The Unbelievers Preparing for Christ, Treatise · Sermon 6 (1 of 2)
PREPARING FOR CHRIST.
Iohn 6.44.
No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him; and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.
FOr the application of the merits and obedience of Chriſt Ieſus to the ſoule of a poore ſinner, and for the enjoying of the ſame, there are two things mainly obſervable; Firſt, the ſoule muſt be prepared for the Lord Ieſus; and ſecondly, it muſt be ingrafted, and implanted into Chriſt Ieſus, before it can be made partaker of the ſaving grace and ſalvation in Chriſt contained, and from Chriſt communicated to thoſe duplicate page duplicate page that love and feare his name. Now concerning this great work of preparation, wherein is the … of a Chriſtian, for if the heart bee but prepared, the Lord will then ſuddenly come into his Temple (as the Prophet Malachy ſpeakes.) Now this preparation conſiſts of two parts: Firſt, the diſpenſation of Gods gracious work upon the ſoule of a poore ſinner. Secondly, the frame and diſpoſition that God works upon the ſoule, in converting it to himſelfe. VponUpon theſe two hangs the maine work of preparation: and herein lyeth the great drift of a Chriſtian; for the mercy of God is very free, but we cannot make men fit to receive this mercy. And therefore in preparation hereunto, wee muſt apprehend two things: ſomewhat muſt prepare; ſecondly, ſomewhat muſt be prepared: he that doth prepare, is the Lord; he that doth receive the work, and is prepared, is the ſoules of thoſe whom God hath elected to ſalvation: So that as I ſaid before, ſomething on Gods part muſt bee obſerved, ſomething on mans part muſt be conſidered: on Gods part the diſpenſation of his work, and on mans part the diſpoſition that is wrought in the ſoule. I come …o the firſt thing, which is the maine thing to be … out of the Text, namely, the manner … God worketh upon the ſoule when hee prepares … himſelfe; and this diſcovereth it ſelfe in two particulars: we will handle them both together. …, God doth pluck a poore ſinner from his corruptions and darling ſinnes, to which he was glued and faſtned: and ſecondly, as he draweth the ſoule from ſinne, ſo he draweth it to himſelfe to beleeve in him, and to receive mercy from him. Firſt God plucks the ſoule from ſinne: ſecondly he drawes it to the Lord Ieſus. And for this purpoſe wee have choſen this text, that ſo we may have ſome footing for that which we ſpeak out of Scripture, and my purpoſe, is not to handle all particulars in the Text, which are many, but to chooſe thoſe that do concerne our preſent purpoſe, and beſt fit us in our proceeding. And the two maine points which I meane to diſcover out of the Text are theſe: Firſt, that every man in his naturall condition is faſtened and ſettled in the ſtate of ſinne and corruption. Secondly, that the Lord by a holy kind of violence plucks off the ſoule from ſin, and draweth it to himſelfe. Theſe are the two things which in the Text I aime at, but the ſecond is the main thing I look at: & we muſt handle them both, becauſe the drawing of a thing from another implyeth that the thing which is drawn was faſtned to ſome thing from whence it is to be drawne; and therefore when the Lord ſaith, he will draw a poore ſinner to himſelfe, it implyes that wee were ſtuck faſt and glued to our corruptions, from whence we muſt be drawne; and when this is once done, then the face is towards heaven, towards Zion; then it is fitted to receive mercy from the Lord Ieſus: and becauſe this drawing unto God doth imply a faſtning of the ſoule unto ſinne, from whence it muſt be drawne, the point therefore is this; namely, that every mans naturall eſtate and condition is faſtned, and ſettled, and riveted to his ſinnes and corruptions▪ a poore creature by nature is not onelyonly ingrafted into ſinne, but he is rooted into the rebellions of Adam, and is growne ſtrong with ſinfull corruptions and diſtempers of his owne ſoule; nay a man is not able to expreſſe the ſtrong combination, betweene ſinne and the ſoule; it is ſcrued into ſinne, and riveted into corruptions, which have beene convaied thereunto and derived from our firſt parents: and that the ſo…le is thus faſtned, and ſettled, and glued to ſinne, wee may obſerve it in two particulars; Partly in the dominion that ſinne and Satan hath over the ſoule: Partly in the amity that the ſoule hath to ſinne. Firſt then, conſider the dominion that ſinne hath over the ſoule, that ſoveraigne and uncontroulable command which ſinne exerciſeth over the ſoule of every poore creature under heaven, which is in a naturall eſtate, in the bond of iniquity and under the power of Satan; and we ſhall ſee that the ſoule is faſtened to ſinne, Acts 26.18. the text ſaith, that they are under the power of Satan, To open their eyes, ſaith the text, that they may turne from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan to God. If you aske me how the Devill hath power over poore ſinners, the Apoſtle telleth you, That he catcheth them at his pleaſure: the proud man muſt go no further than he will, and the covetous man muſt do nothing but that which he liſt: but this is not all neither, though this be ſufficient to diſcover the power that Satan hath over the ſoule of a ſinner: but when hee hath thus taken a poore ſoule, and fettered him in this caſe, he then ſhuts him up in priſon, Tim. 2.2.26. there the next ſaith, that the divell takes poore ſinners, priſoners at his will. Gal. 3.22. it is ſaid, that all men by nature are under the law, ſhut up under ſinne: it is a phraſe taken from priſoners; a priſoner that is under the hand of the jaylor, and hath his legges ſettered, and is ſhut up in priſon, we uſe to ſay that ſuch a man is ſure enough. And not only ſo; ſinne and Satan have not only taken a poore priſoner, and ſettered him, and ſhut him up in priſon, but they have ſlaine him, and taken away his life alſo; and therefore now ſinne muſts needs he faſtened deep in the ſoule of a poore ſinner. If a theefe, or a Traytor, were apprehended, and convicted, and impriſoned, and had bolts and fetters upon him; and further, if he were condemned, and hang'd, drawne, and quarter'd; then though the partie were never ſo reſolute, or his practiſes never ſo outragious, yet …en might ſay, now he is ſure enough, now he will ſteale no more, nor plot treaſon any more: juſt ſo it is with the ſoule of a poore ſinner, every man naturally, is ſo farre forth under the power of ſinne and Satan, that he is not only ſurpriſed and taken by Satan, but his ſinnes are as ſo many bolts, and fetters about him, nay he is ſhut up in priſon; nay further, ſinne hath ſlaine him out right; in ſo much that a man may as ſoone pluck hell from the place where it is, as pluck a poore ſinner out of his corruptions. The devill hath not only taken a poore ſinner, but he hath fetterd him and impriſoned him, and taken away his life; and therefore now the devill hath him ſure enough, as we may ſo ſpe…l; he is now firmly faſtned unto ſinne. This is the firſt paſſage, adde to this the ſecond. As the dominion of ſinne over the ſoule is great, ſo alſo that ſame land of league, and cloſe kind of firme faſtning, that ſame union that is betweene the ſoule and corruptions, is marvellous great. The Scripture never enough expreſſeth the love that is between ſinne and the ſoule; look what love and union there is between the husband and the wiſe, Rom. ….2. there faith the text, the woman which is in ſubjection to a man, is bound to the man while he liveth; the one muſt die before the other can marry: ſuch is the union between ſinne and the ſoule, a poore ſinne is married and given over to ſinne, in ſo much that before the Lord conquers and ſlayeth ſinne, the ſoule is never free. Nay further, look as the members are to the body, ſuch is ſinne to the ſoule, Colloſ. 3.5. mortifie your members which are on earth, ſaith the Apoſtle, as fornication, uncleanneſſe inordinate affection, and the like: nay ſinne is called the old man in Scripture, as if ſinne were another man in us; there is a head of ſinne, and an eye of ſinne, and a hand of ſinne, and a foot of ſinne; in every ſinfull creature it is as another man within him. Nay to go further, Matth. 16.24. there ſinne is called a mans ſelfe, there, ſaith our Saviour, let a man deny himſelfe and take up his croſſe and follow mee: let him deny himſelfe, that is, let him deny his pride, and his other ſinfull diſtempers and abominations. I tell you, a naturall mans ſinnes are as neere unto him as his own life, he will part with his own bloud, before he will part with his corruptions; nay his ſinnes are himſelfe, they are ſo faſt and ſo firmely ſetled unto him, that you may as eaſily pluck ſelfe from ſelfe as a man from his ſinnes. So then if it be ſo, that the dominion that Satan hath over the ſoule of a ſinner, is the ſtrongeſt of all other, if the union betweene ſinne and the ſoule be the firmeſt of all other; then it is cleare, that every naturall man ſticks faſt in ſinne he is bound hand and foot in ſinne, ſinne and a man makes but one man; and therefore it muſts needs be a hard thing to pluck a man from his ſinfull diſtempers: ſo that then the caſe is cleare, every man is informed of this, that the ſoule is faſtned and glued, and firmely ſetled unto ſinne: we will now proceed unto the uſe of the poynt. And firſt for inſtruction,1 Vſe. we may here ſee that wofull ſervitude and baſe ſlavery, that all poore creatures are in, if they be no better by grace than they are by nature: though they carry it out never ſo bravely, and lift up their heads never ſo high, and think their penny good ſilver, yet their ſervitude is of all other the worſt; and their vaſſalage, of all other in the world, the baſeſt. There was never poore ſoule ſtuck ſo faſt in a pit of clay, wherein was no bottome, as a poore ſoule ſticketh in his ſinnes and corruptions. You have heard of the houſe of bondage, that the Iſraelites were in, when they were in Aegygt, how miſerably they were afflicted and tormented by the hands of unreaſonable Tyrants, how they were forced to gather their ſtraw, and then to ſcorch themſelves in the fiery furnace, to make brick. You have heard of Ie…e…ie in the dungeon, how ho ſtuck faſt in the mire and …, and could have no eaſe untill Evil merodach came and delivered him. You have heard of the Mill that Samſon grinded in, after the Philiſtims had put out his eyes; that they ſhould then put him as a horſe to grind in the Mill. You would think it marvellous irkſome and troubleſome to be thus oppreſſed by unreaſonable men. I tell you, the houſe of bondage that the Iſraelites were in, was a heaven, it was a Paradiſe, to that ſlavery, that bondage, that ſervitude, that vaſſalage which every poore ſinner is in under ſinne and Satan: nay Samſons Mill was an excellency, it was a glory to that ſlavery which every poore ſinner is faine to performe, to be at Satans call, and to be at the devils command; if he bid; a man to be proud, then he muſt be proud; if the divell command a man to be covetous, then he muſt obey him, and go like an Oxe to the ſlaughter, and a Foole to the ſtocks, to do whatſoever ſinne and Satan bids him: what a baſe ſlavery and ſervitude is this? Ieremie in the dungeon, it was a delight to be there where he might look up to heaven, and leave the deſires of his ſoule with God; but for a poore ſoule to be in the dungeon of his ſinnes, where his mind cannot be enlightned, …or his judgement informed; where hee can ſee nothing, nor know nothing; where there is no help, where all the men on earth, nor all the Angels of heaven, cannot help him; what a wofull miſerable wretched condition is this? Oh that God would open mens eyes, and ſet open the conſciences of thoſe that look ſo high and bragge of their priviledges: Many men boaſt of their baſe courſes, and wicked practiſes, as if a thiefe ſhould brag of his chaines and fetters; this is a wofull miſery: many creatures make this a great part of their liberty, that they can break all bonds, and ſnap all cords in peeces, and caſt the holy commandements of God behind their backs, not to be perſwaded, not to bee yoaked; and then they think they are the braveſt men alive; they care not what the Miniſter ſaies, they care not what the word commands; oh theſe men think they are in the greateſt liberty of all men under the Sunne, let me ſpeak a little to theſe men; didſt thou never ſee a poore priſoner look out