A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers, Sermon (1 of 5)

A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers · Sermon (1 of 5)

p. 3Iſaiah 64.6, 7.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our Righteouſneſſes are as filthy Rags, and we all do fade as a Leaf, and our Iniquities like the Wind, have taken us away.

And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee.

IN the former of theſe Verſes, we find the Church making a double complaint of their Sin, of their Affliction.

1. Of their Sin; there all miſery begins, and there all our Complaints ſhould begin. We are all, not an unclean thing, but (as) an unclean thing, Sicut quid inpurum, as the worſt of things, as any thing that's moſt filthy and unclean. There is the Uncleanneſs of a Toad, a Venemous deadly uncleanneſs: Our Uncleanneſs is as bad as that; our hearts are, as 'tis ſaid the evil tongue is, full of deadly Poyſon. There is the uncleanneſs of a Leaper, a Contagious uncleanneſs; ſuch is ours, we have infected one another, we are all infected. There is the uncleanneſs of a Serpent, a ſtinging uncleanneſs; ſuch is ours, our Sin hath bitten us, and ſtung us to the heart. There is the uncleanneſs of a Dunghil, a ſtinking uncleanneſs; ſuch is our uncleanneſs, our Iniquities p. 4have made us to ſtink before the Lord: Find out any thing that's worſe, or more unclean than all theſe; whatever it be, our Sin hath made us as bad as the worſt; nothing can be ſaid too bad of Sin, and none ſpeak worſe of it than the People of God, who have the leaſt of it. Thoſe that are all Sin, carry it, as if there were nothing in ſin, no hurt in it: We cannot make Sinners underſtand, or be ſenſible what evil there is in ſin, but Saints feel it.

But it might be replyed by ſome amongſt them, Though we have our Deformity, yet we have our Beauty too; though we have our uncleanneſs, yet we have a covering for it, we have Righteouſneſs as well as Sin.

What's the Anſwer to that? Righteouſneſs? What Righteouſneſs have we? O our very Righteouſneſs is as filthy Rags; 'tis but a ragged Righteouſneſs we have, a totter'd, maimed, torn thing; the beſt we have is but as a Rag, unprofitable as a rag, not able to hide the ſhame of our nakedneſs, and as a naſty filthy rag; if we have any thing that looks better than other, 'tis all naught, our beſt is a loathſome thing.

2. Of their Afflictions: We all fade like a Leaf, and our Iniquities like the Wind, have driven us away, driven us into Baniſhment, driven us into Captivity, carryed us away from our Country, and from the City of our God; yea, and from the favour and preſence of our God, into a ſtrange Land, into our Enemies hands. We all do fade and wither like a Leaf; our ſin hath brought us down into a decaying, withering ſtate, and our Iniquities, like the Wind, have driven us away. Withered, faded Leaves, you ſee how they are blown down the Trees, and carryed away with every Wind, when thoſe that are green and flouriſhing keep their ſtand againſt wind and weather.

p. 5In verſe 7. we have an additional complaint; they go on yet further, to make a greater and a ſadder complaint againſt themſelves: And that is, and yet for all this, as bad as our caſe is, yet there is none that calleth upon thy Name. Our puniſhment found us in a polluted and waſted ſtate, and behold we grow worſe and worſe, we wither daily, Prayer fails: then which, there is not a more deadly ſymptom of a decayed ſoul. Prayer is the very breath of a Chriſtian; when Mens breath fails, they dye and turn to their Earth. Here obſerve: 1. Againſt whom this Complaint is commenced, that is, againſt the generality of the People; there is none, that is, none in compariſon, very few, if any that call— 2. The matter of this additional complaint; they did not yet call upon God; though their Iniquities had brought them to the duſt, yet they had not brought them to their knees; though they had made them a Prey, yet they had not ſet them a Praying. 3. The immediate reaſon of this their neglect of God in ſuch a time, they were all aſleep, and they did not awaken, or ſtir up themſelves to take hold of God, or to ſeek after him.

There is none [that calleth upon thy Name.] Calling upon the Name of God, is ſometimes taken for Prayer, Pſal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble; that is, Pray unto God. Sometimes, as Prayer is, ſo calling upon the Name of God, is put for all Religion. Gen. 4.26. Then, in the days of Enoch, began Men to call upon the Name of the Lord; that is, then Religion began to appear, and to break forth more viſibly in the Earth. In the Text, you may take the words as comprehending both ſenſes, Prayer in ſpecial, and all Religion in general; and indeed, that is no Praying that leads not on to all Religi…n.

p. 6As theſe words, There's none that calleth upon thy Name: Note the neglect of Prayer; in that ſenſe I have ſpoken of them elſewhere heretofore, but my preſent purpoſe is to ſpeak of them in the latter ſenſe, as the neglect of calling upon the Name of God notes the neglect of all Religion. Theſe ſeveral obſervations I ſhall hence offer to you.

Doct. 1. The Churches ſpecial Complaints are of the Churches Sins, of their own Sins; they caſt the firſt ſtone at themſelves. We are—not Iſhmael or Edom, or the Philiſtins, but the Iſrael of God, we are as an unclean thing. Its grievous to them to ſee and hear of the ſins of others. I was grieved becauſe of the Tranſgreſſors, Pſal. 119.158. That the Uncircumciſed among us, the open Enemies of the Goſpel are ſo Wicked, ſhould be a grievous thing to us. The Idolatries and Adulteries, the Drunkenneſs and ſhameful Spewing, thoſe floods of filthineſs that overflow among ſuch, ſhould be a grief of heart to all the Saints. It is not a thing to be made ſo light of, as it is by us, that there is ſuch a Vile Generation riſen up among us, even as if Hell it ſelf were broken looſe to affront the God of Heaven, to defile his Holy Name, and to diſgrace the Throne of his Glory; this ſhould go near the hearts of all that love Chriſt and the Holineſs of the Goſpel: And there is doubtleſs a great fault among us, and it is our great Sin that we do no more lay it to heart. We tell ſtories one to another of the Wickedneſſes that are amongſt us, but we do but tell it as matter of News; but who among us are Mourners in ſecret for all theſe Abominations? If Mens hatred of Godlineſs, and the Perſecutions that they raiſe againſt it, do reach even to us, and touch our ſelves in our own particulars, as far forth as we feel their rage to light upon our ſelves, in our own Perſons or Eſtates, p. 7ſo far forth we are apt enough to complain againſt them; but whilſt we can eſcape, and ſleep in a whole skin, all is but lightly paſs'd over. This is our great Sin, and a great Argument that our hearts are not ſo much concern'd for God, or Religion, as for our own intereſt; 'tis what we our ſelves ſuffer, not what Religion ſuffers, that goes ſo near us. Well, this ſhould be matter of our complaint and grief, that the Enemies of God are ſo wicked as they are: But yet, if we could but keep all right among our ſelves, let Enemies be as bad as they will, yet if it were with us as it ſhould be, the matter were not ſo great; though there be ſuch Flies, and ſuch Lice, and ſuch Frogs, ſuch ſwarms of Locuſt-Luſts, and wickedneſſes upon the Egyptians among us, yet if the People of God were more free from ſuch Verminous ſins, though there be ſuch thick darkneſs over all the Land of Egypt, yet if in Goſhen there be light, among the Iſrael of God, in the Churches of Chriſt; though we ſhould be as Iſrael was, held to the Brick-kilns, under Oppreſſion and Perſecution, yet if we might grow and multiply as they did, if the number of Saints might increaſe, and if thoſe that are, might grow more holy and ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; if it were but thus well with us that are Chriſtians, and Profeſſors of Religion, this were a comfort, how wicked ſoever the World were: But this is our miſery, and here ſhould be our ſpecial Complaints, and our great Mournings, that our Iniquities, the Iniquities of the Church, of Profeſſors of Religion, are ſo great, and ſo many as they are. [We] are all as an unclean thing; our Enemies are wicked, and we are not upright; we that name the Name of Chriſt do not depart from our Iniquities. We that pray, and hear, and profeſs to have ſeperated our ſelves from the filthineſs of the Land, to the p. 8Law of our God; even we have tranſgreſſed the Covenant of the Lord. What haltings and Hypocriſies are there among us? What Revolters and Backſliders are many of us become! What Heart-Idolatries are there to be found among us? What Pride, and what Covetouſneſs, and what Quarrellings and Contentions do there abound, even amongſt us! What Sleepers and Loyterers and Triflers are we? What a luke-warm Generation do we ſhew our ſelves? How little of the Purity, and Spirit, and Life of Religion is there going amongſt us? Self-love, and Self-ſeeking, and Fleſh-pleaſing, and Men-pleaſing, and an exceſſive heat and zeal for our carnal things, how hath it eaten up the Zeal of God, and the Spirit of Chriſtianity, ſo that we may complain with the Apoſtle, Phil. 2.21. All ſeek their own, and not the things of Chriſt: Certainly Friends, this ſhould be our great Lamentation, and let it be for a Lamentation to us before the Lord. Let us complain, let us lament that Religion, which hath ſo many Enemies, hath ſo many falſe Friends; that that which is ſo hunted by the profane Hunters, ſo ſhot at by the Uncircumciſed Archers, doth receive its greateſt wounds in the Houſes and by the hands of its Friends; that the Circumciſion is become as Uncircumciſion, that whilſt the ſtripes of the ungodly are upon our backs, our own filthineſs is yet in our skirts. Let us lament not only the ſpreading evils that abound amongſt the generality of Profeſſors, but let us eſpecially lament, every one of us, that our own hands are alſo in the Tranſgreſſion: There's a decay grown amongſt Profeſſors, but let us enquire, Lord am not I, even I, one of the decayed ſouls? There are worldly greedy Profeſſors, whoſe hearts are gone after their Covetouſneſs, and O Lord, am not I gone in the Company? There are Hypocrites, there are p. 9Idlers, a company of cold and luke-warm ſouls, and am not I ſuch a one my ſelf? O my my ſoul! art thou faithful to God? Have I kept my Covenant? Have I kept mine Heart, and kept my Watch, and kept my Way? Have not I wandred with them that wander, and fallen with them that fall? Let this be our Lamenting; let us take up a Lamentation together, let us joyn our Sighs, and mingle our Tears; let us Lament together, and let us alſo, as Zech. 12.12. mourn every one of us apart, and our Families apart; our Wives apart, and our Children apart; for our Perſonal ſins, and our Family-ſins, that neither we, nor our own Houſes have had our hearts ſo with God, but that the Lord hath a Controverſie with us.

Doct. 2. Chriſtians ſhould not palliate or mince their own ſins in their Confeſſions, but give them their due aggravations.

What could the Church ſay more againſt themſelves then they do in the Text? We are all as an unclean thing, very Vile, full of Diſeaſes and Sores, and our very Righteouſneſs is as filthy Rags. They do not hide or leſſen their ſins; they ſay not, as bad as we are, others are worſe; 'tis not, we have been faulty, We are not as good as we ſhould be, we have our ſpots and our failing, as who have not? But they ſpeak it out with a full mouth, our Iniquities are multiplied, our Iniquities are marked before the Lord, and have mark'd us out for a company of unclean and polluted ſouls; we cannot hide it, and we will not hide it; we can neither hide nor leſſen it, 'tis too true, 'tis too evident; we muſt confeſs it, and we will confeſs it, that we are a naughty People: not ſo bad as others? Why others never pretended to any good, never made that Profeſſion that we have made, never had the advantages that we have p. 10had; there can be no excuſe for us, we ſhould have been better, and we might have been better; but what ever we ſhould have been, or might have been, we are very bad, we are all as an unclean thing: Thus did that great Apoſtle, when he ſpeaks of Sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. Of whom (ſayes he) I am chief.

