in the text for Christ having taught a spirituall and an heavenly Sermon the Pharisees murmured and said Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph whose father and mother we know how is it then that he saith he came down from heaven Iesus when he perceived their murmuring said unto them Why murmur you among your selves and that he might prevent the offence that the feeble ones might take at the example of the Pharisees he saith unto them No man can come unto me except my father draweth him as though he had said be not you troubled and perplexed because these great scollers do not beleeve my doctrine and embrace it it is not in them willing but in mee drawing do not you think ill of my doctrine of salvation because your wise men and your brave men will not beleeve it for I tell you though these have had arguments propounded to perswade them to this yet they cannot embrace my doctrine and beleeve unlesse my father draweth them they have had their hearts convinced and their mouths stopped but yet all this will not do unlesse my father draweth them Secondly this kind of caution except my father draweth him no man come unto mee is implyed that if my father doth draw him he will come and the Papists themselves confesse this that a man may have this morall drawing arguments perswading and reasons alluring to come unto God and receive mercy from him and yet he may not come but they that have this drawing meant in the text they will undoubtedly come no man comes unto mee except the father which hath sent mee draweth him and therefore whosoever the father doth draw he shall come and certainly will come and therefore this drawing that is meant here is not a morall drawing by outward perswasions thus much for the clearing of this poynt namely that a morall and externall drawing is not to be understood in the text This will not serve the turne there is more in it than so we must therefore search further into the nature of this word drawing and God is said to draw a poore sinner unto himselfe in the second place when he is not only pleased to enlighten a mans mind and offer arguments to his understanding and lay truths and propound promises unto him for this will not doe it this is only an outward drawing but when the Lord is pleased to put a new power into the soule of a sinner and with all to carry the will to the object propounded that it may embrace it when God is pleased not onely to offer good things to the soule but to enable the soule to lay hold upon the things offered not only to offer Christ and salvation but to work effectually upon the heart and make it able to give entertainment to Christ then the Lord is said to draw a sinner unto himselfe from sinne and corruption and this is tearmed an internall kind of drawing and this is meant here in the text it is not only the propounding of arguments to move and pluck the soule but the Lord doth by his effectuall power draw the soule from sinne and bring it unto himselfe And therefore observe two things touching this internall drawing namely that there is a seperation first wrought betweene sinne and the soule the union that is betweene finne and the soule is broken Secondly that when the soule is once severed and broken off from sinne then it comes to a right set to a right frame and disposition towards God and then it goeth no further but here it stoppeth and this is that which I call plucking and drawing of a poore sinner from his corruptions to God in both which actions the will of the creature is wrought upon plucked from sinne and set towards God and of it selfe it doth not move at all I expresse it thus look as it is with the wheele of a clock or the wheele of a Iack that is turned aside and by some contrary poyse set the wrong way He now that will set this wheele right must take away the contrary poyse and then put the wheele the right way and and yet the wheele doth not goe all this while of it selfe but first there is a stopping of the wheele and a taking away of the poyse and secondly the wheele must be turned the right way and all this while the wheele is only a sufferer so it is with the soule of a man the heart of a man and the will of a man and the affections of a man they are the wheeles of the soules of men the Lord Iesus made them at the first to runne to heaven-ward and to God-ward but when Adam sinned then the poyse of corruptions prevailed so farre forth over them that they drew the heart the mind the will of man from God and made it runne the wrong way to the divell-ward and to hell-ward now when the Lord commeth to set these wheeles aright he must take away the poyse and plummet that made them runne the wrong way that is the Lord by his almighty power must over-power those sinnes and corruptions which harbour in the soule and have dominion over the soule as for example if a man have a covetous heart insomuch that the world will not suffer him to heare and pray and performe any good duty then God must pull away that plummet he must pluck the soule from that sinne and then he must draw it to himselfe that is he must draw it to Godward and to Zion-ward and make it to be at his command that Gods spirit as a new plummet may carry it and order it and now it doth nothing all this while God must first take away the contrary plummet that drew the soule aside and then the frame of the soule will be to God-ward it will be in a right frame and order it will runne the right way and all this while the will is only a sufferer and this I take to be the meaning of the text That God by a holy kind of violence rendeth the soule of a poore sinner and withall by his almighty power stops the force of a mans corruptions and makes the soule teachable and framable to the will of God it makes it to lie levell and to be at Gods command and this is done by a holy kind of violence and so much for these poynts of speculation without which I could not well open the poynt But now we see the bottome of the poynt namely that God doth by a holy kind of violence pluck and draw men from their corruptions unto himselfe The next thing to be considered is the meanes whereby God thus haleth the soule and draweth the heart of a poore sinner unto himselfe and the meanes are foure 1 1. The first work of the Lord is this he lets in a light into the foule of a poore sinner and discovereth unto him that he is in a wrong way and tells him there is another way that he must walk in if
empty the soule of these lusts and abominations and prepare him for grace before grace can be put into him before he can receive grace from God the fallow ground that hath a great many thistles and is full of weedes and nettles and grasse this ground we use to say is yet arable ground it may be plowed and made fit to receive seede and beare fruite but it must first be plowed for all the while this trash is in it it is not fit for seed though it may be made fit by tilling of it so the soule of a sinner is arable God can fit it and prepare it to receive grace and eternall life but he must be first plowed and made fit he is overrunne with all corruptions and therefore of himselfe for a while before the Lord humble him and fit him and prepare him to entertaine Christ and receive grace he cannot receive it Ioh. 5.44 Ioh. 5.44 There saith the Text Hoâ— can you beleeve which receive honour one of another and sâ—eke not the honor which commeth from God onely As who should say these things cannot stand together that a man should be full of sinne and at that time goe to the Spirit to have his sinnes crucified these thing cannot stand so that there is a kinde of indisposition and impossibility for the present Rom. 6 20. that a naturall man should receive grace Rom. 6.20 There saith the Text When you 〈◊〉 servants to sinne you were free from righteousnesse that is when a mans corruptions rule over him when a man yeelds himselfe to be under the power of his lusts when sinne is a mans master insomuch that he must do every thing which that commands him if malice command him to hate then he must obey malice and hate and envy his brother when covetousnesse is a mans master and if that bids him gripe and cheate and cozen he must then doe it iâ— a man be thus a servant to sin he is free from righteousnes he cannot be made partaker of grace and salvation so long as he remaines in this estate and condition Fourthly the fourth passage is this as the soule of a naturall man declines from grace offered and revealed as it opposeth grace pressed so in the fourth place it is not willing to be wrought upon that it may be fit to receive grace and be made capable of it there is no naturall man under heaven that is willing to be wrought upon that hee may be capable to receive grace Luke 19 14. hee would not have grace and Christ and though he might in the 19. of Luke the 14. and 27. verses our Saviour Compares himselfe to a master that was to goe into a farre Country to receive a kingdome and therefore gives over his estate into the hands of his servants hee called his ten servants and gave them ten pounds saying Occupie till I come Now when hee is gone marke what the Text saith in the 14. Verse We will not have this man to rule over us the Citizens hated him and sent a messenger after him saying We will not have this man to rule over us Herein is implyed two things first that God would rule over the hearts hee would informe their judgements and fit their soules to receive grace but marke what they say We will not have him to reigne over us wee will not have the Lord Iesus take possession of our hearts and rule and guide them in the way of grace and salvation and so say all naturall men when the truth of God is followed and pressed and their consciences awakened and their minds enlightned then they cry out we will not be troubled and pestered with these matters in the 8. of Rom. 7. there saith the Text the carnall minde is enmitie against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeede can be A naturall man is not subject to God he is not nay hee cannot be subject to the Law of God the Text doth not say he doth not obey the Law of God but hee is not subject to it for it is one thing to obey the word and Spirit of God and another thing to be subject unto it as for example suppose a master command his servant to doe something that is unjust and unlawfull and if hee will not doe it then beats him the servant is then said to be subject to his master hee may beare the blow and endure the stripes of his master but if he be honest and will not doe the thing hee cannot bee sayd to obey his master so likewise if it please a Prince to deale harshly with his subject and punish him unjustly his subject may submit himselfe unto him but he doth not obey him but this is the madnesse of our sinfull natures that wee will not be subject to the Word of God we will not beare the blow nor indure the stroake of the Spirit that so it may plucke us out of our corruptions and frame us and fashion us in this case and make us fit to receive grace but when the word discovereth our sinnes unto us and our misery in regard of the same the soule beginns to swell and take up an indignation against the truth revealed it endeavours what it may and labours what it can to acquit it selfe of the word and to cast out the same wee professe that wee will not have our hearts informed and our mindes enlightned wee will not be humbled and prepared to receive grace and salvation offered by the Lord Iesus If it bee not thus what meane those swellings and bublings of heart against the word when it is preached sometimes a mans conscience is opened and touched by the Word of God and what followes why presently hee professeth hee will never heare that Minister more hee saith t is pittie hee should ever preach more and tw'ere good hee were out of the Country and that the kingdome were rid of him alas what doth the Minister this while what doth he intend all this while that you take such distaste at him why you have a proud heart hee would humble it he would plucke you out of your corruptions that you may be prepared for grace but your soules say you will not be wrought upon and framed that you may receive grace and salvation however you doe not professe so much with your mouthes yet your actions testifie as much there is never a faithfull Minister of God but speakes home to the consciences of men and tells them of their beloved sinnes and bosome corruptions and hee doth this to prepare way for the Lord Iesus He knowes you must be fitted to receive grace and salvation before you shall be made partakers of grace and salvation he knowes that there are many mountaines to bee levelled and crooked things to bee made straight and many rough things to bee made smooth and plaine and therefore hee intends nothing but to have your soules broken and prepared for