of Newgate, and cry bread, bread, for the Lords ſake; or didſt thou never here of a poore man that was fetter'd and caſt into a filthy dark dungeon, where light never came, where Sunne never ſhined; if you have ſeene theſe, or heard of theſe, do you think theſe men free and at liberty? I appeale to your owne conſciences in this caſe. Why truly theſe men are free men in regard of that bondage, that ſlavery, that vaſſallage, that thoſe men are in, which break Gods commandements. Thy body indeed may be at liberty, and may go from alchouſe to alehouſe; but alas thou haſt a poore ſoule, that is ſhut up in ſinne, and corruption, nay it never ſaw the Sunne, the Sunſhine of the Goſpell never came unto it, never any promiſe tooke place in thy ſoule, never did any counſell do thee any good, and yet notwithſtanding, theſe baſe ſlaves, the miſerable priſoners, thoſe are they, that account of the poore ſervants of God, as if they were the baſeſt perſons in the world: If there be any poore ſoules that humble themſelves, and obey his commandements, then they count thoſe poore ſneaks, and baſe fellows; if God commands any thing, they obey it, if he threatens, they tremble, and howle, and cry, and even breake their hearts becauſe of their ſinnes, they account this as a baſe thing, they count theſe men of no ſpirits; but when no feare of man terrifieth them, when the word of God cannot …rule them, theſe are royall hearts, and the brave ſpirits of the world; brave ſpirits, for the Lord Ieſus ſake think of it. Of all peaſants in the world, I tell you, they are the baſeſt bondſlaves, the moſt miſerable vaſſals that ever breathed on the face of the earth, to have ſinne to be a mans commander, and the devill his jaylor, and his heart a hell; and to have an ill conſcience to be his hangman that continually keepeth the roap about his neck, when there is not one haire; breadth betweene death and him: but if it pleaſe God by death to tutne the ladder, then he is hanged in hell for ever: is this freedome? are theſe the brave ſpirits of the world? the Lord deliver his from ſuch liberty. Should we ſee a malefactor arraygned, impriſoned, condemned, and gone to the place of execution, and upon the top of the ladder, and the Hangman having the roap about his neck, ready to turne him off, would wee think this man a free man? would we think him a man of a brave ſpirit, that is in this condition? I tell thee, thy condition, if thou beeſt in a naturall eſtate, is farre worſe. Thou art a poore ſoule, that haſt been impriſoned, and …ettered, thou art under the bondage of ſinne, and Satan, and thy evill conſcience is like a hangman, that every day hath the nooſe about thy neck; and if the ladder by death be but once turned, then thou art hanged in endleſſe, and eaſeleſſe torments for ever, never to be comforted, never to be refreſhed; and yet theſe brag and ſay, who is Lord over us? why, I tell you the devill is Lord over you …and ſinne is your commander; you are in the greateſt ſlavery of any men, under the cope of heaven. This is the firſt uſe, to ſhew the miſerable ſlavery, that all poore creatures are in.
In the ſecond place, it is a word of exhortation.2 Vſe. Is it ſo, that all ſinnefull men are in ſuch a wretched condition, then we ought to be perſwaded, and intreated, eſpecially the ſervants of God, that have had their bolts knocked off, and have beene freed from the ſlavery of ſinne, and Satan, theſe ought to be exhorted, to put on the bowells of compaſſion, and to pitty theſe poore creatures, theſe poore priſoners, and to lend them their helping hand, to pluck them out of the mire and clay, wherein they ſtuck: It is the cuſtome of the world, if a poore priſoner be taken and condemned, and is going to the place of execution; why, reaſon perſwades men thus farre, to yearne towards him, they will be ready to pitty him, and ſay, alas poore man, he is alive now, within this ſhort time he will be dead; and what ſhall become of his ſoule who knowes, unleſſe God have mercy upon him, he is like to periſh for ever. Why, doe you ſee a company of proud perſons, covetous wretches, prophane creatures in the world, alas they are going to the place of execution, there is but one hayres breadth between them, and everlaſting damnation: if God turne the ladder once, and a naturall death creep upon them, what then ſhall become of their poore ſoules? take notice therefore of theſe poore ſoules, and pitty poore priſoners, that are in ſuch a wretched condition. If a child that had a farher of good abilitie, and of ſome place in the countrey wherein he lived, if he ſhould ſee his father for ſome offence, apprehended by the officers, and committed to priſon; or if he ſhould ſee him go begging, from doore to doore, with his fetters and his bolts about his heeles, oh how it would grieve him, oh how he would weep, and howle, and ſay, little had I thought, my poore father would have come to this miſery: or if a wife ſhould ſee, her huſband going to the gallowes, for ſome haynous crime committed, I know ſhee would have a heart to mourn for her husband in this kind, ſhe would be ready to ſay, little thought I, that my husband ſhould have come to ſuch an end, it is his owne folly, that hath brought him to this. Can you pitty thoſe that are overtaken with outward bonds, with outward miſery, and can you mourne for that which is fallen upon their bodies, why do thus much more, for the ſoule of thy father, for the ſoule of thy wiſe, for the ſoule of thy child, or thy friend, and ſay, little did I think that my father, or my husband, or my child, ſhould ever have been ſhut up in hell, and fettered by Satan; little did I think that ever ſinne, or Satan, ſhould be his jaylor, that the devill ſhould hale him to the place of execution: alas he cannot ſpeak a good word, nor perform any good duty; he cannot pray in his family, but is ſhut up under pride and covetouſneſſe, and drunkenneſſe, and prophaneneſſe. If thou canſt pitty and pray, for the body of thy father, or for the body of thy huſband, or friend, why then pitty and pray, much more for the ſoule of thy father, husband, or friend. It is that which is obſervable Deut: 10.19. there ſaith the text, you ſhall deale kindly with ſtrangers; why, becauſe yee your ſelves were ſtrangers, in the land of Aegypt: we that have been in priſon, under ſinne and Satan, and have beene in the ſame condition our ſelves, we know what it is, to be ſhut up under a hard heart, and a blind mind, and diſtempered affections; we know what it is to be prentiſe to the devill, and therefore this ſhould move us, to deale pittifully with poore miſerable captived creatures; we our ſelves were in the ſame condition, we our ſelves lived without God in the world heretofore, as thoſe do now. Nay, this is that which the Apoſtle preſſeth, Tit: 3, 1, 2, 3. there ſaith the text, Put them in mind to be ſubject to principalities, and powers, and to ſpeak evill of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, ſhewing all meekneſſe unto all men; for we our ſelves alſo, were ſometimes diſobedient, fooliſh, deceiving, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, living in malice, hatefull, and hating one another: you that have beene priſoners, and have had your ſoules, pierced with bolts and fetters; why, remember your own eſtate, and pitty poore priſoners, that are now in that eſtate; that you have formerly been in. Hath the Lord opened thy eyes, and humbled thy heart, hath the Lord broke thy bonds, and knocked off thy bolts, and let thee out of priſon, why then pitty poore priſoners, you were ſuch once your ſelves, hating God, and hatefull one to another; and that you are not ſo, bleſſe God for it. You know what it is to be in ſuch a condition, to be troubled with a hard heart; you that have beene in priſon, and know what it is to have hard hearts, and dead ſoules, and blind minds; why, pitty poore priſoners that are in the ſame caſe, and cry to heaven for help for them, intreat God to free and deliver them from the bondage of ſinne and Satan: in the 12. of Matth. 9.10. it is that our Saviour preſſes upon the Phariſees, there ſaith the text, what man ſhall there be among you, that ſhall have one ſheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, and will not lift it out, how much then is a man better than a ſheep? ſo ſay I, if any of you ſhould have a child, or a father, or a huſband fall into a Well, would you not uſe all meanes poſſible, to lift him out? oh here one would be breathing, and would ſcarce ſpeake, there another would be hoarſe with crying, help, help, for the Lords ſake, my child, my father, my husband is drowning; thus you would do, and you do well, and mercifully: but have you care of oxen, and of the bodies of your ſonnes, and your fathers, and husbands, and have you no pitty, no compaſſion upon their ſoules? you that ſee the ſoules of your husbands, ſunk down into a durty pitt, into a filthy dungeon, into a drunken …rophane courſe; thou that ſeeſt thy wife fallen into a courſe of chambering, and wantonneſſe, if thou ſeeſt this, why then call and cry for ſuccour, and reliefe, and pray for help, and labour by all meanes poſſible, to pluck out theſe ſoules out of the gall of bitterneſſe, and out of the bond of iniquite, labour to pluck them out of ſinne here, and damnation hereafter. Look as a man deales with carriage, if a Cart be at a ſtay, or at a ſett, in the high way, why then the Carter that drives it, doth what he can himſelfe, he ſets his ſhoulder to the wheele, and labours as much as in him lyeth, to lift the Cart out; but if this will not doe, then he craves the help of ſome others, eſpecially if there go two or three teames together, then he gets all the other teames ſet to this load, to draw it out, and eſpecially if the load be going, then they cry, it is comming, it is comming, and labour by all meanes poſſible, to lift it out altogether. Doſt thou ſee the heart of thy father, or the heart of thy child, at a ſtand, under pride, covetouſnes, and prophaneneſſe; why, then pray thou what thou canſt, and do what thou mayſt, put thy ſhoulder to the wheele, and uſe all meanes to pluck them out; but if this will not do, uſe all helps that can be by the ſupply of others, and crave their help in this caſe, intreat them to help thy father, or thy child, or thy huſband at a dead lift: ſay, my father, or my husband, is ſunk forty fadam deep into the earth, he is buried in the world, and in his corruptions, eſpecially if th… load be comming, if he be almoſt perſwaded to become a Chriſtian, then labour earneſtly and cry, one pluck for my poore husband, one pluck for my poore father, he is comming, he is comming, therefore pull, pull, for the Lords ſake: and go further, and cry mightily unto the Lord, that it would pleaſe him, to pluck him out of the ground, look up to heaven, and intreat the Lord to lend his helping hand: if man cannot, nor neighbours will not, why then look up higher unto heaven for ſuccour, and ſay, good Lord, my father is a priſoner, and a bondſlave to ſinne and Satan, therefore, good Lord I beſeech thee, break thoſe bonds, and knock off thoſe bolts of pride, and infidelity, and the like: in the 12. of the Acts when Peter was taken priſoner, it is ſaid that prayer was made, without ceaſing of the Church unto God for him; and the ſame night when Herod would have brought him forth, Peter was ſleeping between two ſouldiers, bound in two chaynes, and the Keepers before the doore kept the priſon; and the Angell of the Lord appeared unto him, and a light ſhined in the priſon; and he rayſed him up, and ſaid, Peter ariſe, and the chaines fell off from him: afterwards he came unto an iron gate, that lead unto the City, and that opened of its own accord. Why, that God that was able to knock off the bonds of Peter, and was able to make the iron gate open of it ſelfe unto him; that God is able to break the bonds of ſinne and Satan, wherewith thy father, husband, or friend are fetter'd; he is able to break the braſen doore of their hearts, which hinders the light of the Goſpell from ſhining in, and therefore cry to this God for help and ſuccour, and mercy, and ſay, good Lord, thou that wert able to break off the fetters, wherewith Peter was bound, and to make the iron doore to open, good Lord I beſeech thee, do thou work upon my father, my husband, or my child, eſpecially that he may never be ſo hardened, ſlip the lock, and break in upon him, and humble him here, that he may be ſaved hereafter; eſpecially when you ſee the load is comming, then draw, oh then draw with all your power; when you ſee their minds are inlightned, and their judgements informed, why then the load is comming, pray therefore then to God eſpecially for help; who knowes but God may humble them, and convert them to himſelfe, and therefore ſtrive amayne with God, uſe all meanes both ordinary and extraordinary for the benefit of them: and this ſhall ſuffice for the firſt paſſage, namely, that the ſoule of a man by nature is glued, and faſtened to ſinne and corruption. The next poynt conſiderable, is this, who it is that muſt deliver the ſoule from the bondage of ſinne and Satan, and pluck it from ſinne… a man cannot do this of himſelfe, it is the Lords own work that muſt bring it to paſſe, for ſo ſaith the text, no man commeth to mee, except the father draweth him; it is he that muſt do the deed. The poynt is this, the Lord by a holy kind of violence, doth pluck the hearts of ſinners from ſinne, unto himſelfe, this is the ſcope of the text, and this is the ayme of our Saviour in the verſel, and this is the work, on Gods part conſiderable: for as we have heard before, we muſt obſerve two things in preparation; Firſt Gods act upon the ſoule, Secondly the frame and diſpoſition that is wrought in the ſoule by God. The act of God is a drawing of the ſoule by an holy kind of violence, from ſinne unto himſelfe. I will not here ſpeak of the inability of the ſoule, or that God is the author of this work, for theſe I have handled before, out of that place, Ezech. 