Instructions About Heart-Work, Text (1 of 8)

Instructions About Heart-Work · Text (1 of 8)

p. 1Inſtructions about Heart-work, &c.

Prov. 4.23. ad finem.

V. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence,Waſh thine heart from thine Iniquity, that thou maiſt be ſaved. for out of it are the iſſues of life.

V. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverſe lips put far from thee.

V. 25. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look ſtraight before thee.

V. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be eſtabliſhed.

V. 27. Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil.

IN theſe words you have obſervable, 1. A great Office that every man is ſet in, with reſpect to Himſelf; he is a Keeper. 2. The great Truſt that is committed to his care and keeping: that is, in general Himſelf; in particular, 1. his Heart, Keep thy heart. 2. His Lips, v. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverſe lips put far from thee. Keep thy mouth and thy Lips in order, keep them from ſpeaking frowardneſs and from uttering perverſe things. 3. His eyes v. 25. Let thine eyes …ook right on, and let thine eye-lids look ſtraight before thee. Keep thine eyes open, look with thine eyes, and keep thine eyes from wandring, look right on. 4. His feet, v. 26.27. Ponder the path of thy feet, remove thy feet from evil. Let thine eye look right on, and let thy foot walk right on. Let thine eye ſee thy way before thee, and let thy foot walk in it, not turning out to the right hand or to the left.

p. 2Doctrine 1. Every man is appointed by the Lord to be his own Keeper. Where there is a depoſitum, there is a cuſtos, he is a Truſtee to whom there is a truſt commited. Here take notice, 1 Every man hath other Keepers beſides himſelf. God is his keeper. Pſalm. 121.5. The Lord is thy keeper. Our Governors and our Teachers are our Keepers, every man is, or ſhould be his brothers keeper. Magiſtrates are the Keepers of their Countries. Miniſters are the Keepers of their Flocks and Congregations. Parents are the Keepers of their Children and Families. We ſhould have but ill looking to, had we no other Keepers than our ſelves; and all our other Keepers, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and Parents could do little towards the keeping of us, if the Lord alſo were not our keeper, Pſalm 127.1. Except the Lord keep the City, the watchman watcheth but in vain. Magiſtrates will but govern us in vain, Miniſters will but guide us in vain, Parents will but rule us in vain, unleſs the Keeper of Iſrael be our keeper. Oh bleſs the Lord, who though he hath put the care of us upon our ſelves, yet hath not caſt off the care of us himſelf. Let us bleſs the Lord for his care and cuſtody, and let us both take care of our ſelves, and alſo commit the care of our ſelves to him. To both we are exhorted in one word, 1 Pet. 4.19. Commit the keeping of your ſelves to him, in a way of well-doing. Take all the care you can of your ſelves, and your own ways, and then caſt your ſelves upon Gods care. Commit the keeping of your ſelves to him, as unto a faithful Creator. Let us commit the keeping of our ſelves to the Lord, and let us comfort our ſelves in this, that the Lord will take us into his cuſtody, there we are in ſure hands. He is faithful, and will keep what is thus committed to him. Beware you abuſe not this comfort. Dare not ſay thus, God will look to me, and therefore I need not look to my ſelf He that will not keep himſelf, God will be no keeper of him. He that will not take care of his own ſoul, ſays in vain, I have committed that care to the Lord. If thou wilt not take care of thine own ſoul, thou leaveſt it to the cuſtody of the Devil; and if thou doſt, God will leave thee to him alſo. To ſay I commit the keeping of my ſelf to God, and will not take care of my ſelf, is the ſame in effect, as to ſay, I com…it my ſoul to the cuſtody of Sathan. If thou take not care of thy ſelf, God will not take care of thee; and if thou p. 3be kept neither by thy ſelf, nor by the Lord, into whoſe hands art thou like to fall, but into the hands of the Devil? The Devil is a Keeper, yet not a Protector, but a Goaler, the Keeper of the Priſon. All the Sinners of the Earth are Priſoners to this Goaler: and there is no man that eſcapes this Keeper, till he will faithfully keep and look to himſelf, and ſo commit himſelf to the Keeper of Iſrael.

2. Every man hath others to keep …des himſelf. Not onelyonly Magiſtrates, who are to keep their People; or Miniſters, who are to keep their Flocks; or Parents, who are to keep their Children; but every man is to look to his Brethren. It was the Queſtion of a wicked one, and it was a wicked Queſtion, Am I my Brothers keeper? Yes thou art ſo, thou art to watch thy Brother, and to warn thy Brother, to prevent his falling into evil, and to reſtore and recover him when fallen, Gal. 6.1. If a man be overtaken with a fault, ye which are ſpiritual reſtore, &c. Thus every man hath other Keepers, and every man hath others to keep beſides himſelf: But

3. In ſpecial, every man is his own Keeper; Deut. 4.9. Keep thine own ſoul diligently. And ſo in the Text, Keep thy heart with all diligence.

Reaſon 1. If thou wilt not keep thy ſelf, all the World is not able to keep thee. Miniſters will but preach to thee in vain, inſtruct thee in vain, warn and watch over thee in vain; Magiſtrates will but govern thee in vain; Parents will look to thee in vain; if thou wilt not look to thy ſelf. God himſelf will not keep thee, if thou wilt not keep thy ſelf. Men cannot, and God will not; he will be no keeper of the careleſs ones.

2. If thou wilt not keep thy ſelf, the Devil will be thy keeper. He will keep thee to thy wickedneſs, if thou wilt not keep thy ſelf from it. This is every mans eſpecial charge, to keep himſelf out of the hands of the Devil. The Devil will have thee, man, if thou look not to thy ſelf; nay the Devil hath thee already, if thou be careleſs of thy ſelf. God will keep none but thoſe, that under him, will keep themſelves. Thoſe that will not keep themſelves, the Devil may come and take them into his cuſtody The Devil goes up and down the World, to ſee if he can find any Sheep without a Shepherd; and he that is not his own Shepherd, God will be none of his Shepherd. p. 4If thou wilt not keep thy ſelf, God will not keep thee, thou art a Sheep without a Shepherd. Here's a man for me, ſaith the Devil, he hath none to look to him, nor will he look to himſelf. This is a man for me, I will be his keeper. He will not keep himſelf for God, I will keep him for Hell. He is none of Gods Sheep, I will take him for one of my Goats. He is left out for me, he hath left out himſelf, a… therefore God hath left him out, and I will take him into cuſtody.

3. If thou wilt not keep thy ſelf, then thou wilt never keep thoſe others that are committed to thy keeping. What a Parent, what a Neighbour art thou like to be, who art careleſs of thy ſelf? How are thy poor Children like to be lookt too? How is thy Family like to be governed by thee, if thou keep not thine own ſoul? He that will not keep his own Vineyard, how will he keep another mans? He that neglecteth himſelf and his own ſoul, how will he mind the ſouls that are committed to him?

Ʋſe 1. Then no man muſt be a Sleeper or a Loyterer. Keepers muſt watch, yea and muſt work too; he that is ſet to keep himſelf, is as the Keeper of a Garden, or the Keeper of a Vineyard, and ſo it is expreſt, Cant. 1.6. Mine own vineyard have I not kept. The Garden hath a Wall to be kept up, hath Weeds to be kept under; the Vineyard may have wild Vines ſpringing up and exuberant branches that muſt be pruned and lopt off. Thou haſt thy hands full of work who haſt ſuch a Vineyard as thy ſelf committed to thy keeping. What, ſtandeſt thou all day idle? Work in thy Vineyard we live moſt of us, as if we wanted work and had nothing to do. We find ſomething to do for this World, and our outward man, and therefore here we are buſy; but we ſee not, we conſider not how much we have to do for our ſouls, and therefore here we are idle, as if we had nothing to do; and thoſe that have the greateſt work lying upon them, whoſe work lies moſt behind hand, who have let all within them run to ruine, and lye all out of order, theſe are uſually the men, that live as if they had nothing to do. Thou art a Keeper, man, a keeper of thine own ſoul and life; Is all in ſafety? Is all in good order▪ Look into thy ſelf, and ſee to what a miſerable caſe, for want of good looking to, thou art grown Conſcience which is thy Wall or thy Fence is broken down, that little good that p. 5was in thee, thy Flowers are withered and plucked up, and how doth Weeds abound in thee, Pride and Luſt and Covetouſneſs? and thoſe Thorns, the Cares of this life, how have they over-run thy ground? And doſt thou yet loyter, as one that hath nothing to do? Thou haſt work for every day, thou haſt work for every hour. The Foxes are waiting, the wild Bea… Sathan with his temptations) are breaking in, the we…s are growing up every hour, behold thy caſe is growing worſe and worſe, thine eyes more blind, thy heart more hard, and ſenſleſs dayly, up and be doing, look to thy ſelf, keep thy ſelf with all diligence, leſt thou let all run to ruine ſo long, that it be paſt recovery.

2. Then every man muſt give an account of himſelf. Whoever hath a truſt committed to him muſt be brought to a reckoning, how he hath diſcharged his truſt. Rom. 14.12. Every one of us muſt give an account of himſelf to God. God that now ſays, keep thine heart, look to thy ſelf, will then ſay, how haſt thou kept thy ſelf, What care or what pains haſt thou taken? and oh, what account will the moſt of us be able to give!

