eam totam There 's none but love to hear of free grace O this is a soft and downy Doctrine a silken Truth O 't is a gentle breath that fans the soul and gives it sweet refreshment O 't is a pleasant thing to sit under the shadow of free grace and see Gods goodnesse streaming out before thee But take heed who e're thou art of turning this grace of God into wantonnesse and know that 't is free grace in another sense too God may take 't away when he pleaseth thou know'st not which is the last offer Believe it he that neglects this very present offer venters eternity And know withall that as there are more liberal aspersions of grace in time of the Gospel so there are larger viols of wrath too Vineger you know 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius vini and the sweetest wine degenerates into the sharpest vineger Grace abus'd turnes to fury What to sin against God because he is good therefore to offend him because he is merciful to multiply iniquities because he blots them out for his own sake To kick against bowels of mercy and to rebel against the golden Scepter when 't is stretcht out and motions of reconciliation propounded truely this will be the very sting of hell the Emphasis of damnation this will heat the furnace seven times hotter 't will teach the worme that never dies to gnaw more cruelly and put new stings into the eternal scorpions 't will prepare flaming ingredients for the cup of wrath and fill it up to the very brim O how fain would'st thou then change places in hell with a Turke or an Infidel and be ambitious of ordinary damnation But truely there is no stronger argument against sin to an ingenuous spirit then free grace Because God is so prone to pardon therefore the soul is so loath to displease THE Childs Return PROV 23. 26. My Son give me thine heart THere have been such noble and generous spirits in some of the people of God as that they have been frequent in such enquiries as these What shall we render the Lord for all his mercies And what shall we returne him for all his goodnesse And he in the Prophet Micah though he be of a different temper from these yet he seemeth to be very solicitous and desirous to know what he should bring unto the Lord. For thus you may hear him speak in the 6th of Micah Wherewithall sayes he shall I appear before the Lord Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams c. No saith the Prophet He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but that thou should'st do justly c. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but that thou should'st give him thine heart and that thou should'st love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength And therefore he here askes it of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Sonne give me thine heart These words are spoken by Solomon but not in his own Name It had been too much for Solomon to have askt it for himself It doth not become the mouth of any Creature to ask the heart to it self But Solomon speaks it in the name of Wisdome and so in the name of God himself the eternal fountain of Wisdome It is he that calls unto the sons of men and bids them to give him their hearts And though I know that the Hebrew Idiom sometimes by giving the heart doth imply no more then the serious consideration and pondering of a thing the laying it to heart as we use to speak yet I shall take the words here in a fuller sense as the heart in a special manner is due unto God Now as in Proverbial speeches there useth to be so it is here There is abundance of rich variety a great deal of Treasure lockt up in a few words we will open some of them to you And I. For the Relation My Sonne Five things are very considerable 1. He speaks here to a Son and to not a Stranger No wonder that Strangers give not the heart unto God no wonder that a Pagan gives not the heart unto God Such as are aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and Strangers to the Covenant of grace Such as are at a great distance from him nay that live without God in the World such as lye like the dry heath and the barren wildernesse the word of the Kingdome never dropt upon them but thou art a Sonne in neer relation to him He reveales his minde to thee he manifests and displayes himself to thee he makes his goodnesse passe before thee Thou hast the continual droppings of the word upon thee his Prophets are sent to thee earely and late thou hast the happy Sun-shine of his presence with thee enough to warme and soften a stony heart and out of such stones to raise up children unto Abraham Though an Indian though an American do not give the heart unto God yet a Christian should Though a Stranger do not give him the heart yet a Son should 2. A Son and not an Enemy God doth not expect the hearts of Enemies such as are in open hostility and opposition against him such as are said to be haters of him and hated by him such as bid him depart from them for they not desire the knowledge of his wayes he doth not look for the hearts of these He doth indeed many times turne the heart of an Enemie meet the heart of a Saul while he is breathing out slaughters against the Church but whil'st he is in a state of enmity he doth not look for the heart from them Nay if an Enemy could give the heart unto God it would not be accepted by him He will not accept of a Traitors heart But thou art reconciled to him so far from being an Enemy as that thou art a Son Thow hast all expressions of love from him and thine heart it is expected by him and it will be accepted of him Though an Enemy do not give the heart unto God yet a Son should 3. A Sonne and not a Slave A Slave doth a great deal of work and drudgery more work then a Sonne but he doth not give the heart all the while He workes out of fear he looks upon it as a task as a burden he watches an opportunity for shaking off the yoke But now Religion doth not come thus to enslave men but to enlarge them to ennoble them it comes to beat off the chaines and fetters to beat open the Prison doors it brings a perpetual Jubilee a perpetual Triumph along with it Religion it floweth out of filial principles My Son hear my words and My Sonne give me thine heart If the Son make you free why then you are free indeed and if you be free like Sons why then you are free indeed The Gospel brings with