in the beginning and thus his children his brokers and factors do in the end of the world these are the two sonnes of Satan the chiefest schollers in his schoole they are able to bring many to destruction and confusion Rev. 12.4 there the Text saith that the Dragon stood before the woman that was to bee delivered for to devoure her child as soone as it should bee borne the woman is the Church the Dragon is the divell the child to be borne is the soule that is to be converted when the Church doth bring a soule to life why then the Dragon watcheth when the child is borne that he may devoure it if there be any that looke to heaven if there be any whose hearts are humbled whose minds are inlightned and consciences awakened the divell watcheth when this soule is borne that hee may devoure it so it is with wicked persons that beare the image and exercise the practise of the divell if there be any that God is pleased to work upon why wicked men they court them at all times and occasions that can be all is too good for them in this kind nicenesse and exactnesse and precisenesse and madnesse and all is cast upon them to devoure poore sinners and hinder poore Saints to hinder the birth of the child that the Church travelleth withall why wouldst thou devoure a poore creature that God in mercy would deliver from sinne here and bring to salvation hereafter Dost thou envy him dost thou by cursed perswasions and wicked devices endeavour to pluck from God to sinne I tell thee if there were ever a divell in a man there is one in thee if there were ever a child of the divell that was wicked here and shall be damned hereafter thou art surely one and this is the first thing wherein the miserable condition of these men is discovered they are the children of the divell the Lord of heaven open your eyes and awaken your consciences and reveale these things to your soules that you may forsake these base courses secondly as they are most like to the divell so also their wretched estate appeares in this that they are the greatest and deadliest enemies to God that place formerly named will serve for the opening of this Acts 13.10 there saith the Text thou child of the divell and enemy to all righteousnesse Paul calls Elymas the sorcerer because hee withstood him and resisted the work of God not only the child of the divell but an enemy to all righteousnesse mark that as who should say he that withholds a Saint of God hee that would pluck a soule from walking uprightly before God he is an enemy to all righteousnesse and this is a most fearfull thing for other kind of sinnes are of a lesse nature for a drankard is an enemy to sobriety an unjust person is an enemy to justice a lyer is an enemy to truth an adulterer is an enemy to chastity and a malicious man is an enemy to charity but he that is an enemy to the saving work of Gods grace in the soule of a man he that withstands and resists the worke of conversion hee is an enemy to all righteousnesse for how shall a man walk holily before God or righteously before his brethren how shall he love God above all things and his neighbour as himselfe unlesse grace be wrought in the soule of a man and unlesse the word of God bee placed in the heart of a man men ought to keep Gods Cōmandements that they may receive comfort from God now unlesse God bestow faith and grace and his spirit upon a man how shall hee do this but when thou sayest I would not have such a man converted I would not have the spirit work effectually in his heart when thou hinderest the work of God in this kind then thou hinderest a man from performing obedience to Gods Commandements and therefore thou art an enemy to God Gods Sabbaths can never be sanctified the life of thy neighbour can never be tendered the chastity of thy neighbour can never be preserved thou art a drunkard thou art an adulterer thou are a murtherer he that murthereth a man is an enemy to the life of a man but he that will not suffer the word of God to take plane in the soule of a sinner he is the murtherer of the soule of a man he is an enemy to all righteousnesse he cannot performe any service unto God there is no duty to be performed no sinne to bee omitted but thou art an enemy to all for when thou dost hinder a sinner from receiving of grace and from being made partaker thereof thou dost hinder a sinner from honouring of God here and receiving of comfort hereafter and what a wofull wretched condition is this to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and not only so but full of all mischiefe for so saith the Text aforenamed thou enemy of all righteousnesse and full of all mischiefe marke the opening of the words full that is brimme full top full ready to runne over with wickednesse and the cause is this it s naught for a man to be wicked and to resolve to be no better is worse but for a man not only to be wicked and resolve to be no better but to hinder others also from being good this is the very height of all impiety this is to be an enemy to all righteousnesse and to be full of mischiefe Thirdly as they are the children of the divell and enemies to all righteousnesse so also they are the greatest enemies to the salvation of mens soules they compasse sea and land to make a Proselyte I beseech you take notice of it thou art a drunkard and a blasphemer and a wretched lewd person thou art not only bad thy selfe but such a man hath had his mind inlightned and his conscience awakened but thou by thy wicked counsells and carnall reasons and sinfull arguments catchest him and with drawest him againe into his former wicked courses and base practises and then the end of that man is worse than the beginning and hee becomes twice a child of the divell well he shall perish and so shalt thou he shall be damned but the Lord shall require his bloud at thy hands and this is the maine cause why men perish and go downe to hell namely the wicked counsells and cursed perswasions which sinfull damned persons use to hurry poore soules downe into destruction as though they could not go fast enough of themselves to hell but they must lay these base sinfull cords upon them to draw them headlong into the bottomlesse pit of confusion Well the time will come when these poore creatures shall call for vengeance at the hand of God to bee executed against you they will accuse you at the last day and curse you and call for vengeance to be poured downe upon your heads you that are guilty of this whensoever you meet with the day of death here or with the day of judgement
Argument is this a dead man hath no power to procure life unto himselfe but all men by nature are dead in trespasses and sinnes and therefore no naturall man is able to procure spirituall life unto himselfe for the understanding of this argument know thus much that the nature of man since his fall is stripped of all that holinesse and righteousnesse whereby he might bee enabled to the performance of any spirituall worke and not onely so hee is not onely deprived of the image of God but is altogether overspread with wickednesse and unrighteousnesse which take the possession of every poore soule under heaven Ioâ— 3.6 Whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3.6 now every man naturally is altogether flesh the will of man and the heart of man is altogether fleshy and therefore in the heart of man there is no good 〈◊〉 all And consider the reason of this why the whole soule is thus defiled with sinne wee must conceive that Adam was not onely a particular person but he took the whole nature of mankind upon him so that the nature of man in Adam while heâ— was in his innocencie might either bee carried to the obedience of the will of God or else wholly against the will of God and therefore by Adams fall man was altogether deprived of his righteousnesse and caried against the will of God Now to presse the Argument if it be so that all mens hearts are possessed with rebellions by nature and turned away from God then men naturally cannot turne unto God but all men naturally are wholly possessed with sinne and by rebellion are turned from God and therefore they cannot naturally turne unto God Againe consider there must bee some spirituall power some spirituall life put into a man before hee can performe any good therefore a naturall man cannot doe any good but is a dead man in respect of grace because be hath lost that same soule of righteousnes whereby he should performe that good which God requireth and so that holinesse being gone the soule of the will is gone and the power to doe any good or receive any good is gone So then the case is cleare and the point evident by force of argument and Scripture that a naturall man hath no power to receive the Lord Iesus and grace and salvation from him If this be true as hath beene prooved by reason plaine and undeniable arguments that a naturall man cannot receive the things of God then every soule may take notice of and condemne that sottish and foolish conceit that harbours in the minde of many silly poore ignorant soules if any of you know such take notice of them there are many thinke that they brought grace into the world with them and that they had grace 〈◊〉 their mothers belly aske them when did you receive grace when did you receive faith they will answer they beleeved ever since they were borne they had faith ever since they can remember a great many poore ignorant soules thâ— that grace came into the world with them No no be not deceived faith commeth by hearing faith is the gift of God and repentance is the 〈◊〉 of God narrow is the way and straight is the 〈◊〉 that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde 〈◊〉 therefore alas if thou think'st thou broughtest 〈◊〉 with thee into the world it is an argument that thou never hadst â—aith it