Instructions About Heart-Work, Text (2 of 8)

Instructions About Heart-Work · Text (2 of 8)

p. 382. Theſe whoſe conſciences are loſt. Who though they may be recovered to be men of underſtanding, yet are not recovered to be men of conſcience. We truſt we have a good conſcienc willing to live honeſtly in all things. p. 39Heb. 13.18. Thus it is with recovered ſouls, they are men of a good conſcience. Where conſcience is laid waſte, the ſoul ſtill lyes open to the government and dominion of the Devil. Conſcience is a bar and a bulwark againſt his aſſaults and temptations. Where conſcience is not, the ſoul is as a City that hath neither Gates nor Bars, but is left open to the Devil, to rule it at his pleaſure. God hath not recovered the rule of any ſoul, till Conſcience be awakened and hath recovered its authority.

Art thou an unconſcionable man or woman? Doſt thou make no conſcience of thy ways? Haſt thou ſlighted conſcience, haſt thou wounded conſcience ſo long, that now it lets thee alone to thy will and thy luſt? Or if it checks thee ſometimes, for thy evils, yet thou beareſt it down, and goeſt on thy way againſt its reproofs and contradictions? Art thou a man of no conſcience? Is it not againſt thy conſcience to lie, or to defraud, or to drink to drunkenneſs, to live without praying or minding God or thy ſoul? Does conſcience let thee alone to live thus? Or if it doth ſmite thee, yet goeſt thou ſtill on againſt it? Art thou a man of no more conſcience than this, what doſt thou think of thy ſelf? What ever thou thinkeſt thou art a loſt ſoul, while conſcience is loſt, thy ſoul is loſt. Till conſcience be recovered thy ſoul is not recovered and conſcience is never recovered, till it hath recovered its authority, and hath gotten the rule and the Government of thee.

3. Thoſe who make light of their diſeaſe and their miſery. Men are never recoverd till they are firſt made ſenſible of their diſeaſe. Sin is thy diſeaſe, and thy death, and thou art never recovered from that death, till thou art brought to a ſenſe of thy diſeaſe. Where there is life there will be ſenſe. They were dead ſouls, alienated from the life of God who were paſt feeling, Eph. 4.18.19. Thoſe that make light of ſin, it is a ſign they are not recovered. Sin is felt as an heavy thing, by thoſe ſouls that have the life of Chriſt begotten in them.

O what multitudes of loſt ſouls are there among us, if every ſoul be loſt that makes light of ſin! What account doſt thou make of it? Thou ſinneſt dayly, thou liveſt an idle and a careleſs and a ſinful life, thou art p. 40proud or covetous, or a ſenſual fleſh-pleaſer, and is not all this this ſin? Thou art a Liar, a Promiſe-breaker, a defrauder, and is not this thy ſin? Thou art perverſe and peeviſh and of a froward heart, and is not this thy wickedneſs? But what account doſt thou make of all this? Is it an heavy thing to thee, to be thus ſinful? No, not at all, thou makeſt light of thy pride, and light of thy covetouſneſs, and light of thy frowardneſs, thou makeſt juſt nothing of them, or at leaſt but ſmall matters. Thou doſt not feel them to be ſuch a weight and burthen to thee, but thou canſt bear them and go out with them well enough. Or if thou doſt ſometimes feel ſome ſmart or pain by them, yet it is but ſuch a light touch, that what ever thou thinkeſt at preſent thou wilt quickly after them again, at thy lying again, at thy ſwearing again, at thy froppiſh and froward carriages again.

It is ſuch a deep ſenſe of ſin, as will make us beware of it for the future, that wil prove our recovery. What ſhall we then think of them that make a mock of ſin, that make a ſport of ſin, that take pleaſure in iniquity? Without all controverſie theſe are loſt ſouls, and thoſe that make but little reckoning of it, that paſs by their ſins as ſmall matters, that are either not toucht at all, or but lightly toucht for them, ſo lightly, that their ſin hath ſtill the power and dominion over them; thou that art but ſuch a one, thou art a loſt ſoul, thy ſoul is loſt and not recovered.

4. Th ſ… that make light of Chriſt their recoverer. Chriſt that is ſent down as the Phyſitian of ſouls, to ſeek and to ſave them that are loſt, hath ordinarily the ſame entertainment as the King in the Parable had amongſt the Gueſts that he invited to his Feaſt, Mat. 22.5. but they made light of it. Here,

1. There are ſome ſinners that do make light of Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt is worthy of all acceptation. What is Jeſus Chriſt? He is the Son of God, full of grace and truth, Joh. 1. God equal with the Father, the brightneſs of his Fathers glory, the expreſs image of his perſon, and upholdeth all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3. He is the Head of all Principalities and Powers, the Prince of the Kings of the earth, Rev. 1:5. What is Jeſus Chriſt to ſinners? He is the everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace, Iſ. 9.6. his name ſhall be wonderful. What comes this Jeſus into the world for? To reconcile them p. 41to God, to ſave them from their ſins, to die for the ſins of the World, and to waſh them in his own bloud. And to what end comes he to particular ſinners? wherefore is he preached to them, wherefore is he offered to them? To what end is it that ſinners are ſo importunately invited to entertain and accept of him, to be willing that he that was the Saviour might become their Saviour; that he that was the Reconciler, might become their Recoverer to recover them from the ſnare, of the Devil, and to bring them into the everlaſting Kingdom. This is that Jeſus that by the Goſpel is preached unto you.

Who could imagine that ſuch a great, and mighty, and glorious one, who is the everlaſting King, the God of all the earth, who would think but he ſhould be reverenced where-ever he come? They will reverence my ſon, ſaid the King in the Parable, Mat. 22.37. It might be well preſumed they would, however it proved in the iſſue. Who could imagine that one that came upon ſuch a gracious deſign, to reconcile poor Rebels unto God, to redeem poor Priſoners out of Priſon, to recover and raiſe the dead to life, and ranſom them from the Pit, and give them an entrance into the everlaſting kingdom: who would think but Chriſt coming upon ſuch a gracious and glorious deſign, ſhould have wonderful chearful entertainment? Who would think but that the whole World ſhould ring with acclamations of joy, and praiſe, at his appearing amongſt them? Who would think but when Chriſt comes to particular ſinners, and makes a free offer of himſelf to them, to be theirs, their Redeemer, their Saviour, but ſuch an offer ſhould be greedily catched at, and readily embraced? Doth the King of Glory come unto me? Haſt thou ſhed thy bloud, and poured forth thy ſoul, and laid down thy li…e, and purchaſed pardon and an intereſt in Heaven for me? And doſt thou now come to give thy ſelf, and all that thou haſt purchaſed to be mine? What anſwer would any one think would be given by loſt ſouls to ſuch queſtions? Wilt thou be mine? Shall I be thine? Art thou willing to be redeemed, to be waſhed from thy ſins, to be healed of thy diſeaſes? Shall my bloud, which is ſhed for the ſalvation of ſinners, ſhall my bloud be thine, and the peace and reconciliation it hath made be thine? p. 42Shall I come into that miſerable ſoul of thine, and dwell there, and rule there, and caſt that Devil out that hath been thy deſtroyer and murderer? Shall I love thee, and delight in thee, and bleſs thee with my ſalvation? What anſwer would any one think that undone loſt ſinners ſhould give to ſuch queſtions? What, wilt thou come unto me, love and bleſs me? With all my ſoul, Lord, come in thou bleſſed Lord, all that is within me ſhall rejoyce that thou wilt thus enter upon me, and take me for thy poſſeſſion and habitation. This one would think ſhould be the anſwer that ſinners would give. But behold, ſuch miſerably fooliſh ſouls are ſinners become, that they make light of all this. A cup of drink, a carnal companion, a luſt, a ſenſual pleaſure, is made more reckoning of than Chriſt and all his love. As it is ſaid of thoſe Builders, the Scribes and Phariſees, Acts 4.11. It is true of all ſinners, this ſtone, this pretious ſtone, this corner ſtone, this foundation ſtone, upon which alone their hopes of ſalvation might be built, this ſtone is ſet at nought by them, Iſ. 53.3. He was deſpiſed and rejected of men, they made no account or reckoning of him, but even tread under foot the Son of God. And this is the general entertainment that Chriſt hath among the ſinners of the earth, ſo light do they make of him; he comes to them, but they will not receive him. How often, ſays he, would I have gathered you, Mat. 23.37. but you would not.

And what is the common caſe of ſinners, is it not [thy] caſe? Art not thou one that makeſt light of Chriſt? He hath been preached unto thee, he hath come and tendered himſelf to thy ſoul. That vile heart of thine, ſinner, that dark hole, where the Devil and Luſt, and every abomination dwells, Chriſt hath come and called to thee, open to me, let me come and dwell there, and caſt the Devil out. How many knocks hath he given at thy door? How many Meſſengers hath he ſent to thee with this word, Open thoſe wretched hearts, open the everlaſting doors, and the King of Glory ſhall come in? And haſt not thou ſlighted all this, and put a contempt and a ſcorn upon an offered Jeſus? Who, I? God forbid; I adore and honour that worthy name, I acknowledge him to be the Son of the living God, and the Saviour of the World, and worthy of all acceptation. I, but haſt p. 43thou accepted? Haſt thou opened unto him? Haſt thou received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord? Is Chriſt within thee? Is the light of Chriſt, the love of Chriſt, the holineſs of Chriſt in thee? Haſt thou reſigned up the throne and dominion of thy ſoul to him, and given him hearty leave to put all that is within thee in ſubjection to himſelf, and to caſt out what ever is an offence to him? to caſt the World out, to cut the fleſh down, and the luſts thereof? Hath he new made thee, and new molded thee.

Is there another Spirit begotten in thee? a new heart beſtowed upon thee? Hath he made a Chriſtian of thee, a ſincere inward Chriſtian, not in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth? Art thou become his hearty Diſciple, and his follower in holineſs? Hath he given thee the underſtanding of a Chriſtian? Doſt thou know God, and art thou now acquainted with the myſtery of the kingdom of God? Doſt thou know Chriſt, and the myſtery of Chriſt crucified? Hath he given thee the heart and affections of a Chriſtian? Hath the World loſt thine heart, have thy companions loſt thee, thy carnal pleaſures loſt thine heart? Is thine heart ſet upon Chriſt, and upon all his holy ways? Art thou now brought about from ſinful pleaſing of men, or affecting to live in their good repute and good will, to be all for pleaſing God? Is thy ſoul that was bent upon earth and the vanities thereof, now bent for God, and for heaven, and for holineſs the way to the Kingdom of heaven.

