A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers, Sermon (4 of 5)

A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers · Sermon (4 of 5)

p. 165Beloved, you have much the more reaſon to hearken to theſe inſtructions, and hereby to ſecure the continuance of the Lord in your own hearts, in ſuch a time as this, wherein there are ſo many tokens of his being about to depart out of our Congregations, to ſhut up the Doors of his Houſe againſt us. O how will it be, if when the days ſhall come wherein we ſhall loſe our opportunities of meeting the Lord in the Congregation? how very ſad will it be, if we ſhould in ſuch a time not find him within us, if the Word of the Lord ſhould be thruſt out from his Houſe, and the Spirit of the Lord ſhould be withdrawn from our Hearts; if with our publick communion we ſhould loſe our ſecret communion; if inſtead of finding comfort in our retirements to God, he ſhould hide his Face from our Souls; if inſtead of ſpeaking comfortably, he ſhould ſpeak roughly to us; if this ſhould be his Word to us in ſuch a day, Now ſee what thou haſt done, now remember thy wantonneſs and thy worldlineſs, thy hypocriſie and thy backſlidings, and triflings out thy day of grace; of theſe things thou haſt been warned aforehand, but wouldſt not lay them to heart, and now reap the fruit of thy folly; think not to have countenance from me, and comfort from me, in the day p. 166of diſtreſs, whom thou haſt ſo mocked and ſlighted in thy proſperity: If men be angry let them be angry, if men will perſecute, let them perſecute, and look for no relief from me. O what if the Lord ſhould ſpeak thus to any of your Souls in the days of darkneſs that may come, how dreadful dark will it then be! or what if he ſhould ſay nothing, but leave thee a blind, and hardned, and ſenſeleſs Soul, waſting away and growing worſe and worſe, and not at all affected with his ſevere providences? How if it ſhould be thus! O Friends, that this may not be your caſe, that God ſhould depart from his Houſe and your Souls together; know that you are ſo much the more concerned to give ſpecial heed to the Inſtructions you have received for the laying ſuch hold upon him, that he may continue with your hearts if he ſhould not be intreated, but depart from his Houſe and Congregations.

4. Stirring Religion will take hold of God: What might have been ſaid to this is in great part prevented by what hath been ſaid already, yet ſomething I ſhall add and ſhew.

1. What's meant by ſtirring Religion.

2. That ſtirring Religion will continue the Preſence of God with us.

1. What's meant by ſtirring Religion. 1. Negatively, not headineſs in Religion, an hot and miſtaken Zeal about the lower and more uncertain things of Religion; not ſuch a Spirit of Fire which was in thoſe Diſciples, Luke 9.54. who would needs call for Fire from Heaven to deſtroy and conſume thoſe that were not Followers of them; not a ſtirring up of ſtrife and contention, a making breaches and diviſions, and propagating of our own Opinions by cenſuring and judging thoſe that are otherwiſe minded, and are not in every thing according to our own Size: p. 167Such as theſe are ſome of thoſe perilous perſons which the Apoſtle warns Chriſtians not to imitate, but to take heed of; of whom he ſays, 2 Tim. 3.2. they are Proud, Boaſters, Falſe Accuſers, or makebates, fierce, deſpiſers of them that are good, heady, highminded, and after all their bluſtering againſt others, have but a form of Godlineſs, denying the power thereof; from ſuch, ſays he, turn away, take heed of them, and take heed of being leavened with ſuch a Spirit. This then, this headineſs, and fierceneſs, and hot cenſoriouſneſs upon the account of Religion, this is not the ſtirring Religion I mean.

2. Poſitively. An humble, active, lively, zealous proſecuting or purſuing that which is Religion indeed or the ſubſtance of ſincere Chriſtianity. Some vain ones there are, who upon the hearing this headineſs and fierceneſs, this hot and miſtaken zeal blamed and decryed, will turn the edge of ſuch Reproofs againſt Godly Zeal, and all fervour and activity for God; and every one that goes beyond the drowſie ſleepy multitude of Profeſſors, is cried out againſt, as one of theſe heady highminded ones. Such is the craft of the Devil, that if he cannot blow up coals of wildfire, that under the pretence of kindling will devour all ſerious godlineſs; if he cannot make men hot and heady in the propagating their own fancies, will then on the other hand quench and cool that genuine fervency of ſpirit wherein we ought to ſerve the Lord: If he cannot make men heady, he will do what he can to make them heartleſs, and cold, and lukewarm, in all the matters of God.

Friends, take heed of both theſe extreams, of being heady or fierce on the one hand, or of being cold or lukewarm on the other: Of heady ones, God would have us take heed and turn away from them, and for p. 168lukewarm ones, he will ſpue them out of his Mouth, Rev. 3.16.

The ſtirring Religion I mean is as I ſaid before, a lively activity of Soul for God, and for the advancing in real Godlineſs. A ſtirring Spirit is oppoſite to a drowſie, ſleepy, ſlothful, careleſs Spirit, which is nothing moved by all that the Scripture ſpeaks, when it preſſeth us to be fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. To be zealous and amend, Rev. 3.19. To contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints, Jude 3. To ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate, Luke 13.24. To be violent and force our ſelves on in the way of the Kingdom, Mat. 11.12. To fight, to wreſtle, to run, to make haſte to be fruitful in good works, and the like; after all theſe preſſing and quickning words, there are a ſort of ſlow Bellies, ſleepy, lazy Profeſſors, who will but creep on when God would have them run, who will lye down & laze and loyter out their time, when they ſhould be fervent in Spirit; who will be idle when they ſhould work, be ſilent when they ſhould ſpeak; who let their lazy hearts alone to their own ſlow & eaſie pace, and ſo are over-grown with ruſt and ſuffer their Religion to be even ſtrangled and chok'd up by their fleſh to which they ſo much indulge.

This ſtirring Religion is the oppoſite to ſuch a ſleepy heartleſs way of Religion, a blowing up the coals which God hath kindled in us; as Timothy is exhorted, 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up the (Gift) of God. The word is, Blow up the Coals; ſo Chriſtians are to ſtir up the Grace of God within them.

I need ſay the leſs here, becauſe I have told you ſo much of it already. It is our being awakened, and putting on vigorouſly upon that ſavory, ſolid, fruitful Religion which I have already inſtructed you in.

p. 169Whatever Holy Principles we have received and ſucked in from the Word of God, whatever Holy Habits or Diſpoſitions have been begotten and wrought into our Hearts by the Spirit of God; have we any thing of the ſaving knowledge of God, have we Faith, have we the Fear of God or any Love to the Lord Jeſus? theſe muſt be all ſet on work and held to their work, that ſo the Knowledge of God may bring forth the Life of God; that the Habit of Faith may bring forth a Life of Faith; that the Love of Chriſt and the fear of the Lord may conſtrain us and provoke us to walk on in the Law of our God; that the light that is ſet up within us may break forth and make our Paths to ſhine; and not only ſo, but that the Holy Fire that's kindled and blown up in our Hearts, may bring forth a Zeal of God in our Lives; that we may be Chriſtians, and Chriſtians in earneſt; buſie for God, buſie for our Souls, ſtriving againſt Sin, and ſtriving for the Maſtery, fighting againſt Sin, and fighting to the Victory; ready to every good work and fruitful in good works, doing what we can to rouſe up this ſleepy World, to raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and helping on and building up one another in our moſt Holy Faith; laying out our ſtrength in following the Lord, and laying hold every one on the Skirts of his Brother, and leading them on with us; living in love, and all the fruits of Chriſtian love; and hereby adorning our Holy Profeſſion, and walking worthy the Lord unto all pleaſing; this is that which I mean by ſtirring Religion.

2. Stirring Religion will continue the Preſence of God with us; for,

1. It will work out and drive away whatever offends or would provoke God to depart: God will never depart without cauſe; it muſt be a great matter that p. 170muſt part ſuch dear Friends as God and the Souls of his Saints: God will never depart from his People till there be ſome ſin entertain'd, and lov'd, and allow'd, that bids him depart. Every ſin ſays to the Lord as thoſe wicked ones, Job 21.14. who ſaid to the Almighty, depart from us; but though every ſin ſays thus, yet God will not hearken to its voice unleſs it be an allowed ſin that's ſuffered to have the command in the heart and life. Sin ſays to the Lord, Depart, God ſhall not rule here; and if thou be of the mind that that Sin ſhall ſtay with thee notwithſtanding, if thou art willing to entertain ſuch a Traitor however, if thou hadſt rather venture the diſpleaſing and diſobliging of God than have thy Sin caſt out, this the Lord will not bear, away he will. God ſays concerning every ſin, If ye love me, let theſe go their way; let this Pride go, let this Covetouſneſs go, let this Frowardneſs go; if thou ſayeſt, O with all mine heart, Lord, I would be glad with all my Soul to be rid of them; but wo is me, they are too hard for me, my luſts will dwell in me, and work in me, and hinder me in my work for God do what I can; O my Soul would rejoyce to be well rid of them; O that I might never be proud, or froward, or carnal, or earthly-minded any more: I know it is an offence to the Lord, and ſure it is a grief of mind to me, that any thing that offends ſhould abide with me; and though I cannot conquer them, yet through the help of God I will not foſter them whilſt I live. If theſe Sons of the Bondwoman muſt dwell with me, yet through the help of the Lord they ſhall never dwell in peace with me while I live: if thou ſayeſt thus, and ſayeſt truly, and wilt ſtand to thy word, God will not depart from thee. God will not depart for unallowed reſiſted ſins: If whilſt thy ſin ſays to the Lord, Depart from me, thy Soul ſays to thy Sin, Depart thou rather; God will hearken p. 171to the voice of thy Soul rather than to the voice of thy Sin. Thy Sin ſays to the Lord, Depart; but if thy Soul ſay, Lord let me be looſed from my Sins but ſtay thou with me; God will not depart from thee: But every allowed Sin, every loved Luſt and Corruption that thou wilt not hear of parting with; if thou art of a proud heart, and art reſolved to maintain thy Pride, if thou art of a Covetous Earthly Heart and Life, and wilt not hear of giving off from thy Covetouſneſs, if thou art carnal, and fooliſh, and froward, &c. and wilt continue ſo, then look to thy ſelf, God will not ſtay with ſuch a Soul; what, love your pleaſures more than God? what, love this World more than God? even take them for me, ſays the Lord, I'll be no more a God to them. This is the firſt, every allowed ſin provokes God to depart.

2. Stirring Religion will work out ſin, eſpecially every allowed ſin. The life of a Chriſtian is a warfare, there is a continual conflict betwixt the fleſh and ſpirit, Gal. 5.17. The Fleſh luſteth—luſteth, that is, fighteth; ſin fighteth againſt grace, and grace fighteth againſt ſin. Sin fights for the Devil to ſet him up, and to lay the governement on his Shoulder; and grace fights for God to lift the Lord up, and to give him the preheminence in the Soul. God will no longer ſtay in the heart than he may have the preheminence; God will not be kept as an underling, if he may not have the preheminence, he'll be gone and leave you to the Devil; never talk that you hope God is within you, where Sin or the World bears rule, God is not there.