11.19. it is God that taketh away the ſtony heart, and giveth a heart of fleſh: we will only now ſpeak, of the diſpenſation of the work of God, of the manner how God prepares a ſinner for himſelfe, and the text ſaith, he doth it by drawing, he doth by a holy kind of violence, draw the ſoule from corruptions, and ſinnefull courſes, unto himſelfe; and I will handle both theſe together, the plucking of the ſoule from finne, and drawing of it to God, becauſe they are both made up together, by one action and motion; as for example, look as it is with a man, that rends one peece of wood from another, as he plucks the one peece from the other, ſo he drawes that which he plucks to himſelfe, he doth not only draw it from the other, but he drawes that part, neerer to himſelfe; ſo that both are made up, by one action and operation: and ſo it is here, the plucking of a ſinner from corruption, and drawing of him to God, both theſe are acted by God at once, and therefore I will handle them both together; only obſerve, there muſt be ſuch a kind of thing as this is, before God will take poſſeſſion of the ſoule, namely, there muſt be a ſevering of the ſoule from ſinne, and a drawing of it to God; look as it is with a mans body, if any part thereof be out of joynt, or broken, before this part can be jonted aright againe, haply there is ſome filth, ſome moyſt humours about it, or haply there is ſome dead fleſh in it, now this dead fleſh muſt be taken away, and the filth and ill humours muſt be removed, before that part can be ſet in its right place againe; ſo it muſt be with the ſoules of Gods ſervants, every ſoule by ſinne is unjoynted, and wholly removed from God: the ſoule indeed was made for God, and ſhould have cloſed with him, and faſtened upon him, but by reaſon of ſinne, the ſoule is quite broken; now before the ſoule can be made fit for God, before it can be put into a right frame, all that noyſome corruption that is in it, and thoſe baſe luſts that hang upon it, the ſoule muſt be freed from theſe, before God can work upon it, or that receive mercy and ſalvation from God, before it can performe any good duty; and this is done by drawing: the Lord by a holy kind of violence, doth pluck the ſoule from thoſe ſinnes that harbour in it, and thoſe diſtempers that preſſe upon it, and then he drawes it unto himſelfe. And for the opening of this, we muſt conſider three things: Firſt, what the nature of this drawing is, what is meant hereby. Secondly the meanes how, and whereby God commeth to draw a poore ſinner, from ſinne to himſelfe. Thirdly, the arguments why God muſt thus draw with a holy kind of violence, and that God may do this without any prejudice at all to the will. Firſt, what the nature of this drawing is; and we muſt underſtand, that there is a double kind of drawing in Scripture, this word implyeth a double ſenſe in the phraſe of Scripture a there is firſt a morall kind of drawing, it is a word uſed by Divines, but that I may ſpeak to the capacity of all, I will terme it an outward or an externall kind of drawing, which is this, when a man by reaſons propounded, and good things offered to the underſtanding and the will, comes thereby to have his mind enlightned, and his will moved and perſwaded, to embrace and give entertaynment to the things offered: and obſerve in this two things; firſt, that it is only outward in regard of the ſubject; ſecondly, that it putteth nothing into the heart, but ſtirreth up that which is in the heart already: there is nothing but objects offered, and arguments propounded to perſwade the ſoule to the love and liking of the thing offered; and this is uſuall in Scripture, and it is ſaid to bee a compelling of a man; it propounds arguments to the ſoule, and ſo brings on the ſoule to the affecting of any thing; in the 16 of the Acts 15. it is ſaid of Lydia after ſhee was converted, her ſoule clave to the holy man Paul, and ſhe beſought them ſaying; If you have judged me to bee faithfull to the Lord, abide in my houſe: and then ſaith the text, ſhe conſtrayned us, ſhee laid ſuch hookes upon them that ſhee conſtrayned them, how is this? ſhee layd no violent hands upon them, no, but ſhee uſed arguments that were ſo forcible, and reaſons that were ſo pithy, that ſhe perſwaded the Apoſtle Paul and thoſe that were with him to yeeld unto her requeſt: if you have judged me faithfull come into my houſe; as if ſhee had ſayd, if you beleeve that I have received the grace of God by you, if ever you meanes to receive any comfort from the bleſſing of God upon the worke wrought in me by your meanes, if you think that my ſoule hath been made partaker of any good from you, come then in unto my houſe and abide with me; now unleſſe Paul would have denyed his owne work which God by his grace had ſhewed him, he muſt yeeld unto her, and come in, and therefore the text ſaith, that ſhee conſtrayned him, that is, ſhee did by arguments and reaſons propounded unto him, perſwade him to grant her requeſt: ſo in the 22 of Matt. it is ſayd that the King when he had made a great feaſt, and thoſe that were bidden would not come, he bids his ſervants go out into the high wayes, and compell men to come in; there is nothing meant there but this morall, outward drawing by ſtrength of arguments, when by arguments propounded, we draw and perſwade men, to do that we would have them performe: but this is not meant here in the text, and I prove it thus, becauſe it is not the purpoſe of our Saviour Chriſt in the text, for Chriſt having taught a ſpirituall and an heavenly Sermon, the Phariſees murmured and ſaid, Is not this Ieſus the ſonne of Ioſeph, whoſe father and mother we know, how is it then that he ſaith, he came down from heaven? Ieſus when he perceived their murmuring, ſaid unto them, Why murmur you among your ſelves? and that he might prevent the offence that the feeble ones might take at the example of the Phariſees, he ſaith unto them, No man can come unto me, except my father draweth him, as though he had ſaid, be not you troubled, and perplexed, becauſe theſe great ſcollers do not beleeve my doctrine, and embrace it, it is not in them willing, but in mee drawing; do not you think ill of my doctrine of ſalvation, becauſe your wiſe men and your brave men, will not beleeve it; for I tell you, though theſe have had arguments propounded, to perſwade them to this, yet they cannot embrace my doctrine and beleeve, unleſſe my father draweth them; they have had their hearts convinced and their mouths ſtopped, but yet all this will not do, unleſſe my father draweth them. Secondly, this kind of caution, except my father draweth him, no man come unto mee, is implyed, that if my father doth draw him, he will come; and the Papiſts themſelves confeſſe this, that a man may have this morall drawing arguments, perſwading, and reaſons alluring to come unto God, and receive mercy from him, and yet he may not come; but they that have this drawing meant in the text, they will undoubtedly come; no man comes unto mee, except the father which hath ſent mee draweth him, and therefore whoſoever the father doth draw, he ſhall come, and certainly will come, and therefore this drawing, that is meant here, is not a morall drawing by outward perſwaſions: thus much for the clearing of this poynt, namely that a morall and externall drawing is not to be underſtood in the text. This will not ſerve the turne, there is more in it than ſo, we muſt therefore ſearch further, into the nature of this word drawing; and God is ſaid to draw a poore ſinner unto himſelfe, in the ſecond place, when he is not only pleaſed to enlighten a mans mind, and offer arguments to his underſtanding, and lay truths and propound promiſes unto him, for this will not doe it, this is only an outward drawing; but when the Lord is pleaſed to put a new power into the ſoule of a ſinner, and with all, to carry the will to the object propounded, that it may embrace it; when God is pleaſed, not onelyonly to offer good things to the ſoule, but to enable the ſoule to lay hold upon the things offered, not only to offer Chriſt and ſalvation, but to work effectually upon the heart, and make it able to give entertainment to Chriſt, then the Lord is ſaid to draw a ſinner unto himſelfe, from ſinne and corruption; and this is tearmed an internall kind of drawing, and this is meant here in the text, it is not only the propounding of arguments, to move and pluck the ſoule, but the Lord doth by his effectuall power, draw the ſoule from ſinne, and bring it unto himſelfe. And therefore obſerve two things, touching this internall drawing, namely, that there is a ſeperation firſt wrought, betweene ſinne and the ſoule, the union that is betweene finne and the ſoule, is broken. Secondly, that when the ſoule is once ſevered, and broken off from ſinne, then it comes to a right ſet, to a right frame and diſpoſition towards God, and then it goeth no further, but here it ſtoppeth; and this is that which I call plucking and drawing of a poore ſinner from his corruptions to God, in both which actions the will of the creature is wrought upon, plucked from ſinne and ſet towards God, and of it ſelfe it doth not move at all. I expreſſe it thus, look as it is with the wheele of a clock, or the wheele of a Iack that is turned aſide, and by ſome contrary poyſe ſet the wrong way. He now that will ſet this wheele right, muſt take away the contrary poyſe, and then put the wheele the right way, and and yet the wheele doth not goe all this while of it ſelfe, but firſt there is a ſtopping of the wheele, and a taking away of the poyſe: and ſecondly the wheele muſt be turned the right way, and all this while the wheele is only a ſufferer; ſo it is with the ſoule of a man, the heart of a man, and the will of a man, and the affections of a man, they are the wheeles of the ſoules of men, the Lord Ieſus made them at the firſt to runne to heaven-ward, and to God-ward, but when Adam ſinned, then the poyſe of corruptions prevailed ſo farre forth over them, that they drew the heart, the mind, the will of man from God, and made it runne the wrong way to the divell-ward, and to hell-ward; now when the Lord commeth to ſet theſe wheeles aright, he muſt take away the poyſe and plummet that made them runne the wrong way, that is, the Lord by his almighty power, muſt overpower thoſe ſinnes and corruptions which harbour in the ſoule, and have dominion over the ſoule: as for example, if a man have a covetous heart, inſomuch that the world will not ſuffer him to heare, and pray, and performe any good duty, then God muſt pull away that plummet, he muſt pluck the ſoule from that ſinne, and then he muſt draw it to himſelfe, that is, he muſt draw it to Godward, and to Zion-ward, and make it to be at his command, that Gods ſpirit as a new plummet, may carry it and order it, and now it doth nothing all this