A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Sheweth the Duties to be Practised in order to your Regeneration.
HAving shewed you the truths to be embraced in order to your Regeneration. I come now to the Duties on your part to be practised, and performed.
I. From the consideration of the dreadfulness of thy condition, so long as thou continuest in thine unregenerate estate; and of the hope thou hast of a blessed change; stir up in thy self an earnest longing, restless desire after the new birth, that thou maist in truth say, O that I were Regenerate and born anew! Oh that the Image of the Devil might be razed out, and the Image of God imprinted in me! O that a blessed change were wrought in my soul, a change from nature to grace, from darkness to light, from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus! Oh that I might become a new creature, renewed throughout, in all the faculties of my soul, and all the parts of my body!
As Rachel cryed, Give me Children, or else I dye. So do thou cry out and say, Give me this new birth, let me be born again by the spirit, or else I shall dye, not only the first, but likewise the second death, and be undone for ever. And know for thy comfort, if thou canst find any such longing desire in thy soul, thou art not far from this new birth, from the work of Regeneration in thy soul. For this longing desire after this new birth, will put thee upon the use of all ordinances and means God hath sanctified for the attaining thereof.
II. Labour to get thine heart deeply and throughly affected with a sense of thy miserable condition by nature. It is not sufficient to know thy condition to be sad and deplorable so long as thou continuest in thine unregenerate estate: but thy care and endeavour must be to get thine heart throughly affected therewith. If you look into the Scriptures you shall find this qualification required in the persons whom Christ came to save, and whom he invites to come unto him. Our blessed Saviour speaking to Zacheus saith, The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. Luk. 19.10.Where by the lost, whom Christ came to save, are not meant every sinner, who indeed are lost men, but such as have a spiritual feeling of the woful plight and condition wherein they are by reason of their sins. And again saith our Saviour, I am not come to call the righteous, Mat. 9.13.but sinners to repentance. As by the righteous are meant such as are so in their own opinion, and conceit, so by sinners are meant such as are sensible of their wretched, miserable condition, and groan under the weight and burthen of their sins; whom Christ especially invites to come unto him,Mat. 11.2…. saying, Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
1. The more sensible any are of their miserable condition by nature, the more sensible will they be of their need of Iesus Christ. Mat. 9.12.They that are whole, saith our Saviour, need not a Physitian, but they that are sick. In like manner, such as are whole and sound in their own conceit, see no need of Christ; but such as are sick of their sins, and sensible of their miserable and lost condition, they feel a need and necessity of Christ, who is the only Physitian that can help them, and without whom they look upon themselves as undone for ever.
2. Sense of our miserable condition by nature, will stir us up to seek after Iesus Christ for help and deliverance. As the man-slayer under the Law, being pursued by the avenger of blood, betook himself to a City of r…fuge for shelter and defence. So the poor sinner pursued by the Hue and Cry of his sins, betakes himself unto Jesus Christ, who is a true City of refuge to all who fly unto him. Yea the more sensible any man is of his misery by sin, the more will he hasten after Jesus Christ. And certainly one special reason why Christ is so little sought after by many; and his gracious invitations so slighted and neglected, is because they are not sensible of the wofull plight and condition wherein they are by nature.
3. Sense of our miserable condition will make us more highly to prize Iesus Christ, and to preferr him before all things in the World besides. The truth is, the more sensible any of us are of our unregenerate estate, the more highly shall we prize Jesus Christ. In what measure we can discern the heighth and depth, the beadth and length of our miserable condition by nature, in the same measure shall we discern the heighth and depth, the breadth and length of the worth and excellency of Jesus Christ, and accordingly shall we prize and value him.
