath bitter things against you and you shall heare it with both eares when it is too late there is no mercy but for them that repent and forsake their sins there is no Kingdome of Heaven for you you have no hope the Devils and you have one hope What turned so many Angels of Heaven into Hell was it not sin you have that very sin upon you you do not see your misery but if your eyes were open and would but heare what God saith you would loath your selves in dust and ashes and your knees would knock together for anguish of heart What no conversion yet no new creatures yet then no Christ no Heaven no Happiness what a woful thing is this I beseech you think of it and apply it and tell your soules either sin must down or else no Heaven to be looked for either I must be an holy man either God will give me grace and holinesse here or else I shall never see his face with comfort hereafter either I must have my life changed and my conversation made spiritual and godly by Jesus Christ or else I do but deceive my own soul to think of any happinesse this is certaine therefore do not think lightly of any sin there is no sin so small but is able to damn thy soul unlesse thou embrace the Gospel and the Kingdome of God If it were possible that thou never hadst sinned but one sin that one sin will damn thee unlesse thou be a new creature and by Faith embrace the Son of God thou canst not be saved there is no sin so small but the wrath of God from Heaven is revealed against it if people did but see their sins like so many Devils if they did but once see these Cockatrices stings if people were but affected with their estates and conditions something might be said but unless mens sins be laid before their eyes and charged upon their souls what hope have we to do them any good Thirdly this is for comfort to those that are humbled such as have had the Law come unto them and hath knocked them off that they have nothing to trust to and they see what miserable creatures they are look up and hear what the Gospel saith the Gospel of God sheweth mercy freely to be had and delivers promises freely to be apprehended and doth proffer eternal life without money or moneys worth though a man be never so vile and wretched if you see your misery you have Davids own argument go and use it Psal 25.16 Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted all the Saints of God have no other argument but this in begging of mercy as who should say I am a miserable creature no grounds whereupon to expect any mercy I am a desolate afflicted undone man in my self all my hope is in thee go to God and lie at his gate and plead this argument submitting to the Gospel Have mercy on me O Lord for I am desolate and afflicted and here now comes in effectual calling when the Law hath shewed a man his wretched estate and his blindness and nakedness and captivity if the Lord do mean any mercy to a man here comes in his effectual calling 2 THES 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ I Have spoken already of the prepatory work that goes before Effectual Calling the next thing I am to speake of is the parts of Effectual Calling and they are two First the offering of Christ and his merits the objective propounding of Christ and his benefits when Christ comes and offers himself to a man in the Gospel he came to his own John 1.11 but his own received him not he came and offered himself to them I am the way the truth and the light I am the Messias and the Saviour of the world and I have eternal life and here I am take me and all with me this is the first thing in Effectual Calling the objective propounding of Christ to a man The second thing is the receiving of Christ not only the offering of Christ to a man for so he offers himself to those that are not of God even to all but in Effectual Calling as there is an offer on Gods side so there is a reflection on Gods side as many as received him c. John 1.12 they received him these two now make up Effectual Calling the offering of Christ and the receiving of him when Christ calls a man to him and he answers to his call thus you see the parts of Effectual Calling First to speak of the first the objective propounding of Christ and all the things of Christ to a man and this hath two degrees like the morning light that hath two parts the dawning of the day and the Sunnes arising so there are two parts in this objective propounding of Christ to the soul the first is that general propounding of him to every creature now the soul thinks what to every creature then it is propounded to me as well as to any body else but the effectualness of this call is that it breeds the seeds of grace in a man it breeds saving desires and saving longings and saving and kindly mournings for the want of this sweet good when it sees such an excellent good and a possibility of it and that it is propounded to every creature then the soule thinks I may be one as well as any body else and so the soul longs after it The second thing is the personal propounding of this to those that have these seeds of Grace the first was general to one as well as to another but now this is to this mans
open for every one that will receive Christ thus the Scripture gives hope Thirdly both set a man on work as suppose a man hath an hope that proceeds from justifying faith as he believes in Christ so this sets him a work 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifies himself as Christ is pure it makes him labour to be humble and meek and to be made partaker of the Spirit of Grace it makes him labour after the things that are above and to be fitted and disposed to every good work and to purge himself and cleanse his conscience more and more and so a man that hath not this justifying faith but hath only this branch of effectual calling begun in him he that hath this hope I now speak of it sets him a work to seek after Christ and to labour hard for the enjoying of him and to seek him in all his Ordinances in his manner though he cannot pray and performe duties as others do yet he will do it in that manner he is able Fourthly both are the anchor of the soul as it is with a believer though he be a godly believer and hath interest in Christ yet what with temptations from hell and his own heart he will be tossed to and fro were it not for this hope which is as an anchor to the soul so it is with a man that is not come thus far but is only under the same first branch though his tossings be fierce and his temptations be violent and his case be doubtful and full of hazard yet notwithhanding when this hope comes into the soul it doth marvelously stay the heart though it see nothing but hell and damnation and misery and his conscience is not purged and his life renewed and his soul sanctified and wrought upon in Jesus Christ though he sees there is no way but hell and damnation yet when this hope comes into the soul though he can see neither star-light nor Moon-light nor nothing it doth stay him much and prop him up much and doth encourage him to go on without dismay Neither of these two hopes shall make a man ashamed if a man hath this true hope he shall never be ashamed Rom. 5.4 Hope maketh not ashamed so it is with a man that is truly wrought upon the Lord never deceives him there is a working of grace for grace before grace it self comes into the soul which carries a man beyond a reprobate and this hope the soul hath will never let him be in this case that he shall need to be ashamed The third thing is this how this hope differs from that hope which proceeds from justifying faith and they differ in two things The first is that this hope I now speak of it ariseth out of the seeds of grace the other out of grace it self there are the seeds of grace which are something of grace in the soul before grace it self comes and though we have not any place of Scripture to shew this yet there are abundance of places that aime at and include this As it may be referred to the woeings of Christ Hos 2.14 when the excellency and necessity of Christ woes the soul and the possibility of having Christ these things allure a man here is this work when the soul begins to be a neuter before the soul believes yet there is a kinde of bending of faith as the man in the Gospel when Christ asked him if he believed in the Son of God he saith Lord what is he that I may believe as who should say I am ready to believe if I could I am ready to resigne my self to believe do but shew me how I may believe Secondly this may be referred to the forming of Christ in the heart Gal. 4.19 before the babe is organized there is seed so there is a seed of God in the soul and he that hath this seed cannot sin because he is borne of God as there is a seed of generation so of regeneration as the prodigal before he came home to his Father he saith with himself I will go home to my Father and say Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee c. Luke 15.16 What made him do this they are nothing else but the effects of the seeds of grace So the Jaylor Acts 16.13 that cried out Sirs what shall I do to be saved what were these but the expressions of the seeds of grace that were in him the next newes we heare he did believe now the Lord sowes seeds of grace in the soul and these break forth into hope and desires and waitings for grace these are the seeds of grace and from thence comes this hope but the other hope comes from grace it self it is true that these seeds of grace are grace in themselves they are the work of grace for grace but they are not gracefully and compleatly wrought in the soul They come from several apprehensions the hope we now speak of apprehends nothing but a possibility of pardon that he may be pardoned and have power over his sins he may attaine to be a new creature and to be one of the redeemed of the Lord and this is that which sends him after God and makes him trace him up and down till the Lord doth it for him but the other apprehends that he hath it already or else rests upon God for it and hopes undoubtedly for the accomplishment of it this hope I now speak of was in the King of Niniveh Who knows but the Lord may repent and turne from his fierce anger that we perish not I cannot tell but there is hope it may be and who knows but God will do it And this hope made him humble himself and seek to God and there was a publike kinde of reformation outwardly So it is here the Lord lets in some hope who knows but the Lord will yet shew mercy and it is not only an imaginary hope such a hope as vanisheth and leaves a man in the lurch but this hope doth stir up a mans soul and provoke a man to look out to God for that mercy whereof he sees a possibility of attaining I come now to the reasons of the point why the Lord doth work this hope in the soul and the first is this Lest a man should lie all along in despaire when the Lord shews a man his sins and his misery in regard thereof if the Lord should not put in this hope a man would altogether despaire it is impossible a man should be able to stand as Solomon saith A wounded spirit who can beare So when the Lord chargeth a mans sins and iniquities upon his conscience and aggravates all his sinfulnesse a man would sink under this burthen and never be able to hold up his head were it not for this hope as we use to say were it not for hope the heart would break so this is the reason why God puts in this hope
what is this particular word which the Lord speaks to the soul is there any such particular word to be found in all the Scripture Thomas or Richard do you come to me I answer there is a general word in the Scripture and this particular word is in the general so that though there be not a particular word expressively yet there is equivalently and this I will make appear in three or four particulars First what particular place of Scripture saith that Thomas or James or such a one is a childe of wrath by nature is here any Scripture saith so of him I answer yes this particular is in the general we are all the children of wrath by nature Eph. 2.3 and cursed is every one that continues not in all the things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 now though a mans name be not named William such a one is accursed by nature yet notwithstanding he findes his particular in the general that he is a cursed creature Again what place of Scripture saith that Robert or John must love God and is bound to love God is there any such place of Scripture no why will you say then that you are bound to love God and obey him if there be no such place of Scripture yes for this particular is in the general Thou shalt love the Lard thy God c. That Commandment is delivered to all men in the whole world So Thou shalt do no murther thou shalt not commit adultery c. this Commandment lies upon the whole world therefore if thou beest a man though thou canst not finde thy name set down that the Lord speaks to thee yet thy particular is in those generals so though it cannot be shewn in all the Scripture that such a particular man shall rise againe yet when the Scripture saith that all men shall rise againe as John 5.28 Marvel not for the houre shall come that all flesh that is in the grave shall come forth if all that are dead shall rise again then every man shall rise again though his name be not named in Scripture so it is hear we read in Scripture that Christ saith John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink now the Lord includes a particular in it and brings it to the soul thou thirstest thou wouldest faine have Christ here are the promises here is all mercy in my Sonne believe in him come and receive him take him and thou shalt have them so if Christ saith whosoever beleeves shall be saved then Saint Paul might safely conclude a particular word to the Jaylor beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.31 so that you see here is a particular word though not particular directly yet equivalent to a particular namely a particular in the general and the Spirit of God doth speak this to the soul and makes the soul hear it Every man therefore that hath heard it c. When God calls the soul home he makes the soul hear his voice here a particular voice and word to him believe in the Lord come unto me for salvation relie upon me for eternal life the sinnes that trouble thy soule cast thy self upon me for the forgiving of them the diseases miseries distempers thou art subject unto lay hold upon me and rest upon me for the delivering thee from them the Lord when he calls a man effectually he speaks it not onely the Minister and the Word speaks it but the Lord speaks it and so the soul hearing of the Father comes to Christ thus you may see the Lord holds the free promises of the Gospel before the soul and bids a man relie upon them as Peter dealt with his contrite hearers the Spirit of the Lord going along with his word Acts 2.39 believe saith he for the promise belongs to you and to your children c. as who should say when God calls a man effectually he holds forth his promises and propounds them to the soul beleeve this promise and rest upon me for it thus the Lord doth call a man home he sends his promise before him he sets up hope before him he sends the gracious invitation of the Gospel before him and bids him relie upon it thus God dealt with his Elect Corinths 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful saith the Apostle by whom ye are called to the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ as who should say when God called you he spake to every one of you in particular come and be fellow heirs with my Son come and have every good thing with my Sonne come and be a sonne with him come and be an heir of grace with him and have title to eternal life and salvation God calls you saith he to beleeve that he is faithful So I might instance in many more though there be never so many in the Congregation yet the Lord doth not speak to them all they do not all hear his voice they all hear the Minister but that makes them not to come that doth not the deed but when the Lord calls a man he comes he joyns with the Word and speaks to this or that man and takes him alone and whispers him in the ear and tells him where mercy is and bids him rely upon him and though sense and feeling be against him though all fears and objections be against him he bids him believe and be of good cheere he shall have all these mercies if he will believe in him as he saith Esay 51.20 Look unto Abraham your father for I called him alone and blessed him mark it the Lord took him alone and spake to his heart between him and himself so when the Lord speaks to a soul and calls him by his grace he calls him alone and takes him alone though all the Congregation hears the same Sermon yet he takes him alone and speaks to his heart and bids him beleeve in him for I will never faile thee it is a sure foundation he may build upon it for ever and ever Because no man could come unto Christ else for we see daily though Ministers call all the Congregation and assembly yet people do not stir they are dead in their sins they cannot hear the Minister no it must be a louder voice and one that is more powerful and effectual unlesse the Lord come and bid a man beleeve he can never do it therefore John 5.26 See what Christ saith Verily I say unto you that the hour shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God here comes an Almighty voice that speaks to the raising of a man out of the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and faith and he shews that there is a voice of Christ that speaks to the soul that though the soul be dead yet it shall heare and live so Ephesians 5.14 and were it not for this call no man could beleeve That so they may have a ground