ye shall go and no further Saul when he is breathing out of slaughters and making havock of the Church even then he becomes a Paul When the soul is even ripe for judgement then mercy shines out upon it And that which would seeme the most reasonable time for vengeance is made a blessed opportunity of shewing mercy 4. Consider the efficacious and overpowering work of grace he must force thee to be happy and necessitate thee to salvation and compell thee to come in It is not enough to provide the meanes but he must strongly apply them unlesse the arme of the Lord be reveal'd there 's none will beleeve our report It may be thou cam'st occasionally to hear a Sermon well God hath the two-edged sword in his own hand he brandish't the glittering sword he fought against thee he wounded thee and frighted thee out of thy sinnes Well thou wentest away with groans and sighes and teares like a Hart stuck with an arrow panting and breathing and faine would'st have some refreshment Ere long he met with a faithful Messenger and sent thee some balme from Gilead he began to let in some of his love to thy soul and to cheere thee with Gospel-cordials and were not they all bought with the riches of free grace Or it may be thou cam'st into a Church with a minde to smile at Religion to laugh at Goodnesse to mock at Piety or else to guesse the best thou cam'st for flowers and not for fruit to crop an Elegancy to take acquaintance of a Notion or a fine expression as he once to hear an eloquent Ambrose Thou cam'st for a bait but met'st with an hook and 't was happy for thee that thou wert so caught Thou thought'st only to see the flourishing of the sword but thou felt'st the edge of it and 't was well for thee that thou wert so wounded 5. Remember the manner how he thus wrought upon thee it may be 't was with softer and gentler impressions in a winning in a melting way he drew thee with the cords of a man and sweetly dissolv'd thy stony heart 'T is true the Law had its work and strook thee with the flaming edge of a curse but the Gospel presently brought oile and powr'd it into the wounded spirit The love of Christ was the powerful Suada Heavens Rhetorick there was Demosthenes his double Deity in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it constrain'd thee to obedience And was it not mercy to be dealt withal in so milde a way Well but what if thou wert a more knotty and obdurate piece and 't was not a little matter would tame thy unruly spirit God came in a more victorious and triumphant manner and led captivity captive when he gave gifts unto thy soul He was fain to batter down strong holds and bring to the ground towering imaginations Thou had'st a rocky and flinty spirit and was not his word an hammer did not he take it into his own hand he smote the stony rock indeed so as the waters gushed out Well and had he no bowels all the while was it not abundance of mercy to take pains with such an obstinate sinner Referre it you to what you will we 'le put it under the head of free grace 6. Think upon those mountains of opposition that were beaten down when this goodly fabrick of the Temple went up with the shoutings and acclamations of free grace The strong man was dispossest all the plots and stratagems of Satan were frustrated God crush't his designes and blasted his enterprises and broke his snares and rescu'd thee out of the paw of the Lion 'T was much love and grace to set a silly bird out of the snare to ransome a poor captive to break the chaine and beat off the irons to disentangle a soul and set it at liberty And then he arm'd thee against the disgraces and frownes of the world and fortifi'd thee against the smiles and blandishments of the world and carried thee against the potent stream of examples which all ran another way free grace hid thy soul under the shadow of its wings 7. Hast thou not fresh supplies of free grace flowing in continually upon thy soul and maintaining it to all eternity If God in this new creation had given thee as he did at the first a stock of grace and left it to thine own improvement thou would'st have spent it immediately Thou hast somewhat of free grace every moment of thy spiritual being God feeds and preserves the humidum radicale of the soul or else 't would quickly waste away He sends thee in rich influences and Auxiliary forces and keeps thee by his mighty power through faith unto salvation And this is no small work of grace Conservatio you know 't is continuata creatio 8. Compare thy self with those that have had none of all this kindnesse shown unto them such as God hath left to themselves in the severity of his justice and this will set a goodly glosse upon free grace 1. Many of them are such as have improv'd their present strength far better Many Heathens have liv'd more accurately and exactly then some Christians in their unregenerate condition