The Souls Preparation for Christ, Treatise (4 of 5)

The Souls Preparation for Christ · Treatise (4 of 5)

p. 155Secondly, againe, the soule is restlesse in importuning the Lord for mercy, and will not be quieted till it get some evidence of Gods favour, the soule will take on nay, it will not be contented unles it can finde some glimps of acceptance through the goodnesse of God in Christ. This is plaine, if a man be burthened with a weight, or p. 156some heavy load that is laid upon him, if that he be fallen under his burthen, he lyeth there like to die, and if there be none neere to succour him, all his care is to cry out for helpe, and though he seeth no man yet he cryeth out, O help, help, for the Lords sake. Saul was without sight three daies,Acts. 9.17.Acts 9:17 and no doubt he prayed to God all that while, as if he had resolved to give him no rest till he had found mercy: this is the nature of true sorrow, it ever drives a man to God, whereas reprobate sorrow drives a man from God: Nay, it may be, though the heart thinkes it shall never finde mercy, yet the Lord carryeth on the soule in an earnest desire, and using the meanes, and wil not off from God, and from his word and sacraments and ordinances, Nay, though he sometime concludes that he shall never get mercy, nor get power against his corruptions; and then one saith, You had best leave off all; Nay, (saith the soule) I cannot be worse then I am, if I goe to hell I will goe this way. There is a kinde of sorrow in the heart which is heavenly and godly, but reprobate sorrow even drives a man from God, and maks him say, if I am damned I am damned, if I be a reprobate I am so. O …hou wretch, is this all? If a poore creature that is pressed under his burthen cryeth for helpe, when almost nature & strength doth faile, he crieth still for helpe, and that is all he can say, and so he dyes, and this is the last word that he speaks with a soft still voice O help, help: So it is with the soule of a poore languishing sinner, when the heart is burthened p. 157with the vilenesse of the nature of sinne and the separation from God by the same, he doth not now cry ease and liberty and riches Lord: No, he cries mercy mercy Lord on this vile heart of mine, and give me power against these mighty lusts: & after many means using when he is going the way of all flesh, his last word is mercy.

Me thinkes I see this poore soule slyding away and saying, how many sinnes have I committed, Oh mercy, mercy, Christ. And this is the last word he speaketh, and so he dies; and no question but mercy shall be given him. It is not a Lord have mercy upon me, and God forgive me will serve the turne: No, it is otherwise, if ever God set home this worke, he will make you restlesse in seeking mercy, and nothing shall content you but mercy to pardon your sinnes, and grace to subdue them, and the soule thinkes if mercy would but shine upon him, and if his sinnes were taken away that they might never hinder him in a Christiā course, he were a happy man: this is the frame of the soule that is truely weary of sinne.

When the young man came to Christ, and played fayre and a farre off, and said he could do any thing. Well (said Christ) if thou canst doe any thing,Mat. 19.22.Matt 19:22 then goe and sell all that thou hast and give it to the poore: but he went away sorrowfull from Christ (saith the text) he did not come to Christ sorrowful, but wēt away sorrowfull from Christ whereas if he had beene burthened with sinne as sinne, he would have come to Christ sorrowfull, and say, Now I see Lord the world is a heavy p. 158burthē, O Lord help me against it, give me mercy to pardon me, and grace to remove it: But our Sauiour heard no more of the young man, and as it is in the text, this pricking of heart made the Jewes come to Peter saying…, Men and brethren, What shall wee doe? They did not as a great many say now a dayes, if the minister were far enough off from me, and I from him, I were happy, I cannot be quiet for him: these are reprobate speeches: but the sinner that is truly humbled and burthened with sinne as sinne, he comes home, and is resolved to wait for mercy till the Lord sheweth mercy to him. Carnall sorrow sent Iudas and Achitophel to the gallowes, but godly sorrow ever drives a man to God.

When Ionah was in the Whales belly he said, Lord, though I cannot come to thy temple, I will looke towards it: so a sorrowfull soule that is truly burthened with sinne, will say, though I cannot come to heaven, yet I will looke up to heaven: and though I never finde mercy, yet for mercy will I wait: thy mercy onelyonly Lord shall content me.

The next thing is this, we thinke of all things our sinne most pleasant, and nothing so grievous as Gods commandements, and therefore will these sinnes wherein we have taken so much content, will these so wound the soule; why should sinne so wound and pierce the soule? The reasons are these three.

The first is this, the soule must be pierced with sinne, because it is the greatest evill of the p. 159soule, and therefore if the heart doe but truly apprehend it, it cannot but it must be most of all burthened with it: If a man beare two weights on his backe, that is most grievous which is most heavy; if he feele the burthen, as the nature of it requires, it will most presse the shoulders of him that beares it; if the one be thirtie and the other fortie pound weight, nature will be most burthened with the greatest weight: so there is no evill so properly and directly evill to the soule, as the evill of sinne: Punishment deprives the soule of ease and quiet, but sin depives the soule of God, and the maine end for which it was created, through which the soule must be happy, or for the want of this it must be accursed. Now sinne is as it were ten thousand weight, when as sorrow and shame and punishment, they are but a hundred weight: if it were possible for a man to have all the ease and quiet in the world, and to be in heaven, yet if he had a foule heart and a sinfull soule, he were a miserable cursed creature, and if it were possible to be in hell, free from sinne, he were a happy man. There is nothing that can do properly good to the soule but God, and nothing can properly doe any hurt to the soule but sinne, which estrāgeth the heart from God, which is the chiefest good. If a man had all the pleasures and contents the world could afford, nothing wil satisfie the soule but God, and if the soule were in horrour, and had the presence of God with it, it would not but be comforted and quieted therewith, it is possible; Nay, God doth it also, p. 160he makes the soule of a man feele the burthen of sinne because of the vilenesse of it, as well as of the plague and punishment of it.

When the Lord will fasten a mans sinne to his conscience, he is able to force the soule to apprehend the evill of sinne as well as the torment and plague of sinne.

And the ground is this, take the soule as it is polluted with corruption and all abominations, sinne is very crosse to the nature of the soule, it is a creature and a created thing by God, and hath his being from God, and the soule as it is a creature, was made for God: and howsoever the power of sinne prevailed with it and made it fall short of God, yet the nature of the soule still, considering it as it is a creature, it is made for God, and desires to have fellowship and union with God: therefore marke how I despute: If sinne be the worst evill to the soule, as crossing the end of it, and depriving the soule of his chiefest good, then the Lord is able to make the soule see sinne as the greatest evill to the soule; But sinne crosseth the end of the creature, for the end of the creature is Godward, and to have union and fellowship with God. Therefore the Lord is able to make the soule see the evill of sinne as well as the evill of punishment: Therefore it is no wonder that the heart be most of all pierced with sinne.

The second reason is, because by sound sorrow the soule is truly prepared and fitted for the Lord Jesus Christ, and no other way then p. 161this: namely, when the soule sees the burthen of sin as sin: For when the soule comes to feele sinne in the proper colours of it, and to be affected with the loathsomnesse that is in that sin, which hath formerly over-ruled it: Now the soule begins to renounce the power of that sinne, and to withdraw himselfe from under the dominion of his corruptions, so that the union betweene sin and the soule is now broken, and roome is prepared & way is made for the Lord Jesus to come into the soule; when sorrow hath wearied the heart and loosened it from the love of sinne then the heart is fitted for Christ. As it is with a vessell that hath beene for dishonour, if a man will turne the nature of it and make it a vessell of honour, he must not only beat it a little, but he must melt it throughly, and then it is fit to be a vessell of honour. So the soule of every sinfull man and woman is a vessell of dishonour, and sinne hath marvelously polluted them. Now if you will have your hearts fitted for Christ, you must not only have your hearts warmed a little by humiliation, but you must have them melted all to pieces, and the heart must be content to part with al abominations whatsoever, that so the Lord may take place in it, and rule over it even for ever. First, cast out the strong man, and then the Lord Christ wil come in and take possession of the heart; sinne and satan are the strong man, and the Lord Christ binds this strong man and casts him out, when he sheweth the vilenesse of sinne, and trieth the heart with the burthen of it, and binds p. 162the soule to good behaviour; that now the heart is readily content that Christ should come and doe all in the soule.