Sinner, thou art a careleſs heedleſs ſoul, thou takeſt no thought about thy ſelf; thou takeſt thought for thy Sheep and Oxen, thou takeſt care of thy Houſe and thy Ground, but what thought doſt thou take about thy ſelf, thy miſerable, ſick ſoul, thy blind and dead ſoul,; thy proud and earthly mind, thy envy and thy frowardneſs and thy malice and enmity againſt God and his holineſs, thoſe curſed weeds that thou art overgrown withal, that miſerable plight that thy poor ſoul is in, do ſufficiently evidence what a miſerable keeper thou haſt been of thy ſelf. But man, what a reckoning doſt thou think thou ſhalt give! Doſt never think of being brought to a reckoning? Doſt think that God will ever let thee alone? Doſt think thou ſhalt never hear of thine idleneſs and this careleſneſs of thy ſelf. Thy Parents muſt give an account how they have done their duty, how they have kept thee whileſt under their power, whether they have taught, whether they have governed thee and educated thee in the Lord, and thou muſt give the ſame account how thou keepeſt, and teacheſt and governeſt thy child. Miniſters alſo muſt give an account of thee, how they have inſtructed thee, warned thee, and watched over thee, p. 6Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls as they that muſt give an account. Think not much that we deal ſo plainly, and ſo cloſely with you, that we are ſo inſtant, in exhorting, in reproving, in warning, and watching over you; We muſt give an account how we diſcharge our duty towards you. Pa…nts muſt keep their Children, Miniſters muſt look to their Flocks, and muſt give an account hereof to God; but beſides this every man muſt give an account of [himſelf] to God. Rom. 14.12. How he hath obeyed them, that were ſet over him in the Lord, how far he hath hearkned to their counſels, whether he hath received inſtructions and ſubmitted to their exhortations and reproofs whether their diſcharge of their work towards him, hath ſet him faithfully to his own work concerning himſelf. And, oh, what account will you give of your ſelves to God? what have many of you done more than others, that have never had Miniſters to take care of them? how little have many of you lived, better than thoſe that never have been taught. Sinners, look into your hearts, look upon your lives, and underſtand, if you have ſo much underſtanding in you, in what a miſerable caſe you are to this day. Is it not a miſerable thing there ſhould be ſo much ignorance, after ſo much teaching? Are not thoſe hard hearts, thoſe barren and unſavory lives, much more, thoſe lewd and wicked lives that ſome of you live, that Lying, and that Drunkenneſs, and that Sabbath-breaking, and that Covetouſneſs that ſome of you ſtill live in, are not theſe ſufficient evidences, that whatever Miniſters have been to thee, thou haſt been a miſerable keeper of thy ſelf? And what a reckoning muſt you be brought to for this? Doſt not think that God will reckon with thee for all? Reckon with thee for thy Lying, reckon with thee for thy Drunkenneſs, reckon with thee for all thy careleſsneſs and negligence? What wilt thou ſay for thy ſelf, when God ſhall demand of thee, How haſt thou kept that Vineyard committed to thee? How haſt thou kept that ſoul of thine? How haſt thou ordered thy Life? How wilt thou ſtand ſpeechleſs in that day, and receive the ſentence of an unfaithful Steward, and an unprofitable Servant!

From V. 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and p. 7perverſe lips put far from thee. Note two things:

1. The unruly evil muſt be ruled. The Tongue is an unruly evil, James 3.8. It is one of the hardeſt works that ſome Chriſtians have to rule their Tongues: but yet it muſt be done.

Object. It is ſaid it cannot be done, the tongue can no man tame. What, doth Religion put us upon impoſſibilities, to tame that member which …annot be tamed?

Sol. The meaning there is, that … man can tame anothers tongue. Thou maiſt rule thine own tongue, but if thou wilt not do it thy ſelf, it is more than all the World can do to tame it for thee. Who can ſtop uncircumciſed lips, who can ſilence the tongue of the froward? Neither Laws nor Penalties will do it, neither ſofteſt nor hardeſt anſwers will do it; when the tongue is ſet on fire, there is no water will quench it, and yet it muſt be done.

2. That which cannot be ruled, muſt be put away. Put away your froward mouth, put away perverſe lips. Put away frowardneſs and perverſneſs from thee; frowardneſs cannot be ruled, perverſneſs cannot be kept in order. When we have done all we can, frowardneſs will be froward, perverſneſs will be perverſe; and therefore that is the way to rule the tongue, to put away that frowardneſs which will not be ruled.

1. What frowardneſs is. I need not ſay much to anſwer that; moſt men know it too well in their own experiences of the froward ones they dwell, or have to deal withal. There are few men but know what frowardneſs is, unleſs it be thoſe that are froward; the eye that ſees others, yet cannot ſee it ſelf. He that is of a froward mouth is hardly brought to underſtand that he is froward. He that hath a froward wife, ſhe that hath a froward husband, they that have a froward neighbour, need not be told what frowardneſs is: but he that hath a froward heart, it is he that hath moſt need to be told it.

1. He is froward that is hard to be pleaſed, apt to be provoked, that is ever finding fault, who is like Tinder, apt to catch on fire by every ſpark, and that fire is quickly kindled, but hardly quenched; no arguments, no patience, no forbearance will do; but there it burns and will not be quenched, Eccl. 7.9. Anger reſts in the p. 8boſome of Fools: of theſe froward Fools we are ſpeaking of. Frowardneſs is folly. That fire which is intended as a revenge upon others, doth burn, and vex, and fret out their own hearts.

II. He is of froward mouth, that gives vent by his lips to the frowardneſs of his heart, in virulent and bitter and provoking language.

2. The neceſſity … putting it away. 1. The Lord commands us to put away froward mouths. What if thy Friend or thy Neighbour cannot pacifie or ſilence thee, ſhall not God pacifie thee neither? If thou wilt not hear Man pleading for peace and quiet, wilt thou not hear the Lord God neither? God commands thee ſilence, God commands thee to hold thy peace, and to utter not a word more of thy furious folly: what a perverſe ſpirit art thou of, on whom the authority of the Almighty will not prevail. What doſt thou ſay in effect, but I will ſpeak my mind whether God like it or not? 2. It is a ſign whileſt it prevails, that mens Religion is in vain, James 1.26. If any man among you ſeem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans Religion is in vain.

1. There are ſome profeſſors of Religion, whoſe Religion is but an outſide and pretence; they do but ſeem to be religious, they ſeem ſo to themſelves, and ſeem ſo to others, but they are deceived, there is no ſuch thing as Religion in them.

2. Some ſeem to be religious but bridle not their tongues, they pretend to be of circumciſed hearts, but are of uncircumciſed lips.

3. The unbridleneſs of their tongues, is an evidence that their Religion is in vain. When is Religion in vain? Why, when it cannot reach its end, when it cannot ſave the ſoul; and ſure that Religion which cannot bridle the tongue cannot ſave the ſoul. Man, in what a caſe art thou? Thou profeſſeſt Religion, and hopeſt for ſalvation; but if thou art of an unbridled froward tongue, thy Religion is vain, and cannot ſave thee.

III. Frowardneſs hinders all that little Religion that ſuch men have in the exerciſe of it; it puts them beſides Prayer, or Reading, or Meditation, or ſpending one ſerious thought upon Eternity, all Religion is thruſt behind the doors when the froward fit is up.

p. 9Friends, pray do not make light of this grievous evil, turn every one of your eyes homeward, and reflect upon your own ſpirits and carriages; do not preſently ſay, I am not guilty, or I am not much guilty this way, it may be it is for want of obſerving thy ſelf. Look again, and again, how thou carriedſt it at ſuch a time, how to ſuch or ſuch perſons; and you tha… …re guilty, do not make light of it, do not count it a… …ll fault. Is that but a ſmall evil which proves thee an hypocrite? Where this evil reigns and is not checked nor controlled by thee, is not mourned over, nor art thou aſhamed of it, nor wilt reſiſt it; when this evil reigns, it is a ſign thou art but an hypocrite, and thy religion is in vain.

Chriſtians, our Lord Jeſus, whoſe Diſciples we profeſs our ſelves to be, and to learn of him, was meek and lowly, in heart, Mat. 11.29. and art thou his Diſciple, who art of a proud and furious ſpirit? The Apoſtle tells us, that a meek and quiet ſpirit is an ornament to the Goſpel, and of great price in the ſight of God, 1 Pet, 3.4. If meekneſs be an ornament, then frowardneſs is a blot and a blemiſh, and a ſtain upon our Profeſſion. If meekneſs be pretious, then frowardneſs is odious in the ſight of God. Wouldſt thou make thy ſelf a diſgrace to the Goſpel, an odium and an abomination unto the Lord? If thou wouldſt not, then ceaſe from thy frowardneſs, and ſtudy, and follow after that gentleneſs, that ſweetneſs, and candor, and meekneſs of heart and behaviour, which is ſo grateful both with God and men.

Friends, though I would not ſay much, yet finding it lie in my way, I would not paſs by this evil without ſaying ſomething, though but thus briefly to it. But though I have ſaid but little, yet pray let not this little be forgotten, eſpecially by any ſuch among you, whoſe Conſciences may tell you, God hath ſent this Word as an Item to me.

Doctr. from V. 26. Every foot hath his path. There are two paths, in one of which every one is walking. There is the good path, or way; and there is the evil path. Theſe two are diſtinguiſhed by their ends or term to which they lead; that is, the good path that leads to Good, called the path of life, Pſalm 16.11. that is the evil path that leads to Evil, the way of death and deſtruction, Mat. 7.

p. 102. By their Adjuncts or Qualities. The good way is general, the way of Holineſs; in particular, the way of Humility, Meekneſs, Temperance, Patience, &c. the way of Faith, and Love, and Prayer. The evil way is the way of Sin in general; and in particular, it is either the way of Lying, or the way of Covetouſneſs, or the way of Pride, or Envy, &c.

But here note …at the good way is made up of all theſe good Qualities, or elſe it cannot be the good way; but any one of the evil Qualities makes the way evil.

He that is humble and is not temperate, he that is temperate and is not patient, he that is patient and is not merciful, he whoſe life is not led in univerſal holineſs, that hath any one grace wanting, is not in the good way, one Fly ſpoils the whole Box. Chriſtians muſt ſtand compleat in all the wills of God, Col. 4.12. But for the evil way, he that walks in any one particular branch of that, his way is evil. He that is not a Liar, if he be a Swearer; he that is not a Swearer, if he be a Drunkard; he that is not a Drunkard, if he be Covetous; he that is none of all theſe, if he be carnal, and walks after the fleſh, or any one particular Luſt thereof, he is in the evil way; the path of ſin, if it be but any one ſin, that is our path, or our way wherein we uſe and allow our ſelves to walk; the path of ſin is the way of death.