repined at his doctrine he puts in this no man cometh unto me except the Father draweth him he means their utter inability of coming to him by nature unlesse it be given them from above if he had spoken of it againe may be would have said no man cometh unto me except the Spirit draweth him you must know that all the acts of the blessed Trinity are indevidable 't is true the Father as he is first in order of subsistance so he is first in order of operation and working but look what one works all work one act flows from them all as it is said you are washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit had a hand in the same work they all do the same work for any further meaning of this I know not any warrant The second thing is what this voice is that the Father doth speak to the soul and so the soul is made to come to Christ I answer you must not conceive that here is any voice distinct from the Word it is but imaginary and notional when men dream of any other Relations besides the Word it is not a proper but a metaphorical speech and it consists in two things First in opening a mans senses Secondly in removing a mans lamenesse and inability First in opening a mans senses in opening a mans understanding a mans understanding is quite blinded and cannot see the things of God and though a man literally know all the Scripture yet notwithstanding there is a veile upon his eyes and he doth not see the excellency and glory of it now when the Spirit of God comes and anoints a mans eyes and takes away the scales that they fall off from his eyes the man now begins with open face to see the glory of God and the glorious Gospel of God the natural man saw the Gospel to be a glorious thing yet the God of this world blinded his eyes that he could not see it in this glorious manner now when the Spirit of the Father comes to call a man effectually he doth anoint a mans eyes Esay 35.5 The eyes of the blinde shall see he makes a man to see the wonders of Gods Law to see his gracious promises in Jesus Christ the freenesse of them the indifferency of them that they are propounded to every man that hath an heart to them and hungers and thirsts after them so that the Lord doth as it were say to the soul here are the promises here you see them beleeve in me this is the speech of the Father these are the promises this is the happinesse if you will embrace it you may be happy for ever now the world and profits and pleasures are not such a thing you may be damned for all them therefore come unto me and you shall have eternal happinesse thus the Spirit of the Father sheweth the soul the glory of the wayes of Jesus Christ and the glory of the promises here they are beleeve that is the first Secondly he opens the sense of hearing for as the minde of a man is stark blinde and cannot see the things of God so the heart of a man is stark dead and cannot hearken to God a man hath no ears by nature to hear God speak to him till the Lord comes and opens his ears as the Prophet speaks Esay 35.5 The ears of the deaf shall hear when the Lord comes to open the ears of the deaf now the soul begins to hear before it was like the deafe adder that could not hear the voice of the charmer charme he never so wisely though he heard never so many Sermons he yet heard none his hearing was to no purpose in hearing he heard but perceived not but when the Lord comes and takes away the uncircumcision of the eare the soul now begins to heare and hearken to him now the stone begins to vanish out of the heart and flesh and feeling comes in the place thereof the soul is ready to say as Samuel Speak Lord thy servant heareth now the soul begins to hear a Sermon to hear a counsel to hear a threatning when the Lord begins to open the ear this is another thing whereby the soul is able to hear what the Lord saith Again this voice consists in taking away a mans lamnesse for as a man was perverted and this was taken away by opening the ear yet now a man is lame and cannot come to Christ therefore the Lord takes away his lamenesse Esay 35.5 The feet of the lame shall walk First he makes the soul walk and afterwards run and at last to flie as an Eagle First it walks you shall walk in my statutes and afterwards runnes and flies as an Eagle thus you see what this voice is Now there be two reasons why it is called a voice First because it is a thing joyned with the Word because it is all one together with the Word as Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing he doth not mean their onely outward hearing for faith will not come by outward hearing but he means the hearing of the outward ear and this hearing of the Father speaking to the heart and so faith comes Secondly because it hath a similitude of a voice the soul doth as it were hear a voice speaking to it not as though the acts you heard of even now can distinctly be known he doth them not vocally he doth not open the eyes and open the ear vocally but as the blind man said One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see but how he came to see that he could not tell so when the Spirit comes and speaks to his heart a man can tell no more the way of the Spirit then he can tell how the wind blows or the fashioning of the bones in the womb what man can expresse the manner of Gods secret working could the Apostles see the breath of Christ breathed upon them when he said receive ye the holy Ghost no they could not the acts of the Spirit upon the soul cannot be discerned but as the blind man said once I was blinde but now I see so a man may say whereas I was deaf now I can hear the voice of God and happy is the man that can say this but the things cannot be discerned but at the same time when the Lord works these acts the soul doth as it were hear a speech mentally and spiritualy in the soul Esay 30 22. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it so the Lord speaks to the soul this is the way and this is the promise and this is the Gospel of peace and this is the mercy that I offer unto thee beleeve it the Lord makes the soule as it were heare a voice the Lord speakes and the soul hears it is done after such a manner so effectually as if the Lord did speak to the heart I will allure her into the
Christians 3 This shews reason why we doe not receive good by the Sacrament Reasons why men do not receive good by the Sacrament 73 1 Because they come not with lively sense of their wants 2 Without true repentance 74 3 Without faith 4 They do not seek to God to blesse the Sacrament to them 75 5 They doe not behave themselves well at it 6 Do not afterwards examine what good is got by it 7 If they get good they do not interpret it to be by the goodness of God in the Sacrament 8 They do not stir up the Sacraments that they formerly pertook of 76 Doct. A child of God cannot fall from Grace 77 which is 1 Not from any thing in himself 1 Because the best is bid to look on himself as one that may fall into any sin in himself 78 2 Because they are bidden to feare themselves 78 3 To take heed that they do not fall away totally 4 Because they are commanded to grow in grace 79 5 Because examples of Apostates are propounded for the Saints to take warning by 6 Because people of God are fain to pray God to keep them 7 Because no grace received can hold out without continuall influences from heaven 80 But 2 from the meer favour and goodness of God 81 Qu. What is it that doth and shall ever remain in a believer 82 Ans 1. An anointing from the holy one for 1 A child of God if he sinne cannot carry it away as others 83 2 cannot stand it out as others do 2. Lusting against every known sin 84 For 1 He never sins but against his standing purpose 2 Against the study and composure of his heart 3 Something or other breaks the fulness of the voluntariness of it 1 Ignorance 2. Inconsideration 3 Passion 4 Violent temptation 4 Cannot make a trade of sin 85 5 Hath an apness to rise again 3 A tender disposition to look after God 86 For 1 he cannot lie down in spirituall distempers 2 He hath a feeling of his hardness 3 He cannot be so secure as to forget God 4 A love to the Image mercy holiness goodness and Ordinances of God 5 A disposition to check and chide his soul for sin 87 6 The habit of grace Use 1. For confutation of those that hold falling from grace 88 2 For comfort to people of God against fears temptations persecutions 3 Labour to make sure that we be godly Doct. A particular Church may perish 89 Four notes of a true Church that may be lost 1 Sincere preaching of the Gospel 90 2 True and sincere use of the Sacraments 92 3 Sincere profession of the Word of God 93 4 True discipline Seven marks of a fall Church 94 1 Antiquity 2Vniversality 3 Succession of Pastors 4Vnity 5 Miracles 6 Pomp 7 Outward prosperity 95 Reas 1. because the Church is Catholick not tied to any place 96 2 God needs no place or person 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance Use 1. To confound the Church of Rome 2 To warn all particular Churches 97 Doct. The second Covenant requires works Works necessary 98 1 By necessity of presence 2 By necessity of inseparable effects 3 By necessity of signs 99 4 By necessity of commandement 5 By necessity of end 1 to glorifie God in the world 2 to do good unto others 3 to purifie our selves 4 to qualifie us for heaven 5 to proportion our reward 100 6 By necessity of thankefulness 101 Use 1. See how the Papists wrong us by accusing us to be against good works 2 Let Ministers call on people to have a working faith 3 This discovers them to be graceless who do not follow Christ in doing good 4 Be exhorted to good works Mot. 1. Good works are signs of our condition and state 1 Of election 2 Effectuall calling 3 Justification 4 Adoption 5 Of our love to God 103 2 The reason why we pray no better is because we are not abundant in good works 3 They would chear us in an evill day 4 The want of them the cause of temporal judgments 104 Doct. The covenant of grace requires perfect works ibid Not a perfection of degrees but of sincerity Difference between Legall and Evangelicall perfection 105 1 The law requires performances as well as the will and desire 2 The perfection of the Law stands on quantities as well as qualities 3Vpon full measure whether a man have power or no. 4 Admits no failings 106 5 Makes nothing of repentance Doct We should labour to be perfect Reas 1. From the nature of God 107 2 Because God hath commanded us to be sincere 3 Because God knows our hearts 4 God will let down the Covenant no lower 5 All Gods Saints have been perfect Use 1. To reprove the want of uprightness 108 2 To humble the people of God 109 3 To exhort us to be upright Mot. 1 God delights only in an upright heart 2 This is the total sum of all that God requires p. 110 3 The least grace with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances in the world 4 God will bear with grievous faults where there is uprightness 5Vprightness will help us to profit by all ordinances 111 6 Is most excellent ground of comfort 7 Will make us and our posterity blessed 112 Use 4 For examination Signs of uprightnesse 1 An upright man is universal in regard of all Gods commands 2 In regard of all graces 3 Of all places and company 113 4 Of all times 5 Of all his parts understanding will memory c. 114 6 Of all conditions 115 7 Of all relations 116 8 Of all the circumstances of his actions 117 Doct. As we must be perfect so we must be perfect before God 118 1 Not so as God should approve our works in strict justice But 2 On account of his mercy in Jesus Christ Reas 1 Because God hath so commanded 2 Otherwise a man hath no faith 119 3 This is the end of Christs redemption 4 This is the end of election 5 Because God will search us out 120 6 God only doth esteem of the worth of holiness c. Use 1 To condemn the ceremonious devotion of many 2 For humiliation 121 3 For exhortation to be upright Doct. God will search whether we be perfect 122 Difference between Gods searching and mans 1 Mans searching may be without finding 2 Hath ignorance foregoing 3 Is properly so called 4 Is necessary for knowledge 5 Is for himself 123 God searcheth five wayes 1 By his own spirit 2 By the spirit of man 3 By conscience 4 By his word 124 5 By his providence Whereby God discovers mens secret works 1 By letting his people suspect men 125 2 By letting his people injure wicked men 3 By guiding his Ministers to home preaching 4 By their own lusts and corruption 126 5 By persecution Reas 1 It is Gods prerogative to teach us 2 God will have hypocrites discovered 127 3 It is for Gods glory to search men out