Now where the fleſh is let alone in its fight againſt grace, much more where the heart takes part with the fleſh, and nouriſheth, and cheriſheth, and maketh proviſion for it, and grace is let lye aſleep, there ſin riſes, and increaſes, and abounds both in p. 172heart and life. Where ſin is ſtirring, and that little grace that is, is let lye and quite out of heart, what can be expected, how can it be otherwiſe but the Devil muſt carry it againſt God? But when grace revives, and the heart falls off from ſin, and takes part with grace, nouriſhing, and cheriſhing, and abetting the better part, then ſin will be put to it and muſt away. Chriſtians, your hearts would quickly be too hot for your ſins, if the grace that is in you be once well rouzed up; when the live Coals are blown up into a Flame, the Smoke is conſumed and vaniſheth.

Do not ſluggiſhly lye down and complain that you cannot maſter your ſins; you are proud and cannot help it, you are earthly, and worldly, and cannot help it; you are froward, and paſſionate, and peeviſh, and cannot overcome your paſſions: Do not ſay, you cannot overcome, you cannot prevail; if there be grace in your hearts and you will ſet to it; to ſtir up the grace that is in you, this would overcome. What do you think if your love to Chriſt were blown up into a flame, would it not quench the flame of luſt? Friends, 'tis a ſign that religion is aſleep, grace is aſleep, conſcience is aſleep, when your carnality and earthlineſs do thus ride in triumph over you; this little David, that little good thing that is within you, if it gets on its Armour and go forth to the fight, will not only put to flight, but put to death the Champion of the Philiſtines: Put your grace to it, let it but engage heartily and lively in the fight, and ſin will run the field.

Loytering, and idleneſs, and lazineſs do beget and nouriſh evil humours and diſeaſes; exerciſe and activity will ſubdue and work them out; he that lives a ſtirring life, is uſually the moſt ſtrong and healthful.

p. 173Chriſtians, if you would be hearty and healthful and overcome thoſe corruptions that are the diſeaſes of your Souls, and the offence of your God, if you would overcome, reſolve upon a ſtirring life; pray, and let no praying ſatisfie, but ſtirring prayer; ſleepy prayers will ſtand you in no ſtead; let your thoughts be ſtirring, let your affections be ſtirring, let conſcience be ſtirring, let your converſations be ſtirring converſations; be not the carkaſes of Chriſtians that have no life, ſhew forth the Spirit of Chriſtianity as much as poſſible; be all ſoul, and life, and ſpirit, and keep you in lively action, and then let your ſins ſtand before yov if they can. The quick running Rivers keep themſelves pure, they are the dead and ſtanding Pools that gather moſt mud and dirt. Certainly, Friends, our Skie would be clearer and more ſerene, if our Spirits as the Wind did riſe higher. Our thick Miſts and unwholeſome Fogs that infeſt and annoy us would much be diſpelled, if Grace (the rays of the Sun of Righteouſneſs) did once break forth more in us. What will ye do, Friends! your light grows dim, and your day miſty, your waters are mudded, we are a company of dark ſouls, polluted ſouls, ſuch as the Lord can take little pleaſure in; what muſt ye do to help it? if you will beſtir your ſelves you may help all; get Religion to be aflote, let that living ſtream be running, let the coals be blowing, and then you ſhall ſee your mud will be cleanſed, and your droſs will be purged away. Never think 'twill be better by ſitting ſtill and complaining how bad 'tis: To work, Friends, to work with theſe lazy hearts, to work with thoſe earthly minds; rouze ye up out of ſleep, up and be doing, and ſee if you find not the ſame ſucceſs againſt your ſins as the Lord promiſed againſt the Devil, Jam. 4.7. Reſiſt the Devil and he ſhall fly from you; reſiſt Sin, and it ſhall fall under you.

p. 174Now Friends, if ye can but get your ſins out, if ye can ſubdue your iniquities ſo far, as that not one of them be allowed, and all of them have their power broken and weakned in you; if thoſe that are by a ſpecialty (your) iniquities, if your ſpecial ſins, your moſt beloved luſts, thoſe that have moſt of all taken with you, and carried your hearts captive, thoſe evils that have been your ſpecial hinderances either in holineſs or comfort, and that your hearts have been moſt apt to go a whoring after, if you get theſe to be mortified and brought under, (ſtirring Religion will do it) get it to be done once, let nothing be left that offends God, but that it alſo offends you, and you ſhall not be like to have reaſon to complain the Lord is departed from me, that which would have driven him away is now removed.

2. Stirring Religion will work up, and improve, and increaſe thoſe good things, which the Lord will delight in, and will not forſake. As it will work out iniquity, ſo it will work up grace and holineſs. There is not the pooreſt and weakeſt of Saints, but by diligence and induſtry will be improved. Stirring Chriſtians will be thriving Chriſtians: 'tis for want of action and induſtry that our ſouls are in this poor caſe. As they ſaid Gen. 43.10. Except we had lingred we had returned the ſecond time, or twice by this time. Friends, if we had not lingered and loitered, we might have had twice ſo much grace, twice ſo much holineſs as now we have: 'tis our lingering that keeps us ſo poor; we may thank our ſloth and our careleſneſs that there is ſo little of God in us: by our induſtry we ſhall advance. Stirring lively Chriſtians will be thriving Chriſtians: the beſt of Chriſtians can never keep their ſtand, much leſs increaſe their ſtore, without diligence; and the leaſt of Saints ſhall not be always at a ſtand if they will be diligent: and whileſt your ſouls flouriſh in p. 175grace, the Lord will never leave you nor forſake you. The more you have of the grace and holineſs of God in you, the more the Lord hath to loſe; the more gracious ones the Lord hath in a Nation, the more he hath to loſe among that people; and the more grace there is in any ſoul, the more he hath to loſe if that ſoul ſhould miſcarry; the greater treaſure the Lord hath in your hearts, the cloſer guard will he keep about it that it be not loſt. You whoſe religion hath ſo abounded, that your ſouls are filled with the fruits of religion, fear not, God will ſtand at your right hand, he will not loſe ſuch a treaſure. If you make the Moſt High your habitation, and keep his habitation clean and well furniſhed, he will delight to dwell with you. Never any gracious ſoul, that made it his work to pleaſe the Lord, could ever ſay (unleſs upon a miſtake) the Lord hath forſaken me. Upon a miſtake ſome of his moſt precious ones may ſay ſo, and have ſaid ſo: Pſ. 77.6, 7. I communed with mine own heart, and my ſpirit made diligent ſearch; what was it he ſearched for? why, he ſearched what was become of his God: he ſaid to his ſoul, as once his enemy ſaid to him in reproach, Where is thy God? he ſearched for God, but could not find him; and thereupon concluded, as appears by the following verſe, the Lord was departed from him, and had caſt him off; for, ſays he, Will the Lord caſt off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone? hath God forgotten to be gracious? This was his thought he had; God had left and forgotten him: but this was his miſtake, and ſo he ſaw and ſaid afterwards, v. 10. This is my infirmity to think ſo, I was miſtaken: God was with him ſtill, though at preſent he hid his face. Keep cloſe to God, keep up the holineſs of God, and God will never be gone: if he ſhould at any time hide his face whileſt you are walking uprightly before him, p. 176and your heart ſhould whiſper to you, God is departed, give check to ſuch a thought, and ſay as the Pſalmiſt did, this is my infirmity, this is my miſtake, the Lord is ſtill with me, and holdeth me by his right hand; and this I do and will believe, though yet I ſee him not. He hath ſaid, The Lord is with you while you are with him; and how ſad ſoever it be with me, yet I thank the Lord mine heart is with him; to him is all my deſire, in him is all my delight, my conſcience witneſſeth with me, that this is my great care, that I may pleaſe and walk with him; and having this witneſs, that my ſoul is with God, this is my confidence that the Lord is ſtill with my ſoul.

5. How we ſhould ſtir up our ſelves. To the directions I have hitherto occaſionally given, I ſhall adde theſe that follow.

1. Make your advantage of ſtirring providences.

2. Put you upon ſtirring thoughts.

3. Get you ſtirring affections.

4. Get you ſtirring conſciences.

5. Be much converſant in ſtirring ſociety.

6. Be much exerciſed in ſtirring duties.

1. Make your advantage of ſtirring providences, times of trouble and affliction and perſecution, eſpecially ſuch troubles as threaten an eclipſe, if not the putting out the light of the Goſpel, ſuch afflicting threatning providences are awakening providences; and that upon a double account:

1. As they are ſigns of a ſtorm coming.

2. As they are tokens of a night approaching.

1. As they are ſigns of a ſtorm coming. When workmen in the fields lie loitering or aſleep under the cocks, if they eſpy a ſtorm riſing, then they are all up, and every man falls to his work, that they may diſpatch before the ſtorm falls, and they be beaten out p. 177of the field. Is there no fear of ſuch a Storm? there is a double ground of fear of a Storm coming at this day.

1. May we not ſee a ſtorm in the angry Face of God?

2. May we not ſee a ſtorm in the dark providences of God?

1. May we not ſee a ſtorm in the angry face of God, who is ſo provoked by us? Do you think you may provoke God at the rate that ſo many of us have done, as by our manifold iniquities, ſo by our ſo little anſwering the Calls of the Goſpel, to repentance and recovering our ſelves out of that wretched ſtate we are in, and yet God not be angry? Prov. 1.24, 28. Becauſe I have called and ye refuſed, therefore you ſhall call and I will not anſwer. If we be ſo hard of hearing when God calls, God will in anger be gone out of hearing when we call upon him. God hath been calling to ſinners, and calling upon the Profeſſors amongſt us, and what anſwer hath there been either of the one or the other? Hath not the Goſpel called upon ſinners to come in and be converted, and what anſwer is there of this call? Sinners, how many are there among you who after all that God hath ſpoken, yet will not anſwer? Drunkards, you have been called from your drunkenneſs, called from the Alehouſe, called from your Companions, but are you come away? have you caſt them off and forſaken them? Yea, every blind and impenitent ſinner among you, you have all been called upon to ſeek the knowledge of God, to ſeek after the grace of God, to come to Chriſt, to be his hearty Diſciples, to become new Creatures, to ſeek the Kingdom of God, and to eſcape out of the ſnares of the Devil: And yet there you lie, a company of blind, hardned, ſenſleſs ſouls, even as if you had never been preached to; if we had p. 178been calling to the Rocks and the Mountains; if we had been calling to the dead that are rotting in their Graves; if we had been preaching to the skulls and bones of thoſe that have been long ſince dead and rotten, we might even have ſeen as much ſucceſs of our word upon theſe bones, and mountains, and rocks, as we do ſee upon multitudes of impenitent ones. Have you not heard? do you not ſee that it is even juſt thus, and yet is not God angry? Doſt thou not hear that word in thine ears, Jam. 5.9. Shall I not viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord, ſhall not my Soul be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this?

