The Unbelievers Preparing for Christ, Treatise · Sermon 6 (2 of 2)

The Unbelievers Preparing for Christ · Treatise · Sermon 6 (2 of 2)

p. 64The ſecond Argument.The ſecond Argument: is taken from the naturall union betweene the ſoule and corruption, and then I reaſon thus: one contrary expells another, p. 65from a naturall ſubject, by conſtraint and compulſion; but the ſpirit, as a contrary, doth drive out ſinne from the ſoule, in the work of preparation, as a contrary thereunto: and therefore muſt do it by conſtraynt and compulſion. Wee will open both the parts of the Argument; I ſay, one contrary driveth out another, by violence and conſtraynt; as for example, whereſoever heat is, if it commeth to drive out cold, it doth it by a certaine kind of violence, for the ground of all conſtraint, ariſeth from the croſſeneſſe and contrariety that things have one to another; wee need no conſtraint to to make things doe that which is naturall unto them, as to make fire hot, or a Lyon fierce, or a Wolfe ravenous; but he that will make a Lyon become a Lamb, and he that will make a wolfe become a Kidd, he that doth this, muſt offer a kind of violence to the nature of the Lyon, and of the Wolfe, and break the combination that is betweene the fierceneſſe of the thing, and the thing it ſelfe; ſo that it is cleare, that one contrary driveth out another, from a naturall ſubject, by conſtraint and violence; and that ſinne is naturally in a corrupt heart, is evident Ioh. 3.6. whatſoever is born of the fleſh, is fleſh; that is, whoſoever commeth from Adam, is rooted in ſinne: now mark, ſinne being thus naturally in the ſoule, the Spirit of grace, and the Lord Ieſus, when he commeth to drive away ſinne from the ſoule, breaketh that neere union that is between ſinne and the ſoule, by a holy kind of violence; Gal. 6.17. there ſaith the p. 66Apoſtle, from henceforth let no man trouble mee, for I beare in my body the marks of the Lord Ieſue; the Lord Ieſus breaking this naturall, and neare union, between ſinne and the ſoule, muſt offer a kind of violence upon the ſoule, otherwiſe this union could not be parted. To ſpeak punctually to every ones capacity, I appeale to any here preſent: is it not a violence, to pluck a branch from the tree, or an arme from the body? every man will ſay, you …are and pluck it: the arme naturally is knit to the body, and the branch naturally growes to the tree; our ſinnes are as arme to the body, and our corruptions as branches to the tree, therefore the Lord Ieſus when he comes to pluck off theſe armes, and cut off thoſe branches, muſt offer a kind of violence to the ſoule, before this union and combination, betweene ſinne and the ſoule, will be parted and broken, this is the ſecond reaſon, if there be ſuch a naturall neare union, betweene ſinne and a corrupt heart, then if God will pluck corruption from the ſoule, and ſever this union, he muſt offer a kind of violence, but there is a naturall neere union, and league betweene ſinne and the ſoule, and therefore the Lord muſt diſſolve this league, and breake this union, by a kind of violence, and conſtraint.

The third, and laſt argument is this:The third Argument. As in regard of that union that is betweene the ſoule and ſinne, the ſoule muſt by a holy kind of violence, be drawn from ſinne; ſo alſo in the ſecond place, if p. 67wee conſider that ſoveraigne kind of power that ſinne hath over the ſoule, and prevaileth within the ſoule, (which kind of reſiſtance and ſoveraign command muſt be drawne away, and removed from the ſoule,) we ſhall ſee that this cannot be done, unleſſe there be an almighty hand, to work this, and offer a kind of conquering, and conſtraining violence upon the ſoule: in this caſe, the ſoveraigne rule that ſinne doth exerciſe in the ſoule is ſuch, that unleſſe the Lord by his almighty hand, doth overpower this, there is no kind of prevailing, in the ſoule of a ſinner in this caſe: now to ſhew how the Lord Ieſus doth overpower the ſtrength of ſinne and corruption, obſerve it in two particulars, how the Lord Ieſus is pleaſed miraculouſly, to overpower that rule which ſinne hath over the ſoule; the firſt is this: The ſoule of a ſinner being wholly poſſeſſed with, and defiled by corruptions, is ſo farre carried againſt God, that it doth nothing but reſiſt againſt God; it is naturally ſo farre overwhelmed and poſſeſſed with ſinne in every kind, that it doth nothing but reſiſt; nay it can do nothing but reſiſt the work of the ſpirit, it beateth back the work of the ſpirit, that it may not work upon it, nor take place in it, Ier. 2.31. there ſaith the text, oh generation, ſee yee the word of the Lord, have I been a wilderneſſe unto Iſrael, a land of darkneſſe, wherefore ſay my people, we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee? as who ſhould ſay, do you think to rule us, or do you think that your commands ſhall take place with us, no no, our corruptions p. 68corruptions are our Lords; wee will come at you no more, we will neither heare your words, nor obey your commands in this kind. Secondly, when the ſoule doth nothing but reſiſt, when the Lord would work upon the heart, when the ſoule beateth back the work of the Spirit, and doth nothing, nay can do nothing, but reſiſt the Lord Ieſus, the Lord Ieſus then takes away that ſtony heart, he gives us a fleſhy heart, whereby we may lay hold on the meanes, and be fitted to receive the good motions of the Spirit. There is an old phraſe, which Saint Auſtin propounded in his time, and Divines take it up with one conſent in this caſe, and that is this, that God of an unwilling will, doth make a willing will; the word being truly interpre…ed, I deſire no more for the work in hand, which implyeth a holy kind of violence, to be offered thereunto, and expreſſed thereupon, before the work can be brought to paſſe. For the opening of the poynt, obſerve theſe particulars, in the ſentence before ſpoken of, that I may ſpeak punctually, and preciſely; firſt, the ſoule of a man naturally, is altogether unwilling to receive grace; ſecondly, that the Lord doth bring willingneſſe out of this unwillingneſſe, as light out of darkneſſe; thirdly, that God muſt take away this unwillingneſſe, before he can bring willingneſſe into the ſoule; laſtly (wherein lieth the ſtrength of the poynt) the Lord he only muſt do this; unwillingneſſe will not deſtroy it ſelfe, the ſoule is altogether corrupt, corruption will not deſtroy it ſelfe, p. 69and therefore there is nothing elſe in the ſoule of a ſinner, but only the Almighty hand of God and his conquering power that muſt take away this unwillingneſſe, and put willingneſſe into the ſoule: The Text ſaith in the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 4.6. that God bringeth light out of darkneſſe: how muſt he do this? why he muſt firſt deſtroy darkneſſe, before he can bring light out of it: for one contrary cannot make up another, both remaining, but darkneſſe muſt be deſtroyed before light can be brought forth: So it is with the ſoule, God brings willingneſſe out of unwillingneſſe; firſt therefore he muſt deſtroy this unwillingneſſe, he muſt deſtroy that darkneſſe that is in the ſoule before he can bring willingneſſe, and light to the ſoule; he muſt conquer that reſiſtance againſt the Spirit which is in the ſoule, before he can make it plyable and frameable to his owne will and pleaſure. It is a pretty paſſage, Acts 9. there Paul went into the field againſt Chriſt, and pitched a combate betweene Chriſt and him, he had gotten letters from the Synagogue of Damaſcus, and hee was reſolutely bent to kill and ſlay all poore Chriſtians: when he came, the Lord Ieſus met him by the way, and there was a fight betweene the Lord and Paul, and in all reaſon he was reſolved to fight againſt God, to try it out to the laſt; now the Lord met him, and the battell was fought, and the Lord Chriſt overcame him, and what followeth, inſtead of fierce reſiſting the Lord, hee comes to ſubmit himſelfe humbly to the Lord, he doth not only put off the act of reſiſting, but the will of reſiſting p. 70alſo, as we may ſee, verſ. 6. there ſaith the text, he trembling and aſtoniſhed ſaid, Lord what wilt thou have me for to doe? Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me, ſaith the Lord, it is hard for thee to kick againſt the pricks. Why Lord, ſaith he, what wilt thou have me to do? Paul was not willing to take up his owne heart, for that was madd againſt the Lord, but he did ſubmit himſelfe and his will unto Chriſt. Briefly then to gather up the point: if it be ſo, that the Lord doth deſtroy and bind, and conquer Satan, if the Lord break that naturall union and combination that is betweene ſinne and the ſoule, if it be ſo that the Lord by his almighty power and conquering hand doth overcome the power of ſinne in the ſoule, then the Lord by a holy kind of violence doth pluck the ſoule from ſinne, and draw it to himſelfe; but all the former have beene prooved, it is ſinne and Satan which God binds and overcomes, it is that neere union betweene ſinne and the ſoule that God breaketh, it is the power that ſinne hath over the ſoule that God doth conquer, God takes away not only the act, but the power of reſiſting from the ſouſe, and therefore there muſt be ſome conſtraining power that muſt work this in the ſoule. We will now proceed to the uſe of this point.

