Instructions About Heart-Work, Text (3 of 8)

Instructions About Heart-Work · Text (3 of 8)

p. 75Oh pray, and exerciſe your ſelves in prayer. Stir up all within you to this work; look to your ſelves, I am afraid that this duty, which is a means of recovery, may prove the loſs of your ſouls: I am afraid leſt the Lord, the jealous God that will not be mocked, I am afraid that p. 76he may damn you for your prayers, your trifling mocking prayers. Dare not to trifle any longer; dare not for thy life, that the Lord ever again meet thee in thy cloſet, meet thee on thy knees with nothing but the ſacrifice of Fools, a few heartleſs words upon thy lips. Beloved I can hardly paſs over this word thus, there being ſo much weight lying upon it, and yet there being ſo much hardneſs of heart under this ſoul-deceiving and ſoul-damning practice ſhuffling in prayer. What ſay you? Have I ſaid enough yet? Are you yet made ſenſible how much you are, many of you, concerned in this word? Are you yet ſenſible how greatly guilty you are of this miſerable hypocriſie? Will all that I have ſaid yet do, to bring you to be ſerious and in good earneſt in every prayer you make? Are you come to this, well, I hope I ſhall mock God no more, I hope I ſhall trifle in prayer no more? Are you reſolved to put your hearts to it, and to trie what you can do, and never leave trying till you are come to it, to make every prayer, one of the moſt ſerious and hearty exerciſes of your life? Then would there be hope of recovery out of all your diſeaſes.

2. Exerciſe your ſelves to repentance. Repentance ſignifies a change, a change of the mind originally; ſo thoſe two words by which it is expreſſed in Scripture, ſignifie poſt factum ſapere, after we have plaid the fools by ſin, to come to be wiſe, ſo wiſe as to ſee our folly, ſo to ſee our folly as to grieve for it, and ſo to grieve, ut corrigere, to amend and do ſo no more. This change is ordinarily brought on by convulſions and troubleſome commotions in the heart; there is a ſorrow that works this repentance, 2 Cor. 7.10. Godly ſorrow worketh repentance to ſalvation. This Repentance is not diſpatched all at once, but is carried on and perfected by degrees. Repentance is a grace, and it is an exerciſe. A grace it is, as it is given us of God through Jeſus Chriſt, Acts 5.31. To give repentance unto Iſrael, &c. An exerciſe as it reſpects our own acts, which this grace cauſeth us to put forth, 2 Cor. 7.10. This ſelf-ſame thing, that ye ſorrowed after a godly manner, what carefulneſs it wrought in you, yea what clearing of your ſelves, what indignation, what fear, what deſire, what zeal, what revenge?

Get the grace of repentance, and live in the daily exerciſe of repentance.

p. 771. Keep your minds working, to maintain that change that is begun. Have you ſeen the folly of ſin, and the miſery of ſin, and how much better it is to turn and come about from it to holineſs? Are you come to be of this judgment, that you were mad to follow the Devil, and your luſts; that you could never have lived in ſuch a ſtate, and gone on in ſuch a courſe as you have, unleſs you had been mad men? Are you gotten into ſo good a mind? Keep you in it. Exerciſe your thoughts, caſt an eye back upon your former evils, and that which God hath made known to you of the miſery of them. Think often what it is to be a loſt ſoul, a captive to the Devil; think what a Fool, what a Beaſt thou wert whileſt thou livedſt ſuch a proud, and covetous, and carnal, ſenſual, laſcivious, and ſottiſh life: and by ſuch thoughts make thy ſelf as odious to thy ſelf as thou canſt; get to a loathing and abominating of thy evil ways. This is that which is promiſed Ezek. 6.9. They ſhall loath themſelves, for the evils they have committed.

Get this ſelf loathing by ſtudying and remembring what thou waſt, and ripping up all thine old ſores, that fooliſh filthy heart and life of thine; hereby work thy ſelf to this loathing, and maintain a conſtant diſguſt and diſlike of thy former ſtate. Art thou now in ſo good a mind, as to hate thy ſelf for thy ſin? be never reconciled to it, ſo as ever to think good thoughts of thy evil ways as long as thou liveſt.

2. Exerciſe your affections: Your ſorrow for ſin, your fear of ſin, your indignation or anger againſt ſin your deſire after power and victory over it. Keep theſe penitent affections working, maintain that godly ſorrow, and fear, and indignation: Keep your ſorrow alive, keep your fears working, and your indignation burning againſt your iniquities. Let theſe zealous paſſions and affections againſt ſin, be ſo raiſed, as never to be allayed; let the fire of your holy jealouſie be ſo kindled, as never to be quenched; let the thoughts of the evil and odiouſneſs of ſin, be the fuel to keep that holy fire burning, and the Bellows to blow it up into a greater flame.

3. Exerciſe your care and conſideration how you may compleat and confirm your recovery. The word it may be, is but yet begun with you; You do but begin to be wiſe, begin to be ſober and ſerious; there is many a good p. 78and hopeful beginning goes back, and comes to nothing; live in a dayly care of reforming and amending farther what hath been amiſs. The top of repentance ſtandeth in amendment, if you ſhould ſee your ſins to be fooliſh, and odious never ſo much, if you ſhould be grieved and aſhamed of your ſelves for them, if the thoughts of the courſe you have lived, ſhould make you afraid, and ſet you a trembling over your old wonted ſtate and way, if you do not amend that is no repentance. If you ſhould ſay, I hate ſin, and hate my ſelf for it, I hate my ſelf for this pride, I hate my ſelf for this covetouſneſs, I hate my ſelf for this frowardneſs, and yet you have not the power to reſiſt it, and come off from it, you ſorrow and ſin, you fear and ſin, you are angry with your ſelf for ſin, and yet go on; this is no repentance. Iſ. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his wickedneſs &c.

The top of repentance ſtands in amendment, and the amendment of repentance, muſt be compleating every day. Jer. 7.5. If ye throughly amend your ways, if ye throughly execute Judgment &c. Then will I cauſe you to dwell in the Land. It is not an half recovery, a partial amendment, but a perfect recovery that muſt be in your eye. There is a great difference betwixt theſe two, being upon recovery, and being recovered. Are you upon recovery? it is well you are, it is more than the moſt of ſinners are; there is not the leaſt ſign of recovery, there is not the leaſt ſign of amendment, there are nothing but death tokens upon them. Sinners I doubt this may be many of your caſes, you are not ſo much as beginning to recover; your diſeaſe is ſtill in its ſtrength, and growing upon you; you are not amending, but you are hardning dayly in your ſins, going on to have leſs ſenſe, and ſo leſs hope of a cure. But art thou O ſinner, art thou upon recovery? It is well thou art; but let not that ſatisfie thee, that thou art upon the recovering hand, but get thee to be recovered. And this is that you are to be exerciſing your ſelf in, to get you to be on the mending hand every day; labour to grow better and better, not only to get a deeper ſenſe of ſin, but to get more power over ſin, more victory over your evil hearts, more contempt of the world and its temptations, more ſcorn of your carnal companions, and more indignation againſt a carnal ſenſual life, and more firmneſs and reſolvedneſs of heart, to have done with p. 79every evil and vain way, and the temptations to it. I ſay, the temptations to it, for whatever oppoſition there ſeems to be of the heart againſt ſin, yet if there be a venturing upon temptations, if thou thinkeſt thou hateſt drunkenneſs or a jolly vain life, and yet wilt be thruſting in amongſt thoſe that are ſuch, if thou ſayſt thou hateſt this worldly mindedneſs, and yet art never well but when thou art greedily heaping up what ſhould feed thy worldly diſeaſe, never talk of hating the ſin; if thou fear not, if thou ſhun not the temptation, thou ſtill loveſt the ſin.

Well ſinners, ſet your hearts upon a perfect amendment, and keep your ſelves in ſuch a conſtant exerciſe of repentance, that you may amend more and more every day. Conſider, is it better with thee to day than it was yeſterday? or at leaſt, is it better with thee this year than it was laſt year, or ſome years agone? Is it better or is it worſe? Or art thou in the ſame caſe? What hope haſt thou to be recovered, if there be no amendment all this while?

To provoke you to the preſent and conſtant exerciſing your ſelves to repentance. I will propoſe ſome queſtions to you.

Q. 1, What do you think of your former ſtate, and your ways hitherto? Is it well with you? Are you not loſt ſouls, and your carnal ways are they not the ways of perdition? Have ye lived like wiſe underſtanding men? Do ye think ye have? Will you ſay, I have done wiſely in following the wine and ſtrong drink, in following my companions and my pleaſures? I have dealt wiſely to live ſuch a covetous and worldly life, I ſhould have been a fool to have been a Chriſtian, or a convert, to have left all and have followed Chriſt, from my firſt time! You have liv'd a fleſhly and worldly life you cannot deny that, but let me ask you as the Apoſtle did the Romans. Rom. 6.21. What fruit had ye of thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed. Are you come ſo far towards repentance as to be aſhamed of your former folly? What fruit have you? What is there now remaining to you, as the fruit of your former ways? O I have ſome good fruit, I hope I have lived a worldly life I have got the world about me, I have got me an eſtate, and am become a rich man, I ſhould have been poor enough, if I had hearkned to Chriſt and p. 80come back from the world ſooner, this houſe is the fruit, this money is the fruit, theſe lands are the fruits of my labors. Would praying and repenting and forſaking the world, have ever brought me to ſuch an eſtate as now I have? And do you yet ask me what fruit have ye of your worldlineſs!

Anſwer. 1. But are theſe the fruits you can ſatisfie your ſelves in? Are theſe the fruits you can bleſs your ſelves in? Will theſe eſtates anſwer for you to your Judge? And make way for you into the everlaſting Kingdom? Will this be a good plea for entrance into Heaven, ſet open the door for here comes a rich man, a monied man, a landed man, let him have entrance into the Everlaſting Kingdom? Freinds, what you have thus gotten, will ſink you, and drown you in perdition, and deſtruction, but never he p you to glory, and this is the good fruit you boaſt of, that you have gotten ſuch weights about your necks, as will drown you in the Pit.