2. And what anſwer is there of the calls of the Goſpel upon Profeſſors? The Goſpel that hath call'd you in to Chriſt, hath alſo call'd you on after him. The Goſpel that hath call'd you to the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, hath call'd you alſo to come on to the power of Chriſtianity; hath call'd you from your indifferency, from your hypocriſie, from your backſlidings, to a lively fruitfulneſs in Religion; and what anſwer is there of theſe Calls upon you? Are you awakened? are you revived? have all the words that have been of late ſpoken to you, have they proſpered? have they prevailed upon you? have they gotten any heat in you, which before were cold? have they brought your Religion to life again, which was almoſt dead? or have theſe ſtirring words ſtirred you ſo much as to ſay to your ſelves, Well, I muſt no longer hold me in this wretched caſe; I muſt, and through the help of God, I will ſet all my might and all my power on work to recover out of this caſe. What ſay you, Friends, is there any comfortable ſucceſs of this kind that you ſee and feel upon you? I hope there is ſomething done upon ſome of you: But how many Profeſſors are there upon whom juſt p. 179nothing is done? they ſtill ſtick in the mud, and the mire, and will not come forth.

What do you think that theſe ſo many and ſo viſible neglects of the Calls of the Goſpel are like to bring forth? Look towards the Lord; do you not ſee a ſtorm in his Face? do you not verily believe that God is angry, and angry with (thy) Soul, who art one of theſe impenitent ſinners or hardned backſliders? Is not God angry? Thou art a blind Soul indeed, that either canſt not ſee that God is angry, where there are ſo great provokings, or that there is a ſtorm coming where God is angry.

2. May we not ſee a Storm coming in the dark Providences of God? Are not the winds riſen, the clouds gathering; yea and hath it not begun to drop? The Proverb is, 'Tis a ſign 'twill rain, when it begins already. The counſels and deſigns that have been laid by the adverſaries, and the violent purſuance of them, and what hath been already brought forth: The ſad things that we ſee and hear, do they not threaten a ſtorm? and ſuch a ſtorm as may raiſe a floud to ſweep away thoſe advantages of the Goſpel which yet have been left us? Is there a ſtorm coming? then ſure we had need beſtir our ſelves before it ſo overtake as to overwhelm us. O let us forthwith anſwer the Calls of God, whilſt yet he continues to call. Sinners, beſtir your ſelves, and get you into Chriſt out of hand; let not the ſtorm find you, where the thunder and the hail found the hardy amongſt the Egyptians, Exod. 9.19. Let it not find you without, haſten into Chriſt, leſt your lot be as theirs, to be deſtroyed and to periſh. Profeſſors beſtir you your ſelves; get you nearer to Chriſt, keep you cloſer to Chriſt, ſtand ye upon the Rock, and ſtand faſt there, get you in the Ark, and keep you there; and fear, leſt if you keep p. 180you at this diſtance, and in theſe wandrings, the floud come and ſweep you alſo away.

2. Threatning troubles are ſtirring providences, as they are tokens of a Night approaching, that 'tis almoſt night: What a ſtirring Providence this is, will appear if we conſider the properties of Night. Theſe are,

1. Night is dark.

2. Night is cold.

3. Night is a time of ſilence.

4. Night is a time of ſleep.

5. Night is no time of work.

1. Night is dark. Night is the dark part of our time, both are joyned together as ſignifying the ſame thing, 1 Theſ. 5.5. Children of Night and of Darkneſs. 'Tis the dark that makes it night, as 'tis the light, the Sun light, that makes it day. When the Sun is ſet, the Sun of Righteouſneſs that ſhines forth in the Goſpel, (the light of the Goſpel being the very Sun beams of Chriſt) when this Sun is ſet, what darkneſs, ſpiritual darkneſs follows? Thoſe parts of the World where the Goſpel is not, nor Chriſt hath appeared, they are the dark places of the Earth; and whenever the light of the Goſpel is removed from thoſe parts where it hath ſhined, darkneſs overſpreads them.

2. Night is cold. The light of the Sun hath heat going with it; as the Sun withdraweth, it grows cold. It was given by Chriſt, as a ſign of night approaching on Jeruſalem, Mat. 24.12. The love of many ſhall grow cold. As the Sun grows low the cold increaſes; and if when it is but almoſt night, much more when night hath overtaken us, when its darkneſs hath overſpread us, that's the cold part of our time. What ever heats there are now upon our Spirits any of us, 'tis to be doubted how cold we may p. 181grow when night overtakes us. If the love of ſo many, if the religion of ſo many of us be waxen ſo cold already, when it is but almoſt night, it ſhould make us tremble to conſider, how much colder we are like to grow, when it comes to be quite night with us.

3. Night is a time of ſilence. The ſilent night 'tis often called: Thoſe that now ſpeak to you, and call upon you to keep you waking, the night that's coming upon us may ſilence them, and not ſuffer them to ſpeak any more to you. Rev. 8.1. 'tis ſaid, that at the opening the 7th Seal, there was ſilence in Heaven; that is, ſay ſome, there was no Word or Revelation came to John for ſome time: What that ſilence in Heaven meant, though it be hard to determine, yet ſure, when there's ſilence on Earth, when the Watchmen muſt be ſilent and hold their peace, that's a ſad and diſmal time.

4. Night is a time of ſleep: 1 Theſ. 5.7. They that ſleep, ſleep in the night. That's like to be the unhappineſs of people, that whatever be the miſeries of a ſpiritual night, they are like to fall aſleep under all, to be without ſenſe of their unvaluable loſs; it will leave men ſtupid and ſenſleſs Souls. You that do not prize nor improve the Goſpel light, this is like to be your caſe; when it's gone, you will not bewail its loſs, but your Souls will fall aſleep. O if you be ſuch ſleepy Souls whilſt you have the light with you, if the word of the Goſpel will not waken you, what a deep ſleep will the want of the Goſpel bring upon you? Friends, you have need rouze you up every one of you now whilſt the Goſpel calls to you; as, Epheſ. 5.14. Awaken thou that ſleepeſt: If you will not, but will continue under the preaching of the Goſpel a company of drouzy Souls, (I am afraid that all that you have heard hitherto hath left many of you p. 182faſt aſleep) but if you continue ſuch ſleepy Souls whilſt you have the light among you, if the Goſpel do not awaken you, how do you think it will be with you when night overtakes you? The Devil will ſay to you then, as Chriſt did once to his ſleepy Diſciples, Mat. 26.45. Sleep on now: Nay Chriſt himſelf may do the ſame, ſince ye would not watch in the day whilſt ye had the light, now even ſleep on while ye will, ſleep on to the death. Friends, this ſleepineſs of Soul, if ye will not yet be awakened, is like to be your death ſleep. Chriſt ſaid to the Damoſel, Mat. 19.24. She is not dead but ſleepeth; but 'tis to be feared it will then be ſaid concerning you, They are not aſleep but dead, dead in their ſins. O how many of the dead are there already amongſt theſe ſleepy Souls? Sinner, art thou yet aſleep in thy Sins? O thou art in a dead ſleep; and if this night overtake thee thus, its like to cloſe up thine eyes as the eyes of the dead are cloſed, never again to be opened.

And you that hope you have life in you, and yet will not be awakened by the day light, but will ſleep on ſtill, whom neither the lightning nor the thunder of the Word will awaken, pray tell me what dead ſleepers you alſo are like to continue in the dark and ſilent night?

This, I ſay, is like to be the miſery of people, if ſuch a night overtake us, they are like to be ſenſleſs Souls, that will not lay it to heart, nor be affected nor moved at all with the darkneſs that comes upon them, but will dye away in a ſleep; Become of the Goſpel, of the Ordinances of the Goſpel, of the Sabbath, and all the means of Grace what will, they will not be much moved or lay it to heart.

5. Night is no time for work, John 9.4. night cometh when no man can work. Work there is, that p. 183lyes upon every one of you, and ſuch work wherein your life is concerned. I will not ſay only with the Apoſtle, 2 Theſ. 3.10. He that will not work ſhall not eat, but he that will not work ſhall not live; thou ſhalt dye the death who doſt not in the day work out the work which God hath committed to thee to do. You have every one of you your work to do, and 'tis great work and of great conſequence: You are to work for your living, for an eternal livelihood; you are to work out your Salvation, that's your work in the general: And in this there are many particular works comprehended; there is the work of Repentance and Mortification of Sin, &c. There's Grace to be gotten and improved, there's your Peace with God to be made; have you done theſe works? have you repented? are your ſins mortified? have you grace in your hearts? have you made your peace with God? you that have, there's ſtill all this to be maintained and carried on, that ye loſe not the things which you have wrought. But are all theſe things yet to do with ſo many of you? are you yet without repentance? are you yet to ſeek for grace? have you gotten never a drop of the Holy Oil into your Veſſels? are you without the Knowledge of God, without faith in Chriſt, without repentance? is your peace with God yet to make? doth the wrath of God ſtill abide upon you? what, and yet aſleep? what, and yet ſuch idle, careleſs, loytering ſouls? What if this work ſhould never be done? if you ſhould never have more of Chriſt nor his Grace, never have more of Faith and Repentance than you have now? why then you muſt go down among the dead. Look ye down, caſt an eye down on thoſe chambers of darkneſs, that place of pitch and brimſtone, that place of fire and everlaſting burnings; look ye down into that horrible pit and ſee where you muſt lie, what p. 184your place and your portion muſt be for ever, if you ariſe not and work theſe works of God; ye cannot live but muſt die, and that's the death you muſt die, you muſt burn, you muſt be tormented night and day for ever and ever.

Well now, you ſee here's great work to be done, and to be done by every one of you; you ſee what will follow if it be not done, you muſt die the death. O methinks now this word ſhould be a ſtirring word to you; awaken every one of you, ariſe and to your work, the night cometh when no man can work. And let it not ſuffice any of you to ſay, I hope this work is done, and therefore no ſuch danger if I be fallen aſleep; but know, 1. That if the grace you ſeem to have does make you grow ſecure, if you grow bold to be idle and careleſs upon the confidence that the work is done, that you are converted, have repented, and are made partakers of the grace of God, that confidence of yours is a deadly ſign that the work is not done, no nor ſavingly begun upon you.

2. Whatever work there be done upon you, your life lieth upon it, upon your careful and vigorous carrying it on; if you do not hold out to the end, keep working to the end, ye cannot be ſaved.

And is not this a ſtirring word to (you) alſo that are ſleeping and loytering profeſſors? Awake or periſh, to your work or be damned? And is not this ſtirring word ſeconded by a ſtirring providence, the appearance of ſuch a night approaching upon us; the light being even ready to vaniſh from amongſt us? If I ſhould not ſay concerning ſuch a night in the words of Chriſt, A night comes wherein no man (can) work, yet this I may be bold to ſay in ſuch a night, few men (will) work. What does our experience ſpeak to this? The ſhadows of the evening have been ſtretched out over us; it hath been evening and almoſt Sunſet p. 185with us for divers years; and O what lamentable influence has this evening (wherein the word of the Goſpel has been more ſcarce) had upon us? what a woful change is there viſible upon the greateſt number of Profeſſors in England? are there not multitudes among us whoſe Religion is fallen and almoſt loſt? ſince it is grown darker, is it not alſo grown much colder with us? and what ſleepy loytering ſouls are we already become? Friends, if there be ſuch a fall of lively Religion amongſt us, while it is but evening, do you not tremble to think how much more tis like to be, when the thick darkneſs of the night hath overſhadowed us?