Friends, whatever your faults are, do not mince the matter, do not count your errors little Errors, your Sins, little Sins: Be ſure of this, that mincing is not the way to mending. Shame your ſelves before the Lord, abaſe your ſelves in his ſight; ſtudy the greatneſs of thoſe you count your little ſins; rip open your hearts, and find out what a neſt of Wickedneſs is there; ranſack your ways, and ſee what a courſe of Folly and Vanity is to be found there, and do not go about to hide them: He that covereth his Sins ſhall not proſper, Prov. 28.13. Do not go about to hide them, but confeſs them, and ſpread them before the Lord, till your ſoul be aſhamed. O that this Word might ſend us to our homes, every one of us with an aking heart, and a bluſhing face, that it might make us all fall down before our God, with Ezra's words in our mouth, Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift up my face to thee, my God, for our Iniquities are increaſed over our head, and our Treſpaſſes are grown up unto the Heavens. Let us bluſh at our Hypocriſie, let us bluſh at our Luke-warmneſs, let us bluſh at our Worldlines and Carnality; let us bluſh in our Prayers, let us go bluſhing home, and weeping as we go; let us acknowledge we all are as an unclean thing, and our Righteouſneſs is as filthy Rags.

Doct. 3. Conſumption upon Profeſſors is the high way to Confuſion and Diſſipation. If we wither and fade as a Leaf, our Iniquities as the wind will ſcatter p. 11and drive us away. If grey hairs be upon us, death and deſtruction is near.

Beloved, you can hardly be ignorant what complaints there are, even from all quarters of our Land, what a decay there is grown even every where upon Profeſſors of Religion; and whether this conſuming Diſeaſe hath not ſeized upon many of us here, I leave it to your own Conſciences to judge; the conſideration hereof, hath engaged me to enlarge on this ſubject, beyond what I at firſt intended; and I beſeech you every one, to ſet your hearts upon the words I ſhall ſpeak, ſo as both to make a narrow enquiery each one into himſelf, whether you be grown into ſuch a decay, and to endeavour for a ſpeedy recovery. I remember how it hath been with this Congregation, when our Aſſembling together was in one place, what a glorious and hopeful Morning appeared? What a Spring-tide there was of Converts flowing in to the Lord, and what a day-light of warm and holy affections then brake forth amongſt us; whether our day hath continued its brightneſs, accordring to the ſpring of our Morning, let us ſadly conſider before the Lord.

Now in proſecution of the Doctrine mention'd, I ſhall firſt a little open this conſuming Diſeaſe to you, and ſhew you, that even Chriſtians may be ſadly ſurprized by it; and then ſhew you, that where it proves Epidemical and General, there this Conſumption is a fore-runner of confuſion.

For the firſt, know, there is a two-fold decay or conſumption in Religion.

Partial.

Total.

1. Paertial or gradual, a declining or conſuming in ſome degree; a growing into a worſe caſe than ſometimes we were; a growing weak and cold, and remiſs p. 12in our Religion; an abateing or looſing our former care, ſtrength, life, affection, and vigour of ſoul; and this may be incident to real Chriſtians, who are ſubject to decay.

Inwardly.

Outwardly.

1. Inwardly, in the caſe and ſtate of their ſouls in the inward Man; they may be Back-ſliders in heart, as the expreſſion is, Prov. 14.14. Particularly,

1. There may be a ſhaking of their Faith: The principles and foundations of Chriſtianity may be ſhaken; there may be a failing of the firmneſs of their belief of the truth of the Goſpel, and ſome declinings towards Infidelity and Atheiſm. Of Himeneus and Philetus 'tis ſaid, 2 Tim. 2.18. that they erred concerning the truth, and overthrew the Faith of ſome; and as they overthrew the Faith of ſome, ſo probably they might ſhake the Faith of more.

2. There may be a decay or wearing out the ſenſe of the importance of thoſe truths of the Goſpel, that they do believe. Though the Goſpel may ſtill be received as an undoubted and unqueſtionable truth, though the evidence of its truth may be ſo clear as that they cannot contradict or queſtion it, yet the weight of it may not be ſo much felt upon their hearts; the truths believed may not be ſo much minded, nor ſo throughly conſidered as to leave any powerful impreſſions of them upon their hearts. Thoſe great things, the worth and value of a ſoul, the dreadfulneſs of looſing a ſoul, the danger that they are in of looſing their ſouls, the excellency and neceſſity of Chriſt, the eternal weight of glory, the everlaſting Vengeance of God againſt the Unrighteouſneſs of Men, though all theſe things be believed and acknowledged, yet they may not for the time be ſo duly minded and meditated on; they may be ſo much out of their eye, out p. 13of their thoughts, that the ſenſe of them, and the efficacy of that ſenſe may ſeem even to be utterly loſt, Friends, 'tis not the being of theſe great things, no, nor the bare believing that they are, but the minding and frequent conſidering them, the having that height and depth, that life and death in our eye, that will affect and work upon the heart; and Chriſtians, through their own careleſneſs and heedleſneſs, may have even loſt the ſight both of Heaven and Hell. Things preſent may have ſo filled and overpower'd their hearts, as to put things to come quite out of mind; the heart may be ſo bewitch'd by this preſent world, ſo ſurrounded with a croud of carnal pleaſures and delights, ſo ſwallowed up of worldly cares and contrivances, ſo intent upon our worldly buſineſs and commodity, that we may hereupon drive ſo heavily on in the matters of Eternity, as if we had forgotten that we had a Chriſt or a ſoul to be minded.

3. There may be a decay, as of ther Faith (as before) ſo of all other their inward Graces and vital operations. Hence 'tis that the Apoſtle prays ſo earneſtly for them, 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal Glory, by Jeſus Chriſt, eſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you. We ſhould every one of us prove unſtable ſouls, and ſhall never ſtand if the God of Grace do not ſtabliſh us; we are every one of us weak ſouls, and ſhall certainly fall, and come to nothing if the God of grace do not ſtrengthen and ſettle us. And therefore we had need to pray, and that earneſtly, every one of us, the God of all grace ſtregthen me; the God of all grace ſtabliſh and ſettle this my weak and unſtable ſoul. Hence alſo Chriſtians are exhorted, Rom. 3.11. Hold faſt what thou haſt, keep that good thing which is committed unto thee: And ſo we had need every one of us to call upon our ſelves; hold faſt O my ſoul, hold faſt to p. 14Chriſt, hold faſt to Holineſs; haſt thou gotten any Grace, any ſound Religion into thine heart? Hold it faſt that thou loſe it not. Our Candle will burn dim, there is a Thief in the Candle which will waſt it away, if it be not carefully ſnuffed and look'd to. Grace in the heart, is as a ſpark of fire in the Hearth, it will be cover'd over with Aſhes, if it be not kept continually blowing; the ruſt will eat out our Gold, the Moth will fret out our Garments, the Thief will ſteal away our Treaſure if it be not watchfully maintained. O what Loſſes do many Chriſtians actually ſuffer through their careleſneſs and negligence; loſs in their Love, loſs in their Life, and Zeal, and all their holy Affections, that little good that is in them, may grow to ſuch a decay, that it may be ready to dye, and come to nothing; and as their Grace, which is their Life, decays, ſo their vital operations fail with it. All their ſenſible and ſweet communion with God will be hindred; the warm and lively workings of their hearts upon God, their thoughts and meditations on God, their deſires after Him, their delights in the Lord, the ſecret entercourſes of love betwixt the Lord and them will much ceaſe when grace flags: Whilſt grace is kept alive, the thoughts of God will be many and precious, Pſal. 139.17. How precious are thy thoughts to me O Lord? how great is the ſum of them? Their Meditations of him will be ſweet, a reviving and refreſhing to their hearts. Have you none of you ſometimes found it ſo? Have you not poured out your ſouls into his Boſom, and felt the Lord pouring in his Wine and his Oyle into yours? Have you not walk'd with him upon the Mount, and ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and found his Fruits ſweet to your taſt? Have you not ſometimes rejoyc'd in his Preſence and felt the joy of the Lord to be your ſtrength? And p. 15then, O what Love hath ſtreamed forth, O what Praiſes have been ſent up to His Bleſſed Name! This, if ever you have experienced ſuch Bleſſed ſeaſons, hath been maintained from the life of Grace in you; and according as Grace ſinks, or gathers ruſt, and grows dim, ſo doe not all your vital operations fail with it? I need not ſpend time to prove that ſuch ſinking and decaying of our Spirits, our Graces, and the comfortable operations of them, may be, the experiences of Chriſtians do too fully, and too frequently yield us undeniable proofes.

2. There may be outward decays, decays in point of practiſe. There may be a neglect of the duties of Prayer, Hearing, Meditation, Examining, and taking an account of our ſelves, Iſa. 43.22. Thou haſt not called upon me, O Jacob! thou haſt been weary of me, O Iſrael. I can ſeldom hear of thee; thou [haſt] been a Praying People, a Sacrificing People, but thou art grown weary of my worſhip. How ſeldom art thou found in thy Cloſet, or in the Congregation? Thou art become a very Stranger to thoſe duties which once were thy delight: Or if duties be performed, yet the heart and the life of them may be loſt; their Sacrifices may be without an heart; if they bring their Incenſe, yet there may be no fire to kindle it; dead Praying, cold Praying muſt ſuffice them. O how do our Spirits often freeze in thoſe Devotions which ſhould kindle a fire in us! Some Mens duties ſerve for nothing, but to keep them aſleep, and to keep Conſcience quiet, which if there ſhould be a total neglect, would flye in there faces and awaken them. There may be a decay in their Converſations; they may decline from a Spiritual to a Carnal converſation, from an Heavenly to an Earthly Life. Thoſe that had once eſcaped the pollutions of the world, may be again entangled in the world, p. 162 Pet. 2.20. There may be a declining from a ſavoury, uſeful, to an unſavoury and unprofitable life; the Salt of the Earth may have loſt its ſavour; thoſe very Tongues, whoſe ſpeech was uſed to be with Grace, ſeaſoned with Salt, Miniſtring Grace to the Hearers, may either be dumb and ſpeak nothing, or elſe be employed to ſpeak Vanity. How long may we be in ſome Profeſſors company e're we hear a ſavoury word from their lips; or if any good does come, how heartleſs and lifeleſs is it? In what they do, they move like Puppets; in what they ſpeak, they ſpeak like Parrots, that which they have learn'd by rote, but without any true ſenſe of what themſelves do ſpeak.

Such decays as theſe, both inward decays and outward decays may be grown upon Chriſtians. Such declining ſouls are a miſerable Spectacle, the reproach of the Goſpel, the diſgrace of Religion, that are more like Carkaſes, or Ghoſts, than living ſouls; Idol Chriſtians, that have Eyes, and ſee not; Ears, and hear not; Tongues, and ſpeak not; Feet, and walk not: Such, who if they have any thing of Religion in them, no body in the world is like to have the benefit of it, nor themſelves the comfort of it. They may be ſtark dead, and dryed up at the roots, they may be meer Chaff and Stubble for ought any body elſe, or themſelves either can ſay to the contrary: Theſe dry Trees, how-ever they ſtand in the Vineyard, they may ſtand there for Fuel for the fire, and not for Fruit. Such miſerable Spectacles are withering Profeſſors, and yet what multitudes of them are there to be ſeen?

