The Souls Implantation into the Natural Olive, Part 2

The Souls Implantation into the Natural Olive · Part 2

p. 29THE PREPARING OF THE HEART FOR TO RECEIVE CHRIST.

Luke 1.17,

To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

BEfore the ſoule of a man can ſhare in the merits of Chriſt Ieſus, and receive benefit thereby, and comfort therefrom; before it can bee made partaker of thoſe ſpirituall benefits which God hath promiſed to beſtow upon his owne, two things are required: firſt, there muſt be a preparation of p. 30the ſoule to receive and entertaine the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; and ſecondly, there muſt be an implantation of the ſoule into Chriſt: and then being thus ingrafted into Chriſt, it hath a title to all thoſe good things which he hath purchaſed for his Elect. For the concluſion of Saint Iohn is peremptory in this kind,Iohn 3.36.John 3:36 He that hath the Sonne (ſaith he) hath life; and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life. As if hee ſhould ſay, There is no hope of receiving any good from the ſtocke, unleſſe the graft bee implanted into the ſtocke: before the foule be cut off from the rebellion of Adam, it cannot be implanted into Chriſt, and unleſſe it bee ingrafted into Chriſt, it can have no comfort from him. But if we can once get into Chriſt, we ſhall have the participation of all ſpiritual things which he hath prepared for his choſen. But it is impoſſible for fleſh and bloud thus to enter into Chriſt, and be implanted into him: and therefore that wee maybe implanted into him, we muſt be prepared. Firſt, there muſt be a preparation of the ſoule to be in Chriſt, before it can bee made partaker of Chriſt and his benefits. This preparation is the fitting of a ſinner, for his being in Chriſt.

The Lord Chriſt being to come in perſon, and to take upon him the miniſtery of the Goſpell, he ſent Iohn the Baptiſt as his Harbinger to prepare his wayes, and therefore p. 31he was indued with all gifts this way: He had the ſpirit of thunder, hee was indued with the ſpirit and power of Elias, to make the way plaine for the Lord Chriſt Ieſus: and in that ſpirit hee came and preached to ungodly men, and taught them repentance: he came to levell mountaines, and make crookked things ſtraight: to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the diſobedient to the wiſedome of the juſt; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. This was Saint Iohns taske, to prepare mens hearts for the receiving and entertaining of Chriſt when he ſhould come. The point of Doctrine to bee obſerved from hence is this:

Doct. That the ſoule of a poore ſinner muſt be prepared for Chriſt, The heart muſt firſt be prepared for Chriſt.before he can have any heart to entertaine him.

This is the maine ſcope of the Text, the maine drift of Iohn Baptiſt his miniſtery: The hearts of men were not fitted for Chriſt, and therefore he was ſent before Chriſt Ieſus, to make way for him, and to make peoples hearts fit to receive Chriſt, that when the Lord Ieſus came, he might take place in his, and worke effectually in the ſoules of his, to their everlaſting peace. For the proofe of the Doctrine, it is that which was propheſied before, Mal. 3.1. for this Prophet was the laſt of the Prophets: for Iohn the Baptiſts p. 32was a kind of intermingled miniſterie, it was neither Propheticall, nor Apoſtolicall properly. Marke what Malachy ſpeakes there of him;Mal. 3.1.Mal 3:1 Behold (ſaith he) I will ſend my meſſenger, and he ſhall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you ſeeke ſhall ſuddenly come to his Temple. It is plaine to bee obſerved, that Iohn the Baptiſt is there propheſied of. The Iewes ſought for a Meſſias, and for comfort through Chriſt; now Iohn the Baptiſt was to make way for Chriſt; and when the way was prepared, then the Lord would ſtay no longer,Mal. 3.1.Mal 3:1 but would ſuddenly come into his Temple (ſaith the Text) that is, into the ſoules of his children that were willing to receive him upon ſuch termes as hee offered himſelfe. And as this was propheſied of Iohn the Baptiſt, ſo it was alſo performed by the miniſterie of Iohn, Luke 3.4. The voyce of one crying in the wilderneſſe, Prepare yee the way of the Lord, make his paths ſtraite. That which Malachy foretold of Iohn, is done: he comes according to the Prophecie, and fulfills what God intended hee ſhould doe, and what he was ſent for to doe.

Simile.Kings when they goe to any place, ſend meſſengers and harbingers before them, to make all things ready for their entertainement when they come. Now Chriſt is a great King,Chriſt is at King ſpiritually. not temporally to be conſidered, but he is a ſpirituall King, and rules in the p. 33hearts of all thoſe that belong to his election of grace: and for his enemies, if they will not bee ruled by his golden rod, with his iron rod hee will breake them in pieces. Now as with great Kings there muſt bee a preparation that all things may bee ready to receive them, ſo it muſt be with our Saviour Chriſt: he never commeth into the ſoule of any unawares, or on the ſudden, but he ſends his meſſengers before him, his Miniſters to prepare them for the receiving of him, to humble mens ſoules, to make mountaines low, to make crooked things ſtraite, to pull downe every thing that exalts it ſelfe againſt God: and when the heart is thus fitted and prepared, then Chriſt ſends his Spirit to take poſſeſſion of it, and rule in it, and be a direction of it in the way of life and happineſſe.And the preparation for him is ſpirituall. That this preparation is ſpiritually to be underſtood, is cleere, Mat. 3.12. In thoſe dayes (ſaith the Text) came Iohn preaching, and ſaying, Repent yee, for the kingdome of God is at hand. Here Iohn proclaimeth the comming of Chriſt, and laboureth to prepare all things fitting for him: ſo then the heart of a poore ſinner, is the high-way wherein Chriſt walketh. This way of it ſelfe is unfitting for Chriſt, but this preaching of the Goſpell doth fit and prepare it, and then the Lord Chriſt commeth, and takes poſſeſſion of, and ruleth in that ſoule to whom hee p. 34commeth. In the materiall Temple, when it was to be built, there was a caveat given, that there muſt be no hammer heard, but that all the ſtones ſhould be fitted and hewen, ere they were brought thither. When Chriſt came into his Temple hee found money changers,John 2.15.John 2:15 and the Text ſaith, hee made a whip, and whipped them out, and flung downe their proviſion. As it was with the materiall Temple, ſo it is with the ſpirituall Temple. The ſoule of a poore ſinner is like unto this materiall Temple, whereof this was a type:1 Cor. 3.16.1 Cor 3:16 for, ſaith the Apoſtle, You are the Temple of the living God: You are that which the Temple ſignified, that is, as God did ſhew himſelfe marvellouſly in his Temple, ſo he will in the ſoules of his people; he will dwell with them, and aſſiſt them in every good worke. Now before we can bee fitted to be the Temple of the Lord, before Chriſt will come into our ſoules, hee will whip out all diſtempered affections; and when theſe are removed, hee will make himſelfe knowne to be the King of his ſervants, and provide all things for their comfort and conſolation.

And thus wee ſee the truth of the point, that the ſoule of a ſinner muſt bee prepared for Chriſt, before it can receive and entertaine him.

For the opening of the point two things p. 35muſt be conſidered: firſt, how we may conceive and underſtand the compaſſe of this preparation, that wee may ſee how farre it reacheth, and know wherein this preparation of the ſoule diſcovereth it ſelfe; and then, ſecondly, we muſt know the reaſon why the heart muſt be prepared for the Lord Ieſus, before hee will take poſſeſſion of it. And when theſe two things be opened, the point will be plaine.

1Firſt, wee muſt ſee the compaſſe of this preparation, and wherein it conſiſts;Preparation of the heart for Chriſt ſtandeth in three things. which makes it ſelfe knowne in three particulars. We will ſpeake of preparation only in generall here; for we ſhall come to the particulars of it hereafter.

The firſt of the three paſſages wherein this generall preparation conſiſts, is this;1. In breaking off the league with old ſinnes. The ſoule of a ſinner breakes that league which ſometime it had with former luſts and corruptions: there is a ſeparation made betweene the ſoule and thoſe darling ſinnes which it before ſo much delighted in; and the heart begins to rebell againſt thoſe baſe tyrants which before uſurped authority over it, whether they be corruptions, or profits, or pleaſures, that before bore a great ſway in the ſoule, the league is broken, there is a ſecret kind of mutinie which the ſoule ſetteth up againſt thoſe diſtempers: in ſo much that the ſeparation being made, and p. 36the ſoule having caſt off the yoke of her corruptions, the heart reſerves it ſelfe for the Lord Chriſt Ieſus. And obſerve it, alwaies there is a ſeparation of the ſoule from ſinne, before there bee a reſervation made for Chriſt. It is with the ſoule, as it is with a wife that is an adultereſſe, and hath gotten her ſelfe a baſe name, and an evill report by her lewd and wicked courſes; after the Lord hath opened her eyes, and diſcovered to her the baſeneſſe of her practice, then ſhee commeth to deteſt all her former courſes, and abandoneth all her former wicked companions; and though ſhee be laid at continually by them, and importuned upon every occaſion, yet ſhee never hearkeneth unto them, but looketh onelyonly unto her husband: and if he will but receive her, and entertaine her againe, then ſhee will keepe cloſe unto him, and ſhew more love unto him than ever ſhee did before: ſo the ſoule of a poore ſinner was created for God, and it ought to have beene married to God: the end of our creation and redemption was, that we might have communion with God; but all of us have played the adultereſſes, wee have had our wicked lovers. The heart that will have the world, the profits, and pleaſures, and vanities thereof, will be married to luſts and corruptions; every man doth beſtow his ſoule upon theſe wicked practices.