2. Put upon ſtirring thoughts. Our thoughts are apt to be buſie, and too buſie where they ſhould not; like little Children which will be buſie from morning till night about doing nothing. Keep your thoughts imployed, and well imployed; there are wandring thoughts which are too buſie, roving and flying up and down this way and that, which like the eyes of a Fool, Prov. 17.24. are in the ends of the Earth. There are the wandrings of our thoughts after ſin, and vanity, and impertinences; we are thinking too much, and too often of what we ſhould not think; and ſometimes there are wandrings after good things; ſometimes our thoughts wander to Heaven, wander up and down about things Spiritual and Eternal; though we think ſometimes of theſe better things, 'tis but with wandring thoughts; though we light upon them, yet we fix not; we are not like the Bee which wanders from flower, but pitches and ſtays upon each flower till it hath gotten the Honey; but we are more like the Fly that leaps up and down, that's here and there and every where; ſometimes upon a Wall, ſometimes on a Flower, and ſometimes on a Dunghill, but ſtays nowhere. Our better thoughts p. 186are ſo tranſient, and in and out, that they are to no purpoſe. Sometimes one Scripture comes to mind, but before any thing is made of it, away from that to another, and another, till all be forgotten and become unfruitful. Sometimes one Duty is thought upon, then off from that to another; ſometimes a little glance heavenward, by and by we fall and pitch upon the earth; one thought thruſts out another, till all that's good be loſt: Such hoverings up and down there are from this thing to that, as brings an utter confuſion in the heart. Theſe alſo may be reckoned among our vain thoughts, which we are cautioned againſt, Jer. 4.14. How long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee? Not only our thoughts of vanity, but our thinking of good things in vain, and to no purpoſe, theſe alſo are vain thoughts. Exerciſe your thoughts upon good things, upon the matters of God and your Souls, and exerciſe them to purpoſe on them.

That your thoughts may be ſtirring thoughts, ſo as to ſtir up your hearts towards God and Godlineſs, they muſt be,

1. Searching thoughts; looking upon, and looking into the things of God. Pſ. 77.6. My ſpirit made diligent ſearch. Searching looks deep into things. There are 3 great deeps that we ſhould be ſearching into; the deep of the Heart, and what we can find there either of good or evil; the deep of the Pit, the Infernal Pit, for what we may find there to awaken us; and the deep myſteries of God and his Goſpel, for what we can find there to keep us doing: If you would be thinking more what there is within you, what a world of wickedneſs there is in your hearts; if you would be thinking oftner what there is beneath, what a diſmal place your ſins are preparing for you; if you would be thinking more of the myſteries of p. 187God and Godlineſs, of the Counſels, and inſtructions, and ways of God, of the kindneſſes and compaſſions of God, of the ſeverities and wrath of God, and looking narrowly and deeply into them; ſuch thoughts as theſe would be awakening ſtirring thoughts; but then they muſt be,

2. Working thoughts; looking into theſe things, and ſtaying, and dwelling, and working upon them. Think upon your evil hearts, and never leave thinking and thinking, till you be affected with what you find in them; think till your hearts ake for the evil you ſee in them; think upon your ſin till your heatts tremble and turn from your ſins. 'Twas ſaid of Peter, Mat. 14.72. When he thought thereon he wept. Pſalm 119.59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy Teſtimonies. Think on all your evils, till your hearts be thus affected with them, and thereupon be put to flight, to make an haſty eſcape from them: Think on God, and on Holineſs, and on Grace, till your hearts be athirſt for God and his Grace, ſo as to put your ſelves upon following hard after him. Think on theſe things with an applicatory eye to yourſelves: Yet again, bethink your ſelves, whether you have eſcaped, or how you may eſcape the evils that are within or before you; whether you have obtained, or how you may obtain the good things you deſire: Think how 'tis with you, how much you are under the power of ſin, how ſhort you are of the Grace of God, or if you have any, how very low 'tis with your Souls in this reſpect, how little you have gotten or how much you have loſt.

And when you find how bad 'tis, then think farther, Is it good for me? is it ſafe for me to continue at this paſs? is there any hope that I may recover out of this caſe? is it worth my pains to ſeek out after an eſcape? what ſhall I do? ſhall I venture on in this p. 188idle, trifling, carnal way as I have done? ſhall I venture an eternal loſs, an eternal miſery and wo, rather than put my ſelf to it to recover? ſhall I venture my ſoul on theſe Cobwebs, theſe rotten and deceitful Boughs that I have hang'd mine hopes upon? mine heart tells me, I may be ſaved however, though I have never more grace than I have now, though I never take more care than I do now, I hope for all that it may be well at laſt; ſhall I venture all upon ſuch an hope? ſhall I venture to ſin in hope, and ſleep in hope, and loyter in hope, that yet I ſhall obtain mercy? is it not moſt evident, that the hope that ſerves for nothing but to ſecure men in a carnal, ſinful, careleſs way, is a lying hope, a damning hope? 'Tis a lye, this carnal hope, 'tis a lye that I have in my right hand, I ſhall be undone by it for ever and ever; there's no hope, there's no hope, but I ſhall be loſt and periſh eternally, unleſs I ſhake off my ſins, and ſhake up mine heart to follow on after the Lord.

Friends, would not ſuch thoughts as theſe be ſtirring thoughts? could you ſleep in your ſins or under your backſlidings, were you more exerciſed in ſuch thoughts as theſe? O put upon ſuch thoughts, think of the ſad caſe your Souls are in, and think till you weep over your ſelves, think of the dreadful things you are in danger of, and think till you tremble, think of the things you have received and heard from the Lord, and think till they pierce and enter into your Souls. The many things that I have ſpoken to you in this matter, let them not be forgotten, but recover them back to your minds, and call them over in your thoughts, and ſet your hearts a working thus upon them. All the words I (can) ſpeak, all the counſels I (can) give you for your recovery, they will never do you good nor work a cure, if you ſet not p. 189your hearts on work upon them; as you know your bodily food will never nouriſh you, nor your Phyſick cure you, unleſs nature work both with your Food and Phyſick.

Friends, I beſeech you in the Lord that you deny me not this requeſt, that you will every one of you beſtow ſome ſuch thoughts upon your ſouls; what, will you deny me in this? will you not grant me thus much? I do not now perſwade you to ſpend your money upon your ſouls, to be at the charge of all your ſubſtance for your ſouls recovery; this is that at preſent that I would deſire of you, that you would every day ſpend ſome ſerious thoughts about them; and what, will you not do thus much? not ſpare a few thoughts for your eternal welfare? Is not the ſcaping the fire worth your thinking of? I know you will ſay, O 'tis worth thinking, and working, and running, and labouring, all that ever I can, and ſpending all that ever I have, to ſave my life, to ſave my ſoul; every one of you will ſay ſo, and yet for all that, I doubt there are many of you that will not do this little thing, to ſpend ſome ſerious thoughts daily upon it.

Well, whether you will remember this or forget it, that my ſoul may not be guilty of your eternal miſcarriage, of your dying in your ſins, or of your ſleeping to death in your languiſhing ſtate, I once again warn you, to bethink your ſelves how 'tis with you, and every day to beſtow ſuch ſerious thoughts upon the important matters of God and your ſouls, as may tend to your recovery.

2. Get yon stirring affections.

1. Stir up godly ſorrow. The Apoſtle wrote ſuch a Letter to the Corinthians, as made their hearts ake. 2 Cor. 7.8. I made you ſorry with a Letter: and this ſorrow, what a ſtir it made in their hearts? v. 10. it ſtirred up care, and fear, and indignation, and vehement p. 190deſire, and revenge upon themſelves for their faults and neglects.

O that my preaching to you might have the ſame effect upon you, that the Apoſtles Letter had upon them; that I might make you ſorry, ſorry at the heart, for the woful caſes that many of your ſouls are in: yea ſet you to it, to ſtir up this godly ſorrow in your ſelves; think, Friends, what matter of ſorrow and grief you have within you and amongſt you. The King ſaid to Nehemiah, chap. 2.2. Why is thy countenance ſad, ſince thou art not ſick? I may ſay to you, why is your countenance not ſad, ſince you are ſo ſick? what, ſick at heart, and yet ſo merry at heart? Look inwards and ſee how 'tis with you; rake in your ſores and wounds, till you make them bleed and ſmart. Sure you have forgotten what hath been ſaid, if you yet find not for what to mourn. Remember your ſelves, is it no matter of ſorrow to you to ſee what your ſin hath made? What, is the head ſick, and the heart faint, and the whole man become wounds, and bruiſes, and putrefying ſores? and is all this nothing to you? what is your Religion, the Goſpel, and the name of your God wounded by you, by your hypocriſies, by your backſlidings, by your walking ſo unworthy that worthy name, and does not this move you? will you tell the World, that the Children of God are ſuch wanton unruly Children, or ſuch lean and ſtarveling Souls as you appear, who go under the name of his? have you grieved your God by your falls, by your follies, by your falſhood to his Covenant, and declining from his Ways? ſhall your Redeemer weep over you, becauſe of the hardneſs of your hearts, and the ſpirit of grace be grieved by whom you have been ſealed to the day of Redemption, and will not this grieve your hearts? O ſtudy out what matter of ſorrow you have, and give not off p. 191that ſtudy till tears do come. What, is it with you as 'twas with Iſrael, Jer. 2. are you which were once holineſs to the Lord, and as the firſt fruits of his increaſe, now laid in common to the World, and the luſts thereof? have you changed your glory for that which profiteth not? v. 11. Have you forſaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed out to your ſelves ciſterns that will hold no water. v. 13. Is the Lord become as a wilderneſs to you, and as a Land of darkneſs, and is this world become your Paradiſe? have you loſt the kindneſs of your youth and the love of your eſpouſals, and is your love to Chriſt ſwallowed up of your luſt after vanity? See, Friends, if this be the caſe of any of you; and if it be, O make not light of it, but lay it deeply to heart; and as v. 19. let your own wickedneſs correct you, and your backſlidings reprove you, and know and ſee, that it is an evil and a bitter thing that you have thus forſaken the Lord, and that his fear is ſo much departed from you.

Friends, O that my word may put you to grief, and make you ſorry. What, art thou not ſorry for all this? canſt thou not yet ſay, O I am pained, I am pained at the heart for mine iniquities? my backſlidings reprove me, my fooliſhneſs corrects me, and makes my ſoul within me to mourn? art thou at eaſe in ſuch a caſe? is thine heart quiet as if all were well and nothing ailed thee? O how little hope is there then of thee that thou wilt be recovered? If I could but make you ſorry, if you would but ſtir up a godly ſorrow in your own ſouls, O how mightily would this work to your recovery! then what fear would there be of continuing thus any longer, then what indignation againſt your ſelves for your own follies, in departing thus from the living God! then p. 192what care would there be, and what vehement deſire after a ſpeedy eſcape and recovery!