Vſe 1 In the firſt place it is a ground of inſtruction, to teach all people that heare this truth, to goe home and ſtand agaſt and amazed at the admirable unconceiveable goodneſſe of the Lord to a poore miſerable, ſinfull, damned creature; it had beene a great p. 71mercy if the Lord had only provided ſome meanes, and offered ſome meanes, and given ſalvation after many troubles and much ſeeking, but that the Lord ſhould not only provide mercy and offer it, and reveale the truth, but that he ſhould follow us and purſue us with the meanes of ſalvation when we never thought of it; nay that the Lord ſhould follow us with mercy, and preſſe it upon us, when we refuſed it; that he ſhould give us the freedome of his ſpirit to be delivered from our ſinnes; when wee go into fetters, and go into priſon, that the Lord ſhould not only ſet open the doore for us that we might come out, but that he ſhould by an almighty hand draw us out of the dungeon of our corruptions; this is mervellous mercy and admirable loving kindneſſe: the truth of it is, men and Angells are not able to comprehend this, nay the Angells of Heaven deſire to obſerve and wonder at this admirable goodneſſe of the Lord, the paſſage is obſervable Gen. 19.16. the text ſaith, when Sodom was to be deſtroyed, becauſe Lot was a little wordly, and would not come off cleverly from his profits, While he lingred, ſaith the Text, the men laid hold on him, the Lord being mercifull unto him, and brought him forth, and ſet him without the city, and it came to paſſe that when they had brought him forth, that they ſaid, eſcape for thy life, looke not behind thee, neither ſtay thou in all the plain: eſcape to the mountaine, leſt thou bee conſumed. Marke how the holy man anſwereth; Behold now thy ſervant hath found grace in thy ſight, and thou haſt magnified the mercy p. 72which thou haſt ſhewed unto me in ſaving my life, I cannot eſcape to the mountaine, leſt I die, behold now this city, is it not a little one? let me eſcape thither and my ſoule ſhall live. Here lyes the point now, the Lord had told Lot, that he would deſtroy Sodom: why now he perſwades him therefore to ariſe and away, leſt hee periſh, but the poore man he dreaming either of the profit that he might take, or elſe loath to part from his outward contentment, he lingred, at length (the Lord being mercifull unto him) he took him by the hand, and by maine force carried him, and by his almighty hand convayed him and ſet him without the city, and bade him flie for his life; a great favour it was that the Lord revealed unto him the judgement that he would execute upon the city that he might eſcape it, but that the Lord ſhould pluck him out of the fire by force, and carry him upon Eagles wings, what wonderfull goodneſſe was this? and this Lot himſelfe confeſſeth, ſaying, thou haſt magnified thy mercy which thou haſt ſhewed to thy ſervant in ſaving his life, not only to reveale favour and ſhew mercy, but to hale and carry one out of miſery whether he will or no, what admirable mercy is this? It is my reſolution ſaith the Lord, that whoremongers and adulterers, I will judge, thoſe that live wickedly ſhall periſh everlaſtingly; is it not a great mercy for God now to come to a drunkard, and ſay, I am reſolved to overthrow all drunkards, and it is my purpoſe to deſtroy all adulterers, but if you will abſtaine from theſe ſinnes, I will ſhew mercy unto p. 73you, great goodneſſe it is, that a man ſhould have his heart forewarnd of miſery, that he might prevent it; but that the Lord ſhould by a ſtrong hand pluck the drunkard from his curſed companions, and the adulterer from the company of his whore, and to pluck a covetous man from the bottome of the earth, not only to intreat him, and perſwade him, but by his almighty hand to ſet him free from his corruptions, and ſay, eſcape for thy life, never be drunk more, never commit adultery more, never ſweare more, leſt thou periſh, but go and ſave thy life, what a wonder is this! a poore ſoule ſhould therefore go in ſecret, and ſay, Lord herein haſt thou magnified mercy towards mee, for who was ſo nought, but I was as bad? who was ſo wicked, but I was worſe? oh the mercies that thou haſt ſhewed mee? oh the commands that have been ſuggeſted to mee, and yet I have ſtuck in the Alehouſe, and continued in my ſinnes: the flaſhes of hell fire have ſparkled in my face; I have ſeene one drunkard going to hell, and the divell as it were dragging of him into everlaſting deſtruction, and an other adulterer plunged into eternall damnation, and yet when I ſtuck faſt in my ſinnes all this while, that the Lord ſhould not only perſwade mee and intreat me to come out, but by maine force carry me out of theſe flames whether I would or no, oh what wonderfull goodneſſe is this! that yet I live to praiſe and magnifie thy name, that yet I live to get aſſurance of thy love here, that I may reigne with thee for ever in glory hereafter p. 74no mercy is like unto this, no mercy to be compared with this; this is not mercy, but the depth of mercy; this is not compaſſion only, but the bowells of compaſſion. Should a King come to a Peaſant, and proclaime pardon unto him after he hath plotted treaſon againſt him, and if in the meane time the traytor rebells and flings away the pardon, were it fit that the King ſhould yet purſue him with favour, or purſue him with judgement rather for neglecting this mercy? that hee ſhould purſue him with favour this is more than nature can do, or will do in this kind: but here God doth not only proclaime pardon for our ſinnes, and reveale mercy to us, but when wee contemne all, and ſlight all, and trample the pardon under our feet, yet the Lord will force his mercy upon us, and hee will ſave us whether we will or no; that the Lord ſhould thus overcome us with compaſſion, let us walke worthy of all this riches of Gods favour, for the Lord Chriſt Ieſus ſake … and let no man preſume becauſe of this mercy and favour of the Lord, for hee that hath thoſe cords and hooks caſt upon him ſpoken of before, hee will bee wearied I warrant him before hee will bee made fit for mercy.

Vſe 2 The next uſe is a word of terrour, it diſcovers the fearefull eſtate and wofull condition that thoſe men are in, which purpoſe to ſet themſelves againſt that work of preparation, which God meaneth for to work upon the ſoules of men. Is this the work of the Lord that hee doth by an holy kind of violence p. 75draw a ſinner from corruption to himſelfe, out of the bowells of his compaſſion? what then ſhall we think and judge of thoſe men, that uſe all meanes, and all ſlights; that employ their wits to draw ſinners from God, to ſinne? is it Gods great work, his Maſter-piece; the greateſt good that hee intends for his people, to pluck them from their corruptions, and draw them to himſelfe? what then wil become of thoſe men that go profeſſedly againſt God, and oppoſe the work of God in this kind: if there be any ſuch perſons here, as I doubt there are many ſuch in the congregation; I tell you, if God be an holy God, then thou art an unholy man; if God bee mercifull to poore ſinners to ſave them, then thou art cruell to damne them; if God bee a gracious God, and would draw poore ſinners from ſinne unto himſelfe, then thou art a graceleſſe man, and in a miſerable condition, that wouldſt draw poore ſoules from God to hell; and yet do no our townes ſwarme with ſuch wretches? and are not our villages peſtered with ſuch ungracious miſcreants? ſuch as the wiſe man in the Proverbs ſpeaketh of, that eat the bread of wickedneſſe, and drink the bloud of violence, and they cannot ſleep unleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall; the God of heaven open theſe mens eyes, and awaken their conſciences that they may ſee their wretched eſtate; ſuch as eat the bread of wickedneſſe and drink the wine of violence, unleſſe they can get ſuch a man to bee drunk with them, and ſuch a woman to play the whore with them, and ſuch a fellow to couzen and cheat, their p. 76hearts cannot be at quiet, they are not at reſt, in this caſe their ſleep departeth from their eyes, unleſſe they cauſe ſome to fall; if the Lord let in a light into the ſoule of a ſinner, and diſcover unto him that he is in a wrong way, and that hee muſt take up a better courſe; if the Lord by the cords of mercy ſeeke to prevaile with a ſinner; nay if he lay the hooks of conſcience upon a ſinner to pluck him from ſinne to himſelfe, there are a company that are mad the contrary way, and they labour to cut the cords of mercy, and breaketh the hookes of conſcience, and labour to hale a poore ſinner downe to hell and deſtruction; nay wicked men have invented cord againſt cord, and hook againſt hook in this kind, the devill hath his factors and his brokers under him, which lay cords upon poore ſinners, to withdraw them from the Lord to ſinne: as God plucks heaven-ward, ſo they pluck to hell-ward; nay they have a cord for a cord, God hath not ſo many cords to pluck from ſinne to himſelfe, but they have as many to pluck men from God to ſinne, and into the paths of ungodlineſſe, that they may periſh for ever; the Lord hath mercies to allure, and they have profits and pleaſures to perſwade and entice; the Lord hath the hooks of conſcience to awaken, and they have baſe ſhifts this way alſo.