p. 37But then the eyes of the ſoule are opened, when the Lord diſcovereth unto it, that looſe practices will bring the ſoule to everlaſting confuſion and deſtruction: the ſoule then doth ſtand at a maze, it trades no more with thoſe beloved luſts and corruptions, it breakes the league with all former ſinnes and diſtempers, with pride, and covetouſneſſe, with malice and envie, with the world, with the profits and pleaſures thereof, and ſits as a widow divorced from all theſe, and waiteth for the Lord Chriſt Ieſus alone: then the ſoule ſaith to her ſelfe, Oh if Chriſt would come to me, and ſpeake to me againe, then I will give him better entertainment than ever I did before. The ungracious heart, however it hath gone from the Lord, yet if it hath got any hope to receive Chriſt againe, then the ſoule will ſay, I was not borne to ſinne, ſinne ſhall bee my husband no more; but if the Lord will ſhew any favour towards mee, then I will reſerve my ſelfe for him alone: for it was better with mee formerly, than now. And this the Scripture ſpeaketh of Hoſ. 14, 3.8. ſee what the Church ſaith there in the third verſe, Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, wee will not ride upon horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the worke of our hands, Yee are our gods: for with thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy. And in the eighth verſe, Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to doe p. 38with Idols? Every man naturally hath his gods, his god pride, his god covetouſneſſe, his god malice, his god envie: now when the ſoule is divorced from theſe, then it returneth this anſwer, We will pray no more to our gods, we will not ſubmit our ſelves to any, as unto a god, but onelyonly unto the Father of lights. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to doe with Idols? He was before addicted to Idolatry, yet now his eyes being opened, and his ſoule converted, he ſaith, What have I to doe with Idols any more? and the drunkard ſaith, What have I to doe with drunkenneſſe any more? and the proud man ſaith, What have I to doe with pride any more? nay, What have I to doe with any unlawfull practice? but I will reſerve my ſelfe wholly for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: ſo in Pſal. 45, 10, 11. there is a mariage betweene Chriſt and his Church: for the Text ſaith, Hearken (O daughter) and conſider, and incline thine eare; forget alſo thy owne people, and thy fathers houſe. So ſhall the King greatly deſire thy beauty: for hee is thy Lord, and worſhip thou him. Take notice, there muſt be a forgetting of the fathers houſe; that is, of all luſts, ſinnes and corruptions, profits and pleaſures; all muſt bee forgotten and forſaken.Simile. A woman when ſhee is married unto a husband, muſt not thinke alwayes to bee at home, and to live in her fathers houſe: ſo p. 39we, when we are married to the Lord Chriſt Ieſus, muſt leave all our darling ſinnes, and forſake all our beloved luſts, and reſerve our ſelves wholly for our husband.

So that then the heart is prepared for Chriſt, when all is laid aſide, when all former wicked courſes are forgotten, ſo farre as to love them, as to remember to hate them, that ſo the ſoule may be ready, and the heart fitted to receive and entertaine Chriſt Ieſus when he commeth. And this is the rule which Chriſt himſelfe giveth to any which will be his Diſciple. Mat. 10.37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: that is, he is not fitted and prepared to receive me. He that is not content to part with all profits, pleaſures, and delights, for the Lords ſake, he is not fit to receive the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: that ſoule is not yet prepared to entertaine him, and to give any welcome to him. So that this is the firſt paſſage; there muſt bee nothing betweene Chriſt and the ſoule, hee muſt lie next the heart: as there muſt none lie in the Privie Chamber but the King, ſo there muſt nothing but Chriſt lie next the heart.

The ſecond thing wherein this preparation diſcovers it ſelfe, is this,2. In giving way to Jeſus Chriſt. As the ſoule muſt reſerve itſelfe onelyonly for Chriſt, ſo the ſoule in the ſecond place muſt be willing to give way to Chriſt Ieſus. For howſoever the p. 40ſoule in the very point and inſtant of preparation hath no more power, or grace, or ſtrength, to get dominion over ſin than it had before, yet it is willingly content that Ieſus Chriſt ſhould come into it, and overthrow all that oppoſeth him: it is content to joyne ſides with Chriſt, it goeth along with him: it is content that Chriſt ſhould do what pleaſeth him in the ſoule; if there be any corruption that the ſoule cannot get maſtery of, it wiſheth, Oh that Chriſt would come and remoove this corruption. Thus the ſoule is content to have Chriſt make havock of all, and ſet up his kingdome in it, and doe whatſoever pleaſeth him.

The ſoule that is prepared for Chriſt, how ſoever it hath not grace, and power, and ſtrength, in the particular moment of preparation: though it hath not attained that power to kill and crucifie all corruptions, yet it is willingly content that Chriſt ſhould come and take all the keyes of the houſe; it is willing to open the gates of the City unto him, and let him doe what hee will therein: it is content that the Lord Ieſus ſhould every way overthrow the power that comes againſt him, and diſpoſe of all things to his owne glory and honour. In Eſay 26.13. There is a pretty paſſage: ſaith the Text, Other Lords beſides thee have had dominion over us: but by thee onelyonly will we make mention of thy Name. The p. 41people of the Iewes here would not beare the Lords yoke, and therefore they had hard taskmaſters: and when they ſaw enemies on the one ſide, and enemies on the other, then they complained, Many vexations have we found at the hands of unreaſonable tyrants, but now we wil remember thy Name onelyonly; that is, if our God will now come and rule over us, wee would rebell againſt our other lords, and let God be Lord onelyonly over us, and doe what he will unto us. In 2 Kings 10.3.4. when Iehu had overcome two Kings, he ſendeth meſſengers to the people of Iſrael to chooſe a King, and ſet him up over them. But (ſaith the Text) behold two Kings ſtood not before him: how then ſhall wee ſtand? But in the fifth verſe they ſent word unto Iehu, and ſayd, We are thy ſervants, and will doe what thou wouldſt have us to doe, we wil not not make any King: doe what is good in thine own eyes, This is the frame of the heart prepared for the Lord Ieſus. When Chriſt cōmeth againſt a ſoule, and ſaith, You have ſet up your corruptions to be your gods, you have caſt away my Commandements, defend therefore your ſelves, and know that God is angry with you, and I am comming againſt you to take vengeance, if the ſoule now ſubmits it ſelfe, and ſaith, Lord do what thou wilt, and what is good in thine owne eyes, our humors ſhall not be followed any more p. 42we will not follow our owne minds and affections, but we will doe what thou commandeſt us: doe Lord even what is good in thine eyes: if a ſoule bee thus diſpoſed, then it is prepared for the Lord Ieſus. The prodigall ſon, Luke 15. when hee ſaw that poverty pinched him, and that he muſt come home by weeping croſſe, when by wofull experience hee ſaw that want befell him, and that famine came cloſe unto him, then hee confeſſed, What a wretch am I? there are they in my fathers houſe, yea the ſervants, there have bread enough; but I ſtarve here for hunger: upon this he reſolves to goe to his father, he doth not ſtand vponupon termes with him, and ſay, I will be ſo and ſo advanced; but he ſaith,Luk. 15.18.19Luke 15:18Luke 15:19 Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven and againſt thee, & am no more worthy to be called thy ſon, make me as one of thy hired ſervants.

Now if hee can come within his fathers doores, he cares not; hee will ſtoope and bee conformable in every caſe. So it is with the ſoule prepared for Chriſt: thoſe that have ſtubborne hearts, they will not obey the Lord, but they will be gone, as the prodigall ſonne did; yet they will one day bee found when miſery hath ſeized upon their ſoules, and then they will ſay, Oh happy are thoſe that live under the miniſtery of the Word: If the Lord would but once receive mee to mercy againe, then I p. 43would obey every command, and ſtoope to every word of the Lord, then I would willingly give place ever to the Lord.

And this is the ſecond thing, wherein this preparation manifeſts it ſelfe; when the ſoule of a poore ſinner is willing thus to give way to Chriſt, and to let him take poſſeſſion of it, to overthrow whatſoever hindereth and oppoſeth him, and to diſpoſe of all things to his owne good pleaſure.

Thirdly,3. In giving up all the roome unto Chriſt. when the ſoule doth rebell againſt her former ſinnes, and is reſerved only for Chriſt, and is content thus to receive God, and is willing that Chriſt ſhould overthrow whatſoever oppoſeth him, and doe whatſoever pleaſeth him, then in the third place this is only obſervable, the manner how the ſoule prepared giveth way unto God. It gives the Lord way in the whole abilitie of it, that God in all things may rule in it: it doth not give God place in ſome things onelyonly, and ſay, God ſhall rule in mine eye, but not in my hand; God ſhall rule in my hand, but not in my tongue; God ſhall rule in my tongue, but not in my heart: but the ſoule giveth way to Chriſt in all things whatſoever.Simile. A great man that is to entertaine his Prince and Soveraigne, doth not put him into a corner of his houſe, but hee giveth him all the roome, and ſhifts out all his ſervants, and puts out every one, both p. 44friend and foe: every place he ſheweth him, and giveth him all the keyes, and lets him diſpoſe of all things. So a ſoule that is prepared for the Lord Ieſus, doth not crowd him into a corner, and ſay, I muſt have one corner for a covetous heart, another corner for a proud heart: no, no, but a prepared heart giveth up all to God, it reſerveth no privie corner in this kind, but ability, faculty, and whatſoever it is, the ſoule giveth up all to God, that he may diſpoſe of all. A ſinfull ſoule that is prepared, is not perfectly able of it ſelfe thus to over-rule his heart: but, as it is with a man, when he gives up his houſe for the entertainment of the King, doe what he can there will be ſome baſe fellowes peeping in; but he is not pleaſed with it, it is againſt his mind that they ſhould ſo doe, and he would with all his heart have his Majeſty uſe ſome meanes for the reſtraining of them: ſo it is with a ſoule prepared for the Lord, it reſignes all unto him, hand, eye, and tongue, and heart, and practice; but yet there will bee ſome baſe luſts and ſinfull corruptions, there will be hypocriſie, and pride, and ſelfe-love, peeping into his heart: but it is againſt the mind of a prepared ſinner, it is his mind that God ſhould root out all thoſe, and order all to his owne glory.