4 It is for Gods truth 5 For his justice Use 1 To reprove those that consider not that God will search 128 2 Take heed of hiding our sins from others and our selves 129 Use 3 For comfort to people 1 Against others that judge them 2 Against their judging themselves 130 4 To stir us up to be able to stand when God searcheth 1 When offences come 2 When afflictions and persecutions come 3 In time of difficult commandments 4 At judgement 131 5 Let us search our selves Mot. 1. Otherwise we can never repent of what is amisse in our selves or our works 2 'T is a work of a child of God to search himself 3 If we do not it will be the worse for us DOctr It is an excellent thing for a man to be able to say that God hath effectually called him p. 1. 1 Because then a man may reflect on all his life and see Gods love to him in all p. 3. 2 This interests a man in all the promises 3 Sweetens all the promises 4 Helps a man to pray 5. Encourageth to all good undertakings p. 4. 6 It is a foundation for a godly life 7 It is an help to rise after a fall Reas 1. Because it is an argument of election 2 Sure pledge of all Gods acts of mercy p. 5. Use 1. Then a man may know his effectual calling Proved 1 Because it is the office of the Spirit to make known the things of God p. 6. 2 Because we are commanded to make our calling sure p. 7. 3 Because we are required to be thankful for it 4 Because the making known our calling is one of the ends of the Word of God p. 8. 5 Because the soul hath a power of reflecting and knowing its own state Obj. Why then are those who are called so doubtful Ans 1 Because this knowledge is gradual 2 Experimental p. 9 3 Spiritual p. 10. 4 Because it may be hindred for a time 1 By a lothness of heart to leave some lust p. 11. 2 By ignorance 1 Of the voice of the spirit p. 12. 2 Of the work of grace 3 Of his Christian liberty 4 Of the tenderness of Christ p. 13. 3 By melancholy 4 By the unskilfulness of a Minister The evil of wanting this knowledge p. 14. 1 Conscience must needs charge sin on you 2 You can have no joy in Christ or his promises 15. 3 You cannot tell what to make of Gods mercies 4 Thou knowest not what to do in time of affliction 5 Thou canst not pray with courage 16 6 Thou canst not go on sweetly in the wayes of God 7 Thâ—u seest no difference between thy self and a very unbelieving wretch 17. 8 Thou art of all men most miserable 9 If thou be totally ignorant it is a sign thou art not yet effectually called Qu. What difference between the uncertainty of believers and unbelievers 18 Ans 1 As a believer cannot say it so he cannot deny it 2 Believers question their calling only in their haste 3 They will let others question their grace 4 They most love them that urge them to seek this knowledge 5 Their uncertainty breaks their hearts p. 19. 6 Though at present uncertain yet they believe they shall be certain 7. Their faith is of a contrary nature to their doubting 8. Christ is to them the power of God p. 20. Doct. Effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ Reas 1 Before effectual calling the soul is without Christ p. 22 2 Before this all was within God 23. 3 All other works follow this calling 4 From the names given to effectual calling p. 24 5 Because it is the first extract of election p. 25. Use 1 Then very dangerous to erre about this p. 26. Reas 1 Because this is the foundation 2 Because a believer must often have recourse to it 3 Because it is the beginning of Gods works on the soul Use 2. See the reason why Scripture so urgeth the making this sure p. 27. 1 Because it is a work but once done 2 Because all the promises meet here p. 28 3 Because this is the first of all obedience 4 This is the only way to go forward p. 29 5 Because this is the main ground to keep from falling away Matth. 11.28 Doct. There is a preparatory work unto effectual calling p. 30 Proof 1 From Texts full of terror p. 31 2 From the spirits office 3 Because the Gospel follows the Law 4 From Christs design in coming to save that which was lost 5 From Gods working with believers after grosse sins p. 32 6 From Scripture examples Reas 1 To declare Gods justice p. 33 2 To sweeten mercy p. 34 3 That God may bring men home to Christ p. 35 4 To wean men from sin 5 To knock men off from every thing else p. 36 Use 1 To reprove daubers 2 Be content to hear the curses of the Law preached p. 37 3 To comfort those that have had this worke p. 38 2 Thes 2.14 Doct. The Gospel or general tender of grace is that by which God calls men home p. 40 Reas 1 Because this is the sweet ground of faith p. 41 2 Because this is the best answer to Satan p. 42 3 Because this is true before all acts in man 4 This is the only thing which every man is bound to believe p. 43 Obj. Christ is given only to the elect Ans Yet the Gospel must be preached without restraint to election Reas 1 Otherwise the elect would have no ground for faith 2 Because in reference to men calling is before election p. 44 3 Because there is a difference between men and Divels Use 1 To comfort and encourage believers p. 46 2 To confute those that define faith by assurance p. 47 3 To encourage all that are without p. 49 4 To terrifie the obstinate Col. 1.23 Doct. God in the general tender of mercy works some hopes in the soul p. 51 1. What is this hope Ans It ariseth from the faith of possibility p. 52 2 How doth this hope agree with that which follows justifying faith Ans 1 Both are of God 2 Both are wrought by the Gospel 3 Both set the soul on work 4 Both are the anchor of the soul 5 Neither of them shall make a man ashamed p. 54 3 How differs this hope from that which follows justification Ans 1 This ariseth out of the seeds of grace the other out of grace it self 2 They come from several apprehensions p. 54 Reas 1 To prevent despair 55 2 That a man may not be disabled looking after heaven 3 Because God will not do all at once 4 That he may be sought to for every mercy p. 56 Use 1 To shew the graciousnesse of God 2 To comfort believers 3 To enform how God works this hope 1 By rooting out all vain hopes 2 By setting a look upon the Gospel 3 By removing all impossibilities p. 57 Use 4. Labour not to diminish this hope p. 58
be little enough to assure the soul of Gods favour and that he can and will pardon such transgressors therefore I say look upon this doctrine it is for those that are dejected with their dead hearts that they may yet receive some comfort to their souls The last day I shewed you how far forth a child of God might be dead but some may say I cannot believe a child of God may come to this and thou art confident thou shall not come to this therefore I will speak a little further of it And first Let me tell you there is not the fowlest haynousest abominablest the most notorious scandalous sin in the world but the most devout godly mortified man upon the face of the earth may fall into it if he take not heed except the sin against the holy Ghost I will instance in some particulars First For Idolatry gross Idolatry will you think that ever a child of God that believes in his name and is acquainted with his word and his goodness and mercy and his jealousie against this sin and iniquity should fall into it should fall down and worship a stock a stone a creature you will never believe it yet you shall see the wisest man that ever was and one that was beloved of God did fall into this sin in a great degree 1 Kings 11.4 Solomons wives drew his heart away from God they drew away his heart from God in an high degree and they did not nakedly draw away his heart from God but they drew his heart after other gods If a man should say I hope I shall never fall into this sin I say let us hope so still and go on in using the means if we be so confident let us take heed that none of us come to bowe to the creature let our own hating and abominating of it be a watch-word to us to take heed Secondly What say you to apostacy nay almost totall apostacy that a child of God should grow to be an apostate which of you would think it that he should come to curse and bann himself if ever he knew Jesus Christ or loved him or ever did countenance him yet you may see a child of God and a notable one too fell in this fashion Peter he did curse and ban himse lf that he never knew the man Mark 14.71 this is very far Thirdly What say you to persecution to persecute a man that is godly dost think that a man that hath the image of God in him that hath the knowledge of the Scripture that hath the fear of God before his eyes and a sympathy with all the Saints of God in the world that this man should ever persecute one that is godly and for his godliness too would you think this yet directly thus it is Asa a godly man for a fit as long as the time lasted when the Prophet reproved him for his sins and dealt roundly with him what was this but gracious dealing yet the man did not only not submit to the Prophets reproof but his very heart rose up against him and he cast him into prison he was a persecutor of him 2 Chro. 16.10 in one word what enormous flagitious sin in the world is there but a child of God if he look not to himself may actually fall into but the sin unto death Noah a Preacher of righteousness the holiest man upon the earth the world had not his fellow yet he fell to be once drunk David a man after Gods own heart a man of admirable experience a man that traded as far in mortification in holiness and righteousness and walking with God and acquaintance with him and his Laws and promises as ever any Saint in the Old Testament yet he fell into the sin of murther and adultery yea to make a man drunk and that otherwise a good man too one of the worthiest of all the Kingdom you see this is clear there is no sin so desperate the sin against the holy Ghost excepted but a child of God may fall into it therefore he had not need to be carnally confident Secondly When a child of God hath fallen thus into some fowl sin he may be much hardened wofully deaded and benummed and grow blockish and untoward to call upon God and go on in any of his waies become marvelously unfitted and indisposed to the use of Gods ordinances nay he may be grown to that pass that he should never rise up more but that for the infinite goodness of God that doth bring him again home and lift him up again by renewing his faith and his repentance you may see when Jehoshaphat had struck with Ahab and helped the ungodly and loved him that hated the Lord though he were smitten in the field and were like to have lost his life and saw what danger he was in for joyning with Ahab yet all this did not humble him the Lord sent after him by hue and cry rousing up his conscience by his Prophets if he had not done thus God knows how long he might have lain thus so David he found a deadness in all goodness when he had committed those foul sins he found no working of Gods blessed spirit his own spirit grew dull his own heart grew dead he was as if he had never known what grace meant create in me O Lord a new heart Psal 51.10 his sin was like to a sweeping rain that leaves nothing like to a consumption that wastes all it was even like a Thief that breaks into a mans ware-house in the night and a man knows not what he hath lost till he casts up his accounts and then he seeth he hath lost almost all his estate so it is with the best of Gods servants if they give way to sin contrary to evangelical obedience God knows what a Thief they let into their soul they know not what they have lost till God give them an heart to cast up their accounts and then they may see that they have lost almost all that they have who knows what God may do it is a fearful thing you see a child of God may not only fall into foul and fearful sins but he may lie in them Then Thirdly To go further when a child of God is come hither then you will say certainly this man must rise up again quickly grace will not let him lie dead 't is true God will not for ever let him lie dead but for how long he shall lie dead no man nor Angel can tell as the Church speaks concerning her misery there is never a Prophet never an ordinance of God all is gone to wrack and there is none among us can tell us how long Psal 74.9 so when a man hath fallen into sin and hath pulled distempers into his soul there is none among us can tell us how long 't is true Peter got up again within a few hours but David got not up again till after ten months and may
with him and I am with him and I will be with him I am ready to dye with him I profess my self to be his Disciple he had no heart in the world to stand for Jesus Christ he had no heart to appear in pleading for him and expose himself to danger for him he was now called to it but he had no heart at all sin it is even like ashes cast upon the fire the fire cannot then send forth its heat so sin doth even cast ashes upon the soul that it cannot express such life as otherwise it would The first reason is because sin is a soul killing thing it is like Mare Mortuum the fishes dye as soon as ever they come there so when the Divel hooks a man into sin he hooks him into the dead sea as the Apostle saith of the Ephesians you were dead in sins if the Divel can but hook a man into sin he is presently in the dead sea Hos 13.12 it is said of Ephraim when he offended in Baal he died c. before when their affections were up and they trembled before God they were lively but when they gave way to sin and iniquity the Church presently died they withered away more and more till they came to nothing therefore the Apostle calls the Law of sin the Law of death the Law of the spirit of Christ hath freed us from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8.2 sin doth even bring a man to deaths door it doth weaken all the powers and faculties of the soul that a man cannot stir to any duty it makes a man like a snake that is frozen with the cold it cannot stir so it is with a man when he gives way to sin and iniquity it freezeth all the powers that are in him and lesseneth all the powers of Gods spirit it is even like a weight as the Apostle calls it Heb. 12.1 If a man should have a great weight upon his back fetters upon his legs how can that man go he must needs go very dully so it is with sin and iniquity when a man gives way to it it is like plumets of lead like great weights and burthens that clog a mans heart and affections it makes them dull and lumpish and heavy to any thing that is good as Christ speaks of the cares of this life if a man give way to them they will overcharge the heart they will lie heavy that the heart cannot stir Luke 21.34 sin poysons all the soul it poysons the mind that a man cannot look upon things as he did it poysons a mans heart though his heart were deeply affected towards God it is strange if a man give way to sin how it will take off the affections from God it separates between God and the soul and comes between God the fountain of life and the soul and therefore must needs be a killing and deading thing Secondly Sin is a deading thing because it doth grieve the holy spirit of God that dwels in a man you know all the quickning of a Christian consists in the gracious assistance of Gods spirit as long as Gods spirit is pleased to go along with us and work our works for us then we can pray and deny our selves then we are fitted to every good word and work but if the spirit of God retire if it withdraw and suspend his actions and forbear his operations what can a man do a man is even a block without the spirit of God now though the spirit of God delight never so much in doing good to the Saints and delight in accompanying of them and aâ—â—iâ—ting of them and enlarging of them in all their wayes yet if they give way to sin directly he will be grieved and sent sad back again to heaven as it were and when the spirit of God is grieved all must needs go sad and heavy with the child of God suppose a child of God give way to vain talk and discourse you shall see what the Apostle saith this will grieve the spirit of God grieve not the spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4.13 he speaks of that very sin if a man give way to it the spirit of God will be grieved though formerly he was pleased mightily to help yet now he will withdraw and then how dully shall a man go on so if we should give way to the suffering of our hearts not to be affected with God and his truth not to see God in all his wayes in all his goodness and dealings that we should not be thankful this will quench the spirit of God it will quench its motions as if a man should pour pail-fuls of water upon the fire so this will quench the spirit of God 1 Thes 5.18 19. there is a manifest dependence between all those exhortations and this is certain let a man once not be affected with God let him not see Gods goodness in all his wayes let him not be affected with Gods mercy and loving kindness it will quench the spirit of God and then consider what a lamentable case a man shall be in Thirdly Sin must needs dead a mans heart because it doth put a most woful bitter hard task upon the soul to go through for you know hard tasks stir up reluctancy against them when a man hath an hard task to go through the very thought of it dulls him it is like a stone upon his heart now let a man sin against grace and the goodness of God and Gods gracious dealing let a man sin against these it doth put a man to a most hard task to go through to go and humble himself before Almighty God and the soul shall find a world of conflicts that he is loth to come to it loth to deal about this bitter business to go about to renew his repentance with bitter remorse for his sins it is like a desperate debtor that hath run himself over head and ears in debt the very thought of coming to a reckoning is death to him he cannot abide to think of it it is like a boy that hath made false Latine if his Master should call him to construe and pearse it and give a rule for every word he knows it is not according to rule he hath not looked after rule and every thing is false now he cannot abide to come to construe and pearse it so when a man hath provoked God by his sins and hath broken his covenant and slighted his ordinances when God calls him to construe and pearse what do you make of such an action and such a word and such a thought the heart is even afraid of these things as a dog is of a whip it is an hard task to be brought to this as David when he had yielded to his security and idleness and unwatchfulness and so had given way to Satan you may see what an hard task he brought upon his soul and how his soul was ever