Now every one in the World hath his path, is either in the good way, the way of Holineſs; or the evil way, the way of Sin. And of thoſe that are in the way of Sin, ſome are in the way of the Proud, others in the way of the Scornful, others in the way of Lying, others in the way of Covetouſneſs, every one hath his way.

Doctr. 2. Every path muſt be pondered. To ponder our ways, is to weigh and conſider them; the ſame which is charged, Hag. 1.5. Conſider your ways, ſpend ſome deep and ſerious thoughts upon them. Now there is,

1. A conſideration of the ways that we have hitherto gone on in. A bethinking our ſelves, a reviewing our courſe; this is that which the Pſalmiſt did, Pſal. 119.59. I thought on my ways that I had hitherto been walking … I thought and repented of what I had done, I thought and turned. And this is that for which Iſrael was reproved, p. 11No man ſaid, what have I done? No man ſaid in his heart, no man thought with himſelf, what have I done?

For the Objects of theſe thoughts muſt be,

1. The matters that we have done, the particular actions of our lives. Carnal men never obſerve, or mark what they do; they never review or reflect upon their actions. How many words do …en ſpeak, how many works are men engaged in, that they never obſerve, or mark, or beſtow one thought upon, they cannot remember their ways, becauſe they do not obſerve their ways. Think what you have been doing all your life long; think what you have neglected to do, and think what you have done, and are doing to this day; let your eye be upon the particular actions of your lives.

2. The Quality of our ways, whether they are good or evil, whether they are holy or ſinful. Thy way hath been the way of Lying, the way of Covetouſneſs, the way of Pride, a carnal, careleſs, fleſhly way; think with thy ſelf, Is this a good way, or an evil way, do theſe my ways pleaſe God, or are they contrary to God?

3. The end of our ways, or whither they tend, and to what iſſue they will come at laſt. Is this my way to God? Is this the way of the everlaſting Kingdom? Is this the path of life? Have I been all this while in the ſtrait and narrow way that leads to life, or have I not hitherto been travelling in the broad way that leads to deſtruction? This worldly way, this fleſhly way, it is that which hath pleaſed me at preſent; but whether will it bring me at laſt?

Sinners, bethink your ſelves thus, Whither is it that I am going? What is like to be the end of this courſe I am taking? Either to God or the Devil, either to Heaven or Hell, every one of you have been going, and which of the two have you been making towards? Is lying the way to God? Is Drunkenneſs and carnal mirth and pleaſure, is this the way to Heaven? Is hardneſs of heart in your way? Is impenitence in your ſin, is this the way to bleſſedneſs? Do not your own hearts tell you, I muſt turn out of theſe evil paths, I muſt take a new courſe ere ever I can be ſaved?

Be ſo wiſe as to ſpend ſome ſuch thoughts. This is ſinners great folly and their great miſery, that they run p. 12on in their ways and we cannot perſwade them to think whither they are going. But what is it of ſo little weight with you whether you are ſaved or damned, that it is not worth a few ſerious thoughts. Sure you could never go on at that ſenſleſs rate you do, if you did think whither you were going. We come and preach Chriſt and righteouſneſs and holineſs to you, as the only way of life; you have been often told that Chriſt is the way, and that no man cometh to the Father but by him, Jo. 14.6. And you have been told that there is no coming to God by Chriſt, to Heaven by Chriſt, unleſs there be a coming to Chriſt, a joyning your ſelves to him as his diſciples and followers. Him that cometh to me I will in no wiſe caſt out. Jo. 6.37. but will bring him to Life▪ you have been often told that without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14. That this way of Faith in Chriſt and this way of holineſs is the only way of life, this hath been told you, this hath been preached to you over and over again and yet we cannot perſwade you into this way. The reaſon is becauſe you will not conſider what we preach, you will not conſider what it is to be damned and periſh for ever; you will not conſider whether you can think of any other way by which it is poſſible to eſcape damnation but this way of faith and holineſs. If you did conſider and underſtand what an Hell it is whither your neglect of Chriſt and running on in your ways is leading you, how hot that furnace is into which you are like to fall within a few days, how dreadful it will be when you are in once, and ſhall feel the ſcorching of thoſe flames. What think you, would not ſuch ſcalding and burning thoughts make you weary of your ſins, and willing of Chriſt. Would they not awaken you, would they not affright you out of this ſecure and vain courſe that you are now going on in.

Where do you think your fellow-Swearers, and fellow-Drunkards and fellow-Worldlings that have been cut off in their ſins and carried away into the other world in there impenitence, that were laughing with you, and mocking and ſcoffing with you a few years ago; where do you think they are now? What do ye think they are doing at this hour? O, it would make an heart of ſtone to tremble and quake to think what their companions that are dead in their ſins do now ſee and feel. Think p. 13with thy ſelf man, thoſe that were a while agone drinking with me and laughing with me making a mock of Chriſt and of ſin as I do, O where are they now? It would make thine eyes ſtare, and thine hair ſtand on end, and thy bones ſhiver to think where they are. O conſider this ye that forget God leſt he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you from that place of the dead, that place of Pitch and burning Brimſtone, where you have reaſon to fear your companions in ſin are frying at this hour. Whilſt Chriſt is preaching to you, whilſt God is yet a warning you to fly from the wrath to come! Oh how are they tearing their hair, and biting their tongue and wringing their hands to conſider, that preaching of Chriſt to them ſhall be no more, that all their warnings are over, that they muſt for ever feel and faint, and periſh under that wrath which is now too late for them to fly from, or eſcape. Beſtow ſome thoughts upon your companions that are dead and gone, and then conſider your ſelf, whether if you keep on the ways you are walking in, you muſt not ſhortly be with them, in the ſame condemnation, and if yet you will not conſider it preſently as Jer. 23.20 in your latter end you ſhall conſider it perfectly. Therefore yet again I ſay to you, and charge you from the Lord, conſider your preſent evil ways and to what a fearful end they will certainly bring you, if you ſpeedily turn not out of them.

2. Conſidering the ways that are before us, that we ſhould for the future go on in. God hath given ſinners there choice whether to continue as they are in the ſame way, or to take up a new and a better way of life. Think what you have done and how you have lived, and think what you have now to do for the future, let thine eyes look ſtraight on, &c. What courſe do you think it is beſt for you to take for the future? Doſt thou think it is beſt to continue as at preſent, to hold on your worldlineſs, in your drunkeneſs, in your lying, in your carnal careleſs courſe; or is it not beſt for you to hearken to Chriſt, and to turn from your ſins, and to betake your ſelf to a ſerious, godly and holy life? Which of the two is beſt? May be, it never came into your thoughts to put the queſtion to your ſelf, but you have run on from one day to another, without asking, What were I beſt to do? Why, now here is that I would perſwade you to; to look p. 14before you, and conſider, What is beſt for you from henceforth to reſolve upon; What would a wiſe man do in this caſe; what choice would a wiſe man make? Sure methinks, a little conſideration ſhould bring you to this, If I be wiſe I ſhould turn and knock off from my wonted ways, I ſhall be a fool and a mad man if I go on thus. What doth God offer to pardon my neglects of Chriſt, my neglects of my ſoul, and all my ſins, if I will yet but turn to him? What, doth Chriſt yet offer to bring me to God, and to ſave me from the Eternal Dungeon, if I will yet come unto him, and become a new creature? What will my going on as I have hitherto done, my ſpending the remainder of my life, as I have ſpent that which is paſt in ſin and vanity, will this a running on upon mine own death, and a ſhutting up the door of mercy forever againſt me, and yet ſhall I continue as I am? Is there a way of life yet before me, is there a door of mercy, yet open to me, and ſhall I not get into the Way and be making towards the door? Conſider ſinners what is the beſt, the wiſeſt and the only ſafe courſe to take from henceforth, and do accordingly.

2. Why muſt we ponder our paths?

1. God pondereth them. Iſ. 26.7. Thou weigheſt the path of the juſt.

2. The devil pondereth them, Luke. 22.31. That he may ſift you as wheat.

3. Wicked men our enemies ponder them.

4. Our way may be right in our own eyes for want of conſideration, when yet upon conſideration it may appear to be the way of death. Prov. 14.12. There is a way that ſeemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

1. There is a way of ſome men that is not ſo much as right in their own eyes, who, as little as they do conſider it, do ſee their way to be the way of death, and not of life; the way of the openly Prophane, the way of the Drunkard, and Adulterer, the way of the Swearer, and Blaſphemer. Prophanneſs doth not pretend to be the way of life, Drunkards and Adulterers know they are out of the way, their conſciences tell them this is not the way of God, this is not the way to heaven; their conſcience tells them I muſt turn I muſt repent, and take up a better way ere I die, I muſt not die a Drunkard I muſt p. 15not die a Blaſphemer, or a Scoffer, I muſt repent or I am loſt; and hopes they have that they ſhall repent, and this their hope hardens them, The conſideration that ſuch men ſhould take up, is not to convince them that they are out of this way of life, that they know already; but to convince them of the neceſſity of a preſent turning and changing their way. Dareſt thou not to die a Drunkard, or a Libertine, or a Licentious Liver, how then dareſt thou to live ſo a day longer? Art thou ſure but that death may meet thee before thy turning day comes? And how if it ſhould? thou knoweſt that then there is no hope of thee, but Everlaſting wrath muſt be thy portion. Thou counteſt upon turning and repenting, but conſider what is the reaſon thou doſt not repent at preſent, that thou doſt not this day give a divorce to all thy wickedneſs, ſhake hands with all thy companions, and forthwith become a new man. Why not now? O I cannot bring mine heart to it. And doſt thou in good earneſt think that it will be eaſier hereafter? Hath the Lord been perſwading thee to a change all thy life long, and thou ſeeſt his word cannot prevail, thou ſeeſt it doth not after all thy convictions, and fears, and threatnings of the Word and checks of thy conſcience, hitherto thou goeſt on, thy luſt is too hard for thy conſcience, or convictions, and doſt thou think in thy heart that this is the way to make it eaſy to repent, to continue longer in thy ſin? A courſe of ſin hardens thee, ſinner. Thine heart is not ſo hardned againſt repentance this year, but look for it, thou art like to find it harder the next year. The farther thou goeſt on in ſin the farther off art thou from repentance.