Sinner, If thou haſt received Chriſt into thy ſoul, there are all theſe works begun, there is ſuch a change as this wrought upon thee, 2 Cor. 5.17. He that is in Chriſt is a new Creature, and if there be no ſuch change, if thine old ignorance, thine old worldlineſs, thine old delights in the luſts, or friendſhip or fellowſhip of the World remain, if thou haſt not the inwards of a Chriſtian, an holy heart, an heavenly mind; yea, and ſomething of the outwards of a Chriſtian, an holy converſation, an heavenly life: If there be not ſuch a change wrought in thee, but thou art of the ſame life and the ſame ſpirit thou wert of, thou haſt not received Chriſt: he hath been offered thee, but thou wouldſt none of him; he hath come unto thee, but thou haſt refuſed him. And what ever honour thou haſt in thy mouth for Chriſt, if p. 44thou haſt refuſed to receive him, thou art one of thoſe that haſt made light of Chriſt, yea and ſet him at nought. That which is rendred refuſing, Pſal. 118.22. The ſtone which was refuſed by the builders, is expreſt, Acts 4 11. to be ſetting at nought. This is the ſtone which was ſet at nought. Sinners, every one of you that have not received Chriſt into your hearts, you have ſet Chriſt at nought, you have deſpiſed and trampled him under your foot; and if you go away from his word to day, as you have uſed to do other days, and return home without accepting of him, you go on to ſet Chriſt at nought. You that hear Chriſt preached, and will not receive him, if you ſhould be asked when you come home, what you have done at Church to day? You muſt anſwer, I have put a ſlight, and contempt upon Chriſt; he was preached to me, and I was told of his wonderful excellencies, and his worthineſs, but I have deſpiſed and neglected it all; I have been at Church, but to mock Chriſt, and to ſet him at nought. This do every one of you, to whom Chriſt is preached, and yet you will not receive him.

2. Thoſe that make light of Chriſt are not recovered by him. This is ſo evident from what hath been ſaid, that I ſhall add no more concerning it but this, if Chriſt be the only recoverer of loſt ſouls, then thoſe that refuſe him are not recovered. He is our Redeemer, and there is no other ſaviour. He is our Phyſitian. and there is no other helper, neither is there ſalvation in any other. Act: 4.12. If there be no other Saviour but Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, if there be none recovered by Chriſt, but thoſe that prize and put ſuch an high value on Chriſt, as to embrace and accept of him, then thoſe that make light of Chriſt and refuſe him are loſt ſouls to this day. Theſe are the negative marks which evidence ſouls ſtill loſt. If you are not groſly ignorant, but have underſtood ſomthing of the doctrin of Chriſt, If you have ſomthing of conſcience, If ſome prizing of Chriſt, yet you may not be recovered; but if not, thou art a groſly ignorant ſoul, and of no conſcience, to be ſure thou art a loſt ſoul to this day.

2. Affirmatively:

1. The man whoſe eyes are opened: that is, who hath recovered his underſtanding, and the ſaving knowledge of God. The firſt ſtep towards the converſion of a ſinner, p. 45is the recovery of his ſight, Acts 26.18. To open blind eyes &c. And it is not every little opening the eyes, and the getting in a little knowledge, that is a ſure ſign of converſion; There are knowing ſinners, knowing hypocrites, It is an enlightning of the mind, and a renewing of the mind. Rom. 12.2. Be ye transformed, by the renewing of your minds. The mind of the Convert, doth not only ſee other things, than it ſaw before, but looks upon them with another eye, as he hath another heart, ſo he hath another eye, a renewed mind, a ſanctified underſtanding, that perceives the beauty and excellency of God and his ways, of Chriſt and his graces, that ſees wiſdom and goodneſs, and an excellency and deſirableneſs in them; the carnal mind, what ever it perceives of the things of God, yet they are fooliſhneſs to him. 1. Cor, 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit, for they are fooliſhneſs to him, neither can he know them.

Where ſee, 1. What account carnal men have of ſpiritual things, they look on them as fooliſh things, poor and weak and contemptible things, and look upon them all as a company of fools, and giddy brain-ſick folks, that will have any thing to do with them.

2. That whilſt he looks on the things of God as fooliſhneſs, as ſuch contemptible and unworthy things, he doth not know them, nor can he know them whilſt he continues to be ſuch a fooliſh ſoul. Thou takeſt upon thee to cenſure thoſe that fear God as fools, and to charge Religion, with folly! Proud Fool! get thee a little more underſtanding, and then thou wilt ſee what an ignorant, poor miſtaken ſoul thou art. The convert looks upon the Goſpel, and the goodneſs of God, and the grace of Chriſt, and the holineſs of the Spirit, as marvellous things, excellent things; he ſees an excellency in Religion, a beauty and deſirableneſs in all the ways of God; he ſees the folly of Sin, and the wiſdom of Religion, the baſeneſs and unworthineſs and the filthineſs of Sin, and the worth and the purity of Religion; he ſees himſelf to have been a very beaſt and a fool, whilſt he continued and went on in his ſins, and can never have a good thought of himſelf, but as far forth as he is changed from his ſins, he looks upon that little change that is begun as a bleſſed change and a comfortable change. p. 46Now I have ſomething of the underſtanding of a man returned into me, Now I thank God I begin to live and ſtand up from among the dead; O I thank God for this little wiſdom that is begotten in me. I was a very fool till now, I have been told I was a fool, I have been told I was a beaſt many a time, but I could never ſee it till now, until the Lord hath thus opened mine eyes; this is ſome degree of the ſinners recovery, ſuch an opening of his eies, though it is poſſible he may be very much recovered in this reſpect and yet be a ſinner ſtill.

2. The man whoſe heart is opened. Thus Lydia's converſion is expreſſed, Acts. 16.14. Whoſe heart the Lord opened. There is a double opening of the heart.

1. An opening of the heart to the Lord, ſo as to receive and embrace him when offered. The hearts of natural men are ſhut againſt the Lord, they are not only void of grace, and without Chriſt, but bolted and bar'd up againſt Chriſt and his grace, they are unwilling of converſion, unwilling of ſanctification. Jer. 13.27. O Jeruſalem wilt thou not be made clean? No, they will not. O ſinner wilt thou not have the Lord to be thy God, wilt thou not have Jeſus to be thy Lord? Wilt thou not that he ſhould come into that ſoul of thine, and waſh thee with his bloud, and govern thee by his ſpirit, make thee a new ſoul and of another ſpirit than thou haſt been? No, thou wilt not, thine heart is ſhut againſt Chriſt. To the Devil thou wilt open, to the world and its luſts and its pleaſures thou wilt open thine heart, nay, it ſtands open night and day to theſe, but it is ſhut againſt Chriſt and his grace; thou art not willing that Chriſt ſhould come in. Sinners, if your hearts would but open, Chriſt would come in this very hour and bring in his ſalvation to thee. There is not one man amongſt you all, that ſhall go home this day, without Chriſt, without the ſanctifying grace of Chriſt, that is but unfeignedly willing to give entertainment to him. Art thou willing of Chriſt, willing to have grace? Wilt thou ſo receive Chriſt as to reſign up thy ſelf to his guidance and government, art thou really willing? this is the very opening of thine heart to the Lord wherein thy converſion ſtands. Thou art the man whoſe heart the Lord hath opened.

2. An opening the heart to godlineſs or chriſtianity. The former opening notes a readineſs of the heart to receive p. 47Chriſt in, and his Grace in. This opening of the heart notes the ſouls letting it ſelf out after Chriſt and his holy ways, a letting its ſelf out in holy deſires. in love and holy affections, in reſolutions and holy purpoſes to ſerve and cleave to the Lord. When the heart is open to Chriſt, it is open to Chriſtianity. When it hath received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, it will be for walking in him. The heart of the Hypocrite, though it profeſſeth to be open to Chriſt, yet it is ſhut againſt Chriſtianity.

Hypocrites are willing of a part in Chriſt, in the priviledges, and hopes, and comforts of the Goſpel, and ſo will truſt in Chriſt, and boaſt of Chriſt, and glory and rejoice in Chriſt Jeſus; but as to the exerciſe of Chriſtianity, eſpecially in thoſe harder and ſeverer parts of it, the mortifying the fleſh, the denying themſelves, the being crucified to the World, the cloſe, and downright and induſtrious following the Lord in holineſs; of this they are not willing, their hearts are ſhut againſt it. That heart that is ſincerely opened to the Lord, and hath indeed taken Chriſt in, doth freely open it ſelf to all the ways of the Lord, and hath a propenſion and diſpoſi…ion, and reſolution for powerful and practical Chriſtianity. He is a reſolved Diſciple of Chriſt, a reſolved follower of Chriſt. Now this is the recovered ſoul, the man whoſe eyes are opened, who hath the knowledge of God, of the beauty, and excellency, and goodneſs of all the ways of God; and the man whoſe heart is opened, who hath both received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, and who is reſolved to walk in him, this is the ſoul that was dead and is alive.

Ʋſe. Are ſinners loſt ſouls, then let us take up a lamentation over them. What a lamentation did the Prophet take up over the ſinful Jews, Jer. 9.1. O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the ſlain of the daughters of my people. O what a ſlaughter hath ſin made amongſt us, our Houſes our Streets, our Congregations, how full are they of the dead, dead ſouls whom ſin hath ſlain! Behold the dead that are in every place; ſo many ſinners, ſo many dead and loſt ſouls. Here be the dead, but where are the mourners? Verſe 17. Conſider ye and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and ſend for cunning women, skilful at mourning, and let them make haſt and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, p. 48and our eye-lids guſh out with water. Women are more pityful than men, and more apt to mourn, Call ſays he, for the pityful among women, let them take up a wailing for us, and let them ſet us a mourning, let the women ſet the men a mourning. that [our] eyes may run down with tears: and v. 20. let the Mothers teach the daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation. Why what is the matter? v. 21. O Death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces; our houſes are houſes of the dead. It is not onelyonly with us as with Egypt, when their firſt-born were ſlain, when there was not an houſe in the Land wherein was not one dead; there are but few houſes in our Land where there is one alive; they are almoſt all dead, dead Fathers, dead Children, dead Husbands, dead Wives, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. Death hath not onelyonly entered in at our windows, and ſlain here and there one, but the doors have been ſet open to it, whole Families are deſtroyed. Our houſes are become Sepulchres, places of the dead.