is an evidence that thâ—â— never hadst grace for if every man should bring faith and grace into the world then all should got to heaven and what is hell made for then No no narrow is the way and exceeding straight is the gate wee must not thinke to goe to heaven 〈◊〉 our hands by our sides No no it is a very narrow way and few there be that finde it But then they will pleade though they had not grace by nature yet grace is within a haires breadth of them they have grace at command and as it is with a man that leaves a commoditie at a mans house upon â—â—king if he like it if it be for his turne he may buy it if hee like it not hee may refuse it now after 〈◊〉 hath lien by him a while if it doth not please him he may returne it into the owners hand againe 〈◊〉 many say I tooke your commoditie upon liking and if it would have beene for my turne I would have bought it but it will not serve for the use I thought to put it to and therefore I returne it to you againe So it is here most men thinke that grace is left with them upon liking and they may let it lie by them and after they have lived in sinne and tired themselves in their owne imaginations and in following the sinfull desires of their owne wretched hearts if after this when they become old or lie upon their death beds if then they like grace they may take it if not they may let it alone and refuse it O poore creatures you will perish and goe to hell hoodwinkt in this kind you thinke you may have grace for calling for hereafter when I am old then I will repent and when I lie upon my death bed then I will beginne to pray and humble my selfe before God then you thinke to have grace at your owne liking if you like the course of grace then you will take it if you like it not you will refuse it must I pray with my family you will say Well if I like the course happily I will doe it if not I will neglect it Alas alas I tell thee thou canst as well make a soule as convert a soule thou canst as well create thy selfe as repent is it in thy power to say now I will have grace now I will not now I will repent and now I will not Oh thinke of it you shall finde it a harder taske then you are aware of and if God bee pleased to open your eyes you will then say Oh what shall I doe to be saved then you will see that something must bee done before you can bee saved then you will finde it to be a hard matter to repent Doe not think when you lie upon your death beds then you may repent if you will is it in your power to repent and goe to heaven no no all naturall men are under the power of Sathan he ruleth them he commandeth the hearts of the children of disobedience according to his will and then for sinne and the power thereof looke Rom. 6.16 Rom. 6.16 know yee not saith the Apostle that to whom yee yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants yee are whether of sinne unto death or of obedience unto righteousnesse every naturall man is a servant to sinne and a slave to his lusts hee can doe nothing but that sinne will have him to doe Take a proud man whether art thou able to confesse thy pride to see thy sinne and humble thy selfe and renounce thy folly art
thou able to doe this No thou must aske thy sin leave first So take a covetous man art thou able to set open thy house if thou hast wronged any man or griped or coâ—ened any man art thou able to say I will restore him fourefold art thou able to doe this No no thou must aske thy covetousnesse leave first now whether you thinke that the divell will suffer you to goe out of his clutches when hee hath power over you if you thinke sinne will give you leave to forsake your lusts when you are servants to it I appeaâ—e to your owne consciences and therefore whosoever he be that is a naturall man let him not coâ—â—n himselfe he hath no power in himselfe to forsake finne if heaven were layd downe before him and offered him for the leaving of one lust hee could as well make a world as part with one lust for heaven and therefore every man should labour to see this and say Lord heretofore I have beene deluded I thought if I would have grace at any time I might have grace when I would if I would not have grace I might choose and therefore I thought I would have profit now and pleasures now and corruptions and hereafter I will repent hereafter I will have Christ but Lord I was deluded what was it in my power then to entertaine the Lord Iesus then it was in my power to goe to heaven to make a world and to create a soule also I will assure you it is the almighty power of God that must doe this in the first of Ephesians 19. Ephes 1.19 there the Apostle giveth us to understand how God worketh in our conversion What is the exceeding greatnesse of his power saith hee to us ward that beleeve according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his owne right hand in the heavenly places When the Lords body had lien in the grave three dayes the selfe same power that raised Christ from the dead this is the very same almighty power that workes in the heart of a man that is converted in this case canst thou raise Christ from the dead if thou canst doe this then thou mayst repent if not then of thy selfe thou canst not repent for the very same power that raised Christ from the dead the same power must worke repentance in the heart of a man be not therefore deceived but now looke to it â—â—â—ny Christians have thought that they might have grace and salvation when they would at commend but when God opened their eyes O then they saw no hope of this they then knew that the same power that raised Christ out of the grave the same power must raise them out of the grave of their sinner I beseech you therefore to be informed to yeelâ— to to be convinced of this truth the Text saithâ— naturall man cannot receive the things of God you say you can who shall we beleeve now What will you be Atheists the Lord saith the word saith a naturall doth not receive the things of God nay he cannot now whether thy word or the word of God will stand thou wilt one day know it to thy everlasting woe and therefore now be perswaded to see your owne follies and abandon this foolish conceit The second use is an use of examination namely from the former doctrine delivered every soule that heareth the word this day if they will deâ—â— plainely with their soules may understand what their condition is you may reade your owne estates whether you bee naturall men or spirituall whether gracious or gracelesse men what wouldst thou know then whether thou art a naturall man 〈◊〉 no and if thou beest so woe be unto thee The triall is easie in this kind observe what disposition thou hast to the things of God observe whether thy soule be affected with them whether thy soule can give entertainement to them the 〈◊〉 man cannot receive the things of God if thou beest a naturall man thou then canst not receive grace nor entertaine Christ and salvation so then canst thou finde that if pleasures come then thy heart giveth way to them if profits come then thy heart is transported with the love thereof Is thy soule inlarged to these things dost thou love and desire them canst thou swallow downe all entertaine all digest all very willingly in this kind never too much riches never too much honour never too much profit never too much pleasure is thy soule thus disposed But when the word calleth for repentance when the Gospell calleth for selfe deniall at thy hand the Lord Iesus would rule in thy heart when the Lord would take away all thy sinnes and all thy corruptions is it so now that thy heart is weary to heare the seâ— is it so that thou canst not give way to these then the case is cleare thou art in a naturall estate for the Lords sake take notice of it naturall things please thee profits and pleasures sinnes and corruptions please thee but thou canst not away with the things of the Spirit thou art therefore a naturall man there is therefore no roome for Christ in thy soule therefore there is no true grace yet wrought in thy soule In the 8. of the Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 saith the Text They that are after the flesh doe mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the Spirit Now observe therefore what rellish thou findest in the things 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—low canst thou rellish base courses and ill â—â—â—â—pany is any course or advice taken that may adduce thee unto wickednesse canst thou sweare with the blasphemer and swagger with the drunkard canst thou rellish and appove of these courses but when the Gospell comes and when a man checkes thee for drinking and swearing and tells thee that these things stand not with the kingdome of God the kingdome of Christ consists in righteousnesse and joy and peace in the holy Ghost and thou must deny thy selfe before thou canst receive the Lord Iesus if a man shall tell thee that thou must be pure as Christ himselfe is pure that the Lord Christ Iesus did not come into the world to make men loose and carelesse but holy and righteous to live soberly in this present world and deny all ungodly and worldly lusts to renounce and abhorre these when thou hearest that thou must become a foole that thou mayst 〈◊〉 made wise and that the Lord came to refesh those onely that where laden with the burthen of 〈◊〉 firmes when thou hearest these things how 〈◊〉 thou take them most men may give this answer wee thinke not so wee beleeve it not nay we cannot be perswaded of it is it thus with thee why then the case is ended the tryall is doâ—â— whoever doth not nay cannot receive the thingâ— of God the Gospell of God and the things revealed therein why the Text saith and the