Many hauehave gone a great way in the strok of humiliatiō, and yet because it neuer went through to the quicke, they have gone backe againe, and become as vile as ever they were; I have knowne men, that the Lord hath layed a heavy burthen upon them; and awakened their consciences, and driven them to a desperate extremity, and yet after much anguish and many resolutions and the prizing of Christ, as they conceived, and after the renouncing of all, to take Christ upon his owne termes, as they imagined; and even these when they have beene eased and refreshed, and God hath taken off the trouble, they have come to be as crosse to God and all goodnesse, and as full of hatred to Gods children as ever, and worse too.

Now why did these fal away? Why were they never Justified and Sanctified? and why did they never come to beleeve in the Lord Jesus? The reason is, because their hearts were never pierced for their sinne, they were never kindly loosened from it; this is the meaning of that place in Ier. Plow up the fallow grounds of your hearts,Ier. 4.3. opened.Jer 4:3 and sow not among thornes, it is nothing else, but with sound saving sorrow to have the heart pierced with the terrours of the Law seising upon it, and the vilenesse of sinne wounding the conscience for it. The heart of a man is compared to fallow ground that is unfruitfull; you must not sow amongst thornes and thistles, first plow it, and lay p. 163it bare and naked, and then cast in your seed. If a man plow here a furrow, and there a furrow, & leave here and there a bawke, he is never like to have a good croppe, there will grow so many thistles and so much grasse, that it will choake the seed: our hearts are this ground, and our corruptions are these thornes and thistles: Now if a man be content to finde some sinne hatefull, because it is shamefull, but will keepe here a lust & there a lust, he will never make any good husbandry of his heart: though a faithfull minister should sow all the grace of the promises in his soule, he would never get any good by them, but the corruptions that remaine in the heart wil hinder the saving worke thereof.

Therefore plow up all, & by sound saving sorrow labour to have thy heart burthened for sin, and estranged from it, and this is good husbandry indeed; the want of this was the wound of the thorny ground as you may see in the parable, those hearers had much of the world in them,Mat. 13.Matt 13 much ease, and profit, and pleasure, and these choaked the word and made it utterly unfruitful, and so they never received comfort nor mercy afterwards.Psalm. 51.17.Ps 51:17 This is that which the Prophet David saith, A contrite and an humble heart O God thou wilt not despise ▪ If you would have your hearts such as God may …ake delight in, and accept; you must have them broken and contrite: David saith The Lords voice breaketh the Cedars of Libanus. So the voice of the Lord like lightning must thunder into the corrupt heart of sinfull creatures.Psalm▪ 29.5.Ps 29:5

p. 164A contrite heart is that which is powdered all to dust,Psal. 90.Ps 90 as the Prophet saith, Thou bringest us to dust, and then thou sayest, returne againe yee sonnes of men. So the heart must be broken all in pieces, to pouder, and the union of sinne must be broken, and it must be content to be weaned from all sinne; as you may make any thing of the hardest flint that is broken all to dust, So it is with the heart that is thus fitted and fashioned; If there be any corruption that the heart lingers after, it will hinder the worke of preparation: If a man cut off all from a branch, save one sliver; that will make it grow still that it cannot be ingrafted into another stocke; So though a mans corrupt heart depart from many sinnes & scandalous abominations: yet if he keepe the love of any one sinne, it will be his destruction: as many a man after horror of heart hath had a love after some base lust or other and is held by it so fast, that he can never be ingrafted into the Lord Jesus. This one lust may breake his necke and send him downe to hell. So then, if the soule onelyonly can be fitted for Christ by …ound sorrow, then this must needs pierce the heart before Christ can come there, but the heart cannot be fitted for Christ without this, and therefore of necessity, the heart must be truly wounded with sorrow for sinne.

3The last reason is this, because by this meanes the heart comes to set a high price upon Christ and grace,Sorrow for sin makes us set a high price upon Christ. either the grace of God offered in the gospell, or that good way which God hath commanded us to walke in. If the heart finde the greatest p. 165evill to be in horror and vexation, then ease and quietnesse from these will be the greatest good; but now the soule seeth grace to be truly precious; because it seeth sinne to be truly vile: and this is the end why the Lord makes the soule see the vilenesse of sinne; that the heart may be brought to see the excellency in Christ and prize him above all.

Now there are two questions to be answered. Quest. 1.First, whether this sound sorrow be a work of saving grace, and such a worke as cannot be in a reprobate.

Question 2.Secondly, whether God doth worke this in all men that are truly converted and brought home to Christ, and whether he workes this in all alike or no.

Answ.For the first,whether is this a worke of saving grace yea or no, and such as cannot be in a reprobate: for answer to this,

First I will shew the order that this worke hath to the other workes.

Secondly, I will shew the difference of this from sanctifying sorrow, and yet it comes to be sanctifying sorrow.

For the order: first, the heart in this worke is not yet conceived to be in Christ, but only to be fitted and prepared for Christ.

If you stoppe here in your consideration, and despute not of any worke to come, it is only in the way to be ingrafted into Christ; but so, that undoubtedly that soule which hath this worke upon it shall have faith powred into it: for this p. 166is the meaning of that place, The Lord Iesus came to socke and s…ve that which was lost. Luke 19.10.Luke 19:10Now to be lost is not because a man is sinfull and miserable in himselfe; but he is lost that seeth the evill of sinne, and the punishment that comes therby, & comes to be lost in his owne apprehension, in r…gard of his owne estate; and he that is thus lost shall be sure to have Christ and salvation by him. It was the end why Christ came, and therefore it shall be fulfilled.

But he that is truly sensible of his sinne and the vilenes of it, and abhors himself for it, he is truely lost, he is not yet settled on Christ, for then he were safe enough, but he is truly sensible of his lost estate, and therefore shall have faith and Christ; though yet he partake not of them, yet he shall be everlastingly saved and redeemed by Iesus Christ.

Quest. And therefore this is an idle question, what if a man die in this worke of preparation before he come to have faith?

Answ.I say it is an idle question, because it is impossible that he which is thus prepared for Christ and grace, but he shall have them before he die▪ As the Prophet saith,Mal. 3.1.2.Mal 3:1Mal 3:2 Behold I will send my messenger before me to prepare my wayes. When the heart is fitted and prepared, the Lord Christ comes immediatly into it: The tēple is the soule, & the way is the preparation for Christ; so as the soule is yet to be conceived as in the way of preparation for Christ; not to have any formall worke of grace whereby he is able to do anything for himselfe.

p. 167The next thing is the difference of the sound saving sorrow from sanctifying sorrow; and you must know there is a double sorrow. First, there is a sorrow in preparation, Secondly, there is a sorrow in sanctification.

The sorrow of the soule in this preparative worke of it,Twofold sorrow. is thus to be conceived; when the word of God leaves an impression upon the heart of a man, so that the heart of it selfe is as it were a patient, and onelyonly beares the blow of the Spirit; the Spirit of the Lord and the over-powring force of the same forceth the soule to beare the word: and hence come all those phrases of Scripture, as wounded, pierced, pricked, and the like, only in the passive voice; Because the soule is a patient, and the Lord by the almighty hand of his Spirit, breakes in upon the soule, so that this sorrow in preparation is rather a sorrow wrought upon me, then any worke comming from any spirituall ability in my selfe.What preparative sorrow is. This is sorrow in preparation when I am a patient, and wherein I receive the worke of the Spirit, and am forced and framed by the spirit to doe that which I doe in this kinde.

But then Secondly there is a sorrow in sanctification, and that is thus, that sorrow that doth flow from a spirituall principle of Grace, & from that power which the heart hath formerly received from Gods Spirit:What sorrow in sanctification is. For sanctification comes after justification, and after the soule hath received faith and grace, then the heart hath a new power given unto it, whereby it is able to set p. 168forth it selfe into any holy action, so that in this a man is a free worker; whereas sorrow in preparation is a worke wrought on me, and I am a patient and doe onelyonly endure it: but I have not any spirituall power to doe any thing of my selfe.