while, God muſt firſt take away the contrary plummet, that drew the ſoule aſide, and then the frame of the ſoule will be to God-ward, it will be in a right frame and order, it will runne the right way, and all this while the will is only a ſufferer, and this I take to be the meaning of the text: That God by a holy kind of violence, rendeth the ſoule of a poore ſinner, and withall by his almighty power, ſtops the force of a mans corruptions, and makes the ſoule teachable, and framable to the will of God, it makes it to lie levell, and to be at Gods command, and this is done by a holy kind of violence; and ſo much for theſe poynts of ſpeculation, without which I could not well open the poynt. But now we ſee the bottome of the poynt, namely, that God doth by a holy kind of violence, pluck and draw men from their corruptions, unto himſelfe. The next thing to be conſidered is, the meanes whereby God thus haleth the ſoule, and draweth the heart of a poore ſinner unto himſelfe: and the meanes are foure.11. The firſt work of the Lord is this he lets in a light into the foule of a poore ſinner, and diſcovereth unto him, that he is in a wrong way, and tells him, there is another way that he muſt walk in, if ever he meane to come to heaven, and this is the firſt meanes, when the ſoule of a ſinner is inlightned, and his mind informed that he is in a wrong courſe, and that he muſt take a better courſe, or elſe he ſhall never come at heaven, and this the Lord doth ſuddenly, the ſinner not perceiving of it, the Lord ſetteth a ſudden flaſh upon his ſoule, and telleth him that he is going unto hell, the ſoule preſently wonders at this, and marvels how it came to paſſe, Eſay 66.1. there ſaith the text, I am ſought of them that asked not for mee, and I am found of them that ſought mee not, the Lord putteth a ſudden light into ſoules of men, which they never dreamed of. Hypocrites if they can but goe to Church, and ſit in the Church as Gods ſervants do, and leane on their elbowes, and heare as Gods people do, then all is well with them, but as many of them as belong to God, God will diſcover unto them that they are in a wrong way, and he will ſhew and reveale another way unto them, which they never dreamed of; and therefore this is that▪ we ſhall obſerve, haply we ſhall ſee a man come riding into a town on a Sabboth day, and when he comes, there hee ſeeth the people going to Church, well, perhaps then he ſets up his horſe at the Inne, and goes into the Church for a cuſtome and for company ſake, and when he is in the Church, he goes into a ſeat and ſets down his ſtaffe, and ſits down and attends the Miniſter, and never thinks of any thing, well at laſt the Lord ſends a light into his ſoule, and telleth him, thou art now riding about thy own worldly buſineſſe, when thouſhouldſt be in ſanctifying of my Sabboth: I tell thee my friend, thou art in a wrong way, thou takeſt a naughty courſe, thou doſt wickedly, and if thou continueſt and goeſt on in this courſe, thou wilt never come at heaven. And this the Lord doth on a ſudden, when a man never ſo much as thought of any ſuch matter. And after a man is thus enlightned, he will be ready to ſay, the truth is, heretofore I went to heare the word but for cuſtomes ſake, but when I leaſt dreamed of any ſuch thing, it pleaſed the Lord, bleſſed be his name, to reveale ſuch things unto mee, as I before never knew, he told mee that which ſticketh upon mee to this preſent houre, he diſcovered that unto mee, which I hope I ſhall carry with me unto my grave; this is that we may obſerve in the 9. of the Acts, Paul there was running on in a reſolute-courſe, he had gotten letters at Damaſcus, and purpoſed to make havock of all poore Chriſtians where he came, now while he was in his journey the Lord met him from heaven, and cryed unto him, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee? as he if had ſaid, this is not the way to heaven, you think to perſecute my poore Saints, but Saul, Saul, I tell thee, this is not the way, thou takeſt a wrong courſe: he called unto him, as a man would call after one that is running out of his right way, into ſome wilderneſſe or dangerous place. And when Saul heard this, he preſently fell off his horſe, and humbled himſelfe and ſaid, Lord what wilt thou that I do? and ſo Luke 15.4. the text ſaith, that the ſhepherd that had loſt his ſheep left his ninty and nine, and went into the wilderneſſe to ſeek that which was loſt, and if he had not gone to ſeek the ſheep, the ſheep would never have ſought him: alas the poore ſheep was gone aſtray, and bewilderd, and if the ſhepheard had not followed it and ſought after it, that would never have found the ſheepheard; nay to go further, many a man goeth to the word, and heareth it for nothing elſe but to carp at the Miniſter, and yet the Lord hath caught many ſuch men alſo, and hath put ſuch a light into their hearts, that he hath made them know that they were in a wrong way: and mark, when the Lord hath let in this light, then the ſoule begins to be at a ſtand, and thinks with himſelfe, ſurely if this be the right way, I am in the wrong, if the Miniſter ſaith true, then I am not right; but then ſometimes the heart would put out this light, it would not be informed and perſwaded; if the Miniſter tels a man that he muſt ſanctifie Gods Sabboths here, or elſe he ſhall never ſanctifie a Sabboth unto him in heaven hereafter, when the Miniſter ſaith, that unleſſe God humble us here, he will break us in peeces in hell hereafter; loath a man is to know this, and be informed of this, becauſe hee would not be offended by this and provoked to performe this, but though a ſinner would ſhift off this, yet the Lord will not leave him, but will ſtill purſue him and lay reaſons upon him unanſwerable; the ſoule would fain play tricks with the Lord in this caſe, and put out this light, but God will reveale to the ſoule of a ſinner that theſe things are certainly true, God will lay hold upon the underſtanding of a poore ſinner, and follow him with reaſons that are undeniable untill his reaſon ſhall yeeld, and his underſtanding give verdit to that which the Lord reveales, untill hee ſayes I, confeſſe Lord, it is true, I yeeld full aſſent thereto: Thus the Lord knocketh at the doore or heart of a poore ſinner, and not only ſo, but lifts up the latch and opens the doore of a mans heart, and letteth in the light; and this is the firſt courſe that God uſeth.22. The ſecond is this, after that the Lord hath thus enlightened the minde and let in the light of his ſpirit into the heart of a ſinner, and though a man would defeat the power of it, yet God ſtill followeth him with forceable arguments untill the underſtanding is ſetled, and reaſon anſwered: after the Lord hath done this, then the ſecond cord wherewith God draweth ſinners unto himſelfe, is a cord of mercy, whereby the Lord doth compaſſe a poore ſinner about with kindneſſe, & goodneſſe, and compaſſion, Hoſ. 11.4. there ſaith the Lord, I taught Ephraim to goe, taking them by the armes, I drew them with the cords of love, and with the bonds of a man. This ſame cord of Gods mercy is a cable rope, the abundant riches of Gods mercy is a great thick cable, and we will tell you of what it is twiſted, & it makes known it ſelfe in foure particulars; if the illumination that God ſends into the heart will not bee able to perſwade the heart, though it anſwers all objections & purſueth it with arguments undeniable, why then the Lord will draw us with the cord of his mercy, and this great cable of Gods goodneſſe is made up of foure cords.
Firſt,Firſt Cord. the Lord revealed himſelfe to be ready to receive, and willing and eaſie to entertayne poore ſinners when they come unto him, Eſay 55.7. there ſaith the text, let the wicked for ſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The word in the original is this, the Lord multiplyeth pardons, the Lord hath not uttered all his pardons; the Popes pardons indeed may bee all ſold, but Gods pardons are not at the bottome; no, no, hee hath a multitude of pardons. The Lord is ready to give thee pardon for all thy tranſgreſſions, what ever thy corruptions bee, whatſoever thy abominations be, the Lord ſtandeth to multiply mercy and pardon, and forgiveneſſe, that ſo thou mayeſt have mercy for all, and forgiveneſſe to all thy ſinnes and diſtempers: haſt thou multiplyed rebellion? why the Lord doth alſo multiply pardons, the bowels of compaſſion are ſtill open, and the armes of mercy are ſtill ſpread abroad, and when the ſoule ſeeth the attributes of God in Scripture, that hee pardons all poore ſinners that come unto him; ſtubborne Manaſſes, he was humbled, and reſolute Paul, hee was converted; when the ſoule ſeeth this, then the ſoule thinketh, why not I Lord, why not I pardoned alſo? why yes, thou mayſt bee received to mercy and pardoned alſo, for the Lord doth ſtill multiply pardons: Manaſſes had ſome mercy, and Paul had ſome, and yet there is mercy for thee alſo, and for a thouſand thouſand more; the Lord is ready to pardon poore ſinners, and willing to entertaine them.
Secondly,Second Cord. the Lord is not onelyonly ready to forgive when men will come unto him, but hee doth alſo call and command them for to come, for the poore ſinner when he heares this, that God is mercifull and ready to forgive, he may bee amazed and at a ſtand, and thinkes with himſelfe, oh but may I, ſhall I, dare I goe unto the Lord for mercy, may I be ſo bold to preſſe in for favour at the hands of the Lord? it is the Lord indeed that ſheweth mercy, but may I come unto the Lord? I have beene a gievous ſinner, and have heaped abomination upon abomination, and therefore I am affraid to approach neere unto the preſence of the Lord: why I …ll thee thou mayeſt come, and the Lord willeth and commandeth thee to come upon the penalty of his everlaſting wrath, hee chargeth thee to come unto him, and entertayne that favour hee hath provided for thee, in the 3. of Ier. 22. there ſayth the Lord, come unto me yee rebellious people, and I will heale your rebellions: you that never prayed, nor never came to heare, all rebells come unto me and I will heale your rebellions, and then the people anſwer, behold we come unto thee, for thou art our God: be not to full of niceneſſe in this caſe, do not ſtagger and ſay, I have diſpiſed Gods goodneſſe, and ſlighted Gods mercies, and therefore may I bee bold to come? why I tell you, you may goe to God for mercy, come to me yea rebellious people, and I will heale your rebellions; mercy will anſwer all your ſinnes, they ſhall bee no impediment unto you; in the 3. of Ier. 1. it is a fine paſſage, there ſaith the text, They ſay, that if a man put away his wife and ſhee goe from him, and ſhee become another mans, will he receive her againe? but thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, yet returne againe to me, ſaith the Lord: if a man ſhould put away his wife for an adultreſſe, would hee take her againe, no certainely; all the world will ſay, an adultreſſe whore, away with her; after ſo many injuries & wrongs done unto her husband, there is no expectation of mercy or kindneſſe from him; but the Lord ſaith, thou haſt played the harlot with many lovers, yet returne unto me: whatſoever we delight in more, or love more than God, they are our lovers; now the Lord ſaith, though thou haſt had pride, and covetouſneſſe, and malice, & drunkenneſſe, and adultery for thy lovers, yet returne unto me, notwithſtanding all thy baſe doings and wicked practiſes, yet come unto me, ſaith the Lord: this is great incouragement to a poore ſinner, that all his ſinfull abominations ſhould not hinder him from receiving mercy; this workes wonderfully upon the ſoule of a ſinner, and he begings to wonder and ſay, Lord, ſhall all my ſinnes bee pardoned, ſhall all thoſe oathes, and all that prophaneneſſe of mine be forgiven, after ſo many mercies ſlighted, and ſo many abominations committed, yet forgiven? why aye, ſaith the Lord, come unto me, and you ſhall be forgiven; thou haſt played the harlot, yet come unto me thou proud heart and bee humbled, come unto me thou ſtout ſtubborne ſturdy heart and be ſoftened, come unto me yet for all this thou covetous heart and be ſanctified; and this is the ſecond cord of this cable of mercy, the Lord doth not only reveale unto the ſoule of a ſinfull creature, that if he doth come unto him he ſhall be accepted, but hee commands him to come and receive mercy from him.