And this is the third paſſage: ſo that the ſoule which hath broken the league with all p. 45corruptions, and reſerveth it ſelfe for Chriſt; the ſoule that is willing to give way to Chriſt and let him overthrow all whatſoever oppoſeth him, and do whatſoever pleaſeth him; that ſoule I ſay which doth not thruſt Chriſt into a corner, but gives up all unto him, that ſoule is prepared for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

The next thing to be conſidered for the opening of the point,2. Reaſon why the heart muſt be ſo prepared for Chriſt. is the reaſon why Chriſt requires this preparation of the heart: and this will cut the throat of abundance of carnall conceits and imaginations. Men thinke that Chriſt will come ſuddenly from heaven into their hearts, at a beck; they think that, Lord have mercy upon me, will fecth him. No, no, Chriſt will have the ſoule prepared before he wil come & take poſſeſſion of it; and the reaſon is, becauſe it cannot ſtand with the all-ſoveraigne holineſſe of Chriſt to come there. It's ſo in common ſenſe, there cannot be two Kings in one Throne,Non capit regnum duos. there cannot be two Suns in one Firmament, there cannot be two Gods in one heart, we cannot ſerve God and Mammon. Some would have their ſoules divided; and have God to be King, and raigne therein to day, and their ſinnes and luſts to morrow; or elſe they will have Chriſt raigne in one corner of their hearts, and their ſinnes and luſts in another: but God will have all, or none at all, in this caſe either no God, or one God in thy heart. p. 46Our Saviour Chriſt, Math. 12.29. diſputeth, How can one enter into a ſtrong mans houſe, and ſpoile his goods, unleſſe he firſt bind the ſtrong man, and then ſpoile his goods? The ſtrong man is ſinne and Satan, and the houſe is the heart; now Chriſt cannot goe into the heart, and exerciſe authority there, untill he hath wrought a ſeparation betweene the ſoule and theſe, and hath throwne out this god, and then the God of heaven and earth takes poſſeſſion of the heart. Firſt ſin and Satan muſt be throwne out of the ſoule, before the Lord will take poſſeſſion. He that takes poſſeſſion of a houſe, if there bee any in the houſe beſides himſelfe, it is not good in law: if there be any take poſſeſſion of the heart, and beare ſway there, Chriſt will beare no rule: for it cannot ſtand with the holineſſe of Chriſt to have any competitor, to have another beare rule with himſelfe: and Chriſt himſelfe plainly determines this, Matth. 6.24. Yee cannot ſerve God and Mammon. You thinke you may have the Divell rule in you one fit, and God another; but you cannot ſerve God and Mammon: one Maſter muſt be renounced, before another can be received. This is the argument, You cannot have two Gods in the heart, therefore the ſoule muſt bee ſevered from ſinne and Satan, and the luſts of the fleſh, before it can bee prepared for the Lord Ieſus p. 47Chriſt, before he will come in and take place in it.

The Uſe of the point is threefold. Vſe 1 Thoſe reproved, who thinke to have mercy and heaven all on the ſudden.The truth being granted, and the doctrine cleered, the firſt Uſe is a Uſe of reproofe. Wee may here diſcover, and alſo condemne the fond dreames, and vaine imaginations of many poore, ſinfull, ignorant creatures, who have invented a new way, a backe doore to carry themſelves to heaven, more than ever the Word revealed, and it is this; Men thinke that they may have Chriſt, and mercy at command, and that they may catch at, and obtaine bleſſedneſſe and happineſſe at unawares, and on the ſudden, and yet notwithſtanding live in ſinne, and continue in ſinne, and approve of ſinne, and addict themſelves thereunto; and then when ſickneſſe comes, if they can but ſay, Lord have mercy on me, they muſt goe to heaven all on the ſudden. Be perſwaded at length to ſee the folly and ſottiſhneſſe of this conceit: this is not the way which the Word reveales Chriſt by, it makes no ſuch agreement with us; unleſſe a poore ſinner thinke that Chriſt will carry him to heaven with his uncleanneſſe and abominable ſinnes, when as he hath ſaid, that no uncleane thing ſhall enter into the kingdome of heaven.

No, no, if the harbenger goeth not before, the King will not come: where there p. 48goeth no preparation before, there can bee no receiving of Chriſt. He that will receive Chriſt, and benefit by him, and comfort and ſalvation from him, muſt receive him at thoſe termes wherupon he hath offered himſelfe, or elſe he ſhall never receive him. 2 Cor. 6.17. the text there ſaith, Come out from among them, and bee ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, and touch no uncleane thing, and I will receive you. Marke here the agreement that God maketh: thou muſt firſt come out from among them, yea, come out from thy ſinnes; thou muſt come out of thy luſts and corruptions, before the Lord will come in. Can any man put good gold into a purſe that is filled with ſtones before? can the ſoule of a ſinner entertaine Chriſt Ieſus when it is full of luſts, and they doe altogether poſſeſſe it? No, no, Come out, ſaith Chriſt, and touch no uncleane thing; that is, bee not married unto it, (for that is the meaning of the words:) let thy affections, be removed from all luſts and corruptions, and then I will come and dwell with thee, and walke with thee; that is, I will bountifully provide for thee, for the conſolation of thy ſoule here and hereafter. It was the order of God, Luke 3.5. when Iohn the Baptiſt was to make way for Chriſt: marke here how he was levelling and undermining, Every mountaine and hill ſhall bee brought low, every valley ſhall be filled, and the rough p. 49wayes made plaine, and the crooked things ſtraite: And then all fleſh ſhall ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. If you will have a mountaine before your ſalvation, or goe into a ditch, you ſhall never ſee ſalvation ſoundly and ſurely: but if you purpoſe to ſee ſalvation, downe with thoſe mountaines of pride; you muſt lay them flat to the ground, you muſt be teachable, ſtoope, and bee conformable; you muſt not lift up your ſelves againſt Chriſt, you muſt not walke in your owne wayes. No, no, downe with thoſe mountaines, downe with thoſe ſtubborne and diſobedient hearts: for you ſhall never ſee ſalvation as long as theſe mountaines remaine; but your ſoules muſt be made pliable to Chriſt, and then you ſhall ſee the day of comfort approaching, and drawing nigh unto you. Doe you thinke it is fit if a man were to entertaine the King, to put his ſervants in the chiefe roome, and afford the King ſome out-roomes only, and let him bee as a ſervant to his ſervants? What a baſe and abſurd thing is this, that Chriſt ſhould come into thy ſoule to be a ſervant, as it were, to thy baſe luſts? They that have made their baſe, lewd, and wicked courſes, their gods, one man in one kind, and another in another kind, let them as they love their owne ſoules, bee perſwaded to conſider of this. They that have thus ſet up any thing above p. 50God, and before him, when God at the great and dreadfull day of judgement ſhall come in flames of fire (as the Apoſtle hath it, 2 Theſ. 1.8.) to take account of them, whom they have ſerved; God will then ſend you home to your gods: hee will ſay, Goe to your gods that you have ſerved, the Divell and ſinne, and not mee; you have caſt off my yoke, you have broken my law, and tranſgreſſed my ſtatutes: goe then to your luſts and your ſinnes you have ſo much hunted after, let them ſave you now, and ſhew merciemercy towards you; for they were your gods, and they ſhall ſave you if ever you have ſalvation. Thinke of this, and bee throughly perſwaded of this, and cut off that ſinfull conceit, that Chriſt and corruption will ſtand together, and come on the ſudden with one word ſpeaking: thinke not if you can ſay, Lord have mercy upon me, and receive the Sacrament from the hand of ſome factious Miniſter, then Chriſt will preſently come to your hearts. No, no, you muſt have your hearts prepared, before Chriſt Ieſus will come into your ſoules: the the heart muſt bee broken, and the ſoule ſevered from ſinne and corruption, before Chriſt will come and take poſſeſſion of it. Take heed of this fooliſh and ſottiſh conceit, that Chriſt will come into your hearts all on the ſudden.

