Godly Fear, Application · Part 5 · Direction 2
Direct. 2. Fear and beware. That's a ſpecial uſe of fear, to make to beware. Fear ſin and beware of it, fear the wrath of God, and beware, that it fall not on thee. Particularly.
Fear and Hide.
Fear and Flee.
1. Fear and hide. When our firſt parents had ſinned, and were afraid, Gen. 3.7.8. They went and hid themſelves, from the preſence of God, among the trees of the garden. Its true, 'twas but a poor hiding place, that they found, there was never a tree in all the garden, that had ſhade enough, to hide them from the all ſeeing eye; but yet you ſee how their fear works, it made them to hide. Prov. 22.3. A prudent man foreſeeth the evil, and hideth himſelf. If you ask, what or when, or how ſhall we hide, I anſwer,
1. Get your ſins hid. Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is he whoſe ſin is covered. There is a covering of ſin, which proves a curſe. Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his ſin ſhall not proſper, there is a covering it, by not confeſſing it, or which is worſe, by denying it. Gehazi's covering; a covering of ſin by a lye; and there is alſo a covering of ſin by juſtifying our ſelves in it; I have not done this thing, or I did not evil in it, all theſe are evil coverings, he that thus covereth his ſin, ſhall not proſper. But there is a bleſſed covering of ſin. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven and whoſe ſin is covered, forgiveneſs of ſin, is the hiding it out of ſight, and that's the bleſſedneſs.
There is an uncovering of ſin, which is ſomething towards its covering. He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin ſhall have mercy, Prov. 28.13. confeſſion is the way to remiſſion. Sin is never hid till it be thus open'd
There is an impudent opening of ſin, and a penitent opening of it.
1. An impudent opening of ſin, Iſa. 3.9. They declare their ſin as Sodom, they hid it not; they are naked and are not aſhamed; they make their boaſt of ſin, and glory in their ſhame.
2. There is a penitent opening of ſin, and that is, by confeſſing it, and condemning our ſelves for it; and this is the opening, that is the way to hide it. Confeſſion leads on to repentance, and repentance to remiſſion, the confeſſing penitent carries his ſin to Chriſt for a pardon, and that's its covering. In that time the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none; and the ſins of Judah, and they ſhall not be found. Jerem. 50.20. [in that time] in what time? why in the day of pardon, as in the laſt words of the verſe. [ſhall the iniquity of Iſrael be ſought for] who will ſeek for it? will God rip up old ſores? will God rake up old quarrels? who will ſeek it? why 1. Whether God ſeek it or no, to be ſure, the accuſer, Satan will be ſeeking for it. Yea and 2. God alſo, the juſtice of God, in a ſence, maybe ſaid to ſeek for it, the righteouſneſs of God will (as I may ſo ſpeak) have inquiry made, if any ſin ſtill ſtand upon Iſraels and Judahs ſcore; if any uncancell'd bills, or uncroſſed ſcores, may be found againſt them, but what ever enquiry be made in that day, the day of pardons, there ſhall be none found. Their remiſſion is ſuch a covering of ſins, as righteouſneſs will not look through, to revenge them.
Beloved, get your ſins thus hidden, ſee that they do not lye open to the revenger; confeſſe them, repent of them, get you to Chriſt for a pardon. Do not deny or extenuate them, 'tis ſad covering ſin with ſin, that will be as the diping the wool in the furnace the ſecond time, the dye will be the deeper. Get the Covenant, the blood of the Covenant for a covering. Carry your ſores and your ulcers open before the Lord, for his covering. LORD 'tis a vain thing for me to deny it, or to excuſe what I have done, it cannot be excuſed; I have done fooliſhly, I have done wickedly, and mine iniquity is marked before thee, I am an unclean thing, all wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores. A covering Lord a covering to hide this unclean thing out of ſight, a garment Lord, a garment rolled in blood, to hide the ſhame of my nakedneſs.
Friends, are your ſins hid? yes, mine are I hope; but what covering haſt thou gotten? There are five ſorts of coverings (beſides thoſe already mentioned) under which mens ſins are often hid.