Lord saith that man is a naturall man Now many soule can say I am not perswaded of these things which the Gospell reveales why then the cases cleare thou sayst plainely thou canst not receive the things of God why then the Lord saith the Text saith and God of heaven saith that thou art a naturall man as thou camest into the world and that thou hast not the grace and spirit of Christ But then some may say if I be a natural man what then what hurt is it And therefore in the fourth place it is an use of terrour I presume many that have heard this will say wee are so and shall a man bee ashamed because he is a naturall man Therefore observe from the former doctrine a word of terrour to all naturall creatures under heaven I am almost afraid to speake of the misery of a naturall man my tongue trembles to discover the wretched fearefull damned miserable estate that every naturall man is in you thinke it is nothing to be in a natuturall estate but I tell you did you but know what the Lord hath revealed concerning a naturall man it were enough to breake the backe of a man a naturall man why it is enough to make thee goe sighing to thy grave though thou livest a thousand yeares if thou beest a naturall man thou hast not received Christ nay thou art not neare the things of a better life nay you are not onely still to attaine those things but you are not able to receive the things of the Lord Iesus whereby you may be quickned to entertaine those things and this is that which maketh the soules of naturall men miserable and the misery of those soules the more miserable because they are not onely unwilling to bee out of this condition but they are unwilling to be made willing to be out of it they boast that still they remaine in it for marke what naturall men say they bring a reproach upon Gods Saints and children what say they you are a man of the Spirit you are a spirituall professor one of the holy brethren are you miserable wretch dost thou professe thy selfe that thou art not so but that thou art a naturall man why then thou art a miserable man a naturall man why then a damned man a naturall man why thâ—â— an accursed man thou that professest thou hast no part and portion in the Lord Iesus take heede that one day hee doth not professe that hee hath no part in thee Rom. 8.9 If any man hath 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 he is none of his thou that dost make a matter of mocking at those that doe walke uprightly before God and that have the Spirit of God in them thou that proclamest to the world that thou hast not the Spirit of God the Lord proclaimes it as openly to thee that the Lord Iesus will not owne thee hee will have nothing to doe with thee and then what shall become of thee 〈◊〉 the devill must take thee at the last day when all flesh shall appeare before the judgement seate of God and the booke shall be opened and the actions of men made manifest to Saints and Angells Oh one drop of mercy then one dram of comfort then will bee worth a world Oh then you will wish Oh that Christ would save us no no you that were naturall men Christ will not owne you now you had none at all of the Spirit you have opposed the good Spirit of God and flouted it these are your spirituall men these are your holy ones thus you have mocked and blasphemed you have sayd the Spirit of Christ is not mine and therefore Christ saith hee is none of thine thy estate therefore here is miserable but thrice wretched and miserable will it be hereafter men may imagine great matters and boast of themselves of their riches and their wisedome and their honour and preferment in the world but if they be naturall there is small good at all in them they may have lands and preferments and honours but they have small good in them and therefore miserable needs must their estate bee here but farre worse hereafter Doe not thinke ye may climbe up to heaven by your owne imaginations good Lord how can a man that is in a naturall condition sleepe quietly with what contentment can hee walke when a man goeth into his fields to recreate and delight himselfe and then considers the meanes that God hath offred him whereby hee might attaine unto grace and salvation when the soule thinks with it selfe I may goe into my ground to be eased and refreshed but alas I am but a naturall man what therefore shall become of this poore soule of mine he considers with himselfe I am but in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable damned condition and then when hee returnes home still this strikes in his minde I aâ—â— but naturall flesh and blood and therefore never shall receive any spirituall comfort but when these things shall neither helpe me nor I be helpefull unto them Oh what then shall become of me I have had no part in Christ here and therefore I can never looke that hee will owne me hereafter it is a great evill for a man to have no good but this is the misery of a man that hee cannot procure any good and this is the misery of all miseries that he cannot desire to be out of this misery and yet this is the condition of every naturall man you therefore that are naturall goe into comers and mourne for your selves and those that belong unto you and for those to whom you have relation you husbands that have wives which be naturall and you wives who have naturall husbands goe and mourne for them and for you selves and sigh to heaven for mercy and pray to God that hee would be mercifull unto them and forgive them their sinnes and bring them out of their naturall estate and make them able to entertaine Christ and grace and salvation Parents mourne for your children that are naturall when thou lookest upon thy child whom thou dearely lovest and whom perhaps hath good naturall parts and is obedient unto thee in outward respects when thou beholdest this child of thine and considerest that hee is in a naturall estate then this may peirce thee to the very heart then thou mayst burst out and say woe is me that this child of mine was ever borne for he is in a naturall condition and therefore in a miserable condition hee is a naturall child and herefore a child of the divell truly he is my sonne and for ought I know if God have not mercy upon him the child of the divell also a naturall child is a damned child a naturall man is an accursed man consider this doth not the Word say this doth not the Lord say this that a naturall man cannot receive the things of God and therefore deale with your owne soules and with the soules of
the blow that is 〈…〉 upon it so it is with a stony heart there is a 〈◊〉 union betweene sinne and it secondly by 〈◊〉 of this union sinne comes to have a 〈…〉 power in the soule and not onely so but in the third place there is a great resistance in the soule against Gods Command Looke as it is with a stone of a man striketh a blow upon it it resistes the blow and beates it backe so it is with the soule with a stony heart the Word the Sacraments Admonitions Reproofes Counsells Exhortations they enter not into it they prevaile not with it but it resists and obpposeth all meanes of grace and salvation that are offered unto it what helpe soever God bestowes upon it it beates it backe it will not be disposed it will not be framed and fashioned according to Gods holy Will Zach. 7.12 there saith the Text Zach. 7.12 They made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should beare the lâ—s and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent by his Spirit in the Ministery of the former Prophets that is they closed with their corruptions and grew strong in their corruptions and resisted the commandements of the Lord and therefore it is said of Pharoah that he hardened his heart that is hee strengthened his heart in sinne and would not obey the commandement of the Lord but refused to let the people of Israel goe when there comes to be a neare union betweene sinne and the soule then the soule doth strengthen it selfe in sinne and opposeth the Law of God the proud man saith he will have his lust let God say what hee will the covetous man hee will have his corruption let God say what hee will and the drunkard hee will have his owne way and the adulterer hee will take up his owne course let God say what he will they grow strong in their sinnes and therefore resist all meanes which may be for their good untill the Lord by his almightie power doth breake this fast knot that is betweene corruption and the soule and removes the power and strength of sinne and then by a strong hand takes away this resistance and over-powers a soule in this case so that then to gather up all together if it be so that the union betweene sinne and the soule cannot be dissolved but by God alone if the strength and power of sinne and Satan cannot be vanquished but onely by the Lord if the resistance that commeth from sinne cannot be taken away and removed but by the worke of the Spirit of God then the case is cleare and the point evident That it is God which taketh away the stony heart and giveth a heart of flesh if God alone by his almighty power doth these things then he is the author of this worke it is his worke to doe this in the soule of a poore sinnefull creature The first Vse is an use of instruction from hence wee may see that therefore this great worke of conversion the fitting and preparing of a poore sinner to entertaine the Lord Iesus it is a worke of great weight it is a worke not of ordinary but of marvellous and admirable difficulty if it be the worke of the Lord onely if nothing else can doe this worke but it lieth upon Gods alone almightie power if all meanes faile nay if the wisedome of men Angells stand agast amazed at this work then I must conclude it is the Lords worke and is ought to be marvellous in our eyes And from hence it is that it is a marvellous wonder that any creature that is under the power of sinne and Satan it is a wonder it is a miracle that after all teaching after all meanes used any soule is humbled and prepared to receive mercy from the hand of the Lord Iesus Christ Nay hence it is that wee see little profit come from the worke of the Ministerie when wee see the greatnesse of this worke of conversion wee may wonder how it commeth to passe that any are converted and brought home unto the Lord the Ministers are faine to lift up their voyces like trumpets and spend their hearts as it were they pray againe and fast againe and preach againe and yet all will not d ee for when is the heart of any humbled when is the soule of any turned and converted unto God and therefore away with that cursed delusion that harbours in the minds of many men they will repent and they will beleeve when they list why Alas it is not in your power it is the almighty worke of God thou hast not the worke of repentance to command at thy pleasure it is not talking and saying I doe repent with all my heart and doe beleeve that will serve the turne this will not doe the Lord must worke effectually in thy soule by his almighty power or else the union that is betweene sinne and thy soule will not be dissolved or else the strength of sinne and power of Satan that is in thy soule will never be vanquished or else the resistance that is in thy soule and which commeth from this strength against the blow of the Spirit and all meanes that may fit it and prepare it for to receive the Lord Iesus and mercy from him will never be removed a man shall sometimes find that the indisposition of his soule to any good shall be a little abated by the power of the Word the edge of it will a little be blunted but a poore soule cannot be freed altogether from this untill it shall please the Lord by his almightie hand to remove it and therefore in the first of Iames the 18. Verse the text saith Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth that wee should be as the first fruits of his creatures Ioh. 1.13 and Ioh. 1.13 To them that received him saith the Text he gave power to be the sonnes of God to them which beleeve in his name which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And therefore thinke of it Ministers that teach the Word and people that heare the Word wee must know that unlesse the Lord steppeth in and doth the worke for us all our labour is lost it must be I â—ay the Lord that must take away the stony heart and it must be hee that must give the heart of 〈◊〉 it is not talking and making a profession that can plucke sinne out of the soule of a man in this kinde but it must be the almighty power of the Lord that must doe it The second Vse is a ground of comfort whereby the soule of poore sinners may be supported and the hearts of those that have sinne hunging about them may be cheared when the soule considers that it is laden with abundance of corruptions and abominations then it is quite discouraged and thinkes with all that it shall never be recovered