Friends, let us conſider our ſelves, with reſpect to the perticulars mentioned; if we have not denyed the Faith, and become down-right Infidels, and Atheiſts; if we believe God and the Goſpel, and the p. 17great and wonderful things of the world to come; yet are there not many of us that have loſt the ſenſe of the weight and importance of thoſe great things? Have not the lean and ill-favoured Kine eaten up the fat ones? Have not the thin and the blighted Ears ſmitten and deſtroyed the full ones? Hath not this Earth, and the buſineſſes thereof, choaked up ſome of our hearts, and left little ſenſe of God, or Immortality upon us? Particularly conſider,

1. Do we live as People that do verily believe we muſt ſhortly be in another world, where we muſt eternally reap the fruit of our doings here? Do we live as Men that have that Eternity in our eye, and the lively ſenſe upon our hearts of that Death and Judgment, that glorious Reward and eternal Puniſhment that is before us? Sure we do not: O how few of us do thus live! Do we Pray, and Hear, and Buy, and Sell, and Converſe in the World, as Men that ſee and look for ſo great a change? Was there never a time when we felt more of the Eternal things upon our hearts than now? Was there never a time when we were more ſerious, and in good earneſt in our Religion? When we were more deeply engaged in laying up Treaſure in Heaven, and making an eſcape from the Wrath to come? Was there never a time, when ſuch ſerious queſtions, What muſt I do to be Saved? What if I ſhould be Damned, ſhut out of the everlaſting Kingdom, ſhut up in everlaſting darkneſs? What may I do to pleaſe God, and to walk worthy of his holy Calling, and to make ſure of a part in Chriſt? Was there never a time when ſuch Queſtions were more ordinarily put than now, and when we were more ſolicitous about the having them anſwered?

2. How is it with our particular Graces, and inward vital Operations? Do we retain our firſt Faith? Do we hold out in our firſt Love? Where are thoſe p. 18warm and lively affections that diſcovered themſelves in the infancy of our new Birth? Time was when ſome of us were all in a flame of Love, and Life, and Zeal for God, when we had melting affections, mourning, tender hearts, when our ſpirits were hotly working within us about God, and the things of God; when we could not live, nor be at eaſe, but under the influences of Heaven, and the illapſes and intimations of the Divine Love and good will to our ſouls; when Communion with God, and entercourſes with Heaven were ſweeter to us than our appointed Food; was there never ſuch a time with ſome of you? And is it ſo now? Or are not theſe matters ſadly changed with you, from what they once were? May you not ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 77.3.5. I remember the days of old, and am troubled? I remember my pleaſant things, my pleaſant Houſes, the ſweet and delightful entercourſes I had with the Lord; I remember theſe things, and am troubled to ſee what a fall there is from what once I enjoyed?

3. And how is it in your duties and in your lives? Is the old ſpirit of Prayer kept up with you? Hath the Lord ſuch conſtant Viſits, ſuch affectionate Viſits from you as he was wont to have? Are your Sighs, are your Tears, are your Souls poured out in Praying, and in ſtriving and wreſtling with the Lord in Prayer, as formerly they have been? And is there ſuch a vein of ſerious Religion running through your whole lives? Do you eat and drink, work together, and converſe together in the Spirituality and ſingleneſs of heart, which the Primitive Chriſtians did, Act. 2.46. and which ſometimes ſome of you did? Is it your care to exhort and quicken, and build up, and provoke one another to love, and to good works? Is there that Watchfulneſs over your goings, that diligence p. 19in inſtructing, in governing, and educating your Families in the fear and knowledge, and worſhip of God, as hath been? Or muſt you not take up a Lamentation over your ſelves, and fall to judging and condemning your ſelves, ſome of you at leaſt, upon moſt of theſe accounts, and cry out in bitterneſs, O my ſoul, how art thou fallen?

Friends, let not theſe words paſs as words of courſe, let them enter into your hearts, and ſtick in your ſides, and be a wound in your very ſouls.

Let me, upon all this that hath been ſaid, put the queſtion yet again to you all: How is it with you? How is it with your ſouls? What, do ye hold your own, or are ye at a loſs? What, Proſpering or Periſhing? Flouriſhing or Withering? Upon the wing, and mounting upwards as the Eagles, or upon the Duſt with the Worms? Friends, pray conſider, who among you can ſay, I thank the Lord, my ſoul is upon the increaſing hand; through the grace of God, my Soul is maintained in Life, and I am reaching forward, and getting a little ground Heaven-ward daily; through rich mercy, the Grace that hath been beſtowed on me, hath not been beſtowed in vain: I cannot deny the goodneſs of God to me; I have good hopes that it's ſomething better with me than it has been? Some of you, I hope, can ſpeak thus, to the praiſe of the glory of the grace of God with you: But I fear too many, even of you that are Profeſſors, muſt give a ſadder Anſwer. How is it with my ſoul? O the Lord be merciful to me, 'tis but in a poor and pittiful caſe; Lord I pine, Lord I am fallen, I am fallen. With my outward man 'tis well enough, but O mine inner man withers, my Religion vaniſheth, my poor ſoul languiſheth, my grace periſheth; much of it is loſt, and that which remains, is dying daily; I took it all along to be well enough; but p. 20now I think on't, O 'tis a miſerable decay that is grown upon me.

Beloved, I have told you already what complaints there are of decays from other places; and now conſider, is not the Moth come into this Congregation? Is not the Worm eating at [our] root alſo? Compare the preſent ſpirit and temper that is too generally upon us, with what it was in our firſt meetings at Seimours Court; ſure there appeared another manner of warm, lively, ſerious, affectionate ſpirit then, than is to be found but in very few of us at this day. What, hath ſo many years Preaching and Praying, and Sacraments we have had ſince, had no better ſucceſs than this? Have you been hearing all this while to your loſs? and Praying to your loſs, and had Sacraments to your loſs? O that every one of you now, would lay his hand on his own heart, and faithfully enquire where be the decayed ſouls among us, Lord is it I? Lord, am not I one of them? Do not think now to excuſe the matter; do not tell me, we hope 'tis not ſo bad, your fear of us is more than you have ground for: O that I were miſtaken in you, that it were better with you then according to my Jealouſies: But I muſt tell you, if you have not the ſame fears, ſome of you, concerning your ſelves, I doubt 'tis becauſe you have no more obſerved your ſelves, nor ſo throughly conſidered your ſelves how 'tis with you.

Well, let theſe hints humble us, and lay us low before the Lord. Let theſe words ſtartle us, and awaken us, and prepare us towards our recovery. Thus much touching the partial decay.

2. There is a total decay, or Apoſtaſie from the Faith. If thoſe that are real Chriſtians do not, yet many high Profeſſors may, ye, and are become Apoſtates from Chriſt. Such as theſe:

p. 211. Never brought forth any fruit to perfection, Luk. 8.14. Neither the right fruits, nor any ripe fruits, it's rotten before 'tis ripe; and when 'tis at beſt, it's rotten at the Core.

2. The Fruit they had falls off.

3. Not only their Fruit falls off, but their Leaves: They decline in the practiſe, and fall off from the profeſſion of Chriſtianity.

4. Their Root is dryed up and withered: The Faith they had, fails, and they become down-right Atheiſts or Infidels. But I ſhall not enlarge here.

2. Conſumption in Religion, where it proves Epidemical, is the fore-runner of Confuſion. What ever influence the wickedly profane may have upon the removal of the Goſpel, that which moſt certainly provokes the Lord to caſt off, is the decay and Apoſtaſie of Profeſſors, Rev. 2.5. Remember whence thou art fallen, and do thy first works, or I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy Candleſtick out of its place.

To ſet home what hath been ſpoken: You that are Back-ſliders, conſider this one word; that whatever become of us, as to our general caſes, as to the particular caſes of your own ſouls, this Conſumption, if it be not ſpeedily recovered, is like to be mortal. You that are ſick of this withering Diſeaſe, look to it in time, leſt your ſickneſs be unto death, even to death Eternal. You that are Back-ſliders, think not that your ſouls are ſafe, by that of Chriſtianity which you have already attained, but know, that your drawing back may be unto Perdition. You that have begun to fall, tremble to think where this fall may end. You may ſink and ſink, and fall lower and lower, and never ſtop till you come to the bottom of Hell, and ſo by your total and final Apoſtacy, you may prove, that what-ever you think, you never had the truth of Chriſtianity in you. O p. 22remember this word, and let it awaken you in time.

Now I come to the chief Doctrines intended.

Doct. 1. Its the duty of the People of God, to ſtir up themſelves in the matters of Religion.

Doct. 2. Stirring Religion will take hold of God. I ſhall handle them both together, and ſhew,

1. What it is to ſtir up our ſelves in the matters of Religion.

2. What need we have to ſtir up our ſelves.

3. What 'tis to take hold of God.

4. That ſtirring Religion will take hold of God.

5. How we ſhould ſtir up our ſelves.

1. What 'tis to ſtir up our ſelves in the matters of Religion. There is,

1. A ſtirring up our ſelves to Religion, or to get Religion where there is none.

2. A ſtirring up our ſelves in Religion, where there is ſomething of it already.

1. There is a ſtirring up our ſelves to Religion. There are ſome that are utter ſtrangers to Religion, that have nothing of God or Religion in them. Some men have not the knowledge of God, I ſpeak this to your ſhame, 1 Cor. 15.34. It is a ſhameful thing that there ſhould be any in the Churches of Chriſt, without the knowledge of God: Ignorant perſons are the ſhame of Congregations: We may be all aſhamed that there are ſo many among us that have no knowledge. Thou that art an Ignorant Man, the People of God may be all aſhamed of thee, it is a ſhame to our Congregation that there is ſuch a blind ſoul amongſt us; but yet ſuch there are.

Some that have a little knowledge of God, have yet no ſenſe of God or Religion upon them; Men of a Reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28. Sottiſh ſenſeleſs ſouls, voyd of judgment, and voyd of ſenſe. Nothing of God will affect them, or work upon them: Inſtruct p. 23them while we will, Preach to them while we will, nothing will enter into them or move them at all; we cannot beat any ſenſe of God, of their Souls, of Religion into them.

Others, if they have ſome knowledge and ſome little ſenſe of God and Religion, yet have no true Religion in them. They know ſomething of God, know ſomething of Religion, yet ſtill are without Chriſt, and without God in the world. They have ſomething of it in their heads, but nothing of it in their hearts, or their lives. Or if there be ſome little touches of it upon them, yet there's no ſound or ſaving work upon them; they are Profeſſors of Religion, but they are Hypocrites, utterly voyd of the Saving grace or work of God: They are among the Diſciples of Chriſt, and go for Diſciples, but they are not of them, as 1 John 2.19. They think themſelves to be ſomething, think themſelves to be Chriſtians, but are nothing, but deceive their own ſelves. Some have no Religion, and care not whether they have or no; do not at all concern themſelves about Religion: It does not enter into their thoughts to mind any ſuch thing; they have no deſire to be otherwiſe than they are, but are quiet and well contented to continue as they are.

How is it with you Sinners, that are here before the Lord? Some of you have not the knowledge of God, are without Chriſt, are yet in your ſins; and O how little ſenſe have you of your need of Chriſt? How little deſire have you to be changed, and delivered from this ſtate you are in? Do not you feel that your hearts are at reſt in your preſent caſe? Are there any hearty wiſhes? O that the Lord would change my heart! O that I might be brought into Chriſt, and to fear God in truth? No, you mind not, nor take any care about any ſuch thing; as little of p. 24God, or Religion as you have, you care not whither ever you have more than you have.