1. A covering of ignorance; they know not ſin to be ſin, the blind ſee not their own ſpots, and thereupon think there are no ſpots upon them; their darkneſs ſerves them for a covering Thou that ſayeſt thine heart is clean, it may be 'tis for want of eyes, thou ſeeſt not what an heart it is, when do we hear ever a word of complaint, or confeſſion from thee? There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, (ſaith the pſalmiſt) becauſe of thine anger, nor reſt in my bones by reaſon of my ſin, my wounds ſtink and are corrupt, my loynes are filled with a loathſome diſeaſe, and there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, Pſal. 38.3. &c. Such are the complainings of the righteous, but when doſt thou complain? thou art whole and ſound, thou ſayeſt; I but tis becauſe thou art blind, thou thinkeſt ſo; if God ſhould open thine eyes, thou wouldeſt ſee ſuch ſights, as would amaze thee.
2. Oblivion, or their own forgetfulneſs, whileſt mens ſins are freſh in their memory, they are ſometimes afraid, but after a while, they are forgotten, and all buried in Oblivion. Thou a good Chriſtian? thou an honeſt man, and haſt done no harm? remember thy ſelf, look to the dayes of old, call back the things that are paſt. Where wert thou at ſuch a time, and ſuch a time, what wert thou then a doing? call to mind thine oathes, and thy lying, and thy drunkenneſs and thy companions in ſin. Haſt thou done nothing amiſſe? rub up thy memory, and that will help thine eye ſight.
3. Hardneſs of heart, ſome ſinners can feel nothing; and they can ſee nothing but what they feel. Nothing is evil with them, but what is uneaſie, nothing is ſin, but what ſmarts. The Apoſtle tell us, Eph. 4.18.19. That men without underſtanding are paſt feeling, and ſure thoſe that are without feeling, are ſo much the more paſt underſtanding; the brawn upon their hearts, is a film upon their eyes. Seeſt thou nothing to trouble thee? O hard heart! what, ſuch a drunard, ſuch a ſcoffer, ſuch an earthworm, ſuch a prodigal, and yet ſeeſt thou nothing to trouble thee? if God ſhould but ſmite this rock, that would open thine eyes.
4. Some hide their ſins, in other mens greater ſins, by looking on the greater blazes of other mens ſins, their own embers, that lye moſt under the aſhes are not ſeen. If they can ſay with the Phariſee, I am not as other men, they will not ſee, but they are honeſt men, and no hurt found in them.
5. Others will hide their ſins in the Church, will take up ſome little profeſſion of religion, and make ſo much reformation, as will give them admiſſion into a congregation of Chriſtians, or it may be but into a ſect or party, that call themſelves Chriſtians; to whom when they have once joined themſelves, ther's an end of their old ſins. If they have gotten a new skin upon them, and are hang'd on, as members of the body of Chriſt, (as they think) then they go for new men, and all their old things are vaniſhed away.
But ſinners, are theſe the only coverts, in which your ſins are hid? in your ignorance, in your forgetfulneſs, &c. From whoſe eyes will theſe coverings hide them? will they hide them from Gods eyes, or is it onelyonly from your own eyes? Is this all you need, to hide your ſelves from your ſelves? woe be to thoſe men, whoſe ſins are open before the eyes of the Lord, and only hid from their own.
Will any of theſe coverings hide them from the Lord? Becauſe you ſee not, doth not God ſee? becauſe you have forgotten, hath God forgotten? O if there were ſuch a book of remembrance, of all that you have done, preſented to you, as is written againſt you before the the Lord, how pale would your faces grow? If God ſhould now come in amongſt us, and read over to each ſinner, the roll that is written againſt him, what a trembling congregation would this be: how would you look one upon another, as men aſtoniſhed! how would you ſtrike upon your breaſts, and ſmite upon your thighs, and ſpeak trembling, men and brethren, what ſhall we do! what eaſe would it be to you, when you hear ſo much written in your own books, to think there is more written againſt ſome others? And what if you be gotten into the church, and your ſins be buried under the ſhadow of the Altar, under your profeſſion of religion? will not God ſee them there?
Conſider ſinners, are your ſins repented of and pardoned? hath the Lord caſt them behind his back, and blotted them out of his book? you have made a ſhift to blot them out of yours, but what if they ſhould be ſtill found on Gods book? nay is it not certainly ſo, do they not all ſtand there againſt you, even all the ſins you have committed in your lives? O look ye out for a better covering; haſt ye, haſt ye, cry for a pardon, ſue out an act of oblivion from heaven, look unto Jeſus, get your ſins nail'd to his croſſe, and buried in his grave. Repent and be converted that your iniquities may be blotted out, and in that day, the iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſins of Judah, and they ſhall not be found.