I will therefore diſcover theſe two things, firſt, the cunning of men in this courſe; ſecondly, the miſerable condition that they are in, which continue in this courſe; I take it they are in the p. 77moſt wofull, and wretched eſtate of any men under heaven. Firſt, to ſee the cunning of ſinners in this kind, they will work upon the heart, and draw the ſoule, and cut Gods cords, and break Gods bonds, that God may not draw a poore ſinner from ſinne to himſelfe, they have a cord for a cord, and a hook for a hook, in this kind: Firſt, if God let in the light of knowledge into the underſtanding of a poore ſinner, a young man perhaps receiveth direction by the word, that hee is not in the right way; the ſpirit that calls after him and tells him he is wrong, and ſaies, this is the good ancient way, walk in it: when the Lord lets in the light thus into the ſoule of a ſinner, and reveales the good way to him; when the Lord thus turneth a man out of the mouth of the Lyon, and paw of the Beare, then happily he goes into a corner and mournes for his ſinnes, and reſolves to forſake them, hee will not keep company with his old companions, but ſeeks God alwayes, and prayes to God continually. Now mark what hooks they apply to pull him off from this good courſe, they uſe a company of carnall reaſons to perſwade him to the contrary; when the maſter, father, or husband, ſeeth that God is drawing his wife, or his ſervant, or his child unto himſelfe, why then the towne is in an uproare, as if there were ſome fire in the towne: mark what the husband ſaies, my wife was wont to be carefull to go about her buſineſſe, but now ſhee leaves all at ſix and ſeven, and is ſo preciſe, that ſhe is alwayes praying or poring upon a booke. The child, hee p. 78thinks his father diſtracted; his father perhaps gives him a ſtrict charge not to prophane the Sabbath any more, no more gaming now ſirra, no more ſporting now, the child wonders at this, and ſtands amazed; he admires what is become of his father, hee was wont to ſuffer him to do theſe things without any controulment, and becauſe now he commands him the contrary, he thinks his father is out of the right way. And as the child is to the father, ſo is the father to the child; if the underſtanding of the child be enlightned, and he be creeping to ſalvation; if hee will not do as he did in former times, if hee will not runne on in thoſe wicked practiſes which hee did before, then the father thinks his ſonne is undone, his ſonne was wont to yeeld obedience to him, and hee was wont to have ſervice from him, but now hee is growne ſo curious and exact, that he expects no goodneſſe from him, hee can look for nothing to be done by him, I now give him over for loſt: and as their hearts are thus troubled, ſo they pluck with a kind of violence from God, as God plucks to himſelfe, ſo they labour to pluck a poore ſoule from God, and they begin to chide, & taunt, and chafe, and brawle: what ſay they, will you alwayes be reading, and will you alwayes be praying? I warrant, you think your mother and I are not in the right way, becauſe we doe not as you doe, you thought heretofore ſuch a man to be an honeſt man and your friend alſo, and yet hee doth not do thus as you do, nor you your ſelfe were not wont to do thus in former times neither. Thus p. 79mark what cords they lay upon a man that hath beene enlightned: the child happily replyeth, alas father, when I knew no other, I muſt confeſſe, I did no better; but when the Lord hath once given us the truth, let us walke in it, I muſt follow the example of no man in this kind; the Miniſter told me that there was no expectation of mercy unleſſe I turned from my ſinnes, the text was plaine, and the Miniſter ſaid, that we muſt walk in Gods Commandements here, if ever we meane to reigne with him in glory hereafter. Oh then ſaith the father, I would the Miniſter had beene farre enough off, when hee put this into your head: and if hee ſee that this will not prevaile with the child, then hee ſets another upon him, hee ſends his carnall friends after him; he ſets a carnall goſpeller one that hath beene twice dead, and pluckt up by the roots, as Saint Iude ſpeakes upon him,Iude 12.Jude 1:12 and he bids him ſee what he can do in this caſe, and then he comes and cloſeth with him with all the carnall counſell and wicked devices that can bee invented: and marke how he ſets upon him, Friend, ſaith he, I heare you attend upon the Miniſtery of the Goſpell, I am very glad to heare it, but yet be wary and wiſe though, too much, is too much in this caſe, your head is not yet gray; if you had had the experience that I have, you would then perhaps know as much as I know: be wiſe I ſay in this kind; but I pray underſtand me aright, I do not ſpeak againſt holineſſe all this while, I beſeech you do not miſtake me ſo, for I am glad with all my heart that p. 80there is ſuch a change wrought in you, and that you take up ſuch a good courſe, but this is that I ſay; Be religious and wiſe both together; bleſſed be God my friend, we have a glorious Church, many wiſe men, and yet they require not ſo much, and they performe not ſo much, they will drink and bee merry, and why ſhould you exact more than theſe wiſe men? aye but, replyeth the child, I cannot tell what wiſe men ſay, and what they do, I muſt not do as they do, but as God commands; the Text ſaith, Be yee holy, as I am holy; and bee yee pure, as Chriſt is pure, 1. Ioh. 3.3. can a man be more holy than Chriſt, can a man be more pure than Chriſt in this caſe? I know not what men do, but I am ſure the word gives no ſuch allowance: and now they think the matter is paſt hope, when carnall counſell cannot prevaile, nor curſed devices take place, then they think the matter is paſt cure, and therefore they purſue him with deadly indignation, they put ſuch taunts upon him, and follow him with ſuch ſcoffes, that the heart of the poore creature is even wearied and tyred, and ſo departs from his God and all good courſes, and ſo hee falls into wicked courſes againe, and runnes downe headlong into hell. And this is one cord which the wicked, the devills factors lay upon a poore ſinner to pluck him from God; you that are guilty of this, you muſt ſee into theſe things, and be humbled for this, or elſe you muſt look to ſuffer that judgement which is due to the commiſſion of this ſinne; you muſt know you go profeſſely againſt the Lord, and therefore p. 81you muſt needs bee in a miſerable condition. Secondly, if this cord be broken, then the Lord hath another cord, the Lord makes a ſinner apprehend the mercy of God, hee heares the Miniſter how he ſpeaks of Gods wonderfull love and goodneſſe, in that he will not only accept poore ſinners and entertaine them when they come, but command them to come; and not only ſo, but intreates and beſeeches them to come and receive mercy from him, nay hee waites for our amendment and cryes out, oh when will it once bee, and when a poore ſinner heares this, this even melts his heart, and he reſolves never to follow his ſinnes more, and then he comes home and tells his father or his maſter what wonderfull goodneſſe God hath beene pleaſed to make knowne unto him. I, ſaith hee, could not have thought ſo much, I could not have conceived, ſo much: what, that God ſhould ſtoope to man, and majeſty to miſery? that God ſhould not only offer grace, and give a ſinner leave to take grace, but that God ſhould follow ſuch a wretch as I am with mercy, and intreat mee to bee ſaved? what admirable and wonderfull goodneſſe is this! Father, or maſter, ſhall I be ſo unnaturall as to neglect this mercy and kindneſſe? oh let it never bee for the Lord Ieſus ſake. Thus the father or the maſter ſeeth his child or his ſervant going away from his evill courſes which he had formerly taken up, the father feeles which way the child is going, and he followes after him amaine, and labours to pluck away this cord with another, and therefore thus p. 82he anſwereth; It is true indeed, there is a great deale of mercy, endleſſe, boundleſſe mercy with the Lord, therefore let us make uſe of this mercy, ſonne; and let us take this goodneſſe, ſervant: in this caſe, the Lord will not onelyonly provide for the good of our ſoules, but for the good of our bodies alſo: as the Lord requireth that wee ſhould performe ſervice to him, ſo hee requireth alſo that we ſhould have a care of our owne eſtates, and therefore take heed of growing into too nice a courſe; bee not too extreame this way, for the Lord doth not require ſuch exactneſſe of you, that thereby you ſhould impoveriſh your eſtate: beware therefore of too much preciſeneſſe I ſay, leſt you bring thereby diſgrace to your ſelfe, and dammage to your eſtate, and hazzard to your life: the Lord promiſeth to proſper whatſoever wee take in hand, and therefore this nice courſe is not that which God requireth, and by this means the poore child or ſervant is daunted and deluded, and ſo falls off from his good purpoſes and reſolutions. Thus thoſe two cords are broken: the Lord hath yet a third cord, and that is the cord of conſcience, which hee layes upon a man, and that commands him to take heed of his corruptions, and tells him, he was wont to be gibing at Gods ſervants, but take heed of theſe things, all at the laſt day muſt bee brought to light; now this makes the ſoule at a ſtand: and then the man ſaith, the word of God came home to my conſcience, for I have beene a drunkard, and an adulterer, and a ſwearer; oh I ſaw p. 83the fearefull eſtate of thoſe men; the Miniſter came effectually home to my conſcience, and told mee what a miſerable wretched condition I ſhould be in, if I continued in my former wicked courſes. Now marke the cord that they lay to draw this away, they lay a diſgrace and contempt upon conſcience; when (ſay they) did you take notice of your conſcience? will you be one of our tender conſcienced people? what your conſcience troubled you, did it? what will you be ſo ſimple? will you be ſuch a foole to ſhake at the word of a teacher? alas, alas, it is not conſcience, it is but conceit in this caſe: and ſo at laſt the poore ſinner falls off againe by the inticements of Satan, and carnall counſells of wicked men, and at laſt the Lord lets in horror, and anguiſh, and vexation into the conſcience, and ſets the very flaſhes of hell fire upon his face, and now ſcoffes and ſcornes will not ſerve the turne, for the poore ſoule ſaith, Now I find that it was not conceit that troubled mee, for the flaſhes of hell have beene in my face; and all the oppoſition againſt God and his truth, all the taunts and ſcoffes againſt God and his ſervants, and all my abominations that ever I committed, I tell you, I ſaw them all ſet before me, and I ſaw hell open in concluſion, and God executing judgement upon me for my ſinnes. Now when his companions ſee him in this humour, they think a ſcoffe will not chaſe away this horrour, for he tells them, it is not your ſcoffes that will do it now; no, no, I am going to hell, and you will follow after me as faſt as may p. 84be, you haled me to drunkenneſſe, and adultery, and other baſe courſes; you drew me to ungodly practiſes, and therefore you ſhall to hell as well as I, do you think that I ſhall goe to hell, and you not make haſte after me? do you think that I ſhall bee damned, and you not be plagued? when his companions ſee this, then they leave ſcoffing and gibing of him, and dare not appeare themſelves, but the devill hee transformes himſelfe into an angell of light; a drunkard will not now come unto him in the coate of a drunkard, but he takes the coate of ſome ſeeming grave man upon him, and hee muſt ſet upon him, and tell him how the caſe ſtands: and this carnall man doth three things to draw away the heart from God, in this kind firſt he deludes