an hopeful crop to see all green and fresh and hearty and strong this is not such a pleasure to the Husbandman as 't is to a Christian to see a spring of Grace in his Soul Now I see 't is not in vain to sow to the spirit to serve and wait on God Where is all thy praying where is all thy labouring God knows where 't is saith the barren Soul I doubt 't is all lost I can see no sign of it remaining that 's a sad Soul But ask thus of the thriving Christian where is all thy praying and thy labouring and he can answer O I thank God 't is here to be seen This field of mine a few years since lay all fallow rough and hard and nothing that was good was to be found upon it but now O how it joyes mine heart to find it so the good seed that hath been buried here is not dead 't is gotten up above ground the Lord hath let me see something of his grace breaking forth and it encreases and grows up daily in me The hard and stubborn is now become a melting and broken heart the proud and froward is now become an humble and quiet spirit It hath cost me something many a sad thought many a sigh many a tear but though I came hardly by it here 't is by the grace of God the barren hath brought forth this dry tree hath blossomed this sluggish heart to which the very thoughts of a laborious fruitful life were once so irksome that I doubted that I should never have come to any thing but should have liv'd and died a drone O what a comfort it is to me to see it thus hopefully come on A diligent Christian will have such successes his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 and when he sees what good success he has then let him speak what a pleasure it is to him Christian Thou hast been at thy work but what fruit hast thou found hast thou prospered hast thou sped well dost thou see of the travail of thy Soul Is thy sin weakened is the world conquered is grace quickened in thee Is it so and is it not a pleasure to thee to find it so Doth it not please thee that thou art not so vain nor so earthly nor so proud as thou hast been Doth it not glad thee at the heart to find that the Lord hath been with thee and blessed thee and helped thee in what thou hast set thine heart unto And how lookest thou now on thy remaining works wilt thou any more drive so heartlessely and so heavily on as thou wast wont to do wilt thou any more cry out Hard service a weary life Sure thou canst not what thou findest coming in will make thy very labour and thy sweat to be sweetness to thee 3. The pleasure of Ease Ease hath a pleasure in it not only ease or rest from our work but ease in our work when we can carry it on with ease by how much the harder our work is in it self by so much the greater pleasures will it be when we can go easily through it Christ tells us Matth. 11.30 that his yoke is easie and his burthen light Christ's yoke is an hard and an heavy yoke to Sinners and such which they are in no wise able to bear but he makes it easie to his Saints A yoke may be made easie three wayes 1. By making the burthen of it lighter 2. By making the neck stronger 3. By accustoming the neck to the yoke 1. By making the burthen of it lighter by paring it or taking off something of it a great yoke may be pared and pared till at length it come to be a little on Thus Christ's yoke will not be made easier he will pare nothing off he will not abate any thing of his work there 's the same Law for Saints and for Sinners there 's the same duty impos'd on the weak as the strong Matth. 5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets till Heaven and Earth pass one jott or title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled The same Law which was from the beginning shall be Law to the end Christ will never make that to be no sin which once was sin nor that to be no duty which once was a duty nor will he ever dispense with duty or sin he says not to any less shall serve for thee than for others he requires all of every one But here by way of caution take notice of two things 1. Christ's yoke is in this sense easier than Moses ' s yoke there is an abatement of the burthen of Ceremonies and legal Rites that Law of the carnal Commandment as 't is call'd Heb. 7.16 is vanished and taken out of the way no more of that chargeable service of Sacrifices no more Bulls or Goats or Lambs out of our flocks or herds the service of Christians is in this respect cheaper Service than that of the Jews of old 't is only our Moralls whereof nothing will be abated 2. Though Christ requires the same duty of all and imposes the same things and as much upon the weak as upon the strong yet he will accept that of the weak which he will not from the strong Nothing less than perfection is due from the weakest but sincerity will be accepted whatever imperfection there be God will take those weak and maimed Services from the weak which he will not from the strong He that hath a Male in his flock and Sacrificeth a corrupt thing Cursed be that deceiver Mal. 1.14 2. By making the neck stronger That 's an easie yoke to a man which a Child is not able to wagge A labouring man that 's weak and sickly will find his ordinary work to be too hard for him when he recovers his strength he can go through it with ease Weak Christians will ever find Christianity to be hard Service as they grow up to be stronger they will find it grow more easie day by day 3. By accustoming the neck to the yoke The yoke at first putting on wrings and galls and wearies those that are unaccustomed to the yoke are impatient of the yoke 't is use that makes it easie An Apprentice to a Trade though at his first entrance he do not half so much work as afterward yet 't is with twice so much pains The first hour is ordinarily with him the burthen and heat of the day his morning is hotter than his noon The tediousness of Religion meets us at the threshold our hardest task is to begin well nature will make the strongest opposition against grace at the the very birth of the new creature our first charge against lust is usually the hottest charge the travail of the birth hath more pain in it than all the after care of bringing up the child A Christian at his first setting out after Christ feels all his motions
in Christ am I in Covenant have I broken my Covenant with Death and disannulled my Agreement with Hell Am I no longer in League with my Sins and this evil World have I broken with them all and am I gotten within the Bond of the Covenant of God If I think I have yet am I not mistaken Many Souls have been mistaken have thought themselves within who have yet dyed without and am not I mistaken also Is the thing sure Is Christ mine indeed How is it that there is no more asking the way to the City of Refuge How may I get into Christ Or how may I know whether I be in Christ or not O how is it that we do not awaken our slumbring Spirits and call upon our careless Hearts Come on O my lingring Soul make haste get thee up to the Rock to Sanctuary to Sanctuary Awake thou Sleeper carest thou not that thou perish Come my Soul enter thou into thy Chamber hide thy self till the Indignation be over-past How is it that there is no more such care taken Are we so solicitous as we should be about this matter How is it with you Friends Are you busie in considering and fore-casting and enquiring how you may escape What is it that your fear of a Deluge hath put you upon to provide your selves against it Is there any more circumspection and heedfulness in your goings any more tenderness of Sin Are you throwing off those weights that will sink you with the multitude Are you busie in breaking down your Sins and building up your selves in hope of the Salvation of God Behold how generally our other Matters do still take up our Time and Thoughts we are building of Houses and planting of Vineyards and Buying and Selling and Marrying and giving in Marriage seldom giving our selves leave to think of a Flood that 's coming to take us all away O fear and let your fear set you on work to save your selves from Misery and Ruine The foolish World laugh at this Fear What jealous-headed melancholick Souls are these What Dreams and Fancies do they fright themselves withal And so did the old World doubtless laugh at Noah to see him such a Fanatick to amuse himself and others with such a strange conceit of a Flood and to go build an Ark to save himself from that Dream of a Deluge What laughing and mocking think you was there then amongst them to hear this Preacher of Righteousness to Preach and prepare for such a strange incredible thing Such mockings are there of the Men of this World at the fears and preparations of the Saints against the Judgments of God I but when the Ark was finished and Noah and his Family gotten in and the Flood came in earnest when they saw the Rain pouring down the Waters swelling the Seas roaring and tumbling in in whole Mountains of Waters upon them where was the laugh of the World then What a cry was their laugh then turned to Let Sinners laugh at last when they shall see all these things come upon them when the overflowing Scourge cometh and they shall then see the derided Saints gotten into the Ark and themselves left out to perish in the Waters Well by this time you may see what this Fear is or who is this Man that feareth The Man of Understanding that so knows God his Goodness and Severity that so knows Sin its Malignity and the Misery that it exposes to that so believes God that hath such a love for God and his own Soul and such an aversation from Sin that so foresees the danger he is in of running into Sin and falling into Misery that he wisely and warily looks to himself keeps himself from Iniquity and hides himself from those Mischiefs and Miseries which the rest of the World foolishly venture upon and are destroyed by in the end This is the Man that feareth this is the happy Man 2. What is that blessedness that is pronounced to him that feareth Happy is the Man that feareth To Happiness two things are required 1. Sufficiency 2. Security 1. Sufficiency He that is in want is in misery what-ever he hath how greatly soever he abounds yet if he hath not all that he needs yea all that he desires In the fulness of his Sufficiency he is in straits The pain of what he desires and hath not imbitters the pleasures of what he hath No Sufficiency no Satisfaction short of Satisfaction so far short of Happiness He must have all things that would find rest in any thing He that possesses what-ever he can desire that 's an happy Man only to this must be added 2. Security What we have to day may be lost to morrow He that hath most and holds it by such an uncertain Tenure is so far from finding rest in what he hath that he may be in greater perplexity than he that hath nothing Therefore can there be no happiness in any thing under the Sun for besides the insufficiency of these worldly things the whole Earth is too little to fill the Soul all this great World is not enough to fill the little World Man but besides this were they sufficient what security can be had for the continuance of them to us They are all but casualties they come and go they have all their Wings and who knows how soon they may take their flight At the best The things that are seen are but Temporal 2 Cor. 4.18 There must be permanence durableness in the matter of our Happiness The durable Riches the enduring Substance an Inheritance that fadeth not away and there must be security against their being lost or taken away Now this is the happiness of him that feareth he hath sufficient and what he hath is in safety 1. He hath a sufficiency This Fear as appears from what hath been spoken is a Religious Fear the Fear of God is sometimes taken for all Religion here only for one particular Branch of it yet such as argues the Truth of Religion and intitles the Soul to the whole income and revenue of Religion He that knows believes and loves God and therefore fears and flies from Sin and Wrath is certainly a Godly Man and shall have his Inheritance with the Just The first Sermon that ever we read that Christ Preached begins with an enumeration of the Beatitudes of this very Man He shall inherit the Earth he shall be comforted he shall be filled he shall obtain Mercy he shall see God his is the Kingdom of Heaven All these Graces that are there mentioned Poverty of Spirit Purity in Heart hunger after Righteousness Meekness c. are the particular Qualifications of this very Man And we may write down after that Copy Blessed is the Man that feareth for his is the Kingdom of God Blessed is the Man that feareth for he shall be comforted he shall obtain Mercy he shall see God This is the Man who shall inherit all things Rev. 21.7 and shall want nothing Psal
mens misery and it may be said with respect to these Happy is the Man that never feareth But what is the Blessed Fear or what is there in it In short it is this It is such on aversation of the Heart from all manner of future Evils whether of Sin or of Misery which we apprehend our selves in danger of as puts the Soul upon making the best Provision it can for its security against them The Matter or Object of this Fear is Sin together with all the Fruits of it The Form or proper Nature of it is an aversion or starting back or shrinking in from it The Effect of it is to put the Soul to its shifts for its own security against it There are implyed or included in it these following Particulars 1. There is Vnderstanding in it Psal 111.10 The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom a good Vnderstanding have they that do it They are wise and understanding Men that Fear As we Love not so neither do we Fear but whom or what we have some apprehension of our Affections follow our Apprehensions as our Love we cannot love but what we apprehend to be good so our Fear we cannot fear but what we apprehend to be evil Our mistakes are the ground of the inordinate workings of our Affections when we apprehend that to be good which is not good we love what we should not love when we apprehend that to be evil which is not evil we fear what we should not fear when we apprehend that to be good which is evil we love what we should fear and when we apprehend that to be evil which is good we fear what we should love The reason of our sinful Fear is our Ignorance Ignorance both causes us to fear when we should not and leaves us without fear of what we should fear 1. Ignorance is the reason why we fear what we should not How is it that there is so much Fear of Men in the World Why it is because we understand them not what a vain thing what a weak thing they are how short their power is and how little 't is that Man can do Did we know more how great the Power of God is how terrible the Wrath of God is sure there would be more fear of God in the World And did we know how little there is in the Power of Man and in the Wrath of Man we should ease our selves of much of that Carnal Fear which now torments our Spirits Isa 2.22 Cease ye from Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Cease ye from Man as from trusting in him so from fearing him for wherein is he to be accounted of How little is it that he can do for or against you There 's little help in him and there 's little hurt that he can do Men pretend to be great and make great boasts of their Power So did Pilate to Christ John 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power to Crucifie thee and I have power to Release thee What art thou so sullen and so stubborn that thou wilt not speak to me Consider Man the Power of Liberty and Bonds the Power of Life and Death are in my hands Dost thou not know me Yes I know thee well enough sayes Christ Thou hast no Power but what is given thee and therefore limited thee from Above It 's for those that know thee not to fear thee I know thee well enough 2. Mens Ignorance is the reason why they fear not what they should fear Why is it that the ungodly fear not S n O it 's because they know it not Psal 14.4 Have the workers of Iniquity no knowledg Sure enough they have none for they eat up my People as they eat Bread such Morsels would scald their Mouths they would not dare to be such Persecutors and Destroyers of the People of God they would be afraid to touch them if they did but know what they did How bold are Sinners upon Sin How venturously do they run on They Lie they Swear they commit Adultery they Covet they Defraud they Oppress they Persecute But how is it that they are not afraid to do thus O! they know not what they do They are the Men of Understanding that Fear to transgress Christians those whose Minds are enlightned dare not do as others do they see what Sin is they see it to be an unclean thing odious and abominable in the sight of God they see it to be a dangerous and deadly thing They know God and thereby understand Sin which is contrary to him They know the kindness of God and the terrors of the Lord and see that Sin is an unworthiness and abusing of kindness and disobliging of goodness that makes a forfeit of the Divine Love and exposes to his Wrath and Indignation They know the worth of a Soul they have learn'd from their Lord Matth. 16.26 that the whole World is not a price for it neither sufficient to be its Ransom nor to recompence its loss They live in the Invisible World and have taken a view both of that life which is the reward of the Righteous and of that Death which is the recompence of the Sinners They see that Sin is the loss and the death of the Soul the only poison that can kill that immortal part by this alone Immortality is swallowed up of Death They understand that sin as it is the Worm that gnaweth at the root of all their hopes for hereafter so it is the Wormwood which imbitters all their Comforts here this is the Rust that cats out all their Treasures the Moth that frets out all their Garments the Stain that marrs all their Beauty In fine this is it that hath fill'd the World with vanity and vexation of Spirit and Hell with torment And hence it is that they fear it and fly from it Dost thou not fear Sin Sure thou dost not know it O what a light thing doth the World make of it to sin against God! how open do our hearts lie to it how easily doth it beset us we are surpriz'd by it every day and hour Sin lies at the door lies in wait for us in our Fields in our Houses at our Tables in our Closets and how often doth it take us and carry us away for Captives and still we make nothing of it neither feeling the mischief it has done us nor fearing those ruines which it is further bringing upon us We can talk of the evil of Sin of the folly of it of the filthiness of it but we cannot tremble at it sure we do not know it whatever we talk The World would be all up in Arms against this Enemy or else betake themselves to their heels running away from it were it throughly understood 2. There is Faith in this Fear It is but little that we can see of the evil of Sin our understandings at the best have much dimness upon them the