2. Get your ſouls hid; hid with Chriſt in God. I flee unto thee to hide me, Pſal. 143.9. I will truſt in the covert of thy wings, Pſal. 61.4. Chriſt will be no hiding place for your ſins, unleſs your ſouls alſo take ſanctuary in him. Get thee in to Chriſt; if thou be found in him, thy ſin ſhall not be found. Hide thee from Chriſt, in Chriſt; in the bloud and bowels of Chriſt a Saviour, from the fury and wrath of Chriſt a judge. Great is the wrath of that day; there will be no enduring, and there can be no eſcaping that wrath, but by himſelf. Woe be to thoſe that ſhall then be found out of Chriſt, in what ever elſe they be found. The kings of the earth, and the grat men, the Rich men and the Captaines and the mighty men (that are found out of Chriſt). ſhall hide themſelves in dens, and the rocks of the mountaines, and ſhall ſay to the mountaines, fall on us, and to the rocks, cover us, and hide us from him that ſitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand, Rev. 6.15.16.17.
O ſinners, you that have ventured it, to ſtand out from Chriſt hitherto, look before you, to that great day that comes; you that neglect the Mercy, think how you can poſſibly eſcape the Wrath of the lamb. Truſt not to the ſecreſie of dens, to the mercy of mountains, to the might of rocks; theſe will all be as deaf to your cry, as you are to the cry of the Lord. Now you have a rock before you, which will then be a rerefuge; put you into the clefts of this rock, and the indignation ſhall paſs over you, ſtay out at your utmoſt peril.
Wretched ſouls, how is it that tis ſo hard, to perſwade you in to Chriſt? How is it that the clifts of this rock, have ſo long opened to you, yea that the rock hath followed you, and cryed after you, put in hither and you ſhall be ſafe, and yet ſo few have been perſwaded in? Lord how few! how many ſtill ſtand without, and it may be, are mocking at the fears of them that are gotten in.
Sinner, how canſt thou think without a trembling heart of being found out of Chriſt, in that great day of his wrath? O fear, fear and beware, fear and hide; hide thy ſelf in Chriſt, and then thy great fear will be over, There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, Rom. 8.1.
But how may we hide our ſelves in Chriſt? I anſwer,
1. Cry unto him to take you in.
2. Conſent to him while he offers to take you in.
1. Cry unto him to take you in; to ſprinkle you with his bloud, which alone will ſave you from his wrath, ſay, but with a better heart, and in a better ſence, than they did, in the words of thoſe Jews, Math. 27.25. His blood be upon us, and our children.
There's a double ſence, in which theſe words may be ſpoken,
1. The guilt of his blood be upon us,
2. The attonement of his blood be upon us.
Twas in the firſt ſence that thoſe wicked Jews imprecated, his blood be upon us, let the guilt of his blood be upon us, let our own ſouls anſwer for the fact, of putting him to death.
Beware ſinners, that that precious blood be not thus found upon you. Impenitent ſinners, the guilt of Chriſts blood is upon them, they are his betrayers and murtherers, and by their impenitence in ſin, they allow the deeds of thoſe wicked ones that crucifyed him.
What's ſaid of Apoſtates, Heb. 6.6. is chargable upon all impenitent ſinners, They crucifie the Son of God afreſh, for.
1. It was ſin that did crucifie Chriſt, both as the meritorious cauſe, and as the inſtrumental cauſe, twas the ſin of the Jews that ſet them on work.
2. There is ſuch malignity in ſin, that if it were able, would fetch Chriſt out of heaven again, and put him to death again.
3, Impenitent ſinners ſtand with this weapon in their hand, to do their worſt towards the repeating this wicked fact.
4. There is in the crucifying of Chriſt, a putting him to death, and a putting him to ſhame; the former they would do, and the latter they do, once and once again. What a ſhame was it, that his crucifiers caſt upon him, in crying out, not this man but Barrabbas, Impenitent ſinners do the like; in turning from Chriſt to thy ſin, thou alſo ſayeſt, not Jeſus but Barrabbas; theſe murtherers for me, not Chriſt but my luſts, and wickedneſs; and though there be not ſuch a word in thy mouth, yet this is the cry of thy fact, the guilt of his blood be upon me.