Q. If any shall ask, how may I get my heart deeply affected with a sense of my miserable condition by nature?
A. 1. Steep thy thoughts frequently in a serious meditation of thy sad and deplorable condition, so long as thou continuest in thine unregenerate estate. How thou art no better than a servant to sin, and slave to thy lusts, under the bondage and command of Satan, doing his drudgery: yea and under the curse of God, and guilt of all thy sins; and lyable to all sorts of Judgements, both temporal, spiritual and eternal. Consider likewise the miseries which will accompany thee at thy death, and after thy death, even at the day of Judgement, and after the day of Judgement; when thou shalt not only be deprived of all happiness, but exposed to such miseries, as neither the tongue of man can express, nor the heart of man conceive, and that to all Eternity, if thou dyest in thine unregenerate estate. Ah sinner, if thou wouldst but frequently chew this bitter pill, it would not only purge thee of thy sinful corruptions and noysome humours, which now are praedominant in thee, but likewise exceedingly make to thy spiritual health and welfare.
2. Be earnest with God in prayer that by his spirit he would convince thee of thy miserable condition by nature, and make thee truly and throughly sensible thereof. Consider that it is the office of the spirit of God to convince thee, and so to affect and afflict thy heart for sin. Ioh. 16.8. He shall reprove or convince the World of sin. It's true his chief work is to convince of righteousness, whereby he becomes a Comforter as he is there called: and it's therefore said, ver. 14. He shall take of mine and shew it unto you: he shall take of my blood, of my bowels, of my righteousness, of the pardons which I have procured, of the peace which I have purchased, he shall take of mine, and shew it unto you. This is his great work, but his first work is, He shall take of your own, and shew it unto you: he shall set your sins, and your guilt, and your miseries before you. Look thee here soul, see what thou art, what a vile thing, what an unclean thing, what a wretched thing thou art; what an hell thou hast within thee: what a Devil thou art become: what a treasure, what a portion thou hast laid up for thy self, even wrath, and fire, and brimstone, this must be the portion of thy cup. This sad and dismal sight the spirit of God presents to the soul, and therewith affrights and afflicts it.
O beg this spirit, God hath promised to give it those that ask it: how much more shall your heavenly Father give his spirit to them that ask it of him? Beg for this work of the Spirit, his convincing work, as well as his comforting work; resist not this holy Spirit, shut not thine eyes against this light, but be wil…ing to see and feel the worst of thy case, to know and be deeply affected with thy abominable wickedness, and the intolerable misery that it's bringing upon thee.
III. Labour to be truly humbled for thy sins as the cause of thy present sad condition. It is not sufficient to get thine heart in some measure affected with the sense thereof, but thy care must likewise be to get thine heart into an humbled and broken frame for the same. Having spent many years in sinning, what caust thou do less than spend some hours in mourning and sorrowing for the same? Having all thy life long broken the most holy and righteous Laws of God, what canst thou do less, than to get thine heart broken for the same? which usually goeth before, or at least accompanyeth our new birth. For as no Child is ordinarily born without some throws, so no man is ordinarily regenerated, and born anew by the Spirit, without some pangs of sorrow and humiliation, though not all with a like measure: it being sanctified by God to be the entrance into the state of grace.
Humiliation is as necessary to salvation, as faith: and you may as well think of being saved without faith▪ as without repentance and humiliation, which like Iohn Baptist, prepareth the way for Christ, and therefore is the most immediate disposition that God usually worketh in the soul, before he worketh faith to close with Jesus Christ. For untill thou beest truly humbled under a sense and apprehension of thy sins and misery, it is not possible thou shouldst heartily desire Christ, much less cordially embrace him, as thy Saviour and redeemer. Oh therefore labour, in the use of all means God hath sanctified, to get thine heart kindly humbled and broken for thy sins. To this end,
1. Look back into thy life, and call to mind as many of thy sins as possibly thou canst; the sins of thy youth, as well as of thy riper years; thy sins of omission as well as thy sins of commission; yea the sins of thy holy services. Especially call to mind the greatest and grossest of thy sins, though they were committed long ago. Thus did the Prodigal begin his humiliation and repentance, by a serious examination of his former course of life, calling to remembrance his departure from such a gracious Father, his own wandrings in the wayes of wickedness, in which he had lost himself,Luk. 15 13. and then as the text noteth, He arose and came to his Father, and with tears said unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. To acknowledge thy self in the general to be a sinner, works but a formal kind of repentance and humiliation, if any at all. But if thou wouldst be truly humbled, thou must descend to thy special, and particular sins, saying, this evil have I done, and that good have I left undone.