Thirdly,Third Cord. the Lord doth not only command a poore ſinner to come unto him, but, to go further, it is marvellous ſtrange to conſider, when a ſinner in the ſight of his unworthineſſe is hardly brought to goe to the Lord for mercy, but ſayes, it is true, there is a great deale of mercy with God, but not for me; when a ſinner, thus goeth away from God and flyeth from mercy, the Lord followeth him ſtill, and fendeth another cord after him, and purſueth him with mercy and kindneſſe, that ſo if it were poſſible he might winne him and wooe him to receive mercy and forgiveneſſe. It is almoſt impoſſible to conceive the wonderfull goodneſſe of the Lord in this kind; he doth not only command poore ſinners to come unto him, but hee entreates and beſeeches them to come and receive mercy: and this one would think ſhould move the heardeſt heart under heaven; 2 Cor. 5.20. there ſaith the Apoſtle, Now then we are ambaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be you reconciled unto God: the matter here wee ſee is paſt all queſtion, the Lord doth not only command you to come, but rather then you ſhall goe away, hee will beſeech you to come and take the mercy that the Lord offereth to you, and you have ſo much need of mercy will come and kneele down before you and beſeech you and intreat you for the Lord Ieſus ſake to pittie your poore ſoules, and receive pardon for your ſinnes, to receive ſanctification and juſtification here, that you may be bleſſed and glorified for ever hereafter; this is that which a ſinner is not able to comprehend, but he begins to be at a ſtand and at amazement. It is a great matter that God ſhould command a ſinner for to come unto him, and that he ſhould be accepted when he doth come, but that God ſhould beſeech and intreat a poore ſinner to receive mercy, herein is diſcovered the incomprehenſible depth of Gods love, that the Lord ſhould beſeech us; oh that you would receive pardon for your ſinnes and bee bleſſed for ever; why this is wonderfull mercy, and admirable goodneſſe! if this Cord will not draw a man, what will do it? this makes a poore ſoule to ſtand agaſt, and amazed, and ſay, good Lord is this poſſible that the great King of Heaven ſhould come and beſeech ſuch a traytor, ſuch a rebell as I am to take pardon? if the King of England ſhould proclaime a pardon to ſome notorious Traytor that had plotted ſome dangerous treaſon againſt his perſon, this were much; but that the King ſhould lay downe his Crowne and come creeping to him, and beſeech him upon his knees to take mercy, and not to be puniſhed, why this is a thing beyond all expectation, no man will do this, no man ſhould doe this: but when the ſoule ſhall thinke, what a King intreat a Traytor, a Rebell; a Conquerer intreat a ſlave to take mercy; what ſhall heaven ſtoop to earth, ſhall majeſty ſtoope to miſery; ſhall the great God of heaven and earth that might have condemned my ſoule, that is a God holy and juſt, and if I had periſhed and beene damned, might have tooke glory by my deſtruction; is it poſſible, is it credible that this God ſhould not only entertayne me when I come, and command me for to come, but intreat, and beſeech me to come and receive mercy from him; oh the depth of the incomprehenſible love of God! imagine you ſaw God the Father intreating you, and God the Sunne beſeeching you, as he doth this day; come now and forſake your ſinnes and take mercy which is prepared for you, and ſhall bee beſtowed upon you; would not this make a ſoule think thus with it ſelfe, what for a rebell, not only to have mercy offered, but to bee intreated to receive mercy and pardon; why then if I will not take it, it were pitty but I ſhould goe to hell and be damned for ever: nay I tell you, this mercy, one day, if you refuſe it, will plunge you into the bottomleſſe pit of hell; I tell you, you were better heare ten Sermons of judgement than one of mercy, if you do not take the ſame when it is offered. The Lord hee complaineth, why will ye die, as I live, ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of a ſinner: the Lord takes an oath upon it, that he deſires not the death of a ſinner, and calls after ſinners, turne ye, turne ye, why will ye die ye ſinfull ſonnes of men? Mercy is offered you, the Lord Ieſus reacheth out his hand to you to pluck the drunkard out of the alehouſe, and the adulterer out of the company of his whore; I tell you, you had beene better have beene at the Eaſt-Indies where you might never have heard of mercy, than ſlight it when it is offered: if you do break this cord, I know not what to ſay unto you, this is able to breake a mountaine in peeces, ſhake O mountaines, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, why, becauſe God hath redeemed Iacob; the redemption of Iacob was enough to ſhake a mountaine: when thou haſt been a great ſinner, and heaped up tranſgreſſion upon tranſgreſſion, and drunk in iniquity like water, why yet after all this the Lord offereth mercy unto thee, and beſeecheth thee to receive it; I tell thee, if thou wilt not have mercy now, it is pitty but thou ſhouldeſt goe to the Devill, and if thou doſt goe to hell, then thank thy ſelfe, it was thy owne fault; thou mighteſt have had mercy and wouldeſt not: and this is the third cord of Gods mercy, he intreats a poore ſinner to come unto him and receive mercy from him: but if the ſoule bee yet awke and untoward and will not come, but ſay, if mercy be ſo free, then we will let it alone a while, and take it hereafter; if God bee ſo carefull of us, then wee will bee a little careleſſe our ſelves: why then there remaines but one cord more, and if thou breakeſt this, thou art in a miſerable condition, and that is this:
The Lord doth wait and ſtay in long patience & ſuffering,Fourth Cord. to ſee if at any time a ſinner will turne unto him: our Saviour followes poore ſinners from Alehouſe to Alehouſe, and ſayes, I beſeech you, you drunkards take mercy, and have your ſinnes pardoned; the Lord tyres himſelfe ſo, and wearieth himſelfe with waiting one day after another, and one weeke after another; it may bee this day, this weeke, this Sabbath, this Sermon a ſinner will turne unto me, what will it never be, why are you not aſhamed that the Lord Ieſus ſhould thus wayt your leiſure, and follow you from houſe to houſe, and into the field, nay that Chriſt ſhould every morning appeare unto your underſtanding, and every night come to your bed-ſide and ſay, let this bee the laſt night of ſinning, and the next day the firſt day of your repenting; oh when will you be humbled, when will you receive mercy that it may goe well with you and yours for ever; why for ſhame if none of all the other will move you, yet let this cord draw you unto the Lord: this is the laſt cord of Gods mercy, he ſtayeth our leiſure; the Lord will not wait alwaies, but hee waiteth a long time for our amendment; hee ſtayed above a hundred yeares for the old world: Ier. 13.27. there God taketh upon him the perſon of a travelling woman, oh Ieruſalem, wilt thou not bee made cleane, oh when will it once bee? a woman that is in travell, and oppreſſed with paine, oh how ſhe expects and longs for her delivery, when the thro… comes, then ſhe cryes, when will deliverance come, and then the throb comes the ſecond time, and then ſhe cryes, would death would come ſo deliverance would come, and thus her heart breaks almoſt with waiting in this kind, for the birth of the child which is to be delivered; God the father doth take upon him, the perſon of a travelling woman, he is travelling even unto death, untill he can bring forth his firſt borne, untill ſome ſoule be converted and brought home unto him; oh Ieruſalem wilt thou not be cleane, oh when will it once be? I have wayted one yeare, ten yeare, twenty yeare, forty yeare, why when will it once be? if a woman ſhould be in travell forty yeares, ſhe would be accounted the wonder of the world, nay it were impoſſible ſhe ſhould endure ſo long, but the Lord hath travelled twenty yeares, yea forty for the birth of poore ſinners; and how many throbs, think wee, hath the Lord endured in this time, ſaying, oh yee men of England, will you never be cleane? when will it once be? the Lord thus travels in patience, looking when we will receive mercy, oh when will it once be, will it never be that thoſe proud hearts will be humbled, will it never be that thoſe ſtubborne hearts will be ſoftned, will it never be that thoſe unregenerate hearts will be ſanctified, will it never be that thoſe prophane hearts will be pure and holy, why when will it once be? thus Chriſt wayteth ſtill, and expecteth ſtill, if not this day, then the next week, if not the next week, then the next monethmonth, if not the next monethmonth, then the next quarter, if not the next quarter, then the next yeare, if not the next yeare, then the next ſcore of yeares: you old ſinners that are grayheaded in wickedneſſe, how long hath the Lord waited upon you, for ſhame let him wayt no longer, but turn unto him, that you may receive mercy from him, and have your ſinnes pardoned by him. This is the laſt cord of Gods mercy; firſt, the Lord will entertaine poore ſinners if they come; ſecondly, he doth command them to come; thirdly, he doth intreat and beſeech them to come; and laſtly, if all this will not do, then he wayts in parience for their amendment: and thus the Lord makes up his great cable roap of mercy; and this, one would think, ſhould melt the hardeſt heart under the Sunne: but if this will not do, if God by theſe cords of mercy cannot draw a ſinner, then he takes himſelfe unto another courſe, and as he juſtly, may he lets in other cords in the heart: you will not come with mercy, will you? very well, I tell you, the Lord will lay hooks upon you, that ſhall bring you with a witneſſe; if theſe bonds of love will not prevayle with you, the Lord hath iron cords that will pluck you in peeces; and therefore the third meanes whereby God draweth a ſinner from corruption to himſelfe, is the cord of conſcience, which God lets down into the ſoule, and this ſame yron cord, this yron chayne of conſcience hath three hookes at the end of it, which are able to rend the heart of a ſinner, and pluck it in peeces, and draw the ſoule unto God; if the cords of Gods mercy will not draw you, then theſe yron hookes of conſcience will pull you to the Lord; for this ſame cord of conſcience hath three maine hookes, that is, there are three great works of conſcience which God uſeth to work upon men to draw them from ſinne to himſelfe. Firſt, conſcience is a warner of the ſoule, and admoniſheth the ſinner of his waies; this conſcience gives a ſinner an uncontrouleable command to come from ſinne, conſcience gives him a peremptory charge upon paine of the heavieſt judgement that can bee inflicted upon him, not to meddle with corruption; it is conſcience that doth this, the Lord ſtirreth up conſcience and armes him with authority as a Vicegerent under him, that he may ſtifle thoſe ſinfull luſts, and overpower thoſe ſinfull diſtempers that harbour in the ſoule, and overcome the ſoule: it is true, that wicked men by reaſon that they live in ſinne, have their conſciences either blinded or aſleep, their conſciences oftentimes come to be ſeared and hardened; wicked men have their conſciences ſome times under them, they ſtifle their conſcience and ſtop the mouth of conſcience; if conſcience offer to reproove them, they preſently take him on the mouth, and make him quiet; they bind the hands of conſcience in this kind, but if a wicked man belong to God, then hee will awaken conſcience in this life, but if they do not belong unto him, then they may be ſure when they are in hell to have their conſciences awakened, they carry a black dogge in their