Sinners, your going on in your ſins, is a kind of doing that wicked act, of crucifying Chriſt, once and once again. Every oath that you ſwear, every lye that you tell, every ſcoffe that you caſt out, againſt Chriſt and his ways; is your crucifying him afreſh. This is the voice of your ſins, crucifie him, crucifie him; on with his mocking robes and crown again, ſpit at him and buffet him again, ſcourge him again, up with him to the croſſe, and nail him, and pierce him again. Every ſinner is bringing in more thornes, and more nailes, and more vinegar and gall, and more ſpears to thruſt him thorough. Here, take my thornes, ſaith one, take my nailes, ſaith another, take my ſpunge and my ſpear ſaith another, and ſtrike to the heart. And the cry of this your fact is, the guilt of his blood be upon us. Tremble O impenitents, did you ever think that there there had been ſo much in your impenitence as this?
But 2. There is the Attonement of Chriſts blood, and in this ſence tis, I exhort you to cry; his blood by upon me; let that blood of ſprinkling, which ſpeaks better things than the blood of Abel, as it is peace and a propitiation for ſinners, ſo let it be upon me. Beg of Chriſt to take you in, and make you partakers of the merit of his blood, of the vertue of his blood, whereby your iniquities may be pardoned, and purged away; that when they are ſought for, they may not be found. Go ſinner, go unto Jeſus, lift up thine eyes, lift up thy voice, ſtand crying at his door, Lord open to me, Lord take me in among thy pardoned ones, let the blood of the lamb be ſprinkled upon me.
2. Conſent to Chriſt, whileſt he offers to take you in, you may know what's to be done, to get in to Chriſt, by conſidering over that ſpecial mark which I have already given you, to prove your being in Chriſt. Tis your conſent, that will prove you to be in Chriſt, and the ſame which will be your evidence, will give you entrance in him.
Sinners, give your conſent to Chriſt; get your hearts to approve of him, to be will ſatisfied, that tis ſafe venturing upon him, that he is a ſure refuge, that both can and will hide you from the wrath to come. Accept of Chriſt; If you be ſatisfied that tis ſafe venturing with him, make your adventure, embarque with this faithful Pilot, and with him truſt your ſelves. Dedicate and give your ſelves to him, as his right and property, and be ſure he will hide his own. Speak unto him this hour, here I am Lord, no longer mine own, I here paſs away and make over my ſelf unto thee for ever; take me as thine own, for thine I am reſolv'd to be; take me for thine, own, and take care of me as thine own, I am thine ſave me. Give him the right, and give him the preſent poſſeſſion of you; riſe up this day ye ſervants of the Lord, and go and ſerve him. What wilt thou have me to do Lord? how wilt thou have me to live? ſpeak Lord, i'le henceforth know no other voice but thine; this world ſhall be no longer heard, againſt the voice of Chriſt, this fleſh ſhall be no longer heard, againſt the voice of Chriſt, depart uſurpers, I am neither mine own nor yours, what have I any longer to do with you? I am Chriſts, and him only will I ſerve, and through the help of the Lord I will go from this place, bound in the ſpirit, and reſolved in mine heart; to be governed guided and employed by him alone. This is the full and ſetled purpoſe of mine heart, and O that this my reſolution may be attended with ſuch an effectual power, that may make a preſent actual change upon my whole courſe and way of life. Well I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord, and let me find the preſence and the power of the Almighty with me. O that I might not go out of this houſe, nor be ſeen in the ſtreets, but the tongues of thoſe that ſee me, might ſay, where hath this man, or this woman been this day? what hath been done to them? whence is this ſtrange change? Is not this the man that was born blind? Is not this the cripple that ſate for alms at the beautiful gate of the Temple? ſaid they once: is not this the man that lived in blindneſs, and in ignorance of God? is not this he, that was ſuch a lame, halting, trifling vain walker? how do we ſee him to have his eyes open, and living in the grace and power of God? what a change is here? how comes this to paſs? ſurely this man hath been with Jeſus; ſurely he is become one of the Lords, and the ſpirit of the living God is in him.
What ſay you friends, are you now for ſuch a change? come and give your ſelves thus to the Lord, and then fear not, to commit your ſelves to his cuſtody; truſt him for your pardon, truſt him for protection, leave the care of your ſouls upon him for ever. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will take care of you. Now you have a ſure title to him, and are hid in his blood, and this blood of the lamb, ſhall be to you as the ſcarlet line on the window of Rhahab, was to her, Joſh. 2.18. or as the blood of the Paſchal lamb ſprinkled on the lintels, and door-poſts of Iſrael, Exod. 12. your certain ſecurity, that the indignation ſhall paſſe over you, and the deſtroyer ſhall not hurt you for ever.