2. Consider together with the number, the hainousness of thy sins. To this end call to mind the aggravating circumstances of them, as how thou hast sinned against the motions of Gods Spirit, the admonitions of his Ministers, the checks of thine own conscience, against the light of nature, against the patience and long-suffering of God, which should have led thee to repentance.
3. Seriously consider the fearful threatnings against sin and sinners, which are all judgements and plagues here, and eternal death and condemnation hereafter; and apply them to thy self, reasoning thus, If the least transgression of the Law deserveth the curse of God, yea all judgements and plagues here, and eternal condemnation hereafter: then how many curses and plagues? what and how great condemnation have I deserved? who have committed sins innumerable for number, and hainous in their quality. And withall consider the truth and faithfulness of God in making good his threatnings as well as his promises.
4. Beg this great Mercy of an humbled heart from God. For it is he who must strike our stony hearts, these hard Rocks of ours, before they can yield any water of true repentance: it is he who must pour out of the spirit of grace upon our hard hearts, before we can pour out any penitent tears, or lament as we ought for our sins. It is he that must thaw our frozen hearts, before they can dissolve into kindly sorrow. To him therefore alone thou must go for this great work of humiliation. And that thy prayers may be the more prevalent,
1. Confess unto God the hardness of thine heart, how it is grown to such an adamantine hardness, that neither the thundrings, nor threatnings of the Law, nor the sweet showers, the promises of the Gospel can make it relent, or dissolve. Confess unto God, that Though thou hast broken his holy and righteous Laws ten thousand thousand times, yet the consideration thereof hath not broken thine heart. Oh this rock, this rock, when shall it be pierced? Oh this hard heart, I cannot break it. I would melt, I would mourn, but cannot. I can mourn for a lost friend, for a lost estate, but I cannot mourn for a lost soul. Oh what groanings and sighings, and lamentations will afflictions press out of me: but my sins, my sins, how little do they move me? The pains of my body I can feel and roar under, but O what a stock am I under, the plague of my heart? Lord smite this rock. My plaints are before thee: mine eyes are towards thee. I cannot weep, but I can cry for a broken heart, Lord hear me.
Ezek. 36.26.2. In thy Prayers plead that gracious promise of God, to take away the stony hearts out of our flesh, and to give us hearts of flesh. Hath God promised, and is there no hope in the promise? Is there hope, and wilt thou not lay hold on that hope? plead with thy God upon his own word. Is not this thy Word, O Lord? Hast not thou said, thou wilt make this stone flesh? will it ever be done, if thou dost it not? wilt not thou do what thou hast said? Is it not thy will that I should believe thou wilt? Oh perform thy word unto thy Servant, wherein thou hast commanded me to put my trust.
3. Be importunate in this request of thine unto God, often renewing thy prayers, and never give over till thou find thine hard heart brought into a mourning and melting frame. Though God for a while seemeth deaf to thy prayers, yet be not thou dumb, many petitions he cannot deny.
IV. Resolve to give a present bill of divorce to all thy sinful lusts and pleasures, utterly to renounce and forsake thine old sinful course of life, and to set upon a new course, to serve God in holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of thy life. Its vain for thee to lament and bewail thy past sins, if thou wilt not give over thy sinning trade. For as the Apostle adviseth, Thou must first put off the old man with▪ his corrupt-lusts, before thou put o… the new man. Thou therefore who hast accustomed thy self, to swearing and cursing, to whoring and drinking, to scoffing and railing against the people of God, resolve to swear and curse no more, to whore and drink no more, to scoff and rail no more; but cast them away with detestation, avoiding the places and occasions of these sins. For it is a vain thing to think thy self strong enough to abstain from any sin, when thou canst not withdraw thy self from the occasions thereof.