conſcience, and tels him there is ſuch a thing in feare, but nothing in deed, thou, ſaith he, art ſinfull, and God is mercifull, thou haſt beene an adulterer, ſo was David, and hee did nothing, but ſay, I have ſinned, and he was forgiven: oh but ſaith the poore ſoule, David was a broken hearted man, and this broke his very bones. Well, when he ſeeth this will not do, then ſecondly, he muſt get him to cards, and to dice, to ſports and to playes, untill his conſcience be benumed and ſeared, and then thirdly all goodneſſe muſt be kept from him in theſe caſes; eſpecially they will be ſure that he doth not look upon a Bible, leſt by that meanes hee might bee drawne away againe. Now the Lord be mercifull unto us; the poore man by counſell on one ſide, and allurements on the other; whereas before his ſoule was a p. 85little inlightned and his conſcience awakened, now he begins to turne a devill, he flies about as though hell were broken looſe, he cares not what he doth for the diſhonouring of God, and damning of his owne ſoule, ſo that by this time you ſee the ſubtilty of men in this kind: Will you now know the condition of theſe men, I tell you, if there bee any wretched, miſerable, wofull, accurſed, damned people in the world, I cannot tell who they be, unleſſe theſe be they, and therefore obſerve the wofulneſſe of their condition in three reſpects; firſt, they are moſt like the devill; ſecondly, they are moſt oppoſite to God; thirdly, they are the greateſt enemies to mens ſalvation: firſt, they that oppoſe this worke o… converſion and ſalvation, are as like the divell as can be, Acts 13.8. the Text ſaith, when Paul was to deale with Sergius Paulus the Deputy Lievetenant of the countrey, the Deputy called for Paul and Barnabas, and deſired to heare the word of God, now Elymas the ſorcerer, who was with the Deputy, ſeeing the wind in that doore; Paul hee would have drawne the Deputy to the faith, but Elymas he withſtood him, ſeeking to turne him away from the faith; now marke what Paul ſaies unto him, I would not ſay ſo, may I durſt not ſpeak it, but that the Scripture is plaine; then, ſaith the Text, Paul being full of the holy Ghoſt, ſet his eyes on him, and ſaid, oh full of all ſubtilty and miſchiefe, thou child of the divell, thou enemy to all righteouſneſſe, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the way of God? as if he had ſaid, here is the very claw and paw of the p. 86devill, he is not only naught himſelfe, but hinders others from doing good. Gen. 3.17. when the Lord had committed that threatning unto Adam and Eve; that in that day that they eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, they ſhould ſurely periſh; ſo long as the woman could beleeve that threatning, ſhe was well enough; now Satan perceiving this, comes and takes away the life of the threatning, and the power of the command, and gainſayd the word of God; what ſaith hee, hath God ſaid that yee ſhall not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill, and in that day yee eat thereof yee ſhall die? no, no, ſaith he, you ſhall not ſurely die at all, for God doth know, that in that day yee eat thereof your eyes ſhall be opened, and yee ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evill; firſt he takes away the edge of the command: and cauſes the woman to ſlight the threatning▪ what did God ſay, you ſhould die? you ſhall not die at all, but be as Gods, knowing good and evill; as who ſhould ſay, God doth this for his own ends, for he knowes when you do this, you ſhall be like unto Gods; thus the devill did in the beginning, and looke what hee did, that his children do now: They that oppoſe this worke of God, they have the tricks of their father up and downe; they are as like the devill, as if he had ſpued them out of his mouth; the Lord ſaith, he that killeth, ſhall ſurely die the death; this the truth ſaith, and Miniſters ſay, but they ſay, there is no ſuch matter; God is gracious and mercifull, God did this to feare men, p. 87not to vexe men; and they ſlight that commandement of God alſo, thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, as thy life, and as thy ſoule; but they ſay, though the word ſay ſo, yet it is no matter whether men obey that commandement or no; the divell did ſo from the beginning, and they doe ſo now; what ſaith the divell, did God ſay that you ſhould not eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill, and in the day yee eat thereof yee ſhould die; why you ſhall not die at all; what ſay they, did the Miniſter ſay, that your conſciences muſt bee awakened, and your hearts muſt be humbled, or elſe you ſhould periſh; you ſhall not die, your converſation is holy enough, and you need not take ſo ſtrict a courſe in this kind; thus the divell did in the beginning, and thus his children, his brokers and factors do in the end of the world, theſe are the two ſonnes of Satan, the chiefeſt ſchollers in his ſchoole, they are able to bring many to deſtruction and confuſion, Rev. 12.4. there the Text ſaith, that the Dragon ſtood before the woman that was to bee delivered, for to devoure her child as ſoone as it ſhould bee borne; the woman is the Church, the Dragon is the divell, the child to be borne is the ſoule that is to be converted: when the Church doth bring a ſoule to life, why then the Dragon watcheth when the child is borne that he may devoure it: if there be any that looke to heaven, if there be any whoſe hearts are humbled, whoſe minds are inlightned, and conſciences awakened, the divell watcheth when this ſoule is borne, p. 88that hee may devoure it; ſo it is with wicked perſons that beare the image and exerciſe the practiſe of the divell, if there be any that God is pleaſed to work upon, why wicked men they court them at all times and occaſions that can be, all is too good for them in this kind; niceneſſe, and exactneſſe, and preciſeneſſe, and madneſſe, and all is caſt upon them to devoure poore ſinners, and hinder poore Saints, to hinder the birth of the child, that the Church travelleth withall; why wouldſt thou devoure a poore creature that God in mercy would deliver from ſinne here, and bring to ſalvation hereafter? Doſt thou envy him, doſt thou by curſed perſwaſions and wicked devices endeavour to pluck from God to ſinne; I tell thee, if there were ever a divell in a man, there is one in thee; if there were ever a child of the divell, that was wicked here, and ſhall be damned hereafter, thou art ſurely one: and this is the firſt thing wherein the miſerable condition of theſe men is diſcovered; they are the children of the divell, the Lord of heaven open your eyes, and awaken your conſciences, and reveale theſe things to your ſoules, that you may forſake theſe baſe courſes; ſecondly, as they are moſt like to the divell, ſo alſo their wretched eſtate appeares in this, that they are the greateſt and deadlieſt enemies to God, that place formerly named will ſerve for the opening of this, Acts 13.10. there ſaith the Text, thou child of the divell, and enemy to all righteouſneſſe, Paul calls Elymas the ſorcerer, becauſe hee withſtood him, and reſiſted the work of God, not p. 89only the child of the divell, but an enemy to all righteouſneſſe; mark that, as who ſhould ſay, he that withholds a Saint of God, hee that would pluck a ſoule from walking uprightly before God, he is an enemy to all righteouſneſſe, and this is a moſt fearfull thing; for other kind of ſinnes are of a leſſe nature, for a drankard is an enemy to ſobriety, an unjuſt perſon is an enemy to juſtice, a lyer is an enemy to truth, an adulterer is an enemy to chaſtity, and a malicious man is an enemy to charity; but he that is an enemy to the ſaving work of Gods grace in the ſoule of a man, he that withſtands and reſiſts the worke of converſion, hee is an enemy to all righteouſneſſe; for how ſhall a man walk holily before God, or righteouſly before his brethren, how ſhall he love God above all things, and his neighbour as himſelfe, unleſſe grace be wrought in the ſoule of a man, and unleſſe the word of God bee placed in the heart of a man: men ought to keep Gods Cōmandements that they may receive comfort from God; now unleſſe God beſtow faith, and grace, and his ſpirit upon a man, how ſhall hee do this; but when thou ſayeſt, I would not have ſuch a man converted, I would not have the ſpirit work effectually in his heart; when thou hindereſt the work of God in this kind, then thou hindereſt a man from performing obedience to Gods Commandements, and therefore thou art an enemy to God; Gods Sabbaths can never be ſanctified, the life of thy neighbour can never be tendered, the chaſtity of thy neighbour can never be preſerved; p. 90thou art a drunkard, thou art an adulterer, thou are a murtherer, he that murthereth a man, is an enemy to the life of a man, but he that will not ſuffer the word of God to take plane in the ſoule of a ſinner, he is the murtherer of the ſoule of a man, he is an enemy to all righteouſneſſe, he cannot performe, any ſervice unto God; there is no duty to be performed, no ſinne to bee omitted, but thou art an enemy to all, for when thou doſt hinder a ſinner from receiving of grace, and from being made partaker thereof, thou doſt hinder a ſinner from honouring of God here, and receiving of comfort hereafter, and what a wofull wretched condition is this to be an enemy to all righteouſneſſe, and not only ſo, but full of all miſchiefe, for ſo ſaith the Text aforenamed; thou enemy of all righteouſneſſe, and full of all miſchiefe, marke the opening of the words; full, that is, brimme full, top full, ready to runne over with wickedneſſe, and the cauſe is this; its naught for a man to be wicked, and to reſolve to be no better, is worſe; but for a man not only to be wicked, and reſolve to be no better, but to hinder others alſo from being good, this is the very height of all impiety, this is to be an enemy to all righteouſneſſe, and to be full of miſchiefe. Thirdly, as they are the children of the divell, and enemies to all righteouſneſſe, ſo alſo they are the greateſt enemies to the ſalvation of mens ſoules; they compaſſe ſea and land to make a Proſelyte: I beſeech you take notice of it, thou art a drunkard and a blaſphemer, and a wretched lewd perſon, thou p. 91art not only bad thy ſelfe, but ſuch a man hath had his mind inlightned and his conſcience awakened, but thou by thy wicked counſells and carnall reaſons, and ſinfull arguments catcheſt him, and with, draweſt him againe into his former wicked courſes and baſe practiſes, and then the end of that man is worſe than the beginning, and hee becomes twice a child of the divell; well, he ſhall periſh, and ſo ſhalt thou, he ſhall be damned, but the Lord ſhall require his bloud at thy hands; and this is the maine cauſe why men periſh and go downe to hell: namely, the wicked counſells and curſed perſwaſions which ſinfull damned perſons uſe to hurry poore ſoules downe into deſtruction, as though they could not go faſt enough of themſelves to hell, but they muſt lay theſe baſe ſinfull cords upon them, to draw them headlong into the bottomleſſe pit of confuſion. Well, the time will come, when theſe poore creatures ſhall call for vengeance at the hand of God to bee executed againſt you; they will accuſe you at the laſt day, and curſe you, and call for vengeance to be poured downe upon your heads; you that are guilty of this, whenſoever you meet with the day of death here, or with the day of judgement hereafter, then it will go marvellous heavily with you; you have hindred the worke of converſion for being wrought in them, and you have drawne them into wicked courſes; they ſhall go to hell, they ſhall periſh poore ſoules, but I tell you, their blood will God require at your hands, at that day they will appeare before the Lord