2. Fear and flee, the ordinary effect of fear is flight, and the reaſon of flight is fear. There are three things in flight. 1. There is departure in it; be gone, get thee up out of this place ſaid the Angels once to Lot, Gen. 19. 2. There is haſte in it. Flight is a departure in haſte. Haſte thee, ſtay not in all the plain. 3. Tis in order to an eſcape, eſcape for thy life, eſcape to the mountains.
Flee ſinner, flee away from thy ſins and live. What day thou hideſt thee in Chriſt, thou muſt leave thy ſins behind thee, or if thou carrieſt them to Chriſt with thee (which comes all to one) it muſt be only to be crucified, particularly,
1. Flee out of thy ſtate of ſin.
2. Flee from the practice of ſin.
2. Flee out of thy ſtate of ſin, to ſay no more in this place to fright thee to thy heels, know that thy ſtate of ſin is a ſtate of bondage, Act. 8.23, thou art a mere bondſlave to the devil and thy luſts. Doſt thou not feel the chains on thy neck, & the fetters on thy feet? art thou not made to ſerve under thine enemies, whom thou canſt not find in thine heart but to obey, tho it be to the cutting of thine own throat? Thou art not left at liberty, to act as a Chriſtian, according to the Goſpel, no nor as a man according to thine own reaſon and conſcience, but art made a mere brute of, to ſerve the pleaſure of the devil and thy luſts. Art thou content to live and die ſuch a ſlave? behold, the whole world is for liberty; what groanings are there under oppreſſion, what outcries againſt impoſitions, and invaſions, upon rights and priviledges, and what impatience of vaſſalage and ſervitude? and canſt thou be ſo patient, of the impoſitions of luſt, and thy vaſſalage under the devil? canſt thou dwell for ever, under the uſurpers? is there any tyranny like that of thy will and luſt? is the worſt of ſervitudes onelyonly, eaſie to be born? ariſe thou ſlave, ſhake off thy fetters, get thee up out of thine houſe of bondage.
It is not barely a ceſſation from the acts of ſin, that I am now preſſing you to; (let him that ſtole, ſteal no more, let him that was a ſwearer, or a lyar, or a drunkard, ſwear no more, put away lying, and turn away from the wine and the ſtrong drink) but get you free from your ſtate of ſin, get you up out of priſon, ceaſe not only from doing the work, but continue not under the dominion of the divel, be no longer the practiſer, no nor the priſoners of ſin.
Chriſt came not to make your priſon more clean or more eaſie, to caſt out ſome of your filth, or to get you an abatement of ſome of your drudgery work, but to bring forth the priſoners out of priſon, Iſaiah. 42.7. Chriſt calls not to the priſoners, to take their reſt, or to do their maſters work by halves, no nor barely to let it all alone; but he ſaies to the priſoners go forth, Iſa. 49.9.
Sinners are not only employed, and ſet on work by ſin and the devil, but they are ſold under ſin, held under ſin, ſhut up under unbelief. They are priſoners, not only by conſtraint but by conſent alſo, they are voluntary priſoners, they have made a league with ſin, and are its covenant-ſervants; they are not onelyonly priſoners to Satan but to their own hearts, the heart of man is become ſo very a devil, that it is its own gaoler; the devil cannot commit a ſinner into ſafer cuſtody, than by making his own heart his keeper.
Sinners, thoſe hearts of yours are become ſuch Devils incarnate, ſo deſperately ſet againſt Chriſt, ſo deeply engaged in ſoul-damning works, that if God ſhould leave you to the cuſtody and conduct of your own natures, theſe will lead you on to your damnation. 'Tis now become natural to ſinners, to hate the Lord and his way of life; Sin hath made ſuch changelings of them from what they originally were, that 'tis their nature to play the fools, and the beaſts; 'tis their nature to be proud, to be froward, to be malicious, 'tis mens corrupt nature, that ſo ſtrongly enclines them, to follow the Devil and flee from Chriſt. The Chicken doth not more naturally follow the Hen, and flee from the Kyte; than Sinners do follow that Kyte, the Devil, and flee from Chriſt.
As 'tis ſaid of the Devil, Joh. 8.44. When he ſpeaketh a lye, he ſpeaketh of his own, ſo may it be ſaid of ſinners, when they do wickedly, they do of their own; when they lye, and ſwear, and mock, and riot, they do of their own. Their inward part is very wickedneſs, Pſal. 5.9. Their hearts are a fountain of iniquity, Jer. 6.7. As a fountain caſteth forth waters, ſo ſhe caſteth forth wickedneſs. She caſteth forth her wickedneſs, not only continually, as a fountain caſts out waters (the fountain runs night and day, Summer and Winter, from year to year) but with the ſame freedome alſo, there's no need of the Pump or the Bucket, to fetch it up, it flows forth of it ſelf.