2. There are others whoſe ways are right in their own eyes, which conſideration would make appear to be the way of death and not of Life. I ſhall inſtance in two ſorts.

1. The ways of moral unbelievers. Theſe are they that are ſober and temperate, and harmleſs, and juſt in their dealings with men, and courteous and good natured, this is their way and this way ſeems right unto them, in this way they hope to come to heaven, though whatſoever they have of morality they have nothing of Chriſtianity in them. Converſion or Regeneration are as ſtrange things to them as they were to Nicodemus. Jo. 3.3. who when Chriſt told him, except a man be born again he cannot ſee the kingdom of God, he anſwered, how p. 16can theſe things be? And they have need to ask as Pilate did, what is truth? So they, what is this new birth? what is this new creature? what is this converſion? Conſider man, what doſt thou think of this plea at laſt when this is all thou canſt ſay, I am an honeſt man, but God help me, no good Chriſtian, I am no drunkard, but yet an unbeliever: I am no Lyar nor Swearer, but yet no convert to Chriſt. Conſider thoſe ſcriptures. Jo. 3.3. except a man be born again he cannot ſee the kingdom of God: …d Mat. 18.3. Except a man be converted he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. And doſt thou bleſs thy ſelf in thy harmleſs and leſs vitious way, when thou haſt never felt any ſuch thing as Regeneration upon thee? This thy way is thy folly, and though it be right in thine own eyes yet it is, and thou will find it to be the way of death.

2. The way of hypocritical profeſſors▪ ſome hypocrites know themſelves hypocrites, and the way ſeems not right to them; others are hypocrites, and yet take themſelves to be ſincere and the deceit of their hearts may be ſo deep that there is need of deep conſideration to diſcover it. They pray and they hear, and have ſome face of Religion upon their ways; they will ſpeak of God, and the things of God with ſome affection and live in the viſible communion of the church with good approbation, they are it may be, well reputed and well reported among all men, and yet for all that, the root of the matter may not be in them, they may be unſound and rotten at heart, and neither themſelves know it, and others ſuſpect it, there may be ſome ſecret reigning luſt in their hearts, they may be lovers of the world, lovers of their eaſe or their pleaſures more than lovers of God, Whatever they have, there may be one thing lacking, as it was the caſe of the young man, Mar. 10.21. whoſe life was commendable in many things, yet ſays Chriſt, one thing lackeſt thou, and that one lack was loſs of heaven. And have we not all need to conſider our ſelves, and to conſider deeply how it is with us. A ſincere Chriſtian is an entire chriſtian. pſal. 119.1. Bleſſed are the undefiled that is the entire in their way; that labour to be entire lacking nothing; and ſure we had need conſider whether we are or no.

Some Profeſſors are ſo lame and halting in their way p. 17that they lack many things almoſt all things of ſerious Chriſtianity. Thou haſt the profeſſion of chriſtianity, but is not the power of it lacking? Thou doſt ſome of the works of righteouſneſs, but may not the Lord complain of thee as of Sardis. Rev. 3.2. I have not found thy works perfect before me; thou doſt ſome of the works of Chriſtians, but are not the inward graces lacking? Some of the inward graces thou ſeemeſt to ha… but art thou not wanting in others? Thou ſeeme… … …ve faith, but is not love lacking? Art thou not … …us, revengeful, quarrelſome Profeſſor? thou ſeemeſt to have love, but is not humility lacking? Art thou not proud and haughty, and high minded? Thou ſeemeſt to be humble, but is not meekneſs lacking? Art thou not fierce and froward, and peeviſh in thy way? Thou ſeemeſt to be meek, but is not patience lacking? How canſt thou bear affliction, doſt thou not murmure and repine and vex thy ſelf in the day of adverſity? Thou ſeemeſt all this; but art thou true in thy ſayings, righteous and exact in thy dealings, merciful and compaſſionate, and bountiful to thoſe that are in neceſſity? Thou ſeemeſt to have all theſe inward graces; but is not a bold profeſſion of Chriſt lacking? Thou art bold to own Chriſt and hear his Word, even to come in hazard; but whatever thou canſt ſay of thy hearing, is not Prayer lacking? if thou pray in ſecret, is not prayer in thy Family lacking? If thou pray in thy family, is not ſecret prayer lacking? If Prayer be both in ſecret, and in thy Family, is not Family-inſtruction, the teaching thy family, the care of their ſouls, lacking? If there be ſome care of others in thee, is not the communing with thine own heart lacking? Is not ſelf examination lacking? Doſt thou ſearch thy heart, and try thy ways as thou oughteſt? doſt thou make a diligent ſearch, a narrow ſearch in fear leſt thou ſhouldeſt be miſtaken? If there be ſelf converſe, and ſelf acquaintance, doſt thou maintain a converſe with God, is not holy Meditation lacking? How often doſt thou look heaven-wards, what time doſt thou ſpend dayly in ſerious meditation of God and the things above? If there be ſuch acts exerciſed, the actings of Faith, the actings of Love, the actings of holy Prayer, the actings of holy Meditation, What life is there in theſe actings? Are they not all as dead things, p. 18Sacrifices without an heart, Images without life? If thou thinkeſt there be the preſence of every Grace, a will to every Duty, an enmity againſt every Sin, what power is there accompanying them? what power in duty, what power againſt every ſin? Doth not the corruption of thy heart bear down that grace thou thinkeſt thou haſt, and …rry thee down the ſtream of an evil and vain life … there be ſome good will to a godly life, is not pov… …ing?

It is t…e the beſt of Chriſtians have much lacking in degree, their faith is weak, their love is imperfect, but is there nothing lacking of the eſſential parts of a chriſtian? Thou not only lackeſt ſtrength of Faith, but it may be thou lackeſt Faith, thou not only lackeſt ſtrong love, but thou lackeſt love. A child, though he hath not the underſtanding of a man, or ſtrength of a man yet may be a true child, but if he want the ſoul of a man, or the head, or the heart of a man, he is a monſter and no humane child. Is not the ſoul, or the life of Chriſtianity, the head and the heart of a Chriſtian, the life of a Chriſtian lacking in thee? If ſo, thou art but a Monſter and no Chriſtian. Is there not the conſcience of a Chriſtian lacking in thee? Is not thy Chriſtian covenant lame and imperfect? Haſt thou covenanted univerſally for all the parts of chriſtianity, for every duty, againſt every ſin without any reſerve, of the leaſt liberty from our duty to any ſin? And is thy converſation intire according to thy covenant? Is there nothing allowedly lacking in thy converſation of all that thou haſt covenanted with the Lord? Or what ever thou doſt, Is there not life, and ſoul, and heart lacking, in all that thou doſt? Thou prayeſt, but doſt thou not pray without an heart? Thou heareſt, but doſt thou not hear without a ſoul? Thou ſeemeſt a follower of Chriſt, and liveſt in the practice of his precepts, but is there not life lacking in all thy duties?

O conſider over all theſe particulars, and conſider how many things are lacking in you. 1. Conſider, and fear, leſt when you come to be weighed in the ballance, you ſhould then any of you be found wanting; leſt when you come to die and expect entrance into the Everlaſting Kingdom, Chriſt ſhould then ſay to you, no, you cannot come in, one thing is lacking in thee, p. 19one thing that is neceſſary to thy entrance, one thing lacking in thee of the eſſence of a Chriſtian, all would be loſt, thy ſoul loſt, the everlaſting kingdom loſt. Conſider therefore and fear.

2. Conſider and be humbled, and be aſhamed, that after all the time you have had, and all the helps and means you have had, and all the tenders and offers the Lord hath made to ſupply all your lacks; be humbled and be aſhamed, that yet there is ſo much la…king, and all this for want of an heart to accept and improve what hath been offered; let us be humbled and aſhamed, friends, that if we have any thing of the faith of Gods elect in us, yet We are ſo weak in the Faith, that if we have any thing of the love of Chriſt in us, yet that our love is ſo cold, and imperfect, that if we are found walking in the way of the Lord, it is ſo ſlowly, and ſo haltingly. This is our ſhame and matter of great humiliation, that we have gotten no more grace, that we live no better lives. But what ſhall I ſay to you that want not onelyonly the ſtrength of Faith, zeal of Love, a more even and ſteddy, and fruitful life, but want Faith, and want Love, and are not yet come into the ways of the Lord. I ſay to you, as I ſaid before, fear and tremble; think what it will be to be found thus in the day of the Lord. But to you that have Faith, and have no more, that do in ſome degree live by Faith, and yet live no better, conſider, and be aſhamed; conſider, and be confounded in your ſelves; conſider, and be humbled under all your wants and haltings.

3. Conſider, and make up what is lacking. Get thoſe poor weak ſouls to be ſtrengthened; pray the Apoſtles Prayer, Eph. 3.16. That the Lord would grant unto you according to the riches of his glory to be ſtrengthened with might in the inner man, and your hearts may be filled with all the fulneſs of God. Get thoſe poor weak ſouls to be ſtrengthened, and get thoſe halting and barren lives to be eſtabliſhed, and filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs. Take the counſel of the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 1.6. Giving all diligence, add to your faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſs, and to godlineſs brotherly-kindneſs, and to brotherly-kindneſs charity, that theſe things may be in you and abound, that ye be no longer barren, and unfruitful p. 20in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.