But 2. What fruit have [you] of your ways that have lived at eaſe, and lived in pleaſure, in idleneſs or wantonneſs, or exceſs of riot, in ſporting and laughing, and carnal jollity? What is become of all the pleaſures of your life? What fruit is there remaining of all thy crackling thorns? Are they not all burnt to aſhes and vaniſhed away as a dream?

3. Have all your former ways done any thing to the recovering of your loſt ſouls? Have not they left you ſons of perdition, nay, are you not become ſeven times more the children of Hell by theſe practiſes than you were by nature? Thou wert naturally a child of wrath, Epheſ. 2.3. and you have by practice been children of diſobedience, as verſe 2. and hath your diſobedience delivered you from wrath?

I ſay therefore again, What do you think of your ſelves, and your ways. The Judgment of God, you ſee what it is, you are a child of diſobedience, and a child of wrath, and what is your Judgment? What are your own thoughts of your ſelves? Does not your Judgment, and your conſcience tell you, ſure it is an evil caſe that I am in? No wiſe man would ever ſtay a minute longer in ſuch a ſtate or way. Have you come ſo far towards repentance as to change your mind? Are there any of you of better minds than you have been? Is this now your p. 81mind and your ſetled judgment, It would be good for me to repent, and come about to God? Have you any mind to Chriſt, any mind to godlineſs, and ſerious Chriſtianity?

Q. 2. Will you continue in your former ſtate and way, or will you endeavour for recovery? If you ſay you have a mind to be a Convert and become a new man, will you ſet your hearts to it, will you exerciſe your thoughts about it? will you ſet to praying for repentance, to reſiſting and ſtriving againſt your old ſins? Will you go on as before, or will you come back? Who is there among you that hath yet the heart to ſay, O I have done with my old ways, I have done with my old companions, I have done with this World, I have done with this fleſhly life, I am aſhamed, I am afraid, I repent that I have lived ſuch a life hitherto: the Lord change my heart, the Lord help me to change my way. What ſay you Chriſtians, it is an important queſtion to anſwer, the Lord God puts you this day to it, to be plain and downright, and in good earneſt to reſolve what you will do. What ſay you? Who of you are for repenting, and who for going on in your ſins? God puts you to it, and in the name of God put your ſelves to it, to give in your anſwer. What do you mean to do, will you hearken to the Lord, or will you yet go on to harden your hearts? Have theſe words ſo far prevailed upon you, as to bring you into a good mind? Have you a mind and purpoſe to return.

Q. 3. Shall it ſuffice you to take up with the beginnings of repentance, or will you make thorough-work. Shall it ſuffice you to ſet your faces towards God, or will you come home to him? Jer. 4.1. O Iſrael, if thou wilt return, return unto [me.] Come not towards me, and then ſtay at half way; but come home to me, come thorough to me. Repentance is diſpatched by degrees; firſt thoſe that were running away are brought about to be looking, and making towards God; then thoſe that are afar off, are coming near to God; then thoſe that are come near, do come in to God; and then thoſe that are come in, do by degrees fix and confirm their hearts upon God, that they may never go back to the way of ſin.

What is it that will ſatisfie you? Shall it ſuffice you to be looking towards God, or coming half way towards Heaven? or are you for coming home, for coming in to the p. 82Lord? for making ſure work, for making thorough work? If you are ſo, for being thorough-Converts, this will require time, this will require pains, and conſtant exerciſing your ſelves to repentance as long as you live. You muſt continue repenting, as long as you continue ſinning; you muſt confirm and eſtabliſh your hearts againſt all returns to the old ſtate and courſe, as long as there is danger of relapſing. What if you ſhould begin well, and then give off or make a ſtand? What if you ſhould lay by your ſorrow for ſin, lay down your fear of ſin, and run into temptations to ſin without fear, if you ſhould give off your watch and your warrings againſt ſin? What do you think would become of you if you ſhould? How would you tumble back into the Pit, from which you ſeemed to be delivered? Do what you can Friends, to make ſure work; Have you gotten any ſenſe of ſin, and of the neceſſity of turning? Exerciſe your thoughts and your hearts upon this thing while you live. You will never whilſt you live here, ſee to the bottom of the evil that is in ſin. Haſt thou by thinking, and ſearching, found out ſomething of the evil of ſin? Think again, ſearch again, and thou ſhalt yet ſee greater abominations, greater malignity in it. You may as eaſily ſee to the height of heaven, or to the depth of hell, as to the bottom of ſin. Sin can never be thoroughly known till God be thoroughly known. It is an abuſe of God, an abuſe of infinite grace, and goodneſs, and holineſs: as often as thou ſinneſt, thou affronteſt and abuſeſt the God of heaven and earth. Thou thinkeſt it a ſmall matter to tell a lie, or to pilfer and purloin, if it be but trifles thou ſtealeſt; but is it a ſmall matter to abuſe the Almighty God? to tread upon his authority, who hath ſaid, lie not, thou ſhalt not ſteal, thou ſhalt not covet? Is it a ſmall matter to ſpit in his face, to ſlight his bowels, to tread upon his mercy, and to throw it back upon him, and refuſe it when he offers it? Such and much more malignity is there in ſin than all this, and therefore be thinking and ſearching out the evil of ſin more and more, as long as you live. Study much the evil of ſin, and the preciouſneſs of Chriſt, and give not over till you can no longer either make light of ſin, or make light of Chriſt; and when ſin is become grievous, and Chriſt is become pretious; when ſin is ſo grievous that you cannot bear it, when Chriſt is ſo pretious that you cannot want him, that is a ſign of a recovered ſoul, 1 Pet. 2.7. p. 83To them which believe he is pretious. And where Chriſt is pretious, it is ſure there ſin is odious. O if Chriſt hath once recovered you, how dear will he be to you? You will prize him in your very hearts, you will love him while you live, you will be afraid how you grieve or offend him. And when you are recovered from ſin, how will you look back upon it? will you love, will you luſt after your old ways again? Will you wiſh your ſelves Worldlings again, Senſualiſts again? Will you bethink the eaſe you have loſt, the pleaſures you have loſt, the companions you have loſt? Will you not thank God that you are come out from among them, and have eſcaped that miſery that is coming upon the World? The more you live in the conſtant exerciſe of repentance, the more you will admire the recovering grace of God, and the more you will abhor to return to folly.

Repentance is your recovery, if God give you repentance, you may recover, and your continuing in the exerciſe of repentance is your maintaining, and perfecting, and confirming your recovery. You are not gotten ſo far off from the ſtate of ſin, but your continued exerciſe of repentance will get you farther off daily. Your repentance is your getting upon ſure ground, and your continued repentance is your ſtanding your ground; your giving off at your repenting work will be your relapſe, and it may be into a worſe caſe than before, Joh. 5.14. Behold thou art made whole, ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee. Behold thou art made whole, O what a word is that? How do you think that poor impotent man, that had been ſo 38 years, was raviſhed at that word? What if the Lord ſhould now ſpeak the word to any ſinner among you that had been even aſtoniſhed with the ſenſe of his ſin and his guilt; that had lien as long at the Ordinances as the poor man at the Pool, expecting and hoping for a ſaving change, and could find none. If Chriſt ſhould come to thee this day, and ſay, Behold thou art made-whole, thy ſins are forgiven, and thy ſoul is cleanſed from them; If that word ſhould be ſpoken to thee this day, how would thine heart leap for joy? What ſhould we hear from thee but praiſes and thankſgiving? Well, but yet conſider the words that follow, ſin no more, ſtand thy ground, leſt a worſe thing come to thee: thy caſe hath been very ſad formerly, but as ſad as it hath been, look to find it worſe, p. 84if thou return to folly, Pſal. 85.8. God will ſpeak peace, but let them not return to folly: at their peril let them look to it, that they do not return. But of this more in the next.

Now Sinners, will you yet at laſt be perſuaded to ſet upon this work of repenting? Will you ſay you cannot? Why then you muſt die of your diſeaſe, die eternally. But why, can you not? O it is a painful life, it is contrary to me, I have found ſuch eaſe and ſuch pleaſure, and ſuch gain in mine old ways, that I cannot part with them: what, not for the ſaving of thy life? Is thine eaſe better than Chriſt? Are thy gains more worth than thy ſoul? Wilt thou to hell rather than turn? As ſure as thou liveſt thither thou muſt, if thou repent not, Luke 13.3. Except ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. God hath ſaid, the ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die, Ezek. 18. and God will never repent of that word as to thee unleſs thou repent of thy ſins. What, art thou reſolved for hell? Art thou reſolved to ſacrifice that fleſh and thoſe bones of thine to the fury of the Devil? Art thou a captive to the Devil, and wilt thou never recover out of his ſnares? Shall he carry thee with him to his home? Shall be that hath had the leading of thee, have the burning of thee? O why will ye die? Turn and live, count upon it, there is but one way with you, every one of you, either turn or die.

3. Exerciſe your ſelves to the keeping a good conſcience. Acts 24.26. Herein do I exerciſe my ſelf.

This is an hard exerciſe and will hold us in continual work. There are many things required to the keeping a good conſcience, all which muſt be well looked to. Amongſt others,

1. Get a good conſcience; or get conſcience recovered from thoſe evils it labours under. There are two ſpecial evils in and upon conſcience.

Guilt.

Guile.