Now mark what I say, both these are saving for rows, but they differ marvelously; many thinketh at every saving work is a sanctifying work, w^ch is false; for every saving worke is not a sanctifiing worke,Rom. 8.30.Rom 8:30 as the Apostle saith, Those whom he calleth, them he also justifies, and whom be justifies, he glorifies. Glorification implies sanctification here in part, and glory for ever hereafter; there is a saving worke and calling but yet not sanctifying worke;Every saving worke is not a sanctifying. for vocation is when God so farre enlighten… the minde, as to buckle the heart and to turne it away from corruption to him, and then afterwards God brings the heart to be justified, and then sanctified; they are first called, and then justified ▪ and then glorified.

The difference of those … is thus to be conceived in this simili…ud…, as it is with the wheeles of a clocke,Simile. th… … qui…e wrong; what must a man doe to set this clocke …ight againe? he must … stoppe it … no longer wrong, and then turne it and set the wheeles right; now all this while the clocke is a patient, and the work…man doth all.

Secondly, wherein is thu… set right, then the work man puts the plunmets and weights on it, and now the wheeles can runne of themselves by vertue of that poise and weight they have gottē; p. 169so that these two are plaine different actions.

Just so it is with the … of the soule, the will and the affections which are as the wheeles of this great and cur…ous clocke (for the soule goes hel-ward and sin-ward, and the minde knows nothing, and the will and the affections imbrace nothing but hell and sinne) now to bring these into any holy order, the Lord must stoppe the soule, and that is done by the discovery of sinne and by this humiliation of heart; when the Lord lets a man see his sinne and saith to him; If thou wilt have sinne thou must have hell and all together; and then the soule saith, if it be so, I will meddle no more with sinne, the adulterer will be uncleane no more; and the drunkard will bee drunke no more.

Now when the soule is thus turned, it looketh heaven-ward, and God-ward, and is content Christ should rule over it: All this while the soule is a meere patient, this is a saving worke & a worke of Gods Spirit where ever it is soundly wrought, and will in the end be faith and grace.

But now when the soule is se… heaven-ward▪ & God justifies a poore sinne…, and pluckes him to himselfe by faith, and adopts him to be his child; then the Lord gives him of his Spirit, and this is as the weight of the soule; then by the power of that spirit the soule is able to runne right, & hath a principle of grace in it, and the poise of the spirit of grace which doth possesse the soule, makes it able freely to mourne for sinne, and to have the heart inlarged in the service of God: this p. 170is mainely the sanctifying worke.

Quest. The second question is this, whether doth the Lord worke this in all, and whether doth he worke it in all alike or no. For I perceive the hearts of many poore Christians are gasping for this, the Lord never wrought upon me in this maner, and my heart was never thus battered & bruised, therefore how shall we know, whether the Lord doth worke this in all or no, and in all alike?

Answ. For the answere of this question, I will handle three things, First, the worke is the same in all, Secondly, the maner is different in the most; Thirdly, many have it in them and yet perceive it not how or when it was wrought.

First, this work of contrition of heart is wrought in every one in this worke of preparation, before he is, or can be planted into Christ: for the truth of this and the substantiall nature of it, Scripture is plaine, and reason is pregnant; Scriptures are many, I will only name three, as that in Luke, our Lord Jesus Christ came to seeke and to save that which was lost. Luke 19.10.Luke 19:10We may observe two things, first, the qualification of that party whom Christ will seeke and save, The qualification of those whom Christ will save.he must be a lost man in his owne apprehension: secondly, see the certainty of salvation of such a one, Christ came for this end; he came to seeke up and save that which was lost. Now Christ will not misse of his end; he came for the lost sheepe, then the lost sheepe he will have; & though the lost sheepe cannot seek nor save thē selves, yet Christ will save them.

p. 171Thus you see, all men must be thus disposed before they can be saved; and if thus fitted and disposed, they shall be certainely saved; It is not enough for a man to be in a miserable estate and damnable condition, but he must also see it, and his heart must be truly affected with it, and finde and feele the but then of it; not so much for the punishment, but for the sinne whereby his heart is estranged from God, and also God from his soule.

Now that the sensiblenesse of his lost condition is there spoken of, and this man that hath it shall be saved, may appeare, because the sensiblenesse of a mans condition in regard of the punishment of sinne is such, as a man may have, and yet never have grace and salvation: Cain had the feeling of Gods wrath and felt the punishment of it, and so did Iudas also, and yet they were never sought up nor saved.

The second place of Scripture, is out of Iohn, No man commeth to me except the father draweth him, Iohn 6.44.John 6:44by comming you must conceive beleeving, (as in that famous place of Iohn, Iohn 6.35.John 6:35He that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst;) Now this text implyes two things, and they are profesly granted by the intendment of the Apostle, for the people murmured why the Pharisies and the great ones beleeved not and followed not Christ, to whom Christ answeres; Vnlesse my father from heaven draw them they cannot come: so that these two things are cleare, first, a man must be drawne, secondly, if he be drawne he shal surely come▪

p. 172This drawing is thus much, when God opens the eye of a man and makes knowne his sinne, & sets downe the heart in the acknowledgement of sinne, so that he feeles the vilenesse and the burthen of it, and is content to part with the fame.

When the Lord shal lay all a mans abominations upon him, all his adulteries, and all his thefts, and now he sees what it is to depart from a blessed and a pure God; O then, he will be drunke, and uncleane, and malitious no more, because the heart is weary of it, and is content to part with it.

From hence I reason thus, true drawing is ever accompanied with true beleeving; but this sense of sinne in regard of the punishment of it, is not alwaies accompanied with true beleeving, but a man must see his sinne further in the vilenes of it, and in the abomination of it; and then he shall undoubtedly beleeve.

The streame of the whole Scripture runnes this way,Mat. 11.28.Matt 11:28 as that in Matthew, Come to me all y… that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you: and this is that which Esay saith, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me:Esay 61.12.Isa 61:12 because he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meeke, he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the captives, & the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaime the acceptable day of the Lord, and to comfort them that mourne: Nay, the garment of gladnesse is fitted only for the broken hearted, as in the third verse of that chapter, To appoint unto them that mourne in Sion, to give unto them beauty p. 173for ashes, and the oyle of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise, for the spirit of heavinesse: Nay, the promises of largest extent in Scripture, doe either expresly belong unto such as a… broken in heart, or else they doe imply so much that a man must be so before ever God can or will accept of him.

As in the Revelations, Revel. 22.17.Rev 22:17Hoe, every one that will, let him come freely, and take of the water of the well of life and live for ever. So then, some may say, Object. though a man were not broken hearted, yet if he will take this water of life, he shall live for ever; Answ. Nay, but except he be broken hearted and humbled, he will never take it, as a man must have grace, so he must will the water of life: now to will the water of life is this; to choose grace as the chiefest good; and to prize grace more then any thing else in the world; and to esteeme the Lord Jesus and his grace truly pretio…s.

A man is said to chuse a woman when he is content to part with all for her, and to have her for her grace sake; so a man must part with sinne and himselfe, and whatsoever is deare to him, that he may hauehave grace, now he will not part with sinne, unlesse he be weary and burthened with it; and therefore this wearying implyes the burthening of the heart with sinne; thus much for the proofe of Scripture.

Now to adde some …easons that may compell our Judgements to yeeld to this truth; and they are taken; First, from the qualification of mans heart naturally, and secondly from what he must p. 174be, before he can receive Christ.

I will discover my thoughts in foure conclusions, and thus I reason.Conclusion 1 It is a confest case (I conceive) that every man by nature doth entertaine sinne as his God, and seekes and loves that most of all; himselfe, and his sinne, is his God. In this case it is his chiefest good, and the heart will not, nay, it cannot, be content to part with it; What is the cause that we propound Christ, and grace, and salvation, to a company of poore simple creatures, and yet the counsells, the promises, and commandements of God prevaile not with the heart of them, nor awe them, but still they will have their sinnes, and the offer of Christ and grace lies in the dust; the adulterer will have his queans, and the drunkard will have his cups, & they will not suffer the word to plucke away their corruptions, but they will have them though they be damned for them, what doth this argue, but that sinne is their God. Nay, it is cleare, not only in palpable reason, but the Scripture is evident this way: It is the match Christ offers to the young man,Mat. 19.21.22Matt 19:21Matt 19:22 if he would sell all and follow him, he should have treasure in heaven: he was covetous, and this was fayre offer for a little trash, he should have everlasting life, now the text saith, he went away sorrowfull, he would rather have his covetousnes and his wealth, then heaven.

