Remains, Part 2 · Section 1
Matth. 11.28.
Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you reſt.
WE have been large in the opening of effectual calling, and the laſt thing we handled concerning it, was this; that it was the firſt gathering of a man unto Chriſt, the firſt making of a man to come unto Chriſt; it is a mans firſt admiſſion into the eſtate of grace; it is the firſt dawning of the light that ſhineth from above, the firſt coming forth of Gods good will and pleaſure to a man.
Now before I can proceed to the particular parts of effectual calling, I muſt needs take a thing by the way, namely Gods preparatory work, that he doth work as a way hereunto; though it be not the work of ſaving grace, a man may periſh for all that work, unleſs the Lord carry a man further on; yet there is a preparatory work, that God doth work in the ſoul, before he calls a man effectually, the Lord doth prepare a man, by detecting of ſinne, and ſhewing him his miſery by ſinne, and letting him ſee and perceive what a miſerable creature he is in hmſelf; and God doth ſtop and ſilence a man before him, and leave him without excuſe, and cut him and hew him down by the law, that he may ſee that he is a dead creature and a damned wretch; before this a man will not come, though God call him never ſo often, he will not here his luſts carry him away, and ſtop his ears, and harden his heart, though he ſeem to come, and ſets divers ſteps to come home, yet he never comes home indeed, till God takes a man down in this faſhion.
Now this is the thing we are to ſpeak of, and we have it in the text, in the which we may obſerve three things: firſt the preparatory work which now we are to ſpeak of, you that are weary, and heavy laden: ſecondly, the call it ſelf, come unto me: thirdly, the benefit of this yielding to this call, I will give you reſt.
To ſpeak then,There is a preparatory work to effectual calling. firſt of this preparatory work, the Lord brings the law to a man, and laies load upon the ſoul, and makes the ſoul labour, and toile, and ſweat, and makes his heart burſt within him, and he is heavily laden, as if mountaines were upon his back; God layeth load upon the ſoul, and then comes effectual calling: ſee what the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Gal. 3.24. the Apoſtle here ſpeaks by his own experience, once we were ſtrangers from Chriſt and abſent from Chriſt: now how did God fetch us home? he ſent the law, the ferula of the law, he ſent the law to arreſt us, and ſchoole us to Chriſt, it was a Schoole-Maſter: I can ſpeak it for my part, it was mine as you may ſee, Rom. 7. from the beginning to the 12. ver. So the law fetched Paul home and ſtruck him dead, and made him ſee what a miſerable and wretched creature he was; it made him ſee he had no hope nor no hold, nothing in the world to truſt to in himſelf, he was a dead man, the law like a ſword ſtabs him at the heart; and ſo it pleaſed the Lord to bring him home to Chriſt, that he might be juſtified by faith: firſt, the Iſraelites were ſtung with the fiery Serpents, before they were healed by looking up to the brazen Serpent: firſt our firſt parents ſaw they were naked, and then came forth the promiſe of the ſeed of the woman: ſo firſt God convinceth a man of ſinne, and then of righteouſneſs, Joh 10.8. firſt he convinceth a man of his ſins, and then ſhews him where righteouſneſs is to be had, how he may have righteouſneſs, and peace of conſcience, and be juſtified before God.
Now for the opening of the point, I will ſhew you three things: firſt, that it is thus, God doth firſt prepare a man, before he calls him effectually. Secondly, the reaſons why the Lord doth thus: and Thirdly, the uſes.
Firſt,Proofe 1. from texts full of terror. That it is true, the Lord doth prepare a man, before he doth effectually call him, either more or leſſe; there muſt be a work of the law one way or other, and to prove this: firſt, wherefore elſe are thoſe many texts of Scripture, full of terrours, of ſharp arrows, and fierce pellets againſt ſinners? wherefore are theſe but to terrifie a man, and pull a man down? and that we that are Miniſters of God, ſhould fling them againſt ſinners, and the Lord looks that men ſhould tremble, Amos 3.6, 8. The Lord ſaith there, ſhall a trumpet be blown in a City, and people not be afraid? &c. and ver. 8. When the Lyon roars, who will not feare? all thoſe terrible texts of Scripture, they are the roaring of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah againſt all that go on in ſinne; now who would not tremble ſaith the Prophet? 'tis true many wicked and ungodly men do not tremble a jot almoſt; but ſome ſhall tremble, God looks upon ſome, and they ſhall tremble at his Word, Iſa. 66.1, 2.