and yet one out of all ordinary possibility of salvation and the others efficaciously called He may do with his own what he will and he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Thus Publicans are before Pharisees and swelling Justitiaries that free grace may be more apparent and conspicuous 2. Some have desired more strength and in their way pray'd for it too and it may be have had the prayers of others too and yet have gone without it but thou hast not call'd upon me O Jacob I was found of thee when thou sought'st me not 3. He past by men of most admirable endowments most rare accomplishments that in all probability would have done him a great deal more honourable service then thou art like to do Would not an Aristotle have made a glorious convert and fill'd the world as full of Divinity as he did of Philosophy but God passeth by these stately Cedars of Lebanon and chooseth a few contemptible Shrubs and this is the good will of him that dwelt in the bush he hath chosen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meere non-entia of the world to bring to naught the things that are So that if thou look to the fountaine or the streames or the conveiances you meet with nothing but free grace Fourthly I might draw an head of arguments à Minori ad Majus common and restraining grace is free grace how much more justifying and saving grace that one is not so bad as another is meere grace c. This truth is full of Use Richly laden with fruit if we had time to gather it I 'le but point at it Vse Let none dare to abuse the grace of God to still malignant and venomous consequences out of so sweet and flowery a truth Câ—m gratia Dei sit mellea ne comedas
the vanity of those ignorant ones who thank God though they cannot expresse themselves yet their hearts are as good as the best though there be not one beam of light in nor one spark of love in them whereas a good heart never wanted for some real expression He in the Comaedian was very deservedly laught at who would seem to be angry but could expresse it no otherwise then by saying Irascor whereas true anger would soon have shewne it self in its proper colours in its sudden and extemporary sparklings in its vehement and furious flamings They that can shew a good heart no otherwise then by saying they have a good one they do even desire us not to believe them They that offered up sacrifices were wont to judge of them most according to the inwards and God doth thus judge of performances For 1. The least performances if the heart accompany them are accepted by him That Persian Monarch was famous for accepting a little water from the hand of a loving Subject And doth not Christ accept of the same He that shall give a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward What though thou canst not bring such costly sacrifices thou canst not offer up Hecatombs Well then bring thy Turtle-Doves and young Pigeons and these shall be accepted by him Thou hast no Gold nor Jewels thou canst not bring any Silk and Purple to the Tabernacle yet bring thy Goats haire and Bad gers skins and these shall be welcome to him Thou canst not bring Cedars to the Temple thou canst not polish and carve and guild the Temple Well but canst thou be any way serviceable to it even that shall be rewarded by him A few broken sighs if they arise from a broken heart are very potent and Rhetorical A few teares if they flow from this fountain are presently botled up he puts your teares in his Bottle 2. God accepts of your intentions if they flow from a pure heart though they be blasted in the bud though they be crusht in Ovo though they never come to the birth In magnis voluisse sat est It was in Davids heart to build a Temple that 's enough The Schoolmen do very well determine that Tota bonitas moralis malitia est in Voluntate God judgeth of the souls complexion by those inward productions though men judge only by outward expressions That two-edged sword of God doth thus pierce to the marrow to the very intentions of the heart The Law of God it reacheth intentions as our Saviour in those heavenly Sermons of his upon the Mount doth Spiritualize it and parapbrase upon it And God doth in especial manner punish naked intentions because men cannot punish them The venome of the seed of the Serpent doth most shew it self in intentions God restrains the outward acts for his people sake But the strength of sin is most vigorous in its first eruptions and ebullitions and so the strength of goodnesse too 3. When the heart is entire Though there be obliquities and irregularities yet they are past by and not so much attended to No doubt but Abrahams faith staggered when he was put to an equivocation and we cannot easily excuse Jacobs supplantings and Rebekka's deceits and Rahabs dissemblings and the piaefraudes of the Fathers There was so much frailty and imperfection in all these as did plainly spot and blemish them and yet the heart being right God accepts of that and covers the rest with his pardoning love 4. Hence it is that God looks not to the outward lump and heap of performances but looks to the manner of them and the Spirit from whence they come This might spare many a Papist his beads which he thinks so necessary for the numbring of his prayers The glimmering light of Nature taught the Heathen thus much that the gods did not expect any benefit from them but only a grateful acknowledgment And this is the reason they give why they consecrated to their gods barren trees which indeed were green and flourishing but brought forth no fruit at all as the Laurell to Apollo the Ivy to