is a phrase taken from prisoners a prisoner that is under the hand of the jaylor and hath his legges settered and is shut up in prison we use to say that such a man is sure enough And not only so sinne and Satan have not only taken a poore prisoner and settered him and shut him up in prison but they have slaine him and taken away his life also and therefore now sinne musts needs he fastened deep in the soule of a poore sinner If a theefe or a Traytor were apprehended and convicted and imprisoned and had bolts and fetters upon him and further if he were condemned and hang'd drawne and quarter'd then though the partie were never so resolute or his practises never so outragious yet â—en might say now he is sure enough now he will steale no more nor plot treason any more just so it is with the soule of a poore sinner every man naturally is so farre forth under the power of sinne and Satan that he is not only surprised and taken by Satan but his sinnes are as so many bolts and fetters about him nay he is shut up in prison nay further sinne hath slaine him out right in so much that a man may as soone pluck hell from the place where it is as pluck a poore sinner out of his corruptions The devill hath not only taken a poore sinner but he hath fetterd him and imprisoned him and taken away his life and therefore now the devill hath him sure enough as we may so speâ—l he is now firmly fastned unto sinne This is the first passage adde to this the second As the dominion of sinne over the soule is great so also that same land of league and close kind of firme fastning that same union that is betweene the soule and corruptions is marvellous great The Scripture never enough expresseth the love that is between sinne and the soule look what love and union there is between the husband and the wise Rom. â— 2 there faith the text the woman which is in subjection to a man is bound to the man while he liveth the one must die before the other can marry such is the union between sinne and the soule a poore sinne is married and given over to sinne in so much that before the Lord conquers and slayeth sinne the soule is never free Nay further look as the members are to the body such is sinne to the soule Collos 3.5 mortifie your members which are on earth saith the Apostle as fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection and the like nay sinne is called the old man in Scripture as if sinne were another man in us there is a head of sinne and an eye of sinne and a hand of sinne and a foot of sinne in every sinfull creature it is as another man within him Nay to go further Matth. 16.24 there sinne is called a mans selfe there saith our Saviour let a man deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow mee let him deny himselfe that is let him deny his pride and his other sinfull distempers and abominations I tell you a naturall mans sinnes are as neere unto him as his own life he will part with his own bloud before he will part with his corruptions nay his sinnes are himselfe they are so fast and so firmely setled unto him that you may as easily pluck selfe from selfe as a man from his sinnes So then if it be so that the dominion that Satan hath over the soule of a sinner is the strongest of all other if the union betweene sinne and the soule be the firmest of all other then it is cleare that every naturall man sticks fast in sinne he is bound hand and foot in sinne sinne and a man makes but one man and therefore it musts needs be a hard thing to pluck a man from his sinfull distempers so that then the case is cleare every man is informed of this that the soule is fastned and glued and firmely setled unto sinne we will now proceed unto the use of the poynt And first for instruction 1 Vse we may here see that wofull servitude and base slavery that all poore creatures are in if they be no better by grace than they are by nature though they carry it out never so bravely and lift up their heads never so high and think their penny good silver yet their servitude is of all other the worst and their vassalage of all other in the world the basest There was never poore soule stuck so fast in a pit of clay wherein was no bottome as a poore soule sticketh in his sinnes and corruptions You have heard of the house of bondage that the Israelites were in when they were in Aegygt how miserably they were afflicted and tormented by the hands of unreasonable Tyrants how they were forced to gather their straw and then to scorch themselves in the fiery furnace to make brick You have heard of Ieâ—eâ—â—ie in the dungeon how ho stuck fast in the mire and 〈◊〉 and could have no ease untill Evil merodach came and delivered him You have heard of the Mill that Samson grinded in after the Philistims had put out his eyes that they should then put him as a horse to grind in the Mill. You would think it marvellous irksome and troublesome to be thus oppressed by unreasonable men I tell you the house of bondage that the Israelites were in was a heaven it was a Paradise to that slavery that bondage that servitude that vassalage which every poore sinner is in under sinne and Satan nay Samsons Mill was an excellency it was a glory to that slavery which every poore sinner is faine to performe to be at Satans call and to be at the devils command if he bid a man to be proud then he must be proud if the divell command a man to be covetous then he must obey him and go like an Oxe to the slaughter and a Foole to the stocks to do whatsoever sinne and Satan bids him what a base slavery and servitude is this Ieremie in the dungeon it was a delight to be there where he might look up to heaven and leave the desires of his soule with God but for a poore soule to be in the dungeon of his sinnes where his mind cannot be enlightned â—or his judgement informed where hee can see nothing nor know nothing where there is no help where all the men on earth nor all the Angels of heaven cannot help him what a wofull miserable wretched condition is this Oh that God would open mens eyes and set open the consciences of those that look so high and bragge of their priviledges Many men boast of their base courses and wicked practises as if a thiefe should brag of his chaines and fetters this is a wofull misery many creatures make this a great part of their liberty that they can break all bonds and snap all cords in peeces and cast the holy commandements of God behind their backs
under sinne and Satan and have beene in the same condition our selves we know what it is to be shut up under a hard heart and a blind mind and distempered affections we know what it is to be prentise to the devill and therefore this should move us to deale pittifully with poore miserable captived creatures we our selves were in the same condition we our selves lived without God in the world heretofore as those do now Nay this is that which the Apostle presseth Tit 3 1 2 3. there saith the text Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers and to speak evill of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men for we our selves also were sometimes disobedient foolish deceiving serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice hatefull and hating one another you that have beene prisoners and have had your soules pierced with bolts and fetters why remember your own estate and pitty poore prisoners that are now in that estate that you have formerly been in Hath the Lord opened thy eyes and humbled thy heart hath the Lord broke thy bonds and knocked off thy bolts and let thee out of prison why then pitty poore prisoners you were such once your selves hating God and hatefull one to another and that you are not so blesse God for it You know what it is to be in such a condition to be troubled with a hard heart you that have beene in prison and know what it is to have hard hearts and dead soules and blind minds why pitty poore prisoners that are in the same case and cry to heaven for help for them intreat God to free and deliver them from the bondage of sinne and Satan in the 12. of Matth. 9.10 it is that our Saviour presses upon the Pharisees there saith the text what man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath day and will not lift it out how much then is a man better than a sheep so say I if any of you should have a child or a father or a husband fall into a Well would you not use all meanes possible to lift him out oh here one would be breathing and would scarce speake there another would be hoarse with crying help help for the Lords sake my child my father my husband is drowning thus you would do and you do well and mercifully but have you care of oxen and of the bodies of your sonnes and your fathers and husbands and have you no pitty no compassion upon their soules you that see the soules of your husbands sunk down into a durty pitt into a filthy dungeon into a drunken â—rophane course thou that seest thy wife fallen into a course of chambering and wantonnesse if thou seest this why then call and cry for succour and reliefe and pray for help and labour by all meanes possible to pluck out these soules out of the gall of bitternesse and out of the bond of iniquite labour to pluck them out of sinne here and damnation hereafter Look as a man deales with carriage if a Cart be at a stay or at a sett in the high way why then the Carter that drives it doth what he can himselfe he sets his shoulder to the wheele and labours as much as in him lyeth to lift the Cart out but if this will not doe then he craves the help of some others especially if there go two or three teames together then he gets all the other teames set to this load to draw it out and especially if the load be going then they cry it is comming it is comming and labour by all meanes possible to lift it out altogether Dost thou see the heart of thy father or the heart of thy child at a stand under pride covetousnes and prophanenesse why then pray thou what thou canst and do what thou mayst put thy shoulder to the wheele and use all meanes to pluck them out but if this will not do use all helps that can be by the supply of others and crave their help in this case intreat them to help thy father or thy child or thy husband at a dead lift say my father or my husband is sunk forty fadam deep into the earth he is buried in the world and in his corruptions especially if thâ— load be comming if he be almost perswaded to become a Christian then labour earnestly and cry one pluck for my poore husband one pluck for my poore father he is comming he is comming therefore pull pull for the Lords sake and go further and cry mightily unto the Lord that it would please him to pluck him out of the ground look up to heaven and intreat the Lord to lend his helping hand if man cannot nor neighbours will not why then look up higher unto heaven for succour and say good Lord my father is a prisoner and a bondslave to sinne and Satan therefore good Lord I beseech thee break those bonds and knock off those bolts of pride and infidelity and the like in the 12. of the Acts when Peter was taken prisoner it is said that prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him and the same night when Herod would have brought him forth Peter was sleeping between two souldiers bound in two chaynes and the Keepers before the doore kept the prison and the Angell of the Lord appeared unto him and a light shined in the prison and he raysed him up and said Peter arise and the chaines fell off from him afterwards he came unto an iron gate that lead unto the City and that opened of its own accord Why that God that was able to knock off the bonds of Peter and was able to make the iron gate open of it selfe unto him that God is able to break the bonds of sinne and Satan wherewith thy father husband or friend are fetter'd he is able to break the brasen doore of their hearts which hinders the light of the Gospell from shining in and therefore cry to this God for help and succour and mercy and say good Lord thou that wert able to break off the fetters wherewith Peter was bound and to make the iron doore to open good Lord I beseech thee do thou work upon my father my husband or my child especially that he may never be so hardened slip the lock and break in upon him and humble him here that he may be saved hereafter especially when you see the load is comming then draw oh then draw with all your power when you see their minds are inlightned and their judgements informed why then the load is comming pray therefore then to God especially for help who knowes but God may humble them and convert them to himselfe and therefore strive amayne with God use all meanes both ordinary and extraordinary for the benefit of them and this shall suffice for the first passage namely that the soule of a man by nature is