But why ſhould we mourn over loſt ſouls?

1. Becauſe there are ſuch multitudes of them. Come where you will, into what Country, into what Family, into what Congregation you will, and you may ſee almoſt as many dead men as you may ſee men. It is but here and there one living ſoul is to be found; ſuch a great ſlaughter as ſin hath made, calls for great lamentation.

2. Becauſe they are in ſuch a pitiful and lamentable caſe. What is it to be a dead and loſt ſoul? where ſhall we have them a little while hence? Thoſe that are under the power of death, are under the power of the Devil, and thoſe that are under the power of the Devil, you may look to find them ſhortly in the place of the Devil. At preſent they ſeem to be in a paradiſe, they live at eaſe, and in plenty, and in peace; there are none ſeem to be ſo much alive, as the ſinners of the earth, as Mal. 3.15. We call the proud happy, and the prophane and fleſh-pleaſers, and the covetous, theſe are counted happy ones. They are far, they ſhine, they glitter, who but ſinners! Theſe are the only men, the only happy men, as the world counts them; but what ever there be upon their backs or in their bellies, their poor hearts are dead, and where ſhall we find theſe flouriſhing and proſpering p. 49ones a few days hence? It would pity ones heart to think where; What if you ſhould ſee all theſe dead buryed, buryed in Flames, caſt into the Pit of everlaſting darkneſs, and everlaſting burning? You cannot but foreſee, that there they will be ſhortly, thither they are travelling; their way is the way of death, and their ſteps lead down to hell, and how ſuddenly may they be ſwallowed up of the Pit? O pity theſe loſt ſouls! have you any bowels? Parents, have you any bowels for your ſinning children? Friends have you any bowels for your ſinning Friends? Draw forth your bowels in ſighs and lamentations, pour forth your hearts at your eyes, and fall a weeping over them, look upon the ignorant and ſottiſh ones, look upon the looſe and prophane ones, the lying children, the ſwearing and curſing and drinking and unruly children among you, and let your eye affect your heart. Yea, weep not for them only, but as. Luke. 23.28. Weep for [your ſelves] and for your children.

3. Becauſe they will not mourn for themſelves. They are not ſenſible of their own miſery, nor will lay it to heart. Theſe loſt ſouls are men beſides themſelves, diſtracted ones, out of their wits ut ſupra. The prodigal was out of his wits whilſt he was running his wild courſe, he was not himſelf. What ſenſe have mad men of their miſery? They count themſelves to be wiſe and happy men, and all others to be fools but themſelves. How ſhall we hear diſtracted ſouls talking of their lands and inheritances, boaſting ſome of them that they are Kings, and Lords, and Gentlemen, though they be even ſtark naked, half ſtarved, bound with Thongs and chains, yet ſtill they have high thoughts, and make great boaſtings of themſelves. Such mad ſouls are the miſerable ſouls of ſinners. Job 11.12. Ʋain man would be wiſe though he be as a wild Aſſes colt. Theſe wild men that run a wild courſe, that have loſt their reaſons it their luſts, they would be taken for wiſe men, and they will not be perſwaded out of their vain conceits of themſelves. Bray a fool in a mortar. Prov. 27.22. Yet will not his fooliſhneſs depart from him. Now this is cauſe of great lamentation, that theſe loſt ſouls are ſuch ſtupid and ſenſleſs ſouls that will not mourn for themſelves, nor be brought to underſtand that they are objects of pity and p. 50lamentation; they think they are wiſer than their teachers, that they have more wit than to become ſober and ſerious Chriſtians, that they have no need of the Phyſi…ian, no need of counſel and inſtruction, and thereupon are ready to fall a laughing at thoſe that mourn over them, and mock at repentance and converſion. Surely thoſe that are in ſuch a miſerable caſe, and have not the heart to mourn for themſelves, or to count themſelves mournful and pitiful ſpectacles, there is the more reaſon we ſhould take up a lamentation over them.

Let us lament therefore, that there are ſuch multitudes of miſerable ſouls, that there are ſo few amongſt thoſe multitudes of loſt ones, that we ever ſee to be recovered. O how few are the Converts to Chriſt? How ſeldom do we hear of any loſt ſheep brought into the Fold? You that are brought in, pity thoſe that are left without, mourn for them, let fall a tear over them, lift up a prayer for them, that though they have gone aſtray like loſt ſheep, yet at length they may return to the Shepherd and B ſhop of their ſouls.

And you that are theſe loſt ſouls, how is it that you are no… yet come ſo far to your ſelves, as to ſee what pitiful caſe you are in? Sinners, will you yet go away conceited that it is well enough with you? Is it better with you than if you were Converts? Are the B…ick-kilns of Egypt, as long as you can eat of the Leeks, and On ons, and Melons, better than the freedom of Canaan. Do the pleaſures of ſin make your chains pleaſant to you? Is it better to go on to ſerve the Devil and your Luſts, than to come about and be the ſervants of the Lord? Or whether it be better or worſe, wiſdom or folly, diſcretion or madneſs, are you reſolved however, to continue as you are? Have you not the ſenſe in you as to be able to ſay, it is a ſorry caſe I am in? Or do you ſee it is bad enough with you, and yet have not the power to make out after a recovery? Haſt thou not pity upon that poor ſoul of thine, but thou wilt give it up to be racked, and torn, and burned forever, rather than for its ſake thou wilt deny thy will, or thy luſt, or thine appetite? Art thou ſtill ſo mad, as to ſay live or die, heaven or hell, what ever be the iſſue, I will not turn out of my courſe, I will not come unto God and be his ſervant? If there be a God, I will venture his wrath; if there be an Hell, I will venture on its flames, p. 51rather than not enjoy my will, or mine eaſe, or my pleaſure? Is this thy caſe? Judge then if thou be not a pitiful and lamentable thing, and an object of mourning; and if thou canſt get ſo much of a man in thee, ſo much of the reaſon and underſtanding of a man, ſo much of the heart and compaſſion of a man, O pity thy ſelf, pity thy poor ſoul; pity and mourn over it, mourn and repent, repent and pray, that if it be poſſible thou mayeſt recover thy ſelf out of the ſnare of the Devil, who art thus held captive by him at his will.

2. Let us take up a rejoicing over the recovered ſouls. Our great joy ſhould be every man over the recovery of his own ſoul. With what joy ſhould this word be ſpoken, this [my] ſoul was dead, and is alive: and we ſhould rejoice over any other recovered ſouls; It is matter of rejoicing when we can ſay, this my Child, or this my Brother, or this my Neighbour, was dead and is alive. What joy is it to a travailing woman, when ſhe is ſafely delivered of a living child. J h. 16.21. A w…man when ſhe is in travail hath ſorrow becauſe her hour is come, but as ſoon as ſhe is delivered of th… chil…, ſhe remembreth no more the anguiſh for joy that a man child is born into the World. Sinners, your deliverance may coſt you pain and travel, but when you are once delivered, and recovered, you will forget all this pain; then you will, and then you ought to rejoice. What joy is the day of victory to the triumphing Souldier? What joy was the year of Jubilee to the indebted, or the ſervants, when they were to go out free from there debts and ſervice? What joy to the Mariner, who hath been toſſed with tempeſts, to have gotten ſafe to ſhore? Haſt thou ſhot the gulf, and gotten ſafe to land? Haſt thou gotten death and hell under thy feet? Is death deſtroyed, and is life and immortality brought to light in thy ſoul? Art thou paſſed from death to life? O what a day of joy, what a day of praiſe ſhould this be to thee. Rejoice in the Lord O ye righteous, and again, I ſay Rejoice. Phil 4.4. Stand Chriſtian, ſtand and look back on that death that was lately feeding on thy ſoul; ſtand and look down into the hole of the pit from whence thou art delivered. Remember how it was with thee, not long ſince, when thou wert without Chriſt, and without hope, and without God in the World; when thou wert a ſlave to every luſt in thy heart, to every vile companion, when thou p. 52wert by led by the Deſtroyer, and poſting on to deſtruction; When thou Wert without fear and without ſenſe of that danger, and miſery which was running upon thee like a floud. Remember how it was with thee when God firſt open'd thine eyes and thy fears came upon thee. How did thy ſoul cry out, I am loſt, I am undone, when thou ſaweſt what a gulf there was fixed between thy natural eſtate and the ſtate of grace? When thou ſaweſt a neceſſity of converſion, and yet wert aſtoniſhed at the difficulty of obtaining it? When thy proud heart would not ſtoop, thine hard heart would not break, nor yield unto the Lord? When thou wert afraid that thou ſhouldſt have periſhed in the birth, and never have ſeen life; remember how it hath been with thee, and how it is now. What, hath the Lord delivered thee from thy fears, conquered to thee thy difficulties? Is thine heart broken and brought about to the Lord? Is the day broken, and the day ſtar riſen in thine heart, art thou paſſed from death to life? What ſ yſt thou now? Is it not meet thou ſhouldſt rejoice? Is not this birth day, the day of thy new birth, a day of joy and praiſe? Doſt thou not bleſs thy ſelf, that it is not with thee as it hath been? Does not thine heart ſhake to think, what if I had been let alone, let to go on in the way that I was going? I went with the Drunkards, I was among the Lyars, and Swearers, and Covetous, and the Scoffers, I was one of them; As much againſt a new heart, and new life as any of them, as true a drudge to my fleſh, and this world, as the worſt of them; How is it that the Lord God ſingled my ſoul out of that wicked crowd and brought me up out of that ſtate of the dead and brought me into the light of life, and hath written me amongſt the living in Jeruſalem! Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me, bleſs his holy name. Magnifie the Lord, O my ſoul, and let my ſpirit rejoice in God my Saviour. He that is mighty hath done for me great things, and holy is his name.