Conclusion 2The second conclusion is this, there cannot be two Gods in one heart, two Kings in one throne nor two Suns in one firmament; you cannot have Christ, and yet be an underling to sinne; will p. 175Christ be a Physitian to heale you that you may have your sinnes still? No, our Saviour is plaine to the contrary,Mat. 6.22.Matt 6:22 you cannot serve God and Mammon; If the adulterer will have his queanes, then he must forsake the Lord, and if he will not part with his lust, nor have his heart circumcised, nor broken, then he must goe downe whole to hell; as the Prophet said, Why halt you between two opinions, if God be God serve him. God will bochiefe in the soule.

It is not possible to have heaven and hell together; it is impossible for a man looke up to heaven steadfastly with both his eyes downe to the earth, both at one time.

Thirdly,Conclusion 3. you must of necessity cast off the yoak of corruption, and rebell against that; you must have your first god; pride, and malice, and the like, to be unthroned, before the Lord Christ wil set up his scepter, and before he can be welcome to your soules; you must have your hearts divorced from your first husbands, from sinne, and all those abominations which you have loved and hugged as your life; if ever you would have Christ make a match with you, and take possession of your soules; as the Lord saith, Thou shalt …e as a widdow and fit for me, Hosea 3.3. opened.Hos 3:3and as the originall hath it, Thou shalt be separate from all, and fit thy selfe for me, and then I will mar…y thee to my selfe in righteousnesse.

Lastly, the soule will not … with his corruption and lust,Conclusion 4. which are his god; unlesse he be wearied with them, and finde the gall and bitternesse p. 176of their evill nature; I say, till then, it is impossible that ever the soule should be separate from that sinne wherein it hath found such contentment; therefore it is of necessity that they be parted; but before the soule seeth the venom of sinne, it will not part with it, and so he cannot come to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and hence it is, that the Lord in his infinite wisedome is thus not only willing to doe for a poore sinner, but to force him to it, for there is such love and liking to sinne; that if you pull away the adulterers queanes, and the drunkards pots, you had as good kill them, and they begin to say, It was well with the towne before the minister came there; the reason is, because he would have his sinne.

Now the Lord is pleased to lay a heavy weight upon the …oule, and to force the burthen of sinne upon it, that whereas before, the heart did finde much sweetnesse in these base courses; the Lord makes them as bitter as gall, or wormewood; And then the soule begins to reason thus with it selfe; and faith, Is it such a thing to be drunke, & is it murther to envy my brother? and can none such enter into the Kingdome of heaven? & when the soule seeth God taken away, & heave separated from him; he saith, Is this the pleasing sin that I have loved? and is this the nature of my pride to have God resist me? this lies heavy upō the heart, and at last the soule is resolved to part with his sinne and never to love it more; Good Lord, do what thou wilt with me, only take my soule and save me, and take away my lusts and corruptions: p. 177The heart is content at length that Christ should doe all; and now the match is made, the sight of sinne from the punishment of it will never separate the soule from sinne, nor breake that union that is betweene them.

Iudas had it in a great measure, and God pluckt his sweet morsels from his mouth, and made him confesse his sinnes, and take shame to himselfe; & so God doth with many, and makes them say, I have beene a drunkard and an adulterer, and a desperate opposer of God and his ordinances: But though Iudas loathed the horrour & punishment of sinne, yet he had a murtherous disposition still, he that had killed Christ went and murthered himselfe too.

Now from these former conclusions I reason thus, If a mans sinnes be his God, and if there cannot be two Gods in one heart, and if those corruptions of the heart must of necessity be cast out, and if the heart will not part with sinne till it be wearied with it, and that is done by godly sorro…; then it is a matter of necessity, that the heart must be pierced; and there must be a separation betweene sinne and the soule, before Christ will marry the soule and rule in it; or else there shall be two Gods in one heart, which cannot be.

The second thing in this answere is this, some may say, oh I never found this worke in me. Now therefore you must know, how ever this worke is wrought in all for the substance of it, yet in a different maner in the most. For the fashion that God useth in framing the heart is different; two p. 178men are pricked, the one with a pinne, the other with a speare: two men are cut, the one with a pen knife, the other with a sword: So the Lord deals kindly and gently with one soule,All are not alike wounded for sinne. & roughly with another, and handles it marvelous sharply, and breakes it all to pieces. There is the melting of a thing and the breaking of it with hammers; this I say the rather to checke the imagination that harbours in the heart of some men, otherwise holy and wise, (and yet mistaken in this point) they thinke the Lord never workes grace, but in this extraordinary manner.

It is true, God sometime must use this affrighting of spirit, and when proud spirits come to grapple with the Lord, he will make their f…urdy hearts to buckle: And it is true; there must be a cleare sight of sinne and the heart must be wearied with the vilenesse of i… and be content to part with sinne: This is wrought in all: but that it must be in all in this extraordinary fearefull maner as it is in some, the word saith it is not, neither is God bound to any manner, there is a difference among persons.

As for example, First, if the person be a scandalous liver, and an opposer of God, and his grace, and sets himselfe against the Lord Jesus Christ; if he set his mouth against heaven and professe himselfe an enemy to God and to his truth.

Secondly, if a man have harboured a filthy heart, and continued long in sinne, & hath been a close adulterer, and continued long in it.

Thirdly, if a man have been confident in a civill course.

p. 179Lastly, if God purpose to do some great workes by him.

In all these foure cases he layes a heavy blow upon the heart, & commonly the nature of these persons requires it.

First, when any one hath beene an opposer of God and his grace, if the Lord should deale gently with him, other vile wretches would be ready to say, such a man is gone to heaven, though he be thus and thus, yet the Lord dealt lovingly with him: and therefore though I continue in these courses, I shall doe well enough; Nay, (delude not thy selfe, for) the Lord will bruise him, and rend the kall of his heart, and make him seek to a faithfull minister for direction, & to a poore Christian for Counsell, whom before he despised; and the world shall know what it is to oppose God, and to persecute his children; as he broke Pauls heart, and made him say, I am he that have persecuted the Saints.

Commonly the Lord will not shew mercy to such as these are, in hugger mugger, but wil make the world see their humiliation, as they have seen their rebellion and opposition.

Thus the Lord deales with the secret theefe & close adulterer; the Lord pluckes away their corruptions, & makes them vomit up their sweet morsels, and then they will say, these are my sins, and this heart of mine is hardened by the continuance in them: And therefore it is that the Lord workes in this manner.

But if the soule be otherwise trained up among p. 180godly parents, and live under a soule-saving ministery, that saith, you cannot goe to heaven by a civill course, and you cannot have any dispensation for your prophanation of the Sabbath; I say, if a man live under such a ministery & keepe good company, the Lord may reforme this man, and cut him off from his corruptions kindly, and breake his heart secretly in the apprehension of his sinnes, and yet the world never see it.

In both these we have an example, in Lydia and the Iaylor, Lydia was a sinfull woman, and God opened her eyes and melted her heart kindly,Acts 16.Acts 16 & brought her to a tast of his goodnesse here, and glory hereafter. But the Iaylor was an outragious, rebellious wretch, for when the Apostles were committed to prison he layed them up in stockes and whipped them sore; O saies he, now I have gotten these precise …ellowes into my hands, I wil have my penny-worths of them.

Now there was much worke to bring this man home; when the Apostles were singing Psalmes there came an earth-quake which made the Prison doores to fly open and the prisoners fetters fall off, but yet the Iaylors heart would not shake, at last the Lord did shake his heart too, and he came trembling and was ready to lay violent hands upon himselfe, because he thought the prisoners had beene fled; but the Apostles cried to him,Acts 16.30.Acts 16:30 Doe thy selfe no harme: for we are all here; with that he fell downe before them and said, Men and brethren, what shall I doe to be saved?

p. 181I conclude this; naturally all men are locked up under infidelity, now the Lord opēs their hearts severally, you know some lockes are new and fresh, and therefore an easie key may open them, but some lockes are old and rusty, and therefore must be broken open by force of hand; so it is with some mens hearts, howsoever sin prevailes over the hearts of civill men, and they are full of pride, and the like; and yet their hearts are kept cleare frō rusting, by restrayning grace; now the Lord will draw that man by the key of his spirit, and kindly withdraw him from his sinne. But if a man have beene an old rusty drunkard, or adulterer, no key can open his heart; alas, it is not a little matter will doe the deed, it is not now and then a gratious promise that will breake his heart: But the Lord must come downe from heaven, and breake open the doore by strong hand, by awaking his conscience, that all the countrey rings of him.