Secondly,2 From the Spirits office. Becauſe this is the office of the Spirit of God, to be a Spirit of bondage, before he be the Spirit of adoption; he was ſo to the Romans, he was the Spirit of bondage in their hearts, before he was the Spirit of adoption, to make them cry Abba Father, Rom. 8.15. You have not received againe the Spirit of bondage to feare, you did receive it once, but you have not received it againe; but now you have received, the Spirit of adoption, whereby you cry, Abba Father. Now to deny this doctrine, is to deny the maine office of the Spirit, which is dangerous, for every man naturally is a bedlam: now how are bedlams tamed? they are beaten and whipt, and kept under till they come to themſelves: ſo the Lord deals with a man as with a bedlam; he comes with the Spirit of bondage, flinging in ſlaviſh terrours and fears, and what a miſerable creature he is, this ſin and the other ſinne, and the wrath of God is come out againſt him; the Spirit takes a man down from day to day, and undermines him and breaks his ſtomack; and then afterwards, when he hath wrought that work, he comes to be the Spirit of adoption, to teach him to cry Abba Father.
Thirdly,3 Becauſe the Goſpel follows the law. Becauſe the Goſpels turne is not come, till the Law hath done his part; this was the method that Chriſt was anointed to obſerve in his Miniſtery, he would firſt have a man bruiſed and broken, and captivated, and blind, and poore, and in miſery, and then he preacheth the Goſpel to him, as you may ſee, Luk. 4.19. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to this order, ſaith he; it is an excellent place for this purpoſe, to ſtop the mouthes of thoſe that hope there is an eaſier way; he will preach the Goſpel, and liberty, and comfort, and enlargement; but he will have a broken heart firſt, and a tender Spirit firſt.
Fourthly,4 From Chriſts deſign in coming. You may ſee an expreſſe place of our Saviour Chriſt, that he came to ſave that which was loſt: firſt a man ſhall be in a loſt eſtate, and he ſhall be in a wilderneſs, and he ſhall have his ſinnes diſcovered, and his miſery, and then the Lord comes to thoſe that he hath a minde to do good unto, Mat. 9.12, 13. ſaith he, They that are whole need not the Phyſitian, but they that are ſick, he means to deale with a man as a Phyſitian, a man muſt be ſick before he comes to him, the Phyſitian gives Phyſick to none till they be ſick: now till a man is ſick of his ſinnes, till they are the diſeaſes of his ſoul, till he is in torments and miſery, the Lord Jeſus ſaith, he will not be his Phyſician.
Fifthly,5 From Gods working with believers after groſſe ſins. Becauſe God doth ſee it fitting, to deale thus with his converted ones when they fall into ſome foule ſinne, and groſſe iniquity, the Lord is pleaſed to go this way to work, even towards his own converted ones; when they ſinne, not onelyonly through invincible infirmities, and through temptation; but when they grow ſtubborn, when they fall into ſome horrible iniquity, the Lord doth uſe to go even legally to work with them, though they lie under grace; therefore much more towards thoſe that never yet were under grace, that never had any free Spirit, that never had any part of an ingenious nature, that were never yet wrought to be led by the faire means of grace; if God work ſo with thoſe that he hath given in ſome meaſure his grace, and given in ſome meaſure a portion of his free Spirit unto; if when they ſinne, and ſinne foully, it is not all the promiſe of the Goſpel, all the covenant of Grace, that will raiſe them up againe, and make them walk before God with holineſs, and zeale, and fervency; then much more will he deale thus with thoſe that never had any grace at all: Thus David cryeth out, thy fears have got hold upon me, and Pſal. 28.4. his ſinnes were as an heavy burthen unto him, too heavy for him to beare; he did not onelyonly ſet his ſinnes before him, they were not onelyonly the objects before his eyes; ſo they are to a man that walks in the comforts of the Spirit; they are before his eyes, every man that walks in obedience, he hath his ſinnes before him at times to humble him, and keep him low, and make him ſtill hang upon Chriſt, and depend upon him, and eſteem Chriſt precious to you that believe Chriſt is precious, 2 Pet. 4.5. But now he ſets them before them, not only as objects, but layeth them as loads upon their backs, that their ſins ſhall not only be ſeen, but felt by them: now this is a legal work, when any part of a mans ſinnes and miſery lyes upon his ſoul and conſcience; 'tis true, God never ſhews ſinne to the utmoſt to his people, he never layeth all the load; if God ſhould ſtirre up all the ſtink of uncleanneſs that is in his people; if God ſhould diſcover to them all the ugly looks of their ſinnes, they were not able to beare it: As a good man ſaid, when I ſee my ſelf, ſaith he, it is an intollerable horror to me, it makes my very fleſh to ſhiver and my ſoul to quake, to think what I am in my ſelf. Nay, if God ſhould lay all the burden of ſinne upon the ſoul, the children of God their Spirits would faile, they were not able to ſubſiſt under it; but thus farre the Lord reveals their ſinnes, and layeth load upon them, to break their hearts, and rend the kall of their ſpirits, to tame, and pull them to him, to bring them under, and to make them beare his yoake.