3. Let us again take up a lamentation over the imperfection of our recovery. Rejoice in the Lord, but rejoice with trembling, Pſal. 2.11. Rejoice that the work is begun, that thou art come to the morning of the day of redemption; that the day is dawned, that the Sun is riſen upon thee, yet lament that there are ſtill ſuch clouds; yea, ſo much of the darkneſs of the night remaining upon thee. Rejoice p. 53that thou art born again, but yet lament that thou art but as a new born Infant, ſo imperfectly waſhed from thy pollution in thy bloud, and that ſo much of the ſhame of thy nakedneſs is yet appearing: that though thou art made a child of light, yet there is ſo much of thine old darkneſs, of thine old ignorance and unbelief abiding upon thee; that though thou art born from above, yet thine heart ſhould be ſo much below; that though thou art riſen with Chriſt, thy affections ſhould be ſo little ſet on things above; that though thou art born of the Spirit, the Fleſh ſhould ſtill have ſuch power in thee. Lament and bewail it, that thou art no more perfectly recovered, that it can yet hardly be diſcerned whether thou be alive or dead, or if it appear thou art alive, lament that thou art ſuch a a dwarf ſtill, or ſuch a ſickly and unthriving child, that thou art ſuch a froward and unruly child.

Lament that thy recovery is ſo imperfect and be growing up towards perfection be working out thoſe remains of thine old corrupt ſtate, be working out this carnality and this earthlineſs and working [up] thine heart to more ſpirituality and heavenlineſs, and let both thine heart and thy life be as the path of the juſt which ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day. Prov. 4.18.

Chriſtians, whilſt I have hope of many of you that you are paſſed from death to life, and in this hope do rejoice over you, yet I have ſorrow in mine heart for you, that you that have life, have it no more abundantly, that you are yet ſo imperfectly recovered from among the dead, and that you are not (which I doubt is the caſe of too many among you) contending and reaching forwards towards perfection. How many living Chriſtians ſoever there be of you, yet I can ſee but few growing Chriſtians among you. Pray Friends look inwards, what ſenſible improvement have any of you made of late years? Yea how many of us are there that do not lay it to heart, that do not lament it that they are improved no more? Who of you can ſay, that you are breathing and thirſting after an increaſe? or if you thirſt for more grace, how very few are reaching forth, and labouring, and that in ſo good earneſt that they are impatient in their ſpirits, and reſtleſs, till it may be better with them. O what might I do to whet your appetites after an increaſe, to ſet you a running and ſtriving and fighting againſt all that hinders? p. 54Oh what might be ſaid to get thoſe creeping ſouls upon the wing, to quicken your motions heavenward? O how might I help you off with thoſe weights that h…ng on, thoſe weights of earth, and fleſh, of cares, and luſts, and ſins, that you might run with patience, and run with alacrity and joyfulneſs the race that is ſet before you. O conſider the imperfect ſtate you are in, conſider and lament it, lament and make on, forget…ing the things that are behind, reach forth unto thoſe things which are before.

2. Are ſinners yet recoverable? Oh loſe not the preſent ſeaſon but ſeek your recovery. as Iſ. 55.6. Seek the Lord whilſt he may be found, So ſeek your ſouls whilſt they may be found, ſeek recovery while it may be had. But what ſhall I do to recover? 1. Get you to be heart-ſick of the miſery that is upon you. If ever God recover you, he will firſt ſmite you, he will wound you that he may heal you. Micah. 6.13. I will make thee ſick in ſmiting thee, ſaid God in another caſe. The Devil ſmites with a deadly wound, but Gods wounds are healing wounds. Hoſ. 6.1. Come let us return to the Lord, for he hath ſmitten and he will heal us. The Devil ſmites with blindneſs, the Devil ſmites with hardneſs, and inſenſibleneſs of heart. What is the reaſon thou art ſuch a blind and hardned and ſenſleſs ſoul? O the Devil hath ſmitten thee into this blindneſs and hardneſs. Gods ſmiting of the heart is like Moſes his ſmiting of the rock. Exod. 17.6. He ſmote the rock and water iſſued out. God will ſo ſmite theſe rocks as to fetch a ſtream of tears, and ſighs and groans, out of the hard heart, he will make thoſe ſtones to feel The Devils work is, to put ſinners paſt feeling, and O how ſucceſsful hath he been at this work? Poor ſinners, the Devil hath been at work with you ſmiting you into inſenſibleneſs, and what ſenſleſs ſouls hath he made you. Though the word of the Lord which is ſh…rper than a two edged ſword and pierceth to the dividing aſunder of the ſoul and ſpirit, of the j ints and marrow, hath been driven home upon you, yet you feel it not. The Devil hath made th…e ſuch a ſtupid ſenſleſs ſoul, that thou canſt feel nothing, but God ſmites to recover your feeling, he will make you ſick in ſmiting you; He will …o ſo if ever he means to heal you.

O ſinner, do not reſiſt, bur help forward this work of God upon you. Do what you can, to recover your own p. 55ſenſe, do not harden your hearts againſt the word, do not harden your hearts in your ſins, pray that God would make you ſick at the heart, under all your miſery. It would be ſome encouragment to Miniſters to bring an healing word unto you, if we could once find you to be ſick. If we could but recover your ſenſe, we ſhould have hope to ſave your lives; but here it is that our work ſticks, we canno… by all that we can ſay, recover you to ſenſe, to a ſenſe of your loſt eſtate. Wo is me for I am undone, ſaid the Prophet, in another caſe. Iſ. 6.5. O might we hear ſuch a word from ſinners mouths! Wo is me, for I am undone, I am an undone ſoul, I am a loſt ſoul. You are undone, you are loſt ſouls, and before ever you be ſoundly recovered, you will by the ſenſe and ſickneſs of your hearts, be forced to acknowledge it. Wo is me for I am undone! Sinner, doſt thou think thy ſelf well? art thou whole and aileſt nothing? This is thy ſenſleſsneſs and this ſenſleſsneſs is the moſt deadly part of thy diſeaſe, a ſick man that is grown ſenſleſs is the next ſtep to a dead man; if his ſenſe be recovered there is more hope of his life. What a word of hope would it be, might we hear this word running through all the company of hardned ſinners here, wo is me for I am undone, what ſhall I do, what will become of me? I am a loſt ſoul dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, held under the power of the Devil, & dragging on to deſtruction. I am well enough as to my body and my outward condition, but O my poor ſoul, my poor blind ſoul, my poor hardned ſoul, my poor guilty ſoul, in what a woful caſe is it? Could we perceive ſuch a ſenſe of your caſe, could we hear ſuch bemoanings and complainings of your miſery, this were hopeful, we ſhould then hope you were upon recovery, if we could by any means work you to ſuch a ſenſe of your eſtates. But how is it with you ſinners? Is there any ſuch good token to be found upon you? Sinners here be (God knows) enough of you, but where be the ſmitten ſinners? Where be the ſenſible ſinners, the broken ſinners, the fearing ſinners, where be the men that the word of God, hath made them ſick in ſmiting? As it is with ſome Phyſick for the body, ſo it is with Gods Phyſick for ſouls, it never worketh kindly, but it makes men ſick in the working. Where be the ſick ſinners? In one ſenſe, you are all deadly ſick; but were be the ſinners, whom Gods Phyſick hath p. 56made ſick? Whom the word hath made ſick? whom conſcience hath made ſick, that is, hath made them feel their ſickneſs? No, no, the Lord be merciful to you, your Soul-phyſick will not work, it leaves you at your eaſe, under the hardneſs and ſenſleſneſs of your hearts, as if you were indeed ſound men and needed nothing. But ſinners know that till you are wrought to a ſenſe of the miſery you are in, there is no hope of your recovery. Do but …enture on a while longer in this ſtupid hardened ſtate, and you will be paſt recovery; You are at preſent without feeling, but if you once be paſt feeling, you are paſt recovery for ever. O get you broken hearts; O cry unto the Lord, that he would ſmite you and make you ſick in ſmiting you; That he would ſet you a trembling, that he would affright you and afflict you for your ſins. O ſtir up and awaken thoſe ſleepy ſouls! O ſtudy and conſider, and get a little underſtanding what a woful caſe you are in! Believe God; he tells ſinners that they are ſons of death, ſons of perdition, under condemnation; Beheve God before the Devil, and your own hearts; theſe have agreed together to tell you a lie, to tell you your caſe is not ſo bad, you ſhall do well enough you ſhall eſcape well enough; believe not the Devil, believe not your deceitful hearts; believe God, believe the ſcriptures, read over that word, and ſee how dreadfully it ſpeaks of the caſe of ſinners, and know that all this it ſpeaks to thee; all the plagues and terrours of the Lord, which you read or hear out of the Scriptures, theſe words belong to you who are yet in your ſins.

Sinners, I would fain preach you to Chriſt, and preach you to life; I would do mine utmoſt to ſave and recover your loſt ſouls and O let me help you to Chriſt, let me be a means of your recovery; But that I have no hope of, unleſs v…n will ſo f…r heed and believe the word that I pr… ▪ …nd …v… ſo cloſe and ſo home upon your hearts, … no longer be hardned through the deceit… … might be ſaid concerning you, up… … …ords, as concerning them. Acts … heard this they were pricked at their … Brethren what ſhall we do?

… ſo concerning thee? Hath this … heart? Doſt thou feel thy heart … art thou afraid, and in that fear p. 57doſt thou cry out, Men and Brethren what ſhall I do? Wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me? Hath it made thee ſo ſick, that thou art calling after the phyſitian? Is there ſuch a cry in thy ſoul, Help Lord, ſave Lord or I periſh? Wo is me I am undone, what muſt I do to be ſaved? If the Lord hath made thee thus ſick in ſmiting thee, ſick of thy covetouſneſs ſick of thy wickedneſs and of that bondage thou art hitherto held under; If the word of the Lord hath pricked thee to the heart, and put thee to pain, ſo that nothing but a deliverance from thy wretched ſtate can eaſe thee, or ſatisfie thee, if it be thus with thee, if thou art thus ſick, thus pricked at the heart, then be of good comfort, it is an hopeful ſign, that thou art upon recovery there is now good hopes concerning thee that though thou art dead thou mayeſt be made alive

2. Ʋnderſtand what Chriſt hath done, and muſt do for your recovery. Chriſt is our only Reedemer and Reconciler, and Chriſt redeems,

1. By price.

2. By power.

1. Chriſt redeemeth by price. 1. Cor. 6.20. Ye are bought with a price. Chriſt himſelf was that price, and he laid down his life, as a price for us. In this reſpect he is called our ranſom. Mat. 20.28. He gave his life a ranſom for many, And his redeemed ones are called his ranſomed ones. Iſ. 35.10. We by ſin are become priſoners and captives; Priſoners to the juſtice of God, to whom by ſin we had forfeited our lives; and Juſtice took hold of us as a company of Traitors and Malefactors, whom it condemned to death. Now Chriſt paid, himſelf, to divine juſtice, gave himſelf to die, that he might ranſom us from death. Let me ſtand in theſe Sinners ſtead, let thine hand be upon me, and let them eſcape; death is the wages of ſin, let my death, ſays Chriſt, pay that wages.