2. Stir up fear. But what cauſe have we of fear? ſearch, and you may find cauſe enough. Is there no matters of fear in your preſent caſes? You that are in your ſins, you ignorant, impenitent, ungodly ones, is there no fear of you? are your ſouls ſafe? are they not in danger? is there no fear of unbelievers? is there no fear of hypocrites? no fear of the drunkards, the covetous, the proud, of lyars, of looſe livers? art thou ſuch a one, and is there no fear what may become of thee? art thou under condemnation, and yet not under fear? As the penitent Thief ſaid to the other, Luke 23.40. Feareſt thou not God? Feareſt thou not God, ſinner, who art under condemnation? and if thou feareſt not God, feareſt thou not the Devil neither, feareſt not thou Hell neither? O ſtupid, ſenſleſs ſouls, what under condemnation and yet not afraid?

2. You that hope you have grace, and yet continue low in grace, is there no fear concerning you? no fear of idlers and loyterers? you that have but little and ſatisfie your ſelves with that little, is there no fear that that ſomething may be nothing? He that thinketh himſelf to be ſomething but is nothing, deceiveth his own Soul, Gal. 6.3. Is there no fear that though you think your ſelves to be ſomething, to have ſomething of Chriſtianity in you, ſomething of ſaving grace, yet you may at laſt be found to have nothing, and ſo be deceived? is there no fear of deceiving your ſelves in a matter of ſuch importance? are you in ſuch danger of being deceived, and yet not afraid? or if you have ſomething of Chriſt or Religion in you, is there no fear that you may loſe that little you have, and come to nothing at laſt? What means that exhortation, Rev. 3.11. Hold faſt what thou haſt? p. 193what means that caution, 2 John 8. That we loſe not the things that we have wrought, what mean theſe words, if there be no danger of loſing what we have?

3. You that are already fallen to decay, that have loſt your firſt love, is there no fear of your looſing all? Is there no fear, but you ſhall recover all again? or is there no fear of you, whether ever you do recover or no? is there no fear of backſliders, no fear of revolters, and apoſtates? where-ever there's danger, there ſhould be fear; what, unbelievers and in no danger? what, hypocrites and in no danger? what backſliders, what Apoſtates and yet in no danger? what, can you ſay, there's no danger to men in my caſe? can you ſay, I thank God, whoever be in danger, my Soul is out of danger? There's not one of you dares ſay ſo, you have loſt the underſtandings of men if you confeſs not, The Lord be merciful to me, my Soul is in great danger. What, are you in danger, and yet not in fear? what, in ſuch great danger, and yet not afraid? not afraid of the Devil, not afraid of Death, not afraid of Hell when in ſuch great danger of it? When Chriſt ſays, Luke 12.4. Fear not them that kill the body, wilt thou ſay, no, nor will I fear him that can deſtroy body and Soul? O poor ſtupid Souls, awaken your fears; open your eyes and ſee your danger; the Lord open your eyes before it be too late, and make you to ſee the fearful caſe you are in, and ſo make you afraid. If I could rouze up your fears, it would be as the ſtirring up a neſt of Hornets about your ears, which ſure would make you run for it. Prov. 28.14. Happy is the man that feareth; if there were more fear in you, there were more hope of you. Friends, I ſhould have done God and your Souls good ſervice this day, if I could but preach you into fear, if I could but make you afraid p. 194of your ſelves, if this word might run through all the 3 ſorts of you I am dealing with, the Impenitent, the Loyterers, and the Backſliders, wo is me wretched creature, I am afraid, I am afraid what will become of me; I am afraid I ſhall to Hell, I am afraid the Devil will have me at laſt:, if ſuch a word might come through all your hearts, the next word I ſhould hope to hear, would be this; Well, I ſee there is no ſafe abiding thus, I am undone if I continue as I am, ariſe O my ſoul, flee away out of this ſinful ſtate and get thee into Chriſt; ſhake thee out of this ſloth, recover out of this languiſhing ſtate, recover thy firſt love, return to thy firſt works, or I ſhall loſe my Crown and my Soul. O Friends, ſtir up ſuch a fear in your ſelves, do not hide your danger from your own eyes till it be too late; dare not to ſay ſuch a word, I truſt my Soul is in no danger; but deal plainly with your ſelves, and come to underſtand the truth and the worſt of your caſe; give not over to ſtudy your danger till you have ſtirred up your fear, and when your fear is once up, this, there is hope will ſtir up all within you to make out after an eſcape.

3. Stir up deſire. Deſire is the thirſt of the Soul, and thirſt is a ſtirring appetite as I have already ſhew'd, and therefore ſhall need to ſpeak the leſs here. Deſire will ſtir up to labour, therefore 'tis that Solomon ſays, Prov. 21.25. The deſire of the ſlothful killeth him. 'Tis death to the ſlothful to labour, and yet his deſire will prick him on upon it: One thing have I deſired that I will ſeek after, Pſ. 27.4. [One thing have I deſired] that notes a ſtirring deſire; when the motions of the ſoul run in one chanel, & all after one thing, then they run more ſtrongly and impetuouſly; and this ſtrong deſire puts him upon an earneſt ſeeking the ſatisfaction of it. Prov. 13. p. 19512. When the deſire cometh it is a tree of life: And what is ſo ſweet when it comes, will be the more earneſtly purſued before it comes.

Would you be zealous followers of God and followers of Holineſs? get ſtronger deſires after the Lord and his Holineſs. Strong deſires will pour forth ſtrong cries; your Souls will go on crying after the Lord, crying after his Grace, and the power of his Spirit, if ye do in earneſt deſire it. Cold deſires, or none at all leave the ſoul as a Ship becalmed that ſtirs not on; when the Wind is quick, and the Sails are filled, its motion is more ſwift; but when the Wind lies, it moves not at all. Our ſlight and ſlow endeavours in following of God, if you inquire into the reaſon of them, 'tis becauſe deſire fails.

Stir up your deſires, get you quick and ſtrong deſires and theſe will not ſuffer you to be ſo ſluggiſh: But how muſt we ſtir up our deſires after God?

1. Suppreſs and keep under your carnal deſires: Deſire Earth leſs than you do, and you will deſire Heaven more than you do. A River that is divided into ſeveral Chanels, runs more weakly in either; when our ſtreams are united and run all in one Chanel, they are much the ſtronger. Ʋnite mine heart to fear thy name, ſays the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 86.11. Let me fear God, and let me fear none but God: So let your Souls ſay, Unite mine heart to love thy name and to deſire after thee; let me love nothing but God, let me deſire nothing but God; let me be able to ſay as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there's none on earth that I deſire beſides thee: Thou haſt all my love, and all my deſire is towards thy name. When you love nothing but God, when you deſire nothing but God, O this will be ſtrong love, theſe will be ſtrong deſires: What you inordinately love or deſire beſides the Lord, this p. 196will abate your love and your deſires after him. Friends, your deſires after this World, your appetite after Meat, and Drink, and Money, and carnal Pleaſures, are too eager to have any ſtrong deſires after the Lord. Quench your carnal thirſt if you would have your Souls to pant after God and ſpiritual things: Be more indifferent what you have or how 'tis with you in reſpect of theſe carnal things; whether you have more or leſs, whether it be better or worſe with you in reſpect of theſe; leave it to God, to do with you what he will, to let forth theſe nether ſtreams, or to dam them up; to make you rich or poor, proſperous or afflicted; and the more patient you are of wanting the nether ſtreams, the more impatient will be your thirſt after the upper ſtreams. Whereas 'tis hard to find any perſons in the World, that have a greedy appetite to things below, who have any great or ſtrong deſire upwards. If any man love this world, 1 Jo. 2.15. that is, with an ardent and intenſe love, the love of the Father is not in him: And ſo if any man deſire this world with his moſt eager and greedy deſire, the deſire after God is not in him. Methinks this word ſhould ſhake the hearts of ſome profeſſors; there are, I doubt, many that go under the name of Chriſtians, that are as exceſſively hungry after this world, whoſe Souls are hunting after, and heaping up whatever they can catch of this earthly muck, with as great zeal and ardency of mind, as any of thoſe do, or can, who have nothing of Chriſtianity in them, nor profeſs, nor pretend to any ſuch thing. He is a covetous worldling indeed, who doth love the world, and wiſh for the world, and work harder for it, than ſome of theſe do which profeſs religion. It is a ſhame and a reproach to the Goſpel that it ſhould be ſo, and wo be to them by whom the reproach cometh: But yet 'tis too true, there p. 197are amongſt the number of Profeſſors, ſome (though not ſo many as the world ſay, God forbid there ſhould, for they ſay all are ſuch) yet ſome ſuch there are, whoſe hunger and labour after the world can hardly be overmatch'd by any of thoſe, whoſe names are written in the earth, and have no part nor portion in Chriſt, nor name in his Churches.

Friends, I pray deal faithfully in this matter, every one of you with your ſelves; ask your hearts, How ſtand I affected to this world! are my deſires after this earth moderated and limited by my Religion, or are they not ſo high and impetuous, that they have even ſwallowed up my deſires after God? are you as impatient when you ſink and grow to decay in religion, as you think you ſhould be, if you were ſunk and fallen to decay in your outward eſtates? Can you truly ſay, I am not ſo much athirſt to grow rich in this world, but I am more athirſt to grow rich towards God? nay, can you ſay this, I am ſo much athirſt for God, that this hath quenched my thirſt, and allayed my deſires after this world? I am become more indifferent what I have here, whether more or leſs, my heart ſits looſe from all below, through the ſtrength of my deſires after God? can you ſay ſo? O that you could, more of you than I doubt can.

Well know, that 'tis impoſſible that you ſhould intenſely deſire God and this World together; one of the two muſt fall; you muſt ſtrike ſail as to your earthly affections, or your ſouls will never hoiſe up ſail heavenwards. And this is the firſt direction for the kindling and quickning your deſires heavenward, ſuppreſs and allay your carnal and earthly deſires.

2. Be ſenſible of your neceſſity: Neceſſity kindles deſire. Pſ. 63.1. My ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh, longeth for thee. Whence is this thirſt and longing? p. 198O 'tis from his neceſſity. I am in a dry Land, where no water is. I have need of thee, Lord, need of (thy) water Brooks, for out of thee I have none; 'tis all a dry Land, there's no water below thee, to quench my thirſt.