Laſtly,6 From Scripture examples. Becauſe, whereſoever the Scripture doth ſpeak at large, and profeſſedly of any mans converſation; we do not read of any converſation, but it was after this manner, by revealing their miſery in themſelves, and charging their ſinnes upon their ſouls: Thus the Lord dealt with Manaſſes, he did mightily afflict him, he opened his eyes by outward afflictions, and then charged his miſery upon his ſoul: Thus the Lord dealt with Ephraim, as with an untamed heifer, and then he cryed out, Convert me O Lord, and I ſhall be converted, Jer. 31.18. And thus the Lord dealt with the woman in the Goſpel, that waſhed his feet with her tears; you muſt think it was not ordinary ſorrow, that could make her tears trickle down in ſuch plentiful manner as to waſh his feet, thus it was with her before ſhe had the pardon of her ſinnes; and thus it was with Peters hearers; he told them, that they were the murtherers of the Lord Jeſus, and then they were pricked in the hearts; before he did preach the Goſpel, and bid them repent evangelically: Thus did John the Baptiſt deale; firſt, he comes with the axe and hews at them, and layes at the root of the tree, and then he tells them of Chriſt, there comes one after me, that is more worthy then I, &c. Firſt, he did lay about him to detect their miſery, and reveale to their wretched eſtate, and then at the laſt he preached the Goſpel, and poured in oyle: So it was with Paul, the Lord made it appeare that he fought againſt heaven, and perſecuted the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and he laid him flat upon his face; nay, he ſmote him with blindneſs, and ſent him crying and roaring, and made him glad to go to their houſes, whom before he had perſecuted and ſcorned; and afterwards he told him that he was a choſen veſſel: ſo the Lord dealt with the jaylor, he rent, and tore him, and burſt him in peices, as if all the devils in hell were about him; and afterwards he ſaith, Believe in the L…rd Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Act. 16.26.
Object.But you will ſay there are ſome in Scripture are related not to have any ſuch work, Lidia ſhe heard Paul preach, and the Lord opened her heart at firſt, and was a convert preſently, Act. 6.14. So it was with Cornelius, and his company, Peter opened his mouth, and preached to them, and while he yet ſpake the holy Gh…ſ… fell on them all, Act. 10.24. Therefore it ſeems all mens converſions; and callings home, are not uſhered by this legal work.