2. Chriſt redeemeth by power. Sinners were priſoners to divine juſtice, and captives to the Devil, 2 Tim. 2 26. By price he redeems them from the revenging juſtice of God, and by power be redeems them from the Devil. In the former ſenſe he redeemed us as a purchaſer, he bought our lives; in the latter ſenſe he redeemeth as a Conquerour, the Devil held us, and Death held us too; death reigned over all: Chriſt conquereth both Death and the Devil; He overcame death, and him that hath the power of p. 58death, that is the Devil, Heb. 2.14. Having ſpoiled principalities and powers, he made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them in himſelf, Col. 2.15. He brake the Serpents head, as it was promiſed he ſhould, Gen. 3. that he could no longer hold his captives. The Devil tempted him to ſin, but he overcame the temptation and ſinned not. The Devil ſet the Jews to ſlay him, but he overcame death by his reſurrection from the dead. The Devil got him among the dead, but he could not hold him, he roſe from the dead, by which it was impoſſible for him to be holden beyond the time appointed. And as Chriſt conquered the Devil, and conquered Death, ſo he conquereth Sin too. He conquered the Devil as our Captain, ſo called Heb. 2.10. The Captain of our Salvation, he broke the power of the Devil, and led out his captives, as a Captain doth his recovered priſoners. He conquers ſin as a Phyſician, healing all thoſe wounds and diſeaſes which the Devil had brought us under; he is therefore called a Phyſician, Mat. 9.12. The whole have no need of a Phyſitian. This now is that which Chriſt hath done, and hath to do for our recovery, to give himſelf a price or ranſome to the juſtice of God, by laying down his life for ſinners, to break the power of the Devil, and reſcue us from his captivity, and to heal us of our ſins, and thereby deſtroy the works of the Devil.

2. Ʋnderſtand what ſinners have to do towards their own recovery: that they may obtain the benefit of what Chriſt hath done and performed. This I ſhall ſum up in this one word; To perform the conditions of their recovery. What are thoſe conditions?

1. To accept of Chriſt as your ranſom; to give off all other hopes of recovery, and to take him as our only Redeemer. Some ſinners reject Chriſt, and will none of him; they care not for a ranſom, nor will mind any ſuch thing as their recovery, but are content to be ſlaves to Sin and the Devil for ever; like thoſe ſlaves under the Law, who when they might, would not go out from their Maſters, but would have their ears bored to the threſhold, that they might not depart for ever. How many ſuch deſperate wretches are there among ſinners? Sinners they are, and ſinners they will be; ſlaves to the Devil they are, and they will not accept of deliverance. Chriſt is preached to them a Redeemer, and tendered to them as their ranſom, p. 59and liberty is offered to theſe captives, but they will not accept him: they ſay in their hearts as that ſervant, I love my old Maſter, I love my ſins, I love my luſts, thoſe very chains by which the Devil holds them, and reject Chriſt who comes to ranſom them.

How is it ſinner, that thou art yet a captive to the Devil, and a ſlave to thy ſins? How is it that thou art left out from among the redeemed ones of the Lord? There is a ranſom paid, there is a price laid down, to buy out that ſoul of thine from the wrath of God; and this ranſom hath been offered thee, and thou haſt been perſuaded to come out of the priſon, but yet there thou art, yet thou art a bond-ſlave to the Devil and thy ſin. Why is it thus with thee? Why? onelyonly becauſe thou wilt not accept of thy ranſom, thou wilt not accept of Chriſt who would redeem and recover thee. Thou art ſuch a ſtupid, ſenſleſs ſoul, that thou doſt not mind any ſuch thing as thy recovery or redemption: thou mindeſt thine eaſe or thy pleaſure, thou mindeſt thy trade and thy gains, and thy buſineſs in the World, but thou never mindeſt the redemption of thy ſoul; never haſt ſuch a thought, how ſhall I eſcape out of the hands of the Devil? How ſhall my ſoul be delivered from ſin and everlaſting wrath? When doſt thou uſe to mind ſeriouſly any ſuch thing? Not being ſenſible of thy miſery, thou mindeſt not thy recovery; and not minding thy recovery, hence it is that thou mindeſt not thy ranſom or Redeemer, but makeſt light of Chriſt and his redemption, and makeſt ſo light of him, that thou wilt not accept and embrace him when offered to thee. Well, but whatever thou haſt done, take heed thou do ſo no more. Haſt thou yet this price in thine hand, is there yet a ranſom to be had for that miſerable ſoul of thine? Doth Chriſt yet ſtand over thee, offering thee his bloud, offering thee himſelf to be thy redemption? Take heed how thou goeſt away again, neglecting to accept and make him thine own. This is one condition upon which redemption may be yours, if you will accept of Chriſt as your ranſom.

2. To accept of Chriſt as your Captain: To liſt your ſelf under him as his Souldier, to give up your ſelf to be commanded, and ordered and governed by him; to follow your great Leader, when he hath broken the bars, and opened the Priſon doors and knocked the Goaler in the head, and commands you out of Priſon, and calls to you p. 60all, Follow me. This is another condition of your recovery, Follow your Captain.

There is no man that ſhall have the benefit of Chriſts ranſom, that will voluntarily ſtay behind in priſon. Art thou reſolved to ſerve the Devil ſtill, to follow thy luſt ſtill? Doſt thou refuſe to follow Chriſt, and to be commanded and governed by him? Then thou canſt have no benefit by his ranſom. Heb. 5.9. He became the author of eternal ſalvation to them that obey him. Well, would you be recovered by Chriſt, then liſt your ſelves under him as your Captain, be commanded and governed by him.

3. To accept of Chriſt as your Phyſician. This accepting of Chriſt as your Phyſician, notes three things.

1. A willingneſs to be healed by Chriſt. Some ſinners, though they will ſay, I accept of Chriſt for my Phyſician, yet they are not willing to be healed by him: they love their diſeaſe, and do not love their health. Sin is their diſeaſe, and holineſs is the health of their ſouls. Sin is their diſeaſe, and yet they love their ſin: Drunkards love to be Drunkards, the Voluptuous love their pleaſures, the Covetous love their covetouſneſs, and the carnal their carnality. Swine do not more love the mud and the mire, and to be wallowing in it, than ſwiniſh ſinners do the mire of their luſts and ſins. Sometimes they pray for recovery, pray for repentance, pray for new heart and life, but they would be loth that God ſhould hear their prayers; Sin, which is their diſeaſe, is that they love; and holineſs, which is their health, they loath and hate. If Chriſt call to them, come to me, and I will make a Saint of thee, I will fetch thee off from thy drunken Companions, I will cure thee of thy Covetouſneſs, I will waſh thee from thy filthy luſts, and make thee one of mine holy ones; what would they anſwer? No, I deſire no ſuch cure; I love my pleaſures, and my company, and my covetouſneſs, and carnality; and for holineſs, let them hearken to thee that have a mind to it, I have no liſt to be of thoſe holy ones. When Chriſt came to cure bodily diſeaſes, the blind and the lame, and the lunatick, and the poſſeſſed of Devils, how glad were they to be cured? But blind ſouls, and lame and lunatick ſouls, ſick and diſeaſed ſouls, are not willing of Chriſts cure. The carnal mind is at enmity againſt God, Rom. 8.7. Pſal. 50.17. Thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behind thee. Sinners p. 61had rather that Chriſt would let them all alone as they are; they would that he ſhould ſave them from Hell, but they would not that he ſhould turn them from their ſins.

Chriſt will never ſave men from wrath, who will not be healed of their ſins; and Chriſt will not heal, till men be willing to be healed.

1. Chriſt will never ſave men from wrath, who will not be healed of their ſins. Unleſs he waſh thee, he will not bleſs thee, Joh. 13.8. If I waſh thee not, thou haſt no part with me. Whileſt thou art a Sinner thou art a Swine thou art a Viper, thou art a Leper; thy very nature is ſwiniſh, viperous and tainted with an hereditary leproſie. Chriſt will make another manner of creature of thee than thou art, ere ever thou ſhalt ſee his ſalvation. Doſt thou think that Chriſt will drive over theſe herds of Swine, into the Land of Promiſe? Will he people Heaven, with a generation of Vipers? or with ſuch an unclean leprous brood, as the unconverted ſinners are? Be not deceived, nothing that is unclean ſhall enter in thither. That heart of thine muſt be changed, that corrupt nature of thine muſt be purged; of a Swine thou muſt be made a man, and the old man muſt become a new man, or thou wilt never be made a bleſſed man. If Chriſt do not heal thee he will never ſave thee.

2. Chriſt will heal none but thoſe that are willing to be healed. His firſt queſtion to thoſe he comes to cure, is the ſame as that which was put to the impotent man, Joh. 5.6. Wilt thou be made whole? This queſtion Chriſt is daily putting to you, You that are blind, will you that I ſhould open your eyes? You that are poſſeſſed of a Devil, of an unclean Devil, of a proud Devil, of a covetous Devil, will you that I ſhould caſt this Devil out? You whom Sathan hath bound theſe many years, bound under a ſenſual, ſinful, hardned heart, will you be looſed from theſe bonds? You whom the Devil hath been leading on after your pleaſures, or your carnal liberties, by the chain of your evil natures, will you that I ſhould cut the chain, and put a ſtop to the Devil, and turn you back from your courſe, and never ſuffer you to be Drunkards any longer, or Fleſh-pleaſers any longer, or Covetous any longer? Is it thy diſeaſe, that thou haſt been ſuch a vile liver ſo long, wilt thou that I ſhould put a ſtop to thee, that thou be never ſuch any more? Chriſt doth ask ſuch queſtions p. 62of you, will you that I ſhould thus cure you of all this? And what do your hearts anſwer? Some, if they ſpeak their hearts, muſt anſwer, O this curing me would be the killing of me, I cannot endure to think of ſuch a change, it vexes my heart to think of parting with my beloved ſins, which are as dear as my life to me. But what ſaiſt [thou] ſinner, for thy part? Art thou one of theſe unwilling ſouls, or art thou willing that Chriſt ſhould cure thee, and cleanſe thee from all thy ſins? O get a willing heart; what art thou ſuch a ſick ſoul, and not willing of the Phyſician? ſuch a blind ſoul, and not willing to have thine eyes opened? ſuch a ſenſleſs hardned ſoul, and not willing that Chriſt ſhould humble thee, and break thee? ſuch a vile and polluted ſoul, and not willing that Chriſt ſhould waſh thee? Art thou not willing that Chriſt ſhould come and make a Saint of thee? Hath Sin made a very Devil of thee, and art not thou willing that Chriſt ſhould make thee a Saint? What wouldſt thou do in Heaven, if thou wilt not be made a Saint? or doſt thou think thou mayeſt continue a Devil, whileſt thou liveſt on the earth, and yet at laſt be a Saint in Heaven.