Brethren, whileſt heedleſs and inconſiderate ones are upon the loſing, oh, conſider how you may be upon the getting hand; whileſt they are abating, be you for abounding, let there be an adding daily to you, be not ſatisfied with the grace you have, with the duties you do; but let your eye be upon adding daily to your ſtore, whileſt others add ſin to ſin, guilt to guilt, let it be in your hea…s to add grace to grace, fruit to fruit. Conſider what is lacking in you, and follow after a ſupply; follow after it by your earneſt deſires, follow after it by diligent labour, and endeavours, and follow after it by unceſſant and importunate prayer unto the God of all grace, that he would cauſe all grace to abound towards you, and in you, that having all-ſufficiency in all things, you may abound to every good work.

Brethren, it will be a mercy if theſe words may have ſuch fruit upon you, as to ſet your hearts upon getting and adding daily to your grace, and good fruits, and then a conſidering how you may moſt effectually improve accordingly. I pray receive the Exhortation in the name of the Lord, I beſeech you forget it not, ponder your paths, conſider what is lacking, what is lacking within, to ſet your outward man a going, what is lacking without, in your goings that need a ſupply. Conſider what you would have God do more for you than yet is done; conſider what you would do more for God than you have done; in what particulars you fail, and wherein you would be eſpecially helped forward. Conſider and deſire, deſire and labour, labour and pray that the Lord would fill up what ever is wanting in you, and then I ſhall be bold to aſſure you in the words of the Apoſtle, Phi…. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your needs, according to his riches in glory by Jeſus Chriſt, to whom be praiſe for ever. Amen.

Doctr. The great care that lies upon every man in the World, is to keep his heart. There are many cares that lie daily upon us, we have our Eſtates, and our Names, and our Families, and our Bodies to take care of; but our great care muſt be of our Hearts

1 What is meant by Heart. This is ſometimes taken for the principal part of the body of man, ſometimes for the ſoul of man; ſo Jer. 17.9. The heart is deceitful and p. 21wicked: that is, the ſoul is deceitful. Sometimes for the will and affections of the ſoul, ſo 1 Chron. 28.9. here it is taken for the whole ſoul, and this command, keep thy heart, is the ſame with that in Deut. 4.9. keep thy ſoul diligently.

What is the Soul? Moſt men know not what, and none of us know perfectly what a Soul is. It is our inward and inviſible ſubſtance which gives life to our bodies; it is an eſſential and the moſt excellent part of us, That hath moſt of the nature and image of God in it. It is our immortal part, that hath life in it, and gives life to the body, and never dies. Our Reaſons and Wills, whereby we differ from Brutes, theſe are the eſſential faculties of our ſouls. The Soul is that, in which our capacity lies, of the higheſt bleſſedneſs, and the extremity of miſery. The bleſſedneſs of the Soul is the higheſt bleſſedneſs. The Body as ſuch, is capable of no greater happineſs than a Beaſt is capable of; onelyonly the pleaſures of ſenſe: the Soul is capable of ſpiritual and eternal pleaſures; the torments of the Soul are moſt exquiſite and intolerable torments: the burning of the Body is nothing in compariſon of the wrath of God burning in the Soul.

The excellency of the Soul above the body, you may gueſs at, by conſidering what the Body is when the Soul is departed. What a gaſtly thing, what a ſtinking and rotten Carkaſs doth the moſt beautiful Body become when it is dead, and the Soul is departed. It was this, the Soul of Man that was the great prize that Chriſt had in his eye, when he died to redeem us, he died to redeem ſouls, eſpecially to recover that bleſſed immortality that our Souls had loſt; the natural immortality they had not loſt. That is a great part of our miſery, that ſin left us immortal Creatures, ſuch, of whoſe miſery there ſhall never be an end. It was not our natural immortality, that Chriſt died to recover, that was not loſt, but our bleſſed immortality. This inviſible, immortal, moſt excellent part of Man, his Soul; this is it which we are to underſtand by Heart. Keep thy heart, that is, keep thy ſoul.

2. What it is to keep the heart.

1. There is ſomewhat that is ſuppoſed to the keeping of our ſouls, and that is, the recovering them out of their loſt ſtate. The Devil hath the keeping of Sinners ſouls, p. 22whileſt they are ſinners, and the firſt work they are to do in order to the keeping their ſouls, is to get them back out of the Devils hands. That they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, 1 Tim. 2.26.

Here I ſhall ſhew you theſe three things:

1. The Souls of all men naturally are loſt.

2. Mens ſouls are not ſo loſt here, but that they are recoverable

3. This muſt be mans firſt care, to recover their loſt ſouls.

1. The ſouls of all men naturally are loſt ſouls. It may be ſaid of every ſinner, as the father of the prodigal ſaid of him, Luke. 15.32. This my ſon was loſt, Fathers, you may ſay of every child you have, whilſt they are in their natural ſtate, this my ſon is loſt, this my child is a loſt child, yea and you may ſay the ſame of your ſelves, whileſt in your ſins, mine own ſoul is a loſt ſoul; and whether you will ſay it or no, we muſt ſay to every one of you, fathers and children, that are yet in your ſins, you are loſt ſouls. As Chriſt came himſelf, ſo he hath ſent us in his name, to ſeek and to ſave them that are loſt. Luke 16.10. What is it to be loſt? Why, it is the ſame as to be damned; to be damned perſons, ſignifies to be loſt, and to be loſt, in this ſpiritual ſenſe is to be damned▪ So that word, 2. Cor. 4.3. If the Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are l…ſt, to them that be damned, that is, in a ſtate of damnation, and in the way to actual and everlaſting damnation. O tremble ſinners, tremble all you that are yet in your ſins; what will you tremble at, if not at being damned; the word calls every man of you, that are not in Chriſt, Reprobates from God. 2 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be reprobates? Is Chriſt in thee? Art thou a convert to Chriſt? No? Then thou art a reprobate from God, thou art a damned, loſt ſoul; live and die in this eſtate thou art in at preſent, and thou art eternally loſt. What mean you ſinners, that you are ſo much at eaſe ſo much at reſt in your ſtate of ſin? Is it nothing to be damned? Is it nothing to be Reprobates? O think what it will be, to be found Reprobates at Judgment, and then to have the ſentence of reprobation pronounced upon you why ſure ſinners, the very next miſery to that, is to be in a ſtate of reprobation. O take this home to you, as your portion from the Lord, every unconverted one, take this word home to you; take it into your own mouths, p. 23O what ſhall I do! I am a loſt child, I am a loſt ſoul; wo is me I am undone, a ſon of perdition and an heir of damnation. What is it to me, that I have kept my body in good caſe, that I am in health? What is it to me, that I have kept my eſtate, and have not been ſuch a prodigal of that? that I have my houſe, and my lands, and my money, what is it that I have kept my credit, and my friends? O my ſoul, my poor ſoul is loſt, and what good ſhall my eſtate, or my health, or my credit, or my friends, or my life do to me.

2. Mens ſouls are not ſo loſt here, but that they are recoverable. In a little time, if they look not to it, they will be paſt recovery for ever. Yet a little while and the Goſpel will be a ſealed Book to you, never again to be opened, yet a little while, and the door of mercy and grace will be ſhut againſt you, never again to be unlocked. When death hath once ſealed up ſinners eyes, when the grave hath ſhut her mouth upon them, then every one of you that is found in his ſins, the Goſpel is ſealed up, the door of mercy is ſhut up, and thou wilt be loſt forever, irrecoverably loſt. But yet ſinners, theſe loſt ſouls may be recovered. There is great hazard at preſent, that thou mayeſt not be recovered, but yet there is hope.

1. Ther's great hazard at preſent that thou mayeſt not be recovered. Do not make light of the hazard that is, do not make ſure, ſay not ſuch a word, I doubt not but by the grace of God I ſhall have mercy, and be ſaved, Ther's great hazard that that ſoul of thine which is a loſt ſoul this day, may be loſt for ever, and never be converted and ſaved.

How great that hazard is, I have formerly told you out of the Pulpit, and now you may read the ſame things from the Preſs, namely in my diſcourſe on Prov. 28.14. read that book carefully once eſpecially from p, 171. to page, 198, where you may underſtand how great hazard there is, that loſt ſouls may not be recovered.

2. Yet there is hope thou mayſt be recovered. For;

1. Your ſouls are yet every one of them, within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt. You are come to that bloud of ſprinkling, Heb. 12.24. Which ſpeaks better things then the blood of Abel. There is not one Sinner among you, but at preſent the bloud of Chriſt ſpeaks for you; and what doth it ſpeak? Father, if this Sinner turn and repent, p. 24let him not be rejected; let him be pardoned and be ſaved. For Believers, it ſpeaks thus, Father theſe my Friends have believed, and have repented, and therefore I pray thee, let them not fail of having the benefit of my bloud, let them not fail of their pardon and ſalvation. Thus for Saints, and even for every unconverted Sinner it ſpeaks conditionally, ut ſupra, if they will believe, if they will yet turn, let them alſo have the benefit of my bloud. Hitherto every one of you are thus far within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt; it pleads thus with the Father for you, and if you will come in, will make an attonement for, and redeem and recover you from all your ſins.

When once Death hath cloſed your eyes, in your unconverted eſtate, you are gone for ever out of the reach of the bloud of Chriſt, it can now no longer profit you, nor plead for you. There is nor one drop of that pretious bloud ſhall ever fall into the Pit, nothing of the bloud of Chriſt ſhall come into Hell, and find you out there, but only the guilt of his bloud, that ſhall fall upon Sinners in Hell, the guilt of deſpiſing his bloud, the guilt of trampling on his bloud. This is all that ſhall be ſaid to ſinners there, in the Pit, theſe are they that would none of me: I would have waſhed them with my bloud, but they would not be waſhed; I would have ſaved them by my bloud, but they would not be ſaved: I called upon them to turn from their ſins, and come unto me, but they would not turn, they would not come: I offered to purge them from their ſins, to pardon and make, reconciliation for their iniquities, but they would not be pardoned nor purged; they loved their ſins, and hardened their hearts, and threw back my bloud in my face, they would none of me; and now let the guilt of my bloud, be upon them, to heighten their flames, and burn in their bowels for ever.