p. 51Vſe 2 The ſecond Vſe ſheweth the wofull eſtate and miſerable condition of thoſe which entertaine their old courſes and converſations.A miſerable eſtate, to liue in the old ſins. It is a glory that men take unto themſelues, they are no changelings. Oh poore fooles, they muſt become changelings if ever they looke to be ſaved. They glory in this, what they were they are, where you left them one yeere you may find them the next. But mark what we may conclude: here the condition of the man is marvellous miſerable that never had his heart prepared, never humbled, never changed, never fitted for the Lord Ieſus: for Chriſt will never come into that ſoule that is moſt certaine. You that content your ſelves with this, I never knew what it was to be humbled: the preciſe Miniſters indeed talke of preparation, but I never knew what it meant: Oh poore creatures, they know now not what belongs to the Miniſtery of God in this kind, but in the meane time be ſure of this, that if thou haſt not the former, thou canſt not expect the latter: if thy heart be not prepared for Chriſt, there can be no receiuing of Chriſt. Salvation is farre from the wicked, becauſe they keepe not thy lawes, ſaith the Prophet David, Thou that haſt no care to walke with God, doſt thou dreame of ſalvation? Alas, alas, it never came neere thy heart, it is a hundred thouſand miles of from thee, it is not neere thy p. 52habitation, thou art not prepared to entertaine the Lord Ieſus, and therfore thou canſt not expect Chriſt and ſalvation by him. Appeale to your owne conſciences in this kind; If a man ſhould goe to a great houſe, and ſee the beſt part of it ſtuffed with ordinary commodities, and a great deale of it with baſe baggage and filthy traſh, he wil preſently conclude, the King will not come heere: and why? becauſe there is no preparation for him, there is therefore no expectation of his Maieſty in this place. And it is a good argument, when a man ſhall ſee the hearts and lives of men ſtuffed not onelyonly with a great deale of ordinary traſh, but full of worldly affections, full of the world in their hearts, lives, and converſations: yea, when a man ſhall ſee every place full in this kind: as when the whole man is full of ſin, and of baſe corruptions, will any thinke that this man ſhall be ſaved? Can any man in common ſenſe imagine that Chriſt wil come; into that mans ſoule where there is no preparation for him? Mountains muſt be levelled, crooked things made ſtraight, and the rough wayes made ſmooth, and all to make way for Chriſt, before hee will come: and therefore ſurely where there is no fitting of the heart this way, there is no hope, no expectation, that Chriſt Ieſus will come in thither. Men prepare for the world continually, and prepare p. 53onelyonly how they may may ſhut out Chriſt Ieſus. One man prepares honours, and his perſon, that muſt have preferment, another man provides for his eaſe, and therefore he will make any ſhift, that he may not endanger himſelf, he will be content to make any ſhew of reaſon, rather than he will come into office whereby his eaſe may be hindred: another man will provide for his family, that that may be comforted and ſuſtained; and though religion and a good conſcience bee ſhaken, he cares not, he muſt make preparation for the maintenance of his family, oh what will become of that! Hee cares not what become of Chriſt: though the word be oppoſed, though he takes rebellious courſes, and throwes out Chriſt, he cares not. Is this to make preparation for Chriſt, or to make oppoſition againſt Chriſt? Nay, when men come to faires and markets, oh what preparation is there then for covetouſneſſe on every ſide! Some prepare falſe weights, others falſe meaſures. The ſeller ſaith, It is exceeding good, when it is ſtarke naught. The buyer ſaith, It is naught, it is naught, when it is good: and ſo both diſhonour God Nay, (which is moſt lamentable) men prepare for drunkenneſſe: Oh, ſay they, at ſuch a faire we will be merry: then every Ale-houſe is full of bad company: they reſolue to ſit at the pot from morning till night, p. 54untill they goe reeling about the ſtreets. There is great preparation in this kind: Nay men will remove ſome ſins, that others may come in their roomes, and they wil perform ſome good duties, to make them free for ſin: this is a very cunning tricke. You ſhall ſee a man that will read, and pray and heare Sermons, and make a great profeſſion; and what is his purpoſe herein? namely, that he may have praiſe or profit thereby, that he may get the better cuſtome to his ſhop, that hee may cheat without controlment, that he may couſen without diviſion or diſtraction. I beſeech you thinke of theſe things: If it bee ſo that Chriſt muſt be thus prepared for before he will come, then examine your owne ſoules, and reaſon with your ſelves thus, what have I done? have I ſold, my ſoule to doe evill? I have dreamed that I might have Chriſt at a becke; and not bee prepared for him. and therefore it is I that have not received him. Will any man ſow his ſeed before the ground be plowed? Will any man build before the foundation bee laid? Doe we thinke that the Lord wil reare up the building of grace in our hearts before the foundation be laid? Will he ſow the ſeed of grace in our hearts before our fallow grounds be plowed up? Doe we thinke that Chriſt will come and take poſſeſſion of our hearts, before our ſinnes and luſts be p. 55removed and abandoned? Doe we thinke our ſoules can receive and entertaine the Lord Ieſus before they bee prepared for him? Impoſſible.

Vſe 3 The third Uſe is to exhort you and to in treat you in the bowels of the Lord Ieſus,Prepare for Chriſt, or thinke not to enjoy him. Mat. 3.3.Matt 3:3 that you would ſuffer the voice of exhortation, even the voice of Iohn Baptiſt to ſound in your eares, Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his paths ſtraight. If ever you thinke to ſhare in the ſalvation that Chriſt hath purchaſed with his owne blood, if ever you thinke to partake of any thing that Chriſt hath wrought; if you would have him, dwell with with you, and doe good to you, either prepare for him, or elſe never expect him. And here, that you may deale wiſely, conſider the hinderances, and obſtacles that keepe Chriſt from comming. Are your hearts prepared? Chriſt is marvellous ready to come, onelyonly he watcheth the time till your hearts be ready to receive and entertaine him. Marke that phraſe, Mal. 3.1. it is marvellous comfortable: there the Text ſaith The Lord whom yee ſeeke, will ſuddenly come to his Temple. Doe but get hearts fitted and ſouls prepared; for Chriſt doth but wait for a meſſage. If the ſoule bee but broken and humbled, he will come preſently, and not breake an haire with you. Truely this preparation is the very entrance into p. 56ſalvation: and therefore take notice of it. Men are loath to leave all for Chriſt in this caſe, they are loath to loſe their profits and pleaſures, their luſts and corruptions: they are like Inne-keepers, they are loath to thruſt their profitable gueſts out of their houſes, they would bee loath to hinder themſelves that way, yea and though the King were to come thither, they would ſecretly wiſh that his Maieſty would turne another way: ſo it is a hard matter for men to diſ-lodge all profits and pleaſures, and to vomit up thoſe ſweet morſels and beloved corruptions, that Chriſt might come into their ſoules. Some poore ſoule may ſpeak to me as the Devill did to Chriſt, Why art thou come to torment mee before my time? ſo many men will be ready to ſay, Why doth the Lord Ieſus come to torment us before our times? What, muſt we now abandon all our profits and pleaſures if we will receive Chriſt? They could ſecretly wiſh that Chriſt would goe another way, It is a very hard thing to bring the ſoule thus to be divorced from corruptions: it is very hard when a man muſt give a bill of divorcement, and never ſee the face of his corruptions more this is very hard with a poore ſinner.Motives to prepare for Chriſt.

And therefore the Arguments to move us hereunto had need be forcible, and maybe taken from two grounds: firſt, from the conſideration p. 57who we are that muſt receive Chriſt: ſecondly, who Chriſt is that is to be received.

Firſt, let us conſider our ſelves,1. We are unworthy to receive ſuch a gueſt. a company of poore, ſinfull, wretched, miſerable, and damned creatures, ſinfull duſt and aſhes, dead dogs. Conſider this, and thinke with thy ſelfe, Will the Lord of heaven come downe? Will Chriſt dwell in my heart? Will hee vouchſafe to looke in, yea, to call as hee goeth by the ſoule of mee ſuch a ſinfull creature? And let this move thee to prepare for his comming. If a King will but call at a poore mans window as he rideth by, hee will count it a great favour: much more it is for the great God of heaven and earth but to looke in, and reveale himſelfe unto the heart of a poore ſinfull creature. Wee are not worthy that the Lord ſhould come under our roofe. 1 Kings 8.27. there Solomon ſaith, Will God indeed dwell on the earth? will he dwell in a houſe made with hands? As if he ſhould ſay, Is it poſſible? can it bee imagined, that thou Lord being the great God of heaven, whom the heaven of heavens cannot containe, ſhouldſt once vouchſafe to dwell in a houſe made with hands, in the Temple which I have builded? And what may we ſay? Is it ſo? can it be, ſhall it be, that God will come and dwell under our roofe? that hee will come and dwell in our rotten and ſinfull hearts? that hee will p. 58dwell in our wretched and ſinfull ſoules? Why he will, he hath ſaid it, he hath promiſed it, he will performe it: and therefore let us conſider our owne unworthineſſe to receive Chriſt, as a motive to ſtirre us up to make preparation for him. For the baſer the place is that ſhould entertaine him, the greater the preparation ought to be. Wee ought to wonder that the Lord will vouchſafe to come into our ſinfull ſoules, and therefore we had need to prepare the more for his comming. The Lord hath promiſed to come into our ſoules if wee humble them, and make them fitting to receive his Majeſty: and therefore ſweep your hearts, and clenſe thoſe roomes, clenſe every ſinke, bruſh downe every cobweb, and make roome for Chriſt: for if thy heart bee prepard, and divorced from all corruptions, then Chriſt will come into thy ſoule, and take poſſeſſion of it. Remove therefore all corruptions out of thy heart. And when thou haſt ſwept every corner of thy houſe, doe not leave the duſt behind the doore, for that is a fluts tricke: doe not remove ſinne out of thy tongue, and out of thy eye, and out of thy hand, and leave it in thy heart. No, no, out with all, let every chamber be dreſſed up, let every part and faculty be right diſpoſed, that the Lord may come and dwell in thy ſoule.

The ſecond motive that may ſtirre us up p. 59to prepare for the Lord Ieſus,2. Chriſt is moſt worthy, for whom we ſhould prepare. is his tranſcendent worthineſſe, in regard of which all preparation may ſeeme too little. You are not to entertaine an ordinary perſon: it is not a man, it is not a King, it is not a Monarch; but it is a King of Kings, that will come into your ſoules to comfort them, yea, his holy and bleſſed Spirit will remaine with you for ever. Therefore doe all that poſſibly may be done, to prepare for his comming, and for the entertainement and welcomming of him when he comes. In Pſal. 24.7. David calleth upon his owne ſoule, and other of Gods people (for ſo the words are to be expounded:) there he ſaith, Lift up your heads, O yee Gates, and be yee lift up yee everlaſting doores: and the King of glory ſhall come in. As who ſhould ſay, Be enlarged, love, joy, hope, ſet open, give way, for the Lord is comming. But who is the Lord? It is the Lord of hoſtes, the Lord ſtrong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battell, ver. 8. And with that he knockes againe, Lift up your heads, O yee Gates, and be yee lift up yee everlaſting doores: for the King of glory ſhall come in, ver. 9. As if he ſhould ſay, What, ſhall the Lord knocke? ſhall the King of glory ſtand? Open ſuddenly, and make all preparation. Did David doe thus? Why, doe you ſo then. Chriſt knockes by promiſes, hee knockes by judgements, hee knockes by p. 60threats, yea, hee ſpeakes this day unto your ſoules, and labours this day to make way for himſelfe: make therefore all preparation, let nothing be wanting, that when he comes, he may take poſſeſſion of your ſoules,Particulars. and bee a God unto you for ever.

1There will come a great deale of benefit by this meanes unto your ſoules. And this alſo may encourage us. The Lord commeth into our ſoules, not to trouble and charge us; no, hee commeth to bring everlaſting ſalvation and happineſſe to our ſoules. Looke what Chriſt ſaid to Zacheus, Luk. 19.5, 8, 9. when hee went up into a Sycamore tree to ſee him, Make haſte, and come downe Zacheus (ſaith he) for I muſt abide with thee in thy houſe. Zacheus made no cavilling, but made haſte and came downe, and received him joyfully. And marke what Chriſt ſaith unto him, This day ſalvation is come into thine houſe. So likewiſe it ſhall be with you, when Chriſt commeth, ſalvation commeth with him; when he commeth, everlaſting happineſſe and ſalvation commeth; when Chriſt commeth, goe home and witneſſe againſt all your carnall neighbours, that they that refuſe Chriſt, and doe not make preparation for him, refuſe ſalvation and everlaſting happineſſe that is offered unto them.