the Battel without fear or wit O the witless mad-headed multitude of Sinners in the World how do they rush on upon their wickedness they will neither ask Counsel nor take Counsel but on they will at a venture come of it what will Stand Sinner and fear fear and consider what is it thou art doing whither is it thou art running thou wilt on thy Way thou wilt after thy Lusts and after thy Companions thou wilt after these Riches and these Pleasures there 's no stopping thee nor putting thee to pause upon it thou art all in haste and impatient to be advised But yet for all thy haste take heed of what comes after thy Bargain is not like to be so good as to require such haste hasty Bargains seldom want woe What-ever is done rashly seldom comes to any other issue but either Repentance or Ruine Qui ante non cavet c. If thou wilt not Fear thou wilt shortly find what 't is to be thus head-strong and precipitant 2. Audacity or fool-hardiness or mad venturousness upon known dangers This is of kin to rashness but is not the same It is the other extream to Cowardise the mean betwixt both is Fortitude The Fear we are now treating of is not opposite to Fortitude as Cowardise is 't is not from pusillanimity but from magnanimity that we thus fear The most Heroick Spirits most fear to be base Exod. 1.17 Those worthy Midwives feared God and feared to sin against God and therefore feared not the Wrath of the King And as this Holy Fear doth not argue faint-heartedness so neither doth that audacity argue fortitude Is it valour or madness for a naked Man to run upon an Army of Enemies Such Desperadoes as kick against the pricks and run upon the Pikes of Divine Vengeance who knowing the Judgment of God against them that do such things will yet run their course of In quity not fearing of Judgments laughing at Reproofs Threatnings and Warnings and deriding those trembling Hearts that dare not run on with them to the same excess of riot What gallantry of Spirit do they count themselves to have arrived unto Gallantry of Spirit what to dare the Almighty to his Face to challenge Death and Hell to meet you in the Field for the Briars and Thorns to gather themselves to Battel against the devouring Fire Sure if ever you come to your wits you will understand how mad you have been Sinner darest thou continue in thine unbelief and impenitency when thou knowest that he that believeth not shall be damned he that repenteth not shall perish for ever Darest thou to walk after thy Lusts fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind when thou knowest that they that live after the flesh shall die Thou knowest what the place and the portion of the Proud of the Covetous of the Liars of the Hypocrites is and yet darest thou continue in the number and the way of these Men Dost thou dare to go down quick into the Pit to take up thy dwelling in everlasting Darkness and thy lodging in the Eternal Fire Awaken from this Folly put away this madness from thee Awake and tremble to think what a desperate adventure thou hast hitherto run If you should see your Children in sport jumping over a boyling Furnace dancing on the Battlements of a Tower or in a frolick standing on tip-toe on the Weather-cock of a Steeple how would your Bowels turn your Bones tremble and all within you shake and shiver And will you yet be more venturous and fool-hardy your selves If ever you come to your selves you will be your own Wonder and Fear 3. Security Carnal Security Security is often taken for Safety To have our Estates or our Peace or our Souls secured is the same as to have them all in safety Job 11.14 15. If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away then shalt thou be secure because there is hope and thou shalt take thy rest in safety This Carnal Security is a retchlesness or carelesness of Heart to be without sense of our danger and without sollicitude for our safety The cares of this Life and the Pleasures of the Flesh do stupifie the Sinners of the Earth do lay their Souls a-sleep and bind up their senses so that they neither fear nor mind what 's like to come upon them This was the case of the old World in the dayes of Noah Luke 17.27 They did eat they drank they married and were given in marriage till the day came that Noah entred into the Ark. Their sensuality laid them all a-sleep and they never dream't of that Flood that came and destroyed them all It is said of the Men of Laish Judges 18.7 They dwelt careless after the manner of the Zidonians they were quiet and secure They neither feared Enemies nor made any provision against them but left themselves open to the mercy of any Invader Secure Sinners lay themselves open to all manner of mischiefs the Tempter may come the Avenger may come upon them before they are aware and he that may come will come The Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in sunder and appoint him his portion with Vnbelievers Luke 12.46 O how sick is this World of this Lethargick Distemper We cannot say as once 't was said Isa 33.14 The Sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites Behold the Sinners all asleep and who is there among the Hypocrites that fears But how is it with you Sinners are you in no danger Is there no Devil in the World or is there no fear that he intends to hurt you Is that Lion that us'd to walk up and down seeking whom to devour is he now confin'd to his Den so that he cannot hurt the Earth any more Are your Lusts those Lion's Whelps grown tame Do they no longer war in your Members Doth the World cease to be a temptation and a snare and are you out of danger of that Perdition and Destruction in which it draws its Lovers Is there no danger of your becoming Proud or Covetous or Sensualists lovers of Riches lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God or is it no harm if you be so Nay what woful Work hath been made upon you already What inrodes and invasions have been made and are not your Souls already taken Captives Behold that ignorance and folly that impotence and weakness that enmity and perversness that malice and envy wherewith your hearts are already filled and that stupidity and senslesness under all these evils that appear upon you What doth all this portend Doth it speak good concerning you Doth it say thus concerning you these Men are in an happy state there 's no fear to Men in such a case no fear of the Covetous no fear of the Drunkards and the Lyars and the Scoffers they are all happy Men. Consider Man whither
yet enquire What ground and reason can you give of the hope that is in you and it may be all the answer that will be given amounts to no more than this I hope because I hope I am perswaded because I am perswaded my Mind gives me so mine Heart tells me so I can have no other thought but that it is well and shall be well with me There 's many a Man that 's like unto that Man pointed out Deut. 29.19 who though he heareth the words of God's Curse blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of mine own heart Though God speaks never a good word though the Scriptures speak never a good word of such though God curses such a Man yet his own heart blesses him Though God sayes to him Thou Fool thou Belial thou Infidel thou Child of the Devil yet not a word is heard from his own heart but an honest Man a good Christian and a Child of God There is sometimes to be found a poor trembling Christian whom the Devil sets a cursing himself when God doth bless him that calls himself Hypocrite Unbeliever a Cast-away and Reprobate from God though God calls him Beloved and highly favoured and so there is that blesses himself whom God hath cursed It 's vain to tell him Thus saith the Lord or to bid him search the Scriptures hearken to what the Lord God will speak or to say to him as Jehoshaphat to the King of Israel 1 Kings 22.7 enquire of the Prophet of the Lord. Doth God his Scriptures his Ministers speak any good concerning thee It 's vain to speak thus to him Thus saith mine heart is more with him than Thus saith the Lord. Thus my mind gives me is enough to make him dis-believe the God of Truth he will rather make God a lyar than not believe his lying heart Consider this Sinners whether this be not your case God sayes The Ignorant the Unbelievers Liars Swearers the evil Workers and Impenitent are the Children of the Devil and shall never inherit the Kingdom of God And yet thou though thou canst not say but that thou art ignorant impenitent an evil worker given up to thy hearts lusts and hardned in thy way wilt not be perswaded but thou art a Child of God God sayes thou art none of his and thou wilt still say thou art to his Face Just thus was it with those Jews afore-mentioned John 8.44 Christ tells them to their Faces Ye are of your Father the Devil and proves it to them for saith he The Lusts of your Father ye do and you are just like your Father he was a Murtherer from the beginning and a Liar and the Father of it and what else are you And yet behold the confidence of the Men No we are Abraham's Seed and the Children of God Sinner who-ever thou art that art doing the Lusts and working the Works of the Devil Christ speaks this very word to thee which he here spake to those Jews Thou art of thy Father the Devil If yet thou sayest I hope not God is my Father and I am his Child there is that Presumption that may keep thee from fearing till thou too late feel the Wrath of God seizing upon thee This Presumption that 't is so well with thee already that if it be possible I may make thee afraid of that which keeps thee from fear know for a certain it will endanger so to hold thee in thy wretched state that 't is never like to be better with thee than ' t is This is it which hardens thee against Counsels and Reproofs slights the tenders of Mercy and out-faces the terrors of the Lord this shuts up thine Ears and thine Heart against the word of Reconciliation and does non-plus all the importunities of the Ministers of the Gospel Let them bid thee believe thou art a Believer already Let them command thee to repent Thou hast done it let them warn thee to flie from the Wrath to come and this is all the Fruit thou tellest them thou art already passed from Death to Life The confidence that thou art well enough already is like to make the Preaching of Christ to be of none effect to thee And because this is such a brazen Wall as keeps Christ and Grace out of the Heart and resists and repels all those Arguments which the Word makes use of to perswade to Christ and Life I shall make some batteries upon it as I pass along The first step to Conversion is Conviction Conviction is Presumption broken down and the breaking in of that Fear which makes way for Faith There are in Conviction these three things 1. Illumination 2. Redargution 3. Consternation 1. Illumination the enlightning of the Mind the opening of Sinners eyes and making their Sin and the danger that it exposes to known unto them the convincing Spirit brings the Commandment before them by which is the knowledg of Sin Rom. 7.7 and vers 9. When the Commandment came Sin revived and appeared to be Sin and exceeding sinful vers 13. It could be no longer hid nor any longer be look'd on as a light thing but a very dreadful thing to be a Sinner the truth is we none of us know Sin as it is some Light hath broken in upon our Hearts but 't is but little in comparison and thereupon we can be venturous so far upon it and too easily go out with it and lick our selves whole when we have sinned but if we knew the Heart and the Tail of this Scorpion what malignity there is in it and what comes after 't would make us tremble and take heed When the Spirit of the Lord brings the Commandment to us and layes Sin by that 't will look with another face than now it does 2. Redargution The Spirit of God not only shews what Sin is and what a fearful thing it is to be under Sin but withal proves and demonstrates to Sinners what-ever their confidence hath been of the contrary that they are under Sin when the Commandment hath done its work to discover Sin and the evil of it then Conscience is brought forth to do its work to witness the Sinner guilty Hast thou not sinned let Conscience speak does not thine own Heart tell thee of thy Lying and of thy Swearing and of thy Coveting and of thy company-keeping and a World more of such evils that thou hast lived in And hast thou ever been purged from thy Sins hast thou repented and turned from thy evil Wayes thou knowest thou hast not thou art in love with Sin in a league with Sin and livest to this hour in the practice and under the power of it Is this the Man that hath been so confident of the goodness of his state whose heart hath blessed him and promised him that no evil shall befal him What a Sinner and yet at peace What an impenitent Sinner and yet so confident thou shalt have peace Thou must
die foolish Soul thou must be judged and condemned and suffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire there 's no shifting it off or escaping it 't is a plain case the Evidence is full and undeniable lay it to heart for of a truth thou art in an evil case Here-upon as the effect of this Conviction follows 3. Consternation Now the bold Sinner is knock'd in the Head and laid on his back now his old hopes give up the Ghost and Fear and Astonishment take hold upon him This Convincing Spirit is the same which is called the Spirit of Bondage working Fear Rom. 8.15 And when he is thus broken by Fear and feeling all his hopes and supports falling under him gives himself for a lost and undone Man then he is made ready to the hand of him that comes to seek and to save that which is lost He from whom just now nothing was heard but God I thank thee I am not as other Men is now brought to his O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me Presumptuous Sinner thou art never like to be happy till thou be undone there 's no hope of thee till thou be overcome of Fear O cry unto the Lord to cure thee of thy confidence to work thee to harder thoughts of thy present state if ever thou lookest it should be well with thee hereafter What dost thou yet retain thine old confidence wilt thou yet do all thou canst to maintain that good opinion of thy state which thou hast hitherto had what dost thou herein do but resist that Spirit of God who would but break thee that he might build thee up for ever Wilt thou not be undeceived wilt thou not be convinced wilt thou never know thy danger till it be too late to be prevented But how shall I do to get mine heart awakned out of this dangerous state Why wouldst thou be delivered Then 1. Dread Presumption more than ever thou dreadedst Conviction Every hard word every close word from a Minister of Christ how do Sinners shun it and hide themselves as much as they can from it Fear the fair speeches and smooth words that thy false heart speaks to thee more than the sharpest rebukes thou receivest from the Mouth of God Be willing to know the worst of thy case before it be too late to be recovered Be afraid to be deceived flatter not thy self and be afraid of the flatteries of others Know it to be safer for thee to think worse of thy self than thou art than to think it better than ' t is 2. Wait for and help on as much as thou canst a thorow-Work of Conviction upon thee 1. Give heed to and improve the convincing Word Heb. 4.12 The Word of God is quick powerful and sharper than a two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit of the Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart But as quick and powerful as this Word is yet it will not cut nor pierce unless it be duly heeded Therefore as the Apostle speaks in another case Heb. 2.1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard to every thing to every word that the Lord speaks not only to his sweeter and softer words his promising and comforting words but to his sharper and harder words his convincing and threatning words every word of God is needed by us and no word will do its work if it be not heeded Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words as these He that committeth Sin is of the Devil He that doth not Righteousness is not of God The Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God He that walketh after the Flesh shall die He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his If any Man love the World the love of the Father abides not in him Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except ye repent ye shall all perish Thou shouldst when thou hearest such words consider whose words are these Is not this the Word of the Lord Thou shouldst bethink thy self to whom doth the Lord speak thus Is it not to me Am not I one of this number Am not I Unrighteous Am not I a Servant of my Flesh Hath not my Life been a wicked Life a worldly Life a meer carnal Life Have I been born again and become a new Creature Have I the Spirit of Christ Is this proud Spirit this froward Spirit this vain Spirit this lying contentious Spirit is this the Spirit of Christ Have I repented of my Sins and returned from my sinful and foolish wayes Speak O my Conscience do not lye to me but tell me truth how dost thou find it Sure I have been a Sinner and a worldly and wicked liver and I cannot find that I have repented or been new-Born and become a new Creature to this day How then can I conclude but that God hath spoken this word to me Thou art the Man that shall die and shall not see the Kingdom of God And how canst thou but take these words from his Mouth into thine own and confess I am the Man 2. Pray for the Convincing Spirit The Word without the Spirit can do nothing neither convince nor comfort thee When God sent a Word into the World he sent his Spirit along with it to make it prosper He was promised to be sent to this very end amongst others to Convince the World of Sin John 16.8 O pray for this Spirit when thou hearest a word that strikes upon thy sore lift up thine Heart to the Lord let thy Spirit thine Almighty Spirit set home this Word upon mine Heart I hear such a word as makes both mine Ears to tingle and I cannot deny but it belongs to me but for mine Heart I cannot get it to stick let the Spirit of the Lord sharpen this Nail and drive it home Here 's a poor Minister does what he can speaks as plainly as closely and as powerfully as he is able does what he can to startle me and to humble me and break me But poor Man he cannot do it this Heart is too deep for him to reach it too hard for him to pierce it But where is the God of mine Heart O let the Spirit of the Lord take the Pulpit and set an edge upon this two-edged Sword that its Iron may enter into my Soul Cry thus unto the Lord Say not as once Israel did Let not the Lord speak to us any more but let Moses speak Let this be thy Prayer Let Moses speak and the Prophets and Pastors and Teachers speak but let the Lord speak also and then there 's hope I may hear 3. Receive and retain the convincing Word when it comes Do not pray Lord speak and then turn away the Ear Lord come in and then shut the door against him pray for the Holy Ghost and then see that you resist not the Holy Ghost What
many devices in Man's Heart It hath much of the Devil in it not only of the falshood of the Devil as before It is a lying Spirit nor only of the uncleanness of the Devil this also is the wicked one nor of the malice of the Devil It is the Enemy but of the cunning of the Devil of the subtilty of the Serpent This Serpent also is more subtile than all the Beasts of the Field It 's true it 's also a silly Heart easie to be beguiled it is so subtil as to beguile and yet so silly as easily to be beguiled like those false Teachers 2 Tim. 3.13 Deceiving and being deceived The great and most mischievous deceits of the Heart are its self-deceivings Jam. 1.22 deceiceiving your own selves and vers 26. deceiveth his own heart God cannot be deceived and if Men be deceived in us there is not so very much in that but the most mischievous deceits and which are most to be feared are its deceiving of it self 1. God cannot be deceived He is the searcher of the Heart Jer. 17.10 he knows what is in Man better than the Spirit that is in him God is greater than our Hearts and knoweth all things Our Hearts can tell us more of ourselves than all the World can tell us but God can tell us more of us than we of our selves He hath a Key to every Chamber a Window into every Corner a Candle to search into our inmost parts All things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 He sees all that is lodging in us all the Lusts of the Heart yea and all the Thoughts of the Heart are open to his Eye Jer. 4.14 How long shall vain thoughts lodg within you He sees what there is a doing within us What good the Heart is at any time a-doing any good desires that are a-working any gracious designs that are going in the Heart he sees what evil there is a-doing an evil Motion cannot wag a Lust cannot stir but his eye is presently upon it Isa 1.16 Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes that is put it quite away cease to do evil if it do but continue though never so much in the dark yet it cannot be hid from mine eyes What are these hearts of ours often a-doing in secret which no others and it may be not our selves take notice of When our eyes are closed our hands are quiet our tongues are silent God knows what there may be doing within There may be devilish devices contriving within there may be dark counsels beneath Heart may be Swearing or Lying or Stealing or Coveting or committing Adultery whilst there 's no noise of any such thing without Yea whilst the Tongue is praying the Ears are hearing the Eye is lift up to Heaven the Heart may be in Hell or on Earth in the Field in the Shop in the Market or who knows where but God's Eye is upon it Friends Who knows where our hearts are or what they are a-doing at this hour It may be now God is a-preaching to you the Doctrine of Holy Fear of Holy Watchfulness and Circumspection some of your hearts may be un-preaching all that God speaks may be preaching Liberty Licentiousness Slothfulness Security to you and telling you there 's no such danger and no such need of Fear as hath been preached unto you Or if they do not contradict the Word that the Lord hath spoken yet it may be they divert you from minding it by telling you some impertinent Stories about other things filling your heads with your business or pleasure cutting you out your Work for to morrow Look inward Friends see if you can find your Hearts within or whether they be not gone abroad you know not whither But where-ever they are or whatever they are doing the Eye of the Lord is upon them Men may dissemble and deal deceitfully with God but they cannot deceive him 2. If they deceive Men it is not so greatly considerable Though that may be our wickedness too If we hide our selves from others if we be better or if we be worst than they apprehend us to be there is not so much in that The Heart is cunning at this also in deceiving of Men by palliating evil intentions with fair and specious pretences by seeking them out corners to sin in waiting for the twilight or the darkness to be a covering for them by smooth words and fair speeches beguiling the Hearts of the simple by a kiss of the Mouth when there is war in the Heart by putting the best side outward putting on the clothing of a Sheep upon a Wolf or a Bear the face of a Saint to cover the Soul of a Devil What is the Hypocrites Praying or Fasting or Alms or savoury Language and Discourse What is all this for 'T is but the Cloathing his Heart hath provided him to advance and set him up in the opinion of others 't is to serve his pride or his covetousness and to hide the poverty and rottenness which is within out of sight Beloved are there none of us guilty upon this account Whose Religion and the Exercise thereof are a meer carnal Design whose Duties are a meer Device to beguile Men into a good Opinion of us to raise up or keep up our Reputation amongst them Is it not thus with some of us Soul what hast thou been doing to day O I have been Praying and Hearing and Fasting or keeping a Sabbath to the Lord. No thou lyest thou hast been juggling and cheating and deceiving of Men. If these have been the Work of thy Tongue or thine Ears or thine Eyes to pray to hear to praise the Lord thine Heart hath found other work to do it hath been making a Garment of these Prayers and Praises to dress up it self in thereby to commend and set it off before the Spectators or it may be to hide or carry on some treacherous or wicked Design which needed such a covering The Heart is thus busie to deceive Men but still its greatest and most mischievous deceitfulness lies here in deceiving it self It is an horrid wickedness to deal deceitfully with the Lord to dissemble and lye unto God It is folly to be false to him who we know will discover the cheat and its highest impiety What is Iniquity if Hypocrisie be not And what Hypocrisie like mocking or lying unto God It is Mens great sin to deal deceitfully with Men But that which I would now lay before you as a special reason why we should Fear our hearts is their self-deceivings And how much Fear should be upon us upon this account will appear when we have considered these three things 1. About what Mens Hearts deceive them 2. By what Mens Hearts deceive them 3. Of what Mens Hearts deceive them 1. About what do Mens Hearts deceive them And that is about that they are most deeply concern'd to mind or regard Particularly 1. About Matters
Hearts deceive them Sometimes even by the Good that is in them The Heart of Man can make a Snare of every Creature Condition Relation or Comfort can make a Net for Souls of the coursest or of the finest Thred can undo them by their Friends and by their Enemies by their Prosperities and by their Adversities by their Sins and their Rigthousness Where-withal may this Man be enticed to Sin to neglect Christ and his Soul Some Mens Hearts find that a Harlot will do it others that a drunken Companion will do it others that nothing but Gold and Silver will do it others that applause will do it some that Idleness others that Business some that Friends others that Enemies some that Prosperity others that Affliction will be the likeliest Temptations and accordingly it manages its deceiving work Our Hearts can deceive us by the best we have by our Vertues by our Duties by our Priviledges and this is often the most dangerous deceit The more generous the Wine in which thou receivest thy Poison the more deadly the Potion Some Hypocrites Hearts tell them they are sincere But how can they make them believe it Why if the Heart may not be believed for its own word the Word of God must be brought to witness this lye Doth not the Scriptures say Rom. 10.9 If thou confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy Heart that God raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved And do not I believe the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead Do not I confess and acknowledg it I be ieve it with all mine Heart I confess it before all the World and therefore without doubt I am in a state of Salvation If this will not do but the Heart perceives there must be more in that belief than a notional Assent there must be more in that Confession than a verbal Acknowledgment than its Virtues and Duties and Priviledges its Prayers and Hearings and Alms its Sobriety and Temperance its keeping of Sabbaths and attending upon Ordinances must all be call'd forth to testifie Am not I of God Am not I in Christ Let my Prayers speak let mine Alms speak let my Temperance let my Patience let my Sabbaths speak whose I am I keep the Sabbath whilst others pollute it I hear whilst others forbear I pray and fast whilst others neglect both and therefore sure it must be well with me when yet it may be the Man is ignorant of the Spirit and a secret Enemy against the Power and Purity of Religion all the while I might multiply Instances of the several sorts of the Heart's deceivings and shew that there is nothing but in some way or other may be made use of to beguile us 3. Of what may our Hearts deceive us Even of all we have Of what did our first Parents Hearts deceive them Of their Portion in God and their place in Paradise Of what did Esau's Heart deceive him Of his Birth-right and the Blessing Of what did Sampson's Heart deceive him Of his Locks and of his Life Of what did that Fool 's Heart deceive him Luke 12.20 Of his Soul Isa 44.20 A deceived Heart hath turned him aside so that he cannot deliver his Soul You that believe your selves Saints are apt to think that what-ever you be deceived of yet your Souls are safe and therefore that you have no such need to Fear as other Men. But it may be you may be deceived in this and this very confidence That thy Soul is safe may prove its eternal loss But if you should come off at last with the Salvation of your Souls yet how many desperate hazards do you run of losing them by hearkning to these evil Hearts How much of your time do they steal away which was given you for the working out your Salvation How many Duties have they lost you how many Ordinances have they lost you which the Interest of your Souls could ill have spar'd What a dead and dark and carnal and loose Spirit hast thou sometimes been bewitched into wherein God hath been laid by Soul hath been forgotten Conscience hath been laid a-sleep and all care about the things of God hath been swallowed up of the cares of this Life Is it nothing to thee to be in such a case Doth it not grieve thee to think whither thou art fallen and art thou not afraid what the issue may be whether ever thy Soul may be lifted up out of this Pit whereinto it is sunk so deep in mud and mire But if thou should'st be ask'd now Friend how camest thou in hither who hath led thee into this Dirt who hath cast thee into this Pit May be thou wilt be ready to answer as Eve did The Serpent beguiled me in or as Adam did The Woman deceived me in thou wilt find some else to father thy Faults upon the Devil deceived me into this case the World deceived me in evil Company deceived me in Like enough they did But what could they all have done if thine Heart had not joyned with them The hand of Joab is in all this thine Heart is the Joab that hath dealt this subtilly and deceitfully with thee 1 Kings 22.20 Who will perswade Ahab saith the Lord that be may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead I will go saith the Devil I will perswade him But where-with wilt thou perswade him I will be a lying Spirit in the Mouth of his Prophets Go up and prosper go up and prosper that shall be the word that shall do it There 's no fear of falling at Ramoth thou shalt prevail against thine Enemies and return a Conqueror If it shall be said in like manner who shall perswade this foolish Man to go on his evil wayes that he may fall and perish I will go sayes his Heart presently I 'le be the Devil to perswade him But wherewith wilt thou perswade him O I 'le be a lying Spirit within him I 'le make him believe he shall prosper and have peace in his way he shall not fall nor shall hurt come unto him Go sayes God to the Devil and take heed he sayes not so to that false Heart of thine Go thou shalt perswade and thou shalt prevail Thou shalt intice this idle Person thou shalt harden this vain or this careless Person and he shall hearken to thee he shall follow thee till he fall and perish Christians we have every one of us such an Heart as this that is too ready to go upon such a wretched Errand Have we not suffered much by it's treachery Hath it not often trip'd up our heels or turned us out of our way Hath it not betray'd us out of our Refuge and led us aside after lying vanities Though Grace hath been some security to us against it yet hath it not often been too hard for all the Grace we have Who is there of us that dares stand forth and say My Heart I hope is no such heart It is better than