Bacchus the Mirtle to Venus the Oake to Jupiter the Pine to Neptune the Poplur to Hercules and so in many of the rest And they will tell you that the gods did not look for any fruit from their worshippers but lookt for homage and obedience and thankfulnesse And it is that which ingenuity teacheth men not to look to the quantity and value of a gift but to respect the affection of him that gives it Away then with those vaine ones that think to bribe Heaven with their gifts and to stop the mouth of Justice with their performances All duties and performances they are but to comment and paraphrase upon the heart In prayer God expects a flaming heart in hearing of the Word he looks for a melted heart in fasting rend your hearts and not your clothes in thansgiving he listens to hear whether ye make melody in your hearts Religion it doth spiritualize performances and doth shell them and take the kernel it doth extract the spirits and quitessence of them 5. Hence it is that without this the most pompous performances are scorned and rejected A sacrifice without an heart is an abomination to him I hate your burnt-offerings my soul nauseates your solemne assemblies Odi Danaos dona ferentes Bring me no more vain oblations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A corrupt heart it soiles every Ordinance it stains and discolours every Duty it envenoms every mercy If such a one pray 't is esteemed houling if he mourne 't is hanging down the head like a bul-rush if he sacrifice 't is cutting off a dogs neck if he rejoyce 't is but a blaze a crackling of thornes under the pot 6. In Heaven when outward performances shall vanish yet then God shall have thine heart and thou shalt have his face thy well-beloved shall be thine and thou shalt be his When Preaching shall cease and Prayer shall cease when Sacraments shall disappear yet then thy naked heart shall be offered unto God it shall twine about the chiefest good and by a neer and immediate union shall enjoy it for ever III. The Heart is to be given unto God because thou hast promised it him Remember that Primitive and Original vow in Baptisme God then may take possession of the heart if he please for he hath the key of all hearts he hath the key of an Infants heart and can open it if he please But however there is an engagement upon thee by this to give him thine heart And sure there are few but sometime or other have given him severall other promises of their hearts Did'st thou never offer thine heart unto him in a storme in a judgement in a sicknesse Well then withall remember that God takes no pleasure in fools that make vowes and break them His promises to thee are sure why should thine be deceitful IV.
pray against them to have them restrain'd and subdu'd Many a weak and aged and sickly one unfit for warre and yet powerful in prayer And these weapons of our warfare they are not carnal but mighty You can't encounter an enemy I but you may thus wrastle with the Almighty You can't batter down a strong hold but yet ye can besiege the throne of grace with concentred abilities You are not fit to be set in a Watch-tower to spy out the approach of an enemie but yet you may watch unto prayer And this is a great advantage that Christians have over their enemies The enemy knows not how to pray they know how to curse and swear and blaspheme the name of God but they know not how to pray Or if they do pray and tell their prayers with their beads that they may know the number of them yet their prayer is turn'd into fin The prayer of the wicked is an abomination Let them cry aloud to their Idols and see if they will hear them they can't look that God should hear them For If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer O then let Christians know their own happinesse and make use of this spirituall weapon of prayer that opposes the enemy more then all other weapons whatsoever Let them brandish the glittering sword c. And this is the chief use you are to make of all the news you hear to know how to order your prayers accordingly No question more ordinary in mens mouth then what news And I finde no fault with the question it is good and fitting But news are not to be enquired after only for the satisfying of mens mindes and curiosity as the Athenians spent all their time in enquiring for some news But this is the main end of it to know how to send up your prayers for the good of the Church and your praises for such mercies as God bestowes upon it All news heard by a publick spirit will stir up prayer or thanksgiving This is the use you are to make of news if sad news of the Churches misery and desolation then send up more fervent prayer that God would repaire the breaches of it and settle it in a flourishing condition if welcome news then praise God for his free goodnesse and desire him to perfect the great work which he has begun This is one special means to promote the publick good the prayer of the righteous And God alwayes when he intends any great mercy he poures upon his people a spirit of prayer he stirres up their hearts in this way he opens their mouth wide before he fills it 2. Self-Reformation This has great influence upon the publick good And how can you expect a publick and glorious Reformation unlesse first you reforme in private Look upon the grievances of your own soul hearken unto those many petitions that are put up to you by the Ministers who beseech you to be reconcil'd unto God Every sin addes to wrath it provokes God pulls down his judgements and ripens a Nation for destruction and has a malignant and venemous influence upon the