ever he meane to come to heaven and this is the first meanes when the soule of a sinner is inlightned and his mind informed that he is in a wrong course and that he must take a better course or else he shall never come at heaven and this the Lord doth suddenly the sinner not perceiving of it the Lord setteth a sudden flash upon his soule and telleth him that he is going unto hell the soule presently wonders at this and marvels how it came to passe Esay 66.1 there saith the text I am sought of them that asked not for mee and I am found of them that sought mee not the Lord putteth a sudden light into soules of men which they never dreamed of Hypocrites if they can but goe to Church and sit in the Church as Gods servants do and leane on their elbowes and heare as Gods people do then all is well with them but as many of them as belong to God God will discover unto them that they are in a wrong way and he will shew and reveale another way unto them which they never dreamed of and therefore this is that we shall observe haply we shall see a man come riding into a town on a Sabboth day and when he comes there hee seeth the people going to Church well perhaps then he sets up his horse at the Inne and goes into the Church for a custome and for company sake and when he is in the Church he goes into a seat and sets down his staffe and sits down and attends the Minister and never thinks of any thing well at last the Lord sends a light into his soule and telleth him thou art now riding about thy own worldly businesse when thoushouldst be in sanctifying of my Sabboth I tell thee my friend thou art in a wrong way thou takest a naughty course thou dost wickedly and if thou continuest and goest on in this course thou wilt never come at heaven And this the Lord doth on a sudden when a man never so much as thought of any such matter And after a man is thus enlightned he will be ready to say the truth is heretofore I went to heare the word but for customes sake but when I least dreamed of any such thing it pleased the Lord blessed be his name to reveale such things unto mee as I before never knew he told mee that which sticketh upon mee to this present houre he discovered that unto mee which I hope I shall carry with me unto my grave this is that we may observe in the 9. of the Acts Paul there was running on in a resolute-course he had gotten letters at Damascus and purposed to make havock of all poore Christians where he came now while he was in his journey the Lord met him from heaven and cryed unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee as he if had said this is not the way to heaven you think to persecute my poore Saints but Saul Saul I tell thee this is not the way thou takest a wrong course he called unto him as a man would call after one that is running out of his right way into some wildernesse or dangerous place And when Saul heard this he presently fell off his horse and humbled himselfe and said Lord what wilt thou that I do and so Luke 15.4 the text saith that the shepherd that had lost his sheep left his ninty and nine and went into the wildernesse to seek that which was lost and if he had not gone to seek the sheep the sheep would never have sought him alas the poore sheep was gone astray and bewilderd and if the shepheard had not followed it and sought after it that would never have found the sheepheard nay to go further many a man goeth to the word and heareth it for nothing else but to carp at the Minister and yet the Lord hath caught many such men also and hath put such a light into their hearts that he hath made them know that they were in a wrong way and mark when the Lord hath let in this light then the soule begins to be at a stand and thinks with himselfe surely if this be the right way I am in the wrong if the Minister saith true then I am not right but then sometimes the heart would put out this light it would not be informed and perswaded if the Minister tels a man that he must sanctifie Gods Sabboths here or else he shall never sanctifie a Sabboth unto him in heaven hereafter when the Minister saith that unlesse God humble us here he will break us in peeces in hell hereafter loath a man is to know this and be informed of this because hee would not be offended by this and provoked to performe this but though a sinner would shift off this yet the Lord will not leave him but will still pursue him and lay reasons upon him unanswerable the soule would fain play tricks with the Lord in this case and put out this light but God will reveale to the soule of a sinner that these things are certainly true God will lay hold upon the understanding of a poore sinner and follow him with reasons that are undeniable untill his reason shall yeeld and his understanding give verdit to that which the Lord reveales untill hee sayes I confesse Lord it is true I yeeld full assent thereto Thus the Lord knocketh at the doore or heart of a poore sinner and not only so but lifts up the latch and opens the doore of a mans heart and letteth in the light and this is the first course that God useth 2 2. The second is this after that the Lord hath thus enlightened the minde and let in the light of his spirit into the heart of a sinner and though a man would defeat the power of it yet God still followeth him with forceable arguments untill the understanding is setled and reason answered after the Lord hath done this then the second cord wherewith God draweth sinners unto himselfe is a cord of mercy whereby the Lord doth compasse a poore sinner about with kindnesse goodnesse and compassion Hos 11.4 there saith the Lord I taught Ephraim to goe taking them by the armes I drew them with the cords of love and with the bonds of a man This same cord of Gods mercy is a cable rope the abundant riches of Gods mercy is a great thick cable and we will tell you of what it is twisted it makes known it selfe in foure particulars if the illumination that God sends into the heart will not bee able to perswade the heart though it answers all objections pursueth it with arguments undeniable why then the Lord will draw us with the cord of his mercy and this great cable of Gods goodnesse is made up of foure cords First First Cord. the Lord revealed himselfe to be ready to receive and willing and easie to entertayne poore sinners when they come unto him Esay 55.7 there saith
to commit any sinne againe Iohn 16.11 there Christ saith that he will send the spirit the Comforter and he shall reprove the world of righteousnesse and of sinne and of judgement In that it is said he will reprove the world of judgement thereby is nothing else meant but that the Lord will govern men and why shall the comforter convince the world of judgement because Satan is judged saith the text that is he is kept off and cannot pluck the soule to himselfe the government that Satan had over the soule is wholly removed and Christ hath the soule under his command and the soule is contented to be wholly at at his disposing In the time that Christ lived upon the earth when the divells did possesse the bodies of men the Lord saith unto them I charge thee thou uncleane spirit to come out so the Lord saith now to the divell that hath taken possession of the soules of those men which do belong to the election of grace after the Lord hath rent a poore sinner from his corruptions and haled him to himselfe then he saith come out of him Satan and never rule him more never take place in him more and then he takes the soule into his hands that he may governe him and dispose of him according to his owne good will and pleasure This wee see the cords whereby God draweth a sinner to himselfe First he inlightens the mind and reveales to the soule of a sinner that he is in a wrong way and that he must take another course if ever he meane to come at heaven and then the layes the cords of mercy and the cords of conscience upon him whereby he constraines and forces him to come unto him and the last is the cord of the Spirit whereby he doth take the soule out of the hands of Satan into his owne possession The next thing to be considered is the reasons why the Lord by a holy kind of violence Reasons or Arguments thus drawes a sinner from corruption to himselfe the arguments are three The first is taken from those tear me whereby the Scripture discovereth this work of God upon the soule of a sinner Matth. 