afraid to go about humiliation how many frowning looks doth a man cast upon the pykes he must go through if he mean to obtain mercy it even deads him as a dagger at his heart David was loth to come to this to come to a reckoning to come to be humbled when Bathsheba sent him word that she was with child then God called him to a reckoning to be humbled God told him to his face it is high time to be humbled and ashamed God hath been laying rods in brine for thee and to bring thee upon the stage and to make thee odious and vile in the sight of the world yet he was loth to come to a reckoning he shun'd it and shut his eyes from seeing it he devised tricks to send Vriah home to his Wife and when this would not be but Vriah carried himself constantly with feeling of the case of the Church that then lay in the field against their enemies this could not but call for humbling yet he shunned it still and instead of humbling himself he went further into the briars and made Vriah drunk thinking then he would go home it is impossible but he should see the hand of God in all this that he gave him a warning to down on his knees but he shunned it again and instead of humbling himself he devised the death of Vriah and when news came Vriah is dead which one would think should have been as an hammer to have knockt him down he puts this off the sword kills one as well as another and till the Lord was pleased to set it on he could not be brought to humble himself thus it is sin puts an hard task upon a man a man may easily slip into sin it is a merry way unto it but when a man is once in he cannot get out again without tearing and rending and abasing and casting himself down before God this is an hard task and the soul shall find abundance of reluctancies and the very thought of it deads the soul unless the Lord be the more merciful A fourth reason why sin deads a man is because sin defiles the conscience for sin is a dead work and it goes into the conscience and defiles it until it be purged by the blood of Christ Heb. 9.14 sin is a dead work and the winding sheet of it is the conscience presently as soon as a man doth iniquity this dead work runs into the conscience and catcheth hold and this defiles the conscience and puts guilt into it and nothing in the world more deads a man then a guilt conscience why because it knocks a mans fingers off from that which should enliven and quicken him it makes him see that he doth defile Gods promises if he medle with them Isa 38.16 the promises of God are the things by which men live now when the conscience is guilty it doth even knock a mans fingers off from the promises it tells him this guilt must out first before he can apply the promises nay the very hearing of the promises deads his heart and this is the reason why good people as long as they have not clear consciences rather call for Sermons of judgement then of mercy and their consciences say the promises doe not belong to me I know God is an holy God and his promises holy and it is no meddling with them without holinesse therefore when a man gives way to sin he must needs dead his heart because he defiles his own conscience and therefore no wonder that there is so much deadnesse up and downe when there is hardly a clear conscience in the Country nay good people how slightly doe they deal in this case and hinder their own life and quickning because they have not a care to come before God with a cleare conscience The fifth Reason is Because sin doth either utterly destroy or mightily weaken all assurance of welcome with God and therefore no marvel if it dead the heart for if a man cannot look for comfort and entertainment with God when he goeth to him it takes man off from that willingness to come into Gods presence it makes a man shie of God and of Jesus Christ and his Ordinances it makes a man that he hath no desire to pray almost nay sometimes he hath no heart at all nay sometimes he totally omits the duty he is so afraid he cannot goe to God without carnal feares and mis-givings and horrours and this takes the heart quite off for a time that he cannot pray at all it is like a childe when he hath committed some villany that he knows his father knowes he is shy of coming into his fathers presence he is afraid to come where his father is he knowes be shall be chid and hear of his doings so it is in this case it is not thus with wicked and ungodly men for they can look God in the face but Gods own people when they sin against God it must needs take off that cheerful willingness to goe before God that delight to be in his presence that comfort in prayer sinne makes it an irksome thing sinne makes a man to have little heart to deal with God for the heart doth not love to be caught by God in Satans company or of any lust as a servant cannot abide that his Master should take him in any villany or unfaithfulnesse if he hath been unfaithful it would kill his heart that his Master should take him in it so it is with Gods children let them sinne against God it doth dull and dead their hearts in regard of the throne of grace it makes them have small heart to come before it See it in Jonah when he had fled away from God and had put off Gods charge and was gone downe to Joâ—pâ— and was shipped into the Sea see whether he had any minde to pray or call upon God or no he had none in the earth nay he was afraid of God and shy of his presence he knew he should be upbraided indeed when God laid it upon his conscience then Jonah prayed but he did not pray before that if he did it was as good as nothing So it is noted of David when he had committed his sins he confesseth he roared to God but we can hear of no prayer but when God sent Nathan then he could pray it is the title of the 51. Psalm A Psalm of David when Nathan came to him then he could pray but all the while sinne lay upon his soul he could not pray or if he did he did but roar he came before God with horror and unbelief and dismay and had no comfort Now when a man is privy to sin what man that hath the knowledge of God how ill God likes these courses how ill he likes a mans pride and security and neglect of worship and service how can it chuse but the thought of these things should gall his heart And thus we see for the general that it is sinne
be blunt if a man doth not sharpen the edge he had need put the more strength to it Eccles 10.10 So when a mans hâ—art is dull and dead there is the more difficulty in the overcoming of any lust in the doing of any good duty every thing comes hardly off Now when a mans heart is quickned it is like oyle to the wheele it makes it goe easie when a mans heart is quickned up towards God what is it but that man can do Fifthly Consider If we be quickned we shall have a great deale of peace and joy and comfort I may say as the Church in another case Revive us again O Lord and we shall rejoyce in thee Psal 85.6 So I say if we were revived if God did quicken our hearts if we were earnest with him to do it and we could once attain unto it we should rejoyce in God those that follow God with an earnest heart they have those joyes which no other can intermeddle with God gives them unknown comfort unknown peace and unknown support the more a man followes after God the more he shall partake of God a man shall have joy unspeakable and glorious Sixthly We should make all heaven to rejoyce when the Father had his prodigal Son come to him that was before dead and was now alive saith he It is meet we should be glad Luke 15.32 So when any poor creature that was dead before to all goodness is now made alive and is quickned up in all the wayes of God it is even meet that there should be mirth in Heaven that the Angels in Heaven should rejoyce whereas if a man go on in Gods service dully and blockishly it is as vinegar to the teeth and smoak to the eys and the heavens are sad over us Seventhly If we were quickned we should not only do our selves good but we should do others good too we should be earnest to do it there is an excellent place for this in the story of David David being marvellously quickned just as he came from Gath there met him 400 poor destitute and afflicted men and presently he made the 34 Psalm wherein he saith O come and taste and see how good the Lord is blessed are they that trust in the Lord presently he calls upon them to be quickned also So Paul when he was quickned up himself though he were before the Judge and went upon life and death yet he regarded not that but he laboured to quicken Agrippa too insomuch that he made him to cry out Thou perswadest me almost to become a Christian and he would not leave him there but saith he I would not that thou only but that all that do hear me this day were not only almost but altogether such as I am excepting these bonds O thought he that all this company were but acquainted with that I feel and finde a quickned heart will labour and strive to do good unto others REV. 3.2 Watch therefore and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die c. WE told you this Epistle contained three things First a Reproof of the most of them in that Church for their grievous sins Secondly a Remedy to cure them of those sins Thirdly A Commendation of certain vertues in those persons that were not carried away with the iniquities of those times The Reproof we have spoken of already and now we are come to the second part and that is the Remedy for when Christ doth reprove them he doth it not for ill will but for their good and therefore he gives them good directions The Remedies he gives this Church are five The first is Be watchfull as who should say This is the reason you goe down the wind and want life and are dead and dull in Religion because you are not watchful The second Direction is Strengthen the things that remain as who should say if you would be careful to fortifie those good things that are in you you may stand out against these temptations a little grace will go a great way if it be well managed Now he doth urge this direction three ways First because these things they have are but remainders they had a great deal more once Strengthen the things that do remain as who should say all is even almost quite gone you had a great deal more zeal and forwardnesse but what you have now is but the remainders and the leavings therefore it is high time to look about you Secondly Because even those remainders were almost gone too Srengthen the things that remain that are ready to die as who should say they will be gone too if you bestir not your selves and look well to your estates and conditions Thirdly Because thy works are not perfect they are nothing else almost but hypocriticall and unsound I have not found thy works perfect before God The third Remedy is Remember how thou hast received and heard c. as who should say consider how thou hast been formerly consider how the Word hath been delivered and how thou hast received it The fourth Remedy is Hold fast as who should say labour to get up again and hold fast that the Devil and the world and the temptations to sin may not get away the good things that are in thee that they may not spoil thee of the good things of God and of the hope of eternal life The fifth Remedy is Repent that is bewail thy selfe and lament thy unfruitfulnesse and unwatchfulnesse and carelesnesse this way and humble thy selfe before Almighty God thou mayst yet have mercy when a man doth confess his sins God is just to forgive them and is ready to vouchsafe mercy and quickning and comfort therefore repent saith he Well then the first remedy is to be watchful to watch is to be attentive to be considerative to look what may doe a man good and what may doe a man hurt that he may thereafter carry himselfe it is for a man to have his eyes in his head to have his wits about him for spiritual things This is the subject of it it is properly in the minde and in the heart it is a Metaphor taken from the body for the body when it is asleep the senses are lockt up the eye cannot see the eare cannot hear they are all wrapt up they are not lively and operative but when the body is awake the senses are all open the eye can see and the eare hear and the senses are ready for every Object from hence it is derived to the soules of men they may be said to sleep or watch for when the soul is careless and negligent towards a thing may be dangers are towards a man and he doth not fear them nor study to prevent them may be there is a great deal of good coming towards the soule and he goes drowsily about it the soule now is said to be asleep but when the soule looks seriously and consideratively about things then it is
he should so abuse Bathsheba that good woman and bring her to sin If David himself may thus complain how much more may we complain and loath our selves for the deal of rottenness that is in our hearts O what windings and fetches are there Austin himself saith I can hardly tell when to believe my own heart so I say what a company of windings and turnings and tricks and starting-holes are there in the hearts of Gods people sometimes we are ready to think we have the good we have not and what evasions have we to put off any good duty if we have not a minde to doe it what put offs what tricks to slip our neck out of the collar if we doe not like it what a company of deceits are in the heart So what a company of slights to doe evil such a company of blindings and besottings and carnal reasons and foolish arguments as if we did well in doing it whereas it is but the falseness of our hearts As Mr. Hearn saith It is better for a man to be delivered up to the Devil then to his own heart We read of a man delivered up to Satan as Paul saith and yet we read that that man was brought home again but we never read of any man brought home that was delivered up to the corruptions of his own heart therefore if God hath made us see the falsenesse of our own hearts and made us humble our selves before him for it and made us to endeavour more and more after sincerity what a mercy of God is this but the people of God have cause to complain of the falseness of their hearts Thirdly Is it so that we must be upright then let this serve to exhort us that we would be upright more and more for this is that which the Lord doth look for and especially look for What though we should do things never so good for the matter yet if we do them not with an upright heart all is nothing though the children of Judah fasted and that for 70 years together four times in a year they sought the Lord extraordinarily yet because they did not seek him thoroughly he did not count it sincerely done Zach. 7.4 5. As who should say You did not fast unto me Doubtless they themselves thought they were very religious what not only to doe the duties of religion but to doe extraordinary duties no question they thought this was very much yet every one were cast off because their hearts were not upright before him Amâ—ziah the Text saith did those things that were good in the eyes of the Lord yet the Text makes this exception against him that it was not with an upright heart 2 Chron. 25.2 Consider first That God delights only in an upright heart Prov. 11.20 They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but those that are upright in their wayes are his delight Upright Prayer and upright hearing of the Word and upright Preaching of it upright walking in a mans Family and upright carriage in a mans conversation when a man carries himself uprightly in all his wayes this man is a delight to God as he saith Isa 66.2 I can look over heaven and earth but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy faithful pleas that God would pardon him faithful pleas that God would enable him and accept him and he doth not make these pleas falsly but his own heart can say there is no sin but he sets himselfe against it and there is no commandement but he sets himself to obey it but the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him he cannot abide it let them pray a thousand prayers God abhors their prayers if they have not upright hearts So 1 Chron. 29.17 see what David saith as who should say Lord thou hast pleasure in uprightness and then certainly thou hast some pleasure in me for with an upright heart and in the sincerity of my soule have I sought thee Now on the contrary if a man be not upright before God if a man have a loose conversation and he be not sincere the Lord abhors that man Secondly Consider that this is the totall summe of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace that they should be upright and faithful in his Covenant as when he made his Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17.1 he saith Walk before me and be upright This is that God requires and he would be an Almighty God unto him and bless him and do him good to all generations 1 Sam. 12.24 It is the saying of Samuel to the people Only fear the Lord and walk before him with an upright heart As who should say this is the onely thing and God requires no more if God had required more he might lawfully have done it if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmost rigour he might have done it but this is the onely thing that God doth stand upon that we should be upright before him he doth not look that we should be Angels upon earth but that we should be sincere and not goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly Thirdly Consider The least faith the least grace and goodness if it be with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world God liked more of the poor womans two mites then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Pharisees cast into the Treasury And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall not lose his reward Therefore you shall see many poore beggarly things over those things that other men have done have been accepted whereas the building of Hospitals and Colledges have been rejected though a man have but a little knowledge as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were yet having uprightness died at stake so if a man have but a little faith with sincerity it shall pass when a thousand presumptuous fools shall goe to hell Fourthly Consider God will wink at manifold and grievous faults so there be sincerity and uprightness Asa his faults were horrible faults 1 Kings 15.14 yet his heart was perfect What a company of faults had he what an horrible failing was this that he should cast the very Prophet of God into prison that reproved him Now God answers he had his failings and horrible ones yet he was a good man for his heart was upright before me Asa was not himselfe in that businesse Asa was not Asa then his heart was upright with the Lord. So good Jehosaphat a man that was grievously besmeared with corruptions and infirmities and those no small ones how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a most devillish Family as if he had no fear of God before his eyes he married them to the house of Ahab and