ingenious Spirit fear more than to be base and unworthy Should you ask such a Person Why are you so exact and so tender and so circumspect in your way Why are you so busie and so studious and so laborious in your course Why can you not as well as others take up with a lower and more remiss way of Religion O I dare not be so unworthy I am the Servant of God and through his Grace I will serve him the best I can He that is most Holy and most Circumspect that keeps the closest to his Work and his Rule he is the best Servant to God and as I am obliged so I am resolved through the help of God to do him the most Honour and the best Service I can I should be a Wretch a vile and unworthy Person if I were otherwise minded The great God hath but few Servants in the World hath he taken me into the number of those few O what shall I render how can I be sufficiently thankful for that Grace God hath but few Servants in the World and the fewer the more serviceable have they need to be The Devil hath many Servants he hath those that serve him in every House in every Town there are whole Countries that are wholly peopled with the Servants of the Devil and their Work is to do all the dis-service and dishonour they can to God to cherish the Flesh and foment the Lusts thereof to fill the World with wickedness and to trample upon all that 's left of God in it What multitudes hath the Devil that serve him every-where and how busie are they at their Work God hath but a few Servants and since he hath made me one of them I 'le do him the best Service I can Such a blessed and quickning influence would such abiding thoughts have upon all the People of God As 't would be on the contrary If Sinners would carry this thought upon their Hearts I am every day serving the Devil it would be a Bridle to hold them in so if People kept up such a thought I am serving the Lord 't would be a Spur to quicken them on Such a thought upon Sinners Hearts I am serving the Devil would strike such a fear as would drive them quite backwards The very same fear which would animate Saints would strike Sinners dead in the Nest If a Sinner that 's going to the Ale-house would seriously consider and ask himself Whither am I going and upon whose Errand And his Heart should answer I am going to the Ale-house to serve the Devil the Devil hath some Servants at work there for him at their Drinking-work Swearing-work Scoffing-work and I am going among them to help on the Devil's Work And if others that are serving their Covetousness or their Pride or their Envy if their Hearts should tell them This also is serving the Devil the Devil hath a great Work for thee to do to damn that Soul of thine and as many others as thou canst The Devil would have thee to Hell with him and hang up that Soul of thine in Chains of Fire This he cannot do unless thou wilt put thine own hand to the Work and now he hath brought thee to it in the course thou art now taking thou art doing the Devil's Work to destroy thine own Soul Such thoughts would put Sinners to a stand or at least slacken their pace If the Devil should possess a whole Countrey of People as he hath sometimes possessed some particular Persons and should set them a pulling down their own Houses a burning their Corn and their Cattel a tearing their own flesh a pulling out their own Eyes a butchering their Children a pulling out one anothers Throats who would no the afraid to go dwell in that Countrey to be hired to that cruel Work Why Sinners 't is worse work than this that the Devil hath set you upon and you are now a-doing He hath set you on work to stab every Man his own Soul to strike in Darts through our Livers to kindle those Fires that will burn to the bottom of Hell and to cast your selves headlong into those Eternal Flames Hadst thou such a thought as this upon thy Heart didst thou but consider that this is it thou art doing 't would cool the heat of thy Lust and hold thee back at least from much of that wickedness thou art rushing upon And so it would be here if Christians did consider what 't is that they are a doing in their following Holiness and Righteousness that they are herein serving the Lord and that in his recovering and saving Design O how would it provoke them on How is it that thou art such a slow-belly that thou art such a drone and such a slug in thy Work Is he whom thou servest worthy of no more than this Pluck up thy Spirits Man thou art upon Service for the God of the whole Earth and upon the noblest Service that thou art capable of thou art sent forth upon the same Service for which the Son of God was sent into the World to save Souls and to destroy the Works of the Devil Jam. 5.20 If God should have employed thee but in those lower Works that Christ did for the Bodies of Men to open the Eyes of the Blind to unloose the Tongue of the Dumb to cast out Devils to heal the Sick and raise the Dead wouldst thou have been so unwilling and so backward at such Works Thou art upon greater Works than these to save thine own Soul and those that see and hear thee God hath made thee one of that Chosen Generation that Royal Priesthood that Holy Nation who are to serve him by shewing forth the Vertues of him that hath called them 1 Pet. 2.9 To bear his Name and to set forth his Praises in the World thou art set up as the Image of God as the Epistle of Christ thou art sent forth as a Factor and Agitator for God to negotiate for him in the Earth to bear up his Name to propagate his Gospel to enlarge his Kingdom Art thou not afraid to trifle in such noble Works Think O my Soul what 't is thou art for and for whom thou livest Shall I be as the Ox that eateth Grass or as the Swine that lyeth in the Mud and tell the World behold your King This is the Image of your God Shall the Epistle of Christ be nothing else but a Blank or Blots Shall the Factor for Heaven have so much of his Occupation for Earth Shall I teach Men to despise and pollute and blaspheme that worthy Name which I am intrusted to advance and exalt Shall any little that I do suffice me in so great a Trust Come on O my Soul remember thou servest the Living God and therefore let me do him the best Service I can Canst thou be too Holy Canst thou be too Circumspect and too Active I may be too sluggish and too silent and too shie and too shamefac'd
but can I be too busie a too zealous for the Living God Can I say of my best this is too much Can I say of any thing less than my best this is enough 'T is the Lord God whom thou servest fear to be unworthy This is the advantage of our carrying this thought upon our Hearts I serve the Lord it will put us upon the best and highest Service Give me leave to add another Advantage though not of so proper consideration here This thought whilst it provokes us to the highest will yet comfort us touching the least and meanest of all our Services Some poor weak Christians are apt to discourage themselves in all they do from this that it is so very low and little that they do I am a poor Creature 't is but little that I have to serve the Lord withal I am ignorant and of weak understanding I have not the Parts nor Gifts that others have I might possibly serve the Lord better were it not for this Fear which is upon me I am afraid to speak of God or of the Things of God I am of slow Speech and rude Language I cannot express my self to any purpose I am ashamed of my teaching my Family of my praying in my Family I do it so brokenly and confusedly that I fear I do more hurt than good in it I but poor Man as weak as thou art and as weakly as thou dost what thou dost if thou do what thou canst This is serving the Lord and whether it be little or much if thou canst but truly say This is serving the Lord thou mayst be comforted in it If Sinners considered that their little Sins were serving the Devil 't would make them afraid of the very least transgression Some Sinners are not so great Sinners as others they are not guilty of those higher and more notorious Crimes that some others are and this quiets them and keeps off Fear from them Thou art no Drunkard thou sayest nor no Adulterer nor no Blasphemer I but dost thou not live a carnal vain careless earthly Life and is not this serving the Devil Though thou dost not serve the Devil in the Ale-house or the Whore-house though thou dost not serve the Devil with Oaths and Curses and Blasphemies yet is it not the Devil still thou servest Thou servest thy Covetousness thou servest thy Pride and thy sensual Appetite thou neglectest Christ and thy Soul and is not this serving the Devil Such a thought upon the most harmless of Sinners Hearts yet I serve the Devil would make him afraid Is it a light thing to serve the Devil Though I be not numbred among the chief of Sinners though there be others worse than I yet am not I under the same Master Though I be among the hindermost of the Company yet am not I one of them This Life I live is no serving God and therefore 't is doubtless the serving of the Devil Take heed O my Soul If the Devil can but hold thee 't will be all one whether it be by greater or smaller Cords the Devil is dragging thee to Hell and so he can but get the thither at last it will be upon the matter all one to him whether it be by greater or lesser Sins Though he can't perswade thee to ride post into the Pit yet if he can but toll thee in that shall suffice him though it be but by a slower pace Now as such a thought I serve the Devil would afright the least of Sinners so will such a thought I serve the Lord comfort the least of Saints But this by the way 4. Another Reason why we should Fear is because of the great Treasure we carry about with us whither-ever we go Christians are Travellers and they travel with charge about them This World is a dangerous World the Passengers through it are in danger of falling among Thieves which will spoil and rob them of their Treasure A Christian carries more Riches about him than the whole World is worth He hath the whole Gospel within him he hath the two Tables of the Covenant his Heart is the Ark in which they are laid up He hath Christ in him the Fruits of his Blood his Pardon and Reconciliation the graces and comforts of his Spirit his evidences for Heaven all the Records of the gracious Transactions betwixt God and his Soul the Pawns and Pledges of Divine Love the King's Broad-Seal and the Earnest for Glory all the Income of his Faith the Returns of his Prayers all that he hath gotten all the Manna he hath gathered the Hidden Manna the White Stone with the New Name he carries all his Riches up and down with him whither-ever he travels Hast thou any Divine Light in thine Heart any love for Christ any zeal for God and his Gospel any Tokens of his Love or Tenderness of his Honour Is there Peace or Joy or Hope within thee All this thou art in danger of being rob'd and spoil'd of This is the Design that Satan hath upon thee this is the Errand of every Worldly Lust of every Temptation every Companion every Carnal Relation every Change of Condition every Carnal Pleasure all thy Earthly Possessions the Devil hath set them in ambush and they lie in wait for thee to rifle thee and spoil thee of all that ever thou art worth Hast thou never fallen amongst these Thieves and suffered great loss by them Hast thou been rob'd and art thou not afraid thou mayest again Will not thy loss make thee more wise and wary How many Instances have there been of secure and unwary Christians who whilst they have been venturous upon Temptations have trusted themselves amongst their vain Companions indulged themselves a more free and jolly and easie a more remiss and flesh pleasing Life or a more busie drudgery for this VVorld have as to their sense at least lost all they had for the other VVorld VVho when they have come a little to themselves fall a mourning out Naomi's bitter Song Ruth 1.20 Call me no more Naomi but call me Marah I went out full but I returned empty Whilst mine Heart was tender and mine Eye jealous whilst I kept my watch and kept my distance from this World and its Temptations O what Light Love Peace Joy did then shine upon and possess my Heart then I had a God whom I could call mine own then I had a Jesus and could lean upon my Beloved then I could believe love serve delight in enjoy and praise the Lord. But wo wo to me how is it now Whilst I allowed my self a little more boldness with this Flesh and this World I have even lost all ere I was aware I am fallen among Thieves and what have they left me O mine Ease my Pleasures my Money my Lands which I have turned aside to how have you served me Whilst I have been loving and following and serving you how have you rewarded me Ah me they have taken away my
haunted with the Devil What terror do they live in whose dwelling is in haunted Houses How are they scar'd and frighted to see the face of that Dragon though shap'd into the most beautiful form Those that tremble so to see the Devil in their own Houses what will it be to them to be carried with him into his House where he will be unclothed of all his Vizors and no longer appear in the snape of a Man no nor of a Lion or Bear but will shew himself a Devil And his Angels All the Legions of those unclean and damned Spirits together with all those damned Souls their fellow-Sinners All the filth and garbage of the Earth must lie rotting and stinking together in that dismal Hole All the Atheists and Blasphemers all the Adulterers and their Whores all the Rioters and Drunkards that have spent so many Days and sat up so many Nights at the Wine and the strong Drink shall now be filled with the Company they loved and shall have an everlasting Night to lie drinking up the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty and of the Lamb and suck up the dregs and bottom of that deadly Cup which the Fury of the Most High hath mingled and appointed for them This is their Sentence 4. The Curse is executed in full in the World to come Mat. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment Of this Sentence there will be 1. no Repeal or Reversing 't is the final Sentence and must be executed 2. Nor will there be any Reprieve but as the doom is past away they immediately go into the place of Execution Esther 7.8 As the Word went out of the King's Mouth they covered Haman 's Face and away presently they carried him to the Gallows and hang'd him up As soon as ever this Word is spoken Depart from me ye Cursed c. Down they are tumbled into that Fire prepared for them which the Breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone doth kindle and make to burn for ever Lay all this together and then you will know what the Curse to be feared is 2. Vnconverted Sinners are under the Curse We are all by Nature Children of Wrath cursed Children Ephes 2.3 All the World is become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 The whole World lyeth in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 and he that lyeth in wickedness abideth in Death and the Wrath of God abideth on him This wicked and cursed state is naturally the state of every Man and whosoever is not Converted he is under this Curse to this day Not only the first-born of Sinners the worst and most monstrous among them whose Iniquities have mark'd them with a Curse in their Foreheads but every Sinner the most harmless amongst the whole Rout every one of them the Wrath of God abideth on him and if he should die and go out of the World in such a case there 's no hope of him but he must perish everlastingly How unsuitable are the jocund and merry Hearts of Sinners to their state and condition These Sons of Death are most of them Sons of Laughter the jolly ones of the Earth When you pass by the Tents of evil Men and behold them drinking and dancing singing and sporting and rufling it out in their gallantry as some of them do or find them sleeping at their ease and out of fear as 't is with others of them would you not say Is this the noise is this the guise of Men appointed to Death Is this the sound of the Vessels of Wrath Are these the Guilty Ones and the Cursed Ones whose Souls are in Chains dragging down to the horrible Pit One would think by their Faces and Carriages by their merry Dayes and quiet Nights that the Sinners of the Earth were fairest for Heaven that they had shot the Gulf and were past danger of miscarrying for ever But what art thou O Sinner To whom dost thou belong Whither art thou falling What is thine Inheritance or thy Portion from the Lord Consider the Scriptures Psal 11.6 Vpon the Wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this is the Portion of their Cup. This shall be their Portion hereafter but what is their Portion here John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already And Joh. 3.6 The Wrath of God abideth on him Every unconverted Sinner is under the Curse 3. There is great danger he may never escape or be delivered from it If he never be Converted he can never escape The Devil shall as soon break Prison and make an escape from Hell to Heaven as thou who diest an Impenitent canst escape falling into that Prison Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Continue Unconverted till thou diest and 't is impossible thou shouldst escape And there is very great danger that thou that art yet an Unbeliever and an Impenitent to this day mayst never be a Convert to thy dying day This is the last hope thou hast that however it be with thee at present yet hereafter thou mayest be brought in But know that what-ever hope thou hast of that there is a very great hazard that it may never be which will appear if thou consider these three things 1. The multitudes of those that miscarry that die in final Impenitency and so perish everlastingly to a very few that are Converted and Saved 2. The constant miscarriage and succeslesness of all the means that have been hitherto used for thy Conversion 3. The potent Adversaries and the mighty opposition they make and will make against thy Conversion 1. Consider the multitudes of those that miscarry and die Impenitents to a very few that are Converted and Saved The Scriptures tell us That there are but few that shall be saved The real Converts are but a little Flock Luk. 12.32 Mat. 7.13 14. Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to Life and few there be that find it But wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat Shall we believe our own Experiences How many poor Souls do we see in the World who walk on in the courses and after the Lusts of this World some in a blind and ignorant State some in Lewdness and Luxury some in Covetousness and Sensuality in Carelesness and Carnal-security who after a long course that they have thus run at length drop into the Grave and go out of the World without the least token of sound Repentance How many such Instances have we of Men going Unbelievers and Impenitents out of the World to here and there one that gives any hopeful testimony of real Conversion The number of Converts to them that die in Impenitence even in the judgment of the greatest Charity is but a very small number Now if any of you were sick of some dangerous Disease as suppose the Pestilence which were so generally mortal that it swept