1. Guilt, there is guilt upon the conſcience, every ſin leaves guilt behind it, The whole world is become guilty before God. Rom. 3.15. Becauſe the whole world are ſinners, or ſubject to the Judgment of God. But then there is guilt upon the man, and guilt upon the conſcience. There are ſome ſins, that leave guilt upon the man, but do not, immediatly leave guilt upon the conſcience as ſins of ignorance, theſe leave guilt upon the man, but not allways p. 85upon the conſcience, becauſe ſuch ſins conſcience does not, nor can take notice of, and ſo they cannot be called ſins againſt conſcience. Guilt there is upon conſcience: 1. When conſcience through remiſſneſs or neglect does not take notice of them, nor charge the ſoul to take heed of them. 2. When though conſcience does know ſin to be ſin, and thoſe particular acts, that I am tempted to, to be ſinful acts, yet luſt prevails to bring us on upon the commiſſion of them againſt conſcience. Thou knoweſt that lying is a ſin▪ thy conſcience tells thee ſo and yet thou wilt lye; Thou knoweſt that drunkenneſs, that defrauding, that profaning the ſabbath, that neglect to pray, and to hear, are ſins; And thy conſcience tells thee they are, and yet thou wilt lye, or be drunk, or work, or travel upon the Lords day, neglect to pray, &c. This leaves a guilt upon thy conſcience. O how great, O how dreadful guilt is there upon the conſciences of many of us? How many bills of indictment will thy conſcience have, to bring forth againſt thee before thy Judge? The guilt of neglecting Chriſt, the guilt of hardning thy heart againſt mercy, beſides all the guilt of thine oaths, and of thy drunkenneſs, and of thy covetouſneſs, and of thy lying, and ſtealing and ſcoffing, all this guilt lyes upon thee, and this is one thing that conſcience muſt be recovered from, ere it can be a good conſcience.

2. Guile, or falſhood, or treachery of conſcience. Conſcience will juggle and deal deceitfully, it will diſpenſe with, or give allowance of ſin, it will connive and wink at iniquity. Some ſins which can be better ſpared, it reſiſts, others, ſuch as intereſt or inclination lead more ſtrongly to, it lets them paſs, and will not ſee them to be ſin, and therefore dares not examine whether they be ſin or no. This is a guileful conſcience, it is true of Chriſtians what is ſaid of Nathaniel. Joh. 1.47. An Iſraelite indeed in whom there is no guile. Pſal. 32.2. Bleſſed is the man in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile. This is a good conſcience, that is plain and honeſt and faithful. Heb. 13.18. We truſt ye have a good conſcience in all things willing to live honeſtly.

Now theſe being the diſeaſes in conſcience, guilt and guile, from theſe we muſt get them recovered, and their recovery muſt be wrought, by bloud and water. By the bloud of Chriſt, Heb. 5.14. How much more ſhall the p. 86loud of Chriſt purge your conſciences? And by water alſo, by he water of ſanctification, and by the water of repentance. Penitent tears have their uſe to the waſhing of conſcience. Sinners take heed, have no guilt upon your conſciences, have you no guile in your conſciences. O how dreadfully guilty, O how miſerably guileful hath that conſcience of thine been! Get your conſciences purged, get the bloud of Chriſt to be ſprinkled upon them. Draw water, ſo the pouring forth penitent tears is expreſſed.. 1. Sam. 7.6. They drew water and poured it forth before the Lord and faſted that day. Draw water ſinners, weep before the Lord for your ſins, and this will be the waſhing your conſciences from the guilt and guile that is upon them.

2. Keep conſcience working? Though method would require that I ſpeak to this, of keeping conſcience under the next general, the keeping of the heart yet I chooſe rather to ſpeak to it here. Keep conſcience working. A lazy ſleeping conſcience is good for nothing, it is a ſtirring working conſcience that does its office, that muſt induſtriouſly be maintained. Conſcience hath

1. An eye.

2. A Book.

3. A Tongue.

4. A Scepter.

1. An eye. And the eye of conſcience muſt be kept open The eye of conſcience is even as the eye of God, it may be ſaid of conſcience in its meaſure, as of God, Pſal. 139.2.3. Thou knoweſt my down fitting and upriſing, thou underſtandeſt my thoughts, and art acquainted with all my wayes. The eye of conſcience beholds our very inwards, all things are naked and open, even before that conſcience with which we have to do, and this is ſomthing you have to keep you doing, to keep the eye of conſcience open. Let not conſcience wink at your follies, let it ſee and obſerve what ever you do.

2. A Book. A Regiſter or book of records, where it writes down what it ſees. Jer. 17.1. The ſin of Judah is written— It is graven upon the tables of the hearts, the meaning there is, it hath entered into their hearts, it hath corrupted and eaten into their hearts, there are the ſcars and impreſſions of it upon them; Their iniquities have marked them, and marked them in their very hearts p. 87for vile and ungodly ones. This graving of ſin upon the heart, notes the hearts defilement; the corrupting of the heart; But then there is a writing for remembrance, a writing of ſcores, or books of account; and thus mens ſins are written in the book of conſcience▪ now this alſo muſt be looked to, that conſcience be faithful, and book down all our ſins, that they may be remembred by us and repented of.

The book of conſcience will be written, whether men will or no, if conſcience will be negligent, and will not write down its own faults, God will do it and will write down all our ſins, if conſcience will not; If we mark not, God will mark them. Jer. 2.22. Thine iniquity is marked before [me]. If we record not, God will record them. What conſcience writes conſcience may read and remember, but what God writes (upon the neglect of conſcience) ſinners cannot read, or remember now, but there it ſhall all be to be ſeen at the great day of accounts, when the book ſhall be opened, and read before Angels and men.

Sinners, what is there written in thoſe books within you? Are your ſins written there? Hath conſcience kept a record of them? It is well if it have; look into that book, read over and remember all your ways; go and ask thy conſcience, if thou haſt not been a Lyar, if thou haſt not been a ſwearer, a Drunkard, a covetous liver, a fleſh pleaſer, ask thy conſcience if it hath not been ſo. How many have been thy lyes, how many have been thine oathes, how many drunken bouts, how many rioting days how many greedy and covetous practices, haſt thou been guilty of? Look into that book in thy boſom; if conſcience hath been faithful there thou maieſt read and remember, and ſo come to be humbled for them. But if conſcience hath not noted theſe things, but hath been aſleep, and let thee alone to run thy courſe, without its keeping an account, yet God hath written down all. Though thou haſt forgotten what thou haſt been, though thou haſt forgotten or taken no notice of what thou haſt done, yet God hath his book of remembrance againſt thee, thine iniquities are all marked before him Theſe things thou haſt done and I kept ſilence, but I will reprove thee, and ſet thy ſins in order before thee, Pſal. 50.21— The Lord ſtood by and ſaw thee, when thou wert in thy p. 88cups, the Lord hearkened and heard all thine oaths, & thy lies, and though he kept ſilence, and let thee alone for the time, and ſaid little to reprove or affright thee, yet thou ſhalt ſee, and know, that he ſaw thee where ever thou were, and marked what ever thou haſt done, thou ſhalt know it by this, that he will hereafter reprove thee and ſet all thy ſins in order before thee. And O what a fearful ſight will that be, when thou ſhalt have the black roll of all the wickedneſs that thou haſt done in thy life, at once preſented to thy view. Now you would be ready to ſay, I know nothing by my ſelf, or no great matters at leaſt, thou haſt but a few things againſt thy ſelf, and thoſe few thou counteſt ſmall matters; But when God ſhall bring forth the whole roll, and force thee to read every line, and to ſee every ſin in its colours, then ſhalt thou ſee every one of thy ſins, as ſo many Devils to torment thee forever. Sinner how doſt thou think thou ſhalt look in that day? how will thy face grow pale, and thy countenance be changed, and thy bones tremble at ſuch an horrid ſight of all thy ſins at once? O prevent this miſery by getting Conſcience to be faithful; let Conſcience keep its Book open, and write down all thy ways, that there thou maiſt read them at preſent, and remember them in order to thy repentance, and their being blotted out by the bloud of the Lamb.

3. A Tongue. Conſcience is called by a Proverb, the Preacher in the boſom: How ſhall this Preacher preach if he hath not a tongue to ſpeak? God be merciful to thoſe Congregations which have dumb Prieſts, and to thoſe ſinners that have dumb Conſciences. How long may poor Congregations ſit under a dumb Prieſt, ere they hear any thing to purpoſe, either of their duty or their faults? they may be blind and ignorant ſouls, and never hear one word of inſtruction, or of the danger of their ignorance; they may be without Chriſt, and without God in the World, and ſo may continue to their dying day, and never hear one word to bring them to Chriſt, or turn them to God. They may be Liars, Drunkards, Swearers, Sabbath-breakers, or what they will; and whatever they be, they never hear a word to bring them to repentance. They may live without prayer, reading, or ſo much as thinking of God, or their everlaſting ſtate, and not a word ſpoken to bring them to theſe neceſſary duties. And juſt thus p. 89ſadly it fares, with people that are under dumb conſciences. They may do what they will, be as wicked as they will, and conſcience lets them alone. Sinner, doſt thou not find this to be true, in thy caſe? Thou canſt go all thy days without ſerious prayer, no prayer in ſecret, no prayer in the family, thou canſt live in this reſpect, like a very heathen, and thou canſt lye, and ſwear, and drink, and ſcoff, and be covetous, and what ſays conſcience to all this? Not a word. Thy conſcience may ſay in its wickedneſs, as God ſaid in his righteouſneſs, Theſe things thou haſt done and I kept ſilence. Such mens conſciences, it may be ſaid of them as concerning David towards his ſon Adonijah. 1. Kings. 1.6. His father had not diſpleaſed him at any time, in ſaying why haſt thou done ſo. Mens conſciences will not diſpleaſe them, will not diſpleaſe their luſts, but will let them alone, and ſay nothing to them, good nor bad. How often doſt thou hear of thy conſcience? When did it check thee, or reprove thee, or warn thee? When doſt thou hear ſuch a word within thee, How ſhall I do this wickedneſs and ſin againſt God? With what conſcience can I be thus falſe or fraudulent, or froward? With what conſcience can I keep ſuch vain or lewd company? With what conſcience can I live without prayer, or any thing of the worſhip of God in my houſe? Is there any conſcience in this lying, or promiſe-breaking, or deceitful dealing? Is there any conſcience in this idle careleſs life, to live thus in the neglect of God and my ſoul? When doſt thou hear ſuch a word within thee? thou haſt a conſcience ſuch as it is, but it hath loſt its tongue, and will not reprove thee, or warn thee, but let thee alone to follow thy luſt and humour, without controul; and in what a woful caſe art thou, that art under ſuch a dumb conſcience? We read that Chriſt, in great wrath ſaid to his Diſciples, concerning the Phariſees, Mat. 15.14. Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind, let them alone, ſay nothing to them. Hath Chriſt ſaid thus to conſcience, concerning thee? Let him alone, ſay not a word to him, let him be blind while he will, let him be hardned while he will, ſpeak no more to him to awaken him? Is not this a dreadful caſe?