boſome that will teare them with a witneſſe, but if God purpoſe good unto a man, then he will awaken his conſcience in this life, hee will arme conſcience with authority, and put a new commiſſion into the hand of conſcience, inſomuch, that now conſcience ſtands upon termes, and conſcience will not put it up as he hath done; howſoever it hath heretofore beene ſtifled, yet now it gives men a peremptory command upon paine of their everlaſting torment, as they love their own ſoules, to take heed that they meddle not with ſin, for if they do, it will coſt them everlaſting life: now when conſcience hath ſuch a commanding power, then the command is marvellous awfull, terrible, and fearefull, and it maks a ſinner ſtart aſide and withdraw himſelfe from his former courſes, it makes him hang downe his head, and he dares not looke out of doores, he dares not runne with that courage into wicked practiſes as he did before: it is with conſcience in this caſe as it is with a Lievetenant or a Shreife of a countrey, happily in the Kings abſence a company of rebels joyne together in a conſpiracy and rend the commiſſion out of the Lievetenants hand, and beſet the Shreifes houſe; & the officers, becauſe the rebels are more in number, dare doe little or nothing unto them, they may ſay as David did to the ſonnes of Serviah, ye are too ſtrong for me, ye ſonnes of Serviah; and therefore he would not meddle with them: and ſo in ſome unruly towne wee ſhall ſee a company of ryotous fellowes, becauſe they are more in number than the officers, they ſet the Conſtable in ſtockes, when as they are more worthy to goe to the gallowes than he to the ſtocks: juſt ſo it is with conſcience, haply wicked men in former times have ſtifled conſcience, and tooke the comiſſion out of the hands of conſcience; but when the King comes into the countrey, and the officers ſhall complaine unto the King of this conſpiracy, then he gives them a larger command, and gives them more power, hee puts a new commiſſion into their hands, and furniſheth them with greater ayd, and commandeth upon paine of death that there be no more ſuch uproares made; and when this is proclaymed upon the Market-poſt, then this makes thoſe reſolute fellowes to pull in their heads, and they dare not ſhew themſelves: So it is with conſcience, ſometimes the Lord letts wicked men blind conſcience, and feare it; wicked men oftentimes make a mock at conſcience, if a man reprooves them for ſome ſin, and admoniſheth them for conſcience ſake not to cōmit wicked practiſes, then they flout at the perſon that ſpeakes unto them, and ſay, what your conſcience will not ſuffer you to do as we do, you will not drink will you? why? oh your conſcience will not ſuffer you; you will not commit adultery will you? your conſcience will not ſuffer you; what you are a man of conſcience are you, and you will ſuffer your conſcience to make a foole of you? what care we for your conſcience, or you either: thus many ſinners keep conſcience under, but howſoever conſcience be thus ſlighted and diſpiſed, the time will come when God will awaken conſcience, and put a new commiſſion into his hands, and ſends him help from heaven, and ſayes, goe to ſuch a man and tell him, you have blaſphemed, and you have ſpoken againſt Gods Saints, you have broken Gods Sabbaths, and ſlighted Gods word, and contemned Gods ordinances, and neglected the meanes of ſalvation; be it known therefore unto thee, that I have a command from heaven and from God, I charge you as you will anſwer it at the dreadfull day of judgement, take heed of thoſe evills and ſinfull practiſes that heretofore you have committed, leſt you damne your ſoules for ever: and you muſt know that conſcience comes not without a commiſſion, but he hath a commiſſion in his pocket and he ſhewes it alſo; Pro. 29.1. there is one part of conſcience's commiſſion, there ſaith the text, he that being often reprooved hardeneth his neck, ſhal ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy; if you be often reprooved & will not be bettered nor informed, then the Lord ſayes, & conſcience frō the Lord tells you, be it at your own perill, ye ſhall ſurely periſh, & that without remedy; and in the 2. of the Theſſ. 3.14. there is another part of his commiſſion, If any man obey not our word by this Epiſtle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be aſhamed: hee that will not obey the Goſpel, he that will not ſtoope thereto, nor be framed thereby, why conſcience he ſhewes his commiſſion, and charges men to take heed of this, & the God of heaven will take the part of conſcience, and will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to that ſoule that will not obey the Goſpel: But you will ſay, cannot a man ſhift and free himſelfe from the terrour of conſcience? I anſwer no, conſcience hath now a great deale of ayd from heaven; becauſe he hath been in former times ſo badly dealt withall, therefore he will go no more ſo ſlenderly garded, Deut. 29.19. there ſaith the text, If it come to paſſe, that hee that heareth the words of this curſe, ſhall bleſſe himſelfe in his heart and ſay, I ſhall have peace, though I walke in the imagination of my heart, to adde drunkenneſſe to thirſt, the Lord will not ſpare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and al the curſes that are written in this book, ſhall lie upon him; & the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under heaven: and therefore you that ſay, conſcience may command what he pleaſeth, yet you will do what you liſt, and though you adde dunkenneſſe unto thirſt, yet you ſhall have peace, and it ſhall go well with you: tell you, the wrath of the Lord ſhall ſmok againſt your ſoules, & he ſhall blot your names out of the book of life, the wrath of the Lord ſhall follow thee into all places, and upon all occaſions, whatever thou doſt, or whitherſoever thou goeſt, the wrath of God ſhall follow thee, Gods wrath ſhall follow thee to the Ale houſe, and the Brothel-houſe, and to the Taverne; God ſhall follow thee and pluck thee out to thy ſhame here, & to thy confuſion hereafter: and this is the firſt work of conſcience. He hath been ſnubbed in former times, and no man cared for him, but now he is a wakened and backt with power from the Lord, and gives a peremptory command to the ſoule of a ſinner; bee it at your owne perill if you meddle with ſinne: and this makes ſinnefull w… ches lie ſnugge for a while, they dare not ſhew themſelves, but ſhut themſelves under hatches; conſcience perkes then upon the crowne, and this makes them hang the wing a little, and withdraw themſelves from their baſe courſes, and abſtaine from the Ale-houſe awhile; but now when wicked perſons ſee that their companion is gone, and that they have loſt one of their company, they make after him amaine; and then conſcience plucks one way and they pluck another way; they lay ſiege to the ſoule of a poore ſinner, conſcience bids him look to himſelfe, and take heed what he doth; perhaps conſcience ſees him halfe perſwaded to yeeld to his old companions, and then conſcience hath an eye to him, and biddeth him take heed unto himſelfe, and ſaies; I command and charge you as you will anſwer it at the dreadfull day of Iudgement before the Tribunall ſeat of God, that you runne not into your former wicked courſes; but then his curſed companions they draw backward, and come unto him and ſay, what is the reaſon that now you begin to ſever your ſelfe from us? he tells them, his conſcience hath troubled him, and he heard the Word of God, he heard the commiſſion of conſcience read; that whoſoever was often reproved and not bettered thereby, ſhould periſh, and that hee which obeyed not the Goſpell, ſhould be accurſed; and this makes him do as he doth: when his companions heare this, they begin to blind his judgement as much as they can, and take off the command of conſcience; you have heard, ſay they, many threatnings from God, and conſcience hath told you, that you ſhall periſh and be damned if you continue in your old courſes, but threatned men live long, theſe words break no bones, and this breath blowes no corne; there have beene many ſo threatned, and yet never felt any of thoſe judgements, but have lived a merry life to this day, and are the braveſt fellowes and the booneſt companions in the whole countrey: and thus by carnall company and curſed perſwaſions the ſoule is drawn back againe to his former wicked courſe, and ſo haply this hooke is broken and the ſinner is gone; but when conſcience ſees this, that his firſt hook is broken, and that his command is ſlighted, he followes faſt after him, and layeth another hooke upon him; and as before hee was a commander over him, ſo now he comes to be an accuſer of him, and a witneſſe againſt him, he accuſeth him before God, and is a witneſſe againſt him, becauſe he hath committed thoſe ſinnes which he upon paine of Gods everlaſting diſpleaſure and his owne everlaſting damnation commanded and charged him he ſhould not commit; conſcience before was only Gods Herald to tell him what God commanded, but now conſcience is become a Purſevant and a Sergeant to arreſt him: and therefore 2. Sam. 24.10. Davids heart ſmote him after hee had numbred the people, conſcience hee flung his actions upon him; know how-ever a man may avoid the warning of conſcience, and break the command of conſcience, yet he cannot avoid the herror and ſtroke of conſcience, but conſcience, will ſmite him and fling this hooke into the very heart of him; and conſcience will ſmite the heart ſo much the more heavily, becauſe his former commands were deſpiſed: look as it was with Gideon, Iudg. 8.5. when he was purſuing after the Midi…ites, he came unto the men of Succoth and prayed for aide of them, he intreated them to help him, and joyne ſides with him, but they refuſed and ſcorned him, and ſaid; Are Z… and Zalumna now in thy hands, that wee ſhould give bread unto thine army; as if they had ſaid, art thou a commander over them, art thou ſure to overcome them; no, no, wee will not helpe thee: Marke now what anſwer Gid…on makes theſe men of Succoth in the 7th. verſe, we… ſaith hee, When the Lord hath delivered Zeb… and. Zalumna into mine hands, then I will teare your fleſh with thornes of the wilderneſſe, and with bryers; and in the 16. verſe after the Lord had delivered thoſe men into his hands, he did unto them of Succoth, according as he had threatned; He took the Elders of the City, and thornes of the …ilderneſſe, and bryers; and with them he did teare the men of S… coth, ſaith the Text: Iuſt ſo is it with conſcience, conſcience before only commanded, and perſwaded men, but becauſe he hath beene ſlighted and deſpiſed by them, becauſe they have flouted him, and ſaid; what muſt be a ſervant to my conſcience, muſt I be a ſlave and a foole to my conſcie…e, no, no; I will do what I liſt for all conſcience: will you ſo ſaith conſcience, well, when God giveth mee authority, and gives mee a commiſſion, I will teare your fleſh for this, and rend your hearts in peeces with horror, and then conſcience he ſurpriſeth a ſinner, upon every occaſion in this caſe he burſts into the Al…houſe, and into the Tavern upon him like a Segeant, and arreſts him, he follow shim to the alehouſe, he perſueth him home, he takes him in his bed and arreſts him in his ſleep; and when he is in bed and aſleep, then conſcience awakens him and terrifies him, and hales the ſoule before the Tribunall ſeat of God, and ſaith, loe Lord, behold this man, this is the drunkard, this is the adulterer, this is the blaſphemer that ſweares by thy name, prophanes thy Sabboths, and contemnes thy word: this is he Lord, that is an enemy to thy ſervants, and a hater of thy truth and a deſpiſer of thy ordinances, this is he Lord, this