of p. 92glory, and call for vengeance againſt you; when the heavens ſhall melt with fire, and when the Lord ſhall have tenne thouſand thouſand of Angels miniſtring unto him; when all fleſh at the dreadfull day of judgement ſhall appeare before the judgement ſeat of God, and render an account of that they have done here upon earth, then here you ſhall ſee a curſed drunkard, there a wretched adulterer, and there a prophane ſwearer; and they ſhall come and accuſe thoſe that have drawne them into the commiſſion of theſe ſinnes, and they ſhall ſay, I confeſſe Lord I was inlightned, my eyes were opened, and my heart was touched, and my conſcience was awakened, and I was reſolved to walke in a good courſe; but Lord here is the man, behold here is the woman, that by wicked deviſes and curſed perſwaſions never left untill I fell off from this good reſolution, and turned to my former wicked wayes; this is the man Lord that did this, and therfore I beſeech thee though I periſh, yet let not my bloud go unrevenged at this mans hands that hath beene the cauſe of my deſtruction; and then this will lie heavy upon your ſcore, at the day of death, or the day of judgement; when theſe poore ſoules ſhall appeare before God; I will tell you what complaints they will make to his Majeſty, they will ſay, Lord I was in a good way, my eyes were opened, and my heart was humbled, my heart did earne towards Gods truth and holy men, I would have turned over a new leafe, and led a new life, but it was this Land-lord of mine that feared bernard p. 93and terrified mee, and pluckt mee aſide from this good courſe; good Lord revenge my bloud at my Land-lords hand, the ſervant he will ſay; Lord, there was a gracious fellow ſervant lived in the houſe with me, and did me much good, I loved to heare thy word, and pray, and read, and performe good duties, but good Lord, it was the ſharp reproofes and bitter taunts of my maſter that diſcouraged me, and made me forſake my former courſe; and therfore now I muſt go to hell, but Lord though I periſh, yet I beſeech thee revenge my bloud at my maſters hands. Many of you have wives that lie in your boſomes, in whoſe hearts the word of God hath begun to take place, and they have reſolved to walk uprightly before God; they have gone and mourned in ſecret, and ſighed to heaven, but it is you that are their husbands which have hindered this gracious diſpoſition, and you thought your ſelves undone becauſe your wives took this courſe, and therefore you never left brawling, and bayting, and rayling, untill your poore wives left all, left praying, and left reading, and left all goodneſſe; I tell you, thoſe wives that now lie in your boſomes, though they love you now, the time will come when they will curſe the day that ever they ſaw or knew you; what a wofull caſe will it be at the day of judgement, when the wife ſhall come before the Lord and ſay, I confeſſe Lord, I enjoyed thy word, and it was brought home to my ſoule, and it wrought upon my conſcience, and I had a full purpoſe to become a new creature, and take a new courſe; I p. 94was comming Lord, I was comming, but it was this husband of mine that drew mee from my ſelfe and thy ſervice, from a good courſe, and from a good way, and therefore require my bloud at his hands; though I periſh, yet good Lord, let not my damnation be unrevenged at my husbands hands; and many of you wives if your husbands have beene inlightned and wrought upon by the word, inſomuch that they come home and ſay, wife, wee muſt reforme our families, and we muſt pray with them, and wee muſt bee carefull that both wee and they keep Gods Commandements; then you wives are untoward, and unreaſonable, and the houſe is not able to hold you, and your husbands live in a miſerable condition, untill they have altered their former purpoſe: why theſe husbands of yours will go downe to hell, but their bloud will lie heavie upon your heads, and will bee required at your hands; they will ſay, Lord I was once in the right way, I was comming, I was almoſt perſwaded to be a Chriſtian; I do think verily if I had had another wife, I ſhould have led a good life upon the earth, and have beene ſaved hereafter, but this wife of mine, Lord, never left bayting and hayning at me, untill I turned out of the right way; they will curſe the day that ever they ſaw you, or that ever you met together, and they will entreat God not to ſuffer them to goe to hell without revenging of their bloud upon your heads: you that are ſuch, I beſeech you think of theſe things, you that have heard theſe things, the Lord of heaven perſwade your p. 95hearts to take heed of drawing away poore ſinners from God; if it were in my power, I would not only perſwade you, but overcome you in this kind; if it were in my power to ſave you, I would give ſalvation unto you; but alas, it is not in my power, and indeed it is pitty it ſhould; it is the Lord that muſt do it; you that have heard this word, I beſeech you let it not fall to the ground; but all you ſcorners and mockers at Gods Saints, you that have drawne men out of the right way, and out of a good courſe, for the Lords ſake, and for mercies ſake, and for your owne poore ſoules ſake, be reſolved never againe to draw away poore ſinners from that courſe wherein they walke; but when you ſee them going on well, why then goe you along with them, and if you ſee any lay cords upon them to draw them away, helpe them, you in this kind, and labour to draw them backe againe.

The fourth uſe, is an uſe of comfort and conſolation to all poore ſoules, marke it for the Lord Ieſus ſake, it is a ground of unſpeakable comfort, to all poore creatures, partly unconverted, and partly converted all from the former truth; they may obſerve marvellous refreſhment of heart, if they will but attend thereunto, and be ruled thereby; you that are in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in a carnall condition; you that live in baſe groſſe courſes, you who are knowne to all the world that you live in common ordinarie ſinnes; you that are locked up under infidelity, under a proud ſtubborne heart; here is a ground of admirable joy and conſolation p. 96to ſuſtaine the hearts of all ſuch poore creatures, in the expectation of mercy and comfort, when the flouds of iniquity beſet a man on every ſide, when the weight of his ſinnes lies heavie upon his heart, and the ſoule complaines as David did, my ſinnes are gone over my head, they are to heavie for me, I am not able to beare them, theſe mightie corruptions I ſhall never bee able to maſter them, theſe ſinnes that hang upon me, and theſe diſtempers that cleave unto me, oh I cannot bee rid of them, I ſee my ſinnes more than ever I did, and yet they follow me, and ſtill they purſue after me, I ſhall never be freed from them, I ſhall never get dominion over them; why there is admirable comfor: from the former point, for ſuch a poore ſoule that is thus oppreſſed by, and overwhelmed with corruptions; the doctrine is this, God by a holy kind of violence doth pluck men from ſinne and draw them to himſelfe; though thy ſinnes will not part from thee, yet the Lord will pluck thoſe corruptions from thy ſoule, hee will awaken thy conſcience, and humble thy heart, he will bring downe thy ſturdie heart; be thy ſinnes therefore never ſo great, and thy corruptions never ſo mightie, yet take conſolation hereby: the maine trouble of a poore ſoule lieth in three reſpects; partly in regard of the temptations of Satan, partly in regard of corruptions, partly in regard of the oppoſition a man finds in a good courſe; theſe are marvellous hinderances to a Chriſtian, and here is marvellous comfort from the former truth againſt all thoſe; p. 97firſt, for temptations, when the Lord letteth Satan looſe upon a poore ſinner, and the divell begins to domineere over a ſinner, and trample upon a ſinner, and tells a ſinner that to hell he muſt go, and away hee muſt with him; it is in vaine to ſtrive, for his ſinnes are ſo ſtrong that they ſhall never bee removed, his corruptions will never part from him, and therefore he wiſheth a ſinner to put an end to his daies, and ſo to his ſinning, for he ſhall never be recovered, he ſhall never be freed from the guilt of his ſinnes, and the dominion of them: this is Satans power, and this is like the wind that blew downe Iobs houſe, that great and mightie tempeſt which came from the wilderneſſe, and ſmote the foure corners of his houſe, and made it fall upon his ſonnes; ſo I conceive the violent whurries of temptation, and the fierce aſſaults of Satan, come Eaſt and Weſt, North and South, upon the heart of a ſinner; inſomuch that the heart beginnes to ſinke, and conceives it ſelfe almoſt in hell, it thinks it ſhall never overcome thoſe aſſaults, it thinks it ſhall never get out of theſe temptations; you that finde theſe now, or may find theſe hereafter, let it pleaſe God to ſpeake peace unto you; you may obſerve marvellous comfort from the former doctrine, the Text ſaith, if Satan will not come out, the Lord Ieſus will bind the ſtrong man, and overcome him, and take his weapons away from him, and free the houſe of him, and then he himſelfe will go in and take poſſeſſion: Rom. 16.20. there ſaith the Text, The Lord of heaven p. 98ſhall ſhortly beate downe Satan and trample hith under …eet: however haply Satan will not downe, but be proud and malicious towards you, though you cannot conquer him, and quiet him, though you cannot command the churliſh curre, yet the maſter can; if there bee a bandogge or a maſtiffe in the way, the paſſenger muſt ſeeke by all faire meanes to appeaſe him, and yet haply hee will not be quiet, but if tho muſter comes he can command him, and ſtill him preſently; ſo it is with this curre divell, he is nothing elſe but Gods bandogge, Gods maſtiffe, whereby hee whurrieth poore ſinners to make them runne to heaven for comfort; though you cannot quiet him, yet God can command him and make him fall under your feet; and though he will not go out yet, God will by ſtrong hand caſt him out whether hee will or no, nay though there were a legion of devills in thee, yet the Lord will force them out, Luke 8.30. Chriſt met with a man which had divells a long time; and when bee ſaw Ieſus hee fell downe before him, and cryed with a loud vayce, what have wee to do with thee Ieſus than ſonne of the living God; and Ieſus asked him what is thy name, and they ſaid, legion, becauſe many divells were entred into him; I command thee thou uncleane ſpirit to come out of him, ſaith Chriſt, and ſo Satan was forced out whether hee would or no, and therefore cheare thou thy ſoule, and comfort thou thy heart, which findeſt troubles in this kind, and the temptations of Satan, if hee be violent in tempting, God will be as ſtrong in conquering and p. 99binding of him, and hee will caſt him out; and this is the firſt thing which hinders a man in a chriſtian courſe, namely, the temptations of Satan; and if thy heart bee ſtill manuring and perplexed, and ſaith, the temptations of Satan are fierce. But ſecondly, theſe corruptions of mine; oh they are extreme; ſo that my ſinnes are like a mayne flood which paſſeth over my head, one wave commeth after another, wickedneſſe after wickedneſſe, and iniquity after iniquity, now proud, now ſturdy, now covetous, now looſe, now prophane, now unfaithfull: oh theſe ſecret ſinnes of mine, and theſe boſome abominations of mine, by which my heart hath ſo long beene ſwayed, in which my ſoule hath ſo long continued: I ſhall never bee freed from theſe, I ſhall never get the maſtery over theſe, eſpecially theſe beloved darlings luſts of mine; God muſt breake my bones before they will out, for my ſoule is ſtill purſuing theſe diſtempers, ſo that the poore ſinner concludes as he did, 2 King. 7.2. when there was