carry you through from the beginning to the end Vse 1. Then certainly the thing is a possible thing a man may be able to say so it is a thing may be known effectual calling whosoever is partaker of it that man may know he hath it though it be such a great jewel such an admirable thing and happy is that man that ever he was borne when he seeth it yet it is such a thing you may come to see and know every man may know what estate he is in whether he be good or bad the conscience doth not onely excuse in good actions but also in a good estate preserve my soul for I am holy saith David Psal 86.2 his conscience did not excuse him onely in that he had done holy duties but in that he waâ— an holy man his conscience could witness with him that he was an holy man and on the other side the conscience doth not onely accuse in evil actions but also in an evil estate I and my people are wicked saith Pharoh Exod. 9. his conscience did not onely accuse him that he did evil actions but that he was in an evil estate not onely that he had done a wicked thing but was a wicked man and the reason of this is because how else should a man be commanded to shun a bad and follow a good estate if it were not discernable who are in a good and bad estate as we see we are called to avoid the one and follow hard after the other therefore it is a thing that may be attained to nay it is not onely a thing that may be attained unto but the children of God are wont to know it as Paul here to Timothy he hath called us we are able to speak it our consciences choake us not in speaking of it nay the doubtfullest man that ever was was Heman Psal 88.1 O Lord God of my salvation I have cryed night and day unto thee as who should say I am very much bewildered and much to seek and lost in doubts and fears marvelously oppressed and overwhelmed yet this I can say thou art my God the God of my salvation thou hast effectually called me to pertake of thy mercy and I have relation to that thou hast given me union with thee thou art the God of my salvation and so it was with David when he was at his worst hath God forgotten to be gracious will he cast off for ever c Psal 77. though he had named all their grievous passages of feare and despaire as a man would think yet at the self same time ver 5. I have considered the dayes of old he was able to lay hold upon this certainty I have been called such a time the Lord was gracious and merciful unto me I have believed I have tasted of Gods goodness and pertake of his mercy and known the forgiveness of my sinnes he looked unto the dayes of old he could not deny it though he were now miserably put to it he could not deny this but in the dayes of old God had been his God and he his servant and so Jonah when he was dejected and cast down and seemed to be in the belly of hell Lord saith he I am cast out of thy sight as if he had been cast off and quite at a losse yet at the selfe same time saith he I will look towards thy holy Temple Jon. 2.4 as who should say I cannot deny but thou hast effectually called me I have looked to thy Temple heretofore I have looked to Christ and rested upon thee for eternal life and for mercy and thou art my refuge therefore I will look againe to thee So Joh. 14.5 6 7. Thomas he speaks as if he had not known Christ Thomas saith he ver 7. thou dost know me nay when he made a vow that he would not believe except he saw the print of the nailes yet this was but in a fit for within a little space he saith my Lord and my God Joh. 20. I will prove this by reason that a man that is quite to seek that a man that is not able to speak with any certainty he hath not a jot of faith in this point to believe that he is the Lords for that man walks in darkness our Saviour makes it a brand of a man that walks in darkness that knoweth not whether he goeth Joh. 12.35 He that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth whither to heaven or to hell whither he goes right or wrong to Christ or not it is a shroad signe that that man is in a bad estate that God never yet took him out of the world to the fellowship of Jesus Christ The first reason is because it is the office of the Spirit to make known to a man the things given him of God 1 Cor. 2.12 now saith he we have received the Spirit not of the world but the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God as who should say as God hath given us such and such things So we have the Spirit of God that can tell us the things that God hath freely given us when God hath given a man effectual calling it is a free gift and then it is the Spirits office to let a man know it and the Spirit will do his office nay when God effectually calls a man by his Spirit the Spirit saith to a man as the disciples of Christ said to the man that was brought to Christ Matth. 10.40 Be of good cheare he calls thee so when God effectually calls a man the Spirit saith arise be of good cheare the Lord calls thee the Lord of heaven and earth gives thee a gracious call to come to his heavenly Kingdome to believe in his name and to rest upon him for Salvation and for every needful thing for this life and the life to come the Spirit whereby a man is called doth speak internum verbum as Divines speak an inward word which the soul hears as well as the outward eare hears the external word our Saviour sheweth this Joh. 6.45 he that hath heard and learned of the Father saith he cometh unto me when a man is effectually called to come unto Christ he hears of the Father there is a word that the Father speaks not onely the word of the Minister but an inward word and that man hears a word from the Father and how can it be but a man may know it when he hears it for there is a word and an audible word a word whereby the Lord of glory speaks to a man when he effectually calls him to come out of his sins Secondly Because a man that is effectually called of God he is commaded by God to make his calling and election sure as we may see 2 Pet. 1.10 as who should say you may make it sure 't is true in legal precepts this doth not follow that if so be God bid a man to do it
the guiltiness lieth upon his soul he cannot say he hath obtained mercy of God he is without God and without Christ and is yet in his sins for ought he knows Secondly As your consciences must needs accuse you so likewise you can have no joy in Jesus Christ nor any of his promises nor any of the gracious things in his Covenant because you know not whether they belong to you or no when a man knows not a thing he cannot have any joy in any thing as Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth a man cannot boast of that he knows not can a man boast of to morrow O I shall have a fine day to morrow when he knows not whether he shall have a morrow or no he may be dead by to morrow or his house may be burnt over his head to morrow he cannot rejoyce in it So when a man knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no what joy can he have what joy can he have in Christ or his ordinances when his conscience knocks him off and his soul stands in doubt whether these things belong to him or no he may catch at these as Josephs Mistres catcht hold on him but he left his garment and fled away so they catch at the promises and these things but they fly away from them and leave them as a shadow and they are as much to seek as before and it will be thus as long as a man doth not go on to make his effectual calling sure Thirdly Thou canst not tell what to make of Gods mercies and blessings to thee God hath given thee many blessings life and health and means and maintenance and sweetly provided for thee from thy cradle to this day and hath recovered thee out of many sicknesses and afflictions and hath given thee the means of grace and thou hast heard Sermon upon Sermon and hast had the acquaintance of his children and hast dwelt in the land of uprightness and seen the Saints of God and the examples of Gods Saints and thou hast had the motions of Gods Spirit from day to day and many good things God hath vouchsafed but while a man is questioning and doubting whether he be effectually called or no he cannot tell what to make of these things whether he should call them mercies or no whether they be in wrath or no to fat him up against the day of wrath to whom much is given of him much is required It is said of the Virgin Mary when the Angel saluted her graciously and comfortably the text saith she was much troubled wondring what manner of salutation this should be Luk. 1.29 So when the Lord sends abundance of sweet mercies the soul is troubled what mercies these should be are these mercies that come from Christ and flow from Gods goodness as pledges of his grace and favour or no he is troubled and cannot tell what to make of them what are these mercies and he is afraid he had been better to have been without them and better he had never known them it is a miserable thing when a man is uncertaine of his effectual calling for uncertaine of that uncertaine of all Fourthly Thou dost not know what to do in time of affliction when affliction comes as thou canst not but expect it every day yet when it comes how wilt thou bear it how wilt thou be able to suffer for Christ and to go to prison for Christs sake when thou dost question whether the truth ever made thee free if thou wert able to speak of God as thy Father and a Kingdom prepared for thee this would cast out fears feare not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom Luk. 12.37 but when a man questions whether God be his Father or no questions whether he hath given him a Kingdom or no yea whether any such thing belongs to him nay he thinks he is a wretch and he should wrong God if he should lay hold on such things this exposeth a man to fears what is the reason that many fall away in time of persecution it is because they want hold of God as Demas what is the reason he could not beare Pauls afflictions but fell away and embraced the world it was because he wanted Pauls hold a man must have hold some where if not on God some where else this is the reason why many break their necks and when persecution comes they are troubled and put by and make shipwrack of a good conscience and forbear to go on in that way which they ought to go on in and to yield to those things which they know they ought not to yield to When a man knows he is effectually called of God this will make a man suffer for God as the Apostle Peter speaking of the sufferings of the Saints hereunto saith he were you called knowing that Christ suffered for you when a man is able to say Christ suffered for me and God hath effectually called me to his heavenly Kingdom to pertake of Christ and his benefits and sufferings now this will beare a man out this man is able to endure the losse of liberty of means maintenance or any thing for the Gospels sake but before what shall a man do in afflictions as long as a man doth not know that he is effectually called he doth expose himself to hazards and breaknecks and who knows what may be Fifthly Thou canst not pray with any courage thy prayers are but lith and lanke and weak as water thou canst not come boldly to the throne or grace thou art afraid thou art none of Gods and none of Christs afraid that thou hast not received the Spirit of God that thou mayst be the child of God and art afraid that thy prayers are not accepted of God but he turnes them into sin thou canst never have boldness unless it be the boldness of impudence but never the boldness of confidence how shall a man call upon him on whom he hath not believed a man without faith cannot please God he cannot pray to God O my Lord saith Manoah c. Judg. 13.8 if he had not prayed with faith knowing that God was his God his prayer had not had successe but this made him pray with the more boldness and strength when the Priests of Baal had done praying and God would not hear them marke what Eliah saith I am thy servant Lord heare me 1 King 18.36 as who should say here be people praying they pray they know not what and to they know not whom they are none of thine but I am thy servant heare me Lord he comes and acts a better part and he will be heard before he goes and finde acceptance before he departs when a man can say Lord I am thy servant I am one whom thou hast redeemed and effectually called heare me Lord this man prayes indeed he prayes