You know all mens hearts are compared to stones;Mans heart is like a stone. some stones are soft, you may crush them to pieces with your hands, and some are flints which must have many blowes before they will breake, so it is with the heart: while it hath not beene melted and softned by humility, the Lord must breake it open by maine force, and as it is with a tree, some branches are young and smooth without knots; and some are old ones, and full of knots; now if a man come every day and give a little cut at the tender branch, at last it will off easily; but it is no cutting of an old tree with a p. 182pen-knife, but a man must take an axe, and give many a sore cut, that all the people in the towne may heare it.

All men grow upon the root of sinne, which is Adams rebellion: some are young, and have not growne knotty in a rebellious course; every Sabbath day the Lord gives a cut at him by his counsels, and by his threatnings, and by his promises; at last it falls off kindly, and they are content to part with their sinnes, and to rest upon Christ for mercy. Another man is an old sturdy vile wretch an over-growne adulterer and drunkard, and his heart is blinded in sinne: I tell you, if ever the Lord cut off this man from his base course, hee must come with a mighty hand, and with his book of the Law: God is ever laying at his soule, blow after blow, and so at last hee begins to forsake his wicked courses. What (saith one) is such a man turned? hee was as heavy a persecutor as ever the Sunne saw: his father was an enemy to all goodnesse, and hee was as bad; Like father like sonne: Hath the Lord brought him home? Yes, now hee sends to the faithfull Ministers, and to Gods people for comfort and direction.

The third and last part of the answer is this, That when God workes gently with Christians, they hardly perceive the worke, though wise Christians may approve that which is done; for this is certaine, wheresoever Christ is, there preparation was; if ever man be saved, Christ hath made him see his lost estate.

Sometime the worke is secret, and the soule p. 183apprehends it not because it is so, and though he doe, yet it is an unknowne worke to him, hee knowes not what to make of it, he can finde in his heart to hate those and those sinfull courses, yet he cannot see how this was wrought in him: Mans spirit is such that he misjudgeth the worke; but give me a Christian that God doth please to worke upon in this extraordinary manner, and to breake his heart soundly, & to throw him downe to some purpose, though it cost him deare: this man walkes with more eare and conscience, and hath more comfort comming to himselfe, and gives more glory to God, wheras the other doth but little good in his place, and hath little comfort comming to him.

Therefore labour for soundnes in this worke, and then for ever sound: but if once deluded here, then for ever cozened, and everlastingly damned.

The first-Use is for instruction.Vse 1. It is so, that the soule of a man is thus pierced to the quicke, and runne thorow by the wrath of the Almighty? Then let this teach the Saints and people of God,How to carry our selves towards such as are wounded for their sinnes. how to carry themselves towards such as God hath thus dealt withall. Are they pierced men? Oh, pitty them: let our soules, and the bowells of commiseration and compassion bee let out towards them, and let us never cease to doe good to them to the very uttermost of our power and strength. And to the performance of this, not onelyonly reason perswades us, but Religion bindes us, and pitty moves us.

p. 184See what the Lord saith by Moses, If a man see his neighbours oxe or asse fall into distresse by the way the Lord commanded to ease him and succour him,Deut. 22.1.2.3.Deut 22:1Deut 22:2Deut 22:3 nay to lay all businesse aside, and not to hide himselfe from him.

Thus the Lord commands mercy to the unreasonable creature, that is thus wearied with the weight that he carrieth; hath the Lord care of oxen? As the Apostle saith in another case, It is for our sakes that the Lord requires this duty: The meaning is this; shall not the heart of thy brother be eased, that is tired thus with the wrath of the Almighty? shall not this poore fainting creature be succoured? are you men or are you beasts in this kinde? If a hogge be but in distresse, it is strange to see how folke come about it; are we divels then that we can see poore creatures burthened with the unconceivable wrath of the Lord, and not pitty them? doe you see these, and not mourne and succour, and pray to heaven for them? See what Iob saith, and let him speake in the behalfe of all distressed soules,Iob. 19.21.23.Job 19:21Job 19:23 O saith hee, that my sorrowes were all weighed they would prove heavier then the sand. Marke how he cries for succour, oh you my friends have pitty upon me, for the hand of God is heavy upon me, for the hand of God hath touched me: Imagine you saw him sitting upon the dunghill mourning, it is not the hand of a man or an enemy but the heavy hand of God; and therefore all you my friends that see my anguish and my sorrowes have pitty upon me.

p. 185Those palefaces and blubbered cheekes, and feeble hearts, and hands of theirs; say thus much unto you, have you no regard of a man in misery? have you no pitty saith the Lamenting Chu…ch? so doth every grieved & humbled soule, their sighes and sorrowes in secret say thus much; oh all you that walke in the streets, have you no remorse of a poore desolate forlorne creature? Had I beene only wounded, or had my nature growne weake, some Physitian might have eased me, had I been poore, some friends might have enriched me, had I beene disgraced, the King might have advanced me to honours, but was there ever sorrow like to my sorrow of soule? It is the God of mercy that shewes himselfe displeased with me, it is the God of all grace and comfort, that hath filled my heart with the venom of his wrath; if there be any pitty or compassion in you lend helpe, and succour such poore distressed soules; if a woman be in travell and her strength faileth her; oh what bitter cries shee puts forth, with that all her neighbours come to helpe her, and when they have done all they can, they pray to heaven for that they cannot doe themselves.

And as it is with a man that is swounding away, they runne for strong cordiall water, and for this man, and that friend, to succour him, and they cry all, help, help, for the Lords sake, he is cleane gone; this is all well, it is a worke of mercy and pitty.

But men, brethren and fathers you know not the heart breaking sorrows that are in the soules p. 186of these poore creatures, he lies as it were in childbed, and is in the very pangs of conversion, and his heart is even now at a ha, even now to be converted, and loosned from sinne, and to have Christ brought into his soule; O that God would send some amongst you that you might see some experience of it: Oh faith the poore soule, will these and these sinnes never be pardoned? and will this proud heart never be humbled? thus the soule …ighes, mournes, and saith, Lord, I see this, and feele the burthen of it; and yet I have not a heart to be humbled for it, nor to be freed from it; Oh whence will it once be? did you but know this it would make your hearts to bleed to heare him, it is not the swounding away of a man in a qualme; No, No, the sword of the Almighty hath pierced through his heart, and he is breathing out his sorrow, as though he were going downe to hell, and he saith; if there by any mercy, any love, any fellowship of the spirit; have mercy upon me a poore creature that am under the burthen of the Almighty; O pray and pitty these wounds and vexations of spirit, which no man finds nor feeles but he that hath been thus wounded.

It is the signe of a soule wholy denoted to destruction, that hath a desperate disdaine against poore wounded creatures, O saith one, I hope you have hearing enough have you not? it may be you will tumble downe into a well or hang your selfe, will you not? Oh fearefull, is it possible there should harbour such a spirit in any man? p. 187there is not a greater brand of a man denoted to destruction then this; I doe not say onelyonly he is starke naught for the present, but it is a fearefull brand of a man denoted to eternall destruction; if the devill himselfe were upon earth I cannot conceive what he could doe worse.

When the woman was about to be delivered, the Red Dragon was there ready to destroy the child,Revel. 12.4.Rev 12:4 & see what the Prophet David saith of such, Lord powre out thy wrath upon the heathen that know not thee, Psal. 79.24.25.26.Ps 79:24Ps 79:25Ps 79:26and the Kingdomes that have not knowne thy name; let thy wrathfull displeasure take hold of them that adde iniquity unto iniquity, & let them not come into thy righteousnesse, let them be blotted out of thy booke. Whats the reason of this? why did David make this imprecation, and say; Lord se… open the gates of hell, that thy wrath may fall upon the soules of such as these are, the text saith, they persecute him whom thou hast smitten: the Lord smites a poore sinner, and thou art ready to persecute him too; the Lord hath wounded him, & wilt thou stabbe him to the heart; Good Lord! adde iniquity to iniquity! The sin is marvelous, and the curse unconceivable.