a great famine in Samaria the Prophet Eliſha came and prophecied ſaying, to morrow about this time ſhall a meaſure of fine flowre be ſold for a ſhekell, and two meaſures of barley for a ſhekell in the gates of Samaria, then a ruler or a noble man upon whom the King leaned, ſayth the text, anſwered the man of God and ſayd, behold, if the Lord would make windowes in heaven might this thing be? as who ſhould ſay, is it poſſible there ſhould be ſuch plenty on the ſuddaine? no, though God make windowes in heaven it cannot be. So the ſoule ſayth, is it poſſible p. 100theſe ſweet luſts, theſe darling abominations, ſo long committed, ſo long continued, ſo long practiſed, can they ever bee pardoned; if the Lord ſhould make windowes of comfort and conſolation, is it poſſible that my ſoule ſhould ever be refreſhed? why yet for all this, behold a great deale of comfort from the former point, though thy ſinnes bee never ſo violent to purſue thee, though thy corruptions bee never ſo ſtrong to ſet upon thee, yet God is more ſtrong to conquer thoſe ſinnes, and more ſtrong to ſubdue thoſe corruptions, bee the union between ſinne and thy ſoule never ſo neere, God will breake that bond, and ſnap thoſe cords in ſunder bee the dominion that ſinne hath over thy ſoule never ſo great, yet the power which Chriſt hath over thoſe ſins is much more forcible, though thy ſturdy heart will not come off, though thou haſt no deſire to leave thy corruptions, though thou haſt not put off the will of ſinning, yet God can take it away, and make way for the power of his ſpirit to take place in thy heart, Acts 16.24. we ſhall obſerve this in the Iaylor, he was a proud, ſturdy dogged, cruell hearted man, when the Magiſtrates commanded him to put Paul and Silas into priſon, hee went further than his commiſſion, and put them into the inner Priſon, and made their feet faſt in the ſtocks: oh thought hee, now I have gotten theſe nice factions fellowes into my hands, I will puniſh them ſoundly: Now at midnight Paul and Silas ſang praiſes unto God, and then ſuddenly there was an exceeding great earthquake, ſo that the foundations p. 101of the priſon were ſhaken, and immediately all the doores were opened, and every ones bands were looſed; the doores flew open, the priſon ſhooke, and the earth ſhooke, God exerciſed his power upon the creatures and made them ſhake, and yet the Iaylor ſtood ſtill all this while and ſtirred not; though he were a Iaylor now to the Apoſtles, yet the Devill was a Iaylor to him alſo, he was under the jayle of his ſinnes, his ſturdy heart would not awaken all this while, but at laſt the Iaylor hee ſhooke alſo, and ſeeing the priſon doores open, pulled out his ſword and would have killed himſelfe, ſuppoſing that the priſoners had fled; but Paul cryed with a loud voyce ſaying, doe thy ſelfe no harme, for wee are all here; and then hee called for a light and ſprang in, ſayth the text, and came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas: he now ſaw all that pride and ſtubbornneſſe of his, whereby he handled the Apoſtles ſo baſely, and now he brought them out and ſayd, Sirs, what muſt I doe to bee ſaved? hee now bathed their wounds, and ſet bread before them, and dealt kindly with them: and thus we ſee when the Lord commeth for a ſinner, he maketh the priſon ſhake, and the earth ſhake, & the doores ſhake, & the yron bolts ſhake, and at laſt he makes the heart ſhake alſo; it is not the doore that I care for, nor the priſon that I care for, nor the earth only that I will make to ſhake, but it is the jaylor that I will ſhake alſo, it is the Iaylor that I come for, & the Iaylor I will have, and ſo hee had indeed in concluſion; thy corruptions are not ſo powerfull, but the Lord will bee p. 102more powerfull to pluck thy heart from them unto himſelfe. The third thing that hinders a poore ſinner in this caſe is in reſpect of diſgrace & other oppoſition that hee ſhall meet withall in a Chriſtian courſe; I could be content, ſaith he, to take a better courſe and leade a new life, and become a Chriſtian, but I ſee how diſgrace will be caſt upon me and oppoſition be made againſt me, and this knocks me off, I am not able to ſuffer it, and to beare it; are you not ſo? the Lord will make you able to beare it before he hath done with you; you feare wildfire do you? God will make you feele hell fire before he hath done; you will goe againſt conſcience, & you will diſpleaſe God, before you will diſpleaſe man, wil you? wel, you feare man now, & the face of man, this is but wildfire, but God will ſend hell fire into your hearts one day, he will ſend the horrour of conſcience into your ſoules, & then you will ſay, rather diſgrace here, than damnation for ever hereafter, I will rather goe to hell than to ſinne, I will rather offend all the world then God; gather up your ſelves therefore, if God at any time hath opened your eyes; though Satan purſue you, and though corruptions preſſe upon you, yet cheere your ſelves, God in mercy will looke upon you. Eſa. 43.6. there when the Lord commeth to gather his people together, hee ſaith, that hee will bring them from the Eaſt, and gather them from the Weſt, he will call to the North, give up, and to the South, keepe not back, bring my ſonnes from farre, and my daughters from the end of the earth; hee ſayth, the earth p. 103ſhall give account, and yeeld up her dead, the ſea, that alſo ſhall yeeld up her dead; why God can make the divell yeeld up a wretched man, as well as the earth give up a dead man; God will ſay, I muſt have a ſinner divell, and therefore deliver up thy priſoner; God will draw thy heart out of the power of ſinne and dominion of Satan, though thou canſt not tell how, yet God is able to give thee a will of yeelding unto him, and ſo much for the comfort of thoſe that are unconverted, there is hope that God will do you good, bee your ſinnes what they will bee: now thoſe that are converted, and thoſe that are in the ſtate of grace; this is a ground of ſtrong comfort unto them, that they ſhall prevaile againſt all ſinnes for after times, by the power of that God that hath given them victory over their ſinnes in former times; they may ſay, did the Lord give me power over my ſinnes when I loved them, and will hee not give me power to reſiſt them now when I have deſire to forſake them? it cannot bee, hee that offered favour to thee when thou didſt refuſe it, hee cannot but give favour to thee when thou beggeſt it at his hands, and this ſhall ſuffice for that matter.

Vſe 5 The fifth uſe is an uſe of exhortation to all Gods people: is this the cord that God taketh to pluck a ſoule from corruption to himſelfe, namely, by a holy kind of violence? why, what will you do then you that profeſſe your ſelves to feare God, and that ſay you are the children of God, muſt not children imitate their father? doth God deale thus with p. 104poore ſinners? then do you ſo likewiſe, this is the courſe that God takes, and this ought to be a coppy and pattern to you in the meane time, as you are the Elect people of God to put on the bowels of mercy and compaſſion towards your brethren, if ever mercy, here it ought to be expreſſed and diſcovered, if ever God ſhewed mercy to thy ſoule, ſhew thou the like mercy to thy brethren, did the Lord ever ſhew compaſſion unto thee, ſhew thou the like compaſſion unto them, did the Lord ever awaken thy eyes or humble thy heart, did the Lord offer his favours to thee, ſtill calling, ſtill exhorting and perſwading of you▪ you that are the Elect people of God, if ever God ſhewed any goodneſſe unto you, ſhew the ſame goodneſſe, mercy, and compaſſion to your fellow brethren; and therefore as God hath dealt with you, and as hee doth deale with ſinners, let it bee your honours and your reſolutions to deale anſwerably to God, ſo ſaith the Prophet David, I will reveale thy way to the wicked, and ſinners ſhall be converted unto thee; oh bleſſed ſpirit, when the Lord had ſhewed mercy to him, then ſaith he, I will teach thy way to the wicked, and ſinners ſhall be converted, as if he ſhould ſay, I will have no nay at the hands of ſinners in this kind, the proud heart ſhall bee humbled, and the ſturdy heart ſhall be ſoftned; I will exhort all ſinners to come unto thee, that art a God hearing ſinners, and ſhewing mercy unto ſinners; if God bee urgent, ſo be you, alſo labour you with a holy kind of violence to draw ſinners unto heaven, and to help p. 105on this exhortation, for your help herein, labour to draw them theſe two wayes; labour your ſelves to do whatſoever in your power lyeth; ſecondly, labour to help them by the ſupply of others that may doe that which you cannot; firſt in regard of your ſelves, foure things are remarkable; firſt, ſet upon the ſinner with a holy kind of heavenly reſolution of ſoule, and labour every way to expreſſe your love towards him, for the good and benefit of him, by ſweet counſell, loving exhortations, gentle admonitions, and ſharp reproofes; do to your utmoſt power worke upon poore ſinners, Heb. 3.13. Exhort one another, ſaith the Text, daily, while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardned through the deceitfulneſſe of ſinne; but above all, that place is remarkable for this purpoſe, that we ſhould adviſe, and comfort, and quicken, and every way do that which may be moſt advantagious for our brethren, 1. Theſſ. 5.14. Wee exhort you brethren, ſaith the Apoſtle, warne them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, ſupport the weake, be patient toward all men, ſee that none render evill for evill unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among your ſelves and to all men; the Apoſtle doth not ſay, that it is in one mans power to do this, but all ought to do it; men, brethren, and fathers, ought to do it; every ſonne and daughter of Adam: if there bee any weak, ſtrengthen them; if there bee any down; raiſe them; deale patiently and lovingly with all, deale anſwerably to the neceſſities of all ſinners, whom you have to do withall; but you will ſay, am p. 106I my brothers keeper? aye that you are your brethrens keepers, or elſe you are their murtherers; wouldſt thou not defend thy brother from murthering, if thou ſhouldſt ſee a cōpany of theeves ſet upon him & go about to ſlay him, wouldſt thou not labour by all meanes poſſibly to ſuccour him? and hath God care of Oxen and Aſſes; wilt thou preſerve thy brother from a bodily death, and wilt thou not doe much more for the ſoule of thy brother, for the ſaving of him from eternall death and damnation? doſt thou ſet a ſinner whurried and teared by Satan, doſt thou ſee the divell robbing him of all his graces, and heareſt him crying murther, murther, and wilt thou not help him and relieve him? if you ſhould lie in your beds and heare one cry murther, murther, would you not riſe & reſcue him? why every ſinner, every proud man, every covetous man, every malicious man, every drunkard, adulterer, blaſphemer, the divell and thoſe ſins do prey upon them, and worry their ſoules; oh help them mercifully, and perſwade them lovingly, reſcue your child or your husband, or your friend out of the jawes of Satan, and work every way for their good; in the 17. of Inde remember that, build up one another, ſaith the Text, on your moſt holy faith, labour to ſave ſome, and pluck them out of the fire, and though they doe not call to thee for help, yet offer thy helping hand unto them; if thy neighbours houſe be on a fire, thou wilt not ſtay till thou beeſt called, but if they that be within be dead in ſleep, then thou wilt break open the doore upon p. 107them, and awake them and rouſe them up; ſo deale with the ſoules of poore ſinners, there is one man, his ſoule is ſet on fire with hell, it is all on a flame with deviliſh luſt doſt thou ſee the ſoule of thy neighbour