The guilt of his bloud ſhall reach to Hell, but the expiation and attonement of his bloud ſhall never come there. After Death, there is nothing but Hell, and out of Hell there is no recovery, thoſe Sons of Perdition are loſt for ever.

O thank God, Sinner, that thou art not yet fallen in thither; thank God that that ſoul of thine is not in Hell. How many younger ſinners than thou are there already, p. 25roaring under the ſenſe of their madneſs, in neglecting Chriſt and his Redemption. O thank God, that thou art here, thank God that thou art yet alive, that Chriſt yet calls to thee to come to him, that Chriſt yet offers thee, that if thou wilt but turn and repent, his bloud ſhall cleanſe thee from all unrighteouſneſs, and ſave thee from coming into condemnation.

Sinner, there is yet hope of thee, that thou mayeſt be ſaved, though there be hazard, great hazard, that thou wilt yet harden thy heart to thy deſtruction, that thou wilt never be converted and be ſaved; there is great hazard that though thou be yet out of Hell, thou wilt be there ſhortly, though thou art yet within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt, thou wilt in a little time be without its reach; but though there be ſuch great hazard that thou mayeſt die for ever, and be irrecoverably loſt, yet there is at preſent hope concerning thee, that thou mayeſt be recovered; and there is this hope concerning thee, that thou art yet within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt. O thank God for it, and do not go on to harden thy heart, till thou art paſt recovery. I ſay again, thank God that thou art here, but yet I muſt add, thank God and repent, thank God and be converted, or elſe it were even as good that thou wert in Hell this hour, as to be here in thy ſins: nay, it were better for thee that that body of thine were now rotting in the Grave, and that ſoul of thine were now roaring in Hell, this would be better for thee than to be here hearing the Goſpel, if after all thou ſhouldſt live and die unconverted, and ſo go to Hell at laſt. Theſe very warnings that now thou haſt, if they ſhould not work upon thee to turn thee from thy ſins, and bring thee to Chriſt; if the Goſpel ſhould leave thee in the caſe thou art this day, thou wilt to Hell as ſure as if thou wert there already; and then all that thou now heareſt, or ſhalt ever hear whilſt thou liveſt will but heat thy Furnace ſeven times the hotter againſt thou comeſt down. But becauſe there is yet hope, thou mayeſt be converted, thank God thou art here, for there is hope as from this firſt ground, becauſe thou art within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt; ſo

2. There is hope from this, that ſinners are yet under the miniſtry of reconciliation: as the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.19. To us is committed the word of reconciliation, So we may ſay p. 26to ſinners, to you it is given to hear the word of reconciliation; it is for your ſakes that this word of reconciliation is committed to us, that we might preach it unto you. God hath not onelyonly continued you within the reach of the bloud of Chriſt, but under the teachings of his Miniſters, whoſe work it is to tell you how you may have the benefit of his bloud, to make a tender and offer of this bloud of Chriſt to you, and to perſuade and make you willing to accept it; we are ſent to preach Chriſt unto you, and to make known unto you what help there is in Chriſt for you, and what freedom you have given you to lay hold on Chriſt; and alſo to perſuade and bring you into Chriſt, that you may have the benefits of his bloud. It is a ſtrange word we have given us, Luke 14.28. Compel them to come in. Go and call poor ſinners to me, and if they be not willing to come, compel them in; not force them in whether they will or no: Chriſt will not have any ſinner againſt his will, but compel them, that is, uſe all the importunity you can, to make their unwilling ſouls willing; uſe ſuch arguments, as if it be poſſible, they may not be able to reſiſt; and though they do reſiſt, yet do not give them over ſo, but do your your beſt by your importunity to overcome their reſiſtance.

Go, ſays Chriſt to his ſervants, fetch in all the ſinners in the Country to me, here is room for them all, as many as there are come already, yet there is room for more, v. 22. Let my houſe be filled with gueſts, filled with Converts; go find out theſe poor wretches where they lie rotting and periſhing in their ſins, and bring them in. Chriſt doth not ſay to his Miniſters concerning ſinners, as once he did to his Diſciples concerning little children, Mat. 9.14. [Suffer] little children to come to me, ſuffer poor ſinners to come to me, do not put them back, or diſcourage them when they would come, but perſuade them in, help them in, preſs them to come in, beſeech them to come and be reconciled to God, I am not willing that any of them ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould be brought to repentance, and obtain everlaſting life, 2 Pet. 3.9. This is the buſineſs of our Miniſtry, and this Miniſtry of reconciliation, thou poor ſinner art under to this day.

Now does not all this give ſinners hope that yet they may be recovered? Why, hath God let thee live to hear p. 27this word? Why hath God brought thee hither this day to hear it? What, canſt thou not ſay, I hope it is that I may be converted, I hope it is that I may be recovered? The Lord yet comes among you to tell you what you muſt do to be ſaved, what you muſt do to get Chriſt to be yours, to preach repentance to you, that you may recover your ſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, who are held captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26.

Sinners, You are all Priſoners and Captives, but yet you are Priſoners of hope? you are dead ſouls, but there is hope you may be made alive; you are loſt ſouls, but there is hopes you may be found. There is hazard that you may be quickly irrecoverably loſt, but ſome hopes there is you may be recovered.

O will you come to Chriſt, will you come to the means grace, as men of hope! Hear the Word, in hope that it may work ſavingly upon you; pray for ſuch a work, in hope that God may hear, though all the ſinners among you, in one ſenſe are men of hope, yet in another ſenſe the moſt of ſinners are men of no hope; in this ſenſe you are all men of hope, that there is a door of hope yet open to you; but in this ſenſe you are men of no hope, that is, if you continue as you are, there is no hope but you muſt periſh. A wild and groundleſs hope too many ſinners have; they hope againſt hope, they hope for recovery without uſing the means of recovery, they hope for ſalvation without reconciliation, they hope for remiſſion without repentance, they hope to be redeemed from death without being redeemed from iniquity; this is to hope againſt hope, this is to hope for that of which there is no hope. There is no hope of ſalvation without repentance, no hope of eſcaping without returning. Miniſters of the Goſpel are to break down ſuch falſe and deceitful hopes, not to build them up.

That which, from what hath been ſaid, I would perſuade you to, is to hope for ſalvation, and in that hope to look after converſion; to hope for converſion, and in that hope to hear the converting word; to hope for a new heart and life, and in that hope to pray that God will give you this new heart. Dare not to ſleep in hope, to ſin in hope, to harden your ſelves in your ſins, in hopes of forgiveneſs; pray in hope, hear in hope, humble your ſelves in hope, turn in hope, that God will accept and be p. 28merciful to you. When you come to hear, do not come as moſt ſinners do, not knowing or conſidering wherefore they come together: but when thou goeſt to hear and to pray, go with this hope in thine heart, I am going to hear the word of Faith, the word of Repentance, and I hope God will bleſs it to me, that it may work Faith and Repentance in me. I am going to hear the heart-breaking and the heart-humbling word, the converting word, and I hope the Lord will humble, and break, and convert me by it. I have often heard, and have been never the better; hitherto I have not been humbled, and broken by it: this wretched heart is as dead and as hard as if it had never been preached to. Well but doth the Lord yet again call me forth to hear this word? O I will go in hope, that yet at laſt it may work upon me.

Hope hath two things in it, Deſire and Expectation. This is the hope I would perſuade you to come to the word in, to come with deſire to be wrought upon, and expecting and looking for ſuch a gracious work. We may ſay concerning this firſt coming of Chriſt into the heart, as is ſaid concerning his coming to Judgment. Heb. 9.28. To them that look for him ſhall he appear without ſin unto ſalvation. So to thoſe that look for him, ſhall he appear to their ſanctification. Look to meet with Chriſt this day in his word, look for Chriſts coming down to meet with you this day, deſire that he would, pray that he would, and expect and look for his coming down, and appearing to you. This is the hope, wherein I would exhort you to attend on the means of grace, with deſires and expectations of the gracious ſucceſs of them upon you. And if you would thus come to hear in hope it would much encourage us, to preach in hope to you, and to pray in hope for you.

Well to conclude this, let every ſinner of you know that whilſt the word of reconciliation is continued to be preached to you, ſo long there is hope concerning you, that you may be recovered. There is hazard, great hazard, a great doubt whether you may be ſaved, a great fear that many of you may never be converted and ſaved, but though there be hazard yet there is hope.

3. The great care that lies upon every ſinner in the world, ſhould be that he get to be rec…vered out of his, loſt ſtate, p. 292 Tim. 2.25.26. Inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure will give them repentance that they may recover themſelves, out of the ſnare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Here obſerve. 1. That loſt ſinners are in the hands of the Devil, taken captive by the Devil, held in the ſnares of the Devil. That is a loſt ſouldier, that is fallen into the hands of his enemys; That is a loſt ſheep that is fallen into the paw of the Wolf; That is a loſt ſoul that is fallen into the ſnares of the Devil, and in thoſe hands are every loſt ſoul. How art thou ſo ſecure ſinner, how ſo merry, how ſo much at eaſe? Doſt thou know where thou art? Thou art in the hands of the Devil, that ſoul of thine is taken captive by the Devil, and lies bound in his ſnares; the Devil hath taken thee, and the Devil hath bound thee that thou canſt not get looſe. O it were well if ſinners underſtood their caſe and in whoſe hands they lye. There is never a one of all the ſinners among you, but the Devil hath him in cuſtody. Whither ever thou goeſt, the Devil goes with thee, to watch thee that thou mayſt not eſcape him. If thou goeſt to read, the Devil goes with thee to thy Bible, to hinder it from working upon thee, if thou goeſt to pray, the Devil goes with thee to hinder thy praying; and now thou comeſt hither to hear, the Devil comes to Church with thee, to harden thine heart againſt the Word.

Thou doſt not ſee the Devil here, and thou doſt not think he is here, but thou mayeſt know by the effect, that he hath been here with thee, every day and at every Sermon, thou mayſt know it by this, that the Devil hath been here with thee, that the Word hath proſpered no more with thee, to the reſcuing thee from his ſnares, and he that hath been here is now come again, and he is now watching thee that thou hearken not to the recovering Word.