Friends, would you be quenched in your deſires after more Grace? be ſenſible of your barrenneſs and your want; do you not want to be in better caſe than you are? have you grace enough to ſupply your neceſſities? thoſe that are very poor outwardly, whoſe poverty pinches them, their neceſſity will make them beg. How is it there are ſo many poor, ſo many neceſſitous ſouls, and yet ſo few begging ſouls? even ready to ſtarve for want of bread, and yet cry no more after it? Why, 'tis becauſe, however we are in great neceſſity, yet we have not a due ſenſe of our neceſſity; our ſoul poverty doth not pinch us; men that are extreamly poor in the world, their poverty pinches them; but for ſouls, the poorer they are, the leſs they are pinched with it. O friends, if you were more pinched with your ſpiritual poverty, if thoſe dry and lean ſouls, did but feel how lean you are, if you were touched with a feeling of your neceſſities, if your cold wiſhes, I would I had more grace, were come to, I muſt have more, I muſt be more holy, I muſt be more heavenly-minded, I muſt be more zealous for God, and more buſie and active in following him, a neceſſity lies upon me, and wo is me if I continue as now I am; the ſenſe of your neceſſity of getting up into a better caſe, would enlarge your deſires after it.

3. Be practically convinced of the excellency of a proſperous ſtate in the grace of God. All the world, how eagerly are they wiſhing after proſperity? men have ſuch high thoughts of worldly proſperity, that every one would be glad to proſper; as Mal. 3.15. p. 199they count the proud happy, ſo generally, do worldly men, count the rich happy, the proſperous happy: When we hear of men grown up to that plentiful eſtate, deſcribed Pſ. 144.13, 14. Whoſe garners are full, affording all manner of ſtore, whoſe ſheep bring forth thouſands, and ten thouſands in their ſtreets, whoſe Oxen are ſtrong to labour, and there's no complaining in the ſtreets, who have plenty of good things, and nothing ailing them; how do worldlings cry out, Happy are the people that are in ſuch a caſe; and hence 'tis, that their very Souls are all upon the wing, making all the haſte they can after this earthly proſperity.

And what if Chriſtians had as great thoughts of ſoul proſperity; O what a caſe are they in, whoſe (hearts) are full of all manner of ſtore, full of wiſdom and ſpiritual underſtanding, full of faith and of power, full of the hidden treaſures of eternity; whoſe mouth is full, that have grace in their hearts and grace in their lips; whoſe life is full of all the fruits of righteouſneſs! what an excellent ſpirit are they of, what an excellent life do they live! happy are the people, thrice happy are the ſouls that are in ſuch a caſe. Do worldlings call the proud happy, the rich happy, the great ones happy ones? Yea rather, Happy are the Souls whoſe God is the Lord; and thoſe eſpecially, who have the grace of God ſo abounding towards them and in them. What if you were practically convinced of this, of the excellency, of the happineſs of a flouriſhing proſperous ſtate in the grace of God? If you did not only notionally conclude it ſo in the general, for that every Chriſtian will do, but with a particular reſpect to your ſelves, O how happy were it for (me) if I were one of theſe proſpering ſouls, if I could get (my) ſoul to be filled with God, and the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus; O if I could love as the beſt of Saints love, O if I could live p. 200as I ſee ſome Chriſtians live; if from creeping on the earth, and having my foundation on the duſt, my ſoul might get upon the wing, and have its converſation in Heaven; if in ſtead of having fellowſhip with ſinners, I might have fellowſhip, and live in communion with the Father and the Son; if inſtead of ſerving my fleſh, I might ſpend my days in ſerving the living God; if from being ſuch a ſluggard, ſuch a cold and lazy ſoul, I might get up to be fervent in ſpirit ſerving the Lord; O what if there ſhould be ſuch a change made upon me! if from this dead, and dry, and barren caſe I am in, I might be brought to be a living, lively, fruitful, heavenly, zealous Chriſtian; O what a bleſſed change would this be! O how ſhould mine heart be filled with joy, and my mouth with praiſe! Brethren, ſuch ſenſible apprehenſions of the excellency and bleſſedneſs of that proſperity in religion, which I have been preſſing you to, what would it work, what would it bring forth, leſs than ſuch ſtrong deſires, O let my ſoul be in ſuch a caſe; What would I deſire more? how would I deſpiſe, and trample on the beauty, and glory of the world, and leave ſuch dotages upon the beſt to be found here, to the men of this world, who know no better things? O how heartily could I then ſay with the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. What things were gain to me I now count them loſs for Chriſt, yea doubtleſs and I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I am content to ſuffer the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, and may know him, and the power of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, being made conformable to his death. Such ardent deſires would a ſenſe of the excellency of Chriſt, and a proſperous Chriſtian life bring forth; O that I might apprehend, O that I p. 201might attain to ſuch a bleſſed ſtate; and ſuch ardent deſires would bring forth a zealous proſecution and following after, if by any means poſſible, we might attain and get up unto it.

O friends, that you would ſet to it, thus to ſtir up your deſires: You ſay, I deſire, I deſire; I deſire to pleaſe God, and to follow God more fully, and more freely than I do, but it is ſo dully, and ſo coldly that you deſire it, that it comes to nothing; and for ought I know, ſuch cold deſires may burn with you in Hell at laſt.

O get an abatement of your carnal deſires: never look to deſire heartily after an heavenly life, till you have crucified and conquered your earthly deſires. Conſider more thorowly your neceſſities, conſider the miſerable poverty of your ſouls, and barrenneſs of your lives; the great power that this World hath ſtill upon you, and your neceſſity of getting it conquered; and do not barely ſay, I could wiſh it were better with me, wiſhing will never do it, but bring your hearts to it, to ſay in good earneſt, I muſt, I muſt get mine heart into a better frame, I muſt get me to a better life, a neceſſity lies on me to look to it, and labour for it: and then look upon the bleſſedneſs and comfort of ſuch a proſperous flouriſhing ſtate of ſoul, and look till your hearts be enamoured of it; and this is it that will engage you mightily in the effectual following after it.

4. Stir up hope. Maybe you'll ſay, I do deſire it were better with me; I ſee it would be happy for me, if I could obtain, but the Lord help me, I have little hope of it: I have deſired ſo long, and waited ſo long, and yet it comes not; but my poor and barren ſoul after all ſtill abides in the ſame dead and lifeleſs ſtate as ever, and is ſo far ſhort, and at ſo great a diſtance from that bleſſed ſtate, that I am even quite p. 202diſcouraged, and am in doubt I ſhall never obtain. Be not diſcouraged, hope in God. To ſtir up this hope conſider;

1. The promiſe of God.

2. The earneſt that you have already received.

1. Conſider the promiſe of God. The hope of the Saints is called Acts 26.6. the hope of the promiſe of God. The promiſe, which is the foundation of our hope, is our encouragement againſt all deſpondencies. Amongſt the many promiſes that we have for our encouragement I ſhall mention one, Matth. 7.7. &c. Ask and it ſhall be given you, ſeek and ye ſhall find, knock and it ſhall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, &c. What man of you, if his ſon ask bread, will he give him a ſtone? &c. If ye being evil, know how to give good things to your Children, how much more ſhall your Father which is in Heaven, give good things to them that ask it of him! Here I ſhall ſhew,

1. The matter of the promiſe, or what God will give, that is, good things. In Luke 11.13. 'tis expreſſed, give the holy ſpirit; there's all that you need in one word. In giving the holy Spirit, is included the giving all good things. What is it you want, to help up your weak and languiſhing ſouls? Is it a ſpirit of Wiſdom and Underſtanding that you want? is it a ſpirit of Holineſs? is it a ſpirit of Grace and Supplication? is it a ſpirit of Faith and of Power? is it the teachings, the motions, the quicknings, the conduct, of the Spirit? How is it with them that are taught by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, worſhip God in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit? So ſhall it be with you, if ye obtain the holy Spirit upon your asking of him. This grace, the grace of the Spirit ſhall be ſufficient for you, to make the dry tree to ſprout, and the barren to bring forth fruit.

p. 2032. The means of obtaining this promiſe. Ask, ſeek, knock; this notes prayer, importunity in prayer, and the uſe of all means, that muſt go along with prayer. Ask, ſeek, knock; pray and pray inſtantly, and follow on after the Lord, and ye ſhall have, ye ſhall obtain; this gracious, this all-ſufficient …pirit ſhall be yours.

3. The aſſurance of prevailing. This is, 1. From the Promiſe, ye ſhall have, ye ſhall find, it ſhall be opened; Heaven ſhall be opened, the heart and the hand of the all-ſufficient God, the bowels of Chriſt, the Covenant, all the Treaſures of the Goſpel ſhall be opened to you. Thou that art in fear, that the heart of the Lord is ſtreightned towards thee, that the bowels of his compaſſion are ſhut up againſt thee, that the treaſures of the Goſpel are all lock'd up from thee; ask, and knock, and all ſhall be opened. If all the help that is in Heaven, if all the riches of Chriſt, if all the treaſures of the Goſpel, will recover and raiſe up that weak and withering ſoul of thine, take the right courſe and thou ſhalt have it; all theſe treaſures ſhall be opened; thou haſt my word for it, the word of promiſe, which God that cannot lye, hath given thee to put thee out of doubt.

2. From experience. Every one that asketh receiveth, &c. There's no man in the world, that hath taken this courſe, that ever failed; find out any one man if thou canſt, that can ſay, God hath been worſe to me than his word; and ſurely thou mayeſt boldly ſay, He that never failed any one of his Servants, I have good hope he will not fail me.

3. From the relation of God to his Saints: He is their Father; whence he reaſons thus: If the Fathers of their fleſh will not deny the Children of their own bowels, (which of you if his Son ask bread, &c.) if the Fathers of our fleſh will not deny the Children of their bowels, any good thing they need and ask, p. 204how much leſs, will your Father in Heaven, who is a God of bowels, of infinite compaſſion, deny his Holy Spirit to thoſe that ask it of him?

Chriſtians, ſtudy this Promiſe, truſt upon this Promiſe: and whatever your fears and diſcouragements are, that you ſhall never obtain, uſe Gods means, ask, and ſeek, and knock, follow on inſtantly, and earneſtly in Gods Way, and then hope in God, and be no longer diſmayed.

2. Conſider the earneſt that you have already received, what pledges God hath given you, for the performance of his Promiſe. What, is nothing of this Promiſe performed to thee? O I hope there is; ſomething I have gotten from it, but it is ſo very little, that this diſcourages me. Why, this little thou haſt received, is a great encouragement to hope for more. I ſay, though you have asked, and ſought, and knock'd, and yet but little comes, yet that very little which you have obtain'd, is great ground for you to hope for all that you need. Every little that you receive from the Promiſe of God, is an earneſt to aſſure you of all that is behind. Have you received but the firſt fruits of the Spirit, a little Grace, a little Strength, a little improvement in Grace? Is it a little better with you than it hath been? this is a pledge to you from the Lord, that if ye follow on ye ſhall have more and more. There is hope, in what the Lord (hath) given you, in what he hath done for your ſouls; 2 Cor. 1.10. He that hath delivered, and doth deliver, we truſt that he will deliver. He that hath ſupply'd and doth help you, hence you may hope, that he will ſupply all your needs, out of the riches of his grace, by Chriſt Jeſus. If the clouds from above have yet but dropped upon you, and that grace which your parched Souls, like the thirſty earth hath received, hath come in but drop by drop, you may p. 205from thoſe drops, have the more hope of a ſhower, that ſhall rain down righteouſneſs upon you, until your ſouls become as a well-water'd Garden, and as a ſpring of waters whoſe waters fail not.