of Christ may be right in your Eyes and yet your Hearts not be upright in his Eyes You may be perswaded in your Hearts concerning the Way of Godliness that this is the Good Way that this is the Right Way and an Excellent Way that the Life of a Christian led according to the Rules of the Gospel is an Excellent Life Rom. 2.18 Thou knowest his Will and approvest the things that are more Excellent And to this good Opinion Men may be wrought 1. From the Self-evidencing Light of that Holy Doctrine which prescribes and requires Godliness 2. From the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors of Godliness 3. From the Self-condemnation that is to be observed in all other wayes 1. From the Self-evidencing Light of the Doctrine of Godliness The Doctrine of Christianity proves it self to be of God by that Divine Light that shines forth in it there is a stamp of Divinity imprinted upon it Is God an Holy God So is this Doctrine an Holy Doctrine Is God a Merciful and Gracious God So is this Doctrine a Doctrine of Mercy a Doctrine of Grace there is Grace and Mercy runs through the whole Body of it nay they are the very Soul and Life of it Is God a God of Wisdom The Doctrine of Christianity is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery Is God a God of Truth and of Righteousness Such is the Doctrine of the Gospel that not only is according to Truth and reveals the Righteousness of God but requires Truth and imposes Righteousness upon all that will embrace it What is more contrary to this Word of Truth than a Lye or than Hypocrisie and Guile What is more contrary to this Word of Righteousness than Unrighteousness Doth the Word of the Gospel allow any Iniquity Is there any guile found in it or any toleration whereof in its Professors Doth it not command all Righteousness and condemn all Unrighteousness even while it justifies the Sinner it condemns the Sin This Religion is pure Religion and undefiled before God Jam. 1.25 Teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present World Tit. 2.13 14. Now he that knows that God is an Holy and Wise God a God of Grace of Truth and of Righteousness and does but understand the Scriptures may without any great difficulty be led into a good opinion of that Godliness which is there held forth and required 2. From the Convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors of Christianity I do not say from the Lives of all Professors some Professors of Christianity there are who are not Christians Some such there are amongst Professors who are disorderly walkers whose Wayes are so evidently contrary to their Profession as if the Devil had led them into their Christianity on purpose to disgrace the Gospel and 't is like enough 't was his doing indeed to make Professors of them This Tempter may tempt Men into Religion as far as may sewe his own ends and Mens Lusts may make them Disciples Such I mean who while they pretend to the Spirit do walk after the Flesh who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Rom. 1.18 who are proud self-conceited self-willed heady giddy wandring and unstable Souls like crooked Lines that in some points touch with the Rule but for the most part do swerve from it on this hand and on that Who are scrupulous about some smaller Matters which they fancy to have an appearance of evil and yet allow themselves in apparent Evils straining at a Gnat and swallowing a Camel insisting much on some Circumstances and neglecting the weightier Matters of the Law like those Mat. 23.23 24. 'T is but little that Godliness is beholden for the good Opinion it hath obtained to such as these But to the sincere and single-hearted Professors whose Lives are a Copy or Pattern of wholsom Doctrine holding forth the Word of Life exemplifying the Holy Rules laid down in Scripture and shewing forth the Vertues of Christ before the World Who are in the World as he was in the World who live by Faith and walk in Love being humble meek peaceable merciful temperate true righteous and holy in all manner of Conversation These are the Persons whose Lives do commend Godliness to the World and force their very Hearts many of them to acknowledg Sure this is the Way of God that these Men walk it cannot be but God is in them of a very truth sure these are the Servants of the Living God this is Religion indeed if there be any way of Life this is the way It 's true this way is every-where spoken against by the malicious but the more like to be of God for that So 't was in the Apostles dayes Acts 28.22 As for this Sect we know it is every-where spoken against Mark it Christianity was counted by the malicious but a Sect or a Faction and Christians but Sectaries so they were counted and called about 1600 years ago and therefore 't is no disparagement if they be counted so still But sayes the considering Sinner let them be called what Men please Sectaries Seducers Hypocrites or what else malice can invent yet as it was said of Christ John 10.21 These are not the words of him that hath a Devil so it may be said of his Followers Call them what you will yet these are not the Lives of Schismaticks or Hypocrites these Men are the Servants of the most High God and their way is the way of Life 3. From the Self-condemnation that all other wayes carry in them If this be not the way of Life there 's none if these be not the Servants of God there are none such in the World For where are they else to be found Are the Ignorant and the Earthly and the Irreligious are these the Religious Are the Carnal and the Formal and the out-side Worshippers that will give Christ the Cap and the Knee and yet can Drink and Riot and Swear and Scoff are these the sincere Worshippers of God This must be the Good Way or which else can it with any tolerable probability be imagined to be Surely if this be not it we must even all count to be damn'd for there is no other that so much as looks like the Path of Life The Atheist must say I am not in the way to God this Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God The Pope with his Doctrine must say I am not the Way I am Antichrist 't is Christ only that brings us to God Formality must say I am not the Way for God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.24 Profaneness must say I am not the Way to God I am the Way of Death and my steps lead down to Hell If there be any Way of Death in the World profaneness is it Drunkards and Swearers and Revellers and Rioters if their Consciences may but have the priviledg of their
Tongues will tell you we are all out of the Way we must take another course than the Devil and our Lusts will yet suffer us or else wo to us that ever we were born We would be loth to die in the Way we live in we must turn a new Leaf or we are undone These do not so much as pretend to be in the Way of Life Well thus far now a Sinner may come by beholding the Self-evidencing Light that is in the Doctrine of Godliness the convincing Lives of the Sincere Professors thereof the Self-condemnation that is in all other Wayes he may be led into a good Opinion of Sincere-Godliness And this Good Opinion is but a little ground gotten towards it It is not Godliness to think well of it 3. Sinners good Opinion of Godliness may beget good Inclinations towards it and good wishes after it Happy are those Souls that are in Christ who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit O that my Soul were among them I could even find in mine Heart to be one of his Disciples I am in a strait between two as the Apostle said in another case Phil. 1.21 and what I shall chuse I wot not fain I would be a Christian in earnest I see it would be best for me to be so and O that I were But on the other side how shall I bear the Labours and Sufferings of that way What shall I do what shall I chuse I would be a Disciple of Christ but I am afraid what may come of it 4. Sinners good Opinions and good Inclinations may bring forth some ineffectual Attempts and Endeavours they may set forth after Christ their enlightned Minds may set their Hearts upon them and cause them to fall a reasoning thus with themselves If this be the good way why should not I walk in it Is a Godly Life such an Excellent Life can I approve it in others can I pronounce them blessed who so live Come my Soul put in for a part in Christ resolve once what thou wilt do stay not in these Uncertainties hang no longer betwixt Heaven and Hell speak the word once Wilt thou be for Christ Shall the Sincere Christians God be my God their Hope 's my Hopes their Life my Life Shall I cast in my Lot among them and take up my Lot with theirs Come along venture after the Lamb venture for the Blessedness to come set to Praying set to Hearing give thy self to the study and practice of that blessed course which thou knowest will have its Fruit unto Holiness and its end Everlasting Life And yet after all this little or nothing may be done These now are fair Preparations to Grace but this is not Grace Conviction is not Conversion the approving and liking and wishing for and making some ineffectual Attempts and Offers at Godliness this is not chusing and embracing it 2. There are Images of Grace which are not Grace There is a form of Godliness which is not Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 An Image is not the same an Image of a Man is not a Man the Image of a Christian is not a Christian The Image of Christ is a Christian but the Image of a Christian is no Christian as great a likeness as there is yet there is as great a difference also as betwixt Living and Dead There is something like Faith which is not Faith something like Repentance which is not Repentance something like the New Man and is not it but the Old Man new dressed up and so like it may be in Complexion in Language in Carriage that it is often taken to be the same The Pangs of Travel may bring forth but when all comes to all it may be but a dead Child there may be all the Parts the Head the Eyes the Hands and every Limb but no Life and yet when it is but newly brought forth it may be hard to discern whether it be alive or dead so difficult is it to discern between Common and Special Grace so many Counterfeits have there been found which have both been Deceivers and deceived as is enough to make the Hearts of many Christians indeed to shake 3. There are some Properties of Gracious Persons which are no certain Evidences of Grace but may be found also in Hypocrites Nothing can evidence the Truth of Grace but that which is so adaequately proper to Saints that it cannot be found in an Hypocrite What-ever maybe found in an Hypocrite can never certainly prove me to be no Hypocrite Assuring Marks must be distiguishing Marks such as separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile and nothing can distinguish the Sound from the Unsound but that which the Unsound cannot attain As 't is said of some Sinners Deut. 32.5 Their Spot is not the Spot of his Children So may it be said of all Saints Their Grace is not the Grace of his Enemies and we can never come to give a clear and comfortable Judgment of our selves till we find something in us which is not to be found in any Hypocrites in the World But some Properties there are of Sincere Christians which may be found in Hypocrites which yet some Divines have some-what unwarily made use of and proposed for Peoples Tryal of their States Indeed it is much to be wished that we were more exact and cautelous in this Matter than many of us are at this day Though good use may be made of probable Evidences yet should we declare to our People which are but probable Marks and which are certainly concluding Of those Properties of Christians which some Divines have formerly given as Marks of Sincerity I shall mention three 1. Prayer 2. Hearing the Word 3. Reforming the Life 1. Prayer This is a property of a Sincere Christian He is praying Person Behold be prayeth 't was said of Paul when he was a young Convert Acts 9.11 The whole Generation of the Saints are called Psal 24.6 a Generation of Seekers This is the Generation of them that seek thee But are there no praying Hypocrites as well as praying Believers See Mat. 6. Will he alwayes call upon God saith Job Chap. 27.10 But though he will not pray alwayes yet will he never pray 2. Hearing the Word This also is the property of Christians they are Hearers of the Word Joh. 10.27 My Sheep hear my Voice 3. Reforming the Life 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you that is Drunkards Revilers Covetous Fornicators c. but ye are washed Ye are now reformed Persons and are there no reformed Hypocrites Every Reformation is not Sanctification 'T is a good sight to see Men that once lived like Heathens and never called upon God to set upon a course of serious Prayer 'T is a good sight to behold others that not only neglected the Word but mocked at and persecuted those that heard it to be now become constant Hearers themselves 'T is a good sight and a comfortable to behold those that were once loose livers
Drunkards Swearers c. to become Reformed Persons to see some see Men from Persecutors to become Pofessors of Religion these things are a good fight but they are no sure sign of Sincerity Men may Pray and Hear and be much reformed in their Lives and yet be short of Christ The neglect of Prayer and Hearing and the going on in a course of Sin are certain signs of a wicked Man Thou that prayest not and wilt not receive Instruction and hatest to be reformed art thou a Saint Thy gross neglects and thy evil doings are Satan's Marks upon thee Art thou still going on in thy wickedness How canst thou say or think but that thou art of the wicked One Yet the performance of these Duties Praying Hearing and somewhat of Reformation are no certain signs that thou art of God A total and thorough Reformation a withdrawing our selves from every evil way a resigning up our selves to the Government of Christ and the Conduct of the Spirit and an actual care and endeavour to walk uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel is the best and last proof of our Sincerity But much Reformation there may be in the Life and yet the Heart not right with God Beloved while we are comforted over you and rejoyce that there is so much done upon many of you as there is that there are so many Praying Ones among you who were wont to neglect Prayer that there are so many of you to be found at a Sermon who were once more like to have been found in an Alehouse blessed be God that there is such visible Reformation among you both of your Persons and Families Besides those of you that have given a good proof of an inward Saving-change even this that appears upon others of you is a comfort to us Yet beware how you venture your Souls upon this though hopeful yet I doubt but partial Reformation and all this notwithstanding fear lest you should and look diligently that you do not fall short of the Grace of God at last 4. There is no one Grace that is really so if it be alone that will put us out of doubt concerning our state There is no one Mark by which we can give a certain judgment of our selves without the concurrent testimony of other Marks with it The Graces of God in us must give mutual testimony each to other before any of them can give clear testimony to us Our Love must prove our Faith to be sincere our Holy Obedience must prove our Love to be sincere before either our Faith or Love will prove either themselves or us to be so If I have the very Faith of God's Elect and I yet question whether I love or no If I feel I love and cannot prove 't is in sincerity by my Obedience neither the one nor the other will give me confidence before God One Grace wanting will be an Objection against those that appear I believe but sure I fear 't is not with Faith unfeigned because I cannot find I love and so in the rest Not but that any one Saving-Grace where-ever it is found to be such is an infallible Evidence of Sincerity But still the doubt will be whether this Grace I find be Grace indeed and unless it be witnessed by the concurrence of other Graces that doubt is never like in an ordinary way to be clearly resolved Therefore that Exhortation of the Apostle Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledg and to Knowledg Temperance c. 2 Pet. 1.5 6. is necessarily to be minded in order to the obtaining that Assurance which the Apostle in the following Verses directs and exhorts with diligence to follow after 5. What-ever you have and yet all short of Saving-Grace it may all go quite back and you may return to a worse estate than ever you were before The unclean Spirit that is at present gone out may return again and thy latter end may be worse than thy beginning Let us a little consider that Scripture Mat. 12.33 34 35. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will return into my House from whence I came forth and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished then goeth 〈◊〉 and taketh with him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that Man is worse than the first Though this Text be parabolical and was intended against that wicked Generation yet is it applicable to particular persons still When the unclean Spirit goeth out of a Man That Sinners are so vile and abominable it is from that wicked Spirit Satan that dwells in them Every Sinner is a possessed Person possessed of a Devil When they are a little reformed they seem for the time to be dispossessed but there is difference betwixt the Devil's going out and his being cast out Satan may a little with-draw from Souls as to the Impetus or violence of his Suggestions and Operations whilst still he holds his Dominion He walketh through dry places What these dry places may be is not so easie to determine some by these loca arida understand loca vâ—â—na void and empty places the Desarts and Wastes of the Earth where he finds no Body to tempt or molest But could Satan think to find rest there where was no House for him to lay his Head in Would the Tempter wast time in seeking whom to devour in those wast places where he knew wel enough there were none to be found he knows too well where Sinners dwell to go to seek them where they are not more like to find the Devil in a Market than in a Wilderness This therefore seems not to be the sence May I give my conjecture Why may not these dry places be the Saints on Earth the Fountain of whose Blood is dryed up in whom the Sun hath dryed up their Dirt and Mire in which this Swine loves to wallow Satan may have his Walks through the best of Men but these are no Habitation for him The Devil with the Swine hath his Habitation in the filthy places in the Mud and Mire or with the Behemoth of whom 't is said Job 40.21 He lyeth under the shady Trees under the covert of the Reeds in the Fens He loves to be in the Shade where no Sun comes to disturb him in the Moors and in the Fens where he may have Mire enough to tumble in Miry moorish Hearts dirty Fennish Souls are the Dens of Devils the Saints in comparison of these are dry places He seeketh rest This notes two things 1. When the Devil is gone out of any Person he is never at rest till he is gotten in again either thither whence he went out or into some other Habitation where he may do mischief Like Children like Father as 't is said of them so 't is much more true of him he rests