O Friends, pray for a faithful conſcience, that will not ceaſe to warn you from day to day. Do not muzzle the mouth of conſcience, encourage your conſciences to p. 90ſpeak to you, by giving them free leave to ſpeak; yea, by asking and enquiring of conſcience, Conſcience what ſayeſt thou to this courſe I am going on in? If I ask my will or my affections, or my luſts concerning theſe vain ways, theſe all are pleaſed, and like it that I go on thus: But what ſayeſt thou, O my conſcience? Is it good that I be a Worldling, or a Senſualiſt, or a Liar, or unjuſt or unmerciful? Is this as God would have it? Is this the life that God is well pleaſed with? Ask conſcience ſuch queſtions, and put conſcience to it, to give in its anſwer, and there is hope it will ſpeak: And then hear what conſcience ſpeaks. If conſcience ſpeak and ſpeak, and men will not hear, this is the next way to ſtop its mouth; a deaf ear will make a dumb conſcience. If conſcience ſpeaks and it cannot be heard, if the warnings and items of conſcience be born down by luſt and appetite, this is the next way to put conſcience to ſilence, that it ſpeaks no more.

Sinners, you have been hitherto conſulting with fleſh and bloud, taking counſel of ſenſe and appetite, and carnal intereſt; and whileſt conſcience hath kept ſilence, you ſee in what away you have gone on. Would you have conſcience ſpeak, or have it hold its peace? Will you henceforth enquire of conſcience, what it does in earneſt judge of your preſent life? what it does judge beſt for you from henceforth to do? Will you hear conſcience when it ſpeaks? Will you be guided and governed by conſcience? I will not henceforth pleaſe my ſelf, but will endeavour to pleaſe God and conſcience, to live a conſciencious life: that is the beſt way to recover thy conſcience, to recover its ſpeech. Thy conſcience is ready to die, if it become ſpeechleſs. When ſick men are come to be ſpeechleſs, we count them dying. That conſcience of thine that hath ſo long lien ſpeechleſs, it will die if thou take not ſome ſudden courſe to recover its ſpeech. O get you a ſtirring lively conſcience that will not hold its peace.

4. A Scepter. Conſcience is to be the Governour in the ſoul; God hath ſaid to Conſcience as he ſaid to Chriſt, Pſal. 110.2. Be thou ruler in the midſt of thine enemies. Thou liveſt in the midſt of enemies; all within, the carnal mind, the carnal will, the carnal affections, every luſt of the heart, theſe are all enemies to conſcience; p. 91but yet God ſays to it, conſcience be thou ruler in the midſt of thine enemies. Thoſe that are under the government of God he puts them all under the government of Conſcience; as Iſaac ſaid to Eſau, when he came for a bleſſing after Jacob had been bleſſed before him, I have, ſays he, made him thy Lord, and thou ſhalt be his ſervant; though thou ſhalt break his yoke from off thy neck. So God ſays to the heart and all within it, I have made conſcience your Lord, you will break its yoke from off your necks, you will all conſpire to rebel and to reſiſt conſcience, to blind, and to muzzle, and deſtroy conſcience, [Luſt is Conſciences deadly enemy] but yet I have ſaid to conſcience, be thou ruler in the midſt of thi…e enemies.

All the World are governed by God or the Devil, and both theſe Governours have their Viceroys; Conſcience is the Viceroy of God, and Luſt is the Viceroy of the Devil. Now theſe two Viceroys contend who ſhall have the dominion, who ſhall have the government in the ſoul. Luſt cannot endure that Conſcience ſhould bear any ſway. Carnal earthly minded men will rather mock at conſcience than be governed by it. Luſt will not endure that Conſcience ſhould bear the ſway, and Conſcience can never be ſafe or ſucceſsful in its government, till luſt be trodden under foot.

Whileſt Conſcience is kept as an underling, and is checked and controlled and put to ſilence by Luſt, ſo long it is in an evil caſe. Conſcience is never recovered, till it hath recovered its authority and dominion.

God that hath given the dominion to Conſcience, and under Chriſt, laid the government upon its ſhoulder, hath alſo put a Scepter into its hand, to execute its government withal; and hath given to Conſcience a twofold Scepter:

1. An Iron Scepter, and he hath ſaid to it concerning Sinners, obſtinate ſinners, as he ſaid concerning his enemies, Rev. 2.27. Thou ſhalt rule them with a rod of iron. This iron Scepter put into the hand of Conſcience, hath teeth in it; hence do ſinners, who will not hear the commands, ſometimes feel the bitings of Conſcience, p. 92and the teeth of a provoked Conſcience will bite worſe than the teeth of a Lion or a Bear. Thou that rebelleſt againſt Conſcience, that abuſeſt and wrongeſt Conſcience, take heed of the bitings of Conſcience; thy conſcience is a Lion, and though now it be a ſleeping Lion, and thou dareſt play with it, or uſe it at thy pleaſure, yet look to it, when this ſleeping conſcience is awakened, then thou wilt feel the teeth of this Lion. As it is ſaid of Wine, Prov. 23.32. In the end it biteth like a Serpent, and ſtingeth like an Adder. So it is true of every ſin, every ſin will bite: thoſe carnal pleaſures, thoſe worldly gains that look upon you with a pleaſant fawning face, all your ſins and ſinful pleaſures will bite, bite like a Serpent, with … poiſonous deadly biting; ſin will thus bite, and ſin bites with the teeth of Conſcience. O the gripes that ſome ſinners feel, the deadly gripes, when they fall under the teeth or talons of a ſin-provoked Conſcience. Sinners I warn you to take heed of ever ſlighting Conſcience again. Come under the dominion of Conſcience, let Conſcience govern thee, let Conſcience rule thee, or look for the Iron Scepter to fall upon thee, the teeth whereof will bite thee as a Serpent and ſting thee as an Adder.

2. A Golden Scepter. Conſcience doth not onelyonly enforce its authority, and our ſubmiſſion to it, by the terrors of its iron Scepter, but encourages ſubmiſſion, by the comfort of holding to us its Golden Scepter. King Ah…ſuerus his holding out the golden Scepter to Eſther, was in token of his favour and her acceptance with the King, Eſth. 5.2. She found favour in his ſight, and the King held out to her the golden Scepter. Thoſe that find favour with Conſcience (as all thoſe that obſerve, and obey, and live under the government of Conſcience do) thoſe that find favour with Conſcience, Conſcience will hold out the golden Scepter to them; will ſpeak peace, will ſpeak comfortably to them; and to have Conſcience ſpeak peace (an upright Conſcience) is the ſame as to have God ſpeak peace: to be able to ſtand comfortably before Conſcience, is the ſame, as to be able to ſtand with comfort and boldneſs before the face of God. 1 Joh. 3.20, 21. If our hearts condemn us— If our hearts, our conſciences condemn us for falſhood p. 93and unfaithfulneſs, God will condemn us; but if our hearts condemn us not, if conſcience acquit us, and ſay to us, well done good and faithful ſervant, thou haſt been faithful; if our upright conſciences acquit us, then have we confidence and boldneſs before God. The comfort and the rejoicing that flows into the heart from the teſtimony of a good conſcience, ſee in the 2 Cor. 1.12.

Friends, how would you have your Conſcience to deal with you? Would you that it hold out the golden Scepter? Would you that Conſcience ſpeak peace, that Conſcience ſhould ſay, well done, thou haſt been faithful, would you have this teſtimony from conſcience, that you have had your converſation in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity? Is the peace of conſcience, the joy of that peace, the ſweetneſs, and calmneſs, and ſerenity of heart, which is the fruits of conſciences ſpeaking peace, Is this peace, is this rejoicing of any value with you? Whileſt others are under the checks and rebukes, under the terrours; and the ſting of an abuſed conſcience, whileſt conſcience bites them and worries them, with the teeth of its iron Scepter, whileſt conſcience affrights and terrifies them, whileſt conſcience judges them, and condemns them for their following their luſts; whileſt it is ſo dreadful with men of an abuſed griping conſcience, if you would prize and deſire, and rejoice in the peace and the comforts of conſcience, then hearken to conſcience, and be governed by conſcience in all your ways. And if conſcience may but govern you, it will certainly comfort you.

Therefore, 3. Live under the government of conſcience: that is, live a conſcientious life, make conſcience of your duties, and perform them, make conſcience of ſin, and avoid it. Approve your hearts to your conſciences in all things; be conſcientious livers, and be univerſally conſciencious. Be able to ſay with the Apoſtle, Acts 23.1. I have lived in [all] good conſcience: and as Heb. 13.18. I have a good conſcience willing in all things to live honeſtly. To obey conſcience in ſome things, and to rebel againſt it in other things, is not to live a conſcientious life; be univerſally conſcientious of every duty, of every ſin.

O Friends, how many are there of us even among p. 94Profeſſors, that do halt after conſcience, are very lame and deceitful in our ways; ſome things we do, and other things we neglect; ſome ſins we forbear, and other ſins we venture upon.

You that are Profeſſours, and ſeem in a fair way of recovery, conſider how you come off here, it may be, you are afraid of groſs ſins, you dare not be drunk, or ſwear, and curſe, and blaſpheme, but are you afraid alſo of taking the name of God in vain? Mingling O Lord, O God, O Chriſt, with your common and ordinary diſcourſes? It may be you are afraid to be found in an alehouſe, companions and partakers with the drunken, and the riotous but are you afraid to be found unneceſſarily among the vain ones, and to become vain with thoſe that are vain? It may be you are afraid to couzen and cheat, your conſciences will not ſuffer you to do that, but yet do you not covet, or be inordinatly eager and greedy after the world? It may be you dare not work, or travel on the Lords day (though ſome among us will venture to do that alſo, the conveniences for their markets or their fairs, and the ſhortning their expenſes, what ever conſcience ſayes to the contrary, will put them upon this Sabbath profanation.) One word by the way to ſuch; I remember a ſtory told me by a reverend man that a profeſſor of his flock, being about to travel upon the Lords day to a Fair that was next day, being reproved of it by his miniſter, and asked if he thought it not a ſin, yes I do ſays he, but I have repented of it. His meaning was, he meant to travel the next Lords day, but he had repented of it already.