Amos 4.12. when the Lord had ſent a great plague, and a heavie judgement upon p. 61Ieruſalem, he ſaith, Thus will I doe unto thee, Oh Iſrael: and becauſe I will doe this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. I will doe thus unto thee, O Iſrael, that is, I will ſend mildewes, plagues, and peſtilence, and famine; I will draw you out with hookes, and your poſteritie with fiſh-hookes. And what followeth? Prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. If God come againſt us to plague us, we muſt prepare to meet him. Reaſon now with your owne ſoules upon ſtrong grounds, to your everlaſting comfort. Should the Lord come in judgement to torment us, ſhould the Lord come to ſcourge and puniſh us; if wee muſt then prepare to meet him, then what preparation ought we to make for his comming, when hee ſhall not come thus in judgement, to condemne us, but in his mercy to ſave us, in his goodneſſe to enrich us, in his compaſſion to comfort us? then now if ever prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. Let every heart perſwade it ſelfe of this particular; and reaſon and conſider with your owne ſoules in this caſe: Is Chriſt ſo gracious, and ſo mercifull? doth he ſend downe from heaven unto us, and ſay, he will come? if any man keepe my Commandements I ſtand at the doore and knocke;Rev. 3.20.Rev 3:20 if any man will open, my Father and I will come in, and ſup, and dwell with him. Why, where is the heart in the meane time? And if ever, p. 62now prepare to meete the Lord.

But if neither the judgements of God will perſwade us, nor the mercies of God allure us, yet let the complaints and moanes of Chriſt Ieſus prevaile with you to prepare for him. Conſider our Saviour Chriſt hath taken a great journey from heaven to earth to ſave us miſerable, wretched, and ſinfull creatures: conceive you ſaw thoſe ſtreames of bloud trickling downe his cheekes: conceive you ſaw him upon the croſſe with his hands thruſt thorow with nailes, and his ſide pierced with a ſpeare, enduring the wrath of God for our ſinnes; and behold now hee ſtandeth at the doore, and ſaith with the Church, Lam. 1.12. It is nothing to you, have you no regard, O yee that paſſe by? behold and ſee, if there bee any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, &c. Imagine you heard Chriſt ſay, I have ſuffered theſe, and theſe things for you; theſe hands of mine were nailed, this ſide of mine was pierced, this heart of mine was melted with anguiſh of ſpirit. Imagine you ſaw Chriſt ſtanding and knocking at the doore of your hearts, as indeed hee doth, and ſay, Hoe all you within there, hoe all you proud hearts, hoe all you covetous and malicious hearts, have you no regard of a poore Saviour? have you no regard of a crucified Saviour? hee that died for you, even the bitter death upon the croſſe for you, p. 63and now laboureth to doe good unto you? Would not this move you to prepare your your hearts for him, and to let him in? Nay, marke what Chriſt ſaith to the Church, Cant. 5.2. Open to me, my ſiſter, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my lockes with the drops of the night. As if hee ſhould ſay, I have had an ill journey, a bad way, and unkind entertainment, and therefore come away my love, my dove, my undefiled, and open unto me. So hee ſaith to every one of our ſoules, This day I have travelled a great way for you, and have had a very hard journey; I have ſuffered many croſſes and afflictions, many mockes and ſcoffes; many buffets, yea, even death it ſelfe, for you: will you now ſuffer the Lord Ieſus, wearied and perplexed, to ſtand knocking and calling, and weeping, and ſaying as he ſaid to Ieruſalem, Luke 19.42. Oh that thou hadſt knowne, even thou at leaſt in this thy day, the things belonging to thy peace: but now they are hid from thine eyes? Will you ſuffer Chriſt in this plight, thus ſaying unto you, as hee did to Ieruſalem, to ſtand knocking at the doore of your hearts, and your ſoules?

Take heed of this, Chriſt knocketh this day at your hearts; if you now give him his laſt anſwer, and ſhut the doore againſt him, it may prove to bee the laſt knocking, you p. 64may hap never to ſee him more. The Church in the place before named, Cant. 5. ver. 3. ſhifted off Chriſt, and would not let him in when ſhe heard him knocke: I have put off my coate, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? But after ſhee roſe to open to her beloved, and her hands dropped myrrhe, and her fingers ſweet ſmelling myrrhe, upon the handles of the locke, ver 5. And then ſhe opened to her beloved, but he had withdrawne himſelfe, and was gone: and then ſhee ſought him with many troubles and knockes before ſhe found him: The watchmen found her, and wounded her, the keepers of the walls tooke her vaile from her. If you put of Chriſt, and give him delayes when he knocks at the doores of your hearts, then perhaps hee may never knocke more, and then you may ſeeke him, and deſire him earneſtly, and perhaps never find him more, or receive comfort from him, and ſalvation by him. Oh therefore take heed how you drive away your crucified Saviour; but even now make all preparations for his entertainment, and for receiving of him, that you may receive everlaſting life, and ſalvation from him. In Ier. 2.12. the Prophet ſaith, Be aſtoniſhed, O yee heavens, be yee horribly afraid, be yee deſolate, ſaith the Lord. What is the reaſon of this? It is in the 11. and 13. verſes: The Heathen have not changed their p. 65gods, which are no gods, but my people have forſaken me, the fountain of living waters, & hewen out to themſelves ciſternes even broken ciſterns that can hold no water: they have changed their glory for that which profiteth not. Be aſtoniſhed at this, O yee heavens. Turkes have their gods, and Infidels have their gods, and what care have they to obey them, when as yet their gods are no gods? And ſhall a Chriſtian have a Saviour to ſave him, and to redeeme him, and ſhew mercy upon him, and then ſhut him out in this kind? Remember what the Prophet David ſaith, Pſal. 132.4, 5. I will give no ſleepe to mine eyes, nor ſlumber to mine eye-lids, untill I have prepared a place, an habitation for the God of Iacob: and if hee had ſaid, I have houſes, and I have palaces, and Gods honour lieth in the duſt; no more ſleepe, no more reſt, no more content, untill I have prepared an habitation for the God of Iacob. What David did, that doe you. There is no materiall Temple to bee prepared; but we are the Temple, and the Church of God, prepare therefore an habitation, an heart for the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And every ſoule that hath heretofore caſt out the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and given him no entertainment, let him now reſolve to doe it, and let every one ſay to their husbands and friends, We have this, and wee have that, this bleſſing, that benefit: but the Lord hath come p. 66often and asked a roome for himſelfe: O let us not ſleepe, nor give reſt unto our hearts, nor contentation to our ſoules, untill wee have prepared an habitation, untill wee have prepared an heart fit for the entertainment of the mighty God of Iacob. If thou doſt not now prepare for him as a Saviour to ſave thee hereafter, thou muſt receive him as a Iudge to condemne thee: and therefore delay no longer, but every night, and every morning call upon one another to prepare for the Lord Ieſus.

Obiect. And now what can hinder but Chriſt may bee prepared for of us? Why alas, many friends muſt away, wee muſt turne out many profits and pleaſures before we can prepare for the entertainment of Chriſt Ieſus: all theſe muſt be abandoned.

Anſw. Why, imagine theſe earthly things were gone; the time will come that all theſe muſt goe, and then God will make them baſe and vile in the ſight of men and Angels at the day of judgement, when the laſt trumpe ſhall blow. Nay, goe but to the time of death, what ſhall your honours doe then? What ſhall your profits doe then? what wil they then doe for you? And then after death, when you that for love of your profits and pleaſures could not, nor would not prepare for Chriſt, come into hell, What profit then will thoſe things doe you, Rom 9.21.Rom 9:21whereof you are p. 67now aſhamed? What? will you now ſweare, and profane Gods name? Oh then you ſhall ſee the baſeneſſe and vileneſſe of thoſe things; then the drunkard will wiſh hee had never taken cup in his hand; then the ſwearer will wiſh he had never ſwore oath, nor ever tooke Gods name in vaine; then the covetous wretch will wiſh he had never beene ſo greedy of his gaine, and in the mean while neglected his ſalvation. Conſider this; that God one day will make thoſe things ſeeme vile in our eyes, one day it ſhall come to paſſe that we would give a world for a Saviour, one day Chriſt will be welcome unto us, if he would come. When you come to the laſt period of your lives, then (in your laſt wills, and teſtaments) you commit your bodie to the ground, and your ſoule into the hands of God. Yea, but it is a queſtion whether Chriſt will then take it: therfore prepare to entertaine and receive him now that hee may receiue you then at that day. Hath he prepared heaven for thee, and wilt thou not prepare a heart to receive him? Therfore remoue, renounce, abandon all profits, all pleaſures, ſins, luſts, & corruptions, that you may be fitted to entertain & welcom the Lord Ieſus, that Chriſt may dwell in your ſoules, and give you the conſolation of his ſpirit.

But you will ſay, Queſt. How may we prepare for Chriſt, that there may bee an hopefull p. 68expectation of his comming? This is a hard taske. How then may we prepare for him? by what meanes may our hearts bee fitted and diſpoſed to receiue Chriſt Ieſus?

Anſw. I anſwer, that a powerfull miniſtery is the onelyonly ordinary meanes which GOD hath appointed ſoundly to prepare the heart of a poore ſinner for the receiving of the Lord Ieſus: Doct. The Miniſtery a ſpeciall meanes to prepare us for Chriſt.which is the ſecond doctrine which ariſeth out of the Text, and it is a point worth the while.

Object. But you will ſay, How doe you gather the doctrine out of the Text? what ground have you for the doctrine out of the words of the Text?