fright thee out of the Fold but to fright thee into a Sheep I shall do thee no harm if I can fright thee to Heaven 2. What 's one Man's Meat may be another Man's Poison and what 's one Man's Poison may be another Man 's necessary Meat All Christians are not of a like Spirit and what 's poison for some may be proper for others Same poor broken melancholick Souls are all fears and must have Comforts preached unto them others are secure confident and yet careless Ones and these have asmuch need of terror Comforts preached to the doubting and distressed Ones may be poison to the secure and careless and yet for the sake of the distressed they must be preached and terror preached to the secure may be poison to the distressed and yet they must be preached for the securers sakes The Ministers of the Gospel must be good Stewards giving to every one their Portion Luk. 12.42 Comfort to whom comfort belongeth and fear to whom fear On some have compassion making a difference others save with fear Jude 22 23. And as Ministers must give so People must take every one their own Portions as Ministers must divide so People must apply the Word of God aright Let every Man take his own Portion and not be catching at that which is another's There is too great an aptness in the distressed to lay hold on those words that are spoken to the secure if there be ever an afrighting word in a whole Sermon that 's my Portion saith the Distressed this Word belongs to me and so the secure are too ready to lay hold on those healing and comforting words which belong to the broken and distressed both these Evils must be heedfully avoided but whether People will apply the Word of God aright or no there 's no help for it but Ministers must divide it aright and give to every one their Portion 3. There is an awaking fear that quickens to our Duty and prepares for comfort and this will lightly hurt no Body and there is a disquieting and discouraging fear that disheartens to Duty and deprives of Comfort and this will do no Body any good 4. This Fear I am preaching to you will lead you to the better and surer hope These Doubtings will be of great use to put us in the way of getting above our Doubts As there is a Confidence which will end in terror so there are Fears and Doubtings the Fruit whereof will be Quietness and Assurance for ever This will more fully appear in the next Particular wherein I am to shew 2. How this Fear will work towards a farther search Hitherto I have been endeavouring to work this Fear upon Professors Hearts concerning their States and now I shall shew how this Fear will work The Fear lest our Souls should be yet unsafe will 1. Put hard to come to a certainty And to this end will 2. Put us close upon a more narrow search 3. Put in Objections in order to the making all clear and plain 1. It will put hard to come to a certainty nothing short will satisfie it Fear hath pain in it the fearing Christian is in pain till his Doubts be resolved and this pain will press him to make sure He will be thankful for Probabilities and will make the most of them as a drowning Man will catch at every Twig that may keep his Head above Water till he can get better hold A Christian that Fears will not make nothing of Probabilities nor yet will take up with them instead of Certainties The Confident Sinner will venture all upon conjecture if his Heart do but speak him fair and tell him he is safe that shall satisfie him 'T is an amazing thing to consider what broken Reeds Fools do stay themselves upon Fear will make all as sure as it can And there is some hope in that that we ae bent upon making sure He that will not rest in uncertainties is in the fairer way to come to a certainty 2. Fear will put us on close upon the narrowest search It will not take up with Reports or Opinions but will search the Records whence it may be like to get satisfactions And there are two Books of Records that will be enquired after and look'd into the Book of the Scriptures and the Book of Conscience In one the Book of the Scriptures it will examine what are the plainest and most certain Marks of Sincerity when it hath found a Mark it will enquire May not this be also in an Hypocrite and will not pitch on any thing but that which cannot be found in any Hypocrite in the World Then it enquires into Conscience and compares the two Books together The word tells me He that is in Christ is a new-Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is born of God is a Believer 1 John 5.1 Is a lover of God 1 John 4.7 He that loveth doth keep the Commandments of God and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.3 The Children of God are Children that will not lye are meek merciful holy harmless The Disciples of Christ are such as deny themselves take up their Cross and follow him These and such-like are found in the Scriptures to be the signs of the Children of God And what sayest thou O my Conscience are these things found in me Where is my Faith What Love have I for God What witness to my Love in my Obedience What Truth Mercy Meekness Humility Patience is to be discerned in me Come forth O my Graces where are you Shew your selves in the light of the Sun And what can you testify O my ways for me Speak Conscience what is the life which I have lived Is it a life of Faith a life of Love and Holy Obedience If Conscience speaks in the affirmative and gives in its answer through the Grace of God I find it thus with me Then 3. Fear will make Objections and put in farther Questions It 's true he that is a New-Creature is in Christ he that believeth and loveth and obeyeth the Lord is born of God and I find that there is something in me that looks like the New-Creature that looks like Faith and Love c. But may not all these be but the Images of Grace Is my Faith the very Faith of God's Elect Do I love the Lord Jesus in sincerity do I obey from the heart that form of Doctrine that is delivered to me May there not be as great a change upon an Hypocrite may not Hypocrites believe and love and obey as far as ever I have done And until the matter be brought to this issue that there is something found such a Faith such a Love such Holy Obedience as cannot be found in Hypocrites till then this Fear which will ever suspect the worst will nor give over but still will come on with question upon question How shall I know my Faith is right and how shall I prove my Love and Obedience to be sincere I am
the irradiations of his Holy Spirit and the light of his countenance whilest they are walking in the Law of the Lord the prospering of their Souls in the grace of God and the comforts of the Holy Ghost this is the sunshine of their lives Their countenance is fallen their heart is sick they reckon themselves among the dead when God and their Souls are parted He hath no part in God that can live comfortably without him It 's true the pleasure that the Saints take in God is more or less according to the different degrees of their love to God and accordingly will the sense of his absence be more or less There is a desiring love which is the highest attainment of some weaker Christians and there is a delighting love which is the attainment of the more grown Christians The purer and stronger the love the greater pleasures comes in from the object of it and the more impatience follows from its distance and estrangement from it The love of weaker Christians puts forth in thirstings after the Lord but they taste but little of the sweetness but the more grown can sit down under his shadow with great delight yet neither the one nor the other can be at ease or contented without him Again there is a difference in the Natural temper and constitutions of Christians some are naturally of lively and warm affections and of a chearful and serene Spirit others are of more flat and dull and heavy spirits and this will make a difference upon their sence of things Spiritual Yea and the same persons at several times may be differing from themselves by reason of bodily distempers or occasional discomposures which may have such an influence upon their Spirits that they may at such seasons not only have lost the sweetness of Divine communion but the sence also of its want and those very duties wherein they were wont to have delightful converse with God may seem the most uneasie and wearisome work of their time But yet whoever he be that in ordinary can be satisfied at ease and be merry whilst he is a stranger from God and neither finds pleasure in him nor takes comfort in pleasing of him this man can never conclude that God is his portion He that is least in the Kingdom of God will doubtless be able to say Lord whom have I in Heaven yea or in Earth besides thee Sinner thou sayest that thou also hast chosen the Lord but how is it that he is no more look'd after or regarded by thee How is it that thou canst live so much without God in the world and find no miss of his presence Art thou content to be miserable whil'st thou livest here or hast thou chosen two portions this world to be thy portion here and God only for hereafter I that 's the truth of the case thou foreseest that this world will not last alwayes but thou must after a while be gone and leave all behind thee whil'st these things will last thou wilt take up with them but when they fail thee thou countest upon God at last and so he must only stand by as thy last refuge when all else is gone then God must be thy happiness Is this thy choice of God when thou canst only say Rather God than nothing So I may be sure of thee hereafter I care not for thee now He that hath not chosen God for his happiness in both worlds hath sincerely chosen him for neither Canst thou say thou hast chosen him for thy happiness in this world also when thou canst count thy self happy without him canst thou want communion with him and yet be at hearts ease canst thou take the prosperities of this world to supply the want of a God the smiles of fortune instead of smiles from Heaven will thy twilight or candle-light serve thee instead of Sun-light Canst thou quiet and comfort thy self thus God is none of my acquaintance but I have good acquaintance enough in the world God is angry with me but I have many good friends about me that bear me good will My work for Heaven goes but sadly on but yet I prosper and thrive in the Earth I have none of the best hearts I confess but yet I have a good House and a good Estate 't would be sad indeed if I had nothing either above or below either within or without me if both Heaven and Earth had cast me out but whil'st one of them holds 't is well mine own Cisterne is full and so long I can spare the Fountain Canst thou comfort thy self thus Deceive not thy self God is not the portion thine heart hath chosen thou wilt never find rest in any thing else who hast pitch'd on him as thine only happiness and till thou hast made him alone thou hast not made him at all the portion of thy Soul 5. If you are willing and resolved to forsake all things for his sake God and this world are proposed to our choice and this is included in the very nature of choosing that one be taken and the other left 't is not choosing to take both one of the two must be parted with or neither can be said to be chosen and so the word tells us Luk. 14.33 Whoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple This seems to be an hard word but is it so indeed Is it hard to part with all our Brass and to receive it in Gold to exchange our rags for better clothing our husks for better seeding What is Earth to Heaven Is all thou hast in the world too great a price to redeem thy Soul from Death and to instate it in everlasting blessedness If these things could redeem thee would'st thou say 't is too much to give this Earth is more than Heaven is worth But farther consider It is not so hard as it seems to be for what is it to forsake all that we have God would not have us to throw away our Estates and make our selves voluntary Beggars to give away our Houses and take up our Habitation in Dens or Caves to give away all our bread and our clothes and leave our selves to hunger and nakedness God would not have us to break the peace with the world to disoblige and fall out with all our friends and to become strangers to our own flesh God would not have us studiously to offend Father and Mother to despise Brethren and Sisters to be undutiful or unnatural to be surly and rude and uncivil to any and thereby create our selves enemies and trouble 't is for the honour of Christianity that we behave our selves sweetly and courteously and dutifully towards all and 't is the Interest of Christianity that those that fear God be good Husbands and provident and have Estates to serve him withall in their generations This is not the meaning of our forsaking of all to cast our selves into voluntary poverty or studiously to make our selves
full and setled purpose of mine heart and O that this my resolution may be attended with such an effectual power that may make a present actual change upon my whole course and way of life Well I will go in the strength of the Lord and let me find the presence and the power of the Almighty with me O that I might not go out of this house nor be seen in the streets but the tongues of those that see me might say where hath this man or this woman been this day what hath been done to them whence is this strange change Is not this the man that was born blind Is not this the cripple that sate for alms at the beautiful gate of the Temple said they once is not this the man that lived in blindness and in ignorance of God is not this he that was such a lame halting trifling vain walker how do we see him to have his eyes open and living in the grace and power of God what a change is here how comes this to pass surely this man hath been with Jesus surely he is become one of the Lords and the spirit of the living God is in him What say you friends are you now for such a change come and give your selves thus to the Lord and then fear not to commit your selves to his custody trust him for your pardon trust him for protection leave the care of your souls upon him for ever Faithful is he that hath called you and will take care of you Now you have a sure title to him and are hid in his blood and this blood of the lamb shall be to you as the scarlet line on the window of Rhahab was to her Josh 2.18 or as the blood of the Paschal lamb sprinkled on the lintels and door-posts of Israel Exod. 12. your certain security that the indignation shall passe over you and the destroyer shall not hurt you for ever 2. Fear and flee the ordinary effect of fear is flight and the reason of flight is fear There are three things in flight 1. There is departure in it be gone get thee up out of this place said the Angels once to Lot Gen. 19. 