2. That loſt ſinners oppoſe themſelves againſt their own recovery. [Inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves] that is, that reſiſt the word of grace, that Deafen their ears and harden their hearts againſt it. Acts 7.51. Ye have always reſiſted the holy ghoſt. The word of God comes, and the ſpirit of God comes to convert ſinners, but they reſiſt their own mercy. The enmity that is p. 30in their hearts, oppoſes it ſelf againſt the Word and ſpirit. Mat. 23.37. How often would I have gathered you, but you would not!

3. The end of preaching the goſpel to ſinners, is to recover their loſt ſouls; Inſtructing them &c. that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnares of the Devil. To open the blind eyes, to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Sathan unto God, Acts. 26.18. We are ſent as Chriſt was, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the opening the priſon to them that are bound; and not only ſo, to preach upon the priſon doors, but to perſwade the priſoners to come out of priſon. Iſ. 46.9. That thou mayſt ſay to the priſoners, come forth. God hath ſent us with this word to you, that are impriſoned under Sathan, come forth poor priſoners, come forth out of priſon. Sinners give no better entertainment to us, than if our word to them were, come into priſon, come into bondage; they take that word, come into Chriſt, as if it were the ſame, with come into into priſon, come into bondage; that chriſtianity which we perſwade ſinners to, they look upon it as meer bondage: but what ever ſinners think, our buſineſs is to perſwade them out of their houſe of bondage. Come ſhake off your chains, knock off your fetters, break that yoke of the Devil which is upon your necks, get you looſe from thoſe ſins and thoſe luſts, wherewith the Devil hath held you, and come unto Chriſt; it is no bondage to be a Chriſtian, Chriſts ſervants are all free-men; you are all bond-men already, in the bond of Iniquity. Acts. 8.23. But who among you would be ſet at liberty? What do you mean ſinners, will ye die Bondmen? We may ſay concerning you as Chriſt concerning the woman, Luk. 31.16. Whom Sathan hath bound theſe 18 years. You are the men whom Sathan hath bound; not only theſe 18 years but ſome of you theſe 38 years, nay ſome it may be thoſe 60 years or more. Have you been bound ſo long bound by the Devil, and are you not willing to be looſed? will you go priſoners to the Grave? From this upper priſon, ſhall the Devil carry you down into the eternal priſon? O ſinners, that is our buſineſs from God to you to perſwade you to make an eſcape, and to be recovered, out of the ſnares of the Devil.

4. Sinners recovery begins in their repentance. If God p. 31give them repentance that they may recover. They are only the penitent, that are recovered ſouls, As long as thou art an impenitent ſinner thou, art a loſt ſoul. Acts. 28.27. Leſt they ſhould be converted and be healed; a converted ſinner, is an healed, a recovered ſinner.

5. It is God that recovers loſt ſouls. If peradventure God may give them repentance that they may be recovered. It is the Devil that takes ſinners captives, but it is God that reſcues the prey from his teeth. It is the Devil that leads men to ſin and holds them under ſin, but it is God that gives them repentance. Is thine heart hardned in thy ſin? Is thy heart hardned againſt repentance? Canſt thou not turn? Canſt thou not repent? Go to God, poor ſinner, it is he that muſt give thee repentance. Go to Chriſt, it is he that God hath exalted, and ſet upon purpoſe, that he may give repentance and remiſſion of ſins. Acts. 5.31. Miniſters are to preach repentance, but they cannot give repentance we muſt every one of us ſay, it is not ours to give. We can tell you to whoſe door you muſt go for repentance, we can tell you in what way you are to go to God for it, and we would perſwade you to God, but when we have faid all we can, it is he alone that can give repentance to you and work it in you.

6. Whatever God does to the recovery of loſt ſouls there is ſomething lies upon themſelves to do towards it. That they may recover [themſelves] No that they may be recovered, but may recover themſelves. Now here I ſhall ſhew you more particularly.

1. What the recovery of loſt ſouls means, or wherein it ſtands.

2. What ſinners may do towards their own recovery.

3. How men may know whether they are recovered or no.

1. What the recovery of loſt ſouls means, or wherein it ſtands. Now it ſtands,

1. In there coming to themſelves.

2. In their coming to God.

1. In their coming to themſelves, and recovering their ſenſes and underſtanding. The firſt ſtep of the prodigals recovery that we read of, Luke 15.17. Was this, that he came to himſelf, when he came to himſelf, he ſaid &c. He was beſides himſelf before. Sinners are beſides themſelves, they have loſt their wits and the free uſe of their reaſons; they are ſo p. 32drunken in ſenſuality, that like Drunken men or mad men, they have loſt their underſtandings. Therefore the Prophet exhorts thoſe fooliſh Idolaters, that worſhiped ſtocks the Gods of their own making, Iſa. 46.8. Remember this, and [ſhew your ſelves men] what, are you ſo brutiſh as to think thoſe to be Gods, which are made with hands? Where are your reaſons? Shew your ſelves men, and no longer ſuch brutes. Sinners recovering from their ſins, is as Nebuchadnezzar returning from among the beaſts. Then ſayes he. Dan. 4.34. Mine underſtanding returned into me. When the Prodigal forementioned came to himſelf, then we find him, preſently fall a reaſoning with himſelf, How many hired ſervants of my fathers have bread enough and to ſpare and I periſh with hunger; What do I here! why dwell I among theſe ſtrangers! I ſee I am like to ſtarve for want; in my Fathers houſe there is bread enough, were I not better to go to my Father? I will ariſe and go to him.

Sinners, whileſt they are beſotted with luſt and ſenſuality, cannot reaſon thus, their ſenſes have drowned their underſtandings. If they had but their underſtandings and their wits about them they might reaſon thus with themſelves, what a miſerable caſe is this that I live in? this poor ſoul of mine is ready to ſtarve and die. I live amongſt Swine, and I am fit for no better company, whileſt I am thus, for I am even one of the Swine, and if I live like a Beaſt, I am like to die like a Beaſt. Is there no way for recovery out of this brutiſh ſtate? May not this mad ſoul of mine be recovered into his wits again? I have lived a mad life hitherto, elſe I ſhould never have fed upon husks, theſe pleaſures of ſin, whileſt bread, the bread of God might be had. I have not the underſtanding of a man in me, or ſure I ſhould get me out of this miſerable eſtate.

Sinners, who hath bewitched you? What is it that hath ſo unmanned you, that neglecting and running away from God, you ſhould run thus after the Devil, and live among his Herd of Swine, and feed upon traſh and droſs; the beſt of your ſinful pleaſures are no other, nor better. You have your feeding among the Swine, and your lodging with them, wallowing with them in the mud and mire. You may know what your feeding is, by the ſtarveling caſe your ſouls are in; and we may p. 33ſee what your lodging is, by the filth and dirt that is upon you. Behold the mud and the mire cleaving to thee, thy filthy luſts and vile affections, and ſpiritual uncleanneſſes, wherewith thou art polluted. When wilt thou come to thy ſelf, ſinner, and bethink thy ſelf of returning from the Husks to Bread, from thy Trough to the Table, from the Stie of Swine to thy Fathers houſe? Is it not better to be a ſervant of God, than a drudge to the Devil? Is it not better to be of Gods holy ones, than of the Devils bemired and mudded ones? Is it not better to return into favour with God, rhan to live in exile and baniſhment from God? Doeſt thou not think, that thoſe that love God, and fear God, and walk with God, that thoſe that know Chriſt, and are waſhed with his bloud, and walk in his ſteps, and have laid hold on his righteouſneſs, and ſhall be partakers of his ſalvation; Doſt not thou think in thy heart, that theſe Saints are in better caſe than thou art? Is it as well with thee now thou art ſuch an ignorant, ſenſual, ſwiniſh, carnal, ſtupid ſoul? Is it as well with thee now, as if thou wert changed into the image, and made partaker of the holineſs, and entitled to the ſalvation of God? Doeſt thou bleſs thy ſelf that thou art none ſuch? Is it well for thee that thou art no Believer, or ſincere Convert to God? When wilt thou come to thy ſelf? Shew your ſelves men, Sinners, let your underſtandings once return into you. You wil never come to be Chriſtians, till you come to your ſelves. Shew your ſelves men, and that you have the underſtanding of a man in you; recover your reaſons, and then make uſe of your reaſons, and fall a reaſoning with your ſelves, What ſhall I do? Shall I continue as I am? a Drunkard as I am, a Worldling as I am, a Senſualiſt as I am, a ſervant of my Fleſh and of the Devil, as I am, or ſhall I ariſe and go to my Father? Which do I really judge to be better for me, to go on as I have done, or to make out after a ſudden and ſaving change? To go on after my cups, and my companions, after my pleaſures, and my worldly profits, or to return to the Lord? Haſt thou recovered ſo much of thy reaſon, as to judge it to be better for thee to turn, and become a new man, haſt thou ſo? then from a man of reaſon, become a man of reſolution. Judge what is beſt, and chuſe what is beſt, Hoſ. 2.7. Then ſhall ſhe ſay, I will go p. 34and return to my firſt husband, for then was it better with me then now. Sinner, Wilt thou take up ſuch a reſolution? Wilt thou take up ſuch words? Well, I ſee now what I have been doing all my life hitherto, I ſee to what a ſad paſs my fooliſh and carnal ways have brought me; I ſee the poverty and the miſery, and the ſtraits, and the dangers, that by running away from God, by running after this World and the luſts thereof, I have run my ſelf into. Well, I have done with this vain and fooliſh life, I will go and return unto the Lord, and then it will be better with me than now.