Ah sinner, if thou hast any regard to thy precious soul, it will be thy wisdom speedily to resolve to leave thine old course of life, and to turn over a new leaf. Think not of peace with God, whilest thou art at peace with sin. Think not that thine old scores are crossed, whilest thou art so freely scoring up a new. Deceive not thy self, thy divorce from sin, and thy marriage with Christ must be both on the same day. And count not thy self divorced, till thou and thy sins be parted. Resolve this day to have done with thy old wayes for ever. At once give Christ his welcome, and thy lusts their farewell. There is no true humiliation for sin, where there is not a resolution against it. Say not thou art not humbled enough, how little soever thy sorrow be, if thou art sincerely resolved against iniquity. And say not thou art humble enough, how deep soever it hath been, if there follow not this resolution. Thy Furnace hath not yet been hot enough, if thy sin be not too hot for thee. Resolve for Christ, resolve against the Devil, and all his works. And that thy resolution may hold, observe these following directions.
1. Be sure thou do not ground thy resolutions upon any confidence in thine own strength, but in the strength of Iesus Christ: without whose assistance thou canst do nothing, as our Saviour himself expresseth, Iob. 15.1. But through Christ strengthening thee, thou wilt be enabled to do any thing. As David therefore when he was to encounter with Goliah, 1 Sam. 17.45.went not out in his own name, but in the name and strength of the Lord of Hosts. So must thou resolve to fight against thy lusts and corruptions, not in thine own name or strength, but in the name and strength of Jesus Christ. Otherwise thy lusts may reply to thee, as the Devil did to the Sons of Sheva, Act. 19.15.Iesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? And know that the more sensible thou art of thine own weakness, and insufficiency, the more ready Christ is to help thee, and the more strength shalt thou receive from Christ. Which the Apostle Paul found true in his own experience, for saith he, when I am weak, then am I strong, that is, when I am weak,2 Cors 12.10. and insufficient in my self, in mine own apprehension, then do I most of all feel a gracious supply from Christ.
2. Back thy resolutions with Prayer. As thou dost resolve in the grace and strength of God to abandon thy lusts, to forsake thy former wicked and ungodly course of life: so be earnest with God in prayer for power and strength against the power and strength of sin. For as it is Gods power by which alone thou canst keep down the power of thy lusts; so prayer is the means sanctified for the obtaining thereof. Oh therefore pray, and pray earnestly, yea add fasting to thy prayers. For old sins to which thou hast been long accustomed, are like those Devils which possessed the man from his youth, which could not be cast out without fasting and prayer.
3. Second thy Prayers with thy diligence and faithful endeavours, striving against thy lusts and corruptions, though never so sweet and dear unto thee. For these are vain and insignificant resolutions which promise great matters, but do nothing. Whereas true resolutions are active and stirring, putting men upon the work. Hast thou resolved, through the grace of God, to abandon thy lusts? up then and be doing, set on it presently without any farther delay. For shouldst thou consecrate the prime and strength of thy dayes to the service of Satan, and gratifying thine own carnal lusts, and reserve thy decayed strength, and decrepit old age, the dregs of thy dayes, for God and his service? Canst thou think God will accept thereof? Surely no. For mark what the Prophet Malachy speaketh, Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flo…k a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. What then can they expect who dedicate the prime and strength of their dayes to sin, and reserve only the lees, their old age full of sores and corruptions unto God?
4. Frequently call to mind the resolutions thou hast made of a speedy and through reformateon, which will be an especial means to keep them fresh in memory, and a fresh remembrance of them will stir thee up to a conscionable performance of them.
5. Often renew thy resolutions. It is not sufficient frequently to review thy resolutions, but thou must likewise frequently renew them. For a resolution renewed is as new made, and thereby becometh fresh and vigorous. And truly there is great power in a resolution, when it is fresh upon the heart; new cords are strong.