all on a flame in this kind, why then breake in upon him, haply hee will not intreat thy help, but that's no matter, ſtand not upon complements, but with a holy kind of violence pluck him out of the fire; you that are wiſe, pluck the drunkard off the Ale-bench, hale poore creatures out of hell and corruption; did the Lord deale ſo with you, why then deale you ſo with your fellow brethren; and if you be not able to prevaile your ſelves, if your owne counſell bee too weak, then take two or three with thee; it is Chriſts counſell, Mat. 18.16. If thy brother ſhall treſpaſſe againſt thee, goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone, if hee ſhall heare thee, thou haſt gained thy brother: but if hee will not heare thee, then ſecondly, take to thee two or three more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word may bee eſtabliſhed; that is, take ſeverall neighbours wiſe and holy, and ſo double reproofes & admonitions; doe not onelyonly perſwade him, but overpower him; not only reprove him, but convince him; let thy neighbour exhort, and thou alſo; let thy neighbour admoniſh and thou too; let thy neighbour reprove, and thou too; double your exhortations, and admonitions, and reproofes, that at laſt you may prevaile with him. But you will ſay, if the ſoule ſtill ſtaieth in his diſtempers, what muſt wee then do? why if p. 108he returne to ſinne againe, then thirdly, returne you to reproofes and exhortations againe, and never leave him; when thou goeſt to his houſe, and meeteſt him in the way, and ſeeſt him in the fields, then ſtill in all places, upon all occaſions, reprove and exhort him, and hale him from his ungodly courſes, and if the ſinner yet will not hearken to thy exhortations, but ſcorneth thee, then the Lord doth free thee from thy counſelling of him; doe not caſt pearles before ſwines, but yet though thou needſt not counſell him publickly, yet go into thy chamber and mourne for him ſecretly, as Ieremy did for the people of Ieruſalem, Lam. 1.17. for theſe things, ſaith he, I weepe, mine eye, mine eye runneth downe with water, becauſe the comforter that ſhould relieve my ſoule, is farre from me; and my children are deſolate: doe thou ſo for the ſoule of a poore ſinner, and pluck hard to get help from heaven for him, and intreat God never to give quiet to his ſoule, untill his eyes be opened, and his heart humbled; laſtly, when your ſelves have done what you can, and when you have uſed the help of others, if after this he returnes to his former courſe, and then when thou falleſt to reprove him and exhort him againe, he then becomes a ſcorner, then labour to bring him to receive what ſuccour hee may from others, and that two wayes; firſt, by what meanes you may bring him to the publick meanes, it was ſo with Cornelius, after that by Gods Commandement he had ſent for Peter, and Peter was to come, he drew all his friends and acquaintance together, p. 109ſaith the Text, and then he ſaith to Peter, we are all here preſent-before thee, to heare all things that are commanded thee of God; and it was that paſſage, Ezech. 33.3. there the people ſpeake one to another, ſaying, Come let us goe up to the houſe of the Lord, and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord; mark how they call one another together, and rap at one anothers doore; thus do you counſell men to come unto the Lord and heare his word, they will never come under the power of the hammer elſe, that they may bee ſtricken, hale them, and draw them to the miniſtery of the word, that ſo what you cannot do privately, that the word may do in publick, Ioh. 5.4. there was an Angell went downe at a cortaine time into the poole of Betheſda, and troubled the waters, then whoſoever firſt ſtepped in, was made whole of whatſoever diſeaſe he had; now there lay a poore lame man at the brinke of the waters, and becauſe he was not able to ſtep in, every one ſtepped in before him, and no man would help him; mark how hee complaineth in the ſeventh verſe, I have no man, ſaith he, when the water is troubled to put me into the poole, but while I am comming, another ſteppeth downe before me; he would faine have got in b… could not: the word of God is like this poole of Betheſda, when the word of God is opened, and plainly and familiarly diſcovered, when the ſpirit moveth upon the waters; why put a poore ſoule into the water, fling the ſoule of your child, or your ſervant, or your friend into the poole; perſwade what you may, and compell thoſe that are p. 110under you to come unto the word of God, whē the word of God is ſoundly revealed & delivered; why, put a poore ſoule into the waters, ſuch a man hath a lame heart, hee is lame in his practiſe, and lame in his praying, and lame in the performance of holy duties, he is a cripple from his cradle; why bring ſuch of your neighbours and put them into the water, and intreat the Lord to work upon them, that the Angell may move from heaven and work converſion and ſalvation to the ſoules of them: ſecondly, as you muſt labour to bring them under the power of the word, ſo ſecondly, when God hath made knowne his word to the hearts of them, follow you the blow as much as in you lyeth; if there bee any exhortation, ſettle it; if there be any admonition, preſſe it; if there be any reproofe, apply it home unto their ſoules; ſtrike thou while the iron is hot; if thy child were touched and inlightned by the word, when the Lord hath ſtrucken his heart, follow thou the blow, when the Lord is pleaſed to ſmite his ſoule, bring thou the blow home unto the heart of him; remember that, Deut. 6.7. there ſaith the Text, theſe words which I command thee ſhall be in thy heart, and thou ſhalt teach them diligently unto thy children; the word in the originall is, thou ſhalt ſharpen them, thou ſhalt teach them, that is, thou ſhalt ſharpen them upon the ſoules of thy children, and upon the ſoules of thy ſervants; the Miniſters do what they can, and you heare reproofes and exhortations, and when you go out of the Church, leave them in your ſtooles behind you; p. 111but you ſhould ſharpen them and bring them home to the hearts of your wives, and your children, and ſervants, and they that belong unto you; you ſhould follow the blow home; when the Lord is pleaſed to exhort, exhort you; when the Lord is pleaſed to reprove, reprove you; it is no great matter haply, to bring your children or ſervants under the word, but when they are here, they play and ſport, and talk, and runne about, as though there were no God here; and therefore you ſhould tell your children and ſervants, it is the word of the Lord child, and it is the word of the Lord ſervant, it is not the word of man as you may think, but it is the word of the Lord by which you ſhall one day be judged; the Miniſter told you that God hateth a proud man, and and a drunkard, and an adulterer, and a ſwearer, why this was the word of the Lord; thus bring the word home unto their ſoules, and this is the way to bring them home unto God here, that they may receive ſalvation hereafter; we ſhould uſe all the cords of mercy, and love, and anger, and indignatiōn; that ſo if it were poſſible we might hale the ſoules of poore ſinners to God; oh bleſſed ſpirit of Saint Paul in this kind, I wonder what is become of that love & zeale that was in him, as we may ſee in the 19. of the Acts, he travells from place to place, frō countrey to countrey, he goes from houſe to houſe, and rappes at every mans doore, perſwading men with all patience to be reconciled to God; he dealeth as the nurſe doth with her child, the child cries, and ſhr…ikes, and wrawles, and yet the nurſe beares all, p. 112ſo doth the Apoſtle Paul, he met with much oppoſition here, mocked there, impriſoned there, ſet in the ſtocks and ſcourged, and yet he beares all with patience, and perſwades, and beſeeches men to be reconciled; I ſay this power, this zeale, this love is gone; if wee had hearts and hands and endeavours, much more might be done in this caſe, and God might work more mercifully with us, & powerfully by us, for the converſion of poore ſinners; and this doth not lie only in the Miniſters hands, but, Maſters, in yours; and, Officers, in yours: and ſo much ſhall ſerve for this poynt. The next thing conſiderable in the Text, is from the order, firſt drawing, then comming; you cannot come unto me except my father draweth you, the point is, that God muſt firſt pluck us frō ſin, before we will faſten our ſoules upon the Lord Ieſus; it is evident, Mat. 12.29. no man commeth into a ſtrong mans houſe, ſaith the Text, unleſſe he firſt bind the ſtrong man, firſt there muſt be binding and caſting out, before there can be taking of poſſeſſion▪ the houſe is the heart, and the ſtrong man is Satan; the Lord muſt bind the one, before he can take poſſeſſion of the other; the ſoule muſt be drawne before it will come to God; however for the manner of this drawing, it be divers, God dealeth with ſome one way, and ſome another; ſome hee drawes with the cords of his mercy, and ſome with the hookes of conſcience; yet this is certaine there muſt be a drawing, before there can or will be a comming, Gal. 3.22. it is ſaid that all men are ſhut up under ſinne, &c. Ioh. 1.12. p. 113As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſonnes of God; now before the Lord Ieſus can be received, the bonds of ſinne muſt be removed, and the lock muſt bee opened, before the Lord Ieſus can come in and bee entertained; but God doth looſe theſe locks divers wayes, as ſometimes we may ſee a man open ſome eaſie lock with ſome trifle, hee ſlips it haply, or opens it with a picklock; but if he come to a ſtrong one, eſpecially if it bee old and ruſty, then hee breaks it in pieces, and that with much violence before hee can open it; ſo deales the Lord with the ſoules of ſinners, he ſlips every lock before he comes in, but ſometimes if he meet with a proud ſturdy ſinner that is rivetted to his corruptions, and ſcrued into wickedneſſe, an old drunkard, or an old blaſphemer, if the lock be ruſty, then he knocks off al, he breaks the lock and lifts the doore off the hinges; this is true, that all the means of God generally, partly mercy alluring, and conſcience rending the heart, both theſe make the ſoule ſee the vileneſſe of his ſinnes, and the neceſſity of parting with them; and thus God doth draw before a ſinner will come: there muſt bee a kind of violence offered to the ſoule before any comming can proceed from the creature, the reaſons are theſe; I will only touch them: firſt, becauſe every man by nature is a deſpiſer of Chriſt, and rebellious to Chriſt, Mat. 21.38. when God ſent his Sonne Chriſt among them, they ſaid, this is the heire, come let us kill him; when Chriſt came to preach the word they did profeſſely labour to ſlay p. 114the Lord Ieſus, and in the end they did ſo, this is the ſtone which the builders refuſed, ſaith the Scripture: the ſtone was Chriſt, they refuſed Chriſt, and would not build upon him, ſo that thus I reaſon; he that is enemy to the Lord Ieſus, will never of himſelfe come unto him and beleeve in him; but all are enemies to the Lord Ieſus by nature, therefore they will not come unto him, and beleeve in him. Secondly, every man by nature runneth from God, and therefore will not come to God, Pro. 1.30. there ſayth the text, they would none of my counſell, they deſviſed my reproofe; nay, Ier. 2.5. the text ſaith, they are farre from God, there ſaith the text, what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone farre from me: now if a wicked man hates the word of God, and goes poſt haſte in the waies of wickedneſſe, and runnes farre from God, hee is like never to come at him, unleſſe God draw him by a holy kind of violence, hee goeth from God and therefore of himſelfe will never come to God.