him crying and roaring and made him glad to go to their houses whom before he had persecuted and scorned and afterwards he told him that he was a chosen vessel so the Lord dealt with the jaylor he rent and tore him and burst him in peices as if all the devils in hell were about him and afterwards he saith Believe in the Lâ—rd Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.26 But you will say there are some in Scripture are related not to have any such work Lidia she heard Paul preach and the Lord opened her heart at first and was a convert presently Act. 6.14 So it was with Cornelius and his company Peter opened his mouth and preached to them and while he yet spake the holy Ghâ—sâ— fell on them all Act. 10.24 Therefore it seems all mens conversions and callings home are not ushered by this legal work I answer This is a poore Argument that because the Scripture doth not say this work of the Law did not go before therefore it did not go before a man cannot make such an inference because the Scripture doth not repeate it it is sufficient that the Scripture hath related it in other places how the Lord brings his people home and what method he useth in doing them good first he useth the work of the Law and then of the Gospel the Lord sets it down in other places and therefore though he omits it here it doth not follow there was no such thing in Lidia and Cornelius and I will prove there was in both places that there was a preparatory work in Lida is plaine by two Arguments for the Scripture sheweth that before this evangelical work came she was a worshipper of God before noting there was something went before this opening of her heart there was a work of the Law before for this was the first work of the Gospel when God opened her heart another Argument is in the 13 ver where it is said that Lidia before she heard this Sermon resorted to Paul to the Rivers side to pray therefore it is a plaine sign that she was wrought upon by a preparatory work before Paul converted her and wrought upon her by the Gospel And then for Cornelius and his friends for Cornelius himself it is a plaine case that he was wrought upon before the Holy Ghost fell upon him for in the beginning of the Chapter it is said he was a devout man one that called upon God and set times apart extraordinarily to seek God before the Holy Ghost fell upon him and no question it was so with his kinsfolks for whom did he call to meet with Peter at this Sermon but those that he had been conversant with therefore it is likely they were wrought upon before as well as Cornelius otherwise he would have had little hope to get them thither well then the first thing we have proved that God doth thus prepare his people legally before he doth effectually call them Now we come to the second thing why God thus and the first Reason is because God will declare and shew forth his justice for as God did shew forth his justice in the Redemption of his people so he will also in the application of this Redemption shew some part of his justice in the Redemption of the World he poured forth the full viols of it he required full satisfaction of the Lord Jesus now he will not let justice be utterly swallowed up of mercy when he comes to apply this but justice shall shew his face and they shall come to see what Christ hath done for them and miseries he hath waded through for a man he shall see that God is a just and righteous God that hates sinne and abhors iniquity what a consuming fire he is against them that disobey him the Lord makes his justice appeare in the application of Redemption you see how he takes up his people upon Mount Ebal and delivers the curses of the Law and makes his own people to say Amen and subscribe to them Deut. 27.26 Here he delivers the curses and makes proclamation of his justice and saith he I will have all the people say Amen he will have all lye a bleeding under this curse and marke what Moses saith in the first verse of the next Chapter it shall come to passe if thou wilt hearken to the voyce of the Lord he will set thee up above all nations here comes in a fine Sunshiny day afterwards the Lord will have his people see his justice and what it is to be delivered from sinne the Lord will make them see that he is a just and righteous God and that there is no sinning against him there is no living in his sight no entring into his Kingdom without righteousness I must be a new creature else I shall be consumed he chargeth these things upon the soul and that soundly too because now he will lay down the foundation of a godly life the soul shall have need of this point as long as he lives to remember that God is a righteous God he hath found him to be a just God against sinne though he be a gracious and merciful God to them that truly repent and set themselves to obey his Name yet the soul seeth there is no living in sinne no following after a mans own lusts and the soul never loseth this for though the soul many times through temptations may be carried away yet he shall never be under that former blindness he was in never so ignorant of God never think so meanly and ignominiously of God as he did in his unregeneracy he still knows that God is a severe God and there is no expecting of mercy at his hands without holinesse and righteousnes if God should smother up the work all at first justice would not be seen as we see it is among men suppose a base fellow hath wronged a noble man may be the noble man means to pardon him but yet he will have him smart for it and feele and know what it is to displease and wrong and impeach such a great man as he So if the Lord should smother up the business presently as soon as ever he sends the word to a man presently convert a man and pardon him and give him true and saving faith justice would not be seen and therefore the Lord first tramples upon a mans neck and shews him his filthiness and casts him out of the Camp as the Lord said concerning Mirian she is unclean carry her out of the Camp so the Lord flings a person forth like a cursed damned creature as if he would take him by the heeles and fling him down to hell and never look upon him and then he takes him in thus the Lord tells his people Isa 45.21 There is none but me a just God and a Saviour first he makes them see that he is a just God and then he makes them see that he is their Saviour and Redeemer
and notwithstanding his justice and severity against sinne and iniquity yet he will give his grace and mercy to them that repent and humble themselves under his hand Secondly The Lord doth this because he would sweeten his mercy to the soul as you may see how he dealt with the Prophets widow he let her creditors arrest her first and seize upon her two sons for bondmen and then he wrought a wonder for her 2 King 4.1 now this mercy was sweet and came in due season I was in misery and the Lord helped me saith David as who should say it came in a time when I had need of it The Lord deales as it is reported King James did at the beginning of his reign when some of his Nobles had been offenders he let the law proceed against them till they were brought to the scaffold and their heads laid upon the block and then sent a pardon and now a pardon was acceptable indeed So the Lord deales with his people he lets the law loose upon the soul yea and the devil too many times and he rends them and teares them as a Lyon and lets them look when they shall perish and layes their heads upon the block and then sends hope of a pardon and forgiveness of sinnes what a sweet staying of Abrahams hand was that when the knife was just ready to be stuck in Isaacks throat so when the knife of Justice is ready to be stuck into a mans throat and he is ready to perish for ever now mercy will be sweet mercy now it will be mercy indeed This is the time of love saith God Ezek. 16.8 When God had laid his people a bleeding in their goare blood now he passeth by and saith This is a time of love he laid them in their blood and filthinesse he laid them vile and miserable in themselves and now saith he is the time of love Now the mountaines drop with sweet wine as the Prophet speaks what is the reason that people do not taste any sweetnesse in the Gospel and Sacraments and Ordinances of Christ Alas they were never sensible of their sinnes therefore the Lord doth thus to make his mercy sweet to his people that they may prize it and esteeme it and make good account of it from day to day Thirdly the Lord doth this that he may fetch his people home to the Lord Jesus Christ for before they will not come to God they will not come at him as the Prophet speaks but when they are in the Margent of Hell ready to perish and have no hope to hold to nothing to trust to they are quite and cleane at a loss and know not whither to go now this makes them come home as it is said of Absolom he sent once to Joab but he would not come to him yea twice and he would not come but when he set his Barley field on fire then he came So the Lord sets his peoples hearts on fire he fires their consciences and their very bowols and makes their soules ake within them for want of mercy and grace and favour for want of power against their sinnes for want of Gods helping and assisting of them from day to day and this makes them glad to come home to him You know how long it was before the woman in the Gospel would come to Christ she was sick twelve years and had spent all her living upon the Physicians and could have no help now she came to Christ when she was quite spent and her patience was come to the utmost she was a dead woman if she came not to Christ all the Physicians could not help her now she comes home to Christ As it was with Agur when he saw his brutishnesse this drave him to Ithiel and Vcal Prov. 30.1 2. that is to the Lord Jesus Christ as it is with a Coney when she is persued by a Dogge then she runnes to her burrough When Naomi was bereft of Husband Children Meanes and Maintenance and heares there is plenty in Israel she returns presently she might have gone long before but she wanted a scourge and whip to send her home but when she had lost all and was ready to sink and heard good tidings from Bethlehem now she makes speed thither presently as the Lord speaks Hos 2.6 I will hedge her wayes with thornes how doth the Lord make the poore Church here come home to him that was her husband and beloved from whom she was gone a whoring God takes this course he hedgeth her wayes with thornes she would have rests and friends and comforts and something to hang upon but God knocks her off from all and now she will returne to her husband again so the Lord to make his people stoop to his yoake he shews them their misery and worries them and wearies them that they can hold out no longer and then down go their bucklers and now speak Lord thy servants hear now they are willing to hear him Fourthly God doth it that he may weane his people from sinne and take off their hearts from their own wayes for a man is marvellous eager of sinne by nature and will not let it go and will not part with it by no meanes his heart is set upon his lusts and he will have them though he hath hell and damnation with them when the Lord calls upon them to walk in his wayes they say they will not walk therein Jer. 6.16 People will not be diligent in prayer and hold close to God they will not be strict in their wayes as the precisenesse of the Gospel teacheth them now the Lord breaks in upon them in this fashion and makes them willing As a man deales with a young horse or colt when a man would tame a colt that is lusty and head-strong and violent he carries him out may be and makes him apprehend in his fancy that he will ride him against stone-walls and carries him may be into Quagmires and Muds and rotten Fennes and there he makes him go and spurs him and beats him and raines him and snafles him and thus he breakes his stomack and at last he will beare the saddle and carry a man quietly so the Lord Jesus doth with a poor creature he casts off the bonds of Christ and though the truth begins to work upon his conscience he throwes out the arrow againe and heales himself with vaine healings now the Lord breakes a mans heart and opens a peep-hole into hell as though he would throw him in quick thither and shews him his misery to the life and to the quick and so makes them come off as the Lord dealt with Moses when he would make him circumcise his sonne he was loath to displease his wife she was against it being a Midianitish woman and he was loath to have her ill-will and therefore deferred it now what course took God with him the Lord met him and would have slaine him the Lord made as though he
were his enemy and would slay him and now he was willing to do it so the Lord deals with a stubborne soul if it belongs to him he will overcome his heart and make him let fall his sinnes he will make as though he would slay him he will make him a weary of keeping his lusts before he hath done with him The Lord deales in this case as he dealt with the Philistins they would not send home the Arke what course did he take to make them send it home and send it home in pomp and great respect God did fling down Dagon which was their chief Idoll and the Lord smote them with Emerods And now they think with themselves let us send home the Arke of the Lord and how shall we send it home Let us provide golden Mice and Emerods they sent it home with cost and offerings So the Lord deals with those that belong to him he tires them in their own ways and makes them willing to come out at last Lastly the Lord doth it to knock his people quite and cleane off from all every man naturally hangs upon something and above all hangs upon his good works and good prayers and performances and this keeps his heart from seeing what a miserable creature he is this keeps him from mourning and zeal and fervency and all this while that he hangs upon these his heart is hard'ned he will never stoop and yield to God now when the Lord means to do a man good he knocks him quite off and plucks out of his hands all his works and makes him let all go not that he ceaseth to work but as the Apostle speaks Rom 4.14 He makes him as a man that worketh not not as though he worketh not for there is no carnal man works more then this poor soul in this estate he keeps a great deal of stir to find out mercy and obtaine grace from God there is none that mournes and laments more and goes to Sermons more but yet he is no worker now he is faine to go to his father to him that justifies the ungodly all his wayes are loathsome and abominable he seeth nothing to trust upon but is driven to him that justifies the ungodly he sees he is a vile wretched creature he sees no worth no reason why God should look upon him he is now pennilesse and worthlesse and miserable in himself the Lord makes him a very bankrout he thought he was a rich Merchant but now he makes him a very bankrout and makes him appeare to be naked First here all Dawbers are to be reproved that preach nothing but mercy and the promises of the Gospel many love alife to be upon such theames O say they the promises are best to humble a man and bring him out of his sins whom shall we believe God or man This not the way Ezek. 13.22 the text saith Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not turne from his wicked wayes by promising him life When a man preacheth the promise of God before wicked and ungodly men this hardens their hearts and strengthens them that they will not returne from their wicked wayes because the promises are propounded to them and the Minister makes no distinction between the precious and the vile this strengthens them in their sinnes and makes them think they are not so vile but they hope they are in a good case for all this therefore Saint Austine calls such men desolatores not consolatores such work desolation in their hearers and no sound consolation such Ministers as make their Sermons to be pillowes under peoples elbowes they make themselves guilty of the peoples blood and their souls shall be required at their hands they are the cause of peoples miscarriage when a Minister thinks to do people good by crying peace peace when the Prophet saith there is no peace to the wicked this rather drives people further off from God may be it may make them seeme outward professors but it will never make them sound in the faith rebuke them sharply saith the Apostle that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 sharp rebuking the powerful delivering of the Law and Gospel is the meanes to mahe men sound in the faith the more humble a man is made to be the more faith he comes to have our Saviour saith of the Centurion he had not found the like faith in Israel how came this the text shewes plainly that we shall hardly heare of a man so humble in an age as he was he did even grudge to think that Christ should come into his house he thought he was unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe though he were in the dayes of his humiliation in the forme of a servant his heart was employed and brought low he had no hope in himself all the worth he saw was in Christ this helps a man to the more faith the more a man is emplyed the more may be poured in Wherefore serve all those texts in Scripture The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evill flesh and blood can never enter into the Kingdome of God that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and such a one can never please God while the world stands Wherefore serve all these texts of Scripture when Gods flings balls of fire upon men that live in their wicked wayes Why do we not open them and presse them upon mens consciences Why do we not apply them to those to whom they belong are they not in the Bible were the Prophets fooles were the Holy Pen-men of the Scripture mistaken in putting such texts into the Bible If they be there they ought to be utâ—â—red and applied and if they be to be applied to whom but to those to whom they belong Then such persons had need to look to themselves and we that are Ministers woe unto us if we do not preach terrour to whom terrour belongs as well as mercy to whom mercy belongs but you will say are not we Ministers of the Gospel 't is true and so was Christ yet mark what he saith repent and then believe first he discovers their miserable conditions and breaks their hearts and then bids them lay hold upon the Gospel of peace this is the Method that we that are the Ministers of God should take first wound and then heale first lance and then bind up first detect mens sinnes and shew them their miseries and then shew them a remedy first let them see what they are and then see how they may be better Then you must be content to let us go up upon Mount Eball and pronounce the curses of God upon those that go on in their sinnes you must be content to have your estates and conditions ripped up be not ready to be snappish and murmuring against the revelation of the Law and the