Such a ſtate as this, are ſinners in; they are Priſoners, and voluntary Priſoners, natural ſlaves; whoſe ſervile ſpirits are altogether ſuited to their ſervile ſtate; who whileſt they continue thus, are fit for nothing elſe but to be made ſlaves of, they are fit for no other Maſter but the Devil, for no other work but wickedneſs. Corrupt nature is their chain to bind them to the Devil, and his cord to drag them to deſtruction.
Art thou not afraid, Sinner, to ſtay any longer in ſuch a ſtate? ſure thou doſt not know where thou art, or thou could'ſt not but fear. When Chriſt intends to fetch ſinners out, he firſt makes them to ſee where they are. Iſa. 42.7. He opens the blind eyes, and brings forth the Priſoners from the Priſon. He opens their eyes, not barely that they may ſee their way out, but that they may ſee, what a Priſon 'tis they are in, what a vile Priſon, what a ſtrong Priſon, what Irons there are upon them, and what a dark hole, and diſmal dungeon, there is in the bottom of it, into which they are dropping, and unto which they are reſerved in theſe chains and fetters. There's little hope of perſwading ſinners out, till upon the ſight of their miſery and danger, they are afraid to continue longer there.
O I am afraid, and yet I cannot get looſe; why what is it that hinders thee? O this evil heart holds me in, whatever danger I am in, this evil nature will venture it all, rather than go to Chriſt. All within me cries in mine ears, ſtay, ſtay where thou art, this bondage is liberty, in compariſon of that ſtate that Chriſt would bring me to. Ay, that's it indeed, this corrupt nature is thy Priſon and thy Gaoler; and till the power of nature be broken, till the ſtream of nature be turned, till thoſe bars and gates be cut in pieces, the fleſhly will and its luſts, by which thou art holden in, there will be no getting forth. Thou haſt been called back often, and yet thou goeſt on as thou didſt; how comes this to paſs? why thy nature leads thee on, thy nature holds thee faſt, Hoſ. 6.7, You [like men] have tranſgreſſed, you like men have been hardned; you have done like your ſelves. Like men! like brutes or ſtocks rather, why that's the ſame, man is become brutiſh, and his fooliſh heart turn'd into a ſenſeleſs ſtock, and yet this heart muſt have the cuſtody and government of thee.
O flee every one of you, flee away from your ſelves, ariſe, eſcape for your lives; is this the ſtate out of which you are ſo loth to depart? Men and Brethren, ſave your ſelves from this woful ſtate. O generation, who hath forwarned you, that you ſhould flee, (ſhall I ſay?) nay, who hath bewitched you, that you will not flee from the wrath to come? Get you up, get you up out of this evil ſtate. How is it that you ſtir not? how is it that we yet hear no ſuch cry among you, Maſter ſave us, we periſh. Thus ſaith the King, Come out; will you ſay, no, but I will dye here? Flee Sinners,
1. As Lot out of Sodome, though you muſt leave all behind you; all your ſubſtance, all your kindred and acquaintance; the fire and the brimſtone is coming, get you gone and leave all behind you.
2. As Iſrael out of Egypt, whatever difficulties be in the way; the Mountains, the Red-Sea, the Wilderneſs, could not keep Iſrael to the brick-kilns. God will make a way through the Sea, through the moſt aſtoniſhing difficulties if you will venture to follow him out. Say not tis hard, ſay not 'tis impoſſible to eſcape; the Mountains ſhall be made a plain, the Sea ſhall become dry Land, the wilderneſs ſhall become a fruitful Land, to the followers of the Lord.
3. Flee as men out of an houſe all on fire, or a ſinking ſhip, in haſte. Say not 'twill be time enough to morrow, or hereafter; the houſe burns, the beam is falling, the ſhip is ſinking, away, away, e're it be too late. 'Tis no time to ſtand delaying, 'tis no time to ſtand deliberating, Shall I, ſhall I? To day if you will hear his voice, 'tis high time to awaken out of ſleep.
Riſe up every man and woman, ſhake off your fetters, ſlay your keeper (ſome Priſoners have broken Priſon by knocking their Gaoler on the head) get this old heart ſlain, and get you a new heart, when that's once done, then you have broken Priſon, and your ſouls are eſcaped.