Firſt Vſe.The firſt uſe is an uſe of examination; is it ſo, that drawing is before comming, and that God worketh upon the ſoule to pluck it from ſinne before it will depend upon the Lord Ieſus? then hereby examine your ſoules, whether you ever went to the Lord Ieſus or no, and you ſhall know by this ground, that will never …ayle you: namely, obſerve how the Lord hath wrought upon your ſoules in this kind; have the cords of truth convinced you? have the cords of mercy perſwaded you? p. 115have the cords of conſcience terrified you? have theſe cords prevailed with you? if you never found this, then know, you never ſet foot forward to ſalvation; doſt thou thinke to come to Chriſt without drawing? no no: I ſpeake this for two ends, to check the folly of ſome men, and reproove the madneſſe of other; it checks the idle dreame and ſottiſh conceit of thoſe that think they may have Chriſt at halfe an houres warning, that they can caſt themſelves upon the Lord Ieſus when they liſt; they make it a matter of nothing to beleeve in Chriſt, if they can but have a little time upon their death-beds to conſider of their ſinnes and repent for them, then they will reſt upon Chriſt, and caſt a good heart upon Chriſt in this caſe; this is a common and an ordinarie deluſion; but people are deceived, that are of this opinion; what, you come unto the Lord Ieſus, and fling your hearts upon him without drawing? it is all one as if wee ſhould conceive ſome great tree, ſome mighty oake to pluck it ſelfe up by the rootes from the place where it groweth, and tranſplant it ſelfe in another place; if this be unconceivable, the other is as impoſſible; a tree cannot be plucked up from ground without a great deale of digging and cutting, ſo it is with thy ſoule, thou art rooted into ſinne, loving of them and living in them, and continuing in them; and therefore there muſt be digging and hewing, and breaking and cutting off that proud ſturdy heart of thine; before that day come, it will coſt thee hot water; the Lord muſt come down from p. 116heaven, the maſter of the vineyard muſt come down and hew downe thoſe trees, and cut you off from the rebellions of Adam, before you can be implanted into Chriſt; never think of comming to God before you have beene drawne by God: beſides, as this checks the folly of thoſe men, ſo it overthrowes the maddneſſe of ſome men, that content themſelves, becauſe they never were in this condition, they were never drawne, they count this a matter of comfort, they were never no changlings, this horrour of conſcience they never ſaw it, and they bleſſe the Lord that they never ſaw that day; oh poore fooles, is this the credit you have, and the comfort you take, that you were never humbled and drawne unto God; it is as though a prodigall child ſhould bleſſe himſelfe, that his father loved him, becauſe his father never cared for him, but caſt him off; you would thinke that that man were quite voyd of all reaſon and underſtanding that would bleſſe himſelfe becauſe of this condition; if thou never hadſt thy eyes opened, nor thy conſcience awakened, thy ſoule never looſened from corruptions, I tell thee, it is the ſoreſt argument in the world againſt thee; hee that walketh is his evill waies and is not troubled and diſquieted, take heed of it, for the Lord Ieſus ſake; it is one of the heavieſt arguments againſt thee; for the Lord ſaith to Ieruſalem, I will not puniſh your daughters for committing of adultery: mark that, as if he had ſaid, commit adultery if thou wilt, and take up thy courſe if thou wilt, I will not plague thee p. 117here, but I will puniſh thee for all hereafter; and it is obſervable, Hoſ. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone: as who ſhould ſay, let him take up his own way, & walk in the imaginations of his heart, and let him not be diſturbed; it is a ſore ſuſpicion that God never purpoſeth to worke upon thee, when hee letteth thee lie in ungodly courſes without any contradiction; thou art proud, and thou mayeſt be ſo; thou art a drunkard, and thou mayeſt continue ſo ſtill; thy conſcience gives thee way, it never troubles thee; when God never terrifieth thee and draweth thee, it is an argument that God never meaneth to offer any more good unto thee; and doſt thou content thy ſelfe in the greateſt curſe that ever befell any man under the Sunne? you would thinke it were a madde frantick thing if a man were in a deep pitt where hee could not help himſelfe, but muſt needs periſh; if he ſhould glory in this caſe and ſay, I am here in this pitt, and if I get not out I ſhall periſh, yet this is my comfort, no body lookes after me, no body will vouchſafe to helpe me; this is thy condition, thou art funke downe into thy ſinnes, and let downe into the bottom of hell, thou ſtickeſt there and art like to periſh there, and yet for all this thou glorieſt, and boaſteſt, and ſayſt, the Lord will not open my eyes, the Lord will not draw, the Lord will not perſwade me, and work upon me, and therefore thou art like to continue there and bee confounded there; is this thy glory? it is the greateſt curſe that ever befell any man, and therefore if there bee any whoſe eyes p. 118God hath opened, hath the Lord let in the cord of conſcience into thy ſoule, and let in the flaſhes of hell fire and brought thee almoſt to diſpaire, then bleſſed be the name of God, thou art drawing, goe home, be comforted, thou goeſt in the right way, be not diſquieted in this condition, the Lord is now drawing of thee, hee will anon bring thee to himſelfe.

Second Vſe.Secondly, it is a word of direction, if there muſt bee drawing before there can bee comming, then what are we to be adviſed of but this, to bleſſe God for his worke, when wee ſee it in our ſelves or others; whereſoever your ſee this worke wrought in your ſelves, or thoſe that belong unto you, bleſſe God for that mercy; it is a good ground that God intendeth good to a man when hee beginneth the right way; and obſerve this to check that conceit, and overthrow that curſed opinion; it is the ordinary practiſe of carn…ll men in the world if any that belong to them bee awakened and humbled, they count it the heavieſt curſe that ever befell them, the greateſt croſſe that ever came to their houſes, the wife, & the childe, is undone; they complaine the wife is ſo holy, and the ſervants ſo devout, that if there be any ſpare time, they then goe to reading and praying; I wonder whither they will go next I trow; I tell thee, whither they will goe next, they are going now to Chriſt, and the next journey they take they will goe to heaven, this is the worſt newes, and art not thou aſhamed to complaine of this: if there be any ſoule preſent that is guilty of p. 119this crime, take notice of it; art thou content thy wife ſhould take up her looſe adulterous courſes and go to the devill, and not take up a good courſe and goe to the Lord Ieſus Chriſt? when God is working upon men hee is drawing of them to himſelfe, that they may go to the Lord Ieſus, and receive mercy from the Lord Ieſus, and therefore I beſeech the Lord to ſhew men this ſottiſh conceit, and reforme the ſame: when thou ſeeſt God worke upon a poore ſoule, then bleſſe God for the ſame; is thy wife that was an Adultereſſe before, now humbled, doth ſhe now ſee her ſinnes? then goe into a corner and bleſſe God for the ſame and ſay, I have had an untoward wife, but now the Lord (bleſſed bee his Name) hath humbled her; I had a looſe ſervant that was given to drunkenneſſe, prophanneſſe, but now the Lord hath opened his eyes and awakened his conſcience, and humbled his ſoule, and is drawing of him to himſelfe, why bleſſe God for this his glorious comfort, bee comforted herein, and incouraged hereby, and bleſſe God for the ſame.

FINIS.