Wildernesse the Lord doth as it were entice a man thus and thus it shall be with thee if thou wilt follow me it is done after such a manner therefore it is called a voice The third thing is how we may know whether the soul hath heard this voice or no I answer first there is a power goeth along with the Word when this voice of the Father goeth with it there is a power put into the promises not only the Minister speaks them or the bare letter of the word utters them but when the Spirit speaks with them there is a power goeth along with them as John 6.44 there is a power to draw the heart when the Lord calls a man when he speaks to a man he puts a power into the promise that it draws the heart of a man the truth the goodness the excellency freenesse attainableness of it the Lord puts a power into these things to draw the heart so that that man is drawn to look after heaven and come to God from day to day the excellency and incomparable worth of these things having the power of God in them woeth the heart and enticeth it and draws it and hales it to come to God and weaneth it from the world and he lets them go more and more not seeing such worth in them to draw his minde away more and more hence the Gospel is call'd the power of God to salvation Rom. 16.6 when God calls a man by the Gospel he puts a power into all the promises to draw a man home to pull a man effectually and powerfully unto him he is enamoured of them and must have them and will have them and casts himself upon God for the having of them when any soul obeyeth the call of God what is the reason that it obeyeth it it feels a power in the Word in the promises of God when he hears it preached as 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not unto you in Word onely but in power the Lord calling of these good Thes By his grace there was a power went along with the Word and made them receive the Word and that drew their hearts to take it though by nature they were averse from it though by nature they were stubborn and rebellious and would not submit to the Gospel yet when the Lord puts this power into the promise to overwoe the soul more then lusts and sinnes and things of the world could do more then the inclinations of the soul could do it came with a stronger power then all these to the soul and this made the soul hear this voice Secondly he that hears this voice hears more then a man or any creature say unto him beleeve saying unto him come unto Christ cast thy selfe upon God here is mercy here is a promise here is peace that thou needest when he doth not onely hear the Minister say it all the Congregation hears him speak it and no man stirs but when a man hears more then a Minister say so he feels such a coming of the Word to him that all the created powers in heaven and earth could never move him in that manner then he heares the voice of the Spirit of God for when God calls a man effectually he makes the Gospel a glasse for a man to see the glory of God thorow as you may see 2 Cor. 3.18 he means by the glasse there the Gospel the Lord when he calls a man he makes the Gospel a glasse to him that he may behold the glory of God the infinite graciousnesse and lovelinesse of God the infinite goodness happinesse and blessednesse of God and what an infinite fountaine of all goodnesse he is in his own Son Jesus Christ he lets him see not only the Gospel every man seeth the Gospel but every man hath not this glasse it is not this glasse to him to let him see the glory of God when God turns a man he comes with this glorious light thorow the Gospel to his soul there is a great light shines from heaven about a man as there did about Saint Paul the Gospel it self a light and every man seeth this light but there is darkness upon the minde still for all that but when God calls a man there is a great light comes into the soul you are a chosen generation c. 1 Pet. 2.9 mark there is a marvellous deal of light the Lord lets into the soul that the soul can now see how the devil and sin and the world deluded him and how the world and all profits and pleasures are a meer painted thing and are meerly vexations of Spirit now he sees how to distinguish between things and things there is a glorious and a marvellous light come in he sees the wiles of his own heart and how he was beguiled before and betwitched by the devil before he seeth all the folly and the Popery of his own heart such a deal of light comes in that it discovers all so far forth as is necessary to bring him to God now he sees that his moaping and blundering upon his sins and condemning of himself it had a form of humility but it was nothing but pride and stubbornnesse of heart and he would rather have him be without mercy then have it upon Gods termes he beholding the glory of God seeth the wyles and deceits of his own soul this light sheweth him the glory of God and propounds to him these things and makes him beleeve them Thirdly this same voice of the Father when the Father speaks to a man it is the irrefragable propounding of the promise to him when the promises of the Gospel are delivered in an irrefragable mannner contrary to all the objections of the heart of man all the pleas that can be brought against it it comes in an irrefragable manner and holds itself before him that he may believe not that he may not be tempted to the contrary but he sees that they are but temptations O saith the soul I see I am unwilling to do good duties what of that if thou wouldest be willing the promise is free may be saith the soul I am full of stubbornnesse and rebellion and unprofitableness what of that that is nothing saith the promise if thou come to me I can heal thee of this stubbornnesse beleeve in me this is the way to be rid of thy stubbornnesse and to have a better heart and more abilities as long as it is a burthen to thee beleeve in me it comes in an irrefragable manner so that the soul can say I refused comfort all this while as David saith Ps 77. comfort was propounded to me but I would not have it I was sullen and peevish and put it off and withstood my own comforts now the soul seeth its putting off of Gods mercie and the forsaking its own mercies and the gracious proffers tendred to it I say when the Spirit speaks this voice to the soul it speaks in a marvellous
hardnesse of heart again so that such a man is not the formal Object of Mercy 2. Again We see many though they be wrought upon thus by the Law and their Eyes be enlightned and their Consciences awaked and they see that they are in a wretched and damned estate yet they scrape together a company of vain hopes and so heal themselves again VVhen they have been terrified by the Law they seek presently for Promises and how they may get up again and they would fain get up and they lye at catch at every Sermon and at every Chapter and at every Word which a good man speaks and if they can get any hold they catch at it and so get up again and go on And when they have got a little comfort and think they shall do well they are as carelesse and as stubborn and as secure as ever they were they may go on in the profession of Religion but yet their latter end is worse than their beginning The unclean Divel may be cast out but the Devil transforms himself into an angel of light and enters into them and they go on in doing good duties but they never have the power of Religion Again Thirdly Many that are humbled by the Law they run away and never come to Christ as Judas when he saw he was condemned he went and hanged himself Matth. 27 3 5. Some expound it of Christ when he saw Christ was condemned but others expound it of himself when Judas saw himself was condemned and that seems to be the meaning of the place for Christ was not condemned nor so much as accused there came not any witnesse against him till Judas had hanged himself as we may see if we read that Chapter But whether that be the meaning or no this is true and certain he saw he was a dead mâ—â— he saw he lay under the guilt of his sins and he despaired of Mercy and went and hanged himself Again Lastly If such a man were the Object of Mercy then all the damned in Hell were the formal Objects of Mercy for there is never a man in Hell but the Law hath its work to the uttermost upon him it can work a man no lower it can sink a man no deeper it can make a man no more miserable then those that are in Hell Now if a dead man by the Law should be the formal Object of mercy then the damned in Hell should be the formal Object of mercy which cannot be for from thence there is no Redemption Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his angels Matth. 25. there is no quenching of that fire So that we see the legal killing of the Law doth not make a man the formal Object of mercy But yet such a man hath a great deal of advantage he is before a world of other men that live secure if men were in this estate they were in a thousand times more likelyhood to be saved If I could hear of people that were gastered and cast down by the Law that saw themselves without Christ and without Mercy in the power of Satan and in the bond of iniquity if they cryed out I am a dead man and a damned man if I dye now at this present I shall go to Hell if People were in this estate and condition there were more hopes of them a thousand times there is no hope of people that do live secure in their sins so long as the Trumpet of the Law hath not sounded in their ears so long as the Hammer of the Law hath not sounded upon their hearts there is no hope of mercy for them Therefore now for the clearing of this a little more let me shew you First What it is to be dead according as the Gospel makes a man to be a dead man Secondly What is the difference between Legal Privation and Evangelical and when these Privations are Evangelical and put a man under the actual title to Mercy under an actual interest in the Promises Thirdly VVhat Use we are to make of it For the First VVhat it is to be Evangelically dead To be Legally dead is not to be half a quarter so much dead as to be Evangelically dead so as the Gospel makes a man dead before it quickens him VVhen a man is Evangelically dead it makes him more dead by a thousand degrees then all the Law in the world can make him it makes him more dead by odds when a man is Legally dead and sees himself to be a damned creature and whereas he hoped to have mercy he seeth now he hath none and whereas he hoped to go to Heaven he now seeth the Gates are shut against him and whereas he hoped he had some good in him now he sees he hath nothing in him a man would think this were a dead man but his livelinesse is only in a swound the Law lying upon him will not let his livelinesse appear and if the Law should lye upon him for ever it would never let his livelinesse actually appear but yet he is not throughly dead all this while as for example 1. Self-conceitednesse it is not deaded when a man is killed by the Law you would think his conceitednesse were gone he was conceited he was a good Christian but now he sees no such matter he was conceited before that he would repent and God would be merciful to him but now he seeth he is utterly deprived of mercy and lies under the wrath of God you would think now that all his conceitedness was gone but it is but only in a swound all this while he lies for dead as it were but he is not dead So take a man that is in Hell all his good conceits of mercy and of himself and his profits and pleasures and vanities and delights they are all gone now What doth Pride profit me What good do Riches do me What have all my Pleasures and Delights done me good All my labour is vanity and all my delights folly one would think all his conceits were clean gone but they are only in a swound If a damned man were out of Hell if the Lord should take off the lash of his Law from him he would have as good a conceit of his Profits and Pleasures and Riches again as ever he had and he would have his carnal Reasons against the strictnesse of Religion again as rife as ever he had they are only laid in a swound indeed there they shall lie a man can never get up again because the Law lies continually upon him he is continually under the lash of the Law and the Law holds this picture before his eyes and shews him his damned estate ann condition but upon such a supposition that he might come out of Hell his conceits would rise up again Prov. 5.12 13. Solomon there brings in a man wrought upon by the Law the Law discovered him to be a dead man How have I hated instruction and despised
the love of the Creature if thou lovest thy ease too well or any thing in the world too well thou art drunk with it thy heart is giddy thou art no more able to Pray or do any thing that 's good then a drunken man is Fifthly If thou wilt Watch then set the Lord alwayes before thy eyes Set the watchman of Israel before thy face God is called a watcher Dan. 4.23 Now if thou wilt watch over thy self set God before thy face as David did Psal 16.8 I have set God before mine eyes so alwayes set the Lord before thine eyes Now I come to the last thing which is an Vse of Exhortation To exhort us to be careful of this Duty and there is great need of it First We all desire to do well Now how can we do well at last unless we watch well all our life time VVhat is the reason that many are without comfort not like the Servants of God full of horrour and fear and quaking It is because they do not watch as it was with the Five wise Virgins they were something wise not like the foolish but they slumbred too Now when the bridegroom came there was a cry they made an out-cry and a skrieking and an howling they were undone the bridegroom was come one would have thought they should have rejoyced that the bridegroom was come What godly Christians and Religious People when the bridegroom comes to fall a howling and a crying This was because they slumbred whereas if a man be watchful over his life and careful to keep an humble heart and to honour God and study how to die comfortably at last he may rejoyce at the coming of the bridegroom but because they were in a slumber there was a cry therefore as the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand therefore be sober and watch unto prayer the Apostle brings this as an Argument so I may say the end of all things is at hand therefore be sober and watch as a Traveller when the day is almost spent and he hath a great way to go he puts spurs to his Horse and rides the faster so the end of all things is at hand therefore we had need to be the more diligent and watchful that we may have all things ready the end comes upon us We have had the Gospel a long time and God knows how soon we shall have an end thereof therefore how ought we to be careful as a man that is to write a Letter may be at first he is something carelesse and writes his lines something broad but when he comes near to the end and hath a great deal to write he writes his lines close and crowds them together So now when we are coming towards an end we cannot look that God should alvvayes strive with us we should now therefore labour to write close and to make our Duties thick and to be enquiring after Grace wheresoever we come we think the time is long but we may justly fear it is shorter then we imagine as when an hour-glass is almost out a man that sits below will think there is a great deal to run but the sand is hollow and is run out before a man is aware so the Lord so carries himself towards people that they may think there is a great deal of Patience more and a great deal of Mercy more to be extended towards them but when all comes to all they shall find it lyes hollow and will be out before they are aware Secondly Consider how sickly and diseased our Souls are how apt they are to fall into sin Sickly men are most careful Now our Souls are sick of sin sick of Pride sick of Covetousnesse and Earthly-mindednesse easily carried away with the sins of the times they are sick of pronenesse to do evil and indisposednesse to that which is good therefore we had need to watch over our souls we had need be our own Porters Matth. 