Now ſuch as theſe, that have no Religion in them, their work is, to ſtir up themſelves (to) Religion, or to get Religion into them; and this ſtirring up themſelves to Religion, ſtands in theſe things.

1. In bethinking themſelves how 'tis with them, and what they have to do.

2. In crying out for help, and recovery out of their ſin and miſery.

3. In taking the Alarm from the Watch-men.

4. In forceing themſelves back from their ſins, and onwards to Christ.

1. There muſt be a bethinking themſelves how 'tis with them. This is the firſt ſtep they are to make towards Religion, to bethink themſelves how 'tis with them, 1 King. 8.47. If they ſhall bethink themſelves; that's the firſt work, and then, v. 48. If they ſhall return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their ſoul. Sinners muſt bethink themſelves,

1. What they are at preſent.

2. What they are to do for the future.

1. Sinners muſt bethink themſelves what they are, and what a woful ſtate they are in. What have I of the fear or knowledge of God in me? Am I a Chriſtian? Have I any thing of ſaving Religion in me? Am not I a blind, ſenſeleſs, careleſs ſoul, that have not ſo much as made any profeſſion of Religion? I live without Prayer, never pray in ſecret, no Prayer in my Family, no ſuch thing as minding God or my Soul. I eat and drink, I lye down and riſe up, I work, and trade, and follow my buſineſs for this world; but as for the other World, I confeſs I take little care about it; or if I have minded it more than ſome others, and have made a little profeſſion of Chriſtianity, yet am I not ſtill an Hypocritical p. 25Profeſſor? Is this my caſe? Am I without Chriſt ſhort of ſaving-Religion? What can I think of my ſelf and my preſent condition? Sure as little as I have been troubled at it, it is a woful caſe I am in▪ What, yet in my ſins, and under the power of the Devil, and in a ſtate of Damnation? I had need look about me before I be paſt remedy.

2. They muſt bethink themſelves what they mean to do. What, ſhall I continue in this caſe till I dye? or ſhall I make out after an eſcape? Sinners, 'tis a fearful ſtate you are in, you are miſerable ſouls if you have no Religion in you. But pray now bethink your ſelves, what do you mean to do for the future? Will you go on as you are? Will you take no more care for your ſouls then you have done? nor look after no more Religion than you have gotten? What do you mean Sinners? Put your hearts to it, bethink you what you mean to do. What, will you not be perſwaded to thus much? Will you not ſo much as think with your ſelves, what ſhall I hence-forth do? Shall I venture it as I am, or ſhall I make out after an eſcape, out of this fearful condition? If you were come to this, to bethink your ſelves what a wretched caſe your ſouls are in, and how you may do to eſcape it; you had then gotten the firſt ſtep in this work of ſtirring up your ſelves to Religion.

2. Crying out for help, and recovery out of this wretched ſtate. When the ſoul falls a crying once, a crying for help and recovery, then it begins to ſtir to ſome purpoſe; and this kind of ſtirring ſtands.

1. In crying out upon [themſelves] to ſeek out for help. When the Sinner, being brought to a ſenſe of his miſery and danger, cryes out to himſelf as thoſe Lepers, 2 King. 7.8. cryes one to another, Why ſit we here till we dye? Or as the Marriners to Jonah, p. 26Chap. 1.6. Ariſe Sleeper, call upon thy God, eareſt thou not that thou periſh? Thou art ready to periſh O my ſoul; if I continue as I am, I dye for't; if I can get no more of God, or of Religion and Chriſtianity than I have hitherto gotten, I muſt to Hell, I muſt burn for ever and ever. Awaken O my ſleepy heart; to thy Knees, to thy Prayers, call upon thy God, that thou periſh not. Sinners, how often have we been crying to you? Crying upon you to conſider your ways; crying upon you to amend your ways, to Repent and return unto the Lord, to get you new hearts, and to betake your ſelves to a new Life? How often have you heard that word, Ezek. 18.32. Why will ye dye? Turn and live. We have been long crying thus in your ears, but there's ſcarce a Sinner ſtirs for all this; but you remain a company of ſtupid ſleepy ſouls. O Sinners, after all our crying thus upon you, when will you cry out upon your ſelves? When will you take this word from Miniſters mouths, when we cry to you, Repent Sinner, go to Chriſt Sinner, and ſpeak it to your ſelves, O my ſoul Repent, haſten thee in to Chriſt, O my ſoul? Are there any of you now, whoſe hearts cry thus to themſelves, Away, O my ſoul, go to God, go to Chriſt for his help, to ſave thee out of this wretched ſtate, that thou periſh not everlaſtingly? There would be ſome more hope in this.

2. In crying out to the Lord, to give help in this time of need Crying out to the Lord for help, is both an Argument that the heart is awakened, that Conſcience is ſtirring, and fears are ſtirring, and deſires are ſtirring, and it is the ſtirring of the heart. There may be a cold ſaying, God help me, when the heart is ſtill aſleep; but when it cryes out, then 'tis a ſign 'tis awakened: When the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 12. had a ſight what a wicked world this world was become, p. 27and was affected with the ſight, then he crys out, Help Lord, for the Godly Man ceaſeth, the Wicked walk on every ſide, and the Vileſt Men are exalted: And as the ſight of ſuch a wicked world was to him, ſo ſhould the ſight of a wicked heart be to a Sinner. O my wicked heart, what a world of wickedneſs is it! How full of deadly Poyſon; Grace is not; the good that was in it, is ceaſed and periſhed, and every vile thing is to be found in it, Envy, and Malice, and Luſt, and Falſhood, and Folly, and Enmity againſt God; what a Fountain of Wickedneſs is within me? O what an heart have I? Help Lord, ſave me from this wicked heart, ſave me, or I periſh. This is an hopeful ſtirring.

Sinners, how is it that you yet ſtir not? what hearts have you? Open your Eyes, and look a little inward: Is there not ſin within you, with all its Curſes and Plagues? Is not that heart of thine become like that City of Abominations, Babylon, of which 'tis ſaid, Iſa. 13.21. Ziim and Okim dwell there, and all manner of doleful Creatures, the Cormorant and the Bittern, Owles and Satyrs, and Dragons? Is not that heart of thine a very Den of Dragons and Serpents? Every Luſt of thine heart is a Serpent, a Dragon, and an Adder, which as tame as they lye, that thou feeleſt them not, are devouring thy ſoul. Every Sinner among you have ſuch an heart; an (heart) full of Serpents, an heart full of Dragons. O how is it that there is not a cry among you, Lord help; ſave Lord, ſave me from this miſerable heart? But behold for all this, there's ſcarce a ſoul ſtirs; all quiet and faſt aſleep, and fears nothing. I'le tell you Sinners, if you did but underſtand your hearts, and what there is within you; if we could help you to a ſight of thoſe crauling Serpents, and ſtinging Adders, and ſtinking Ulcers that p. 28are within you, 'twould ſcare you out of your ſecurity, and put you to the cry, Lord ſave, or I am loſt.

3. In crying to the Men of God, the Servants and Miniſters of Chriſt. When Miniſters have been crying to Sinners, Men and Brethren, ſave your ſelves: If our Word ſtir'd them, we ſhould have them crying to us, What muſt we do to be ſaved? How may we eſcape, and be delivered from the wrath to come? So we find it with thoſe, Act. 2.37. when Peter's word pricked them to the heart, they cryed out, Men and Brethren (what) ſhall we do? And ſo the Jaylor, Act. 16.30. When the Lord Preached to him by an Earth-quake, and ſhook his heart, he cryed out to the Apoſtles, (Sirs), what muſt I do to be ſaved? Such cryes ſhould we hear from all the Sinners amongſt you, could our Words once ſhake your hearts. Help, O men of God, help me out of this miſerable ſtate; help by your Prayers, help by your Counſels, Pray for a poor loſt Soul, Preach to a poor miſerable Creature, tell me what I muſt do; help me to know the Lord, ſhew me the path of Life. Thus far that wicked one, Simon Magus, was ſtirred, when Peter had ſet his ſin and his miſery home upon him, Act. 8.24. Pray for me, ſays he, pray to the Lord for me, that none of theſe things come upon me. What am I in the gall of bitterneſs, and in the bond of Iniquity? For the Lord's ſake help me out, Pray to the Lord for me, that I abide not in this Condition.

O how few ſuch ſtirring Conſciences, how few ſuch awakened Sinners can we find among you? When do we hear one of all the Sinners here comeing to us with ſuch a queſtion, Sirs, what ſhall I do, what muſt I do to be ſaved? When do we hear any ſuch Requeſt to us, Pray for me, O pray me out of p. 29the hands of my Drunken Companions, Pray me out of my Covetouſneſs, pray that the Lord would deliver me from this hard heart, from this blind mind, from this froward ſpirit; pray that the Lord would convince and convert my ſoul? Sinners, I doubt, that how well ſoever you ſometimes ſpeak of the Preaching you hear, yet I doubt it doth not reach your hearts: For mine own part, I do not remember the time when any one Sinner among you did ever ſeriouſly put the queſtion to me, What muſt I do to be ſaved.

This is the ſecond thing, wherein Sinners ſtirring up themſelves towards Religion, ſtands in their crying out for help.

3. In taking the Alarme from the Watch-men. God hath ſent forth his Miniſters to Alarm this ſinful world, Joel 2.1. Blow ye the Trumpet in Zion, ſound an Alarm in my holy Mountain, Iſa. 48.1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy Voyce like a Trumpet, tell my People their Tranſgreſſions, and the Houſe of Iſrael their ſins. What is the uſe of an Alarm? Why to awaken, and to declare to People that there is VVar making upon them, that there is an Enemy near, that they are in danger of periſhing, if they ſuddenly look not to themſelves. Thus will I do to thee; that is, I Will do terrible things to thee, Therefore prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. That was Amos his Alarm to Iſrael, Amos 4. Yet forty days and Nineveh ſhall be deſtroyed; that was Jonahs Alarm to Nineveh, Jon. 3.4. The Axe is laid to the root of the Tree, God is making ſhort work with Sinners, Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit ſhall be cut down and caſt into the Fire; that's John-Baptiſt's Alarm, Mat. 3.10. The times of this Ignorance God winked at, but now he commandeth all Men every where to Repent; for he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in p. 30Righteouſneſs; that's Paul's Alarm, Act. 17.30, 31. The like Alarms are the Miniſters of Chriſt ſounding in Sinners ears every day; Repent, or ye ſhall Periſh, Believe, or ye ſhall be Damned, be Converted or ye ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. The moſt of Sinners, for all this, ſtir not, but ſleep on: Hath not the Alarm been ſounded amongſt you? And yet how few Sinners of you are there, whoſe ſouls are not faſt aſleep to this day? We have cryed unto you as Dalilah to Sampſon, Ariſe Sampſon, the Philiſtins are upon thee: Ariſe Sinner, the Devil is upon thee, Sin lyes at the door, the Judge ſtands at the door, Death is ready to dart thee thorow, Hell opens her mouth for thee, and behold nothing will do to awaken you. We give the Alarm, but you will not take the Alarm: This is the ſtirring of the ſoul which I am Preaching of, when Sinners are Alarmed, and take the Alarms; when the VVord Preached ſets Conſcience a Preaching, and thundering upon Sinners, when Conſcience calls to them, turn to the Lord, break off thy ſins by Repentance; thou art a dead Man if thou go on, there's but a ſtep betwixt thee and everlaſting death; thou wilt be in, thou wilt be ſwallowed up of the eternal Furnace if thou ſuddenly Repent not. When Mens hearts thus take the Alarm, and their Conſciences being ſtartled, do fall to work with them, and provoke them to look after God and his Grace: This is another thing wherein this ſtirring ſtands.