Anſw. Yes, it is one of the maine paſſages of the Text; it was the ſcope, and purpoſe, and ſending of Iohn the Baptiſt: for the Text ſaith, He ſhall goe before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias. Who ſhall goe before Ieſus Chriſt? Iohn the Baptiſt. How ſhall hee be fitted? He ſhall have the ſpirit and power of Elias. And what ſhall he doe? He ſhall goe before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias, to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the diſobedient to the wiſdome of the juſt, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord, Luke 1.17. The Lord prepares a fit workeman for this worke. Iohn was to prepare a people for the Lord, and therefore hee comes p. 69in the ſpirit and power of Elias: That is, hee had a wonderfull abilitie beſtowed upon him by God, whereby he might deliver the Word of God to mens hearts ſo powerfully, as thereby he might fit and prepare them for the receiving of the Lord Ieſus; and hee made a company of deſperate ſinners to quake, yea, hee made Herod, who was a ſinfull wretch, to ſtand in feare of him. So then we ſee God fitted Iohn with a powerfull miniſterie, with the ſpirit and power of Elias: and being ſo fitted of God, hee was ſent for the purpoſe to prepare mens hearts for the receiving of the Lord Ieſus. And therefore this muſt be a ſpeciall meanes ſoundly to prepare mens hearts for the entertaining of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. So the doctrine is cleere and plaine out of the Text.

Ier. …3.29. the Lord there ſpeaking of his Word, compares it to fire: in the 28. verſe the Lord was ſpeaking of dreamers; There are a company of dreamers, ſaith he, but let him that hath a dreame, tell a dreame; and hee that hath my Word, let him ſpeake my word faithfully. Is not my word like fire? ver. 29. there is the power of the Word.Simile. Looke as it is with the Gold ſmith, his mettall is full of droſſe, and hee muſt trie it, and clenſe it, and purifie it in the fire, before it bee fit to make a veſſell of: ſo it is with the droſſie ſoules of ſinners; every heart hath abundance p. 70of droſſe, for many ſinfull abominations harbour in the poore ſoule of a man. It muſt be a powerfull miniſterie that is able by the power of the Lord to ſet fire on the hearts of men, to melt their ſoules, to pull downe their haughtie ſpirits, thereby to fit and prepare their ſoules for the receiving of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that ſo they might receive comfort and conſolation from him.

In Hoſea 6.5. it is a phraſe wee ſhall meet withall: for there the Text ſaith, I have hewen them by my Prophets. The Church is compared to a Vineyard, the godly to the Branches, the Word to the pruning and cutting of theſe Branches. As it was with the building of the materiall Temple of Solomon, there were many ſturdy Oakes and tall Cedars that were to be hewen and faſhioned before they would be fit for the building: ſo it muſt bee here with the trees of righteouſneſſe, our ſinfull ſoules: ſome of us have ſturdy hearts like Oakes, and ſome have proud and lofty hearts like the tall Cedars of Lebanon: theſe ſtout hearts and lofty ſpirits muſt bee cut downe by the axe of Gods word, and levelled and fitted to lay hold upon, and bee ſettled unto the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Every mans ſoule, eſpecially thoſe ſoules that belong to the election of grace, are ground that muſt be tilled and plowed by the word of God; their fallow grounds p. 71muſt be broken up, before any ſeed of grace can be caſt into their ſoules. 1 Cor. 3 9. there the Apoſtle ſaith, You are Gods husbandrie; and therefore God by his word muſt plow up the weeds of ſinne and corruption which are in you, before he can ſow the graces of his holy Spirit in your hearts. And that place, Acts 2.37. will make the Doctrine cleere and evident: Saint Peter was a man of a ſtout and courageous ſpirit, and hee ſpake home unto the Iewes, hee tells them that God hath made that Ieſus, whom they crucified, the Lord and Chriſt. And when they heard theſe things (ſaith the Text) that is, the word powerfully delivered and brought home to their ſoules, they were pricked in their hearts, and ſaid, Men and brethren, what ſhall we doe? Now they were prepared in ſome meaſure to ſeeke after ſalvation.

For the better underſtanding of this point, two things are to be conſidered: firſt, what a powerfull miniſterie is, and wherein the power and efficacie of it conſiſts: ſecondly, how this powerfull miniſterie doth worke upon the ſoule to prepare it for Chriſt.

Firſt, what is this powerfull miniſtery?1. A powerfull Miniſtery conſiſteth in 3. things. wherein doth the power of the miniſterie, and of Elias conſiſt? It is diſcovered in three particulars:

Firſt, in a particular application of the p. 72truth to the ſoules of men, with courage. When a faithfull Miniſter out of undauntedneſſe of ſpirit doth in a ſpeciall and particular manner apply the Word vntounto the ſoules of them, over whom he is ſet: this is a powerfull min…ſtery. 1 Kings 18.21. there the miniſtery of Elias is mentioned: for the Text ſaith, Elias came unto all the people, and ſaid, How long halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal be God, follow him. It was in a time when people had departed from the Lord. Elias at this time did not come to one man alone in a corner, and ſay, You ſhould doe well to conſider of the caſe, how it ſtands; it is very deſperate, I would wiſh you to returne unto the Lord, it will be your beſt courſe: hee doth not doe thus, but he came to all the people: and marke how hee ſpeakes, If Baal be God, follow him; if the Lord be God, follow him. Away with this halting: what? neither hot nor cold? A man cannot tell where to have you: intend one thing or other: if Baal be God, why ſo if the Lord bee God, ſo: make ſomething of it in this caſe: thus hee ſpake to all the people, ſaith the Text. And we ſhall obſerve the ſame in Iohn Baptiſt, that had the power and ſpirit of Elias, Matth. 3.7. hee did not goe there behind the doore to ſpeake, but hee ſpake to the Phariſees and Sadduces after this manner, O yee generation p. 73of vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come? As if he had ſaid, You are they that oppoſed Chriſt, and ſet your ſelues againſt the Goſpell, you have hardned your hearts, you will not enter into heaven your ſelues, not ſuffer others to enter in. Why who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come? Neither is this a ſtrange courſe or unprofitable: for our Saviour Chriſt himſelfe uſeth it, in Mat, 23.23. from thence to the end of the chapter, the phraſe goes thus, Woe unto you Scribes, and Phariſees, Hypocrites. Our Saviour Chriſt hath given us this patterne. The explication of the point is nothing elſe but the drawing out of a ſword: and the particular application of it to the hearts of the people is like the ſtriking of the blow. The word is compared to a ſword: as, if a man ſhould draw a ſword and flouriſh it about, and ſhould not ſtrike a blow with it, it will doe no harme: even ſo it is here with the Miniſters, little good will they doe if they doe onelyonly explicate, if they doe onelyonly draw out the ſword of the Spirit: for unleſſe they apply it unto the peoples hearts particularly, little good may the people expect, little good ſhall the Miniſter doe. A common kind of teaching when the Miniſter doth ſpeake onelyonly hoveringly, and in the generall, and never applies the word of God particularly, may be compared p. 74to the confuſed noiſe that was in the ſhip wherin Ionah was, when the winds blew, and the ſea raged, and a great ſtorme began to ariſe. The poore Marriners ſtrove with might and maine, and they did endevour by all meanes poſſible to bring the ſhip to the ſhore: every one cried unto his god, and caſt their wares in to the ſea, and all this while Ionas was faſt aſleepe in the ſhip, but when the Marriners came down, and plucked him up, and ſaid Ariſe thou ſleeper, and asked him, Who art thou? whence art thou? what is thy name? call upon thy God, leſt we periſh. When they thus behaved themſelues toward Ionah, then he was awakened and rowſed out of his ſleepe. The common delivery of the word is like that confuſed noiſe: there is matter of heaven, of hell, of grace, of ſin ſpoken of, there is a common noiſe, and all this while men ſit and ſleep careleſly, and never looke about them, but reſt ſecure: but when particular application comes, that ſhakes a ſinner, as the Pilot did Ionah, and askes him, What aſſurance of Gods mercy haſt thou? what hope of pardon of ſinnes, of life, and happineſſe hereafter? You are baptized, and ſo were many that are in hell: you come to Church, and ſo did many that are in hell: but what is your converſation in the mean time? Is that holy in the ſight of God and man? When the Miniſters of God p. 75ſhake men, and take them up on this faſhion then they begin to ſtirre up themſelues,Simile. and to conſider of their eſtates. This generall and common kind of teaching is like an enditement without a name: if a man ſhould come to the aſſizes, and make a great exclamation and have no name to his enditement, alas, no man is troubled with it, no man feares it, no man ſhall receive any puniſhment by reaſon of it. So it is with this common kind of preaching, it is an enditement without a name. We arreſt none before wee particularly arraigne them before the tribunall of the Lord, and ſhew them theſe and theſe are their ſinnes, and that unleſſe they repent and forſake them, they ſhall be damned: for then this would ſtirre them up, and make them ſeeke to the Lord for mercy; this would rowſe them out of their ſecurity, and awaken them, and make them ſay as the Iewes did to Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and brethren, what ſhall wee doe to bee ſaved? Acts 2.37,

The ſecond thing wherein this powerfull miniſtery diſcovereth and manifeſts it ſelfe, is, when the Miniſters of God out of ſoundneſſe of argument, and plaine evidence of the will of God, and the ſpirit of God, make truth knowne to the ſpirits of men: when a mans doctrine goeth ſo guarded and confirmed p. 76with Scripture, and ſound and plaine demonſtration of argument, that they ſtand as Mount Sion, and are undeniable. This is the ſecond thing wherein the powerfull delivery of the Miniſtery conſiſts; and this is Saint Pauls meaning, when hee ſaith, The kingdome of God conſiſteth not in words, but in power, 1 Cor. 4.20. The kingdome of God, that is, the Goſpel of the kingdom whereby God ruleth in the hearts of his choſen. Now this conſiſteth not in words onelyonly, nor in a company of fine gilded ſentences, where there is nothing but a jingling and a tinkling, nothing but a ſound of words; there is no kingdome all this while, no power all this while in ſuch a kind of preaching: this will not worke effectually in the hearts and conſciences of men. It is with this kind of preaching as it is with rotten buildings, which are all painted over, but have ſcarce a ſound beame, or any other timber to beare up the houſe: ſo it is in this caſe, all this jingling and tinkling of words may delight the eares of the hearers, but the power is wanting that ſhould drive men to a ſtand.