Anſw.I anſwer, This is a poore Argument, that becauſe the Scripture doth not ſay, this work of the Law did not go before, therefore it did not go before: a man cannot make ſuch an inference, becauſe the Scripture doth not repeate it; it is ſufficient that the Scripture hath related it in other places, how the Lord brings his people home, and what method he uſeth in doing them good: firſt, he uſeth the work of the Law, and then of the Goſpel; the Lord ſets it down in other places, and therefore though he omits it here; it doth not follow there was no ſuch thing in Lidia and Cornelius, and I will prove there was in both places, that there was a preparatory work in Lida, is plaine by two Arguments, for the Scripture ſheweth, that before this evangelical work came, ſhe was a worſhipper of God before, noting there was ſomething went before this opening of her heart; there was a work of the Law before, for this was the firſt work of the Goſpel, when God opened her heart: another Argument is in the 13 ver. where it is ſaid, that Lidia before ſhe heard this Sermon, reſorted to Paul to the Rivers ſide to pray; therefore it is a plaine ſign that ſhe was wrought upon by a preparatory work, before Paul converted her, and wrought upon her by the Goſpel: And then for Cornelius and his friends, for Cornelius himſelf; it is a plaine caſe, that he was wrought upon before the Holy Ghoſt fell upon him; for in the beginning of the Chapter, it is ſaid he was a devout man, one that called upon God, and ſet times apart, extraordinarily to ſeek God, before the Holy Ghoſt fell upon him, and no queſtion it was ſo with his kinsfolks; for whom did he call to meet with Peter at this Sermon, but thoſe that he had been converſant with? therefore it is likely, they were wrought upon before as well as Cornelius, otherwiſe he would have had little hope to get them thither: well then, the firſt thing we have proved that God doth thus prepare his people legally, before he doth effectually call them.
Now we come to the ſecond thing: why God thus?Reaſ. 1. To declare Gods juſtice. and the firſt Reaſon is, becauſe God will declare and ſhew forth his juſtice; for as God did ſhew forth his juſtice in the Redemption of his people; ſo he will alſo in the application of this Redemption, ſhew ſome part of his juſtice; in the Redemption of the World he poured forth the full viols of it, he required full ſatisfaction of the Lord Jeſus, now he will not let juſtice be utterly ſwallowed up of mercy when he comes to apply this, but juſtice ſhall ſhew his face, and they ſhall come to ſee what Chriſt hath done for them; and miſeries he hath waded through for a man, he ſhall ſee that God is a juſt and righteous God, that hates ſinne, and abhors iniquity: what a conſuming fire he is againſt them that diſobey him; the Lord makes his juſtice appeare in the application of Redemption: you ſee how he takes up his people upon Mount Ebal, and delivers the curſes of the Law, and makes his own people to ſay Amen, and ſubſcribe to them, Deut. 27.26. Here he delivers the curſes, and makes proclamation of his juſtice; and ſaith he, I will have all the people ſay Amen; he will have all lye a bleeding under this curſe; and marke what Moſes ſaith in the firſt verſe of the next Chapter, it ſhall come to paſſe, if thou wilt hearken to the voyce of the Lord, he will ſet thee up above all nations; here comes in a fine Sunſhiny day afterwards; the Lord will have his people ſee his juſtice, and what it is to be delivered from ſinne; the Lord will make them ſee that he is a juſt and righteous God, and that there is no ſinning againſt him, there is no living in his ſight, no entring into his Kingdom without righteouſneſs; I muſt be a new creature, elſe I ſhall be conſumed; he chargeth theſe things upon the ſoul, and that ſoundly too; becauſe now he will lay down the foundation of a godly life, the ſoul ſhall have need of this point as long as he lives, to remember that God is a righteous God; he hath found him to be a juſt God againſt ſinne, though he be a gracious and merciful God to them that truly repent, and ſet themſelves to obey his Name: yet the ſoul ſeeth there is no living in ſinne, no following after a mans own luſts, and the ſoul never loſeth this; for though the ſoul many times, through temptations may be carried away, yet he ſhall never be under that former blindneſs he was in; never ſo ignorant of God; never think ſo meanly and ignominiouſly of God as he did in his unregeneracy; he ſtill knows that God is a ſevere God and there is no expecting of mercy at his hands, without holineſſe and righteouſnes; if God ſhould ſmother up the work all at firſt, juſtice would not be ſeen: as we ſee it is among men; ſuppoſe a baſe fellow hath wronged a noble man, may be the noble man means to pardon him; but yet he will have him ſmart for it, and feele and know what it is to diſpleaſe and wrong, and impeach ſuch a great man as he. So if the Lord ſhould ſmother up the buſineſs preſently, as ſoon as ever he ſends the word to a man preſently convert a man and pardon him, and give him true and ſaving faith, juſtice would not be ſeen; and therefore the Lord firſt tramples upon a mans neck, and ſhews him his filthineſs, and caſts him out of the Camp; as the Lord ſaid concerning Mirian, ſhe is unclean, carry her out of the Camp; ſo the Lord flings a perſon forth like a curſed damned creature, as if he would take him by the heeles, and fling him down to hell, and never look upon him, and then he takes him in; thus the Lord tells his people, Iſa. 45.21. There is none but me, a juſt God and a Saviour: firſt, he makes them ſee that he is a juſt God, and then he makes them ſee that he is their Saviour and Redeemer; and notwithſtanding his juſtice and ſeverity againſt ſinne and iniquity, yet he will give his grace and mercy to them that repent, and humble themſelves under his hand.