When Amaleck met Israel and tooke them at advantage, because they were weake and weary, Remember (saith the text) what he did to thee in the way, how he feared not God, and the Lord saith, I remember what Amaleck did to the people of Israel: Deut. 25.17.Deut 25:17goe therefore and blot out his name from under heaven, and kill all both young and old. This is a true type of such as are enemies to the poore p. 190Saints of God, that are thus desolate and wounded in their consciences; their being in the wildernes was a type of the Saints conversion; and their comming to Canaan, was a type of the Saints ariving at the heavenly City Jerusalem.

Now canst thou jeere at the Saints, that are thus wounded? and canst thou wound them further? and pierce him to the heart, and discourage him? The Lord will remember thee in the day of thy death, and as thou hast shewed no mercy, so shalt thou receive no mercy in that day. I have knowne many such opposers of God and his Grace, that have beene forced to lay violent hands vponupon themselves, and when the Lord hath gotten some of them upon their sick bed they lye roaring there; and the Lord layes his full wrath vponupon them; If there be any such in this congregation, I pray God let them see some sudden veine of his vengeance, that if it be possible they may finde and feele the waight of this trouble of conscience; that they themselves also may finde mercy from the Lord.

The second part of the Vse is this; as we must pitty those thus wounded; so hereby we see the best way to send help to such as are wounded in their hearts, the wo…nd is in the heart, therefore let the salve be applyed to the heart. It is in vaine to tell a poore wounded soule of Hawkes or Hounds, or the like: hee is not wounded in his body, but in his heart: the physicke must be applyed to the part diseased. If the head be sick or sore, you must not apply a salve to the arme; and p. 191if the brest be ill, you must not apply a salve to the foot: so it is a vaine thing to offer riches or pleasures, or profits, to a man that is wounded in his conscience for sin; the wound is not there: if the wound were in disquietnesse, then pleasure will cure it; if the wound were in poverty, then riches would cure him; if the wound were in basenes and contempt, then honours would cure him. No, thy heart is wounded, and the conscience is terrified in the apprehension of Gods wrath; And therefore apply the spiritual Balme of Gilead, even the blood of Christ: the case is cleare that all the Crosses and Crucifixes, and Agnus dei in the world, & al the popish pardons can doe no good to a wounded Conscience. There is never a popish shaveling under heaven can cure a woū ded soule, hee cannot apply that spirituall salve that should comfort him: hee may delude him, and lead him into the commission of sinne, but he cannot minister any true comfort unto him: thus they cure a poore Christian by searing of his conscience, and make him sinne so much the more, and neuer be troubled for sinne, as if a man should kill a sicke person, and say now he feeles no hurt, so it often fals out that a man feeles no sinne, but yet he is not cured, because his sinne is not removed, and his heart unpacified in the blood of Christ.

Secondly,Vse 2. is it so, that the wound of a sinner is in his heart? then we hauehave here a matter of complaint that we may iustly take up against the secure generation wherein we liue, there is but p. 190little saving sorrow, and therefore but little saving grace, if there be no preparation for Christ there can be no true evidence of grace, nor of Gods love in Christ; if there be no preparation for a building, there can be no building set up. The Lord be mercifull to a world of men that live in the bosome of the Church, if we had a foū taine of teares with Ieremy to bewaile this age in this respect, it were worth the while, and if the Lord should send some Ezekiel and say to him, goe to such a countrey, or such a shire, and see if there be any that doe mourne for their sinnes, & comfort such: Alas, what would become of a world of persons?

This is a bill of inditement against three sorts of people; it arraignes and condemnes such, as never yet shared in this worke of preparation, & of saving sorrow, and therefore were never in Christ: these swarme in our streets: And first it fals marvelous heavy upō such as take contentment in their base courses, those loose Epicures and boone gallants of our time, that goe staggering in our streets, they are so farre from grieving for their sinnes, that it is their greatest vexation that they cannot commit sinne, and have elbow roome to sinne freely; O what a griefe it is to them to have a minister checke them, and that there is a law to punish them for sinne; & whereas finne should be poyson in their soules to woūd them, it becomes as meat to nourish them, They sleepe not except they have done mischiefe, (saith the Wiseman,) and their sleepe is taken away unlesse they p. 191cause some to fall;Prov. 4.16.17.Prov 4:16Prov 4:17 they … the bread of wickednesse, and drinke the Wine of violence. So farre it is from being poyson unto them▪ and so far are they from being troubled with sinne, that it is their meat and pastime to sinne; Just Esau▪ like: What did he?Genesis 2….Gen 2 When he had eate and drunke, he rose up to play, and this was all he looked after: When he had passed away his title to heaven, and happinesse, and esteemed of Christ and heaven no more then of a messe of pottage; he ate and dranke; his heart was never touched for what he had done, he did not smite upon his thigh, as Ephraim did, & say, What have I done? Have I sold away my birthright for nothing? You that know the world, you know there are many that sit upon the ale-bench, and sweare, and drinke, and raile against Gods servants, and are never troubled for it; Nay, the world is come to this passe, that it is their greatest vexation that they are hindered in their sinfull courses.

It was the guise of the old world: Haman went home sicke, because he wanted the Cap and knee from Mordecay: Amnon was sicke of incest, and Ahab was sicke of covetousnesse, and Ahitophel was sicke because his counsell was not followed; The Lord of heaven knowes, the adulterer is sick because he cannot get the heart and company of his queane; many a man is sicke of envy, it is rottennesse to his bones; yea many a man goeth up and downe sicke of it, and is not quiet, because he cannot vent his rage against a faithfull minister that checkes him: You swearers p. 192doth not your hearts rise against the King & state, for making a law against that sinne: Doe you not hate the constable and witnesse that come in against you, you account these the greatest plague to you in all the world; I appeale to the hearts of you all, that heare me this day; can you say you are troubled for sin, and yet grieve, because you cannot commit sinne still: Woe woe to your soules that thus delight in sinne. There are many that despight the spirit of grace and sticke not to say, I did sweare such a man out of the house, and I did drinke such a man under the table dead: Read that place of the Apostle & there you shall see your doome,2. Thes. 2.13.2 Thess 2:13 and if there be any such in your families, or amongst your neighbours, throw this in their faces, and if they will goe downe to hell, let them goe with paine, that all they might be damned (saith the text,) which beleeved not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse. God is not partiall, but saith, that all they might be damned: it would almost shake a mans heart to thinke of it.

How many notorious vile wretches may say, Good Lord, what will become of our families▪ & villages? we are all opposers of God & his grace, shall all be damned? I dare not say what God will doe to thee, the text saith so. This, me thinks might lie as poyson and rats-bane upon the heart of a sinfull creature: the Lord in mercy looke upō you and make sinne as loathsome and bitter unto you, as ever it hath beene sweet and pleasant. You see how the matter will goe with you: you that p. 193thus jibe and jeast at the Saints, and sport yourselves in sinne, the time may come that it will be a dry feast as it was with Dives that was drunke and fared deliciously every day, Luke 16.25.Luke 16:25he had a dry feast in hell, and could not have a droppe of water to coole his tongue. So it will be with you, you must either buckle and mourne for sinne, or else burne for ever.

Secondly, It condemns such as are in a faire straine; such are they that have a slight sense of sinne; but it never goes downe to the heart, the skinne is ripled a little, but the kall of their heart was never broken for their abominations. Naaman was to wash seven times in Iordan, so this water of godly sorrow is of a healing nature, but these men doe not rubbe and reince their soules in it, they only dippe their soules in a little sorrow, but you must wash it throughly and fully, if ever you desire to have the leprosie of sinne purged out: Men bathe their sinnes with teares, but they doe not drown them; they do as parents doe with their children, they will correct them a little, and presently cocker them againe; so the hypocrite useth to trouble his corruptions; and complaine of them and vexe them a little with sorrow; but in the meane time cocker them and dandle them againe. But sinne will not be so killed, and the heart will not be so easily broken, this kinde of sorrow is too slight and overly.