12.29 there saith our Saviour No man commeth into a strong mans house but first he overcomes and binds the strong man before he takes possession of his house and spoyles his goods this is the parable the meaning is this the house is nothing else but the heart of a sinner the strongman is nothing else but sinne and Satan the divell and sinne taking possession of and ruling in the soule of a sinner and this is the wofull condition of many men that think their penny good silver and beare their heads aloft howsoever they lift their heads so high yet their soules are nothing else but habitations for the divell now Satan ruling and overpowering the soule by sinne is the strong man that usurps authority over the soule by reason of the corruptions that prevayle over the soule for if there were not sinne within the soules of men there were no power that Satan could usurp over men now observe it the Lord Iesus is the stronger man and before he can come and take possession of the soule and work effectually in the soule he must bind Satan and take away the weapons of Satan and then when he hath bound him and overcome him then he takes possession of the soule this is the meaning of the parable Now I reason thus conquering binding and slaying imply a kind of violence Satan will not come out by intreaty the devill must be commanded to go out or else drawn out by a kind of violence if all the Angells in heaven and all the men on earth should intreat Satan to come out of the soule he would not come out but this implyeth a holy kind of violence that Christ offereth to corruptions in the soule when he drawes the soule from sinne to himselfe In another place it is said that Christ came to destroy the works of the divell Ioh. 3.8 those works are the sinfull corruptions that were at first put into the soule by the delusion of Satan when he tempted our first parents to eat of the forbidden fruit Now Christ commeth to destroy those works now the works of Satan will not destroy themselves sinne and Satan will not bind and overcome themselves the enemy will not come out of his hold willingly but the work that must be put forth for the binding conquering and destroying of those must needs imply a work of constraint and holy violence which is offered A man offers violence to his enemy when he binds him a man offers violence to his enemy when he overcomes him a man offers violence to his enemy when he flayes and destroyes him such is the work of the Lord when he takes possession of a soule this way and this is the interpretation of Divines in this case they say that the Lord doth take away that deadnesse and stupidity of heart whereby it may lay hold on grace if it resist not the good motions of the Spirit The second Argument The second Argument is taken from the naturall union betweene the soule and corruption and then I reason thus one contrary expells another from a naturall subject by constraint and compulsion but the spirit as a contrary doth drive out sinne from the soule in the work of preparation as a contrary thereunto and therefore must do it by constraynt and compulsion Wee will open both the parts of the Argument I say one contrary driveth out another by violence and constraynt as for example wheresoever heat is if it commeth to drive out cold it doth it by a certaine kind of violence for the ground of all constraint ariseth from the crossenesse and contrariety that things have one to another wee need no constraint to to make things doe that which is naturall unto them as to make fire hot or a Lyon fierce or a Wolfe ravenous but he that will make a Lyon become a Lamb and he that will make a wolfe become a Kidd he that doth this must offer a kind of violence to the nature of the Lyon and of the Wolfe and break the combination that is betweene the fiercenesse of the thing and the thing it selfe so that it is cleare that one contrary driveth out another from a naturall subject by constraint and violence and that sinne is naturally in a corrupt heart is evident Ioh. 3.6 whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh that is whosoever commeth from Adam is rooted in sinne now mark sinne being thus naturally in the soule the Spirit of grace and the Lord Iesus when he commeth to drive away sinne from the soule breaketh that neere union that is between sinne and the soule by a holy kind of violence Gal. 6.17 there saith the Apostle from henceforth let no man trouble mee for I beare in my body the marks of the Lord Iesue the Lord Iesus breaking
hee could not help himselfe but must needs perish if he should glory in this case and say I am here in this pitt and if I get not out I shall perish yet this is my comfort no body lookes after me no body will vouchsafe to helpe me this is thy condition thou art funke downe into thy sinnes and let downe into the bottom of hell thou stickest there and art like to perish there and yet for all this thou gloriest and boastest and sayst the Lord will not open my eyes the Lord will not draw the Lord will not perswade me and work upon me and therefore thou art like to continue there and bee confounded there is this thy glory it is the greatest curse that ever befell any man and therefore if there bee any whose eyes God hath opened hath the Lord let in the cord of conscience into thy soule and let in the flashes of hell fire and brought thee almost to dispaire then blessed be the name of God thou art drawing goe home be comforted thou goest in the right way be not disquieted in this condition the Lord is now drawing of thee hee will anon bring thee to himselfe Second Vse Secondly it is a word of direction if there must bee drawing before there can bee comming then what are we to be advised of but this to blesse God for his worke when wee see it in our selves or others wheresoever your see this worke wrought in your selves or those that belong unto you blesse God for that mercy it is a good ground that God intendeth good to a man when hee beginneth the right way and observe this to check that conceit and overthrow that cursed opinion it is the ordinary practise of carnâ—ll men in the world if any that belong to them bee awakened and humbled they count it the heaviest curse that ever befell them the greatest crosse that ever came to their houses the wife the childe is undone they complaine the wife is so holy and the servants so devout that if there be any spare time they then goe to reading and praying I wonder whither they will go next I trow I tell thee whither they will goe next they are going now to Christ and the next journey they take they will goe to heaven this is the worst newes and art not thou ashamed to complaine of this if there be any soule present that is guilty of this crime take notice of it art thou content thy wife should take up her loose adulterous courses and go to the devill and not take up a good course and goe to the Lord Iesus Christ when God is working upon men hee is drawing of them to himselfe that they may go to the Lord Iesus and receive mercy from the Lord Iesus and therefore I beseech the Lord to shew men this sottish conceit and reforme the same when thou seest God worke upon a poore soule then blesse God for the same is thy wife that was an Adulteresse before now humbled doth she now see her sinnes then goe into a corner and blesse God for the same and say I have had an untoward wife but now the Lord blessed bee his Name hath humbled her I had a loose servant that was given to drunkennesse prophannesse but now the Lord hath opened his eyes and awakened his conscience and humbled his soule and is drawing of him to himselfe why blesse God for this his glorious comfort bee comforted herein and incouraged hereby and blesse God for the same FINIS The Table IOHN 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Doctrine I. THat every man in his naturall condition is fastened and setled in the state of sinne and corruption Page 3. This appeareth in the dominion that sinne and Sathan hath over the soule p. 4. And secondly in the amity that the soule hath to sinne p. 6 Vse I. Instruction to inâ—orme our mindes of the woefull servitude and daily slavery that all men are in by nature p. 7 Vse II. It is a word of Exhortation to all the Saints of God to pittie poore naturall creatures p. 11 Doctrine II. The Lord by a holy kinde of violence doth plucke the hearts of sinners from sinne unto himselfe p. 18 What is meant here by drawing vid. p. 20 The meanes whereby God drawes the heart of a poore sinner unto himselfe are foure Meanes I. The Lord letteth in a light into the minde of a poore sinner and discovereth unto him that he is in a wrong way p. 26 Meanes II. The Lord doth draw poore sinners unto himselfe with the cord of his mercy p. 30 This cable rope of Gods mercy is made up of foure Cords The first Cord is this The Lord reveales himselfe to be ready to receive poore sinners p. 31 The second Cord is this The Lord doth call and command sinners for to come p. 32 The third Cord is this The Lord intreates and beseecheth poore sinners to come to receive mercy p. 34 The fourth Cord is this The Lord doth wait and stay in long patience and suffring to see if at any time a sinner will turne unto him p. 38 Meanes III. The Lord draweth poore sinners unto himselfe by the iron cords of conscience p. 40 These iron cords of conscience have three maine hâ—â—kes to pull sinners to the Lord that is there are three great workes of conscience which God useth to worke upon men to draw them from sinne to himselfe p. 41. The first Hooke of conscience is this Conscience is a warner to the soule and admonisheth it of sinne and to come from sinne upon paine of damnation p. 41 The second Hooke is this Conscience accuseth the creature before God and witnesseth against him p. 47 The third Hooke is this Conscience at the last condemnes the soule p. 13 Meanes IV. The Lord draweth poore sinners unto himselfe by the Cord of his Spirit p. 61 The Reasons why the Lord doth thus draw a sinner from sinne to himselfe are three p. 62. Reason I. Because the strong man must first be cast out p. 63 Reason II. Because of that naturall union betweene the soule and corruption p. 64 Reason III. Becaus of that soveraigne kinde of power that sinne hath over the soule and prevaileth within the soule p. 67. Vse I. It is a ground of Instruction to teach all people to admire the inconceiveable goodnesse of the Lord to poore miserable damned creatures p. 70 Vse II. It is a word of terrour to discover the woefull estate of all those that doe set themselves against the worke of preparation p. 74 Vse III. It is a use of comfort and consâ—lation to all poore soules that are oppressed with their sinnes p. 95 Vse IV. It is a use of Exhortation to all Gods people to endeavour to pluche others from sinne this is the course God takes p. 103 Vse V. Of Examination to trie your selves how you have beene drawne to God p. 114 FINIS
wildernesse and with bryers and in the 16. verse after the Lord had delivered those men into his hands he did unto them of Succoth according as he had threatned He took the Elders of the City and thornes of the â—ildernesse and bryers and with them he did teare the men of Sâ—â—coth saith the Text Iust so is it with conscience conscience before only commanded and perswaded men but because he hath beene slighted and despised by them because they have flouted him and said what must be a servant to my conscience must I be a slave and a foole to my conscieâ—e no no I will do what I list for all conscience will you so saith conscience well when God giveth mee authority and gives mee a commission I will teare your flesh for this and rend your hearts in peeces with horror and then conscience he surpriseth a sinner upon every occasion in this case he bursts into the Alâ—house and into the Tavern upon him like a Segeant and arrests him he follow shim to the alehouse he persueth him home he takes him in his bed and arrests him in his sleep and when he is in bed and asleep then conscience awakens him and terrifies him and hales the soule before the Tribunall seat of God and saith loe Lord behold this man this is the drunkard this is the adulterer this is the blasphemer that sweares by thy name prophanes thy Sabboths and contemnes thy word this is he Lord that is an enemy to thy servants and a hater of thy truth and a despiser of thy ordinances this is he Lord this is he that hath done these things and committed these abominations this is he that hath committed many sinnes in secret when no eye saw him this is so Lord at such a time and in such a place in such a chamber with such a company then this man blasphemed thy name and despised thy truth and rayled on good men this this Lord is the man and when conscience hath thus dragged him before God and witnessed against him then take him â—aylor take him divell saith the