Secondly,1. To ſweeten mercy. The Lord doth this, becauſe he would ſweeten his mercy to the ſoul, as you may ſee how he dealt with the Prophets widow; he let her creditors arreſt her firſt, and ſeize upon her two ſons for bondmen, and then he wrought a wonder for her, 2 King. 4.1. now this mercy was ſweet, and came in due ſeaſon, I was in miſery, and the Lord helped me, ſaith David; as who ſhould ſay, it came in a time when I had need of it: The Lord deales, as it is reported King James did at the beginning of his reign, when ſome of his Nobles had been offenders, he let the law proceed againſt them, till they were brought to the ſcaffold, and their heads laid upon the block, and then ſent a pardon, and now a pardon was acceptable indeed. So the Lord deales with his people, he lets the law looſe upon the ſoul, yea, and the devil too, many times, and he rends them, and teares them as a Lyon, and lets them look when they ſhall periſh, and layes their heads upon the block, and then ſends hope of a pardon, and forgiveneſs of ſinnes: what a ſweet ſtaying of Abrahams hand was that, when the knife was juſt ready to be ſtuck in Iſaacks throat? ſo when the knife of Juſtice is ready to be ſtuck into a mans throat, and he is ready to periſh for ever; now mercy will be ſweet mercy, now it will be mercy indeed, This is the time of love, ſaith God, Ezek. 16.8. When God had laid his people a bleeding in their goare blood, now he paſſeth by, and ſaith, This is a time of love; he laid them in their blood and filthineſſe, he laid them vile and miſerable in themſelves, and now ſaith he is the time of love. Now the mountaines drop with ſweet wine, as the Prophet ſpeaks, what is the reaſon that people do not taſte any ſweetneſſe in the Goſpel, and Sacraments, and Ordinances of Chriſt? Alas, they were never ſenſible of their ſinnes, therefore the Lord doth thus to make his mercy ſweet to his people, that they may prize it, and eſteeme it, and make good account of it from day to day.
Thirdly,3. That he may bring men home to Chriſt. the Lord doth this, that he may fetch his people home to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; for before they will not come to God, they will not come at him, as the Prophet ſpeaks, but when they are in the Margent of Hell ready to periſh, and have no hope to hold to, nothing to truſt to, they are quite and cleane at a loſs, and know not whither to go; now this makes them come home: as it is ſaid of Abſolom, he ſent once to Joab, but he would not come to him, yea, twice and he would not come; but when he ſet his Barley field on fire, then he came. So the Lord ſets his peoples hearts on fire, he fires their conſciences, and their very bowols, and makes their ſoules ake within them, for want of mercy, and grace, and favour, for want of power againſt their ſinnes, for want of Gods helping and aſſiſting of them from day to day, and this makes them glad to come home to him. You know how long it was before the woman in the Goſpel would come to Chriſt, ſhe was ſick twelve years and had ſpent all her living upon the Phyſicians and could have no help, now ſhe came to Chriſt when ſhe was quite ſpent, and her patience was come to the utmoſt, ſhe was a dead woman if ſhe came not to Chriſt, all the Phyſicians could not help her, now ſhe comes home to Chriſt; As it was with Agur when he ſaw his brutiſhneſſe, this drave him to Ithiel and Ʋcal, Prov. 30.1, 2. that is, to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as it is with a Coney when ſhe is perſued by a Dogge, then ſhe runnes to her burrough; When Naomi was bereft of Husband, Children, Meanes, and Maintenance, and heares there is plenty in Iſrael, ſhe returns preſently; ſhe might have gone long before, but ſhe wanted a ſcourge and whip to ſend her home, but when ſhe had loſt all, and was ready to ſink, and heard good tidings from Bethlehem, now ſhe makes ſpeed thither preſently: as the Lord ſpeaks, Hoſ. 2.6. I will hedge her wayes with thornes; how doth the Lord make the poore Church here come home to him, that was her husband and beloved, from whom ſhe was gone a whoring? God takes this courſe, he hedgeth her wayes with thornes, ſhe would have reſts, and friends, and comforts, and ſomething to hang upon, but God knocks her off from all, and now ſhe will returne to her husband again; ſo the Lord to make his people ſtoop to his yoake, he ſhews them their miſery, and worries them, and wearies them, that they can hold out no longer, and then down go their bucklers, and now, ſpeak Lord, thy ſervants hear, now they are willing to hear him.