As it is with a debter, that hath borrowed money, he will complaine he had an ill bargaine, and desires that either he might have the debt p. 194abated, or the day put off, he puts it off w^th meer talking; such a generatiō there are of the whining hypocrites, that wil outwardly complain of their corruptions, but keepe the corruptions still; As Ahab did, he hated Micaiah, and afterwards he fasted and prayed,1. King… 21.1 Kgs 21 that he might sinne more freely without suspition: So there is many a cursed hypocrite that lives in a faire course, and yet will cheat and lie, and deale marvelous unjustly; and then he will complaine of his sinne, and confesse, only to bath his sins, but drown his sins & subdue them he will not, and this he doth that he may sinne more freely againe; it is but fasting and praying, &c.

O brethren it is a desperate hypocrisie, that sorrow which God hath appointed as a meanes to purge out sinne, should be a meanes to cover his sinne: will a few wambling teares doe the deed, and breake the heart? is this acceptable sorrow? you your selves are ashamed of this work, and do you thinke God will accept of it? No, no, it is not the rending of the garments, nor the weeping of the eyes, that will doe the deed, but you must breake your hearts: If you only cut off the legs or wings of a fowle, it will live for all that: so you cut off the armes or hands of sinne, but so long as the heart is not wounded, and driven to any amazement for sin, it will live with you here and in hell too.

Oh doe not cozen your owne soules; it is not the teares of the eye, but the blood of the heart that your sinnes must cost, and if you come not to p. 195this, never thinke that your sorrow is good; and therefore you that finde your selves guilty, lay your hands upon your hearts & say, Good Lord, this is my portion, the Lord knowes I have confessed my sinnes, and yet have taken liberty to sin: but my heart was never burthened with this evill and vilenesse of sinne; and therefore to this day I never had this true sorrow.

3There is a third sort of sorrowers which is the worst of all, they are such as heretofore have drunke deepe of this sorrow, and have beene extraordinarily strucken and yet they are grown so much the more hardened in their sinnes by all these blowes that God hath layed upon them; these are in a desperate condition, even such as God hath made howle in the congregation, yet afterwards fall into the same courses againe, and returne to their old byas, and now they can outface God and his ministers and all; and thinke it a matter of basenesse to be disquieted in heart, as they have beene: such novices and children they were once, that they could not sleepe nor be quieted, but now they care not what all the ministers under heaven say against them; nay, they can fleare in our faces, and be drunke and vile, & be never troubled for it, they have gottē the skill of it, This is the most fearfull condition that almost a poore creature can fall into.

Thou accountest it thy glory and credit that thou canst beare all, and art metall of proofe, and no bullets can pierce thee, thou wast troubled before, but now thou hast shaken it off; This p. 196I say is thy shame, & will aggravate thy condemnation, nay, I take it to be one of the forest tokens under heaven, of a gracelesse heart; If thou hast had thy conscience awakened, and hast beene troubled for sin, and now dost fly off, It is a signe of Gods high displeasure towards thee; thou takest the right course, as if God had invēted a way to destroy thy soule, as you may see in Esay, Go thy waies, Esay 6.7.8.9.Isa 6:7Isa 6:8Isa 6:9saith the Lord, Speake to this people, but they shall not heare; make the heart of this people fat: as though he had said, there are a company of people in such a place; Goe thy waies to them, open their eyes, and touch their hearts, and awaken their consciences, and when thou hast done, then let their consciences be feared and fatted, and then they will goe the right way to destruction; for if they would awaken, and sorrow kindly, and repent, I must needs save them.

Let these men remember that it is a heavy signe God hath forsaken them; me thinkes this should trouble their soules exceedingly, & force them to cry out, I am the man that have my heart fatted, and would not be touched and converted.

Now if all be true that I have said, there are but few sorrowers for sinne, therefore few saved; here we see the ground & reason, why many fly off from Godlinesse, and Christianity: This is the cause; their soules were only troubled with a little hellish sorrow, but their hearts were never kindly grieved for their sinnes. If a mans arme be broken and disjoynted a little, it may grow together againe; But if it be quite broken p. 197off, it cannot grow together; so the terrour of the Law affrighted his conscience, and a powerfull minister unjointed his soule, and the Judgements of God were rending of him; but he was never cut off altogether: and therfore he returnes as vile, and as base, if not worse then before, and he growes more firmly to his corruptions.

It is with a mans conversion, as in some mens ditching; they doe not pull up all the trees by the roots, but plash them: so when you come to have your corruptions cut off, you plash them, and do not wound your hearts kindly, and you doe not make your soules feele the burthen of sinne truly: this wil make a man grow and flourish still, howsoever more cunningly and subtilly. This lopping professor growes more subtle in his wickednesse: the soule that hath beene terrified for his lusts, hee is now growne a plashed adulterer, and Alehouse haunter, hee will be drunke more cunningly and secretly: and so he that hath beene an open opposer of Gods children, will now jibe and jeast at them in a corner, and when he comes amongst his old companions, then hee can vent out all his malice.

This is the reason why all wicked men that were in some good way of preparation of soule, they turne their backs upon Christ; even because they were never cut off kindly from their sinnes, but only unjointed, and that is the reason why they fall to their old corruptions againe. This is the maine cause of all the hypocrisie under heaven: there was never any soule that made profession, p. 198and fals againe, but the ground of it is here.

Vse 3.The third use is for exhortation: If every sorrow will not doe it, and if slight sorrow will not doe it, what then remaines to be done, then if ever thou wouldest be comforted, and receive mercy from the great God, labour to take the right way, and never be quieted, til you do bring your hearts to a right pitch of sorrow; let it never be said of as it was of you them in Hosea, They have not cried unto me with their hearts, whē they how led upon their beds, Hosea 7.14.Hos 7:14they assembled themselves for corn & wine, but they rebell against me. Thou hast a little slight sorrow, but oh labour to have thy heart truly touched, that at last it may breake in regard of thy many distempers; the longer seed time, the greater harvest; and so howsoever this sorrow is troublesome now, it will be very comfortable in the end; and though it be tedious to lay all these cursed abominations upon thy heart; yet it will not be harsh when the Lord remembers you in his Kingdome; it will never repent you that you have had your hearts humbled and broken, when the Lord comes to heale you; and it will never repent you that you have wept, when the Lord comes to wipe away all teares frō your eyes. Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be comforted, Ma…. 5.saith our Saviour, but Woe to you that are at ease in Sion;Amos 6.1.Amos 6:1 there is a time of mourning for sinne; you cannot have ease and quietnesse alwaies, you had better now be wounded then everlastingly tormented. And therefore if you desire p. 199to see the face of God with comfort, and to have Christ speake for you, and say, come you poore heavy hearted sinners, I will ease you, if ever you desire this, labour to lay load on your hearts with sorrow for your sinnes. Oh what comfort shall … poore broken heart finde in that day! David saith,Psal. 5.…Ps 5 A broken and contrite heart (O Lord) thou wilt not despise.

When men goe into a farre countrey for merchandize, they will not take rattles and such toies for their money; but such commodities as they may get something by: so when the Lord comes for broken hearts, you must not thinke to put the Lord off with a little painted sorrow: No, no, it is a broken heart that the Lord wil not despise. Would you know what kinde of heart the Lord will accept and never cast off? It is a broken heart: tell your friends and neighbours of it, me thinkes you looke as if you would finde acceptance with God, and goe to heaven; oh then get an humble, lowly, broken heart; the Lord regards not all the rivers of oyle in the world; not a hundred thousand fasts; but it is a broken heart that God will blesse and glorifie.

Looke as it is with a womans conception, those birthes that are hasty, the children are either still borne, or the woman most commonly dies; so do not thou thinke to fall upon the promise presently. Indeed you cannot fall upon it too soone upon good grounds; but it is impossible, that ever a full soule or a haughty heart should beleeve, thou maiest be deceived, but thou canst not be ingraftted p. 200into Christ: therefore when God begins to worke, never rest till you come to a full measure of this brokennesse of heart. Oh follow the blow, and labour to make this worke sound and good unto the bottome, and then you shall be sure to receive comfort, as the Prophet David saith,Psal. 123.2.Ps 123:2 Our eyes are up unto thee till thou have mercy on us. Let your consciences be wounded throughly and kindly, & resolve not to heare the cursed counsell of carnall friends, that say, what neede you mourne; O poore fooles, there is not any, even the civillest professor in the Kingdome, but if God did discharge his sinnes to his heart as hee could doe, it were enough to make him goe howling with sorrow to his grave; therefore humble your selves before God and never be at rest, till the Lord shew mercy to your soules, never unburthen your soules before God ease you; and do not breake prison. For if you doe, God will send after you with a witnesse. No, no, When God hath put thee into prison, breake not out til God send to deliver you; and then your hearts will be filled with comfort: soundly humbled, soundly comforted: If a man be lost, Christ will seek him up and save him.