2. The next ſtep to this recovery is coming to God; the firſt is coming to your ſelves, and the uſe and exerciſe of your reaſon and underſtanding. And who among poor ſinners ſhall theſe words preach into your right ſenſes? You have been fooliſh, ſenſleſs ſouls, is there any of you that are yet come to your ſelves? Do you judge it better for you to come back from your vain ways, and to come about to the Lord? Is this voice heard in your hearts, Oh, if I could break off from my ſins, and become a real Convert to Chriſt, then would it be better with me than now. It would be an happy change, this day would be an happy day, this Sermon would be to me an happy Sermon, if the Lord would bleſs it ſo to me, as to bring me off from my ſins and bring me to God, O how wonderfully better would it be for me than it is now.

If any of you are come ſo far to your ſelves as to judge and to ſay, it would be better for me, let me go on with you and ask you further; What will you reſolve upon? Will you ſay on with the Prodigal, well, I will ariſe and go to my Father. It is better for me ſo to do, and I will do it, through the help of God I will return. Now for Repentance, now for Religion and Righteouſneſs, now for a new heart, and a new life, I have done with my old heart, Sathan I have done with my old life, ſin and vanity I have done with, henceforth through the grace of God, I will be for God and godlineſs.

Do you ſay ſo? Are you reſolved ſo? Come on but one ſtep further; if you ſay the word, come on, and do likewiſe; the Prodigal when he ſaid, I will go to my Father, he aroſe and went accordingly. Be not like the Son in the Parable, who ſaid, I go Sir, but went not; but p. 35ſay, and do, come and joyn your ſelves to the Lord, come into his houſe, come into his ways, give your ſelves to him for his ſervants, and go on and ſerve him, then were your ſouls recovered. Then ſhould it be ſaid to you, as concerning him, Theſe my children were dead and are alive, were …oſt and are found; and we ſhould ſay over you, as the Father did, It is meet we ſhould make merry, that this day ſhould be a glad day, a joyful day; it is meet that we ſhould rejoice, for this our Brother is recovered, he was dead and is alive. O let the Lord God thus rejoice over you; O let all his Saints rejoice with you: Come ſinner, make a joyful day of it, come unto the Lord, come to your Father, and he will be ready to meet you, and with open heart and open arms would receive and embrace you.

2. What men may do to recover. They cannot recover themſelves of themſelves, it is God that muſt do it, but they may and muſt do ſomething towards it.

1. Men can pray for their recovery. Even carnal men may pray, and though there be no full promiſe that God will hear, yet God hath both required them to pray, and hath appointed this as a means of their recovery. Acts. 8.22. The Apoſtle bids Simon Magus pray that the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him. It is an hopeful ſign that God has a purpoſe to give grace, when he ſets ſinners a praying for grace; at leaſt, if they cannot pray themſelves they can ſpeak to others that can, and deſire them to pray for them. This that Simon Magus did, he begged the Apoſtles to pray for him, O what a wretched caſe are thoſe in, that will neither pray for themſelves, nor ſo much as beg Chriſtians to pray for them! Sinner, when didſt thou ever do ſuch a thing? When didſt thou ever go, either to a Miniſter, or a Chriſtian with ſuch a word in thy mouth, pray for me. It may be when thou haſt been ſick, thou haſt ſent to the Congregation to pray for thy bodily recovery, but when didſt thou ſend or ſpeak to them to pray for thy ſouls recovery? Is not thy ſoul more precious than thy body? Is it not thy ſoul more deſperately ſick, than ever thy body hath been? is not prayer for ſick ſouls as needful, and as much prevailing, as prayer for ſick bodies? And yet how many bills have we ſent in, to pray for recovery from bodily diſeaſes, to one p. 36ſent in, to pray for the converſion of a ſoul? But whether thou do it or not, this thou canſt not deny, but thou canſt do this towards thy converſion, thou canſt pray for it, and deſire others to pray for thee.

2. Men can hear the Word. This is another means of m…ns recovery. Iſ. 55.3. Incline your ear and come unto me, hear, and your ſoul ſhall live. And this means alſo they can uſe. The ſame feet that will carry them to an Alehouſe, can as well carry them to Church; The ſame ear that can hear a Song, or fooliſh and idle talke, c…s well hear a Sermon. Thou wilt ſay, this I do, and yet am not recovered. Therefore

3. Men can give heed to what they hear. They can mark and obſerve what the Word ſpeaks, Luke. 8.18. Take heed how ye hear; Give heed to what you hear, and do not ſleep under the ſound of the Word, or fit heedleſly or careleſly, without minding what the Lord ſpeaks. And herein is the great neglect; Sinners will come to a Sermon, but mind as little what is preached to them as thoſe that never come here This is a wretched neglect, and the common caſe of many hearers. Mat. 13.13. Hearing they hear and do not underſtand. Our words could not have ſuch poor ſucceſs if people would mind more the things that we ſpeak. O ſinners bethink your ſelves, how often have you been here, and not heeded one word that hath been ſpoken?

4. Men can think. What is eaſier than thoughts; we uſe to ſay good words are cheap, but good thoughts are cheaper than good words: the exerciſing of mens thoughts is noted to be the firſt ſtep to repentance. 1 Kings. 8.47. If they ſhall bethink themſelves, and repent, and ſo, Pſ. 119.59. I thought on my ways and turned &c. Thou ſayſt thou canſt not recover thy ſelf. I but canſt thou not bethink thy ſelf neither, what a caſe thou art in? Thou heareſt ſometimes from the Miniſtry of the Word, that thou art a loſt man, a loſt ſoul; But when thou heareſt it preacht to thee, canſt thou not think upon it? Thou doſt not think upon it, it is too true, no longer than the Word is a ſpeaking, nay it may be nor then neither. What thoughts have you had of it, ſince you were told that naturally you are loſt, and what a miſerable caſe it is to be a loſt ſoul. Have you ſince thought ſuch a though, Wo is me I am a loſt ſoul, oh what a poor p. 37wretch am I, while my ſoul is loſt? You have been told how theſe loſt ſouls may be recovered, but What thought hath there been in thine heart ſince about taking the courſe for thy recovery? Thou [doſt] not think of theſe things, it is true, but [canſt] thou not think of them? Thou knoweſt thou canſt.

5. Men can ſtop, and make a ſtand in their evill ways, from going on further in them, from making their condition worſe than it is and their recovery more difficult. Canſt thou not lay thine Hand upon thy mouth, when thou art about to lie, or to ſwear or to ſcoff, and bite in thoſe evil words, that are coming out? Canſt thou not keep thee from thy Companions, and thine old drunkenneſs and riot? Canſt thou not keep thee out of the Alehouſe or the Tavern? Thou canſt do it, ſuch outward acts are in the power of the will to reſtrain. Men may be true if they will, and ſober if they will; If thou wilt be a Drunkard or a Swearer, or a Lyar, who can help thee? But if thou wilt thou mayſt help it thy ſelf. It is true thy caſe is miſerable enough and thy cure hard enough, by thy continuing in thine evil way hitherto; but as bad as it is with thee, it is growing worſe and worſe; every ſin thou goeſt on to commit, is a new gaſh wherewith thou giveſt a deeper and more deadly wound to thy poor periſhing ſoul. If thou ſtop thy courſe, that is ſomething towards a… recovery. Well theſe things thou canſt do towards thine own recovery. Thou canſt pray, thou canſt hear, thou canſt give heed to what thou heareſt, thou canſt think, and thou canſt ſtop and make a ſtand in thy evil ways. And if thou wilt but do what thou canſt, thou mayſt have hope that God will do that for thee which thou canſt not.

3. How we may know whether we are recovered or no. This I ſhall ſhew, 1. Negatively.

1. Thoſe whoſe underſtandings are not recovered, their ſoules are not recoverd. Thoſe whoſe underſtandings are ſtill loſt their ſouls are loſt. Thoſe that are not come to themſelves, are not come to Chriſt. Every ignorant ſoul is a loſt ſoul. 2. Cor. 4.3.4. If our Goſpel be hid it is hid to them that are loſt▪ from whom is the Goſpel hid? ſee v. 4. From thoſe whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds leſt the light of the glorious Goſpel ſhould ſhine unto them. Art thou an ignorant p. 38ſoul, ignorant of the Goſpel? Doth not the light of the glorious Goſpel ſhine into thee, (i. e.) doſt thou not underſtand the Goſpel? So long is the Goſpel hid from thee, and if the Goſpel ſtill be hid to thee, thou art a loſt ſoul.

What multitudes are there, to whom the Goſpel is preached, that yet underſtand nothing of it? Thou haſt been an hearer of the Goſpel theſe many years, but what doſt thou underſtand of it. As Philip ſaid to the Eunuch, Acts. 8.30. Ʋnderſtandeſt thou what thou readeſt? So it may be ſaid to thee, underſtandeſt thou what thou heareſt? No, thou doſt not underſtand, though the light ſhines round about thee, yet not a beam of it hath ſhined into thy heart. It is all dark within thee, what ever light be ſhining round about thee. Though the light hath ſhined into thy darkneſs, yet thy darkneſs comprehendeth it not. Ioh. 1.5. Poor ignorant ones, in what a caſe are you? you are every one of you loſt ſouls. And what is like to become of you? We bring the light among you, but we cannot open your eyes; we preach Chriſt to you, we inſtruct you in the knowledg of God, we cry unto you, get knowledg, ſeek underſtanding, ſeek for it as ſilver, ſearch for it as for hid treaſures, But ſay what we can, you will not be perſwaded, you will not receive inſtruction. The God of this world hath blinded your minds, and we cannot heal your blindneſs. There boſome of you that know you are ignorant, that will confeſs it, (yet not to bemoan your ſelves but to excuſe your ſelves) I am but ignorant, I am not book learned; What not learned in the book of God? What not acquainted with the book of life? No, God help me, I am not, what then? Why therefore I hope it is not ſo bad with me, as with others that know. I hope God will forgive me, becauſe I am ignorant This is a wretched principle that is gotten into the hearts of the ignorant, that becauſe they are ſo, God will not be extreme to mark what is done amiſs by them. O remble in pleading your ignorance, you therein confeſs that which will prove you to be loſt ſouls. You may as well ſay I am a damned ſoul as ſay I am an ignorant ſoul.