2. Flee the practice of Sin. Say not I am now in Chriſt, and my ſin ſhall never ſeparate me from him. If Chriſt do not ſeparate thee from thy ſins, thy going on in them, will prove thee ſeparate from Chriſt, Iſa. 1.16. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil. An evil life, argues an evil ſtate, thou haſt no part in Chriſt, who art ſtill going on in thy wickedneſs; the practice of ſin doth both evidence and uphold the power of ſin; what clearer evidence that ſin is Lord ſtill, than when its Laws are obeyed? who can think that the root is dead, whileſt the branches bear and flouriſh? How is a tree known, but by its fruits? Its true, that Moſs and Muſhromes, and ſuch like excreſcencies, may grow out of the beſt trees, but yet it may be ſtill ſaid of all trees, By their fruits ye ſhall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiſtles? Do men gather Gourds of Vines, or Hawes of the fig-tree?
2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity. Art Thou in Chriſt, who art not turn'd from thy ſins? Do not ſay, I hope I may be, (however) hereafter, and ſo indulge thy ſelf thy liberty in ſin, till Chriſt come and ſet thee free; but whether thou be in Chriſt, or yet ſhort of him, put away iniquity from thee; let there be a preſent forbearance of the acts of ſin, and that will be a means to deſtroy its habits; as it is with ſome plants, by cutting them off above ground, you may kill the roots. Do not ſay, I will be a Drunkard, till God give me a new heart, I will go on in this ſwearing, and lying, and mocking, till God work a change upon this evil heart; this is thy reſiſting the work of God, and ſuch a wicked reſolution as may provoke the Lord to leave thee for ever, under the power of Sin and the Devil. Whatever thou be, go preſently and put away every iniquity from thee, greater or ſmaller, open or ſecret, corporal or ſpiritual wickedneſſes, have done with them all. Do not only lament, or mourn for ſin, but fight againſt it, and the beſt fighting is by flying. The Souldiers of this world when they flee once, the fight is loſt; but Chriſt's Souldiers never fight well but when they fly; when you fly ſin you have won the field; when the Devil flyes, he is overcome; when you fly, you have overcome.
Flee all ſin, but eſpecially your beloved and accuſtomed ſins, remember what I have ſaid of theſe already. Be not the men you have been us'd to be, do not the evils you have lov'd to do. I do not yet mean, that you ſhould only change your ſins, forbear covetouſneſs, and turn prodigals, give off your drudgery for this world, and give your ſelves to idleneſs, forbear prophaneneſs, and turn hypocrites, but put away all iniquity, eſpecially your accuſtomed and beloved ſins.
Friends, whenever you ſee your old ſins, that have gotten your hearts, coming upon you, and aſſaulting you, as ſuppoſe pride, ſuppoſe covetouſneſs, or ſinful anger, or the like, which you have been us'd to be overcome by, whenever you find your ſelves tempted to any of theſe again, let your hearts ſtartle at it, Here comes my deadly enemy. I know you of old, what a ſnare you have been to me, what a meer ſlave you have made of me. I remember how it hath been with me, all the time that I have been governed by this covetouſneſs, led by theſe companions, commanded by theſe paſſions, or this fleſhly appetite; theſe are they, that kept me back from Chriſt, that thruſt out every good thought, quench'd every good motion, reſiſted every good word, that was ſpoken to me. When the Word of God, the Miniſters of Chriſt, and mine own Conſcience call'd upon me, Go fooliſh Soul, joyn thy ſelf to Chriſt, make thy peace with God, accept of Grace, ſubmit to Mercy, turn at his reproofs, ſuch was their power over me and I was ſo bewitched to them, that I could not bring mine heart to hearken to the Lord.
And are [you] come to me again? tempting me and enticeing me again after you? what, ſhall I be a Drunkard again? an Earth-worm, an Epicure, and fleſh-pleaſer again? Away, away, I have done with all iniquity, but eſpecially I muſt have an eye to you, I dare not touch with you for my life, and therefore come my ſoul, put on thine armour, ſtand upon thy guard, and reſiſt them. And in ſpecial call up fear to thine help, and ſet that for thy Sentinel againſt them.