Thirdly, a powerfull miniſtery appeareth in this, when there is a kind of ſpirituall heat in the heart, when there are holy affections,Si vis meflere dolendum eſt primùm ipſi tibi. and the heart of the Miniſter is anſwerable to that he communicates and delivers unto the people. Looke what thoſe truths p. 77bee which he communicates to others, his owne ſoule ſhould be affected with them before, and at the time of delivery of them, that ſo he may ſpeake home to the hearts of the people:Mat. 12.34.Matt 12:34 For out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh: ſaith our Saviour. So that the foundations and pillars of a mans ſpeech are not in the tongue, but they proceed out of the heart. When the ſpeech is raiſed out of the ſeveral affections, we uſe to ſay, Gracious ſpeeches, mercifull ſpeeches: the meaning is, words ariſing out of grace, and words ariſing out of mercy. When the heart of a miniſter goeth home with his words, then he delivers the word powerfully and profitably to the hearers. He that mourneth for ſin when he ſpeakes of it, will make others mourne alſo: he that carries a holy indignation againſt ſinne, he ſtirs up the ſame indignation in the man that hears him, And obſerue that when a man ſpeakes from the heart, he ſpeaks to the heart: and when a man ſpeaks from the head onelyonly, and from the teeth outward, (as wee uſe to ſay) hee ſpeakes to the eare onelyonly, he ſpeakes to the conceit onelyonly. We loſe the the greateſt part of our ſpeech, and the ſtrength of our ſpeech unleſſe wee ſpeake out of the aboundance of our ſoules. When a man ſpeakes againſt ſin, hee ſhould ſpeake with a holy hatred of it from his very heart. When a man ſpeakes of p. 78the miſery of poore creatures that are in the gall of bitterneſſe, and under the power of Satan, he ſhould mourne for the judgement that God hath appointed for them: and if men would doe thus, they would make others mourne alſo. It was an obſervation of a holy man upon this place, We hauehave piped but ye hauehave not danced: we hauehave mourned, but ye hauehave not weeped: That he that would affect others with any thing, muſt firſt bee affected withall himſelfe, hee muſt mourne before others will ſorrow: his heart muſt be affected with the truth that he delivers to others, before he can make others to be affected with it. I compare a mans word and the delivery of it to an arrow: draw it up to the head in a bow, and then it will both carry levell, hit ſure, and faſten to the marke the word we ſpeake is the arrow, the delivery of it coldly, like the ſhooting of the arrow with a ſmall ſtrength; but the delivery of it with true and hearty affection, is the drawing it up to the head, and then ſomewhat will be done, then we ſhall ſhoot home into the hearts and conſciences of men, and make them at a ſtand. It was a ſpeech of Moſes, Deut. 32.2.Deut 32:2Let my doctrine drop as the dew, as the raine upon the graſſe. Moſes his doctrine is compared to dew and to raine, now if there come a great raine, and a mighty wind with it, eſpecially a whirlewind, it carrieth p. 79all before it; ſometimes it breakes up the foundations of houſes, and ſometimes rends up trees by the roots, and overturnes all things with the violence of it. The Doctrine and truth which the Miniſters of God deliver, is as the raine: now the holy affection wherewith it is delivered, is like the whirlewind. When the truth of God is delivered with a holy violence, and hearty affection by Gods ſervants, evermore it makes way, it beats downe, and breaks all before it, it wets more and ſinkes more and farre deeper, then any kind of other teaching.

So then hee particularly and ſoundly applies the word of God to mens hearts and conſciences, that evidently by Scriptures and ſtrong arguments convinceth others with an holy and hearty affection, this man performes the miniſtery of God powerfully.

2Now wee muſt ſee how this powerfull miniſterie works upon the ſoule and heart of a poore ſinner,How a powerfull Miniſtery works upon the heart to prepare it for Chriſt. to fit and prepare him for Chriſt Ieſus.

And firſt, this kind of preaching doth diſcover the very ſecrets of a mans ſoule, together with the vileneſſe and wickednes that is in the heart: ſo that the ſoule ſeeth that it never ſaw before, and apprehendeth that which before it never conceived. The ſoule of a poore ſinner that before lay under p. 80a lazie miniſterie, when it comes to be under a powerfull miniſtery, and ſees things particularly applied & followed, oh, how then it begins to be at a ſtand! Heb. 4.12. there the Text ſaith, The word of God is quick and powerfull, and ſharper than any two edged ſword piercing even to the dividing aſunder of ſoule, and ſpirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. When a man preaches powerfully, he preaches as if hee were in the boſome of a man: he may tell him things in his eare which he thinks no man knowes of, Therefore, ſaith Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 4.1.2, ſeeing we have this miniſtery, as we have received mercy we faint not. But have renounced the hidden things of diſhoneſty, not walking in craftineſſe, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifeſtation of the truth, commending our ſelues to every mans conſcience in the ſight of God. As if hee ſhould ſay, Wee doe not ſet another colour upon the word of God: as (the word implieth being taken from tradeſmen that would ſet a faire colour & gloſſe upon their wares, and make them ſeem otherwiſe than they are:) we doe not doe thus, ſaith the Apoſtle: but our word goeth home vntounto your conſciences, and diſcovers what is in your hearts.

Secondly, as the word powerfully preached doth diſcover what is in a mans heart, p. 81and driveth his ſoule to an amazement by reaſon of the ſin that is in it: ſo alſo it drives the ſoule into an awe of ſin, ſo that it dares not meddle with ſin as it did before; it overpoureth the ſoule of a poore ſinner, and makes him affraid of ſin; and nothing but the word can doe it, nothing but the powerfull delivery of the word will do it. Luke 3.9, 10. when Iohn preached the word powerfully, the people came to him, and asked him, ſaying, What ſhall we doe? Then came the Publicans (which were ranked among the worſt company) to be baptized, and ſaid unto him, Maſter what ſhall we doe? And the ſouldiers asked him, What ſhall wee doe? So that all came under the powerfull miniſtery of S. Iohn. So Matth. 7.29. where the Text ſaith, Chriſt taught as one having authority, and not as the Scribes and Phariſees: what is the meaning of this? The meaning is, hee taught as hee would command mens conſciences: not that he converted all he preached unto (for it is probable that Saint Peter converted more than ever Chriſt did:) but hee did command the conſciences of men, he made men either yeeld to his doctrine, and be humbled, or elſe he made them know, that they ſhould be condemned by his word for ever. Our Saviour did not preach as the Scribes and Phariſees, that made a lazie tale to the people, and when he was gone, no man was affected p. 82with it. No, no, Chriſt commands the conſciences of men, and either made them ſeale to his truth, or elſe ſealed them up to condemnation. His doctrine drave the ſoules of his hearers to a ſtand, hee did convince their conſciences that that which he taught was true, they could not deny it. And this is to teach with authority, this is the nature of the worke of the Lord in the miniſtery of the word when it commeth with power: ſo that it is plaine, that a powerfull miniſtery, which with a particular application couragiouſly applieth the word of God to mens ſoules, and with ſoundneſſe of argument conuinceth, and with zealous and fervent affection is delivered, will both diſcover ſin, and over-power ſin in the hearts of men, and ſo fit and prepare them for the receiving, entertaining, and welcomming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

Reaſons of the point. The Reaſons of the point are two:

1Firſt, God appoints this powerfull miniſterie as the meanes onelyonly to prepare men for Chriſt: therefore nothing can doe it beſides. Secondly, God worketh onelyonly with this meanes, and bleſſeth it onelyonly; this is the ſword of the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord moveth onelyonly with this means: and therefore nothing but this can do it.

Ob. I but (ſome may ſay) corrections and afflictions prepare men for the Lord; how then p. 83is a powerfull miniſtery the onelyonly meanes to doe it?

Anſ. I anſwer,Affliction prepares the heart for the word, the word for God. that afflictions may prepare mens hearts for the word, but not immediately for God: that is, theſe, if they be bleſſed unto men, goe thus farre, they open the eyes of a man in ſo much that he is willing to heare and attend unto the word, and be informed by it, and is content to take the counſell of God: but the word is that, which immediately prepares mens hearts for the Lord. Theſe croſſes and afflictions may make a man to thinke and conſider of himſelfe and of his ſins; yea they may make him thinke of a better eſtate, and to deſire the word, and ſend for a faithfull miniſter, and heare him: but the word, that muſt worke beyond afflictions, to prepare men for the Lord.

Ob. But ſome may obiect againe, that the word of God doth ſometimes harden men, how doth it then alone prepare mens hearts for the Lord?

Anſw. I anſwer, that the word of God is but an inſtrument: now the Lord is a free-worker, a voluntary agent, as we uſe to ſay; he may doe what he will, and when he will with his inſtrument, A powerful miniſtery is the only ordinary means to prepare mens hearts for Chriſt: but God worketh with this means where hee will, and upon whom p. 84he will. And as hee may prepare a man for himſelfe by this meanes, ſo he may harden him by it: the word is able to prepare a man, but God worketh with it, upon whom hee will, and how he will, as it pleaſeth him.