4. In forcing themſelves back from their ſins, and onwards to Chriſt. Though in a proper ſenſe, there can be no coaction of the will, yet ſuch violence may be uſed towards our ſelves, as in our common ſpeech, we call forcing of our ſelves. So Saul, 1 Sam. 13.12. I forced my ſelf, and offered a Burnt-offering. Sinners ſhould lay violent hands as it were p. 31upon their hearts, pulling them back from ſin, putting them on to Chriſt. Sinners muſt do by their hearts as the Angels did by Lot, Gen. 19.16. When they were haſtening him out of Sodom, they laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his Wife and Children, as they lingred and plaid loath to depart, and even pulled them out from that burning that was coming. Do your hearts hang back from Chriſt, do they ſtill hang after your ſinful ways? Lay hold on them, pull them along, Mat. 11.12. The Kingdom of Heaven ſuffereth Violence, and the Violent take it by force. That notes that People are in good earneſt for Heaven, and cry mightily to God, wreſtle with the moſt High for admiſſion. This ſpeaks a kind of uſing Violence with God; but the firſt Violence Men are to uſe, is upon themſelves: They muſt firſt lay violent hands on their own hearts to bring them about towards God; and this muſt be done by preſſing the things which they hear on, upon their hearts, rouzing up their fear, and ſetting that as a Dogg upon their heels, to hunt them away from their ſins, and drive them on to Chriſt. This fear will be to Sinners as the Avenger of blood to the Man-ſlayer, 'twill hunt them on their way, and haſten them to Chriſt. O my Soul, art thou not afraid to continue as thou art? to continue a Drunkard, to continue a Worldling, or a Lyar, or a Sleeper in thy courſe of Sin? Art thou not afraid of the Devil, art thou not afraid of Death, doth not Hell make thee tremble? Art thou afraid what may come upon thee, and yet wilt thou not ſtir? Is the Avenger of Blood at thine heels, and yet wilt thou not run for't? Thus ſhould Sinners fright themſelves to Chriſt: If goodneſs, and kindneſs, and mercy will not allure you, let your miſery, and the danger you are in, ſcare you; put your finger into the fire, dwell in the conſidering that p. 32VVrath and fiery Indignation, which you are falling into; a ſudden tranſient thought now and then will do little; you muſt think and think over again and again of theſe terrible things. And to make ſuch thoughts to work, put the caſe to your ſelves, What if theſe dreadful things ſhould come upon me? What if I (ſhould) fall into that fire? There is danger it may be my caſe, and what if it ſhould be ſo? If I ſhould feel the ſcalding and ſcorching of thoſe flames, O how ſhould I endure? How ſhould I do to Burn, and to dwell in everlaſting Burnings? Think over ſuch thoughts, Sinners, and give not over till you feel theſe very thoughts begin to ſcald and ſcorch you; and then force and fright your ſelves on to Repent, with ſuch farther queſtions, VVhat, is turning from ſin, and the pains of ſeeking after Chriſt, is this more painful than everlaſting Death? VVhat, wilt thou do nothing to ſave thy Life? to keep thee out of the fire? Suppoſe thy houſe were falling on fire, how would it ſtartle thee? How buſie wouldſt thou be to prevent or quench it? How paſſionately wouldſt thou cry out, Fire, Fire? How wouldſt thou run, and call, and ſend for all the help thou could'ſt get, to ſave thy Houſe out of Aſhes? And is not thy ſoul more to thee than thy Houſe? Will not the Wrath of God burn more fiercely than the fire of thine Houſe? Nay further, Suppoſe thine Houſe were on fire, and thou wert lock'd in, and couldſt not get out, but wert like to burn with thy Goods; O how would'ſt thou cry out to thy Friends without, O Pitty, Pitty me, and help me out, pull down the Windows, break open the Door and help me out; I Burn, I Burn, break open the Door that I may get out.

Sinners, if you would be perſwaded to dwell on ſuch thoughts as theſe, O they would fright you out p. 33of this ſleepy and ſecure ſtate, they would fright you out of your Excuſes; now you put it off, its hard to Repent, its hard to change mine heart and my way; your pinching neceſſity would make you break through difficulties; or at leaſt you would call to your Friends, to your Miniſter, Break open the door upon me; can you do nothing to break this hard heart of mine? Can you ſay nothing to awaken this ſleepy heart of mine? O help me, help me out of this hardned ſtate.

But what is it we muſt force our ſelves to? Why to Chriſt or Chriſtianity, to Religion or Godlineſs.

Obj. But God loves not, nor will regard a forc'd Religion, He will have his Followers to follow him freely, and not by conſtraint or force.

Sol. There is a forceing our ſelves to the entrance upon Religion, and there is a forceing our ſelves on in the exerciſe of Religion; 'tis moſt ordinary that Men are at firſt forced upon Religion by their fear; that ordinarily is their firſt motive to look after Chriſt, what ſhall I be Damned? Shall I ſtand ſlighting of Chriſt and following my ſins till I dye? O I muſt come about, I am afraid to continue as I am, O my ſoul, eſcape for thy life, and get thee to Chriſt. But thoſe that thus force themſelves in, do afterwards go more freely on. Not but that there is ſtill need of ſome forceing of our ſelves; there is ſtill ſome uſe of fear, to hold us cloſe to the exerciſe of Religion, and the following of Chriſt: But though there be uſe of fear ſtill, yet then 'tis Love that chiefly leads us on; and the longer, and the further we have followed Chriſt, the more freely we ſhall follow him.

2. There is a ſtirring up our ſelves [in] Religion, or to the vigorous exerciſe of Religion: This concerns the Saints or Profeſſors of Chriſtianity. Sinners have p. 34no Religion in them, and their work is to ſtir up themſelves [to] Religion, to get that which they have not: Chriſtians have gotten to ſome Religion, and their work is to ſtir up themſelves in Religion, to a progreſs or going forwards in Religion.

Amongſt the Saints, ſome have more Religion in them, do abound in the Grace of God, and in the work of Grace: Others of them have ſomething, but 'tis but little of Religion they have; they are but of little Faith, Mat. 6.30. have but little ſtrength. Some good thing is found in them towards the God of Iſrael, but yet it is but a day of ſmall things. Of theſe that have but little, ſome never had much: We read of Babes in Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3.1. of Children in underſtanding; and of theſe, ſome are but new born Babes, beginners in Religion; others, who though as Heb. 5.12. for their time they might have been grown up to be Men, to be ſtrong in the Lord; yet after a long time of profeſſion of Chriſtianity, they have not had one Cubit added to their Stature in the grace of God. Though they have been Chriſtians of long ſtanding, yet their ſouls are as Zacheus his body, of little Stature. Of thoſe that have but little Grace, ſome never had more, it hath been ever but low with them from the beginning. Others once had more Grace, but they are fallen, and ſunk in their Eſtates; like Naomi, time was when they went out full, but they are returned empty. They have waſted their Talents, and are conſumed in their ſtrength; their light burns dim, their flaming Lamp is become but like ſmoaking Flax, they have little more than the ſnuff of Religion left them.

Now there's need of ſtirring up themſelves in Religion in all theſe ſorts. Thoſe that have the moſt of Grace, had need beſtir themſelves to get more: thoſe that (live) moſt in the diligent exerciſe of p. 35Grace, that live moſt ſpiritually, moſt circumſpectly, had need be giving more diligence daily; you that are higheſt, you are not yet come to your full growth, there is ſtill more to be gotten, and more to be done for God and your ſouls.

But this duty of ſtirring up our ſelves in Religion, moſt eſpecially concerns thoſe that have but little Religion in them; both ſuch as never had but little, and ſuch as once had more, and now are fallen to decay.

Now to ſhew you what this ſtirring up our ſelves in Religion means, underſtand

1. By what acts you muſt stir up your ſelves.

2. To what pitch of Religion you ſhould ſtrive to attain.

1. By what acts you muſt ſtir up your ſelves.

1. The Saints muſt begin the ſtirring up themſelves in Religion, where Sinners muſt begin their ſtirring up themſelves to Religion in bethinking themſelves, Hag. 1.5. Now therefore conſider your ways, or ſet your heart upon your ways; ſee how 'tis with you, take diligent notice how it goes with your ſouls. Friends, it may be, there's the ſame reaſon for you upon a ſpiritual account, as there was for them upon an outward account to conſider your ways: VVhy ſhould they conſider their ways? why, v. 6. Becauſe ye have Sowne much, and Reap but little; ye eat, but have not enough; ye Drink, but are not filled; ye Cloath you, but there is none warm; ye earn Wages to put into a Bag with holes. May be, upon a Spiritual account, it may be ſaid much to the ſame purpoſe concerning ſome of you; God hath been Sowing much, but hath Reaped but little; He hath been Feeding and Cloathing you, but you are empty ſtill, and naked ſtill; all that you have receiv'd from God, doth not keep you warm; what-ever Treaſures have been poured out p. 36upon you, your hearts have been as bags with holes, the Treaſure of the Lord runs out as faſt as 'tis poured in; you are leaking Veſſels, nothing will ſtay with you: Therefore conſider your ſelves, conſider whether it hath not been thus with you: O how have the Inſtructions of God, His Counſels and his Comforts ſlid away, how quickly are they let ſlip? VVhat becomes of all your Sermons, and Sabbaths, and Sacraments you have had? VVe have brought you many a rich Treaſure; we have been pouring into thoſe hearts of yours, ſuch living Food, ſuch rich VVine and Oyle that might have made you fat and flouriſhing; but what's become of it all? O it ſtill finds an hole in your hearts, at which it runs out as faſt as 'tis poured in. Conſider Friends, if it be not ſo with many of you, when you have been inſtructed and affected with your inſtructions, when you have been fed and revived, and refreſhed with your Food, how ſoon after is it all run out and loſt? Sure Friends, it's grievous to the Miniſters of Chriſt, and a diſcouragement to us in our Adminiſtrations, to ſee how little a while what we bring you from God, abides upon your hearts; the Lord hath Sowne much upon you, but how little is there he Reaps? In ſome of you there's little ſprings up, and thoſe in whom there's more ſprings up, and flouriſhes for a time in the blade, O how hath it withered and grown to deday, and will not ripen to the Harveſt!

That it may be better for the future, your firſt buſineſs is to conſider and bethink your ſelves, if hitherto it be not thus with you: Bethink your ſelves every one of you, How is it with me? Is mine heart kept full? full of the Knwledge of God, full of Faith, and the fruits of it? Is mine heart kept warm? Is there ſuch an heat wrought into it as holds? Is mine heart a Treaſure of good things, and do they abide in me? p. 37Do the counſels of the VVord, and the comforts and quicknings of Sacraments ſtay by me? Have I ſome ſtanding abiding Treaſure within me, ſomething within me to ſhew that the VVord is not Preached to me in vain? Or do not I do as others, let all ſlip and dye away with the ſpeaking? Bethink your ſelves thus, how 'tis with you; is your Grace grown up? Are your ſouls built up in Faith and Holineſs? God hath been building among you, but how doth the building go up? In ſome of you, hath it not ever been at a ſtand? If the Foundation hath been laid, yet ſcarce a ſtone laid up upon it; and others in whom the Building ſeemed to be rais'd to ſome conſiderable height, is it not broken down, is not your work fallen again? Deal plainly in this matter, bethink your ſelves, do your ſouls proſper, or is it but low with you, and hath it not been ſome time better with ſome of you than 'tis now?