It is a ſtrange kind of repentance, for a man that is going to an alehouſe or to a whore, firſt to do ſomething that he could call repenting and then to go and commit the fact. You that are guilty (if there be any ſuch among you) let me ask you, have you repented of your former Sabbath profanations, or have you not? If you have not repented, there is the guilt of all your former journies of this kind ſtill lying upon you, you are guilty to this day, guilt is never taken away without repentance.

If you ſay you have repented of your former practice, then I hope you mean, never while you live to be guilty again. You have not repented of any ſin, till you are reſolved through the grace of God, to forſake it for ever. p. 95Remember this unleſs you reſolve to have done with all ſuch journeyings hereafter, you have not repented of what is paſt, and if you have not repented of what is paſt, there is the guilt of all ſtill lying upon you, and your ſouls lyable to anſwer for it before the Judgment of God.

But thou that alloweſt not thy ſelf ſuch a liberty of working, or journying upon the Lords day, yet doſt thou make conſcience of ſleeping, or loitering, or idling out a great part of the day? It may be thou wilt not be then found in the fields, or at thy ſports, for conſcience ſake, but maiſt thou not be found walking about the ſtreets, or idly viſiting, or vainly ſpending thy time with a neighbour? Though thou wilt not be abroad when thou ſhouldſt be in the Congregation, yet wilt thou not be out of doors when thou ſhouldſt be teaching, or inſtructing, or praying with thy family? It hath often troubled me to think how little help ſome poor families have from their governours, even on the day of the Lord.

It may be you will not be unjuſt or deceitful in your dealings, but are you not unmerciful or uncharitable? It may be you bear no rooted malice or grudge in your hearts, God forbid you ſhould, that is for a Devil, rather than a Chriſtian, but ſuppoſe you do not, yet it may be you do; What ever you think you may have routed malice from reſting in your hearts; But if you do not, yet you will be fretful and furious, and ſoure, and ſullen, and can expreſs it in bitter looks, in ſtrangeneſs and keeping your diſtance, in biting words, and backbiting ſtories, and this conſcience lets you alone in.

It may be you are not of a vicious converſation, but are you of a gracious converſation? It may be there may be no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths, your breath doth not ſtink of ribaldry, and obſcene diſcourſes, but yet are you not frothy and unſavory in your communication If your ſpeech be not rotten and corrupt, yet is it ſeaſoned with ſalt, that it may adminiſter grace to the hearers?

It may be you dare not neglect praying, but yet will not your conſciences ſuffer you to trifle and ſhuffle in prayer? It may be you pray and are ſerious in prayer, and feel ſome workings of conſcience, and meltings of heart, and enlargement of affection, and ſome ſenſe of God and religion, whilſt you are upon your knees but p. 96when you have done, and go out of your cloſet, do you not then leave your conſciences behind you, your religion behind you? Do you carry conſcience into your ſhops, & into your fields, & unto the markets? You pray as a man of conſcience, and hear as a man of conſcience, but do you buy & ſell, eat and drink, and converſe in the world as a man of conſcience. Take you out of duties, and may we not take you out of your religion? What are you at other times, but even as other men? Is this to be univerſally conſcientious? Can you be ſincerely conſcientious, if you be not univerſally ſo? He that is not conſcientious in every thing, is truly conſciencious in nothing. Brethren take heed you do not give conſcience a kiſs and a kick. Kiſs it, and comply with it, in the things you like, and kick at conſcience when it preſſes too hard upon you in the things you like not. If in any thing you give conſcience a kick, conſcience may remember you and give you a gripe for it another day.

O if you would recover the authority of conſcience, if you would have conſcience hold out the golden Scepter to you, if you would have conſcience ſmile upon you, if you would have true peace of conſcience, and live indeed under the power of conſcience, be univerſally conſcientious; exerciſe your ſelves to it, to live holily in all things, honeſtly in all things, and at all times. This exerciſe of keeping to conſcience is a painful exerciſe, you can never live a conſcientious life, unleſs you will be content to live a painful life, to take pains with your hearts, to take pains with your thoughts and affections, to take pains with your tongues and all your members, to hold them cloſe to the rule of conſcience: this painful exerciſe will get you an heat, will beget warmth in thoſe cold and careleſs hearts. The moſt conſcientious Chriſtians are the moſt warm and lively Chriſtians, and according as you get and keep your hearts warm, ſo will your diſeaſes waſte, & the health of your ſouls return into you. Remember what I have ſaid, if ever you would recover your loſt ſouls, recover conſcience; if ever you would recover conſcience, get the guilt & the guile of conſcience purged away by the bloud of Chriſt, and water of repentance; keep the eye of conſcience open, let conſcience be the Superviſor of all your ways; let the book of conſcience be kept clear from blots and blurs, and let there be a faithful record kept there, of all your ways; let the tongue of Conſcience p. 113have leave to ſpeak and warn you from day to day, and ſubmit to its Scepter and government; be no longer govern'd by Will or by appetite, or by luſt, or by the faſhions and cuſtoms or examples of men, but be govern'd by Conſcience. Do not give Conſcience a Kiſs and a Stab, hearken to it in ſome things and wound it in other things, but ſtudy to live in (all) good Conſcience; on your Sabbath-dayes, on your working-dayes, in the Houſe of the Lord, in your own houſes, in the houſes of your Friends, in the Field, in the Market, in the matters of God, in the matters of the World, when you are alone, when in company, when you are in good company, when you are fallen into evil company, wherever you are, whatever you are a doing, ſtill have an eye upon Conſcience, an ear open to Conſcience, and let Conſcience preſcribe to you, what you ſhould do, and how you ſhould carry it in every affair.

3. Beware of taking cold. That's a ſpecial rule Phyſicians uſe to give to the recovering Patient; when Perſons are upon recovery of their bodily diſeaſes, how ordinary is it, that upon a little cold, they relapſe, and ſometimes die of their diſeaſe. Is thy Soul upon recovery? take heed of Colds. Soul, ſuch there are, who when they begin to be wrought upon, and brought to any ſence of Religion, there appears a great heat and fervour of ſpirit upon them; 'tis with them as with the Prophet, Jer. 20.9. Thy Word was in me like fire; their love and deſire, and zeal for God ſeem all in a flame: O what warm affections have they! how warm in their Duties! how warm in their converſes! they ſeem to be all Life and Soul; and then after a time they grow ſtark cold, and little life is left in them, and ſome of them never recover again while they live. Hath thy Spirit gotten an heat? hath the Word heated thee, and thoſe Exerciſes of Prayer, Repentance and keeping Conſcience, gotten thee into an heat? then take heed of growing cold; keep you conſtant to thoſe Exerciſes that have begotten an heat in you. Keep you in the Sun-ſhine, all your heart-warmth is begotten, and muſt be maintained from above; live in the beholding the face of God, live under the Sun-beams of the Sun of righteouſneſs; keep you cloſe to God, keep you near to Chriſt, live in intimate communion with God. Take heed of thoſe clouds, your ſins, that will obſcure the Sun. Iſa. 59.1. Take heed of an Eclipſe, ſee that this Earth do not interpoſe betwixt your Souls and Heaven; take heed of the damp Influences p. 114of the dead that you live amongſt. We live in a cold World, a cold Age: that Age has overtaken us, which Chriſt Propheſied of, Mat. 24.20. Wherein the love many of ſhould wax cold. Thoſe that are grown cold themſelves, will ſerve for nothing, but to chill, and damp the Spirits of others. Be not unneceſſarily converſant with this cold World, truſt not your ſelves in their Company; have you never found, how much your Souls have loſt by carnal Correſpondencies? Profeſſors, how is it with you? Do you ſtill retain your firſt, vigour, as when you began to be recovered? May not the Lord complain over ſome of us, as of Iſrael, Jer. 2.2. I remember the kindneſs of thy Youth, and the love of thine Eſpouſals; I remember it as a thing that is paſt, that now is not, or as Epheſus, Rev. 2.4. Thou haſt loſt thy firſt Love; and what follows from this decay? Hence is it that we are become a Company of ſickly Profeſſors, of Carnal Profeſſors, of Earthly Profeſſors; the World hath return'd upon us, the Fleſh hath gotten head again in us; the things that are Eternal, and the influences of them upon us, are even loſt and ſwallow'd up of things Temporal; our Stocks, and our Buſineſſes, and our Trades, how have they even choak'd up our Religion?

Friends, it's matter of aſtoniſhment to conſider, how very few lively Chriſtians there are to be found amongſt us. Thus we every one talk, what a General decay of Religion there is among us; has not thine own Mouth complain'd of the coldneſs of this Age? But whilſt thou complaineſt of the Age, how is it with thee? Art not thou ſick of the ſame Diſeaſe? Look homeward, look inward into thine own Houſe, into thine own Heart, what Spirit of Religion is there going in thine own Family? Haſt thou not by thy negligence, let all run to decay there? What Life of Religion is there maintain'd in thine own Heart? Friends, feel you every man his own Pulſe, lay your hand every Man upon his own Heart, and feel how faintly it beats Heaven-wards. Sure Friends, if we ſhould examine our own Caſes, we ſhould find enough to ſet us all a Weeping over our own decays, and ſhe ſhould hear that voice within us, Weep not for others, but weep for thy ſelf and thine own Children. O take heed, leſt ſuch of you as are fallen back among the Sick, do not alſo return among the Dead, and make your recovery again more hopeleſs at laſt than 'twas at firſt. You that ſtand, be warn'd by thoſe that are fallen; ſtand with your Loyns girded, and your Lights burning; and you that are fallen, fallen to decay, fallen to a dead and flat and lifeleſs State, you that p. 115are fallen, remember whence you are fallen; remember and repent, remember and recover, ſtrengthen the things that remain; if there be any ſparks left, blow off your Aſhes, blow up the Coals. Let the Life of God, and the love of Chriſt, and a Zeal for Holineſs, be again kindled in you; and if ever the Lord ſhould recover you again, (there's great hazard whether he may, thou mayeſt die of the Cold thou haſt taken, the Conſumption that hath Eaten up ſo much of thy Vitals, may be unto Death, Eternal Death) but if ever God ſhould recover thee again, and revive his work, and enliven that almoſt Dead Carkaſs; then at laſt learn from thine own miſerable experience, to take heed of taking Cold again, as long as thou liveſt.