Vſe 1 The Vſe of this point is firſt for Miniſters. Is it ſo that a powerfull miniſtery is the ſpeciall means ordinarily to prepare the ſoule for the Lord?Much fault in Miniſters, that their peoples hearts are not fitted for Chriſt. then from hence the Miniſters of God may ſee the reaſon of the little good they doe in that courſe and place wherin God hath ſet them: here lieth the ground of it, we preach and take paines, but the worke of God proſpereth not in our hands; after many yeeres hewing there is not one mountain levelled, ſcarce one ſinner brought home to the Lord Ieſus, and truely prepared for him. What is the reaſon of this? Surely leaving ſecrets and times unto God, (for God may convert when he will, and there are ſeaſons wherein God will not vouchſafe any ſaving grace unto men: but leaving theſe things to God,) this wee know in general, that God is as powerfull as ever he was, the miniſtery is as effectuall as ever it was, if it be performed in a right manner. We need not complaine as Eliſha did, Where is the God of Elijah,? He is not wanting: but if the ſpirit and power of Elias be wanting in us, the fault is ours. For the ſword of the ſpirit is as powerfull as ever it was. If the miniſtery of p. 85God were diſpenſed as it ſhould, it would be as effectuall as ever it was, it would worke to ſaluation. But where lies the fault? Alas that lieth in the miniſters of God, who doe not performe the worke of the miniſtery as it ſhould and with that power they ought. A ſword in a childs hand, though never ſo ſharp, will doe no harme: but if it be put into a ſtrong mans hand, he wil make it cut deeply. Too many of Gods Miniſters hauehave weak hearts, little affection have they to the people of God, little labour is there in their hearts to pluck men unto heaven, they doe not ſtrive with ſoules as they ought to doe, they doe not ſtruggle with the hearts of men: if they have their profits and liberties, they care not. And hence it is that little good is done by them, they do ſo marvellouſly faile in the former particulars. Where is that particular and courageous applying of the truth to mens foules and conſciences? Alas, what coverings they have freinds, they muſt not be diſpleaſed: and great men they are afraid they ſhould bee offended. It is pitty but their tongues ſhould cleave to the roofes of their mouthes, if they ſpeake any thing the leſſe for theſe baſe and by reſpects than God reveales and requireth of them. Their ſlighting and paſſing by is the reaſon that men profit ſo little by their miniſtery: they are aſhamed to tell, and affraid to ſpeak to the hearts p. 86of men, and reprove them for thoſe ſinnes which they are not aſhamed or affraid to doe in the face of the world. They convince not ſo ſoundly as they ought to doe, they doe not gather in thoſe arguments which may make thoſe truths undeniable, and mens conſciences at a ſtand. If they can but careleſly, and idely talke out the houre, what becomes of the ſeed, what becomes of the word, what becomes of mens ſoules they care not: againe they want that holy ſpirituall affection which they ſhould deliver Gods word withall unto his people. This is the ſumme of all, Miniſters doe not deliver the word with a heavenly, hearty, and violent affection, they doe not ſpeake out of the abundance of their affections. If they would ſpeake againſt ſin with a holy indignation, it would make men ſtand in awe of ſin, they talke of it overly, and ſay, It is not good to profane Gods Name & his Sabbaths, and to live an ungodly life: but they doe not ſpeake from their hearts in this kind. A ſturdy meſſenger,, if hee come to a mans houſe, to ſpeake with him, he will not be put off, he will take no deniall, but he will ſpeake with him, if it be poſſible, before he goes away: but ſend a child of a meſſage to a man, if a ſervant doe but tell him his maiſter is not at leiſure, or that he may ſpeake with him another time, he will eaſily be put off, and goe away before hee hath delivered his meſſage. p. 87So it is with a Miniſter that performes his office with a hearty affection. For when a man ſpeakes from his heart (in this caſe) he will hauehave no anſwer, he will not bee dallied withall, he will take no deniall, but will hauehave that he came for. If a man ſhould ſay, he is not at leiſure to ſpeake with him, or to heare him now, he will ſpeake with him another time; he will not goe away with this anſwer, but he will tell him, I came to ſpeake with your hearts, and I will ſpeake with your hearts: he will ſay to the people, Tell your hearts you that love the world, and the profits and pleaſures thereof (and my heart tels you) did you but know the good things that are in Chriſt Ieſus, did you but know what a happy thing it is to have the aſſurance of Gods mercy, you would never love ſin, or delight in wickedneſſe as you have done heretofore I came to ſpeake with your hearts, and will ſpeake with them before we part. Grieve no more for the things of this world, but for your ſins. The day is comming when the heavens ſhall melt with fire, and ye ſhall heare the voice of the Arch-angell, ſaying ariſe ye dead, and appeare before the judgement ſeat of God; where you ſhall heare that woefull and bitter ſentence, Away from me all yee workers of iniquity, I know you not. Mat. 7, 23:Matt 7:23Oh this may be one day your caſe.

p. 88And wee that are Miniſters of God, doe mourne for you, and tell your ſoules, we muſt have ſorrow from you: wee came to ſpeake to your hearts, we came for hearts, and we will hauehave hearts before we goe. And this is the firſt uſe of the point, to diſcover unto us what is the reaſon that the Miniſters of God doe ſo little good in their places; it is becauſe this power is wanting in them.

Vſe 2 Fearefull is their eſtate, whom a powerfull Miniſtery workes not upon.The ſecond uſe diſcovereth unto us the fearefull eſtate and miſerable condition of thoſe that have lived a long time under a powerfull miniſtery, and yet have not found their ſoules fitted and prepard for the Lord by the ſame; it is a fearefull ſuſpicion that God will never conferre any good to that ſoule: he that hath lived under a powerfull miniſtery many yeeres, and yet is not wrought upon and framed to the truth o… God, it cannot be certainly concluded, but it is greatly to be ſuſpected, that the meanes will never profit that man, Looke as it is with the Maſter Carpenter,Simile. when he hath turned every peece of timber, and taken what he will for his turne, hee tells them that bee under him, Let this be hewed, and this be framed and made fit for the building; afterward he finds one piece broken, and another crackt, and another knottie: Why what? ſaith he, here is no ſquaring of it, theſe peices are fit p. 89for nothing but for the burning, they are fit for no place in the building. Oh take heed, when Gods miniſters have been cutting and hewing, now exhorting, now perſwading, now cutting the heart with reproofes, and yet finde here a crackt heart, and there a ſtubborne ſoule, that will not be ſquared to the Word, leaſt then the Lord ſhould ſay; Theſe will never be fitted and prepared for me, they are fit for nothing but for the fire. Oh take heed of it, he that will not be fitted for grace ſhall be made a fire brand in hel for ever: and therefore goe home you that hauehave lived under a powerful miniſterie, and are not yet prepared, go home, I ſay, and reaſon with your own ſouls, & plead with your own hearts, and ſay, Lord, why am not I yet humbled and prepared? ſhall I ſtand at this hacking and hewing, and never be framed? Such a man, and ſuch a man, that was ſtubborne, was wrought upon, the Lord hath brought him upon his knees: there was another drunkard ſo wicked, and ſo profane, that all the world gave him for loſt many dayes a gone, and yet the Lord hath brought him home, and hee is become a broken hearted Chriſtian. Nay, if the Devill himſelfe had had thoſe meanes that I have had, and any hope of mercy, he would have beene bettered by it; thoſe reproofes, thoſe inſtructions, thoſe admonitions which I have had, would have done the p. 90Devill himſelfe good. But what ſhall I think that am not fitted and prepared for Chriſt by this great means? Alas, thou maiſt juſtly ſuſpect that God never intends good to thy ſoule: it is no abſolute concluſion, but it is a great ſuſpition, that thoſe which have lived under a powerfull miniſtery halfe a dozen yeers or longer, and have got no good, nor profited under the ſame, it is a ſhrewd ſuſpicion, I ſay, that God will ſend them downe to hell: therefore ſuſpect thy owne ſoule, and ſay, Lord, will exhortations ever prevaile? will inſtructions doe me any good? will terrours and reproofes ever ſtrike my heart? Why, I have heard Sermons that would have ſhaken the very ſtones I trode upon, that would have moved the very ſeat I ſate upon, the very fire of hell hath flaſhed in my face, I have ſeen even the plagues of hell, and if terrors can doe me good, why not then thoſe exhortations, inſtructions, admonitions, and reproofs; that I have often had? I have had as powerfull meanes as may bee, which yet never did me any good. The Lord be mercifull to ſuch a poore ſoule. The Lord turne the heart of ſuch a poore ſinner, that he may lay hold of mercy in due time.

Vſe 3 Let the word be powerfull to prepare thy heart for Chriſt.The third uſe is a uſe of exhortation. Is it ſo that a powerfull miniſtery is able to prepare the ſoule of a poore ſinner for the Lord Ieſus? Why then when you heare the word p. 91of God powerfully preached, labour that the word may be ſo to you, as it is in it ſelfe: it is a preparing word, labour you that it may prepare your hearts to receive Chriſt. You that be hearers every one labour to ſaue the ſoule of another: let the father ſpeake concerning his children, and the husband concerning his wife and his family, and the wiſe concerning her husband, Oh when will it once be, when will the time come that my child may be fitted for the Lord, when will it bee that my poore family, my poore wife, my poore husband ſhall bee prepared for the Lord? the Lord grant that he may be prepared, if not this ſunday, yet on another; if not at this Sermon, then at the next. Lord humble your hearts, and giuegive way to the word of God, and ſuffer your ſoules to be wrought upon by it: for the word of God is powerfull to prepare you for the Lord; but the Miniſter muſt hew your hearts, and hack them, he muſt frame and faſhion your ſoules before they can be prepared. Give up your ſoules therefore to the word, and come unto it with holy diſpoſitions: let the Miniſters of God cut and hew you, let them doe any thing that may do you good, let the word of God fall upon you and faſhion you, and frame and prepare you for the Lord Ieſus. As it is with men, when they ſet Carpenters on worke to build an houſe, then they come every day,Simile. and aske p. 92them, How doth the work goe on? how doth the building goe forward? When you goe home, ſo doe you reaſon with your ſelves, and aske your owne hearts how the worke of the Lord goeth forward in you? Is my heart yet humbled? am I yet fitted and prepared for Chriſt? I thanke God I am in ſome meaſure fitted and humbled, and therfore I hope the building will goe forward. Thus try and examine your hearts whether they bee fitted and prepared to receive the Lord Ieſus.