2. If it be but low with your ſouls, much more if you have had a long time to increaſe, ſince you firſt believed; and more then that, if heretofore it hath been better with you then 'tis now, then bethink your ſelves further, Is not this an evil caſe you are in? Is this a caſe to be reſted in? Do you like it to be as you are? If you had a Child of your natural body, that ſhould be no more able to ſpeak, or go, or feed its ſelf, and had no more underſtanding at 10. or 20. years old then when 'twas but an Infant, but muſt be ſtill Suckled and carryed in Armes at thoſe years, as if it had been but in its firſt year; would not ſuch a Child be a Croſs to you, and an Affliction? O how is it that you are not a Croſs to your ſelves, and an Affliction to your ſelves, that after ſo long a time as ſome of you have had of growing, you ſhould yet in matters ſpiritual not be paſt Babes or Children? It was an Affliction to the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 3.1. that p. 38he muſt ſtill ſpeak to them as to Babes I could not ſpeak unto you as to Spiritual, but as unto Carnal, even as unto Babes in Chriſt. Here 2 things, 1. To have Chriſtians to continue ſtill as Babes and Children, is an Affliction to their Miniſters. The manner of the Apoſtles ſpeech intimates ſo much, that it was a trouble to him that he muſt ſtill ſpeak to them as Babes. 2. By how much the more carnal Chriſtians remain, by how much the leſs ſpiritual, by ſo much the more Childiſh they continue, to be ſtill carnal, is there ſaid to be the ſame with being Babes. Doſt thou think that thou art grown paſt a Child? How is it that thou art ſo carnal ſtill, minding carnal things, and living ſuch a carnal life? Carnally minded Profeſſors, thoſe that are given ſo much to their carnal things, and are of ſuch a carnal Converſation, if they have any thing of Chriſt in them, yet 'tis but very little; if they be Chriſtians, they are but Babes in Chriſt; as they grow up, they will grow more Spiritual and Heavenly. Never think your ſelves to be grown or thriving Chriſtians, till ye can more deſpiſe theſe carnal things and ways, and are come to be more Spiritually-minded, and have gotten this Earth and Fleſh more out of your hearts, and under you feet.

VVell, but is it not an Affliction to you to continue thus carnal? Are you well ſatisfied with that carnal heart you have, with that carnal life you live? But what do you think of [your] ſtate, that have grown up from being Carnal to be Spiritual, and are now fallen from being Spiritual to be Carnal again? Have you once had the day-light ſhining in your hearts, and are you now returned to the twi-light again? Did you once live a life of Faith, and a life of Love, and had your Converſation in Heaven? were you once of a tender heart, of a circumſpect ſavoury Life? Did you live in the Spirit, and walk in the p. 39Spirit, and are you now fallen back to a more eager minding earthly things, and have loſt that ſenſe, that lively ſenſe you had of things Spiritual and Eternal? Bethink your ſelves Friends, whither this be any of your caſes, and whether you like it to be in ſuch a caſe? Or whether you do not with grief acknowledg it, my ſoul is but in evil caſe, and it's time for me to beſtir my ſelf, and get me up to a better ſtate?

2. In crying out upon your ſelves, to be reaching forward to what you have not attained, and to recover what you have loſt, as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 57.8. Awake up my glory; ſo ſay you, awake up my Grace, awake up my Love, awake my Fear, awake up my Conſcience: And as the Apoſtle to the Romans, chap. 13.11. Awake O my ſoul, 'tis high time to awaken out of ſleep; 'tis high time to look about me, 'tis high time to beſtir me. What, ſhall I always loyter and trifle as I have done hitherto? Shall I never take more care and more pains, and be more buſie for God and my Soul than I have hitherto been? 'Tis high time, 'tis high time to awaken and put on. I may no longer live the (reſt) of my time in the Fleſh, The time paſt of my life may ſuffice me to have wrought the will of the Gentiles; As the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 4.2, 3. The time paſt may ſuffice me. It is enough, it is long enough that I have liv'd this carnal life? O 'tis more then enough, 'tis too long, 'tis a ſhame that I have lived under the profeſſion of Chriſtianity ſo long as I have, and yet my ſoul be brought to no better paſs: O 'tis time that I awaken and beſtir my ſelf to amend my pace. Cry out thus upon your ſelves, awaken O my ſoul in time, 'tis time, 'tis high time, 'tis more than time to look about thee; come my lazy heart, up, and be doing: And if it be time to get more Grace than ever I had, ſure 'tis high time to ſet to recovering what once I had and p. 40have now loſt: Is my ſoul at a loſs, and ſhall I always ſit down by the loſs? Much I have loſt already, and ſhall I go on loſing and loſing, till I have loſt all? Friends, we cry unto you, remember whence you have fallen, and Repent, recover your firſt love, do your firſt works; and when you will take the cry from our mouths, and cry thus upon your ſelves, then there's hopes ye will recover.

3. In crying unto the Lord for his help. If Miniſters cannot ſtir you, if Conſcience cannot ſtir you, if ye cannot awaken your ſelves, nor recover your ſelves, yet the Lord God can do it, the helper of Iſ…ael can help you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is nigh, Iſa. 55.6. Before you be too far gone, before your caſe grow deſperate, whilſt the Lord is at hand, calling upon you, now ſeek out to him. Go to the Phyſitian of ſouls, He can cure every Diſeaſe, and thy Diſeaſe, the Conſumption of the heart. Behold, thou art in a Conſumption, not of the Liver, or Lungs, or Reins the Conſumption of the Heart is upon thee; and this Conſumption no other Phyſitian can cure but the Phyſitian of Souls: What-ever other Phyſitian thou goeſt to, with the neglect of him, thou wilt find them all Phyſitians of no value; what-ever other courſe thou takeſt, with the neglect of ſeeking God, he will ſay to thee, as Jer. 46.11. In vain ſhalt thou uſe many Medicines, for thou ſhalt not be cured. Go to God for thy languiſhing ſoul, cry unto Him, lift up thine heart with thy might, pour forth thy very ſoul in thy Prayers; Lord I am fallen, Lord I pine, my ſoul languiſheth, my Faith faileth, my Beauty is withered, my Spirit is waſted, my Fleſh and my Heart faileth, but thou art the ſtrength of mine heart, and my hope is in thee; help Lord, or I dye, I dye for ever.

p. 414. In putting a force upon your ſelves to do your duty. It is not lying down in the Ditch, and only crying, God help me; you muſt do your beſt to help your ſelves, or God will not help you. All the means under Heaven will never do, unleſs we can bring you to ſet your hearts on work for your ſelves; have you any of you taken a fall? Are you down, and would you recover? Count upon it, that it muſt coſt you pains; your hearts hang back, and are loth to come to it; that's your Diſeaſe, your loathneſs to ſpiritual action, and what muſt you do to get your ſelves on? Why, what would you do to your Oxe or your Horſe if they lag or grow lazy? O they muſt feel the Goad and the Spur, and that will quicken them: O Friends, put Spurs to your own ſides, prick your ſelves on to more activity; ſuffer not your ſelves to jogg on in Religion, ſo as you can with eaſe; eaſie Religion will never help you: You that are not for pains-taking, there you muſt lye, and pine, and periſh, and there's no help for you. Why lyeſt thou thus upon thy face? Get thee up, ſays God to Joſhua, Joſh. 7.10. Why ſtand you bewailing and bemoaning your ſelves? Up, and be doing, thou haſt ſinned thy ſelf into this caſe, thou haſt idled thy ſelf into this loſs, and nothing will help thee out without thine own diligence and labour. Go tell your own hearts, there's no hope of recovery without induſtry, and if they will not hear on't, chide them out of this liſtleſs temper: What, canſt thou take pains for Bread, or for Money, and no pains for thy ſoul? Canſt thou take pains to pleaſe thy fleſh, and yet will be at no pains to pleaſe God? O what a wicked, wretched, fooliſh heart have I? Any labour will down but this neceſſary labour: Well, thou ſhalt not 'ſcape me ſo, thou art no heart for me, if thou art not an heart for work; never ſtand excuſing or delaying, thou muſt p. 42come to it; fall to thy duty and follow it cloſe, or thou wilt dye the Death. In this manner force your ſelves on, let not your hearts be quiet within you, till you have engaged in a more active and laborious Life. Thus I have ſhewed you by what acts you are to ſtir up your ſelves.

2. To what pitch in Religion we ſhould ſtir up our ſelves.

To this I ſhall Anſwer.

1. In General. 'Tis not to amend a little, to get into ſomething a better caſe than you are, but to come on to purpoſe, to come on fully after the Lord. May be, ſome of you may think, if this word ſhould have (ſome) effect upon you, and make you a little better, that it had done its work upon you; no, no, you are far ſhort of what you ſhould be; and think not that this word hath done its work, though it ſhould make you a little better than you are, unleſs it alſo bring you effectually onward towards what you ſhould be. There's no mark ſhort of perfection, that ſhould bound or terminate your aims: But I ſhall give you three marks on this ſide the Goal, the better to direct your eye towards it.

1. To ſuch a pitch as is proportionable to your time. You are ſome of you, Profeſſors of long ſtanding, and yet are come to but little. O labour that your growth may be according to the time you have.

2. Thoſe that are fallen, ſhould ſtrive to get up to that pitch, to which once they had attained. This is the firſt thing we ſhould have in our eye, to recover what we have loſt, to recover our firſt love, to do our firſt works which the Church of Epheſus was exhorted to, Rev. 2.5. That which hath been attained, may be attained, and muſt be ſtriven after. You that are fallen, remember how it hath been with you in your beſt time; remember the kindneſs of your youth, p. 43and the love of your Eſpouſals, when your hearts were tender, when your love was keen, when your affections were quick and lively, when the VVord and Ordinances of God were ſweet and powerful, when you came from far, and would go through thick and thin to hear the word of the Lord; when your Meditations, when your Communications by the way, as you went and returned, were ſo ſavoury and ſo pleaſant to you: Such a time there has been with ſome of you, ſuch a time of love and of life there has been, are you fallen from this? O recover, recover, and let it be with you as in the days of old.

3. Both thoſe that are fallen, and every one, ſhould ſtrive to get up to the higheſt pitch of Religion, that is attainable. You ſhould level at perfection of Holineſs, and no mark ſhort of Perfection ſhould limit or bound your aims, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from (all) filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting Holineſs in the fear of God. Though perfect Holineſs cannot be attained, yet it muſt be aimed at; though we cannot reach unto it, yet we muſt be reaching towards it; though we cannot obtain, yet we muſt be ſtill following after. Becauſe we cannot obtain all that is deſirable, but there will be ſtill while we live, ſomething that is before, which we are yet ſhort of; therefore our motion in Religion muſt be conſtantly a progreſſive motion; we muſt ſtill be going forward, and reaching out to that which is before, that our works may be more, and our hearts may be better at laſt then at firſt, Prov. 4.18. The Path of the Juſt muſt ſhine more and more unto perfect day, Grace muſt be growing up till it be ſwallowed up of Glory.

2. Particularly.

1. To an hunger and thirſt of ſoul after more of Religion; to a ſtirring Appetite. Sick men, when their p. 44Stomacks come to them, 'tis a good ſign of recovery. Hunger and Thirſt are eager Appetites, that put us to pain, and are impatient till ſatisfied; the keenneſs, or eagerneſs of the Appetite after the Grace of God, is expreſs'd by Coveteouſneſs, earneſt Coveteouſneſs, 1 Cor. 12.31. Covet earneſtly the beſt gifts: The Coveteous are greedy ſouls; but there are degrees of greedineſs, the hearts of ſome Covetous ones are more ſharp ſet upon the world than others that are greedy enough. Covet earneſtly, let your hearts be as hungry and thirſty after Grace, and the gifts of Grace, as the moſt greedy Men on earth gapes after the world.