Lord and imprison him let vexation and horror and trouble and anguish lie upon his soule saith God untill he confesse his sinnes and resolve to forsake them now this this hook sticketh fast in the very heart of this man and all his friends and companions are not able to baile him one commeth and another commeth and all speak and ask him what is the reason what is the cause why are you thus discontented and why thus disquieted oh saith the poore soule you see not you know not you conceive not the horror that conscience hath layed upon mee and what heavy wrath and fearefull vengeance God hath threatned to inflict upon mee for my sinnes now when his companions heare this they cannot all of them bayle him but unlesse he will see his base courses and confesse his sinnes and be humbled for them and resolve to forsake them conscience will not be at quiet but will continually torment and perplex him with horror thus the Lord deals with the Prophet David as we may see Psal 32. when I kept silence sayth he my boneswaxed old through my roaring all the day long for day and night thy hand was heavy upon mâ—e my moysture is turned into the drought of Summer I acknowledged my sinne unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not hid I confessed my transgressions unto the Lord and then forganest the iniquitie of my sinne David he folded up his sinnes at first he would not come of eleverly he would not take them to himselfe and say I have committed adultery and I have murthered Vriâ—â— and therefore his bones were consumed and 〈◊〉 roâ—red continually when the Lord had him upon the rack he made him roare againe and would never leave tormenting of him untill he had confessed his sinnes but after he had confessed them then he forgave his iniquitie the Lord dealeth with the soule in this case as a King doth with a Traytor after his conspiracy is discovered and he attached if he will not confesse his conspiracy and who were his fellow traytors then he is brought upon the rack and then one joynt is broken and then he roares againe by reason of the extremity of the payne why confesse then saith the King and if he will not confesse the whole conspiracy but onely some circumstances of it then he is hoysed upon the rack the second time and then another joynt is broken and then he roars againe why confesse more yet then saith the King and never leaves racking and tormenting of him untill he hath discovered and layed open the whole treason so conscience will bring the foule of a sinner unto the rack and make him confesse his sinnes and come out of it selfe and then the drunkard he cryes out oh the abominations that I have committed which the Sunne never saw in such a place at such a time I rayled upon Gods servants and blasphemed Gods name I prophaned Gods Sabboths and contemned his ordinances but conscience will make him confesse more yet and the refore forceth him to the rack againâ— and then he cryes and râ—ares for anguish of spirit and confesses all and resolves to amend he purpurposes to pray and heare and sanctifie Gods Sabboths and lead a new life and now a conscience upon the confession of his sinnes and purpose of amendment receives some satisfaction and then it begiâ—â—es to be at quiet and give him some rest and this is the second hooke of conscience But when the poore sinner hath gotten some quiet by his confessing of his sinnes and resolving to forsake them when his companions see that he is come out of that horror and vexation wherein he was and that he puts his head out of doores and is creeping abroad then they set upon him againe and labour with might and mayne by wicked perswasions and cursed devices to draw him to his old courses they knew there was no medling with him before but now conscience is a little quieted and he a little eased then all the drunkards in the towne pursue him and all the loose mates hang about him and lay hookes upon him of love and enteâ—tainment and marke how they reply upon him Why refresh say they your soule with some of your ancient dalliance you know wee have beene old friends and of long acquaintance and what contentment have wee had in our times why do not smoak out your dayes in melancholly I dare warrant you the worst is past it was only a fit of melancholly that perplexed you and therefore now it is over refresh yourselfe with your friends and with those that love you Thus the divell by temptations on one side and wicked men by cursed perswasions on the other side be leagure a poore soule and the soule having some quiet he begins to listen to their perswasions and then he beginnes to take up his old course and follow his sinnesmore violently and with
greater eagernesse than ever he did all his life time before For mark that alwayes if after God hath inlightned a mans mind and awakned his conscience he falls into his old wayes again then he is a divell he is twice as bad as he was before he followes his corruptions with such outragiousnesse as if hell were broken loose Very well he hath now broken two hooks the third hook is that which will rend him in peeces before it will let him passe when conscience seeth that the other two hooks are broken when he seeth that commands prevaile not that accusations terrifie not then the Lord exerciseth another work of conscience upon the heart of a poore sinner and that is this As conscience did before command him and peremptorily charge him upon the hazzard of everlasting life not commit sinne and secondly as it before did accuse him before God for the commission of that sinne whereby God was dishonourted and his soule polluted so in the third place conscience becomes his executioner it takes the office of an executioner upon him conscience will beare with him no longer but now draggs him down to the very place of execution he was convicted before conscience sayes unto him thy sinnes were discovered and I charged thee not to meddle with sinne any more upon paine of Gods displeasure and as thou wouldst answer it before God afterward I became an accuser of thee before God and then thou didst confesse thy sinnes and didst purpose amendment but now since thou hast slighted my commands and not regarded my accusations there is therefore no remedy but thou must go to the place of execution now there is no way but one with thee now conscience begins to condemne the soule as Divines expresse these three works of conscience by a practicall kind of reasoning and conscience reasons thus with the soule He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck he shall perish there is no remedic there is the command of conscience but thou hast often been reproved and admonished and yet hast hardoned thy heart and hast not been bettered by it there is the work of accusation and therefore thou shalt perish there is no remedy and this is the condemning work Suppose conscience should come thus unto the heart of a man he that being often reproved hardeneth his heart he shall perish saith the Lord there is no remedy but now let conscience go into every mans bosome and reason thus with him thou art the man woman or child whom counsells in private and reproofes exhortations and admonitions in publque would do no good nothing would convince thee nothing would informe thee therefore thou shalt perish man woman or child there is no remedic These are the three works of conscience and when conscience hath done this last work and performed his office of execution when he hath condemned a soule and delivered a sinner into the hand of the executioner then it is thus with this sinner after all mercies and cords of love will do no good after the commands and accusations will not prevaile then conscience sayes come damned ghosts take away this drunkard this blasphemer this adulterer this contemner of my word and throw him headlong into the pit of everlasting destruction he would not be amended let him be condemned he would not be humbled let him therefore be damned Thus conscience delivers a sinner into the hands of the jaylor into the hands of the divell and then he is amazed and thinks himselfe past hope past help past cure This is that we shall observe in conscience look as it with a debter that liveth in prison he was haply put in at first for some trifle when he is once there then all his creditors come in and one layeth a hundred pound to him and another a thousand pound and then his case is irrecoverable he is never like to come out againe so when conscience hath arrested a man and cast him into prison for his pride or for his covetousnesse or for his drunkennesse or for his adulterie and the like then mark Mercy and Goodnesse and Patience and Long-suffering come all in and arrest him and Mercy saith at my sute soe many hundreds Grace that saith at my sute soe many thousands then Patience and Long-suffering comes and sayes at my sute soe many millions and this is the wofullest plight of all When conscience is thus tormenting a sinner then patience comes and pleads against him and mercy that sueth a bond against him Mercy saith Lord I have beene wronged then commeth grace and saith Lord I have beene refused then commeth patience and saith Lord I have beene contemned I have besought him saith mercy to be reconciled but I was slighted I have waited for his amendment sayth patience but I have not beene regarded I have beene offered saith grace but yet have beene neglected Lord all thy cost and care hath beene despised they all come before the Lord and plead against the soule of a sinner justice Lord saith mercy justice Lord saith grace justice Lord saith patience wee have all beene slighted neglected and contemned and then the Lord he condemnes him and saith take him divell and execute vengeance upon him mercy was offered but he refused he would none of it and therefore mercy shall never be shewed unto him let him for ever be damned And by this time the soule perceives it selfe to be in the divells hands as it were and in the divells possession and that Satan may torment him as he please and then the soule being thus perplexed he cryeth out the divell is there do you not see him he is come for mee and I shall go and must go with him why since I must go to the divell why let mee go then nay if the soule that is thus in the jawes of the divell lie upon his death bed as soone as ever he takes a little rest the Lord terrifieth and affrighteth him in his dreames and then he riseth out of his bed and the first word hee speaks is this I must go and I will go then his friends that attend about him ask him whither he will go they tell him he is among his friends then he saith I am damned and I am going to hell and therefore let mee go the divell is comming to fetch mee and therefore I must be gone I beseech you consider this you that make nothing of conscience if it once lay hold on you with this hook it will hold you sure enough and reare your very hearts in peeces Now when the Minister in sent for to come unto apoore soule in this miserable condition when he comes haply he tells him there is a great deale of mercy and comfort with the Lord there is a great deale of grace and salvation with Christ but then the sinner when he heares of mercy is distracted and besides himselfe and sayes that is my plague that is my bane and that in the end will be my damnation if