V. Having resolved to give a bill of divorce to thy sinful lusts and pleasures, make choice of Christ for thy Lord and Husband, as well as for thy Priest and Saviour. Take him as the Bride doth her Bridegroom for better for worse, for richer and poorer, with his cross as well as with his Crown, resign and give up thy self unto Christ, to be ruled and governed, ordered and disposed in all things by him: and resolve as to cast thy self at the feet of Christ in subjection to him, so to cast thy self into the arms of Christ, and upon his shoulders for Salvation from him: adventure thy soul upon him, rest upon his perfect righteousness, and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon of thy sins here, and for eternal life and Salvation hereafter.
Let the consideration of those many melting invitations of Jesus Christ unto poor sinners to come unto him, stir thee up to go unto him, to cast thy self into the merciful and meritorious arms and embracements of thy Crucified Saviour, to throw thy self upon his grace and mercy. As God hath laid thy help upon him, so do thou lay thy hope upon him, both for the pardon of thy sins past, and for power against sin for the time to come: for grace here, and glory hereafter, saying, If I perish, I will perish in the arms of Iesus Christ. And if thou canst bring up thine heart to this, then is the match made between Christ and thy soul; so that thou maist with confidence say, Christ is mine, and I am his.
And oh what a joyful day will this be unto thee? In this consisteth thy new birth, and work of Regeneration, whereby thou art become a new creature. This day is salvation come into thy heart: All other things are but preparatives unto this.
Oh therefore let me prevail with thee, above all things to make this choice of Christ for thy Lord and Saviour: to resign up thy self unto him, and his Laws, as well as to expect salvation from him. For no man can take Jesus Christ savingly, who takes him not wholly, as his Lord, and husband to serve and obey him, as well as his Priest and Saviour to free him from the guilt and punishment of all his sins… He is the author of eternal Salvation only to those who obey him.
Many I know are willing to accept of Christ upon their own terms. Some are willing to accept of Christ, provided that together with him, they may enjoy their sinfull lusts and pleasures. Others are willing to accept of him, provided that together with him, they may enjoy their worldly riches and treasures. But he who will take Christ savingly, must take him upon his own terms. He will be all to thee or nothing: he will rule thee, or else he will not ransome thee. Away then with thy sins, be divorced from thine old Husband, let sin no longer rule in thee; if thou wilt be marryed to the Lord, and have any part in his righteousness.
Ah sinner, whosoever thou art, how many soever thy sins are, this day in the name of the great God, I do tender Jesus Christ unto thee. And as thou tendrest the life and happiness of thine own soul, refuse him not, but stir up thy self to accept of him, both his person and in all his offices. Say the Lord Jesus Christ shall be my Prophet, I will in all things labour to be taught and instructed by him. And he shall be my King, I will give him the Supremacy, I will resign up my self wholly to his Dominion, in all things to be ordered and governed by him. And he shall be my Priest, he shall answer to God, and make an atonement for me. I will rest upon his perfect righteousness, and all-sufficient Sacrifice offered upon the Cross for life and salvation.
Though thou hast hitherto been a great sinner, yet if now thou wilt abandon thy sins, and thus embrace Jesus Christ, thou shalt have him given to thee, and all thy sins freely forgiven thee. Oh why wilt thou neglect so great salvation? Oh do not deferr the doing it one day longer. But to day, even now that Christ is freely offered unto thee, resolve to receive him.
And be not discouraged out of fear, that because thou hast so long refused to choose and embrace Jesus Christ, therefore now the time is past. But know that so long as the Lord continueth calling, and inviting thee by his Word and Spirit, so long the day of grace lasteth. The golden Scepter is this day held forth unto thee: Christ and Salvation are now offered unto thee: O therefore embrace him by faith; which if thou refusest to do, know assuredly that everlasting fire prepared for the Devils, will be thy portion to all Eternity. For as our Saviour speaketh, This is the condemnation, Joh. 3.19.even the soarest and surest condemnation, that light is come into the World, that Jesus Chrst, and salvation by him is offered in the Gospel, and yet men love darkness more than light, preferring their deeds of darkness, their sinful sensual wayes before the Lord of life, who is the light of the World. Oh that any should be so foolish and unwise, as to choose darkness rather than light, and death rather than life.