2. There is haste in it Flight is a departure in haste Haste thee stay not in all the plain 3. T is in order to an escape escape for thy life escape to the mountains Flee sinner flee away from thy sins and live What day thou hidest thee in Christ thou must leave thy sins behind thee or if thou carriest them to Christ with thee which comes all to one it must be only to be crucified particularly 1. Flee out of thy state of sin 2. Flee from the practice of sin 2. Flee out of thy state of sin to say no more in this place to fright thee to thy heels know that thy state of sin is a state of bondage Act. 8.23 thou art a mere bondslave to the devil and thy lusts Dost thou not feel the chains on thy neck the fetters on thy feet art thou not made to serve under thine enemies whom thou canst not find in thine heart but to obey tho it be to the cutting of thine own throat Thou art not left at liberty to act as a Christian according to the Gospel no nor as a man according to thine own reason and conscience but art made a mere brute of to serve the pleasure of the devil and thy lusts Art thou content to live and die such a slave behold the whole world is for liberty what groanings are there under oppression what outcries against impositions and invasions upon rights and priviledges and what impatience of vassalage and servitude and canst thou be so patient of the impositions of lust and thy vassalage under the devil canst thou dwell for ever under the usurpers is there any tyranny like that of thy will and lust is the worst of servitudes onely easie to be born arise thou slave shake off thy fetters get thee up out of thine house of bondage It is not barely a cessation from the acts of sin that I am now pressing you to let him that stole steal no more let him that was a swearer or a lyar or a drunkard swear no more put away lying and turn away from the wine and the strong drink but get you free from your state of sin get you up out of prison cease not only from doing the work but continue not under the dominion of the divel be no longer the practiser no nor the prisoners of sin Christ came not to make your prison more clean or more easie to cast out some of your filth or to get you an abatement of some of your drudgery work but to bring forth the prisoners out of prison Isaiah 42.7 Christ calls not to the prisoners to take their rest or to do their masters work by halves no nor barely to let it all alone but he saies to the prisoners go forth Isa 49.9 Sinners are not only employed and set on work by sin and the devil but they are sold under sin held under sin shut up under unbelief They are prisoners not only by constraint but by consent also they are voluntary prisoners they have made a league with sin and are its covenant-servants they are not onely prisoners to Satan but to their own hearts the heart of man is become so very a devil that it is its own gaoler the devil cannot commit a sinner into safer custody than by making his own heart his keeper Sinners those hearts of yours are become such Devils incarnate so desperately set against Christ so deeply engaged in soul-damning works that if God should leave you to the custody and conduct of your own natures these will lead you on to your damnation 'T is now become natural to sinners to hate the Lord and his way of life Sin hath made such changelings of them from what they originally were that 't is their nature to play the fools and the beasts 't is their nature to be proud to be froward to be malicious 't is mens corrupt nature that so strongly enclines them to follow the Devil and flee from Christ The Chicken doth not more naturally follow the Hen and flee from the Kyte than Sinners do follow that Kyte the Devil and flee from Christ As 't is said of the Devil Joh. 8.44 When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own so may it be said of sinners when they do wickedly they do of their own when they lye and swear and mock and riot they do of their own Their inward part is very wickedness Psal 5.9 Their hearts are a fountain of iniquity Jer. 6.7 As a fountain casteth forth waters so she casteth forth wickedness She casteth forth her wickedness not only continually as a fountain casts out waters the fountain runs night and day Summer and Winter from year to year but with the same freedome also there 's no need of the Pump or the Bucket to fetch
out upon me in vain Behold the winter is past and the spring comes on the flowers appear the fig tree putteth forth and the vines with the tender grapes give a goodly smell Behold the fruits of that blessed blood and spirit in the reviving of this dead heart in the fructifying of this barren heart My Soul make thy boast of God though I have nothing of mine own but what I loath and am asham'd of yet here 's through rich mercy something of his fruits I have brought forth yet not I but the grace of God which was with me and his grace hath not been bestowed on me in vain Come on thou withering Soul cry out with the Spouse Awake thou North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden let the Spirit of the Lord breath upon me that my Spices may flow forth and my fruits may appear and then thou mayest go on now let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits I cannot enumerate the particular fruits that you should bring forth they are all the fruits of righteousness but in hope that after all that hath been said your fear of being found among the barren may prepare you to receive some farther instruction for your growth and fructifying in every good work I shall only lay before you seven things which if they be in you and abound will make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Follow after 1. Power 2. Activity 3. Severity 4. Simplicity 5. Ingenuity 6. Spirituality 7. Pleasure 1. Power Grace in the very being of it includes power 1 Cor. 4.20 The Kingdom or grace of God is not in word but in power Natural men have natural powers but there is nothing of spiritual power in them wishes and velleities they may have after that which is really and spiritually good O that I could forsake this world and crucifie this flesh and follow God and walk worthy of the Gospel in all things thus they may wish and desire but for their hearts they cannot come to it they cannot bring forth their wish into a will nor their will into performance The least child of God hath more of the power of God in him than the most knowing and the very best of natural men all the parts and vertues of a natural man do fall as much short as to this spiritual vital power of the least of Saints as a dead man does of a living child But yet where there is grace in the beginnings of it in comparison of what it may grow to its power may be small and its strength may be but weakness How great is the power of the healthy above the sickly and faint how much is the power of a man above the power of an infant 'T is well thou art alive but wilt thou still be but a child O what weakly Souls are many amongst the living Souls How ordinary is this complaint To will is present with me but how to perform I find not O how many frustraneous attempts and ineffectual offers do we make at an holy fruitful life we wish for more care and more diligence and more usefulness but still we fall short we are reaching towards but cannot reach to it We judge our selves for our failings we groan under our imperfect duties we are sick of those corruptions that are mingled with them but we cannot overcome them we lament our barrenness we hunger and thirst after more fruitfulness and yet we cannot obtain we cannot do the good that we would we cannot forbear to do the evils that we would not so weak is our heart that though we can weep over our falls and failings yet we cannot amend them But art thou not afraid to continue thus what if death should overtake thee thus how would'st thou dye when thy sin is so much alive yea how canst thou live in any peace whil'st thou seest thou livest to so little purpose Therefore my Brethren let me exhort you in the words of the Apostle Ephes 6.10 Be ye strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put forth the power that you have receiv'd trust on God for more Put forth that power that you have that 's the way to encrease your strength Do not make your selves to be weaker than you are say not 't is for want of power that 't is no better with you when 't is for want of care and industry much more certainly might be done if we were better Stewards of what we have Let there not be a pretence of weakness to excuse your laziness do what thou canst thou canst do more than thou do'st and if indeed thy strength be but small thou knowest whether to go for more Study well and lay hold on that word Isa 40.28 29.31 Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as the Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not be faint Christians let it not suffice you that you are men of understanding and good affections get a Spirit of power as well as of love and of a sound mind 2. Activity An unactive spirit is next to impotence Awaken from thy liveless wretchless temper put away sloth thou sluggard wilt thou still be a drone this drone hath a sting thine own Soul will feel it sooner or later that thy sloth will sting thee to the heart Christians let it appear that the spirit of the living God is in you by your sprightfulness and vivacity Shall the evil spirit be the only active spirit shall sinners flow forth in vanity and wickedness shall their filthy waters be such a quick and running stream and shall the waters of the Sanctuary be but as a standing pool Be bent for holy action be prepared and ready for every good work It 's said Ephes 2.10 that Christians are created unto good works in the very make and constitution of the new creature we may read its use and end we are new made for this very end and purpose we are adopted and prepared for an active useful life for those good works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them Thou had'st need stir up thy self and put thy self on lest thou quickly come to question whether thou be a new creature or no if thou continuest so backward and unready to that for which the new creature is Hast thou grace indeed blow off the ashes from that living coal that it may burn and shine out in a gracious life Fire it the most active of all the elements it will not be inclosed but will find a vent for its flames sure thou hast little of that divine fire in
thine heart that canst so easily keep it within O what wonders are sluggish Christians Life without motion Fires that burn not Suns standing still Souls condens'd into the gravity of Carkasses the winged Spirits become as the creeping things of the earth when shall these immortal sparks recover and come to themselves Christians be impatient with these your slothful hearts let there be no sleep in your eyes till your sleepy Souls be awakened Be asham'd that you who talk what God hath done for you should have no more to say of what you have done or are ready to do for him Set every wheel in motion and thereby fit them for more easie motion let them stand no longer still fear lest your rust should eat out all your strength Be henceforth for an active life bethink the time that hath been run out in sleep and now awaken and begin to live in good earnest 3. Severity or strict and painful holding our selves to our rule Christians must be men of action but they must not act wildly or loosely and at all adventures but their actions must be regular they must be punctual and strict to their rule Christ's commands some of them are hard sayings and will put the flesh hard to it but whatever they be they must be submitted to Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you As Christ is severe in his impositions upon us so Christians must be severe in their impositions upon themselves and must not abate to themselves a title of their hardest duty Christians must be rigid to be rigid in the way of any party of them that are or that call themselves Christians is an evil A rigid Presbyterian a rigid Independent or Anabaptist are such in the wrong of their brethren but it is a duty and an excellency to be a strict and rigid Christian provided that our rigor be more to our selves and to our own flesh than to all the world besides Now to bring you to this Severity let me exhort you to these three things 1. Fear to be offended at the severities of Religion 2. Fear to baulk any thing of the severities of Religion 3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion fear the severity of Christ against Irreligion 1. Fear to be offended at the severities of Religion Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me Matth. 11.6 The fear of Christian strictness is that which keeps back many a Soul from Christ A Christian who that understands what 't is to be a Christian will ever be able to bear it 'T is too hard service for me to yield my self to to put my self under such a Law as ties me up so short from all that mine heart desires and holds me so close to things so contrary to me how can I endure it The attempting an universal change of the scope the customs the pleasures and the whole way of my life how grievous are the thoughts hereof the matter of my design the nature of my work the temper of my society to whom I must joyn my self being all spiritual and heavenly how contrary are they to me The forsaking my Friends and Companions the abandoning my pleasures the bounding my liberty the bridling mine Appetite and Passions the laying a law upon my senses the watching every word of my mouth and every thought of mine heart the holding my self on by line and by rule in a way of constant painfull duty without any allowance of the least turning aside to the right hand or the left no though it were to the saving of my life who can with patience think of it All these things are against me How many Souls have there been in the World whom such forethoughts of Christianity have kept back from Christ and held under the power of the Devil But though it doth not prevail thus far upon thee thou wilt adventure after Christ however though thou dost not say in thine heart this yoke is not to be born and so throw it away yet possibly thou mayst say 't is hard to be born and think much of it that less might not suffice Thou wilt yield to it in the general but too often when it comes to be a Case that thou thy self art put harder than ordinary to it thy flesh flings and throwes and murmurs and thou art for the time ready to bethink and repent of thy Christianity Hath it never been thus with thee Fear lest it should and still remember Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me That is not so only as not to renounce me but not so much as to complain or groan or drive heavily under me Good is the Word of the Lord that 's a word becoming the heart and tongue of a Disciple 2. Fear to baulk any of the severities of Religion 'T is one thing to say even in the heart Good is the Word of the Lord and another thing to submit chearfully to it when it comes to the pinch By severity I mean not unreasonable roughness or rigour to our selves the unnecessary afflicting or macerating our bodies by self-whippings and scourgings or Penances going barefoot or in sordid and vile raiment as 't is used in the Church of Rome but by severity I mean strictness and exactness to our Rule whatever pain or prejudice it may cost us or expose us to Our holding our selves closely to every duty in special to those harder duties of self-denyal and mortification the taming of our flesh the beating down our bodies and bringing them in subjection by temperance and necessary abstinence those ungratefull duties admonishing reproving withdrawing from offenders and whatsoever else our Lord hath imposed upon us Particularly there is 1. Severity in imposing upon our selves when we are not partial in the Law taking only Christs easier words and leaving out the harder but do charge our whole duty upon our selves and when we do not deal too gently or remissely with our selves onely telling our hearts this is thy duty and it would be good for thee to observe it but do deal more closely and charge it home See to it O my Soul that thou keep the charge of the Lord It must be done dare not for thy life to favour thy self or spare thy flesh by neglecting thy duty 2. Severity in observing and performing our whole Duty When we are not onely not like the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23.4 Who bind heavy burthens and lay them on other mens shoulders no nor such as bind heavy burthens for our own shoulders and yet not touch them with one of our fingers but whatever Conscience bids us do that we observe and do 'T is one thing to lay good Lawes and prescribe good Rules to our selves and another thing to observe them We must yoke our selves to our work and go on diligently under the yoke We must not only not quarrel with our rules as too strait for us but keep touch with them and not indulge