Hunger and Thirſt are imperious Appetites, that will command men upon any thing, any labour, any difficulties, for the obtaining ſatisfaction; Hunger will break through Stone walls: A graciouſly thirſty ſoul will not ſit ſtill, and only ſay, I Thirſt, give me to drink; but he will riſe and about, to ſeek where he may be ſatisfied; he will out to the Springs and the Brooks, and the Wells of Salvation, where he may draw and drink of the VVater of Life. He will refuſe no pains nor no hazard, in order to the ſatisfying his deſire. Then you are hungry after Religion, then your ſouls are Athirſt for God, when you are ſo ſharply ſet, that you muſt have it, and will ſtick at no labour and difficulties for the obtaining.

The hunger and thirſt of Souls after God, is an attainment which is the way to an higher attainment, Mat. 5.6. Bleſſed are they that hunger after Righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled: Are you hungry after Grace? Are you thirſty after God and Godlineſs? Bleſſed are you, for ye ſhall be filled, ye ſhall have enough; Grace enough for you, Religion and Righteouſneſs enough, your ſouls ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of the Lord, He will fulfil the Deſires p. 45of them that fear him, Pſal. 145.19. O Chriſtians, were we a more hungry Congregation, were we a more thirſty People, Spiritually hungry, Spiritually thirſty, what an Holy People, what a company of gracious ſouls ſhould we quickly become? The Lord will fill his hungry ſouls with his good things; we ſhould be full, and abound, and have all things, even all Grace abundantly towards us, and in us.

'Tis one miſery of conſuming decayed ſouls, that they have loſt their Appetites: Some Conſumptive bodys will be hungry and eat till they dye, but Conſumptive ſouls do neither hunger nor thirſt. 'Tis an ill ſign that thou art dangerouſly gone in a Conſumption, who haſt loſt thine Appetite after God, in whom thy deſire fails; 'tis one of the Death-Tokens mentioned by Solomon, Eccleſ. 12.5. That deſire ſhall fail. Thou haſt loſt much of thy ſtrength and thy ſpirits, the life of Grace is fallen much to decay in thee; but doth thy deſire after Grace fail to? Haſt thou loſt thine hunger and thy thurſt after Righteouſneſs, doth thy ſoul ceaſe to pant after the Waterbrooks? Canſt thou not ſay I am athirſt for God, for the living God? That ſoul of thine is nigh unto death, if it be not ſuddenly recovered.

O Friends, how many ſuch dying ſouls are there among us? Grace hath failed, and deſire hath failed in too many among us: Do not deceive your ſelves with ſaying, I deſire, I deſire to be a more Holy and Heavenly & hearty Chriſtian; do not ſay you deſire, nor think you deſire what you do not. Appetitus determinator ad hoc. If you truly deſire Grace & an improvement herein, then this is the one thing you deſire; Grace, and nothing but Grace; Holineſs, and nothing but Holineſs will ſatisfie. And if you can ſay, this one thing I deſire, then you will alſo ſay, this one thing I will ſeek. 'Tis not a dull and idle, and ineffectual p. 46wiſh that can be accounted a ſincere deſire, but ſuch a keen and eager Appetite and Thirſt after God as will not let you be quiet, or ſuffer you to reſt in ſuch a caſe. Thoſe that are heartily hungry, they can't ſleep for hunger, their hunger will keep them waking. What, are you ſuch drowſie, ſleepy ſouls? Can you take any reſt in that poor and empty ſtate you are in? Sure, what-ever you think, you have little thirſt for God, 'twould keep you waking (if you had); your ſouls would have no eaſe, you could not be in quiet till you obtain.

O what a caſe is this that thou art in? What, to have ſo little of God in thee, and yet no greater deſire after more? What art thou like to come to, whoſe Bread fails, and when hunger fails to; whoſe Grace is ſunk, and whoſe deſire after Grace fails? What, neither to have, nor to wiſh thou had'ſt? or to have ſo very little, next to nothing, and not to wiſh for more? What, to have loſt ſo much, and not to weep over thy loſs, and wiſh for thy recovery? Friends, how ſtands the caſe with you? Sure you do not know your ſtate; if ſome of you do, know that it's but very low with you: But what pantings, or thirſtings, or workings of your hearts are there after an increaſe? Do not ſome of you find a great indifferency grown upon you in this matter? You are not careful, nor much concern'd about the reviving of your ſouls? If you have any good deſires at all, are they not weak deſires, dull and cold deſires, ſuch as do not at all ſtir or diſquiet your ſpirits, but that you can go on well enough for all this, in your worldly deſignes and fleſhly ways? When do ye think to recover into a better caſe? Are ye ever like to come to any thing in Religion, may you not fear you are quickly like to come to juſt nothing, if ye hold on a while longer at this paſs? O Friends, feel your p. 47Pulſes every one, (how) do your hearts beat Heaven-wards? How very faintly do they beat? What might I do to make you ſenſible what fainty ſouls you are? What might I ſpeak to ſtir up deſire to whet your Appetites? If I could but Preach you into hungry ones, and thirſty ones; if I might ſend you away from this Soul-meal with an Appetite, then there would be hope that the Lord would fill you with his good things.

Well, this is the firſt thing I would perſwade you to, to ſtir up your Appetites; Get you ſuch an hunger and thirſt of ſoul after the Lord, and the power of Religion: Let your loſs make you hungry after a recovery; let your want make you hungry after a ſupply: Let the worth and excellency of Religion, and the power of Holineſs, ſet you an hungring after it, as ſometimes the very fight of good Meat does in our bodily caſes. What do ye mean? Will ye Starve and Periſh, and Pine away to nothing? What will ye dye away of this conſuming Diſeaſe? Have you loſt ſo much, and will you loſe that little that's left? Are you not yet afraid that you may? That you that have loſt ſo much, may even loſe all? Does it never move you? Does it never trouble you to ſee what Starveling, Pale-faced Chriſtians ſome of you are become? Sure Friends, if you would conſider your ſelves, if you would lay to heart your weak, and waſted, and wanting ſtate, this would kindle deſire after a recovery and revival. And if we could but kindle deſire in you, affectionate deſires, ardent deſires, impatient, painful, working deſires, this would be a good ſtep towards that pitch of proſperous Religion that I am propoſing to you to follow after. And therefore pray never be at peace with your ſelves, nor ſuffer your hearts to have quiet, till this miſerable liſtleſneſs and coldneſs towards God p. 48be cured, and you be ſo awakened out of this dulneſs that you may be able to ſay with the Church, Iſa. 26.8, 9. I wait for thee O Lord, the deſire of my ſoul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee; with my very ſoul do I deſire thee in the night, and my ſpirit within me ſhall ſeek thee early: And with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 63 1, 2, 3. O God thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee: I have neglected thee, I have forſaken thee, but now my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee in this dry and thirſty ſtate, where no water is. O that I might ſee thy power and thy glory, ſo as I have ſeen it, or as others thy Saints do ſee it? Thy loving kindneſs is better than life, my ſoul followeth hard after thee, let thy right hand help me: Let your ſouls thus cry out after the living God, Lord help me; help me up to thee, help me on after thee, revive thy work in me, I have gone aſtray like a loſt Sheep; ſeek the ſoul of thy Servant, that I may never again forget thy Commandments. Let me be ſound in thy Statutes, and let my ways be ſo directed, that I may keep thy Precepts. O Friends, might you be brought to ſuch a thirſting, longing, deſiring, ſeeking heart, then ſhall your ſouls be filled with marrow and fatneſs, and your mouth ſhall praiſe him with joyful lips.

2. To a ſavour and relliſh of Religion. Some are ſo ſick and weak that they cannot eat nor drink what's good for them, have quite loſt their …ppetites; others can eat and drink, but cannot relliſh what they take, have loſt their taſt VVhen both their Appetite is reſtored and their taſt; when they can eat that which is good, and can relliſh what they eat, that's a farther token of recovery. When wiſdom entereth into the heart, and the knowledge of God is [pleaſant] to the ſoul, as Prov. 2.10. When we receive p. 49the knowledge of God, and perceive the ſweet ſavour of his knowledge, this is an argument of ſoundneſs and healthfulneſs. Sickly and weakly ſouls, their neceſſity will make them drink in ſomething of the things of God: Religion and Godlineſs they muſt entertain and embrace, they ſee they muſt dye elſe, as a Sick man ſees he muſt if he do not eat nor drink: And therefore how unpleaſant ſoever it be, it muſt down; but were it not for neceſſity, he could be better contented to let it all alone.

Chriſtians, it may be your Soul-neceſſities do put you upon ſomething of Religion, hold you to Praying, and to Hearing, and to minding and ſpeaking of the things of God; 'tis well that ſomething will do with you, that your neceſſity will prevail with you, better ſo than not at all; but yet it may be, whatever you receive, whatever you do, you can find no ſavour in it, you have no taſt of the ſweetneſs of Religion, it goes down like chips & ſticks, and hath no reliſh in it. You can Pray, but you have no lively affections in prayer; you can hear, & yet find no ſweetneſs in what you hear; you can ſpeak, and maintain diſcourſe about the things of God, but are not at all affected with what you ſpeak; it comes coldly and drily out, and hath no gratefulneſs in it, neither to your ſelves or thoſe that hear you; ſure this is a ſign that you have but little Religion in you, if any at all. When what we receive of Religion, goes deep, enters into the heart; when that which we bring forth of Religion (comes) deep, comes from the heart: VVhen we ſpeak with the heart, it will be more affectionate, and the affection which we expreſs will be an evidence that we taſt the good things we ſpeak of.

O Friends, get you ſuch a reliſh of Religion, get you up not only to be knowing and underſtanding Chriſtians, but ſavoury Chriſtians, of a ſavoury p. 50ſpirit, Rom. 8.5. Thoſe that are after the Spirit do mind (the word ſignifies) do ſavour the things of the Spirit: Spiritual things are ſavoury things to Spiritual men. Get you to be ſo Spiritually minded, that you may be ſpiritually affected; that the knowledge of God, and the thoughts of God, and the worſhip of God, that communing with God and with your own hearts, and one with another, about the things of God, may be affecting and pleaſant to your ſouls. Lively affectionate Chriſtians, 'tis a fign they have drunk in the Spirit of Religion into their very hearts; and it will be an help to the begetting and warming affections in others; when once you have experimentally taſted the ſweetneſs, and are thereby deeply affected with Religion, then you are like to hold to it, and proſper in it. This taſt and reliſh of Religion is not to be gotten but by our inward and experimental acquaintance with it, whilſt it dwells but in the head and upon the tongue, it will be but a dry and inſipid thing to you; whilſt you dwell upon the ſurface, and out-ſide, and are but ſmatterers and triflers in Religion, you may ſay of all your Religion, as it was ſaid of Samaria's Idolatry, Hoſ. 8.7. It hath no Stalk, the Bud yields no Meal; or if it hath any ſtalk, or ſeems to yield any meal, yet neither ſtalk nor meal hath any ſweetneſs in it. Friends, you muſt go deeper in Religion if ever you will taſt the ſweetneſs of it. Get your hearts to be ſo leavened and ſeaſoned with it, get Religion to be ſo Naturalized to you, drink in the ſpirit of Religion into you, that you may be metamorphiſed and changed into its own Image and Nature, and then you will find how pleaſant it will be to you.