whole So then the turning from sin and reforming your wayes is the means to divert judgements to bring down mercies and bring down publick good If there were more private Reformations in mens spirits there is no doubt but God would blesse the publick Reformation Sinne puts more rubs in the way then any enemy or opposer whatsoever This is the great Mountain that hinders the going up of the Temple if this one were but took away all other would quickly become a plain They are very injurious to the publick good that go on in a course of sinning against so gracious a God that do's such great things for us One sinner destroyes much good as the wise man speaks 3. Vnited spirits and a sweet harmony of Affections graciously consorting together would help forward the cause of Israel Jarres and dissensions amongst Christians themselves sound very harshly For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart What is there can give greater advantage to an enemy then to see Israelites fall out amongst themselves You may learn more wisdome of them that are wiser in their generation then the children of light what a strait union and confederacy have they among themselves Gebal and Ammon and Ama'ek the Philistines with them that dwell at Tyre These scales of Leviathan as that in Job is usually allegoriz'd are shut together as with a close seale And if they should be at variance and discord among themselves yet they have a sure way of reconciliation by a joynt opposition of the godly Ephraim against Manesseh and Manasseh against Ephraim both against Judah Herod and Pilate made friends in crucifying Christ If wicked men can agree in opposing of goodnesse why should not Christians in helping forward goodnesse All ye that come out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty come with united hearts and agreeing spirits Why should there be strife between you seeing you are Brethren And then consider What will not united forces do when you shall joyn to the work of the Lord with one consent with one shoulder What is it that this union won't bring to passe It will strike terrour to the Churches enemies and strengthen the hearts of friends It will mightily promote the publick goood and tend to the glory of Ierusalem If men would but lay out themselves and their several gifts and abilities in one general aime for the advantage of their Master and good of their fellow-servants what glorious times should we then see This is one clause in the Protestation to stand for the union of the three Kingdomes 4. I might adde that with outward aide too you are bound to promote the publick good with liberal contribution to relieve the necessity of the Christians as the Church of Macedonia gave above her abilities And also such as by authority shall be sent forth against the Popish-Rebells they are to fight with courage and alacrity for 't is for the cause of God They come out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty And now for a word of Application It is for the just reproof of most men that minde not at all the publick good How do they think to avoide the curse of Meroz seeing they come not out to the help of the Lord c. There is a principle of corrupt self-love in men that makes them of narrow and contracted spirits All their aimes are for themselves and their own ends they do not minde the good of the Church If they hear but of a worldy losse some ship cast away and their estate be weaken'd this will pierce and affect their spirits 't will sad and darken their joy But they can hear of ruines of the Church the breaches of Sion that the Church has many rollings and commotions and
are two distinct Testimonies the Spirit witnessing with our spirits And St. John is most expresse Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God Now the Testimony of the Spirit is 1. A clear Testimony a full and satisfying light springs in upon the soule scatters all cloudes all doubts and questions 't is as evident as any demonstration 1 John 3. 2â— By this we know that he dwells in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Christ when he went to heaven he left the Comforter not only to the Church in general but to every particular soule that believes to print his love upon the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost If a Creature though never so glittering should tell men so there might still be some hesitancy I but the Spirit witnesses The secret and inward Testimony of the Spirit is as strong and efficacious nay more powerful then if 't were with an outward voice If an Angel from heaven were sent on purpose to a Christian by Christ himself Go tell him that I love him that I shed my blood for him c. 't were not so certain 2. A sure Testimony for 't is the witnesse of the Spirit who can neither deceive nor be deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficientissimum Testimonium as Cajetan 1 He can't deceive for he is Truth it self 2. He can't be deceived for he is all Eye Omniscience it self And he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dwells in the breast and bosome of God he is fully acquainted with the minde of God and he reveales it to the soule The Papists make the Spirits Testimony to bring but a conjectural certainty But the most renowned Perkins answers them 1. That 't is such a certainty as makes them Cry Abba Father not only think so and speak so but with all courage confidence intention of Spirit Cry Abba Father 2. It is opposed to the Spirit of bondage and therefore takes away doubtings and tremblings 3. The very end why the Holy Ghost comes to the