3. That you may not fear the severities of Religion fear the severity of Christ against Irreligion Thou canst not bear the work of Righteousness but how wilt thou bear the wages of Unrighteousness if thou canst not be tied up so strait by the cords of his Discipline how wilt thou endure the chains of his indignation If the severities of his service be to thee a stumbling-stone the wrath of the Lamb will be a mill-stone if this stone fall upon thee it will grind thee to powder Matth. 21.44 Sinners let their tongues run at a wild rate I must have my ease I must have my liberty I was never in bondage and cannot now endure it to come under such a severe restraint But thou that professest thy self to be one of his Disciples wilt thou say as these say I cannot bear it I cannot endure it Canst thou burn what thinkest thou of the everlasting severity Consider what thou dost either submit to Christs Pastoral Rod or fall for ever under his Iron Rod wherewith he will crush thee to pieces like a Potters Vessel Why is this the case must I bow or burn must I come under his Government or be ground under his Milstones O I have done no more reasoning with flesh and blood no more picking quarrels with Religion whatever there be in it I dare not but submit to it all for fear a worse thing come unto me Well but wilt thou submit then wilt thou set thine heart to all his words wilt thou set thy Neck to all his works This is the third thing now I exhort you to follow after Severity and strictness in the wayes of the Lord which because it hath something more of asperity and roughness in it than those that follow there will be so much the more need of Fear to bring us to it 4. Simplicity Severity may be in Hypocrisie the Scribes and Pharisees were severe severe in their Fasts disfiguring their faces looking with sad and dejected countenances severe in the observation of the Rites Customs and Traditions of their Fathers yea and of the Letter of the Law of God there were very strict sects of them Act. 26.5 and yet they were Hypocrites Simplicity notes The Heart in our work Singleness of heart 1. Simplicity notes Heartiness in our Work nothing is plain and honest but that which is hearty doing the Will of God from the heart Ephes 6.6 Ye have obeyed from the heart Rom. 6.17 My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 What is it to give God the heart This is one thing comprehended in it to give him the heart for a servant or to serve him with the heart He that gives God the heart gives him the best he hath and gives him all he hath the heart will command the tongue and the hands and the time and the Estate to be all at his service which way the heart goes all goes Serving the Lord with the heart is serving him in good earnest we do but play with duty we do but mock God where the heart is not 't is only serving him in spirit that is serving him in truth Friends be real and in good earnest in what you doe let all your Religion come deep let your Prayers and your Prayses and all the exercising your selves to Godliness of life be the streamings and issuings forth of your hearts to the Lord. Whatever you doe do it heartily as unto the Lord. Serve the Lord as you have been used to serve your flesh in good earnest What you have done for your Estates what you have done for your Names or for your safety you have done it heartily and shall that only which we do for God and for our Souls be done without an heart what is God what are our Souls and the concernments of them that they should be thus put off Is this heartless service all that God is worthy of will he accept it at our hands or is it no matter whether he accept it or no Is this spiritless service answerable to the worth of our Souls and the weight of Eternity will you venture all upon shadowes and lyes Are we but in Jest when we talk of a God or a Christ or a World to come Are our hopes and fears about hereafter but delusions and dreams Do you believe from the heart and dare you not obey from the heart How can you say you believe there is a God indeed that of a very truth there is such an Heaven and such an Hell in one of which your immortal Souls must dwell for ever how can you believe such things and not feel your very inwards even all the Powers of your Souls engaged about them Am I speaking to those that believe not is it not to you that believe that I now direct my words Consider friends The God in whom you believe is a Spirit and will be served in Spirit and in Truth God is a great God and infinitely worthy of the best and of all you have your Souls are precious eternal Life and eternal Death are serious things and which of these two will be your lott is a serious question and sure these most serious things do call for your most serious and hearty attendance upon them Away with all guile and hypocrisie provoke not the jealous God fool not away your Souls by trusting to lyes Worship God in the Spirit lift up your Souls in your Prayers chasten your Souls in your Fastings And as your Souls must be in your Lips in your Eyes in your Ears while you are solemnly worshipping of God so let your Hearts be in you Hands too in all that you have to doe Let your heart have an hand in all the actions of your lives Eccles 9.10 Whatever thine hand findeth to doe do it with thy might that is do it with all your heart the heart is the might of the man God is the strength of the heart and the heart is the strength of the man Sinners when they go forth upon service for the Devil they carry their heart in their hands Micah 7.3 They do evil with both hands earnestly Earnestly there 's the heart in their hands They do their worst that God will suffer them Thou hast done iniquity as thou couldest Jer. 3.5 as much as ever thou wert able As Sinners do their worst so let Christians do the best they can Whatever thou hast to do for thine own Soul by gathering in and treasuring up against the time to come do the most and the best thou canst be as hearty in laying up treasure in Heaven as ever thou hast been in laying up treasure on Earth Whatever service thou hast to do for God in thy generation by doing good to others do it with all thine heart In your instructing admonishing counselling reproving in your working righteousness in your shewing mercy in your promoting and encouraging any good work or preventing evil in your propagating serious Religion in your pulling poor sinners as
flesh can do to hinder thee can prevail thou wilt never be converted Consider here two things 1. Thy Flesh is against it 2. Thy Flesh hath great power with thee 1. Thy flesh is against thy Conversion Rom. 8.7 The Carnal Mind is enmity against God It is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Particularly 1. The Interest of the Flesh is against it 2. The Inclinations of the Flesh are against it 1. The Interest of the Flesh is against thy Conversion By the Flesh I mean corrupt Nature called often Flesh in Scripture Our carnal Minds the Will of the Flesh our fleshly Desires and Dispositions and all the Lusts of it This Flesh is concerned against God and the Lord Jesus Christ Christ comes to Crucifie the Flesh Rom. 6.6 1 John 3.8 For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil No more Gluttony no more Drunkenness no more pleasing our Eyes or our Throats or our Appetites Christ will have Lust starv'd and no longer pampered Christ will allow Necessaries but his way is to keep the Flesh low he will allow good Bread and Bread enough but often 't is but coarse and such as Lust will never be contented with nor ever prosper by Hereupon the Flesh is concerned against Christ to resist him and to do what-ever it can to keep him out Who comes there sayes the Flesh when Christ knocks Who is it that calls after thee To whom art thou joyning thy self What to Christ Wilt thou hearken to him then farewel all No more Mirth and Pleasure no more Ease or Jollity no more Credit or Gain Look to thy self all 's a going and will be gone if Christ once sets footing in thee Christ tells me saith the fleshly Heart I shall find favour with God I shall obtain the pardon of my Sins and all the good things of the other World if I will hearken to him But who will keep me alive in this World I must have Money and Meat and Drink and Credit and Friends or else I am like to have but a poor Life of it here The blessings of the other World will never help me to live and prosper in this World I can't feed my self nor cloth my self nor provide for my Family with the promises and hopes of good things to come and God knows how little else Christianity will leave me I am like to be but a poor hunger-bitten melancholick forsaken Soul if I hearken to Christ Away saith the Flesh no more treaty about any such thing which doth so evidently tend to thy prejudice and undoing 2. The Inclinations of the Flesh are against it The Flesh hangs towards Earth and Sin and is contrary to God and Holiness Rom. 8.5 Those that are after the Flesh do mind or savour the things of the Flesh and so do hang back from things Spiritual and Heavenly What is this way of Life that Christ calls me to It 's quite contrary to me my very Nature disgusts it my temper and genius is against it I was never acquainted with nor accustomed to such a way and I cannot abide it This preciseness and this scrupulosity and tenderness I have more mind to laugh at it than submit to it It even turns my Stomach to see the folly of it in others and I hate to be such a fool my self I should be glad of the Salvation of Christ but sure I shall never endure his Discipline I am willing to save what I have and to make the best of what 's before me and that I am sure Christ will never suffer me and therefore run after him who will he must have me excused Dost thou know O vain Man what 't is to swim against the Stream and dost thou not feel thine inward Stream running against Holiness and serious Christianity O when art thou like to come to it Art thou not yet afraid it may never be especially when thou considerest That 2. The Flesh hath great power with thee In Sinners the Flesh is the great governing Principle it bears rule in the whole Man 'T is their Lord and their Law and hence they are called the Servants of Sin Joh. 8.34 and said to live after the Flesh Rom. 8.13 What-ever wickedness is done by them it is the Flesh that commands them to it When-ever the Heart works to Envy or works to Wrath or to Pride or to Covetousness 't is the Flesh that sets it thus on work It is no more I that do it but Sin that dwells in me Rom. 7.17 And what-ever good Works are hindred 't is the Flesh that hinders them Rom. 7.19 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me so that the good that I would I do not 'T is said of the Regenerate much more true is it of Sinners Bid a Sinner Repent alas he cannot bid him Pray he cannot Pray Bid him turn to Christ and trust in Christ and follow him alas poor Man he cannot his Flesh is against it and hath such a rule over him that he cannot resist it The Devil rules without and the Flesh rules within and who can act against two such potent Rulers By the way Sinners are in a poor case the while that are under two such potent Governours the Devil and Sin How is it possible O Sinners you should be so secure when the Devil is your King and hath set up that young Devil Sin to be his Viceroy If you saw a poor Man cast into a Den and there committed to the custody of a Lion and his Whelp would it not pity your Heart to think in what a case that poor Man were betwixt two such Keepers Sinner Sinner Look to thy self Behold the Lion and his Whelp thy Soul is in a more dreadful case under the command of Sin and of the Devil than thy Carcase would be under the Paw of those Ravenous Beasts Save thy self from these Murtherers 3. If all that the World can do to hinder Sinners Conversion will do it they will never be Converted The World is against it the evil Men of the World I here mean they are all against the Conversion of Sinners Particularly 1. The Spirit of the World is against it 2. The Examples of the World are against it 1. The Spirit of the World is against it The whole World is of the same Spirit which the Scribes and Pharisees are said to be of Mat. 23.13 They shut up the Kingdom of God against Men and neither will enter in themselves nor suffer those that are entring to go in They are all of another Kingdom and thereby Parties against Christ and his Kingdom they are for making Proselites but 't is for Hell not for Heaven This Spirit of the World is a Spirit of Envy and Hatred against Christ and his Followers Joh. 15.19 And this evil and envious Spirit is that which vents it self in those Scoffs Reproaches and Persecutions which they let fly
and raise against every Soul that so much as looks after serious Christianity How full is the World of Experiences of this kind No sooner is any Soul awakened from his Sins making out after Christ and shewing himself among the Disciples but presently the Birds of Prey are picking at him His carnal Friends will disswade and discourage him the Ishmaels and Nimrods will be upon his back mocking and reviling hunting and persecuting him Christ tells us Luk. 15.10 There 's joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth But what is there in Hell or in the World the Territories of Hell O they are all in a rage the Devil is madded when he hath lost a Captive and resolves if he will be gone not to let him go without some marks of his Fury and Rage Sinner thou art yet under the Power of the Devil it may be thou mayst never make an offer to be gone but wilt abide with him in quiet till he carry thee home with him to his place But if ever thou shouldst make an attempt to be gone from him and to joyn thy self to Christ behold he hath a whole World of Instruments ready either to block up thy way or stick in thy sides And art thou not afraid if it should come to this that thou shouldst rather abide as thou art than adventure on such Discouragements 2. The Examples of the World are against it How great is the power of Example the whole World is much governed by Examples Laws can do little in comparison of what Examples can do There is a great influence that good Examples often have upon Mens Minds and Manners Therefore Christ did not only make a way into the Kingdom by his Blood nor only shew us the way in his Doctrine but also led us the way by his Example 1 Pet. 2.21 Therefore also the Ministers of Christ are required not only to feed the Flock by their Instructions and to rule them by good Discipline but to be Examples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.3 And therefore also Christians are required to give a good Example to the World and one to another 'T is a vain thing for us to exhort one another Be humble be sober be meek be merciful whilst we our selves are proud and unmerciful passionate and revengful Give a good example if you would do good by your good words let not your Feet tread down what your Lips build up destroy not by an evil Life what you build by good Counsel Thou that teachest another should not steal dost thou steal Thou that sayest a Man should not commit Adultery dost thou commit Adultery Rom. 2.21 22. Thou that sayest to another Swear not Lye not give not place to Wrath speak evil of no Man Dost thou the same thing Thou dost more mischief by thy evil Works than ever thou art like to do good by thy good Speeches O by the way let us learn to bewail and to be ashamed of our evil Examples that we have given Ah Wretches that ever any People should be charged concerning any Professors as the Disciples were once charged concerning the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. Do as they say but do not as they do Shall this evil World have occasion to speak thus of any of the Preachers or Professors of Christianity Beware of them follow not after them for behold they bid Men beware of Covetousness and yet who more covetous They bid Men beware of Pride and yet who more proud They charge it upon others to be just to be true to be meek and yet who more fraudulent more false and peevish than themselves O how much mischief do poor Sinners suffer by the evil Examples of some Professors Good Examples draw mightily but evil Examples more But yet the evil Examples of Professors are not they by which Sinners are in the greatest danger of being kept back from Christ though these be pernicious enough but the evil Examples of the World Sinners are of the World and they are professedly for following of the World Now what Examples do the profane World set before them whither are they leading them Are they making towards Christ and running from their Sins unto God Does not the Stream run quite contrary And does it not pass for a sufficient Encouragement to them in their evil wayes to think they do but as their Forefathers did before them and as their Friends and their Neighbours do See how the Example of the World is urged against following of Christ John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this People who knoweth not the Law are cursed What do ye mean ye foolish People to follow this Jesus Do ye see any of the wise Men or great Men do any of the Rulers believe on him And will ye think your selves wiser than they Go not after him be none of his Disciples And is not the same Argument urged upon Sinners daily Why should you trouble your heads about these Matters About Repentance and Regeneration and Conscience and making sure for the other World Do the Pharisees and High-Priests do the great Men and the wise Men trouble themselves about any such Matters It 's true there are a sort of People which know not the Law a company of ignorant Souls an heady and a giddy Generation that trouble themselves and the World about these things but what heed is to be given to them a company of despicable simple Souls Do any of the wise or great Ones take this course Sinner think with thy self what a mighty influence this sort of Argument hath had upon thee hitherto The World despise the Gospel the World neglect Christ The World are for the Flesh for Liberty and Care and Pleasures and Idleness and against the Spirit of Christianity the Stream runs downwards towards Sin and Hell and hitherto thou hast been swimming with the Stream hast gone with the Multitude and hast troubled thy self about Christ and Religion as little as any of them O tremble to think what great danger thou art in that thou mayest still run down that Stream and never stop till thou fall into that Gulf from which there will be no Return or Redemption for ever Now Sinner lay all these things together and then judg if thou hast not reason to fear thou mayest never escape the Wrath and Curse of God It is evident that whilst thou art unconverted thou art under the Curse Well but yet thou hopest that one time or other thou mayest be Converted But how great fear is there thou mayest not All the ungodly World are against thy Conversion thine own Flesh and the Devil are against it all these will joyn together to hinder it if they can And besides all the means that have been hitherto used prosper not thou hast been Preach'd to thou hast been Prayed over thou hast had many years of Warnings and yet nothing hath prevailed And what multitudes are there that have been in thy