Fourthly,4. To wean men from ſin. God doth it that he may weane his people from ſinne, and take off their hearts from their own wayes: for a man is marvellous eager of ſinne by nature, and will not let it go, and will not part with it by no meanes, his heart is ſet upon his luſts, and he will have them, though he hath hell and damnation with them; when the Lord calls upon them to walk in his wayes, they ſay they will not walk therein, Jer. 6.16. People will not be diligent in prayer and hold cloſe to God, they will not be ſtrict in their wayes as the preciſeneſſe of the Goſpel teacheth them, now the Lord breaks in upon them in this faſhion, and makes them willing▪ As a man deales with a young horſe or colt, when a man would tame a colt that is luſty, and head-ſtrong, and violent, he carries him out, may be, and makes him apprehend in his fancy, that he will ride him againſt ſtone-walls, and carries him, may be, into Quagmires, and Muds, and rotten Fennes, and there he makes him go, and ſpurs him, and beats him, and raines him, and ſnafles him, and thus he breakes his ſtomack, and at laſt he will beare the ſaddle, and carry a man quietly; ſo the Lord Jeſus doth with a poor creature, he caſts off the bonds of Chriſt, and though the truth begins to work upon his conſcience, he throwes out the arrow againe, and heales himſelf with vaine healings; now the Lord breakes a mans heart, and opens a peephole into hell, as though he would throw him in quick thither, and ſhews him his miſery to the life, and to the quick, and ſo makes them come off; as the Lord dealt with Moſes when he would make him circumciſe his ſonne, he was loath to diſpleaſe his wife, ſhe was againſt it, being a Midianitiſh woman, and he was loath to have her ill-will, and therefore deferred it, now what courſe took God with him, the Lord met him, and would have ſlaine him; the Lord made as though he were his enemy, and would ſlay him; and now he was willing to do it; ſo the Lord deals with a ſtubborne ſoul if it belongs to him, he will overcome his heart, and make him let fall his ſinnes, he will make as though he would ſlay him, he will make him a weary of keeping his luſts, before he hath done with him: The Lord deales in this caſe as he dealt with the Philiſtins, they would not ſend home the Arke, what courſe did he take to make them ſend it home, and ſend it home in pomp, and great reſpect: God did fling down Dagon which was their chief Idoll, and the Lord ſmote them with Emerods. And now they think with themſelves, let us ſend home the Arke of the Lord, and how ſhall we ſend it home? Let us provide golden Mice and Emerods, they ſent it home with coſt and offerings; So the Lord deals with thoſe that belong to him, he tires them in their own ways, and makes them willing to come out at laſt.
Laſtly,5. To knock us off from any thing elſe. the Lord doth it to knock his people quite and cleane off from all; every man naturally hangs upon ſomething, and above all, hangs upon his good works, and good prayers, and performances, and this keeps his heart from ſeeing what a miſerable creature he is, this keeps him from mourning, and zeal, and fervency, and all this while that he hangs upon theſe, his heart is hard'ned, he will never ſtoop and yield to God; now, when the Lord means to do a man good, he knocks him quite off, and plucks out of his hands all his works, and makes him let all go; not that he ceaſeth to work, but as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom 4.14. He makes him as a man that worketh not, not as though he worketh not, for there is no carnal man works more then this poor ſoul in this eſtate, he keeps a great deal of ſtir to find out mercy, and obtaine grace from God; there is none that mournes and laments more, and goes to Sermons more, but yet he is no worker now, he is faine to go to his father, to him that juſtifies the ungodly, all his wayes are loathſome and abominable, he ſeeth nothing to truſt upon, but is driven to him that juſtifies the ungodly; he ſees he is a vile wretched creature, he ſees no worth, no reaſon why God ſhould look upon him, he is now pennileſſe, and worthleſſe, and miſerable in himſelf, the Lord makes him a very bankrout, he thought he was a rich Merchant, but now he makes him a very bankrout, and makes him appeare to be naked.