Chriſtian, is thy Soul as the chapp'd ground, opening and gaſping after the influences of the Lord, and hath it begun to drop? is there ſomething come down? art thou a little quickned, a little revived? thoſe very drops are the forerunners of a ſhower, that will fill all thy furrows. O look about you Friends, ſee, after all the means that God hath been uſing, to quicken and improve your Souls, ſee if any drops be fallen upon you; if it be a little better, if there be ſomething done to your recovery; be not diſcouraged that 'tis no more, be humbled that 'tis no more, but be not diſcouraged; he that hath begun, there's ſo much the more hope, that he will perfect a cure upon you.

Thus ſtir up your hope in God, by conſidering the Promiſe, and any little degree of its performance. But beware, (I cannot too often give you this caution) uſe not this hope to make you ſecure, and careleſs; ſay not, for your lives, as bad as 'tis with me, I hope it will be better, and thereupon ſleep on, and neglect to follow after: There is no hope for ſuch a Soul, let not your hope ſecure you in your negligence, but eſtabliſh you againſt your diſcouragement; let it not ſecure you againſt diligence but encourage you unto diligence. Since the matter ſtands thus, as great a diſtance as there is betwixt your preſent ſtate, and that proſperous ſtate of Soul, which you deſire and wiſh for, and as great difficulty as you imagine it, ever for you to get up to ſuch a ſtate, ſince both the Promiſe and Experience gives you ſuch ground of hope, that even you alſo, with whom 'tis ſo very low, may get comfortably up, therefore be p. 206encouraged to take all the pains poſſible hereto. Look on Acts 26.7. and there ſee how hope will work; Ʋnto which promiſe, our twelve tribes, inſtantly ſerving God night and day, hope to come. Obſerve it, God gave them a promiſe, the promiſe gave them hope, and their hope encourages and provokes them on, inſtantly to ſerve the Lord; and this inſtant ſerving God is their way to the poſſeſſion of the Promiſe.

Friends, let all this that hath been ſpoken, engage you to all manner of diligence, and fortifie you againſt all manner of diſcouragements: come on Chriſtians, come on in the name of the Lord; you have heard many directions that I have given you, and ſome more there are that yet remain; O ſet your hearts to the practice of all theſe words, and how hard ſoever it may ſeem to be, take the way preſcribed to you, and then commit your way to the Lord; hope in him, and he will bring it to paſs, and give you your hearts deſire; only when you have done all, and no ſucceſs appears, yet ſtill wait for the Lord. As there muſt be the expectation of hope, ſo there muſt be the patience of Hope: Wait on the Lord and keep his way; be not weary of well-doing, and in the end ye ſhall reap if ye faint not.

O Friends, follow on after the Lord, and encourage your ſelves on, by your hope in God: Pray for more grace, pray for more life, and more power, and pray as men of hope. Strive and ſtir up your ſleepy hearts, and ſtrive as men of hope, that as low as 'tis with you, yet there's hope for you to get up. Be encouraged by the promiſe, be encouraged by every little that you have received. Hath the Lord but begun to awaken you, let that be his ſecurity to you, that he will do more, and better things for you: Are you yet a great way ſhort? are there many difficulties p. 207yet before you to break through? are there any fears and miſgivings of heart, that ye ſhall not obtain? yet do not diſcourage your ſelves, hope in God, hope in the promiſe of God, and in the help the promiſe offers: be not diſmayed, put you on after the Lord, and hope in God. Say to your hearts in the words of the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 43. ult. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? why art thou diſcouraged, O my ſoul? Hope in God, and thou ſhalt yet praiſe him, who will be the health of thy countenance and thy God. Though my fleſh and mine heart fail me, yet he is the ſtrength of mine heart, and in him ſhall be my hope and my truſt: there is a promiſe, before me, and unto this promiſe, if I can but inſtantly ſeek and ſerve the Lord, I have hope to come.

4. Get a ſtirring Conſcience. God hath made conſcience overſeer and ruler in the heart; he hath advanced conſcience in the heart to the ſame dominion, that Potiphar advanced Joſeph in his houſe, Gen. 39 4. he made him overſeer of his houſe, and put all that he had into his hand. Or as Pharaoh, Gen. 41.40. advanced him in his Kingdom; to whom he ſaid, Thou ſhalt be over mine houſe, and according to thy Word ſhall all my people be ruled, onelyonly in the throne will I be greater then thou. Conſcience is ſubject to none but God; God is greater then Conſcience, 1 Joh. 3.20. God is greater then our hearts, that is, then our Conſciences. But next under God, Conſcience hath the ſupreme dominion in the Soul; and as the Centurion to his Souldiers, ſo Conſcience, where it maintains Authority, ſays to all the faculties of the Soul, to one go and it goeth, to another come and it cometh, and to every one, do this and it muſt be done.

Now as Conſcience is faithful and diligent, or as it is careleſs and negligent, ſo do matters go in the Soul; a faithful watchful conſcience ſets the whole p. 208ſoul in good order, a negligent ſleepy conſcience lets all run to ruine: when God hath given men up to a ſpirit of ſlumber, when conſcience ſlumbers, the whole ſoul falls aſleep; or, which is worſe, runs out into all manner of diſorders. When God will awaken ſleepy ſouls, he begins with conſcience; awakens conſcience firſt, and that will awaken all their powers. God awakens conſcience, moſtly by frights, as the Gaoler by an earthquake, and Saul by an affrighting voice from Heaven, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Soul, Soul, what art thou doing? why ſlighteſt thou the Lord? why fighteſt thou againſt God? There's nothing but ſuch thunder from Heaven that will rouſe a ſleepy conſcience. But though there's none but God that can awaken conſcience, yet God ordinarily does it by our ſelves; ſets the ſoul on work upon its ſelf, to its own awakening; a word, or it may be but a thought, comes into the heart, which is made to ſtick into conſcience, and to ſting it out of ſleep: and when conſcience is ſtung, and begins to ſtir, there's no more ſleep, no more quiet in the ſoul. When the Maſter of the houſe is up, and about once, he rouzes all the Servants: O Friends, get your conſciences to be awakened, get your conſciences to be ſtirring, and then all your faculties will up and be doing. That conſcience may be a ſtirring conſcience,

1. Let Conſcience open its ears and hear.

2. Let it open its eyes and ſee.

3. Let the mouth of Conſcience be open and speak.

4. Let it be quick and tender.

1. Let Conſcience open its ears and hear what the Lord speaks. Let the voice of the Lord have an impreſſion upon conſcience; when the Word comes into the thoughts onelyonly, it's quickly gone, and does nothing; or when it hath ſome ſudden work upon the affections, that wears off; but when it enters into the p. 209conſcience, when conſcience hears the Word of the Lord, when the Word which we preach from God, is as the Apoſtles word, 2 Cor. 5.11. made manifeſt in the conſcience, then it is in a way to proſper. Let conſcience open its ears firſt; and 2. Let conſcience open its eyes and ſee, ſee how it is with the Soul, how ſad and miſerable the ſtate and way of the Soul is; ſee how it's like to be, to grow worſe and worſe; ſee how it ſhould be, and what is to be done that it may be better. 3. Let Conſcience have its mouth open. Sleepy conſciences are ſilent conſciences; thoſe that ſee nothing will ſay nothing. Let your conſciences ſpeak to you: whatever the Word preaches to conſcience, let conſcience preach it to the whole heart. O Friends, if we could ſo preach to you, as to ſet your conſciences a preaching to you the ſame things; if when we preach to you, repent, and recover your ſelves out of the ſnares of the Devil, we could get your conſciences to preach repentance to you: if there were ſuch a voice heard within you, I ſee I muſt repent, I am loſt and undone if I repent not; if when we give a rebuke to you out of the Word, your conſciences alſo would rebuke you; if the Word calls you, thou unbeliever, thou child of the Devil, thou hypocrite, thou loyterer, thou backſlider; let but conſcience ſay the ſame, 'tis true what the Word ſpeaks, I am an unbeliever, I am an hypocrite, a child of the Devil, an idler, a backſliding ſoul; I cannot deny it, 'tis too true what the Word ſpeaks concerning me: If the Word threatens, thou ſhalt have thy portion with unbelievers and hypocrites, thy place among the children of the Devil, if thou ſpeedily repent not, let conſcience ſay the ſame, this muſt be my place, and my portion, if I amend not; there's no help for me, there's no hope for me, if I continue and go on as I am: If the Word exhorts you, Be converted thou unbelieving ſoul, put p. 210away thine hypocriſie, ariſe ſluggard, return O backſliding ſoul, remember whence thou art fallen, and recover thy firſt love, and do thy firſt works; let conſcience ſpeak the ſame words, go to Chriſt O my ſoul, turn from thy ſins, make thy peace with God, get thee a new heart, be upright with God, be ſound in the Faith, follow the Lord thorowly, follow the Lord fully; as ever thou lookeſt for mercy do it, as ever thou hopeſt for pardon do it; wouldſt thou ever ſee the ſalvation of God, thou muſt count upon it, to ſeek after the grace of God, and increaſe and abound therein unto the end, and then ſomething would be like to be done.

4. Let Conſcience be quick and tender.

1. Let the ears of Conſcience be open, and let it be quick of hearing.

2. Let its eyes be open, and let it be quick ſighted.

3. Let its mouth be open, and let it ſpeak quick & home.

1. Let its ears be open, and let it be quick of hearing. Be not of thoſe fat and groſs ſouls, which are dull of hearing. How many deaf ears do we preach to, that hear nothing, whoſe hearts will hear no more then the ſtone of the wall, or the beam of the timber? and of thoſe that will hear ſomething, how many that are dull of hearing? we have much work, and hard work, to beat any thing into them. O get an hearing ear, and be quick of hearing; Swift to hear, as Jam. 1.19.

2. Let the eyes of Conſcience be open, and let it be quick ſighted; ſo that it may eſpy and obſerve the ſmalleſt matter of duty and ſin: and let it be tender eyed, and not able to bear the leaſt of evils; ſome mens eyes can ſee none but the groſſeſt of evils; can ſee drunkenneſs to be evil, or ſwearing, or groſs lying to be evils; but for ordinary intemperances and exceſſes, ſo they do not eat and drink themſelves into very beaſts and ſots; though they ſit with the Drunkards, and waſte p. 211time with them, and their eſtates with them, and be fooliſh, and jolly, and carnally merry with them; ſo they be not downright drunk, they'll tell you, they ſee no evil in it. Other men, though they can (ſee) ſmaller evils, yet their conſciences can ſwallow them; though conſcience be never ſo quick ſighted, yet it wants tenderneſs, and they can diſpenſe with themſelves in ſmaller matters: you will never be Chriſtians of any proof, you will never come to much in religion, unleſs your hearts be tender of the ſmalleſt evils.