soul is to make all sure and therefore is call'd a seal and an earnest God has given us the earnest of the Spirit and he will not lose his earnest Now he assures the soule 1. By a powerful Application of the promise for as faith does appropriate the Promise on our part so the Spirit applies it on Gods part As Satan that lying Spirit casts in doubts and feares and tremblings and working upon the remainder of corruption plots against the Peace and well-being of the soule so this holy Spirit by the comforting working upon that principle of grace which he himself hath planted in the heart of a Christian do's study and contrive the welfare of a Beleever And as the Spirit of bondage do's strongly apply wrath and the curse so this sweet Spirit of Adoption applyes grace and mercy The Spirit of bondage strikes terrour into the soul by a mighty Application of wrath this curse flames against thee this threatning is shot off against thee these vials of wrath are prepar'd for thy soul So the Spirit of Adoption do's set on strong and vigorous apprehensions of mercy this pearâ—e of price 't is to enrich thee these Evangelical cordials are to revive thee this balme in Gilead is prepar'd for thy soul The Spirit of Adoption speaks love and peace pardon and that by particular Application of the Promise to us As when the Promise of remission of sins and life everlasting by Christ is generally propounded in the Ministery of the Word the holy Ghost do's particularly apply it to the heart of such a one and do's seale up the Promise to the soul That when Faith sayes this Promise is mine this belongs to me the Spirit do's strongly apply it this is thine indeed and this do's belong to thee These are the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whisperings and breathings of the holy Spirit the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which it converses with the soul The Spirit of God has free and often entercourse with a beleeving spirit And this is far enough from any vain Enthusiasme any extraordinary Revelation 't is no imaginary thing but such as many a soul is acquainted with and has tasted of 2. By a bright irradiation beaming out upon the soul and clearing its evidences discovering its graces and shewing them to be true and genuine not only by giving the soul a spirit of discerning for that we referr'd to the former Testimony but the Spirit brings in its own light and makes those graces which were visible before more eminently conspicuous The spirit of a man was the Candle of the Lord as the wise man speaks which gave a weaker and dimmer light but yet such as was enough to manifest the Object I but now there are glorious Sun-beams come rushing in upon the spirit the Spirit shines in the soul with â—ealing under his wings The graces of the Spirit these flow like a pure and Crystalline stream and the light of the Spirit shines out upon them and gilds the water See a plain Text for this 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God Light sets a glosse upon all the world and this spiritual light gives a lustre and oriency to graces it puts a beauty upon them such as the soul is much taken with We have received an heavenly light that we may see heavenly things Now thou know'st thy Faith to be lively and thy Repentance to be sound thy Sorrow to be ingenuous and thy Obedience sincere thy Love to be unfeign'd and thy fear to be filial for the Spirit has set his seale to all thy graces and has acknowledg'd them for his own O but many have thought they have had the Spirit when they had it not and the Divel that foule spirit can transforme himself into an Angel of light But 1. One mans self-deceit do's not prejudice anothers certainty What if one man flatter himself in a false light and please himself in a meere shadow of Assurance must all men needs follow his example A man that is in a dream thinks himself awake when he is not I but I hope for all this a man that is awake may certainly know that he is so Many a traveller has thought himself in the right way when he has been out of it and yet this do's not hinder but that he that 's well acquainted with the road may know that he is in his way What if one man take Copper for Gold must all men do so too One mans folly and vanity does not at all hinder anothers Assurance 2. The Spirit comes with a convincing beam Light shews both it self and other things too the Sun by its glorious beams do's paraphrase and comment upon its own glittering Essence and the Spirit displayes himself to the soul and gives a full manifestation of his own
Ministery if once they come to neglect souls if Cura Animarum be made but a slight businesse But they that convert souls to righteousnesse sayes the Prophet Daniel they shall shine as the starres in the firmament they shall have a more bright and massy Crown answerable to a greater degree of service 4. Arg. If you would still see more clearly the worth and preciousnes of souls do but consider the variety of Gospel-dispensations in respect of souls 1. Those many invitations that are made to souls to come into Christ that sweet Rhetorick those strong motives those powerfull perswasions those precious wooings and beseechings of them We beseech you by the mercies of Christ by the bowels of a Saviour we beseech you as if God himself should beseech you to be reconcil'd unto him Do you think there would be so much wooing and beseeching if they were not very precious Do you think the Spirit himself would so intreat do you think the Holy Ghost would be so importunate with them else Nay these souls are so precious as that