Firſt,Ʋſe. 1. To reprove Dawbers. here all Dawbers are to be reproved that preach nothing but mercy, and the promiſes of the Goſpel, many love alife to be upon ſuch theames, O ſay they, the promiſes are beſt to humble a man, and bring him out of his ſins, whom ſhall we believe, God or man? This not the way, Ezek. 13.22. the text ſaith, Ye have ſtrengthened the hands of the wicked, that he ſhould not turne from his wicked wayes, by promiſing him life: When a man preacheth the promiſe of God before wicked and ungodly men, this hardens their hearts, and ſtrengthens them that they will not returne from their wicked wayes, becauſe the promiſes are propounded to them, and the Miniſter makes no diſtinction between the precious and the vile, this ſtrengthens them in their ſinnes, and makes them think they are not ſo vile, but they hope they are in a good caſe for all this, therefore Saint Auſtine calls ſuch men deſolatores, not conſolatores; ſuch work deſolation in their hearers, and no ſound conſolation; ſuch Miniſters as make their Sermons to be pillowes under peoples elbowes, they make themſelves guilty of the peoples blood, and their ſouls ſhall be required at their hands, they are the cauſe of peoples miſcarriage, when a Miniſter thinks to do people good, by crying peace, peace; when the Prophet ſaith there is no peace to the wicked, this rather drives people further off from God; may be it may make them ſeeme outward profeſſors, but it will never make them ſound in the faith; rebuke them ſharply, ſaith the Apoſtle, that they may be ſound in the faith, Tit. 1.13. ſharp rebuking the powerful delivering of the Law and Goſpel is the meanes to mahe men ſound in the faith, the more humble a man is made to be, the more faith he comes to have; our Saviour ſaith of the Centurion he had not found the like faith in Iſrael, how came this? the text ſhewes plainly, that we ſhall hardly heare of a man ſo humble in an age as he was, he did even grudge to think that Chriſt ſhould come into his houſe, he thought he was unworthy that Chriſt ſhould come under his roofe, though he were in the dayes of his humiliation, in the forme of a ſervant, his heart was employed and brought low, he had no hope in himſelf, all the worth he ſaw was in Chriſt; this helps a man to the more faith, the more a man is emplyed, the more may be poured in. Wherefore ſerve all thoſe texts in Scripture? The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt all unrighteouſneſſe, tribulation, and anguiſh ſhall be upon the ſoul of every one that doth evill, fleſh and blood can never enter into the Kingdome of God, that which is borne of the fleſh is fleſh, and ſuch a one can never pleaſe God while the world ſtands: Wherefore ſerve all theſe texts of Scripture when Gods flings balls of fire upon men that live in their wicked wayes? Why do we not open them and preſſe them upon mens conſciences? Why do we not apply them to thoſe to whom they belong, are they not in the Bible? were the Prophets fooles? were the Holy Pen-men of the Scripture miſtaken in putting ſuch texts into the Bible? If they be there, they ought to be ut…red and applied; and if they be to be applied, to whom, but to thoſe to whom they belong? Then ſuch perſons had need to look to themſelves, and we that are Miniſters, woe unto us if we do not preach terrour to whom terrour belongs, as well as mercy to whom mercy belongs: but you will ſay, are not we Miniſters of the Goſpel? 'tis true, and ſo was Chriſt, yet mark what he ſaith, repent and then believe▪ firſt he diſcovers their miſerable conditions, and breaks their hearts, and then bids them lay hold upon the Goſpel of peace, this is the Method that we that are the Miniſters of God ſhould take, firſt wound, and then heale; firſt lance, and then bind up; firſt detect mens ſinnes, and ſhew them their miſeries▪ and then ſhew them a remedy: firſt let them ſee what they are, and then ſee how they may be better.