What ſay you ſinners? There be ſome, it may be, of you, that have made a mock at holineſs, that have deſpiſed the ſaints that are on earth, and made them the objects of your ſcorn rather than your deſire, but ſpeaks man, art thou yet willing that Chriſt ſhould come this day and make [thee] a ſaint? Wilt thou that he ſhould humble thee, and bring thee to repentance? Wilt thou that he ſhould waſh thee and bring thee to holineſs? Wouldſt thou, who cameſt hither an ignorant ſinner, an hardned ſinner, an impenitent ſinner, be glad at thine heart, if thou mayſt r turn an enlightned, a convinced, yea a converted ſinner, a beleiver, a ſincere, chriſtian? Wouldſt thou carry home another heart than thou broughtſt hither, a new heart transformed and changed into the image of him that created thee, or art thou content to go home as thou cameſt ſuch an ignorant hardned polluted creature, as thou cameſt hither? If thou be heartily willing of ſuch a change as this, that is a great part of thy cure. Art thou willing to be cured, willing to be cleanſed? Then bring forth that leprous ſoul of thine, lay it at the feet of Chriſt, and ſpeak to him as the leper did. Mat. 8.2. Lord, if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean. As vile a ſtate as this ſoul p. 63of mine is in, as deadly as my diſeaſes are, as very a Leper as my ſoul is become, yet Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean. Let Chriſt hear ſuch a word from thee, Lord help me, Lord heal me, if thou wilt thou canſt; And then there is hope, that thou maieſt hear the ſame words from Chriſt, as that poor Leper did, I will, be thou clean; And immediately his Leproſie was cleanſed.

2. Take Chriſts medicines. To what purpoſe is it that the phyſitian comes to a ſick man, and preſcribes to him, and adviſeth him to what will recover him, if he will not take what he preſcribeth. Chriſt hath medicines to recover ſick ſouls, but his medicines muſt be taken or they will not recover them. Chriſts medicines are,

1. His bloud. His bloud is purging and cleanſing bloud. Heb. 9 14. 1 Joh. 1.7. Therefore he is ſaid to waſh us in his bloud. By the bloud of Chriſt is meant the ſame with the death of Chriſt. There is vertue in the death of Chriſt to deſtroy the life of ſin. Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, Rom. 6.6. It is the body of ſin that muſt be firſt laid at; The inward pravity of our natures, our original corruption. Chriſts phyſick muſt be firſtly applyed to the root and fountain of our diſeaſe; thoſe ſinful natures, thoſe depraved habits and ſinful diſpoſitions within you, muſt be changed; The inward enmity muſt be ſlain, and there is nothing will do that, but the bloud of a crucified Ieſus. That is the ſoveraign medicine that muſt help and heal you. But how muſt this medicine the bloud of Chriſt be taken.

1. Chriſt himſelf muſt be taken. Chriſt offers himſelf to you to be yours, and you muſt accept of him for your own. Your hearts muſt by faith conſent unto Chriſt, to put your ſelves into his hands, to put your life into his hands, expecting and depending upon him, truſting your ſelves with him for your recovery. It is Chriſt alone, with whom I lay up all mine hopes, upon whoſe ſufficiency and faithfulneſs I will venture my ſoul: If I die, Ile die under his hand, and if I live I look for life only from him. Put your ſelves thus into the hands of Chriſt, and take Chriſt into your hearts; Take him as your own, he gives himſelf to you to be your own, Chriſt offers to every ſinner among you, I will be thine own, thine own Jeſus, thine own Saviour, if thou be willing to have me. Take him at his word; Since he ſays to thee I will be p. 64thine own, if thou wilt, let thy heart lay hold on this bleſſed word, and ſay, content Lord, ſince thou wilt, thou ſhalt be mine own, I accept thee with all my heart. Now if Chriſt be once yours, his bloud ſhall be yours, his death ſhall be yours, and all the benefits of his death. Whereas nothing of Chriſt can be yours, nor any fruit of his death, if he be not firſt yours. Let Chriſt be once imbraced by you, and if there be any purging or cleanſing, or ſin-killing ver ue in his bloud, your ſins ſhall be purged away. If all that the bloud of Chriſt can do for thee, will recover thee, thou ſhalt be recovered.

2. You muſt have frequent recourſe to the bloud of Chriſt, by renewed acts of faith. Look up to this crucified Jeſus, Caſt thy polluted ſoul into the fountain of his bloud. Zach. 13.1. He is a fountain opened for ſin and for uncleanneſs. His bloud is the fountain, caſt thy ſoul into it. You are come into the bloud of ſprinkling, Heb. 12.24. Chriſtians are ſo, and they may freely lay hold on it for their cleanſing. 1. Believe that there is ſuch vertue in him to cleanſe thy ſoul: Say with the woman. Mat. 9.21. If I may but touch him I ſhall be made whole. 2. Believe that it is free for the…. Thou mayſt come with boldneſs to him; Chriſt would have thee to be bold with him, and to lay thine help upon him. Believe that it is free for thee to lay hold on the bloud of Chriſt; and 3. Come and lay hold upon it. Lean upon him for his help, and truſt him for it. 4. Lift up a prayer to him. Lord here is a polluted dying ſoul, that is even loſt and choaked up in the mud and mire of my ſins, there is no help for me, but I muſt die and periſh in them, if thou wilt not look upon me and ſave me. In thy bowels I have hope, in thy bloud I have hope, and that is all the hope I have. O ſprinkle me with thy bloud, waſh me in thy bloud, and my ſoul ſhall live; Wherefore Lord didſt thou die? Wherefore didſt thou ſhed that precious bloud? Was it not for the recovery of loſt ſouls, for the cleanſing of polluted ſouls? Is not my poor ſoul one of the number of thoſe for whom Chriſt died? Have not I as great need of of thee as any? Is it not thou thy ſelf that haſt brought this my ſoul to thy door, crying for thine help? Lord Jeſus hear, let ſome drops of that bloud, ſome of the vertue of thy death be ſhed abroad upon my ſinful heart and it ſhall live. My ſins muſt die Lord, or my ſoul will never recover; p. 65I muſt get this luſt deſtroyed, this enmity ſlain, this proud and hard and ſtubborn heart broken, and nothing but the bloud of Chriſt the lamb will ever melt this hardneſs, or waſh me from this uncleanneſs. This will do it, and therefore here I am come before the throne of thy grace, and here I will ſtand, and look, and beg, and hope till thou hear and anſwer me, Help Lord for in thee I truſt, and look for thy ſalvation only.

2. His word. The word of God as it is food for ſouls, ſo it is medicine or phyſick for ſouls; And it hath in it a remedy for every diſeaſe.

1. It is an awakening word to ſleepy ſouls. On theſe it thunders; that it may awaken them. Miniſters muſt be as Barnabas, ſons of conſolation, ſo alſo as Boanerges ſons of thunder; And all their thunder bolts they are to have out of the word of God. O how many trumpets have been ſounded in your ears, how many thunder claps have you heard, how many thundring Sermons haſt thou heard in thy time? What, and yet art thou aſleep ſtill? Man, what is that heart of thine made of? What a dead ſleep art thou in, that art not yet awakened? This world is all aſleep, aſleep in their ſins, and therefore the Miniſters of the word are to do as the Prophet was to do, Is. 58.1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift thy voice like a trumpet and tell my people of their ſins.

Our firſt work is to call unto them as the mariners to Jonah, Ariſe ſleeper, careſt thou not that you periſh! Awake thou that ſleepeſt, ſtand up from the dead. This thunder is the voice of the Lord. Pſal. 29.6, &c. The God of glory thundereth; the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majeſtie, it breaketh Cedars, it maketh the wilderneſs ſhake; This word of the Lord which is his voice is a thundring voice: It breaketh the Cedars, the tall and mighty ſinners, and it ſhakes the wilderneſs, ſhakes up thoſe Beaſts of the earth out of ſleep. This ſleepy evil is the diſeaſe of ſinners, and it binds them up under a ſenſeleſſneſs of all their other diſeaſes, till the voice of the Lord doth ſhake them up out of ſleep.

2. It is an enlightning word that giveth ſight to the blind. In this word is that eye ſalve. Rev. 1.18. Wherewith ſinners eyes are to be anointed, that they may ſee. This eye ſalve are the inſtructions of God.

3. It is for the breaking and mollifying hard hearts. In the word is revealed,

p. 661. The righteouſneſs and ſeverity of God. Herein is the wrath of God revealed from heaven, againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men. Rom. 1.18. And thus it is Gods Hammer, whereby he breaks the rocks, and Gods Axe, Whereby he hews the blocks in pieces.

2. The goodneſs and kindneſs of God. And thus it is, Gods oyl, whereby he ſupples and diſſolves, and melts them into a plyableneſs to his will.

4. It is for the changing the tempers and inward diſpoſitions of ſinners. It is a transforming word, we are changed into the ſame image. 2. Cor. 3.18. a ſanctifying word. Joh. 17.17. Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth.

This is one of Chriſts medicines, and this medicine is to be taken. But what is it to take this medicine? Why, it is to hear the awakening word and to ſuffer it to work upon you, to be awakened by it, to receive the inſtructions of the word, and ſo to be enlightned by it, to be broken and mollified, to be transformed and changed by it.