13.34 our Saviour Christ doth compare every Christian to a Porter The Lord of the house takes a great journey and commands the Porter to watch We should all be Porters and keep the gates of our Souls for we are alwayes in danger Thirdly Consider that God hath awakened many of us already and therefore it is a miserable thing for us to sleep again wicked and ungodly men that were never converted and healed and awakened and wrought upon they go to Hell and damnation in a sleepy security but when a man hath been once awakened and hath shaken off sleep and God hath made him look about him to see how he might be saved if this man fall asleep again it is a most miserable thing the latter end of that man will be worse then his beginning Fourthly Consider the badnesse of the Times and Places and Families we live in they are all secure and therefore we had need be so much the more vvatchful and you knovv it is a very hard thing for a man not to do as others do therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 5.6 vvould not have them sleep as others do as vvho should say Others do so and therefore you have so much the more need to look to your selves that you may not do as others do THE NEVV BIRTH Jon. 3.6 That vvhich is born of the Flesh is Flesh but that vvhich is born of the Spirit is Spirit MY Purpose is to speak of the several VVorks of Gods holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of his chosen they are Gods peculiar people and therefore he vvill vvork greater Mercies for them then for any else Novv the First grand distinguishing vvork of the Holy Ghost in the Elect is Regeneration he is the Author of Spiritual life in them they are born of him though by nature they are born of the flesh and so are flesh and in that estate can never enter into the kingdom of God yet vvhen the Spirit of God comes to regenerate them they come to be Spirit they come to have a nevv life and the Spirit of God gives it them it is true that Christ is the Author of this life he procured it by his death he quickens whom he will as he told his Disciples Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also Life is derived by Christ to all the Members of Christ for as all in Adam died Adam is the general root of all in his loins and by him they come to be dead in sin so Christ is the Second Adam and all that are in his loins all that are in him he is a quickning Spirit to them 1 Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit Christ is the second Adam and is a quickning Spirit to all that are in him God the Father hath appointed him to be the Prince of Life as Peter tells his Hearers Act. 3.15 The Lord Jesus Christ he is the
who should say it were a sign that God were not amongst us if we did not this he takes it as a principle written in the conscience though he were a natural man yet he doth reason thus that where there is not every day some time for Gods Worship God is not amongst them Another Reason is Because every morning God reneweth his Mercies Reas 2 and every evening they are continued to us as the Church saith in the Lamentations ch 3.23 Every morning his mercies are renewed to us and in the evening his compassions fail not therefore every morning we are to set our selves before God to ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins every morning and evening we are to do this Psal 92.1 2. David saith It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord to sing praises to thy Name O thou most High To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night And then again God is the Alpha and Omega he is the beginning and Reas 3 the ending of all things and of all actions we do God should therefore have the beginning and ending of every day that the Worship of God may have the start of all other actions it is necessary it should be so when a man first awakes in the morning God should be the first thought that should come into his mind As David saith Psal 5.3 My voice will I lift up unto thee in the morning as soon as ever he awakes in the morning his heart is lifted up to God so it is good for a man to make the first part of the day holy that the rest of the day may be thereafter and so as we are to begin the day with the solemn Worship of God so we are to end it in the evening that we may reckon up all our accounts and make even with God as the Apostle saith Ephes 4.26 Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath so let not the Sun go down upon a dead heart upon a carnal heart upon a worldly heart but as the Sun goeth down upon our bodies so let the Sun of Righteousness set upon our hearts that we may lye down in peace having all our reckoning made even and all scores cancelled The Third Proposition is this As there must be some time for Gods immediate Service and there must be every day some set time at least morning and evening so likewise every whole day all the dayes of our lives should be in some manner a Sabbath day to the Lord we should be holy every day The Apostle finds fault Gal. 4.10 That they observed times and seasons and dayes and months and years we must not be earthly-minded one day and heavenly-minded another but we must be every day holy to the Lord. The First Reason is The Covenant which God hath made with us doth Reas 1 require it that is the end why God saves a man from his sins and brings him into the kingdom of Christ he takes a solemn Oath from him That being delivered from the hands of his enemies he shall serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of his life Every day must be a Sabbath day whensoever a man gives himself up to God there is an Oath hangs upon him and he breaks this Oath if he set not upon it with all his might that every day may be a Sabbath day he is to be careful to live godly and religiously in all places and at all times and in every action he puts his hand unto a man is not only to make conscience on the seventh day but every day of his life Reas 2 The Second Reason is Because not to make every day an holy day is the brand of an Hypocrite it is hypocrisie Job 27.10 Will be alwayes call upon God To be holy sometimes and not at another time is the trick of an hypocrite will he alwayes call upon God will that man alwayes obey God and worship him will he alwayes set himself to keep close with God No an hypocrite will not do so You may know an hypocrite he hath his fits and his pangs and his moods but a godly man a sincere hearted man is one that doth compose himself to keep a constant course in Gods worship as Act. 24.16 There saith Paul Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good conscience alwayes both towards God and towards man And as it was the practise of Paul so of all the Elect people of God of all sincere Christians in the world Act. 26.27 all the Elect of God all the beloved of God they did instantly serve God day and night Thirdly Because blessednesse doth consist in this In keeping every day Reas 3 in some kind as a Sabbath day as the Holy Ghost doth pronounce him blessed that feareth the Lord alwayes Prov. 28.14 and that doth righteousness at all times Psa 106.3 It is true the Servants of God are sometimes out of the way they have their swervings and failings but their resolution is to keep a constant course in Gods Worship and they do strive to humble themselves under the hand of God for their failings and to be the more wary because of them Reas 4 Lastly This is the Sum and Scope of all the Law of Righteousness it is the very drift and end of all the Ten Commandements the Lord hath set down in the Decalogue his whole Will and Pleasure what we are to do all the dayes of our lives this day and that day as long as we live and there is no set time but that we should alwayes obey it and this is the practise of the godly alwayes to keep his Commandments as David Psal 16.8 He set the Lord alwayes before him that is every day he did make it an holy day that he might walk as in Gods presence and live as in Gods Courts that he might do all his worldly businesse as in the presence of God The Fourth Proposition is this As there must be a set time every day and we are to keep every day as a Sabbath day in some sense so there must be a particular special day set apart for Gods immediate Worship and Service This is the next Proposition I will prove unto you for though every day is to be a Sabbath day yet we have particular callings and we have businesse in the world to employ our selves about so that we cannot be every day hearing of the Word and employing our selves in Prayer and spiritual exercises though every day we are to keep it holy yet we cannot be vacant wholly and totally every day Now therefore I say That there is a set day that the Lord hath called for to be devoted unto him The very School-men themselves do acknowledge this and the very Heathen have found it out They have set a day apart for the Service of their Gods which they call their holy day wherein they lay aside all other businesse and
God c. 4. True Discipline Marks of a false Church 1. Antiquity 2 Universality 3. Succession of Pastors 4. Unity 5. Miracles â— 6. Pompe and stateliness 7. Outward happiness and prosperity Reas 1. Because the Church is Catholique 2. God needs no place or persons 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance Vse 1. To confound the Church of Rome Vse 2. To all particular Churches Observat 1. The second Covenant requires works Doctrine The Covenant of grace requires perfect works Objection Answer The difference between Legal and Evangelical Perfection Doctrine Every man ought to labour for perfection Vse 1. Reproof Vse 2. Humility Vse 4. Signes of uprightness Doctrine We must labour to be perfect before God Vse 1. Doctrine God will search whither we be perfect 2 Sam. 3.8 Reason 1. The reasons of Gods mercies to Paul and Timothy The removing of false causes The true cause of it Proved by three arguments Doctrine For the opening of the point How a reprobate may be called How a wicked man may be called A calling to Gods purposes How one calling differs from another Gods call is an effectual call Then a man may reflect on his life past This interest a man in the promises It sweetens the promises to a man It helps him to pray Knowledge of our effectual calling a help to good actions A foundation of godlinesse A help against falling Reas 1. It is an argument of his election It 's a sure pledge Vse 1. The spirit makes known the things of God How to make our calling and election sure Of the knowledge of our effectual calling Why the word of God is written to us The soul hath the power of reflection Obj. Ans The knowledge of effectual calling experimental The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual The knowledge of a mans calling hindred for a time The knowledge of our effectual calling may be hindered by ignorance A young believer is ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit A child of God is ignorant of the work grace How the knowledge of effectual calling may be hindred A man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ It may be hindred through melancholy Grace may be hindred by the unskilfulness of a Minister A Minister ought to preach the word of God in a right manner First conscience doth accuse No joy in Jesus Christ without knowledge of our interest in him c. We cannot tell what to make of Gods mercies without this knowledge We know not how to beare our selves in afflictions without this knowledge We cannot pray without this knowledge We cannot go on in the waies of God wiahout this knowledge We differ not from wretches without this knowledge We are of all men most miserable without it We were never effectually called if we totally want it Obj. Ans How the uncertainty of beleevers differs from others The 2 difference The 3 difference The 4 difference The uncertainty of it breaks the heart Faith supplies this uncertainty Faith contrary to doubting A child of God may doubt of his condition Effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ There must be applying of Christ to a man Before effectual calling no interest in Christ Effectual calling declared in the heart All works follow the work of effectual calling Several names given to effectual calling Dangerous to erre about our effectual calling Because this is the foundation Because man most often have recourse to it Because it is the beginning of Gods works on the soul See why Scripture urgeth us to make our calling sure Reas 1. All the promises of God meet in a mans effectual calling Effectual calling is the first point of obedience Effectual calling is the only means to go forward Effectual calling the very ground to stand fast upon There is a preparatory work to effectual calling Proofe 1. from texts full of terror 2 From the Spirits office 3 Because the Gospel follows the law 4 From Christs design in coming 5 From Gods working with believers after grosse sins 6 From Scripture examples Object Answ Reas 1. To declare Gods justice 1. To sweeten mercy 3. That he may bring men home to Christ 4. To wean men from sin 5. To knock us off from any thing else Vse 1. To reprove Dawbers Vse 2. Be content to heare the curses of the Law preached Vse 3. To comfort those that have had this work of the Law on them Two parts of effectual calling 1. Offering of Christ 2. The receiving of Christ Two parts or degrees of offering Christ 1. General 2. Personal 2. Both 1. External 2. Internal Doct. The Gospel or general tender of grace â—s that by which God calls men home 1. What is this general tender of Christ Reas 1. This the surest ground of faith 2. This is the best answer to Satan 3. Because this is that which is true before all acts of man 4. This only that which every man is bound to beleeve The tender of the Gospel must be without restraint to election 1. Otherwise the elect would have no ground for their faith 2. Because in reference to men calling is before election 3. Because there is a difference between men and devils Use 1. For the comfort and encouragement of Beleevers Use 2. For confutation Object Answ Object Answ Object Answ Object Answ Object Vse 3. For encouragement to all that are without Use 4. For terrour to the obstinate Doct. The general tender of mercy workes some hope in the soul 1. What is this hope 2. How it agrees with that which followes justifying faith 1. Both are of God 2. Both are wrought by the Gospel 3. Both set a man on work 4. Both are the anchor of the soul Heb. 6.19 5. Neither of them shall make a man ashamed 3. How this hope differs from that which followes justificaâ—ion 1 This ariseth out of the seeds of grace the other out of grace it self 2. They come from several apprehensions Reas 1. To prevent despaire 2. That a man may not be disabled from looking after heaven 3. Because God will not do all at once 4. That he may be sought to for every mercy Use 1. To shew the graciousnes of God Use 2. Comfort for believers Use 3. Informe how God works this hope 1. By rooting out all vain hopes 2. By setting a look upon the Gospel 3. By removing all impossibilities Use 4. Labour not to diminish this hope Quest How may this hope be cherished Ans 1. Look to the power of God 2. Look to the freeness indifferency and universality of the promises 3. Send often unto God by prayer Quest What is that particular word which God speaks Ans It is contained in general Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice Reas 1. Else no man could come to Christ 1. That we may have a ground for our faith Quest 1. Why is this act attributed to the Father 1. Not as though Christ did not speak