Fear will quickly eſpy, and will give the alarm to the Soul. Riſe Sampſon, the Philiſtines are upon thee. Riſe Soul, the Devil is at thy back, ſin lyes at the door; Fear will eſpy, and will not ſlight the danger we are in. The fleſh counts ſin a friend, that comes to do it a kindneſs: or if it be apprehended as an enemy, that's like to do the Soul a miſchief, preſumption will tell you, the miſchief may not be great; if it make a breach upon thy peace, 'tis but repenting afterwards, and that will make it up; whatever wound it makes upon thy heart, it may ſoon be healed; the beſt that is, may be drawn aſide and yet do well enough.
Or if Conſcience ſay, it is not to be made light of, it is a dangerous and deadly enemy, yet ſecurity will tell you, the enemy is yet afar off, take thine eaſe, and trouble not thy ſelf before the time. When the tempter is come, 'twill be time enough to look about thee.
But now fear will hold ſin in conſtant ſuſpition, and it will ever ſuſpect the worſt, look to thy ſelf, he is at hand that betrayes thee, ſin lyes at the door watching for entrance, and if it get in once, God knows what miſchief it may do thee, e're ever thou get clear of it.
Whatever miſchief ſin hath done to any perſon in the world, thy fear will ſuſpect it may do as bad by thee. How many Souls has this pride made to fall into the condemnation of the Devil? How many Souls hath this covetouſneſs drown'd in perdition and deſtruction? How many Souls has this evil company led down into the deep? What did Nebuchadnezzar's pride do by him? why it drove him from men, amongſt the beaſts of the field. How did luſt and luxurie ſerve the prodigal? It fetch'd him out from his fathers houſe, and left him at the Pigs trough. Whether did the rich man's gluttony carry him? from the pleaſures of his Table to the torments of Hell. What kindneſs did Gehazi's bribes do for him? they ſmote him a leper. What advantage did Achan's Gold, Judas his Silver, Ananias his lye, bring to them? was not death all their wages? yea, it will put it to be conſider'd, what ſin hath done, not only to particular perſons, but to Kingdoms and Nations, to Countreys and Cities. what brought it on the whole world? A flood of waters to deſtroy them. What on Sodom? It burnt it to aſhes. What on Shiloh? Deſtruction and Devaſtation. Look to thy ſelf Soul, this ſame enemy that hath made ſuch woful work every where in the world; this very enemy ſtands watching at thy door; every little ſin that comes, thou knoweſt not who, or what may be at its heels: Doſt thou not ſee Sword, and Famine, and Peſtilence following after it! behold the Devil leading on the Van, and Death and Hell bringing up the Rear.
O what eaſie admiſſion and entertainment (notwithſtanding all this miſchief ſin hath done) do fearleſs Souls ordinarily give unto it? It's ſuffered to come upon them as it will, to lodge with them, and dwell with them, and walk with them. It meets them at every turn, at their Tables, their Beds, in their Shops, in their Fields, and yet it is with them, as if there were no enemy near. If your houſes were haunted with the Devil, you would flee out of them; if you ſaw Death in every cup of exceſs, if you ſaw a toad in every gluttonous diſh, would you not be ſtartled at it, if you ſaw Robbers and Murtherers at your heels, would you not run for it? How is it that you are not running for your lives? Fear and you will run. How is it that you are no more carefully enquiring, which way may I take to eſcape? there's ſuch a ſin, or ſuch a ſin that is upon me every day, how may I get rid of it? Fear, and that will both put you upon asking, and help you to find out your way to eſcape.
But oh how is it, that there ſhould be yet any pleading for, or excuſing ſin in the world! ſuch fools there are every where found, who are only afraid of their friends, who are watching and fighting againſt their Remedy; who fall foul with a friendly admoniſher, with a faithfull reprover; ſo far from taking heed of ſin, that they can hardly take it well to be bid to take heed of it. Let any one come and ſay to them, Friend, doſt thou well to be angry? doſt thou well to be idle and vain, to be thus heady and wilfull in thy way? And it may be inſtead of an [I thank you for your friendly warning] this ſhall be all, [What's that to you? look to your ſelf, and meddle not with me] Shame upon this folly and madneſs. Fear Sin as you ought, and you will never fly in the face of a faithfull reprover.
To conclude this direction; if you wil but hearken to me in this one thing, ſo fear as to flee Sin, you will at once eſcape all that can hurt you. If I bid you flee from a Serpent, a Cockatrice may meet you; if you flee from the Sword, the Famine may meet you; if you flee from the Famine, the Peſtilence may devour you; if you flee from the wrath of Man, the wrath of God may fall on you; onelyonly flee Sin, and you are out of danger for ever.