is he that hath done theſe things, and committed theſe abominations, this is he that hath committed many ſinnes in ſecret, when no eye ſaw him, this is ſo Lord, at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a place, in ſuch a chamber, with ſuch a company, then this man blaſphemed thy name and deſpiſed thy truth, and rayled on good men, this, this Lord is the man; and when conſcience hath thus dragged him before God, and witneſſed againſt him, then, take him …aylor, take him divell, ſaith the Lord, and impriſon him, let vexation, and horror, and trouble, and anguiſh lie upon his ſoule, ſaith God, untill he confeſſe his ſinnes and reſolve to forſake them; now this this hook ſticketh faſt in the very heart of this man, and all his friends and companions are not able to baile him, one commeth, and another commeth, and all ſpeak and ask him, what is the reaſon, what is the cauſe, why are you thus diſcontented, and why thus diſquieted? oh ſaith the poore ſoule, you ſee not, you know not, you conceive not, the horror that conſcience hath layed upon mee, and what heavy wrath and fearefull vengeance God hath threatned to inflict upon mee for my ſinnes; now when his companions heare this, they cannot all of them bayle him, but unleſſe he will ſee his baſe courſes, and confeſſe his ſinnes, and be humbled for them and reſolve to forſake them; conſcience will not be at quiet, but will continually torment and perplex him with horror, thus the Lord deals with the Prophet David as we may ſee, Pſal. 32. when I kept ſilence, ſayth he, my boneswaxed old through my roaring all the day long, for day and night thy hand was heavy upon m…e, my moyſture is turned into the drought of Summer, I acknowledged my ſinne unto thee, and mine iniquitie have I not hid, I confeſſed my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and then forganeſt the iniquitie of my ſinne. David he folded up his ſinnes at firſt he would not come of eleverly he would not take them to himſelfe, and ſay, I have committed adultery, and I have murthered Vri… and therefore his bones were conſumed, and … ro…red continually, when the Lord had him upon the rack, he made him roare againe, and would never leave tormenting of him, untill he had confeſſed his ſinnes, but after he had confeſſed them, then he forgave his iniquitie, the Lord dealeth with the ſoule in this caſe, as a King doth with a Traytor after his conſpiracy is diſcovered, and he attached, if he will not confeſſe his conſpiracy, and who were his fellow traytors, then he is brought upon the rack, and then one joynt is broken, and then he roares againe by reaſon of the extremity of the payne, why confeſſe then ſaith the King; and if he will not confeſſe the whole conſpiracy, but onelyonly ſome circumſtances of it, then he is hoyſed upon the rack the ſecond time, and then another joynt is broken, and then he roars againe, why confeſſe more yet then ſaith the King, and never leaves racking and tormenting of him, untill he hath diſcovered and layed open the whole treaſon: ſo conſcience will bring the foule of a ſinner unto the rack, and make him confeſſe his ſinnes and come out of it ſelfe, and then the drunkard he cryes out, oh the abominations that I have committed, which the Sunne never ſaw, in ſuch a place, at ſuch a time, I rayled upon Gods ſervants and blaſphemed Gods name, I prophaned Gods Sabboths and contemned his ordinances, but conſcience will make him confeſſe more yet, and the refore forceth him to the rack again…, and then he cryes and r…ares for anguiſh of ſpirit, and confeſſes all, and reſolves to amend, he purpurpoſes to pray, and heare, and ſanctifie Gods Sabboths, and lead a new life, and now a conſcience upon the confeſſion of his ſinnes, and purpoſe of amendment, receives ſome ſatisfaction, and then it begi…es to be at quiet, and give him ſome reſt, and this is the ſecond hooke of conſcience. But when the poore ſinner hath gotten ſome quiet by his confeſſing of his ſinnes, and reſolving to forſake them, when his companions ſee that he is come out of that horror, and vexation wherein he was, and that he puts his head out of doores, and is creeping abroad, then they ſet upon him againe, and labour with might and mayne by wicked perſwaſions, and curſed devices to draw him to his old courſes, they knew there was no medling with him before, but now conſcience is a little quieted, and he a little eaſed, then all the drunkards in the towne purſue him, and all the looſe mates hang about him, and lay hookes upon him of love and ente…tainment, and marke how they reply upon him: Why refreſh, ſay they, your ſoule with ſome of your ancient dalliance, you know wee have beene old friends, and of long acquaintance, and what contentment have wee had in our times? why, do not ſmoak out your dayes in melancholly, I dare warrant you the worſt is paſt: it was only a fit of melancholly that perplexed you, and therefore now it is over refreſh yourſelfe with your friends, and with thoſe that love you. Thus the divell by temptations on one ſide, and wicked men by curſed perſwaſions on the other ſide, be leagure a poore ſoule; and the ſoule having ſome quiet, he begins to liſten to their perſwaſions, and then he beginnes to take up his old courſe, and follow his ſinnesmore violently, and with greater eagerneſſe than ever he did all his life time before: For mark that alwayes, if after God hath inlightned a mans mind and awakned his conſcience, he falls into his old wayes again, then he is a divell; he is twice as bad as he was before, he followes his corruptions with ſuch outragiouſneſſe, as if hell were broken looſe. Very well, he hath now broken two hooks, the third hook is that which will rend him in peeces before it will let him paſſe: when conſcience ſeeth that the other two hooks are broken, when he ſeeth that commands prevaile not, that accuſations terrifie not, then the Lord exerciſeth another work of conſcience upon the heart of a poore ſinner, and that is this: As conſcience did before command him, and peremptorily charge him upon the hazzard of everlaſting life, not commit ſinne; and ſecondly, as it before did accuſe him before God, for the commiſſion of that ſinne, whereby God was diſhonourted, and his ſoule polluted: ſo in the third place, conſcience becomes his executioner, it takes the office of an executioner upon him, conſcience will beare with him no longer, but now draggs him down to the very place of execution: he was convicted before; conſcience ſayes unto him, thy ſinnes were diſcovered, and I charged thee not to meddle with ſinne any more, upon paine of Gods diſpleaſure, and as thou wouldſt anſwer it before God: afterward I became an accuſer of thee before God, and then thou didſt confeſſe thy ſinnes, and didſt purpoſe amendment, but now ſince thou haſt ſlighted my commands, and not regarded my accuſations, there is therefore no remedy but thou muſt go to the place of execution: now there is no way but one with thee, now conſcience begins to condemne the ſoule; as Divines expreſſe theſe three works of conſcience, by a practicall kind of reaſoning, and conſcience reaſons thus with the ſoule. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, he ſhall periſh, there is no remedic; there is the command of conſcience: but thou haſt often been reproved and admoniſhed, and yet haſt hardoned thy heart and haſt not been bettered by it, there is the work of accuſation, and therefore thou ſhalt periſh, there is no remedy; and this is the condemning work. Suppoſe conſcience ſhould come thus unto the heart of a man, he that being often reproved, hardeneth his heart he ſhall periſh, ſaith the Lord, there is no remedy: but now let conſcience go into every mans boſome, and reaſon thus with him, thou art the man, woman, or child, whom counſells in private, and reproofes, exhortations, and admonitions in publque would do no good; nothing would convince thee, nothing would informe thee; therefore thou ſhalt periſh, man, woman, or child, there is no remedic. Theſe are the three works of conſcience, and when conſcience hath done this laſt work, and performed his office of execution, when he hath condemned a ſoule, and delivered a ſinner into the hand of the executioner, then it is thus with this ſinner: after all mercies and cords of love will do no good, after the commands and accuſations will not prevaile, then conſcience ſayes, come damned ghoſts, take away this drunkard, this blaſphemer, this adulterer, this contemner of my word, and throw him headlong into the pit of everlaſting deſtruction; he would not be amended, let him be condemned; he would not be humbled, let him therefore be damned: Thus conſcience delivers a ſinner into the hands of the jaylor, into the hands of the divell, and then he is amazed and thinks himſelfe paſt hope, paſt help, paſt cure. This is that we ſhall obſerve in conſcience; look as it with a debter that liveth in priſon, he was haply put in at firſt for ſome trifle; when he is once there, then all his creditors come in, and one layeth a hundred pound to him, and another a thouſand pound, and then his caſe is irrecoverable, he is never like to come out againe: ſo when conſcience hath arreſted a man, and caſt him into priſon for his pride, or for his covetouſneſſe, or for his drunkenneſſe, or for his adulterie and the like; then mark, Mercy, and Goodneſſe, and Patience, and Long-ſuffering come all in, and arreſt him, and Mercy ſaith, at my ſute ſoe many hundreds; Grace, that ſaith, at my ſute ſoe many thouſands; then Patience and Long-ſuffering comes and ſayes, at my ſute ſoe many millions; and this is the wofulleſt plight of all. When conſcience is thus tormenting a ſinner, then patience comes and pleads againſt him, and mercy that ſueth a bond againſt him. Mercy ſaith, Lord, I have beene wronged; then commeth grace and ſaith, Lord I have beene refuſed; then commeth patience and ſaith, Lord I have beene contemned; I have beſought him, ſaith mercy, to be reconciled but I was ſlighted; I have waited for his amendment, ſayth patience, but I have not beene regarded: I have beene offered, ſaith grace, but yet have beene neglected: Lord, all thy coſt and care hath beene deſpiſed; they all come before the Lord, and plead againſt the ſoule of a ſinner, juſtice Lord, ſaith mercy, juſtice Lord ſaith grace, juſtice Lord, ſaith patience, wee have all beene ſlighted, neglected, and contemned: and then the Lord he condemnes him, and ſaith, take him divell, and execute vengeance upon him, mercy was offered but he refuſed, he would none of it, and therefore mercy ſhall never be ſhewed unto him, let him for ever be damned: And by this time the ſoule perceives it ſelfe to be in the divells hands, as it were, and in the divells poſſeſſion, and that Satan may torment him as he pleaſe: and then the ſoule being thus perplexed, he cryeth out, the divell is there, do you not ſee him, he is come for mee, and I ſhall go and muſt go with him: why, ſince I muſt go to the divell, why let mee go then; nay if the ſoule that is thus in the jawes of the divell, lie upon his death bed, as ſoone as ever he takes a little reſt, the Lord terrifieth and affrighteth him in his dreames, and then he riſeth out of his bed, and the firſt word hee ſpeaks is this, I muſt go, and I will go: then his friends that attend about him, ask him whither he will go: they tell him he is among his friends, then he ſaith, I am damned, and I am going to hell, and therefore let mee go; the divell is comming to fetch mee, and therefore I muſt be gone. I beſeech you conſider this, you that make nothing of conſcience, if it once lay hold on you with this hook, it will hold you ſure enough, and reare your very hearts in peeces: Now when the Miniſter in ſent