3. Let the mouth of conſcience ſpeak quick and home. I will not ſay concerning Conſcience, as the Apoſtle concerning the Tongue, Be ſwift to hear, ſlow to speak; but let it be ſwift to hear, and ſwift to ſpeak. Let it ſpeak quick, and ſpeak home. Let it ſpeak home, and ſpeak aloud; let not your conſciences be muzled or meal mouthed; let them ſpeak, and ſpeak cloſely, and deal plainly with you; let them not whiſper out a warning, or a reproof, but if they may not otherwiſe be heard, let them do as the Prophet was to do, Iſa. 58.1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet. Let conſcience never leave ſpeaking and crying, till it be heard; ſuch a conſcience as this, is like to be a ſtirring conſcience.

That's a ſtirring conſcience, which will maintain its authority and integrity, whatever difficulties or pains it coſt; which will be faithful in inſtructing, admoniſhing, and rebuking, and will not, that its word or authority be ſlighted: which will not ſuffer its ſelf to be ſlighted, and abuſed, nor to be baffled, or put off with ſhifts, and excuſes or delays: ſuch a conſcience (will) be obeyed, you ſhall have little eaſe, it will not ſuffer you to have any reſt or quiet in your minds, if you will not hearken to it. As the Apoſtle ſaid he will not, 2 Cor. 13.2. ſo neither will conſcience; p. 212it will not ſpare them that have ſinned. If conſcience gives an admonition, or a warning, take heed of pride, take heed and beware of covetouſneſs, or frowardneſs, or ſuppoſe, but loytering and coldneſs in matters of Religion: if conſcience gives warning, take heed of this worldly carnal lazy trifling life, and a warning will not do, it will check, and chide, and rebuke, and ſcourge the heart; if its voice may not be heard, 'twill ſet in its teeth, 'twill bite, and ſting, and worry the ſoul; if once ſpeaking, or chiding, or ſcourging will not do, 'twill hold on, and lie at the ſoul, from day to day, and give no reſt till it prevail.

O what ſtirring Chriſtians ſhould we be, had we ſuch ſtirring conſciences! the reaſon why we ſin, and ſink as we do; ſhuffle in our Religion, turn aſide after the world, play the hypocrites or the formalliſts in our duties, let all run to ruine within us, and ſuffer our ſelves to continue aſleep, this is much our conſciences faults: conſcience lets us alone, and either does not ſpeak but keep ſilence, or if it ſpeak, 'tis too ſoftly, it does not chide or ſcourge us, it does not come to us with a rod to ſmite us for our faults. You that can go on in your ſins, or go ſo coldly on in your Religion, you with whom the World is ſo much riſen, and godlineſs is ſo much fallen, (you can't but confeſs that this is the caſe of many of you) how is it with your conſciences mean while? what ſays conſcience to you in this caſe? it may be juſt nothing, conſcience is aſleep as well as you. O if we could but awaken your conſciences out of ſleep, if the ſtirring words the Lord ſends among you, might have but this effect, to ſtir up conſcience, this would awaken you all to another manner of life, and activity in Religion.

Friends, what's become of all thoſe words, thoſe awakening words, that have been ſpoken on this ſubject? have they ſtirred up any thoughts of heart within p. 213you, and ſet theſe on work? have they ſtirred up your affections, and ſet theſe aworking in you? if they have not, 'tis a ſign they have not ſtirred up conſcience; and what hearers have you been, if conſcience hath been aſleep all this time? when ſhall we ever ſtir your hearts, or mend your ways, if we cannot ſtir your conſciences?

If your conſciences will yet hear, then let them ſpeak, and give their judgment on theſe particulars;

1. If it be not a wretched thing, to be moſt remiſs and negligent in thoſe things, which are your higheſt concernment; to be ſo buſie and intent about thoſe ſmall matters, about Meat, and Drink, and Money, which all periſh with the uſing, and to be ſo remiſs, and heedleſs, and heartleſs, about the moſt weighty and important affairs? What ſays conſcience to this? Do not you think in your conſciences, that this is a wretched thing, and a piece of extream folly?

2. If the matters of this world, be not all but ſmall matters, in compariſon of the matters of Religion, the matters of God and the other World; what ſays conſcience to this? Do not you think in your conſciences 'tis ſo, that the moſt proſperous ſtate in this world, is a Toy in compariſon of proſpering in your Souls, and the matters of Salvation? If that Queſtion be put to you, Mat. 16.26. What ſhall it profit you if you win the whole world and looſe your own ſouls, would not your conſciences ſay, It would profit me nothing! O 'tis a miſerable gain, that's gotten by ſuch an eternal loſs; every mans conſcience, I doubt not, but muſt ſpeak thus, if it will ſpeak at all.

3. If yet this be not many of your caſes; Is it not the plain truth, that you are more remiſs, and heedleſs, and cold in the matters of Religion, than in the matters of this World? do not ſome of your conſciences p. 214tell you, O'twere well for me, if I were but as hearty, and lively in Religion, as in my worldly concernments; if I could ſerve the Lord, as hotly and as heartily as I ſerve my fleſh; but I cannot ſay 'tis ſo well with me; my conſcience tells me, and I cannot deny it, I am much more intent about Earth than about Heaven.

4. If it be not better for you to rouze up, and recover your ſelves, out of your remiſneſs and coldneſs in the matters of God, and to abate your zeal for the World; would it not be well for you if this word might have this effect, to make ſuch a change? do not you think in your conſciences 'twould?

5. If it be not neceſſary for you, thus to rouze your ſelves up, and recover; doth not conſcience tell you, you are in hazard of being undone for ever, if you continue at this paſs?

6. If Conſcience judges thus in all theſe particulars, and will but ſpeak one word more, then it would be well; if conſcience would hereupon, give the word of command, awaken ſleepers, ariſe ſluggards, put away your ſloth from you, hearken to the word of the Lord, take his warning, ſtir up your ſelves, bethink your ſelves, recover your ſelves from this dulneſs and deadneſs of heart; ſeek the Lord earneſtly, ſerve the Lord inſtantly; no more ſuch idling, and creeping on, be zealous; run the good race, fight the good fight, make ſure the good treaſure, lay hold on eternal life; live not at theſe hazards and uncertainties, but do thy beſt, put forth thy ſtrength in the work of the Lord, that thou mayeſt come to a certainty; if your conſciences would ſpeak thus to you, and cry thus in your ears night and day, and not ſuffer you to reſt, till you hear and anſwer its cries; or if you yet linger and delay, if conſcience would make uſe of the rod, and ſmite and p. 215ſcourge you out of your remiſneſs; if your conſciences would fall upon you, and ſting you for your neglects, and fright you out of your ſecurity, by telling you and laying before you, the dreadful reward of ſleepers, and ſuch idle ſervants; would caſt in ſome of that fire into your hearts, which your ſin and your ſloth is preparing for you; if your hearts would condemn you for your follies, and tell you down right, this my way I am in, is the way of death, theſe my paths lead down to hell; I am ſleeping upon a rock, drowzing on a maſt: O the waves are ready to riſe, and tumble upon me, and to ſweep away this ſleeping ſoul of mine, and drown it in everlaſting perdition: Had you but ſuch a ſtirring conſcience as this, O what a cure, what a change would it ſpeedily make upon you?

Brethren, awaken conſcience, that conſcience may awaken you; look to your conſciences, that conſcience may look better to you: Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?? Is it day break? doth ſleep begin to depart from thine eyes? what is the Watchman aſleep? awake ſleeper, 'tis high time to awaken out of ſleep. Speak thus to your conſciences; and then hear what conſcience will ſpeak to you.

Friend, art thou fallen? art thou come to this? ſo thou canſt but grow rich in the world, thou conſidereſt not how poor 'tis with thee in thy ſoul? whilſt thou haſt been ſo buſie for thy ſelf, and thy fleſh, haſt thou let fall the care of thine heart? whilſt thou haſt turned a ſide after thy pleaſures, after thy lovers, haſt thou loſt the ſight of God? have thy carnal correſpondencies, and compliances made thee ſuch a great ſtranger in Heaven? What ſays conſcience to this? Ask, Is it peace conſcience? is it well? Is it with me, as it hath been? is it with me as it ſhould be? p. 216Speak, conſcience; go tell this man, I have ſomewhat againſt thee, thou haſt left thy firſt love, remember whence thou art fallen, return to thy firſt husband, for then it was better with thee than now. What haſt thou gotten ſince thy departing from thy God? may be thou haſt gotten more of the world about thee, more great friends than heretofore, more eſteem and reputation amongſt thy friends; but O wert thou not a better man, when thou wert a poorer man? hadſt thou not more of a Chriſtian, in the days of old, when thou hadſt leſs of this world? Remember the ſweet days that thou hadſt, when thou walkedſt humbly with thy God; remember the hopes, and the joys, and the peace that thou hadſt, in the ſecret receſſes to thy beloved: Now thou canſt ſnatch at a duty, caſt a look heavenward, a word and away, ſcarce conſidering what thou doſt, or what entertainment thou haſt with the Lord; thou haſt thy long dinners but ſhort duties; long markets but ſhort prayers, and as ſlight as they are ſhort: What ſays thy conſcience to this? does it not tell thee, thou haſt made a dear bargain? 'Tis a great rate that thy riches have coſt thee, that thine eaſe and thy pleaſures have coſt thee; better thou hadſt kept thee a poor man ſtill, and been holy, and humble, and tender, and upright, than to have made a purchaſe of the world at ſo dear a rate, as the loſs of thine integrity and tenderneſs.

Speak conſcience, and ſpeak home in this matter; thou mayeſt ſpeak where I may not, thy word may be heard, where mine may not.

Conſcience, art thou awakened? get thee about and walk the rounds, and ſpeak according to what thou findeſt. Go into the City, and obſerve the Profeſſors there; go into their Chambers, and ſee if thou find them not in their beds, when they ſhould be p. 217on their knees; go into their Wardrobes, ſearch after their gawdy clothing, their antick ornaments and attires, and ſee if thou find not ſuch habits and dreſſes as are fitter for a Stage player than for a Chriſtian; go into the Parlour, and hear what's going amongſt them there, whether there be any more ſeriouſneſs or ſavourineſs in their diſcourſes together, than there is amongſt them that know not God; and whether the Cards and the Dice be not, where the Bible was wont to be. Go to their Tables, and obſerve their ſuperfluities, and curioſities, how delicately, how ſumptuouſly they fare every day, like that Gentleman, Luke 16. Go into their Shops, and their Markets, and obſerve if there be no lying, and deceitful dealing, even as amongſt others; obſerve how little difference thou canſt find, betwixt ſome that are Profeſſors, in their dealings, and thoſe that pretend to no Religion.

Then conſcience, from the City go down into the Country, into the Fields, into the Houſes, and ſee how buſie they are there; in ploughing, and ſowing, in building, and planting, in buying, and ſelling, laying houſe to houſe, and field to field, haſting to be rich, oppreſſing the poor, working, and ſweating, riding, and running, and neglecting nothing, but God and their Souls. See what they do, and ſee how it fares with them, both in City and Country; what ſtarveling ſouls thou findeſt within, under their pampered fleſh; ſee conſcience how 'tis, and ſpeak according to what thou ſeeſt; reprove them, warn them, worry them; if they will not hear thy voice, ſet in thy teeth and make them feel.