3. To ſolidity in Religion. Particularly,

1. To ſolid ſubſtantial Religion.

2. To be more ſolid in Religion.

p. 511. Get up to ſolid and ſubſtantial Religion. VVhat the ſubſtance of Religion is, I ſhall ſhortly hint to you from two Scriptures, Phil. 3.3. We are the Circumciſion which Worſhip God in the Spirit, and rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus, and have no confidence in the fleſh: Tit. 2.12. Teaching us, that denying all ungodlineſs and wordly Luſts, we ſhould live Soberly, Righteouſly, and Godly in this preſent world. Out of theſe two Scriptures you may learn wherein the ſubſtance of Religion lyes, viz.

1. In worſhipping God in the Spirit; or as Joh. 4.24. in Spirit and in Truth. This Notes, 1. The inward worſhipping God, our loving, fearing, praiſing the Lord, &c. 2. Our being real and ſpiritual in the outward worſhip of God, our hearing with underſtanding, our praying with our Spirits, &c. Our taking heed to it, that our acts of worſhip be not barely bodily exerciſe, but the works of our ſouls; be not ſhaddows and Images of worſhip, but the very thing they pretend to be.

2. In rejoyceing in Chriſt Jeſus: That is, as our Mediator, by whom, as we exhibit all our worſhip, ſo we expect its acceptance, and all the comforts and fruits of it.

3. In ſhunning of Iniquity, Denying all ungodlineſs and worldly Luſts. This Notes, 1. The abſtaining from the practiſe of ſin, that we do no Inity, Pſal. 119.3. 2. The mortifying the Luſts of ſin, the killing of ſin within, the Crucifying the fleſh, with the affections and Luſts, Gal. 5.24.

4. In the practiſe of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs. Our living Soberly, and Righteouſly, and Godly in this preſent world. Theſe are the ſubſtance of Religion; he that worſhips God in Spirit and in Truth, that thus rejoyces in Chriſt Jeſus, that denying all Ungodlineſs and wordly Luſts, lives Righteouſly, p. 52and Soberly, and Godly in this preſent world, he is a ſubſtantial Chriſtian.

There may be great growth in theſe ſubſtantials, in this ſolid Religion, where there ſeems but little in affection; & there may be much affection in others that are not ſolid Chriſtians: there may be Chriſtians that can't weep for ſin, as ſome others can, but yet they can take more heed of ſin; they can fear it, and ſhun it, and conquer the power of it more than thoſe that can more paſſionately weep for it. There are ſome that cannot ſo paſſionately melt under the VVord, but yet the VVord ſticks more upon them, and hath more power over their practiſe. There are, that can't feel ſo much of the warm and lively workings of love to God, but they are more tender how they offend or diſpleaſe God; more bent upon being Serviceable and Faithful to God: And ſure there's more of ſolid Religion in theſe, than in ſome others in whom it works more paſſionately. Friends, look to this, if you be wanting in affection, let it be made up in circumſpection; what you want of the delights of Religion, let it be made up in diligence. If you feel not ſo much of the warm workings of love to Chriſt, yet can you but keep you cloſe to Chriſt, and the obedience of his will; if whilſt you are leſs lively, you be yet more tender, and heedful, and watchful in your goings; if whilſt you can't melt, nor paſſionately mourn for ſin, yet you carefully ſhun and beware of ſin: if though you be not elevated and raiſed to thoſe heights and raptures of joys, as ſome others, yet you are more mortified to ſin & the world; if you be dead with Chriſt, dead to the Faſhions, and Luſts, and Pleaſures, and Riches of this world; if ye be dead with Chriſt, though your life and the comforts of it be yet but hidden, you have gotten the ſubſtance of Chriſtianity in you. In theſe, and ſuch like inſtances, p. 53ſtands the ſolidity of Chriſtianity, wherein he that groweth moſt is the beſt Chriſtian. It's true, when affection and ſolidity go together, where we are both ſubſtantial Chriſtians, and alſo warm and lively Chriſtians, that's incomparably beſt and moſt deſireable. Follow after both, but eſpecially take heed that what-ever be wanting in affection, be made up in ſolidity. Get to be more underſtanding experienced Chriſtians, get to be more Conſcientious, tender, ſtrict, and cloſe followers of Chriſt in all the known and weighty matters of the Law. Be mortified to ſin, be crucified to the World, be bent upon doing all the good you can in your Generations; this is it I mean by ſolid Religion.

O Friends, what a deal of light and frothy Religion have we known ſome years ſince in our Land, which made a great noiſe, and a fair ſhew, and appear'd in a great fluſh of affection, and had but little it? What tryumphing in Chriſt, what boaſting of the Spirit, what magnifyings of free grace, what pretentions to great joyes and confidences were there amongſt many hot and haſty Profeſſors which have ſince vaniſhed into meer wind? How comes this to paſs? Why there was not the ſubſtance of Religion at bottom; the ſounding Veſſels were hollow, and had nothing in them. Be as affectionate as you can, be as zealous and lively as poſſible, but be ſure that there be ſubſtance under all your ſhews. Be diligent Chriſtians, be doing Chriſtians, be mortified Chriſtians; 'tis this which will hold out, and therefore let this be it you are reaching up unto, to keep you from Iniquity, to keep you cloſe to duty, and hence to be built up through Faith unto Salvation.

2. Get to be ſolid in Religion, to more firmneſs, to be more [deeply] rooted in the Faith, and more p. 54firmly reſolved for the obedience of the Goſpel; this the Apoſtle expreſſes by groundedneſs and ſettleneſs, Col. 1.23. If ye continue in the Faith, grounded and ſetled; and Chap. 2.7. rooted and built up in him, and eſtabliſhed in the Faith. In this eſtabliſhment or rootedneſs (beſides a firm belief of the Goſpel) are theſe 4. things.

1. A firm reſolution for Chriſt.

2. A firm truſt in Chriſt.

3. A firm adherence to Chriſt.

4. A confirmed habit of Holineſs.

1. A firm reſolution for Chriſt, and the obedience of the Goſpel; every ſincere reſolution is a firm reſolution, but there are degrees of firmneſs; firmneſs may be taken in oppoſition to

Fickleneſs.

Feebleneſs.

1. To fickleneſs. Some Profeſſors are light and unſtable ſouls, they are off and on, ſometimes reſolved, and then unreſolved; ſometimes their faces, ſometimes their backs are upon Chriſt. In this ſenſe, every ſincere reſolution is a firm reſolution. The weakeſt Chriſtian is unalterably reſolved for Chriſt; though he may be ſhaken, yet he never comes to be totally unreſolved.

2. To feebleneſs, or weakneſs of reſolution. Some Chriſtians are more ſtrongly reſolved, others are unalterably, but not ſo ſtrongly. Though they do not go back, yet are they under doubts and fears that they ſhall, and it may be ſometimes (in the day of temptation) put it to the queſtion, Shall I go on, or ſhall I give off? Now this is the firm reſolution I would preſs you to be reaching towards, which is oppoſed to feebleneſs and weakneſs. But having written more largely to this elſe-where, I ſhall ſay no more of it here.

p. 552. To a ſettled truſt in Chriſt. Now becauſe this will both prove us to be eſtabliſhed Chriſtians, and alſo mightily conduce to our farther eſtabliſhment and growth; I ſhall therefore here a little the more inlarge, and ſhall ſhew,

1. What this truſt is.

2. That it both proves us eſtabliſhed Chriſtians, and makes much for our further improvement and eſtabliſhment.

1. What this truſt in Chriſt is. It is expreſſed in Scripture by committing our ſelves to him, 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed, that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, or truſted him with. This committing our ſelves to Chriſt, notes,

1. Our laying up our ſelves, and all our hopes and concerns with him, ſo as to venture our ſelves in his cuſtody, to venture our ſelves upon his faithfulneſs; to caſt all our burthens upon him, Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burthen upon the Lord and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. To caſt all our care upon him, 1 Pet. 5.7. to leave it upon Chriſt to take the care of us, to put it into his hands, to look to it that nothing be loſt, and to help us on through our whole courſe to the end. Only here, leſt we be damnably miſtaken, know, that it muſt be only for his own part that Chriſt muſt be truſted, for that which he hath undertaken to do for us, for what he hath undertaken to keep for us. 2. It muſt be only in his own way, in a way of obedience to Chriſt, in a way of well-doing: As in reſpect to God, ſo in reſpect to Chriſt alſo, we muſt commit the keeping our ſelves to him in well-doing, 1 Pet. 4.19. There are ſome things that we are to do, which Chriſt never undertook to do for us; we are to Believe, we are to Repent, this we muſt do our ſelves: Chriſt hath never undertaken to Believe or Repent for us; we muſt believe our ſelves, and p. 56repent our ſelves. There are ſome things that Chriſt never undertook [alone] to keep for us; we muſt keep Faith and a good Conſcience our ſelves; Chriſt hath undertaken to help us to Repent, to help us to keep a good Conſcience, but never undertook to ſave us the labour of repenting, of keeping Faith and a good Conſcience our ſelves. And that which Chriſt hath undertook to keep for us, to keep our ſouls, to keep us unto Salvation, to preſerve us unto his Heavenly Kingdom, He will do it only in his own way; whilſt we are walking in Chriſt's way, in the way of Faith and Obedience to his will, in the way of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs we may boldly venture our ſelves in his keeping.

Sinners will truſt Chriſt with their ſouls, will commit the keeping of their ſouls to him, but not in a way of well doing; they truſt him in a way of evil doing; their truſt in Chriſt they make to be their ſecurity in their evil courſe: They truſt in Chriſt to anſwer for their rejecting Chriſt; they truſt in Chriſt to anſwer for their not believing in Chriſt, for their abuſing and ſlighting of Chriſt, for their total and final Impenitence, and hardning themſelves againſt Chriſt; and from this truſt they venture to go on in their ſins, and in the hardneſs and impenitence of their hearts.

Drunkards, how dare you go on in your Drunkenneſs? Worldlings, how dare you go on in your Covetouſneſs? Ye Vain and Carnal, and Careleſs ones, how dare you go on in this carnal Life? How can ye eſcape the Damnation of Hell? O I truſt in Chriſt for Salvation; and what follows? Why thereupon, behold how boldly thou ventureſt on in thy neglect of Chriſt, and thy Rebellion againſt him; thou wouldſt not dare to be ſuch a drunken Beaſt, thou wouldſt not dare to go on in thy Lying, or Coveteouſneſs p. 57and Carnality, but for thy truſt in Chriſt, to ſave thee at laſt. Thou goeſt on to ſerve thy will, and mind this World, and ſatisfie thy Luſt: and hence thou takeſt heart and encouragement that thou truſteſt in Chriſt.

But Man, wilt thou truſt Chriſt for that he never undertook? Wilt thou truſt Chriſt for that which he never promiſed? Did Chriſt ever promiſe to ſave thy ſoul, whether thou wert a Believer or no Believer? Whether thou comeſt in and be Converted, or ſtandeſt out, and runneſt on thy wicked ways? Turn Sinners, turn to Chriſt, Repent and be Converted from your ſins, or never comfort your ſelves in your truſt in Chriſt. Chriſt hath ſaid He will Damn thee if thou Believe not, if thou Repent not; but he never ſaid he will ſave thee however. Chriſtians, truſt in Chriſt, commit the keeping of their ſouls to him, but 'tis in Chriſt's way, in a way of well doing and obedience to his will; they lay out themſelves and all their powers in the Service of Chriſt, and then lay up their ſouls, and all their hopes in Chriſt and His cuſtody.