for to come unto apoore ſoule in this miſerable condition, when he comes haply he tells him, there is a great deale of mercy and comfort with the Lord, there is a great deale of grace and ſalvation with Chriſt; but then the ſinner, when he heares of mercy, is diſtracted and beſides himſelfe, and ſayes, that is my plague, that is my bane, and that in the end will be my damnation; if I had never heard of mercy, if I had not lived under the Goſpell, and the meanes of ſalvation, oh then I had been a happy man in compariſon, alas it is mercy that I have neglected, it is the glad tidings of ſalvation which I have contemned, how ſhall I then be ſaved; if the meanes of ſalvation have thus been ſlighted by mee; if I had never oppoſed grace, grace might now have helped mee; if I had not deſpiſed mercy, mercy might now have ſuccourd mee; but this is my plague, this is my woe, all the kindneſſe that God ſhewed to mee, and all the mercy that God hath revealed and offered, I have deſpiſed and refuſed: many a knock hath God given at my heart, and many a rap at my ſoule, the Lord hath even wept over mee as he did over Ieruſalem, oh that thou hadſt known the things belonging to thy peace: the Lord came kindly and wooed mee lovingly; oh the perſwaſions of the Lord, and commands of conſcience that I have had, and yet after all perſwaſions and horror, and commands, what yet proud ſtill? what yet covetous ſtill? and prophane ſtill? why then ſurely there is no mercy to be looked for, no grace to be expected, and therefore certainly to hell I muſt go, and then he riſeth and will be gone to hell; all that are about him cannot hold him: but then the Miniſter haply further replyes; the truth of it is, you have done thus: but do you think ſo ſtill? would you do ſo ſtill, if you were out of this perplexity? is it good now to be drunk? is it good now to commit adultery? is it good now to blaſpheme? is it good now to contemne Gods ordinances? would you now rayle on Gods Saints, and deſpiſe Gods truth, & prophane Gods Sabbaths? would you now do theſe things? oh no, no, ſaith he, I now find what the end of thoſe wretched courſes will be the word of God could not prevayle with me, the Miniſter could not perſwade me, & therefore now I ſhal periſh, I ſhall be damned for theſe abominations which I have committed, there is no remedy; if ever man ſhall be danmed, it is I; if ever man go downe to hell, ſurely it is I; nay, hell is too good for mee; oh the good Sermons that I have heard, the Miniſter hath ſpoken home oftentimes to my conſcience, the very flames of hell have been flaſhed in my face, the Miniſter would often have ſpent his bloud that he might doe good to my poore ſoule, and yet I deſpiſed the word, and ſcorned the Miniſter, and mocked thoſe whom conſcience vexed, ſaying; What, you are a man of conſcience are you? you dare not ſinne, your conſcience will not ſuffer you? what are you ſuch a foole to be ruled by your conſcience? and therefore God hath juſtly let my conſcience looſe upon me, now I know to my woe that I have a conſcience, the worme that never dieth gnaweth my heart, and rends and plucks my ſoule in peeces: woe, woe be unto mee, that ever I ſnufled my conſcience, that ever I put out the light of conſcience, for therefore is it that my conſcience is now thus tearing of my heart, and terrifying of my ſoule, here; and therefore it is that I ſhall for ever periſh hereafter. But then the Miniſter he replyes, yet further; aye, the truth is, you have done thus, but you will not yet forſake your ſinnes, and abandon your corruptions? will you ſtill be drunk and riotous? will you ſtill be proud? will you ſtill ſweare and curſe and blaſpheme? if you will part with theſe ſins, and take mercy in ſtead of theſe, why yet there is hope. Then the poore ſoule cryes out, now the Lord for his mercyes ſake remove theſe ſinnes from mee; oh I never had ſo much delight in my ſinnes heretofore, as now I have woe and miſery and vexation for them: Why here is a cup for a drunkard indeed, here is a cup for a whore indeed, here is a cup for a blaſphemer indeed, if every ſinners cup were filled thus brim full of Gods wrath, never any man would take any joy in be ing drunk more, never would any man take any deligt in chambring and wantonneſſe more: but then the poore ſoule ſayes further, oh but it is not in my power to help my ſoule, but if it will but pleaſe the Lord, to do good unto my poore ſoule, let him do what he will with it. What, faith the Miniſter, you are then willing and content to part with your ſinnes a yes, yes, ſaith the poore ſoule, I will rather offend all the world than God, I had as leiffe go to hell as to the committing of any ſinnefull practiſe; well ſaith the Miniſter, if it be ſo, it is well, but do you ſpeak this from your heart; yes faith the poore ſoule, if it would pleaſe God to help me, I would forſake my ſins with all my heart. Why now the poore ſoule is comming againe, and God is haling of him aſide againe from his corruptions, and ſinfull diſtempers. This is that we ſhall obſerve. Hoſ. 2.6. there ſaith the text, behold I will hedge up the way with thorns, and make a wall that ſhe ſhall not find her pathes, and ſhe ſhall follow after her lovers, but ſhe ſhall not overtake them, & ſhe ſhall ſeek them but ſhe ſhall not find them: then ſhall ſhe ſay, I will go and return to my firſt husband, for it was better with mee then, than it is now. The Lord at laſt teares the ſoule and rends the heart from ſinfull diſtempers, and then the ſoule thinketh, oh there is not that pleaſure in ſinne, as I have formerly thought there was, the ſoule then hateth drunkenneſſe as death, he is not able to look upon his adultereſſe queane, he is not able to abide the houſe where he committed the folly, & his heart beginnes to tremble at it. And therefore mark the next and laſt cord: I ſhould have added more to the former poynt out of Pſal. 88.16. there ſaith David, thy fierce wrath is gone over mee, and thy terrours have cut mee off; thine arrowes ſtick faſt in mee; how ever David before had ſhook off the commands and accuſations of conſcience, though theſe would not draw him to God; yet now the Lords arrowes ſtuck faſt in him, he could not pluck them out, nor caſt them off for his life. The laſt cord is the cord of the Spirit, the Lord by the almighty power of his ſpirit, when the ſoule is thus looſened, he then fully plucks it to himſelfe, never againe to be ſodered and cloſed unto corruptions; with an almighty hand he cuts the ſoule off from ſinne, and takes it into his own hand, that it may never be muſtered by ſinne, and Satan any more as it was formerly. Look as it is with a graft, a man muſt pluck it by force from one ſtock, before he can plant it upon another; ſo the Lord by the ſpirit of power doth rend the ſoule from ſinne, and ingrafteth it into Chriſt, and now the ſoule purpoſeth never to commit any ſinne againe, Iohn 16.11. there Chriſt ſaith, that he will ſend the ſpirit, the Comforter, and he ſhall reprove the world of righteouſneſſe, and of ſinne, and of judgement: In that it is ſaid, he will reprove the world of judgement, thereby is nothing elſe meant, but that the Lord will govern men; and why ſhall the comforter convince the world of judgement? becauſe Satan is judged, ſaith the text; that is, he is kept off and cannot pluck the ſoule to himſelfe, the government that Satan had over the ſoule, is wholly removed, and Chriſt hath the ſoule under his command, and the ſoule is contented to be wholly at at his diſpoſing. In the time that Chriſt lived upon the earth, when the divells did poſſeſſe the bodies of men, the Lord ſaith unto them, I charge thee thou uncleane ſpirit to come out; ſo the Lord ſaith now to the divell that hath taken poſſeſſion of the ſoules of thoſe men, which do belong to the election of grace; after the Lord hath rent a poore ſinner from his corruptions, and haled him to himſelfe, then he ſaith, come out of him Satan, and never rule him more, never take place in him more; and then he takes the ſoule into his hands, that he may governe him, and diſpoſe of him according to his owne good will and pleaſure. This wee ſee the cords, whereby God draweth a ſinner to himſelfe. Firſt he inlightens the mind, and reveales to the ſoule of a ſinner, that he is in a wrong way, and that he muſt take another courſe if ever he meane to come at heaven, and then the layes the cords of mercy, and the cords of conſcience upon him, whereby he conſtraines and forces him to come unto him, and the laſt is the cord of the Spirit, whereby he doth take the ſoule out of the hands of Satan, into his owne poſſeſſion. The next thing to be conſidered, is, the reaſons why the Lord by a holy kind of violence, Reaſons, or Arguments.thus drawes a ſinner from corruption to himſelfe, & the arguments are three. The firſt is taken from thoſe tear me whereby the Scripture diſcovereth this work of God, upon the ſoule of a ſinner, Matth. 12.29. there ſaith our Saviour, No man commeth into a ſtrong mans houſe, but firſt he overcomes, and binds the ſtrong man before he takes poſſeſſion of his houſe, and ſpoyles his goods: this is the parable; the meaning is this, the houſe is nothing elſe but the heart of a ſinner, the ſtrongman is nothing elſe but ſinne and Satan, the divell and ſinne taking poſſeſſion of, and ruling in the ſoule of a ſinner; (and this is the wofull condition of many men, that think their penny good ſilver, and beare their heads aloft, howſoever they lift their heads ſo high, yet their ſoules are nothing elſe but habitations for the divell,) now Satan ruling, and overpowering the ſoule by ſinne, is the ſtrong man, that uſurps authority over the ſoule, by reaſon of the corruptions that prevayle over the ſoule, (for if there were not ſinne within the ſoules of men, there were no power that Satan could uſurp over men:) now obſerve it, the Lord Ieſus is the ſtronger man, and before he can come, and take poſſeſſion of the ſoule, and work effectually in the ſoule, he muſt bind Satan, and take away the weapons of Satan, and then when he hath bound him, and overcome him, then he takes poſſeſſion of the ſoule; this is the meaning of the parable: Now I reaſon thus, conquering, binding, and ſlaying, imply a kind of violence; Satan will not come out by intreaty, the devill muſt be commanded to go out, or elſe drawn out by a kind of violence: if all the Angells in heaven, and all the men on earth ſhould intreat Satan to come out of the ſoule, he would not come out, but this implyeth a holy kind of violence, that Chriſt offereth to corruptions in the ſoule, when he drawes the ſoule from ſinne to himſelfe. In another place it is ſaid, that Chriſt came to deſtroy the works of the divell, Ioh. 3.8. thoſe works are the ſinfull corruptions, that were at firſt put into the ſoule by the deluſion of Satan, when he tempted our firſt parents to eat of the forbidden fruit: Now Chriſt commeth to deſtroy thoſe works, now the works of Satan will not deſtroy themſelves, ſinne and Satan will not bind and overcome themſelves, the enemy will not come out of his hold willingly, but the work that muſt be put forth for the binding, conquering, and deſtroying of thoſe, muſt needs imply a work of conſtraint, and holy violence which is offered. A man offers violence to his enemy when he binds him, a man offers violence to his enemy, when he overcomes him, a man offers violence to his enemy, when he flayes and deſtroyes him: ſuch is the work of the Lord, when he takes poſſeſſion of a ſoule this way, and this is the interpretation of Divines in this caſe: they ſay, that the Lord doth take away that deadneſſe, and ſtupidity of heart, whereby it may lay hold on grace, if it reſiſt not the good motions of the Spirit.