Thus much for the recovering the Heart, which is pre-ſuppoſed to the keeping of the Heart.

The Heart thus recovered out of its loſt State, muſt be kept and well look'd to, that it fall not back again; and here,

2. Now I ſhall ſhew you, what it is to keep the heart, or how it muſt be kept; and ſo,

1. It muſt be kept under Government.

2. It muſt be kept under Guard.

1. It muſt be kept under Government; here I ſhall ſhew,

1. The neceſſity of keeping the Heart under Government.

2. How the Heart muſt be Governed.

1. The neceſſity of keeping the Heart under Government; that will appear by conſidering what an Heart it is; and becauſe the Heart is recovered in part, and there is much of its Old and Original pravity remaining in it, which will be apt to boil up, and break forth again, I ſhall a little open the wretched temper and diſpoſition of it, which will evidence how great a neceſſity there is to keep it under Government.

1. It is a wicked miſchievous heart, Jer. 17.9. Deſperately wicked, Pſalm 5.9. Very wickedneſs, Rom. 8.7. Enmity againſt God. It is the Fountain, whence all the filthy ſtreams, that pollute and defile our lives, do flow and are caſt forth. It is the Furnace, whence all the ſtinking fumes and ſmoaks, that annoy the World, are ſent forth. It is the Neſt, where all the Cockatrices Eggs are Hatched. It is the Sink that gathers in all manner of filth into it, and then ſendeth it abroad, to do miſchief, Pſal. 41.6. His Heart gathereth iniquity to it ſelf, as the Sinks gather in all the filth of the Town, and when he goeth abroad he telleth it; only there is this difference between this and other Sinks; other Sinks gather in the filth, but p. 116'tis in order to the conveying it and carrying it away: Into this evil evil Sink of the Heart, all the filth is gathered, and there it ſtops, and ſtinks, and caſts it ſelf back in its annoying ſtreams; Out of the Heart comes evil Thoughts, Murthers, Adulteries, &c. Mat. 15.19. All this Filth and Mudd, all this Wickedneſs and Malignity, as it Naturally dwells in every Heart, ſo there's much of it remaining even in renewed Hearts, and will, if there be not conſtant care to keep down, and by degrees to caſt it out, will riſe and ſwell and work up again in them. Chriſtians, you may thank God, that there is Salt caſt into theſe filthy Fountains, for the healing theſe muddy waters; that there is a Spring of Living Waters broken in your Hearts, by degrees to drain out your Dirt, that there is Grace begotten in you, to reſiſt and repell the contagion of Luſt; but this little Grace will be choak'd up again, if Luſt be not kept under.

And as it is a Wicked, ſo 'tis a Miſchievous Heart, it's ſet upon miſchief; Wickedneſs will be doing wickedly; as 'tis ſaid of the Workers of Iniquity, ſo 'tis true of all as far forth as they are unrenewed; Miſchief is in their Hearts, Pſal. 28.3. There's the ſame Reaſon of keeping our Hearts under reſtraint, as of keeping Mad-men in; they will be doing miſchief if they have their liberty. Beſides the miſchief that our evil Hearts will be doing to others, they will be miſchiefing themſelves; Mad Men will tear their own Fleſh, will cut and wound themſelves, if they be let alone; and there is no ſuch danger of evil Hearts, as in regard of that miſchief they do themſelves.

1. Our evil Hearts will hinder us from doing good to our Selves, or of receiving or laying up good for our Selves, Rom. 7.19. The good that I would, I do not; why what hinders? See Verſ. 21. I find a Law, the Law of Sin in the Heart, When I would do good, evil is preſent with me, Gal. 5.17. The Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit—ſo that we cannot do the things that we would. Sometimes good Counſel is given us from the Lord, but we do not take it. How many good Counſels have you heard from the Miniſtry of the Word, that are loſt and forgotten and come to nothing. Sometimes a good motion comes into the Heart, to repent and amend our ways; to pray or to Meditate, or to ſearch out Hearts; to ceaſe from this Earth and Fleſh, from ſerving our Senſe, and minding only the preſent, and to lay up Treaſure in Heaven, and provide for the time to come; have you never ſuch motions? Do you never hear ſuch a p. 117voice within you, Get you Baggs that wax not Old, a Treaſure in Heaven that faileth not? Chooſe the good part, lay hold on Eternal Life, give your ſelf to Praying, keep a good Conſcience, take heed and beware of Covetouſneſs, uſe more diligence, live with more heedfulneſs, have your Converſation in Heaven, and keep your ſelf unſpotted of the World, keep your ſelf in the love of God, ſet the Lord alway before your Eyes, behold his Face in Righteouſneſs, ſtudy to ſhew thy ſelf approved of God, and to walk ſo in all things, that thou mayeſt be accepted of God; are there not ſuch motions as theſe, come into your hearts? You that are Chriſtians, ſure you have many ſuch good motions; But how do they take? What do they bring forth? If you had obeyed all the good motions that you have ſometimes felt within you, O what manner of Chriſtians would you have been! What mortified, what circumſpect, what raiſed and Heavenly minded Chriſtians had you been? But how do your good motions take; What ſucceſs are they attended with? Do not you ſee, that they are often ſtrangled in the Birth, and die away and come to juſt nothing? Or at leaſt do you not meerly halt and trifle in the purſuace of them? If you Pray, or hear, or ſet your Hearts to humble your ſelves before the Lord; how are you Diſtracted, and Diverted, and Deadned and all your duties ſpoiled in the doing; ſo that you can have little comfort, or real advantage by what yo do. Do you not often mourn over your Prayers, and Sermons, and Sabbaths, as meerly loſt to you? When you would work up your Hearts Heaven ward, and fix above, when you would love and del ght your ſelves in the Lord, and Solace your ſelves in the contemplation of the Divine Love and Goodneſs, when you would fain ſet your Hearts to live ſuch a Godly, Conſcientious, Circumſpect, Self-denying Life, and comfort your ſelves with ſuch thoughts; I hope I ſhall never live ſuch a Careleſs, Carnal, Uſeleſs, Unſavory, Earthly Life again; I hope you have many ſuch Thoughts, Deſires, Hopes, and Aims, you are lamentable Chriſtians if you have not, but how do they ſucced? What do they bring forth? Do they not often prove Abortive and bring forth nothing? May it not be ſaid of you as of thoſe, Job 15.35. They conceive miſchief, and bring forth vanity, or a lie. May it not be ſaid of you, I have conceived Truth, conceived good, I have had many hopeful conceptions, and yet at laſt I bring forth a lie, I am utterly fruſtrated and d…ſappointed of all my good Hopes, Deſires, and p. 118Aims? But how comes this to paſs, that you are thus diſappointed, that your deſires ſucceed not, that your labours proſper not, that you are brought to no better a paſs? O this is your evil hearts that hinder you; when you would do good, evil is preſent with you, ſo that you cannot do the good that you would; 'tis that evil Law in your Membets, that evil heart that does you all this miſchief, that ſpoils all your Prayers, that diſtracts all your holy Meditations, that breaks all your holy Purpoſes, that defeats and fruſtrates all your good deſigns for a more holy and fru…tful life; this heart is that which hinders you, that you cannot do as you would, you cannot pray as you would, nor hear as you would, nor live as you would; and thus it will ſerve you as long as you live, if you do not get thoſe evil hearts into, and keep them in better order.

2. It tempts and turns us aſide after that which is Evil. As our hearts hinder us in that which is good, ſo they betray us, and entice and tempt us to that which is naught. Jam. 1.14. Every man when he is tempted, is drawn aſide by his own luſt, (his hearts luſt) and enticed. You that have given up your Names to Chriſt, and count your ſelves the People of God, ſometimes turn aſide after the Luſts and ways of the World; and inſtead of having your Converſation in Heaven, live as men that are written in the Earth, mind earthly things, live a worldly greedy life, and like thoſe 2 Pet. 2.20. who after they ſeem to have eſcaped the pollutions of the World, through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, are again entangled therein and overcome. Are there none of you Profeſſors, with whom 'tis thus? hath not the world return'd upon you? the love of the World, and the cares of the World, and the inordinate minding and following of the World? are you none of you again entangled by the World, encumbred by the world, and even overcome of thoſe encumbrances? 'Twould make a tender heart to ſhake and bleed, to conſider how ſadly this worldly mind and Life hath grown upon Profeſſors, and hath eaten out the very heart and life of their Religion. O how many Demas's are there amongſt the followers of Chriſt, that have forſaken him, and embraced this preſent World! Chriſtians, in the name of the Lord I warn you, I charge you before God, and his holy Angels, to conſider if it be thus with none of you. Is it thus with thee? How comes this to paſs? this is a miſchief that thine own heart hath done thee, Ezek. p. 11933.31, 32. Their hearts go after their Covetouſneſs. They hear the Word, thou art to them as a lovely Song, of one that hath a pleaſant voice; they will hear a good Miniſter, they ſeem to love a good Sermon, the Doctrines of God, and his Goſpel, the Doctrines of Chriſt, and his Redemption, and the moſt enlivening and affectionate diſcourſes of the Righteouſneſs, Holineſs, Kindneſs, Compaſſion of God in Chriſt, and of the hopes and joyes of his Saints, theſe have a pleaſant ſound to them, they are taken and pleaſed at the hearing of them; but for all this, they are gone; they have embraced this preſent World; their hearts are gone after their Covetouſneſs. And as ſome mens hearts carry them after their Covetouſneſs, ſo others hearts carry them after their vain company, others after their ſlothfulneſs, others after their carnal Pleaſures; their hearts have tempted them, and by their hearts luſts they are thus drawn aſide, and enticed. Conſider theſe two ſorts of miſchiefs mens hearts do them, their heart hinders them from what's good, and tempts and carries them away after that which is evil, and then you will underſtand what a neceſſity there is, that ſuch miſchievous hearts ſhould be carefully kept under government.