Quest. Now it may be some poore soule will say, How shall I bring my heart to this sound worke indeed.

Answ. For answere to this, I will shew three meanes whereby the Lord workes this sound conviction,

First, when the Lord begins first to worke upon p. 201you, and you begin to see your corruptions, then possesse your soules with the apprehension of the ticklishnesse of your condition wherein you are: this worke is great and marvelous inward, and you may be easily deceived, and the danger is great if you be deceived: it is in this case with the soule, as it is with a ship on the sea, when the marriners passe by and see the rockes where such and such ships have beene split; and the men and all lost; they are very wary to steere aright and to direct their compasse aright; but neare sands and rockes they will not come: So it is with this humbling of the heart, many have beene cozened and deceived therein: therefore now hold this rule, Let that soule whose eyes God hath opened, and brought under his blowes (let such I say) rather feare he is not sound in the worke, then feare that he shall not have ease; for every man saith, I pray you (Sir) comfort and refresh me, and will God never give me comfort? Oh now you goe wrong; many perish because they goe off from this worke so soone; but never did any perish because he received the worke soundly. Therefore reason thus with thy owne heart; and say, Good Lord be merciful to me, my condition is very tickle; If now I be deceived, thē farewell comfort.

Was not Cain and Iudas vexed and disquieted and yet damned?

This is a great point of wisedome, and sinks many a Christian, (I know what I say,) as it is with child bearing, a woman when her throwes p. 202come often and strong, there is some hope of deliverance; but when her throwes goe away, commonly the child dies, and her life too. So it is in this great work of contrition, which is nothing else, but the child-birth of the soule; when your throwes goe away, take heed that your salvation goes not too; once you could say, the minister spake home to my heart, I remember the time full well; Why then what becomes of all your sorrow? You can be as carnal & as secure as ever? it is certaine you are in child-bearing, but your throwes have left you, and your brokennesse of heart is gone, and therefore you are in an ill case, surely at some low ebbe of grace.

Againe, if a mans heart be soundly broken, though he fal into some sinne, he may be recalled; but if he have not his heart soundly broken; he is undone. If the foundation be naught, the building must needes fall; So it is in this preparation of the soule for Christ, if this be naught, all comes to naught; therefore be so much the more fearefull of your soules, because your condition is so much the more tickle in this, then in any thing else, and rather desire soundnesse then quietnesse.

2Secondly, when God stirres, doe you stirre your hearts too, be you stabbed further, & make the blow goe deeper, therefore wheresoever any truth goeth neere thy heart, and awakens thee, looke up to heaven, and blesse God for it, and labour to drive the naile home to the head, and make the salve sinke into the bottome; And let me advise you to this, when your soules are p. 203wrought upon by any reproofes or admonitions, take that truth, and labour to maintaine the power of it upon your hearts all the weeke after; and let your soules be awed by it.

3Thirdly, consider what thy soule findes to be most evill and detestable, whether it be poverty or disgrace, or losse of liberty; and then (marke what I say) get up thy heart higher in the very apprehension of sinne as it is sinne: and let thy soule be more affected with the vilenesse of sin, then of any other hardship whatsoever; As thus, suppose thy heart be vere proud, if shame and disgrace befal thee, oh how doth this heart shake in the apprehension of it, he can live no longer, except some honour come: Now sinne is worse then shame, therefore looke up to heaven, & say, oh my heart did shake with shame, but sinne is farre worse, for, what if the Lord take away my honour, that he hath promised to such as feare his name? and what if he blot my name out of the booke of life, therefore sinne is worst of all; this is certaine, there is no evill the soule feares or finds, but sinne is the cause of it, but the separation of the soule from the Lord is the greatest evil, and sinne is the cause of it, and therefore rest not till thy soule shake in the apprehension of it. This is the next way to be above punishment or any thing else.

Now I come to the fruits of godly sorrow, which are from these words, They said to Peter & the other Apostles, Men and brethren what shall wee do? In these words there are three things presumed; p. 204and three things plainly expressed.

1First, there are three things presumed; they did see themselves in a miserable and damnable condition, as if they had said; hell is now gaping; it is but turning of the ladder, and we goe to hell for ever, Men and brethren, what shall we doe?

2Secondly, they themselves were ignorant, and could not direct themselves what to doe to come out of this estate, and therefore they said, Men and brethren, advise vsus what to doe: if there be any help, yee know it.

3Yet still there is a secret kinde of hope, and the heart suspects, that it may and will be otherwise with them, they doe not say, there is nothing to bee done: no, they say, What shall we doe? surely there is some way to finde helpe, if wee could tell it.

Againe, there are three things plainly expressed in these words; they make an open and plaine confession of their sinnes; when they were sicke at the hear…, they could make open confession, and lay the hand upon the sore; and say, If there be any vile wretches under heaven, we are they.

2Secondly, a thorough resolution against their sinnes, and a hatred of the same, as if they had said, We are resolved to doe any thing, whatsoever it is, we care not, so we may thwart our sinnes.

3The last thing expressed is a sequestration of the soule from this sinne, the soule falles off from them, and bids farewell to all cursed courses.

First, I come to the three things presumed; p. 205and because I shall have occasion afterward to handle the two former, Therefore now I come to the last of the three, which is this, Men and brethren, What shall we doe? Surely there is some course to bee taken. Is there not? you that are Gods Prophets tell vsus, if there be any hope for such poore distressed sinners as we are.

So the Doctrine is this,Doctrine. there is a secret hope of mercy, wherewith God supports the hearts of those that are truly broken hearted for their sinnes; howsoever these men did see themselves miserable, yet they did not throw off all, & say, Men and brethren there is no hope for vsus, therefore we will heare no more; but, seeing we must go to hell, we wil take our pleasure while we live here in the world, while we may, and if we must bee damned we will be damned for some thing; No, these people had some hope that they should finde mercy, the Lord bruised the heart, but he did not breake it; the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe, but kindles it further, and the Lord drawes on the worke of the soule and pluckes it to himself, and makes it looke vp to him and waite vponupon him for helpe and mercy.

I confesse, it is true, that sometimes the soule in some desperate fit, and in some horrour of heart, when temptation growes violent & long, and the distempers of a mans heart stir exceedingly, then a man may seeme to cast of all, and resolve with Dauid when he had beene long persued by Saul, I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul; So the soule sayth, God will one day leaue me, p. 206and I shall perish; And as Dauid sayth in another place,Psal. 77.6.11.Ps 77:6Ps 77:11 All men are lyers, that is, they sayd I shall be King of Israel, but they are all deceived; They all lyers; but it was in his haste, in a proud, impatient, haughty humour of soule.

This is our nature, if God buckle not to our bow, and heare us not even when wee will; then (in a proud humor) wee are apt to say, oh my sins will never be pardoned, and I shall never get ground against my corruptions; a man that is in a swoune, lies as if he were dead, but yet he comes to himselfe againe, and lookes up and speakes; So how ever the soule in some unruly humor is driven to a swoune, and thinkes it impossible to finde mercy, or overcome his corruption? yet still he recovers againe, and the soule that is truly broken for sinne,Ionah. 2.4.Jonah 2:4 is upheld; as Ionas said, I am cast out of thy presēce, I am evē sinking, yet will I looke towards thy holy temple; So howsoever the soule may be over-whelmed in a drunken fit of pride, or impatience; yet aftes the soule hath prayed, it saith, I will wait upon God for mercy.

God deales with poore sinnners in this case, as men doe that pound pretious powder, as Bezar stone or the like, to make some potion withall, they will breake it, and pound it all to pieces, yet they cover it up close, and will not loose the least sand of it, as they breake it, so they keepe it close that none be lost: So when God doth purpose to doe good to your soules, he will breake you, and melt you,; and then you thinke he hath p. 207cast you off in his anger; No, no, he is pounding of you, but he will preserve those soules notwithstanding, and will not lose such poore sinners whom he purposeth to doe good unto.