he will have some for himself he will take no denial no refusal Go and compell them to come in 2. Consider those sad Lamentations that are made when souls will trample upon their own mercy as Christ speaks to Jerusalem in that passionate strain and dips his words in teares O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. This great lamenting shews that 't is the losse of a precious thing 3. Know that the World is kept up for this very end for the bringing in of some souls for a Saviour Do you think that God is at this vast cost and expence in maintaining this vast fabrick of the Creation only for men that oppose him and provoke him and violate his Lawes No 't is for the gathering of his Jewels for the binding up some precious souls in the bundle of Life If 't were not for this the very pillars and foundations of the world would crack asunder 4. Think upon the great Preparation that is made for the entertainment of souls how that Christ is gone to prepare a place for them What treasures of love and sweetnesse what heaps of joy are stor'd up for them what a weight of Glory what Crowns what Thrones what glorious and unexpressible and unconceiveable Priviledges shall they then enjoy Thus by all these several Arguments you have seen the worth and preciousnesse of souls Vse 1. And now when we consider the worth of them we might even take up this sad lamentation How is the gold become drosse how is the most fine gold chang'd The precious souls of men that were purer then Snow ruddier then Rubies more polisht then Saphirs in their first Original now their visage 't is blacker then a coal How are they become the reproach of him that made them the body's slaves the devils captives the scorn of every lust and temptation Nay you might even melt and dissolve into tears under this sad and serious consideration that so few of these precious souls shall be saved that there are so many of them that drop into hell irrecoverably And though there be a generation of men in the world that will never go over this narrow Bridge unlesse they put on Spectacles that so they may tumble in more Artificially men that lay down such large and reaching principles of so vast a latitude as that they scarce make it possible for any to be damn'd men that widen the narrow gate in their own apprehensions yet God has reveal'd his minde expressely and 't is the constant voice of the Gospel it self that there are but few of these precious souls that be sav'd And which is more that as for men of the rarest and most admirable endowments of the choicest accomplishments men of most orient and glittering souls there are fewer of these then of others Not many wise c. And yet all this comes not about because of any want of Gospel-provision not but that there is Balm enough in Gilead Oile enough in that horn of salvation not but that there are abundance of bowels in God which yearn towards the precious souls that he has made but because men refuse his goodnesse and abuse his mercy imprison his truth and shut it up in unrighteousnesse Now when men are told of the worth of their souls when they are put in minde of their preciousnesse again and again when they have all means for the welfare of their soul and when they are directed in the wayes that tend to the saving of the soul when they are convinc'd that such and such lusts fight against their souls and when they know that the present season of grace is all they are sure of for the welfare of their soul If they shall stubbornly refuse their own mercy and wilfully and violently rush into their own ruine though their souls were ten thousand times more precious then they are yet they perish deservedly Vse 2. Me thinks therefore at length men should come to such thoughts as these 'T is time now to provide for our own souls 'T is time now to build for Eternity Tanquam semper victuri If he that does not provide for his own house is worse then an Infidel then surely he that does not provide for his own soul is little better Yet how many are there in the world that live so as if they had no souls to save Many that take no notice of their own souls These are spiritual Beings and run not into their outward senses and so they never minde them These mens souls are so dark as they cannot see themselves Others that do take some little acquaintance with their own spirits yet how do they leave them in a rolling and fluctuating condition how do they venture Eternity upon what strange uncertainties do they leave a precious soul as he that was ready to die said He should know by and by whether the soul were immortall or no that was all he made of it Or as that other that complemented with his soul in that sporting language Animula vagula blandula Quae tandem abitura es in loca And yet 't is an impression engraven upon every Being with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond Nay 't is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stampt upon every Being by the finger of God himself that it should look to its own preservation to the maintaining of it self so that 't is matter of amazement astonishment that the souls of men being such precious Beings should look to their own welfare no more And it can be resolv'd into nothing else but into that same first and grand Apostasie from their God the fountain of their life and happinesse When they lost their God they lost themselves and when they fell off from him they Apostatiz'd from their own Essence And now they minde the body and take care for things here below and neglect themselves If there be any that can repair the ruins of Nature