Now this is that which I exhort you to, if you would recover, let the word of God come, let it have a free paſſage into your hearts, and let it do its work upon you. Be awakened, when you hear an awakening word, let it ſhake you up out of your ſleep. Awake ſinners, awake you that ſleep, hear the voice of the Lord, and rouze you up out of that ſecure and ſenſleſs ſtate. Where is it that thou ſleepeſt? At the very mouth of the Lions Den, on the top of a Maſt. I have heard of a drunken man riding in the night on full ſpeed, he knew not whither, rode to the top of St. Vincents Rocks near Briſtol, and the horſe and man tumbled down; the horſe was cruſhed in pieces, the man caught by the boughs of a Tree, and there fell aſleep till morning. It was a ſtrange place to ſleep in, none but a drunken man could have ever ſlept in ſuch a place. In ſuch a deſperate ſleep art thou, as upon the brow of a Rock, on the bough of a Tree, whence thou art every moment in danger of dropping down into the deep. Sleeping ſinners, this is the caſe of every one of you; it is a wonder you have not broken your necks, that you have not fallen into the deep before this day, and yet here thou art aſleep ſtill. Awake you that ſleep, and underſtand the danger you are in. 2. Get thoſe blind eyes of yours to be opened, and receive the inſtructions of the Word. p. 67Here we bring you eye-ſalve, be anointed with it, that you may ſee. 3. Get thoſe hard hearts to be broken and melted. Gods hammer is lifted up, lay that ſtony, that hard heart of thine under it, that it may be broken. Gods Ax is a hewing, come bring that knotty piece under it, that it may be cut & cloven aſunder. Conſider the ſeverity and kindneſs of God: his ſeverity, if thou ſtill continue in thine hardneſs; if his Hammer do not break thee, his Mill-ſtones, his wrath and indignation will ſhortly grind thee to powder. Conſider his ſeverity, and conſider his goodneſs and kindneſs; what a wonder is it that after thou haſt ſo long abuſed the goodneſs of God, and hardned thy ſelf againſt mercy, that mercy ſhould not have given thee off, and let thee alone to periſh without remedy. It is a mercy of God, that he is yet preaching to thee of his ſeverity: it is the mercy of God that he is yet hammering and hewing at that hard heart of thine: God is ſo good and ſo kind to thee, that he hath ſent his Word once more, to trie if any good may be done upon thee: he is loth thou ſhouldſt periſh, he would fain thou ſhouldſt recover and live: he hath pity upon thee, he hath compaſſion upon that wretched ſoul of thine, and thence is it that he continues to be dealing with thee for thy recovery. O wonder, wonder that ſuch mercy ſhould not melt thee, that ſuch goodneſs and kindneſs ſhould not wound thee to the ſoul, that thou ſhouldſt abuſe ſuch ſtrange grace; that thou ſhould yet reſiſt and ſtand it out againſt ſuch a God of compaſſion. Wonder at thy ſelf and be aſhamed, wonder and be confounded, and bluſh, and weep, and fall down now at laſt, and yield unto God. What, art thou hardned ſtill? a ſtone or a ſtock ſtill? Wilt thou go away as far from remorſe, as far from repentance as thou cameſt hither? God forbid, man; God forbid, that yet thou ſhouldſt provoke the Lord farther againſt thee. Thou haſt gone away hardned from many a Sabbath, thou haſt gone away hardned from many a Sermon, and muſt this Day and this Word leave thee as all the reſt have done? When doſt thou hope to be recovered, if thou wilt not be broken? Wilt thou ſay, it is no matter though I never be recovered, though I periſh and die in this hardned ſtate? Wouldſt thou fear to be let alone till thou be paſt recovery, to be loſt forever? Then yield to the ſtroke of the Word, and let thine heart be humbled and broken, and brought to repentance.

p. 684. Get the temper of your hearts to be changed. Let the Word work to the mollifying you, and to the changing of you; to the renewing you after the image of God in righteouſneſs and holineſs. And what ever awakenings there have been of your ſleepy conſciences, what ever light or underſtanding there may be conveyed into your minds, yea, and what ever wounds and breaches there have been made upon your hard hearts, yet till you be renewed in the very frame, and temper, and diſpoſitions of your hearts, never count your ſelves to be recovered. Thou art a loſt ſoul till thou art a ſanctified ſoul: that is, till thine heart be broken off, and brought back from the love, and luſts, and ways of this World, and brought about unto God and his holy ways, till godlineſs be gotten into thine [heart] and formed into thy nature, and thou haſt a love of it, and hearty good liking of it, and the very bent of thine heart, which was formerly towards ſin and vanity, be now towards holineſs and heaven. When thou art brought to this, this new frame of heart, then thou art recovered.

Now Sinners, let this be that you have in your eye, and upon your hearts, let this be your endeavour, let this be your prayer, that God would ſo bleſs his Word to you, that it may awaken your ſleepy conſciences, enlighten your blinded minds, ſoften and break your hardned hearts, that you may be changed and renewed after the image of God, in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, that you may be wrought into a new temper, changed into another ſpirit, loving, and ſavouring, and delighting in the holy ways of God; that Religion may become ſweet and pleaſant to you, that your ſpirits may be made ſuitable to God and his holy ways, that the food of God may reliſh with you, and the work of God may be more eaſie to you. Sick men can neither reliſh their food, nor endure their work. Doſt thou find no reliſh in Religion, Does the work of holineſs ſeem contrary to thee? Doſt thou groan under it, as that thou canſt not bear? Doſt thou groan under this praying, and repenting, and watching, and ſtriving againſt ſin, and denying thy ſelf, and mortifying thy fleſh? Canſt thou not endure to be held to ſuch work? It is a ſign that thy ſickneſs is ſtill upon thee, and thou art not recovered. O get your hearts to be ſo changed and renewed by the Word and Spirit of p. 69the Lord, that both the food of God may reliſh with you, and his work may be pleaſant.

3. His Rod. Sinners are fools, and the Rod is Phyſick for Fools. The rod is for the Fools back, Prov. 26.3. Pſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but the Rod reduced me, now have I kept thy word. Sinner, thou heareſt the awakening word, but it doth not awaken thee, thou ſleepeſt on: Thou heareſt the mollifying and breaking word, but it does not break nor mollifie thee, thou art ſtill a wilful, ſtubborn ſoul, and thine heart is ſo obſtinately ſet upon thine own looſe and wild ways, that thou wilt not be broken off thy will, nor broken off from thy courſe; but God may bring ſome affliction upon thee, bring thee into poverty, caſt thee on thy ſick bed, ſet death at thy beds foot to ſtare thee in the face, and this will tame thee: then thou mayeſt be ſpoken to, then the Word, there is hope, will enter into thee, and work upon thee. Indeed ſome ſinners are ſo deſperately hardened that neither word nor rod will do. What afflictions come, they rather ſtupifie than awaken them; They continue as very ſtocks under the ſmitings of God, as they are under his teachings, and therefore take heed, the longer thou goeſt on to harden thine heart againſt the word, there is the leſs hope that thou wilt be humbled by afflictions. Dare not to encourage your ſelves and harden your hearts againſt repentance, by hopes and purpoſes that when ſickneſs comes, and death looks thee in the face, then thou wilt repent, no no, the longer thou hardneſt thy ſelf againſt the word, the leſs hope there is that thine heart will be broken by afflictions. But ſome hope there is, that when the word awakens not, the rod may. But if that do not neither, then God be merciful unto thee, there is but one thing more and that will certainly do it, the unquenchable flames will awaken thee, Hell will do that which all the means under Heaven cannot do; But that fire will not be thy phyſick to cure thee, but thy plague to kill thy ſoul for ever.

The afflictions of this life are Gods phyſick for the recovering thy ſoul; O take this cup at the hand of the Lord, take this phyſick for thy ſoul; But what is it to take this medicine ſo as it may be recovering phyſick?

1. Submit to afflictions when God lays them on. Be patient and contented that the Lord ſhould afflict thee. Do p. 70not fret nor murmur at the afflcting hand of God. Some froward patients, if their Phyſitian be forced to give any harder phyſick it will not down, but they fret and fume againſt the phyſitian, as if he were cruel, and will not ſubmit to take what he offers them. Be patient under the hand of God, and ſubmit to what ever he layes on.

2. Conſider thine afflictions. Eccl. 7.14. In the day of adverſity conſider. Affliction is a conſidering time. Sinners, you will not conſider now, but you may have time enough to conſider it afterwards. You will neither conſider what you do. Ecleſ. 5.1. They conſider not they do evil, Nor will you conſider what the Lord ſpeaks to you, you hear our words that we ſpeak to you from the Lord, but we cannot perſwade you to conſider them. Conſider what we ſay, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things. Think over the words that you hear; It is a miſerable plague that hath ſeized upon your hearts, this inconſideration, and that which hinders you from profiting by the word, and holds you under your ſenſeleſſneſs and hardneſs of heart. Think of what you hear, think what a wretched caſe the word declares you to be in. When you hear ſuch words, He that committeth ſin is of the Devil, 1. Joh. 3.8. He that liveth after the fleſh ſhall die. Rom. 8.13. He that is not born again, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. When you hear ſuch words as theſe, then conſider, then think with your ſelf, what a word have I heard to day? Am not I concerned in it? Was not this word ſpoken to me? Am not I one that committeth ſin? Do not I live after the fleſh? Was I ever regenerated or born again? What then? Why, then think farther, Is it nothing to be of the Devil? Is everlaſting death nothing? Is it nothing to be ſhut out of the kingdom of God? Awaken O my ſleepy ſoul; yet break and melt and tremble; oh mine hardned heart, awaken, eſcape for thy Life, there is but a ſtep betwixt thee and everlaſting death. Conſider this now, whilſt the day of adverſity comes nor, but if thou ſhouldſt be ſo unwiſe as not to conſider at preſent, yet at leaſt in the day of thy diſtreſs conſider; Then think how little the word hath done to the breaking and awakening of thee; What a ſtock, what a ſenſeleſs ſtone hath it left thee! Then think, now God is uſing one means more to cure me of this ſleepy hardned heart, God hath laid this ſickneſs upon me, or this poverty upon me, to humble me p. 71and awaken me; And now I am come to my laſt remedy, if affliction, if diſtreſs, if ſickneſs, if the ſight of death, and the grave do not work upon me, nor cauſe the word which I have heard to work yet upon me, what then? Why then I am undone forever, I am within a ſtep of the Pit, juſt dropping in, and then this loſt ſoul of mine will be paſt recovery forever.