2. It is an unruly heart. It's ſaid concerning the Tongue, Jam. 3.8. It is an unruly evil; but whence is the unrulineſs of the Tongue, but from the unrulineſs of the heart? 'Tis the heart that is the Lord of miſrule, Prov. 16.32. He that ruleth his own Spirit is better than he that taketh a City. There's need of more Wiſdom, of more Watchfulneſs, of more care and skill, to rule the heart, than to rule a whole City or Countrey. Governours of Kingdoms do not find it ſo hard to rule their numerous People, as to govern their own hearts. To ſhew the unrulineſs of the heart, I ſhall inſtance,

1. In the Thoughts of the heart. Who can rule his own Thoughts? Who is there that hath ſuch command of his Thoughts, that can think of nothing but what he ſhould think of? What rovings, and ſtragglings, and wanderings are there of the Thoughts? Prov. 17.24. The eyes of fools, or his Thoughts, are in the ends of the Earth; running about every where, to ſin, to vanity, to impertinencies. Conſider your ſelves in your praying, or hearing, or any of the moſt ſerious and important Exerciſes of Religion; your thoughts then, moſt eſpecially ſhould be compoſed and fixed; ſhould be fix'd upon God, ſhould be all giving their attendance upon the work of God. Thoſe moſt weighty things, the p. 120eternal things that you are dealing about, ſhould take up all your thoughts. But how do we find it at ſuch times? what diſtractions, and wandrings, and runnings off of our thoughts do we then find? We can't hold our ſelves in, to think what we pray for, to attend on what we hear; and this is the great reaſon of the deadneſs of heart in Prayer, of the inefficacy and unfruitfulneſs of our hearing; we that preach to you, ſhould have more hope of Succeſs upon you, if we could but fix your hearts, and get you to think more intently on what we ſpeak, but when the thoughts are gadding, we may to as good purpoſe ſpeak to Stones, as to Souls.

How is it with you now? and how does it uſe to be with you, when you come to the Worſhip of God? where have your thoughts been, ſince you came here? how many things have you been thinking of, that you ſhould not? It may be thy thoughts have been at home all this while, or abroad in the Fields, upon thy Buſineſs, or upon thy Pleaſures, or thou knoweſt not where. Who are there of us that do uſe to gird up the loyns of our minds, and to keep them cloſe to the work we are upon? and whether do your thoughts run at other times? how little room is there left for the thoughts of God, or of our Souls, or of the things Eternal, amongſt thoſe crowds and ſwarms of worldly thoughts, of wicked and vile thoughts, of vain and impertinent thoughts, which are ſtill thronging in upon us? Theſe evil thoughts are not only from the ſuggeſtion of the Devil, or from that variety of Objects that we have before us, from what we ſee, or hear, but are alſo the ſtreamings up of a corrupt heart; as out of a boyling Pot of filthy Liquor, or out of a reeking Dunghill, there ariſe ſtinking and noyſom ſteams, and ſmells, ſo naturally doth a corrupt heart ſteam up into the head, and fill it with vile thoughts and imaginations; and therefore the cure that is preſcribed for theſe evil thoughts is, the cleanſing of the heart from wickedneſs. Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, how long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee? Get thine heart waſhed from its wickedneſs, and that's the beſt way to free thy ſelf of wicked thoughts. We have many complaints of vain thoughts, of diſturbing and diſtracting Imaginations, and we hear People asking often, How ſhall I be rid of theſe evil thoughts? Wo is me, what wandring, roving, diſtracted Thoughts have I, ſo that I can never have p. 121comfort in any thing I do! but man, conſider thou art under a worſe Diſeaſe, the unmortified Luſts of thine Heart, from whence theſe Thoughts ariſe.

Canſt thou bear the Luſts of thine Heart? the Pride and frowardneſs and worldlineſs of thy Heart? canſt thou complain of thy Thoughts, and not complain of thy Luſts? One unmortified Luſt hath more miſchief in it than an hundred evil Thoughts. Thy Duty is to complain more of thy naughty Heart, thy naughty diſpoſition and inclination, and to get theſe to be changed, and that's the beſt way to cure thee of evil Thoughts. I ſay, this is the beſt cure, get you better Hearts, waſh your Hearts from thoſe evil Luſts that dwell in them; If you would get rid of worldly Thoughts, purge out worldly Luſts; if you would be rid of Proud Thoughts, get the Pride of your Hearts ſlain, get you an humble Heart, and that's the beſt cure of proud imaginations; if you would be free from vain Thoughts, light and impertinent and uſeleſs Thoughts, get you cured of the Vanity of your Spirits, get you to be ſerious, get an Heart more intent upon ſerious things, and that will diſcharge you of ſuch runagate and vagabond Thoughts. It is ſeldom that People complain of diſtracting or vain Thoughts, but there is a worſe Diſeaſe whence they ariſe, that they take no notice of: Thou haſt a vain trifling Heart, thou art not in good earneſt in thy Religion, thou art not ſenſible of the weight and importance of thine everlaſting concerns; thou haſt an unmortified Heart, unmortified Luſts in thine Heart, thou loveſt the World, and loveſt thy pleaſures, and luſteſt after thine eaſe or thy carnal delights, thine Heart ſits too looſe from God and the things of God; thou art not powerfully and reſolvedly bent for the Bleſſedneſs to come; thine Heart is not yet fixed upon Chriſt and Chriſtianity; this is a worſe Diſeaſe than evil Thoughts, though that be bad enough and the very root from whence they ariſe. Do not therefore enquire barely, how ſhall I be freed from evil Thoughts? but chiefly, how may I get my Luſts ſubdued? how may I purge out thoſe evil Diſpoſitions and Deſires, how may I get my Heart more intently fixed on God, and things above? Get that done once, and thy evil Thoughts will quickly fall.

2. In the Paſſions of our Hearts; we have unruly Thoughts and unruly paſſions; there is an unrulineſs in all our Affections; who can love, and fear, and deſire, and grieve for nothing but what he ſhould, what he ſhould fear and deſire. What p. 122we ſhould not fear, we fear, and what we ſhould fear, we cannot: What we ſhould love, we cannot, and what we ſhould not love we ſet our Hearts upon. We cannot raiſe up good deſires in our Hearts, nor keep down evil; there is an unrulineſs in all our affections, but eſpecially the paſſion of Anger and Wrath, when this breaks forth, what Rude and brutiſh and wild Creatures do men become? like a roaring Lion, or a ranging Bear, like a Bear robbed of her Whelps, ſuch is a man in his rage to thoſe that ſtand in his way: The breaking forth of rage, is as the breaking forth of fire in an Houſe, how much water muſt there be to quench it? this unrulineſs of Spirit the whole World abounds with proofs of; every Countrey, every City, nay, but few Families are there, whom their experiences do not teach them, what an unruly thing the rage of the Heart of man is.

And is there not a neceſſity of keeping ſuch an Heart under Government? of governing the Thoughts, and governing the Paſſions and unruly Affections? the neceſſity of Government upon the accompt of the unrulineſs of our Thoughts and Paſſions, will appear if we conſider; that our Eternal State is highly concerned in our Thoughts and Paſſions. For,

1. Theſe are the Inſtruments, by which men work out their own Salvation or Damnation.

2. Theſe are Evidences of what we are in reſpect of our Eternal State.

1. Theſe are inſtruments by which men work out their own Salvation or Damnation. Holy Thoughts, holy Affections, ſet us a working out our Salvation; the exerciſing of our Thoughts upon God, upon Eternity, upon the Bleſſedneſs to come, and upon the Wrath to come; the exerciſing of our Affections, the keeping our Selves in hope of the Salvation of God, the keeping our ſelves in fear of the Reprobation of God, the maintaining deſires after God and his Salvation, theſe all, will be as ſo many Cords to hold us in, as ſo many Springs to put us on in the way of Salvation: Thinking Chriſtians, and Hoping Chriſtians, and Fearing Chriſtians, and Deſiring Chriſtians, will be Working Chriſtians. I thought on my ways, and turned my Feet unto thy Teſtimonies, Pſal. 119.59. He that hath this Hope, purifieth himſelf, as God is pure, 1 Joh. 3.3. Work out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling. Fear a Miſcarriage, fear falling ſhort, fear to be Damned, and this will ſet you a working out your Salvation. Men will not work becauſe they do not deſire, becauſe they do not Fear; men do not deſire p. 123or fear, becauſe they will not think; think more of God, think oftner, what 'tis to be Saved, what 'tis to be Damned, think much thus, and this will ſtir up your deſires and fears; deſire more the Salvation of God, fear more his indignation and Wrath, and this will ſet you to work out your Salvation, and to ſecure your ſelves from falling into Condemnation.

And as good Thoughts and well order'd Affections, will ſet us a working out our Salvation, ſo by evil Thoughts, and unruly Affections men work out their Damnation. Unruly Thoughts, diſorderly affections in the Soul, are as croſs Winds, or as Storms or Tempeſts upon the Sea. How can the Mariner ever get to the Haven, when the wind is contrary? and what kindneſs do Tempeſts do him, but to daſh him againſt the Rocks, and drown him in the Deep? ungoverned Thoughts and Paſſions in the Heart are like Mutineers in an Army; what would an Enemy deſire more than to have the Army he was to fight againſt, to be in a Mutiny amongſt themſelves? the Devil will not doubt his Conqueſt, whilſt he can but keep all within you in diſorder. Mens Damnation does frequently begin in Thoughts; evil Thoughts corrupt the Affections, evil Affections corrupt the Manners and practice, and evil works have their end in Deſtruction. Never again make a light thing of Thoughts; how many men are there, who by giving themſelves leave to be thinking of their Pleaſures, and thinking of their Gains, and thinking of their Laſcivious, luſtful Objects, do think themſelves into very Beaſts firſt, and then into Devils? Job 31.1. I made a Covenant with mine eyes, why then ſhould I think upon a Maid? The next to looking is thinking, the eyes let in Fuel for the Thoughts; the next to thinking is luſting, the Thoughts provide Fuel for Luſt; the next to Luſting is Whoring, and the next to Whoring is Death; and the like in other Caſes: For the World, the next to thinking is loving, the next to loving is luſting, and inordinate deſiring; the next to luſting is ſeeking and progging; the next to ſeeking is getting and heaping up, and loading our ſelves with thick Clay; and the next to this is ſinking and drowning our ſelves in Perdition and Deſtruction.