Ʋſe. 2. Be content to heare the curſes of the Law preached.Then you muſt be content to let us go up upon Mount Eball and pronounce the curſes of God upon thoſe that go on in their ſinnes, you muſt be content to have your eſtates and conditions ripped up, be not ready to be ſnappiſh and murmuring againſt the revelation of the Law, and the opening of the helliſh ſink of ſin that is in your hearts, be you willing to hear it and let us do it; 'tis true, we muſt be ready to poure in Oyle into every bruiſed ſpirit; but firſt we muſt come with the hammer of the Law to breake and then bind up, let me tell you, as many as go on in your ſins, and are yet without Chriſt, let me tell you what your condition is, be it known from the Lord whatſoever you may think, you are in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bond of iniquity, hell is moved for your coming, and the pit is digged for ſuch as you are; you are under the wrath of heaven, and though God be gracious and full of mercy yet he will never ſave thoſe that diſobey him and ſtand out againſt his Holy and Heavenly Word; though Chriſt died for ſinners, yet he is a ſtumbling block and a rock of offence to thoſe that are diſobedient and ſtumble at the Word, 1 Pet. 2.8. Whatſoever you may think of your ſelves and do not think of theſe things, but ſuffer the world and your pleaſures to take up your mindes, think of it, what a woefull caſe you are in, know that the great God of Heaven and Earth hath bitter things againſt you, and you ſhall heare it with both eares when it is too late; there is no mercy but for them that repent and forſake their ſins, there is no Kingdome of Heaven for you, you have no hope, the Devils and you have one hope. What turned ſo many Angels of Heaven into Hell? was it not ſin? you have that very ſin upon you, you do not ſee your miſery, but if your eyes were open and would but heare what God ſaith, you would loath your ſelves in duſt and aſhes, and your knees would knock together for anguiſh of heart. What no converſion yet, no new creatures yet? then no Chriſt, no Heaven, no Happineſs: what a woful thing is this? I beſeech you think of it, and apply it, and tell your ſoules, either ſin muſt down, or elſe no Heaven to be looked for; either I muſt be an holy man, either God will give me grace and holineſſe here, or elſe I ſhall never ſee his face with comfort hereafter; either I muſt have my life changed, and my converſation made ſpiritual and godly by Jeſus Chriſt▪ or elſe I do but deceive my own ſoul to think of any happineſſe; this is certaine, therefore do not think lightly of any ſin, there is no ſin ſo ſmall but is able to damn thy ſoul, unleſſe thou embrace the Goſpel and the Kingdome of God. If it were poſſible that thou never hadſt ſinned but one ſin, that one ſin will damn thee, unleſſe thou be a new creature, and by Faith embrace the Son of God, thou canſt not be ſaved; there is no ſin ſo ſmall, but the wrath of God from Heaven is revealed againſt it; if people did but ſee their ſins like ſo many Devils, if they did but once ſee theſe Cockatrices ſtings, if people were but affected with their eſtates and conditions, ſomething might be ſaid, but unleſs mens ſins be laid before their eyes, and charged upon their ſouls, what hope have we to do them any good?
Thirdly,Ʋſe. 3. To comfort thoſe that have had this work of the Law on them. this is for comfort to thoſe that are humbled, ſuch as have had the Law come unto them, and hath knocked them off, that they have nothing to truſt to, and they ſee what miſerable creatures they are, look up and hear what the Goſpel ſaith, the Goſpel of God ſheweth mercy freely to be had, and delivers promiſes freely to be apprehended, and doth proffer eternal life without money or moneys worth, though a man be never ſo vile and wretched; if you ſee your miſery, you have Davids own argument, go and uſe it, Pſal. 25.16. Have mercy upon me O Lord, for I am deſolate and afflicted; all the Saints of God have no other argument but this, in begging of mercy, as who ſhould ſay, I am a miſerable creature, no grounds whereupon to expect any mercy, I am a deſolate, afflicted, undone man in my ſelf, all my hope is in thee; go to God, and lie at his gate, and plead this argument, ſubmitting to the Goſpel, Have mercy on me O Lord, for I am deſolate and afflicted: and here now comes in effectual calling, when the Law hath ſhewed a man his wretched eſtate, and his blindneſs, and nakedneſs, and captivity, if the Lord do mean any mercy to a man, here comes in his effectual calling.