O ſinners how does this word ſit upon your hearts? Are not you greatly concerned in it? Does not thy life lie at ſtake, thy ſoul lie at ſtake, upon thy conſidering or ſlighting thy warning? O conſider, let preſent conſideration prevent the great neceſſity of ſickneſs conſideration, of death-bed conſideration. At leaſt when any of you ſhall come to be in diſtreſs, when pains ſhall come upon you or poverty come upon you, or death make its approach to you, then remember the warning of this day. In the day of adverſity conſider.

3. Take your phyſitians counſel and follow his rules. Phyſitians beſides their medicins do uſually give rules to their Patients for their well ordering themſelves, and theſe rules they muſt obſerve, or they are never like to recover and there are theſe three rules, which ordinarily Phyſitians give, which our great Phyſitian of ſouls, gives alſo to them that will be recovered by him.

1. Keep a good diet. 2. Ʋſe good exerciſe. 3. Take heed of taking cold.

1. Keep a good diet. Abſtain from all ſuch things as will nouriſh and feed your diſeaſes. What is it that hath brought thee to this wretched paſs? That hath made thee this ſick and miſerable ſoul. Thou haſt been with the prodigal, Luk. 15. Feeding upon husks. Thou haſt been with Iſrael, Iſ. 44, 20. Feeding upon aſhes. Thou haſt been with Ephraim. Hoſ. 12.1. Feeding upon wind. Theſe husks, and theſe aſhes, and this wind have been all thy poor ſoul hath been feeding upon, the vanities of this world, the luſt and the pleaſures, the carnal delights and the profits of this world, theſe are but windy food for thy ſoul, theſe are the very aſhes and husks, that have filled thee with ſuch ſore diſeaſes, thou haſt fed thine heart ſo long with theſe carnal things, thy ſoul hath been eating theſe aſhes, and drinking this wind ſo long, that it is even turned into aſhes and wind, it is becom an earthly ſoul, a fleſhly ſoul, a vain frothy ſoul, and never p. 72think to be recovered to a better caſe, till thou feed upon better food. Wouldeſt thou be recovered, and get thee a new heart, and a new ſoul? Then abſtain from thy old feeding, Abſtain from fleſhly luſts which war againſt the ſoul. 1. Pet. 2.11. Make no proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof. Rom. 13. ult. Deny all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts. Tit. 2.12. My meaning plainly is this; If ever you would recover, allow not your fleſhly appetites the liberty as formerly; Come off from your carnal pleaſures, which have been ſuch a band to you; Come off from your carnal companions, drink no more with the drunken, run not with them to their exceſs of Riot, No more ſuch vain ſportings and revellings; Not in chambring and wantonneſs, not in Riot and Drunkenneſs. Come off from this greedy worldly life, feed not your ſouls upon your lands, or your monies, or your trades; Though you muſt have ſomething of theſe for your bodies, yet feed not your hearts with them. Set not your hearts upon them, that is the advice of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 62.10. If riches increaſe, or whether they do increaſe or no, ſet not your hearts upon them. Let not your ſouls be drudges to your fleſh, to gather in proviſion for it, nor let them feed with your fleſh at the ſame trough.

You have better things for your ſouls to feed upon, you have God to feed on, you have the bloud of Chriſt, the Covenant of grace, the hope of Salvation, the joys of the ſpirit, the pleaſures of Eternity, the bread that comes down from Heaven, the wine that makes glad the city of God; Let theſe be the food of your ſouls, feed your thoughts upon them; Think often of God, of his infinite goodneſs and grace, of his eternal treaſures, and everlaſting pleaſures; Think of Chriſt, what he hath done for you, what he hath purchaſed for you, how he hath loved you, and waſhed you in his bloud, and ſaved you by his death. Feed your affections on God, and his Glory to come, feed your deſires upon him, let this be your voice. Jſ 26.8.9, The deſire of my ſoul is to thy name. Enlarge your deſires here you cannot be too greedy and of too eager an appetite. Delight your ſelves in the Lord; get the ſavour and reliſh of things ſpiritual, taſte the pleaſures of religion, taſte the ſweetneſs of Chriſtianity. Do not onelyonly ſpend now and then a ſudden thought upon God, and the things above, but live in ſuch p. 73frequent and ſerious meditation, that you may get down ſomething of the ſweetneſs and fatneſs of heaven, and digeſt holy meditations into holy affections. Never count you have thought of God to any purpoſe, till you can love, and taſte, and get out good nouriſhment for your ſouls, by which you may thrive and flouriſh, and with which you may be ſo delighted, as to wean you from the Love and Luſts of this world.

Believe it friends, as loth as you are to let go your pleaſant morſels, the ſtolen waters of your own Ciſterns, as hard as you find it to diet your ſouls, ſo as to deny your ſelves the pleaſures and contentments of a worldly fleſhly life, as ſtrongly as your hearts luſt after eaſe, and luſt after the world and the contentments thereof, get but once to be ſo inwardly acquainted with religion, as to taſte the pleaſure thereof, and you will be able to deſpiſe this carnal life, and all its advantages, and wonder at your ſelves, that ever you ſhould find out contentment in ſuch a life as you have lived.

And now your ſouls are like to flouriſh amain, when you are come to this once, to diſrelliſh your old delights, and to feed your thoughts and feed your affections on things above, and to forbear, and come off from the love and luſts and companions and pleaſures of this world, then you will live and thrive and flouriſh in the Houſe of the Lord, and grow up before him as his peculiar children whom the Lord hath ſaved.

The ſum of this direction I ſhall give you in ſhort, in theſe three particulars. If ever you would recover, 1. Abſtain from that carnal worldly life in which hitherto you have lived. 2. Abſtain from thoſe carnal companions in whoſe converſe you have delighted. 3. Delight your ſelves in God, feed your thoughts and affections upon things above.

2. Ʋſe good exerciſe. Stir your ſelves out of your lazy humours, and keep doing. Idleneſs breeds diſeaſes, exerciſe will help to the cure. Particularly exerciſe your ſelves,

1. To prayer.

2. To repentance.

3. To the keeping a good conſcience.

1. Exerciſe your ſelves to prayer. The prayer of the faithful ſhall ſave the ſick. Jam. 5.15. The ſick ſoul as p. 74well as the ſick body. Prayer is a ſtirring exerciſe, that (if performed as it ought) ſets all the powers of the ſoul on work; it is a ſtriving with God, it is a wreſtling with God, it is the lifting up of the heart, and the pouring out the ſoul to God. When thou ſetteſt thy ſelf to praying, it is both a ſign that thy recovery is begun, and an hope it will be perfected. Set your ſelves to praying, Sinners, ſtir up your ſelves to prayer; There is none that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold on thee, Iſ. 64.7. Pray and ſtir up your ſelves in prayer. It is not ſleepy, lazy, cold, formal praying, but ſtirring prayer that muſt do the cure. Stir up your deſires in prayer, be paſſionate and affectionate ſeekers, ſtir up your fears in prayer, conſider, what if I ſhould not prevail? What if the cry of my ſins ſhould be louder than the cry of my prayers? I come for the pardon of my ſins, I come for power againſt ſin, I am begging my life, and the ſaving my ſoul from going down into the Pit; my very life, my ſoul lies at ſtake, if God ſhould not hear me, I am loſt for ever. Awaken, oh my ſoul, and pour forth ſtrong cries, bow thy ſelf with thy might before the Lord.

Plead with God, poor ſinner, for that poor miſerable ſoul of thine, plead with him upon his mercies, upon his bowels, upon his promiſes, upon the bloud of Chriſt. Take unto thee words, Lord I am a miſerable ſinful ſoul, I am a loſt creature, I am ſick unto death, I am bound in the chains of my ſins, and cannot get looſe, I am a blind, hardned, defiled creature; theſe eyes muſt be opened, this heart muſt be broken, this filth and pollution muſt be waſhed away, or I ſhall be ſwallowed up of the pit. Where are thy bowels, O Lord? Art thou a God of pity, and haſt thou no pity for me? Where is thy promiſe, Lord? Thou haſt ſaid, Ask and you ſhall have, ſeek and you ſhall find, knock and it ſhall be opened unto you. To whom haſt thou ſpoken this word? Is it not to me as well as to others? Where is the bloud of Chriſt, doth it not ſpeak for ſinners? Doth it not make interceſſion for tranſgreſſors? It doth Lord, thou haſt ſaid it doth. And what doth this bloud ſpeak? Lord forgive this poor ſinner that comes to thee for pardon; Lord purge him with thy bloud, Lord heal him with thy bloud, Lord give him that new heart and life which he comes for. O, doth this precious bloud ſpeak thus for me, and wilt thou not hear?

p. 75Sinners, if ever you would be recovered, ſet upon this exerciſe, and keep you to it. Go to God this night, be with him again to morrow morning, and again in the evening, and every day as duly as the day comes, go alone and retire your ſelves into the preſence of God, fall upon your knees, and pour forth your ſouls in your requeſts to him. Beware you neither neglect it, and beware you do not trifle at it: do not deceive your ſelves with the ſhadow or image of Prayer in ſtead of Prayer. Conſider, thou art upon a matter of life and death when thou goeſt to prayer; and let that awaken and ſtir up all thy powers in it.

Friends, I doubt either that you do not pray, or that it is but mock-praying, that too many of you ſatisfie your ſelves withal. O what pitiful, haſty, ſhort, dead praying is it, that thou ſatisfieſt thy ſelf with? Trace thy ſelf into thy praying corners, conſider how ſeldom thou art there, how quickly thou haſt done, how miſerably thou ſhuffleſt over thy duties, without life or affection; what is this but mock-prayer, will ſuch praying recover thy loſt ſoul? No, thou ſeeſt it will not: thou art the ſame man, of the ſame ſpirit, running the ſame courſe, from one week to another, from one year to another, without any change for the better. It may be ſaid of ſuch praying, as it was ſaid of the falſe Prophets preaching, Jer. 6.14. They heal the hurt of my people ſlightly. Slight praying is attended but with ſlight healing: ſomething it ſeems to do, it skins over the wound that it ſmart not for the time, it keeps people quiet for the time, but it will never work a thorough cure. Your wound is deeper, your diſeaſe is eaten into your fleſh and your bone, to your heart and your ſoul, and your medicine muſt go as deep as your diſeaſe. There muſt be deep ſighs and groans, and deep deſires that muſt come up from the bottom of your hearts, or they will never reach the bottom of your diſeaſe. Be aſhamed of your ſlightneſs, be aſhamed of your folly, that you ſhould ever think that God would help you the ſooner for ſuch trifling and mocking prayers.