2. Theſe are the Evidences of what we are, in reſpect to our Eternal State. Men may judge themſelves, and come to know themſelves, by the Thoughts and Affections, Rom. 8.7. To be carnally minded is Death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace. Thoſe that are after the Fleſh do mind the things of the Fleſh, and thoſe that are after the Spirit do mind the p. 124things of the Spirit. Where art thou Friend? art thou in the way of Life, or the way of Death? why how may I tell that? why where are your minds? what are they running upon? where are your Thoughts, your moſt ſerious and delightful Thoughts? are they in Heaven or on Earth, on things Spiritual or on things Carnal? where are your Affections? working upwards or downwards? Such as thy Thoughts and Affections are, ſuch is the State of thy Soul: To be Carnally minded is Death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace. It's true, many ſerious Chriſtians have too many Carnal Thoughts; Vain and Wandring Thoughts, but 'tis their Affliction, and 'tis their care and endeavour to give check to ſuch Thoughts; but when the allowed Stream runs towards Earth and ſin, 'tis a ſign thou art an Earthly Fleſhly Man, and in the State of the Dead.

3. There are Idols ſet up in the Heart, after which, if it be not well looked to, it's apt to go a Whoring. It is true, more or leſs of all men, what is ſaid of the Elders of Iſrael, Ezek. 14.3. Theſe men have ſet up their Idols in their Heart. Whatſoever the Heart loves more than God, whatever the Heart ſerves or ſeeks more than God, yea, whatever the Heart loves or ſerves or ſeeks ultimately for it ſelf, without reſpect to any higher end, this is an Idol ſet up in the Heart; thoſe very men that abhor thoſe Idols that are ſet up in the Houſe or the Church, that deteſt Saint-Worſhip or Image-Worſhip, the Worſhipping of Stocks, or Stones, or Pictures, the work of mens hands, yea that call that an Idol or Idolatry, which God never called ſo, that cry out Idolatry, Idolatry, againſt every thing that is not according to their own Minds, even theſe very men, may have ſet up their Idols in their Hearts. The Heart hath multitudes of Idols ſet up in it; there are in the Heart as the Apoſtle ſaid, 1 Cor. 5.8. there are in the world, Gods many, and Lords many. The World is an Idol; ſome men make their Lands and their Money their Gods; though Job would not, chap. 31.24. yet ſome mens Hearts will ſay to their Gold, Thou art my God. Others there are who make their Belly their God, Whoſe God is their Belly, Phil. 3.19. Others make their Honours and their Pleaſures their God, and theſe may be ſaid to be as thoſe, 2 Tim. 3.4. Lovers of Pleaſures more than Lovers of God. The Heart hath many Idols ſet up in it, but the great Heart-Idol to which all the reſt muſt ſtoop and ſerve is Self; the World is ſerved, Honours are ſought, Pleaſures are loved, but all for the ſake of Self: Whatever Idol there be, the p. 125great Idol is Self, which is ſet up in the room of God.

Mans original Apoſtacy was his falling from God to Self; and mans recovery to Chriſt, is his bringing back from Self to God. Therefore he tells the World, that whoſo will come along with him, and be his diſciple, muſt deny himſelf, Mat. 16.24. If any man— Chriſt ſuffered that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. And that he cannot do unleſs he come back from Self; he departed from God when he declined to himſelf, and he muſt deny himſelf, that will return to the Lord. God and Self divide the whole world: The moſt are for Self, and there is not a man of all theſe for God; ſome few are for God, and every one of theſe have denyed and departed from Self.

Mens recovery by Chriſt, is their returning from Self unto God; but this Recovery is but imperfect, this Self, (carnal Self I mean) hath a Seat, higher or lower in the beſt hearts. There is a ſinful Selfiſhneſs, wherewith we ſtill remain infected, and there is ſtill a danger, even after our recovery, of Apoſtacy to this Self again. The great Idoll ſet up in the heart is ſelf, and the great Idolatry or going a whoring after this Idol, the great heart Idolatry ſtands in theſe three things.

1. Self-conceit,

2. Self-will,

3. Self-love.

1. Self-conceit. The magnifying our own Opinions, the Idolizing our own apprehenſions, the growing wiſe in our own eyes, and the reſigning up our ſelves to the conduct and government of our own carnal Reaſons or Underſtandings. This Solomon intimates, is an encroaching upon God, yea denying of God; he ſets theſe two as Oppoſites one to another; the acknowledging of God, and the leaning to our own underſtandings, Prov. 3.5, 6. Lean not to thine own underſtanding; in all thy wayes acknowledge him. Intimating, that whileſt we lean to our own underſtandings, we deny and do not acknowledge God.

It belongs to God as God, to be the Supreme Guide and Dictator to us; but when men take upon them to be ſo wiſe, as that their own Opinions and Conceits muſt be their Guide, they therein deny the God that is above.

Take heed of being ſelf-conceited. The worſt of Sinners, as blind as they are, yet they are wiſe in their own eyes; p. 126they think their Way is good, and their State is good; they have a conceit that their own way is beſt; they have taken up conceits againſt the ways of God; this ſtrictneſs of Religion, this Preciſeneſs of Holineſs, they have a conceit 'tis all but Nicety, and Hypocriſie, and that they are the wiſeſt men who meddle leaſt with it; at leaſt, they have a ſtrong conceit they ſhall to Heaven without ſo much troubling themſelves about it. Let the Lord God ſpeak never ſo clearly, and never ſo cloſely, of the danger of the way they are in, of the damnableneſs of their ſtate, of the neceſſity of a Change of their State and Life, of their becoming new men, and giving themſelves to a new Life; yet their ſelf-conceit carries it againſt all the Convictions and Demonſtrations of the Lord; They will not be beaten out of their own Conceits; they will believe their own blind and ſottiſh mind, before they will believe God. Sinners, is not this true? how many times hath the Lord God preached to you, of the neceſſity of Regeneration, and your being born again, of the neceſſity of Sanctification, your being made his holy ones, pure and undefiled ones? How much hath he ſpoken, to convince you, that you are the Sons of death, and that your ways are the ways of death; that you can never ſee the Kingdom of God, but muſt undoubtedly periſh, and be deſtroyed for ever, without ſuch a great and effectual change as may bring you in amongſt his holy ones? How often hath this been preached? how plainly hath this been proved? and yet after all, how is it with you? why behold you have a conceit you ſhall do well enough, and get to Heaven at laſt; and upon this conceit you will adventure your Souls: What do you herein but Idolize your own Underſtandings, and deny the God that is above? Thus ſaith the Lord, is nothing with you, nor will perſwade you to any thing, if your own hearts do but tell you, 'tis well enough already.

Sinners, if you will not be beaten out of this conceit, if we cannot break down your carnal Confidence, if we cannot deliver your Souls out of the hands of theſe Lies and Deluſions; if you will not be brought to ſee, that theſe your ſelf-conceits are your ſelf-deceivings, (I have thought fooliſhly, I have thought falſly, in thinking well of my caſe) if we cannot ſave you from your vain Conceits and Confidence, we ſhall never ſet up the Authority of God in you, nor ever bring you to God or to Heaven.

p. 127O to hear ſuch words as theſe from you, I have been deceived, mine Heart hath deceived me, the Devil hath deceived me, I could never have had a good Thought of my … ſent ſtate, I could never have good hope of my future ſtate, if I had not been deceived into it; I have been meerly gull'd and cheated into this good Opinion; I am loſt, I periſh, I die for ever, if I eſcape not ſuddenly out of this caſe; I can be confident no more, I can have a good conceit of my ſelf no longer, I am an undone Wretch; God tells me ſo, the Word tells me ſo, and if ever mine Heart tell me yet again, 'Tis well enough, I'le never believe it again: might we ſee ſuch a ſence upon you, might we hear ſuch words from you, then there were hope that you were coming back from Self to God.

For you that are Profeſſors, have not you alſo ſomething of this ſelf-conceitedneſs upon you? ſome are conceited of their own Opinions; whatever Opinion they take up in the matters of God, it muſt be right, becauſe it's right in their own eyes; and many of their Brethren that are contrary minded, they are in the wrong and in the dark, and ſo become the objects of their cenſure and reproach. Lean not to your own underſtandings; be ſo humble, and ſo modeſt, as to think that others may ſee more than you ſee; ſuſpect your ſelves when you differ from other Chriſtians, that you may be in the miſtake. Others are conceited of their Gifts and Attainments, though they yet be but among the young ones, and the weak ones of the Flock, yet through that pernicious Pride of their Hearts, they are apt to be puffed up with high Conceits of any little that they have. Chriſtians muſt be lowly like their Maſter, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in Heart; They muſt think ſoberly of themſelves. Others are Conceited of their Conditions, and the State of their Souls, who though they have little acquaintance with their own Hearts, little underſtanding and experience of Religion, and have ſpent as little time in the examining their States, yet are grown to a confidence, that their Hearts are right in the ſight of God; when this Confidence may be nothing elſe but Conceit; they do but conceit themſelves to be Converts, conceit themſelves to be Believers, and and this conceit muſt carry it againſt all Convictions to the contrary. Examine the grounds upon which your good Opinion of your ſelf is built; Search the Scriptures, where are certain Evidences of Converſion; ſearch your Hearts, whether the marks of real Believers be found in you; ſuſpect your p. 128ſelves, whether you be not in a miſtake; a miſtake here, to have a ſtrong conceit that you are Believers, when you are but Hypocrites, that you are come to Chriſt, when it may be, not come half way, ſuch miſtakes may be your damnation, your Everlaſting loſs and undoing. Let the fear of Self-deceiving, be the cure of Self-conceitedneſs.